selected prose of oscar wilde-第12部分

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When　the　barren　almond　bears；

And　a　little　child　gives　away　its　tears；

Then　shall　all　the　house　be　still

And　peace　come　to　Canterville。





But　I　don't　know　what　they　mean。'



'They　mean；'　he　said　sadly；　'that　you　must　weep　for　me　for　my　sins；

because　I　have　no　tears；　and　pray　with　me　for　my　soul；　because　I

have　no　faith；　and　then；　if　you　have　always　been　sweet；　and　good；

and　gentle；　the　Angel　of　Death　will　have　mercy　on　me。　　You　will　see

fearful　shapes　in　darkness；　and　wicked　voices　will　whisper　in　your

ear；　but　they　will　not　harm　you；　for　against　the　purity　of　a　little

child　the　powers　of　Hell　cannot　prevail。'



Virginia　made　no　answer；　and　the　Ghost　wrung　his　hands　in　wild

despair　as　he　looked　down　at　her　bowed　golden　head。　　Suddenly　she

stood　up；　very　pale；　and　with　a　strange　light　in　her　eyes。　　'I　am

not　afraid；'　she　said　firmly；　'and　I　will　ask　the　Angel　to　have

mercy　on　you。'



He　rose　from　his　seat　with　a　faint　cry　of　joy；　and　taking　her　hand

bent　over　it　with　old…fashioned　grace　and　kissed　it。　　His　fingers

were　as　cold　as　ice；　and　his　lips　burned　like　fire；　but　Virginia　did

not　falter；　as　he　led　her　across　the　dusky　room。　　On　the　faded　green

tapestry　were　broidered　little　huntsmen。　　They　blew　their　tasselled

horns　and　with　their　tiny　hands　waved　to　her　to　go　back。　　'Go　back！

little　Virginia；'　they　cried；　'go　back！'　but　the　Ghost　clutched　her

hand　more　tightly；　and　she　shut　her　eyes　against　them。　　Horrible

animals　with　lizard　tails；　and　goggle　eyes；　blinked　at　her　from　the

carven　chimney…piece；　and　murmured　'Beware！　little　Virginia；　beware！

we　may　never　see　you　again；'　but　the　Ghost　glided　on　more　swiftly；

and　Virginia　did　not　listen。　　When　they　reached　the　end　of　the　room

he　stopped；　and　muttered　some　words　she　could　not　understand。　　She

opened　her　eyes；　and　saw　the　wall　slowly　fading　away　like　a　mist；

and　a　great　black　cavern　in　front　of　her。　　A　bitter　cold　wind　swept

round　them；　and　she　felt　something　pulling　at　her　dress。　　'Quick；

quick；'　cried　the　Ghost；　'or　it　will　be　too　late；'　and；　in　a　moment；

the　wainscoting　had　closed　behind　them；　and　the　Tapestry　Chamber　was

empty。The　Canterville　Ghost







AN　ETON　KIT…CAT







〃Well；〃　said　Erskine；　lighting　a　cigarette；　〃I　must　begin　by　telling

you　about　Cyril　Graham　himself。　　He　and　I　were　at　the　same　house　at

Eton。　　I　was　a　year　or　two　older　than　he　was；　but　we　were　immense

friends；　and　did　all　our　work　and　all　our　play　together。　　There　was；

of　course；　a　good　deal　more　play　than　work；　but　I　cannot　say　that　I

am　sorry　for　that。　　It　is　always　an　advantage　not　to　have　received　a

sound　commercial　education；　and　what　I　learned　in　the　playing　fields

at　Eton　has　been　quite　as　useful　to　me　as　anything　I　was　taught　at

Cambridge。　　I　should　tell　you　that　Cyril's　father　and　mother　were

both　dead。　　They　had　been　drowned　in　a　horrible　yachting　accident

off　the　Isle　of　Wight。　　His　father　had　been　in　the　diplomatic

service；　and　had　married　a　daughter；　the　only　daughter；　in　fact；　of

old　Lord　Crediton；　who　became　Cyril's　guardian　after　the　death　of

his　parents。　　I　don't　think　that　Lord　Crediton　cared　very　much　for

Cyril。　　He　had　never　really　forgiven　his　daughter　for　marrying　a　man

who　had　not　a　title。　　He　was　an　extraordinary　old　aristocrat；　who

swore　like　a　costermonger；　and　had　the　manners　of　a　farmer。　　I

remember　seeing　him　once　on　Speech…day。　　He　growled　at　me；　gave　me　a

sovereign；　and　told　me　not　to　grow　up　〃a　damned　Radical〃　like　my

father。　　Cyril　had　very　little　affection　for　him；　and　was　only　too

glad　to　spend　most　of　his　holidays　with　us　in　Scotland。　　They　never

really　got　on　together　at　all。　　Cyril　thought　him　a　bear；　and　he

thought　Cyril　effeminate。　　He　was　effeminate；　I　suppose；　in　some

things；　though　he　was　a　very　good　rider　and　a　capital　fencer。　　In

fact　he　got　the　foils　before　he　left　Eton。　　But　he　was　very　languid

in　his　manner；　and　not　a　little　vain　of　his　good　looks；　and　had　a

strong　objection　to　football。　　The　two　things　that　really　gave　him

pleasure　were　poetry　and　acting。　　At　Eton　he　was　always　dressing　up

and　reciting　Shakespeare；　and　when　he　went　up　to　Trinity　he　became　a

member　of　the　A。D。C。　his　first　term。　　I　remember　I　was　always　very

jealous　of　his　acting。　　I　was　absurdly　devoted　to　him；　I　suppose

because　we　were　so　different　in　some　things。　　I　was　a　rather

awkward；　weakly　lad；　with　huge　feet；　and　horribly　freckled。

Freckles　run　in　Scotch　families　just　as　gout　does　in　English

families。　　Cyril　used　to　say　that　of　the　two　he　preferred　the　gout；

but　he　always　set　an　absurdly　high　value　on　personal　appearance；　and

once　read　a　paper　before　our　debating　society　to　prove　that　it　was

better　to　be　good…looking　than　to　be　good。　　He　certainly　was

wonderfully　handsome。　　People　who　did　not　like　him；　Philistines　and

college　tutors；　and　young　men　reading　for　the　Church；　used　to　say

that　he　was　merely　pretty；　but　there　was　a　great　deal　more　in　his

face　than　mere　prettiness。　　I　think　he　was　the　most　splendid

creature　I　ever　saw；　and　nothing　could　exceed　the　grace　of　his

movements；　the　charm　of　his　manner。　　He　fascinated　everybody　who　was

worth　fascinating；　and　a　great　many　people　who　were　not。　　He　was

often　wilful　and　petulant；　and　I　used　to　think　him　dreadfully

insincere。　　It　was　due；　I　think；　chiefly　to　his　inordinate　desire　to

please。　　Poor　Cyril！　　I　told　him　once　that　he　was　contented　with

very　cheap　triumphs；　but　he　only　laughed。　　He　was　horribly　spoiled。

All　charming　people；　I　fancy；　are　spoiled。　　It　is　the　secret　of

their　attraction。



〃However；　I　must　tell　you　about　Cyril's　acting。　　You　know　that　no

actresses　are　allowed　to　play　at　the　A。D。C。　　At　least　they　were　not

in　my　time。　　I　don't　know　how　it　is　now。　　Well；　of　course；　Cyril　was

always　cast　for　the　girls'　parts；　and　when　As　You　Like　It　was

produced　he　played　Rosalind。　　It　was　a　marvellous　performance。　　In

fact；　Cyril　Graham　was　the　only　perfect　Rosalind　I　have　ever　seen。

It　would　be　impossible　to　describe　to　you　the　beauty；　the　delicacy；

the　refinement　of　the　whole　thing。　　It　made　an　immense　sensation；

and　the　horrid　little　theatre；　as　it　was　then；　was　crowded　every

night。　　Even　when　I　read　the　play　now　I　can't　help　thinking　of

Cyril。　　It　might　have　been　written　for　him。　　The　next　term　he　took

his　degree；　and　came　to　London　to　read　for　the　diplomatic。　　But　he

never　did　any　work。　　He　spent　his　days　in　reading　Shakespeare's

Sonnets；　and　his　evenings　at　the　theatre。　　He　was；　of　course；　wild

to　go　on　the　stage。　　It　was　all　that　I　and　Lord　Crediton　could　do　to

prevent　him。　　Perhaps　if　he　had　gone　on　the　stage　he　would　be　alive

now。　　It　is　always　a　silly　thing　to　give　advice；　but　to　give　good

advice　is　absolutely　fatal。　　I　hope　you　will　never　fall　into　that

error。　　If　you　do；　you　will　be　sorry　for　it。〃The　Portrait　of　Mr。

W。　H。







MRS。　ERLYNNE　EXERCISES　THE　PREROGATIVE　OF　A　GRANDMOTHER







Lady　Windermere；　before　Heaven　your　husband　is　guiltless　of　all

offence　towards　you！　　And　II　tell　you　that　had　it　ever　occurred　to

me　that　such　a　monstrous　suspicion　would　have　entered　your　mind；　I

would　have　died　rather　than　have　crossed　your　life　or　hisoh！　died；

gladly　died！　　Believe　what　you　choose　about　me。　　I　am　not　worth　a

moment's　sorrow。　　But　don't　spoil　your　beautiful　young　life　on　my

account！　　You　don't　know　what　may　be　in　store　for　you；　unless　you

leave　this　house　at　once。　　You　don't　know　what　it　is　to　fall　into

the　pit；　to　be　despised；　mocked；　abandoned；　sneered　atto　be　an

outcast！　to　find　the　door　shut　against　one；　to　have　to　creep　in　by

hideous　byways；　afraid　every　moment　lest　the　mask　should　be　stripped

from　one's　face；　and　all　the　while　to　hear　the　laughter；　the

horrible　laughter　of　the　world；　a　thing　more　tragic　than　all　the

tears　the　world　has　ever　shed。　　You　don't　know　what　it　is。　　One　pays

for　one's　sin；　and　then　one　pays　again；　and　all　one's　life　one　pays。

You　must　never　know　that。As　for　me；　if　suffering　be　an　expiation；

then　at　this　moment　I　have　expiated　all　my　faults；　whatever　they

have　been；　for　to…night　you　have　made　a　heart　in　one　who　had　it　not；

made　it　and　broken　it。But　let　that　pass。　　I　may　have　wrecked　my

own　life；　but　I　will　not　let　you　wreck　yours。　　Youwhy；　you　are　a

mere　girl；　you　would　be　lost。　　You　haven't　got　the　kind　of　brains

that　enables　a　woman　to　get　back。　　You　have　neither　the　wit　nor　the

courage。　　You　couldn't　stand　dishonour！　　No！　　Go　back；　Lady

Windermere；　to　the　husband　who　loves　you；　whom　you　love。　　You　have　a

child；　Lady　Windermere。　　Go　back　to　that　child　who　even　now；　in　pain

or　in　joy；　may　be　calling　to　you。　　God　gave　you　that　child。　　He　will

require　from　you　that　you　make　his　life　fine；　that　you　watch　over

him。　　What　answer　will　you　make　to　God　if　his　life　is　ruined　through

you？　　Back　to　your　house；　Lady　Windermereyour　husband　loves　you！

He　has　never　swerved　for　a　moment　from　the　love　he　bears　you。　　But

even　if　he　had　a　thousand　loves；　you　must　stay　with　your　child。　　If

he　was　harsh　to　you；　you　must　stay　with　your　child。　　If　he　ill…

treated　you；　you　must　stay　with　your　child。　　If　he　abandoned　you；

your　place　is　with　your　child。Lady　Windermere's　Fan







MOTHERHOOD　MORE　THAN　MARRIAGE







Men　don't　understand　what　mothers　are。　　I　am　no　different　from　other

women　except　in　the　wrong　done　me　and　the　wrong　I　did；　and　my　very

heavy　punishments　and　great　disgrace。　　And　yet；　to　bear　you　I　had　to

look　on　death。　　To　nurture　you　I　had　to　wrestle　with　it。　　Death

fought　with　me　for　you。　　All　women　have　to　fight　with　death　to　keep

their　children。　　Death；　being　childless；　wants　our　children　from　us。

Gerald；　when　you　were　naked　I　clothed　you；　when　you　were　hungry　I

gave　you　food。　　Night　and　day　all　that　long　winter　I　tended　you。　　No

office　is　too　mean；　no　care　too　lowly　for　the　thing　we　women　love

and　oh！　how　I　loved　YOU。　　Not　Hannah；　Samuel　more。　　And　you　needed

love；　for　you　were　weakly；　and　only　love　c