the author of beltraffio-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


found　strolling　in　the　garden　before　breakfast。　　The　whole　place
looked　as　fresh　and　trim；　amid　the　twitter　of　the　birds；　as　if；　an
hour　before；　the　housemaids　had　been　turned　into　it　with　their　dust…
pans　and　feather…brushes。　　I　almost　hesitated　to　light　a　cigarette
and　was　doubly　startled　when；　in　the　act　of　doing　so；　I　suddenly　saw
the　sister　of　my　host；　who　had；　at　the　best；　something　of　the
weirdness　of　an　apparition；　stand　before　me。　　She　might　have　been
posing　for　her　photograph。　　Her　sad…coloured　robe　arranged　itself　in
serpentine　folds　at　her　feet；　her　hands　locked　themselves　listlessly
together　in　front；　her　chin　rested　on　a　cinque…cento　ruff。　　The　first
thing　I　did　after　bidding　her　good…morning　was　to　ask　her　for　news　of
her　little　nephewto　express　the　hope　she　had　heard　he　was　better。
She　was　able　to　gratify　this　trustshe　spoke　as　if　we　might　expect
to　see　him　during　the　day。　　We　walked　through　the　shrubberies
together　and　she　gave　me　further　light　on　her　brother's　household；
which　offered　me　an　opportunity　to　repeat　to　her　what　his　wife　had　so
startled　and　distressed　me　with　the　night　before。　　WAS　it　the　sorry
truth　that　she　thought　his　productions　objectionable？

〃She　doesn't　usually　come　out　with　that　so　soon！〃　Miss　Ambient
returned　in　answer　to　my　breathlessness。

〃Poor　lady；〃　I　pleaded；　〃she　saw　I'm　a　fanatic。〃

〃Yes；　she　won't　like　you　for　that。　　But　you　mustn't　mind；　if　the　rest
of　us　like　you！　　Beatrice　thinks　a　work　of　art　ought　to　have　a
'purpose。'　　But　she's　a　charming　womandon't　you　think　her　charming？
I　find　in　her　quite　the　grand　air。〃

〃She's　very　beautiful；〃　I　produced　with　an　effort；　while　I　reflected
that　though　it　was　apparently　true　that　Mark　Ambient　was　mismated　it
was　also　perceptible　that　his　sister　was　perfidious。　　She　assured　me
her　brother　and　his　wife　had　no　other　difference　but　thisone　that
she　thought　his　writings　immoral　and　his　influence　pernicious。　　It
was　a　fixed　idea；　she　was　afraid　of　these　things　for　the　child。　　I
answered　that　it　was　in　all　conscience　enough；　the　trifle　of　a
woman's　regarding　her　husband's　mind　as　a　well　of　corruption；　and　she
seemed　much　struck　with　the　novelty　of　my　remark。　　〃But　there　hasn't
been　any　of　the　sort　of　trouble　that　there　so　often　is　among　married
people；〃　she　said。　　〃I　suppose　you　can　judge　for　yourself　that
Beatrice　isn't　at　allwell；　whatever　they　call　it　when　a　woman　kicks
over！　　And　poor　Mark　doesn't　make　love　to　other　people　either。　　You
might　think　he　would；　but　I　assure　you　he　doesn't。　　All　the　same　of
course；　from　her　point　of　view；　you　know；　she　has　a　dread　of　my
brother's　influence　on　the　child　on　the　formation　of　his　character；
his　'ideals；'　poor　little　brat；　his　principles。　　It's　as　if　it　were　a
subtle　poison　or　a　contagionsomething　that　would　rub　off　on　his
tender　sensibility　when　his　father　kisses　him　or　holds　him　on　his
knee。　　If　she　could　she'd　prevent　Mark　from　even　so　much　as　touching
him。　　Every　one　knows　itvisitors　see　it　for　themselves；　so　there's
no　harm　in　my　telling　you。　　Isn't　it　excessively　odd？　　It　comes　from
Beatrice's　being　so　religious　and　so　tremendously　moralso　a　cheval
on　fifty　thousand　riguardi。　　And　then　of　course　we　mustn't　forget；〃
my　companion　added；　a　little　unexpectedly；　to　this　polyglot
proposition；　〃that　some　of　Mark's　ideas　arewell；　reallyrather
impossible；　don't　you　know？〃

I　reflected　as　we　went　into　the　house；　where　we　found　Ambient
unfolding　The　Observer　at　the　breakfast…table；　that　none　of　them　were
probably　quite　so　〃impossible；　don't　you　know？〃　as　his　sister。　　Mrs。
Ambient；　a　little　〃the　worse；〃　as　was　mentioned；　for　her
ministrations；　during　the　night；　to　Dolcino；　didn't　appear　at
breakfast。　　Her　husband　described　her；　however；　as　hoping　to　go　to
church。　　I　afterwards　learnt　that　she　did　go；　but　nothing　naturally
was　less　on　the　cards　than　that　we　should　accompany　her。　　It　was
while　the　church…bell　droned　near　at　hand　that　the　author　of
〃Beltraffio〃　led　me　forth　for　the　ramble　he　had　spoken　of　in　his
note。　　I　shall　attempt　here　no　record　of　where　we　went　or　of　what　we
saw。　　We　kept　to　the　fields　and　copses　and　commons；　and　breathed　the
same　sweet　air　as　the　nibbling　donkeys　and　the　browsing　sheep；　whose
woolliness　seemed　to　me；　in　those　early　days　of　acquaintance　with
English　objects；　but　part　of　the　general　texture　of　the　small　dense
landscape；　which　looked　as　if　the　harvest　were　gathered　by　the　shears
and　with　all　nature　bleating　and　braying　for　the　violence。
Everything　was　full　of　expression　for　Mark　Ambient's　visitorfrom
the　big　bandy…legged　geese　whose　whiteness　was　a　〃note〃　amid　all　the
tones　of　green　as　they　wandered　beside　a　neat　little　oval　pool；　the
foreground　of　a　thatched　and　whitewashed　inn；　with　a　grassy　approach
and　a　pictorial　signfrom　these　humble　wayside　animals　to　the　crests
of　high　woods　which　let　a　gable　or　a　pinnacle　peep　here　and　there　and
looked　even　at　a　distance　like　trees　of　good　company；　conscious　of　an
individual　profile。　　I　admired　the　hedge…rows；　I　plucked　the　faint…
hued　heather；　and　I　was　for　ever　stopping　to　say　how　charming　I
thought　the　thread…like　footpaths　across　the　fields；　which　wandered
in　a　diagonal　of　finer　grain　from　one　smooth　stile　to　another。　　Mark
Ambient　was　abundantly　good…natured　and　was　as　much　struck；　dear　man；
with　some　of　my　observations　as　I　was　with　the　literary　allusions　of
the　landscape。　　We　sat　and　smoked　on　stiles；　broaching　paradoxes　in
the　decent　English　air；　we　took　short　cuts　across　a　park　or　two　where
the　bracken　was　deep　and　my　companion　nodded　to　the　old　woman　at　the
gate；　we　skirted　rank　coverts　which　rustled　here　and　there　as　we
passed；　and　we　stretched　ourselves　at　last　on　a　heathery　hillside
where　if　the　sun　wasn't　too　hot　neither　was　the　earth　too　cold；　and
where　the　country　lay　beneath　us　in　a　rich　blue　mist。　　Of　course　I
had　already　told　him　what　I　thought　of　his　new　novel；　having　the
previous　night　read　every　word　of　the　opening　chapters　before　I　went
to　bed。

〃I'm　not　without　hope　of　being　able　to　make　it　decent　enough；〃　he
said　as　I　went　back　to　the　subject　while　we　turned　up　our　heels　to
the　sky。　　〃At　least　the　people　who　dislike　my　stuffand　there　are
plenty　of　them；　I　believewill　dislike　this　thing　（if　it　does　turn
out　well）　most。〃　　This　was　the　first　time　I　had　heard　him　allude　to
the　people　who　couldn't　read　hima　class　so　generally　conceived　to
sit　heavy　on　the　consciousness　of　the　man　of　letters。　　A　being
organised　for　literature　as　Mark　Ambient　was　must　certainly　have　had
the　normal　proportion　of　sensitiveness；　of　irritability；　the　artistic
ego；　capable　in　some　cases　of　such　monstrous　development；　must　have
been　in　his　composition　sufficiently　erect　and　active。　　I　won't
therefore　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　he　never　thought　of　his　detractors
or　that　he　had　any　illusions　with　regard　to　the　number　of　his
admirershe　could　never　so　far　have　deceived　himself　as　to　believe
he　was　popular；　but　I　at　least　then　judged　（and　had　occasion　to　be
sure　later　on）　that　stupidity　ruffled　him　visibly　but　little；　that　he
had　an　air　of　thinking　it　quite　natural　he　should　leave　many　simple
folk；　tasting　of　him；　as　simple　as　ever　he　found　them；　and　that　he
very　seldom　talked　about　the　newspapers；　which；　by　the　way；　were
always　even　abnormally　vulgar　about　him。　　Of　course　he　may　have
thought　them　overthe　newspapersnight　and　day；　the　only　point　I
make　is　that　he　didn't　show　it　while　at　the　same　time　he　didn't
strike　one　as　a　man　actively　on　his　guard。　　I　may　add　that；　touching
his　hope　of　making　the　work　on　which　he　was　then　engaged　the　best　of
his　books；　it　was　only　partly　carried　out。　　That　place　belongs
incontestably　to　〃Beltraffio；〃　in　spite　of　the　beauty　of　certain
parts　of　its　successor。　　I　quite　believe；　however；　that　he　had　at　the
moment　of　which　I　speak　no　sense　of　having　declined；　he　was　in　love
with　his　idea；　which　was　indeed　magnificent；　and　though　for　him；　as　I
suppose　for　every　sane　artist；　the　act　of　execution　had　in　it　as　much
torment　as　joy；　he　saw　his　result　grow　like　the　crescent　of　the　young
moon　and　promise　to　fill　the　disk。　　〃I　want　to　be　truer　than　I've
ever　been；〃　he　said；　settling　himself　on　his　back　with　his　hands
clasped　behind　his　head；　〃I　want　to　give　the　impression　of　life
itself。　　No；　you　may　say　what　you　will；　I've　always　arranged　things
too　much；　always　smoothed　them　down　and　rounded　them　off　and　tucked
them　indone　everything　to　them　that　life　doesn't　do。　　I've　been　a
slave　to　the　old　superstitions。〃

〃You　a　slave；　my　dear　Mark　Ambient？　　You've　the　freest　imagination　of
our　day！〃

〃All　the　more　shame　to　me　to　have　done　some　of　the　things　I　have！
The　reconciliation　of　the　two　women　in　'Natalina；'　for　instance；
which　could　never　really　have　taken　place。　　That　sort　of　thing's
ignobleI　blush　when　I　think　of　it！　　This　new　affair　must　be　a
golden　vessel；　filled　with　the　purest　distillation　of　the　actual；　and
oh　how　it　worries　me；　the　shaping　of　the　vase；　the　hammering　of　the
metal！　　I　have　to　hammer　it　so　fine；　so　smooth；　I　don't　do　more　than
an　inch　or　two　a　day。　　And　all　the　while　I　have　to　be　so　careful　not
to　let　a　drop　of　the　liquor　escape！　　When　I　see　the　kind　of　things
Life　herself；　the　brazen　hussy；　does；　I　despair　of　ever　catching　her
peculiar　trick。　　She　has　an　impudence；　Life！　　If　one　risked　a
fiftieth　part　of　the　effects　she　risks！　　It　takes　ever　so　long　to
believe　it。　　You　don't　know　yet；　my　dear　youth。　　It　isn't　till　one
has　been　watching　her　some　forty　years　that　one　finds　out　half　of
what　she's　up　to！　　Therefore　one's　earlier　things　must　inevitably
contain　a　mass　of　rot。　　And　with　what　one　sees；　on　one　side；　with　its
tongue　in　its　cheek；　defying　one　to　be　real　enough；　and　on　the　other
the　bonnes　gens　rolling　up　their　eyes　at　one's　cynicism；　the
situation　has　elements　of　the　ludicrous　which　the　poor　reproducer
himself　is　doubtless　in　a　position　to　appreciate　better　than　any　one
else。　　Of　course　one　mustn't　worry　about　the　bonnes　gens；〃　Mark
Ambient　went　on　while　my　thoughts　reverted　to　his　ladylike　wife　as
interpreted　by　his　remarkable　sister。

〃To　sink　your　shaft　deep　and　polish　the　plate　through　which　people
look　into　itthat's　what　your　work　consists　o