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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
lliant future at the University was in jeopardy。 The papers took hold of this too … 'Model Student's Career at Stake。 But for Mr Samgrass's evidence； said the magistrate； he would have been disposed to give an exemplary sentence； the law was the same for an Oxford undergraduate as for any young hooligan； indeed the better the home the more shameful the offence。。。
It was not only at Bow Street that Mr Samgrass was of value。 At Oxford he showed all the zeal and acumen which were Rex Mottram's in London。 He interviewed the college authorities； the proctors； the Vice…Chancellor； he induced Mgr Bell to call on the Dean of Christ Church； he arranged for Lady Marchmain to talk to the Chancellor himself； and； as a result of all this； the three of us were gated for the rest of the term。 Hardcastle； for no clear reason； was again deprived of the use of his car； and the affair blew over。 The most lasting penalty we suffered was our intimacy with Rex Mottram and Mr Samgrass； but since Rex's life was in London in a world of politics and high finance and Mr Samgrass's nearer to our own at Oxford； it was from him we suffered the more。
For the rest of that term he haunted us。 Now that we were 'gated' we could not spend our evenings together； and from nine 0'clock onwards were alone and at Mr Samgrass's mercy。 Hardly an evening seemed to paw but he called on one o r the other of us。 He spoke of 'our little escapade' as though he； too； had been in the cells； and had that bond with us。。。Once I climbed out of college and Mr Samgrass found me in Sebastian's rooms after the gate was shut and that； too； he made into a bond。 It did not surprise me； therefore； when I arrived at Brideshead； after Christmas； to find Mr Samgrass； as though in wait for me； sitting alone before the fire in the room they called the 'Tapestry Hall'。
'You find me in solitary possession；' he said； and indeed he seemed to possess the hall and the sombre scenes of venery that hung round it； to possess the caryatids on either side of the fireplace； to possess me； as he rose to take my hand and greet me like a host： 'This morning；' he continued； 'we had a lawn meet of the Marchmain Hounds … a deliciously archaic spectacle and all our young friends are fox…hunting； even Sebastian who； you will not be surprised to hear； looked remarkably elegant in his pink coat。 Brideshead was impressive rather than elegant； he is joint…master with a local figure of fun named Sir Walter Strickland…Venables。 I wish the two of them could be included in these rather humdrum tapestries … they would give a note of fantasy。
'Our hostess remained at home； also a convalescent Dominican who has read too much Maritain and too little Hegel； Sir Adrian Porson； of course； and two rather forbidding Magyar cousins … I have tried them in German and in French； but in neither tongue are they diverting。 All these have now driven off to visit a neighbour。 I have been spending a cosy afternoon before the fire with the inparable Charlus。 Your arrival emboldens me to ring for some tea。 How can I prepare you for the party？ Alas； it breaks up tomorrow。 Lady Julia departs to celebrate the New Year elsewhere； and takes the beau…monde with her。 I shall miss the pretty creatures about the house … particularly one Celia； she is the sister of our old panion in adversity； Boy Mulcaster； and wonderfully unlike； him。 She has a bird…like style of conversation； pecking away at the subject in a way I find most engaging； and a school…monitor style of dress which I can only call 〃saucy〃。 I shall miss her； for I do not go tomorrow。 Tomorrow I start work in earnest on our hostess's book … which； believe me； is a treasure…house of period gems； pure authentic I9I4。'
Tea was brought and； soon after it； Sebastian returned； he had lost the hunt early； he said； and hacked home； the others were not long after him； having been fetched by car at the end of the day； Brideshead was absent； he had business at the kennels and Cordelia had gone with him。 The rest filled the hall and were soon eating scrambled eggs and crumpets； and Mr Samgrass； who had lunched at home and dozed all the afternoon before the fire； ate eggs and crumpets with them。 Presently Lady Marchmain's party returned； and when； before we went upstairs to dress for dinner； she said 'Who's ing to chapel for the Rosary？' and Sebastian and Julia said they must have their baths at once； Mr Samgrass went with her and the friar。
'I wish Mr Samgrass would go；' said Sebastian； in his bath； 'I'm sick of being grateful to him。'
In the course of the next fortnight distaste for Mr Samgrass came to be a little unspoken secret throughout the house； in his presence Sir Adrian Porson's fine old eyes seemed to search a distant horizon and his lips set in classic pessimism。 Only the Hungarian cousins who； mistaking the status of tutor； took him for an unusually privileged upper servant； were unaffected by his presence。
Mr Samgrass； Sir Adrian Porson； the Hungarians； the friar； Brideshead； Sebastian； Cordelia were all who remained of the Christmas party。
Religion predominated in…the house； not only in its practices … the daily mass and Rosary； morning and evening in the chapel … but in all its intercourse。 'We must make a Catholic of Charles；' Lady Marchmain said； and we had many little talks together during my visits when she delicately steered the subject into a holy quarter。 After the first of these Sebastian said： 'Has mummy been having one of her 〃little talks〃 with you？ She's always doing it。 I wish to hell she wouldn't。'
One was never summoned for a little talk； or consciously led to it； it merely happened； when she wished to speak intimately； that one found oneself alone with her； if it was summer； in a secluded walk by the lakes or in a corner of the walled rose…gardens； if it was winter； in her sitting…room on the first floor。
This room was all her own； she had taken it for herself and changed it so that； entering； one seemed to be in another house。 She had lowered the ceiling and the elaborate cornice which； in one form or another； graced every room was lost to view； the walls； one panelled in brocade； were stripped and washed blue and spotted with innumerable little water…colours of fond association； the air was sweet with the fresh scent of flowers and musty potpourri； her library in soft leather covers； well…read works of poetry and piety； filled a small rosewood bookcase； the chimney…piece was covered with small personal treasures … an ivory Madonna； a plaster St Joseph； posthumous miniatures of her three soldier brothers。 When Sebastian and I lived alone at Brideshead during that brilliant August we had kept out of his mother's room。
Scraps of conversation e back to me with the memory of her room。 I remember her saying： 'When I was a girl we were paratively poor； but still richer than most of the world； and when I married I became very rich。 It used to worry me； and I thought it wrong to have so many beautiful things when others had nothing。 Now I realize that it is possible for the rich to sin by coveting the privileges of the poor。 The poor have always been the favourites of God and his saints； but I believe that it is one of the special achievements of Grace to sanctify the whole of life； riches included。 Wealth in pagan Rome was necessarily something cruel； it's not any more。'
I said something about a camel and the eye of a needle and she rose happily to the point。
'But of course；' she said； 'it's very unexpected for a camel to go through the eye of a needle； but the gospel is simply a catalogue of unexpected things。 It's not to be expected that an ox and an ass should worship at the crib。 Animals are always doing the oddest things in the lives of the saints。 It's all part of the poetry； the Alice…in…Wonderland side； of religion。'
But I was as untouched by her faith as I was by her charm： or； rather； I was touched by both alike。 I had no mind then for anything except Sebastian； and I saw him already as being threatened； though I did not yet know how black was the threat。 His constant； despairing prayer was to be let alone。 By the blue waters and rustling palms of his own mind he was happy and harmless as a Polynesia