selected prose of oscar wilde-第12节

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！



last　in　Piccadilly　Circus。　　As　he　strolled　home　towards　Belgrave

Square；　he　met　the　great　waggons　on　their　way　to　Covent　Garden。　　The

white…smocked　carters；　with　their　pleasant　sunburnt　faces　and　coarse

curly　hair；　strode　sturdily　on；　cracking　their　whips；　and　calling

out　now　and　then　to　each　other；　on　the　back　of　a　huge　grey　horse；

the　leader　of　a　jangling　team；　sat　a　chubby　boy；　with　a　bunch　of

primroses　in　his　battered　hat；　keeping　tight　hold　of　the　mane　with

his　little　hands；　and　laughing；　and　the　great　piles　of　vegetables

looked　like　masses　of　jade　against　the　morning　sky；　like　masses　of

green　jade　against　the　pink　petals　of　some　marvellous　rose。　　Lord

Arthur　felt　curiously　affected；　he　could　not　tell　why。　　There　was

something　in　the　dawn's　delicate　loveliness　that　seemed　to　him

inexpressibly　pathetic；　and　he　thought　of　all　the　days　that　break　in

beauty；　and　that　set　in　storm。　　These　rustics；　too；　with　their

rough；　good…humoured　voices；　and　their　nonchalant　ways；　what　a

strange　London　they　saw！　　A　London　free　from　the　sin　of　night　and

the　smoke　of　day；　a　pallid；　ghost…like　city；　a　desolate　town　of

tombs！　　He　wondered　what　they　thought　of　it；　and　whether　they　knew

anything　of　its　splendour　and　its　shame；　of　its　fierce；　fiery…

coloured　joys；　and　its　horrible　hunger；　of　all　it　makes　and　mars

from　morn　to　eve。　　Probably　it　was　to　them　merely　a　mart　where　they

brought　their　fruits　to　sell；　and　where　they　tarried　for　a　few　hours

at　most；　leaving　the　streets　still　silent；　the　houses　still　asleep。

It　gave　him　pleasure　to　watch　them　as　they　went　by。　　Rude　as　they

were；　with　their　heavy；　hob…nailed　shoes；　and　their　awkward　gait；

they　brought　a　little　of　a　ready　with　them。　　He　felt　that　they　had

lived　with　Nature；　and　that　she　had　taught　them　peace。　　He　envied

them　all　that　they　did　not　know。



By　the　time　he　had　reached　Belgrave　Square　the　sky　was　a　faint　blue；

and　the　birds　were　beginning　to　twitter　in　the　gardens。Lord　Arthur

Savile's　Crime







A　LETTER　FROM　MISS　JANE　PERCY　TO　HER　AUNT







THE　DEANERY；　CHICHESTER；

27th　May。



My　Dearest　Aunt；



Thank　you　so　much　for　the　flannel　for　the　Dorcas　Society；　and　also

for　the　gingham。　　I　quite　agree　with　you　that　it　is　nonsense　their

wanting　to　wear　pretty　things；　but　everybody　is　so　Radical　and

irreligious　nowadays；　that　it　is　difficult　to　make　them　see　that

they　should　not　try　and　dress　like　the　upper　classes。　　I　am　sure　I

don't　know　what　we　are　coming　to。　　As　papa　has　often　said　in　his

sermons；　we　live　in　an　age　of　unbelief。



We　have　had　great　fun　over　a　clock　that　an　unknown　admirer　sent　papa

last　Thursday。　　It　arrived　in　a　wooden　box　from　London；　carriage

paid；　and　papa　feels　it　must　have　been　sent　by　some　one　who　had　read

his　remarkable　sermon；　'Is　Licence　Liberty？'　for　on　the　top　of　the

clock　was　a　figure　of　a　woman；　with　what　papa　said　was　the　cap　of

Liberty　on　her　head。　　I　didn't　think　it　very　becoming　myself；　but

papa　said　it　was　historical；　so　I　suppose　it　is　all　right。　　Parker

unpacked　it；　and　papa　put　it　on　the　mantelpiece　in　the　library；　and

we　were　all　sitting　there　on　Friday　morning；　when　just　as　the　clock

struck　twelve；　we　heard　a　whirring　noise；　a　little　puff　of　smoke

came　from　the　pedestal　of　the　figure；　and　the　goddess　of　Liberty

fell　off；　and　broke　her　nose　on　the　fender！　　Maria　was　quite

alarmed；　but　it　looked　so　ridiculous；　that　James　and　I　went　off　into

fits　of　laughter；　and　even　papa　was　amused。　　When　we　examined　it；　we

found　it　was　a　sort　of　alarum　clock；　and　that；　if　you　set　it　to　a

particular　hour；　and　put　some　gunpowder　and　a　cap　under　a　little

hammer；　it　went　off　whenever　you　wanted。　　Papa　said　it　must　not

remain　in　the　library；　as　it　made　a　noise；　so　Reggie　carried　it　away

to　the　schoolroom；　and　does　nothing　but　have　small　explosions　all

day　long。　　Do　you　think　Arthur　would　like　one　for　a　wedding　present？

I　suppose　they　are　quite　fashionable　in　London。　　Papa　says　they

should　do　a　great　deal　of　good；　as　they　show　that　Liberty　can't

last；　but　must　fall　down。　　Papa　says　Liberty　was　invented　at　the

time　of　the　French　Revolution。　　How　awful　it　seems！



I　have　now　to　go　to　the　Dorcas；　where　I　will　read　them　your　most

instructive　letter。　　How　true；　dear　aunt；　your　idea　is；　that　in

their　rank　of　life　they　should　wear　what　is　unbecoming。　　I　must　say

it　is　absurd；　their　anxiety　about　dress；　when　there　are　so　many　more

important　things　in　this　world；　and　in　the　next。　　I　am　so　glad　your

flowered　poplin　turned　out　so　well；　and　that　your　lace　was　not　torn。

I　am　wearing　my　yellow　satin；　that　you　so　kindly　gave　me；　at　the

Bishop's　on　Wednesday；　and　think　it　will　look　all　right。　　Would　you

have　bows　or　not？　　Jennings　says　that　every　one　wears　bows　now；　and

that　the　underskirt　should　be　frilled。　　Reggie　has　just　had　another

explosion；　and　papa　has　ordered　the　clock　to　be　sent　to　the　stables。

I　don't　think　papa　likes　it　so　much　as　he　did　at　first；　though　he　is

very　flattered　at　being　sent　such　a　pretty　and　ingenious　toy。　　It

shows　that　people　read　his　sermons；　and　profit　by　them。



Papa　sends　his　love；　in　which　James；　and　Reggie；　and　Maria　all

unite；　and；　hoping　that　Uncle　Cecil's　gout　is　better；　believe　me；

dear　aunt；　ever　your　affectionate　niece；



JANE　PERCY。



PS。Do　tell　me　about　the　bows。　　Jennings　insists　they　are　the

fashion。Lord　Arthur　Savile's　Crime







THE　TRIUMPH　OF　AMERICAN　'HUMOR'







At　half…past　ten　he　heard　the　family　going　to　bed。　　For　some　time　he

was　disturbed　by　wild　shrieks　of　laughter　from　the　twins；　who；　with

the　light…hearted　gaiety　of　schoolboys；　were　evidently　amusing

themselves　before　they　retired　to　rest；　but　at　a　quarter　past　eleven

all　was　still；　and；　as　midnight　sounded；　he　sallied　forth。　　The　owl

beat　against　the　window　panes；　the　raven　croaked　from　the　old　yew…

tree；　and　the　wind　wandered　moaning　round　the　house　like　a　lost

soul；　but　the　Otis　family　slept　unconscious　of　their　doom；　and　high

above　the　rain　and　storm　he　could　hear　the　steady　snoring　of　the

Minister　for　the　United　States。　　He　stepped　stealthily　out　of　the

wainscoting；　with　an　evil　smile　on　his　cruel；　wrinkled　mouth；　and

the　moon　hid　her　face　in　a　cloud　as　he　stole　past　the　great　oriel

window；　where　his　own　arms　and　those　of　his　murdered　wife　were

blazoned　in　azure　and　gold。　　On　and　on　he　glided；　like　an　evil

shadow；　the　very　darkness　seeming　to　loathe　him　as　he　passed。　　Once

he　thought　he　heard　something　call；　and　stopped；　but　it　was　only　the

baying　of　a　dog　from　the　Red　Farm；　and　he　went　on；　muttering　strange

sixteenth…century　curses；　and　ever　and　anon　brandishing　the　rusty

dagger　in　the　midnight　air。　　Finally　he　reached　the　corner　of　the

passage　that　led　to　luckless　Washington's　room。　　For　a　moment　he

paused　there；　the　wind　blowing　his　long　grey　locks　about　his　head；

and　twisting　into　grotesque　and　fantastic　folds　the　nameless　horror

of　the　dead　man's　shroud。　　Then　the　clock　struck　the　quarter；　and　he

felt　the　time　was　come。　　He　chuckled　to　himself；　and　turned　the

corner；　but　no　sooner　had　he　done　so；　than；　with　a　piteous　wail　of

terror；　he　fell　back；　and　hid　his　blanched　face　in　his　long；　bony

hands。　　Right　in　front　of　him　was　standing　a　horrible　spectre；

motionless　as　a　carven　image；　and　monstrous　as　a　madman's　dream！

Its　head　was　bald　and　burnished；　its　face　round；　and　fat；　and　white；

and　hideous　laughter　seemed　to　have　writhed　its　features　into　an

eternal　grin。　　From　the　eyes　streamed　rays　of　scarlet　light；　the

mouth　was　a　wide　well　of　fire；　and　a　hideous　garment；　like　to　his

own；　swathed　with　its　silent　snows　the　Titan　form。　　On　its　breast

was　a　placard　with　strange　writing　in　antique　characters；　some

scroll　of　shame　it　seemed；　some　record　of　wild　sins；　some　awful

calendar　of　crime；　and；　with　its　right　hand；　it　bore　aloft　a

falchion　of　gleaming　steel。



Never　having　seen　a　ghost　before；　he　naturally　was　terribly

frightened；　and；　after　a　second　hasty　glance　at　the　awful　phantom；

he　fled　back　to　his　room；　tripping　up　in　his　long　winding…sheet　as

he　sped　down　the　corridor；　and　finally　dropping　the　rusty　dagger

into　the　Minister's　jack…boots；　where　it　was　found　in　the　morning　by

the　butler。　　Once　in　the　privacy　of　his　own　apartment；　he　flung

himself　down　on　a　small　pallet…bed；　and　hid　his　face　under　the

clothes。　　After　a　time；　however；　the　brave　old　Canterville　spirit

asserted　itself；　and　he　determined　to　go　and　speak　to　the　other

ghost　as　soon　as　it　was　daylight。　　Accordingly；　just　as　the　dawn　was

touching　the　hills　with　silver；　he　returned　towards　the　spot　where

he　had　first　laid　eyes　on　the　grisly　phantom；　feeling　that；　after

all；　two　ghosts　were　better　than　one；　and　that；　by　the　aid　of　his

new　friend；　he　might　safely　grapple　with　the　twins。　　On　reaching　the

spot；　however；　a　terrible　sight　met　his　gaze。　　Something　had

evidently　happened　to　the　spectre；　for　the　light　had　entirely　faded

from　its　hollow　eyes；　the　gleaming　fal