the island pharisees-第26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！
glowing tip of his cigar。 It seemed to him unfair to have intruded
on these gentlemen without its having been made quite clear to them
beforehand who and what he was； he rose to take his leave； but Washer
had begun to speak。
〃Madame Bovary！〃 he said quizzically； reading the title of the book
on the little fat man's bookrest； and； holding it closer to his
boiled…looking eyes； he repeated； as though it were a joke； 〃Madame
Bovary！〃
〃Do you mean to say； Turl； that you can stand that stuff？〃 said
Berryman。
As might have been expected； this celebrated novel's name had
galvanised him into life； he strolled over to the bookcase； took down
a book； opened it； and began to read； wandering in a desultory way
about the room。
〃Ha！ Berryman；〃 said a conciliatory voice behindit came from
Trimmer； who had set his back against the hearth； and grasped with
either hand a fistful of his gown〃the book's a classic！〃
〃Classic！〃 exclaimed Berryman； transfixing Shelton with his eyes；
〃the fellow ought to have been horsewhipped for writing such
putridity！〃
A feeling of hostility instantly sprang up in Shelton； he looked at
his little host； who； however； merely blinked。
〃Berryman only means；〃 explains Washer； a certain malice in his
smile； 〃that the author is n't one of his particular pets。〃
〃For God's sake； you know； don't get Berryman on his horse！〃 growled
the little fat man suddenly。
Berryman returned his volume to the shelf and took another down。
There was something almost godlike in his sarcastic absent…
mindedness。
〃Imagine a man writing that stuff；〃 he said； 〃if he'd ever been at
Eton！ What do we want to know about that sort of thing？ A writer
should be a sportsman and a gentleman〃； and again he looked down over
his chin at Shelton； as though expecting him to controvert the
sentiment。
〃Don't you〃 began the latter。
But Berryman's attention had wandered to the wall。
〃I really don't care；〃 said he； 〃to know what a woman feels when she
is going to the dogs； it does n't interest me。〃
The voice of Trimmer made things pleasant：
〃Question of moral standards； that； and nothing more。〃
He had stretched his legs like compasses；and the way he grasped his
gown…wings seemed to turn him to a pair of scales。 His lowering
smile embraced the room； deprecating strong expressions。 〃After
all；〃 he seemed to say； 〃we are men of the world； we know there 's
not very much in anything。 This is the modern spirit； why not give
it a look in？〃
〃Do I understand you to say； Berryman； that you don't enjoy a spicy
book？〃 asked Washer with his smile； and at this question the little
fat man sniggered； blinking tempestuously； as if to say； 〃Nothing
pleasanter； don't you know； before a hot fire in cold weather。〃
Berryman paid no attention to the impertinent inquiry； continuing to
dip into his volume and walk up and down。
〃I've nothing to say；〃 he remarked； stopping before Shelton； and
looking down； as if at last aware of him； 〃to those who talk of being
justified through Art。 I call a spade a spade。〃
Shelton did not answer； because he could not tell whether Berryman
was addressing him or society at large。 And Berryman went on：
〃Do we want to know about the feelings of a middle…class woman with a
taste for vice？ Tell me the point of it。 No man who was in the
habit of taking baths would choose such a subject。〃
〃You come to the question of…ah…subjects；〃 the voice of Trimmer
genially buzzed he had gathered his garments tight across his back…
〃my dear fellow； Art； properly applied； justifies all subjects。〃
〃For Art；〃 squeaked Berryman； putting back his second volume and
taking down a third； 〃you have Homer； Cervantes； Shakespeare； Ossian；
for garbage； a number of unwashed gentlemen。〃
There was a laugh； Shelton glanced round at all in turn。 With the
exception of Crocker； who was half asleep and smiling idiotically；
they wore； one and all； a look as if by no chance could they consider
any subject fit to move their hearts； as if； one and all； they were
so profoundly anchored on the sea of life that waves could only seem
impertinent。 It may have been some glimmer in this glance of
Shelton's that brought Trimmer once more to the rescue with his
compromising air。
〃The French；〃 said he； 〃have quite a different standard from
ourselves in literature； just as they have a different standard in
regard to honour。 All this is purely artificial。〃
What he； meant； however； Shelton found it difficult to tell。
〃Honour；〃 said Washer； 〃'l'honneur； die Ehre' duelling； unfaithful
wives…〃
He was clearly going to add to this； but it was lost； for the little
fat man； taking the meerschaum with trembling fingers； and holding it
within two inches of his chin； murmured：
〃You fellows； Berryman's awf'ly strong on honour。〃
He blinked twice； and put the meerschaum back between his lips。
Without returning the third volume to its shelf； Berryman took down a
fourth； with chest expanded； he appeared about to use the books as
dumb…bells。
〃Quite so；〃 said Trimmer； 〃the change from duelling to law courts is
profoundly…〃
Whether he were going to say 〃significant〃 or 〃insignificant；〃 in
Shelton's estimate he did not know himself。 Fortunately Berryman
broke in：
〃Law courts or not； when a man runs away with a wife of mine； I shall
punch his head！〃
〃Come； come！〃 said Turner； spasmodically grasping his two wings。
Shelton had a gleam of inspiration。 〃If your wife deceived you；〃 he
thought； looking at Trimmer's eyes； 〃you 'd keep it quiet； and hold
it over her。〃
Washer passed his hand over his pale chaps： his smile had never
wavered； he looked like one for ever lost in the making of an
epigram。
The punching theorist stretched his body； holding the books level
with his shoulders； as though to stone his hearers with his point of
view。 His face grew paler； his fine eyes finer； his lips ironical。
Almost painful was this combination of the 〃strong〃 man and the
student who was bound to go to pieces if you hit him a smart blow。
〃As for forgiving faithless wives；〃 he said； 〃and all that sort of
thing； I don't believe in sentiment。〃
The words were high…pitched and sarcastic。 Shelton looked hastily
around。 All their faces were complacent。 He grew red； and suddenly
remarked； in a soft； clear voice：
〃I see！〃
He was conscious that he had never before made an impression of this
sort； and that he never would again。 The cold hostility flashing out
all round was most enlightening； it instantly gave way to the polite；
satirical indulgence peculiar to highly…cultivated men。 Crocker rose
nervously； he seemed scared； and was obviously relieved when Shelton；
following his example； grasped the little fat man's hand； who said
good…night in a voice shaken by tobacco。
〃Who are your unshaven friends？〃 he heard as the door was closed
behind them。
CHAPTER XIX
AN INCIDENT
〃Eleven o'clock；〃 said Crocker； as they went out of college。 〃I
don't feel sleepy； shall we stroll along the 'High' a bit？〃
Shelton assented； he was too busy thinking of his encounter with the
dons to heed the soreness of his feet。 This； too； was the last day
of his travels； for he had not altered his intention of waiting at
Oxford till July。
〃We call this place the heart of knowledge；〃 he said； passing a great
building that presided； white and silent； over darkness； 〃it seems to
me as little that； as Society is the heart of true gentility。〃
Crocker's answer was a grunt； he was looking at the stars；
calculating possibly in how long he could walk to heaven。
〃No；〃 proceeded Shelton； 〃we've too much common…sense up here to
strain our minds。 We know when it's time to stop。 We pile up news
of Papias and all the verbs in 'ui' but as for news of life or of
oneself！ Real seekers after knowledge are a different sort。 They
fight in the darkno quarter given。 We don't grow that sort up
here。〃
〃How jolly the limes smell！〃 said Crocker。
He had halted opposite a garden； and taken hold of Shelton by a
button of his coat。 His eyes； like a dog's； stared wistfully。 It
seemed as though he wished to speak； but feared to give offence。
〃They tell you；〃 pursued Shelton； 〃that we learn to be gentlemen up
here。 We learn that better through one incident that stirs our
hearts than we learn it here in all the time we're up。〃
〃Hum！〃 muttered Crocker； twisting at the button； 〃those fellows who
seemed the best sorts up here have turned out the best sorts
afterwards。〃
〃I hope not；〃 said Shelton gloomily； 〃I was a snob when I was up
here。 I believed all I was told； anything that made things pleasant；
my 〃set〃 were nothing but…〃
Crocker smiled in the darkness； he had been too 〃cranky〃 to belong to
Shelton's 〃set。〃
