manalive-第36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！


with　such　inexhaustible　follies；　I　have　a　very　simple　answer　to　that；
though　it　is　one　that　will　not　be　approved。

〃There　is　but　one　answer；　and　I　am　sorry　if　you　don't　like　it。
If　Innocent　is　happy；　it　is　because　he　IS　innocent。　　If　he　can　defy
the　conventions；　it　is　just　because　he　can　keep　the　commandments。
It　is　just　because　he　does　not　want　to　kill　but　to　excite　to　life
that　a　pistol　is　still　as　exciting　to　him　as　it　is　to　a　schoolboy。
It　is　just　because　he　does　not　want　to　steal；　because　he　does　not　covet
his　neighbour's　goods；　that　he　has　captured　the　trick　（oh；　how　we　all
long　for　it！）；　the　trick　of　coveting　his　own　goods。　　It　is　just　because
he　does　not　want　to　commit　adultery　that　he　achieves　the　romance　of　sex；
it　is　just　because　he　loves　one　wife　that　he　has　a　hundred　honeymoons。
If　he　had　really　murdered　a　man；　if　he　had　really　deserted　a　woman；
he　would　not　be　able　to　feel　that　a　pistol　or　a　love…letter　was　like　a　song
at　least；　not　a　comic　song。〃

〃Do　not　imagine；　please；　that　any　such　attitude　is　easy
to　me　or　appeals　in　any　particular　way　to　my　sympathies。
I　am　an　Irishman；　and　a　certain　sorrow　is　in　my　bones；　bred　either
of　the　persecutions　of　my　creed；　or　of　my　creed　itself。
Speaking　singly；　I　feel　as　if　a　man　was　tied　to　tragedy；
and　there　was　no　way　out　of　the　trap　of　old　age　and　doubt。
But　if　there　is　a　way　out；　then；　by　Christ　and　St。　Patrick；
this　is　the　way　out。　　If　one　could　keep　as　happy　as　a　child　or　a　dog；
it　would　be　by　being　as　innocent　as　a　child；　or　as　sinless　as　a　dog。
Barely　and　brutally　to　be　goodthat　may　be　the　road；
and　he　may　have　found　it。　　Well；　well；　well；　I　see　a　look
of　skepticism　on　the　face　of　my　old　friend　Moses。　　Mr。　Gould
does　not　believe　that　being　perfectly　good　in　all　respects
would　make　a　man　merry。〃

〃No；〃　said　Gould；　with　an　unusual　and　convincing　gravity；
〃I　do　not　believe　that　being　perfectly　good　in　all　respects
would　make　a　man　merry。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Michael　quietly；　〃will　you　tell　me　one　thing？
Which　of　us　has　ever　tried　it？〃

A　silence　ensued；　rather　like　the　silence　of　some　long　geological
epoch　which　awaits　the　emergence　of　some　unexpected　type；
for　there　rose　at　last　in　the　stillness　a　massive　figure
that　the　other　men　had　almost　completely　forgotten。

〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　said　Dr。　Warner　cheerfully；　〃I've　been　pretty
well　entertained　with　all　this　pointless　and　incompetent　tomfoolery
for　a　couple　of　days；　but　it　seems　to　be　wearing　rather　thin；
and　I'm　engaged　for　a　city　dinner。　　Among　the　hundred　flowers
of　futility　on　both　sides　I　was　unable　to　detect　any　sort　of　reason
why　a　lunatic　should　be　allowed　to　shoot　me　in　the　back　garden。〃

He　had　settled　his　silk　hat　on　his　head　and　gone　out　sailing　placidly　to
the　garden　gate；　while　the　almost　wailing　voice　of　Pym　still　followed　him：
〃But　really　the　bullet　missed　you　by　several　feet。〃　　And　another　voice　added：
〃The　bullet　missed　him　by　several　years。〃

There　was　a　long　and　mainly　unmeaning　silence；　and　then
Moon　said　suddenly；　〃We　have　been　sitting　with　a　ghost。
Dr。　Herbert　Warner　died　years　ago。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　V

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　How　the　Great　Wind　Went
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　from　Beacon　House


Mary　was　walking　between　Diana　and　Rosamund　slowly　up　and　down　the　garden；
they　were　silent；　and　the　sun　had　set。　　Such　spaces　of　daylight　as　remained
open　in　the　west　were　of　a　warm…tinted　white；　which　can　be　compared
to　nothing　but　a　cream　cheese；　and　the　lines　of　plumy　cloud　that　ran
across　them　had　a　soft　but　vivid　violet　bloom；　like　a　violet　smoke。
All　the　rest　of　the　scene　swept　and　faded　away　into　a　dove…like　gray；
and　seemed　to　melt　and　mount　into　Mary's　dark…gray　figure　until　she　seemed
clothed　with　the　garden　and　the　skies。　　There　was　something　in　these　last
quiet　colours　that　gave　her　a　setting　and　a　supremacy；　and　the　twilight；
which　concealed　Diana's　statelier　figure　and　Rosamund's　braver　array；
exhibited　and　emphasized　her；　leaving　her　the　lady　of　the　garden；　and　alone。

When　they　spoke　at　last　it　was　evident　that　a　conversation　long
fallen　silent　was　being　revived。

〃But　where　is　your　husband　taking　you？〃　asked　Diana　in　her　practical　voice。

〃To　an　aunt；〃　said　Mary；　〃that's　just　the　joke。　　There　really
is　an　aunt；　and　we　left　the　children　with　her　when　I　arranged
to　be　turned　out　of　the　other　boarding…house　down　the　road。
We　never　take　more　than　a　week　of　this　kind　of　holiday；
but　sometimes　we　take　two　of　them　together。〃

〃Does　the　aunt　mind　much？〃　asked　Rosamund　innocently。　　〃Of　course；
I　dare　say　it's　very　narrow…minded　andwhat's　that　other　word？
you　know；　what　Goliath　wasbut　I've　known　many　aunts　who　would
think　itwell；　silly。〃

〃Silly？〃　cried　Mary　with　great　heartiness。　　〃Oh；　my　Sunday　hat！
I　should　think　it　was　silly！　　But　what　do　you　expect？
He　really　is　a　good　man；　and　it　might　have　been　snakes　or　something。〃

〃Snakes？〃　inquired　Rosamund；　with　a　slightly　puzzled　interest。

〃Uncle　Harry　kept　snakes；　and　said　they　loved　him；〃　replied　Mary
with　perfect　simplicity。　　〃Auntie　let　him　have　them　in　his　pockets；
but　not　in　the　bedroom。〃

〃And　you〃　began　Diana；　knitting　her　dark　brows　a　little。

〃Oh；　I　do　as　auntie　did；〃　said　Mary；　〃as　long　as　we're　not　away
from　the　children　more　than　a　fortnight　together　I　play　the　game。
He　calls　me　‘Manalive；'　and　you　must　write　it　all　one　word；
or　he's　quite　flustered。〃

〃But　if　men　want　things　like　that；〃　began　Diana。

〃Oh；　what's　the　good　of　talking　about　men？〃　cried　Mary　impatiently；
〃why；　one　might　as　well　be　a　lady　novelist　or　some　horrid　thing。
There　aren't　any　men。　　There　are　no　such　people。　　There's　a　man；
and　whoever　he　is　he's　quite　different。〃

〃So　there　is　no　safety；〃　said　Diana　in　a　low　voice。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　answered　Mary；　lightly　enough；
〃there's　only　two　things　generally　true　of　them。
At　certain　curious　times　they're　just　fit　to　take　care　of　us；
and　they're　never　fit　to　take　care　of　themselves。〃

〃There　is　a　gale　getting　up；〃　said　Rosamund　suddenly。
〃Look　at　those　trees　over　there；　a　long　way　off；　and　the
clouds　going　quicker。〃

〃I　know　what　you're　thinking　about；〃　said　Mary；　〃and　don't
you　be　silly　fools。　　Don't　you　listen　to　the　lady　novelists。
You　go　down　the　king's　highway；　for　God's　truth；　it　is
God's。　Yes；　my　dear　Michael　will　often　be　extremely　untidy。
Arthur　Inglewood　will　be　worsehe'll　be　untidy。　　But　what　else
are　all　the　trees　and　clouds　for；　you　silly　kittens？〃

〃The　clouds　and　trees　are　all　waving　about；〃　said　Rosamund。　　〃There　is
a　storm　coming；　and　it　makes　me　feel　quite　excited；　somehow。　　Michael　is
really　rather　like　a　storm：　　he　frightens　me　and　makes　me　happy。〃

〃Don't　you　be　frightened；〃　said　Mary。　　〃All　over；　these　men
have　one　advantage；　they　are　the　sort　that　go　out。〃

A　sudden　thrust　of　wind　through　the　trees　drifted　the　dying　leaves　along
the　path；　and　they　could　hear　the　far…off　trees　roaring　faintly。

〃I　mean；〃　said　Mary；　〃they　are　the　kind　that　look　outwards　and　get　interested
in　the　world。　　It　doesn't　matter　a　bit　whether　it's　arguing；　or　bicycling；
or　breaking　down　the　ends　of　the　earth　as　poor　old　Innocent　does。　　Stick　to
the　man　who　looks　out　of　the　window　and　tries　to　understand　the　world。
Keep　clear　of　the　man　who　looks　in　at　the　window　and　tries　to　understand　you。
When　poor　old　Adam　had　gone　out　gardening　（Arthur　will　go　out　gardening）；
the　other　sort　came　along　and　wormed　himself　in；　nasty　old　snake。〃

〃You　agree　with　your　aunt；〃　said　Rosamund；　smiling：　　〃no　snakes
in　the　bedroom。〃

〃I　didn't　agree　with　my　aunt　very　much；〃　replied　Mary　simply；
〃but　I　think　she　was　right　to　let　Uncle　Harry　collect　dragons
and　griffins；　so　long　as　it　got　him　out　of　the　house。〃

Almost　at　the　same　moment　lights　sprang　up　inside　the　darkened　house；
turning　the　two　glass　doors　into　the　garden　into　gates　of　beaten　gold。
The　golden　gates　were　burst　open；　and　the　enormous　Smith；　who　had
sat　like　a　clumsy　statue　for　so　many　hours；　came　flying　and　turning
cart…wheels　down　the　lawn　and　shouting；　〃Acquitted！　acquitted！〃
Echoing　the　cry；　Michael　scampered　across　the　lawn　to　Rosamund　and
wildly　swung　her　into　a　few　steps　of　what　was　supposed　to　be　a　waltz。
But　the　company　knew　Innocent　and　Michael　by　this　time；
and　their　extravagances　were　gaily　taken　for　granted；　it　was　far
more　extraordinary　that　Arthur　Inglewood　walked　straight　up　to　Diana
and　kissed　her　as　if　it　had　been　his　sister's　birthday。　　Even　Dr。　Pym；
though　he　refrained　from　dancing；　looked　on　with　real　benevolence；
for　indeed　the　whole　of　the　absurd　revelation　had　disturbed　him
less　than　the　others；　he　half　supposed　that　such　irresponsible
tribunals　and　insane　discussions　were　part　of　the　mediaeval　mummeries
of　the　Old　Land。

While　the　tempest　tore　the　sky　as　with　trumpets；　window　after　window　was
lighted　up　in　the　house　within；　and　before　the　company；　broken　with　laughter
and　the　buffeting　of　the　wind；　had　groped　their　way　to　the　house　again；
they　saw　that　the　great　apish　figure　of　Innocent　Smith　had　clambered
out　of　his　own　attic　window；　and　roaring　again　and　again；　〃Beacon　House！〃
whirled　round　his　head　a　huge　log　or　trunk　from　the　wood　fire　below；
of　which　the　river　of　crimson　flame　and