the research magnificent-第14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！


a　way　that　struck　Billy　as　faintly　ironical；　was　unexpected。　　And　it　was　unexpected　that　the　brown　suit；　with　its　pockets　stuffed　with　Billy's　personal　and　confidential　sundries；　had　vanished。　　And　apparently　a　bath　in　a　bathroom　far　down　the　corridor　was　prescribed　for　him　in　the　morning；　he　hadn't　thought　of　a　dressing…gown。　　And　after　one　had　dressed；　what　did　one　do？　　Did　one　go　down　and　wander　about　the　house　looking　for　the　breakfast…room　or　wait　for　a　gong？　　Would　Sir　Godfrey　read　Family　Prayers？　　And　afterwards　did　one　go　out　or　hang　about　to　be　entertained？　　He　knew　now　quite　clearly　that　those　wicked　blue　eyes　would　mark　his　every　slip。　　She　did　not　like　him。　She　did　not　like　him；　he　supposed；　because　he　was　common　stuff。　　He　didn't　play　up　to　her　world　and　her。　　He　was　a　discord　in　this　rich；　cleverly　elaborate　household。　　You　could　see　it　in　the　servants'　attitudes。　　And　he　was　committed　to　a　week　of　this。　Billy　puffed　out　his　cheeks　to　blow　a　sigh；　and　then　decided　to　be　angry　and　say　〃Damn！〃　This　way　of　living　which　made　him　uncomfortable　was　clearly　an　irrational　and　objectionable　way　of　living。　　It　was；　in　a　cumbersome　way；　luxurious。　　But　the　waste　of　life　of　it；　the　servants；　the　observances；　all　concentrated　on　the　mere　detail　of　existence？　There　came　a　rap　at　the　door。　　Benham　appeared；　wearing　an　expensive…looking　dressing…jacket　which　Lady　Marayne　had　bought　for　him。　　He　asked　if　he　might　talk　for　a　bit　and　smoke。　　He　sat　down　in　a　capacious　chintz…covered　easy　chair　beside　Prothero；　lit　a　cigarette；　and　came　to　the　point　after　only　a　trivial　hesitation。　〃Prothero；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　what　my　father　is。〃　〃I　thought　he　ran　a　preparatory　school。〃　There　was　the　profoundest　resentment　in　Prothero'　s　voice。　〃And；　all　the　same；　I'm　going　to　be　a　rich　man。〃　〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Prothero；　without　any　shadow　of　congratulation。　Benham　told　Prothero　as　much　as　his　mother　had　conveyed　to　him　of　the　resources　of　his　wealth。　　Her　version　had　been　adapted　to　his　tender　years　and　the　delicacies　of　her　position。　　The　departed　Nolan　had　become　an　eccentric　godfather。　　Benham's　manner　was　apologetic；　and　he　made　it　clear　that　only　recently　had　these　facts　come　to　him。　He　had　never　suspected　that　he　had　had　this　eccentric　godfather。　　It　altered　the　outlook　tremendously。　　It　was　one　of　the　reasons　that　made　Benham　glad　to　have　Prothero　there；　one　wanted　a　man　of　one's　own　age；　who　understood　things　a　little；　to　try　over　one's　new　ideas。　　Prothero　listened　with　an　unamiable　expression。　〃What　would　you　do；　Prothero；　if　you　found　yourself　saddled　with　some　thousands　a　year？〃　〃Godfathers　don't　grow　in　Brixton；〃　said　Prothero　concisely。　〃Well；　what　am　I　to　do；　Prothero？〃　〃Does　all　THIS　belong　to　you？〃　〃No；　this　is　my　mother's。〃　〃Godfather　too？〃　〃I've　not　thought。　。　。　。　　I　suppose　so。　　Or　her　own。〃　Prothero　meditated。　〃THIS　life；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃this　large　expensiveness　。　。　。〃　He　left　his　criticism　unfinished。　〃I　agree。　　It　suits　my　mother　somehow。　　I　can't　understand　her　living　in　any　other　way。　　Butfor　me。　。　。　。〃　〃What　can　one　do　with　several　thousands　a　year？〃　Prothero's　interest　in　this　question　presently　swamped　his　petty　personal　resentments。　　〃I　suppose；〃　he　said；　〃one　might　have　rather　a　lark　with　money　like　that。　　One　would　be　free　to　go　anywhere。　　To　set　all　sorts　of　things　going。　。　。　。　　It's　clear　you　can't　sell　all　you　have　and　give　it　to　the　poor。　　That　is　pauperization　nowadays。　You　might　run　a　tremendously　revolutionary　paper。　　A　real　upsetting　paper。　　How　many　thousands　is　it？〃　〃I　don't　know。　　SOME。〃　Prothero's　interest　was　growing　as　he　faced　the　possibilities。　〃I've　dreamt　of　a　paper；〃　he　said；　〃a　paper　that　should　tell　the　brute　truth　about　things。〃　〃I　don't　know　that　I'm　particularly　built　to　be　a　journalist；〃　Benham　objected。　〃You're　not；〃　said　Billy。　。　。　。　　〃You　might　go　into　Parliament　as　a　perfectly　independent　member。　。　。　。　　Only　you　wouldn't　get　in。　。　。　。〃　〃I'm　not　a　speaker；〃　said　Benham。　〃Of　course；〃　said　Billy；　〃if　you　don't　decide　on　a　game；　you'll　just　go　on　like　this。　　You'll　fall　into　a　groove；　you'llyou'll　hunt。　You'll　go　to　Scotland　for　the　grouse。〃　For　the　moment　Prothero　had　no　further　suggestions。　Benham　waited　for　a　second　or　so　before　he　broached　his　own　idea。　〃Why；　first　of　all；　at　any　rate；　Billy；　shouldn't　one　use　one's　money　to　make　the　best　of　oneself？　　To　learn　things　that　men　without　money　and　leisure　find　it　difficult　to　learn？　　By　an　accident；　however　unjust　it　is；　one　is　in　the　position　of　a　leader　and　a　privileged　person。　　Why　not　do　one's　best　to　give　value　as　that？〃　〃Benham；　that's　the　thin　end　of　aristocracy！〃　〃Why　not？〃　〃I　hate　aristocracy。　　For　you　it　means　doing　what　you　like。　　While　you　are　energetic　you　will　kick　about　and　then　you　will　come　back　to　this。〃　〃That's　one's　own　look…out；〃　said　Benham；　after　reflection。　〃No；　it's　bound　to　happen。〃　Benham　retreated　a　little　from　the　immediate　question。　〃Well；　we　can't　suddenly　at　a　blow　change　the　world。　　If　it　isn't　to　be　plutocracy　to…day　it　has　to　be　aristocracy。〃　Prothero　frowned　over　this；　and　then　he　made　a　sweeping　proposition。　〃YOU　CANNOT　HAVE　ARISTOCRACY；〃　he　said；　〃BECAUSE；　YOU　SEEALL　MEN　ARE　RIDICULOUS。　　Democracy　has　to　fight　its　way　out　from　under　plutocracy。　　There　is　nothing　else　to　be　done。〃　〃But　a　man　in　my　position？〃　〃It's　a　ridiculous　position。　　You　may　try　to　escape　being　ridiculous。　　You　won't　succeed。〃　It　seemed　to　Benham　for　a　moment　as　though　Prothero　had　got　to　the　bottom　of　the　question；　and　then　he　perceived　that　he　had　only　got　to　the　bottom　of　himself。　　Benham　was　pacing　the　floor。　He　turned　at　the　open　window；　held　out　a　long　forefinger；　and　uttered　his　countervailing　faith。　〃Even　if　he　is　ridiculous；　Prothero；　a　man　may　still　be　an　aristocrat。　　A　man　may　anyhow　be　as　much　of　an　aristocrat　as　he　can　be。〃　Prothero　reflected。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃it　sounds　all　right；　but　it's　wrong。　　I　hate　all　these　advantages　and　differences　and　distinctions。　　A　man's　a　man。　　What　you　say　sounds　well；　but　it's　the　beginning　of　pretension；　of　pride〃　He　stopped　short。　〃Better；　pride　than　dishonour；〃　said　Benham；　〃better　the　pretentious　life　than　the　sordid　life。　　What　else　is　there？〃　〃A　life　isn't　necessarily　sordid　because　it　isn't　pretentious；〃　said　Prothero；　his　voice　betraying　a　defensive　disposition。　〃But　a　life　with　a　large　income　MUST　be　sordid　unless　it　makes　some　sort　of　attempt　to　be　fine。　。　。　。〃

9

By　transitions　that　were　as　natural　as　they　were　complicated　and　untraceable　Prothero　found　his　visit　to　Chexington　developing　into　a　tangle　of　discussions　that　all　ultimately　resolved　themselves　into　an　antagonism　of　the　democratic　and　the　aristocratic　idea。　　And　his　part　was；　he　found；　to　be　the　exponent　of　the　democratic　idea。　　The　next　day　he　came　down　early；　his　talk　with　Benham　still　running　through　his　head；　and　after　a　turn　or　so　in　the　garden　he　was　attracted　to　the　front　door　by　a　sound　of　voices；　and　found　Lady　Marayne　had　been　up　still　earlier　and　was　dismounting　from　a　large　effective　black　horse。　　This　extorted　an　unwilling　admiration　from　him。　　She　greeted　him　very　pleasantly　and　made　a　kind　of　introduction　of　her　steed。　　There　had　been　trouble　at　a　gate；　he　was　a　young　horse　and　fidgeted　at　gates；　the　dispute　was　still　bright　in　her。　　Benham　she　declared　was　still　in　bed。　　〃Wait　till　I　have　a　mount　for　him。〃　　She　reappeared　fitfully　in　the　breakfast…room；　and　then　he　was　left　to　Benham　until　just　before　lunch。　　They　read　and　afterwards；　as　the　summer　day　grew　hot；　they　swam　in　the　nude　pond。　She　joined　them　in　the　water；　splashing　about　in　a　costume　of　some　elaboration　and　being　very　careful　not　to　wet　her　hair。　　Then　she　came　and　sat　with　them　on　the　seat　under　the　big　cedar　and　talked　with　them　in　a　wrap　that　was　pretty　rather　than　prudish　and　entirely　unmotherly。　　And　she　began　a　fresh　attack　upon　him　by　asking　him　if　he　wasn't　a　Socialist　and　whether　he　didn't　want　to　pull　down　Chexington　and　grow　potatoes　all　over　the　park。　This　struck　Prothero　as　an　inadequate　statement　of　the　Socialist　project　and　he　made　an　unsuccessful　attempt　to　get　it　amended。　The　engagement　thus　opened　was　renewed　with　great　energy　at　lunch。　Sir　Godfrey　had　returned　to　London　and　the　inmost　aspect　of　his　fellow…creatures；　but　the　party　of　three　was　supplemented　by　a　vague　young　lady　from　the　village　and　an　alert　agent　from　the　neighbouring　Tentington　estate　who　had　intentions　about　a　cottage。　　Lady　Marayne　insisted　upon　regarding　Socialism　as　a　proposal　to　reinaugurate　the　first　French　Revolution；　as　an　inversion　of　society　so　that　it　would　be　bottom　upward；　as　an　attack　upon　rule；　order；　direction。　　〃And　what　good　are　all　these　proposals？　　If　you　had　the　poor　dear　king　beheaded；　you'd　only　get　a　Napoleon。　　If　you　divided　all　the　property　up　between　everybody；　you'd　have　rich　and　poor　again　in　a　year。〃　Billy　perceived　no　way　of　explaining　away　this　version　of　his　Socialism　that　would　not　involve　uncivil　contradictionsand　nobody　ever　contradicted　Lady　Marayne。　〃But；　Lady　Marayne；　don't　you　think　there　is　a　lot　of　disorder　and　injustice　in　the　world？〃　he　protested。　〃There　would　be　ever　so　much　more　if　your　Socialists　had　their　way。〃　〃But　still；　don't　you　think　。　。　。〃　It　is　unnecessary　even　to　recapitulate　these　universal　co