the secret places of the heart-第34章

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！


oxton　and　no　captive　typists　in　the　city。　And　nobody　at　all　to　consider。〃　〃According　to　the　prophet　Martineau；〃　said　Miss　Grammont。　〃And　then　you　and　I　must　contrive　to　be　born　again。　〃　〃Heighho！〃　cried　Miss　Grammont。　〃A　thousand　years　ahead！　When　fathers　are　civilized。　When　all　these　phanton　people　who　intervene　on　your　sideno！　I　don't　want　to　know　anything　about　them；　but　I　know　of　them　by　instinctwhen　they　also　don't　matter。〃　〃Then　you　and　I　can　have　things　out　with　each　other　THOROUGHLY；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　with　a　surprising　ferocity　in　his　voice；　charging　the　little　hill　before　him　as　though　he　charged　at　Time。　Section　6　They　had　to　wait　at　Nailsworth　for　a　telegram　from　Mr。　Grammont's　agents；　they　lunched　there　and　drove　on　to　Bath　in　the　afternoon。　They　came　into　the　town　through　unattractive　and　unworthy　outskirts；　and　only　realized　the　charm　of　the　place　after　they　had　garaged　their　car　at　the　Pulteney　Hotel　and　walked　back　over　the　Pulteney　Bridge　to　see　the　Avon　with　the　Pump　Room　and　the　Roman　Baths。　The　Pulteney　they　found　hung　with　pictures　and　adorned　with　sculpture　to　an　astonishing　extent；　some　former　proprietor　must　have　had　a　mania　for　replicas　and　the　place　is　eventful　with　white　marble　fauns　and　sylphs　and　lions　and　Caesars　and　Queen　Victorias　and　packed　like　an　exhibition　with　memories　of　Rome；　Florence；　Milan；　Paris；　the　National　Gallery　and　the　Royal　Academy；　amidst　which　splendours　a　competent　staff　administers　modern　comforts　with　an　old…fashioned　civility。　But　round　and　about　the　Pulteney　one　has　still　the　scenery　of　Georgian　England；　the　white；　faintly　classical　terraces　and　houses　of　the　days　of　Fielding；　Smollett；　Fanny　Burney　and　Jane　Austen；　the　graceful　bridge　with　the　bright　little　shops　full　of　〃presents　from　Bath〃；　the　Pump　Room　with　its　water　drinkers　and　a　fine　array　of　the　original　Bath　chairs。　Down　below　the　Pump　Room　our　travellers　explored　the　memories　of　the　days　when　the　world　was　Latin　from　York　to　the　Tigris；　and　the　Corinthian　capital　flourished　like　a　weed　from　Bath　to　Baalbek。　And　they　considered　a　little　doubtfully　the　seventeenth　century　statue　of　Bladud；　who　is　said　to　have　been　healed　by　the　Bath　waters　and　to　have　founded　the　city　in　the　days　when　Stonehenge　still　flourished；　eight　hundred　years　before　the　Romans　came。　In　the　afternoon　Miss　Seyffert　came　with　Sir　Richmond　and　Miss　Grammont　and　was　very　enthusiastic　about　everything；　but　in　the　evening　after　dinner　it　was　clear　that　her　role　was　to　remain　in　the　hotel。　Sir　Richmond　and　Miss　Grammont　went　out　into　the　moonlit　gloaming；　they　crossed　the　bridge　again　and　followed　the　road　beside　the　river　towards　the　old　Abbey　Church；　that　Lantern　of　the　West。　Away　in　some　sunken　gardens　ahead　of　them　a　band　was　playing；　and　a　cluster　of　little　lights　about　the　bandstand　showed　a　crowd　of　people　down　below　dancing　on　the　grass。　These　little　lights；　these　bobbing　black　heads　and　the　lilting　music；　this　little　inflamed　Centre　of　throbbing　sounds　and　ruddy　illumination；　made　the　dome　of　the　moonlit　world　about　it　seem　very　vast　and　cool　and　silent。　Our　visitors　began　to　realize　that　Bath　could　be　very　beautiful。　They　went　to　the　parapet　above　the　river　and　stood　there；　leaning　over　it　elbow　to　elbow　and　smoking　cigarettes。　Miss　Grammont　was　moved　to　declare　the　Pulteney　Bridge；　with　its　noble　arch；　its　effect　of　height　over　the　swirling　river；　and　the　cluster　of　houses　above；　more　beautiful　than　the　Ponte　Vecchio　at　Florence。　Down　below　was　a　man　in　waders　with　a　fishing…rod　going　to　and　fro　along　the　foaming　weir；　and　a　couple　of　boys　paddled　a　boat　against　the　rush　of　the　water　lower　down　the　stream。　〃Dear　England！〃　said　Miss　Grammont；　surveying　this　gracious　spectacle。　〃How　full　it　is　of　homely　and　lovely　and　kindly　things！〃　〃It　is　the　home　we　come　from。〃　〃You　belong　to　it　still。〃　〃No　more　than　you　do。　I　belong　to　a　big　overworking　modern　place　called　London　which　stretches　its　tentacles　all　over　the　world。　I　am　as　much　a　home…coming　tourist　as　you　are。　Most　of　this　western　country　I　am　seeing　for　the　first　time。〃　She　said　nothing　for　a　space。　〃I've　not　a　word　to　say　to…　night；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　just　full　of　a　sort　of　animal　satisfaction　in　being　close　to　you。　。　。　。　And　in　being　with　you　among　lovely　things。　。　。　。　SomewhereBefore　we　part　to…　night。　。　。　。　〃　〃Yes？〃　he　said　to　her　pause；　and　his　face　came　very　near　to　hers。　I　want　you　to　kiss　me。　〃　〃Yes；〃　he　said　awkwardly；　glancing　over　his　shoulder；　acutely　aware　of　the　promenaders　passing　close　to　them。　〃It's　a　promise？〃　〃Yes。〃　Very　timidly　and　guiltily　his　hand　sought　hers　beside　it　and　gripped　it　and　pressed　it。　〃My　dear！〃　he　whispered；　tritest　and　most　unavoidable　of　expressions。　It　was　not　very　like　Man　and　Woman　loving　upon　their　Planet；　it　was　much　more　like　the　shy　endearments　of　the　shop　boys　and　work　girls　who　made　the　darkling　populous　about　them　with　their　silent　interchanges。　〃There　are　a　thousand　things　I　want　to　talk　about　to　you；〃　she　said。　〃After　we　have　parted　to…morrow　I　shall　begin　to　think　of　them。　But　nowevery　rational　thing　seems　dissolved　in　this　moonlight。　。　。　。〃　Presently　she　made　an　effort　to　restore　the　intellectual　dignity　of　their　relationship。　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　be　more　concerned　tonight　about　the　work　I　have　to　do　in　the　world　and　anxious　for　you　to　tell　me　this　and　that；　but　indeed　I　am　not　concerned　at　all　about　it。　I　seem　to　have　it　in　outline　all　perfectly　clear。　I　mean　to　play　a　man's　part　in　the　world　just　as　my　father　wants　me　to　do。　I　mean　to　win　his　confidence　and　work　with　himlike　a　partner。　Then　some　day　I　shall　be　a　power　in　the　world　of　fuel。　And　at　the　same　time　I　must　watch　and　read　and　think　and　learn　how　to　be　the　servant　of　the　world。　。　。　。　We　two　have　to　live　like　trusted　servants　who　have　been　made　guardians　of　a　helpless　minor。　We　have　to　put　things　in　order　and　keep　them　in　order　against　the　time　when　ManMan　whom　we　call　in　America　the　Common　Mancan　take　hold　of　his　world〃　〃And　release　his　servants；〃　said　Sir　Richmond。　〃All　that　is　perfectly　clear　in　my　mind。　That　is　what　I　am　going　to　live　for；　that　is　what　I　have　to　do。〃　She　stopped　abruptly。　〃All　that　is　about　as　interesting　to…　nightin　comparison　with　the　touch　of　your　dear　fingersas　next　month's　railway　time…table。〃　But　later　she　found　a　topic　that　could　hold　their　attention　for　a　time。　〃We　have　never　said　a　word　about　religion；〃　she　said。　Sir　Richmond　paused　for　a　moment。　〃I　am　a　godless　man；〃　he　said。　〃The　stars　and　space　and　time　overwhelm　my　imagination。　I　cannot　imagine　anything　above　or　beyond　them。〃　She　thought　that　over。　〃But　there　are　divine　things；〃　she　said。　〃YOU　are　divine。　。　。　。　I'm　not　talking　lovers'　nonsense；〃　he　hastened　to　add。　〃I　mean　that　there　is　something　about　human　beingsnot　just　the　everyday　stuff　of　them；　but　something　that　appears　intermittentlyas　though　a　light　shone　through　something　translucent。　If　I　believe　in　any　divinity　at　all　it　is　a　divinity　revealed　to　me　by　other　people　And　even　by　myself　in　my　own　heart。　〃I'm　never　surprised　at　the　badness　of　human　beings；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　〃seeing　how　they　have　come　about　and　what　they　are；　but　I　have　been　surprised　time　after　time　by　fine　things　。　。　。　。　Often　in　people　I　disliked　or　thought　little　of　。　。　。　。　I　can　understand　that　I　find　you　full　of　divine　quality；　because　I　am　in　love　with　you　and　all　alive　to　you。　Necessarily　I　keep　on　discovering　loveliness　in　you。　But　I　have　seen　divine　things　in　dear　old　Martineau；　for　example。　A　vain　man；　fussy；　timidand　yet　filled　with　a　passion　for　truth；　ready　to　make　great　sacrifices　and　to　toil　tremendously　for　that。　And　in　those　men　I　am　always　cursing；　my　Committee；　it　is　astonishing　at　times　to　discover　what　streaks　of　goodness　even　the　really　bad　men　can　show。　。　。　。　But　one　can't　make　use　of　just　anyone's　divinity。　I　can　see　the　divinity　in　Martineau　but　it　leaves　me　cold。　He　tired　me　and　bored　me。　。　。　。　But　I　live　on　you。　It's　only　through　love　that　the　God　can　reach　over　from　one　human　being　to　another。　All　real　love　is　a　divine　thing；　a　reassurance；　a　release　of　courage。　It　is　wonderful　enough　that　we　should　take　food　and　drink　and　turn　them　into　imagination；　invention　and　creative　energy；　it　is　still　more　wonderful　that　we　should　take　an　animal　urging　and　turn　it　into　a　light　to　discover　beauty　and　an　impulse　towards　the　utmost　achievements　of　which　we　are　capable。　All　love　is　a　sacrament　and　all　lovers　are　priests　to　each　other。　You　and　I〃　Sir　Richmond　broke　off　abruptly。　〃I　spent　three　days　trying　to　tell　this　to　Dr。　Martineau。　But　he　wasn't　the　priest　I　had　to　confess　to　and　the　words　wouldn't　come。　I　can　confess　it　to　you　readily　enough　。　。　。　。〃　〃I　cannot　tell；〃　said　Miss　Grammont；　〃whether　this　is　the　last　wisdom　in　life　or　moonshine。　I　cannot　tell　whether　I　am　thinking　or　feeling；　but　the　noise　of　the　water　going　over　the　weir　below　is　like　the　stir　in　my　heart。　And　I　am　swimming　in　love　and　happiness。　Am　I　awake　or　am　I　dreaming　you；　and　are　we　dreaming　one　another？　Hold　my　handhold　it　hard　and　tight。　I'm　trembling　with　love　for　you　and　all　the　world。　。　。　。　If　I　say　more　I　shall　be　weeping。〃　For　a　long　time　they　stood　side　by　side　saying　not　a　word　to　one　another。　Presently　the　band　down　below　and　the　dancing　ceased　and　the　little　lights　were　extin