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y。 Luckily I was wearing my oldest pyjamas and it was an evening of oppressive heat； or I might have been seriously cross。' Anthony had a habit of putting his face near one when he spoke； the sweet and creamy cocktail had tainted his breath。 I leaned away from him in the er of the hired car。
'Picture me； my dear； alone and studious。 I had just bought a rather forbidding book called Antic Hay； Which I knew I must read before going to Garsington on Sunday； because everyone was bound to talk about it； and it's so banal saying you have not read the book of the moment； if you haven't。 The solution I suppose is not to go to Garsington； but that didn't occur to me until this moment。 So； my dear； I had an omelet and a peach and a bottle of Vichy water and put on my pyjamas and settled down to read。 I must say my thoughts wandered； but I kept turning the pages and watching the light fade； which in Peckwater； my dear； is quite an experience … as darkness falls the stone seems positively to decay under one's eyes。 I was reminded of some of those leprous fa鏰de's in the vieux port at Marseille； until suddenly I was disturbed by such a bawling and cater…wauling as you never heard； and there； down in the little piazza； I saw a mob of about twenty terrible young men； and do know what they were chanting？ 〃We want Blanche。 We want Blanche；〃 in a kind of litany。 Such a public declaration！ Well； I saw it was all up with Mr Huxley for the evening； and； I must say I had reached a point of tedium when any interruption was wele。 I was stirred by the bellows； but； do you know； the louder they shouted； the shyer they seemed？ They kept saying 〃Where's Boy？〃 〃He's Boy Mulcaster's friend；〃 〃Boy must bring him down。〃 Of course you've met Boy？ He's always popping in and out of dear Sebastian's rooms。 He's everything we dagos expect of an English lord。 A great parti I can assure you。 All the young ladies in London are after him。 He's very hoity…toity with them I'm told。 My dear； he's scared stiff。 A great oaf … that's Mulcaster … and what's more； my dear； a cad。 He came to le Touquet at Easter and； in some extraordinary way； I seemed to have asked him to stay。 He lost some infinitesimal sum at cards； and as a result expected me to pay for all his treats … well； Mulcaster was in this party； I could see his ungainly form shuffling about below and hear him saying： 〃It's no good。 He's out。 Let's go back and have a drink？〃 So then I put my head out of the window and called to him； 〃Good evening； Mulcaster； old sponge and toady； are you lurking among the hobbledehoys？ Have you e to repay me the three hundred francs I lent you for the poor drab you picked up in the Casino？ It was a niggardly sum for her trouble； and what a trouble； Mulcaster。 e up and pay me； poor hooligan！〃
'That； my dear； seemed to put a little life into them； and up the stairs they came； clattering。 About six of them came into my room； the rest stood mouthing outside。 My dear； they looked too extraordinary。 They had been having one of their ridiculous club dinners； and they were all wearing coloured tail…coats … a sort of livery。 〃My dears；〃 I said to them； 〃you look like a lot of most disorderly… footmen。〃 Then one of them； rather a juicy little piece； accused me of unnatural vices。 〃My dear；〃 I said； 〃I may be inverted but I am not insatiable。 e back when you are alone。〃 Then they began to blaspheme in a very shocking manner； and suddenly I； too； began to be annoyed。 〃Really；〃 I thought； 〃when I think of all the hullabaloo there was when I was seventeen； and the Duc de Vincennes （old Armand； of course； not Philippe） challenged me to a duel for an affair of the heart； and very much more than the heart； I assure you； with the duchess （Stefanie； of course； not old Poppy） … now； to submit to impertinence from these pimply； tipsy virgins。。。〃 Well； I gave up the light； bantering tone and let myself be just a little offensive。
'Then they began saying； 〃Get hold of him。 Put him in Mercury。〃 Now as you know I have two sculptures by Brancusi and several pretty things and I did not want them to start getting rough； so I said； pacifically； 〃Dear sweet clodhoppers； if you knew anything of sexual psychology you would know that nothing could give me keener pleasure than to be manhandled by you meaty boys。 It would be art ecstasy of the very naughtiest kind。 So if any of you wishes to be my partner in joy e and seize me。 If； on the other hand； you simply wish to satisfy some obscure and less easily classified libido and see me bathe； e with me quietly； dear louts； to the fountain。〃
'Do you know； they all looked a little foolish at that？ I walked down with them and no one came within a yard of me。 Then I got into the fountain and； you know； it was really most refreshing； so I sported there a little and struck some attitudes； until they turned about and walked sulkily home； and I heard Boy Mulcaster saying； 〃Anyway； we did put him in Mercury。〃 You know； Charles； that is just what they'll be saying in thirty years time。 When they're all married to scraggy little women like hens and have cretinous porcine sons like themselves getting drunk at the same club dinner in the same coloured coats； they'll still say； when my name is mentioned； 〃We put him in Mercury one night；〃 and their barnyard daughters will snigger and think their father was quite a dog in his day； and what a pity he's grown so dull。' Oh； la fatigue du Nord！'
It was not； I knew； the first time Anthony had been ducked； but the incident seemed much on his mind； for he reverted to it again at dinner。
'Now you can't imagine an unpleasantness like that happening to Sebastian； can you？'
'No。' I said； I could not。
'No； Sebastian has charm'； he held up his glass of hock to the candle…light and repeated； 'such charm。 Do you know； I went round to call on Sebastian next day？ I thought the tale of my evening's adventures might amuse him。 And what do you think I found … besides； of course； his amusing toy bear？ Mulcaster and two of his cronies of the night before。 They looked very foolish and Sebastian； as posed as Mrs P…p…ponsonby…de…Tomkyns in P…p…punch； said； 〃You know Lord Mulcaster； of course；〃 and the oafs said； 〃Oh； we just came to see how Aloysius was；〃 for they find the toy bear just as amusing as we do … or； shall I hint； just a teeny bit more？ So off they went。 And I said 〃S…s…sebastian； do you realize that those s…sycophantic s…slugs insulted me last night； and but for the warmth of the weather might have given me a s…s…severe cold；〃 and he said 〃Poor things。 I expect they were drunk。〃 He has a kind …word for everyone； you see； he has such charm。
'I can see he has pletely captivated you； my dear Charles。 Well； I'm not surprised。 Of course； you haven't known him as long as I have。 I was At school with him。 You wouldn't believe it； but in those days people used to say he was a little bitch； just a few unkind boys who knew him well。 Everyone in pop liked him； of course and all the masters。 I expect it was really that they were jealous of him。 He never seemed to get into trouble。 The rest of us were constantly being beaten in the most savage way； on the most frivolous pretexts； but never Sebastian。 He was the only boy in my house who was never beaten at all。 I can see him now； at the age of fifteen。 He never had spots you know； all the other boys were spotty。 Boy Mulcaster was positively scrofulous。 But not Sebastian。 Or did he have one； rather a stubborn one at the back of his neck？ I think； now； that he did。 Narcissus； with one pustule。 He and I were both Catholics； so we used to go to mass together。 He used to spend such a time in the confessional； I used to wonder what he had to say； because he never did anything wrong； never quite； at least； he never got punished。 Perhaps he was just being charming through the grille。 I left under what is called a cloud； you know … I can't think why it is called that； it seemed to me a glare of unwele light； the process involved a series of harrowing interviews with m' tutor。 It was disconcerting to find how observant that mild old man proved to be。 The things he knew about me； which I thought no one … except possibly Sebastian … knew。 It was a lesson never to trust mild old men … or charming school boys； which？
'Shall we have another bottle of this wine； or of something different？ Something different； some bloody； old Burgundy； eh？ You see； Charles； I understand all your tastes。 You must e to France with me and drink the wine。 We will go at the vintage。 I will take you to stay at the Vincennes。 It is all made up with them now； and he has finest wine in France； he and the Prince de Portallon … I will take you there； too。 I think they would amuse you； and of course they would love you。 I want to introduce； you to a lot of my friends。 I have told Cocteau about you。 He is all agog。 You see； my dear Charles； you are that very rare thing； An Artist。 Oh yes； you must not look bashful。 Behind that cold； English； phlegmatic exterior you I are An Artist。 I have seen those little drawings you keep hidden away in your room。 They are exquisite。 And you； dear Charles； if you will understand me； are not exquisite； but not at all Artists are not exquisite。 I am； Sebastian； in a kind of way； i