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！
town within miles。 I've managed to get a hut between the two of us。'
By four in the morning the work was done。 I drove in the last lorry； through tortuous lanes where the overhanging boughs whipped the windscreen； somewhere we left the lane and turned into a drive； somewhere we reached an open space where two drives converged and a ring of storm lanterns marked the heap of stores。 Here we unloaded the truck and； at long last； followed the guides to our quarters； under a starless sky； with a fine drizzle of rain beginning now to fall。
I slept until my servant called me； rose wearily； dressed and shaved in silence。 It was not till I reached the door that I asked the second…in…mand； 'What's this place called？'
He told me and； on the instant； it was as though someone had switched off the wireless； and a voice that had been bawling in my ears； incessantly； fatuously； for days beyond number； had been suddenly cut short； an immense silence followed； empty at first； but gradually； as my outraged sense regained authority； full of a multitude of sweet and natural and long forgotten sounds： for he had spoken a name that was so familiar to me； a conjuror's name of such ancient power； that； at its mere sound； the phantoms of those haunted late years began to take flight。
Outside the hut I stood bemused。 The rain had ceased but the clouds hung low and heavy overhead。 It was a still morning and the smoke from the cookhouse rose straight to the leaden sky。 A cart…track； once metalled； then overgrown； now rutted and churned to mud； followed the contour of the hillside and dipped out of sight below； a knoll； and on either side of it lay the haphazard litter of corrugated iron； from which rose the rattle and chatter and whistling and catcalls； all the zoo…noises of the battalion beginning a new day。 Beyond and about us； more familiar still； lay an exquisite man…made landscape。 It was a sequestered place； enclosed and embraced in a single； winding valley。 Our camp lay along one gentle slope； opposite us the ground led； still unravished； to the neighbourly horizon； and between us flowed a stream … it was named the Bride and rose not two miles away at a farm called Bridesprings； where we used sometimes to walk to tea； it became a considerable river lower down before it joined the Avon … which had been dammed here to form three lakes； one no more than a wet slate among the reeds； but the others more spacious； reflecting the clouds and the mighty beeches at their margin。 The woods were all of oak and beech； the oak grey and bare； the beech faintly dusted with green by the breaking buds； they made a simple； carefully designed pattern with the green glades and the wide green spaces … Did the fallow deer graze here still？ … and； lest the eye wander aimlessly； a Doric temple stood by the water's edge； and an ivy…grown arch spanned the lowest of the connecting weirs。 All this had been planned and planted a century and a half ago so that； at about this date； it might be seen in its maturity； From where I stood the house was hidden by a green spur； but I knew well how and where it lay； couched among the lime trees like a hind in the bracken。
Hooper； came sidling up and greeted me with his much imitated but inimitable salute。 His face was grey from his night's vigil and he had not yet shaved。
'〃B〃 pany relieved us。 I've sent the chaps off to get cleaned up。'
'Good。'
'The house is up there； round the corner。'
〃Yes。' I said。
'Brigade Headquarters are ing there next week。 Great barrack of a place。 I've just had a snoop round。 Very ornate； I'd call it。 And a queer thing； there's a sort of R。C。 Church attached。 I looked in and there was a kind of service going on … just a padre and one old man。 I felt very awkward。 More in your line than mine。' Perhaps I seemed not to hear； in a final effort to excite my interest he said： 'There's a frightful great fountain； too； in front of the steps； all rocks and sort of carved animals。 You never saw such a thing。'
'Yes； Hooper； I did。 I've been here before。'
The words seemed to ring back to me enriched from the vaults of my dungeon。
'Oh well； you know all about it。 I'll go and get cleaned up。'
'I had been there before； I knew all about it。
BOOK ONE
ET IN ACARDIA EGO
＇1＇
'I HAVE been here before；' I said； I had been there before； first with Sebastian more than twenty years ago on a cloudless day in June； when the ditches were creamy with meadowsweet and the air heavy with all the scents of summer； it was a day of peculiar splendour； and though I had been there so often； in so many moods； it was to that first visit that my heart returned on this； my latest。
That day； too； I had e not knowing my destination。 It was Eights Week。 Oxford … submerged now and obliterated； irrecoverable as Lyonnesse； so quickly have the waters e flooding …in … Oxford； in those days； was still a city of aquatint。 In her spacious and quiet streets men walked and spoke as they had done in Newman's day； her autumnal mists； her grey springtime； and the rare glory of her summer days … such as that day … when the chestnut was in flower and the bells rang out high and clear over her gables and cupolas exhaled the soft airs of centuries of youth。 It was this cloistral hush which gave our laughter its resonance； and carried it still； joyously； …over the intervening clamour。 Here； discordantly； in Eights Week； came a rabble of womankind； some hundreds strong； twittering and fluttering over the cobbles and up the steps； sight…seeing and pleasure…seeking； drinking claret cup； eating cucumber sandwiches； pushed in punts about the river； herded in droves to the college barges； greeted in the Isis and in the Union by a sudden display of peculiar； facetious； wholly distressing Gilbert…and…Sullivan badinage； and by peculiar choral effects in the College chapels。 Echoes of the intruders penetrated every corner； and in my own College was no echo； but an original fount of the grossest disturbance。 We were giving a ball。 The front quad； where I lived； was floored and tented； palms and azaleas were banked round the porter's lodge； worst of all； the don who lived above me； a mouse of a man connected with the Natural Sciences； had lent his rooms for a Ladies' Cloakroom； and a printed notice proclaiming this outrage hung not six inches from my oak。
No one felt more strongly about it than my scout。
'Gentlemen who haven't got ladies are asked as far as possible to take their meals out in the next few days；' he announced despondently。 'Will you be lunching in？'
'No； Lunt。'
'So as to give the servants a chance； they say。 What a chance！ I've got to buy a pin…cushion for the Ladies' Cloakroom。 What do they want with dancing？ I don't see the reason in it。 There never was dancing before in Eights Week。 mem。 now is another matter being in the vacation； but not in Eights Week； as if teas and the river wasn't enough。 If you ask me； sir； it's all on account of the war。 It couldn't have happened but for that。' For this was 1923 and for Lunt； as for thousands of others； things could never be the same as they had been in 1914。 'Now wine in the evening； he continued； as was his habit half in and half out of the door' Cor one or two gentlemen to luncheon； there's reason in。 But not dancing。 It all came in with the men back from the war。 They were too old and they didn't know and they wouldn't learn。 That's the truth。 And there's some even goes dancing with the town at the Masonic … but the proctors will get them； you see 。 。 。 Well； here's Lord Sebastian。 I mustn't stand here talking when there's pin…cushions to get。'
Sebastian entered … dove…grey flannel； white crepe de Chine； a Charvet tie； my tie as it happened； a pattern of postage stamps 'Charles … what in the world's happening at your college？ Is there a circus？ I've seen everything except elephants。 I must say the whole of Oxford has bee most peculiar suddenly。 Last night it was pullulating with women。 You're to e away at once； out of danger。 I've got a motor…car and a basket of strawberries and a bottle of Chateau Peyraguey … which isn't a wine you've ever tasted； so don't pretend。 It's heaven with strawberries。'
'Where are we going？'
'To see a friend。'
'Who？'
'Name of Hawkins。 Bring some money in case we see anything we want to buy。 The motor…car is the property of a man called Hardcastle。 Return the bits to him if I kill myself； I'm not very good at driving。
Beyond the gate； beyond the winter garden that was once the lodge； stood an open two…seater Morris…Cowley。 Sebastian's teddy bear sat at the wheel。 We put him； between us … 'Take care he's not sick' …and drove off。 The bells of St Mary's were chiming nine； we escaped collision with a clergyman； blackstraw…hatted； white…bearded） pedalling quietly down the wrong side of the High Street； crossed Carfax； passed the station； and were soon in open country on the Botley Road； open country was easily reached in those days。
（'Isn't it early？' said Sebastian。 'The women are still doing whatever women do to themselves before they e downstairs。 Sloth has undone them。 We're away。 God bless Hardcastle。'
'Whoever he may be。'
'He thought he was ing with