CHAPTER 583Word文档格式.docx

CHAPTER 583Word文档格式.docx

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Youknow,weEnglisharesodreadfullyignorant.Youmustforgivemeifit'

snecessarytoexplain."

Thensheturnedtome."

Mr.VanBuscheTayloristhedistinguishedAmericancritic.Ifyouhaven'

treadhisbookyoureducationhasbeenshamefullyneglected,andyoumustrepairtheomissionatonce.He'

swritingsomethingaboutdearCharlie,andhe'

scometoaskmeifIcanhelphim."

Mr.VanBuscheTaylorwasaverythinmanwithalarge,baldhead,bonyandshining;

andunderthegreatdomeofhisskullhisface,yellow,withdeeplinesinit,lookedverysmall.Hewasquietandexceedinglypolite.HespokewiththeaccentofNewEngland,andtherewasabouthisdemeanourabloodlessfrigiditywhichmademeaskmyselfwhyonearthhewasbusyinghimselfwithCharlesStrickland.IhadbeenslightlytickledatthegentlenesswhichMrs.Stricklandputintohermentionofherhusband'

sname,andwhilethepairconversedItookstockoftheroominwhichwesat.Mrs.Stricklandhadmovedwiththetimes.GoneweretheMorrispapersandgonetheseverecretonnes,goneweretheArundelprintsthathadadornedthewallsofherdrawing-roominAshleyGardens;

theroomblazedwithfantasticcolour,andIwonderedifsheknewthatthosevariedhues,whichfashionhadimposeduponher,wereduetothedreamsofapoorpainterinaSouthSeaisland.Shegavemetheanswerherself.

Whatwonderfulcushionsyouhave,"

saidMr.VanBuscheTaylor.

Doyoulikethem?

"

shesaid,smiling."

Bakst,youknow."

AndyetonthewallswerecolouredreproductionsofseveralofStrickland'

sbestpictures,duetotheenterpriseofapublisherinBerlin.

You'

relookingatmypictures,"

shesaid,followingmyeyes."

Ofcourse,theoriginalsareoutofmyreach,butit'

sacomforttohavethese.Thepublishersentthemtomehimself.They'

reagreatconsolationtome."

Theymustbeverypleasanttolivewith,"

Yes;

they'

resoessentiallydecorative."

Thatisoneofmyprofoundestconvictions,"

saidMr.VanBuscheTaylor."

Greatartisalwaysdecorative."

Theireyesrestedonanudewomansucklingababy,whileagirlwaskneelingbytheirsideholdingoutaflowertotheindifferentchild.Lookingoverthemwasawrinkled,scraggyhag.ItwasStrickland'

sversionoftheHolyFamily.IsuspectedthatforthefigureshadsathishouseholdaboveTaravao,andthewomanandthebabywereAtaandhisfirstson.IaskedmyselfifMrs.Stricklandhadanyinklingofthefacts.

Theconversationproceeded,andImarvelledatthetactwithwhichMr.VanBuscheTayloravoidedallsubjectsthatmighthavebeenintheleastembarrassing,andattheingenuitywithwhichMrs.Strickland,withoutsayingawordthatwasuntrue,insinuatedthatherrelationswithherhusbandhadalwaysbeenperfect.AtlastMr.VanBuscheTaylorrosetogo.Holdinghishostess'

hand,hemadeheragraceful,thoughperhapstooelaborate,speechofthanks,andleftus.

Ihopehedidn'

tboreyou,"

shesaid,whenthedoorclosedbehindhim."

Ofcourseit'

sanuisancesometimes,butIfeelit'

sonlyrighttogivepeopleanyinformationIcanaboutCharlie.There'

sacertainresponsibilityabouthavingbeenthewifeofagenius."

Shelookedatmewiththosepleasanteyesofhers,whichhadremainedascandidandassympatheticastheyhadbeenmorethantwentyyearsbefore.Iwonderedifshewasmakingafoolofme.

Ofcourseyou'

vegivenupyourbusiness,"

Isaid.

Oh,yes,"

sheansweredairily."

Iranitmorebywayofahobbythanforanyotherreason,andmychildrenpersuadedmetosellit.TheythoughtIwasovertaxingmystrength."

IsawthatMrs.Stricklandhadforgottenthatshehadeverdoneanythingsodisgracefulastoworkforherliving.Shehadthetrueinstinctofthenicewomanthatitisonlyreallydecentforhertoliveonotherpeople'

smoney.

They'

reherenow,"

shesaid."

Ithoughtthey'

d,liketohearwhatyouhadtosayabouttheirfather.YourememberRobert,don'

tyou?

I'

mgladtosayhe'

sbeenrecommendedfortheMilitaryCross."

Shewenttothedoorandcalledthem.Thereenteredatallmaninkhaki,withtheparson'

scollar,handsomeinasomewhatheavyfashion,butwiththefrankeyesthatIrememberedinhimasaboy.Hewasfollowedbyhissister.ShemusthavebeenthesameageaswashermotherwhenfirstIknewher,andshewasverylikeher.Shetoogaveonetheimpressionthatasagirlshemusthavebeenprettierthanindeedshewas.

Isupposeyoudon'

trememberthemintheleast,"

saidMrs.Strickland,proudandsmiling."

MydaughterisnowMrs.Ronaldson.Herhusband'

saMajorintheGunners."

He'

sbywayofbeingapukkasoldier,youknow,"

saidMrs.Ronaldsongaily."

That'

swhyhe'

sonlyaMajor."

Irememberedmyanticipationlongagothatshewouldmarryasoldier.Itwasinevitable.Shehadallthegracesofthesoldier'

swife.Shewascivilandaffable,butshecouldhardlyconcealherintimateconvictionthatshewasnotquiteasotherswere.Robertwasbreezy.

It'

sabitofluckthatIshouldbeinLondonwhenyouturnedup,"

hesaid."

I'

veonlygotthreedays'

leave."

sdyingtogetback,"

saidhismother.

Well,Idon'

tmindconfessingit,Ihavearattlinggoodtimeatthefront.I'

vemadealotofgoodpals.It'

safirst-ratelife.Ofcoursewar'

sterrible,andallthatsortofthing;

butitdoesbringoutthebestqualitiesinaman,there'

snodenyingthat."

ThenItoldthemwhatIhadlearnedaboutCharlesStricklandinTahiti.IthoughtitunnecessarytosayanythingofAtaandherboy,butfortherestIwasasaccurateasIcouldbe.WhenIhadnarratedhislamentabledeathIceased.Foraminuteortwowewereallsilent.ThenRobertStricklandstruckamatchandlitacigarette.

ThemillsofGodgrindslowly,buttheygrindexceedingsmall,"

hesaid,somewhatimpressively.

Mrs.StricklandandMrs.Ronaldsonlookeddownwithaslightlypiousexpressionwhichindicated,Ifeltsure,thattheythoughtthequotationwasfromHolyWrit.Indeed,IwasunconvincedthatRobertStricklanddidnotsharetheirillusion.IdonotknowwhyIsuddenlythoughtofStrickland'

ssonbyAta.Theyhadtoldmehewasamerry,light-heartedyouth.Isawhim,withmymind'

seye,ontheschooneronwhichheworked,wearingnothingbutapairofdungarees;

andatnight,whentheboatsailedalongeasilybeforealightbreeze,andthesailorsweregatheredontheupperdeck,whilethecaptainandthesupercargololledindeck-chairs,smokingtheirpipes,Isawhimdancewithanotherlad,dancewildly,tothewheezymusicoftheconcertina.Abovewasthebluesky,andthestars,andallaboutthedesertofthePacificOcean.

AquotationfromtheBiblecametomylips,butIheldmytongue,forIknowthatclergymenthinkitalittleblasphemouswhenthelaitypoachupontheirpreserves.MyUncleHenry,fortwenty-sevenyearsVicarofWhitstable,wasontheseoccasionsinthehabitofsayingthatthedevilcouldalwaysquotescripturetohispurpose.HerememberedthedayswhenyoucouldgetthirteenRoyalNativesforashilling.