the dynamiter-第21部分

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！


observed　a　sudden　and　significant　change　in　the　old　lady's　
countenance。

'If　I　thought　you　capable　of　disrespect！'　she　cried。

'Madam；'　said　Somerset；　with　the　extreme　fervour　of　
asseveration；　'madam；　I　accept。　　I　beg　you　to　understand　that　
I　accept　with　joy　and　gratitude。'

'Ah　well；'　returned　Mrs。　Luxmore；　'if　I　am　mistaken；　let　it　
pass。　　And　now；　since　all　is　comfortably　settled；　I　wish　you　
a　good…night。'

Thereupon；　as　if　to　leave　him　no　room　for　repentance；　she　
hurried　Somerset　out　of　the　front　door；　and　left　him　
standing；　key　in　hand；　upon　the　pavement。

The　next　day；　about　the　hour　appointed；　the　young　man　found　
his　way　to　the　square；　which　I　will　here　call　Golden　Square；　
though　that　was　not　its　name。　　What　to　expect；　he　knew　not；　
for　a　man　may　live　in　dreams；　and　yet　be　unprepared　for　their　
realisation。　　It　was　already　with　a　certain　pang　of　surprise　
that　he　beheld　the　mansion；　standing　in　the　eye　of　day；　a　
solid　among　solids。　　The　key；　upon　trial；　readily　opened　the　
front　door；　he　entered　that　great　house；　a　privileged　
burglar；　and；　escorted　by　the　echoes　of　desertion；　rapidly　
reviewed　the　empty　chambers。　　Cats；　servant；　old　lady；　the　
very　marks　of　habitation；　like　writing　on　a　slate；　had　been　
in　these　few　hours　obliterated。　　He　wandered　from　floor　to　
floor；　and　found　the　house　of　great　extent；　the　kitchen　
offices　commodious　and　well　appointed；　the　rooms　many　and　
large；　and　the　drawing…room；　in　particular；　an　apartment　of　
princely　size　and　tasteful　decoration。　　Although　the　day　
without　was　warm；　genial；　and　sunny；　with　a　ruffling　wind　
from　the　quarter　of　Torquay；　a　chill；　as　it　were；　of　
suspended　animation　inhabited　the　house。　　Dust　and　shadows　
met　the　eye；　and　but　for　the　ominous　procession　of　the　
echoes；　and　the　rumour　of　the　wind　among　the　garden　trees；　
the　ear　of　the　young　man　was　stretched　in　vain。

Behind　the　dining…room；　that　pleasant　library；　referred　to　by　
the　old　lady　in　her　tale；　looked　upon　the　flat　roofs　and　
netted　cupolas　of　the　kitchen　quarters；　and　on　a　second　
visit；　this　room　appeared　to　greet　him　with　a　smiling　
countenance。　　He　might　as　well；　he　thought；　avoid　the　expense　
of　lodging：　　the　library；　fitted　with　an　iron　bedstead　which　
he　had　remarked；　in　one　of　the　upper　chambers；　would　serve　
his　purpose　for　the　night；　while　in　the　dining…room；　which　
was　large；　airy；　and　lightsome；　looking　on　the　square　and　
garden；　he　might　very　agreeably　pass　his　days；　cook　his　
meals；　and　study　to　bring　himself　to　some　proficiency　in　that　
art　of　painting　which　he　had　recently　determined　to　adopt。　　
It　did　not　take　him　long　to　make　the　change：　　he　had　soon　
returned　to　the　mansion　with　his　modest　kit；　and　the　cabman　
who　brought　him　was　readily　induced；　by　the　young　man's　
pleasant　manner　and　a　small　gratuity；　to　assist　him　in　the　
installation　of　the　iron　bed。　　By　six　in　the　evening；　when　
Somerset　went　forth　to　dine；　he　was　able　to　look　back　upon　
the　mansion　with　a　sense　of　pride　and　property。　　Four…square　
it　stood；　of　an　imposing　frontage；　and　flanked　on　either　side　
by　family　hatchments。　　His　eye；　from　where　he　stood　whistling　
in　the　key；　with　his　back　to　the　garden　railings；　reposed　on　
every　feature　of　reality；　and　yet　his　own　possession　seemed　
as　flimsy　as　a　dream。

In　the　course　of　a　few　days；　the　genteel　inhabitants　of　the　
square　began　to　remark　the　customs　of　their　neighbour。　　The　
sight　of　a　young　gentleman　discussing　a　clay　pipe；　about　four　
o'clock　of　the　afternoon；　in　the　drawing…room　balcony　of　so　
discreet　a　mansion；　and　perhaps　still　more；　his　periodical　
excursion　to　a　decent　tavern　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　his　
unabashed　return；　nursing　the　full　tankard：　　had　presently　
raised　to　a　high　pitch　the　interest　and　indignation　of　the　
liveried　servants　of　the　square。　　The　disfavour　of　some　of　
these　gentlemen　at　first　proceeded　to　the　length　of　insult；　
but　Somerset　knew　how　to　be　affable　with　any　class　of　men；　
and　a　few　rude　words　merrily　accepted；　and　a　few　glasses　
amicably　shared；　gained　for　him　the　right　of　toleration。

The　young　man　had　embraced　the　art　of　Raphael；　partly　from　a　
notion　of　its　ease；　partly　from　an　inborn　distrust　of　
offices。　　He　scorned　to　bear　the　yoke　of　any　regular　
schooling；　and　proceeded　to　turn　one　half　of　the　dining…room　
into　a　studio　for　the　reproduction　of　still　life。　　There　he　
amassed　a　variety　of　objects；　indiscriminately　chosen　from　
the　kitchen；　the　drawing…room；　and　the　back　garden；　and　there　
spent　his　days　in　smiling　assiduity。　　Meantime；　the　great　
bulk　of　empty　building　overhead　lay；　like　a　load；　upon　his　
imagination。　　To　hold　so　great　a　stake　and　to　do　nothing；　
argued　some　defect　of　energy；　and　he　at　length　determined　to　
act　upon　the　hint　given　by　Mrs。　Luxmore　herself；　and　to　
stick；　with　wafers；　in　the　window　of　the　dining…room；　a　small　
handbill　announcing　furnished　lodgings。　　At　half…past　six　of　
a　fine　July　morning；　he　affixed　the　bill；　and　went　forth　into　
the　square　to　study　the　result。　　It　seemed；　to　his　eye；　
promising　and　unpretentious；　and　he　returned　to　the　drawing…
room　balcony；　to　consider；　over　a　studious　pipe；　the　knotty　
problem　of　how　much　he　was　to　charge。

Thereupon　he　somewhat　relaxed　in　his　devotion　to　the　art　of　
painting。　　Indeed；　from　that　time　forth；　he　would　spend　the　
best　part　of　the　day　in　the　front　balcony；　like　the　attentive　
angler　poring　on　his　float；　and　the　better　to　support　the　
tedium；　he　would　frequently　console　himself　with　his　clay　
pipe。　　On　several　occasions；　passers…by　appeared　to　be　
arrested　by　the　ticket；　and　on　several　others　ladies　and　
gentlemen　drove　to　the　very　doorstep　by　the　carriageful；　but　
it　appeared　there　was　something　repulsive　in　the　appearance　
of　the　house；　for　with　one　accord；　they　would　cast　but　one　
look　upward；　and　hastily　resume　their　onward　progress　or　
direct　the　driver　to　proceed。　　Somerset　had　thus　the　
mortification　of　actually　meeting　the　eye　of　a　large　number　
of　lodging…seekers；　and　though　he　hastened　to　withdraw　his　
pipe；　and　to　compose　his　features　to　an　air　of　invitation；　he　
was　never　rewarded　by　so　much　as　an　inquiry。　　'Can　there；'　he　
thought；　'be　anything　repellent　in　myself？'　　But　a　candid　
examination　in　one　of　the　pier…glasses　of　the　drawing…room　
led　him　to　dismiss　the　fear。

Something；　however；　was　amiss。　　His　vast　and　accurate　
calculations　on　the　fly…leaves　of　books；　or　on　the　backs　of　
playbills；　appeared　to　have　been　an　idle　sacrifice　of　time。　　
By　these；　he　had　variously　computed　the　weekly　takings　of　the　
house；　from　sums　as　modest　as　five…and…twenty　shillings；　up　
to　the　more　majestic　figure　of　a　hundred　pounds；　and　yet；　in　
despite　of　the　very　elements　of　arithmetic；　here　he　was　
making　literally　nothing。

This　incongruity　impressed　him　deeply　and　occupied　his　
thoughtful　leisure　on　the　balcony；　and　at　last　it　seemed　to　
him　that　he　had　detected　the　error　of　his　method。　　'This；'　he　
reflected；　'is　an　age　of　generous　display：　　the　age　of　the　
sandwich…man；　of　Griffiths；　of　Pears'　legendary　soap；　and　of　
Eno's　fruit　salt；　which；　by　sheer　brass　and　notoriety；　and　
the　most　disgusting　pictures　I　ever　remember　to　have　seen；　
has　overlaid　that　comforter　of　my　childhood；　Lamplough's　
pyretic　saline。　　Lamplough　was　genteel；　Eno　was　omnipresent；　
Lamplough　was　trite；　Eno　original　and　abominably　vulgar；　and　
here　have　I；　a　man　of　some　pretensions　to　knowledge　of　the　
world；　contented　myself　with　half　a　sheet　of　note…paper；　a　
few　cold　words　which　do　not　directly　address　the　imagination；　
and　the　adornment　（if　adornment　it　may　be　called）　of　four　red　
wafers！　　Am　I；　then；　to　sink　with　Lamplough；　or　to　soar　with　
Eno？　　Am　I　to　adopt　that　modesty　which　is　doubtless　becoming　
in　a　duke？　or　to　take　hold　of　the　red　facts　of　life　with　the　
emphasis　of　the　tradesman　and　the　poet？'

Pursuant　upon　these　meditations；　he　procured　several　sheets　
of　the　very　largest　size　of　drawing…paper；　and　laying　forth　
his　paints；　proceeded　to　compose　an　ensign　that　might　attract　
the　eye；　and　at　the　same　time；　in　his　own　phrase；　directly　
address　the　imagination　of　the　passenger。　　Something　taking　
in　the　way　of　colour；　a　good；　savoury　choice　of　words；　and　a　
realistic　design　setting　forth　the　life　a　lodger　might　expect　
to　lead　within　the　walls　of　that　palace　of　delight：　　these；　
he　perceived；　must　be　the　elements　of　his　advertisement。　　It　
was　possible；　upon　the　one　hand；　to　depict　the　sober　
pleasures　of　domestic　life；　the　evening　fire；　blond…headed　
urchins　and　the　hissing　urn；　but　on　the　other；　it　was　
possible　（and　he　almost　felt　as　if　it　were　more　suited　to　his　
muse）　to　set　forth　the　charms　of　an　existence　somewhat　wider　
in　its　range　or；　boldly　say；　the　paradise　of　the　Mohammedan。　　
So　long　did　the　artist　waver　between　these　two　views；　that；　
before　he　arrived　at　a　conclusion；　he　had　finally　conceived　
and　completed　both　designs。　　With　the　proverbially　tender　
heart　of　the　parent；　he　found　himself　unable　to　sacrifice　
either　of　these　offsprings　of　his　art；　and　decided　to　expose　
them　on　alternate　days。　　'In　this　way；'　he　thought；　'I　shall　
address　myself　indifferently　to　all　classes　of　the　world。'

The　tossing　of　a　penny　decided　the　only　remaining　point；　and　
the　more　imaginative　canvas　received　the　suffrages　of　
fortune；　and　appeared　first　in　the　window　of　the　mansion。　　It　
was　of　a　high　fancy；　the　legend　eloquently　writ；　the　scheme　
of　colour　taking　and　bold；　and　but　for　the　imperfection　of　
the　artist's　drawing；　it　might　have　been　taken　for　a　model　of　
its　kind。　　As　it　was；　however；　when　viewed　from　his　favourite　
point　against　the　garden　railings；　and　with　some　touch　of　
distance；　it　caused　a　pleasurable　rising　of　the　artist's　
heart。　　'I　have　thrown　away；'　he　ejaculated；　'an　invaluable　
motive；　and　this　shall　be　the　subject　of　my　first　academy　
picture。'

The　fate　of　neither　of　these　works　was　equal　to　its　merit。　　A　
crowd　would　certainly；　from　time　to　time；　collect　before　the　
area…railings；　but　they　came　to　jeer　and　not　to　speculate；　
and　those　who　pushed　their　inquiries　further；　were　too　
plainly　animated　by　the　spirit　of　derision。　　The　racier　of　
the　two　cartoons　displ