fraternity-第22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！


ghts。

That　same　night；　after　working　at　a　Report　on　the　present　Laws　of　Bankruptcy；　which　he　was　then　drawing　up；　Stephen　entered　the　joint　apartment　with　excessive　caution；　having　first　made　all　his　dispositions；　and；　stealing　to　the　bed；　slipped　into　it。　　He　lay　there；　offering　himself　congratulations　that　he　had　not　awakened　Cecilia；　and　Cecilia；　who　was　wide　awake；　knew　by　his　unwonted　carefulness　that　he　had　come　to　some　conclusion　which　he　did　not　wish　to　impart　to　her。　　Devoured；　therefore；　by　disquiet；　she　lay　sleepless　till　the　clock　struck　two。

The　conclusion　to　which　Stephen　had　come　was　this：　Having　twice　gone　through　the　factsHilary's　corporeal　separation　from　Bianca　（communicated　to　him　by　Cecilia）；　cause　unknowable；　Hilary's　interest　in　the　little　model；　cause　unknown；　her　known　poverty；　her　employment　by　Mr。　Stone；　her　tenancy　of　Mrs。　Hughs'　room；　the　latter's　outburst　to　Cecilia；　Hughs'　threat；　and；　finally；　the　girl's　pretty　clothes　he　had　summed　it　up　as　just　a　common　〃plant；〃　to　which　his　brother's　possibly　innocent；　but　in　any　case　imprudent；　conduct　had　laid　him　open。　　It　was　a　man's　affair。　　He　resolutely　tried　to　look　on　the　whole　thing　as　unworthy　of　attention；　to　feel　that　nothing　would　occur。　　He　failed　dismally；　for　three　reasons。　　First；　his　inherent　love　of　regularity；　of　having　everything　in　proper　order；　secondly；　his　ingrained　mistrust　of　and　aversion　from　Bianca；　thirdly；　his　unavowed　conviction；　for　all　his　wish　to　be　sympathetic　to　them；　that　the　lower　classes　always　wanted　something　out　of　you。　　It　was　a　question　of　how　much　they　would　want；　and　whether　it　were　wise　to　give　them　anything。　　He　decided　that　it　would　not　be　wise　at　all。　What　then？　　Impossible　to　say。　　It　worried　him。　　He　had　a　natural　horror　of　any　sort　of　scandal；　and　he　was　very　fond　of　Hilary。　　If　only　he　knew　the　attitude　Bianca　would　take　up！　He　could　not　even　guess　it。

Thus；　on　that　Saturday　afternoon；　the　4th　of　May；　he　felt　for　once　such　a　positive　aversion　from　the　reading　of　reviews；　as　men　will　feel　from　their　usual　occupations　when　their　nerves　have　been　disturbed。　　He　stayed　late　at　Chambers；　and　came　straight　home　outside　an　omnibus。

The　tide　of　life　was　flowing　in　the　town。　　The　streets　were　awash　with　wave　on　wave　of　humanity；　sucked　into　a　thousand　crossing　currents。　　Here　men　and　women　were　streaming　out　from　the　meeting　of　a　religious　congress；　there　streaming　in　at　the　gates　of　some　social　function；　like　bright　water　confined　within　long　shelves　of　rock　and　dyed　with　myriad　scales　of　shifting　colour；　they　thronged　Rotten　Row；　and　along　the　closed　shop…fronts　were　woven　into　an　inextricable　network　of　little　human　runlets。　　And　everywhere　amongst　this　sea　of　men　and　women　could　be　seen　their　shadows；　meandering　like　streaks　of　grey　slime　stirred　up　from　the　lower　depths　by　some　huge；　never…　ceasing　finger。　　The　innumerable　roar　of　that　human　sea　climbed　out　above　the　roofs　and　trees；　and　somewhere　in　illimitable　space　blended；　and　slowly　reached　the　meeting…point　of　sound　and　silence　that　Heart　where　Life；　leaving　its　little　forms　and　barriers；　clasps　Death；　and　from　that　clasp　springs　forth　new…formed；　within　new　barriers。

Above　this　crowd　of　his　fellow…creatures；　Stephen　drove；　and　the　same　Spring　wind　which　had　made　the　elm…trees　talk；　whispered　to　him；　and　tried　to　tell　him　of　the　million　flowers　it　had　fertilised；　the　million　leaves　uncurled；　the　million　ripples　it　had　awakened　on　the　sea；　of　the　million　flying　shadows　flung　by　it　across　the　Downs；　and　how　into　men's　hearts　its　scent　had　driven　a　million　longings　and　sweet　pains。

It　was　but　moderately　successful；　for　Stephen；　like　all　men　of　culture　and　neat　habits；　took　Nature　only　at　those　moments　when　he　had　gone　out　to　take　her；　and　of　her　wild　heart　he　had　a　secret　fear。

On　his　own　doorstep　he　encountered　Hilary　coming　out。

〃I　ran　across　Thyme　and　Martin　in　the　Gardens；〃　the　latter　said。　〃Thyme　brought　me　back　to　lunch；　and　here　I've　been　ever　since。〃

〃Did　she　bring　our　young　Sanitist　in　too？〃　　asked　Stephen　dubiously。

〃No；〃　said　Hilary。

〃Good！　　That　young　man　gets　on　my　nerves。〃　　Taking　his　elder　brother　by　the　arm；　he　added：　〃Will　you　come　in　again；　old　boy；　or　shall　we　go　for　a　stroll？〃

〃A　stroll；〃　said　Hilary。

Though　different　enough；　perhaps　because　they　were　so　different；　these　two　brothers　had　the　real　affection　for　each　other　which　depends　on　something　deeper　and　more　elementary　than　a　similarity　of　sentiments；　and　is　permanent　because　unconnected　with　the　reasoning　powers。

It　depended　on　the　countless　times　they　had　kissed　and　wrestled　as　tiny　boys；　slept　in　small　beds　alongside；　refused…to　〃tell〃　about　each　other；　and　even　now　and　then　taken　up　the　burden　of　each　other's　peccadilloes。　　They　might　get　irritated　or　tired　of　being　in　each　other's　company；　but　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　either　to　have　been　disloyal　to　the　other　in　any　circumstances；　because　of　that　traditional　loyalty　which　went　back　to　their　cribs。

Preceded　by　Miranda；　they　walked　along　the　flower　walk　towards　the　Park；　talking　of　indifferent　things；　though　in　his　heart　each　knew　well　enough　what　was　in　the　other's。

Stephen　broke　through　the　hedge。

〃Cis　has　been　telling　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　this　man　Hughs　is　making　trouble　of　some　sort。〃

Hilary　nodded。

Stephen　glanced　a　little　anxiously　at　his　brother's　face；　it　struck　him　as　looking　different；　neither　so　gentle　nor　so　impersonal　as　usual。

〃He's　a　ruffian；　isn't　he？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you；〃　Hilary　answered。　　〃Probably　not。〃

〃He　must　be；　old　chap；〃　murmured　Stephen。　　Then；　with　a　friendly　pressure　of　his　brother's　arm；　he　added：　〃Look　here；　old　boy；　can　I　be　of　any　use？〃

〃In　what？〃　　asked　Hilary。

Stephen　took　a　hasty　mental　view　of　his　position；　he　had　been　in　danger　of　letting　Hilary　see　that　he　suspected　him。　　Frowning　slightly；　and　with　some　colour　in　his　clean…shaven　face；　he　said：

〃Of　course；　there's　nothing　in　it。〃

〃In　what？〃　　said　Hilary　again。

〃In　what　this　ruffian　says。〃

〃No；〃　said　Hilary；　〃there's　nothing　in　it；　though　what　there　may　be　if　people　give　me　credit　for　what　there　isn't；　is　another　thing。〃

Stephen　digested　this　remark；　which　hurt　him。　　He　saw　that　his　suspicions　had　been　fathomed；　and　this　injured　his　opinion　of　his　own　diplomacy。

〃You　mustn't　lose　your　head；　old　man；〃　he　said　at　last。

They　were　crossing　the　bridge　over　the　Serpentine。　　On　the　bright　waters；　below；　young　clerks　were　sculling　their　inamoratas　up　and　down；　the　ripples　set　free　by　their　oars　gleamed　beneath　the　sun；　and　ducks　swam　lazily　along　the　banks。　　Hilary　leaned　over。

〃Look　here；　Stephen；　I　take　an　interest　in　this　childshe's　a　helpless　sort　of　little　creature；　and　she　seems　to　have　put　herself　under　my　protection。　　I　can't　help　that。　　But　that's　all。　　Do　you　understand？〃

This　speech　produced　a　queer　turmoil　in　Stephen；　as　though　his　brother　had　accused　him　of　a　petty　view　of　things。　　Feeling　that　he　must　justify　himself　somehow；　he　began：

〃Oh；　of　course　I　understand；　old　boy！　　But　don't　think；　anyway；　that　I　should　care　a　damnI　mean　as　far　as　I'm　concernedeven　if　you　had　gone　as　far　as　ever　you　liked；　considering　what　you　have　to　put　up　with。　　What　I'm　thinking　of　is　the　general　situation。〃

By　this　clear　statement　of　his　point　of　view　Stephen　felt　he　had　put　things　back　on　a　broad　basis；　and　recovered　his　position　as　a　man　of　liberal　thought。　　He　too　leaned　over；　looking　at　the　ducks。　　There　was　a　silence。　　Then　Hilary　said：

〃If　Bianca　won't　get　that　child　into　some　fresh　place；　I　shall。〃

Stephen　looked　at　his　brother　in　surprise；　amounting　almost　to　dismay；　he　had　spoken　with　such　unwonted　resolution。

〃My　dear　old　chap；〃　he　said；　〃I　wouldn't　go　to　B。　　Women　are　so　funny。〃

Hilary　smiled。　　Stephen　took　this　for　a　sign　of　restored　impersonality。

〃I'll　tell　you　exactly　how　the　thing　appeals　to　me。　　It'll　be　much　better　for　you　to　chuck　it　altogether。　　Let　Cis　see　to　it！〃

Hilary's　eyes　became　bright　with　angry　humour。

〃Many　thanks；〃　he　said；　〃but　this　is　entirely　our　affair。〃

Stephen　answered　hastily：

〃That's　exactly　what　makes　it　difficult　for　you　to　look　at　it　all　round。　　That　fellow　Hughs　could　make　himself　quite　nasty。　　I　wouldn't　give　him　any　sort　of　chance。　　I　mean　to　saygiving　the　girl　clothes　and　that　kind　of　thing…〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Hilary。

〃You　know；　old　man；〃　Stephen　went　on　hastily；　〃I　don't　think　you'll　get　Bianca　to　look　at　things　in　your　light。　　If　you　were　onon　terms；　of　course　it　would　be　different。　　I　mean　the　girl；　you　know；　is　rather　attractive　in　her　way。〃

Hilary　roused　himself　from　contemplation　of　the　ducks；　and　they　moved　on　towards　the　Powder　Magazine。　　Stephen　carefully　abstained　from　looking　at　his　brother；　the　respect　he　had　for　Hilaryresult；　perhaps；　of　the　latter's　seniority；　perhaps　of　the　feeling　that　Hilary　knew　more　of　him　than　he　of　Hilarywas　beginning　to　assert　itself　in　a　way　he　did　not　like。　　With　every　word；　too；　of　this　talk；　the　ground；　instead　of　growing　firmer；　felt　less　and　less　secure。　Hilary　spoke：

〃You　mistrust　my　powers　of　action？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Stephen。　　〃I　don't　want　you　to　act　at　all。〃

Hilary　laughed。　　Hearing　that　rather　bitter　laugh；　Stephen　felt　a　little　ache　about　his　heart。

〃Come；　old　boy；〃　he　said；　〃we　can　trust　each　other；　anyway。〃

Hilary　gave　his　brother's　arm　a　squeeze。

Moved　by　that　pressure；　Stephen　spoke：

〃I　hate　you　to　be　worried　over　such　a　rotten　business。〃

The　whizz　of　a　motor…car　rapidly　approaching　them　became　a　sort　of　roar；　and　out　of　it　a　voice　shouted：　〃How　are　you？〃　　A　hand　was　seen　to　rise　in　salute。　　It　was　Mr。　Purcey　driving　his　A。i。　Damyer　back　to　Wimbledon。　　Before　him　in　the　sunlight　a　little　shadow　fled；　behind　him　the　reek　of　petrol　seemed　to　darken　the　road。

〃There's　a　symbol　for　you；〃　muttered　Hilary。

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　　said　Stephen　dryly。　　The　word　〃symbol〃　was　distasteful　to　him。

〃The　machine　in　the　middle　moving　on　its　business；　shadows　like　you　and　me　skipping　in　front；　oil　and　used…up　stuff　dropping　behind。　Society…body；　beak；　and　bones。〃

Stephen　took　time　to　answer。　　〃That's　rather　far…fetched；〃　he　said。　〃You　mean　these　Hughs　and　people　are　the　droppings？〃

〃Quite　so；〃　was　Hilary's　sardo