the club of queer trades-第17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！


ties　and　often　dined　with　them）　the　gaiety　of　Grant　on　that　particular　evening　when　the　strange　calamity　fell　upon　the　professor。　Professor　Chadd　was；　like　most　of　his　particular　class　and　type　（the　class　that　is　at　once　academic　and　middle…class）；　a　Radical　of　a　solemn　and　old…fashioned　type。　Grant　was　a　Radical　himself；　but　he　was　that　more　discriminating　and　not　uncommon　type　of　Radical　who　passes　most　of　his　time　in　abusing　the　Radical　party。　Chadd　had　just　contributed　to　a　magazine　an　article　called　〃Zulu　Interests　and　the　New　Makango　Frontier'；　in　which　a　precise　scientific　report　of　his　study　of　the　customs　of　the　people　of　T'Chaka　was　reinforced　by　a　severe　protest　against　certain　interferences　with　these　customs　both　by　the　British　and　the　Germans。　He…was　sitting　with　the　magazine　in　front　of　him；　the　lamplight　shining　on　his　spectacles；　a　wrinkle　in　his　forehead；　not　of　anger；　but　of　perplexity；　as　Basil　Grant　strode　up　and　down　the　room；　shaking　it　with　his　voice；　with　his　high　spirits　and　his　heavy　tread。

〃It's　not　your　opinions　that　I　object　to；　my　esteemed　Chadd；〃　he　was　saying；　〃it's　you。　You　are　quite　right　to　champion　the　Zulus；　but　for　all　that　you　do　not　sympathize　with　them。　No　doubt　you　know　the　Zulu　way　of　cooking　tomatoes　and　the　Zulu　prayer　before　blowing　one's　nose；　but　for　all　that　you　don't　understand　them　as　well　as　I　do；　who　don't　know　an　assegai　from　an　alligator。　You　are　more　learned；　Chadd；　but　I　am　more　Zulu。　Why　is　it　that　the　jolly　old　barbarians　of　this　earth　are　always　championed　by　people　who　are　their　antithesis？　Why　is　it？　You　are　sagacious；　you　are　benevolent；　you　are　well　informed；　but；　Chadd；　you　are　not　savage。　Live　no　longer　under　that　rosy　illusion。　Look　in　the　glass。　Ask　your　sisters。　Consult　the　librarian　of　the　British　Museum。　Look　at　this　umbrella。〃　And　he　held　up　that　sad　but　still　respectable　article。　〃Look　at　it。　For　ten　mortal　years　to　my　certain　knowledge　you　have　carried　that　object　under　your　arm；　and　I　have　no　sort　of　doubt　that　you　carried　it　at　the　age　of　eight　months；　and　it　never　occurred　to　you　to　give　one　wild　yell　and　hurl　it　like　a　javelin　thus〃

And　he　sent　the　umbrella　whizzing　past　the　professor's　bald　head；　so　that　it　knocked　over　a　pile　of　books　with　a　crash　and　left　a　vase　rocking。

Professor　Chadd　appeared　totally　unmoved；　with　his　face　still　lifted　to　the　lamp　and　the　wrinkle　cut　in　his　forehead。

〃Your　mental　processes；〃　he　said；　〃always　go　a　little　too　fast。　And　they　are　stated　without　method。　There　is　no　kind　of　inconsistency〃and　no　words　can　convey　the　time　he　took　to　get　to　the　end　of　the　word〃between　valuing　the　right　of　the　aborigines　to　adhere　to　their　stage　in　the　evolutionary　process；　so　long　as　they　find　it　congenial　and　requisite　to　do　so。　There　is；　I　say；　no　inconsistency　between　this　concession　which　I　have　just　described　to　you　and　the　view　that　the　evolutionary　stage　in　question　is；　nevertheless；　so　far　as　we　can　form　any　estimate　of　values　in　the　variety　of　cosmic　processes；　definable　in　some　degree　as　an　inferior　evolutionary　stage。〃

Nothing　but　his　lips　had　moved　as　he　spoke；　and　his　glasses　still　shone　like　two　pallid　moons。

Grant　was　shaking　with　laughter　as　he　watched　him。

〃True；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　no　inconsistency；　my　son　of　the　red　spear。　But　there　is　a　great　deal　of　incompatibility　of　temper。　I　am　very　far　from　being　certain　that　the　Zulu　is　on　an　inferior　evolutionary　stage；　whatever　the　blazes　that　may　mean。　I　do　not　think　there　is　anything　stupid　or　ignorant　about　howling　at　the　moon　or　being　afraid　of　devils　in　the　dark。　It　seems　to　me　perfectly　philosophical。　Why　should　a　man　be　thought　a　sort　of　idiot　because　he　feels　the　mystery　and　peril　of　existence　itself？　Suppose；　my　dear　Chadd；　suppose　it　is　we　who　are　the　idiots　because　we　are　not　afraid　of　devils　in　the　dark？〃

Professor　Chadd　slit　open　a　page　of　the　magazine　with　a　bone　paper…knife　and　the　intent　reverence　of　the　bibliophile。

〃Beyond　all　question；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　tenable　hypothesis。　I　allude　to　the　hypothesis　which　I　understand　you　to　entertain；　that　our　civilization　is　not　or　may　not　be　an　advance　upon；　and　indeed　（if　I　apprehend　you）；　is　or　may　be　a　retrogression　from　states　identical　with　or　analogous　to　the　state　of　the　Zulus。　Moreover；　I　shall　be　inclined　to　concede　that　such　a　proposition　is　of　the　nature；　in　some　degree　at　least；　of　a　primary　proposition；　and　cannot　adequately　be　argued；　in　the　same　sense；　I　mean；　that　the　primary　proposition　of　pessimism；　or　the　primary　proposition　of　the　non…existence　of　matter；　cannot　adequately　be　argued。　But　I　do　not　conceive　you　to　be　under　the　impression　that　you　have　demonstrated　anything　more　concerning　this　proposition　than　that　it　is　tenable；　which；　after　all；　amounts　to　little　more　than　the　statement　that　it　is　not　a　contradiction　in　terms。〃

Basil　threw　a　book　at　his　head　and　took　out　a　cigar。

〃You　don't　understand；〃　he　said；　〃but；　on　the　other　hand；　as　a　compensation；　you　don't　mind　smoking。　Why　you　don't　object　to　that　disgustingly　barbaric　rite　I　can't　think。　I　can　only　say　that　I　began　it　when　I　began　to　be　a　Zulu；　about　the　age　of　ten。　What　I　maintained　was　that　although　you　knew　more　about　Zulus　in　the　sense　that　you　are　a　scientist；　I　know　more　about　them　in　the　sense　that　I　am　a　savage。　For　instance；　your　theory　of　the　origin　of　language；　something　about　its　having　come　from　the　formulated　secret　language　of　some　individual　creature；　though　you　knocked　me　silly　with　facts　and　scholarship　in　its　favour；　still　does　not　convince　me；　because　I　have　a　feeling　that　that　is　not　the　way　that　things　happen。　If　you　ask　me　why　I　think　so　I　can　only　answer　that　I　am　a　Zulu；　and　if　you　ask　me　（as　you　most　certainly　will）　what　is　my　definition　of　a　Zulu；　I　can　answer　that　also。　He　is　one　who　has　climbed　a　Sussex　apple…tree　at　seven　and　been　afraid　of　a　ghost　in　an　English　lane。〃

〃Your　process　of　thought〃　began　the　immovable　Chadd；　but　his　speech　was　interrupted。　His　sister；　with　that　masculinity　which　always　in　such　families　concentrates　in　sisters；　flung　open　the　door　with　a　rigid　arm　and　said：

〃James；　Mr　Bingham　of　the　British　Museum　wants　to　see　you　again。〃

The　philosopher　rose　with　a　dazed　look；　which　always　indicates　in　such　men　the　fact　that　they　regard　philosophy　as　a　familiar　thing；　but　practical　life　as　a　weird　and　unnerving　vision；　and　walked　dubiously　out　of　the　room。

〃I　hope　you　do　not　mind　my　being　aware　of　it；　Miss　Chadd；〃　said　Basil　Grant；　〃but　I　hear　that　the　British　Museum　has　recognized　one　of　the　men　who　have　deserved　well　of　their　commonwealth。　It　is　true；　is　it　not；　that　Professor　Chadd　is　likely　to　be　made　keeper　of　Asiatic　manuscripts？〃

The　grim　face　of　the　spinster　betrayed　a　great　deal　of　pleasure　and　a　great　deal　of　pathos　also。　〃I　believe　it's　true；〃　she　said。　〃If　it　is；　it　will　not　only　be　great　glory　which　women；　I　assure　you；　feel　a　great　deal；　but　great　relief；　which　they　feel　more；　relief　from　worry　from　a　lot　of　things。　James'　health　has　never　been　good；　and　while　we　are　as　poor　as　we　are　he　had　to　do　journalism　and　coaching；　in　addition　to　his　own　dreadful　grinding　notions　and　discoveries；　which　he　loves　more　than　man；　woman；　or　child。　I　have　often　been　afraid　that　unless　something　of　this　kind　occurred　we　should　really　have　to　be　careful　of　his　brain。　But　I　believe　it　is　practically　settled。〃

〃I　am　delighted；〃　began　Basil；　but　with　a　worried　face；　〃but　these　red…tape　negotiations　are　so　terribly　chancy　that　I　really　can't　advise　you　to　build　on　hope；　only　to　be　hurled　down　into　bitterness。　I've　known　men；　and　good　men　like　your　brother；　come　nearer　than　this　and　be　disappointed。　Of　course；　if　it　is　true〃

〃If　it　is　true；〃　said　the　woman　fiercely；　〃it　means　that　people　who　have　never　lived　may　make　an　attempt　at　living。〃

Even　as　she　spoke　the　professor　came　into　the　room　still　with　the　dazed　look　in　his　eyes。

〃Is　it　true？〃　asked　Basil；　with　burning　eyes。

〃Not　a　bit　true；〃　answered　Chadd　after　a　moment's　bewilderment。　〃Your　argument　was　in　three　points　fallacious。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　Grant。

〃Well；〃　said　the　professor　slowly；　〃in　saying　that　you　could　possess　a　knowledge　of　the　essence　of　Zulu　life　distinct　from〃

〃Oh！　confound　Zulu　life；〃　cried　Grant；　with　a　burst　of　laughter。　〃I　mean；　have　you　got　the　post？〃

〃You　mean　the　post　of　keeper　of　the　Asiatic　manuscripts；〃　he　said；　opening　his　eye　with　childlike　wonder。　〃Oh；　yes；　I　got　that。　But　the　real　objection　to　your　argument；　which　has　only；　I　admit；　occurred　to　me　since　I　have　been　out　of　the　room；　is　that　it　does　not　merely　presuppose　a　Zulu　truth　apart　from　the　facts；　but　infers　that　the　discovery　of　it　is　absolutely　impeded　by　the　facts。〃

〃I　am　crushed；〃　said　Basil；　and　sat　down　to　laugh；　while　the　professor's　sister　retired　to　her　room；　possibly；　possibly　not。

It　was　extremely　late　when　we　left　the　Chadds；　and　it　is　an　extremely　long　and　tiresome　journey　from　Shepherd's　Bush　to　Lambeth。　This　may　be　our　excuse　for　the　fact　that　we　（for　I　was　stopping　the　night　with　Grant）　got　down　to　breakfast　next　day　at　a　time　inexpressibly　criminal；　a　time；　in　point　of　fact；　close　upon　noon。　Even　to　that　belated　meal　we　came　in　a　very　lounging　and　leisurely　fashion。　Grant；　in　particular；　seemed　so　dreamy　at　table　that　he　scarcely　saw　the　pile　of　letters　by　his　plate；　and　I　doubt　if　he　would　have　opened　any　of　them　if　there　had　not　lain　on　the　top　that　one　thing　which　has　succeeded　amid　modern　carelessness　in　being　really　urgent　and　coercivea　telegram。　This　he　opened　with　the　same　heavy　distraction　with　which　he　broke　his　egg　and　drank　his　tea。　When　he　read　it　he　did　not　stir　a　hair　or　say　a　word；　but　something；　I　know　not　what；　made　me　feel　that　the　motionless　figure　had　been　pulled　together　suddenly　as　strings　are　tightened　on　a　slack　guitar。　Though　he　said　nothing　and　did　not　move；　I　knew　that　he　had　been　for　an　instant　cleared　and　sharpened　with　a　shock　of　cold　water。　It　was　scarcely　any　surprise　to　me　when　a　man　who　had　drifted　sullenly　to　his　seat　and　fallen　into　it；　kicked　it　away　like　a　cur　from　under　him　and　came　round　to　me　in　two　strides。

〃What　do　you　make　of　that？〃　he　said；　and　flattened　out　the　wire　in　front　of　me。

It　ran：　〃Please　come　at　once。　James'　mental