the grey room(灰房间)-第39部分
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〃Nothing worth showing you。〃
She exercised the old fascination； but he indulged in no hope of the
future。 He knew what her husband had been to Mary； despite the
shortness of their union； and； rightly； he felt positive that she would never
marry again。
A mournful spectacle appeared； drawn by the sound of well…known
voices； and the old spaniel； Prince； crept to Mary's feet。 He offered
feeble homage； and she made much of him； but the dog had sunk to a
shadow。
〃He must be put away； poor old beggar； it's cruel to keep him alive。
Only Masters said he was determined he should not go while Uncle Walter
was abroad。 Masters has been a mother to him。〃
〃Tell father that； he may blame Masters for letting him linger on like
this。 He rather hoped； I know； that poor Prince would be painlessly
destroyed； or die； before he came back。〃
〃Masters would never have let him die unless directed to do so。〃
〃And I'm sure father could never have written the words down and
posted them。 You know father。〃
Letters awaited the returned travellers； one from Colonel Vane； who
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described his meeting with Signor Mannetti； and hoped something might
come of it； and another from the stranger himself。 He expressed
satisfaction at his invitation； and proposed arriving at Chadlands on the
following Monday； unless directions reached him to the contrary。
When the time came； Sir Walter himself went into Exeter to meet his
guest and bring him back by motor…car。 At first sight of the signor； his
host experienced a slight shock of astonishment to mark the Italian's age。
For Vergilio Mannetti was an ancient man。 He had been tall； but now
stooped； and； though not decrepit； yet he needed assistance； and was
accompanied and attended by a middle…aged Italian。 The traveller
displayed a distinguished bearing。 He had a brown； clean…shaved face；
the skin of which appeared to have shrunk rather than wrinkled； yet no
suggestion of a mummy accompanied this physical accident。 His hair
was still plentiful； and white as snow； his dark eyes were undimmed； and
proved not only brilliant but wonderfully keen。 He told them more than
once； and indeed proved； that behind large glasses； that lent an owl…like
expression to his face； his long sight was unimpaired。 His rather round
face sparkled with intelligence and humor。
He owned to eighty years； yet presented an amazing vitality and a keen
interest in life and its fulness。 The old man had played the looker…on at
human existence； and seemed to know as much； if not more； of the game
than the players。 He confessed to this attitude and blamed himself for it。
〃I have never done a stroke of honest work in my life；〃 he said。 〃I was
born with the silver spoon in my mouth。 Alas； I have been amazingly
lazy； it was my metier to look on。 I ought； at least； to have written a
book； but then all the things I wanted to say have been so exquisitely said
by Count Gobineau in his immortal volumes； that I should only have been
an echo。 The world is too full of echoes as it is。 Believe me； if I had
been called to work for my living； I should have cut a respectable figure；
for I have an excellent brain。〃
〃You know England； signor7〃
〃When I tell you that I married an English…woman； and that both my
sons have English blood in their veins； you will realize the sincerity of my
devotion。 My dear wife was a Somerset。〃
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Mary May always declared that the old Italian won her heart and even
awakened something akin to affection before she had known him half an
hour。 There was a fascination in his admixture of childish simplicity and
varied knowledge。 None； indeed； could resist his gracious humor and
old…world courtesies。 The old man could be simple and ingenuous； too；
but only when it pleased him so to be； and it was not the second
childishness of age； for his intellect remained keen and moved far more
swiftly than any at Chadlands。 But he was modest and loved a jest。 The
hand of time had indeed touched him； and sometimes his memory broke
down and he faltered with a verbal difficulty； but this only appeared to
happen when he was weary。
〃The morning is my good time；〃 he told them。 〃You will； I fear； find
me a stupid old fellow after dinner。〃
Signor Mannetti proved a tremendous talker； and implicitly revealed
that he belonged to the nobility of his country； and that he enjoyed the
friendship of many notable men。 The subject of his visit was not
mentioned on the day of his arrival。 He spoke only of Italy； laughed to
think he had passed through Florence to seek Sir Walter in England； and
then； finding his hostess a neophyte at the shrines of art； attuned himself to
the subject for her benefit。
〃If you found pictures answer to an unknown need within yourself；
that is very well；〃 he declared。 〃About music I know little； but
concerning painting a great deal。 And you desire to know； too； I see。
The spirit is willing； but the spirit probably does not know yet what lies in
front of it。 You are groping … blind； childlike … without a hand to guard
and an authority to guide。 That is merely to waste time。 When you go
back to Italy； you must begin at the beginning； if you are in earnest … not at
the middle。 Only ignorance measures art in terms of skill； for there are
no degrees in art。 None has transcended Giotto； because technique and
draughtsmanship are accidents of time； they lie outside the soul of the
matter。 Art is in fact a static thing。 It changes as the face of the sea
changes； from hour to hour； but it does not progress。 There are great and
small artists and great and small movements； as there are great and small
waves； brisk breezes and terrific tempests； but all are moulded of like
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substance。 In the one case art； in the other； the ocean； remains unchanged。
I shall plan your instruction for you； if you please； and send you to the
primitives first … the mighty ones who laid the foundations。 I lived five
years at Siena … for love of the beginnings； and you must also learn to love
and reverence the beginnings； if you would understand that light in the
darkness men call the Renaissance。〃
He broke from Mary presently； strove to interest Sir Walter； and
succeeded。
〃A benevolent autocracy is the ideal government； my friend … the ideal
of all supreme thinkers … a Machiavelli； a Nietzsche； a Stendhal； a
Gobineau。 Liberty and equality are terms mutually destructive； they
cannot exist together； for； given liberty； the strong instantly look to it that
equality shall perish。 And rightly so。 Equality is a war cry for fools … a
negation of nature； an abortion。 The very ants know better。 Doubtless
you view with considerable distrust the growing spirit of democracy； or
what is called by that name？〃
〃I do；〃 admitted Sir Walter。
〃Your monarch and mine are a little bitten by this tarantula。 I am
concerned for them。 We must not pander to the mob's leaders； for they
are not； and never have been； the many…headed thing itself。 They； not the
mob； are 'out to kill；' as you say。 But that State will soon perish that
thinks to prosper under the rule of the proletariat。 Such a constitution
would be opposed to natural law and； therefore； contain the seeds of its
own dissolution。 And its death would be inconceivably horrible； for the
death of huge； coarse organisms is always horrible。 Only distinguished
creatures are beautiful in death； or know how to die like gentlemen。〃
〃Who are on your side to…day； siguor？〃 asked Henry Lennox。
〃More than I know； I hope。 Gobineau is my lighthouse in the storm。
You must read him； if you have not done so。 He was the incarnate spirit
of the Renaissance。 He radiated from his bosom its effulgence and shot it
forth； like the light of a pharos over dark waters； he； best of all men；
understood it； and； most of all men； mourned to see its bright hope and
glory perish out of the earth under the unconquerable superstition of
mankind and the lamentable infliction of the Jewish race。 Alas！ The
