brideshead+revisited-第35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！


　　　　'Lady　Marchmain；　he　doesn't　correspond　to　any　degree　of　paganism　known　to　the　missionaries。'
　　　　'Julia；'　said　Lady　Marchmain；　when　the　priest　had　gone；　'are　you　sure　that　Rex　isn't　doing　this　thing　purely　with　the　idea　of　pleasing　us？'
　　　　'I　don't　think　it　enters　his　head；'　said　Julia。
　　　　'He's　really　sincere　in　his　conversion？'
　　　　'He's　absolutely　determined　to　bee　a　Catholic；　mummy；'　and　to　herself　she　said：　'In　her　long　history　the　Church　must　have　had　some　pretty　queer　converts。　I　don't　suppose　all　Clovis's　army　were　exactly　Catholic…minded。　One　more　won't　hurt。'
　　　　Next　week　the　Jesuit　came　to　tea　again。　It　was　the　Easter　holidays　and　Cordelia　was　there；　too。
　　　　'Lady　Marchmain；'　he　said。　'You　should　have　chosen　one　of　the　younger　fathers　for　this　task。　I　shall　be　dead　long　before　Rex　is　a　Catholic。'
　　　　'Oh　dear；　I　thought　it　was　going　so　well。'
　　　　'It　was；　in　a　sense。　He　was　exceptionally　docile；　and　he　accepted　everything　I　told　him；　remembered　bits　of　it；　asked　no　questions。　I　wasn't　happy　about　him。　He　seemed　to　have　no　sense　of　reality；　but　I　knew　he　was　ing　under　a　steady　Catholic　influence；　so　I　was　willing　to　receive　him。　One　has　to　take　a　chance　sometimes　with　semi…imbeciles；　for　instance。　You　never　know　quite　how　much　they　have　understood。　As　long　as　you　know　there's　someone　to　keep　an　eye　on　them；　you　do　take　the　chance。'
　　　　'How　I　wish　Rex　could　hear　this！'　said　Cordelia。
　　　　'But　yesterday　I　got　a　regular　eye…opener。　The　trouble　with　modern　education　is　you　never　know　how　ignorant　people　are。　With　anyone　over　fifty　you　can　be　fairly　confident　what's　been　taught　and　what's　been　left　out。　But　these　young　people　have　such　an　intelligent；　knowledgeable　surface；　and　then　the　crust　suddenly　breaks　and　you　look　down　into　the　depths　of　confusion　you　didn't　know　existed。　Take　yesterday。　He　seemed　to　be　doing　very　well。　He　learned　large　bits　of　the　catechism　by　heart；　and　the　Lord's　Prayer；　and　the　Hail　Mary。　Then　I　asked　him　as　usual　if　there　was　anything　troubling　him；　and　he　looked　at　me　in　a　crafty　way　and　said；　〃Look；　Father；　I　don't　think　you're　being　straight　with　me。　I　want　to　join　your　Church　and　I'm　going　to　join　your　Church；　but　you're　holding　too　much　back。〃　I　asked　what　he　meant；　and　he　said：　〃I've　had　a　long　talk　with　a　Catholic　…　a　very　pious　well…educated　one　and　I've　learned　a　thing　or　two。　For　instance；　that　you　have　to　sleep　with　your　feet　pointing　East　because　that's　the　direction　of　heaven；　and　if　you　die　in　the　night　you　can　walk　there。　Now　I'll　sleep　with　my　feet　pointing　any　way　that　suits　Julia；　but　d'you　expect　a　grown　man　to　believe　about　walking　to　heaven？　And　what　about　the　Pope　who　made　one　of　his　horses　a　Cardinal？　And　what　about　the　box　you　keep　in　the　church　porch；　and　if　you　put　in　a　pound　note　with　someone's　name　on　it；　they　get　sent　to　hell。　I　don't　say　there　mayn't　be　a　good　reason　for　all　this；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　ought　to　tell　me　about　it　and　not　let　me　find　out　for　myself。〃'
　　　　'What　can　the　poor　man　have　meant？'　said　Lady　Marchmain。
　　　　'You　see　he's　a　long　way　from　the　Church　yet；'　said　Father　Mowbray。
　　　　'But　who　can　he　have　been　talking　to？　Did　he　dream　it　all？　Cordelia；　what's　the　matter？'
　　　　'What　a　chump！　Oh；　mummy；　what　a　glorious　chump！'
　　　　'Cordelia；　it　was　you。'
　　　　'Oh；　mummy；　who　could　have　dreamed　he'd　swallow　it？　I　told　him　such　a　lot　besides。　About　the　sacred　monkeys　in　the　Vatican　…　all　kinds　of　things。'
　　　　'Well；　you've　very　considerably　increased　my　work；'　said　Father　Mowbray。
　　　　'Poor　Rex；'　said　Lady　Marchmain。　'You　know；　I　think　it　makes　him　rather　lovable。　You　must　treat　him　like　an　idiot　child；　Father　Mowbray。'
　　　　So　the　instruction　was　continued；　and　Father　Mowbray　at　length　consented　to　receive　Rex　a　week　before　his　wedding。
　　　　'You'd　think　they'd　be　all　over　themselves　to　have　me　in；'　Rex　plained。　'I　can　be　a　lot　of　help　to　them　one　way　and　another；　instead　they're　like　the　chaps　who　issue；　cards　for　a　casino。　What's　more；'　he　added；　'Cordelia's　got　me　so　muddled　I　don't　know　what's　in　the　catechism　and　what　she's　invented。'　Thus　things　stood　three　weeks　before　the　wedding；　the　cards　had　gone　out；　presents　were　ing　in　fast；　the　bridesmaids　were　　delighted　with　their　dresses。　Then　came　what　Julia　called　'Bridey's　bombshell'。
　　　　With　characteristic　ruthlessness　he　tossed　his　load　of　explosive　without　warning　into　what；　till　then；　had　been　a　happy　family　party。　The　library　at　Marchmain　House　was　being　devoted　to　wedding　presents；　Lady　Marchmain；　Julia；　Cordelia；　and　Rex　were　busy　unpacking　and　listing　them。　Brideshead　came　in　and　watched　them　for　a　moment。
　　　　'Chinky　vases　from　Aunt　Betty；'　said　Cordelia。　'Old　stuff。　I　remember　them　on　the　stairs　at　Buckborne。'
　　　　'What's　all　this？'　asked　Brideshead。
　　　　'Mr；　Mrs；　and　Miss　Pendle…Garthwaite；　one　early　morning　tea　set。　Goode's；　thirty　shillings；　jolly　mean。'
　　　　'You'd　better　pack　all　that　stuff　up　again。'
　　　　'Bridey；　what　do　you　mean？'
　　　　'Only　that　the　wedding's　off。'
　　　　'Bridey'
　　　　'I　thought　I'd　better　make　some　inquiries　about　my　prospective　brother…in…law；　as　no　one　else　seemed　interested；'　said　Brideshead。　'I　got　the　final　answer　tonight。　He　was　married　in　Montreal　in　1915　to　a　Miss　Sarah　Evangeline　Cutler；　who　is　still　living　there。'
　　　　'Rex；　is　this　true？'
　　　　Rex　stood　with　a　jade　dragon　in　his　hand　looking　at　it　critically；　then　he　set　it　carefully　on　its　ebony　stand　and　smiled　openly　and　innocently　at　them　all。
　　　　'Sure　it's　true；'　he　said。　'What　about　it？　What　are　you　all　looking　so　het　up　about？　She　isn't　a　thing　to　me。　She　never　meant　any　good。　I　was　only　a　kid；　anyhow。　The　sort　of　mistake　anyone　might　make。　I　got　my　divorce　back　in　1919。　I　didn't　even　know　where　she　was　living　till　Bridey　here　told　me。　What's　all　the　rumpus？'
　　　　'You　might　have　told　me；'　said　Julia。
　　　　'You　never　asked。　Honest；　I've　not　given　her　a　thought　in　years。
　　　　His　sincerity　was　so　plain　that　they　had　to　sit　down　and　talk　about　it　calmly。
　　　　'Don't　you　realize；　you　poor　sweet　oaf；'　said　Julia；　'that　you　can't　get　married　as　a　Catholic　when　you've　another　wife　alive？'
　　　　'But　I　haven't。　Didn't　I　just　tell　you　we　were　divorced　six　years　ago。'
　　　　'But　you　can't　be　divorced　as　a　Catholic。'
　　　　'I　wasn't　a　Catholic　and　I　was　divorced。　I've　got　the　papers　somewhere。'
　　　　'But　didn't　Father　Mowbray　explain　to　you　about　marriage？'
　　　　'He　said　I　wasn't　to　be　divorced　from　you。　Well；　I　don't　want　to　be。　I　can't　remember　all　he　told　me　…　sacred　monkeys；　plenary　indulgences；　four　last　things　…　if　I　remembered　all　he　told　me　I　shouldn't　have　time　for　anything　else。　Anyhow；　what　about　your　Italian　cousin；　Francesca？　…　she　married　twice。'
　　　　'She　had　an　'annulment。'
　　　　'All　right　then；　I'll　get　an　annulment。　What　does　it　cost？　Who　do　I　get　it　from？　Has　Father　Mowbray　got　one？　I　only　want　to　do　what's　right。　Nobody　told　me。'
　　　　It　was　a　long　time　before　Rex　could　be　convinced　of　the　existence　of　a　serious　impediment　to　his　marriage。　The　discussion　took　them　to　dinner；　lay　dormant　in　the　presence　of　the　servants；　started　again　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　and　lasted　long　after　midnight。　Up；　down；　and　round　the　argument　circled　and　swooped　like　a　gull；　now　out　to　sea；　out　of　sight；　cloud…bound；　among　irrelevances　and　repetitions；　now　right　on　the　patch　where　the　offal　floated。
　　　　'What　d'you　want　me　to　do？　Who　should　I　see？'　Rex　kept　asking。　'Don't　tell　me　there　isn't　someone　who　can　fix　this。'
　　　　'There's　nothing　to　do；　Rex；'　said　Brideshead。　'It　simply　means　your　marriage　can't　take　place。　I'm　sorry　from　everyone's　point　of　view　that　it's　e　so　suddenly。　You　ought　to　have　told　us　yourself'
　　　　'Look　said　Rex。　'Maybe　what　you　say　is　right；　maybe　strictly　by　law　I　shouldn't　get　married　in　your　cathedral。　But　the　cathedral　is　booked；　no　one　there　is　asking　any　questions；　the　Cardinal　knows　nothing　about　it；　Father　Mowbray　knows　nothing　about　it。　Nobody　except　us　knows　a　thing。　So　why　make　a　lot　of　trouble？　Just　stay　mum　and　let　the　thing　go　through；　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　Who　loses　anything　by　that？　Maybe　I　risk　going　to　hell。　Well；　I'll　risk　it。　What's　it　got　to　do　with　anyone　else？'
　　　　'Why　not？'　said　Julia。　'I　don't　believe　these　priests　know　everything。　I　don't　believe　in　hell　for　things　like　that。　I　don't　know　that　I　believe　in　it　for　anything。　Anyway；　that's　our　look　out。　We're　not　asking　you　to　risk　your　souls。　Just　keep　away。'
　　　　'Julia；　I　hate　you；'　said　Cordelia；　and　left　the　room。
　　　　'We're　all　tired；'　said　Lady　Marchmain。　'If　there　was　anything　to　say；　I'd　suggest　our　discussing　it　in　the　morning。'
　　　　'But　there's　nothing　to　discuss；'　said　Brideshead；　'except　what'　is　the　least　offensive　way　we　can　close　the　whole　incident。　Mother　and　I　will　decide　that。　We　must　put　a　notice　in　The　Times　and　the　Morning　Post；　the　presents　will　have　to　go　back。　I　don't　know　what　is　usual　about　the　bridesmaids'　dresses。'
　　　　'Just　a　moment；'　said　Rex。　'Just　a　moment。　Maybe　you　can　stop　us　marrying　in　your　cathedral。　All　right；　to　hell；　we'll　be　married　in　a　Protestant　church。'
　　　　'I　can　stop　that；　too；'　said　Lady　Marchmain。
　　　　'But　I　don't　think　you　will；　mummy；'　said　Julia。　'You　see；　I've　been　Rex's　mistress　for　some　time　now；　and　I　shall　go　on　being；　married　or　not。'
　　　　'Rex；　is　this　true？'
　　　　'No　damn　it；　it's　not；　'　said　Rex。　'I　wish　it　were。'
　　　　'I　see　we　shall　have　to　discuss　it　all　again　in　the　morning；'　said　Lady　Marchmain　faintly。　'I　can't　go　on　any　more　now。'
　　　　And　she　needed　her　son's　help　up　the　stairs。

　　　　'What　on　earth　made　you　tell　your　mother　that？'　I　asked；　when；　years　later；　Julia　described　the　scene　to　me。
　　　　'That's　exactly　what　Rex　wanted　to　know。　I　suppose　because　I　thought　it　was　true。　Not　literally　…　though　you　must　remember　I　was　only　twenty；　and　no　one　really　knows　the　〃facts　of　life〃　by　being　told　them　…　but；　of　course；　I　didn't　mean　it　was　true　literally。　I　didn't　know　how　else　to　express　it。　I　meant　I　was　much　too　deep　with　Rex　just　to　be　able　to　say　〃the　marriage　arranged　will　not　now　take　place〃；　and　leave　it　at　that。　I　wanted　to　be　made　an　honest　woman。　I've　been　wanting　it　ever　since　e　to　think　of　it。'
　　　　'And　then？'
　　　　'And　then　the　talks　went　on　and　on。　Poor　mummy。　And　priests　came　into　it　and　aunts　came