the grey room(灰房间)-第46章
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Allori's 'Judith' … so lovely； but I wonder if A＇lori did justice to her？
Certainly his 'Judith' could never have done what the real Judith did。
And there's a landscape by Rubens … dark and old … yet it reminded me of
our woods where they open out above the valley。〃
He devoted the next morning to Mary； and wandered among the
pictures with her。 He strove to share her enthusiasm； and； indeed； did so
sometimes。 Then occurred a little incident； so trivial that they forgot all
about it within an hour； yet were reminded of it at a very startling moment
now fast approaching。
They had separated； and Sir Walter's eye was caught by a portrait。 But
he forgot it a moment later in passing interest of a blazoned coat of arms
upon the frame … a golden bull's head on a red ground。 The heraldic
emblem was tarnished and inconspicuous； yet the spectator felt curiously
conscious that it was not unfamiliar。 It seemed that he had seen it already
somewhere。 He challenged Mary with it presently； but she had never
observed it before to her recollection。
Sir Walter enjoyed his daughter's interest； and finding that his
company among the pictures added to Mary's pleasure； while his
comments caused her no apparent pain； he declared his intention of seeing
more。
〃You must tell me what you know；〃 he said。
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〃It will be the blind leading the blind； dearest；〃 she answered； 〃but my
delight must be in finding things I think you'll like。 The truth is that
neither of us knows anything about what we ought to like。〃
〃That's a very small matter；〃 he declared。 〃We must begin by
learning to like pictures at all。 When Ernest comes； he will want us to
live in his great touring car and fly about； so we should use our present
time to the best advantage。 Pictures do not attract him； and he will be
very much surprised to hear that I have been looking at them。〃
〃We must interest him； too； if we can。〃
〃That would be impossible。 Ernest does not understand pictures； and
music gives him no pleasure。 He regards art with suspicion； as a
somewhat unmanly thing。〃
〃Poor Mr。 Travers！〃
〃Do not pity him； Mary。 His life is sufficiently full without it。〃
〃But I've lived to find out that no life can be。〃 In due course Ernest
and Nelly arrived； and； as Sir Walter had prophesied； their pleasure
consisted in long motor drives to neighboring places and scenes of interest
and beauty。 His daughter； in the new light that was glimmering for her；
found her father's friends had shrunk a little。 She could speak with them
and share their interests less whole…heartedly than of old； but they set it
down to her tribulation and tried to 〃rouse〃 her。 Ernest Travers even
lamented her new…found interests and hoped they were 〃only a passing
phase。〃
〃She appears to escape from reality into a world of pictures and
music；〃 he said。 〃You must guard against that； my dear Walter。 These
things can be of no permanent interest to a healthy mind。〃
For a fortnight they saw much of their friends； and Mary observed how
her father expanded in the atmosphere of Ernest and Nelly。 They
understood each other so well and echoed so many similar sentiments and
convictions。
Ernest entertained a poor opinion of the Italian character。 He argued
that a nation which depended for its prosperity on wines and silk … 〃and
such wines〃 … must have too much of the feminine in it to excel。 He had
a shadowy idea that he understood the language； though he could not
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speak nor write it himself。
〃We； who have been nurtured at Eton and Oxford； remember enough
Latin to understand these people；〃 he said； 〃for what is Italian but the
emasculated tongue of ancient Rome？〃
Nelly Travers committed herself to many utterances as idiotic as
Ernest's； and Mary secretly wondered to find how shadowy and ridiculous
such solid people showed in a strange land。 They carried their ignorance
and their parochial atmosphere with them as openly and unashamedly as
they carried their luggage。 She was not sorry to leave them； for she and
her father intended to stop for a while at Como before returning home
again。
Their friends were going to motor over the battlefields of France
presently； and both Ernest and Nelly came to see Sir Walter and his
daughter off for Milan。 Mr。 Travers rushed to the door of the carriage
and thrust in a newspaper as the train moved。
〃I have secured a copy of last week's 'Field；' Walter；〃 he said。
They passed over the Apennines on a night when the fire…flies flashed
in every thicket under the starry gloom of a clear and moonless sky； and
when the train stopped at little； silent stations the throb of nightingales fell
upon their ears。
But circumstances prevented their visit to the Larian Lake； for at
Milan letters awaited Sir Walter from home； and among them one that
hastened his return。 From a stranger it came； and chance willed that the
writer； an Italian； had actually made the journey from Rome to London in
order that he might see Sir Walter； while all the time the master of
Chadlands happened to be within half a day's travel。 Now； the writer was
still in London； and proposed to stop there until he should receive an
answer to his communication。 He wrote guardedly； and made one
statement of extraordinary gravity。 He was concerned with the mystery of
the Grey Room； and believed that he might throw some light upon the
melancholy incidents recorded concerning it。
Sir Walter hesitated for Mary's sake； but was relieved when she
suggested a prompt return。
〃It would be folly to delay；〃 she said。 〃This means quite as much to
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me as to you； father； and I could not go to Como knowing there may be
even the least gleam of light for us at home。 Nothing can alter the past；
but if it were possible to explain how and why … what an unutterable relief
to us both！〃
〃Henry was to meet us at Menaggio。〃
〃He will be as thankful as we are if anything comes of this。 He
doesn't leave England till Thursday； and can join us at Chadlands instead。〃
〃I only live to explain these things；〃 confessed her father。 〃I would
give all that I have to discover reasons for the death of your dear husband。
But there are terribly grave hints here。 I can hardly imagine this man is
justified in speaking of 'crime。' Would the word mean less to him than to
us？〃
〃He writes perfect English。 Whatever may be in store； we must face
it hopefully。 Such things do not happen by chance。〃
