brideshead+revisited-第36章

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　　　　'Did　you？'
　　　　'I　think　so。　I　don't　remember　it　much；　and　that's　always　a　good　sign；　isn't　it？'

　　　　Next　morning　at　breakfast　Brideshead　wore　scarlet；　Cordelia；　very　smart　herself；　with　her　chin　held　high　over　her　white　stock；　wailed　when　Sebastian　appeared　in　a　tweed　coat：　'Oh；　Sebastian；　you　can't　e　out　like　that。　Do　go　and　change。　You　look　so　lovely　in　hunting　clothes。'
　　　　'Locked　away　somewhere。　Gibbs　couldn't　find　them。'
　　　　'That's　a　fib。　I　helped　get　them　out　myself　before　you　were　called。'
　　　　'Half　the　things　are　missing。'
　　　　'It　just　encourages　the　Strickland…Venableses。　They're　behaving　rottenly。　They've　even　taken　their　grooms　out　of　top　hats。'
　　　　It　was　a　quarter　to　eleven　before　the　horses　were　brought　round；　but　no　one　else　appeared　downstairs；　it　was　as　though　they　were　in　hiding；　listening　for　Sebastian's　retreating　hooves　before　showing　themselves。
　　　　Just　as　he　was　about　to　start；　when　the　others　were　already　mounted；　Sebastian　beckoned　me　into　the　hall。　On　the　table　beside　his　hat；　gloves；　whip；　and　sandwiches；　lay　the　flask　he　had　put　out　to　be　filled。　He　picked　it　up　and　shook　it；　it　was　empty。
　　　　'You　see；'　he　said；　'I　can't　even　be　trusted　that　far。　It's　they　who　are　mad；　not　me。　Now　you　can't　refuse　me　money。'　I　gave　him　a　pound。
　　　　'More；'　he　said。
　　　　I　gave　him　another　and　watched　him　mount　and　trot　after　his　brother　and　sister。
　　　　Then；　as　though　it　were　his　cue　on　the　stage；　Mr　Samgrass　came　to　my　elbow；　put　an　arm　in　mine；　and　led　me　back　to　the　fire。　He　warmed　his　neat　little　hands　and　then　turned　to　warm　his　seat。
　　　　'So　Sebastian　is　in　pursuit　of　the　fox；'　he　said；　'and　our　little　problem　is　shelved　for　an　hour　or　two？'
　　　　I　was　not　going　to　stand　this　from　Mr　Samgrass。
　　　　'I　heard　all　about　your　Grand　Tour；　last　night；'　I　said。
　　　　'Ah；　I　rather　supposed　you　might　have。'　Mr　Samgrass　was　undismayed；　relieved；　it　seemed；　to　have　someone　else　in　the　know。　'I　did　not　harrow　our　hostess　with　all　that。　After　all；　it　turned　out　far　better　than　one　had　any　right　to　expect。　I　did　feel；　however；　that　some　explanation　was　due　to　her　of　Sebastian's　Christmas　festivities。　You　may　have　observed　last　night　that　there　were　certain　precautions。'
　　　　'I　did。'
　　　　'You　thought　them　excessive？　I　am　with　you；　particularly　as　they　tend　to　promise　the　fort　of　our　own　little　visit。　I　have　seen　Lady　Marchmain　this　morning。　You　must　not　suppose　I　am　just　out　of　bed。　I　have　had　a　little　talk　upstairs　with　our　hostess。　I　think　we　may　hope　for　some　relaxation　tonight。　Yesterday　was　not　an　evening　that　any　of　us　would　wish　to　have　repeated。　I　earned　less　gratitude　than　I　deserved；　I　think；　for　my　efforts　to　distract　you。'
　　　　It　was　repugnant　to　me　to　talk　about　Sebastian　to　Mr　Samgrass；　but　I　was　pelled　to　say：　'I'm　not　sure　that　tonight　would　be　the　best　time　to　start　the　relaxation。'
　　　　'But　surely？　Why　not　tonight；　after　a　day　in　the　field　under　Brideshead's　inquisitorial　eye？　Could　one　choose　better？'
　　　　'Oh；　I　suppose　it's　none　of　my　business　really。'
　　　　'Nor　mine　strictly；　now　that　he　is　safely　home。　Lady　Marchmain　did　me　the　honour　of　consulting　me。　But　it　is　less　Sebastian's　welfare　than　our　own　I　have　at　heart　at　the　moment。　I　need　my　third　glass　of　port；　I　need　that　hospitable　tray　in　the　library。　And　yet　you　specifically　advise　against　it　tonight。　I　wonder　why。　Sebastian　can　e　to　no　mischief　today。　For　one　thing；　he　has　no　money。　I　happen　to　know。　I　saw　to　it。　I　even　have　his　watch　and　cigarette　case　upstairs。　He　will　be　quite　harmless。。。as　long　as　no　one　is　so　wicked　as　to　give　him　any。。。Ah；　Lady　Julia；　good　morning　to　you；　good　morning。　And　how　is　the　peke　this　hunting　morning？'
　　　　'Oh；　the　peke's　all　right。　Listen。　I've　got　Rex　Mottram　ing　here　today。　We　simply　can't　have　another　evening　like　last　night。　Someone　must　speak　to　mummy。'
　　　　'Someone　has。　I　spoke。　I　think　it　will　be　all　right。'
　　　　'Thank　God　for　that。　Are　you　painting　today；　Charles？'
　　　　It　had　been　the　custom　that　on　every　visit　to　Brideshead　I　painted　a　medallion　on　the　walls　of　the　garden…room。　The　custom　suited　me　well；　for　it　gave　me　a　good　reason　to　detach　myself　from　the　rest　of　the　party；　when　the　house　was　full；　the　garden…room　became　a　rival　to　the　nursery；　where　from　time　to　time　people　took　refuge　to　plain　about　the　others；　thus　without　effort　I　kept　in　touch　with　the　gossip　of　the　place。　There　were　three　finished　medallions　now；　each　rather　pretty　in　its　way；　but　unhappily　each　in　a　different　way；　for　my　tastes　had　changed　and　I　had　bee　more　dexterous　in　the　eighteen　months　since　the　series　was　begun。　As　a　decorative　scheme；　they　were　a　failure。　That　morning　was　typical　of　the　many　mornings　when　I　had　found　the　garden…room　a　sanctuary。　There　I　went　and　was　soon　at　work。　Julia　came　with　me　to　see　me　started　and　we　talked；　inevitably；　of　Sebastian。
　　　　'Don't　you；　get　bored　with　the　subject？'　she　asked。　'Why　must　everyone　make　such　a　Thing　about　it？'
　　　　'Just　because　we're　fond　of　him。'
　　　　'Well。　I'm　fond　of　him　too；　in　a　way；　I　suppose；　only　I　wish　he'd　behave　like　anybody　else。　I've　grown　up　with　one　family　skeleton；　you　know　…　papa。　Not　to　be　talked　of　before　the　servants；　not　to　be　talked　of　before　us　when　we　were　children。　If　mummy　is　going　to　start　making　a　skeleton　out　of　Sebastian；　it's　too　much。　If　he　wants　to　be　always　tight；　why　doesn't　he　go　to　Kenya　or　somewhere　where　it　doesn't　matter？'
　　　　'Why　does　it　matter　less　being　unhappy　in　Kenya　than　anywhere　else？'
　　　　'Don't　pretend　to　be　stupid；　Charles。　You　understand　perfectly。'
　　　　'You　mean　there　won't　be　so　many　embarrassing　situations　for　you？　Well；　all　I　was　trying　to　say　was　that　I'm　afraid　there　may　be　an　embarrassing　situation　tonight　if　Sebastian　gets　the　chance。　He's　in　a　bad　mood。'
　　　　'Oh；　a　day's　hunting　will　put　that　all　right。'
　　　　It　was　touching　to　see　the　faith　which　everybody　put　in　the　value　of　a　day's　hunting。　Lady　Marchmain；　who　looked　in　on　me　during　the　morning；　mocked　herself　for　it　with　that　delicate　irony　for　which　she　was　famous。
　　　　'I've　always　detested　hunting；'　she　said；　'because　it　seems　to　produce　a　particularly　gross　kind　of　caddishness　in　the　nicest　people。　I　don't　know　what　it　is；　but　the　moment　they　dress　up　and　get　on　a　horse　they　bee　like　a　lot　of　Prussians。　And　so　boastful　after　it。　The　evenings　I've　sat　at　dinner　appalled　at　seeing　the　men　and　women　I　know；　transformed　into　half…awake；　self…opinionated；　monomaniac　louts！。。。and　yet；　you　know　…　it　must　be　something　derived　from　centuries　ago　…　my　heart　is　quite　light　today　to　think　of　Sebastian　out　with　them。　〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　him　really；〃　I　say；　〃he's　gone　hunting〃　…　as　though　it　were　an　answer　to　prayer。'
　　　　She　asked　me　about　my　life　in　Paris。　I　told　her　of　my　rooms　with　their　view　of　the　river　and　the　towers　of　Notre　Dame。　'I'm　hoping　Sebastian　will　e　and　stay　with　me　when　I　go　back。'
　　　　'It　would　have　been　lovely；'　said　Lady　Marchmain；　sighing　as　though　for　the　unattainable。
　　　　'I　hope　he's　ing　to　stay　with　me　in　London。'
　　　　'Charles；　you　know　it　isn't　possible。　London's　the　worst　place。　Even　Mr　Samgrass　couldn't　hold　him　there。　We　have　no　secrets　in　this　house。　He　was　lost；　you　know；　all　through　Christmas。　Mr　Samgrass　only　found　him　because　he　couldn't　pay　his　bill　in　the　place　where　he　was；　so　they　telephoned　our　house。　It's　too　horrible。　No；　London　is　impossible；　if　he　can't　behave　himself　here；　with　us。。。We　must　keep　him　happy　and　healthy　here　for　a　bit；　hunting；　and　then　send　him　abroad　again　with　Mr　Samgrass。。。You　see；　I've　been　through　all　this　before。'
　　　　The　retort　was　there；　unspoken；　well…understood　by　both　of　us　…　'You　couldn't　keep　him；　he　ran　away。　So　will　Sebastian。　Because　they　both　hate　you。'
　　　　A　horn　and　the　huntsman's　cry　sounded　in　the　valley　below。
　　　　'There　they　go　now；　drawing　the　home　woods。　I　hope　he's　having　a　good　day。'
　　　　Thus　with　Julia　and　Lady　Marchmain　I　reached　deadlock；　not　because　we　failed　to　understand　one　another；　but　because　we　understood　too　well。　With　Brideshead；　who　came　home　to　luncheon　and　talked　to　me　on　the　subject　…　for　the　subject　was　everywhere　in　the　house　like　a　fire　deep　in　the　hold　of　a　ship；　below　the　water…line；　black　and　red　in　the　darkness；　ing　t