brideshead+revisited-第4部分

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　town　within　miles。　I've　managed　to　get　a　hut　between　the　two　of　us。'
　　　　By　four　in　the　morning　the　work　was　done。　I　drove　in　the　last　lorry；　through　tortuous　lanes　where　the　overhanging　boughs　whipped　the　windscreen；　somewhere　we　left　the　lane　and　turned　into　a　drive；　somewhere　we　reached　an　open　space　where　two　drives　converged　and　a　ring　of　storm　lanterns　marked　the　heap　of　stores。　Here　we　unloaded　the　truck　and；　at　long　last；　followed　the　guides　to　our　quarters；　under　a　starless　sky；　with　a　fine　drizzle　of　rain　beginning　now　to　fall。

　　　　I　slept　until　my　servant　called　me；　rose　wearily；　dressed　and　shaved　in　silence。　It　was　not　till　I　reached　the　door　that　I　asked　the　second…in…mand；　'What's　this　place　called？'
　　　　He　told　me　and；　on　the　instant；　it　was　as　though　someone　had　switched　off　the　wireless；　and　a　voice　that　had　been　bawling　in　my　ears；　incessantly；　fatuously；　for　days　beyond　number；　had　been　suddenly　cut　short；　an　immense　silence　followed；　empty　at　first；　but　gradually；　as　my　outraged　sense　regained　authority；　full　of　a　multitude　of　sweet　and　natural　and　long　forgotten　sounds：　for　he　had　spoken　a　name　that　was　so　familiar　to　me；　a　conjuror's　name　of　such　ancient　power；　that；　at　its　mere　sound；　the　phantoms　of　those　haunted　late　years　began　to　take　flight。
　　　　Outside　the　hut　I　stood　bemused。　The　rain　had　ceased　but　the　clouds　hung　low　and　heavy　overhead。　It　was　a　still　morning　and　the　smoke　from　the　cookhouse　rose　straight　to　the　leaden　sky。　A　cart…track；　once　metalled；　then　overgrown；　now　rutted　and　churned　to　mud；　followed　the　contour　of　the　hillside　and　dipped　out　of　sight　below；　a　knoll；　and　on　either　side　of　it　lay　the　haphazard　litter　of　corrugated　iron；　from　which　rose　the　rattle　and　chatter　and　whistling　and　catcalls；　all　the　zoo…noises　of　the　battalion　beginning　a　new　day。　Beyond　and　about　us；　more　familiar　still；　lay　an　exquisite　man…made　landscape。　It　was　a　sequestered　place；　enclosed　and　embraced　in　a　single；　winding　valley。　Our　camp　lay　along　one　gentle　slope；　opposite　us　the　ground　led；　still　unravished；　to　the　neighbourly　horizon；　and　between　us　flowed　a　stream　…　it　was　named　the　Bride　and　rose　not　two　miles　away　at　a　farm　called　Bridesprings；　where　we　used　sometimes　to　walk　to　tea；　it　became　a　considerable　river　lower　down　before　it　joined　the　Avon　…　which　had　been　dammed　here　to　form　three　lakes；　one　no　more　than　a　wet　slate　among　the　reeds；　but　the　others　more　spacious；　reflecting　the　clouds　and　the　mighty　beeches　at　their　margin。　The　woods　were　all　of　oak　and　beech；　the　oak　grey　and　bare；　the　beech　faintly　dusted　with　green　by　the　breaking　buds；　they　made　a　simple；　carefully　designed　pattern　with　the　green　glades　and　the　wide　green　spaces　…　Did　the　fallow　deer　graze　here　still？　…　and；　lest　the　eye　wander　aimlessly；　a　Doric　temple　stood　by　the　water's　edge；　and　an　ivy…grown　arch　spanned　the　lowest　of　the　connecting　weirs。　All　this　had　been　planned　and　planted　a　century　and　a　half　ago　so　that；　at　about　this　date；　it　might　be　seen　in　its　maturity；　From　where　I　stood　the　house　was　hidden　by　a　green　spur；　but　I　knew　well　how　and　where　it　lay；　couched　among　the　lime　trees　like　a　hind　in　the　bracken。
　　　　Hooper；　came　sidling　up　and　greeted　me　with　his　much　imitated　but　inimitable　salute。　His　face　was　grey　from　his　night's　vigil　and　he　had　not　yet　shaved。
　　　　'〃B〃　pany　　relieved　us。　I've　sent　the　chaps　off　to　get　cleaned　up。'
　　　　'Good。'
　　　　'The　house　is　up　there；　round　the　corner。'
　　　　〃Yes。'　I　said。
　　　　'Brigade　Headquarters　are　ing　there　next　week。　Great　barrack　of　a　place。　I've　just　had　a　snoop　round。　Very　ornate；　I'd　call　it。　And　a　queer　thing；　there's　a　sort　of　R。C。　Church　attached。　I　looked　in　and　there　was　a　kind　of　service　going　on　…　just　a　padre　and　one　old　man。　I　felt　very　awkward。　More　in　your　line　than　mine。'　Perhaps　I　seemed　not　to　hear；　in　a　final　effort　to　excite　my　interest　he　said：　'There's　a　frightful　great　fountain；　too；　in　front　of　the　steps；　all　rocks　and　sort　of　carved　animals。　You　never　saw　such　a　thing。'
　　　　'Yes；　Hooper；　I　did。　I've　been　here　before。'
　　　　The　words　seemed　to　ring　back　to　me　enriched　from　the　vaults　of　my　dungeon。
　　　　'Oh　well；　you　know　all　about　it。　I'll　go　and　get　cleaned　up。'
　　　　'I　had　been　there　before；　I　knew　all　about　it。

BOOK　ONE

ET　IN　ACARDIA　EGO

＇1＇

'I　HAVE　been　here　before；'　I　said；　I　had　been　there　before；　first　with　Sebastian　more　than　twenty　years　ago　on　a　cloudless　day　in　June；　when　the　ditches　were　creamy　with　meadowsweet　and　the　air　heavy　with　all　the　scents　of　summer；　it　was　a　day　of　peculiar　splendour；　and　though　I　had　been　there　so　often；　in　so　many　moods；　it　was　to　that　first　visit　that　my　heart　returned　on　this；　my　latest。
　　　　That　day；　too；　I　had　e　not　knowing　my　destination。　It　was　Eights　Week。　Oxford　…　submerged　now　and　obliterated；　irrecoverable　as　Lyonnesse；　so　quickly　have　the　waters　e　flooding　…in　…　Oxford；　in　those　days；　was　still　a　city　of　aquatint。　In　her　spacious　and　quiet　streets　men　walked　and　spoke　as　they　had　done　in　Newman's　day；　her　autumnal　mists；　her　grey　springtime；　and　the　rare　glory　of　her　summer　days　…　such　as　that　day　…　when　the　chestnut　was　in　flower　and　the　bells　rang　out　high　and　clear　over　her　gables　and　cupolas　exhaled　the　soft　airs　of　centuries　of　youth。　It　was　this　cloistral　hush　which　gave　our　laughter　its　resonance；　and　carried　it　still；　joyously；　…over　the　intervening　clamour。　Here；　discordantly；　in　Eights　Week；　came　a　rabble　of　womankind；　some　hundreds　strong；　twittering　and　fluttering　over　the　cobbles　and　up　the　steps；　sight…seeing　and　pleasure…seeking；　drinking　claret　cup；　eating　cucumber　sandwiches；　pushed　in　punts　about　the　river；　herded　in　droves　to　the　college　barges；　greeted　in　the　Isis　and　in　the　Union　by　a　sudden　display　of　peculiar；　facetious；　wholly　distressing　Gilbert…and…Sullivan　badinage；　and　by　peculiar　choral　effects　in　the　College　chapels。　Echoes　of　the　intruders　penetrated　every　corner；　and　in　my　own　College　was　no　echo；　but　an　original　fount　of　the　grossest　disturbance。　We　were　giving　a　ball。　The　front　quad；　where　I　lived；　was　floored　and　tented；　palms　and　azaleas　were　banked　round　the　porter's　lodge；　worst　of　all；　the　don　who　lived　above　me；　a　mouse　of　a　man　connected　with　the　Natural　Sciences；　had　lent　his　rooms　for　a　Ladies'　Cloakroom；　and　a　printed　notice　proclaiming　this　outrage　hung　not　six　inches　from　my　oak。
　　　　No　one　felt　more　strongly　about　it　than　my　scout。
　　　　'Gentlemen　who　haven't　got　ladies　are　asked　as　far　as　possible　to　take　their　meals　out　in　the　next　few　days；'　he　announced　despondently。　'Will　you　be　lunching　in？'
　　　　'No；　Lunt。'
　　　　'So　as　to　give　the　servants　a　chance；　they　say。　What　a　chance！　I've　got　to　buy　a　pin…cushion　for　the　Ladies'　Cloakroom。　What　do　they　want　with　dancing？　I　don't　see　the　reason　in　it。　There　never　was　dancing　before　in　Eights　Week。　mem。　now　is　another　matter　being　in　the　vacation；　but　not　in　Eights　Week；　as　if　teas　and　the　river　wasn't　enough。　If　you　ask　me；　sir；　it's　all　on　account　of　the　war。　It　couldn't　have　happened　but　for　that。'　For　this　was　1923　and　for　Lunt；　as　for　thousands　of　others；　things　could　never　be　the　same　as　they　had　been　in　1914。　'Now　wine　in　the　evening；　he　continued；　as　was　his　habit　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　door'　Cor　one　or　two　gentlemen　to　luncheon；　there's　reason　in。　But　not　dancing。　It　all　came　in　with　the　men　back　from　the　war。　They　were　too　old　and　they　didn't　know　and　they　wouldn't　learn。　That's　the　truth。　And　there's　some　even　goes　dancing　with　the　town　at　the　Masonic　…　but　the　proctors　will　get　them；　you　see　。　。　。　Well；　here's　Lord　Sebastian。　I　mustn't　stand　here　talking　when　there's　pin…cushions　to　get。'
　　　　Sebastian　entered　…　dove…grey　flannel；　white　crepe　de　Chine；　a　Charvet　tie；　my　tie　as　it　happened；　a　pattern　of　postage　stamps　'Charles　…　what　in　the　world's　happening　at　your　college？　Is　there　a　circus？　I've　seen　everything　except　elephants。　I　must　say　the　whole　of　Oxford　has　bee　most　peculiar　suddenly。　Last　night　it　was　pullulating　with　women。　You're　to　e　away　at　once；　out　of　danger。　I've　got　a　motor…car　and　a　basket　of　strawberries　and　a　bottle　of　Chateau　Peyraguey　…　which　isn't　a　wine　you've　ever　tasted；　so　don't　pretend。　It's　heaven　with　strawberries。'
　　　　'Where　are　we　going？'
　　　　'To　see　a　friend。'
　　　　'Who？'
　　　　'Name　of　Hawkins。　Bring　some　money　in　case　we　see　anything　we　want　to　buy。　The　motor…car　is　the　property　of　a　man　called　Hardcastle。　Return　the　bits　to　him　if　I　kill　myself；　I'm　not　very　good　at　driving。
　　　　Beyond　the　gate；　beyond　the　winter　garden　that　was　once　the　lodge；　stood　an　open　two…seater　Morris…Cowley。　Sebastian's　teddy　bear　sat　at　the　wheel。　We　put　him；　between　us　…　'Take　care　he's　not　sick'　…and　drove　off。　The　bells　of　St　Mary's　were　chiming　nine；　we　escaped　collision　with　a　clergyman；　blackstraw…hatted；　white…bearded）　pedalling　quietly　down　the　wrong　side　of　the　High　Street；　crossed　Carfax；　passed　the　station；　and　were　soon　in　open　country　on　the　Botley　Road；　open　country　was　easily　reached　in　those　days。
　　　　（'Isn't　it　early？'　said　Sebastian。　'The　women　are　still　doing　whatever　women　do　to　themselves　before　they　e　downstairs。　Sloth　has　undone　them。　We're　away。　God　bless　Hardcastle。'
　　　　'Whoever　he　may　be。'
　　　　'He　thought　he　was　ing　with