the research magnificent-第44部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


This　coast　was　no　theatrical　scenery　for　him；　it　was　a　shattered　empire。　　And　it　was　shattered　because　no　men　had　been　found；　united　enough；　magnificent　and　steadfast　enough；　to　hold　the　cities；　and　maintain　the　roads；　keep　the　peace　and　subdue　the　brutish　hates　and　suspicions　and　cruelties　that　devastated　the　world。　And　as　these　thoughts　came　back　into　his　mind；　Amanda　flickered　up　from　below；　light　and　noiseless　as　a　sunbeam；　and　stood　behind　his　chair。　Freedom　and　the　sight　of　the　world　had　if　possible　brightened　and　invigorated　her。　　Her　costume　and　bearing　were　subtly　touched　by　the　romance　of　the　Adriatic。　　There　was　a　flavour　of　the　pirate　in　the　cloak　about　her　shoulders　and　the　light　knitted　cap　of　scarlet　she　had　stuck　upon　her　head。　　She　surveyed　his　preoccupation　for　a　moment；　glanced　forward；　and　then　covered　his　eyes　with　her　hands。　In　almost　the　same　movement　she　had　bent　down　and　nipped　the　tip　of　his　ear　between　her　teeth。　〃Confound　you；　Amanda！〃　〃You'd　forgotten　my　existence；　you　star…gazing　Cheetah。　　And　then；　you　see；　these　things　happen　to　you！〃　〃I　was　thinking。〃　〃WellDON'T。　。　。　。　　I　distrust　your　thinking。　　This　coast　is　wilder　and　grimmer　than　yesterday。　　It's　glorious。　。　。　。〃　She　sat　down　on　the　chair　he　unfolded　for　her。　〃Is　there　nothing　to　eat？〃　she　asked　abruptly。　〃It　is　too　early。〃

2

〃This　coast　is　magnificent；〃　she　said　presently。　〃It's　hideous；〃　he　answered。　　〃It's　as　ugly　as　a　heap　of　slag。〃　〃It's　nature　at　its　wildest。〃　〃That's　Amanda　at　her　wildest。〃　〃Well；　isn't　it？〃　〃No！　　This　land　isn't　nature。　　It's　waste。　　Not　wilderness。　　It's　the　other　end。　　Those　hills　were　covered　with　forests；　this　was　a　busy　civilized　coast　just　a　little　thousand　years　ago。　　The　Venetians　wasted　it。　　They　cut　down　the　forests；　they　filled　the　cities　with　a　mixed　mud　of　population；　THAT　stuff。　　Look　at　it〃！he　indicated　the　sleepers　forward　by　a　movement　of　his　head。　〃I　suppose　they　WERE　rather　feeble　people；〃　said　Amanda。　〃Who？〃　〃The　Venetians。〃　〃They　were　tradersand　nothing　more。　　Just　as　we　are。　　And　when　they　were　rich　they　got　splendid　clothes　and　feasted　and　rested。　Much　as　we　do。〃　Amanda　surveyed　him。　　〃We　don't　rest。〃　〃We　idle。〃　〃We　are　seeing　things。〃　〃Don't　be　a　humbug；　Amanda。　　We　are　making　love。　　Just　as　they　did。　And　it　has　beenripping。　　In　Salona　they　made　love　tremendously。　They　did　nothing　else　until　the　barbarians　came　over　the　mountains。　。　。　。〃　〃Well；〃　said　Amanda　virtuously；　〃we　will　do　something　else。〃　He　made　no　answer　and　her　expression　became　profoundly　thoughtful。　Of　course　this　wandering　must　end。　　He　had　been　growing　impatient　for　some　time。　　But　it　was　difficult；　she　perceived；　to　decide　just　what　to　do　with　him。　。　。　。　Benham　picked　up　the　thread　of　his　musing。　He　was　seeing　more　and　more　clearly　that　all　civilization　was　an　effort；　and　so　far　always　an　inadequate　and　very　partially　successful　effort。　　Always　it　had　been　aristocratic；　aristocratic　in　the　sense　that　it　was　the　work　of　minorities；　who　took　power；　who　had　a　common　resolution　against　the　inertia；　the　indifference；　the　insubordination　and　instinctive　hostility　of　the　mass　of　mankind。　And　always　the　set…backs；　the　disasters　of　civilization；　had　been　failures　of　the　aristocratic　spirit。　　Why　had　the　Roman　purpose　faltered　and　shrivelled？　　Every　order；　every　brotherhood；　every　organization　carried　with　it　the　seeds　of　its　own　destruction。　　Must　the　idea　of　statecraft　and　rule　perpetually　reappear；　reclothe　itself　in　new　forms；　age；　die；　even　as　life　doesmaking　each　time　its　almost　infinitesimal　addition　to　human　achievement？　　Now　the　world　is　crying　aloud　for　a　renascence　of　the　spirit　that　orders　and　controls。　　Human　affairs　sway　at　a　dizzy　height　of　opportunity。　Will　they　keep　their　footing　there；　or　stagger？　　We　have　got　back　at　last　to　a　time　as　big　with　opportunity　as　the　early　empire。　　Given　only　the　will　in　men　and　it　would　be　possible　now　to　turn　the　dazzling　accidents　of　science；　the　chancy　attainments　of　the　nineteenth　century；　into　a　sane　and　permanent　possession；　a　new　starting　point。　。　。　。　　What　a　magnificence　might　be　made　of　life！　He　was　aroused　by　Amanda‘s　voice。　〃When　we　go　back　to　London；　old　Cheetah；〃　she　said；　〃we　must　take　a　house。〃　For　some　moments　he　stared　at　her；　trying　to　get　back　to　their　point　of　divergence。　〃Why？〃　he　asked　at　length。　〃We　must　have　a　house；〃　she　said。　He　looked　at　her　face。　　Her　expression　was　profoundly　thoughtful；　her　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　slumbering　ships　poised　upon　the　transparent　water　under　the　mountain　shadows。　〃You　see；〃　she　thought　it　out；　〃you've　got　to　TELL　in　London。　　You　can't　just　sneak　back　there。　　You've　got　to　strike　a　note　of　your　own。　　With　all　these　things　of　yours。〃　〃But　how？〃　〃There's　a　sort　of　little　house；　I　used　to　see　them　when　I　was　a　girl　and　my　father　lived　in　London；　about　Brook　Street　and　that　part。　　Not　too　far　north。　。　。　。　　You　see　going　back　to　London　for　us　is　just　another　adventure。　　We've　got　to　capture　London。　　We've　got　to　scale　it。　　We've　got　advantages　of　all　sorts。　　But　at　present　we're　outside。　　We've　got　to　march　in。〃　Her　clear　hazel　eyes　contemplated　conflicts　and　triumphs。　She　was　roused　by　Benham　s　voice。　〃What　the　deuce　are　you　thinking　of；　Amanda？〃　She　turned　her　level　eyes　to　his。　　〃London；〃　she　said。　　〃For　you。〃　〃I　don't　want　London；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　you　did。　　You　ought　to。　　I　do。〃　〃But　to　take　a　house！　　Make　an　invasion　of　London！〃　〃You　dear　old　Cheetah；　you　can't　be　always　frisking　about　in　the　wilderness；　staring　at　the　stars。〃　〃But　I'm　not　going　back　to　live　in　London　in　the　old　way；　theatres；　dinner…parties；　chatter〃　〃Oh　no！　　We　aren't　going　to　do　that　sort　of　thing。　　We　aren't　going　to　join　the　ruck。　　We'll　go　about　in　holiday　times　all　over　the　world。　　I　want　to　see　Fusiyama。　　I　mean　to　swim　in　the　South　Seas。　With　you。　　We'll　dodge　the　sharks。　　But　all　the　same　we　shall　have　to　have　a　house　in　London。　　We　have　to　be　FELT　there。〃　She　met　his　consternation　fairly。　　She　lifted　her　fine　eyebrows。　Her　little　face　conveyed　a　protesting　reasonableness。　〃Well；　MUSTN'T　we？〃　She　added；　〃If　we　want　to　alter　the　world　we　ought　to　live　in　the　world。〃　Since　last　they　had　disputed　the　question　she　had　thought　out　these　new　phrases。　〃Amanda；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　sometimes　you　haven't　the　remotest　idea　of　what　I　am　after。　　I　don't　believe　you　begin　to　suspect　what　I　am　up　to。〃　She　put　her　elbows　on　her　knees；　dropped　her　chin　between　her　hands　and　regarded　him　impudently。　　She　had　a　characteristic　trick　of　looking　up　with　her　face　downcast　that　never　failed　to　soften　his　regard。　〃Look　here；　Cheetah；　don't　you　give　way　to　your　early　morning　habit　of　calling　your　own　true　love　a　fool；〃　she　said。　〃Simply　I　tell　you　I　will　not　go　back　to　London。〃　〃You　will　go　back　with　me；　Cheetah。〃　〃I　will　go　back　as　far　as　my　work　calls　me　there。〃　〃It　calls　you　through　the　voice　of　your　mate　and　slave　and　doormat　to　just　exactly　the　sort　of　house　you　ought　to　have。　。　。　。　　It　is　the　privilege　and　duty　of　the　female　to　choose　the　lair。〃　For　a　space　Benham　made　no　reply。　　This　controversy　had　been　gathering　for　some　time　and　he　wanted　to　state　his　view　as　vividly　as　possible。　　The　Benham　style　of　connubial　conversation　had　long　since　decided　for　emphasis　rather