《brideshead+revisited》

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brideshead+revisited- 第77节


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    I stayed with her for half an hour; and left promising to return often。 When I reached the hall I found no sign of work and Hooper looking guilty。
    'They had to go off to draw the bed…straw。 I didn't know till Sergeant Block told me。 I don't know whether they're ing back。'
    'Don't know? What orders did you give?'
    'Well; I told Sergeant Block to bring them back if he thought it was worthwhile; I mean if there was time before dinner。'
    It was nearly twelve。 'You've been hotted again; Hooper。 That straw was to be drawn any time before six tonight。'
    'Oh Lor; sorry; Ryder。 Sergeant Block … '
    'It's my own fault for going away。。。Fall in the same party immediately after dinner; bring them back here and keep them here till the job's done。'
    'Rightyoh。 I say; did you say you knew this place before?'
    'Yes; very well。 It belongs to friends of mine;' and as I said the words they sounded as odd in my I ears as Sebastian's had done; when; instead of saying; 'It is my home;' he said; 'It is where my family live。'
    'It doesn't seem to make any sense … one family in a place this size。 What's the use of it?'
    'Well; I suppose Brigade are finding it useful。'
    'But that's not what it was built for; is it?'
    'No;' I said; 'not what it was built for。 Perhaps that's one of the pleasures of building; like having a son; wondering how he'll grow up。 I don't know; I never built anything; and I forfeited the right to watch my son grow up。 I'm homeless; childless; middle…aged; loveless; Hooper。' He looked to see if I was being funny; decided that I was; and laughed。 'Now go back to camp; keep out of the C。O。's way; if he's back from his recce; and don't let on to anyone that we've made a nonsense of the morning。'
    'Okey; Ryder。'
    There was one part of the house I had not yet visited; and I went there now。 The chapel showed no ill…effects of its long neglect; the art…nouveau paint was as fresh and bright as ever; the art…nouveau lamp burned once more before the altar。 I said a prayer; an ancient; newly…learned form of words; and left; turning towards the camp; and as I walked back; and the cook…house bugle sounded ahead of me; I thought:
    'The builders did not know the uses to which their work would descend; they made a new house with the stones of the old castle; year by year; generation after generation; they enriched and extended it; year by year the great harvest of timber in the park grew to ripeness; until; in sudden frost; came the age of Hooper; the place was desolate and the work all brought to nothing; Quomodo sedet sola civitas。 Vanity of vanities; all is vanity。
    'And yet;' I thought; stepping out more briskly towards the camp; where the bugles after a pause had taken up the second call and were sounding 'Pick…em…up; pick…em…up; hot potatoes'; 'and yet that is not the last word; it is not even an apt word; it is a dead word from ten years back。
    'Something quite remote from anything the builders intended; has e out of their work; and out of the fierce little human tragedy in which I played; something none of us thought about at the time; a small red flame … a beaten…copper lamp of deplorable design relit before the beaten…copper doors of a tabernacle; the flame which the old knights saw from their tombs; which they saw put out; that flame burns again for other soldiers; far from home; farther; in heart; than Acre or Jerusalem。 It could not have been lit but for the builders and the tragedians; and there I found it this morning; burning anew among the old stones。'
    I quickened my pace and reached the hut which served us for our ante…room。
    'You're looking unusually cheerful today;' said the second…in…mand。

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