stories by english authors in italy(旅意英国作家的故事)-第20章
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and at first declared that she was clever and nice； but her niceness was too
purely celestial to satisfy his mundane tastes。 Mackinnon himself can revel
among the clouds in his own writings； and can leave us sometimes in
doubt whether he ever means to come back to earth； but when his foot is
on terra firma he loves to feel the earthy substratum which supports his
weight。 With women he likes a hand that can remain an unnecessary
moment within his own； an eye that can glisten with the sparkle of
champagne； a heart weak enough to make its owner's arm tremble within
his own beneath the moonlight gloom of the Colosseum arches。 A dash of
sentiment the while makes all these things the sweeter； but the sentiment
alone will not suffice for him。 Mrs。 Talboys did； I believe； drink her glass
83
… Page 84…
STORIES
of champagne； as do other ladies； but with her it had no such pleasing
effect。 It loosened only her tongue； but never her eyes。 Her arm； I think；
never trembled and her hand never lingered。 The general was always safe；
and happy perhaps in his solitary safety。
It so happened that we had unfortunately among us two artists who
had quarrelled with their wives。 O'Brien； whom I have before mentioned；
was one of them。 In his case I believe him to have been almost as free
from blame as a man can be whose marriage was in itself a fault。 However；
he had a wife in Ireland some ten years older than himself； and though he
might sometimes almost forget the fact； his friends and neighbours were
well aware of it。 In the other case the whole fault probably was with the
husband。 He was an ill…tempered； bad…hearted man； clever enough； but
without principle； and he was continually guilty of the great sin of
speaking evil of the woman whose name he should have been anxious to
protect。 In both cases our friend； Mrs。 Talboys； took a warm interest； and
in each of them she sympathised with the present husband against the
absent wife。
Of the consolation which she offered in the latter instance we used to
hear something from Mackinnon。 He would repeat to his wife and to me
and my wife the conversations which she had with him。 〃Poor Brown！〃
she would say； 〃I pity him with my very heart's blood。〃
〃You are aware that he has comforted himself in his desolation；〃
Mackinnon replied。
〃I know very well to what you allude。 I think I may say that I am
conversant with all the circumstances of this heart…blighting sacrifice。〃
Mrs。 Talboys was apt to boast of the thorough confidence reposed in her
by all those in whom she took an interest。 〃Yes； he has sought such
comfort in another love as the hard cruel world would allow him。〃
〃Or perhaps something more than that；〃 said Mackinnon。 〃He has a
family here in Rome； you know； two little babies。〃
〃I know it； I know it；〃 she said； 〃cherub angels！〃 And as she spoke she
looked up into the ugly face of Marcus Aurelius； for they were standing at
the moment under the figure of the great horseman on the Campidoglio。 〃I
have seen them； and they are children of innocence。 If all the blood of all
84
… Page 85…
STORIES
the Howards ran in their veins it could not make their birth more noble！〃
〃Not if the father and mother of all the Howards had never been
married；〃 said Mackinnon。
〃What！ that from you； Mr。 Mackinnon！〃 said Mrs。 Talboys； turning her
back with energy upon the equestrian statue and looking up into the faces
first of Pollux and then of Castor； as though from them she might gain
some inspiration on the subject； which Marcus Aurelius in his coldness
had denied to her。 〃From you； who have so nobly claimed for mankind the
divine attributes of free action！ From you； who have taught my mind to
soar above the petty bonds which one man in his littleness contrives for
the subjection of his brother。 Mackinnonyou who are so great！〃 And she
now looked up into his face。 〃Mackinnon； unsay those words。〃
〃They /are/ illegitimate；〃 said he； 〃and if there was any landed
property〃
〃Landed property！ and that from an American！〃
〃The children are English； you know。〃 〃Landed property！ The time
will shortly comeay； and I see it coming when that hateful word shall
be expunged from the calendar； when landed property shall be no more。
What！ shall the free soul of a God… born man submit itself for ever to such
trammels as that？ Shall we never escape from the clay which so long has
manacled the subtler particles of the divine spirit？ Ay； yes； Mackinnon！〃
and then she took him by the arm； and led him to the top of the huge steps
which lead down from the Campidoglio into the streets of modern Rome。
〃Look down upon that countless multitude。〃 Mackinnon looked down； and
saw three groups of French soldiers； with three or four little men in each
group； he saw also a couple of dirty friars； and three priests very slowly
beginning the side ascent to the church of the Ara Coeli。 〃Look down upon
that countless multitude；〃 said Mrs。 Talboys； and she stretched her arms
out over the half…deserted city。 〃They are escaping now from those
trammelsnow； nownow that I am speaking。〃
〃They have escaped long ago from all such trammels as that of landed
property；〃 said Mackinnon。
〃Ay； and from all terrestrial bonds；〃 she continued； not exactly
remarking the pith of his last observation； 〃from bonds quasi… terrestrial
85
… Page 86…
STORIES
and quasi…celestial。 The full…formed limbs of the present age； running with
quick streams of generous blood； will no longer bear the ligatures which
past time have woven for the decrepit。 Look down upon that multitude；
Mackinnon； they shall all be free。〃 And then； still clutching him by the
arm and still standing at the top of those stairs； she gave forth her
prophecy with the fury of a sibyl。
〃They shall all be free。 O Rome； thou eternal one！ thou who hast
bowed thy neck to imperial pride and priestly craft； thou who has suffered
sorely even to this hour； from Nero down to Pio Nono； the days of thine
oppression are over。 Gone from thy enfranchised ways for ever is the
clang of the praetorian cohorts and the more odious drone of meddling
monks！〃 And yet； as Mackinnon observed； there still stood the dirty friars
and the small French soldiers； and there still toiled the slow priests；
wending their tedious way up to the church of the Ara Coeli。 But that was
the mundane view of the matter； a view not regarded by Mrs。 Talboys in
her ecstasy。 〃O Italia；〃 she continued； 〃O Italia una； one and indivisible in
thy rights； and indivisible also in thy wrongs！ to us is it given to see the
accomplishment of thy glory。 A people shall arise around thine altars
greater in the annals of the world than thy Scipios； thy Gracchi； or thy
Caesars。 Not in torrents of blood or with screams of bereaved mothers
shall thy new triumphs be stained； but mind shall dominate over matter；
and； doomed together with popes and Bourbons； with cardinals；
diplomatists； and police spies； ignorance and prejudice shall be driven
from thy smiling terraces。 And then Rome shall again become the fair
capital of the fairest region of Europe。 Hither shall flock the artisans of the
world； crowding into thy marts all that God and man can give。 Wealth；
beauty； and innocence shall meet in thy streets〃
〃There will be a considerable change before that takes place；〃 said
Mackinnon。
〃There shall be a considerable change；〃 she answered。 〃Mackinnon； to
thee it is given to read the signs of the time； and hast thou not read？ Why
have the fields of Magenta and Solferino been piled with the corpses of
dying heroes？ Why have the waters of the Mincio run red with the blood
of martyrs？ That Italy might be united and Rome immortal。 Here； standing
86
… Page 87…
STORIES
on the Capitolium of the ancient city； I say that it shall be so； and thou；
Mackinnon； who hearest me knowest that my words are true。〃
There was not then in RomeI may almost say there was not in Italy
an Englishman or an American who did not wish well to the cause for
which Italy was and is still contending； as also there is hardly one who
does not now regard that cause as well…nigh triumphant； but nevertheless it
was almost impossible to sympathise with Mrs。 Talboys。 As Mackinnon
said； she flew so high that there was no comfort in flying with her。
〃Well；〃 said he； 〃Brown and the rest of them are down below。 Shall we
go and join them？〃
〃Poor Brown！ How was it that in speaking of his troubles we were led
on to this heart…stirring theme？ Yes； I have seen them； the sweet angels；
and I tell you also that I have seen their mother。 I insisted on going to her
when I heard her history from him。〃
〃And what was she like； Mrs。 Talboys？〃
〃Well； education has done more for some of us than for others； and
there are those from whose morals and sentiments we might thankfully
draw a lesson； whose manners and outward gestures are not such as
custom has made agreeable to us。 You； I know； can understand that。 I have
seen her； and feel sure that she is pure in heart and high in principle。 Has
she not sacrificed herself； and is not self…sacrifice the surest guarantee for
true nobility of character？ Would Mrs。 Mackinnon object to my bringing
them together？〃
Mackinnon was obliged to declare that he thought his wife would
object； and from that time forth he and
