15No Signposts 1n the SeaWord文档格式.docx

15No Signposts 1n the SeaWord文档格式.docx

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VEaskoille-West

Inthedining-saloonIsitatatablewiththreeothermen;

Laurasitssomewayoftwithamarriedcoupleandtheirdaughter.Icanobserveherwithoutherknowing,andthisgivesmepleasure,foritisasinamovingpicturethatIcannotethegraceofhergestures,whethersheraisesaglassofwinetoherlipsorturnswitharemarktooneofherneighboursortakesacigarettefromhercasewiththoseslenderfingers.Ihaveneverhadmuchofaneyefornoticingtheclothesofwomen,butIgettheimpressionthatLauraisalwaysingreyandwhitebyday,lookingcoolwhenotherpeopleareflushedandshinyinthetropicalheat;

intheeveningshewearssoftrichcolours,darkred,olivegreen,midnightblue,alwaysofthemostsuppleflowingtexture.Iventuredtosaysomethingofthekindtoher,whenshelaughedatmyclumsycomplimentandsaidIhadbettertaketowritingfashionarticlesinsteadofpoliticalleaders.

　　ThetallColonelwhosenameisDalrympleseemsanicechap.HeandIandLauraandaChinesewomanimprobablycalledMmeMerveillehavemadeupaBridge-fourandthusbeguileourselvesforanhourorsoafterdinnerwhileothersdanceondeck.TheColonel,whoisnottoooffensivelyanEmpire-builder,sometimestriestotalktomeaboutpublicaffairs;

hesaysheusedtoreadme,andisrathercharminglydeferential,prefacinghisremarksby'

Ofcourseit'

snotformetosuggesttoyou…"

andthenproceedingtotellmeexactlyhowhethinkssometopicalitemofourdomesticorforeignpolicyshouldbehandled.Heisbynomeansstupidorill-informed;

alittleopinionatedperhaps,andjustaboutasfartotheRightasanybodycouldgo,butIlikehim,andtrynottoteasehimbyputtingforwardviewswhichwouldonlybringapuzzledlooktohisface.Besides,Idonotwanttobecomeinvolvedindiscussion.Iobservewithamusementhowtotallytheconcernsoftheworld,whichonceabsorbedmetotheexclusionofallelseexceptanoccasionalrelaxationwithpoetryormusic,havelostinterestformeeventotheextentofaboreddistaste.DoubtlesssomeinstinctimpelsmegluttonouslytocramthesethelastweeksofmylifewiththegentlerthingsIneverhadtimefor,releasingsomesuppressedinclinationwhichinfactwasalwayslatent.OrmaybeLaura'

sunwittinginfluencehascalleditout.

　　DismissiveasPharisee,Iregardedasmoonlingsallthosewhoselifewaslivedonalesspracticalplane.Protestsaboutdamageto'

naturalbeauty'

frozemewithcontempt,forIbelievedinprogressandcouldsparenoregretsforalakedammedintohydraulicuseforthebenefitofanindustrialcityintheMidlands.Andsoitwasforallthings.Ahardmaterialismwasmycreed,acceptedasalawofprogress;

anyascriptionofdisinterestedmotivesarousednotonlymysuspicionbutmyscorn.

AndnowseehowIstand,assentimentalandsensitiveasanyoldmaiddoingwater-coloursofsunsets!

IonceflatteredmyselfthatIwasanadultman;

InowperceivethatIamgloriouslyandabolescentlysilly.AnewClovis,lovingwhatIhavedespised,andsufferingfromcalf-loveintothebargain,IwantmyfillofbeautybeforeIgo.GeographicallyIdidnotcareandscarcelyknowwhereIam.Therearenosignpostsinthesea.

　　Theyoungmoonliesonherbacktonightasisherhabitinthetropics,andas,Ithink,issuitableifnotseemlyforavirgin.Notastarbutmightnotshootdownandaccepttheinvitationtobecomeherlover.Whenallmyfellow-passengershavefinallydispersedtobed,Icreepupagaintothedeserteddeckandslipintotheswimmingpoolandfloat,nolongerwhatpeoplebelievemetobe,amiddle-agedjournalisttakingaholidayonanocean-goingliner,butaliberatedbeing,bathedinmythologicalwaters,anEndymionyoungandstrong,withagodforhisfatherandavisionoftheworldinspiredfromOlympus.Allweightisliftedfrommylimbs;

Iamonewiththenight;

Iunderstandthemeaningofpantheism.HowmyfriendswouldlaughiftheyknewIhadcometothis!

Tohavediscarded,asIbelieve,allusualfrailties,tohavebecomeincapableofenvy,ambition,malice,thedesiretoscoreoffmyneighbour,toenjoythispurificationevenasIenjoythecleanvoluptuousnessofthewarmbreezeonmyskinandthecoolsupportofthewater.Thus,Iimagine,mustthepiousfeelcleansedonleavingtheconfessionalafterthesolemnityofabsolution.

　　SometimesLauraandIleanoverthetaffrail,andthatishappiness.Itmaybebydaylight,lookingatthesea,rippledwithlittlewhiteponies,orwithnoripplesatallbuton-lythelazysatinofblue,marbledattheedgewherethepassageofourshiphasdisturbedit.Oritmaybeatnight,whentheskysurelyseemsblackerthaneverathomeandthestarsmoregolden.Irecallaphrasefromthediaryofahalf-literatesoldier,‘Thestars