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！
try to me。 Driving that day； mile after mile； up the smooth； strategic road； past the vineyards and military posts and the new； white settlements and the early crops already standing high in the vast； open fields； and the hoardings advertising the staples of France … Dubonnet； Michelin； Magasin du Louvre … I had thought it all very suburban and up…to…date； now； under the stars； in the walled city； whose streets were gentle； dusty stairways； and whose walls rose windowless on either side； closed overhead； then opened again to the stars； where the dust lay thick among the smooth paving stones and figures passed silently； robed in white； on soft slippers or hard； bare soles； where the air was scented with cloves and incense and wood smoke … now I knew what had drawn… Sebastian here and held him so long。
The consular porter strode arrogantly ahead with his light swinging and his tall cane banging； sometimes an open doorway revealed a silent group seated in golden lamplight round a brazier。
'Very dirty peoples；' the porter said scornfully； over his shoulder。 'No education。 French leave them dirty。 Not like British peoples。 My peoples；' he said； 'always very British peoples。'
For he was from the Sudan Police； and regarded this ancient centre of his culture as a New Zealander might regard Rome。
At length we came to the last of many studded doors； and the porter beat on it with his stick。
'British Lord's house；' he said。
Lamplight and a dark face appeared at the grating。 The consular porter spoke peremptorily； bolts were withdrawn and we entered a small courtyard with a well in its centre and a vine trained overhead。
'I wait here；' said the porter。 'You go with this native fellow。' I entered the house； down a step and into the living…room I found a gramophone； an oil…stove and； between them； a young man。 Later； when I looked about me； I noticed other； more agreeable things … the rugs on the floor； the embroidered silk on the walls； the carved and painted beams of the ceiling； the heavy； pierced lamp that hung from a chain and cast soft shadows of its own tracery about the room。 But on first entering these three things； the gramophone for its noise … it was playing a French record of jazz band … the stove for its smell； and the young man for his wolfish look； struck my senses。 He was lolling in a basket chair； with a bandaged foot stuck forward on a box； he was dressed in a kind of thin； mid…European imitation tweed with a tennis shirt open at the neck； the unwounded foot wore a brown canvas shoe。 There was a brass tray by his side on wooden legs； and on it were two beer bottles； a dirty plate； and a saucer full of cigarette ends； he held a glass of beer in his hand and a cigarette lay on his lower lip and stuck there when he spoke。 He had long fair hair bed back without a parting and a face that was unnaturally lined for a man of his obvious youth； one of his front teeth was missing； so that his sibilants came sometimes with a lisp； sometimes with a disconcerting whistle； which he covered with a giggle； the teeth he had were stained with tobacco and set far apart。
This was plainly the 'thoroughly bad hat' of the consul's description； the film footman of Anthony's。
'I'm looking for Sebastian Flyte。 This is his house； is it not？' I spoke loudly to make myself heard above the dance music； but he answered softly in English fluent enough to suggest that it was now habitual to him。
'Yeth。 But he isn't here。 There's no one but me。'
'I've e from England to see him on important business。 Can you tell me where I can find him？'
The record came to its end。 The German turned it over； wound up the machine and started it playing again before answering。
'Sebastian's sick。 The brothers took him away to the Infirmary。 Maybe they'll let you thee him； maybe not。 I got to go there myself one day thoon to have my foot dressed。 I'll ask them then。 When he's better they'll let you thee him； maybe。'
There was another chair and I sat down on it。 Seeing that I meant to stay； the German offered me some beer。
'You're not Thebastian's brother？' he said。 'Cousin maybe？ Maybe you married hith thister？'
'I'm only a friend。 We were at the university together。'
'I had a friend at the university。 We studied History。 My friend was cleverer than me； a little weak fellow … I used to pick him up and shake him when I was angry … but tho clever。 Then one day we said： 〃What the hell？ There is no work in Germany。 Germany is down the drain；〃 so we said good…bye to our professors； and they said： 〃Yes； Germany is down the drain。 There is nothing for a student to do here now；〃 and we went away and walked and walked and at last we came here。 Then we said； 〃There is no army in Germany now； but we must be tholdiers；〃 so we joined the Legion。 My friend died of dysentery last year； campaigning in the Atlas。 When he was dead； I said； 〃What the hell？〃 so I shot my foot。 It is now full of pus； though I have done it one year。'
'Yes；' I said。 'That's very interesting。 But my immediate concern is with Sebastian。 Perhaps you would tell me about him。'
'He is a very good fellow； Sebastian。 He is all right for me。 Tangier was a stinking place。 He brought me here … nice house； nice food； nice servant … everything is all right for me here； I reckon。 I like it all right。'
'His mother is very ill；' I said。 'I have e to tell him。'
'She rich？'
'Yes。'
'Why don't she give him more money？ Then we could live at Casablanca； maybe； in a nice flat。 You know her well。？ You could make her give him more money？'
'What's the matter with him？'
'I don't know。 I reckon maybe he drink too much。 The brothers will look after him。 It's all right for him there。 The brothers are good fellows。 Very cheap there。'
He clapped his hands and ordered more beer。
'You thee？ A nice thervant to look after me。 It is all right。' When I had got the name of the hospital I left。
'Tell Thebastian I am still here and all right。 I reckon he's worrying about me； maybe。'
The hospital； where I went next morning； was a collection of bungalows； between the old and the new towns。 It was kept by Franciscans。 I made my way through a crowd of diseased Moors to the doctor's room。 He was a layman； clean shaven； dressed in white； starched overalls。 We spoke in French； and he told me Sebastian was in no danger； but quite unfit to travel。 He had had the grippe； with one lung slightly affected； he was very weak； he lacked resistance； what could one expect？ He was an alcoholic。 The doctor spoke dispassionately； almost brutally； with the relish men of science sometimes have for limiting themselves to inessentials； for pruning back their work to the point of sterility； but the bearded； barefooted brother in whose charge he put me； the man of no scientific pretensions who did the dirty jobs of the ward； had a different story。
'He's so patient。 Not like a young man at all。 He ties there and never plains … and there is much to plain of。 We have no facilities。 The Government give us what they can spare from kind。 There is a poor German boy with the soldiers。 And he is so kind。 There is a poor German boy with a foot th