第33部分(第6/7 頁)

He　smiled　and　patted　me　on　the　shoulder。

〃Now　we　will　drink　the　other　bottle　and　you　will　tell　me　about　the　war。〃　He　waited　for　me　to　sit　down。

〃About　anything　else；〃　I　said。

〃You　don't　want　to　talk　about　it？　Good。　What　have　you　been　reading？〃

〃Nothing；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　afraid　I　am　very　dull。〃

〃No。　But　you　should　read。〃

〃What　is　there　written　in　war…time？〃

〃There　is　'Le　Feu'　by　a　Frenchman；　Barbusse。　There　is　'Mr。　Britling　Sees　Through　It。〃

〃No；　he　doesn't。〃

〃What？〃

〃He　doesn't　see　through　it。　Those　books　were　at　the　hospital。〃

〃Then　you　have　been　reading？〃

〃Yes；　but　nothing　any　good。〃

〃I　thought　'Mr。　Britling'　a　very　good　study　of　the　English　middle…class　soul。〃

〃I　don't　know　about　the　soul。〃

〃Poor　boy。　We　none　of　us　know　about　the　soul。　Are　you　Croyant？〃

〃At　night。〃

Count　Greffi　smiled　and　turned　the　glass　with　his　fingers。　〃I　had　expected　to　bee　more　devout　as　I　grow　older　but　somehow　I　haven't；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　a　great　pity。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　live　after　death？〃　I　asked　and　instantly　felt　a　fool　to　mention　death。　But　he　did　not　mind　the　word。

〃It　would　depend　on　the　life。　This　life　is　very　pleasant。　I　would　like　to　live　forever；〃　he　smiled。　〃I　very　nearly　have。〃

We　were　sitting　in　the　deep　leather　chairs；　the　champagne　in　the　ice…bucket　and　our　glasses　on　the　table　between　us。

〃If　you　ever　live　to　be　as　old　as　I　am　you　will　find　many　things　strange。〃

〃You　never　seem　old。〃

〃It　is　the　body　that　is　old。　Sometimes　I　am　afraid　I　will　break　off　a　finger　as　one　breaks　a　stick　of　chalk。　And　the　spirit　is　no　older　and　not　much　wiser。〃

〃You　are　wise。〃

〃No；　that　is　the　great　fallacy；　the　wisdom　of　old　men。