lavengro-第39章

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the　one　thing　needful；　which；　under　such　circumstances；　not　one　man　

in　a　million　would　have　done。　　Now；　who　can　wonder　that　a　brave　old　

man　should　love　a　son　like　this；　and　prefer　him　to　any　other？



'My　boy；　my　own　boy；　you　are　the　very　image　of　myself；　the　day　I　

took　off　my　coat　in　the　park　to　fight　Big　Ben；'　said　my　father；　on　

meeting　his　son　wet　and　dripping；　immediately　after　his　bold　feat。　　

And　who　cannot　excuse　the　honest　pride　of　the　old　man　…　the　stout　

old　man？



Ay；　old　man；　that　son　was　worthy　of　thee；　and　thou　wast　worthy　of　

such　a　son；　a　noble　specimen　wast　thou　of　those　strong　single…

minded　Englishmen；　who；　without　making　a　parade　either　of　religion　

or　loyalty；　feared　God　and　honoured　their　king；　and　were　not　

particularly　friendly　to　the　French；　whose　vaunting　polls　they　

occasionally　broke；　as　at　Minden　and　at　Malplaquet；　to　the　

confusion　vast　of　the　eternal　foes　of　the　English　land。　　I；　who　was　

so　little　like　thee　that　thou　understoodst　me　not；　and　in　whom　with　

justice　thou　didst　feel　so　little　pride；　had　yet　perception　enough　

to　see　all　thy　worth；　and　to　feel　it　an　honour　to　be　able　to　call　

myself　thy　son；　and　if　at　some　no　distant　time；　when　the　foreign　

enemy　ventures　to　insult　our　shore；　I　be　permitted　to　break　some　

vaunting　poll；　it　will　be　a　triumph　to　me　to　think　that；　if　thou　

hadst　lived；　thou　wouldst　have　hailed　the　deed；　and　mightest　yet　

discover　some　distant　resemblance　to　thyself；　the　day　when　thou　

didst　all　but　vanquish　the　mighty　Brain。



I　have　already　spoken　of　my　brother's　taste　for　painting；　and　the　

progress　he　had　made　in　that　beautiful　art。　　It　is　probable　that；　

if　circumstances　had　not　eventually　diverted　his　mind　from　the　

pursuit；　he　would　have　attained　excellence；　and　left　behind　him　

some　enduring　monument　of　his　powers；　for　he　had　an　imagination　to　

conceive；　and　that　yet　rarer　endowment；　a　hand　capable　of　giving　

life；　body；　and　reality　to　the　conceptions　of　his　mind；　perhaps　he　

wanted　one　thing；　the　want　of　which　is　but　too　often　fatal　to　the　

sons　of　genius；　and　without　which　genius　is　little　more　than　a　

splendid　toy　in　the　hands　of　the　possessor　…　perseverance；　dogged　

perseverance；　in　his　proper　calling；　otherwise；　though　the　grave　

had　closed　over　him；　he　might　still　be　living　in　the　admiration　of　

his　fellow…creatures。　　O　ye　gifted　ones；　follow　your　calling；　for；　

however　various　your　talents　may　be；　ye　can　have　but　one　calling　

capable　of　leading　ye　to　eminence　and　renown；　follow　resolutely　the　

one　straight　path　before　you；　it　is　that　of　your　good　angel；　let　

neither　obstacles　nor　temptations　induce　ye　to　leave　it；　bound　

along　if　you　can；　if　not；　on　hands　and　knees　follow　it；　perish　in　

it；　if　needful；　but　ye　need　not　fear　that；　no　one　ever　yet　died　in　

the　true　path　of　his　calling　before　he　had　attained　the　pinnacle。　　

Turn　into　other　paths；　and　for　a　momentary　advantage　or　

gratification　ye　have　sold　your　inheritance；　your　immortality。　　Ye　

will　never　be　heard　of　after　death。



'My　father　has　given　me　a　hundred　and　fifty　pounds；'　said　my　

brother　to　me　one　morning；　'and　something　which　is　better　…　his　

blessing。　　I　am　going　to　leave　you。'



'And　where　are　you　going？'



'Where？　to　the　great　city；　to　London；　to　be　sure。'



'I　should　like　to　go　with　you。'



'Pooh；'　said　my　brother；　'what　should　you　do　there？　　But　don't　be　

discouraged；　I　daresay　a　time　will　come　when　you　too　will　go　to　

London。'



And；　sure　enough；　so　it　did；　and　all　but　too　soon。



'And　what　do　you　purpose　doing　there？'　I　demanded。



'Oh；　I　go　to　improve　myself　in　art；　to　place　myself　under　some　

master　of　high　name；　at　least　I　hope　to　do　so　eventually。　　I　have；　

however；　a　plan　in　my　head；　which　I　should　wish　first　to　execute；　

indeed；　I　do　not　think　I　can　rest　till　I　have　done　so；　every　one　

talks　so　much　about　Italy；　and　the　wondrous　artists　which　it　has　

produced；　and　the　wondrous　pictures　which　are　to　be　found　there；　

now　I　wish　to　see　Italy；　or　rather　Rome；　the　great　city；　for　I　am　

told　that　in　a　certain　room　there　is　contained　the　grand　miracle　of　

art。'



'And　what　do　you　call　it？'



'The　Transfiguration；　painted　by　one　Rafael；　and　it　is　said　to　be　

the　greatest　work　of　the　greatest　painter　whom　the　world　has　ever　

known。　　I　suppose　it　is　because　everybody　says　so；　that　I　have　such　

a　strange　desire　to　see　it。　　I　have　already　made　myself　well　

acquainted　with　its　locality；　and　think　that　I　could　almost　find　my　

way　to　it　blindfold。　　When　I　have　crossed　the　Tiber；　which；　as　you　

are　aware；　runs　through　Rome；　I　must　presently　turn　to　the　right；　

up　a　rather　shabby　street；　which　communicates　with　a　large　square；　

the　farther　end　of　which　is　entirely　occupied　by　the　front　of　an　

immense　church；　with　a　dome　which　ascends　almost　to　the　clouds；　and　

this　church　they　call　St。　Peter's。'



'Ay；　ay；'　said　I；　'I　have　read　about　that　in　Keysler's　Travels。'



'Before　the　church；　in　the　square；　are　two　fountains；　one　on　either　

side；　casting　up　water　in　showers；　between　them；　in　the　midst；　is　

an　obelisk；　brought　from　Egypt；　and　covered　with　mysterious　

writing；　on　your　right　rises　an　edifice；　not　beautiful　nor　grand；　

but　huge　and　bulky；　where　lives　a　strange　kind　of　priest　whom　men　

call　the　Pope；　a　very　horrible　old　individual；　who　would　fain　keep　

Christ　in　leading　strings；　calls　the　Virgin　Mary　the　Queen　of　

Heaven；　and　himself　God's　Lieutenant…General　upon　earth。'



'Ay；　ay；'　said　I；　'I　have　read　of　him　in　Foxe's　BOOK　OF　MARTYRS。'



'Well；　I　do　not　go　straight　forward　up　the　flight　of　steps　

conducting　into　the　church；　but　I　turn　to　the　right；　and；　passing　

under　the　piazza；　find　myself　in　a　court　of　the　huge　bulky　house；　

and　then　ascend　various　staircases；　and　pass　along　various　

corridors　and　galleries；　all　of　which　I　could　describe　to　you；　

though　I　have　never　seen　them；　at　last　a　door　is　unlocked；　and　we　

enter　a　room　rather　high；　but　not　particularly　large；　communicating　

with　another　room；　into　which；　however；　I　do　not　go；　though　there　

are　noble　things　in　that　second　room　…　immortal　things；　by　immortal　

artists；　amongst　others；　a　grand　piece　of　Correggio；　I　do　not　enter　

it；　for　the　grand　picture　of　the　world　is　not　there；　but　I　stand　

still　immediately　on　entering　the　first　room；　and　I　look　straight　

before　me；　neither　to　the　right　nor　left；　though　there　are　noble　

things　both　on　the　right　and　left；　for　immediately　before　me　at　the　

farther　end；　hanging　against　the　wall；　is　a　picture　which　arrests　

me；　and　I　can　see　nothing　else；　for　that　picture　at　the　farther　end　

hanging　against　the　wall　is　the　picture　of　the　world。　。　。　。'



Yes；　go　thy　way；　young　enthusiast；　and；　whether　to　London　town　or　

to　old　Rome；　may　success　attend　thee；　yet　strange　fears　assail　me　

and　misgivings　on　thy　account。　　Thou　canst　not　rest；　thou　say'st；　

till　thou　hast　seen　the　picture　in　the　chamber　at　old　Rome　hanging　

over　against　the　wall；　ay；　and　thus　thou　dust　exemplify　thy　

weakness　…　thy　strength　too；　it　may　be　…　for　the　one　idea；　

fantastic　yet　lovely；　which　now　possesses　thee；　could　only　have　

originated　in　a　genial　and　fervent　brain。　　Well；　go；　if　thou　must　

go；　yet　it　perhaps　were　better　for　thee　to　bide　in　thy　native　land；　

and　there；　with　fear　and　trembling；　with　groanings；　with　straining　

eyeballs；　toil；　drudge；　slave；　till　thou　hast　made　excellence　thine　

own；　thou　wilt　scarcely　acquire　it　by　staring　at　the　picture　over　

against　the　door　in　the　high　chamber　of　old　Rome。　　Seekest　thou　

inspiration？　thou　needest　it　not；　thou　hast　it　already；　and　it　was　

never　yet　found　by　crossing　the　sea。　　What　hast　thou　to　do　with　old　

Rome；　and　thou　an　Englishman？　　'Did　thy　blood　never　glow　at　the　

mention　of　thy　native　land？'　as　an　artist　merely？　　Yes；　I　trow；　and　

with　reason；　for　thy　native　land　need　not　grudge　old　Rome　her　

'pictures　of　the　world'；　she　has　pictures　of　her　own；　'pictures　of　

England'；　and　i