beasts and superbeasts-µÚ47ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
¡¨Why¡¡London¡¡and¡¡not¡¡Paris¡¡or¡¡Munich£¿¡¨¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡
asked¡¡by¡¡the¡¡curious¡£
Well£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡a¡¡ship¡¡that¡¡left¡¡Stolpmunde¡¡for¡¡
London¡¡twice¡¡a¡¡month£»¡¡that¡¡carried¡¡few¡¡passengers£»¡¡but¡¡
carried¡¡them¡¡cheaply£»¡¡the¡¡railway¡¡fares¡¡to¡¡Munich¡¡or¡¡
Paris¡¡were¡¡not¡¡cheap¡£¡¡¡¡Thus¡¡it¡¡was¡¡that¡¡he¡¡came¡¡to¡¡select¡¡
London¡¡as¡¡the¡¡scene¡¡of¡¡his¡¡great¡¡adventure¡£
The¡¡question¡¡that¡¡had¡¡long¡¡and¡¡seriously¡¡agitated¡¡
the¡¡frequenters¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Nuremberg¡¡was¡¡whether¡¡this¡¡goose¡
boy¡¡migrant¡¡was¡¡really¡¡a¡¡soul¡driven¡¡genius£»¡¡spreading¡¡
his¡¡wings¡¡to¡¡the¡¡light£»¡¡or¡¡merely¡¡an¡¡enterprising¡¡young¡¡
man¡¡who¡¡fancied¡¡he¡¡could¡¡paint¡¡and¡¡was¡¡pardonably¡¡anxious¡¡
to¡¡escape¡¡from¡¡the¡¡monotony¡¡of¡¡rye¡¡bread¡¡diet¡¡and¡¡the¡¡
sandy£»¡¡swine¡bestrewn¡¡plains¡¡of¡¡Pomerania¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡was¡¡
reasonable¡¡ground¡¡for¡¡doubt¡¡and¡¡caution£»¡¡the¡¡artistic¡¡
groups¡¡that¡¡foregathered¡¡at¡¡the¡¡little¡¡restaurant¡¡
contained¡¡so¡¡many¡¡young¡¡women¡¡with¡¡short¡¡hair¡¡and¡¡so¡¡many¡¡
young¡¡men¡¡with¡¡long¡¡hair£»¡¡who¡¡supposed¡¡themselves¡¡to¡¡be¡¡
abnormally¡¡gifted¡¡in¡¡the¡¡domain¡¡of¡¡music£»¡¡poetry£»¡¡
painting£»¡¡or¡¡stagecraft£»¡¡with¡¡little¡¡or¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡
support¡¡the¡¡supposition£»¡¡that¡¡a¡¡self¡announced¡¡genius¡¡of¡¡
any¡¡sort¡¡in¡¡their¡¡midst¡¡was¡¡inevitably¡¡suspect¡£¡¡¡¡On¡¡the¡¡
other¡¡hand£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡the¡¡ever¡imminent¡¡danger¡¡of¡¡
entertaining£»¡¡and¡¡snubbing£»¡¡an¡¡angel¡¡unawares¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡had¡¡
been¡¡the¡¡lamentable¡¡case¡¡of¡¡Sledonti£»¡¡the¡¡dramatic¡¡poet£»¡¡
who¡¡had¡¡been¡¡belittled¡¡and¡¡cold¡shouldered¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Owl¡¡
Street¡¡hall¡¡of¡¡judgment£»¡¡and¡¡had¡¡been¡¡afterwards¡¡hailed¡¡
as¡¡a¡¡master¡¡singer¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Grand¡¡Duke¡¡Constantine¡¡
Constantinovitch¡¡¡¡¡¡¨the¡¡most¡¡educated¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Romanoffs£»¡¨¡¡
according¡¡to¡¡Sylvia¡¡Strubble£»¡¡who¡¡spoke¡¡rather¡¡as¡¡one¡¡who¡¡
knew¡¡every¡¡individual¡¡member¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡imperial¡¡
family£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡matter¡¡of¡¡fact£»¡¡she¡¡knew¡¡a¡¡newspaper¡¡
correspondent£»¡¡a¡¡young¡¡man¡¡who¡¡ate¡¡BORTSCH¡¡with¡¡the¡¡air¡¡
of¡¡having¡¡invented¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡Sledonti's¡¡¡¨Poems¡¡of¡¡Death¡¡and¡¡
Passion¡¨¡¡were¡¡now¡¡being¡¡sold¡¡by¡¡the¡¡thousand¡¡in¡¡seven¡¡
European¡¡languages£»¡¡and¡¡were¡¡about¡¡to¡¡be¡¡translated¡¡into¡¡
Syrian£»¡¡a¡¡circumstance¡¡which¡¡made¡¡the¡¡discerning¡¡critics¡¡
of¡¡the¡¡Nuremberg¡¡rather¡¡shy¡¡of¡¡maturing¡¡their¡¡future¡¡
judgments¡¡too¡¡rapidly¡¡and¡¡too¡¡irrevocably¡£
As¡¡regards¡¡Knopfschrank's¡¡work£»¡¡they¡¡did¡¡not¡¡lack¡¡
opportunity¡¡for¡¡inspecting¡¡and¡¡appraising¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡However¡¡
resolutely¡¡he¡¡might¡¡hold¡¡himself¡¡aloof¡¡from¡¡the¡¡social¡¡
life¡¡of¡¡his¡¡restaurant¡¡acquaintances£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡not¡¡minded¡¡
to¡¡hide¡¡his¡¡artistic¡¡performances¡¡from¡¡their¡¡inquiring¡¡
gaze¡£¡¡¡¡Every¡¡evening£»¡¡or¡¡nearly¡¡every¡¡evening£»¡¡at¡¡about¡¡
seven¡¡o'clock£»¡¡he¡¡would¡¡make¡¡his¡¡appearance£»¡¡sit¡¡himself¡¡
down¡¡at¡¡his¡¡accustomed¡¡table£»¡¡throw¡¡a¡¡bulky¡¡black¡¡
portfolio¡¡on¡¡to¡¡the¡¡chair¡¡opposite¡¡him£»¡¡nod¡¡round¡¡
indiscriminately¡¡at¡¡his¡¡fellow¡guests£»¡¡and¡¡commence¡¡the¡¡
serious¡¡business¡¡of¡¡eating¡¡and¡¡drinking¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡the¡¡coffee¡¡
stage¡¡was¡¡reached¡¡he¡¡would¡¡light¡¡a¡¡cigarette£»¡¡draw¡¡the¡¡
portfolio¡¡over¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡begin¡¡to¡¡rummage¡¡among¡¡its¡¡
contents¡£¡¡¡¡With¡¡slow¡¡deliberation¡¡he¡¡would¡¡select¡¡a¡¡few¡¡
of¡¡his¡¡more¡¡recent¡¡studies¡¡and¡¡sketches£»¡¡and¡¡silently¡¡
pass¡¡them¡¡round¡¡from¡¡table¡¡to¡¡table£»¡¡paying¡¡especial¡¡
attention¡¡to¡¡any¡¡new¡¡diners¡¡who¡¡might¡¡be¡¡present¡£¡¡¡¡On¡¡the¡¡
back¡¡of¡¡each¡¡sketch¡¡was¡¡marked¡¡in¡¡plain¡¡figures¡¡the¡¡
announcement¡¡¡¨Price¡¡ten¡¡shillings¡£¡¨
If¡¡his¡¡work¡¡was¡¡not¡¡obviously¡¡stamped¡¡with¡¡the¡¡hall¡
mark¡¡of¡¡genius£»¡¡at¡¡any¡¡rate¡¡it¡¡was¡¡remarkable¡¡for¡¡its¡¡
choice¡¡of¡¡an¡¡unusual¡¡and¡¡unvarying¡¡theme¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡pictures¡¡
always¡¡represented¡¡some¡¡well¡known¡¡street¡¡or¡¡public¡¡place¡¡
in¡¡London£»¡¡fallen¡¡into¡¡decay¡¡and¡¡denuded¡¡of¡¡its¡¡human¡¡
population£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡place¡¡of¡¡which¡¡there¡¡roamed¡¡a¡¡wild¡¡
fauna£»¡¡which£»¡¡from¡¡its¡¡wealth¡¡of¡¡exotic¡¡species£»¡¡must¡¡
have¡¡originally¡¡escaped¡¡from¡¡Zoological¡¡Gardens¡¡and¡¡
travelling¡¡beast¡¡shows¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Giraffes¡¡drinking¡¡at¡¡the¡¡
fountain¡¡pools£»¡¡Trafalgar¡¡Square£»¡¨¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most¡¡
notable¡¡and¡¡characteristic¡¡of¡¡his¡¡studies£»¡¡while¡¡even¡¡
more¡¡sensational¡¡was¡¡the¡¡gruesome¡¡picture¡¡of¡¡¡¨Vultures¡¡
attacking¡¡dying¡¡camel¡¡in¡¡Upper¡¡Berkeley¡¡Street¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡There¡¡
were¡¡also¡¡photographs¡¡of¡¡the¡¡large¡¡canvas¡¡on¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡
been¡¡engaged¡¡for¡¡some¡¡months£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡he¡¡was¡¡now¡¡
endeavouring¡¡to¡¡sell¡¡to¡¡some¡¡enterprising¡¡dealer¡¡or¡¡
adventurous¡¡amateur¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡subject¡¡was¡¡¡¨Hyaenas¡¡asleep¡¡in¡¡
Euston¡¡Station£»¡¨¡¡a¡¡composition¡¡that¡¡left¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡be¡¡
desired¡¡in¡¡the¡¡way¡¡of¡¡suggesting¡¡unfathomed¡¡depths¡¡of¡¡
desolation¡£
¡¨Of¡¡course¡¡it¡¡may¡¡be¡¡immensely¡¡clever£»¡¡it¡¡may¡¡be¡¡
something¡¡epoch¡making¡¡in¡¡the¡¡realm¡¡of¡¡art£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Sylvia¡¡
Strubble¡¡to¡¡her¡¡own¡¡particular¡¡circle¡¡of¡¡listeners£»¡¡¡¨but£»¡¡
on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡it¡¡may¡¡be¡¡merely¡¡mad¡£¡¡¡¡One¡¡mustn't¡¡pay¡¡
too¡¡much¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡the¡¡commercial¡¡aspect¡¡of¡¡the¡¡case£»¡¡
of¡¡course£»¡¡but¡¡still£»¡¡if¡¡some¡¡dealer¡¡would¡¡make¡¡a¡¡bid¡¡for¡¡
that¡¡hyaena¡¡picture£»¡¡or¡¡even¡¡for¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sketches£»¡¡we¡¡
should¡¡know¡¡better¡¡how¡¡to¡¡place¡¡the¡¡man¡¡and¡¡his¡¡work¡£¡¨
¡¨We¡¡may¡¡all¡¡be¡¡cursing¡¡ourselves¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡days£»¡¨¡¡
said¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Nougat¡Jones£»¡¡¡¨for¡¡not¡¡having¡¡bought¡¡up¡¡his¡¡
entire¡¡portfolio¡¡of¡¡sketches¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡the¡¡same¡¡time£»¡¡when¡¡
there¡¡is¡¡so¡¡much¡¡real¡¡talent¡¡going¡¡about£»¡¡one¡¡does¡¡not¡¡
feel¡¡like¡¡planking¡¡down¡¡ten¡¡shillings¡¡for¡¡what¡¡looks¡¡like¡¡
a¡¡bit¡¡of¡¡whimsical¡¡oddity¡£¡¡¡¡Now¡¡that¡¡picture¡¡that¡¡he¡¡
showed¡¡us¡¡last¡¡week£»¡¡'Sand¡grouse¡¡roosting¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Albert¡¡
Memorial£»'¡¡was¡¡very¡¡impressive£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡course¡¡I¡¡could¡¡see¡¡
there¡¡was¡¡good¡¡workmanship¡¡in¡¡it¡¡and¡¡breadth¡¡of¡¡
treatment£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡didn't¡¡in¡¡the¡¡least¡¡convey¡¡the¡¡Albert¡¡
Memorial¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡and¡¡Sir¡¡James¡¡Beanquest¡¡tells¡¡me¡¡that¡¡
sand¡grouse¡¡don't¡¡roost£»¡¡they¡¡sleep¡¡on¡¡the¡¡ground¡£¡¨
Whatever¡¡talent¡¡or¡¡genius¡¡the¡¡Pomeranian¡¡artist¡¡
might¡¡possess£»¡¡it¡¡certainly¡¡failed¡¡to¡¡receive¡¡commercial¡¡
sanction¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡portfolio¡¡remained¡¡bulky¡¡with¡¡unsold¡¡
sketches£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡¡¨Euston¡¡Siesta£»¡¨¡¡as¡¡the¡¡wits¡¡of¡¡the¡¡
Nuremberg¡¡nicknamed¡¡the¡¡large¡¡canvas£»¡¡was¡¡still¡¡in¡¡the¡¡
market¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡outward¡¡and¡¡visible¡¡signs¡¡of¡¡financial¡¡
embarrassment¡¡began¡¡to¡¡be¡¡noticeable£»¡¡the¡¡half¡bottle¡¡of¡¡
cheap¡¡claret¡¡at¡¡dinner¡time¡¡gave¡¡way¡¡to¡¡a¡¡small¡¡glass¡¡of¡¡
lager£»¡¡and¡¡this¡¡in¡¡turn¡¡was¡¡displaced¡¡by¡¡water¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡one¡
and¡sixpenny¡¡set¡¡dinner¡¡receded¡¡from¡¡an¡¡everyday¡¡event¡¡to¡¡
a¡¡Sunday¡¡extravagance£»¡¡on¡¡ordinary¡¡days¡¡the¡¡artist¡¡
contented¡¡himself¡¡with¡¡a¡¡sevenpenny¡¡omelette¡¡and¡¡some¡¡
bread¡¡and¡¡cheese£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡were¡¡evenings¡¡when¡¡he¡¡did¡¡not¡¡
put¡¡in¡¡an¡¡appearance¡¡at¡¡all¡£¡¡¡¡On¡¡the¡¡rare¡¡occasions¡¡when¡¡
he¡¡spoke¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡affairs¡¡it¡¡was¡¡observed¡¡that¡¡he¡¡began¡¡
to¡¡talk¡¡more¡¡about¡¡Pomerania¡¡and¡¡less¡¡about¡¡the¡¡great¡¡
world¡¡of¡¡art¡£
¡¨It¡¡is¡¡a¡¡busy¡¡time¡¡there¡¡now¡¡with¡¡us£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said¡¡
wistfully£»¡¡¡¨the¡¡schwines¡¡are¡¡driven¡¡out¡¡into¡¡the¡¡fields¡¡
after¡¡harvest£»¡¡and¡¡must¡¡be¡¡looked¡¡after¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡could¡¡be¡¡
helping¡¡to¡¡look¡¡after¡¡if¡¡I¡¡was¡¡there¡£¡¡¡¡Here¡¡it¡¡is¡¡
difficult¡¡to¡¡live£»¡¡art¡¡is¡¡not¡¡appreciate¡£¡¨
¡¨Why¡¡don't¡¡you¡¡go¡¡home¡¡on¡¡a¡¡visit£¿¡¨¡¡some¡¡one¡¡asked¡¡
tactfully¡£
¡¨Ah£»¡¡it¡¡cost¡¡money£¡¡¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡the¡¡ship¡¡passage¡¡to¡¡
Stolpmunde£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡is¡¡money¡¡that¡¡I¡¡owe¡¡at¡¡my¡¡lodgings¡£¡¡¡¡
Even¡¡here¡¡I¡¡owe¡¡a¡¡few¡¡schillings¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡I¡¡could¡¡sell¡¡some¡¡
of¡¡my¡¡sketches¡¡¡¡¡¡¨
¡¨Perhaps£»¡¨¡¡suggested¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Nougat¡Jones£»¡¡¡¨if¡¡you¡¡were¡¡
to¡¡offer¡¡them¡¡for¡¡a¡¡little¡¡less£»¡¡some¡¡of¡¡us¡¡would¡¡be¡¡glad¡¡
to¡¡buy¡¡a¡¡few¡£¡¡¡¡Ten¡¡shillings¡¡is¡¡always¡¡a¡¡consideration£»¡¡
you¡¡know£»¡¡to¡¡people¡¡who¡¡are¡¡not¡¡over¡¡well¡¡off¡£¡¡¡¡Perhaps¡¡
if¡¡you¡¡were¡¡to¡¡ask¡¡six¡¡or¡¡seven¡¡shillings¡¡¡¡¡¡¨
Once¡¡a¡¡peasant£»¡¡always¡¡a¡¡peasant¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡mere¡¡
suggestion¡¡of¡¡a¡¡bargain¡¡to¡¡be¡¡struck¡¡brought¡¡a¡¡twinkle¡¡of¡¡
awakened¡¡alertness¡¡into¡¡the¡¡artist's¡¡eyes£»¡¡and¡¡hardened¡¡
the¡¡lines¡¡of¡¡his¡¡mouth¡£
¡¨Nine¡¡schilling¡¡nine¡¡pence¡¡each£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡snapped£»¡¡and¡¡
seemed¡¡disappointed¡¡that¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Nougat¡Jones¡¡did¡¡not¡¡pursue¡¡
the¡¡subject¡¡further¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡had¡¡evidently¡¡expected¡¡her¡¡to¡¡
offer¡¡seven¡¡and¡¡fourpence¡£
The¡¡weeks¡¡sped¡¡by£»¡¡and¡¡Knopfschrank¡¡came¡¡more¡¡rarely¡¡
to¡¡the¡¡restaurant¡¡in¡¡Owl¡¡Street£»¡¡while¡¡his¡¡meals¡¡on¡¡those¡¡
occasions¡¡became¡¡more¡¡and¡¡more¡¡meagre¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡then¡¡came¡¡a¡¡
triumphal¡¡day£»¡¡when¡¡he¡¡appeared¡¡early¡¡in¡¡the¡¡evening¡¡in¡¡a¡¡
high¡¡state¡¡of¡¡elation£»¡¡and¡¡ordered¡¡an¡¡elaborate¡¡meal¡¡that¡¡
scarcely¡¡stopped¡¡short¡¡of¡¡being¡¡a¡¡banquet¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡ordinary¡¡
resources¡¡of¡¡the¡¡kitchen¡¡were¡¡supplemented¡¡by¡¡an¡¡imported¡¡
dish¡¡of¡¡smo