the grey room(灰房间)-第38章
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troubled him。 But it seemed that he enjoyed putting a strain upon their
impatience。
〃Beautiful pieces；〃 he said； 〃but not Spanish； as you led me to suppose。
Spanish chestnut wood； but nothing else Spanish about them。 They are
of the Italian Renaissance； and it is most seemly that Italian craftsmanship
of such high order should repose here； under an Italian ceiling。 Strange
to say； my sleeping apartment at Rome closely resembles this room。 I
live in a villa that dates from the fifteenth century； and belonged to the
Colonna。 My chests are more superb than these； but your suite … the bed
and chairs … I confess are better than mine。 There is； however； a reason
for that。 Let us examine them for the sake of Mrs。 May。 Are these carved
chairs； with their reliefs of dancing putti； familiar to her … the figures； I
mean？〃
Mary shook her head。
〃Then it is certain that in your Italian wanderings you did not go to
Prato。 These groups of children dancing and blowing horns are very
cleverly copied from Donatello's famous pulpit in the duomo。 The design
is carried on from the chairs to the footboard of the bed； but in their midst
upon the footboard is let in this oval； easel…picture； painted on wood。 It
is faded； and the garlands have withered in so many hundred years； as well
they might； but I can feel the dead color quite well； and I also know who
painted it。〃
〃Is it possible； signor … this faint ghost of a picture？〃
〃There exists no doubt at all。 You see a little Pinturicchio。 Note the
gay bands of variegated patterns； the arabesques and fruits。 Their hues
have vanished； but their forms and certain mannerisms of the master are
unmistakable。 These dainty decorations were the sign manual of such
quattrocento painters as Gozzoli and Pinturicchio； and to these men he； for
whom these works of art were created； assigned the painting and
adornment of the Vatican。 We will come to him directly。 It was for
Michelangelo to make the creations of these artists mere colored bubbles
and froth； when seen against the immensity and intellectual grandeur of
his future masterpieces in the Sistine。 But that was afterwards。 We are
concerned with the Pope for whom these chairs and this bed were made。
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Yes； a Pope； my friends … no less a personage than Alexander VI。！〃
He waited； like a skilled actor； for the tremendous sensation he
expected and deserved。 But it did not come。 Unhappily for Signor
Mannetti's great moment； his words conveyed no particular impression to
anybody。
Sir Walter asked politely：
〃And was he a good； or a bad Pope？ I fear many of those gentlemen
had little to their credit。〃
But the signor felt the failure of his great climax。 At first he regretted
it； and a wave of annoyance； even contempt； passed unseen through his
mind； then he was glad that the secret should be hidden for another four…
and…twenty hours； to gain immensely in dramatic sensation by delay。
Already he was planning the future； and designing wonderful histrionics。
He could not be positive that he was right； though now the old man felt
very little doubt。
He did not answer Sir Walter's question； but asked one himself。
〃The detectives examined this apartment with meticulous care； you
say？〃
〃They did indeed。〃
〃And yet what can care and zeal do； what can the most conscientious
student achieve if his activities are confounded by ignorance？ The
amazing thing to me is that nobody should have had the necessary
information to lead them at least in the right direction。 And yet I run on
too fast。 After all； who shall be blamed； for it is； of course； the Grey
Room and nothing but the Grey Room we are concerned with。 Am I
right？ The Grey Room has the evil fame？〃
〃Certainly it has。〃
〃And yet a little knowledge of a few peculiar facts … a pinch of history
… yet； once again； who shall be blamed？ Who can be fairly asked to
possess that pinch of history which means so much in this room？〃
〃How could history have helped us； signor？〃 asked Henry Lennox。
〃I shall tell you。 But history is always helpful。 There is history
everywhere around us … not only here； but in every other department of
this noble house。 Take these chairs。 By the accident of training； I read
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in them a whole chapter of the beginnings of the Renaissance； to you they
are only old furniture。 You thought them Spanish because they were
bought in Spain … at Valencia； as a matter of fact。 You did not know that；
Sir Walter； but your grandfather purchased them there … to the despair and
envy of another collector。 Yes； these chairs have speaking faces to me；
just as the ceiling over them has a speaking face also。 It； too； is copied。
History； in fact； breathes its very essence in this home。 If I knew more
history than I do； then other beautiful things would talk to me as freely as
these chairs … and as freely as the trophies of the chase and the tiger skins
below no doubt talk to Sir Walter。 But are we not all historical … men；
women； even children？ To exist is to take your place in history； though；
as in my case； the fact will not be recorded save in the 'Chronicles' of the
everlasting。 Yes； I am ancient history now； and go far back； before Italy
was a united kingdom。 Much entertainng information will be lost for
ever when I die。 Believe me； while the new generation is crying forth the
new knowledge and glorying in its genius； we of the old guard are sinking
into our graves and taking the old knowledge with us。 Yet they only
rediscover for themselves what we know。 Human life is the snake with
its tail in its mouth … Nietzsche's eternal recurrenceand the commonplaces
of our forefathers are echoed on the lips of our children as great
discoveries。〃
Henry Lennox ventured to bring him back to the point。
〃What knowledge … what particular branch of information should a
man possess； signor； to find out what you have found？〃
〃Merely an adornment； my young friend； a side branch of withered
learning； not cultivated； I fear； by your Scotland Yard。 Yet I have known
country gentlemen to be skilled in it。 The practice of heraldry。 I
marked your arms on your Italian gates。 I must look at those gates again
… they are not very good； I fear。 But the arms … a chevron between three
lions … a fine coat； yet probably not so ancient as the gates。〃
〃It was such a thing as bothered me in Florence；〃 said Sir Walter。 〃I'd
seen it before somewhere； but where I know not … a bull's head of gold on
a red field。〃
Signor Mannetti started and laughed。
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〃Ha …ha！ We will come to the golden bull presently； Sir Walter。 You
shall meet him I promise you！〃
Then he broke off and patted his forehead。
〃But I go too quickly … far too quickly indeed。 I must rest my poor
brain now； or it will rattle in my head like a dry walnut。 When it begins
to rattle； I know that I have done enough for the present。 May I walk in the
garden again … not alone； but with your companionship？〃
〃Of course； unless you would like to retire and rest for a while。〃
〃Presently I shall do so。 And please permit nobody to enter the Grey
Room but myself。 Not a soul must go or come without me。〃
Sir Walter spoke。
〃You still believe the peril is material then … an active； physical thing；
controlled by a conscious human intelligence？〃
〃If I am right； it certainly is active enough。〃
They went into the garden； and Signor Mannetti； finding a snug seat in
the sun； decided to stop there。 Henry and his uncle exchanged glances；
and the latter found his faith weakening； for the Italian's mind appeared to
wander。 He became more and more irrelevant； as it seemed。 He spoke
again of the old dog who was at his master's feet。
〃Euthanasia for the aged。 Why not？ For that matter； I have
considered it for myself in dark moments。 Have you ever wondered why
we destroy our pets； for love of them； yet suffer our fellow creatures to
exist and endure to the very dregs Nature's most fiendish methods of
dissolution？ Again one of those terrible problems where mercy and
religion cannot see eye to eye。〃
They uttered appropriate sentiments； and again the old man changed
the subject and broke new ground。
〃There was a prince … not your old dog … but a royal lad of the East …
Prince Djem； the brother of the Sultan Bajazet。 Do you know that story？
Possibly not … it is unimportant enough； and to this day the sequel of the
incident is buried in a mystery as profound as that of the Grey Room。
Our later historians whitewash Alexander VI。 concerning the matter of
Prince Djem； but then it is so much the habit of later historians to
whitewash everybody。 A noble quality in human nature perhaps … to try
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and see the best； even while one can only do so by ignoring the worst。
Certainly； as your poet says； 'Distance makes the heart grow fonder'； or； at
any rate； softer。 There is a tendency to side with the angels where we are
