the vision spendid(美景)-第8节
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！
bothering about other people's souls？ Better look out for your own。〃
Thomas； a scion of one of the best families in Verden； looked as if he
had been slapped in the face。
〃Why Farnum； II spoke for your good。〃
〃No； you didn't；〃 contradicted Jeff flatly。 〃You don't care a hang about
me。 You've never noticed me before。 We're not friends。 You've always
disliked me。 But you want the credit of bringing me into the fold。 It's
damned impertinent of you。〃
The Senior retired with a white face。 He was furious； but he thought it
due himself to turn the other cheek by saying nothing。 He reported his
version to a circle of friends； and from them it spread like grass seed in the
wind。 Soon it was generally known that Jeff Farnum had grossly insulted
with blasphemy a man who had tried to save his soul。
Two days later Miller met Jeff at the door of Frome 15。
〃You're in bad！ Jeff。 What the deuce did you do to Sissy Thomas？〃
〃Gave him some good advice。〃
Miller grinned。 〃I'll bet you did。 The little cad has been poisoning the
wells against you。 Look there。〃
A young woman of their class had passed into the room。 Her glance
had fallen upon Farnum and been quickly averted。
〃That's the first time Bessie Vroom ever cut you；〃 Sam continued
30
… Page 31…
THE VISION SPLENDID
angrily。 〃Thomas is responsible。 I've heard the story a dozen times
already。〃
〃I only told him to mind his own business。〃
〃He can't。 He's a born meddler。 Now he's queered you with the whole
place。〃
〃Can't help it。 I wasn't going to let him get away with his impudence。
Why should I？〃 Miller shrugged。 〃Policy； my boy。 Better take the advice
of Cousin James and crawl into your shell till the storm has pelted past。〃
Half an hour later Jeff met his cousin near the chapel and was taken to
task。
〃What's this I hear about your insulting Thomas？〃
〃You have it wrong。 He insulted me；〃 Jeff corrected with a smile。
〃Tommyrot！ Why couldn't you treat him right？〃
〃Didn't like to throw him through the window on account of littering
up the lawn with broken glass。 〃
James K。's handsome square…cut face did not relax to a smile。 〃You
may think this a joke； but I don't。 I've heard the Chancellor is going to call
you on the carpet。〃
〃If he does he'll learn what I think。〃
The upper classman's anger boiled over。 〃You might think of me a
little。〃
〃Didn't know you were in this； J。 K。〃
〃They know I'm your cousin。 It's hurting my reputation。〃
A faint ironic smile touched Jeff's face。 〃No； James； I'm helping it。
Ever notice how blondes and brunettes chum together。 Value of contrasts；
you see。 I'm a moral brunette。 You're a shining example of all a man
should be。 I simply emphasize your greatness。〃
〃That's not the way it works；〃 his cousin grumbled。
〃That's just how it works。 Best thing that could happen to you would
be for me to get expelled。 Shall I？〃
Jeff offered his suggestion debonairly。
〃Of course not。〃
〃It would give you just the touch of halo you need to finish the picture。
Think of it： your noble head bowed in grief because of the unworthy
31
… Page 32…
THE VISION SPLENDID
relative you had labored so hard to save； the sympathy of the faculty； the
respect of the fellows； the shy adoration of the co…eds。 Great Brutus bowed
by the sorrow of a strong man's unrepining emotion。 By Jove； I ought to
give you the chance。 You'd look the part to admiration。〃
For a moment James saw himself in the role and coveted it。 Jeff read
his thought； and his laughter brought his cousin back to earth。 He had the
irritated sense of having been caught。
〃It's not an occasion for talking nonsense；〃 he said coldly。
Jeff sensed his disgrace in the stiff politeness of the professors and in
the embarrassed aloofness of his classmates。 Some of the men frankly
gave him a wide berth as if he had been a moral pervert。
His temperament was sensitive to slights and he fell into one of his
rare depressions。 One afternoon he took the car for the city。 He wanted to
get away from himself and from his environment。
A chill mist was in the air。 Drawn by the bright lights； Jeff entered a
saloon and sat down in an alcove with his arms on the table。 Why did they
hammer him so because he told the truth as he saw it？ Why must he toady
to the ideas of Bland as everybody else at the University seemed to do？ He
was not respectable enough for them。 That was the trouble。 They were
pushing him back into the gutter whence he had emerged。 Wild
fragmentary thoughts chased themselves across the record of his brain。
Almost before he knew it he had ordered and drunk a highball。
Immediately his horizon lightened。 With the second glass his depression
vanished。 He felt equal to anything。
It was past nine o'clock when he took the University car。 As chance
had it Professor Perkins and he were the only passengers。 The teacher of
Economics bowed to the flushed youth and buried himself in a book。 It
was not till they both rose to leave at the University station that he noticed
the condition of Farnum。 Even then he stood in momentary doubt。
With a maudlin laugh Jeff quieted any possible explanation of sickness。
〃Been havin' little spree down town； Profeshor。 Good deal like one
ev'body been havin' out here。 Yours shpiritual； mine shpirituous。 Joke； see！
Play on wor'd。 Shpiritualshpirituous。〃
〃You're intoxicated； sir；〃 Perkin；s told him sternly。
32
… Page 33…
THE VISION SPLENDID
〃Betcherlife I am； old cock！ Ever get shpshpshpiflicated yourself？〃
〃Go home and go to bed； sir！〃
〃Whaffor？ 'S early yet。 'S reasonable man I ask whaffor？〃
The professor turned away； but Jeff caught at his sleeve。
〃Lesh not go to bed。 Lesh talk economicsh。〃
〃Release me at once； sir。〃
〃Jush's you shay。 Shancellor wants see me。 I'll go now。〃
He did。 What occurred at that interview had better be omitted。 Jeff was
very cordial and friendly； ready to make up any differences there might be
between them。 An ice statue would have been warm compared to the
Chancellor。
Next day Jeff was publicly expelled。 At the time it did not trouble him
in the least。 He had brought a bottle home with him from town； and when
the notice was posted he lay among the bushes in a sodden sleep half a
mile from the campus。
PART 2
From a great distance there seemed to come to Jeff vaguely the sound
of young rippling laughter and eager girlish voices。 Drawn from heavy
sleep； he was not yet fully awake。 This merriment might be the music of
fairy bells； such stuff as dreams are made of。 He lay incurious； drowsiness
still heavy on his eyelids。
〃Oh； Virgie； here's another bunch！ Oh； girls； fields of them！〃
There was a little rush to the place； and with it a rustle of skirts that
sounded authentic。 Jeff began to believe that his nymphs were not born of
fancy。 He opened his eyes languidly to examine a strange world upon
which he had not yet focused his mind。
Out of the ferns a dryad was coming toward him； lance straight；
slender； buoyantly youthful in the light tread and in the poise of the golden
head。
At sight of him she paused； held in her tracks； eyes grown big with
solicitude。
〃You are ill。〃
Before he could answer she had dropped the anemones she carried；
33
… Page 34…
THE VISION SPLENDID
was on her knees beside him； and had his head cushioned against her arm。
〃Tell me！ What can I do for you？ What is the matter？〃
Jeff groaned。 His head was aching as if it would blow up； but that was
not the cause of the wave of pain which had swept over him。 A realization
had come to him of what was the matter with him。 His eyes fell from hers。
He made as if to get up； but her hand restrained him
