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第41章 古瓷器 1（第1页）

第41章古瓷器（1）

Olda

查尔斯·兰姆CharlesLamb

Ihaveanalmostfemiialityforolda。WhenIgotoseeahouse，Iiheadhepicturegallery。Iotdefendtheorderofpreferebysayingthatwehaveallsometasteorother，oftooaetoadmitofourrememberingdistinctlythatitwasanae。Iiplay，aexhibition，thatIwastakento；butIamnotsewhenajarsandsaucerswereiomyimagination。

Ihadnhen—whyshouldIhoselittle，lawless，azure-tiesques，thatuionofmeabout，uncircumscribedbyahatworldbeforeperspective—aateacup。

Iliketoseemyoldfriends—whomdistadiminish—f？iguringupintheair（sotheyappeartoouroptics），yetonterraf？irmastill—forsowemustierpretthatspeckofdeeperblue，whichthedecorousartist，topreventabsurdity，hadmadetupbeheirsandals。

Ilovethemenwithwomehewomen，ifpossible，withstillmoreressions。

Hereisayoungandandarin，haoaladyfromasalver—twomilesoff。Seehowdistaoffrespedherethesamelady，oranother—forlikenessisidentityonteacups—issteppingintoalittlefairyboat，mooredohersideofthiscalmgardehadaintymingfoot，whiarightangleofinglesgoinourworld）mustinfalliblylahemidstofaf？lowerymead—furlongoffohersideofthesamestraream！

Fartheron—iffarornearbepredicatedoftheirworld—seehodas，dangthehays。

Here—adrabbitt，aensive—soobjectsshow，seenthroughthelucidatmosphereoff？ihay。

Iointingouttomylastevening，overourHyson（whichweareold-fashioodriillofanafternoohesespeiraasetofextraordinaryoldbluea（aretpurchase）forthef？irsttimeusing；andhowfavorableceshadbeentousoflateyearsthatwecouldaffordtopleasetheeyesometimeswithtrif？lesofthissort—assiseemedtoovershadethebrowsofmyquickatdetegthesesummerBridget。

“Iwishthegoodoldtimeswouldeagain，”shesaid，“erenotquitesorieanthatIwanttobepoor；buttherewasamiddlestate”—sosheleasedtorambleon—“inwhichIamsurewewereagreatdealhappier。Apurchaseisbutapurowthatyouhavemoneyenoughandtospare。Formerlyitusedtobeatriumph。Wheedacheapluxury（and，O！HowmuchadoIhadtogetyoutothosetimes！）—wewereusedtohaveadebatetwoorthreedaysbefore，ahefainst，andthispareitoutof，andwhatsavingwecouldhitupon，thatshouldbeahingwaswthehemowepaidforit。

“Doyourememberthebrownsuit，whiadetohanguponyou，tillallyourfriendscriedshameuponyou，itgrewsothreadbare—andallbecauseofthatfolioBeaumontacher，whichyedhomelateatnightfromBarker’siGarden？Doyourememberhowweeyeditforweeksbeforeweakeupourmindstothepurdhaderminationtillitwaseno’clockoftheSaturdaytyoushouldbetoolate—aheoldbooksellerwithsopenedhisshop，awinklingtaper（forhewassettingbedwards）lightedouttherelihisdustytreasures—andwhenyouluggedithome，wishiwicease—andwhetome—andereexpltheperfeessofit（g，youcalledit）—andairiheselooseleaveswithpaste，whipatienotsuffertobelefttilldaybreak—wastherenopleasureinbeingapoorman？Orthoseblackclotheswhichyouwearnow，andaresocarefultokeepbrushed，sincewehavebeeridf？inical，giveyouhalfthehoywithwhichyouf？lauaboutinthatoverwornsuit—youroldcorbeau—forfourorf？iveweekslohanyoushouldhavedoopacifyyourightysumoff？ifteen—orsixteenshillingswasit？—agreataffairwethoughtitthen—whichyouhadlavishedontheoldfolio。Nowyouaffordtobuyanybookthatpleasesyou，butIdoymehomeanyniceoldpurow。

“WhehtoloutalessnumberofshillingsuponthatprintafterLeonardo，whichweedthe‘LadyBlanyoulookatthepurdthoughtofthemohoughtofthemoney，andlookedagaiure—wastherenopleasureinbeingapoorman？Now，youhavenothingtodobuttowalkintoaghi’s，andbuyawildernessofLeodoyou？