Портрет художника в юности
Chapter 5
—Thisraceandthiscountryandthislifeproducedme,hesaidIshallexpressmyselfasIam.
—Trytobeoneofus,repeatedDavin.InheartyouareanIrishmanbutyourprideistoopowerful.
—MyancestorsthrewofftheirlanguageandtookanotherStephensaid.Theyallowedahandfulofforeignerstosubjectthem.DoyoufancyIamgoingtopayinmyownlifeandpersondebtstheymade?Whatfor?
—Forourfreedom,saidDavin.
—Nohonourableandsincereman,saidStephen,hasgivenuptoyouhislifeandhisyouthandhisaffectionsfromthedaysofTonetothoseofParnell,butyousoldhimtotheenemyorfailedhiminneedorreviledhimandlefthimforanother.Andyouinvitemetobeoneofyou.I’dseeyoudamnedfirst.
—Theydiedfortheirideals,Stevie,saidDavin.Ourdaywillcomeyet,believeme.
Stephen,followinghisownthought,wassilentforaninstant.
—Thesoulisborn,hesaidvaguely,firstinthosemomentsItoldyouof.Ithasaslowanddarkbirth,moremysteriousthanthebirthofthebody.Whenthesoulofamanisborninthiscountrytherearenetsflungatittoholditbackfromflight.Youtalktomeofnationality,language,religion.Ishalltrytoflybythosenets.
Davinknockedtheashesfromhispipe.
—Toodeepforme,Stevie,hesaid.Butaman’scountrycomesfirst.Irelandfirst,Stevie.