Портрет художника в юности
Chapter 5
Donovanagainlaidhishandonhischestandsaid:
—Ourendistheacquisitionofknowledge.Thenhesaidquickly:
—Ihearyouarewritingsomeessaysaboutesthetics.Stephenmadeavaguegestureofdenial.
—GoetheandLessing,saidDonovan,havewrittenalotonthatsubject,theclassicalschoolandtheromanticschoolandallthat.TheLaocooninterestedmeverymuchwhenIreadit.Ofcourseitisidealistic,German,ultra-profound.
Neitheroftheothersspoke.Donovantookleaveofthemurbanely.
—Imustgo,hesaidsoftlyandbenevolently,Ihaveastrongsuspicion,amountingalmosttoaconviction,thatmysisterintendedtomakepancakestodayforthedinneroftheDonovanfamily.
—Goodbye,Stephensaidinhiswake.Don’tforgettheturnipsformeandmymate.
Lynchgazedafterhim,hislipcurlinginslowscorntillhisfaceresembledadevil’smask:
—Tothinkthatthatyellowpancake-eatingexcrementcangetagoodjob,hesaidatlength,andIhavetosmokecheapcigarettes!
TheyturnedtheirfacestowardsMerrionSquareandwentforalittleinsilence.
—TofinishwhatIwassayingaboutbeauty,saidStephen,themostsatisfyingrelationsofthesensiblemustthereforecorrespondtothenecessaryphasesofartisticapprehension.Findtheseandyoufindthequalitiesofuniversalbeauty.