Портрет художника в юности
Chapter 5
—DidyouknowthattheForstersarethekingsofBelgium?heasked.
Cranlycameoutthroughthedooroftheentrancehall,hishatthrustbackonthenapeofhisneckandpickinghisteethwithcare.
Andhere’sthewiseacre,saidTemple.DoyouknowthatabouttheForsters?
Hepausedforananswer.Cranlydislodgedafigseedfromhisteethonthepointofhisrudetoothpickandgazedatitintently
—TheForsterfamily,Templesaid,isdescendedfromBaldwintheFirst,kingofFlanders.HewascalledtheForester.ForesterandForsterarethesamename.AdescendantofBaldwintheFirst,captainFrancisForster,settledinIrelandandmarriedthedaughterofthelastchieftainofClanbrassil.ThentherearetheBlakeForsters.That’sadifferentbranch.
—FromBaldhead,kingofFlanders,Cranlyrepeated,rootingagaindeliberatelyathisgleaminguncoveredteeth.
—Wheredidyoupickupallthathistory?O’Keeffeasked.
—Iknowallthehistoryofyourfamily,too,Templesaid,turningtoStephen.DoyouknowwhatGiraldusCambrensissaysaboutyourfamily?
—IshedescendedfromBaldwintoo?askedatallconsumptivestudentwithdarkeyes.
—Baldhead,Cranlyrepeated,suckingatacreviceinhisteeth.
—PERNOBILISETPERVETUSTAFAMILIA,TemplesaidtoStephen.Thestoutstudentwhostoodbelowthemonthestepsfartedbriefly.