Портрет художника в юности
Chapter 1
WasthatasinforFatherArnalltobeinawaxorwasheallowedtogetintoawaxwhentheboyswereidlebecausethatmadethemstudybetterorwasheonlylettingontobeinawax?Itwasbecausehewasallowed,becauseapriestwouldknowwhatasinwasandwouldnotdoit.Butifhediditonetimebymistakewhatwouldhedotogotoconfession?Perhapshewouldgotoconfessiontotheminister.Andiftheministerdidithewouldgototherector:andtherectortotheprovincial:andtheprovincialtothegeneralofthejesuits.Thatwascalledtheorder:andhehadheardhisfathersaythattheywereallclevermen.Theycouldallhavebecomehigh-uppeopleintheworldiftheyhadnotbecomejesuits.AndhewonderedwhatFatherArnallandPaddyBarrettwouldhavebecomeandwhatMrMcGladeandMrGleesonwouldhavebecomeiftheyhadnotbecomejesuits.Itwashardtothinkwhatbecauseyouwouldhavetothinkoftheminadifferentwaywithdifferentcolouredcoatsandtrousersandwithbeardsandmoustachesanddifferentkindsofhats.
Thedooropenedquietlyandclosed.Aquickwhisperranthroughtheclass:theprefectofstudies.Therewasaninstantofdeadsilenceandthentheloudcrackofapandybatonthelastdesk.Stephen’sheartleaptupinfear.
—Anyboyswantflogginghere,FatherArnall?criedtheprefectofstudies.Anylazyidleloafersthatwantflogginginthisclass?
HecametothemiddleoftheclassandsawFlemingonhisknees.
