Пробный камень
VI
Touchettcried;“anythingforachangeofair!I’mpositivelysickofthebookandIcan’tputitdown.Can’tyousailusbeyonditsreach,Mr.Flamel?”
Flamelshookhishead.“Notevenwiththisbreeze.Literaturetravelsfasterthansteamnowadays.Andtheworstofitisthatwecan’tanyofusgiveupreading;it’sasinsidiousasaviceandastiresomeasavirtue.”
“Ibelieveitisavice,almost,toreadsuchabookasthe‘Letters,’”saidMrs.Touchett.“It’sthewoman’ssoul,absolutelytornupbytheroots—herwholeselflaidbare;andtoamanwhoevidentlydidn’tcare;whocouldn’thavecared.Idon’tmeantoreadanotherline;it’stoomuchlikelisteningatakeyhole.”
“Butifshewanteditpublished?”
“Wantedit?Howdoweknowshedid?”
“Why,Iheardshe’dlefttheletterstotheman—whoeverheis—withdirectionsthattheyshouldbepublishedafterhisdeath—”
“Idon’tbelieveit,”Mrs.Touchettdeclared.
“He’sdeadthen,ishe?”oneofthemenasked.
“Why,youdon’tsupposeifhewerealivehecouldeverholduphisheadagain,withtheselettersbeingreadbyeverybody?”Mrs.Touchettprotested.“Itmusthavebeenhorribleenoughtoknowthey’dbeenwrittentohim;buttopublishthem!Nomancouldhavedoneitandnowomancouldhavetoldhimto—”
“Oh,come,come,”Dreshamjudiciallyinterposed;“afterall,they’renotlove-letters.”
“No—that’stheworstofit;they’reunlovedletters,”Mrs.Touchettretorted.
