Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 4
JustimaginewhenIwasinBelgiumIusedtoseethemoutcyclinginallkindsofweatherwiththisthingupabouttheirknees!Itwasreallyridiculous.LESJUPES,theycalltheminBelgium.
Thevowelwassomodifiedastobeindistinct.
—Whatdotheycallthem?
—LESJUPES.
—O!
Stephensmiledagaininanswertothesmilewhichhecouldnotseeonthepriest’sshadowedface,itsimageorspectreonlypassingrapidlyacrosshismindasthelowdiscreetaccentfelluponhisear.Hegazedcalmlybeforehimatthewaningsky,gladofthecooloftheeveningandofthefaintyellowglowwhichhidthetinyflamekindlinguponhischeek.
Thenamesofarticlesofdresswornbywomenorofcertainsoftanddelicatestuffsusedintheirmakingbroughtalwaystohismindadelicateandsinfulperfume.AsaboyhehadimaginedthereinsbywhichhorsesaredrivenasslendersilkenbandsanditshockedhimtofeelatStradbrookethegreasyleatherofharness.Ithadshockedhim,too,whenhehadfeltforthefirsttimebeneathhistremulousfingersthebrittletextureofawoman’sstockingfor,retainingnothingofallhereadsavethatwhichseemedtohimanechooraprophecyofhisownstate,itwasonlyamidsoft-wordedphrasesorwithinrose-softstuff’sthathedaredtoconceiveofthesoulorbodyofawomanmovingwithtenderlife.
