Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 5
Hebegantobeatthefrayedendofhisashplantagainstthebaseofapillar.HadCranlynotheardhim?Yethecouldwait.Thetalkabouthimceasedforamomentandasofthissfellagainfromawindowabove.Butnoothersoundwasintheairandtheswallowswhoseflighthehadfollowedwithidleeyesweresleeping.
Shehadpassedthroughthedusk.Andthereforetheairwassilentsaveforonesofthissthatfell.Andthereforethetonguesabouthimhadceasedtheirbabble.Darknesswasfalling.
Darknessfallsfromtheair.
Atremblingjoy,lambentasafaintlight,playedlikeafairyhostaroundhim.Butwhy?Herpassagethroughthedarkeningairortheversewithitsblackvowelsanditsopeningsound,richandlutelike?
Hewalkedawayslowlytowardsthedeepershadowsattheendofthecolonnade,beatingthestonesoftlywithhissticktohidehisreveryfromthestudentswhomhehadleft:andallowedhismindtosummonbacktoitselftheageofDowlandandByrdandNash.
Eyes,openingfromthedarknessofdesire,eyesthatdimmedthebreakingeast.Whatwastheirlanguidgracebutthesoftnessofchambering?AndwhatwastheirshimmerbuttheshimmerofthescumthatmantledthecesspoolofthecourtofaslobberingStuart.
