第6部分(第1/7 页)

o　drink　deep　of　the　wines　of　Hell。

He　stared　at　his　face　as　though　it　were；　as　indeed　it　soon　appeared　to　be；　the　face　of　a　stranger；　astranger　who　held　secrets　that　John　could　never　know。　And；　having　thought　of　it　as　the　face　of　astranger；　he　tried　to　look　at　it　as　a　stranger　might；　and　tried　to　discover　what　other　people　saw。　Buthe　saw　only　details：　two　great　eyes；　and　a　broad；　low　forehead；　and　the　triangle　of　his　nose；　and　hisenormous　mouth；　and　the　barely　perceptible　cleft　in　his　chin；　which　was；　his　father　said；　the　markof　the　devil’s　little　finger。　These　details　did　not　help　him；　for　the　principle　of　their　unity　wasundiscoverable；　and　he　could　not　tell　what　he　most　passionately　desired　to　know：　whether　his　facewas　ugly　or　not。

And　he　dropped　his　eyes　to　the　mantelpiece；　lifting　one　by　one　the　objects　that　adorned　it。

The　mantelpiece　held；　in　brave　confusion；　photographs；　greeting　cards；　flowered　mottoes；　twosilver　candlesticks　that　held　no　candles；　and　a　green　metal　serpent；　poised　to　strike。　To…day　in　hisapathy　John　stared　at　them；　not　seeing；　he　began　to　dust　them　with　exaggerated　care　of　theprofoundly　preoccupied。　One　of　the　mottoes　was　pink　and　blue；　and　proclaimed　in　raised　letters；which　made　the　work　of　dusting　harder：

e　in　the　evening；　or　e　in　the　morning；e　when　you’re　looked　for；　or　e　without　warning；A　thousand　weles　you’ll　find　here　before　youAnd　the　oftener　you　e　here；　the　more　we’ll　adore　you。

And　the　other；　in　letters　of　fire　against　a　background　of　gold；　stated：

For　God　so　loved　the　world；　that　He　gave　His　only　begotten　Son；　that　whosoevershould　believe　in　Him　should　not　perish；　but　have　everlasting　life。

John　iii；　16These　somewhat　unrelated　sentiments　decorated　either　side　of　the　mantelpiece；　obsc