第32章

Christfoxinleathertrews，hiding，arunawayinblightedtreeforksfromhueandcry。Knowingnovixen，walkinglonelyinthechase。Womenhewontohim，tenderpeople，awhoreofBabylon，ladiesofjustices，bullytapsters’wives。Foxandgeese。AndinNewPlaceaslackdishonouredbodythatoncewascomely，onceassweet，asfreshascinnamon，nowherleavesfalling，all，bare，frightedofthenarrowgraveandunforgiven。

Yes。Soyouthink。

Thedoorclosedbehindtheoutgoer。

Restsuddenlypossessedthediscreetvaultedcell，restofwarmandbroodingair。

Avestal’slamp。

Herehepondersthingsthatwerenot：whatCaesarwouldhavelivedtodohadhebelievedthesoothsayer：whatmighthavebeen：possibilitiesofthepossibleaspossible：thingsnotknown：whatnameAchillesborewhenhelivedamongwomen。

Coffinedthoughtsaroundme，inmummycases，embalmedinspiceofwords。

Thoth，godoflibraries，abirdgod，moonycrowned。AndIheardthevoiceofthatEgyptianhighpriest。Inpaintedchambersloadedwithtilebooks。

Theyarestill。Oncequickinthebrainsofmen。Still：butanitchofdeathisinthem，totellmeinmyearamaudlintale，urgemetowreaktheirwill。

Certainly，JohnEglintonmused，ofallgreatmenheisthemostenigmatic。

Weknownothingbutthathelivedandsuffered。Notevensomuch。Othersabideourquestion。Ashadowhangsoveralltherest。

ButHamletissopersonal，isn’tit？MrBestpleaded。Imean，akindofprivatepaper，don’tyouknow，ofhisprivatelife。ImeanI

don’tcareabutton，don’tyouknow，whoiskilledorwhoisguilty……

Herestedaninnocentbookontheedgeofthedesk，smilinghisdefiance。

Hisprivatepapersintheoriginal。Taanbadarantir。Taimimoshagart。

Putbeurlaonit，littlejohn。

QuothlittlejohnEglinton：

IwaspreparedforparadoxesfromwhatMalachiMulligantoldusbutImayaswellwarnyouthatifyouwanttoshakemybeliefthatShakespeareisHamletyouhaveasterntaskbeforeyou。

Bearwithme。

Stephenwithstoodthebaneofmiscreanteyes，glintingsternunderwrinkledbrows。Abasilisk。Equandovedel’uomol’attosca。MesserBrunetto，Ithanktheefortheword。

Aswe，ormotherDana，weaveandunweaveourbodies，Stephensaid，fromdaytoday，theirmoleculesshuttledtoandfro，sodoestheartistweaveandunweavehisimage。AndasthemoleonmyrightbreastiswhereitwaswhenIwasborn，thoughallmybodyhasbeenwovenofnewstufftimeaftertime，sothroughtheghostoftheunquietfathertheimageoftheunlivingsonlooksforth。Intheintenseinstantofimagination，whenthemind，Shelleysays，isafadingcoal，thatwhichIwasisthatwhichIamandthatwhichinpossibilityImaycometobe。Sointhefuture，thesisterofthepast，ImayseemyselfasIsitherenowbutbyreflectionfromthatwhichthenIshallbe。

DrummondofHawthorndenhelpedyouatthatstile。

Yes，MrBestsaidyoungly，IfeelHamletquiteyoung。ThebitternessmightbefromthefatherbutthepassageswithOpheliaaresurelyfromtheson。

Hasthewrongsowbythelug。Heisinmyfather。Iaminhisson。

Thatmoleisthelasttogo，Stephensaid，laughing。

JohnEglintonmadeanothingpleasingmow。

Ifthatwerethebirthmarkofgenius，hesaid，geniuswouldbeadruginthemarket。TheplaysofShakespeare’slateryearswhichRenanadmiredsomuchbreatheanotherspirit。

Thespiritofreconciliation，thequakerlibrarianbreathed。

Therecanbenoreconciliation，Stephensaid，iftherehasnotbeenasundering。

Saidthat。

IfyouwanttoknowwhataretheeventswhichcasttheirshadowoverthehelloftimeofKingLear，Othello，Hamlet，TroilusandCressida，looktoseewhenandhowtheshadowlift