"Machen, Arthur - The Shining Pyramid" - читать интересную книгу автора (Machen Arthur)

THE SHINING PYRAMID

Chapter 1 - The Arrow-head Character

"Haunted, you said?"

"Yes, haunted. Don't you remember, when I saw you three years ago, you told me
about your place in the west with the ancient woods hanging all about it, and
the wild, domed hills, and the ragged land? It has always remained a sort of
enchanted picture in my mind as I sit at my desk and hear the traffic rattling
the street in the midst of whirling London. But when did you come up?"

"The fact is, Dyson, I have only just got out of the train. I drove to the
station early this morning and caught the 10.45."

"I am very glad you looked in on me. How have you been getting on since we last
met? There is no Mrs. Vaughan, I suppose?"

"No" said Vaughan, "I am still a hermit, like yourself. I have done nothing but
loaf about."

Vaughan had lit his pipe and sat in the elbow chair, fidgeting and glancing
about him in a somewhat dazed and restless manner. Dyson had wheeled round his
chair when his visitor entered and sat with one arm fondly reclining on the desk
of his bureau, and touching the litter of manuscript.

"And you are still engaged in the old task?" said Vaughan, pointing to the pile
of papers and the teeming pigeon-holes.

"Yes, the vain pursuit of literature, as idle as alchemy, and as trancing. But
you have come to town for some time I suppose, what shall we do to-night?"

"Well, I rather wanted you try a few days with me down in the west. It would do
you a lot of good, I'm sure.

"You are very kind, Vaughan, but London in September is hard to leave. Dorщ
could not have designed anything more wonderful and mystic than Oxford Street as
I saw it the other evening; the sunset flaming, the blue haze transmuting the
plain street into a road 'far in the spiritual city.' "

"I should like you to come down though. You would enjoy roaming over our hills.
Does this racket go on all day and all night? It quite bewilders me; I wonder
how you can work through it. I am sure you would revel in the great peace of my
old home among the woods."

Vaughan lit his pipe again, and looked anxiously at Dyson to if his inducements
had had any effect, but the man of letters shook his head, smiling, and vowed in
his heart a firm allegiance to the streets.

"You cannot tempt me," he said.