第十一章（第12/20页）

如今，这些奢华的古宅逐渐被拆毁，乔治时代（注：乔治一世到乔治四世统治时期，1714-1830）的府邸正在消亡。就连弗里奇利，那座乔治时代美轮美奂的古老庄园，也难逃被夷为平地的宿命，康妮乘车路过时，正好目睹这一切。这座府邸几经修缮，依旧完好，大战爆发前，韦瑟利家族住在那里，过着骄奢淫逸的生活。但时过境迁，现在它显得太过庞大，太费金钱，与周围的环境也格格不入。贵族老爷们纷纷离去，寻找新的天堂，在那里，他们依然可以挥金如土，但无需过问钱财的来路。历史就是如此。旧日的英格兰被今时的取而代之。煤矿曾让这些府邸富丽堂皇。而此刻，却将它们送上覆灭的道路，先前，平头百姓的农舍同样遭遇过这样的命运。农业的英格兰被工业的所取代。新旧的理念交替更迭。旧英格兰被新英格兰所取代。历史的演进并非顺理成章，而是呆板僵化的。

Connie, belonging to the leisured classes, had clung to the remnants of the old England. It had taken her years to realize that it was really blotted out by this terrifying new and gruesome England, and that the blotting out would go on till it was complete. Fritchley was gone, Eastwood was gone, Shipley was going: Squire Winter's beloved Shipley.

属于有闲阶级的康妮，对旧英格兰的遗迹恋恋不舍。直至时过境迁，她才认识到旧英格兰确实已被可怖的后来者毁灭，而这种更新换代的过程仍在继续，直到彻底完成为止。弗里奇利消失不见，伊斯特伍德无踪无影，希普利也将灰飞烟灭，那可是“乡绅温特”心爱的府邸。

Connie called for a moment at Shipley. The park gates, at the back, opened just near the level crossing of the colliery railway; the Shipley colliery itself stood just beyond the trees. The gates stood open, because through the park was a right-of-way that the colliers used. They hung around the park.

康妮短暂拜访了希普利府。宅邸后面的园林大门敞开，距离煤矿铁路的平交路口很近，而希普利煤矿本就坐落在树林的彼端。园门之所以敞开，是因为矿工们拥有通行权。他们总在其中徘徊游荡。

The car passed the ornamental ponds, in which the colliers threw their newspapers, and took the private drive to the house. It stood above, aside, a very pleasant stucco building from the middle of the eighteenth century. It had a beautiful alley of yew trees, that had approached an older house, and the hall stood serenely spread out, winking its Georgian panes as if cheerfully. Behind, there were really beautiful gardens.

汽车经过观赏水池，里面漂着矿工们丢弃的废报纸，驶上直通宅邸的私人车道。这座讨人喜爱的灰泥建筑矗立在路旁，它始建于18世纪中叶。屋前有条美丽的紫杉小径，昔日曾通往某栋更加古旧的府邸。整座宅院安详沉静地舒展着身躯，乔治时代的玻璃窗格似乎正快活地眨着眼睛。宅邸后面是美轮美奂的花园。

Connie liked the interior much better than Wragby. It was much lighter, more alive, shapen and elegant. The rooms were panelled with creamy painted panelling, the ceilings were touched with gilt, and everything was kept in exquisite order, all the appointments were perfect, regardless of expense. Even the corridors managed to be ample and lovely, softly curved and full of life.

比起拉格比，这里的内部陈设更让康妮倾心。希普利光线充足，生机勃勃，布置格整，美观雅致。房间的墙壁都嵌着木板，漆成奶油色，天花板则采用了包金工艺，每件物什都整饬有序，所有摆设都尽善尽美，从不考虑所需的开销。甚至连走廊都设计得宽敞漂亮，优雅迤逦，充满活力。

But Leslie Winter was alone. He had adored his house. But his park was bordered by three of his own collieries. He had been a generous man in his ideas. He had almost welcomed the colliers in his park. Had the miners not made him rich! So, when he saw the gangs of unshapely men lounging by his ornamental waters—not in the private part of the park, no, he drew the line there—he would say: "the miners are perhaps not so ornamental as deer, but they are far more profitable." But that was in the golden—monetarily—latter half of Queen Victoria's reign. Miners were then "good working men'.