【荆棘鸟】第七章 09

  The last two sheets were covered by the same precise, almost minute writing. As mean and grudging 1 as her soul.
      I, Mary Elizabeth Carson, being of sound mind and sound body, do hereby declare that this is my last will and testament 2, thereby 3 rendering 4 null and void any such testaments 5 previously 6 made by me. Save only for the special bequests 8 made below, all my worldly goods and moneys and properties I bequeath to the Holy Catholic Church of Rome, under the hereby stated conditions of bequest 7: First, that the said Holy Catholic Church of Rome, to be called the Church hereafter, knows in what esteem 9 and with what affection I hold her priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. It is solely 10 because of his kindness, spiritual guidance and unfailing support that I so dispose of my assets.
     Secondly, that the bequest shall continue in the favor of the Church only so long as she appreciates the worth and ability of the said Father Ralph de Bricassart. 
     Thirdly, that the said Father Ralph de Bricassart be responsible for the administration and channeling of these my worldly goods, moneys and properties, as the chief authority in charge of my estate.
     Fourthly, that upon the demise 11 of the said Father Ralph de Bricassart, his own last will and testament shall be legally binding 12 in the matter of the further administration of my estate. That is, the Church shall continue in full ownership, but Father Ralph de Bricassart shall be solely responsible for the naming of his successor in administration; he shall not be obliged to select a successor who is either an ecclesiastical or a lay member of the Church. 
     Fifthly, that the station Drogheda be never sold nor subdivided 13.
     Sixthly, that my brother, Padraic Cleary, be retained as manager of the station Drogheda with the right to dwell in my house, and that he be paid a salary at the discretion 14 of Father Ralph de Bricassart and no other. 
     Seventhly, that in the event of the death of my brother, the said Padraic Cleary, his widow and children be permitted to remain on the station Drogheda and that the position of manager shall pass consecutively 15 to each of his sons, Robert, John, Hugh, Stuart, James and Patrick, but excluding Francis. 
     Eighthly, that upon the demise of Patrick or whichever son excluding Francis is the last son remaining, the same rights be permitted the said Padraic Cleary’s grandchildren. 
     Special bequests: To Padraic Cleary, the contents of my houses on the station Drogheda. To Eunice Smith, my housekeeper 16, that she remain at a fair salary so long as she desires, and in addition that she be paid the sum of five thousand pounds forthwith, and that upon her retirement 17 she be awarded an equitable 18 pension. 
     To Minerva O’Brien and Catherine Donnelly, that they remain at fair salaries so long as they desire, and in addition that they be paid the sum of one thousand pounds each forthwith, and that upon their retirements 19 they be awarded equitable pensions. 
     To Father Ralph de Bricassart the sum of ten thousand pounds to be paid annually 20 so long as he shall live, for his own private and unquestioned use. 
     It was duly signed, dated and witnessed. His room looked west. The sun was setting. The pall 21 of dust which came with every summer filled the silent air, and the sun thrust its fingers through the fine-strung particles so that it seemed the whole world had turned to gold and purple. Streaky clouds rimmed 22 in brilliant fire poked 23 silver streamers across the great bloody 24 ball which hung just above the trees of the far paddocks. 
     “Bravo!” he said. “I admit, Mary, you’ve beaten me. A master stroke. I was the fool, not you.” He could not see the pages in his hand through the tears, and moved them before they could be blotched. Thirteen million pounds. Thirteen million pounds! It was indeed what he had been angling for in the days before Meggie. And with her coming he had abandoned it, because he couldn’t carry on such a campaign in cold blood to cheat her of her inheritance. But what if he had known how much the old spider was worth? 
     What then? He had no idea it was a tenth so much. Thirteen million pounds! For seven years Paddy and his family had lived in the head stockman’s house and worked themselves ragged 25 for Mary Carson. For what? The niggardly 26 wages she paid? Never to Father Ralph’s knowledge had Paddy complained of being shabbily treated, thinking no doubt that when his sister died he would be amply repaid for managing the property on ordinary stockman’s pay, while his sons did stockman’s work for rouseabout’s wages. He had made do, and grown to Jove Drogheda as if it were his own, rightly assuming it would be. 
     “Bravo, Mary!” said Father Ralph again, these first tears since his boyhood dropping from his face onto the backs of his hands, but not onto the paper. Thirteen million pounds, and the chance to be Cardinal 27 de Bricassart yet. Against Paddy Cleary, his wife, his sons—and Meggie. How diabolically 28 well she had read him! Had she stripped Paddy of everything, his way would have been clear: he could have taken the will down to the kitchen stove and thrust it inside the firebox without a qualm. But she had made sure Paddy wouldn’t want, that after her death he would be more comfortable on Drogheda than during her life, and that Drogheda could not quite be taken from him. Its profits and title, yes, but not the land itself. No, he wouldn’t be the owner of that fabulous 29 thirteen million pounds, but he would be well respected, comfortably provided for. Meggie wouldn’t go hungry, or be thrown shoeless upon the world. Nor would she be Miss Cleary, either, able to stand on an equal footing with Miss Carmichael and that ilk. Quite respectable, socially admissible, but not top drawer. Never top drawer. 
     Thirteen million pounds. The chance to get out of Gillanbone and perpetual obscurity, the chance to take his place within the hierarchy 30 of Church administration, the assured goodwill 31 of his peers and superiors. And all while he was still young enough to make up the ground he had lost. Mary Carson had made Gillanbone the epicenter of the Archbishop Papal Legate’s map with a vengeance 32; the tremors 33 would reach as far as the Vatican. Rich though the Church was, thirteen million pounds was thirteen million pounds. Not to be sneezed at, even by the Church. And his was the sole hand which brought it into the fold, his hand acknowledged in blue ink in Mary Carson’s own writing. He knew Paddy would never contest the will; so had Mary Carson, God rot her. Oh, certainly Paddy would be furious, would never want to see him again or speak to him again, but his chagrin 34 wouldn’t extend to litigation. Was there a decision? Didn’t he already know, hadn’t he known the moment he read her will what he was going to do? The tears had dried. 
     With his usual grace Father Ralph got to his feet, made sure his shirt was tucked in all the way round, and went to the door. He must get to Gilly, pick up a soutane and vestments. But first he wanted to see Mary Carson again. In spite of the open windows the stench had become a reeking 35 fug; no hint of a breeze stirred the limp curtains. With steady tread he crossed to the bed and stood looking down. The fly eggs were beginning to hatch maggots in all the wet parts of her face, ballooning gases puffed 36 up her fat arms and hands to greenish blobs, her skin was breaking down. Oh, God. You disgusting old spider. You’ve won, but what a victory. The triumph of one disintegrating 37 caricature of humanity over another. You can’t defeat my Meggie, nor can you take from her what was never yours. I might burn in Hell alongside you, but I know the Hell they’ve got planned for you: to see my indifference 38 to you persist as we rot away together through all eternity…. 
     Paddy was waiting for him in the hall downstairs, looking sick and bewildered. 
     “Oh, Father!” he said, coming forward. “Isn’t this awful? What a shock! I never expected her to go out like this; she was so well last night! Dear God, what am I going to do?” “Have you seen her?” “Heaven help me, yes!” “Then you know what has to be done. I’ve never seen a corpse 39 decompose 40 so fast. If you don’t get her decently into some sort of container within the next few hours you’ll have to pour her into a petrol drum. She’ll have to be buried first thing in the morning. Don’t waste time beautifying her coffin 41; cover it with roses from the garden or something. But get a move on, man! I’m going into Gilly for vestments.” “Get back as soon as you can, Father!” Paddy pleaded. But Father Ralph was rather longer than a simple visit to the presbytery demanded. 
     Before he turned his car in that direction he drove down one of Gillanbone’s more prosperous side streets, to a fairly pretentious 42 dwelling 43 surrounded by a well-laid-out garden. Harry 44 Gough was just sitting down to his dinner, but came into the parlor 45 when the maid told him who had called. 
     “Father, will you eat with us? Corned beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes and parsley sauce, and for once the beef’s not too salty.”      
     “No, Harry, I can’t stay. I just came to tell you Mary Carson died this morning.” “Holy Jesus! I was there last night! She seemed so well, Father!”
 

后两页纸也同样是用那种精确的、几乎是缜密的文笔写成的，就象她的灵魂一样刻薄、充满恶意。
　　我，玛丽·伊丽莎白·卡森，以我健全之头脑与身体在此宣布，此件是我最后的遗嘱与遗言。因此，先前由我所立之任何遗嘱均属无效，并作废。
　　除下述特别之遗嘱外，我在世间的一切动产、钱财及房地产均遗留给圣罗马天主教会，特此将遗赠条件阐述如下：
　　一、上述之圣罗马天主教会下文简称教会。请教会了解我对其教士拉尔夫·德·布里克萨特所持有的尊重与钟爱之感。仅仅由于他的慈善、宗教上的指导与永不辜负期望的支持，我才将我的财产做出如此之处置。
　　二、只要教会赏识上述之拉尔夫·德·布里克萨特神父之价值与才干，此项遗产则将继续支持教会的事业。
　　三、上述之拉尔夫·德·布里克萨特神父为掌管我财产的主要负责人，负责管理、指导使用我在世的动产、钱财及房地产。
　　四、上述之拉尔夫·德·布里克萨特神父去世之后，对于我的遗产的下一步之管理处置将合法地受他最后的遗嘱及遗言之约束、即，教会将继续拥有全部的所有权，但拉尔夫·德·布里克萨特神父将全权负责对他的管理继承人进行提名；不得迫使他选择一位教士或教会的世俗成员作为他的继承人。
　　五、德罗海达牧场永远不得出售，不得再行划分。
　　六、我的弟弟帕德里克·克利里受雇为德罗海达牧场之管理人，并有权居住在我的房子中。他的薪水由拉尔夫·德·布里克萨特神父自由决定付与，而不得由其他人决定。
　　七、在我弟弟，上述之帕德里克·克利里死亡的情况下，其未亡人及子女将允许留在德罗海达牧场；管理人之职位将按顺序由其子罗伯特、约翰、休、斯图尔特、詹姆斯及帕特里克中之一人接任，但弗郎西斯除外。
　　八、在帕特里克或任何一子死亡，而弗郎西斯为留世之最后一子的情况下，同样权利得由上述帕德里克·克利里之孙享受。
　　特殊处理之遗产：
　　帕特里克·克利里，得继承我在德罗海达机场之房屋内所有物品。
　　我的女管家尤妮斯·史密斯，得保留其所希望之优厚薪水，此外，即刻付与她5000镑；在她退休时，给予公平合理之退休金。
　　明纳妮·奥矾维恩和凯瑟琳·唐纳利，得保留其所希望之薪水，此外，即刻付与每人1000镑；在他们退休时，给予公平合理之退休金。
　　拉尔夫·德·布里克萨特神父，只要他在世，则每年付与其一万镑作为其私人不受调查之费用。
　　这份文件是经过正式签名，签署日期及证人确证的。
　　他的房间面西。夕阳即将西沉。每年夏天，尘幕都在静静的空气中到处漂浮着，阳光穿过微细尘粉，世间万籁仿佛变成了金黄和紫红色。变幻多端的云朵镶上了耀眼的亮边，云蒸霞蔚，掠过压在树尖和远方牧场之上的如血火球。
　　"妙啊！"他说道。"我承认，玛丽，你已经把我战胜了。精彩的一击。傻瓜是我，不是你。"
　　泪水模糊了视线，他看不清纸上的字了，他没等泪水打在纸上便把它们拿开了。一千三百万镑。一千三百万镑啊！这正是在梅吉来到之前的那些日子中他打算追逐的东西。而随着她的到来，他就放弃了这个打算，因为他不能冷酷地进行这种竞争，使她的继承付诸东流。但是，假使他曾经知道这老蜘蛛所拥有的财产的价值，他会如何呢？那样又会发生什么情况呢？他连这笔财产的十分之一都没想到。一千三百万镑啊！
　　七年来，帕迪和他的家人住在牧场工头的房子里，狂热地为玛丽·卡森干活儿。他们为了什么？就为了她付给的那点可怜的工资吗？拉尔夫神父从来没有听到过帕迪曾抱怨过这种菲薄的待遇。他毫不怀疑，在他姐姐去世之后，看在他拿着普通牧工工资管理着这片产业，同时他的儿子们拿着打杂工的工钱干着牧羊工的活儿的份上，他们一定会得到丰厚的报答的。他凑凑合合地过着日子，对德罗海达的热爱愈来愈深，好像它是他的一样，理所当然地设想它将会归于他。
　　"妙啊，玛丽！"拉尔夫神父又说道，自从他少年时代以来，泪水头一次落在了他的手背上，不过没有落到纸上。
　　一千三百万镑，这也是成为德·布里克萨特红衣主教的机会。这不利于帕迪、他的妻子、他的儿子们--还有梅吉。她像魔鬼似地把他看透了！她把帕迪的一切都剥夺了。他要怎样做，本来是一清二楚的：他可以把这份遗嘱投进厨房的火炉，毫不迟疑地捅到炉膛里去。但是，她已经断定了帕迪是不会生妄念的，她死后他在德罗海达的生活将比她在世的时候要舒适得多，德罗海达简直不可能被人从他手中夺走。是的，这是件有利益，有权利的事，但并没有得到土地的本身。不，他不会成为那笔令人难以置信的一千三百万镑的拥有者。但是，他将备受尊敬，会有一笔相当不错的赡养费。梅吉不会挨饿，或光着脚流落世上的。她不会成为梅吉小姐，也无法与卡迈克尔小姐及其同等地位的那些人平起平坐。他们会受到相当的尊重，社会的承认，但是不会进入社会的最上层。永远也进入不了社会的最上层。
　　一千三百万镑。这是从基兰博脱身和脱离终生湮没无闻的机会；是博取教会行政统治集团中的一席之地，保证他得酬壮志、忝列上层的机会。如今他年纪尚轻，足以补偿他失去的地盘。玛丽·卡森怀着报复心理使基兰博变成了主教使节任命版图的中心；这震动会一直传到罗马教廷的。尽管教会十分富有，但一千三百万镑毕竟是一千三百万镑啊。即使是教会，也不能对它等闲视之。而且，完全是由于他个人的力量才使这笔钱得以来归，玛丽·卡森已经白纸黑字地承认了他的力量。他知道，帕迪是永远无法对这份遗嘱进行争议的，玛丽·卡森已经永远无法来争议了，上帝惩罚她。哦，当然啦，帕迪会勃然震怒，会永远不想再见到他或再和他讲话的，但是，他的恼恨不会发展成一场官司。
　　他有决断了吗？在他读着她的遗嘱的那一刻，他已经知道他该怎么去做了吗？泪水已经干了、拉尔夫带着往日的风度站了起来，确信他整个衣裾上没有折皱之后，便向门口走去。他必须到基里去取一件法衣和祭服。但首先，他想再看一眼玛丽·卡森。
　　尽管窗户洞开着，屋里依然弥漫着混浊沉闷的恶臭；一丝风也没有，无精打彩的窗帘一动不动。他稳重地迈着步子走到了床边，站在那里低头看着。她面部每一处潮湿的地方，蝇卵已经开始孵化出了蛆，肿胀的胳膊变成了绿乎乎的一团，皮肤已经破了。噢，上帝呀。你这个令人作呕的老蜘蛛。你已经赢了，但这是一个什么样的胜利啊。这是一个行将化为粪土的漫画式的人对另外一个人的胜利。你无法战胜我的梅吉，也无法从她那里夺走你永远得不到的东西。我也许将在地狱中与你并排被烈火焚烧，但是我了解为你所准备的地狱：当你坚持要我们在无穷的永恒中一起腐烂的时候，你会看到我是不在乎的……
　　帕迪正在大厅的楼下等候着他，脸色苍白，手足无措。
　　"啊，神父！"他趋前说道。"这难道不可怕吗？多让人震惊呀！我从来没想到她地这样就去了；昨儿晚上她还那么好啊！亲爱的上帝啊，我怎么办才好呢？"
　　"你见过她了吗？"
　　"苍天保佑，见过了！"
　　"那么你就知道必须做些什么了。我还从来没有见过一具尸体腐烂得这么快呢。假如你不在几小时之内把她体面地放到某种容器中，你就不得不把她倒进汽油罐了。明天上午的头一件事，就是必须把她下葬。用不着浪费时间给她做漂亮的棺材，用花园里的玫瑰花或其它什么东西把棺材盖住。可是要赶快啦，伙计！我要到基里去取法衣。"
　　"请尽快回来，神父！"帕迪恳求道。
　　但是，拉尔夫神父此一去比单单到神父宅邸去一趟所需的时间要长得多。在他将汽车向神父宅邸方向拐过去之前。先把车开到了基兰博比较繁华的侧街上，来到了一个坐落在花园之中的相当俗气的寓所。
　　哈里·高夫刚坐下来要吃饭，可是，当女仆告诉他来访者是什么人后，他便走进了会客室。
　　"神父，和我们一块儿吃点吧？腌牛肉、白菜、水煮土豆和欧芹酱，这次的牛肉不算太咸。"
　　"不啦，哈里，我呆不住。我只是到这儿来告诉你，玛丽·卡森今天早晨去世了。"
　　"圣耶稣啊！我昨天夜里还在那儿呢！她显得多好呀，神父！"