Волхв

Chapter 1

           Histemperwaslikeaviolentreddog,andhealwayshaditclosetohand.

           ThewishfultraditionisthatourfamilycameoverfromFranceaftertheRevocationoftheEdictofNantesnobleHuguenotsremotelyalliedtoHonoréd’Urfe,authoroftheseventeenth-centurybestsellerL’Astrée.CertainlyifoneexcludesanotherequallyunsubstantiatedlinkwithTomDurfey,CharlesII’sscribblingfriendnootherofmyancestorsshowedanyartisticleaningswhatever;generationaftergenerationofcaptains,clergymen,sailors,squirelings,withonlyauniformlackofdistinctionandamarkedpenchantforgambling,andlosing,tocharacterizethem.MygrandfatherhadfourSons,twoofwhomdiedintheFirstWorldWar;thethirdtookanunsavorywayofpayingoffhisatavism(gamblingdebts)anddisappearedtoAmerica.Hewasneverreferredtoasstillexistingbymyfather,ayoungestbrotherwhohadallthecharacteristicsthateldestaresupposedtopossess;andIhavenottheleastideawhetherheisstillalive,orevenwhetherIhaveunknowncousinsontheothersideoftheAtlantic.

           DuringmylastyearsatschoolIrealizedthatwhatwasreallywrongwithmyparentswasthattheyhadnothingbutablanketcontemptforthesortoflifeIwantedtolead.Iwas"good"atEnglish,Ihadpoemsprintedpseudonymouslyintheschoolmagazine,IthoughtD.H.Lawrencethegreatesthumanbeingofthecentury;myparentshadcertainlyneverreadLawrence,andhadprobablyneverheardofhimexceptinconnectionwithLadyChatterley’sLover.

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