地下墓穴（1）（在线收听）

THE NEW CATACOMB

“Look here, Burger,” said Kennedy, “I do wish that you would confide in me.”

The two famous students of Roman remains sat together in Kennedy’s comfortable room overlooking the Corso. The night was cold, and they had both pulled up their chairs to the unsatisfactory Italian stove which threw out a zone of stuffiness rather than of warmth. Outside under the bright winter stars lay the modern Rome, the long, double chain of the electric lamps, the brilliantly lighted cafes, the rushing carriages, and the dense throng upon the footpaths. But inside, in the sumptuous chamber of the rich young English archaeologist, there was only old Rome to be seen. Cracked and timeworn friezes hung upon the walls, grey old busts of senators and soldiers with their fighting heads and their hard, cruel faces peered out from the corners. On the centre table, amidst a litter of inscriptions, fragments, and ornaments, there stood the famous reconstruction by Kennedy of the Baths of Caracalla, which excited such interest and admiration when it was exhibited in Berlin. Amphorae hung from the ceiling, and a litter of curiosities strewed the rich red Turkey carpet. And of them all there was not one which was not of the most unimpeachable authenticity, and of the utmost rarity and value; for Kennedy, though little more than thirty, had a European reputation in this particular branch of research, and was, moreover, provided with that long purse which either proves to be a fatal handicap to the student’s energies, or, if his mind is still true to its purpose, gives him an enormous advantage in the race for fame. Kennedy had often been seduced by whim and pleasure from his studies, but his mind was an incisive one, capable of long and concentrated efforts which ended in sharp reactions of sensuous languor. His handsome face, with its high, white forehead, its aggressive nose, and its somewhat loose and sensual mouth, was a fair index of the compromise between strength and weakness in his nature.

地下墓穴

“嘿，伯格，”肯尼迪说，“真希望你能信任我。”

两位研究古罗马文物的学者坐在肯尼迪那舒适的房间里。这是个寒冷的夜晚，两人把椅子挪到炉边，意大利式的炉子并不令人满意，散发的不是温暖，而是憋闷。外面，在冬天明亮的星空之下是现代的罗马，路边两串长长的电灯，灯火通明的咖啡馆，飞奔的马车，人行道上拥挤的人群。而在室内，在这位富有的英国年轻考古学家的豪华房间里，能看见的只有古罗马。墙上挂着年深月久已经破损的带饰，灰色的古代胸像，有元老院议员，还有士兵一一戴着头盔，面容冷酷严峻，在角落里窥视着。在中央的桌子上放着一堆破烂，断简残篇、碑铭、饰品，其中包括肯尼迪修复的著名的《喀拉凯之浴》，此画在柏林展览时曾引起极大的兴趣和称赞。天花板上悬挂着几只双耳细颈瓶，在贵重的红色土耳其地毯上散放着形形色色的古董，无一不是价值连城的极品，其真实性和可靠性毋庸置疑，因为肯尼迪虽然年仅三十出头，却已在这一特殊的研究领域取得了全欧洲公认的声誉，而且拥有巨额财富一一这肯定会分散一名学者的研究精力，但如果他的头脑固守在既定的方向上，也会有助于他扩大知名度。奇思怪想和寻欢作乐常常使肯尼迪离开研究工作，可是他的头脑十分敏捷，经得起长时间高度紧张的工作，而一番勤奋之后则是倦怠和沉问。英俊的脸庞，高高的白皙的额头，雄心勃勃的鼻子，松软的性感的嘴唇，分明显示着他性格中的刚强和软弱。