‘But surely,’ said Cecily reflectively, ‘tobacco was not discovered in England then. Akbar came to the throne in 1526.’
‘Nor Carlyle either for that matter,’ I hastened to observe. ‘Nevertheless, I think Mr. Tottenham’s proposition must stand.’
‘Thanks, Mrs. Farnham,’ said Dacres. ‘But imagine Miss Farnham’s remembering Akbar’s date! I’m sure you didn’t!’
‘Let us hope she doesn’t know too much about him,’ I cried gaily11, ‘or there will be nothing to tell!’
‘Oh, really and truly very little!’ said Cecily, ‘but as soon as we heard papa would be stationed here Aunt Emma made me read up about those old Moguls and people. I think I remember the dynasty. Baber, wasn’t he the first? And then Humayon, and after him Akbar, and then Jehangir, and then Shah Jehan. But I’ve forgotten every date but Akbar’s.’
She smiled her smile of brilliant health and even spirits as she made the damaging admission, and she was so good to look at, sitting there simple and wholesome12 and fresh, peeling her banana with her well-shaped fingers, that we swallowed the dynasty as it were whole, and smiled back upon her. John, I may say, was extremely pleased with Cecily; he said she was a very satisfactory human accomplishment13. One would have thought, positively14, the way he plumed15 himself over his handsome daughter, that he alone was responsible for her. But John, having received his family, straightway set off with his Staff on a tour of inspection16, and thereby17 takes himself out of this history. I sometimes think that if he had stayed — but there has never been the lightest recrimination between us about it, and I am not going to hint one now.
‘Did you read,’ asked Dacres, ‘what he and the Court poet wrote over the entrance gate to the big mosque18 at Fattehpur-Sikri? It’s rather nice. “The world is a looking-glass, wherein the image has come and is gone — take as thine own nothing more than what thou lookest upon.”’
My daughter’s thoughtful gaze was, of course, fixed19 upon the speaker, and in his own glance I saw a sudden ray of consciousness; but Cecily transferred her eyes to the opposite wall, deeply considering, and while Dacres and I smiled across the table, I saw that she had perceived no reason for blushing. It was a singularly narrow escape.
‘No,’ she said, ‘I didn’t; what a curious proverb for an emperor to make! He couldn’t possibly have been able to see all his possessions at once.’
‘If you have finished,’ Dacres addressed her, ‘do let me show you what your plain and immediate20 duty is to the garden. The garden waits for you — all the roses expectant —’
‘Why, there isn’t one!’ cried Cecily, pinning on her hat. It was pleasing, and just a trifle pathetic, the way he hurried her out of the scope of any little dart21; he would not have her even within range of amused observation. Would he continue, I wondered vaguely22, as, with my elbows on the table, I tore into strips the lemon-leaf that floated in my finger-bowl — would he continue, through life, to shelter her from his other clever friends as now he attempted to shelter her from her mother? In that case he would have to domicile her, poor dear, behind the curtain, like the native ladies — a good price to pay for a protection of which, bless her heart! she would be all unaware23. I had quite stopped bemoaning24 the affair; perhaps the comments of my husband, who treated it with broad approval and satisfaction, did something to soothe25 my sensibilities. At all events, I had gradually come to occupy a high fatalistic ground towards the pair. If it was written upon their foreheads that they should marry, the inscription26 was none of mine; and, of course, it was true, as John had indignantly stated, that Dacres might do very much worse. One’s interest in Dacres Tottenham’s problematical future had in no way diminished; but the young man was so positive, so full of intention, so disinclined to discussion — he had not reopened the subject since that morning in the saloon of the Caledonia — that one’s feeling about it rather took the attenuated27 form of a shrug28. I am afraid, too, that the pleasurable excitement of such an impending29 event had a little supervened; even at forty there is no disallowing30 the natural interests of one’s sex. As I sat there pulling my lemon-leaf to pieces, I should not have been surprised or in the least put about if the two had returned radiant from the lawn to demand my blessing31. As to the test of quality that I had obligingly invented for Dacres on the spur of the moment without his knowledge or connivance32, it had some time ago faded into what he apprehended33 it to be — a mere34 idyllic35 opportunity, a charming background, a frame for his project, of prettier sentiment than the funnels36 and the hand-rails of a ship.
Mr. Tottenham had ten days to spend with us. He knew the place well; it belonged to the province to whose service he was dedicated37, and he claimed with impressive authority the privilege of showing it to Cecily by degrees — the Hall of Audience today, the Jessamine Tower tomorrow, the tomb of Akbar another, and the Deserted38 City yet another day. We arranged the expeditions in conference, Dacres insisting only upon the order of them, which I saw was to be cumulative39, with the Taj at the very end, on the night precisely40 of the full of the moon, with a better chance of roses. I had no special views, but Cecily contributed some; that we should do the Hall of Audience in the morning, so as not to interfere41 with the club tennis in the afternoon, that we should bicycle to Akbar’s tomb and take a cold luncheon42 — if we were sure there would be no snakes — to the Deserted City, to all of which Dacres gave loyal assent43. I endorsed44 everything; I was the encouraging chorus, only stipulating45 that my number should be swelled46 from day to day by the addition of such persons as I should approve. Cecily, for instance, wanted to invite the Bakewells because we had come out in the same ship with them; but I could not endure the Bakewells, and it seemed to me that our having made the voyage with them was the best possible reason for declining to lay eyes on them for the rest of our natural lives. ‘Mamma has such strong prejudices,’ Cecily remarked, as she reluctantly gave up the idea; and I waited to see whether the graceless Tottenham would unmurmuringly take down the Bakewells. How strong must be the sentiment that turns a man into a boa-constrictor without a pang47 of transmigration! But no, this time he was faithful to the principles of his pre-Cecilian existence. ‘They are rather Boojums,’ he declared. ‘You would think so, too, if you knew them better. It is that kind of excellent person that makes the real burden of India.’ I could have patted him on the back.
Thanks to the rest of the chorus, which proved abundantly available, I was no immediate witness to Cecily’s introduction to the glorious fragments which sustain in Agra the memory of the moguls. I may as well say that I arranged with care that if anybody must be standing48 by when Dacres disclosed them, it should not be I. If Cecily had squinted49, I should have been sorry, but I would have found in it no personal humiliation50. There were other imperfections of vision, however, for which I felt responsible and ashamed; and with Dacres, though the situation, Heaven knows, was none of my seeking, I had a little the feeling of a dealer51 who offers a defective52 bibelot to a connoisseur53. My charming daughter — I was fifty times congratulated upon her appearance and her manners — had many excellent qualities and capacities which she never inherited from me; but she could see no more than the bulk, no further than the perspective; she could register exactly as much as a camera.
This was a curious thing, perhaps, to displease54 my maternal55 vanity, but it did; I had really rather she squinted; and when there was anything to look at I kept out of the way. I can not tell precisely, therefore, what the incidents were that contributed to make Mr. Tottenham, on our return from these expeditions, so thoughtful, with a thoughtfulness which increased, towards the end of them, to a positive gravity. This would disappear during dinner under the influence of food and drink. He would talk nightly with new enthusiasm and fresh hope — or did I imagine it? — of the loveliness he had arranged to reveal on the following day. If again my imagination did not lead me astray, I fancied this occurred later and later in the course of the meal as the week went on; as if his state required more stimulus56 as time progressed. One evening, when I expected it to flag altogether, I had a whim57 to order champagne58 and observe the effect; but I am glad to say that I reproved myself, and refrained.
Cecily, meanwhile, was conducting herself in a manner which left nothing to be desired. If, as I sometimes thought, she took Dacres very much for granted, she took him calmly for granted; she seemed a prey59 to none of those fluttering uncertainties60, those suspended judgments61 and elaborate indifferences which translate themselves so plainly in a young lady receiving addresses. She turned herself out very freshly and very well; she was always ready for everything, and I am sure that no glance of Dacres Tottenham’s found aught but direct and decorous response. His society on these occasions gave her solid pleasure; so did the drive and the lunch; the satisfactions were apparently62 upon the same plane. She was aware of the plum, if I may be permitted a brusque but irresistible63 simile64; and with her mouth open, her eyes modestly closed, and her head in a convenient position, she waited, placidly65, until it should fall in. The Farnham ladies would have been delighted with the result of their labours in the sweet reason and eminent66 propriety67 of this attitude. Thinking of my idiotic68 sufferings when John began to fix himself upon my horizon, I pondered profoundly the power of nature in differentiation69.
One evening, the last, I think, but one, I had occasion to go to my daughter’s room, and found her writing in her commonplace-book. She had a commonplace-book, as well as a Where Is It? an engagement-book, an account-book, a diary, a Daily Sunshine, and others with purposes too various to remember. ‘Dearest mamma,’ she said, as I was departing, ‘there is only one “p” in “opulence70”, isn’t there?’
‘Yes,’ I replied, with my hand on the door-handle, and added curiously71, for it was an odd word in Cecily’s mouth, ‘Why?’
She hardly hesitated. ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘I am just writing down one or two things Mr. Tottenham said about Agra before I forget them. They seemed so true.’
‘He has a descriptive touch,’ I remarked.
‘I think he describes beautifully. Would you like to hear what he said today?’
‘I would,’ I replied, sincerely.
‘“Agra,”’ read this astonishing young lady, ‘“is India’s one pure idyll. Elsewhere she offers other things, foolish opulence, tawdry pageant72, treachery of eunuchs and jealousies73 of harems, thefts of kings’ jewels and barbaric retributions; but they are all actual, visualized74, or part of a past that shows to the backward glance hardly more relief and vitality75 than a Persian painting”— I should like to see a Persian painting —“but here the immortal76 tombs and pleasure-houses rise out of colour delicate and subtle; the vision holds across three hundred years; the print of the court is still in the dust of the city.”’
‘Did you really let him go on like that?’ I exclaimed. ‘It has the license77 of a lecture!’
‘I encouraged him to. Of course he didn’t say it straight off. He said it naturally; he stopped now and then to cough. I didn’t understand it all; but I think I have remembered every word.’
‘You have a remarkable78 memory. I’m glad he stopped to cough. Is there any more?’
‘One little bit. “Here the moguls wrought79 their passions into marble, and held them up with great refrains from their religion, and set them about with gardens; and here they stand in the twilight80 of the glory of those kings and the noonday splendour of their own.”’
‘How clever of you!’ I exclaimed. ‘How wonderfully clever of you to remember!’
‘I had to ask him to repeat one or two sentences. He didn’t like that. But this is nothing. I used to learn pages letter-perfect for Aunt Emma. She was very particular. I think it is worth preserving, don’t you?’
‘Dear Cecily,’ I responded, ‘you have a frugal81 mind.’
There was nothing else to respond. I could not tell her just how practical I thought her, or how pathetic her little book.
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1
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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thatch
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| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
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corrugated
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| adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词) | |
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5
domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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cypresses
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| n.柏属植物，柏树( cypress的名词复数 ) | |
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minarets
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| n.（清真寺旁由报告祈祷时刻的人使用的）光塔( minaret的名词复数 ) | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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plumed
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| 饰有羽毛的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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mosque
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| n.清真寺 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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bemoaning
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| v.为（某人或某事）抱怨( bemoan的现在分词 )；悲悼；为…恸哭；哀叹 | |
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soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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attenuated
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| v.（使）变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）变薄；（使）变小；减弱 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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disallowing
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| v.不承认（某事物）有效( disallow的现在分词 )；不接受；不准；驳回 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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connivance
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| n.纵容；默许 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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idyllic
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| adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的 | |
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funnels
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| 漏斗( funnel的名词复数 )； （轮船，火车等的）烟囱 | |
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dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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cumulative
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| adj.累积的，渐增的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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endorsed
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| vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品 | |
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45
stipulating
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| v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的现在分词 )；规定，明确要求 | |
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46
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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49
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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50
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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51
dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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52
defective
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| adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的 | |
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connoisseur
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| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
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54
displease
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| vt.使不高兴，惹怒；n.不悦，不满，生气 | |
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55
maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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56
stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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58
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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uncertainties
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| 无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物 | |
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judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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62
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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simile
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| n.直喻，明喻 | |
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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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69
differentiation
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| n.区别，区分 | |
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opulence
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| n.财富，富裕 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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pageant
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| n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧 | |
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73
jealousies
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| n.妒忌( jealousy的名词复数 )；妒羡 | |
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visualized
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| 直观的，直视的 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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