Julian pointed2 to the closely written pages of the consul3’s letter. “A man writes in earnest,” he said, “when he writes at such length as this. The woman seriously gave the name of Grace Roseberry, and when she left Mannheim she traveled to England for the express purpose of presenting herself to Lady Janet Roy.” He turned to his aunt. “You saw me start,” he went on, “when you first mentioned Miss Roseberry’s name in my hearing. Now you know why.” He addressed himself once more to Horace. “You heard me say that you, as Miss Roseberry’s future husband, had an interest in being present at my interview with Lady Janet. Now you know why.”
“The woman is plainly mad,” said Lady Janet. “But it is certainly a startling form of madness when one first hears of it. Of course we must keep the matter, for the present at least, a secret from Grace.”
“There can be no doubt,” Horace agreed, “that Grace must be kept in the dark, in her present state of health. The servants had better be warned beforehand, in case of this adventuress or madwoman, whichever she may be, attempting to make her way into the house.”
“It shall be done immediately,” said Lady Janet. “What surprises me Julian (ring the bell, if you please), is that you should describe yourself in your letter as feeling an interest in this person.”
Julian answered — without ringing the bell.
“I am more interested than ever,” he said, “now I find that Miss Roseberry herself is your guest at Mablethorpe House.”
“You were always perverse4, Julian, as a child, in your likings and dislikings,” Lady Janet rejoined. “Why don’t you ring the bell?”
“For one good reason, my dear aunt. I don’t wish to hear you tell your servants to close the door on this friendless creature.”
Lady Janet cast a look at her nephew which plainly expressed that she thought he had taken a liberty with her.
“You don’t expect me to see the woman?” she asked, in a tone of cold surprise.
“I hope you will not refuse to see her,” Julian answered, quietly. “I was out when she called. I must hear what she has to say — and I should infinitely5 prefer hearing it in your presence. When I got your reply to my letter, permitting me to present her to you, I wrote to her immediately, appointing a meeting here.”
Lady Janet lifted her bright black eyes in mute expostulation to the carved Cupids and wreaths on the dining-room ceiling.
“When am I to have the honor of the lady’s visit?” she inquired, with ironical6 resignation.
“To-day,” answered her nephew, with impenetrable patience.
“At what hour?”
Julian composedly consulted his watch. “She is ten minutes after her time,” he said, and put his watch back in his pocket again.
At the same moment the servant appeared, and advanced to Julian, carrying a visiting card on his little silver tray.
“A lady to see you, sir.”
Julian took the card, and, bowing, handed it to his aunt.
“Here she is,” he said, just as quietly as ever.
Lady Janet looked at the card, and tossed it indignantly back to her nephew. “Miss Roseberry!” she exclaimed. “Printed — actually printed on her card! Julian, even MY patience has its limits. I refuse to see her!”
The servant was still waiting — not like a human being who took an interest in the proceedings7, but (as became a perfectly8 bred footman) like an article of furniture artfully constructed to come and go at the word of command. Julian gave the word of command, addressing the admirably constructed automaton9 by the name of “James.”
“Where is the lady now?” he asked.
“In the breakfast-room, sir.”
“Leave her there, if you please, and wait outside within hearing of the bell.”
The legs of the furniture-footman acted, and took him noiselessly out of the room. Julian turned to his aunt.
“Forgive me,” he said, “for venturing to give the man his orders in your presence. I am very anxious that you should not decide hastily. Surely we ought to hear what this lady has to say?”
Horace dissented10 widely from his friend’s opinion. “It’s an insult to Grace,” he broke out, warmly, “to hear what she has to say!”
Lady Janet nodded her head in high approval. “I think so, too,” said her ladyship, crossing her handsome old hands resolutely11 on her lap.
Julian applied12 himself to answering Horace first.
“Pardon me,” he said. “I have no intention of presuming to reflect on Miss Roseberry, or of bringing her into the matter at all. — The consul’s letter,” he went on, speaking to his aunt, “mentions, if you remember, that the medical authorities of Mannheim were divided in opinion on their patient’s case. Some of them — the physician-in-chief being among the number — believe that the recovery of her mind has not accompanied the recovery of her body.”
“In other words,” Lady Janet remarked, “a madwoman is in my house, and I am expected to receive her!”
“Don’t let us exaggerate,” said Julian, gently. “It can serve no good interest, in this serious matter, to exaggerate anything. The consul assures us, on the authority of the doctor, that she is perfectly gentle and harmless. If she is really the victim of a mental delusion13, the poor creature is surely an object of compassion14, and she ought to be placed under proper care. Ask your own kind heart, my dear aunt, if it would not be downright cruelty to turn this forlorn woman adrift in the world without making some inquiry15 first.”
Lady Janet’s inbred sense of justice admitted not over willingly — the reasonableness as well as the humanity of the view expressed in those words. “There is some truth in that, Julian,” she said, shifting her position uneasily in her chair, and looking at Horace. “Don’t you think so, too?” she added.
“I can’t say I do,” answered Horace, in the positive tone of a man whose obstinacy16 is proof against every form of appeal that can be addressed to him.
The patience of Julian was firm enough to be a match for the obstinacy of Horace. “At any rate,” he resumed, with undiminished good temper, “we are all three equally interested in setting this matter at rest. I put it to you, Lady Janet, if we are not favored, at this lucky moment, with the very opportunity that we want? Miss Roseberry is not only out of the room, but out of the house. If we let this chance slip, who can say what awkward accident may not happen in the course of the next few days?”
“Let the woman come in,” cried Lady Janet, deciding headlong, with her customary impatience17 of all delay. “At once, Julian — before Grace can come back. Will you ring the bell this time?”
This time Julian rang it. “May I give the man his orders?” he respectfully inquired of his aunt.
“Give him anything you like, and have done with it!” retorted the irritable18 old lady, getting briskly on her feet, and taking a turn in the room to compose herself.
The servant withdrew, with orders to show the visitor in.
Horace crossed the room at the same time — apparently19 with the intention of leaving it by the door at the opposite end.
“You are not going away?” exclaimed Lady Janet.
“I see no use in my remaining here,” replied Horace, not very graciously.
“In that case,” retorted Lady Janet, “remain here because I wish it.”
“Certainly — if you wish it. Only remember,” he added, more obstinately20 than ever, “that I differ entirely21 from Julian’s view. In my opinion the woman has no claim on us.”
A passing movement of irritation22 escaped Julian for the first time. “Don’t be hard, Horace,” he said, sharply. “All women have a claim on us.”
They had unconsciously gathered together, in the heat of the little debate, turning their backs on the library door. At the last words of the reproof23 administered by Julian to Horace, their attention was recalled to passing events by the slight noise produced by the opening and closing of the door. With one accord the three turned and looked in the direction from which the sounds had come.
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收听单词发音
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1
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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perverse
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| adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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6
ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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7
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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8
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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automaton
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| n.自动机器，机器人 | |
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10
dissented
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| 不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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12
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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14
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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15
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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16
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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18
irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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19
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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21
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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22
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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23
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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