Our Duke ordered his horses, and as he rattled4 along recovered from the enervating5 effects of his soft reverie. On his way home he fell in with Mr. Dacre and the two Baronets, returning on their hackneys from a hard fought field.
‘Gay sport?’ asked his Grace.
‘A capital run. I think the last forty minutes the most splitting thing we have had for a long time!’ answered Sir Chetwode. ‘I only hope Jack6 Wilson will take care of poor Fanny. I did not half like leaving her. Your Grace does not join us?’
‘I mean to do so; but I am, unfortunately, a late riser.’
‘Hem!’ said Sir Tichborne. The monosyllable meant much.
‘I have a horse which I think will suit your Grace,’ said Mr. Dacre, ‘and to which, in fact, you are entitled, for it bears the name of your house. You have ridden Hauteville, Sir Tichborne?’
‘Yes; fine animal!’
‘I shall certainly try his powers,’ said the Duke. ‘When is your next field-day?’
‘Thursday,’ said Sir Tichborne; ‘but we shall be too early for you, I am afraid,’ with a gruff smile.
‘Oh, no!’ said the young Duke, who saw his man; ‘I assure you I have been up today nearly two hours. Let us get on.’
The first person that his Grace’s eye met, when he entered the room in which they assembled before dinner, was Mrs. Dallington Vere.
Dinner was a favourite moment with the Duke of St. James during this visit at Castle Dacre, since it was the only time in the day that, thanks to his rank, which he now doubly valued, he could enjoy a tête-à-tête with its blooming mistress.
‘I am going to hunt,’ said the Duke, ‘and I am to ride Hauteville. I hope you will set me an example on Thursday, and that I shall establish my character with Sir Tichborne.’
‘I am to lead on that day a bold band of archers7. I have already too much neglected my practising, and I fear that my chance of the silver arrow is slight.’
‘I have betted upon you with everybody,’ said the Duke of St. James.
‘Remember Doncaster! I am afraid that May Dacre will again be the occasion of your losing your money.’
‘But now I am on the right side. Together we must conquer.’
‘I have a presentiment8 that our union will not be a fortunate one.’
‘Then I am ruined,’ said his Grace with rather a serious tone.
‘I hope you have not really staked anything upon such nonsense?’ said Miss Dacre.
‘I have staked everything,’ said his Grace.
‘Talking of stakes,’ said Lord St. Jerome, who pricked9 up his ears at a congenial subject, ‘do you know what they are going to do about that affair of Anderson’s?’
‘What does he say for himself?’ asked Sir Chetwode.
‘He says that he had no intention of embezzling10 the money, but that, as he took it for granted the point could never be decided11, he thought it was against the usury12 laws to allow money to lie idle.’
‘That fellow has always got an answer,’ said Sir Tichborne. ‘I hate men who have always got an answer. There is no talking common sense with them.’
The Duke made his escape today, and, emboldened13 by his illustrious example, Charles Faulcon, Lord St. Jerome, and some other heroes followed, to the great disgust of Sir Chetwode and Sir Tichborne.
As the evening glided14 on conversation naturally fell upon the amusements of society.
‘I am sure we are tired of dancing every night,’ said Miss Dacre. ‘I wonder if we could introduce any novelty. What think you, Bertha? You can always suggest.’
‘You remember the tableaux15 vivants?’ said Mrs. Dallington Vere.
‘Beautiful! but too elaborate a business, I fear, for us. We want something more impromptu16. The tableaux are nothing without brilliant and accurate costume, and to obtain that we must work at least for a week, and then, after all, in all probability, a failure. Ils sont trop recherchés,’ she said, lowering her voice to Mrs. Dallington, ‘pour nous ici. They must spring out of a society used to such exhibitions.’
‘I have a costume dress here,’ said the Duke of
St. James.
‘And I have a uniform,’ said Lord Mildmay.
‘And then,’ said Mrs. Dallington, ‘there are cashmeres, and scarfs, and jewels to be collected. I see, however, you think it impossible.’
‘I fear so. However, we will think of it. In the meantime, what shall we do now? Suppose we act a fairy tale?’
‘None of the girls can act,’ said Mrs. Dallington, with a look of kind pity.
‘Let us teach them. That itself will be an amusement. Suppose we act Cinderella? There is the music of Cendrillon, and you can compose, when necessary, as you go on. Clara Howard!’ said May Dacre, ‘come here, love! We want you to be Cinderella in a little play.’
‘I act! oh! dear May! How can you laugh at me so! I cannot act.’
‘You will not have to speak. Only just move about as I direct you while Bertha plays music.’
‘Oh! dear May, I cannot, indeed! I never did act. Ask Eugenia!’
‘Eugenia! If you are afraid, I am sure she will faint. I asked you because I thought you were just the person for it.’
‘But only think,’ said poor Clara, with an imploring18 voice, ‘to act, May! Why, acting19 is the most difficult thing in the world. Acting is quite a dreadful thing. I know many ladies who will not act.’
‘But it is not acting, Clara. Well! I will be Cinderella, and you shall be one of the sisters.’
‘No, dear May!’
‘Well, then, the Fairy?’ ‘No, dear, dear, dear May!’
‘Well, Duke of St. James, what am I to do with this rebellious20 troop?’
‘Let me be Cinderella!’
‘It is astonishing,’ said Miss Dacre, ‘the difficulty which you encounter in England, if you try to make people the least amusing or vary the regular dull routine, which announces dancing as the beautiful of diversions and cards as the sublime22.’
‘We are barbarians,’ said the Duke. ‘We were not,’ said May Dacre. ‘What are tableaux, or acted charades23, or romances, to masques, which were the splendid and various amusement of our ancestors. Last Christmas we performed “Comus” here with great effect; but then we had Arundel, and he is an admirable actor.’
‘Curse Arundel!’ thought the Duke. ‘I had forgotten him.’
‘I do not wonder,’ said Mrs. Dallington Vere, ‘at people objecting to act regular plays, for, independently of the objections, not that I think anything of them myself, which are urged against “private theatricals,” the fact is, to get up a play is a tremendous business, and one or two is your bound. But masques, where there is so little to learn by rote24, a great consideration, where music and song are so exquisitely25 introduced, where there is such an admirable opportunity for brilliant costume, and where the scene may be beautiful without change — such an important point — I cannot help wondering that this national diversion is not revived.’
‘Suppose we were to act a romance without the costume?’ said the Duke. ‘Let us consider it a rehearsal26. And perhaps the Misses Howard will have no objection to sing?’
‘It is difficult to find a suitable romance,’ said Miss Dacre. ‘All our modern English ones are too full of fine poetry. We tried once an old ballad27, but it was too long. Last Christmas we got up a good many, and Arundel, Isabella, and myself used to scribble some nonsense for the occasion. But I am afraid they are all either burnt or taken away. I will look in the music-case.’
She went to the music-case with the Duke and Mrs. Dallington.
‘No,’ she continued; ‘not one, not a single one. But what are these?’ She looked at some lines written in pencil in a music-book. ‘Oh! here is something; too slight, but it will do. You see,’ she continued, reading it to the Duke, ‘by the introduction of the same line in every verse, describing the same action, a back-scene is, as it were, created, and the story, if you can call it such, proceeds in front. Really, I think, we might make something of this.’
Mr. Dacre and some others were at whist. The two Baronets were together, talking over the morning’s sport. Ecarté covered a flirtation28 between Lord Mildmay and Lady St. Jerome. Miss Dacre assembled her whole troop; and, like a manager with a new play, read in the midst of them the ballad, and gave them directions for their conduct. A japan screen was unfolded at the end of the room. Two couches indicated the limits of the stage. Then taking her guitar, she sang with a sweet voice and arch simplicity29 these simpler lines:—
i.
Childe Dacre stands in his father’s hall,
While all the rest are dancing;
Childe Dacre gazes on the wall,
While brightest eyes are glancing.
Then prythee tell me, gentles gay!
What makes our Childe so dull today?
Each verse was repeated.
In the background they danced a cotillon.
In the front, the Duke of St. James, as Childe Dacre, leant against the wall, with arms folded and eyes fixed30; in short, in an attitude which commanded great applause.
ii.
I cannot tell, unless it be,
While all the rest are dancing,
The Lady Alice, on the sea,
With brightest eyes is glancing,
Or muses31 on the twilight32 hour
Will bring Childe Dacre to her bower33.
Mrs. Dallington Vere advances as the Lady Alice. Her walk is abrupt34, her look anxious and distracted; she seems to be listening for some signal. She falls into a musing21 attitude, motionless and graceful35 as a statue. Clara Howard alike marvels36 at her genius and her courage.
iii.
Childe Dacre hears the curfew chime,
While all the rest are dancing;
Unless I find a fitting rhyme,
Oh! here ends my romancing!
But see! her lover’s at her feet!
Oh! words of joy! oh! meeting sweet!
The Duke advances, chivalric37 passion in his every gesture. The Lady Alice rushes to his arms with that look of trembling transport which tells the tale of stolen love. They fall into a group which would have made the fortune of an Annual.
iv.
Then let us hope, when next I sing,
And all the rest are dancing,
Our Childe a gentle bride may bring,
All other joys enhancing.
Then we will bless the twilight hour
That call’d him to a lady’s bower.
The Duke led Mrs. Dallington to the dancers with courtly grace. There was great applause, but the spirit of fun and one-and-twenty inspired him, and he led off a gallop38. In fact, it was an elegant romp17. The two Baronets started from their slumbers39, and Lord Mildmay called for Mademoiselle Dacre. The call was echoed. Miss Dacre yielded to the public voice, and acted to the life the gratified and condescending40 air of a first-rate performer. Lord Mildmay called for Madame Dallington. Miss Dacre led on her companion as Sontag would Malibran. There was no wreath at hand, but the Duke of St. James robbed his coat of its rose, and offered it on his knee to Mademoiselle, who presented it with Parisian feeling to her rival. The scene was as superb as anything at the Académie.
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1
banishes
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的第三人称单数 ) | |
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2
scribble
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| v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文 | |
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3
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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4
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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enervating
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| v.使衰弱，使失去活力( enervate的现在分词 ) | |
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6
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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7
archers
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| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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8
presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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9
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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10
embezzling
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| v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的现在分词 ) | |
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11
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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12
usury
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| n.高利贷 | |
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13
emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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15
tableaux
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| n.舞台造型，（由活人扮演的）静态画面、场面；人构成的画面或场景( tableau的名词复数 )；舞台造型；戏剧性的场面；绚丽的场景 | |
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16
impromptu
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| adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地) | |
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17
romp
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| n.欢闹；v.嬉闹玩笑 | |
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18
imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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19
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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20
rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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21
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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22
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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23
charades
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| n.伪装( charade的名词复数 )；猜字游戏 | |
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24
rote
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| n.死记硬背，生搬硬套 | |
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25
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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26
rehearsal
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| n.排练，排演；练习 | |
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27
ballad
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| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 | |
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28
flirtation
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| n.调情，调戏，挑逗 | |
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29
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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30
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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31
muses
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的第三人称单数 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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32
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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33
bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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34
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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35
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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36
marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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37
chivalric
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| 有武士气概的，有武士风范的 | |
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38
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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39
slumbers
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| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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40
condescending
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| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
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