There was an apartment in Aaron Cohen's house which was called the Cosy2 Room, where the family were in the habit of sitting when they had no visitors, and it was here that their real domestic happiness reigned3. Here Aaron used to smoke his old silver-mounted pipe, and chat with his wife, and indulge in his entertaining pleasantries when he was in the humour; and here the feeling used to steal over him that life would hold more joy for him and those dear to him if they dwelt in a smaller house and his doings were less under the public eye.
"I am convinced," he would say, "that those who are in the lower middle class are the best off. They have fewer cares, they have more time for domestic enjoyment4, they can attend without hindrance5 to their own affairs. Their neighbours are not jealous of them; they are not high enough to be envied, nor low enough to be pitied. There is no happiness in riches. Miserable6 man that I am! Why do I continue to wish to accumulate more money?"
"Because," Rachel would answer affectionately, "it enables you to contribute to the happiness of others. But I should be as contented7 if we were poor."
On the occasion of Mr. Dillworthy's visit to Aaron a scene of a different nature was being enacted8 in the Cosy Room. Rachel was overpowered with languor9, and she fell into a doze10. The apartment was large; but an arrangement of screens, and the disposal of the furniture, made it look small; domestically speaking, there is no comfort in any but a small room. Esther, during her present visit, had noticed with concern that Mrs. Cohen appeared weak, that her movements, which were always gentle, were more languid than usual, and that her quiet ways seemed to be the result of physical prostration11. She spoke12 of it to Rachel, who confessed that she had not felt strong lately, but cautioned the young girl to say nothing of it to Aaron.
"He is so easily alarmed about me," she said, "and he has great anxieties upon him."
"But you should see the doctor," urged Esther, solicitously13.
"I will wait a day or two," answered Rachel, and again enjoined14 Esther not to alarm her husband.
On the evening of this exciting day she looked so pale and fatigued15 that she yielded to Esther's solicitations, and, without Aaron's knowledge, sent for the physician who was in the habit of attending her. While waiting for him she fell asleep in her armchair in the Cosy Room. At her request Esther played softly some of Rachel's favourite pieces; the piano was behind a screen at one end of the room, and Esther did not know that she had fallen asleep. While thus employed Prissy quietly entered the room. The faithful woman looked at her mistress, and stepped noiselessly to the screen.
"Miss Esther," she whispered.
The girl stopped playing immediately, and came from behind the screen.
"Is it the doctor, Prissy?" she asked.
"No, miss."
Prissy pointed16 to her mistress, and Esther went to the armchair and adjusted a light shawl which was falling from the sleeping lady's shoulder. It was a slight action, but it was done with so much tenderness that Prissy smiled approvingly. She liked Esther much better than Ruth, who did not hold in her affections the place the other members of the family did. Humble17 as was her position in the household, she had observed things of which she disapproved18. Ruth was from home more frequently than she considered proper, and had often said to her, "You need not tell my mother that I have gone out unless she asks you." Prissy had not disobeyed her, and the consequence was that Ruth was sometimes absent from the house for hours without her mother or father being aware of it. Prissy's idea was that her young mistress would bring trouble on the house; but she kept silence because she would otherwise have got into trouble herself with Ruth, and would also have distressed19 her dear lady if she had made mention of her suspicions, for which she could have offered no reasonable explanation. Prissy's distress20 of mind was not lessened21 because Ruth, when she enjoined secrecy22 upon her, gave her money, as if to purchase her silence. She would have refused these bribes23; but Ruth forced them upon her, and she felt as if she were in a conspiracy24 to destroy the peace of the family.
"I did not know she was asleep," said Esther, coming back to Prissy.
"I'm sure you didn't, miss. She falls off, you know."
"Yes, I know," said Esther, with affectionate solicitude25.
"As she used to do a good many years ago--long before you knew her, miss. She had gone through a severe illness, and was that delicate for months afterwards that you could almost blow her away. She never complained, and never did a cross word pass her lips. I'm glad you're with her, Miss Esther: you're a real comfort to her. I've got a letter for you, miss."
"I didn't hear the postman."
"The postman didn't bring it, miss," said Prissy, giving her the letter. "A boy. Said immejiet."
"It must be from---- no." She was thinking of her lover as she looked at the letter, but she saw it was not his hand. She recognised the writing: it was Ruth's. "The envelope is not very clean, Prissy."
"So I told the boy when he brought it to the back door."
"The back door!" exclaimed Esther, rather bewildered.
"It's curious, isn't it, miss, that it wasn't sent by post?"
"Yes, it is. What did the boy say?"
"It's what I said first, miss. 'You've been and dropped it in the gutter,' I said; but he only laughed, and said it was give to him this morning, and that he was to bring it to the servants' entrance and ask for Prissy."
"But why didn't he deliver it this morning?" asked Esther, her bewilderment growing.
"I don't know, miss. He's been playing in the streets all day, I expect. Anyway, he said I was to give it to you when nobody was looking. It's Miss Ruth's writing, miss."
Esther made no remark upon this, but asked, "Did he say who gave it to him?"
"A young lady, he said, miss."
"That will do, Prissy."
"Can I do anything for you, miss?"
"Nothing, thank you."
Prissy gone, Esther looked at the envelope, and saw written in one corner, "Read this when you are alone." Troubled and perplexed26, she stood with the letter in her hand; but when the door was opened again and the doctor was announced, she put it hastily into her pocket, and went forward to meet him.
Dr. Roberts had attended Rachel for some years past, and took the deepest interest in her.
"Sleeping," he said, stepping to her side. He turned to Esther, and, questioning her, learned why he had been sent for. "She falls asleep," he said, with his fingers on Rachel's pulse. "Ah, you are awake," as Rachel sat upright. "Now, let us see what is the matter. You are not in pain? No. That's good."
"There is really nothing the matter with me, doctor," said Rachel.
"But you feel weak and drowsy27 at times. We will soon set that right."
Dr. Roberts was one of those cheerful physicians whose bright ways always brighten their patients. "Make the best of a case," was a favourite saying of his, "not the worst."
He remained with Rachel a quarter of an hour, advised her to get to bed, gave her instructions as to food, ordered her a tonic28, and took his leave. Esther went with him into the passage.
"There is no danger, doctor?"
"Not the slightest, my dear," he answered, in a fatherly manner. "But I would advise perfect rest. Don't tell her anything exciting. She must not be worried. Get a humorous story and read it to her. Make her laugh. Let everything be bright and cheerful about her. But I need not say that: it always is--eh? If you have any troubles, keep them to yourself. But what troubles should a young girl like you have?"
He met Aaron at the street door.
"Ah, Mr. Cohen, I have been to see your wife--in a friendly way."
"She is not ill?" asked Aaron, in an anxious tone, stepping back.
"No; a little weak, that is all. Don't go up to see her; I have just left her, and she will think there is something the matter, when there's nothing that cannot be set right in a few days. She wants tone, that is all, and rest, and perfect freedom from excitement. That is essential. Such a day as this, flattering and pleasant as it must have been, is not good for her. Keep her mind at rest, let her hear nothing that is likely to disturb her, speak of none but cheerful subjects to her, and she will be herself again in a week. Follow my advice, and there is not the least cause for alarm."
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1
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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hindrance
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| n.妨碍，障碍 | |
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6
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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7
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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8
enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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11
prostration
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| n. 平伏, 跪倒, 疲劳 | |
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12
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
solicitously
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| adv.热心地，热切地 | |
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14
enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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disapproved
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| v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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bribes
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| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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tonic
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| n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的 | |
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