He made no overt7 attempt to see her, but waited for opportunity. Meantime he had commenced to think of her in terms of passionless intimacy8. Alexander Hulings was a solitary9 man; except for his industrial activity his mind was empty; and Gisela Wooddrop quickly usurped10 the hours after dinner, the long drives through massed and unscarred forests. He recalled her minutely—every expression that he had seen, every variation of dress. Wooddrop's daughter was handsomely provided for; but Alexander Hulings' wife would be a revelation in luxury. In New York he bought a pair of India cashmere shawls, paying a thousand dollars for them, and placed them on a chair, ready.
The weeks multiplied; and he got such pleasure from the mere11 thought of Gisela sweeping12 through his rooms, accompanying him to Philadelphia, shining beside him at the opera, that he became almost reluctant to force the issue of her choice. He was more than customarily careful with his clothes; his silk hats were immaculate; his trousers ranged in color from the most delicate sulphur to astounding13 London checks; he had his yellow boots polished with champagne14, his handkerchiefs scented15 with essence of nolette and almond. For all this, his countenance16 was none the less severe, his aptitude17 for labor18 untouched; he followed every detail of iron manufacture, every improved process, every shift in the market.
The valley about Tubal Cain now resembled a small, widely scattered19 town; the dwellings20 of Hulings' workmen extended to the property line of the Blue Lump Furnace; roads were cut, bridges thrown across the stream. The flutter of wings, the pouring birdsong and vale of green, that Alexander had found had given place to a continuous, shattering uproar21 day and night; the charging of furnaces, the dull thunder of the heavy wagons22 of blooms, the jangle of shingling23 sledges24 and monotonous25 fall of trip hammers, mingled26 and rose in a stridulous volume to the sky, accompanied by chemical vapors27, uprushing cinders28 and the sooty smoke of the forges. A company store had been built and stocked, and grimy troops of laborers29 were perpetually gathered, off shift, by its face.
Harmony itself, the station on the canal, had expanded; the new hotel, an edifice30 of brick with a steep slate31 roof and iron grilling32, faced a rival saloon and various emporia of merchandise. An additional basin had been cut in the bank for the loading of Alexander Hulings' iron on to the canal boats.
He had driven to the canal—it was early summer—to see about a congestion33 of movement; and, hot, he stopped in the hotel for a pint34 of wine in a high glass with cracked ice. The lower floor was cut in half by a hall and stairs; on the right the bar opened on the narrow porch, while at the left a ladies' entrance gave way to the inevitable35 dark, already musty parlor36. The bar was crowded, and, intolerant of the least curtailment37 of his dignity or comfort, he secured his glass and moved across the hall to the stillness of the parlor.
A woman was standing, blurred38 in outline, at one of the narrow windows. She turned as he entered; he bowed, prepared to withdraw, when he saw that it was Gisela Wooddrop. She wore white muslin, sprigged in orange chenille, with green ribbons, and carried a green parasol. Alexander stood motionless in the doorway39, his champagne in one hand and a glossy40 stovepipe hat in the other. He was aware of a slight inward confusion, but outwardly he was unmoved, exact. Gisela, too, maintained the turn of her flexible body, her hands on the top of the parasol. Under her bonnet41 her face was pale, her eyes noticeably bright. Alexander Hulings said:
"Good afternoon!"
He moved into the room. Gisela said nothing; she was like a graceful42 painted figure on a shadowy background. A complete ease possessed Alexander.
"Miss Wooddrop," he continued, in the vein43 of a simple statement. She nodded automatically. "This is a happy meeting—for me. I can now express my gratitude44 for your concern about a certain unfortunate occurrence at the Mineral Springs. At the same time, I regret that you were caused the slightest uneasiness."
She shuddered45 delicately.
"Nothing more need be said about that," she told him. "I explained to my father; but I was sorry afterward46 that I did it, and—and put him to fresh humiliation47."
"There," he gravely replied, "little enough can be discussed. It has to do with things that you would have limited patience with, strictly48 an affair of business. I was referring to your susceptibility of heart, a charming female quality."
He bowed stiffly. Gisela came nearer to him, a sudden emotion trembling on her features.
"Why don't you end it?" she cried, low and distressed49. "It has gone on a long while now—the bitterness between you; I am certain in his heart father is weary of it, and you are younger——"
She broke off before the tightening50 of his lips. "Not a topic to be developed here," he insisted. He had no intention, Alexander Hulings thought, of being bent51 about even so charming a finger. And it was well to establish at once the manner in which any future they might share should be conducted. He wanted a wife, not an intrigante nor Amazon. Her feeling, color, rapidly evaporated, and left her pallid52, confused, before his calm demeanor53. She turned her head away, her face lost in the bonnet, but slowly her gaze returned to meet his keen inquiry54. His impulse was to ask her, then, at once, to marry him; but he restrained that headlong course, feeling that it would startle her into flight. As it was, she moved slowly toward the door.
"I am to meet a friend on the Western packet," she explained; "I thought I heard the horn."
"It was only freight," he replied. "I should be sorry to lose this short opportunity to pay you my respects; to tell you that you have been a lot in my thoughts lately. I envy the men who see you casually55, whenever they choose."
She gazed at him with palpable surprise gathering56 in her widely opened eyes. "But," she said breathlessly, "everybody knows that you never address a polite syllable57 to a woman. It is more speculated on than any of your other traits."
He expanded at this indication of a widespread discussion of his qualities.
"I have had no time for merely polite speeches," he responded. "And I assure you that I am not only complimentary58 now; I mean that I am not saluting59 you with vapid60 elegance61. I am awaiting only a more fitting occasion to speak further."
She circled him slowly, with a minute whispering of crinoline, her gaze never leaving his face. Her muslin, below her white, bare throat, circled by a black velvet62 band, was heaving. The parasol fell with a clatter63. He stooped immediately; but she was before him and snatched it up, with crimson64 cheeks.
"They say that you are the most hateful man alive!" she half breathed.
"Who are 'they'?" he demanded contemptuously. "Men I have beaten and women I failed to see. That hatred65 grows with success, with power; it is never wasted on the weak. My competitors would like to see me fall into a furnace stack—the men I have climbed over, and my debtors66. They are combining every month to push me to the wall, a dozen of them together, yelping67 like a pack of dogs. But they haven't succeeded; they never will!" His words were like the chips from an iron bloom. "They never will," he repeated harshly, "and I have only begun. I want you to see my house sometime. I planned a great part of it with you in mind. No money was spared.... I should be happy to have you like it. I think of it as yours."
All the time he was speaking she was stealing by imperceptible degrees toward the door; but at his last, surprising sentence she stood transfixed with mingled wonder and fear. She felt behind her for the open doorway and rested one hand against the woodwork. A ribald clatter sounded from the bar, and without rose the faint, clear note of an approaching packet. Her lips formed for speech, but only a slight gasp68 was audible; then her spreading skirts billowed through the opening, and she was gone.
Alexander Hulings found that he was still holding his silk hat; he placed it carefully on the table and took a deep drink from the iced glass. He was conscious of a greater feeling of triumph than he had ever known before. He realized that he had hardly needed to add the spoken word to the impression his being had made on Gisela Wood-drop. He had already invaded her imagination; the legend of his struggle and growth had taken possession of her. There remained now only a formal declaration, the outcome of which he felt almost certain would be in his favor.
Again in his house, he inspected the silk hangings of the particularly feminine chambers69. He trod the thick carpets with a keen anticipation70 of her exclamations71 of pleasure, her surprise at convenient trifle after trifle. In the stable he surveyed a blooded mare72 she might take a fancy to; he must buy a light carriage, with a fringed canopy—yes, and put a driver into livery. Women liked such things.
At dinner he speculated on the feminine palate; he liked lean mountain venison, and a sherry that left almost a sensation of dust on the tongue; but women preferred sparkling hock and pastry73, fruit preserved in white brandy, and pagodas74 of barley75 sugar.
Through the open windows came the subdued76 clatter of his forges; the hooded77 candles on the table flickered78 slightly in a warm eddy79, while corresponding shadows stirred on the heavy napery, the Sheffield, and delicate creamy Belleek of his dinner service—the emblem80 of his certitude and pride.
点击收听单词发音
1 evaded | |
逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 ); 避开; 回避; 想不出 | |
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2 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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3 multiplication | |
n.增加,增多,倍增;增殖,繁殖;乘法 | |
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4 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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5 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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6 mansion | |
n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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7 overt | |
adj.公开的,明显的,公然的 | |
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8 intimacy | |
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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9 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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10 usurped | |
篡夺,霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 ); 盗用; 篡夺,篡权 | |
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11 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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12 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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13 astounding | |
adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊,使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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14 champagne | |
n.香槟酒;微黄色 | |
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15 scented | |
adj.有香味的;洒香水的;有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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16 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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17 aptitude | |
n.(学习方面的)才能,资质,天资 | |
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18 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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19 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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20 dwellings | |
n.住处,处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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21 uproar | |
n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
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22 wagons | |
n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 );铁路货车;小手推车 | |
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23 shingling | |
压挤熟铁块,叠瓦作用 | |
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24 sledges | |
n.雪橇,雪车( sledge的名词复数 )v.乘雪橇( sledge的第三人称单数 );用雪橇运载 | |
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25 monotonous | |
adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的 | |
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26 mingled | |
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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27 vapors | |
n.水汽,水蒸气,无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 );自夸者;幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁(症)v.自夸,(使)蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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28 cinders | |
n.煤渣( cinder的名词复数 );炭渣;煤渣路;煤渣跑道 | |
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29 laborers | |
n.体力劳动者,工人( laborer的名词复数 );(熟练工人的)辅助工 | |
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30 edifice | |
n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿,教室) | |
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31 slate | |
n.板岩,石板,石片,石板色,候选人名单;adj.暗蓝灰色的,含板岩的;vt.用石板覆盖,痛打,提名,预订 | |
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32 grilling | |
v.烧烤( grill的现在分词 );拷问,盘问 | |
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33 congestion | |
n.阻塞,消化不良 | |
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34 pint | |
n.品脱 | |
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35 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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36 parlor | |
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅 | |
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37 curtailment | |
n.缩减,缩短 | |
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38 blurred | |
v.(使)变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 );(使)难以区分;模模糊糊;迷离 | |
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39 doorway | |
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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40 glossy | |
adj.平滑的;有光泽的 | |
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41 bonnet | |
n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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42 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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43 vein | |
n.血管,静脉;叶脉,纹理;情绪;vt.使成脉络 | |
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44 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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45 shuddered | |
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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46 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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47 humiliation | |
n.羞辱 | |
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48 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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49 distressed | |
痛苦的 | |
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50 tightening | |
上紧,固定,紧密 | |
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51 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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52 pallid | |
adj.苍白的,呆板的 | |
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53 demeanor | |
n.行为;风度 | |
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54 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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55 casually | |
adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地 | |
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56 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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57 syllable | |
n.音节;vt.分音节 | |
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58 complimentary | |
adj.赠送的,免费的,赞美的,恭维的 | |
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59 saluting | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的现在分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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60 vapid | |
adj.无味的;无生气的 | |
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61 elegance | |
n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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62 velvet | |
n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的 | |
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63 clatter | |
v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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64 crimson | |
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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65 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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66 debtors | |
n.债务人,借方( debtor的名词复数 ) | |
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67 yelping | |
v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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68 gasp | |
n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说 | |
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69 chambers | |
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅 | |
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70 anticipation | |
n.预期,预料,期望 | |
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71 exclamations | |
n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 );感叹;感叹语;感叹词 | |
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72 mare | |
n.母马,母驴 | |
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73 pastry | |
n.油酥面团,酥皮糕点 | |
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74 pagodas | |
塔,宝塔( pagoda的名词复数 ) | |
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75 barley | |
n.大麦,大麦粒 | |
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76 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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77 hooded | |
adj.戴头巾的;有罩盖的;颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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78 flickered | |
(通常指灯光)闪烁,摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79 eddy | |
n.漩涡,涡流 | |
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80 emblem | |
n.象征,标志;徽章 | |
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