It may be thought that the affair was none of our business; and indeed we cared little as individuals. We were only concerned as members of a corporation, for each of whom[80] the mental or physical ailment7 of one of his fellows might have far-reaching effects. It was thought best that Harold, as least open to suspicion of motive8, should be despatched to probe and peer. His instructions were, to proceed by a report on the health of our rabbits in particular; to glide9 gently into a discussion concerning rabbits in general, their customs, practices, and vices10; and to pass thence, by a natural transition, to the female sex, the inherent flaws in its composition, and the reasons for regarding it (speaking broadly) as dirt. He was especially to be very diplomatic, and then to return and report progress. He departed on his mission gaily12; but his absence was short, and his return, discomfited13 and in tears, seemed to betoken14 some want of parts for diplomacy15. He had found Edward, it appeared, pacing the orchard, with the sort of set smile that mountebanks wear in their precarious16 antics, fixed17 painfully on his face, as with pins. Harold had opened well, on the rabbit subject, but, with a fatal confusion between the abstract and the concrete, had then gone on to remark that Edward’s[81] lop-eared doe, with her long hindlegs and contemptuous twitch19 of the nose, always reminded him of Sabina Larkin (a nine-year-old damsel, child of a neighbouring farmer): at which point Edward, it would seem, had turned upon and savagely20 maltreated him, twisting his arm and punching him in the short ribs21. So that Harold returned to the rabbit-hutches preceded by long-drawn wails22: anon wishing, with tears and sobs23, that he were a man, to kick his love-lorn brother; anon lamenting24 that ever he had been born.
I was not big enough to stand up to Edward personally, so I had to console the sufferer by allowing him to grease the wheels of the donkey-cart—a luscious25 treat that had been specially11 reserved for me, a week past, by the gardener’s boy, for putting in a good word on his behalf with the new kitchen-maid. Harold was soon all smiles and grease; and I was not, on the whole, dissatisfied with the significant hint that had been gained as to the fons et origo mali.
Fortunately, means were at hand for resolving any doubts on the subject, since the morning[82] was Sunday, and already the bells were ringing for church. Lest the connexion may not be evident at first sight, I should explain that the gloomy period of church-time, with its enforced inaction and its lack of real interest—passed, too, within sight of all that the village held of fairest—was just the one when a young man’s fancies lightly turned to thoughts of love. The rest of the week afforded no leisure for such trifling26; but in church—well, there was really nothing else to do! True, noughts-and-crosses might be indulged in on flyleaves of prayer-books while the Litany dragged its slow length along; but what balm or what solace27 could be found for the Sermon? Naturally the eye, wandering here and there among the serried28 ranks, made bold untrammelled choice among our fair fellow-supplicants. It was in this way that, some months earlier, under the exceptional strain of the Athanasian Creed29, my roving fancy had settled upon the baker’s wife as a fit object for a life-long devotion. Her riper charms had conquered a heart which none of her be-muslined tittering juniors had been able to subdue30; and[83] that she was already wedded31 had never occurred to me as any bar to my affection. Edward’s general demeanour, then, during morning service was safe to convict him; but there was also a special test for the particular case. It happened that we sat in a transept, and, the Larkins being behind us, Edward’s only chance of feasting on Sabina’s charms was in the all-too fleeting32 interval33 when we swung round eastwards34. I was not mistaken. During the singing of the Benedictus the impatient one made several false starts, and at last he slewed35 fairly round before ‘As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be’ was half finished. The evidence was conclusive36: a court of law could have desired no better.
The fact being patent, the next thing was to grapple with it; and my mind was fully18 occupied during the sermon. There was really nothing unfair or unbrotherly in my attitude. A philosophic37 affection such as mine own, which clashed with nothing, was (I held) permissible38; but the volcanic39 passions in which Edward indulged about once a quarter were a serious interference with business. To make matters[84] worse, next week there was a circus coming to the neighbourhood, to which we had all been strictly40 forbidden to go; and without Edward no visit in contempt of law and orders could be successfully brought off. I had sounded him as to the circus on our way to church, and he had replied briefly41 that the very thought of a clown made him sick. Morbidity42 could no further go. But the sermon came to an end without any line of conduct having suggested itself; and I walked home in some depression, feeling sadly that Venus was in the ascendant and in direful opposition43, while Auriga—the circus star—drooped declinant, perilously44 near the horizon.
By the irony45 of fate, Aunt Eliza, of all people, turned out to be the Dea ex machina. The thing fell out in this wise. It was that lady’s obnoxious46 practice to issue forth47, of a Sunday afternoon, on a visit of state to such farmers and cottagers as dwelt at hand; on which occasion she was wont48 to hale a reluctant boy along with her, from the mixed motives49 of propriety50 and his soul’s health. Much cudgelling[85] of brains, I suppose, had on that particular day made me torpid51 and unwary. Anyhow, when a victim came to be sought for, I fell an easy prey52, while the others fled scatheless53 and whooping54. Our first visit was to the Larkins. Here ceremonial might be viewed in its finest flower, and we conducted ourselves, like Queen Elizabeth when she trod the measure, ‘high and disposedly.’ In the low oak-panelled parlour cake and currant wine were set forth, and, after courtesies and compliments exchanged, Aunt Eliza, greatly condescending55, talked the fashions with Mrs. Larkin; while the farmer and I, perspiring56 with the unusual effort, exchanged remarks on the mutability of the weather and the steady fall in the price of corn. (Who would have thought, to hear us, that only two short days ago we had confronted each other on either side of a hedge? I triumphant57, provocative58, derisive59? He flushed, wroth, cracking his whip, and volleying forth profanity? So powerful is all-subduing ceremony!) Sabina the while, demurely60 seated with a Pilgrim’s Progress on her knee, and apparently61 absorbed[86] in a brightly-coloured presentment of ‘Apollyon Straddling Right across the Way,’ eyed me at times with shy interest; but repelled62 all Aunt Eliza’s advances with a frigid63 politeness for which I could not sufficiently65 admire her.
‘It’s surprising to me,’ I heard my aunt remark presently, ‘how my eldest66 nephew, Edward, despises little girls. I heard him tell Charlotte the other day that he wished he could exchange her for a pair of Japanese guinea-pigs. It made the poor child cry. Boys are so heartless!’ (I saw Sabina stiffen67 as she sat, and her tip-tilted nose twitched68 scornfully.) ‘Now this boy here——’ (my soul descended69 into my very boots. Could the woman have intercepted70 any of my amorous71 glances at the baker’s wife?) ‘Now this boy,’ my aunt went on, ‘is more human altogether. Only yesterday he took his sister to the baker’s shop, and spent his only penny buying her sweets. I thought it showed such a nice disposition72. I wish Edward were more like him!’
I breathed again. It was unnecessary to explain my real motives for that visit to the[87] baker’s. Sabina’s face softened73, and her contemptuous nose descended from its altitude of scorn; she gave me one shy glance of kindness, and then concentrated her attention upon Mercy knocking at the Wicket Gate. I felt awfully74 mean as regarded Edward; but what could I do? I was in Gaza, gagged and bound; the Philistines75 hemmed76 me in.
The same evening the storm burst, the bolt fell, and—to continue the metaphor—the atmosphere grew serene77 and clear once more. The evening service was shorter than usual, the vicar, as he ascended78 the pulpit steps, having dropped two pages out of his sermon-case—unperceived by any but ourselves, either at the moment or subsequently when the hiatus was reached; so, as we joyfully79 shuffled80 out I whispered Edward that by racing81 home at top speed we should make time to assume our bows and arrows (laid aside for the day) and play at Indians and buffaloes82 with Aunt Eliza’s fowls83—already strolling roostwards, regardless of their doom—before that sedately84 stepping lady could return. Edward hung at the door,[88] wavering; the suggestion had unhallowed charms. At that moment Sabina issued primly85 forth, and, seeing Edward, put out her tongue at him in the most exasperating86 manner conceivable; then passed on her way, her shoulders rigid64, her dainty head held high. A man can stand very much in the cause of love: poverty, aunts, rivals, barriers of every sort, all these only serve to fan the flame. But personal ridicule87 is a shaft88 that reaches the very vitals. Edward led the race home at a speed which one of Ballantyne’s heroes might have equalled but never surpassed; and that evening the Indians dispersed89 Aunt Eliza’s fowls over several square miles of country, so that the tale of them remaineth incomplete unto this day. Edward himself, cheering wildly, pursued the big Cochin-China cock till the bird sank gasping90 under the drawing-room window, whereat its mistress stood petrified91; and after supper, in the shrubbery, smoked a half-consumed cigar he had picked up in the road, and declared to an awe-stricken audience his final, his immitigable resolve to go into the army.
The crisis was past, and Edward was saved! . . . And yet . . . sunt lachrym? rerum . . . to me watching the cigar-stump alternately pale and glow against the dark background of laurel, a vision of a tip-tilted nose, of a small head poised92 scornfully, seemed to hover93 on the gathering94 gloom—seemed to grow and fade and grow again, like the grin of the Cheshire cat—pathetically, reproachfully even; and the charms of the baker’s wife slipped from my memory like snow-wreaths in thaw95. After all, Sabina was nowise to blame: why should the child be punished? To-morrow I would give them the slip, and stroll round by her garden promiscuous-like, at a time when the farmer was safe in the rick-yard. If nothing came of it, there was no harm done; and if on the contrary. . . !
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收听单词发音
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1
jauntiness
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| n.心满意足；洋洋得意；高兴；活泼 | |
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2
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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totter
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| v.蹒跚， 摇摇欲坠；n.蹒跚的步子 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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lettuce
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| n.莴苣；生菜 | |
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6
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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7
ailment
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| n.疾病，小病 | |
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8
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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10
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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13
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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14
betoken
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| v.预示 | |
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diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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16
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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17
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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18
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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twitch
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| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
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20
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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21
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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22
wails
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| 痛哭，哭声( wail的名词复数 ) | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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24
lamenting
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| adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 ) | |
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25
luscious
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| adj.美味的；芬芳的；肉感的，引与性欲的 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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serried
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| adj.拥挤的；密集的 | |
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creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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34
eastwards
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| adj.向东方（的），朝东（的）；n.向东的方向 | |
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35
slewed
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| adj.喝醉的v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去式 )( slew的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
conclusive
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| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
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philosophic
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| adj.哲学的，贤明的 | |
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38
permissible
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| adj.可允许的，许可的 | |
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39
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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40
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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41
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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42
morbidity
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| n.病态；不健全；发病；发病率 | |
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43
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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44
perilously
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| adv.充满危险地，危机四伏地 | |
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45
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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46
obnoxious
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| adj.极恼人的，讨人厌的，可憎的 | |
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47
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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48
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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49
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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50
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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51
torpid
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| adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的 | |
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52
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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53
scatheless
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| adj.无损伤的，平安的 | |
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54
whooping
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| 发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的 | |
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55
condescending
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| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
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56
perspiring
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
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57
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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58
provocative
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| adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的 | |
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59
derisive
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| adj.嘲弄的 | |
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60
demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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61
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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62
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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63
frigid
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| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
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64
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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65
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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66
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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67
stiffen
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| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
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68
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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69
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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70
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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71
amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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72
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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73
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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74
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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75
philistines
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| n.市侩，庸人( philistine的名词复数 )；庸夫俗子 | |
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76
hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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77
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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78
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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80
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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81
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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82
buffaloes
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| n.水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）( buffalo的名词复数 )；（南非或北美的）野牛；威胁；恐吓 | |
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83
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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84
sedately
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| adv.镇静地，安详地 | |
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85
primly
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| adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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86
exasperating
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| adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式 | |
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87
ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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88
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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89
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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90
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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91
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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92
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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93
hover
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| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
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94
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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95
thaw
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| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
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