Othello.
If a sudden reverse of fortune need not make us cynical1, there is perhaps no other experience which brings us face to face so quickly and so closely with the realities of life.
The Lorimers, indeed, had no great cause for complaint; and perhaps, in condemning2 the Timons of this world, forgot that, as interesting young women, embarked3 moreover on an interesting enterprise, they were not themselves in a position to gauge4 the full depths of mundane5 perfidy6.
Of course, after a time, they dropped off from the old set, from the people with whom their intercourse7 had been a mere8 matter[Pg 66] of social commerce; but, as Phyllis justly observed, when you have no time to pay calls, no clothes to your back, no money for cabs, and very little for omnibuses, you can hardly expect your career to be an unbroken course of festivities.
On the other hand, many of their friends drew closer to them in the hour of need, and a great many good-natured acquaintances amused themselves by patronising the studio in Upper Baker9 Street, and recommending other people to go and do likewise.
Certainly these latter exacted a good deal for their money; were restive10 when posed, expected the utmost excellence11 of work and punctuality of delivery, and, like most of the Lorimers' customers, seemed to think the sex of the photographers a ground for greater cheapness in the photographs.
One evening, towards the middle of October, the girls had assembled for the evening meal—it could not, strictly12 speaking, be called dinner—in the little sitting-room13 above the shop.
They were all tired, for the moment discouraged, and had much ado to maintain that cheerfulness which they held it a point of honour never to abandon.
[Pg 67]
"How the evenings do draw in!" observed Fan, who sat near the window, engaged in fancy-work.
Fanny's housekeeping, by the way, had been tried, and found wanting; and the poor lady had, with great delicacy14, been relegated15 to the vague duty of creating an atmosphere of home for her more strong-minded sisters. Fortunately, she believed in the necessity of a thoroughly16 womanly presence among them, womanliness being apparently17 represented to her mind by any number of riband bows on the curtains, antimacassars on the chairs, and strips of embroidered18 plush on every available article of furniture; and accepted the situation without misgiving19.
"Yes," answered Lucy, rather dismally20; "we shall soon have the winter in full swing, fogs and all."
She had been up to the studio of an artist at St. John's Wood that morning, making photographs of various studies of drapery for a big picture, and the results, when examined in the dark-room later on, had not been satisfactory; hence her unusual depression of spirits.
"For goodness' sake, Lucy, don't speak[Pg 68] in that tone!" cried Phyllis, who was standing22 idly by the window. "What does it matter about Mr. Lawrence's draperies? Nobody ever buys his pokey pictures. You've not been the same person ever since you developed those plates this afternoon."
"Don't you see, Phyllis, Mr. Russel introduced us to him; and besides, though he is obscure himself, he might recommend us to other artists if the work was well done."
"Oh, bother! Come over here, Lucy. Do you see that lighted window opposite? It is Conny's Mr. Jermyn's."
"What an interesting fact!"
"Conny said he danced well. I wish he would come and dance with us sometimes. It is ages and ages since I had a really good waltz."
"Phyllis! do you forget that you are in mourning?" cried Fanny, shocked, as she moved towards the table, where Lucy had lit the lamp.
Gertrude came through the folding-doors bearing a covered dish. Her aspect also was undeniably dejected. Business had been slacker, if possible, than usual, during[Pg 69] the past week; regarded from no point of view could their prospects23 be considered brilliant; and, to crown all, Aunt Caroline had paid them a visit in the course of the day, in which she had propounded25 some very direct questions as to the state of their finances; questions which it had been both difficult to answer and difficult to evade26.
Phyllis ceased her chatter27, which she saw at once to be out of harmony with the prevailing28 mood, and took her place in silence at the table.
At the same moment the studio-bell echoed with considerable violence throughout the house.
"What can any one want this time of night?" cried Fan, in some agitation29.
"They must have pulled the wrong bell," said Lucy; "but one of us had better go down and see."
Gertrude lighted a candle, and went downstairs, and the rest proceeded rather silently with their meal.
In about five minutes Gertrude re-appeared with a grave face.
"Well?"
They all questioned her, with lips and eyes.
[Pg 70]
"Some one has been here about work," she said, slowly; "but it's rather a dismal21 sort of job. It is to photograph a dead person."
"Gerty, what do you mean?"
"Oh, I believe it is quite usual. A lady—Lady Watergate—died to-day, and her husband wishes the body to be photographed to-morrow morning."
"It is very strange," said Fanny, "that he should select ladies, young girls, for such a piece of work!"
"Oh, it was a mere chance. It was the housekeeper30 who came, and we happened to be the first photographer's shop she passed. She seemed to think I might not like it, but we cannot afford to refuse work."
"But, Gertrude," cried Fan, "do you know what Lady Watergate died of? Perhaps scarlet31 fever, or smallpox32, or something of the sort."
"She died of consumption," said Gertrude shortly, and put her arm round Phyllis, who was listening with a curious look in her great, dilated33 eyes.
"I wonder," put in Lucy, "if this poor lady can be the wife of the Lord Watergate?"
[Pg 71]
"I rather fancy so; I know he lives in Regent's Park, and the address for to-morrow is Sussex Place."
A name so well known in the scientific and literary world was of course familiar to the Lorimers. They had, however, little personal acquaintance with distinguished34 people, and had never come across the learned and courteous35 peer in his social capacity, his frequent presence in certain middle-class circles notwithstanding.
Mrs. Maryon, coming up later on for a chat, under pretext36 of discussing the unsatisfactory Matilda, was informed of the new commission.
"Ah," she said, shaking her head, "it was a sad story that of the Watergates." So passionately37 fond of her as he had been, and then for her to treat him like that! But he took her back at the last and forgave her everything, like the great-hearted gentleman that he was. "And do you mean," she added, fixing her melancholy38, humorous eyes on them, "that you young ladies are actually going by yourselves to the house to make a picture of the body?"
"I am going—no one else," answered[Pg 72] Gertrude calmly, passing over Phyllis's avowed39 intention of accompanying her.
"She always has some dreadful tale about everybody you mention," cried Lucy, indignantly, when Mrs. Maryon had gone. "She will never rest content until there is something dreadful to tell of us."
"Yes, I'm sure she regards us as so many future additions to her Chamber40 of Horrors," said Phyllis, reflectively, with a smile.
"And oh," added Fan, "if she would only not compare us so constantly with that poor man who had the studio last year! It makes one positively41 creep."
"Nonsense," said Gertrude; "she is quite as fond of pleasant events as sad ones. Weddings, for instance, she describes with as much unction as funerals."
"We will certainly do our best to add to her stock of tales in that respect," cried Phyllis, with an odd burst of high spirits. "Who votes for getting married? I do. So do you, don't you, Fan? It must be such fun to have one's favourite man dropping in on one every evening."
* * * * *
At an early hour the next morning, Gertrude Lorimer started on her errand.[Pg 73] She went alone; Lucy of course must remain in the studio; Phyllis was in bed with a headache, and Fan was ministering to her numerous wants. As she passed out, laden42 with her apparatus43, Mdlle. Stéphanie, the big, sallow Frenchwoman who occupied the first floor, entered the house and grinned a vivacious44 "Bon jour!"
"A fine, bright morning for your work, miss!" cried the chemist from his doorstep; while his wife stood at his side, smiling curiously45.
Gertrude went on her way with a considerable sinking of the heart. She had no difficulty in finding Sussex Place; indeed, she had often remarked it; the white curve of houses with the columns, the cupolas, and the railed-in space of garden which fronted the Park.
Lord Watergate's house was situated46 about midway in the terrace. Gertrude, on arriving, was shown into a large dining-room, darkened by blinds, and decorated in each gloomy corner by greenish figures of a pseudo-classical nature, which served the purpose of supports to the gas-globes.
At least a quarter of an hour elapsed before the appearance of the housekeeper,[Pg 74] who ushered47 her up the darkened stairs to a large room on the second storey.
Here the blinds had been raised, and for a moment Gertrude was too dazzled to be aware with any clearness of her surroundings.
As her eyes grew accustomed to the light, she perceived herself to be standing in a daintily-furnished sleeping apartment, whose open windows afforded glimpses of an unbroken prospect24 of wood, and lawn, and water.
Drawn48 forward to the middle of the room, well within the light from the windows, was a small, open bedstead of wrought49 brass50. A woman lay, to all appearance, sleeping there, the bright October sunlight falling full on the upturned face, on the spread and shining masses of matchless golden hair. A woman no longer in her first youth; haggard with sickness, pale with the last strange pallor, but beautiful withal, exquisitely51, astonishingly beautiful.
Another figure, that of a man, was seated by the window, in a pose as fixed52, as motionless, as that of the dead woman herself.
Gertrude, as she silently made preparations for her strange task, instinctively[Pg 75] refrained from glancing in the direction of this second figure; and had only the vaguest impression of a dark, bowed head, and a bearded, averted53 face.
She delivered a few necessary directions to the housekeeper, in the lowest audible voice, then, her faculties54 stimulated55 to curious accuracy, set to work with camera and slides.
As she stood, her apparatus gathered up, on the point of departure, the man by the window rose suddenly, and for the first time seemed aware of her presence.
For one brief, but vivid moment, her eyes encountered the glance of two miserable56 grey eyes, looking out with a sort of dazed wonder from a pale and sunken face. The broad forehead, projecting over the eyes; the fine, but rough-hewn features; the brown hair and beard; the tall, stooping, sinewy57 figure: these together formed a picture which imprinted58 itself as by a flash on Gertrude's overwrought consciousness, and was destined59 not to fade for many days to come.
* * * * *
"They are some of the best work you have ever done, Gerty," cried Phyllis,[Pg 76] peering over her sister's shoulder. The habits of this young person, as we know, resembled those of the lilies of the field; but she chose to pervade60 the studio when nothing better offered itself, and in moments of boredom61 even to occupy herself with some of the more pleasant work.
Gertrude looked thoughtfully at the prints in her hand. They represented a woman lying dead or asleep, with her hair spread out on the pillow.
"Yes," she said, slowly, "they have succeeded better than I expected. Of course the light was not all that could be wished."
"Poor thing," said Phyllis; "what perfect features she has. Mrs. Maryon told us she was wicked, didn't she? But I don't know that it matters about being good when you are as beautiful as all that."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
cynical
|
|
| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
condemning
|
|
| v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
embarked
|
|
| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
gauge
|
|
| v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
mundane
|
|
| adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
perfidy
|
|
| n.背信弃义，不忠贞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
intercourse
|
|
| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
baker
|
|
| n.面包师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
restive
|
|
| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
excellence
|
|
| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
strictly
|
|
| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
sitting-room
|
|
| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
delicacy
|
|
| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
relegated
|
|
| v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
embroidered
|
|
| adj．绣花的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
misgiving
|
|
| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
dismally
|
|
| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
dismal
|
|
| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
prospects
|
|
| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
propounded
|
|
| v.提出（问题、计划等）供考虑[讨论]，提议( propound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
evade
|
|
| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
chatter
|
|
| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
prevailing
|
|
| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
agitation
|
|
| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
housekeeper
|
|
| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
scarlet
|
|
| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
smallpox
|
|
| n.天花 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
dilated
|
|
| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
courteous
|
|
| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
pretext
|
|
| n.借口，托词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
passionately
|
|
| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
avowed
|
|
| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
chamber
|
|
| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
laden
|
|
| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
apparatus
|
|
| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
vivacious
|
|
| adj.活泼的，快活的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
situated
|
|
| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
ushered
|
|
| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
wrought
|
|
| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
exquisitely
|
|
| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
averted
|
|
| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
faculties
|
|
| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
stimulated
|
|
| a.刺激的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
sinewy
|
|
| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
imprinted
|
|
| v.盖印（imprint的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
destined
|
|
| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
pervade
|
|
| v.弥漫，遍及，充满，渗透，漫延 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
boredom
|
|
| n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |