Interchange of service the law and condition of Beauty.
A. H. Clough.
Frank Jermyn, whom we have left ringing at the bell, followed Gertrude down the Virginia-cork passage into the waiting-room.
The curtains between this apartment and the studio were drawn1 aside, displaying a charming picture—Lucy, in her black gown and holland pinafore, her fair, smooth head bent2 over the re-touching frame; Phyllis, at an ornamental3 table, engaged in trimming prints, with great deftness4 and grace of manipulation.
[Pg 94]
Neither of the girls looked up from her work, and Frank took possession of one of the red-legged chairs, duly impressed with the business-like nature of the occasion; although, indeed, it must be confessed that his glance strayed furtively5 now and then in the direction of the studio and its pleasant prospect6.
Gertrude explained that they were quite prepared to undertake studio work. Frank briefly7 stated the precise nature of the work he had ready for them, and then ensued a pause.
It was humiliating, it was ridiculous, but it was none the less true, that neither of these business-like young people liked first to make a definite suggestion for the inevitable8 visit to Frank's studio.
At last Gertrude said, "You would wish it done to-day?"
"Yes, please; if it be possible."
She reflected a moment. "It must be this morning. There is no relying on the afternoon light. I cannot arrange to go myself, but my sister can, I think. Lucy!"
Lucy came across to them, alert and serene9.
"Lucy, would you take number three[Pg 95] camera to Mr. Jermyn's studio in York Place?"
"Yes, certainly."
"I have some studies of drapery I should wish to be photographed," added Frank, with his air of steadfast10 modesty11.
"I will come at once, if you like," answered Lucy, calmly.
"You will, of course, allow me to carry the apparatus12, Miss Lorimer."
"Thank you," said Lucy, after the least possible hesitation13.
Every one was immensely serious; and a few minutes afterwards Mrs. Maryon, looking out from the dressmaker's window, saw a solemn young man and a sober young woman emerge together from the house, laden14 with tripod-stand and camera, and a box of slides, respectively.
"I wish I could have gone myself," said Gertrude, in a worried tone; "but I promised Mrs. Staines to be in for her."
"Yes, he is a nice young man," answered Phyllis, unblushingly, looking up from her prints.
"Oh Phyllis, Phyllis, don't talk like a housemaid."
[Pg 96]
"I say, Gerty, all this is delightfully15 unchaperoned, isn't it?"
"Phyllis, how can you?" cried Gertrude, vexed16.
The question of propriety17 was one which she always thought best left to itself, which she hated, above all things, to discuss. Yet even her own unconventional sense of fitness was a little shocked at seeing her sister walk out of the house with an unknown young man, both of them being bound for the studio of the latter.
She was quite relieved when, an hour later, Lucy appeared in the waiting-room, fresh and radiant from her little walk.
"Mrs. Staines has been and gone," said Gertrude. "She worried dreadfully. But what have you done with 'number three?'"
"Oh, I left the camera at York Place. I am going again to-morrow to do some work for Mr. Oakley, who shares Mr. Jermyn's studio."
"Grist for our mill with a vengeance18. But come here and talk seriously, Lucy."
Phyllis, be it observed, who never remained long in the workshop, had gone out for a walk with Fan.
"Well?" said Lucy, balancing herself[Pg 97] against a five-barred gate, Fred Devonshire's latest gift, aptly christened by Phyllis the White Elephant. "Well, Miss Lorimer?"
"I'm going to say something unpleasant. Do you realise that this latest development of our business is likely to excite remark?"
"'That people will talk,' as Fan says? Oh, yes, I realise that."
"Don't look so contemptuous, Lucy. It is unconventional, you know."
"Of course it is; and so are we. It is a little late in the day to quarrel with our bread-and-butter on that ground."
"It is a mere19 matter of convention, is it not?" cried Gertrude, more anxious to persuade herself than her sister. "Whether a man walks into your studio and introduces himself, or whether your hostess introduces him at a party, it comes to much the same thing. In both cases you must use your judgment20 about him."
"And whether he walks down the street with you, or puts his arm round your waist, and waltzes off with you to some distant conservatory21, makes very little difference. In either case the chances are one knows nothing about him. I am sure half the men one met at dances might have been [Pg 98]haberdashers or professional thieves for all their hostesses knew. And, as a matter of fact, we happen to know something about Mr. Jermyn."
"Oh, I have nothing to say against Mr. Jermyn, personally. I am sure he is nice. It was rather that my vivid imagination saw vistas22 of studio-work looming23 in the distance. It was quite different with Mr. Lawrence, you know," said Gertrude, whom her own arguments struck as plausible24 rather than sound. "One thing may lead to another."
"Yes, it is sure to," cried Lucy, who saw an opportunity for escaping from the detested25 propriety topic. "To-day, for instance, with Mr. Oakley. He is middle-aged26, by the bye, Gerty, and married, for I saw his wife."
They both laughed; they could, indeed, afford to laugh, for, regarded from a financial point of view, the morning had been an unusually satisfactory one.
Gertrude's prophetic vision of vistas of studio work proved, for the next few days at least, to have been no baseless fabric27 of the fancy. The two artists at York Place kept them so busy over models, sketches28, and arrangements of drapery, that the girls'[Pg 99] hands were full from morning till night. Of course this did not last, but Frank was so full of suggestions for them, so genuinely struck with the quality of their work, so anxious to recommend them to his comrades in art, that their spirits rose high, and hope, which for a time had almost failed them, arose, like a giant refreshed, in their breasts.
In all simplicity29 and respect, the young Cornishman took a deep and unconcealed interest in the photographic firm, and expected, on his part, a certain amount of interest to be taken in his own work.
Frank, as Conny had said, worked chiefly in black and white. He was engaged, at present, in illustrating30 a serial31 story for The Woodcut, but he had time on his hands for a great deal more work, time which he employed in painting pictures which the public refused to buy, although the committees were often willing to exhibit them.
"If they would only send me out to that wretched little war," he said. "There is nothing like having been a special artist for getting a man on with the pictorial32 editors."
[Pg 100]
There is nothing like the salt of healthy objective interests for keeping the moral nature sound. Before the sense of mutual33 honesty, the little barriers of prudishness which both sides had thought fit in the first instance to raise, fell silently between the young people, never again to be lifted up.
For good or evil, these waifs on the great stream of London life had drifted together; how long the current should continue thus to bear them side by side—how long, indeed, they should float on the surface of the stream at all, was a question with which, for the time being, they did not very much trouble themselves.
No one quite knew how it came about, but before a month had gone by, it became the most natural thing in the world for Frank to drop in upon them at unexpected hours, to share their simple meals, to ask and give advice about their respective work.
Fanny had accepted the situation with astonishing calmness. Prudish34 to the verge35 of insanity36 with regard to herself, she had grown to look upon her strong-minded sisters as creatures emancipated37 from the ordinary conventions of their sex, as far[Pg 101] removed from the advantages and disadvantages of gallantry as the withered38 hag who swept the crossing near Baker39 Street Station.
Perhaps, too, she found life at this period a little dull, and welcomed, on her own account, a new and pleasant social element in the person of Frank Jermyn; however it may be, Fanny gave no trouble, and Gertrude's lurking40 scruples41 slept in peace.
One bright morning towards the end of January, Gertrude came careering up the street on the summit of a tall, green omnibus, her hair blowing gaily42 in the breeze, her ill-gloved hands clasped about a bulky note-book. Frank, passing by in painting-coat and sombrero, plucked the latter from his head and waved it in exaggerated salute43, an action which evoked44 a responsive smile from the person for whom it was intended, but acted with quite a different effect on another person who chanced to witness it, and for whom it was certainly not intended. This was no other than Aunt Caroline Pratt, who, to Gertrude's dismay, came dashing past in an open carriage, a look of speechless horror on her handsome, horselike countenance45.
[Pg 102]
Now it is impossible to be dignified46 on the top of an omnibus, and Gertrude received her aunt's frozen stare of non-recognition with a humiliating consciousness of the disadvantages of her own position.
With a sinking heart she crept down from her elevation47, when the omnibus stopped at the corner, and walked in a crestfallen48 manner to Number 20B, before the door of which the carriage, emptied of its freight, was standing49.
Aunt Caroline did not trouble them much in these days, and rather wondering what had brought her, Gertrude made her way to the sitting-room50, where the visitor was already established.
"How do you do, Aunt Caroline?"
"How do you do, Gertrude? And where have you been this morning?"
"To the British Museum."
Gertrude felt all the old opposition51 rising within her, in the jarring presence; an opposition which she assured herself was unreasonable52. What did it matter what Aunt Caroline said, at this time of day? It had been different when they had been little girls; different, too, in that first moment of sorrow and anxiety, when she[Pg 103] had laid her coarse touch on their quivering sensibilities.
Yet, when all was said, Mrs. Pratt's was not a presence to be in any way passed over.
"It is half-past one," said Aunt Caroline, consulting her watch; "are you not going to have your luncheon53?"
"It is laid in the kitchen," explained Lucy; "but if you will stay we can have it in here."
"In the kitchen! Is it necessary to give up the habits of ladies because you are poor?"
"A kitchen without a cook," put in Phyllis, "is the most ladylike place in the world."
Mrs. Pratt vouchsafed54 no answer to this exclamation55, but turned to Lucy.
"No luncheon, thank you. I may as well say at once that I have come here with a purpose; solely56, in fact, from motives57 of duty. Gertrude, perhaps your conscience can tell you what brings me."
"Indeed, Aunt Caroline, I am at a loss——"
"I have come," continued Mrs. Pratt, "prepared to put up with anything you may say. Gertrude, it is to you I address[Pg 104] myself, although, from Fanny's age, she is the one to have prevented this scandal."
"I do not in the least understand you," said Gertrude, with self-restraint.
Mrs. Pratt elevated her gloved forefinger58, with the air of a well-seasoned counsel.
"Is it, or is it not true, that you have scraped acquaintance with a young man who lodges59 opposite you; that he is in and out of your rooms at all hours; that you follow him about to his studio?"
"Yes," said Gertrude, slowly, flushing deeply, "if you choose to put it that way; it is true."
"That you go about to public places with him," continued Aunt Caroline; "that you have been seen, two of you and this person, in the upper boxes of a theatre?"
"Yes, it is true," answered Gertrude; and Lucy, mindful of a coming storm, would have taken up the word, but Gertrude interrupted her.
"Let me speak, Lucy; perhaps, after all, we do owe Aunt Caroline some explanation. Aunt, how shall I say it for you to understand? We have taken life up from a different standpoint, begun it on different bases. We are poor people, and we are [Pg 105]learning to find out the pleasures of the poor, to approach happiness from another side. We have none of the conventional social opportunities for instance, but are we therefore to sacrifice all social enjoyment60? You say we 'follow Mr. Jermyn to his studio;' we have our living to earn, no less than our lives to live, and in neither case can we afford to be the slaves of custom. Our friends must trust us or leave us; must rely on our self-respect and our judgment. Convention apart, are not judgment and self-respect what we most of us do rely on in our relations with people, under any circumstances whatever?"
It was only the fact that Aunt Caroline was speechless with rage that prevented her from breaking in at an earlier stage on poor Gertrude's heroics; but at this point she found her voice. Sitting very still, and looking hard at her niece with a remarkably61 unpleasant expression in her cold eye, she said in tones of concentrated fury:
"Fanny is a fool, and the others are children; but don't you, Gertrude, know what is meant by a lost reputation?"
This was too much for Gertrude; she sprang to her feet.
[Pg 106]
"Aunt Caroline," she cried, "you are right; Lucy and Phyllis are very young. It is not fit that they should hear such conversation. If you wish to continue it, I will ask them to go away."
A pause; the two combatants standing pale and breathless, facing one another. Then Lucy went over to her sister and took her hand; Fanny sobbed62; Phyllis glanced from one to the other with her bright eyes.
Now, Gertrude's conduct had been distinctly injudicious; open defiance63, no less than servile acquiescence64, was understood and appreciated by Mrs. Pratt; but Gertrude, as Lucy, who secretly admired her sister's eloquence65, at once perceived, had spoken a tongue not understanded of Aunt Caroline.
As soon, in these non-miraculous days, strike the rock for water, as appeal to Aunt Caroline's finer feelings or imaginative perceptions.
"If you will not listen to me," she said, suddenly assuming an air of weariness and physical delicacy66, "it must be seen whether your uncle can influence you. I am not equal to prolonging the discussion."
[Pg 107]
Pointedly67 ignoring Gertrude, she shook hands with the other girls; angry as she was, their shabby clothes and shabby furniture smote68 her for the moment with compassion69. Poverty seemed to her the greatest of human calamities70; she pitied even more than she despised it.
To Lucy, indeed, who escorted her downstairs, she assumed quite a gay and benevolent71 manner; only pausing to ask on the threshold, with a good deal of fine, healthy curiosity underlying72 the elaborate archness of her tones:
"Now, how much money have you naughty girls been making lately?"
Lucy stoutly73 and laughingly evaded74 the question, and Aunt Caroline drove off smiling, refusing, like the stalwart warrior75 that she was, to acknowledge herself defeated. But it was many a long day before she attempted again to interfere76 in the affairs of the Lorimers.
Perhaps she would have been more ready to renew the attack, had she known how really distressed77 and disturbed Gertrude had been by her words.
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1
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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4
deftness
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furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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6
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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7
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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8
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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9
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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11
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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15
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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17
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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18
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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19
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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21
conservatory
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| n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的 | |
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22
vistas
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| 长条形景色( vista的名词复数 )； 回顾； 展望； （未来可能发生的）一系列情景 | |
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23
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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24
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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27
fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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28
sketches
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| n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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illustrating
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| 给…加插图( illustrate的现在分词 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
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serial
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| n.连本影片，连本电视节目；adj.连续的 | |
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pictorial
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| adj.绘画的；图片的；n．画报 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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prudish
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| adj.装淑女样子的，装规矩的，过分规矩的；adv.过分拘谨地 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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emancipated
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| adj.被解放的，不受约束的v.解放某人（尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚）( emancipate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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41
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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42
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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43
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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44
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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45
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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46
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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47
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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48
crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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49
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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50
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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51
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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52
unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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53
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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54
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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55
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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56
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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57
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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58
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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60
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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61
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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62
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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63
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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64
acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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66
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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67
pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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68
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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69
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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70
calamities
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| n.灾祸，灾难( calamity的名词复数 )；不幸之事 | |
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71
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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72
underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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73
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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74
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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75
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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76
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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77
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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