That all our swains commend her?
Two Gentlemen of Verona.
There was no mistaking the situation. At one of the red-legged tables sat Fred, his arms spread out before him, his face hidden in his arms; while Lucy, with a troubled face, stood near, struggling between her genuine compunction and an irrepressible desire to laugh.
It was Sunday morning; the rest of the household were at church, and the two young people had had the studio to themselves without fear of disturbance1; a circumstance of which the unfortunate Fred[Pg 191] had hastened to avail himself, thereby2 rushing on his fate.
They had now reached that stage of the proceedings3 when the rejected suitor, finding entreaty4 of no avail, has recourse to manifestations5 of despair and reproach.
"You shouldn't have encouraged a fellow all these years," came hoarsely6 from between the arms and face of the prostrate7 swain.
"'All these years!' how can you be so silly, Fred?" cried Lucy, with some asperity8. "Why, I shall be accused next of encouraging little Jack9 Oakley, because I bowled his hoop10 round Regent's Park for him last week."
Lucy did not mean to be unkind; but the really unexpected avowal11 from her old playmate had made her nervous; a refusal to treat it seriously seemed to her the best course to pursue. But her last words, as might have been supposed, were too much for poor Fred. Up he sprang, "a wounded thing with a rancorous cry"—
"There is another fellow!"
Back started Lucy, as if she had been shot. The hot blood surged up into her face, the tears rose to her eyes.
[Pg 192]
"What has that to do with it?" she cried, stung suddenly to cruelty; "what has that to do with it, when, if you were the only man in the world, I would not marry you?"
Fred, hurt and shocked by this unexpected attack from gentle Lucy, gathered himself up with something more like dignity than he had displayed in the course of the interview.
"Oh, very well," he said, taking up his hat; "perhaps one of these days you will be sorry for what you have done. I'm not much, I know, but you won't find many people to care for you as I would have cared." His voice broke suddenly, and he made his way rather blindly to the door.
Lucy was trembling all over, and as pale as, a moment ago, she had been red. She wanted to say something, as she watched him fumbling12 unsteadily with the door-handle; but her lips refused to frame the words.
Without lifting his head he passed into the little passage. Lucy heard his retreating footsteps, then her eye fell on a roll of newspapers at her feet. She picked them up hastily.
[Pg 193]
"Fred," she cried, "you have forgotten these."
But he vouchsafed13 no answer, and in another moment she heard the outer door shut.
She stood a moment with the ridiculous bundle in her hand—Tit-Bits and a pink, crushed copy of The Sporting Times—then something between a laugh and a sob14 rose in her throat, the papers fell to the ground, and sinking on her knees by the table, she buried her face in her hands and burst into bitter weeping.
Gertrude, coming in from church some ten minutes later, found her sister thus prostrate.
The sight unnerved her from its very unusualness; bending over Lucy she whispered, "Am I to go away?"
"No, stop here."
Gertrude locked the door, then came and knelt by her sister.
"Oh, poor Fred, and I was so horrid15 to him," wept the penitent16.
"Ah, I was afraid it would come."
Gertrude stroked the prone17, smooth head; she feared that the thought of some one else besides Fred lay at the bottom of all this[Pg 194] disturbance. She was very anxious for Lucy in these days; very anxious and very helpless. There was only one person, she knew too well, who could restore to Lucy her old sweet serenity18, and he, alas19, made no sign.
What was she to think? One thing was clear enough; the old pleasant relationship between themselves and Frank was at an end; if renewed at all, it must be renewed on a different basis. A disturbing element, an element of self-consciousness had crept into it; the delicate charm, the first bloom of simplicity20, had departed for ever.
It was now the middle of July, and for the last week or two they had seen scarcely anything of Jermyn, beyond the glimpses of him as he lounged up the street, with his sombrero crushed over his eyes, all the impetuosity gone from his gait.
That he distinctly avoided them, there could be little doubt. Though he was to be seen looking across at the house wistfully enough, he made no attempt to see them, and his greetings when they chanced to meet were of the most formal nature.
The change in his conduct had been so marked and sudden, that it was impossible[Pg 195] that it should escape observation. Fanny, with an air of superior knowledge, gave it out as her belief that Mr. Jermyn was in love; Phyllis held to the opinion that he had been fired with the idea of a big picture, and was undergoing the throes of artistic21 conception; Gertrude said lightly, that she supposed he was out of sorts and disinclined for society; while Lucy held her peace, and indulged in many inward sophistries22 to convince herself that her own unusual restlessness and languor23 had nothing to do with their neighbour's disaffection.
It was these carefully woven self-deceptions that had been so rudely scattered24 by Fred's words; and Lucy, kneeling by the scarlet25 table, had for the first time looked her fate in the face, and diagnosed her own complaint.
"Lucy," said Gertrude, after a pause, "bathe your eyes and come for a walk in the Park; there is time before lunch."
Lucy rose, drying her wet face with her handkerchief.
"Let me look at you," cried Gertrude. "What is the charm? Where does it lie? Why are these sort of things always happening to you?"
[Pg 196]
"Oh," answered Lucy, with an attempt at a smile, "I am a convenient, middling sort of person, that is all. Not uncomfortably clever like you, or uncomfortably pretty like Phyllis."
The two girls set off up the hot dusty street, with its Sunday odour of bad tobacco. Regent's Park wore its most unattractive garb26; a dead monotony of July verdure assailed27 the eye; a verdure, moreover, impregnated and coated with the dust and soot28 of the city. The girls felt listless and dispirited, and conscious that their walk was turning out a failure.
As they passed through Clarence Gate, on their way back, Frank darted29 past them with something of his normal activity, lifting his hat with something like the old smile.
"He might have stopped," said Lucy, pale to the lips, and suddenly abandoning all pretence30 of concealment31 of her feelings.
"No doubt he is in a hurry;" answered Gertrude, lamely32. "I daresay he is going to lunch in Sussex Place. Lord Watergate's Sunday luncheon33 parties are quite celebrated34."
The day dragged on. The weather was sultry and every one felt depressed35. Fanny[Pg 197] was spending the day with relations of her future husband's; but the three girls had no engagements and lounged away the afternoon rather dismally36 at home.
All were relieved when Fanny and Mr. Marsh37 came in at supper-time, and they seated themselves at the table with alacrity38. They had not proceeded far with the meal, when footsteps, unexpected but familiar, were heard ascending39 the staircase; then some one knocked, and before there was time to reply, the door was thrown open to admit Frank Jermyn.
He looked curiously40 unlike himself as he advanced and shook hands amid an uncomfortable silence that everybody desired to break. His face was pale, and no longer moody41, but tense and eager, with shining eyes and dilated42 nostrils43.
"You will stay to supper, Mr. Jermyn?" said Gertrude, at last, in her most neutral tones.
"Yes, please." Frank drew a chair to the table like a person in a dream.
"You are quite a stranger," cried arch, unconscious Fan, indicating with head and spoon the dish from which she proposed to serve him.
[Pg 198]
Frank nodded acceptance of the proffered44 fare, but ignored her remark.
Silence fell again upon the party, broken by murmurs45 from the enamoured Edward, and the ostentatious clatter46 of knives and forks on the part of people who were not eating. Every one, except the plighted47 lovers, felt that there was electricity in the air.
At last Frank dropped his fork, abandoning, once for all, the pretence of supper.
"Miss Lucy," he cried across the table to her, "I have a piece of news."
She looked up, pale, with steady eyes, questioning him.
"I am going abroad to-morrow."
"Oh, where are you going?" cried Fanny, vaguely48 mystified.
"I am going to Africa."
He did not move his eyes from Lucy as he spoke49; her head had drooped50 over her plate. "They are sending me out as special from The Woodcut, in the place of poor Leadpoint, who has died of fever. I heard the first of it last night, and this morning it was finally settled. It makes," cried Frank, "an immense difference in my prospects52."
[Pg 199]
Edward Marsh, who objected to Frank as a spoilt puppy, always expecting other people to be interested in his affairs, asked the young man bluntly the value of his appointment. But he met with no reply; for Frank, his face alight, had sprung to his feet, pushing back his chair.
"Lucy, Lucy," he cried in a low voice, "won't you come and speak to me?"
Lucy rose like one mesmerised; took, with a presence of mind at which she afterwards laughed, the key of the studio from its nail, and followed Frank from the room, amidst the stupefaction of the rest of the party.
It was a sufficiently53 simple explanation which took place, some minutes later, in the very room where, a few hours before, poor Fred had received his dismissal.
"But why," said Lucy, presently, "have you been so unkind for the last fortnight?"
"Ah, Lucy," answered Frank; "you women so often misjudge us, and think that it is you alone who suffer, when the pain is on both sides. When it dawned upon me how things stood with you and me—dear girl, you told me more than you knew yourself—I reflected what a poor devil I was, with not the[Pg 200] ghost of a prospect51. (I have been down on my luck lately, Lucy.) And I saw, at the same time, how it was with Devonshire; I thought, he is a good fellow, let him have his chance, it may be best in the end——"
"Oh, Frank, Frank, what did you think of me? If these are men's arguments I am glad that I am a woman," cried Lucy, clinging to the strong young hand.
"Well, so am I, for that matter," answered Frank; and then, of course, though I do not uphold her conduct in this respect, Lucy told him briefly54 of Fred Devonshire's offer and her own refusal.
It was late before these two happy people returned to the sitting-room55, to receive congratulations on the event, which, by this time, it was unnecessary to impart.
Fanny wondered aloud why she had not thought of such a thing before; and felt, perhaps, that her own rechauffé love affair was quite thrown into the shade. Phyllis smiled and made airy jests, submitting her soft cheek gracefully56 to a brotherly kiss.
Edward Marsh looked on mystified and rather shocked, and Gertrude remained in the background, with a heart too full for speech, till the lovers made their way to her, demanding her congratulations.
[Pg 201]
"Don't think me too unworthy," said Frank, in all humility57.
"I am glad," she said.
Glancing up and seeing the two young faces, aglow58 with the light of their happiness, she looked back with a wistful amusement on her own doubts and fears of the past weeks.
As she did so, the beautiful, familiar words flashed across her consciousness—
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
* * * * *
Late that night, when the guests had departed and the rest of the household was asleep, Gertrude heard Lucy moving about in the room below, and, throwing on her dressing-gown, went down stairs. She found her sister risen from the table, where she had been writing a letter by the lamp-light.
"Aren't you coming to bed, Lucy? Remember, you have to be up very early."
The shadow of the coming separation, which at first had only seemed to give a more exquisite59 quality to her happiness, lay on Lucy. She was pale, and her steadfast[Pg 202] eyes looked out with the old calm, but with a new intensity60, from her face.
"Read this," she said, "it seemed only fair."
Stooping over the table, Gertrude read—
"Dear Fred,—I am engaged to Frank Jermyn, who goes abroad to-morrow. I am sorry if I seemed unkind, but I was grieved and shocked by what you said to me. Very soon, when you have quite forgiven me, you will come and see us all, will you not? Acknowledge that you made a mistake, and never cease to regard me as your friend.—L. L."
Gertrude thought: "Then I shall not have to tell Conny, after all."
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1
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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manifestations
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| n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式） | |
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6
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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8
asperity
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| n.粗鲁，艰苦 | |
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9
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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10
hoop
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| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
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11
avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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12
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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13
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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14
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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15
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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16
penitent
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| adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者 | |
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17
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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18
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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19
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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20
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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21
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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sophistries
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| n.诡辩术( sophistry的名词复数 )；（一次）诡辩 | |
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23
languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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24
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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25
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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28
soot
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| n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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29
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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30
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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31
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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32
lamely
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| 一瘸一拐地，不完全地 | |
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33
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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34
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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36
dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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38
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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39
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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40
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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41
moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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42
dilated
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| 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 ) | |
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43
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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44
proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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46
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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47
plighted
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| vt.保证，约定（plight的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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48
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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49
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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50
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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52
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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53
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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54
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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55
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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56
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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57
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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58
aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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59
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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60
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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