Being, however, susceptible7 to a conviction of singular strength that he was himself and none other; and by dint8 of sheer will-power overcoming a tremendous disinclination to do anything but lie still and feel perfectly9 healthy, sound, and at peace with the world: he induced himself to roll over and fish for his watch in the pocket of the coat hanging on a nearby chair.
The hour proved to be half-past ten.
He fancied that he must have been uncommonly10 tired to have slept so late.
Then he remembered.
"One doesn't need to get drunk to be daft," was the conclusion he enunciated11 to his loneliness.
"I hope to goodness she doesn't go poking12 through my papers!"
The perturbation to which this thought gave rise got him out of bed more promptly13 than would otherwise have been the case. None the less he forgot it entirely14 in another moment, and had bathed and dressed and was knotting his tie before a mirror when the memory of the girl again flitted darkly athwart the glass of his consciousness.
"Wonder what it was that made me turn myself out of house and home for the sake of that girl, anyway? Something about her...."
But try as he might he could recall no definite details of her personality. She remained a shadow—a hunted, tearful, desperate wraith15 of girlhood: more than that, nothing.
He wagged his head seriously.
"Something about her!... Must've been good-looking ... or something...."
With which he drifted off into an inconsequent and irrelevant16 reverie which entertained him exclusively throughout breakfast and his brief homeward walk: in his magnificent, pantoscopic, protean17 imagination he was busily engaged in writing the first act of a splendid new play—something exquisitely19 odd, original, witty20, and dramatic.
A vague smile touched the corners of his mouth; his eyes were hazily21 lustrous22; his nose was in the air. He had forgotten his guest entirely. He ran up the steps of Number 289, let himself in, trotted23 down the hall and burst unceremoniously into his room—not in the least disconcerted to find it empty, not, indeed, mindful that it might have been otherwise.
His hat went one way, his handbag into a corner with a resounding24 bang. He sat himself down at his typewriter, quickly and deftly25 inserted a sheet of paper into the carriage and ... sat back at leisure, his gaze wandering dreamily out of the long, open windows, into the world of sunshine that shimmered26 over the back-yards.
A subconscious27 impulse moved him to stretch forth28 a long arm and drop his hand on the centre-table; after a few seconds his groping fingers closed round the bowl of an aged18 and well-beloved pipe.
He filled it, lighted it, smoked serenely29.
Half an hour elapsed before he was disturbed. Then someone knocked imperatively32 on the door. He recognized the knock; it was Madame Duprat's. Swinging round in his chair he said pleasantly: "Come in."
Madame Duprat entered, filling the doorway33. She shut the door and stood in front of it, subjecting it to an almost total eclipse. She was tall and portly, a grenadier of a woman, with a countenance34 the austerity of whose severely35 classic mould was somewhat moderated by a delicate, dark little moustache on her upper lip. Her mien36 was regal and portentous37, sitting well upon the person of the widow of a great if unrecognized French tragedian; but her eyes were kindly38; and Matthias had long since decided39 that it needed a body as big as Madame Duprat's to contain her heart.
"Bon jour, monsieur."
"Bon jour, madame."
This form of salutation was invariable between them; but the French of Matthias rarely withstood much additional strain. He lapsed30 now into English, cocking an eye alight with whimsical intelligence at the face of the landlady40. Madame possessed41 the gift (as it were an inheritance from the estate of her late husband) of creating an atmosphere at will, when and where she would. That which her demeanour now created within the four walls of the chamber42 of Monsieur Matthias was rather electrical.
"Something's happened to disturb madame?" he hazarded. "What's the row? Have we discharged our chef? Is it that the third-floor front is behindhand with his rent? Or has Achilles—that dachshund of Heaven!—turned suffragette—and proved it with pups?"
"The row, monsieur," madame checked him coldly, "has to do only with the conduct of monsieur himself?"
"Eh?" Matthias queried43 blankly.
"You ask me what?" The hands of madame were vivid with exasperation44. "Is it that monsieur is not aware he entertained a young woman in this room last night?"
"Oh—that!" The cloud passed from monsieur's eyes. He smiled cheerfully. "But it was quite proper, indeed, madame. Believe me, I—"
"Proper! And what is propriety45 to me, if you please—at my age?" madame demanded indignantly. "Am I not aware that monsieur left my house almost immediately after entering it and spent the night elsewhere? Did I not from my window see him running up the street with his handbag through the rain? But am I to figure as the custodian46 of my lodgers47' morals?" The thought perished, annihilated48 by an ample gesture. "My quarrel with monsieur is that he left the young woman here alone!"
Matthias found the vernacular49 the only adequate vehicle of expression: "I've got to hand it to you, Madame Duprat; your point of view is essentially50 Gallic."
"But what is the explanation of this conduct, monsieur? Am I to look forward to future escapades of the same nature? Do you intend to make of my house a refuge for all the stray unfortunates of New York? Am I, and my guests, to be left to the mercies of God-knows-who, simply because monsieur has a heart of pity?"
"Oh, here!" Matthias broke in with some impatience51. "It wasn't as bad as that. It's not likely to happen again ... and besides, the girl was a perfectly good, nice, respectable girl. Madame should know that I wouldn't take any chances with people I didn't know all about."
"Monsieur knew the young woman, then?"
"Oh, yes; assuredly yes," Matthias lied nonchalantly.
By the happiest of accidents, his glance, searching the table for a box of matches wherewith to relight his pipe, encountered a sheet of typewriter paper on which a brief message had been scrawled52 in a formless, untrained hand:
"Dear Sir," he read with relief, "thank you—Your friend, Joan Thursby."
He found the matches and used one before looking up.
"Miss Thursby," he said coolly, "is the daughter of an eminently53 respectable family in reduced circumstances. Thinking to better her condition, she proposed to become an actress, but met with such violent opposition54 on the part of her father—a bigot of a man!—that she was obliged to leave her home in order to retain her self-respect. Quite naturally she thought first of her only friend in the profession, Miss Maizie Dean, and came here to find her. The rest you may imagine. Was I to turn her out to wander through the rain—at two o'clock in the morning? Madame discredits55 her heart by suggesting anything of the sort!"
Madame's expression of contrition56 seemed to endorse57 this reproof58. She hesitated with a hand on the doorknob.
"Monsieur is prepared to vouch59 for the young woman?"
"Certainly," he assented60, with an imperturbable61 countenance masking a creepy, crawly feeling that perhaps he might be letting himself in for more than he bargained.
"Very good. I go, with apologies." Madame opened the door. "Thursday, you said?"
He repeated without bothering to correct her: "Joan Thursday."
"Barbarous names of these mad Americans!"
The door, closing, totally eclipsed the grenadier.
With thoughtful deliberation Matthias (smiling guiltily) tore Joan's note into minute bits and, dropping them in a waste-basket, dismissed her message and herself entirely from his mind.
Five minutes later the typewriter was rattling62 cheerily.
But its staccato chattering63 continued without serious interruption only for the time required to cover two pages and part of a third. Then came a long interval64 of smoke-soothed meditation65, which ended with the young man cheerfully placing fresh paper in the machine and starting all over again. This time he worked more slowly, weighing carefully the value of lines already written before recasting and committing them to paper; but the third sheet was covered without evident error, and a fourth, and then a fifth. Indeed the type-bars were drumming heartily66 on the last quarter of page 6, when suddenly the young man paused, scowled67, thrust back his chair and groaned69 from his heart.
He sat for a space, teetering on the rear legs of his chair, his lips pursed, forehead deeply creased70 from temple to temple. Then in a sepulchral71 tone uttering the single word "Snagged!" he rose and began to pace slowly to and fro between the door and the windows.
At the end of an hour he was still patrolling this well-worn beat—his way of torment72 by day and by night, if the threadbare length of carpet were to be taken as a reliable witness. And there's no telling how long he might have continued the exercise had not Madame Duprat knocked once again at his door.
Roused by that sound, he came suddenly out of profound speculations73. Stopping short and bidding Madame enter, he waited with hands thrust deep in his trouser-pockets and shoulders hunched74 high toward his ears, a cloud of annoyance75 darkening his countenance.
Madame Duprat came in with a "Pardon, monsieur," and a yellow envelope. Placing this last upon the table, she announced with simple dignity, "A telegram, if you please," and retired76.
Matthias strode to the table and with an air of some surprise and excitement tore open the message. He found its import unusual in more than one respect: it was not a "day-letter," and it had been written with a fine, careless extravagance of emotion that recked naught77 whatever of the ten-word limit.
He conned78 its opening aloud: "'Beast animal coward ingrate79 poltroon80 traitor81 beast'—"
At this point he broke off to glance at the signature and observe thoughtfully: "If Helena's going in for this sort of thing, I really must buy her a thesaurus: she's used 'beast' twice in two lines...."
He continued: "'How dared you run away last night? You promised. I was counting on you. I am disgusted with you and never want to see your face again. Return at once. Perhaps you won't be too late after all. Imperative31. I insist that you return.'"
The signature was simply: "Helena."
He said with considerable animation82: "But—damn it!—I don't want to get married yet! I don't see what I've done...."
Throwing back his shoulders and lifting a defiant83 chin, he announced with invincible84 determination: "I won't go. That's all there is about it. I will—not—go!...
"Besides," he argued plaintively85, "I couldn't travel like this—clothes all out of shape from that drenching86 last night—no time to change—!"
Consultation87 of his watch gave flat contradiction to this assertion.
"And besides, I'm just getting this thing started nicely!" This with reference to the play.
With another groan68 even more soulful than the first he sat down at the table, seized the telephone in a savage88 grasp, and in prematurely89 embittered90 accents detailed91 a suburban92 number to the inoffensive central operator. In the inevitable93 three minutes' wait for the connection to be put through he found ample opportunity to lash94 himself to a frenzy95 of exasperation.
"Hello!" he roared suddenly. "Hel-lo, I say!... Who is this?... Oh, you, eh, Swinton? This is Mr. Matthias.... No—I say, no! Don't call Mrs. Tankerville. Haven't time.... Just tell her I'm coming down on the six-thirty.... Yes.... And send something to meet me at the station.... Yes. Good-bye."
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收听单词发音
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1
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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3
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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5
tersely
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| adv. 简捷地, 简要地 | |
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6
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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7
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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8
dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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9
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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10
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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11
enunciated
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| v.（清晰地）发音( enunciate的过去式和过去分词 )；确切地说明 | |
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12
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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13
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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15
wraith
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| n.幽灵；骨瘦如柴的人 | |
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16
irrelevant
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| adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的 | |
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17
protean
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| adj.反复无常的；变化自如的 | |
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18
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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19
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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20
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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21
hazily
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| ad. vaguely, not clear | |
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22
lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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23
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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24
resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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26
shimmered
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
subconscious
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| n./adj.潜意识(的)，下意识(的) | |
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28
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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29
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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30
lapsed
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| adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
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31
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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32
imperatively
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| adv.命令式地 | |
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33
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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34
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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35
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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36
mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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37
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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38
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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39
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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40
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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41
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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42
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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43
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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44
exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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45
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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46
custodian
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| n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守 | |
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47
lodgers
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| n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 ) | |
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48
annihilated
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| v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃 | |
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49
vernacular
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| adj.地方的，用地方语写成的；n.白话；行话；本国语；动植物的俗名 | |
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50
essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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51
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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52
scrawled
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| 乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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54
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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55
discredits
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| 使不相信( discredit的第三人称单数 )； 使怀疑； 败坏…的名声； 拒绝相信 | |
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56
contrition
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| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
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57
endorse
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| vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意 | |
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58
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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59
vouch
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| v.担保；断定；n.被担保者 | |
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60
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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62
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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63
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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64
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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65
meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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66
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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67
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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69
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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70
creased
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| （使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的过去式和过去分词 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹； 皱皱巴巴 | |
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71
sepulchral
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| adj.坟墓的，阴深的 | |
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72
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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73
speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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74
hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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75
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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76
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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77
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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78
conned
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| adj.被骗了v.指挥操舵( conn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79
ingrate
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| n.忘恩负义的人 | |
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80
poltroon
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| n.胆怯者；懦夫 | |
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81
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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82
animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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83
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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84
invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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85
plaintively
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| adv.悲哀地，哀怨地 | |
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86
drenching
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| n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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87
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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88
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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89
prematurely
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| adv.过早地，贸然地 | |
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90
embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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91
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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92
suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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93
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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94
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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95
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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