And yet she could not but own that he was only frank, cordial, and gentlemanly. Only! Was that all? She dared not answer that question. Neither could he answer sundry2 questions put by his own conscience, as from time to time he encountered angry, reproachful glances from the woman who sat opposite, but to whom, whatever might have been assumed, he had never uttered a word that could be construed3 into one of love.
Somehow or another, during that dinner, Sir Philip’s words would keep repeating themselves to Charley, and at last he found himself muttering: “Shut myself out from an Eden—from an Eden!” while, when the ladies rose, and the door had closed upon the last rustling4 silk, a cloud appeared to have come over the scene, and he sat listening impatiently to the drawl of Max, and the agricultural converse5 of Mr Bray.
It was with alacrity6, then, that Charley left the table, when, upon reaching the drawing-room, he found Laura hovering7 in a paradise of musical R’s, as she sat at the piano, rolling them out in an Italian bravura8 song, whose pages, for fear that he should be forestalled9 by Charley Vining, Hugh Lingon rushed to turn over.
“Now Miss Bedford will sing us something,” shrieked10 Mrs Bray; and not daring to decline, Ella rose and walked to the piano, taking up a song from the canterbury. But her hands trembled as a shadow seemed to be cast upon her; and without daring to look, she knew that Charley Vining was at her side, ready to turn over the leaves.
“If he would only go!” she thought; and then she commenced with tremulous voice a sweet and plaintive11 ballad12, breathing of home and the past, when, living as it were in the sweet strain, her voice increased in volume and pathos13, the almost wild expression thrilling through her hearers, till towards the end of the last verse, when forgetting even Vining’s presence in the recollections evoked14, Ella was brought back to the present with a start, as one single hot tear-drop fell upon her outstretched hand.
How she finished that song she never knew, nor yet how she concealed16 her painful agitation17; but her next recollection was of being in the conservatory18 with Charley Vining, alone, and with his deep-toned voice seeming to breathe only for her ear.
“You must think it weak and childish,” he said softly; “but I could not help it,” he added simply. “Perhaps I am, after all, only an overgrown boy; but that was my dear mother’s favourite song—one which I have often listened to; and as you sung to-night, the old past seemed to come back almost painfully. But I need not fear that you will ridicule19 me.”
“Indeed, no!” said Ella softly. “I can only regret that I gave you pain.”
“Pain! No, it was not pain,” said Charley musingly20. “I cannot explain the feeling. I am a great believer in the power of music; and had we been alone, I might have asked you to repeat the strain. I am only too glad, though, that my poor father was not here.”
There was a pause for quite a minute—one which, finding how her companion had been moved, Ella almost feared to break; when seeing him start back, as it were, into the present and its duties, she made a movement as if to return.
“But one minute, Miss Bedford,” said Charley. “You admire flowers, I see. Look at the metallic21, silvery appearance of these leaves.”
“Pray excuse me, Mr Vining,” said Ella quietly, “but I wish to return to the drawing-room.”
“Yes—yes—certainly!” exclaimed Charley. “But one moment: I have something to say to you.”
“Mr Vining is mistaken,” said Ella coldly; “he forgets that I am not a visitor or friend of the family. Pray allow me to return!”
“Of course—yes!” said Charley. “But indeed I have something to say, Miss Bedford. Look here!”
He drew the little gold cross from his pocket, and held it up in the soft twilight22 shed by the coloured lamps, when his companion uttered a cry of joy.
“I have grieved so for its loss!” she exclaimed. “You found it?”
“Yes; beneath that tree where you were taking refuge from the rain. I know it was my duty to have returned it sooner; but I wished to place it in your hands myself.”
“O, thank you—I am so grateful!” exclaimed Ella, hardly noticing the empressement with which he spoke23.
“I wished, too,” said Charley, speaking softly and deeply, “for some reward for what I have done.”
“Reward?” ejaculated Ella.
“Surely, yes,” said Charley, laying his hand upon the tiny glove resting upon his arm. “You would accord that to the poorest lout24 who had been the lucky finder.”
“Reward, Mr Vining?” stammered25 Ella.
“Yes!” exclaimed Charley, his rich deep voice growing softer as he spoke. “And but for those words upon the reverse side, I would have kept the cross as an emblem26 of my hope. I, too, had a mother who is but a memory now. But you will grant me what I ask?”
“Mr Vining,” said Ella gravely, but unable to conceal15 her agitation, “will you kindly27 lead me back to the drawing-room?”
“I thank you for restoring me the cross, which I had never hoped to see again.”
She held out her hand, and the little ornament28 was immediately placed within her palm.
“You see,” said Charley, “I trust to your honour. I am defenceless now, but you will give me my guerdon?”
“Reward?” said Ella again.
“Yes,” said Charley eagerly; “I do not ask much. That rose that you have worn the evening through: give me that—I ask no more.”
“Mr Vining,” said the agitated29 girl, “I am poor and friendless, and here as a dependent. I say thus much, since I believe you to be a gentleman. You would not wilfully30 injure me, I am sure; but this prolonged absence may give umbrage31 to my employers. Once more, pray lead me back!”
Charley was moved by the appeal, and he turned on the instant.
“But you will give me that simple flower?” he said.
“Mr Vining,” said Ella with dignity, “would you have me lose my self-respect? I thank you for the service—indeed I am most grateful—but I cannot accede32 to your request.”
“I had hoped that I might be looked on as a friend,” said Charley gloomily, as he once more arrested his companion’s steps; “but there, I suppose if it had been—Pish! forgive me, pray!” he exclaimed. “How weak and contemptible33 I am! Miss Bedford, I am quite ashamed to have spoken so. But tell me that you forgive me, and—”
“Is Miss Bedford so mortally offended?” said a voice close at their side. “I have no doubt we can manage to obtain her forgiveness for you, Mr Vining. But not to-night, as there will not be time.—Nelly wants you in the schoolroom, Miss Bedford, and then, as it is late, perhaps you had better not return to the drawing-room this evening.”
Ella Bedford started, as, with flashing, angry eyes, Laura Bray stepped forward from behind the thick foliage34 of an orange-tree, and then, without a word—for she could not have spoken, so bitter, so cruel were the tones, and so deep the sting—Ella glided35 from the conservatory, leaving Laura face to face with Charley.
“I am sorry to have interrupted so pleasant a tête-à-tête!” exclaimed Laura tauntingly36.
There was no answer. Charley merely leaned against the open window, and gazed out upon the starry37 night; for he could not trust himself to speak, since every humiliating word addressed to his late companion had seemed to cut into his own heart; and had he spoken, it would have been with some hot angry words, of which he would afterwards have repented38.
“Had I known that Mr Charles Vining was so pleasantly engaged, I would not have come,” said Laura again bitterly, and with reproach in every tone of her voice.
Again angry words were on Charley’s lips; but for the sake of her who had left him he crushed them down, as he stood listening to the impatient foot of the angry girl beating the tiled floor, and seemed to feel her eyes burning him as they literally39 flashed with suppressed rage.
“Perhaps now that Mr Vining is disengaged he will lead me back to the drawing-room, as it might be painful to his feelings for people afterwards to make remarks upon our absence.”
Charley started at this, and made a movement as if to offer his arm; but the remembrance of the cruel insult to the dependent yet rankled40 in his breast, and he seemed to shrink from the angry woman as from something that he loathed41.
Laura saw it, and a sob42 of rage, disappointment, and passion combined burst from her breast. But even then, if he had made but one sign, she would have softened43 and thrown herself weeping upon his breast, reproaching, upbraiding44, but loving still, and ready to forgive and forget all the past. But Charles Vining was touched to the quick, and, in spite of his calm unmoved aspect, he was hot with passion, wishing in his heart that Max had been the offender45, that he might have quenched46 his rage by shaking him till those white teeth of his chattered47 again. Then came, though, the thought of Ella Bedford and her position. If he was cold and distant to Laura, would she not visit it upon that defenceless girl? Then he told himself she could behave with no greater cruelty, humiliate48 her no more, and he felt that he could not play the hypocrite. His growing dislike for Laura Bray was fast becoming a feeling of hatred49, and facing her for a moment, he was about to leave the conservatory alone; but no, the gentlemanly courtesy came back—he could not be guilty of rudeness even to the woman he despised; and without a word, he offered his arm, and prepared to lead her back to the drawing-room.
For a moment Laura made as if to take the proffered50 arm; but at that moment she caught sight of Charley’s frowning, angry face, when, with a cry of passionate51 grief, she darted52 past him, and the next instant he saw her cross the hall and hurry upstairs.
“Hyar—hyar, Vining, mai dear fellow, where are you?” cried a drawling voice from the other end of the conservatory.
“Confound it all!” ejaculated Charley, waking as it were into action at the tones of that voice, when with a bound he leaped from the window out on to the lawn, thrust out his Gibus hat, crushed it down again upon his head, and set off with long strides in the direction of the Court.
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收听单词发音
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1
bray
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| n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫 | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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construed
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| v.解释（陈述、行为等）( construe的过去式和过去分词 )；翻译，作句法分析 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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7
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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8
bravura
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| n.华美的乐曲；勇敢大胆的表现；adj.壮勇华丽的 | |
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9
forestalled
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| v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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ballad
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| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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14
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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17
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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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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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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23
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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24
lout
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| n.粗鄙的人；举止粗鲁的人 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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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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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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30
wilfully
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| adv.任性固执地；蓄意地 | |
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31
umbrage
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| n.不快；树荫 | |
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32
accede
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| v.应允，同意 | |
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contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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35
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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tauntingly
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| 嘲笑地，辱骂地； 嘲骂地 | |
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starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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40
rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
loathed
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| v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢 | |
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42
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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43
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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44
upbraiding
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| adj.& n.谴责（的）v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的现在分词 ) | |
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45
offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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46
quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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47
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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48
humiliate
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| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
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49
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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50
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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51
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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52
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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