Cold, sombre-looking, and bare was the house; and feeling that the refuge she had sought by means of advertising3 would be to her as a prison, Ella descended4 from the fly. A tall hard-looking footman opened the door, and kept her standing5 on the mat of a great bare hall, whose floor was polished oak, and whose ornaments6 were a set of harsh stiff-backed chairs, that looked as if they had been made out of old coffin7 boards, while the cold wind rushed through and shut a door somewhere in the back regions with an echoing bang.
“There’ll be a row about that,” said the hard-faced footman, as he set down the second trunk and closed the door, and the flyman drove off. “Missus hates the doors to bang, and they will do it when the wind’s in the south. You’re to come in here, please, Miss—Bedford, isn’t it?”
Trembling, in spite of her efforts to be calm, Ella responded to his query8, and then followed the footman to a great gaunt-looking door. He opened it, and announced, “Miss Bedford.” She advanced a few steps, seeing nothing for the blinding tears that would stand in her eyes—tears that she had much difficulty to keep from falling. Then the door was closed behind her, and she felt two warm soft hands take hers, and that she was drawn9 towards a great glowing fire.
“Why, my dear child!” said a pleasant voice, “you are chilled through. Come this way.”
Then, as in a dream, she felt herself placed in a soft yielding easy-chair, her bonnet10 and mantle11 removed, the same soft hands smoothing back her hair, and then, as a pair of warm lips were pressed to hers, the same voice said gently:
“Welcome to Copse Hall, my love! I hope it will prove to you a happy home.”
Ella started to her feet as those words thrilled through her; words so new, so tender, so motherly, that she could no longer restrain her feelings, but threw herself, sobbing12 violently, upon the gentle breast that seemed to welcome her; for two arms pressed her tightly there for a few moments. Then there were soothing13 whispers, soft hands caressing14 her; and at last Ella was seated calm and tranquil15 at Mrs Brandon’s feet, feeling that, after the storms of the past, a haven16 of safety had been reached; and long was the converse17 which followed, as ingenuously18 Ella told all to her new friend, whose hand still rested on, or played with, the soft glossy19 bands of hair.
“We will not make a host of promises,” said Mrs Brandon cheerfully; “but see how we get on. You were quite right to leave there: and I had such a kind letter from the Reverend Henry Morton, that I was glad to secure your aid for my children’s education.”
“Mr Morton was very, very kind,” said Ella, “and offered me a home when poor mamma died; but I thought that I ought to be up and doing, though I did not expect so much trouble at the outset.”
“Trouble, my child,” said Mrs Brandon softly,—“the world is full of it;” and Ella, looking up, glanced at the widow’s weeds. “Yes, seven years ago now,” she continued, interpreting Ella’s glance. “But the troubles here could be lessened20, if we studied others more and self less. But there, bless me, you haven’t seen the children!” and jumping up, she rang, and the hard-faced footman appeared.
“Tell Jane to bring in the young ladies, Edward,” said Mrs Brandon; and, five minutes after, two bright happy-looking girls of eight and ten came running in. “There, my dears, that is Miss Bedford—your new governess.”
The two girls went smiling up to offer their hands and kiss her, the younger clinging to her, and reading her face with a curious childish gaze.
“They are both totally spoiled, Miss Bedford,” said Mrs Brandon, gazing fondly at her children; “and they’re behindhand and tomboyish, and will give you no end of trouble. But you must rule them very strictly21; and as they’ve not been quite so bad to-day, they may have tea with us this evening.”
The girls clapped their hands, and over that pleasant meal it seemed to Ella that she must have been there for months; while, when Mrs Brandon accompanied her to her bedroom that night—a snug22 pleasant chamber23, with a fire, books, and a general aspect of comfort—and left her alone with the sense of the warm kiss on her lips—a friendly pressure on her hand, Ella sank upon her knees, and the tears would for a while flow—tears this time, though, of thankfulness for the refuge she had found.
Two days of happiness had passed like a dream, in spite of sad thoughts and an undefined dread24 that all was too bright to last, when, seated in the drawing-room with Mrs Brandon, Ella’s heart leaped, and then the blood seemed to rush to her heart, for the clangour of the hall bell proclaimed a visitor. The next minute the hard footman entered with a card upon a salver.
“Gentleman wishes to see Miss Bedford,” he said; and Ella with trembling hand took the card, to read thereon:
“Mr Charles Vining, Blandfield Court.”
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1
dwelling
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n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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2
gust
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n.阵风,突然一阵(雨、烟等),(感情的)迸发 | |
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3
advertising
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n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的 | |
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4
descended
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a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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5
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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6
ornaments
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n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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7
coffin
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n.棺材,灵柩 | |
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8
query
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n.疑问,问号,质问;vt.询问,表示怀疑 | |
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9
drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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10
bonnet
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n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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11
mantle
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n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
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12
sobbing
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<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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13
soothing
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adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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14
caressing
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爱抚的,表现爱情的,亲切的 | |
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15
tranquil
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adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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16
haven
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n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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17
converse
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vi.谈话,谈天,闲聊;adv.相反的,相反 | |
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18
ingenuously
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adv.率直地,正直地 | |
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19
glossy
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adj.平滑的;有光泽的 | |
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20
lessened
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减少的,减弱的 | |
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21
strictly
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adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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22
snug
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adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房 | |
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23
chamber
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n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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24
dread
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vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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