“But you won’t tire me—bai Jove, you won’t!” said Max. “I’ve set my mind, and it will keep set.”
And still day after day he rode over to Laneton, till not a walk could Ella take without catching6 sight of his mincing7 step and gracefully-attired figure; while, in spite of every effort, there were times when she could not avoid his addresses, as he stubbornly persisted in walking by her side.
“Bai Jove! it’s of no use for you to harry8 and worry me,” drawled Max to Laura. “I’m getting on as fast as I can.”
“But are your visits having any effect?” said Laura eagerly.
“Well, I’ll be candid9 with you,” said Max. “Not so much as I could wish in one quarter; but, bai Jove! I’m doing you a good turn in the other direction. He’s as jealous as Othello—he is, bai Jove! He meets me now with a scowl10 like a stage villain11, confound him! But he gets on no better there than I do.”
Max Bray was very decided12 in what he said; but though debarred from visiting, like himself, at Copse Hall, Charley Vining was under the impression that he did get on much better than friend Max. The very sight of Ella, even at a distance, was to him a pleasure; and in spite of many disappointments, he was never weary of his twenty-four-mile ride, counting himself a happier man when, by a lucky chance, he was able to catch a glimpse of Ella, if but for a minute. While upon the day when Max made the above remarks, Charley Vining had not only seen, but spoken to Ella—not only spoken to, but won from her—But stay—we are premature13.
Weeks had passed since, exactly as had been described by Edward the hard-faced footman, Charley Vining had had an interview with Mrs Brandon, to learn that in future he must never call there, nor expect the slightest aid to be given to him, or even to have his suit countenanced14; and then it was that, angry and determined15, the young man had left, the house with the intention of leaving no stone unturned to win an answer to his love.
To this end, day after day he would watch the house, thinking nothing of the weary waiting hours, though it seemed that as little heed16 was paid to the distance by Max Bray, who now made no secret of his pursuit, carrying it on in open defiance17 of his rival—the two meeting constantly, but never speaking. In fact, Charley was rather glad of this; for after the last interview with Laura, it had seemed to him that he must be for the future upon unfriendly terms with the Bray family, though Laura, whenever they met, was more gentle and pleading than ever, although she must have seen that Charley shrank from her.
“Nil desperandum” seemed to be the motto adopted by all; and at length came the day when Charley’s heart leaped, for he told himself that his perseverance18 was to have its reward.
He had ridden over as was his custom, put up his horse at Laneton, and was then listlessly strolling towards Copse Hall, in the hope that he might be favoured by, at all events, a glimpse of Ella, when he turned from the road, leaped a stile, and took a path which led through the copse from which the Hall was named.
There was no especial reason for going that way, only that he was as likely to encounter Ella walking—which was not often—in one direction as another; so he made up his mind to go through the copse by the broad winding19 path which led round the back of the Hall, then to make his way into the lane by Croppley Magna, walk on and see the old lady who had received him into her house when he had his bad hunting fall, and then return to where his horse awaited him.
He had entered the copse, walking very slowly, and thinking deeply of the unsatisfactory state of affairs, when suddenly he was awakened20 from his musing21 by the sound of merry childlike laughter. A little girl dashed round a bend of the walk, closely followed by another, and then, passing him quickly, they were out of sight in an instant, just as, dreamy and thoughtful, Ella, with her head bent22 down, came round the bend of the path—came slowly on, nearer and nearer to where Charley stood, with palpitating heart; and the next moment, as she started from her reverie, it was with Charley holding her hand tightly in his.
“Ella!” he said, the word being as it were forced from his panting breast.
“Mr Vining!” she exclaimed softly, as for a moment she met his gaze, starting not from him, neither struggling to release her hands, but looking up at him with a soft pleading look, that seemed to say, “You know all that I have promised. Why do you persecute23 me?”
“Ella,” he said again, “at last!”
“Mr Vining,” she said wearily, “please loose my hands and let me return. This is folly24; it is unjust to me and to Sir Philip Vining. You know what I have promised to him.”
“I know what was cruelly wrung25 from you,” he said bitterly; “but I cannot think that you will adhere to it. Ella, dearest Ella, do you doubt my love?”
She turned her eyes sadly to his for a moment, as he still held her a prisoner.
“You believe me, then! You know how earnest I am!” cried Charley.
“Yes—yes!” she answered, her face bearing still the same sad weary expression.
“Listen to me, then,” continued Charley, his words sounding deep and husky. “If we were what you would call equals in station—an utterly26 false position—if I were some poor penniless tutor or curate telling you of my love, pleading to you earnestly, showing you in every way how dear you were to me, would you then—could you then—return that love?”
There was a silence for a few moments, and then, in a weak unguarded moment, Ella raised her eyes once more to his, to gaze, in spite of herself, fondly and earnestly, as she faintly breathed the one word “Yes.”
The next moment she had repented27; for he had clasped her in his arms, to kiss her fondly again and again, as frightened and struggling she strove to escape.
“Pray—pray, Mr Vining,” she sobbed28; “this is cruel—it is unfair to me;” and then she upbraided29 herself for her weakness.
But the next moment he was walking by her side, holding one hand still captive, as he urged and pleaded with a love-awakened earnestness, while Ella thought of all she had promised to Sir Philip Vining, and upbraided herself bitterly for not leaving Copse Hall, though the blame, if any, was not hers, since Mrs Brandon had again and again refused to hear of her departure. At last she roused herself, and for the next five minutes it was another spirit that contended with that of Charles Vining.
“Mr Vining,” she said, as quietly but firmly she withdrew her hand; and he saw that, though deeply moved, there was a quiet determined will in existence—“Mr Vining, you tell me that you love me.”
“And you believe me,” cried Charley hastily.
“And I believe you,” said Ella steadily30 and hurriedly. “For the sake, then, of that love—for my sake and my future welfare in this world, leave me—try to see me no more—strive to forget all the past, and let these words of yours be to you as some sad dream.”
“If I forget all this—”
“Hush!” she exclaimed firmly; “and remember my prayer to you. I ask you to do all this for my sake—for the sake of the love you bear me. I have promised that I would meet you no more, and that promise I must keep.”
“Stop!” cried Charley angrily, for she had turned to go. “I love you well, as you know—too well to accede31 to what you ask—and I tell you now, as I have told those who have importuned32 me so to do, that I will never, so long as I can see the faintest spark of affection for me, give you up. I go now, Ella, to wait—to wait patiently, even if it be for years. If rumours33, set afloat by interested people, meet your ears, credit nothing that tells of want of faith on my part to you. I will be patient, and wait till you are less cruel—till you relent towards me: for now you are to me, I may say, harsh. But recollect34 this: by your treatment you condemn35 me to a life of misery36 and wretchedness, for I can never again know peace. You wish me to leave you?”
“Yes,” said Ella hoarsely37; and without another word, he turned and strode away, his brow knit, and the veins38 swollen39 and knotted; but had he turned then, in the midst of his hot anger and disappointment at what he called her cold heartless cruelty, he would have seen so pitiful, so longing40 a look in Ella’s eyes, that he would the next moment have been asking pardon at her feet.
But he did not turn; and the next moment the bend in the pathway hid him from her sight, as with a sigh that seemed to cut its way from her heart, she, too, slowly turned, pressed her hands together, and walked sadly back to Mrs Brandon’s, closely followed by her charge.
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1
skittish
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| adj.易激动的，轻佻的 | |
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2
bray
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| n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫 | |
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3
effrontery
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| n.厚颜无耻 | |
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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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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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6
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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7
mincing
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| adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎 | |
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8
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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9
candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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10
scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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11
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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12
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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13
premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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14
countenanced
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| v.支持，赞同，批准( countenance的过去式 ) | |
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15
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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16
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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17
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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18
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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19
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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20
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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21
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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22
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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23
persecute
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| vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰 | |
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24
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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25
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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27
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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28
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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29
upbraided
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| v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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31
accede
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| v.应允，同意 | |
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32
importuned
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| v.纠缠，向（某人）不断要求( importune的过去式和过去分词 )；（妓女）拉（客） | |
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33
rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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34
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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35
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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36
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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37
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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38
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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39
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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40
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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