Number two, about a year and a half older, was a young lady gifted with a perpetual sniff2, in which she indulged as she stood and stared at the new governess, an operation she was abetted3 in by number three, a young lady of ten, with tousley hair, and an inclination4 to rub one ear with a bony bare shoulder, which was continually hitching6 itself out of the loose shoulder-straps7, and rising up as its owner gave herself a writhe8, and then lolled against the drawing-room table, which creaked audibly at the infliction9.
“This, my dears,” said Mrs Marter, pointing at Ella with her gold eyeglass, and speaking in an imposing11 showman-like voice, as if she was exhibiting some new curiosity—“this, my dears, is Miss Bedford, your new governess. Eleonora, you may shake hands with her.”
Thus adjured12, Eleonora, the eldest13 and tousley of head, gave her shoulder a hitch5 out of the straps, and sulkily held out a hand elegantly veined and marbled from the want of saponaceous applications.
“Alicia, you may shake hands with your new governess,” said Mrs Marter again, evidently addressing the second daughter, who did not move. “Alicia, did you hear me? Go and shake hands with your new instructress.”
“Sha’n’t?” said Alicia, twisting her feet about so as to loosen a shoe, and sniffing14 directly afterwards in a defiant15 manner.
“What do I hear?” exclaimed Mrs Marter. “Go correctly, and shake hands with Miss Bedford!”
“Shan’t!” said Alicia, tucking her hands behind her, and sniffing again abundantly, as she, to show her dislike to governesses in general, made what is termed “a face” at the new-comer—that is to say, she contracted the skin of her little snub nose, half-closed her eyes, and lolled out her tongue in a most prepossessing manner; though Ella, not being of the medical profession, could very well have dispensed16 with the last attention.
“Alicia, I’ve told you before that that is very coarse and vulgar,” said Mrs Marter mildly, for the young lady’s back being turned, she did not see the physiognomical contortions17. “You must not say ‘sha’n’t!’ but, if you do not wish to shake hands with Miss Bedford: ‘I would rather not,’ or, ‘I do not wish to do so.’—Selina, my darling, you will do as mamma tells you—won’t you? Now, my love, you go and shake hands with your new governess.”
Ella took a step forward, and held out her hand, when mamma’s darling’s face contracted, and directly after she spat18 fiercely at the new-comer, and then ran howling behind the sofa.
“Naughty Seliny—naughty Seliny!” said Mrs Marter. “You see, Miss Bedford, you are strange to them yet. They will know you better soon.”
“I sha’n’t do no lessons,” said Alicia defiantly19; “and I’ve burnt my book.”
“Fie, fie!” said Mrs Marter sweetly.
“Licy pushed me downstairs, mar10,” said the darling behind the sofa.
“No, I didn’t,” shouted Alicia; “she tumbled.”
“There’s a big story!” cried Eleonora. “She put her hands on her back, mar, and pushed her as hard as she could—”
Smack20!
“Boo—boo—bo—oh!”
Before Miss Eleonora had finished her sentence, her sweet sister had smitten21 her upon the mouth so sharply, that her lip bled, and she burst forth22 into a loud howl.
“There, my dears, I cannot have this to-day.—Miss Bedford, be kind enough to see them into the schoolroom.—There, it’s of no use, Selina; if you will not go, you must be carried.—There, for goodness’ sake, Miss Bedford, what are you thinking about? Take her up in your arms and carry her.”
Ella obeyed; for Miss Selina had refused to leave the room, clinging tightly to mamma’s skirts till she was carried off, fighting furiously, and slapping and scratching at her bearer’s face in such a way that, could Charley Vining have been a spectator, he would have been frantic23.
“Never mind her scratching,” said the eldest girl; “she always does like that. This way.”
And in a few moments more Ella was able to deposit her precious charge in the schoolroom, where, set free, the sweet innocent revenged herself again by spitting, till the upper housemaid was summoned, and led Ella to her own room.
“I pity you, miss, I do,” said the woman kindly24. “You’re no more fit to manage them young rips than nothing. They’re spoilt in the drawing-room, and encouraged in everything.”
“Thank you,” said Ella gently; “you mean kindly, I am sure; but pray say no more. Let me find it out by degrees.”
“Well, that’s best, certainly, miss,” said the woman, who eagerly assisted her to take off her things, and then hurried down to help get up the luggage; while Ella—did she break down and burst into weak tears?
No; smiling sadly, she determined25 to bear the burden that was to be hers, and nerved herself for the coming battle; so that when the housemaid returned and helped uncord the luggage, she was rewarded with a sweet and cheerful smile, which was repeated when she said she would go down and make Miss Bedford a cup of tea.
Ten minutes later, when, after coaxing26 the kettle to boil with a few pieces of bundle London fire-wood, she was making that infusion27 that is considered by the fair sex to be a balm and refreshment28 for every pain and fatigue29, she expressed herself loudly to her fellow-servants, to the effect that “that was quite an angel they had got upstairs. But it’s my belief,” she added, “that the poor thing don’t know what she’s got to put up with.”
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1
juveniles
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| n.青少年( juvenile的名词复数 )；扮演少年角色的演员；未成年人 | |
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2
sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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3
abetted
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| v.教唆（犯罪）( abet的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；怂恿；支持 | |
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4
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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5
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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6
hitching
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| 搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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7
straps
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| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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8
writhe
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| vt.挣扎，痛苦地扭曲；vi.扭曲，翻腾，受苦；n.翻腾，苦恼 | |
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9
infliction
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| n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚 | |
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10
mar
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| vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟 | |
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11
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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12
adjured
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| v.（以起誓或诅咒等形式）命令要求( adjure的过去式和过去分词 )；祈求；恳求 | |
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13
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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14
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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15
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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16
dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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17
contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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18
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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19
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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20
smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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21
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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22
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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23
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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24
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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25
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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27
infusion
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| n.灌输 | |
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28
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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29
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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