Always seeking fresh fields to conquer, he had established a political footing now even in Tory Old Town. He had opened a discussion at the Institute, and actually given an address to the local Church of England's Men's Society on Robert Owen and early English Socialists4; and he owed his triumph in the main to Bobby Chislehurst.
It is not without a pang5 that we part from the most cherished of our prejudices, and as Joe launched out into an always larger life it had come to him as something of a shock to find amongst the younger clergy6 some who preserved an attitude of firm and honest neutrality in the great battle to which he had pledged his life, and even a few, here and there, who took their stand on the side of the revolutionaries of the Spirit.
And such a one was Bobby.
Because of that, the young curate, who was up and down all day amid the humble dwellers7 in the Moot8, innocent and happy as a child, was forgiven his solitary9 sin. For Bobby was a Scout-master, unashamed; and Joe Burt, like most of his battle-fellows of that date looked askance on the Boy-Scout Movement as one of the many props10 of militarist Toryism none the less effective because it was unavowed.
The Cherub11, bold, almost blatant12 in sin, passed his happiest hours in a rakish sombrero, shorts, and a shirt bedizened with badges, tramping the Downs at the head of the Old Town Troop of devoted13 Boy-Scouts, lighting14 forbidden fires in the gorse, arguing with outraged15 farmers, camping in secluded16 coombes above the sea.
Up there on the hill, between sky and sea, Joe Burt, he too with his little flock of acolytes17 from the East-end, would sometimes meet the young shepherd on Saturday afternoons, trudging18 along, in his hand a pole in place of a crook19.
"I forgive you Mr. Chislehurst, because I know you don't know what you're doing," he once said, gravely. "You're like the Israelite—without guile20."
"The greatest of men have their little failings," giggled21 the sinner.
The two men, besides their political sympathies, had another point in common: they meant to save Ernie from himself. But Joe was no longer single-eyed. He saw now in Ernie two men—a potential recruit of value for the cause of Labour, and the man who possessed22 the woman he loved.
In the troubled heart of the engineer there began to be a confused conflict between the fisher of men and the covetous23 rival. Ernie was entirely24 unconscious of the tumult25 in the bosom26 of his friend of which he was the innocent cause. Not so Ruth.
She was rousing slowly now like a hind27 from her lair28 in the bracken, and sniffing29 the air at the approach of the antlered stranger. As he drew always nearer with stops and starts and dainty tread, and she became increasingly aware of his savage30 presence, his fierce intentions, she withdrew instinctively31 for protection towards her rightful lord. He grazed on the hill-side blind to his danger, blind to hers, blind to the presence of his enemy. Ernie's indeed was that innocence32, that simplicity33, which rouses in the heart of primitive34 woman not respect but pity; and in the rose-bud of pity, unless it be virgin35 white, lurks36 always the canker of contempt and the worm of cruelty.
Sometimes of evenings, as Ernie dozed37 before the fire in characteristic negligé, collarless, tie-less, somnolent38 as the cat, she watched him with growing resentment39, comparing him to that Other, so much the master of himself and his little world.
"You are slack," she said once, more to herself than him.
"I got a right to be, I reck'n, a'ter my day's work," he answered sleepily.
"Joe's not like that," she answered, wetting her thread. "He's spry, he is. Doos a long day's work too—and earns big money, Joe do. Brings home more'n twice as much what you do Saraday—and no wife nor children neether."
Ernie looked up and blinked. For a moment she hoped and feared she had stung him to eruption40. Then he nodded off again. That was what annoyed Ruth. He would not flare41. He was like his father. But qualities a woman admires in an old man she may despise in her lover. As she retired42 upon him she felt him giving way behind her. She was seeking support and finding emptiness.
And as that Other, shaggy-maned and mighty43, stole towards her with his air of a conqueror44, trampling45 the heather under-foot, the inadequacy46 of her own mate forced itself upon her notice always more.
Ruth, now thirty, was in the full bloom of her passionate47 womanhood; drawing with her far-flung fragrance48 the pollen-bearing bee and drawn49 to him. The girl who had been seized and overthrown50 by a passing brigand51 was a woman now who looked life in the face with steadfast52 eyes and meant to have her share of the fruits of it. The old Christian53 doctrines54 of patience, resignation, abnegation of the right to a full life, made no appeal to her. Richly dowered herself, she would not brook55 a starved existence. She who was empty yearned56 for fulness. After her catastrophe57, itself the consequence of daring, Ern had come into her life and given her what she had needed most just then—rest, security, above all children. On that score she was satisfied now; and perhaps for that very reason her spirit was all the more a-thirst for adventure in other fields. She was one of those women who demand everything of life and are satisfied with nothing less. Like many such her heart was full of children but her arms were empty. For her fulfilment she needed children and mate. Some women were content with one, some with the other. Great woman that she was, nothing less than both could satisfy her demands; and her emptiness irked her increasingly.
Ruth's in fact was the problem of the unconquered woman—a problem at least as common among married women who have sought absorption and found only dissatisfaction as amongst the unmarried. Royal had seized her imagination for a moment; to Ernie she had submitted. But that complete immersion58 in a man and his work which is for a full woman love, she had never experienced, and longed to experience. After five years of marriage Ernie was still outside her, an accretion59, a circumstance, a part of her environment, necessary perhaps as her clothes, but little more: for there was no purpose in his life.
And then just at the moment her lack was making itself most felt, the Man had come—a real man too, with a work; a pioneer, marching a-head, axe60 in hand, hewing61 a path-way through the Forest, and calling to her with ever increasing insistency62 to come out to him and aid him in his enterprise.
But always as she fingered in her dreams the bolts of the gate that, once opened, would leave her face to face with the importunate63 adventurer, there came swarming64 about her, unloosing her fingers as they closed upon the bolts, the children. And as one or other of them stirred or called out in sleep in the room above her, she would start, wake, and shake herself. Yet even the pull of the children was not entirely in one direction. There were four of them now; and they were growing, while Ernie's wages were standing65 still. That was one of the insistent66 factors of the situation. Were they too to be starved?
Often in her dim kitchen she asked herself that question. For if in her dreams she was always the mate of a man, she was in fact, and before all things, the mother of children. Who then was to save them and her?—Ernie? who was now little more than a shadow, an irritating shadow, wavering in the background of her life? If so, God help them all....
One evening she was in the little back-yard taking down the washing, when she heard a man enter the kitchen. She paid no heed67. If it was Joe he could wait; if it was Ernie she needn't bother. Then she heard a second man enter, and instantly a male voice, harsh with challenge.
She went in hastily. There was nobody in the kitchen; but Ern was standing at the outer door. His back was to her, but she detected instantly in the hunch68 of his shoulders a rare combativeness69.
"You know me," he was growling70 to somebody outside. "None of it now!"
He turned slowly, a dark look in his face which did not lighten when he saw her.
"Who was it, Ern?" she asked.
"Alf," he answered curtly71.
That night as he sat opposite her she observed him warily72 as she worked and put to herself an astonishing question: Was there another Ernie?—an Ernie asleep she had not succeeded in rousing? Was the instrument sound and the fault in her, the player?
A chance phrase of Mrs. Trupp's now recurred73 to her.
"There's so much in Ernie—if you can only get it out."
The man opposite rose slowly, came slowly to her, bent74 slowly and kissed her.
"I ask your pardon if I was rough with you this evening, Ruth," he said. "But Alf!—he fairly maddens me. I feel to him as you shouldn't feel to any human being, let alone your own brother. You know what he's after?" he continued.
She stirred and coloured, as she lifted her eyes to his, dark with an unusual tenderness.
"Reckon so, Ern," she said.
He stood before the fire, for once almost handsome in his vehemence75.
"Layin his smutty hands on you!" he said.
That little scene, with its suggestion of passion suppressed, steadied Ruth.... And it was time. That Other was always drawing nearer. And as she felt his approach, the savage power of him, his fierce virility76, and was conscious of the reality of the danger, she resolved to meet it and fend77 it off. He should save Ernie instead of destroying her. And the way was clear. If this new intellectual life, the seeds of which the engineer had been sowing so patiently for so long in the unkempt garden of Ernie's spirit became a reality for him, a part of himself, growing in such strength as to strangle the weeds of carelessness, he was saved—so much Ruth saw.
"Once he was set alight to, all his rubbish'd go up in a flare, and he'd burn bright as aflame," she told the engineer once seizing her chance; and ended on the soft note of the turtle-dove—"There's just one could set him ablaze—and only one. And that's you, Joe."
At the moment Joe was sitting before the fire in characteristic attitude, hands deep in his pockets, legs stretched out, the toes of his solid boots in the air.
For a moment he did not answer. It was as though he had not heard. Then he turned that slow, bull-like glare of his full on her.
"A'm to save him that he may enjoy you—that's it, is it?" he said. "A'm to work ma own ruin."
It was the first time he had openly declared himself. Now that it had come she felt, like many another woman in such case, a sudden instant revulsion. Her dreams blew away like mist at the discharge of cannon78. She was left with a sense of shock as one who has fallen from a height. At the moment of impact she was ironing, and glad of it. Baring her teeth unconsciously she pressed hard down on the iron with a little hiss79.
"You've no call to talk to me like that, Joe. It's not right."
Deliberately80 he rose and turned his back.
"A don't know much," he growled81 in his chest, "but A do know that then."
Her heart thumped82 against her ribs83.
"I thart you were straight, Joe," she said.
He warmed his hands at the blaze; and she knew he was grinning, and the nature of the grin.
"A thought so maself till A found A wasn't," he answered. "No man knows what's in him till he's tried—that's ma notion of it. Then he'll have a good few surprises, same as A've done. A man's a very funny thing when he's along of a woman he loves—that's ma experience."
Ruth trembled, and her hand swept to and fro with the graceful84 motions of a circling eagle over the child's frock she was ironing.
"You make me feel real mean," she said.
He kept a sturdy back to her.
"Then A make you feel just same gate as A feel maself."
There was a pause.
"You ought to marry, Joe—a man like you with all that nature in you."
"Never—only if so be A can get the woman A want."
She said with a gulp85,
"And I thart you was Ern's friend!"
He looked up at the ceiling.
"So A am—trying to be."
There was another silence. Then the woman spoke86 again, this time with the hushed curiosity of a child.
"Are all men like that?"
"The main of em, A reck'n."
Her hand swooped87 rhythmically88; and there was the gentle accompanying thud of the iron taking the table and circling smoothly89 about its work.
"My Ern isn't."
"Your Ern's got what he wants—and what A want too."
Boots brushing themselves on the mat outside made themselves heard. Then the door opened.
Joe did not turn.
"Coom in, Ern," he said. "Just right. Keep t' peace atween us. She and me gettin across each other as usual."
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收听单词发音
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1
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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socialists
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| 社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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moot
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| v.提出；adj.未决议的；n.大会；辩论会 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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props
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| 小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋 | |
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11
cherub
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| n.小天使，胖娃娃 | |
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blatant
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| adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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14
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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acolytes
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| n.助手( acolyte的名词复数 )；随从；新手；（天主教）侍祭 | |
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trudging
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的现在分词形式） | |
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crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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guile
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| n.诈术 | |
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giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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covetous
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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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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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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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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30
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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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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32
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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36
lurks
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| n.潜在，潜伏；（lurk的复数形式）vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的第三人称单数形式） | |
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37
dozed
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| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
somnolent
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| adj.想睡的，催眠的；adv.瞌睡地；昏昏欲睡地；使人瞌睡地 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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eruption
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| n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作 | |
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flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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42
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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43
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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44
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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45
trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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inadequacy
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| n.无法胜任，信心不足 | |
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47
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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48
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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49
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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50
overthrown
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| adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词 | |
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51
brigand
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| n.土匪，强盗 | |
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52
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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53
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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54
doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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55
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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56
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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immersion
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| n.沉浸；专心 | |
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accretion
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| n.自然的增长，增加物 | |
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60
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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61
hewing
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| v.（用斧、刀等）砍、劈( hew的现在分词 )；砍成；劈出；开辟 | |
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62
insistency
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| 强迫，坚决要求 | |
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importunate
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| adj.强求的；纠缠不休的 | |
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64
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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65
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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insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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67
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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68
hunch
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| n.预感，直觉 | |
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69
combativeness
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| n.好战 | |
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70
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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71
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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72
warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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73
recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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75
vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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76
virility
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| n.雄劲，丈夫气 | |
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77
fend
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| v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开 | |
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78
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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79
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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80
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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81
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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82
thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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83
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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84
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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85
gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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86
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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87
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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88
rhythmically
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| adv.有节奏地 | |
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89
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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