Work! Had that been the secret? How commonplace, and how expositive! Who, indeed, when speaking, planning, fighting, proselytizing6, writing innumerable leaflets, newspaper and magazine articles, drilling recruits, attending thousands of meetings, to say nothing of organizing her own union and fighting army, would find a moment’s time to cast a thought to man save as present enemy and future co-worker. Even when in gaol7, from which she had been mysteriously released both times at the end of a week, she had deliberately8 slept when not writing articles in her head. In America she had not gone farther west than Chicago, but she suddenly realized that if the question of including California in the itinerary9 had arisen she should have felt something like panic, possibly the same superstitious10 fear that had assailed11 her at three pillar boxes four years earlier. Well, indeed, that Tay had sent his contribution. She had no desire to have her work interrupted, nor to go through any female throes. To know that she was still hospitable12 to them was bad enough. Switch him out! She took her typewriter from its case, haughtily13 refusing to sleep.
The telephone beside her rang. She put the receiver to her ear, wondering who dared interrupt her at night in times of peace. Although a truce14 with the Government was not formally declared until February 14th, the Militants16 were resting on the laurels17 won in the General Election.
A man’s voice answered her “Hello!”
“Who is it?”
“Guess!”
“I—I can’t.”
“Well, I hope my voice has changed some.”
“Oh—so you are here. How generous of you to give us those ￡200!”
“Generous nothing. You fired me up so with that speech that I came near subscribing18 my entire letter of credit, and then borrowing back enough to pay my hotel bill and get out.”
“Why didn’t you come up to the platform afterward19, or wait for me in the lobby?”
“Frightened out of my wits. I’m never shy at the other end of the telephone, so thought I’d meet you this way first. If you’d made the usual female speech, I should have remained quite myself. But with all your wit and fire, you’re so finished, so polished—and you look that way, too. My teeth are still chattering20. Somehow, in spite of everything, I suddenly realized that I’d always remembered you as the little princess on the tower.”
(“And I in the fatal young thirties!”) “Nonsense! I’ve merely worked hard these last four years. No one ever dreamed of being afraid of me. Of course you’ll call to-morrow?”
“I think I might summon up courage if you would infuse a little cordiality into your voice. You’ve thawed21 a bit, but not too much.”
“You took me so completely by surprise. I had just made up my mind that you had asked some friend to make that donation in your name.”
“Never should have thought of such a thing, although you could have had all I’ve got at any moment. What time may I call to-morrow?”
“When did you arrive?”
“This morning. Saw at once that you were going to speak, and thought I’d see what you were like before I ventured. What time may I call to-morrow morning?”
“Let me think—I’ve always a thousand things to attend to in the morning?—”
“Please cut them out. You need a rest, anyhow. I’d like to call at eleven.”
“Well—why not? We might go to the National Gallery?—”
“What! You’re not going to begin on that? Reminds me of Cherry and the torments22 of my youth. I’d like to talk to you for twelve hours on end, and take you out to lunch and dinner, but I’ll go to no morgues!”
“Oh, very well. It will be quite delightful23. But as it will be what you call a strenuous24 day, perhaps I’d better go to bed now. Good night.”
“Good night, Militant15 Princess.”
When Julia hung up the receiver she was still smiling. Then, to show how completely mistress of herself she was, she went to bed and slept.
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1
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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3
lapses
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| n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
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4
impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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5
adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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6
proselytizing
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| v.（使）改变宗教信仰[政治信仰、意见等]，使变节( proselytize的现在分词 ) | |
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7
gaol
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| n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢 | |
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8
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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9
itinerary
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| n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划 | |
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10
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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11
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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12
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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13
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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14
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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15
militant
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| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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16
militants
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| 激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 ) | |
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17
laurels
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| n.桂冠，荣誉 | |
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18
subscribing
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| v.捐助( subscribe的现在分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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19
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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20
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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21
thawed
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| 解冻 | |
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22
torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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23
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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24
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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