Mrs. Edis, who rose late in these days, was propped5 up in bed, wearing the expression of one who is about to enter a hospital and have the operation performed which may give her a new lease of life.
“If I must hear this tiresome6 story, I must,” she said. “Tell it me in as few words as possible, but leave out no detail which will make me understand it fully7. I read your horoscope again last night. Your destiny is too plainly writ8 to admit of any doubt. And it was made three times. I am an old woman to sever9 my mind from the ideals of a lifetime, but those frivolous10 people opened my eyes yesterday. Moreover, you can never be Duchess Kingsborough. You are not likely to have another opportunity to marry, for no child of mine would disgrace herself in the divorce courts.” Her sharp eyes never left Julia’s face. “Nor could you obtain a divorce in England. Ring the bell. I wish another cup of tea. Then you may convert me.”
Julia had made up her mind not to tell her family of France’s death until she had reached her final decision, and felt reasonably certain that Mrs. Winstone would not hear of it at Bath House. Tay would understand her desire for secrecy11, nor would he be eager to admit that he had come to Nevis to await the man’s death. Even Mrs. Morison, she felt sure, had not been taken into his confidence. That lively little lady had prattled12 a good deal yesterday, while Julia was showing her the gardens, and it was evident that she had leaped to the natural conclusion that her brother was determined13 to persuade Julia to have her marriage annulled14 in the United States without further delay.
Mrs. Edis having fortified15 herself with a cup of strong tea, Julia spent the next three hours telling her story. When she had finished, her mother did not speak for a few moments, then nodded her head emphatically.
“I see! I see!” she said. “I shall never approve of those unladylike demonstrations16, but I admit that results have justified17 them. Your destiny is clear to me now. You have only begun. I, in my limited knowledge, read that you were to be the greatest lady in England. Substitute the greatest woman in England and all is clear.”
“It might be in America,” said Julia, hesitatingly, but not turning her eyes away. “They—they—have talked more than once of sending me there.”
“Nonsense!” Mrs. Edis reached for her stick that she might thump18 the floor. “America! A nation of savages19?—”
“Good heavens, mother! America—the United States—is one of the great countries of the earth, a world power. Must I give you its history, too?”
“God forbid. It does not exist as far as I am concerned. Great Britain is practically the earth. No other country is worthy20 of your horoscope. And you must not stay here too long. Don’t fancy that men will hasten to give you power. Not they! Men! How I should like to see them humbled21 to the dust before I go. No, your time here must be short, and I want you to promise to give it all to me.”
“Oh, I came to see you.”
“I shall claim you. Who is this Mr. Tay? Is he really in love with Maria?” There was the ghost of a smile on her grim mouth, and her bright little eyes explored the serene22 depths before her.
“Oh, Aunt Maria always has an infant-in-waiting. I doubt if she is ever serious.”
“But who is he? Of course he has no family, as he is an American, but is he respectable? Has he any fortune?”
“He is quite respectable, and I believe he is well off. His sister, Mrs. Bode23, is an old friend of Aunt Maria’s. She is received everywhere in London.”
“Ah? So! Maria had better marry him. But I’ll not have him, nor any of those people, here again. I have never needed society, and now!” Her harsh dry face lit up. “My old science is restored to me. It will companion me for the rest of my days. You need never fear that I am lonely. A great science is all things to the mind that loves it. You will visit me as often as you can. I need nothing further. When Fanny marries—and I now hope she will find a husband at Bath House; I long to be rid of her sulky discontented face—my lawyer will engage a suitable overseer. Now go and send that lazy black-and-tan mustee to come and dress me.”
Fanny came in late for lunch. She looked flushed and triumphant24, and her manner was subtly insulting. But nobody noticed her, nor that she left the house as soon as the meal finished. Mrs. Edis talked of the new central factory to be built on St. Kitts, and the significance of the projected Government House for Nevis. Mrs. Winstone yawned, and Julia was absorbed in her own thoughts. She longed to be alone, but she had barely reached the shelter of her room when Denny knocked and handed her a letter. She closed the door in his face, and her hand shook. But the address was not in Tay’s handwriting, and she opened the letter with a sensation of bitter ennui25. It proved to be a circular communication from the ladies of St. Kitts, begging her to speak to them at her convenience on the subject of the Militant26 movement in England. It was couched in formal terms, but enthusiasm exuded27, and the word great, personally applied28, occurred no less than four times.
“Great!” thought Julia. “We that the world calls great know just how great we are. Every man his own valet!”
Her impulse was to refuse, but on second thought she concluded to accept the invitation, and for the morrow. Here was her opportunity to discover if the great cause had taken irrevocable possession of her. She had recited its history mechanically to her mother, but that, no doubt, was owing to her mental and physical fatigue29. She would sleep to-night, and to-morrow, if she could feel the old thrill when talking to a rapt audience, play upon them, sway them, rise to the heights of magnetic eloquence30 which had made her famous, convert the cynical31, then, surely, her old enthusiasm would return. If not?—
Denny had told her that the messenger awaited an answer. She went to the living-room and read the letter to her mother.
“If you don’t mind my leaving you for one day?—”
Mrs. Edis interrupted her. There was a slight flush on her face. “By all means, accept,” she said. “And I, too, will go. It will be my only opportunity to hear you, to witness one of your triumphs. Have you all those newspaper articles about yourself that I have heard of?”
“I am afraid not. I kept a scrap-book for a year, but we soon get over that.”
“Can you obtain them?”
“Oh, yes, it would be possible.”
“I wish them, and everything else that is written about you from this time forth32.”
“Very well, you shall have them.”
“Write your acceptance. To-morrow I shall go to St. Kitts for the first time in sixteen years. And for the first time in forty years I shall see that island bend the knee to an Edis.”
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1
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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2
sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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3
suffrage
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| n.投票，选举权，参政权 | |
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4
incipiency
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| n.起初，发端 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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7
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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8
writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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9
sever
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| v.切开，割开；断绝，中断 | |
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10
frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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11
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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12
prattled
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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13
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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14
annulled
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| v.宣告无效( annul的过去式和过去分词 )；取消；使消失；抹去 | |
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15
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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16
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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17
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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18
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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19
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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20
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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21
humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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22
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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23
bode
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| v.预示 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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25
ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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26
militant
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| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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27
exuded
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| v.缓慢流出，渗出，分泌出( exude的过去式和过去分词 )；流露出对（某物）的神态或感情 | |
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28
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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29
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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30
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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31
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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32
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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