Relations with her were now, it must be clear, substantially at an end. A kind of good sensation of alternating jealousy2 and regret made him wander along with obedient gratitude3. Should she turn round and see him, how uncomfortable she would be! How naturally alike in their mechanical marching gait she and the German were! He was a distinct third party. Being a stranger, with very different appearance, thrilled him agreeably. By a little man?uvre of short cuts he would get in front of them. This he did.
Bertha saw him as he debouched from his turning. She stopped dead, and appeared to astonished Kreisler to be about to take to her heels. It was flattering in a way that his mere4 presence should produce this effect. He went up to her. Her palm a sentimental5 instrument of weak, aching, heavy tissues, she gave him her hand, face fixed6 on him in a mask of regret and reproach. Fascinated by the intensity7 of this, he had been staring at her a little too long, perhaps with some of the reflection of her expression. He turned towards Kreisler. He found a, to him, conventionally German indifferent countenance8.
[205]
“Herr Kreisler,” Bertha said with laconic9 energy, as though she were uttering some fatal name. Her “Herr Kreisler” said hollowly, “It’s done!” It also had an inflexion of “What shall I do?”
A sick energy saturated10 her face, the lips were indecently compressed, the eyes wide, dull, with red rims11.
Tarr bowed to Kreisler as Bertha said his name. Kreisler raised his hat. Then, with a curious feeling of already thrusting himself on these people, he began to walk along beside Bertha. She moved like an unconvinced party to a bargain, who consents to walk up and down a little, preliminary to a final consideration of the affair. “Yes, but walking won’t help matters,” she might have been saying. Kreisler’s indifference12 was absolute. There was an element of the child’s privilege in Tarr’s making himself of the party (“Sorbet, tu es si jeane”). There was the claim for indulgence of a spirit not entirely13 serious! The childishness of this turning up as though nothing had happened, with such wilful14 resolve not to recognize the seriousness of things, Bertha’s drama, the significance of the awful words, “Herr Kreisler!” and so on, was present to him. Bertha must know the meaning of his rapid resurrection—she knew him too well not to know that. So they walked on, without conversation. Then Tarr inquired if she were “quite well.”
“Yes, Sorbert, quite well,” she replied, with soft tragic15 banter16.
As though by design, he always found just the words or tone that would give an opening for this sentimental irony17 of hers.
But the least hint that he had come to reinstate himself must not remain. It must be clearly understood that Kreisler was the principal figure now. He, Tarr, was only a privileged friend.
With unflattering rapidity somebody else had been found. Her pretension18 to heroic attachment19 was compromised. Should not he put in for the vacated berth1?
He had an air of welcoming Kreisler. “Make[206] yourself at home; don’t mind me,” his manner said. As to showing him over the premises20 he was taking possession of—he had made the inspection21, himself, no doubt!
“We have a mutual22 friend, Lowndes,” Tarr said to Kreisler, pleasantly. “A week or two ago he was going to introduce me to you, but it was fated?”
“Ah, yes, Lowndes,” said Kreisler, “I know him.”
“Has he left Paris, do you know?”
“I think not. I thought I saw him yesterday, there, in the Boulevard du Paradis.” Kreisler nodded over his shoulder, indicating precisely23 the spot on which they had met. His gesture implied that Lowndes might still be found thereabout.
Bertha shrank in “subtle” pantomime from their affability. From the glances she pawed her German friend with, he must deserve nothing but horrified24 avoidance. Sorbert’s astute25 and mischievous26 way of saddling her with Kreisler, accepting their being together as the most natural thing in life, roused her combativity. Tarr honoured him, clearly out of politeness to her. Very well: all she could do for the moment was to be noticeably distant with Kreisler. She must display towards him the disgust and reprobation27 that Tarr should feel, and which he refused, in order to vex28 her.
Kreisler during the last few days had persisted and persisted. He had displayed some cleverness in his choice of means. As a result of overtures29 and man?uvres, Bertha had now consented to see him. Her demoralization was complete. She could not stand up any longer against the result, personified by Kreisler, of her idiotic30 actions. At present she transferred her self-hatred from herself to Kreisler.
Tarr’s former relations with Bertha were known to him. He resented the Englishman’s air of proprietorship31, the sort of pleasant “handing-over” that was going on. It had for object, he thought, to cheapen his little success.
[207]
“I don’t think, Herr Kreisler, I’ll come to dinner after all.” She stood still and rolled her eyes wildly in several directions, and stuck one of her hands stiffly out from her side.
“Very well, Fr?ulein,” he replied evenly.—The dismissal annoyed him. His eyes took in Tarr compendiously32 in passing. Was this a resuscitation33 of old love at his expense? Tarr had perhaps come to claim his property. This was not the way that is usually done.
“Adieu, Herr Kreisler,” sounded like his dismissal. A “let me see you again; understand that here things end!” was written baldly in her very bald eyes. With irony he bid good day to Tarr.
“I hope we shall meet again”: Tarr shook him warmly by the hand.
“It is likely,” Kreisler replied at once.
As yet Kreisler was undisturbed. He intended not to relinquish34 his acquaintance with Bertha Lunken. If the Englishman’s amiability35 were a polite way of reclaiming36 property left ownerless and therefore susceptible37 of new rights being deployed38 as regards it, then in time these later rights would be vindicated39. Kreisler’s first impression of Tarr was not flattering. But no doubt they would meet again, as he had said.
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1
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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3
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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8
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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laconic
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| adj.简洁的；精练的 | |
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saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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11
rims
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| n.（圆形物体的）边( rim的名词复数 )；缘；轮辋；轮圈 | |
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12
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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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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wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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pretension
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| n.要求；自命，自称；自负 | |
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19
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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reprobation
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| n.斥责 | |
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28
vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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29
overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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30
idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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31
proprietorship
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| n.所有（权）；所有权 | |
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32
compendiously
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| adv.扼要地；简要地；摘要地；简洁地 | |
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33
resuscitation
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| n.复活 | |
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relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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35
amiability
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| n.和蔼可亲的，亲切的，友善的 | |
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36
reclaiming
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| v.开拓( reclaim的现在分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救 | |
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37
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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38
deployed
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| （尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用 | |
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39
vindicated
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| v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护 | |
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