And Frank himself felt all its reasonableness as he returned to his quarters. He took the train at Cookesley Station for Royalborough; and when he had to change carriages at Slowley junction18, stood and kicked his heels on the platform, so absorbed in his thoughts that he had not leisure to be impatient. In every way it was the most reasonable, the most natural, the most feasible thing. He cast his eye round the county, as it were, as he stood waiting for the down-train. For a man who was going to settle down, no county could be better than Berks. It was his own county, in the first place, where his family were known and considered,——and then it had a hundred advantages. It was so near town that a man could run up for a day as often as it pleased him; a good hunting{v.2-261} county, with pleasant society, and the garrison19 at Royalborough, in which there are always sure to be some of his regiment20, within reach. He cast his eye metaphorically21 over the district, and recollected22 that Cookesley Lodge was to let, and also that pretty house near St. Leonard’s. Either of them, he thought, would do very well for a small establishment. So far as this his thoughts had advanced. He settled a great many things as he stood on the platform at the Slowley junction, and paced up and down with echoing feet, neither fuming23 nor fretting24, absorbed in his own thoughts. The station-master kept out of Frank’s way, in fear of being called to account for the lateness of the train; but he was too much occupied even to think of the train. To be sure, he could afford a good hunter or two without interfering25 with the other needs of the ménage in respect of horses. He thought of everything,—from the little brougham and the pony-carriage, and the cart for his private use, down even to the dogs which should bark about the place, and hail him when he came home. He thought of everything, except of the central figure who would bring all these luxuries in her hand. Certainly, he did not think of her. A chorus of barking terriers, pointers, mastiffs,—I know not how many kinds of dogs,—seemed already in his thoughts to bid him welcome as he drew near the imaginary house. But there was no representation in his mind of any sweeter welcome. He imagined the terriers, but not the wife running to the{v.2-262} door to meet him. That he left out, and he was not even aware of the omission26. On the whole, it grew pleasant to the eye,—this imaginary house. A Renton was sure of a good reception in the county which had known the family for hundreds of years; and if he wanted occupation, there was the Manor27 estate, left in the lawyer’s hands only during the seven years’ interregnum, which he could always keep an eye on; and his mother’s interests, and her own property, which she would be so glad to have him at hand to see after. Cookesley, on the whole, would be the best. It was near the Manor, and not quite so near Richmont; and then there would be the river for the amusement of idle hours. It was a pleasant prospect enough. Youth, health, a good hunter, a pretty house, a pleasantly-assured position, and,—say at the least,—two thousand five hundred pounds a-year! A man should have no call to mope who had all these good things. Something, it is true, he left out from the calculation, but there was enough to fill any man with very comfortable sensations in what remained.
Thus it happened that he had almost made up his mind when he got back to Royalborough. He had weighed all the arguments in favour of such a step, and had found them unanswerable. The arguments against,—what were they? It is, indeed, impossible to formalise them or set such weak pleas against the solid, sturdy weight of reason which lay on the other{v.2-263} side. Indeed, there was nothing that could be called an argument,—certain wandering notes of music that now and then stole with a bewildering effect upon his ear,—faint, momentary28 visions of a face which was not Nelly’s. But what then? To be fond of music is no reproach to a man, even if the future partner of his bosom29 does not play; and as for the face, why any face may spring up in your memory, and glance at you now and then by times without any blame of yours. Some people, as is well known, are haunted for days by a face in a picture; and what did it matter to anybody if Frank’s imagination, too, were momentarily haunted by the picture which he had made of a certain sweet countenance30?
He felt that he had quite made up his mind when he went to bed; but the morning brought back a certain uncertainty31. What a pity that Laurie could not have been got to do it,—Laurie, for whom it would have been so completely suitable! leaving Frank free to go to India! He could not but feel that this was indeed a spite of fortune. Laurie, poor fellow! could not go to India,—he never would make his own way anywhere,—he would only moon about the world and make himself of use to other people; and, so far as his own interests were concerned, would end just where he began. Whereas Frank felt confident that he himself could have made his way. And Laurie wanted somebody to take care of him, to give a practical turn to his dreamings, to keep him comfort{v.2-264}able in his wanderings to and fro. If he could only be sent for from Italy even yet! What could have tempted32 him to go to Italy at this time of the year, which everybody knew was the very worst time,—bad for health, and impossible for work? Frank shook his head in his youthful prudence33 at the vagaries34 of those artist-folk. They never could be relied upon one way or another. They were continually doing things which nobody else did,—going away when they were wanted at home,—staying when they should go away. It must have been some demon35 which had put it into Laurie’s head to take himself off at this particular moment, leaving to his conscientious36 brother the task of dealing37 with that fifty thousand pounds. Indeed, the morning light brought home to Frank more and more clearly the sense that this step he was contemplating38 was duty. The evening had had certain softening39 effects. The pretty little house, and the hunters, and the terriers, and all the pleasant country-gentleman occupations to which the young man had been born, came clearly before him at that pleasant hour. But, by daylight, it was the duty involved which was most apparent to Frank. He had no right to allow such an opportunity to slip through his fingers. If he did so, he might never have such a chance again. To neglect it was foolish,—wrong,—even sinful. He gave a little half-suppressed sigh as he sat down to breakfast, feeling strongly that high principle involved some inevitable{v.2-265} pangs40. But should he be the man to turn his back upon an evident duty because it cost him something? No! Ben might take the bit in his teeth and go out to America to make his fortune, like the head-strong fellow he was; and Laurie might prefer his own foolish devices to every substantial advantage under heaven; but Frank was not the man to run away. He could see what the exigencies41 of his position demanded, and he was not one to shirk his duty. And then, poor boy! he rounded his deliberations by humming very dolefully a bar or two of a certain plaintive melody, and ended all by a sigh.
‘Sighing like a furnace,’ said Edgbaston, who came in unceremoniously, followed by Frank’s servant with the kidneys,—for his thoughts did not much affect his appetite,—and his letters. ‘My dear fellow, that’s serious. Ah, I see you have a card for the grand fête. We are all invited, I think.’
‘What grand fête?’ said Frank.
‘There it is,’ said his friend, turning over the letters, and producing an enormous square envelope ornamented42 with a prodigious43 coat-of-arms in crimson44 and gold. ‘These are something like armorial bearings, you know. By Jove! people ought to pay double who go in for heraldry to that extent. Mine is not as big as a threepenny bit. It’s a case of swindling the Exchequer45. The arms of the great house of Rich, my boy. Don’t you know?{v.2-266}’
‘There are Riches who are as good gentlefolks as we are,’ said Frank, already feeling that this scoff46 affected47 his own credit.
‘Oh, better,’ cried Edgbaston. ‘We are only Brummagem,—I confess it,—with a pinchbeck coronet. But I doubt if our friends are of the old stock. Open and read, Frank; this day fortnight. Archery fête,—everything that is most alluring,—croquet, good luncheon48, dance to wind up with. We’re all going. Hallo! there’s a note enclosed for you!’
‘And why shouldn’t there be a note enclosed?’ said Frank, colouring high, and thrusting the small epistle under his other letters. ‘I suppose all of you had the same?’
‘The card was thought enough for me,’ said Edgbaston. ‘Well, well, I don’t repine. But I say, Frank, if you are going in for that in earnest, I see no use in carrying on about India. And I came to tell you of a fellow in the 200th who wants to get off going. Montague,—he’s to be heard of at Cox’s. You can do what you like about it of course, but you can’t go in for both.’
‘For both?’ said Frank; ‘what do you mean? I don’t know anything else I am going in for. Did you say Montague of the 200th? Going to Calcutta, are they? Thanks, Edgbaston. I’ll think it over. Of course one can’t make one’s mind up all at once.{v.2-267}’
‘I advise you to think it well over,’ said his friend; ‘and the other thing, too. You may look as unconscious as you please, but you can’t conceal49 that you are the favourite, Frank. And, by Jove, it shows her sense. She’s as jolly a little thing as ever I saw, and there’s no end to the tin. If I were in your place, I’d see India scuttled50 first. I don’t know a fellow who might be more comfortable; and I can tell you, you’ll be an awful fool, my dear boy, if you let her slip through your hands.’
‘Stuff!’ cried Frank. ‘I wish you’d let a man eat his breakfast in peace, without all this rubbish. Archery fête, is it? I didn’t know anybody went in for archery now-a-days; and, as for croquet, I am sick of it. I don’t think I shall go. What sort of a fellow is Montague? The best thing would be to run up to town, and have a talk with him at once.’
‘If that is what you have determined51 on,’ said Edgbaston; ‘but, Frank, if I were you, with such a chance——’
‘Oh, confound the chance!’ said Frank; and the rest of the conversation was based on the idea that his heart was set on the proposed exchange, on the prospects52 of the 200th, and his own immediate53 banishment54. He thought he had done it very cleverly, when at last he got rid of his comrade. But Edgbaston was not the man to be so easily deceived. He explained the whole matter confidentially55 to the first group of men he encountered.{v.2-268} ‘Look here, you fellows,’ he said; ‘mind how you talk of little Rich to Frank Renton. He has made up his mind to go in for Nelly, and he’s awfully56 thin-skinned about it, and sets up all sorts of pretences57. Frank’s the favourite, I always told you; I’ll give you five to one they are married in six months.’
Thus Frank’s affairs were discussed, though he flattered himself he had so skilfully58 blinded his critic. When Edgbaston was gone, he drew the little note from beneath the other papers. It was from Nelly, as he thought, and there was not much in it,—but yet,—
‘Dear Mr. Renton,—Mamma bids me say that she forgot, when you were here, to tell you of the little party to which the enclosed card is an invitation. They were all put up on Saturday, before you came, and we forgot them. And I open your envelope only lest you should think it strange that we never said anything about it. I hope you had a pleasant walk to Cookesley. The river must have been lovely.
‘The fête is in my poor little honour, so I hope you will come. It happens to be my birthday;—not that anybody except my own people can be supposed to care for that; but you, who are so fond of your family, will excuse poor papa and mamma{v.2-269} for making a fuss. You know I am the only girl they have; though I am only
‘Nelly.’
‘Richmont, ‘Monday morning.’
Only,—Nelly! It was a tantalising, seductive little note, which tempted a young fellow to answer, even when he had nothing to say. She must have written it as soon as he was gone. She must have been thinking of him quite as much, at least, as he had been thinking of her. Something of the natural complacency and agreeable excitement which, even when there is nothing more serious in hand, moves a young man in his correspondence with a girl, breathed about Frank as he wrote his reply. He told her he could perfectly59 understand the fuss that would be made, and that it was astonishing how many follies60 other people, who could not claim such a tender right of relationship, might be tempted to do for the sake of a little personage who was only,—Nelly. And then he begged pardon on his knees for the familiarity. Thus it will be seen that things were making considerable progress in every way. This snatch of letter-writing did more for the sentimental61 side of the question than half-a-dozen interviews. The pretty little note with Nelly’s little cipher62 on it, the suggestions of the conclusion, the{v.2-270} humility63 which asserted a subtle claim on his discrimination as a man fond of his own family,—all this moved Frank, who was not used to such clever little suggestive correspondences. For the first time it occurred to him that Nelly was a sweet little name, and that it would be pleasant to have its little owner rush to meet him when he went home. For one moment the hunters and the terriers fell into the background. Thus it will be seen that the affair made admirable progress in every possible way.
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1
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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2
lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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3
maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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4
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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5
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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6
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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7
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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8
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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9
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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10
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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11
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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12
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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13
pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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15
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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16
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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17
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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18
junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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19
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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20
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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21
metaphorically
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| adv. 用比喻地 | |
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22
recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
fuming
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| 愤怒( fume的现在分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟 | |
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24
fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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25
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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26
omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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28
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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29
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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30
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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31
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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32
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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33
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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34
vagaries
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| n.奇想( vagary的名词复数 )；异想天开；异常行为；难以预测的情况 | |
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35
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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36
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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37
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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38
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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39
softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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40
pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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41
exigencies
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| n.急切需要 | |
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42
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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44
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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45
exchequer
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| n.财政部；国库 | |
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46
scoff
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| n.嘲笑，笑柄，愚弄；v.嘲笑，嘲弄，愚弄，狼吞虎咽 | |
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47
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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48
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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49
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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50
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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51
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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52
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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53
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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54
banishment
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| n.放逐，驱逐 | |
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55
confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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56
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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57
pretences
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| n.假装( pretence的名词复数 )；作假；自命；自称 | |
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58
skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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59
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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60
follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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61
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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62
cipher
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| n.零；无影响力的人；密码 | |
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63
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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