They dined out together,—of course with all the luxury that wealth can give. There was a well-appointed carriage to take them backwards7 and forwards to the next square, such as an Earl should have. She was splendidly dressed, as became an Earl's daughter, and he was brilliant with some star which had been accorded to him by his sovereign's grateful minister in return for staunch parliamentary support. No one looking at them could have imagined that such a father could have told such a daughter that she must marry herself out of the way because as an unmarried girl she was a burden.
During the dinner she was very gay. To be gay was the habit,—we may almost say the work,—of her life. It so chanced that she sat between Sir Timothy Beeswax, who in these days was a very great man indeed, and that very Dolly Longstaff, whom Silverbridge in his irony8 had proposed to her as a fitting suitor for her hand.
"Isn't Lord Silverbridge a cousin of yours?" asked Sir Timothy.
"A very distant one."
"He has come over to us, you know. It is such a triumph."
"I was so sorry to hear it." This, however, as the reader knows, was a fib.
"Sorry!" said Sir Timothy. "Surely Lord Grex's daughter must be a Conservative."
"Oh yes;—I am a Conservative because I was born one. I think that people in politics should remain as they are born,—unless they are very wise indeed. When men come to be statesmen and all that kind of thing, of course they can change backwards and forwards."
"I hope that is not intended for me, Lady Mabel."
"Certainly not. I don't know enough about it to be personal." That, however, was again not quite true. "But I have the greatest possible respect for the Duke, and I think it a pity that he should be made unhappy by his son. Don't you like the Duke?"
"Well;—yes;—in a way. He is a most respectable man; and has been a good public servant."
"All our lot are ruined, you know," said Dolly, talking of the races.
"Who are your lot, Mr. Longstaff?"
"I'm one myself."
"I suppose so."
"I'm utterly9 smashed. Then there's Percival."
"I hope he has not lost much. Of course you know he's my brother."
"Oh laws;—so he is. I always put my foot in it. Well;—he has lost a lot. And so have Silverbridge and Tifto. Perhaps you don't know Tifto."
"I have not the pleasure of knowing Mr. Tifto."
"He is a major. I think you'd like Major Tifto. He's a sort of racing10 coach to Silverbridge. You ought to know Tifto. And Tregear is pretty nearly cleared out."
"Mr. Tregear! Frank Tregear!"
"I'm told he has been hit very heavy. I hope he's not a friend of yours, Lady Mabel."
"Indeed he is;—a very dear friend and a cousin."
"That's what I hear. He's very much with Silverbridge you know."
"I cannot think that Mr. Tregear has lost money."
"I hope he hasn't. I know I have. I wish someone would stick up for me, and say that it was impossible."
"But that is not Mr. Tregear's way of living. I can understand that Lord Silverbridge or Percival should lose money."
"Or me?"
"Or you, if you like to say so."
"Or Tifto?"
"I don't know anything about Mr. Tifto."
"Major Tifto."
"Or Major Tifto;—what does it signify?"
"No;—of course. We inferior people may lose our money just as we please. But a man who can look as clever as Mr. Tregear ought to win always."
"I told you just now that he was a friend of mine."
"But don't you think that he does look clever?" There could be no question but that Tregear, when he disliked his company, could show his dislike by his countenance11; and it was not improbable that he had done so in the presence of Mr. Adolphus Longstaff. "Now tell the truth, Lady Mabel; does he not look conceited12 sometimes?"
"He generally looks as if he knew what he was talking about, which is more than some other people do."
"Of course he is a great deal more clever than I am. I know that. But I don't think even he can be so clever as he looks. 'Or you so stupid,' that's what you ought to say now."
"Sometimes, Mr. Longstaff, I deny myself the pleasure of saying what I think."
When all this was over she was very angry with herself for the anxiety she had expressed about Tregear. This Mr. Longstaff was, she thought, exactly the man to report all she had said in the public room at the club. But she had been annoyed by what she had heard as to her friend. She knew that he of all men should keep himself free from such follies13. Those others had, as it were, a right to make fools of themselves. It had seemed so natural that the young men of her own class should dissipate their fortunes and their reputations by every kind of extravagance! Her father had done so, and she had never even ventured to hope that her brother would not follow her father's example. But Tregear, if he gave way to such follies as these, would soon fall headlong into a pit from which there would be no escape. And if he did fall, she knew herself well enough to be aware that she could not stifle14, nor even conceal15, the misery16 which this would occasion her. As long as he stood well before the world she would be well able to assume indifference17. But were he to be precipitated18 into some bottomless misfortunes then she could only throw herself after him. She could see him marry, and smile,—and perhaps even like his wife. And while he was doing so, she could also marry, and resolve that the husband whom she took should be made to think that he had a loving wife. But were Frank to die,—then must she fall upon his body as though he had been known by all the world to be her lover. Something of this feeling came upon her now, when she heard that he had been betting and had been unfortunate. She had been unable so to subdue19 herself as to seem to be perfectly20 careless about it. She had begun by saying that she had not believed it;—but she had believed it. It was so natural that Tregear should have done as the others did with whom he lived! But then the misfortune would be to him so terrible,—so irremediable! The reader, however, may as well know at once that there was not a word of truth in the assertion.
After the dinner she went home alone. There were other festivities to be attended, had she pleased to attend them; and poor Miss Cassewary was dressed ready to go with her as chaperone;—but Miss Cassewary was quite satisfied to be allowed to go to bed in lieu of Mrs. Montacute Jones's great ball. And she had gone to her bedroom when Lady Mabel went to her. "I am glad you are alone," she said, "because I want to speak to you."
"Is anything wrong?"
"Everything is wrong. Papa says he must give up this house."
"He says that almost always when he comes back from the races, and very often when he comes back from the club."
"Percival has lost ever so much."
"I don't think my Lord will hamper21 himself for your brother."
"I can't explain it, but there is some horrible money complication. It is hard upon you and me."
"Who am I?" said Miss Cassewary.
"About the dearest friend that ever a poor girl had. It is hard upon you,—and upon me. I have given up everything,—and what good have I done?"
"It is hard, my dear."
"But after all I do not care much for all that. The thing has been going on so long that one is used to it."
"What is it then?"
"Ah;—yes;—what is it? How am I to tell you?"
"Surely you can tell me," said the old woman, putting out her hand so as to caress22 the arm of the younger one.
"I could tell no one else; I am sure of that. Frank Tregear has taken to gambling23,—like the rest of them."
"Who says so?"
"He has lost a lot of money at these races. A man who sat next me at dinner,—one of those stupid do-nothing fools that one meets everywhere,—told me so. He is one of the Beargarden set, and of course he knows all about it."
"Did he say how much?"
"How is he to pay anything? Of all things that men do this is the worst. A man who would think himself disgraced for ever if he accepted a present of money will not scruple to use all his wits to rob his friend of everything that he has by studying the run of cards or by watching the paces of some brutes24 of horses! And they consider themselves to be fine gentlemen! A real gentleman should never want the money out of another man's pocket;—should never think of money at all."
"I don't know how that is to be helped, my dear. You have got to think of money."
"Yes; I have to think of it, and do think of it; and because I do so I am not what I call a gentleman."
"No;—my dear; you're a lady."
"Psha! you know what I mean. I might have had the feelings of a gentleman as well as the best man that ever was born. I haven't; but I have never done anything so mean as gambling. Now I have got something else to tell you."
"What is it? You do frighten me so when you look like that."
"You may well be frightened,—for if this all comes round I shall very soon be able to dispense25 with you altogether. His Royal Highness Lord Silverbridge—"
"What do you mean, Mabel?"
"He's next door to a Royal Highness at any rate, and a much more topping man than most of them. Well then;—His Serene26 Highness the heir of the Duke of Omnium has done me the inexpressible honour of asking me—to marry him."
"No!"
"You may well say, No. And to tell the truth exactly, he didn't."
"Then why do you say he did?"
"I don't think he did quite ask me, but he gave me to understand that he would do so if I gave him any encouragement."
"Did he mean it?"
"Yes;—poor boy! He meant it. With a word;—with a look, he would have been down there kneeling. He asked me whether I liked him well enough. What do you think I did?"
"What did you do?"
"I spared him;—out of sheer downright Christian27 charity! I said to myself 'Love your neighbours.' 'Don't be selfish.' 'Do unto him as you would he should do unto you,'—that is, think of his welfare. Though I had him in my net, I let him go. Shall I go to heaven for doing that?"
"I don't know," said Miss Cassewary, who was so much perturbed28 by the news she had heard as to be unable to come to any opinion on the point just raised.
"Or mayn't I rather go to the other place? From how much embarrassment29 should I have relieved my father! What a friend I should have made for Percival! How much I might have been able to do for Frank! And then what a wife I should have made him!"
"I think you would."
"He'll never get another half so good; and he'll be sure to get one before long. It is a sort of tenderness that is quite inefficacious. He will become a prey30, as I should have made him a prey. But where is there another who will treat him so well?"
"I cannot bear to hear you speak of yourself in that way."
"But it is true. I know the sort of girl he should marry. In the first place she should be two years younger, and four years fresher. She should be able not only to like him and love him, but to worship him. How well I can see her! She should have fair hair, and bright green-gray eyes, with the sweetest complexion31, and the prettiest little dimples;—two inches shorter than me, and the delight of her life should be to hang with two hands on his arm. She should have a feeling that her Silverbridge is an Apollo upon earth. To me he is a rather foolish, but very, very sweet-tempered young man;—anything rather than a god. If I thought that he would get the fresh young girl with the dimples then I ought to abstain32."
"If he was in earnest," said Miss Cassewary, throwing aside all this badinage33 and thinking of the main point, "if he was in earnest he will come again."
"He was quite in earnest."
"Then he will come again."
"I don't think he will," said Lady Mabel. "I told him that I was too old for him, and I tried to laugh him out of it. He does not like being laughed at. He has been saved, and he will know it."
"But if he should come again?"
"I shall not spare him again. No;—not twice. I felt it to be hard to do so once, because I so nearly love him! There are so many of them who are odious34 to me, as to whom the idea of marrying them seems to be mixed somehow with an idea of suicide."
"Oh, Mabel!"
"But he is as sweet as a rose. If I were his sister, or his servant, or his dog, I could be devoted35 to him. I can fancy that his comfort and his success and his name should be everything to me."
"That is what a wife ought to feel."
"But I could never feel him to be my superior. That is what a wife ought in truth to feel. Think of those two young men and the difference between them! Well;—don't look like that at me. I don't often give way, and I dare say after all I shall live to be the Duchess of Omnium." Then she kissed her friend and went away to her own room.
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收听单词发音
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1
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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entail
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| vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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7
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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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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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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11
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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conceited
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| adj.自负的，骄傲自满的 | |
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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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14
stifle
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| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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16
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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18
precipitated
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| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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19
subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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22
caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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perturbed
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| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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31
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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33
badinage
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| n.开玩笑，打趣 | |
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odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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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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