LIX. Unanswered Questions

 1

 

FELIX smiled at her. “Nor even a woman, Rose-Ann?”

 

“If that’s what being a woman is, no. But you’re mistaken. A woman can be something else besides that.”

 

“So it seems. I always had the notion that they understood life better than I did. But I’m mistaken, I guess.”

 

“Would you like to be my keeper?” she flashed out. “Would you want to guard and watch after me, and keep me in the paths I should go in?”

 

He looked at her intently. “So that—that is what you want?” he hazarded.

 

For a moment that seemed to him the truth hidden behind all Rose-Ann’s evasions¹. But before he had time to read confirmation² in her startled eyes, the waiter came up.

 

“Is there anything else?—You don’t like the stew³ today?”

 

He stood there, a statue of injured pride, looking at the neglected dish.

 

“It’s a noble stew,” said Felix. “Nothing wrong with the stew. Bring our coffee.”

 

“Yes, sir. Shall I take away the stew?”

 

“Please.”

 

He bore it away with a mournful air.

 

2

 

Rose-Ann was sitting back in her chair with the air of the discussion having become too absurd to go on with.

 

Felix looked inquiry⁴.

 

“How little we know each other after all,” she said.

 

“Meaning?”

 

“Have you forgotten what you said? I hope so.... 395Felix, if I wanted those things from my lover ... to be kept and guarded ... would I have chosen you?”

 

She dealt the blow lightly, looking away from him. He paled a little. “Perhaps not,” he said sullenly⁵. And then—“Forgive me for being ridiculous.”

 

“I only meant,” she said, still looking away, “that I don’t want to spoil you. I like you as you are.... And if you insist upon being taught the cave-man virtues⁶, why you will have to get some other woman to teach them to you. I decline the office.”

 

“Very well,” he said, “I sha’n’t ask you again.”

 

3

 

“It’s just as well the way it has turned out,” she said. “We might have made ourselves miserable⁷ trying to please each other. Now we can be ourselves.”

 

“And what is your notion of that?”

 

“For me—freedom.”

 

He smiled incredulously, scornfully.

 

“I’ve been trying,” she said, “against all my principles, to be a wife—for nearly two years. We both agree that I was a failure at it. I shall never try to be a wife again, Felix.... As for freedom—You speak as one who knows what it is. I have still to find out. Do you think you can forbid me my little cupfuls of mad, mystical peace?”

 

“Your coffee,” said the waiter.

 

“If I choose to have adventures, who are you to say No to me?” she said mockingly.

 

Felix did not answer.

 

4

 

“My paper is moving to Los Angeles this winter,” Rose-Ann said presently, in a casual tone.

 

“And I suppose,” he replied, in an equally casual way, “that you are going along....”

 

“I hope so,” she said. “The details aren’t settled yet, but I expect to go.... Perhaps very soon.”

 

396“I forgot to tell you,” he remarked, “that I am writing another play.”

 

“I should like to see it before I go. Won’t you come in to see me occasionally? I’m going to stay in the studio until I leave. There’s no reason why we can’t be friends.”

 

“None whatever,” he said.

 

“I’m glad we’ve had this talk, Felix. Talk does straighten things out, doesn’t it? And now I must hurry back to the office. You will come and see me?”

 

“Yes. I’ll stay and finish my coffee if you don’t mind.”

 

She went away, and he sat there for a long time, smoking cigarettes.

1 evasions   

逃避( evasion的名词复数 )； 回避； 遁辞； 借口

参考例句：

• A little overwhelmed, I began the generalized evasions which that question deserves. 我有点不知所措，就开始说一些含糊其词的话来搪塞。
• His answers to my questions were all evasions. 他对我的问题的回答均为遁词。

2 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

3 stew   

n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑

参考例句：

• The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
• There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。

4 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

5 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

6 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

7 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。