Elsie, her hair still loose, was already there, boiling water on the gas-ring. The jets of blue flame helped to light the place, and also comfortably warmed it and made it cosy10. Violet greeted the girl with a kindly11 smile, which was entirely12 matter-of-fact—as though this morning was a morning just like any other morning.
"Your master's fast asleep," she solemnly whispered; from her tone she might have been saying "our master."
"Yes, 'm," Elsie whispered solemnly.
And it was instantly established that the basic phenomenon of the household was their master's heavy and sacred slumber13.[Pg 115]
"I'll have some of that tea, too," said Violet. "What is there for dinner?"
She had expressly refrained from showing any curiosity whatever about domestic arrangements until she should have acquired the status entitling her to take charge; no one could be more discreet14, more correct, on important occasions, than Violet.
"He told me to buy this bit of mutton," answered Elsie, indicating a scrag-end on a plate, "and then there's them potatoes and the cheese."
"But how shall you cook it?"
"Boil it, 'm. He never has flesh meat, not often that is, but when he does I boil it."
"Oh, well, that will be all right. Of course I shall have to fix things up here, Elsie, and we may as well begin as we mean to go on."
"Yes, 'm."
"And you know my ways, don't you? That's fortunate."
"Yes, 'm."
While they were drinking the tea and eating pieces of bread, Violet nicely pretending to be Elsie's equal in the sight of God, and Elsie gently firm in maintaining the theory of the impassableness of the social chasm15 which separated them. Violet said:
"I'm sure we shall understand one another, Elsie. Of course you've been here on and off for a long while, and you've got your little habits here, and quite right too, and I've no doubt very good habits, because I'm convinced you're very conscientious16 in your work; if you hadn't been I shouldn't have kept you; but we've got to start afresh in this house, haven't we?"
"Yes, and the first thing to do is to get straight and tidy. I know it's Sunday, and I'm as much for rest and church as anybody, and I hope you'll go to church yourself every Sunday evening regular. But tradespeople aren't like others, and they can't be. There's certain things that can only be done on Sundays in a place of[Pg 116] business—same as they have to lay railway lines on Sundays, you see. And what's more, I'm one of those that can't rest until what has to be done is done. They do say, the better the day the better the deed, don't they? Now all those books lying about on the floor and so on everywhere—they've got to be put right."
"Master used to say so, 'm, but somehow——"
"Yes," Violet broke in, anticipating some implied criticism of the master. "Yes. But, of course, he simply hasn't been able to do it. He's been dreadfully overworked as it is. Now there's all those books in the bathroom to begin with. I'm going to have them in the top front-room, next to yours, you know.... I wish there were some spare shelves, but I suppose we must arrange the books on the floor."
"There's a lot of shelves slanting18 down the cellar steps, 'm," said Elsie, with the joy of the bringer of glad tidings.
"Oh! I didn't know we had a cellar."
"Oh, yes, 'm, there's a cellar."
Violet enveloped19 herself in the pinafore-apron and put on the gloves. The bride on her honeymoon20 and the girl crept softly downstairs, and one by one, with miraculous21 success in the avoidance of any sound, the planks—they were no more than planks—were transported from the bottom of the house to the top. No uprights for the shelves could be discovered, but Violet, whose natural ingenuity22 had been intensified23 by the resistless force of her grandiose idea, improvised24 supports for the shelves out of a lot of shabby old volumes of The Illustrated25 London News. She laid a shelf on three perpendicular26 tomes—one at either end and one in the middle—and then three more tomes on the shelf, and then another shelf on them, and so on, till the whole of the empty wall in the front room was a bookcase ready to receive books. Violet was well pleased, and Elsie marvelled27 at Violet's magical creative power.
The house was sealed up from the world. Not a door open; not a window open! Hours passed. The sun[Pg 117] coldly shone. The faint jangle of church-bells was the only sound within the house where the two devotees laboured in a tiptoeing silence upstairs and downstairs while the master reposed28 unconscious. Violet filled Elsie's stout29 apron with books, and, bearing a handful of books herself, followed her upstairs; the books were ranged; the devotees descended30 again. The work was simplified by the fact that the vacuum-cleaners had remedied the worst disorder31 on the previous day; they had, for example, emptied the bath of all its learning. At intervals32 Violet listened anxiously at the bedroom door. Once she peeped in. No sign of life. And the devotees were happy because in their rage of constructive33 energy they had contrived34 not to wake the master. The bathroom was cleared; the chief obstructions35 on the stairs were cleared; and there was still some space available on the improvised shelves.
"We'll move on to that dark corner of the shop-floor by the stairs," said Violet, triumphing more and more.
This decision meant still more stair-climbing. When Elsie, breathless, had lifted the first load out of the shop to the top-floor, Violet said thoughtfully as she emptied the apron: "I suppose your master is still asleep? Does he ring? Is there a bell?"
"Yes, there's a bell, 'm, but it's been out of order ever since I was here, and I don't know where it would ring if it wasn't out of order. He's never slept like this before, 'm."
Anxiety passed across their intent faces. Such sleeping was unnatural36. Then they heard his footsteps on the stairs.... He had gone down into the shop, probably into his office.
"Better go and make some more tea," said Violet gravely.
"Yes, 'm."
The bride preceded the girl down the stairs. She felt suddenly guilty in well-doing. She wondered whether she was a ministering angel or a criminal. Henry stood in[Pg 118] the bright, clean shop, gazing at the disturbed corner from which books had been taken.
"Henry!" She stopped near the foot of the stairs, as it were thunderstruck by a revelation.
"You don't understand how much of it depends on me having lots of books lying about as if they weren't anything at all. That's just what book-collectors like. If everything was ship-shape they wouldn't look twice at the place. Whenever they see a pile of books in the dark they think there must be bargains."
He did not say he was sure she meant for the best, nor praise her enterprise and energy. He merely stated baldly, simply, quietly, impartially38, dispassionately a psychological fact. And he asked no questions.
"Oh, Henry! I never thought of that. I'm so sorry."
And she for her part did not try to justify40 herself. In her self-confident ignorance she had sinned. His perfect tranquillity41 intimidated42 her. And he was so disturbingly sure of his position. He stood there in his neat blue Sunday suit, with the necktie hiding all the shirt-front, and the shirt-cuffs quite invisible, and his leather slippers43, and his trim, greying beard and full, heavy, crimson44 lips, and his little eyes (rather fatigued45 now), and he put the plain truth before her, neither accusing nor excusing. She saw that, witless, she had been endangering the security of their joint46 future. She felt as though she had had the narrowest escape from actually ruining the business! In her vivacity47 and her proud carriage she was humbled48. She came forward and took his hand.
"How cold your hand is, darling!" (She had never called the late Mr. Arb "darling." She had called him "old josser" and things like that.)
"That's cold water," said he.
"You ought to have warm water to wash in."
He laughed grimly. She knew that so long as the gas-meter clicked he would never allow her to heat water[Pg 119] on the gas-ring for him. He bent49 and kissed her, and kept his mouth on hers for ages of eternity50. They were happy together; they were bound to be happy together. As for her, she would be happy in yielding her will to his, in adopting all his ideas, and in being even more royalist than the king. Her glance fell. She experienced a sensuous51 pleasure in the passionate39 resolution to be his disciple52 and lieutenant53. When Elsie, celestially54 benevolent55, appeared with a tray on the stairs, Violet seized her husband's arm to lead him to the back-room. And as she did so she bridled56 and slightly swayed her body, and gave a sidelong glance at Elsie as if saying: "I am his slave, but I own him, and he belongs to no woman but me."
"Elsie," she said sternly. "You'd better bring that last lot of books down again. Mr. Earlforward thinks they should stay where they were." The indisputable fiat57 of the sultan, published by his vizier!
"Yes, 'm."
She sat him down in his desk-chair, and as she dispensed58 his tea she fluttered round him like a whole flock of doves.
"Let me see," said he, with amiable59 detachment. "Did you give me the account of that one pound you had for spending yesterday?"
Outside, London was bestirring itself from the vast coma60 of Sunday morning. But inside the sealed house London did not exist. This was the end of the honeymoon; or, if you prefer it, their life was one long honeymoon.
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1
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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vivacious
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| adj.活泼的，快活的 | |
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grandiose
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| adj.宏伟的，宏大的，堂皇的，铺张的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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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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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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concurred
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| 同意（concur的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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32
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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constructive
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| adj.建设的，建设性的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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obstructions
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| n.障碍物( obstruction的名词复数 )；阻碍物；阻碍；阻挠 | |
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36
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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impartially
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| adv.公平地，无私地 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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40
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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41
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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42
intimidated
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| v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的 | |
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43
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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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
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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47
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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48
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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49
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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50
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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51
sensuous
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| adj.激发美感的；感官的，感觉上的 | |
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52
disciple
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| n.信徒，门徒，追随者 | |
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53
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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54
celestially
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| adv.神地，神圣地 | |
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55
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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56
bridled
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| 给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气 | |
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57
fiat
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| n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布 | |
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58
dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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59
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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coma
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| n.昏迷，昏迷状态 | |
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