For she is wise, if I can judge of her;
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true;
And true she is, as she hath proved herself;
And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.—Merchant of Venice.
A week after he had heard the tidings from the old housekeeper2, Morton saw Dr. Steele coming out of a patient's door and getting into his chaise.
"Good morning, Dr. Steele."
"Sir, your servant," said the old-fashioned doctor.
"I'm sorry to hear that Mrs. Leslie is so ill."
"It's very sad," said the doctor. "Now, what the deuse is this young fellow stopping me for?"—this was his internal comment.
"I hope you don't despair of her."
"Well, sir, she will hold out to-morrow, and the next day, too."
"Thank you, Mr. Morton," said the doctor, somewhat mollified.
"Ahem!—Colonel Leslie is well, I hope."
"Apparently4 so, sir."
"And—ahem!—his family, too."
"I wasn't aware he had a family."
"I mean—that is to say—his daughter—Miss Leslie."
The shrewd doctor turned his gray eyes sideways on the querist.
"Ah, his daughter. What did you wish to know of her, sir?"
"Merely to inquire——" said Morton, stammering5 and blushing visibly. "I mean only to ask if she is well."
"I know nothing to the contrary. She seemed very well when I brought her down from Matherton last evening. I dare say, though, she can tell you herself a great deal better than I can. Good morning, Mr. Morton."
And with a slight twinkle in his eye, Dr. Steele drove off.
"May I be hanged and quartered if I ever question you again; you are too sharp, by half."
The doctor's information was very welcome, however; and, armed with an anxious inquiry7 after her mother's health, Morton proceeded to call upon Miss Leslie. She had come to the city, as he had already judged, on some mission connected with the wants of the invalid8, and was to go back to Matherton, with Dr. Steele, in the afternoon.
Thenceforward, for a week or upwards9, he saw her no more; but, during the interval10, he contrived11, by various expedients12, to keep himself advised of the condition and movements of the family at Matherton. Among other incidents, he became aware of two visits made them by Vinal, and was tormented13, in consequence, with an unutterable jealousy14. One morning he met the purblind15 old housekeeper, mousing along in spectacles through the crowded street, and, stopping her, to her great alarm and perplexity, he made his usual inquiry concerning Mrs. Leslie's health. This investigation16 led to the discovery that Miss Edith was coming from Matherton that very afternoon.
Morton, upon this, grew so restless, that he could not refrain from going to the railroad station, a little before the train was to come in. And here his worst fear was realized; for he beheld17, slowly pacing along the platform, the hated form of Horace Vinal. Morton retreated unseen, went into a neighboring hotel, and seated himself, a little withdrawn18 from a window, where he could see all that passed. The train arrived; and soon after Vinal appeared, conducting Miss Leslie to a carriage, with an air, as Morton thought, of the most anxious devotion. He grasped his walking stick, and burned with a feverish19 longing20 to break it across his rival's back.
He saw Miss Leslie on the next day, and thus added fuel to a flame which already burned high enough. In short, he found himself in that most profoundly serious and profoundly ridiculous of all conditions, the condition of being over head and ears in love,—and his zeal21 for science was merged22 utterly23 in a more engrossing24 devotion. By one means or another, he contrived to keep pace with the course of things at Matherton, and learned from day to day that Mrs. Leslie was worse,—that she seemed to revive a little,—that she was on the point of death,—that she was dead. By the time this sad climax25 was reached, he had been starving a fortnight from the sight of his mistress, having the consolation26 to know that meantime his rival had made at least four visits to Matherton.
One morning Morton was pacing the street in an abstracted mood, his looks bent27 on the bricks, when, chancing to look up, he saw those very eyes which his fancy had been that moment picturing, employed in guiding their owner's steps over a crossing towards him. As Edith Leslie stepped upon the sidewalk, she saw him for the first time. He bowed, joined her, spoke28 a few bungling29 words of condolence, and walked on at her side. After the fashion of those who are peculiarly anxious to appear at their best advantage, he appeared at his worst. And when his companion bade him good morning on the steps of her father's house, she left him in a most unenviable mood, muttering maledictions against himself and his fate, and brought, indeed, to the borders of despair. This depression, however, was not long in producing its reaction, under the influence of which, adopting his usual panacea30 against mental ailments31, he mounted his horse, and spurred into the country.
Here, about sunset, he beheld a horseman, slowly pacing along the road in front. On this, he drew rein, and began to look about him for the means of escape; for in the person of the rider he recognized his classmate Wren32, to whose society he was far from partial. Neither lane nor by-road was to be seen.
"At the worst," he thought, "it is but a mile or two;" and, setting forward at a trot33 again, he was in a moment at his classmate's side.
"How are you, Wren?"
"Ah, Morton, good evening," exclaimed Wren, with a graceful34 wave of his hand. "I'm delighted to see you. A charming evening—isn't it?"
"Charming."
"That's a fine horse you have."
"Tolerably good."
"Did you ever observe this fellow that I'm riding? Do you see how long and straight he is in the back? Well, that's the Arab blood that's in him. His grandfather was a superb Arab, that the Pacha of Egypt gave my uncle when he was travelling there;" and he proceeded to dilate35 at large on the merits and pedigree of his horse, the truth being that he and his ancestry36 before him had been born and bred in the State of Vermont. Morton listened with civil incredulity, and wished his companion at the antipodes.
"Ah, there's my cousin's house," exclaimed Wren, pointing to a very pretty cottage and grounds which they were approaching—"Mary Holyoke, you know—Mary Everard that was some three months ago. What a delightful37 retreat for the honeymoon38!"
"Very," said Morton.
"Stop there with me, will you? I'm going in for a few minutes, to wish them a pleasant journey. They are going to Niagara to-morrow."
"Thank you, I believe I won't stop."
"As you please, my dear fellow. I think they are quite right to travel now; it's a better season than the spring; and a honeymoon journey, after all, isn't all romance, you know. Besides, they are going to have a charming companion—Miss Leslie."
"I thought that she had just lost her mother-in-law."
"That's the very thing. She's almost ill with watching night after night; so Mary,—they used to be friends at school,—has been very anxious that she should make the journey with them, for a change of scene, you know,—and Colonel Leslie has persuaded her to go."
"When will they leave town?"
"To-morrow. They mean to spend a few days at Trenton, and then go to the Falls. But here we are; won't you change your mind, and come in?"
"No, thank you. Good night."
"Virtue40 never goes unrewarded," thought Morton; "if I hadn't joined the fellow, I might not have known about this journey."
On the next day he discovered that they had actually gone, and that, as Wren had said, Niagara was to be the ultimatum41 of their tour. On the following morning, he himself took the western train, and made all speed for the Falls.
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收听单词发音
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1
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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stammering
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
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lumbered
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| 砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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7
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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8
invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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9
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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expedients
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| n.应急有效的，权宜之计的( expedient的名词复数 ) | |
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tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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purblind
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| adj.半盲的；愚笨的 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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17
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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18
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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19
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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engrossing
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| adj.使人全神贯注的，引人入胜的v.使全神贯注( engross的现在分词 ) | |
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climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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28
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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29
bungling
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| adj.笨拙的，粗劣的v.搞糟，完不成( bungle的现在分词 )；笨手笨脚地做；失败；完不成 | |
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panacea
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| n.万灵药；治百病的灵药 | |
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ailments
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| 疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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32
wren
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| n.鹪鹩；英国皇家海军女子服务队成员 | |
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33
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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34
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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dilate
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| vt.使膨胀，使扩大 | |
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ancestry
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| n.祖先，家世 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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39
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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40
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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41
ultimatum
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| n.最后通牒 | |
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