Lord Marney was several years the senior of Charles Egremont, yet still a young man. He was handsome; there was indeed a general resemblance between the brothers, though the expression of their countenances13 was entirely15 different; of the same height and air, and throughout the features a certain family cast; but here the likeness16 ceased. The countenance14 of Lord Marney bespoke17 the character of his mind; cynical18, devoid19 of sentiment, arrogant20, literal, hard. He had no imagination, had exhausted21 his slight native feeling, but he was acute, disputatious, and firm even to obstinacy22. Though his early education had been very imperfect, he had subsequently read a good deal, especially in French literature. He had formed his mind by Helvetius, whose system he deemed irrefutable, and in whom alone he had faith. Armed with the principles of his great master, he believed he could pass through existence in adamantine armour24, and always gave you in the business of life the idea of a man who was conscious you were trying to take him in, and rather respected you for it, but the working of whose cold, unkind, eye defied you.
There never had been excessive cordiality between the brothers even in their boyish days, and shortly after Egremont’s entrance into life, they had become estranged25. They were to meet now for the first time since Egremont’s return from the continent. Their mother had arranged their reconciliation26. They were to meet as if no misunderstanding had ever existed between them; it was specially23 stipulated27 by Lord Marney, that there was to be no “scene.” Apprised28 of Egremont’s impending29 arrival, Lord Marney was careful to be detained late that day at petty sessions, and entered the room only a few minutes before dinner was announced, where he found Egremont not only with the countess and a young lady who was staying with her, but with additional bail30 against any ebullition of sentiment in the shape of the Vicar of Marney, and a certain Captain Grouse31, who was a kind of aide-de-camp of the earl; killed birds and carved them; played billiards32 with him, and lost; had indeed every accomplishment33 that could please woman or ease man; could sing, dance, draw, make artificial flies, break horses, exercise a supervision34 over stewards35 and bailiffs, and make every body comfortable by taking everything on his own shoulders.
Lady Marney had received Egremont in a manner which expressed the extreme satisfaction she experienced at finding him once more beneath his brother’s roof. When he arrived indeed, he would have preferred to have been shown at once to his rooms, but a message immediately delivered expressed the wish of his sister-in-law at once to see him. She received him alone and with great warmth. She was beautiful, and soft as May; a glowing yet delicate face; rich brown hair, and large blue eyes; not yet a mother, but with something of the dignity of the matron blending with the lingering timidity of the girl.
Egremont was glad to join his sister-in-law again in the drawing-room before dinner. He seated himself by her side; and in answer to her enquiries was giving her some narrative36 of his travels; the Vicar who was very low church, was shaking his head at Lady Marney’s young friend, who was enlarging on the excellence37 of Mr Paget’s tales; while Captain Grouse, in a very stiff white neck-cloth, very tight pantaloons, to show his very celebrated38 legs, transparent39 stockings and polished shoes, was throwing himself into attitudes in the back ground, and with a zeal40 amounting almost to enthusiasm, teaching Lady Marney’s spaniel to beg; when the door opened, and Lord Marney entered, but as if to make security doubly sure, not alone. He was accompanied by a neighbour and brother magistrate41, Sir Vavasour Firebrace, a baronet of the earliest batch42, and a gentleman of great family and great estate.
“Well Charles!”
“How are you George?”
And the brothers shook hands.
‘Tis the English way; and if they had been inclined to fall into each other’s arms, they would not probably have done more.
In a few minutes it was announced that dinner was served, and so, secured from a scene, having a fair appetite, and surrounded by dishes that could agreeably satisfy it, a kind of vague fraternal sentiment began to stir the breast of Lord Marney: he really was glad to see his brother again; remembered the days when they rode their poneys and played cricket; his voice softened43, his eyes sparkled, and he at length exclaimed, “Do you know, old fellow, it makes me quite happy to see you here again. Suppose we take a glass of wine.”
The softer heart and more susceptible44 spirit of Egremont were well calculated to respond to this ebullition of feeling, however slight; and truly it was for many reasons not without considerable emotion, that he found himself once more at Marney. He sate45 by the side of his gentle sister-in-law, who seemed pleased by the unwonted cordiality of her husband, and anxious by many kind offices to second every indication of good feeling on his part. Captain Grouse was extremely assiduous: the vicar was of the deferential46 breed, agreed with Lady Marney on the importance of infant schools, but recalled his opinion when Lord Marney expressed his imperious hope that no infant schools would ever be found in his neighbourhood. Sir Vavasour was more than middle aged47, comely48, very gentlemanlike, but with an air occasionally of absence which hardly agreed with his frank and somewhat hearty49 idiosyncracy; his clear brow, florid complexion50, and blue eye. But Lord Marney talked a good deal, though chiefly dogmatical or argumentative. It was rather difficult for him to find a sufficient stock of opposition51, but he laid in wait and seized every opening with wonderful alacrity52. Even Captain Grouse could not escape him; if driven to extremity53 Lord Marney would even question his principles on fly-making. Captain Grouse gave up, but not too soon; he was well aware that his noble friend’s passion for controversy54 was equal to his love of conquest. As for Lady Marney, it was evident that with no inconsiderable talents, and with an intelligence richly cultivated, the controversial genius of her husband had completely cowed her conversational55 charms. She never advanced a proposition that he did not immediately bristle56 up, and she could only evade57 the encounter by a graceful58 submission59. As for the vicar, a frequent guest, he would fain have taken refuge in silence, but the earl, especially when alone, would what he called “draw him out,” and the game once unearthed60, with so skilled a pack there was but little fear of a bad run. When all were reduced to silence, Lord Marney relinquishing61 controversy, assumed the positive. He eulogized the new poor law, which he declared would be the salvation62 of the country, provided it was “carried out” in the spirit in which it was developed in the Marney union; but then he would add that there was no district except their union in which it was properly observed. He was tremendously fierce against allotments and analysed the system with merciless sarcasm63, Indeed he had no inconsiderable acquaintance with the doctrines64 of the economists65, and was rather inclined to carry them into practice in every instance, except that of the landed proprietary66, which he clearly proved “stood upon different grounds” to that of any other “interest.” There was nothing he hated so much as a poacher, except a lease; though perhaps in the catalogue of his aversions, we ought to give the preference to his anti-ecclesiastical prejudice: this amounted even to acrimony. Though there was no man breathing who was possessed67 with such a strong repugnance68 to subscriptions69 of any kind, it delighted Lord Marney to see his name among the contributors to all sectarian institutions. The vicar of Marney, who had been presented by himself, was his model of a priest: he left every body alone. Under the influence of Lady Marney, the worthy70 vicar had once warmed up into some ebullition of very low church zeal; there was some talk of an evening lecture, the schools were to be remodelled71, certain tracts72 were actually distributed. But Lord Marney soon stopped all this. “No priestcraft at Marney,” said this gentle proprietor73 of abbey lands.
“I wanted very much to come and canvass74 for you,” said Lady Marney to Egremont, “but George did not like it.”
“The less the family interfered75 the better,” said Lord Marney; “and for my part, I was very much alarmed when I heard my mother had gone down.”
“Oh! my mother did wonders,” said Egremont: “we should have been beat without her. Indeed, to tell the truth, I quite gave up the thing the moment they started their man. Before that we were on velvet76; but the instant he appeared everything was changed, and I found some of my warmest supporters, members of his committee.”
“You had a formidable opponent, Lord Marney told me,” said Sir Vavasour. “Who was he?”
“Oh! a dreadful man! A Scotchman, richer than Croesus, one McDruggy, fresh from Canton, with a million of opium77 in each pocket, denouncing corruption78, and bellowing79 free trade.”
“No, it was a mistake,” said Egremont, “and the cry was changed the moment my opponent was on the ground. Then all the town was placarded with ‘Vote for McDruggy and our young Queen,’ as if he had coalesced81 with her Majesty82.”
“My mother must have been in despair,” said Lord Marney.
“We issued our placard instantly of ‘Vote for our young Queen and Egremont,’ which was at least more modest, and turned out more popular.”
“That I am sure was my mother,” said Lord Marney.
“No,” said Egremont; “it was the effusion of a far more experienced mind. My mother was in hourly communication with head quarters, and Mr Taper83 sent down the cry by express.”
“Peel, in or out, will support the Poor Law,” said Lord Marney, rather audaciously, as he reseated himself after the ladies had retired84. “He must;” and he looked at his brother, whose return had in a great degree been secured by crying that Poor Law down.
“It is impossible,” said Charles, fresh from the hustings85, and speaking from the card of Taper, for the condition of the people was a subject of which he knew nothing.
“He will carry it out,” said Lord Marney, “you’ll see, or the land will not support him.”
“I wish,” said Sir Vavasour, “we could manage some modification86 about out-door relief.”
“Modification!” said Lord Marney; “why there has been nothing but modification. What we want is stringency87.”
“The people will never bear it,” said Egremont; “there must be some change.”
“You cannot go back to the abuses of the old system,” said Captain Grouse, making, as he thought, a safe observation.
“Better go back to the old system, than modify the new,” said Lord Marney.
“I wish the people would take to it a little more,” said Sir Vavasour; “they certainly do not like it in our parish.”
“Very,” said the vicar.
Hereupon a conversation took place, principally sustained by the earl and the baronet, which developed all the resources of the great parochial mind. Dietaries, bastardy89, gaol90 regulations, game laws, were amply discussed; and Lord Marney wound up with a declaration of the means by which the country might be saved, and which seemed principally to consist of high prices and low church.
“If the sovereign could only know her best friends,” said Sir Vavasour, with a sigh.
Lord Marney seemed to get uneasy.
“And avoid the fatal mistakes of her predecessor,” continued the baronet.
“Charles, another glass of claret,” said the earl.
“She might yet rally round the throne a body of men”—
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1
monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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3
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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4
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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5
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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6
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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7
carving
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| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
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8
profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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9
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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10
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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11
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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13
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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14
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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15
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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16
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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17
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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18
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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19
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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20
arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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21
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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22
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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23
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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24
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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25
estranged
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| adj.疏远的，分离的 | |
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26
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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28
apprised
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| v.告知，通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 )；评价 | |
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29
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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31
grouse
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| n.松鸡；v.牢骚，诉苦 | |
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32
billiards
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| n.台球 | |
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33
accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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34
supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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35
stewards
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| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
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36
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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37
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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38
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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40
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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41
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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42
batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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43
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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44
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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45
sate
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| v.使充分满足 | |
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46
deferential
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| adj. 敬意的，恭敬的 | |
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47
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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48
comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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49
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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50
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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51
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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52
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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53
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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54
controversy
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| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
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55
conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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56
bristle
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| v.（毛发）直立，气势汹汹，发怒；n.硬毛发 | |
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57
evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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58
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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59
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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60
unearthed
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| 出土的（考古） | |
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61
relinquishing
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃 | |
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62
salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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63
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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64
doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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economists
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| n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 ) | |
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66
proprietary
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| n.所有权，所有的；独占的；业主 | |
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67
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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68
repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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69
subscriptions
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| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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71
remodelled
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| v.改变…的结构[形状]( remodel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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74
canvass
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| v.招徕顾客，兜售；游说；详细检查，讨论 | |
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75
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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76
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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77
opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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78
corruption
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| n.腐败，堕落，贪污 | |
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79
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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80
borough
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| n.享有自治权的市镇；(英)自治市镇 | |
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81
coalesced
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| v.联合，合并( coalesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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83
taper
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| n.小蜡烛，尖细，渐弱；adj.尖细的；v.逐渐变小 | |
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84
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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85
hustings
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| n.竞选活动 | |
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86
modification
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| n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻 | |
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87
stringency
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| n.严格，紧迫，说服力；严格性；强度 | |
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88
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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89
bastardy
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| 私生子，庶出； 非婚生 | |
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90
gaol
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| n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢 | |
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91
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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