He approached her not without some restraint; with reserve and yet with tenderness. “This is a great, an unexpected pleasure indeed.” he said in a faltering2 tone. She had looked up; the expression of an agitation3, not distressful4, on her beautiful countenance5 could not be concealed6. She smiled through a gushing7 vision: and with a flushed cheek, impelled8 perhaps by her native frankness, perhaps by some softer and irresistible9 feeling of gratitude10, respect, regard, she said in a low voice, “I was reading your beautiful speech.”
“Indeed,” said Egremont much moved, “that is an honour,—a pleasure,—a reward, I never could have even hoped to have attained11.”
“By all,” continued Sybil with more self-possession, “it must be read with pleasure, with advantage, but by me—oh! with what deep interest.”
“If anything that I said finds an echo in your breast,” and here he hesitated, “—it will give me confidence for the future,” he hurriedly added.
“Ah! why do not others feel like you!” said Sybil, “all would not then be hopeless.”
“But you are not hopeless,” said Egremont, and he seated himself on the bench, but at some distance from her.
Sybil shook her head.
“But when we spoke12 last,” said Egremont, “you were full of confidence—in your cause, and in your means.”
“It is not very long ago,” said Sybil, “since we thus spoke, and yet time in the interval13 has taught me some bitter truths.”
“Truth is very precious,” said Egremont, “to us all; and yet I fear I could not sufficiently14 appreciate the cause that deprived you of your sanguine15 faith.”
“Alas!” said Sybil mournfully, “I was but a dreamer of dreams: I wake from my hallucination as others have done I suppose before me. Like them too I feel the glory of life has gone; but my content at least,” and she bent16 her head meekly17, “has never rested I hope too much on this world.”
“I am unhappy. I am anxious about my father. I fear that he is surrounded by men unworthy of his confidence. These scenes of violence alarm me. Under any circumstances I should shrink from them, but I am impressed with the conviction that they can bring us nothing but disaster and disgrace.”
“I honor your father,” said Egremont, “I know no man whose character I esteem19 so truly noble; such a just compound of intelligence and courage, and gentle and generous impulse. I should deeply grieve were he to compromise himself. But you have influence over him, the greatest, as you have over all. Counsel him to return to Mowbray.”
“Can I give counsel?” said Sybil, “I who have been wrong in all my judgments20? I came up to this city with him, to be his guide, his guardian21. What arrogance22! What short-sighted pride! I thought the People all felt as I feel; that I had nothing to do but to sustain and animate23 him; to encourage him when he flagged, to uphold him when he wavered. I thought that moral power must govern the world, and that moral power was embodied24 in an assembly whose annals will be a series of petty intrigues25, or, what is worse, of violent machinations.”
“Exert every energy,” said Egremont, “that your father should leave London, immediately; to-morrow, to-night if possible. After this business at Birmingham, the government must act. I hear that they will immediately increase the army and the police; and that there is a circular from the Secretary of State to the Lords Lieutenant26 of counties. But the government will strike at the Convention. The members who remain will be the victims. If your father return to Mowbray and be quiet, he has a chance of not being disturbed.”
“Let us retain our hopes,” said Egremont, “and cherish them.”
“I have none,” she replied.
“And I am sanguine,” said Egremont.
“Ah! because you have made a beautiful speech. But they will listen to you, they will cheer you, but they will never follow you. The dove and the eagle will not mate; the lion and the lamb will not lie down together; and the conquerors28 will never rescue the conquered.”
Egremont shook his head. “You still will cherish these phantoms29, dear Sybil! and why? They are not visions of delight. Believe me they are as vain as they are distressing30. The mind of England is the mind ever of the rising race. Trust me it is with the People. And not the less so, because this feeling is one of which even in a great degree it is unconscious. Those opinions which you have been educated to dread31 and mistrust are opinions that are dying away. Predominant opinions are generally the opinions of the generation that is vanishing. Let an accident, which speculation32 could not foresee, the balanced state at this moment of parliamentary parties cease, and in a few years, more or less, cease it must, and you will witness a development of the new mind of England, which will make up by its rapid progress for its retarded33 action. I live among these men; I know their inmost souls; I watch their instincts and their impulses; I know the principles which they have imbibed34, and I know, however hindered by circumstances for the moment, those principles must bear their fruit. It will be a produce hostile to the oligarchical35 system. The future principle of English politics will not be a levelling principle; not a principle adverse36 to privileges, but favourable37 to their extension. It will seek to ensure equality, not by levelling the Few but by elevating the Many.”
Indulging for some little time in the mutual38 reflections, which the tone of the conversation suggested, Sybil at length rose, and saying that she hoped by this time her father might have returned, bade farewell to Egremont, but he also rising would for a time accompany her. At the gate of the gardens however she paused, and said with a soft sad smile, “Here we must part,” and extended to him her hand.
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1
adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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3
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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4
distressful
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| adj.苦难重重的，不幸的，使苦恼的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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7
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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8
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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10
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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11
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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12
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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13
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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14
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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15
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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16
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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17
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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18
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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19
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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20
judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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21
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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22
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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23
animate
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| v.赋于生命，鼓励；adj.有生命的，有生气的 | |
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24
embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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25
intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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26
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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27
ignoble
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| adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的 | |
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28
conquerors
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| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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29
phantoms
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| n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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30
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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31
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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32
speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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33
retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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34
imbibed
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| v.吸收( imbibe的过去式和过去分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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35
oligarchical
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| adj.寡头政治的，主张寡头政治的 | |
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36
adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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37
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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38
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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39
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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