A long-headed man, Mr. Simnel, and, to judge from the strange smile on his face on that particular day, full of some special scheme, as he emerged from his bedroom and looked out into Piccadilly. Any thing but a vain man, and long past the age when the decoration of one's person enters largely into account, Mr. Simnel had yet paid special attention to his toilette during the short interval20 which had elapsed since his arrival at home from the Tin-Tax Office. He was got up with elaborate care and yet perfect simplicity21; indeed, there was a touch of the old school in his drab riding-trousers, white waistcoat, blue cut-away coat, and blue bird's-eye neckerchief, with small stand-up collars. A glance into the street showed him that his horses were ready, and he descended22 at once. At the door he found his groom23 mounted on a knowing-looking gray cob, short, stiff, and sturdy, and leading a splendid thoroughbred bright bay with black points. This Mr. Simnel mounted and rode easily away.
Through Decimus Burton's archway he turned into Hyde Park and made at once for the Row. There were but few men lounging about there at that time of the year, but Simnel was known to some of them; and after nods had been exchanged, they fell to comparing notes about him and his horse and his style of living, wondering how it was done, admiring his cleverness, detracting from his position--talking, in fact, as men will do of another who has beat them in this grand struggle for place which we call life. The Row was very empty, and Simnel paid but little attention to its occupants: now and then he occasionally raised his whip mechanically in acknowledgment of some passing salute24, but it is to be doubted whether he knew to whom he was telegraphing, as his thoughts were entirely25 fixed26 on his mission. However, he wore a pleasant smile on his face, and that was quite enough: grinning, like charity, covers a multitude of sins; and if you only smile and hold your tongue, you can pass through life with an éclat which excellent eloquence27, combined with a serious face, would fail to give. So Mr. Simnel went smiling along at the easiest amble28 until he got clear of the Row and the town, and then he gave the bay his head, and never drew rein16 until he turned up a country lane immediately on passing Ealing Common.
Half way up this lane stood The Den29, and evidences of Kate Mellon's calling began to abound30 so soon as you turned out of the high-road. In the fields on either side through the bare hedges one could see a string of horses in cloths and head-pieces, each ridden by a groom, skirting the hedges along which a proper riding-path had been made; occasionally a yellow break, driven by a veteran coachman, with a younger and more active coadjutor perched up behind, and standing with his eyes on a level with the coach-box observing every motion of the horses, would rumble31 by, while the clay-coloured gig containing Mr. Sandcrack the veterinary surgeon, who, in his long white cravat32, beard, and tight trousers, looked a pleasant compound of a dissenting-minister, a horse-jockey, and an analytical33 chemist, was flying in and out of the lane at all times and seasons. Mr. Simnel seemed accustomed to these scenes and thoroughly well known amongst them, the grooms34 and breaksmen touched their hats to him, and he exchanged salutations with Mr. Sandcrack, and told him that the bay had got rid of all his wind-galls and never went better in his life. So straight up the lane until he arrived at the lodge35, and then, before his groom could ride up, his cheery cry of "Gate!" brought out the buxom36 lodge-keeper, and she also greeted Mr. Simnel with a curtsey of recognition, and received his largesse37 as he rode through; so down the little carriage-drive, past the pigeon-house elevated on a pole, and the pointers' kennels38, and the strip of garden cultivated by the lodge-keeper, and in which one of the lodge-keeper's dirty chubby39 children was always sprawling40; past the inner gates, through which could be caught glimpses of the circular straw-ride, and the stable and loose boxes, and the neatly41 gravelled courtyard, up the sweep and so to the house-door. Freeman, the staid stud-groom from Yorkshire, had seen the visitor's entry from the stable, where he was superintending, and hurried up to meet him. Before Mr. Simnel's own groom had come alongside, Freeman was at his horse's head.
"Mornin', sir," said he, touching42 his hat. "Missis is oop at u, close by, givin' lesson to a young leddy, just by t' water soide: joompin' brook43, oi think. Howsever she'll be in d'rackly, oi know."
"All right, Freeman," said Mr. Simnel, leisurely44 dismounting. "Horses all well? Fine weather for horseflesh, this!"
"Ay, ay, it be, sir!" said the old man. "Stood be pratty well, oi'm thinkin': coughs and colds, and that loike, as is allays45 case this toime o' year."
"Don't hurry Miss Mellon on my account, Freeman," said Mr. Simnel; "I can wait. I'll go into the house, and you can let her know that I'm here, when she comes in. By the way, Freeman, I haven't seen you since Christmas: here's for old acquaintance' sake."
Freeman touched his hat gratefully, but not submissively, as he pocketed the half-sovereign which Mr. Simnel slipped into his capacious palm, and moved off towards the stables with the groom and the horses.
"Good man, that," said Simnel to himself, as he went into the house. "Straightforward46, conscientious47 sort of fellow, and thoroughly devoted48 to her. Proper style of man to have in an establishment: thoroughly respectable--do one credit by his looks. If it ever comes off, I certainly should keep Mr. Freeman on."
Mr. Simnel passed on into the long low dining-room, where he found the table spread for luncheon49, with a very substantial display of cold roast beef, fowls50, and tongue, sherry, and a tall bottle of German wine. He smiled as he noticed these preparations, and then leisurely walked round the room. He paused at an oil-painting of Kate with a favourite horse by her side. The artist evidently knew much more about the equine than the human race. The horse's portrait was admirable, but poor Kitty, with vermilion cheeks and glaring red hair, and a blue habit with long daubs of light in it, like rain-streaks on a window, was a lamentable51 object to look on. Only one other picture decorated the walls, a portrait of the Right Hon. the Earl of Quorn, aged52 61, founder53 of the Society for the Relief of Incapacitated Jobmasters and Horse-dealers, dedicated54 to him by his faithful servants the publishers; representing a hale old gentleman, remarkable55 principally for his extraordinary length of check-neckcloth, seated on a weight-carrying cob, and staring intently at nothing. On a side-table lay a thick book, Youatt on the Horse, and a thin pamphlet, Navicular not Incurable56, a Little Warbler (poor Kitty!), and a kind of album, into which a heterogeneous57 mixture of recipes for horse-medicines, scraps58 of hunting news, lists of prices fetched at the sales of celebrated59 studs, and other sporting memoranda60 had been pasted. Simnel was looking through this, and had just come upon a slip of printed matter, evidently cut from a newspaper, announcing the appointment of Mr. Charles Beresford to be a commissioner61 of the Tin-Tax Office, in place of Cockle pensioned--a slip against which there were three huge deep pencil-scorings--when the door opened and his hostess entered.
Although her habit was draggled and splashed, and her hair disarranged and blown about her face, Kate Mellon never had looked, to Simnel's eyes at least, more thoroughly charming than she did at that instant. The exercise she had just gone through had given her a splendid colour, her eyes were bright and sparkling, her whole frame showed to perfection in the tight-fitting jacket; and as she came into the room and removed her hat, the knot of hair behind, loosened from the comb, fell over her shoulders in golden profusion62. She wound it up at once with one hand, advancing with the other outstretched to her guest.
"Sorry I'm late, Simnel," said she; "but I had a pupil here, and business is business, as you know well enough. Can't afford to throw away any chance, so I gave her her hour, and now she's off, and I am all the better by a guinea. I didn't stop to change my habit because I heard you were waiting, and I knew you wouldn't mind."
"You couldn't look more enchanting63 than you do now, Kate," said Simnel.
"Yes, yes; I know," said Kitty; "all right! But I thought you knew better than that. This is the wrong shop for flummery of that sort, as you ought to have learnt by this time. Have some lunch?"
They sat down to the table, and during the meal talked on ordinary subjects; for the most part discussing their common acquaintance, but always carefully avoiding bringing Beresford's name forward. When they had finished, Kate said, "You want to smoke, of course. I think I shall have a puff64 myself. No, thank you; your weeds are too big for me; I've got some Queens here that old Sir John Elle sent me after I broke that roan mare65 for his daughter. By George, what a brute66 that was! nearly killed me at first, she did; and now you might ride her with a pack-thread."
Simnel did not reply. Kate Mellon curled herself up on an ottoman in the window with her habit tucked round her; lit a small cigar; and slowly expelling the smoke said, as the blue vapour curled round her head, "And now to business! You wanted to talk to me, you said; and I told you to come up to-day. What's it all about?"
"About yourself, Kate. You know thoroughly well my feelings to you; you know how often I have--"
"Hold on a minute!" said Kate; "I know that you've been philandering67 and hanging on about me,--or would have been, if I'd have let you,--for this year past. I know that well enough; but I thought there was to be none of this. I thought I'd told you to drop that subject, and that you'd consented to drop it. I told you I wouldn't listen to you, and--"
"Why would not you listen to me, Kate?" said Simnel earnestly.
"Why? Because--"
"Don't trouble yourself to find an excuse; I'll tell you why," said Simnel. "Because you were desperately68 bent69 on a fruitless errand; because you were beating the wind and trying to check the storm; because you were in love,--I must speak plainly, Kitty, in a matter like this,--in love with a man who did not return your feeling, and who even now is boasting of your passion, and laughing at you as its dupe!"
"What!" cried the girl, throwing away the cigar and starting to her feet.
"Sit down, child," said Simnel, gently laying his hand on her arm; "sit down, and hear me out. I know your pluck and spirit; and nothing grieves me more, or goes more against the grain with me, than to have to tell you this. But when I tell you that the man to whom you so attached yourself has spoken lightly and sneeringly70 of your infatuation; that amongst his friends he has laughingly talked of a scene which occurred on the last occasion of his visit to this house, when you suggested that he should marry you--"
"Did he say that?" asked the girl, pushing her hair back from her face,--"did he say that?"
"That and more; laughed at the notion, and--"
"O my God!" shrieked71 Kate Mellon, throwing up her arms. "Spare me! stop, for Heaven's sake, and don't let me hear any more. Did he say that of me? Then they'll all know it, and when I meet them will grin and whisper as I know they do. Haven't I heard them do it of others a thousand times? and now to think they'll have the pull of me. O good Lord, good Lord!" and she burst into tears and buried her face in her handkerchief. Then suddenly rousing, she exclaimed: "What do you come and tell me this for, Simnel? What business is it of yours? What's your motive72 in coming and smashing me up like this?"
"One, and one only," said Simnel in a low voice. "I wanted to prevent your demeaning yourself by ever showing favour to a man who has treated you so basely. I wanted you to show your own pride and spirit by blotting73 this Beresford from your thoughts. I wanted you to do this--whatever may be the result--because--I love you, Kate!"
"That's it!" she cried suddenly--"that's it! You're telling me lies and long stories, and breaking my heart, and making me make a fool of myself, only that you may stand well with me and get me to like you! How do I know what you say is true? Why should Charley do this? Why did Charley refuse what I offered him? I meant it honestly enough, God knows. Oh, why did he refuse it?" and again she burst into tears.
"Oh, he did refuse it?" said Simnel, quietly. "So far, then you see I am right; and you will find I am right throughout. I'll tell you why he acted as he did to you. Because he's full of family pride, and because he never cared for you one rush. At this very moment he is desperately in love with a married woman, and is only awaiting her husband's death to make her his wife!"
"Can you prove that?" asked Kate eagerly.
"I can! you shall have ample opportunity of satisfying yourself--"
"Does the husband suspect?"
"Not in the least."
"That's right!" said the girl with sudden energy--"that'll do! Only let me prove that, and I'll give him up for ever."
"If I do this for you, Kitty, surely my love will be sufficiently proved. You will then--"
"Yes, we'll talk of that afterwards. I'll see you next week, and you'll tell me more of this new love-affair of--of his! Don't stop now. I'm all out of sorts. You've upset me. I wasn't in condition. I've been doing a little too much work lately. Go now, there's a good fellow! Good-by." Then stopping suddenly--"You're sure you're not selling me, Simnel?"
"I swear it!" said Simnel.
"I wish to heaven you had been," said the poor girl; "but we'll see about the new business next week. I think we'll spoil that pretty game between us, eh? There, good-by." And she set her teeth tight, and rushed from the room.
"So fax so good," said Mr. Simnel, as he rode quietly home. "She's taken it almost a little too strongly. My plan now is to soften74 her and turn her to me. I think I have a card in my hand that will win that trick, and then--the game's my own!"
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1
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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7
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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soliciting
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| v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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gatherings
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| 聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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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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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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blurt
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| vt.突然说出，脱口说出 | |
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biennially
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| adv.二年一次地，每两年 | |
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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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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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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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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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amble
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| vi.缓行，漫步 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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abound
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| vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于 | |
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rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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analytical
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| adj.分析的；用分析法的 | |
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grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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buxom
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| adj.（妇女）丰满的，有健康美的 | |
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largesse
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| n.慷慨援助，施舍 | |
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kennels
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| n.主人外出时的小动物寄养处，养狗场；狗窝( kennel的名词复数 )；养狗场 | |
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chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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43
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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allays
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的第三人称单数 ) | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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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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48
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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49
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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50
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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51
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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55
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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56
incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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heterogeneous
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| adj.庞杂的；异类的 | |
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58
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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memoranda
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| n. 备忘录, 便条 名词memorandum的复数形式 | |
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commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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64
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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67
philandering
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| v.调戏，玩弄女性( philander的现在分词 ) | |
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68
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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69
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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70
sneeringly
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| 嘲笑地，轻蔑地 | |
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71
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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73
blotting
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| 吸墨水纸 | |
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74
soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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