“I fear I’ve no time (or desire) now, Medusa,” the Countess answered, moving towards the Royal apartments, “for making bets,” though turning before the ante-room door she nodded: “Done!”
She found her sovereign supine on a couch piled with long Tunisian cushions, 10 while a maid of honour sat reading to her aloud :
“Live with an aim, and let that aim be high!” the girl was saying as the Countess approached.
“How is your condition, Madam?” the Countess anxiously murmured.
The Countess of Tolga considered.
“Paris,” she hazarded.
“Ah! Impossible.”
“The Summer-Palace, then,” the Countess ejaculated, examining her long slender fingers that were like the tendrils of a plant.
“Dr Cuncliffe Babcock flatly forbids it,” the Royal woman declared, starting slightly at the sound of a gun: “That must be the Dates!” she said. And in effect, a vague reverberation11, as of individuals cheering, resounded12 fitfully from afar. “Give me my diamond anemones13,” the Queen commanded, and motioning to 11 her Maid: “Pray conclude, mademoiselle, those lofty lines.”
“Live with an aim, and let that aim be high!” she reiterated15 in tones tinged16 perceptibly with emotion.
“But not too high, remember, Mademoiselle de Nazianzi....”
There was a short pause. And then—
“Ah Madam! What a dearest he is!”
“I think you forget yourself,” the Queen murmured with a quelling17 glance. “You had better withdraw.”
“Enough!”
And a moment later, the enflamed girl left the room warbling softly: Depuis le Jour.
“Holy Virgin,” the Countess said, addressing herself to the ceiling. “Should his Weariness, the Prince, yield himself to this caprice....”
The Queen shifted a diamond bangle from one of her arms to the other. 12
“She reads at such a pace,” she complained, “and when I asked her where she had learnt to read so quickly, she replied ‘On the screens at Cinemas.’”
“I do not consider her at all distinguished,” the Countess commented turning her eyes away towards the room.
It was a carved-ceiled, and rather lofty room, connected by tall glass doors with other rooms beyond. Peering into one of these the Countess could see reflected the “throne,” and a little piece of broken Chippendale brought from England, that served as a stand for a telephone, wrought20 in ormolu and rock-crystal, which the sun’s rays at present were causing to emit a thousand playful sparks. Tapestry21 panels depicting22 the Loves of Mejnoun and Leileh half concealed23 the silver boisèries of the walls, while far down the room, across old rugs from Chirvan that were a marvellous wonder, showed fortuitous jardinières, filled with every flowering-kind of plant. Between the windows were canopied24 recesses25, denuded26 of their statues by the Queen’s desire, “in order that they might appear 13 suggestive,” while through the windows themselves, the Countess could catch across the fore-court of the castle, a panorama27 of the town below, with the State Theatre and the Garrisons28, and the Houses of Parliament, and the Hospital, and the low white dome6, crowned by turquoise-tinted29 tiles of the Cathedral, which was known to all churchgoers as the Blue Jesus.
“It would be a fatal connexion,” the Queen continued, “and it must never, never be!”
By way of response the Countess exchanged with her sovereign a glance that was known in Court circles as her tortured-animal look: “Their Oriental majesties,” she observed, “to judge from the din2, appear to have already endeared themselves with the mob!”
The Queen stirred slightly amid her cushions.
“For the aggrandisement of the country’s trade, an alliance with Dateland is by no means to be depreciated,” she replied, closing her eyes as though in some way or other this bullion30 to the State would allow 14 her to gratify her own wildest whims31, the dearest, perhaps, of which was to form a party to excavate32 (for objects of art) among the ruins of Chedorlahomor, a faubourg of Sodom.
But at that moment the door opened, and his Weariness the Prince entered the room in all his tinted Orders.
Handsome to tears, his face, even as a child had lacked innocence34. His was of that magnolia order of colouring, set off by pleasantly untamed eyes, and teeth like flawless pearls.
“You’ve seen them? What are they like.... Tell Mother, darling?” the Queen exclaimed.
“They’re merely dreadful,” his Weariness, who had been to the railway-station to welcome the Royal travellers, murmured in a voice extinct with boredom35.
“They’re in European dress, dear?” his mother questioned.
“The King had on a frock coat and a cap....” 15
“And she?”
“A tartan-skirt, and checked wool-stockings.”
“She has great individuality, so I hear, marm,” the Countess ventured.
“Individuality be ——! No one can doubt she’s a terrible woman.”
“I see life to-day,” she declared, “in the colour of mould.”
“Well, it’s depressing,” he said, “for us all, with the Castle full of blacks.”
“That is the least of my worries,” the Queen observed. “Oh, Yousef, Yousef,” she added, “do you wish to break my heart?”
The young man protruded some few degrees further his tongue.
“But what can you see in her?” his mother mourned.
“She suits my feelings,” the Prince simply said. 16
“Peuh!”
“She meets my needs.”
“She’s so housemaid.... I hardly know...!” the Queen raised beautiful hands bewildered.
“She saves us from cliché,” the Prince indignantly said.
“She saves us from nothing,” his mother returned. “Oh, Yousef, Yousef. And what cerné eyes, my son. I suppose you were gambling40 all night at the Chateau41 des Fleurs?”
“Just hark to the crowds!” the Prince evasively said. And never too weary to receive an ovation42, he skipped across the room towards the nearest window, where he began blowing kisses to the throng43.
“Give them the Smile Extending, darling,” his mother beseeched.
“Won’t you rise and place your arm about him, Madam,” the Countess suggested.
“I’m not feeling at all up to the mark,” her Dreaminess demurred44, passing her fingers over her hair. 17
“There is sunshine, ma’am ... and you have your anemones on ...” the Countess cajoled, “and to please the people, you ought indeed to squeeze him.” And she was begging and persuading the Queen to rise, as the King entered the room preceded by a shapely page (of sixteen) with cheeks fresher than milk.
“Go to the window, Willie,” the Queen exhorted45 her Consort46 fixing an eye on the last trouser button that adorned47 his long, straggling legs.
The King, who had the air of a tired pastry-cook, sat down.
“We feel,” he said, “to-day, we’ve had our fill of stares!”
“We’d give perfect worlds,” the King went on, “to go, by Ourselves, to bed.”
“Get rid of the noise for me. Quiet them. Or I’ll be too ill,” the Queen declared, “to leave my room to-night!”
“Should I summon Whisky, Marm?” the Countess asked, but before there was 18 time to reply the Court physician, Dr Cuncliffe Babcock was announced.
“I feel I’ve had a relapse, Doctor,” her Dreaminess declared.
Dr Babcock beamed: he had one blind eye—though this did not prevent him at all from seeing all that was going on with the other.
“Leave it to me, Madam,” he assured, “and I shall pick you up in no time!”
“Not Johnnie, doctor?” the Queen murmured with a grimace49. For a glass of Johnnie Walker at bed-time was the great doctor’s favourite receipt.
“No; something a little stronger, I think.”
“We need expert attention, too,” the King intervened.
“You certainly are somewhat pale, sir.”
“Whenever I go out,” the King complained, “I get an impression of raised hats.”
It was seldom King William of Pisuerga spoke50 in the singular tense, and Doctor Babcock looked perturbed51. 19
“Raised hats, sir?” he murmured in impressive tones.
“Nude heads, doctor.”
The Queen commenced to fidget. She disliked that the King should appear more interesting than herself.
But the Prince, who seemed to be thoroughly53 enjoying the success of his appearance with the crowd, had already begun tossing the contents of the flower vases into the street.
“Willie ... prevent him! Yousef ... I forbid you!” her Dreaminess faintly shrieked54. And to stay her son’s despoiling55 hand she skimmed towards him, when the populace catching56 sight of her, redoubled their cheers.
Meanwhile Mademoiselle de Nazianzi had regained57 again her composure. A niece of her Gaudiness the Mistress of the Robes (the Duchess of Cavaljos), her recent début at Court, had been made under the brightest conceivable of conditions.
Laura Lita Carmen Etoile de Nazianzi 20 was more piquant58 perhaps than pretty. A dozen tiny moles59 were scattered60 about her face, while on either side of her delicate nose, a large grey eye surveyed the world with a pensive61 critical glance.
“Scenes like that make one sob62 with laughter,” she reflected, turning into the corridor where two of the Maids of Honour, like strutting63 idols64, were passing up and down.
“Is she really very ill? Is she really dying?” they breathlessly enquired.
Mademoiselle de Nazianzi disengaged herself from their solicitously65 entwining arms.
But beguiled67 by the sound of marching feet, one of the girls had darted68 forward towards a window.
“Oh Blanche, Blanche, Blanchie love!” she exclaimed, “I could dance to the click of your brother’s spurs.”
“You’d not be the first to, dear darling!” Mademoiselle de Lambèse replied, adjusting her short shock of hair before a glass. 21
Mademoiselle de Lambèse believed herself to be a very valuable piece of goods, and seemed to think she had only to smile to stir up an Ocean of passion.
“Poor Ann-Jules,” she said: “I fear he’s in the clutches of that awful woman.”
“Kalpurnia?”
“Every night he’s at the Opera.”
“I hear she wears the costume of a shoe-black in the new ballet,” Mademoiselle de Nazianzi said, “and is too strangely extraordinary!”
“A black gown and three blue flowers on my tummy.”
“After a Shrimp-tea with the Archduchess, I feel I want no dinner,” Mademoiselle Olga Blumenghast, a girl with slightly hunched70 shoulders said, returning from the window.
“Oh? Had she a party?”
“A curé or two, and the Countess Yvorra.” 22
“Her black bordered envelopes make one shiver!”
“I thought I should have died it was so dull,” Mademoiselle Olga Blumenghast averred71, standing72 aside to allow his Lankiness73, Prince Olaf (a little boy wracked by all the troubles of Spring), and Mrs Montgomery, the Royal Governess, to pass. They had been out evidently among the crowd, and both were laughing heartily74 at the asides they had overheard.
“’Ow can you be so frivolous75, your royal ’ighness?” Mrs Montgomery was expostulating: “for shame, wicked boy! For shame!” And her cheery British laugh echoed gaily76 down the corridors.
“Well I took tea at the Ritz,” Mademoiselle de Lambèse related.
“Anybody?”
“Quite a few!”
Mademoiselle Blumenghast tittered.
“Did you hear what he called the lanterns for the Fête?” she asked.
“No.” 23
“A lot of ‘bloody bladders’!”
“What, what a dearest,” Mademoiselle de Nazianzi sighed beneath her breath. And all along the almost countless78 corridors as far as her bedroom door, she repeated again and again: “What, what a dearest!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
gaudiness
|
|
| n.华美，俗丽的美 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
din
|
|
| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
speculation
|
|
| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
wager
|
|
| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
vaulted
|
|
| adj.拱状的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
dome
|
|
| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
domes
|
|
| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
enquired
|
|
| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
soothes
|
|
| v.安慰( soothe的第三人称单数 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
lulls
|
|
| n.间歇期（lull的复数形式）vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的第三人称单数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
reverberation
|
|
| 反响； 回响； 反射； 反射物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
resounded
|
|
| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
anemones
|
|
| n.银莲花( anemone的名词复数 )；海葵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
posture
|
|
| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
reiterated
|
|
| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
tinged
|
|
| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
quelling
|
|
| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
niche
|
|
| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
idol
|
|
| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
wrought
|
|
| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
tapestry
|
|
| n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
depicting
|
|
| 描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
concealed
|
|
| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
canopied
|
|
| adj. 遮有天篷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
recesses
|
|
| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
denuded
|
|
| adj.[医]变光的，裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 )；剥光覆盖物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
panorama
|
|
| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
garrisons
|
|
| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
tinted
|
|
| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
bullion
|
|
| n.金条，银条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
WHIMS
|
|
| 虚妄，禅病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
excavate
|
|
| vt.挖掘，挖出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
queried
|
|
| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
boredom
|
|
| n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
protruded
|
|
| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
alluding
|
|
| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
gutter
|
|
| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
gambling
|
|
| n.赌博；投机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
chateau
|
|
| n.城堡，别墅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
ovation
|
|
| n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
throng
|
|
| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
demurred
|
|
| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
exhorted
|
|
| v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
consort
|
|
| v.相伴；结交 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
adorned
|
|
| [计]被修饰的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
entreated
|
|
| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
grimace
|
|
| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
perturbed
|
|
| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
earrings
|
|
| n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
shrieked
|
|
| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
despoiling
|
|
| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
56
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
regained
|
|
| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
piquant
|
|
| adj.辛辣的，开胃的，令人兴奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
moles
|
|
| 防波堤( mole的名词复数 )； 鼹鼠； 痣； 间谍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
pensive
|
|
| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
sob
|
|
| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
strutting
|
|
| 加固，支撑物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
idols
|
|
| 偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
solicitously
|
|
| adv.热心地，热切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
eloquent
|
|
| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
beguiled
|
|
| v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
hunched
|
|
| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
averred
|
|
| v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；证明…属实；作为事实提出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
lankiness
|
|
| n.又瘦又高的，过分细长的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
frivolous
|
|
| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
gaily
|
|
| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
rumour
|
|
| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
countless
|
|
| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |