But upon this occasion desirous of introducing some new features, the Countess decided11 on presenting the fallen senator with a pannier of well-grown, early pears, a small “heath,” and the Erotic Poems bound in half calf12 with tasteful tooling of a Schoolboy Poet, cherishable chiefly, perhaps, for the vignette frontispiece of the author. Moreover, acting13 on an impulse 156 she was never able afterwards to explain, she had invited Mademoiselle Olga Blumenghast to accompany her.
Never had summer shown a day more propitiously14 clement15, than the afternoon in mid-Autumn they prepared to set out.
Fond of a compliment, when not too frankly16 racy,7 and knowing how susceptible17 the exile was to clothes, the Countess had arrayed herself in a winter gown of kingfisher-tinted silk turning to turquoise18, and stencilled19 in purple at the arms and neck with a crisp Greek-key design; while a voluminous violet veil, depending behind her to a point, half-concealed a tricorne turquoise toque from which arose a shaded lilac aigrette branching several ways.
“I shall probably die with heat, and of course it’s most unsuitable; but poor old man, he likes to recall the Capital!” the Countess panted, as, nursing heath, poems and pears, she followed Mademoiselle Olga Blumenghast blindly towards the shore.
Oars20, and swaying drying nets, a skyline 157 lost in sun, a few moored21 craft beneath the little rickety wooden pier22 awaiting choice:— “The boatmen, to-day, darling, seem all so ugly; let’s take a sailing-boat and go alone!”
“I suppose there’s no danger, darling?” the Countess replied, and scarcely had she time to make any slight objection, than the owner of a steady wide-bottomed boat—the Calypso—was helping23 them to embark24.
The Island of St Helena, situated25 towards the lake’s bourne, lay distant some two miles or more, and within a short way of the open sea.
With sails distended26 to a languid breeze the shore eventually was left behind; and the demoiselle cranes, in mid-lake, were able to observe there were two court dames27 among them.
“Although he’s dark, Vi,” Mademoiselle Olga Blumenghast presently exclaimed, dropping her cheek to a frail28 hand upon the tiller, “although he’s dark, it’s odd how he gives one the impression somehow of perfect fairness!”
“Who’s that, darling?” the Countess 158 murmured, appraising29 with fine eyes, faintly weary, the orchid-like style of beauty of her friend.
“Ann-Jules, of course.”
“I begin to wish, do you know, I’d brought Pomegranates, and worn something else!”
“What are those big burley-worleys?”
“Pears....”
“Give me one.”
“Catch, then.”
“Not that I could bear to be married; especially like you, Vi!”
“I’m not sure, dear, that I comprehend altogether?”
“Seagulls’ wings as they fan one’s face....”
“It’s vile31 and wrong to shoot them: but oh! How I wish your happiness depended, even ever so little, on me.”
Waterfowl, like sadness passing, hovered33, and soared overhead, casting their dark, fleeting34 shadows to the white, drowned clouds, in the receptive waters of the lake. 159
“I begin to wish I’d brought grapes,” she breathed.
“Or a few special peaches,” the Countess murmured, taking up the volume of verse beside her, with a little, mirthless, half-hysterical laugh.
To a Faithless Friend.
To V.O.I. and S.C.P.
For Stephen.
When the Dormitory Lamp burns Low.
Her gaze travelled over the Index.
“Read something, dear,” Mademoiselle Blumenghast begged, toying with the red-shaded flower in her burnished36 curls.
“Gladly; but oh, Olga!” the Countess crooned.
“What!”
“Where’s the wind?”
It had gone.
“We must row.”
There was nothing for it.
To gain the long, white breakwater, with the immemorial willow-tree at its end, that was the most salient feature of the island’s approach, required, nevertheless, resolution. 160
“It’s so far, dear,” the Countess kept on saying. “I had no idea how far it was! Had you any conception at all it was so far?”
“Let us await the wind, then. It’s bound to rally.”
But no air swelled37 the sun-bleached sails, or disturbed the pearly patine of the paralysed waters.
“I shall never get this peace, I only realise it exists ...” the Countess murmured with dream-glazed eyes.
“It’s astonishing ... the stillness,” Mademoiselle Blumenghast murmured, with a faint tremor38, peering round towards the shore.
On the banks young censia-trees raised their boughs39 like strong white whips towards the mountains, upon whose loftier heights lay, here and there, a little stray patch of snow.
“Come hither, ye winds, come hither!” she softly called.
“Oh, Olga! Do we really want it?” the Countess in agitation40 asked, discarding her hat and veil with a long, sighing breath. 161
“I don’t know, dear; no; not, not much.”
“Nor I,—at all.”
“Let us be patient then.”
“It’s all so beautiful it makes one want to cry.”
“Yes; it makes one want to cry,” Mademoiselle Blumenghast murmured, with a laugh that in brilliance41 vied with the October sun.
“Olga!”
“So,” as the Calypso lurched: “lend me your hanky, dearest.”
Meanwhile Count Cabinet was seated with rod-and-line at an open window, idly ogling43 a swan. Owing to the reluctance44 of tradespeople to call for orders, the banished45 statesman was often obliged to supplement the larder46 himself. But hardly had he been angling ten minutes to-day, when lo! a distinguished47 mauvish fish with vivid scarlet48 spots. Pondering on the mysteries of the deep, and of the subtle variety there 162 is in Nature, the veteran ex-minister lit a cigar. Among the more orthodox types that stocked the lake, such as carp, cod49, tench, eels50, sprats, shrimps51, etc., this exceptional fish must have known its trials and persecutions, its hours of superior difficulty ... and the Count, with a stoic52 smile recalled his own. Musing53 on the advantages and disadvantages of personality, of “party” viewpoints, and of morals in general, the Count was soon too self-absorbed to observe the approach of his “useful” secretary and amanuensis, Peter Passer.
More valet perhaps than secretary, and more errand-boy than either, the former chorister of the Blue Jesus had followed the fallen statesman into exile at a moment when the Authorities of Pisuerga were making minute enquiries for sundry54 missing articles,8 from the Trésor of the 163 Cathedral, and since the strain of constant choir-practice is apt to be injurious for a youngster suffering from a delicate chest, the adolescent had been willing enough to accept, for a time, at least, a situation in the country.
“O, sir,” he exclaimed, and almost in his excitement forgetting altogether the insidious55, lisping tones he preferred as a rule to employ: “O, sir, here comes that old piece of rubbish again with a fresh pack of tracts56!”
“Collect yourself, Peter, pray do: what, lose our heads for a visit?” the Count said getting up and going to a glass.
“I’ve noticed, sir, it’s impossible to live on an island long without feeling its effects; you can’t escape being insular57!”
“Insular, sir!”
“No matter much, but if it’s the Countess Yvorra, you might shew her round the garden this time, perhaps, for a change,” the Count replied, adjusting a demure-looking fly, of indeterminate sex, to his line. 164
And brooding on life and baits, and what A will come for while B won’t, the Count’s thoughts grew almost humorous as the afternoon wore on.
Evening was approaching, when weary of the airs of a common carp, he drew in, at length, his tackle.
Like a shawl of turquoise silk the lake seemed to vie, in serenity59 and radiance, with the bluest day in June, and it was no surprise, on descending60 presently for a restricted ramble—(the island, in all, amounted to scarcely one acre)—to descry61 the invaluable62 Peter enjoying a pleasant swim.
When not boating or reading or feeding his swans, to watch Peter’s fancy-diving off the terrace end, was perhaps the favourite pastime of the veteran viveur: to behold63 the lad trip along the riven breakwater, as naked as a statue, shoot out his arms and spring, the Flying-head-leap or the Backsadilla, was a beautiful sight, looking up now and again—but more often now—from a volume of old Greek verse; while to hear him warbling in the water 165 with his clear alto voice—of Kyries and Anthems64 he knew no end—would often stir the old man to the point of tears. Frequently the swans themselves would paddle up to listen, expressing by the charmed or rapturous motions of their necks (recalling to the exile the ecstasies65 of certain musical, or “artistic” dames at Concert-halls, or the Opera House, long ago) their mute appreciation66, their touched delight....
“Old goody Two-shoes never came, sir,” Peter archly lisped, admiring his adventurous67 shadow upon the breakwater wall.
“How is that?”
“Becalmed, sir,” Peter answered, culling69 languidly a small, nodding rose, that was clinging to the wall:
“O becalmed is my soul
I rejoice in the Lord!”
At one extremity70 of the garden stood the Observatory71, and after duly appraising various of Peter’s neatest feats72, the Count strolled away towards it. But before he could reach the Observatory, he had first to pass his swans. 166
They lived, with an ancient water-wheel, beneath a cupola of sun-glazed tiles, sheltered, partially73, from the lake by a hedge of towering red geraniums, and the Count seldom wearied of watching these strangely gorgeous creatures as they sailed out and in through the sanguine-hued flowers. A few, with their heads sunk back beneath their wings, had retired74 for the night already; nevertheless, the Count paused to shake a finger at one somnolent75 bird, in disfavour for pecking Peter: “Jealous, doubtless of the lad’s grace,” he mused76, fumbling77 with the key of the Observatory door.
The unrivalled instrument that the Observatory contained, whose intricate lenses were capable of drawing even the remote Summer-Palace to within an appreciable78 range, was, like most instruments of merit, sensitive to the manner of its manipulation; and fearing lest the inexpert tampering79 of a homesick housekeeper80 (her native village was visible in clear weather, with the aid of a glass) should break or injure the delicate lenses, the 167 Count kept the Observatory usually under key.
But the inclination81 to focus the mundane82 and embittered83 features of the fanatic84 Countess, as she lectured her boatmen for forgetting their oars, or, being considerably85 superstitious86, to count the moles87 on their united faces as an esoteric clue to the Autumn Lottery88, waned89 a little before the mystery of the descending night.
Beneath a changing tide of deepening shadow, the lifeless valleys were mirroring to the lake the sombreness of dusk. Across the blue forlornness of the water, a swan, here and there, appeared quite violet, while coiffed in swift clinging, golden clouds, the loftiest hills alone retained the sun.
A faint nocturnal breeze, arising simultaneously90 with the Angelus-bell, seemed likely to relieve, at the moon’s advent68, the trials to her patience of the Countess Yvorra: “who must be cursing,” the Count reflected, turning the telescope about with a sigh, to suit her sail.
Ah poignant91 moments when the heart 168 stops still! Not since the hour of his exile had the Count’s been so arrested.
From the garden Peter’s voice rose questingly; but the Count was too wonder-struck, far, to heed92 it.
Caught in the scarlet radiance of the afterglow, the becalmed boat, for one brief and most memorable93 second, was his to gaze on.
In certain lands with what diplomacy94 falls the night, and how discreetly95 is the daylight gone: Those dimmer-and-dimmer, darker-and-lighter twilights of the North, so disconcerting in their playfulness, were unknown altogether in Pisuerga. There, Night pursued Day, as though she meant it. No lingering, or arctic sentiment! No concertinaishness.... Hard on the sun’s heels, pressed Night. And the wherefore of her haste; Sun-attraction? Impatience96 to inherit? An answer to such riddles97 as these may doubtless be found by turning to the scientists’ theories on Time and Relativity.
Effaced98 in the blue air of evening became everything, and with the darkness returned the wind. 169
“Sir, sir?... Ho, Hi, hiiiiiiiiiiii!!” Peter’s voice came again.
A green-lanterned barge100 passed slowly, coming from the sea, and on the mountain-side a village light winked101 wanly102 here and there.
“Oh, why was I not sooner?” he murmured distractedly aloud.
“Oh Olga!”
“Oh Vi!”
“... I hope you’ve enough money for the boat, dear? ...?”
“...!!?”
“Tell me, Olga: Is my hat all sideways?”
“................”
The long windows of the Summer-Palace were staring white to the moon, as the Countess of Tolga, her aigrettes casting heroic shadows and hugging still her heath, re-entered the Court’s precincts on the arm of her friend.
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1
whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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felicitous
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| adj.恰当的，巧妙的；n.恰当，贴切 | |
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annually
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| adv.一年一次，每年 | |
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bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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wafted
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| v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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piquant
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| adj.辛辣的，开胃的，令人兴奋的 | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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orchids
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| n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 ) | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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propitiously
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clement
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| adj.仁慈的；温和的 | |
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16
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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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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18
turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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19
stencilled
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| v.用模板印（文字或图案）( stencil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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21
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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23
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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24
embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
dames
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| n.（在英国）夫人（一种封号），夫人（爵士妻子的称号）( dame的名词复数 )；女人 | |
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28
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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appraising
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| v.估价( appraise的现在分词 )；估计；估量；评价 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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32
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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34
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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stodgy
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| adj.易饱的；笨重的；滞涩的；古板的 | |
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burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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38
tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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39
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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40
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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41
brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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43
ogling
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| v.（向…）抛媚眼，送秋波( ogle的现在分词 ) | |
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44
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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45
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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47
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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48
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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49
cod
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| n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗 | |
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50
eels
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| abbr. 电子发射器定位系统（=electronic emitter location system） | |
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51
shrimps
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| n.虾，小虾( shrimp的名词复数 )；矮小的人 | |
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52
stoic
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| n.坚忍克己之人，禁欲主义者 | |
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53
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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54
sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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55
insidious
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| adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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56
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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57
insular
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| adj.岛屿的，心胸狭窄的 | |
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58
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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59
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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60
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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61
descry
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| v.远远看到；发现；责备 | |
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62
invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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64
anthems
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| n.赞美诗( anthem的名词复数 )；圣歌；赞歌；颂歌 | |
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65
ecstasies
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| 狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 )； 出神； 入迷； 迷幻药 | |
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66
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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67
adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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68
advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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69
culling
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| n.选择，大批物品中剔出劣质货v.挑选，剔除( cull的现在分词 ) | |
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70
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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71
observatory
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| n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台 | |
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72
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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73
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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somnolent
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| adj.想睡的，催眠的；adv.瞌睡地；昏昏欲睡地；使人瞌睡地 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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appreciable
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| adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的 | |
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tampering
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| v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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80
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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81
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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mundane
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| adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的 | |
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83
embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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85
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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87
moles
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| 防波堤( mole的名词复数 )； 鼹鼠； 痣； 间谍 | |
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lottery
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| n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事 | |
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waned
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| v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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poignant
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| adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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riddles
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| n.谜（语）( riddle的名词复数 )；猜不透的难题，难解之谜 | |
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effaced
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| v.擦掉( efface的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；超越；使黯然失色 | |
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loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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100
barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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101
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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wanly
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| adv.虚弱地；苍白地，无血色地 | |
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