It was a big outlook, and the owner of French’s Court was a very small incident of the foreground, as he stood on the terrace and watched the fishing-boats creeping out in the raw, grey calm to the solitudes7 beyond the horizon. A portmanteau and a gun-case stood on the steps of the hall door, and a brown retriever was moving nervously8 round the gun-case, hurrying from it now and again to thrust her curly head into Hugh’s hand, and beseech9 him with her amber10 eyes not to leave her behind. Every dog believed in Hugh, and told him so by the varied11 and untiring dog methods, but now, with that restless and aching reference of all things to one subject, Hugh gave his hand to the innocent homage{84} with the feeling that every one except his dog had found him out. His wife knew it, Bunbury knew it, he writhed12 under their tact13 when they avoided all discussion of his part in the run that the Silver Fox had given them; he detected with agony the consideration that prompted Lady Susan’s gallant14 efforts to talk on subjects unconnected with horses. He could have found it in his heart to swear at her and tell her she need not take so much trouble; he would have liked to quarrel with Bunbury and show him which was the pluckier man; he dwelt on the thought with pitiful, childish intensity15, and drove his heel into the gravel16, half knowing himself to be pitiful and childish.
There are junctures17 in a life when deficiency of intellect may disastrously18 alter the moral balance, and the smaller mind may have need of supreme19 and heroic effort to attain20 the philosophy or even the sanity21 that are easy to stronger intelligences. All Hugh’s native good-feeling was not enough{85} to avail him when he remembered his wife’s figure up against the sky on the top of the stone-faced bank, while he turned and made for the byways and highways that had been his portion throughout the day. Passionate22 admiration23, turning to passionate jealousy24 of her flawless courage, and self-contempt, and knowledge that his eyes would never again meet hers without consciousness of failure; all these because a good little average man had but two ideas in his life, and when one was taken from him, the other sickened like a poisoned thing.
The slow beat of a horse’s hoofs25 became audible on the avenue, and a sombre vehicle, that was half brougham and half cab, emerged from the trees into the open. Its coachman had a long red beard, a frieze26 coat, and a hat with a silver cord round it; the horse was white and shaggy, the wheels of the brougham turned in as if it were bandy-legged. Hugh recognized the equipage of his Uncle Charles, and stationed himself at the hall door to receive it.{86}
“It’s awfully27 good of you to come, Slaney,” he said, with an effort at his wonted geniality28. “Such short notice too. I didn’t know that I was going to this shoot till I got in from hunting the day before yesterday.”
He could remember, as he spoke29, the mountain stream by which, when riding home, he had made up his mind to go, while the steady patter of the hounds’ paws sounded behind him on the wet road, and the honest hound faces that he was beginning to hate looked up at him from time to time.
Slaney and he found the drawing-room empty of all but a smell of cigarettes, and pursuing a fresh trail of it to the smoking-room, found Lady Susan sitting with a cigarette in her shapely mouth, and in front of her a mandoline, from which she was plucking a shrill30 and agueish chatter31 of melody, representing a waltz. A grey poodle lay at her feet, with his moustached muzzle32 buried in the fur rug, and his eyes rolling purgatorially upward in the for{87}bidden longing33 to lift up his voice and howl an accompaniment to the tune34. Major Bunbury was reading a newspaper with that air of serving his country that belongs to men when they read papers. No woman can hope to read the Times as though it were a profession; it is a masculine gift, akin35 to that of dining.
“Oh, it’s only Slaney!” exclaimed Lady Susan. “We bolted in here when we saw the white horse. We thought it was the parson. Well, you’re very good to come, dear, and it’s very nice to have you.” She kissed Slaney briskly on both cheeks, conveying a mingled36 flavour of smart clothes, tobacco, and careless friendliness37. “Hughie could never have gone away and left Bunny and me here together for a week, you know! It would have been hideously38 improper39, wouldn’t it? Uncle Charles would have had three fits on the spot, wouldn’t he?” She stationed herself on the arm of Major Bunbury’s chair, and put her elbow on his shoulder.{88}
Slaney realized that of the whole party she alone felt the proceeding40 to be unusual, yet Major Bunbury did not seem to appreciate it.
“Well, I’m off, anyhow,” said Hugh. “Make them look after you, Slaney. If Glasgow wants to know anything more about the next meet or stopping the earths, or anything, Bunbury, Dan can tell him.” In spite of himself, his voice stiffened41 till all the good-fellowship was gone from it. “Well, good-bye, everybody.”
He wondered whether his wife would come out to see him off, but he could not ask her. She got up and came to the door, and stood leaning against it as he passed out. She was not quite sufficiently42 feminine to discern that, in spite of his unprepossessing manner, and bald brevity of farewell, he hated going away from her, and he went down the passage unaccompanied except by his dog.
“I think Hughie’s got influenza43, or liver,{89} or something,” remarked Lady Susan, returning to the mandoline, “he’s awfully grumpy.”
Bunbury got up without answering, and followed his host to the hall door.
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1
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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suavely
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3
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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4
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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rust
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| n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退 | |
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solitudes
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| n.独居( solitude的名词复数 )；孤独；荒僻的地方；人迹罕至的地方 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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9
beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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14
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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15
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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16
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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17
junctures
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| n.时刻，关键时刻( juncture的名词复数 )；接合点 | |
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18
disastrously
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| ad.灾难性地 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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20
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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23
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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24
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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25
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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frieze
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| n.(墙上的)横饰带，雕带 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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28
geniality
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| n.和蔼，诚恳；愉快 | |
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29
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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30
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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31
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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32
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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33
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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35
akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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36
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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37
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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38
hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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39
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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40
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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41
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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42
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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43
influenza
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| n.流行性感冒，流感 | |
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