By the same ship which carried the decision regarding Oscar’s fate, came also a letter from his sister-in-law, Jane Thorn, addressed to himself. Jane deplored9 Oscar’s miserable10 condition; but earnestly, solemnly implored11 him not to let his innocent wife share in his exile. The home which was about to be Jane’s should always, she wrote, be shared by her dearly-loved sister. Let Io return to England and try to forget the past.
“Yes, let her forget me—the unworthy, the guilty! Why should her young life be blighted12? I do not wish to be remembered in my living grave!” And with the brief comment, “You had better do what your sister desires,” Oscar handed the open letter to Io.
Her eyes streaming with tears, her hands clasped round the neck of her husband, Io replied in the words of Ruth, “Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to depart from following after thee; for where thou goest, I will go; and where thou diest, I will die.” The last word was lost in a sob13.
“But, my beloved, you have not permission to go with—a convict,” said Oscar, scarcely able to command his voice.
“I will have it! I will have it!” cried Io.
The door of the cell opened; the jailer was bringing in the prisoner’s meal. Io availed herself of the opportunity of quitting the place in which she had been locked up with her husband. Repeating, “I will have it; I will not return without it,” she ran—she almost flew—down the long corridor, like a bird escaping from a snare14. Until the rebound15 came, Io had scarcely realized how heavy had been the pressure of a weight on her heart—the fear, the secret dread16 that Oscar’s might be a capital sentence. Relieved from that weight, the poor wife’s spirit rebounded17 almost into joy. “He is safe—his precious, precious life is safe!” Io kept repeating to herself, as she quitted the dark, dismal18 prison. “The Lord can make him happy yet; and as for me, it is happiness to be with him.”
Io did not find the palanquin at the entrance, for no one had expected her to quit the prison so soon. She stopped the first empty conveyance19 which she saw. “To Government House” was the direction which she gave to the driver. She had entered that lordly building but once before—on her arrival as a bride at Calcutta. Io had gone in goodly apparel, and her beauty had attracted much admiration20. “Coldstream has drawn21 a prize,” had been the Governor-General’s remark to a friend. How changed was all now! And yet Io was fairer in the dark weeds which she wore for her mother, nobler in the devotion which she showed to a husband ruined and disgraced, than she had been at her presentation at a semi-regal court.
On her arrival at the stately palace in which the ruler of India resided, Io found that her humble22 vehicle could not be driven up to the handsome entrance. Before the pillared portico23 stood a splendid carriage drawn by tall camels with trappings of scarlet24 and gold, preceded by outriders on gaily-caparisoned steeds. The Governor-General was going out to attend a review.
“I am just in time,” thought Io, as she threw open the door of her conveyance and sprang out. Through the little crowd of gaping25 Orientals waiting to see the Lord Sahib “eat the air,” past outriders, and all the glittering paraphernalia26 of princely state, glided27 Io Coldstream, too intent on her errand to heed28 anything around her.
The Governor-General was at the top of the flight of broad steps, which he was about to descend29, conversing30 with one of the aides-de-camp who were in attendance on the great man. Io rapidly mounted the steps, all gazing at her, but no one hindering. She fell at the Governor-General’s feet, clasped her hands, and in a voice of passionate31 entreaty32 exclaimed, “Oh, grant me leave to share my husband’s exile!”
“Mrs. Coldstream! my dear lady!” exclaimed the Governor-General, raising the suppliant33, whom he had at once recognized, “is it possible that you can wish to go to the settlement, where all the surroundings will be so utterly34 uncongenial?”
“I care not for surroundings; I have but one desire, one favour to implore—to be allowed to go with my husband. You cannot, you will not, refuse that one little boon35!” cried Io.
“Madam, I honour your devotion; I sympathize with your sorrows; I cannot refuse your petition,” said the Governor, visibly affected36.
Mrs. Coldstream was not suffered to depart in the humble vehicle in which she had come, gladly as she would have escaped from the uncongenial glare and glitter; for, now that her petition was granted, Io realized her position as the wife of a felon37. A handsome carriage was placed at her disposal, and the highest officer in the Governor-General’s suite38 would have been proud to act as her escort. Io was impatient of delay, for the vessel39 which was to bear its sad cargo40 of criminals to the place of punishment was to sail in two days. There were preparations to be made for the voyage and the life-long exile. Io very gratefully thanked the Governor-General for all his kindness; but it was with a sigh of relief that she found herself at last on the way to the missionary’s house in which, through all the long months of suspense41 and waiting, she had found a quiet home.
The missionary’s wife received her guest in the veranda42. Mrs. Leveson, like the rest of the Calcutta world, had heard of Mr. Coldstream’s sentence. She took the weary young wife into her motherly arms.
“Oh, dear Mrs. Leveson, I have so much, so very much to do and to think of!” cried Io. “I so need to have the quiet waiting spirit of a Mary, but I must do the work of a Martha. I have so much purchasing and packing before me, that I shall hardly have time to-morrow even to go to my husband.”
“I will do the purchasing and packing, dear child,” said the kind-hearted lady. “You have nothing to do but to give me a list of what you require.”
Very thankfully was this kindness accepted. Io would scarcely wait to throw off her bonnet43, tired and heated as she was, before sitting down to draw up her list of requirements. As she was completing it, Mrs. Leveson glanced over her shoulder. “My dear child, ‘a colour-box and a supply of cardboard!’” she read out in a tone of surprise.
“Yes, my Oscar paints beautifully; he will need every resource. I am taking his flute44 also. Alas45! he has not touched it since our marriage!”
“And you have forgotten a waterproof46 cloak for yourself when going to a place noted47 for dampness,” said Mrs. Leveson. “Dear Mrs. Coldstream, I shall have to revise your list, as well as to execute your commissions.”
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1
banishment
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| n.放逐，驱逐 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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fabled
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| adj.寓言中的，虚构的 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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8
entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
blighted
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| adj.枯萎的，摧毁的 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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15
rebound
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| v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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17
rebounded
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| 弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效 | |
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18
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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19
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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20
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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21
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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22
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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23
portico
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| n.柱廊，门廊 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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25
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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26
paraphernalia
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| n.装备；随身用品 | |
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27
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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31
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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entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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33
suppliant
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| adj.哀恳的；n.恳求者，哀求者 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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35
boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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37
felon
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| n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的 | |
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38
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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39
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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40
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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41
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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42
veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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43
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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44
flute
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| n.长笛；v.吹笛 | |
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45
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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46
waterproof
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| n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水 | |
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47
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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