小说搜索     点击排行榜   最新入库
首页 » 英文短篇小说 » The Man » CHAPTER VI—A VISIT TO OXFORD
选择底色: 选择字号:【大】【中】【小】
CHAPTER VI—A VISIT TO OXFORD
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
 The next important move in the household was Harold’s going to Cambridge.  His father had always intended this, and Squire1 Norman had borne his wishes in mind.  Harold joined Trinity, the college which had been his father’s, and took up his residence in due course.
 
Stephen was now nearly twelve.  Her range of friendships, naturally limited by her circumstances in life, was enlarged to the full; and if she had not many close friends there were at least of them all that was numerically possible.  She still kept up to certain degree the little gatherings2 which in her childhood were got together for her amusement, and in the various games then instituted she still took a part.  She never lost sight of the fact that her father took a certain pleasure in her bodily vigour4.  And though with her growing years and the conscious acceptance of her womanhood, she lost sight of the old childish fancy of being a boy instead of a girl, she could not lose sight of the fact that strength and alertness are sources of feminine as well as of masculine power.
 
Amongst the young friends who came from time to time during his holidays was Leonard Everard, now a tall, handsome boy.  He was one of those boys who develop young, and who seem never to have any of that gawky stage so noticeable in the youth of men made in a large pattern.  He was always well-poised, trim-set, alert; fleet of foot, and springy all over.  In games he was facile princeps, seeming to make his effort always in the right way and without exertion5, as if by an instinct of physical masterdom.  His universal success in such matters helped to give him an easy debonair6 manner which was in itself winning.  So physically7 complete a youth has always a charm.  In its very presence there is a sort of sympathetic expression, such as comes with the sunshine.
 
Stephen always in Leonard’s presence showed something of the common attitude.  His youth and beauty and sex all had their influence on her.  The influence of sex, as it is understood with regard to a later period of life, did not in her case exist; Cupid’s darts8 are barbed and winged for more adult victims.  But in her case Leonard’s masculine superiority, emphasised by the few years between their age, his sublime9 self-belief, and, above all, his absolute disregard for herself or her wishes or her feelings, put him on a level at which she had to look up to him.  The first step in the ladder of pre-eminence had been achieved when she realised that he was not on her level; the second when she experienced rather than thought that he had more influence on her than she had on him.  Here again was a little morsel10 of hero worship, which, though based on a misconception of fact, was still of influence.  In that episode of the crypt she had always believed that it was Leonard who had carried her out and laid her on the church floor in light and safety.  He had been strong enough and resolute11 enough to do this, whilst she had fainted!  Harold’s generous forbearance had really worked to a false end.
 
It was not strange, therefore, that she found occasional companionship with the handsome, wilful12, domineering boy somewhat of luxury.  She did not see him often enough to get tired of him; to find out the weakness of his character; to realise his deep-seated, remorseless selfishness.  But after all he was only an episode in a young life which was full of interests.  Term after term came and went; the holidays had their seasonable pleasures, occasionally shared in common.  That was all.
 
Harold’s attitude was the same as ever.  He was of a constant nature; and now that manhood was within hail the love of his boyhood was ripening13 to a man’s love.  That was all.  He was with regard to Stephen the same devoted14, worshipping protector, without thought of self; without hope of reward.  Whatever Stephen wished Harold did; and Stephen, knowing their old wishes and their old pleasures, was content with their renewal15.  Each holiday between the terms became mainly a repetition of the days of the old life.  They lived in the past.
 
Amongst the things that did not change was Stephen’s riding dress.  The scarlet16 habit had never been a thing for everyday wear, but had from the first been kept for special occasions.  Stephen herself knew that it was not a conventional costume; but she rather preferred it, if on that account alone.  In a certain way she felt justified17 in using it; for a red habit was a sort of tradition in the family.
 
It was on one of these occasions that she had gone with Harold into the churchyard where they had heard the discussion regarding God and the Angels.
 
* * * * *
 
When Stephen was about sixteen she went for a short visit to Oxford18.  She stayed at Somerville with Mrs. Egerton, an old friend of her mother’s, who was a professor at the college.  She sent back her maid who had travelled with her, as she knew that the college girls did not have servants of their own.  The visit was prolonged by mutual19 consent into a duration of some weeks.  Stephen fell in love with the place and the life, and had serious thoughts of joining the college herself.  Indeed she had made up her mind to ask her father to allow her, knowing well that he would consent to that or to any other wholesome20 wish of hers.  But then came the thought that he would be all alone at home; and following that came another thought, and one of more poignant21 feeling.  He was alone now!  Already, for many days, she had left him, for the first time in her life!  Stephen was quick to act; well she knew that at home there would be no fault found with her for a speedy return.  Within a few hours she had brought her visit to an end, and was by herself, despite Mrs. Egerton’s protest, in the train on the way back to Norcester.
 
In the train she began to review, for the first time, her visit to the university.  All had been so strange and new and delightful22 to her that she had never stopped for retrospect23.  Life in the new and enchanting24 place had been in the moving present.  The mind had been receptive only, gathering3 data for later thought.  During her visit she had had no one to direct her thought, and so it had been all personal, with the freedom of individuality at large.  Of course her mother’s friend, skilled in the mind-workings of average girls, and able to pick her way through intellectual and moral quagmires25, had taken good care to point out to her certain intellectual movements and certain moral lessons; just as she had in their various walks and drives pointed27 out matters of interest—architectural beauties and spots of historic import.  And she had taken in, loyally accepted, and thoroughly28 assimilated all that she had been told.  But there were other lessons which were for her young eyes; facts which the older eyes had ceased to notice, if they had ever noticed them at all.  The self-content, the sex-content in the endless tide of young men that thronged29 the streets and quads30 and parks; the all-sufficing nature of sport or study, to whichever their inclinations31 tended.  The small part which womankind seemed to have in their lives.  Stephen had had, as we know, a peculiar32 training; whatever her instincts were, her habits were largely boy habits.  Here she was amongst boys, a glorious tide of them; it made now and again her heart beat to look at them.  And yet amongst them all she was only an outsider.  She could not do anything better than any of them.  Of course, each time she went out, she became conscious of admiring glances; she could not be woman without such consciousness.  But it was as a girl that men looked at her, not as an equal.  As well as personal experience and the lessons of eyes and ears and intelligence, there were other things to classify and adjust; things which were entirely33 from the outside of her own life.  The fragments of common-room gossip, which it had been her fortune to hear accidentally now and again.  The half confidences of scandals, borne on whispered breaths.  The whole confidences of dormitory and study which she had been privileged to share.  All were parts of the new and strange world, the great world which had swum into her ken26.
 
As she sat now in the train, with some formulation of memory already accomplished34 in the two hours of solitude35, her first comment, spoken half audibly, would have surprised her teachers as much as it would have surprised herself, if she had been conscious of it; for as yet her thinking was not self-conscious:
 
‘Surely, I am not like that!’
 
It was of the women she had been thinking, not of the men.  The glimpse which she had had of her own sex had been an awakening36 to her; and the awakening had not been to a pleasant world.  All at once she seemed to realise that her sex had defects—littlenesses, meannesses, cowardices, falsenesses.  That their occupations were apt to be trivial or narrow or selfish; that their desires were earthly, and their tastes coarse; that what she held to be goodness was apt to be realised only as fear.  That innocence37 was but ignorance, or at least baffled curiosity.  That . . .
 
A flood of shame swept over her, and instinctively38 she put her hands before her burning face.  As usual, she was running all at once into extremes.
 
And above all these was borne upon her, and for the first time in her life, that she was herself a woman!
 
For a long time she sat quite still.  The train thrilled and roared on its way.  Crowded stations took and gave their quantum of living freight; but the young girl sat abstracted, unmoved, seemingly unconscious.  All the dominance and energy of her nature were at work.
 
If, indeed, she was a woman, and had to abide39 by the exigencies40 of her own sex, she would at least not be ruled and limited by woman’s weakness.  She would plan and act and manage things for herself, in her own way.
 
Whatever her thoughts might be, she could at least control her acts.  And those acts should be based not on woman’s weakness, but on man’s strength!

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 squire 0htzjV     
n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅
参考例句:
  • I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
  • The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。
2 gatherings 400b026348cc2270e0046708acff2352     
聚集( gathering的名词复数 ); 收集; 采集; 搜集
参考例句:
  • His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
  • During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次,其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。
3 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会,聚会,聚集
参考例句:
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
4 vigour lhtwr     
(=vigor)n.智力,体力,精力
参考例句:
  • She is full of vigour and enthusiasm.她有热情,有朝气。
  • At 40,he was in his prime and full of vigour.他40岁时正年富力强。
5 exertion F7Fyi     
n.尽力,努力
参考例句:
  • We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture.我们搬动家具大费气力,累得大汗淋漓。
  • She was hot and breathless from the exertion of cycling uphill.由于用力骑车爬坡,她浑身发热。
6 debonair xyLxZ     
adj.殷勤的,快乐的
参考例句:
  • He strolled about,look very debonair in his elegant new suit.他穿了一身讲究的新衣服逛来逛去,显得颇为惬意。
  • He was a handsome,debonair,death-defying racing-driver.他是一位英俊潇洒、风流倜傥、敢于挑战死神的赛车手。
7 physically iNix5     
adj.物质上,体格上,身体上,按自然规律
参考例句:
  • He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服,心绪也很乱。
  • Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。
8 darts b1f965d0713bbf1014ed9091c7778b12     
n.掷飞镖游戏;飞镖( dart的名词复数 );急驰,飞奔v.投掷,投射( dart的第三人称单数 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • His darts trophy takes pride of place on the mantelpiece. 他将掷镖奖杯放在壁炉顶上最显著的地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I never saw so many darts in a bodice! 我从没见过紧身胸衣上纳了这么多的缝褶! 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 sublime xhVyW     
adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的
参考例句:
  • We should take some time to enjoy the sublime beauty of nature.我们应该花些时间去欣赏大自然的壮丽景象。
  • Olympic games play as an important arena to exhibit the sublime idea.奥运会,就是展示此崇高理念的重要舞台。
10 morsel Q14y4     
n.一口,一点点
参考例句:
  • He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
  • The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。
11 resolute 2sCyu     
adj.坚决的,果敢的
参考例句:
  • He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
  • The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。
12 wilful xItyq     
adj.任性的,故意的
参考例句:
  • A wilful fault has no excuse and deserves no pardon.不能宽恕故意犯下的错误。
  • He later accused reporters of wilful distortion and bias.他后来指责记者有意歪曲事实并带有偏见。
13 ripening 5dd8bc8ecf0afaf8c375591e7d121c56     
v.成熟,使熟( ripen的现在分词 );熟化;熟成
参考例句:
  • The corn is blossoming [ripening]. 玉米正在开花[成熟]。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • When the summer crop is ripening, the autumn crop has to be sowed. 夏季作物成熟时,就得播种秋季作物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
15 renewal UtZyW     
adj.(契约)延期,续订,更新,复活,重来
参考例句:
  • Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
  • Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
16 scarlet zD8zv     
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的
参考例句:
  • The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
  • The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了,深红的颜色变成了绯红,绯红又变为浅红。
17 justified 7pSzrk     
a.正当的,有理的
参考例句:
  • She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
  • The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。
18 Oxford Wmmz0a     
n.牛津(英国城市)
参考例句:
  • At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
  • This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。
19 mutual eFOxC     
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的
参考例句:
  • We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
  • Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。
20 wholesome Uowyz     
adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的
参考例句:
  • In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
  • It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。
21 poignant FB1yu     
adj.令人痛苦的,辛酸的,惨痛的
参考例句:
  • His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
  • It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了,这尤其令人悲恸。
22 delightful 6xzxT     
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
参考例句:
  • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
  • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
23 retrospect xDeys     
n.回顾,追溯;v.回顾,回想,追溯
参考例句:
  • One's school life seems happier in retrospect than in reality.学校生活回忆起来显得比实际上要快乐。
  • In retrospect,it's easy to see why we were wrong.回顾过去就很容易明白我们的错处了。
24 enchanting MmCyP     
a.讨人喜欢的
参考例句:
  • His smile, at once enchanting and melancholy, is just his father's. 他那种既迷人又有些忧郁的微笑,活脱儿象他父亲。
  • Its interior was an enchanting place that both lured and frightened me. 它的里头是个吸引人的地方,我又向往又害怕。
25 quagmires 3838bde977f71f0b3553565aed936ba2     
n.沼泽地,泥潭( quagmire的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The deer, looking soaked, leave quagmires, where they pass. 湿淋淋的野鹿经过的地方,留下了一个个的泥塘。 来自辞典例句
26 ken k3WxV     
n.视野,知识领域
参考例句:
  • Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
  • Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.
27 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
28 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
29 thronged bf76b78f908dbd232106a640231da5ed     
v.成群,挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Mourners thronged to the funeral. 吊唁者蜂拥着前来参加葬礼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The department store was thronged with people. 百货商店挤满了人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
30 quads 38d23f3ffe69419ef97502ab3d3dd66a     
n.四倍( quad的名词复数 );空铅;(大学的)四周有建筑物围绕的方院;四胞胎之一
参考例句:
  • For best performance, use triangles and quads or a combination of both. 为了更好的性能,使用三边形和四边形或联合使用三边形与四边形。 来自互联网
  • Because the quads follow the camera, they give the illusion of filling a 3D volume. 由于这些矩形是跟随摄像机的,所以利用它们就像幻觉一样就描绘出了3D体积效果。 来自互联网
31 inclinations 3f0608fe3c993220a0f40364147caa7b     
倾向( inclination的名词复数 ); 倾斜; 爱好; 斜坡
参考例句:
  • She has artistic inclinations. 她有艺术爱好。
  • I've no inclinations towards life as a doctor. 我的志趣不是行医。
32 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的
参考例句:
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
33 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
34 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
参考例句:
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
35 solitude xF9yw     
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句:
  • People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
  • They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。
36 awakening 9ytzdV     
n.觉醒,醒悟 adj.觉醒中的;唤醒的
参考例句:
  • the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
  • People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。
37 innocence ZbizC     
n.无罪;天真;无害
参考例句:
  • There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
  • The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。
38 instinctively 2qezD2     
adv.本能地
参考例句:
  • As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近,她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
39 abide UfVyk     
vi.遵守;坚持;vt.忍受
参考例句:
  • You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
  • If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部,你就得遵守它的规章。
40 exigencies d916f71e17856a77a1a05a2408002903     
n.急切需要
参考例句:
  • Many people are forced by exigencies of circumstance to take some part in them. 许多人由于境况所逼又不得不在某种程度上参与这种活动。
  • The people had to accept the harsh exigencies of war. 人们要承受战乱的严酷现实。


欢迎访问英文小说网

©英文小说网 2005-2010

有任何问题,请给我们留言,管理员邮箱:[email protected]  站长QQ :点击发送消息和我们联系56065533