And the shape that confidence should take? He must first disabuse2 his new friend’s mind of criminal or unworthy cause for his going away. For the sake of his own name and that of his dead father that should be done. Then he would have to suggest the real cause . . . He would in this have to trust Mr. Stonehouse’s honour for secrecy4. But he was worthy3 of trust. He would, of course, give no name, no clue; but he would put things generally in a way that he could understand.
When his mind was so far made up he wanted to finish the matter, so he turned to the wheelhouse and climbed the ladder again. It was not till he sat in the shelter by his companion that he became aware that he had become wet with the spray. The old man wishing to help him in his embarrassment5 said:
‘Well?’ Harold began at once; the straightforward6 habit of his life stood to him now:
‘Let me say first, sir, what will I know give you pleasure.’ The old man extended his hand; he had been hoping for acceptance, and this seemed like it. Harold laid his hand on it for an instant only, and then raised it as if to say ‘Wait’:
‘You have been so good to me, so nobly generous in your wishes that I feel I owe you a certain confidence. But as it concerns not myself alone I will ask that it be kept a secret between us two. Not to be told to any other; not even your wife!’
‘I will hold your secret sacred. Even from my wife; the first secret I shall have ever kept from her.’
‘First, then, let me say, and this is what I know will rejoice you, that I am not leaving home and country because of any crime I have committed; not from any offence against God or man, or law. Thank God! I am free from such. I have always tried to live uprightly . . . ’ Here a burst of pain overcame him, and with a dry sob7 he added: ‘And that is what makes the terrible unfairness of it all!’
‘My poor boy! My poor boy!’ was all he said. Harold shook himself as if to dislodge the bitter thoughts. Mastering himself he went on:
‘There was a lady with whom I was very much thrown in contact since we were children. Her father was my father’s friend. My friend too, God knows; for almost with his dying breath he gave sanction to my marrying his daughter, if it should ever be that she should care for me in that way. But he wished me to wait, and, till she was old enough to choose, to leave her free. For she is several years younger than I am; and I am not very old yet—except in heart! All this, you understand, was said in private to me; none other knew it. None knew of it even till this moment when I tell you that such a thing has been.’ He paused; the other said:
‘Believe me that I value your confidence, beyond all words!’ Harold felt already the good effects of being able to speak of his pent-up trouble. Already this freedom from the nightmare loneliness of his own thoughts seemed to be freeing his very soul.
‘I honestly kept to his wishes. Before God, I did! No man who loved a woman, honoured her, worshipped her, could have been more scrupulously9 careful as to leaving her free. What it was to me to so hold myself no one knows; no one ever will know. For I loved her, do love her, with every nerve and fibre of my heart. All our lives we had been friends; and I believed we loved and trusted each other. But . . . but then there came a day when I found by chance that a great trouble threatened her. Not from anything wrong that she had done; but from something perhaps foolish, harmlessly foolish except that she did not know . . . ’ He stopped suddenly, fearing he might have said overmuch of Stephen’s side of the affair. ‘When I came to her aid, however, meaning the best, and as single-minded as a man can be, she misunderstood my words, my meaning, my very coming; and she said things which cannot be unsaid. Things . . . matters were so fixed10 that I could not explain; and I had to listen. She said things that I did not believe she could have said to me, to anyone. Things that I did not think she could have thought . . . I dare say she was right in some ways. I suppose I bungled11 in my desire to be unselfish. What she said came to me in new lights upon what I had done . . . But anyhow her statements were such that I felt I could not, should not, remain. My very presence must have been a trouble to her hereafter. There was nothing for it but to come away. There was no place for me! No hope for me! There is none on this side of the grave! . . . For I love her still, more than ever. I honour and worship her still, and ever will, and ever must! . . . I am content to forego my own happiness; but I feel there is a danger to her from what has been. That there is and must be to her unhappiness even from the fact that it was I who was the object of her wrath12; and this adds to my woe13. Worst of all is . . . the thought and the memory that she should have done so; she who . . . she . . . ’
He turned away overcome and hid his face in his hands. The old man sat still; he knew that at such a moment silence is the best form of sympathy. But his heart glowed; the wisdom of his years told him that he had heard as yet of no absolute bar to his friend’s ultimate happiness.
‘I am rejoiced, my dear boy, at what you tell me of your own conduct. It would have made no difference to me had it been otherwise. But it would have meant a harder and longer climb back to the place you should hold. But it really seems that nothing is so hopeless as you think. Believe me, my dear young friend who are now as a son to my heart, that there will be bright days for you yet . . . ’ He paused a moment, but mastering himself went on in a quiet voice:
‘I think you are wise to go away. In the solitudes15 and in danger things that are little in reality will find their true perspective; and things that are worthy will appear in their constant majesty16.’
He stood, and laying once again his hand on the young man’s shoulder said:
‘I recognise that I—that we, for my wife and little girl would be at one with me in my wish, did they know of it, must not keep you from your purpose of fighting out your trouble alone. Every man, as the Scotch17 proverb says, must “dree his own weird18.” I shall not, I must not, ask you for any promise; but I trust that if ever you do come back you will make us all glad by seeing you. And remember that what I said of myself and of all I have—all—holds good so long as I shall live!’
Before Harold could reply he had slipped down the ladder and was gone.
During the rest of the voyage, with the exception of one occasion, he did not allude19 to the subject again by word or implication, and Harold was grateful to him for it.
On the night before Fire Island should be sighted Harold was in the bow of the great ship looking out with eyes in which gleamed no hope. To him came through the darkness Mr. Stonehouse. He heard the footsteps and knew them; so with the instinct of courtesy, knowing that his friend would not intrude20 on his solitude14 without purpose, he turned and met him. When the American stood beside him he said, studiously avoiding looking at his companion:
‘This is the last night we shall be together, and, if I may, there is one thing I would like to say to you.’
‘Say all you like, sir,’ said Harold as heartily21 as he could, ‘I am sure it is well meant; and for that at any rate I shall be grateful to you.’
‘You will yet be grateful, I think!’ he answered gravely. ‘When it comes back to you in loneliness and solitude you will, I believe, think it worth being grateful for. I don’t mean that you will be grateful to me, but for the thing itself. I speak out of the wisdom of many years. At your time of life the knowledge cannot come from observation. It may my poor boy, come through pain; and if what I think is correct you will even in due time be grateful to the pain which left such golden residuum.’ He paused, and Harold grew interested. There was something in the old man’s manner which presaged22 a truth; he, at least, believed it. So the young man listened at first with his ears; and as the other spoke23, his heart listened too:
‘Young men are apt to think somewhat wrongly of women they love and respect. We are apt to think that such women are of a different clay from ourselves. Nay! that they are not compact of clay at all, but of some faultless, flawless material which the Almighty24 keeps for such fine work. It is only in middle age that men—except scamps, who learn this bad side of knowledge young—realise that women are human beings like themselves. It may be, you know, that you may have misjudged this young lady! That you have not made sufficient allowance for her youth, her nature, even the circumstances under which she spoke. You have told me that she was in some deep grief or trouble. May it not have been that this in itself unnerved her, distorted her views, aroused her passion till all within and around was tinged25 with the jaundice of her concern, her humiliation—whatever it was that destroyed for the time that normal self which you had known so long. May it not have been that her bitterest memory even since may be of the speaking of these very words which sent you out into the wide world to hide yourself from men. I have thought, waking and sleeping, of your position ever since you honoured me with your confidence; and with every hour the conviction has strengthened in me that there is a way out of this situation which sends a man like you into solitude with a heart hopeless and full of pain; and which leaves her perhaps in greater pain, for she has not like you the complete sense of innocence26. But at present there is no way out but through time and thought. Whatever may be her ideas or wishes she is powerless. She does not know your thoughts, no matter how she may guess at them. She does not know where you are or how to reach you, no matter how complete her penitence27 may be. And oh! my dear young friend, remember that you are a strong man, and she is a woman. Only a woman in her passion and her weakness after all. Think this all over, my poor boy! You will have time and opportunity where you are going. God help you to judge wisely!’ After a pause of a few seconds he said abruptly28: ‘Good night!’ and moved quickly away.
* * * * *
When the time for parting came Pearl was inconsolable. Not knowing any reason why The Man should not do as she wished she was persistent29 in her petitions to Harold that he should come with her, and to her father and mother that they should induce him to do so. Mrs. Stonehouse would have wished him to join them if only for a time. Her husband, unable to give any hint without betraying confidence, had to content himself with trying to appease30 his little daughter by vague hopes rather than promises that her friend would join them at some other time.
When the Scoriac was warped31 at the pier32 there was a tendency on the part of the passengers to give Harold a sort of public send-off; but becoming aware of it he hurried down the gangway without waiting. Having only hand luggage, for he was to get his equipment in New York, he had cleared and passed the ring of customs officers before the most expeditious33 of the other passengers had collected their baggage. He had said good-bye to the Stonehouses in their own cabin. Pearl had been so much affected34 at saying good-bye, and his heart had so warmed to her, that at last he had said impulsively35:
‘Don’t cry, darling. If I am spared I shall come back to you within three years. Perhaps I will write before then; but there are not many post-offices where I am going to!’
Children are easily satisfied. Their trust makes a promise a real thing; and its acceptance is the beginning of satisfaction. But for weeks after the parting she had often fits of deep depression, and at such times her tears always flowed. She took note of the date, and there was never a day that she did not think of and sigh for The Man.
And The Man, away in the wilds of Alaska, was feeling, day by day and hour by hour, the chastening and purifying influences of the wilderness36. Hot passions cooled before the breath of the snowfield and the glacier37. The moaning of a tortured spirit was lost in the roar of the avalanche38 and the scream of the cyclone39. Pale sorrow and cold despair were warmed and quickened by the fierce sunlight which came suddenly and stayed only long enough to vitalise all nature.
And as the first step to understanding, The Man forgot himself.
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收听单词发音
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1
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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2
disabuse
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| v.解惑；矫正 | |
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3
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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4
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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6
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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7
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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8
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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10
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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11
bungled
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| v.搞糟，完不成( bungle的过去式和过去分词 )；笨手笨脚地做；失败；完不成 | |
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12
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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13
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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14
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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15
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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16
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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17
scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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18
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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22
presaged
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| v.预示，预兆( presage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
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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almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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25
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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27
penitence
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| n.忏悔，赎罪；悔过 | |
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28
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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29
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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30
appease
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| v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足 | |
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31
warped
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| adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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32
pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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33
expeditious
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| adj.迅速的，敏捷的 | |
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34
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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35
impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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36
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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37
glacier
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| n.冰川，冰河 | |
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38
avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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39
cyclone
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| n.旋风，龙卷风 | |
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