himself by running away from his loathsome3 factory. His father needed his presence, and Sheila needed his absence.
But gusts4 of desire for the sight of her swept through him like manias5. He would try to reach her on the long-distance telephone. At the theater, where there was as
yet no one in the box-office, it was usually impossible to get an answer or to get a message delivered. The attendants would as soon have called a priest from mass as
an actor from rehearsal6. Sometimes, after hours of search with the long-distance probe, he would find Sheila at the hotel and they would pour out their longings7 across
the distance till strange voices broke in and mocked their sentimentalities or begged them to get off the wire. It was strange to be eavesdropped8 by ghosts whose names
or even whereabouts one could never know.
Winfield’s mother observed her son’s distress9 and insisted that he was ill. She demanded that he see a doctor; it might be some lingering fever or something
infectious. It was both, but there is no inoculation10, no antitoxin, yet discovered to prevent the attack on a normal being. The mumps11, scarlet12 fever, malaria13, typhoid
and other ailments14 have their serums15, but love has none. Light attacks of those affections procure16 immunity17, but not of this.
Winfield finally told his mother what his malady18 was. “Mother, I’m in love—mad crazy about a girl.”
Mrs. Winfield smiled. “You always are.”
“It’s real this time—”
“It always was.”
“It means marriage.”
This was not so amusing.
“Who is she?”
“Nobody you ever saw.”
This was reassuring19. Mrs. Winfield had never seen any girl in town quite good enough for her daughter-in-law.
Mrs. Winfield was very strict, and very religious in so far as religion is concerned with trying one’s neighbors as well as oneself by very lofty and very inelastic
laws of conduct.
Bret dreaded20 to tell his mother who Sheila was or what she was. He knew her opinion of the stage and its people. She had not expressed it often because she winced21 even
at the mention of hopelessly improper22 subjects like French literature, the theater, classic art, playing cards, the works of Herbert Spencer, Ouida, Huxley, and people
like that.
She knew so little of the theater that when she made him tell her the girl’s name, “Sheila Kemble” meant nothing to her.
Mrs. Winfield demanded full information on the vital subject of her son’s fiancée. Bret dodged23 her cross-examination in vain. He dilated24 on Sheila’s beauty, her
culture, her fascination25, her devotion to him. But those were details; Mrs. Winfield wanted to know the important things:
“What church does she belong to?”
“I never thought to ask her.”
“Are her people in good circumstances?”
“Very!”
“What is her father’s business?”
“Er—he’s a professional man.”
“Oh! A lawyer?”
“No.”
“Doctor?”
“No.”
“What then?”
“Er—well—you see—he’s very successful. He’s famous in his line—makes a heap of money. He stands very high in his profession.”
“That’s good, but what is it?”
“Why—he— If you knew him—you’d be proud to have him for a father-in-law or—a—whatever relative he’d be to you.”
“No doubt; but what does this wonderful man do for a living?”
“He’s an actor.”
Mrs. Winfield would have screamed the word in echo, but she was too weak. When she got her breath she hardly knew which of the myriad26 objections to mention first.
“An actor! You are engaged to the daughter of an actor! Why, that’s nearly as bad as if she were an actress herself!”
Then he ran for a glass of water.
At length his mother rallied sufficiently28 to flutter tenderly, with a mother’s infinite capacity for forgiving her children—and nobody else:
“Oh, Bret! Bret! has my poor boy gone and fallen into the snare29 of some adventuress—some bad, bad woman?”
“Hush, mother; you mustn’t speak so. Sheila is a good girl, the best in the world.”
“I thought you said she was an actress.”
This seemed to end the argument, but he amazed her by proceeding30: “She is! and a fine one, the best actress in the country—in the world.”
When Mrs. Winfield tried to prove from the profundity31 of her ignorance and her prejudice that an actress must be doomed32 he put his hand over his ears till she stopped.
Then she began again:
“And are you going to follow this angel about, or is she going to reform?”
“She can’t quit just now. She has a contract, but after this season she’ll stop, and then we’ll get married.”
Mrs. Winfield caught at this eagerly. “You’re not going to marry her at once then?”
“No. I wish I could, but she can’t break her contract.”
Mrs. Winfield smiled and settled back with relief. She felt as if an earthquake had passed by, leaving her alive and the house still on its foundations. She knew Bret
and she was sure that any marriage scheduled for next year was as good as canceled already.
She wanted nothing more said about it. Her son’s relations with an actress might be deplorable, but, fortunately, they were only transient and need not be discussed.
But Bret would not permit his love to be dismissed with scorn. He insisted that he adored Sheila and that she was adorable. He produced photographs of her, and the
mother could not deny the girl’s beauty. But she regarded it with an eye of such hostility33 that she found all the guiles and wiles34 that she wanted to find in it.
Bret insisted on his mother’s meeting Sheila, which she refused to do. She announced that she would not meet her if she became his wife. She would not permit the
creature to sully her home. She warned Bret not to mention it to his father, for the old man’s heart was weak and he was discouraged enough over the conflict with the
scales trust. The shock of a stage scandal might kill him.
The elder Winfield wandered into the dispute at its height. He insisted on knowing what it was. His wife tried to break it to him gently and nearly drove him mad with
her delay. When she finally reached the horrible disclosure he did not swoon; he just laughed.
“Is that all! Mother, where’s your common sense of humor? The young cub35 has been sowing some wild oats and he’s trying to spare your feelings. Think nothing more
about it. Bret is going to settle down to work, and he won’t have time for much more foolishness. And now let’s drop it. Get your things packed and mine, for I’ve
got to run over to New York for a board of directors’ meeting with some big interests, and while I’m there I’ll just go to a real doctor. These fossils here all
prescribe the same pills.”
Bret glared at his father almost contemptuously. He was heavily disappointed in his parents. They were unable to rise to a noble occasion.
An inspiration occurred to him. Their trip to New York came pat to his necessities. They had been cold to his description of Sheila. But once they met her, they could
He sent a voluminous telegram to Sheila asking her to call on his father and mother and make them hers. It was a manlike outrage37 on the etiquette38 of calls, but Sheila
cared little for conventions of the stupid sort.
Bret could not persuade his mother to consent to meet Sheila and be polite until he implored39 her to treat Sheila at least with the humanity deserved by a Magdalen.
That magic word disarmed40 Mrs. Winfield and gave her the courage of a missionary41. She saw that it was plainly her duty to see the misguided creature. She might persuade
her to change her ways. Of course she would incidentally persuade her of the impossibility of a marriage with Bret. She would appeal to the girl’s better nature, for
she imagined that even an actress was not totally depraved.
In an important conference with her husband Mrs. Winfield drew up a splendid campaign. She would try the effect of reason, and, if she failed, her husband would bring
Mr. Charles Winfield determined43 to do his share by pointing out to the woman that Bret had no income and would have none. This would scare the creature away, for she
was undoubtedly44 after the boy’s money. What else could she want? If worst came to worst, they might even buy her off. A few thousand dollars would be a cheap
The train that carried the elder Winfields to the ordeal46 of meeting with the threatening invader47 of their family was due in New York in the forenoon.
When Charles Winfield bought a paper to glance over it during his dining-car breakfast he was pleased to find a brief mention of the meeting of the directors. His own
name was included in small type, with the initials wrong. Still, it was pleasant to be named in a New York paper.
As he turned the page he was startled to see a familiar face pop up before him as if with a cheerful “Good morning!” He studied it. It was familiar, but he could not
place it. He read the name beneath—“Sheila Kemble”!
It was a large portrait and the text accompanying it was an adroit49 piece of press-agency. Reben’s publicity50 man, Starr Coleman, had smuggled51 past the dramatic editor
’s jealous guard a convincing piece of fiction purporting52 to describe Sheila’s opinions on woman suffrage53 as it would affect the home. He had been unable to get at
Winfield passed the paper across to his wife. Both were decidedly shaken. Winfield’s logical mind automatically worked out a problem in ratio. If he himself felt
important because a New York newspaper included his name in a list of arrivals, how important was Sheila, who received half a column of quotation57 and a photograph?
Furthermore, Sheila’s name was coupled with that of a prominent woman whose social distinction was nation-wide.
Mrs. Winfield fetched forth58 her spectacles, read Sheila’s dictum carefully and with some awe59. There were two or three words in it that Mrs. Winfield could not
understand—neither could Sheila when she read it. Starr Coleman liked big words. But in any case the interview scared Mrs. Winfield out of her scheme to play the
They had not been settled long in their hotel when the telephone-bell rang.
Mrs. Winfield answered the call, since her husband was belatedly shaving himself.
The telephone operator said, “M’ Skemble to speak to M’ Swinfield.”
Mrs. Winfield’s heart began to skip. She answered, feebly, “This is Mrs. Winfield.”
The operator snapped, “Go ahead,” and another voice appeared, putting extraordinary music into a lyrical “Hello!”
Mrs. Winfield answered: “Hello! This is Mrs. Winfield.”
“Oh, how do you do? This is Mrs. Kemble, Sheila’s mother. Your son asked her to call you up as soon as you got in, but she is rehearsing and asked me to.”
“That’s very n-nice of you.”
“Why, thank you. Your son probably explained to you that Sheila is a horribly busy young woman. I know you are busy, too. You’ll be doing a lot of shopping, I
presume. I should like to call on you as one helpless parent on another, but my husband and I are leaving in a day or two for one of our awful tours to the Coast. The
ocean is so beautiful that I wondered if you wouldn’t be willing to run out here and take dinner with us to-night.”
Mrs. Winfield’s wits were so scattered62 that she had not the strength even to improvise63 another engagement. She was not an agile64 liar48. She murmured, feebly: “It would
be very nice. Thank you.”
Then the irresistible65 Polly Farren voice purred on: “That’s splendid! We’ll send our car for you. It’s not a long run out here, and the car can bring Sheila out at
the same time. You can have a little visit together.”
“One more thing, if I may,” Polly chanted. “Our town car is in New York. It took Sheila in, you know. The driver has nothing at all to do till five. My husband says
he would be ever so pleased if you’d let me put it at your disposal. Please call it your very own while you’re in the city, won’t you? The chauffeur67 is quite
reliable, really.”
She was unutterably miserable69. She dropped the receiver and called her lather-jawed husband in conference. They whispered like two counterfeiters with the police at
Mrs. Winfield took up the receiver and wailed71, “My husband says it is very nice of you and of course we accept.”
“Oh, that’s splendid!” throbbed72 in her ear. “I’ll telephone the man to call for you at once. Good-by till dinner, then. Good-by.”
Mr. Winfield glared at his wife, and she looked away, sighing:
“She has a right nice voice, anyway.”
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收听单词发音
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1
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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browbeating
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| v.（以言辞或表情）威逼，恫吓( browbeat的现在分词 ) | |
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3
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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gusts
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| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
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manias
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| n.（mania的复数形式） | |
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6
rehearsal
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| n.排练，排演；练习 | |
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7
longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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8
eavesdropped
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| 偷听（别人的谈话）( eavesdrop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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10
inoculation
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| n.接芽；预防接种 | |
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11
mumps
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| n.腮腺炎 | |
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12
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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13
malaria
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| n.疟疾 | |
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14
ailments
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| 疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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15
serums
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| n.（动物体内的）浆液( serum的名词复数 )；血清；（一剂）免疫血清 | |
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16
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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17
immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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18
malady
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| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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19
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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20
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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21
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
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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23
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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24
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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26
myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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27
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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29
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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30
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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31
profundity
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| n.渊博；深奥，深刻 | |
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32
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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33
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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34
wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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35
cub
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| n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人 | |
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36
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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37
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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38
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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39
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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40
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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41
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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42
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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43
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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44
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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45
blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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46
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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47
invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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48
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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49
adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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50
publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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51
smuggled
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| 水货 | |
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52
purporting
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| v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的现在分词 ) | |
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53
suffrage
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| n.投票，选举权，参政权 | |
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54
rehearsals
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| n.练习( rehearsal的名词复数 )；排练；复述；重复 | |
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55
concocted
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| v.将（尤指通常不相配合的）成分混合成某物( concoct的过去式和过去分词 )；调制；编造；捏造 | |
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56
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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57
quotation
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| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
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58
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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59
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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60
bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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61
disarray
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| n.混乱，紊乱，凌乱 | |
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62
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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63
improvise
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| v.即兴创作；临时准备，临时凑成 | |
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64
agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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65
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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66
babbled
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| v.喋喋不休( babble的过去式和过去分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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67
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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68
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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69
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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70
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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71
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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