There was a ghost who wandered through Sherwood on moonlights, a limping, hesitating ghost who said, “You’re wine, Jane. I must have my daily sip1 of you.”
And there was a ghost who came in a fog and said, “You are a lantern, Jane—held high.”
And that ghost in the glow of the hearth-fire—“You are food and drink to me, Jane. Do you know it?”
Ghosts, ghosts, ghosts; holding out appealing hands to her. And always she had turned away. But now she did not turn. Over and over again she lent her ears to those whispering words, “Jane, you are wine.... Jane, you are a lantern.... You are food and drink, Jane....”
Well, she was having her punishment. She had not loved him when he needed her. And now that she needed him, she must not love him.
She hardly knew herself. All the years of her life she had seen things straight, and she had tried to live up to that vision. She saw them straight[298] now. She did not love Frederick Towne. She had no right to marry him. Yet she must. There was no way out.
Towne was aware of a difference in her when he returned from New York. She was more remote. A little less responsive. Yet these things caused him no disquiet2. Her crisp coolness had always constituted one of her great charms. “You are tired, dearest,” he told her. “I wish you would marry me right away, and let me make you happy.”
They were lunching at the Capitol in the Senate restaurant. Frederick was an imposing3 figure and Jane was aware of his importance. People glanced at him and glanced again, and then told others who he was. Some day she would be his wife, and everybody would be telling everybody else that she was the wife of the great Frederick Towne.
The attentive4 waiter at her elbow laid toast on her plate, and served Maryland crab5 from a silver chafing-dish. Frederick knew what she liked and had ordered without asking her. But the delicious food was tasteless. She had been afraid Frederick would say something about an immediate6 marriage, and now he was saying it.
“Oh,” she told him, earnestly, “you promised I might wait until Judy could come on. In June.”
“I know. But it will be very hot, and you’ll have a whole lifetime in which to see Judy.”
“But not at my wedding. She’s my only sister.”
“I see,” but his voice showed his annoyance;[299] “but it seems as if your family have demanded enough of you. Can’t you think a bit about yourself—and me?”
She pressed her point. “Judy is like my mother. I can’t be married without her and the babies.”
“If the babies come, you’ll be looking after them until the last moment, and it will be a great strain on you, sweetheart.”
“Oh, it won’t be. I adore babies.”
His quick jealousy7 flared8. “I don’t,” he said, with a touch of sulkiness. “I’m not fond of children.”
She ate in silence. And presently he said repentantly, “You must think me a great boor10, Jane. But you don’t know how much I want you.”
He was like a repentant9 boy. She made herself smile at him. “I think you are very patient, Mr. Towne.”
“I am not patient. I am most impatient. And when are you going to stop calling me Mr. Towne?”
“When I can call you—husband.”
“But I don’t want to wait until then, dearest.”
“But ‘Frederick’ is so long, and ‘Fred’ is so short, and ‘Ricky’ sounds like a highball.” She had thrown off her depression and was sparkling.
“Nobody calls me ‘Ricky’ but Adelaide. I always hated it.”
[300]He laughed delightedly. “Say it.”
She acquiesced12 unexpectedly. “My love, we are invited to a week-end with the Delafield Simms, at their new country place, Grass Hills.”
“Are we?” Then in a sudden ardent13 rush of words, “Jane, I’d kiss you if the world wasn’t looking on.”
“The reporters would be ecstatic. Headlines.”
“I am tired of headlines. And what do you mean about going to Delafield Simms?”
“They are asking a lot of his friends. It is his wife’s introduction to his old crowd. Much will depend on whether you and Edith will accept. And it was Edith who asked me to—make you come——”
She gave him the truth, knowing it to be better than diplomacy14. “I told her that I couldn’t make you. But perhaps if you knew I wanted it——” She paused inquiringly.
“Really?” She laughed, blushed and did it. “Will you go—my love?”
“Could I say ‘no’ to that?” He radiated satisfaction. “Do you know how charming you are, Jane?”
“Am I? But it is nice of you to go. I know how you’ll hate it.”
“Not if you are there. And now, who else are asked?”
[301]“Oh, Mrs. Laramore and Eloise Harper and a lot of others. Lucy says she’ll be like a fish out of water, but Delafield has made up his mind that his friends shan’t think that he’s ashamed of her.”
When their ices came and their coffee, Frederick said, “I’ve got to spend a half-hour in a committee room. Shall I take you up to the Senate Gallery?”
“No—there’s nothing interesting, is there? I’ll wait in Statuary Hall.”
Jane loved the marble figures that circled the Hall. Years ago there had not been so many. They had been, then, perhaps, more distinctive16. As a child, she had chosen as her favorites the picturesque17 Colonials, the frontiersmen in leather tunics18 and coonskin caps. She had never liked the statesmen in stiff shirts and frock coats, although she had admitted their virtues19. Even the incongruous classic draperies were more in keeping with the glamour20 which the past flung over the men who had given their best to America.
But it was Fulton who had captured her imagination, with his little ship, and Pere Marquette with his cross, the peace-loving Quaker who had conquered; adventurer, pioneer, priest and prophet—builders all of the structure of the new world.
She wondered what future generations would add to this glorious company. Would the Anglo-Saxon give way to the Semite? Would the Huguenot yield to the Slav? And would these newcomers hold high the banner of national idealism? What[302] would they give? And what would they take away?
There were groups of sightseers gathered about the great room—a guide placing them here and there on the marble blocks. The trick was to put someone behind a mottled pillar far away, and let him speak. Owing to some strange acoustic21 quality the sound would be telephoned to the person who stood on the whispering stone.
Years ago Jane had listened while a voice had come echoing across the hollow spaces of the great Hall, “My country—right or wrong—my country——”
Another ghost! The ghost of a boy, patriotic22, passionately23 devoted24 to the great old gods. “Of course they were only men, Jane. Human. Faulty. But they blazed a path of freedom for those who followed....”
“Tired, sweetheart?”
“No.”
“I stayed longer than I expected.”
“It didn’t seem long. I have had plenty of company.”
He was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“All these.” Her hand indicated the marble men and women.
He laughed. “Great old freaks, aren’t they?”
Freaks!
[303]Gods!
Well, of course, it all depended absolutely on the point of view.
“Surely not, my dear.”
“Yes, I do. They may be bad art, but they’re good Americans.”
His laugh was indulgent. “After you’ve been abroad a few times, you won’t be so provincial28.”
“If being provincial means loving my own, I’ll stay provincial.”
“Travel broadens the mind, changes the point of view.”
“But why should I love my country less? I know her faults. And I know Baldy’s. But I love him just the same.”
As they walked on, he fell into step with her. “We won’t argue. You are probably right, and if not, you’re too pretty for me to contradict.”
His gallantry was faultless, but she wanted more than gallantry. There had been the vivid give and take of her arguments with Evans. They had had royal battles, youth had crossed swords with youth. And from their disagreements had come convictions.
She had once more the illusion of Frederick as a feather cushion! He would perhaps agree with her always!
And her soul would be—smothered!
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收听单词发音
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1
sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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2
disquiet
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| n.担心，焦虑 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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crab
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| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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9
repentant
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| adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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boor
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| n.举止粗野的人；乡下佬 | |
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demure
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| adj.严肃的；端庄的 | |
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acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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glamour
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| n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住 | |
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acoustic
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| adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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provincial
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| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
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