About a week after Geoffrey had given his first drawing-lesson in St. Barnabas Square, Annie drove off one afternoon to Elm Lodge21 in Lady Beauport's barouche. She had begged hard to be allowed to go in a cab, but Lord Caterham would not hear of it; and as Lady Beauport had had a touch of neuralgia (there were very few illnesses she permitted to attack her, and those only of an aristocratic nature), and had been confined to the house, no objection was made. So the barouche, with the curly-wigged coachman and silver-headed footmen on the box, went spinning through Camden and Kentish Towns, where the coachman pointed23 with his whip to rows of small houses bordering the roadside, and wondered what sort of people could live "in such little 'oles;" and the footman expressed his belief that the denizens24 were "clerks and poor coves25 of that kind," The children of the neighbourhood ran out in admiration26 of the whole turn-out, and especially of the footman's hair, which afforded them subject-matter for discussion during the evening, some contending that his head had been snowed upon; some insisting that it "grew so;" and others propounding27 a belief that he was a very old man, and that his white hair was merely natural. When the carriage dashed up to the gates of Elm Lodge, the Misses Coverdale next door were, as they afterwards described themselves, "in a perfect twitter of excitement;" because, though good carriages and handsome horses were by no means rare in the pretty suburb, no one had as yet ventured to ask his servant to wear hair-powder; and the coronet, immediately spied on the panels, had a wonderful effect.
The visit was not unexpected by either Margaret or Geoffrey; but the latter was at the moment closely engaged with Mr. Stompff, who had come up to make an apparently28 advantageous29 proposition; so that when Annie Maurice was shown into the drawing-room, she found Margaret there alone. At sight of her, Annie paused in sheer admiration. Margaret was dressed in a light striped muslin; her hair taken off her face and twisted into a large roll behind; her only ornaments30 a pair of long gold earrings31. At the announcement of Miss Maurice's name, a slight flush came across her face, heightening its beauty. She rose without the smallest sign of hurry, grandly and calmly, and advanced a few paces. She saw the effect she had produced and did not intend that it should be lessened32. It was Annie who spoke33 first, and Annie's hand was the first outstretched.
"I must introduce myself, Mrs. Ludlow," said she, "though I suppose you have heard of me from your husband. He and I are very old friends."
"O, Miss Maurice?" said Margaret, as though half doubtful to whom she was talking. "O yes; Geoffrey has mentioned your name several times. Pray sit down."
All this in the coldest tone and with the stiffest manner. Prejudiced originally, Margaret, in rising, had caught a glimpse through the blinds of the carriage, and regarded it as an assertion of dignity and superiority on her visitor's part, which must be at once counteracted34.
"I should have come to see you long before, Mrs. Ludlow, but my time is not my own, as you probably know; and--"
"Yes, Mr. Ludlow told me you were Lady Beauport's companion." A hit at the carriage there.
"Yes," continued Annie with perfect composure, though she felt the blow, "I am Lady Beauport's companion, and consequently not a free agent, or, as I said, I should have called on you long ago."
Margaret had expected a hit in exchange for her own, which she saw had taken effect. A little mollified by her adversary's tolerance35, she said:
"I should have been very glad to see you, Miss Maurice; and in saying so I pay no compliment; for I should have been very glad to see any body to break this fearful monotony."
"You find it dull here?"
"And I was only thinking how perfectly37 charming it is. This sense of thorough quiet is of all things the most pleasant to me. It reminds me of the place where the happiest days in my life have been passed; and now, after the fever and excitement of London, it seems doubly grateful. But perhaps you have been accustomed to gaiety."
"Yes; at least, if not to gaiety, to excitement; to having every hour of the day filled up with something to do; to finding the time flown before I scarcely knew it had arrived, instead of watching the clock and wondering that it was not later in the day."
"Ah, then of course you feel the change very greatly at first; but I think you will find it wear off. One's views of life alter so after we have tried the new phase for a little time. It seems strange my speaking to you in this way, Mrs. Ludlow; but I have had a certain amount of experience. There was my own dear home; and then I lived with my uncle at a little country parsonage, and kept house for him; and then I became--Lady Beauport's companion."
A bright red patch burned on Margaret's cheek as Annie said these words. Was it shame? Was the quiet earnestness, the simple courtesy and candour of this frank, bright-eyed girl getting over her?
"That was very difficult at first, I confess," Annie continued; "every thing was so strange to me, just as it may be to you here, but I had come from the quietude to the gaiety; and I thought at one time it would be impossible for me to continue there. But I held on, and I manage to get on quite comfortably now. They are all very kind to me; and the sight of Mr. Ludlow occasionally insures my never forgetting the old days."
"It would be strange if they were not kind to you," said Margaret, looking fixedly38 at her. "I understand now what Geoffrey has told me about you. We shall be friends, shall we not?" suddenly extending her hand.
"The very best of friends!" said Annie, returning the pressure; "and, dear Mrs. Ludlow, you will soon get over this feeling of dulness. These horrible household duties, which are so annoying at first, become a regular part of the day's business, and, unconsciously to ourselves, we owe a great deal to them for helping39 us through the day. And then you must come out with me whenever I can get the carriage,--O, Ive brought Lady Beaupores card, and she is coming herself as soon as she gets out again,--and we'll go for a drive in the Park. I can quite picture to myself the sensation you would make."
Margaret smiled--a strange hard smile--but said nothing.
"And then you must be fond of reading; and I don't know whether Mr. Ludlow has changed, but there was nothing he used to like so much as being read to while he was at work. Whenever he came to the Priory, papa and I used to sit in the little room where he painted and take it in turns to read to him. I daresay he hasn't liked to ask you, fearing it might bore you; and you haven't liked to suggest it, from an idea that you might interrupt his work."
"O yes, Ive no doubt it will come right," said Margaret, indisposed to enter into detail; "and I know I can rely on your help; only one thing--don't mention what I have said to Geoffrey, please; it might annoy him; and he is so good, that I would not do that for the world."
"He will not hear a word of it from me. It would annoy him dreadfully, I know. He is so thoroughly wrapped up in you, that to think you were not completely happy would cause him great pain. Yes, he is good. Papa used to say he did not know so good a man, and--"
The door opened as she spoke, and Geoff entered the room. His eyes brightened as he saw the two women together in close conversation; and he said with a gay laugh:
"Well, little Annie you've managed to find us out, have you?--come away from the marble halls, and brought 'vassals41 and serfs by your side,' and all the king's horses and all the king's men, up to our little hut. And you introduced yourself to Margaret, and you're beginning to understand one another, eh?"
"I think we understand each other perfectly; and what nonsense you talk about the vassals and king's horses, and all that! They would make me have the carriage; and no one but a horrible democrat42 like you would see any harm in using it."
"Democrat?--I?--the stanchest supporter of our aristocracy and our old institutions. I intend to have a card printed, with 'Instruction in drawing to the youthful nobility and gentry43. References kindly44 permitted to the Earl of B., Lord C., &c.'--Well, my child," turning to Margaret, "you'll think your husband more venerable than ever after seeing this young lady; and remembering that he used to nurse her in his arms."
"I have been telling Miss Maurice that now I have seen her, I can fully40 understand all you have said about her; and she has promised to come and see me often, and to take me out with her."
"That's all right," said Geoffrey; "nothing will please me better.--It's dull for her here, Annie, all alone; and I'm tied to my easel all day."
"O, that will be all right, and we shall get on capitally together, shall we not, Annie?"
And the women kissed one another, and followed Geoffrey into the garden.
That was the brightest afternoon Margaret had spent for many a day. The carriage was dismissed to the inn, there to be the admiration of the ostlers and idlers while the coachman and footman, after beer, condescended45 to play skittles and to receive the undisguised compliments of the village boys. Geoffrey went back to his work; and Margaret and Annie had a long talk, in which, though it was not very serious, Annie's good sense perpetually made itself felt, and at the end of which Margaret felt calmer, happier, and more hopeful than she had felt since her marriage. After the carriage had driven away, she sat pondering over all that had been said. This, then, was the Miss Maurice against whom she had conceived such a prejudice, and whom "she was sure she could never like?" And now, here, at their very first meeting, she had given her her confidence, and listened to her as though she had been her sister! What a calm quiet winning way she had! with what thorough good sense she talked! Margaret had expected to find her a prim46 old-maidish kind of person, younger, of course, but very much of the same type as the Miss Coverdales next door, utterly47 different from the fresh pretty-looking girl full of spirits and cheerfulness. How admirably she would have suited Geoff as a wife! and yet what was there in her that she (Margaret) could not acquire? It all rested with herself; her husband's heart was hers, firmly and undoubtedly48, and she only needed to look her lot resolutely49 in the face, to conform to the ordinary domestic routine, as Annie had suggested, and all would be well. O, if she could but lay the ghosts of that past which haunted her so incessantly50, if she could but forget _him_, and all the associations connected with him, her life might yet be thoroughly happy!
And Annie, what did she think of her new acquaintance? Whatever her sentiments were, she kept them to herself, merely saying in answer to questions that Mrs. Geoffrey Ludlow was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen; that she could say with perfect truth and in all sincerity51; but as to the rest, she did not know--she could scarcely make up her mind. During the first five minutes of their interview she hated her, at least regarded her with that feeling which Annie imagined was hate, but which was really only a mild dislike. There were few women, Annie supposed, who could in cold blood, and without the slightest provocation52, have committed such an outrage53 as that taunt54 about her position in Lady Beauport's household; but then again there were few who would have so promptly55 though silently acknowledged the fault and endeavoured to make reparation for it. How openly she spoke! how bitterly she bemoaned56 the dulness of her life That did not argue well for Geoffrey's happiness; but doubtless Mrs. Ludlow had reason to feel dull, as have most brides taken from their home and friends, and left to spend the day by themselves; but if she had really loved her husband, she would have hesitated before thus complaining to a stranger--would for his sake have either endeavoured to throw some explanatory gloss57 over the subject, or remained silent about it. She did not seem, so far as Annie saw, to have made any attempt to please her husband, or indeed to care to do so. How different she was from what Annie had expected! how different from all her previous experience of young married women, who indeed generally "gushed58" dreadfully, and were painfully extravagant59 in their laudations of their husbands when they were absent, and in their connubialities when they were present. Geoffrey's large eloquent60 eyes had melted into tenderness as he looked at her; but she had not returned the glance, had not interchanged with him one term of endearment61, one chance pressure of the hand. What did it all mean? What was that past gaiety and excitement to which she said she had been accustomed? What were her antecedents? In the whole of her long talk with Annie, Margaret had spoken always of the future, never of the past. It was of what she should do that she asked counsel; never mentioning what she had done; never alluding62 to any person, place, or circumstance connected with her existence previously63 to her having become Geoffrey Ludlow's wife. What were her antecedents? Once or twice during their talk she had used an odd word, a strange phrase, which grated on Annie's ear; but her manner was that of a well-bred gentlewoman; and in all the outward and visible signs of race, she might have been the purest aristocrat22.
Meantime her beauty was undeniable, was overwhelming. Such hair and eyes Annie had dreamed of, but had never seen. She raved64 about them until Caterham declared she must puzzle her brain to find some excuse for his going to Elm Lodge to see this wonderful woman. She described Margaret to Lady Beauport, who was good enough to express a desire to see "the young person." She mentioned her to Algy Barford, who listened and then said, "Nice! nice! Caterham, dear old boy! you and I will take our slates65 and go up to--what's the name of the place?--to learn drawing. Must learn on slates, dear boy. Don't you recollect66 the house of our childhood with the singular perspective and an enormous amount of smoke, like wool, coming out of the chimneys? Must have been a brewery67 by the amount of smoke, by Jove! And the man in the cocked-hat, with no stomach to speak of, and both his arms very thin with round blobs at the end growing out of one side. Delicious reminiscences of one's childhood, by Jove!"
And then Annie took to sketching68 after-memory portraits of Margaret, first mere pencil outlines, then more elaborate shaded attempts and finally a water-colour reminiscence, which was anything but bad. This she showed to Lord Caterham, who was immensely pleased with it, and who insisted that Barford should see it. So one morning when that pleasantest of laughing philosophers was smoking his after-breakfast cigar (at about noon) in Caterham's room, mooning about amongst the nick-nacks, and trotting70 out his little scraps71 of news in his own odd quaint3 fashion, Annie, who had heard from Stephens of his arrival, came in, bringing the portrait with her.
"Enter, Miss Maurice!" said Algy; "always welcome, but more especially welcome when she brings some delicious little novelty, such as I see she now holds under her arm. What would the world be without novelty?--Shakespeare. At least, if that delightful72 person did not make that remark, it was simply because he forgot it; for it's just one of those sort of things which he put so nicely. And what is Miss Maurice's novelty?"
"O! it's no novelty at all, Mr. Barford. Only a sketch69 of Mrs. Geoffrey Ludlow, of whom I spoke to you the other day. You recollect?"
"Recollect! the Muse73 of painting! Terps--Clio--no matter! a charming person from whom we were to have instruction in drawing, and who lives at some utterly unsearchable place! Of course I recollect! And you have a sketch of her there? Now, my dear Miss Maurice, don't keep me in suspense74 any longer, but let me look at it at once." But when the sketch was unrolled and placed before him, it had the very singular effect of reducing Algy Barford to a state of quietude. Beyond giving one long whistle he never uttered a sound, but sat with parted lips and uplifted eyebrows75 gazing at the picture for full five minutes. Then he said, "This is like, of course, Miss Maurice?"
"Well, I really think I may say it is. It is far inferior to the original in beauty, of course; but I think I have preserved her most delicate features."
"Yes."
"This sketch gives one the notion of a tall woman with a full figure."
"Ye-es; a very charming sketch, Miss Maurice; and your friend must be very lovely if she at all resembles it."
Shortly after, when Mr. Algy Barford had taken his leave, he stopped on the flags in St. Barnabas Square, thus soliloquising: "All right, my dear old boy, my dear old Algy! it's coming on fast--a little sooner than you thought; but that's no matter. Colney Hatch, my dear boy, and a padded room looking out over the railway. That's it; that's your hotel, dear boy! If you ever drank, it might be _del. trem_., and would pass off; but you don't. No, no; to see twice within six months, first the woman herself; and then the portrait of the woman--just married and known to credible78 witnesses--whom you have firmly believed to be lying in Kensal Green! Colney Hatch, dear old boy; that is the apartment, and nothing else!"
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1
beget
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| v.引起；产生 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest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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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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deferentially
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| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
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impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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aristocrat
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| n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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denizens
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| n.居民，住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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coves
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| n.小海湾( cove的名词复数 )；家伙 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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propounding
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| v.提出（问题、计划等）供考虑[讨论]，提议( propound的现在分词 ) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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earrings
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| n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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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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counteracted
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| 对抗，抵消( counteract的过去式 ) | |
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tolerance
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| n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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vassals
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| n.奴仆( vassal的名词复数 )；（封建时代）诸侯；从属者；下属 | |
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democrat
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| n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员 | |
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gentry
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| n.绅士阶级，上层阶级 | |
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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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condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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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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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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56
bemoaned
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| v.为（某人或某事）抱怨( bemoan的过去式和过去分词 )；悲悼；为…恸哭；哀叹 | |
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gloss
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| n.光泽，光滑；虚饰；注释；vt.加光泽于；掩饰 | |
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gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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endearment
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| n.表示亲爱的行为 | |
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alluding
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| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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64
raved
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| v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说 | |
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65
slates
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| （旧时学生用以写字的）石板( slate的名词复数 )； 板岩； 石板瓦； 石板色 | |
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66
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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67
brewery
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| n.啤酒厂 | |
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68
sketching
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| n.草图 | |
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69
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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70
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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71
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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72
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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73
muse
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| n.缪斯（希腊神话中的女神），创作灵感 | |
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74
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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75
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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76
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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77
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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credible
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| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
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