“Is that really the Highland13 Mary who used to wander barefooted through the glens and vales, the simple dairymaid who made butter for Colonel Montgomery?” she asked herself dreamily. “Am I awake, I wonder? How Souter Johnny would open his eyes if he could only see me noo in this[174] beautiful gown, carrying a fan an’ wi’ my hair done up high.” She laughed gleefully but softly at the thought. “Wouldna’ they be proud to see me such a grand lady.” She walked stiffly across the room with all the dignity she could command, her chin held high and taking quick little pleased glances over her shoulder at her reflection. It was Mary’s first long gown, and it was not to be wondered at, when in turning quickly around a chair she easily became entangled14 in her train, and with a little frightened gasp15 she suddenly found herself on her knees endeavoring to extricate16 her feet from the clinging mass of silk and linen17 in which they were enmeshed. Finally she succeeded in regaining18 her feet, but not until she had with extreme care seated herself did she breathe a sigh of relief. She eyed her train ruefully. “If I should fall doon before all the great people at the ball, I should be so ashamed,” she said, sighing dismally19. “They would all laugh at me. But Robert says I am nicer than anyone in all the world.” She reveled in that thought an instant, then her face lengthened20. “But I ken21 there is a difference, a great difference; I am only a simple country lass without any learnin’ whatever, while Lady Nancy is——” she rose suddenly as a thought occurred to her, her hands clasped tightly together. “Suppose he should grow ashamed of his ignorant little country wife,” she whispered with trembling lips; “it would break my heart in twain.”
[175]
She held out her hands passionately22 toward her unseen lover. “Ye willna’ ever regret makin’ me your wife, will ye dear?” she whispered imploringly23. “Ye willna’ be sorry in years to come.” Quickly her loving, trustful faith reasserted itself. “Nay24, nay, my heart tells me ye willna’, so I’ll be foolish nae more. I’ll tell him what a silly lass I’ve been an’ how he’ll laugh at my doubting fears.” She took a step toward his door, when it opened and Robert came quickly into the room, dressed for the ball, looking very handsome in his plain and unpretending dress of blue homespun, for he still retained the same simplicity25 of manner and appearance that he brought with him from the country. He stopped in amazement26 as he came face to face with his unexpected visitor.
Mary with a thrill of joy at the sight of her lover waited eagerly for the words of praise which she knew her appearance would elicit27, and for which she hungered, but as he stood looking at her so calmly, so coldly, her joy turned to wonder and fear. What was the matter? Didn’t she please him? With a little gasp she put her hand nervously28 to her face. As it came in contact with the mask, which she had forgotten to remove, her heart gave a quick bound of relief. Of course! He didn’t know her. “He doesna’ ken who I am at all,” she thought gleefully.
As his eyes rested upon the pink mask, Robert[176] gave a sudden start, then glanced quickly at the table. No, it wasn’t there. So then this was Lady Nancy herself. He recognized her hair, her figure, and above all the mask. “So my haughty29 lady thinks it safer to play wi’ fire incognito30, eh?” he thought grimly. “Weel, I’ll teach ye a lesson, my fine lady; ye need one badly.” Then aloud, “I’m indeed honored, madam, by your presence here to-night,” he said, bowing low before her.
Mary courtesied deeply. Oh, it was so exciting to be talking with her Robbie, and how surprised he would be when she unmasked.
“Haven’t ye a word to say to me, fair lady?” continued Robert softly, as she stood silently before him.
“He’ll sure ken my voice,” she thought in trepidation31; “if I could only talk like a lady.” She wondered if she could imitate the haughty tones of Lady Nancy Gordon herself. She’d try. She seated herself languidly. “Then you don’t recognize me?” she asked, disguising her lyric32 voice, as near as possible, in the lazy drawl of Lady Glencairn’s voice.
He started and looked at her intently. It didn’t sound like Lady Nancy at all, but who else could she be? he thought blankly. “Your voice sounds like—but nae, I maun be mistaken,” he said doubtfully. “Nay, madam, I do not recognize you. Will you not remove——”
“What, my face?” laughed Mary. She had marvelously[177] lost all trace of her country intonation33. “Oh, nay, sir! I’m too much attached to it.”
“Well ye might be, fair lady!” replied Robert, “but why do ye hide your beauty so jealously?” He reached out his hand to lift the mask from her face, but, with a rippling34 laugh, she eluded35 him, and from behind the high-backed settle made reply.
“Be not impatient, Mr. Burns,” she said saucily36; “you shall see my face in good time, I warrant ye!” It must be Lady Nancy after all, he told himself.
Mary looked at him reproachfully. Did he think she was really Lady Gordon? she wondered. The thought gave her pause. Well, she would find out how much he really cared for her, how much truth there was in the gossip she had heard. “Rumor sayeth, Mr. Burns, that ye are in love with the beautiful Lady Nancy Gordon; is that so?” she asked, fanning herself languorously38.
He smiled quizzically into her face. “Rumor hath many tongues, fair lady, and most of them lying ones. The lady doesna’ suit my taste; even her money couldna’ tempt39 me, an’ I need the money badly. That will take her conceit40 down a peg41 I’ll warrant,” he thought grimly.
“But she is very beautiful, I hear,” said Mary, filled with delight at his answer.
“That I grant ye. Mistress Nancy is most[178] adept42 in the use of the hare’s foot an’ of the paint box. I’ll wager43 she can teach even our incomparable actress, Mrs. Siddons, a few tricks in the art of makeup44. Oh, but ye should see the lady in the early morning. ’Fore heaven, she resembles damaged goods!” Now would come the explosion of wounded pride and outraged45 dignity, he thought calmly, but his amazement was unbounded when the seeming Lady Nancy jumped up and down, ecstatically clapping her hands in a very undignified manner. “Ye seem o’er pleased at my remark,” he exclaimed with a puzzled frown.
“What?” he stammered47 taken aback—“why, I—I thought ye were——” He stopped, flushed and embarrassed.
“Were Lady Nancy Gordon!” she finished. “O Lud, if I were, I wouldn’t feel complimented at all the flattering things I’ve heard!” and she went off in a peal48 of merry laughter.
“Who are ye then, who comes to my chamber49 at night?” he asked curtly50, chagrined51 at his mistake. She shook her head and laughed softly.
“Ye shall know in good time,” she replied coquettishly. “I—I must make certain that ye dinna’ love—me.” She smiled, but her heart was beating wildly.
“An’ ye’ve no regrets for Lady Nancy, nor for[179] Mrs. McLehose, nor—nor any o’ the grand ladies ye’ll be givin’ up to marry the little country maiden?” she asked softly, forgetting in her eagerness her lapse53 into her natural speech.
“None, my lady,” he replied firmly. “Noo, lets call a truce54 to this masquerade! I am at a loss to understand your errand here to-night, but do not press ye for an explanation, and as I am due at the Duke of Athol’s, I must bid ye good-night.” He bowed coldly, and started to leave her.
But with a cry of joy, which thrilled him to the heart, she drew near to him with outstretched arms. “Robbie, lad, canna’ ye guess who I am?” she cried. “I’m nae a grand lady at all, I’m only your Highland Mary.” With a quick movement, she tore off the mask from her flushed and radiant face and threw it far from her.
“Mary, is it ye?” he gasped55, almost speechless with surprise. He could scarcely believe his senses. This radiantly beautiful lady his Highland Mary? was such a metamorphosis possible?
She made him a little courtesy. “Aye, ’tis Mary!” she answered, her heart beating fast with pleasure. Quickly she told him how she had come, why she had come, and how long she had waited, just to hear his words of approval. “Do I please ye, laddie?” she asked shyly.
For a moment he could not speak. Her wonderful perfection of beauty startled him. He drew her[180] closely into his arms, kissing her with almost pathetic tenderness. “Mary, my love, my sweet lass!” and his voice trembled. “Pleased! Good Heavens, what little words those are to express my feelings. I can tell ye how you look, for nothing can ever make ye vain! Ye’re the most beautiful lassie I’ve ever seen! Ah, but I’m proud of ye this night. Ye’re fit to wear a coronet, Mary lass! I ken there will not be a grand lady at the ball to-night who will look half sae bonnie, nor hae such sweet, dainty manners, as my country sweetheart.” He held her off at arm’s length and glanced with affectionate adoration56, from the fair, golden-crowned head down to the point of the small pearl-embroidered slipper that peeped beneath the edge of the rich, sheeny white robe.
“It seems so strange to be here in Edinburgh, decked out in all this finery,” she murmured dreamily, “and on my way to a real ball. Is it really me?”
“Aye, ’tis ye, Mary, I’ll swear to that!” he cried heartily57, kissing the sweet, ingenuous58 face raised to his so wistfully. She blushed with pleasure, and bashfully turned her head away. “Ye dinna’ think I look awkward, do ye laddie?” she inquired in a low, timid voice.
“Nay, ye’re grace itself, sweetheart!” he replied reassuringly59, raising her chin till her drooping60 eyes met his.
“An’ ye wouldna ken I was only a dairymaid[181] if it werena for my speech, would ye?” she interrogated61, with pathetic hopefulness. Her concerned, anxious little face and wistful manner touched him deeply.
“I wouldna have ye changed for all the world, Mary!” he told her tenderly, pressing his lips to the one little curl which hung unconfined over her snowy shoulder. “Be your own pure, sweet self always, for ye’re the fairest of all God’s creatures to me noo.”
She gave a deep sigh of absolute content, and leaned against him silently for a moment. Then she looked up at him brightly. “This fine dress makes me quite a grand lady, doesna’ it?” she prattled62 innocently.
“Aye! every inch a queen!” and he made her a deep bow.
“But it isna mine, Robbie,” she whispered confidentially64. “I borrowed it for the night only, like Cinderella in the fairy book, to make my début into fashionable society,” and she laughed gleefully, like a little child telling a wonderful secret. “It’s Mrs. Dunlop’s wedding gown, Robbie; isna it just sweet?” She passed her hand gently over the folds of the silk and there was awe65 and reverence66 in the touch. “Oh, how I love to smooth it, ’tis so soft an’ rich an’ glossy67; it isna’ wrong to love the beautiful things, is it, laddie?” she asked earnestly.
“Nay,” replied Robert, smiling tenderly at her[182] na?veté. “Love the pretty things all ye like, dearie, for hereafter ye shall have the finest gowns in town. Ye shall select whatsoever68 your fancy pleases—dresses, bonnets69, mits, boots,” and he enumerated70 on his fingers all the articles he could remember so dear to a woman’s heart.
“Shall I really, really?” she gasped as he finished, looking at him with wondering eyes. “I hae never bought a pretty thing in a’ my life, ye ken, an’ oh, won’t it be just sweet? We’ll go to the shops to-morrow, an’ Mrs. Dunlop will help me select my—my wedding gown.” She held her head away bashfully, blushing pink before the sudden fire that gleamed in the dark eyes bent71 on her so devotedly72.
“Your wedding gown?” he repeated, with dreamy softness. “Let it be silk, Mary, white, soft and shimmering73, to float around ye like a cloud of sunshine. An’ ye must have a bridal veil too, lassie, one sae fine an’ transparent74 that it will cover ye o’er like the morning mist.”
“I would be afraid to buy so much,” she replied gravely. “’Twould be too costly75, an’ ye canna’ afford to waste sae much money to deck me out like a lady,” and she shook her head in firm disapproval76.
He laughed heartily at her sober face and air of housewifely prudence77. “My dear,” he whimsically told her, “dinna’ ye mind the cost. A weddin’ doesna’ often happen in one’s lifetime, sae we’ll make it a grand one this time.”
[183]
“Ye’ll spoil me, Robbie,” she answered, smiling happily.
“Nay, ye’re too sweet and lovely to be spoiled.”
Before he could reply, the rattle63 of a carriage over the pavement sounded loudly through the room. As it stopped at the door, Mary gave a little sigh of regret. “It’s Mrs. Dunlop, returning for me at last,” she said. She secretly hoped the sharp old eyes would not miss the cloak.
“Aye, like the good fairy godmother,” smiled Robert, as he led her out of the room and down the stairs.
“I feel as if I were in a dream,” she murmured softly, picking up her train, and lovingly holding it over her arm, as she walked daintily across the sidewalk to the waiting carriage. “If I am, laddie,” she continued earnestly, “I hope I may never awake from it; I want to dream on forever.”
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1
pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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slipper
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| n.拖鞋 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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inscriptions
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| （作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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winsome
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| n.迷人的，漂亮的 | |
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highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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extricate
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| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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imploringly
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| adv. 恳求地, 哀求地 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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elicit
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| v.引出,抽出,引起 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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incognito
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| adv.匿名地；n.隐姓埋名；adj.化装的，用假名的，隐匿姓名身份的 | |
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trepidation
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| n.惊恐，惶恐 | |
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lyric
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| n.抒情诗，歌词；adj.抒情的 | |
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intonation
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| n.语调，声调；发声 | |
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rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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eluded
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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saucily
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| adv.傲慢地，莽撞地 | |
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fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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languorously
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| adv.疲倦地，郁闷地 | |
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tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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makeup
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| n.组织；性格；化装品 | |
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outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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55
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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58
ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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61
interrogated
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| v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
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62
prattled
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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63
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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69
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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70
enumerated
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| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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devotedly
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| 专心地； 恩爱地； 忠实地； 一心一意地 | |
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shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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74
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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75
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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76
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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77
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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78
demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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