XVII. THAT OF THE PLAIN COOK.

 Miss Miriam Briggs was a plain, plain cook,

And her cooking was none too good

(Not at all like the recipes out of the book,

And, in fact, one might tell at the very first look

That things hadn't been made as they should).

Her master, a person named Lymmington-Blake,

At her cooking did constantly grieve,

And at last he declared that "a change he must make,"

For he "wanted a cook who could boil or could bake,"

And—this very plain cook—"she must leave."

So she left, and her master, the very same day,

For the Registry Office set out,

For he naturally thought it the very best way

Of procuring¹ a cook with the smallest delay.

(You, too, would have done so, no doubt.)

But, "A cook? Goodness gracious!" the lady declared

(At the Registry Office, I mean),

"I've no cook on my books, sir, save one, and she's shared

By two families; and, sir, I've nearly despaired,

For so rare, sir, of late, cooks have been."

Where next he enquired² 'twas precisely³ the same:

There wasn't a cook to be had.

Though quite high were the wages he'd willingly name,

And he advertised,—uselessly,—none ever came,—

Not a cook, good, indiff'rent, or bad.

What was to be done? Mr. Lymmington-Blake

Began to grow thinner and thinner.

(Now and then it is pleasant, but quite a mistake,

To dine every day on a chop or a steak,

And have nothing besides for your dinner.)

So he said: "If I can't get a cook, then a mate

I'll endeavour to find in a wife"

(His late wife deceased, I p'r'aps ought to relate,

Four or five years before), "for this terrible state

Of things worries me out of my life."

So he looked in the papers, and read with delight

Of a "Lady of good education,

A charming complexion⁴, eyes blue (rather light),"

Who "would to a gentleman willingly write."

She "preferred one without a relation."

Now Lymmington-Blake was an orphan⁵ from birth,

And had neither a sister nor brother,

While of uncles and aunts he'd a similar dearth⁶,

And he thought, "Here's a lady of singular worth;

I should think we should suit one another."

So he wrote to the lady, and she wrote to him,

And the lady requested a photo,

But he thought, "I'm not young, and the picture might dim

Her affection; I'll plead, to the lady, a whim⁷,

And refuse her my photo in toto."

"I'll be happy, however," he wrote, "to arrange

A meeting for Wednesday night.

Hampstead Heath, on the pathway, beside the old Grange,

At a quarter to eight. If you won't think it strange,

Wear a rose—I shall know you at sight."

Came Wednesday night, Mr. Lymmington-Blake

To the rendezvous⁸ all in a flutter

Himself—in a new suit of clothes—did betake;

And over and over, to save a mistake,

The speech he had thought of did mutter.

He wore a red rose, for he thought it would show

He had taken the matter to heart.

A lady was there. Was it she? Yes, or no?

Blake didn't know whether to stay or to go.

He was nervous. But what made him start?

'Twas the figure—at first he could not see her face—

Which somehow familiar did look.

Then she turned—and he ran. Do you think it was base?

I fancy that you'd have done so in his place.

It was Miriam Briggs, the plain cook.

1 procuring   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句
• She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句

2 enquired   

打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问

参考例句：

• He enquired for the book in a bookstore. 他在书店查询那本书。
• Fauchery jestingly enquired whether the Minister was coming too. 浮式瑞嘲笑着问部长是否也会来。

3 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

4 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

5 orphan   

n.孤儿；adj.无父母的

参考例句：

• He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大，并且把自己的医术传给了他。
• The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。

6 dearth   

n.缺乏，粮食不足，饥谨

参考例句：

• There is a dearth of good children's plays.目前缺少优秀的儿童剧。
• Many people in that country died because of dearth of food.那个国家有许多人因为缺少粮食而死。

7 whim   

n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想

参考例句：

• I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
• He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。

8 rendezvous   

n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇

参考例句：

• She made the rendezvous with only minutes to spare.她还差几分钟时才来赴约。
• I have a rendezvous with Peter at a restaurant on the harbour.我和彼得在海港的一个餐馆有个约会。