Not that the news which Gertrude Benthall had confided11 to him in regard to Lady Caroline Mansergh had touched him one whit13. In the first place, he thought Gertrude had deceived herself, or, at all events, had misconstrued the feelings by which Lady Caroline was actuated towards him; and in the second--supposing the girl was right, and all was as she believed--it would not have had the smallest influence in altering anything he had done. He was not a brilliant man, Walter Joyce, clever in his way, but lacking in savoir faire; but he had a rough odd kind of common sense which stood him in better stead than mere worldly experience, and that showed him that in his true position the very worst thing he could have done for himself would have been to go in for a great alliance. Such a proceeding14 would have alienated15 the affections and the confidence of all those people who had made him what he was, or rather who had seen him struggle up to the position he enjoyed, and given him a helping16 hand at the last. But it was because he had struggled up himself by his own exertions17 that they liked him, whereas any effort in his favour by the aid of money or patronage18 would have sent them at once into the opposition19 ranks. No, Lady Caroline was still the kindest, the dearest, the best of his friends! He found a letter from her on his return to chambers, full of warm congratulations, telling him that she was compelled to follow the medical advice of which she had spoken to him, and to leave London for a few weeks; but she hoped on her return to welcome him and his bride to Chesterfield Street, and retain them ever on the very narrow list of her chiefest intimates. He was engaged on a letter to Jack20 Byrne when there came a sharp clear knock at the door; such a different knock from that usually given by the printer's boy, his most constant visitor, that he laid down his pen, and called sonorously21, "Come in!"
The handle was turned quietly, the door was opened quickly, and Marian Creswell came into the room.
Walter did not recognise her at first; her veil was half over her face, and she was standing22 with her back to the light. A minute after, he exclaimed, "Mrs. Creswell!"
"Yes, Mr. Joyce; Mrs. Creswell! You did not expect me."
"I did not, indeed. You are, I confess, one of the last persons I should have expected to see in these rooms."
"No doubt; that is perfectly23 natural; but I come on a matter of business."
"As does every one who favours me with a visit. I cannot imagine any one coming here for pleasure. Pray be seated; take the 'client's chair.'"
"You are very bright and genial24, Mr. Joyce; as every successful man is."
"As every man ought to be, Mrs. Creswell; as every tolerably successful man can afford to be."
"I suppose you wonder how I found your address."
"Not the least in the world. Unfortunately I know too well that it is in the archives of the Post-office Directory.Behold25 the painful evidences of the fact!" and he pointed26 to a table covered with papers. "Petitions, begging-letters, pamphlets, circulars, all kinds of unreadable literature."
"Yes; but I don't study the Post-office Directory,as a rule."
"No; but you looked at it to-day, because you had an object in view. Given the object, you will not hesitate to depart in any way from your usual course, Mrs. Creswell."
"I will not pretend to ignore your sarcasm27, nor will I say whether it is deserved or undeserved, though perhaps my presence here just now should have induced you to spare me."
"I did not mean to be sarcastic28; I simply gave utterance29 to a thought that came into my mind. You said you came on a matter of business? I must be rude enough to remind you that I am very busy just now."
"I will detain you a very short time; but, in the first place, let us drop this fencing and folly30. You know my husband is dead?"
Joyce bowed.
"And that I am left with a large, a very large fortune at my disposal?"
"I heard so, not merely when I was down at Helmingham the other day, but here in London. It is common talk."
"You were down in Helmingham the other day? Ah, of course! However, suppose I had come to you to say----" and she paused.
Joyce looked at her with great composure. "To say!" he repeated.
"I must go through with it," she muttered beneath her breath. "To say that the memory of old days is always rising in my mind, the sound of old words and places always ringing in my ears, the remembrance of old looks almost driving me mad! Suppose I had come to say all this--and this besides--share that fortune with me!"
"To say that to me!"
"To you!"
"It is excessively polite of you, and of course I am very much flattered, necessarily. But, Mrs. Creswell, there is one thing that would prevent my accepting your very generous offer."
"And that is--"
"I am engaged to be married."
"I had heard some report of that kind; but, knowing you as I do, I had set very little store by it. Walter Joyce, I have followed your fortunes, so far as they have been made public, for many months, and I have seen how, step by step, you have pushed yourself forward. You have done well, very well; but there is a future for you far beyond your present, if you but take advantage of the opportunity which I now offer you. With the fortune which I ask you to share with me--a fortune, mind; not a few thousand pounds such as you are anticipating with Maude Creswell, but with a fortune at your back, and your talents, you may do anything; there is no position which might not be open to you."
"You are drawing a tempting31 picture."
"I am drawing a true one; for in addition to your own brains, you would have those of a woman to aid you: a woman, mind, who has done for herself what she proposes to do for you; who has raised herself to the position she always longed for--a woman with skill to scheme, and courage to carry out. Do you follow me?"
"Perfectly."
"And you agree?"
"I think not. I'm afraid it's impossible. I know it's not an argument that will weigh with you at all, or that, perhaps, you will be able to understand; but, you see, my word is pledged to this young lady."
"Is that all? I should think some means might be found to compensate32 the young lady for her loss."
Walter Joyce's face was growing very dark, but Marian did not perceive it.
"No, it is not all," he said coldly; "the thing would be impossible, even if that reason did not exist."
She saw that her shaft33 had missed its mark, but she was determined34 to bring him down, so tried another.
"Ah, Walter," she said, "do you answer me like this? In memory of the dear old days----"
"Stop!" he cried, bringing his hand down heavily on the writing-table before him, and springing to his feet. "Stop!" he cried, in a voice very different from the cold polite tone in which he had hitherto spoken; "don't name those times, or what passed in them, for in your mouth such allusions35 would be almost blasphemy36. Marian Creswell--and the mere fact that I have to call you by that name ought to have told you what would be my answer to your proposition before you came here--perhaps if I were starving I might take an alms of you, but under no other circumstance would I touch a farthing of that money which you pride yourself on having secured. You must have been strangely forgetful when you talked to me, as you did just now, of having 'raised yourself to the position you always longed for,' and of having 'skill to scheme and courage to carry out' what you desire. You forgot, surely, that in those words you told me--what I knew before, by the way--that you longed for your present position while you were my promised wife; and that you were bringing your skill and your courage to work to obtain it, while I was striving, and hoping, and slaving for you."
"We had better put an end to this interview," said Marian, attempting to rise. "Ah, Walter, spare me!"
"Spare you!" he cried in unaltered tones. "Did you spare me while all this was going on? Did you spare me when"--he opened a drawer at his side and took out a folded paper---"when you wrote me this cruel letter, blasting my hopes and driving me to despair, and almost to madness? Spare you! Who have you spared? Did you spare those girls, the nieces of the kindly37 old man whom you married, or, because they were in your way, did not have them turned out of his house, their natural home? Did you spare the old man himself when you saw him fretting38 against the step which you had compelled him to take? Who have you spared, whom have you not overridden39, in your reckless career of avarice40 and ambition?"
She sat cowed and trembling for a moment, then raised her head and looked at him with flashing eyes.
"I am much obliged to you, Mr. Joyce," she said in a very hard voice, that came clipping out between her tight lips,--"I am much obliged to you for permitting me to be present at a private rehearsal41 of one of your speeches. It was very good, and does you great credit. You have decidedly improved since I saw you on the platform at Brocksopp. Your style is perhaps a little turgid, a little bombastic42, but that doubtless is in accordance with the taste of those of whose sentiments you are the chosen and the popular exponent43. I must ask you to see me to the cab at the door. I am unaccustomed to London, and have no footman with me. Thanks!" And she walked out of the door which he had opened for her, and preceded him down the staircase, with a volcano raging in her breast, but with the most perfect outward composure.
See the curtain now about to drop on this little drama,--comedy of manners rather,--where nothing or no one has been in extremes; where the virtuous44 people have not been wholly virtuous; and where the wickedest have had far less carmine45 and tinsel than the author has on former occasions found a necessity to use. There is no need to "dress" the characters with military precision in a straight line; for there is no "tag" to be spoken, no set speech to be delivered; and, moreover, the characters are all dispersed46.
Gertrude and her husband are in their seaside home, happy in each other and their children. Walter and his wife are vey happy, too, in their quiet way. He has not made any wonderful position for himself as yet; but he is doing well, and is well thought of by his party. Dr. Osborne has retired47 from practice; but most of the Helmingham and Brocksopp folk are going on much in their usual way.
And Marian Creswell? The woman with the peaked face and the scanty48 hair turning gray, who is seldom at her own house, but appears suddenly at Brighton, Bath, Cheltenham, or Torquay, and disappears as suddenly, is Marian Creswell. The chosen quarry49 of impostors and sycophants50, she has not one single friend in whom to confide12, one creature to care for her. She is alone with her wealth; which is merely a burden to her, and has not the power of affording her the smallest gratification.
THE END.
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1
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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8
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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9
limpid
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| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
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insidious
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| adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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11
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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12
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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13
whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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15
alienated
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| adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等） | |
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16
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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18
patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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19
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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21
sonorously
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| adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；堂皇地；朗朗地 | |
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22
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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23
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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24
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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25
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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27
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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28
sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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29
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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30
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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31
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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32
compensate
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| vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消 | |
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33
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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34
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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35
allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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36
blasphemy
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| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
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37
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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38
fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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39
overridden
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| 越控( override的过去分词 )； （以权力）否决； 优先于； 比…更重要 | |
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40
avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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41
rehearsal
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| n.排练，排演；练习 | |
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42
bombastic
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| adj.夸夸其谈的，言过其实的 | |
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43
exponent
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| n.倡导者，拥护者；代表人物；指数，幂 | |
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44
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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45
carmine
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| n.深红色，洋红色 | |
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46
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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47
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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48
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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49
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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50
sycophants
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| n.谄媚者，拍马屁者( sycophant的名词复数 ) | |
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