Mr. Erwyn Lady Allonby was far from cataloguing under that head. Mr. George Erwyn had been for years a major-general, at the very least, in Fashion's army, and was concededly a connoisseur4 of all the elegancies.
Mr. Erwyn sighed as he ended his recital—half for pity of the misguided folk who had afforded Tunbridge its latest scandal, half for relief that, in spite of many difficulties, the story had been set forth5 in discreet6 language which veiled, without at all causing you to miss, the more unsavory details.
"And so," said he, "poor Harry7 is run through the lungs, and Mrs. Anstruther has recovered her shape and is to be allowed a separate maintenance."
"'Tis shocking!" said Lady Allonby.
"'Tis incredible," said Mr. Erwyn, "to my mind, at least, that the bonds of matrimony should be slipped thus lightly. But the age is somewhat lax and the world now views with complaisance8 the mad antics of half-grown lads and wenches who trip toward the altar as carelessly as if the partnership9 were for a country-dance."
Lady Allonby stirred her tea and said nothing. Notoriously her marriage had been unhappy; and her two years of widowhood (dating from the unlamented seizure10, brought on by an inherited tendency to apoplexy and French brandy, which carried off Lord Stephen Allonby of Prestonwoode) had to all appearance never tempered her distrust of the matrimonial state. Certain it was that she had refused many advantageous11 offers during this period, for her jointure was considerable, and, though in candid12 moments she confessed to thirty-three, her dearest friends could not question Lady Allonby's good looks. She was used to say that she would never re-marry, because she desired to devote herself to her step-daughter, but, as gossip had it at Tunbridge, she was soon to be deprived of this subterfuge13; for Miss Allonby had reached her twentieth year, and was nowadays rarely seen in public save in the company of Mr. Erwyn, who, it was generally conceded, stood high in the girl's favor and was desirous of rounding off his career as a leader of fashion with the approved comoedic dénouement of marriage with a young heiress.
For these reasons Lady Allonby heard with interest his feeling allusion14 to the laxity of the age, and through a moment pondered thereon, for it seemed now tolerably apparent that Mr. Erwyn had lingered, after the departure of her other guests, in order to make a disclosure which Tunbridge had for many months expected.
"I had not thought," said she, at length, "that you, of all men, would ever cast a serious eye toward marriage. Indeed, Mr. Erwyn, you have loved women so long that I must dispute your ability to love a woman—and your amours have been a byword these twenty years."
"Dear lady," said Mr. Erwyn, "surely you would not confound amour with love? Believe me, the translation is inadequate15. Amour is but the summer wave that lifts and glitters and laughs in the sunlight, and within the instant disappears; but love is the unfathomed eternal sea itself. Or—to shift the metaphor—Amour is a general under whom youth must serve: Curiosity and Lustiness are his recruiting officers, and it is well to fight under his colors, for it is against Ennui16 that he marshals his forces. 'Tis a resplendent conflict, and young blood cannot but stir and exult17 as paradoxes18, marching and countermarching at the command of their gay generalissimo, make way for one another in iridescent19 squadrons, while through the steady musketry of epigram one hears the clash of contending repartees, or the cry of a wailing20 sonnet21. But this lord of laughter may be served by the young alone; and by and by each veteran—scarred, it may be, but not maimed, dear lady—is well content to relinquish22 the glory and adventure of such colorful campaigns for some quiet inglenook, where, with love to make a third, he prattles23 of past days and deeds with one that goes hand in hand with him toward the tomb."
Lady Allonby accorded this conceit24 the tribute of a sigh; then glanced, in the direction of four impassive footmen to make sure they were out of earshot.
"And so—?" said she.
"Indeed," she observed, reflectively, "I suppose it is quite time."
"I am not," said Mr. Erwyn, "in the heyday26 of my youth, I grant you; but I am not for that reason necessarily unmoved by the attractions of an advantageous person, a fine sensibility and all the graces."
He sipped27 his tea with an air of resentment28; and Lady Allonby, in view of the disparity of age which existed between Mr. Erwyn and her step-daughter, had cause to feel that she had blundered into gaucherie; and to await with contrition29 the proposal for her step-daughter's hand that the man was (at last) about to broach30 to her, as the head of the family.
"Who is she?" said Lady Allonby, all friendly interest.
"An angel," said Mr. Erwyn, fencing.
"Beware," Lady Allonby exhorted31, "lest she prove a recording32 angel; a wife who takes too deep an interest in your movements will scarcely suit you."
"Oh, I am assured," said Mr. Erwyn, smiling, "that on Saturdays she will allow me the customary half-holiday."
"Yet, as postscript," said Mr. Erwyn, "I do not desire a wife who will take her morning chocolate with me and sup with Heaven knows whom. I have seen, too much of mariage à la mode, and I come to her, if not with the transports of an Amadis, at least with an entire affection and respect."
"Then," said Lady Allonby, "you love this woman?"
"Very tenderly," said Mr. Erwyn; "and, indeed, I would, for her sake, that the errors of my past life were not so numerous, nor the frailty35 of my aspiring36 resolutions rendered apparent—ah, so many times!—to a gaping37 and censorious world. For, as you are aware, I cannot offer her an untried heart; 'tis somewhat worn by many barterings. But I know that this heart beats with accentuation in her presence; and when I come to her some day and clasp her in my arms, as I aspire38 to do, I trust that her lips may not turn away from mine and that she may be more glad because I am so near and that her stainless39 heart may sound an echoing chime. For, with a great and troubled adoration40, I love her as I have loved no other woman; and this much, I submit, you cannot doubt."
"Unless you are blind," Mr. Erwyn observed—"and I apprehend42 those spacious43 shining eyes to be more keen than the tongue of a dowager,—you must have seen of late that I have presumed to hope—to think—that she whom I love so tenderly might deign44 to be the affectionate, the condescending45 friend who would assist me to retrieve46 the indiscretions of my youth—"
The confusion of his utterance47, his approach to positive agitation48 as he waved his teaspoon49, moved Lady Allonby. "It is true," she said, "that I have not been wholly blind—"
"Anastasia," said Mr. Erwyn, with yet more feeling, "is not our friendship of an age to justify50 sincerity51?"
"Oh, bless me, you toad52! but let us not talk of things that happened under the Tudors. Well, I have not been unreasonably53 blind,—and I do not object,—and I do not believe that Dorothy will prove obdurate54."
"You render me the happiest of men," Mr. Erwyn stated, rapturously. "You have, then, already discussed this matter with Miss Allonby?"
"Not precisely," said she, laughing; "since I had thought it apparent to the most timid lover that the first announcement came with best grace from him."
"O' my conscience, then, I shall be a veritable Demosthenes," said Mr.
"'Tis beyond conception," Mr. Erwyn admitted; "and I propose to try marriage as a remedy. I have heard that nothing so takes down a man."
"Impertinent!" cried Lady Allonby; "now of whatever can the creature be talking!"
"I mean that, as your widowship well knows, marrying puts a man in his proper place. And that the outcome is salutary for proud, puffed-up fellows I would be the last to dispute. Indeed, I incline to dispute nothing, for I find that perfect felicity is more potent57 than wine. I am now all pastoral raptures58, and were it not for the footmen there, I do not know to what lengths I might go."
"In that event," Lady Allonby decided59, "I shall fetch Dorothy, that the crown may be set upon your well-being60. And previously61 I will dismiss the footmen." She did so with a sign toward those lordly beings.
"Believe me," said Mr. Erwyn, "'tis what I have long wished for. And when Miss Allonby honors me with her attention I shall, since my life's happiness depends upon the issue, plead with all the eloquence62 of a starveling barrister, big with the import of his first case. May I, indeed, rest assured that any triumph over her possible objections may be viewed with not unfavorable eyes?"
"O sir," said Lady Allonby, "believe me, there is nothing I more earnestly desire than that you may obtain all which is necessary for your welfare. I will fetch Dorothy."
The largest footman but one removed Mr. Erwyn's cup.
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1
profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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sedulously
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| ad.孜孜不倦地 | |
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connoisseur
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| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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7
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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complaisance
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| n.彬彬有礼，殷勤，柔顺 | |
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9
partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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seizure
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| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
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advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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subterfuge
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| n.诡计；藉口 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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exult
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| v.狂喜，欢腾；欢欣鼓舞 | |
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18
paradoxes
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| n.似非而是的隽语，看似矛盾而实际却可能正确的说法( paradox的名词复数 )；用于语言文学中的上述隽语；有矛盾特点的人[事物，情况] | |
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19
iridescent
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| adj.彩虹色的，闪色的 | |
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20
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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21
sonnet
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| n.十四行诗 | |
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relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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23
prattles
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的第三人称单数 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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24
conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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heyday
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| n.全盛时期，青春期 | |
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27
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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contrition
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| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
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30
broach
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| v.开瓶，提出(题目) | |
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31
exhorted
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| v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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33
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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34
conserves
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| n.（含有大块或整块水果的）果酱，蜜饯( conserve的名词复数 )v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的第三人称单数 ) | |
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35
frailty
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| n.脆弱；意志薄弱 | |
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36
aspiring
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| adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求 | |
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37
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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38
aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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stainless
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| adj.无瑕疵的，不锈的 | |
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40
adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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41
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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42
apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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43
spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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44
deign
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| v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事) | |
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45
condescending
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| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
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46
retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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47
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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48
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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49
teaspoon
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| n.茶匙 | |
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50
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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51
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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52
toad
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| n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆 | |
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53
unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 | |
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54
obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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55
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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56
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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57
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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58
raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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59
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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60
well-being
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| n.安康，安乐，幸福 | |
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61
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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62
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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