THE Lake at last--a sheet of shining metal brooded overby drooping1 trees. Charity and Harney had secured aboat and, getting away from the wharves2 and therefreshment-booths, they drifted idly along, huggingthe shadow of the shore. Where the sun struck thewater its shafts3 flamed back blindingly at the heat-veiled sky; and the least shade was black by contrast.
The Lake was so smooth that the reflection of the treeson its edge seemed enamelled on a solid surface; butgradually, as the sun declined, the water grewtransparent, and Charity, leaning over, plunged4 herfascinated gaze into depths so clear that she saw theinverted tree-tops interwoven with the green growths ofthe bottom.
They rounded a point at the farther end of the Lake,and entering an inlet pushed their bow against aprotruding tree-trunk. A green veil of willowsoverhung them. Beyond the trees, wheat-fields sparkledin the sun; and all along the horizon the clearhills throbbed5 with light. Charity leaned back in thestern, and Harney unshipped the oars6 and lay in thebottom of the boat without speaking.
Ever since their meeting at the Creston pool he hadbeen subject to these brooding silences, which were asdifferent as possible from the pauses when they ceasedto speak because words were needless. At such timeshis face wore the expression she had seen on it whenshe had looked in at him from the darkness and againthere came over her a sense of the mysterious distancebetween them; but usually his fits of abstraction werefollowed by bursts of gaiety that chased away theshadow before it chilled her.
She was still thinking of the ten dollars he had handedto the driver of the run-about. It had given themtwenty minutes of pleasure, and it seemed unimaginablethat anyone should be able to buy amusement at thatrate. With ten dollars he might have bought her anengagement ring; she knew that Mrs. Tom Fry's, whichcame from Springfield, and had a diamond in it, hadcost only eight seventy-five. But she did not know whythe thought had occurred to her. Harney would neverbuy her an engagement ring: they were friends andcomrades, but no more. He had been perfectly7 fair toher: he had never said a word to mislead her. Shewondered what the girl was like whose hand was waitingfor his ring....
Boats were beginning to thicken on the Lake and theclang of incessantly8 arriving trolleys10 announced thereturn of the crowds from the ball-field. The shadowslengthened across the pearl-grey water and two whiteclouds near the sun were turning golden. On theopposite shore men were hammering hastily at a woodenscaffolding in a field. Charity asked what it was for.
"Why, the fireworks. I suppose there'll be a bigshow." Harney looked at her and a smile crept into hismoody eyes. "Have you never seen any good fireworks?""Miss Hatchard always sends up lovely rockets on theFourth," she answered doubtfully.
"Oh----" his contempt was unbounded. "I mean a bigperformance like this, illuminated11 boats, and all therest."She flushed at the picture. "Do they send them up fromthe Lake, too?""Rather. Didn't you notice that big raft wepassed? It's wonderful to see the rocketscompleting their orbits down under one's feet." Shesaid nothing, and he put the oars into the rowlocks.
"If we stay we'd better go and pick up something toeat.""But how can we get back afterwards?" she ventured,feeling it would break her heart if she missed it.
He consulted a time-table, found a ten o'clock trainand reassured12 her. "The moon rises so late that itwill be dark by eight, and we'll have over an hour ofit."Twilight13 fell, and lights began to show along theshore. The trolleys roaring out from Nettleton becamegreat luminous14 serpents coiling in and out among thetrees. The wooden eating-houses at the Lake's edgedanced with lanterns, and the dusk echoed with laughterand shouts and the clumsy splashing of oars.
Harney and Charity had found a table in the corner of abalcony built over the Lake, and were patientlyawaiting an unattainable chowder. Close under them thewater lapped the piles, agitated15 by the evolutions of alittle white steamboat trellised with coloured globeswhich was to run passengers up and down the Lake.
It was already black with them as it sheered off on itsfirst trip.
Suddenly Charity heard a woman's laugh behind her. Thesound was familiar, and she turned to look. A band ofshowily dressed girls and dapper young men wearingbadges of secret societies, with new straw hats tiltedfar back on their square-clipped hair, had invaded thebalcony and were loudly clamouring for a table. Thegirl in the lead was the one who had laughed. She worea large hat with a long white feather, and from underits brim her painted eyes looked at Charity with amusedrecognition.
"Say! if this ain't like Old Home Week," she remarkedto the girl at her elbow; and giggles16 and glancespassed between them. Charity knew at once that thegirl with the white feather was Julia Hawes. She hadlost her freshness, and the paint under her eyes madeher face seem thinner; but her lips had the same lovelycurve, and the same cold mocking smile, as if therewere some secret absurdity17 in the person she waslooking at, and she had instantly detected it.
Charity flushed to the forehead and looked away.
She felt herself humiliated18 by Julia's sneer19, andvexed that the mockery of such a creature should affecther. She trembled lest Harney should notice that thenoisy troop had recognized her; but they found no tablefree, and passed on tumultuously.
Presently there was a soft rush through the air and ashower of silver fell from the blue evening sky. Inanother direction, pale Roman candles shot up singlythrough the trees, and a fire-haired rocket swept thehorizon like a portent20. Between these intermittentflashes the velvet21 curtains of the darkness weredescending, and in the intervals23 of eclipse the voicesof the crowds seemed to sink to smothered24 murmurs26.
Charity and Harney, dispossessed by newcomers, were atlength obliged to give up their table and strugglethrough the throng28 about the boat-landings. For awhile there seemed no escape from the tide of latearrivals; but finally Harney secured the last twoplaces on the stand from which the more privileged wereto see the fireworks. The seats were at the end of arow, one above the other. Charity had taken off herhat to have an uninterrupted view; and whenever sheleaned back to follow the curve of somedishevelled rocket she could feel Harney's kneesagainst her head.
After a while the scattered29 fireworks ceased. A longerinterval of darkness followed, and then the whole nightbroke into flower. From every point of the horizon,gold and silver arches sprang up and crossed eachother, sky-orchards broke into blossom, shed theirflaming petals30 and hung their branches with goldenfruit; and all the while the air was filled with a softsupernatural hum, as though great birds were buildingtheir nests in those invisible tree-tops.
Now and then there came a lull31, and a wave of moonlightswept the Lake. In a flash it revealed hundreds ofboats, steel-dark against lustrous32 ripples33; then itwithdrew as if with a furling of vast translucentwings. Charity's heart throbbed with delight. It wasas if all the latent beauty of things had been unveiledto her. She could not imagine that the world heldanything more wonderful; but near her she heard someonesay, "You wait till you see the set piece," andinstantly her hopes took a fresh flight. At last, justas it was beginning to seem as though the whole arch ofthe sky were one great lid pressed against her dazzledeye-balls, and striking out of them continuousjets of jewelled light, the velvet darkness settleddown again, and a murmur25 of expectation ran through thecrowd.
"Now--now!" the same voice said excitedly; and Charity,grasping the hat on her knee, crushed it tight in theeffort to restrain her rapture34.
For a moment the night seemed to grow more impenetrablyblack; then a great picture stood out against it like aconstellation. It was surmounted35 by a golden scrollbearing the inscription36, "Washington crossing theDelaware," and across a flood of motionless goldenripples the National Hero passed, erect37, solemn andgigantic, standing38 with folded arms in the stern of aslowly moving golden boat.
A long "Oh-h-h" burst from the spectators: the standcreaked and shook with their blissful trepidations.
"Oh-h-h," Charity gasped40: she had forgotten where shewas, had at last forgotten even Harney's nearness. Sheseemed to have been caught up into the stars....
The picture vanished and darkness came down. In theobscurity she felt her head clasped by two hands: herface was drawn41 backward, and Harney's lips werepressed on hers. With sudden vehemence42 he wound hisarms about her, holding her head against his breastwhile she gave him back his kisses. An unknown Harneyhad revealed himself, a Harney who dominated her andyet over whom she felt herself possessed27 of a newmysterious power.
But the crowd was beginning to move, and he had torelease her. "Come," he said in a confused voice. Hescrambled over the side of the stand, and holding uphis arm caught her as she sprang to the ground. Hepassed his arm about her waist, steadying her againstthe descending22 rush of people; and she clung to him,speechless, exultant43, as if all the crowding andconfusion about them were a mere44 vain stirring of theair.
"Come," he repeated, "we must try to make the trolley9."He drew her along, and she followed, still in herdream. They walked as if they were one, so isolated45 inecstasy that the people jostling them on every sideseemed impalpable. But when they reached the terminusthe illuminated trolley was already clanging on itsway, its platforms black with passengers. The carswaiting behind it were as thickly packed; and thethrong about the terminus was so dense46 that itseemed hopeless to struggle for a place.
"Last trip up the Lake," a megaphone bellowed47 from thewharf; and the lights of the little steam-boat camedancing out of the darkness.
"No use waiting here; shall we run up the Lake?" Harneysuggested.
They pushed their way back to the edge of the waterjust as the gang-plank lowered from the white side ofthe boat. The electric light at the end of the wharfflashed full on the descending passengers, and amongthem Charity caught sight of Julia Hawes, her whitefeather askew48, and the face under it flushed withcoarse laughter. As she stepped from the gang-plankshe stopped short, her dark-ringed eyes darting49 malice50.
"Hullo, Charity Royall!" she called out; and then,looking back over her shoulder: "Didn't I tell you itwas a family party? Here's grandpa's little daughtercome to take him home!"A snigger ran through the group; and then, toweringabove them, and steadying himself by the hand-rail in adesperate effort at erectness51, Mr. Royall steppedstiffly ashore52. Like the young men of the party, hewore a secret society emblem53 in the buttonhole ofhis black frock-coat. His head was covered by a newPanama hat, and his narrow black tie, half undone,dangled down on his rumpled54 shirt-front. His face, alivid brown, with red blotches55 of anger and lips sunkenin like an old man's, was a lamentable56 ruin in thesearching glare.
He was just behind Julia Hawes, and had one hand on herarm; but as he left the gang-plank he freed himself,and moved a step or two away from his companions. Hehad seen Charity at once, and his glance passed slowlyfrom her to Harney, whose arm was still about her. Hestood staring at them, and trying to master the senilequiver of his lips; then he drew himself up with thetremulous majesty57 of drunkenness, and stretched out hisarm.
"You whore--you damn--bare-headed whore, you!" heenunciated slowly.
There was a scream of tipsy laughter from the party,and Charity involuntarily put her hands to her head.
She remembered that her hat had fallen from her lapwhen she jumped up to leave the stand; and suddenly shehad a vision of herself, hatless, dishevelled, with aman's arm about her, confronting that drunkencrew, headed by her guardian's pitiable figure. Thepicture filled her with shame. She had known sincechildhood about Mr. Royall's "habits": had seen him, asshe went up to bed, sitting morosely58 in his office, abottle at his elbow; or coming home, heavy andquarrelsome, from his business expeditions to Hepburnor Springfield; but the idea of his associating himselfpublicly with a band of disreputable girls and bar-roomloafers was new and dreadful to her.
"Oh----" she said in a gasp39 of misery59; and releasingherself from Harney's arm she went straight up to Mr.
Royall.
"You come home with me--you come right home with me,"she said in a low stern voice, as if she had not heardhis apostrophe; and one of the girls called out: "Say,how many fellers does she want?"There was another laugh, followed by a pause ofcuriosity, during which Mr. Royall continued to glareat Charity. At length his twitching60 lips parted. "Isaid, 'You--damn--whore!'" he repeated with precision,steadying himself on Julia's shoulder.
Laughs and jeers61 were beginning to spring up from thecircle of people beyond their group; and a voice calledout from the gangway: "Now, then, step livelythere--all ABOARD!" The pressure of approaching anddeparting passengers forced the actors in the rapidscene apart, and pushed them back into the throng.
Charity found herself clinging to Harney's arm andsobbing desperately62. Mr. Royall had disappeared, andin the distance she heard the receding63 sound of Julia'slaugh.
The boat, laden64 to the taffrail, was puffing65 away onher last trip.
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1
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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wharves
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| n.码头，停泊处( wharf的名词复数 ) | |
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shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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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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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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trolley
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| n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车 | |
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trolleys
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| n.（两轮或四轮的）手推车( trolley的名词复数 )；装有脚轮的小台车；电车 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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giggles
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| n.咯咯的笑( giggle的名词复数 )；傻笑；玩笑；the giggles 止不住的格格笑v.咯咯地笑( giggle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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portent
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| n.预兆；恶兆；怪事 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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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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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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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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41
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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42
vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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47
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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askew
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| adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的 | |
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49
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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50
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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51
erectness
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| n.直立 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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54
rumpled
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| v.弄皱，使凌乱( rumple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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blotches
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| n.（皮肤上的）红斑，疹块( blotch的名词复数 )；大滴 [大片]（墨水或颜色的）污渍 | |
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56
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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morosely
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| adv.愁眉苦脸地，忧郁地 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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60
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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jeers
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| n.操纵帆桁下部（使其上下的）索具；嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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63
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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64
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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