Two days afterward1, Ann Eliza noticed that Evelina, beforethey sat down to supper, pinned a crimson2 bow under her collar; andwhen the meal was finished the younger sister, who seldom concernedherself with the clearing of the table, set about with nervoushaste to help Ann Eliza in the removal of the dishes.
"I hate to see food mussing about," she grumbled3. "Ain't ithateful having to do everything in one room?""Oh, Evelina, I've always thought we was so comfortable," AnnEliza protested.
"Well, so we are, comfortable enough; but I don't supposethere's any harm in my saying I wisht we had a parlour, is there?
Anyway, we might manage to buy a screen to hide the bed."Ann Eliza coloured. There was something vaguely4 embarrassingin Evelina's suggestion.
"I always think if we ask for more what we have may be takenfrom us," she ventured.
"Well, whoever took it wouldn't get much," Evelina retortedwith a laugh as she swept up the table-cloth.
A few moments later the back room was in its usual flawlessorder and the two sisters had seated themselves near the lamp. AnnEliza had taken up her sewing, and Evelina was preparing to makeartificial flowers. The sisters usually relegated5 thismore delicate business to the long leisure of the summer months;but to-night Evelina had brought out the box which lay all winterunder the bed, and spread before her a bright array of muslinpetals, yellow stamens and green corollas, and a tray of littleimplements curiously7 suggestive of the dental art. Ann Eliza madeno remark on this unusual proceeding8; perhaps she guessed why, forthat evening her sister had chosen a graceful9 task.
Presently a knock on the outer door made them look up; butEvelina, the first on her feet, said promptly10: "Sit still. I'llsee who it is."Ann Eliza was glad to sit still: the baby's petticoat that shewas stitching shook in her fingers.
"Sister, here's Mr. Ramy come to look at the clock," saidEvelina, a moment later, in the high drawl she cultivated beforestrangers; and a shortish man with a pale bearded face and upturnedcoat-collar came stiffly into the room.
Ann Eliza let her work fall as she stood up. "You're verywelcome, I'm sure, Mr. Ramy. It's real kind of you to call.""Nod ad all, ma'am." A tendency to illustrate11 Grimm's law inthe interchange of his consonants12 betrayed the clockmaker'snationality, but he was evidently used to speaking English, or atleast the particular branch of the vernacular13 with which the Bunnersisters were familiar. "I don't like to led any clock go out of mystore without being sure it gives satisfaction," he added.
"Oh--but we were satisfied," Ann Eliza assured him.
"But I wasn't, you see, ma'am," said Mr. Ramy looking slowlyabout the room, "nor I won't be, not till I see that clock's goingall right.""May I assist you off with your coat, Mr. Ramy?" Evelinainterposed. She could never trust Ann Eliza to remember theseopening ceremonies.
"Thank you, ma'am," he replied, and taking his thread-bareover-coat and shabby hat she laid them on a chair with the gestureshe imagined the lady with the puffed14 sleeves might make use of onsimilar occasions. Ann Eliza's social sense was roused, and shefelt that the next act of hospitality must be hers. "Won't yousuit yourself to a seat?" she suggested. "My sister will reachdown the clock; but I'm sure she's all right again. She's wentbeautiful ever since you fixed15 her.""Dat's good," said Mr. Ramy. His lips parted in a smile whichshowed a row of yellowish teeth with one or two gaps in it; but inspite of this disclosure Ann Eliza thought his smile extremelypleasant: there was something wistful and conciliating in it whichagreed with the pathos16 of his sunken cheeks and prominent eyes. Ashe took the lamp, the light fell on his bulging17 forehead and wideskull thinly covered with grayish hair. His hands were pale andbroad, with knotty18 joints19 and square finger-tips rimmed20 with grime;but his touch was as light as a woman's.
"Well, ladies, dat clock's all right," he pronounced.
"I'm sure we're very much obliged to you," said Evelina,throwing a glance at her sister.
"Oh," Ann Eliza murmured, involuntarily answering theadmonition. She selected a key from the bunch that hung at herwaist with her cutting-out scissors, and fitting it into the lockof the cupboard, brought out the cherry brandy and three old-fashioned glasses engraved21 with vine-wreaths.
"It's a very cold night," she said, "and maybe you'd like asip of this cordial. It was made a great while ago by ourgrandmother.""It looks fine," said Mr. Ramy bowing, and Ann Eliza filledthe glasses. In her own and Evelina's she poured only a few drops,but she filled their guest's to the brim. "My sister and I seldomtake wine," she explained.
With another bow, which included both his hostesses, Mr. Ramydrank off the cherry brandy and pronounced it excellent.
Evelina meanwhile, with an assumption of industry intended toput their guest at ease, had taken up her instruments and wastwisting a rose-petal6 into shape.
"You make artificial flowers, I see, ma'am," said Mr. Ramywith interest. "It's very pretty work. I had a lady-vriend inShermany dat used to make flowers." He put out a square finger-tipto touch the petal.
Evelina blushed a little. "You left Germany long ago, Isuppose?""Dear me yes, a goot while ago. I was only ninedeen when Icome to the States."After this the conversation dragged on intermittently22 till Mr.
Ramy, peering about the room with the short-sighted glance of hisrace, said with an air of interest: "You're pleasantly fixed here;it looks real cosy23." The note of wistfulness in his voice wasobscurely moving to Ann Eliza.
"Oh, we live very plainly," said Evelina, with an affectationof grandeur24 deeply impressive to her sister. "We have very simpletastes.""You look real comfortable, anyhow," said Mr. Ramy. Hisbulging eyes seemed to muster25 the details of the scene with agentle envy. "I wisht I had as good a store; but I guess no blaceseems home-like when you're always alone in it."For some minutes longer the conversation moved on at thisdesultory pace, and then Mr. Ramy, who had been obviously nervinghimself for the difficult act of departure, took his leave with anabruptness which would have startled anyone used to the subtlergradations of intercourse27. But to Ann Eliza and her sister therewas nothing surprising in his abrupt26 retreat. The long-drawnagonies of preparing to leave, and the subsequent dumb plungethrough the door, were so usual in their circle that they wouldhave been as much embarrassed as Mr. Ramy if he had tried to putany fluency28 into his adieux.
After he had left both sisters remained silent for a while;then Evelina, laying aside her unfinished flower, said: "I'll goand lock up."
收听单词发音 |
1
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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3
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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4
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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relegated
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| v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类 | |
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petal
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| n.花瓣 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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8
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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9
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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illustrate
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| v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图 | |
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12
consonants
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| n.辅音，子音( consonant的名词复数 )；辅音字母 | |
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13
vernacular
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| adj.地方的，用地方语写成的；n.白话；行话；本国语；动植物的俗名 | |
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14
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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15
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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17
bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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18
knotty
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| adj.有结的，多节的，多瘤的，棘手的 | |
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19
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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rimmed
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| adj.有边缘的，有框的v.沿…边缘滚动；给…镶边 | |
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21
engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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22
intermittently
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| adv.间歇地；断断续续 | |
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23
cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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25
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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26
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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27
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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28
fluency
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| n.流畅，雄辩，善辩 | |
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