Miss Pritty was a good soul, but weak. She was Edgar Berrington’s maiden1 aunt—of an uncertain age—on the mother’s side. Her chief characteristic was delicacy2—delicacy of health, delicacy of sentiment, delicacy of intellect—general delicacy, in fact, all over. She was slight too—slightly made, slightly educated, slightly pretty, and slightly cracked. But there were a few things in regard to which Miss Laura Pritty was strong. She was strong in her affections, strong in her reverence3 for all good things (including a few bad things which in her innocence4 she thought good), strong in her prejudices and impulses, and strong—remarkably strong—in parentheses5. Her speech was eminently6 parenthetical, insomuch that the range of her ideas was wholly untrammelled by the proprieties7 of subject or language. Given a point to be aimed at in conversation, Miss Pritty never aimed at it. She invariably began with it, and, parting finally from it at the outset, diverged8 to any or every other point in nature. Perplexity, as a matter of course, was the usual result both in speaker and hearer, but then that mattered little, for Miss Pritty was also strong in easy-going good-nature.
On the evening in which we introduce her, Miss Pritty was going to have her dear and intimate friend Aileen Hazlit to tea, and she laid out her little tea-table with as much care as an engineer might have taken in drawing a mathematical problem. The teapot was placed in the exact centre of the tray, with its spout9 and handle pointing so that a line drawn10 through them would have been parallel to the sides of her little “boudoir.” The urn11 stood exactly behind it. The sugar-basin formed, on one side of the tray, a pendant to the cream-jug on the other, and inasmuch as the cream-jug was small, a toast-rack was coupled with it to constitute the necessary balance. So, too, with the cups: they were placed equidistant from the teapot, the sides of the tray, and each other, while a salver of cake on one side of the table was scrupulously12 balanced by a plate of buns on the other side.
“There she is—the darling!” exclaimed Miss Pritty, with a little skip and (excuse the word) a giggle13 as the bell rang.
“Miss Aileen Hazlit,” announced Miss Pritty’s small and only domestic, who flung wide open the door of the boudoir, as its owner was fond of styling it.
Whereupon there entered “an angel in blue, with a straw hat and ostrich14 feather.”
We quote from the last, almost dying, speech of a hopeless youth in the town—a lawyer’s clerk—whose heart was stamped over so completely with the word “Aileen” that it was unrecognisable, and practically useless for any purpose except beating—which it did, hard, at all times.
Aileen was beautiful beyond compare, because, in her case, extreme beauty of face and feature was coupled with rare beauty of expression, indicating fine qualities of mind. She was quiet in demeanour, grave in speech, serious and very earnest in thought, enthusiastic in action, unconscious and unselfish.
“Pooh! Perfection!” I hear some lady reader ejaculate.
No, fair one, not quite that, but as near it as was compatible with humanity. Happily there are many such in the world—some with more and some with less of the external beauty—and man is blessed and the world upheld by them.
The chief bond that bound Aileen and Miss Pritty together was a text of Scripture15, “Consider the poor.” The latter had strong sympathy with the poor, being herself one of the number. The former, being rich in faith as well as in means, “considered” them. The two laid their heads together and concerted plans for the “raising of the masses,” which might have been food for study to some statesmen. For instance, they fed the hungry and clothed the naked; they encouraged the well-disposed and reproved the evil; they “scattered seeds of kindness” wherever they went; they sowed the precious Word of God in all kinds of ground—good and bad; they comforted the sorrowing; they visited the sick and the prisoner; they refused to help, or, in any way to encourage, the idle; they handed the obstreperous16 and violent over to the police, with the hope—if not the recommendation—that the rod should not be spared; and in all cases they prayed for them. The results were considerable, but, not being ostentatiously trumpeted17, were not always recognised or traced to their true cause.
“Come away, darling,” exclaimed Miss Pritty, eagerly embracing and kissing her friend, who accepted, but did not return, the embrace, though she did the kiss. “I thought you were not coming at all, and I have not seen you for a whole week! What has kept you? There, put off your hat. I’m so glad to see you, dear Aileen. Isn’t it strange that I’m so fond of you? They say that people who are contrasts generally draw together—at least I’ve often heard Mrs Boxer18, the wife of Captain Boxer, you know, of the navy, who used to swear so dreadfully before he was married, but, I am happy to say, has quite given it up now, which says a great deal for wedded19 life, though it’s a state that I don’t quite believe in myself, for if Adam had never married Eve he would not have been tempted20 to eat the forbidden fruit, and so there would have been no sin and no sorrow or poverty—no poor! Only think of that.”
“So that our chief occupation would have been gone,” said Aileen, with a slight twinkle of her lustrous21 blue eyes, “and perhaps you and I might never have met.”
Miss Pritty replied to this something very much to the effect that she would have preferred the entrance of sin and all its consequences—poverty included—into the world, rather than have missed making the friendship of Miss Hazlit. At least her words might have borne that interpretation—or any other!
“My father detained me,” said Aileen, seating herself at the table, while her volatile22 friend put lumps of sugar into the cups, with a tender yet sprightly23 motion of the hand, as if she were doing the cups a special kindness—as indeed she was, when preparing one of them to touch the lips of Aileen.
“Naughty man, why did he detain you?” said Miss Pritty.
“Only to write one or two notes, his right hand being disabled at present by rheumatism24.”
“A gentleman, Miss, in the dinin’-room,” said the small domestic, suddenly opening a chink of the door for the admission of her somewhat dishevelled head. “He won’t send his name up—says he wants to see you.”
“How vexing25!” exclaimed Miss Pritty, “but I’ll go down. I’m determined26 that he shan’t interrupt our tête-à-tête.”
Miss Pritty uttered a little scream of surprise on entering the dining-room.
“Well, aunt,” said Edgar Berrington, with a hearty27 smile, as he extended his hand, “you are surprised to see me?”
“Of course I am, dear Eddy28,” cried Miss Pritty, holding up her cheek for a kiss. “Sit down. Why, you were in London when I last heard of you.”
“True, but I’m not in London now, as you see. I’ve been a week here.”
“A week, Eddy! And you did not come to see me till now?”
“Well, I ought to apologise,” replied the youth, with a slight look of confusion, “but—the fact is, I came down partly on business, and—and—so you see I’ve been very busy.”
“Of course,” laughed Miss Pritty; “people who have business to do are usually very busy! Well, I forgive you, and am glad to see you—but—”
“Well, aunt—but what?”
“In short, Eddy, I happen to be particularly engaged this evening—on business, too, like yourself; but, after all, why should I not introduce you to my friend? You might help us in our discussion—it is to be about the poor. Do you know much about the poor and their miseries29?”
Edgar smiled sadly as he replied—
“Yes, I have had some experimental knowledge of the poor—being one of them myself, and my poverty too has made me inconceivably miserable30.”
“Come, Eddy, don’t talk nonsense. You know I mean the very poor, the destitute31. But let us go up-stairs and have a cup of tea.”
The idea of discussing the condition of the poor over a cup of tea with two ladies was not attractive to our hero in his then state of mind, and he was beginning to excuse himself when his aunt stopped him:—
“Now, don’t say you can’t, or won’t, for you must. And I shall introduce you to a very pretty girl—oh! such a pretty one—you’ve no idea—and so sweet!”
Miss Pritty spoke32 impressively and with enthusiasm, but as the youth knew himself to be already acquainted with and beloved by the prettiest girl in the town he was not so much impressed as he might have been. However, being a good-natured fellow, he was easily persuaded.
All the way up-stairs, and while they were entering the boudoir, little Miss Pritty’s tongue never ceased to vibrate, but when she observed her nephew gazing in surprise at her friend, whose usually calm and self-possessed face was covered with confusion, she stopped suddenly.
“Good-evening, Miss Hazlit,” said Edgar, recovering himself, and holding out his hand as he advanced towards her; “I did not anticipate the pleasure of meeting you here.”
“Then you are acquainted already!” exclaimed Miss Pritty, looking as much amazed as if the accident of two young people being acquainted without her knowledge were something tantamount to a miracle.
“Yes, I have met Mr Berrington at my father’s several times,” said Aileen, resuming her seat, and bestowing33 a minute examination on the corner of her handkerchief.
If Aileen had added that she had met Mr Berrington every evening for a week past at her father’s, had there renewed the acquaintance begun in London a year before, and had been wooed and won by him before his stern repulse34 by her father, she would have said nothing beyond the bare truth; but she thought, no doubt, that it was not necessary to add all that.
“Well, well, what strange things do happen!” said Miss Pritty, resuming her duties at the tea-table. “Sugar, Eddy? And cream?—Only to think that Aileen and I have known each other so well, and she did not know that you were my nephew; but after all it could not well be otherwise, for now I think of it, I never mentioned your name to her. Out of sight, out of mind, Eddy, you know, and indeed you don’t deserve to be remembered. If we all had our deserts, some people that I know of would be in a very different position from what they are, and some people wouldn’t be at all.”
“Why, aunt,” said Edgar, laughing. “Would you—”
“Some more cake, Eddy?”
“No, thank you. I was going to say—”
“Have you enough cream? Allow me to—”
“Quite enough, thanks. I was about to remark—”
“Some sugar, Aileen?—I beg your pardon—yes—you were about to say—”
“Oh! Nothing,” replied Edgar, half exasperated35 by these frequent interruptions, but laughing in spite of himself, “only I’m surprised that sentence of annihilation should be passed on ‘some people’ by one so amiable36 as you are.”
“Oh! I didn’t exactly mean annihilation,” returned Miss Pritty, with a pitiful smile; “I only mean that I wouldn’t have had them come into existence, they seem to be so utterly37 useless in the world, and so interfering38, too, with those who want to be useful.”
“Surely that quality, or capacity of interference, proves them to be not utterly useless,” said Edgar, “for does it not give occasion for the exercise of patience and forbearance?”
“Ah!” replied Miss Pritty, with an arch smile, shaking her finger at her nephew, “you are a fallacious reasoner. Do you know what that means? I can’t help laughing still at the trouble I used to have in trying to find out the meaning of that word fallacious, when I was at Miss Dullandoor’s seminary for young ladies—hi! Hi! Some of us were excessively young ladies, and we were taught everything by rote39, explanations of meanings of anything being quite ignored by Miss Dullandoor. Do you remember her sister? Oh! I’m so stupid to forget that it’s exactly thirty years to-day since she died, and you can’t be quite that age yet; besides, even if you were, it would require that you should have seen, and recognised, and remembered her on her deathbed about the time of your own birth. Oh! She was so funny, both in face and figure. One of the older girls made a portrait of her for me which I have yet. I’ll go fetch it; the expression is irresistible—it is killing40. Excuse me a minute.”
Miss Pritty rose and tripped—she never walked—from the room. During much of the previous conversation our hero had been sorely perplexed41 in his mind as to his duty in present circumstances. Having been forbidden to hold any intercourse42 with Aileen, he questioned the propriety43 of his remaining to spend the evening with her, and had made up his mind to rise and tear himself away when this unlooked-for opportunity for a tête-à-tête occurred. Being a man of quick wit and strong will, he did not neglect it. Turning suddenly to the fair girl, he said, in a voice low and measured—
“Aileen, your father commanded me to have no further intercourse with you, and he made me aware that he had laid a similar injunction on yourself. I know full well your true-hearted loyalty44 to him, and do not intend to induce you to disobey. I ask you to make no reply to what I say that is not consistent with your promise to your father. For myself, common courtesy tells me that I may not leave your presence for a distant land without saying at least good-bye. Nay45, more, I feel that I break no command in making to you a simple deliberate statement.”
Edgar paused for a moment, for, in spite of the powerful restraint put on himself, and the intended sedateness46 of his words, his feelings were almost too strong for him.
“Aileen,” he resumed, “I may never see you again. Your father intends that I shall not. Your looks seem to say that you fear as much. Now, my heart tells me that I shall; but, whatever betide, or wherever I go, let me assure you that I will continue to love you with unalterable fidelity47. More than this I shall not say, less I could not. You said that these New Testaments”—pointing to a pile of four or five which lay on the table—“are meant to be given to poor men. I am a poor man: will you give me one?”
“Willingly,” said Aileen, taking one from the pile.
She handed it to her lover without a single word, but with a tender anxious look that went straight to his heart, and took up its lodging48 there—to abide49 for ever!
The youth grasped the book and the hand at once, and, stooping, pressed the latter fervently50 to his lips.
At that moment Miss Pritty was heard tripping along the passage.
Edgar sprang to intercept51 her, and closed the door of the boudoir behind him.
“Why, Edgar, you seem in haste!”
“I am, dear aunt; circumstances require that I should be. Come down-stairs with me. I have stayed too long already. I am going abroad, and may not spend more time with you this evening.”
“Going abroad!” exclaimed Miss Pritty, in breathless surprise, “where?”
“I don’t know. To China, Japan, New Zealand, the North Pole—anywhere. In fact, I’ve not quite fixed52. Good-bye, dear aunt. Sorry to have seen so little of you. Good-bye.”
He stooped, printed a gentle kiss between Miss Pritty’s wondering eyes, and vanished.
“A most remarkable53 boy,” said the disconcerted lady, resuming her seat at the tea-table—“so impulsive54 and volatile. But he’s a dear good boy nevertheless—was so kind to his mother while she was alive, and ran away from school when quite young—and no wonder, for it was a dreadful school, where they used to torture the boys,—absolutely tortured them. The head-master and ushers55 were tried for it afterwards, I’m told. At all events; Eddy ran away from it after pulling the master’s nose and kicking the head usher—so it is said, though I cannot believe it, he is usually so gentle and courteous56.—Do have a little more tea. No? A piece of bun? No? Why, you seem quite flushed, my love. Not unwell, I trust? No? Well, then, let us proceed to business.”
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1
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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parentheses
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| n.圆括号，插入语，插曲（ parenthesis的名词复数 ） | |
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eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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proprieties
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| n.礼仪，礼节；礼貌( propriety的名词复数 )；规矩；正当；合适 | |
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diverged
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| 分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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urn
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| n.（有座脚的）瓮；坟墓；骨灰瓮 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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13
giggle
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| n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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ostrich
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| n.鸵鸟 | |
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scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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obstreperous
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| adj.喧闹的，不守秩序的 | |
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trumpeted
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| 大声说出或宣告（trumpet的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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boxer
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| n.制箱者，拳击手 | |
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wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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volatile
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| adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质 | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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vexing
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| adj.使人烦恼的，使人恼火的v.使烦恼( vex的现在分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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eddy
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| n.漩涡，涡流 | |
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miseries
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| n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 )；痛苦的事；穷困；常发牢骚的人 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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rote
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| n.死记硬背，生搬硬套 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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41
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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44
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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sedateness
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| n.安详，镇静 | |
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47
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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48
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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49
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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50
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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51
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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52
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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53
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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54
impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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ushers
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| n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 ) | |
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56
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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