My dear papa,
I hope you are quite well. i am quite well. Rubens is here and he is quite well. We dont no how he got here but i am verry glad. Ant Maria said well he cant1 be sent back now so he sleeps on my bed and i like London it is a kweer place the houses are very big and i like my cussens pretty well they are all gals2 their nozes are very big i like Polly.
Nurse is quite well so good-bye.
i am your very loving son,
Reginald Dacre.
Though I cannot defend the spelling of the above document, I must say that it does not leave much to be added to the portrait of my cousins. But it will be more polite to introduce them separately, as they were presented to me.
I heard them, by the bye, before I saw them. It was whilst I was dressing3, the morning after my arrival, that I heard sounds in the room below,[32] which were interpreted by Nurse as being "Miss Maria doing her music." The peculiarity5 of Miss Maria's music was that after a scramble6 over the notes, suggestive of some one running to get impetus7 for a jump, and when the ear waited impatiently for the consummation, Miss Maria baulked her leap, so to speak, and got no farther, and began the scramble again, and stuck once more, and so on. And as, whilst finding the running passage quite too much for one hand, she struggled on with a different phrase in the other hand at the same time, instead of practising the two hands separately, her chances of final success seemed remote indeed. Then I heard the performance in peculiar4 circumstances. Nurse Bundle had opened my window, and about two minutes after my cousin commenced her practice, an organ-grinder in the street below began his. The subject of poor Maria's piece knew no completion, as she stuck halfway8; but the organ-grinder's melodies only stopped for a touch to the mechanism9, and Black-Eyed Susan passed into the Old Hundredth, awkwardly, but with hardly a perceptible pause. The effect of the joint10 performance was at first ludicrous, and by degrees maddening, especially when we had come to the Old Hundredth, which was so familiar in connection with the words of the Psalm11.
"Three and four and—" began poor Maria afresh, with desperate resolution; and then off she went up the key-board; "one and two and three and four and, one and two and three and four and—"
"—joy—His—courts—un—to," ground the organ in the inevitable12 pause. And then my cousin took courage and made another start[33]—"Three and four and one and two and," etc.; but at the old place the nasal notes of the other instrument evoked13 "al—ways," from my memory; and Maria pausing in despair, the Old Hundredth finished triumphantly14, "For—it—is—seemly—so—to—do."
At half-past eight Maria stopped abruptly15 in the middle of her run, and Nurse took me down to the school-room for breakfast.
The school-room was high and narrow, with a very old carpet, and a very old piano, some books, two globes, and a good deal of feminine rubbish in the way of old work-baskets, unfinished sewing, etc. There were two long windows, the lower halves of which were covered with paint. This mattered the less as the only view from them was of backyards, roofs, and chimneys. Living as I did, so much alone with my father, I was at first oppressed by the number of petticoats in the room—five girls of ages ranging from twelve to six, and a grown-up lady in a spare brown stuff dress and spectacles.
As we entered she came quickly forward and shook Nurse by the hand.
"How do you do, Mrs. Bundle? Very glad to see you again, Mrs. Bundle."
Nurse Bundle shook hands first, and curtsied afterwards.
"I'm very well, thank you, ma'am, and hope you're the same. Master Reginald Dacre, ma'am. This lady is Miss Blomfield, Master Reginald; and I hope you'll behave properly, and give the lady no trouble."
"I'm the governess, my dear," said Miss Blomfield, emphatically. (She always "made a point" of announcing her dependent position to strangers.[34] "It is best to avoid any awkwardness," she was wont16 to say; and I saw glances and smiles exchanged on this occasion between the girls.) Miss Blomfield was very kind to me. Indeed she was kind to every one. Her other peculiarities17 were conscientiousness18 and the fidgets, and tendencies to fine crochet19, calomel, and Calvinism, and an abiding20 quality of harassing21 and being harassed23, which I may here say is, I am convinced, a common and most unfortunate atmosphere of much of the process of education for girls of the upper and middle classes in England.
"Bless me, there's that dog!"
"Bless me, there's that dog!"
[35]
At this moment my aunt came in.
"Good morning, Miss Blomfield."
"Good morning, Mrs. Ascott," the governess hastily interposed. "I hope you're well this morning."
"Good morning, girls. Good morning, Nurse. How do you, Regie? All right this morning? Bless me, there's that dog! What an extraordinary affair it is! Mr. Ascott says he shall send it to the 'Gentleman's Magazine.' Well, he can't be sent back now, so I suppose he'll have to stop. And you must keep him out of mischief24, Regie. Remember, he's not to come into the drawing-room. Mrs. Bundle, will you see to that? Miss Blomfield, will you kindly25 speak to Signor Rigi when he comes to-morrow—"
"Certainly, Mrs. Ascott," interposed the governess.
"—about that piece of Maria's? She doesn't seem to get on with it a bit."
"No, Mrs. Ascott."
"And I'm sure she's been practising it for a long time."
"Yes, Mrs. Ascott."
"Mr. Ascott says it makes his hand quite unsteady when he's shaving in the morning, to hear her always break off at one place."
The lines of harass22 on Miss Blomfield's countenance26 deepened visibly, and her crochet-needle trembled in her hand, whilst a despondent27 stolidity28 settled on Maria's face.
"Certainly, Mrs. Ascott. I'm very glad you've spoken. Thank you for mentioning it, Mrs. Ascott. It has distressed31 me very greatly, and been a great trouble on my mind for some time. I spoke30 very seriously to Maria last Sabbath on the subject" (symptoms of sniffling on poor Maria's part). "I believe she wishes to do her duty, and I may say I am anxious to do mine, in my position. Of course, Mrs. Ascott, I know you've a right to expect an improvement, and I shall be most happy to rise half an hour earlier, so as to give her a longer practice than the other young ladies, and only consider it my duty as your governess, Mrs. Ascott. I've felt it a great trouble, for I cannot imagine how it is that Maria does not improve in her music as Jane does, and I give them equal attention exactly; and what makes it more singular still is that Maria is very good at her sums—I have no fault to find whatever. But I regret to say it is not the case with Jane. I told her on Wednesday that I did not wish to make any complaint; but I feel it a duty, Mrs. Ascott, to let you know that her marks for arithmetic are not what you have a right to expect."
Here Miss Blomfield paused and wiped her eyes. Not that she was weeping, but over and above her short-sightedness she was troubled with a dimness of vision, which afflicted32 her more at some times than others. As she was in the habit of endeavour[36]ing to counteract33 the evils of a too constantly laborious34 and sedentary life, and of an anxious and desponding temperament35, by large doses of calomel, her malady36 increased with painfully rapid strides. On this particular morning she had been busy since five o'clock, and neither she nor the girls (who rose at six) had had anything to eat, and they were all somewhat faint for want of a breakfast which was cooling on the table. Meanwhile a "humming in the head," to which she was subject, rendered Maria mercifully indifferent to the proposal to add an extra half-hour to her distasteful labours; and Miss Blomfield corrugated37 her eyebrows38, and was conscientiously39 distressed and really puzzled that Mother Nature should give different gifts to her children, when their mother and teachers according to the flesh were so particular to afford them an equality of "advantages."
"Signor Rigi told me that Maria has not got so good an ear as Jane," said Mrs. Ascott. "However, perhaps it will be well to let Maria practise half an hour, and Jane do half an hour at her arithmetic on Saturday afternoons."
"Certainly, Mrs. Ascott."
"And now," said my aunt, "I must introduce the girls to Reginald. This is Maria, your eldest40 cousin, and nearly double your age, for she is twelve. This is Jane, two years younger. This is Helen; she is nine, and as tall as Jane, you see. This is Harriet, eight. And this is Mary—Polly, as papa calls her—and she is nineteen months younger than you, and a terrible tomboy already; so don't make her worse. This is your cousin, girls, Reginald Dacre. You must amuse him among you, and don't tease him, for he is not used to children."[37]
We "shook hands" all round, and I liked Polly's hand the best. It was least froggy, cold, and spiritless.
Then Mrs. Ascott departed, and Maria (overpowered by the humming) "flopped41" into her chair after a fashion that would certainly have drawn42 a rebuke43 from Miss Blomfield if an access of eye-dimness had not carried her to her own seat with little more grace.
Uncle Ascott had a large nose, and my cousins were the image of him and of each other. They were plain, lady-like, rather bouncing girls, with aquiline44 noses, voices with a family twang that was slightly nasal, long feet terribly given to chilblains, and long fingers, with which they all by turns practised the same exercises on the old piano on successive mornings before breakfast. When we became more intimate, I used to keep watch on the clock for the benefit of the one who was practising. At half-past eight she was released, and shutting up the book with a bang would scamper45 off, in summer to stretch herself, and in winter to warm her hands and toes. I used to watch their fingers with childish awe46, wondering how such thin pieces of flesh and bone hit such hard blows to the notes without cracking, and being also somewhat puzzled by the run of good luck which seemed to direct their weak and random-looking skips and jumps to the keys at which they were aimed. I have seen them in tears over their "music," as it was called, but they were generally persevering47, and in winter (so I afterwards discovered) invariably blue.
It was not till we had finished breakfast that Miss Blomfield became fairly conscious of the presence of Rubens, and when she did so her alarm was very great.[38]
Considering what she suffered from her own proper and peculiar worries, it seemed melancholy48 to have to add to her burdens the hourly expectation of an outbreak of hydrophobia.
In vain I testified to the sweetness of Rubens' temper. It is undeniable that dogs do sometimes bite when you least expect it, and that some bites end in hydrophobia; and it was long before Miss Blomfield became reconciled to this new inmate49 of the school-room.
The girls, on the contrary, were delighted with my dog; and it was on this ground that we became friendly. My particular affection for Polly was also probably due to the discovery that with an incomparably stolid29 expression of countenance she was passing highly buttered pieces of bread under the table to Rubens at breakfast.
Polly was my chief companion. The other girls were good-natured, but they were constantly occupied in the school-room, and hours that were not nominally50 "lesson time" were given to preparing tasks for the next day. By a great and very unusual concession51, Polly's lessons were shortened that she might bear me company. For the day or two before this was decided52 on I had been very lonely, and Cousin Polly's holiday brought much satisfaction both to me and to her; but it filled poor Miss Blomfield's mind with disquietude, scruples53, and misgivings54.
In the middle of the square where my uncle and aunt lived there was a garden, with trees, and grass, and gravel-walks; and here Polly and I played at hide and seek, and ran races, and chased each other and Rubens.
The garden was free to all dwellers55 in the square, and several other children besides ourselves were[39] wont to play there. One day as I was strolling about, a little boy whom I had not seen before came down the walk and crossed the grass. He seemed to be a year or two older than myself, and caught my eye immediately by his remarkable56 beauty, and by the depth of the mourning which he wore. His features were exquisitely57 cut, and, in a child, one was not disposed to complain of their effeminacy. His long fair hair was combed—in royal fashion—down his back, a style at that time most unusual; his tightly-fitting jacket and breeches were black, bordered with deep crape; not even a white collar relieved his sombre attire58, from which his fair face shone out doubly fair by contrast.
"Polly! Polly!" I cried, running to find my companion and guide, "who is that beautiful boy in black?"
"That's little Sir Lionel Damer," said Polly. "Good-morning, Leo!" and she nodded as he passed.
The boy just touched his hat, bent59 his head with a melancholy and yet half-comical dignity, and walked on.
"Who's he in mourning for?" I asked.
"His father and mother," said Polly. "They were drowned together, and now he is Sir Lionel."
I looked after him with sudden and intense sympathy. His mother and his father too! This indeed was sorrow deeper than mine. Surely his mother, like mine, must have been fair and beautiful, so much beauty and fairness had descended60 to him.
"Has he any sisters, Polly?" I asked.
Polly shook her head. "I don't think he has anybody," said she.
Then he also was an only son!
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1
cant
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| n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔 | |
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gals
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| abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 ) | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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4
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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5
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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6
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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7
impetus
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| n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力 | |
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8
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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9
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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10
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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psalm
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| n.赞美诗，圣诗 | |
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12
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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13
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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14
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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16
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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17
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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18
conscientiousness
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| 责任心 | |
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19
crochet
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| n.钩针织物；v.用钩针编制 | |
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20
abiding
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| adj.永久的，持久的，不变的 | |
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21
harassing
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| v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人） | |
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22
harass
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| vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰 | |
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23
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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24
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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25
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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26
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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27
despondent
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| adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的 | |
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28
stolidity
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| n.迟钝，感觉麻木 | |
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29
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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30
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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31
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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32
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
counteract
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| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
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34
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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35
temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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36
malady
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| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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37
corrugated
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| adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词) | |
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38
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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39
conscientiously
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| adv.凭良心地；认真地，负责尽职地；老老实实 | |
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40
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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41
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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42
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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43
rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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44
aquiline
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| adj.钩状的，鹰的 | |
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45
scamper
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| v.奔跑，快跑 | |
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46
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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47
persevering
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| a.坚忍不拔的 | |
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48
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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49
inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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50
nominally
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| 在名义上，表面地； 应名儿 | |
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51
concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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52
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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53
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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54
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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55
dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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56
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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57
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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58
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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59
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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60
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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