‘At Christmas, Miss Tomkinson sent out invitations for a party. Miss Caroline had once or twice apologised to me because such an event had not taken place before; but, as she said, “the avocations4 of their daily life prevented their having such little réunions except in the vacations.” And, sure enough, as soon as the holidays began, came the civil little note:
‘“The Misses Tomkinson request the pleasure of Mrs. Rose’s and Mr. Harrison’s company at tea, on the evening of Monday, the 23rd inst. Tea at five o’clock.”
‘Mrs. Rose’s spirit roused, like a war-horse at the sound of the trumpet5, at this. She was not of a repining disposition6, but I do think she believed the party-giving population of Duncombe had given up inviting7 her, as soon as she had determined8 to relent, and accept the invitations, in compliance9 with the late Mr. Rose’s wishes.
‘Such snippings of white love-ribbon as I found everywhere, making the carpet untidy! One day, too unluckily, a small box was brought to me by mistake. I did not look at the direction, for I never doubted it was some hyoscyamus which I was expecting from London; so I tore it open, and saw inside a piece of paper, with “No more grey hair,” in large letters, upon it. I folded it up in a hurry, and sealed it afresh, and gave it to Mrs. Rose; but I could not refrain from asking her, soon after, if she could recommend me anything to keep my hair from turning grey, adding that I thought prevention was better than cure. I think she made out the impression of my seal on the paper after that; for I learned that she had been crying, and that she talked about there being no sympathy left in the world for her since Mr. Rose’s death; and that she counted the days until she could rejoin him in the better world. I think she counted the days to Miss Tomkinson’s party, too; she talked so much about it.
‘The covers were taken off Miss Tomkinson’s chairs, and curtains, and sofas; and a great jar full of artificial flowers was placed in the centre of the table, which, as Miss Caroline told me, was all her doing, as she doted on the beautiful and artistic11 in life. Miss Tomkinson stood, erect12 as a grenadier, close to the door, receiving her friends, and heartily13 shaking them by the hands as they entered; she said she was truly glad to see them. And so she really was.
‘We had just finished tea, and Miss Caroline had brought out a little pack of conversation cards — sheaves of slips of cardboard, with intellectual or sentimental14 questions on one set, and equally intellectual and sentimental answers on the other; and, as the answers were fit to any and all the questions, you may think they were a characterless and “wersh” set of things. I had just been asked by Miss Caroline:
‘”Can you tell what those dearest to you think of you at this present time?“ and had answered:
‘”How can you expect me to reveal such a secret to the present company!“ when the servant announced that a gentleman, a friend of mine, wished to speak to me downstairs.
‘“Oh, show him up, Martha; show him up!” said Miss Tomkinson, in her hospitality.
‘“Any friend of our friend is welcome,” said Miss Caroline, in an insinuating15 tone.
‘I jumped up, however, thinking it might he some one on business; but I was so penned in by the spider-legged tables, stuck out on every side, that I could not make the haste I wished; and, before I could prevent it, Martha had shown up Jack16 Marshland, who was on his road home for a day or two at Christmas.
‘He came up in a hearty17 way, bowing to Miss Tomkinson, and explaining that he had found himself in my neighbourhood, and had come over to pass a night with me, and that my servant had directed him where I was.
‘His voice, loud at all times, sounded like Stentor’s in that little room, where we all spoke18 in a kind of purring way. He had no swell19 in his tones; they were forte20 from the beginning. At first it seemed like the days of my youth come back again, to hear full manly21 speaking; I felt proud of my friend, as he thanked Miss Tomkinson for her kindness in asking him to stay the evening. By-and-by he came up to me, and I dare say he thought he had lowered his voice, for he looked as if speaking confidentially22, while in fact the whole room might have heard him.
‘“Frank, my boy, when shall we have dinner at this good old lady’s? I’m deuced hungry.”
‘“Dinner! Why, we had had tea an hour ago.” While he yet spoke, Martha came in with a little tray on which was a single cup of coffee and three slices of wafer bread-and-butter. His dismay, and his evident submission23 to the decrees of Fate, tickled24 me so much, that I thought he should have a further taste of the life I led from month’s end to month’s end, and I gave up my plan of taking him home at once, and enjoyed the anticipation25 of the hearty laugh we should have together at the end of the evening. I was famously punished for my determination.
‘“Shall we continue our game?” asked Miss Caroline, who had never relinquished26 her sheaf of questions.
‘We went on questioning and answering, with little gain of information to either party.
‘“No such thing as heavy betting in this game, eh, Frank?” asked Jack, who had been watching us. “You don’t lose ten pounds at a sitting, I guess, as you used to do at Short’s . Playing for love, I suppose you call it?”
‘Miss Caroline simpered, and looked down. Jack was not thinking of her. He was thinking of the days we had had “at the Mermaid27.” Suddenly he said, “Where were you this day last year, Frank?”
‘“I don’t remember!” said I.
‘“Then I’ll tell you. It’s the 23rd the day you were taken up for knocking down the fellow in Long Acre, and that I had to bail28 you out ready for Christmas Day. You are in more agreeable quarters tonight.”
‘He did not intend this reminiscence to be heard, but was not in the least put out when Miss Tomkinson, with a face of dire10 surprise, asked:
‘“Mr. Harrison taken up, sir?”
‘“Oh, yes, ma’am; and you see it was so common an affair with him to be locked up that he can’t remember the dates of his different imprisonments.”
‘He laughed heartily; and so should I have done, but that I saw the impression it made. The thing was, in fact, simple enough, and capable of easy explanation. I had been made angry by seeing a great hulking fellow, out of mere29 wantonness, break the crutch30 from under a cripple; and I struck the man more violently than I intended, and down he went, yelling out for the police, and I had to go before the magistrate31 to be released. I disdained32 giving this explanation at the time. It was no business of theirs what I had been doing a year ago; but still Jack might have held his tongue. However, that unruly member of his was set a-going, and he told me afterwards he was resolved to let the old ladies into a little of life; and accordingly he remembered every practical joke we had ever had, and talked and laughed, and roared again. I tried to converse33 with Miss Caroline — Mrs. Munton — any one; but Jack was the hero of the evening, and everyone was listening to him.
‘“Then he has never sent any hoaxing34 letters since he came here, has he? Good boy! He has turned over a new leaf He was the deepest dog at that I ever met with. Such anonymous36 letters as he used to send! Do you remember that to Mrs. Walbrook, eh, Frank? That was too bad!” (the wretch37 was laughing all the time). “No; I won’t tell about it — don’t be afraid. Such a shameful38 hoax35!” (laughing again).
‘“Pray do tell,” I called out; for it made it seem far worse than it was.
‘“Oh no, no; you’ve established a better character — I would not for the world nip your budding efforts. We’ll bury the past in oblivion.”
‘I tried to tell my neighbours the story to which he alluded39; and they were attracted by the merriment of Jack’s manner, and did not care to hear the plain matter of fact.
‘Then came a pause; Jack was talking almost quietly to Miss Horsman. Suddenly he called across the room — “How many times have you been out with the hounds? The hedges were blind very late this year, but you have had some good mild days since.”
‘“I have never been out,” said I shortly.
‘“Never! — whew! — Why, I thought that was the great attraction to Duncombe.”
‘Now was not he provoking! He would condole40 with me, and fix the subject in the minds of every one present.
‘The supper trays were brought in, and there was a shuffling41 of situations. He and I were close together again.
‘“I say, Frank, what will you lay me that I don’t clear that tray before people are ready for their second helping42? I’m as hungry as a hound.”
‘“You shall have a round of beef and a raw leg of mutton when you get home. Only do behave yourself here.”
‘“Well, for your sake; but keep me away from those trays, or I’ll not answer for myself. ‘Hould me, or I’ll fight’, as the Irishman said. I’ll go and talk to that little old lady in blue, and sit with my back to those ghosts of eatables.”
‘He sat down by Miss Caroline, who would not have liked his description of her; and began an earnest, tolerably quiet conversation. I tried to be as agreeable as I could, to do away with the impression he had given of me; but I found that every one drew up a little stiffly at my approach, and did not encourage me to make any remarks.
‘In the middle of my attempts, I heard Miss Caroline beg Jack to take a glass of wine, and I saw him help himself to what appeared to be port; but in an instant he set it down from his lips, exclaiming, “Vinegar, by Jove!” He made the most horribly wry43 face: and Miss Tomkinson came up in a severe hurry to investigate the affair. It turned out it was some black-currant wine, on which she particularly piqued44 herself; I drank two glasses of it to ingratiate myself with her, and can testify to its sourness. I don’t think she noticed my exertions45, she was so much engrossed46 in listening to Jack’s excuses for his mal-àpropos observation. He told her, with the gravest face, that he had been a teetotaller so long that he had but a confused recollection of the distinction between wine and vinegar, particularly eschewing47 the latter, because it had been twice fermented48; and that he had imagined Miss Caroline had asked him to take toast-and-water, or he should never have touched the decanter.
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1
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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2
soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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3
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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4
avocations
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| n.业余爱好，嗜好( avocation的名词复数 )；职业 | |
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5
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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6
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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7
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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8
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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10
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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11
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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12
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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13
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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14
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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15
insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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16
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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17
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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18
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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19
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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20
forte
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| n.长处，擅长；adj.(音乐)强音的 | |
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21
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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22
confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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23
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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24
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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25
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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26
relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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27
mermaid
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| n.美人鱼 | |
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28
bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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29
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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30
crutch
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| n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱 | |
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31
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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32
disdained
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| 鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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33
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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34
hoaxing
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| v.开玩笑骗某人，戏弄某人( hoax的现在分词 ) | |
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35
hoax
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| v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧 | |
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36
anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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37
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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38
shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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39
alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
condole
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| v.同情；慰问 | |
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41
shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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42
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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43
wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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44
piqued
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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45
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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46
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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47
eschewing
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| v.（尤指为道德或实际理由而）习惯性避开，回避( eschew的现在分词 ) | |
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48
fermented
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| v.（使）发酵( ferment的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
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