‘What’s up, Clem?’ he inquired, on one of these occasions. ‘Are you wondering whether I shall cut and leave you when we’ve had time to get tired of each other?’
Her face was transformed; she looked at him for an instant with fierce suspicion, then laughed disagreeably.
‘We’ll see about that,’ was her answer, with a movement of the head and shoulders strongly reminding one of a lithe21 beast about to spring.
The necessary delay passed without accident. As the morning of the marriage approached there was, however, a perceptible increase of nervous restlessness in Clem. She had given up her work at Whitehead’s, and contrived22 to keep her future husband within sight nearly all day long. Joseph James found nothing particularly irksome in this, for beer and tobacco were supplied him ad libitum, and a succession of appetising meals made the underground kitchen a place of the pleasantest associations. A loan from Mrs. Peckover had enabled him to renew his wardrobe. When the last night arrived, Clem and her mother sat conversing to a late hour, their voices again cautiously subdued23. A point had been for some days at issue between them, and decision was now imperative24.
‘It’s you as started the job,’ Clem observed with emphasis, ‘an’ it’s you as’ll have to finish it.’
‘And who gets most out of it, I’d like to know?’ replied her mother. ‘Don’t be such a fool! Can’t you see as it’ll come easier from you? A nice thing for his mother-inlaw to tell him! If you don’t like to do it the first day, then leave it to the second, or third. But if you take my advice, you’ll get it over the next morning.’
‘You’ll have to do it yourself,’ Clem repeated stubbornly, propping25 her chin upon her fists.
‘Well, I never thought as you was such a frightened babby! Frightened of a feller like him! I’d be ashamed o’ myself!’
‘Who’s frightened? Hold your row!’
‘Why, you are; what else?’
‘I ain’t!’
‘You are!’
‘I ain’t! You’d better not make me mad, or I’ll tell him before, just to spite you.’
‘Spite me, you cat! What difference’ll it make to me? I’ll tell you what: I’ve a jolly good mind to tell him myself beforehand, and then we’ll see who’s spited.’
In the end Clem yielded, shrugging her shoulders defiantly26.
‘I’ll have a kitchen-knife near by when I tell him,’ she remarked with decision. ‘If he lays a hand on me I’ll cut his face open, an’ chance it!’
Mrs. Peckover smiled with tender motherly deprecation of such extreme measures. But Clem repeated her threat, and there was something in her eyes which guaranteed the possibility of its fulfilment.
No personal acquaintance of either the Peckover or the Snowdon family happened to glance over the list of names which hung in the registrar’s office during these weeks. The only interested person who had foreknowledge of Clem’s wedding was Jane Snowdon, and Jane, though often puzzled in thinking of the matter, kept her promise to speak of it to no one. It was imprudence in Clem to have run this risk, but the joke was so rich that she could not deny herself its enjoyment27; she knew, moreover, that Jane was one of those imbecile persons who scruple28 about breaking a pledge. On the eve of her wedding-day she met Jane as the latter came from Whitehead’s, and requested her to call in the Close next Sunday morning at twelve o’clock.
‘I want you to see my ‘usband,’ she said, grinning. ‘I’m sure you’ll like him.’
Jane promised to come. On the next day, Saturday, Clem entered the registry-office in a plain dress, and after a few simple formalities came forth29 as Mrs. Snowdon; her usual high colour was a trifle diminished, and she kept glancing at her husband from under nervously30 knitted brows. Still the great event was unknown to the inhabitants of the Close. There was no feasting, and no wedding-journey; for the present Mr. and Mrs. Snowdon would take possession of two rooms on the first floor.
Twenty-four hours later, when the bells of St. James’s were ringing their melodies before service, Clem requested her husband’s attention to something of importance she had to tell him.
Mr. Snowdon had just finished breakfast and was on the point of lighting31 his pipe; with the match burning down to his fingers, he turned and regarded the speaker shrewdly. Clem’s face put it beyond question that at last she was about to make a statement definitely bearing on the history of the past month. At this moment she was almost pale, and her eyes avoided his. She stood close to the table, and her right hand rested near the bread-knife; her left held a piece of paper.
‘What is it?’ asked Joseph James mildly. ‘Go ahead, Clem.’
‘You ain’t bad-tempered32, are you? You said you wasn’t.’
‘Not I! Best-tempered feller you could have come across. Look at me smiling.’
His grin was in a measure reassuring33, but he had caught sight of the piece of paper in her hand, and eyed it steadily34.
‘You know you played mother a trick a long time ago,’ Clem pursued, ‘when you went off an’ left that child on her ‘ands.’
‘Hollo! What about that?’
‘Well, it wouldn’t be nothing but fair if someone was to go and play tricks with you— just to pay you off in a friendly sort o’ way — see?’
Mr. Snowdon still smiled, but dubiously35.
‘Out with it!’ he muttered. ‘I’d have bet a trifle there was some game on. You’re welcome, old girl. Out with it!’
‘Did you know as I’d got a brother in ‘Stralia — him as you used to know when you lived here before?’
‘You said you didn’t know where he was.’
‘No more we do — not just now. But he wrote mother a letter about this time last year, an’ there’s something in it as I’d like you to see. You’d better read for yourself.’
Her husband laid down his pipe on the mantel-piece and began to cast his eye over the letter, which was much defaced by frequent foldings, and in any case would have been difficult to decipher, so vilely36 was it scrawled37. But Mr. Snowdon’s interest was strongly excited, and in a few moments he had made out the following communication:
‘I don’t begin with no deering, because it’s a plaid out thing, and because I’m riting to too people at onse, both mother and Clem, and it’s so long since I’ve had a pen in my hand I’ve harf forgot how to use it. If you think I’m making my pile, you think rong, so you’ve got no need to ask me when I’m going to send money home, like you did in the last letter. I jest keep myself and that’s about all, because things ain’t what they used to be in this busted38 up country. And that remminds me what it was as I ment to tell you when I cold get a bit of time to rite39. Not so long ago, I met a chap as used to work for somebody called Snowdon, and from what I can make out it was Snowdon’s brother at home, him as we use to ere so much about. He’d made his pile, this Snowdon, you bet, and Ned Williams says he died worth no end of thousands. Not so long before he died, his old farther from England came out to live with him; then Snowdon and a son as he had both got drownded going over a river at night. And Ned says as all the money went to the old bloak and to a brother in England, and that’s what he herd40 when he was paid off. The old farther made traks very soon, and they sed he’d gone back to England. So it seams to me as you ouht to find Snowdon and make him pay up what he ose you. And I don’t know as I’ve anything more to tell you both, ecsep I’m working at a place as I don’t know how to spell, and it woldn’t be no good if I did, because there’s no saying were I shall be before you could rite back. So good luck to you both, from yours truly, W. P.’
In reading, Joseph James scratched his bald head thoughtfully. Before he had reached the end there were signs of emotion in his projecting lower lip. At length he regarded Clem, no longer smiling, but without any of the wrath41 she had anticipated.
‘Ha, ha! This was your game, was it? Well, I don’t object, old girl — so long as you tell me a bit more about it. Now there’s no need for any more lies, perhaps you’ll mention where the old fellow is.’
‘He’s livin’ not so far away, an’ Jane with him.’
Put somewhat at her ease, Clem drew her hand from the neighbourhood of the bread-knife, and detailed42 all she knew with regard to old Mr. Snowdon and his affairs. Her mother had from the first suspected that he possessed43 money, seeing that he paid, with very little demur44, the sum she demanded for Jane’s board and lodging45. True, he went to live in poor lodgings46, but that was doubtless a personal eccentricity47. An important piece of evidence subsequently forthcoming was the fact that in sundry48 newspapers there appeared advertisements addressed to Joseph James Snowdon, requesting him to communicate with Messrs. Percival & Peel of Furnival’s Inn, whereupon Mrs. Peckover made inquiries49 of the legal firm in question (by means of an anonymous50 letter), and received a simple assurance that Mr. Snowdon was being sought for his own advantage.
‘You’re cool hands, you and your mother,’ observed Joseph James, with a certain involuntary admiration51. ‘This was not quite three years ago, you say; just when I was in America. Ha — hum! What I can’t make out is, how the devil that brother of mine came to leave anything to me. We never did anything but curse each other from the time we were children to when we parted for good. And so the old man went out to Australia, did he? That’s a rum affair, too; Mike and he could never get on together. Well, I suppose there’s no mistake about it. I shouldn’t much mind if there was, just to see the face you’d pull, young woman. On the whole, perhaps it’s as well for you that I am fairly good-tempered — eh?’
Clem stood apart, smiling dubiously, now and then eyeing him askance. His last words once more put her on her guard; she moved towards the table again.
‘Give me the address,’ said her husband. ‘I’ll go and have a talk with my relations. What sort of a girl’s Janey grown up — eh?’
‘If you’ll wait a bit, you can see for yourself. She’s goin’ to call here at twelve.’
‘Oh, she is? I suppose you’ve arranged a pleasant little surprise for her? Well, I must say you’re a cool band, Clem. I shouldn’t wonder if she’s been in the house several times since I’ve been here?’
‘No, she hasn’t. It wouldn’t have been safe, you see.’
‘Give me the corkscrew, and I’ll open this bottle of whisky. It takes it out of a fellow, this kind of thing. Here’s to you, Mrs. Clem! Have a drink? All right; go downstairs and show your mother you’re alive still; and let me know when Jane comes. I want to think a bit.’
When he had sat for a quarter of an hour in solitary52 reflection the door opened, and Clem led into the room a young girl, whose face expressed timid curiosity. Joseph James stood up, joined his hands under his coat-tail, and examined the stranger.
‘Do you know who it is?’ asked Clem of her companion.
‘Your husband — but I don’t know his name.’
‘You ought to, it seems to me,’ said Clem, giggling53. ‘Look at him.’
Jane tried to regard the man for a moment. Her cheeks flushed with confusion. Again she looked at him, and the colour rapidly faded. In her eyes was a strange light of painfully struggling recollection. She turned to Clem, and read her countenance54 with distress55.
‘Well, I’m quite sure I should never have known you, Janey,’ said Snowdon, advancing. ‘Don’t you remember your father?’
Yes; as soon as consciousness could reconcile what seemed impossibilities Jane had remembered him. She was not seven years old when he forsook56 her, and a life of anything but orderly progress had told upon his features. Nevertheless Jane recognised the face she had never had cause to love, recognised yet more certainly the voice which carried her back to childhood. But what did it all mean? The shock was making her heart throb57 as it was wont58 to do before her fits of illness. She looked about her with dazed eyes.
‘Sit down, sit down,’ said her father, not without a note of genuine feeling. ‘It’s been a bit too much for you — like something else was for me just now. Put some water in that glass, Clem; a drop of this will do her good.’
The smell of what was offered her proved sufficient to restore Jane; she shook her head and put the glass away. After an uncomfortable silence, during which Joseph dragged his feet about the floor, Clem remarked:
‘He wants you to take him home to see your grandfather, Jane. There’s been reasons why he couldn’t go before. Hadn’t you better go at once, Jo?’
Jane rose and waited whilst her father assumed his hat and drew on a new pair of gloves. She could not look at either husband or wife. Presently she found herself in the street, walking without consciousness of things in the homeward direction.
‘You’ve grown up a very nice, modest girl, Jane,’ was her father’s first observation. ‘I can see your grandfather has taken good care of you.’
He tried to speak as if the situation were perfectly59 simple. Jane could find no reply.
‘I thought it was better,’ he continued, in the same matter-of-fact voice, ‘not to see either of you till this marriage of mine was over. I’ve had a great deal of trouble in life — I’ll tell you all about it some day, my dear — and I wanted just to settle myself before — I dare say you’ll understand what I mean. I suppose your grandfather has often spoken to you about me?’
‘Not very often, father,’ was the murmured answer.
‘Well, well; things’ll soon be set right. I feel quite proud of you, Janey; I do, indeed. And I suppose you just keep house for him, eh?’
‘I go to work as well.’
‘What? You go to work? How’s that, I wonder?’
‘Didn’t Miss Peckover tell you?’
Joseph laughed. The girl could not grasp all these astonishing facts at once, and the presence of her father made her forget who Miss Peckover had become.
‘You mean my wife, Janey! No, no; she didn’t tell me you went to work; — an accident. But I’m delighted you and Clem are such good friends. Kind-hearted girl, isn’t she?’
Jane whispered an assent2.
‘No doubt your grandfather often tells you about Australia, and your uncle that died there?’
‘No, he never speaks of Australia. And I never heard of my uncle.’
‘Indeed? Ha — hum!’
Joseph continued his examination all the way to Hanover Street, often expressing surprise, but never varying from the tone of affection and geniality60. When they reached the door of the house he said:
‘Just let me go into the room by myself. I think it’ll be better. He’s alone, isn’t he?’
‘Yes. I’ll come up and show you the door.’
She did so, then turned aside into her own room, where she sat motionless for a long time.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
assented
|
|
| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
assent
|
|
| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
speculation
|
|
| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
relinquish
|
|
| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
reverencing
|
|
| v.尊敬，崇敬( reverence的现在分词 )；敬礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
6
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
envious
|
|
| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
plausible
|
|
| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
perturbed
|
|
| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
cosmopolitan
|
|
| adj.世界性的，全世界的，四海为家的，全球的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
undue
|
|
| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
tickling
|
|
| 反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
immediate
|
|
| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
demonstrations
|
|
| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
extravagant
|
|
| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
conversing
|
|
| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
expressive
|
|
| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
subjugation
|
|
| n.镇压，平息，征服 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
apprehension
|
|
| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
lithe
|
|
| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
contrived
|
|
| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
imperative
|
|
| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
propping
|
|
| 支撑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
defiantly
|
|
| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
scruple
|
|
| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
nervously
|
|
| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
lighting
|
|
| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
bad-tempered
|
|
| adj.脾气坏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
reassuring
|
|
| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
dubiously
|
|
| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
vilely
|
|
| adv.讨厌地，卑劣地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
37
scrawled
|
|
| 乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
busted
|
|
| adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
rite
|
|
| n.典礼，惯例，习俗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
herd
|
|
| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
wrath
|
|
| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
detailed
|
|
| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
demur
|
|
| v．表示异议，反对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
lodging
|
|
| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
lodgings
|
|
| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
eccentricity
|
|
| n.古怪，反常，怪癖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
sundry
|
|
| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
inquiries
|
|
| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
anonymous
|
|
| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
giggling
|
|
| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
forsook
|
|
| forsake的过去式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
throb
|
|
| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
geniality
|
|
| n.和蔼，诚恳；愉快 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |