Smoky dwarf2 houses
Have we round on every side.’
MATTHEW ARNOLD.
The next afternoon, about twenty miles from Milton–Northern, they entered on the little branch railway that led to Heston. Heston itself was one long straggling street, running parallel to the seashore. It had a character of its own, as different from the little bathing-places in the south of England as they again from those of the continent. To use a Scotch3 word, every thing looked more ‘purposelike.’ The country carts had more iron, and less wood and leather about the horse-gear; the people in the streets, although on pleasure bent4, had yet a busy mind. The colours looked grayer — more enduring, not so gay and pretty. There were no smock-frocks, even among the country folk; they retarded5 motion, and were apt to catch on machinery6, and so the habit of wearing them had died out. In such towns in the south of England, Margaret had seen the shopmen, when not employed in their business, lounging a little at their doors, enjoying the fresh air, and the look up and down the street. Here, if they had any leisure from customers, they made themselves business in the shop — even, Margaret fancied, to the unnecessary unrolling and rerolling of ribbons. All these differences struck upon her mind, as she and her mother went out next morning to look for lodgings7.
Their two nights at hotels had cost more than Mr. Hale had anticipated, and they were glad to take the first clean, cheerful for the first time for many days, did Margaret feel at rest. There rooms they met with that were at liberty to receive them. There, was a dreaminess in the rest, too, which made it still more perfect and luxurious8 to repose9 in. The distant sea, lapping the sandy shore with measured sound; the nearer cries of the donkey-boys; the unusual scenes moving before her like pictures, which she cared not in her laziness to have fully10 explained before they passed away; the stroll down to the beach to breathe the sea-air, soft and warm on that sandy shore even to the end of November; the great long misty11 sea-line touching12 the tender-coloured sky; the white sail of a distant boat turning silver in some pale sunbeam:— it seemed as if she could dream her life away in such luxury of pensiveness13, in which she made her present all in all, from not daring to think of the past, or wishing to contemplate14 the future.
But the future must be met, however stern and iron it be. One evening it was arranged that Margaret and her father should go the next day to Milton–Northern, and look out for a house. Mr. Hale had received several letters from Mr. Bell, and one or two from Mr. Thornton, and he was anxious to ascertain15 at once a good many particulars respecting his position and chances of success there, which he could only do by an interview with the latter gentleman. Margaret knew that they ought to be removing; but she had a repugnance16 to the idea of a manufacturing town, and believed that her mother was receiving benefit from Heston air, so she would willingly have deferred17 the expedition to Milton.
For several miles before they reached Milton, they saw a deep lead-coloured cloud hanging over the horizon in the direction in which it lay. It was all the darker from contrast with the pale gray-blue of the wintry sky; for in Heston there had been the earliest signs of frost. Nearer to the town, the air had a faint taste and smell of smoke; perhaps, after all, more a loss of the fragrance18 of grass and herbage than any positive taste or smell. Quick they were whirled over long, straight, hopeless streets of regularly-built houses, all small and of brick. Here and there a great oblong many-windowed factory stood up, like a hen among her chickens, puffing19 out black ‘unparliamentary’ smoke, and sufficiently20 accounting21 for the cloud which Margaret had taken to foretell22 rain. As they drove through the larger and wider streets, from the station to the hotel, they had to stop constantly; great loaded lurries blocked up the not over-wide thoroughfares. Margaret had now and then been into the city in her drives with her aunt. But there the heavy lumbering23 vehicles seemed various in their purposes and intent; here every van, every waggon24 and truck, bore cotton, either in the raw shape in bags, or the woven shape in bales of calico. People thronged25 the footpaths26, most of them well-dressed as regarded the material, but with a slovenly27 looseness which struck Margaret as different from the shabby, threadbare smartness of a similar class in London.
‘New Street,’ said Mr. Hale. ‘This, I believe, is the principal street in Milton. Bell has often spoken to me about it. It was the opening of this street from a lane into a great thoroughfare, thirty years ago, which has caused his property to rise so much in value. Mr. Thornton’s mill must be somewhere not very far off, for he is Mr. Bell’s tenant29. But I fancy he dates from his warehouse30.’
‘Where is our hotel, papa?’
‘Close to the end of this street, I believe. Shall we have lunch before or after we have looked at the houses we marked in the Milton Times?’
‘Oh, let us get our work done first.’
‘Very well. Then I will only see if there is any note or letter for me from Mr. Thornton, who said he would let me know anything he might hear about these houses, and then we will set off. We will keep the cab; it will be safer than losing ourselves, and being too late for the train this afternoon.’
There were no letters awaiting him. They set out on their house-hunting. Thirty pounds a-year was all they could afford to give, but in Hampshire they could have met with a roomy house and pleasant garden for the money. Here, even the necessary accommodation of two sitting-rooms and four bed-rooms seemed unattainable. They went through their list, rejecting each as they visited it. Then they looked at each other in dismay.
‘We must go back to the second, I think. That one — in Crampton, don’t they call the suburb? There were three sitting-rooms; don’t you remember how we laughed at the number compared with the three bed-rooms? But I have planned it all. The front room down-stairs is to be your study and our dining-room (poor papa!), for, you know, we settled mamma is to have as cheerful a sitting-room31 as we can get; and that front room up-stairs, with the atrocious blue and pink paper and heavy cornice, had really a pretty view over the plain, with a great bend of river, or canal, or whatever it is, down below. Then I could have the little bed-room behind, in that projection32 at the head of the first flight of stairs — over the kitchen, you know — and you and mamma the room behind the drawing-room, and that closet in the roof will make you a splendid dressing-room.’
‘But Dixon, and the girl we are to have to help?’
‘Oh, wait a minute. I am overpowered by the discovery of my own genius for management. Dixon is to have — let me see, I had it once — the back sitting-room. I think she will like that. She grumbles33 so much about the stairs at Heston; and the girl is to have that sloping attic34 over your room and mamma’s. Won’t that do?’
‘I dare say it will. But the papers. What taste! And the overloading35 such a house with colour and such heavy cornices!’
‘Never mind, papa! Surely, you can charm the landlord into re-papering one or two of the rooms — the drawing-room and your bed-room — for mamma will come most in contact with them; and your book-shelves will hide a great deal of that gaudy36 pattern in the dining-room.’
‘Then you think it the best? If so, I had better go at once and call on this Mr. Donkin, to whom the advertisement refers me. I will take you back to the hotel, where you can order lunch, and rest, and by the time it is ready, I shall be with you. I hope I shall be able to get new papers.’
Margaret hoped so too, though she said nothing. She had never come fairly in contact with the taste that loves ornament37, however bad, more than the plainness and simplicity38 which are of themselves the framework of elegance39. Her father took her through the entrance of the hotel, and leaving her at the foot of the staircase, went to the address of the landlord of the house they had fixed40 upon. Just as Margaret had her hand on the door of their sitting-room, she was followed by a quick-stepping waiter:
‘I beg your pardon, ma’am. The gentleman was gone so quickly, I had no time to tell him. Mr. Thornton called almost directly after you left; and, as I understood from what the gentleman said, you would be back in an hour, I told him so, and he came again about five minutes ago, and said he would wait for Mr. Hale. He is in your room now, ma’am.’
‘Thank you. My father will return soon, and then you can tell him.’ Margaret opened the door and went in with the straight, fearless, dignified41 presence habitual42 to her. She felt no awkwardness; she had too much the habits of society for that. Here was a person come on business to her father; and, as he was one who had shown himself obliging, she was disposed to treat him with a full measure of civility. Mr. Thornton was a good deal more surprised and discomfited43 than she. Instead of a quiet, middle-aged44 clergyman, a young lady came forward with frank dignity — a young lady of a different type to most of those he was in the habit of seeing. Her dress was very plain: a close straw bonnet45 of the best material and shape, trimmed with white ribbon; a dark silk gown, without any trimming or flounce; a large Indian shawl, which hung about her in long heavy folds, and which she wore as an empress wears her drapery. He did not understand who she was, as he caught the simple, straight, unabashed look, which showed that his being there was of no concern to the beautiful countenance46, and called up no flush of surprise to the pale ivory of the complexion47. He had heard that Mr. Hale had a daughter, but he had imagined that she was a little girl.
‘Mr. Thornton, I believe!’ said Margaret, after a half-instant’s pause, during which his unready words would not come. ‘Will you sit down. My father brought me to the door, not a minute ago, but unfortunately he was not told that you were here, and he has gone away on some business. But he will come back almost directly. I am sorry you have had the trouble of calling twice.’
Mr. Thornton was in habits of authority himself, but she seemed to assume some kind of rule over him at once. He had been getting impatient at the loss of his time on a market-day, the moment before she appeared, yet now he calmly took a seat at her bidding.
‘Do you know where it is that Mr. Hale has gone to? Perhaps I might be able to find him.’
‘He has gone to a Mr. Donkin’s in Canute Street. He is the land-lord of the house my father wishes to take in Crampton.’
Mr. Thornton knew the house. He had seen the advertisement, and been to look at it, in compliance48 with a request of Mr. Bell’s that he would assist Mr. Hale to the best of his power: and also instigated49 by his own interest in the case of a clergyman who had given up his living under circumstances such as those of Mr. Hale. Mr. Thornton had thought that the house in Crampton was really just the thing; but now that he saw Margaret, with her superb ways of moving and looking, he began to feel ashamed of having imagined that it would do very well for the Hales, in spite of a certain vulgarity in it which had struck him at the time of his looking it over.
Margaret could not help her looks; but the short curled upper lip, the round, massive up-turned chin, the manner of carrying her head, her movements, full of a soft feminine defiance50, always gave strangers the impression of haughtiness51. She was tired now, and would rather have remained silent, and taken the rest her father had planned for her; but, of course, she owed it to herself to be a gentlewoman, and to speak courteously52 from time to time to this stranger; not over-brushed, nor over-polished, it must be confessed, after his rough encounter with Milton streets and crowds. She wished that he would go, as he had once spoken of doing, instead of sitting there, answering with curt53 sentences all the remarks she made. She had taken off her shawl, and hung it over the back of her chair. She sat facing him and facing the light; her full beauty met his eye; her round white flexile throat rising out of the full, yet lithe54 figure; her lips, moving so slightly as she spoke28, not breaking the cold serene55 look of her face with any variation from the one lovely haughty56 curve; her eyes, with their soft gloom, meeting his with quiet maiden57 freedom. He almost said to himself that he did not like her, before their conversation ended; he tried so to compensate58 himself for the mortified59 feeling, that while he looked upon her with an admiration60 he could not repress, she looked at him with proud indifference61, taking him, he thought, for what, in his irritation62, he told himself he was — a great rough fellow, with not a grace or a refinement63 about him. Her quiet coldness of demeanour he interpreted into contemptuousness, and resented it in his heart to the pitch of almost inclining him to get up and go away, and have nothing more to do with these Hales, and their superciliousness64.
Just as Margaret had exhausted65 her last subject of conversation — and yet conversation that could hardly be called which consisted of so few and such short speeches — her father came in, and with his pleasant gentlemanly courteousness66 of apology, reinstated his name and family in Mr. Thornton’s good opinion.
Mr. Hale and his visitor had a good deal to say respecting their mutual67 friend, Mr. Bell; and Margaret, glad that her part of entertaining the visitor was over, went to the window to try and make herself more familiar with the strange aspect of the street. She got so much absorbed in watching what was going on outside that she hardly heard her father when he spoke to her, and he had to repeat what he said:
‘Margaret! the landlord will persist in admiring that hideous68 paper, and I am afraid we must let it remain.’
‘Oh dear! I am sorry!’ she replied, and began to turn over in her mind the possibility of hiding part of it, at least, by some of her sketches69, but gave up the idea at last, as likely only to make bad worse. Her father, meanwhile, with his kindly70 country hospitality, was pressing Mr. Thornton to stay to luncheon71 with them. It would have been very inconvenient72 to him to do so, yet he felt that he should have yielded, if Margaret by word or look had seconded her father’s invitation; he was glad she did not, and yet he was irritated at her for not doing it. She gave him a low, grave bow when he left, and he felt more awkward and self-conscious in every limb than he had ever done in all his life before.
‘Well, Margaret, now to luncheon, as fast we can. Have you ordered it?’
‘No, papa; that man was here when I came home, and I have never had an opportunity.’
‘Then we must take anything we can get. He must have been waiting a long time, I’m afraid.’
‘It seemed exceedingly long to me. I was just at the last gasp73 when you came in. He never went on with any subject, but gave little, short, abrupt74 answers.’
‘Very much to the point though, I should think. He is a clearheaded fellow. He said (did you hear?) that Crampton is on gravelly soil, and by far the most healthy suburb in the neighbour hood75 of Milton.’
When they returned to Heston, there was the day’s account to be given to Mrs. Hale, who was full of questions which they answered in the intervals76 of tea-drinking.
‘And what is your correspondent, Mr. Thornton, like?’
‘Ask Margaret,’ said her husband. ‘She and he had a long attempt at conversation, while I was away speaking to the landlord.’
‘Oh! I hardly know what he is like,’ said Margaret, lazily; too tired to tax her powers of description much. And then rousing herself, she said, ‘He is a tall, broad-shouldered man, about — how old, papa?’
‘I should guess about thirty.’
‘About thirty — with a face that is neither exactly plain, nor yet handsome, nothing remarkable77 — not quite a gentleman; but that was hardly to be expected.’
‘Not vulgar, or common though,’ put in her father, rather jealous of any disparagement78 of the sole friend he had in Milton.
‘Oh no!’ said Margaret. ‘With such an expression of resolution and power, no face, however plain in feature, could be either vulgar or common. I should not like to have to bargain with him; he looks very inflexible79. Altogether a man who seems made for his niche80, mamma; sagacious, and strong, as becomes a great tradesman.’
‘Don’t call the Milton manufacturers tradesmen, Margaret,’ said her father.
‘They are very different.’
‘Are they? I apply the word to all who have something tangible81 to sell; but if you think the term is not correct, papa, I won’t use it. But, oh mamma! speaking of vulgarity and commonness, you must prepare yourself for our drawing-room paper. Pink and blue roses, with yellow leaves! And such a heavy cornice round the room!’
But when they removed to their new house in Milton, the obnoxious82 papers were gone. The landlord received their thanks very composedly; and let them think, if they liked, that he had relented from his expressed determination not to repaper. There was no particular need to tell them, that what he did not care to do for a Reverend Mr. Hale, unknown in Milton, he was only too glad to do at the one short sharp remonstrance83 of Mr. Thornton, the wealthy manufacturer.
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1
clogs
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| 木屐； 木底鞋，木屐( clog的名词复数 ) | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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pensiveness
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| n.pensive（沉思的）的变形 | |
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14
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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deferred
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| adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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accounting
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| n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表 | |
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foretell
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| v.预言，预告，预示 | |
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lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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footpaths
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| 人行小径，人行道( footpath的名词复数 ) | |
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slovenly
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| adj.懒散的，不整齐的，邋遢的 | |
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28
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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29
tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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warehouse
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| n.仓库；vt.存入仓库 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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projection
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| n.发射，计划，突出部分 | |
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grumbles
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| 抱怨( grumble的第三人称单数 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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overloading
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| 过载，超载，过负载 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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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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41
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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42
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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43
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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44
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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45
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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46
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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47
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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48
compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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49
instigated
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| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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51
haughtiness
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| n.傲慢；傲气 | |
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52
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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53
curt
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| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
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54
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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55
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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56
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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57
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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58
compensate
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| vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消 | |
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59
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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60
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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61
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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62
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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63
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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superciliousness
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| n.高傲，傲慢 | |
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65
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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66
courteousness
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| Courteousness | |
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67
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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68
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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69
sketches
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| n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概 | |
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70
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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71
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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72
inconvenient
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| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
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73
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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75
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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76
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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77
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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78
disparagement
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| n.轻视，轻蔑 | |
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79
inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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80
niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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81
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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82
obnoxious
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| adj.极恼人的，讨人厌的，可憎的 | |
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83
remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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