Taking another sheet of paper, he wrote:
“To the Editor of The Times.
“The Three P. Plan.
“SIR—
“A simple plan for the balancing of our trade would seem to merit the attention of all those not wedded8 to the longest way round. There are three articles of food on importing which we expend9 annually10 some ——— pounds, but which could be produced in our own country without, I venture to think, causing the price of living to rise to any material extent if we took the simple precaution of hanging a profiteer at the beginning. These articles are Pigs, Poultry, Potatoes. There would be no need to put on duties, for all that is required is —”
But at this moment, becoming aware that Corven was passing from the room, he said:
“Hallo!”
Corven turned and came towards him.
Hoping that he showed as little sign of embarrassment11 as his nephew twice removed by marriage, Sir Lawrence rose.
“Sorry I didn’t see you when you called the other day. Have you got long leave?”
“Another week only, and then I shall have to fly the Mediterranean12 probably.”
“Not a good month for flying. What do you think of this adverse13 balance of trade?”
Jerry Corven shrugged14.
“Something to keep them busy for a bit. They never see two inches before their noses.”
“‘Tiens! Une montagne!’ Remember the Caran d’Ache cartoon of Buller in front of Ladysmith? No, you wouldn’t. It’s thirty-two years ago. National character doesn’t change much, does it? How’s Ceylon? Not in love with India, I hope?”
“Nor with us particularly, but we jog on.”
“The climate doesn’t suit Clare, apparently15.”
Corven’s expression remained watchful16 and slightly smiling.
“The hot weather didn’t, but that’s over.”
“Are you taking her back with you?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder if that’s wise.”
“To leave her would be less so. One’s either married or not.”
Sir Lawrence, watching his eyes, thought: ‘Shan’t go further. It’s hopeless. Besides, he’s probably right. Only I would bet —’
“Forgive me,” said Corven, “I must get these letters off.” He turned and moved away, trim and assured.
‘H’m!’ thought Sir Lawrence, ‘not exactly what you’d call fruitful.’ And he sat down again to his letter to The Times.
“I must get precise figures,” he muttered. “I’ll turn Michael on to it” . . . And his thoughts went back to Corven. Impossible, in such cases, to know where the blame really lay. After all, a misfit was a misfit, no amount of pious17 endeavour, or even worldly wisdom, would cure it. ‘I ought to have been a judge,’ he thought, ‘then I could have expressed my views. Mr. Justice Mont in the course of his judgment18 said: “It is time to warn the people of this country against marriage. That tie, which was all very well under Victoria, should now only be contracted in cases where there is full evidence to show that neither party has any individuality to speak of” . . . I think I’ll go home to Em.’ He blotted19 the perfectly20 dry letter to The Times, put it into his pocket, and sought the darkening, placidity21 of Pall22 Mall. He had stopped to look in at the window of his wine merchant’s in St. James’s Street, and consider once more where the extra ten per cent on his surtax was to come from, when a voice said:
“Good evening, Sir Lawrence!” It was the young man called Croom.
They crossed the street together.
“I wanted to thank you, sir, for speaking to Mr. Muskham. I’ve seen him today.”
“How did you find him?”
“Oh! very affable. Of course I agree it IS a bee in his bonnet23 about introducing that cross of Arab blood into our racehorses.”
“Did you show him you thought so?”
Young Croom smiled: “Hardly! But the Arab horse is so much smaller.”
“There’s something in it, all the same. Jack24’s only wrong in expecting quick results. It’s like politics, people won’t lay down for the future. If a thing doesn’t work within five years, we think it’s no good. Did Jack say he’d take you on?”
“He’ll give me a trial. I’m to go down for a week, so that he can see me with horses. But the mares are not going to Royston. He’s got a place for them above Oxford25 near Bablock Hythe. I should be there if I pass muster26. It’s not till the spring, though.”
“Jack’s a formalist,” said Sir Lawrence, as they entered the Coffee House; “you’ll have to mind your p’s and q’s.”
Young Croom smiled.
“You bet. Everything’s simply perfect at his stud farm. Luckily I really am frightfully keen about horses. I didn’t feel at sea with Mr. Muskham. It’s an immense relief to have a chance again; and there’s nothing I’d like better.”
Sir Lawrence smiled — enthusiasm was always pleasant.
“You must know my son,” he said, “he’s an enthusiast28 too, though he must be thirty-seven by now. You’ll be in his constituency — no, just out of it. You’ll be in Dornford’s, I expect. By the way, you know my niece is acting29 secretary for him?”
Young Croom nodded.
“I don’t know,” murmured Sir Lawrence, “whether that’ll go on now Corven’s over.” And he watched the young man’s expression.
It had perceptibly darkened. “Oh! it will. She won’t go back to Ceylon.”
It was said with frowning suddenness, and Sir Lawrence thought: ‘This is where I weigh myself.’ Young Croom followed him to the weighing machine, as if he did not know how not to. He was very red.
“What makes you sure of that?” said Sir Lawrence, looking up from the historic chair. Young Croom went even redder.
“One doesn’t come away just to go back.”
“Or one does. If Life were a racehorse it’d be always up before the stewards30 for running in and out.”
“I happen to know Lady Corven won’t, sir.”
It was clear to Sir Lawrence that he had lighted on a moment when feeling gets the better of discretion31. So the young man WAS in love with her! Was this a chance to warn him off the course? Or was it more graceful32 to take no notice?
“Just eleven stone,” he said; “do you go up or down, Mr. Croom?”
“I keep about ten twelve.”
Sir Lawrence scrutinised his lean figure.
“Well, you look very fit. Extraordinary what a shadow can be cast on life by the abdomen33. However, you won’t have to worry till you’re fifty.”
“Surely, sir, you’ve never had any bother there?”
“Not to speak of; but I’ve watched it darken so many doors. And now I must be getting on. Good-night to you!”
“Good-night, sir. I really am awfully34 grateful.”
“Not at all. My cousin Jack doesn’t bet, and if you take my advice, you won’t either.”
Young Croom said heartily35: “I certainly shan’t, sir.”
They shook hands and Sir Lawrence resumed his progress up St. James’s Street.
‘That young man,’ he was thinking, ‘impresses me favourably36, and I can’t think why — he appears to be going to be a nuisance. What I ought to have said to him was: “Thou shalt not covet37 thy neighbour’s wife.” But God so made the world that one doesn’t say what one ought!’ The young were very interesting; one heard of them being disrespectful to Age and all that, but really he couldn’t see it. They seemed to him fully27 as well-mannered as he himself had been at their age, and easier to talk to. One never knew what they were thinking, of course; but that might be as well. After all, one used to think that the old — and Sir Lawrence winced38 on the kerbstone of Piccadilly — were only fit to be measured for their coffins39. ‘Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis’; but was that true? No more really than the difference in the pronunciation of Latin since one’s youth. Youth would always be Youth and Age would be Age, with the same real divergence40 and distrust between them, and the same queer hankering by Age to feel as Youth was feeling and think as Youth was thinking; the same pretence41 that it wouldn’t so feel and think for the world, and, at the back of all, the instinct that, really given the chance, Age wouldn’t have its life over again. Merciful — that! With stealthy quietude Life, as it wore one out, supplied the adjustment of a suitable lethargy. At each stage of existence the zest42 for living was tailored to what man had before him and no more. That fellow Goethe had attained43 immortality44 to the tunes45 of Gounod by fanning a dying spark into a fullblown flame. ‘Rats!’ thought Sir Lawrence: ‘and very German rats! Would I choose the sighing and the sobbing46, the fugitive47 raptures48 and the lingering starvations in front of that young man, if I could? I would not! Sufficient unto the old buffer49 is the bufferism thereof. Is that policeman never going to stop this blamed traffic?’ No, there was no real change! Men drove cars now to the same tick as the old horse-bus and hansom-cab drivers had driven their slipping, sliding, clattering50 gees51. Young men and women experienced the same legal or illegal urge towards each other. The pavements were different, and the lingo52 in which those youthful hankerings were expressed. But — Lord Almighty53! — the rules of the road, the collisions and slips and general miraculous54 avoidances, the triumphs, mortifications, and fulfilments for better for worse, were all the same as ever. ‘No,’ he thought; ‘the Police may make rules, Divines write to the papers, Judges express themselves as they like, but human nature will find its own way about as it did when I was cutting my wisdom teeth.’
The policeman reversed his sleeves, and Sir Lawrence crossed, pursuing his way to Berkeley Square. Here was change enough! The houses of the great were going fast. Piecemeal55, without expressed aim, almost shamefacedly, in true English fashion, London was being rebuilt. The dynastic age was gone, with its appendages56, feudalism, and the Church. Even wars would now be fought for peoples and their markets. No more dynastic or religious wars. Well, that was something! ‘We’re getting more like insects daily,’ thought Sir Lawrence. And how interesting! Religion was nearly dead because there was no longer real belief in future life; but something was struggling to take its place — service — social service — the ants’ creed57, the bees’ creed! Communism had formulated58 it and was whipping it into the people from the top. So characteristic! They were always whipping something into somebody in Russia. The quick way, no doubt, but the sure way? No! The voluntary system remained the best, because when once it got hold it lasted — only it was so darned slow! Yes, and darned ironical59! So far the sense of social service was almost the perquisite60 of the older families, who had somehow got hold of the notion that they must do something useful to pay for their position. Now that they were dying out would the sense of service persist? How were the ‘people’ to pick it up? ‘Well,’ thought Sir Lawrence, ‘after all, there’s the bus conductor; and the fellow in the shop, who’ll take infinite trouble to match the colour of your socks; and the woman who’ll look after her neighbour’s baby, or collect for the waifs and strays; and the motorist who’ll stop and watch you tinkering at your car; and the postman who’s grateful for a tip; and the almost anybody who’ll try and pull you out of a pond if he can really see you’re in it. What’s wanted is the slogan: “Fresh air and exercise for good instincts.” One might have it on all the buses, instead of: “Canon’s Colossal61 Crime,” or “Strange Sweepstake Swindle.” And that reminds me to ask Dinny what she knows about Clare and that young man.’
So thinking, he paused before his house door, and inserted his key in its latch62.
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收听单词发音
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1
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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2
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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poultry
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| n.家禽，禽肉 | |
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7
lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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8
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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9
expend
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| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
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annually
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| adv.一年一次，每年 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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13
adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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14
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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15
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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16
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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18
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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19
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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20
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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placidity
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| n.平静，安静，温和 | |
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pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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23
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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24
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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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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27
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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enthusiast
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| n.热心人，热衷者 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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30
stewards
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| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
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31
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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32
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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33
abdomen
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| n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分) | |
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34
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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37
covet
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| vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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38
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
coffins
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| n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物 | |
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40
divergence
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| n.分歧，岔开 | |
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41
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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42
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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43
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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44
immortality
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| n.不死，不朽 | |
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45
tunes
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| n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调 | |
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46
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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47
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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48
raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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49
buffer
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| n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲 | |
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50
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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51
gees
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| n.（美俚）一千元（gee的复数形式）v.驭马快走或向右（gee的第三人称单数形式） | |
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52
lingo
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| n.语言不知所云，外国话，隐语 | |
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53
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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54
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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55
piecemeal
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| adj.零碎的；n.片，块；adv.逐渐地；v.弄成碎块 | |
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56
appendages
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| n.附属物( appendage的名词复数 )；依附的人；附属器官；附属肢体（如臂、腿、尾等） | |
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57
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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58
formulated
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| v.构想出( formulate的过去式和过去分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示 | |
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59
ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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60
perquisite
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| n.固定津贴，福利 | |
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61
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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62
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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