“Of one thing you must be sure, Rose,” he expressively11 answered, “ that whatever happens to you, now or at any time, you’ve friends here and a home here that are yours for weal and woe12.”
“Ah, don’t say that,” she cried; “ I can scarcely bear it! Disappointments one can meet; but how in the world is one adequately to meet generosity13? Of one thing you, on your side, must be sure: that no trouble in life shall ever make me a bore. It was because I was so awfully14 afraid to be one that I’ve been keeping myself in and that has led, in this ridiculous way, to my making a fool of myself at the last. I knew a hitch15 was coming I knew at least something was; but I hoped it would come and go without this!” She had stopped before a mirror, still dealing16, like an actress in the wing, with her appearance, her make-up. She dabbed17 at her cheeks and pressed her companion to leave her to herself. “Don’t pity me, don’t mind me; and, above all, don’t ask any questions.”
“Ah,” said Tony in friendly remonstrance18, “your bravery makes it too hard to help you! ”
“Don’t try to help me don’t even want to. And don’t tell any tales. Hush19!” she went on in a different tone. “ Here’s Mrs. Beever! ”
The lady of Eastmead was preceded by the butler, who, having formally announced her, announced luncheon20 as invidiously as if it had only been waiting for her. The servants at each house had ways of reminding her they were not the servants at the other.
“Luncheon’s all very well,” said Tony, “ but who in the world’s to eat it? Before you do,” he continued, to Mrs. Beever, “there’s something I must ask of you.”
“And something I must ask too,” Rose added, while the butler retired21 like a conscientious22 Minister retiring from untenable office. She addressed her self to their neighbour with a face void, to Tony’s astonishment23, of every vestige24 of disorder25. “ Didn’t Mr. Vidal come back with you? ”
Mrs. Beever looked incorruptible. “ Indeed he did!” she sturdily replied. “ Mr. Vidal is in the garden of this house.”
“Then I’ll call him to luncheon.” And Rose floated away, leaving her companions confronted in a silence that ended as Tony was lost in the wonder of her presence of mind only when Mrs. Beever had assured herself that she was out of earshot.
“She has broken it off!” this lady then responsibly proclaimed.
Her colleague demurred26. “She? How do you know? ”
“I know because he has told me so.”
“Already in these few minutes? ”
Mrs. Beever hung fire. “ Of course I asked him first. I met him at the bridge I saw he had had a shock.”
“It’s Rose who has had the shock!” Tony returned. “ It’s he who has thrown her over.”
Mrs. Beever stared. “ That’s her story? ”
Tony reflected. “ Practically yes.”
Again his visitor hesitated, but only for an instant. “Then one of them lies.”
Tony laughed out at her lucidity27. “ It isn’t Rose Armiger! ”
“It isn’t Dennis Vidal, my dear; I believe in him,” said Mrs. Beever.
Her companion’s amusement grew. “ Your opera tions are rapid.”
“Remarkably. I’ve asked him to come to me.”
Tony raised his eyebrows28. “ To come to you? ”
“Till he can get a train tomorrow. He can’t stay on here.”
Tony looked at it. “ I see what you mean.”
“That’s a blessing29 you don’t always! I like him he’s my sort. And something seems to tell me I’m his! ”
“I won’t gracefully30 insult you by saying you’re every one’s,” Tony observed. Then, after an instant, “Is he very much cut up?” he inquired.
“He’s utterly31 staggered. He doesn’t understand.”
Tony thought again. “ No more do I. But you’ll console him,” he added.
“Til feed him first,” said his neighbour. “I’ll take him back with me to luncheon.”
“Isn’t that scarcely civil? ”
“Civil to you?” Mrs. Beever interposed. “ That’s exactly what he asked me. I told him I would arrange it with you.”
“And you’re ‘ arranging ’ it, I see. But how can you take him if Rose is bringing him in? ”
Mrs. Beever was silent a while. “ She isn’t. She hasn’t gone to him. That was for me.”
Tony looked at her in wonder. “ Your operations are rapid,” he repeated. “ But I found her under the unmistakable effect of a blow.”
“I found her exactly as usual.”
“Well, that also was for you,” said Tony. “ Her disappointment’s a secret.”
“Then I’m much obliged to you for mentioning it.”
“I did so to defend her against your bad account of her. But the whole thing’s obscure,” the young man added with sudden weariness. “ I give it up! ”
“I don’t I shall straighten it out.” Mrs. Beever spoke32 with high decision. “But I must see your wife first.”
“Rather! she’s waiting all this while.” He had already opened the door.
As she reached it she stopped again. “Shall I find the Doctor with her? ”
“Yes, by her request.”
“Then how is she? ”
“Maddening!” Tony exclaimed; after which, as his visitor echoed the word, he went on: “I mean in her dreadful obsession33, to which poor Ramage has had to give way and which is the direct reason of her calling you.”
Mrs. Beever’s little eyes seemed to see more than he told her, to have indeed the vision of something formidable. “ What dreadful obsession? ”
“She’ll tell you herself.” He turned away to leave her to go, and she disappeared; but the next moment he heard her again on the threshold.
“Only a word to say that that child may turn up.”
“What child?” He had already forgotten.
“Oh, if you don’t remember!” Mrs. Beever, with feminine inconsequence, almost took it ill.
Tony recovered the agreeable image. “ Oh, your niece? Certainly I remember her hair.”
“She’s not my niece, and her hair’s hideous34. But if she does come, send her straight home! ”
“Very good,” said Tony. This time his visitor vanished.
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1
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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incompetence
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| n.不胜任，不称职 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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7
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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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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crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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10
marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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expressively
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| ad.表示(某事物)地；表达地 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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dabbed
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| （用某物）轻触( dab的过去式和过去分词 )； 轻而快地擦掉（或抹掉）； 快速擦拭； （用某物）轻而快地涂上（或点上）… | |
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remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lucidity
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| n.明朗，清晰，透明 | |
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28
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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29
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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32
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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obsession
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| n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感) | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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