One day, when Hyacinth came home from his work, Pinnie announced to him as soon as he entered the room that her ladyship had been there to look at it – to pass judgment18 before the last touches were conferred. The dressmaker intimated that in such a case as that her judgment was rather wild, and she had made an embarrassing suggestion about pockets. Whatever could poor Miss Muniment want of pockets, and what had she to put in them? But Lady Aurora had evidently found the garment far beyond anything she expected, and she had been more affable than ever, and had wanted to know about every one in the Place; not in a meddling19, prying20 way, either, like some of those upper-class visitors, but quite as if the poor people were the high ones and she was afraid her curiosity might be ‘presumptious’. It was in the same discreet21 spirit that she had invited Amanda to relate her whole history, and had expressed an interest in the career of her young friend.
“She said you had charming manners,” Miss Pynsent hastened to remark; “but, before heaven, Hyacinth Robinson, I never mentioned a scrap22 that it could give you pain that any one should talk about.” There was an heroic explicitness23 in this, on Pinnie’s part, for she knew in advance just how Hyacinth would look at her – fixedly24, silently, hopelessly, as if she were still capable of tattling horribly (with the idea that her revelations would increase her importance), and putting forward this hollow theory of her supreme25 discretion26 to cover it up. His eyes seemed to say, ‘How can I believe you, and yet how can I prove you are lying? I am very helpless, for I can’t prove that without applying to the person to whom your incorrigible27 folly28 has probably led you to brag29, to throw out mysterious and tantalising hints. You know, of course, that I would never condescend30 to that.’ Pinnie suffered, acutely, from this imputation31; yet she exposed herself to it often, because she could never deny herself the pleasure, keener still than her pain, of letting Hyacinth know that he was appreciated, admired and, for those ‘charming manners’ commended by Lady Aurora, even wondered at; and this kind of interest always appeared to imply a suspicion of his secret – something which, when he expressed to himself the sense of it, he called, resenting it at once and yet finding a certain softness in it, ‘a beastly attendrissement’. When Pinnie went on to say to him that Lady Aurora appeared to feel a certain surprise at his never yet having come to Belgrave Square for the famous books, he reflected that he must really wait upon her without more delay, if he wished to keep up his reputation for charming manners; and meanwhile he considered much the extreme oddity of this new phase of his life (it had opened so suddenly, from one day to the other); a phase in which his society should have become indispensable to ladies of high rank and the obscurity of his condition only an attraction the more. They were taking him up then, one after the other, and they were even taking up poor Pinnie, as a means of getting at him; so that he wondered, with humorous bitterness, whether it meant that his destiny was really seeking him out – that the aristocracy, recognising a mysterious affinity32 (with that fineness of flair33 for which they were remarkable), were coming to him to save him the trouble of coming to them.
It was late in the day (the beginning of an October evening), and Lady Aurora was at home. Hyacinth had made a mental calculation of the time at which she would have risen from dinner; the operation of ‘rising from dinner’ having always been, in his imagination, for some reason or other, highly characteristic of the nobility. He was ignorant of the fact that Lady Aurora’s principal meal consisted of a scrap of fish and a cup of tea, served on a little stand in the dismantled34 breakfast-parlour. The door was opened for Hyacinth by the invidious old lady whom Pinnie had described, and who listened to his inquiry35, conducted him through the house, and ushered36 him into her ladyship’s presence, without the smallest relaxation37 of a pair of tightly-closed lips. Hyacinth’s hostess was seated in the little breakfast-parlour, by the light of a couple of candles, immersed apparently38 in a collection of tolerably crumpled39 papers and account-books. She was ciphering, consulting memoranda40, taking notes; she had had her head in her hands, and the silky entanglement41 of her tresses resisted the rapid effort she made to smooth herself down as she saw the little bookbinder come in. The impression of her fingers remained in little rosy streaks42 on her pink skin. She exclaimed, instantly, “Oh, you have come about the books – it’s so very kind of you;” and she hurried him off to another room, to which, as she explained, she had had them brought down for him to choose from. The effect of this precipitation was to make him suppose at first that she might wish him to execute his errand as quickly as possible and take himself off; but he presently perceived that her nervousness, her shyness, were of an order that would always give false ideas. She wanted him to stay, she wanted to talk with him, and she had rushed with him at the books in order to gain time and composure for exercising some subtler art. Hyacinth stayed half an hour, and became more and more convinced that her ladyship was, as he had ventured to pronounce her on the occasion of their last meeting, a regular saint. He was privately43 a little disappointed in the books, though he selected three or four, as many as he could carry, and promised to come back for others: they denoted, on Lady Aurora’s part, a limited acquaintance with French literature and even a certain puerility45 of taste. There were several volumes of Lamartine and a set of the spurious memoirs46 of the Marquise de Créqui; but for the rest the little library consisted mainly of Marmontel and Madame de Genlis, the Récit d’une S?ur and the tales of M. J. T. de Saint-Germain. There were certain members of an intensely modern school, advanced and scientific realists, of whom Hyacinth had heard and on whom he had long desired to put his hand; but, evidently, none of them had ever stumbled into Lady Aurora’s candid47 collection, though she did possess a couple of Balzac’s novels, which, by ill-luck, happened to be just those that Hyacinth had read more than once.
There was, nevertheless, something very agreeable to him in the moments he passed in the big, dim, cool, empty house, where, at intervals48, monumental pieces of furniture – not crowded and miscellaneous, as he had seen the appurtenances of the Princess – loomed49 and gleamed, and Lady Aurora’s fantastic intonations50 awakened51 echoes which gave him a sense of privilege, of rioting, decently, in the absence of jealous influences. She talked again about the poor people in the south of London, and about the Muniments in particular; evidently, the only fault she had to find with these latter was that they were not poor enough – not sufficiently52 exposed to dangers and privations against which she could step in. Hyacinth liked her for this, even though he wished she would talk of something else – he hardly knew what, unless it was that, like Rose Muniment, he wanted to hear more about Inglefield. He didn’t mind, with the poor, going into questions of poverty – it even gave him at times a strange, savage53 satisfaction – but he saw that in discussing them with the rich the interest must inevitably54 be less; they could never treat them à fond. Their mistakes and illusions, their thinking they had got hold of the sensations of the destitute55 when they hadn’t at all, would always be more or less irritating. It came over Hyacinth that if he found this want of perspective in Lady Aurora’s deep conscientiousness56, it would be a queer enough business when he should come to go into the detail of such matters with the Princess Casamassima.
His present hostess said not a word to him about Pinnie, and he guessed that she had an instinctive57 desire to place him on the footing on which people do not express approbation58 or surprise at the decency59 or good-breeding of each other’s relatives. He saw that she would always treat him as a gentleman, and that even if he should be basely ungrateful she would never call his attention to the fact that she had done so. He should not have occasion to say to her, as he had said to the Princess, that she regarded him as a curious animal; and it gave him immediately that sense, always so delightful60 to him, of learning more about life, to perceive there were such different ways (which implied still a good many more) of being a lady of rank. The manner in which Lady Aurora appeared to wish to confer with him on the great problems of pauperism61 might have implied that he was a benevolent62 nobleman (of the type of Lord Shaftesbury), who had endowed many charities and was noted44, in philanthropic schemes, for his practical sense. It was not less present to him that Pinnie might have tattled, put forward his claims to high consanguinity63, than it had been when the dressmaker herself descanted on her ladyship’s condescensions; but he remembered now that he too had only just escaped being asinine64, when, the other day, he flashed out an allusion65 to his accursed origin. At all events, he was much touched by the delicacy66 with which the earl’s daughter comported67 herself, simply assuming that he was ‘one of themselves’; and he reflected that if she did know his history (he was sure he might pass twenty years in her society without discovering whether she did or not), this shade of courtesy, this natural tact68, coexisting even with extreme awkwardness, illustrated69 that ‘best breeding’ which he had seen alluded70 to in novels portraying71 the aristocracy. The only remark on Lady Aurora’s part that savoured in the least of looking down at him from a height was when she said, cheerfully, encouragingly, “I suppose that one of these days you will be setting up in business for yourself;” and this was not so cruelly patronising that he could not reply, with a smile equally free from any sort of impertinence, “Oh dear, no, I shall never do that. I should make a great mess of any attempt to carry on a business. I haven’t a particle of that kind of aptitude72.”
Lady Aurora looked a little surprised; then she said, “Oh, I see; you don’t like – you don’t like —” She hesitated: he saw she was going to say that he didn’t like the idea of going in, to that extent, for a trade; but he stopped her in time from attributing to him a sentiment so foolish, and declared that what he meant was simply that the only faculty73 he possessed74 was the faculty of doing his little piece of work, whatever it was, of liking75 to do it skillfully and prettily76, and of liking still better to get his money for it when it was done. His conception of ‘business’, or of rising in the world, didn’t go beyond that. “Oh yes, I can fancy!” her ladyship exclaimed; but she looked at him a moment with eyes which showed that he puzzled her, that she didn’t quite understand his tone. Before he went away she inquired of him, abruptly77 (nothing had led up to it), what he thought of Captain Sholto, whom she had seen that other evening in Audley Court. Didn’t Hyacinth think he was very odd? Hyacinth confessed to this impression; whereupon Lady Aurora went on anxiously, eagerly: “Don’t you consider that – that – he is decidedly vulgar?”
“How can I know?”
“You can know perfectly78 – as well as any one!” Then she added, “I think it’s a pity they should – a – form relations with any one of that kind.”
‘They’, of course, meant Paul Muniment and his sister. “With a person that may be vulgar?” Hyacinth asked, regarding this solicitude79 as exquisite80. “But think of the people they know – think of those they are surrounded with – think of all Audley Court!”
“The poor, the unhappy, the labouring classes? Oh, I don’t call them vulgar!” cried her ladyship, with radiant eyes. The young man, lying awake a good deal that night, laughed to himself, on his pillow, not unkindly, at her fear that he and his friends would be contaminated by the familiar of a princess. He even wondered whether she would not find the Princess herself rather vulgar.
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1
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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aurora
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| n.极光 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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shrouds
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| n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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pervasive
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| adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的 | |
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dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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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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meddling
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| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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20
prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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21
discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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explicitness
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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incorrigible
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| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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brag
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| v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的 | |
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condescend
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| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
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imputation
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| n.归罪，责难 | |
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affinity
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| n.亲和力，密切关系 | |
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flair
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| n.天赋，本领，才华；洞察力 | |
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dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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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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40
memoranda
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| n. 备忘录, 便条 名词memorandum的复数形式 | |
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41
entanglement
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| n.纠缠，牵累 | |
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streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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43
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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45
puerility
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| n.幼稚，愚蠢；幼稚、愚蠢的行为、想法等 | |
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46
memoirs
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| n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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47
candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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48
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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49
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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50
intonations
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| n.语调，说话的抑扬顿挫( intonation的名词复数 )；（演奏或唱歌中的）音准 | |
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51
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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52
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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53
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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54
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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55
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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56
conscientiousness
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| 责任心 | |
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57
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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59
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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pauperism
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| n.有被救济的资格，贫困 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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consanguinity
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| n.血缘；亲族 | |
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asinine
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| adj.愚蠢的 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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comported
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| v.表现( comport的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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portraying
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| v.画像( portray的现在分词 )；描述；描绘；描画 | |
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aptitude
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| n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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