And in the same moment she was in his arms, and sobbing9 with her face against his.
How poor Romola had yearned11 through the watches of the night to see that bright face! The new image of death; the strange bewildering doubt infused into her by the story of a life removed from her understanding and sympathy; the haunting vision, which she seemed not only to hear uttered by the low gasping12 voice, but to live through, as if it had been her own dream, had made her more conscious than ever that it was Tito who had first brought the warm stream of hope and gladness into her life, and who had first turned away the keen edge of pain in the remembrance of her brother. She would tell Tito everything; there was no one else to whom she could tell it. She had been restraining herself in the presence of her father all the morning; but now, that long-pent-up sob10 might come forth13. Proud and self-controlled to all the world beside, Romola was as simple and unreserved as a child in her love for Tito. She had been quite contented14 with the days when they had only looked at each other; but now, when she felt the need of clinging to him, there was no thought that hindered her.
‘My Romola! my goddess!’ Tito murmured with passionate16 fondness, as he clasped her gently, and kissed the thick golden ripples17 on her neck. He was in paradise: disgrace, shame, parting — there was no fear of them any longer. This happiness was too strong to be marred18 by the sense that Romola was deceived in him; nay19, he could only rejoice in her delusion20; for, after all, concealment21 had been wisdom. The only thing he could regret was his needless dread22; if, indeed, the dread had not been worth suffering for the sake of this sudden rapture23.
The sob had satisfied itself, and Romola raised her head. Neither of them spoke24; they stood looking at each other’s faces with that sweet wonder which belongs to young love — she with her long white hands on the dark-brown curls, and he with his dark fingers bathed in the streaming gold. Each was so beautiful to the other; each was experiencing that undisturbed mutual25 consciousness for the first time. The cold pressure of a new sadness on Romola’s heart made her linger the more in that silent soothing26 sense of nearness and love; and Tito could not even seek to press his lips to hers, because that would be change.
‘Tito,’ she said at last, ‘it has been altogether painful, but I must tell you everything. Your strength will help me to resist the impressions that will not be shaken off by reason.’
‘I know, Romola — I know he is dead,’ said Tito; and the long lustrous27 eyes told nothing of the many wishes that would have brought about that death long ago if there had been such potency28 in mere29 wishes. Romola only read her own pure thoughts in their dark depths, as we read letters in happy dreams.
‘So changed, Tito! It pierced me to think that it was Dino. And so strangely hard: not a word to my father; nothing but a vision that he wanted to tell me. And yet it was so piteous — the struggling breath, and the eyes that seemed to look towards the crucifix, and yet not to see it. I shall never forget it — it seems as if it would come between me and everything I shall look at.’
Romola’s heart swelled30 again, so that she was forced to break off. But the need she felt to disburden her mind to Tito urged her to repress the rising anguish31. When she began to speak again her thoughts had travelled a little.
‘It was strange, Tito. The vision was about our marriage, and yet he knew nothing of you.’
‘What was it, my Romola? Sit down and tell me,’ said Tito, leading her to the bench that stood near. A fear had come across him lest the vision should somehow or other relate to Baldassarre; and this sudden change of feeling prompted him to seek a change of position.
Romola told him all that had passed, from her entrance into San Marco, hardly leaving out one of her brother’s words which had burned themselves into her memory as they were spoken. But when she was at the end of the vision, she paused; the rest came too vividly32 before her to be uttered, and she sat looking at the distance, almost unconscious for the moment that Tito was near her. His mind was at ease now; that vague vision had passed over him like white mist, and left no mark. But he was silent, expecting her to speak again.
‘I took it,’ she went on, as if Tito had been reading her thoughts; ‘I took the crucifix; it is down below in my bedroom.’
‘And now, my Romola,’ said Tito, entreatingly33, ‘you will banish34 these ghastly thoughts. The vision was an ordinary monkish35 vision, bred of fasting and fanatical ideas. It surely has no weight with you.’
‘No, Tito; no. But poor Dino, he believed it was a divine message. It is strange,’ she went on meditatively38, ‘this life of men possessed39 with fervid40 beliefs that seem like madness to tkeir fellow-beings. Dino was not a vulgar fanatic37; and that Fra Girolamo — his very voice seems to have penetrated41 me with a sense that there is some truth in what moves them: some truth of which I know nothing.’
‘It was only because your feelings were highly wrought42, my Romola. Your brother’s state of mind was no more than a form of that theosophy which has been the common disease of excitable dreamy minds in all ages; the same ideas that your father’s old antagonist43, Marsilio Ficino, pores over in the New Platonists; only your brother’s passionate nature drove him to act out what other men write and talk about. And for Fra Girolamo, he is simply a narrow-minded monk36, with a gift of preaching and infusing terror into the multitude. Any words or any voice would have shaken you at that moment. When your mind has had a little repose44, you will judge of such things as you have always done before.’
‘Not about poor Dino,’ said Romola. ‘I was angry with him; my heart seemed to close against him while he was speaking; but since then I have thought less of what was in my own mind and more of what was in his. Oh, Tito! it was very piteous to see his young life coming to an end in that way. That yearning45 look at the crucifix when he was gasping for breath — I can never forget it. Last night I looked at the crucifix a long while, and tried to see that it would help him, until at last it seemed to me by the lamplight as if the suffering face shed pity.’
‘My Romola, promise me to resist such thoughts; they are fit for sickly nuns46, not for my golden-tressed Aurora47, who looks made to scatter48 all such twilight49 fantasies. Try not to think of them now; we shall not long be alone together.’
The last words were uttered in a tone of tender beseeching50, and he turned her face towards him with a gentle touch of his right hand.
Romola had had her eyes fixed51 absently on the arched opening, but she had not seen the distant hill; she had all the while been in the chapter-house, looking at the pale images of sorrow and death.
Tito’s touch and beseeching voice recalled her; and now in the warm sunlight she saw that rich dark beauty which seemed to gather round it all images of joy — purple vines festooned between the elms, the strong corn perfecting itself under the vibrating heat, bright winged creatures hurrying and resting among the flowers, round limbs beating the earth in gladness with cymbals52 held aloft, light melodies chanted to the thrilling rhythm of strings53 — all objects and all sounds that tell of Nature revelling54 in her force. Strange, bewildering transition from those pale images of sorrow and death to this bright youthfulness, as of a sun-god who knew nothing of night! What thought could reconcile that worn anguish in her brother’s face — that straining after something invisible — with this satisfied strength and beauty, and make it intelligible55 that they belonged to the same world? Or was there never any reconciling of them, but only a blind worship of clashing deities56, first in mad joy and then in wailing57? Romola for the first time felt this questioning need like a sudden uneasy dizziness and want of something to grasp; it was an experience hardly longer than a sigh, for the eager theorising of ages is compressed, as in a seed, in the momentary58 want of a single mind. But there was no answer to meet the need, and it vanished before the returning rush of young sympathy with the glad loving beauty that beamed upon her in new radiance, like the dawn after we have looked away from it to the grey west.
‘Your mind lingers apart from our love, my Romola,’ Tito said, with a soft reproachful murmur15. ‘It seems a forgotten thing to you.’
She looked at the beseeching eyes in silence, till the sadness all melted out of her own.
‘My joy!’ she said, in her full clear voice.
‘Do you really care for me enough, then, to banish those chill fancies, or shall you always be suspecting me as the Great Tempter?’ said Tito, with his bright smile.
‘How should I not care for you more than for everything else? Everything I had felt before in all my life — about my father, and about my loneliness — was a preparation to love you. You would laugh at me, Tito, if you knew what sort of man I used to think I should marry — some scholar with deep lines in his face, like Alamanno Rinuccini, and with rather grey hair, who would agree with my father in taking the side of the Aristotelians, and be willing to live with him. I used to think about the love I read of in the poets, but I never dreamed that anything like that could happen to me here in Florence in our old library. And then you came, Tito, and were so much to my father, and I began to believe that life could be happy for me too.’
‘My goddess! is there any woman like you?’ said Tito, with a mixture of fondness and wondering admiration59 at the blended majesty60 and simplicity61 in her.
‘But, dearest,’ he went on, rather timidly, ‘if you minded more about our marriage, you would persuade your father and Messer Bernardo not to think of any more delays. But you seem not to mind about it.’
‘Yes, Tito, I will, I do mind. But I am sure my godfather will urge more delay now, because of Dino’s death. He has never agreed with my father about disowning Dino, and you know he has always said that we ought to wait until you have been at least a year in Florence. Do not think hardly of my godfather. I know he is prejudiced and narrow, but yet he is very noble. He has often said that it is folly62 in my father to want to keep his library apart, that it may bear his name; yet he would try to get my father’s wish carried out. That seems to me very great and noble — that power of respecting a feeling which he does not share or understand.’
‘I have no rancour against Messer Bernardo for thinking you too precious for me, my Romola,’ said Tito: and that was true. ‘But your father, then, knows of his son’s death?’
‘Yes, I told him — I could not help it. I told him where I had been, and that I had seen Dino die; but nothing else; and he has commanded me not to speak of it again. But he has been very silent this morning, and has had those restless movements which always go to my heart; they look as if he were trying to get outside the prison of his blindness. Let us go to him now. I had persuaded him to try to sleep, because he slept little in the night. Your voice will soothe63 him, Tito: it always does.’
‘And not one kiss? I have not had one,’ said Tito, in his gentle reproachful tone, which gave him an air of dependence64 very charming in a creature with those rare gifts that seem to excuse presumption65.
The sweet pink blush spread itself with the quickness of light over Romola’s face and neck as she bent66 towards him. It seemed impossible that their kisses could ever become common things.
‘Let us walk once round the loggia,’ said Romola, ‘before we go down.’
‘There is something grim and grave to me always about Florence,’ said Tito, as they paused in the front of the house, where they could see over the opposite roofs to the other side of the river, ‘and even in its merriment there is something shrill67 and hard — biting rather than gay. I wish we lived in Southern Italy, where thought is broken, not by weariness, but by delicious languors such as never seem to come over the “ingenia acerrima Florentina.” I should like to see you under that southern sun, lying among the flowers, subdued68 into mere enjoyment69, while I bent over you and touched the lute70 and sang to you some little unconscious strain that seemed all one with the light and the warmth. You have never known that happiness of the nymphs, my Romola.’
‘No; but I have dreamed of it often since you came. I am very thirsty for a deep draught71 of joy — for a life all bright like you. But we will not think of it now, Tito; it seems to me as if there would always be pale sad faces among the flowers, and eyes that look in vain. Let us go.’
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
dwellings
|
|
| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
slanted
|
|
| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
presumptuous
|
|
| adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
caress
|
|
| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
aloof
|
|
| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
throb
|
|
| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
sobbing
|
|
| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
sob
|
|
| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
yearned
|
|
| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
contented
|
|
| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
passionate
|
|
| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
ripples
|
|
| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
marred
|
|
| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
delusion
|
|
| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
concealment
|
|
| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
rapture
|
|
| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
mutual
|
|
| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
soothing
|
|
| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
lustrous
|
|
| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
potency
|
|
| n. 效力，潜能 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
swelled
|
|
| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
anguish
|
|
| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
vividly
|
|
| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
entreatingly
|
|
| 哀求地，乞求地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
banish
|
|
| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
monkish
|
|
| adj.僧侣的，修道士的，禁欲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
monk
|
|
| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
fanatic
|
|
| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
meditatively
|
|
| adv.冥想地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
fervid
|
|
| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
penetrated
|
|
| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
wrought
|
|
| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
antagonist
|
|
| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
repose
|
|
| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
yearning
|
|
| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
nuns
|
|
| n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
aurora
|
|
| n.极光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
scatter
|
|
| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
twilight
|
|
| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
beseeching
|
|
| adj.恳求似的v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
cymbals
|
|
| pl.铙钹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
strings
|
|
| n.弦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
revelling
|
|
| v.作乐( revel的现在分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
intelligible
|
|
| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
deities
|
|
| n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
wailing
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
momentary
|
|
| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
majesty
|
|
| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
simplicity
|
|
| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
folly
|
|
| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
soothe
|
|
| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
dependence
|
|
| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
presumption
|
|
| n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
shrill
|
|
| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
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： |
|
|
|
|
69
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
lute
|
|
| n.琵琶，鲁特琴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
draught
|
|
| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |