There was, as she had hoped, a letter from Swithin St. Cleeve.
‘DEAR LADY CONSTANTINE — I have quite succeeded in my mission, and shall return tomorrow at 10 p.m. I hope you have not failed in the observations. Watching the star through an opera-glass Sunday night, I fancied some change had taken place, but I could not make myself sure. Your memoranda7 for that night I await with impatience8. Please don’t neglect to write down AT THE MOMENT, all remarkable9 appearances both as to colour and intensity10; and be very exact as to time, which correct in the way I showed you. — I am, dear Lady Constantine, yours most faithfully,
SWITHIN ST. CLEEVE.’
Not another word in the letter about his errand; his mind ran on nothing but this astronomical12 subject. He had succeeded in his mission, and yet he did not even say yes or no to the great question — whether or not her husband was masquerading in London at the address she had given.
‘Was ever anything so provoking!’ she cried.
However, the time was not long to wait. His way homeward would lie within a stone’s-throw of the manor-house, and though for certain reasons she had forbidden him to call at the late hour of his arrival, she could easily intercept13 him in the avenue. At twenty minutes past ten she went out into the drive, and stood in the dark. Seven minutes later she heard his footstep, and saw his outline in the slit14 of light between the avenue-trees. He had a valise in one hand, a great-coat on his arm, and under his arm a parcel which seemed to be very precious, from the manner in which he held it.
‘Lady Constantine?’ he asked softly.
‘Yes,’ she said, in her excitement holding out both her hands, though he had plainly not expected her to offer one.
‘Did you watch the star?’
‘I’ll tell you everything in detail; but, pray, your errand first!’
‘Yes, it’s all right. Did you watch every night, not missing one?’
‘I forgot to go — twice,’ she murmured contritely15.
‘Oh, Lady Constantine!’ he cried in dismay. ‘How could you serve me so! what shall I do?’
‘Please forgive me! Indeed, I could not help it. I had watched and watched, and nothing happened; and somehow my vigilance relaxed when I found nothing was likely to take place in the star.’
‘But the very circumstance of it not having happened, made it all the more likely every day.’
‘Have you — seen —’ she began imploringly16.
Swithin sighed, lowered his thoughts to sublunary things, and told briefly17 the story of his journey. Sir Blount Constantine was not in London at the address which had been anonymously18 sent her. It was a mistake of identity. The person who had been seen there Swithin had sought out. He resembled Sir Blount strongly; but he was a stranger.
‘How can I reward you!’ she exclaimed, when he had done.
‘In no way but by giving me your good wishes in what I am going to tell you on my own account.’ He spoke19 in tones of mysterious exultation20. ‘This parcel is going to make my fame!’
‘What is it?’
‘A huge object-glass for the great telescope I am so busy about! Such a magnificent aid to science has never entered this county before, you may depend.’
He produced from under his arm the carefully cuddled-up package, which was in shape a round flat disk, like a dinner-plate, tied in paper.
Proceeding21 to explain his plans to her more fully11, he walked with her towards the door by which she had emerged. It was a little side wicket through a wall dividing the open park from the garden terraces. Here for a moment he placed his valise and parcel on the coping of the stone balustrade, till he had bidden her farewell. Then he turned, and in laying hold of his bag by the dim light pushed the parcel over the parapet. It fell smash upon the paved walk ten or a dozen feet beneath.
‘Oh, good heavens!’ he cried in anguish22.
‘What?’
‘My object-glass broken!’
‘Is it of much value?’
‘It cost all I possess!’
He ran round by the steps to the lower lawn, Lady Constantine following, as he continued, ‘It is a magnificent eight-inch first quality object lens! I took advantage of my journey to London to get it! I have been six weeks making the tube of milled board; and as I had not enough money by twelve pounds for the lens, I borrowed it of my grandmother out of her last annuity23 payment. What can be, can be done!’
‘Perhaps it is not broken.’
He felt on the ground, found the parcel, and shook it. A clicking noise issued from inside. Swithin smote24 his forehead with his hand, and walked up and down like a mad fellow.
‘My telescope! I have waited nine months for this lens. Now the possibility of setting up a really powerful instrument is over! It is too cruel — how could it happen! . . . Lady Constantine, I am ashamed of myself — before you. Oh, but, Lady Constantine, if you only knew what it is to a person engaged in science to have the means of clinching25 a theory snatched away at the last moment! It is I against the world; and when the world has accidents on its side in addition to its natural strength, what chance for me!’
The young astronomer26 leant against the wall, and was silent. His misery27 was of an intensity and kind with that of Palissy, in these struggles with an adverse28 fate.
‘Don’t mind it — pray don’t!’ said Lady Constantine. ‘It is dreadfully unfortunate! You have my whole sympathy. Can it be mended?’
‘Mended — no, no!’
‘Cannot you do with your present one a little longer?’
‘It is altogether inferior, cheap, and bad!’
‘I’ll get you another — yes, indeed, I will! Allow me to get you another as soon as possible. I’ll do anything to assist you out of your trouble; for I am most anxious to see you famous. I know you will be a great astronomer, in spite of this mishap29! Come, say I may get a new one.’
Swithin took her hand. He could not trust himself to speak.
Some days later a little box of peculiar30 kind came to the Great House. It was addressed to Lady Constantine, ‘with great care.’ She had it partly opened and taken to her own little writing-room; and after lunch, when she had dressed for walking, she took from the box a paper parcel like the one which had met with the accident. This she hid under her mantle31, as if she had stolen it; and, going out slowly across the lawn, passed through the little door before spoken of, and was soon hastening in the direction of the Rings-Hill column.
There was a bright sun overhead on that afternoon of early spring, and its rays shed an unusual warmth on south-west aspects, though shady places still retained the look and feel of winter. Rooks were already beginning to build new nests or to mend up old ones, and clamorously called in neighbours to give opinions on difficulties in their architecture. Lady Constantine swerved32 once from her path, as if she had decided33 to go to the homestead where Swithin lived; but on second thoughts she bent34 her steps to the column.
Drawing near it she looked up; but by reason of the height of the parapet nobody could be seen thereon who did not stand on tiptoe. She thought, however, that her young friend might possibly see her, if he were there, and come down; and that he was there she soon ascertained35 by finding the door unlocked, and the key inside. No movement, however, reached her ears from above, and she began to ascend36.
Meanwhile affairs at the top of the column had progressed as follows. The afternoon being exceptionally fine, Swithin had ascended37 about two o’clock, and, seating himself at the little table which he had constructed on the spot, he began reading over his notes and examining some astronomical journals that had reached him in the morning. The sun blazed into the hollow roof-space as into a tub, and the sides kept out every breeze. Though the month was February below it was May in the abacus38 of the column. This state of the atmosphere, and the fact that on the previous night he had pursued his observations till past two o’clock, produced in him at the end of half an hour an overpowering inclination39 to sleep. Spreading on the lead-work a thick rug which he kept up there, he flung himself down against the parapet, and was soon in a state of unconsciousness.
It was about ten minutes afterwards that a soft rustle40 of silken clothes came up the spiral staircase, and, hesitating onwards, reached the orifice, where appeared the form of Lady Constantine. She did not at first perceive that he was present, and stood still to reconnoitre. Her eye glanced over his telescope, now wrapped up, his table and papers, his observing-chair, and his contrivances for making the best of a deficiency of instruments. All was warm, sunny, and silent, except that a solitary41 bee, which had somehow got within the hollow of the abacus, was singing round inquiringly, unable to discern that ascent42 was the only mode of escape. In another moment she beheld43 the astronomer, lying in the sun like a sailor in the main-top.
Lady Constantine coughed slightly; he did not awake. She then entered, and, drawing the parcel from beneath her cloak, placed it on the table. After this she waited, looking for a long time at his sleeping face, which had a very interesting appearance. She seemed reluctant to leave, yet wanted resolution to wake him; and, pencilling his name on the parcel, she withdrew to the staircase, where the brushing of her dress decreased to silence as she receded44 round and round on her way to the base.
Swithin still slept on, and presently the rustle began again in the far-down interior of the column. The door could be heard closing, and the rustle came nearer, showing that she had shut herself in — no doubt to lessen45 the risk of an accidental surprise by any roaming villager. When Lady Constantine reappeared at the top, and saw the parcel still untouched and Swithin asleep as before, she exhibited some disappointment; but she did not retreat.
Looking again at him, her eyes became so sentimentally46 fixed47 on his face that it seemed as if she could not withdraw them. There lay, in the shape of an Antinous, no amoroso, no gallant48, but a guileless philosopher. His parted lips were lips which spoke, not of love, but of millions of miles; those were eyes which habitually49 gazed, not into the depths of other eyes, but into other worlds. Within his temples dwelt thoughts, not of woman’s looks, but of stellar aspects and the configuration50 of constellations51.
Thus, to his physical attractiveness was added the attractiveness of mental inaccessibility52. The ennobling influence of scientific pursuits was demonstrated by the speculative53 purity which expressed itself in his eyes whenever he looked at her in speaking, and in the childlike faults of manner which arose from his obtuseness54 to their difference of sex. He had never, since becoming a man, looked even so low as to the level of a Lady Constantine. His heaven at present was truly in the skies, and not in that only other place where they say it can be found, in the eyes of some daughter of Eve. Would any Circe or Calypso — and if so, what one? — ever check this pale-haired scientist’s nocturnal sailings into the interminable spaces overhead, and hurl55 all his mighty56 calculations on cosmic force and stellar fire into Limbo57? Oh, the pity of it, if such should be the case!
She became much absorbed in these very womanly reflections; and at last Lady Constantine sighed, perhaps she herself did not exactly know why. Then a very soft expression lighted on her lips and eyes, and she looked at one jump ten years more youthful than before — quite a girl in aspect, younger than he. On the table lay his implements58; among them a pair of scissors, which, to judge from the shreds59 around, had been used in cutting curves in thick paper for some calculating process.
What whim60, agitation61, or attraction prompted the impulse, nobody knows; but she took the scissors, and, bending over the sleeping youth, cut off one of the curls, or rather crooks62 — for they hardly reached a curl — into which each lock of his hair chose to twist itself in the last inch of its length. The hair fell upon the rug. She picked it up quickly, returned the scissors to the table, and, as if her dignity had suddenly become ashamed of her fantasies, hastened through the door, and descended63 the staircase.
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1
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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rime
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| n.白霜；v.使蒙霜 | |
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languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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disperse
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| vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散 | |
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7
memoranda
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| n. 备忘录, 便条 名词memorandum的复数形式 | |
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8
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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9
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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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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astronomical
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| adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的 | |
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13
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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14
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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contritely
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imploringly
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| adv. 恳求地, 哀求地 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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18
anonymously
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| ad.用匿名的方式 | |
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19
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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20
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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annuity
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| n.年金；养老金 | |
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24
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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25
clinching
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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26
astronomer
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| n.天文学家 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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30
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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31
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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32
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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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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35
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
abacus
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| n.算盘 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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40
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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41
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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43
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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44
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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45
lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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sentimentally
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| adv.富情感地 | |
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47
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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48
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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49
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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50
configuration
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| n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置 | |
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51
constellations
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| n.星座( constellation的名词复数 )；一群杰出人物；一系列（相关的想法、事物）；一群（相关的人） | |
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52
inaccessibility
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| n. 难接近, 难达到, 难达成 | |
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53
speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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54
obtuseness
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| 感觉迟钝 | |
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55
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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56
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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57
limbo
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| n.地狱的边缘；监狱 | |
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58
implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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59
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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60
whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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61
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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62
crooks
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| n.骗子( crook的名词复数 )；罪犯；弯曲部分；（牧羊人或主教用的）弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 ) | |
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63
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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