The tone in which Cousin Monica had asked, “are you going to your governess?” and the curious, grave, and anxious look that accompanied the question, disturbed me; and there was something odd and cold in the tone as if a remembrance had suddenly chilled her. The accent remained in my ear, and the sharp brooding look was fixed4 before me as I glided5 up the broad dark stairs to Madame de la Rougierre’s chamber6.
She had not come down to the school-room, as the scene of my studies was called. She had decided7 on having a relapse, and accordingly had not made her appearance down-stairs that morning. The gallery leading to her room was dark and lonely, and I grew more nervous as I approached; I paused at the door, making up my mind to knock.
But the door opened suddenly, and, like a magic-lantern figure, presented with a snap, appeared close before my eyes the great muffled8 face, with the forbidding smirk9, of Madame de la Rougierre.
“Wat you mean, my dear cheaile?” she inquired with a malevolent10 shrewdness in her eyes, and her hollow smile all the time disconcerting me more even than the suddenness of her appearance; “wat for you approach so softly? I do not sleep, you see, but you feared, perhaps, to have the misfortune of wakening me, and so you came — is it not so? — to leesten, and look in very gently; you want to know how I was. Vous êtes bien aimable d’avoir pensé à moi. Bah!” she cried, suddenly bursting through her irony11. “Wy could not Lady Knollys come herself and leesten to the keyhole to make her report? Fi donc! wat is there to conceal12? Nothing. Enter, if you please. Every one they are welcome!” and she flung the door wide, turned her back upon me, and, with an ejaculation which I did not understand, strode into the room.
“I did not come with any intention, Madame, to pry13 or to intrude14 — you don’t think so — you can’t think so — you can’t possibly mean to insinuate15 anything so insulting!”
I was very angry, and my tremors16 had all vanished now.
“No, not for you, dear cheaile; I was thinking to milady Knollys, who, without cause, is my enemy. Every one has enemy; you will learn all that so soon as you are little older, and without cause she is mine. Come, Maud, speak a the truth — was it not miladi Knollys who sent you here doucement, doucement, so quaite to my door — is it not so, little rogue17?”
Madame had confronted me again, and we were now standing18 in the middle of her floor.
I indignantly repelled19 the charge, and searching me for a moment with her oddly-shaped, cunning eyes, she said —
“That is good cheaile, you speak a so direct — I like that, and am glad to hear; but, my dear Maud, that woman ——”
“Lady Knollys is papa’s cousin,” I interposed a little gravely.
“She does hate a me so, you av no idea. She as tried to injure me several times, and would employ the most innocent person, unconsciously you know, my dear, to assist her malice20.”
Here Madame wept a little. I had already discovered that she could shed tears whenever she pleased. Ii have heard of such persons, but I never met another before or since.
Madame was unusually frank — no one ever knew better when to be candid21. At present I suppose she concluded that Lady Knollys would certainly relate whatever she knew concerning her before she left Knowl; and so Madame’s reserves whatever they might be, were dissolving, and she growing childlike and confiding22.
“Et comment va monsieur votre père aujourd’hui?”
“Very well,” I thanked her.
“And how long milady Knollys her visit is likely to be?”
“I could not say exactly, but for some days.”
“Eh bien, my dear cheaile, I find myself better this morning, and we must return to our lessons. Je veux m’habiller, ma chère Maud; you will wait me in the school-room.”
By this time Madame, who, though lazy, could make an effort, and was capable of getting into a sudden hurry, had placed herself before her dressing-table, and was ogling23 her discoloured and bony countenance24 in the glass.
“Wat horror! I am so pale. Quel ennui25! wat bore! Ow weak av I grow in two three days!”
And she practised some plaintive26, invalid27 glances into the mirror. But on a sudden there came a little sharp inquisitive28 frown as she looked over the frame of the glass, upon the terrace beneath. It was only a glance, and she sat down languidly in her arm-chair to prepare, I suppose, for the fatigues29 of the toilet.
My curiosity was sufficiently30 aroused to induce me to ask —
“But why, Madame, do you fancy that Lady Knollys dislikes you?”
“’Tis not fancy, my dear Maud. Ah ha, no! Mais c’est boute une histoire — too tedious to tell now — some time maybe — and you will learn when you are little older, the most violent hatreds31 often they are the most without cause. But, my dear cheaile, the hours they are running from us, and I must dress. Vite, vite! so you run away to the school-room, and I will come after.”
Madame had her dressing-case and her mysteries, and palpably stood in need of repairs; so away I went to my studies. The room which we called the school-room was partly beneath the floor of Madame’s bed-chamber, and commanded the same view; so, remembering my governess’s peering glance from her windows, I looked out, and saw Cousin Monica making a brisk promenade32 up and down the terrace-walk. Well, that was quite enough to account for it. I had grown very curious, and I resolved when our lessons were over to join her and make another attempt to discover the mystery.
As I sat over my books, I fancied I heard a movement outside the door. I waited for a time, expecting to see the door open, but she did not come; so I opened it suddenly myself, but Madame was not on the threshold nor on the lobby. I heard a rustling33, however, and on the staircase over the banister I saw the folds of her silk dress as she descended34.
She is going, I thought, to seek an interview with Lady Knollys. She intends to propitiate35 that dangerous lady; so I amused some eight or ten minutes in watching Cousin Monica’s quick march and right-about face upon the parade-ground of the terrace. But no one joined her.
“She is certainly talking to papa,” was my next and more probable conjecture36. Having he profoundest distrust of Madame, I was naturally extremely jealous of the confidential37 interviews in which deceit and malice might make their representations plausibly38 and without answer.
“Yes, I’ll run down and see — see papa; she shan’t tell lies behind my back, horrid39 woman!”
At the study-door I knocked, and forthwith entered. My father was sitting near the window, his open book before him, Madame standing at the other side of the table, her cunning eyes bathed in tears, and her pocket-handkerchief pressed to her mouth. Her eyes glittered stealthily on me for an instant; she was sobbing40 — désolée, in fact — that grim grenadier lady, and her attitude was exquisitely41 dejected and timid. But she was, notwithstanding, reading closely and craftily42 my father’s face. He was not looking at her, but rather upward toward the ceiling, reflectively leaning on his hand, with an expression, not angry, but rather surly and annoyed.
“I ought to have heard of this before, Madame,” my father was saying as I came in; “not that it would have made any difference — not the least; mind that. But it was the kind of thing that I ought to have heard, and the omission43 was not strictly44 right.”
Madame, in a shrill45 and lamentable46 key, opened her voluble reply, but was arrested by a nod from my father, who asked me if I wanted anything.
“Only — only that I was waiting in the school-room for Madame, and did not know where she was.”
“Well, she is here, you see, and will join you up-stairs in a few minutes.”
So back I went again, huffed, angry, and curious, and sat back in my chair with a clouded countenance, thinking very little about lessons.
When Madame entered, I did not lift my head or eyes.
“Good cheaile! reading,” said she, as she approached briskly and reassured47.
“No,” I answered tartly48; “not good, nor a child either; I’m not reading. I’ve been thinking.”
“Trés-bien!” she said, with an insufferable smile, “thinking is very good also; but you look unhappy — very, poor cheaile. Take care you are not grow jealous for poor Madame talking sometime to your papa; you must not, little fool. It is only for a your good, my dear Maud, and I had no objection you should stay.”
“You!” Madame!” I said loftily. I was very angry, and showed it through my dignity, to Madame’s evident satisfaction.
“No — it was your papa, Mr. Ruthyn, who weesh to speak alone; for me I do not care; there was something I weesh to tell him. I don’t care who know, bur Mr. Ruthyn he is deeferent.”
I made no remark.
“Come, leetle Maud, you are not to be so cross; it will be much better you and I to be good friends together. Why should a we quarrel? — wat nonsense! Do you imagine I would anywhere undertake a the education of a young person unless I could speak with her parent? — wat folly49! I would like to be your friend, however, my poor Maud, if you would allow — you and I together — wat you say?”
“People grow to be friends by liking50, Madame, and liking comes of itself, not by bargain; I like every one who is kind to me.”
“And so I. You are like me in so many things, my dear Maud! Are you quaite well to-day? I think you look fateague; so I feel, too, vary tire. I think we weel put off the lessons to to-morrow. Eh? and we will come to play la grace in the garden.”
Madame was plainly in a high state of exultation51. Her audience had evidently been satisfactory, and, like other people, when things went well, her soul lighted up into a sulphureous good-humour, not very genuine nor pleasant, but still it was better than other moods.
I was glad when our calisthenics were ended, and Madame had returned to her apartment, so that I had a pleasant little walk with Cousin Monica.
We women are persevering52 when once our curiosity is roused, but she gaily53 foiled mine, and, I think, had a mischievous54 pleasure in doing so. As we were going in to dress for dinner, however, she said, quite gravely —
“I am sorry, Maud, I allowed you to see that I have any unpleasant impressions about that governess lady. I shall be at liberty some day to explain all about it, and, indeed, it will be enough to tell your father, whom I have not been able to find all day; but really we are, perhaps, making too much of the matter, and I cannot say that I know anything against Madame that is conclusive55, or — or, indeed, at all;’ but that there are reasons, and — you must not ask any more — no, you must not.”
That evening, while I was playing the overture56 to Cenerentola, for the entertainment of my cousin, there arose from the tea-table, where she and my father were sitting, a spirited and rather angry harangue57 from Lady Knollys’ lips; I turned me eyes from the music towards the speakers; the overture swooned away with a little hesitating babble58 into silence, and I listened.
Their conversation had begun under cover of the music which I was making, and now they were too much engrossed59 to perceive its discontinuance. The first sentence I heard seized my attention; my father had closed the book he was reading, upon his finger, and was leaning back in his chair, as he used to do when at all angry; his face was a little flushed, and I knew the fierce and glassy stare which expressed pride, surprise, and wrath60.
“Yes, Lady Knollys, there’s an animus61; I know the spirit you speak in — it does you no honour,” said my father.
“And I know the spirit you speak in, the spirit of madness,” retorted Cousin Monica, just as much in earnest. “I can’t conceive how you can be so demented, Austin. What has perverted62 you? are you blind?”
“You are, Monica; your own unnatural63 prejudice — unnatural prejudice, blinds you. What is it all? — nothing. Were I to act as you say, I should be a coward and a traitor64. I see, I do see, all that’s real. I’m no Quixote, to draw my sword on illusions.”
“There should be no halting here. How can you — do you ever think? I wonder you can breathe. I feel as if the evil one were in the house.”
A stern, momentary65 frown was my father’s only answer, as he looked fixedly66 at her.
“People need not nail up horseshoes and mark their door-stones with charms to keep the evil spirit out,” ran on Lady Knollys, who looked as pale and angry, in her way, “but you open your door in the dark and invoke67 unknown danger. How can you look at that child that’s — she’s not playing,” said Knollys, abruptly68 stopping.
My father rose, muttering to himself, and cast a lurid69 glance at me, as he went in high displeasure to the door. Cousin Monica, now flushed a little, glanced also silently at me, biting the tip of her slender gold cross, and doubtful how much I had heard.
My father opened the door suddenly, which he had just closed, and looking in, said, in a calmer tone —
“Perhaps, Monica, you would come for a moment to the study; I ‘m sure you have none but kindly70 feelings towards me and little Maud, there; and I thank you for your good-will; but you must see other things more reasonably, and I think you will.”
Cousin Monica got up silently and followed him, only throwing up her eyes and hands as she did so, and I was left alone, wondering and curious more than ever.
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收听单词发音
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1
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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2
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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abhorrence
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| n.憎恶；可憎恶的事 | |
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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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5
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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7
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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8
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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9
smirk
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| n.得意地笑；v.傻笑；假笑着说 | |
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10
malevolent
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| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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11
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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12
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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13
pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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14
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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15
insinuate
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| vt.含沙射影地说，暗示 | |
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16
tremors
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| 震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动 | |
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17
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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18
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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19
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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20
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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22
confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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23
ogling
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| v.（向…）抛媚眼，送秋波( ogle的现在分词 ) | |
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24
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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29
fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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30
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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31
hatreds
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| n.仇恨，憎恶( hatred的名词复数 )；厌恶的事 | |
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promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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33
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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34
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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35
propitiate
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| v.慰解，劝解 | |
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36
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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37
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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38
plausibly
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| 似真地 | |
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39
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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40
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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41
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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42
craftily
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| 狡猾地，狡诈地 | |
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43
omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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44
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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45
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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46
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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47
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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48
tartly
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| adv.辛辣地，刻薄地 | |
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49
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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50
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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51
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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52
persevering
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| a.坚忍不拔的 | |
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53
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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54
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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55
conclusive
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| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
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56
overture
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| n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉 | |
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57
harangue
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| n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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58
babble
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| v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语 | |
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59
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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60
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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61
animus
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| n.恶意；意图 | |
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62
perverted
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| adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 )；腐蚀；败坏；使堕落 | |
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63
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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64
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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65
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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66
fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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67
invoke
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| v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求 | |
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68
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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69
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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70
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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