Yet Lady Annabel was too sensible of the paramount7 claims of a mother; herself, indeed, too jealous of any encroachment8 on the full privileges of maternal9 love, to sanction in the slightest degree, by her behaviour, any neglect of Mrs. Cadurcis by her son. For his sake, therefore, she courted the society of her new neighbour; and although Mrs. Cadurcis offered little to engage Lady Annabel’s attention as a companion, though she was violent in her temper, far from well informed, and, from the society in which, in spite of her original good birth, her later years had passed, very far from being refined, she was not without her good qualities. She was generous, kind-hearted, and grateful; not insensible of her own deficiencies, and respectable from her misfortunes. Lady Annabel was one of those who always judged individuals rather by their good qualities than their bad. With the exception of her violent temper, which, under the control of Lady Annabel’s presence, and by the aid of all that kind person’s skilful10 management, Mrs. Cadurcis generally contrived to bridle11, her principal faults were those of manner, which, from the force of habit, every day became less painful. Mrs. Cadurcis, who, indeed, was only a child of a larger growth, became scarcely less attached to the Herbert family than her son; she felt that her life, under their influence, was happier and serener12 than of yore; that there were less domestic broils13 than in old days; that her son was more dutiful; and, as she could not help suspecting, though she found it difficult to analyse the cause, herself more amiable14. The truth was, Lady Annabel always treated Mrs. Cadurcis with studied respect; and the children, and especially Venetia, followed her example. Mrs. Cadurcis’ self-complacency was not only less shocked, but more gratified, than before; and this was the secret of her happiness. For no one was more mortified15 by her rages, when they were past, than Mrs. Cadurcis herself; she felt they compromised her dignity, and had lost her all moral command over a child whom she loved at the bottom of her heart with a kind of wild passion, though she would menace and strike him, and who often precipitated16 these paroxysms by denying his mother that duty and affection which were, after all, the great charm and pride of her existence.
As Mrs. Cadurcis was unable to walk to Cherbury, and as Plantagenet soon fell into the habit of passing every morning at the hall, Lady Annabel was frequent in her visits to the mother, and soon she persuaded Mrs. Cadurcis to order the old postchaise regularly on Saturday, and remain at Cherbury until the following Monday; by these means both families united together in the chapel17 at divine service, while the presence of Dr. Masham, at their now increased Sunday dinner, was an incident in the monotonous18 life of Mrs. Cadurcis far from displeasing to her. The Doctor gave her a little news of the neighbourhood, and of the country in general; amused her with an occasional anecdote19 of the Queen and the young Princesses, and always lent her the last number of ‘Sylvanus Urban.’
This weekly visit to Cherbury, the great personal attention which she always received there, and the frequent morning walks of Lady Annabel to the abbey, effectually repressed on the whole the jealousy20 which was a characteristic of Mrs. Cadurcis’ nature, and which the constant absence of her son from her in the mornings might otherwise have fatally developed. But Mrs. Cadurcis could not resist the conviction that the Herberts were as much her friends as her child’s; her jealousy was balanced by her gratitude21; she was daily, almost hourly, sensible of some kindness of Lady Annabel, for there were a thousand services in the power of the opulent and ample establishment of Cherbury to afford the limited and desolate22 household at the abbey. Living in seclusion23, it is difficult to refrain from imbibing24 even a strong regard for our almost solitary25 companion, however incompatible26 may be our pursuits, and however our tastes may vary, especially when that companion is grateful, and duly sensible of the condescension27 of our intimacy. And so it happened that, before a year had elapsed, that very Mrs. Cadurcis, whose first introduction at Cherbury had been so unfavourable to her, and from whose temper and manners the elegant demeanour and the disciplined mind of Lady Annabel Herbert might have been excused for a moment recoiling28, had succeeded in establishing a strong hold upon the affections of her refined neighbour, who sought, on every occasion, her society, and omitted few opportunities of contributing to her comfort and welfare.
In the meantime her son was the companion of Venetia, both in her pastimes and studies. The education of Lord Cadurcis had received no further assistance than was afforded by the little grammar-school at Morpeth, where he had passed three or four years as a day-scholar, and where his mother had invariably taken his part on every occasion that he had incurred29 the displeasure of his master. There he had obtained some imperfect knowledge of Latin; yet the boy was fond of reading, and had picked up, in an odd way, more knowledge than might have been supposed. He had read ‘Baker’s Chronicle,’ and ‘The Old Universal History,’ and ‘Plutarch;’ and had turned over, in the book room of an old gentleman at Morpeth, who had been attracted by his intelligence, not a few curious old folios, from which he had gleaned30 no contemptible31 store of curious instances of human nature. His guardian32, whom he had never seen, and who was a great nobleman and lived in London, had signified to Mrs. Cadurcis his intention of sending his ward33 to Eton; but that time had not yet arrived, and Mrs. Cadurcis, who dreaded34 parting with her son, determined35 to postpone36 it by every maternal artifice37 in her power. At present it would have seemed that her son’s intellect was to be left utterly38 uncultivated, for there was no school in the neighbourhood which he could attend, and no occasional assistance which could be obtained; and to the constant presence of a tutor in the house Mrs. Cadurcis was not less opposed than his lordship could have been himself.
It was by degrees that Lord Cadurcis became the partner of Venetia in her studies. Lady Annabel had consulted Dr. Masham about the poor little boy, whose neglected state she deplored39; and the good Doctor had offered to ride over to Cherbury at least once a week, besides Sunday, provided Lady Annabel would undertake that his directions, in his absence, should be attended to. This her ladyship promised cheerfully; nor had she any difficulty in persuading Cadurcis to consent to the arrangement. He listened with docility40 and patience to her representation of the fatal effects, in his after-life, of his neglected education; of the generous and advantageous41 offer of Dr. Masham; and how cheerfully she would exert herself to assist his endeavours, if Plantagenet would willingly submit to her supervision42. The little lord expressed to her his determination to do all that she desired, and voluntarily promised her that she should never repent43 her goodness. And he kept his word. So every morning, with the full concurrence44 of Mrs. Cadurcis, whose advice and opinion on the affair were most formally solicited45 by Lady Annabel, Plantagenet arrived early at the hall, and took his writing and French lessons with Venetia, and then they alternately read aloud to Lady Annabel from the histories of Hooke and Echard. When Venetia repaired to her drawing, Cadurcis sat down to his Latin exercise, and, in encouraging and assisting him, Lady Annabel, a proficient46 in Italian, began herself to learn the ancient language of the Romans. With such a charming mistress even these Latin exercises were achieved. In vain Cadurcis, after turning leaf over leaf, would look round with a piteous air to his fair assistant, ‘O Lady Annabel, I am sure the word is not in the dictionary;’ Lady Annabel was in a moment at his side, and, by some magic of her fair fingers, the word would somehow or other make its appearance. After a little exposure of this kind, Plantagenet would labour with double energy, until, heaving a deep sigh of exhaustion47 and vexation, he would burst forth48, ‘O Lady Annabel, indeed there is not a nominative case in this sentence.’ And then Lady Annabel would quit her easel, with her pencil in her hand, and give all her intellect to the puzzling construction; at length, she would say, ‘I think, Plantagenet, this must be our nominative case;’ and so it always was.
Thus, when Wednesday came, the longest and most laborious49 morning of all Lord Cadurcis’ studies, and when he neither wrote, nor read, nor learnt French with Venetia, but gave up all his soul to Dr. Masham, he usually acquitted50 himself to that good person’s satisfaction, who left him, in general, with commendations that were not lost on the pupil, and plenty of fresh exercises to occupy him and Lady Annabel until the next week. When a year had thus passed away, the happiest year yet in Lord Cadurcis’ life, in spite of all his disadvantages, he had contrived to make no inconsiderable progress. Almost deprived of a tutor, he had advanced in classical acquirement more than during the whole of his preceding years of scholarship, while his handwriting began to become intelligible51, he could read French with comparative facility, and had turned over many a volume in the well-stored library at Cherbury.
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1
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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imbibed
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| v.吸收( imbibe的过去式和过去分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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displeasing
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| 不愉快的，令人发火的 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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forfeit
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| vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物 | |
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paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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encroachment
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| n.侵入，蚕食 | |
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maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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serener
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| serene（沉静的，宁静的，安宁的）的比较级形式 | |
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broils
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| v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的第三人称单数 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙） | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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16
precipitated
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| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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imbibing
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| v.吸收( imbibe的现在分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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incompatible
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| adj.不相容的，不协调的，不相配的 | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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recoiling
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| v.畏缩( recoil的现在分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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gleaned
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| v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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34
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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artifice
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| n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
docility
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| n.容易教，易驾驶，驯服 | |
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advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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concurrence
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| n.同意；并发 | |
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45
solicited
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| v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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46
proficient
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| adj.熟练的，精通的；n.能手，专家 | |
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47
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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48
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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49
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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50
acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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51
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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