Cadurcis proposed that they should ramble5 over the abbey, he talked of projected alterations6, as if he really had the power immediately to effect them, and was desirous of obtaining their opinions before any change was made. So they ascended7 the staircase which many years before Venetia had mounted for the first time with her mother, and entered that series of small and ill-furnished rooms in which Mrs. Cadurcis had principally resided, and which had undergone no change. The old pictures were examined; these, all agreed, never must move; and the new furniture, it was settled, must be in character with the building. Lady Annabel entered into all the details with an interest and animation8 which rather amused Dr. Masham. Venetia listened and suggested, and responded to the frequent appeals of Cadurcis to her judgment9 with an unconscious equanimity10 not less diverting.
‘Now here we really can do something,’ said his lordship as they entered the saloon, or rather refectory; ‘here I think we may effect wonders. The tapestry11 must always remain. Is it not magnificent, Venetia? But what hangings shall we have? We must keep the old chairs, I think. Do you approve of the old chairs, Venetia? And what shall we cover them with? Shall it be damask? What do you think, Venetia? Do you like damask? And what colour shall it be? Shall it be crimson12? Shall it be crimson damask, Lady Annabel? Do you think Venetia would like crimson damask? Now, Venetia, do give us the benefit of your opinion.’
Then they entered the old gallery; here was to be a great transformation13. Marvels14 were to be effected in the old gallery, and many and multiplied were the appeals to the taste and fancy of Venetia.
‘I think,’ said Lord Cadurcis, ‘I shall leave the gallery to be arranged when I am settled. The rooms and the saloon shall be done at once, I shall give orders for them to begin instantly. Whom do you recommend, Lady Annabel? Do you think there is any person at Southport who could manage to do it, superintended by our taste? Venetia, what do you think?’
Venetia was standing15 at the window, rather apart from her companions, looking at the old garden. Lord Cadurcis joined her. ‘Ah! it has been sadly neglected since my poor mother’s time. We could not do much in those days, but still she loved this garden. I must depend upon you entirely16 to arrange my garden, Venetia. This spot is sacred to you. You have not forgotten our labours here, have you, Venetia? Ah! those were happy days, and these shall be more happy still. This is your garden; it shall always be called Venetia’s garden.’
‘I would have taken care of it when you were away, but —’
‘But what?’ inquired Lord Cadurcis anxiously.
‘We hardly felt authorised,’ replied Venetia calmly. ‘We came at first when you left Cadurcis, but at last it did not seem that our presence was very acceptable.’
‘The brutes17!’ exclaimed Lord Cadurcis.
‘No, no; good simple people, they were unused to orders from strange masters, and they were perplexed18. Besides, we had no right to interfere19.’
‘No right to interfere! Venetia, my little fellow-labourer, no right to interfere! Why all is yours! Fancy your having no right to interfere at Cadurcis!’
Then they proceeded to the park and wandered to the margin20 of the lake. There was not a spot, not an object, which did not recall some adventure or incident of childhood. Every moment Lord Cadurcis exclaimed, ‘Venetia! do you remember this?’ ‘Venetia! have you forgotten that?’ and every time Venetia smiled, and proved how faithful was her memory by adding some little unmentioned trait to the lively reminiscences of her companion.
‘Well, after all,’ said Lord Cadurcis with a sigh, ‘my poor mother was a strange woman, and, God bless her! used sometimes to worry me out of my senses! but still she always loved you. No one can deny that. Cherbury was a magic name with her. She loved Lady Annabel, and she loved you, Venetia. It ran in the blood, you see. She would be happy, quite happy, if she saw us all here together, and if she knew —’
‘Plantagenet,’ said Lady Annabel, ‘you must build a lodge21 at this end of the park. I cannot conceive anything more effective than an entrance from the Southport road in this quarter.’
‘Certainly, Lady Annabel, certainly we must build a lodge. Do not you think so, Venetia?’
‘Indeed I think it would be a great improvement,’ replied Venetia; ‘but you must take care to have a lodge in character with the abbey.’
‘You shall make a drawing for it,’ said Lord Cadurcis; ‘it shall be built directly, and it shall be called Venetia Lodge.’
The hours flew away, loitering in the park, roaming in the woods. They met Mistress Pauncefort and her friends loaded with plunder22, and they offered to Venetia a trophy23 of their success; but when Venetia, merely to please their kind hearts, accepted their tribute with cordiality, and declared there was nothing she liked better, Lord Cadurcis would not be satisfied unless he immediately commenced nutting, and each moment he bore to Venetia the produce of his sport, till in time she could scarcely sustain the rich and increasing burden. At length they bent24 their steps towards home, sufficiently25 wearied to look forward with welcome to rest and their repast, yet not fatigued26, and exhilarated by the atmosphere, for the sun was now in its decline, though in this favoured season there were yet hours enough remaining of enchanting27 light.
In the refectory they found, to the surprise of all but their host, a banquet. It was just one of those occasions when nothing is expected and everything is welcome and surprising; when, from the unpremeditated air generally assumed, all preparation startles and pleases; when even ladies are not ashamed to eat, and formality appears quite banished28. Game of all kinds, teal from the lake, and piles of beautiful fruit, made the table alike tempting29 and picturesque30. Then there were stray bottles of rare wine disinterred from venerable cellars; and, more inspiriting even than the choice wine, a host under the influence of every emotion, and swayed by every circumstance that can make a man happy and delightful31. Oh! they were very gay, and it seemed difficult to believe that care or sorrow, or the dominion32 of dark or ungracious passions, could ever disturb sympathies so complete and countenances34 so radiant.
At the urgent request of Cadurcis, Venetia sang to them; and while she sang, the expression of her countenance33 and voice harmonising with the arch hilarity35 of the subject, Plantagenet for a moment believed that he beheld36 the little Venetia of his youth, that sunny child so full of mirth and grace, the very recollection of whose lively and bright existence might enliven the gloomiest hour and lighten the heaviest heart.
Enchanted37 by all that surrounded him, full of hope, and joy, and plans of future felicity, emboldened38 by the kindness of the daughter, Cadurcis now ventured to urge a request to Lady Annabel, and the request was granted, for all seemed to feel that it was a day on which nothing was to be refused to their friend. Happy Cadurcis! The child had a holiday, and it fancied itself a man enjoying a triumph. In compliance39, therefore, with his wish, it was settled that they should all walk back to the hall; even Dr. Masham declared he was competent to the exertion40, but perhaps was half entrapped41 into the declaration by the promise of a bed at Cherbury. This consent enchanted Cadurcis, who looked forward with exquisite42 pleasure to the evening walk with Venetia.
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1
cloister
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| n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝 | |
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sylvan
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| adj.森林的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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ramble
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| v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延 | |
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alterations
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| n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变 | |
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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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animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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equanimity
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| n.沉着，镇定 | |
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tapestry
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| n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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15
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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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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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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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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35
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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36
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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37
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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38
emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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41
entrapped
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| v.使陷入圈套，使入陷阱( entrap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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