After some conversation, in which Madame evinced eagerness to gain details about the persons and manners of our most eminent literary characters, she naturally began to speak of the literary productions of other countries; and in short, ere an hour was passed, Vivian Grey, instead of giving a lesson in English pronunciation to the Consort14 of the Grand Duke of Reisenburg, found himself listening, in an easy-chair, and with folded arms, to a long treatise15 by that lady de l’Esprit de Conversation. It was a most brilliant dissertation16. Her kindness in reading it to him was most particular; nevertheless, for unexpected blessings17 we are not always sufficiently18 grateful.
Another hour was consumed by the treatise. How she refined! what unexpected distinctions! what exquisite19 discrimination of national character! what skilful20 eulogium of her own! Nothing could be more splendid than her elaborate character of a repartee21; it would have sufficed for an epic22 poem. At length Madame Carolina ceased de l’Esprit de Conversation, and Vivian was successful in concealing23 his weariness and in testifying his admiration. “The evil is over,” thought he; “I may as well gain credit for my good taste.” The lesson in English pronunciation, however, was not yet terminated. Madame was charmed with our hero’s uncommon24 discrimination and extraordinary talents. He was the most skilful and the most agreeable critic with whom she had ever been acquainted. How invaluable25 must the opinion of such a person be to her on her great work! No one had yet seen a line of it; but there are moments when we are irresistibly26 impelled27 to seek a confidant; that confidant was before her. The morocco case was unlocked, and the manuscript of Haroun Al Raschid revealed to the enraptured28 eye of Vivian Grey.
“I flatter myself,” said Madame Carolina, “that this work will create a great sensation; not only in Germany. It abounds29, I think, with interesting story, engaging incidents, and animated30 and effective descriptions. I have not, of course, been able to obtain any new matter respecting his Sublimity31 the Caliph. Between ourselves, I do not think this very important. So far as I have observed, we have matter enough in this world on every possible subject already. It is manner in which the literature of all nations is deficient32. It appears to me that the great point for persons of genius now to direct their attention to is the expansion of matter. This I conceive to be the great secret; and this must be effected by the art of picturesque33 writing. For instance, my dear Mr. Grey, I will open the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, merely for an exemplification, at the one hundred and eighty-fifth night; good! Let us attend to the following passage:—
“‘In the reign34 of the Caliph Haroun Al Raschid, there was at Bagdad a druggist, called Alboussan Ebn Thaher, a very rich, handsome man. He had more wit and politeness than people of his profession ordinarily have. His integrity, sincerity35, and jovial36 humour made him beloved and sought after by all sorts of people. The Caliph, who knew his merit, had entire confidence in him. He had so great an esteem37 for him that he entrusted38 him with the care to provide his favourite ladies with all the things they stood in need of. He chose for them their clothes, furniture, and jewels, with admirable taste. His good qualities and the favour of the Caliph made the sons of Emirs and other officers of the first rank be always about him. His house was the rendezvous39 of all the nobility of the Court.’
“What capabilities40 lurk41 in this dry passage!” exclaimed Madame Carolina; “I touch it with my pen, and transform it into a chapter. It shall be one of those that I will read to you. The description of Alboussan alone demands ten pages. There is no doubt that his countenance was oriental. The tale says that he was handsome: I paint him with his eastern eye, his thin arched brow, his fragrant42 beard, his graceful43 mustachio. The tale says he was rich: I have authorities for the costume of men of his dignity in contemporary writers. In my history he appears in an upper garment of green velvet44, and loose trousers of pink satin; a jewelled dagger45 lies in his golden girdle; his slippers46 are of the richest embroidery47; and he never omits the bath of roses daily. On this system, which in my opinion elicits48 truth, for by it you are enabled to form a conception of the manners, of the age; on this system I proceed throughout the paragraph. Conceive my account of his house being the ‘rendezvous of all the nobility of the Court.’ What a brilliant scene! what variety of dress and character! what splendour! what luxury! what magnificence! Imagine the detail of the banquet; which, by the bye, gives me an opportunity of inserting, after the manner of your own Gibbon, ‘a dissertation on sherbet.’ What think you of the art of picturesque writing?”
“Admirable!” said Vivian; “von Chronicle himself — ”
“How can you mention the name of that odious49 man!” almost shrieked50 Madame Carolina, forgetting the dignity of her semi-regal character in the jealous feelings of the author. “How can you mention him! A scribbler without a spark, not only of genius, but even of common invention. A miserable51 fellow, who seems to do nothing but clothe and amplify52, in his own fantastic style, the details of a parcel of old chronicles!”
Madame’s indignation reminded Vivian of a true but rather vulgar proverb of his own country; and he extricated53 himself from his very awkward situation with a dexterity54 worthy55 of his former years.
“Von Chronicle himself,” said Vivian; “von Chronicle himself, as I was going to observe, will be the most mortified56 of all on the appearance of your work. He cannot be so blinded by self-conceit as to fail to observe that your history is a thousand times more interesting than his fiction. Ah! Madame, if you can thus spread enchantment57 over the hitherto weary page of history, what must be your work of imagination!”
点击收听单词发音
1 ushered | |
v.引,领,陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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3 fascination | |
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋 | |
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4 buckle | |
n.扣子,带扣;v.把...扣住,由于压力而弯曲 | |
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5 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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6 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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7 eminent | |
adj.显赫的,杰出的,有名的,优良的 | |
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8 rote | |
n.死记硬背,生搬硬套 | |
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9 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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10 continental | |
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的 | |
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11 radical | |
n.激进份子,原子团,根号;adj.根本的,激进的,彻底的 | |
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12 innovator | |
n.改革者;创新者 | |
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13 meridian | |
adj.子午线的;全盛期的 | |
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14 consort | |
v.相伴;结交 | |
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15 treatise | |
n.专著;(专题)论文 | |
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16 dissertation | |
n.(博士学位)论文,学术演讲,专题论文 | |
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17 blessings | |
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
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18 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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19 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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20 skilful | |
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的 | |
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21 repartee | |
n.机敏的应答 | |
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22 epic | |
n.史诗,叙事诗;adj.史诗般的,壮丽的 | |
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23 concealing | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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24 uncommon | |
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的 | |
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25 invaluable | |
adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的 | |
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26 irresistibly | |
adv.无法抵抗地,不能自持地;极为诱惑人地 | |
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27 impelled | |
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28 enraptured | |
v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29 abounds | |
v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的第三人称单数 ) | |
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30 animated | |
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
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31 sublimity | |
崇高,庄严,气质高尚 | |
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32 deficient | |
adj.不足的,不充份的,有缺陷的 | |
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33 picturesque | |
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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34 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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35 sincerity | |
n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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36 jovial | |
adj.快乐的,好交际的 | |
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37 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
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38 entrusted | |
v.委托,托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39 rendezvous | |
n.约会,约会地点,汇合点;vi.汇合,集合;vt.使汇合,使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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40 capabilities | |
n.能力( capability的名词复数 );可能;容量;[复数]潜在能力 | |
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41 lurk | |
n.潜伏,潜行;v.潜藏,潜伏,埋伏 | |
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42 fragrant | |
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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43 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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44 velvet | |
n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的 | |
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45 dagger | |
n.匕首,短剑,剑号 | |
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46 slippers | |
n. 拖鞋 | |
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47 embroidery | |
n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品 | |
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48 elicits | |
引出,探出( elicit的第三人称单数 ) | |
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49 odious | |
adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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50 shrieked | |
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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52 amplify | |
vt.放大,增强;详述,详加解说 | |
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53 extricated | |
v.使摆脱困难,脱身( extricate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54 dexterity | |
n.(手的)灵巧,灵活 | |
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55 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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56 mortified | |
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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57 enchantment | |
n.迷惑,妖术,魅力 | |
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