The young Baroness did not follow them. Solyman the Magnificent, and Bayard the irreproachable13, and Barbarossa the pirate, and Bourbon the rebel, immediately surrounded her. Few persons were higher ton than the Turkish Emperor and his Admiral; few persons talked more agreeable nonsense than the Knight14 sans peur et sans reproche; no person was more important than the warlike Constable15; but their attention, their amusement, and their homage16 were to-night thrown away on the object of their observance. The Baroness listened to them without interest, and answered them with brevity. She did not even condescend17, as she had done before, to enter into a war of words, to mortify18 their vanity or exercise their wit. She treated them neither with contempt nor courtesy. If no smile welcomed their remarks, at least her silence was not scornful, and the most shallow-headed prater19 that fluttered around her felt that he was received with dignity and not with disdain20. Awed21 by her conduct, not one of them dared to be flippant, and every one of them soon became dull. The ornaments22 of the Court of Reisenburg, the arbiters23 of ton and the lords of taste, stared with astonishment24 at each other when they found, to their mutual25 surprise, that at one moment, in such a select party, universal silence pervaded26. In this state of affairs, every one felt that his dignity required his speedy disappearance27 from the lady’s presence. The Orientals, taking advantage of Bourbon’s returning once more to the charge with an often unanswered remark, coolly walked away: the Chevalier made an adroit28 and honourable29 retreat by joining a passing party; and the Constable was the only one who, being left in solitude30 and silence, was finally obliged to make a formal bow and retire discomforted from the side of the only woman with whom he had ever condescended31 to fall in love. Leaning against the trunk of a tree at some little distance, Vivian Grey watched the formation and dissolution of the young Baroness’ levée with lively interest. His eyes met the lady’s as she raised them from the ground on von Sohnspeer quitting her. She immediately beckoned32 to Vivian, but without her usual smile. He was directly at her side, but she did not speak. At last he said, “This is a most brilliant scene!”
“You think so, do you?” answered the lady, in a tone and manner which almost made Vivian believe, for a moment, that his friend Mr. Beckendorff was at his side.
“Decidedly his daughter!” thought he.
“You are not gay to-night?” said Vivian.
“Why should I be?” said the lady, in a manner which would have made Vivian imagine that his presence was as disagreeable to her as that of Count von Sohnspeer, had not the lady herself invited his company.
“I suppose the scene is very brilliant,” continued the Baroness, after a few moments’ silence. “At least all here seem to think so, except two persons.”
“And who are they?” asked Vivian.
“Myself and — the Crown Prince. I am almost sorry that I did not dance with him. There seems a wonderful similarity in our dispositions33.”
“You are pleased to be severe to-night.”
“And who shall complain when the first person that I satirize34 is myself?”
“It is most considerate in you,” said Vivian, “to undertake such an office; for it is one which you yourself are alone capable of fulfilling. The only person that can ever satirize your Excellency is yourself; and I think even then that, in spite of your candour, your self-examination must please us with a self-panegyric.”
“Nay, a truce35 to compliments: at least let me hear better things from you. I cannot any longer endure the glare of these lamps and dresses! your arm! Let us walk for a few minutes in the more retired36 and cooler parts of the gardens.”
The Baroness and Vivian left the amphitheatre by a different path to that by which the Grand Duke and Madame Carolina had quitted it. They found the walks quite solitary37; for the royal party, which was small, contained the only persons who had yet left the stage.
Vivian and his companions strolled about for some time, conversing38 on subjects of casual interest. The Baroness, though no longer absent, either in her manner or her conversation, seemed depressed39; and Vivian, while he flattered himself that he was more entertaining than usual, felt, to his mortification40, that the lady was not entertained.
“I am afraid you find it dull here,” said he; “shall we return?”
“Oh, no; do not let us return! We have so short a time to be together that we must not allow even one hour to be dull.”
As Vivian was about to reply, he heard the joyous41 voice of young Maximilian; it sounded very near. The royal party was approaching. The Baronet expressed her earnest desire to avoid it; and as to advance or to retreat, in these labyrinthine42 walks, was almost equally hazardous43, they retired into one of those green recesses44 which we have before mentioned; indeed it was the very evergreen45 grove46 in the centre of which the Nymph of the Fountain watched for her loved Carian youth. A shower of moonlight fell on the marble statue, and showed the Nymph in an attitude of consummate47 skill: her modesty48 struggling with her desire, and herself crouching49 in her hitherto pure waters, while her anxious ear listens for the bounding step of the regardless huntsman.
“The air is cooler here,” said the Baroness, “or the sound of the falling water is peculiarly refreshing50 to my senses. They have passed. I rejoice that we did not return; I do not think that I could have remained among those lamps another moment. How singular, actually to view with aversion a scene which appears to enchant51 all!”
“A scene which I should have thought would have been particularly charming to you,” said Vivian; “you are dispirited tonight!”
“Am I?” said the Baroness. “I ought not to be; not to be more dispirited than I ever am. To-night I expected pleasure; nothing has happened which I did not expect, and everything which I did. And yet I am sad! Do you think that happiness can ever be sad? I think it must be so. But whether I am sorrowful or happy I can hardly tell; for it is only within these few days that I have known either grief or joy.”
“It must be counted an eventful period in your existence which reckons in its brief hours a first acquaintance with such passions!” said Vivian, with a searching eye and an inquiring voice.
“Yes; an eventful period, certainly an eventful period,” answered the Baroness, with a thoughtful air and in measured words.
“I cannot bear to see a cloud upon that brow!” said Vivian. “Have you forgotten how much was to be done to-night? How eagerly you looked forward to its arrival? How bitterly we were to regret the termination of the mimic52 empire?”
“I have forgotten nothing; would that I had! I will not look grave. I will be gay; and yet, when I remember how soon other mockery besides this splendid pageant53 must be terminated, why should I look gay? Why may I not weep?”
“Nay, if we are to moralise on worldly felicity, I fear that instead of inspiriting you, which is my wish, I shall prove but a too congenial companion. But such a theme is not for you.”
“And why should it be for one who, though he lecture me with such gravity and gracefulness54, can scarcely be entitled to play the part of Mentor55 by the weight of years?” said the Baroness, with a smile: “for one who, I trust, who I should think, as little deserved, and was as little inured56 to, sorrow as myself!”
“To find that you have cause to grieve,” said Vivian, “and to learn from you, at the same time, your opinion of my own lot, prove what I have too often had the sad opportunity of observing, that the face of man is scarcely more genuine and less deceitful than these masquerade dresses which we now wear.”
“But you are not unhappy?” asked the Baroness with a quick voice.
“Not now,” said Vivian.
His companion seated herself on the marble balustrade which surrounded the fountain: she did not immediately speak again, and Vivian was silent, for he was watching her motionless countenance as her large brilliant eyes gazed with earnestness on the falling water sparkling in the moonlight. Surely it was not the mysterious portrait at Beckendorff’s that he beheld57!
She turned. She exclaimed in an agitated58 voice, “O friend! too lately found, why have we met to part?”
“To part, dearest!” said he, in a low and rapid voice, and he gently took her hand; “to part! and why should we part? why — ”
“Ask not; your question is agony!” She tried to withdraw her hand, he pressed it with renewed energy, it remained in his, she turned away her head, and both were silent.
“O! lady,” said Vivian, as he knelt at her side, “why are we not happy?”
His arm is round her waist, gently he bends his head, their speaking eyes meet, and their trembling lips cling into a kiss!
A seal of love and purity and faith I and the chaste59 moon need not have blushed as she lit up the countenances60 of the lovers.
“O! lady, why are we not happy?”
“We are, we are: is not this happiness, is not this joy, is not this bliss61? Bliss,” she continued, in a low broken voice, “to which I have no right, no title. Oh! quit, quit my hand! Happiness is not for me!” She extricated62 herself from his arm, and sprang upon her feet. Alarm, rather than affection, was visible on her agitated features. It seemed to cost her a great effort to collect her scattered63 senses; the effort was made with pain, but with success.
“Forgive me,” she said, in a hurried and indistinct tone; “forgive me! I would speak, but cannot, not now at least; we have been long away, too long; our absence will be remarked to-night; to-night we must give up to the gratification of others, but I will speak. For yours, for my own sake, let us, let us go. You know that we are to be very gay to-night, and gay we will be. Who shall prevent us? At least the present hour is our own; and when the future ones must be so sad, why, why, trifle with this?”
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1
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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skulked
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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baroness
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| n.男爵夫人，女男爵 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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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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hovers
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| 鸟( hover的第三人称单数 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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panegyric
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| n.颂词，颂扬 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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quota
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| n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额 | |
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irreproachable
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| adj.不可指责的，无过失的 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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condescend
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| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
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mortify
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| v.克制，禁欲，使受辱 | |
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prater
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| 多嘴的人，空谈者 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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arbiters
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| 仲裁人，裁决者( arbiter的名词复数 ) | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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31
condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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32
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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satirize
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| v.讽刺 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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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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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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39
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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40
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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41
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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42
labyrinthine
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| adj.如迷宫的；复杂的 | |
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43
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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44
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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45
evergreen
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| n.常青树；adj.四季常青的 | |
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46
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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47
consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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48
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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49
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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50
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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51
enchant
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| vt.使陶醉，使入迷；使着魔，用妖术迷惑 | |
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52
mimic
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| v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人 | |
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53
pageant
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| n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧 | |
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54
gracefulness
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55
mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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56
inured
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| adj.坚强的，习惯的 | |
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57
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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58
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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59
chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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60
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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61
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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62
extricated
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| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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