Chapter 12

Isabel's uneasiness about her husbands health—sometimes reflected in her letters to George during the winter that followed—had not been alleviated¹ when the accredited² Senior returned for his next summer vacation, and she confided³ to him in his room, soon after his arrival, that "something" the doctor had said to her lately had made her more uneasy than ever. "Still worrying over his rolling-mills investments?" George asked, not seriously impressed. "I'm afraid it's past that stage from what Dr Rainey says. His worries only aggravate⁴ his condition now. Dr. Rainey says we ought to get him away." "Well, let's do it, then." "He won't go." "He's a man awfully⁵ set in his ways; that's true," said George. "I don't think there's anything much the matter with him, though, and he looks just the same to me. Have you seen Lucy lately? How is she?" "Hasn't she written you?" "Oh, about once a month," he answered carelessly. "Never says much about herself. How's she look?" "She looks—pretty!" said Isabel. "I suppose she wrote you they've moved?" "Yes; I've got her address. She said they were building." "They did. It's all finished, and they've been in it a month. Lucy is so capable; she keeps house exquisitely⁶. It's small, but oh, such a pretty little house!" "Well, that's fortunate," George said. "One thing I've always felt they didn't know a great deal about is architecture." "Don't they?" asked Isabel, surprised. "Anyhow, their house is charming. It's way out beyond the end of Amberson Boulevard; it's quite near that big white house with a gray-green roof somebody built out there a year or so ago. There are any number of houses going up, out that way; and the trolley-line runs within a block of them now, on the next street, and the traction⁷ people are laying tracks more than three miles beyond. I suppose you'll be driving out to see Lucy to- morrow." "I thought—" George hesitated. "I thought perhaps I'd go after dinner this evening." At this his mother laughed, not astonished. "It was only my feeble joke about 'to-morrow,' Georgie! I was pretty sure you couldn't wait that long. Did Lucy write you about the factory?" "No. What factory?" "The automobile⁸ shops. They had rather a dubious⁹ time at first, I'm afraid, and some of Eugene's experiments turned out badly, but this spring they've finished eight automobiles¹⁰ and sold them all, and they've got twelve more almost finished, and they're sold already! Eugene's so gay over it!" "What do his old sewing-machines look like? Like that first one he had when they came here?" "No, indeed! These have rubber tires blown up with air—pneumatic! And they aren't so high; they're very easy to get into, and the engine's in front—Eugene thinks that's a great improvement. They're very interesting to look at; behind the driver's seat there's a sort of box where four people can sit, with a step and a little door in the rear, and—" "I know all about it," said George. "I've seen any number like that, East. You can see all you want of 'em, if you stand on Fifth Avenue half an hour, any afternoon. I've seen half-a-dozen go by almost at the same time—within a few minutes, anyhow; and of course electric hansoms are a common sight there any day. I hired one, myself, the last time I was there. How fast do Mr. Morgan's machines go?" "Much too fast! It's very exhilarating—but rather frightening; and they do make a fearful uproar¹¹. He says, though, he thinks he sees a way to get around the noisiness in time." "I don't mind the noise," said George. "Give me a horse, for mine, though, any day. I must get up a race with one of these things: Pendennis'll leave it one mile behind in a two-mile run. How's grandfather?" "He looks well, but he complains sometimes of his heart: I suppose that's natural at his age—and it's an Amberson trouble." Having mentioned this, she looked anxious instantly. "Did you ever feel any weakness there, Georgie?" "No!" he laughed. "Are you sure, dear?" "No!" And he laughed again. "Did you?" "Oh, I think not—at least, the doctor told me he thought my heart was about all right. He said I needn't be alarmed." "I should think not! Women do seem to be always talking about health: I suppose they haven't got enough else to think of!" "That must be it," she said gayly. "We're an idle lot!" George had taken off his coat. "I don't like to hint to a lady," he said, "but I do want to dress before dinner." "Don't be long; I've got to do a lot of looking at you, dear!" She kissed him and ran away singing. But his Aunt Fanny was not so fond; and at the dinner-table there came a spark of liveliness into her eye when George patronizingly asked her what was the news in her own "particular line of sport." "What do you mean, Georgie?" she asked quietly. "Oh I mean: What's the news in the fast set generally? You been causing any divorces lately?" "No," said Fanny, the spark in her eye getting brighter. "I haven't been causing anything." "Well, what's the gossip? You usually hear pretty much everything that goes on around the nooks and crannies in this town, I hear. What's the last from the gossips' corner, auntie?" Fanny dropped her eyes, and the spark was concealed¹², but a movement of her lower lip betokened¹³ a tendency to laugh, as she replied. "There hasn't been much gossip lately, except the report that Lucy Morgan and Fred Kinney are engaged—and that's quite old, by this time." Undeniably, this bit of mischief¹⁴ was entirely¹⁵ successful, for there was a clatter¹⁶ upon George's plate. "What—what do you think you're talking about?" he gasped¹⁷. Miss Fanny looked up innocently. "About the report of Lucy Morgan's engagement to Fred Kinney." George turned dumbly to his mother, and Isabel shook her head reassuringly¹⁸. "People are always starting rumours," she said. "I haven't paid any attention to this one." "But you—you've heard it?" he stammered²⁰. "Oh, one hears all sorts of nonsense, dear. I haven't the slightest idea that it's true." "Then you have heard it!" "I wouldn't let it take my appetite," his father suggested drily. "There are plenty of girls in the world!" George turned pale. "Eat your dinner, Georgie," his aunt said sweetly. "Food will do you good. I didn't say I knew this rumour¹⁹ was true. I only said I'd heard it." "When? When did you hear it!" "Oh, months ago!" And Fanny found any further postponement²¹ of laughter impossible. "Fanny, you're a hard-hearted creature," Isabel said gently. "You really are. Don't pay any attention to her, George. Fred Kinney's only a clerk in his uncle's hardware place: he couldn't marry for ages—even if anybody would accept him!" George breathed tumultuously. "I don't care anything about 'ages'! What's that got to do with it?" he said, his thoughts appearing to be somewhat disconnected. "Ages,' don't mean anything! I only want to know—I want to know—I want—" He stopped. "What do you want?" his father asked crossly. "Why don't you say it? Don't make such a fuss." "I'm not—not at all," George declared, pushing his chair back from the table. "You must finish your dinner, dear," his mother urged. "Don't—" "I have finished. I've eaten all I want. I don't want any more than I wanted. I don't want—I—" He rose, still incoherent. "I prefer— I want—Please excuse me!" He left the room, and a moment later the screens outside the open front door were heard to slam: "Fanny! You shouldn't—" "Isabel, don't reproach me, he did have plenty of dinner, and I only told the truth: everybody has been saying—" "But there isn't any truth in it." "We don't actually know there isn't," Miss Fanny insisted, giggling²². "We've never asked Lucy." "I wouldn't ask her anything so absurd!" "George would," George's father remarked. "That's what he's gone to do." Mr. Minafer was not mistaken: that was what his son had gone to do. Lucy and her father were just rising from their dinner table when the stirred youth arrived at the front door of the new house. It was a cottage, however, rather than a house; and Lucy had taken a free hand with the architect, achieving results in white and green, outside, and white and blue, inside, to such effect of youth and daintiness that her father complained of "too much spring-time!" The whole place, including his own bedroom, was a young damsel's boudoir, he said, so that nowhere could he smoke a cigar without feeling like a ruffian. However, he was smoking when George arrived, and he encouraged George to join him in the pastime, but the caller, whose air was both tense and preoccupied²³, declined with something like agitation²⁴. "I never smoke—that is, I'm seldom—I mean, no thanks," he said. "I mean not at all. I'd rather not." "Aren't you well, George?" Eugene asked, looking at him in perplexity. "Have you been overworking at college? You do look rather pa—" "I don't work," said George. "I mean I don't work. I think, but I don't work. I only work at the end of the term. There isn't much to do." Eugene's perplexity was little decreased, and a tinkle²⁵ of the door-bell afforded him obvious relief. "It's my foreman," he said, looking at his watch. "I'll take him out in the yard to talk. This is no place for a foreman." And he departed, leaving the "living room" to Lucy and George. It was a pretty room, white panelled and blue curtained—and no place for a foreman, as Eugene said. There was a grand piano, and Lucy stood leaning back against it, looking intently at George, while her fingers, behind her, absently struck a chord or two. And her dress was the dress for that room, being of blue and white, too; and the high colour in her cheeks was far from interfering²⁶ with the general harmony of things—George saw with dismay that she was prettier than ever, and naturally he missed the reassurance²⁷ he might have felt had he been able to guess that Lucy, on her part, was finding him better looking than ever. For, however unusual the scope of George's pride, vanity of beauty was not included; he did not think about his looks. "What's wrong, George?" she asked softly. "What do you mean: 'What's wrong?" "You're awfully upset about something. Didn't you get though your examination all right?" "Certainly I did. What makes you think anything's 'wrong' with me?" "You do look pale, as papa said, and it seemed to me that the way you talked sounded—well, a little confused." "Confused'! I said I didn't care to smoke. What in the world is confused about that?" "Nothing. But—" "See here!" George stepped close to her. "Are you glad to see me?" "You needn't be so fierce about it!" Lucy protested, laughing at his dramatic intensity²⁸. "Of course I am! How long have I been looking forward to it?" "I don't know," he said sharply, abating²⁹ nothing of his fierceness. "How long have you?" "Why—ever since you went away!" "Is that true? Lucy, is that true?" "You are funny!" she said. "Of course it's true. Do tell me what's the matter with you, George!" "I will!" he exclaimed. "I was a boy when I saw you last. I see that now, though I didn't then. Well, I'm not a boy any longer. I'm a man, and a man has a right to demand a totally different treatment." "Why has he?" "What?" "I don't seem to be able to understand you at all, George. Why shouldn't a boy be treated just as well as a man?" George seemed to find himself at a loss. "Why shouldn't—Well, he shouldn't, because a man has a right to certain explanations." "What explanations?" "Whether he's been made a toy of!" George almost shouted. "That's what I want to know!" Lucy shook her head despairingly. "You are the queerest person! You say you're a man now, but you talk more like a boy than ever. What does make you so excited?" "'Excited!'" he stormed. "Do you dare to stand there and call me 'excited'? I tell you, I never have been more calm or calmer in my life! I don't know that a person needs to be called 'excited' because he demands explanations that are his simple due!" "What in the world do you want me to explain?" "Your conduct with Fred Kinney!" George shouted. Lucy uttered a sudden cry of laughter; she was delighted. "It's been awful!" she said. "I don't know that I ever heard of worse misbehaviour! Papa and I have been twice to dinner with his family, and I've been three times to church with Fred—and once to the circus! I don't know when they'll be here to arrest me!" "Stop that!" George commanded fiercely. "I want to know just one thing, and I mean to know it, too!" "Whether I enjoyed the circus?" "I want to know if you're engaged to him!" "No!" she cried and lifting her face close to his for the shortest instant possible, she gave him a look half merry, half defiant³⁰, but all fond. It was an adorable look. "Lucy!" he said huskily. But she turned quickly from him, and ran to the other end of the room. He followed awkwardly, stammering³¹: "Lucy, I want—I want to ask you. Will you—will you—will you be engaged to me?" She stood at a window, seeming to look out into the summer darkness, her back to him. "Will you, Lucy?" "No," she murmured, just audibly. "Why not?" "I'm older than you." "Eight months!" "You're too young." "Is that—" he said, gulping—"is that the only reason you won't?" She did not answer. As she stood, persistently³² staring out of the window, with her back to him, she did not see how humble³³ his attitude had become; but his voice was low, and it shook so that she could have no doubt of his emotion. "Lucy, please forgive me for making such a row," he said, thus gently. "I've been—I've been terribly upset—terribly! You know how I feel about you, and always have felt about you. I've shown it in every single thing I've done since the first time I met you, and I know you know it. Don't you?" Still she did not move or speak. "Is the only reason you won't be engaged to me you think I'm too young, Lucy?" "It's—it's reason enough," she said faintly. At that he caught one of her hands, and she turned to him: there were tears in her eyes, tears which he did not understand at all. "Lucy, you little dear!" he cried. "I knew you—" "No, no!" she said, and she pushed him away, withdrawing her hand. "George, let's not talk of solemn things." "Solemn things!' Like what?" "Like—being engaged." But George had become altogether jubilant, and he laughed triumphantly³⁴. "Good gracious, that isn't solemn!" "It is, too!" she said, wiping her eyes. "It's too solemn for us." "No, it isn't! I—" "Let's sit down and be sensible, dear," she said. "You sit over there—" "I will if you'll call me, 'dear' again." "No," she said. "I'll only call you that once again this summer—the night before you go away." "That will have to do, then," he laughed, "so long as I know we're engaged." "But we're not!" she protested. "And we never will be, if you don't promise not to speak of it again until—until I tell you to!" "I won't promise that," said the happy George. "I'll only promise not to speak of it till the next time you call me 'dear'; and you've promised to call me that the night before I leave for my senior year." "Oh, but I didn't!" she said earnestly, then hesitated. "Did I?" "Didn't you?" "I don't think I meant it," she murmured, her wet lashes³⁵ flickering³⁶ above troubled eyes. "I know one thing about you," he said gayly, his triumph increasing. "You never went back on anything you said, yet, and I'm not afraid of this being the first time!" "But we mustn't let—" she faltered³⁷; then went on tremulously, "George, we've got on so well together, we won't let this make a difference between us, will we?" And she joined in his laughter. "It will all depend on what you tell me the night before I go away. You agree we're going to settle things then, don't you, Lucy?" "I don't promise." "Yes, you do! Don't you?" "Well—"

1 alleviated   

减轻，缓解，缓和( alleviate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It is always completely alleviated by total gastrectomy. 全胃切除永远完全缓解症状。
• Toxicity problem in manufacturing and storage might be alleviated by coating beryllium with aluminum. 但如果用铝包覆铍，则可避免加工过程中及储存期间的中毒问题。

2 accredited   

adj.可接受的；可信任的；公认的；质量合格的v.相信( accredit的过去式和过去分词 )；委托；委任；把…归结于

参考例句：

• The discovery of distillation is usually accredited to the Arabs of the 11th century. 通常认为，蒸馏法是阿拉伯人在11世纪发明的。
• Only accredited journalists were allowed entry. 只有正式认可的记者才获准入内。

3 confided   

v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等）

参考例句：

• She confided all her secrets to her best friend. 她向她最要好的朋友倾吐了自己所有的秘密。
• He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison. 他私下向我透露，他蹲过五年监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 aggravate   

vt.加重(剧)，使恶化；激怒，使恼火

参考例句：

• Threats will only aggravate her.恐吓只能激怒她。
• He would only aggravate the injury by rubbing it.他揉擦伤口只会使伤势加重。

5 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

6 exquisitely   

adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地

参考例句：

• He found her exquisitely beautiful. 他觉得她异常美丽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He wore an exquisitely tailored gray silk and accessories to match. 他穿的是做工非常考究的灰色绸缎衣服，还有各种配得很协调的装饰。 来自教父部分

7 traction   

n.牵引；附着摩擦力

参考例句：

• I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
• She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

8 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

9 dubious   

adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
• He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

10 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 uproar   

n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸

参考例句：

• She could hear the uproar in the room.她能听见房间里的吵闹声。
• His remarks threw the audience into an uproar.他的讲话使听众沸腾起来。

12 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

13 betokened   

v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Nothing betokened that the man know anything of what had occurred. 显然那个人还不知道已经发生了什么事。 来自互联网
• He addressed a few angry words to her that betokened hostility. 他对她说了几句预示敌意的愤怒的话。 来自互联网

14 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

15 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

16 clatter   

v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声

参考例句：

• The dishes and bowls slid together with a clatter.碟子碗碰得丁丁当当的。
• Don't clatter your knives and forks.别把刀叉碰得咔哒响。

17 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 reassuringly   

ad.安心，可靠

参考例句：

• He patted her knee reassuringly. 他轻拍她的膝盖让她放心。
• The doctor smiled reassuringly. 医生笑了笑，让人心里很踏实。

19 rumour   

n.谣言，谣传，传闻

参考例句：

• I should like to know who put that rumour about.我想知道是谁散布了那谣言。
• There has been a rumour mill on him for years.几年来，一直有谣言产生，对他进行中伤。

20 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

21 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

22 giggling   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑，叫我真受不了，那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

23 preoccupied   

adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)

参考例句：

• He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事，没注意到有什么不对。
• The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 agitation   

n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动

参考例句：

• Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
• These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

25 tinkle   

vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声

参考例句：

• The wine glass dropped to the floor with a tinkle.酒杯丁零一声掉在地上。
• Give me a tinkle and let me know what time the show starts.给我打个电话，告诉我演出什么时候开始。

26 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

27 reassurance   

n.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
• Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。

28 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

29 abating   

减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼）

参考例句：

• The storm showed no signs of abating. 暴风雨没有减弱的迹象。
• The recent public anxiety about this issue may now be abating. 近来公众对这个问题的焦虑心情现在也许正在缓和下来。

30 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

31 stammering   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He betrayed nervousness by stammering. 他说话结结巴巴说明他胆子小。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Why,\" he said, actually stammering, \"how do you do?\" “哎呀，\"他说，真的有些结结巴巴，\"你好啊？” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

32 persistently   

ad.坚持地；固执地

参考例句：

• He persistently asserted his right to a share in the heritage. 他始终声称他有分享那笔遗产的权利。
• She persistently asserted her opinions. 她果断地说出了自己的意见。

33 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

34 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

35 lashes   

n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• Mother always lashes out food for the children's party. 孩子们聚会时，母亲总是给他们许多吃的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Never walk behind a horse in case it lashes out. 绝对不要跟在马后面，以防它突然猛踢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 flickering   

adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的

参考例句：

• The crisp autumn wind is flickering away. 清爽的秋风正在吹拂。
• The lights keep flickering. 灯光忽明忽暗。

37 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”