Breakfast was brought to him in his room, as usual; but he did not make his normal healthy raid upon the dainty tray: the food remained untouched, and he sustained himself upon coffee—four cups of it, which left nothing of value inside the
glistening1 little percolator. During this process he heard his mother being summoned to the telephone in the hall, not far from his door, and then her voice responding: "Yes? Oh, it's you! Indeed I should! … Of course… . Then I'll expect you about three… Yes. Good-bye till then." A few minutes later he heard her speaking to someone beneath his window and, looking out, saw her directing the removal of plants from a small garden bed to the Major's
conservatory2 for the winter. There was an air of
briskness3 about her; as she turned away to go into the house, she laughed
gaily4 with the Major's gardener over something he said, and this unconcerned cheerfulness of her was terrible to her son. He went to his desk, and, searching the
jumbled5 contents of a drawer, brought
forth6 a large, unframed photograph of his father, upon which he gazed long and piteously, till at last hot tears stood in his eyes. It was strange how the inconsequent face of Wilbur seemed to increase in high significance during this belated interview between father and son; and how it seemed to take on a reproachful nobility—and yet, under the circumstances, nothing could have been more natural than that George, having paid but the slightest attention to his father in life, should begin to deify him, now that he was dead. "Poor, poor father!" the son whispered brokenly. "Poor man, I'm glad you didn't know!" He wrapped the picture in a sheet of newspaper, put it under his arm, and, leaving the house hurriedly and stealthily, went downtown to the shop of a silversmith, where he spent sixty dollars on a resplendently festooned silver frame for the picture. Having lunched upon more coffee, he returned to the house at two o'clock, carrying the framed photograph with him, and placed it upon the centre-table in the library, the room most used by Isabel and Fanny and himself. Then he went to a front window of the long "reception room," and sat looking out through the lace curtains. The house was quiet, though once or twice he heard his mother and Fanny moving about upstairs, and a
ripple7 of song in the voice of Isabel—a fragment from the romantic
ballad8 of Lord Bateman. "Lord Bateman was a noble lord, A noble lord of high degree; And he sailed West and he sailed East, Far countries for to see… ." The words became indistinct; the air was hummed absently; the humming shifted to a whistle, then drifted out of hearing, and the place was still again. George looked often at his watch, but his vigil did not last an hour. At ten minutes of three, peering through the curtain, he saw an
automobile9 stop in front of the house and Eugene Morgan jump lightly down from it. The car was of a new pattern, low and long, with an ample seat in the tonneau, facing forward; and a professional driver sat at the wheel, a strange figure in leather,
goggled10 out of all personality and seemingly part of the
mechanism11. Eugene himself, as he came up the cement path to the house, was a figure of the new era which was in time to be so
disastrous12 to stiff hats and skirted coats; and his appearance afforded a
debonair13 contrast to that of the queer-looking duck
capering14: at the Amberson Ball in an old dress coat, and chugging up National Avenue through the snow in his nightmare of a sewing-machine. Eugene, this afternoon, was richly in the new outdoor mode: motoring coat was soft gray fur; his cap and gloves were of gray
suede15; and though Lucy's hand may have shown itself in the selection of these garnitures, he wore them easily, even with becoming hint of
jauntiness16. Some change might be his face, too, for a successful man is seldom to be mistaken, especially if his temper be
genial17. Eugene had begun to look like a millionaire. But above everything else, what was most evident about him, as he came up the path, was confidence in the happiness promised by his errand; the
anticipation18 in his eyes could have been read by a stranger. His look at the door of Isabel's house was the look of a man who is quite certain that the next moment will reveal something
ineffably19 charming, inexpressibly dear. When the bell rang, George waited at the entrance of the "reception room" until a housemaid came through the hall on her way to answer the summons. "You needn't mind, Mary," he told her. "I'll see who it is and what they want. Probably it's only a pedlar." "Thank you, sir, Mister George," said Mary; and returned to the rear of the house. George went slowly to the front door, and halted, regarding the
misty20 silhouette21 of the caller upon the
ornamental22 frosted glass. After a minute of waiting, this silhouette changed outline so that an arm could be distinguished—an arm outstretched toward the bell, as if the gentleman outside doubted whether or not it had sounded, and were minded to try again. But before the gesture was completed George
abruptly23 threw open the door, and stepped squarely upon the middle of the threshold. A slight change shadowed the face of Eugene; his look of happy anticipation gave way to something formal and polite. "How do you do, George," he said. "Mrs. Minafer expects to go driving with me, I believe—if you'll be so kind as to send her word that I'm here." George made not the slightest movement. "No," he said. Eugene was incredulous, even when his second glance revealed how hot of eye was the haggard young man before him. "I beg your pardon. I said—" "I heard you," said George. "You said you had an engagement with my mother, and I told you, No!" Eugene gave him a steady look, and then he quietly: "What is the—the difficulty?" George kept his own voice quiet enough, but that, did not
mitigate24 the
vibrant25 fury of it. "My—mother will have no interest in knowing that you came her to-day," he said. "Or any other day!" Eugene continued to look at him with a
scrutiny26 in which began to gleam a profound anger, none less powerful because it was so quiet. "I am afraid I do not understand you." "I doubt if I could make it much plainer," George said, raising his voice slightly, "but I'll try. You're not wanted in this house, Mr. Morgan, now or at any other time. Perhaps you'll understand—this!" And with the last word he closed the door in Eugene's face. Then, not moving away, he stood just inside door, and
noted27 that the misty silhouette remained upon the frosted glass for several moments, as if the forbidden gentleman debated in his mind what course to pursue. "Let him ring again!" George thought grimly. "Or try the side door—or the kitchen!" But Eugene made no further attempt; the silhouette disappeared; footsteps could be heard withdrawing across the floor of the
veranda28; and George, returning to the window in the "reception room," was rewarded by the sight of an automobile manufacturer in baffled retreat, with all his wooing furs and fineries mocking him. Eugene got into his car slowly, not looking back at the house which had just taught him such a lesson; and it was easily visible—even from a window seventy feet distant—that he was not the same light suitor who had jumped so
gallantly29 from the car only a few minutes earlier. Observing the heaviness of his movements as he climbed into the tonneau, George indulged in a sickish throat
rumble30 which bore a distant cousinship to mirth. The car was quicker than its owner; it shot away as soon as he had sunk into his seat; and George, having watched its impetuous
disappearance31 from his field of vision, ceased to haunt the window. He went to the library, and, seating himself beside the table whereon he had placed the photograph of his father, picked up a book, and pretended to been engaged in reading it. Presently Isabel's buoyant step was heard
descending32 the stairs, and her low, sweet whistling, renewing the air of "Lord Bateman." She came into the library, still whistling thoughtfully, a fur coat over her arm, ready to put on, and two veils round her small black hat, her right hand engaged in buttoning the glove upon her left; and, as the large room contained too many pieces of heavy furniture, and the inside
shutters33 excluded most of the light of day, she did not at once perceive George's presence. Instead, she went to the bay window at the end of the room, which afforded a view of the street, and glanced out expectantly; then
bent34 her attention upon her glove; after that, looked out toward the street again, ceased to whistle, and turned toward the interior of the room. "Why, Georgie!" She came, leaned over from behind him, and there was a faint,
exquisite35 odour as from distant apple blossoms as she kissed his cheek. "Dear, I waited lunch almost an hour for you, but you didn't come! Did you lunch out somewhere?" "Yes." He did not look up from the book. "Did you have plenty to eat?" "Yes." "Are you sure? Wouldn't you like to have Maggie get you something now in the dining room? Or they could bring it to you here, if you think it would be cozier. Shan't I—" A
tinkling36 bell was audible, and she moved to the
doorway37 into the hall. "I'm going out driving, dear. I—" She interrupted herself to address the housemaid, who was passing through the hall: "I think it's Mr. Morgan, Mary. Tell him I'll be there at once." "Yes, ma'am." Mary returned. "Twas a pedlar, ma'am." "Another one?" Isabel said, surprised. "I thought you said it was a pedlar when the bell rang a little while ago." "Mister George said it was, ma'am; he went to the door," Mary informed her, disappearing. "There seem to be a great many of them," Isabel
mused38. "What did yours want to sell, George?" "He didn't say." "You must have cut him off short!" she laughed; and then, still
standing39 in the doorway, she noticed the big silver frame upon the table beside him. "Gracious, Georgie!" she exclaimed. "You have been investing!" and as she came across the room for a closer view, "Is it —is it Lucy?" she asked half timidly, half archly. But the next instant she saw whose
likeness40 was thus set forth in elegiac splendour—and she was silent, except for a long, just-audible "Oh!" He neither looked up nor moved. "That was nice of you, Georgie," she said, in a low voice presently. "I ought to have had it framed, myself, when I gave it to you." He said nothing, and, standing beside him, she put her hand gently upon his shoulder, then as gently withdrew it, and went out of the room. But she did not go upstairs; he heard the faint
rustle41 of her dress in the hall, and then the sound of her footsteps in the "reception room." After a time, silence succeeded even these slight tokens of her presence; whereupon George rose and went
warily42 into the hall, taking care to make no noise, and he obtained an
oblique43 view of her through the open double doors of the "reception room." She was sitting in the chair which he had occupied so long; and she was looking out of the window expectantly—a little troubled. He went back to the library, waited an interminable half hour, then returned noiselessly to the same position in the hall, where he could see her. She was still sitting patiently by the window. Waiting for that man, was she? Well, it might be quite a long wait! And the grim George silently
ascended44 the stairs to his own room, and began to pace his suffering floor.
点击
收听单词发音
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1
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。
- Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》
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2
conservatory
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| n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的 |
参考例句： |
- At the conservatory,he learned how to score a musical composition.在音乐学校里，他学会了怎样谱曲。
- The modern conservatory is not an environment for nurturing plants.这个现代化温室的环境不适合培育植物。
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3
briskness
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| n.敏捷，活泼 |
参考例句： |
- A child who was flying a kite sensed it in terms of briskness.一个孩子在放风筝时猛然感到的飞腾。
- Father open the window to let in the briskness of the morning air.父亲打开窗户让早晨的清新空气进来。
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4
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 |
参考例句： |
- The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
- She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。
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5
jumbled
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| adj.混乱的；杂乱的 |
参考例句： |
- Books, shoes and clothes were jumbled together on the floor. 书、鞋子和衣服胡乱堆放在地板上。
- The details of the accident were all jumbled together in his mind. 他把事故细节记得颠三倒四。
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6
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 |
参考例句： |
- The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
- He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
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7
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 |
参考例句： |
- The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
- The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。
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8
ballad
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| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 |
参考例句： |
- This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
- This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。
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9
automobile
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| 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。
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10
goggled
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| adj.戴护目镜的v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- He goggled in bewilderment. 他困惑地瞪着眼睛。 来自辞典例句
- The children goggled in amazement at the peculiar old man. 孩子们惊讶的睁视著那个奇怪的老人。 来自互联网
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11
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 |
参考例句： |
- The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
- The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。
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12
disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 |
参考例句： |
- The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
- Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。
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13
debonair
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| adj.殷勤的，快乐的 |
参考例句： |
- He strolled about,look very debonair in his elegant new suit.他穿了一身讲究的新衣服逛来逛去，显得颇为惬意。
- He was a handsome,debonair,death-defying racing-driver.他是一位英俊潇洒、风流倜傥、敢于挑战死神的赛车手。
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14
capering
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| v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的现在分词 )；蹦蹦跳跳 |
参考例句： |
- The lambs were capering in the fields. 羊羔在地里欢快地跳跃。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The boy was Capering dersively, with obscene unambiguous gestures, before a party of English tourists. 这个顽童在一群英国旅游客人面前用明显下流的动作可笑地蹦蹦跳跳着。 来自辞典例句
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15
suede
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| n.表面粗糙的软皮革 |
参考例句： |
- I'm looking for a suede jacket.我想买一件皮制茄克。
- Her newly bought suede shoes look very fashionable.她新买的翻毛皮鞋看上去非常时尚。
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17
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 |
参考例句： |
- Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。
- He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。
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18
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 |
参考例句： |
- We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
- The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。
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19
ineffably
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| adv.难以言喻地，因神圣而不容称呼地 |
参考例句： |
- Why to always syare blankly ineffably, feel sadness namely next. 为什么总是莫名的发呆，然后就是感到悲伤。 来自互联网
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20
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 |
参考例句： |
- He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。
- The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。
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21
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 |
参考例句： |
- I could see its black silhouette against the evening sky.我能看到夜幕下它黑色的轮廓。
- I could see the silhouette of the woman in the pickup.我可以见到小卡车的女人黑色半身侧面影。
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22
ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 |
参考例句： |
- The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。
- The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。
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23
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 |
参考例句： |
- He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
- I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
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24
mitigate
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| vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和 |
参考例句： |
- The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
- Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。
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25
vibrant
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| adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的 |
参考例句： |
- He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
- She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。
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26
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 |
参考例句： |
- His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
- Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。
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27
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 |
参考例句： |
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
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28
veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 |
参考例句： |
- She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
- They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。
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29
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 |
参考例句： |
- He gallantly offered to carry her cases to the car. 他殷勤地要帮她把箱子拎到车子里去。
- The new fighters behave gallantly under fire. 新战士在炮火下表现得很勇敢。
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30
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 |
参考例句： |
- I hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.我听到远处雷声隆隆。
- We could tell from the rumble of the thunder that rain was coming.我们根据雷的轰隆声可断定，天要下雨了。
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31
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 |
参考例句： |
- He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
- Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。
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32
descending
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| n. 下行
adj. 下降的 |
参考例句： |
- The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
- The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。
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33
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 |
参考例句： |
- The shop-front is fitted with rolling shutters. 那商店的店门装有卷门。
- The shutters thumped the wall in the wind. 在风中百叶窗砰砰地碰在墙上。
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34
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 |
参考例句： |
- He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
- We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
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35
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 |
参考例句： |
- I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
- I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。
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36
tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 |
参考例句： |
- I could hear bells tinkling in the distance. 我能听到远处叮当铃响。
- To talk to him was like listening to the tinkling of a worn-out musical-box. 跟他说话，犹如听一架老掉牙的八音盒子丁冬响。 来自英汉文学
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37
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 |
参考例句： |
- They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
- Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。
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38
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） |
参考例句： |
- \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
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39
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 |
参考例句： |
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
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40
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） |
参考例句： |
- I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
- She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。
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41
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 |
参考例句： |
- She heard a rustle in the bushes.她听到灌木丛中一阵沙沙声。
- He heard a rustle of leaves in the breeze.他听到树叶在微风中发出的沙沙声。
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42
warily
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| adv.留心地 |
参考例句： |
- He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。
- They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。
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43
oblique
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| adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的 |
参考例句： |
- He made oblique references to her lack of experience.他拐弯抹角地说她缺乏经验。
- She gave an oblique look to one side.她向旁边斜看了一眼。
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44
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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