So Bonnibel found a welcome, albeit12 a chilling one, waiting for her in Mrs. Arnold's grand drawing-room when she arrived there cold and weary. The mother and daughter touched her fingers carelessly, and offered frigid13 congratulations upon her recovery. Mrs. Arnold then dismissed her to her own apartments to rest and refresh her toilet under the care of her maid.
[Pg 28]
"You need not be jealous of her youth and beauty any more, Felise," said Mrs. Arnold complacently14 to her daughter. "She has changed almost beyond recognition. Did you ever see such a fright?"
Felise Herbert, hovering15 over the bright fire that burned on the marble hearth16, looked up angrily.
"Mother, you talk like a fool," she said, roughly. "How can you fail to see that she is more beautiful than ever? She only looked like a great wax doll before with her pink cheeks and long curls. Now with that new expression that has come into her face she looks like a haunting picture. One could not forget such a face. And mourning is perfectly17 becoming to her blonde complexion18, while my olive skin is rendered perfectly hideous19 by it. I see no reason why I should spoil my looks by wearing black for a man that was no relation of mine, and whom I cordially hated!"
Mrs. Arnold saw that Felise was in a passion, and she began to grow nervous accordingly. Felise, if that were possible, was a worse woman than her mother, and possessed20 an iron will. She was the power behind the throne before whom Mrs. Arnold trembled in fear and bowed in adoration21.
She hastened to console the angry girl.
"I think you are mistaken, my dear," she said. "I cannot see a vestige22 of prettiness left. Her hair is gone, her color has faded, and she never smiles now to show the dimples that people used to call so distracting. There are few that would give her a second glance. Besides, what is beauty without wealth? You know in our world it simply counts for nothing. She can never rival you a second now that it is known that she has no money and that you will be my heiress."
The sullen23 countenance24 of Felise began to grow brighter at the latter consolatory25 clause.
"As to the black," pursued Mrs. Arnold, "of course you and I know that it is a mere26 sham27; but then, Felise, it is necessary to make that much concession28 to the opinion of the world. How they would cavil29 if you failed in that mark of respect to the memory of your step-father."
"There is one consolation," said Felise, brightening up, "I can lay it aside within a year."
"And then, no doubt, you will don the bridal robe as the wife of the millionaire, Colonel Carlyle," Mrs. Arnold rejoined, with an air of great satisfaction.
"Perhaps so," said her daughter, clouding over again; "but you need not be so sure. He has not proposed yet."
"But he will soon," asserted the widow, confidently.
"I expected he would do so, until now," said Felise, sharply. "The old dotard appeared to admire me very much; but since Bonnibel Vere has returned to flaunt30 her baby-beauty before him, his fickle fancy may turn to her. A pretty face can make a fool of an old man, you know."
"We must keep her in the background, then," said Mrs. Arnold, reassuringly31. "Not that I am the least apprehensive32 of danger, my dear, but since your fears take that direction he[Pg 29] shall not see her until all is secure, and you must bring him to the point as soon as possible."
"I have done my best," said Felise, "but he hovers33 on the brink34 apparently35 afraid to take the leap. I cannot understand such dawdling36 on the part of one who has already buried two wives. He cannot be afflicted37 with timidity."
"We must give him a hint that I shall settle fifty thousand dollars on you the day you marry," said her mother. "I have heard that he is very avaricious38. It is a common vice39 of age and infirmity. He fears you will spend his wealth too freely."
"And so I will, if I get a chance," said Felise, coarsely. "I have been stinted40 all my life by the stepfather who hated me. Let me but become Mrs. Colonel Carlyle, and I assure you I will queen it right royally."
"You would become the position very much," said the admiring mother, "and I should be very proud of my daughter's graceful41 ease in spending her husband's millions."
Miss Herbert's proud lips curled in triumph. She arose and began to pace the floor restlessly, her eyes shining with pleased anticipation42 of the day which she hoped was not far distant when she would marry the rich man whose wealth she coveted43, and become a queen in society. She looked around her at the splendor44 and elegance45 of her mother's drawing-room with dissatisfaction, and resolved that her own should be far more fine and costly46, her attire47 more extravagant48, and her diamonds more splendid. She was tired of reigning49 with her mother. She wanted to rule over a kingdom of her own.
Felise had no more heart than a stone. Her only god was wealth, and her ambition was towering. She thought only of self, and felt not the first emotion of gratitude50 to the mother who had schemed and planned for her all her life. All she desired was unbounded wealth and the power to rule in her own right.
"Miss Felise has caught a beau at last," said Bonnibel's maid to her as she brushed the soft locks of her mistress. She had been having a hasty chat with Miss Herbert's maid since her arrival that day, and had gathered a good deal of gossip in the servants' hall.
"Indeed?" asked Bonnibel, languidly, "what is his name, Lucy?"
"He is a Colonel Carlyle, miss; a very old man Janet do say, but worth his millions. He have buried his two wives already, I hear, and Miss Herbert is like to be a third one. I wish him joy of her; Janet knows what her temper is."
"You need not speak so, Lucy," said Bonnibel, reprovingly, to the maid whose loquacity51 was far ahead of her grammar. "I daresay Janet gives her cause to indulge in temper sometimes."
"Lor! Miss Bonnibel," said Lucy, "Janet is as mild as a dove; but Miss Felise, she have slapped Janet's mouth twice, and scolds her day in and day out. Janet says that Colonel Carlyle will catch a Tartar when he gets her."
[Pg 30]
"Be quiet, Lucy; my head aches," said Bonnibel, thinking it very improper52 for the girl to discuss her superior's affairs so freely; she therefore dismissed the subject and thought no more about it, little dreaming that it was one portentous53 of evil to herself.
Felise need not have troubled herself with the fear of Bonnibel's rivalry54. The young girl was only too willing to be kept in the background. In the seclusion55 which Mrs. Arnold deemed it proper to observe after their dreadful and tragic56 bereavement57 they received but few visitors and Bonnibel was glad that her recent illness was considered a sufficient pretext58 for denying herself to even these few. Some there were—a few old friends and one or two loving schoolmates—who refused to be denied and whom Bonnibel reluctantly admitted, but these few found her so changed in appearance and broken in spirit that they went away marveling at her persistent59 grief for the uncle whom the world blamed very much because he had failed to provide for her as became her birth and position.
But while the world censured60 Mr. Arnold's neglect of her, Bonnibel never blamed her uncle by word or thought. She believed what he had told her on the memorable61 evening of his death. He had provided for her, she knew, and the will, perhaps, had been lost. What had become of it she could not conjecture62, but she was far from imputing63 foul64 play to anyone. The thought never entered her mind. She was too pure and innocent herself to suspect evil in others, and the overwhelming horror of her uncle's tragic death still brooded over her spirit to the utter exclusion65 of all other cares save one, and that one a sore, sore trial that it needed all her energies to endure, the silence of Leslie Dane and her anxieties regarding his fate; for still the days waned66 and faded and no tidings came to the sick heart that waited in passionate67 suspense68 for a sign from the loved and lost one.
Strange to say, she had never learned the fatal truth that Leslie Dane stood charged with her uncle's murder, and that justice was still on the alert to discover his whereabouts. During her severe and nearly fatal illness all approach to the subject of the murder had been prohibited by the careful physician, and on her convalescence69 the newspapers had been excluded from her sight and the subject tabooed in her presence. She had forgotten the solemn charge of Felise Herbert and her mother that fatal night which she had so indignantly refuted. Now she was spared the knowledge that the malignity70 of the two women had succeeded in fixing the crime on the innocent head of the man she loved. Had Bonnibel known that fact she would have left Mrs. Arnold's roof although starvation and death had been the inevitable71 consequence. But she did not know, and so moped and pined in her chamber72, tearful and utterly73 despairing, oblivious74 to the fact that she was doing what Felise most desired in thus secluding75 herself.
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1
depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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2
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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6
debut
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| n.首次演出，初次露面 | |
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7
fickle
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| adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的 | |
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8
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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perpetuating
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| perpetuate的现在进行式 | |
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10
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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12
albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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13
frigid
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| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
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14
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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15
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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16
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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17
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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18
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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19
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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20
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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21
adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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22
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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23
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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24
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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25
consolatory
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| adj.慰问的，可藉慰的 | |
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26
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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29
cavil
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| v.挑毛病，吹毛求疵 | |
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30
flaunt
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| vt.夸耀，夸饰 | |
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31
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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32
apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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33
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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34
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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35
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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36
dawdling
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| adj.闲逛的，懒散的v.混（时间）( dawdle的现在分词 ) | |
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37
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
avaricious
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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39
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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40
stinted
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| v.限制，节省（stint的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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41
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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42
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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43
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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44
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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45
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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46
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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47
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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48
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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49
reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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50
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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51
loquacity
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| n.多话，饶舌 | |
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52
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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53
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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54
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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55
seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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56
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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57
bereavement
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| n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛 | |
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58
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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59
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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60
censured
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| v.指责，非难，谴责( censure的过去式 ) | |
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61
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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62
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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63
imputing
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| v.把（错误等）归咎于( impute的现在分词 ) | |
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64
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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65
exclusion
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| n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行 | |
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66
waned
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| v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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67
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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68
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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69
convalescence
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| n.病后康复期 | |
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70
malignity
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| n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性 | |
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71
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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72
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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73
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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74
oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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75
secluding
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| v.使隔开，使隔绝，使隐退( seclude的现在分词 ) | |
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