To a lonely person, fretting2 under the peevish3 worries of life, the contemplation of the stars brings a feeling of contentment that is often akin4 to happiness. Beside this glorious panorama5, with its background of infinity6 and eternity7, its colossal8 force, its sublime9 grandeur10, the ills of life seem trivial. And David, who had been lonely all his life, would sit for hours upon each bright night, building castles along the Milky11 Way and pouring out his soul to the stellar universe—particularly to Arcturus, who had never failed him. Upon this 246night there was a faint smile of amusement upon his face. He was thinking of the queer mission that Mandelkern, his employer, had asked him to undertake that day.
Mandelkern was old and crabbed12 and ugly, but very rich, and when that morning he had said to David, “I am thinking of marrying,” David felt an almost uncontrollable desire to laugh. Then, in his wheezy voice, Mandelkern had outlined his plan.
“The Shadchen has arranged it all. She is younger than I—oh, a great many years younger, David—and she does not know me. We have only seen each other once. Of course she is marrying me for my money, but I know that when once we are married she will love me. But the trouble is, David, that I cannot find out for myself, positively13, whether she is the kind of girl I want to marry. You see, if I were to go and see her myself, she would be on her good behaviour all the time. They always are. And I would not know, until after we were married, whether she is amiable14, dutiful, studious, modest—in short, whether she is just what a girl should be. And then it would be too late. So 247I want you, like the good David that you are, to see her—don’t you know?—and get acquainted with her—don’t you know?—and er—question her—er—study her—don’t you know?” David had promised to do what he could and they had shaken hands, and the firm, hearty15 pressure of his employer’s grasp had told him, more than words could convey, how terribly earnest he was in his curiosity.
By the light of the stars David now sat pondering over this droll16 situation and smiling. And as he gazed at his friend Arcturus it seemed to him, after all, a matter of the smallest moment whether Mandelkern married the right girl or not—or married at all—or whether anybody married—or lived—or died.
On the pretext17 of a trivial errand David set out to study the personality and character of his employer’s chosen bride. The moment his eyes fell upon her the pretext that he had selected fled from his mind. In sheer bewilderment he stood looking at her. And when her face lit up and she began to laugh merrily, David was ready to turn and run in his embarrassment18. He beheld19 a mere20 girl. 248She could not have been more than eighteen or nineteen at the most, and, although her figure was mature, her face and bearing were girlish. And she was exquisitely21 pretty. At the very first impression it seemed to David that he perceived a cold gleam in her eye that betokened22 sordidness23 or meanness, but in a twinkling he perceived that he had been mistaken. A winsome25 sweetness rested upon her lovely features. It was probably the unconscious memory of Mandelkern that had given that momentary26 colour to his thoughts. And now, even before he had completed his admiring inventory27 of her physical charms, she stood laughing at him.
“You look so funny,” she said. “I cannot help laughing.”
Then David began to laugh, and in a moment they were friends. To his delight he found that she was clever, a shrewd observer, an entertaining companion. Many things that she said awakened28 no response in him. It was not until later that he discovered the reason; she had lived all her young years in the active world, in touch with the struggle, the stir of life; he had lived in dreamland with the stars.
249When Mandelkern asked David what impression the girl had made upon him, he found, to his amazement29, that he was unable to give a satisfactory reply.
“She is charming, Mr. Mandelkern,” he said. His employer nodded assent30, but added:
“I know that, but is she amiable?”
David pondered for a long time. Then he said:
“Of course, Mr. Mandelkern, I have had no more opportunity of judging what her qualities are than you have. I will have to see more of her. But I will go to see her several times, and probably in a week or two weeks I shall be able to give you a clear idea of her character.”
Mandelkern nodded approvingly.
“You are a good David,” he said. “I have confidence in your judgment31.”
And the stars that night seemed brighter, particularly his friend Arcturus, who shone with wonderful splendour and filled David’s heart with deep content—and the pulsing joy of living.
When the revelation came to him David felt no shock, experienced no surprise. She had been so 250constantly in his thoughts, had drifted so quietly into his life, that, when suddenly he realised that she had become a part of his being, it seemed but the natural order of events. It could have been nothing else. He had been born into the world for this. Through all their many talks the name of Mandelkern had never been mentioned. In the beginning the thought of this sweet, girlish nature being doomed32 to mate itself with grey, blear-eyed Mandelkern had haunted him like a nightmare. But in the sunshine of her presence David quickly forgot both his employer and the scheming Shadchen, and when it dawned upon him that he loved her, that she was necessary to him, that it was in the harmonious33 plan of the universe that they should be united forever, the thought of Mandelkern came only as a reminder34 of the unpleasant duty of revealing the truth to him.
Not a word of love had he spoken. Upon a basis of close friendship there had sprung up between them a spirit of camaraderie35 in which sentiment played no part. Now, suddenly, David felt toward her a tenderness that he had never known before—a desire to protect her, to cherish her—he loved her.
251It dawned upon Mandelkern that David’s answers to his questions were becoming more and more vague and unsatisfactory. And one night the Shadchen, becoming alarmed at David’s frequent visits to the girl, urged Mandelkern to make haste.
“It makes me uneasy,” he said, “to see you sitting idle while a young man has so many opportunities of courting your promised bride.”
Mandelkern’s watery36 eyes narrowed to a slit37 and his teeth closed tightly together. Then he answered firmly:
“Have no fear. She will be mine. The lad is, young.” And after a moment he repeated, “The lad is young!”
Aye, David was young! His pulses throbbed38 with the vigour39 of youth, with the joy of hope, with the deep torrent40 of a heart’s first love. Glorious youth! Thou art the richest heritage of the children of men! Canst thou not tarry? Down the bright beam of Arcturus there came to David a light that illumined his soul. Sitting at his window with gaze upturned to the starry41 heavens, there came to him the soft, sweet realisation that 252the secret of the universe was love, that life’s cup of happiness was at his lips, that Arcturus had been but waiting all these millions upon millions of years to see the veil lifted from his eyes, and the bliss42 of love revealed. Golden youth! Canst thou not tarry?
They were walking along the street as night was falling. They were laughing and chatting gaily43, discussing a droll legend of the Talmud that David had recited to her.
“It reminds me,” said David, “of a story about the Rabbi ben Zaccai, who——”
A sudden moan and faint cry made him pause and quickly turn. A woman whom they had just passed was staggering with her hands pressed to her breast. David sprang toward her, but before he could reach her side she had fallen to the sidewalk, and lay there motionless. In an instant he had raised her to her knees, and was chafing44 her wrists to restore her to consciousness. She recovered quickly, but as soon as David had helped her to her feet she began to cry weakly, and would have fallen again had he not supported her.
253“What is the matter?” he asked. “Are you ill?”
The woman’s sobs45 increased, and David repeated his question. Then, with the tears streaming down her face, she answered:
“I have eaten nothing for three days. I am starving. I cannot beg. I cannot die. Oh, I am so miserable46!”
David assisted her to the steps of the tenement47 in which she lived, and summoned her neighbours. He gave them what little money he had in his pocket, urged them to make haste and bring the poor woman food and stimulants48, and, promising49 to return the next day, rejoined his companion.
“My God!” he said, “wasn’t that terrible!”
“Yes. It was terrible!” she said. There was an expression in her voice that caused him to look at her, quickly, wonderingly. Her face had paled. Her lips were tightly pressed together. She was breathing rapidly. Her whole frame seemed agitated50 by some suppressed emotion. It was not pity. Her eyes were dry and gleaming. It was not shock or faintness. There was an expression of determination, 254of emphatic51 resolve in her features. David felt amazed.
“Look at me!” he said. “Look me full in the face!”
She gave a short, harsh laugh. In her eyes David saw that same gleam of sordid24 selfishness that he had observed when first he met her. But now it was clear, glittering, unmistakable.
“Of what are you thinking?” he asked, slowly. Her glance never wavered. David felt the beating of his heart grow slower.
“I don’t mind telling you,” she said. She hesitated for a moment, gave another short laugh, and then went on:
“I was thinking that that poor woman would not have starved if she had married Mandelkern. I was also thinking that I am going to marry Mandelkern. I was also thinking how terrible it would be if I did not marry Mandelkern, and would, some day, have starvation to fear—like that woman.”
Having unburdened her mind, she seemed relieved, and, in a moment became her old self. With a playful gesture she seized David’s arm and shook him.
255“Come, sleepyhead, wake up!” she cried gaily. “Don’t stand there staring at me as though I were a ghost. What were you saying about the Rabbi ben Zaccai?”
David Adler sat at the open window gazing at the swarming52 stars, whose radiance had begun to pale. The dawn of day was at hand. Even now a faint glow of light suffused53 the eastern sky. But David saw it not. His eyes were fastened upon Arcturus, whose brightness was yet undimmed, whose lustre54 transcended55 the brightness of the myriads56 of stars that crowded around. Travelling through the immeasurable realms of space, straight to his heart, streamed that bright ray, the messenger of Arcturus, cold, relentless—without hope.
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1
steadfastness
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| n.坚定，稳当 | |
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fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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infinity
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| n.无限，无穷，大量 | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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milky
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| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
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crabbed
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| adj.脾气坏的；易怒的；（指字迹）难辨认的；（字迹等）难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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19
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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20
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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22
betokened
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| v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
sordidness
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| n.肮脏；污秽；卑鄙；可耻 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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winsome
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| n.迷人的，漂亮的 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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27
inventory
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| n.详细目录，存货清单 | |
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28
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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29
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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30
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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32
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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33
harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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34
reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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35
camaraderie
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| n.同志之爱，友情 | |
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36
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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38
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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40
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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41
starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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42
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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43
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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44
chafing
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| n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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45
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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46
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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47
tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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48
stimulants
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| n.兴奋剂( stimulant的名词复数 )；含兴奋剂的饮料；刺激物；激励物 | |
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49
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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50
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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51
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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52
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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53
suffused
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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55
transcended
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| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的过去式和过去分词 )； 优于或胜过… | |
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56
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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