As he reached the Marble Arch Frederick espied7 an old beggar woman who was squatting8 outside on the pavement close to the park railings. She was a repulsive-looking object. Her face was seamed and lined with numerous wrinkles, clearly defined by the dirt which was in them; her bushy gray eyebrows9 were drawn10 frowningly over her watery11, red-rimmed blue eyes; her nose was hooked like the beak12 of a bird of prey13, and from her thin-lipped mouth two yellow tusks14 protruded15, like those of a wild boar.
Frederick, with one of those momentary16 contrasts which made him so difficult to understand, stopped in front of the old crone and dropped a guinea into her palm. She [Pg 172] raised one skinny hand to shade her eyes and looked curiously17 at the generous stranger.
“Thank ye, my lord,” muttered she.
“You'll drink it,” I suppose, said Frederick, gazing at her inflamed18 nose and sunken cheeks, which bore unmistakable signs of debauchery.
“Werry likely,” retorted the hag with a grin; “I'm a fortune to the public 'ouse, I am. And it's the only pleasure I 'ave in my blooming life, blarst it!”
Ignoring this polite speech, the young man directed his steps to the Kingsbury residence, and was ushered19 by the groom20 of the chambers21 into the morning-room of the marchioness. It was a long, low apartment, oak-paneled, and had an embossed and emblazoned ceiling from which silver lamps of old Italian work hung by silver chains. The blinds were drawn down, and the hues22 of the tapestry23, of the ivories which stood here and there on the carved brackets, of the paintings on the walls, and of the embroideries24 on the satin furniture, made a rich chiaro-oscuro of color. Large baskets and vases full of roses and lilies rendered the air heavy with their intoxicating25 odor.
Frederick sat down on a low couch to await the mistress of the house. His brows were knit and he murmured to himself abstractedly.
“Do they know it already? Hardly yet, I should think. Well, I must make bonne contenance if I wish to win the game. By Heaven! it's worth the candle.”
He had been brooding in this fashion for some ten minutes, when the door opened, and Lady Kingsbury, wrapped in a loose gown of olive-colored cashmere, with a profusion26 of old lace at her breast, and open sleeves, entered the room. She was very pale, and her still beautiful eyes showed traces of weeping.
She advanced toward Frederick with outstretched hands, saying in a broken, unsteady voice:
[Pg 173]
“Pardon me for keeping you waiting, my dear count. But this terrible misfortune has upset me so much that I am quite ill and ought not to have left my room.”
“Good Heaven! my dear Lady Kingsbury, what has happened?” exclaimed Frederick, with an air of the most profound surprise.
“Oh! it is too, too awful! My poor, poor Alice! Colonel Clery has been found dead in his room this morning!”
“Dead! dead! Colonel Clery! Great God! Why, I left him in perfect health a few hours ago! What could have caused his death?”
“Heart disease, I presume; though nobody who saw him would ever have believed him to be subject thereto. When his servant entered his rooms this morning he found him lying on the lounge, still wearing his evening dress. Surprised at such a proceeding27 on the part of a man who was as regular and methodical in his habits as was his master, the valet approached the sofa and attempted to rouse him. But he was dead! and the doctor, who was immediately called in, declared that he must have been so for some hours,” concluded Lady Kingsbury, bursting into fresh tears.
“This is really terrible,” said Frederick, with a display of considerable emotion. “I cannot tell you how shocked I am! One could not help being fond of Colonel Clery. He was a man in a thousand, and though our acquaintance was so short I feel his loss as that of an old and dear friend. Will you think me indiscreet if I ask how Lady Alice bears this crushing blow?”
“Don't talk about it,” sobbed28 the marchioness, “I almost fear that she will go out of her mind. Her otherwise cold and indifferent nature was centered in Charlie, whom she had loved for several years. Her father at first objected to the match, having looked higher for his eldest29 daughter. But he had to give way before the unwavering [Pg 174] constancy of the two young people. I don't know what is to become of Alice now. It breaks my very heart to see her silent despair!”
“I will not keep you away from her any longer. She needs your loving care and sympathy,” said Frederick, rising. “I trust that you will forgive my intrusion on your sorrow, and that you will tell me frankly30 if I can be of any use to you. Dispose of me entirely31. You have been so kind to me that I should deem it a great favor to be able to be of service to you.”
“Thank you so much, my dear M. de Vaugelade. It is very kind of you to say so. Don't think that I am sending you away. I hope you will come soon again, but I really am afraid that I cannot bear much more this morning.”
Kissing her hand, Frederick bowed himself out and was slowly descending32 the wide staircase when he heard himself called by name.
Turning himself quickly round he saw Lady Alice standing33 at the head of the stairs and beckoning34 to him. Was this the bright and happy girl whom he had left but a few hours ago? Her head leaned backward against the high, carved panel of the wall, her face was deadly pale and cold, and had the immutability35 of a mask of stone. Other women might moan aloud in their misery36 and curse their fate, but she was one of those who choke down their hearts in silence and conceal37 their death-wounds.
A few steps brought Frederick to her side. He did not dare to salute38 her, for it seemed to him as if her whole being shrank within her as she saw him there. Without looking at him, she spoke39 in a voice quite firm though it was faint from feebleness.
“I have but little to say to you. I want only to ask you, how and where you parted last night with—with—him?”
She almost lost her self-control. Her lips trembled and she pressed her hand on her breast.
[Pg 175]
Frederick staggered slightly, as if under some sword-stroke from an unseen hand. A great faintness came upon him. For a moment he was speechless and mute. She looked up at him steadily40 once. Then she spoke again in that cold, forced, measured voice which seemed to his ear as hard and pitiless as the strokes of an iron hammer.
“I ask you how you parted with him?”
With a mighty41 effort he broke the spell which held him mute, and murmured, with a suffocated42 sound in his voice, as though some hand were clutching at his throat:
“I left him well and happy. Why do you ask me? I know nothing more.”
“Are you so sure of that?” she asked, fixing her cold eyes upon him.
“Lady Alice! what do you mean?” exclaimed Frederick, who, seeing the danger, was regaining43 his entire self-possession.
“Nothing,” she answered wearily. “Go. It is best so. I must have time—time to think.”
She passed her hand over her forehead twice, as if in pain, and he, bowing low, walked down stairs blindly, not knowing whither he went. Mechanically he reached the entrance, passed the threshold, and went out into the bright spring sunlight.
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收听单词发音
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1
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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serpentine
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| adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的 | |
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4
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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5
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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6
clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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7
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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9
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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10
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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11
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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12
beak
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| n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻 | |
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13
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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14
tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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15
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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18
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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21
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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22
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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23
tapestry
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| n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面 | |
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24
embroideries
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| 刺绣( embroidery的名词复数 )； 刺绣品； 刺绣法 | |
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25
intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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26
profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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28
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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29
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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30
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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31
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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32
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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33
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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34
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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35
immutability
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| n.不变(性) | |
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36
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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37
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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38
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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39
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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40
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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41
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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42
suffocated
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| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
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43
regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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