A hater of blind Eros and his joys,
Thy rule is bitter as the stinging rods
That scourge1 at Dian's feast the Spartan2 boys;
Evil his soul who asks thine evil aid,
And in revenge such evil aid employs,
In sundering3 the hearts of youth and maid.
The Garsworth family was never a very prolific4 one, but the estates had always descended5 in a direct line from father to son. Many a time the race seemed to be on the point of extinction6 owing to the representative being an only child, yet though the line dwindled7 down to depending on one life alone for its continuity it never absolutely died out. In the event of such a thing taking place it would have been difficult to say who would have succeeded to the estates, as the Garsworth family seemed to be averse9 to matrimony and their connection with the county families was, to say the least, doubtful. Besides, as there was no entail10, the estates were completely at the disposal of the head of the family for the time being, and he could will them to whomsoever he pleased. As hitherto son had always succeeded father, there had been no necessity for the exercise of such a power, but now the sole representative of the race being unmarried he was at liberty to use his own judgment11 in disposing of the estates.
In the opinion of right-minded people there could be very little doubt as to who should succeed the Squire12, for Una was the next of kin8. She was the only living representative of the younger branch of the family, being the grand-daughter of the Squire's aunt, and therefore his second cousin. Miss Cassandra, although she constantly alluded13 to Randal Garsworth as "my cousin," was as a matter of fact only a relation by marriage, being Una's paternal14 aunt.
Una's parents had died while she was a child and she had been brought up by the kind-hearted though eccentric Miss Cassy, who sent her to Germany in order to complete her education. Miss Cassandra, having an income of three hundred a year, dwelt in London, where she was known among a select society of well-born fossils who looked upon her as a mere15 child. Una, having finished her education, came back to England and took up her abode16 with Miss Cassy, and having an income of some two hundred a year joined it to that of her aunt, and thus the two women managed to live very comfortably in a small way.
On seeing Una's beauty, however, Miss Cassandra had no intention that she should live a dismal17 life in a smoky London suburb, without at least one chance of seeing the gay world and marrying as befitted her birth and loveliness, so she wrote to Squire Garsworth on the subject. The old man sent in reply a gracious message that Una could come down and stay at the Grange, and that he would not forget her in his will. Miss Cassy, not knowing the idiosyncrasies of the recluse18, saw in her mind's eye a hospitable19 country house full of joyous20 company, so persuaded Una to accept the invitation, saying she herself would go also. After some demur21 Squire Garsworth agreed to Miss Cassy coming, and in due time, having broken up their London home, the two ladies arrived at the Grange.
Their dismay was great at finding the sordid22 way in which the Squire lived, and Miss Cassy would have promptly23 returned to London, only Una, being touched by the loneliness of her kinsman24, determined25 to remain, persuading Miss Cassy to do likewise. So they lived quietly at the Grange on the somewhat begrudged26 hospitality of the old man, their own incomes obtaining for them any luxuries they might require, as they certainly received nothing but the bare necessities of life from their host.
In the mad pursuit of his delusion27, Garsworth, in contrast to the lavishness28 of his youth, had become absolutely penurious29 in his mode of life. The large staff of servants necessary for such an immense house as the Grange had been long ago dispensed30 with, and Patience Allerby, assisted by Jellicks looked after the household, while the stony31 Munks exercised a grim sovereignty over the exterior32 arrangements. The Squire mostly lived in his own study, and Una, aided by Miss Cassy, managed to make one room habitable for themselves, but the rest of the house was given over to the rats and spiders, becoming at last so lonely and eerie33 that Miss Cassy frequently declared it was haunted.
Una having fallen in love with Reginald, was quite content in her dreary34 exile, but Miss Cassy, used to the lively entertainments of the fossilized society in London, longed to get away from the place, and looked forward to the Squire dying with a certain ghastly eagerness, as she thought Una would then come in for all the estates and they could once more live London.
On the morning after the concert Miss Cassy and Una seated at a late breakfast, were talking seriously about the unsettled health of the Squire, who was now obviously breaking up.
"He's about seventy-three now," said Miss Cassy thoughtfully, "I'm sure he can't live long.
"My dear Aunty!" replied Una in a shocked tone, "how can you talk so?"
"Why not?" retorted Miss Cassy indignantly. "He's not much use alive. I'm sure he'd be more use dead."
"Why?"
"Because you'd get his money and we could go back to dear London."
"I don't want his money," said Una with great spirit, "and certainly don't care about speculating on cousin Garsworth's death to gain it. I wonder at your doing so, Aunt."
"Well, I'm sure, Una," whimpered Miss Cassy, producing her handkerchief, "you are so odd--I only meant to say I'm tired of this place--it is dull--now isn't it? I need excitement, you know I need excitement--and after me bringing you up. I always dressed you beautifully--real lace--and kept you so clean. I always had your nerves attended to--you blame me now--I want to see you rich--it isn't odd--wishing to see you rich, and I'm so dull here; really Una, you are unkind--quite crushing--I'm only an ivy--oh, why wasn't I married? there's nothing for one to cling to--you don't want me to cling."
"My dear Auntie," said Una with a smile, "you are so sensitive."
"Ivy," sobbed35 Miss Cassy, "nerves--mother's side--you've got none--so very odd."
"I don't want you to think of the Squire dying, it won't benefit me at all."
Miss Cassy removed her handkerchief and gasped36:
"Quite ten thousand a year--he can't take it away--you're his only relative--no one could be so odd as to leave it to a what's-it's-name asylum37 or a cats'-home."
"I don't know whom he'll leave the money to," said Una deliberately38. "I certainly ought to get it, but you know the Squire's delusion about re-incarnation--you may depend his will is mixed up with the idea, how I don't know--but there will be some trouble at his death."
"Such an idiot he is," groaned39 Miss Cassy, "quite eccentric--hereditary--I've seen it in you--bad blood you know--it's in all old families--our family was always sane40."
To prove which sanity41 Miss Cassy arose from the table to go to her room, and placed the tea cosy42 on her head to protect her from cold. The eccentric lady walked to the door talking in a broken fashion all the time.
"I'm sure I don't want his money--small income but sure--yes--but it's so dull--I love London--I can't blossom here--I'm like a cabbage--in Town I expand--such nice amusements--Madame Tussaud's and the Crystal Palace--so exciting--it's food--food--oh, dear me, Dr. Nestley is this you? how is my cousin? better?--so glad--it's very odd, isn't it? I mean it's not odd I'm glad--no--quite so--oh, you want to see Miss Challoner--yes--good-bye just now," and Miss Cassy, with the tea cosy perched on her head, disappeared, leaving Nestley alone with Una.
The young man was not looking well, as his ruddy colour had given place to an unhealthy paleness, his skin had a flaccid appearance and his countenance43 wore an anxious, haggard expression. His eyes glanced restlessly round the room looking at everything except Una, and he moved his hands nervously44. Even in his voice there was a change, for in place of his former bold confident tones he now spoke45 in a low hesitating manner.
"I just came to tell you the squire is better, Miss Challoner," he said in an agitated46 voice, keeping his eyes on the ground.
"It's very good of you, doctor," she replied courteously47. "I hope he will become quite strong again."
"I'm afraid not, his body is worn out and has not strength enough to resist disease--of course, now he has only a slight cold, but any chance exposure may affect his lungs seriously and if pneumonia48 sets in I'm afraid he will have no chance."
"What is to be done?" she asked anxiously.
"I cannot do more than I have done, he must be kept quiet and warm. I've persuaded him to take some strong soup which will do him good--in fact I think his ascetic49 manner of living has had as much to do with his ill-health as anything else."
"I hope he will get well," said Una earnestly, "if he would only change his mode of life I'm sure he would get well."
"Yes," the young man answered absently, "of course, exactly," he hesitated a moment then burst out in despair, "Then I would have to go away."
Una looked at him surprised at his evident emotion.
"Of course we would be very sorry to lose you," she said quietly, "but you, no doubt, would be glad to get back to your home."
"No--I would not," he said passionately50, coming a step nearer, "because you would not be there."
"I?"
Una Challoner rose to her feet in amazement51 at his words.
"I?" she repeated in a puzzled tone. "What have I to do with your movements?"
"Everything," said the unhappy young man with a gesture of despair. "When I came here a short time since I was perfectly52 happy--I had conquered all the evils and sorrow of my youth, and my life was a pleasant one, but since I saw you all is changed. I can think of nothing but you--morn, noon, and night, I see you before me--morn, noon, and night, I only hear your voice."
He looked at her defiantly53 and saw her standing54 silent and indignant before him.
"Can't you understand?" he burst out again rapidly. "I love you--I love you! from the first moment I saw you I loved you--I want you to be my wife, will you be my wife Una."
Miss Challoner felt perplexed--this man had only known her a fortnight, she had spoken very little to him, yet here he was asking her to marry him in a vehement55, masterful manner which roused within her all the pride of womanhood.
"What you ask is impossible, Doctor Nestley," she said coldly and deliberately. "I have only known you a fortnight and--beyond this I am ignorant of your life in every way. I never dreamed that you would speak to me in this manner."
"Then you don't love me?" he cried in despair, "You cold perfection of womanhood, you don't love me?"
Una would have replied indignantly, but she began to see the nervous excitable temperament56 of the young man and recognised that, being under the influence of a strong emotion, he was not answerable for the way in which he spoke.
"No," she replied gently, "I cannot love you, Doctor Nestley--even if I did, I could hardly respond to your passion after so short an acquaintance; come, doctor, you have been worn out by your nightly attendance on my cousin, you are not well and speak without thinking, forget the words you have spoken and let things be as they were."
It was a gracious thing of her to say, for, in spite of his evident earnestness, she felt indignant at the manner in which he had spoken to her.
"Things can never be as they were," he replied dully. "I have seen you and that has changed my whole life--is there no chance?"
"There is no chance," she replied coldly, and turned away to intimate the interview was over. Even as she did so, he sprang forward with a fierce light in his eyes.
"You love another," he hissed57 out between his clenched58 teeth.
Una turned on him in a dignified59 way with her eyes blazing with anger.
"How dare you speak to me in this manner?" she said wrathfully. "Do not try my patience too far--I have given you an answer to the mad words you spoke--now go."
She pointed60 to the door with a commanding gesture and the young man drooping61 his head on his breast, moved towards it.
"You don't know what you are doing," he said in a dreary voice. "You are destroying my life; whatever evils now drag me down, it will be your fault."
"A cowardly speech," she said in a clear, scornful voice; "because you cannot get the toy you long for you speak like a child. I have nothing to do with your life, if you yield to evil it will be through your own weak will, not through any fault of mine--not a word," she went on as he was about to speak; "leave me at once and I will try and forget what you have said."
He tried to look her in the face, but seeing her standing tall and straight as a young Greek maiden62, with nothing but scorn and condemnation63 in her eyes, he turned away with a sigh, and letting his head fall on his breast walked slowly out of the room, careless of what happened to him now that he had placed all his chances on the casting of a die--and lost.
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1
scourge
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| n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏 | |
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spartan
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| adj.简朴的，刻苦的；n.斯巴达；斯巴达式的人 | |
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3
sundering
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| v.隔开，分开( sunder的现在分词 ) | |
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4
prolific
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| adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的 | |
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5
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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extinction
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| n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种 | |
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7
dwindled
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| v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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9
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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10
entail
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| vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要 | |
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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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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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13
alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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15
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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16
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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17
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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18
recluse
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| n.隐居者 | |
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19
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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20
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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21
demur
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| v．表示异议，反对 | |
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22
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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23
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
begrudged
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| 嫉妒( begrudge的过去式和过去分词 )； 勉强做； 不乐意地付出； 吝惜 | |
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27
delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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28
lavishness
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| n.浪费，过度 | |
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29
penurious
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| adj.贫困的 | |
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30
dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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32
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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33
eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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34
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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35
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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36
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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37
asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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38
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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39
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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40
sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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41
sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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42
cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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43
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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44
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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45
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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46
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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47
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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48
pneumonia
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| n.肺炎 | |
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49
ascetic
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| adj.禁欲的；严肃的 | |
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50
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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51
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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52
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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53
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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54
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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55
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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56
temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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57
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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58
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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60
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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61
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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62
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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condemnation
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| n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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