Then I love thee best of all,
I will cling to thee, my dearest,/p>
Though the world in ruins fall.
Dr. Larcher was in his study talking to Reginald Blake, who sat near the writing table, leaning his head upon his hand with his arm resting on the desk. The face of the good Vicar was somewhat clouded, as he felt deeply for the unhappy young man, and he was trying to speak words of comfort to him, although he felt how difficult it was to converse2 cheerfully under present circumstances. Reginald, however, had taken this second discovery more easily than he had done the first, perhaps because he had suffered so much already that he could not suffer more. At all events, his face, though pale, was perfectly3 composed, and there was a look of determination about his lips and a serene4 light in his eyes which gave great satisfaction to Dr. Larcher.
"I must say, my dear boy," he said kindly5, "that you have great cause for sorrow, but you must bear adversity like a man, and I feel sure the result will be beneficial to your future life--sooner or later we all feel what Goethe calls 'world sorrow,' and it is that which changes us from careless youth to thoughtful manhood--your trial has come earlier and has been a more bitter one than that of most men, but believe me, out of this apparent evil good will come; remember the saying of the old Roman lyrist, Perrupit Acheronta Herculeus labor--time will bring you relief, and, if you resist manfully, you also will be able to break through this Acheron of sorrow and pain."
Reginald listened attentively6 to this long discourse7, and, at its conclusion, lifted his head proudly.
"I agree with all you say, sir," he replied steadily8, "and hope to profit by your advice, but you must not think me a mere9 weakling who gives in without a struggle when trials come. No, I think your training has taught me more than that. I feel bitterly the circumstances of my birth, and in having parents I can neither honour nor respect, but the cruellest blow of all is that I must renounce10 all hope of the woman I love--it is very hard, indeed, to almost gain the prize and then lose it through no fault of my own."
"I think you misjudge Una," said the vicar quietly, "she is not the woman to act in such a way--in fact, now that you have met with misfortune, I think she will love you more than before."
"I hope so, yet I doubt it," replied the young man gloomily; "but now that all my past is ended in ruin I must look to the future and try and win a respected name--which I have not got now. But first, what am I to do about my parents?"
"Regarding your father," said the vicar thoughtfully, "I don't think you will see any more of him, as he will probably leave the village to-day--now that he can gain nothing from you he will probably leave you alone--but as to your mother, your place is certainly by her side."
"But look how she has deceived me."
"If she has erred11 it is through love of you," replied Dr. Larcher gravely, "and after all she is bound to you by the ties of nature. Yes, you must look after her; but what about yourself?"
"I will go to London and make a fortune by my voice."
"Your last sojourn12 in London was not productive of any good result," said the vicar in gentle rebuke13.
"Perhaps not, but if I erred it was with my head not my heart. I was miserable14, and tried to drown my sorrows in dissipation, but now I go to town under widely different circumstances--a pauper15 where I once was wealthy--so my only dissipation now will be hard work."
"That is right," said the vicar, approvingly. "I am glad to see you accept the inevitable16 in such spirit--levius fit patientia Quidquid corrigere est nefas."
"It's the only spirit in which I can accept the future," answered Reginald sadly, "seeing that I am to pass the rest of my life without Una."
"As I said before, you wrong her; she is too noble a woman to leave you now you are in trouble."
"I wish I was as certain as you are," said Blake, rising to his feet and walking to and fro, "but after what has passed I am afraid to hope."
At this moment a knock came to the door, and immediately afterwards Una Challoner entered. She looked pale in her dark mourning garments, but there was a soft light in her eyes as they rested on Reginald which comforted the vicar greatly.
"Welcome, my dear," he said heartily17, rising and taking her hand, "you could not have come at a happier time. Reginald has great need of you, so I will leave you both together, and I hope you will prove the David to his Saul, in order to chase away the evil shadow that is on him."
When the vicar had departed and closed the door after him Una stood in silence, looking at Reginald, who had sat down again. So sad, so despondent18 was his attitude, that all the love of her heart went out towards him, and walking gently up to her lover she touched his shoulder.
"Reginald."
"Yes," he said, lifting his heavy eyes to her face. "What is it? Have you come to reproach me?"
"Reproach you with what, my poor boy?" she asked, tenderly, kneeling beside him. "What have you done that I should come to you with harsh words?"
"You are a good woman, Una," said Blake sadly, putting his hand caressingly19 upon her head, "but I think there is a limit even to your forbearance."
"What nonsense you talk," she said lightly. "I understand everything--you are not responsible for the sins of your parents."
"I cannot marry you now," he replied in a low voice. "I can offer you nothing except poverty and a dishonoured20 name."
"You can offer me yourself," said Una with a smile, "and that is all I want. As to your dishonoured name, you forget you have given that up--your name now is Reginald Garsworth."
"It was, but I surrender it with the property."
"I hardly see that, seeing there is no question of surrender. Yes," she went on, seeing the astonishment21 depicted22 on his face, "things are going to remain exactly as they are. You will still be titular23 lord of the manor24, and we will look upon this conspiracy25 of your unhappy parents as if it had never existed."
"Impossible," he muttered. "I cannot rob you of your property."
"Don't I tell you there is no robbery?" she replied rapidly. "As man and wife we will share the property in common, so there is no necessity for you to surrender what will soon come back to you by marriage."
"I had given up all hope of the marriage!"
"Ah! you don't know how determined26 I am when I take a thing into my head," she said playfully. "We will be married next week, and you will retain the property just as if nothing had occurred. No one knows the truth of the affair except your parents, and they will not speak."
"My father will, I know his vindictive27 nature."
"Your father!" she repeated contemptuously. "Don't speak of Basil Beaumont by that name. He has been no father to you, and as for speaking you can set your mind at rest. He called upon me this morning, and I soon settled everything."
"He called on you?"
"Yes, with a lot of lies in his mouth, but I threatened to prosecute28 him if he did not leave the village, so by this time I think he is out of the neighbourhood. Don't trouble, my dear, Beaumont will hold his tongue for his own sake."
"And my mother?"
"I called at Kossiter's as I passed," she answered, "and found your mother had gone up to London this morning. We must find her out and give her some money to live on, for after all, whatever part she has taken in this conspiracy it was for love of you."
"Just what Dr. Larcher said."
"So you see everything is settled," she said joyously29, rising from her knees, "we will be married next week and you will be master of Garsworth Grange."
Reginald was deeply affected30 by her noble conduct, and rising to his feet embraced her fondly.
"You are a noble woman," he said, with tears in his eyes, "but can I accept this sacrifice?"
"Why will you use such a word?--there is no sacrifice in what I do for the man I love."
"Remember I bring you nothing."
"You bring me yourself, that is all I want. Let the past be forgotten. When we are married you will forget all the troubles you have had."
He kissed her, smiling.
"You are my good angel," he said simply.
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1
dame
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| n.女士 | |
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2
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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3
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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4
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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5
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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6
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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7
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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8
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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9
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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10
renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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11
erred
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| 犯错误，做错事( err的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
sojourn
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| v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留 | |
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13
rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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14
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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15
pauper
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| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 | |
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16
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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17
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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18
despondent
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| adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的 | |
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19
caressingly
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| 爱抚地，亲切地 | |
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20
dishonoured
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| a.不光彩的，不名誉的 | |
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21
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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22
depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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23
titular
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| adj.名义上的，有名无实的；n.只有名义（或头衔）的人 | |
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24
manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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25
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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26
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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27
vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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28
prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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29
joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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30
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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