A sharp wind was blowing from the Alps across the high plateau. Ordham pulled up the collar of his light overcoat and walked more briskly than was his habit. Illness might be convenient as an excuse, but as a fact was little to his taste; although he realized that it was not the worst evil that could befall him at present.
For perhaps the first time in his life something deeper than his temper was agitated5. He could always stamp about in a fine rage when annoyed, but he had had little occasion to rail at a perverse6 fate. Now he found himself face to face with a distinct crisis in his life—the probability of disaster just beyond. He had heard Frau von Wass talk wildly before, but other women talked wildly and nothing came of it. They seemed rather to enjoy their little dramas than otherwise. He regarded them all as interesting books—or plays—which he was graciously permitted to read at first hand. But his own attitude had always been nearly impersonal7. When he had closed the book clept “Frau von Wass,” he had, in the insolence8 and inexperience of his youth, taken for granted that it would accumulate dust in limbo9 with all of its kind. He had been as much astonished as annoyed at the turn affairs had taken, but not apprehensive10 until to-day. That Hélène Wass was in desperate earnest he could no longer flatter himself by doubting. He reviewed his own share in the incident; and while he was amazed that such a price should be levied11 for what had been little more than politeness on his part, still was he far too intelligent not to remind himself that men had paid as high for less, and too just not to admit that it had been in his power to nip the woman’s passion in the bud.
Although he was puzzled as well as frightened at this encounter with the grim visage of life, whose gloomy unsympathetic eyes presaged12 defeat, he was sullenly13 angry with himself. If he had loved the woman or even been possessed14, no matter how briefly15, by one of those overwhelming passions of which he was always reading and hearing, he felt that he would have accepted the consequences without flinching16. But as it was, he felt like a foolish mariner17 who had gone to sea without a compass and found himself justly on the rocks. Unless the unexpected happened, it looked as if he would be swept out of Munich with the rest of the Frau Geheimrath’s wreckage18 and landed high and dry in Italy.
Suddenly another ugly phase of this crisis in his life leapt to his mind, and he passed through the arch of the Siegesthor with such a stride that the British Minister, returning from a late card party, did not recognize him and went on without offering the hospitality of his coupé.
Normally there was a faint hope that Bridgminster would once more pay his debts, those distressing19 tradesmen’s bills of which he was reminded daily. His tailor’s was but one, and the aggregate20 must be close upon a thousand pounds. But if he openly committed the sin with which his austere21 brother had the least sympathy, he would be driven into the bankruptcy22 court. That would be a disgrace which would blast his self-respect to the roots, even did England, never lenient23 to this offence, forget it in time. There is a secret tendency in most human hearts to forgive a lover his worst transgressions24, but no sympathy whatever for the financial muddler. And such a thing was unheard of in his family, whatever its lapses25 in other directions. It was bred in his very marrow26 to shrink with fastidious disgust from any form of monetary27 publicity28. To owe money to tradespeople did not worry him in the least so long as they were sensible and patient, but there was ineffable29 disgrace in being blazoned30 to the world as a man hopelessly in debt.
It was at this agonizing31 point in his reflections that his attention was attracted by the peculiar32 antics of a dog emerging from the Schellingstrasse. It had dropped something and was howling, grovelling33 in evident appeal at the feet of a woman who soundly berated34 it. The woman stamped her huge foot and pointed35 to the object the dog had dropped. Howling and yelping36 an almost human protest, the dog picked up the object and ran past Ordham into the Ludwigstrasse, then discarded his burden once more, sat down on his haunches, and lifted up his voice in a series of cries that sounded like an appeal to the winking37 stars.
Ordham, his curiosity excited, went forward, and bending down, examined the object of the dog’s aversion. It was a block of ice. The poor beast was howling with a toothache. Ordham looked at the woman as much in amazement38 as in anger. She could have carried the ice in her skirt; it was inconceivable to him that any one could maltreat a dog. But as he opened his mouth to relieve his indignation, he realized that any attempt to penetrate39 the thick Bavarian skull40 with his inadequate41 German would be a mere42 waste of time. He picked up the piece of ice and dropped it into the pocket of his overcoat.
“If you will lead the way,” he said, “I will carry it for you.”
The astonished housewife stared in amazement, ejaculated “Ach Gott!” then, with a laugh of deep good-natured contempt, led off with a swing that exhibited the tops of her man’s boots, the red blanket petticoat above them, and the full flounces of her pantalets. She was almost as broad as long, her waist line being in no place distinguishable from the solid expanses above and below. Her skirts were short; she wore a shawl crossed over her upper amplitudes43 and pinned behind. A small Tyrolean hat sat jauntily44 above a walnut45 of plastered hair. She was a street sweeper, inured46 to every sort of hardship, and not likely to sympathize with a dog’s aching teeth. But no doubt she fed him as well as she could afford.
The strange procession made its way up the stately Ludwigstrasse, deserted47 but for the sentries48 before a palace. Once or twice Ordham, contemplating49 his guide, who swung like a vast pendulum50, laughed silently. The grateful dog flew up and down, or frisked about his heels in an ecstasy51 of relief. At the Odeonsplatz were two belated cabs. Ordham handed into one the woman, the dog, and the ice, paid the driver, and sank into the other with a sigh of gratitude52, not only for the more familiar mode of locomotion53, but for the temporary diversion afforded by a dog with a toothache! For a few moments he had forgotten his bills and Frau von Wass. When he reached the Legation his throat was very sore, and fortune so far favoured him that on the following day he really was laid up with bronchitis. His servant took a verbal message to the Frau Geheimrath, which, after sharp questioning, she was forced to accept.

点击
收听单词发音

1
climax
![]() |
|
n.顶点;高潮;v.(使)达到顶点 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2
detested
![]() |
|
v.憎恶,嫌恶,痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3
alpine
![]() |
|
adj.高山的;n.高山植物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4
picturesquely
![]() |
|
参考例句: |
|
|
5
agitated
![]() |
|
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6
perverse
![]() |
|
adj.刚愎的;坚持错误的,行为反常的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7
impersonal
![]() |
|
adj.无个人感情的,与个人无关的,非人称的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8
insolence
![]() |
|
n.傲慢;无礼;厚颜;傲慢的态度 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9
limbo
![]() |
|
n.地狱的边缘;监狱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10
apprehensive
![]() |
|
adj.担心的,恐惧的,善于领会的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11
levied
![]() |
|
征(兵)( levy的过去式和过去分词 ); 索取; 发动(战争); 征税 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12
presaged
![]() |
|
v.预示,预兆( presage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13
sullenly
![]() |
|
不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14
possessed
![]() |
|
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15
briefly
![]() |
|
adv.简单地,简短地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16
flinching
![]() |
|
v.(因危险和痛苦)退缩,畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17
mariner
![]() |
|
n.水手号不载人航天探测器,海员,航海者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18
wreckage
![]() |
|
n.(失事飞机等的)残骸,破坏,毁坏 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19
distressing
![]() |
|
a.使人痛苦的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20
aggregate
![]() |
|
adj.总计的,集合的;n.总数;v.合计;集合 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21
austere
![]() |
|
adj.艰苦的;朴素的,朴实无华的;严峻的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22
bankruptcy
![]() |
|
n.破产;无偿付能力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23
lenient
![]() |
|
adj.宽大的,仁慈的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24
transgressions
![]() |
|
n.违反,违法,罪过( transgression的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25
lapses
![]() |
|
n.失误,过失( lapse的名词复数 );小毛病;行为失检;偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 );陷入;倒退;丧失 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26
marrow
![]() |
|
n.骨髓;精华;活力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27
monetary
![]() |
|
adj.货币的,钱的;通货的;金融的;财政的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28
publicity
![]() |
|
n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29
ineffable
![]() |
|
adj.无法表达的,不可言喻的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30
blazoned
![]() |
|
v.广布( blazon的过去式和过去分词 );宣布;夸示;装饰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31
agonizing
![]() |
|
adj.痛苦难忍的;使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦;折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32
peculiar
![]() |
|
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33
grovelling
![]() |
|
adj.卑下的,奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节,奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 );趴 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34
berated
![]() |
|
v.严厉责备,痛斥( berate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35
pointed
![]() |
|
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36
yelping
![]() |
|
v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37
winking
![]() |
|
n.瞬眼,目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38
amazement
![]() |
|
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39
penetrate
![]() |
|
v.透(渗)入;刺入,刺穿;洞察,了解 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40
skull
![]() |
|
n.头骨;颅骨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41
inadequate
![]() |
|
adj.(for,to)不充足的,不适当的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42
mere
![]() |
|
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43
amplitudes
![]() |
|
振幅( amplitude的名词复数 ); 广大; (智力的)幅度; 充足 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44
jauntily
![]() |
|
adv.心满意足地;洋洋得意地;高兴地;活泼地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45
walnut
![]() |
|
n.胡桃,胡桃木,胡桃色,茶色 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46
inured
![]() |
|
adj.坚强的,习惯的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47
deserted
![]() |
|
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48
sentries
![]() |
|
哨兵,步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49
contemplating
![]() |
|
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50
pendulum
![]() |
|
n.摆,钟摆 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51
ecstasy
![]() |
|
n.狂喜,心醉神怡,入迷 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52
gratitude
![]() |
|
adj.感激,感谢 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53
locomotion
![]() |
|
n.运动,移动 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |