"Mr. Diamond!" he exclaimed, as soon as he perceived who was the other occupant of the room besides his mother.
"You're late," said the tutor, pulling from his waistcoat-pocket a large silver watch, and examining the clumsy black figures on its face by the firelight.
"Why," said Algernon, "I had no idea you were here! I thought my mother had sent word to ask you to put off our reading this evening. You promised to write a note, mother. Didn't you send it?"
It appeared that Mrs. Errington had not sent a note, had not even written one, had forgotten all about it. Her mind was so full of other things! And then when Mr. Diamond appeared, she did not explain at once that Algernon would probably not come home in time for his lesson, because she wanted to have a little conversation with Mr. Diamond. And they began to talk, and the time slipped away: besides, she knew that Mr. Diamond had nothing to do of an evening, so it was not of much consequence, was it?
Algernon winced10 at this speech, and cast a quick, furtive11 look at his tutor, who, however, might have been deaf, for any sign he gave of having heard it. He rose from his chair, and addressing Mrs. Errington, declared with his usual brevity that, as no work was to be done, he must forthwith wish her "Good evening."
"Now, no nonsense!" said Mrs. Errington. "You'll do nothing of the kind! Stay and have a cup of tea with us for once in a way."
"Thank you, no; I never—it is not my habit——"
"Not your habit to be sociable13! I know that; and it is a great pity. What would you be doing at home? Only poring over books until you got a headache! A little cheerful society would do you all the good in the world. You were all but dropping asleep just now: and no wonder! I'm sure, after teaching all day in a close school, full of boys buzzing like so many blue-bottles, one would feel as stupid as an owl14 oneself!"
"Perhaps I am peculiarly susceptible15 to stupefying influences," said Mr. Diamond, with a rueful shake of the head. And, as he spoke16, there played round his mouth the faint flicker3 of a smile.
"Now put your hat down, and take your seat!" cried Mrs. Errington, authoritatively17.
"I am very sorry to seem ungrateful, but——"
"I had asked little Rhoda to come up after tea and keep me company, thinking I should be alone. But you won't mind Rhoda. She knows her place."
Mr. Diamond paused in the act of buttoning his coat across his breast. "You are very kind," he murmured.
"There, sit down, and I will undertake to give you a cup of excellent tea. I hope you know good tea when you get it? There are some people who couldn't tell my fine Pekoe from sloe-leaves. Algy, bring me the kettle."
And Mrs. Errington betook herself to the business of making tea. To her it seemed perfectly19 natural—almost a matter of course—that Matthew Diamond should stay, since she was kind enough to press it. But Algernon, who knew his tutor better, could not refrain from expressing a little surprise at his yielding.
"Why, mother," said he, as he poured the boiling water into the tea-pot, "you may consider yourself singled out for high distinction. Mr. Diamond has consented at your request to stay after having said he would go! I don't believe there's another lady in Whitford who has been so honoured."
If Algernon had not been peering through the clouds of steam, to ascertain20 whether the tea-pot were full or not, he would have perceived an unwonted flush mount in Matthew Diamond's face up to the roots of his hair, and then slowly fade away.
"And how did you find the doctor and all of them?" asked Mrs. Errington of her son, when they were all seated at the tea-table.
"Oh, the doctor's all right. He only came in for a few minutes after morning school."
"What did he say to you, Algy?"
"Oh, I don't know: something about not altogether neglecting my studies now I had left school, whatever path in life I chose. He always says that sort of thing, you know," answered Algernon carelessly.
"And Mrs. Bodkin?"
"Oh, she's all right, too."
"And Minnie?"
"Oh, she's all—no; she was not quite so well as usual, I think. Mrs. Bodkin said she had had a bad attack of pain in the night. But Minnie didn't mention it. She never likes to be condoled21 with and pitied, you know. So of course I didn't say anything. It's so unpleasant to have to keep noticing people's health!"
"Poor thing!" said Mrs. Errington. "What a misfortune for that girl to be a helpless invalid22 for the rest of her life!"
"Is her disorder23 incurable24?" asked Mr. Diamond.
"Oh, quite, I believe. Spine25, you know. An accident. And they say that when a child she was such an active creature."
"Her brain is active enough now," observed Mr. Diamond musingly26, with his eyes fixed27 on the fire. "I don't know a keener, quicker intellect."
"What, Minnie Bodkin?" exclaimed Algernon, pausing in the demolition28 of a stout29 pile of sliced bread and butter. "I should think so! She's as clever as a man! I mean," he added, reading and answering his tutor's satirically-raised eyebrows30, as rapidly as though he were replying to an articulate observation, "I mean—of course I know she's a deuced deal cleverer than lots of men. But I mean that Minnie Bodkin is clever after a manly31 fashion. Not a bit Missish. By Jove! I wish I knew as much Greek as she does!"
"I do not at all approve of blue-stockings in general," said Mrs. Errington; "but in her case, poor thing, one must make allowances."
"I think she's pretty," announced Algernon, condescendingly.
"She would be if she didn't look so sickly. No complexion," said Mrs. Errington, intently observing her own florid face, unnaturally33 elongated34, in the bowl of a spoon.
"Don't you think her pretty, sir?" asked Algernon, turning to Mr. Diamond.
"A great deal more than pretty."
"You don't go there very often, I think?" said Mrs. Errington interrogatively.
"No, madam."
"Well, now, you really ought. I know you would be welcome. The doctor has more than once told me so. And Mrs. Bodkin is so very affable! I'm sure you need not hesitate about going there."
Algernon jumped up to replenish35 the tea-pot, with an unnecessary amount of bustle36, and began to rattle37 out a volley of lively nonsense, with the view of diverting his mother's attention from the subject of Mr. Diamond's neglect of the Bodkin family. He dreaded38 some rejoinder on the part of the tutor which should offend his mother beyond forgiveness. He had had experience of some of Matthew Diamond's blunt speeches, of which Dr. Bodkin himself was supposed to be in some awe39. It was clearly no business of Mrs. Errington's where Mr. Diamond chose to bestow40 his visits; neither could she in any degree be aware what reasons he might have for his conduct. "And the worst of it is, he's quite capable of telling my mother so, if she goes too far," reflected Algernon. So he chatted and laughed, as if from overflowing41 good spirits, until the peril42 was past. This young gentleman was so quick and flexible, and had so buoyant a temperament43, that he was reputed more careless and thoughtless than was altogether the case. His mind moved rapidly, and he had an instinctive44 habit of uttering the result of its calculations, in the most impulsive45 way imaginable. You could not tell, by observing Algernon's manner, whether he were giving you his first thought or his second.
When the meal was over, Mrs. Errington rang to have the table cleared. A little prim46 servant-maid, in a coarse, clean apron47 and bib, appeared at the sound of the bell, and began to gather the tea-things together. Algernon sat down at the old harpsichord48, and, after playing a few chords, commenced singing softly in a pleasant tenor49 voice some fragments of sentimental50 ballads51 in vogue52 at that day. (Does the reader ask, "and when was 'that day?'" He must content himself with the information that it was within a year or two of the year 1830.) Mr. Diamond walked to the window, and holding aside the blind, stood looking out at the dark sky.
All at once, when the servant opened the door to go out, there came up from the lower part of the house the sound of singing; slow, long-drawn, rather tuneless singing of a few voices, male and female.
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!" exclaimed Mrs. Errington, "Oh dear me, Sarah, how is this?"
Algernon made a comical face of disgust, and put his hands to his ears.
"It be as Mr. Powell's ha' come back, mum," said Sarah, with much gravity.
"Really! Really!" said Mrs. Errington, in the tone of one protesting against an utterly53 unjustifiable offence.
"Come back! Where has he been?" asked Algernon, carelessly.
"On 'is rounds, please, sir."
"I do wish Mr. Powell would choose some other time for his performances!" cried Mrs. Errington, when the servant had left the room. "Now Thursday—on Thursday, for instance, we are going to a whist party, at the Bodkins', and then he might squall out his psalms54, and shout, and rave55, without annoying anybody."
"He'd only annoy the neighbours," said Algernon, "and that wouldn't matter!"
He was smiling with a sort of contemptuous amusement, and touching56 random57 notes here and there on the harpsichord with one finger.
"There will be no getting Rhoda upstairs to-night," said Mrs. Errington. "Poor little thing! she's in for a whole evening of psalm-singing."
Algernon rose from the instrument with a clouded brow. His face wore the petulant58 look of a spoiled child, whose will has been unexpectedly crossed.
"Deuce take Mr. Powell, and all Welsh Methodists like him!" said he.
"My dear Algy! No, no; I cannot approve of that, though Mr. Powell is a Dissenter59. Besides, such language in my presence is not respectful."
"Beg pardon, ma'am," said Algernon, laughing. And with the laughter, the cloud cleared from his brow. Clouds never rested there long.
"Will you have a game of cribbage with me, Mr. Diamond? This naughty boy will scarcely ever play with me. Or, if you prefer it, dummy60 whist——?"
"No whist for me," interposed Algernon, decisively. "It is such a botheration. And I play so atrociously that it would be cruel to ask Mr. Diamond to sit down with me."
With that he returned to the harpsichord, and began singing softly to himself in snatches.
"Cribbage then?" said Mrs. Errington in her mellow61, measured tones.
Mr. Diamond let fall the blind from his hand so roughly that the wooden roller rattled62 against the wainscot, and advanced to the table where Mrs. Errington was already setting forth12 the cards and cribbage-board. He sat down without a word, cut the cards as she directed, shuffled63, dealt, and played in a moody64 sort of silent manner; which, however, did not affect Mrs. Errington's nerves at all.
Meanwhile, there went on beneath Algernon's love-songs and the few utterances65 of the players which the game necessitated66, a kind of accompanying "bourdon" of voices from downstairs. Sometimes one single voice would rise in passionate67 tones, almost as if in wrath68. Then came singing again, which, softened69 by distance, had a wild, wailing70 character of ineffable71 melancholy72. Algernon paused in his fitful playing and singing, as though unwilling73 to be in dissonance with those long-drawn sounds. Mrs. Errington calmly continued to exclaim, "Fifteen six," and "two for his heels," without regard to anything but her game.
When the rubber was at an end, Mr. Diamond rose to take his leave.
He lingered a little in doing so. He lingered in taking up his hat, and in buttoning his coat across his breast.
"Have you not anything warmer to put on?" said Mrs. Errington. "Dear me, it is very wrong to go out of this snug74 room into the air—and the wind has got up, too!—with no more wrap than you have been sitting in, here by the fire! Algy, lend him your great-coat."
"Thank you, no. Good night," said the tutor, and walked off without further ceremony.
He still lingered, however, in descending32 the stairs; and yet more in passing the door of a parlour, whence came a murmur18 of voices. Finally, he let himself out at the street-door, and encountering a bleak75 gust of wind, set off down the silent street at a round pace.
"What a fool you are, Matthew!" was his mental ejaculation, as he strode along with his head bent76 down, and his gloveless hands plunged77 deep into his pockets.
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收听单词发音
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1
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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sociable
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| adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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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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authoritatively
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| 命令式地，有权威地，可信地 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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condoled
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| v.表示同情，吊唁( condole的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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demolition
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| n.破坏,毁坏,毁坏之遗迹 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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31
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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unnaturally
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| adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地 | |
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elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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replenish
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| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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38
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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39
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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40
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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41
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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44
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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46
prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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48
harpsichord
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| n.键琴（钢琴前身） | |
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49
tenor
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| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
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50
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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51
ballads
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| 民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴 | |
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52
Vogue
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| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
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53
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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54
psalms
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| n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 )；圣诗；圣歌；(中的) | |
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55
rave
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| vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬 | |
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56
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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57
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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petulant
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| adj.性急的，暴躁的 | |
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59
dissenter
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| n.反对者 | |
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60
dummy
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| n.假的东西；(哄婴儿的)橡皮奶头 | |
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61
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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utterances
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| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
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necessitated
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| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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69
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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70
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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71
ineffable
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| adj.无法表达的，不可言喻的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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74
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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77
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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