Mary Turner spent less than an hour in that mysteriouslyimportant engagement with Dick Gilder1, of which she had spoken toAggie. After separating from the young man, she went alone downBroadway, walking the few blocks of distance to SigismundHarris's office. On a corner, her attention was caught by theforlorn face of a girl crossing into the side street. A closerglance showed that the privation of the gaunt features wasemphasized by the scant4 garments, almost in tatters. Instantly,Mary's quick sympathies were aroused, the more particularly sincethe wretched child seemed of about the age she herself had beenwhen her great suffering had befallen. So, turning aside, shesoon caught up with the girl and spoke2 an inquiry5.
It was the familiar story, a father out of work, a sick mother, abrood of hungry children. Some confused words of distressrevealed the fact that the wobegone girl was even then fightingthe final battle of purity against starvation. That she stillfought on in such case proved enough as to her decency6 of nature,wholesome7 despite squalid surroundings. Mary's heart was deeplymoved, and her words of comfort came with a simple sincerity8 thatwas like new life to the sorely beset9 waif. She promised tointerest herself in securing employment for the father, such careas the mother and children might need, along with a propersituation for the girl herself. In evidence of her purpose, shetook her engagement-book from her bag, and set down the streetand number of the East Side tenement10 where the family possessedthe one room that mocked the word home, and she gave a banknoteto the girl to serve the immediate11 needs.
When she went back to resume her progress down Broadway, Maryfelt herself vastly cheered by the warm glow within, which is thereward of a kindly12 act, gratefully received. And, on thisparticular morning, she craved13 such assuagement14 of her spirit,for the conscience that, in spite of all her misdeeds, stilllived was struggling within her. In her revolt against a worldthat had wantonly inflicted15 on her the worst torments16, MaryTurner had thought that she might safely disregard thoseprinciples in which she had been so carefully reared. She hadbelieved that by the deliberate adoption17 of a life of guilewithin limits allowed by the law, she would find solace18 for herwants, while feeling that thus she avenged19 herself in some slightmeasure for the indignities20 she had undergone unjustly. Yet, asthe days passed, days of success as far as her scheming wasconcerned, this brilliant woman, who had tried to deem herselfunscrupulous, found that lawlessness within the law failed tosatisfy something deep within her soul. The righteousness thatwas her instinct was offended by the triumphs achieved through sodevious devices, though she resolutely21 set her will to suppressany spiritual rebellion.
There was, as well, another grievance22 of her nature, yet moresubtle, infinitely23 more painful. This lay in her craving24 fortenderness. She was wholly woman, notwithstanding the virilityof her intelligence, its audacity26, its aggressiveness. She had aheart yearning27 for the multitudinous affections that are theprerogative of the feminine; she had a heart longing28 for love, toreceive and to give in full measure.... And her life was barren.
Since the death of her father, there had been none on whom shecould lavish29 the great gifts of her tenderness. Through the daysof her working in the store, circumstances had shut her out fromall association with others congenial. No need to rehearse theimpossibilities of companionship in the prison life. Since then,the situation had not vitally improved, in spite of her betterworldly condition. For Garson, who had saved her from death, shefelt a strong and lasting30 gratitude--nothing that relieved thelonging for nobler affections. There was none other with whomshe had any intimacy31 except that, of a sort, with Aggie3 Lynch,and by no possibility could the adventuress serve as an object ofdeep regard. The girl was amusing enough, and, indeed, a mostlikable person at her best. But she was, after all, ashallow-pated individual, without a shred32 of principle of anysort whatsoever33, save the single merit of unswerving loyalty34 toher "pals35." Mary cherished a certain warm kindliness36 for thefirst woman who had befriended her in any way, but beyond thisthere was no finer feeling.
Nevertheless, it is not quite accurate to say that Mary Turnerhad had no intimacy in which her heart might have been seriouslyengaged. In one instance, of recent happening, she had been muchin association with a young man who was of excellent standing25 inthe world, who was of good birth, good education, of delightfulmanners, and, too, wholesome and agreeable beyond the most of hisclass. This was Dick Gilder, and, since her companionship withhim, Mary had undergone a revulsion greater than ever beforeagainst the fate thrust on her, which now at last she had chosento welcome and nourish by acquiescence37 as best she might.
Of course, she could not waste tenderness on this man, for shehad deliberately38 set out to make him the instrument of hervengeance against his father. For that very reason, she sufferedmuch from a conscience newly clamorous39. Never for an instant didshe hesitate in her long-cherished plan of revenge against theone who had brought ruin on her life, yet, through all hersatisfaction before the prospect40 of final victory after continueddelay, there ran the secret, inescapable sorrow over the factthat she must employ this means to attain41 her end. She had nothought of weakening, but the better spirit within her warredagainst the lust42 to repay an eye for an eye. It was the newGospel against the old Law, and the fierceness of the strugglerent her. Just now, the doing of the kindly act seemed somehow togratify not only her maternal43 instinct toward service of love,but, too, to muffle44 for a little the rebuking45 voice of her inmostsoul.
So she went her way more at ease, more nearly content again withherself and with her system of living. Indeed, as she was showninto the private office of the ingenious interpreter of the law,there was not a hint of any trouble beneath the bright mask ofher beauty, radiantly smiling.
Harris regarded his client with an appreciative46 eye, as he bowedin greeting, and invited her to a seat. The lawyer was a man offine physique, with a splendid face of the best Semitic type, inwhich were large, dark, sparkling eyes--eyes a Lombroso perhapsmight have judged rather too closely set. As a matter of fact,Harris had suffered a flagrant injustice47 in his own life from asuspicion of wrong-doing which he had not merited by any act.
This had caused him a loss of prestige in his profession. Hepresently adopted the wily suggestion of the adage48, that it iswell to have the game if you have the name, and he resolutely sethimself to the task of making as much money as possible by anymeans convenient. Mary Turner as a client delighted his heart,both because of the novelty of her ideas and for the munificenceof the fees which she ungrudgingly paid with never a protest.
So, as he beamed on her now, and spoke a compliment, it wasrather the lawyer than the man that was moved to admiration49.
"Why, Miss Turner, how charming!" he declared, smiling. "Really,my dear young lady, you look positively50 bridal.""Oh, do you think so?" Mary rejoined, with a whimsical pout51, asshe seated herself. For the moment her air became distrait52, butshe quickly regained53 her poise54, as the lawyer, who had droppedback into his chair behind the desk, went on speaking. His tonenow was crisply business-like.
"I sent your cousin, Miss Agnes Lynch, the release which she isto sign," he explained, "when she gets that money from GeneralHastings. I wish you'd look it over, when you have time tospare. It's all right, I'm sure, but I confess that I appreciateyour opinion of things, Miss Turner, even of legaldocuments--yes, indeed, I do!--perhaps particularly of legaldocuments.""Thank you," Mary said, evidently a little gratified by the frankpraise of the learned gentleman for her abilities. "And have youheard from them yet?" she inquired.
"No," the lawyer replied. "I gave them until to-morrow. If Idon't hear then, I shall start suit at once." Then the lawyer'smanner became unusually bland55 and self-satisfied as he opened adrawer of the desk and brought forth56 a ratherformidable-appearing document, bearing a most impressive seal.
"You will be glad to know," he went on unctuously57, "that I wasentirely successful in carrying out that idea of yours as to theinjunction. My dear Miss Turner," he went on with floridcompliment, "Portia was a squawking baby, compared with you.""Thank you again," Mary answered, as she took the legal paperwhich he held outstretched toward her. Her scarlet58 lips werecurved happily, and the clear oval of her cheeks blossomed to adeeper rose. For a moment, her glance ran over the words of thepage. Then she looked up at the lawyer, and there were newlusters in the violet eyes.
"It's splendid," she declared. "Did you have much trouble ingetting it?"Harris permitted himself the indulgence of an unprofessionalchuckle of keenest amusement before he answered.
"Why, no!" he declared, with reminiscent enjoyment59 in his manner.
"That is, not really!" There was an enormous complacency in hisair over the event. "But, at the outset, when I made therequest, the judge just naturally nearly fell off the bench.
Then, I showed him that Detroit case, to which you had drawn60 myattention, and the upshot of it all was that he gave me what Iwanted without a whimper. He couldn't help himself, you know.
That's the long and the short of it."That mysterious document with the imposing61 seal, the request forwhich had nearly caused a judge to fall off the bench, reposedsafely in Mary's bag when she, returned to the apartment afterthe visit to the lawyer's office.
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gilder
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| 镀金工人 | |
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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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aggie
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| n.农校，农科大学生 | |
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scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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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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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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assuagement
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| n.缓和；减轻；缓和物 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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indignities
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| n.侮辱，轻蔑( indignity的名词复数 ) | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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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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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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shred
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| v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少 | |
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whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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pals
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| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
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kindliness
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| n.厚道，亲切，友好的行为 | |
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acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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muffle
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| v.围裹；抑制；发低沉的声音 | |
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rebuking
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的现在分词 ) | |
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appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 | |
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47
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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adage
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| n.格言，古训 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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50
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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pout
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| v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴 | |
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52
distrait
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| adj.心不在焉的 | |
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53
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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54
poise
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| vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信 | |
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bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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unctuously
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| adv.油腻地，油腔滑调地；假惺惺 | |
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58
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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60
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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