'Then fancy shapes--as fancy can.'
On a day about three weeks later, the Swancourt trio were sitting quietly in the drawing-room of The Crags, Mrs. Swancourt's house at Endelstow, chatting, and taking easeful survey of their previous month or two of town--a tangible1 weariness even to people whose acquaintances there might be counted on the fingers.
A mere2 season in London with her practised step-mother had so advanced Elfride's perceptions, that her courtship by Stephen seemed emotionally meagre, and to have drifted back several years into a childish past. In regarding our mental experiences, as in visual observation, our own progress reads like a dwindling3 of that we progress from.
She was seated on a low chair, looking over her romance with melancholy4 interest for the first time since she had become acquainted with the remarks of the PRESENT thereupon.
'Still thinking of that reviewer, Elfie?'
'Not of him personally; but I am thinking of his opinion. Really, on looking into the volume after this long time has elapsed, he seems to have estimated one part of it fairly enough.'
'No, no; I wouldn't show the white feather now! Fancy that of all people in the world the writer herself should go over to the enemy. How shall Monmouth's men fight when Monmouth runs away?'
'I don't do that. But I think he is right in some of his arguments, though wrong in others. And because he has some claim to my respect I regret all the more that he should think so mistakenly of my motives5 in one or two instances. It is more vexing6 to be misunderstood than to be misrepresented; and he misunderstands me. I cannot be easy whilst a person goes to rest night after night attributing to me intentions I never had.'
'He doesn't know your name, or anything about you. And he has doubtless forgotten there is such a book in existence by this time.'
'I myself should certainly like him to be put right upon one or two matters,' said the vicar, who had hitherto been silent. 'You see, critics go on writing, and are never corrected or argued with, and therefore are never improved.'
'Papa,' said Elfride brightening, 'write to him!'
'I would as soon write to him as look at him, for the matter of that,' said Mr. Swancourt.
'Do! And say, the young person who wrote the book did not adopt a masculine pseudonym7 in vanity or conceit8, but because she was afraid it would be thought presumptuous9 to publish her name, and that she did not mean the story for such as he, but as a sweetener of history for young people, who might thereby10 acquire a taste for what went on in their own country hundreds of years ago, and be tempted11 to dive deeper into the subject. Oh, there is so much to explain; I wish I might write myself!'
'Now, Elfie, I'll tell you what we will do,' answered Mr. Swancourt, tickled12 with a sort of bucolic13 humour at the idea of criticizing the critic. 'You shall write a clear account of what he is wrong in, and I will copy it and send it as mine.'
'Yes, now, directly!' said Elfride, jumping up. 'When will you send it, papa? '
'Oh, in a day or two, I suppose,' he returned. Then the vicar paused and slightly yawned, and in the manner of elderly people began to cool from his ardour for the undertaking14 now that it came to the point. 'But, really, it is hardly worth while,' he said.
'O papa!' said Elfride, with much disappointment. 'You said you would, and now you won't. That is not fair!'
'But how can we send it if we don't know whom to send it to?'
'If you really want to send such a thing it can easily be done,' said Mrs. Swancourt, coming to her step-daughter's rescue. 'An envelope addressed, "To the Critic of THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE, care of the Editor of the PRESENT," would find him.'
'Yes, I suppose it would.'
'Why not write your answer yourself, Elfride?' Mrs. Swancourt inquired.
'I might,' she said hesitatingly; 'and send it anonymously15: that would be treating him as he has treated me.'
'No use in the world!'
'But I don't like to let him know my exact name. Suppose I put my initials only? The less you are known the more you are thought of.'
'Yes; you might do that.'
Elfride set to work there and then. Her one desire for the last fortnight seemed likely to be realized. As happens with sensitive and secluded16 minds, a continual dwelling17 upon the subject had magnified to colossal18 proportions the space she assumed herself to occupy or to have occupied in the occult critic's mind. At noon and at night she had been pestering19 herself with endeavours to perceive more distinctly his conception of her as a woman apart from an author: whether he really despised her; whether he thought more or less of her than of ordinary young women who never ventured into the fire of criticism at all. Now she would have the satisfaction of feeling that at any rate he knew her true intent in crossing his path, and annoying him so by her performance, and be taught perhaps to despise it a little less.
Four days later an envelope, directed to Miss Swancourt in a strange hand, made its appearance from the post-bag.
'0h,' said Elfride, her heart sinking within her. 'Can it be from that man--a lecture for impertinence? And actually one for Mrs. Swancourt in the same hand-writing!' She feared to open hers. 'Yet how can he know my name? No; it is somebody else.'
'Nonsense!' said her father grimly. 'You sent your initials, and the Directory was available. Though he wouldn't have taken the trouble to look there unless he had been thoroughly20 savage21 with you. I thought you wrote with rather more asperity22 than simple literary discussion required.' This timely clause was introduced to save the character of the vicar's judgment23 under any issue of affairs.
'Well, here I go,' said Elfride, desperately24 tearing open the seal.
'To be sure, of course,' exclaimed Mrs. Swancourt; and looking up from her own letter. 'Christopher, I quite forgot to tell you, when I mentioned that I had seen my distant relative, Harry25 Knight26, that I invited him here for whatever length of time he could spare. And now he says he can come any day in August.'
'Write, and say the first of the month,' replied the indiscriminate vicar.
She read om 'Goodness me--and that isn't all. He is actually the reviewer of Elfride's book. How absurd, to be sure! I had no idea he reviewed novels or had anything to do with the PRESENT. He is a barrister--and I thought he only wrote in the Quarterlies. Why, Elfride, you have brought about an odd entanglement27! What does he say to you?'
Elfride had put down her letter with a dissatisfied flush on her face. 'I don't know. The idea of his knowing my name and all about me!...Why, he says nothing particular, only this--
'"MY DEAR MADAM,--Though I am sorry that my remarks should have seemed harsh to you, it is a pleasure to find that they have been the means of bringing forth28 such an ingeniously argued reply. Unfortunately, it is so long since I wrote my review, that my memory does not serve me sufficiently29 to say a single word in my defence, even supposing there remains30 one to be said, which is doubtful. You, will find from a letter I have written to Mrs. Swancourt, that we are not such strangers to each other as we have been imagining. Possibly, I may have the pleasure of seeing you soon, when any argument you choose to advance shall receive all the attention it deserves."
'That is dim sarcasm--I know it is.'
'Oh no, Elfride.'
'And then, his remarks didn't seem harsh--I mean I did not say so.'
'He thinks you are in a frightful31 temper,' said Mr. Swancourt, chuckling32 in undertones.
'And he will come and see me, and find the authoress as contemptible33 in speech as she has been impertinent in manner. I do heartily34 wish I had never written a word to him!'
'Never mind,' said Mrs. Swancourt, also laughing in low quiet jerks; 'it will make the meeting such a comical affair, and afford splendid by-play for your father and myself. The idea of our running our heads against Harry Knight all the time! I cannot get over that.'
The vicar had immediately remembered the name to be that of Stephen Smith's preceptor and friend; but having ceased to concern himself in the matter he made no remark to that effect, consistently forbearing to allude35 to anything which could restore recollection of the (to him) disagreeable mistake with regard to poor Stephen's lineage and position. Elfride had of course perceived the same thing, which added to the complication of relationship a mesh36 that her stepmother knew nothing of.
The identification scarcely heightened Knight's attractions now, though a twelvemonth ago she would only have cared to see him for the interest he possessed37 as Stephen's friend. Fortunately for Knight's advent38, such a reason for welcome had only begun to be awkward to her at a time when the interest he had acquired on his own account made it no longer necessary.
These coincidences, in common with all relating to him, tended to keep Elfride's mind upon the stretch concerning Knight. As was her custom when upon the horns of a dilemma39, she walked off by herself among the laurel bushes, and there, standing40 still and splitting up a leaf without removing it from its stalk, fetched back recollections of Stephen's frequent words in praise of his friend, and wished she had listened more attentively41. Then, still pulling the leaf, she would blush at some fancied mortification42 that would accrue43 to her from his words when they met, in consequence of her intrusiveness44, as she now considered it, in writing to him.
The next development of her meditations45 was the subject of what this man's personal appearance might be--was he tall or short, dark or fair, gay or grim? She would have asked Mrs. Swancourt but for the risk she might thereby incur46 of some teasing remark being returned. Ultimately Elfride would say, 'Oh, what a plague that reviewer is to me!' and turn her face to where she imagined India lay, and murmur47 to herself, 'Ah, my little husband, what are you doing now? Let me see, where are you--south, east, where? Behind that hill, ever so far behind!'
收听单词发音 |
1
tangible
|
|
| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
dwindling
|
|
| adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
motives
|
|
| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
vexing
|
|
| adj.使人烦恼的，使人恼火的v.使烦恼( vex的现在分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
pseudonym
|
|
| n.假名，笔名 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
conceit
|
|
| n.自负，自高自大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
presumptuous
|
|
| adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
thereby
|
|
| adv.因此，从而 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
tempted
|
|
| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
tickled
|
|
| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
bucolic
|
|
| adj.乡村的；牧羊的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
undertaking
|
|
| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
anonymously
|
|
| ad.用匿名的方式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
secluded
|
|
| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
dwelling
|
|
| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
colossal
|
|
| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
pestering
|
|
| 使烦恼，纠缠( pester的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
asperity
|
|
| n.粗鲁，艰苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
knight
|
|
| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
entanglement
|
|
| n.纠缠，牵累 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
frightful
|
|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
chuckling
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
contemptible
|
|
| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
allude
|
|
| v.提及，暗指 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
mesh
|
|
| n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
advent
|
|
| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
dilemma
|
|
| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
attentively
|
|
| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
mortification
|
|
| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
accrue
|
|
| v.(利息等)增大，增多 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
intrusiveness
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
45
meditations
|
|
| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
incur
|
|
| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |