"Forty next birthday!" Mr. Povey exclaimed one day, with an expression and in a tone that were at once mock-serious and serious. This was on his thirty-ninth birthday.
Constance was startled. She had, of course, been aware that they were getting older, but she had never realized the phenomenon. Though customers occasionally remarked that Mr. Povey was stouter1, and though when she helped him to measure himself for a new suit of clothes the tape proved the fact, he had not changed for her. She knew that she too had become somewhat stouter; but for herself, she remained exactly the same Constance. Only by recalling dates and by calculations could she really grasp that she had been married a little over six years and not a little over six months. She had to admit that, if Samuel would be forty next birthday, she would be twenty-seven next birthday. But it would not be a real twenty-seven; nor would Sam's forty be a real forty, like other people's twenty-sevens and forties. Not long since she had been in the habit of regarding a man of forty as senile, as practically in his grave.
She reflected, and the more she reflected the more clearly she saw that after all the almanacs had not lied. Look at Fan! Yes, it must be five years since the memorable2 morning when doubt first crossed the minds of Samuel and Constance as to Fan's moral principles. Samuel's enthusiasm for dogs was equalled by his ignorance of the dangers to which a young female of temperament3 may be exposed, and he was much disturbed as doubt developed into certainty. Fan, indeed, was the one being who did not suffer from shock and who had no fears as to the results. The animal, having a pure mind, was bereft4 of modesty5. Sundry6 enormities had she committed, but none to rank with this one! The result was four quadrupeds recognizable as fox-terriers. Mr. Povey breathed again. Fan had had more luck than she deserved, for the result might have been simply anything. Her owners forgave her and disposed of these fruits of iniquity7, and then married her lawfully8 to a husband who was so high up in the world that he could demand a dowry. And now Fan was a grandmother, with fixed9 ideas and habits, and a son in the house, and various grandchildren scattered10 over the town. Fan was a sedate11 and disillusioned12 dog. She knew the world as it was, and in learning it she had taught her owners above a bit.
Then there was Maggie Hollins. Constance could still vividly13 recall the self-consciousness with which she had one day received Maggie and the heir of the Hollinses; but it was a long time ago. After staggering half the town by the production of this infant (of which she nearly died) Maggie allowed the angels to waft14 it away to heaven, and everybody said that she ought to be very thankful--at her age. Old women dug up out of their minds forgotten histories of the eccentricities15 of the goddess Lucina. Mrs. Baines was most curiously16 interested; she talked freely to Constance, and Constance began to see what an incredible town Bursley had always been--and she never suspected it! Maggie was now mother of other children, and the draggled, lame17 mistress of a drunken home, and looked sixty. Despite her prophecy, her husband had conserved18 his 'habits.' The Poveys ate all the fish they could, and sometimes more than they enjoyed, because on his sober days Hollins invariably started his round at the shop, and Constance had to buy for Maggie's sake. The worst of the worthless husband was that he seldom failed to be cheery and polite. He never missed asking after the health of Mrs. Baines. And when Constance replied that her mother was 'pretty well considering,' but that she would not come over to Bursley again until the Axe19 railway was opened, as she could not stand the drive, he would shake his grey head and be sympathetically gloomy for an instant.
All these changes in six years! The almanacs were in the right of it.
But nothing had happened to her. Gradually she had obtained a sure ascendency over her mother, yet without seeking it, merely as the outcome of time's influences on her and on her mother respectively. Gradually she had gained skill and use in the management of her household and of her share of the shop, so that these machines ran smoothly20 and effectively and a sudden contretemps no longer frightened her. Gradually she had constructed a chart of Samuel's individuality, with the submerged rocks and perilous21 currents all carefully marked, so that she could now voyage unalarmed in those seas. But nothing happened. Unless their visits to Buxton could be called happenings! Decidedly the visit to Buxton was the one little hill that rose out of the level plain of the year. They had formed the annual habit of going to Buxton for ten days. They had a way of saying: "Yes, we always go to Buxton. We went there for our honeymoon23, you know." They had become confirmed Buxtonites, with views concerning St. Anne's Terrace, the Broad Walk and Peel's Cavern24. They could not dream of deserting their Buxton. It was the sole possible resort. Was it not the highest town in England? Well, then! They always stayed at the same lodgings25, and grew to be special favourites of the landlady26, who whispered of them to all her other guests as having come to her house for their honeymoon, and as never missing a year, and as being most respectable, superior people in quite a large way of business. Each year they walked out of Buxton station behind their luggage on a truck, full of joy and pride because they knew all the landmarks27, and the lie of all the streets, and which were the best shops.
At the beginning, the notion of leaving the shop to hired custody28 had seemed almost fantastic, and the preparations for absence had been very complicated. Then it was that Miss Insull had detached herself from the other young lady assistants as a creature who could be absolutely trusted. Miss Insull was older than Constance; she had a bad complexion29, and she was not clever, but she was one of your reliable ones. The six years had witnessed the slow, steady rise of Miss Insull. Her employers said 'Miss Insull' in a tone quite different from that in which they said 'Miss Hawkins,' or 'Miss Dadd.' 'Miss Insull' meant the end of a discussion. 'Better tell Miss Insull.' 'Miss Insull will see to that.' 'I shall ask Miss Insull.' Miss Insull slept in the house ten nights every year. Miss Insull had been called into consultation30 when it was decided22 to engage a fourth hand in the shape of an apprentice31.
Trade had improved in the point of excellence32. It was now admitted to be good--a rare honour for trade! The coal-mining boom was at its height, and colliers, in addition to getting drunk, were buying American organs and expensive bull-terriers. Often they would come to the shop to purchase cloth for coats for their dogs. And they would have good cloth. Mr. Povey did not like this. One day a butty chose for his dog the best cloth of Mr. Povey's shop-- at 12s. a yard. "Will ye make it up? I've gotten th' measurements," asked the collier. "No, I won't!" said Mr. Povey, hotly. "And what's more, I won't sell you the cloth either! Cloth at 12s. a yard on a dog's back indeed! I'll thank you to get out of my shop!" The incident became historic, in the Square. It finally established that Mr. Povey was a worthy33 son-in-law and a solid and successful man. It vindicated34 the old pre-eminence of "Baines's." Some surprise was expressed that Mr. Povey showed no desire nor tendency towards entering the public life of the town. But he never would, though a keen satirical critic of the Local Board in private. And at the chapel35 he remained a simple private worshipper, refusing stewardships and trusteeships.
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stouter
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| 粗壮的( stout的比较级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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bereft
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| adj.被剥夺的 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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iniquity
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| n.邪恶；不公正 | |
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lawfully
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| adv.守法地，合法地；合理地 | |
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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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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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disillusioned
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| a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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waft
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| v.飘浮，飘荡；n.一股；一阵微风；飘荡 | |
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eccentricities
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| n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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conserved
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| v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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landmarks
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| n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址） | |
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custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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32
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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34
vindicated
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| v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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