And the rotten rose is ript from the wall.
—Hardy, “During Wind and Rain”
“You have been walking.”
His second change of clothes was thus proved a vain pretense1.
“I needed to clear my mind. I slept badly.”
“So did I.” She added, “You said you were fatigued2 be-yond belief.”
“I was.”
“But you stayed up until after one o’clock.”
Charles turned somewhat abruptly3 to the window. “I had many things to consider.”
Ernestina’s part in this stiff exchange indicates a certain failure to maintain in daylight the tone of her nocturnal self-adjurations. But besides the walking she also knew, via Sam, Mary and a bewildered Aunt Tranter, that Charles planned to leave Lyme that day. She had determined4 not to demand an explanation of this sudden change of intention; let his lordship give it in his own good time.
And then, when he had finally come, just before eleven, and while she sat primly5 waiting in the back parlor6, he had had the unkindness to speak at length in the hall to Aunt Tranter, and inaudibly, which was the worst of all. Thus she inwardly seethed7.
Perhaps not the least of her resentments8 was that she had taken especial pains with her toilet that morning, and he had not paid her any compliment on it. She wore a rosepink “breakfast” dress with bishop9 sleeves—tight at the delicate armpit, then pleating voluminously in a froth of gauze to the constricted10 wrist. It set off her fragility very prettily11; and the white ribbons in her smooth hair and a delicately pervasive12 fragrance13 of lavender water played their part. She was a sugar Aphrodite, though with faintly bruised14 eyes, risen from a bed of white linen15. Charles might have found it rather easy to be cruel. But he managed a smile and sitting beside her, took one of her hands, and patted it.
“My dearest, I must ask forgiveness. I am not myself. And I fear I’ve decided16 I must go to London.”
“Oh Charles!”
“I wish it weren’t so. But this new turn of events makes it imperative17 I see Montague at once.” Montague was the solicitor18, in those days before accountants, who looked after Charles’s affairs.
“Can you not wait till I return? It is only ten more days.”
“I shall return to bring you back.”
“But cannot Mr. Montague come here?”
“Alas no, there are so many papers. Besides, that is not my only purpose. I must inform your father of what has hap-pened.”
She removed her hand from his arm.
“But what is it to do with him?”
“My dear child, it has everything to do with him. He has entrusted19 you to my care. Such a grave alteration20 in my prospects—“
“But you have still your own income!”
“Well ... of course, yes, I shall always be comfortably off. But there are other things. The title ...”
“I had forgotten that. Of course. It’s quite impossible that I should marry a mere21 commoner.” She glanced back at him with an appropriately sarcastic22 firmness.
“My sweet, be patient. These things have to be said—you bring a great sum of money with you. Of course our private affections are the paramount23 consideration. However, there is a ... well, a legal and contractual side to matrimony which—“
“Fiddlesticks!”
“My dearest Tina ...”
“You know perfectly24 well they would allow me to marry a Hottentot if I wanted.”
“That may be so. But even the most doting25 parents prefer to be informed—“
“How many rooms has the Belgravia house?” “I have no idea.” He hesitated, then added, “Twenty, I daresay.”
“And you mentioned one day that you had two and a half thousand a year. To which my dowry will bring—“
“Whether our changed circumstances are still sufficient for comfort is not at issue.”
“Very well. Suppose Papa tells you you cannot have my hand. What then?”
“You choose to misunderstand. I know my duty. One cannot be too scrupulous26 at such a juncture27.”
This exchange has taken place without their daring to look at each other’s faces. She dropped her head, in a very plain and mutinous28 disagreement. He rose and stood behind her.
“It is no more than a formality. But such formalities matter.”
She stared obstinately29 down.
“I am weary of Lyme. I see you less here than in town.”
He smiled. “That is absurd.”
“It seems less.”
A sullen30 little line had set about her mouth. She would not be mollified. He went and stood in front of the fireplace, his arm on the mantelpiece, smiling down at her; but it was a smile without humor, a mask. He did not like her when she was willful; it contrasted too strongly with her elaborate clothes, all designed to show a total inadequacy31 outside the domestic interior. The thin end of the sensible clothes wedge had been inserted in society by the disgraceful Mrs. Bloomer a decade and a half before the year of which I write; but that early attempt at the trouser suit had been comprehen-sively defeated by the crinoline—a small fact of considerable significance in our understanding of the Victorians. They were offered sense; and chose a six-foot folly33 unparalleled in the most folly-ridden of minor34 arts.
However, in the silence that followed Charles was not meditating35 on the idiocy36 of high fashion, but on how to leave without more to-do. Fortunately for him Tina had at the same time been reflecting on her position: it was after all rather maidservantish (Aunt Tranter had explained why Mary was not able to answer the waking bell) to make such a fuss about a brief absence. Besides, male vanity lay in being obeyed; female, in using obedience37 to have the ultimate victory. A time would come when Charles should be made to pay for his cruelty. Her little smile up at him was repentant38.
“You will write every day?”
He reached down and touched her cheek. “I promise.”
“And return as soon as you can?”
“Just as soon as I can expedite matters with Montague.”
“I shall write to Papa with strict orders to send you straight back.”
Charles seized his opportunity. “And I shall bear the letter, if you write it at once. I leave in an hour.”
She stood then and held out her hands. She wished to be kissed. He could not bring himself to kiss her on the mouth. So he grasped her shoulders and lightly embraced her on both temples. He then made to go. But for some odd reason he stopped. Ernestina stared demurely39 and meekly40 in front of her—at his dark blue cravat41 with its pearl pin. Why Charles could not get away was not immediately apparent; in fact two hands were hooded42 firmly in his lower waistcoat pockets. He understood the price of his release, and paid it. No worlds fell, no inner roar, no darkness shrouded43 eyes and ears, as he stood pressing his lips upon hers for several seconds. But Ernestina was very prettily dressed; a vision, perhaps more a tactile44 impression, of a tender little white body entered Charles’s mind. Her head turned against his shoulder, she nestled against him; and as he patted and stroked and murmured a few foolish words, he found himself most sud-denly embarrassed. There was a distinct stir in his loins. There had always been Ernestina’s humor, her odd little piques45 and whims46 of emotion, a promise of certain buried wildnesses ... a willingness to learn perversity47, one day to bite timidly but deliciously on forbidden fruit. What Charles unconsciously felt was perhaps no more than the ageless attraction of shallow-minded women: that one may make of them what one wants. What he felt consciously was a sense of pollution: to feel carnal desire now, when he had touched another woman’s lips that morning!
He kissed Ernestina rather hastily on the crown of her head, gently disengaged her ringers from their holds, kissed them in turn, then left.
He still had an ordeal48, since Mary was standing32 by the door with his hat and gloves. Her eyes were down, but her cheeks were red. He glanced back at the closed door of the room he had left as he drew on his gloves.
“Sam has explained the circumstances of this morning?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You ... understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
He took off a glove again and felt in his waistcoat pocket. Mary did not take a step back, though she lowered her head still further.
“Oh sir, I doan’ want that.”
But she already had it. A moment later she had closed the door on Charles. Very slowly she opened her small—and I’m afraid, rather red—hand and stared at the small golden coin in its palm. Then she put it between her white teeth and bit it, as she had always seen her father do, to make sure it was not brass49; not that she could tell one from the other by bite, but biting somehow proved it was gold; just as being on the Undercliff proved it was sin.
What can an innocent country virgin50 know of sin? The question requires an answer. Meanwhile, Charles can get up to London on his own.
收听单词发音 |
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pretense
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| n.矫饰，做作，借口 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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primly
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| adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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seethed
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| （液体）沸腾( seethe的过去式和过去分词 )； 激动，大怒； 强压怒火； 生闷气(~with sth|~ at sth) | |
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resentments
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| （因受虐待而）愤恨，不满，怨恨( resentment的名词复数 ) | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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constricted
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| adj.抑制的，约束的 | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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pervasive
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| adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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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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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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alteration
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| n.变更，改变；蚀变 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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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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doting
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| adj.溺爱的，宠爱的 | |
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scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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mutinous
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| adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变 | |
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obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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inadequacy
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| n.无法胜任，信心不足 | |
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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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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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idiocy
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| n.愚蠢 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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repentant
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| adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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hooded
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| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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tactile
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| adj.触觉的，有触觉的，能触知的 | |
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piques
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的第三人称单数 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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WHIMS
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| 虚妄，禅病 | |
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perversity
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| n.任性；刚愎自用 | |
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ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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