"SATURDAY night--by Jove! Sunday morning, I suppose I should write it, to be strictly1 truthful2. And I guess that orthodox people would roll their pious3 eyes, and declare that I had better be in bed at this hour, instead of writing in my journal. But it makes no difference. I do not know whether it's the seventh or the first day that I should observe as a day of rest. One suits me as well as the other. So here goes for my journal.
"November 29, Saturday night. Yes, I'll write Saturday night, for the looks of the thing. Just returned from Bertha Levy4's tea-party--went with my sister. Would not have gone but for the hope of meeting Leah Mordecai. In the main, I hate Jews, but I must admit here, Journal, that Mrs. Levy is as elegant a woman as I have ever met; and Bertha, too, is a cunning creature, not beautiful and not my fancy exactly, but withal a taking girl.
"But of all the beautiful women that I have seen in years, Jewish or Christian5, there's not one can compare with Leah Mordecai--such hair and such eyes are seldom given to woman. Helen says that her hair measures four feet in length! What a queenly poise6 to that elegant head!
"But I swear there's a sadness about her face that I do not comprehend. She certainly knows nothing of sorrow. It does not arise from want; for she, of all maidens7 in this Queen City, is farthest from that. Old Ben Mordecai has untold8 wealth, and there comes in the 'marrow9 of the nut.' Of course, he is as stingy as a Jew can be; but not with his daughter. Who has more elegant silks, velvets, and diamonds than she? Rich! rich! Ha! what a glorious thing to be said of one; but aside from old Mordecai's money, Leah is a superb woman; one need never be ashamed of such a wife. I should not be.
"I must set myself to work to ascertain10 the trouble that must dwell in her heart so constantly to becloud her face. I'll bribe11 Helen to find out for me. It may be some unfortunate love affair--who knows? I think I would like to put any fellow out of the way that might be seeking her hand. I believe I would kill him, if necessary. Perhaps, dear Journal, I should not have written that terrible monosyllable, but as you tell no tales, I'll let it stand.
"Now, I must to bed, and sleep, if I can--sleep away some of the tedious hours that lie between me and another sight of the fair Leah.
"Already the clock strikes two."
"And Mark was not there to-night, as I had hoped and expected," sighed Leah, as she stood before the elegant dressing-case of her bed-chamber, and laid aside the articles of her toilet, after the revel12 was done. "Only another disappointment! And yet, I know that Bertha invited him, and lie promised me to attend. I should not have worn these ear-rings and this brooch, which were my mother's, had I known Mark would have been absent. Oh, my angel mother!"
A tear stole slowly down her face, and fell upon the shining pearls that she still clasped between her fingers. "Why did not the grave cover us both? Why was I left alone and so desolate13 in the world? Can it be that Mark has deceived me--Mark Abrams, the only friend in the world that I implicitly14 trust? God only knows. I remember now, how he looked at my mother--what mockery to call that woman mother!--when I asked him if he would attend the tea-party. I remember furthermore, that she followed him to the door after he bade us adieu; and what words she may have let slip there, Heaven only knows! I have had a lurking15 suspicion for some time, that she was planning to win Mark's love from me, and secure it for my sister Sarah. What if she should succeed. Oh! how wretched I should be! It has been a year, nearly, since Mark and I secretly pledged our love, and he promised then that we should be married soon after I finished at Madam Truxton's. How fondly I have looked forward to that coming day! It has been the one single hope of my miserable16 life; and now that the time draws so near, is it possible that my dream must vanish into nothingness? Must this heart taste the bitterness of deception17, among its other sorrows? Miserable girl that I am! Surely some evil star shone over the hour and place of my birth. But I'll hope on for the best, and still continue to look forward to the coming day, when my life shall be separated from the wretched woman who now so darkly overshadows my existence. I'll hope on, even though disappointment come at last." The soliloquy ended, Leah laid away the pearls in the velvet-lined case, and turned to slumber18 and dreams.
Mark Abrams, the early friend and lover of Leah, was the oldest son of a talented and highly-esteemed19 rabbi, who presided over the most flourishing and wealthy Jewish congregation in the Queen City; and Mark himself was highly esteemed, as a young man of unimpeachable20 integrity and unusual brilliancy of intellect.
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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3
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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levy
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| n.征收税或其他款项，征收额 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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poise
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| vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信 | |
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7
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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8
untold
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| adj.数不清的，无数的 | |
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marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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13
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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14
implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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15
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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17
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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18
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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19
esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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20
unimpeachable
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| adj.无可指责的；adv.无可怀疑地 | |
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