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CHAPTER III.
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 “You have never been in Europe, then, Miss Strong?”
 
Count Szalaki turned smilingly to his vis-à-vis as they seated themselves at the dining-table in a room that appeared luxurious1 even to the eye of the guest. There was a peculiarity2 in his pronunciation that defies reproduction in cold type. His voice was gentle and carefully modulated3, and the English language seemed to do homage4 to his rank, for it fell from his lips in a musical softness that was extremely pleasing to the ear.
 
Kate Strong was fascinated, against her will, by the dark gray eyes of the picturesque5 youth at her side. His black hair curled romantically about a high, white brow, and his mouth, symmetrically curved, indicated an imaginative and generous temperament6. His white, even teeth added vastly to the brilliancy of his smile. There was a touch of embarrassment7 in his manner, now and then, that seemed to exact sympathy from his entertainers.
 
“Not since I was quite young,” answered Kate, with the air of one who has reached extreme old age.
 
“My sister,” remarked Ned Strong, as the butler removed his soup-plate—“my sister, Count Szalaki, is a tremendous democrat8, you know. She won’t go to Europe, I fear,[15] until every country over there has become a republic.”
 
“How unfair!” cried Mrs. Strong, glancing deprecatingly at her son.
 
“Then, Miss Strong, you don’t approve of foreign aristocrats9?” asked the count gently, smiling at Kate in a confiding10 way.
 
“Indeed I do,” she returned, looking defiantly11 at Ned. “We should be very dull in our set, you know, without them.”
 
“But you don’t take them au sérieux?” asked the count, anxious to stand on solid ground.
 
“Indeed we don’t,” cried Kate. “We marry them, you know.”
 
Count Szalaki looked at his host in a puzzled way, and Mr. Strong smiled benignantly.
 
“I think I told you on the steamer, count,” remarked Mr. Strong, “that you would find it easier to understand our political institutions than our American girl, did I not?”
 
Count Szalaki looked at Kate, an expression of admiration12 in his eyes that savored13 not at all of boldness. “I think,” he said, “that I shall take your politics for granted and attempt the solution of the greater puzzle.”
 
“Take my advice and don’t do it, Count Szalaki,” cried Ned. “Our politics are laughable, but our American girl is—is——”
 
“Is what, Ned?” asked Kate, with mock cordiality.
 
“Is dangerous,” answered her brother. “You see, count, you come here several years too late. When I was young,” he continued, smilingly, “that is, about two years ago, we were not under the depressing influence of the New Woman. But now it is different. The New Woman——”
 
[16]
 
Count Szalaki’s mobile face bore an expression of bewilderment.
 
“Pardon me,” he exclaimed. “I am what you call—puzzled. I have not heard that expression heretofore. What do you mean by the New Woman?”
 
“Don’t speak, Ned,” cried Kate, imploringly14. “Let me tell Count Szalaki what the New Woman is.”
 
“That is better, Ned,” remarked Mr. Strong, diplomatically. “It would be unfair for the count to get your definition first.”
 
“I really think,” put in Mrs. Strong, anxiety in her voice, “that we ought to change the subject.”
 
Count Szalaki glanced at her with a mournful smile on his lips and a pleading glance in his eloquent15 eyes.
 
“But, Mrs. Strong, you must take pity on me. Remember, I am only a barbarian16. In my country, you know, we go very slowly. We cling to old forms, old customs, old ideas. That is why I came over here. I wished to broaden my mind and to keep in touch with the progress of the age.”
 
“Then there are no advanced women in Rexania?” asked Ned, courteously17.
 
Count Szalaki seemed to wince18 as the name of his fatherland was brought into the discussion. Kate afterward19 said that he actually turned pale.
 
“I can hardly say that,” answered their guest, rather sadly, as it seemed. “There are women there who are discontented with our institutions, who are desirous of changes in all directions. I was only a boy at the time of the great outbreak in my country, ten years ago, but I remember that among[17] the rioters were many women. One woman led a party of malcontents who attacked the palace. The guards were preparing to shoot her, when I saw what they were about to do and ordered them to lower their guns. Five years later, I was thrown from my horse while hunting in a forest, not far from Rexopolis, and broke my arm. I was carried to a hut in the woods, and an elderly woman very gently cared for me until help arrived from the palace. Before they took me away, she confided20 to me that she was the rebel who had led the attack on the palace and whose life I had saved. She became a loyal subject from the moment I gave the order that saved her life. She is now in the employ of the king, and is doing good service in keeping him informed of the doings of those who plot against the throne.”
 
An expression of surprise had crossed the faces of the diners at their guest’s tale.
 
“Pardon me,” remarked Ned, as the count ceased to speak, “but do you live in the palace at Rexopolis?”
 
If Count Szalaki felt any annoyance21 at his own loquacity22 he controlled it successfully. The influence of his surroundings had made him quite forget, for the time being, that he was hiding behind an incognito23, and that ordinary prudence24 demanded that he should keep his secret. With a strong effort, he succeeded in suppressing all signs of dismay at his unguarded recklessness. His life had tended to make him diplomatic, but his nature was frank and confiding, and he was very sensitive to his environment. “Surely,” he thought, “these hospitable25, kindly26, democratic people are not of a suspicious character.”[18] The thought reassured27 him, and he said:
 
“I have a relative near the throne, you know. I sometimes spend several weeks with him at the palace.”
 
“Then you know the king?” cried Kate, interestedly. “I have read so much about him. And the crown prince? Is he as handsome as the newspapers say he is?”
 
It was an embarrassing question, and the prince drank a half-glass of champagne28 before answering his fair vis-à-vis.
 
“I may be prejudiced in his favor,” he said, at length, “but he is young and in good health, and, I think, pleasing to the eye.” Then he added, hurriedly, “But I am here to learn all about this country, not to talk about my own. Tell me, is Chicago far from New York?”
 
The conversation gradually drifted into safer channels, and Count Szalaki had begun to feel that his indiscretion had given him the only nervous shock that he would experience during the evening, when the butler approached the guest’s chair and said, apologetically:
 
“Pardon me, monsieur, but this note has just been presented at the door by a man who says that it must reach you at once.”
 
Count Szalaki’s face flushed and then turned very pale. His hand trembled slightly as he took the envelope from the outstretched tray. It bore the name he had chosen for his incognito, and in the corner were written, in the Rexanian dialect, the words “Important and immediate29.”
 
“Will you forgive me,” said the count, glancing at Mrs. Strong, “if I open this at[19] once? There seems to be some mystery about it.”
 
His hostess smiled and bowed, and the youth opened the missive and read the following startling sentences, written, like the words on the envelope, in the purest Rexanian:
 
“Your Royal Highness,—A great danger threatens you. But trust to us. We are your friends. Dismiss your carriage on leaving the house, and walk down the avenue. Two men will join you who love you and your house. We are under oath to guard you from harm, and take this way to warn you. In the name of Rexania, be prudent30.”
 
The letter was unsigned, and an expression of consternation31 and perplexity rested on the prince’s face as he reread the note and then carefully inserted it in a pocket of his waistcoat.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 luxurious S2pyv     
adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的
参考例句:
  • This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
  • The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。
2 peculiarity GiWyp     
n.独特性,特色;特殊的东西;怪癖
参考例句:
  • Each country has its own peculiarity.每个国家都有自己的独特之处。
  • The peculiarity of this shop is its day and nigth service.这家商店的特点是昼夜服务。
3 modulated b5bfb3c5c3ebc18c62afa9380ab74ba5     
已调整[制]的,被调的
参考例句:
  • He carefully modulated his voice. 他小心地压低了声音。
  • He had a plump face, lemur-like eyes, a quiet, subtle, modulated voice. 他有一张胖胖的脸,狐猴般的眼睛,以及安详、微妙和富于抑扬顿挫的嗓音。
4 homage eQZzK     
n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬
参考例句:
  • We pay homage to the genius of Shakespeare.我们对莎士比亚的天才表示敬仰。
  • The soldiers swore to pay their homage to the Queen.士兵们宣誓效忠于女王陛下。
5 picturesque qlSzeJ     
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的
参考例句:
  • You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
  • That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。
6 temperament 7INzf     
n.气质,性格,性情
参考例句:
  • The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
  • Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。
7 embarrassment fj9z8     
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫
参考例句:
  • She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
  • Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。
8 democrat Xmkzf     
n.民主主义者,民主人士;民主党党员
参考例句:
  • The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
  • About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后,他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。
9 aristocrats 45f57328b4cffd28a78c031f142ec347     
n.贵族( aristocrat的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Many aristocrats were killed in the French Revolution. 许多贵族在法国大革命中被处死。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • To the Guillotine all aristocrats! 把全部贵族都送上断头台! 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
10 confiding e67d6a06e1cdfe51bc27946689f784d1     
adj.相信人的,易于相信的v.吐露(秘密,心事等)( confide的现在分词 );(向某人)吐露(隐私、秘密等)
参考例句:
  • The girl is of a confiding nature. 这女孩具有轻信别人的性格。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Celia, though confiding her opinion only to Andrew, disagreed. 西莉亚却不这么看,尽管她只向安德鲁吐露过。 来自辞典例句
11 defiantly defiantly     
adv.挑战地,大胆对抗地
参考例句:
  • Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
参考例句:
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
13 savored b2e8dc5ced86b908663d80760a443370     
v.意味,带有…的性质( savor的过去式和过去分词 );给…加调味品;使有风味;品尝
参考例句:
  • We savored the barbed hits in his reply. 我们很欣赏他在回答中使用的带刺的俏皮话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We savored, (the pleasures of) mountain life to the full. 我们充分体会了山居生活的乐趣。 来自辞典例句
14 imploringly imploringly     
adv. 恳求地, 哀求地
参考例句:
  • He moved his lips and looked at her imploringly. 他嘴唇动着,哀求地看着她。
  • He broke in imploringly. 他用恳求的口吻插了话。
15 eloquent ymLyN     
adj.雄辩的,口才流利的;明白显示出的
参考例句:
  • He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩,胜过最好的演说家。
  • These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。
16 barbarian nyaz13     
n.野蛮人;adj.野蛮(人)的;未开化的
参考例句:
  • There is a barbarian tribe living in this forest.有一个原始部落居住在这个林区。
  • The walled city was attacked by barbarian hordes.那座有城墙的城市遭到野蛮部落的袭击。
17 courteously 4v2z8O     
adv.有礼貌地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • He courteously opened the door for me.他谦恭有礼地为我开门。
  • Presently he rose courteously and released her.过了一会,他就很客气地站起来,让她走开。
18 wince tgCwX     
n.畏缩,退避,(因痛苦,苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动;v.畏缩,退缩,退避
参考例句:
  • The barb of his wit made us wince.他那锋芒毕露的机智使我们退避三舍。
  • His smile soon modified to a wince.他的微笑很快就成了脸部肌肉的抽搐。
19 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
20 confided 724f3f12e93e38bec4dda1e47c06c3b1     
v.吐露(秘密,心事等)( confide的过去式和过去分词 );(向某人)吐露(隐私、秘密等)
参考例句:
  • She confided all her secrets to her best friend. 她向她最要好的朋友倾吐了自己所有的秘密。
  • He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison. 他私下向我透露,他蹲过五年监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼
参考例句:
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气?
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
22 loquacity 5b29ac87968845fdf1d5affa34596db3     
n.多话,饶舌
参考例句:
  • I was victimized the whole evening by his loquacity. 整个晚上我都被他的吵嚷不休所困扰。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The nervous loquacity and opinionation of the Zenith Athletic Club dropped from them. 泽尼斯运动俱乐部里的那种神经质的健谈和自以为是的态度从他们身上消失了。 来自辞典例句
23 incognito ucfzW     
adv.匿名地;n.隐姓埋名;adj.化装的,用假名的,隐匿姓名身份的
参考例句:
  • He preferred to remain incognito.他更喜欢继续隐姓埋名下去。
  • He didn't want to be recognized,so he travelled incognito.他不想被人认出,所以出行时隐瞒身分。
24 prudence 9isyI     
n.谨慎,精明,节俭
参考例句:
  • A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
  • The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。
25 hospitable CcHxA     
adj.好客的;宽容的;有利的,适宜的
参考例句:
  • The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客,无论是他的朋友还是同事,他都盛情接待。
  • The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。
26 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
27 reassured ff7466d942d18e727fb4d5473e62a235     
adj.使消除疑虑的;使放心的v.再保证,恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》
28 champagne iwBzh3     
n.香槟酒;微黄色
参考例句:
  • There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。
  • They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。
29 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
30 prudent M0Yzg     
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的
参考例句:
  • A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
  • You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。
31 consternation 8OfzB     
n.大为吃惊,惊骇
参考例句:
  • He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害,感到非常震惊。
  • Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。


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