CHAPTER XXIII ANDREW MCANDREW

 I FEEL,” said Barnabas, “that some one ought to pat me on the back. I set out to do something, and I did it. It is a pleasant sensation.”

 

“Unaccustomed?” asked Miss Mason, with mock sarcasm¹.

 

They were both in her studio the day following the return of the donkey-party. They were awaiting the appearance of Andrew McAndrew, to whom Barnabas had written to come to the studio at four o’clock. Pippa had been taken by Jasper to call upon his wife.

 

Miss Mason had announced Bridget’s advent³ to Beaufort Street to the assembled party the previous evening. They had taken the announcement without undue⁴ surprise. Their minds were too big and straightforward⁵ to dream of questioning. Since Jasper had chosen to keep the fact of his marriage secret it was entirely⁶ his own affair. They merely rejoiced that he was now, as Miss Mason told them, unfeignedly happy.

 

“Aurora,” continued Barnabas, “has gone down to stay with her own people for three weeks, while the banns are being called. She left this morning, and Alan is writing to her at the moment. Their pet names for each other are Sweetest and Boysie. I suppose the pendulum⁸ was bound to swing pretty far in the direction of rank sentimentality. It’ll steady again presently.”

 

“You swung it,” said Miss Mason dryly.

 

“And I’m proud of the fact,” said Barnabas.

 

There was a knock at the door.

 

“If that’s Mr. McAndrew,” said Miss Mason, relapsing into her gruffest manner, “you’ll have to do the talking, because I can’t.”

 

“Mr. McAndrew,” said Sally, opening the door.

 

Andrew came in, a great loose-limbed fellow, with mouse-coloured hair, and oddly earnest eyes in a snub-nosed, wide-mouthed face.

 

“Awfully glad to see you, McAndrew,” said Barnabas warmly. “Let me introduce you to Miss Mason.”

 

The two shook hands and Andrew sat down. His glance wandered round the studio till it reached the “Winged Victory.” His eyes rested on it with pleasure as on some familiar friend.

 

“Ay,” he said, “but yon’s a fine bit o’ wor-rk.”

 

“You’re fond of sculpture,” said Miss Mason shortly.

 

“’Deed,” said Andrew, “I like it weel.”

 

“Do you do anything yourself in that way?” asked Miss Mason.

 

Andrew shook his head. “I’ll no be havin’ the [Pg 235]time,” he said, “for mair than juist dabblin’ wi’ a bit o’ clay.”

 

“Would you like to give your time to the work?” asked Miss Mason.

 

“’Deed an’ I wad.” There was a simple earnestness about the words infinitely⁹ more convincing than any lengthy¹⁰ assurance of the fact.

 

“Well,” said Miss Mason gruffly, “let’s have some tea.”

 

During the meal Barnabas did most of the talking, Andrew replying in short sentences. Miss Mason was practically silent. When it was finished Miss Mason looked across at Barnabas.

 

“Better tell Mr. McAndrew our idea,” she said.

 

So, very straightforwardly¹¹, Barnabas told Andrew Miss Mason’s scheme for the Wonderful Chance. When he had ended Andrew looked at him with an expression of dumb happiness in his eyes.

 

“You’ll be meanin’——?” he said. “You were thinkin’ to offer the chance to me?”

 

“If you care to take it,” said Barnabas. “What do you think?”

 

“I’m maist obleeged,” said Andrew, and he lapsed¹² into silence.

 

“Very well, then,” said Miss Mason gruffly, “it’s settled. Mr. Kirby will make all arrangements with you.” And she too became silent.

 

It was not at all the kind of interview Barnabas had intended. He felt Miss Mason to be almost tiresomely¹³ gruff, and his protégé almost ungrateful.

 

At last Andrew heaved himself out of his chair.

 

“I’ll be leavin’,” he said. He held out his hand to Miss Mason. “I’m maist obleeged,” he said again.

 

“That’s all right,” said Miss Mason gruffly.

 

Barnabas went out into the little garden with Andrew.

 

“Miss Mason doesn’t mean to be abrupt,” he said. “It’s merely her manner. She finds it difficult to express——”

 

Andrew turned on him. “Man, d’ye think I dinna ken². D’ye think ‘I’m maist obleeged’ told juist all that was in ma heart. I cud e’en ha’ knelt an’ ha’ kissed the hem⁷ o’ her skir-rt. An’ gin I had I’d ha’ been sobbin’ like a wee bit wean.” Andrew swallowed once or twice fiercely.

 

Then he saw the little faun.

 

“Ay,” he said, “yon’s bonny. I wad like fine to make a figure to stand in t’ auld¹⁴ lady’s garden, but aiblins she like it a wee bit draipit.”

 

“Charity,” laughed Barnabas, “colossal and in many robes.”

 

“Huh!” said Andrew scornfully, “it’s ha’ gran’ figure o’ Charity I was thinkin’ o’, but juist a wee figure o’ smilin’ Love wi’ his hands held oot to draw folk to his hearrt.”

 

And a year later such a little figure did stand—not in the garden—but in a corner of Miss Mason’s studio.

 

When Andrew had gone Barnabas went back into the studio.

 

“We disappointed you,” said Miss Mason. “That boy’s no more good at expressing his feelings than I am.”

 

“I understand,” said Barnabas lightly. “He managed though to say a bit more in the garden. By the way,” he went on, “no one has called to claim the ring yet, I suppose?”

 

“No,” replied Miss Mason. “It’s a queer ring.”

 

“Yes,” said Barnabas. But for some reason he still did not say where and when he had first seen it.

1 sarcasm   

n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）

参考例句：

• His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
• She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

2 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

3 advent   

n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临

参考例句：

• Swallows come by groups at the advent of spring. 春天来临时燕子成群飞来。
• The advent of the Euro will redefine Europe.欧元的出现将重新定义欧洲。

4 undue   

adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的

参考例句：

• Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
• It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。

5 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

7 hem   

n.贴边，镶边；vt.缝贴边；(in)包围，限制

参考例句：

• The hem on her skirt needs sewing.她裙子上的褶边需要缝一缝。
• The hem of your dress needs to be let down an inch.你衣服的折边有必要放长1英寸。

8 pendulum   

n.摆，钟摆

参考例句：

• The pendulum swung slowly to and fro.钟摆在慢慢地来回摆动。
• He accidentally found that the desk clock did not swing its pendulum.他无意中发现座钟不摇摆了。

9 infinitely   

adv.无限地，无穷地

参考例句：

• There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。
• The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

10 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

11 straightforwardly   

adv.正直地

参考例句：

• He hated her straightforwardly, making no effort to conceal it. 他十分坦率地恨她，从不设法加以掩饰。 来自辞典例句
• Mardi, which followed hard on its heels, was another matter. Mardi begins straightforwardly. 紧跟着出版的《玛地》，却是另一回事。《玛地》开始时平铺直叙。 来自辞典例句

12 lapsed   

adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失

参考例句：

• He had lapsed into unconsciousness. 他陷入了昏迷状态。
• He soon lapsed into his previous bad habits. 他很快陷入以前的恶习中去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 tiresomely   

adj. 令人厌倦的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• The excitement over her arrival was tiresomely predictable –like flashing a shiny object at a child. 她的到来会使人们兴奋，这是稍微可以预见的——就像在一个孩子面前放一个闪闪发光的东西。
• British chancellors tiresomely wont to lecture finance ministers in mainland Europe about their superior policies. 英国的财政大臣也常常向欧洲大陆的财政部长们演讲他们的优越政策。

14 auld   

adj.老的，旧的

参考例句：

• Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind?怎能忘记旧日朋友，心中能不怀念？
• The party ended up with the singing of Auld Lang Sync.宴会以《友谊地久天长》的歌声而告终。