(I saw Evesham, leaning rather over the table to point some remark at Mary, and noted10 her lips part to reply.)
"What is the word?" insisted Lady Viping like a fly in my ear.
I turned on her guiltily.
"Whether it's brachy," said Lady Viping, "or whether it's dolly—I can never remember?"
I guessed she was talking of Justin's head. "Oh!—brachycephalic," I said.
I had lost Mary's answer.
"They say he's a woman hater," said Lady Viping. "It hardly looks like it now, does it?"
"Who?" I asked. "What?—oh!—Justin."
"The great financial cannibal. Suppose she turned him into a philanthropist! Stranger things have happened. Look!—now. The man's face is positively11 tender."
I hated looking, and I could not help but look. It was as if this detestable old woman was dragging me down and down, down far below all dignity to her own level of a peeping observer. Justin was saying something to Mary in an undertone, something that made her glance up swiftly and at me before she answered, and there I was with my head side by side with those quivering dyed curls, that flighty black bonnet12, that remorseless observant lorgnette. I could have sworn aloud at the hopeless indignity13 of my pose.
I saw Mary color quickly before I looked away.
"Charming, isn't she?" said Lady Viping, and I discovered those infernal glasses were for a moment honoring me. They shut with a click. "Ham," said Lady Viping. "I told him no ham—and now I remember—I like ham. Or rather I like spinach14. I forgot the spinach. One has the ham for the spinach,—don't you think? Yes,—tell him. She's a perfect Dresden ornament15, Mr. Stratton. She's adorable ... (lorgnette and search for fresh topics). Who is the dark lady with the slight moustache—sitting there next to Guy? Sir Godfrey, who is the dark lady? No, I don't mean Mary Fitton. Over there! Mrs. Roperstone. Ooh. The Mrs. Roperstone. (Renewed lorgnette and click.) Yes—ham. With spinach. A lot of spinach. There's Mr. Evesham laughing again. He's greatly amused. Unusual for him to laugh twice. At least, aloud. (Rustle and adjustment of lorgnette.) Mr. Stratton, don't you think?—exactly like a little shepherdess. Only I can't say I think Mr. Justin is like a shepherd. On the whole, more like a large cloisonné jar. Now Guy would do. As a pair they're beautiful. Pity they're brother and sister. Curious how that boy manages to be big and yet delicate. H'm. Mixed mantel ornaments16. Sir Godfrey, how old is Mrs. Roperstone?... You never know on principle. I think I shall make Mr. Stratton guess. What do you think, Mr. Stratton?... You never guess on principle! Well, we're all very high principled. (Fresh exploratory movements of the lorgnette.) Mr. Stratton, tell me; is that little peaked man near Lady Ladislaw Mr. Roperstone? I thought as much!"
All this chatter17 is mixed up in my mind with an unusual sense of hovering18 attentive19 menservants, who seemed all of them to my heated imagination to be watching me (and particularly one clean-shaven, reddish-haired, full-faced young man) lest I looked too much at the Lady Mary Christian. Of course they were merely watching our plates and glasses, but my nerves and temper were now in such a state that if my man went off to the buffet20 to get Sir Godfrey the pickled walnuts21, I fancied he went to report the progress of my infatuation, and if a strange face appeared with the cider cup, that this was a new observer come to mark the revelation of my behavior. My food embarrassed me. I found hidden meanings in the talk of the Roden girl and her guardsman, and an ironical22 discovery in Sir Godfrey's eye....
I felt indignant with Mary. I felt she disowned me and deserted23 me and repudiated24 me, that she ought in some manner to have recognized me. I gave her no credit for her speech to me before the lunch, or her promise to measure against me again. I blinded myself to all her frank friendliness25. I felt she ought not to notice Justin, ought not to answer him....
Clearly she liked those men to flatter her, she liked it....
I remember too, so that I must have noted it and felt it then as a thing perceived for the first time, the large dignity of the room, the tall windows and splendid rich curtains, the darkened Hoppners upon the walls. I noted too the quality and abundance of the table things, and there were grapes and peaches, strawberries, cherries and green almonds, piled lavishly26 above the waiting dessert plates with the golden knives and forks, upon a table in the sunshine of the great bay. The very sunshine filtered through the tall narrow panes27 from the great chestnut28 trees without, seemed of a different quality from the common light of day....
I felt like a poor relation. I sympathized with Anarchists29. We had come out of the Park now finally, both Mary and I—into this....
"Mr. Stratton I am sure agrees with me."
For a time I had been marooned30 conversationally31, and Lady Viping had engaged Sir Godfrey. Evidently he was refractory32 and she was back at me.
"Look at it now in profile," she said, and directed me once more to that unendurable grouping. Justin again!
"It's a heavy face," I said.
"It's a powerful face. I wouldn't care anyhow to be up against it—as people say." And the lorgnette shut with a click. "What is this? Peaches!—Yes, and give me some cream." ...
I hovered33 long for that measuring I had been promised on the steps, but either Mary had forgotten or she deemed it wiser to forget.
点击收听单词发音
1 orb | |
n.太阳;星球;v.弄圆;成球形 | |
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2 devastating | |
adj.毁灭性的,令人震惊的,强有力的 | |
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3 corrupted | |
(使)败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)腐化; 引起(计算机文件等的)错误; 破坏 | |
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4 rustling | |
n. 瑟瑟声,沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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5 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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6 confidential | |
adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
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7 testily | |
adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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8 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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9 rustled | |
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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11 positively | |
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实 | |
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12 bonnet | |
n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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13 indignity | |
n.侮辱,伤害尊严,轻蔑 | |
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14 spinach | |
n.菠菜 | |
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15 ornament | |
v.装饰,美化;n.装饰,装饰物 | |
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16 ornaments | |
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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17 chatter | |
vi./n.喋喋不休;短促尖叫;(牙齿)打战 | |
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18 hovering | |
鸟( hover的现在分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫 | |
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19 attentive | |
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的 | |
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20 buffet | |
n.自助餐;饮食柜台;餐台 | |
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21 walnuts | |
胡桃(树)( walnut的名词复数 ); 胡桃木 | |
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22 ironical | |
adj.讽刺的,冷嘲的 | |
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23 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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24 repudiated | |
v.(正式地)否认( repudiate的过去式和过去分词 );拒绝接受;拒绝与…往来;拒不履行(法律义务) | |
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25 friendliness | |
n.友谊,亲切,亲密 | |
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26 lavishly | |
adv.慷慨地,大方地 | |
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27 panes | |
窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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28 chestnut | |
n.栗树,栗子 | |
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29 anarchists | |
无政府主义者( anarchist的名词复数 ) | |
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30 marooned | |
adj.被围困的;孤立无援的;无法脱身的 | |
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31 conversationally | |
adv.会话地 | |
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32 refractory | |
adj.倔强的,难驾驭的 | |
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33 hovered | |
鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫 | |
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