Alone in tears sits Natalie, alas1 she has awakened2 from her dream of bliss3, to the sad reality that she is an unloved neglected wife, and bitter very bitter is this dreadful truth to the poor little bird far far from all who love her, for the wide ocean rolls between them, poor little humming bird formed for sunshine and happiness, how cans't thou bear this sad awakening4. Ah cherished little one, with what bright hopes of love and happiness dids't thou leave a sunny home, and are they gone for ever, oh what depth of love in thy crushed and bleeding heart, striving ever to hide beneath a sunny face thy aching heart, lest it should grieve or vex5 the husband thou lovest so fondly, while he heedlessly repelling6 the loving one whose happiness depends upon his kindness, or impatiently receiving the fond caress7, discerns not the breaking heart nor the secret anguish8 this same indifference9 causes; Ah Louis, Louis, should not one so bright and gentle, receive something better than impatient gestures and harsh words, which send the stream of love back with a thrilling pain to the heart, to consume it with silent agony, and her hope has proved vain, her babe, her darling babe has not accomplished10 what she fondly imagined, brought back her Louis's love, if indeed she ever possessed11 it, and it is this thought which wrings12 her gentle heart and causes those sobs13 of anguish, that make her fragile form to quiver like an aspen, as the storm of grief will have its course. If indeed he ever loved her, that he does not now is clear enough; but did he ever, why should she doubt it, she has accidentally heard the following remarks, and seen Louis pointed14 out as the object of them:
He was engaged to a beautiful girl, but she was poor, so meeting with an heiress, he was dazzled by the prospect15 of wealth and married her; but the marriage had proved an unhappy one, that Mr. T---- had soon tired of his gay little wife, and now treated her with the greatest indifference and neglect, and that having married her solely16 for her money, he was as much as ever attached to Miss ---- and bitterly repented17 his folly18. It may be true she sighed, for she knew in her heart that the part regarding his treatment of herself was but alas too true; but could he indeed love another, no, she would not believe it, she would dismiss the thought, but still the words rung in her ears, having married her solely for her money. Could Marie be right, but no, no, she would not, could not believe it, O Louis, Louis, how have I loved you, how I love you still, and is my love entirely19 unrequited? And now a new feeling springs up in her heart, bitter hatred20 towards her unknown rival, with beating heart and trembling lips she calls to mind the packet and Louis's embarrassment21, the beautiful miniature she had seen by accident, and his evasive answers when questioned about the original, could she be the Isabel he had named her darling after, in spite of all she could urge as to her great dislike of the name. Oh that she could confide22 all her troubles to him and tell him all her fears, and if possible have her mind set at rest, but she dare not, for though she loved him so devotedly23, she feared him too, his fierce bursts of passion frightened her. Oh I will win his love in spite of this hateful girl, I will be so gentle, so careful to please him, so mindful of his comfort (as if poor thing she had not always been so) that he shall forget her, and love his own little wife, and wearied with conflicting emotions, she laid her head upon the table and sobbed24 herself to sleep, and thus Louis found her at two o'clock in the morning, when he returned from attending a patient. "Good gracious! Natalie, what are you doing here," said he raising her from her uncomfortable position, "why you are quite chilled," he continued as a convulsive shudder25 shook her whole frame, "what ever possessed you to sit up, and the fire out, how could you be so foolish." She raised her large dark eyes to his with an expression intensely sad and entreating26, and whispered "O Louis, tell me do you love me!" he could not bear the searching eagerness of that wistful gaze, and turning from her answered "can you doubt it you silly little thing, come, take the lamp and go to bed, while I get you something to stop this shivering--he turned to go.
"Do not leave me, oh Louis, stay," she cried, and fell senseless on the floor.
Through that night and for many long days and nights, Natalie lay in a burning fever, and in the delirium28 caused by it she would beseech29 him to love her, and again and again in the most pathetic manner entreat27 him not to leave her, and say, it was very wicked of him not to love her, why was it, what had she done to displease30 him, then murmur31 incoherent words about a hateful girl, beautiful but poor that he loved, but not his poor little Natalie, and then starting up with outstretched arms she would implore32 him to be kind to her and love her.
Whether Louis felt any remorse33 at dooming34 a being so bright and fair to such a miserable35 existence, or whether there was not more anger than sorrow in that impenetrable calm none could tell; he was very attentive36, and tried to sooth with gentle words, but woe37 to any of the attendants who dared to make any remark upon her in his hearing; all she said was treated indifferently as the natural result of the disease, and the nurse was commanded to be silent, when she presumed to say poor dear; whatever passed amongst themselves, in his presence they maintained a discreet38 silence. When Natalie recovered she was sweet and gentle as ever, but a passive lasting39 melancholy40 took the place of her former charming vivacity41, henceforth life had lost its charm; with patient love she bore with Louis's variable temper, and was never known to speak a harsh word to little Isabel.
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1
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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2
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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3
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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4
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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5
vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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6
repelling
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| v.击退( repel的现在分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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7
caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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8
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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9
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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10
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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12
wrings
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| 绞( wring的第三人称单数 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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13
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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14
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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15
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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16
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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17
repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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19
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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20
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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21
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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22
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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devotedly
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| 专心地； 恩爱地； 忠实地； 一心一意地 | |
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24
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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25
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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26
entreating
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的现在分词 ) | |
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27
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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28
delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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29
beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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30
displease
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| vt.使不高兴，惹怒；n.不悦，不满，生气 | |
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31
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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32
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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33
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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34
dooming
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| v.注定( doom的现在分词 )；判定；使…的失败（或灭亡、毁灭、坏结局）成为必然；宣判 | |
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35
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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36
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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38
discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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39
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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40
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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41
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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