And at last they were all three finished. Wooden balconies and overhanging eaves had been added to them, so that, in the language of the advertisement, there were vacant three eligible17 Swiss-built villas, with sixteen rooms, no basement, electric bells, hot and cold water, and every modern convenience, including a common tennis lawn, to be let at L100 a year, or L1,500 purchase. So tempting18 an offer did not long remain open. Within a few weeks the card had vanished from number one, and it was known that Admiral Hay Denver, V. C., C. B., with Mrs. Hay Denver and their only son, were about to move into it. The news brought peace to the hearts of the Williams sisters. They had lived with a settled conviction that some wild impossible colony, some shouting, singing family of madcaps, would break in upon their peace. This establishment at least was irreproachable19. A reference to “Men of the Time” showed them that Admiral Hay Denver was a most distinguished20 officer, who had begun his active career at Bomarsund, and had ended it at Alexandria, having managed between these two episodes to see as much service as any man of his years. From the Taku Forts and the Shannon brigade, to dhow-harrying off Zanzibar, there was no variety of naval21 work which did not appear in his record; while the Victoria Cross, and the Albert Medal for saving life, vouched22 for it that in peace as in war his courage was still of the same true temper. Clearly a very eligible neighbor this, the more so as they had been confidentially23 assured by the estate agent that Mr. Harold Denver, the son, was a most quiet young gentleman, and that he was busy from morning to night on the Stock Exchange.
“Well, at least, Monica,” remarked Bertha, as they sat over their teacups that afternoon, “however strange these people may be, it is our duty to be as polite to them as to the others.”
“Most certainly,” acquiesced25 her sister.
“Since we have called upon Mrs. Hay Denver and upon the Misses Walker, we must call upon this Mrs. Westmacott also.”
“Certainly, dear. As long as they are living upon our land I feel as if they were in a sense our guests, and that it is our duty to welcome them.”
“Then we shall call to-morrow,” said Bertha, with decision.
“Yes, dear, we shall. But, oh, I wish it was over!”
At four o'clock on the next day, the two maiden26 ladies set off upon their hospitable27 errand. In their stiff, crackling dresses of black silk, with jet-bespangled jackets, and little rows of cylindrical28 grey curls drooping29 down on either side of their black bonnets30, they looked like two old fashion plates which had wandered off into the wrong decade. Half curious and half fearful, they knocked at the door of number three, which was instantly opened by a red-headed page-boy.
Yes, Mrs. Westmacott was at home. He ushered31 them into the front room, furnished as a drawing-room, where in spite of the fine spring weather a large fire was burning in the grate. The boy took their cards, and then, as they sat down together upon a settee, he set their nerves in a thrill by darting32 behind a curtain with a shrill33 cry, and prodding34 at something with his foot. The bull pup which they had seen upon the day before bolted from its hiding-place, and scuttled35 snarling36 from the room.
“It wants to get at Eliza,” said the youth, in a confidential24 whisper. “Master says she would give him more'n he brought.” He smiled affably at the two little stiff black figures, and departed in search of his mistress.
“Something about a—— Oh, goodness gracious! Oh, help, help, help, help, help!” The two sisters had bounded on to the settee, and stood there with staring eyes and skirts gathered in, while they filled the whole house with their yells. Out of a high wicker-work basket which stood by the fire there had risen a flat diamond-shaped head with wicked green eyes which came flickering38 upwards39, waving gently from side to side, until a foot or more of glossy40 scaly41 neck was visible. Slowly the vicious head came floating up, while at every oscillation a fresh burst of shrieks42 came from the settee.
“What in the name of mischief43!” cried a voice, and there was the mistress of the house standing44 in the doorway45. Her gaze at first had merely taken in the fact that two strangers were standing screaming upon her red plush sofa. A glance at the fireplace, however, showed her the cause of the terror, and she burst into a hearty46 fit of laughter.
“Charley,” she shouted, “here's Eliza misbehaving again.”
“I'll settle her,” answered a masculine voice, and the young man dashed into the room. He had a brown horse-cloth in his hand, which he threw over the basket, making it fast with a piece of twine47 so as to effectually imprison48 its inmate49, while his aunt ran across to reassure50 her visitors.
“It is only a rock snake,” she explained.
“She's hatching out some eggs. That is why we have the fire. Eliza always does better when she is warm. She is a sweet, gentle creature, but no doubt she thought that you had designs upon her eggs. I suppose that you did not touch any of them?”
“Oh, let us get away, Bertha!” cried Monica, with her thin, black-gloved hands thrown forwards in abhorrence52.
“Not away, but into the next room,” said Mrs. Westmacott, with the air of one whose word was law. “This way, if you please! It is less warm here.” She led the way into a very handsomely appointed library, with three great cases of books, and upon the fourth side a long yellow table littered over with papers and scientific instruments. “Sit here, and you, there,” she continued. “That is right. Now let me see, which of you is Miss Williams, and which Miss Bertha Williams?”
“I am Miss Williams,” said Monica, still palpitating, and glancing furtively53 about in dread54 of some new horror.
“And you live, as I understand, over at the pretty little cottage. It is very nice of you to call so early. I don't suppose that we shall get on, but still the intention is equally good.” She crossed her legs and leaned her back against the marble mantelpiece.
“We thought that perhaps we might be of some assistance,” said Bertha, timidly. “If there is anything which we could do to make you feel more at home——”
“Oh, thank you, I am too old a traveler to feel anything but at home wherever I go. I've just come back from a few months in the Marquesas Islands, where I had a very pleasant visit. That was where I got Eliza. In many respects the Marquesas Islands now lead the world.”
“Dear me!” ejaculated Miss Williams. “In what respect?”
“In the relation of the sexes. They have worked out the great problem upon their own lines, and their isolated55 geographical56 position has helped them to come to a conclusion of their own. The woman there is, as she should be, in every way the absolute equal of the male. Come in, Charles, and sit down. Is Eliza all right?”
“All right, aunt.”
“These are our neighbors, the Misses Williams. Perhaps they will have some stout57. You might bring in a couple of bottles, Charles.”
“No, no, thank you! None for us!” cried her two visitors, earnestly.
“No? I am sorry that I have no tea to offer you. I look upon the subserviency58 of woman as largely due to her abandoning nutritious59 drinks and invigorating exercises to the male. I do neither.” She picked up a pair of fifteen-pound dumb-bells from beside the fireplace and swung them lightly about her head. “You see what may be done on stout,” said she.
“But don't you think,” the elder Miss Williams suggested timidly, “don't you think, Mrs. Westmascott, that woman has a mission of her own?”
The lady of the house dropped her dumb-bells with a crash upon the floor.
“The old cant16!” she cried. “The old shibboleth60! What is this mission which is reserved for woman? All that is humble61, that is mean, that is soul-killing, that is so contemptible62 and so ill-paid that none other will touch it. All that is woman's mission. And who imposed these limitations upon her? Who cooped her up within this narrow sphere? Was it Providence63? Was it nature? No, it was the arch enemy. It was man.”
“Oh, I say, auntie!” drawled her nephew.
“It was man, Charles. It was you and your fellows. I say that woman is a colossal64 monument to the selfishness of man. What is all this boasted chivalry65—these fine words and vague phrases? Where is it when we wish to put it to the test? Man in the abstract will do anything to help a woman. Of course. How does it work when his pocket is touched? Where is his chivalry then? Will the doctors help her to qualify? will the lawyers help her to be called to the bar? will the clergy66 tolerate her in the Church? Oh, it is close your ranks then and refer poor woman to her mission! Her mission! To be thankful for coppers67 and not to interfere68 with the men while they grabble for gold, like swine round a trough, that is man's reading of the mission of women. You may sit there and sneer69, Charles, while you look upon your victim, but you know that it is truth, every word of it.”
Terrified as they were by this sudden torrent70 of words, the two gentlewomen could not but smile at the sight of the fiery71, domineering victim and the big apologetic representative of mankind who sat meekly72 bearing all the sins of his sex. The lady struck a match, whipped a cigarette from a case upon the mantelpiece, and began to draw the smoke into her lungs.
“I find it very soothing73 when my nerves are at all ruffled,” she explained. “You don't smoke? Ah, you miss one of the purest of pleasures—one of the few pleasures which are without a reaction.”
Miss Williams smoothed out her silken lap.
“It is a pleasure,” she said, with some approach to self-assertion, “which Bertha and I are rather too old-fashioned to enjoy.”
“No doubt. It would probably make you very ill if you attempted it. By the way, I hope that you will come to some of our Guild74 meetings. I shall see that tickets are sent you.”
“Your Guild?”
“It is not yet formed, but I shall lose no time in forming a committee. It is my habit to establish a branch of the Emancipation75 Guild wherever I go. There is a Mrs. Sanderson in Anerley who is already one of the emancipated76, so that I have a nucleus77. It is only by organized resistance, Miss Williams, that we can hope to hold our own against the selfish sex. Must you go, then?”
“Yes, we have one or two other visits to pay,” said the elder sister. “You will, I am sure, excuse us. I hope that you will find Norwood a pleasant residence.”
“All places are to me simply a battle-field,” she answered, gripping first one and then the other with a grip which crumpled78 up their little thin fingers. “The days for work and healthful exercise, the evenings to Browning and high discourse79, eh, Charles? Good-bye!” She came to the door with them, and as they glanced back they saw her still standing there with the yellow bull pup cuddled up under one forearm, and the thin blue reek80 of her cigarette ascending81 from her lips.
“Oh, what a dreadful, dreadful woman!” whispered sister Bertha, as they hurried down the street. “Thank goodness that it is over.”
“But she'll return the visit,” answered the other. “I think that we had better tell Mary that we are not at home.”
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1
suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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coalescing
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| v.联合，合并( coalesce的现在分词 ) | |
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5
tentacles
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| n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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8
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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9
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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10
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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11
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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12
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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13
domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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14
villas
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| 别墅，公馆( villa的名词复数 )； （城郊）住宅 | |
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15
sprout
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| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
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16
cant
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| n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔 | |
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17
eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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18
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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19
irreproachable
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| adj.不可指责的，无过失的 | |
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20
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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21
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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22
vouched
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| v.保证( vouch的过去式和过去分词 )；担保；确定；确定地说 | |
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23
confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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24
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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25
acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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27
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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28
cylindrical
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| adj.圆筒形的 | |
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29
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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30
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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31
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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33
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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34
prodding
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| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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35
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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36
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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37
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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38
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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39
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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40
glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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41
scaly
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| adj.鱼鳞状的；干燥粗糙的 | |
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42
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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43
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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44
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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45
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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46
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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47
twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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48
imprison
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| vt.监禁，关押，限制，束缚 | |
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49
inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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50
reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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51
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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52
abhorrence
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| n.憎恶；可憎恶的事 | |
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53
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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54
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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55
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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56
geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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58
subserviency
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| n.有用，裨益 | |
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59
nutritious
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| adj.有营养的，营养价值高的 | |
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60
shibboleth
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| n.陈规陋习；口令；暗语 | |
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61
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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62
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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63
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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64
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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65
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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66
clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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67
coppers
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| 铜( copper的名词复数 )； 铜币 | |
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68
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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69
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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70
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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71
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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72
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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73
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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74
guild
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| n.行会，同业公会，协会 | |
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75
emancipation
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| n.（从束缚、支配下）解放 | |
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76
emancipated
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| adj.被解放的，不受约束的v.解放某人（尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚）( emancipate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
nucleus
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| n.核，核心，原子核 | |
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78
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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79
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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80
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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81
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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