"Mr. Townsend no come yet. You go top-side, yes?"
She went to the back of the shop and walked up the rickety, dark stairs. The Chinese followed her and unlocked the door that led into the bedroom. It was stuffy3 and there was an acrid4 smell of opium5. She sat down on a sandalwood chest.
In a moment she heard a heavy step on the creaking stairs. Townsend came in and shut the door behind him. His face bore a sullen6 look, but as he saw her it vanished, and he smiled in that charming way of his. He took her quickly in his arms and kissed her lips.
"Now what's the trouble?"
"It makes me feel better just to see you," she smiled.
He sat down on the bed and lit a cigarette.
"You look rather washed out this morning."
"I don't wonder," she answered. "I don't think I closed my eyes all night."
He gave her a look. He was smiling still, but his smile was a little set and unnatural7. She thought there was a shade of anxiety in his eyes.
"He knows," she said.
There was an instant's pause before he answered.
"What did he say?"
"He hasn't said anything."
"What!" He looked at her sharply. "What makes you think he knows then?"
"Everything. His look. The way he talked at dinner."
"Was he disagreeable?"
"No, on the contrary, he was scrupulously8 polite. For the first time since we married he didn't kiss me good night."
She dropped her eyes. She was not sure if Charlie understood. As a rule Walter took her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers and would not let them go. His whole body grew tender and passionate9 with his kiss.
"Why do you imagine he didn't say anything?"
"I don't know."
There was a pause. Kitty sat very still on the sandalwood box and looked with anxious attention at Townsend. His face once more was sullen and there was a frown between his brows. His mouth drooped10 a little at the corners. But all at once he looked up and a gleam of malicious11 amusement came into his eyes.
"I wonder if he is going to say anything."
She did not answer. She did not know what he meant.
"After all, he wouldn't be the first man who's shut his eyes in a case of this sort. What has he to gain by making a row? If he'd wanted to make a row he would have insisted on coming into your room." His eyes twinkled and his lips broke into a broad smile. "We should have looked a pair of damned fools."
"I wish you could have seen his face last night."
"I expect he was upset. It was naturally a shock. It's a damned humiliating position for any man. He always looks a fool. Walter doesn't give me the impression of a fellow who'd care to wash a lot of dirty linen12 in public."
"I don't think he would," she answered reflectively. "He's very sensitive, I've discovered that."
"That's all to the good as far as we're concerned. You know, it's a very good plan to put yourself in somebody else's shoes and ask yourself how you would act in his place. There's only one way in which a man can save his face when he's in that sort of position and that is to pretend he knows nothing. I bet you anything you like that that is exactly what he's going to do."
The more Townsend talked the more buoyant he became. His blue eyes sparkled and he was once more his gay and jovial13 self. He irradiated an encouraging confidence.
"Heaven knows, I don't want to say anything disagreeable about him, but when you come down to brass14 tacks15 a bacteriologist is no great shakes. The chances are that I shall be Colonial Secretary when Simmons goes home, and it's to Walter's interest to keep on the right side of me. He's got his bread and butter to think of, like the rest of us: do you think the Colonial Office are going to do much for a fellow who makes a scandal? Believe me, he's got everything to gain by holding his tongue and everything to lose by kicking up a row."
Kitty moved uneasily. She knew how shy Walter was and she could believe that the fear of a scene, and the dread16 of public attention, might have influence upon him; but she could not believe that he would be affected17 by the thought of a material advantage. Perhaps she didn't know him very well, but Charlie didn't know him at all.
"Has it occurred to you that he's madly in love with me?"
He did not answer, but he smiled at her with roguish eyes. She knew and loved that charming look of his.
"Well, what is it? I know you're going to say something awful."
"Well, you know, women are often under the impression that men are much more madly in love with them than they really are."
"I put it to you that you haven't been bothering much about your husband lately. Perhaps he isn't quite so much in love with you as he was."
"That's where you're wrong."
Ah, how good it was to hear him say that! She knew it and her belief in his passion warmed her heart. As he spoke21 he rose from the bed and came and sat down beside her on the sandalwood box. He put his arm round her waist.
"Don't worry your silly little head a moment longer," he said. "I promise you there's nothing to fear. I'm as certain as I am of anything that he's going to pretend he knows nothing. You know, this sort of thing is awfully22 difficult to prove. You say he's in love with you; perhaps he doesn't want to lose you altogether. I swear I'd accept anything rather than that if you were my wife."
She leaned towards him. Her body became limp and yielding against his arm. The love she felt for him was almost torture. His last words had struck her: perhaps Walter loved her so passionately23 that he was prepared to accept any humiliation24 if sometimes she would let him love her. She could understand that; for that was how she felt towards Charlie. A thrill of pride passed through her, and at the same time a faint sensation of contempt for a man who could love so slavishly.
She put her arm lovingly round Charlie's neck.
"You're simply wonderful. I was shaking like a leaf when I came here and you've made everything all right."
He took her face in his hand and kissed her lips.
"Darling."
"You're such a comfort to me," she sighed.
"I'm sure you need not be nervous. And you know I'll stand by you. I won't let you down."
She put away her fears, but for an instant unreasonably25 she regretted that her plans for the future were shattered. Now that all danger was past she almost wished that Walter were going to insist on a divorce.
"I knew I could count on you," she said.
"So I should hope."
"Oughtn't you to go and have your tiffin?"
"Oh, damn my tiffin."
He drew her more closely to him and now she was held tight in his arms. His mouth sought hers.
"Oh, Charlie, you must let me go."
"Never."
She gave a little laugh, a laugh of happy love and of triumph; his eyes were heavy with desire. He lifted her to her feet and not letting her go but holding her close to his breast he locked the door.
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收听单词发音
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1
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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2
connivance
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| n.纵容；默许 | |
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stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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acrid
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| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
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opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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6
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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7
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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8
scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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9
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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10
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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12
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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13
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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14
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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15
tacks
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| 大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法 | |
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16
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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17
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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18
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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19
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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20
delude
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| vt.欺骗；哄骗 | |
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21
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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22
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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23
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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24
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 | |
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