Lady Queenie obviously had what is called "race". The renown4 of her family went back far, far beyond its special Victorian vogue5, which had transformed an earldom into a marquisate and which, incidentally, was responsible for the new family Christian6 name that Queenie herself bore. She was young, tall, slim and pale, and dressed with the utmost smartness in black—her half-brother having gloriously lost his life in September. She nodded to the secretary, who blushed with pleasure, and she nodded to several members, including G.J. Being accustomed to publicity7 and to seeing herself nearly every week in either The Tatler or The Sketch8, she was perfectly9 at ease in the room, and the fact that nearly the whole company turned to her as plants to the sun did not in the least disturb her.
The attention which she received was her due, for she had few rivals as a war-worker. She was connected with the Queen's Work for Women Fund, Queen Mary's Needlework Guild10, the Three Arts Fund, the Women's Emergency Corps11, and many minor12 organisations. She had joined a Women's Suffrage13 Society because such societies were being utilised by the Government. She had had ten lessons in First Aid in ten days, had donned the Red Cross, and gone to France with two motor-cars and a staff and a French maid in order to help in the great national work of nursing wounded heroes; and she might still have been in France had not an unsympathetic and audacious colonel of the R.A.M.C. insisted on her being shipped back to England. She had done practically everything that a patriotic14 girl could do for the war, except, perhaps, join a Voluntary Aid Detachment and wash dishes and scrub floors for fifteen hours a day and thirteen and a half days a fortnight. It was from her mother that she had inherited the passion for public service. The Marchioness of Lechford had been the cause of more philanthropic work in others than any woman in the whole history of philanthropy. Lady Lechford had said, "Let there be Lechford Hospitals in France," and lo! there were Lechford Hospitals in France. When troublesome complications arose Lady Lechford had, with true self-effacement, surrendered the establishments to a thoroughly15 competent committee, and while retaining a seat on the committee for herself and another for Queenie, had curved tirelessly away to the inauguration16 of fresh and more exciting schemes.
"Mamma was very sorry she couldn't come this afternoon," said Lady Queenie, addressing the chairman.
The formula of those with authority in deciding now became:
"I don't know exactly what Lady Lechford's view is, but I venture to think—"
Then suddenly the demeanour of every member of the committee was quickened, everybody listened intently to everything that was said; a couple of members would speak together; pattern-designing and the manufacture of paper ships, chains, and flowers ceased; it was as though a tonic17 had been mysteriously administered to each individual in the enervating18 room. The cause of the change was a recommendation from the hospitals management sub-committee that it be an instruction to the new matron of the smaller hospital to forbid any nurse and any doctor to go out alone together in the evening. Scandal was insinuated19; nothing really wrong, but a bad impression produced upon the civilians20 of the tiny town, who could not be expected to understand the holy innocence21 which underlies22 the superficial license23 of Anglo-Saxon manners. The personal characters and strange idiosyncrasies of every doctor and every nurse were discussed; broad principles of conduct were enunciated24, together with the advantages and disadvantages of those opposite poles, discipline and freedom. The argument continually expanded, branching forth25 like the timber of a great oak-tree from the trunk, and the minds of the committee ran about the tree like monkeys. The interest was endless. A [88] quiet delegate who had just returned from a visit to the tiny town completely blasted one part of the argument by asserting that the hospital bore a blameless reputation among the citizens; but new arguments were instantly constructed by the adherents26 of the idea of discipline. The committee had plainly split into two even parties. G.J. began to resent the harshness of the disciplinarians.
"I think we should remember," he said in his modest voice, "I think we should remember that we are dealing27 with adult men and women."
The libertarians at once took him for their own. The disciplinarians gave him to understand with their eyes that it might have been better if he, as a new member attending his first meeting, had kept silence. The discussion was inflamed28. One or two people glanced surreptitiously at their watches. The hour had long passed six thirty. G.J. grew anxious about his rendezvous29 with Christine. He had enjoined30 exactitude upon Christine. But the main body of the excited and happy committee had no thought of the flight of time. The amusements of the tiny town came up for review. As a fact, there was only one amusement, the cinema. The whole town went to the cinema. Cinemas were always darkened; human nature was human nature.... G.J. had an extraordinarily31 realistic vision of the hospital staff slaving through its long and heavy day and its everlasting32 week and preparing in sections to amuse itself on certain evenings, and thinking with pleasant anticipation33 of the ecstasies34 of the cinema, and pathetically unsuspicious that its fate was being decided35 by a council of omnipotent36 deities37 in the heaven of a London hotel.
"Mamma has never mentioned the subject to me," said Lady Queenie in response to a question, looking at her rich muff.
"This is a question of principle," said somebody sharply, implying that at last individual consciences were involved and that the opinions of the Marchioness of Lechford had ceased to weigh.
"I'm afraid it's getting late," said the impassive chairman. "We must come to some decision."
In the voting Lady Queenie, after hesitation38, raised her hand with the disciplinarians. By one vote the libertarians were defeated, and the dalliance of the hospital staff in leisure hours received a severe check.
"She would—of course!" breathed a sharp-nosed little woman in the chair next but one to G.J., gazing inimically at the lax mouth and cynical39 eyes of Lady Queenie, who for four years had been the subject of universal whispering, and some shouting, and one or two ferocious40 battles in London.
Chair-legs scraped. People rose here and there to go as they rise in a music hall after the Scottish comedian41 has retired42, bowing, from his final encore. They protested urgent appointments elsewhere. The chairman remarked that other important decisions yet remained to be taken; but his voice had no insistence43 because he had already settled the decisions in his own mind. G.J. seized the occasion to depart.
"Mr. Hoape," the chairman detained him a moment. "The committee hope you will allow yourself to be nominated to the accounts sub-committee. We understand that you are by way of being an expert. The sub-committee meets on Wednesday mornings at eleven—doesn't it, Sir Charles?"
"Half-past," said Sir Charles.
"Oh! Half-past."
G.J., somewhat surprised to learn of his expertise44 in accountancy, consented to the suggestion, which renewed his resolution, impaired45 somewhat by the experience of the meeting, to be of service in the world.
"You will receive the notice, of course," said the chairman.
Down below, just as G.J. was getting away with Christine's chrysanthemums46 in their tissue paper, Lady Queenie darted47 out of the lift opposite. It was she who, at Concepcion's instigation, had had him put in the committee.
"I say, Queen," he said with a casual air—on account of the flowers, "who's been telling 'em I know about accounts?"
"I did."
"Why?"
"Why?" she said maliciously48. "Don't you keep an account of every penny you spend?" (It was true.)
Here was a fair example of her sardonic49 and unscrupulous humour—a humour not of words but of acts. G.J. simply tossed his head, aware of the futility50 of expostulation.
She went on in a different tone:
"You were the first to see Connie?"
"Yes," he said sadly.
"She has lain in my arms all afternoon," Lady [91] Queenie burst out, her voice liquid. "And now I'm going straight back to her." She looked at him with the strangest triumphant51 expression. Then her large, equivocal blue eyes fell from his face to the flowers, and their expression simultaneously52 altered to disdainful amusement full of mischievous53 implications. She ran off without another word. The glazed54 entrance doors revolved55, and he saw her nip into an electric brougham, which, before he had time to button his overcoat, vanished like an apparition56 in the rainy mist.
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1
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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Vogue
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| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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7
publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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8
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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9
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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guild
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| n.行会，同业公会，协会 | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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suffrage
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| n.投票，选举权，参政权 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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inauguration
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| n.开幕、就职典礼 | |
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tonic
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| n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的 | |
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enervating
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| v.使衰弱，使失去活力( enervate的现在分词 ) | |
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insinuated
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| v.暗示( insinuate的过去式和过去分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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civilians
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| 平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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underlies
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| v.位于或存在于（某物）之下( underlie的第三人称单数 )；构成…的基础（或起因），引起 | |
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license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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enunciated
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| v.（清晰地）发音( enunciate的过去式和过去分词 )；确切地说明 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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adherents
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| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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28
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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33
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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34
ecstasies
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| 狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 )； 出神； 入迷； 迷幻药 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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omnipotent
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| adj.全能的，万能的 | |
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deities
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| n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明 | |
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38
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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39
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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40
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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comedian
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| n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员 | |
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42
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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insistence
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| n.坚持；强调；坚决主张 | |
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expertise
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| n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长 | |
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45
impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
chrysanthemums
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| n.菊花( chrysanthemum的名词复数 ) | |
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47
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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48
maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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49
sardonic
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| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
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50
futility
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| n.无用 | |
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51
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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52
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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53
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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54
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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55
revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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