And she herself was a fool; she was a ninny. And the alleged9 power of money was an immense fraud. She had thought to perform miracles by means of a banking10 account. For a moment she had imagined that the miracles had come to pass. But they had not come to pass. The public was too old, too tired, and too wary11. It could not thus be tricked into making a reputation. The forces that made reputations were far less amenable12 than she had fancied. The world was too clever and too experienced for her ingenuous13 self. Geniuses were not lying about and waiting to be picked up. Musa was not a genius. She had been a simpleton, and the sacred Quarter had been a simpleton. She was rather angry with Musa for not being a genius. And the confidence which he had displayed a few hours earlier was just grotesque14 conceit15! And men and women who were supposed to be friendly human hearts were not so in truth. They were merely indifferent and callous16 spectators. The Foas, for example, were chattering17 in their box, apparently18 oblivious19 of the tragedy that was enacting20 under their eyes. But then, it was perhaps not a tragedy; it was perhaps a farce21.
And what would these self-absorbed spectators of existence say and do, if and when it was known that she was no longer a young woman of enormous wealth? Would Dauphin have sought to compel her to enter his studio had he been aware that her fortune had gone tip in smoke? She was not in a real world. She was in a world of shams23. And she was a sham22 in the world of shams. She wanted to be back again in the honest realities of Moze, where in the churchyard she could see the tombs of her great-great-grandfathers. Only one extraneous24 interest drew her thoughts away from Moze. That interest was Mr. Gilman. Mr. Gilman was her conquest and her slave. She adored him because he was so wistful and so reliable and so adoring. Mr. Gilman sat intent and straight upright in Madame Piriac’s box and behaved just as though Bach himself was present. He understood nothing of Bach, but he could be trusted to behave with benevolence25.
The music suddenly ceased. The Chaconne was finished. The gallery of enthusiasts26 still applauded with vociferation, with mystic faith, with sublime27 obstinacy28. It was carrying on a sort of religious war against the base apathy29 of the rest of the audience. It was determined30 to force its belief down the throats of the unintelligent mob. It had made up its mind that until it had had its way the world should stand still. No encore had yet been obtained, and the gallery was set on an encore. The clapping fainted, expired, and then broke into new life, only to expire again and recommence. A few irritated persons hissed31. The gallery responded with vigour32. Musa, having retired33, reappeared, very white, and bowed. The applause was feverish34 and unconvincing. Musa vanished. But the gallery had thick soles and hard hands and stout35 sticks, even serviceable umbrellas. It could not be appeased36 by bows alone. And after about three minutes of tedious manoeuvring, Musa had at last to yield an encore that in fact nobody wanted. He played a foolish pyrotechnical affair of De Bériot, which resembled nothing so much as a joke at a funeral. After that the fate of the concert could not be disputed even by the gallery. At the finish of the evening there was, in the terrible idiom of the theatre, “not a hand.”
Whether Musa had played well or ill, Audrey had not the least idea. Nor did that point seem to matter. Naught37 but the attitude of the public seemed to matter. This was strange, because for a year Audrey had been learning steadily38 in the Quarter that the attitude of the public had no importance whatever. She suffered from the delusion39 that the public was staring at her and saying to her: “You, you silly little thing, are responsible for this fiasco. We condescended40 to come—and this is what you have offered us. Go home, and let your hair down and shorten your skirts, for you are no better than a schoolgirl, after all.” She was really self-conscious. She despised Musa, or rather she threw to him a little condescending41 pity. And yet at the same time she was furious against that group in the foyer for being so easily dissuaded42 from going to see Musa in the artists’ room.... Rats deserting a sinking ship!... People, even the nicest, would drop a failure like a match that was burning out.... Yes, and they would drop her.... No, they would not, because of Mr. Gilman. Mr. Gilman was calling-to see her to-morrow. He was the rock and the cushion. She would send Miss Ingate out for the afternoon. As the audience hurried eagerly forth43 she spoke44 sharply to Miss Ingate. She was indeed very rude to Miss Ingate. She was exasperated45, and Miss Ingate happened to be handy.
In the foyer not a trace of the Foa clan46 nor of Madame Piriac and her husband, nor of Mr. Gilman! But Tommy and Nick were there, putting on their cloaks, and with them, but not helping47 them, was Mr. Ziegler. The blond Mr. Ziegler greeted Audrey as though the occasion of their previous meeting had been a triumph for him. His self-satisfaction, if ever it had been damaged, was repaired to perfection. The girls were silent; Miss Ingate was silent; but Mr. Ziegler was not silent.
“He played better than I did anticipate,” said Mr. Ziegler, lighting48 a cigarette, after he had nonchalantly acknowledged the presentation to him of Miss Ingate. “But of what use is this French public? None. Even had he succeeded here it would have meant nothing. Nothing. In music Paris does not exist. There are six towns in Germany where success means vorldt-reputation. Not that he would succeed in Germany. He has not studied in Germany. And outside Germany there are no schools. However, we have the intention to impose our culture upon all European nations, including France. In one year our army will be here—in Paris. I should wait for that, but probably I shall be called up. In any case, I shall be present.”
“But whatever do you mean?” cried Miss Ingate, aghast.
“What do I mean? I mean our army will be here. All know it in Germany. They know it in Paris! But what can they do? How can they stop us?... Decadent49!...” He laughed easily.
“Oh, my chocolates!” exclaimed Miss Thompkins. “I’ve left them in the hall!”
“No, here they are,” said Nick, handing the box.
To Audrey it seemed to be the identical box that Mr. Gilman had been carrying. But of course it might not be. Thousands of chocolate boxes resemble each other exactly.
Carefully ignoring Mr. Ziegler, Audrey remarked to Tommy with a light-heartedness which she did not feel:
“Well, what did you think of Jane this afternoon?”
“Jane?”
“Jane Foley. Nick was taking you to see her, wasn’t she?”
“Oh, yes!” said Tommy with a bright smile. “But I didn’t go. I went for a motor drive with Mr. Gilman.”
There was a short pause. At length Tommy said:
“So he’s got the goods on you at last!”
“Who?” Audrey sharply questioned.
“Dauphin. I knew he would. Remember my words. That portrait will cost you forty thousand francs, not counting the frame.”
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收听单词发音
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1
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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Vogue
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| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
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8
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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banking
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| n.银行业，银行学，金融业 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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amenable
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| adj.经得起检验的；顺从的；对负有义务的 | |
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ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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callous
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| adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的 | |
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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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enacting
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的现在分词 ) | |
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farce
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| n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹 | |
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sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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shams
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| 假象( sham的名词复数 )； 假货； 虚假的行为（或感情、言语等）； 假装…的人 | |
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extraneous
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| adj.体外的；外来的；外部的 | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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enthusiasts
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| n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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41
condescending
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| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
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42
dissuaded
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| 劝（某人）勿做某事，劝阻( dissuade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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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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45
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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46
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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48
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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49
decadent
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| adj.颓废的，衰落的，堕落的 | |
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