If the ill spirit have so fair a house,
Good things will strive to dwell with't.
--THE TEMPEST
One of the pleasantest rooms at Hollywell was Mrs. Edmonstone's dressing-room--large and bay-windowed, over the drawing-room, having little of the dressing-room but the name, and a toilet-table with a black and gold japanned glass, and curiously1 shaped boxes to match; her room opened into it on one side, and Charles's on the other; it was a sort of up-stairs parlour, where she taught Charlotte, cast up accounts, spoke2 to servants, and wrote notes, and where Charles was usually to be found, when unequal to coming down-stairs. It had an air of great snugness3, with its large folding-screen, covered with prints and caricatures of ancient date, its book-shelves, its tables, its peculiarly easy arm-chairs, the great invalid4 sofa, and the grate, which always lighted up better than any other in the house.
In the bright glow of the fire, with the shutters5 closed and curtains drawn6, lay Charles on his couch, one Monday evening, in a gorgeous dressing-gown of a Chinese pattern, all over pagodas7, while little Charlotte sat opposite to him, curled up on a footstool. He was not always very civil to Charlotte; she sometimes came into collision with him, for she, too, was a pet, and had a will of her own, and at other times she could bore him; but just now they had a common interest, and he was gracious.
'It is striking six, so they must soon be here. I wish mamma would let me go down; but I must wait till after dinner.'
'Then, Charlotte, as soon as you come in, hold up your hands, and exclaim, "What a guy!" There will be a compliment!'
'No, Charlie; I promised mamma and Laura that you should get me into no more scrapes.'
'Did you? The next promise you make had better depend upon yourself alone.'
'But Amy said I must be quiet, because poor Sir Guy will be too sorrowful to like a racket; and when Amy tells me to be quiet, I know that I must, indeed.'
'Most true,' said Charles, laughing.
'Do you think you shall like Sir Guy?'
'I shall be able to determine,' said Charles, sententiously, 'when I have seen whether he brushes his hair to the right or left.'
'Philip brushes his to the left.'
'Then undoubtedly8 Sir Guy will brush his to the right.'
'Is there not some horrid9 story about those Morvilles of Redclyffe?' asked Charlotte. 'I asked Laura, and she told me not to be curious, so I knew there was something in it; and then I asked Amy, and she said it would be no pleasure to me to know.'
'Ah! I would have you prepared.'
'Why, what is it? Oh! dear Charlie! are you really going to tell me?'
'I have read of them in the history of Scotland. They went on hating and killing11 each other for ever. There was one man who made his enemy's children eat out of a pig-trough, and another who cut off his head.'
'His own?'
'No, his enemy's, and put it on the table, at breakfast, with a piece of bread in its mouth.'
'Very well; whenever Sir Guy serves up Philip's head at breakfast, with a piece of bread in his mouth, let me know.'
Charlotte started up. 'Charles, what do you mean? Such things don't happen now.'
'Nevertheless, there is a deadly feud between the two branches of the house of Morville.'
'But it is very wrong,' said Charlotte, looking frightened.'
'Wrong? Of course it is.'
'Philip won't do anything wrong. But how will they ever get on?'
'Don't you see? It must be our serious endeavour to keep the peace, and prevent occasions of discord12.'
'Do you think anything will happen?'
'It is much to be apprehended,' said Charles, solemnly.
At that moment the sound of wheels was heard, and Charlotte flew off to her private post of observation, leaving her brother delighted at having mystified her. She returned on tip-toe. 'Papa and Sir Guy are come, but not Philip; I can't see him anywhere.'
'Ah you have not looked in Sir Guy's great-coat pocket.'
'I wish you would not plague me so! You are not in earnest?'
The pettish13 inquiring tone was exactly what delighted him. And he continued to tease her in the same style till Laura and Amabel came running in with their report of the stranger.
'He is come!' they cried, with one voice.
'Very gentlemanlike!' said Laura.
'Very pleasant looking,' said Amy. 'Such fine eyes!'
'And so much expression,' said Laura. 'Oh!'
The exclamation14, and the start which accompanied it, were caused by hearing her father's voice close to the door, which had been left partly open. 'Here is poor Charles,' it said, 'come in, and see him; get over the first introduction--eh, Guy?' And before he had finished, both he and the guest were in the room, and Charlotte full of mischievous15 glee at her sister's confusion.
'Well, Charlie, boy, how goes it?' was his father's greeting. 'Better, eh? Sorry not to find you down-stairs; but I have brought Guy to see you.' Then, as Charles sat up and shook hands with Sir Guy, he continued--'A fine chance for you, as I was telling him, to have a companion always at hand: a fine chance? eh, Charlie?'
'I am not so unreasonable16 as to expect any one to be always at hand,' said Charles, smiling, as he looked up at the frank, open face, and lustrous17 hazel eyes turned on him with compassion18 at the sight of his crippled, helpless figure, and with a bright, cordial promise of kindness.
As he spoke, a pattering sound approached, the door was pushed open, and while Sir Guy exclaimed, 'O, Bustle19! Bustle! I am very sorry,' there suddenly appeared a large beautiful spaniel, with a long silky black and white coat, jetty curled ears, tan spots above his intelligent eyes, and tan legs, fringed with silken waves of hair, but crouching20 and looking beseeching21 at meeting no welcome, while Sir Guy seemed much distressed22 at his intrusion.
'O you beauty!' cried Charles. 'Come here, you fine fellow.'
Bustle only looked wistfully at his master, and moved nothing but his feather of a tail.
'Not at all, not at all!' was the answer; 'mamma never objects to in-door pets, eh, Amy?'
'A tender subject, papa,' said Laura; 'poor Pepper!'
Amy, ashamed of her disposition25 to cry at the remembrance of the dear departed rough terrier, bent26 down to hide her glowing face, and held out her hand to the dog, which at last ventured to advance, still creeping with his body curved till his tail was foremost, looking imploringly28 at his master, as if to entreat29 his pardon.
'Are you sure you don't dislike it?' inquired Sir Guy, of Charles.
'I? O no. Here, you fine creature.'
'Come, then, behave like a rational dog, since you are come,' said Sir Guy; and Bustle, resuming the deportment of a spirited and well-bred spaniel, no longer crouched30 and curled himself into the shape of a comma, but bounded, wagged his tail, thrust his nose into his master's hand and then proceeded to reconnoitre the rest of the company, paying especial attention to Charles, putting his fore-paws on the sofa, and rearing himself up to contemplate31 him with a grave, polite curiosity, that was very diverting.
'Well, old fellow,' said Charles, 'did you ever see the like of such a dressing-gown? Are you satisfied? Give me your paw, and let us swear an eternal friendship.'
'I am quite glad to see a dog in the house again,' said Laura, and, after a few more compliments, Bustle and his master followed Mr. Edmonstone out of the room.
'One of my father's well-judged proceedings,' murmured Charles. 'That poor fellow had rather have gone a dozen, miles further than have been lugged32 in here. Really, if papa chooses to inflict33 such dressing-gowns on me, he should give me notice before he brings men and dogs to make me their laughing-stock!'
'An unlucky moment,' said Laura. 'Will my cheeks ever cool?'
'Perhaps he did not hear,' said Amabel, consolingly.
'You did not ask about Philip?' said Charlotte, with great earnestness.
'He is staying at Thorndale, and then going to St. Mildred's,' said Laura.
'I hope you are relieved,' said her brother; and she looked in doubt whether she ought to laugh.
'And what do you think of Sir Guy?'
'Ah!' said Laura, 'many men are neither worthy of their wives, nor of their dogs.'
'Dr. Henley, I suppose, is the foundation of that aphorism,' said Charles.
'If Margaret Morville could marry him, she could hardly be too worthy,' said Laura. 'Think of throwing away Philip's whole soul!'
'O Laura, she could not lose that,' said Amabel.
Laura looked as if she knew more; but at that moment, both her father and mother entered, the former rubbing his hands, as he always did when much pleased, and sending his voice before him, as he exclaimed, 'Well, Charlie, well, young ladies, is not he a fine fellow--eh?'
'Rather under-sized,' said Charles.
'Eh? He'll grow. He is not eighteen, you know; plenty of time; a very good height; you can't expect every one to be as tall as Philip; but he's a capital fellow. And how have you been?--any pain?'
'Ah, that's a pity; I was sorry not to find you in the drawing-room, but I thought you would have liked just to see him,' said Mr. Edmonstone, disappointed, and apologizing.
'I had rather have had some notice of your intention,' said Charles, 'I would have made myself fit to be seen.'
'I am sorry. I thought you would have liked his coming,' said poor Mr. Edmonstone, only half conscious of his offence; 'but I see you are not well this evening.'
Worse and worse, for it was equivalent to openly telling Charles he was out of humour; and seeing, as he did, his mother's motive36, he was still further annoyed when she hastily interposed a question about Sir Guy.
'You should only hear them talk about him at Redclyffe,' said Mr Edmonstone. 'No one was ever equal to him, according to them. Every one said the same--clergyman, old Markham, all of them. Such attention to his grandfather, such proper feeling, so good-natured, not a bit of pride--it is my firm belief that he will make up for all his family before him.'
'How does he get on with Philip?' inquired Laura.
'Excellently. Just what could be wished. Philip is delighted with him; and I have been telling Guy all the way home what a capital friend he will be, and he is quite inclined to look up to him.' Charles made an exaggerated gesture of astonishment39, unseen by his father. 'I told him to bring his dog. He would have left it, but they seemed so fond of each other, I thought it was a pity to part them, and that I could promise it should be welcome here; eh, mamma?'
'Certainly. I am very glad you brought it.'
'We are to have his horse and man in a little while. A beautiful chestnut--anything to raise his spirits. He is terribly cut up about his grandfather.
It was now time to go down to dinner; and after Charles had made faces of weariness and disgust at all the viands40 proposed to him by his mother, almost imploring27 him to like them, and had at last ungraciously given her leave to send what he could not quite say he disliked, he was left to carry on his teasing of Charlotte, and his grumbling41 over the dinner, for about the space of an hour, when Amabel came back to him, and Charlotte went down.
'Hum!' he exclaimed. 'Another swan of my father's.'
'Did not you like his looks?'
'I saw only an angular hobbetyhoy.'
'But every one at Redclyffe speaks so well of him.'
'As if the same things were not said of every heir to more acres than brains! However, I could have swallowed everything but the disposition to adore Philip. Either it was gammon on his part, or else the work of my father's imagination.'
'For shame, Charlie.'
'Is it within the bounds of probability that he should be willing, at the bidding of his guardian42, to adopt as Mentor43 his very correct and sententious cousin, a poor subaltern, and the next in the entail44? Depend upon it, it is a fiction created either by papa's hopes or Philip's self-complacency, or else the unfortunate youth must have been brought very low by strait-lacing and milk-and-water.'
'Mr. Thorndale is willing to look up to Philip,'
'I don't think the Thorndale swan very--very much better than a tame goose,' said Charles, 'but the coalition45 is not so monstrous46 in his case, since Philip was a friend of his own picking and choosing, and so his father's adoption47 did not succeed in repelling48 him. But that Morville should receive this "young man's companion," on the word of a guardian whom he never set eyes on before, is too incredible--utterly mythical49 I assure you, Amy. And how did you get on at dinner?'
'Oh, the dog is the most delightful50 creature I ever saw, so sensible and well-mannered.'
'It was of the man that I asked.'
'He said hardly anything, and sometimes started if papa spoke to him suddenly. He winced51 as if he could not bear to be called Sir Guy, so papa said we should call him only by his name, if he would do the same by us. I am glad of it, for it seems more friendly, and I am sure he wants to be comforted.'
'Don't waste your compassion, my dear; few men need it less. With his property, those moors52 to shoot over, his own master, and with health to enjoy it, there are plenty who would change with him for all your pity, my silly little Amy.'
'Well, if you watched his face, I think you would be sorry for him.'
'I am tired of the sound of his name. One fifth of November is enough in the year. Here, find something to read to me among that trumpery56.'
Amy read till she was summoned to tea, when she found a conversation going on about Philip, on whose history Sir Guy did not seem fully23 informed. Philip was the son of Archdeacon Morville, Mrs. Edmonstone's brother, an admirable and superior man, who had been dead about five years. He left three children, Margaret and Fanny, twenty-five and twenty-three years of age, and Philip, just seventeen. The boy was at the head of his school, highly distinguished57 for application and good conduct; he had attained58 every honour there open to him, won golden opinions from all concerned with him, and made proof of talents which could not have failed to raise him to the highest university distinctions. He was absent from home at the time of his father's death, which took place after so short an illness, that there had been no time to summon him back to Stylehurst. Very little property was left to be divided among the three; and as soon as Philip perceived how small was the provision for his sisters, he gave up his hopes of university honours, and obtained a commission in the army.
On hearing this, Sir Guy started forward: 'Noble!' he cried, 'and yet what a pity! If my grandfather had but known it--'
'Ah! I was convinced of that,' broke in Mr. Edmonstone, 'and so, I am sure, was Philip himself; but in fact he knew we should never have given our consent, so he acted quite by himself, wrote to Lord Thorndale, and never said a word, even to his sisters, till the thing was done. I never was more surprised in my life.'
'One would almost envy him the opportunity of making such a sacrifice,' said Sir Guy, yet one must lament59 it.
'It was done in a hasty spirit of independence,' said Mrs. Edmonstone; 'I believe if he had got a fellowship at Oxford60, it would have answered much better.'
'And now that poor Fanny is dead, and Margaret married, there is all his expensive education thrown away, and all for nothing,' said Mr. Edmonstone.
'Ah,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, 'he planned for them to go on living at Stylehurst, so that it would still have been his home. It is a great pity, for his talent is thrown away, and he is not fond of his profession.'
'You must not suppose, though, that he is not a practical man,' said Mr. Edmonstone; 'I had rather take his opinion than any one's, especially about a horse, and there is no end to what I hear about his good sense, and the use he is of to the other young men.'
'You should tell about Mr. Thorndale, papa,' said Laura.
'Ah that is a feather in master Philip's cap; besides, he is your neighbour--at least, his father is.'
'I suppose you know Lord Thorndale?' said Mrs. Edmonstone, in explanation.
'I have seen him once at the Quarter Sessions,' said Sir Guy; 'but he lives on the other side of Moorworth, and there was no visiting.'
'Well, this youth, James Thorndale, the second son, was Philip's fag.'
'Philip says he was always licking him!' interposed Charlotte.'
'He kept him out of some scrape or other, continued Mr. Edmonstone. 'Lord Thorndale was very much obliged to him, had him to stay at his house, took pretty much to him altogether. It was through him that Philip applied61 for his commission, and he has put his son into the same regiment62, on purpose to have him under Philip's eye. There he is at Broadstone, as gentlemanlike a youth as I would wish to see. We will have him to dinner some day, and Maurice too--eh, mamma? Maurice--he is a young Irish cousin of my own, a capital fellow at the bottom, but a regular thoroughgoing rattle63. That was my doing. I told his father that he could not do better than put him into the --th. Nothing like a steady friend and a good example, I said, and Kilcoran always takes my advice, and I don't think he has been sorry. Maurice has kept much more out of scrapes of late.'
'O papa,' exclaimed Charlotte, 'Maurice has been out riding on a hired horse, racing64 with Mr. Gordon, and the horse tumbled down at the bottom of East-hill, and broke its knees.'
'That's the way,' said Mr. Edmonstone, 'the instant my back is turned.'
Thereupon the family fell into a discussion of home affairs, and thought little more of their silent guest.
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收听单词发音
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1
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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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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snugness
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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pagodas
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| 塔，宝塔( pagoda的名词复数 ) | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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discord
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| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 | |
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pettish
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| adj.易怒的，使性子的 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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beseeching
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| adj.恳求似的v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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imploringly
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| adv. 恳求地, 哀求地 | |
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entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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lugged
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| vt.用力拖拉（lug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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43
mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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entail
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| vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要 | |
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coalition
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| n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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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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mythical
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| adj.神话的；虚构的；想像的 | |
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50
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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51
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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53
ancestry
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| n.祖先，家世 | |
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54
plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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55
covet
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| vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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56
trumpery
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| n.无价值的杂物；adj.（物品）中看不中用的 | |
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57
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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58
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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59
lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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60
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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61
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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62
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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63
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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64
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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