Betty and her father had not yet gone to housekeeping by themselves (which made them very happy later on), but they were living in some familiar old Clarges Street lodgings8 convenient to the Green Park, where Betty could go for a consoling scamper9 with a new dog called "Toby" because he looked so exactly like the beloved Toby on the cover of "Punch." Betty had spent a whole morning's work upon a proper belled ruff for Toby, who gravely sat up and wore it as if he were conscious of literary responsibilities.
Papa had gone to the British Museum that rainy morning, and was not likely to reappear before the close of day. For a wonder, he was going to dine at home that night. Something very interesting to the scientific world had happened to him during his summer visit to Alaska, and it seemed as if every one of his scientific friends had also made some discovery, or something had happened to each one, which made many talks and dinners and club meetings delightfully11 important. But most of the London people were in the country; for in England they stay in the hot town until July or August, while all Americans scatter13 among green fields or seashore places; and then spend the gloomy months of the year in their country houses, when we fly back to the shelter and music and pictures and companionship of town life. This all depends upon the meeting of parliament and other great reasons; but even Betty Leicester felt quite left out and lonely in town that dark day. Her best friends, the Duncans, were at their great house in Warwickshire. She was going to stay with them for a month, but not just yet; while her father was soon going to pay a short visit to a very great lady indeed at Danesly Castle, just this side the Border.
This "very great lady indeed" was perfectly14 charming to our friend; a smile or a bow from her was just then more than anything else to Betty. We all know how perfectly delightful10 it is to love some one so much that we keep dreaming of her a little all the time, and what happiness it gives when the least thing one has to do with her is a perfectly golden joy. Betty loved Mrs. Duncan fondly and constantly, and she loved Aunt Barbara with a spark of true enchantment15 and eager desire to please; but for this new friend, for Lady Mary Danesly (who was Mrs. Duncan's cousin), there was something quite different in her heart. As she stood by the window in Clarges Street she was thinking of this lovely friend, and wishing for once that she herself was older, so that perhaps she might have been asked to come with papa for a week's visit at Christmas. But Lady Mary would be busy enough with her great house-party of distinguished16 people. Once she had been so delightful as to say that Betty must some day come to Danesly with her father, but of course this could not be the time. Miss Day, Betty's old governess, who now lived with her mother in one of the suburbs of London, was always ready to come to spend a week or two if Betty were to be left alone, and it was pleasanter every year to try to make Miss Day have a good time as well as to have one one's self; but, somehow, a feeling of having outgrown17 Miss Day was hard to bear. They had not much to talk about except the past, and what they used to do; and when friendship comes to this alone, it may be dear, but is never the best sort.
The fog was blowing out of the street, and the window against which Betty leaned was suddenly flecked with raindrops. A telegraph boy came round the corner as if the gust12 of wind had brought him, and ran toward the steps; presently the maid brought in a telegram to Betty, who hastened to open it, as she was always commissioned to do in her father's absence. To her surprise it was meant for herself. She looked at the envelope to make sure. It was from Lady Mary.
Can you come to me with your father next week, dear? I wish for you very much.
"There's no answer—at least there's no answer now," said Betty, quite trembling with excitement and pleasure; "I must see papa first, but I can't think that he will say no. He meant to come home for Christmas day with me, and now we can both stay on." She hopped18 about, dancing and skipping, after the door was shut. What a thing it is to have one's wishes come true before one's eyes! And then she asked to have a hansom cab called and for the company of Pagot, who was her maid now; a very nice woman whom Mrs. Duncan had recommended, in as much as Betty was older and had thoughts of going to housekeeping. Pagot's sister also was engaged as housemaid, and, strange as it may appear, our Tideshead Betty was to become the mistress of a cook and butler. Pagot herself looked sedate19 and responsible, but she dearly liked a little change and was finding the day dull. So they started off together toward the British Museum in all the rain, with the shutter20 of the cab put down and the horse trotting21 along the shining streets as if he liked it.
点击收听单词发音
1 yoke | |
n.轭;支配;v.给...上轭,连接,使成配偶 | |
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2 embroidery | |
n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品 | |
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3 ornament | |
v.装饰,美化;n.装饰,装饰物 | |
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4 snug | |
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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5 moors | |
v.停泊,系泊(船只)( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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6 tune | |
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
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7 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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8 lodgings | |
n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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9 scamper | |
v.奔跑,快跑 | |
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10 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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11 delightfully | |
大喜,欣然 | |
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12 gust | |
n.阵风,突然一阵(雨、烟等),(感情的)迸发 | |
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13 scatter | |
vt.撒,驱散,散开;散布/播;vi.分散,消散 | |
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14 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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15 enchantment | |
n.迷惑,妖术,魅力 | |
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16 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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17 outgrown | |
长[发展] 得超过(某物)的范围( outgrow的过去分词 ); 长[发展]得不能再要(某物); 长得比…快; 生长速度超过 | |
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18 hopped | |
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花 | |
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19 sedate | |
adj.沉着的,镇静的,安静的 | |
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20 shutter | |
n.百叶窗;(照相机)快门;关闭装置 | |
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21 trotting | |
小跑,急走( trot的现在分词 ); 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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