"Taxi, milady?" said the butler.
She seemed to reflect. "No, I will walk." She hesitated over a glove button. "Mr. Brumley, is there a Tube station near here?"
"Not two minutes. But can't I perhaps take you in a taxi?"
"I'd rather walk."
"I will show you——"
He found himself most agreeably walking off with her.
Still more agreeable things were to follow for Mr. Brumley.
She appeared to meditate8 upon a sudden idea. She disregarded some conversational9 opening of his that he forgot in the instant. "Mr. Brumley," she said, "I didn't intend to go directly home."
"I'm altogether at your service," said Mr. Brumley.
"At least," said Lady Harman with that careful truthfulness10 of hers, "it occurred to me during lunch that I wouldn't go directly home."
"I want," said Lady Harman, "to go to Kensington Gardens, I think. This can't be far from Kensington Gardens—and I want to sit there on a green chair and—meditate—and afterwards I want to find a tube railway or something that will take me back to Putney. There is really no need for me to go directly home.... It's very stupid of me but I don't know my way about London as a rational creature should do. So will you take me and put me in a green chair and—tell me how afterwards I can find the Tube and get home? Do you mind?"
"All my time, so long as you want it, is at your service," said Mr. Brumley with convincing earnestness. "And it's not five minutes to the gardens. And afterwards a taxi-cab——"
"No," said Lady Harman mindful of her one-and-eightpence, "I prefer a tube. But that we can talk about later. You're sure, Mr. Brumley, I'm not invading your time?"
"I wish you could see into my mind," said Mr. Brumley.
She became almost barefaced12. "It is so true," she said, "that at lunch one can't really talk to anyone. And I've so wanted to talk to you. Ever since we met before."
Mr. Brumley conveyed an unfeigned delight.
"Since then," said Lady Harman, "I've read your Euphemia books." Then after a little unskilful pause, "again." Then she blushed and added, "I had read one of them, you know, before."
"Exactly," he said with an infinite helpfulness.
"And you seem so sympathetic, so understanding. I feel that all sorts of things that are muddled13 in my mind would come clear if I could have a really Good Talk. To you...."
They were now through the gates approaching the Albert Memorial. Mr. Brumley was filled with an idea so desirable that it made him fear to suggest it.
"Of course we can talk very comfortably here," he said, "under these great trees. But I do so wish——Have you seen those great borders at Hampton Court? The whole place is glowing, and in such sunshine as this——A taxi—will take us there under the hour. If you are free until half-past five."
Why shouldn't she?
The proposal seemed so outrageous14 to all the world of Lady Harman that in her present mood she felt it was her duty in the cause of womanhood to nerve herself and accept it....
"I mustn't be later than half-past five."
"We could snatch a glimpse of it all and be back before then."
"In that case——It would be very agreeable."
(Why shouldn't she? It would no doubt make Sir Isaac furiously angry—if he heard of it. But it was the sort of thing other women of her class did; didn't all the novels testify? She had a perfect right——
4
It had been Lady Harman's clear intention to have a luminous16 and illuminating17 discussion of the peculiar18 difficulties and perplexities of her position with Mr. Brumley. Since their first encounter this idea had grown up in her mind. She was one of those women who turn instinctively19 to men and away from women for counsel. There was to her perception something wise and kindly20 and reassuring21 in him; she felt that he had lived and suffered and understood and that he was ready to help other people to live; his heart she knew from his published works was buried with his dead Euphemia, and he seemed as near a thing to a brother and a friend as she was ever likely to meet. She wanted to tell him all this and then to broach22 her teeming23 and tangled25 difficulties, about her own permissible26 freedoms, about her social responsibilities, about Sir Isaac's business. But now as their taxi dodged27 through the traffic of Kensington High Street and went on its way past Olympia and so out westwards, she found it extremely difficult to fix her mind upon the large propositions with which it had been her intention to open. Do as she would to feel that this was a momentous28 occasion, she could not suppress, she could not ignore an obstinate29 and entirely undignified persuasion30 that she was having a tremendous lark31. The passing vehicles, various motors, omnibuses, vans, carriages, the thronging32 pedestrians33, the shops and houses, were all so distractingly interesting that at last she had to put it fairly to herself whether she hadn't better resign herself to the sensations of the present and reserve that sustained discussion for an interval34 she foresaw as inevitable35 on some comfortable seat under great trees at Hampton Court. You cannot talk well and penetratingly about fundamental things when you are in a not too well-hung taxi which is racing36 to get ahead of a vast red motor-omnibus....
With a certain discretion37 Mr. Brumley had instructed the chauffeur38 to cross the river not at Putney but at Hammersmith, and so they went by Barnes station and up a still almost rural lane into Richmond Park, and there suddenly they were among big trees and bracken and red deer and it might have been a hundred miles from London streets. Mr. Brumley directed the driver to make a detour39 that gave them quite all the best of the park.
The mind of Mr. Brumley was also agreeably excited and dispersed40 on this occasion. It was an occasion of which he had been dreaming very frequently of late, he had invented quite remarkable41 dialogues during those dreams, and now he too was conversationally42 inadequate43 and with a similar feeling of unexpected adventure. He was now no more ready to go to the roots of things than Lady Harman. He talked on the way down chiefly of the route they were following, of the changes in the London traffic due to motor traction44 and of the charm and amenity45 of Richmond Park. And it was only after they had arrived at Hampton Court and dismissed the taxi and spent some time upon the borders, that they came at last to a seat under a grove46 beside a long piece of water bearing water lilies, and sat down and made a beginning with the Good Talk. Then indeed she tried to gather together the heads of her perplexity and Mr. Brumley did his best to do justice to confidence she reposed47 in him....
It wasn't at all the conversation he had dreamt of; it was halting, it was inconclusive, it was full of a vague dissatisfaction.
The roots of this dissatisfaction lay perhaps more than anything else in her inattention to him—how shall I say it?—as Him. Hints have been conveyed to the reader already that for Mr. Brumley the universe was largely a setting, a tangle24, a maze48, a quest enshrining at the heart of it and adumbrating49 everywhere, a mystical Her, and his experience of this world had pointed50 him very definitely to the conclusion that for that large other half of mankind which is woman, the quality of things was reciprocal and centred, for all the appearances and pretences51 of other interests, in—Him. And he was disposed to believe that the other things in life, not merely the pomp and glories but the faiths and ambitions and devotions, were all demonstrably little more than posings and dressings52 of this great duality. A large part of his own interests and of the interests of the women he knew best, was the sustained and in some cases recurrent discovery and elaboration of lights and glimpses of Him or Her as the case might be, in various definite individuals; and it was a surprise to him, it perplexed53 him to find that this lovely person, so beautifully equipped for those mutual54 researches which constituted, he felt, the heart of life, was yet completely in her manner unaware55 of this primary sincerity56 and looking quite simply, as it were, over him and through him at such things as the ethics57 of the baking, confectionery and refreshment58 trade and the limits of individual responsibility in these matters. The conclusion that she was "unawakened" was inevitable.
The dream of "awakening59" this Sleeping Beauty associated itself in a logical sequence with his interpretations60. I do not say that such thoughts were clear in Mr. Brumley's mind, they were not, but into this shape the forms of his thoughts fell. Such things dimly felt below the clear level of consciousness were in him. And they gave his attempt to take up and answer the question that perplexed her, something of the quality of an attempt to clothe and serve hidden purposes. It could not but be evident to him that the effort of Lady Harman to free herself a little from her husband's circumvallation and to disentangle herself a little from the realities of his commercial life, might lead to such a liberation as would leave her like a nascent61 element ready to recombine. And it was entirely in the vein62 of this drift of thought in him that he should resolve upon an assiduous proximity63 against that moment of release and awakening....
I do not do Mr. Brumley as the human lover justice if I lead you to suppose that he plotted thus clearly and calculatingly. Yet all this was in his mind. All this was in Mr. Brumley, but it wasn't Mr. Brumley. Presented with it as a portrait of his mind, he would have denied it indignantly—and, knowing it was there, have grown a little flushed in his denials. Quite equally in his mind was a simple desire to please her, to do what she wished, to help her because she wanted help. And a quite keen desire to be clean and honest about her and everything connected with her, for his own sake as well as for her sake—for the sake of the relationship....
So you have Mr. Brumley on the green seat under the great trees at Hampton Court, in his neat London clothes, his quite becoming silk-hat, above his neatly64 handsome and intelligent profile, with his gloves in his hand and one arm over the seat back, going now very earnestly and thoughtfully into the question of the social benefit of the International Bread and Cake Stores and whether it was possible for her to "do anything" to repair any wrongs that might have arisen out of that organization, and you will understand why there is a little flush in his cheek and why his sentences are a trifle disconnected and tentative and why his eye wanders now to the soft raven65 tresses about Lady Harman's ear, now to the sweet movement of her speaking lips and now to the gracious droop66 of her pose as she sits forward, elbow upon crossed knee and chin on glove, and jabs her parasol at the ground in her unaccustomed efforts to explain and discuss the difficulties of her position.
And you will understand too why it is that he doesn't deal with the question before him so simply and impartially67 as he seems to do. Obscuring this extremely interesting problem of a woman growing to man-like sense of responsibility in her social consequences, is the dramatic proclivity68 that makes him see all this merely as something which must necessarily weaken Lady Harman's loyalty69 and qualify her submission70 to Sir Isaac, that makes him want to utilize71 it and develop it in that direction....
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1
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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abjectly
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| 凄惨地； 绝望地； 糟透地； 悲惨地 | |
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feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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meditate
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| v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想 | |
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conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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truthfulness
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| n. 符合实际 | |
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reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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12
barefaced
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| adj.厚颜无耻的，公然的 | |
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muddled
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| adj.混乱的；糊涂的；头脑昏昏然的v.弄乱，弄糟( muddle的过去式)；使糊涂；对付，混日子 | |
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outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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17
illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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18
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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broach
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| v.开瓶，提出(题目) | |
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teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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24
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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26
permissible
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| adj.可允许的，许可的 | |
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dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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32
thronging
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的现在分词 ) | |
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pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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34
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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39
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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40
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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conversationally
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| adv.会话地 | |
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43
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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traction
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| n.牵引；附着摩擦力 | |
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45
amenity
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| n.pl.生活福利设施，文娱康乐场所；（不可数）愉快，适意 | |
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46
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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47
reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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49
adumbrating
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| v.约略显示，勾画出…的轮廓( adumbrate的现在分词 ) | |
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50
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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51
pretences
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| n.假装( pretence的名词复数 )；作假；自命；自称 | |
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52
dressings
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| n.敷料剂；穿衣( dressing的名词复数 )；穿戴；（拌制色拉的）调料；（保护伤口的）敷料 | |
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53
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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55
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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56
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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57
ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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58
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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59
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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60
interpretations
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| n.解释( interpretation的名词复数 )；表演；演绎；理解 | |
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61
nascent
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| adj.初生的，发生中的 | |
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62
vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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63
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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64
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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65
raven
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| n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的 | |
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66
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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67
impartially
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| adv.公平地，无私地 | |
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68
proclivity
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| n.倾向，癖性 | |
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69
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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70
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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71
utilize
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| vt.使用，利用 | |
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