For all that time except for such interludes as the urgent needs of the strike demanded, Sir Isaac devoted3 himself to the siege. He did all he could to make her realize how restrainedly he used the powers the law vests in a husband, how little he forced upon her the facts of marital4 authority and wifely duty. At times he sulked, at times he affected5 a cold dignity, and at times a virile6 anger swayed him at her unsubmissive silences. He gave her little peace in that struggle, a struggle that came to the edge of physical conflict. There were moments when it seemed to her that nothing remained but that good old-fashioned connubial7 institution, the tussle8 for the upper hand, when with a feminine horror she felt violence shouldering her shoulder or contracting ready to grip her wrist. Against violence she doubted her strength, was filled with a desolating9 sense of yielding nerve and domitable muscle. But just short of violence Sir Isaac's spirit failed him. He would glower10 and bluster11, half threaten, and retreat. It might come to that at last but at present it had not come to that.
She could not understand why she had neither message nor sign from Susan Burnet, but she hid that anxiety and disappointment under her general dignity.
She spent as much time with the children as she could, and until Sir Isaac locked up the piano she played, and was surprised to find far more in Chopin than she had ever suspected in the days when she had acquired a passable dexterity12 of execution. She found, indeed, the most curious things in Chopin, emotional phrases, that stirred and perplexed13 and yet pleased her....
The weather was very fine and open that year. A golden sunshine from October passed on into November and Lady Harman spent many of these days amidst the pretty things the builder from Aleham had been too hurried to desecrate14, dump, burn upon, and flatten15 into indistinguishable mire16, after the established custom of builders in gardens since the world began. She would sit in the rockery where she had sat with Mr. Brumley and recall that momentous17 conversation, and she would wander up the pine-wood slopes behind, and she would spend long musing18 intervals20 among Euphemia's perennials21, thinking sometimes, and sometimes not so much thinking as feeling the warm tendernesses of nature and the perplexing difficulties of human life. With an amused amazement22 Lady Harman reflected as she walked about the pretty borders and the little patches of lawn and orchard23 that in this very place she was to have realized an imitation of the immortal24 "Elizabeth" and have been wise, witty25, gay, defiant26, gallant27 and entirely28 successful with her "Man of Wrath29." Evidently there was some temperamental difference, or something in her situation, that altered the values of the affair. It was clearly a different sort of man for one thing. She didn't feel a bit gay, and her profound and deepening indignation with the alternative to this stagnation30 was tainted31 by a sense of weakness and incapacity.
She came very near surrender several times. There were afternoons of belated ripened32 warmth, a kind of summer that had been long in the bottle, with a certain lassitude in the air and a blue haze33 among the trees, that made her feel the folly34 of all resistances to fate. Why, after all, shouldn't she take life as she found it, that is to say, as Sir Isaac was prepared to give it to her? He wasn't really so bad, she told herself. The children—their noses were certainly a little sharp, but there might be worse children. The next might take after herself more. Who was she to turn upon her appointed life and declare it wasn't good enough? Whatever happened the world was still full of generous and beautiful things, trees, flowers, sunset and sunrise, music and mist and morning dew.... And as for this matter of the sweated workers, the harshness of the business, the ungracious competition, suppose if instead of fighting her husband with her weak powers, she persuaded him. She tried to imagine just exactly how he might be persuaded....
She looked up and discovered with an extraordinary amazement Mr. Brumley with eager gestures and a flushed and excited visage hurrying towards her across the croquet lawn.
6
Lady Viping's dinner-party had been kept waiting exactly thirty-five minutes for Lady Harman. Sir Isaac, with a certain excess of zeal35, had intercepted36 the hasty note his wife had written to account for her probable absence. The party was to have centred entirely upon Lady Harman, it consisted either of people who knew her already, or of people who were to have been specially38 privileged to know her, and Lady Viping telephoned twice to Putney before she abandoned hope. "It's disconnected," she said, returning in despair from her second struggle with the great public service. "They can't get a reply."
"It's that little wretch," said Lady Beach-Mandarin. "He hasn't let her come. I know him."
"It's like losing a front tooth," said Lady Viping, surveying her table as she entered the dining-room.
"But surely—she would have written," said Mr. Brumley, troubled and disappointed, regarding an aching gap to the left of his chair, a gap upon which a pathetic little card bearing Lady Harman's name still lay obliquely39.
Naturally the talk tended to centre upon the Harmans. And naturally Lady Beach-Mandarin was very bold and outspoken40 and called Sir Isaac quite a number of vivid things. She also aired her views of the marriage of the future, which involved a very stringent41 treatment of husbands indeed. "Half his property and half his income," said Lady Beach-Mandarin, "paid into her separate banking42 account."
"But," protested Mr. Brumley, "would men marry under those conditions?"
"Men will marry anyhow," said Lady Beach-Mandarin, "under any conditions."
"Exactly Sir Joshua's opinion," said Lady Viping.
All the ladies at the table concurred43 and only one cheerful bachelor barrister dissented44. The other men became gloomy and betrayed a distaste for this general question. Even Mr. Brumley felt a curious faint terror and had for a moment a glimpse of the possibilities that might lie behind the Vote. Lady Beach-Mandarin went bouncing back to the particular instance. At present, she said, witness Lady Harman, women were slaves, pampered45 slaves if you will, but slaves. As things were now there was nothing to keep a man from locking up his wife, opening all her letters, dressing46 her in sack-cloth, separating her from her children. Most men, of course, didn't do such things, they were amenable47 to public opinion, but Sir Isaac was a jealous little Ogre. He was a gnome48 who had carried off a princess....
She threw out projects for assailing49 the Ogre. She would descend50 to-morrow morning upon the Putney house, a living flamboyant51 writ37 of Habeas Corpus. Mr. Brumley, who had been putting two and two together, was abruptly52 moved to tell of the sale of Black Strand. "They may be there," he said.
"He's carried her off," cried Lady Beach-Mandarin on a top note. "It might be the eighteenth century for all he cares. But if it's Black Strand,—I'll go to Black Strand...."
But she had to talk about it for a week before she actually made her raid, and then, with an instinctive53 need for an audience, she took with her a certain Miss Garradice, one of those mute, emotional nervous spinsters who drift detachedly, with quick sudden movements, glittering eyeglasses, and a pent-up imminent54 look, about our social system. There is something about this type of womanhood—it is hard to say—almost as though they were the bottled souls of departed buccaneers grown somehow virginal. She came with Lady Beach-Mandarin quietly, almost humorously, and yet it was as if the pirate glittered dimly visible through the polished glass of her erect55 exterior56.
"Here we are!" said Lady Beach-Mandarin, staring astonished at the once familiar porch. "Now for it!"
She descended57 and assailed58 the bell herself and Miss Garradice stood beside her with the light of combat in her eyes and glasses and cheeks.
"Shall I offer to take her for a drive!"
"Let's," said Miss Garradice in an enthusiastic whisper. "Right away! For ever."
"I will," said Lady Beach-Mandarin, and nodded desperately59.
She was on the point of ringing again when Snagsby appeared.
He stood with a large obstructiveness in the doorway60. "Lady 'Arman, my lady" he said with a well-trained deliberation, "is not a Tome."
"Not a Tome, my lady," repeated Snagsby invincibly62.
"But—when will she be at home?"
"I can't say, my lady."
"Is Sir Isaac——?"
"Sir Isaac, my lady, is not a Tome. Nobody is a Tome, my lady."
"But we've come from London!" said Lady Beach-Mandarin.
"I'm very sorry, my lady."
"You see, I want my friend to see this house and garden."
Snagsby was visibly disconcerted. "I 'ave no instructions, my lady," he tried.
"Oh, but Lady Harman would never object——"
Snagsby's confusion increased. He seemed to be wanting to keep his face to the visitors and at the same time glance over his shoulder. "I will," he considered, "I will enquire63, my lady." He backed a little, and seemed inclined to close the door upon them. Lady Beach-Mandarin was too quick for him. She got herself well into the open doorway. "And of whom are you going to enquire?"
A large distress64 betrayed itself in Snagsby's eye. "The 'ousekeeper," he attempted. "It falls to the 'ousekeeper, my lady."
Lady Beach-Mandarin turned her face to Miss Garradice, shining in support. "Stuff and nonsense," she said, "of course we shall come in." And with a wonderful movement that was at once powerful and perfectly65 lady-like this intrepid66 woman—"butted" is not the word—collided herself with Snagsby and hurled67 him backward into the hall. Miss Garradice followed closely behind and at once extended herself in open order on Lady Beach-Mandarin's right. "Go and enquire," said Lady Beach-Mandarin with a sweeping68 gesture of her arm. "Go and enquire."
For a moment Snagsby surveyed the invasion with horror and then fled precipitately69 into the recesses70 of the house.
"Of course they're at home!" said Lady Beach-Mandarin. "Fancy that—that—that navigable—trying to shut the door on us!"
For a moment the two brightly excited ladies surveyed each other and then Lady Beach-Mandarin, with a quickness of movement wonderful in one so abundant, began to open first one and then another of the various doors that opened into the long hall-living room. At a peculiar71 little cry from Miss Garradice she turned from a contemplation of the long low study in which so much of the Euphemia books had been written, to discover Sir Isaac behind her, closely followed by an agonized72 Snagsby.
"A-a-a-a-h!" she cried, with both hands extended, "and so you've come in, Sir Isaac! That's perfectly delightful73. This is my friend Miss Garradice, who's dying to see anything you've left of poor Euphemia's garden. And how is dear Lady Harman?"
For some crucial moments Sir Isaac was unable to speak and regarded his visitors with an expression that was unpretendingly criminal.
Then he found speech. "You can't," he said. "It—can't be managed." He shook his head; his lips were whitely compressed.
"But all the way from London, Sir Isaac!"
"Lady Harman's ill," lied Sir Isaac. "She mustn't be disturbed. Everything has to be kept quiet. See? Not even shouting. Not even ordinarily raised voices. A voice like yours—might kill her. That's why Snagsby here said we were not at home. We aren't at home—not to anyone."
Lady Beach-Mandarin was baffled.
"Snagsby," said Sir Isaac, "open that door."
"But can't I see her—just for a moment?"
Sir Isaac's malignity74 had softened75 a little at the prospect76 of victory. "Absolutely impossible," he said. "Everything disturbs her, every tiny thing. You——You'd be certain to."
Lady Beach-Mandarin looked at her companion and it was manifest that she was at the end of her resources. Miss Garradice after the fashion of highly strung spinsters suddenly felt disappointed in her leader. It wasn't, her silence intimated, for her to offer suggestions.
The ladies were defeated. When at last that stiff interval19 ended their dresses rustled77 doorward, and Sir Isaac broke out into the civilities of a victor....
It was only when they were a mile away from Black Strand that fluent speech returned to Lady Beach-Mandarin. "The little—Crippen," she said. "He's got her locked up in some cellar.... Horrid78 little face he has! He looked like a rat at bay."
"I think perhaps if we'd done differently," said Miss Garradice in a tone of critical irresponsibility.
"I'll write to her. That's what I'll do," said Lady Beach-Mandarin contemplating79 her next step. "I'm really—concerned. And didn't you feel—something sinister80. That butler-man's expression—a kind of round horror."
That very evening she told it all—it was almost the trial trip of the story—to Mr. Brumley....
Sir Isaac watched their departure furtively81 from the study window and then ran out to the garden. He went right through into the pine woods beyond and presently, far away up the slopes, he saw his wife loitering down towards him, a gracious white tallness touched by a ray of sunlight—and without a suspicion of how nearly rescue had come to her.
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1
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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marital
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| adj.婚姻的，夫妻的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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virile
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| adj.男性的；有男性生殖力的；有男子气概的；强有力的 | |
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7
connubial
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| adj.婚姻的，夫妇的 | |
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8
tussle
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| n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩 | |
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9
desolating
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| 毁坏( desolate的现在分词 )； 极大地破坏； 使沮丧； 使痛苦 | |
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10
glower
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| v.怒目而视 | |
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bluster
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| v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声 | |
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12
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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desecrate
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| v.供俗用，亵渎，污辱 | |
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15
flatten
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| v.把．．．弄平，使倒伏；使(漆等)失去光泽 | |
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mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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17
momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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19
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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20
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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21
perennials
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| n.多年生植物( perennial的名词复数 ) | |
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22
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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24
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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28
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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29
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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30
stagnation
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| n. 停滞 | |
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31
tainted
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| adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏 | |
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32
ripened
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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36
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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37
writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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38
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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39
obliquely
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| adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大 | |
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40
outspoken
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| adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的 | |
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41
stringent
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| adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的 | |
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42
banking
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| n.银行业，银行学，金融业 | |
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43
concurred
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| 同意（concur的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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44
dissented
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| 不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
pampered
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| adj.饮食过量的，饮食奢侈的v.纵容，宠，娇养( pamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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47
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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48
gnome
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| n.土地神；侏儒，地精 | |
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49
assailing
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| v.攻击( assail的现在分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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50
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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51
flamboyant
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| adj.火焰般的，华丽的，炫耀的 | |
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52
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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53
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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54
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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55
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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56
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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57
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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58
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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59
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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60
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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61
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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62
invincibly
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| adv.难战胜地，无敌地 | |
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63
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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64
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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65
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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66
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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67
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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68
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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69
precipitately
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| adv.猛进地 | |
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70
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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71
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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72
agonized
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| v.使（极度）痛苦，折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 )；苦斗；苦苦思索；感到极度痛苦 | |
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73
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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74
malignity
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| n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性 | |
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75
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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77
rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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78
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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79
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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80
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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81
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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