"Finizh' already that reading? You muz' have gallop1'! Well, and what is Mr. Chezter's conclusion on that momentouz manuscrip'?"
The niece hurried to answer first: "Ah! we must not ask that so immediately. Mr. Chester concludes 'tis better for all that he study that an evening or two in his seclusion2."
"And! you did not read it through together?"
"No, there was no advantage to----"
"Oh! advantage! An' you stop' in the mi'l of that momentouz souvenir of the pas'! Tha'z astonizhing that anybody could do that, an' leas' of all" [confronting Chester] "the daughter of a papa an' gran'papa with such a drama-tique bio-graphie! Mr. Chezter, to pazz the time Aline ought to 'ave tell you that bio-graphie, yes!--of our marvellouz brother an' papa. Ah, you should some day egstort that story from our too li'l' communicative girl."
"Why not to-day, for the book?"
"Oh, no-no-no-no-o! We di'n' mean that!" The sisters laughed excessively. "A young lady to put her own papa into a book--ah! im-pos-si-ble!"
They laughed on. "Even my sizter an' me, we have never let anybody egstort that, an' we don't know if Aline ever be persuade'----"
"Yes, some day I'll tell Mr. Chezter--whatever he doesn't know already."
"Ha-ha! we can be sure tha'z not much, Aline. And, Corinne, if he's heard this or that, tha'z the more reason to tell him co'rec'ly. Only, my soul! not to put in the book, no!"
"Ah, no! Though as between frien', yes. And, moreover, to Mr. Chezter, yes, biccause tha'z so much abbout that Hotel St. Louis and he is so appreciative3 to old building'. Ah, we've notice' that incident! Tha'z the cause that we egs'ibit you our house--as a relique of the pas'--Yvonne! we are forgetting!--those souvenir' of our in-fancy--to show them! Come--all!"
Half-way to the house--"Ah, ha-ha! another subjec' of interess! See, Mr. Chezter; see coming! Marie Madeleine! She's mis' both her beloved miztress' from the house and become anxious, our beautiful cat! We name' her Marie Madeleine because her great piety4! You know, tha'z the sacred truth, that she never catch' a mice on Sunday."
"Ah, neither the whole of Lent!"
In the parlor--"I really think," Chester said, "I must ask you to let me take another time for the souvenirs. I'm so eager to save this manuscript any further delay--" He said good-by.
Yet he did not hurry to his lodgings5. He had had an experience too great, too rapt, to be rehearsed in his heart inside any small, mean room. All the open air and rapid transit6 he could get were not too much, till at lamplight he might sit down somewhere and hold himself to the manuscript.
Meantime the Chapdelaines had been but a moment alone when more visitors rang--a pair! Their feet could be seen under the gate--two male, two female--that is not a land where women have men's feet. Flattering, fluttering adventure--five callers in one afternoon! "Aline, we are becoming a public institution!" The aunts sprang here, there, and into collision; Cupid sped down the walk; Marie Madeleine stood in the door.
And who were these but the dear De l'Isles!
"No," they would not come inside. "But, Corinne, Yvonne, Aline, run, toss on hats for a trip to Spanish Fort."
One charm of that trip is that the fare is but, five cents, and the crab7 gumbo no dearer than in town. "Come! No-no-no, not one, but the three of you. In pure compassion8 on us! For, as sometimes in heaven among cherubim, we are ennuyés of each other!"
The small half-hourly electric train in Rampart Street had barely started lakeward into Canal, with the De l'Isle-Chapdelaine five aboard and the sun about to set, when Geoffry Chester entered--and stopped before monsieur, stiff with embarrassment9. Nevertheless that made them a glad six, and, as each seat was for two, the two with life before them took one.
点击收听单词发音
1 gallop | |
v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展 | |
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2 seclusion | |
n.隐遁,隔离 | |
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3 appreciative | |
adj.有鉴赏力的,有眼力的;感激的 | |
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4 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
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5 lodgings | |
n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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6 transit | |
n.经过,运输;vt.穿越,旋转;vi.越过 | |
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7 crab | |
n.螃蟹,偏航,脾气乖戾的人,酸苹果;vi.捕蟹,偏航,发牢骚;vt.使偏航,发脾气 | |
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8 compassion | |
n.同情,怜悯 | |
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9 embarrassment | |
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 | |
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