The big clock on the breakfast-room mantelpiece was chiming the hour of ten as Sir George came downstairs. He was a little later than usual, and he apologized to his guest for his want of punctuality with a courtly air. He was not accustomed to country hours, he said; he doubted if he ever should be. He made no allusion1 whatever to his last night's quarrel, his manner was perfectly2 natural and easy. If anything, there was a suggestion of bland3 patronage4 in his tone.
Mayfield glanced keenly at his host from time to time. There was something here that he quite failed to understand. He had expected to find Sir George apologetic and rather frightened. On the contrary, he was more like a bishop5 who entertains a curate than anything else. And Mayfield could get nothing from Mary, who sat at the head of the table, cold and stately, yet serenely6 beautiful, in her white cotton dress. Mayfield ground his teeth together and swore that Dashwood should pay for this before long. He held the fortunes of the baronet in the hollow of his hand; his passion for Mary was the more inflamed7 by her icy coldness. It would be good to humble8 her pride in the dust, to compel her to come to his feet and do his bidding. All the same, Mayfield had made up his mind to have an explanation after breakfast. He smiled and talked, though his anger was hot within him.
"Mr. Mayfield will want a time-table presently, my dear," Sir George was saying in his most courtly manner. "I am afraid that we have intruded9 too long already on his valuable time."
"I have always time to spare for you," Mayfield said with a snarling11 smile. "And Miss Mary need not trouble about the time-table. You forget that I have my car here which will get me to London by mid-day. Before I go I should like to have a few words with you, Sir George. You will pardon me for mentioning it, but we left matters in rather an unsatisfactory condition last night."
"To be sure we did," he said. "You are quite right, we will settle things up before you go. What do you say to a cigar on the terrace after breakfast? No, you need not go, Mary. I have a reason for asking you to listen to our business conversation. We had a quarrel last night, when I regret to say I lost my temper. For that exhibition of unseemly and vulgar violence I sincerely beg your pardon, Mayfield. I apologize all the more humbly14 because we are not likely to meet very often in the future. Henceforth our business transactions promise to be slender, for after this week I am determined15 that the City shall not see me again. You will quite see, Mayfield, that in future our intercourse16 must cease. It is rather painful to talk to a guest like this, but you will understand me."
Mayfield's face expressed his astonishment17. He wondered if Sir George had taken leave of his senses, and deluded18 himself into the belief that he was the possessor of a vast fortune. And yet the speaker was absolutely calm and collected. What could possibly have happened since last night to change him like this?
"Perhaps I am rather dense19 this morning," Mayfield said slowly, "but I cannot follow you at all. Yesterday I explained to you the position of affairs fully20. We had been deceived by a trusted servant of mine, and you were called upon to pay £50,000. Failing this, you would perhaps have to face a criminal charge. Unfortunately, your hold upon the estate is so slender that it would not be possible for you to borrow any large sum of money. Not to speak too plainly, your position was, and is, a desperate one. Partly because I was in a measure instrumental in bringing about this lamentable21 state of affairs, I offered to advance you the money. In other words, I offered to give you £50,000. It is true there was a condition, but I merely allude22 to that in the presence of Miss Dashwood."
Mary's face flamed. Her heart was heavy within her. So far as she could see, this was the master of the situation. He held the demons23 of Disgrace and Bankruptcy24 at bay. What was the cherished possession of Dashwood worth so long as the shadow of dishonour25 lay across the threshold? For the sake of the grand old home and the grand old name, Mary would have to listen to Mayfield's proposal. She glanced from him to the smiling face of her father, who had risen from the table and produced his cigar case.
"Quite so," he said genially26, "you are perfectly correct. You made that proposal, and, like a cur, I forgot myself and insulted you. I went so far as to say that you had planned deliberately27 to bring this thing about. It was ruin on the one hand and the sacrifice of my dear child on the other. Pray take one of my cigars. There are chairs on the terrace, let us continue our discussion there."
"Why go over the old ground again?" Mayfield asked impatiently. He flung himself into one of the big basket chairs on the terrace. "Has there been any material change in the position since last night? Not a bit of it. If you could find this money----"
"There is no if about it, my good Mayfield," Sir George replied. "I can find the money. It will be paid over to my creditors28 by the end of the week, and I will take care to let the world know what a victim I have been. The money will be paid."
A quick angry cry came from Mayfield's lips. The mask had fallen from his face for the moment. His disappointment was clear and hideous29.
He paused and shut his lips together with a vicious click. He was going to say too much. He glanced at Sir George to see if the imprudent words had had any effect on him, but the head of the Dashwoods seemed to be immersed in his own pleasant thoughts. Only Mary noticed, but it was not till many days afterwards that she was to attach any significance to the speech.
"The money is going to be paid," Sir George went on. "By the end of the week I shall have finished with the City forever. I am not going to make any accusation31, but in the clearing of my own name I shall not give any heed32 to others. Amongst the 'others' I need not say I am alluding33 to you."
"And there I am kicked downstairs," Mayfield said bitterly.
"If you like to put it so. I could speak a little more freely if you were not my guest at the present moment. But you quite understand me."
"Your patience will not be unduly34 taxed," Mayfield said grimly. "If I am not mistaken there is my car under the portico35 at this moment. But, before I go, I have something to say. You will not forget your personal obligation to me."
"A matter of £5,000. I assure you it had not escaped my memory. By the end of the week----"
"Quite so. By the end of the week. You wanted that money badly at the time. I lent it you on the condition that you allowed me to take a judgment36 for the debt. I brought a friendly action against you to recover the money, and you allowed judgment to go by default. It is a little formula that is sometimes gone through in the City, Miss Mary, to enable one or more fortunate creditors to have the preference over the rest. When I signed judgment I was in a position to levy37 execution as it is called. That is another technical expression that means that I am in a position now to place men in possession here and to hold everything till the debt and costs are paid in full. In vulgar circles this is called 'having the bailiffs in.' It happens with such people as struggling tradesmen and the like who cannot pay their rent. It is held to be a terrible disgrace amongst the poor. Common men come in and take possession of the drawing-room, where they smoke clay pipes and drink beer. Try to imagine a dirty creature of this kind with his feet on your Louis Quinze furniture, Miss Mary. The very idea causes you to look pale and ghastly. And yet such things have happened, and history is always repeating itself."
The speaker paused and smiled, his words were horribly slow and grating. Mary laid her hand on her heart as if some sharp fear thrilled her.
"Is--is it possible for you to do this thing?" she asked.
"Indeed it is," said Mayfield with the same hard smile. "I could do it today--as soon as I reach town, in fact. Quite like a scene from a modern melodrama38, is it not? Well, goodbye, Sir George; goodbye, Miss Mary. I see my luggage is on the car and my chauffeur39 is waiting. I will not intrude10 myself on you any longer. When my slaves of the law, with their clay pipes and dirty boots arrive, there will be no necessity to ask them to have dinner at the same table as yourself. Goodbye."
With a sign of his hand, Mayfield motioned to his chauffeur. The great car came along with a fuss and a clatter40, and Mayfield sprang to the side of the driver. He pulled off his hat with a gesture of mocking humility41 and the car dashed away. Sir George sprang up, but too late. The car was disappearing now in a cloud of dust down the drive. With a face white as death Mary turned to her father.
"Is this thing true?" she asked hoarsely. "Are you still in that man's power? Is it quite impossible for you to get the money today?"
"Quite," Sir George groaned42. "I--I had forgotten that judgment. I should have waited; I should not have shown my hand so soon. But he will never do it; he was dismayed to find my position so strong; he merely meant to frighten me."
"He will do it," Mary cried. "I saw it in his face, in his wicked eyes. A disgrace like that would break my heart, father. What is to be done to avert43 this awful calamity44? No sacrifice could be too great. And I can think of absolutely nothing!"
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1
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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7
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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9
intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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11
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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12
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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18
deluded
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| v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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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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lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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bankruptcy
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| n.破产；无偿付能力 | |
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dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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29
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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32
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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33
alluding
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| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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34
unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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portico
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| n.柱廊，门廊 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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levy
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| n.征收税或其他款项，征收额 | |
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melodrama
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| n.音乐剧；情节剧 | |
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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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40
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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41
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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42
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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43
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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44
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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