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CHAPTER VIII. ONE PARTICULAR EVENING.
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“O world, as God has made it! All is beauty,
And knowing this is love, and love is duty.”
IT was Peter who first noticed Meg’s face one particular evening. He and Poppet were doing, or making a pretence1 of doing, preparation for the next day, and Nellie was reading a novel in the only armchair the nursery held.
 
Meg came in at nine o’clock—nearly an hour past the usual time to send the little ones to bed. “Thust look at Meg’th fathe!” Peter said, and rounded his eyes at her. Of course every one looked instantly.
 
It was like a blush rose. A delicate, exquisite2 flush had crept over it, her eyes were soft and dewy, her lips unsteady.
 
“Peter dear, come to bed; now, Poppet,” she said; and even in her voice there was a new note.
 
89Nellie laid down her book and looked at her sister in surprise. She had only just discovered she was beautiful. Hitherto it had seemed to be tacitly allowed that she herself had monopolised the good looks of the family; so to discover this sudden beauty in Meg rather amazed her.
 
She looked to see if it had anything to do with her dress; no, she had worn it scores of times before. It was a muslin, pale blue, rather old-fashioned in make, for the body fitted plainly with the exception of a slight gathering3 at the neck. The skirt was very long, and ended in a crossway frill at the hem,—how graceful4 it made her look! In her waistband she had stuck some cornflowers vividly5 blue.
 
And her hair! Nellie devoted6 a surprisingly long time daily to the erection of an elaborate coiffeur on her own beautiful head; but surely Meg’s had a grace of its own, from its very simplicity7. It was drawn8 back loosely that it might wave and curl as it pleased, and then was twisted into a shining knot halfway9 down her head.
 
And that exquisite pink in her cheeks!
 
“Oh, Meg!” Nellie said, half guessing, half shy.
 
“Dear Peter—oh, Poppet, do come!” Meg entreated10. The pink had deepened, her eyes had 90grown distressful11. Both children rose and followed her without a word; they had the native delicacy12 that every unspoiled child possesses.
 
But Nellie had lost interest in her book,—what was a fictitious13 tale of love, when she might hear of one in real life within these very walls?
 
She went downstairs and into the drawing-room. “Who’s in the study, Esther? I can hear voices,” she said sharply.
 
Esther was reading, lying on the sofa, her dark, beautiful head against the yellow, frilled cushions. She turned a leaf before she replied.
 
“Oh, only father and Alan Courtney,” she said, with a studiously matter-of-fact air.
 
“I thought so!” Nell exclaimed, with a deep breath; then she sat down at the foot of the sofa and looked at Esther.
 
“Well?” Esther said, feeling the gaze before she reached the end of the next page; then she smiled.
 
“Is he really asking father?” Nell asked breathlessly.
 
“I’m not at the keyhole,” Esther replied.
 
“And I wish I was,” Nell said with fervour.
 
Then they looked at each other again, and again Esther smiled. “How pretty she looked to-night!” she said meditatively14.
 
91“Very, very,” Nell answered eagerly; “why, I couldn’t help staring at her.”
 
“I’m very fond of Alan myself; he’s a thoroughly15 good fellow. I think they are excellently suited,” the young stepmother said.
 
Nellie was silent a minute. “I wish he looked older,” she said; “thirty is the proper age for a man, I think. And I’d rather he had a long, fair moustache; his eyes are not bad; but I wish he wouldn’t rumple16 his hair up straight when he gets excited.”
 
Esther smiled indulgently at Nellie’s idea of a hero.
 
“As long as he makes her happy,” she said, “I’ll forgive him for being clean-shaved. Why are you looking at me like that, Nell?”
 
“I was thinking how very pretty you are yet, Esther,” was the girl’s answer, spoken thoughtfully. Esther’s beauty did strike her on occasion, and to-night, with the dark, bright face and rich, crinkly hair in relief against the cushions, it was especially noticeable.
 
“Yet,” repeated Esther, “I’m not very old, Nell, am I? Twenty-five is not very old.” Her eyes looked wistfully at the very young lovely face of her second step-daughter.
 
“Oh no, dear—oh no, Esther,” said Nell, quick 92to notice the wistfulness; “why, of course it is very young; only—oh, Essie!”
 
“What?” said Esther in surprise.
 
“How could you marry father?” She crept up closer, and put her shining head down beside the dark one. “Of course I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but really he is so very middle-aged18 and ordinary; were you really in love, Essie?”
 
But Esther was spared the embarrassing answer by the entrance of the Captain and Alan.
 
You all saw Alan last five years ago, when he used to go on the river boat every morning to his lectures at the university. His face is even more earnest and grave than before; life is a serious business to this young doctor, and the only relaxations19 he allows himself are football and Meg.
 
His eyes are grey, deeply set; his patients and Meg think them beautiful. His dark hair has a wave in it, and is on end, for of course he has been somewhat excited.
 
The Captain does not look unamiable.
 
Alan has only just begun to practise, certainly; but then he has three hundred a year of his own, and his prospects20 are spoken of as brilliant. Still, he has the air of having grudgingly21 conferred a favour, and he goes out to smoke his cigar and think it over.
 
93“All well?” ask Esther’s arched eyebrows22. And “All is well” Alan answers with a grave, pleasant smile.
 
“Dear boy, I am so glad,” she says. There is a moisture in her dark eyes as she gives him her hand, for Meg is very dear to her.
 
He looks at her in silence for a minute; then he bends his tall, boyish-looking head suddenly, and kisses the hand he holds.
 
“I am glad too,” Nellie whispers, with something like a sob23 in her throat; she too holds out her hand.
 
“Dear little Nell!” he says; and such a happy 94light is in the eyes that look down at her that she quite forgives his lack of good looks. “Dear little Nell!”
 
He does not kiss her hand—it is too little and childish, he considers; but he stoops and takes a first brotherly kiss from the soft cheek nearest to him, and though she blushes a little, she is impressed with the dignity that attaches to a future brother-in-law.
 
Then he goes. Meg has refused to be visible again to-night to him, and Nellie flies up the staircase.
 
“Dear Meg,” she pleads at the door—it is locked, and doesn’t open for a minute.
 
But the tone turns the key, and the sisters are in each other’s arms.
 
Just the room you might expect Meg to have. It is fresh, simple, and daintily pretty. The floor is covered with white China matting; the bed hangings have loose pink roses on a white ground; the pillows have hem-stitched frills. There is a bookcase on one wall, in which the poets preponderate24; the dressing-table is strewn with the pretty odds25 and ends girls delight in; there is a writing-table that looks as if it is used often; and in the window stands a deep wicker chair with rose-pink cushions double frilled.
 
On the walls there are some water-colours of Meg’s 95own, pretty in colouring, but shaky as to perspective. Two lines she has illuminated26 herself,—
 
“Lord, help us this and every day
To live more nearly as we pray.”
The gold letters are a little uneven27, perhaps; but she wears them in her heart besides, so it does not matter. There is an engraving28 in an oak and gold frame—“Songs of Love”; Meg loves the exquisite face of the singer, and the back of the sweet little child. There is a long photo-frame with a balcony rail: here is Essie all dimpled with her sauciest29 smile; Poppet and Peter’s heads close together like two little bright-eyed birds; Nell, a little self-conscious with the camera so close; Esther looking absurdly girlish; Pip in his cap and gown when they were delightfully30 new. Bunty always refused to put on an engaging smile and submit himself to the photographer, so he is not represented.
 
And over the mantelpiece, in an ivory frame, is an old, fading likeness31 of a little thin girl with a bright face and mischievous32 eyes, and rough, curly hair—Judy at ten.
 
It had taken all the time you have been looking at the room for the girls to kiss each other and say little half-laughing, half-crying words. Then Nellie forced Meg into the wicker chair, and knelt down herself, with her arms round her sister’s waist.
 
96“You darling,” she said. “Oh, Meg, how glad I am! Dear, dear Meg, I do hope you’ll be happy—impossibly happy.”
 
It was the first connected sentence either of them had spoken.
 
“I couldn’t be happier,” was Meg’s whisper.
 
“But always, always, dear—even when your hair is white, and there are wrinkles here and here and here.” She touched the smooth cheeks and brow with tender fingers.
 
There was a little silence fraught33 with love, the two bright heads leaning together; then Meg spoke17, shyly, hesitatingly:
 
“Alan—Nell dear—you do—like him?”
 
“Oh, he’s well enough—oh yes, I’m very fond of Alan,” said Nell. “Of course I don’t consider him half good enough, though, for you.”
 
“Oh, Nellie!” Meg looked quite distressed34. “Why, it is the other way, of course. He is so clever—oh! you don’t know how clever; and I am such a stupid thing.”
 
“Very stupid,” assented35 Nellie; but her smile differed.
 
“And he is always thinking of plans to do good to the lower classes. Nell, you cannot think how miserable36 some of them are; though they don’t half realise it, they get so dulled and weary. Oh, Nellie 97dear, I do think he is the very best man in the world.” The young, sweet face was half hidden behind the deep cushion frill.
 
“Well, you are the very best woman,” Nell said very tenderly, and meant it indeed.
 
Pretty giddy little butterfly, that she was just now, she often paused in her flights to wish she could grow just as sweet and good and true and unselfish as Meg without any trouble.
 
“The very best woman,” she repeated; but Meg’s soft hand closed her lips and stayed there.
 
“If you knew how I’m always failing,” she said, with a deep sigh.
 
“But the trying is everything,” Nell said.
 
Then there were more tender words and wishes, and Nellie went to bed, stealing on tip-toe down the passage, for time had flown on noiseless wings and the household was asleep. And Meg took down the ivory frame, and put her lips to the laughing child-face.
 
“Oh, Judy,” she said, “I wish you knew. Dear little Judy, I wonder if you know?”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 pretence pretence     
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰
参考例句:
  • The government abandoned any pretence of reform. 政府不再装模作样地进行改革。
  • He made a pretence of being happy at the party.晚会上他假装很高兴。
2 exquisite zhez1     
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的
参考例句:
  • I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
  • I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。
3 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会,聚会,聚集
参考例句:
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
4 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的
参考例句:
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
5 vividly tebzrE     
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地
参考例句:
  • The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。
  • The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。
6 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
7 simplicity Vryyv     
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯
参考例句:
  • She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
  • The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。
8 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
9 halfway Xrvzdq     
adj.中途的,不彻底的,部分的;adv.半路地,在中途,在半途
参考例句:
  • We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路,天就黑了。
  • In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上,最忌讳的是有始无终。
10 entreated 945bd967211682a0f50f01c1ca215de3     
恳求,乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They entreated and threatened, but all this seemed of no avail. 他们时而恳求,时而威胁,但这一切看来都没有用。
  • 'One word,' the Doctor entreated. 'Will you tell me who denounced him?' “还有一个问题,”医生请求道,“你可否告诉我是谁告发他的?” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
11 distressful 70998be82854667c839efd09a75b1438     
adj.苦难重重的,不幸的,使苦恼的
参考例句:
  • The whole hall is filled with joy and laughter -- there is only one who feels distressful. 满堂欢笑,一人向隅。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Under these distressful circumstances it was resolved to slow down the process of reconstruction. 在这种令人痛苦的情况下,他们决定减慢重建的进程。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
12 delicacy mxuxS     
n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴
参考例句:
  • We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
  • He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。
13 fictitious 4kzxA     
adj.虚构的,假设的;空头的
参考例句:
  • She invented a fictitious boyfriend to put him off.她虚构出一个男朋友来拒绝他。
  • The story my mother told me when I was young is fictitious.小时候妈妈对我讲的那个故事是虚构的。
14 meditatively 1840c96c2541871bf074763dc24f786a     
adv.冥想地
参考例句:
  • The old man looked meditatively at the darts board. 老头儿沉思不语,看着那投镖板。 来自英汉文学
  • "Well,'said the foreman, scratching his ear meditatively, "we do need a stitcher. “这--"工头沉思地搔了搔耳朵。 "我们确实需要一个缝纫工。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
15 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
16 rumple thmym     
v.弄皱,弄乱;n.褶纹,皱褶
参考例句:
  • Besides,he would tug at the ribbons of her bonnet and,no doubt,rumple her dress.此外,他还拉扯她帽子上的饰带,当然也会弄皱她的衣裙。
  • You mustn't play in your new skirt,you'll rumple it.你千万不要穿着新裙子去玩耍,你会把它弄皱的。
17 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
18 middle-aged UopzSS     
adj.中年的
参考例句:
  • I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
  • The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。
19 relaxations c59ae756fd871d10e740823170279785     
n.消遣( relaxation的名词复数 );松懈;松弛;放松
参考例句:
  • Playing the piano is one of his favourite relaxations. 弹钢琴是他喜爱的一种消遣。 来自互联网
  • Playing the paino is one of his favourite relaxations. 弹钢琴是他最喜爱的消遣之一。 来自互联网
20 prospects fkVzpY     
n.希望,前途(恒为复数)
参考例句:
  • There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
  • They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
21 grudgingly grudgingly     
参考例句:
  • He grudgingly acknowledged having made a mistake. 他勉强承认他做错了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Their parents unwillingly [grudgingly] consented to the marriage. 他们的父母无可奈何地应允了这门亲事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
22 eyebrows a0e6fb1330e9cfecfd1c7a4d00030ed5     
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
  • His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
23 sob HwMwx     
n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣
参考例句:
  • The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
  • The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答,也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。
24 preponderate fttyw     
v.数目超过;占优势
参考例句:
  • Christians preponderate in the population of that part of the country.基督教徒在该国那一地区的人口中居多。
  • Oaks and maples preponderate in our woods.在我们的森林中,橡树与枫树占多数。
25 odds n5czT     
n.让步,机率,可能性,比率;胜败优劣之别
参考例句:
  • The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
  • Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗?
26 illuminated 98b351e9bc282af85e83e767e5ec76b8     
adj.被照明的;受启迪的
参考例句:
  • Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
  • the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市
27 uneven akwwb     
adj.不平坦的,不规则的,不均匀的
参考例句:
  • The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
  • The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。
28 engraving 4tyzmn     
n.版画;雕刻(作品);雕刻艺术;镌版术v.在(硬物)上雕刻(字,画等)( engrave的现在分词 );将某事物深深印在(记忆或头脑中)
参考例句:
  • He collected an old engraving of London Bridge. 他收藏了一张古老的伦敦桥版画。 来自辞典例句
  • Some writing has the precision of a steel engraving. 有的字体严谨如同钢刻。 来自辞典例句
29 sauciest d3cf30356c425353eb9c483b3a85bffe     
adj.粗鲁的( saucy的最高级 );粗俗的;不雅的;开色情玩笑的
参考例句:
30 delightfully f0fe7d605b75a4c00aae2f25714e3131     
大喜,欣然
参考例句:
  • The room is delightfully appointed. 这房子的设备令人舒适愉快。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The evening is delightfully cool. 晚间凉爽宜人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
31 likeness P1txX     
n.相像,相似(之处)
参考例句:
  • I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
  • She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。
32 mischievous mischievous     
adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的
参考例句:
  • He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。
  • A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。
33 fraught gfpzp     
adj.充满…的,伴有(危险等)的;忧虑的
参考例句:
  • The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.未来数月将充满重大的决定。
  • There's no need to look so fraught!用不着那么愁眉苦脸的!
34 distressed du1z3y     
痛苦的
参考例句:
  • He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑,无法回答他们的问题。
  • The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。
35 assented 4cee1313bb256a1f69bcc83867e78727     
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
  • "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对,”汤姆表示赞同地说,“他们不杀女人——真伟大!
36 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
参考例句:
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。


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