It was not fortunate for old Mr. Willcoxen's plans that his grandson should have met Marian Mayfield. For, on the morning of Thurston's first meeting with the charming girl, when he turned his horse's head from the arched gateway1 of Old Field Cottage and galloped2 off, "a haunting shape and image gay" attended him.
It was that of beautiful Marian, with her blooming face and sunny hair, and rounded roseate neck and bosom3 and arms, all softly, delicately flushed with the pure glow of rich, luxuriant vitality4, as she stood in the sunlight, under the arch of azure5 morning-glories, with her graceful6 arms raised in the act of binding7 up the vines.
At first this "image fair" was almost unthought of; he was scarcely conscious of the haunting presence, or the life and light it gradually diffused8 through his whole being. And when the revelation dawned upon his intellect, he smiled to himself and wondered if, for the first time, he was falling in love; and then he grew grave, and tried to banish9 the dangerous thought. But when, day after day, amid all the business and the pleasures of his life, the "shape" still pursued him, instead of getting angry with it or growing weary of it, he opened his heart and took it in, and made it at home, and set it upon a throne, where it reigned10 supreme11, diffusing12 delight over all his nature. But soon, too soon, this bosom's sovereign became the despot, and stung, goaded13 and urged him to see again this living, breathing, glowing, most beautiful original. To seek her? For what? He did not even try to answer the question.
Thus passed one week.
And then, had he been disposed to forget the beautiful girl, he could not have done so. For everywhere where the business of his grandfather took him—around among the neighboring planters, to the villages of B—— or of C——, everywhere he heard of Marian, and frequently he saw her, though at a distance, or under circumstances that made it impossible for him, without rudeness, to address her. He both saw and heard of her in scenes and society where he could hardly have expected to find a young girl of her insignificant14 position.
Marian was a regular attendant of the Protestant church at Benedict, where, before the morning service, she taught in the Sunday-school, and before the afternoon service she received a class of colored children.
And Thurston, who had been a very careless and desultory15 attendant, sometimes upon the Catholic chapel16, sometimes upon the Protestant church, now became a very regular frequenter of the latter place of worship; the object of his worship being not the Creator, but the creature, whom, if he missed from her accustomed seat, the singing, and praying, and preaching for him lost all of its meaning, power and spirituality. In the churchyard he sometimes tried to catch her eye and bow to her; but he was always completely baffled in his aspirations17 after a nearer communion. She was always attended from the church and assisted into her saddle by Judge Provost, Colonel Thornton, or some other "potent18, grave and reverend seignors," who "hedged her about with a divinity" that it was impossible, without rudeness and intrusion, to break through. The more he was baffled and perplexed19, the more eager became his desire to cultivate her acquaintance. Had his course been clear to woo her for his wife, it would have been easy to ask permission of Edith to visit her at her house; but such was not the case, and Thurston, tampering20 with his own integrity of purpose, rather wished that this much coveted21 acquaintance should be incidental, and their interviews seem accidental, so that he should not commit himself, or in any way lead her to form expectations which he had no surety of being able to meet. How long this cool and cautious foresight22 might avail him, if once he were brought in close companionship with Marian, remains23 to be seen. It happened one Sunday afternoon in October that he saw Marian take leave of her venerable escort, Colonel Thornton, at the churchyard gate, and gayly and alone turn into the forest road that led to her own home. He immediately threw himself into his saddle and followed her, with the assumed air of an indifferent gentleman pursuing his own path. He overtook her near one of those gates that frequently intersect the road. Bowing, he passed her, opened the gate, and held it open for her passage. Marian smiled, and nodded with a pleasant:
"Good-afternoon, Mr. Willcoxen," as she went through,
Thurston closed the gate and rode on after her.
"This is glorious weather, Miss Mayfield."
"Glorious, indeed!" replied Marian.
"And the country, too, is perfectly24 beautiful at this season. I never could sympathize with the poets who call autumnal days 'the melancholy25 days—the saddest of the year.'"
"Nor I," said Marian; "for to me, autumn, with its refulgent26 skies, and gorgeous woods, and rich harvest, and its prospect27 of Christmas cheer and wintry repose28 has ever seemed a gay and festive29 season. The year's great work is done, the harvest is gathered, enjoyment30 is present, and repose at hand."
"In the world of society," said Thurston, "it is in the evening, after the labor31 or the business of the day is over, that the gayest scenes of festivity occur, just preceding the repose of sleep. So I receive your thought of the autumn—the evening of the year, preceding the rest of winter. Nature's year's work is done; she puts on her most gorgeous robes, and holds a festival before she sinks to her winter's sleep."
Marian smiled brightly upon him.
That smile—that smile! It lightened through all his nature with electric, life-giving, spirit-realizing power, elevating and inspiring his whole being. His face, too, was radiant with life as he answered the maiden's smile.
But something in his eyes caused Marian's glances to fall, and the rosy33 clouds to roll up over her cheeks and brow.
Then Thurston governed his countenance34—let no ardent35 or admiring glance escape, and when he spoke36 again his manner and words were more deferential37.
"We spoke of the world of nature, Miss Mayfield; but how is it with the world of man? To many—nay38, to most of the human race—autumn is the herald39 of a season not of festivity and repose, but of continued labor, and increased want and privation and suffering."
"That is because society is not in harmony with nature; man has wandered as far from nature as from God," said Marian.
"You know that—you feel it?" asked Marian, turning upon him one of her soul-thrilling glances.
Thurston trembled with delicious pleasure through all his frame; but, guarding his eyes, lest again they should frighten off her inspiring glances, he answered, fervently41:
"I know and feel it most profoundly."
And Thurston thought he spoke the very truth, though in sober fact he had never thought or felt anything about the subject until now that Marian, his inspirer, poured her life-giving spirit into his soul.
"You know and feel it most profoundly! That deep knowledge and that deep feeling is the chrism oil that has anointed you a messenger and a laborer43 in the cause of humanity. 'Called and chosen,' be thou also faithful. There are many inspired, many anointed; but few are faithful!"
"Thou, then, art the high priestess that hast poured the consecrated44 oil on my head. I will be faithful!"
He spoke with such sudden enthusiasm, such abandon, that it had the effect of bringing Marian back to the moderation and retenue of her usual manner. He saw it in the changed expression of her countenance; and what light or shade of feeling passed over that beautiful face unmarked of him? When he spoke again it was composedly.
"You speak as the preachers and teachers preach and teach—in general terms. Be explicit45; what would you have me to do, Miss Mayfield? Only indicate my work, and tell me how to set about the accomplishment46 of it, and never knight47 served liege lady as I will serve you!"
Marian smiled.
"How? Oh, you must make yourself a position from which to influence people! I do not know that I can advise you how; but you will find a way, as—were I a man, I should!"
"Being a woman, you have done wonders!"
"For a woman," said Marian, with a glance full of archness and merriment.
"No, no; for any one, man or woman! But your method, Marian? I beg your pardon, Miss Mayfield," he added, with a blush of ingenuous48 embarrassment49.
"Nay, now," said the frank girl; "do call me Marian if that name springs more readily from your lips than the other. Almost all persons call me Marian, and I like it."
A rush of pleasure thrilled all through his veins50; he gave her words a meaning and a value for himself that they did not certainly possess; he forgot that the grace extended to him was extended to all—nay, that she had even said as much in the very words that gave it. He answered:
"Oh, I do not know," said the beautiful girl, laughing and blushing. "If
it ever comes naturally, perhaps; certainly not now. Why, the venerable
Colonel Thornton calls me 'Marian,' but it never comes to me to call him
'John!'"
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1
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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2
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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3
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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4
vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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5
azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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6
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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7
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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8
diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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9
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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10
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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11
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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12
diffusing
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| （使光）模糊，漫射，漫散( diffuse的现在分词 )； （使）扩散； （使）弥漫； （使）传播 | |
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13
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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14
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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15
desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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17
aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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18
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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19
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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20
tampering
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| v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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21
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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22
foresight
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| n.先见之明，深谋远虑 | |
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23
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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24
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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25
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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26
refulgent
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| adj.辉煌的，灿烂的 | |
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27
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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29
festive
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| adj.欢宴的，节日的 | |
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30
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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31
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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32
pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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33
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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34
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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35
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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36
spoke
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| 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 | |
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37
deferential
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| adj. 敬意的，恭敬的 | |
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38
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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39
herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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40
saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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41
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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42
ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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43
laborer
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| n.劳动者，劳工 | |
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44
consecrated
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| adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献 | |
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45
explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
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46
accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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47
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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48
ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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49
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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50
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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51
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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