The next day was Darrow's last at Givre and, foreseeing thatthe afternoon and evening would have to be given to thefamily, he had asked Anna to devote an early hour to thefinal consideration of their plans. He was to meet her inthe brown sitting-room1 at ten, and they were to walk down tothe river and talk over their future in the little pavilionabutting on the wall of the park.
It was just a week since his arrival at Givre, and Annawished, before he left, to return to the place where theyhad sat on their first afternoon together. Hersensitiveness to the appeal of inanimate things, to thecolour and texture2 of whatever wove itself into thesubstance of her emotion, made her want to hear Darrow'svoice, and to feel his eyes on her, in the spot where blisshad first flowed into her heart.
That bliss3, in the interval4, had wound itself into everyfold of her being. Passing, in the first days, from a highshy tenderness to the rush of a secret surrender, it hadgradually widened and deepened, to flow on in redoubledbeauty. She thought she now knew exactly how and why sheloved Darrow, and she could see her whole sky reflected inthe deep and tranquil5 current of her love.
Early the next day, in her sitting-room, she was glancingthrough the letters which it was Effie's morning privilegeto carry up to her. Effie meanwhile circled inquisitivelyabout the room, where there was always something new toengage her infant fancy; and Anna, looking up, saw hersuddenly arrested before a photograph of Darrow which, theday before, had taken its place on the writing-table.
Anna held out her arms with a faint blush. "You do likehim, don't you, dear?""Oh, most awfully6, dearest," Effie, against her breast,leaned back to assure her with a limpid7 look. "And so doGranny and Owen--and I DO think Sophy does too," sheadded, after a moment's earnest pondering.
"I hope so," Anna laughed. She checked the impulse tocontinue: "Has she talked to you about him, that you're sosure?" She did not know what had made the question spring toher lips, but she was glad she had closed them beforepronouncing it. Nothing could have been more distasteful toher than to clear up such obscurities by turning on them thetiny flame of her daughter's observation. And what, afterall, now that Owen's happiness was secured, did it matter ifthere were certain reserves in Darrow's approval of hismarriage?
A knock on the door made Anna glance at the clock. "There'sNurse to carry you off.""It's Sophy's knock," the little girl answered, jumping downto open the door; and Miss Viner in fact stood on thethreshold.
"Come in," Anna said with a smile, instantly remarking howpale she looked.
"May Effie go out for a turn with Nurse?" the girl asked.
"I should like to speak to you a moment.""Of course. This ought to be YOUR holiday, as yesterdaywas Effie's. Run off, dear," she added, stooping to kissthe little girl.
When the door had closed she turned back to Sophy Viner witha look that sought her confidence. "I'm so glad you came,my dear. We've got so many things to talk about, just youand I together."The confused intercourse8 of the last days had, in fact, leftlittle time for any speech with Sophy but such as related toher marriage and the means of overcoming Madame deChantelle's opposition9 to it. Anna had exacted of Owen thatno one, not even Sophy Viner, should be given a hint of herown projects till all contingent10 questions had been disposedof. She had felt, from the outset, a secret reluctance11 tointrude her securer happiness on the doubts and fears of theyoung pair.
From the sofa-corner to which she had dropped back shepointed to Darrow's chair. "Come and sit by me, dear. Iwanted to see you alone. There's so much to say that Ihardly know where to begin."She leaned forward, her hands clasped on the arms of thesofa, her eyes bent12 smilingly on Sophy's. As she did so,she noticed that the girl's unusual pallour was partly dueto the slight veil of powder on her face. The discovery wasdistinctly disagreeable. Anna had never before noticed, onSophy's part, any recourse to cosmetics13, and, much as shewished to think herself exempt14 from old-fashionedprejudices, she suddenly became aware that she did not likeher daughter's governess to have a powdered face. Then shereflected that the girl who sat opposite her was no longerEffie's governess, but her own future daughter-in-law; andshe wondered whether Miss Viner had chosen this odd way ofcelebrating her independence, and whether, as Mrs. OwenLeath, she would present to the world a bedizenedcountenance. This idea was scarcely less distasteful thanthe other, and for a moment Anna continued to consider herwithout speaking. Then, in a flash, the truth came to her:
Miss Viner had powdered her face because Miss Viner had beencrying.
Anna leaned forward impulsively15. "My dear child, what's thematter?" She saw the girl's blood rush up under the whitemask, and hastened on: "Please don't be afraid to tell me.
I do so want you to feel that you can trust me as Owen does.
And you know you mustn't mind if, just at first, Madame deChantelle occasionally relapses."She spoke16 eagerly, persuasively17, almost on a note ofpleading. She had, in truth, so many reasons for wantingSophy to like her: her love for Owen, her solicitude18 forEffie, and her own sense of the girl's fine mettle19. She hadalways felt a romantic and almost humble20 admiration21 forthose members of her sex who, from force of will, or theconstraint of circumstances, had plunged23 into the conflictfrom which fate had so persistently24 excluded her. Therewere even moments when she fancied herself vaguely25 to blamefor her immunity26, and felt that she ought somehow to haveaffronted the perils27 and hardships which refused to come toher. And now, as she sat looking at Sophy Viner, so small,so slight, so visibly defenceless and undone28, she stillfelt, through all the superiority of her worldly advantagesand her seeming maturity29, the same odd sense of ignoranceand inexperience. She could not have said what there was inthe girl's manner and expression to give her this feeling,but she was reminded, as she looked at Sophy Viner, of theother girls she had known in her youth, the girls who seemedpossessed of a secret she had missed. Yes, Sophy Viner hadtheir look--almost the obscurely menacing look of KittyMayne...Anna, with an inward smile, brushed aside the imageof this forgotten rival. But she had felt, deep down, atwinge of the old pain, and she was sorry that, even for theflash of a thought, Owen's betrothed30 should have remindedher of so different a woman...
She laid her hand on the girl's. "When his grandmother seeshow happy Owen is she'll be quite happy herself. If it'sonly that, don't be distressed31. Just trust to Owen--and thefuture."Sophy Viner, with an almost imperceptible recoil32 of herwhole slight person, had drawn33 her hand from under the palmenclosing it.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about--the future.""Of course! We've all so many plans to make--and to fit intoeach other's. Please let's begin with yours."The girl paused a moment, her hands clasped on the arms ofher chair, her lids dropped under Anna's gaze; then shesaid: "I should like to make no plans at all...just yet...""No plans?""No--I should like to go away...my friends the Farlows wouldlet me go to them..." Her voice grew firmer and she liftedher eyes to add: "I should like to leave today, if you don'tmind."Anna listened with a rising wonder.
"You want to leave Givre at once?" She gave the idea amoment's swift consideration. "You prefer to be with yourfriends till your marriage? I understand that--but surelyyou needn't rush off today? There are so many details todiscuss; and before long, you know, I shall be going awaytoo.""Yes, I know." The girl was evidently trying to steady hervoice. "But I should like to wait a few days--to have alittle more time to myself."Anna continued to consider her kindly34. It was evident thatshe did not care to say why she wished to leave Givre sosuddenly, but her disturbed face and shaken voice betrayed amore pressing motive35 than the natural desire to spend theweeks before her marriage under her old friends' roof.
Since she had made no response to the allusion36 to Madame deChantelle, Anna could but conjecture37 that she had had apassing disagreement with Owen; and if this were so, randominterference might do more harm than good.
"My dear child, if you really want to go at once I sha'n't,of course, urge you to stay. I suppose you have spoken toOwen?""No. Not yet..."Anna threw an astonished glance at her. "You mean to sayyou haven't told him?""I wanted to tell you first. I thought I ought to, onaccount of Effie." Her look cleared as she put forth22 thisreason.
"Oh, Effie!--" Anna's smile brushed away the scruple38. "Owenhas a right to ask that you should consider him before youthink of his sister...Of course you shall do just as youwish," she went on, after another thoughtful interval.
"Oh, thank you," Sophy Viner murmured and rose to her feet.
Anna rose also, vaguely seeking for some word that shouldbreak down the girl's resistance. "You'll tell Owen atonce?" she finally asked.
Miss Viner, instead of replying, stood before her inmanifest uncertainty39, and as she did so there was a lighttap on the door, and Owen Leath walked into the room.
Anna's first glance told her that his face was unclouded.
He met her greeting with his happiest smile and turned tolift Sophy's hand to his lips. The perception that he wasutterly unconscious of any cause for Miss Viner's agitationcame to his step-mother with a sharp thrill of surprise.
"Darrow's looking for you," he said to her. "He asked me toremind you that you'd promised to go for a walk with him."Anna glanced at the clock. "I'll go down presently." Shewaited and looked again at Sophy Viner, whose troubled eyesseemed to commit their message to her. "You'd better tellOwen, my dear."Owen's look also turned on the girl. "Tell me what? Why,what's happened?"Anna summoned a laugh to ease the vague tension of themoment. "Don't look so startled! Nothing, except that Sophyproposes to desert us for a while for the Farlows."Owen's brow cleared. "I was afraid she'd run off beforelong." He glanced at Anna. "Do please keep her here as longas you can!"Sophy intervened: "Mrs. Leath's already given me leave togo.""Already? To go when?""Today," said Sophy in a low tone, her eyes on Anna's.
"Today? Why on earth should you go today?" Owen dropped backa step or two, flushing and paling under his bewilderedfrown. His eyes seemed to search the girl more closely.
"Something's happened." He too looked at his step-mother.
"I suppose she must have told you what it is?"Anna was struck by the suddenness and vehemence41 of hisappeal. It was as though some smouldering apprehension42 hadlain close under the surface of his security.
"She's told me nothing except that she wishes to be with herfriends. It's quite natural that she should want to go tothem."Owen visibly controlled himself. "Of course--quitenatural." He spoke to Sophy. "But why didn't you tell meso? Why did you come first to my step-mother?"Anna intervened with her calm smile. "That seems to mequite natural, too. Sophy was considerate enough to tell mefirst because of Effie."He weighed it. "Very well, then: that's quite natural, asyou say. And of course she must do exactly as she pleases."He still kept his eyes on the girl. "Tomorrow," he abruptlyannounced, "I shall go up to Paris to see you.""Oh, no--no!" she protested.
Owen turned back to Anna. "NOW do you say thatnothing's happened?"Under the influence of his agitation40 Anna felt a vaguetightening of the heart. She seemed to herself like someone in a dark room about whom unseen presences are groping.
"If it's anything that Sophy wishes to tell you, no doubtshe'll do so. I'm going down now, and I'll leave you hereto talk it over by yourselves."As she moved to the door the girl caught up with her. "Butthere's nothing to tell: why should there be? I've explainedthat I simply want to be quiet." Her look seemed to detainMrs. Leath.
Owen broke in: "Is that why I mayn't go up tomorrow?""Not tomorrow!""Then when may I?""Later...in a little while...a few days...""In how many days?""Owen!" his step-mother interposed; but he seemed no longeraware of her. "If you go away today, the day that ourengagement's made known, it's only fair," he persisted,"that you should tell me when I am to see you."Sophy's eyes wavered between the two and dropped downwearily. "It's you who are not fair--when I've said Iwanted to be quiet.""But why should my coming disturb you? I'm not asking now tocome tomorrow. I only ask you not to leave without tellingme when I'm to see you.""Owen, I don't understand you!" his step-mother exclaimed.
"You don't understand my asking for some explanation, someassurance, when I'm left in this way, without a word,without a sign? All I ask her to tell me is when she'll seeme."Anna turned back to Sophy Viner, who stood straight andtremulous between the two.
"After all, my dear, he's not unreasonable43!""I'll write--I'll write," the girl repeated.
"WHAT will you write?" he pressed her vehemently44.
"Owen," Anna exclaimed, "you are unreasonable!"He turned from Sophy to his step-mother. "I only want herto say what she means: that she's going to write to breakoff our engagement. Isn't that what you're going away for?"Anna felt the contagion45 of his excitement. She looked atSophy, who stood motionless, her lips set, her whole facedrawn to a silent fixity of resistance.
"You ought to speak, my dear--you ought to answer him.""I only ask him to wait----""Yes," Owen, broke in, "and you won't say how long!"Both instinctively46 addressed themselves to Anna, who stood,nearly as shaken as themselves, between the double shock oftheir struggle. She looked again from Sophy's inscrutableeyes to Owen's stormy features; then she said: "What can Ido, when there's clearly something between you that I don'tknow about?""Oh, if it WERE between us! Can't you see it's outsideof us--outside of her, dragging at her, dragging her awayfrom me?" Owen wheeled round again upon his step-mother.
Anna turned from him to the girl. "Is it true that you wantto break your engagement? If you do, you ought to tell himnow."Owen burst into a laugh. "She doesn't dare to--she's afraidI'll guess the reason!"A faint sound escaped from Sophy's lips, but she kept themclose on whatever answer she had ready.
"If she doesn't wish to marry you, why should she be afraidto have you know the reason?""She's afraid to have YOU know it--not me!""To have ME know it?"He laughed again, and Anna, at his laugh, felt a sudden rushof indignation.
"Owen, you must explain what you mean!"He looked at her hard before answering; then: "Ask Darrow!"he said.
"Owen--Owen!" Sophy Viner murmured.
收听单词发音 |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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limpid
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| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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cosmetics
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| n.化妆品 | |
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exempt
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| adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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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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persuasively
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| adv.口才好地；令人信服地 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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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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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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persistently
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| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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contagion
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| n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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