A flaw in that pentagram of a time-table, that pentagram by which the demons1 of distraction2 were to be excluded from Mr. Lewisham's career to Greatness, was the absence of a clause forbidding study out of doors. It was the day after the trivial window peeping of the last chapter that this gap in the time-table became apparent, a day if possible more gracious and alluring3 than its predecessor4, and at half-past twelve, instead of returning from the school directly to his lodging5, Mr. Lewisham escaped through the omission6 and made his way--Horace in pocket--to the park gates and so to the avenue of ancient trees that encircles the broad Whortley domain7. He dismissed a suspicion of his motive8 with perfect success. In the avenue--for the path is but little frequented--one might expect to read undisturbed. The open air, the erect9 attitude, are surely better than sitting in a stuffy10, enervating11 bedroom. The open air is distinctly healthy, hardy12, simple....
The day was breezy, and there was a perpetual rustling13, a going and coming in the budding trees.
The network of the beeches14 was full of golden sunlight, and all the lower branches were shot with horizontal dashes of new-born green.
"_Tu, nisi ventis
Debes ludibrium, cave_."
was the appropriate matter of Mr. Lewisham's thoughts, and he was mechanically trying to keep the book open in three places at once, at the text, the notes, and the literal translation, while he turned up the vocabulary for _ludibrium_, when his attention, wandering dangerously near the top of the page, fell over the edge and escaped with incredible swiftness down the avenue....
A girl, wearing a straw hat adorned15 with white blossom, was advancing towards him. Her occupation, too, was literary. Indeed, she was so busy writing that evidently she did not perceive him.
Unreasonable16 emotions descended17 upon Mr. Lewisham--emotions that are unaccountable on the mere18 hypothesis of a casual meeting. Something was whispered; it sounded suspiciously like "It's her!" He advanced with his fingers in his book, ready to retreat to its pages if she looked up, and watched her over it. _Ludibrium_ passed out of his universe. She was clearly unaware19 of his nearness, he thought, intent upon her writing, whatever that might be. He wondered what it might be. Her face, foreshortened by her downward regard, seemed infantile. Her fluttering skirt was short, and showed her shoes and ankles. He noted20 her graceful21, easy steps. A figure of health and lightness it was, sunlit, and advancing towards him, something, as he afterwards recalled with a certain astonishment22, quite outside the Schema.
Nearer she came and nearer, her eyes still downcast. He was full of vague, stupid promptings towards an uncalled-for intercourse23. It was curious she did not see him. He began to expect almost painfully the moment when she would look up, though what there was to expect--! He thought of what she would see when she discovered him, and wondered where the tassel24 of his cap might be hanging--it sometimes occluded25 one eye. It was of course quite impossible to put up a hand and investigate. He was near trembling with excitement. His paces, acts which are usually automatic, became uncertain and difficult. One might have thought he had never passed a human being before. Still nearer, ten yards now, nine, eight. Would she go past without looking up?...
Then their eyes met.
She had hazel eyes, but Mr. Lewisham, being quite an amateur about eyes, could find no words for them. She looked demurely26 into his face. She seemed to find nothing there. She glanced away from him among the trees, and passed, and nothing remained in front of him but an empty avenue, a sunlit, green-shot void.
The incident was over.
From far away the soughing of the breeze swept towards him, and in a moment all the twigs27 about him were quivering and rustling and the boughs28 creaking with a gust29 of wind. It seemed to urge him away from her. The faded dead leaves that had once been green and young sprang up, raced one another, leapt, danced and pirouetted, and then something large struck him on the neck, stayed for a startling moment, and drove past him up the avenue.
Something vividly30 white! A sheet of paper--the sheet upon which she had been writing!
For what seemed a long time he did not grasp the situation. He glanced over his shoulder and understood suddenly. His awkwardness vanished. Horace in hand, he gave chase, and in ten paces had secured the fugitive31 document. He turned towards her, flushed with triumph, the quarry32 in his hand. He had as he picked it up seen what was written, but the situation dominated him for the instant. He made a stride towards her, and only then understood what he had seen. Lines of a measured length and capitals! Could it really be--? He stopped. He looked again, eyebrows33 rising. He held it before him, staring now quite frankly34. It had been written with a stylographic pen. Thus it ran:--
"_Come! Sharp's the word._"
And then again,
"_Come! Sharp's the word._"
And then,
"_Come! Sharp's the word._"
"_Come! Sharp's the word._"
And so on all down the page, in a boyish hand uncommonly35 like Frobisher ii.'s.
Surely! "I say!" said Mr. Lewisham, struggling with, the new aspect and forgetting all his manners in his surprise.... He remembered giving the imposition quite well:--Frobisher ii. had repeated the exhortation36 just a little too loudly--had brought the thing upon himself. To find her doing this jarred oddly upon certain vague preconceptions he had formed of her. Somehow it seemed as if she had betrayed him. That of course was only for the instant.
She had come up with him now. "May I have my sheet of paper, please?" she said with a catching37 of her breath. She was a couple of inches less in height than he. Do you observe her half-open lips? said Mother Nature in a noiseless aside to Mr. Lewisham--a thing he afterwards recalled. In her eyes was a touch of apprehension38.
"I say," he said, with protest still uppermost, "you oughtn't to do this."
"Do what?"
"This. Impositions. For my boys."
She raised her eyebrows, then knitted them momentarily, and looked at him. "Are _you_ Mr. Lewisham?" she asked with an affectation of entire ignorance and discovery.
She knew him perfectly39 well, which was one reason why she was writing the imposition, but pretending not to know gave her something to say.
Mr. Lewisham nodded.
"Of all people! Then"--frankly--"you have just found me out."
"I am afraid I have," said Lewisham. "I am afraid I _have_ found you out."
They looked at one another for the next move. She decided40 to plead in extenuation41.
"Teddy Frobisher is my cousin. I know it's very wrong, but he seemed to have such a lot to do and to be in _such_ trouble. And I had nothing to do. In fact, it was _I_ who offered...."
She stopped and looked at him. She seemed to consider her remark complete.
That meeting of the eyes had an oddly disconcerting quality. He tried to keep to the business of the imposition. "You ought not to have done that," he said, encountering her steadfastly42.
She looked down and then into his face again. "No," she said. "I suppose I ought not to. I'm very sorry."
Her looking down and up again produced another unreasonable effect. It seemed to Lewisham that they were discussing something quite other than the topic of their conversation; a persuasion43 patently absurd and only to be accounted for by the general disorder44 of his faculties45. He made a serious attempt to keep his footing of reproof46.
"I should have detected the writing, you know."
"Of course you would. It was very wrong of me to persuade him. But I did--I assure you. He seemed in such trouble. And I thought--"
She made another break, and there was a faint deepening of colour in her cheeks. Suddenly, stupidly, his own adolescent cheeks began to glow. It became necessary to banish47 that sense of a duplicate topic forthwith.
"I can assure you," he said, now very earnestly, "I never give a punishment, never, unless it is merited. I make that a rule. I--er--_always_ make that a rule. I am very careful indeed."
"I am really sorry," she interrupted with frank contrition48. "It _was_ silly of me."
Lewisham felt unaccountably sorry she should have to apologise, and he spoke49 at once with the idea of checking the reddening of his face. "I don't think _that_," he said with a sort of belated alacrity50. "Really, it was kind of you, you know--very kind of you indeed. And I know that--I can quite understand that--er--your kindness...."
"Ran away with me. And now poor little Teddy will get into worse trouble for letting me...."
"Oh no," said Mr. Lewisham, perceiving an opportunity and trying not to smile his appreciation51 of what he was saying. "I had no business to read this as I picked it up--absolutely no business. Consequently...."
"You won't take any notice of it? Really!"
"Certainly not," said Mr. Lewisham.
Her face lit with a smile, and Mr. Lewisham's relaxed in sympathy. "It is nothing--it's the proper thing for me to do, you know."
"But so many people won't do it. Schoolmasters are not usually so--chivalrous52."
He was chivalrous! The phrase acted like a spur. He obeyed a foolish impulse.
"If you like--" he said.
"What?"
"He needn't do this. The Impot., I mean. I'll let him off."
"Really?"
"I can."
"I don't mind," he said. "It's nothing much. If you really think ..."
He was full of self-applause for this scandalous sacrifice of justice.
"It's awfully kind of you," she said.
"It's nothing, really," he explained, "nothing."
"Most people wouldn't--"
"I know."
Pause.
"It's all right," he said. "Really."
He would have given worlds for something more to say, something witty54 and original, but nothing came.
The pause lengthened55. She glanced over her shoulder down the vacant avenue. This interview--this momentous56 series of things unsaid was coming to an end! She looked at him hesitatingly and smiled again. She held out her hand. No doubt that was the proper thing to do. He took it, searching a void, tumultuous mind in vain.
"It's awfully kind of you," she said again as she did so.
"It don't matter a bit," said Mr. Lewisham, and sought vainly for some other saying, some doorway57 remark into new topics. Her hand was cool and soft and firm, the most delightful58 thing to grasp, and this observation ousted59 all other things. He held it for a moment, but nothing would come.
They discovered themselves hand in hand. They both laughed and felt "silly." They shook hands in the manner of quite intimate friends, and snatched their hands away awkwardly. She turned, glanced timidly at him over her shoulder, and hesitated. "Good-bye," she said, and was suddenly walking from him.
He bowed to her receding60 back, made a seventeenth-century sweep with his college cap, and then some hitherto unexplored regions of his mind flashed into revolt.
Hardly had she gone six paces when he was at her side again.
"I say," he said with a fearful sense of his temerity61, and raising his mortar62-board awkwardly as though he was passing a funeral. "But that sheet of paper ..."
"Yes," she said surprised--quite naturally.
"May I have it?"
"Why?"
He felt a breathless pleasure, like that of sliding down a slope of snow. "I would like to have it."
She smiled and raised her eyebrows, but his excitement was now too great for smiling. "Look here!" she said, and displayed the sheet crumpled63 into a ball. She laughed--with a touch of effort.
"I don't mind that," said Mr. Lewisham, laughing too. He captured the paper by an insistent64 gesture and smoothed it out with fingers that trembled.
"You don't mind?" he said.
"Mind what?"
"If I keep it?"
"Why should I?"
Pause. Their eyes met again. There was an odd constraint65 about both of them, a palpitating interval66 of silence.
"I really _must_ be going," she said suddenly, breaking the spell by an effort. She turned about and left him with the crumpled piece of paper in the fist that held the book, the other hand lifting the mortar board in a dignified67 salute68 again.
He watched her receding figure. His heart was beating with remarkable69 rapidity. How light, how living she seemed! Little round flakes70 of sunlight raced down her as she went. She walked fast, then slowly, looking sideways once or twice, but not back, until she reached the park gates. Then she looked towards him, a remote friendly little figure, made a gesture of farewell, and disappeared.
His face was flushed and his eyes bright. Curiously71 enough, he was out of breath. He stared for a long time at the vacant end of the avenue. Then he turned his eyes to his trophy72 gripped against the closed and forgotten Horace in his hand.
收听单词发音 |
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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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distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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predecessor
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| n.前辈，前任 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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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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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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enervating
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| v.使衰弱，使失去活力( enervate的现在分词 ) | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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beeches
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| n.山毛榉( beech的名词复数 )；山毛榉木材 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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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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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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tassel
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| n.流苏，穗；v.抽穗， （玉米）长穗须 | |
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occluded
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| v.堵塞( occlude的过去式和过去分词 )；阻隔；吸收（气体） | |
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26
demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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28
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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29
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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30
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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31
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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32
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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35
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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exhortation
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| n.劝告，规劝 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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38
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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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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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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extenuation
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| n.减轻罪孽的借口；酌情减轻；细 | |
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steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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43
persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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45
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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46
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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47
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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contrition
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| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
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49
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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50
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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51
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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52
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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53
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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54
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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55
lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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57
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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58
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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59
ousted
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| 驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺 | |
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60
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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61
temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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62
mortar
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| n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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63
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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64
insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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65
constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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66
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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67
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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68
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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69
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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70
flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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71
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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72
trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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