THEY set out with no other plan than to take a three hours’ stroll. Lionel led the way, and they journeyed through various pleasant lanes and meadows, till, about three miles distance from Etherington, upon ascending1 a beautiful little hill, they espied2, fifty yards off, the Grove3, and a party of company sauntering round its grounds.
He immediately proposed making a visit to Mrs. Arlbery; but Lavinia declined presenting herself to a lady who was unknown to her mother; and Camilla, impressed with the promise she had intended for Edgar, which she was sure, though unpronounced, he had comprehended, dissented4 also from the motion.
He then said he would go alone; for his spirits were so low from vexation and regret, that they wanted recruit; and he would return to them by the time they would be sufficiently5 rested to walk home.
To this they agreed; and amused themselves with watching to see him join the group; in which, however, they were no sooner gratified, than, to their great confusion, they perceived that he pointed6 them out, and that all eyes were immediately directed towards the hill.
Vexed7 and astonished at his quick passing penitence8, they hastened down the declivity9, and ran on till a lane, with an high hedge on each side, sheltered them from view.
But Lionel, soon pursuing them, said he brought the indisputable orders of his invincible10 widow to convoy11 them to the mansion12. She never, she had owned, admitted formal visitors, but whatever was abrupt13 and out of the way, won her heart.
To the prudent14 Lavinia, this invitation was by no means alluring15. Mrs. Tyrold, from keeping no carriage, visited but little, and the Grove was not included in her small circle; Lavinia, therefore, though she knew not how to be peremptory16, was steady in refusal; and Camilla, who would naturally with pleasure have yielded, had a stronger motive17 for firmness, than any with which she was gifted by discretion18, in her wish to oblige Mandlebert. But Lionel would listen to neither of them; and when he found his insistance insufficient19, seized Lavinia by one arm, and Camilla by the other, and dragged them up the hill, in defiance20 of their entreaties21, and in full view of the party. He then left the more pleading, though less resisting, Lavinia alone; but pulled Camilla down by the opposite side, with a velocity22 that, though meant but to bring her to the verge23 of a small rivulet24, forced her into the midst of it so rapidly that he could not himself at last stop: and wetted her so completely that she could with difficulty, when she got across it, walk on.
The violent spirits of Lionel always carried him beyond his own intentions; he was now really sorry for what he had done: and Lavinia, who had quietly followed, was uneasy from the fear of some ill consequence to her sister.
Mrs. Arlbery, who had seen the transaction, came forth25 now herself, to invite them all into her house, and offer a fire and dry clothing to Camilla; not sparing, however, her well-merited raillery at the awkward exploit of young Tyrold.
Camilla, ashamed to be thus seen, would have hidden herself behind her sister, and retreated; but even Lavinia now, fearing for her health, joined in the request, and she was obliged to enter the house.
Mrs. Arlbery took her upstairs, to her own apartment, and supplied her immediately with a complete change of apparel; protesting that Lionel should be punished for his frolic, by a solitary26 walk to Etherington, to announce that she would keep his two sisters for the day.
Opposition27 was vain; she was gay, good humoured, and pleasant, but she would not be denied. She meant not, however, to inflict28 the serious penalty which the face of Lionel proclaimed him to be suffering, when he prepared to depart; and the sisters, who read in it his dread29 of meeting Mr. Tyrold alone, in the present circumstances of his affairs, conferred together, and agreed, that Lavinia should accompany him, both to intercede30 for returning favour from his father, and to explain the accident of Camilla’s staying at the Grove. Mrs. Arlbery, meanwhile, promised to restore her young guest safe at night in her own carriage.
Notwithstanding the pleasure with which Camilla, in any other situation, would have renewed this acquaintance, was now changed into reluctance31, she was far from insensible to the flattering kindness with which Mrs. Arlbery received and entertained her, nor to the frankness with which she confessed, that her invisibility the other morning, had resulted solely32 from pique33 that the visit had not been made sooner.
Camilla would have attempted some apology for the delay, but she assured her apologies were what she neither took nor gave; and then laughingly added–‘We will try one another to day, and if we find it won’t do-we will shake hands and part. That, you must know, is my mode; and is it not vastly better than keeping up an acquaintance that proves dull, merely because it has been begun?’
She then ordered away all her visitors, without the smallest ceremony; telling them, however, they might come back in the evening, only desiring they would not be early. Camilla stared; but they all submitted as to a thing of course.
‘You are not used to my way, I perceive,’ cried she, smiling; ‘yet, I can nevertheless assure you, you can do nothing so much for your happiness as to adopt it. You are made a slave in a moment by the world, if you don’t begin life by defying it. Take your own way, follow your own humour, and you and the world will both go on just as well, as if you ask its will and pleasure for everything you do, and want, and think.’
She then expressed herself delighted with Lionel, for bringing them together by this short cut, which abolished a world of formalities, not more customary than fatiguing35. ‘I pass, I know,’ continued she, ‘for a mere34 creature of whim36; but, believe me, there is no small touch of philosophy in the composition of my vagaries37. Extremes, you know, have a mighty38 knack39 of meeting. Thus I, like the sage40, though not with sage-like motives41, save time that must otherwise be wasted; brave rules that would murder common sense; and when I have made people stare, turn another way that I may laugh.’
She then, in a graver strain, and in a manner that proved the laws of politeness all her own, where she chose, for any particular purpose, or inclination42, to exert them, hoped this profession of her faith would plead her excuse, that she had thus incongruously made her fair guest a second time enter her house, before her first visit was acknowledged; and enquired43 whether it were to be returned to Etherington or at Cleves.
Camilla answered, she was now at home, on account of her mother’s being obliged to make a voyage to Lisbon.
Mrs. Arlbery said, she would certainly, then, wait upon her at Etherington; and very civilly regretted having no acquaintance with Mrs. Tyrold; archly, however, adding: ‘As we have no where met I could not seek her at her own house without running too great a risk for then, whether I had liked her or not, I must have received her, you know, into mine. So, you see, I am not quite without Prudence44, whatever the dear world says to the contrary.’
She then spoke45 of the ball, public breakfast, and raffle46; chatting both upon persons and things with an easy gaiety, and sprightly47 negligence48, extremely amusing to Camilla, and which soon, in despite of the unwillingness49 with which she had entered her house, brought back her original propensity50 to make the acquaintance, and left no regret for what Lionel had done, except what rested upon the repugnance51 of Edgar to his intercourse52. As he could not, however, reproach what was begun without her concurrence53, he would see, she hoped, like herself, that common civility henceforward would exact its continuance.
In proportion as her pleasure from this accidental commerce was awakened54, and her early partiality revived, her own spirits re-animated, and, in the course of the many hours they now spent completely together, she was set so entirely55 at her ease, by the good humour of Mrs. Arlbery, that she lost all fear of her wit. She found it rather playful than satirical; rather seeking to amuse than to disconcert; and though sometimes, from the resistless pleasure of uttering a bon mot she thought more of its brilliancy than of the pain it might inflict, this happened but rarely, and was more commonly succeeded by regret than by triumph.
Camilla soon observed she had, personally, nothing to apprehend56, peculiar57 partiality supplying the place of general delicacy58, in shielding her from every shaft59 that even pleasantry could render poignant60. The embarrassment61, therefore, which, in ingenuous62 youth, checks the attempt to please, by fear of failure, or shame of exertion63, gave way to natural spirits, which gaily64 rising from entertainment received, restored her vivacity65, and gradually, though unconsciously, enabled her to do justice to her own abilities, by unaffectedly calling forth the mingled66 sweetness and intelligence of her character; and Mrs. Arlbery, charmed with all she observed, and flattered by all she inspired, felt such satisfaction in her evident conquest, that before the tête-à-tête was closed, their admiration67 was become nearly mutual68.
When the evening party was announced, they both heard with surprise that the day was so far advanced. ‘They can wait, however,’ said Mrs. Arlbery, ‘for I know they have nothing to do.’
She then invited Camilla to return to her the next day for a week.
Camilla felt well disposed to comply, hoping soon to reason from Edgar his prejudice against a connection that afforded her such singular pleasure; but to leave her father at this period was far from every wish. She excused herself, therefore, saying, she had still six weeks due to her uncle at Cleves, before any other engagement could take place.
‘Well, then, when you quit your home for Sir Hugh, will you beg off a few days from him, and set them down to my account?’
‘If my uncle pleases —’
‘If he pleases?’ repeated she, laughing; ‘pray never give that If into his decision; you only put contradiction into people’s heads, by asking what pleases them. Say at once, My good uncle, Mrs. Arlbery has invited me to indulge her with a few days at the Grove; so to-morrow I shall go to her. Will you promise me this?’
‘Dear madam, no! my uncle would think me mad.’
‘And suppose he should! A little alarm now and then keeps life from stagnation69. They call me mad, I know, sometimes; wild, flighty, and what not; yet you see how harmless I am, though I afford food for such notable commentary.’
‘But can you really like such things should be said of you?’
‘I adore the frankness of that question! why, n — o,–I rather think I don’t. But I’m not sure. However, to prevent their minding me, I must mind them. And it’s vastly more irksome to give up one’s own way, than to hear a few impertinent remarks. And as to the world, depend upon it, my dear Miss Tyrold, the more you see of it, the less you will care for it.’
She then said she would leave her to re-invest herself in her own attire70, and go downstairs, to see what the poor simple souls, who had had no more wit than to come back thus at her call, had found to do with themselves.
Camilla having only her common morning dress, and even that utterly71 spoilt, begged that her appearance might be dispensed72 with; but Mrs. Arlbery, exclaiming, ‘Why, there are only men; you don’t mind men, I hope!’ ashamed, she promised to get ready; yet she had not sufficient courage to descend73, till her gay hostess came back and accompanied her to the drawing room.
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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dissented
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| 不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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penitence
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| n.忏悔，赎罪；悔过 | |
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declivity
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| n.下坡，倾斜面 | |
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invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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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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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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rivulet
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| n.小溪，小河 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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intercede
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| vi.仲裁，说情 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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pique
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| v.伤害…的自尊心，使生气 n.不满，生气 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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fatiguing
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| a.使人劳累的 | |
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whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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vagaries
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| n.奇想( vagary的名词复数 )；异想天开；异常行为；难以预测的情况 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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knack
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| n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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45
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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raffle
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| n.废物，垃圾，抽奖售卖；v.以抽彩出售 | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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unwillingness
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| n. 不愿意，不情愿 | |
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propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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concurrence
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| n.同意；并发 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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poignant
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| adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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stagnation
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| n. 停滞 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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