“This is my daughter, Judge Ostrander, Reuther, this is the judge.”
The introduction took place at the outer gates whither the judge had gone to receive them.
Reuther threw aside her veil, and looked up into the face bent1 courteously3 towards her. It had no look of Oliver. Somehow she felt glad. She could hardly have restrained herself if he had met her gaze with Oliver’s eyes. They were fine eyes notwithstanding, piercing by nature but just now misty5 with a feeling that took away all her fear. He was going to like her; she saw it in every trembling line of his countenance6, and at the thought a smile rose to her lips which, if fleeting7, lent such an ethereal aspect to her beauty that he forgave Oliver then and there for a love which never could be crowned, but which henceforth could no longer be regarded by him as despicable.
With a courteous2 gesture he invited them in, but stopping to lock one gate before leading them through the other, Mrs. Scoville had time to observe that since her last visit with its accompanying inroad of the populace, the two openings which at this point gave access to the walk between the fences had been closed up with boards so rude and dingy8 that they must have come from some old lumber9 pile in attic10 or cellar.
The judge detected her looking at them.
“I have cut off my nightly promenade,” said he. “With youth in the house, more cheerful habits must prevail. To-morrow I shall have my lawn cut, and if I must walk after sundown I will walk there.”
The two women exchanged glances. Perhaps their gloomy anticipations11 were not going to be realised.
But once within the house, the judge showed embarrassment12. He was conscious of its unfitness for their fastidious taste and yet he had not known how to improve matters. In his best days he had concerned himself very little with household affairs, and for the last few years he had not given a thought to anything outside his own rooms. Bela had done all — and Bela was pre-eminently a cook, not a general house-servant. How would these women regard the disorder13 and the dust?
“I have few comforts to offer,” said he, opening a door at his right and then hastily closing it again. “This part of the house is, as you see, completely dismantled14 and not — very clean. But you shall have carte blanche to arrange to your liking15 one of these rooms for your sitting-room16 and parlour. There is furniture in the attic and you may buy freely whatever else is necessary. I don’t want to discourage little Reuther. As for your bedrooms —” He stopped, hemmed17 a little and flushed a vivid red as he pointed18 up the dingy flight of uncarpeted stairs towards which he had led them. “They are above; but it is with shame I admit that I have not gone above this floor for many years. Consequently, I don’t know how it looks up there or whether you can even find towels and things. Perhaps you will go up first, Mrs. Scoville. I will stay here while you take a look. I really, couldn’t have a strange cleaning-woman here, or any one who would make remarks. Have I counted too much on your good-nature?”
“No; not at all. In fact, you simply arouse all the housekeeping instincts within me. I will be down in a minute. Reuther, I leave you with the judge.”
She ran lightly up. The next instant they heard her sneeze, then they caught the sound of a window rattling19 up, followed by a streak20 of light falling slant-wise across the dismal21 stairs.
The judge drew a breath of relief and led Reuther towards a door at the end of the hall.
“This is the way to the dining-room and kitchen,” he explained.” I have been accustomed to having my meals served in my own room, but after this I shall join you at table. Here,” he continued, leading her up to the iron door, “is the entrance to my den22. You may knock here if you want me, but there is a curtain beyond, which no one lifts but myself. You understand, my dear, and will excuse an old man’s eccentricities23?”
She smiled, rejoicing only in the caressing24 voice, and in the yearning25, almost fatherly, manner with which he surveyed her.
“I quite understand,” said she; “and so will mother.”
“Reuther,” he now observed with a strange intermixture of gentleness and authority, “there is one thing I wish to say to you at the very start. I may grow to love you — God knows that a little affection would be a welcome change in my life — but I want you to know and know now, that all the love in the world will not change my decision as to the impropriety of a match between you and my son Oliver. That settled, there is no reason why all should not be clear between us.”
“All is clear.”
Faint and far off the words sounded, though she was standing4 so near he could have laid his hand on her shoulder. Then she gave one sob26 as though in saying this she heard the last clod fall upon what would never see resurrection again in this life, and, lifting her head, looked him straight in the eye with a decision and a sweetness which bowed his spirit and caused his head in turn to fall upon his breast.
“What a father can do for a child, I will do for you,” he murmured, and led her back to her mother, who was now coming down stairs.
A week, and Deborah Scoville had evolved a home out of chaos27. That is, within limits. There was one door on that upper story which she had simply opened and shut; nor had she entered the judge’s rooms, or even offered to do so. The ban which had been laid upon her daughter she felt applied28 equally to herself; that is for the present. Later, there must be a change. So particular a man as the judge would soon find himself too uncomfortable to endure the lack of those attentions which he had been used to in Bela’s day. He had not even asked for clean sheets, and sometimes she had found herself wondering, with a strange shrinking of her heart, if his bed was ever made, or whether he had not been driven at times to lie down in his clothes.
She had some reason for these doubtful conclusions. In her ramblings through the house she had come upon Bela’s room. It was in a loft29 over the kitchen and she had been much amazed at its condition. In some respects it looked as decent as she could expect, but in the matter of bed and bedclothes it presented an aspect somewhat startling. The clothes were there, tossed in a heap on the floor, but there was no bed in sight nor anything which could have served as such.
IT HAD BEEN DRAGGED OUT. Evidences of this were everywhere; dragged out, and down the narrow, twisted staircase which was the only medium of communication between the lower floor and this loft. As she noted30 the marks made by its passage down the steps, the unhappy vision rose before her of the judge, immaculate in attire31 and unaccustomed of hand, tugging32 at this bed and alternately pushing and pulling it by main strength down this contracted, many-cornered staircase. A smile, half pitiful, half self-scornful curved her lips as she remembered the rat-tat-tat she had heard on that dismal night when she clung listening to the fence, and wondered now if it had not been the bumping of this cot sliding from step to step.
But no! the repeated stroke of a hammer is unmistakable. He had played the carpenter that night as well as the mover, and with no visible results. Mystery still reigned33 in the house for all the charm and order she had brought into it; a mystery which deeply interested her, and which she yet hoped to solve, notwithstanding its remoteness from the real problem of her existence.
收听单词发音 |
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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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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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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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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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eccentricities
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| n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖 | |
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caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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loft
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| n.阁楼，顶楼 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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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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32
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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