In the meantime, power and prosperity clustered round the roof and family of Ferrars. He himself was in the prime of manhood, with an exalted1 position in the world of politics, and with a prospect2 of the highest. The Government of which he was a member was not only deemed strong, but eternal. The favour of the Court and the confidence of the country were alike lavished3 upon it. The government of the Duke could only be measured by his life, and his influence was irresistible4. It was a dictatorship of patriotism5. The country, long accustomed to a strong and undisturbed administration, and frightened by the changes and catastrophes6 which had followed the retirement7 of Lord Liverpool, took refuge in the powerful will and splendid reputation of a real hero.
Mrs. Ferrars was as ambitious of social distinction as her husband was of political power. She was a woman of taste, but of luxurious8 taste. She had a passion for splendour, which, though ever regulated by a fine perception of the fitness of things, was still costly9. Though her mien10 was in general haughty11, she flattered Zenobia, and consummately12. Zenobia, who liked handsome people, even handsome women, and persons who were dressed beautifully, was quite won by Mrs. Ferrars, against whom at first she was inclined to be a little prejudiced. There was an entire alliance between them, and though Mrs. Ferrars greatly influenced and almost ruled Zenobia, the wife of the minister was careful always to acknowledge the Queen of Fashion as her suzerain.
The great world then, compared with the huge society of the present period, was limited in its proportions, and composed of elements more refined though far less various. It consisted mainly of the great landed aristocracy, who had quite absorbed the nabobs of India, and had nearly appropriated the huge West Indian fortunes. Occasionally, an eminent13 banker or merchant invested a large portion of his accumulations in land, and in the purchase of parliamentary influence, and was in time duly admitted into the sanctuary14. But those vast and successful invasions of society by new classes which have since occurred, though impending15, had not yet commenced. The manufacturers, the railway kings, the colossal16 contractors17, the discoverers of nuggets, had not yet found their place in society and the senate. There were then, perhaps, more great houses open than at the present day, but there were very few little ones. The necessity of providing regular occasions for the assembling of the miscellaneous world of fashion led to the institution of Almack’s, which died out in the advent18 of the new system of society, and in the fierce competition of its inexhaustible private entertainments.
The season then was brilliant and sustained, but it was not flurried. People did not go to various parties on the same night. They remained where they were assembled, and, not being in a hurry, were more agreeable than they are at the present day. Conversation was more cultivated; manners, though unconstrained, were more stately; and the world, being limited, knew itself much better. On the other hand, the sympathies of society were more contracted than they are at present. The pressure of population had not opened the heart of man. The world attended to its poor in its country parishes, and subscribed19 and danced for the Spitalfields weavers20 when their normal distress21 had overflowed22, but their knowledge of the people did not exceed these bounds, and the people knew very little more about themselves. They were only half born.
The darkest hour precedes the dawn, and a period of unusual stillness often, perhaps usually, heralds23 the social convulsion. At this moment the general tranquillity24 and even content were remarkable25. In politics the Whigs were quite prepared to extend to the Duke the same provisional confidence that had been accepted by Mr. Caning26, and conciliation27 began to be an accepted phrase, which meant in practice some share on their part of the good things of the State. The country itself required nothing. There was a general impression, indeed, that they had been advancing at a rather rapid rate, and that it was as well that the reins28 should be entrusted29 to a wary30 driver. Zenobia, who represented society, was enraptured31 that the career of revolution had been stayed. She still mourned over the concession32 of the Manchester and Liverpool Railway in a moment of Liberal infatuation, but flattered herself that any extension of the railway system might certainly be arrested, and on this head the majority of society, perhaps even of the country, was certainly on her side.
“I have some good news for you,” said one of her young favourites as he attended her reception. “We have prevented this morning the lighting33 of Grosvenor Square by gas by a large majority.”
“I felt confident that disgrace would never occur,” said Zenobia, triumphant34. “And by a large majority! I wonder how Lord Pomeroy voted.”
“Against us.”
“How can one save this country?” exclaimed Zenobia. “I believe now the story that he has ordered Lady Pomeroy not to go to the Drawing Room in a sedan chair.”
One bright May morning in the spring that followed the formation of the government that was to last for ever, Mrs. Ferrars received the world at a fanciful entertainment in the beautiful grounds of her Wimbledon villa35. The day was genial36, the scene was flushed with roses and pink thorns, and brilliant groups, amid bursts of music, clustered and sauntered on the green turf of bowery lawns. Mrs. Ferrars, on a rustic37 throne, with the wondrous38 twins in still more wonderful attire39, distributed alternate observations of sympathetic gaiety to a Russian Grand Duke and to the serene40 heir of a German principality. And yet there was really an expression on her countenance41 of restlessness, not to say anxiety, which ill accorded with the dulcet42 tones and the wreathed smiles which charmed her august companions. Zenobia, the great Zenobia, had not arrived, and the hours were advancing. The Grand Duke played with the beautiful and haughty infants, and the German Prince inquired of Endymion whether he were destined43 to be one of His Majesty’s guards; but still Zenobia did not come, and Mrs. Ferrars could scarcely conceal44 her vexation. But there was no real occasion for it. For even at this moment, with avant-courier and outriders and badged postillions on her four horses of race, the lodge-gates were opening for the great lady, who herself appeared in the distance; and Mrs. Ferrars, accompanied by her distinguished45 guests, immediately rose and advanced to receive the Queen of Fashion. No one appreciated a royal presence more highly than Zenobia. It was her habit to impress upon her noble fellows of both sexes that there were relations of intimacy46 between herself and the royal houses of Europe, which were not shared by her class. She liked to play the part of a social mediator47 between the aristocracy and royal houses. A German Serenity48 was her delight, but a Russian Grand Duke was her embodiment of power and pomp, and sound principles in their most authentic49 and orthodox form. And yet though she addressed their highnesses with her usual courtly vivacity50, and poured forth51 inquiries52 which seemed to indicate the most familiar acquaintance with the latest incidents from Schonbrunn or the Rhine, though she embraced her hostess, and even kissed the children, the practised eye of Mrs. Ferrars, whose life was a study of Zenobia, detected that her late appearance had been occasioned by an important cause, and, what was more, that Zenobia was anxious to communicate it to her. With feminine tact53 Mrs. Ferrars moved on with her guests until the occasion offered when she could present some great ladies to the princes; and then dismissing the children on appropriate missions, she was not surprised when Zenobia immediately exclaimed: “Thank heaven, we are at last alone! You must have been surprised I was so late. Well, guess what has happened?” and then as Mrs. Ferrars shook her head, she continued: “They are all four out!”
“All four!”
“Yes; Lord Dudley, Lord Palmerston, and Charles Grant follow Huskisson. I do not believe the first ever meant to go, but the Duke would not listen to his hypocritical explanations, and the rest have followed. I am surprised about Lord Dudley, as I know he loved his office.”
“I am alarmed,” said Mrs. Ferrars.
“Not the slightest cause for fear,” exclaimed the intrepid54 Zenobia. “It must have happened sooner or later. I am delighted at it. We shall now have a cabinet of our own. They never would have rested till they had brought in some Whigs, and the country hates the Whigs. No wonder, when we remember that if they had had their way we should have been wearing sabots at this time, with a French prefect probably in Holland House.”
“And whom will they put in the cabinet?” inquired Mrs. Ferrars.
“Our good friends, I hope,” said Zenobia, with an inspiring smile; “but I have heard nothing about that yet. I am a little sorry about Lord Dudley, as I think they have drawn55 him into their mesh56; but as for the other three, especially Huskisson and Lord Palmerston, I can tell you the Duke has never had a quiet moment since they joined him. We shall now begin to reign57. The only mistake was ever to have admitted them. I think now we have got rid of Liberalism for ever.”
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1
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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lavished
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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catastrophes
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| n.灾祸( catastrophe的名词复数 )；灾难；不幸事件；困难 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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consummately
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| adv.完成地，至上地 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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contractors
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| n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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weavers
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| 织工，编织者( weaver的名词复数 ) | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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overflowed
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| 溢出的 | |
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heralds
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| n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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caning
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| n.鞭打 | |
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conciliation
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| n.调解，调停 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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enraptured
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| v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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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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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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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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dulcet
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| adj.悦耳的 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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mediator
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| n.调解人，中介人 | |
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serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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authentic
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| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
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vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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55
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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56
mesh
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| n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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