When the twins had separated, they had resolved on a system of communication which had been, at least on the part of Myra, scrupulously1 maintained. They were to interchange letters every week, and each letter was to assume, if possible, the shape of a journal, so that when they again met no portion of the interval2 should be a blank in their past lives. There were few incidents in the existence of Myra; a book, a walk, a visit to the rectory, were among the chief. The occupations of their father were unchanged, and his health seemed sustained, but that of her mother was not satisfactory. Mrs. Ferrars had never rallied since the last discomfiture3 of her political hopes, and had never resumed her previous tenour of life. She was secluded4, her spirits uncertain, moods of depression succeeded by fits of unaccountable excitement, and, on the whole, Myra feared a general and chronic5 disturbance6 of her nervous system. His sister prepared Endymion for encountering a great change in their parent when he returned home. Myra, however, never expatiated7 on the affairs of Hurstley. Her annals in this respect were somewhat dry. She fulfilled her promise of recording8 them, but no more. Her pen was fuller and more eloquent9 in her comments on the life of her brother, and of the new characters with whom he had become acquainted. She delighted to hear about Mr. Jawett, and especially about Mr. St. Barbe, and was much pleased that he had been to the Derby, though she did not exactly collect who were his companions. Did he go with that kind Mr. Trenchant10? It would seem that Endymion’s account of the Rodney family had been limited to vague though earnest acknowledgments of their great civility and attention, which added much to the comfort of his life. Impelled11 by some of these grateful though general remarks, Mrs. Ferrars, in a paroxysm of stately gratitude12, had sent a missive to Sylvia, such as a sovereign might address to a deserving subject, at the same time acknowledging and commending her duteous services. Such was the old domestic superstition13 of the Rodneys, that, with all their worldliness, they treasured this effusion as if it had really emanated14 from the centre of power and courtly favour.
Myra, in her anticipation15 of speedily meeting her brother, was doomed16 to disappointment. She had counted on Endymion obtaining some holidays in the usual recess17, but in consequence of having so recently joined the office, Endymion was retained for summer and autumnal work, and not until Christmas was there any prospect18 of his returning home.
The interval between midsummer and that period, though not devoid19 of seasons of monotony and loneliness, passed in a way not altogether unprofitable to Endymion. Waldershare, who had begun to notice him, seemed to become interested in his career. Waldershare knew all about his historic ancestor, Endymion Carey. The bubbling imagination of Waldershare clustered with a sort of wild fascination20 round a living link with the age of the cavaliers. He had some Stuart blood in his veins21, and his ancestors had fallen at Edgehill and Marston Moor22. Waldershare, whose fancies alternated between Stafford and St. Just, Archbishop Laud23 and the Goddess of Reason, reverted24 for the moment to his visions on the banks of the Cam, and the brilliant rhapsodies of his boyhood. His converse25 with Nigel Penruddock had prepared Endymion in some degree for these mysteries, and perhaps it was because Waldershare found that Endymion was by no means ill-informed on these matters, and therefore there was less opportunity of dazzling and moulding him, which was a passion with Waldershare, that he soon quitted the Great Rebellion for pastures new, and impressed upon his pupil that all that had occurred before the French Revolution was ancient history. The French Revolution had introduced the cosmopolitan26 principle into human affairs instead of the national, and no public man could succeed who did not comprehend and acknowledge that truth. Waldershare lent Endymion books, and book with which otherwise he would not have become acquainted. Unconsciously to himself, the talk of Waldershare, teeming27 with knowledge, and fancy, and playfulness, and airy sarcasm28 of life, taught him something of the art of conversation—to be prompt without being stubborn, to refute without argument, and to clothe grave matters in a motley garb29.
But in August Waldershare disappeared, and at the beginning of September, even the Rodneys had gone to Margate. St. Barbe was the only clerk left in Endymion’s room. They dined together almost every day, and went on the top of an omnibus to many a suburban30 paradise. “I tell you what,” said St. Barbe, as they were watching one day together the humours of the world in the crowded tea-garden and bustling31 bowling-green of Canonbury Tavern32; “a fellow might get a good chapter out of this scene. I could do it, but I will not. What is the use of lavishing33 one’s brains on an ungrateful world? Why, if that fellow Gushy were to write a description of this place, which he would do like a penny-a-liner drunk with ginger34 beer, every countess in Mayfair would be reading him, not knowing, the idiot, whether she ought to smile or shed tears, and sending him cards with ‘at home’ upon them as large as life. Oh! it is disgusting! absolutely disgusting. It is a nefarious35 world, sir. You will find it out some day. I am as much robbed by that fellow Gushy as men are on the highway. He is appropriating my income, and the income of thousands of honest fellows. And then he pretends he is writing for the people! The people! What does he know about the people? Annals of the New Cut and Saffron Hill. He thinks he will frighten some lord, who will ask him to dinner. And that he calls Progress. I hardly know which is the worst class in this country—the aristocracy, the middle class, or what they call the people. I hate them all.”
About the fall of the leaf the offices were all filled again, and among the rest Trenchard returned. “His brother has been ill,” said St. Barbe. “They say that Trenchard is very fond of him. Fond of a brother who keeps him out of four thousand pounds per annum! What will man not say? And yet I could not go and congratulate Trenchard on his brother’s death. It would be ‘bad taste.’ Trenchard would perhaps never speak to me again, though he had been lying awake all night chuckling36 over the event. And Gushy takes an amiable37 view of this world of hypocrisy38 and plunder39. And that is why Gushy is so popular!”
There was one incident at the beginning of November, which eventually exercised no mean influence on the life of Endymion. Trenchard offered one evening to introduce him as a guest to a celebrated40 debating society, of which Trenchard was a distinguished41 member. This society had grown out of the Union at Cambridge, and was originally intended to have been a metropolitan42 branch of that famous association. But in process of time it was found that such a constitution was too limited to ensure those numbers and that variety of mind desirable in such an institution. It was therefore opened to the whole world duly qualified43. The predominant element, however, for a long time consisted of Cambridge men.
This society used to meet in a large room, fitted up as much like the House of Commons as possible, and which was in Freemason’s Tavern, in Great Queen Street. Some hundred and fifty members were present when Endymion paid his first visit there, and the scene to Endymion was novel and deeply interesting. Though only a guest, he was permitted to sit in the body of the chamber44, by the side of Trenchard, who kindly45 gave him some information, as the proceedings46 advanced, as to the principal personages who took part in them.
The question to-night was, whether the decapitation of Charles the First were a justifiable47 act, and the debate was opened in the affirmative by a young man with a singularly sunny face and a voice of music. His statement was clear and calm. Though nothing could be more uncompromising than his opinions, it seemed that nothing could be fairer than his facts.
“That is Hortensius,” said Trenchard; “he will be called this term. They say he did nothing at the university, and is too idle to do anything at the bar; but I think highly of him. You should hear him in reply.”
The opening speech was seconded by a very young man, in a most artificial style, remarkable48 for its superfluity of intended sarcasm, which was delivered in a highly elaborate tone, so that the speaker seemed severe without being keen.
“’Tis the new Cambridge style,” whispered Trenchard, “but it will not go down here.”
The question having been launched, Spruce arose, a very neat speaker; a little too mechanical, but plausible49. Endymion was astonished at the dexterous50 turns in his own favour which he gave to many of the statements of Hortensius, and how he mangled51 and massacred the seconder, who had made a mistake in a date.
“He is the Tory leader,” said Trenchard. “There are not twenty Tories in our Union, but we always listen to him. He is sharp, Jawett will answer him.”
And, accordingly, that great man rose. Jawett, in dulcet52 tones of philanthropy, intimated that he was not opposed to the decapitation of kings; on the contrary, if there were no other way of getting rid of them, he would have recourse to such a method. But he did not think the case before them was justifiable.
“Always crotchety,” whispered Trenchard.
Jawett thought the whole conception of the opening speech erroneous. It proceeded on the assumption that the execution of Charles was the act of the people; on the contrary, it was an intrigue53 of Cromwell, who was the only person who profited by it.
Cromwell was vindicated54 and panegyrised in a flaming speech by Montreal, who took this opportunity of denouncing alike kings and bishops55, Church and State, with powerful invective56, terminating his address by the expression of an earnest hope that he might be spared to witness the inevitable57 Commonwealth58 of England.
“He only lost his election for Rattleton by ten votes,” said Trenchard. “We call him the Lord Protector, and his friends here think he will be so.”
The debate was concluded, after another hour, by Hortensius, and Endymion was struck by the contrast between his first and second manner. Safe from reply, and reckless in his security, it is not easy to describe the audacity59 of his retorts, or the tumult60 of his eloquence61. Rapid, sarcastic62, humorous, picturesque63, impassioned, he seemed to carry everything before him, and to resemble his former self in nothing but the music of his voice, which lent melody to scorn, and sometimes reached the depth of pathos64.
Endymion walked home with Mr. Trenchard, and in a musing65 mood. “I should not care how lazy I was,” said Endymion, “if I could speak like Hortensius.”
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1
scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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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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discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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chronic
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| adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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expatiated
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| v.详述，细说( expatiate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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trenchant
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| adj.尖刻的，清晰的 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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emanated
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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laud
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| n.颂歌；v.赞美 | |
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reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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cosmopolitan
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| adj.世界性的，全世界的，四海为家的，全球的 | |
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teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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lavishing
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的现在分词 ) | |
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ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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nefarious
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| adj.恶毒的，极坏的 | |
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chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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40
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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metropolitan
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| adj.大城市的，大都会的 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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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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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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47
justifiable
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| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
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48
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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49
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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50
dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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51
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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52
dulcet
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| adj.悦耳的 | |
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53
intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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54
vindicated
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| v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护 | |
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55
bishops
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| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
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56
invective
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| n.痛骂，恶意抨击 | |
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57
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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58
commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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59
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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60
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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61
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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62
sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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63
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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64
pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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65
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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