To Feltram she had conceived, at first sight, a horror. It was not a mere1 antipathy2; fear mingled3 largely in it. Although she did not see him often, this restless dread4 grew upon her so, that she urged his dismissal upon Sir Bale, offering to provide, herself, for him a handsome annuity5, charged on that part of her property which, by her marriage settlement, had remained in her power. There was a time when Sir Bale was only too anxious to get rid of him. But that was changed now. Nothing could now induce the Baronet to part with him. He at first evaded6 and resisted quietly. But, urged with a perseverance7 to which he was unused, he at last broke into fury that appalled8 her, and swore that if he was worried more upon the subject, he would leave her and the country, and see neither again. This exhibition of violence affrighted her all the more by reason of the contrast; for up to this he had been an uxorious9 husband. Lady Mardykes was in hysterics, and thoroughly10 frightened, and remained in her room for two or three days. Sir Bale went up to London about business, and was not home for more than a week. This was the first little squall that disturbed the serenity11 of their sky.
This point, therefore, was settled; but soon there came other things to sadden Lady Mardykes. There occurred a little incident, soon after Sir Bale’s return from London, which recalled the topic on which they had so nearly quarrelled.
Sir Bale had a dressing-room, remote from the bedrooms, in which he sat and read and sometimes smoked. One night, after the house was all quiet, the Baronet being still up, the bell of this dressing-room rang long and furiously. It was such a peal12 as a person in extreme terror might ring. Lady Mardykes, with her maid in her room, heard it; and in great alarm she ran in her dressing-gown down the gallery to Sir Bale’s room. Mallard the butler had already arrived, and was striving to force the door, which was secured. It gave way just as she reached it, and she rushed through.
Sir Bale was standing13 with the bell-rope in his hand, in the extremest agitation14, looking like a ghost; and Philip Feltram was sitting in his chair, with a dark smile fixed15 upon him. For a minute she thought he had attempted to assassinate16 his master. She could not otherwise account for the scene.
There had been nothing of the kind, however; as her husband assured her again and again, as she lay sobbing17 on his breast, with her arms about his neck.
“To her dying hour,” she afterwards said to her cousin, “she never could forget the dreadful look in Feltram’s face.”
No explanation of that scene did she ever obtain from Sir Bale, nor any clue to the cause of the agony that was so powerfully expressed in his countenance18. Thus much only she learned from him, that Feltram had sought that interview for the purpose of announcing his departure, which was to take place within the year.
“You are not sorry to hear that. But if you knew all, you might. Let the curse fly where it may, it will come back to roost. So, darling, let us discuss him no more. Your wish is granted, dis iratis.”
Some crisis, during this interview, seemed to have occurred in the relations between Sir Bale and Feltram. Henceforward they seldom exchanged a word; and when they did speak, it was coldly and shortly, like men who were nearly strangers.
One day in the courtyard, Sir Bale seeing Feltram leaning upon the parapet that overlooks the lake, approached him, and said in a low tone,
“I’ve been thinking if we — that is, I— do owe that money to old Trebeck, it is high time I should pay it. I was ill, and had lost my head at the time; but it turned out luckily, and it ought to be paid. I don’t like the idea of a bond turning up, and a lot of interest.”
“The old fellow meant it for a present. He is richer than you are; he wished to give the family a lift. He has destroyed the bond, I believe, and in no case will he take payment.”
“No fellow has a right to force his money on another,” answered Sir Bale. “I never asked him. Besides, as you know, I was not really myself, and the whole thing seems to me quite different from what you say it was; and, so far as my brain is concerned, it was all a phantasmagoria; but, you say, it was he.”
“Every man is accountable for what he intends and for what he thinks he does,” said Feltram cynically19.
“Well, I’m accountable for dealing20 with that wicked old dicer21 I thought I saw — isn’t that it? But I must pay old Trebeck all the same, since the money was his. Can you manage a meeting?”
“Look down here. Old Trebeck has just landed; he will sleep to-night at the George and Dragon, to meet his cattle in the morning at Golden Friars fair. You can speak to him yourself.”
So saying Feltram glided22 away, leaving Sir Bale the task of opening the matter to the wealthy farmer of Cloostedd Fells.
A broad night of steps leads down from the courtyard to the level of the jetty at the lake: and Sir Bale descended23, and accosted24 the venerable farmer, who was bluff25, honest, and as frank as a man can be who speaks a patois26 which hardly a living man but himself can understand.
Sir Bale asked him to come to the Hall and take luncheon27; but Trebeck was in haste. Cattle had arrived which he wanted to look at, and a pony28 awaited him on the road, hard by, to Golden Friars; and the old fellow must mount and away.
Then Sir Bale, laying his hand upon his arm in a manner that was at once lofty and affectionate, told in his ears the subject on which he wished to be understood.
The old farmer looked hard at him, and shook his head and laughed in a way that would have been insupportable in a house, and told him, “I hev narra bond o’ thoine, mon.”
“I know how that is; so does Philip Feltram.”
“Well?”
“Well, I must replace the money.”
The old man laughed again, and in his outlandish dialect told him to wait till he asked him. Sir Bale pressed it, but the old fellow put it off with outlandish banter29; and as the Baronet grew testy30, the farmer only waxed more and more hilarious31, and at last, mounting his shaggy pony, rode off, still laughing, at a canter to Golden Friars; and when he reached Golden Friars, and got into the hall of the George and Dragon, he asked Richard Turnbull with a chuckle32 if he ever knew a man refuse an offer of money, or a man want to pay who did not owe; and inquired whether the Squire33 down at Mardykes Hall mightn’t be a bit “wrang in t’ garrets.” All this, however, other people said, was intended merely to conceal34 the fact that he really had, through sheer loyalty35, lent the money, or rather bestowed36 it, thinking the old family in jeopardy37, and meaning a gift, was determined38 to hear no more about it. I can’t say; I only know people held, some by one interpretation39, some by another.
As the caterpillar40 sickens and changes its hue41 when it is about to undergo its transformation42, so an odd change took place in Feltram. He grew even more silent and morose43; he seemed always in an agitation and a secret rage. He used to walk through the woodlands on the slopes of the fells above Mardykes, muttering to himself, picking up the rotten sticks with which the ground was strewn, breaking them in his hands, and hurling44 them from him, and stamping on the earth as he paced up and down.
One night a thunder-storm came on, the wind blowing gently up from Golden Friars. It was a night black as pitch, illuminated45 only by the intermittent46 glare of the lightning. At the foot of the stairs Sir Bale met Feltram, whom he had not seen for some days. He had his cloak and hat on.
“I am going to Cloostedd to-night,” he said, “and if all is as I expect, I sha’n’t return. We remember all, you and I.” And he nodded and walked down the passage.
Sir Bale knew that a crisis had happened in his own life. He felt faint and ill, and returned to the room where he had been sitting. Throughout that melancholy47 night he did not go to his bed.
In the morning he learned that Marlin, who had been out late, saw Feltram get the boat off, and sail towards the other side. The night was so dark that he could only see him start; but the wind was light and coming up the lake, so that without a tack48 he could easily make the other side. Feltram did not return. The boat was found fast to the ring at Cloostedd landing-place.
Lady Mardykes was relieved, and for a time was happier than ever. It was different with Sir Bale; and afterwards her sky grew dark also.
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1
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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2
antipathy
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| n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物 | |
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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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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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annuity
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| n.年金；养老金 | |
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evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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uxorious
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| adj.宠爱妻子的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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12
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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13
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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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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16
assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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18
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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19
cynically
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| adv.爱嘲笑地，冷笑地 | |
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20
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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21
dicer
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| n.玩掷骰子游戏者，帽子，小礼帽 | |
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22
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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23
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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25
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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26
patois
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| n.方言；混合语 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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28
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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29
banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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30
testy
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| adj.易怒的；暴躁的 | |
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31
hilarious
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| adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed | |
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32
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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35
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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36
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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jeopardy
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| n.危险；危难 | |
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38
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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interpretation
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| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
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40
caterpillar
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| n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫 | |
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41
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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42
transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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43
morose
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| adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的 | |
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44
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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45
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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46
intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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47
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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48
tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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