Loftus had by this time climbed to the savage1 lair2 of his garret, overstrewn with tattered3 papers and books; and Father Roach, in the sanctuary4 of his little parlour, was growling5 over the bones of a devilled-turkey, and about to soothe6 his fretted7 soul in a generous libation of hot whiskey punch. Indeed, he was of an appeasable nature, and on the whole a very good fellow.
Dr. Toole, whom the young fellows found along with Nutter8 over the draught-board in the club-room, forsook9 his game to devour10 the story of Loftus’s Lenten Hymn11, and poor Father Roach’s penance12, rubbed his hands, and slapped his thigh13, and crowed and shouted with ecstasy14. O’Flaherty, who called for punch, and was unfortunately prone15 to grow melancholy16 and pugnacious17 over his liquor, was now in a saturnine18 vein19 of sentiment, discoursing20 of the charms of his peerless mistress, the Lady Magnolia Macnamara — for he was not one of those maudlin21 shepherds, who pipe their loves in lonely glens and other sequestered22 places, but rather loved to exhibit his bare scars, and roar his tender torments23 for the edification of the market-place.
While he was descanting on the attributes of that bewitching ‘crature,’ Puddock, not two yards off, was describing, with scarcely less unction, the perfections of ‘pig roast with the hair on:’ and the two made a medley24 like ‘The Roast Beef of Old England,’ and ‘The Last Rose of Summer,’ arranged in alternate stanzas25. O’Flaherty suddenly stopped short, and said a little sternly to Lieutenant26 Puddock —
‘Does it very much signify, Sir (or as O’Flaherty pronounced it “Sorr,”) whether the animal has hair upon it or not?’
’Every thing, Thir, in thith particular retheipt,’ answered Puddock, a little loftily.
‘But,’ said Nutter, who, though no great talker, would make an effort to prevent a quarrel, and at the same time winking27 to Puddock in token that O’Flaherty was just a little ‘hearty,’ and so to let him alone; ‘what signifies pigs’ hair, compared with human tresses?’
‘Compared with human tresses?’ interrupted O’Flaherty, with stern deliberation, and fixing his eyes steadily29 and rather unpleasantly upon Nutter (I think he saw that wink28 and perhaps did not understand its import.)
‘Ay, Sir, and Mrs. Magnolia Macnamara has as rich a head of hair as you could wish to see,’ says Nutter, thinking he was drawing him off very cleverly.
‘As I could wish to see?’ repeated O’Flaherty grimly.
‘As you could desire to see, Sir,’ reiterated30 Nutter, firmly, for he was not easily put down; and they looked for several seconds in silence a little menacingly, though puzzled, at one another.
But O’Flaherty, after a short pause, seemed to forget Nutter, and returned to his celestial31 theme.
‘Be the powers, Sir, that young leedy has the most beautiful dimple in her chin I ever set eyes on!’
‘Have you ever put a marrow32 fat pea in it, Sir?’ enquired34 Devereux, simply, with all the beautiful rashness of youth.
‘No, Sorr,’ replied O’Flaherty, in a deep tone, and with a very dangerous glare; ‘and I’d like to see the man who, in my presence, id preshum to teeke that libertee.’
‘What a glorious name Magnolia is!’ interposed little Toole in great haste; for it was a practice among these worthies35 to avert36 quarrels — very serious affairs in these jolly days — by making timely little diversions, and it is wonderful, at a critical moment, what may be done by suddenly presenting a trifle; a pin’s point, sometimes — at least, a marvellously small one — will draw off innocuously, the accumulating electricity of a pair of bloated scowling37 thunder-clouds.
‘It was her noble godmother, when the family resided at Castlemara, in the county of Roscommon, the Lady Carrick-o’-Gunniol, who conferred it,’ said O’Flaherty, grandly, ‘upon her god-daughter, as who had a better right — I say, who had a better right?’ and he smote38 his hand upon the table, and looked round inviting39 contradiction. ‘My godmothers, in my baptism — that’s catechism — and all the town of Chapelizod won’t put that down — the Holy Church Catechism — while Hyacinth O’Flaherty, of Coolnaquirk, Lieutenant Fireworker, wears a sword.’
‘Nobly said, lieutenant!’ exclaimed Toole, with a sly wink over his shoulder.
‘And what about that leedy’s neeme, Sir?’ demanded the enamoured fireworker.
‘By Jove, Sir, it is quite true, Lady Carrick-o’-Gunniol was her godmother:’ and Toole ran off into the story of how that relationship was brought about; narrating40 it, however, with great caution and mildness, extracting all the satire42, and giving it quite a dignified43 and creditable character, for the Lieutenant Fireworker smelt44 so confoundedly of powder that the little doctor, though he never flinched45 when occasion demanded, did not care to give him an open. Those who had heard the same story from the mischievous46 merry little doctor before, were I dare say, amused at the grand and complimentary47 turn he gave it now.
The fact was, that poor Magnolia’s name came to her in no very gracious way. Young Lady Carrick-o’-Gunniol was a bit of a wag, and was planting a magnolia — one of the first of those botanical rarities seen in Ireland — when good-natured, vapouring, vulgar Mrs. Macnamara’s note, who wished to secure a peeress for her daughter’s spiritual guardian48, arrived. Her ladyship pencilled on the back of the note, ‘Pray call the dear babe Magnolia,’ and forthwith forgot all about it. But Madam Macnamara was charmed, and the autograph remained afterwards for two generations among the archives of the family; and, with great smiles and much complacency, she told Lord Carrick-o’-Gunniol all about it, just outside the grand jury-room, where she met him during the assize week; and, being a man of a weak and considerate nature, rather kind, and very courteous49 — although his smile was very near exploding into a laugh, as he gave the good lady snuff out of his own box — he was yet very much concerned and vexed50, and asked his lady, when he went home, how she could have induced old Mrs. Macnamara to give that absurd name to her poor infant; whereat her ladyship, who had not thought of it since, was highly diverted; and being assured that the babe was actually christened, and past recovery Magnolia Macnamara, laughed very merrily, kissed her lord, who was shaking his head gravely, and then popped her hood51 on, kissed him again, and, laughing still, ran out to look at her magnolia, which, by way of reprisal52, he henceforth, notwithstanding her entreaties53, always called her ‘Macnamara;’ until, to her infinite delight, he came out with it, as it sometimes happens, at a wrong time, and asked old Mac — a large, mild man — then extant, Madame herself, nurse, infant Magnolia, and all, who had arrived at the castle, to walk out and see Lady Carrick-o’-Gunniol’s ‘Macnamara,’ and perceived not the slip, such is the force of habit, though the family stared, and Lady C. laughed in an uncalled-for-way, at a sudden recollection of a tumble she once had, when a child, over a flower-bed; and broke out repeatedly, to my lord’s chagrin54 and bewilderment, as they walked towards the exotic.
When Toole ended his little family anecdote55, which, you may be sure, he took care to render as palatable56 to Magnolia’s knight57 as possible, by not very scrupulous58 excisions and interpolations he wound all up, without allowing an instant for criticism or question, by saying briskly, though incoherently.
‘And so, what do you say, lieutenant, to a Welsh rabbit for supper?’
The lieutenant nodded a stolid59 assent60.
‘Will you have one, Nutter?’ cried Toole.
‘No,’ said Nutter.
‘And why not?’ says Toole.
‘Why, I believe Tom Rooke’s song in praise of oysters,’ answered Nutter, ‘especially the verse —
‘“The youth will ne’er live to scratch a gray head, On a supper who goes of Welsh rabbit to bed.”’
How came it to pass that Nutter hardly opened his lips this evening — on which, as the men who knew him longest all remarked, he was unprecedentedly61 talkative — without instantaneously becoming the mark at which O’Flaherty directed his fiercest and most suspicious scowls62? And now that I know the allusion63 which the pugnacious lieutenant apprehended64, I cannot but admire the fatality65 with which, without the smallest design, a very serious misunderstanding was brought about.
‘As to youths living to scratch gray heads or not, Sir,’ said the young officer, in most menacing tones; ‘I don’t see what concern persons of your age can have in that. But I’ll take leave to tell you, Sir, that a gentleman, whether he be a “youth” as you say, or aged66, as you are, who endayvours to make himself diverting at the expense of others, runs a murdhering good risk, Sir, of getting himself scratched where he’ll like it least.’
Little Nutter, though grave and generally taciturn, had a spirit of his own, and no notion whatever of knocking under to a bully67. It is true, he had not the faintest notion why he was singled out for the young gentleman’s impertinence; but neither did he mean to enquire33. His mahogany features darkened for a moment to logwood, and his eyes showed their whites fiercely.
‘We are not accustomed, Sir, in this part of the world, to your Connaught notions of politeness; we meet here for social — a — a — sociality, Sir; and the long and the short of it is, young gentleman, if you don’t change your key, you’ll find two can play at that game — and — and, I tell you, Sir, there will be wigs68 on the green, Sir.’
Here several voices interposed.
‘Silence, gentlemen, and let me speak, or I’ll assault him,’ bellowed69 O’Flaherty, who, to do him justice, at this moment looked capable of anything. ‘I believe, Sir,’ he continued, addressing Nutter, who confronted him like a little game-cock, ‘it is not usual for one gentleman who renders himself offensive to another to oblige him to proceed to the length of manually malthrating his person.’
‘Hey! eh?’ said Nutter, drawing his mouth tight on one side with an ugly expression, and clenching70 his hands in his breeches pockets.
‘Manually malthrating his person, Sir,’ repeated O’Flaherty, ‘by striking, kicking, or whipping any part or mimber of his body; or offering a milder assault, such as a pull by the chin, or a finger-tap upon the nose. It is usual, Sir, for the purpose of avoiding ungentlemanlike noise, inconvenience, and confusion, that one gentleman should request of another to suppose himself affronted71 in the manner, whatever it may be, most intolerable to his feelings, which request I now, Sir, teeke the libertee of preferring to you; and when you have engaged the services of a friend, I trust that Lieutenant Puddock, who lodges72 in the same house with me, will, in consideration of my being an officer of the same honourable73 corps74, a sthranger in this part of the counthry, and, above all, a gentleman who can show paydagree like himself [here a low bow to Puddock, who returned it]; that Lieutenant Puddock will be so feelin’ and so kind as to receive him on my behalf, and acting41 as my friend to manage all the particulars for settling, as easily as may be, this most unprovoked affair.’
With which words he made another bow, and a pause of enquiry directed to Puddock, who lisped with dignity —
‘Sir, the duty is, for many reasons, painful; but I— I can’t refuse, Sir, and I accept the trust.’
So O’Flaherty shook his hand, with another bow; bowed silently and loftily round the room, and disappeared, and a general buzz and a clack of tongues arose.
‘Mr. Nutter — a — I hope things may be settled pleasantly,’ said Puddock, looking as tall and weighty as he could; ‘at present I— a — that is, at the moment, I— a — don’t quite see —[the fact is, he had not a notion what the deuce it was all about]— but your friend will find me — your friend — a — at my lodgings75 up to one o’clock to-night, if necessary.’
And so Puddock’s bow. For the moment an affair of this sort presented itself, all concerned therein became reserved and official, and the representatives merely of a ceremonious etiquette76 and a minutely-regulated ordeal77 of battle. So, as I said, Puddock bowed grandly and sublimely78 to Nutter, and then magnificently to the company, and made his exit.
There was a sort of a stun79 and a lull80 for several seconds. Something very decisive and serious had occurred. One or two countenances81 wore that stern and mysterious smile, which implies no hilarity82, but a kind of reaction in presence of the astounding83 and the slightly horrible. There was a silence; the gentlemen kept their attitudes too, for some moments, and all eyes were directed toward the door. Then some turned to Charles Nutter, and then the momentary84 spell dissolved itself.
收听单词发音 |
1
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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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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growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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nutter
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| n.疯子 | |
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forsook
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| forsake的过去式 | |
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devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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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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pugnacious
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| adj.好斗的 | |
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saturnine
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| adj.忧郁的，沉默寡言的，阴沉的，感染铅毒的 | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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discoursing
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| 演说（discourse的现在分词形式） | |
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maudlin
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| adj.感情脆弱的，爱哭的 | |
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sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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medley
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| n.混合 | |
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stanzas
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| 节，段( stanza的名词复数 ) | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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27
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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28
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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29
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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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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worthies
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| 应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
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36
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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40
narrating
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| v.故事( narrate的现在分词 ) | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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satire
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| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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44
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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45
flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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47
complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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48
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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49
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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50
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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51
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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52
reprisal
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| n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠 | |
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53
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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54
chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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55
anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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56
palatable
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| adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的 | |
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57
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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58
scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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59
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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60
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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unprecedentedly
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| adv.空前地 | |
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62
scowls
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| 不悦之色，怒容( scowl的名词复数 ) | |
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63
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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64
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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65
fatality
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| n.不幸，灾祸，天命 | |
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66
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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67
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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68
wigs
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| n.假发，法官帽( wig的名词复数 ) | |
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69
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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70
clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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71
affronted
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| adj.被侮辱的，被冒犯的v.勇敢地面对( affront的过去式和过去分词 )；相遇 | |
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72
lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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73
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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74
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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75
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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77
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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78
sublimely
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| 高尚地，卓越地 | |
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79
stun
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| vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹 | |
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80
lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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81
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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82
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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83
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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84
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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