Puddock drove up the avenue of gentlemanlike old poplars, and over the little bridge, and under the high-arched bowers1 of elms, walled up at either side with evergreens2, and so into the court-yard of Belmont. Three sides of a parellelogram, the white old house being the largest, and offices white and in keeping, but overgrown with ivy3, and opening to yards of their own on the other sides, facing one another at the flanks, and in front a straight Dutch-like moat, with a stone balustrade running all along from the garden to the bridge, with great stone flower pots set at intervals4, the shrubs5 and flowers of which associated themselves in his thoughts with beautiful Gertrude Chattesworth, and so were wonderfully bright and fragrant6. And there were two swans upon the water, and several peacocks marching dandily in the court-yard; and a grand old Irish dog, with a great collar, and a Celtic inscription7, dreaming on the steps in the evening sun.
It was always pleasant to dine at Belmont. Old General Chattesworth was so genuinely hospitable8 and so really glad to see you, and so hilarious9 himself, and so enjoying. A sage10 or a scholar, perhaps, might not have found a great deal in him. Most of his stories had been heard before. Some of them, I am led to believe, had even been printed. But they were not very long, and he had a good natured word and a cordial smile for everybody; and he had a good cook, and explained his dishes to those beside him, and used sometimes to toddle11 out himself to the cellar in search of a curious bon-bouche; and of nearly every bin12 in it he had a little anecdote13 or a pedigree to relate. And his laugh was frequent and hearty14, and somehow the room and all in it felt the influence of his presence like the glow, and cheer, and crackle of a bright Christmas fire.
Miss Becky Chattesworth, very stately in a fine brocade, and a great deal of point lace, received Puddock very loftily, and only touched his hand with the tips of her fingers. It was plain he was not yet taken into favour. When he entered the drawing-room, that handsome stranger, with the large eyes, so wonderfully elegant and easy in the puce-coloured cut velvet15 — Mr. Mervyn — was leaning upon the high back of a chair, and talking agreeably, as it seemed, to Miss Gertrude. He had a shake of the hand and a fashionable greeting from stout16, dandified Captain Cluffe, who was by no means so young as he would be supposed, and made up industriously17 and braced18 what he called his waist, with great fortitude19, and indeed sometimes looked half-stifled, in spite of his smile and his swagger. Sturk, leaning at the window with his shoulders to the wall, beckoned20 Puddock gruffly, and cross-examined him in an undertone as to the issue of O’Flaherty’s case. Of course he knew all about the duel21, but the corps22 also knew that Sturk would not attend on the ground in any affair where the Royal Irish Artillery23 were concerned, and therefore they could bring what doctor they pleased to the field without an affront24.
‘And see, my buck,’ said Sturk, winding25 up rather savagely26 with a sneer27; ‘you’ve got out of that scrape, you and your patient, by a piece of good luck that’s not like to happen twice over; so take my advice, and cut that leaf out of your — your — grandmother’s cookery book, and light your pipe with it.’
This slight way of treating both his book and his ancestors nettled28 little Puddock — who never himself took a liberty, and expected similar treatment — but he knew Sturk, the nature of the beast, and he only bowed grandly, and went to pay his respects to cowed, kindly29, querulous little Mrs. Sturk, at the other end of the room. An elderly gentleman, with a rather white face, a high forehead and grim look, was chatting briskly with her; and Puddock, the moment his eye lighted on the stranger, felt that there was something remarkable30 about him. Taken in detail, indeed, he was insignificant31. He was dressed as quietly as the style of that day would allow, yet in his toilet, there was entire ease and even a latent air of fashion. He wore his own hair; and though there was a little powder upon it and upon his coat collar, it was perfectly32 white, frizzed out a little at the sides, and gathered into a bag behind. The stranger rose and bowed as Puddock approached the lady, and the lieutenant33 had a nearer view of his great white forehead — his only good feature — and the pair of silver spectacles that glimmered34 under it, and his small hooked nose and stern mouth.
‘’Tis a mean countenance35,’ said the general, talking him over when the company had dispersed36.
‘No countenance,’ said Miss Becky decisively, ‘could be mean with such a forehead.’
The fact is — if they had cared to analyse — the features, taken separately, with that one exception, were insignificant; but the face was singular, with its strange pallor, its intellectual mastery, and sarcastic37 decision.
The general, who had accidentally omitted the ceremony — in those days essential — now strutted38 up to introduce them.
‘Mr. Dangerfield, will you permit me to present my good friend and officer Lieutenant Puddock. Lieutenant Puddock, Mr Dangerfield — Mr. Dangerfield, Lieutenant Puddock.’
And there was a great deal of pretty bowing, and each was the other’s ‘most obedient,’ and declared himself honoured; and the conventional parenthesis39 ended, things returned to their former course.
Puddock only perceived that Mrs. Sturk was giving Dangerfield a rambling40 sort of account of the people of Chapelizod. Dangerfield, to do him justice, listened attentively41. In fact, he had led her upon that particular theme, and as easily and cleverly kept her close to the subject. For he was not a general to manoeuvre42 without knowing first how the ground lay, and had an active, enquiring43 mind, in which he made all sorts of little notes.
So Mrs. Sturk prattled44 on, to her own and Mr. Dangerfield’s content, for she was garrulous45 when not under the eye of her lord, and always gentle, though given to lamentation46, having commonly many small hardships to mention. So, quite without malice47 or retention48, she poured out the gossip of the town, but not its scandal. Indeed, she was a very harmless, and rather sweet, though dolorous49 little body, and was very fond of children, especially her own, who would have been ruined were it not that they quailed50 as much as she did before Sturk, on whom she looked as by far the cleverest and most awful mortal then extant, and never doubted that the world thought so too. For the rest, she preserved her dresses, which were not amiss, for an interminable time, her sheets were always well aired, her maids often saucy51, and she often in tears, but Sturk’s lace and fine-linen were always forthcoming in exemplary order; she rehearsed the catechism with the children, and loved Dr. Walsingham heartily52, and made more raspberry jam than any other woman of her means in Chapelizod, except, perhaps, Mrs. Nutter53, between whom and herself there were points of resemblance, but something as nearly a feud54 as could subsist55 between their harmless natures. Each believed the other matched with a bold bad man, who was always scheming something — they never quite understood what — against her own peerless lord; each on seeing the other, hoping that Heaven would defend the right and change the hearts of her enemies, or, at all events confound their politics; and each, with a sort of awful second-sight, when they viewed one another across the street, beholding56 her neighbour draped in a dark film of thunder-cloud, and with a sheaf of pale lightning, instead of a fan flickering57 in her hand.
When they came down to dinner, the gallant58 Captain Cluffe contrived59 to seat himself beside Aunt Becky, to whom the rogue60 commended himself by making a corner on his chair, next hers, for that odious61 greedy little brute62 ‘Fancy,’ and by a hundred other adroit63 and amiable64 attentions. And having a perfect acquaintance with all her weak points — as everybody had who lived long in Chapelizod — he had no difficulty in finding topics to interest her, and in conversing65 acceptably thereupon. And, indeed, whenever he was mentioned for some time after, she used to remark, that Captain Cluffe was a very conversable and worthy66 young (!) man.
In truth, that dinner went swiftly and pleasantly over for many of the guests. Gertrude Chattesworth was placed between the enamoured Puddock and the large-eyed, handsome, mysterious Mervyn. Of course, the hour flew with light and roseate wings for him. Little Puddock was in great force, and chatted with energy, and his theatrical67 lore68, and his oddities, made him not unamusing. So she smiled on him more than usual, to make amends69 for the frowns of the higher powers, and he was as happy as a prince and as proud as a peacock, and quite tipsy with his success.
It is not always easy to know what young ladies like best or least, or quite what they are driving at; and Cluffe, from the other side of the table, thought, though Puddock was an agreeable fellow, and exerting himself uncommonly70 (for Cluffe, like other men not deep in the liter? humaniores, had a sort of veneration71 for ‘book learning,’ under which category he placed Puddock’s endless odds72 and ends of play lore, and viewed the little lieutenant himself accordingly with some awe73 as a man of parts and a scholar, and prodigiously74 admired his verses, which he only half understood); he fancied, I say, although Puddock was unusually entertaining, that Miss Gertrude would have been well content to exchange him for the wooden lay-figure on which she hung her draperies when she sketched75, which might have worn his uniform and filled his chair, and spared her his agreeable conversation, and which had eyes and saw not, and ears and heard not.
In short, the cunning fellow fancied he saw, by many small signs, a very decided76 preference on her part for the handsome and melancholy77, but evidently eloquent78 stranger. Like other cunning fellows, however, Cluffe was not always right; and right or wrong, in his own illusions, if such they were, little Puddock was, for the time, substantially blessed.
The plump and happy lieutenant, when the ladies had flown away to the drawing-room and their small tea-cups, waxed silent and sentimental79, but being a generous rival, and feeling that he could afford it, made a little effort, and engaged Mervyn in talk, and found him pleasantly versed80 in many things of which he knew little, and especially in the Continental81 stage and drama, upon which Puddock heard him greedily; and the general’s bustling82 talk helped to keep the company merry, and he treated them to a bottle of the identical sack of which his own father’s wedding posset had been compounded! Dangerfield, in a rather harsh voice, but agreeably and intelligently withal, told some rather pleasant stories about old wines and curious wine fanciers; and Cluffe and Puddock, who often sang together, being called on by the general, chanted a duet rather prettily83, though neither, separately, had much of a voice. And the incorrigible84 Puddock, apropos85 of a piece of a whale once eaten by Dangerfield, after his wont86, related a wonderful receipt —‘a weaver87 surprised.’ The weaver turned out to be a fish, and the ‘surprising’ was the popping him out of ice into boiling water, with after details, which made the old general shake and laugh till tears bedewed his honest cheeks. And Mervyn and Dangerfield, as much surprised as the weaver, both looked, each in his own way, a little curiously88 at the young warrior89 who possessed90 this remarkable knowledge.
And the claret, like the general’s other wines, was very good, and Dangerfield said a stern word or two in its praise, and guessed its vintage, to his host’s great elation91, who, with Lord Castlemallard, began to think Dangerfield a very wonderful man.
Dr. Sturk alone sipped92 his claret silently; looking thoughtfully a good deal at Dangerfield over the way, and when spoken to, seemed to waken up, but dropped out of the conversation again; though this was odd, for he had intended giving Dangerfield a bit of his mind as to what might be made of the Castlemallard estates, and by implication letting in some light upon Nutter’s mismanagement.
When Dr. Sturk had come into the drawing-room before dinner, Dangerfield was turning over a portfolio93 in the shade beyond the window, and the evening sun was shining strongly in his own face; so that during the ceremony of introduction he had seen next to nothing of him, and then sauntered away to the bow window at the other end, where the ladies were assembled, to make his obeisance94.
But at the dinner-table, he was placed directly opposite, with the advantage of a very distinct view; and the face, relieved against the dark stamped leather hangings on the wall, stood out like a sharply-painted portrait, and produced an odd and unpleasant effect upon Sturk, who could not help puzzling himself then, and for a long time after, with unavailing speculations95 about him.
The grim white man opposite did not appear to trouble his head about Sturk. He eat his dinner energetically, chatted laconically96, but rather pleasantly. Sturk thought he might be eight-and-forty, or perhaps six or seven-and-fifty — it was a face without a date. He went over all his points, insignificant features, high forehead, stern countenance, abruptly97 silent, abruptly speaking, spectacles, harsh voice, harsher laugh, something sinister98 perhaps, and used for the most part when the joking or the story had a flavour of the sarcastic and the devilish. The image, as a whole, seemed to Sturk to fill in the outlines of a recollection, which yet was not a recollection. He could not seize it; it was a decidedly unpleasant impression of having seen him before, but where he could not bring to mind. ‘He got me into some confounded trouble some time or other,’ thought Sturk, in his uneasy dream; ‘the sight of him is like a thump99 in my stomach. Was he the sheriff’s deputy at Chester, when that rascally100 Jew-tailor followed me? Dangerfield — Dangerfield — Dangerfield — no; or could it be that row at Taunton? or the custom-house officer — let me see — 1751; no, he was a taller man — yes, I remember him; it is not he. Or was he at Dick Luscome’s duel?’ and he lay awake half the night thinking of him; for he was not only a puzzle, but there was a sort of suspicion of danger and he knew not what, throbbing101 in his soul whenever his reverie conjured102 up that impenetrable, white scoffing103 face.
收听单词发音 |
1
bowers
|
|
| n.（女子的）卧室( bower的名词复数 )；船首锚；阴凉处；鞠躬的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
evergreens
|
|
| n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
ivy
|
|
| n.常青藤，常春藤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
intervals
|
|
| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
shrubs
|
|
| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
fragrant
|
|
| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
inscription
|
|
| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
hospitable
|
|
| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
hilarious
|
|
| adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
sage
|
|
| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
toddle
|
|
| v.（如小孩）蹒跚学步 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
bin
|
|
| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
anecdote
|
|
| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
industriously
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
braced
|
|
| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
fortitude
|
|
| n.坚忍不拔；刚毅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
beckoned
|
|
| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
duel
|
|
| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
corps
|
|
| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
artillery
|
|
| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
affront
|
|
| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
winding
|
|
| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
savagely
|
|
| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
sneer
|
|
| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
nettled
|
|
| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
insignificant
|
|
| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
lieutenant
|
|
| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
glimmered
|
|
| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
dispersed
|
|
| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
sarcastic
|
|
| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
strutted
|
|
| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
parenthesis
|
|
| n.圆括号，插入语，插曲，间歇，停歇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
rambling
|
|
| adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
attentively
|
|
| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
manoeuvre
|
|
| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
enquiring
|
|
| a.爱打听的，显得好奇的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
prattled
|
|
| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
garrulous
|
|
| adj.唠叨的，多话的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
lamentation
|
|
| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
malice
|
|
| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
retention
|
|
| n.保留，保持，保持力，记忆力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
dolorous
|
|
| adj.悲伤的；忧愁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
quailed
|
|
| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
saucy
|
|
| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
nutter
|
|
| n.疯子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
feud
|
|
| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
subsist
|
|
| vi.生存，存在，供养 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
beholding
|
|
| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
flickering
|
|
| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
gallant
|
|
| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
contrived
|
|
| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
rogue
|
|
| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
odious
|
|
| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
adroit
|
|
| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
amiable
|
|
| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
conversing
|
|
| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
theatrical
|
|
| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
lore
|
|
| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
amends
|
|
| n. 赔偿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
uncommonly
|
|
| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
veneration
|
|
| n.尊敬，崇拜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
odds
|
|
| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
awe
|
|
| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
prodigiously
|
|
| adv.异常地，惊人地，巨大地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
sketched
|
|
| v.草拟（sketch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
eloquent
|
|
| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
sentimental
|
|
| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
versed
|
|
| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
continental
|
|
| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
bustling
|
|
| adj.喧闹的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
prettily
|
|
| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
incorrigible
|
|
| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
apropos
|
|
| adv.恰好地；adj.恰当的；关于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
weaver
|
|
| n.织布工；编织者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
warrior
|
|
| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
elation
|
|
| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
sipped
|
|
| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
portfolio
|
|
| n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
obeisance
|
|
| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
speculations
|
|
| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
laconically
|
|
| adv.简短地，简洁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
sinister
|
|
| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
thump
|
|
| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
rascally
|
|
| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
throbbing
|
|
| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
conjured
|
|
| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
scoffing
|
|
| n. 嘲笑, 笑柄, 愚弄 v. 嘲笑, 嘲弄, 愚弄, 狼吞虎咽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |