Mrs. Sturk, though very quiet, was an active little body, with a gentle, anxious face. She was up and about very early, and ran down to the King’s House, to ask Mrs. Colonel Stafford, who was very kind to her, and a patroness of Sturk’s, to execute a little commission for her in Dublin, as she understood she was going into town that day, and the doctor’s horse had gone lame1, and was in the hands of the farrier. So the good lady undertook it, and offered a seat in her carriage to Dr. Sturk, should his business call him to town. The carriage would be at the door at half-past eleven.
And as she trotted2 home — for her Barney’s breakfast-hour was drawing nigh — whom should she encounter upon the road, just outside the town, but their grim spectacled benefactor3, Dangerfield, accompanied by, and talking in his usual short way to Nutter4, the arch enemy, who, to say truth, looked confoundedly black and she heard the silver spectacles say, ‘’Tis, you understand, my own thoughts only I speak, Mr. Nutter.’
The fright and the shock of seeing Nutter so near her, made her salutation a little awkward; and she had, besides, an instinctive5 consciousness that they were talking about the terrible affair of yesterday. Dangerfield, on meeting her, bid Nutter good-morning suddenly, and turned about with Mrs. Sturk, who had to slacken her pace a little, for the potent6 agent chose to walk rather slowly.
‘A fine morning after all the rain, Madam. How well the hills look,’ and he pointed7 across the Liffey with his cane8; ‘and the view down the river,’ and he turned about, pointing towards Inchicore.
I believe he wanted to see how far Nutter was behind them. He was walking in the opposite direction, looking down on the kerb-stones of the footpath9, and touching10 them with his cane, as if counting them as he proceeded. Dangerfield nodded, and his spectacles in the morning sun seemed to flash two sudden gleams of lightning after him.
‘I’ve been giving Nutter a bit of my mind, Madam, about that procedure of his. He’s very angry with me, but a great deal more so with your husband, who has my sympathies with him; and I think I’m safe in saying he’s likely soon to have an offer of employment under my Lord Castlemallard, if it suits him.
And he walked on, and talked of other things in short sentences, and parted with Mrs. Sturk with a grim brief kindness at the door, and so walked with his wiry step away towards the Brass11 Castle, where his breakfast awaited him, and he disappeared round the corner of Martin’s Row.
‘And which way was he going when you met him and that — that Nutter?’ demanded Sturk, who was talking in high excitement, and not being able to find an epithet12 worthy13 of Nutter, made it up by his emphasis and his scowl14. She told him.
‘H’m! then, he can’t have got my note yet!’
She looked at him in a way that plainly said, ‘what note?’ but Sturk said no more, and he had trained her to govern her curiosity.
As Dangerfield passed Captain Cluffe’s lodgings15, he heard the gay tinkle17 of a guitar, and an amorous18 duet, not altogether untunefully sung to that accompaniment; and he beheld20 little Lieutenant21 Puddock’s back, with a broad scarlet22 and gold ribbon across it, supporting the instrument on which he was industriously23 thrumming, at the window, while Cluffe, who was emitting a high note, with all the tenderness he could throw into his robust25 countenance26, and one of those involuntary distortions which in amateurs will sometimes accompany a vocal27 effort, caught the eye of the cynical28 wayfarer29, and stopped short with a disconcerted little cough and a shake of his chops, and a grim, rather red nod, and ‘Good-morning, Mr. Dangerfield.’ Puddock also saluted30, still thrumming a low chord or two as he did so, for he was not ashamed, like his stout31 playmate, and saw nothing incongruous in their early minstrelsy.
The fact is, these gallant32 officers were rehearsing a pretty little entertainment they designed for the ladies at Belmont. It was a serenade, in short, and they had been compelled to postpone33 it in consequence of the broken weather; and though both gentlemen were, of course, romantically devoted34 to their respective objects, yet there were no two officers in his Majesty’s service more bent35 upon making love with a due regard to health and comfort than our friends Cluffe and Puddock. Puddock, indeed, was disposed to conduct it in the true masquerading spirit, leaving the ladies to guess at the authors of that concord36 of sweet sounds with which the amorous air of night was to quiver round the walls and groves37 of Belmont; and Cluffe, externally acquiescing38, had yet made up his mind, if a decent opportunity presented, to be detected and made prisoner, and that the honest troubadours should sup on a hot broil39, and sip40 some of the absent general’s curious Madeira at the feet of their respective mistresses, with all the advantage which a situation so romantic and so private would offer.
So ‘tinkle, tinkle, twang, twang, THRUM!’ went the industrious24 and accomplished41 Puddock’s guitar; and the voices of the enamoured swains kept tolerable tune19 and time; and Puddock would say, ‘Don’t you think, Captain Cluffe, ‘twould perhapth go better if we weren’t to try that shake upon A. Do let’s try the last two barth without it;’ and ‘I’m thorry to trouble you, but jutht wonth more, if you pleathe —
‘“But hard ith the chathe my thad heart mutht purthue, While Daphne, thweet Daphne, thtill flieth from my view.”’
Puddock, indeed, had strict notions about rehearsing, and, on occasions like this, assumed managerial airs, and in a very courteous42 way took the absolute command of Captain Cluffe, who sang till he was purple, and his belts and braces43 cracked again, not venturing to mutiny, though he grumbled44 a little aside.
So when Dangerfield passed Cluffe’s lodging16 again, returning on his way into Chapelizod, the songsters were at it still. And he smiled his pleasant smile once more, and nodded at poor old Cluffe, who this time was very seriously put out, and flushed up quite fiercely, and said, almost in a mutiny —
‘Hang it, Puddock, I believe you’d keep a fellow singing ballads45 over the street all day. Didn’t you see that cursed fellow, Dangerfield, sneering46 at us — curse him — I suppose he never heard a gentleman sing before; and, by Jove, Puddock, you know you do make a fellow go over the same thing so often it’s enough to make a dog laugh.’
A minute after Dangerfield had mounted Sturk’s door-steps, and asked to see the doctor. He was ushered47 up stairs and into that back drawing-room which we know so well. Sturk rose as he entered.
‘Your most obedient, Mr. Dangerfield,’ said the doctor, with an anxious bow.
‘Good-morning, Sir,’ said Dangerfield. ‘I’ve got your note, and am here in consequence; what can I do?’
Sturk glanced at the door, to see it was shut, and then said —
‘Mr. Dangerfield, I’ve recollected48 a — something.’
‘You have? ho! Well, my good Sir?’
‘You, I know, were acquainted with — with Charles Archer49?’
Sturk looked for a moment on the spectacles, and then dropped his eyes.
‘Charles Archer,’ answered Dangerfield promptly50, ‘yes, to be sure. But, Charles, you know, got into trouble, and ’tis not an acquaintance you or I can boast of; and, in fact, we must not mention him; and I have long ceased to know anything of him.’
‘But, I’ve just remembered his address; and there’s something about his private history which I very well know, and which gives me a claim upon his kind feeling, and he’s now in a position to do me a material service; and there’s no man living, Mr. Dangerfield, has so powerful an influence with him as yourself. Will you use it in my behalf, and attach me to you by lasting51 gratitude52?’
Sturk looked straight at Dangerfield; and Dangerfield looked at him, quizzically, perhaps a little ashamed, in return; after a short pause —
‘I will,’ said Dangerfield, with a sprightly53 decision. ‘But, you know, Charles is not a fellow to be trifled with — hey? and we must not mention his name — you understand — or hint where he lives, or anything about him, in short.’
‘That’s plain,’ answered Sturk.
‘You’re going into town, Mrs. Sturk tells me, in Mrs. Strafford’s carriage. Well, when you return this evening, put down in writing what you think Charles can do for you, and I’ll take care he considers it.’
‘I thank you, Sir,’ said Sturk, solemnly.
‘And hark ye, you’d better go about your business in town — do you see — just as usual; ’twill excite enquiry if you don’t; so you must in this and other things proceed exactly as I direct you,’ said Dangerfield.
‘Exactly, Sir, depend on’t,’ answered Sturk.
‘Good-day,’ said Dangerfield.
‘Adieu,’ said the doctor; and they shook hands, gravely.
On the lobby Dangerfield encountered Mrs. Sturk, and had a few pleasant words with her, patting the bull-heads of the children, and went down stairs smiling and nodding; and Mrs. Sturk popped quietly into the study, and found her husband leaning on the chimney piece, and swabbing his face with his handkerchief — strangely pale — and looking, as the good lady afterwards said, for all the world as if he had seen a ghost.
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lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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nutter
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| n.疯子 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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footpath
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| n.小路，人行道 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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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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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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industriously
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industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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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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vocal
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| adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目 | |
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cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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wayfarer
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| n.旅人 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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concord
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| n.和谐；协调 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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acquiescing
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的现在分词 ) | |
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broil
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| v.烤，烧，争吵，怒骂；n.烤，烧，争吵，怒骂 | |
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sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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42
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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43
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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44
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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45
ballads
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| 民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴 | |
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sneering
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| 嘲笑的，轻蔑的 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
archer
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| n.射手，弓箭手 | |
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50
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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51
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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52
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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