Only those who, in the bright springtime of life, have loved, have been loved in return, and have suddenly seen an impassable gulf1 open between them and happiness, can realize Maurice d’Escorval’s disappointment.
All the dreams of his life, all his future plans, were based upon his love for Marie-Anne.
If this love failed him, the enchanted2 castle which hope had erected3 would crumble4 and fall, burying him in the ruins.
Without Marie-Anne he saw neither aim nor motive5 in his existence. Still he did not suffer himself to be deluded6 by false hopes. Although at first, his appointed meeting with Marie-Anne on the following day seemed salvation7 itself, on reflection he was forced to admit that this interview would change nothing, since everything depended upon the will of another party — the will of M. Lacheneur.
The remainder of the day he passed in mournful silence. The dinner-hour came; he took his seat at the table, but it was impossible for him to swallow a morsel8, and he soon requested his parents’ permission to withdraw.
M. d’Escorval and the baroness10 exchanged a sorrowful glance, but did not allow themselves to offer any comment.
They respected his grief. They knew that his was one of those sorrows which are only aggravated11 by any attempt at consolation12.
“Poor Maurice!” murmured Mme. d’Escorval, as soon as her son had left the room. And, as her husband made no reply: “Perhaps,” she added, hesitatingly, “perhaps it will not be prudent13 for us to leave him too entirely14 to the dictates15 of his despair.”
The baron9 shuddered16. He divined only too well the terrible apprehensions17 of his wife.
“We have nothing to fear,” he replied, quickly; “I heard Marie-Anne promise to meet Maurice to-morrow in the grove18 on the Reche.”
The anxious mother breathed more freely. Her blood had frozen with horror at the thought that her son might, perhaps, be contemplating19 suicide; but she was a mother, and her husband’s assurances did not satisfy her.
She hastily ascended20 the stairs leading to her son’s room, softly opened the door, and looked in. He was so engrossed21 in his gloomy revery that he had heard nothing, and did not even suspect the presence of the anxious mother who was watching over him.
He was sitting at the window, his elbows resting upon the sill, his head supported by his hands, looking out into the night.
There was no moon, but the night was clear, and over beyond the light fog that indicated the course of the Oiselle one could discern the imposing22 mass of the Chateau23 de Sairmeuse, with its towers and fanciful turrets24.
More than once he had sat thus silently gazing at this chateau, which sheltered what was dearest and most precious in all the world to him.
From his windows he could see those of the room occupied by Marie-Anne; and his heart always quickened its throbbing25 when he saw them illuminated26.
“She is there,” he thought, “in her virgin27 chamber28. She is kneeling to say her prayers. She murmurs29 my name after that of her father, imploring30 God’s blessing31 upon us both.”
But this evening he was not waiting for a light to gleam through the panes32 of that dear window.
Marie-Anne was no longer at Sairmeuse — she had been driven away.
Where was she now? She, accustomed to all the luxury that wealth could procure33, no longer had any home except a poor thatch-covered hovel, whose walls were not even whitewashed34, whose only floor was the earth itself, dusty as the public highway in summer, frozen or muddy in winter.
She was reduced to the necessity of occupying herself the humble35 abode36 she, in her charitable heart, had intended as an asylum37 for one of her pensioners38.
What was she doing now? Doubtless she was weeping.
At this thought poor Maurice was heartbroken.
What was his surprise, a little after midnight, to see the chateau brilliantly illuminated.
The duke and his son had repaired to the chateau after the banquet given by the Marquis de Courtornieu was over; and, before going to bed, they made a tour of inspection39 through this magnificent abode in which their ancestors had lived. They, therefore, might be said to have taken possession of the mansion40 whose threshold M. de Sairmeuse had not crossed for twenty-two years, and which Martial41 had never seen.
Maurice saw the lights leap from story to story, from casement42 to casement, until at last even the windows of Marie-Anne’s room were illuminated.
At this sight the unhappy youth could not restrain a cry of rage.
These men, these strangers, dared enter this virgin bower43, which he, even in thought, scarcely dared to penetrate44.
They trampled45 carelessly over the delicate carpet with their heavy boots. Maurice trembled in thinking of the liberties which they, in their insolent46 familiarity, might venture upon. He fancied he could see them examining and handling the thousand petty trifles with which young girls love to surround themselves; they opened the presses, perhaps they were reading an unfinished letter lying upon her writing-desk.
Never until this evening had Martial supposed he could hate another as he hated these men.
At last, in despair, he threw himself upon his bed, and passed the remainder of the night in thinking over what he should say to Marie-Anne on the morrow, and in seeking some issue from this inextricable labyrinth47.
He rose before daybreak, and wandered about the park like a soul in distress48, fearing, yet longing49, for the hour that would decide his fate. Mme. d’Escorval was obliged to exert all her authority to make him take some nourishment50. He had quite forgotten that he had passed twenty-four hours without eating.
When eleven o’clock sounded he left the house.
The lands of the Reche are situated51 on the other side of the Oiselle. Maurice, to reach his destination, was obliged to cross the river at a ferry only a short distance from his home. When he reached the river-bank he found six or seven peasants who were waiting to cross.
These people did not observe Maurice. They were talking earnestly, and he listened.
“It is certainly true,” said one of the men. “I heard it from Chanlouineau himself only last evening. He was wild with delight. ‘I invite you all to the wedding!’ he cried. ‘I am betrothed52 to Monsieur Lacheneur’s daughter; the affair is decided53.’”
This astounding54 news positively55 stunned56 Maurice. He was actually unable to think or to move.
“Besides, he has been in love with her for a long time. Everyone knows that. One had only to see his eyes when he met her — coals of fire were nothing to them. But while her father was so rich he did not dare to speak. Now that the old man has met with these reverses, he ventures to offer himself, and is accepted.”
“An unfortunate thing for him,” remarked a little old man.
“Why so?”
“If Monsieur Lacheneur is ruined, as they say ——”
The others laughed heartily57.
“Ruined — Monsieur Lacheneur!” they exclaimed in chorus. “How absurd! He is richer than all of us together. Do you suppose that he has been stupid enough not to have laid anything aside during all these years? He has put this money not in grounds, as he pretends, but somewhere else.”
“You are saying what is untrue!” interrupted Maurice, indignantly. “Monsieur Lacheneur left Sairmeuse as poor as he entered it.”
On recognizing M. d’Escorval’s son, the peasants became extremely cautious. He questioned them, but could obtain only vague and unsatisfactory answers. A peasant, when interrogated58, will never give a response which he thinks will be displeasing59 to his questioner; he is afraid of compromising himself.
The news he had heard, however, caused Maurice to hasten on still more rapidly after crossing the Oiselle.
“Marie-Anne marry Chanlouineau!” he repeated; “it is impossible! it is impossible!”
收听单词发音 |
1
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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crumble
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| vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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deluded
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| v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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baroness
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| n.男爵夫人，女男爵 | |
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aggravated
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| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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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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murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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whitewashed
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| 粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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pensioners
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| n.领取退休、养老金或抚恤金的人( pensioner的名词复数 ) | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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40
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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casement
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| n.竖铰链窗；窗扉 | |
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bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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48
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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49
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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50
nourishment
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| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
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51
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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52
betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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53
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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54
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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55
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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56
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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57
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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58
interrogated
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| v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
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59
displeasing
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| 不愉快的，令人发火的 | |
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