The morning after his arrival, he rode over to the stables, where he had ordered his drag to be ready. About a quarter of a mile before he reached his place of destination, he observed at some little distance a crowd in the road, and, hastening on, perceived as he drew nearer a number of men clustered round a dismantled3 vehicle, and vainly endeavoring to extricate4 and raise a fallen horse; its companion, panting and foaming5, with broken harness but apparently6 uninjured, standing7 aside and held by a boy. Somewhat apart stood a lady alone. Lothair immediately dismounted and approached her, saying, “I fear you are in trouble, madam. Perhaps I may be of service?”
The lady was rather tall, and of a singularly distinguished8 presence. Her air and her costume alike intimated high breeding and fashion. She seemed quite serene9 amid the tumult10 and confusion, and apparently the recent danger. As Lothair spoke11, she turned her head to him, which had been at first a little averted12, and he beheld13 a striking countenance14, but one which he instantly felt he did not see for the first time.
She bowed with dignity to Lothair, and said in a low but distinct voice: “You are most courteous15, sir. We have had a sad: accident, but a great escape. Our horses ran away with us, and, had it not been for that heap of stones, I do not see how we could have been saved.”
“Fortunately my stables are at hand,” said Lothair, “and I have a carriage waiting for me at this moment, not a quarter of a mile away. It is at your service, and I will send for it,” and his groom16, to whom he gave directions, galloped17 off.
There was a shout as the fallen horse was on his legs again, much cut, and the carriage shattered and useless. A gentleman came from the crowd and approached the lady. He was tall and fair, and not ill-favored, with fine dark eyes and high cheekbones, and still young, though an enormous beard at the first glance gave him an impression of years, the burden of which he really did not bear. His dress, though not vulgar, was richer and more showy than is usual in this country, and altogether there was something in his manner which, though calm and full of self-respect, was different from the conventional refinement18 of England. Yet he was apparently an Englishman, as he said to the lady, “It is a bad business, but we must be thankful it is no worse. What troubles me is how you are to get back. It will be a terrible walk over these stony19 roads, and I can hear of no conveyance20.”
“My husband,” said the lady, as with dignity she presented the person to Lothair. “This gentleman,” she continued, “has most kindly21 offered us the use of his carriage, which is almost at hand.”
“Sir, you are a friend,” said the gentleman. “I thought there were no horses that I could not master, but it seems I am mistaken. I bought these only yesterday; took a fancy to them as we were driving about, and bought them of a dealer22 in the road.”
“That seems a clever animal,” said Lothair, pointing to the one uninjured.
“Ah! you like horses?” said the gentleman.
“Well, I have some taste that way.”
“We are visitors to Oxford,” said the lady. “Colonel Campian, like all Americans, is very interested in the ancient parts of England.”
“To-day we were going to Blenheim,” said the colonel, “but I thought I would try these new tits a bit on a by-road first.”
“All’s well that ends well,” said Lothair; “and there is no reason why you should not fulfil your intention of going to Blenheim, for here is my carriage, and it is entirely23 at your service for the whole day, and, indeed, as long as you stay at Oxford.”
“Sir, there requires no coronet on Your carriage to tell me you are a nobleman,” said the colonel. “I like frank manners, and I like your team. I know few things that would please me more than to try them.”
They were four roans, highly bred, with black manes and tails. They had the Arab eye, with arched neck and seemed proud of themselves and their master.
“I do not see why we should not go to Blenheim,” said the colonel.
“Well, not today,” said the lady, “I think. We have had an escape, but one feels these things a little more afterward24 than at the time. I would rather go back to Oxford and be quiet; and there is more than one college which you have not yet seen.”
“My team is entirely at your service wherever you go,” said Lothair; “but I cannot venture to drive you to Oxford, for I am there in statu pupillari and a proctor might arrest us all. But perhaps,” and he approached the lady, “you will permit me to call on you tomorrow, when I hope I may find you have not suffered by this misadventure.”
“We have got a professor dining with us today at seven o’clock,” said the colonel, “at our hotel, and if you be disengaged and would join the party you would add to the favors which you know so well how to confer.”
Lothair handed the lady into the carriage, the colonel mounted the box and took the ribbons like a master, and the four roans trotted25 away with their precious charge and their two grooms26 behind with folded arms and imperturbable27 countenances28.
Lothair watched the equipage until it vanished in the distance.
“It is impossible to forget that countenance,” he said; “and I fancy I did hear at the time that she had married an American. Well, I shall meet her at dinner—that is something.” And he sprang into his saddle.
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1
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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2
hack
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| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
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3
dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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4
extricate
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| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
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5
foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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6
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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7
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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8
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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9
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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10
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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11
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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12
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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13
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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14
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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16
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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17
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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18
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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19
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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20
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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21
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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23
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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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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26
grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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28
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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