A Parisian man of science, who had passed his life in alternately fighting at barricades7 and discovering planets, had given Colonel Campian, who had lived much in the French capital, a letter of introduction to the professor, whose invectives against the principles of English society were hailed by foreigners as representative of the sentiments of venerable Oxford. The professor, who was not satisfied with his home career, and, like many men of his order of mind, had dreams of wild vanity which the New World, they think, can alone realize, was very glad to make the colonel’s acquaintance, which might facilitate his future movements. So he had lionized the distinguished8 visitors during the last few days over the university, and had availed himself of plenteous opportunities for exhibiting to them his celebrated9 powers of exposition, his talent for sarcasm, which he deemed peerless, and several highly-finished, picturesque10 passages, which were introduced with contemporary art.
The professor was very much surprised when he saw Lothair enter the saloon at the hotel. He was the last person in Oxford whom he expected to encounter. Like sedentary men of extreme opinions, he was a social parasite11, and instead of indulging in his usual invectives against peers and princes, finding himself unexpectedly about to dine with one of that class, he was content only to dazzle and amuse him.
Mrs. Campian only entered the room when dinner was announced. She greeted Lothair with calmness but amenity12, and took his offered arm.
“You have not suffered, I hope?” said Lothair.
“Very little, and through your kindness.”
It was a peculiar13 voice, low and musical, too subdued14 to call thrilling, but a penetrating15 voice, so that, however ordinary the observation, it attracted and impressed attention. But it was in harmony with all her appearance and manner. Lothair thought he had never seen any one or any thing so serene16; the serenity17, however, not of humbleness18, nor of merely conscious innocence19; it was not devoid20 of a degree of majesty21; what one pictures of Olympian repose22. And the countenance23 was Olympian: a Phidian face, with large gray eyes and dark lashes24; wonderful hair, abounding25 without art, and gathered together by Grecian fillets.
The talk was of Oxford, and was at first chiefly maintained by the colonel and the professor.
“And do you share Colonel Campian’s feeling about Old England?” inquired Lothair of his hostess.
“The present interests me more than the past,” said the lady, “and the future more than the present.”
“The present seems to me as unintelligible26 as the future,” said Lothair.
“I think it is intelligible,” said the lady, with a faint smile. “It has many faults but, not, I think, the want of clearness.”
“I am not a destructive,” said the professor, addressing the colonel, but speaking loudly; “I would maintain Oxford, under any circumstances, with the necessary changes.”
“And what are those might I ask?” inquired Lothair.
“In reality, not much. I would get rid of the religion.”
“Get rid of the religion!” said Lothair.
“You have got rid of it once,” said the professor.
“You have altered, you have what people call reformed it,” said Lothair; “but you have not abolished or banished27 it from the university.”
“The shock would not be greater, nor so great, as the change from the papal to the Reformed faith. Besides, universities have nothing to do with religion.”
“I thought universities were universal,” said Lothair, “and had something to do with every thing.”
“I cannot conceive any society of any kind without religion,” said the lady.
Lothair glanced at her beautiful brow with devotion as she uttered these words.
Colonel Campian began to talk about horses. After that the professor proved to him that he was related to Edmund Campian, the Jesuit; and then he got to the Gunpowder28 Plot, which, he was not sure, if successful, might not have beneficially influenced the course of our history. Probably the Irish difficulty would not then have existed.
“I dislike plots,” said the lady; “they always fail.”
“And, whatever their object, are they not essentially29 immoral30?” said Lothair.
“I have more faith in ideas than in persons,” said the lady. “When a truth is uttered, it will, sooner or later, be recognized. It is only an affair of time. It is better that it should mature and naturally germinate31 than be forced.”
“You would reduce us to lotus-eaters,” exclaimed the professor. “Action is natural to man. And what, after all, are conspiracies32 and revolutions but great principles in violent action?”
“I think you must be an admirer of repose,” said Lothair to the lady, in a low voice.
“Because I have seen something of action in my life;” said the lady, “and it is an experience of wasted energies and baffled thoughts.”
When they returned to the saloon, the colonel and the professor became interested in the constitution and discipline of the American universities. Lothair hung about the lady, who was examining some views of Oxford, and who was ascertaining33 what she had seen and what she had omitted to visit. They were thinking of returning home on the morrow.
“Without seeing Blenheim?” said Lothair.
“Without seeing Blenheim,” said the lady; “I confess to a pang34; but I shall always associate with that name your great kindness to us.”
“But cannot we for once enter into a conspiracy35 together,” said Lothair, “and join in a happy plot and contrive36 to go? Besides, I could take you to the private gardens, for the duke has given me a perpetual order, and they are really exquisite37.”
The lady seemed to smile.
“Theodora,” said the colonel, speaking from the end of the room, “what have you settled about your train tomorrow?”
“We want, to stay another day here,” said Theodora, “and go to Blenheim.”
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1
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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jargon
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| n.术语，行话 | |
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barricades
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| 路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 ) | |
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8
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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10
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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parasite
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| n.寄生虫；寄生菌；食客 | |
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amenity
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| n.pl.生活福利设施，文娱康乐场所；（不可数）愉快，适意 | |
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13
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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15
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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16
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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17
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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18
humbleness
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| n.谦卑，谦逊；恭顺 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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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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24
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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25
abounding
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| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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unintelligible
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| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
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27
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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30
immoral
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| adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的 | |
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31
germinate
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| v.发芽；发生；发展 | |
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32
conspiracies
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| n.阴谋，密谋( conspiracy的名词复数 ) | |
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33
ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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34
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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35
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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36
contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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37
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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