“Well, I am engaged too,” said Lothair. “I have settled to go to the Tombs of the Kings today, with Signor Paraclete, and I cannot well get off; but remember the letters.”
The box of letters arrived at Lothair’s rooms in due season, and their perusal7 deeply interested him. In their pages, alike earnest and lively, and a picture of a mind of high intelligence adorned8 with fancy and feeling, the name of Lothair frequently appeared, and sometimes accompanied with expressions that made his heart beat. All the rumors9 of his adventures, as they gradually arrived in England, generally distorted, were duly chronicled, and sometimes with comments, which intimated the interest they occasioned to the correspondent of Bertram. More than once she could not refrain from reproaching her brother for having left his friend so much to himself. “Of all your friends,” she said, “the one who always most interested me, and seemed most worthy10 of your affection.” And then she deplored11 the absolute ruin of Lothair, for such she deemed his entrance into the Roman Church.
“I was right in my appreciation12 of that woman, though I was utterly13 inexperienced in life,” thought Lothair. “If her mother had only favored my views two years ago, affairs would have been different. Would they have been better? Can they be worse? But I have gained experience. Certainly; and paid for it with my heart’s blood. And might I not have gained experience tranquilly14, in the discharge of the duties of my position at home—dear home? Perhaps not. And suppose I never had gained experience, I still might have been happy? And what am I now? Most lone5 and sad. So lone and sad that nothing but the magical influence of the scene around me saves me from an overwhelming despondency.”
Lothair passed his life chiefly with Paraclete, and, a few weeks after their first acquaintance, they left Jerusalem together for Galilee.
The month of May had disappeared, and June was advancing. Bertram and Saint Aldegonde no longer talked about their pair, and their engagements in the House of Commons. There seemed a tacit understanding between them to avoid the subject; remarkable15 on the part of Bertram, for he had always been urgent on his brother-in-law to fulfil their parliamentary obligation.
The party at the Russian consulate had gone on a grand expedition to the Dead Sea, and had been absent for many days from Jerusalem. They were conveyed by one of the sheiks of the Jordan valley. It was a most successful expedition—constant adventure, novel objects and habits, all the spell of a romantic life. The ladies were delighted with the scenery of the Jordan valley, and the gentlemen had good sport; St. Aldegonde had killed a wild-boar, and Bertram an ibex, whose horns were preserved for Brentham. Mr. Phoebus intensely studied the camel and its habits. He persuaded himself that the ship of the desert entirely understood him. “But it is always so,” he added. “There is no animal that in a week does not perfectly16 comprehend me. Had I time and could give myself up to it, I have no doubt I could make them speak. Nature has endowed me, so far as dumb animals are concerned, with a peculiar17 mesmeric power.”
At last this happy caravan18 was again within sight of the walls of Jerusalem.
“I should like to have remained in the valley of the Jordan forever,” said St. Aldegonde.
“And so should I,” whispered Bertram to Euphrosyne, “with the same companions.”
When they had returned to the consulate, they found the post from England had arrived during their absence. There were dispatches for all. It is an agitating19 moment—that arrival of letters in a distant land. Lord St. Aldegonde seemed much disturbed when he tore open and perused20 his. His countenance21 became clouded; he dashed his hand through his dishevelled locks; he pouted22; and then he said to Bertram, “Come to my room.”
“Anything wrong at home?”
“Not at home,” said St. Aldegonde. “Bertha is all right. But a most infernal letter from Glyn—most insolent23. If I do return I will vote against them. But I will not return. I have made up my mind to that. People are so selfish,” exclaimed St. Aldegonde, with indignation. “They never think of any thing but themselves.”
“Show me his letter,” said Bertram. “I have got a letter too; it is from the duke.”
The letter of the Opposition24 whip did not deserve the epithets25 ascribed to it by St. Aldegonde. It was urgent and courteously26 peremptory27; but, considering the circumstances of the case, by no means too absolute. Paired to Easter by great indulgence, St. Aldegonde was passing Whitsuntide at Jerusalem. The parliamentary position was critical, and the future of the Opposition seemed to depend on the majority by which their resolutions on the Irish Church were sent up to the House of Lords.
“Well,” said Bertram. “I see nothing to complain of in that letter. Except a little more urgency, it is almost the same language as reached us at Cairo, and then you said Glyn was a capital fellow, and seemed quite pleased.”
“Yes, because I hated Egypt,” said St. Aldegonde. “I hated the pyramids, and I was disappointed with the dancing-girls; and it seemed to me that, if it had not been for the whip, we never should have been able to escape. But things are very different now.”
“Yes, they are,” said Bertram, in a melancholy28 tone.
“You do not think of returning?” said St. Aldegonde.
“Instantly,” replied Bertram. “I have a letter from the duke which is peremptory. The county is dissatisfied with my absence. And mine is a queer constituency; very numerous and several large towns; the popularity of my family gained me the seat, not their absolute influence.”
“My constituents29 never trouble me,” said St. Aldegonde.
“You have none,” said Bertram.
“Well, if I were member for a metropolitan30 district I would hot budge31. And I little thought you would have deserted32 me.”
“Ah!” sighed Bertram. “You’re discontented, because your amusements are interrupted. But think of my position, torn from a woman whom I adore.”
“Well, you know you must have left her sooner or later,” urged St. Aldegonde.
“Why?” asked Bertram.
“You know what Lothair told us. She is engaged to her cousin the Prince of Samos, and—”
“If I had only the Prince of Samos to deal with, I should care little,” said Bertram.
“Why, what do you mean?”
“That Euphrosyne is mine, if my family will sanction our union, but not otherwise.”
St. Aldegonde gave a long whistle, and he added, “I wish Bertha were here. She is the only person I know who has a head.”
“You see, my dear Granville, while you are talking of your little disappointments, I am involved in awful difficulties.”
“You are sure about the Palace of Samos?”
“Clear your head of that. There is no engagement of any kind between him and Euphrosyne. The visit to the island was only a preliminary ceremony—just to show himself. No doubt the father wishes the alliance; nor is there any reason to suppose that it would be disagreeable to the son; but, I repeat it—no engagement exists.”
“If I were not your brother-in-law, I should have been very glad to have married Euphrosyne myself,” said St. Aldegonde.
“Yes, but what am I to do?” asked Bertram, rather impatiently.
“It will not do to write to Brentham,” said St. Aldegonde, gravely; “that I see clearly.” Then, after musing33 a while, he added: “I am vexed34 to leave our friends here and shall miss them sadly. They are the most agreeable people I ever knew. I never enjoyed myself so much. But we must think of nothing but your affairs. We must return instantly. The whip will be an excuse, but the real business will be Euphrosyne. I should delight in having her for a sister-in-law, but the affair will require management. We can make short work of getting home: steam to Marseilles, leave the yacht there, and take the railroad. I have half a mind to telegraph to Bertha to meet us there. She would be of great use.”
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1
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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consulate
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| n.领事馆 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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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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deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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agitating
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| 搅动( agitate的现在分词 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论 | |
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perused
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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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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pouted
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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epithets
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| n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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constituents
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| n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素 | |
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metropolitan
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| adj.大城市的，大都会的 | |
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budge
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| v.移动一点儿；改变立场 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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