The bees’ collected treasures sweet,
Sweet music’s melting fall, but sweeter yet
The still, small voice of gratitude1.
GRAY
On the following day, the arrival of her friend revived the drooping2 Emily, and La Vallee became once more the scene of social kindness and of elegant hospitality. Illness and the terror she had suffered had stolen from Blanche much of her sprightliness3, but all her affectionate simplicity4 remained, and, though she appeared less blooming, she was not less engaging than before. The unfortunate adventure on the Pyrenees had made the Count very anxious to reach home, and, after little more than a week’s stay at La Vallee, Emily prepared to set out with her friends for Languedoc, assigning the care of her house, during her absence, to Theresa. On the evening, preceding her departure, this old servant brought again the ring of Valancourt, and, with tears, entreated5 her mistress to receive it, for that she had neither seen, or heard of M. Valancourt, since the night when he delivered it to her. As she said this, her countenance6 expressed more alarm, than she dared to utter; but Emily, checking her own propensity7 to fear, considered, that he had probably returned to the residence of his brother, and, again refusing to accept the ring, bade Theresa preserve it, till she saw him, which, with extreme reluctance8, she promised to do.
On the following day, Count De Villefort, with Emily and the Lady Blanche, left La Vallee, and, on the ensuing evening, arrived at the Chateau9-le-Blanc, where the Countess, Henri, and M. Du Pont, whom Emily was surprised to find there, received them with much joy and congratulation. She was concerned to observe, that the Count still encouraged the hopes of his friend, whose countenance declared, that his affection had suffered no abatement10 from absence; and was much distressed11, when, on the second evening after her arrival, the Count, having withdrawn12 her from the Lady Blanche, with whom she was walking, renewed the subject of M. Du Pont’s hopes. The mildness, with which she listened to his intercessions at first, deceiving him, as to her sentiments, he began to believe, that, her affection for Valancourt being overcome, she was, at length, disposed to think favourably13 of M. Du Pont; and, when she afterwards convinced him of his mistake, he ventured, in the earnestness of his wish to promote what he considered to be the happiness of two persons, whom he so much esteemed14, gently to remonstrate15 with her, on thus suffering an ill-placed affection to poison the happiness of her most valuable years.
Observing her silence and the deep dejection of her countenance, he concluded with saying, ‘I will not say more now, but I will still believe, my dear Mademoiselle St. Aubert, that you will not always reject a person, so truly estimable as my friend Du Pont.’
He spared her the pain of replying, by leaving her; and she strolled on, somewhat displeased16 with the Count for having persevered17 to plead for a suit, which she had repeatedly rejected, and lost amidst the melancholy18 recollections, which this topic had revived, till she had insensibly reached the borders of the woods, that screened the monastery19 of St. Clair, when, perceiving how far she had wandered, she determined20 to extend her walk a little farther, and to enquire21 about the abbess and some of her friends among the nuns22.
Though the evening was now drawing to a close, she accepted the invitation of the friar, who opened the gate, and, anxious to meet some of her old acquaintances, proceeded towards the convent parlour. As she crossed the lawn, that sloped from the front of the monastery towards the sea, she was struck with the picture of repose24, exhibited by some monks25, sitting in the cloisters26, which extended under the brow of the woods, that crowned this eminence27; where, as they meditated28, at this twilight29 hour, holy subjects, they sometimes suffered their attention to be relieved by the scene before them, nor thought it profane30 to look at nature, now that it had exchanged the brilliant colours of day for the sober hue31 of evening. Before the cloisters, however, spread an ancient chesnut, whose ample branches were designed to screen the full magnificence of a scene, that might tempt32 the wish to worldly pleasures; but still, beneath the dark and spreading foliage33, gleamed a wide extent of ocean, and many a passing sail; while, to the right and left, thick woods were seen stretching along the winding34 shores. So much as this had been admitted, perhaps, to give to the secluded35 votary36 an image of the dangers and vicissitudes37 of life, and to console him, now that he had renounced38 its pleasures, by the certainty of having escaped its evils. As Emily walked pensively39 along, considering how much suffering she might have escaped, had she become a votaress of the order, and remained in this retirement40 from the time of her father’s death, the vesper-bell struck up, and the monks retired41 slowly toward the chapel42, while she, pursuing her way, entered the great hall, where an unusual silence seemed to reign43. The parlour too, which opened from it, she found vacant, but, as the evening bell was sounding, she believed the nuns had withdrawn into the chapel, and sat down to rest, for a moment, before she returned to the chateau, where, however, the increasing gloom made her now anxious to be.
Not many minutes had elapsed, before a nun23, entering in haste, enquired44 for the abbess, and was retiring, without recollecting45 Emily, when she made herself known, and then learned, that a mass was going to be performed for the soul of sister Agnes, who had been declining, for some time, and who was now believed to be dying.
Of her sufferings the sister gave a melancholy account, and of the horrors, into which she had frequently started, but which had now yielded to a dejection so gloomy, that neither the prayers, in which she was joined by the sisterhood, or the assurances of her confessor, had power to recall her from it, or to cheer her mind even with a momentary46 gleam of comfort.
To this relation Emily listened with extreme concern, and, recollecting the frenzied47 manners and the expressions of horror, which she had herself witnessed of Agnes, together with the history, that sister Frances had communicated, her compassion48 was heightened to a very painful degree. As the evening was already far advanced, Emily did not now desire to see her, or to join in the mass, and, after leaving many kind remembrances with the nun, for her old friends, she quitted the monastery, and returned over the cliffs towards the chateau, meditating49 upon what she had just heard, till, at length she forced her mind upon less interesting subjects.
The wind was high, and as she drew near the chateau, she often paused to listen to its awful sound, as it swept over the billows, that beat below, or groaned50 along the surrounding woods; and, while she rested on a cliff at a short distance from the chateau, and looked upon the wide waters, seen dimly beneath the last shade of twilight, she thought of the following address:
TO THE WINDS
Viewless, through heaven’s vast vault51 your course ye steer52,
Unknown from whence ye come, or whither go!
Mysterious pow’rs! I hear ye murmur53 low,
Till swells54 your loud gust55 on my startled ear,
And, awful! seems to say — some God is near!
I love to list your midnight voices float
In the dread56 storm, that o’er the ocean rolls,
And, while their charm the angry wave controuls,
Mix with its sullen57 roar, and sink remote.
Then, rising in the pause, a sweeter note,
The dirge58 of spirits, who your deeds bewail,
A sweeter note oft swells while sleeps the gale59!
But soon, ye sightless pow’rs! your rest is o’er,
Solemn and slow, ye rise upon the air,
Speak in the shrouds60, and bid the sea-boy fear,
And the faint-warbled dirge — is heard no more!
Oh! then I deprecate your awful reign!
The loud lament61 yet bear not on your breath!
Bear not the crash of bark far on the main,
Bear not the cry of men, who cry in vain,
The crew’s dread chorus sinking into death!
Oh! give not these, ye pow’rs! I ask alone,
As rapt I climb these dark romantic steeps,
The elemental war, the billow’s moan;
I ask the still, sweet tear, that listening Fancy weeps!
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收听单词发音
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1
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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sprightliness
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| n.愉快，快活 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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7
propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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8
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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9
chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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10
abatement
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| n.减(免)税，打折扣，冲销 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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12
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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13
favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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15
remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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16
displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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17
persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
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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19
monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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20
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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21
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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22
nuns
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| n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 ) | |
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nun
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| n.修女，尼姑 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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cloisters
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| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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27
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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28
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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29
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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30
profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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31
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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32
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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33
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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34
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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35
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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votary
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| n.崇拜者；爱好者；adj.誓约的，立誓任圣职的 | |
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37
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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38
renounced
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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40
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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41
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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42
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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44
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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45
recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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48
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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50
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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51
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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52
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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53
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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54
swells
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| 增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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55
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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56
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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57
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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58
dirge
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| n.哀乐，挽歌，庄重悲哀的乐曲 | |
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59
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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60
shrouds
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| n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密 | |
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lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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