Violet and Dorothy are to be married next month, both on the same day, at the same hour, in the same church,—St. George's Hanover Square, without telling. From old Lord Steyne's house in Mayfair, by Dorothy's special desire, both marriages are to take place, Violet's father being somewhat erratic3 in his tastes, and in fact at this moment wandering aimlessly among the Himalayas.
Mona is happier than words can say. She is up to her eyes in the business, that business sweetest to a woman's soul, the ordering and directing and general management of a trousseau. In her case she is doubly blessed, because she has the supervizing of two!
Her sympathy is unbounded, her temper equal to the most trying occasion, her heart open to the most petty grievances4; she is to the two girls an unfailing source of comfort, a refuge where they may unrebuked pour out the indignation against their dressmakers that seems to rage unceasingly within their breasts.
Indeed, as Dorothy says one day, out of the plenitude of her heart, "How we should possibly have got on without you, Mona, I shudder5 to contemplate6."
Geoffrey happening to be present when this flattering remark is made, Violet turns to him and says impulsively,—
"Oh, Geoffrey, wasn't it well you went to Ireland and met Mona? Because if you had stayed on here last autumn we might have been induced to marry each other, and then what would have become of poor Jack7?"
"What, indeed?" says Geoffrey, tragically8. "Worse still, what would have become of poor Mona?"
"What is it you would say?" exclaims Mona, threatingly, turning towards him a lovely face she vainly tries to clothe with anger.
"It is insupportable such an insinuation," says the lively Doatie. "Violet, Mona's cause is ours: what shall we do with him?"
"'Brain him with his lady's fan!'" quotes Violet, gayly, snatching up Mona's fan that lies on a prie-dieu near, and going up to Geoffrey.
So determined9 is her aspect that Geoffrey shows the white feather, and, crying "mea culpa," beats a hasty retreat.
From morn to dewy eve, nothing is discussed in bower10 or boudoir but flounces, frills, and furbelows,—three f's that are considered at the Towers of far more vital importance than those other three of Mr. Parnell's forming. And Mona, having proved herself quite in good taste in the matter of her own gowns, and almost an artist where coloring is concerned, is appealed to by both girls on all occasions about such things as must be had in readiness "Against their brydale day, which is not long."—As, for instance:—
"Mona, do you think Elise is right? she is so very positive; are you sure heliotrope11 is the correct shade to go with this?" Or—
"Dearest Mona, I must interrupt you again. Are you very busy? No? Oh, then do come and look at the last bonnet12 Madame Verot has just sent. She says there will be nothing to equal it this season. But," in a heart-broken voice, "I cannot bring myself to think it becoming."
Lady Rodney, too, is quite happy. Everything has come right; all is smooth again; there is no longer cause for chagrin13 and never-ending fear. With Paul Rodney's death the latter feeling ceased, and Mona's greatness of heart has subdued14 the former. She has conquered and laid her enemy low: without the use of any murderous force the walls have fallen down before her, and she has marched into the citadel15 with colors flying.
Yet does she not triumph over her beaten foe16; nay17, so different is it with her that she reaches forth18 her hand to raise her again, and strives by every tender means in her power to obliterate19 all memory of the unpleasant past.
And Lady Rodney is very willing that it should be obliterated20. Just now, indeed, it is a favorite theory of hers that she could never have been really uncivil to dear Mona (she is always "dear Mona" of late days) but for the terrible anxiety that lay upon her, caused by the Australian and the missing will, and the cruel belief that soon Nicholas would be banished21 from the home where he had reigned22 so long as master. Had things gone happily with her, her mind would not have been so warped23, and she would have learned at once to understand and appreciate the sweetness of the dear girl's character! And so on.
Mona accepts this excuse for bygone injustice24, and even encourages her mother-in-law to enlarge upon it,—seeing how comfortable it is to her so to do,—and furthermore tries hard in her own kind heart to believe in it also.
She is perhaps as near being angry with Geoffrey as she can be when one day he pooh-poohs this charitable thought and gives it as his belief that worry had nothing to do with it, and that his mother behaved uncommonly25 badly all through, and that sheer obstinacy26 and bad temper was the cause of the whole matter.
"She had made up her mind that you would be insupportable, and she couldn't forgive you because you weren't," says that astute27 young man, with calm conviction. "Don't you be taken in, Mona."
But Mona in such a case as this prefers being "taken in" (though she may object to the phrase), and in process of time grows positively28 fond of Lady Rodney.
"In company with so divine a face, no rancorous thoughts could live," said the duke on one memorable29 occasion, alluding30 to Mona, which speech was rather a lofty soat for His Grace, he being for the most part of the earth, earthy.
"So every spirit, as it is most pure
And hath in it the more of heavenly light.
To habit in.
For of the soule the bodie forme doth take,
For soule is forme and doth the bodie make."
With Lady Rodney she will, I think, be always the favorite daughter. She is quite her right hand now. She can hardly get on without her, and tells herself her blankest days are those when Mona and Geoffrey return to their own home, and the Towers no longer echoes to the musical laugh of old Brian Scully's niece, or to the light footfall of her pretty feet. Violet and Dorothy will no doubt be dear; but Mona, having won it against much odds33, will ever hold first place in her affections.
After all, she has proved a great success. She has fought her fight, and gained her victory; but the conquered has deep reason to be grateful to her victor.
Where would they all be now but for her timely entry into the library on that night never to be forgotten, and her influence over the poor dead and gone cousin? Even in the matter of fortune she has not been behindhand, Paul Rodney's death having enriched her beyond all expectation. Without doubt, therefore, there is good reason to rejoice over Mrs. Geoffrey.
To this name, given to her in such an unkindly spirit, Mona clings with singular pertinacity34. Once when Nolly has called her by it in Lady Rodney's hearing, the latter raises her head, and a remorseful35 light kindles36 in her eyes; and when Mr. Darling has taken himself away she turns entreatingly37 to Mona, and, with a warm accession of coloring, says, earnestly,—
"My dear, I behaved badly to you in that matter. Let me tell Oliver to call you Mrs. Rodney for the future. It is your proper name."
But Mona will not be entreated38; sweetly, but firmly, she declines to alter the sobriquet39 given her so long ago now. With much gentleness she tells Lady Rodney that she loves the name; that it is dearer to her than any other could ever be; that to be Mrs. Geoffrey is the utmost height of her very heighest ambition; and to change it now would only cause her pain and a vague sense of loss.
So after this earnest protest no more is ever said to her apon the subject, and Mrs. Geoffrey she is now to her mends, and Mrs. Geoffrey, I think, she will remain to the end of the chapter.
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1
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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erratic
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| adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的 | |
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grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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tragically
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| adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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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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heliotrope
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| n.天芥菜；淡紫色 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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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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citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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obliterate
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| v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去 | |
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obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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warped
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| adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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30
alluding
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| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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31
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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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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pertinacity
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| n.执拗，顽固 | |
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remorseful
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| adj.悔恨的 | |
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36
kindles
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的第三人称单数 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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entreatingly
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| 哀求地，乞求地 | |
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38
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
sobriquet
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| n.绰号 | |
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