The crash came on a Sunday in spring—exquisite weather. They sat round the breakfast table, in mourning because of Grandpa, but otherwise worldly. Besides his mother and sisters, there was impossible Aunt Ida, who lived with them now, and a Miss Tonks, a friend whom Kitty had made at the Domestic Institute, and who indeed seemed its only tan-gible product. Between Ada and himself stood an empty chair.
"Oh, Mr Durham's engaged to be married," cried Mrs Hall, who was reading a letter. "How friendly of his mother to tell me. Penge, a county estate," she explained to Miss Tonks.
"That won't impress Violet, mother. She's a socialist1."
"Am I, Kitty? Good news."
"You mean bad news, Miss Tonks," said Aunt Ida.
"Mother, who toom?"
"You will say 'Who toom' as a joke too often."
"Oh mother, get on, who is she?" asked Ada, having stifled2 a regret.
"Lady Anne Woods. You can read the letter for yourselves. He met her in Greece. Lady Anne Woods. Daughter of Sir H. Woods."
There was an outcry amongst the well-informed. It was sub-sequently found that Mrs Durham's sentence ran, "I will now tell you the name of the lady: Anne Woods: daughter of Sir H.
Woods." But even then it was remarkable3, and owing to Greece romantic.
"Maurice!" said his aunt across the hubbub4.
"Hullo!" .
"That boy's late."
Leaning back in his chair he shouted "Dickie!" at the ceiling: they were putting up Dr Barry's young nephew for the week-end, to oblige.
"He doesn't even sleep above, so that's no good," said Kitty. 111 go up.
He smoked half a cigarette in the garden and returned. The news had nearly upset him after all. It had come so brutally5, and —what hurt him as much—no one behaved as if it were his concern. Nor was it. Mrs Durham and his mother were the prin-cipals now. Their friendship had survived the heroic.
He was thinking, "Clive might have written: for the sake of the past he might", when his aunt interrupted him. "That boy's never come," she complained.
He rose with a smile. "My fault. I forgot."
"Forgot!" Everyone concentrated on him. "Forgot when you went out specially6? Oh Morrie, you are a funny boy." He left the room, pursued by humorous scorn, and almost forgot again. "In there's my work," he thought, and a deadly lassitude fell on him.
He went upstairs with the tread of an older man, and drew breath at the top. He stretched his arms wide. The morning was exquisite—made for others: for them the leaves rustled7 and the sun poured into the house. He banged at Dickie Barry's door, and, as that seemed no use, opened it.
The boy, who had been to a dance the night before, remained asleep. He lay with his limbs uncovered. He lay unashamed, embraced and penetrated8 by the sun. The lips were parted, the down on the upper was touched with gold, the hair broken into
countless9 glories, the body was a delicate amber10. To anyone he would have seemed beautiful, and to Maurice who reached him by two paths he became die World's desire.
"It's past nine," he said as soon as he could speak.
Dickie groaned11 and pulled up the bedclothes to his chin.
"Breakfast—wake up."
"How long have you been here?" he asked, opening his eyes, which were all of him that was now visible, and gazing into Maurice's.
"A little," he said, after a pause.
"You can be as late as you like—it's only I didn't want you to miss the jolly day."
Downstairs they were revelling13 in snobbery14. Kitty asked him whether he had known about Miss Woods. He answered "Yes" —a lie that marked an epoch15. Then his aunt's voice arrived, was that boy never coming?
"I told him not to hurry," said Maurice, trembling all over.
"Maurice, you're not very practical, dear," said Mrs Hall.
"He's on a visit."
Auntie remarked that the first duty of a visitor was to conform to the rules of the house. Hitherto he had never opposed her, but now he said, "The rule of this house is that everyone does what they like."
"Breakfast is at half past eight."
"For those who like. Those who are sleepy like breakfast at nine or ten."
"No house could go on, Maurice. No servants would stop, as you will find."
"I'd rather servants went than my guests were treated like schoolboys."
"A schoolboy! Haw! Heis one!"
"Mr Barry's now at Woolwich," said Maurice shortly.
Aunt Ida snorted, but Miss Tonks shot him a glance of re-spect. The others had not listened, intent on poor Mrs Durham, who would now only have the dower house. The loss of his tem-per left him very happy. In a few minutes Dickie joined them, and he rose to greet his god. The boy's hair was now flat from the bath, and his graceful16 body hidden beneath clothes, but he remained extraordinarily17 beautiful. There was a freshness about him—he might have arrived with the flowers—and he gave the impression of modesty18 and of good will. When he apologized to Mrs Hall, the note of his voice made Maurice shiver. And this was the child he wouldn't protect at Sunnington! This the guest whose arrival last night he had felt rather a bore.
So strong was the passion, while it lasted, that he believed the crisis of his life had come. He broke all engagements, as in the old days. After breakfast he saw Dickie to his uncle's, got arm in arm with him, and exacted a promise for tea. It was kept. Maurice abandoned himself to joy. His blood heated. He would not attend to the talk, yet even this advantaged him, for when he said "What?" Dickie came over to the sofa. He passed an arm round him.... The entrance of Aunt Ida may have averted19 dis-aster, yet he thought he saw response in the candid20 eyes.
They met once more—at midnight. Maurice was not happy now, for during the hours of waiting his emotion had become physical.
"I'd a latch21 key," said Dickie, surprised at finding his host up.
"I know."
There was a pause. Both uneasy, they were glancing at each other and afraid to meet a glance.
"Is it a cold night out?"
"No."
"Can I get you anything before I go up?"
"No, thanks."
Maurice went to the switches and turned on the landing light. Then he turned out the lights in the hall and sprang after Dickie, overtaking him noiselessly.
"This is my room," he whispered."Imean generally. They've turned me out for you." He added, "I sleep here alone." He was conscious that words were escaping him. Having removed Dickie's overcoat he stood holding it, saying nothing. The house was so quiet that they could hear the women breathing in the other rooms.
The boy said nothing either. The varieties of development are endless, and it so happened that he understood the situation perfectly22. If Hall insisted, he would not kick up a row, but he had rather not: he felt like that about it.
"I'm above," panted Maurice, not daring. "In the attic23 over this—if you want anything—all night alone. I always am."
Dickie's impulse was to bolt the door after him, but he dis-missed it as unsoldierly, and awoke to the ringing of the break-fast bell, with the sun on his face and his mind washed clean.
春天的一个天气极好的星期日，发生了一件事。他们围着摆好早饭的桌子而坐，大家在为外祖父服丧，其他的都照旧。除了他的母亲和妹妹们之外，还有难以对付的艾达姨妈，如今她跟他们同住。另有一位汤克斯小姐，是吉蒂在家政学校结识的朋友，看来她确实是该校所提供的惟一具体的成果。艾达与莫瑞斯之间的那把椅子是空的。
“哦，德拉姆先生订婚啦。”正在读信的霍尔太太大声说。“他母亲多么友好啊，把这件事告诉了我。彭杰是他们家的庄园。”她对汤克斯小姐解释。
“妈妈，这不会给维奥莱特留下印象的，她是个社会主义者。”
“我是吗，吉蒂？好消息。”
“你的意思是说，坏消息，汤克斯小姐。”艾达姨妈说。
“妈妈，新娘子是何许人也？”
“你成天拿‘何许人也’来打趣。”
“啊，妈妈，说下去，她是谁呀？”艾达把不服气的话咽了回去，问道。
“安妮.伍兹小姐。你可以自己读嘛。他是在希腊遇见她的。安妮。伍兹夫人，H．伍兹爵士的女儿。”
对社交界的情况了如指掌的女人们大声提出质疑，接着就发现德拉姆太太是这么写的：“现在我告诉您那位小姐的芳名：安妮·伍兹，H．伍兹爵士的女儿。（译注：原文作："I will now tell you the name of the lady:Anne Woods,daughter of Sir H.Woods."德拉姆太太却读成"Lady Anne Woods"。Lady 是对贵族妇女的尊称，根据已婚、未婚，分别译为“夫人”或”小姐”。只拥有爵士称号者的女儿，姓名前不能冠以Lady，所以女人们听她这么说，便提出质疑。）”
然而，即使这样，还是不同凡响，在希腊结识这一点也富于浪漫主义色彩。
“莫瑞斯！”姨妈的声音穿过一片喧哗传了过来。
“唉！”
“那孩子怎么还不来？”
莫瑞斯靠着椅背，向后仰，朝天花板喊道：“迪基！”他们接受了巴里大夫的请求，留他的年轻侄子在家里度周末。
“他又没睡在上面的屋子里，喊也没用。”吉蒂说。
“我上楼去看看。”
他在庭园里吸了半支香烟，就回来了。这个消息使他心绪烦乱，它来得那么无情，谁也没做出这与他有什么关系的反应，从而给了他不亚于消息本身的痛苦。这确实与他无关，现在，德拉姆太太和他母亲是主角。儿子们的友谊以悲剧告终，她们之间的友谊却延续下去了。
他想着：“克莱夫总该写封信来的。看在过去那段交情的分上，他也该写。”这时姨妈打断了他的思路：“那个孩子始终没有来。”她抱怨道。
他面泛微笑，站了起来。“这怪我，我忘记啦。”
“忘记啦！”大家的注意力集中到他身上。“你是特地去的，竟然忘记啦？哦，莫瑞，好个可笑的小伙子。”他离开了屋子，背后是一片诙谐的侮弄。他差点儿又忘掉了。“我得到那儿去办事。”他这么想着，极度的倦意袭上心头。
他以年长者的步伐迈上楼梯，到了楼梯平台，深深地吸了口气。他尽情地伸开双臂，这是个生趣盎然的早晨——是为了旁人的。为了他们树叶飒飒地抖动，阳光倾泻到房子里。他猛敲迪基-巴里的房门，好像不用费力气，房门就已经开了。
头天晚上少年参加了舞会，仍在酣睡。他躺在那儿，浑身一丝不挂。他不知羞耻地躺着，阳光拥抱着并且穿透了他。他双唇微启，上唇的汗毛金光闪闪，无数根毛发光彩夺目，肉体是柔和的琥珀色。在任何人眼里，他都是美的。至于莫瑞斯呢，他有两条通向这个少年的路，少年就化为现世的欲望了。
“九点多了。”莫瑞斯好不容易才说出这么一句话。
迪基呻吟了一声，将被子一直拽到下巴那儿。
“早饭——起来吧。”
“你在这儿待了多久？”他说着睁开眼睛。现在只看得见他的眼睛了，这双眼睛凝视着莫瑞斯。
“一小会儿，”他歇了口气才说。
“我非常抱歉。”
“你可以随心所欲地晚起——我只不过是不愿意你错过大好的天气而已。”
楼下，女眷们正沉迷在贵族崇拜中。吉蒂问他，知不知道伍兹小姐的事。他回答说：“知道。”这句谎言标志着开辟了新纪元，接着就传来了姨妈的声音。“那个孩子永远也不来了吗？”
“我告诉他，不用忙着下来。”莫瑞斯说，他浑身发颤。
“莫瑞斯，你这个人不大能干，亲爱的。”霍尔太太说。
“他是来做客的。”
姨妈发表意见说，客人首先有义务去遵守主人的家规。迄今他一次也没有顶撞过她，然而现在他说：“这里的家规是每个人爱做什么做什么。”
“八点半吃早饭。”
“是为了那些愿意的人。还没睡够的人愿意在九点钟或十点钟吃早饭。”
“谁家也不能继续这样下去，莫瑞斯。你会发现，任何仆人也留不住。”
“我宁可听任仆人辞工，也不让我的客人被当作学童那样来对待。”
“学童！呃！他就是呀！”
“巴里先生目前在伍尔威齐（译注：指坐落在伍尔威齐的英国陆军士官学拉。伍尔威齐系大伦敦东南部地区，现已划归格林尼治。格林尼治是英格兰大伦敦外围自治市，在泰晤士河南岸。伍尔威齐位于下游。）。”
艾达姨妈嗤之以鼻，汤克斯小姐却怀着敬意瞥了他一眼。其他人并没有听，她们热衷于谈论可怜的德拉姆太太的事，而今留给她的惟有寡妇房了。发了一通脾气后，他非常高兴。几分钟后，迪基到饭桌跟前来了。莫瑞斯站起来迎接他的神。少年刚洗过澡，湿头发平贴在脑袋上。他那秀美的肉体被衣服遮住了，然而他还是异常标致。他是那么清新——可能是跟花儿一起到达的——给人留下谦虚与善意的印象。当他向霍尔太太表示歉意的时候，他的声调使莫瑞斯浑身战栗。而这就是他在萨宁顿不肯照顾的那个孩子！这就是昨天晚上抵达的时候使他感到厌烦的客人。
这股激情持续下去，非常强烈，以致他相信人生的转折点到来了。就像从前那样，他解除了所有的约会。吃罢早饭，他把迪基送到叔叔家。两个人挽臂而行，约好一起喝茶并践了约。莫瑞斯沉浸在欢乐中。他热血沸腾了，不能专心致志地听旁人说话，然而就连这也对他有利。因为当他问“什么”时，迪基就会到他那张沙发跟前来。他伸出一只胳膊搂住迪基……艾达姨妈进来了，从而避免了灾祸的发生。但是莫瑞斯认为他在那双坦率的眼睛里看到了反应。
他们再一次的相遇是在半夜。现在莫瑞斯不再感到幸福了，因为在几个钟头的等待中，他的激情已经变成生理上的。
“我有门钥匙。”迪基说，他发现主人还没睡，吃了一惊。
“我知道。”
停顿了片刻，两人都很不安，相互望着，却又怕遇到对方的视线。
“夜里外面冷吗？”
“不冷。”
“我上楼之前，有什么能为你做的事吗？”
“没有，谢谢。”
莫瑞斯踱到开关那儿，把楼梯平台的电灯打开了。接着他关掉了门厅里的灯，蹦蹦跳跳地尾随迪基，悄悄地赶上了他。
“这是我的屋子。”他跟少年交头接耳地说。“我指的是平时。因为你的缘故，她们把我请出去了。”他补充说：“我一个人睡在这儿。”他意识到话是脱口而出的。他替迪基脱下大衣，捧着它伫立在那儿，默不作声。家中静悄悄的，他们甚至听得见女人们在别的屋子里发出的呼吸声。
少年也什么都没说。人们发育的过程变化多端，无穷无尽，他偏巧完全了解自己的处境。倘若霍尔坚持的话，他不会吵吵闹闹。然而他宁愿什么事也不发生，这就是他对这件事的想法。
“我在楼上，”莫瑞斯气喘吁吁地说，他胆怯了。“在这间屋子上面的阁楼里——整夜都是一个人，一向如此。”
莫瑞斯走后，迪基出于一时的冲动，想把门锁起来。不过他觉得这不像是士官学校学生的行为，就打消了这个念头。早饭的铃响了，他才醒。阳光照着他的脸，精神被荡涤得清清白白。
收听单词发音 |
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socialist
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| n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的 | |
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stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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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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hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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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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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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revelling
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| v.作乐( revel的现在分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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snobbery
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| n. 充绅士气派, 俗不可耐的性格 | |
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epoch
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| n.(新)时代；历元 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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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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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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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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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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