PART ONE DECEMBER 22ND VI

VI
On the first floor of Gorston Hall a long passage led to a big room overlooking the front drive. It
was a room furnished in the more flamboyant¹ of old-fashioned styles. It had heavy brocaded
wallpaper, rich leather armchairs, large vases embossed with dragons, sculptures in bronze . . .
Everything in it was magnificent, costly² and solid.
In a big grandfather armchair, the biggest and most imposing³ of all the chairs, sat the thin,
shrivelled figure of an old man. His long clawlike hands rested on the arms of the chair. A gold-
mounted stick was by his side. He wore an old shabby blue dressing⁴ gown. On his feet were carpet
slippers⁵. His hair was white and the skin of his face was yellow.
A shabby, insignificant⁶ figure, one might have thought. But the nose, aquiline⁷ and proud, and
the eyes, dark and intensely alive, might cause an observer to alter his opinion. Here was fire and
life and vigour⁸.
Old Simeon Lee cackled to himself, a sudden, high cackle of amusement.
He said:
“You gave my message to Mrs. Alfred, hey?”
Horbury was standing⁹ beside his chair. He replied in his soft deferential¹⁰ voice:
“Yes, sir.”
“Exactly in the words I told you? Exactly, mind?”
“Yes, sir. I didn’t make a mistake, sir.”
“No—you don’t make mistakes. You’d better not make mistakes either—or you’ll regret it!
And what did she say, Horbury? What did Mr. Alfred say?”
Quietly, unemotionally, Horbury repeated what had passed. The old man cackled again and
rubbed his hands together.
“Splendid . . . First rate . . . They’ll have been thinking and wondering—all the afternoon!
Splendid! I’ll have ’em up now. Go and get them.”
“Yes, sir.”
Horbury walked noiselessly across the room and went out.
“And, Horbury—”
The old man looked round, then cursed to himself.
“Fellow moves like a cat. Never know where he is.”
He sat quite still in his chair, his fingers caressing¹¹ his chin till there was a tap on the door, and
Alfred and Lydia came in.
“Ah, there you are, there you are. Sit here, Lydia, my dear, by me. What a nice colour you’ve
got.”
“I’ve been out in the cold. It makes one’s cheeks burn afterwards.”
Alfred said:
“How are you, Father, did you have a good rest this afternoon?”
“First rate—first rate. Dreamt about the old days! That was before I settled down and became
a pillar of society.”
He cackled with sudden laughter.
His daughter-in-law sat silently smiling with polite attention.
Alfred said:
“What’s this, Father, about two extra being expected for Christmas?”
“Ah, that! Yes, I must tell you about that. It’s going to be a grand Christmas for me this year
—a grand Christmas. Let me see, George is coming and Magdalene—”
Lydia said:
“Yes, they are arriving tomorrow by the five twenty.”
Old Simeon said:
“Poor stick, George! Nothing but a gasbag! Still, he is my son.”
Alfred said:
“His constituents¹² like him.”
Simeon cackled again.
“They probably think he’s honest. Honest! There never was a Lee who was honest yet.”
“Oh, come now, Father.”
“I except you, my boy. I except you.”
“And David?” asked Lydia.
“David now. I’m curious to see the boy after all these years. He was a namby- pamby
youngster. Wonder what his wife is like? At any rate he hasn’t married a girl twenty years younger
than himself, like that fool George!”
“Hilda wrote a very nice letter,” said Lydia. “I’ve just had a wire from her confirming it and
saying they are definitely arriving tomorrow.”
Her father-in-law looked at her, a keen, penetrating¹³ glance.
He laughed.
“I never get any change out of Lydia,” he said. “I’ll say this for you, Lydia, you’re a well-
bred woman. Breeding tells. I know that well enough. A funny thing, though, heredity. There’s
only one of you that’s taken after me—only one out of all the litter.”
His eyes danced.
“Now guess who’s coming for Christmas. I’ll give you three guesses and I’ll bet you a fiver
you won’t get the answer.”
He looked from one face to the other. Alfred said frowning:
“Horbury said you expected a young lady.”
“That intrigued¹⁴ you—yes, I dare say it did. Pilar will be arriving any minute now. I gave
orders for the car to go and meet her.”
Alfred said sharply:
“Pilar?”
Simeon said:
“Pilar Estravados. Jennifer’s girl. My granddaughter. I wonder what she’ll be like.”
Alfred cried out:
“Good heavens, Father, you never told me. . . .”
The old man was grinning.
“No, I thought I’d keep it a secret! Got Charlton to write out and fix things.”
Alfred repeated, his tone hurt and reproachful:
“You never told me. . . .”
His father said, still grinning wickedly:
“It would have spoilt the surprise! Wonder what it will be like to have young blood under this
roof again? I never saw Estravados. Wonder which the girl takes after—her mother or her father?”
“Do you really think it’s wise, Father,” began Alfred. “Taking everything into consideration
—”
The old man interrupted him.
“Safety—safety—you play for safety too much, Alfred! Always have! That hasn’t been my
way! Do what you want and be damned to it! That’s what I say! The girl’s my granddaughter—the
only grandchild in the family! I don’t care what her father was or what he did! She’s my flesh and
blood! And she’s coming to live here in my house.”
Lydia said sharply: “She’s coming to live here?”
He darted¹⁵ a quick look at her. “Do you object?”
She shook her head. She said smiling:
“I couldn’t very well object to your asking someone to your own house, could I? No, I was
wondering about—her.”
“About her—what d’you mean?”
“Whether she would be happy here.”
Old Simeon flung up his head.
“She’s not got a penny in the world. She ought to be thankful!”
Lydia shrugged¹⁶ her shoulders.
Simeon turned to Alfred:
“You see? It’s going to be a grand Christmas! All my children round me. All my children!
There, Alfred, there’s your clue. Now guess who the other visitor is.”
Alfred stared at him.
“All my children! Guess, boy! Harry¹⁷, of course! Your brother Harry!”
Alfred had gone very pale. He stammered¹⁸:
“Harry—not Harry—”
“Harry himself!”
“But we thought he was dead!”
“Not he!”
“You—you are having him back here? After everything?”
“The prodigal¹⁹ son, eh? You’re right. The fatted calf²⁰! We must kill the fatted calf, Alfred. We
must give him a grand welcome.”
Alfred said:
“He treated you—all of us—disgracefully. He—”
“No need to recite his crimes! It’s a long list. But Christmas, you’ll remember, is the season
of forgiveness! We’ll welcome the prodigal home.”
Alfred rose. He murmured:
“This has been—rather a shock. I never dreamt that Harry would ever come inside these
walls again.”
Simeon leaned forward.
“You never liked Harry, did you?” he said softly.
“After the way he behaved to you—”
Simeon cackled. He said:
“Ah, but bygones must be bygones. That’s the spirit for Christmas, isn’t it, Lydia?”
Lydia, too, had gone pale. She said dryly:
“I see that you have thought a good deal about Christmas this year.”
“I want my family round me. Peace and goodwill²¹. I’m an old man. Are you going, my dear?”
Alfred had hurried out. Lydia paused a moment before following him.
Simeon nodded his head after the retreating figure.
“It’s upset him. He and Harry never got on. Harry used to jeer²² at Alfred. Called him old Slow
and Sure.”
Lydia’s lips parted. She was about to speak, then, as she saw the old man’s eager expression,
she checked herself. Her self-control, she saw, disappointed him. The perception of that fact
enabled her to say:
“The hare and the tortoise. Ah, well, the tortoise wins the race.”
“Not always,” said Simeon. “Not always, my dear Lydia.”
She said, still smiling:
“Excuse me, I must go after Alfred. Sudden excitements always upset him.”
Simeon cackled.
“Yes, Alfred doesn’t like changes. He always was a regular sobersides.”
Lydia said:
“Alfred is very devoted²³ to you.”
“That seems odd to you, doesn’t it?”
“Sometimes,” said Lydia, “it does.”
She left the room. Simeon looked after her.
He chuckled²⁴ softly and rubbed his palms together. “Lots of fun,” he said. “Lots of fun still.
I’m going to enjoy this Christmas.”
With an effort he pulled himself upright, and with the help of his stick, shuffled²⁵ across the
room.
He went to a big safe that stood at the corner of the room. He twirled the handle of the
combination. The door came open and, with shaking fingers, he felt inside.
He lifted out a small wash-leather bag, and opening it, let a stream of uncut diamonds pass
through his fingers.
“Well, my beauties, well . . . Still the same—still my old friends. Those were good days—
good days . . . They shan’t carve you and cut you about, my friends. You shan’t hang round the
necks of women or sit on their fingers or hang on their ears. You’re mine! My old friends! We
know a thing or two, you and I. I’m old, they say, and ill, but I’m not done for! Lots of life in the
old dog yet. And there’s still some fun to be got out of life. Still some fun—”

1 flamboyant   

adj.火焰般的，华丽的，炫耀的

参考例句：

• His clothes were rather flamboyant for such a serious occasion.他的衣着在这种严肃场合太浮夸了。
• The King's flamboyant lifestyle is well known.国王的奢华生活方式是人尽皆知的。

2 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

3 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

4 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

5 slippers   

n. 拖鞋

参考例句：

• a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
• He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

6 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

7 aquiline   

adj.钩状的，鹰的

参考例句：

• He had a thin aquiline nose and deep-set brown eyes.他长着窄长的鹰钩鼻和深陷的褐色眼睛。
• The man has a strong and aquiline nose.该名男子有强大和鹰鼻子。

8 vigour   

（=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力

参考例句：

• She is full of vigour and enthusiasm.她有热情，有朝气。
• At 40,he was in his prime and full of vigour.他40岁时正年富力强。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 deferential   

adj. 敬意的，恭敬的

参考例句：

• They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment.他们喜欢五星级的宾馆和毕恭毕敬的接待。
• I am deferential and respectful in the presence of artists.我一向恭敬、尊重艺术家。

11 caressing   

爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的

参考例句：

• The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。
• He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里，不断抚摸着鞑靼，它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。

12 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 penetrating   

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

参考例句：

• He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
• He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。

14 intrigued   

adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！
• He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

15 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

18 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

19 prodigal   

adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的

参考例句：

• He has been prodigal of the money left by his parents.他已挥霍掉他父母留下的钱。
• The country has been prodigal of its forests.这个国家的森林正受过度的采伐。

20 calf   

n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮

参考例句：

• The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
• The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

21 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

22 jeer   

vi.嘲弄，揶揄；vt.奚落；n.嘲笑，讥评

参考例句：

• Do not jeer at the mistakes or misfortunes of others.不要嘲笑别人的错误或不幸。
• The children liked to jeer at the awkward students.孩子们喜欢嘲笑笨拙的学生。

23 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

24 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

25 shuffled   

v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼

参考例句：

• He shuffled across the room to the window. 他拖着脚走到房间那头的窗户跟前。
• Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them. 西蒙笨拙地拖着脚朝他们走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》