“E r—is Colonel Luscombe—?”
The woman in the violet hat was at the desk. Miss Gorringe smiled in a welcoming manner and a page, who hadbeen standing1 at the ready, was immediately dispatched but had no need to fulfil his errand, as Colonel Luscombehimself entered the lounge at that moment and came quickly across to the desk.
“How do you do, Mrs. Carpenter.” He shook hands politely, then turned to the girl. “My dear Elvira.” He took bothhands affectionately in his. “Well, well, this is nice. Splendid—splendid. Come and let’s sit down.” He led them tochairs, established them. “Well, well,” he repeated, “this is nice.”
The effort he made was somewhat palpable as was his lack of ease. He could hardly go on saying how nice thiswas. The two ladies were not very helpful. Elvira smiled very sweetly. Mrs. Carpenter gave a meaningless little laugh,and smoothed her gloves.
“A good journey, eh?”
“Yes, thank you,” said Elvira.
“No fog. Nothing like that?”
“Oh no.”
“Our flight was five minutes ahead of time,” said Mrs. Carpenter.
“Yes, yes. Good, very good.” He took a pull upon himself. “I hope this place will be all right for you?”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s very nice,” said Mrs. Carpenter warmly, glancing round her. “Very comfortable.”
“Rather old-fashioned, I’m afraid,” said the Colonel apologetically. “Rather a lot of old fogies. No—er—dancing,anything like that.”
“No, I suppose not,” agreed Elvira.
She glanced round in an expressionless manner. It certainly seemed impossible to connect Bertram’s with dancing.
“Lot of old fogies here, I’m afraid,” said Colonel Luscombe, repeating himself. “Ought, perhaps, to have taken yousomewhere more modern. Not very well up in these things, you see.”
“This is very nice,” said Elvira politely.
“It’s only for a couple of nights,” went on Colonel Luscombe. “I thought we’d go to a show this evening. Amusical—” he said the word rather doubtfully, as though not sure he was using the right term. “Let Down Your HairGirls. I hope that will be all right?”
“How delightful,” exclaimed Mrs. Carpenter. “That will be a treat, won’t it, Elvira?”
“Lovely,” said Elvira, tonelessly.
“And then supper afterwards? At the Savoy?”
Fresh exclamations2 from Mrs. Carpenter. Colonel Luscombe, stealing a glance at Elvira, cheered up a little. Hethought that Elvira was pleased, though quite determined3 to express nothing more than polite approval in front of Mrs.
Carpenter. “And I don’t blame her,” he said to himself.
He said to Mrs. Carpenter:
“Perhaps you’d like to see your rooms—see they’re all right and all that—”
“Oh, I’m sure they will be.”
“Well, if there’s anything you don’t like about them, we’ll make them change it. They know me here very well.”
Miss Gorringe, in charge at the desk, was pleasantly welcoming. Nos 28 and 29 on the second floor with anadjoining bathroom.
“I’ll go up and get things unpacked,” said Mrs. Carpenter. “Perhaps, Elvira, you and Colonel Luscombe would liketo have a little gossip.”
Tact5, thought Colonel Luscombe. A bit obvious, perhaps, but anyway it would get rid of her for a bit. Though whathe was going to gossip about to Elvira, he really didn’t know. A very nice-mannered girl, but he wasn’t used to girls.
His wife had died in childbirth and the baby, a boy, had been brought up by his wife’s family whilst an elder sister hadcome to keep house for him. His son had married and gone to live in Kenya, and his grandchildren were eleven, fiveand two and a half and had been entertained on their last visit by football and space science talk, electric trains, and aride on his foot. Easy! But young girls!
He asked Elvira if she would like a drink. He was about to propose a bitter lemon, ginger6 ale, or orangeade, butElvira forestalled7 him.
“Thank you. I should like a gin and vermouth.”
Colonel Luscombe looked at her rather doubtfully. He supposed girls of—what was she? sixteen? seventeen?—diddrink gin and vermouth. But he reassured8 himself that Elvira knew, so to speak, correct Greenwich social time. Heordered a gin and vermouth and a dry sherry.
He cleared his throat and asked:
“How was Italy?”
“Very nice, thank you.”
“And that place you were at, the Contessa what’s-her-name? Not too grim?”
“She is rather strict. But I didn’t let that worry me.”
He looked at her, not quite sure whether the reply was not slightly ambiguous.
He said, stammering9 a little, but with a more natural manner than he had been able to manage before:
“I’m afraid we don’t know each other as well as we ought to, seeing I’m your guardian10 as well as your godfather.
Difficult for me, you know—difficult for a man who’s an old buffer11 like me—to know what a girl wants—at least—Imean to know what a girl ought to have. Schools and then after school—what they used to call finishing in my day.
But now, I suppose it’s all more serious. Careers eh? Jobs? All that? We’ll have to have a talk about all that sometime.
Anything in particular you want to do?’
“I suppose I shall take a secretarial course,” said Elvira without enthusiasm.
“Oh. You want to be a secretary?”
“Not particularly—”
“Oh—well, then—”
“It’s just what you start with,” Elvira explained.
Colonel Luscombe had an odd feeling of being relegated12 to his place.
“These cousins of mine, the Melfords. You think you’ll like living with them? If not—”
“Oh I think so. I like Nancy quite well. And Cousin Mildred is rather a dear.”
“That’s all right then?”
“Quite, for the present.”
Luscombe did not know what to say to that. Whilst he was considering what next to say, Elvira spoke13. Her wordswere simple and direct.
“Have I any money?”
Again he took his time before answering, studying her thoughtfully. Then he said:
“Yes. You’ve got quite a lot of money. That is to say, you will have when you are twenty-one.”
“Who has got it now?”
He smiled. “It’s held in trust for you; a certain amount is deducted14 each year from the income to pay for yourmaintenance and education.”
“And you are the trustee?”
“One of them. There are three.”
“What happens if I die?”
“Come, come, Elvira, you’re not going to die. What nonsense!”
“I hope not—but one never knows, does one? An airliner15 crashed only last week and everyone was killed.”
“Well, it’s not going to happen to you,” said Luscombe firmly.
“You can’t really know that,” said Elvira. “I was just wondering who would get my money if I died?”
“I haven’t the least idea,” said the Colonel irritably16. “Why do you ask?”
“It might be interesting,” said Elvira thoughtfully. “I wondered if it would be worth anyone’s while to kill me.”
“Really, Elvira! This is a most unprofitable conversation. I can’t understand why your mind dwells on such things.”
“Oh. Just ideas. One wants to know what the facts really are.”
“You’re not thinking of the Mafia—or something like that?”
“Oh no. That would be silly. Who would get my money if I was married?”
“Your husband, I suppose. But really—”
“Are you sure of that?”
“No, I’m not in the least sure. It depends on the wording of the Trust. But you’re not married, so why worry?”
Elvira did not reply. She seemed lost in thought. Finally she came out of her trance and asked:
“Do you ever see my mother?”
“Sometimes. Not very often.”
“Where is she now?”
“Oh—abroad.”
“Where abroad?”
“France—Portugal. I don’t really know.”
“Does she ever want to see me?”
Her limpid17 gaze met his. He didn’t know what to reply. Was this a moment for truth? Or for vagueness? Or for agood thumping18 lie? What could you say to a girl who asked a question of such simplicity19, when the answer was ofgreat complexity20? He said unhappily:
“I don’t know.”
Her eyes searched him gravely. Luscombe felt thoroughly21 ill at ease. He was making a mess of this. The girl mustwonder—clearly was wondering. Any girl would.
He said, “You mustn’t think—I mean it’s difficult to explain. Your mother is, well, rather different from—” Elvirawas nodding energetically.
“I know. I’m always reading about her in the papers. She’s something rather special, isn’t she? In fact, she’s rathera wonderful person.”
“Yes,” agreed the Colonel. “That’s exactly right. She’s a wonderful person.” He paused and then went on. “But awonderful person is very often—” He stopped and started again—“it’s not always a happy thing to have a wonderfulperson for a mother. You can take that from me because it’s the truth.”
“You don’t like speaking the truth very much, do you? But I think what you’ve just said is the truth.”
They both sat staring towards the big brass-bound swing doors that led to the world outside.
Suddenly the doors were pushed open with violence—a violence quite unusual in Bertram’s Hotel—and a youngman strode in and went straight across to the desk. He wore a black leather jacket. His vitality22 was such that Bertram’sHotel took on the atmosphere of a museum by way of contrast. The people were the dust-encrusted relics23 of a past age.
He bent24 towards Miss Gorringe and asked:
“Is Lady Sedgwick staying here?”
Miss Gorringe on this occasion had no welcoming smile. Her eyes were flinty. She said:
“Yes.” Then, with definite unwillingness25, she stretched out her hand towards the telephone. “Do you want to—?”
“No,” said the young man. “I just wanted to leave a note for her.”
He produced it from a pocket of his leather coat and slid it across the mahogany counter.
“I only wanted to be sure this was the right hotel.”
There might have been some slight incredulity in his voice as he looked round him, then turned back towards theentrance. His eyes passed indifferently over the people sitting round him. They passed over Luscombe and Elvira inthe same way, and Luscombe felt a sudden unsuspected anger. “Dammit all,” he thought to himself, “Elvira’s a prettygirl. When I was a young chap I’d have noticed a pretty girl, especially among all these fossils.” But the young manseemed to have no interested eyes to spare for pretty girls. He turned back to the desk and asked, raising his voiceslightly as though to call Miss Gorringe’s attention:
“What’s the telephone number here? 1129 isn’t it?”
“No,” said Miss Gorringe, “3925.”
“Regent?”
“No. Mayfair.”
He nodded. Then swiftly he strode across to the door and passed out, swinging the doors behind him withsomething of the same explosive quality he had shown on entering.
Everybody seemed to draw a deep breath; to find difficulty in resuming their interrupted conversations.
“Well,” said Colonel Luscombe, rather inadequately26, as if at a loss for words. “Well, really! These young fellowsnowadays….”
Elvira was smiling.
“You recognized him, didn’t you?” she said. “You know who he is?” She spoke in a slightly awed27 voice. Sheproceeded to enlighten him. “Ladislaus Malinowski.”
“Oh, that chap.” The name was indeed faintly familiar to Colonel Luscombe. “Racing28 driver.”
“Yes. He was world champion two years running. He had a bad crash a year ago. Broke lots of things. But I believehe’s driving again now.” She raised her head to listen. “That’s a racing car he’s driving now.”
The roar of the engine had penetrated29 through to Bertram’s Hotel from the street outside. Colonel Luscombeperceived that Ladislaus Malinowski was one of Elvira’s heroes. “Well,” he thought to himself, “better that than oneof those pop singers or crooners or long- haired Beatles or whatever they call themselves.” Luscombe was old-fashioned in his views of young men.
The swing doors opened again. Both Elvira and Colonel Luscombe looked at them expectantly but Bertram’s Hotelhad reverted30 to normal. It was merely a white-haired elderly cleric who came in. He stood for a moment looking roundhim with a slightly puzzled air as of one who fails to understand where he was or how he had come there. Such anexperience was no novelty to Canon Pennyfather. It came to him in trains when he did not remember where he hadcome from, where he was going, or why! It came to him when he was walking along the street, it came to him whenhe found himself sitting on a committee. It had come to him before now when he was in his cathedral stall, and did notknow whether he had already preached his sermon or was about to do so.
“I believe I know that old boy,” said Luscombe, peering at him. “Who is he now? Stays here fairly often, I believe.
Abercrombie? Archdeacon Abercrombie—no, it’s not Abercrombie, though he’s rather like Abercrombie.”
Elvira glanced round at Canon Pennyfather without interest. Compared with a racing driver he had no appeal at all.
She was not interested in ecclesiastics31 of any kind although, since being in Italy, she admitted to a mild admiration32 forCardinals whom she considered as at any rate properly picturesque33.
Canon Pennyfather’s face cleared and he nodded his head appreciatively. He had recognized where he was. InBertram’s Hotel, of course; where he was going to spend the night on his way to—now where was he on his way to?
Chadminster? No, no, he had just come from Chadminster. He was going to—of course—to the Congress at Lucerne.
He stepped forward, beaming, to the reception desk and was greeted warmly by Miss Gorringe.
“So glad to see you, Canon Pennyfather. How well you are looking.”
“Thank you—thank you—I had a severe cold last week but I’ve got over it now. You have a room for me. I didwrite?”
Miss Gorringe reassured him.
“Oh yes, Canon Pennyfather, we got your letter. We’ve reserved No. 19 for you, the room you had last time.”
“Thank you—thank you. For—let me see—I shall want it for four days. Actually I am going to Lucerne and I shallbe away for one night, but please keep the room. I shall leave most of my things here and only take a small bag toSwitzerland. There won’t be any difficulty over that?”
Again Miss Gorringe reassured him.
“Everything’s going to be quite all right. You explained very clearly in your letter.”
Other people might not have used the word “clearly.” “Fully” would have been better, since he had certainlywritten at length.
All anxieties set at rest, Canon Pennyfather breathed a sigh of relief and was conveyed, together with his baggage,to Room 19.
In Room 28 Mrs. Carpenter had removed her crown of violets from her head and was carefully adjusting hernightdress on the pillow of her bed. She looked up as Elvira entered.
“Ah, there you are, my dear. Would you like me to help you with your unpacking34?”
“No, thank you,” said Elvira politely. “I shan’t unpack4 very much, you know.”
“Which of the bedrooms would you like to have? The bathroom is between them. I told them to put your luggagein the far one. I thought this room might be a little noisy.”
“That was very kind of you,” said Elvira in her expressionless voice.
“You’re sure you wouldn’t like me to help you?”
“No, thanks, really I wouldn’t. I think I might perhaps have a bath.”
“Yes, I think that’s a very good idea. Would you like to have the first bath? I’d rather finish putting my thingsaway.”
Elvira nodded. She went into the adjoining bathroom, shut the door behind her and pushed the bolts across. Shewent into her own room, opened her suitcase and flung a few things on the bed. Then she undressed, put on a dressinggown, went into the bathroom and turned the taps on. She went back into her own room and sat down on the bed bythe telephone. She listened a moment or two in case of interruption, then lifted the receiver.
“This is Room 29. Can you give me Regent 1129 please?”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
exclamations
|
|
| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
unpack
|
|
| vt.打开包裹（或行李），卸货 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
tact
|
|
| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
ginger
|
|
| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
forestalled
|
|
| v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
reassured
|
|
| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
stammering
|
|
| v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
buffer
|
|
| n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
relegated
|
|
| v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
deducted
|
|
| v.扣除，减去( deduct的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
airliner
|
|
| n.客机，班机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
irritably
|
|
| ad.易生气地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
limpid
|
|
| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
thumping
|
|
| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
simplicity
|
|
| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
complexity
|
|
| n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
vitality
|
|
| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
relics
|
|
| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
unwillingness
|
|
| n. 不愿意，不情愿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
inadequately
|
|
| ad.不够地；不够好地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
awed
|
|
| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
racing
|
|
| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
penetrated
|
|
| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
reverted
|
|
| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
ecclesiastics
|
|
| n.神职者，教会，牧师( ecclesiastic的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
32
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
unpacking
|
|
| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |