MOTHER’S SON

Sixteen
MOTHER’S SON
“D own, Henry,” said Mrs. Fane to an asthmatic spaniel whose liquid eyes burned with greed. “Another scone¹, MissMarple, while they’re hot?”
“Thank you. Such delicious scones². You have an excellent cook.”
“Louisa is not bad, really. Forgetful, like all of them. And no variety in her puddings. Tell me, how is DorothyYarde’s sciatica nowadays? She used to be a martyr³ to it. Largely nerves, I suspect.”
Miss Marple hastened to oblige with details of their mutual⁴ acquaintance’s ailments⁵. It was fortunate, she thought,that amongst her many friends and relations scattered⁶ over England, she had managed to find a woman who knew Mrs.
Fane and who had written explaining that a Miss Marple was at present in Dillmouth, and would dear Eleanor be verykind and ask her to something.
Eleanor Fane was a tall, commanding woman with a steely grey eye, crisp white hair, and a baby pink and whitecomplexion which masked the fact that there was no baby-like softness whatever about her.
They discussed Dorothy’s ailments or imagined ailments and went on to Miss Marple’s health, the air ofDillmouth, and the general poor condition of most of the younger generation.
“Not made to eat their crusts as children,” Mrs. Fane pronounced. “None of that allowed in my nursery.”
“You have more than one son?” asked Miss Marple.
“Three. The eldest⁷, Gerald, is in Singapore in the Far East Bank. Robert is in the Army.” Mrs. Fane sniffed⁸.
“Married a Roman Catholic,” she said with significance. “You know what that means! All the children brought up asCatholics. What Robert’s father would have said, I don’t know. My husband was very low church. I hardly ever hearfrom Robert nowadays. He takes exception to some of the things I have said to him purely⁹ for his own good. I believein being sincere and saying exactly what one thinks. His marriage was, in my opinion, a great misfortune. He maypretend to be happy, poor boy—but I can’t feel that it is at all satisfactory.”
“Your youngest son is not married, I believe?”
Mrs. Fane beamed.
“No, Walter lives at home. He is slightly delicate—always was from a child—and I have always had to look afterhis health very carefully. (He will be in presently.) I can’t tell you what a thoughtful and devoted¹⁰ son he is. I am reallya very lucky woman to have such a son.”
“And he has never thought of marrying?” enquired¹¹ Miss Marple.
“Walter always says he really cannot be bothered with the modern young woman. They don’t appeal to him. Heand I have so much in common that I’m afraid he doesn’t go out as much as he should. He reads Thackeray to me inthe evenings, and we usually have a game of picquet. Walter is a real home bird.”
“How very nice,” said Miss Marple. “Has he always been in the firm? Somebody told me that you had a son whowas out in Ceylon, as a tea-planter, but perhaps they got it wrong.”
A slight frown came over Mrs. Fane’s face. She urged walnut¹² cake upon her guest and explained.
“That was as a very young man. One of those youthful impulses. A boy always longs to see the world. Actually,there was a girl at the bottom of it. Girls can be so unsettling.”
“Oh yes, indeed. My own nephew, I remember—”
Mrs. Fane swept on, ignoring Miss Marple’s nephew. She held the floor and was enjoying the opportunity toreminisce to this sympathetic friend of dear Dorothy’s.
“A most unsuitable girl—as seems always to be the way. Oh, I don’t mean an actress or anything like that. Thelocal doctor’s sister—more like his daughter, really, years younger—and the poor man with no idea how to bring herup. Men are so helpless, aren’t they? She ran quite wild, entangled¹³ herself first with a young man in the office—a mereclerk — and a very unsatisfactory character, too. They had to get rid of him. Repeated confidential¹⁴ information.
Anyway, this girl, Helen Kennedy, was, I suppose, very pretty. I didn’t think so. I always thought her hair was touchedup. But Walter, poor boy, fell very much in love with her. As I say, quite unsuitable, no money and no prospects¹⁵, andnot the kind of girl one wanted as a daughter-in-law. Still, what can a mother do? Walter proposed to her and sherefused him, and then he got this silly idea into his head of going out to India and being a tea-planter. My husbandsaid, “Let him go,” though of course he was very disappointed. He had been looking forward to having Walter withhim in the firm and Walter had passed all his law exams and everything. Still, there it was. Really, the havoc¹⁶ theseyoung women cause!”
“Oh, I know. My nephew—”
Once again Mrs. Fane swept over Miss Marple’s nephew.
“So the dear boy went out to Assam or was it Bangalore—really I can’t remember after all these years. And I feltmost upset because I knew his health wouldn’t stand it. And he hadn’t been out there a year (doing very well, too.
Walter does everything well) than—would you believe it?—this impudent¹⁷ chit of a girl changes her mind and writesout that she’d like to marry him after all.”
“Dear, dear.” Miss Marple shook her head.
“Gets together her trousseau, books her passage—and what do you think the next move is?”
“I can’t imagine.” Miss Marple leaned forward in rapt attention.
“Has a love affair with a married man, if you please. On the boat going out. A married man with three children, Ibelieve. Anyway there is Walter on the quay¹⁸ to meet her and the first thing she does is to say she can’t marry him afterall. Don’t you call that a wicked thing to do?”
“Oh, I do indeed. It might have completely destroyed your son’s faith in human nature.”
“It should have shown her to him in her true colours. But there, that type of woman gets away with anything.”
“He didn’t—” Miss Marple hesitated—“resent her action? Some men would have been terribly angry.”
“Walter has always had wonderful self-control. However upset and annoyed Walter may be over anything, henever shows it.”
Miss Marple peered at her speculatively¹⁹. Hesitantly, she put out a feeler.
“That is because it goes really deep, perhaps? One is really astonished sometimes, with children. A sudden outburstfrom some child that one has thought didn’t care at all. A sensitive nature that can’t express itself until it’s drivenabsolutely beyond endurance.”
“Ah, it’s very curious you should say that, Miss Marple. I remember so well. Gerald and Robert, you know, bothhot-tempered and always apt to fight. Quite natural, of course, for healthy boys—”
“Oh, quite natural.”
“And dear Walter, always so quiet and patient. And then, one day, Robert got hold of his model aeroplane—he’dbuilt it up himself with days of work—so patient and clever with his fingers—and Robert, who was a dear high-spirited boy but careless, smashed it. And when I came into the schoolroom there was Robert down on the floor andWalter attacking him with the poker²⁰, he’d practically knocked him out—and I simply had all I could do to drag Walteroff him. He kept repeating. ‘He did it on purpose—he did it on purpose. I’m going to kill him.’ You know, I was quitefrightened. Boys feel things so intensely, do they not?”
“Yes, indeed,” said Miss Marple. Her eyes were thoughtful.
She reverted²¹ to the former topic.
“And so the engagement was finally broken off. What happened to the girl?”
“She came home. Had another love affair on the way back, and this time married the man. A widower²² with onechild. A man who has just lost his wife is always a fair target—helpless, poor fellow. She married him and they settleddown here in a house the other side of the town—St. Catherine’s—next door to the hospital. It didn’t last, of course—she left him within the year. Went off with some man or other.”
“Dear, dear!” Miss Marple shook her head. “What a lucky escape your son had!”
“That’s what I always tell him.”
“And did he give up tea-planting because his health wouldn’t stand it?”
A slight frown appeared on Mrs. Fane’s brow.
“The life wasn’t really congenial to him,” she said. “He came home about six months after the girl did.”
“It must have been rather awkward,” ventured Miss Marple. “If the young woman was actually living here. In thesame town—”
“Walter was wonderful,” said Walter’s mother. “He behaved exactly as though nothing had happened. I shouldhave thought myself (indeed I said so at the time) that it would be advisable to make a clean break—after all, meetingscould only be awkward for both parties. But Walter insisted on going out of his way to be friendly. He used to call atthe house in the most informal fashion, and play with the child—Rather curious, by the way, the child’s come backhere. She’s grown-up now, with a husband. Came into Walter’s office to make her will the other day. Reed, that’s hername now. Reed.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Reed! I know them. Such a nice unaffected young couple. Fancy that now—and she is actually thechild—”
“The first wife’s child. The first wife died out in India. Poor Major—I’ve forgotten his name—Hallway—something like that—was completely broken up when that minx left him. Why the worst women should always attractthe best men is something hard to fathom²³!”
“And the young man who was originally entangled with her? A clerk, I think you said, in your son’s office. Whathappened to him?”
“Did very well for himself. He runs a lot of those Coach Tours. Daffodil Coaches. Afflick’s Daffodil Coaches.
Painted bright yellow. It’s a vulgar world nowadays.”
“Afflick?” said Miss Marple.
“Jackie Afflick. A nasty pushing fellow. Always determined²⁴ to get on, I imagine. Probably why he took up withHelen Kennedy in the first place. Doctor’s daughter and all that—thought it would better his social position.”
“And this Helen has never come back again to Dillmouth?”
“No. Good riddance. Probably gone completely to the bad by now. I was sorry for Dr. Kennedy. Not his fault. Hisfather’s second wife was a fluffy²⁵ little thing, years younger than he was. Helen inherited her wild blood from her, Iexpect. I’ve always thought—”
Mrs. Fane broke off.
“Here is Walter.” Her mother’s ear had distinguished²⁶ certain well-known sounds in the hall. The door opened andWalter Fane came in.
“This is Miss Marple, my son. Ring the bell, son, and we’ll have some fresh tea.”
“Don’t bother, Mother. I had a cup.”
“Of course we will have fresh tea—and some scones, Beatrice,” she added to the parlourmaid who had appeared totake the teapot.
“Yes, madam.”
With a slow, likeable smile Walter Fane said: “My mother spoils me, I’m afraid.”
Miss Marple studied him as she made a polite rejoinder.
A gentle quiet- looking person, slightly diffident and apologetic in manner — colourless. A very nondescriptpersonality. The devoted type of young man whom women ignore and only marry because the man they love does notreturn their affection. Walter, who is Always There. Poor Walter, his mother’s darling … Little Walter Fane who hadattacked his older brother with a poker and had tried to kill him….
Miss Marple wondered.

1 scone   

n.圆饼，甜饼，司康饼

参考例句：

• She eats scone every morning.她每天早上都吃甜饼。
• Scone is said to be origined from Scotland.司康饼据说来源于苏格兰。

2 scones   

n.烤饼，烤小圆面包( scone的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• scones and jam with clotted cream 夹有凝脂奶油和果酱的烤饼
• She makes scones and cakes for the delectation of visitors. 她烘制了烤饼和蛋糕供客人享用。 来自辞典例句

3 martyr   

n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲

参考例句：

• The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.这位烈士是为了民族独立的事业而献身的。
• The newspaper carried the martyr's photo framed in black.报上登载了框有黑边的烈士遗像。

4 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

5 ailments   

疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His ailments include a mild heart attack and arthritis. 他患有轻度心脏病和关节炎。
• He hospitalizes patients for minor ailments. 他把只有小病的患者也送进医院。

6 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

7 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

8 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

10 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。

11 enquired   

打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问

参考例句：

• He enquired for the book in a bookstore. 他在书店查询那本书。
• Fauchery jestingly enquired whether the Minister was coming too. 浮式瑞嘲笑着问部长是否也会来。

12 walnut   

n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色

参考例句：

• Walnut is a local specialty here.核桃是此地的土特产。
• The stool comes in several sizes in walnut or mahogany.凳子有几种尺寸，材质分胡桃木和红木两种。

13 entangled   

adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The bird had become entangled in the wire netting. 那只小鸟被铁丝网缠住了。
• Some military observers fear the US could get entangled in another war. 一些军事观察家担心美国会卷入另一场战争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

15 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

16 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

17 impudent   

adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

18 quay   

n.码头，靠岸处

参考例句：

• There are all kinds of ships in a quay.码头停泊各式各样的船。
• The side of the boat hit the quay with a grinding jar.船舷撞到码头发出刺耳的声音。

19 speculatively   

adv.思考地，思索地；投机地

参考例句：

• He looked at her speculatively. 他若有所思的看着她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She eyed It'speculatively as a cruel smile appeared on her black lips. 她若有所思地审视它，黑色的嘴角浮起一丝残酷的微笑。 来自互联网

20 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

21 reverted   

恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还

参考例句：

• After the settlers left, the area reverted to desert. 早期移民离开之后，这个地区又变成了一片沙漠。
• After his death the house reverted to its original owner. 他死后房子归还给了原先的主人。

22 widower   

n.鳏夫

参考例句：

• George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。
• Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后，他终于决定二婚了。

23 fathom   

v.领悟，彻底了解

参考例句：

• I really couldn't fathom what he was talking about.我真搞不懂他在说些什么。
• What these people hoped to achieve is hard to fathom.这些人希望实现些什么目标难以揣测。

24 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

25 fluffy   

adj.有绒毛的，空洞的

参考例句：

• Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.刚孵出的小鸡像绒毛球。
• The steamed bread is very fluffy.馒头很暄。

26 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。