Nineteen BROKEN ENGAGEMENT

Nineteen BROKEN ENGAGEMENT

Bridget heard Luke drive up. She came out on the steps to meet him.
She said without preamble¹:
“I’ve told him.”
“What?” Luke was taken aback.
His dismay was so patent that Bridget noticed it.
“Luke—what is it? You seem quite upset.”
He said slowly:
“I thought we agreed to wait until I came back.”
“I know, but I thought it was better to get it over. He was making plans—for our marriage—our honeymoon—all that! I simply had to tell him!”
She added—a touch of reproach in her voice:
“It was the only decent thing to do.”
He acknowledged it.
“From your point of view, yes. Oh, yes, I see that.”
“From every point of view I should have thought!”
Luke said slowly:
“There are times when one can’t afford—decency!”
“Luke, what do you mean?”
He made an impatient gesture.
“I can’t tell you now and here. How did Whitfield take it?”
Bridget said slowly:
“Extraordinarily² well. Really extraordinarily well. I felt ashamed. I be-lieve, Luke, that I’ve underestimated Gordon — just because he’s ratherpompous and occasionally futile³. I believe really he’s rather — well — agreat little man!”
Luke nodded.
“Yes, possibly he is a great man—in ways we haven’t suspected. Lookhere, Bridget, you must get out of here as soon as possible.”
“Naturally, I shall pack up my things and leave today. You might driveme up to town. I suppose we can’t both go and stay at the Bells and Motley—that is, if the Ellsworthy contingent⁴ have left?”
Luke shook his head.
“No, you’d better go back to London. I’ll explain presently. In the mean-time I suppose I’d better see Whitfield.”
“I suppose it’s the thing to do—it’s all rather beastly, isn’t it? I feel such arotten little gold digger.”
Luke smiled at her.
“It was a fair enough bargain. You’d have played straight with him. Any-way, it’s no use lamenting⁵ over things that are past and done with! I’ll goin and see Whitfield now.”
He found Lord Whitfield striding up and down the drawing room. Hewas outwardly calm, there was even a slight smile on his lips. But Lukenoticed that a pulse in his temple was beating furiously.
He wheeled round as Luke entered.
“Oh! there you are, Fitzwilliam.”
Luke said:
“It’s no good my saying I’m sorry for what I’ve done—that would be hy-pocritical! I admit that from your point of view I’ve behaved badly andI’ve very little to say in defence. These things happen.”
Lord Whitfield resumed his pacing.
“Quite—quite!” He waved a hand.
Luke went on:
“Bridget and I have treated you shamefully⁶. But there it is! We care foreach other—and there’s nothing to be done about it—except tell you thetruth and clear out.”
Lord Whitfield stopped. He looked at Luke with pale protuberant⁷ eyes.
“No,” he said, “there’s nothing you can do about it!”
There was a very curious tone in his voice. He stood looking at Luke,gently shaking his head as though in commiseration⁸.
Luke said sharply: “What do you mean?”
“There’s nothing you can do!” said Lord Whitfield. “It’s too late!”
Luke took a step nearer him.
“Tell me what you mean.”
Lord Whitfield said unexpectedly:
“Ask Honoria Waynflete. She’ll understand. She knows what happens.
She spoke⁹ to me about it once!”
“What does she understand?”
Lord Whitfield said:
“Evil doesn’t go unpunished. There must be justice! I’m sorry because I’mfond of Bridget. In a way I’m sorry for you both!”
Luke said:
“Are you threatening us?”
Lord Whitfield seemed genuinely shocked.
“No, no, my dear fellow. I’ve no feeling in the matter! When I did Bridgetthe honour to choose her as my wife, she accepted certain responsibilities.
Now, she repudiates¹⁰ them—but there’s no going back in this life. If youbreak laws you pay the penalty….”
Luke clenched¹¹ both hands. He said:
“You mean that something is going to happen to Bridget? Now under-stand me, Whitfield, nothing is going to happen to Bridget—nor to me! Ifyou attempt anything of that kind it’s the finish. You’d better be careful! Iknow a good deal about you!”
“It’s nothing to do with me,” said Lord Whitfield. “I’m only the instru-ment of a higher Power. What that Power decrees happens!”
“I see you believe that,” said Luke.
“Because it’s the truth! Anyone who goes against me pays the penalty.
You and Bridget will be no exception.”
Luke said:
“That’s where you’re wrong. However long a run of luck may be, itbreaks in the end. Yours is very near breaking now.”
Lord Whitfield said gently:
“My dear young man, you don’t know who it is you’re talking to. Noth-ing can touch Me!”
“Can’t it? We’ll see. You’d better watch your step, Whitfield.”
A little ripple¹² of movement passed over the other. His voice hadchanged when he spoke.
“I’ve been very patient,” said Lord Whitfield. “Don’t strain my patiencetoo far. Get out of here.”
“I’m going,” said Luke. “As quick as I can. Remember that I’ve warnedyou.”
He turned on his heel and went quickly out of the room. He ran up-stairs. He found Bridget in her room superintending the packing of herclothes by a housemaid.
“Ready soon?”
“In ten minutes.”
Her eyes asked a question which the presence of the maid preventedher from putting into words.
Luke gave a short nod.
He went to his own room and flung his things hurriedly into his suit-case.
He returned ten minutes later to find Bridget ready for departure.
“Shall we go now?”
“I’m ready.”
As they descended¹³ the staircase they met the butler ascending¹⁴.
“Miss Waynflete has called to see you, miss.”
“Miss Waynflete? Where is she?”
“In the drawing room with his lordship.”
Bridget went straight to the drawing room, Luke close behind her.
Lord Whitfield was standing¹⁵ by the window talking to Miss Waynflete.
He had a knife in his hand—a long slender blade.
“Perfect workmanship,” he was saying. “One of my young men broughtit back to me from Morocco where he’d been special correspondent. It’sMoorish, of course, a Riff knife.” He drew a finger lovingly along the blade.
“What an edge!”
Miss Waynflete said sharply:
“Put it away, Gordon, for goodness’ sake!”
He smiled and laid it down among a collection of other weapons on atable.
“I like the feel of it,” he said softly.
Miss Waynflete had lost some of her usual poise¹⁶. She looked white andnervous.
“Ah, there you are, Bridget, my dear,” she said.
Lord Whitfield chuckled¹⁷.
“Yes, there’s Bridget. Make the most of her, Honoria. She won’t be withus long.”
Miss Waynflete said, sharply:
“What d’you mean?”
“Mean? I mean she’s going to London. That’s right, isn’t it? That’s all Imeant.”
He looked round at them all.
“I’ve got a bit of news for you, Honoria,” he said. “Bridget isn’t going tomarry me after all. She prefers Fitzwilliam here. A queer thing, life. Well,I’ll leave you to have your talk.”
He went out of the room, his hands jingling¹⁸ the coins in his pockets.
“Oh, dear—” said Miss Waynflete. “Oh, dear—”
The deep distress¹⁹ in her voice was so noticeable that Bridget lookedslightly surprised. She said uncomfortably:
“I’m sorry. I really am frightfully sorry.”
Miss Waynflete said:
“He’s angry—he’s frightfully angry—oh, dear, this is terrible. What arewe going to do?”
Bridget stared.
“Do? What do you mean?”
Miss Waynflete said, including them both in her reproachful glance:
“You should never have told him!”
Bridget said:
“Nonsense. What else could we do?”
“You shouldn’t have told him now. You should have waited till you’d gotright away.”
Bridget said shortly:
“That’s a matter of opinion. I think myself it’s better to get unpleasantthings over as quickly as possible.”
“Oh, my dear, if it were only a question of that—”
She stopped. Then her eyes asked a question of Luke.
Luke shook his head. His lips formed the words, “Not yet.”
Miss Waynflete murmured, “I see.”
Bridget said with some slight exasperation²⁰:
“Did you want to see me about something in particular, Miss Waynf-lete?”
“Well—yes. As a matter of fact I came to suggest that you should comeand pay me a little visit. I thought—er—you might find it uncomfortable toremain on here and that you might want a few days to—er—well, matureyour plans.”
“Thank you, Miss Waynflete, that was very kind of you.”
“You see, you’d be quite safe with me and—”
Bridget interrupted:
“Safe?”
Miss Waynflete, a little flustered²¹, said hurriedly:
“Comfortable—that’s what I meant—quite comfortable with me. I mean,not nearly so luxurious²² as here, naturally—but the hot water is hot and mylittle maid Emily really cooks quite nicely.”
“Oh, I’m sure everything would be lovely, Miss Waynflete,” said Bridgetmechanically.
“But, of course, if you are going up to town, that is much better….”
Bridget said slowly:
“It’s a little awkward. My aunt went off early to a flower show today. Ihaven’t had a chance yet to tell her what has happened. I shall leave anote for her telling her I’ve gone up to the flat.”
“You’re going to your aunt’s flat in London?”
“Yes. There’s no one there. But I can go out for meals.”
“You’ll be alone in that flat? Oh, dear, I shouldn’t do that. Not stay therealone.”
“Nobody will eat me,” said Bridget impatiently. “Besides, my aunt willcome up tomorrow.”
Miss Waynflete shook her head in a worried manner.
Luke said:
“Better go to a hotel.”
Bridget wheeled round on him.
“Why? What’s the matter with you all? Why are you treating me asthough I was an imbecile child?”
“No, no, dear,” protested Miss Waynflete. “We just want you to be care-ful—that’s all!”
“But why? Why? What’s it all about?”
“Look here, Bridget,” said Luke. “I want to have a talk with you. But Ican’t talk here. Come with me now in the car and we’ll go somewherequiet.”
He looked at Miss Waynflete.
“May we come to your house in about an hour’s time? There are severalthings I want to say to you.”
“Please do. I will wait for you there.”
Luke put his hand on Bridget’s arm. He gave a nod of thanks to MissWaynflete.
He said: “We’ll pick up the luggage later. Come on.”
He led her out of the room and along the hall to the front door. Heopened the door of the car. Bridget got in. Luke started the engine anddrove rapidly down the drive. He gave a sigh of relief as they emergedfrom the iron gates.
“Thank God I’ve got you out of there safely,” he said.
“Have you gone quite mad, Luke? Why all this ‘hush hush—I can’t tellyou what I mean now’—business?”
Luke said grimly:
“Well, there are difficulties, you know, in explaining that a man’s a mur-derer when you’re actually under his roof!”

1 preamble   

n.前言；序文

参考例句：

• He spoke without preamble.他没有开场白地讲起来。
• The controversy has arisen over the text of the preamble to the unification treaty.针对统一条约的序文出现了争论。

2 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

3 futile   

adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的

参考例句：

• They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
• Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

4 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

5 lamenting   

adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Katydids were lamenting fall's approach. 蝈蝈儿正为秋天临近而哀鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lamenting because the papers hadn't been destroyed and the money kept. 她正在吃后悔药呢，后悔自己没有毁了那张字条，把钱昧下来！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

6 shamefully   

可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。
• They have served me shamefully for a long time. 长期以来，他们待我很坏。

7 protuberant   

adj.突出的，隆起的

参考例句：

• The boy tripped over a protuberant rock.那个男孩被突起的岩石绊了一下。
• He has a high-beaked nose and large protuberant eyes.他有着高鼻梁和又大又凸出的眼睛

8 commiseration   

n.怜悯，同情

参考例句：

• I offered him my commiseration. 我对他表示同情。
• Self- commiseration brewed in her heart. 她在心里开始自叹命苦。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

9 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：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 repudiates   

v.（正式地）否认( repudiate的第三人称单数 )；拒绝接受；拒绝与…往来；拒不履行（法律义务）

参考例句：

• It is in this sense that Comte repudiates empiricism. 正是从这个意义上说，孔德抛弃了经验主义。 来自辞典例句

11 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

13 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

14 ascending   

adj.上升的，向上的

参考例句：

• Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

15 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。

16 poise   

vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信

参考例句：

• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise.她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。
• Ballet classes are important for poise and grace.芭蕾课对培养优雅的姿仪非常重要。

17 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。

18 jingling   

叮当声

参考例句：

• A carriage went jingling by with some reclining figure in it. 一辆马车叮当驶过，车上斜倚着一个人。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Melanie did not seem to know, or care, that life was riding by with jingling spurs. 媚兰好像并不知道，或者不关心，生活正马刺丁当地一路驶过去了呢。

19 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

20 exasperation   

n.愤慨

参考例句：

• He snorted with exasperation.他愤怒地哼了一声。
• She rolled her eyes in sheer exasperation.她气急败坏地转动着眼珠。

21 flustered   

adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The honking of horns flustered the boy. 汽车喇叭的叫声使男孩感到慌乱。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She was so flustered that she forgot her reply. 她太紧张了，都忘记了该如何作答。 来自辞典例句

22 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。