But though still recalling its past, the kitchen into which Tommy and Elspeth peered was trying successfully to be something else. The plate-rack had been a fixture6, and the coffin7-bed and the wooden bole, or board in the wall, with its round hole through which you thrust your hand when you wanted salt, and instead of a real mantelpiece there was a quaint9 imitation one painted over the fireplace. There were some pieces of furniture too, such as were usual in rooms of the kind, but most of them, perhaps in ignorance, had been put to novel uses, like the plate-rack, where the Painted Lady kept her many pretty shoes instead of her crockery. Gossip said she had a looking-glass of such prodigious10 size that it stood on the floor, and Tommy nudged Elspeth to signify, "There it is!" Other nudges called her attention to the carpet, the spinet11, a chair that rocked like a cradle, and some smaller oddities, of which the queerest was a monster velvet12 glove hanging on the nail that by rights belonged to the bellows13. The Painted Lady always put on this glove before she would touch the coals, which diverted Tommy, who knew that common folk lift coals with their bare hands while society uses the fringe of its second petticoat.
It might have been a boudoir through which a kitchen and bedroom had wandered, spilling by the way, but though the effect was tawdry, everything had been rubbed clean by that passionate14 housewife, Grizel. She was on her knees at present ca'ming the hearth-stone a beautiful blue, and sometimes looking round to address her mother, who was busy among her plants and cut flowers. Surely they were know-nothings who called this woman silly, and blind who said she painted. It was a little face all of one color, dingy15 pale, not chubby16, but retaining the soft contours of a child's face, and the features were singularly delicate. She was clad in a soft gray, and her figure was of the smallest; there was such an air of youth about her that Tommy thought she could become a girl again by merely shortening her frock, not such a girl as gaunt Grizel, though, who would have looked a little woman had she let her frock down. In appearance indeed the Painted Lady resembled her plain daughter not at all, but in manner in a score of ways, as when she rocked her arms joyously17 at sight of a fresh bud or tossed her brown hair from her brows with a pretty gesture that ought, God knows, to have been for some man to love. The watchers could not hear what she and Grizel said, but evidently it was pleasant converse18, and mother and child, happy in each other's company, presented a picture as sweet as it is common, though some might have complained that they were doing each other's work. But the Painted Lady's delight in flowers was a scandal in Thrums, where she would stand her ground if the roughest boy approached her with roses in his hand, and she gave money for them, which was one reason why the people thought her daft. She was tending her flowers now with experienced eye, smelling them daintily, and every time she touched them it was a caress19.
The watchers retired20 into the field to compare impressions, and Elspeth said emphatically, "I like her, Tommy, I'm not none fleid at her."
Tommy had liked her also, but being a man he said, "You forget that she's an ill one."
"She looks as if she didna ken21 that hersel'," answered Elspeth, and these words of a child are the best picture we can hope to get of the Painted Lady.
On their return to the window, they saw that Grizel had finished her ca'ming and was now sitting on the floor nursing a doll. Tommy had not thought her the kind to shut her eyes to the truth about dolls, but she was hugging this one passionately22. Without its clothes it was of the nine-pin formation, and the painted eyes and mouth had been incorporated long since in loving Grizel's system; but it became just sweet as she swaddled it in a long yellow frock and slipped its bullet head into a duck of a pink bonnet23. These articles of attire24 and the others that you begin with had all been made by Grizel herself out of the colored tissue-paper that shopkeepers wrap round brandy bottles. The doll's name was Griselda, and it was exactly six months old, and Grizel had found it, two years ago, lying near the Coffin Brig, naked and almost dead.
It was making the usual fuss at having its clothes put on, and Grizel had to tell it frequently that of all the babies—which shamed it now and again, but kept her so occupied that she forgot her mother. The Painted Lady had sunk into the rocking-chair, and for a time she amused herself with it, but by and by it ceased to rock, and as she sat looking straight before her a change came over her face. Elspeth's hand tightened25 its clutch on Tommy's; the Painted Lady had begun to talk to herself.
She was not speaking aloud, for evidently Grizel, whose back was toward her, heard nothing, but her lips moved and she nodded her head and smiled and beckoned26, apparently27 to the wall, and the childish face rapidly became vacant and foolish. This mood passed, and now she was sitting very still, only her head moving, as she looked in apprehension28 and perplexity this way and that, like one who no longer knew where she was, nor who was the child by the fire. When at last Grizel turned and observed the change, she may have sighed, but there was no fear in her face; the fear was on the face of her mother, who shrank from her in unmistakable terror and would have screamed at a harsh word or a hasty movement. Grizel seemed to know this, for she remained where she was, and first she nodded and smiled reassuringly29 to her mother, and then, leaning forward, took her hand and stroked it softly and began to talk. She had laid aside her doll, and with the act become a woman again.
The Painted Lady was soothed30, but her bewildered look came and went, as if she only caught at some explanation Grizel was making, to lose it in a moment. Yet she seemed most eager to be persuaded. The little watchers at this queer play saw that Grizel was saying things to her which she repeated docilely31 and clung to and lost hold of. Often Grizel illustrated32 her words by a sort of pantomime, as when she sat down on a chair and placed the doll in her lap, then sat down on her mother's lap; and when she had done this several times Tommy took Elspeth into the field to say to her:
"Do you no see? She means as she is the Painted Lady's bairn, just the same as the doll is her bairn."
If the Painted Lady needed to be told this every minute she was daft indeed, and Elspeth could peer no longer at the eerie33 spectacle. To leave Tommy, however, was equally difficult, so she crouched34 at his feet when he returned to the window, drawn35 there hastily by the sound of music.
The Painted Lady could play on the spinet beautifully, but Grizel could not play, though it was she who was trying to play now. She was running her fingers over the notes, producing noises from them, while she swayed grotesquely36 on her seat and made comic faces. Her object was to capture her mother's mind, and she succeeded for a short time, but soon it floated away from all control, and the Painted Lady fell a-shaking violently. Then Grizel seemed to be alarmed, and her arms rocked despairingly, but she went to her mother and took loving hold of her, and the woman clung to her child in a way pitiful to see. She was on Grizel's knee now, but she still shivered as if in a deadly chill, and her feet rattled37 on the floor, and her arms against the sides of the chair. Grizel pinned the trembling arms with her own and twisted her legs round her mother's, and still the Painted Lady's tremors38 shook them both, so that to Tommy they were as two people wrestling.
The shivering slowly lessened39 and at last ceased, but this seemed to make Grizel no less unhappy. To her vehement40 attempt to draw her mother's attention she got no response; the Painted Lady was hearkening intently for some sound other than Grizel's voice, and only once did she look at her child. Then it was with cruel, ugly eyes, and at the same moment she shoved Grizel aside so viciously that it was almost a blow. Grizel sat down sorrowfully beside her doll, like one aware that she could do no more, and her mother at once forgot her. What was she listening for so eagerly? Was it for the gallop41 of a horse? Tommy strained his ears.
"Elspeth—speak low—do you hear anything?"
"No; I'm ower fleid to listen."
"Whisht! do you no hear a horse?"
"No, everything's terrible still. Do you hear a horse?"
"I—I think I do, but far awa'."
His imagination was on fire. Did he hear a distant galloping42 or did he only make himself hear it? He had bent43 his head, and Elspeth, looking affrighted into his face, whispered, "I hear it too, oh, Tommy, so do I!"
And the Painted Lady had heard it. She kissed her hand toward the Den8 several times, and each time Tommy seemed to hear that distant galloping. All the sweetness had returned to her face now, and with it a surging joy, and she rocked her arms exultantly44, but quickly controlled them lest Grizel should see. For evidently Grizel must be cheated, and so the Painted Lady became very sly. She slipped off her shoes to be able to make her preparations noiselessly, and though at all other times her face expressed the rapture45 of love, when she glanced at her child it was suspiciously and with a gleam of hatred46. Her preparations were for going out. She was long at the famous mirror, and when she left it her hair was elaborately dressed and her face so transformed that first Tommy exclaimed "Bonny!" and then corrected himself with a scornful "Paint!" On her feet she put a foolish little pair of red shoes, on her head a hat too gay with flowers, and across her shoulders a flimsy white shawl at which the night air of Thrums would laugh. Her every movement was light and cautious and accompanied by side-glances at Grizel, who occasionally looked at her, when the Painted Lady immediately pretended to be tending her plants again. She spoke47 to Grizel sweetly to deceive her, and shot baleful glances at her next moment. Tommy saw that Grizel had taken up her doll once more and was squeezing it to her breast. She knew very well what was going on behind her back.
Suddenly Tommy took to his heels, Elspeth after him. He had seen the Painted Lady coming on her tip-toes to the window. They saw the window open and a figure in a white shawl creep out of it, as she had doubtless escaped long ago by another window when the door was barred. They lost sight of her at once.
"What will Grizel do now?" Tommy whispered, and he would have returned to his watching place, but Elspeth pointed48 to the window. Grizel was there closing it, and next moment the lamp was extinguished. They heard a key turn in the lock, and presently Grizel, carrying warm wraps, passed very near them and proceeded along the double dykes49, not anxious apparently to keep her mother in view, but slowly, as if she knew where to find her. She went into the Den, where Tommy dared not follow her, but he listened at the stile and in the awful silence he fancied he heard the neighing of a horse.
The next time he met Grizel he was yearning50 to ask her how she spent that night, but he knew she would not answer; it would be a long time before she gave him her confidence again. He offered her his piece of cold iron, however, and explained why he carried it, whereupon she flung it across the road, crying, "You horrid51 boy, do you think I am frightened at my mamma!" But when he was out of sight she came back and slipped the cold iron into her pocket.
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1
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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5
looms
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| n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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fixture
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| n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款 | |
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coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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spinet
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| n.小型立式钢琴 | |
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12
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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13
bellows
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| n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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14
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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25
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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26
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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30
soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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docilely
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| adv.容易教地，易驾驶地，驯服地 | |
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32
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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34
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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grotesquely
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| adv. 奇异地,荒诞地 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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38
tremors
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| 震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动 | |
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39
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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40
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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41
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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42
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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43
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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44
exultantly
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| adv.狂欢地，欢欣鼓舞地 | |
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45
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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46
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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47
spoke
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| 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 | |
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48
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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49
dykes
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| abbr.diagonal wire cutters 斜线切割机n.堤( dyke的名词复数 )；坝；堰；沟 | |
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50
yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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51
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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