CHAPTER 30 A CAPTIVE KNIGHT—RICHARD AND ALICE

     —dum fata, sînunt. jungamus amores:

     mox veniet tenebris. Mors adoperta caput:

     jam subrepet incra otas, nee amare deeebii,

     dicere nee ucuio blandîtias capite.

 

     Let us, while Fate allows, in love combine,

     Ere our last night its shade around us throw,

     Or Ages slow-creeping quench¹ the fire divine,

     And tender words befit not locks of snow.

The shuttlecock had been some time on the wing, struck to and fro with unerring aim, and to all appearances would never have touched the ground, if Lord Curryfin had not seen, or fancied he saw, symptoms of fatigue² on the part of his fair antagonist³. He therefore, instead of returning the shuttlecock, struck it upward, caught it in his hand, and presented it to her, saying, 'I give in. The victory is yours.' She answered, 'The victory is yours, as it always is, in courtesy.'

 

She said this with a melancholy⁴ smile, more fascinating to him than the most radiant expression from another. She withdrew to the drawing-room, motioning to him not to follow.

 

In the drawing-room she found Miss Gryll, who appeared to be reading; at any rate, a book was open before her.

 

Miss Gryll. You did not see me just now, as I passed through the hall. You saw only two things: the shuttlecock, and your partner in the game.

 

Miss Niphet.. It is not possible to play, and see anything but the shuttlecock.

 

Miss Gryll. And the hand that strikes it.

 

Miss Niphet.. That comes unavoidably into sight.

 

Miss Gryll. My dear Alice, you are in love, and do not choose to confess it.

 

Miss Niphet.. I have no right to be in love with your suitor.

 

Miss Gryll. He was my suitor, and has not renounced⁵ his pursuit; but he is your lover. I ought to have seen long ago, that from the moment his eyes rested on you all else was nothing to him. With all that habit of the world which enables men to conceal⁶ their feelings in society, with all his exertion⁷ to diffuse⁸ his attentions as much as possible among all the young ladies in his company, it must have been manifest to a careful observer, that when it came, as it seemed in ordinary course, to be your turn to be attended to, the expression of his features was changed from complacency and courtesy to delight and admiration⁹. I could not have failed to see it, if I had not been occupied with other thoughts. Tell me candidly¹⁰, do you not think it is so?

 

Miss Niphet. Indeed, my dear Morgana, I did not designedly enter into rivalry¹¹ with you; but I do think you conjecture¹² rightly.

 

Miss Gryll. And if he were free to offer himself to you, and if he did so offer himself, you would accept him?

 

Miss Niphet.. Assuredly I would.

 

Miss Gryll. Then, when you next see him, he shall be free. I have set my happiness on another cast, and I will stand the hazard of the die.

 

Miss Niphet.. You are very generous, Morgana: for I do not think you give up what you do not value.

 

Miss Gryll. No, indeed. I value him highly. So much so, that I have hesitated, and might have finally inclined to him, if I had not perceived his invincible¹³ preference of you. I am sorry, for your sake and his, that I did not clearly perceive it sooner; but you see what it is to be spoiled by admirers. I did not think it possible that any one could be preferred to me. I ought to have thought it possible, but I had no experience in that direction. So now you see a striking specimen¹⁴ of mortified¹⁵ vanity.

 

Miss Niphet.. You have admirers in abundance, Morgana: more than have often fallen to the lot of the most attractive young women. And love is such a capricious thing, that to be the subject of it is no proof of superior merit. There are inexplicable¹⁶ affinities¹⁷ of sympathy, that make up an irresistible¹⁸ attraction, heaven knows how.

 

Miss Gryll. And these inexplicable affinities Lord Curryfin has found in you, and you in him.

 

Miss Niphet.. He has never told me so.

 

Miss Gryll. Not in words: but looks and actions have spoken for him. You have both struggled to conceal your feelings from others, perhaps even from yourselves. But you are both too ingenuous¹⁹ to dissemble successfully. You suit each other thoroughly²⁰: and I have no doubt you will find in each other the happiness I most cordially wish you.

 

Miss Gryll soon found an opportunity of conversing²¹ with Lord Curryfin, and began with him somewhat sportively: 'I have been thinking,' she said, 'of an old song which contains a morsel²² of good advice—

 

     Be sure to be off with the old love,

     Before you are on with the new.

You begin by making passionate²³ love to me, and all at once you turn round to one of my young friends, and say, "Zephyrs²⁴ whisper how I love you."'

 

Lord Curryfin. Oh no! no, indeed. I have not said that, nor anything to the same effect.

 

Miss Gryll. Well, if you have not exactly said it, you have implied it. You have looked it. You have felt it. You cannot conceal it. You cannot deny it. I give you notice that, if I die for love of you, I shall haunt you.

 

Lord Curryfin. Ah! Miss Gryll, if you do not die till you die for love of me, you will be as immortal²⁵ as Circe, whom you so divinely represented.

 

Miss Gryll. You offered yourself to me, to have and to hold, for ever and aye. Suppose I claim you. Do not look so frightened. You deserve some punishment, but that would be too severe. But, to a certain extent, you belong to me, and I claim the right to transfer you. I shall make a present of you to Miss Niphet.. So, according to the old rules of chivalry²⁶, I order you, as my captive by right, to present yourself before her, and tell her that you have come to receive her commands, and obey them to the letter. I expect she will keep you in chains for life. You do not look much alarmed at the prospect²⁷. Yet you must be aware that you are a great criminal; and you have not a word to say in your own justification²⁸.

 

Lord Curryfin. Who could be insensible to charms like yours, if hope could have mingled²⁹ with the contemplation? But there were several causes by which hope seemed forbidden, and therefore——

 

Miss Gryll. And therefore when beauty, and hope, and sympathy shone under a more propitious³⁰ star, you followed its guidance. You could not help yourself:

 

     What heart were his that could resist

     That melancholy smile?

I shall flatter myself that I might have kept you if I had tried hard for it at first; but

 

     Il pentirsi da sesto nulla giova.

No doubt you might have said with the old song,

 

     I ne'er could any lustre³¹ see

     In eyes that would not look on me.

But you scarcely gave me time to look on you before you were gone. You see, however, like our own Mirror of Knighthood, I make the best of my evil fate, and

 

     Cheer myself up with ends of verse,

     And sayings of philosophers.

Lord Curryfin. I am glad to see you so merry; for even if your heart were more deeply touched by another than it ever could have been by me, I think I may say of you, in your own manner,

 

     So light a heel

     Will never wear the everlasting³² flint.

I hope and I believe you will always trip joyously³³ over the surface of the world. You are the personification of L'Allegro³⁴.

 

Miss Gryll. I do not know how that may be. But go now to the personification of La Penserosa. If you do not turn her into a brighter Allegro than I am, you may say I have no knowledge of woman's heart.

 

It was not long after this dialogue that Lord Curryfin found an opportunity of speaking to Miss Niphet alone. He said, 'I am charged with a duty, such as was sometimes imposed on knights³⁵ in the old days of chivalry. A lady, who claims me as her captive by right, has ordered me to kneel at your feet, to obey your commands, and to wear your chains, if you please to impose them.'

 

Miss Niphet. To your kneeling I say, Rise; for your obedience³⁶, I have no commands; for chains, I have none to impose.

 

Lord Curryfin. You have imposed them, I wear them already, inextricably, indissolubly.

 

Miss Niphet. If I may say, with the witch in Thalaba,

 

     Only she,

     Who knit his bonds, can set him free,

I am prepared to unbind the bonds. Rise my lord, rise.

 

Lord Curryfin. I will rise if you give me your hand to lift me up.

 

Miss Niphet.. There it is. Now that it has helped you up, let it go.

 

Lord Curryfin. And do not call me my lord.

 

Miss Niphet. What shall I call you?

 

Lord Curryfin. Call me Richard, and let me call you Alice.

 

Miss Niphet.. That is a familiarity only sanctioned by longer intimacy³⁷ than ours has been.

 

Lord Curryfin. Or closer?

 

Miss Niphet. We have been very familiar friends during the brief term of our acquaintance. But let go my hand.

 

Lord Curryfin, I have set my heart on being allowed to call you Alice, and on your calling me Richard.

 

Miss Niphet. It must not be so—at least, not yet.

 

Lord Curryfin. There is nothing I would not do to acquire the right.

 

Miss Niphet. Nothing?

 

Lord Curryfin. Nothing.

 

Miss Niphet. How thrives your suit with Miss Gryll?

 

Lord Curryfin. That is at an end. I have her permission—her command she calls it—to throw myself at your feet, and on your mercy.

 

Miss Niphet. How did she take leave of you, crying or laughing?

 

Lord Curryfin. Why, if anything, laughing.

 

Miss Niphet.. Do you not feel mortified?

 

Lord Curryfin. I have another and deeper feeling, which predominates over any possible mortification³⁸.

 

Miss Niphet. And that is—

 

Lord Curryfin. Can you doubt what it is!

 

Miss Niphet.. I will not pretend to doubt. I have for some time been well aware of your partiality for me.

 

Lord Curryfin. Partiality! Say love, adoration³⁹, absorption of all feelings into one.

 

Miss Niphet.. Then you may call me Alice. But once more, let go my hand.

 

Lord Curryfin. My hand, is it not?

 

Miss Niphet.. Yours, when you claim it.

 

Lord Curryfin. Then thus I seal my claim.

 

He kissed her hand as respectfully as was consistent with 'masterless passion'; and she said to him, 'I will not dissemble. If I have had one wish stronger than another—strong enough to exclude all others—it has been for the day when you might be free to say to me what you have now said. Am I too frank with you?'

 

Lord Curryfin. Oh, heaven, no! I drink in your words as a stream from paradise.

 

He sealed his claim again, but this time it was on her lips. The rose again mantled⁴⁰ on her cheek, but the blush was heightened to damask. She withdrew herself from his arms, saying, 'Once for all, till you have an indisputable right.'

1 quench   

vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制

参考例句：

• The firemen were unable to quench the fire.消防人员无法扑灭这场大火。
• Having a bottle of soft drink is not enough to quench my thirst.喝一瓶汽水不够解渴。

2 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

3 antagonist   

n.敌人，对抗者，对手

参考例句：

• His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
• The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。

4 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

5 renounced   

v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• We have renounced the use of force to settle our disputes. 我们已再次宣布放弃使用武力来解决争端。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Andrew renounced his claim to the property. 安德鲁放弃了财产的所有权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

7 exertion   

n.尽力，努力

参考例句：

• We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture.我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。
• She was hot and breathless from the exertion of cycling uphill.由于用力骑车爬坡，她浑身发热。

8 diffuse   

v.扩散；传播；adj.冗长的；四散的，弥漫的

参考例句：

• Direct light is better for reading than diffuse light.直射光比漫射光更有利于阅读。
• His talk was so diffuse that I missed his point.他的谈话漫无边际，我抓不住他的要点。

9 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

10 candidly   

adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地

参考例句：

• He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
• Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

11 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

12 conjecture   

n./v.推测，猜测

参考例句：

• She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。
• This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。

13 invincible   

adj.不可征服的，难以制服的

参考例句：

• This football team was once reputed to be invincible.这支足球队曾被誉为无敌的劲旅。
• The workers are invincible as long as they hold together.只要工人团结一致，他们就是不可战胜的。

14 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

15 mortified   

v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等）

参考例句：

• She was mortified to realize he had heard every word she said. 她意识到自己的每句话都被他听到了，直羞得无地自容。
• The knowledge of future evils mortified the present felicities. 对未来苦难的了解压抑了目前的喜悦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 inexplicable   

adj.无法解释的，难理解的

参考例句：

• It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的，现在已经无法说清楚了。
• There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。

17 affinities   

n.密切关系( affinity的名词复数 )；亲近；（生性）喜爱；类同

参考例句：

• Cubism had affinities with the new European interest in Jazz. 主体派和欧洲新近的爵士音乐热有密切关系。 来自辞典例句
• The different isozymes bind calcium ions with different affinities. 不同的同功酶以不同的亲和力与钙离子相结合。 来自辞典例句

18 irresistible   

adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的

参考例句：

• The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。
• She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

19 ingenuous   

adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的

参考例句：

• Only the most ingenuous person would believe such a weak excuse!只有最天真的人才会相信这么一个站不住脚的借口！
• With ingenuous sincerity,he captivated his audience.他以自己的率真迷住了观众。

20 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

21 conversing   

v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I find that conversing with her is quite difficult. 和她交谈实在很困难。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were conversing in the parlor. 他们正在客厅谈话。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

22 morsel   

n.一口，一点点

参考例句：

• He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
• The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。

23 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

24 zephyrs   

n.和风，微风( zephyr的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If you but smile, spring zephyrs blow through my spirits, wondrously. 假使你只是仅仅对我微笑，春天的和风就会惊奇的吹过我的心灵间。 来自互联网

25 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

26 chivalry   

n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤

参考例句：

• The Middle Ages were also the great age of chivalry.中世纪也是骑士制度盛行的时代。
• He looked up at them with great chivalry.他非常有礼貌地抬头瞧她们。

27 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

28 justification   

n.正当的理由；辩解的理由

参考例句：

• There's no justification for dividing the company into smaller units. 没有理由把公司划分成小单位。
• In the young there is a justification for this feeling. 在年轻人中有这种感觉是有理由的。

29 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

30 propitious   

adj.吉利的；顺利的

参考例句：

• The circumstances were not propitious for further expansion of the company.这些情况不利于公司的进一步发展。
• The cool days during this week are propitious for out trip.这种凉爽的天气对我们的行程很有好处。

31 lustre   

n.光亮，光泽；荣誉

参考例句：

• The sun was shining with uncommon lustre.太阳放射出异常的光彩。
• A good name keeps its lustre in the dark.一个好的名誉在黑暗中也保持它的光辉。

32 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

33 joyously   

ad.快乐地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She opened the door for me and threw herself in my arms, screaming joyously and demanding that we decorate the tree immediately. 她打开门，直扑我的怀抱，欣喜地喊叫着要马上装饰圣诞树。
• They came running, crying out joyously in trilling girlish voices. 她们边跑边喊，那少女的颤音好不欢快。 来自名作英译部分

34 allegro   

adj. 快速而活泼的；n.快板；adv.活泼地

参考例句：

• The first movement is a conventional symphonic Allegro.第一乐章是传统的交响乐快板。
• My life in university is like allegro.我的生活在大学中像急速的乐章。

35 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

36 obedience   

n.服从，顺从

参考例句：

• Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。
• Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

37 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

38 mortification   

n.耻辱，屈辱

参考例句：

• To my mortification, my manuscript was rejected. 使我感到失面子的是：我的稿件被退了回来。
• The chairman tried to disguise his mortification. 主席试图掩饰自己的窘迫。

39 adoration   

n.爱慕，崇拜

参考例句：

• He gazed at her with pure adoration.他一往情深地注视着她。
• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。

40 mantled   

披着斗篷的，覆盖着的

参考例句：

• Clouds mantled the moon. 云把月亮遮住。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The champagne mantled in the glass. 玻璃杯里的香槟酒面上泛起一层泡沫。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》