She sniffed8 at most of the hats. But one of them, of green straw, with a large curving green wing on either side of the crown, and a few odd bits of fluffiness9 here and there, pleased her. It was Parisian. She had been to Paris—once. An 'after-season' sale at a little shop in Torquay would not, perhaps, seem the most likely place in the world to obtain a chic10 hat; it is, moreover, a notorious fact that really chic hats cannot be got for less than three pounds, and this hat was marked ten shillings. Nevertheless, hats are most mysterious things. Their quality of being chic is more often the fruit of chance than of design, particularly in England. You never know when nor where you may light on a good hat. Vera considered that she had lighted on one.
'They're probably duck's feathers dyed,' she said to herself. 'But it's a darling of a hat and it will suit me to a T.'
As for the price, when once you have taken the ticket off a hat the secret of its price is gone forever. Many a hat less smart than this hat has been marked in Bond Street at ten guineas instead of ten shillings. Hats are like oil-paintings—they are worth what people will give for them.
So Vera approached her husband, and said, with an enchanting11, innocent smile—
'Lend me half-a-sovereign, will you, doggie?'
She called him doggie in those days because he was a sort of dog-man, a sort of St Bernard, shaggy and big, with faithful eyes; and he enjoyed being called doggie.
But on this occasion he was not to be bewitched by the enchanting innocence12 of the smile nor by the endearing epithet13. He refused to relax his features.
'You aren't going to buy another hat, are you?' he asked sternly, challengingly.
The smile disappeared from her face, and she pulled her slim young self together.
'Yes,' she replied harshly.
The battle was definitely engaged. You may inquire why a man financially capable of hiring a 20-24 h.p. Napier car, with a French chauffeur named Felix, for a week or more, should grudge14 his wife ten shillings for a hat. Well, you are to comprehend that it was not a question of ten shillings, it was a question of principle. Vera already had eighteen hats, and it had been clearly understood between them that no more money should be spent on attire15 for quite a long time. Vera was entirely16 in the wrong. She knew it, and he knew it. But she wanted just that hat.
And they were on their honeymoon17, you know: which enormously intensified18 the poignancy19 of the drama. They had been married only six days; in three days more they were to return to the Five Towns, where Stephen was solidly established as an earthenware20 manufacturer. You who have been through them are aware what ticklish21 things honeymoons22 are, and how much depends on the tactfulness of the more tactful of the two parties. Stephen, thirteen years older than Vera, was the more tactful of the two parties. He had married a beautiful and elegant woman, with vast unexploited capacities for love in her heart. But he had married a capricious woman, and he knew it. So far he had yielded to her caprices, as well became him; but in the depths of his masculine mind he had his own private notion as to the identity of the person who should ultimately be master in their house, and he had decided23 only the previous night that when the next moment for being firm arrived, firm he would be.
And now the moment was upon him. It was their eyes that fought, silently, bitterly. There is a great deal of bitterness in true love.
Stephen perceived the affair broadly, in all its aspects. He was older and much more experienced than Vera, and therefore he was responsible for the domestic peace, and for her happiness, and for his own, and for appearances, and for various other things. He perceived the moral degradation24 which would be involved in an open quarrel during the honeymoon. He perceived the difficulties of a battle in the street, in such a select and prim25 street as the Strand, Torquay, where the very backbone26 of England's respectability goes shopping. He perceived Vera's vast ignorance of life. He perceived her charm, and her naughtiness, and all her defects. And he perceived, further, that, this being the first conflict of their married existence, it was of the highest importance that he should emerge from it the victor. To allow Vera to triumph would gravely menace their future tranquillity28 and multiply the difficulties which her adorable capriciousness would surely cause. He could not afford to let her win. It was his duty, not merely to himself but to her, to conquer. But, on the other hand, he had never fully29 tested her powers of sheer obstinacy30, her willingness to sacrifice everything for the satisfaction of a whim31; and he feared these powers. He had a dim suspicion that Vera was one of that innumerable class of charming persons who are perfectly32 delicious and perfectly sweet so long as they have precisely33 their own way—and no longer.
Vera perceived only two things. She perceived the hat—although her back was turned towards it—and she perceived the half-sovereign—although it was hidden in Stephen's pocket.
'But, my dear,' Stephen protested, 'you know—'
'Will you lend me half-a-sovereign?' Vera repeated, in a glacial tone. The madness of a desired hat had seized her. She was a changed Vera. She was not a loving woman, not a duteous young wife, nor a reasoning creature. She was an embodied34 instinct for hats.
'It was most distinctly agreed,' Stephen murmured, restraining his anger.
Just then Felix came out of the shop, followed by a procession of three men bearing cans of petrol. If Stephen was Napoleon and Vera Wellington, Felix was the Blucher of this deplorable altercation35. Impossible to have a row—yes, a row—with your wife in the presence of your chauffeur, with his French ideas of chivalry36.
'Will you lend me half-a-sovereign?' Vera reiterated37, in the same glacial tone, not caring twopence for the presence of Felix.
And Stephen, by means of an interminable silver chain, drew his sovereign-case from the profundity38 of his hip-pocket; it was like drawing a bucket out of a well. And he gave Vera half-a-sovereign; and THAT was like knotting the rope for his own execution.
And while Felix and his three men poured gallons and gallons of petrol into a hole under the cushions of the tonneau, Stephen swallowed his wrath39 on the pavement, and Vera remained hidden in the shop. And the men were paid and went off, and Felix took his seat ready to start. And then Vera came out of the hat place, and the new green hat was on her head, and the old one in a bag in her pretty hands.
'What do you think of my new hat, Felix?' she smiled to the favoured chauffeur; 'I hope it pleases you.'
Felix said that it did.
In these days, chauffeurs40 are a great race and a privileged. They have usurped41 the position formerly42 held by military officers. Women fawn43 on them, take fancies to them, and spoil them. They can do no wrong in the eyes of the sex. Vera had taken a fancy to Felix. Perhaps it was because he had been in a cavalry44 regiment45; perhaps it was merely the curve of his moustache. Who knows? And Felix treated her as only a Frenchman can treat a pretty woman, with a sort of daring humility46, with worship—in short, with true Gallic appreciation47. Vera much enjoyed Gallic appreciation. It ravished her to think that she was the light of poor Felix's existence, an unattainable star for him. Of course, Stephen didn't mind. That is to say, he didn't really mind.
The car rushed off in the direction of Exeter, homewards.
That day, by means of Felix's expert illegal driving, they got as far as Bath; and there were no breakdowns48. The domestic atmosphere in the tonneau was slightly disturbed at the beginning of the run, but it soon improved. Indeed, after lunch Stephen grew positively49 bright and gay. At tea, which they took just outside Bristol, he actually went so far as to praise the hat. He said that it was a very becoming hat, and also that it was well worth the money. In a word, he signified to Vera that their first battle had been fought and that Vera had won, and that he meant to make the best of it and accept the situation.
Vera was naturally charmed, and when she was charmed she was charming. She said to herself that she had always known that she could manage a man. The recipe for managing a man was firmness coupled with charm. But there must be no half measures, no hesitations50. She had conquered. She saw her future life stretching out before her like a beautiful vista51. And Stephen was to be her slave, and she would have nothing to do but to give rein52 to her caprices, and charm Stephen when he happened to deserve it.
But the next morning the hat had vanished out of the bedroom of the exclusive hotel at Bath. Vera could not believe that it had vanished; but it had. It was not in the hat-box, nor on the couch, nor under the couch, nor perched on a knob of the bedstead, nor in any of the spots where it ought to have been. When she realized that as a fact it had vanished she was cross, and on inquiring from Stephen what trick he had played with her hat, she succeeded in conveying to Stephen that she was cross. Stephen was still in bed, comatose53. The tone of his reply startled her.
'Look here, child,' he said, or rather snapped—he had never been snappish before—'since you took the confounded thing off last evening I haven't seen it and I haven't touched it, and I don't know where it is.'
'But you must—'
'I gave in to you about the hat,' Stephen continued to snap, 'though I knew I was a fool to do so, and I consider I behaved pretty pleasantly over it too. But I don't want any more scenes. If you've lost it, that's not my fault.'
Such speeches took Vera very much aback. And she, too, in her turn, now saw the dangers of a quarrel, and in this second altercation it was Stephen who won. He said he would not even mention the disappearance54 of the hat to the hotel manager. He was sure it must be in one of Vera's trunks. And in the end Vera performed that day's trip in another hat.
They reached the Five Towns much earlier than they had anticipated—before lunch on the ninth day, whereas the new servants in their new house at Bursley were only expecting them for dinner. So Stephen had the agreeable idea of stopping the car in front of the new Hotel Metropole at Hanbridge and lunching there. Precisely opposite this new and luxurious55 caravanserai (as they love to call it in the Five Towns) is the imposing56 garage and agency where Stephen had hired the Napier car. Felix said he would lunch hurriedly in order to transact57 certain business at the garage before taking them on to Bursley. After lunch, however, Vera caught him transacting58 business with a chambermaid in a corridor. Shocking though the revelation is, it needs to be said that Felix was kissing the chambermaid. The blow to Mrs Cheswardine was severe. She had imagined that Felix spent all his time in gazing up to her as an unattainable star.
She spoke59 to Stephen about it, in the accents of disillusion60. 'What?' cried Stephen. 'Don't you know? They're engaged to be married. Her name is Mary Callear. She used to be parlourmaid at Uncle John's at Oldcastle. But hotels pay higher wages.'
Felix engaged to a parlourmaid! Felix, who had always seemed to Vera a gentleman in disguise! Yes, it was indeed a blow!
But balm awaited Vera at her new home in Bursley. A parcel, obviously containing a cardboard box, had arrived for Stephen. He opened it, and the lost hat was inside it. Stephen read a note, and explained that the hotel people at Bath had found it and forwarded it. He began to praise the hat anew. He made Vera put it on instantly, and seemed delighted. So much so that Vera went out to the porch to say good-bye to Felix in a most forgiving frame of mind. She forgave Felix for being engaged to the chambermaid.
And there was the chambermaid walking up the drive, quite calmly! Felix, also quite calmly, asked Vera to excuse him, and told the chambermaid to get into the car and sit beside him. He then informed Vera that he had to go with the car immediately to Oldcastle, and was taking Miss Callear with him for the run, this being Miss Callear's weekly afternoon off. Miss Callear had come to Bursley in the electric tram.
Vera shook with swift anger; not at Felix's information, but the patent fact that Mary Callear was wearing a hat which was the exact replica61 of the hat on Vera's own head. And Mary Callear was seated like a duchess in the car, while Vera stood on the gravel27. And two of Vera's new servants were there to see that Vera was wearing a hat precisely equivalent to the hat of a chambermaid!
She went abruptly62 into the house and sought for Stephen—as with a sword. But Stephen was not discoverable. She ran to her elegant new bedroom and shut herself in. She understood the plot. She had plenty of wit. Stephen had concerted it with Felix. In spite of Stephen's allegations of innocence, the hat had been sent somewhere—probably to Brunt's at Hanbridge—to be copied at express speed, and Stephen had presented the copy to Felix, in order that Felix might present it to Mary Callear the chambermaid, and the meeting in the front garden had been deliberately63 arranged by that odious64 male, Stephen. Truly, she had not believed Stephen capable of such duplicity and cruelty.
She removed the hat, gazed at it, and then tore it to pieces and scattered65 the pieces on the carpet.
'Stephen,' she exclaimed, 'you're a horrid67, cruel brute68.' 'I know I am,' said Stephen. 'You ought to have found that out long since.'
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1
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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2
strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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footpath
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| n.小路，人行道 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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8
sniffed
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| 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 | |
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9
fluffiness
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| [医]柔软，蓬松，绒毛状 | |
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10
chic
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| n./adj.别致(的)，时髦(的)，讲究的 | |
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enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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12
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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13
epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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14
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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15
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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16
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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18
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
poignancy
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| n.辛酸事，尖锐 | |
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20
earthenware
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| n.土器，陶器 | |
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21
ticklish
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| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
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22
honeymoons
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| 蜜月( honeymoon的名词复数 )； 短暂的和谐时期； 蜜月期； 最初的和谐时期 | |
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23
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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24
degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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25
prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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26
backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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27
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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29
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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30
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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31
whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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32
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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33
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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34
embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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35
altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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36
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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37
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
profundity
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| n.渊博；深奥，深刻 | |
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39
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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40
chauffeurs
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| n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
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41
usurped
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| 篡夺，霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权 | |
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42
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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43
fawn
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| n.未满周岁的小鹿；v.巴结，奉承 | |
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44
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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45
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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46
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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47
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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48
breakdowns
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| n.分解( breakdown的名词复数 )；衰竭；（车辆或机器的）损坏；统计分析 | |
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49
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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50
hesitations
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| n.犹豫( hesitation的名词复数 )；踌躇；犹豫（之事或行为）；口吃 | |
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51
vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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52
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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53
comatose
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| adj.昏睡的，昏迷不醒的 | |
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54
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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55
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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56
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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57
transact
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| v.处理；做交易；谈判 | |
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58
transacting
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| v.办理（业务等）( transact的现在分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
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59
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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60
disillusion
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| vt.使不再抱幻想，使理想破灭 | |
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61
replica
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| n.复制品 | |
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62
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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63
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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64
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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65
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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66
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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67
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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68
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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69
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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