选择字号:【大】【中】【小】 | 关灯
护眼
|
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
The 30th of July came round, and Lizzie was prepared for her journey down to Scotland. She was to be accompanied by Miss Macnulty and her own maid and her own servants, and to travel of course like a grand lady. She had not seen Lord Fawn1 since the meeting recorded in the last chapter, but had seen her cousin Frank nearly every other day. He, after much consideration, had written a long letter to Lord Fawn, in which he had given that nobleman to understand that some explanation was required as to conduct which Frank described as being to him “at present unintelligible2.” He then went at considerable length into the matter of the diamonds, with the object of proving that Lord Fawn could have no possible right to interfere3 in the matter. And though he had from the first wished that Lizzie would give up the trinket, he made various points in her favour. Not only had they been given to his cousin by her late husband; but even had they not been so given, they would have been hers by will. Sir Florian had left her everything that was within the walls of Portray4 Castle, and the diamonds had been at Portray at the time of Sir Florian’s death. Such was Frank’s statement — untrue indeed, but believed by him to be true. This was one of Lizzie’s lies, forged as soon as she understood that some subsidiary claim might be made upon them on the ground that they formed a portion of property left by will away from her; some claim subsidiary to the grand claim, that the necklace was a family heirloom. Lord Fawn was not in the least shaken in his conviction that Lizzie had behaved, and was behaving, badly, and that, therefore, he had better get rid of her; but he knew that he must be very wary5 in the reasons he would give for jilting her. He wrote, therefore, a very short note to Greystock, promising6 that any explanation needed should be given as soon as circumstances should admit of his forming a decision. In the mean time the 30th of July came, and Lady Eustace was ready for her journey.
There is, or there was, a train leaving London for Carlisle at eleven A. M., by which Lizzie purposed to travel, so that she might sleep in that city and go on through Dumfries to Portray the next morning. This was her scheme; but there was another part of her scheme as to which she had felt much doubt. Should she leave the diamonds, or should she take them with her? The iron box in which they were kept was small, and so far portable that a strong man might carry it without much trouble. Indeed, Lizzie could move it from one part of the room to the other, and she had often done so. But it was so heavy that it could not be taken with her without attracting attention. The servant would know what it was, and the porter would know, and Miss Macnulty would know. That her own maid should know was a matter of course; but even to her own maid the journey of the jewels would be

1
fawn
![]() |
|
n.未满周岁的小鹿;v.巴结,奉承 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2
unintelligible
![]() |
|
adj.无法了解的,难解的,莫明其妙的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3
interfere
![]() |
|
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4
portray
![]() |
|
v.描写,描述;画(人物、景象等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5
wary
![]() |
|
adj.谨慎的,机警的,小心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6
promising
![]() |
|
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7
remarkable
![]() |
|
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8
courageous
![]() |
|
adj.勇敢的,有胆量的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9
decided
![]() |
|
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10
bribed
![]() |
|
v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11
standing
![]() |
|
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12
imperative
![]() |
|
n.命令,需要;规则;祈使语气;adj.强制的;紧急的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13
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: |
|
|
14
custody
![]() |
|
n.监护,照看,羁押,拘留 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15
proceedings
![]() |
|
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16
catching
![]() |
|
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17
sham
![]() |
|
n./adj.假冒(的),虚伪(的) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18
sobbing
![]() |
|
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19
accusation
![]() |
|
n.控告,指责,谴责 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20
thoroughly
![]() |
|
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21
horrid
![]() |
|
adj.可怕的;令人惊恐的;恐怖的;极讨厌的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22
annoyance
![]() |
|
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23
conscientious
![]() |
|
adj.审慎正直的,认真的,本着良心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|