New Faces
The MAJOR, more blue-faced and staring - more over-ripe, as it were, than ever - and giving vent, every now and then, to one of the horse's coughs, not so much of necessity as in a spontaneous explosion of importance, walked arm-in-arm with Mr Dombey up the sunny side of the way, with his cheeks swelling over his tight stock, his legs majestically wide apart, and his great head wagging from side to side, as if he were remonstrating within himself for being such a captivating object. They had not walked many yards, before the Major encountered somebody he knew, nor many yards farther before the Major encountered somebody else he knew, but he merely shook his fingers at them as he passed, and led Mr Dombey on: pointing out the localities as they went, and enlivening the walk with any current scandal suggested by them.
In this manner the Major and Mr Dombey were walking arm-in-arm, much to their own satisfaction, when they beheld advancing towards them, a wheeled chair, in which a lady was seated, indolently steering her carriage by a kind of rudder in front, while it was propelled by some unseen power in the rear. Although the lady was not young, she was very blooming in the face - quite rosy- and her dress and attitude were perfectly juvenile. Walking by the side of the chair, and carrying her gossamer parasol with a proud and weary air, as if so great an effort must be soon abandoned and the parasol dropped, sauntered a much younger lady, very handsome, very haughty, very wilful, who tossed her head and drooped her eyelids, as though, if there were anything in all the world worth looking into, save a mirror, it certainly was not the earth or sky.
'Why, what the devil have we here, Sir!' cried the Major, stopping as this little cavalcade drew near.
'My dearest Edith!' drawled the lady in the chair, 'Major Bagstock!'
The Major no sooner heard the voice, than he relinquished Mr Dombey's arm, darted forward, took the hand of the lady in the chair and pressed it to his lips. With no less gallantry, the Major folded both his gloves upon his heart, and bowed low to the other lady. And now, the chair having stopped, the motive power became visible in the shape of a flushed page pushing behind, who seemed to have in part outgrown and in part out-pushed his strength, for when he stood upright he was tall, and wan, and thin, and his plight appeared the more forlorn from his having injured the shape of his hat, by butting at the carriage with his head to urge it forward, as is sometimes done by elephants in Oriental countries.
'Joe Bagstock,' said the Major to both ladies, 'is a proud and happy man for the rest of his life.'
'You false creature! said the old lady in the chair, insipidly. 'Where do you come from? I can't bear you.'
'Then suffer old Joe to present a friend, Ma'am,' said the Major, promptly, 'as a reason for being tolerated. Mr Dombey, Mrs Skewton.' The lady in the chair was gracious. 'Mr Dombey, Mrs Granger.' The lady with the parasol was faintly conscious of Mr Dombey's taking off his hat, and bowing low. 'I am delighted, Sir,' said the Major, 'to have this opportunity.'
The Major seemed in earnest, for he looked at all the three, and leered in his ugliest manner.
'Mrs Skewton, Dombey,' said the Major, 'makes havoc in the heart of old Josh.'
Mr Dombey signified that he didn't wonder at it.
'You perfidious goblin,' said the lady in the chair, 'have done! How long have you been here, bad man?'
'One day,' replied the Major.
'And can you be a day, or even a minute,' returned the lady, slightly settling her false curls and false eyebrows with her fan, and showing her false teeth, set off by her false complexion, 'in the garden of what's-its-name
'Eden, I suppose, Mama,' interrupted the younger lady, scornfully.
'My dear Edith,' said the other, 'I cannot help it. I never can remember those frightful names - without having your whole Soul and Being inspired by the sight of Nature; by the perfume,' said Mrs Skewton, rustling a handkerchief that was faint and sickly with essences, 'of her artless breath, you creature!'
The discrepancy between Mrs Skewton's fresh enthusiasm of words, and forlornly faded manner, was hardly less observable than that between her age, which was about seventy, and her dress, which would have been youthful for twenty-seven. Her attitude in the wheeled chair (which she never varied) was one in which she had been taken in a barouche, some fifty years before, by a then fashionable artist who had appended to his published sketch the name of Cleopatra: in consequence of a discovery made by the critics of the time, that it bore an exact resemblance to that Princess as she reclined on board her galley. Mrs Skewton was a beauty then, and bucks threw wine-glasses over their heads by dozens in her honour. The beauty and the barouche had both passed away, but she still preserved the attitude, and for this reason expressly, maintained the wheeled chair and the butting page: there being nothing whatever, except the attitude, to prevent her from walking.
'Mr Dombey is devoted to Nature, I trust?' said Mrs Skewton, settling her diamond brooch. And by the way, she chiefly lived upon the reputation of some diamonds, and her family connexions.
'My friend Dombey, Ma'am,' returned the Major, 'may be devoted to her in secret, but a man who is paramount in the greatest city in the universe -
'No one can be a stranger,' said Mrs Skewton, 'to Mr Dombey's immense influence.'
As Mr Dombey acknowledged the compliment with a bend of his head, the younger lady glancing at him, met his eyes.
'You reside here, Madam?' said Mr Dombey, addressing her.
'No, we have been to a great many places. To Harrogate and Scarborough, and into Devonshire. We have been visiting, and resting here and there. Mama likes change.'
'Edith of course does not,' said Mrs Skewton, with a ghastly archness.
'I have not found that there is any change in such places,' was the answer, delivered with supreme indifference.
'They libel me. There is only one change, Mr Dombey,' observed Mrs Skewton, with a mincing sigh, 'for which I really care, and that I fear I shall never be permitted to enjoy. People cannot spare one. But seclusion and contemplation are my what-his-name - '
'If you mean Paradise, Mama, you had better say so, to render yourself intelligible,' said the younger lady.
'My dearest Edith,' returned Mrs Skewton, 'you know that I am wholly dependent upon you for those odious names. I assure you, Mr Dombey, Nature intended me for an Arcadian. I am thrown away in society. Cows are my passion. What I have ever sighed for, has been to retreat to a Swiss farm, and live entirely surrounded by cows - and china.'
This curious association of objects, suggesting a remembrance of the celebrated bull who got by mistake into a crockery shop, was received with perfect gravity by Mr Dombey, who intimated his opinion that Nature was, no doubt, a very respectable institution.
'What I want,' drawled Mrs Skewton, pinching her shrivelled throat, 'is heart.' It was frightfully true in one sense, if not in that in which she used the phrase. 'What I want, is frankness, confidence, less conventionality, and freer play of soul. We are so dreadfully artificial.'
We were, indeed.
'In short,' said Mrs Skewton, 'I want Nature everywhere. It would be so extremely charming.'
'Nature is inviting us away now, Mama, if you are ready,' said the younger lady, curling her handsome lip. At this hint, the wan page, who had been surveying the party over the top of the chair, vanished behind it, as if the ground had swallowed him up.
'Stop a moment, Withers!' said Mrs Skewton, as the chair began to move; calling to the page with all the languid dignity with which she had called in days of yore to a coachman with a wig, cauliflower nosegay, and silk stockings. 'Where are you staying, abomination?' The Major was staying at the Royal Hotel, with his friend Dombey.
'You may come and see us any evening when you are good,' lisped Mrs Skewton. 'If Mr Dombey will honour us, we shall be happy. Withers, go on!'
The Major again pressed to his blue lips the tips of the fingers that were disposed on the ledge of the wheeled chair with careful carelessness, after the Cleopatra model: and Mr Dombey bowed. The elder lady honoured them both with a very gracious smile and a girlish wave of her hand; the younger lady with the very slightest inclination of her head that common courtesy allowed.
The last glimpse of the wrinkled face of the mother, with that patched colour on it which the sun made infinitely more haggard and dismal than any want of colour could have been, and of the proud beauty of the daughter with her graceful figure and erect deportment, engendered such an involuntary disposition on the part of both the Major and Mr Dombey to look after them, that they both turned at the same moment. The Page, nearly as much aslant as his own shadow, was toiling after the chair, uphill, like a slow battering-ram; the top of Cleopatra's bonnet was fluttering in exactly the same corner to the inch as before; and the Beauty, loitering by herself a little in advance, expressed in all her elegant form, from head to foot, the same supreme disregard of everything and everybody.
'I tell you what, Sir,' said the Major, as they resumed their walk again. 'If Joe Bagstock were a younger man, there's not a woman in the world whom he'd prefer for Mrs Bagstock to that woman. By George, Sir!' said the Major, 'she's superb!'
'Do you mean the daughter?' inquired Mr Dombey.
'Is Joey B. a turnip, Dombey,' said the Major, 'that he should mean the mother?'
'You were complimentary to the mother,' returned Mr Dombey.
'An ancient flame, Sir,' chuckled Major Bagstock. 'Devilish ancient. I humour her.'
'She impresses me as being perfectly genteel,' said Mr Dombey.
'Genteel, Sir,' said the Major, stopping short, and staring in his companion's face. 'The Honourable Mrs Skewton, Sir, is sister to the late Lord Feenix, and aunt to the present Lord. The family are not wealthy - they're poor, indeed - and she lives upon a small jointure; but if you come to blood, Sir!' The Major gave a flourish with his stick and walked on again, in despair of being able to say what you came to, if you came to that.
'You addressed the daughter, I observed,' said Mr Dombey, after a short pause, 'as Mrs Granger.'
'Edith Skewton, Sir,' returned the Major, stopping short again, and punching a mark in the ground with his cane, to represent her, 'married (at eighteen) Granger of Ours;' whom the Major indicated by another punch. 'Granger, Sir,' said the Major, tapping the last ideal portrait, and rolling his head emphatically, 'was Colonel of Ours; a de-vilish handsome fellow, Sir, of forty-one. He died, Sir, in the second year of his marriage.' The Major ran the representative of the deceased Granger through and through the body with his walking-stick, and went on again, carrying his stick over his shoulder.
'How long is this ago?' asked Mr Dombey, making another halt.
'Edith Granger, Sir,' replied the Major, shutting one eye, putting his head on one side, passing his cane into his left hand, and smoothing his shirt-frill with his right, 'is, at this present time, not quite thirty. And damme, Sir,' said the Major, shouldering his stick once more, and walking on again, 'she's a peerless woman!'
'Was there any family?' asked Mr Dombey presently.
'Yes, Sir,' said the Major. 'There was a boy.'
Mr Dombey's eyes sought the ground, and a shade came over his face.
'Who was drowned, Sir,' pursued the Major. 'When a child of four or five years old.'
'Indeed?' said Mr Dombey, raising his head.
'By the upsetting of a boat in which his nurse had no business to have put him,' said the Major. 'That's his history. Edith Granger is Edith Granger still; but if tough old Joey B., Sir, were a little younger and a little richer, the name of that immortal paragon should be Bagstock.'
The Major heaved his shoulders, and his cheeks, and laughed more like an over-fed Mephistopheles than ever, as he said the words.
'Provided the lady made no objection, I suppose?' said Mr Dombey coldly.
'By Gad, Sir,' said the Major, 'the Bagstock breed are not accustomed to that sort of obstacle. Though it's true enough that Edith might have married twenty times, but for being proud, Sir, proud.'
Mr Dombey seemed, by his face, to think no worse of her for that.
'It's a great quality after all,' said the Major. 'By the Lord, it's a high quality! Dombey! You are proud yourself, and your friend, Old Joe, respects you for it, Sir.'
With this tribute to the character of his ally, which seemed to be wrung from him by the force of circumstances and the irresistible tendency of their conversation, the Major closed the subject, and glided into a general exposition of the extent to which he had been beloved and doted on by splendid women and brilliant creatures.
On the next day but one, Mr Dombey and the Major encountered the Honourable Mrs Skewton and her daughter in the Pump-room; on the day after, they met them again very near the place where they had met them first. After meeting them thus, three or four times in all, it became a point of mere civility to old acquaintances that the Major should go there one evening. Mr Dombey had not originally intended to pay visits, but on the Major announcing this intention, he said he would have the pleasure of accompanying him. So the Major told the Native to go round before dinner, and say, with his and Mr Dombey's compliments, that they would have the honour of visiting the ladies that same evening, if the ladies were alone. In answer to which message, the Native brought back a very small note with a very large quantity of scent about it, indited by the Honourable Mrs Skewton to Major Bagstock, and briefly saying, 'You are a shocking bear and I have a great mind not to forgive you, but if you are very good indeed,' which was underlined, 'you may come. Compliments (in which Edith unites) to Mr Dombey.'
The Honourable Mrs Skewton and her daughter, Mrs Granger, resided, while at Leamington, in lodgings that were fashionable enough and dear enough, but rather limited in point of space and conveniences; so that the Honourable Mrs Skewton, being in bed, had her feet in the window and her head in the fireplace, while the Honourable Mrs Skewton's maid was quartered in a closet within the drawing-room, so extremely small, that, to avoid developing the whole of its accommodations, she was obliged to writhe in and out of the door like a beautiful serpent. Withers, the wan page, slept out of the house immediately under the tiles at a neighbouring milk-shop; and the wheeled chair, which was the stone of that young Sisyphus, passed the night in a shed belonging to the same dairy, where new-laid eggs were produced by the poultry connected with the establishment, who roosted on a broken donkey-cart, persuaded, to all appearance, that it grew there, and was a species of tree.
Mr Dombey and the Major found Mrs Skewton arranged, as Cleopatra, among the cushions of a sofa: very airily dressed; and certainly not resembling Shakespeare's Cleopatra, whom age could not wither. On their way upstairs they had heard the sound of a harp, but it had ceased on their being announced, and Edith now stood beside it handsomer and haughtier than ever. It was a remarkable characteristic of this lady's beauty that it appeared to vaunt and assert itself without her aid, and against her will. She knew that she was beautiful: it was impossible that it could be otherwise: but she seemed with her own pride to defy her very self.
Whether she held cheap attractions that could only call forth admiration that was worthless to her, or whether she designed to render them more precious to admirers by this usage of them, those to whom they were precious seldom paused to consider.
'I hope, Mrs Granger,' said Mr Dombey, advancing a step towards her, 'we are not the cause of your ceasing to play?'
'You! oh no!'
'Why do you not go on then, my dearest Edith?' said Cleopatra.
'I left off as I began - of my own fancy.'
The exquisite indifference of her manner in saying this: an indifference quite removed from dulness or insensibility, for it was pointed with proud purpose: was well set off by the carelessness with which she drew her hand across the strings, and came from that part of the room.
'Do you know, Mr Dombey,' said her languishing mother, playing with a hand-screen, 'that occasionally my dearest Edith and myself actually almost differ - '
'Not quite, sometimes, Mama?' said Edith.
'Oh never quite, my darling! Fie, fie, it would break my heart,' returned her mother, making a faint attempt to pat her with the screen, which Edith made no movement to meet, ' - about these old conventionalities of manner that are observed in little things? Why are we not more natural? Dear me! With all those yearnings, and gushings, and impulsive throbbings that we have implanted in our souls, and which are so very charming, why are we not more natural?'
Mr Dombey said it was very true, very true.
'We could be more natural I suppose if we tried?' said Mrs Skewton.
Mr Dombey thought it possible.
'Devil a bit, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'We couldn't afford it. Unless the world was peopled with J.B.'s - tough and blunt old Joes, Ma'am, plain red herrings with hard roes, Sir - we couldn't afford it. It wouldn't do.'
'You naughty Infidel,' said Mrs Skewton, 'be mute.'
'Cleopatra commands,' returned the Major, kissing his hand, 'and Antony Bagstock obeys.'
'The man has no sensitiveness,' said Mrs Skewton, cruelly holding up the hand-screen so as to shut the Major out. 'No sympathy. And what do we live for but sympathy! What else is so extremely charming! Without that gleam of sunshine on our cold cold earth,' said Mrs Skewton, arranging her lace tucker, and complacently observing the effect of her bare lean arm, looking upward from the wrist, 'how could we possibly bear it? In short, obdurate man!' glancing at the Major, round the screen, 'I would have my world all heart; and Faith is so excessively charming, that I won't allow you to disturb it, do you hear?'
The Major replied that it was hard in Cleopatra to require the world to be all heart, and yet to appropriate to herself the hearts of all the world; which obliged Cleopatra to remind him that flattery was insupportable to her, and that if he had the boldness to address her in that strain any more, she would positively send him home.
Withers the Wan, at this period, handing round the tea, Mr Dombey again addressed himself to Edith.
'There is not much company here, it would seem?' said Mr Dombey, in his own portentous gentlemanly way.
'I believe not. We see none.'
'Why really,' observed Mrs Skewton fom her couch, 'there are no people here just now with whom we care to associate.'
'They have not enough heart,' said Edith, with a smile. The very twilight of a smile: so singularly were its light and darkness blended.
'My dearest Edith rallies me, you see!' said her mother, shaking her head: which shook a little of itself sometimes, as if the palsy Bed now and then in opposition to the diamonds. 'Wicked one!'
'You have been here before, if I am not mistaken?' said Mr Dombey. Still to Edith.
'Oh, several times. I think we have been everywhere.'
'A beautiful country!'
'I suppose it is. Everybody says so.'
'Your cousin Feenix raves about it, Edith,' interposed her mother from her couch.
The daughter slightly turned her graceful head, and raising her eyebrows by a hair's-breadth, as if her cousin Feenix were of all the mortal world the least to be regarded, turned her eyes again towards Mr Dombey.
'I hope, for the credit of my good taste, that I am tired of the neighbourhood,' she said.
'You have almost reason to be, Madam,' he replied, glancing at a variety of landscape drawings, of which he had already recognised several as representing neighbouring points of view, and which were strewn abundantly about the room, 'if these beautiful productions are from your hand.'
She gave him no reply, but sat in a disdainful beauty, quite amazing.
'Have they that interest?' said Mr Dombey. 'Are they yours?'
'Yes.'
'And you play, I already know.'
'Yes.'
'And sing?'
'Yes.'
She answered all these questions with a strange reluctance; and with that remarkable air of opposition to herself, already noticed as belonging to her beauty. Yet she was not embarrassed, but wholly self-possessed. Neither did she seem to wish to avoid the conversation, for she addressed her face, and - so far as she could - her manner also, to him; and continued to do so, when he was silent.
'You have many resources against weariness at least,' said Mr Dombey.
'Whatever their efficiency may be,' she returned, 'you know them all now. I have no more.
'May I hope to prove them all?' said Mr Dombey, with solemn gallantry, laying down a drawing he had held, and motioning towards the harp.
'Oh certainly) If you desire it!'
She rose as she spoke, and crossing by her mother's couch, and directing a stately look towards her, which was instantaneous in its duration, but inclusive (if anyone had seen it) of a multitude of expressions, among which that of the twilight smile, without the smile itself, overshadowed all the rest, went out of the room.
The Major, who was quite forgiven by this time, had wheeled a little table up to Cleopatra, and was sitting down to play picquet with her. Mr Dombey, not knowing the game, sat down to watch them for his edification until Edith should return.
'We are going to have some music, Mr Dombey, I hope?' said Cleopatra.
'Mrs Granger has been kind enough to promise so,' said Mr Dombey.
'Ah! That's very nice. Do you propose, Major?'
'No, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'Couldn't do it.'
'You're a barbarous being,' replied the lady, 'and my hand's destroyed. You are fond of music, Mr Dombey?'
'Eminently so,' was Mr Dombey's answer.
'Yes. It's very nice,' said Cleopatra, looking at her cards. 'So much heart in it - undeveloped recollections of a previous state of existence' - and all that - which is so truly charming. Do you know,' simpered Cleopatra, reversing the knave of clubs, who had come into her game with his heels uppermost, 'that if anything could tempt me to put a period to my life, it would be curiosity to find out what it's all about, and what it means; there are so many provoking mysteries, really, that are hidden from us. Major, you to play.'
The Major played; and Mr Dombey, looking on for his instruction, would soon have been in a state of dire confusion, but that he gave no attention to the game whatever, and sat wondering instead when Edith would come back.
She came at last, and sat down to her harp, and Mr Dombey rose and stood beside her, listening. He had little taste for music, and no knowledge of the strain she played, but he saw her bending over it, and perhaps he heard among the sounding strings some distant music of his own, that tamed the monster of the iron road, and made it less inexorable.
Cleopatra had a sharp eye, verily, at picquet. It glistened like a bird's, and did not fix itself upon the game, but pierced the room from end to end, and gleamed on harp, performer, listener, everything.
When the haughty beauty had concluded, she arose, and receiving Mr Dombey's thanks and compliments in exactly the same manner as before, went with scarcely any pause to the piano, and began there.
Edith Granger, any song but that! Edith Granger, you are very handsome, and your touch upon the keys is brilliant, and your voice is deep and rich; but not the air that his neglected daughter sang to his dead son)
Alas, he knows it not; and if he did, what air of hers would stir him, rigid man! Sleep, lonely Florence, sleep! Peace in thy dreams, although the night has turned dark, and the clouds are gathering, and threaten to discharge themselves in hail!
少校和董貝先生手挽著手，沿著街道上曬到陽光的一邊走去；少校的臉色更加發(fā)青，眼睛鼓得更加凸出——好像比過去成熟得更過度了——，并不時發(fā)出一聲馬的咳嗽般的聲音，這與其說是出于必要，倒還不如說是本能地要裝出自尊自大的神氣；他的臉頰漲鼓鼓地懸垂在緊繃繃的衣領上，兩只腿威風凜凜地跨得很開，大大的頭從一邊搖晃到另一邊，仿佛在心里責備自己為什么要成為這樣有魅力的人物。他們沒有走好多碼遠，少校遇到了一位熟人；沒有再走幾碼遠，他又遇到了另一位熟人；但是他走過的時候，只是向他們揮動一下手指頭，就繼續(xù)領著董貝先生向前走；一路上向他指點名勝地點，并講一些使他聯(lián)想起來的奇聞怪事，使散步增添生趣。
當少校和董貝先生這樣手挽著手、洋洋自得地向前走著的時候，他們看到前面一個輪椅正向他們移動過來；椅子里坐著一位夫人正懶洋洋地操縱著前面的舵輪，駕駛著她的車子，后面則由一種看不見的力量推著。這位夫人雖然并不年輕，但面容卻很嬌艷——十分紅潤——，她的服裝和姿態(tài)也完全跟妙齡女郎一樣。一位年輕得多的女士在輪椅旁邊悠閑地走著；她露出一種高傲而疲倦的神色，舉著一把薄紗洋傘，仿佛必須立即放棄這個十分偉大的努力，讓洋傘掉下去似的；她很美麗，很傲慢，很任性；她高昂著頭，低垂著眼皮，仿佛世界上除了鏡子之外，如果有什么值得觀看的東西，那么它肯定不是地面或天空。
“哎呀，我們遇見什么魔鬼啦，先生！”當這一小隊人馬走近的時候，少校停下腳步，喊道。
“我最親愛的伊迪絲！”輪椅中的夫人慢聲慢氣地說道，“白格斯托克少校！”
少校一聽到這個聲音，就放下董貝先生的胳膊，向前奔去，然后拉起椅子中的夫人的手，緊貼著他的嘴唇。少校以同樣殷勤的態(tài)度，把兩只戴著手套的手在胸前合攏，向另一位女士深深地鞠躬。現(xiàn)在，輪椅停下來了，原動力也顯露出來了；那是一位滿臉漲得通紅的童仆，就是他在后面推著輪椅的；他似乎因為個子長得過大，又過分用力，所以當他挺直站立起來的時候，他看去高大、消瘦、臉無血色。由于他像東方國家的大象那樣用頭頂著車子推動它前進，因此他的帽子的形狀也被損壞了，這就使他的境況顯得更加悲慘可憐。
“喬·白格斯托克，”少校向兩位女士說道，“在他這一生的其余日子里是個自豪和幸福的人。”
“你這個虛偽的東西！”椅子里的夫人有氣無力地說道，“你從那里來？我不能容忍你?！?BR> “那么，請允許老喬向您介紹一位朋友吧，夫人，”少校立即說道，“希望這能成為得到您寬恕的理由。董貝先生，斯丘頓夫人。”椅子中的夫人和藹親切，彬彬有禮。
“董貝先生，格蘭杰夫人?！蹦藐杺愕呐柯月宰⒁饬艘幌露愊壬撓旅弊雍蜕钌畹鼐瞎??！拔艺娓吲d能有這樣的機會，先生?！鄙傩Ｕf道。
少校似乎是認真的，因為他看著所有三個人，并以他最丑惡的神態(tài)把眼睛溜來溜去。
“董貝，”少校說道，“斯丘頓夫人蹂躪了老喬希的心?！?BR> 董貝先生表示他對這并不驚奇。
“你這背信棄義的惡鬼，”椅子中的夫人說道，“什么也別說了！你到這里有多久了，壞人？”
“一天，”少?；卮鸬?。
“難道你能在這里待上一天或哪怕是一分鐘，”那位夫人接著說道，一邊用扇子輕輕地整了整她的假卷發(fā)和假眉毛，露出了被她的假容顏襯托得格外清楚的假牙齒。“在這——叫什么的園中——”
“我想是伊甸園①吧，媽媽，”年輕的女士輕蔑地打斷道。
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①伊甸園：《圣經(jīng)》故事說，上帝創(chuàng)造了男人亞當和女人夏娃，安排他們住在伊甸園中。伊甸園中河流兩岸生長著各種花草樹木，還有各種飛禽走獸。亞當與夏娃住在伊甸園中最初過著無憂無慮的生活，因此伊甸園轉(zhuǎn)義為極樂園。
“我最親愛的伊迪絲，”另一位說道，“我沒有辦法。我永遠也記不住這些可怕的名字——難道你能在這伊甸園中待上一天，哪怕是一分鐘而沒有讓你整個靈魂和整個人受到大自然的壯觀的鼓舞嗎？又難道能使它不被大自然那純潔的呼吸的芳香所鼓舞嗎？你這個東西！”斯丘頓夫人說道，一邊沙沙作聲地揮著一塊手絹，散發(fā)出悶人的、令人欲嘔的香氣。
斯丘頓夫人活潑熱情的語言與她那衰弱無力的聲調(diào)那么不相配，就跟她的年齡——大約七十歲——與她的服裝——二十七歲的人穿起來也顯得年輕——不相配一樣令人注目。她坐在輪椅中的姿態(tài)（她從不改變這個姿態(tài)），正是大約五十年前她坐在雙馬四輪大馬車中、由當時一位風靡一時的畫家畫下的姿態(tài)；這幅肖像畫發(fā)表的時候他還給加上一個名字：克利奧佩特拉①，這是由于當時的評論家們發(fā)現(xiàn)她和這位女王斜倚在單層甲板大帆船時的風貌維妙維肖的緣故。斯丘頓夫人當時是一位美人，花花公子們幾十次舉杯向她致敬?，F(xiàn)在美貌和雙馬四輪大馬車全都不再存在了，但她依舊保持著這個姿態(tài)，而且特別由于這個原因，還依舊保留了那個輪椅并雇傭了那個用頭推車的童仆；除了這個姿態(tài)外，沒有任何其他原因妨礙她走路。
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①克利奧佩特拉（Cleopatra，公元前69—30年），古埃及最后一位女王，姿色艷麗，在位期間為公元前51—49年及48—30年。
“我相信，董貝先生是熱愛大自然的吧？”斯丘頓夫人整整她的鉆石胸針，說道。這里順便說一句，她主要是依靠她有一些鉆石的名聲和她的家族關系過日子的。
“夫人，”少?；卮鸬?，“我的朋友董貝也許在內(nèi)心深處熱愛大自然，但是一位在世界上城市中頭等重要的人物——”
“誰也不會不知道董貝先生的巨大影響，”斯丘頓夫人說道。
董貝先生點了點頭答謝這個恭維，這時那位年輕的女士向他看了一眼，碰見了他的眼光。
“您在這里居住嗎，夫人，”董貝先生向她致意道。
“不，我們在很多地方待過——哈羅蓋特①，斯卡伯勒②和德文郡③。我們一直在參觀游覽，這里停停，那里停停。媽媽喜歡變換環(huán)境?！?BR> “伊迪絲當然是不喜歡變換環(huán)境的羅，”斯丘頓夫人故意調(diào)笑逗趣地說道。
“我看不出這些地方有什么差別，”非常冷淡的回答。
“他們誹謗我。只有一個變換是我真正向往的，董貝先生，”斯丘頓夫人裝腔作勢地嘆了一口氣，說道，“恐怕永遠也不允許我享受到這變換后的樂趣了。人們不能寬恕一個人。
對我來說，隱居和沉思才是我們——叫什么來的？”
“如果你的意思是說樂園，媽媽，你就這樣說出來，好讓別人聽明白你的意思，”年輕的女人說道。
“我最親愛的伊迪絲，”斯丘頓夫人回答道，“你知道，我完全靠你給我記這些討厭的名字。我敢向您保證說，董貝先生，大自然打算讓我成為一個阿卡底亞④人。我在社會上已經(jīng)被拋棄了。牛群就是我的愛好。我所夢寐以求的就是隱居到一個瑞士的農(nóng)場，完全生活在牛群——與瓷器的環(huán)境之中?！?BR> --------
①哈羅蓋特（Harrogate）：英格蘭北部約克郡的自治市，是游覽勝地。
②斯卡伯勒（Scarborough）：英格蘭北部約克郡的自治市，是海濱游覽勝地。
③德文郡（Devonshire）：英格蘭西南部的一個郡，是英格蘭第三大郡。
④阿卡底亞：古希臘山地牧區(qū)，是風光明媚、人情淳樸的理想鄉(xiāng)，類似我國的世外桃源。
這兩個事物被這樣奇妙地拼搭在一起，使人聯(lián)想起那頭誤入瓷器店的公牛①；董貝先生十分認真地聽著；他發(fā)表意見說，大自然無疑是個很值得尊敬的創(chuàng)造。
“我所需要的，”斯丘頓夫人捏著她干癟的喉嚨，慢聲慢氣地說道，“就是心?！彼f的這一點在某種意義上是可怕地正確的②，雖然這并不是她所想要表達的意思，“我所需要的是坦率、信任、少些客套和讓心靈自由奔放。我們是多么可怕地虛假呀?！?BR> --------
①闖進瓷器店的公牛（abullinachinashop）：英國成語，通常用來形容魯莽闖禍的人。
②指她的心臟已經(jīng)哀老，需要換顆新的了。
我們的確是這樣。
“總之，”斯丘頓夫人說道，“我到處都需要自然。那會是多么可愛啊。”
“大自然現(xiàn)在邀請我們上別處去了，媽媽，如果你同意的話，”年輕的女士歪著美麗的嘴唇，說道。臉無血色的童仆一直站在椅子背后觀察著這一伙人，這時聽到這個暗示以后，就在椅子后面消失不見了，仿佛土地已經(jīng)把他吞下去似的。
“等一會兒，威瑟斯，”當椅子開始移動的時候，斯丘頓夫人無精打采而又端莊威嚴地向童仆呼喊道；她在往昔的日子里就是用這樣的神態(tài)呼喊戴著假發(fā)、拿著菜花的花束、穿著長統(tǒng)絲襪的車夫的。“你待在哪里，可惡的人？”
少校和他的朋友董貝住在皇家旅館。
“如果你已經(jīng)改邪歸正的話，你可以在任何一個晚上來看我們，”斯丘頓夫人吐字不清地說道，“如果董貝先生肯大駕光臨的話，那么我們將感到不勝榮幸。威瑟斯，走吧！”
少校又一次把她那模仿克利奧佩特拉的姿態(tài)，故意漫不經(jīng)心地擱在輪椅橫邊上的指尖緊緊壓在他的發(fā)青的嘴唇上；董貝先生則向她們鞠躬。年老的夫人對他們兩人和藹可親地微笑了一下，少女似地揮了揮手，作為回禮；年輕的女士則按照通常的禮貌，極為輕輕地點了點頭。
母親那皺巴巴的臉孔，上面敷蓋著一層飾顏片①的顏色，在陽光下比沒有任何顏色顯得更加枯槁和丑陋；女兒則身材優(yōu)美，舉止高雅；少校和董貝向那位母親的臉孔與那位女兒高傲而美麗的容貌看了最后一眼之后，都情不自禁地希望目送著她們離開，所以兩人都在同一個瞬間轉(zhuǎn)回了身子，童仆身子幾乎和他自己的影子一樣傾斜，正像一個緩慢的破城槌②一樣，辛辛苦苦地推著椅子上坡；克利奧佩特拉的軟帽絲毫不差地在原先的部位上擺動；那位美人獨自一人稍稍走在前面，在她從頭到腳的整個優(yōu)雅的身形中，跟原先一樣，表露出完全目空一切事物和一切人們的神情。
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①飾顏片：17、18世紀時，歐洲婦女貼在臉上增加美觀的小綢片。
②破城槌：古代攻打城門，向城門猛烈敲打的槌子。
“這是我要跟您說的，先生，”當他們重新散步的時候，少校說道，“如果喬·白格斯托克比現(xiàn)在年輕一些，除了那個女人，世界上沒有別的女人他最愿意娶來當白格斯托克夫人的了。確實是這樣，先生！”少校說，“她是絕色佳人啊。”
“您是指女兒嗎？”董貝先生問道。
“難道喬·白是個蘿卜嗎，董貝，他竟會指母親？”少校說。
“您剛才恭維母親啊，”董貝先生說道。
“那是舊日的情焰啦，先生，”白格斯托克少校吃吃地笑道，“非常非常舊的了。我迎合她?！?BR> “我覺得她完全是上流社會中有很好教養(yǎng)的人。”董貝先生說。
“上流社會中有很好教養(yǎng)的人，先生！”少校突然停下來，凝視著他的旅伴的臉孔，說道，“尊貴的斯丘頓夫人，先生，是已故的那位菲尼克斯勛爵的妹妹，現(xiàn)在那位菲尼克斯勛爵的姑媽。這個家庭并不富有——事實上他們是窮的——，她依靠從丈夫那里繼承下來的一點財產(chǎn)過活。但是如果您要提到門第的話，先生！”少校揮了揮手杖，繼續(xù)往前走，覺得毫無辦法解釋如果您要提到那一點的話，您將會怎么樣。
“我注意到，”董貝先生在短暫的沉默后說道，“您稱那位女兒為格蘭杰夫人?！?BR> “伊迪絲·斯丘頓，先生，”少校回答道，又突然停下來，用手杖在地上戳了個小坑來代表她，“十八歲的時候嫁給我們部隊的格蘭杰；”少校又戳了一個小坑來代表他?！案裉m杰，先生，”少校用手杖敲敲第二個想象中的畫像，富于表情地搖晃著腦袋，說道，“是我們部隊的上校，一位非常非常英俊的家伙，先生，四十一歲。在結(jié)婚的第二年，先生，他死了。”少校用手杖向代表已故的格蘭杰的身體戳下去，戳下去，然后把手杖掛在肩膀上，繼續(xù)向前走。
“這是多久的事了？”董貝先生又躊躇了一會兒以后問道。
“伊迪絲·格蘭杰，先生，”少校閉上一只眼睛，頭歪到一側(cè)，把手杖遞到左手，右手撫平襯衫的褶邊，回答道，“現(xiàn)在還不到三十歲。他媽的，先生，”少校說道，一邊又把手杖掛到肩膀上，重新向前走，“她是舉世無雙的女人！”
“有孩子嗎？”董貝先生不久問道。
“有，先生，”少校說，“有一個男孩?！?BR> 董貝先生的眼睛凝視著地面，臉上罩上了一層陰影。
“他淹死了，先生，”少校繼續(xù)說道，“那時他四、五歲?！?BR> “真的嗎？”董貝先生抬起頭來問道。
“由于小船翻了的緣故，他的保姆本來不應該把他放到小船上去的，”少校說道，“這就是他的歷史。伊迪絲·格蘭杰依然還是伊迪絲·格蘭杰；但是如果堅強不屈的老喬?！ぐ住つ贻p一些，有錢一些的話。先生，那么這位不朽的尤物就該姓白格斯托克了?！?BR> 少校說這些話的時候，肩膀和臉頰一起一伏地顫動著，同時放聲大笑著，比先前更像是個吃喝過度的梅菲斯托菲爾斯。
“您是說如果那位女士不反對的話，我想，”董貝先生冷冰冰地說道。
“天哪，先生，”少校說道，“白格斯托克家族的人是不考慮這一類障礙的。不過，這倒也確實不錯，伊迪絲要不是因為高傲，本該結(jié)過二十次婚了，先生，就因為高傲啊。”
從董貝先生臉上的表情看來，他并不因為這個原因?qū)λa(chǎn)生壞的想法。
“這畢竟是個偉大的品質(zhì)，”少校說道，“我敢向天主發(fā)誓，這是個高貴的品質(zhì)！董貝！您本人也是高傲的，您的朋友老喬由于這個緣故而尊敬您，先生?！?BR> 少校似乎是由于形勢所迫，也是由于他們談話不可抗拒的趨勢，對他的旅伴的性格說出了這番頌辭，然后就結(jié)束了這個話題，改為泛泛地談論那些出色的女人與漂亮的人兒怎樣對他鐘情和寵愛的事情。
隔一天以后，董貝先生和少校在礦泉飲水處遇見了斯丘頓夫人和她的女兒；第二天，他們又在他們第一次遇見她們的地方的附近遇見了她們。這樣遇見她們?nèi)?、四次之后，老熟人之間的禮貌要求少校該在一個晚上去看看她們。董貝先生最初并不打算拜訪，但當少校表明他的意向后，他說他將高興陪他去。因此少校在晚飯前吩咐本地人前去她們那里轉(zhuǎn)達他和董貝先生的問候，并告訴她們，如果沒有別人在那里的話，他們當天晚上將榮幸地前去拜訪她們兩位女士。本地人帶回來一張很小的散發(fā)出大量香水氣味的便條，那是尊貴的斯丘頓夫人寫給白格斯托克少校的，作為對帶去的口信的回答。便條上寫著：“你是頭壞透了的熊。我真不想饒恕你。但是如果你現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)走上正路，確實很好的話，”她在這下面劃上了橫線，“那么你可以來。請代我（連同伊迪絲）向董貝先生致意?！?BR> 斯丘頓夫人和她的女兒格蘭杰夫人在萊明頓期間居住在很時髦、很昂貴，但面積和設備卻相當有限的寓所中；因此，當斯丘頓夫人躺在床上的時候，她的腳得擱到窗子上，她的頭得擱到壁爐上；斯丘頓夫人的女仆擠住在會客室中的一個極小的壁櫥里；為了不露出它里面的全部東西，她得像一條美麗的蛇一樣，扭進門里去，并從門里扭出來。童仆威瑟斯不是睡在這個屋子里，而是睡在鄰近牛奶店的屋頂下；這位年輕的西西弗斯的石頭①—輪椅在同一個牛奶店的棚屋里過夜；這家店鋪的雞鴨在棚屋里下蛋，它們棲息在一輛破舊的二輪驢車上；顯然，它們相信這車子是生長在那里的一種樹木。
董貝先生和少?？吹剿骨痤D夫人穿著很輕薄的衣衫，采取克利奧佩特拉的姿態(tài)，坐在一張沙發(fā)的軟墊中間，當然并不像莎士比亞筆下那年齡不能使她衰老的克利奧佩特拉②。他們走上樓的時候，曾聽到豎琴的聲音，但當通報他們來到的時候，琴聲停止了，伊迪絲比先前更美麗更傲慢地站在琴邊。這位女士的美貌有一個特點，就是不用她本人幫助，而且違反她本人的意愿，就自我宣揚出來，自我肯定下來。她知道她是美麗的，不可能不是這樣，但她似乎高傲地公然反抗自己。
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①西西弗斯（Sisyphus）：希臘神話中的科林斯王，因生時作惡多端，得罪了神，死后墮入地獄，被罰推石上山，但石到山頂?shù)臅r候就要倒?jié)L下來，永遠如此，使他勞苦不已。
②見莎士比亞所著戲劇《安東尼與克利奧佩特拉》第二幕第二場：
愛諾巴勃斯：“不，他決不會丟棄她，年齡不能使她衰老，習慣也腐蝕不了她的變化無窮的伎倆。別的女人使人日久生厭，她卻越是給人滿足，越是使人饑渴；……”
究竟是她不重視她那只能引起對她愛慕（這種愛慕對她是毫無價值的）的魅力呢，還是她有意這樣對待她的魅力，使那些愛慕者感到這種魅力更為寶貴呢，那些把這種魅力看得很寶貴的人們很少停下來想一想。
“格蘭杰夫人，”董貝先生向她走近一步，說道，“我希望，我們不是使您停止彈琴的原因吧？”
“·你·們？哦，不！”
“那么你為什么不繼續(xù)彈下去呢，我最親愛的伊迪絲？”克利奧佩特拉問道。
“我彈不彈——都隨我自己喜歡?！?BR> 她講這些話時態(tài)度非常冷淡；這種冷淡與感覺遲鈍或麻木不仁截然不同，因為它是由于高傲的原因而有意顯露出來的；這時她用手帶過琴弦，走到房間的另一端去；她那漫不經(jīng)心的神態(tài)把她的冷淡襯托得更為突出。
“您知道嗎，董貝先生，”衰弱無力的母親玩弄著一塊手提的遮光板，說道，“我最親愛的伊迪絲偶爾跟我的意見實際上幾乎是不一致的——”
“不是偶爾吧，我們不是時常不一致嗎，媽媽？”伊迪絲說道。
“啊，不，我親愛的寶貝！別那么說，那會使我很傷心的，”她的母親回答道，一邊想用遮光板輕輕拍打她，伊迪絲卻沒有挨近去讓她拍打，“在一些小事情上，在待人接物的態(tài)度方面必須遵守的嚴格的陳規(guī)舊俗上，我的伊迪絲是經(jīng)常跟我意見不一致的，是不是？為什么我們不能更自然些呢？阿，我的天！既然在我們的心靈中灌輸進了這些急切的希望、洋溢的熱情、激動的感情，而它們又是多么十分可愛，那么為什么我們不能更自然一些呢？”
董貝先生說，她的話說得很對，很對。
“我想，如果我們設法去做，我們就能夠更自然一些?！彼骨痤D夫人說道。
“絕對不行，夫人，”少校說道，“那樣做我們受不了。除非這世界上滿都是喬·白——堅強不屈、直腸直肚的老喬，夫人，滿都是清淡的帶卵的熏鯡魚，先生——否則我們就受不了，萬萬不能那樣！”
“你這沒禮貌的異教徒！”斯丘頓夫人說道，“別吱聲！”
“克利奧佩特拉命令，安東尼·白格斯托克服從。①”少校送了一個飛吻，問答道。
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①少校在這里把自己比作馬克·安東尼。馬克·安東尼（MarkAntony，公元前82A81—30年），是古代羅馬卓越的軍事與政治預袖，凱撒的親密同僚。公元前43年，他主管東方各行省，召見埃及女王克利奧佩特拉，成為她的情夫，公元前40年，他回到意大利，與渥大維簽訂一頂協(xié)定，并與渥大維的妹妹結(jié)婚；但不出三年，他便與渥大維勢不兩立，一再去東方與克利奧佩特拉幽會，在與渥大維妹妹離婚后，終于與克利奧佩特拉結(jié)為夫妻，并因此成為全體羅馬人誅討的對象。
“這是個麻木不仁的人，”斯丘頓夫人說道，一邊狠狠地舉起遮光板，把少校擋在外面，“他沒有任何同情心；如果沒有同情心的話，我們還能生活嗎？還有什么別的能像它這么極為可愛的呢？如果沒有這道陽光照耀到我們這冰冷冰冷的土地上的話，那么我們怎么可能忍受得了這種寒冷呢？”斯丘頓夫人說，一邊整整她的花邊領布，得意揚揚地從手腕往上看，觀察著她露在衣服外面的枯瘦的胳膊所發(fā)揮的作用，“一句話，冷淡無情的人！”她又從遮光板旁邊向少?？戳艘谎?，“我想使我的世界全都是心；信仰又是這么非?？蓯?，因此我不容許你去攪亂它，你聽見了沒有？”
少?；卮鹫f，克利奧佩特拉要求全世界都是心，而且還要求全世界的心都歸她占有，這是個苛刻的要求；這迫使克利奧佩特拉提醒他，諂媚是她所不能忍受的，如果他膽敢再用這種腔調(diào)來對她說話，那么她一定要把他攆回家去。
這時臉無血色的威瑟斯送上茶來，董貝先生又轉(zhuǎn)向伊迪絲。
“這里似乎沒有什么社交活動吧？”董貝先生保持著他那特有的自命不凡的紳士派頭，說道。
“我想沒有。我們沒有看到?！?BR> “啊，真的，”斯丘頓夫人從她的長沙發(fā)椅中說道，“現(xiàn)在這里沒有什么我們愿意跟他們來往的人?！?BR> “他們沒有足夠的心，”伊迪絲露出一絲微笑，說道。這是若隱若現(xiàn)的微笑，就像薄暮或黎明，光明與黑暗是多么奇怪地混合在一起。
“你看，我最親愛的伊迪絲在嘲笑我呢！”母親搖搖頭說道；她的頭有時無意在搖著，仿佛麻痹癥不時發(fā)作一下，要跟不時閃耀著的鉆石比賽高低似的?！皦臇|西！”
“如果我沒錯，您以前來過這里吧？”董貝先生仍然對著伊迪絲，說道。
“啊，來過好幾次了。我想我們什么地方都去過了?！?BR> “這是個美麗的地方！”
“我想是的，人人都這么說?！?BR> “你的表哥菲尼克斯對它喜歡得就像入了迷似的，伊迪絲，”她的母親從長沙發(fā)椅中插嘴道。
女兒輕微地轉(zhuǎn)過她那美麗的頭，稍稍揚起眉毛，仿佛她的表哥菲尼克斯是塵世間最不值得注意的人似的；她的眼睛又轉(zhuǎn)向董貝先生。
“考慮到我審美能力的聲譽，我希望我對附近的地方都已厭倦了，”她說道。
“您也許很有理由覺得這樣吧，夫人，”他朝大量散擺在房間四處的各種風景畫看了一眼，說道；他已看出其中有幾幅是描寫附近的景致的，“如果這些美麗的作品是出于您的手筆的話?！?BR> 她沒有回答他，而是以目空一切的美人的姿態(tài)，十分驚異地坐在那里。
“是不是這樣？”董貝先生問道，“它們是不是您畫的？”
“是的?！?BR> “您還會彈琴，我早知道了?！?BR> “是的?！?BR> “還會唱歌吧？”
“是的。”
她用奇怪的、勉強的口吻回答這些問題，并露出跟自己對抗的神情；前面已經(jīng)指出，這是她的美貌的一個特點?？墒撬⒉痪执俨话?，而完全是泰然自若。她似乎也并不希望避開談話，因為她的臉朝著他，她的態(tài)度也盡可能地注意著他；當他沉默的時候，她也依然如此。
“您至少有許多方法來排遣煩悶，”董貝先生說道。
“不管它們的效果怎么樣，”她回答道，“這些方法現(xiàn)在您全都知道了。我沒有什么別的方法?！?BR> “我可以希望把它們的效果全部證明一下嗎？”董貝先生放下手中的一幅圖畫，指著豎琴，莊嚴而又殷勤地問道。
“啊，當然可以，如果您愿意的話?！?BR> 她一邊說，一邊站起來；當她走過母親的長沙發(fā)椅時，她向那里投去了莊嚴的眼光，時間是短促的一瞬，但它卻包含了許多表情，其中那若隱若現(xiàn)的微笑把其余的表情都遮蔽了；——她就這樣走出了房間。
少校這時得到了完全的寬恕；他把一個有輪子的小桌子推到克利奧佩特拉身旁，坐下來跟她玩皮基特牌①。董貝先生不懂得玩這種紙牌；當伊迪絲沒有回來的時候，他就坐下來看他們玩，從中學習。
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①皮基特牌：一種二人玩的紙牌游戲。
“我希望，我們將聽到音樂吧，董貝先生？”克利奧佩特拉說道。
“承蒙格蘭杰夫人的厚意，她已經(jīng)答應了，”董貝先生說道。
“啊，好極了。是你建議的嗎，少校？”
“不是，夫人，”少校說，“我提不出這樣的建議?！?BR> “你是個野蠻人，”那位夫人回答道，“我的手氣都給你敗壞，打不出好牌來了。您喜歡音樂吧，董貝先生？”
“非常喜歡?！边@是董貝先生的回答。
“是的。好極了?！笨死麏W佩特拉看著紙牌，說道，“音樂包含著許多心，它使人模糊地回想起人類往昔的生存狀態(tài)——還有很多別的東西，那確實是多么可愛。您可知道，”克利奧佩特拉竊笑著，一邊把抓進來的那張腳朝天的梅花杰克掉過頭去，“如果有什么東西誘使我結(jié)束我的生命的話，那就是想要了解我們周圍的一切究竟是什么、它的意義究竟是什么的好奇心；確實，有那么耐人尋味的秘密隱藏著，我們還不知道。少校，你出牌！”
少校出了牌；董貝先生繼續(xù)看著，從中學習，他本來很早就已完全看不明白了，可是他根本沒有注意玩牌，而是坐在那里納悶：伊迪絲什么時候才會回來呢。
她終于回來了，并且在豎琴前面坐下來；董貝先生站起身來，站在她旁邊，聽著。他對音樂沒有什么欣賞力，對她彈奏的曲調(diào)一無所知，但是他看見她向豎琴彎下身子，也許他還在琴弦的聲音中聽到在什么遙遠的地方響起了他自己的音樂；它馴服了鐵路這個怪物，使它不像過去那么難以抗拒了。
克利奧佩特拉玩皮基特牌的時候，眼睛確實敏銳。它們像鳥兒的眼睛一樣閃著光，而且沒有死死盯在紙牌上，而是注視著整個房間，從這一端到那一端，毫無疏漏。它們的光閃射到豎琴上，閃射到彈琴人的身上，閃射到聽琴人的身上，閃射到每一樣東西上。
傲慢的美人彈完之后，站起來，用跟先前一樣的態(tài)度接受了董貝先生的感謝與恭維；然后幾乎沒有停歇地走向鋼琴，開始彈奏起來。
伊迪絲·格蘭杰，您不論彈唱哪首歌曲都可以，但請別彈唱這首歌曲吧！伊迪絲·格蘭杰，您是很標致的，您的指法是出色的，您的聲音是深沉和嘹亮的，但是請您別彈唱他的受冷落的女兒曾經(jīng)唱給他的死去的兒子聽的這首歌曲吧！
啊，他沒有聽出來；如果他聽出來的話，還有什么歌曲能像這首歌曲那樣，會把他這冷酷的人攪得心神不寧呢！安睡吧。孤獨的弗洛倫斯，安睡吧！雖然夜已經(jīng)黑了，烏云正在密布，好像就要下冰雹了，但祝愿您的夢是安寧的！
The MAJOR, more blue-faced and staring - more over-ripe, as it were, than ever - and giving vent, every now and then, to one of the horse's coughs, not so much of necessity as in a spontaneous explosion of importance, walked arm-in-arm with Mr Dombey up the sunny side of the way, with his cheeks swelling over his tight stock, his legs majestically wide apart, and his great head wagging from side to side, as if he were remonstrating within himself for being such a captivating object. They had not walked many yards, before the Major encountered somebody he knew, nor many yards farther before the Major encountered somebody else he knew, but he merely shook his fingers at them as he passed, and led Mr Dombey on: pointing out the localities as they went, and enlivening the walk with any current scandal suggested by them.
In this manner the Major and Mr Dombey were walking arm-in-arm, much to their own satisfaction, when they beheld advancing towards them, a wheeled chair, in which a lady was seated, indolently steering her carriage by a kind of rudder in front, while it was propelled by some unseen power in the rear. Although the lady was not young, she was very blooming in the face - quite rosy- and her dress and attitude were perfectly juvenile. Walking by the side of the chair, and carrying her gossamer parasol with a proud and weary air, as if so great an effort must be soon abandoned and the parasol dropped, sauntered a much younger lady, very handsome, very haughty, very wilful, who tossed her head and drooped her eyelids, as though, if there were anything in all the world worth looking into, save a mirror, it certainly was not the earth or sky.
'Why, what the devil have we here, Sir!' cried the Major, stopping as this little cavalcade drew near.
'My dearest Edith!' drawled the lady in the chair, 'Major Bagstock!'
The Major no sooner heard the voice, than he relinquished Mr Dombey's arm, darted forward, took the hand of the lady in the chair and pressed it to his lips. With no less gallantry, the Major folded both his gloves upon his heart, and bowed low to the other lady. And now, the chair having stopped, the motive power became visible in the shape of a flushed page pushing behind, who seemed to have in part outgrown and in part out-pushed his strength, for when he stood upright he was tall, and wan, and thin, and his plight appeared the more forlorn from his having injured the shape of his hat, by butting at the carriage with his head to urge it forward, as is sometimes done by elephants in Oriental countries.
'Joe Bagstock,' said the Major to both ladies, 'is a proud and happy man for the rest of his life.'
'You false creature! said the old lady in the chair, insipidly. 'Where do you come from? I can't bear you.'
'Then suffer old Joe to present a friend, Ma'am,' said the Major, promptly, 'as a reason for being tolerated. Mr Dombey, Mrs Skewton.' The lady in the chair was gracious. 'Mr Dombey, Mrs Granger.' The lady with the parasol was faintly conscious of Mr Dombey's taking off his hat, and bowing low. 'I am delighted, Sir,' said the Major, 'to have this opportunity.'
The Major seemed in earnest, for he looked at all the three, and leered in his ugliest manner.
'Mrs Skewton, Dombey,' said the Major, 'makes havoc in the heart of old Josh.'
Mr Dombey signified that he didn't wonder at it.
'You perfidious goblin,' said the lady in the chair, 'have done! How long have you been here, bad man?'
'One day,' replied the Major.
'And can you be a day, or even a minute,' returned the lady, slightly settling her false curls and false eyebrows with her fan, and showing her false teeth, set off by her false complexion, 'in the garden of what's-its-name
'Eden, I suppose, Mama,' interrupted the younger lady, scornfully.
'My dear Edith,' said the other, 'I cannot help it. I never can remember those frightful names - without having your whole Soul and Being inspired by the sight of Nature; by the perfume,' said Mrs Skewton, rustling a handkerchief that was faint and sickly with essences, 'of her artless breath, you creature!'
The discrepancy between Mrs Skewton's fresh enthusiasm of words, and forlornly faded manner, was hardly less observable than that between her age, which was about seventy, and her dress, which would have been youthful for twenty-seven. Her attitude in the wheeled chair (which she never varied) was one in which she had been taken in a barouche, some fifty years before, by a then fashionable artist who had appended to his published sketch the name of Cleopatra: in consequence of a discovery made by the critics of the time, that it bore an exact resemblance to that Princess as she reclined on board her galley. Mrs Skewton was a beauty then, and bucks threw wine-glasses over their heads by dozens in her honour. The beauty and the barouche had both passed away, but she still preserved the attitude, and for this reason expressly, maintained the wheeled chair and the butting page: there being nothing whatever, except the attitude, to prevent her from walking.
'Mr Dombey is devoted to Nature, I trust?' said Mrs Skewton, settling her diamond brooch. And by the way, she chiefly lived upon the reputation of some diamonds, and her family connexions.
'My friend Dombey, Ma'am,' returned the Major, 'may be devoted to her in secret, but a man who is paramount in the greatest city in the universe -
'No one can be a stranger,' said Mrs Skewton, 'to Mr Dombey's immense influence.'
As Mr Dombey acknowledged the compliment with a bend of his head, the younger lady glancing at him, met his eyes.
'You reside here, Madam?' said Mr Dombey, addressing her.
'No, we have been to a great many places. To Harrogate and Scarborough, and into Devonshire. We have been visiting, and resting here and there. Mama likes change.'
'Edith of course does not,' said Mrs Skewton, with a ghastly archness.
'I have not found that there is any change in such places,' was the answer, delivered with supreme indifference.
'They libel me. There is only one change, Mr Dombey,' observed Mrs Skewton, with a mincing sigh, 'for which I really care, and that I fear I shall never be permitted to enjoy. People cannot spare one. But seclusion and contemplation are my what-his-name - '
'If you mean Paradise, Mama, you had better say so, to render yourself intelligible,' said the younger lady.
'My dearest Edith,' returned Mrs Skewton, 'you know that I am wholly dependent upon you for those odious names. I assure you, Mr Dombey, Nature intended me for an Arcadian. I am thrown away in society. Cows are my passion. What I have ever sighed for, has been to retreat to a Swiss farm, and live entirely surrounded by cows - and china.'
This curious association of objects, suggesting a remembrance of the celebrated bull who got by mistake into a crockery shop, was received with perfect gravity by Mr Dombey, who intimated his opinion that Nature was, no doubt, a very respectable institution.
'What I want,' drawled Mrs Skewton, pinching her shrivelled throat, 'is heart.' It was frightfully true in one sense, if not in that in which she used the phrase. 'What I want, is frankness, confidence, less conventionality, and freer play of soul. We are so dreadfully artificial.'
We were, indeed.
'In short,' said Mrs Skewton, 'I want Nature everywhere. It would be so extremely charming.'
'Nature is inviting us away now, Mama, if you are ready,' said the younger lady, curling her handsome lip. At this hint, the wan page, who had been surveying the party over the top of the chair, vanished behind it, as if the ground had swallowed him up.
'Stop a moment, Withers!' said Mrs Skewton, as the chair began to move; calling to the page with all the languid dignity with which she had called in days of yore to a coachman with a wig, cauliflower nosegay, and silk stockings. 'Where are you staying, abomination?' The Major was staying at the Royal Hotel, with his friend Dombey.
'You may come and see us any evening when you are good,' lisped Mrs Skewton. 'If Mr Dombey will honour us, we shall be happy. Withers, go on!'
The Major again pressed to his blue lips the tips of the fingers that were disposed on the ledge of the wheeled chair with careful carelessness, after the Cleopatra model: and Mr Dombey bowed. The elder lady honoured them both with a very gracious smile and a girlish wave of her hand; the younger lady with the very slightest inclination of her head that common courtesy allowed.
The last glimpse of the wrinkled face of the mother, with that patched colour on it which the sun made infinitely more haggard and dismal than any want of colour could have been, and of the proud beauty of the daughter with her graceful figure and erect deportment, engendered such an involuntary disposition on the part of both the Major and Mr Dombey to look after them, that they both turned at the same moment. The Page, nearly as much aslant as his own shadow, was toiling after the chair, uphill, like a slow battering-ram; the top of Cleopatra's bonnet was fluttering in exactly the same corner to the inch as before; and the Beauty, loitering by herself a little in advance, expressed in all her elegant form, from head to foot, the same supreme disregard of everything and everybody.
'I tell you what, Sir,' said the Major, as they resumed their walk again. 'If Joe Bagstock were a younger man, there's not a woman in the world whom he'd prefer for Mrs Bagstock to that woman. By George, Sir!' said the Major, 'she's superb!'
'Do you mean the daughter?' inquired Mr Dombey.
'Is Joey B. a turnip, Dombey,' said the Major, 'that he should mean the mother?'
'You were complimentary to the mother,' returned Mr Dombey.
'An ancient flame, Sir,' chuckled Major Bagstock. 'Devilish ancient. I humour her.'
'She impresses me as being perfectly genteel,' said Mr Dombey.
'Genteel, Sir,' said the Major, stopping short, and staring in his companion's face. 'The Honourable Mrs Skewton, Sir, is sister to the late Lord Feenix, and aunt to the present Lord. The family are not wealthy - they're poor, indeed - and she lives upon a small jointure; but if you come to blood, Sir!' The Major gave a flourish with his stick and walked on again, in despair of being able to say what you came to, if you came to that.
'You addressed the daughter, I observed,' said Mr Dombey, after a short pause, 'as Mrs Granger.'
'Edith Skewton, Sir,' returned the Major, stopping short again, and punching a mark in the ground with his cane, to represent her, 'married (at eighteen) Granger of Ours;' whom the Major indicated by another punch. 'Granger, Sir,' said the Major, tapping the last ideal portrait, and rolling his head emphatically, 'was Colonel of Ours; a de-vilish handsome fellow, Sir, of forty-one. He died, Sir, in the second year of his marriage.' The Major ran the representative of the deceased Granger through and through the body with his walking-stick, and went on again, carrying his stick over his shoulder.
'How long is this ago?' asked Mr Dombey, making another halt.
'Edith Granger, Sir,' replied the Major, shutting one eye, putting his head on one side, passing his cane into his left hand, and smoothing his shirt-frill with his right, 'is, at this present time, not quite thirty. And damme, Sir,' said the Major, shouldering his stick once more, and walking on again, 'she's a peerless woman!'
'Was there any family?' asked Mr Dombey presently.
'Yes, Sir,' said the Major. 'There was a boy.'
Mr Dombey's eyes sought the ground, and a shade came over his face.
'Who was drowned, Sir,' pursued the Major. 'When a child of four or five years old.'
'Indeed?' said Mr Dombey, raising his head.
'By the upsetting of a boat in which his nurse had no business to have put him,' said the Major. 'That's his history. Edith Granger is Edith Granger still; but if tough old Joey B., Sir, were a little younger and a little richer, the name of that immortal paragon should be Bagstock.'
The Major heaved his shoulders, and his cheeks, and laughed more like an over-fed Mephistopheles than ever, as he said the words.
'Provided the lady made no objection, I suppose?' said Mr Dombey coldly.
'By Gad, Sir,' said the Major, 'the Bagstock breed are not accustomed to that sort of obstacle. Though it's true enough that Edith might have married twenty times, but for being proud, Sir, proud.'
Mr Dombey seemed, by his face, to think no worse of her for that.
'It's a great quality after all,' said the Major. 'By the Lord, it's a high quality! Dombey! You are proud yourself, and your friend, Old Joe, respects you for it, Sir.'
With this tribute to the character of his ally, which seemed to be wrung from him by the force of circumstances and the irresistible tendency of their conversation, the Major closed the subject, and glided into a general exposition of the extent to which he had been beloved and doted on by splendid women and brilliant creatures.
On the next day but one, Mr Dombey and the Major encountered the Honourable Mrs Skewton and her daughter in the Pump-room; on the day after, they met them again very near the place where they had met them first. After meeting them thus, three or four times in all, it became a point of mere civility to old acquaintances that the Major should go there one evening. Mr Dombey had not originally intended to pay visits, but on the Major announcing this intention, he said he would have the pleasure of accompanying him. So the Major told the Native to go round before dinner, and say, with his and Mr Dombey's compliments, that they would have the honour of visiting the ladies that same evening, if the ladies were alone. In answer to which message, the Native brought back a very small note with a very large quantity of scent about it, indited by the Honourable Mrs Skewton to Major Bagstock, and briefly saying, 'You are a shocking bear and I have a great mind not to forgive you, but if you are very good indeed,' which was underlined, 'you may come. Compliments (in which Edith unites) to Mr Dombey.'
The Honourable Mrs Skewton and her daughter, Mrs Granger, resided, while at Leamington, in lodgings that were fashionable enough and dear enough, but rather limited in point of space and conveniences; so that the Honourable Mrs Skewton, being in bed, had her feet in the window and her head in the fireplace, while the Honourable Mrs Skewton's maid was quartered in a closet within the drawing-room, so extremely small, that, to avoid developing the whole of its accommodations, she was obliged to writhe in and out of the door like a beautiful serpent. Withers, the wan page, slept out of the house immediately under the tiles at a neighbouring milk-shop; and the wheeled chair, which was the stone of that young Sisyphus, passed the night in a shed belonging to the same dairy, where new-laid eggs were produced by the poultry connected with the establishment, who roosted on a broken donkey-cart, persuaded, to all appearance, that it grew there, and was a species of tree.
Mr Dombey and the Major found Mrs Skewton arranged, as Cleopatra, among the cushions of a sofa: very airily dressed; and certainly not resembling Shakespeare's Cleopatra, whom age could not wither. On their way upstairs they had heard the sound of a harp, but it had ceased on their being announced, and Edith now stood beside it handsomer and haughtier than ever. It was a remarkable characteristic of this lady's beauty that it appeared to vaunt and assert itself without her aid, and against her will. She knew that she was beautiful: it was impossible that it could be otherwise: but she seemed with her own pride to defy her very self.
Whether she held cheap attractions that could only call forth admiration that was worthless to her, or whether she designed to render them more precious to admirers by this usage of them, those to whom they were precious seldom paused to consider.
'I hope, Mrs Granger,' said Mr Dombey, advancing a step towards her, 'we are not the cause of your ceasing to play?'
'You! oh no!'
'Why do you not go on then, my dearest Edith?' said Cleopatra.
'I left off as I began - of my own fancy.'
The exquisite indifference of her manner in saying this: an indifference quite removed from dulness or insensibility, for it was pointed with proud purpose: was well set off by the carelessness with which she drew her hand across the strings, and came from that part of the room.
'Do you know, Mr Dombey,' said her languishing mother, playing with a hand-screen, 'that occasionally my dearest Edith and myself actually almost differ - '
'Not quite, sometimes, Mama?' said Edith.
'Oh never quite, my darling! Fie, fie, it would break my heart,' returned her mother, making a faint attempt to pat her with the screen, which Edith made no movement to meet, ' - about these old conventionalities of manner that are observed in little things? Why are we not more natural? Dear me! With all those yearnings, and gushings, and impulsive throbbings that we have implanted in our souls, and which are so very charming, why are we not more natural?'
Mr Dombey said it was very true, very true.
'We could be more natural I suppose if we tried?' said Mrs Skewton.
Mr Dombey thought it possible.
'Devil a bit, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'We couldn't afford it. Unless the world was peopled with J.B.'s - tough and blunt old Joes, Ma'am, plain red herrings with hard roes, Sir - we couldn't afford it. It wouldn't do.'
'You naughty Infidel,' said Mrs Skewton, 'be mute.'
'Cleopatra commands,' returned the Major, kissing his hand, 'and Antony Bagstock obeys.'
'The man has no sensitiveness,' said Mrs Skewton, cruelly holding up the hand-screen so as to shut the Major out. 'No sympathy. And what do we live for but sympathy! What else is so extremely charming! Without that gleam of sunshine on our cold cold earth,' said Mrs Skewton, arranging her lace tucker, and complacently observing the effect of her bare lean arm, looking upward from the wrist, 'how could we possibly bear it? In short, obdurate man!' glancing at the Major, round the screen, 'I would have my world all heart; and Faith is so excessively charming, that I won't allow you to disturb it, do you hear?'
The Major replied that it was hard in Cleopatra to require the world to be all heart, and yet to appropriate to herself the hearts of all the world; which obliged Cleopatra to remind him that flattery was insupportable to her, and that if he had the boldness to address her in that strain any more, she would positively send him home.
Withers the Wan, at this period, handing round the tea, Mr Dombey again addressed himself to Edith.
'There is not much company here, it would seem?' said Mr Dombey, in his own portentous gentlemanly way.
'I believe not. We see none.'
'Why really,' observed Mrs Skewton fom her couch, 'there are no people here just now with whom we care to associate.'
'They have not enough heart,' said Edith, with a smile. The very twilight of a smile: so singularly were its light and darkness blended.
'My dearest Edith rallies me, you see!' said her mother, shaking her head: which shook a little of itself sometimes, as if the palsy Bed now and then in opposition to the diamonds. 'Wicked one!'
'You have been here before, if I am not mistaken?' said Mr Dombey. Still to Edith.
'Oh, several times. I think we have been everywhere.'
'A beautiful country!'
'I suppose it is. Everybody says so.'
'Your cousin Feenix raves about it, Edith,' interposed her mother from her couch.
The daughter slightly turned her graceful head, and raising her eyebrows by a hair's-breadth, as if her cousin Feenix were of all the mortal world the least to be regarded, turned her eyes again towards Mr Dombey.
'I hope, for the credit of my good taste, that I am tired of the neighbourhood,' she said.
'You have almost reason to be, Madam,' he replied, glancing at a variety of landscape drawings, of which he had already recognised several as representing neighbouring points of view, and which were strewn abundantly about the room, 'if these beautiful productions are from your hand.'
She gave him no reply, but sat in a disdainful beauty, quite amazing.
'Have they that interest?' said Mr Dombey. 'Are they yours?'
'Yes.'
'And you play, I already know.'
'Yes.'
'And sing?'
'Yes.'
She answered all these questions with a strange reluctance; and with that remarkable air of opposition to herself, already noticed as belonging to her beauty. Yet she was not embarrassed, but wholly self-possessed. Neither did she seem to wish to avoid the conversation, for she addressed her face, and - so far as she could - her manner also, to him; and continued to do so, when he was silent.
'You have many resources against weariness at least,' said Mr Dombey.
'Whatever their efficiency may be,' she returned, 'you know them all now. I have no more.
'May I hope to prove them all?' said Mr Dombey, with solemn gallantry, laying down a drawing he had held, and motioning towards the harp.
'Oh certainly) If you desire it!'
She rose as she spoke, and crossing by her mother's couch, and directing a stately look towards her, which was instantaneous in its duration, but inclusive (if anyone had seen it) of a multitude of expressions, among which that of the twilight smile, without the smile itself, overshadowed all the rest, went out of the room.
The Major, who was quite forgiven by this time, had wheeled a little table up to Cleopatra, and was sitting down to play picquet with her. Mr Dombey, not knowing the game, sat down to watch them for his edification until Edith should return.
'We are going to have some music, Mr Dombey, I hope?' said Cleopatra.
'Mrs Granger has been kind enough to promise so,' said Mr Dombey.
'Ah! That's very nice. Do you propose, Major?'
'No, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'Couldn't do it.'
'You're a barbarous being,' replied the lady, 'and my hand's destroyed. You are fond of music, Mr Dombey?'
'Eminently so,' was Mr Dombey's answer.
'Yes. It's very nice,' said Cleopatra, looking at her cards. 'So much heart in it - undeveloped recollections of a previous state of existence' - and all that - which is so truly charming. Do you know,' simpered Cleopatra, reversing the knave of clubs, who had come into her game with his heels uppermost, 'that if anything could tempt me to put a period to my life, it would be curiosity to find out what it's all about, and what it means; there are so many provoking mysteries, really, that are hidden from us. Major, you to play.'
The Major played; and Mr Dombey, looking on for his instruction, would soon have been in a state of dire confusion, but that he gave no attention to the game whatever, and sat wondering instead when Edith would come back.
She came at last, and sat down to her harp, and Mr Dombey rose and stood beside her, listening. He had little taste for music, and no knowledge of the strain she played, but he saw her bending over it, and perhaps he heard among the sounding strings some distant music of his own, that tamed the monster of the iron road, and made it less inexorable.
Cleopatra had a sharp eye, verily, at picquet. It glistened like a bird's, and did not fix itself upon the game, but pierced the room from end to end, and gleamed on harp, performer, listener, everything.
When the haughty beauty had concluded, she arose, and receiving Mr Dombey's thanks and compliments in exactly the same manner as before, went with scarcely any pause to the piano, and began there.
Edith Granger, any song but that! Edith Granger, you are very handsome, and your touch upon the keys is brilliant, and your voice is deep and rich; but not the air that his neglected daughter sang to his dead son)
Alas, he knows it not; and if he did, what air of hers would stir him, rigid man! Sleep, lonely Florence, sleep! Peace in thy dreams, although the night has turned dark, and the clouds are gathering, and threaten to discharge themselves in hail!
少校和董貝先生手挽著手，沿著街道上曬到陽光的一邊走去；少校的臉色更加發(fā)青，眼睛鼓得更加凸出——好像比過去成熟得更過度了——，并不時發(fā)出一聲馬的咳嗽般的聲音，這與其說是出于必要，倒還不如說是本能地要裝出自尊自大的神氣；他的臉頰漲鼓鼓地懸垂在緊繃繃的衣領上，兩只腿威風凜凜地跨得很開，大大的頭從一邊搖晃到另一邊，仿佛在心里責備自己為什么要成為這樣有魅力的人物。他們沒有走好多碼遠，少校遇到了一位熟人；沒有再走幾碼遠，他又遇到了另一位熟人；但是他走過的時候，只是向他們揮動一下手指頭，就繼續(xù)領著董貝先生向前走；一路上向他指點名勝地點，并講一些使他聯(lián)想起來的奇聞怪事，使散步增添生趣。
當少校和董貝先生這樣手挽著手、洋洋自得地向前走著的時候，他們看到前面一個輪椅正向他們移動過來；椅子里坐著一位夫人正懶洋洋地操縱著前面的舵輪，駕駛著她的車子，后面則由一種看不見的力量推著。這位夫人雖然并不年輕，但面容卻很嬌艷——十分紅潤——，她的服裝和姿態(tài)也完全跟妙齡女郎一樣。一位年輕得多的女士在輪椅旁邊悠閑地走著；她露出一種高傲而疲倦的神色，舉著一把薄紗洋傘，仿佛必須立即放棄這個十分偉大的努力，讓洋傘掉下去似的；她很美麗，很傲慢，很任性；她高昂著頭，低垂著眼皮，仿佛世界上除了鏡子之外，如果有什么值得觀看的東西，那么它肯定不是地面或天空。
“哎呀，我們遇見什么魔鬼啦，先生！”當這一小隊人馬走近的時候，少校停下腳步，喊道。
“我最親愛的伊迪絲！”輪椅中的夫人慢聲慢氣地說道，“白格斯托克少校！”
少校一聽到這個聲音，就放下董貝先生的胳膊，向前奔去，然后拉起椅子中的夫人的手，緊貼著他的嘴唇。少校以同樣殷勤的態(tài)度，把兩只戴著手套的手在胸前合攏，向另一位女士深深地鞠躬。現(xiàn)在，輪椅停下來了，原動力也顯露出來了；那是一位滿臉漲得通紅的童仆，就是他在后面推著輪椅的；他似乎因為個子長得過大，又過分用力，所以當他挺直站立起來的時候，他看去高大、消瘦、臉無血色。由于他像東方國家的大象那樣用頭頂著車子推動它前進，因此他的帽子的形狀也被損壞了，這就使他的境況顯得更加悲慘可憐。
“喬·白格斯托克，”少校向兩位女士說道，“在他這一生的其余日子里是個自豪和幸福的人。”
“你這個虛偽的東西！”椅子里的夫人有氣無力地說道，“你從那里來？我不能容忍你?！?BR> “那么，請允許老喬向您介紹一位朋友吧，夫人，”少校立即說道，“希望這能成為得到您寬恕的理由。董貝先生，斯丘頓夫人。”椅子中的夫人和藹親切，彬彬有禮。
“董貝先生，格蘭杰夫人?！蹦藐杺愕呐柯月宰⒁饬艘幌露愊壬撓旅弊雍蜕钌畹鼐瞎??！拔艺娓吲d能有這樣的機會，先生?！鄙傩Ｕf道。
少校似乎是認真的，因為他看著所有三個人，并以他最丑惡的神態(tài)把眼睛溜來溜去。
“董貝，”少校說道，“斯丘頓夫人蹂躪了老喬希的心?！?BR> 董貝先生表示他對這并不驚奇。
“你這背信棄義的惡鬼，”椅子中的夫人說道，“什么也別說了！你到這里有多久了，壞人？”
“一天，”少?；卮鸬?。
“難道你能在這里待上一天或哪怕是一分鐘，”那位夫人接著說道，一邊用扇子輕輕地整了整她的假卷發(fā)和假眉毛，露出了被她的假容顏襯托得格外清楚的假牙齒。“在這——叫什么的園中——”
“我想是伊甸園①吧，媽媽，”年輕的女士輕蔑地打斷道。
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①伊甸園：《圣經(jīng)》故事說，上帝創(chuàng)造了男人亞當和女人夏娃，安排他們住在伊甸園中。伊甸園中河流兩岸生長著各種花草樹木，還有各種飛禽走獸。亞當與夏娃住在伊甸園中最初過著無憂無慮的生活，因此伊甸園轉(zhuǎn)義為極樂園。
“我最親愛的伊迪絲，”另一位說道，“我沒有辦法。我永遠也記不住這些可怕的名字——難道你能在這伊甸園中待上一天，哪怕是一分鐘而沒有讓你整個靈魂和整個人受到大自然的壯觀的鼓舞嗎？又難道能使它不被大自然那純潔的呼吸的芳香所鼓舞嗎？你這個東西！”斯丘頓夫人說道，一邊沙沙作聲地揮著一塊手絹，散發(fā)出悶人的、令人欲嘔的香氣。
斯丘頓夫人活潑熱情的語言與她那衰弱無力的聲調(diào)那么不相配，就跟她的年齡——大約七十歲——與她的服裝——二十七歲的人穿起來也顯得年輕——不相配一樣令人注目。她坐在輪椅中的姿態(tài)（她從不改變這個姿態(tài)），正是大約五十年前她坐在雙馬四輪大馬車中、由當時一位風靡一時的畫家畫下的姿態(tài)；這幅肖像畫發(fā)表的時候他還給加上一個名字：克利奧佩特拉①，這是由于當時的評論家們發(fā)現(xiàn)她和這位女王斜倚在單層甲板大帆船時的風貌維妙維肖的緣故。斯丘頓夫人當時是一位美人，花花公子們幾十次舉杯向她致敬?，F(xiàn)在美貌和雙馬四輪大馬車全都不再存在了，但她依舊保持著這個姿態(tài)，而且特別由于這個原因，還依舊保留了那個輪椅并雇傭了那個用頭推車的童仆；除了這個姿態(tài)外，沒有任何其他原因妨礙她走路。
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①克利奧佩特拉（Cleopatra，公元前69—30年），古埃及最后一位女王，姿色艷麗，在位期間為公元前51—49年及48—30年。
“我相信，董貝先生是熱愛大自然的吧？”斯丘頓夫人整整她的鉆石胸針，說道。這里順便說一句，她主要是依靠她有一些鉆石的名聲和她的家族關系過日子的。
“夫人，”少?；卮鸬?，“我的朋友董貝也許在內(nèi)心深處熱愛大自然，但是一位在世界上城市中頭等重要的人物——”
“誰也不會不知道董貝先生的巨大影響，”斯丘頓夫人說道。
董貝先生點了點頭答謝這個恭維，這時那位年輕的女士向他看了一眼，碰見了他的眼光。
“您在這里居住嗎，夫人，”董貝先生向她致意道。
“不，我們在很多地方待過——哈羅蓋特①，斯卡伯勒②和德文郡③。我們一直在參觀游覽，這里停停，那里停停。媽媽喜歡變換環(huán)境?！?BR> “伊迪絲當然是不喜歡變換環(huán)境的羅，”斯丘頓夫人故意調(diào)笑逗趣地說道。
“我看不出這些地方有什么差別，”非常冷淡的回答。
“他們誹謗我。只有一個變換是我真正向往的，董貝先生，”斯丘頓夫人裝腔作勢地嘆了一口氣，說道，“恐怕永遠也不允許我享受到這變換后的樂趣了。人們不能寬恕一個人。
對我來說，隱居和沉思才是我們——叫什么來的？”
“如果你的意思是說樂園，媽媽，你就這樣說出來，好讓別人聽明白你的意思，”年輕的女人說道。
“我最親愛的伊迪絲，”斯丘頓夫人回答道，“你知道，我完全靠你給我記這些討厭的名字。我敢向您保證說，董貝先生，大自然打算讓我成為一個阿卡底亞④人。我在社會上已經(jīng)被拋棄了。牛群就是我的愛好。我所夢寐以求的就是隱居到一個瑞士的農(nóng)場，完全生活在牛群——與瓷器的環(huán)境之中?！?BR> --------
①哈羅蓋特（Harrogate）：英格蘭北部約克郡的自治市，是游覽勝地。
②斯卡伯勒（Scarborough）：英格蘭北部約克郡的自治市，是海濱游覽勝地。
③德文郡（Devonshire）：英格蘭西南部的一個郡，是英格蘭第三大郡。
④阿卡底亞：古希臘山地牧區(qū)，是風光明媚、人情淳樸的理想鄉(xiāng)，類似我國的世外桃源。
這兩個事物被這樣奇妙地拼搭在一起，使人聯(lián)想起那頭誤入瓷器店的公牛①；董貝先生十分認真地聽著；他發(fā)表意見說，大自然無疑是個很值得尊敬的創(chuàng)造。
“我所需要的，”斯丘頓夫人捏著她干癟的喉嚨，慢聲慢氣地說道，“就是心?！彼f的這一點在某種意義上是可怕地正確的②，雖然這并不是她所想要表達的意思，“我所需要的是坦率、信任、少些客套和讓心靈自由奔放。我們是多么可怕地虛假呀?！?BR> --------
①闖進瓷器店的公牛（abullinachinashop）：英國成語，通常用來形容魯莽闖禍的人。
②指她的心臟已經(jīng)哀老，需要換顆新的了。
我們的確是這樣。
“總之，”斯丘頓夫人說道，“我到處都需要自然。那會是多么可愛啊。”
“大自然現(xiàn)在邀請我們上別處去了，媽媽，如果你同意的話，”年輕的女士歪著美麗的嘴唇，說道。臉無血色的童仆一直站在椅子背后觀察著這一伙人，這時聽到這個暗示以后，就在椅子后面消失不見了，仿佛土地已經(jīng)把他吞下去似的。
“等一會兒，威瑟斯，”當椅子開始移動的時候，斯丘頓夫人無精打采而又端莊威嚴地向童仆呼喊道；她在往昔的日子里就是用這樣的神態(tài)呼喊戴著假發(fā)、拿著菜花的花束、穿著長統(tǒng)絲襪的車夫的。“你待在哪里，可惡的人？”
少校和他的朋友董貝住在皇家旅館。
“如果你已經(jīng)改邪歸正的話，你可以在任何一個晚上來看我們，”斯丘頓夫人吐字不清地說道，“如果董貝先生肯大駕光臨的話，那么我們將感到不勝榮幸。威瑟斯，走吧！”
少校又一次把她那模仿克利奧佩特拉的姿態(tài)，故意漫不經(jīng)心地擱在輪椅橫邊上的指尖緊緊壓在他的發(fā)青的嘴唇上；董貝先生則向她們鞠躬。年老的夫人對他們兩人和藹可親地微笑了一下，少女似地揮了揮手，作為回禮；年輕的女士則按照通常的禮貌，極為輕輕地點了點頭。
母親那皺巴巴的臉孔，上面敷蓋著一層飾顏片①的顏色，在陽光下比沒有任何顏色顯得更加枯槁和丑陋；女兒則身材優(yōu)美，舉止高雅；少校和董貝向那位母親的臉孔與那位女兒高傲而美麗的容貌看了最后一眼之后，都情不自禁地希望目送著她們離開，所以兩人都在同一個瞬間轉(zhuǎn)回了身子，童仆身子幾乎和他自己的影子一樣傾斜，正像一個緩慢的破城槌②一樣，辛辛苦苦地推著椅子上坡；克利奧佩特拉的軟帽絲毫不差地在原先的部位上擺動；那位美人獨自一人稍稍走在前面，在她從頭到腳的整個優(yōu)雅的身形中，跟原先一樣，表露出完全目空一切事物和一切人們的神情。
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①飾顏片：17、18世紀時，歐洲婦女貼在臉上增加美觀的小綢片。
②破城槌：古代攻打城門，向城門猛烈敲打的槌子。
“這是我要跟您說的，先生，”當他們重新散步的時候，少校說道，“如果喬·白格斯托克比現(xiàn)在年輕一些，除了那個女人，世界上沒有別的女人他最愿意娶來當白格斯托克夫人的了。確實是這樣，先生！”少校說，“她是絕色佳人啊。”
“您是指女兒嗎？”董貝先生問道。
“難道喬·白是個蘿卜嗎，董貝，他竟會指母親？”少校說。
“您剛才恭維母親啊，”董貝先生說道。
“那是舊日的情焰啦，先生，”白格斯托克少校吃吃地笑道，“非常非常舊的了。我迎合她?！?BR> “我覺得她完全是上流社會中有很好教養(yǎng)的人。”董貝先生說。
“上流社會中有很好教養(yǎng)的人，先生！”少校突然停下來，凝視著他的旅伴的臉孔，說道，“尊貴的斯丘頓夫人，先生，是已故的那位菲尼克斯勛爵的妹妹，現(xiàn)在那位菲尼克斯勛爵的姑媽。這個家庭并不富有——事實上他們是窮的——，她依靠從丈夫那里繼承下來的一點財產(chǎn)過活。但是如果您要提到門第的話，先生！”少校揮了揮手杖，繼續(xù)往前走，覺得毫無辦法解釋如果您要提到那一點的話，您將會怎么樣。
“我注意到，”董貝先生在短暫的沉默后說道，“您稱那位女兒為格蘭杰夫人?！?BR> “伊迪絲·斯丘頓，先生，”少校回答道，又突然停下來，用手杖在地上戳了個小坑來代表她，“十八歲的時候嫁給我們部隊的格蘭杰；”少校又戳了一個小坑來代表他?！案裉m杰，先生，”少校用手杖敲敲第二個想象中的畫像，富于表情地搖晃著腦袋，說道，“是我們部隊的上校，一位非常非常英俊的家伙，先生，四十一歲。在結(jié)婚的第二年，先生，他死了。”少校用手杖向代表已故的格蘭杰的身體戳下去，戳下去，然后把手杖掛在肩膀上，繼續(xù)向前走。
“這是多久的事了？”董貝先生又躊躇了一會兒以后問道。
“伊迪絲·格蘭杰，先生，”少校閉上一只眼睛，頭歪到一側(cè)，把手杖遞到左手，右手撫平襯衫的褶邊，回答道，“現(xiàn)在還不到三十歲。他媽的，先生，”少校說道，一邊又把手杖掛到肩膀上，重新向前走，“她是舉世無雙的女人！”
“有孩子嗎？”董貝先生不久問道。
“有，先生，”少校說，“有一個男孩?！?BR> 董貝先生的眼睛凝視著地面，臉上罩上了一層陰影。
“他淹死了，先生，”少校繼續(xù)說道，“那時他四、五歲?！?BR> “真的嗎？”董貝先生抬起頭來問道。
“由于小船翻了的緣故，他的保姆本來不應該把他放到小船上去的，”少校說道，“這就是他的歷史。伊迪絲·格蘭杰依然還是伊迪絲·格蘭杰；但是如果堅強不屈的老喬?！ぐ住つ贻p一些，有錢一些的話。先生，那么這位不朽的尤物就該姓白格斯托克了?！?BR> 少校說這些話的時候，肩膀和臉頰一起一伏地顫動著，同時放聲大笑著，比先前更像是個吃喝過度的梅菲斯托菲爾斯。
“您是說如果那位女士不反對的話，我想，”董貝先生冷冰冰地說道。
“天哪，先生，”少校說道，“白格斯托克家族的人是不考慮這一類障礙的。不過，這倒也確實不錯，伊迪絲要不是因為高傲，本該結(jié)過二十次婚了，先生，就因為高傲啊。”
從董貝先生臉上的表情看來，他并不因為這個原因?qū)λa(chǎn)生壞的想法。
“這畢竟是個偉大的品質(zhì)，”少校說道，“我敢向天主發(fā)誓，這是個高貴的品質(zhì)！董貝！您本人也是高傲的，您的朋友老喬由于這個緣故而尊敬您，先生?！?BR> 少校似乎是由于形勢所迫，也是由于他們談話不可抗拒的趨勢，對他的旅伴的性格說出了這番頌辭，然后就結(jié)束了這個話題，改為泛泛地談論那些出色的女人與漂亮的人兒怎樣對他鐘情和寵愛的事情。
隔一天以后，董貝先生和少校在礦泉飲水處遇見了斯丘頓夫人和她的女兒；第二天，他們又在他們第一次遇見她們的地方的附近遇見了她們。這樣遇見她們?nèi)?、四次之后，老熟人之間的禮貌要求少校該在一個晚上去看看她們。董貝先生最初并不打算拜訪，但當少校表明他的意向后，他說他將高興陪他去。因此少校在晚飯前吩咐本地人前去她們那里轉(zhuǎn)達他和董貝先生的問候，并告訴她們，如果沒有別人在那里的話，他們當天晚上將榮幸地前去拜訪她們兩位女士。本地人帶回來一張很小的散發(fā)出大量香水氣味的便條，那是尊貴的斯丘頓夫人寫給白格斯托克少校的，作為對帶去的口信的回答。便條上寫著：“你是頭壞透了的熊。我真不想饒恕你。但是如果你現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)走上正路，確實很好的話，”她在這下面劃上了橫線，“那么你可以來。請代我（連同伊迪絲）向董貝先生致意?！?BR> 斯丘頓夫人和她的女兒格蘭杰夫人在萊明頓期間居住在很時髦、很昂貴，但面積和設備卻相當有限的寓所中；因此，當斯丘頓夫人躺在床上的時候，她的腳得擱到窗子上，她的頭得擱到壁爐上；斯丘頓夫人的女仆擠住在會客室中的一個極小的壁櫥里；為了不露出它里面的全部東西，她得像一條美麗的蛇一樣，扭進門里去，并從門里扭出來。童仆威瑟斯不是睡在這個屋子里，而是睡在鄰近牛奶店的屋頂下；這位年輕的西西弗斯的石頭①—輪椅在同一個牛奶店的棚屋里過夜；這家店鋪的雞鴨在棚屋里下蛋，它們棲息在一輛破舊的二輪驢車上；顯然，它們相信這車子是生長在那里的一種樹木。
董貝先生和少?？吹剿骨痤D夫人穿著很輕薄的衣衫，采取克利奧佩特拉的姿態(tài)，坐在一張沙發(fā)的軟墊中間，當然并不像莎士比亞筆下那年齡不能使她衰老的克利奧佩特拉②。他們走上樓的時候，曾聽到豎琴的聲音，但當通報他們來到的時候，琴聲停止了，伊迪絲比先前更美麗更傲慢地站在琴邊。這位女士的美貌有一個特點，就是不用她本人幫助，而且違反她本人的意愿，就自我宣揚出來，自我肯定下來。她知道她是美麗的，不可能不是這樣，但她似乎高傲地公然反抗自己。
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①西西弗斯（Sisyphus）：希臘神話中的科林斯王，因生時作惡多端，得罪了神，死后墮入地獄，被罰推石上山，但石到山頂?shù)臅r候就要倒?jié)L下來，永遠如此，使他勞苦不已。
②見莎士比亞所著戲劇《安東尼與克利奧佩特拉》第二幕第二場：
愛諾巴勃斯：“不，他決不會丟棄她，年齡不能使她衰老，習慣也腐蝕不了她的變化無窮的伎倆。別的女人使人日久生厭，她卻越是給人滿足，越是使人饑渴；……”
究竟是她不重視她那只能引起對她愛慕（這種愛慕對她是毫無價值的）的魅力呢，還是她有意這樣對待她的魅力，使那些愛慕者感到這種魅力更為寶貴呢，那些把這種魅力看得很寶貴的人們很少停下來想一想。
“格蘭杰夫人，”董貝先生向她走近一步，說道，“我希望，我們不是使您停止彈琴的原因吧？”
“·你·們？哦，不！”
“那么你為什么不繼續(xù)彈下去呢，我最親愛的伊迪絲？”克利奧佩特拉問道。
“我彈不彈——都隨我自己喜歡?！?BR> 她講這些話時態(tài)度非常冷淡；這種冷淡與感覺遲鈍或麻木不仁截然不同，因為它是由于高傲的原因而有意顯露出來的；這時她用手帶過琴弦，走到房間的另一端去；她那漫不經(jīng)心的神態(tài)把她的冷淡襯托得更為突出。
“您知道嗎，董貝先生，”衰弱無力的母親玩弄著一塊手提的遮光板，說道，“我最親愛的伊迪絲偶爾跟我的意見實際上幾乎是不一致的——”
“不是偶爾吧，我們不是時常不一致嗎，媽媽？”伊迪絲說道。
“啊，不，我親愛的寶貝！別那么說，那會使我很傷心的，”她的母親回答道，一邊想用遮光板輕輕拍打她，伊迪絲卻沒有挨近去讓她拍打，“在一些小事情上，在待人接物的態(tài)度方面必須遵守的嚴格的陳規(guī)舊俗上，我的伊迪絲是經(jīng)常跟我意見不一致的，是不是？為什么我們不能更自然些呢？阿，我的天！既然在我們的心靈中灌輸進了這些急切的希望、洋溢的熱情、激動的感情，而它們又是多么十分可愛，那么為什么我們不能更自然一些呢？”
董貝先生說，她的話說得很對，很對。
“我想，如果我們設法去做，我們就能夠更自然一些?！彼骨痤D夫人說道。
“絕對不行，夫人，”少校說道，“那樣做我們受不了。除非這世界上滿都是喬·白——堅強不屈、直腸直肚的老喬，夫人，滿都是清淡的帶卵的熏鯡魚，先生——否則我們就受不了，萬萬不能那樣！”
“你這沒禮貌的異教徒！”斯丘頓夫人說道，“別吱聲！”
“克利奧佩特拉命令，安東尼·白格斯托克服從。①”少校送了一個飛吻，問答道。
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①少校在這里把自己比作馬克·安東尼。馬克·安東尼（MarkAntony，公元前82A81—30年），是古代羅馬卓越的軍事與政治預袖，凱撒的親密同僚。公元前43年，他主管東方各行省，召見埃及女王克利奧佩特拉，成為她的情夫，公元前40年，他回到意大利，與渥大維簽訂一頂協(xié)定，并與渥大維的妹妹結(jié)婚；但不出三年，他便與渥大維勢不兩立，一再去東方與克利奧佩特拉幽會，在與渥大維妹妹離婚后，終于與克利奧佩特拉結(jié)為夫妻，并因此成為全體羅馬人誅討的對象。
“這是個麻木不仁的人，”斯丘頓夫人說道，一邊狠狠地舉起遮光板，把少校擋在外面，“他沒有任何同情心；如果沒有同情心的話，我們還能生活嗎？還有什么別的能像它這么極為可愛的呢？如果沒有這道陽光照耀到我們這冰冷冰冷的土地上的話，那么我們怎么可能忍受得了這種寒冷呢？”斯丘頓夫人說，一邊整整她的花邊領布，得意揚揚地從手腕往上看，觀察著她露在衣服外面的枯瘦的胳膊所發(fā)揮的作用，“一句話，冷淡無情的人！”她又從遮光板旁邊向少?？戳艘谎?，“我想使我的世界全都是心；信仰又是這么非?？蓯?，因此我不容許你去攪亂它，你聽見了沒有？”
少?；卮鹫f，克利奧佩特拉要求全世界都是心，而且還要求全世界的心都歸她占有，這是個苛刻的要求；這迫使克利奧佩特拉提醒他，諂媚是她所不能忍受的，如果他膽敢再用這種腔調(diào)來對她說話，那么她一定要把他攆回家去。
這時臉無血色的威瑟斯送上茶來，董貝先生又轉(zhuǎn)向伊迪絲。
“這里似乎沒有什么社交活動吧？”董貝先生保持著他那特有的自命不凡的紳士派頭，說道。
“我想沒有。我們沒有看到?！?BR> “啊，真的，”斯丘頓夫人從她的長沙發(fā)椅中說道，“現(xiàn)在這里沒有什么我們愿意跟他們來往的人?！?BR> “他們沒有足夠的心，”伊迪絲露出一絲微笑，說道。這是若隱若現(xiàn)的微笑，就像薄暮或黎明，光明與黑暗是多么奇怪地混合在一起。
“你看，我最親愛的伊迪絲在嘲笑我呢！”母親搖搖頭說道；她的頭有時無意在搖著，仿佛麻痹癥不時發(fā)作一下，要跟不時閃耀著的鉆石比賽高低似的?！皦臇|西！”
“如果我沒錯，您以前來過這里吧？”董貝先生仍然對著伊迪絲，說道。
“啊，來過好幾次了。我想我們什么地方都去過了?！?BR> “這是個美麗的地方！”
“我想是的，人人都這么說?！?BR> “你的表哥菲尼克斯對它喜歡得就像入了迷似的，伊迪絲，”她的母親從長沙發(fā)椅中插嘴道。
女兒輕微地轉(zhuǎn)過她那美麗的頭，稍稍揚起眉毛，仿佛她的表哥菲尼克斯是塵世間最不值得注意的人似的；她的眼睛又轉(zhuǎn)向董貝先生。
“考慮到我審美能力的聲譽，我希望我對附近的地方都已厭倦了，”她說道。
“您也許很有理由覺得這樣吧，夫人，”他朝大量散擺在房間四處的各種風景畫看了一眼，說道；他已看出其中有幾幅是描寫附近的景致的，“如果這些美麗的作品是出于您的手筆的話?！?BR> 她沒有回答他，而是以目空一切的美人的姿態(tài)，十分驚異地坐在那里。
“是不是這樣？”董貝先生問道，“它們是不是您畫的？”
“是的?！?BR> “您還會彈琴，我早知道了?！?BR> “是的?！?BR> “還會唱歌吧？”
“是的。”
她用奇怪的、勉強的口吻回答這些問題，并露出跟自己對抗的神情；前面已經(jīng)指出，這是她的美貌的一個特點?？墒撬⒉痪执俨话?，而完全是泰然自若。她似乎也并不希望避開談話，因為她的臉朝著他，她的態(tài)度也盡可能地注意著他；當他沉默的時候，她也依然如此。
“您至少有許多方法來排遣煩悶，”董貝先生說道。
“不管它們的效果怎么樣，”她回答道，“這些方法現(xiàn)在您全都知道了。我沒有什么別的方法?！?BR> “我可以希望把它們的效果全部證明一下嗎？”董貝先生放下手中的一幅圖畫，指著豎琴，莊嚴而又殷勤地問道。
“啊，當然可以，如果您愿意的話?！?BR> 她一邊說，一邊站起來；當她走過母親的長沙發(fā)椅時，她向那里投去了莊嚴的眼光，時間是短促的一瞬，但它卻包含了許多表情，其中那若隱若現(xiàn)的微笑把其余的表情都遮蔽了；——她就這樣走出了房間。
少校這時得到了完全的寬恕；他把一個有輪子的小桌子推到克利奧佩特拉身旁，坐下來跟她玩皮基特牌①。董貝先生不懂得玩這種紙牌；當伊迪絲沒有回來的時候，他就坐下來看他們玩，從中學習。
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①皮基特牌：一種二人玩的紙牌游戲。
“我希望，我們將聽到音樂吧，董貝先生？”克利奧佩特拉說道。
“承蒙格蘭杰夫人的厚意，她已經(jīng)答應了，”董貝先生說道。
“啊，好極了。是你建議的嗎，少校？”
“不是，夫人，”少校說，“我提不出這樣的建議?！?BR> “你是個野蠻人，”那位夫人回答道，“我的手氣都給你敗壞，打不出好牌來了。您喜歡音樂吧，董貝先生？”
“非常喜歡?！边@是董貝先生的回答。
“是的。好極了?！笨死麏W佩特拉看著紙牌，說道，“音樂包含著許多心，它使人模糊地回想起人類往昔的生存狀態(tài)——還有很多別的東西，那確實是多么可愛。您可知道，”克利奧佩特拉竊笑著，一邊把抓進來的那張腳朝天的梅花杰克掉過頭去，“如果有什么東西誘使我結(jié)束我的生命的話，那就是想要了解我們周圍的一切究竟是什么、它的意義究竟是什么的好奇心；確實，有那么耐人尋味的秘密隱藏著，我們還不知道。少校，你出牌！”
少校出了牌；董貝先生繼續(xù)看著，從中學習，他本來很早就已完全看不明白了，可是他根本沒有注意玩牌，而是坐在那里納悶：伊迪絲什么時候才會回來呢。
她終于回來了，并且在豎琴前面坐下來；董貝先生站起身來，站在她旁邊，聽著。他對音樂沒有什么欣賞力，對她彈奏的曲調(diào)一無所知，但是他看見她向豎琴彎下身子，也許他還在琴弦的聲音中聽到在什么遙遠的地方響起了他自己的音樂；它馴服了鐵路這個怪物，使它不像過去那么難以抗拒了。
克利奧佩特拉玩皮基特牌的時候，眼睛確實敏銳。它們像鳥兒的眼睛一樣閃著光，而且沒有死死盯在紙牌上，而是注視著整個房間，從這一端到那一端，毫無疏漏。它們的光閃射到豎琴上，閃射到彈琴人的身上，閃射到聽琴人的身上，閃射到每一樣東西上。
傲慢的美人彈完之后，站起來，用跟先前一樣的態(tài)度接受了董貝先生的感謝與恭維；然后幾乎沒有停歇地走向鋼琴，開始彈奏起來。
伊迪絲·格蘭杰，您不論彈唱哪首歌曲都可以，但請別彈唱這首歌曲吧！伊迪絲·格蘭杰，您是很標致的，您的指法是出色的，您的聲音是深沉和嘹亮的，但是請您別彈唱他的受冷落的女兒曾經(jīng)唱給他的死去的兒子聽的這首歌曲吧！
啊，他沒有聽出來；如果他聽出來的話，還有什么歌曲能像這首歌曲那樣，會把他這冷酷的人攪得心神不寧呢！安睡吧。孤獨的弗洛倫斯，安睡吧！雖然夜已經(jīng)黑了，烏云正在密布，好像就要下冰雹了，但祝愿您的夢是安寧的！