第 27 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2024-12-13 14:16      字数:9322
  thought made its way to my heart; to fly the object of it; and by
  new lovers to drive the image from my breast。  I consulted my
  glass every morning; and got such a command of my countenance
  that I could suit it to the different tastes of variety of
  lovers; and though I was young; for I was not yet above
  seventeen; yet my public way of life gave me such continual
  opportunities of conversing with men; and the strong desire I now
  had of pleasing them led me to make such constant observations on
  everything they said or did; that I soon found out the different
  methods of dealing with them。  I observed that most men generally
  liked in women what was most opposite to their own characters;
  therefore to the grave solid man of sense I endeavored to appear
  sprightly and full of spirit; to the witty and gay; soft and
  languishing; to the amorous (for they want no increase of their
  passions); cold and reserved; to the fearful and backward; warm
  and full of fire; and so of all the rest。  As to beaux; and all
  of those sort of men; whose desires are centered in the
  satisfaction of their vanity; I had learned by sad experience the
  only way to deal with them was to laugh at them and let their own
  good opinion of themselves be the only support of their hopes。  I
  knew; while I could get other followers; I was sure of them; for
  the only sign of modesty they ever give is that of not depending
  on their own judgments; but following the opinions of the
  greatest number。  Thus furnished with maxims; and grown wise by
  past errors; I in a manner began the world again:  I appeared in
  all public places handsomer and more lively than ever; to the
  amazement of every one who saw me and had heard of the affair
  between me and my lord。  He himself was much surprised and vexed
  at this sudden change; nor could he account how it was possible
  for me so soon to shake off those chains he thought he had fixed
  on me for life; nor was he willing to lose his conquest in this
  manner。  He endeavored by all means possible to talk to me again
  of love; but I stood fixed to my resolution (in which I was
  greatly assisted by the crowd of admirers that daily surrounded
  me) never to let him explain himself:  for; notwithstanding all
  my pride; I found the first impression the heart receives of love
  is  so strong that it requires the most vigilant care to prevent
  a relapse。  Now I lived three years in a constant round of
  diversions; and was made the perfect idol of all the men that
  came to court of all ages and all characters。  I had several good
  matches offered me; but I thought none of them equal to my merit;
  and one of my greatest pleasures was to see those women who had
  pretended to rival me often glad to marry those whom I had
  refused。  Yet; notwithstanding this great success of my schemes;
  I cannot say I was perfectly happy; for every woman that was
  taken the least notice of; and every man that was insensible to
  my arts; gave me as much pain as all the rest gave me pleasure;
  and sometimes little underhand plots which were laid against my
  designs would succeed in spite of my care:  so that I really
  began to grow weary of this manner of life; when my father;
  returning from his embassy in France; took me home with him; and
  carried me to a little pleasant country…house; where there was
  nothing grand or superfluous; but everything neat and agreeable。
  There I led a life perfectly solitary。  At first the time hung
  very heavy on my hands; and I wanted all kind of employment; and
  I had very like to have fallen into the height of the vapors;
  from no other reason but from want of knowing what to do with
  myself。  But when I had lived here a little time I found such a
  calmness in my mind; and such a difference between this and the
  restless anxieties I had experienced in a court; that I began to
  share the tranquillity that visibly appeared in everything round
  me。  I set myself to do works of fancy; and to raise little
  flower…gardens; with many such innocent  rural amusements; which;
  although they are not capable of affording any great pleasure;
  yet they give that serene turn to the mind which I think much
  preferable to anything else human nature is made susceptible of。
  I now resolved to spend the rest of my days here; and that
  nothing should allure me from that sweet retirement; to be again
  tossed about with tempestuous passions of any kind。  Whilst I was
  in this situation; my lord Percy; the earl of Northumberland's
  eldest son; by an accident of losing his way after a fox…chase;
  was met by my father; about a mile from our house; he came home
  with him; only with a design of dining with us; but was so taken
  with me that he stayed three days。  I had too much experience in
  all affairs of this kind not to see presently the influence I had
  on him; but I was at that time so entirely free from all
  ambition; that even the prospect of being a countess had no
  effect on me; and I then thought nothing in the world could have
  bribed me to have changed my way of life。  This young lord; who
  was just in his bloom; found his passion so strong; he could not
  endure a long absence; but returned again in a week; and
  endeavored; by all the means he could think of; to engage me to
  return his affection。  He addressed me with that tenderness and
  respect which women on earth think can flow from nothing but real
  love; and very often told me that; unless he could be so happy as
  by his assiduity and care to make himself agreeable to me;
  although he knew my father would eagerly embrace any proposal
  from him; yet he would suffer that last of miseries of never
  seeing me more rather than owe his own happiness to anything that
  might be the least contradiction to my inclinations。  This manner
  of proceeding had something in it so noble and generous; that by
  degrees it raised a sensation in me which I know not how to
  describe; nor by what name to call it:  it was nothing like my
  former passion:  for there was no turbulence; no uneasy waking
  nights attending it; but all I could with honor grant to oblige
  him appeared to me to be justly due to his truth and love; and
  more the effect of gratitude than of any desire of my own。  The
  character I had heard of him from my father at my first returning
  to England; in discoursing of the young nobility; convinced me
  that if I was his wife I should have the perpetual satisfaction
  of knowing every action of his must be approved by all the
  sensible part of mankind; so that very soon I began to have no
  scruple left but that of leaving my little scene of quietness;
  and venturing again into the world。  But this; by his continual
  application and submissive behavior; by degrees entirely
  vanished; and I agreed he should take his own time to break it to
  my father; whose consent he was not long in obtaining; for such a
  match was by no means to be refused。  There remained nothing now
  to be done but to prevail with the earl of Northumberland to
  comply with what his son so ardently desired; for which purpose
  he set out immediately for London; and begged it as the greatest
  favor that I would accompany my father; who was also to go
  thither the week following。  I could not refuse his request; and
  as soon as we arrived in town he flew to me with the greatest
  raptures to inform me his father was so good that; finding his
  happiness depended on his answer; he had given him free leave to
  act in this affair as would best please himself; and that he had
  now no obstacle to prevent his wishes。  It was then the beginning
  of the winter; and the time for our marriage was fixed for the
  latter end of March:  the consent of all parties made his access
  to me very easy; and we conversed together both with innocence
  and pleasure。  As his fondness was so great that he contrived all
  the methods possible to keep me continually in his sight; he told
  me one morning he was commanded by his father to attend him to
  court that evening; and begged I would be so good as to meet him
  there。  I was now so used to act as he would have me that I made
  no difficulty of complying with his desire。  Two days after this;
  I was very much surprised at perceiving such a melancholy in his
  countenance; and alteration in his behavior; as I could no way
  account for; but; by importunity; at last I got from him that
  cardinal Wolsey; for what reason he knew not; had peremptorily
  forbid him to think any more of me:  and; when he urged that his
  father was not displeased with it; the cardinal; in his imperious
  manner; answered him; he should give his father such convincing
  reasons why it would be attended with great inconveniences; that
  he was sure he could bring him to be of his opinion。  On which he
  turned from him; and gave him no opportunity of replying。  I
  could not imagine what design the cardinal could have in
  intermeddling in this match; and I was still more perplexed to
  find that my father treated my lord Percy with much more coldness
  than usual; he