第 13 节
作者:
小秋 更新:2021-03-11 17:56 字数:9322
man。 This is not the worst of it。 Last year; he refused to marry
a young couple; both belonging to our congregation。 This was very
unlike his usual kind self。 Helena and I asked him for his
reasons。 They were reasons that did not take long to give。 The
young gentleman's father was a rich man。 He had forbidden his son
to marry a sweet girlbecause she had no fortune。
I have no fortune。 And Philip's father is a rich man。
The best thing I can do is to wipe my pen; and shut up my
Journal; and go home by the next train。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
I have a great mind to burn my Journal。 It tells me that I had
better not think of Philip any more。
On second thoughts; I won't destroy my Journal; I will only put
it away。 If I live to be an old woman; it may amuse me to open my
book again; and see how foolish the poor wretch was when she was
young。
What is this aching pain in my heart?
I don't remember it at any other time in my life。 Is it trouble?
How can I tell?I have had so little trouble。 It must be many
years since I was wretched enough to cry。 I don't even understand
why I am crying now。 My last sorrow; so far as I can remember;
was the toothache。 Other girls' mothers comfort them when they
are wretched。 If my mother had livedit's useless to think about
that。 We lost her; while I and my sister were too young to
understand our misfortune。
I wish I had never seen Philip。
This seems an ungrateful wish。 Seeing him at the picture…show was
a new enjoyment。 Sitting next to him at dinner was a happiness
that I don't recollect feeling; even when Papa has been most
sweet and kind to me。 I ought to be ashamed of myself to confess
this。 Shall I write to my sister? But how should she know what is
the matter with me; when I don't know it myself? Besides; Helena
is angry; she wrote unkindly to me when she answered my last
letter。
There is a dreadful loneliness in this great house at night。 I
had better say my prayers; and try to sleep。 If it doesn't make
me feel happier; it will prevent me spoiling my Journal by
dropping tears on it。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
What an evening of evenings this has been! Last night it was
crying that kept me awake。 To…night I can't sleep for joy。
Philip called on us again to…day。 He brought with him tickets for
the performance of an Oratorio。 Sacred music is not forbidden
music among our people。 Mrs。 Staveley and Miss Staveley went to
the concert with us。 Philip and I sat next to each other。
My sister is a musicianI am nothing。 That sounds bitter; but I
don't mean it so。 All I mean is; that I like simple little songs;
which I can sing to myself by remembering the tune。 There; my
musical enjoyment ends。 When voices and instruments burst out
together by hundreds; I feel bewildered。 I also get attacked by
fidgets。 This last misfortune is sure to overtake me when
choruses are being performed。 The unfortunate people employed are
made to keep singing the same words; over and over and over
again; till I find it a perfect misery to listen to them。 The
choruses were unendurable in the performance to…night。 This is
one of them: 〃Here we are all alone in the wildernessalone in
the wildernessin the wilderness alone; alone; alonehere we
are in the wildernessalone in the wildernessall all alone in
the wilderness;〃 and soon; till I felt inclined to call for the
learned person who writes Oratorios; and beg him to give the poor
music a more generous allowance of words。
Whenever I looked at Philip; I found him looking at me。 Perhaps
he saw from the first that the music was wearying music to my
ignorant ears。 With his usual delicacy he said nothing for some
time。 But when he caught me yawning (though I did my best to hide
it; for it looked like being ungrateful for the tickets); then he
could restrain himself no longer。 He whispered in my ear:
〃You are getting tired of this。 And so am I。〃
〃I am trying to like it;〃 I whispered back。
〃Don't try;〃 he answered。 〃Let's talk。〃
He meant; of course; talk in whispers。 We were a good deal
annoyedespecially when the characters were all alone in the
wildernessby bursts of singing and playing which interrupted us
at the most interesting moments。 Philip persevered with a manly
firmness。 What could I do but follow his exampleat a distance?
He said: 〃Is it really true that your visit to Mrs。 Staveley is
coming to an end?〃
I answered: 〃It comes to an end the day after to…morrow。〃
〃Are you sorry to be leaving your friends in London?〃
What I might have said if he had made that inquiry a day earlier;
when I was the most miserable creature living; I would rather not
try to guess。 Being quite happy as things were; I could honestly
tell him I was sorry。
〃You can't possibly be as sorry as I am; Eunice。 May I call you
by your pretty name?〃
〃Yes; if you please。〃
〃Eunice!〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You will leave a blank in my life when you go away〃
There another chorus stopped him; just as I was eager for more。
It was such a delightfully new sensation to hear a young
gentleman telling me that I had left a blank in his life。 The
next change in the Oratorio brought up a young lady; singing
alone。 Some people behind us grumbled at the smallness of her
voice。 We thought her voice perfect。 It seemed to lend itself so
nicely to our whispers。
He said: 〃Will you help me to think of you while you are away? I
want to imagine what your life is at home。 Do you live in a town
or in the country?〃
I told him the name of our town。 When we give a person
information; I have always heard that we ought to make it
complete。 So I mentioned our address in the town。 But I was
troubled by a doubt。 Perhaps he preferred the country。 Being
anxious about this; I said: 〃Would you rather have heard that I
live in the country?〃
〃Live where you may; Eunice; the place will be a favorite place
of mine。 Besides; your town is famous。 It has a public attraction
which brings visitors to it。〃
I made another of those mistakes which no sensible girl; in my
position; would have committed。 I asked if he alluded to our new
market…place。
He set me right in the sweetest manner: 〃I alluded to a building
hundreds of years older than your market…placeyour beautiful
cathedral。〃
Fancy my not having thought of the cathedral! This is what comes
of being a Congregationalist。 If I had belonged to the Church of
England; I should have forgotten the market…place; and remembered
the cathedral。 Not that I want to belong to the Church of
England。 Papa's chapel is good enough for me。
The song sung by the lady with the small voice was so pretty that
the audience encored it。 Didn't Philip and I help them! With the
sweetest smiles the lady sang it all over again。 The people
behind us left the concert。
He said: 〃Do you know; I take the greatest interest in
cathedrals。 I propose to enjoy the privilege and pleasure of
seeing _your_ cathedral early next week。〃
I had only to look at him to see that I was the cathedral。 It was
no surprise to hear next that he thought of 〃paying his respects
to Mr。 Gracedieu。〃 He begged me to tell him what sort of
reception he might hope to meet with when he called at our house。
I got so excited in doing justice to papa that I quite forgot to
whisper when the next question came。 Philip wanted to know if Mr。
Gracedieu disliked strangers。 When I answered; 〃Oh dear; no!〃 I
said it out loud; so that the people heard me。 Cruel; cruel
people! They all turned round and stared。 One hideous old woman
actually said; 〃Silence!〃 Miss Staveley looked disgusted。 Even
kind Mrs。 Staveley lifted her eyebrows in astonishment。
Philip; dear Philip; protected and composed me。
He held my hand devotedly till the end of the performance。 When
he put us into the carriage; I was last。 He whispered in my ear:
〃Expect me next week。〃 Miss Staveley might be as ill…natured as
she pleased; on the way home。 It didn't matter what she said。 The
Eunice of yesterday might have been mortified and offended。 The
Eunice of to…day was indifferent to the sharpest things that
could be said to her。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
All through yesterday's delightful evening; I never once thought
of Philip's father。 When I woke this morning; I remembered that
old Mr。 Dunboyne was a rich man。 I could eat no breakfast for
thinking of the poor girl who was not allowed to marry her young
gentleman; because she had no money。
Mrs。 Staveley waited to speak to me till the rest of them had
left us together。 I had expected her to notice that I looked dull
and dismal。 No! her cleverness got at my secret in quite another
way。
She said: 〃How do you feel after the concert? You must be hard to
please indeed if you were not satisfied with the accompaniments
last night。〃
〃The accompaniments of the Oratorio?〃
〃No; my dear。 The accompaniments of Philip。〃
I suppose I ought to have laughed。 In my miserable state of mind;
it was not to be done。 I said: 〃I hope Mr。 Dunboyne's father will
not hear how kind he was to me。〃
Mrs。 Staveley asked why。
My bitterness overflowed at my tongue。 I said: 〃Because papa is a
poor man。〃
〃And Philip's papa is a rich man;〃 says Mrs。 Staveley; putting my
own thought into words for me。 〃Where do y