the queen of hearts-第8章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
inquiring if we quite understood by this time that she had left
her 〃company manners〃 in London； and that she meant to govern us
all at her absolute will and pleasure； throughout the whole
period of her stay。 Having thus provided at the outset for the
due recognition of her authority by the household generally and
individually having briskly planned out all her own forthcoming
occupations and amusements over the wine and fruit at dessert；
and having positively settled； between her first and second cups
of tea； where our connection with them was to begin and where it
was to end； she had actually succeeded； when the time came to
separate for the night； in setting us as much at our ease； and in
making herself as completely a necessary part of our household as
if she had lived among us for years and years past。
Such was our first day's experience of the formidable guest whose
anticipated visit had so sorely and so absurdly discomposed us
all。 I could hardly believe that I had actually wasted hours of
precious time in worrying myself and everybody else in the house
about the best means of laboriously entertaining a lively；
high…spirited girl； who was perfectly capable； without an effort
on her own part or on ours； of entertaining herself。
Having upset every one of our calculations on the first day of
her arrival； she next falsified all our predictions before she
had been with us a week。 Instead of fracturing her skull with the
pony； as Morgan had prophesied； she sat the sturdy； sure…footed；
mischievous little brute as if she were part and parcel of
himself。 With an old water…proof cloak of mine on her shoulders；
with a broad…flapped Spanish hat of Owen's on her head； with a
wild imp of a Welsh boy following her as guide and groom on a
bare…backed pony； and with one of the largest and ugliest
cur…dogs in England （which she had picked up； lost and starved by
the wayside） barking at her heels； she scoured the country in all
directions； and came back to dinner； as she herself expressed it；
〃with the manners of an Amazon； the complexion of a dairy…maid；
and the appetite of a wolf。〃
On days when incessant rain kept her indoors； she amused herself
with a new freak。 Making friends everywhere； as became The Queen
of Hearts； she even ingratiated herself with the sour old
housekeeper； who had predicted so obstinately that she was
certain to run away。 To the amazement of everybody in the house；
she spent hours in the kitchen； learning to make puddings and
pies； and trying all sorts of recipes with very varying success；
from an antiquated cookery book which she had discovered at the
back of my bookshelves。 At other times； when I expected her to be
upstairs； languidly examining her finery； and idly polishing her
trinkets； I heard of her in the stables； feeding the rabbits； and
talking to the raven； or found her in the conservatory；
fumigating the plants； and half suffocating the gardener； who was
trying to moderate her enthusiasm in the production of smoke。
Instead of finding amusement； as we had expected； in Owen's
studio； she puckered up her pretty face in grimaces of disgust at
the smell of paint in the room； and declared that the horrors of
the Earthquake at Lisbon made her feel hysterical。 Instead of
showing a total want of interest in my business occupations on
the estate； she destroyed my dignity as steward by joining me in
my rounds on her pony； with her vagabond retinue at her heels。
Instead of devouring the novels I had ordered for her； she left
them in the box； and put her feet on it when she felt sleepy
after a hard day's riding。 Instead of practicing for hours every
evening at the piano； which I had hired with such a firm
conviction of her using it； she showed us tricks on the cards；
taught us new games； initiated us into the mystics of dominoes；
challenged us with riddles； an even attempted to stimulate us
into acting charadesin short； tried every evening amusement in
the whole category except the amusement of music。 Every new
aspect of her character was a new surprise to us； and every fresh
occupation that she chose was a fresh contradiction to our
previous expectations。 The value of experience as a guide is
unquestionable in many of the most important affairs of life；
but； speaking for myself personally； I never understood the utter
futility of it； where a woman is concerned； until I was brought
into habits of daily communication with our fair guest。
In her domestic relations with ourselves she showed that
exquisite nicety of discrimination in studying our characters；
habits and tastes which comes by instinct with women； and which
even the longest practice rarely teaches in similar perfection to
men。 She saw at a glance all the underlying tenderness and
generosity concealed beneath Owen's external shyness；
irresolution； and occasional reserve； and； from first to last；
even in her gayest moments； there was always a certain
quietly…implied considerationan easy； graceful； delicate
deferencein her manner toward my eldest brother； which won upon
me and upon him every hour in the day。
With me she was freer in her talk； quicker in her actions；
readier and bolder in all the thousand little familiarities of
our daily intercourse。 When we met in the morning she always took
Owen's hand； and waited till he kissed her on the forehead。 In my
case she put both her hands on my shoulders； raised herself on
tiptoe； and saluted me briskly on both checks in the foreign way。
She never differed in opinion with Owen without propitiating him
first by some little artful compliment in the way of excuse。 She
argued boldly with me on every subject under the sun； law and
politics included； and； when I got the better of her； never
hesitated to stop me by putting her hand on my lips； or by
dragging me out into the garden in the middle of a sentence。
As for Morgan； she abandoned all restraint in his case on the
second day of her sojourn among us。 She had asked after him as
soon as she was settled in her two rooms on the third story； had
insisted on knowing why he lived at the top of the tower； and why
he had not appeared to welcome her at the door； had entrapped us
into all sorts of damaging admissions； and had thereupon
discovered the true state of the case in less than five minutes。
From that time my unfortunate second brother became the victim of
all that was mischievous and reckless in her disposition。 She
forced him downstairs by a series of maneuvers which rendered his
refuge uninhabitable； and then pretended to fall violently in
love with him。 She slipped little pink three…cornered notes under
his door； entreating him to make appointments with her； or
tenderly inquiring how he would like to see her hair dressed at
dinner on that day。 She followed him into the garden； sometimes
to ask for the privilege of smelling his tobacco…smoke； sometimes
to beg for a lock of his hair； or a fragment of his ragged old
dressing…gown； to put among her keepsakes。 She sighed at him when
he was in a passion； and put her handkerchief to her eyes when he
was sulky。 In short； she tormented Morgan； whenever she could
catch him； with such ingenious and such relentless malice； that
he actually threatened to go back to London； and prey once more；
in the unscrupulous character of a doctor； on the credulity of
mankind。
Thus situated in her relations toward ourselves； and thus
occupied by country diversions of her own choosing； Miss Jessie
passed her time at The Glen Tower； excepting now and then a dull
hour in the long evenings； to her guardian's satisfactionand；
all things considered； not without pleasure to herself。 Day
followed day in calm and smooth succession； and five quiet weeks
had elapsed out of the six during which her stay was to last
without any remarkable occurrence to distinguish them； when an
event happened which personally affected me in a very serious
manner； and which suddenly caused our handsome Queen of Hearts to
become the object of my deepest anxiety in the present； and of my
dearest hopes for the future。
CHAPTER IV。
OUR GRAND PROJECT。
AT the end of the fifth week of our guest's stay； among the
letters which the
