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第77章

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certainly have liked him;all the women did。〃



〃My dear Thomas; you will forgive the remark;but that

expression of yours; 'all the WOMEN'〃



〃I beg your pardon;you are right。  I meant to say that he was a

general favourite with your charming sex。〃



〃I understand;rather a frivolous character。〃



〃Frivolous! no; not exactly; a little unsteady;very odd; but

certainly not frivolous; presumptuous and headstrong in

character; but modest and shy in his manners; rather too much

so;just what you like。  However; to return; I am seriously

uneasy at the accounts I have heard of him to…day。  He has been

living; it seems; a very strange and irregular life; travelling

from place to place; and must have spent already a great deal of

money。〃



〃Apropos of money;〃 said Mrs。 Mervale; 〃I fear we must change our

butcher; he is certainly in league with the cook。〃



〃That is a pity; his beef is remarkably fine。  These London

servants are as bad as the Carbonari。  But; as I was saying; poor

Glyndon〃



Here a knock was heard at the door。  〃Bless me;〃 said Mrs。

Mervale; 〃it is past ten!  Who can that possibly be?〃



〃Perhaps your uncle; the admiral;〃 said the husband; with a

slight peevishness in his accent。  〃He generally favours us about

this hour。〃



〃I hope; my love; that none of my relations are unwelcome

visitors at your house。  The admiral is a most entertaining man;

and his fortune is entirely at his own disposal。〃



〃No one I respect more;〃 said Mr。 Mervale; with emphasis。



The servant threw open the door; and announced Mr。 Glyndon。



〃Mr。 Glyndon!what an extraordinary〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Mervale;

but before she could conclude the sentence; Glyndon was in the

room。



The two friends greeted each other with all the warmth of early

recollection and long absence。  An appropriate and proud

presentation to Mrs。 Mervale ensued; and Mrs。 Mervale; with a

dignified smile; and a furtive glance at his boots; bade her

husband's friend welcome to England。



Glyndon was greatly altered since Mervale had seen him last。

Though less than two years had elapsed since then; his fair

complexion was more bronzed and manly。  Deep lines of care; or

thought; or dissipation; had replaced the smooth contour of happy

youth。  To a manner once gentle and polished had succeeded a

certain recklessness of mien; tone; and bearing; which bespoke

the habits of a society that cared little for the calm decorums

of conventional ease。  Still a kind of wild nobleness; not before

apparent in him; characterised his aspect; and gave something of

dignity to the freedom of his language and gestures。



〃So; then; you are settled; Mervale;I need not ask you if you

are happy。  Worth; sense; wealth; character; and so fair a

companion deserve happiness; and command it。〃



〃Would you like some tea; Mr。 Glyndon?〃 asked Mrs。 Mervale;

kindly。



〃Thank you;no。  I propose a more convivial stimulus to my old

friend。  Wine; Mervale;wine; eh!or a bowl of old English

punch。  Your wife will excuse us;we will make a night of it!〃



Mrs。 Mervale drew back her chair; and tried not to look aghast。

Glyndon did not give his friend time to reply。



〃So at last I am in England;〃 he said; looking round the room;

with a slight sneer on his lips; 〃surely this sober air must have

its influence; surely here I shall be like the rest。〃



〃Have you been ill; Glyndon?〃



〃Ill; yes。  Humph! you have a fine house。  Does it contain a

spare room for a solitary wanderer?〃



Mr。 Mervale glanced at his wife; and his wife looked steadily on

the carpet。  〃Modest and shy in his mannersrather too much so!〃

Mrs。 Mervale was in the seventh heaven of indignation and amaze!



〃My dear?〃 said Mr。 Mervale at last; meekly and interogatingly。



〃My dear!〃 returned Mrs。 Mervale; innocently and sourly。



〃We can make up a room for my old friend; Sarah?〃



The old friend had sunk back on his chair; and; gazing intently

on the fire; with his feet at ease upon the fender; seemed to

have forgotten his question。



Mrs。 Mervale bit her lips; looked thoughtful; and at last coldly

replied; 〃Certainly; Mr。 Mervale; your friends do right to make

themselves at home。〃



With that she lighted a candle; and moved majestically from the

room。  When she returned; the two friends had vanished into Mr。

Mervale's study。



Twelve o'clock struck;one o'clock; two!  Thrice had Mrs。

Mervale sent into the room to know;first; if they wanted

anything; secondly; if Mr。 Glyndon slept on a mattress or

feather…bed; thirdly; to inquire if Mr。 Glyndon's trunk; which he

had brought with him; should be unpacked。  And to the answer to

all these questions was added; in a loud voice from the visitor;

a voice that pierced from the kitchen to the attic;〃Another

bowl! stronger; if you please; and be quick with it!〃



At last Mr。 Mervale appeared in the conjugal chamber; not

penitent; nor apologetic;no; not a bit of it。  His eyes

twinkled; his cheek flushed; his feet reeled; he sang;Mr。

Thomas Mervale positively sang!



〃Mr。 Mervale! is it possible; sir〃



〃'Old King Cole was a merry old soul'〃



〃Mr。 Mervale! sir!leave me alone; sir!〃



〃'And a merry old soul was he'〃



〃What an example to the servants!〃



〃'And he called for his pipe; and he called for his bowl'〃



〃If you don't behave yourself; sir; I shall call〃



〃'Call for his fiddlers three!'〃





CHAPTER 5。III。



In der Welt weit

Aus der Einsamkeit

Wollen sie Dich locken。

〃Faust。〃



(In the wide world; out of the solitude; will these allure thee。)



The next morning; at breakfast; Mrs。 Mervale looked as if all the

wrongs of injured woman sat upon her brow。  Mr。 Mervale seemed

the picture of remorseful guilt and avenging bile。  He said

little; except to complain of headache; and to request the eggs

to be removed from the table。  Clarence Glyndonimpervious;

unconscious; unailing; impenitentwas in noisy spirits; and

talked for three。



〃Poor Mervale! he has lost the habit of good…fellowship; madam。

Another night or two; and he will be himself again!〃



〃Sir;〃 said Mrs。 Mervale; launching a premeditated sentence with

more than Johnsonian dignity; 〃permit me to remind you that Mr。

Mervale is now a married man; the destined father of a family;

and the present master of a household。〃



〃Precisely the reasons why I envy him so much。  I myself have a

great mind to marry。  Happiness is contagious。〃



〃Do you still take to painting?〃 asked Mervale; languidly;

endeavouring to turn the tables on his guest。



〃Oh; no; I have adopted your advice。  No art; no ideal; nothing

loftier than Commonplace for me now。  If I were to paint again; I

positively think YOU would purchase my pictures。  Make haste and

finish your breakfast; man; I wish to consult you。  I have come

to England to see after my affairs。  My ambition is to make

money; your counsels and experience cannot fail to assist me

here。〃



〃Ah; you were soon disenchanted of your Philosopher's Stone!  You

must know; Sarah; that when I last left Glyndon; he was bent upon

turning alchemist and magician。〃



〃You are witty to…day; Mr。 Mervale。〃



〃Upon my honour it is true; I told you so before。〃



Glyndon rose abruptly。



〃Why revive those recollections of folly and presumption?  Have I

not said that I have returned to my native land to pursue the

healthful avocations of my kind!  Oh; yes! what so healthful; so

noble; so fitted to our nature; as what you call the Practical

Life?  If we have faculties; what is their use; but to sell them

to advantage!  Buy knowledge as we do our goods; buy it at the

cheapest market; sell it at the dearest。  Have you not

breakfasted yet?〃



The friends walked into the streets; and Mervale shrank from the

irony with which Glyndon complimented him on his respectability;

his station; his pursuits; his happy marriage; and his eight

pictures

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