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第30章

the man between(夹在中间的人)-第30章

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our dance。 The young like such things。〃 

     〃To be sure they do。 John Thomas wouldn't give me a moment's rest 



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till   I   came   here。   I   didn't   want   to   come。   I   thought   John   Thomas   should 

come himself; and I told him plainly that I was ready to do anyone a favor 

if   I   could; but   if   he   wanted   me   to   come   because he   was   afraid   to   come 

himself; I was just as ready to shirk the journey。 And he laughed and said 

he was not feared for any woman living; but he did want to make his first 

appearance in his best clothesand that was natural; wasn't it? So I came 

for the two lads。〃 Then she looked at the girls with a smile; and said in a 

comfortable kind of way: 〃You'll find them very nice lads; indeed。 I can 

speak for John Thomas; I have taken his measure long since; and as far as 

I can judge his friend; Nature went about some full work when she made a 

man   of   him。   He's   got   a   sweet temper;  and   a   strong   mind;  and   a   straight 

judgment;      if  I  know    anything     about   menwhich       Nicholas     sometimes 

makes me think I don't。 But Nicholas isn't an ordinary man; he's what you 

call    ‘an  exception。'〃     Then    shaking     her  head    at  Ethel;   she   continued 

reprovingly:   〃You   were   neither   of   you   in   church   Sunday。   I   know   some 

young      women      who    went   to   the  parish   churchMethodists        they   are 

specially to see your new hats。 There's some talk about them; I can tell you; 

and the village milliner is pestered to copy them。 She keeps her eyes open 

for you。 You disappointed a lot of people。 You ought to go to church in the 

country。 It's the most respectable thing you can do。〃 

     〃We were both very tired;〃 said Ruth; 〃and the sun was hot; and we 

had a good Sabbath at home。 Ethel read the Psalms; Epistle and Gospel for 

the day; and the Squire gave us some of the grandest organ music I ever 

heard。〃 

     〃Well;   well!   Everyone   knows   the   Squire   is   a   grand   player。   I   don't 

suppose   there   is   another   to   match   him   in   the   whole   world;   and   the   old 

feeling about church…going is getting slack among the young people。 They 

serve God now very much at their ease。〃 

     〃Is not that better than serving Him on compulsion?〃 asked Ruth。 

     〃I dare say。 I'm no bigot。 I was brought up an Independent; and went to 

their chapel until   I married   Nicholas Rawdon。 My  fa… ther  was a  broad… 

thinking man。 He never taught me to locate God in any building; and I'm 

sure I don't believe our parish church is His dwelling…place。 If it is; they 

ought   to   mend   the   roof   and   put   a   new   carpet   down   and   make   things 



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cleaner   and   more   respectable。   Well;   Squire;   you   have   silver   enough   to 

tempt all the rogues in Yorkshire; and there's a lot of them。 But now I've 

seen it; I'll go home with these bits of paper。 I shall be a very important 

woman to…night。 Them two lads won't know how to fleech and flatter me 

enough。 I'll be waited on hand and foot。 And Nicholas will get a bit of a 

set…down。 He was bragging about Miss Ethel bringing his invitation to his 

hand   and   promising   to   dance   with   him。   I   wouldn't   do   it   if   I   were   Miss 

Ethel。 She'll find out; if she does; what it means to dance with a man that 

weighs twenty stone; and who has never turned hand nor foot to anything 

but money…making for thirty years。〃 

     She went away with a sweep and a rustle of her shimmering silk skirt; 

and left behind her such an atmosphere of hearty good…nature as made the 

last    rush    and     crowd     of    preparations      easily    ordered      and    quickly 

accomplished。   Before   her   arrival   there   had   been   some   doubt   as   to   the 

weather。  She   brought   the   shining sun   with   her;   and   when   he   set;  he   left 

them      with    the   promise     of   a   splendid     to…morrowa       promise      amply 

redeemed when the next day dawned。 Indeed; the sunshine was so brilliant; 

the garden so gay and sweet; the lawn so green and firm; the avenues so 

shady     and    full  of  wandering       songs;    that  it  was   resolved     to  hold    the 

preliminary reception out of doors。 Ethel and Ruth were to receive on the 

lawn;   and   at   the   open   hall   door   the   Squire   would   wait   to   welcome   his 

guests。 

     Soon   after   five   o'clock   there   was   a   brilliant   crowd   wandering   and 

resting   in   the   pleasant   spaces;   and   Ethel;   wearing   a   diaphanously   white 

robe   and   carrying   a   rush   basket   full   of   white   carnations;   was   moving 

among   them  distributing   the   flowers。   She   was   thus   the   center   of   a   little 

laughing;      bantering     group     when    the   Nicholas      Rawdon      party    arrived。 

Nicholas remained with the Squire; Mrs。 Rawdon and the young men went 

toward      Ethel。   Mrs。    Rawdon       made     a  very    handsome       appearance〃an 

aristocratic Britannia in white liberty silk and old lace;〃 whispered Ruth; 

and     Ethel   looked     up   quickly;    to   meet    her   merry    eyes    full  of   some 

unexplained triumph。 In truth; the proud mother was anticipating a great 

pleasure;  not   only   in   the   presentation   of   her   adored   son;   but   also   in   the 

curiosity and astonishment she felt sure would be evoked by his friend。 So; 



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with the boldness of one who brings happy tidings; she pressed forward。 

Ethel   saw her   approach;  and   went   to   meet   her。  Suddenly  her   steps   were 

arrested。 An extraordinary thing was going to happen。 The Apollo of her 

dreams; the singer of the Holland House pavement; was at Mrs。 Rawdon's 

side; was talking to her; was evidently a familiar friend。 She was going to 

meet   him;   to   speak   to   him   at   last。   She   would   hear   his   name   in   a   few 

moments; all that she had hoped and believed was coming true。 And the 

clear; resonant voice of Lydia Rawdon was like music in her ears as she 

said; with an air of triumph she could not hide: 

     〃Miss Rawdon; I want you to know my son; Mr。 John Thomas Rawdon; 

and also John Thomas's cousin; Mr。 Tyrrel Rawdon; of the United States。〃 

Then Mr。 Tyrrel Rawdon looked into Ethel's face; and in that marvelous 

meeting of their eyes; swift as the firing of a gun; their pupils dilated and 

flashed   with   recognition;  and   the blood   rushed   crimson   over   both   faces。 

She   gave   the   gentlemen   flowers;   and   listened   to   Mrs。   Rawdon's   chatter; 

and said in reply she knew not what。 A swift and exquisite excitement had 

followed her surprise。 Feelings she could not voice were beating at her lips; 

and yet   she knew that without her   conscious will she had   expressed   her 

astonishment   and   pleasure。   It   was;   indeed;   doubtful   whether   any   after 

speech   or   explanation   would   as   clearly   satisfy   both   hearts   as   did   that 

momentary flash from soul to soul of mutual remembrance and interest。 

     〃I   thought   I'd   give   you   a   surprise;〃   said   Mrs。   Rawdon   delightedly。 

〃You didn't know the Tyrrel…Rawdons had a branch in America; did you? 

We are a bit proud of them; I can tell you that。〃 

     And; indeed; the motherly lady had some reason。 John Thomas was a 

handsome       youth    of   symmetrical      bone    and   flesh   and   well…developed 

muscle。     He    had   clear;   steady;   humorous   

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