Unit 2 拓展 Thomas Hardy.docx

Unit 2 拓展 Thomas Hardy.docx

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Unit2拓展ThomasHardy

Unit2ThomasHardy

拓展阅读/FurtherReading

选文/Selection

TheSon’sVeto

ChapterI

Totheeyesofamanviewingitfrombehind,thenut-brownhairwasawonderandamystery.Undertheblackbeaverhat,surmountedbyitstuftofblackfeathers,thelonglocks,braidedandtwistedandcoiledliketherushesofabasket,composedarare,ifsomewhatbarbaric,exampleofingeniousart.Onecouldunderstandsuchweavingsandcoilingsbeingwroughttolastintactforayear,orevenacalendarmonth;butthattheyshouldbealldemolishedregularlyatbedtime,afterasingledayofpermanence,seemedarecklesswasteofsuccessfulfabrication.

Andshehaddoneitallherself,poorthing.Shehadnomaid,anditwasalmosttheonlyaccomplishmentshecouldboastof.Hencetheunstintedpains.

Shewasayounginvalidlady—notsoverymuchofaninvalid—sittinginawheeledchair,whichhadbeenpulledupinthefrontpartofagreenenclosure,closetoabandstand,whereaconcertwasgoingon,duringawarmJuneafternoon.IthadplaceinoneoftheminorparksorprivategardensthataretobefoundinthesuburbsofLondon,andwastheeffortofalocalassociationtoraisemoneyforsomecharity.Thereareworldswithinworldsinthegreatcity,andthoughnobodyoutsidetheimmediatedistricthadeverheardofthecharity,ortheband,orthegarden,theenclosurewasfilledwithaninterestedaudiencesufficientlyinformedonallthese.

Asthestrainsproceededmanyofthelistenersobservedthechairedlady,whosebackhair,byreasonofherprominentposition,sochallengedinspection.Herfacewasnoteasilydiscernible,buttheaforesaidcunningtress-weavings,thewhiteearandpoll,andthecurveofacheekwhichwasneitherflaccidnorsallow,weresignalsthatledtotheexpectationofgoodbeautyinfront.Suchexpectationsarenotinfrequentlydisappointedassoonasthedisclosurecomes;andinthepresentcase,whenthelady,byaturnofthehead,atlengthrevealedherself,shewasnotsohandsomeasthepeoplebehindherhadsupposed,andevenhoped—theydidnotknowwhy.

Foronething（alas!

thecommonnessofthiscomplaint）,shewaslessyoungthantheyhadfanciedhertobe.Yetattractiveherfaceunquestionablywas,andnotatallsickly.Therevelationofitsdetailscameeachtimesheturnedtotalktoaboyoftwelveorthirteenwhostoodbesideher,andtheshapeofwhosehatandjacketimpliedthathebelongedtoawell-knownpublicschool.Theimmediatebystanderscouldhearthathecalledher‘Mother.’

Whentheendoftherecitalwasreached,andtheaudiencewithdrew,manychosetofindtheirwayoutbypassingatherelbow.Almostallturnedtheirheadstotakeafullandnearlookattheinterestingwoman,whoremainedstationaryinthechairtillthewayshouldbeclearenoughforhertobewheeledoutwithoutobstruction.Asifsheexpectedtheirglances,anddidnotmindgratifyingtheircuriosity,shemettheeyesofseveralofherobserversbyliftingherown,showingthesetobesoft,brown,andaffectionateorbs,alittleplaintiveintheirregard.

Shewasconductedoutofthegardens,andpassedalongthepavementtillshedisappearedfromview,theschoolboywalkingbesideher.Toinquiriesmadebysomepersonswhowatchedheraway,theanswercamethatshewasthesecondwifeoftheincumbentofaneighbouringparish,andthatshewaslame.Shewasgenerallybelievedtobeawomanwithastory—aninnocentone,butastoryofsomesortorother.

Inconversingwithherontheirwayhometheboywhowalkedatherelbowsaidthathehopedhisfatherhadnotmissedthem.

‘HehavebeensocomfortabletheselastfewhoursthatIamsurehecannothavemissedus,’shereplied.

‘Has,dearmother—nothave!

’exclaimedthepublic-schoolboy,withanimpatientfastidiousnessthatwasalmostharsh.‘Surelyyouknowthatbythistime!

’

Hismotherhastilyadoptedthecorrection,anddidnotresenthismakingit,orretaliate,asshemightwellhavedone,bybiddinghimtowipethatcrumbymouthofhis,whoseconditionhadbeencausedbysurreptitiousattemptstoeatapieceofcakewithouttakingitoutofthepocketwhereinitlayconcealed.Afterthistheprettywomanandtheboywentonwardinsilence.

Thatquestionofgrammarboreuponherhistory,andshefellintoreverie,ofasomewhatsadkindtoallappearance.Itmighthavebeenassumedthatshewaswonderingifshehaddonewiselyinshapingherlifeasshehadshapedit,tobringoutsucharesultasthis.

InaremotenookinNorthWessex,fortymilesfromLondon,nearthethrivingcounty-townofAldbrickham,therestoodaprettyvillagewithitschurchandparsonage,whichsheknewwellenough,buthersonhadneverseen.Itwashernativevillage,Gaymead,andthefirsteventbearinguponherpresentsituationhadoccurredatthatplacewhenshewasonlyagirlofnineteen.

Howwellsherememberedit,thatfirstactinherlittletragi-comedy,thedeathofherreverendhusband’sfirstwife.Ithappenedonaspringevening,andshewhonowandformanyyearshadfilledthatfirstwife’splacewasthenparlour-maidintheparson’shouse.

Wheneverythinghadbeendonethatcouldbedone,andthedeathwasannounced,shehadgoneoutinthedusktovisitherparents,whowerelivinginthesamevillage,totellthemthesadnews.Assheopenedthewhiteswing-gateandlookedtowardsthetreeswhichrosewestward,shuttingoutthepalelightoftheeveningsky,shediscerned,withoutmuchsurprise,thefigureofamanstandinginthehedge,thoughsheroguishlyexclaimedasamatterofform,‘Oh,Sam,howyoufrightenedme!

’

Hewasayounggardenerofheracquaintance.Shetoldhimtheparticularsofthelateevent,andtheystoodsilent,thesetwoyoungpeople,inthatelevated,calmlyphilosophicmindwhichisengenderedwhenatragedyhashappenedcloseathand,andhasnothappenedtothephilosophersthemselves.Butithaditsbearingupontheirrelations.

‘AndwillyoustayonnowattheVicarage,justthesame?

’askedhe.

Shehadhardlythoughtofthat.‘Oh,yes—Isuppose!

’shesaid.‘Everythingwillbejustasusual,Iimagine?

’

Hewalkedbesidehertowardshermother’s.Presentlyhisarmstoleroundherwaist.Shegentlyremovedit;butheplaceditthereagain,andsheyieldedthepoint.‘Yousee,dearSophy,youdon’tknowthatyou’llstayon;youmaywantahome;andIshallbereadytoofferonesomeday,thoughImaynotbereadyjustyet.

‘Why,Sam,howcanyoubesofast!

I’veneverevensaidIliked’ee;anditisallyourowndoing,comingafterme!

’

‘Still,itisnonsensetosayIamnottohaveatryatyouliketherest.’Hestoopedtokissherafarewell,fortheyhadreachedhermother’sdoor.

‘No,Sam;yousha’n’t!

’shecried,puttingherhandoverhismouth.‘Yououghttobemoreseriousonsuchanightasthis.’Andshebadehimadieuwithoutallowinghimtokissherortocomeindoors.

Thevicarjustleftawidowerwasatthistimeamanaboutfortyyearsofage,ofgoodfamily,andchildless.Hehadledasecludedexistenceinthiscollegeliving,partlybecausetherewerenoresidentlandowners;andhislossnowintensifiedhishabitofwithdrawalfromoutwardobservation.Hewasstilllessseenthanheretofore,kepthimselfstilllessintimewiththerhythmandracketofthemovementscalledprogressintheworldwithout.Formanymonthsafterhiswife’sdeceasetheeconomyofhishouseholdremainedasbefore;thecook,thehousemaid,theparlour-maid,andthemanout-of-doorsperformedtheirdutiesorleftthemundone,justasNaturepromptedthem—thevicarknewnotwhich.Itwasthenrepresentedtohimthathisservantsseemedtohavenothingtodoinhissmallfamilyofone.Hewasstruckwiththetruthofthisrepresentation,anddecidedtocutdownhisestablishment.ButhewasforestalledbySophy,theparlour-maid,whosaidoneeveningthatshewishedtoleavehim.

‘Andwhy?

’saidtheparson.

‘SamHobsonhasaskedmetomarryhim,sir.’

‘Well—doyouwanttomarry?

’

‘Notmuch.Butitwouldbeahomeforme.Andwehaveheardthatoneofuswillhavetoleave.’

Adayortwoaftershesaid:

‘Idon’twanttoleavejustyet,sir,ifyoudon’twishit.SamandIhavequarrelled.’

Helookedupather.Hehadhardlyeverobservedherbefore,thoughhehadbeenfrequentlyconsciousofhersoftpresenceintheroom.Whatakitten-like,flexuous,tendercreatureshewas!

Shewastheonlyoneoftheservantswithwhomhecameintoimmediateandcontinuousrelation.WhatshouldhedoifSophyweregone?

Sophydidnotgo,butoneoftheothersdid,andthingswentonquietlyagain.

WhenMr.Twycott,thevicar,wasill,Sophybroughtuphismealstohim,andshehadnosoonerlefttheroomonedaythanheheardanoiseonthestairs.Shehadslippeddownwiththetray,andsotwistedherfootthatshecouldnotstand.Thevillagesurgeonwascalledin;thevicargotbetter,butSophywasincapacitatedforalongtime;andshewasinformedthatshemustneveragainwalkmuchorengageinanyoccupationwhichrequiredhertostandlongonherfeet.Assoonasshewascomparativelywellshespoketohimalone.Sinceshewasforbiddentowalkandbustleabout,and,indeed,couldnotdoso,itbecameherdutytoleave.Shecouldverywellworkatsomethingsittingdown,andshehadanauntaseamstress.

Theparsonhadbeenverygreatlymovedbywhatshehadsufferedonhisaccount,andheexclaimed,‘No,Sophy;lameornotlame,Icannotletyougo.Youmustneverleavemeagain!

’

Hecameclosetoher,and,thoughshecouldneverexactlytellhowithappened,shebecameconsciousofhislipsuponhercheek.Hethenaskedhertomarryhim.Sophydidnotexactlylovehim,butshehadarespectforhimwhichalmostamountedtoveneratio