new faces

the major, more blue-faced and staring - more over-ripe, as it were, than ever - and giving vent, every now and then, to one of the horse's coughs, not so much of necessity as in a spontaneous explosion of importance, walked arm-in-arm with mr dombey up the sunny side of the way, with his cheeks swelling over his tight stock, his legs majestically wide apart, and his great head wagging from side to side, as if he were remonstrating within himself for being such a captivating object. they had not walked many yards, before the major encountered somebody he knew, nor many yards farther before the major encountered somebody else he knew, but he merely shook his fingers at them as he passed, and led mr dombey on: pointing out the localities as they went, and enlivening the walk with any current scandal suggested by them.

in this manner the major and mr dombey were walking arm-in-arm, much to their own satisfaction, when they beheld advancing towards them, a wheeled chair, in which a lady was seated, indolently steering her carriage by a kind of rudder in front, while it was propelled by some unseen power in the rear. although the lady was not young, she was very blooming in the face - quite rosy- and her dress and attitude were perfectly juvenile. walking by the side of the chair, and carrying her gossamer parasol with a proud and weary air, as if so great an effort must be soon abandoned and the parasol dropped, sauntered a much younger lady, very handsome, very haughty, very wilful, who tossed her head and drooped her eyelids, as though, if there were anything in all the world worth looking into, save a mirror, it certainly was not the earth or sky.

'why, what the devil have we here, sir!' cried the major, stopping as this little cavalcade drew near.

'my dearest edith!' drawled the lady in the chair, 'major bagstock!'

the major no sooner heard the voice, than he relinquished mr dombey's arm, darted forward, took the hand of the lady in the chair and pressed it to his lips. with no less gallantry, the major folded both his gloves upon his heart, and bowed low to the other lady. and now, the chair having stopped, the motive power became visible in the shape of a flushed page pushing behind, who seemed to have in part outgrown and in part out-pushed his strength, for when he stood upright he was tall, and wan, and thin, and his plight appeared the more forlorn from his having injured the shape of his hat, by butting at the carriage with his head to urge it forward, as is sometimes done by elephants in oriental countries.

'joe bagstock,' said the major to both ladies, 'is a proud and happy man for the rest of his life.'

'you false creature! said the old lady in the chair, insipidly. 'where do you come from? i can't bear you.'

'then suffer old joe to present a friend, ma'am,' said the major, promptly, 'as a reason for being tolerated. mr dombey, mrs skewton.' the lady in the chair was gracious. 'mr dombey, mrs granger.' the lady with the parasol was faintly conscious of mr dombey's taking off his hat, and bowing low. 'i am delighted, sir,' said the major, 'to have this opportunity.'

the major seemed in earnest, for he looked at all the three, and leered in his ugliest manner.

'mrs skewton, dombey,' said the major, 'makes havoc in the heart of old josh.'

mr dombey signified that he didn't wonder at it.

'you perfidious goblin,' said the lady in the chair, 'have done! how long have you been here, bad man?'

'one day,' replied the major.

'and can you be a day, or even a minute,' returned the lady, slightly settling her false curls and false eyebrows with her fan, and showing her false teeth, set off by her false complexion, 'in the garden of what's-its-name

'eden, i suppose, mama,' interrupted the younger lady, scornfully.

'my dear edith,' said the other, 'i cannot help it. i never can remember those frightful names - without having your whole soul and being inspired by the sight of nature; by the perfume,' said mrs skewton, rustling a handkerchief that was faint and sickly with essences, 'of her artless breath, you creature!'

the discrepancy between mrs skewton's fresh enthusiasm of words, and forlornly faded manner, was hardly less observable than that between her age, which was about seventy, and her dress, which would have been youthful for twenty-seven. her attitude in the wheeled chair (which she never varied) was one in which she had been taken in a barouche, some fifty years before, by a then fashionable artist who had appended to his published sketch the name of cleopatra: in consequence of a discovery made by the critics of the time, that it bore an exact resemblance to that princess as she reclined on board her galley. mrs skewton was a beauty then, and bucks threw wine-glasses over their heads by dozens in her honour. the beauty and the barouche had both passed away, but she still preserved the attitude, and for this reason expressly, maintained the wheeled chair and the butting page: there being nothing whatever, except the attitude, to prevent her from walking.

'mr dombey is devoted to nature, i trust?' said mrs skewton, settling her diamond brooch. and by the way, she chiefly lived upon the reputation of some diamonds, and her family connexions.

'my friend dombey, ma'am,' returned the major, 'may be devoted to her in secret, but a man who is paramount in the greatest city in the universe -

'no one can be a stranger,' said mrs skewton, 'to mr dombey's immense influence.'

as mr dombey acknowledged the compliment with a bend of his head, the younger lady glancing at him, met his eyes.

'you reside here, madam?' said mr dombey, addressing her.

'no, we have been to a great many places. to harrogate and scarborough, and into devonshire. we have been visiting, and resting here and there. mama likes change.'

'edith of course does not,' said mrs skewton, with a ghastly archness.

'i have not found that there is any change in such places,' was the answer, delivered with supreme indifference.

'they libel me. there is only one change, mr dombey,' observed mrs skewton, with a mincing sigh, 'for which i really care, and that i fear i shall never be permitted to enjoy. people cannot spare one. but seclusion and contemplation are my what-his-name - '

'if you mean paradise, mama, you had better say so, to render yourself intelligible,' said the younger lady.

'my dearest edith,' returned mrs skewton, 'you know that i am wholly dependent upon you for those odious names. i assure you, mr dombey, nature intended me for an arcadian. i am thrown away in society. cows are my passion. what i have ever sighed for, has been to retreat to a swiss farm, and live entirely surrounded by cows - and china.'

this curious association of objects, suggesting a remembrance of the celebrated bull who got by mistake into a crockery shop, was received with perfect gravity by mr dombey, who intimated his opinion that nature was, no doubt, a very respectable institution.

'what i want,' drawled mrs skewton, pinching her shrivelled throat, 'is heart.' it was frightfully true in one sense, if not in that in which she used the phrase. 'what i want, is frankness, confidence, less conventionality, and freer play of soul. we are so dreadfully artificial.'

we were, indeed.

'in short,' said mrs skewton, 'i want nature everywhere. it would be so extremely charming.'

'nature is inviting us away now, mama, if you are ready,' said the younger lady, curling her handsome lip. at this hint, the wan page, who had been surveying the party over the top of the chair, vanished behind it, as if the ground had swallowed him up.

'stop a moment, withers!' said mrs skewton, as the chair began to move; calling to the page with all the languid dignity with which she had called in days of yore to a coachman with a wig, cauliflower nosegay, and silk stockings. 'where are you staying, abomination?' the major was staying at the royal hotel, with his friend dombey.

'you may come and see us any evening when you are good,' lisped mrs skewton. 'if mr dombey will honour us, we shall be happy. withers, go on!'

the major again pressed to his blue lips the tips of the fingers that were disposed on the ledge of the wheeled chair with careful carelessness, after the cleopatra model: and mr dombey bowed. the elder lady honoured them both with a very gracious smile and a girlish wave of her hand; the younger lady with the very slightest inclination of her head that common courtesy allowed.

the last glimpse of the wrinkled face of the mother, with that patched colour on it which the sun made infinitely more haggard and dismal than any want of colour could have been, and of the proud beauty of the daughter with her graceful figure and erect deportment, engendered such an involuntary disposition on the part of both the major and mr dombey to look after them, that they both turned at the same moment. the page, nearly as much aslant as his own shadow, was toiling after the chair, uphill, like a slow battering-ram; the top of cleopatra's bonnet was fluttering in exactly the same corner to the inch as before; and the beauty, loitering by herself a little in advance, expressed in all her elegant form, from head to foot, the same supreme disregard of everything and everybody.

'i tell you what, sir,' said the major, as they resumed their walk again. 'if joe bagstock were a younger man, there's not a woman in the world whom he'd prefer for mrs bagstock to that woman. by george, sir!' said the major, 'she's superb!'

'do you mean the daughter?' inquired mr dombey.

'is joey b. a turnip, dombey,' said the major, 'that he should mean the mother?'

'you were complimentary to the mother,' returned mr dombey.

'an ancient flame, sir,' chuckled major bagstock. 'devilish ancient. i humour her.'

'she impresses me as being perfectly genteel,' said mr dombey.

'genteel, sir,' said the major, stopping short, and staring in his companion's face. 'the honourable mrs skewton, sir, is sister to the late lord feenix, and aunt to the present lord. the family are not wealthy - they're poor, indeed - and she lives upon a small jointure; but if you come to blood, sir!' the major gave a flourish with his stick and walked on again, in despair of being able to say what you came to, if you came to that.

'you addressed the daughter, i observed,' said mr dombey, after a short pause, 'as mrs granger.'

'edith skewton, sir,' returned the major, stopping short again, and punching a mark in the ground with his cane, to represent her, 'married (at eighteen) granger of ours;' whom the major indicated by another punch. 'granger, sir,' said the major, tapping the last ideal portrait, and rolling his head emphatically, 'was colonel of ours; a de-vilish handsome fellow, sir, of forty-one. he died, sir, in the second year of his marriage.' the major ran the representative of the deceased granger through and through the body with his walking-stick, and went on again, carrying his stick over his shoulder.

'how long is this ago?' asked mr dombey, making another halt.

'edith granger, sir,' replied the major, shutting one eye, putting his head on one side, passing his cane into his left hand, and smoothing his shirt-frill with his right, 'is, at this present time, not quite thirty. and damme, sir,' said the major, shouldering his stick once more, and walking on again, 'she's a peerless woman!'

'was there any family?' asked mr dombey presently.

'yes, sir,' said the major. 'there was a boy.'

mr dombey's eyes sought the ground, and a shade came over his face.

'who was drowned, sir,' pursued the major. 'when a child of four or five years old.'

'indeed?' said mr dombey, raising his head.

'by the upsetting of a boat in which his nurse had no business to have put him,' said the major. 'that's his history. edith granger is edith granger still; but if tough old joey b., sir, were a little younger and a little richer, the name of that immortal paragon should be bagstock.'

the major heaved his shoulders, and his cheeks, and laughed more like an over-fed mephistopheles than ever, as he said the words.

'provided the lady made no objection, i suppose?' said mr dombey coldly.

'by gad, sir,' said the major, 'the bagstock breed are not accustomed to that sort of obstacle. though it's true enough that edith might have married twenty times, but for being proud, sir, proud.'

mr dombey seemed, by his face, to think no worse of her for that.

'it's a great quality after all,' said the major. 'by the lord, it's a high quality! dombey! you are proud yourself, and your friend, old joe, respects you for it, sir.'

with this tribute to the character of his ally, which seemed to be wrung from him by the force of circumstances and the irresistible tendency of their conversation, the major closed the subject, and glided into a general exposition of the extent to which he had been beloved and doted on by splendid women and brilliant creatures.

on the next day but one, mr dombey and the major encountered the honourable mrs skewton and her daughter in the pump-room; on the day after, they met them again very near the place where they had met them first. after meeting them thus, three or four times in all, it became a point of mere civility to old acquaintances that the major should go there one evening. mr dombey had not originally intended to pay visits, but on the major announcing this intention, he said he would have the pleasure of accompanying him. so the major told the native to go round before dinner, and say, with his and mr dombey's compliments, that they would have the honour of visiting the ladies that same evening, if the ladies were alone. in answer to which message, the native brought back a very small note with a very large quantity of scent about it, indited by the honourable mrs skewton to major bagstock, and briefly saying, 'you are a shocking bear and i have a great mind not to forgive you, but if you are very good indeed,' which was underlined, 'you may come. compliments (in which edith unites) to mr dombey.'

the honourable mrs skewton and her daughter, mrs granger, resided, while at leamington, in lodgings that were fashionable enough and dear enough, but rather limited in point of space and conveniences; so that the honourable mrs skewton, being in bed, had her feet in the window and her head in the fireplace, while the honourable mrs skewton's maid was quartered in a closet within the drawing-room, so extremely small, that, to avoid developing the whole of its accommodations, she was obliged to writhe in and out of the door like a beautiful serpent. withers, the wan page, slept out of the house immediately under the tiles at a neighbouring milk-shop; and the wheeled chair, which was the stone of that young sisyphus, passed the night in a shed belonging to the same dairy, where new-laid eggs were produced by the poultry connected with the establishment, who roosted on a broken donkey-cart, persuaded, to all appearance, that it grew there, and was a species of tree.

mr dombey and the major found mrs skewton arranged, as cleopatra, among the cushions of a sofa: very airily dressed; and certainly not resembling shakespeare's cleopatra, whom age could not wither. on their way upstairs they had heard the sound of a harp, but it had ceased on their being announced, and edith now stood beside it handsomer and haughtier than ever. it was a remarkable characteristic of this lady's beauty that it appeared to vaunt and assert itself without her aid, and against her will. she knew that she was beautiful: it was impossible that it could be otherwise: but she seemed with her own pride to defy her very self.

whether she held cheap attractions that could only call forth admiration that was worthless to her, or whether she designed to render them more precious to admirers by this usage of them, those to whom they were precious seldom paused to consider.

'i hope, mrs granger,' said mr dombey, advancing a step towards her, 'we are not the cause of your ceasing to play?'

'you! oh no!'

'why do you not go on then, my dearest edith?' said cleopatra.

'i left off as i began - of my own fancy.'

the exquisite indifference of her manner in saying this: an indifference quite removed from dulness or insensibility, for it was pointed with proud purpose: was well set off by the carelessness with which she drew her hand across the strings, and came from that part of the room.

'do you know, mr dombey,' said her languishing mother, playing with a hand-screen, 'that occasionally my dearest edith and myself actually almost differ - '

'not quite, sometimes, mama?' said edith.

'oh never quite, my darling! fie, fie, it would break my heart,' returned her mother, making a faint attempt to pat her with the screen, which edith made no movement to meet, ' - about these old conventionalities of manner that are observed in little things? why are we not more natural? dear me! with all those yearnings, and gushings, and impulsive throbbings that we have implanted in our souls, and which are so very charming, why are we not more natural?'

mr dombey said it was very true, very true.

'we could be more natural i suppose if we tried?' said mrs skewton.

mr dombey thought it possible.

'devil a bit, ma'am,' said the major. 'we couldn't afford it. unless the world was peopled with j.b.'s - tough and blunt old joes, ma'am, plain red herrings with hard roes, sir - we couldn't afford it. it wouldn't do.'

'you naughty infidel,' said mrs skewton, 'be mute.'

'cleopatra commands,' returned the major, kissing his hand, 'and antony bagstock obeys.'

'the man has no sensitiveness,' said mrs skewton, cruelly holding up the hand-screen so as to shut the major out. 'no sympathy. and what do we live for but sympathy! what else is so extremely charming! without that gleam of sunshine on our cold cold earth,' said mrs skewton, arranging her lace tucker, and complacently observing the effect of her bare lean arm, looking upward from the wrist, 'how could we possibly bear it? in short, obdurate man!' glancing at the major, round the screen, 'i would have my world all heart; and faith is so excessively charming, that i won't allow you to disturb it, do you hear?'

the major replied that it was hard in cleopatra to require the world to be all heart, and yet to appropriate to herself the hearts of all the world; which obliged cleopatra to remind him that flattery was insupportable to her, and that if he had the boldness to address her in that strain any more, she would positively send him home.

withers the wan, at this period, handing round the tea, mr dombey again addressed himself to edith.

'there is not much company here, it would seem?' said mr dombey, in his own portentous gentlemanly way.

'i believe not. we see none.'

'why really,' observed mrs skewton fom her couch, 'there are no people here just now with whom we care to associate.'

'they have not enough heart,' said edith, with a smile. the very twilight of a smile: so singularly were its light and darkness blended.

'my dearest edith rallies me, you see!' said her mother, shaking her head: which shook a little of itself sometimes, as if the palsy bed now and then in opposition to the diamonds. 'wicked one!'

'you have been here before, if i am not mistaken?' said mr dombey. still to edith.

'oh, several times. i think we have been everywhere.'

'a beautiful country!'

'i suppose it is. everybody says so.'

'your cousin feenix raves about it, edith,' interposed her mother from her couch.

the daughter slightly turned her graceful head, and raising her eyebrows by a hair's-breadth, as if her cousin feenix were of all the mortal world the least to be regarded, turned her eyes again towards mr dombey.

'i hope, for the credit of my good taste, that i am tired of the neighbourhood,' she said.

'you have almost reason to be, madam,' he replied, glancing at a variety of landscape drawings, of which he had already recognised several as representing neighbouring points of view, and which were strewn abundantly about the room, 'if these beautiful productions are from your hand.'

she gave him no reply, but sat in a disdainful beauty, quite amazing.

'have they that interest?' said mr dombey. 'are they yours?'

'yes.'

'and you play, i already know.'

'yes.'

'and sing?'

'yes.'

she answered all these questions with a strange reluctance; and with that remarkable air of opposition to herself, already noticed as belonging to her beauty. yet she was not embarrassed, but wholly self-possessed. neither did she seem to wish to avoid the conversation, for she addressed her face, and - so far as she could - her manner also, to him; and continued to do so, when he was silent.

'you have many resources against weariness at least,' said mr dombey.

'whatever their efficiency may be,' she returned, 'you know them all now. i have no more.

'may i hope to prove them all?' said mr dombey, with solemn gallantry, laying down a drawing he had held, and motioning towards the harp.

'oh certainly) if you desire it!'

she rose as she spoke, and crossing by her mother's couch, and directing a stately look towards her, which was instantaneous in its duration, but inclusive (if anyone had seen it) of a multitude of expressions, among which that of the twilight smile, without the smile itself, overshadowed all the rest, went out of the room.

the major, who was quite forgiven by this time, had wheeled a little table up to cleopatra, and was sitting down to play picquet with her. mr dombey, not knowing the game, sat down to watch them for his edification until edith should return.

'we are going to have some music, mr dombey, i hope?' said cleopatra.

'mrs granger has been kind enough to promise so,' said mr dombey.

'ah! that's very nice. do you propose, major?'

'no, ma'am,' said the major. 'couldn't do it.'

'you're a barbarous being,' replied the lady, 'and my hand's destroyed. you are fond of music, mr dombey?'

'eminently so,' was mr dombey's answer.

'yes. it's very nice,' said cleopatra, looking at her cards. 'so much heart in it - undeveloped recollections of a previous state of existence' - and all that - which is so truly charming. do you know,' simpered cleopatra, reversing the knave of clubs, who had come into her game with his heels uppermost, 'that if anything could tempt me to put a period to my life, it would be curiosity to find out what it's all about, and what it means; there are so many provoking mysteries, really, that are hidden from us. major, you to play.'

the major played; and mr dombey, looking on for his instruction, would soon have been in a state of dire confusion, but that he gave no attention to the game whatever, and sat wondering instead when edith would come back.

she came at last, and sat down to her harp, and mr dombey rose and stood beside her, listening. he had little taste for music, and no knowledge of the strain she played, but he saw her bending over it, and perhaps he heard among the sounding strings some distant music of his own, that tamed the monster of the iron road, and made it less inexorable.

cleopatra had a sharp eye, verily, at picquet. it glistened like a bird's, and did not fix itself upon the game, but pierced the room from end to end, and gleamed on harp, performer, listener, everything.

when the haughty beauty had concluded, she arose, and receiving mr dombey's thanks and compliments in exactly the same manner as before, went with scarcely any pause to the piano, and began there.

edith granger, any song but that! edith granger, you are very handsome, and your touch upon the keys is brilliant, and your voice is deep and rich; but not the air that his neglected daughter sang to his dead son)

alas, he knows it not; and if he did, what air of hers would stir him, rigid man! sleep, lonely florence, sleep! peace in thy dreams, although the night has turned dark, and the clouds are gathering, and threaten to discharge themselves in hail!

少校和董贝先生手挽着手，沿着街道上晒到阳光的一边走去；少校的脸色更加发青，眼睛鼓得更加凸出——好像比过去成熟得更过度了——，并不时发出一声马的咳嗽般的声音，这与其说是出于必要，倒还不如说是本能地要装出自尊自大的神气；他的脸颊涨鼓鼓地悬垂在紧绷绷的衣领上，两只腿威风凛凛地跨得很开，大大的头从一边摇晃到另一边，仿佛在心里责备自己为什么要成为这样有魅力的人物。他们没有走好多码远，少校遇到了一位熟人；没有再走几码远，他又遇到了另一位熟人；但是他走过的时候，只是向他们挥动一下手指头，就继续领着董贝先生向前走；一路上向他指点名胜地点，并讲一些使他联想起来的奇闻怪事，使散步增添生趣。

当少校和董贝先生这样手挽着手、洋洋自得地向前走着的时候，他们看到前面一个轮椅正向他们移动过来；椅子里坐着一位夫人正懒洋洋地操纵着前面的舵轮，驾驶着她的车子，后面则由一种看不见的力量推着。这位夫人虽然并不年轻，但面容却很娇艳——十分红润——，她的服装和姿态也完全跟妙龄女郎一样。一位年轻得多的女士在轮椅旁边悠闲地走着；她露出一种高傲而疲倦的神色，举着一把薄纱洋伞，仿佛必须立即放弃这个十分伟大的努力，让洋伞掉下去似的；她很美丽，很傲慢，很任性；她高昂着头，低垂着眼皮，仿佛世界上除了镜子之外，如果有什么值得观看的东西，那么它肯定不是地面或天空。

“哎呀，我们遇见什么魔鬼啦，先生！”当这一小队人马走近的时候，少校停下脚步，喊道。

“我最亲爱的伊迪丝！”轮椅中的夫人慢声慢气地说道，“白格斯托克少校！”

少校一听到这个声音，就放下董贝先生的胳膊，向前奔去，然后拉起椅子中的夫人的手，紧贴着他的嘴唇。少校以同样殷勤的态度，把两只戴着手套的手在胸前合拢，向另一位女士深深地鞠躬。现在，轮椅停下来了，原动力也显露出来了；那是一位满脸涨得通红的童仆，就是他在后面推着轮椅的；他似乎因为个子长得过大，又过分用力，所以当他挺直站立起来的时候，他看去高大、消瘦、脸无血色。由于他像东方国家的大象那样用头顶着车子推动它前进，因此他的帽子的形状也被损坏了，这就使他的境况显得更加悲惨可怜。

“乔·白格斯托克，”少校向两位女士说道，“在他这一生的其余日子里是个自豪和幸福的人。”

“你这个虚伪的东西！”椅子里的夫人有气无力地说道，“你从那里来？我不能容忍你。”

“那么，请允许老乔向您介绍一位朋友吧，夫人，”少校立即说道，“希望这能成为得到您宽恕的理由。董贝先生，斯丘顿夫人。”椅子中的夫人和蔼亲切，彬彬有礼。

“董贝先生，格兰杰夫人。”拿阳伞的女士略略注意了一下董贝先生脱下帽子和深深地鞠躬。“我真高兴能有这样的机会，先生。”少校说道。

少校似乎是认真的，因为他看着所有三个人，并以他最丑恶的神态把眼睛溜来溜去。

“董贝，”少校说道，“斯丘顿夫人蹂躏了老乔希的心。”

董贝先生表示他对这并不惊奇。

“你这背信弃义的恶鬼，”椅子中的夫人说道，“什么也别说了！你到这里有多久了，坏人？”

“一天，”少校回答道。

“难道你能在这里待上一天或哪怕是一分钟，”那位夫人接着说道，一边用扇子轻轻地整了整她的假卷发和假眉毛，露出了被她的假容颜衬托得格外清楚的假牙齿。“在这——叫什么的园中——”

“我想是伊甸园1吧，妈妈，”年轻的女士轻蔑地打断道。

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1伊甸园：《圣经》故事说，上帝创造了男人亚当和女人夏娃，安排他们住在伊甸园中。伊甸园中河流两岸生长着各种花草树木，还有各种飞禽走兽。亚当与夏娃住在伊甸园中最初过着无忧无虑的生活，因此伊甸园转义为极乐园。

“我最亲爱的伊迪丝，”另一位说道，“我没有办法。我永远也记不住这些可怕的名字——难道你能在这伊甸园中待上一天，哪怕是一分钟而没有让你整个灵魂和整个人受到大自然的壮观的鼓舞吗？又难道能使它不被大自然那纯洁的呼吸的芳香所鼓舞吗？你这个东西！”斯丘顿夫人说道，一边沙沙作声地挥着一块手绢，散发出闷人的、令人欲呕的香气。

斯丘顿夫人活泼热情的语言与她那衰弱无力的声调那么不相配，就跟她的年龄——大约七十岁——与她的服装——二十七岁的人穿起来也显得年轻——不相配一样令人注目。她坐在轮椅中的姿态（她从不改变这个姿态），正是大约五十年前她坐在双马四轮大马车中、由当时一位风靡一时的画家画下的姿态；这幅肖像画发表的时候他还给加上一个名字：克利奥佩特拉1，这是由于当时的评论家们发现她和这位女王斜倚在单层甲板大帆船时的风貌维妙维肖的缘故。斯丘顿夫人当时是一位美人，花花公子们几十次举杯向她致敬。现在美貌和双马四轮大马车全都不再存在了，但她依旧保持着这个姿态，而且特别由于这个原因，还依旧保留了那个轮椅并雇佣了那个用头推车的童仆；除了这个姿态外，没有任何其他原因妨碍她走路。

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1克利奥佩特拉（cleopatra，公元前69—30年），古埃及最后一位女王，姿色艳丽，在位期间为公元前51—49年及48—30年。

“我相信，董贝先生是热爱大自然的吧？”斯丘顿夫人整整她的钻石胸针，说道。这里顺便说一句，她主要是依靠她有一些钻石的名声和她的家族关系过日子的。

“夫人，”少校回答道，“我的朋友董贝也许在内心深处热爱大自然，但是一位在世界上最大城市中头等重要的人物——”

“谁也不会不知道董贝先生的巨大影响，”斯丘顿夫人说道。

董贝先生点了点头答谢这个恭维，这时那位年轻的女士向他看了一眼，碰见了他的眼光。

“您在这里居住吗，夫人，”董贝先生向她致意道。

“不，我们在很多地方待过——哈罗盖特1，斯卡伯勒2和德文郡3。我们一直在参观游览，这里停停，那里停停。妈妈喜欢变换环境。”

“伊迪丝当然是不喜欢变换环境的罗，”斯丘顿夫人故意调笑逗趣地说道。

“我看不出这些地方有什么差别，”非常冷淡的回答。

“他们诽谤我。只有一个变换是我真正向往的，董贝先生，”斯丘顿夫人装腔作势地叹了一口气，说道，“恐怕永远也不允许我享受到这变换后的乐趣了。人们不能宽恕一个人。

对我来说，隐居和沉思才是我们——叫什么来的？”

“如果你的意思是说乐园，妈妈，你最好就这样说出来，好让别人听明白你的意思，”年轻的女人说道。

“我最亲爱的伊迪丝，”斯丘顿夫人回答道，“你知道，我完全靠你给我记这些讨厌的名字。我敢向您保证说，董贝先生，大自然打算让我成为一个阿卡底亚4人。我在社会上已经被抛弃了。牛群就是我的爱好。我所梦寐以求的就是隐居到一个瑞士的农场，完全生活在牛群——与瓷器的环境之中。”

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1哈罗盖特（harrogate）：英格兰北部约克郡的自治市，是游览胜地。

2斯卡伯勒（scarborough）：英格兰北部约克郡的自治市，是海滨游览胜地。

3德文郡（devonshire）：英格兰西南部的一个郡，是英格兰第三大郡。

4阿卡底亚：古希腊山地牧区，是风光明媚、人情淳朴的理想乡，类似我国的世外桃源。

这两个事物被这样奇妙地拼搭在一起，使人联想起那头误入瓷器店的公牛1；董贝先生十分认真地听着；他发表意见说，大自然无疑是个很值得尊敬的创造。

“我所需要的，”斯丘顿夫人捏着她干瘪的喉咙，慢声慢气地说道，“就是心。”她所说的这一点在某种意义上是可怕地正确的2，虽然这并不是她所想要表达的意思，“我所需要的是坦率、信任、少些客套和让心灵自由奔放。我们是多么可怕地虚假呀。”

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1闯进瓷器店的公牛（abullinachinashop）：英国成语，通常用来形容鲁莽闯祸的人。

2指她的心脏已经哀老，需要换颗新的了。

我们的确是这样。

“总之，”斯丘顿夫人说道，“我到处都需要自然。那会是多么可爱啊。”

“大自然现在邀请我们上别处去了，妈妈，如果你同意的话，”年轻的女士歪着美丽的嘴唇，说道。脸无血色的童仆一直站在椅子背后观察着这一伙人，这时听到这个暗示以后，就在椅子后面消失不见了，仿佛土地已经把他吞下去似的。

“等一会儿，威瑟斯，”当椅子开始移动的时候，斯丘顿夫人无精打采而又端庄威严地向童仆呼喊道；她在往昔的日子里就是用这样的神态呼喊戴着假发、拿着菜花的花束、穿着长统丝袜的车夫的。“你待在哪里，可恶的人？”

少校和他的朋友董贝住在皇家旅馆。

“如果你已经改邪归正的话，你可以在任何一个晚上来看我们，”斯丘顿夫人吐字不清地说道，“如果董贝先生肯大驾光临的话，那么我们将感到不胜荣幸。威瑟斯，走吧！”

少校又一次把她那模仿克利奥佩特拉的姿态，故意漫不经心地搁在轮椅横边上的指尖紧紧压在他的发青的嘴唇上；董贝先生则向她们鞠躬。年老的夫人对他们两人和蔼可亲地微笑了一下，少女似地挥了挥手，作为回礼；年轻的女士则按照通常的礼貌，极为轻轻地点了点头。

母亲那皱巴巴的脸孔，上面敷盖着一层饰颜片1的颜色，在阳光下比没有任何颜色显得更加枯槁和丑陋；女儿则身材优美，举止高雅；少校和董贝向那位母亲的脸孔与那位女儿高傲而美丽的容貌看了最后一眼之后，都情不自禁地希望目送着她们离开，所以两人都在同一个瞬间转回了身子，童仆身子几乎和他自己的影子一样倾斜，正像一个缓慢的破城槌2一样，辛辛苦苦地推着椅子上坡；克利奥佩特拉的软帽丝毫不差地在原先的部位上摆动；那位美人独自一人稍稍走在前面，在她从头到脚的整个优雅的身形中，跟原先一样，表露出完全目空一切事物和一切人们的神情。

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1饰颜片：17、18世纪时，欧洲妇女贴在脸上增加美观的小绸片。

2破城槌：古代攻打城门，向城门猛烈敲打的槌子。

“这是我要跟您说的，先生，”当他们重新散步的时候，少校说道，“如果乔·白格斯托克比现在年轻一些，除了那个女人，世界上没有别的女人他最愿意娶来当白格斯托克夫人的了。确实是这样，先生！”少校说，“她是绝色佳人啊。”

“您是指女儿吗？”董贝先生问道。

“难道乔·白是个萝卜吗，董贝，他竟会指母亲？”少校说。

“您刚才恭维母亲啊，”董贝先生说道。

“那是旧日的情焰啦，先生，”白格斯托克少校吃吃地笑道，“非常非常旧的了。我迎合她。”

“我觉得她完全是上流社会中有很好教养的人。”董贝先生说。

“上流社会中有很好教养的人，先生！”少校突然停下来，凝视着他的旅伴的脸孔，说道，“尊贵的斯丘顿夫人，先生，是已故的那位菲尼克斯勋爵的妹妹，现在那位菲尼克斯勋爵的姑妈。这个家庭并不富有——事实上他们是穷的——，她依靠从丈夫那里继承下来的一点财产过活。但是如果您要提到门第的话，先生！”少校挥了挥手杖，继续往前走，觉得毫无办法解释如果您要提到那一点的话，您将会怎么样。

“我注意到，”董贝先生在短暂的沉默后说道，“您称那位女儿为格兰杰夫人。”

“伊迪丝·斯丘顿，先生，”少校回答道，又突然停下来，用手杖在地上戳了个小坑来代表她，“十八岁的时候嫁给我们部队的格兰杰；”少校又戳了一个小坑来代表他。“格兰杰，先生，”少校用手杖敲敲第二个想象中的画像，富于表情地摇晃着脑袋，说道，“是我们部队的上校，一位非常非常英俊的家伙，先生，四十一岁。在结婚的第二年，先生，他死了。”少校用手杖向代表已故的格兰杰的身体戳下去，戳下去，然后把手杖挂在肩膀上，继续向前走。

“这是多久的事了？”董贝先生又踌躇了一会儿以后问道。

“伊迪丝·格兰杰，先生，”少校闭上一只眼睛，头歪到一侧，把手杖递到左手，右手抚平衬衫的褶边，回答道，“现在还不到三十岁。他妈的，先生，”少校说道，一边又把手杖挂到肩膀上，重新向前走，“她是举世无双的女人！”

“有孩子吗？”董贝先生不久问道。

“有，先生，”少校说，“有一个男孩。”

董贝先生的眼睛凝视着地面，脸上罩上了一层阴影。

“他淹死了，先生，”少校继续说道，“那时他四、五岁。”

“真的吗？”董贝先生抬起头来问道。

“由于小船翻了的缘故，他的保姆本来不应该把他放到小船上去的，”少校说道，“这就是他的历史。伊迪丝·格兰杰依然还是伊迪丝·格兰杰；但是如果坚强不屈的老乔埃·白·年轻一些，有钱一些的话。先生，那么这位不朽的尤物就该姓白格斯托克了。”

少校说这些话的时候，肩膀和脸颊一起一伏地颤动着，同时放声大笑着，比先前更像是个吃喝过度的梅菲斯托菲尔斯。

“您是说如果那位女士不反对的话，我想，”董贝先生冷冰冰地说道。

“天哪，先生，”少校说道，“白格斯托克家族的人是不考虑这一类障碍的。不过，这倒也确实不错，伊迪丝要不是因为高傲，本该结过二十次婚了，先生，就因为高傲啊。”

从董贝先生脸上的表情看来，他并不因为这个原因对她产生坏的想法。

“这毕竟是个伟大的品质，”少校说道，“我敢向天主发誓，这是个高贵的品质！董贝！您本人也是高傲的，您的朋友老乔由于这个缘故而尊敬您，先生。”

少校似乎是由于形势所迫，也是由于他们谈话不可抗拒的趋势，对他的旅伴的性格说出了这番颂辞，然后就结束了这个话题，改为泛泛地谈论那些出色的女人与漂亮的人儿怎样对他钟情和宠爱的事情。

隔一天以后，董贝先生和少校在矿泉饮水处遇见了斯丘顿夫人和她的女儿；第二天，他们又在他们第一次遇见她们的地方的附近遇见了她们。这样遇见她们三、四次之后，老熟人之间的礼貌要求少校该在一个晚上去看看她们。董贝先生最初并不打算拜访，但当少校表明他的意向后，他说他将高兴陪他去。因此少校在晚饭前吩咐本地人前去她们那里转达他和董贝先生的问候，并告诉她们，如果没有别人在那里的话，他们当天晚上将荣幸地前去拜访她们两位女士。本地人带回来一张很小的散发出大量香水气味的便条，那是尊贵的斯丘顿夫人写给白格斯托克少校的，作为对带去的口信的回答。便条上写着：“你是头坏透了的熊。我真不想饶恕你。但是如果你现在已经走上正路，确实很好的话，”她在这下面划上了横线，“那么你可以来。请代我（连同伊迪丝）向董贝先生致意。”

斯丘顿夫人和她的女儿格兰杰夫人在莱明顿期间居住在很时髦、很昂贵，但面积和设备却相当有限的寓所中；因此，当斯丘顿夫人躺在床上的时候，她的脚得搁到窗子上，她的头得搁到壁炉上；斯丘顿夫人的女仆挤住在会客室中的一个极小的壁橱里；为了不露出它里面的全部东西，她得像一条美丽的蛇一样，扭进门里去，并从门里扭出来。童仆威瑟斯不是睡在这个屋子里，而是睡在邻近牛奶店的屋顶下；这位年轻的西西弗斯的石头1—轮椅在同一个牛奶店的棚屋里过夜；这家店铺的鸡鸭在棚屋里下蛋，它们栖息在一辆破旧的二轮驴车上；显然，它们相信这车子是生长在那里的一种树木。

董贝先生和少校看到斯丘顿夫人穿着很轻薄的衣衫，采取克利奥佩特拉的姿态，坐在一张沙发的软垫中间，当然并不像莎士比亚笔下那年龄不能使她衰老的克利奥佩特拉2。他们走上楼的时候，曾听到竖琴的声音，但当通报他们来到的时候，琴声停止了，伊迪丝比先前更美丽更傲慢地站在琴边。这位女士的美貌有一个特点，就是不用她本人帮助，而且违反她本人的意愿，就自我宣扬出来，自我肯定下来。她知道她是美丽的，不可能不是这样，但她似乎高傲地公然反抗自己。

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1西西弗斯（sisyphus）：希腊神话中的科林斯王，因生时作恶多端，得罪了神，死后堕入地狱，被罚推石上山，但石到山顶的时候就要倒滚下来，永远如此，使他劳苦不已。

2见莎士比亚所著戏剧《安东尼与克利奥佩特拉》第二幕第二场：

爱诺巴勃斯：“不，他决不会丢弃她，年龄不能使她衰老，习惯也腐蚀不了她的变化无穷的伎俩。别的女人使人日久生厌，她却越是给人满足，越是使人饥渴；……”

究竟是她不重视她那只能引起对她爱慕（这种爱慕对她是毫无价值的）的魅力呢，还是她有意这样对待她的魅力，使那些爱慕者感到这种魅力更为宝贵呢，那些把这种魅力看得很宝贵的人们很少停下来想一想。

“格兰杰夫人，”董贝先生向她走近一步，说道，“我希望，我们不是使您停止弹琴的原因吧？”

“·你·们？哦，不！”

“那么你为什么不继续弹下去呢，我最亲爱的伊迪丝？”克利奥佩特拉问道。

“我弹不弹——都随我自己喜欢。”

她讲这些话时态度非常冷淡；这种冷淡与感觉迟钝或麻木不仁截然不同，因为它是由于高傲的原因而有意显露出来的；这时她用手带过琴弦，走到房间的另一端去；她那漫不经心的神态把她的冷淡衬托得更为突出。

“您知道吗，董贝先生，”衰弱无力的母亲玩弄着一块手提的遮光板，说道，“我最亲爱的伊迪丝偶尔跟我的意见实际上几乎是不一致的——”

“不是偶尔吧，我们不是时常不一致吗，妈妈？”伊迪丝说道。

“啊，不，我亲爱的宝贝！别那么说，那会使我很伤心的，”她的母亲回答道，一边想用遮光板轻轻拍打她，伊迪丝却没有挨近去让她拍打，“在一些小事情上，在待人接物的态度方面必须遵守的严格的陈规旧俗上，我的伊迪丝是经常跟我意见不一致的，是不是？为什么我们不能更自然些呢？阿，我的天！既然在我们的心灵中灌输进了这些急切的希望、洋溢的热情、激动的感情，而它们又是多么十分可爱，那么为什么我们不能更自然一些呢？”

董贝先生说，她的话说得很对，很对。

“我想，如果我们设法去做，我们就能够更自然一些。”斯丘顿夫人说道。

“绝对不行，夫人，”少校说道，“那样做我们受不了。除非这世界上满都是乔·白——坚强不屈、直肠直肚的老乔，夫人，满都是清淡的带卵的熏鲱鱼，先生——否则我们就受不了，万万不能那样！”

“你这没礼貌的异教徒！”斯丘顿夫人说道，“别吱声！”

“克利奥佩特拉命令，安东尼·白格斯托克服从。1”少校送了一个飞吻，问答道。

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1少校在这里把自己比作马克·安东尼。马克·安东尼（markantony，公元前82a81—30年），是古代罗马卓越的军事与政治预袖，凯撒的亲密同僚。公元前43年，他主管东方各行省，召见埃及女王克利奥佩特拉，成为她的情夫，公元前40年，他回到意大利，与渥大维签订一顶协定，并与渥大维的妹妹结婚；但不出三年，他便与渥大维势不两立，一再去东方与克利奥佩特拉幽会，在与渥大维妹妹离婚后，终于与克利奥佩特拉结为夫妻，并因此成为全体罗马人诛讨的对象。

“这是个麻木不仁的人，”斯丘顿夫人说道，一边狠狠地举起遮光板，把少校挡在外面，“他没有任何同情心；如果没有同情心的话，我们还能生活吗？还有什么别的能像它这么极为可爱的呢？如果没有这道阳光照耀到我们这冰冷冰冷的土地上的话，那么我们怎么可能忍受得了这种寒冷呢？”斯丘顿夫人说，一边整整她的花边领布，得意扬扬地从手腕往上看，观察着她露在衣服外面的枯瘦的胳膊所发挥的作用，“一句话，冷淡无情的人！”她又从遮光板旁边向少校看了一眼，“我想使我的世界全都是心；信仰又是这么非常可爱，因此我不容许你去搅乱它，你听见了没有？”

少校回答说，克利奥佩特拉要求全世界都是心，而且还要求全世界的心都归她占有，这是个苛刻的要求；这迫使克利奥佩特拉提醒他，谄媚是她所不能忍受的，如果他胆敢再用这种腔调来对她说话，那么她一定要把他撵回家去。

这时脸无血色的威瑟斯送上茶来，董贝先生又转向伊迪丝。

“这里似乎没有什么社交活动吧？”董贝先生保持着他那特有的自命不凡的绅士派头，说道。

“我想没有。我们没有看到。”

“啊，真的，”斯丘顿夫人从她的长沙发椅中说道，“现在这里没有什么我们愿意跟他们来往的人。”

“他们没有足够的心，”伊迪丝露出一丝微笑，说道。这是若隐若现的微笑，就像薄暮或黎明，光明与黑暗是多么奇怪地混合在一起。

“你看，我最亲爱的伊迪丝在嘲笑我呢！”母亲摇摇头说道；她的头有时无意在摇着，仿佛麻痹症不时发作一下，要跟不时闪耀着的钻石比赛高低似的。“坏东西！”

“如果我没错，您以前来过这里吧？”董贝先生仍然对着伊迪丝，说道。

“啊，来过好几次了。我想我们什么地方都去过了。”

“这是个美丽的地方！”

“我想是的，人人都这么说。”

“你的表哥菲尼克斯对它喜欢得就像入了迷似的，伊迪丝，”她的母亲从长沙发椅中插嘴道。

女儿轻微地转过她那美丽的头，稍稍扬起眉毛，仿佛她的表哥菲尼克斯是尘世间最不值得注意的人似的；她的眼睛又转向董贝先生。

“考虑到我审美能力的声誉，我希望我对附近的地方都已厌倦了，”她说道。

“您也许很有理由觉得这样吧，夫人，”他朝大量散摆在房间四处的各种风景画看了一眼，说道；他已看出其中有几幅是描写附近的景致的，“如果这些美丽的作品是出于您的手笔的话。”

她没有回答他，而是以目空一切的美人的姿态，十分惊异地坐在那里。

“是不是这样？”董贝先生问道，“它们是不是您画的？”

“是的。”

“您还会弹琴，我早知道了。”

“是的。”

“还会唱歌吧？”

“是的。”

她用奇怪的、勉强的口吻回答这些问题，并露出跟自己对抗的神情；前面已经指出，这是她的美貌的一个特点。可是她并不局促不安，而完全是泰然自若。她似乎也并不希望避开谈话，因为她的脸朝着他，她的态度也尽可能地注意着他；当他沉默的时候，她也依然如此。

“您至少有许多方法来排遣烦闷，”董贝先生说道。

“不管它们的效果怎么样，”她回答道，“这些方法现在您全都知道了。我没有什么别的方法。”

“我可以希望把它们的效果全部证明一下吗？”董贝先生放下手中的一幅图画，指着竖琴，庄严而又殷勤地问道。

“啊，当然可以，如果您愿意的话。”

她一边说，一边站起来；当她走过母亲的长沙发椅时，她向那里投去了庄严的眼光，时间是短促的一瞬，但它却包含了许多表情，其中那若隐若现的微笑把其余的表情都遮蔽了；——她就这样走出了房间。

少校这时得到了完全的宽恕；他把一个有轮子的小桌子推到克利奥佩特拉身旁，坐下来跟她玩皮基特牌1。董贝先生不懂得玩这种纸牌；当伊迪丝没有回来的时候，他就坐下来看他们玩，从中学习。

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1皮基特牌：一种二人玩的纸牌游戏。

“我希望，我们将听到音乐吧，董贝先生？”克利奥佩特拉说道。

“承蒙格兰杰夫人的厚意，她已经答应了，”董贝先生说道。

“啊，好极了。是你建议的吗，少校？”

“不是，夫人，”少校说，“我提不出这样的建议。”

“你是个野蛮人，”那位夫人回答道，“我的手气都给你败坏，打不出好牌来了。您喜欢音乐吧，董贝先生？”

“非常喜欢。”这是董贝先生的回答。

“是的。好极了。”克利奥佩特拉看着纸牌，说道，“音乐包含着许多心，它使人模糊地回想起人类往昔的生存状态——还有很多别的东西，那确实是多么可爱。您可知道，”克利奥佩特拉窃笑着，一边把抓进来的那张脚朝天的梅花杰克掉过头去，“如果有什么东西诱使我结束我的生命的话，那就是想要了解我们周围的一切究竟是什么、它的意义究竟是什么的好奇心；确实，有那么耐人寻味的秘密隐藏着，我们还不知道。少校，你出牌！”

少校出了牌；董贝先生继续看着，从中学习，他本来很早就已完全看不明白了，可是他根本没有注意玩牌，而是坐在那里纳闷：伊迪丝什么时候才会回来呢。

她终于回来了，并且在竖琴前面坐下来；董贝先生站起身来，站在她旁边，听着。他对音乐没有什么欣赏力，对她弹奏的曲调一无所知，但是他看见她向竖琴弯下身子，也许他还在琴弦的声音中听到在什么遥远的地方响起了他自己的音乐；它驯服了铁路这个怪物，使它不像过去那么难以抗拒了。

克利奥佩特拉玩皮基特牌的时候，眼睛确实敏锐。它们像鸟儿的眼睛一样闪着光，而且没有死死盯在纸牌上，而是注视着整个房间，从这一端到那一端，毫无疏漏。它们的光闪射到竖琴上，闪射到弹琴人的身上，闪射到听琴人的身上，闪射到每一样东西上。

傲慢的美人弹完之后，站起来，用跟先前一样的态度接受了董贝先生的感谢与恭维；然后几乎没有停歇地走向钢琴，开始弹奏起来。

伊迪丝·格兰杰，您不论弹唱哪首歌曲都可以，但请别弹唱这首歌曲吧！伊迪丝·格兰杰，您是很标致的，您的指法是出色的，您的声音是深沉和嘹亮的，但是请您别弹唱他的受冷落的女儿曾经唱给他的死去的儿子听的这首歌曲吧！

啊，他没有听出来；如果他听出来的话，还有什么歌曲能像这首歌曲那样，会把他这冷酷的人搅得心神不宁呢！安睡吧。孤独的弗洛伦斯，安睡吧！虽然夜已经黑了，乌云正在密布，好像就要下冰雹了，但祝愿您的梦是安宁的！