the awakening and selected short stories(苏醒)-第29部分
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！
champagne to the light。
As if a magician's wand had touched him； the garland of roses
transformed him into a vision of Oriental beauty。 His cheeks were the
color of crushed grapes； and his dusky eyes glowed with a languishing
fire。
〃Sapristi！〃 exclaimed Arobin。
But Mrs。 Highcamp had one more touch to add to the picture。 She took
from the back of her chair a white silken scarf； with which she had
covered her shoulders in the early part of the evening。 She draped it
across the boy in graceful folds； and in a way to conceal his black；
conventional evening dress。 He did not seem to mind what she did to
him； only smiled； showing a faint gleam of white teeth； while he continued
to gaze with narrowing eyes at the light through his glass of champagne。
〃Oh！ to be able to paint in color rather than in words！〃 exclaimed Miss
Mayblunt； losing herself in a rhapsodic dream as she looked at him；
〃‘There was a graven image of Desire Painted with red blood on a
ground of gold。'〃 murmured Gouvernail； under his breath。
The effect of the wine upon Victor was to change his accustomed
volubility into silence。 He seemed to have abandoned himself to a
reverie； and to be seeing pleasing visions in the amber bead。
〃Sing；〃 entreated Mrs。 Highcamp。 〃Won't you sing to us？〃
〃Let him alone；〃 said Arobin。
〃He's posing；〃 offered Mr。 Merriman； 〃let him have it out。〃
〃I believe he's paralyzed；〃 laughed Mrs。 Merriman。 And leaning over
the youth's chair； she took the glass from his hand and held it to his lips。
105
… Page 106…
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories
He sipped the wine slowly； and when he had drained the glass she laid it
upon the table and wiped his lips with her little filmy handkerchief。
〃Yes； I'll sing for you；〃 he said； turning in his chair toward Mrs。
Highcamp。 He clasped his hands behind his head； and looking up at the
ceiling began to hum a little； trying his voice like a musician tuning an
instrument。 Then； looking at Edna； he began to sing：
〃Ah！ si tu savais！〃
〃Stop！〃 she cried； 〃don't sing that。 I don't want you to sing it；〃 and
she laid her glass so impetuously and blindly upon the table as to shatter it
against a carafe。 The wine spilled over Arobin's legs and some of it
trickled down upon Mrs。 Highcamp's black gauze gown。 Victor had lost
all idea of courtesy； or else he thought his hostess was not in earnest； for
he laughed and went on：
〃Ah！ si tu savais
Ce que tes yeux me disent〃
〃Oh！ you mustn't！ you mustn't；〃 exclaimed Edna； and pushing back her
chair she got up； and going behind him placed her hand over his mouth。
He kissed the soft palm that pressed upon his lips。
〃No； no； I won't； Mrs。 Pontellier。 I didn't know you meant it；〃
looking up at her with caressing eyes。 The touch of his lips was like a
pleasing sting to her hand。 She lifted the garland of roses from his head
and flung it across the room。
〃Come； Victor； you've posed long enough。 Give Mrs。 Highcamp her
scarf。〃
Mrs。 Highcamp undraped the scarf from about him with her own
hands。 Miss Mayblunt and Mr。 Gouvernail suddenly conceived the
notion that it was time to say good night。 And Mr。 and Mrs。 Merriman
wondered how it could be so late。
Before parting from Victor； Mrs。 Highcamp invited him to call upon
her daughter； who she knew would be charmed to meet him and talk
French and sing French songs with him。 Victor expressed his desire and
intention to call upon Miss Highcamp at the first opportunity which
106
… Page 107…
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories
presented itself。 He asked if Arobin were going his way。 Arobin was
not。
The mandolin players had long since stolen away。 A profound
stillness had fallen upon the broad； beautiful street。 The voices of Edna's
disbanding guests jarred like a discordant note upon the quiet harmony of
the night。
XXXI
〃Well？〃 questioned Arobin； who had remained with Edna after the
others had departed。
〃Well；〃 she reiterated； and stood up； stretching her arms； and feeling
the need to relax her muscles after having been so long seated。
〃What next？〃 he asked。
〃The servants are all gone。 They left when the musicians did。 I have
dismissed them。 The house has to be closed and locked； and I shall trot
around to the pigeon house； and shall send Celestine over in the morning
to straighten things up。〃
He looked around； and began to turn out some of the lights。
〃What about upstairs？〃 he inquired。
〃I think it is all right； but there may be a window or two unlatched。
We had better look； you might take a candle and see。 And bring me my
wrap and hat on the foot of the bed in the middle room。〃
He went up with the light； and Edna began closing doors and windows。
She hated to shut in the smoke and the fumes of the wine。 Arobin found
her cape and hat； which he brought down and helped her to put on。
When everything was secured and the lights put out； they left through
the front door； Arobin locking it and taking the key； which he carried for
Edna。 He helped her down the steps。
〃Will you have a spray of jessamine？〃 he asked； breaking off a few
blossoms as he passed。
〃No； I don't want anything。〃
She seemed disheartened； and had nothing to say。 She took his arm；
which he offered her； holding up the weight of her satin train with the
other hand。 She looked down； noticing the black line of his leg moving
107
… Page 108…
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories
in and out so close to her against the yellow shimmer of her gown。 There
was the whistle of a railway train somewhere in the distance； and the
midnight bells were ringing。 They met no one in their short walk。
The 〃pigeon house〃 stood behind a locked gate； and a shallow parterre
that had been somewhat neglected。 There was a small front porch； upon
which a long window and the front door opened。 The door opened directly
into the parlor； there was no side entry。 Back in the yard was a room for
servants； in which old Celestine had been ensconced。
Edna had left a lamp burning low upon the table。 She had succeeded
in making the room look habitable and homelike。 There were some
books on the table and a lounge near at hand。 On the floor was a fresh
matting； covered with a rug or two； and on the walls hung a few tasteful
pictures。 But the room was filled with flowers。 These were a surprise
to her。 Arobin had sent them； and had had Celestine distribute them
during Edna's absence。 Her bedroom was adjoining； and across a small
passage were the diningroom and kitchen。
Edna seated herself with every appearance of discomfort。
〃Are you tired？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； and chilled； and miserable。 I feel as if I had been wound up to
a certain pitchtoo tightand something inside of me had snapped。〃 She
rested her head against the table upon her bare arm。
〃You want to rest；〃 he said； 〃and to be quiet。 I'll go； I'll leave you and
let you rest。〃
〃Yes；〃 she replied。
He stood up beside her and smoothed her hair with his soft； magnetic
hand。 His touch conveyed to her a certain physical comfort。 She could
have fallen quietly asleep there if he had continued to pass his hand over
her hair。 He brushed the hair upward from the nape of her neck。
〃I hope you will feel better and happier in the morning；〃 he said。
〃You have tried to do too much in the past few days。 The dinner was the
last straw； you might have dispensed with it。〃
〃Yes；〃 she admitted； 〃it was stupid。〃
〃No； it was delightful； but it has worn you out。〃 His hand had strayed
to her beautiful shoulders； and he could feel the response of her flesh to
108
… Page 109…
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories
his touch。 He seated himself beside her and kissed her lightly upon the
shoulder。
〃I thought you were going away；〃 she said； in an uneven voice。
〃I am； after I have said good night。〃
〃Good night；〃 she murmured。
He did not answer； except to continue to caress her。 He did not say
good night until she had become supple to his gentle； seductive entreaties。
XXXII
When Mr。 Pontellier learned of his wife's intention to abandon her
home and take up her residence elsewhere； he immediately wrote her a
lette
