the awakening and selected short stories(苏醒)-第7部分
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has discernment enough to find in me something besides the blagueur。 If
I thought there was any doubt〃
〃Oh； enough； Robert！〃 she broke into his heated outburst。 〃You are not
thinking of what you are saying。 You speak with about as little reflection
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as we might expect from one of those children down there playing in the
sand。 If your attentions to any married women here were ever offered
with any intention of being convincing； you would not be the gentleman
we all know you to be； and you would be unfit to associate with the wives
and daughters of the people who trust you。〃
Madame Ratignolle had spoken what she believed to be the law and
the gospel。 The young man shrugged his shoulders impatiently。
〃Oh！ well！ That isn't it；〃 slamming his hat down vehemently upon
his head。 〃You ought to feel that such things are not flattering to say to a
fellow。〃
〃Should our whole intercourse consist of an exchange of compliments？
Ma foi！〃
〃It isn't pleasant to have a woman tell you〃 he went on； unheedingly；
but breaking off suddenly： 〃Now if I were like Arobin…you remember
Alcee Arobin and that story of the consul's wife at Biloxi？〃 And he
related the story of Alcee Arobin and the consul's wife； and another about
the tenor of the French Opera； who received letters which should never
have been written； and still other stories； grave and gay； till Mrs。 Pontellier
and her possible propensity for taking young men seriously was apparently
forgotten。
Madame Ratignolle； when they had regained her cottage； went in to
take the hour's rest which she considered helpful。 Before leaving her；
Robert begged her pardon for the impatiencehe called it rudenesswith
which he had received her well…meant caution。
〃You made one mistake； Adele；〃 he said； with a light smile； 〃there is
no earthly possibility of Mrs。 Pontellier ever taking me seriously。 You
should have warned me against taking myself seriously。 Your advice
might then have carried some weight and given me subject for some
reflection。 Au revoir。 But you look tired；〃 he added； solicitously。
〃Would you like a cup of bouillon？ Shall I stir you a toddy？ Let me mix
you a toddy with a drop of Angostura。〃
She acceded to the suggestion of bouillon； which was grateful and
acceptable。 He went himself to the kitchen； which was a building apart
from the cottages and lying to the rear of the house。 And he himself
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brought her the golden…brown bouillon； in a dainty Sevres cup； with a
flaky cracker or two on the saucer。
She thrust a bare； white arm from the curtain which shielded her open
door； and received the cup from his hands。 She told him he was a bon
garcon； and she meant it。 Robert thanked her and turned away toward 〃the
house。〃
The lovers were just entering the grounds of the pension。 They were
leaning toward each other as the wateroaks bent from the sea。 There was
not a particle of earth beneath their feet。 Their heads might have been
turned upside…down； so absolutely did they tread upon blue ether。 The
lady in black； creeping behind them； looked a trifle paler and more jaded
than usual。 There was no sign of Mrs。 Pontellier and the children。
Robert scanned the distance for any such apparition。 They would
doubtless remain away till the dinner hour。 The young man ascended to
his mother's room。 It was situated at the top of the house； made up of
odd angles and a queer； sloping ceiling。 Two broad dormer windows
looked out toward the Gulf； and as far across it as a man's eye might reach。
The furnishings of the room were light； cool； and practical。
Madame Lebrun was busily engaged at the sewing…machine。 A little
black girl sat on the floor； and with her hands worked the treadle of the
machine。 The Creole woman does not take any chances which may be
avoided of imperiling her health。
Robert went over and seated himself on the broad sill of one of the
dormer windows。 He took a book from his pocket and began
energetically to read it； judging by the precision and frequency with which
he turned the leaves。 The sewing…machine made a resounding clatter in
the room； it was of a ponderous； by…gone make。 In the lulls； Robert and
his mother exchanged bits of desultory conversation。
〃Where is Mrs。 Pontellier？〃
〃Down at the beach with the children。〃
〃I promised to lend her the Goncourt。 Don't forget to take it down
when you go； it's there on the bookshelf over the small table。〃 Clatter；
clatter； clatter； bang！ for the next five or eight minutes。
〃Where is Victor going with the rockaway？〃
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〃The rockaway？ Victor？〃
〃Yes； down there in front。 He seems to be getting ready to drive
away somewhere。〃
〃Call him。〃 Clatter； clatter！
Robert uttered a shrill； piercing whistle which might have been heard
back at the wharf。
〃He won't look up。〃
Madame Lebrun flew to the window。 She called 〃Victor！〃 She
waved a handkerchief and called again。 The young fellow below got into
the vehicle and started the horse off at a gallop。
Madame Lebrun went back to the machine； crimson with annoyance。
Victor was the younger son and brothera tete montee； with a temper
which invited violence and a will which no ax could break。
〃Whenever you say the word I'm ready to thrash any amount of reason
into him that he's able to hold。〃
〃If your father had only lived！〃 Clatter； clatter； clatter； clatter； bang！
It was a fixed belief with Madame Lebrun that the conduct of the universe
and all things pertaining thereto would have been manifestly of a more
intelligent and higher order had not Monsieur Lebrun been removed to
other spheres during the early years of their married life。
〃What do you hear from Montel？〃 Montel was a middleaged
gentleman whose vain ambition and desire for the past twenty years had
been to fill the void which Monsieur Lebrun's taking off had left in the
Lebrun household。 Clatter； clatter； bang； clatter！
〃I have a letter somewhere；〃 looking in the machine drawer and
finding the letter in the bottom of the workbasket。 〃He says to tell you he
will be in Vera Cruz the beginning of next month；〃 clatter； clatter！〃and
if you still have the intention of joining him〃bang！ clatter； clatter； bang！
〃Why didn't you tell me so before； mother？ You know I wanted
〃Clatter； clatter； clatter！
〃Do you see Mrs。 Pontellier starting back with the children？ She will
be in late to luncheon again。 She never starts to get ready for luncheon
till the last minute。〃 Clatter； clatter！ 〃Where are you going？〃
〃Where did you say the Goncourt was？〃
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The Awakening and Selected Short Stories
IX
Every light in the hall was ablaze； every lamp turned as high as it
could be without smoking the chimney or threatening explosion。 The
lamps were fixed at intervals against the wall； encircling the whole room。
Some one had gathered orange and lemon branches； and with these
fashioned graceful festoons between。 The dark green of the branches
stood out and glistened against the white muslin curtains which draped the
windows； and which puffed； floated； and flapped at the capricious will of a
stiff breeze that swept up from the Gulf。
It was Saturday night a few weeks after the intimate conversation held
between Robert and Madame Ratignolle on their way from the beach。
An unusual number of husbands； fathers； and friends had come down to
stay over Sunday； and they were being suitably entertained by their
families； with the material help of Madame Lebrun。 The dining tables
had all been removed to one end of the hall； and the chairs ranged about in
rows and in clusters。 Each little family group had had its say and
exchanged its domestic gossip earlier in the evening。 There was now an
apparent disposition to relax； to widen the circle of confidences and give a
more general tone to the conversation。
Many of the children had been permitted to sit up beyond their usual
bedtime。 A small band of them were lying on their stomachs on the floor
looking at the colored sheets of the comic
