the egoist-第4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！


night；　and　danced　repeatedly　with　Miss　Durham。　He　gave　Laetitia
to　Vernon　Whitford　for　the　final　dance　of　the　night；　and　he　may
have　looked　at　her　so　much　in　pity　of　an　elegant　girl　allied　to
such　a　partner。　The　〃Phoebus　Apollo　turned　fasting　friar〃　had
entirely　forgotten　his　musical　gifts　in　motion。　He　crossed　himself
and　crossed　his　bewildered　lady；　and　crossed　everybody　in　the
figure；　extorting　shouts　of　cordial　laughter　from　his　cousin
Willoughby。　Be　it　said　that　the　hour　was　four　in　the　morning；　when
dancers　must　laugh　at　somebody；　if　only　to　refresh　their　feet；　and
the　wit　of　the　hour　administers　to　the　wildest　laughter。　Vernon
was　likened　to　Theseus　in　the　maze；　entirely　dependent　upon　his
Ariadne；　to　a　fly　released　from　a　jam…pot；　to　a　〃salvage〃；　or
green；　man　caught　in　a　web　of　nymphs　and　made　to　go　the　paces。
Willoughby　was　inexhaustible　in　the　happy　similes　he　poured　out　to
Miss　Durham　across　the　lines　of　Sir　Roger　de　Coverley；　and　they
were　not　forgotten；　they　procured　him　a　reputation　as　a　convivial
sparkler。　Rumour　went　the　round　that　he　intended　to　give　Laetitia
to　Vernon　for　good；　when　he　could　decide　to　take　Miss　Durham　to
himself；　his　generosity　was　famous；　but　that　decision；　though　the
rope　was　in　the　form　of　a　knot；　seemed　reluctant　for　the
conclusive　close　haul；　it　preferred　the　state　of　slackness；　and　if
he　courted　Laetitia　on　behalf　of　his　cousin；　his　cousinly　love
must　have　been　greater　than　his　passion；　one　had　to　suppose。　He
was　generous　enough　for　it；　or　for　marrying　the　portionless　girl
himself。

There　was　a　story　of　a　brilliant　young　widow　of　our　aristocracy　
who　had　very　nearly　snared　him。　Why　should　he　object　to　marry　into
our　aristocracy？　Mrs。　Mountstuart　asked　him；　and　he　replied　that
the　girls　of　that　class　have　no　money；　and　he　doubted　the　quality
of　their　blood。　He　had　his　eyes　awake。　His　duty　to　his　House　was
a　foremost　thought　with　him；　and　for　such　a　reason　he　may　have
been　more　anxious　to　give　the　slim　and　not　robust　Laetitia　to
Vernon　than　accede　to　his　personal　inclination。　The　mention　of　the
widow　singularly　offended　him；　notwithstanding　the　high　rank　of
the　lady　named。　〃A　widow？〃　he　said。　〃I！〃　He　spoke　to　a　widow；　an
oldish　one　truly；　but　his　wrath　at　the　suggestion　of　his　union
with　a　widow　led　him　to　be　for　the　moment　oblivious　of　the　minor
shades　of　good　taste。　He　desired　Mrs。　Mountstuart　to　contradict
the　story　in　positive　terms。　He　repeated　his　desire；　he　was　urgent
to　have　it　contradicted；　and　said　again；　〃A　widow！〃　straightening
his　whole　figure　to　the　erectness　of　the　letter　I。　She　was　a　widow
unmarried　a　second　time；　and　it　has　been　known　of　the　stedfast
women　who　retain　the　name　of　their　first　husband；　or　do　not　hamper
his　title　with　a　little　new　squire　at　their　skirts；　that　they　can
partially　approve　the　objections　indicated　by　Sir　Willoughby。　They
are　thinking　of　themselves　when　they　do　so；　and　they　will　rarely
say；　〃I　might　have　married；〃　rarely　within　them　will　they　avow
that；　with　their　permission；　it　might　have　been。　They　can　catch　an
idea　of　a　gentleman's　view　of　the　widow's　cap。　But　a　niceness　that
could　feel　sharply　wounded　by　the　simple　rumour　of　his　alliance
with　the　young　relict　of　an　earl　was　mystifying。　Sir　Willoughby
unbent。　His　military　letter　I　took　a　careless　glance　at　itself
lounging　idly　and　proudly　at　ease　in　the　glass　of　his　mind；　decked
with　a　wanton　wreath；　as　he　dropped　a　hint；　generously　vague；　just
to　show　the　origin　of　the　rumour；　and　the　excellent　basis　it　had
for　not　being　credited。　He　was　chidden。　Mrs。　Mountstuart　read　him
a　lecture。　She　was　however　able　to　contradict　the　tale　of　the
young　countess。　〃There　is　no　fear　of　his　marrying　her；　my　dears。〃

Meanwhile　there　was　a　fear　that　he　would　lose　his　chance　of
marrying　the　beautiful　Miss　Durham。

The　dilemmas　of　little　princes　are　often　grave。　They　should　be
dwelt　on　now　and　then　for　an　example　to　poor　struggling　commoners；
of　the　slings　and　arrows　assailing　fortune's　most　favoured　men；
that　we　may　preach　contentment　to　the　wretch　who　cannot　muster
wherewithal　to　marry　a　wife；　or　has　done　it　and　trots　the　streets；
pack…laden；　to　maintain　the　dame　and　troops　of　children　painfully
reared　to　fill　subordinate　stations。　According　to　our　reading；　a
moral　is　always　welcome　in　a　moral　country；　and　especially　so　when
silly　envy　is　to　be　chastised　by　it；　the　restless　craving　for
change　rebuked。　Young　Sir　Willoughby；　then；　stood　in　this　dilemma：
a　lady　was　at　either　hand　of　him；　the　only　two　that　had　ever；
apart　from　metropolitan　conquests；　not　to　be　recited；　touched　his
emotions。　Susceptible　to　beauty；　he　had　never　seen　so　beautiful　a
girl　as　Constantia　Durham。　Equally　susceptible　to　admiration　of
himself；　he　considered　Laetitia　Dale　a　paragon　of　cleverness。　He
stood　between　the　queenly　rose　and　the　modest　violet。　One　he
bowed　to；　the　other　bowed　to　him。　He　could　not　have　both；　it　is
the　law　governing　princes　and　pedestrians　alike。　But　which　could
he　forfeit？　His　growing　acquaintance　with　the　world　taught　him　to
put　an　increasing　price　on　the　sentimcnts　of　Miss　Dale。　Still
Constantia's　beauty　was　of　a　kind　to　send　away　beholders　aching。
She　had　the　glory　of　the　racing　cutter　full　sail　on　a　whining
breeze；　and　she　did　not　court　to　win　him；　she　flew。　In　his　more
reflective　hour　the　attractiveness　of　that　lady　which　held　the
mirror　to　his　features　was　paramount。　But　he　had　passionate
snatches　when　the　magnetism　of　the　flyer　drew　him　in　her　wake。
Further　to　add　to　the　complexity；　he　loved　his　liberty；　he　was
princelier　free；　he　had　more　subjects；　more　slaves；　he　ruled
arrogantly　in　the　world　of　women；　he　was　more　himself。　His
metropolitan　experiences　did　not　answer　to　his　liking　the
particular　question；　Do　we　bind　the　woman　down　to　us　idolatrously
by　making　a　wife　of　her？

In　the　midst　of　his　deliberations；　a　report　of　the　hot　pursuit　of
Miss　Durham；　casually　mentioned　to　him　by　Lady　Busshe；　drew　an
immediate　proposal　from　Sir　Willoughby。　She　accepted　him；　and　they
were　engaged。　She　had　been　nibbled　at；　all　but　eaten　up；　while　he
hung　dubitative；　and　though　that　was　the　cause　of　his　winning　her；
it　offended　his　niceness。　She　had　not　come　to　him　out　of　cloistral
purity；　out　of　perfect　radiancy。　Spiritually；　likewise；　was　he　a
little　prince；　a　despotic　prince。　He　wished　for　her　to　have　come
to　him　out　of　an　egg…shell；　somewhat　more　astonished　at　things
than　a　chicken；　but　as　completely　enclosed　before　he　tapped　the
shell；　and　seeing　him　with　her　sex's　eyes　first　of　all　men。　She
talked　frankly　of　her　cousins　and　friends；　young　males。　She　could
have　replied　to　his　bitter　wish：　〃Had　you　asked　me　on　the　night　of
your　twenty…first　birthday；　Willoughby！〃　Since　then　she　had　been
in　the　dust　of　the　world；　and　he　conceived　his　peculiar　antipathy；
destined　to　be　so　fatal　to　him；　from　the　earlier　hours　of　his
engagement。　He　was　quaintly　incapable　of　a　jealousy　of
individuals。　A　young　Captain　Oxford　had　been　foremost　in　the　swarm
pursuing　Constantia。　Willoughby　thought　as　little　of　Captain
Oxford　as　he　did　of　Vernon　Whitford。　His　enemy　was　the　world；　the
mass；　which　confounds　us　in　a　lump；　which　has　breathed　on　her
whom　we　have　selected；　whom　we　cannot；　can　never；　rub　quite　clear
of　her　contact　with　the　abominated　crowd。　The　pleasure　of　the
world　is　to　bowl　down　our　soldierly　letter　I；　to　encroach　on　our
identity；　soil　our　niceness。　To　begin　to　think　is　the　beginning　of
disgust　of　the　world。

As　soon　the　engagement　was　published　all　the　county　said　that
there　had　not　been　a　chance　for　Laetitia；　and　Mrs。　Mountstuart
Jenkinson　humbly　remarked；　in　an　attitude　of　penitence；　〃I'm　not　a
witch。〃　Lady　Busshe　could　claim　to　be　one；　she　had　foretold　the
event。　Laetitia　was　of　the　same　opinion　as　the　county。　She　had
looked　up；　but　not　hopefully。　She　had　only　looked　up　to　the
brightest；　and；　as　he　was　the　highest；　how　could　she　have　hoped？
She　was　the　solitary　companion　of　a　sick　father；　whose　inveterate
prognostic　of　her；　that　she　would　live　to　rule　at　Patterne　Hall；
tortured　the　poor　girl　in　proportion　as　he　seemed　to　derive
comfort　from　it。　The　noise　of　the　engagement　merely　silenced　him；
recluse　invalids　cling　obstinately　to　their　ideas。　He　had　observed
Sir　Willoughby　in　the　society　of　his　daughter；　when　the　young
baronet　revived　to　a　sprightly　boyishness　immediately。　Indeed；　as
big　boy　and　little　girl；　they　had　played　together　of　old。
Willoughby　had　been　a　handsome；　fair　boy。　The　portrait　of　him　at
the　Hall；　in　a　hat；　leaning　on　his　pony；　with　crossed　legs；　and
long　flaxen　curls　over　his　shoulders；　was　the　image　of　her　soul's
most　present　angel；　and；　as　a　man；　he　hadshe　did　not　suppose
intentionallysubjected　her　nature　to　bow　to　him；　so　submissive
was　she；　that　it　was　fuller　happiness　for　her　to　think　him　right
in　all　his　actions　than　to　imagine　the　circumstances　different。
This　may　appear　to　resemble　the　ecstasy　of　the　devotee
of　Juggernaut；　It　is　a　form　of　the　passion　inspired　by　little
princes；　and　we　need　not　marvel　that　a　conservative　sex　should
assist　to　keep　them　in　their　lofty　places。　What　were　there
otherwise　to　look　up　to？　We　should　have　no　dazzling　beacon…lights
if　they　were　levelled　and　treated　as　clod　earth；　and　it　is　worth
while　for　here　and　there　a　woman　to　be　burned；　so　long　as　women's
general　adoration　of　an　ideal　young　man　shall　be　preserved。
Purity　is　our　demand　of　them。　They　may　justly　cry　for　attraction。
They　cannot　have　it　brighter　than　in　the　universal　bearing　of　the
eyes　of　their　sisters　upon　a　little　prince；　one　who　has　the
ostensible　virtues　in　his　pay；　and　can　practise　them　without
injuring　himself　to　make　himself　unsightly。　Let　the　races　of　men
be　by…and…by　astonished　at　their　Gods；　if　they　please。　Meantime
they　had　better　continue　to　worship。

Laetitia　did　continue。　She　saw　Miss　Durham　at　Patterne　on　several
occasions。　She　admired　the　pair。　She　had　a　wish　to　witness　the
bridal　ceremony。　She　was　looking　forward　to　the　day　with　that
mixture　of　eagerness　and　withholding　which　we　have　as　we　draw　nigh
the　disenchanting　termination　of　an　enchanting　romance；　when　Sir
Willoughby　met　her　on　a　Sunday　morning；　as　she　crossed　his　park
solitarily　to　church。　They　wer