第 4 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2024-04-14 09:14      字数:9277
  profession; he sat down; saying; 〃And how do we all find ourselves this
  evening;      my   dears?〃     in  several    different   languages;     which     he   spoke
  fluently。
  Lothaw's   heart   was   touched。   His   deeply   religious   convictions   were
  impressed。      He    instantly   went    up   to  this  gifted   being;    confessed;    and
  received absolution。 〃To…morrow;〃 he said to himself; 〃I will partake of the
  communion; and endow the Church with my vast estates。 For the present
  I'll let the improved cottages go。〃
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  CHAPTER IV。
  As Lothaw turned to leave the Cardinal; he was struck by a beautiful
  face。 It was that of a matron; slim but shapely as an Ionic column。 Her face
  was   Grecian;   with   Corinthian   temples;   Hellenic   eyes   that   looked   from
  jutting eyebrows;  like  dormer…  windows   in   an Attic  forehead;  completed
  her perfect Athenian outline。 She wore a black frock…coat tightly buttoned
  over her bloomer trousers; and a standing collar。
  〃Your Lordship is struck by that face;〃 said a social parasite。
  〃I am; who is she?〃
  〃Her name is Mary Ann。 She is married to an American; and has lately
  invented a new religion〃
  〃Ah!〃   said   Lothaw   eagerly;   with   difficulty   restraining   himself   from
  rushing toward her。
  〃Yes;   shall   I   introduce   you?〃   Lothaw   thought   of   Lady   Coriander's
  High Church proclivities; of the Cardinal; and hesitated: 〃No; I thank you;
  not now。〃
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  CONDENSED NOVELS
  CHAPTER V。
  Lothaw      was    maturing。     He    had   attended     two    woman's      rights
  conventions; three Fenian meetings; had dined at White's; and had danced
  vis…a…vis   to   a   prince   of   the   blood;   and   eaten   off   of   gold   plates   at   Crecy
  House。
  His   stables   were   near   Oxford;   and   occupied   more   ground   than   the
  University。 He was driving over there one day; when he perceived some
  rustics and menials endeavoring to stop a pair of runaway horses attached
  to a carriage in which a lady and gentleman were seated。 Calmly awaiting
  the termination of the accident; with high…bred courtesy Lothaw forbore to
  interfere until the carriage was overturned; the occupants thrown out; and
  the runaways secured by the servants; when he advanced and offered the
  lady the exclusive use of his Oxford stables。
  Turning      upon    him    a   face    whose     perfect    Hellenic     details   he
  remembered; she slowly dragged a gentleman from under the wheels into
  the light and presented him with ladylike dignity as her husband; Major…
  General Camperdown; an American。
  〃Ah;〃 said Lothaw; carelessly; 〃I believe I have some land there。 If I
  mistake not;   my agent;   Mr。   Putney Giles;   lately  purchased the   State of
  IllinoisI think you call it。〃
  〃Exactly。 As a former resident of the city of Chicago; let me introduce
  myself as your tenant。〃
  Lothaw      bowed    graciously     to  the  gentleman;     who;    except    that  he
  seemed   better   dressed   than   most   Englishmen;   showed   no   other   signs   of
  inferiority and plebeian extraction。
  〃We have met before;〃 said Lothaw to   the lady as she leaned on his
  arm;   while   they   visited   his   stables;   the   University;   and   other   places   of
  interest in Oxford。 〃Pray tell me; what is this new religion of yours?〃
  〃It is Woman Suffrage; Free Love; Mutual Affinity; and Communism。
  Embrace it and me。〃
  Lothaw   did   not   know   exactly  what   to   do。   She  however  soothed   and
  sustained   his   agitated   frame   and   sealed   with   an   embrace   his   speechless
  form。   The   General   approached   and   coughed   slightly   with   gentlemanly
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  tact。
  〃My      husband     will   be   too  happy     to  talk   with   you    further   on   this
  subject;〃   she   said   with   quiet   dignity;   as   she   regained   the   General's   side。
  Come with us to Oneida。 Brook Farm is a thing of the past。〃
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  CHAPTER VI。
  As Lothaw drove toward his country…seat; 〃The Mural Enclosure;〃 he
  observed   a   crowd;   apparently   of   the   working   class;   gathered   around   a
  singular…looking   man   in   the   picturesque   garb   of   an   Ethiopian   serenader。
  〃What does he say?〃 inquired Lothaw of his driver。
  The man touched his hat respectfully and said; 〃My Mary Ann。〃
  〃'My     Mary    Ann!'〃    Lothaw's     heart    beat   rapidly。   Who     was    this
  mysterious   foreigner?   He   had   heard   from   Lady   Coriander   of   a   certain
  Popish plot; but could he connect Mr。 Camperdown with it?
  The spectacle of two hundred men at arms who advanced to meet him
  at the gates of The Mural Enclosure drove all else from the still youthful
  and impressible mind of Lothaw。 Immediately behind them; on the steps
  of the baronial halls; were ranged his retainers; led by the chief cook and
  bottle…washer;      and    head    crumb…remover。       On    either   side   were    two
  companies   of   laundry…maids;   preceded   by   the   chief   crimper   and   fluter;
  supporting a long Ancestral Line; on which depended the family linen; and
  under   which   the   youthful   lord   of   the   manor   passed   into   the   halls   of   his
  fathers。 Twenty…four scullions carried the massive gold and silver plate of
  the family on their shoulders; and deposited it at the feet of their master。
  The spoons   were then solemnly  counted   by  the steward;   and the   perfect
  ceremony ended。
  Lothaw sighed。 He sought out the gorgeously gilded 〃Taj;〃 or sacred
  mausoleum erected to his grandfather in the second story front room; and
  wept over the man he did not know。 He wandered alone in his magnificent
  park; and then; throwing himself on a grassy bank; pondered on the Great
  First   Cause;    and   the  necessity    of  religion。  〃I  will   send   Mary    Ann    a
  handsome present;〃 said Lothaw; thoughtfully。
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  CHAPTER VII。
  〃Each of these pearls; my Lord; is worth fifty thousand guineas;〃 said
  Mr。 Amethyst; the fashionable jeweler; as he lightly lifted a large shovelful
  from a convenient bin behind his counter。
  〃Indeed;〃     said   Lothaw;    carelessly;    〃I  should    prefer   to  see   some
  expensive ones。
  〃Some number sixes; I suppose;〃 said Mr。 Amethyst; taking a couple
  from the apex of a small pyramid that lay piled on the shelf。 〃These are
  about    the   size  of  the  Duchess     of  Billingsgate's;   but   they   are  in  finer
  condition。 The fact is; her Grace permits her two children; the Marquis of
  Smithfield and the Duke of St。 Giles; two sweet pretty boys; my Lord;
  to use them as marbles in their games。 Pearls require some attention; and I
  go    down    there   regularly   twice    a  week    to  clean   them。   Perhaps    your
  Lordship would like some ropes of pearls?〃
  〃About half a cable's length;〃 said Lothaw; shortly; 〃and send them to
  my lodgings。〃
  Mr。 Amethyst   became   thoughtful。   〃I   am   afraid   I   have   not   the   exact
  numberthat isexcuse me one moment。 I will run over to the Tower and
  borrow a few from the crown jewels。〃 And before Lothaw could prevent
  him; he seized his hat and left Lothaw alone。
  His position certainly was embarrassing。 He could not move without
  stepping   on   costly   gems   which   had   rolled   from   the   counter;   the   rarest
  diamonds       lay  scattered    on   the  shelves;    untold   fortunes    in  priceless
  emeralds lay within his grasp。 Although such was the aristocratic purity of
  his   blood   and   the   strength   of   his   religious   convictions   that   he   probably
  would not have pocketed a single diamond; still he could not help thinking
  that he might he accused of taking some。 〃You can search me; if you like;〃
  he said when Mr。 Amethyst returned; 〃but I assure you; upon the honor of
  a gentleman; that I have taken nothing。〃
  〃Enough;  my  Lord;〃   said   Mr。 Amethyst;   with   a low  bow;   〃we   never
  search the aristocracy。〃