zanoni-第68部分

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from　his　Continental　episode　of　life；　to　settle　down　to　his

desk；his　heart　had　been　always　there。　　The　death　of　his　father

gave　him；　as　a　birthright；　a　high　position　in　a　respectable

though　second…rate　firm。　　To　make　this　establishment　first…rate

was　an　honourable　ambition；it　was　his！　　He　had　lately　married；

not　entirely　for　money；no！　he　was　worldly　rather　than

mercenary。　　He　had　no　romantic　ideas　of　love；　but　he　was　too

sensible　a　man　not　to　know　that　a　wife　should　be　a　companion；

not　merely　a　speculation。　　He　did　not　care　for　beauty　and　genius；

but　he　liked　health　and　good　temper；　and　a　certain　proportion　of

useful　understanding。　　He　chose　a　wife　from　his　reason；　not　his

heart；　and　a　very　good　choice　he　made。　　Mrs。　Mervale　was　an

excellent　young　woman；bustling；　managing；　economical；　but

affectionate　and　good。　　She　had　a　will　of　her　own；　but　was　no

shrew。　　She　had　a　great　notion　of　the　rights　of　a　wife；　and　a

strong　perception　of　the　qualities　that　insure　comfort。　　She

would　never　have　forgiven　her　husband；　had　she　found　him　guilty

of　the　most　passing　fancy　for　another；　but；　in　return；　she　had

the　most　admirable　sense　of　propriety　herself。　　She　held　in

abhorrence　all　levity；　all　flirtation；　all　coquetry；small　vices

which　often　ruin　domestic　happiness；　but　which　a　giddy　nature

incurs　without　consideration。　　But　she　did　not　think　it　right　to

love　a　husband　over　much。　　She　left　a　surplus　of　affection；　for

all　her　relations；　all　her　friends；　some　of　her　acquaintances；

and　the　possibility　of　a　second　marriage；　should　any　accident

happen　to　Mr。　M。　　She　kept　a　good　table；　for　it　suited　their

station；　and　her　temper　was　considered　even；　though　firm；　but　she

could　say　a　sharp　thing　or　two；　if　Mr。　Mervale　was　not　punctual

to　a　moment。　　She　was　very　particular　that　he　should　change　his

shoes　on　coming　home；the　carpets　were　new　and　expensive。　　She

was　not　sulky；　nor　passionate；Heaven　bless　her　for　that！but

when　displeased　she　showed　it；　administered　a　dignified　rebuke；

alluded　to　her　own　virtues；　to　her　uncle　who　was　an　admiral；　and

to　the　thirty　thousand　pounds　which　she　had　brought　to　the　object

of　her　choice。　　But　as　Mr。　Mervale　was　a　good…humoured　man；　owned

his　faults；　and　subscribed　to　her　excellence；　the　displeasure　was

soon　over。



Every　household　has　its　little　disagreements；　none　fewer　than

that　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Mervale。　　Mrs。　Mervale；　without　being

improperly　fond　of　dress；　paid　due　attention　to　it。　　She　was

never　seen　out　of　her　chamber　with　papers　in　her　hair；　nor　in

that　worst　of　dis…illusions；a　morning　wrapper。　　At　half…past

eight　every　morning　Mrs。　Mervale　was　dressed　for　the　day；that

is；　till　she　re…dressed　for　dinner；her　stays　well　laced；　her

cap　prim；　her　gowns；　winter　and　summer；　of　a　thick；　handsome

silk。　　Ladies　at　that　time　wore　very　short　waists；　so　did　Mrs。

Mervale。　　Her　morning　ornaments　were　a　thick；　gold　chain；　to

which　was　suspended　a　gold　watch；none　of　those　fragile　dwarfs

of　mechanism　that　look　so　pretty　and　go　so　ill；　but　a　handsome

repeater　which　chronicled　Father　Time　to　a　moment；　also　a　mosaic

brooch；　also　a　miniature　of　her　uncle；　the　admiral；　set　in　a

bracelet。　　For　the　evening　she　had　two　handsome　sets；necklace；

earrings；　and　bracelets　complete；one　of　amethysts；　the　other

topazes。　　With　these；　her　costume　for　the　most　part　was　a　gold…

coloured　satin　and　a　turban；　in　which　last　her　picture　had　been

taken。　　Mrs。　Mervale　had　an　aquiline　nose；　good　teeth；　fair　hair；

and　light　eyelashes；　rather　a　high　complexion；　what　is　generally

called　a　fine　bust；　full　cheeks；　large　useful　feet　made　for

walking；　large；　white　hands　with　filbert　nails；　on　which　not　a

speck　of　dust　had；　even　in　childhood；　ever　been　known　to　a　light。

She　looked　a　little　older　than　she　really　was；　but　that　might

arise　from　a　certain　air　of　dignity　and　the　aforesaid　aquiline

nose。　　She　generally　wore　short　mittens。　　She　never　read　any

poetry　but　Goldsmith's　and　Cowper's。　　She　was　not　amused　by

novels；　though　she　had　no　prejudice　against　them。　　She　liked　a

play　and　a　pantomime；　with　a　slight　supper　afterwards。　　She　did

not　like　concerts　nor　operas。　　At　the　beginning　of　the　winter　she

selected　some　book　to　read；　and　some　piece　of　work　to　commence。

The　two　lasted　her　till　the　spring；　when；　though　she　continued　to

work；　she　left　off　reading。　　Her　favourite　study　was　history；

which　she　read　through　the　medium　of　Dr。　Goldsmith。　　Her

favourite　author　in　the　belles　lettres　was；　of　course；　Dr。

Johnson。　　A　worthier　woman；　or　one　more　respected；　was　not　to　be

found；　except　in　an　epitaph！



It　was　an　autumn　night。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Mervale；　lately　returned

from　an　excursion　to　Weymouth；　are　in　the　drawing…room；〃the

dame　sat　on　this　side；　the　man　sat　on　that。〃



〃Yes；　I　assure　you；　my　dear；　that　Glyndon；　with　all　his

eccentricities；　was　a　very　engaging；　amiable　fellow。　　You　would

certainly　have　liked　him；all　the　women　did。〃



〃My　dear　Thomas；　you　will　forgive　the　remark；but　that

expression　of　yours；　'all　the　WOMEN'〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；you　are　right。　　I　meant　to　say　that　he　was　a

general　favourite　with　your　charming　sex。〃



〃I　understand；rather　a　frivolous　character。〃



〃Frivolous！　no；　not　exactly；　a　little　unsteady；very　odd；　but

certainly　not　frivolous；　presumptuous　and　headstrong　in

character；　but　modest　and　shy　in　his　manners；　rather　too　much

so；just　what　you　like。　　However；　to　return；　I　am　seriously

uneasy　at　the　accounts　I　have　heard　of　him　to…day。　　He　has　been

living；　it　seems；　a　very　strange　and　irregular　life；　travelling

from　place　to　place；　and　must　have　spent　already　a　great　deal　of

money。〃



〃Apropos　of　money；〃　said　Mrs。　Mervale；　〃I　fear　we　must　change　our

butcher；　he　is　certainly　in　league　with　the　cook。〃



〃That　is　a　pity；　his　beef　is　remarkably　fine。　　These　London

servants　are　as　bad　as　the　Carbonari。　　But；　as　I　was　saying；　poor

Glyndon〃



Here　a　knock　was　heard　at　the　door。　　〃Bless　me；〃　said　Mrs。

Mervale；　〃it　is　past　ten！　　Who　can　that　possibly　be？〃



〃Perhaps　your　uncle；　the　admiral；〃　said　the　husband；　with　a

slight　peevishness　in　his　accent。　　〃He　generally　favours　us　about

this　hour。〃



〃I　hope；　my　love；　that　none　of　my　relations　are　unwelcome

visitors　at　your　house。　　The　admiral　is　a　most　entertaining　man；

and　his　fortune　is　entirely　at　his　own　disposal。〃



〃No　one　I　respect　more；〃　said　Mr。　Mervale；　with　emphasis。



The　servant　threw　open　the　door；　and　announced　Mr。　Glyndon。



〃Mr。　Glyndon！what　an　extraordinary〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Mervale；

but　before　she　could　conclude　the　sentence；　Glyndon　was　in　the

room。



The　two　friends　greeted　each　other　with　all　the　warmth　of　early

recollection　and　long　absence。　　An　appropriate　and　proud

presentation　to　Mrs。　Mervale　ensued；　and　Mrs。　Mervale；　with　a

dignified　smile；　and　a　furtive　glance　at　his　boots；　bade　her

husband's　friend　welcome　to　England。



Glyndon　was　greatly　altered　since　Mervale　had　seen　him　last。

Though　less　than　two　years　had　elapsed　since　then；　his　fair

complexion　was　more　bronzed　and　manly。　　Deep　lines　of　care；　or

thought；　or　dissipation；　had　replaced　the　smooth　contour　of　happy

youth。　　To　a　manner　once　gentle　and　polished　had　succeeded　a

certain　recklessness　of　mien；　tone；　and　bearing；　which　bespoke

the　habits　of　a　society　that　cared　little　for　the　calm　decorums

of　conventional　ease。　　Still　a　kind　of　wild　nobleness；　not　before

apparent　in　him；　characterised　his　aspect；　and　gave　something　of

dignity　to　the　freedom　of　his　language　and　gestures。



〃So；　then；　you　are　settled；　Mervale；I　need　not　ask　you　if　you

are　happy。　　Worth；　sense；　wealth；　character；　and　so　fair　a

companion　deserve　happiness；　and　command　it。〃



〃Would　you　like　some　tea；　Mr。　Glyndon？〃　asked　Mrs。　Mervale；

kindly。



〃Thank　you；no。　　I　propose　a　more　convivial　stimulus　to　my　old

friend。　　Wine；　Mervale；wine；　eh！or　a　bowl　of　old　English

punch。　　Your　wife　will　excuse　us；we　will　make　a　night　of　it！〃



Mrs。　Mervale　drew　back　her　chair；　and　tried　not　to　look　aghast。

Glyndon　did　not　give　his　friend　time　to　reply。



〃So　at　last　I　am　in　England；〃　he　said；　looking　round　the　room；

with　a　slight　sneer　on　his　lips；　〃surely　this　sober　air　must　have

its　influence；　surely　here　I　shall　be　like　the　rest。〃



〃Have　you　been　ill；　Glyndon？〃



〃Ill；　yes。　　Humph！　you　have　a　fine　house。　　Does　it　contain　a

spare　room　for　a　solitary　wanderer？〃



Mr。　Mervale　glanced　at　his　wife；　and　his　wife　looked　steadily　on

the　carpet。　　〃Modest　and　shy　in　his　mannersrather　too　much　so！〃

Mrs。　Mervale　was　in　the　seventh　heaven　of　indignation　and　amaze！



〃My　dear？〃　said　Mr。　Mervale　at　last；　meekly　and　interogatingly。



〃My　dear！〃　returned　Mrs。　Mervale；　innocently　and　sourly。



〃We　can　make　up　a　room　for　my　old　friend；　Sarah？〃



The　old　friend　had　sunk　back　on　his　chair；　and；　gazing　intently

on　the　fire；　with　his　feet　at　ease　upon　the　fender；　seemed　to

have　forgotten　his　question。