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Beauty and The Beast-Part28_Bayard Taylor(1825-1878)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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great energy, without regarding how her feelings might be wounded.

"`You mistake!' I exclaimed. `I didn't mean that,--I didn't



understand you. Don't talk to me that way,--don't look at me in

that way, Miss Ringtop! We were never meant for each other--I



wasn't----You're so much older--I mean different. It can't be--no,

it can never be! Let us go back to the house: the night is cold.'



"I rose hastily to my feet. She murmured something,--what, I did

not stay to hear,--but, plunging through the cedars, was hurrying



with all speed to the house, when, half-way up the lawn, beside one

of the rocky knobs, I met Eunice, who was apparently on her way to



join us.

In my excited mood, after the ordeal through which I had



passed, everything seemed easy. My usual timidity was blown

to the four winds. I went directly to her, took her hand, and



said--

"`Eunice, the others are driving me mad with their candor; will you



let me be candid, too?'

"`I think you are always candid, Enos,' she answered.



"Even then, if I had hesitated, I should have been lost. But I

went on, without pausing--



"`Eunice, I love you--I have loved you since we first met. I came

here that I might be near you; but I must leave you forever, and



to-night, unless you can trust your life in my keeping. God help

me, since we have been together I have lost my faith in almost



everything but you. Pardon me, if I am impetuous--different from

what I have seemed. I have struggled so hard to speak! I have



been a coward, Eunice, because of my love. But now I have spoken,

from my heart of hearts. Look at me: I can bear it now. Read the



truth in my eyes, before you answer.'

"I felt her hand tremble while I spoke. As she turned towards me



her face, which had been averted, the moon shone full upon it, and

I saw that tears were upon her cheeks. What was said--whether



anything was said--I cannot tell. I felt the blessed fact, and

that was enough. That was the dawning of the true Arcadia."



Mrs. Billings, who had been silent during this recital, took her

husband's hand and smiled. Mr. Johnson felt a dull pang about the



region of his heart. If he had a secret, however, I do not

feel justified in betraying it.



"It was late," Mr. Billings continued, "before we returned to the

house. I had a special dread of again encountering Miss Ringtop,



but she was wandering up and down the bluff, under the pines,

singing, `The dream is past.' There was a sound of loud voices, as



we approached the stoop. Hollins, Shelldrake and his wife, and

Abel Mallory were sitting together near the door. Perkins Brown,



as usual, was crouched on the lowest step, with one leg over the

other, and rubbing the top of his boot with a vigor which betrayed



to me some secret mirth. He looked up at me from under his straw

hat with the grin of a malicious Puck, glanced towards the group,



and made a curious gesture with his thumb. There were several

empty pint-bottles on the stoop.



"`Now, are you sure you can bear the test?' we heard Hollins ask,

as we approached.



"`Bear it? Why to be sure!' replied Shelldrake; `if I couldn't

bear it, or if YOU couldn't, your theory's done for. Try! I



can stand it as long as you can.'

"`Well, then,' said Hollins, `I think you are a very ordinary man.



I derive no intellectual benefit from my intercourse with you, but

your house is convenient to me. I'm under no obligations for your



hospitality, however, because my company is an advantage to you.

Indeed if I were treated according to my deserts, you couldn't do



enough for me.'

"Mrs. Shelldrake was up in arms.



"`Indeed,' she exclaimed, `I think you get as good as you deserve,

and more too.'



"`Elvira,' said he, with a benevolent condescension, `I have no

doubt you think so, for your mind belongs to the lowest and most



material sphere. You have your place in Nature, and you fill it;

but it is not for you to judge of intelligences which move only on



the upper planes.'

"`Hollins,' said Shelldrake, `Elviry's a good wife and a sensible



woman, and I won't allow you to turn up your nose at her.'

"`I am not surprised,' he answered, `that you should fail to stand



the test. I didn't expect it.'




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