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heard so."
Miss Notman shook her head. "I should wish to guard myself
against speaking unjustly of any one," she said; "but when you
talk of 'a sweet woman,' you imply (as it seems to me) the
domestic virtues. Mrs. Eyrecourt is essentially a frivolous
person."
A frivolous person is, in the vast majority of cases, a person
easily persuaded to talk, and not disposed to be reticent in
keeping secrets. Father Benwell began to see his way already to
the necessary information. "Is Mrs. Eyrecourt living in London?"
he inquired.
"Oh, dear, no! At this time of year she lives entirely in other
people's houses--goes from one country seat to another, and only
thinks of amusing herself. No domestic qualities, Father. _She_
would know nothing of the order of the dishes! Lady Loring, I
should have told you, gave way in the matter of the sweetbread.
It was only at quite the latter part of my 'Menoo' (as the French
call it) that she showed a spirit of opposition--well! well! I
won't dwell on that. I will only ask _you,_ Father, at what part
of a dinner an oyster-omelet ought to be served?"
Father Benwell seized his opportunity of discovering Mrs.
Eyrecourt's present address. "My dear lady," he said, "I know no
more when the omelet ought to be served than Mrs. Eyrecourt
herself! It must be very pleasant, to a lady of her way of
thinking, to enjoy the beauties of Nature inexpensively--as seen
in other people's houses, from the point of view of a welcome
guest. I wonder whether she is staying at any country seat which
I happen to have seen?"
"She may be in England, Scotland, or Ireland, for all I know,"
Miss Notman answered, with an unaffected ignorance which placed
her good faith beyond doubt. "Consult your own taste, Father.
After eating jelly, cream, and ice-pudding, could you even _look_
at an oyster-omelet without shuddering? Would you believe it? Her
ladyship proposed to serve the omelet with the cheese. Oysters,
after sweets! I am not (as yet) a married woman--"
Father Benwell made a last desperate effort to pave the way for
one more question before he submitted to defeat. "That must be
_your_ fault, my dear lady!" he interposed, with his persuasive
smile.
Miss Notman simpered. "You confuse me, Father!" she said softly.
"I speak from inwardconviction, Miss Notman. To a looker-on,
like myself, it is sad to see how many sweet women who might be
angels in the households of worthy men prefer to lead a single
life. The Church, I know, exalts the single life to the highest
place. But even the Church allows exceptions to its rule. Under
this roof, for example, I think I see two exceptions. One of them
my unfeigned respect" (he bowed to Miss Notman) "forbids me to
indicate more particularly. The other seems, to my humble view,
to be the young lady of whom we have been speaking. Is it not
strange that Miss Eyrecourt has never been married?"
The trap had been elaborately set; Father Benwell had every
reason to anticipate that Miss Notman would walk into it. The
disconcerting housekeeper walked up to it--and then proved unable
to advance a step further.
"I once made the same remark myself to Lady Loring," she said.
Father Benwell's pulse began to quicken its beat. "Yes?" he
murmured, in tones of the gentlest encouragement.
"And her ladyship," Miss Notman proceeded, "did not encourage me
to go on. 'There are reasons for not pursuing that subject,' she
said; 'reasons into which, I am sure, you will not expect me to
enter.' She spoke with a flattering confidence in my prudence,
which I felt gratefully. Such a contrast to her tone when the
omelet presented itself in the order of the dishes! As I said
just now I am not a married woman. But if I proposed to my
husband to give him an oyster-omelet after his puddings and his
pies, I should not be surprised if he said to me, 'My dear, have
you taken leave of your senses?' I reminded Lady Loring (most
respectfully) that a _cheese_-omelette might be in its proper
place if it followed the sweets. 'An _oyster_-omelet,' I
suggested, 'surely comes after the birds?' I should be sorry to
say that her ladyship lost her temper--I will only mention that I
kept mine. Let me repeat what she said, and leave you, Father, to
draw your own conclusions. She said, 'Which of us is mistress in
this house, Miss Notman? I order the oyster-omelet to come in
Miss Notman shook her head. "I should wish to guard myself
against speaking unjustly of any one," she said; "but when you
talk of 'a sweet woman,' you imply (as it seems to me) the
domestic virtues. Mrs. Eyrecourt is essentially a frivolous
person."
A frivolous person is, in the vast majority of cases, a person
easily persuaded to talk, and not disposed to be reticent in
keeping secrets. Father Benwell began to see his way already to
the necessary information. "Is Mrs. Eyrecourt living in London?"
he inquired.
"Oh, dear, no! At this time of year she lives entirely in other
people's houses--goes from one country seat to another, and only
thinks of amusing herself. No domestic qualities, Father. _She_
would know nothing of the order of the dishes! Lady Loring, I
should have told you, gave way in the matter of the sweetbread.
It was only at quite the latter part of my 'Menoo' (as the French
call it) that she showed a spirit of opposition--well! well! I
won't dwell on that. I will only ask _you,_ Father, at what part
of a dinner an oyster-omelet ought to be served?"
Father Benwell seized his opportunity of discovering Mrs.
Eyrecourt's present address. "My dear lady," he said, "I know no
more when the omelet ought to be served than Mrs. Eyrecourt
herself! It must be very pleasant, to a lady of her way of
thinking, to enjoy the beauties of Nature inexpensively--as seen
in other people's houses, from the point of view of a welcome
guest. I wonder whether she is staying at any country seat which
I happen to have seen?"
"She may be in England, Scotland, or Ireland, for all I know,"
Miss Notman answered, with an unaffected ignorance which placed
her good faith beyond doubt. "Consult your own taste, Father.
After eating jelly, cream, and ice-pudding, could you even _look_
at an oyster-omelet without shuddering? Would you believe it? Her
ladyship proposed to serve the omelet with the cheese. Oysters,
after sweets! I am not (as yet) a married woman--"
Father Benwell made a last desperate effort to pave the way for
one more question before he submitted to defeat. "That must be
_your_ fault, my dear lady!" he interposed, with his persuasive
smile.
Miss Notman simpered. "You confuse me, Father!" she said softly.
"I speak from inwardconviction, Miss Notman. To a looker-on,
like myself, it is sad to see how many sweet women who might be
angels in the households of worthy men prefer to lead a single
life. The Church, I know, exalts the single life to the highest
place. But even the Church allows exceptions to its rule. Under
this roof, for example, I think I see two exceptions. One of them
my unfeigned respect" (he bowed to Miss Notman) "forbids me to
indicate more particularly. The other seems, to my humble view,
to be the young lady of whom we have been speaking. Is it not
strange that Miss Eyrecourt has never been married?"
The trap had been elaborately set; Father Benwell had every
reason to anticipate that Miss Notman would walk into it. The
disconcerting housekeeper walked up to it--and then proved unable
to advance a step further.
"I once made the same remark myself to Lady Loring," she said.
Father Benwell's pulse began to quicken its beat. "Yes?" he
murmured, in tones of the gentlest encouragement.
"And her ladyship," Miss Notman proceeded, "did not encourage me
to go on. 'There are reasons for not pursuing that subject,' she
said; 'reasons into which, I am sure, you will not expect me to
enter.' She spoke with a flattering confidence in my prudence,
which I felt gratefully. Such a contrast to her tone when the
omelet presented itself in the order of the dishes! As I said
just now I am not a married woman. But if I proposed to my
husband to give him an oyster-omelet after his puddings and his
pies, I should not be surprised if he said to me, 'My dear, have
you taken leave of your senses?' I reminded Lady Loring (most
respectfully) that a _cheese_-omelette might be in its proper
place if it followed the sweets. 'An _oyster_-omelet,' I
suggested, 'surely comes after the birds?' I should be sorry to
say that her ladyship lost her temper--I will only mention that I
kept mine. Let me repeat what she said, and leave you, Father, to
draw your own conclusions. She said, 'Which of us is mistress in
this house, Miss Notman? I order the oyster-omelet to come in
- catholic [´kæθəlik]
a.天主教 n.天主教徒 (初中英语单词) - spiritual [´spiritʃuəl] a.精神(上)的；神圣的 (初中英语单词)
- director [di´rektə] n.指导者；….长；导演 (初中英语单词)
- devotion [di´vəuʃən] n.献身；忠诚；热爱 (初中英语单词)
- character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
- conviction [kən´vikʃən] n.定罪；确信，信服 (初中英语单词)
- dignity [´digniti] n.尊严，尊贵；高官显贵 (初中英语单词)
- offense [ə´fens] n.冒犯；触怒；犯法 (初中英语单词)
- introduction [,intrə´dʌkʃən] n.介绍；引言；引导 (初中英语单词)
- remote [ri´məut] a.遥远的；偏僻的 (初中英语单词)
- childhood [´tʃaildhud] n.幼年(时代)；早期 (初中英语单词)
- witness [´witnis] n.见证人 vt.目击 (初中英语单词)
- priest [pri:st] n.教士；牧师；神父 (初中英语单词)
- reality [ri´æliti] n.现实(性)；真实；逼真 (初中英语单词)
- disguise [dis´gaiz] vt.假装；隐瞒 n.伪装 (初中英语单词)
- agreeable [ə´gri:əbəl] a.适合的；符合的 (初中英语单词)
- relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- humble [´hʌmbəl] a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词)
- ignorant [´ignərənt] a.无知的，愚昧的 (初中英语单词)
- altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə] ad.完全；总而言之 (初中英语单词)
- responsibility [ri,spɔnsə´biliti] n.责任(心)；职责；任务 (初中英语单词)
- reverse [ri´və:s] v.颠倒；(使)反向 (初中英语单词)
- conclusion [kən´klu:ʒən] n.结束；结论；推论 (初中英语单词)
- invitation [,invi´teiʃən] n.邀请；请帖；吸引 (初中英语单词)
- gallery [´gæləri] n.画廊；美术馆；长廊 (初中英语单词)
- persuasion [pə´sweiʒən] n.说服(力)；劝说；见解 (初中英语单词)
- bitterly [´bitəli] ad.悲痛地；憎恨地 (初中英语单词)
- whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)
- utmost [´ʌtməust] a.最大的 n.极端 (初中英语单词)
- objection [əb´dʒekʃən] n.反对；异议；缺点 (初中英语单词)
- advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)
- interval [´intəvəl] n.间隙；(工间)休息 (初中英语单词)
- charming [´tʃɑ:miŋ] a.可爱的；极好的 (初中英语单词)
- intimate [´intimit] a.亲密的 n.知己 (初中英语单词)
- residence [´rezidəns] n.居住(期间)；住宅 (初中英语单词)
- variety [və´raiəti] n.变化；多样(性)；种类 (初中英语单词)
- mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)
- domestic [də´mestik] a.家庭的；本国的 (初中英语单词)
- ignorance [´ignərəns] n.无知，愚昧 (初中英语单词)
- cheese [tʃi:z] n.干酪，乳酪 (初中英语单词)
- desperate [´despərit] a.拼死的；绝望的 (初中英语单词)
- confuse [kən´fju:z] vt.使混乱；混淆；慌乱 (初中英语单词)
- worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)
- encourage [in´kʌridʒ] vt.鼓励；怂勇；促进 (初中英语单词)
- gratefully [´greitfuli] ad.感激地 (初中英语单词)
- contrast [´kɔntrɑ:st] n.对比 v.使对比(照) (初中英语单词)
- housekeeper [´haus,ki:pə] n.主妇，女管家 (高中英语单词)
- competent [´kɔmpitənt] a.能干的，有资格的 (高中英语单词)
- outward [´autwəd] a.外面的 ad.向外 (高中英语单词)
- contribution [,kɔntri´bju:ʃən] n.贡献；捐献；投稿 (高中英语单词)
- reverend [´revərənd] a.可尊敬的 (高中英语单词)
- simplicity [sim´plisiti] n.简单；朴素 (高中英语单词)
- hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)
- invariably [in´veəriəbli] ad.不变地；永恒地 (高中英语单词)
- mistaken [mis´teikən] mistake的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- presume [pri´zju:m] v.假定；推测；以为 (高中英语单词)
- amusing [ə´mju:ziŋ] a.有趣的 (高中英语单词)
- ireland [´aiələnd] n.爱尔兰 (高中英语单词)
- inward [´inwəd] a.向内的；心灵上的 (高中英语单词)
- anticipate [æn´tisipeit] vt.预期；指望；期待 (高中英语单词)
- quicken [´kwikən] v.加快；加速；鼓舞 (高中英语单词)
- flattering [´flætəriŋ] a.谄媚的；奉承的 (高中英语单词)
- accurately [´ækjuritli] ad.准确地；精密地 (英语四级单词)
- pastoral [´pɑ:stərəl] a.牧(羊)人的 n.田园诗 (英语四级单词)
- grievance [´gri:vəns] n.不平；冤情；抱怨 (英语四级单词)
- disapprove [,disə´pru:v] v.不赞成；指责 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- unusually [ʌn´ju:ʒuəli] ad.异常地；非常 (英语四级单词)
- essentially [i´senʃəli] ad.本质上，基本上 (英语四级单词)
- erroneous [i´rəuniəs] a.错误的 (英语六级单词)
- liking [´laikiŋ] n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 (英语六级单词)
- consummate [kɔn´sʌmit] a.完美的 vt.完成；圆房 (英语六级单词)
- speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)
- frivolous [´frivələs] a.轻佻的 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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