In November of that same year, Mrs Archer gave a dinner party. Janey, Newland and May were there, with Sillerton Jackson and his sister Sophy. Their first subject of conversation was Julius Beaufort's financial situation. His business was failing rapidly, and what was worse, it appeared that he had taken unlawful steps to try to solve his problems.
Poor cousin Regina!' said Mrs Archer sadly. No one really liked Beaufort, and it was almost a pleasure to think the worst of his private life, but the idea of his bringing dishonour on his wife's family was too shocking for even his enemies to enjoy. Nothing could save Regina Beaufort from social ruin, if there were any truth in the reports of her husband's misbehaviour.
The talk then turned to Mrs Struthers' musical evenings, which by now had become acceptable to much of New York society – though not yet to Mrs Archer. Shaking her head, this lady said to May, 'You know, dear, I've never quite forgiven your cousin Ellen for being the first to attend her Sunday evenings.'
May blushed, and said quietly, 'Oh, Ellen – well, what can you expect? She's lived abroad – and she doesn't care about society. In fact, I'm not sure what she does care about.'
Everyone knew that Countess Olenska's family disapproved very strongly of her refusal to return to her husband. After all, a young woman's place was under her husband's roof, especially if she had left it in a way that... well... if one looked into it...
Soon the ladies left the gentlemen alone with their cigars, and Sillerton Jackson said to Newland, 'If Beaufort is ruined, there'll be some unpleasant discoveries. He hasn't spent all his money on Regina, you know.'
Newland was not paying attention. He was wondering why May had blushed at the mention of Ellen's name. It was four months since the midsummer day he had spent with Ellen in Boston. He had not seen her since, and she had become the centre of his secret thoughts and hopes. He had written to her once, asking when they were to meet again, and she had replied with two words: 'Not yet.'
He became aware that Mr Jackson was speaking again. 'It's certainly a pity that Madame Olenska refused to accept her husband's latest offer.'
A pity? In God's name, why?'
Well, what's she going to live on, if Beaufort–'
Newland jumped up and banged his hand down angrily on the table. 'What do you mean by that, sir? Explain yourself!'
Mr Jackson spoke calmly, but his sharp little eyes were watching Newland's face with interest.
Well, my dear boy, old Mrs Mingott tells me the Countess is no longer given much of an income by the family. And the few savings Medora Manson has left are all in Beaufort's hands, so if it comes to a crash, she'll lose everything. So what the two women will live on then, I can't imagine.'
Newland, aware that in his anger he might say something unwise, changed the subject, and took Mr Jackson up to join the ladies in the sitting room.
That evening, when they were at home in their sitting room, he watched May bending over a lamp to light it. 'How young she is!' he thought; and then, with a kind of horror, 'how young we both are! For what endless years this life will have to go on!'
Look here,' he said, 'I may have to go to Washington next week, on business. There's an important court case coming up. '
She thought for a moment, and then smiled at him. 'The change will do you good,' she said, 'and you must see Ellen.' She looked him straight in the eyes with her cloudless smile.
Those were the only words that passed between them on the subject, but in the unspoken language which they had both been trained to use, that meant: 'I support my family's efforts to persuade Ellen to return to her husband. For some reason you have chosen not to tell me, you have advised her against this, and because of your advice, there is a great deal of unpleasant talk about her behaviour. I know you intend to see Ellen when you're in Washington – perhaps you're even going there in order to see her. I am giving you my full permission to see her – I want you to let her know what will happen if she continues to go against her family's wishes.'
She moved towards the door. 'I am going to bed, dear,' she said. At the door she turned and paused for his kiss.
The crash came a few days later. With false confidence Beaufort had persuaded a large number of people that his bank was safe, and money had poured in. But it had not been enough to pay his enormous debts, and he was ruined. So, too, were many of the people who had trusted him, and ugly things were being said of his wicked behaviour. It was one of the worst financial scandals in the history of Wall Street.
While Mr Letterblair was telling Newland the details of the disaster, a note was delivered to the young man. It said:
Please come to Grandmother's house as soon as possible. She has had a stroke – somehow she heard this awful news about the bank before anyone else. Uncle Lovell is away shooting, and the idea of the dishonour has made poor Father ill, so he can't leave his room. Mother and I need you very badly. May
At Mrs Mingott's house Newland found his wife and her mother looking pale and worried. The doctor, however, was quite hopeful and the old lady's determination to get well soon began to have an effect on her relations.
It appeared that on the previous evening Regina Beaufort had come to visit Mrs Mingott, and begged her aunt to support her and her husband in their desperate situation. This request had made Mrs Mingott extremely angry. When she was able to speak again, she told her daughter Mrs Welland what had been said.
I said to Regina, "Honour's always been honour, and honesty's always been honesty in this house, and will be until I'm carried out of it feet first." And when she said, "But I'm your niece!" I said, "You were Beaufort's wife when he covered you with jewels, and you'll have to stay Beaufort's wife now that he's covered you with dirt."'
Anger had probably caused Mrs Mingott's stroke, and Mrs Welland and May were horrified at Regina's behaviour. Everyone knew that a wife should not ask her family to cover up her husband's financial dishonour; a wife simply had to accept the rough as well as the smooth, the bad times as well as the good.
As they sat discussing it all, a servant called Mrs Welland into Mrs Mingott's room. She came out again a few minutes later, looking annoyed. 'She wants me to send a telegram to Ellen Olenska. She wants her here at once,' she said.
There was a moment's silence. 'I suppose it must be done,' she added doubtfully.
Of course it must be done,' said May. 'We must carry out Grandmother's wishes.' She turned to Newland with a smile. 'Will you send the telegram for us, Newland? There's just time before lunch.'
She sat down and wrote the telegram. As she handed it to him, she said, smiling, 'What a pity! This means you will miss Ellen.' Turning to her mother, she explained, 'Newland has to go to Washington for a court case, and now the doctor tells us Grandmother will live, it doesn't seem right to ask him to give up such important business in order to stay here, does it?'
Mrs Welland replied quickly, 'Of course not, dearest. Your grandmother would be the last person to wish it.'
As Newland left the room with the telegram, he heard his mother-in-law add, 'But why does she want Ellen here?' and May's clear voice reply, 'Perhaps to explain to her again that her duty is with her husband.'
That afternoon the announcement of the Beaufort failure was in all the newspapers. The whole of New York was darkened by the story of Beaufort's dishonour – he had not only lied to people about the safety of their savings, but his bank had continued to take in money for twenty-four hours after its failure was certain. And no one pitied his wife, because she did not seem to understand the seriousness of his crimes, but talked of the disaster as 'a misfortune' and was sure that 'her true friends would not desert her'. Her true friends were sure they would.
Old Mrs Mingott continued to get better, and gave orders that no one should ever mention the name of Beaufort to her again.
The next day the Wellands received a telegram, announcing Madame Olenska's arrival from Washington the following evening. This started a long discussion at the Wellands', where Newland and May were having lunch, about who could meet Ellen at Jersey City railway station. Mr and Mrs Welland were visiting Mrs Mingott that afternoon, the Lovell Mingotts were busy, and May could not be asked to travel so far alone.
Newland, becoming aware of their discussion, said, 'Shall I fetch her? I can easily get away from the office, and I can take May's carriage.' His heart was beating excitedly as he spoke.
Oh, thank you so much, Newland!' said Mrs Welland gratefully, and May smiled at him, pleased.
May's carriage was waiting outside, for her to drive Newland back to the office after lunch. As they got in and sat down, she said, 'I didn't want to worry Mother, but how can you meet Ellen tomorrow, when you're going to Washington?'
Oh, I'm not going,' said Newland.
Not going? Why, what's happened?' Her voice was as clear as a bell, and full of wifely concern.
The case has been put off for a few weeks.'
Put off? How odd! I heard from Mother that Mr Letterblair is going to Washington tomorrow, to defend a case.'
Well – that's it. The whole office can't go.'
Then it hasn't been put off?' she continued, with an insistence so unusual that he blushed for her.
No, but my going has been,' he answered. It did not hurt him half as much to tell May a lie, as to see her trying to pretend she had not discovered it.
I'm not going until later on, luckily for the convenience of your family,' he said. As he spoke, he felt she was looking at him, and he turned his eyes to hers in order not to appear to be avoiding them. Their eyes met for a second, and perhaps they saw more deeply into each other's meaning than either of them really wanted...
Yes, it is awfully convenient,' May brightly agreed, 'that you can meet Ellen after all. You saw how pleased Mother was.'
Oh, I'm delighted to do it.' The carriage stopped at his office, and as he jumped out, she laid her hand on his. 'Goodbye, dearest,' she said, her eyes so blue that he wondered afterwards if they had shone on him through tears.
May laid her hand on Newland's. 'Goodbye, dearest,' she said.
He turned and hurried into his office, repeating to himself in a sort of song, 'It's all of two hours from Jersey City station to Mrs Mingott's! It's all of two hours – and it may be more!'
financial adj. relating to money or the management of money 財(cái)務(wù)的
dishonour n. a loss of honour or respect from other people, because you have behaved in a morally unacceptable way 恥辱
misbehaviour n. bad behaviour that is not acceptable to other people 不當(dāng)行為
disapprove v. to think that someone or something is wrong or bad 不贊成
bang v. to hit something hard, making a loud noise 砰地敲
savings n. all the money that you have saved, especially in a bank 存款
court case a criminal or legal matter which involves a trial 訴訟案件
debt n. money that is owed to someone 債務(wù)
stroke n. a sudden serious illness when a blood vessel in the brain bursts 中風(fēng)
doubtfully adv. in a way not sure that something is true or right 疑惑地,懷疑地
misfortune n. very bad luck, or something that happens to you as a result of bad luck 不幸
desert v. to leave someone or something and no longer help or support them 拋棄,離棄
put off to delay doing something or to arrange to do something at a later time or date, especially because there is a problem or you do not want to do it now 延期,推遲
convenience n. the quality of being suitable or useful for a particular purpose, especially by making something easier or saving you time 方便
convenient adj. useful to you because it saves you time, or does not spoil your plans or cause you problems 方便的
afterwards adv. after an event or time that has already been mentioned 后來
同年11月,阿徹太太舉辦了一次宴會(huì)。出席者包括珍妮、紐蘭和梅,還有西勒頓·杰克遜和他妹妹索菲。他們一開始就談到朱利葉斯·博福特的財(cái)務(wù)狀況。博福特的生意急轉(zhuǎn)直下,更糟的是,他似乎用一些非法手段試圖去解決自己的問題。
“可憐的雷吉娜表妹!”阿徹太太面帶憂慮地說。沒有人真正喜歡博福特,把他的私生活往壞處想幾乎成為一種樂趣。然而,他給妻子家族帶來的恥辱太令人震驚,就連他的敵人都不愿幸災(zāi)樂禍了。如果有關(guān)她丈夫不當(dāng)行為的傳聞屬實(shí),那就沒有什么能夠挽救雷吉娜·博福特被社交界摒棄的命運(yùn)。
話題之后轉(zhuǎn)到斯特拉瑟斯太太的音樂晚會(huì),晚會(huì)現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)被紐約上流社會(huì)大部分人所接受——盡管阿徹太太不在其中。這位女士搖搖頭,對(duì)梅說:“你知道嗎,親愛的,我仍未完全原諒你的表姐埃倫,因?yàn)樗亲钕葏⒓又苋胀頃?huì)的賓客之一。”
梅臉紅了,小聲說:“嗯,埃倫——好吧,你能期待她怎么樣呢?她曾經(jīng)在國(guó)外生活——而且她對(duì)社交圈毫不在意。事實(shí)上,我也不知道她究竟會(huì)在意些什么。”
每個(gè)人都知道,奧蘭斯卡伯爵夫人的家人強(qiáng)烈反對(duì)她拒絕回到丈夫身邊的決定。畢竟,一個(gè)年輕女子的歸宿應(yīng)該是住在丈夫家中,尤其是她離開的方式是……嗯……如果有人愿意深究的話……
很快,女士們離開了,留下紳士們單獨(dú)待在一起抽雪茄。這時(shí),西勒頓·杰克遜對(duì)紐蘭說:“如果博福特破產(chǎn)了,一些令人不快的事情就會(huì)隨之暴露出來。你知道,他的錢并不是全都花在雷吉娜身上的。”
他的話紐蘭沒有聽著。他正想著,為什么一提到埃倫的名字梅就臉紅了。他與埃倫在波士頓共度的那個(gè)仲夏之日已經(jīng)過去四個(gè)月了。自那以后他再也沒有見過她,他不為人知的想法和期盼,大多和她有關(guān)。他曾給她寫過一次信,問她什么時(shí)候能再見面,而她的回答只有三個(gè)字:“還不行。”
他注意到杰克遜先生又在說了:“可惜奧蘭斯卡夫人拒絕接受她丈夫的最新提議。”
“可惜?究竟為什么?”
“嗯,她打算依靠什么生活呢,如果博福特——”
紐蘭跳了起來,氣憤地拍桌子,發(fā)出砰的一聲。“你這樣說是什么意思,先生?請(qǐng)解釋一下!”
杰克遜先生說話時(shí)很平靜,但他那雙銳利的小眼睛頗有興致地緊盯著紐蘭的臉。
“嗯,親愛的小伙子,明戈特老太太告訴我,家里已經(jīng)大大削減了對(duì)伯爵夫人的補(bǔ)貼。而梅多拉·曼森的那點(diǎn)存款都存在博福特那兒。那么,如果博福特破產(chǎn)了,她將失去一切。因此,我無法想象,到那時(shí),這兩個(gè)女人將靠什么生活下去。”
紐蘭知道,自己正怒火中燒,也許會(huì)不小心說出一些不明智的話,因此他把話題岔開,帶杰克遜先生上樓去會(huì)客廳找女士們。
那天晚上,紐蘭和梅在自己家里的客廳。紐蘭看到梅俯身去點(diǎn)燈時(shí),心想:“她真年輕??!”這時(shí),他感覺到了一絲恐懼。“我們都還年輕?。∵@種生活還得沒完沒了地持續(xù)多少年!”
“聽我說,”他說,“下個(gè)星期我可能得去一趟華盛頓,是公事。有一件重要的訴訟案件要開庭審理了。”
她想了一會(huì)兒,然后對(duì)他笑了笑:“換換環(huán)境對(duì)你有好處,”她說,“而且你一定要去看看埃倫。”她直視著他的眼睛,臉上露出開朗的笑容。
他們兩人就這個(gè)話題只說了這么幾句話。然而,按照他們接受訓(xùn)導(dǎo)使用的那套,這些話的言外之意是:“我支持家人勸服埃倫回到她丈夫身邊。由于某種你沒有主動(dòng)告訴我的原因,你建議她不要回去。正是由于你的建議,才招致別人對(duì)她行為的種種非難。我知道你在華盛頓期間打算去看埃倫——也許你就是特意去華盛頓見她的。我完全同意你去見她——我希望你讓她明白,如果她繼續(xù)違抗家人的意愿將會(huì)導(dǎo)致什么樣的后果。”
她一邊朝門口走去,一邊說:“我要去睡了,親愛的。”她在門口轉(zhuǎn)過身,停下來等著他來吻。
博福特的破產(chǎn)就發(fā)生在幾天之后。他裝出底氣十足的樣子,讓許多人相信他的銀行是安全的,于是源源不斷地存錢進(jìn)去。但這還不足以償付他巨額的債務(wù),于是他破產(chǎn)了。許多之前信任他的人也遭此厄運(yùn),關(guān)于他的惡劣行徑就出現(xiàn)了難聽的議論。這是華爾街歷史上最糟糕的金融丑聞之一。
萊特布萊爾先生正在給紐蘭講述這場(chǎng)災(zāi)難的細(xì)節(jié)時(shí),一封信函送到了年輕人手中。上面寫道:
請(qǐng)盡快趕來外婆家。她突發(fā)中風(fēng)——不知什么原因,她先過所有人知道了有關(guān)銀行的可怕消息。洛弗爾舅舅外出打獵去了。可憐的爸爸覺得臉上無光,也生了病,不能出門。媽媽和我非常需要你。梅
紐蘭趕到明戈特老太太家時(shí),看到他妻子和岳母臉色蒼白、面帶焦慮。不過,醫(yī)生還是相當(dāng)樂觀,而且老太太恢復(fù)健康的決心很快便安撫了家人的焦慮。
似乎是在前一天晚上,雷吉娜·博福特來拜見明戈特太太,懇求她的姑媽支持,讓她和丈夫渡過難關(guān)。這個(gè)請(qǐng)求讓明戈特太太氣得說不出話。等她又能講話之后,她把交談的內(nèi)容告訴了女兒韋蘭太太。
“我對(duì)雷吉娜說:‘在這個(gè)家里,名譽(yù)終歸是名譽(yù),誠(chéng)實(shí)終歸是誠(chéng)實(shí),到我死了都不會(huì)變!’她又說:‘可我是您的侄女呀!’我就說:‘博福特給你穿金戴銀時(shí),你是他的太太?,F(xiàn)在他讓你灰頭土臉,你還得繼續(xù)做你的博福特太太。’”
也許是憤怒令明戈特太太中風(fēng)。雷吉娜的行為讓韋蘭太太和梅感到驚恐萬分。每個(gè)人都知道,妻子不應(yīng)該要求娘家人掩蓋她丈夫經(jīng)濟(jì)上的恥辱;無論坎坷還是坦途,無論逆境還是順境,做妻子的只能接受命運(yùn)。
當(dāng)他們坐著討論整件事的時(shí)候,用人請(qǐng)韋蘭太太去明戈特太太的房間。她幾分鐘之后出來,看上去有些不悅。“她要我給埃倫·奧蘭斯卡發(fā)一封電報(bào),希望她馬上過來。”她說。
他們沉默了片刻。“我想這電報(bào)一定得發(fā)了。”她接著說,語氣遲疑。
“當(dāng)然得發(fā)了。”梅說,“我們必須遵從外婆的意愿。”她轉(zhuǎn)向紐蘭,嫣然一笑。“你去替我們發(fā)電報(bào)好嗎,紐蘭?午飯前正好還來得及。”
她坐下來書寫電文,寫完后交給了紐蘭,并笑著說:“真遺憾!這意味著你見不到埃倫了。”她轉(zhuǎn)過身來對(duì)母親解釋道:“紐蘭得去華盛頓處理一起訴訟案件?,F(xiàn)在既然醫(yī)生說外婆已經(jīng)度過危險(xiǎn),似乎不應(yīng)該讓紐蘭放棄這么重要的一項(xiàng)工作而留在這里,對(duì)嗎?”
韋蘭太太趕緊回答:“當(dāng)然不應(yīng)該,親愛的。你外婆最不愿意那樣做了。”
紐蘭帶著電文離開房間時(shí),他聽見岳母又說:“可她為什么要讓埃倫來這兒呢?”梅用清澈的聲音回應(yīng)說:“也許是為了再次向她說明,她的職責(zé)是和丈夫在一起。”
當(dāng)天下午,博福特破產(chǎn)的公告登上了大大小小的報(bào)紙。博福特?zé)o恥行徑的傳聞令整個(gè)紐約蒙上了一層陰影——他不僅欺騙人們說他們的存款很安全,而且在破產(chǎn)已成定局之后的二十四個(gè)小時(shí)里,銀行還在吸納資金。沒有人同情他的妻子,因?yàn)樗坪鯖]有認(rèn)識(shí)到丈夫罪行的嚴(yán)重性,還把這場(chǎng)災(zāi)難說成是“運(yùn)氣不好”,并肯定“真正的朋友不會(huì)棄她于不顧。”然而,她真正的朋友則肯定會(huì)這樣做。
明戈特老太太的身體繼續(xù)好轉(zhuǎn),她下令不準(zhǔn)任何人再對(duì)她提起博福特的名字。
第二天,韋蘭一家接到電報(bào),說奧蘭斯卡夫人將于翌日傍晚從華盛頓趕回。紐蘭和梅正好在韋蘭家吃午飯,他們家就誰去澤西城火車站接埃倫的問題,展開了長(zhǎng)時(shí)間的討論。韋蘭先生和韋蘭太太那天下午要去看望明戈特太太,洛弗爾·明戈特一家很忙,也不能讓梅獨(dú)自一人去那么遠(yuǎn)的地方。
紐蘭聽到了他們的討論,于是說:“我去接她吧?我從事務(wù)所離開很方便,我又可以坐梅的馬車過去。”他說話的時(shí)候,心興奮地咚咚直跳。
“噢,太謝謝你了,紐蘭!”韋蘭太太心存感激地說。梅則朝他露出滿意的笑容。
梅的馬車在外面等著,午飯之后她要把紐蘭送回事務(wù)所。他們踏入馬車坐定之后,她說:“我剛才不想讓媽媽擔(dān)心,可你明天怎么能去接埃倫呢,你不是要去華盛頓嗎?”
“噢,我不去了。”紐蘭說。
“不去了?為什么,出什么事了?”她的聲音像銀鈴般清脆,并充滿了妻子的關(guān)切。
“案子延期了幾個(gè)星期。”
“延期了?好奇怪啊!我聽媽媽說,萊特布萊爾先生明天要去華盛頓,為一個(gè)案子辯護(hù)。”
“嗯——就是那個(gè)案子。事務(wù)所的人不能全去呀。”
“這么說,案子沒有延期?”她接著說,那種堅(jiān)持很不尋常,讓他都替她臉紅了。
“沒有,不過我去的時(shí)間推遲了,”他回答說。和對(duì)梅說謊話相比,他發(fā)現(xiàn)她想假裝沒有識(shí)破他,這事更是令他痛苦。
“我以后再去,這剛好能為你們家提供一點(diǎn)方便。”他說道。他說話時(shí)覺得她在盯著自己,于是他把目光轉(zhuǎn)向她的眼睛,以免顯得自己在回避她的注視。兩人的目光交匯片刻,也許他們?cè)诒舜说哪抗庵锌吹搅烁畹暮x,那是兩個(gè)人都不想看到……
梅愉快地贊同說:“是的,畢竟你能去接埃倫,確實(shí)是太方便了。媽媽剛才多高興啊,你也看到了。”
“哦,我很高興去接她。”馬車停在他事務(wù)所門口,他從車上跳下來時(shí),她把手放在他手上。“再見,最親愛的。”她說。她的眼睛特別藍(lán),讓他過后心想,那目光會(huì)不會(huì)是透過淚水看向他的。
他轉(zhuǎn)過身,匆匆走進(jìn)事務(wù)所,心里像唱歌一般重復(fù)著:“從澤西城車站到明戈特老太太家一共要兩個(gè)小時(shí)!一共要兩個(gè)小時(shí)——也許還更長(zhǎng)!”
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