the grey room(灰房间)-第2节
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a volume of harmless verse； to the undying amazement of his family。
For Mary Lennox the war had brought a sailor husband。 Captain
Thomas May； wounded rather severely at Jutland； lost his heart to the
plain but attractive young woman with a fine figure who nursed him back
to strength； and； as he vowed； had saved his life。 He was an impulsive
man of thirty； brown…bearded； black…eyed； and hot…tempered。 He came
from a little Somerset vicarage and was the only son of a clergyman； the
Rev。 Septimus May。 Knowing the lady as 〃Nurse Mary〃 only； and falling
passionately in love for the first time in his life； he proposed on the day he
was allowed to sit up； and since Mary Lennox shared his emotions； also
for the first time； he was accepted before he even knew her name。
It is impossible to describe the force of love's advent for Mary Lennox。
She had come to believe herself as vaguely committed to her cousin； and
imagined that her affection for Henry amounted to as much as she was
ever likely to feel for a man。 But reality awakened her； and its glory did
not make her selfish； since her nature was not constructed so to be； it only
taught her what love meant； and convinced her that she could never marry
anybody on earth but the stricken sailor。 And this she knew long before
he was well enough to give a sign that he even appreciated her ministry。
The very whisper of his voice sent a thrill through her before he had
gained strength to speak aloud。 And his deep tones； when she heard them；
were like no voice that had fallen on her ear till then。 The first thing that
indicated restoring health was his request that his beard might be trimmed；
and he was making love to her three days after he had been declared out of
danger。 Then did Mary begin to live； and looking back； she marvelled
how horses and dogs and a fishing…rod had been her life till now。 The
revelation bewildered her and she wrote her emotions in many long pages
to her cousin。 The causes of such changes she did not indeed specify； but
he read between the lines； and knew it was a man and not the war that had
so altered and deepened her outlook。 He had never done it； and he could
not be angry with her now； for she had pretended no ardor of emotion to
him。 Young though he was； he always feared that she liked him not after
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the way of a lover。 He had hoped to open her eyes some day； but it was
given to another to do so。
He felt no surprise； therefore； when news of her engagement reached
him from herself。 He wrote the letter of his life in reply； and was at pains
to laugh at their boy…and…girl attachment； and lessen any regret she
might feel on his account。 Her father took it somewhat hardly at first； for
he held that more than sufficient misfortunes； to correct the balance of
prosperity in his favor； had already befallen him。 But he was deeply
attached to his daughter； and her magical change under the new and
radiant revelation convinced him that she had now awakened to an
emotional fulness of life which could only be the outward sign of love。
That she was in love for the first time also seemed clear； but he would not
give his consent until he had seen her lover and heard all there was to
know about him。 That； however； did not alarm Mary； for she believed
that Thomas May must prove a spirit after Sir Walter's heart。 And so he
did。 The sailor was a gentleman； he had proposed without the faintest
notion to whom he offered his penniless hand； and when he did find out；
was so bewildered that Mary assured her father she thought he would
change his mind。
〃If I had not threatened him with disgrace and breach of promise； I do
think he would have thrown me over；〃 she said。
And now they had been wedded for six months； and Mary sat by the
great log fire with her hand in Tom's。 The sailor was on leave； but
expected to return to his ship at Plymouth in a day or two。 Then his father…
in…law had promised to visit the great cruiser； for the Navy was a service
of which he knew little。 Lennoxes had all been soldiers or clergymen
since a great lawyer founded the race。
The game of billiards proceeded； and Henry caught his uncle in the
eighties and ran out with an unfinished fifteen。 Then Ernest Travers and
his wife … old and dear friends of Sir Walter … played a hundred up； the
lady receiving half the game。 Mr。 Travers was a Suffolk man； and had
fagged for Sir Walter at Eton。 Their comradeship had lasted a lifetime；
and no year passed without reciprocal visits。 Travers also looked at life
with the eyes of a wealthy man。 He was sixty…five； pompous； large； and
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rubicund … a 〃backwoodsman〃 of a pattern obsolescent。 His wife； ten
years younger than himself； loved pleasure； but she had done more than
her duty； in her opinion； and borne him two sons and a daughter。 They
were colorless； kind…hearted people who lived in a circle of others like
themselves。 The war had sobered them； and at an early stage robbed
them of their younger boy。
Nelly Travers won her game amid congratulations； and Tom May
challenged another woman； a Diana； who lived for sport and had joined
the house party with her uncle； Mr。 Felix Fayre…Michell。 But Millicent
Fayre … Michell refused。
〃I've shot six partridges； a hare； and two pheasants to…day；〃 said the
girl； 〃and I'm half asleep。〃
Other men were present also of a type not dissimilar。 It was a
conventional gathering of rich nobodies； each a big frog in his own little
puddle； none known far beyond it and none with sufficient intellect or
ability to create for himself any position in the world save that won by the
accident of money made by their progenitors。
Had it been necessary for any of them to earn his living； only in some
very modest capacity and on a very modest plane might they have done so。
Of the entire company only one … the youngest … could claim even the
celebrity that attached to his little volume of war verses。
And now upon the lives of these every…day folk was destined to break
an event unique and extraordinary。 Existence； that had meandered
without personal incident save of a description common to them all； was；
within twelve hours； to confront men and women alike with reality。 They
were destined to endure at close quarters an occurrence so astounding and
unparalleled that； for once in their lives； they would find themselves
interesting to the wider world beyond their own limited circuit； and； for
their friends and acquaintance； the centre of a nine days' wonder。
Most of them； indeed； merely touched the hem of the mystery and
were not involved therein； but even for them a reflected glory shone。
They were at least objects of attraction elsewhere； and for many months
furnished conversation of a more interesting and exciting character than
any could ever claim to have provided before。
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The attitude to such an event； and the opinions concerning it； of such
people might have been pretty accurately predicted； nor would it be fair to
laugh at their terror and bewilderment； their confusion of tongues and the
fatuous theories they adventured by way of explanation。 For wiser than
they … men experienced in the problems of humanity and trained to solve
its enigmas … were presently in no better case。
A very trivial and innocent remark was prelude to the disaster； and had
the speaker guessed what his jest must presently mean in terms of human
mise
