Daniel Deronda
乔治.艾略特 George Eliot
CHAPTER VI. Page 1
"Croyez-vous m'avoir humiliée pour m'avoir appris que la terre tourneautour du soleil? Je vous jure que je ne m'en estime pas moins."--FONTENELLE: _Pluralité des Mondes_.
That lofty criticism had caused Gwendolen a new sort of pain. She wouldnot have chosen to confess how unfortunate she thought herself in nothaving had Miss Arrowpoint's musical advantages, so as to be able toquestion Herr Klesmer's taste with the confidence of thorough knowledge;still less, to admit even to herself that Miss Arrowpoint each time theymet raised an unwonted feeling of jealousy in her: not in the leastbecause she was an heiress, but because it was really provoking that agirl whose appearance you could not characterize except by saying that herfigure was slight and of middle stature, her features small, her eyestolerable, and her complexion sallow, had nevertheless a certain mentalsuperiority which could not be explained away--an exasperatingthoroughness in her musical accomplishment, a fastidious discrimination inher general tastes, which made it impossible to force her admiration andkept you in awe of her standard. This insignificant-looking young lady offour-and-twenty, whom any one's eyes would have passed over negligently ifshe had not been Miss Arrowpoint, might be suspected of a secret opinionthat Miss Harleth's acquirements were rather of a common order, and suchan opinion was not made agreeable to think of by being always veiled undera perfect kindness of manner.
But Gwendolen did not like to dwell on facts which threw an unfavorablelight on itself. The musical Magus who had so suddenly widened her horizonwas not always on the scene; and his being constantly backward and forwardbetween London and Quetcham soon began to be thought of as offeringopportunities for converting him to a more admiring state of mind.Meanwhile, in the manifest pleasure her singing gave at BrackenshawCastle, the Firs, and elsewhere, she recovered her equanimity, beingdisposed to think approval more trustworthy than objection, and not beingone of the exceptional persons who have a parching thirst for a perfectionundemanded by their neighbors. Perhaps it would have been rash to say thenthat she was at all exceptional inwardly, or that the unusual in her wasmore than her rare grace of movement and bearing, and a certain daringwhich gave piquancy to a very common egoistic ambition, such as existsunder many clumsy exteriors and is taken no notice of. For I suppose thatthe set of the head does not really determine the hunger of the inner selffor supremacy: it only makes a difference sometimes as to the way in whichthe supremacy is held attainable, and a little also to the degree in whichit can be attained; especially when the hungry one is a girl, whosepassion for doing what is remarkable has an ideal limit in consistencywith the highest breeding and perfect freedom from the sordid need ofincome. Gwendolen was as inwardly rebellious against the restraints offamily conditions, and as ready to look through obligations into her ownfundamental want of feeling for them, as if she had been sustained by theboldest speculations; but she really had no such speculations, and wouldat once have marked herself off from any sort of theoretical orpractically reforming women by satirizing them. She rejoiced to feelherself exceptional; but her horizon was that of the genteel romance wherethe heroine's soul poured out in her journal is full of vague power,originality, and general rebellion, while her life moves strictly in thesphere of fashion; and if she wanders into a swamp, the pathos liespartly, so to speak, in her having on her satin shoes. Here is a restraintwhich nature and society have provided on the pursuit of strikingadventure; so that a soul burning with a sense of what the universe isnot, and ready to take all existence as fuel, is nevertheless held captiveby the ordinary wirework of social forms and does nothing particular.
This commonplace result was what Gwendolen found herself threatened witheven in the novelty of the first winter at Offendene. What she was clearupon was, that she did not wish to lead the same sort of life as ordinaryyoung ladies did; but what she was not clear upon was, how she should setabout leading any other, and what were the particular acts which she wouldassert her freedom by doing. Offendene remained a good background, ifanything would happen there; but on the whole the neighborhood was infault.
Beyond the effect of her beauty on a first presentation, there was notmuch excitement to be got out of her earliest invitations, and she camehome after little sallies of satire and knowingness, such as had offendedMrs. Arrowpoint, to fill the intervening days with the most girlishdevices. The strongest assertion she was able to make of her individualclaims was to leave out Alice's lessons (on the principle that Alice wasmore likely to excel in ignorance), and to employ her with Miss Merry, andthe maid who was understood to wait on all the ladies, in helping toarrange various dramatic costumes which Gwendolen pleased herself withhaving in readiness for some future occasions of acting in charades ortheatrical pieces, occasions which she meant to bring about by force ofwill or contrivance. She had never acted--only made a figure in _tableauxvivans_ at school; but she felt assured that she could act well, andhaving been once or twice to the Théâtre Français, and also heard hermamma speak of Rachel, her waking dreams and cogitations as to how shewould manage her destiny sometimes turned on the question whether shewould become an actress like Rachel, since she was more beautiful thanthat thin Jewess. Meanwhile the wet days before Christmas were passedpleasantly in the preparation of costumes, Greek, Oriental, and Composite,in which Gwendolen attitudinized and speechified before a domesticaudience, including even the housekeeper, who was once pressed into itthat she might swell the notes of applause; but having shown herselfunworthy by observing that Miss Harleth looked far more like a queen inher own dress than in that baggy thing with her arms all bare, she was notinvited a second time.
"Do I look as well as Rachel, mamma?" said Gwendolen, one day when she hadbeen showing herself in her Greek dress to Anna, and going through scrapsof scenes with much tragic intention.
"You have better arms than Rachel," said Mrs. Davilow, "your arms would dofor anything, Gwen. But your voice is not so tragic as hers; it is not sodeep."
"I can make it deeper, if I like," said Gwendolen, provisionally; then sheadded, with decision, "I think a higher voice is more tragic: it is morefeminine; and the more feminine a woman is, the more tragic it seems whenshe does desperate actions."
"There may be something in that," said Mrs. Davilow, languidly. "But Idon't know what good there is in making one's blood creep. And if there isanything horrible to be done, I should like it to be left to the men."
"Oh, mamma, you are so dreadfully prosaic! As if all the great poeticcriminals were not women! I think the men are poor cautious creatures."
"Well, dear, and you--who are afraid to be alone in the night--I don'tthink you would be very bold in crime, thank God."
"I am not talking about reality, mamma," said Gwendolen, impatiently. Thenher mamma being called out of the room, she turned quickly to her cousin,as if taking an opportunity, and said, "Anna, do ask my uncle to let usget up some charades at the rectory. Mr. Middleton and Warham could actwith us--just for practice. Mamma says it will not do to have Mr.Middleton consulting and rehearsing here. He is a stick, but we could givehim suitable parts. Do ask, or else I will."
"Oh, not till Rex comes. He is so clever, and such a dear old thing, andhe will act Napoleon looking over the sea. He looks just like Napoleon.Rex can do anything."
"I don't in the least believe in your Rex, Anna," said Gwendolen, laughingat her. "He will turn out to be like those wretched blue and yellow water-colors of his which you hang up in your bedroom and worship."
"Very well, you will see," said Anna. "It is not that I know what isclever, but he has got a scholarship already, and papa says he will get afellowship, and nobody is better at games. He is cleverer than Mr.Middleton, and everybody but you call Mr. Middleton clever."
"So he may be in a dark-lantern sort of way. But he _is_ a stick. If hehad to say, 'Perdition catch my soul, but I do love her,' he would say itin just the same tone as, 'Here endeth the second lesson.'"
"Oh, Gwendolen!" said Anna, shocked at these promiscuous allusions. "Andit is very unkind of you to speak so of him, for he admires you very much.I heard Warham say one day to mamma, 'Middleton is regularly spooney uponGwendolen.' She was very angry with him; but I know what it means. It iswhat they say at college for being in love."
"How can I help it?" said Gwendolen, rather contemptuously. "Perditioncatch my soul if I love _him_."
"No, of course; papa, I think, would not wish it. And he is to go awaysoon. But it makes me sorry when you ridicule him."
"What shall you do to me when I ridicule Rex?" said Gwendolen, wickedly.
"Now, Gwendolen, dear, you _will not_?" said Anna, her eyes filling withtears. "I could not bear it. But there really is nothing in him toridicule. Only you may find out things. For no one ever thought oflaughing at Mr. Middleton before you. Every one said he was nice-looking,and his manners perfect. I am sure I have always been frightened at himbecause of his learning and his square-cut coat, and his being a nephew ofthe bishop's, and all that. But you will not ridicule Rex--promise me."Anna ended with a beseeching look which touched Gwendolen.
"You are a dear little coz," she said, just touching the tip of Anna'schin with her thumb and forefinger. "I don't ever want to do anything thatwill vex you. Especially if Rex is to make everything come off--charadesand everything."
And when at last Rex was there, the animation he brought into the life ofOffendene and the rectory, and his ready partnership in Gwendolen's plans,left her no inclination for any ridicule that was not of an open andflattering kind, such as he himself enjoyed. He was a fine open-heartedyouth, with a handsome face strongly resembling his father's and Anna's,but softer in expression than the one, and larger in scale than the other:a bright, healthy, loving nature, enjoying ordinary innocent things somuch that vice had no temptation for him, and what he knew of it lay tooentirely in the outer courts and little-visited chambers of his mind forhim to think of it with great repulsion. Vicious habits were with him"what some fellows did"--"stupid stuff" which he liked to keep aloof from.He returned Anna's affection as fully as could be expected of a brotherwhose pleasures apart from her were more than the sum total of hers; andhe had never known a stronger love.
The cousins were continually together at the one house or the other--chiefly at Offendene, where there was more freedom, or rather where therewas a more complete sway for Gwendolen; and whatever she wished became aruling purpose for Rex. The charades came off according to her plans; andalso some other little scenes not contemplated by her in which her actingwas more impromptu. It was at Offendene that the charades and _tableaux_were rehearsed and presented, Mrs. Davilow seeing no objection even to Mr.Middleton's being invited to share in them, now that Rex too was there--especially as his services were indispensable: Warham, who was studyingfor India with a Wanchester "coach," having no time to spare, and beinggenerally dismal under a cram of everything except the answers needed atthe forthcoming examination, which might disclose the welfare of ourIndian Empire to be somehow connected with a quotable knowledge ofBrowne's Pastorals.
Mr. Middleton was persuaded to play various grave parts, Gwendolen havingflattered him on his enviable immobility of countenance; and at first alittle pained and jealous at her comradeship with Rex, he presently drewencouragement from the thought that this sort of cousinly familiarityexcluded any serious passion. Indeed, he occasionally felt that her moreformal treatment of himself was such a sign of favor as to warrant hismaking advances before he left Pennicote, though he had intended to keephis feelings in reserve until his position should be more assured. MissGwendolen, quite aware that she was adored by this unexceptionable youngclergyman with pale whiskers and square-cut collar, felt nothing more onthe subject than that she had no objection to being adored: she turned hereyes on him with calm mercilessness and caused him many mildly agitatinghopes by seeming always to avoid dramatic contact with him--for allmeanings, we know, depend on the key of interpretation.
Some persons might have thought beforehand that a young man of Anglicanleanings, having a sense of sacredness much exercised on small things aswell as great, rarely laughing save from politeness, and in generalregarding the mention of spades by their naked names as rather coarse,would not have seen a fitting bride for himself in a girl who was daringin ridicule, and showed none of the special grace required in theclergyman's wife; or, that a young man informed by theological readingwould have reflected that he was not likely to meet the taste of a lively,restless young lady like Miss Harleth. But are we always obliged toexplain why the facts are not what some persons thought beforehand? Theapology lies on their side, who had that erroneous way of thinking.
As for Rex, who would possibly have been sorry for poor Middleton if hehad been aware of the excellent curate's inward conflict, he was toocompletely absorbed in a first passion to have observation for any personor thing. He did not observe Gwendolen; he only felt what she said or did,and the back of his head seemed to be a good organ of information as towhether she was in the room or out. Before the end of the first fortnighthe was so deeply in love that it was impossible for him to think of hislife except as bound up with Gwendolen's. He could see no obstacles, poorboy; his own love seemed a guarantee of hers, since it was one with theunperturbed delight in her image, so that he could no more dream of hergiving him pain than an Egyptian could dream of snow. She sang and playedto him whenever he liked, was always glad of his companionship in riding,though his borrowed steeds were often comic, was ready to join in any funof his, and showed a right appreciation of Anna. No mark of sympathyseemed absent. That because Gwendolen was the most perfect creature in theworld she was to make a grand match, had not occurred to him. He had noconceit--at least not more than goes to make up the necessary gum andconsistence of a substantial personality: it was only that in the youngbliss of loving he took Gwendolen's perfection as part of that good whichhad seemed one with life to him, being the outcome of a happy, well-embodied nature.
One incident which happened in the course of their dramatic attemptsimpressed Rex as a sign of her unusual sensibility. It showed an aspect ofher nature which could not have been preconceived by any one who, likehim, had only seen her habitual fearlessness in active exercises and herhigh spirits in society.
After a good deal of rehearsing it was resolved that a select party shouldbe invited to Offendene to witness the performances which went with somuch satisfaction to the actors. Anna had caused a pleasant surprise;nothing could be neater than the way in which she played her little parts;one would even have suspected her of hiding much sly observation under hersimplicity. And Mr. Middleton answered very well by not trying to becomic. The main source of doubt and retardation had been Gwendolen'sdesire to appear in her Greek dress. No word for a charade would occur toher either waking or dreaming that suited her purpose of getting astatuesque pose in this favorite costume. To choose a motive from Racinewas of no use, since Rex and the others could not declaim French verse,and improvised speeches would turn the scene into burlesque. Besides, Mr.Gascoigne prohibited the acting of scenes from plays: he usually protestedagainst the notion that an amusement which was fitting for every one elsewas unfitting for a clergyman; but he would not in this matter overstepthe line of decorum as drawn in that part of Wessex, which did not excludehis sanction of the young people's acting charades in his sister-in-law'shouse--a very different affair from private theatricals in the full senseof the word.
Everybody of course was concerned to satisfy this wish of Gwendolen's, andRex proposed that they should wind up with a tableau in which the effectof her majesty would not be marred by any one's speech. This pleased herthoroughly, and the only question was the choice of the tableau.
"Something pleasant, children, I beseech you," said Mrs. Davilow; "I can'thave any Greek wickedness."
"It is no worse than Christian wickedness, mamma," said Gwendolen, whosemention of Rachelesque heroines had called forth that remark.
"And less scandalous," said Rex. "Besides, one thinks of it as all gone byand done with. What do you say to Briseis being led away? I would beAchilles, and you would be looking round at me--after the print we have atthe rectory."
"That would be a good attitude for me," said Gwendolen, in a tone ofacceptance. But afterward she said with decision, "No. It will not do.There must be three men in proper costume, else it will be ridiculous."
"I have it," said Rex, after a little reflection. "Hermione as the statuein Winter's Tale? I will be Leontes, and Miss Merry, Paulina, one on eachside. Our dress won't signify," he went on laughingly; "it will be moreShakespearian and romantic if Leontes looks like Napoleon, and Paulinalike a modern spinster."
And Hermione was chosen; all agreeing that age was of no consequence, butGwendolen urged that instead of the mere tableau there should be justenough acting of the scene to introduce the striking up of the music as asignal for her to step down and advance; when Leontes, instead ofembracing her, was to kneel and kiss the hem of her garment, and so thecurtain was to fall. The antechamber with folding doors lent itselfadmirably to the purpose of a stage, and the whole of the establishment,with the addition of Jarrett the village carpenter, was absorbed in thepreparations for an entertainment, which, considering that it was animitation of acting, was likely to be successful, since we know fromancient fable that an imitation may have more chance of success than theoriginal.
Gwendolen was not without a special exultation in the prospect of thisoccasion, for she knew that Herr Klesmer was again at Quetcham, and shehad taken care to include him among the invited.
mentalsuperiority which could not be explained away--an exasperatingthoroughness in her musical.
Klesmer came. He was in one of his placid, silent moods, and sat in serenecontemplation, replying to all appeals in benignant-sounding syllablesmore or less articulate--as taking up his cross meekly in a worldovergrown with amateurs, or as careful how he moved his lion paws lest heshould crush a rampant and vociferous mouse.