miss or mrs[1].(小姐还是夫人)-第1节
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Miss or Mrs。？
Miss or Mrs。？
by Wilkie Collins
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Miss or Mrs。？
PERSONS OF THE STORY。
Sir Joseph Graybrooke。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。（Knight） Richard Turlington 。 。 。 。
（Of the Levant Trade） Launcelot Linzie 。 。（Of the College of Surgeons）
James Dicas。 。 。 。 。 。（Of the Roll of Attorneys） Thomas
Wildfang。 。 。 。 。 。（Superannuated Seaman） Miss Graybrooke。 。 。 。 。 。 （Sir
Joseph's Sister） Natalie。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 （Sir Joseph's Daughter） Lady
Winwood 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 （SirJoseph's Niece） Amelia｝ Sophia｝。 （Lady
Winwood's Stepdaughter's） and Dorothea｝
Period： THE PRESENT TIME。 Place： ENGLAND。
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Miss or Mrs。？
FIRST SCENE
At Sea。
The night had come to an end。 The new…born day waited for its
quickening light in the silence that is never known on landthe silence
before sunrise； in a calm at sea。
Not a breath came from the dead air。 Not a ripple stirred on the
motionless water。 Nothing changed but the softly…growing light； nothing
moved but the lazy mist； curling up to meet the sun； its master； on the
eastward sea。 By fine gradations； the airy veil of morning thinned in
substance as it rosethinned； till there dawned through it in the first rays
of sunlight the tall white sails of a Schooner Yacht。
From stem to stern silence possessed the vesselas silence possessed
the sea。
But one living creature was on deckthe man at the helm； dozing
peaceably with his arm over the useless tiller。 Minute by minute the light
grew； and the heat grew with it； and still the helmsman slumbered； the
heavy sails hung noiseless； the quiet water lay sleeping against the vessel's
sides。 The whole orb of the sun was visible above the water…line； when the
first sound pierced its way through the morning silence。 From far off over
the shining white ocean； the cry of a sea…bird reached the yacht on a
sudden out of the last airy circles of the waning mist。
The sleeper at the helm woke； looked up at the idle sails； and yawned
in sympathy with them； looked out at the sea on either side of him； and
shook his head obstinately at the superior obstinacy of the calm。
〃Blow； my little breeze！〃 said the man； whistling the sailor's
invocation to the wind softly between his teeth。 〃Blow； my little breeze！〃
〃How's her head？〃 cried a bold and brassy voice； hailing the deck from
the cabin staircase。
〃Anywhere you like； master； all round the compass。〃
The voice was followed by the man。 The owner of the yacht appeared
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Miss or Mrs。？
on deck。
Behold Richard Turlington； Esq。； of the great Levant firm of Pizzituti；
Turlington & Branca！ Aged eight…and…thirty； standing stiffly and sturdily
at a height of not more than five feet six Mr。 Turlington presented to the
view of his fellow…creatures a face of the perpendicular order of human
architecture。 His forehead was a straight line； his upper lip was another；
his chin was the straightest and the longest line of all。 As he turned his
swarthy countenance eastward； and shaded his light gray eyes from the
sun； his knotty hand plainly revealed that it had got him his living by its
own labor at one time or another in his life。 Taken on the whole； this was a
man whom it might be easy to respect； but whom it would be hard to love。
Better company at the official desk than at the social table。 Morally and
physicallyif the expression may be permitteda man without a bend in
him。
〃A calm yesterday；〃 grumbled Richard Turlington； looking with
stubborn deliberation all round him。 〃And a calm to…day。 Ha！ next season
I'll have the vessel fitted with engines。 I hate this！〃
〃Think of the filthy coals； and the infernal vibration； and leave your
beautiful schooner as she is。 We are out for a holiday。 Let the wind and the
sea take a holiday too。〃
Pronouncing those words of remonstrance； a slim； nimble； curly…
headed young gentleman joined Richard Turlington on deck； with his
clothes under his arm； his towels in his hand； and nothing on him but the
night…gown in which he had stepped out of his bed。
〃Launcelot Linzie； you have been received on board my vessel in the
capacity of medical attendant on Miss Natalie Graybrooke； at her father's
request。 Keep your place； if you please。 When I want your advice； I'll ask
you for it。〃 Answering in those terms； the elder man fixed his colorless
gray eyes on the younger with an expression which added plainly； 〃There
won't be room enough in this schooner much longer for me and for you。〃
Launcelot Linzie had his reasons （apparently） for declining to let his
host offend him on any terms whatever。
〃Thank you！〃 he rejoined； in a tone of satirical good humor。 〃It isn't
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Miss or Mrs。？
easy to keep my place on board your vessel。 I can't help presuming to
enjoy myself as if I was the owner。 The life is such a new oneto
_me！》/I》 It's so delightfully easy； for instance； to wash yourself here。 On
shore it's a complicated question of jugs and basins and tubs； one is always
in danger of breaking something； or spoiling something。 Here you have
only to jump out of bed； to run up on deck； and to do this！〃
He turned； and scampered to the bows of the vessel。 In one instant he
was out of his night…gown； in another he was on the bulwark； in a third he
was gamboling luxuriously in sixty fathoms of salt…water。
Turlington's eyes followed him with a reluctant； uneasy attention as he
swam round the vessel； the only moving object in view。 Turlington's mind；
steady and slow in all its operations； set him a problem to be solved； on
given conditions； as follows：
〃Launcelot Linzie is fifteen years younger than I am。 Add to that；
Launcelot Linzie is Natalie Graybrooke's cousin。 Given those two
advantagesQuery： Has he taken Natalie's fancy？〃
Turning that question slowly over and over in his mind； Richard
Turlington seated himself in a corner at the stern of the vessel。 He was still
at work on the problem； when the young surgeon returned to his cabin to
put the finishing touches to his toilet。 He had not reached the solution
when the steward appeared an hour later and said； 〃Breakfast is ready；
sir！〃
They were a party of five round the cabin table。
First； Sir Joseph Graybrooke。 Inheritor of a handsome fortune made by
his father and his grandfather in trade。 Mayor； twice elected； of a thriving
provincial town。 Officially privileged； while holding that dignity； to hand a
silver trowel to a royal personage condescending to lay a first stone of a
charitable edifice。 Knighted； accordingly； in honor of the occasion。 Worthy
of the honor and worthy of the occasion。 A type of his eminently
respectable class。 Possessed of an amiable； rosy face； and soft； silky white
hair。 Sound in his principles； tidy in his dress； blessed with moderate
politics and a good digestiona harmless； healthy； spruce； speckless；
weak…minded old man。
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Secondly； Miss Lavinia Graybrooke； Sir Joseph's maiden sister。
Personally； Sir Joseph in petticoats。 If you knew one you knew the other。
Thirdly； Miss Natalie GraybrookeSir Joseph's only child。
She had inherited the personal appearance and the temperament of her
motherdead many years since。 There had been a mixture of Negro blood
and French blood in the late Lady Graybrooke's family； settled originally
i
