下载掌阅APP，畅读海量书库
立即打开
T he maid, Elisa, received a legacy and then announced to Madame de Renal and to the priest, Mr. Chelan, her intention to marry Julien. Julien, however, informed the priest with a resolute air that Miss Elisa's offer could not be accepted.
“I congratulate you on your vocation , if it is to it alone that must be ascribed your scorn of a more than adequate provision.But be aware that priests who are true to their calling seldom make a good living. If you think of paying court to the men in power, your eternal ruin is assured. You may make your fortune, but you will have to injure the poor and needy . We, as priests, have to choose; we must make our fortune either in this world or in the next, there is no middle way. I am sorry to see, underlying your character, a desire which does not suggest to my mind the moderation and complete disregard of earthly advantages necessary in a priest. My friend,” he continued, “be an honest, educated, and respected gentleman, rather than a priest without a vocation.”
Julien replied to this extremely well, so far as words went;he hit upon the expressions which a serious, young student of religion would have employed. But the underlying desire remained in his eyes, and the priest remained concerned.
Madame de Renal believed herself to have fallen ill; a sort of fever prevented her enjoying any sleep; she was alive only when she had her maid or Julien before her eyes. She could think of nothing but them and the happiness they would find in their married life.
That evening, as her maid was waiting upon her, she noticed that the girl was crying. She asked her what was wrong.
“Well, the fact is, Ma'am, Mr. Sorel won't have me; wicked people must have spoken evil of me to him, and he believes them.”
Madame de Renal's sudden happiness had almost deprived her of the use of her reason. She made the girl repeat to her several times the assurance that Julien had refused in a positive manner, which would not permit of his coming to a more reasonable decision later on.
“Can I be in love with Julien?” she asked herself at length.
Soon, with the first fine days of spring, Mr. de Renal removed his household to Vergy; a picturesque little village where he owned an old castle.
The country scene appeared to come as a novelty to Madame de Renal. The feeling that filled her gave her a new spirit and determination. On the second day after their removal to Vergy, Mr. de Renal having returned to town upon some official business, his wife spent her days running about the orchard with her children, and chasing butterflies. Julien read to her the strange habits of these insects from a book she had ordered from Besancon.
And, at last, Madame de Renal and Julien had a subject for conversation; he was no longer exposed to the frightful torture infl icted on him by intervals of silence. They conversed incessantly, and with extreme interest, although always of the most innocent things. This life, active, occupied and cheerful,suited everyone, except Miss Elisa, who found herself worked to death. “Even when there is a party at Verrieres,” she said,“Madame has never taken so much trouble over her dress; she changes her clothes two or three times a day.”
This was true. Madame de Renal, whenever she was not chasing butterflies with the children and Julien, was engaged with Elisa making dresses. Her one expedition to Verrieres was due to a desire to purchase new summer clothes.
She brought back with her to Vergy a young woman, one of her cousins. Since her marriage, Madame de Renal had gradually formed an intimate friendship with Madame Derville,who in their younger days had been her school-fellow.
As soon as Madame Derville arrived, Julien felt that she was his friend; he hastened to show her the view from atop the mountains.
“To me it is like Mozart,” said Madame Derville.
At Vergy, Julien found no trace of unpleasant memories; for the first time in his life, he could see no one that was his enemy.When Mr. de Renal was in town, as frequently happened, he ventured to read; during the day, in the interval between the children's lessons, he climbed up among the rocks with a book.He found in it at once happiness, ecstasy and consolation in moments of depression.
The hot weather came. They formed the habit of spending the evening under a huge lime a few yards from the house. One evening, Julien was talking with emphasis; he was enjoying the pleasure of talking well and to young married women;as he made gestures with his hands, he touched the hand of Madame de Renal. The hand was hurriedly withdrawn; but Julien decided that it was his duty to secure that the hand should not be withdrawn when he touched it. The idea of a duty to be performed, and of making himself ridiculous, or rather being left with a sense of inferiority if he did not succeed in performing it, at once took all the pleasure from his heart.
legacy /ˈleɡəsɪ/ n. 遗产，遗赠
resolute /ˈrezəlu:t/ adj. 坚定的，坚决的，不动摇的
vocation /vəʊˈkeɪʃən/ n. 职业；神召；天命
ascribe /əsˈkraɪb/ vt. 归因于，归咎于
scorn /skɔ:n/ n. 轻蔑，嘲笑，不屑
needy /ˈni:dɪ/ adj. 贫困的；缺乏生活必需品的
moderation /ˌmɒdəˈreɪʃən/ n. 缓和，减轻
disregard /ˌdɪsrɪˈɡɑ:d/ n. 漠视，忽视
earthly / ˈ ɜ: θ l ɪ / a dj. 人间的；世俗的
orchard /ˈɔ:tʃəd/ n. 果园；果园里的全部果树
frightful / ˈfraɪtfʊl/ a dj. 可怕的；十分严重的
infl ict /ɪnˈfl ɪkt/ vt. 使负担；受折磨
converse /kənˈvɜ:s/ vi. 谈话，交谈；认识
hasten /ˈheɪsən/ vi. 催促，促进，加速
atop /əˈtɒp/ prep. 在……的顶上
ecstasy /ˈekstəsɪ/ n. 狂喜，极度喜悦或欢乐
consolation /ˌkɒnsəˈleɪʃən/ n. 安慰；起安慰作用的人或事物
lime /laɪm/ n. 酸橙树
hurriedly /ˈhʌrɪdlɪ/ adv. 仓促地，慌忙地