The French Lieutenant's Woman / Любовница французского лейтенанта. Джон ФаулзЧитать онлайн книгу.
to see you.” She went and pressed Sarah's hand, and said in a lower voice, “Will you come to see me – when dear Tina has gone?” She smiled and made a small nod.
Further introductions were then made. The two young ladies coolly inclined heads at one another, and Charles bowed. He watched closely to see if the girl would in any way show their two meetings of the day before, but her eyes avoided his. Mrs. Poulteney ignored Sarah absolutely. So also, Charles was not pleased to note, did Ernestina. Aunt Tranter did her best to draw the girl into the conversation; but she sat apart, with a blank face[109]. He himself once or twice turned politely to her to confirm an opinion, but it was without success.
Towards the end of the visit Charles began to realize a new aspect of the situation. It became clear to him that the girl's meekness was contrary to her nature; that she was playing a part; and that the part was one of complete dislike of her mistress. Mrs. Poulteney and Mrs. Tranter held a polite conversation on different subjects – the weather; births, funerals and marriages; politics; religion.
“That girl I dismissed – she has given you no further trouble?” Mrs. Poulteney asked.
Mrs. Tranter smiled. “Mary? I would not part with her for the world[110].”
“Mrs. Fairley informs me that she saw her only this morning talking with a person. A young person. Mrs. Fairley did not know him.”
Ernestina gave Charles a sharp glance; for a wild moment he thought she meant him – then realized.
He smiled. “Then no doubt it was Sam. My servant, madam,” he added for Mrs. Poulteney's benefit.
Ernestina avoided his eyes. “I think you should speak to Sam. There is a world of difference between what may be accepted in London and what is proper here.”
Mrs. Tranter looked hurt. “Ernestina my dear, she may be high-spirited. But I've never had the least cause to – ”
“My dear, kind aunt, I am well aware how fond you are of her.”
Charles heard the dryness in her voice and came to Mrs. Tranter's defense.
“There is no surer sign of a happy house than a happy maidservant at its door.”
Ernestina looked down at that, with a telltale little tightening of her lips[111]. Good Mrs. Tranter blushed slightly at the compliment, and also looked down. Mrs. Poulteney had listened to this crossfire with some pleasure; and she now decided that she disliked Charles sufficiently to be rude to him.
“Your future wife is a better judge than you are of such matters, Mr. Smithson. I know the girl in question. I had to dismiss her.”
And she too looked down, which marked the end of the subject.
“I bow to your far greater experience, madam[112].”
But his tone was unmistakably cold and sarcastic.
The three ladies all sat with averted eyes. It was when a look at last passed between Sarah and Charles. It was very brief, but it spoke worlds[113]; two people had recognized they had a common enemy.
15
They had left soon, and Ernestina had been very silent on the walk to Broad Street. Once there she had seen to it that she was left alone with Charles; and no sooner had the door shut on her aunt's back[114] than she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. It was the first disagreement that had ever darkened their love. Charles kissed her on each wet eyelid and forgave her.
“And my sweet, silly Tina, why shouldn't we let others do what has made us both so happy? What if this wicked maid and my rascal Sam should fall in love? Are we to throw stones?”
She smiled up at him from her chair. “This is what comes of trying to behave like a grown-up.”
He knelt beside her and took her hand. “Sweet child. You will always be that to me.” She bent her head to kiss his hand, and he in turn kissed the top of her hair.
She murmured, “Eighty-eight days. I cannot bear the thought[115].”
“Let us elope. And go to Paris.”
She raised her head, and he kissed her on the lips. She sank back in the chair, blushing, her heart beating so fast that she thought she would faint. He held her hand, and pressed it playfully.
“If the worthy Mrs. P. could see us now?”
She covered her face with her hands, and began to laugh. They were both happy to enjoy the wonderful new freedoms their age brought.
16
Five days passed. For Charles, no opportunities to continue his exploration of the Undercliff presented themselves. All days long Ernestina was discussing with him the problems related to their future family life, which he began to find tiresome. Finally, he was granted a free afternoon.
He knew at once where he wished to go. He had had no thought except for the French Lieutenant's Woman when he found her on that wild cliff meadow; but he had just had enough time to notice there considerable piles of flint. It was certainly this which made him walk that afternoon to the place.
When he crossed the grass he saw that the meadow was empty; and very soon he had forgotten her. He began to search for his tests. It was a colder day than when he had been there before. Sun and clouds rapidly succeeded each other in proper April fashion, but the wind was out of the north. At the foot of the bluff, therefore, it was agreeably warm; and an additional warmth soon came to Charles when he saw an excellent test lying at his feet.
Forty minutes later, however, he realized that he was to have no further luck below the bluff. He walked towards the path that led back into the woods. And there, a dark movement!
She was halfway up the steep little path. As soon as he saw her he stopped. But then she saw him. They stood some fifteen feet apart, both clearly embarrassed, though with very different expressions. Charles was smiling; and Sarah stared at him with suspicion.
“Miss Woodruff!”
She gave him a nod, and seemed to hesitate, as if she would have turned back if she could. But then she realized he was standing to one side for her[116] and made hurriedly to pass him. But she slipped on the muddied path and fell to her knees. He helped her up; now she was totally like a wild animal, unable to look at him, trembling.
Very gently, with his hand on her elbow, he led her forward on to the level turf above the sea. She wore the same black coat, the same indigo dress with the white collar. The wind had blown her hair a little loose. Suddenly she looked at Charles, a swift sideways and upward glance from those dark-brown eyes with their clear whites. It made him drop her arm.
“I dread to think, Miss Woodruff, what would happen if you should one day turn your ankle in a place like this.”
“It does not matter.”
She stared at the turf, as if she would answer no more questions; begged him to go. But there was something in that face that made him not to go. It was in her eyes. They could not conceal an intelligence, an independence of spirit; there was also a determination to be what she was. Her face was well modeled, and completely feminine; there was sensuality of her wide mouth, which he noted.
He associated her face with foreign women, rather with foreign beds. This marked a new stage of his awareness of Sarah.
Also, Charles had the advantage of having read – very much in private, for the book had been prosecuted for obscenity – a novel that had appeared in France some ten years before; the celebrated Madame Bovary. And as he looked down at the face beside him, it was suddenly that Emma Bovary's name came into his mind. Such allusions are temptations. That is why, finally, he did not bow and go away.
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с ничего не выражающим лицом
Я ни за что с ней не расстанусь
демонстративно слегка поджав губы
Я преклоняюсь перед вашим большим опытом, мадам
но он о многом говорил
как только за тётушкой закрылась дверь
Не могу вынести ожидания
что он уступает ей дорогу