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stories by english authors in italy(旅意英国作家的故事)-第12章

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the carriage。〃 

     〃Oh no; Aunt Margaret; I'm not a bit tired。〃 

     〃But I have asked you; that is reason enough。〃 

     〃It's so hot!〃 cried Goneril。 

     〃That is why I object to your walking。〃 

     〃But if it's so hot for me; just think how hot is must be for the horse。〃 

     Goneril   cast   a   commiserating   glance   at   the   poor;   halting;   wheezing 

nag。 

     〃The horse; probably;〃 rejoined Miss Hamelyn; 〃does not suffer from 

malaria;   neither   has   he   kept   his   aunt   in   Florence   nursing   him   till   the 

middle heat of the summer。〃 

     〃True!〃   said   Goneril。   Then;   after   a   few   minutes;   〃I'll   get   in;   Aunt 

Margaret; on one condition。〃 

     〃In my time young people did not make conditions。〃 

     〃Very well; auntie; I'll get in; and you shall answer all my questions 

when you feel inclined。〃 

     The carriage stopped。 The poor horse panted at his ease; while the girl 

seated herself beside Miss Hamelyn。 Then for a few minutes they drove on 

in   silence   past   the   orchards;   past   the   olive…yards;   yellow   underneath   the 

ripening     corn;   past   the  sudden    wide    views    of  the   mountains;     faintly 

crimson in the mist of heat; and; on the other side; of Florence; the towers 

and domes steaming beside the hazy river。 

     〃How hot it looks down there!〃 cried Goneril。 

     〃How hot it /feels/!〃 echoed Miss Hamelyn; rather grimly。 

     〃Yes;   I   am   so   glad   you   can   get   away  at   last;   dear;   poor   old   auntie。〃 

Then; a little later; 〃Won't you tell me something about the old ladies with 

whom you are going to leave me?〃 

     Miss Hamelyn was mollified by Goneril's obedience。 

     〃They     are   very   nice   old   ladies;〃  she   said;   〃I  met   them    at  Mrs。 



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Gorthrup's。〃 But this was not at all what the young girl wanted。 

     〃Only think; Aunt Margaret;〃 she cried; impatiently; 〃I am to stay there 

for at least six weeks; and I know nothing about them; not what age they 

are; nor if they are tall or short; jolly or prim; pretty; or ugly; not even if 

they speak English!〃 

     〃They speak English;〃 said Miss Hamelyn; beginning at the end。 〃One 

of them is English; or at least Irish: Miss Prunty。〃 

     〃And the other?〃 

     〃She is an Italian; Signora Petrucci; she used to be very handsome。〃 

     〃Oh!〃   said   Goneril;   looking   pleased。   〃I'm   glad   she's   handsome;   and 

that they speak English。 But they are not relations?〃 

     〃No; they are not connected; they are friends。〃 

     〃And have they always lived together?〃 

     〃Ever   since   Madame   Lilli   died;〃   and   Miss   Hamelyn   named   a   very 

celebrated singer。 

     〃Why!〃 cried Goneril; quite excited; 〃were they singers too?〃 

     〃Madame   Petrucci;   nevertheless   a   lady   of   the   highest   respectability。 

Miss Prunty was Madame Lilli's secretary。〃 

     〃How nice!〃 cried the young girl; 〃how interesting! O auntie; I'm so 

glad you found them out。〃 

     〃So   am   I;   child;   but   please   remember   it   is   not   an   ordinary   pension。 

They  only  take   you;   Goneril;   till   you   are   strong   enough   to   travel;   as   an 

especial favour to me and to their old friend; Mrs。 Gorthrup。〃 

     〃I'll remember; auntie。〃 

     By this time they were driving under the terrace in front of the little 

house。 

     〃Goneril;〃 said the elder lady; 〃I shall leave you outside; you can play 

in the garden or the orchard。〃 

     〃Very well。〃 

     Miss Hamelyn left the carriage and ascended the steep little flight of 

steps that leads from the road to the cottage garden。 

     In the porch a singular figure was awaiting her。 

     〃Good…afternoon; Madame Petrucci;〃 said Miss Hamelyn。 

     A slender old lady; over sixty; rather tall; in a brown silk skirt; and a 



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white   burnoose   that   showed   the   shrunken   slimness   of   her   arms;   came 

eagerly forward。 She was rather pretty; with small refined features; large 

expressionless       blue   eyes;   and    long   whitish…yellow      ringlets    down    her 

cheeks; in the fashion of forty years ago。 

     〃Oh;  /dear/   Miss   Hamelyn;〃   she   cried;   〃how /glad/   I   am  to   see   you! 

And have you brought your /charming/ young relation?〃 

     She   spoke   with   a   languid   foreign   accent;   and   with   an   emphatic   and 

bountiful     use    of  adjectives;    that   gave    to  our   severer    generation     an 

impression   of   insincerity。 Yet   it   was   said   with   truth   that   Giulia   Petrucci 

had never forgotten a friend nor an enemy。 

     〃Goneril is outside;〃 said Miss Hamelyn。 〃How is Miss Prunty?〃 

     〃Brigida? Oh; you   must come   inside and see  my invaluable  Brigida。 

She is; as usual; fatiguing herself with our accounts。〃 The old lady led the 

way into the darkened parlour。 It was small and rather stiff。 As one's eyes 

became accustomed to the dim green light one noticed the incongruity of 

the   furniture:   the   horsehair   chairs   and   sofa;   and   large   accountant's   desk 

with   ledgers;   the   large   Pleyel   grand   piano;   a   bookcase;   in   which   all   the 

books were rare copies or priceless MSS。 of old…fashioned operas; hanging 

against the wall an inlaid guitar and some faded laurel crowns; moreover; 

a fine engraving of a composer; twenty years ago the most popular man in 

Italy; lastly; an oil…colour portrait; by Winterman; of a fascinating blonde; 

with   very  bare  white   shoulders; holding   in   her hands   a scroll;   on   which 

were   inscribed   some   notes   of   music;   under   the   title   Giulia   Petrucci。   In 

short; the private parlour of an elderly and respectable diva of the year '40。 

     〃Brigida!〃   cried   Madame   Petrucci;   going   to   the   door。   〃Brigida!   our 

charming English friend is arrived!〃 

     〃All    right!〃   answered      a  strong;    hearty   voice    from    upstairs。   〃I'm 

coming。〃 

     〃You must excuse me; dear Miss Hamelyn;〃 went on Madame Petrucci。 

〃You must excuse me for shouting in your presence; but we have only one 

little servant; and during this suffocating weather I find that any movement 

reminds me of approaching age。〃 The old lady smiled as if that time were 

still far ahead。 

     〃I am sure you ought to take care of yourself;〃 said Miss Hamelyn。 〃I 



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hope you will not allow Goneril to fatigue you。〃 

     〃Gonerilla!   What   a   pretty   name!   Charming!   I   suppose   it   is   in   your 

family?〃 asked the old lady。 

     Miss Hamelyn blushed a little; for her niece's name was a sore point 

with her。 

     〃It's an awful name for any Christian woman;〃 said a deep voice at the 

door。 〃And pray; who's called Goneril?〃 

     Miss Prunty came forward: a short; thick…set woman of fifty; with fine 

dark   eyes;   and;   even   in   a   Florentine   summer;   with   something   stiff   and 

masculine in the fashion of her dress。 

     〃And have you brought your niece?〃 she said; as she turned to Miss 

Hamelyn。 

     〃Yes; she is in the garden。〃 

     〃Well; I hope she understands that she'll have to rough it here。〃 

     〃Goneril is a very simple girl;〃 said Miss Hamelyn。 

     〃So it's she that's called Goneril?〃 

     〃Yes;〃 said the aunt; making an effort。 〃Of course I am aware of the 

strangeness      of  the  name;    butbut;   in  fact;  my   brother   was   devotedly 

attached to his wife; who died at Goneril's birth。〃 

     〃Whew!〃   whistled   Miss   Prunty。   〃The   parson   must   have   been   a   fool 

who christened her!〃 

     〃He did; in fact; refuse; but my brother would have no baptism saving 

with that name; which; unfortunately; it is impossible to shorten。〃 

     〃I think it is a charming name!〃 said Madame Petrucci; coming to the 

rescue。 〃Gonerillait dies on one's lips like music! And if you do not like 

it; Brigida; what's in a name? as your charming Byron said。〃 

     〃I hope we shall make her happy;〃 said Miss Prunty。 

     〃Of course we shall!〃 cried the elder lady。 

     〃Goneril is easily made happy;〃 asserted Miss Hamelyn。 

     〃That's a good thing; snapped Miss Prunty; 〃for there's not much here 

to make her so!〃 

     〃O Brigida! I am sure there are many attractions。 The air; the view; the 

historic association! and; more than all; you know there is always a chance 

of the signorino!〃 



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     〃
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