the turn of the screw-第2章

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a　series　of　blunders；　but　he　immensely　pitied　the　poor　chicks

and　had　done　all　he　could；　had　in　particular　sent　them

down　to　his　other　house；　the　proper　place　for　them　being

of　course　the　country；　and　kept　them　there；　from　the　first；

with　the　best　people　he　could　find　to　look　after　them；

parting　even　with　his　own　servants　to　wait　on　them　and　going

down　himself；　whenever　he　might；　to　see　how　they　were　doing。

The　awkward　thing　was　that　they　had　practically　no　other

relations　and　that　his　own　affairs　took　up　all　his　time。

He　had　put　them　in　possession　of　Bly；　which　was　healthy　and　secure；

and　had　placed　at　the　head　of　their　little　establishment

but　below　stairs　onlyan　excellent　woman；　Mrs。　Grose；

whom　he　was　sure　his　visitor　would　like　and　who　had　formerly　been

maid　to　his　mother。　　She　was　now　housekeeper　and　was　also　acting

for　the　time　as　superintendent　to　the　little　girl；　of　whom；

without　children　of　her　own；　she　was；　by　good　luck；　extremely　fond。

There　were　plenty　of　people　to　help；　but　of　course　the　young　lady

who　should　go　down　as　governess　would　be　in　supreme　authority。

She　would　also　have；　in　holidays；　to　look　after　the　small　boy；

who　had　been　for　a　term　at　schoolyoung　as　he　was　to　be　sent；

but　what　else　could　be　done？and　who；　as　the　holidays　were

about　to　begin；　would　be　back　from　one　day　to　the　other。

There　had　been　for　the　two　children　at　first　a　young　lady

whom　they　had　had　the　misfortune　to　lose。　　She　had　done

for　them　quite　beautifullyshe　was　a　most　respectable　person

till　her　death；　the　great　awkwardness　of　which　had；　precisely；

left　no　alternative　but　the　school　for　little　Miles。

Mrs。　Grose；　since　then；　in　the　way　of　manners　and　things；

had　done　as　she　could　for　Flora；　and　there　were；　further；　a　cook；

a　housemaid；　a　dairywoman；　an　old　pony；　an　old　groom；

and　an　old　gardener；　all　likewise　thoroughly　respectable。



So　far　had　Douglas　presented　his　picture　when　someone　put　a　question。

〃And　what　did　the　former　governess　die　of？of　so　much　respectability？〃



Our　friend's　answer　was　prompt。　　〃That　will　come　out。

I　don't　anticipate。〃



〃Excuse　meI　thought　that　was　just　what　you　ARE　doing。〃



〃In　her　successor's　place；〃　I　suggested；　〃I　should　have　wished　to　learn

if　the　office　brought　with　it〃



〃Necessary　danger　to　life？〃　　Douglas　completed　my　thought。

〃She　did　wish　to　learn；　and　she　did　learn。　　You　shall　hear　tomorrow

what　she　learned。　　Meanwhile；　of　course；　the　prospect　struck　her

as　slightly　grim。　　She　was　young；　untried；　nervous：　　it　was　a　vision

of　serious　duties　and　little　company；　of　really　great　loneliness。

She　hesitatedtook　a　couple　of　days　to　consult　and　consider。

But　the　salary　offered　much　exceeded　her　modest　measure；

and　on　a　second　interview　she　faced　the　music；　she　engaged。〃

And　Douglas；　with　this；　made　a　pause　that；　for　the　benefit

of　the　company；　moved　me　to　throw　in



〃The　moral　of　which　was　of　course　the　seduction　exercised　by　the　splendid

young　man。　　She　succumbed　to　it。〃



He　got　up　and；　as　he　had　done　the　night　before；　went　to　the　fire；

gave　a　stir　to　a　log　with　his　foot；　then　stood　a　moment　with　his　back　to　us。

〃She　saw　him　only　twice。〃



〃Yes；　but　that's　just　the　beauty　of　her　passion。〃



A　little　to　my　surprise；　on　this；　Douglas　turned　round　to　me。

〃It　WAS　the　beauty　of　it。　　There　were　others；〃　he　went　on；

〃who　hadn't　succumbed。　　He　told　her　frankly　all　his　difficulty

that　for　several　applicants　the　conditions　had　been　prohibitive。

They　were；　somehow；　simply　afraid。　　It　sounded　dullit　sounded　strange；

and　all　the　more　so　because　of　his　main　condition。〃



〃Which　was？〃



〃That　she　should　never　trouble　himbut　never；　never：

neither　appeal　nor　complain　nor　write　about　anything；

only　meet　all　questions　herself；　receive　all　moneys　from

his　solicitor；　take　the　whole　thing　over　and　let　him　alone。

She　promised　to　do　this；　and　she　mentioned　to　me　that　when；

for　a　moment；　disburdened；　delighted；　he　held　her　hand；

thanking　her　for　the　sacrifice；　she　already　felt　rewarded。〃



〃But　was　that　all　her　reward？〃　one　of　the　ladies　asked。



〃She　never　saw　him　again。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　the　lady；　which；　as　our　friend　immediately　left　us　again；

was　the　only　other　word　of　importance　contributed　to　the　subject　till；

the　next　night；　by　the　corner　of　the　hearth；　in　the　best　chair；

he　opened　the　faded　red　cover　of　a　thin　old…fashioned　gilt…edged　album。

The　whole　thing　took　indeed　more　nights　than　one；　but　on　the　first　occasion

the　same　lady　put　another　question。　　〃What　is　your　title？〃



〃I　haven't　one。〃



〃Oh；　_I_　have！〃　　I　said。　　But　Douglas；　without　heeding　me；

had　begun　to　read　with　a　fine　clearness　that　was　like　a　rendering

to　the　ear　of　the　beauty　of　his　author's　hand。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I





I　remember　the　whole　beginning　as　a　succession　of　flights　and　drops；

a　little　seesaw　of　the　right　throbs　and　the　wrong。　　After　rising；　in　town；

to　meet　his　appeal；　I　had　at　all　events　a　couple　of　very　bad　days

found　myself　doubtful　again；　felt　indeed　sure　I　had　made　a　mistake。

In　this　state　of　mind　I　spent　the　long　hours　of　bumping；

swinging　coach　that　carried　me　to　the　stopping　place　at　which　I

was　to　be　met　by　a　vehicle　from　the　house。　　This　convenience；

I　was　told；　had　been　ordered；　and　I　found；　toward　the　close

of　the　June　afternoon；　a　commodious　fly　in　waiting　for　me。

Driving　at　that　hour；　on　a　lovely　day；　through　a　country　to　which

the　summer　sweetness　seemed　to　offer　me　a　friendly　welcome；

my　fortitude　mounted　afresh　and；　as　we　turned　into　the　avenue；

encountered　a　reprieve　that　was　probably　but　a　proof　of　the　point

to　which　it　had　sunk。　　I　suppose　I　had　expected；　or　had　dreaded；

something　so　melancholy　that　what　greeted　me　was　a　good　surprise。

I　remember　as　a　most　pleasant　impression　the　broad；　clear　front；

its　open　windows　and　fresh　curtains　and　the　pair　of　maids

looking　out；　I　remember　the　lawn　and　the　bright　flowers　and

the　crunch　of　my　wheels　on　the　gravel　and　the　clustered　treetops

over　which　the　rooks　circled　and　cawed　in　the　golden　sky。

The　scene　had　a　greatness　that　made　it　a　different　affair　from

my　own　scant　home；　and　there　immediately　appeared　at　the　door；

with　a　little　girl　in　her　hand；　a　civil　person　who　dropped　me　as　decent

a　curtsy　as　if　I　had　been　the　mistress　or　a　distinguished　visitor。

I　had　received　in　Harley　Street　a　narrower　notion　of　the　place；

and　that；　as　I　recalled　it；　made　me　think　the　proprietor　still

more　of　a　gentleman；　suggested　that　what　I　was　to　enjoy　might　be

something　beyond　his　promise。



I　had　no　drop　again　till　the　next　day；　for　I　was　carried

triumphantly　through　the　following　hours　by　my　introduction

to　the　younger　of　my　pupils。　　The　little　girl　who　accompanied

Mrs。　Grose　appeared　to　me　on　the　spot　a　creature　so　charming

as　to　make　it　a　great　fortune　to　have　to　do　with　her。

She　was　the　most　beautiful　child　I　had　ever　seen；　and　I　afterward

wondered　that　my　employer　had　not　told　me　more　of　her。

I　slept　little　that　nightI　was　too　much　excited；

and　this　astonished　me；　too；　I　recollect；　remained　with　me；

adding　to　my　sense　of　the　liberality　with　which　I　was　treated。

The　large；　impressive　room；　one　of　the　best　in　the　house；　the　great

state　bed；　as　I　almost　felt　it；　the　full；　figured　draperies；

the　long　glasses　in　which；　for　the　first　time；　I　could　see

myself　from　head　to　foot；　all　struck　melike　the　extraordinary

charm　of　my　small　chargeas　so　many　things　thrown　in。

It　was　thrown　in　as　well；　from　the　first　moment；　that　I

should　get　on　with　Mrs。　Grose　in　a　relation　over　which；

on　my　way；　in　the　coach；　I　fear　I　had　rather　brooded。

The　only　thing　indeed　that　in　this　early　outlook　might　have

made　me　shrink　again　was　the　clear　circumstance　of　her　being

so　glad　to　see　me。　　I　perceived　within　half　an　hour　that　she

was　so　gladstout；　simple；　plain；　clean；　wholesome　woman

as　to　be　positively　on　her　guard　against　showing　it　too　much。

I　wondered　even　then　a　little　why　she　should　wish　not　to　show　it；

and　that；　with　reflection；　with　suspicion；　might　of　course

have　made　me　uneasy。



But　it　was　a　comfort　that　there　could　be　no　uneasiness　in　a

connection　with　anything　so　beatific　as　the　radiant　image　of　my

little　girl；　the　vision　of　whose　angelic　beauty　had　probably

more　than　anything　else　to　do　with　the　restlessness　that；

before　morning；　made　me　several　times　rise　and　wander

about　my　room　to　take　in　the　whole　picture　and　prospect；

to　watch；　from　my　open　window；　the　faint　summer　dawn；

to　look　at　such　portions　of　the　rest　of　the　house　as　I

could　catch；　and　to　listen；　while；　in　the　fading　dusk；

the　first　birds　began　to　twitter；　for　the　possible　recurrence

of　a　sound　or　two；　less　natural　and　not　without；　but　within；

that　I　had　fancied　I　heard。　　There　had　been　a　moment　when　I

believed　I　recognized；　faint　and　far；　the　cry　of　a　child；

there　had　been　another　when　I　found　myself　just　consciously

starting　as　at　the　passage；　before　my　door；　of　a　light　footstep。

But　these　fancies　were　not　marked　enough　not　to　be　thrown　off；

and　it　is　only　in　the　light；　or　the　gloom；　I　should　rather　say；

of　other　and　subsequent　matters　that　they　now　come　back　to　me。

To　watch；　teach；　〃form〃　little　Flora　would　too　evidently

be　the　making　of　a　happy　and　useful　life。　　It　had　been

agreed　between　us　downstairs　that　after　this　first　occasion

I　should　have　her　as　a　matter　of　course　at　night；　her　small

white　bed　being　already　arranged；　to　that　end；　in　my　room。

What　I　had　undertaken　was　the　whole　care　of　her；　and　she

had　remained；　just　this　last　time；　with　Mrs。　Grose　only　as

an　effect　of　our　consideration　for　my　inevitable　strangeness

and　her　natural　timidity。　　In　spite　of　this　timidity

which　the　child　herself；　in　the　oddest　way　in　the　world；

had　been　perfectly　frank　and　brave　about；　allowing　it；

without　a　sign　of　uncomfortable　consciousness；　with　the　deep；

sweet　serenity　indeed　of　one　of　Raphael's　holy　infants；

to　be　discussed；　to　be　imputed　to　her；　and　to　determine　us

I　feel　quite　sure　she　would　presently　like　me。　　It　was　part

of　what　I　already　liked　Mrs。　Grose　herself　for；　the　pleasure　I

could　see　her　feel　in　my　admiration　and　wonder　as　I　sat　at　supper

with　four　tall　candles　and　with　my　pupil；　in　a　high　chair　and

a　bib；　brightly　facing　me；　between　them；　over　bread　and　milk。

There　were　naturally　things　that　in　Flora's　presence　could

pass　between　us　only　as　prodigious　and　gratified　looks；

obscure　and　roundabout　allusions。



〃And　the　little　boydoes　he　look　like　her？　　Is　he　too　so　very　remarkable？〃



One　wouldn't　flatter　a　child。　　〃Oh；　miss；　MOST　remarkable。

If　you　think　well　of　this　one！〃and　she　stood　there　with　a　plate

in　her　hand；　beaming　at　our　companion；　who　looked　from　one　of　us

to　the　other　with　placid　heavenly　eyes　that　contained　nothing

to　check　us。



〃Yes；　if　I　do？〃



〃You　WILL　be　carried　away　by　the　little　gentleman！〃



〃Well；　that；　I　think；　is　what　I　cam