beauty of form and beauty of mind-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


talking　nonsense；　and　that　you　cannot　depend　upon　yourself　to

produce　a　little　ready　wit　to　carry　off　the　stupidity　of　the　whole

affair。

　　　　The　young　married　pair　often　sat　together　hand　in　hand；　he　would

talk；　but　she　could　only　now　and　then　let　fall　a　word　in　the　same

melodious　voice；　the　same　bell…like　tones。　It　was　a　mental　relief　when

Sophy；　one　of　her　friends；　came　to　pay　them　a　visit。　Sophy　was　not；

pretty。　She　was；　however；　quite　free　from　any　physical　deformity；

although　Kaela　used　to　say　she　was　a　little　crooked；　but　no　eye；

save　an　intimate　acquaintance；　would　have　noticed　it。　She　was　a　very

sensible　girl；　yet　it　never　occurred　to　her　that　she　might　be　a

dangerous　person　in　such　a　house。　Her　appearance　created　a　new

atmosphere　in　the　doll's　house；　and　air　was　really　required；　they

all　owned　that。　They　felt　the　want　of　a　change　of　air；　and

consequently　the　young　couple　and　their　mother　travelled　to　Italy。

　　　　〃Thank　heaven　we　are　at　home　again　within　our　own　four　walls；〃

said　mamma…in…law　and　daughter　both；　on　their　return　after　a　year's

absence。

　　　　〃There　is　no　real　pleasure　in　travelling；〃　said　mamma；　〃to　tell

the　truth；　it's　very　wearisome；　I　beg　pardon　for　saying　so。　I　was　soon

very　tired　of　it；　although　I　had　my　children　with　me；　and；　besides；

it's　very　expensive　work　travelling；　very　expensive。　And　all　those

galleries　one　is　expected　to　see；　and　the　quantity　of　things　you　are

obliged　to　run　after！　It　must　be　done；　for　very　shame；　you　are　sure　to

be　asked　when　you　come　back　if　you　have　seen　everything；　and　will　most

likely　be　told　that　you've　omitted　to　see　what　was　best　worth　seeing

of　all。　I　got　tired　at　last　of　those　endless　Madonnas；　I　began　to

think　I　was　turning　into　a　Madonna　myself。〃

　　　　〃And　then　the　living；　mamma；〃　said　Kaela。

　　　　〃Yes；　indeed；〃　she　replied；　〃no　such　a　thing　as　a　respectable　meat

soup…　their　cookery　is　miserable　stuff。〃

　　　　The　journey　had　also　tired　Kaela；　but　she　was　always　fatigued；

that　was　the　worst　of　it。　So　they　sent　for　Sophy；　and　she　was　taken

into　the　house　to　reside　with　them；　and　her　presence　there　was　a　great

advantage。　Mamma…in…law　acknowledged　that　Sophy　was　not　only　a

clever　housewife；　but　well…informed　and　accomplished；　though　that

could　hardly　be　expected　in　a　person　of　her　limited　means。　She　was

also　a　generous…hearted；　faithful　girl；　she　showed　that　thoroughly

while　Kaela　lay　sick；　fading　away。　When　the　casket　is　everything；

the　casket　should　be　strong；　or　else　all　is　over。　And　all　was　over

with　the　casket；　for　Kaela　died。

　　　　〃She　was　beautiful；〃　said　her　mother；　〃she　was　quite　different

from　the　beauties　they　call　'antiques；'　for　they　are　so　damaged。　A

beauty　ought　to　be　perfect；　and　Kaela　was　a　perfect　beauty。〃

　　　　Alfred　wept；　and　mamma　wept；　and　they　both　wore　mourning。　The

black　dress　suited　mamma　very　well；　and　she　wore　mourning　the　longest。

She　had　also　to　experience　another　grief　in　seeing　Alfred　marry　again；

marry　Sophy；　who　was　nothing　at　all　to　look　at。　〃He's　gone　to　the　very

extreme；〃　said　mamma…in…law；　〃he　has　gone　from　the　most　beautiful　to

the　ugliest；　and　he　has　forgotten　his　first　wife。　Men　have　no

constancy。　My　husband　was　a　very　different　man；…　but　then　he　died

before　me。〃

　　　　〃'Pygmalion　loved　his　Galatea；'　was　in　the　song　they　sung　at　my

first　wedding；〃　said　Alfred；　〃I　once　fell　in　love　with　a　beautiful

statue；　which　awoke　to　life　in　my　arms；　but　the　kindred　soul；　which　is

a　gift　from　heaven；　the　angel　who　can　feel　and　sympathize　with　and

elevate　us；　I　have　not　found　and　won　till　now。　You　came；　Sophy；　not　in

the　glory　of　outward　beauty；　though　you　are　even　fairer　than　is

necessary。　The　chief　thing　still　remains。　You　came　to　teach　the

sculptor　that　his　work　is　but　dust　and　clay　only；　an　outward　form　made

of　a　material　that　decays；　and　that　what　we　should　seek　to　obtain　is

the　ethereal　essence　of　mind　and　spirit。　Poor　Kaela！　our　life　was

but　as　a　meeting　by　the　way…side；　in　yonder　world；　where　we　shall　know

each　other　from　a　union　of　mind；　we　shall　be　but　mere　acquaintances。〃

　　　　〃That　was　not　a　loving　speech；〃　said　Sophy；　〃nor　spoken　like　a

Christian。　In　a　future　state；　where　there　is　neither　marrying　nor

giving　in　marriage；　but　where；　as　you　say；　souls　are　attracted　to　each

other　by　sympathy；　there　everything　beautiful　develops　itself；　and

is　raised　to　a　higher　state　of　existence：　her　soul　will　acquire　such

completeness　that　it　may　harmonize　with　yours；　even　more　than　mine；

and　you　will　then　once　more　utter　your　first　rapturous　exclamation

of　your　love；　'Beautiful；　most　beautiful！'〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。