Great. I’m so glad that you can go to the doctor. Isabel is usually so straightforward. Of course, we can’t miss this opportunity. Besides, it’s fun to walk in London. So how long will we stay there?
再回巴黎也没什么意思艾略特说因再过一个礼拜这里人都走光了我希望我们一起住在克拉布利奇饭店待到这个夏天结束七月期不少舞会当然也不能错过温布尔登球锦标赛后还古德伍德赛马会考斯赛艇周艾林罕家到时绝对会我们一起搭帆船去看赛而班塔克家则老是一大群人去看赛马
伊莎贝尔看起来相当心布雷德利太太这才放心伊莎贝尔好像没把拉里放在心
艾略特才向我说完这些母女俩就走了进来我一年半没见到她们了布雷德利太太消瘦了点脸色更加苍白看来些疲倦状况显然不好但伊莎贝尔却是光焕发面色红润她那一头深色棕发水汪汪淡褐眼睛还白净肌肤此青春洋溢好像在单纯享受当活着感觉旁人也受到感染跟着她笑怀我脑海里浮现相当可笑画面她成了颗梨金黄多汁熟透香甜唤人大快朵颐她浑身散发着温暖气息好像你一伸手就能感受她舒适她看起来比回见面时高了些因我也说不准可能是穿了高跟鞋缘故或是某个聪裁缝师剪裁功夫了得让连衣裙里年轻丰满身体更加修长她举手投足既优雅又然感觉从小就经常参加外活动简而言她已是成熟性感少女倘若我是她母亲势必会觉得她真该结婚了
I’m glad that I finally got a chance to thank Mrs. bradley for her hospitality in Chicago, and invited the three of them to go to a stage play one night and have lunch with them.
You make an appointment now. My old friend Eliot said, I have informed some friends that we have arrived in London. I am afraid that the follow-up trip will be full in a day or two.
I heard Eliot mean to give it to me from time to time, and I couldn’t help laughing.
Eliot glanced at me and looked arrogant.
But if you need to, try coming around six o’clock in the evening. Usually you can find us. We will welcome you very much, he said politely, but the meaning is clear. This is the place of home.
But there is always a limit to people’s patience
As soon as you contacted St. Alder’s family and heard that they were going to sell Constable’s painting Salsbury Church, I said
I’m not going to buy a painting at present.
I know, but maybe you can help them everywhere
Eliot’s eyes were cold.
My old friend, the British are really a great nation, but the painting achievements have never been so good, and it is not worth looking forward to. I have no interest in the English painting school.
seven
In the next four weeks, I hardly saw the Eliots. He arranged a series of trips to embarrass Mrs. bradley, Isabel. One weekend, he took them to the Sussex mansion, and the next weekend, he took them to the more luxurious mansion in Wilshire for a holiday. They also sat in the royal box as a VIP of the Princess of Windsor to watch the opera, and Isabel also attended several dances. Eliot hosted a group of guests at the Crabouliet Hotel, and he was still in the newspaper the next day. Eliot held a dinner party at the Ciro Hotel, which made Isabel enjoy herself. She did everything. Isabel participated in so many luxurious occasions, but it was hard to be dazzled unless her head was sharp enough. Eliot did everything I could to brag that I had painstakingly arranged it to make Isabel forget her brokenhearted, but I could see that he was actually very proud of showing his contacts in front of Louisa, showing her how well he knew his officials and dignitaries. Eliot, the host, was admirable and always showed off his personal skills.
I have also attended one or two banquets hosted by Eliot. Occasionally, I visit an Isabel at Crabouliet Chichi Hotel at six o’clock in the evening. Usually, I am surrounded by tall, burly, gorgeous young guards or young officials who are less elegant and dressed. Once Isabel took me aside to talk.
I want to ask you one thing, she said. Remember when we went to the drugstore to drink ice cream soda together in the evening?
Remember very clearly
You were a great help that time. Can you help me again?
I’ll try to help if I can.
I want to talk to you about something. Can we have lunch sometime?
Fuck, you choose.
Find a quiet place
Take the bus to Hampton Palace for lunch. Now the garden should be the most beautiful time. You can also see Queen Elizabeth’s bedroom.
She thought it was a good idea, so we set a date, but on that day, it was sunny and sunny, and it became cloudy and drizzling. I called Isabel and asked her if she wanted to eat in the city instead.
So you can’t sit in the garden and chat. It’s too dark to enjoy the painting, and you can’t see anything.
I have been to the garden a lot, and I am tired of seeing famous paintings. Let’s go for a walk.
all right
I went to pick her up in my car, so we set off. I knew a small restaurant had a decent meal, so I went there to eat all the way. Isabel was as cheerful as usual, saying that the new friends who had attended the party before enjoyed it, but in my opinion, she was actually quite good at judging who were just clowns. Because of the bad weather, almost no other guests in the restaurant were guaranteed by both of us. The signboard of this restaurant was English home cooking, and we ordered a leg of lamb. Green peas, fresh potatoes, a big plate of Devon cream apple pie, and a large glass of light beer. After eating, I suggest going to the coffee shop next to it. The armchair is more comfortable to sit in. It’s chilly in the coffee shop, but the fireplace has set the firewood, so I lit a match to make a fire. It’s narrow and suddenly much more pleasant.
Well, I said, now what do you want to talk to me about?
As before, she smiled at Larry.
I think so.
You know we broke off our engagement, right?
Eliot told me.
Mom was relieved and my uncle was very happy.
She hesitated for a while before telling me this part of her Larry talk. I have tried my best to represent it to you. It may be strange for you to read it. We talked in a shallow way. She and I met less than a dozen times and were alone in the drugstore. However, I’m not surprised. On the one hand, if everyone knows that ordinary people really confide in their homes, I don’t know the reason behind it. Maybe it’s because they feel kind after reading it for a few times. Maybe it’s because they regard themselves as novel characters and are willing to confide in him like other characters. I guess Isabel also. Knowing that I admire her and Larry very much and am deeply moved by their youth, I sympathize with their unfortunate situation. She can count on Eliot to listen to her patiently. After all, Larry has ruined the great opportunity to enter the world. Eliot is too lazy to intervene, and her mother can’t help. Mrs. bradley holds high moral standards and pays attention to people’s kindness. Because of her high moral standards, she believes that if she wants to be born in this world, she will accept stereotypes and avoid doing things. Because of her high moral standards, she believes that men should work hard to earn money to support their families. The standard of living should be in line with their status and let their children receive
Isabel has a good memory. She talked with Larry for a long time, but many important details are still in her mind. I listened to her quietly. She asked a question halfway through.
Who is Ruisdale?
Ruisdale, he’s a Dutch landscape painter. Why?
She said that Larry went to Ruisdale to find the answer to the big question of life, but after asking, he got this understated answer
What do you think he means?
It suddenly dawned on me
He said could it be Rusbruck?
Probably. Who is he?
It’s Flemish mysticism in the 14th century.
Oh, she’s disappointed