3-10

 

10.

A frenzy¹ of texting and FaceTiming. Though we were thousands of miles apart, we were neveractually apart. I’d wake up to a text. Instantly reply. Then: text, text, text. Then, after lunch:

FaceTime. Then, throughout the afternoon: text, text, text. Then, late at night, another marathonFaceTime.

And still it wasn’t enough. We were desperate to see each other again. We circled the last daysof August, about ten days away, for our next meeting.

We agreed it would be best if she came to London.

On the big day, just after her arrival, she phoned as she was walking into her room at SohoHouse.

I’m here. Come see me!

I can’t, I’m in the car…

Doing what?

Something for my mum.

Your mum? Where?

Althorp.

What’s Althorp?

Where my uncle Charles lives.

I told her I’d explain later. We still hadn’t talked about…all that.

I felt pretty sure she hadn’t googled me, because she was always asking questions. She seemedto know almost nothing—so refreshing². It showed that she wasn’t impressed by royalty³, which Ithought the first step to surviving it. More, since she hadn’t done a deep dive into the literature, thepublic record, her head wasn’t filled with disinformation.

After Willy and I had laid flowers at Mummy’s grave, we drove together back to London. Iphoned Meg, told her I was on my way. I tried to keep my voice nonchalant, not wanting to givemyself away to Willy.

There’s a secret way into the hotel, she said. Then a freight lift.

Her friend Vanessa, who worked for Soho House, would meet me and usher⁴ me in.

All went according to plan. After I’d met the friend and navigated⁵ a sort of maze⁶ through thebowels of Soho House, I finally reached Meg’s door.

I knocked and suspended breathing while I waited.

The door flew open.

That smile.

Her hair was partly covering her eyes. Her arms were reaching for me. She pulled me insideand thanked her friend in one fluid motion, then slammed the door quickly before anyone saw.

I want to say we hung a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

But I don’t think there was time.

 

1 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

2 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

3 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

4 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

5 navigated   

v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃

参考例句：

• He navigated the plane through the clouds. 他驾驶飞机穿越云层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The ship was navigated by the North Star. 那只船靠北极星来导航。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 maze   

n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑

参考例句：

• He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。
• She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时，她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。