3-16

16.

Next was Willy. I knew he’d kill me if I let it go another minute. So Meg and I popped over one

afternoon, shortly before he and I were due to leave on a shooting trip. Walking up to apartment

1A, under the huge arch, through the courtyard, I felt more nervous than I had before the meeting

with Granny.

I asked myself why.

No answer came to mind.

We climbed the gray stone steps, rang the bell.

No reply.

After a wait the door opened and there was my big brother, a bit dressed up. Nice trousers,

nice shirt, open collar. I introduced Meg, who leaned in and gave him a hug, which completely

freaked him out.

He recoiled¹.

Willy didn’t hug many strangers. Whereas Meg hugged most strangers. The moment was a

classic collision of cultures, like flashlight-torch, which felt to me both funny and charming. Later,

however, looking back, I wondered if it was more than that. Maybe Willy expected Meg to curtsy?

It would’ve been protocol² when meeting a member of the Royal Family for the first time, but she

didn’t know, and I didn’t tell her. When meeting my grandmother, I’d made it clear—this is the

Queen. But when meeting my brother, it was just Willy, who loved Suits.

Whatever, Willy got over it. He exchanged a few warm words with Meg, just inside the door,

on the checkered³ floor of their hall. We were then interrupted by his spaniel, Lupo, barking as if

we were burglars. Willy hushed Lupo.

Where’s Kate?

Out with the kids.

Ah, too bad. Next time.

Then it was time to say goodbye. Willy needed to finish packing and we needed to go. Meg

gave me a kiss and told us both to have fun on our shooting weekend, and off she went to spend

her first night alone at Nott Cott.

Over the next few days I couldn’t stop talking about her. Now that she and Granny had met,

now that she and Willy had met, now that she was no longer a secret within the family, I had so

much to say. My brother listened, attentive⁴, always smiling thinly. Boring to hear someone

besotted go on and on, I know, but I couldn’t stop myself.

To his credit, he didn’t tease, didn’t tell me to shut up. On the contrary, he said what I’d hoped

he’d say, even needed him to say.

Happy for you, Harold.

1 recoiled   

v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回

参考例句：

• She recoiled from his touch. 她躲开他的触摸。
• Howard recoiled a little at the sharpness in my voice. 听到我的尖声，霍华德往后缩了一下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

3 checkered   

adj.有方格图案的

参考例句：

• The ground under the trees was checkered with sunlight and shade.林地光影交错。
• He’d had a checkered past in the government.他过去在政界浮沉。

4 attentive   

adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的

参考例句：

• She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
• The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。