【荆棘鸟】第七章 04(在线收听

She had money in steel, money in silver-lead-zinc, money in copper and gold, money in a hundred different things, mostly the sort of things that literally and metaphorically made money. Drogheda had long since ceased to be the main source of her income; it was no more than a profitable hobby.
Father Ralph didn't speak directly to Meggie during dinner, nor did he afterward; throughout the evening he studiously ignored her. Hurt, her eyes sought him wherever he was in the reception room. Aware of it, he ached to stop by her chair and explain to her that it would not do her reputation (or his) any good if he paid her more attention than he did, say, Miss Carmichael, Miss Gordon or Miss O'Mara. Like Meggie he didn't dance, and like Meggie there were many eyes on him; they were easily the two most beautiful people in the room.
Half of him hated her appearance tonight, the short hair, the lovely dress, the dainty ashes-of-roses silk slippers with their two-inch heels; she was growing taller, developing a very feminine figure. And half of him was busy being terrifically proud of the fact that she shone all the other young ladies down. Miss Carmichael had the patrician features, but lacked the special glory of that red-gold hair; Miss King had exquisite blond tresses, but lacked the lissome body; Miss Mackail was stunning of body, but in the face very like a horse eating an apple through a wire-netting fence. Yet his overall reaction was one of disappointment, and an anguished wish to turn back the calendar. He didn't want Meggie to grow up, he wanted the little girl he could treat as his treasured babe. On Paddy's face he glimpsed an expression which mirrored his own thoughts, and smiled faintly. What bliss it would be if just once in his life he could show his feelings! But habit, training and discretion were too ingrained.
 
她的钱以钢铁公司的形式存在着,以银矿、铅矿和锌矿的形式存在着,以铜币或金币的形式存在着,以数百种不同的形式存在着,大部分这类东西都毫不夸张地意味着能变成钱。德罗海达已经有很长时间不是她收入的主要来源了,它只不过是一个有利可图的消遣之地罢了。
  吃饭的时候,拉尔夫神父没有直接和梅吉搭话,吃完饭以后也没和她讲话;整个一个晚上他故意不理她。不管他在客厅的什么地方,她都拿眼睛找他,她的感情受到了伤害。他发觉了这一点之后,在她的椅子旁边站下来,向她解释,如果他在她身上集中的注意力超过了对卡迈尔克小姐、戈登小姐或奥玛拉小姐注意,那对她的声誉(或他的声誉)都是不利的。像梅吉一样,他不跳舞,也像梅吉一样,许多双眼睛都在注意着他。毫无疑问,他们俩是这间屋子里最漂亮的人。
  他不理她一半是由于不喜欢她今晚的外表,那短短的头发,可爱的装束,和那双精巧的玫瑰灰色便鞋和两英寸高的后跟;她的个子长高了,身材发育得女性感十足;一半是由于她的丰采使其他所有的年轻女郎黯然失色,这使他倍感骄傲而又不知所措。卡迈尔克小姐外表显得很有教养,但没有那橙黄色头发的特殊光彩;金小姐梳着优美的亚麻色发辫,却没有那柔软的身材;迈凯尔小姐身段极美,但那张脸却活象钻过铁丝栅栏偷吃苹果的马。但他总的反应却是失望的,有一种恨不能把日历往回倒翻的深感痛苦的愿望。他不希望梅吉长大,希望她是个小姑娘,能让他把她当作自己所珍重的孩子。在帕迪的脸上,他看到了一种与自己颇有同感的表情,便不禁会心一笑。哪怕他一生中将自己的感情仅仅表达出一次,该多好啊!可是,他的习惯、所受的训练和谨慎小心是根深蒂固的。
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