Chapter II
關燈
小
中
大
drinksixcupsoftea:ofcoursethoseshiningeyes,theflushedcheeksandthebreathlessness,indicatedsomeamorousexcitementitamusedher,butshethoughtitcharitableandwisetopretendthatshenoticednothing.
“Afterallit’snobusinessofmine,”shethought“andifBerthaisgoingtogetmarriedatall,itwouldbemuchmoreconvenientforhertodoitbeforenextquarter-day,whentheBrownsgiveupmyflat.”
MissLeysatonthesofabythefireside,awomanofmiddle-size,veryslight,withathinandmuchwrinkledface.Ofherfeaturesthemouthwasthemostnoticeable,notlarge,withlipsthatwerealittletoothinitwasalwayssotightlycompressedastogiveheranairofgreatdetermination,buttherewasaboutthecornersanexpressivemobility,contradictinginratheranunusualmannertheinferenceswhichmightbedrawnfromtherestofherperson.Shehadahabitoffixinghercoldeyesonpeoplewithasteadinessthatwasnotalittleembarrassing.TheysaidMissLeylookedasifshethoughtthemgreatfools,andasamatteroffactthatusuallywasherpreciseopinion.Herthingrayhairwasveryplainlydoneandtheextremesimplicityofhercostumegaveacertainprimness,sothatherfavouritemethodofsayingratherabsurdthingsinthegravestandmostdecorousmanneroftendisconcertedthecasualstranger.Shewasawomanwho,onefelt,hadneverbeenhandsome,butnow,inmiddle-age,wasdistinctlyprepossessing.
Youngmenthoughthersomewhatterrifyingtilltheydiscoveredthattheyweretoheraconstantsourceofamusementwhileelderlyladiesassertedthatshewasalittlequeer.
“Youknow,AuntPolly,”saidBertha,finishingherteaandgettingup,“IthinkyoushouldhavebeenchristenedMarthaorMatilda.Idon’tthinkPollysuitsyou.”
“Mydear,youneednotremindmesopointedlythatI’mforty-fiveandyouneednotsmileinthatfashionbecauseyouknowthatI’mreallyforty-seven.Isayforty-fivemerelyasaroundnumberinanotheryearIshallcallmyselffifty.Awomanneveracknowledgessuchanondescriptageasforty-eightunlesssheisgoingtomarryawidowerwithseventeenchildren.”
“Iwonderwhyyounevermarried,AuntPolly?”saidBertha,lookingaway.
MissLeysmiledalmostimperceptibly,findingBertha’sremarkhighlysignificant.“Mydear,”shesaid,“whyshouldI?Ihadfivehundredayearofmyown....Ahyes,Iknowit’snotwhatmighthavebeenexpectedI’msorryf