Chapter 28 Chapter fifteen

Six months passed, and the summer breeze was blowing again into Miss Ley's house in Old Queen Street.Miss Ley has lunch with Mrs. Castine Yang, who has just returned from a winter tour in the Orient - to combine self-improvement and entertainment, Paul suggests that they go to India to celebrate their reunion, where they can enjoy a more exciting experience. A pleasant second honeymoon, at the same time, he can also study many issues of political value.Mrs. Kastingyang wore a summer dress, which kept her former elegance, but with a touch of tenderness, she appeared more attractive than before.By returning her hair to its natural color, she also showed people that she had changed inside.

"Mary, do you like my hair now?" she asked. "Paul says it makes me look ten years younger; and I don't wear heavy makeup anymore." "No makeup at all?" Miss Ley asked with a smile. "Of course there's a bit of it, but just a little powder and that's hardly worth it; and, you know, I don't use a puff anymore. You don't know how happy we were in India, Paul was such an ideal husband. He has been very kind to me. I am already in love with him, and I think he will get a baronet at the next knighthood." "It is the reward of virtue."

Mrs. Casting Young smiled happily. "You know, I'm terrified of turning out to be the scariest moralist, but the truth is, I find it so reassuring to be a good guy. Now, please tell me what's happened in my absence .Where did you spend the winter?" "I went to Italy as usual and my cousin Algernon and his daughter stayed with me for a month over Christmas." "Did the death of Bella's husband break her down?" Mrs. Castingyoung's voice was full of sincere sympathy, and Miss Ley was deeply aware of the change in her. "She faced all this very calmly, and I think she was a little inexplicably happy. She told me that she could always feel Herbert's presence." Miss Ley paused, "Bella collected her husband's All the poems are hoped to be published, and she has written a very moving essay on Herbert's life in the form of a preface."

"No, this is the most tragic part. I have never met a man with such a poetic nature. Even if he never wrote a word, he would have been out of mediocrity. If he just wrote his own feelings, he would Small hopes and disappointments, he may have done some good; and yet he only made pale imitations, imitations of Swinburne, Tennyson, and Shelley. What I cannot comprehend is why He, who is so simple and upright Burt Field always wrote verses that were artificial and very unnatural. I think in his heart he always felt that he had no talent for literary expression, but this was not the same as lofty ideals, sincere temperaments, or the seven key principles. Virtue had nothing to do with it, and he felt he deserved his death for it. He lived just to be a great poet until, at the end of his life, he realized he could never be that."

Miss Ley had seen the handsome little book that Bella intended to publish at her own expense, neatly arranged, with ample margins, delicate and attractive; And neglect, it also foresees that Bella will eventually take back many unsold copies to give to relatives and friends-people may appreciate her, but they will never take the pains to read it. "How's Reggie Bassett?" Grace asked suddenly. Miss Ley gave her a quick look, but the calmness of Mrs. Castingyoung's face suggested that she was only asking casually, perhaps just to show that she was completely free of her infatuation with him.

"Did you hear about his marriage?" "I saw that in the morning paper." "His mother was very angry about it, and did not speak to him for three months. Finally, I told her that she still needed an heir; so she put down her pride, and accepted her daughter-in-law—a very nice and A sensible child." "Is she pretty?" Grace asked. "Not pretty, but very capable. She has made Reggie a decent man now. Now Mrs. Bassett has gone to Bournemouth, where the young couple have a house, and she used to wait for the children." birth." "So the old Barlow Bassett family won't be extinct," said Grace sarcastically. "I think your young friend has really settled down, because one day, he returned the old question. All the money I 'borrowed'."

"What did you do with that money?" asked Miss Ley. Grace blushed and smiled strangely. "Oh, it arrived just before our wedding anniversary, so I used the money to buy Paul a very nice pearl brooch. He was very happy to see it." Mrs. Castingyoung stood up.After she had gone, Miss Ley opened a letter which had been delivered before lunch.Because of the arrival of the guests, she did not read the letter in time.The letter was from Basil, who had spent the whole winter in Seville, Spain, at Miss Ley's suggestion.She opened the letter with great curiosity, for it was the first time he had written to her since he left England.

Miss Ley read the letter with a smile, and sighed. "I guess people don't usually have a great sense of humor at that age," she murmured. She sent a telegram to Basil asking him to stay there.However, three days later, the young man came back. After being exposed to the sun for a winter, his skin became darker, and he looked healthier and more handsome.Miss Ley invited Frank over to dinner and to meet him, and the dissecting pair began to watch Basil dispassionately, wondering how time had affected Basil's sensitive character.Basil was now in high spirits, glad to be back to see his friends again; yet there was a caution and dignity beneath his vivacity, which reflected his calm disposition.Everything he has experienced may have given him enough capital to free himself.He has become more mature and not as emotional as he used to be.Later, when Miss Ley was alone with Frank, she summed up her new impression of Basil.

"There's a church councilor in every English man's heart, and that's never going to get rid of. Sometimes you think he's asleep or dead, but he's still alive and well in your life, and one day, You will find that he has taken your soul back." "I don't know what you mean by soul," Frank interrupted, "but if you do, go ahead." "The church councilor Basil had in mind is still alive, and I'm sure he'll have a pretty successful career. But I'm warning him not to let that church pastor get the upper hand." Miss Ley was waiting for Basil to talk about Mrs. Murray, but after waiting for two days, Basil still didn't speak, so she also lost her patience and asked straight to the point.Basil blushed when she mentioned Mrs. Murray's name.

"I'm afraid to go to her. After everything I've been through, I can't see her again. I'm trying to forget her." "So did you succeed?" she asked coldly. "No, no--I never could. I love her even more than I ever did. But I can't marry her now. The memory of poor Jenny will always haunt us; for we--Hill Da and I were the ones who pushed her to that point." "Stop sensational nonsense," replied Miss Ley sharply. "You speak of yourself like the persecuted hero of those novels you can buy for a penny. Hilda liked you very much, and She also has the common sense of a woman, enough to balance out the stupid romantic ideas of men. Why do you think that you can live forever by making yourself a tragic figure who is devastated? I can only think that you are too Heroism. You write to tell me that the world exists for the living—and that is truer than anything else, so you are putting on an act of stupidity to attract onlookers who have previously ignored you ?"

"How do you know Hilda still cares about me? She probably hates me for the humiliation and shame I have caused her." "If I were you, I would ask her in person." Miss Ley smiled, "Go at ease, because what she cares about is your physical attractiveness, not your personality. About this, I can tell You, whatever the moralists may say, is a fact of the day, for a man's personality may be misunderstood, but his beauty is evident." After Basil had gone out to see Mrs. Murray, Miss Ley amused herself by speculating about the circumstances of their meeting.She smiled and imagined the awkward handshake, the insignificant conversation, the panicky silence, the gradual acquaintance and the passionate confession that followed.She then begins to draw moral lessons again. "A common mistake that novelists make is to allow their characters to remain graceful in the midst of emotional excitement. Nothing could be more wrong, because in such moments, whether How elegant a person can only use those expressions in "The Herald of the Family". Strong passion is never art, but just common, ridiculous and weird, often very vulgar," Miss Ley smiled. , "Maybe the novelist himself does have sex in a very romantic way, but nine times out of ten it's taken from an unpublished work." In any case, the meeting between Hilda and Basil was very satisfactory, as can be seen from the following letter, which Basil received a few days later: Say, with an annuity of £5,000 a year, would she be a very nice fellow too?As I grow older, I find more and more that this is really a wise saying.It's a very different world if you have a house on Charles Street and everything that comes with it.You'll be more human, better dressed, and less critical.Bring Mrs. Murray over for lunch at noon tomorrow.There won't be too many people, and I hope it's a fun luncheon.Let's start a little later, I think this is the best time for lunch.Tomorrow morning I will go to Catholic Church to officially become a Catholic, but we will be back after that. A month later, Hilda Murray and Basil were married, and Collinson Farley was their wedding minister.Miss Ley handed over the bride to Basil; apart from the four people mentioned above, the sexton and Frank Herrier were in the church that day.Afterwards, in the annexe of the church, Miss Ley shook hands with the vicar. "I feel like everything went really well. It's great that you officiated for them." "The bride is a very good friend of mine. I am very happy to give her my good wishes for her new life." He paused, smiling gently, and Miss Ley, who knew some of his and Hilda's past, was happy for his Surprised by kindness.She had never seen him so stately, and he looked very much like a bishop. "May I tell you a big secret?" he added tenderly. "I'm getting married to a Florentine woman, Miss New Haven. We'll be married at the end of this season." "My dear Mr. Farley, congratulations. I seem to have seen groups of children circling the parish." Farley smiled pleasantly, for he was used to enjoying the indulgent jokes of older unmarried women, and he could boast that his sense of humor came from his church; for there was no church more beautiful in the West End There are no finer altarpieces and church wares, nor finer pedestals nor finer hymnbooks anywhere. The couple wanted to spend their honeymoon by the river, so after lunch on Charles Street, they set off immediately. "I'm glad they didn't send us to Paddington Station to say good-bye to them," Frank said suddenly, as they walked towards the park with Miss Ley. "Why are you so displeased?" she asked, laughing. "Twice at lunch, I wanted to remind you that it is not impolite for married people to show some degree of joy." Frank was silent, and now they were at the park gate.In this fine June weather, there are always many people here; although it is still early, locomotives and carriages are already busy shuttling; Going to see their neighbors and chatting lightly about the hot topics of the day.Frank's eyes flicked slowly over them, and suddenly he shuddered and his face turned livid. "All I could think about during this wedding and after that was Jenny. Only eighteen months ago I signed my name for Basil's first marriage in a dingy registry room. You have no idea how beautiful that girl was that day, full of love, gratitude, and joy. She yearned so fervently for the future! And now, she's rotting in the ground, and the woman she hated is with her Admired men are married and they don't even think of her misery at all. I hate this Basil now, and Hilda Murray, and you. I can't imagine that a man of right and wrong like you would go out of his way to attend Dress up for the occasion." Realizing the success of her outfit today, Miss Ley couldn't help but smile. "I've noticed that every time you're in a bad mood, you attack me," she murmured. Frank went on, his face serious, his dark eyes full of anger. "It was all in vain. It seemed that the poor girl had to go through this horrible ordeal, and it just brought those two ordinary people together. They must never have thought, and hadn't been ashamed—that there was a How could they marry, a wretched soul? Because, after all, they both killed Jenny! Jenny gave Basil her youth and her love, and her astonishing The beauty, even gave his life in the end, just like that, do you still think Basil is a very nice person? He never thought of Jenny. And you, because she is just a bartender, you think her It's a great thing to be out. The only reason I can find for them is that they are all just blindly ruled by fate: a force of nature is in control of them, which is inexplicable, and it just arranges everything according to its own intention , just because Jenny was in the middle of them, it brutally destroyed her completely." "I can find a better reason for them," replied Miss Ley, looking at Frank very seriously. "I forgive them because they are all human beings with human frailties. The longer I live , the more lamentable the utter, utter weakness of human beings; they do try to do their job, they try to be honest people, they seek the right way, and yet they are terribly weak. So I think it should be forgiven They, be considerate of them. It may sound idiotic, but I find that the most common thing I say now is 'forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing'." They walked in silence, and after a while Frank stopped suddenly and faced Miss Ley.He took out his watch. "It's still very early, and there's still an afternoon in the future. Would you like to go with me to bury Jenny's cemetery?" "Why not let the dead rest in peace? Let us think of the living and forget the dead." Frank shook his head. "I have to go, otherwise there is no peace. I can't bear it, people forget her completely in this day and age." "Okay, I'll go with you." They then turned and walked out of the park.Frank called a cab and they set off.They passed mansions of luxury, sedateness, or grandeur, all the way to the north;They continued on, and the road seemed endless. Every street was strange and scary, and it was somewhat similar to the previous streets.They passed the road where some houses were partitioned off and had their own gardens (and trees and flowers).This was the place where merchants and stockbrokers lived, and it looked so neat and respectable that every one would be flattered to have it; and then the carriage gradually drove away.Next, they came to a part of the area very different from the area in which they lived, which was noisier and more noisy.The road is full of trams and carriages, and there are many small stalls on both sides of the road; the goods in the shops are fancy and cheap, and the houses are very dilapidated.Again they passed through the slums, where children played merrily in the streets, and women in dirty aprons, with disheveled and disheveled hair, hung about their doorways.At last they came to a wide road, white and dusty and uncovered, and they knew they were near their destination, for they had just passed a shop selling tombstones, and a hearse Drive past them.The cemetery was close at hand. They got off the car in front of the iron gate and walked in on foot.It was a very wide place, filled with funeral decorations of all kinds, shining yellow and white in the sun.Horrible, tacky and dirty, one might shudder to think of the cruelty of those who buried their loved ones here, because it doesn't look like a place to find peace and tranquility either.They may talk about the immortality of the soul, but in their hearts they obviously regard the dead as ordinary handfuls of clay, otherwise they would never have the heart to see them lie in such an unholy place until the last day of judgment .There is a depressing force here that is irresistible.Frank and Miss Ley walked on, past many graves, and came across a curate praying over a new grave.He read the most solemn words of human beings very quickly, but his tone was full of long-standing boredom: Every child born to man is short-lived and miserable.He came into this world broken like a flower; he moves like a shadow, and never stays long in the same place. Miss Ley, pale, walked quickly on Frank's arm.New graves everywhere are piled with withered flowers; the ground in many places shows signs of renovation.Finally, they came to Jenny's tomb: it was an oval granite tomb with a simple cross on it; at this moment, seeing that the tomb was covered with red roses and only the cross was still exposed, Frank was suddenly shocked. yelled.The two stared at each other in silence for a while, both very surprised. "They're still very fresh," said Miss Ley. "They must have brought them this morning." She turned to Frank, and looked up slowly at him. Heaven came here and offered roses." "Do you think she's coming too?" "I'm sure. Oh, Frank, I think we should forgive them for that alone. I told you they did try not to be evil, and if they failed it was only because they were human." , and very weak. Don’t you think we should be kinder? I’m thinking, if we are the ones who encounter those sufferings and temptations, can we do better than them?” Frank said nothing.They gazed long at the fiery roses, and imagined Hilda tenderly placing them on the poor woman's cold grave. "You are right," he said at last, "for they thought of it, and I can forgive them. I wish them happiness forever." "It's a good omen, I think." She took Frank's arm. "Now, let's go back, because we're living creatures, and the dead have nothing to say to us. You brought me here, Now, I want to take you to another place and show you something." He did not understand what Miss Ley meant, but he followed her obediently to the cab.Miss Ley told the coachman to keep going, away from London, until she told her to stop.So they left the sad place of death and came into the open.They walked on a solid gray-brown country road, fenced with hawthorn trees.On either side of the road green fields stretched far into the sky; they might have come hundreds of miles from London.Miss Ley stopped the carriage, got out with Frank and walked, and asked the coachman to wait for them. "Don't look back," she said to Frank, "just look forward. Look at the big trees and the grass." At this time, the sky was blue, and the gentle breeze was blowing, bringing the pleasant atmosphere of the countryside.The soft and calm air blows away all dirty thoughts.They walked quickly, breathing in the air with great gulps, strongly infected by the summer afternoon sun.At a bend in the road, Miss Ley gave a cry of joy—she noticed wild roses popping up behind the hedge. "Have you got a knife?" she said. "Let's take some flowers." She stopped and watched Frank go up to pick.The flowers were plain and fresh, and Frank picked a large bouquet, and handed them to Miss Ley; she took them with her outstretched hands. "I love these flowers, they are like the flowers on those sarcophagi in the Roman gardens. They grow out of those cold coffins and tell us that life always overcomes death. Why should we care about sickness or age? Old! The world may be full of misery and disillusionment, and God may not hear us cry, and He may give us hate instead of love, and disappointment, unhappiness, shallowness, God knows what else; yet there is one thing that can Make up for it all, keep the merry-go-round out of the dirty show, and give life meaning, dignity, and beauty that make life worth living. All our sufferings seem so small in the face of this gift." "What's this thing you're talking about?" Frank asked with a smile. Miss Ley looked at him with smiling eyes, raised her rose and blushed. "What is it? It's beauty! You fool!" she cried happily. "It's beauty!"