the awakening and selected short stories(苏醒)-第21部分
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are dark； don't stumble。〃
Mademoiselle reentered and lit a candle。 Robert's letter was on the
floor。 She stooped and picked it up。 It was crumpled and damp with
tears。 Mademoiselle smoothed the letter out； restored it to the envelope；
and replaced it in the table drawer。
XXII
One morning on his way into town Mr。 Pontellier stopped at the house
of his old friend and family physician； Doctor Mandelet。 The Doctor was
a semi…retired physician； resting； as the saying is； upon his laurels。 He
bore a reputation for wisdom rather than skillleaving the active practice
of medicine to his assistants and younger contemporariesand was much
sought for in matters of consultation。 A few families； united to him by
bonds of friendship； he still attended when they required the services of a
physician。 The Pontelliers were among these。
Mr。 Pontellier found the Doctor reading at the open window of his
study。 His house stood rather far back from the street； in the center of a
delightful garden； so that it was quiet and peaceful at the old gentleman's
study window。 He was a great reader。 He stared up disapprovingly
over his eye…glasses as Mr。 Pontellier entered； wondering who had the
temerity to disturb him at that hour of the morning。
〃Ah； Pontellier！ Not sick； I hope。 Come and have a seat。 What
news do you bring this morning？〃 He was quite portly； with a profusion
of gray hair； and small blue eyes which age had robbed of much of their
brightness but none of their penetration。
〃Oh！ I'm never sick； Doctor。 You know that I come of tough fiber
of that old Creole race of Pontelliers that dry up and finally blow away。 I
came to consultno； not precisely to consultto talk to you about Edna。
I don't know what ails her。〃
〃Madame Pontellier not well；〃 marveled the Doctor。 〃Why； I saw
herI think it was a week agowalking along Canal Street； the picture of
health； it seemed to me。〃
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〃Yes； yes； she seems quite well；〃 said Mr。 Pontellier； leaning forward
and whirling his stick between his two hands； 〃but she doesn't act well。
She's odd； she's not like herself。 I can't make her out； and I thought
perhaps you'd help me。〃
〃How does she act？〃 inquired the Doctor。
〃Well； it isn't easy to explain；〃 said Mr。 Pontellier； throwing himself
back in his chair。 〃She lets the housekeeping go to the dickens。〃
〃Well； well； women are not all alike； my dear Pontellier。 We've got to
consider〃
〃I know that； I told you I couldn't explain。 Her whole attitude
toward me and everybody and everythinghas changed。 You know I
have a quick temper； but I don't want to quarrel or be rude to a woman；
especially my wife； yet I'm driven to it； and feel like ten thousand devils
after I've made a fool of myself。 She's making it devilishly
uncomfortable for me；〃 he went on nervously。 〃She's got some sort of
notion in her head concerning the eternal rights of women； andyou
understandwe meet in the morning at the breakfast table。〃
The old gentleman lifted his shaggy eyebrows； protruded his thick
nether lip； and tapped the arms of his chair with his cushioned fingertips。
〃What have you been doing to her； Pontellier？〃
〃Doing！ Parbleu！〃
〃Has she；〃 asked the Doctor； with a smile； 〃has she been associating of
late with a circle of pseudo…intellectual womensuper…spiritual superior
beings？ My wife has been telling me about them。〃
〃That's the trouble；〃 broke in Mr。 Pontellier； 〃she hasn't been
associating with any one。 She has abandoned her Tuesdays at home； has
thrown over all her acquaintances； and goes tramping about by herself；
moping in the street…cars； getting in after dark。 I tell you she's peculiar。 I
don't like it； I feel a little worried over it。〃
This was a new aspect for the Doctor。 〃Nothing hereditary？〃 he
asked； seriously。 〃Nothing peculiar about her family antecedents； is
there？〃
〃Oh； no； indeed！ She comes of sound old Presbyterian Kentucky
stock。 The old gentleman； her father； I have heard； used to atone for his
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weekday sins with his Sunday devotions。 I know for a fact； that his race
horses literally ran away with the prettiest bit of Kentucky farming land I
ever laid eyes upon。 Margaretyou know Margaretshe has all the
Presbyterianism undiluted。 And the youngest is something of a vixen。
By the way； she gets married in a couple of weeks from now。〃
〃Send your wife up to the wedding；〃 exclaimed the Doctor； foreseeing
a happy solution。 〃Let her stay among her own people for a while； it will
do her good。〃
〃That's what I want her to do。 She won't go to the marriage。 She says
a wedding is one of the most lamentable spectacles on earth。 Nice thing
for a woman to say to her husband！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Pontellier； fuming
anew at the recollection。
〃Pontellier；〃 said the Doctor； after a moment's reflection； 〃let your wife
alone for a while。 Don't bother her； and don't let her bother you。
Woman； my dear friend； is a very peculiar and delicate organisma
sensitive and highly organized woman； such as I know Mrs。 Pontellier to
be； is especially peculiar。 It would require an inspired psychologist to
deal successfully with them。 And when ordinary fellows like you and me
attempt to cope with their idiosyncrasies the result is bungling。 Most
women are moody and whimsical。 This is some passing whim of your
wife； due to some cause or causes which you and I needn't try to fathom。
But it will pass happily over； especially if you let her alone。 Send her
around to see me。〃
〃Oh！ I couldn't do that； there'd be no reason for it；〃 objected Mr。
Pontellier。
〃Then I'll go around and see her；〃 said the Doctor。 〃I'll drop in to
dinner some evening en bon ami。
〃Do！ by all means；〃 urged Mr。 Pontellier。 〃What evening will you
come？ Say Thursday。 Will you come Thursday？〃 he asked； rising to
take his leave。
〃Very well； Thursday。 My wife may possibly have some engagement
for me Thursday。 In case she has； I shall let you know。 Otherwise； you
may expect me。〃
Mr。 Pontellier turned before leaving to say：
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〃I am going to New York on business very soon。 I have a big scheme
on hand； and want to be on the field proper to pull the ropes and handle
the ribbons。 We'll let you in on the inside if you say so； Doctor；〃 he
laughed。
〃No； I thank you； my dear sir；〃 returned the Doctor。 〃I leave such
ventures to you younger men with the fever of life still in your blood。〃
〃What I wanted to say；〃 continued Mr。 Pontellier； with his hand on the
knob； 〃I may have to be absent a good while。 Would you advise me to
take Edna along？〃
〃By all means； if she wishes to go。 If not； leave her here。 Don't
contradict her。 The mood will pass； I assure you。 It may take a month；
two； three monthspossibly longer； but it will pass； have patience。〃
〃Well； good…by； a jeudi； 〃 said Mr。 Pontellier； as he let himself out。
The Doctor would have liked during the course of conversation to ask；
〃Is there any man in the case？〃 but he knew his Creole too well to make
such a blunder as that。
He did not resume his book immediately； but sat for a while
meditatively looking out into the garden。
XXIII
Edna's father was in the city； and had been with them several days。
She was not very warmly or deeply attached to him； but they had certain
tastes in common； and when together they were companionable。 His
coming was in the nature of a welcome disturbance； it seemed to furnish a
new direction for her emotions。
He had come to purchase a wedding gift for his daughter； Janet； and an
outfit for himself in which he might make a creditable appearance at her
marriage。 Mr。 Pontellier had selected the bridal gift； as every one
immediately connected with him always deferred to his taste in such
matters。 And his suggestions on the question of dresswhich too often
assumes the nature of a problemwere of inestimable value to his father…in…
law。 But for the past few days the old gentleman had been upon
