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1、THEPORTRAITOFALADYbyHenryJamesCHAPTER1Undercertaincircumstancestherearefewhoursinlifemoreagreeablethanthehourdedicatedtotheceremonyknownasafternoontea.Therearecircumstancesinwhich,whetheryoupartakeoftheteaornot-somepeopleofcourseneverdo-thesituationis
2、initselfdelightful.ThosethatIhaveinmindinbeginningtounfoldthissimplehistoryofferedanadmirablesettingtoaninnocentpastime.TheimplementsofthelittlefeasthadbeendisposeduponthelawnofanoldEnglishcountry-house,inwhatIshouldcalltheperfectmiddleofasplendidsumm
3、erafternoon.Partoftheafternoonhadwaned,butmuchofitwasleft,andwhatwasleftwasofthefinestandrarestquality.Realduskwouldnotarriveformanyhours;butthefloodofsummerlighthadbeguntoebb,theairhadgrownmellow,theshadowswerelonguponthesmooth,denseturf.Theylengthen
4、edslowly,however,andthesceneexpressedthatsenseofleisurestilltocomewhichisperhapsthechiefsourceofone'senjoymentofsuchasceneatsuchanhour.Fromfiveo'clocktoeightisoncertainoccasionsalittleeternity;butonsuchanoccasionasthistheintervalcouldbeonlyaneternityo
5、fpleasure.Thepersonsconcernedinitweretakingtheirpleasurequietly,andtheywerenotofthesexwhichissupposedtofurnishtheregularvotariesoftheceremonyIhavementioned.Theshadowsontheperfectlawnwerestraightandangular;theyweretheshadowsofanoldmansittinginadeepwick
6、er-chairnearthelowtableonwhichtheteahadbeenserved,andoftwoyoungermenstrollingtoandfro,indesultorytalk,infrontofhim.Theoldmanhadhiscupinhishand;itwasanunusuallylargecup,ofadifferentpatternfromtherestofthesetandpaintedinbrilliantcolours.Hedisposedofitsc
7、ontentswithmuchcircumspection,holdingitforalongtimeclosetohischin,withhisfaceturnedtothehouse.Hiscompanionshadeitherfinishedtheirteaorwereindifferenttotheirprivilege;theysmokedcigarettesastheycontinuedtostroll.Oneofthem,fromtimetotime,ashepassed,looke
8、dwithacertainattentionattheelderman,who,unconsciousofobservation,restedhiseyesupontherichredfrontofhisdwelling.ThehousethatrosebeyondthelawnwasastructuretorepaysuchconsiderationandwasthemostcharacteristicobjectinthepeculiarlyEnglishpictureIhav
