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DOLLY DIALOGUES DOLLY DIALOGUES by Anthony Hope

多利·戴尔洛格斯(Dolly Dialogues)简介：

Dolly Dialogues is a book written by Anthony Hope. It is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This great novel will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, Dolly Dialogues is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Anthony Hope is highly recommended. Published by Quill Pen Classics and beautifully produced, Dolly Dialogues would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.

安东尼·霍普Anthony Hope（1863-1933) 英国小说家。1863年生于英国的伦敦，父亲是伦敦牧师与校长。在母亲一边，他是肯尼斯·格雷厄姆的第一个表兄。他就读于牛津大学分院。1887年，安东尼拿到了法律学位，此后，他就开始了开业律师的生涯。　安东尼的名声并不怎么响亮，但是，1894年，他的第一本书——《曾达的囚犯》——出版以后，情况就大不相同了。正如他的其他成名小说一样，《曾达的囚犯》的故事背景是在一个杜撰的国度——鲁里坦尼亚。就内容而言，这个叙述一位英国绅士假扮王位继承人，挽救鲁里塔尼亚王权的故事。确实星充满了悬疑、抗争以及浪漫的气氛。

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DOLLY DIALOGUES A LIBERAL EDUCATION "There's ingratitude for you!" Miss Dolly Foster exclaimed suddenly. "Where!" I asked, rousing myself from meditation. She pointed to a young man who had just passed where we sat. He was dressed very smartly, and was walking with a lady attired in the height of the fashion. "I made that man," said Dolly, "and now he cuts me dead before the whole of the Row! It's atrocious. Why, but for me, do you suppose he'd be at this moment engaged to three thousand a year and--and the plainest girl in London?" "Not that," I pleaded; "think of--" "Well, very plain anyhow. I was quite ready to bow to him. I almost did." "In fact you did?" "I didn't. I declare I didn't." "Oh, well, you didn't then. It only looked like it." "I met him," said Miss Dolly, "three years ago. At that time he was-- oh, quite unpresentable. He was everything he shouldn't be. He was a teetotaler, you know, and he didn't smoke, and he was always going to concerts. Oh, and he wore his hair long, and his trousers short, and his hat on the back of his head. And his umbrella--" "Where did he wear that?" "He carried that, Mr. Carter. Don't be silly! Carried it unrolled, you know, and generally a paper parcel in the other hand; and he had spectacles too." "He has certainly changed, outwardly at least. "Yes, I know; well, I did that. I took him in hand, and I just taught him, and now--!" "Yes, I know that. But how did you teach him? Give him Saturday evening lectures, or what?" "Oh, every-evening lectures, and most-morning walks. And I taught him to dance, and broke his wretched fiddle with my own hands!" 2

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DOLLY DIALOGUES "What very arbitrary distinctions you draw!" "I don't know that you mean. I do like a man to be smart, anyhow. Don't you, Mr. Carter? You're not so smart as you might be. Now, shall I take you in hand?" And she smiled upon me. "Let's hear your method. What did you do to him.?" "To Phil Meadows? Oh, nothing. I just slipped in a remark here and there, whenever he talked nonsense. I used to speak just at the right time, you know." "But how had your words such influence, Miss Foster?" "Oh, well, you know, Mr. Carter, I made it a condition that he should do just what I wanted in little things like that. Did he think I was going to walk about with a man carrying a brown paper parcel--as if we had been to the shop for a pound of tea?" "Still, I don't see why he should alter all his--" "Oh, you are stupid! Of course, he liked me, you know." "Oh, did he? I see." "You seem to think that very funny." "Not that he did--but that, apparently, he doesn't." "Well you got out of that rather neatly--for you. No, he doesn't now. You see, he misunderstood my motive. He thought--well, I do believe he thought I cared for him, you know. Of course I didn't." "Not a bit?" "Just as a friend--and a pupil, you know. And when he'd had his hair cut and bought a frock coat (fancy he'd never had one!), he looked quite nice. He has nice eyes. Did you notice them." "Lord, no!" "Well, you're so unobservant." "Oh, not always. I've observed that your--" "Please don't! It's no use, is it?" I looked very unhappy. There is an understanding that I am very unhappy since Miss Foster's engagement to the Earl of Mickleham was announced. "What was I saying before--before you--you know--oh, about Phil Meadows, of course. I did like him very much, you know, or I shouldn't 3

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DOLLY DIALOGUES have taken all that trouble. Why, his own mother thanked me!" "I have no more to say," said I. "But she wrote me a horrid letter afterward." "You're so very elliptical." "So very what, Mr. Carter?" "You leave so much out, I mean. After what?" "Why, after I sent him away. Didn't I tell you? Oh, we had the most awful scene. He raved, Mr. Carter. He called me the most horrid names, and--" "Tore his hair?" "It wasn't long enough to get hold of," she tittered. "But don't laugh. It was really dreadful. And so unjust! And then, next day, when I thought it was comfortably over, you know, he came back, and--and apologized, and called himself the most awful names, and--well, that was really worse." "What did the fellow complain of?" I asked in wondering tones. "Oh, he said I'd destroyed his faith in women, you know, and that I'd led him on, and that I was--well, he was very rude indeed. And he went on writing me letters like that for a whole year? It made me quite uncomfortable." "But he didn't go back to short trousers and a fiddle, did he?" I asked anxiously. "Oh, no. But he forgot all he owed me, and he told me that his heart was dead, and that he should never love any one again." "But he's going to marry that girl." "Oh, he doesn't care about her,"said Miss Dolly reassuringly. "It's the money, you know. He hadn't a farthing of his own. Now he'll be set up for life." "And it's all due to you!" said I admiringly. "Well, it is, really." "I don't call her such a bad-looking girl, though." (I hadn't seen her face.) "Mr. Carter! She's hideous!" I dropped that subject. 4

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DOLLY DIALOGUES "And now," said Miss Dolly again, "he cuts me dead!" "It is the height of ingratitude. Why, to love you was a liberal education!" "Yes, wasn't it? How nicely you put that. A liberal education!' I shall tell Archie." (Archie is Lord Mickleham.) "What, about Phil Meadows?" "Goodness me, no, Mr. Carter. Just what you said, you know." "But why not tell Mickleham about Phil Meadows?" I urged. "It's all to your credit, you know." "I know, but men are so foolish. You see, Archie thinks--" "Of course he does." "You might let me finish." "Archie thinks you were never in love before." "Yes, he does. Well, of course, I wasn't in love with Phil--" "Not a little bit?" "Oh, well--" "Nor with any one else?" Miss Dolly looked for an instant in my direction. "Nor with any one else? said I. Miss Dolly looked straight in front of her. "Nor with--" I began. "Hullo, old chappie, where did you spring from?" "Why, Archie!" cried Miss Dolly. "Oh, how are you, Mickleham, old man? Take this seat; I'm just off-- just off. Yes, I was, upon my honor--got to meet a man at the club. Goodbye, Miss Foster. Jove! I'm late!" And as I went I heard Miss Dolly say, "I thought you were never coming, Archie, dear!" Well, she didn't think he was coming just then. No more did I. 5

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DOLLY DIALOGUES CORDIAL RELATIONS The other day I paid a call on Miss Dolly Foster for the purpose of presenting to her my small offering on the occasion of her marriage to Lord Mickleham. It was a pretty little bit of jewelry--a pearl heart, broken (rubies played the part of blood) and held together by a gold pin, set with diamonds, the whole surmounted by an earl's coronet. I had taken some trouble about it, and was grateful when Miss Dolly asked me to explain the symbolism. "It is my heart," I observed. "The fracture is your making; the pin--" Here Miss Dolly interrupted; to tell the truth I was not sorry, for I was fairly graveled for the meaning of the pin. "What nonsense, Mr. Carter!" she said; "but it's awfully pretty. Thanks so very very much. Aren't relations funny people?" "If you wish to change the subject, pray do," said I. "I'll change anything except my affections." "Look here," she pursued, holding out a bundle of letters. "Here are the congratulatory epistles from relations. Shall I read you a few?" "It will be a most agreeable mode of passing the time," said I. "This is from Aunt Georgiana--she's a widow--lives at Cheltenham. 'My dearest Dorothea--'" "Who?" "Dorothea's my name, Mr. Carter. It means the gift of heaven, you know." " 'My dearest Dorothea, I have heard the news of your engagement to Lord Mickleham with deep thankfulness. To obtain the love of an honest man is a great prize. I hope you will prove worthy of it. Marriage is a trial and an opportunity--'" "Hear, hear!" said I. "A trial for the husband and--" "Be quiet, Mr. Carter. 'A trial and an opportunity. It searches the heart and affords a sphere of usefulness which--' So she goes on, you know. I don't see why I need be lectured just because I'm going to be married, do you, Mr. Carter?" 6

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DOLLY DIALOGUES "Let's try another," said I. "Who's that on pink paper?" "Oh, that's Georgy Vane. She's awful fun. 'Dear old Dolly,--So you've brought it off. Hearty congrats. I thought you were going to be silly and throw away--' There's nothing else there, Mr. Carter. Look here. Listen to this. It's from Uncle William. He's a clergyman, you know. 'My dear Niece,--I have heard with great gratification of your engagement. Your aunt and I unite in all good wishes. I recollect Lord Mickleham's father when I had a curacy near Worcester. He was a regular attendant at church and a supporter of all good works in the diocese. If only his son takes after him (fancy Archie!) You have secured a prize. I hope you have a proper sense of the responsibilities you are undertaking. Marriage affords no small opportunities, it also entails certain trials--'" "Why, you're reading Aunt Georgiana again." "Am I? No, it's Uncle William." "Then let's try a fresh cast--unless you'll finish Georgy Vane's." "Well, here's Cousin Susan's. She's an old maid, you know. It's very long. Here's a bit: 'Woman has it in her power to exercise a sacred influence. I have not the pleasure of knowing Lord Mickleham, but I hope, my dear, that you will use your power over him for good. It is useless for me to deny that when you stayed with me, I thought you were addicted to frivolity. Doubtless marriage will sober you. Try to make a good use of its lessons I am sending you a biscuit tin'--and so on." "A very proper letter," said I. Miss Dolly indulged in a slight grimace, and took up another letter. "This," she said, "is from my sister-in-law, Mrs. Algernon Foster." "A daughter of Lord Doldrums, wasn't she?" "Yes. 'My dear Dorothea,--I have heard your news. I do hope it will turn out happily. I believe that any woman who conscientiously does her duty can find happiness in married life. Her husband and children occupy all her time and all her thoughts, and if she can look for few of the lighter pleasures of life, she has at least the knowledge that she is of use in the world. Please accept the accompanying volumes (it's Browning) as a small--' I say, Mr. Carter, do you think it's really like that?" 7