Lesson Eight

Pre-class Work

Read the text a third time. Learn the new words and expressions listed below.

Glossary

airily
adv. not seriously, in a light-hearted way

apron
n. a piece of clothing that covers the front part of one's clothes and ties around one's waist, worn esp. when cooking to keep one's clothes clean

bet
v. (infml) to be sure

bid
v. to ～ farewell to sb.: to say goodbye to sb.

bourgeois
adj. typical of middle-class people; conventional

colony
n. a country or area under the control of a more powerful country

colonial
adj. the adjective form of colony

confess
v. to admit

convention
n. generally accepted practice, esp. with regard to social behavior and attitudes

crusade
n. a struggle for the advancement of an idea, a principle, etc.

crushed
adj. Here: extremely upset or shocked

divine
adj. (infml) very very good

earnest
adj. determined and very serious

enthusiastically
adv. showing a lot of excitement and interest about sth.

establish
v. to find out facts that will prove that sth. is true

exit
v. to go out

forehead
n. the part of the face above the eyes and below the hair

fuss
v. to give too much attention to small, unimportant matters

genteel
adj. (fml or literary) respectable, well-bred

girlishly
adv. behaving like a girl

gown
n. (AmE) a long dress, esp. one worn on formal occasions

grave
n. tomb

hastily
adv. in a quick and hurried way

ideally
adv. in an ideal way

investigate
v. to try to find out the truth about sth. such as a scientific problem

lap
n. the front part of a seated person between the waist and the knees

ma'am
n. a spoken form, abbr. for "madam", (AmE) a polite way of addressing a woman

maid
w. a woman who works as a servant in a private house

miserable
adj. very sad, very unhappy

mythology
n. ancient myths in general 古代神话

naive
adj. simple; childish; uneducated

overseas
adj. existing in a foreign country

partially
adv. not completely; partly

permanent
adj. intended to last for a long time or forever

pompous
adj. trying to make people think you are important, esp. by using very formal and important-sounding words

positively
adv. really, indeed

primitive
adj. belonging to the earliest period of development of life

psychology
n. the scientific study of the human mind and the reasons for people's behavior

puzzled
adj. confused and unable to understand sth.

readjust
v. to make a small change to sth. or to its position

reprimand
n. a severe official scolding

respectable
adj. showing or having socially acceptable standards of behavior

shell-shocked
adj. mentally ill because of the terrible experience of war

shh
int. used for asking for silence or less noise

snoop
v. to secretly look round a place in order to find out sb.'s private affairs

speculatively
adv. thoughtfully

sternly
adv. severely; seriously

stifle
v. to stop; to prevent from happening

sympathetically
adv. in a way that shows sympathy or approval

tribe
n. a group of people of the same race who share the same customs, religion, language, etc., esp. of a fairly low level of civilization 部落

wander
v. to move about (an area) without a clear direction or purpose

weep
v. to cry sadly

wicked
adj. behaving badly in an amusing way

wriggle
v. to twist and turn the body with quick movements

Proper Names

Thomas Kent
托马斯·肯特（男子名）

Bessie
贝西（女子名，Elizabeth 的爱称）

Eve
伊夫（女子名）

Stephen Sloane
斯蒂芬·斯隆（男子名）

Charles Waring
查尔斯·韦林（男子名）

Thelma
塞尔玛（女子名）

Text A

Psychologically Speaking

Lucretia Govedare

Read the text once for the main idea. Do not refer to the notes, dictionaries or the glossary yet.

Characters
Thomas Kent, a middle-aged, pompous man
Bessie Kent, his wife
Eve Kent, their daughter
Stephen Sloane, the boy next door
Professor Charles Waring, psychologist
Thelma, the maid
Time:
Late afternoon
Place:
The living room of the Kent home
Setting:
The comfortable, well furnished living room of an American middle-class family, the Kents. As the curtain rises, Mrs. Kent is seated in a large armchair beside a table, sewing. Thelma is arranging flowers in a bowl on the table. Puts them in, stands back, looks at them, takes them out, rearranges them. Repeats several times.

Mrs. Kent: (sternly) Oh, stop that, Thelma! I declare, you make me nervous, fussing and wasting time like that. What is it? I know you want something, or you wouldn't fool around so. Out with it.
Thelma: (Embarrassed, smiles, twists her apron and wriggles her shoulders.) Well, ma'am; I, well, it's this way. There's a dance up at Crosby's barn tonight, and Bill Fox, you know him, ma'am, he works in Paxley's garage he's asked me to go.
Mrs. Kent: (Stops sewing, looks at Thelma, speaks slowly.) We-ll, I don't know. (Pause.) About this Bill Fox, Thelma, are you sure he's genteel?
Thelma: (shocked) Genteel, ma'am? Why, he's that delicate-like —
Mrs. Kent: How so, Thelma?
Thelma: (shyly) Well, he gave his mother a new coat last Christmas — but he wouldn't think of giving me anything so personal-like.
Mrs. Kent: Indeed. What did he give you?
Thelma: (proudly) He gave me a set of books called Greek Myth — mythic — mythiologgio, that's it! It's all about a tribe of people who lived in most peculiar places — like in the air, and under the sea — (Shakes her head.) Oh, I'd never believe a word of it if Bill hadn't given it to me!
Mrs. Kent: (Laughs.) That makes him perfectly respectable, Thelma, does it?
Thelma: (enthusiastically) Oh, yes, ma'am! I wouldn't go out with him, unless he was — not when I'm working for you. (Puts hand over mouth to stifle laugh.)
Mrs. Kent: Ok, (airily) Go along to the dance then, but see you behave yourself properly!
Thelma: Oh, yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am.
(Starts toward door, when it opens and Eve enters. Thelma stops, stares, pretends to pick up threads from floor, straightens chairs, etc., in order to remain.)
Eve: (Rushes in impulsively, throws off her hat, sits down.) Oh, Mother, I'm glad you're here! I've been to the most wonderful lecture given by Madame Tergehova. She's simply too, too divine!
Mrs. Kent: Indeed, dear? In what way?
Eve: (breathless) Oh, Mother, you've no idea how primitive we are — how simple, how bourgeois! You ought to hear how people in her country live — so happy, so free! None of our silly conventions and ridiculous standards of life! Why, her mother wouldn't have dreamed of marrying her father, it would simply have seemed childish to her! And here we are, living like our colonial ancestors — Puritans or Quakers, really. It's too absurd!
Mrs. Kent: My dear child — stuff and nonsense!
Eve： Now it's no use your saying anything， Mother — I've made up my mind. Stephen and I have decided on an experimental marriage. We're leaving tonight on the 12:15 for New York! If it works out, if we decide on a permanent marriage, we'll come back and be married at home. But if not, we're determined to go our separate ways, and each seek our own career in New York!
Mrs. Kent: (Dazed, rises, sewing drops from her lap to floor.) Why, Eve, you don't know what you're saying — you can't mean it. You're joking, I know you are! (Thelma comes forward, picks up sewing, hands it to Mrs. Kent, whose manner changes to one of sharp reprimand.) What, Thelma, you here still! How many times have I told you not to snoop! Listening to things that don't concern you! Leave the room at once!
Thelma: (obediently) Yes, ma'am, (Exits hastily.)
Mrs. Kent: Now then. Eve, come here and tell me what you are talking about. (Sits down on sofa.)
Eve: (sitting beside her) Oh, you heard me, Mother. It's perfectly simple, and you needn't have sent Thelma out — it's nothing secret. That's the whole trouble, our stupid, small-town way of doing things, always under cover. We've nothing to hide or be ashamed of — why, Stephen is coming over here for tea, to say goodbye to you all. He'll be here in a little while!
Mrs. Kent: Eve, you just wait until your father —
Eve: Of course we're putting you and Dad on your honor. Mother. We don't expect you to be so childish as to lock me up in my room, call the police, or anything so naive as that!
Mrs. Kent: ( Weeps. ) I suppose there's nothing-nothing I can say or do to stop you, Eve. But youll be sorry someday.
Eve: Why will I be sorry? I don't think you and Dad are so ideally happy-I bet he's not even in love with you any more! He probably wouldn't even care if you went off with another man. Come now. Mother, confess — would he?
Mrs. Kent: (shocked) Eve! How can you say such things to me?
Eve: (laughing) Why, I don't know. Mother. There's no point in not saying them, if they're true!
Mrs. Kent: This — this Madame Tergehova, she may live like that in her own country, but it's not the way of life in America!
Eve: But it can be. Mother — it will be. This narrow, conventional way of living cant go on forever! Stephen and I, well be pioneers in this great crusade toward a new and free civilization!
Mrs. Kent: (sadly) But at what a cost, child — at what a cost!
Eve: Oh, it's no use. Mother, you'll never understand! Ill go and pack my bag now. (Rises.) I'm not going to lead this silly, uncivilized life any longer, that's all.
(She goes out. Mrs. Kent sits crushed; Thelma enters.)
Thelma: Pardon me, ma'am, but there's a gentleman to see you. Here's his card, ma'am. (Hands Mrs. Kent a card.)
Mrs. Kent: (startled) Professor C. Waring! Strange — the same name! But I never heard of him. (Shrugs.) Show him in, Thelma.
(Exit Thelma. She returns, bringing in Professor Waring. Exit Thelma.)
Professor Waring: (Comes forward smiling, takes her hand.) I'm Charles Waring, and you're Bessie Kent — you were Bessie Waring once, wife of my brother Clifford, That's a long time ago. I've always wanted to know you, but right after Clifford's death I spent some years in Europe, then wandered over various other parts of the globe so that I never did get a chance to see you.
Mrs. Kent: Why, yes — now I do remember. Clifford spoke of having a brother, but it's all so long ago. I'd forgotten. But do sit down, I'm glad to know you, Charles, (Both sit down.) You must have had a most interesting life traveling around as you have. Tell me, was it solely for pleasure?
Professor Waring: No, I was continually working, investigating and studying, collecting material for my new book on experimental psychology. But tell me about yourself, Bessie — I always envied Clifford his brief happiness.
Mrs. Kent: (Sighs.) Oh, I was happy then! But it ended so quickly, as all perfect things seem to end. We had only a few short months together. Then the World War came, and in 1917 Clifford was killed in France. We never even found where his grave was for certain.
Professor Waring: I have heard, Bessie. But afterward? I knew you remarried and I have always hoped that you had in some measure found a new happiness.
Mrs. Kent: (Weeping as she talks, dabs her eyes continually with her handkerchief.) Oh, Charles, you are so kind! Yes, I thought, I was happy, ideally so — but, oh, Charles, it was a fool's paradise! I found that out just before you came!
Professor Waring: (sympathetically) Tell me all about it, Bessie.
Mrs. Kent: Eve, my little girl — she's eighteen now — has just decided to run off with the boy next door, and try an experimental marriage. Nothing I can say or do can stop her. And she has opened my eyes to my own life, too — has made me see that Tom only stays with me for conventional reasons and he wouldn't even care if I ran off with another man! Oh, Charles, I am very miserable, but I have no right to trouble you with my problems. Only I do feel close to you. You are a sort of relative to me, aren't you?
Professor Waring: Oh, yes indeed, Bessie, I want you to feel that way, and I want to help you if I can. Now let me see. (Rubs forehead speculatively, pauses.) Will your husband and daughter be here soon?
Mrs. Kent: Oh, yes, they'll both be down for tea in a few minutes. And Stephen too — he's the boy Eve is running off with. (Starts weeping.) Oh, Charles, what shall I do?
Professor Waring: Oh, yes indeed, what you want, Bessie, is this: to prevent this foolishness on Eve's part, and to know if your husband still loves you. Am I right?
Mrs. Kent: Oh, Charles, yes, that's it!
Professor Waring: Well soon see if Tom would care whether you ran off with another man or not. Now listen to me, Bessie. Tom of course knows the circumstances of your early marriage and of Clifford's death? How at first we hoped he might be alive somewhere? And the final uncertainty as to just where he was buried?
Mrs. Kent: (puzzled) Yes — oh, yes. Tom knows all that.
Professor Waring: Well then, Bessie, for the rest of the evening I am Clifford Waring, not Charles!
Mrs. Kent: You Clifford-what do you mean?
Professor Waring：Just this: I'11 pretend I'm your first husband. (excited, dramatic) I was not killed in action in France, as was supposed, but, wounded and shell-shocked, I lay helpless in an overseas hospital. Partially recovering, I wandered all over the world, hunting some clue to my identity — hoping to establish some connection with my past. Finally, one night, I had a shock, it all came back — my former life — and I am here to claim you, Bessie!
Mrs. Kent: (thrilled) Oh, Charles, the way you say it, it seems positively real. I feel absolutely wicked. (delighted) (Goes up to mirror, pulls her hair out in a softer fashion, readjusts her dress.) But, Charles, why should you do such a thing for me? Why, for all you know, after tonight you may have me hanging around your neck for the rest of your life!
Professor Waring: I can think of worse things than that, Bessie. (Mrs. Kent laughs girlishly.) But I'm afraid it won't turn out that way. No, to me it will just be a very interesting little research in psychology.
Mrs. Kent: Shh — shh. I think I hear Tom and Eve coming downstairs now! Oh dear, I don't see how I can go through with this, Charles! (Enter Mr. Kent and Eve. Eve has changed into a tea gown. Mr. Kent's arm is around Eve. He talks in a low earnest voice. Professor Waring rises. Mrs. Kent, still standing, speaks dramatically.) Tom, I — I must prepare you for a shock.
Mr. Kent: (Stands with arm still about Eve.) If you mean Eve here, I —
Mrs. Kent: (hastily) No, no, not Eve. Tom, you remember — years ago — I was married once before — we thought my husband was killed in France. Still I always had a strange feeling — Oh, Tom, there's no use beating about the bush. This gentleman here — let me present him — Professor C. Waring! Clifford, this is Mr. Kent, my husband — at least I thought he was my husband!
Mr. Kent: Waring! Bessie, what do you mean?
Professor Waring: Mr. Kent, she means just this: I was not killed in action in France, but circumstances over which I had no control kept me abroad all these years. As soon as I was free to do so, I came straight to Bessie, and I should like nothing better than for us to go away together at once. I want to take her out of the false position she has been in all these years, and the sooner the better.