本書是英漢雙語版名著系列叢書中的一種，編寫本系列叢書的另一個主要目的就是為準備參加英語國家留學考試的學生提供學習素材。對于留學考試，無論是SSAT、SAT還是TOEFL、GRE，要取得好的成績，就必須了解西方的社會、歷史、文化、生活等方面的背景知識，而閱讀西方原版名著是了解這些知識*重要的手段之一。
第5章
Chapter 5
之后，布蘭德把吉哈德推薦給一個工廠當看門人，對吉老太也很關心，送給她一套衣服和一條圍巾。這一切，都不禁打動了吉哈德一家。
與此同時，布蘭德和珍妮的交往也越來越大膽。每次珍妮到布蘭德房里，差不多都要逗留一刻鐘到三刻鐘。有時他甚至硬將她摟在懷里，或者將她抱在膝上，給她講華盛頓的生活。對于這一切，珍妮都毫無做作地、天真地、欣然享受著。他還買了一塊金表送給她。
但好景不長，布蘭德在政治選舉中的失敗使他對珍妮的態度突然變得冷淡。正當他有些懊悔自己的態度時，更壞的消息傳來了，旅館里已經開始傳起他們二人的流言，吉老太被女管事提醒過一次后，嚇得她再也不讓珍妮去送衣服了。
冷靜了一段時間，布蘭德對珍妮依然不能釋懷，對她的思念反而愈發強烈。于是他終于去了珍妮家，叫珍妮同他出去約會。
與他再次相見，珍妮有一種說不出的快樂，便欣然答應了。母親也覺得沒有什么不妥，但因吉哈德不準女兒晚上出門，于是母女倆決定不告訴吉哈德。
約會那晚，美好的春風令人陶醉。布蘭德跟珍妮說要她嫁給他，珍妮覺得嫁給布蘭德似乎也沒有什么不好，也許還能讓家里變得好些，就想這應該是可以的吧，便懵懵懂懂地答應了。布蘭德聽說他不在的這些日子，珍妮因為家中困難，甚至把金表都拿去賣掉了，心中十分難過，于是告訴珍妮，叫她以后無論遇到什么困難都要去找他；還說從現在起她就是他的人了，無論什么事情他都愿意為她做。
aving been led by circumstances into an attitude of obligation toward the Senator, it was not unnatural that Jennie should become imbued with a most generous spirit of appreciation for everything he had done and now continued to do. The Senator gave her father a letter to a local mill owner, who saw that he received something to do. It was not much, to be sure, a mere job as night-watchman, but it helped, and old Gerhardt’s gratitude was extravagant. Never was there such a great, such a good man!
Nor was Mrs. Gerhardt overlooked. Once Brander sent her a dress, and at another time a shawl. All these benefactions were made in a spirit of mingled charity and self-gratification, but to Mrs. Gerhardt they glowed with but one motive. Senator Brander was good-hearted.
As for Jennie, he drew nearer to her in every possible way, so that at last she came to see him in a light which would require considerable analysis to make clear. This fresh, young soul, however, had too much innocence and buoyancy to consider for a moment the world’s point of view. Since that one notable and halcyon visit upon which he had robbed her of her original shyness, and implanted a tender kiss upon her cheek, they had lived in a different atmosphere. Jennie was his companion now, and as he more and more unbended, and even joyously flung aside the habiliments of his dignity, her perception of him grew clearer. They laughed and chatted in a natural way, and he keenly enjoyed this new entrance into the radiant world of youthful happiness.
One thing that disturbed him, however, was the occasional thought, which he could not repress, that he was not doing right. Other people must soon discover that he was not confining himself strictly to conventional relations, with this washer-woman’s daughter. He suspected that the housekeeper was not without knowledge that Jennie almost invariably lingered from a quarter to three-quarters of an hour whenever she came for or returned his laundry. He knew that it might come to the ears of the hotel clerks, and so, in a general way, get about town and work serious injury, but the reflection did not cause him to modify his conduct. Sometimes he consoled himself with the thought that he was not doing her any actual harm, and at other times he would argue that he could not put this one delightful tenderness out of his life. Did he not wish honestly to do her much good?
He thought of these things occasionally, and decided that he could not stop. The self-approval which such a resolution might bring him was hardly worth the inevitable pain of the abnegation. He had not so very many more years to live. Why die unsatisfied?
One evening he put his arm around her and strained her to his breast. Another time he drew her to his knee, and told her of his life at Washington. Always now he had a caress and a kiss for her, but it was still in a tentative, uncertain way. He did not want to reach for her soul too deeply.
Jennie enjoyed it all innocently. Elements of fancy and novelty entered into her life. She was an unsophisticated creature, emotional, totally inexperienced in the matter of the affections, and yet mature enough mentally to enjoy the attentions of this great man who had thus bowed from his high position to make friends with her.
One evening she pushed his hair back from his forehead as she stood by his chair, and, finding nothing else to do, took out his watch. The great man thrilled as he looked at her pretty innocence.
“Would you like to have a watch, too?” he asked.
“Yes, indeed, I would,” said Jennie with a deep breath.
The next day he stopped as he was passing a jewellery store and bought one. It was gold, and had pretty ornamented hands.
“Jennie,” he said, when she came the next time, “I want to show you something. See what time it is by my watch.”
Jennie drew out the watch from his waistcoat pocket and started in surprise.
“This isn’t your watch!” she exclaimed, her face full of innocent wonder.
“No,” he said, delighted with his little deception. “It’s yours.”
“Mine!” exclaimed Jennie. “Mine! Oh, isn’t it lovely!”
“Do you think so?” he said.
Her delight touched and pleased him immensely. Her face shone with light and her eyes fairly danced.
“That’s yours,” he said. “See that you wear it now, and don’t lose it.”
“You’re so good!” she exclaimed.
“No,” he said, but he held her at arm’s length by the waist to make up his mind what his reward should be. Slowly he drew her toward him until, when very close, she put her arms about his neck, and laid her cheek in gratitude against his own. This was the quintessence of pleasure for him. He felt as he had been longing to feel for years.
The progress of his idyl suffered a check when the great senatorial fight came on in the Legislature. Attacked by a combination of rivals, Brander was given the fight of his life. To his amazement he discovered that a great railroad corporation, which had always been friendly, was secretly throwing its strength in behalf of an already too powerful candidate. Shocked by this defection, he was thrown alternately into the deepest gloom and into paroxysms of wrath. These slings of fortune, however lightly he pretended to receive them, never failed to lacerate him. It had been long since he had suffered a defeat—too long.
During this period Jennie received her earliest lesson in the vagaries of man. For two weeks she did not even see him, and one evening, after an extremely comfortless conference with his leader, he met her with the most chilling formality. When she knocked at his door he only troubled to open it a foot, exclaiming almost harshly: “I can’t bother about the clothes to-night. Come tomorrow.”
Jennie retreated, shocked and surprised by this reception. She did not know what to think of it. He was restored on the instant to his far-off, mighty throne, and left to rule in peace. Why should he not withdraw the light of his countenance if it pleased him. But why—
A day or two later he repented mildly, but had no time to readjust matters. His washing was taken and delivered with considerable formality, and he went on toiling forgetfully, until at last he was miserably defeated by two votes. Astounded by this result, he lapsed into gloomy dejection of soul. What was he to do now?
Into this atmosphere came Jennie, bringing with her the lightness and comfort of her own hopeful disposition. Nagged to desperation by his thoughts, Brander first talked to her to amuse himself; but soon his distress imperceptibly took flight; he found himself actually smiling.
“Ah, Jennie,” he said, speaking to her as he might have done to a child, “youth is on your side. You possess the most valuable thing in life.”
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