ShehadnothingtodowithNumberEighteenintheBraccioNuovooftheVatican，betweenVisconti’sCeresandtheGodoftheNile。
ShewaspurelyanIndiandeity——anAnglo-Indiandeity，thatistosay——
andwecalledherTHEVenusAnnodomini，todistinguishherfromotherAnnodominisofthesameeverlastingorderTherewasalegendamongtheHillsthatshehadoncebeenyoung；butnolivingmanwaspreparedtocomeforwardandsayboldlythatthelegendwastrue。
MenrodeuptoSimla，andstayed，andwentawayandmadetheirnameanddidtheirlife’swork，andreturnedagaintofindtheVenusAnnodominiexactlyastheyhadleftherShewasasimmutableastheHillsButnotquitesogreenAllthatagirlofeighteencoulddointhewayofriding，walking，dancing，picnickingandover-exertiongenerally，theVenusAnnodominidid，andshowednosignoffatigueortraceofwearinessBesidesperpetualyouth，shehaddiscovered，mensaid，thesecretofperpetualhealth；andherfamespreadaboutthelandFromamerewoman，shegrewtobeanInstitution，insomuchthatnoyoungmancouldbesaidtobeproperlyformed，whohadnot，atsometimeoranother，worshippedattheshrineoftheVenusAnnodominiTherewasnoonelikeher，thoughthereweremanyimitationsSixyearsinhereyeswerenomorethansixmonthstoordinarywomen；andtenmadelessvisibleimpressiononherthandoesaweek’sfeveronanordinarywomanEveryoneadoredher，andinreturnshewaspleasantandcourteoustonearlyeveryoneYouthhadbeenahabitofhersforsolong，thatshecouldnotpartwithit——neverrealized，infact，thenecessityofpartingwithit——andtookforhermorechosenassociatesyoungpeople。
AmongtheworshippersoftheVenusAnnodominiwasyoungGayerson。
“VeryYoung“Gayerson，hewascalledtodistinguishhimfromhisfather“Young“Gayerson，aBengalCivilian，whoaffectedthecustoms——ashehadtheheart——ofyouth“VeryYoung“Gayersonwasnotcontenttoworshipplacidlyandforform’ssake，astheotheryoungmendid，ortoacceptarideoradance，oratalkfromtheVenusAnnodominiinaproperlyhumbleandthankfulspiritHewasexacting，and，therefore，theVenusAnnodominirepressedhim。
Heworriedhimselfnearlysickinafutilesortofwayoverher；andhisdevotionandearnestnessmadehimappeareithershyorboisterousorrude，ashismoodmightvary，bythesideoftheoldermenwho，withhim，bowedbeforetheVenusAnnodominiShewassorryforhimHeremindedherofaladwho，three-and-twentyyearsago，hadprofessedaboundlessdevotionforher，andforwhominreturnshehadfeltsomethingmorethanaweek’sweaknessButthatladhadfallenawayandmarriedanotherwomanlessthanayearafterhehadworshippedher；andtheVenusAnnodominihadalmost——notquite——
forgottenhisname“VeryYoung“GayersonhadthesamebigblueeyesandthesamewayofpoutinghisunderlipwhenhewasexcitedortroubledButtheVenusAnnodominicheckedhimsternlynonethelessToomuchzealwasathingthatshedidnotapproveof；
preferringinstead，atemperedandsobertenderness。
“VeryYoung“Gayersonwasmiserable，andtooknotroubletoconcealhiswretchednessHewasintheArmy——aLineregimentIthink，butamnotcertain——and，sincehisfacewasalooking-glassandhisforeheadanopenbook，byreasonofhisinnocence，hisbrothersinarmsmadehislifeaburdentohimandembitteredhisnaturallysweetdispositionNooneexcept“VeryYoung“Gayerson，andhenevertoldhisviews，knewhowold“VeryYoung“GayersonbelievedtheVenusAnnodominitobePerhapshethoughtherfiveandtwenty，orperhapsshetoldhimthatshewasthisage“VeryYoung“
GayersonwouldhavefordedtheGuggerinfloodtocarryherlightestword，andhadimplicitfaithinherEveryonelikedhim，andeveryonewassorrywhentheysawhimsoboundaslaveoftheVenusAnnodominiEveryone，too，admittedthatitwasnotherfault；fortheVenusAnnodominidifferedfromMrsHauksbeeandMrs。
Reiverinthisparticular——shenevermovedafingertoattractanyone；but，likeNinondel’Enclos，allmenwereattractedtoherOnecouldadmireandrespectMrsHauksbee，despiseandavoidMrsReiver，butonewasforcedtoadoretheVenusAnnodomini。
“VeryYoung“Gayerson’spapaheldaDivisionoraCollectorateorsomethingadministrativeinaparticularlyunpleasantpartofBengal——fullofBabuswhoeditednewspapersprovingthat“Young“
Gayersonwasa“Nero“anda“Scylla“anda“Charybdis“；and，inadditiontotheBabus，therewasagooddealofdysenteryandcholeraabroadforninemonthsoftheyear“Young“Gayerson——hewa...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：