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儿童小说:蓝色城堡28
添加时间:2023-11-28 09:00:58 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • CHAPTER XXVIII

    Summer passed by. The Stirling clan—with the insignificant1 exception of Cousin Georgiana—had tacitly agreed to follow Uncle James’ example and look upon Valancy as one dead. To be sure, Valancy had an unquiet, ghostly habit of recurring2 resurrections when she and Barney clattered3 through Deerwood and out to the Port in that unspeakable car. Valancy, bareheaded, with stars in her eyes. Barney, bareheaded, smoking his pipe. But shaved. Always shaved now, if any of them had noticed it. They even had the audacity4 to go in to Uncle Benjamin’s store to buy groceries. Twice Uncle Benjamin ignored them. Was not Valancy one of the dead? While Snaith had never existed. But the third time he told Barney he was a scoundrel who should be hung for luring5 an unfortunate, weak-minded girl away from her home and friends.

    Barney’s one straight eyebrow6 went up.

    “I have made her happy,” he said coolly, “and she was miserable7 with her friends. So that’s that.”

    Uncle Benjamin stared. It had never occurred to him that women had to be, or ought to be, “made happy.”

    “You—you pup!” he said.

    “Why be so unoriginal?” queried8 Barney amiably9. “Anybody could call me a pup. Why not think of something worthy10 of the Stirlings? Besides, I’m not a pup. I’m really quite a middle-aged11 dog. Thirty-five, if you’re interested in knowing.”

    Uncle Benjamin remembered just in time that Valancy was dead. He turned his back on Barney.

    Valancy was happy—gloriously and entirely12 so. She seemed to be living in a wonderful house of life and every day opened a new, mysterious room. It was in a world which had nothing in common with the one she had left behind—a world where time was not—which was young with immortal13 youth—where there was neither past nor future but only the present. She surrendered herself utterly14 to the charm of it.

    The absolute freedom of it all was unbelievable. They could do exactly as they liked. No Mrs. Grundy. No traditions. No relatives. Or in-laws. “Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away,” as Barney quoted shamelessly.

    Valancy had gone home once and got her cushions. And Cousin Georgiana had given her one of her famous candlewick spreads of most elaborate design. “For your spare-room bed, dear,” she said.

    “But I haven’t got any spare-room,” said Valancy.

    Cousin Georgiana looked horrified15. A house without a spare-room was monstrous16 to her.

    “But it’s a lovely spread,” said Valancy, with a kiss, “and I’m so glad to have it. I’ll put it on my own bed. Barney’s old patch-work quilt is getting ragged17.”

    “I don’t see how you can be contented18 to live up back,” sighed Cousin Georgiana. “It’s so out of the world.”

    “Contented!” Valancy laughed. What was the use of trying to explain to Cousin Georgiana. “It is,” she agreed, “most gloriously and entirely out of the world.”

    “And you are really happy, dear?” asked Cousin Georgiana wistfully.

    “I really am,” said Valancy gravely, her eyes dancing.

    “Marriage is such a serious thing,” sighed Cousin Georgiana.

    “When it’s going to last long,” agreed Valancy.

    Cousin Georgiana did not understand this at all. But it worried her and she lay awake at nights wondering what Valancy meant by it.

    Valancy loved her Blue Castle and was completely satisfied with it. The big living-room had three windows, all commanding exquisite19 views of exquisite Mistawis. The one in the end of the room was an oriel window—which Tom MacMurray, Barney explained, had got out of some little, old “up back” church that had been sold. It faced the west and when the sunsets flooded it Valancy’s whole being knelt in prayer as if in some great cathedral20. The new moons always looked down through it, the lower pine boughs21 swayed about the top of it, and all through the nights the soft, dim silver of the lake dreamed through it.

    There was a stone fireplace on the other side. No desecrating22 gas imitation but a real fireplace where you could burn real logs. With a big grizzly23 bearskin on the floor before it, and beside it a hideous24, red-plush sofa of Tom MacMurray’s régime. But its ugliness was hidden by silver-grey timber wolf skins, and Valancy’s cushions made it gay and comfortable. In a corner a nice, tall, lazy old clock ticked—the right kind of a clock. One that did not hurry the hours away but ticked them off deliberately25. It was the jolliest looking old clock. A fat, corpulent clock with a great, round, man’s face painted on it, the hands stretching out of its nose and the hours encircling it like a halo.

    There was a big glass case of stuffed owls26 and several deer heads—likewise of Tom MacMurray’s vintage. Some comfortable old chairs that asked to be sat upon. A squat27 little chair with a cushion was prescriptively Banjo’s. If anybody else dared sit on it Banjo glared him out of it with his topaz-hued, black-ringed eyes. Banjo had an adorable habit of hanging over the back of it, trying to catch his own tail. Losing his temper because he couldn’t catch it. Giving it a fierce bite for spite when he did catch it. Yowling malignantly29 with pain. Barney and Valancy laughed at him until they ached. But it was Good Luck they loved. They were both agreed that Good Luck was so lovable that he practically amounted to an obsession30.

    One side of the wall was lined with rough, homemade book-shelves filled with books, and between the two side windows hung an old mirror in a faded gilt31 frame, with fat cupids gamboling in the panel over the glass. A mirror, Valancy thought, that must be like the fabled32 mirror into which Venus had once looked and which thereafter reflected as beautiful every woman who looked into it. Valancy thought she was almost pretty in that mirror. But that may have been because she had shingled33 her hair.

    This was before the day of bobs and was regarded as a wild, unheard-of proceeding—unless you had typhoid. When Mrs. Frederick heard of it she almost decided34 to erase35 Valancy’s name from the family Bible. Barney cut the hair, square off at the back of Valancy’s neck, bringing it down in a short black fringe over her forehead. It gave a meaning and a purpose to her little, three-cornered face that it never had possessed36 before. Even her nose ceased to irritate her. Her eyes were bright, and her sallow skin had cleared to the hue28 of creamy ivory. The old family joke had come true—she was really fat at last—anyway, no longer skinny. Valancy might never be beautiful, but she was of the type that looks its best in the woods—elfin—mocking—alluring.

    Her heart bothered her very little. When an attack threatened she was generally able to head it off with Dr. Trent’s prescription37. The only bad one she had was one night when she was temporarily out of medicine. And it was a bad one. For the time being, Valancy realised keenly that death was actually waiting to pounce38 on her any moment. But the rest of the time she would not—did not—let herself remember it at all.



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    1 insignificant [ˌɪnsɪgˈnɪfɪkənt] k6Mx1   第9级
    adj.无关紧要的,可忽略的,无意义的
    参考例句:
    • In winter the effect was found to be insignificant. 在冬季,这种作用是不明显的。
    • This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced. 这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。
    2 recurring [ri'kə:riŋ] 8kLzK8   第7级
    adj.往复的,再次发生的
    参考例句:
    • This kind of problem is recurring often. 这类问题经常发生。
    • For our own country, it has been a time for recurring trial. 就我们国家而言,它经过了一个反复考验的时期。
    3 clattered [] 84556c54ff175194afe62f5473519d5a   第7级
    发出咔哒声(clatter的过去式与过去分词形式)
    参考例句:
    • He dropped the knife and it clattered on the stone floor. 他一失手,刀子当啷一声掉到石头地面上。
    • His hand went limp and the knife clattered to the ground. 他的手一软,刀子当啷一声掉到地上。
    4 audacity [ɔ:ˈdæsəti] LepyV   第11级
    n.大胆,卤莽,无礼
    参考例句:
    • He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary. 他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。
    • He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight. 他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。
    5 luring [] f0c862dc1e88c711a4434c2d1ab2867a   第7级
    吸引,引诱(lure的现在分词形式)
    参考例句:
    • Cheese is very good for luring a mouse into a trap. 奶酪是引诱老鼠上钩的极好的东西。
    • Her training warned her of peril and of the wrong, subtle, mysterious, luring. 她的教养警告她:有危险,要出错儿,这是微妙、神秘而又诱人的。
    6 eyebrow [ˈaɪbraʊ] vlOxk   第7级
    n.眉毛,眉
    参考例句:
    • He doesn't like his eyebrows。他不喜欢他的眉毛。
    • With an eyebrow raised, he seemed divided between surprise and amusement. 他一只眉毛扬了扬,似乎既感到吃惊,又觉有趣。
    7 miserable [ˈmɪzrəbl] g18yk   第7级
    adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
    参考例句:
    • It was miserable of you to make fun of him. 你取笑他,这是可耻的。
    • Her past life was miserable. 她过去的生活很苦。
    8 queried [ˈkwiərid] 5c2c5662d89da782d75e74125d6f6932   第8级
    v.质疑,对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 );询问
    参考例句:
    • She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事?”琴向觉民问道,她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
    9 amiably ['eɪmɪəblɪ] amiably   第7级
    adv.和蔼可亲地,亲切地
    参考例句:
    • She grinned amiably at us. 她咧着嘴向我们亲切地微笑。
    • Atheists and theists live together peacefully and amiably in this country. 无神论者和有神论者在该国和睦相处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    10 worthy [ˈwɜ:ði] vftwB   第7级
    adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
    参考例句:
    • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust. 我认为他不值得信赖。
    • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned. 没有值得一提的事发生。
    11 middle-aged ['mɪdl eɪdʒd] UopzSS   第8级
    adj.中年的
    参考例句:
    • I noticed two middle-aged passengers. 我注意到两个中年乘客。
    • The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women. 这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。
    12 entirely [ɪnˈtaɪəli] entirely   第9级
    ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
    参考例句:
    • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
    • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
    13 immortal [ɪˈmɔ:tl] 7kOyr   第7级
    adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的
    参考例句:
    • The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal. 野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
    • The heroes of the people are immortal! 人民英雄永垂不朽!
    14 utterly ['ʌtəli:] ZfpzM1   第9级
    adv.完全地,绝对地
    参考例句:
    • Utterly devoted to the people, he gave his life in saving his patients. 他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
    • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled. 她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
    15 horrified ['hɔrifaid] 8rUzZU   第8级
    a.(表现出)恐惧的
    参考例句:
    • The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
    • We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。
    16 monstrous [ˈmɒnstrəs] vwFyM   第9级
    adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的
    参考例句:
    • The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column. 浓烟开始盘旋上升,形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
    • Your behaviour in class is monstrous! 你在课堂上的行为真是丢人!
    17 ragged [ˈrægɪd] KC0y8   第7级
    adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
    参考例句:
    • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd. 这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
    • Ragged clothing infers poverty. 破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
    18 contented [kənˈtentɪd] Gvxzof   第8级
    adj.满意的,安心的,知足的
    参考例句:
    • He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office. 不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
    • The people are making a good living and are contented, each in his station. 人民安居乐业。
    19 exquisite [ɪkˈskwɪzɪt] zhez1   第7级
    adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的
    参考例句:
    • I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic. 我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
    • I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali. 我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。
    20 cathedral [kəˈθi:drəl] Prfzf   第7级
    n.教区总教堂;大教堂
    参考例句:
    • We visited the magnificent cathedral. 我们参观了宏伟的教堂。
    • There's a cathedral in the town. 镇里有一座大教堂。
    21 boughs [baʊz] 95e9deca9a2fb4bbbe66832caa8e63e0   第9级
    大树枝( bough的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • The green boughs glittered with all their pearls of dew. 绿枝上闪烁着露珠的光彩。
    • A breeze sighed in the higher boughs. 微风在高高的树枝上叹息着。
    22 desecrating [ˈdesɪˌkreɪtɪŋ] b42285d3f2d45ad28ac1feeafec5ca77   第10级
    毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的现在分词 )
    参考例句:
    • You'll go back to desecrating these people's land, blowing up palm trees? 你要过去玷污这些人的土地,炸掉他们的棕榈树?
    • Such actions have the effect desecrating the Olympics and humiliating and insulting the people of China. 这种行为产生的效力是侮辱奥运会和屈辱和侮辱中国人民的。
    23 grizzly ['grɪzlɪ] c6xyZ   第11级
    adj.略为灰色的,呈灰色的;n.灰色大熊
    参考例句:
    • This grizzly liked people. 这只灰熊却喜欢人。
    • Grizzly bears are not generally social creatures. 一般说来,灰熊不是社交型动物。
    24 hideous [ˈhɪdiəs] 65KyC   第8级
    adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的
    参考例句:
    • The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare. 整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
    • They're not like dogs, they're hideous brutes. 它们不像狗,是丑陋的畜牲。
    25 deliberately [dɪˈlɪbərətli] Gulzvq   第7级
    adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地
    参考例句:
    • The girl gave the show away deliberately. 女孩故意泄露秘密。
    • They deliberately shifted off the argument. 他们故意回避这个论点。
    26 owls [aulz] 7b4601ac7f6fe54f86669548acc46286   第7级
    n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • 'Clumsy fellows,'said I; 'they must still be drunk as owls.' “这些笨蛋,”我说,“他们大概还醉得像死猪一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
    • The great majority of barn owls are reared in captivity. 大多数仓鸮都是笼养的。 来自辞典例句
    27 squat [skwɒt] 2GRzp   第8级
    vi. 蹲,蹲下;蹲坐;蹲伏 vt. 使蹲坐,使蹲下 n. 蹲坐,蜷伏
    参考例句:
    • For this exercise you need to get into a squat. 在这次练习中你需要蹲下来。
    • He is a squat man. 他是一个矮胖的男人。
    28 hue [hju:] qdszS   第10级
    n.色度;色调;样子
    参考例句:
    • The diamond shone with every hue under the Sun. 金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
    • The same hue will look different in different light. 同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。
    29 malignantly [məlɪɡ'nəntlɪ] 13b39a70de950963b0f4287e978acd10   第7级
    怀恶意地; 恶毒地; 有害地; 恶性地
    参考例句:
    • It was as if Osmond deliberately, almost malignantly, had put the lights out one by one. 仿佛奥斯蒙德怀着幸灾乐祸的心情,在有意识地把灯一盏一盏吹灭。
    • Neck of uterus can live after scalelike cell cancer performs an operation malignantly successfully how long? 宫颈鳞状细胞癌恶性做手术成功后能活多久?
    30 obsession [əbˈseʃn] eIdxt   第7级
    n.困扰,无法摆脱的思想(或情感)
    参考例句:
    • I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended. 那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
    • She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher. 她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。
    31 gilt [gɪlt] p6UyB   第12级
    adj.镀金的;n.金边证券
    参考例句:
    • The plates have a gilt edge. 这些盘子的边是镀金的。
    • The rest of the money is invested in gilt. 其余的钱投资于金边证券。
    32 fabled [ˈfeɪbld] wt7zCV   第7级
    adj.寓言中的,虚构的
    参考例句:
    • For the first week he never actually saw the fabled Jack. 第一周他实际上从没见到传说中的杰克。
    • Aphrodite, the Greek goddness of love, is fabled to have been born of the foam of the sea. 希腊爱神阿美罗狄蒂据说是诞生于海浪泡沫之中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
    33 shingled [ˈʃɪngld] aeeee5639e437c26f68da646e7d5f87d   第12级
    adj.盖木瓦的;贴有墙面板的v.用木瓦盖(shingle的过去式和过去分词形式)
    参考例句:
    • They shingled the roof. 他们用木瓦盖屋顶。 来自互联网
    34 decided [dɪˈsaɪdɪd] lvqzZd   第7级
    adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
    参考例句:
    • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents. 这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
    • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting. 英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
    35 erase [ɪˈreɪz] woMxN   第7级
    vt.擦掉;消除某事物的痕迹;vi.被擦去,被抹掉
    参考例句:
    • He tried to erase the idea from his mind. 他试图从头脑中抹掉这个想法。
    • Please erase my name from the list. 请把我的名字从名单上擦去。
    36 possessed [pəˈzest] xuyyQ   第12级
    adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
    参考例句:
    • He flew out of the room like a man possessed. 他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
    • He behaved like someone possessed. 他行为举止像是魔怔了。
    37 prescription [prɪˈskrɪpʃn] u1vzA   第7级
    n.处方,开药;指示,规定
    参考例句:
    • The physician made a prescription against sea-sickness for him. 医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
    • The drug is available on prescription only. 这种药只能凭处方购买。
    38 pounce [paʊns] 4uAyU   第10级
    n.猛扑;v.猛扑,突然袭击,欣然同意
    参考例句:
    • Why do you pounce on every single thing I say? 干吗我说的每句话你都要找麻烦?
    • We saw the tiger about to pounce on the goat. 我们看见老虎要向那只山羊扑过去。

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