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儿童小说:蓝色城堡35
添加时间:2023-11-28 09:04:02 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • Thirty seconds can be very long sometimes. Long enough to work a miracle or a revolution. In thirty seconds life changed wholly for Barney and Valancy Snaith.

    They had gone around the lake one June evening in their disappearing propeller1, fished for an hour in a little creek2, left their boat there, and walked up through the woods to Port Lawrence two miles away. Valancy prowled a bit in the shops and got herself a new pair of sensible shoes. Her old pair had suddenly and completely given out, and this evening she had been compelled to put on the little fancy pair of patent-leather with rather high, slender heels, which she had bought in a fit of folly3 one day in the winter because of their beauty and because she wanted to make one foolish, extravagant4 purchase in her life. She sometimes put them on of an evening in the Blue Castle, but this was the first time she had worn them outside. She had not found it any too easy walking up through the woods in them, and Barney guyed her unmercifully about them. But in spite of the inconvenience, Valancy secretly rather liked the look of her trim ankles and high instep above those pretty, foolish shoes and did not change them in the shop as she might have done.

    The sun was hanging low above the pines when they left Port Lawrence. To the north of it the woods closed around the town quite suddenly. Valancy always had a sense of stepping from one world to another—from reality to fairyland—when she went out of Port Lawrence and in a twinkling found it shut off behind her by the armies of the pines.

    A mile and a half from Port Lawrence there was a small railroad station with a little station-house which at this hour of the day was deserted5, since no local train was due. Not a soul was in sight when Barney and Valancy emerged from the woods. Off to the left a sudden curve in the track hid it from view, but over the tree-tops beyond, the long plume6 of smoke betokened7 the approach of a through train. The rails were vibrating to its thunder as Barney stepped across the switch. Valancy was a few steps behind him, loitering to gather June-bells along the little, winding8 path. But there was plenty of time to get across before the train came. She stepped unconcernedly over the first rail.

    She could never tell how it happened. The ensuing thirty seconds always seemed in her recollection like a chaotic9 nightmare in which she endured the agony of a thousand lifetimes.

    The heel of her pretty, foolish shoe caught in a crevice10 of the switch. She could not pull it loose.

    “Barney—Barney!” she called in alarm.

    Barney turned—saw her predicament—saw her ashen11 face—dashed back. He tried to pull her clear—he tried to wrench12 her foot from the prisoning hold. In vain. In a moment the train would sweep around the curve—would be on them.

    “Go—go—quick—you’ll be killed, Barney!” shrieked13 Valancy, trying to push him away.

    Barney dropped on his knees, ghost-white, frantically14 tearing at her shoe-lace. The knot defied his trembling fingers. He snatched a knife from his pocket and slashed16 at it. Valancy still strove blindly to push him away. Her mind was full of the hideous17 thought that Barney was going to be killed. She had no thought for her own danger.

    “Barney—go—go—for God’s sake—go!”

    “Never!” muttered Barney between his set teeth. He gave one mad wrench at the lace. As the train thundered around the curve he sprang up and caught Valancy—dragging her clear, leaving the shoe behind her. The wind from the train as it swept by turned to icy cold the streaming perspiration18 on his face.

    “Thank God!” he breathed.

    For a moment they stood stupidly staring at each other, two white, shaken, wild-eyed creatures. Then they stumbled over to the little seat at the end of the station-house and dropped on it. Barney buried his face in his hands and said not a word. Valancy sat, staring straight ahead of her with unseeing eyes at the great pine woods, the stumps19 of the clearing, the long, gleaming rails. There was only one thought in her dazed mind—a thought that seemed to burn it as a shaving of fire might burn her body.

    Dr. Trent had told her over a year ago that she had a serious form of heart-disease—that any excitement might be fatal.

    If that were so, why was she not dead now? This very minute? She had just experienced as much and as terrible excitement as most people experience in a lifetime, crowded into that endless thirty seconds. Yet she had not died of it. She was not an iota20 the worse for it. A little wobbly at the knees, as any one would have been; a quicker heart-beat, as any one would have; nothing more.

    Why!

    Was it possible Dr. Trent had made a mistake?

    Valancy shivered as if a cold wind had suddenly chilled her to the soul. She looked at Barney, hunched21 up beside her. His silence was very eloquent22. Had the same thought occurred to him? Did he suddenly find himself confronted by the appalling23 suspicion that he was married, not for a few months or a year, but for good and all to a woman he did not love and who had foisted24 herself upon him by some trick or lie? Valancy turned sick before the horror of it. It could not be. It would be too cruel—too devilish. Dr. Trent couldn’t have made a mistake. Impossible. He was one of the best heart specialists in Ontario. She was foolish—unnerved by the recent horror. She remembered some of the hideous spasms25 of pain she had had. There must be something serious the matter with her heart to account for them.

    But she had not had any for nearly three months.

    Why?

    Presently Barney bestirred himself. He stood up, without looking at Valancy, and said casually26:

    “I suppose we’d better be hiking back. Sun’s getting low. Are you good for the rest of the road?”

    “I think so,” said Valancy miserably27.

    Barney went across the clearing and picked up the parcel he had dropped—the parcel containing her new shoes. He brought it to her and let her take out the shoes and put them on without any assistance, while he stood with his back to her and looked out over the pines.

    They walked in silence down the shadowy trail to the lake. In silence Barney steered28 his boat into the sunset miracle that was Mistawis. In silence they went around feathery headlands and across coral bays and silver rivers where canoes were slipping up and down in the afterglow. In silence they went past cottages echoing with music and laughter. In silence drew up at the landing-place below the Blue Castle.

    Valancy went up the rock steps and into the house. She dropped miserably on the first chair she came to and sat there staring through the oriel, oblivious29 of Good Luck’s frantic15 purrs of joy and Banjo’s savage30 glares of protest at her occupancy of his chair.

    Barney came in a few minutes later. He did not come near her, but he stood behind her and asked gently if she felt any the worse for her experience. Valancy would have given her year of happiness to have been able honestly to answer “Yes.”

    “No,” she said flatly.

    Barney went into Bluebeard’s Chamber31 and shut the door. She heard him pacing up and down—up and down. He had never paced like that before.

    And an hour ago—only an hour ago—she had been so happy!



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    1 propeller [prəˈpelə(r)] tRVxe   第9级
    n.螺旋桨,推进器
    参考例句:
    • The propeller started to spin around. 螺旋桨开始飞快地旋转起来。
    • A rope jammed the boat's propeller. 一根绳子卡住了船的螺旋桨。
    2 creek [kri:k] 3orzL   第8级
    n.小溪,小河,小湾
    参考例句:
    • He sprang through the creek. 他跳过小河。
    • People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek. 人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。
    3 folly [ˈfɒli] QgOzL   第8级
    n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话
    参考例句:
    • Learn wisdom by the folly of others. 从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
    • Events proved the folly of such calculations. 事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。
    4 extravagant [ɪkˈstrævəgənt] M7zya   第7级
    adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的
    参考例句:
    • They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts. 他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
    • He is extravagant in behaviour. 他行为放肆。
    5 deserted [dɪˈzɜ:tɪd] GukzoL   第8级
    adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
    参考例句:
    • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence. 这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
    • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers. 敌人头目众叛亲离。
    6 plume [plu:m] H2SzM   第10级
    n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰
    参考例句:
    • Her hat was adorned with a plume. 她帽子上饰着羽毛。
    • He does not plume himself on these achievements. 他并不因这些成就而自夸。
    7 betokened [bɪˈtəʊkənd] 375655c690bd96db4a8d7f827433e1e3   第12级
    v.预示,表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • Nothing betokened that the man know anything of what had occurred. 显然那个人还不知道已经发生了什么事。 来自互联网
    • He addressed a few angry words to her that betokened hostility. 他对她说了几句预示敌意的愤怒的话。 来自互联网
    8 winding [ˈwaɪndɪŋ] Ue7z09   第8级
    n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈
    参考例句:
    • A winding lane led down towards the river. 一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
    • The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation. 迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
    9 chaotic [keɪˈɒtɪk] rUTyD   第7级
    adj.混沌的,一片混乱的,一团糟的
    参考例句:
    • Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently. 最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
    • The traffic in the city was chaotic. 这城市的交通糟透了。
    10 crevice [ˈkrevɪs] pokzO   第10级
    n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝;缺口
    参考例句:
    • I saw a plant growing out of a crevice in the wall. 我看到墙缝里长出一棵草来。
    • He edged the tool into the crevice. 他把刀具插进裂缝里。
    11 ashen [ˈæʃn] JNsyS   第12级
    adj.灰的
    参考例句:
    • His face was ashen and wet with sweat. 他面如土色,汗如雨下。
    • Her ashen face showed how much the news had shocked her. 她灰白的脸显示出那消息使她多么震惊。
    12 wrench [rentʃ] FMvzF   第7级
    vt.猛拧;挣脱;使扭伤;vi. 扭伤;猛扭;猛绞;n.扳手;痛苦,难受,扭伤
    参考例句:
    • He gave a wrench to his ankle when he jumped down. 他跳下去的时候扭伤了足踝。
    • It was a wrench to leave the old home. 离开这个老家非常痛苦。
    13 shrieked [ʃri:kt] dc12d0d25b0f5d980f524cd70c1de8fe   第7级
    v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
    • Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫,陆子潇尖声叫:“告诉什么? 来自汉英文学 - 围城
    14 frantically ['fræntikəli] ui9xL   第8级
    ad.发狂地, 发疯地
    参考例句:
    • He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
    • She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
    15 frantic [ˈfræntɪk] Jfyzr   第8级
    adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的
    参考例句:
    • I've had a frantic rush to get my work done. 我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
    • He made frantic dash for the departing train. 他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。
    16 slashed [slæʃt] 8ff3ba5a4258d9c9f9590cbbb804f2db   第7级
    v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 );鞭打;割破;削减
    参考例句:
    • Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
    • He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    17 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。
    18 perspiration [ˌpɜ:spəˈreɪʃn] c3UzD   第9级
    n.汗水;出汗
    参考例句:
    • It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration. 天太热了,我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
    • The perspiration was running down my back. 汗从我背上淌下来。
    19 stumps [stʌmps] 221f9ff23e30fdcc0f64ec738849554c   第8级
    (被砍下的树的)树桩( stump的名词复数 ); 残肢; (板球三柱门的)柱; 残余部分
    参考例句:
    • Rocks and stumps supplied the place of chairs at the picnic. 野餐时石头和树桩都充当了椅子。
    • If you don't stir your stumps, Tom, you'll be late for school again. 汤姆,如果你不快走,上学又要迟到了。
    20 iota [aɪˈəʊtə] Eauzq   第11级
    n.些微,一点儿
    参考例句:
    • There is not an iota of truth in his story. 他的故事没有一点是真的。
    • He's never shown an iota of interest in any kind of work. 他从来没有对任何工作表现出一点儿兴趣。
    21 hunched [hʌntʃt] 532924f1646c4c5850b7c607069be416   第10级
    (常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦)耸肩弓身的,伏首前倾的
    参考例句:
    • He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
    • Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。
    22 eloquent [ˈeləkwənt] ymLyN   第7级
    adj.雄辩的,口才流利的;明白显示出的
    参考例句:
    • He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator. 他能言善辩,胜过最好的演说家。
    • These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war. 这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。
    23 appalling [əˈpɔ:lɪŋ] iNwz9   第8级
    adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的
    参考例句:
    • The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
    • Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour. 这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。
    24 foisted [fɔɪstid] 6cc62101dd8d4a2284e34b7d3dedbfb9   第11级
    强迫接受,把…强加于( foist的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • She resented having the child foisted on her while the parents went travelling abroad. 她对孩子的父母出国旅行卻硬要她来照看孩子这事很反感。
    • The author discovered that the translator had foisted several passages into his book. 作者发现译者偷偷在他的原著中插入了几段。
    25 spasms [ˈspæzəmz] 5efd55f177f67cd5244e9e2b74500241   第10级
    n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 );抽搐;(能量、行为等的)突发;发作
    参考例句:
    • After the patient received acupuncture treatment,his spasms eased off somewhat. 病人接受针刺治疗后,痉挛稍微减轻了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • The smile died, squeezed out by spasms of anticipation and anxiety. 一阵阵预测和焦虑把她脸上的微笑挤掉了。 来自辞典例句
    26 casually ['kæʒʊəlɪ] UwBzvw   第8级
    adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地
    参考例句:
    • She remarked casually that she was changing her job. 她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
    • I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad. 我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。
    27 miserably ['mɪzrəblɪ] zDtxL   第7级
    adv.痛苦地;悲惨地;糟糕地;极度地
    参考例句:
    • The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
    • It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨,天气又冷又湿,令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    28 steered [stiəd] dee52ce2903883456c9b7a7f258660e5   第7级
    v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 );操纵;控制;引导
    参考例句:
    • He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。
    • The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    29 oblivious [əˈblɪviəs] Y0Byc   第8级
    adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的
    参考例句:
    • Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness. 这次病后,妈妈变得特别健忘。
    • He was quite oblivious of the danger. 他完全没有察觉到危险。
    30 savage [ˈsævɪdʒ] ECxzR   第7级
    adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
    参考例句:
    • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs. 那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
    • He has a savage temper. 他脾气粗暴。
    31 chamber [ˈtʃeɪmbə(r)] wnky9   第7级
    n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所
    参考例句:
    • For many, the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber. 对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
    • The chamber was ablaze with light. 会议厅里灯火辉煌。

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