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经典美文:梦中小屋的安妮(16)
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  • CHAPTER 16

    NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE LIGHT

    The Green Gables folk went home after Christmas, Marilla under solemn covenant1 to return for a month in the spring. More snow came before New Year’s, and the harbor froze over, but the gulf2 still was free, beyond the white, imprisoned3 fields. The last day of the old year was one of those bright, cold, dazzling winter days, which bombard us with their brilliancy, and command our admiration4 but never our love. The sky was sharp and blue; the snow diamonds sparkled insistently5; the stark6 trees were bare and shameless, with a kind of brazen7 beauty; the hills shot assaulting lances of crystal. Even the shadows were sharp and stiff and clear-cut, as no proper shadows should be. Everything that was handsome seemed ten times handsomer and less attractive in the glaring splendor8; and everything that was ugly seemed ten times uglier, and everything was either handsome or ugly. There was no soft blending, or kind obscurity, or elusive9 mistiness10 in that searching glitter. The only things that held their own individuality were the firs—for the fir is the tree of mystery and shadow, and yields never to the encroachments of crude radiance.

    But finally the day began to realise that she was growing old. Then a certain pensiveness11 fell over her beauty which dimmed yet intensified12 it; sharp angles, glittering points, melted away into curves and enticing13 gleams. The white harbor put on soft grays and pinks; the far-away hills turned amethyst14.

    “The old year is going away beautifully,” said Anne.

    She and Leslie and Gilbert were on their way to the Four Winds Point, having plotted with Captain Jim to watch the New Year in at the light. The sun had set and in the southwestern sky hung Venus, glorious and golden, having drawn15 as near to her earth-sister as is possible for her. For the first time Anne and Gilbert saw the shadow cast by that brilliant star of evening, that faint, mysterious shadow, never seen save when there is white snow to reveal it, and then only with averted16 vision, vanishing when you gaze at it directly.

    “It’s like the spirit of a shadow, isn’t it?” whispered Anne. “You can see it so plainly haunting your side when you look ahead; but when you turn and look at it—it’s gone.”

    “I have heard that you can see the shadow of Venus only once in a lifetime, and that within a year of seeing it your life’s most wonderful gift will come to you,” said Leslie. But she spoke17 rather hardly; perhaps she thought that even the shadow of Venus could bring her no gift of life. Anne smiled in the soft twilight18; she felt quite sure what the mystic shadow promised her.

    They found Marshall Elliott at the lighthouse. At first Anne felt inclined to resent the intrusion of this long-haired, long-bearded eccentric into the familiar little circle. But Marshall Elliott soon proved his legitimate19 claim to membership in the household of Joseph. He was a witty20, intelligent, well-read man, rivalling Captain Jim himself in the knack21 of telling a good story. They were all glad when he agreed to watch the old year out with them.

    Captain Jim’s small nephew Joe had come down to spend New Year’s with his great-uncle, and had fallen asleep on the sofa with the First Mate curled up in a huge golden ball at his feet.

    “Ain’t he a dear little man?” said Captain Jim gloatingly. “I do love to watch a little child asleep, Mistress Blythe. It’s the most beautiful sight in the world, I reckon. Joe does love to get down here for a night, because I have him sleep with me. At home he has to sleep with the other two boys, and he doesn’t like it. Why can’t I sleep with father, Uncle Jim?” says he. 'Everybody in the Bible slept with their fathers.’ As for the questions he asks, the minister himself couldn’t answer them. They fair swamp me. 'Uncle Jim, if I wasn’t ME who’d I be?’ and, 'Uncle Jim, what would happen if God died?’ He fired them two off at me tonight, afore he went to sleep. As for his imagination, it sails away from everything. He makes up the most remarkable22 yarns—and then his mother shuts him up in the closet for telling stories. And he sits down and makes up another one, and has it ready to relate to her when she lets him out. He had one for me when he come down tonight. 'Uncle Jim,’ says he, solemn as a tombstone, 'I had a ’venture in the Glen today.’ 'Yes, what was it?’ says I, expecting something quite startling, but nowise prepared for what I really got. 'I met a wolf in the street,’ says he, 'a ’normous wolf with a big, red mouf and AWFUL long teeth, Uncle Jim.’ 'I didn’t know there was any wolves up at the Glen,’ says I. 'Oh, he comed there from far, far away,’ says Joe, 'and I fought he was going to eat me up, Uncle Jim.’ 'Were you scared?’ says I. 'No, ’cause I had a big gun,’ says Joe, 'and I shot the wolf dead, Uncle Jim,—solid dead—and then he went up to heaven and bit God,’ says he. Well, I was fair staggered, Mistress Blythe.”

    The hours bloomed into mirth around the driftwood fire. Captain Jim told tales, and Marshall Elliott sang old Scotch23 ballads24 in a fine tenor25 voice; finally Captain Jim took down his old brown fiddle26 from the wall and began to play. He had a tolerable knack of fiddling27, which all appreciated save the First Mate, who sprang from the sofa as if he had been shot, emitted a shriek28 of protest, and fled wildly up the stairs.

    “Can’t cultivate an ear for music in that cat nohow,” said Captain Jim. “He won’t stay long enough to learn to like it. When we got the organ up at the Glen church old Elder Richards bounced up from his seat the minute the organist began to play and scuttled29 down the aisle30 and out of the church at the rate of no-man’s-business. It reminded me so strong of the First Mate tearing loose as soon as I begin to fiddle that I come nearer to laughing out loud in church than I ever did before or since.”

    There was something so infectious in the rollicking tunes31 which Captain Jim played that very soon Marshall Elliott’s feet began to twitch32. He had been a noted33 dancer in his youth. Presently he started up and held out his hands to Leslie. Instantly she responded. Round and round the firelit room they circled with a rhythmic34 grace that was wonderful. Leslie danced like one inspired; the wild, sweet abandon of the music seemed to have entered into and possessed35 her. Anne watched her in fascinated admiration. She had never seen her like this. All the innate36 richness and color and charm of her nature seemed to have broken loose and overflowed37 in crimson38 cheek and glowing eye and grace of motion. Even the aspect of Marshall Elliott, with his long beard and hair, could not spoil the picture. On the contrary, it seemed to enhance it. Marshall Elliott looked like a Viking of elder days, dancing with one of the blue-eyed, golden-haired daughters of the Northland.

    “The purtiest dancing I ever saw, and I’ve seen some in my time,” declared Captain Jim, when at last the bow fell from his tired hand. Leslie dropped into her chair, laughing, breathless.

    “I love dancing,” she said apart to Anne. “I haven’t danced since I was sixteen—but I love it. The music seems to run through my veins39 like quicksilver and I forget everything—everything—except the delight of keeping time to it. There isn’t any floor beneath me, or walls about me, or roof over me—I’m floating amid the stars.”

    Captain Jim hung his fiddle up in its place, beside a large frame enclosing several banknotes.

    “Is there anybody else of your acquaintance who can afford to hang his walls with banknotes for pictures?” he asked. “There’s twenty ten-dollar notes there, not worth the glass over them. They’re old Bank of P. E. Island notes. Had them by me when the bank failed, and I had ’em framed and hung up, partly as a reminder40 not to put your trust in banks, and partly to give me a real luxurious41, millionairy feeling. Hullo, Matey, don’t be scared. You can come back now. The music and revelry is over for tonight. The old year has just another hour to stay with us. I’ve seen seventy-six New Years come in over that gulf yonder, Mistress Blythe.”

    “You’ll see a hundred,” said Marshall Elliott.

    Captain Jim shook his head.

    “No; and I don’t want to—at least, I think I don’t. Death grows friendlier as we grow older. Not that one of us really wants to die though, Marshall. Tennyson spoke truth when he said that. There’s old Mrs. Wallace up at the Glen. She’s had heaps of trouble all her life, poor soul, and she’s lost almost everyone she cared about. She’s always saying that she’ll be glad when her time comes, and she doesn’t want to sojourn42 any longer in this vale of tears. But when she takes a sick spell there’s a fuss! Doctors from town, and a trained nurse, and enough medicine to kill a dog. Life may be a vale of tears, all right, but there are some folks who enjoy weeping, I reckon.”

    They spent the old year’s last hour quietly around the fire. A few minutes before twelve Captain Jim rose and opened the door.

    “We must let the New Year in,” he said.

    Outside was a fine blue night. A sparkling ribbon of moonlight garlanded the gulf. Inside the bar the harbor shone like a pavement of pearl. They stood before the door and waited—Captain Jim with his ripe, full experience, Marshall Elliott in his vigorous but empty middle life, Gilbert and Anne with their precious memories and exquisite43 hopes, Leslie with her record of starved years and her hopeless future. The clock on the little shelf above the fireplace struck twelve.

    “Welcome, New Year,” said Captain Jim, bowing low as the last stroke died away. “I wish you all the best year of your lives, mates. I reckon that whatever the New Year brings us will be the best the Great Captain has for us—and somehow or other we’ll all make port in a good harbor.”



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    1 covenant [ˈkʌvənənt] CoWz1   第10级
    n.盟约,契约;v.订盟约
    参考例句:
    • They refused to covenant with my father for the property. 他们不愿与我父亲订立财产契约。
    • The money was given to us by deed of covenant. 这笔钱是根据契约书付给我们的。
    2 gulf [gʌlf] 1e0xp   第7级
    n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂
    参考例句:
    • The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged. 两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
    • There is a gulf between the two cities. 这两座城市间有个海湾。
    3 imprisoned [ɪmˈprɪzənd] bc7d0bcdd0951055b819cfd008ef0d8d   第8级
    下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁,合并执行。
    • They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。
    4 admiration [ˌædməˈreɪʃn] afpyA   第8级
    n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
    参考例句:
    • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene. 他对风景之美赞不绝口。
    • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists. 我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
    5 insistently [in'sistəntli] Iq4zCP   第7级
    ad.坚持地
    参考例句:
    • Still Rhett did not look at her. His eyes were bent insistently on Melanie's white face. 瑞德还是看也不看她,他的眼睛死死地盯着媚兰苍白的脸。
    • These are the questions which we should think and explore insistently. 怎样实现这一主体性等问题仍要求我们不断思考、探索。
    6 stark [stɑ:k] lGszd   第10级
    adj.荒凉的;严酷的;完全的;adv.完全地
    参考例句:
    • The young man is faced with a stark choice. 这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
    • He gave a stark denial to the rumor. 他对谣言加以完全的否认。
    7 brazen [ˈbreɪzn] Id1yY   第11级
    adj.厚脸皮的,无耻的,坚硬的;vt. 厚着脸皮;勇敢地做(或对待);使变得勇敢;厚着脸皮做(或对待)
    参考例句:
    • The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her. 那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
    • Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat. 有的人不愿承认失败,而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。
    8 splendor ['splendə] hriy0   第10级
    n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌
    参考例句:
    • Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor. 他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。
    • All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend. 人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。
    9 elusive [iˈlu:sɪv] d8vyH   第9级
    adj.难以表达(捉摸)的;令人困惑的;逃避的
    参考例句:
    • Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation. 翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
    • Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers. 国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。
    10 mistiness ['mɪstɪnɪs] 2f2566bc3c5aca9b06040fee705ea94b   第9级
    n.雾,模糊,不清楚
    参考例句:
    • Through this low-lit mistiness Tess walked leisurely along. 苔丝就在这样光线暗淡的暮霭里,往前从从容容地走。 来自辞典例句
    11 pensiveness [] 780a827482e1d80cb7e6ca10814a49de   第10级
    n.pensive(沉思的)的变形
    参考例句:
    • He caught the mixture of surprise and pensiveness in her voice and looked up immediately. 他听出她声音中惊奇夹着沉思,立即抬起头来。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦
    12 intensified [inˈtensifaid] 4b3b31dab91d010ec3f02bff8b189d1a   第7级
    v.(使)增强, (使)加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
    • The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    13 enticing [in'taisiŋ] ctkzkh   第9级
    adj.迷人的;诱人的
    参考例句:
    • The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力,使人难以拒绝。
    • Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短,但浑圆可爱;两臂丰腴,也很动人。
    14 amethyst [ˈæməθɪst] ee0yu   第12级
    n.紫水晶
    参考例句:
    • She pinned a large amethyst brooch to her lapel. 她在翻领上别了一枚大大的紫水晶饰针。
    • The exquisite flowers come alive in shades of amethyst. 那些漂亮的花儿在紫水晶的映衬下显得格外夺目。
    15 drawn [drɔ:n] MuXzIi   第11级
    v.(draw的过去式)拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
    参考例句:
    • All the characters in the story are drawn from life. 故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
    • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside. 她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
    16 averted [əˈvə:tid] 35a87fab0bbc43636fcac41969ed458a   第7级
    防止,避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 ); 转移
    参考例句:
    • A disaster was narrowly averted. 及时防止了一场灾难。
    • Thanks to her skilful handling of the affair, the problem was averted. 多亏她对事情处理得巧妙,才避免了麻烦。
    17 spoke [spəʊk] XryyC   第11级
    n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
    参考例句:
    • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company. 他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
    • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre. 辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
    18 twilight [ˈtwaɪlaɪt] gKizf   第7级
    n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期
    参考例句:
    • Twilight merged into darkness. 夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
    • Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth. 薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。
    19 legitimate [lɪˈdʒɪtɪmət] L9ZzJ   第8级
    adj.合法的,合理的,合乎逻辑的;v.使合法
    参考例句:
    • Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave. 生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
    • That's a perfectly legitimate fear. 怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。
    20 witty [ˈwɪti] GMmz0   第8级
    adj.机智的,风趣的
    参考例句:
    • Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation. 她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。
    • He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort. 在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。
    21 knack [næk] Jx9y4   第9级
    n.诀窍,做事情的灵巧的,便利的方法
    参考例句:
    • He has a knack of teaching arithmetic. 他教算术有诀窍。
    • Making omelettes isn't difficult, but there's a knack to it. 做煎蛋饼并不难,但有窍门。
    22 remarkable [rɪˈmɑ:kəbl] 8Vbx6   第7级
    adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
    参考例句:
    • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills. 她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
    • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines. 这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
    23 scotch [skɒtʃ] ZZ3x8   第9级
    n.伤口,刻痕;苏格兰威士忌酒;vi.粉碎,消灭,阻止;adj.苏格兰(人)的
    参考例句:
    • Facts will eventually scotch these rumours. 这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
    • Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey. 意大利多的是美景,真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。
    24 ballads ['bælədz] 95577d817acb2df7c85c48b13aa69676   第8级
    民歌,民谣,特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 ); 讴
    参考例句:
    • She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening. 她整晚一个接一个地大唱民谣和乡村小调。
    • She taught him to read and even to sing two or three little ballads,accompanying him on her old piano. 她教他读书,还教他唱两三首民谣,弹着她的旧钢琴为他伴奏。
    25 tenor [ˈtenə(r)] LIxza   第8级
    n.男高音(歌手),次中音(乐器),要旨,大意
    参考例句:
    • The tenor of his speech was that war would come. 他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
    • The four parts in singing are soprano, alto, tenor and bass. 唱歌的四个声部是女高音,女低音,男高音和男低音。
    26 fiddle [ˈfɪdl] GgYzm   第9级
    n.小提琴;vi.拉提琴;不停拨弄,乱动
    参考例句:
    • She plays the fiddle well. 她小提琴拉得好。
    • Don't fiddle with the typewriter. 不要摆弄那架打字机了。
    27 fiddling ['fidliŋ] XtWzRz   第9级
    微小的
    参考例句:
    • He was fiddling with his keys while he talked to me. 和我谈话时他不停地摆弄钥匙。
    • All you're going to see is a lot of fiddling around. 你今天要看到的只是大量的胡摆乱弄。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦
    28 shriek [ʃri:k] fEgya   第7级
    v./n.尖叫,叫喊
    参考例句:
    • Suddenly he began to shriek loudly. 突然他开始大声尖叫起来。
    • People sometimes shriek because of terror, anger, or pain. 人们有时会因为恐惧,气愤或疼痛而尖叫。
    29 scuttled [s'kʌtld] f5d33c8cedd0ebe9ef7a35f17a1cff7e   第10级
    v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 );快跑,急走
    参考例句:
    • She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice. 听到他的说话声,她赶紧跑开了。
    • The thief scuttled off when he saw the policeman. 小偷看见警察来了便急忙跑掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    30 aisle [aɪl] qxPz3   第8级
    n.(教堂、教室、戏院等里的)过道,通道
    参考例句:
    • The aisle was crammed with people. 过道上挤满了人。
    • The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat. 引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。
    31 tunes [tju:nz] 175b0afea09410c65d28e4b62c406c21   第7级
    n.曲调,曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 );调整;(给收音机、电视等)调谐;使协调
    参考例句:
    • a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
    • When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时,她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    32 twitch [twɪtʃ] jK3ze   第9级
    vi.急拉,抽动,痉挛,抽搐;vt. 使抽动;攫取;猛拉;n.扯,阵痛,痉挛
    参考例句:
    • The smell made my dog's nose twitch. 那股气味使我的狗的鼻子抽动着。
    • I felt a twitch at my sleeve. 我觉得有人扯了一下我的袖子。
    33 noted [ˈnəʊtɪd] 5n4zXc   第8级
    adj.著名的,知名的
    参考例句:
    • The local hotel is noted for its good table. 当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
    • Jim is noted for arriving late for work. 吉姆上班迟到出了名。
    34 rhythmic [ˈrɪðmɪk] rXexv   第9级
    adj.有节奏的,有韵律的
    参考例句:
    • Her breathing became more rhythmic. 她的呼吸变得更有规律了。
    • Good breathing is slow, rhythmic and deep. 健康的呼吸方式缓慢深沉而有节奏。
    35 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。
    36 innate [ɪˈneɪt] xbxzC   第7级
    adj.天生的,固有的,天赋的
    参考例句:
    • You obviously have an innate talent for music. 你显然有天生的音乐才能。
    • Correct ideas are not innate in the mind. 人的正确思想不是自己头脑中固有的。
    37 overflowed [] 4cc5ae8d4154672c8a8539b5a1f1842f   第7级
    溢出的
    参考例句:
    • Plates overflowed with party food. 聚会上的食物碟满盘盈。
    • A great throng packed out the theater and overflowed into the corridors. 一大群人坐满剧院并且还有人涌到了走廊上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    38 crimson [ˈkrɪmzn] AYwzH   第10级
    n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色
    参考例句:
    • She went crimson with embarrassment. 她羞得满脸通红。
    • Maple leaves have turned crimson. 枫叶已经红了。
    39 veins ['veɪnz] 65827206226d9e2d78ea2bfe697c6329   第7级
    n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理
    参考例句:
    • The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的,感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    40 reminder [rɪˈmaɪndə(r)] WkzzTb   第9级
    n.提醒物,纪念品;暗示,提示
    参考例句:
    • I have had another reminder from the library. 我又收到图书馆的催还单。
    • It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent. 总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知,她才付应该交的房租。
    41 luxurious [lʌgˈʒʊəriəs] S2pyv   第7级
    adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的
    参考例句:
    • This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone. 这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
    • The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings. 这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。
    42 sojourn [ˈsɒdʒən] orDyb   第10级
    vi./n.旅居,寄居;逗留
    参考例句:
    • It would be cruel to begrudge your sojourn among flowers and fields. 如果嫉妒你逗留在鲜花与田野之间,那将是太不近人情的。
    • I am already feeling better for my sojourn here. 我在此逗留期间,觉得体力日渐恢复。
    43 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。

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