Fanny already knew all there was to tell concerning the concrete reservoir on the mountain, the big conduit leading to the village and the smaller pipes laid wherever there were householders desiring water. These were surprisingly few, considering the fact that there would be no annual charge for the water, beyond the insignificant5 sum required for its up-keep. People said their wells were good enough for them; and that spring water wasn't as good as cistern6 water, when it came to washing. Some were of the opinion that Lydia Orr was in a fool's hurry to get rid of her money; others that she couldn't stand it to be out of the limelight; and still other sagacious individuals felt confident there was something in it for “that girl.” Fanny had heard these various views of Miss Orr's conduct. She was still striving with indifferent success to rise above her jealousy7, and to this end she never failed to champion Lydia's cause against all comers. Curiously8 enough, this course had finally brought her tranquillity9 of a sort and an utter unprotesting acquiescence10.
Mrs. Whittle11 had been overheard saying to Mrs. Fulsom that she guessed, after all, Fanny Dodge didn't care so much about the minister.
Fanny, deep once more in the absorbing consideration of the question which had once been too poignant12 to consider calmly, and the answer to which she was never to know, permitted the paper to slide off her knee to the floor: Why had Wesley Elliot so suddenly deserted13 her? Surely, he could not have fallen in love with another woman; she was sure he had been in love with her. However, to kiss and forget might be one of the inscrutable ways of men. She was really afraid it was. But Wesley Elliot had never kissed her; had never even held her hand for more than a minute at a time. But those minutes loomed14 large in retrospect15.
The clock struck five and Fanny, roused from her reverie by the sudden sound, glanced out of the window. At the gate she saw Elliot. He stood there, gazing at the house as if uncertain whether to enter or not. Fanny put up a tremulous hand to her hair, which was pinned fast in its accustomed crisp coils; then she glanced down at her blue gown.... Yes; he was coming in! The bell hanging over the passage door jangled shrilly16. Fanny stood stock-still in the middle of the floor, staring at it. There was no fire in the parlor17. She would be forced to bring him out to the kitchen. She thought of the wide, luxuriously18 furnished rooms of Bolton house and unconsciously her face hardened. She might pretend she did not hear the bell. She might allow him to go away, thinking none of the family were at home. She pictured him, standing19 there on the doorstep facing the closed door; and a perverse20 spirit held her silent, while the clock ticked resoundingly. Then all at once with a smothered21 cry she hurried through the hall, letting the door fall to behind her with a loud slam.
He was waiting patiently on the doorstep, as she had pictured him; and before a single word had passed between them she knew that the stone had been rolled away. His eyes met hers, not indeed with the old look, but with another, incomprehensible, yet wonderfully soul-satisfying.
“I wanted to tell you about it, before it came to you from the outside,” he said, when they had settled themselves in the warm, silent kitchen.
His words startled Fanny. Was he going to tell her of his approaching marriage to Lydia? Her color faded, and a look of almost piteous resignation drooped22 the corners of her mouth. She strove to collect her scattered23 wits, to frame words of congratulation with which to meet the dreaded24 avowal25.
He appeared in no hurry to begin; but bent26 forward, his eyes upon her changing face.
“Perhaps you know, already,” he reflected. “She may have told your brother.”
“Are you speaking of Miss Orr?”
Her voice sounded strange in her own ears.
“Yes,” he said slowly. “But I suppose one should give her her rightful name, from now on.”
“I—I hadn't heard,” said Fanny, feeling her hard-won courage slipping from her. “Jim didn't tell me. But of course I am not—surprised.”
He evidently experienced something of the emotion she had just denied.
“No one seemed to have guessed it,” he said. “But now everything is plain. Poor girl!”
He fell into a fit of musing27, which he finally broke to say:
“I thought you would go to see her. She sorely needs friends.”
“She has—you,” said Fanny in a smothered voice.
For the life of her she could not withhold28 that one lightning flash out of her enveloping29 cloud.
He disclaimed30 her words with a swift gesture.
“I'm not worthy31 to claim her friendship, nor yours,” he said humbly32; “but I hope you—sometime you may be able to forgive me, Fanny.”
“I don't think I understand what you have come to tell me,” she said with difficulty.
“The village is ringing with the news. She wanted every one to know; her father has come home.”
“Her father!”
“Ah, you didn't guess, after all. I think we were all blind. Andrew Bolton has come back to Brookville, a miserable33, broken man.”
“But you said—her father. Do you mean that Lydia Orr—”
“It wasn't a deliberate deception34 on her part,” he interrupted quickly. “She has always been known as Lydia Orr. It was her mother's name.”
Fanny despised herself for the unreasoning tumult35 of joy which surged up within her. He could not possibly marry Andrew Bolton's daughter!
He was watching her closely.
“I thought perhaps, if she consented, I would marry Lydia Orr,” he forced himself to tell her. “I want you to know this from me, now. I decided36 that her money and her position would help me.... I admired her; I even thought at one time I—loved her. I tried to love her.... I am not quite so base as to marry without love.... But she knew. She tried to save me.... Then her father—that wretched, ruined man came to me. He told me everything.... Fanny, that girl is a saint!”
His eyes were inscrutable under their somber37 brows. The girl sitting stiffly erect38, every particle of color drained from her young face, watched him with something like terror. Why was he telling her this?—Why? Why?
His next words answered her:
“I can conceive of no worse punishment than having you think ill of me.” ... And after a pause: “I deserve everything you may be telling yourself.”
But coherent thought had become impossible for Fanny.
“Why don't you marry her?” she asked clearly.
“Oh, I asked her. I knew I had been a cad to both of you. I asked her all right.”
Fanny's fingers, locked rigidly39 in her lap, did not quiver. Her blue eyes were wide and strange, but she tried to smile.
His voice, harsh and hesitating, went on: “She refused me, of course. She had known all along what I was. She said she did not love me; that I did not love her—which was God's truth. I wanted to atone40. You see that, don't you?”
He looked at Fanny and started.
“My God, Fanny!” he cried. “I have made you suffer too!”
“Never mind me.”
“Fanny, can you love me and be my wife after all this?”
“I am a woman,” said Fanny. Her eyes blazed angrily at him. Then she laughed and put up her mouth to be kissed.
“Men will make fools of women till the Day of Judgment,” said she, and laughed again.
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收听单词发音
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1
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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3
engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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4
drearily
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| 沉寂地，厌倦地，可怕地 | |
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5
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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6
cistern
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| n.贮水池 | |
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7
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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8
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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10
acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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11
whittle
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| v.削（木头），削减；n.屠刀 | |
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12
poignant
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| adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的 | |
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13
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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14
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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15
retrospect
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| n.回顾，追溯；v.回顾，回想，追溯 | |
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16
shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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17
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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18
luxuriously
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| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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19
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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20
perverse
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| adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的 | |
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21
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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22
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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24
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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25
avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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26
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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27
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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28
withhold
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| v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡 | |
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29
enveloping
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 ) | |
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30
disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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32
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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33
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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34
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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35
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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36
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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37
somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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38
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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39
rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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40
atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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