Chapter 5

UNCLE WILLIAM was wondering whether he could leave the frying-pan another day. He had promised Benjy he would come up... the sun was shining and Benjy needed him. He went to the door, with the pan in his hand, and looked out. He took in great sniffs¹ of salt air, looking over his spectacles at the moor² and the sky light on the rocks and the stretch of his face was mild and happy, and his look rested casually³ on a figure that had left the beach and was coming up the rocky path. Presently he leaned forward, waving the frying-pan back and forth⁴. “‘Morning, George,” he called.

The young man came on, with even, swift steps that did not hurry. He held an envelope in his hand. “Letter for you, Uncle,” he said.

Uncle William laid down the frying-pan and held out his hand. A mild and benevolent⁵ curiosity held the big face. His look welcomed the whole world shut up in the bit of envelope. He took it and studied the inscription⁶ and pushed up his spectacles, looking at the young man with satisfaction. “Set down, Georgie,” he said—“It’s from Celia.”

“Who’s Celia?” asked the young man. He seated himself on a rock and plucked a stem of grass, taking it in his teeth.

Uncle William looked at him again and settled slowly into the doorway—filling it, with the big, checked apron⁷ about him—“You ain’t ever seen Celia, I reckon?” he said.

“Don’t believe I have,” responded

George. He was looking across the harbor, turning the bit of grass between his teeth. His glance sought the envelope again, “Come from around here?” he asked.

Uncle William opened it with slow, careful fingers. “Well, not exactly round here.” He drew out the sheet and smoothed it on his knee and rubbed his fingers on his apron, and took up the paper, holding it arm’s length. “It’s somebody ’t ’s coming to live with us,” he explained kindly⁸.

“Oh—?”

Uncle William read on. He laid down the paper and took off his glasses, waving them at the landscape. “Some like a woman!” he said.

George turned and looked behind him.

“I don’t mean off there,” said Uncle William, “I mean here—what she says,” He took up the letter, “She says she can’t come yet—not just yet.” He mumbled⁹ to the words kindly.... “It’s her clothes,” he volunteered, “She’s got to get some new ones or fix her old ones, or suthin—I don’t just understand what ’tis she’s doin’.”

“Don’t need to, do you!” said the young man. His tone was even, and a little contemptuous.

Uncle William eyed him a minute. “You wa ’n’t ever much acquainted with women, was ye, George?”

“I don’t know as I was,” said the young man. “Too busy, I guess.”

“Yes—you al’ays keep a-doin’—same as I do,” said Uncle William. “But I’ve kind o’ watched ’em—between times—women. They’re interestin’,” he added, “—a leetle more interesting ’n men be, I reckon.”

A little smile held the face opposite him. “Men are good enough for me,” he said.

“You can talk to men—sensible—know what they mean.”

“That’s it,” said Uncle William, “I reckon that’s what I like about women—you can’t tell what they mean—it keeps you guessing, kind of—makes you feel lively in your mind.”

“My mind’s lively enough without that,” said George carelessly. His eye was on the dark water and the little white-caps that rode on it.

“Well, I do’ ’no’. I like to have a good many things to think about—when I’m settin’,” said Uncle William, “and when I’m sailin’. I keep quite a lot of ’em tucked away in my mind somewheres—and fetch ’em out when I have a minute or two, quiet-like, to myself.” He touched the letter in his hand, almost reverently¹⁰, “The’s suthin about women ’t I can’t make out—” he said, “If it’s a wedding or a funeral or going away, or whatever ’tis—most the first thing they think about is their clothes—like Celia here—” he touched the letter again.... “Now, that’s interestin’—’bout their clothes, ain’t it!” He beamed on him.

The young man returned the look tolerantly. “Foolishness,” he said.

Uncle William nodded. “I know—foolishness for you and me and Andy—and for Benjy, mebbe. But ’tain’t foolishness for women. You can see that, the way they do it. It’s kind o’ like goin’ to church to ’em and they don’t really feel right without they’re doing it.... It’s kind o’ pretty to see ’em—al’ays a-makin’ and plannin’—and makin’ ’em for the little ones ’fore they come—turning ’em over, and showin’ ’em to other women, like enough—not sayin’ much—just lookin’ at ’em.”

The young man on the rock stirred uneasily.

Uncle William went on hastily. “I reckon it ain’t wrong for Celia to think about getting her clothes ready.” He was smiling at the letter. “It’s when they stop thinkin’ about ’em that it’s wrong.... Why, it’s kind o’ awful!” he added severely¹¹.

The young man laughed out. Suddenly he stopped and looked at Uncle William. “—Like Andy’s wife’s!” he said.

“Like Harr’et,” assented¹² Uncle William. “Harr’et ’ll wear anything—anything ’t covers her, that is. She ’d wear sailcloth, I reckon, if ’t wa ’n’t so hard to sew—old ones, you know, ’t was wore out for sailin’. Harr’et wouldn’t waste new sails on her.... And that kind o’ hard way she has of doin’ her hair—like a doughnut—only harder—” Uncle William rubbed the back of his head reflectively. “I do’ ’no’ what ’tis about Harr’et. I al’ays feel’s if the woman part of her was gone off somewheres.... It’s the woman part ’t makes ’em interestin’, I reckon. You al’ays kind o’ wonder—”

“Andy don’t wonder much,” said the young man. “He’s learned mostly.” He was regarding Uncle William curiously¹³ and his face had an alert look. “I never thought about women that way before,” he said, turning the bit of grass in his teeth. “You make ’em seem interesting, Uncle William—as interesting as a boat—or fishing—or doing arithmetic.” He laughed out.

“Celia’s letter reads to me ’s if she ’d kind o’ keep you guessing,” said Uncle William, taking it up.

“I’ve got to be going,” said George. He stood up.

“Now, don’t you go yet awhile, Georgie.” Uncle William got to his feet, looking about him, “The’s two-three little things I wanted to ask you about. The ketch to my cupboard door don’t work good.”

They went into the house and Uncle William tucked the letter behind the clock.

The young man examined the lock and took a file from his pocket and filed the catch a little, whistling softly. His face had a keen, happy look.

Uncle William filled the tea-kettle and put it on and came across and bent¹⁴ over the young man, a hand on either knee. “I al’ays like to watch ye doin’ things, George. You do ’em so kind o’ neat.”

The young man snapped the catch two or three times in the lock—“That ’ll work,” he said. He got to his feet, slipping the file into his pocket.

“Benjy needs somebody like you up to his place,” said Uncle William.

“I thought he ’d got a man from Boston.” The tone was non-committal and dry. The young man was looking at the window.

“Well, I guess he’s got somebody—He’s from Boston—yes. Benjy’s a good deal bothered,” added Uncle William hopefully.

George shook his head. “I don’t want to be building—as long as the fishing suits me.”

“Cod—so far,” said Uncle William.

“You can ’t tell what ’ll be along any day now,” said the young man. He moved toward the door.

“You think it over, George,” said Uncle William—he held up a benignant hand and cut off the answer—“You just think it over. Mebbe he won’t need you. But if he does—you ’ll hev to help him out, I guess. He’s livin’ on the Island now, you know, same as the rest of us.”

1 sniffs   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的第三人称单数 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When a dog smells food, he usually sniffs. 狗闻到食物时常吸鼻子。 来自辞典例句
• I-It's a difficult time [ Sniffs ] with my husband. 最近[哭泣]和我丈夫出了点问题。 来自电影对白

2 moor   

n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊

参考例句：

• I decided to moor near some tourist boats.我决定在一些观光船附近停泊。
• There were hundreds of the old huts on the moor.沼地上有成百上千的古老的石屋。

3 casually   

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。

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 benevolent   

adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的

参考例句：

• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
• He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。

6 inscription   

n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文

参考例句：

• The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。
• He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。

7 apron   

n.围裙；工作裙

参考例句：

• We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
• She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。

8 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

9 mumbled   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话，可我没太听清楚。
• George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。

10 reverently   

adv.虔诚地

参考例句：

• He gazed reverently at the handiwork. 他满怀敬意地凝视着这件手工艺品。
• Pork gazed at it reverently and slowly delight spread over his face. 波克怀着愉快的心情看着这只表，脸上慢慢显出十分崇敬的神色。

11 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

12 assented   

同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
• "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

13 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

14 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。