CHAPTER XXIV. HOME AGAIN.

Then tell me, what have you brought home? If but an olive leaf, let us have it; come, unpack¹ your budget.
Mrs. Jameson.

Up at four o’clock; the Falls yet unvisited by the sun’s early beams. The birds were singing their merriest song, as Norman and his mother, after an early breakfast, got into the carriage, and rode along that wonderful river to the Suspension Bridge. A wondering glance at the fearful depths below, as the water rolled on beneath, mighty² in its seeming stillness, a last lingering look at the Falls as they crossed the Suspension Bridge, and they were at the station.

In the cars of the Central Railroad; how rapidly they were borne onward³! how hot and dusty it soon became! Lockport, 264with its wild scenery, its commanding views, and its splendid locks on the canal, letting down its waters from a great height, interested Norman more than anything he saw. Then the salt lakes, near Syracuse, and the great salt works there!

But Norman was in no mood for enjoyment⁴. The water, of which he drank so freely at Niagara, had disagreed with him, and he suffered a good deal of pain.

“Mother, please do not go to Trenton Falls.”

“O Norman, you would enjoy seeing them very much; they are so very beautiful!”

“I would not enjoy them at all now; but do not let me keep you from going.”

Mrs. Lester hesitated. She was most anxious to visit that spot, so perfectly⁵ satisfying in its wild beauty; but it would be a great drawback to enjoy it alone, and she concluded to defer⁶ it till some more 265auspicious moment. She little thought of the tragedy that would have saddened her visit!

That afternoon a boy of fourteen fell from one of the rocky ledges⁷, and was at once swallowed up in those engulfing⁸ waters. His brother, who was with him, missed him, and saw his hat floating in the rapid stream. They had been brought there, with their mother, to spend a few weeks, by their father, who had returned to his business in town.

And so, at Utica, instead of going to Trenton, as she anticipated, Mrs. Lester resumed her place in the cars, and looked that afternoon upon the lovely Mohawk Valley, as it was unrolled before her view.

At East Albany Norman was looking out of the cars at the up-train, which had just arrived, and at a little boy running under the cars, in front of those great wheels that would crush him to atoms if 266the train moved while he was in his perilous⁹ position, when Mrs. Lester exclaimed, “Why, there’s your Aunt Augusta and Aunt Helen!” Glances of recognition, mute gestures, but no words possible, as the train was just starting.

“They are going to Trenton and Niagara,” said Mrs. Lester. “If we had gone to Trenton we would have met them there. There is your Uncle Charles waving good-by from the platform.”

“And there were Bessie and Edith,” said Norman, mournfully.

“I think not,” replied Mrs. Lester. “I did not see them.”

“But I am sure I saw them,” said Norman; “and that will take away half my pleasure in getting home. I was looking forward to telling them about all what I had seen.”

At the dep?t Mrs. Lester was kindly¹⁰ greeted by Mrs. Eiledon, who insisted upon sending her home in her carriage. 267After leaving Mrs. Eiledon at Ellesmere, they drove on to the Glen. How beautiful everything looked in this region of valleys and hills! How glorious was the sunset behind those grand, blue mountains! How refreshing¹¹ the soft evening breezes, after the heat and dust of the cars!

Home again. Norman’s heart leaped up within him.

“How surprised they will be! Mother, put your vail down, and they will think it is Mrs. —— come to pay a visit.”

As they drove through the wood, and came in sight of the cottage, Norman sprang to his feet, and waving his hat round and round, shouted a loud hurra. Even then the party on the veranda¹² did not recognize the returning travelers in the gathering¹³ twilight¹⁴. They fancied them on the distant waters of Lake Superior, and were greatly astonished to see their familiar faces, as they sprung out of 268the carriage. There was a loud and prolonged shout of welcome, and cordial embraces from mother, and sisters, and aunts, and cousins. Yes, Norman’s little cousins, Bessie and Edith, were there, in spite of the vision he had had of them in the up-train, and their voices were loud and merry all the evening.

It was with deep gratitude¹⁵ to God that Norman and his mother retired¹⁶ to rest that evening. They were thankful that his kind providence¹⁷ had watched over them in their journey of more than three thousand miles, and had brought them home again, to find those whom they loved well and happy.

The End

1 unpack   

vt.打开包裹（或行李），卸货

参考例句：

• I must unpack before dinner.我得在饭前把行李打开。
• She said she would unpack the items later.她说以后再把箱子里的东西拿出来。

2 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

3 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

4 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

5 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

6 defer   

vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从

参考例句：

• We wish to defer our decision until next week.我们希望推迟到下星期再作出决定。
• We will defer to whatever the committee decides.我们遵从委员会作出的任何决定。

7 ledges   

n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台

参考例句：

• seabirds nesting on rocky ledges 海鸟在岩架上筑巢
• A rusty ironrod projected mournfully from one of the window ledges. 一个窗架上突出一根生锈的铁棒，真是满目凄凉。 来自辞典例句

8 engulfing   

adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了，使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句

9 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

10 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。

11 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

12 veranda   

n.走廊；阳台

参考例句：

• She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
• They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

13 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

14 twilight   

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。

15 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

16 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

17 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。