“’Tain’t no use to hurry now,” he quavered. “Them other two’ll have the good rooms.”
J. Rufus, from natural impulse, followed in immediately. There was no one behind the little counter, but the young grocery drummer, having hastily inspected the sparse13 entries of the preceding days, had registered himself for room two.
“There ain’t a single transient in the house, Billy,” he said, turning to the dry-goods and notion salesman, “so I’ll just put you down for number three.”
A buxom14 young woman came out of the adjoining dining-room, wiping her red hands and arms upon a water-spattered gingham apron15.
“Three of us, Molly,” said the older salesman. “Hustle up the dinner,” and out of pure friendliness16 he started to chuck her under the chin, whereat she wheeled and slapped him a resounding17 whack18 and ran away laughing. This vigorous retort, being entirely19 expected, was passed without comment, and the two commercial travelers took off their coats to “wash up” at the tin basins in the corner. The aged driver, intercepting20 them to collect, came in to Wallingford, [Pg 221]who, noting the custom, had already subscribed21 his name with a flourish upon the register.
“Two shillin’,” quavered the ancient one at his elbow.
Wallingford gave him twice the amount he asked for, and the old man was galvanized into instant fluttering activity. He darted22 out of the door with surprising agility23, and returned with two pieces of Wallingford’s bright and shining luggage, which he surveyed reverently24 as he placed them in front of the counter. Two more pieces, equally rich, he brought, and on the third trip the proprietor25’s son, a brawny26 boy of fifteen, clad in hickory shirt, blue overalls27 and plow28 shoes, and with his sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, helped him in with Wallingford’s big sole-leather dresser trunk.
“Gee!” said the boy to Wallingford, beaming upon this array of expensive baggage. “What do you sell?”
“White elephants, son,” replied Wallingford, so gravely that the boy took two minutes to decide that the rich stranger was “fresh.”
It was not until dinner was called that any one displayed the least interest in the register, and then the proprietor, a tall, cowboy-like man, with drooping31 [Pg 222]mustaches and a weather-browned face, came in with his trousers tucked into his top boots.
“Hello, Joe! Hello, Billy!” he said, nodding to the two traveling men. “How’s business?”
“Rotten!” returned the grocery drummer.
“Fine!” asserted the dry-goods salesman. “Our house hasn’t done so much business in five years.” Sotto voce, he turned to the young drummer. “Never give it away that business is on the bum,” he said out of his years of experience.
The tall proprietor examined the impressively groomed32 Wallingford and his impressive luggage with some curiosity, and went behind the little counter to inspect the register.
“I’d like two rooms and a bath,” said Wallingford, as the other looked up thoughtfully.
“Two! Two?” repeated Jim Ranger30, looking about the room. “Some ladies with you? Mother or sister, maybe?”
“No,” answered Wallingford, smiling. “A bedroom and sitting-room33 and a bath for myself.”
“Sitting-room?” repeated the proprietor. “You know, you can sit in this office till the ’leven-ten’s in every night, and then the parlor’s—” He hesitated, and, seeing the unresponsive look upon his [Pg 223]guest’s face, he added hastily: “Oh, well, I reckon I can fix it. We can move a bed out of number five, and I’ll have the bath-tub and the water sent up as soon as you need it. This is wash-day, you know, and they’ve got the rinse34 water in it. I reckon you won’t want it before to-night, though.”
“No,” said J. Rufus quietly, and sighed.
Immediately after lunch, J. Rufus, inquiring again for the proprietor, was told by Molly that he was in the barn, indicating its direction with a vague wave of her thumb. Wallingford went out to the enormous red barn, its timbers as firm as those of the hotel were flimsy, its lines as rigidly35 perpendicular36 as those of the hotel were out of plumb37, its doors and windows as square-angled as those of the hotel were askew38. Across its wide front doors, opening upon the same wide, cracked old stone sidewalk as the hotel, was a big sign kept fresh and bright: “J. H. Ranger, Livery and Sales Stable.” Here Wallingford found the proprietor and the brawny boy in the middle of the wide barn floor, in earnest consultation39 over the bruised40 hock of a fine, big, draft horse.
“I’d like to get a good team and a driver for this afternoon,” observed Wallingford.
[Pg 224]
“You’ve come to the right place,” declared Jim Ranger heartily41, and when he straightened up he no longer looked awkward and out of place, as he had in the hotel office, but seemed a graceful42 part of the surrounding picture. “Bob, get out that little sorrel team and hitch43 it up to the new buggy for the gentleman,” and as Bob sprang away with alacrity44 he turned to Wallingford. “They’re not much to look at, that sorrel team,” he explained, “but they can go like a couple of rats, all day, at a good, steady clip, up hill and down.”
“Fine,” said Wallingford, who was somewhat of a connoisseur45 in horses, and he surveyed the under-sized, lithe-limbed, rough-coated sorrels with approval as they were brought stamping out of their stalls, though, as he climbed into his place, he regretted that they were not more in keeping with the handsome buggy.
“Which way?” asked Bob, as he gathered up the reins46.
“The country just outside of town, in all directions,” directed Wallingford briefly47.
“All right,” said Bob with a click to the little horses, and clattering48 out of the door they turned to the right, away from the broad, shady street of [Pg 225]old maples49, and were almost at once in the country. For a mile or two there were gently undulating farms of rich, black loam51, and these Wallingford inspected in careful turn.
“Seems to be good land about here,” he observed.
“Best in the world,” said the youngster. “Was you thinkin’ of buyin’ a farm?”
Wallingford smiled and shook his head.
“I scarcely think so,” he replied.
“’Twouldn’t do you any good if you was,” retorted Bob. “There ain’t a farm hereabouts for sale.”
To prove it, he pointed52 out the extent of each farm, gave the name of its owner and told how much he was worth, to all of which Wallingford listened most intently.
They had been driving to the east, but, coming to a fork in the road leading to the north, Bob took that turning without instructions, still chattering53 his local Bradstreet. Along this road was again rich and smiling farm land, but Wallingford, seeming throughout the drive to be eagerly searching for something, evinced a new interest when they came to a grove54 of slender, straight-trunked trees.
“Old man Mescott gets a hundred gallons of [Pg 226]maple50 syrup55 out of that grove every spring,” said Bob in answer to a query56. “He gets two dollars a gallon, then he stays drunk till plumb the middle of summer. Was you thinkin’ of buyin’ a maple grove?”
Wallingford looked back in thoughtful speculation57, but ended by shaking his head, more to himself than to Bob.
They passed through a woods.
“Good timber land, that,” suggested Wallingford.
“Good timber land! I should say it was,” said Bob. “There’s nigh a hundred big walnut58 trees back in there a ways, to say nothing of all the fine oak an’ hick’ry, but old man Cass won’t touch an ax to nothing but underbrush. He says he’s goin’ to will ’em to his grandchildren, and by the time they grow up it’ll be worth their weight in money. Was you thinkin’ of buyin’ some timber land?”
Wallingford again hesitated over that question, but finally stated that he was not.
“Here’s the north road back into town,” said Bob, as they came to a cross-road, and as they gained the top of the elevation59 they could look down and see, a mile or so away, the little town, its gray roofs and red chimneys peeping from out its sheltering of [Pg 227]green leaves. Just beyond the intersection60 the side of the hill had been cut away, and clean, loose gravel29 lay there in a broad mass. Wallingford had Bob halt while he inspected this.
“Good gravel bank,” he commented.
“I reckon it is,” agreed Bob. “They come clear over from Highville and from Appletown and even from Jenkins Corners to get that gravel, and Tom Kerrick dresses his whole family off of that bank. He wouldn’t sell it for any money. Was you thinkin’ of buying a gravel bank, mister?”
Instead of replying Wallingford indicated another broken hillside farther on, where shale61 rock had slipped loosely down, like a disintegrated62 slate63 roof, to a seeping64 hollow.
“Is that stone good for anything?” he asked.
“Nothing in the world,” replied Bob. “It rots right up. If you was thinkin’ of buyin’ a stone quarry65 now, there’s a fine one up the north road yonder.”
Wallingford laughed and shook his head.
“I wasn’t thinking of buying a stone quarry,” said he.
Bob Ranger looked shrewdly and yet half-impatiently at the big young man by his side.
[Pg 228]
“You’re thinkin’ o’ buyin’ somethin’; I know that,” he opined.
Wallingford chuckled66 and dropped his big, plump hand on the other’s shoulder.
“Elephant hay only,” he kindly67 explained; “just elephant hay for white elephants,” whereat the inquisitive68 Bob, mumbling69 something to himself about “freshness,” relapsed into hurt silence.
In this silence they passed far to the northwest of the town, and a much-gullied highway led them down toward the broader west road. Here again, as they headed straight in to Blakeville with their backs to the descending70 sun, were gently undulating farm lands, but about half a mile out of town they came to a wide expanse of black swamp, where cat-tails and calamus held sole possession. Before this swamp Wallingford paused in long and thoughtful contemplation.
“Who owns this?” he asked.
“Jonas Bubble,” answered Bob, recovering cheerfully from his late rebuff. “Gosh! He’s the richest man in these parts. Owns three hundred acres of this fine farmin’ land we just passed, owns the mill down yander by the railroad station, has a hide and seed and implement71 store up-town, and lives in the [Pg 229]finest house anywhere around Blakeville; regular city house. That’s it, on ahead. Was you thinkin’ o’ buyin’ some swamp land?”
To this Wallingford made no reply. He was gazing backward over that useless little valley, its black waters now turned velvet72 crimson73 as they caught the slant74 of the reddening sun.
“Here’s Jonas Bubble’s house,” said Bob presently.
It was the first house outside of Blakeville—a big, square, pretentious-looking place, with a two-story porch in front and a quantity of scroll-sawed ornaments75 on eaves and gables and ridges76, on windows and doors and cornices, and with bright brass77 lightning-rods projecting upward from every prominence78. At the gate stood, bare-headed, a dark-haired and strikingly pretty girl, with a rarely olive-tinted complexion79, through which, upon her oval cheeks, glowed a clear, roseate under-tint. She was fairly slender, but well rounded, too, and very graceful.
“Hello, Fannie!” called Bob, with a jerk at his flat-brimmed straw hat.
“Hello, Bob!” she replied with equal heartiness80, her bright eyes, however, fixed81 in inquiring curiosity upon the stranger.
“That’s Jonas Bubble’s girl,” explained Bob, as they drove on. “She’s a good looker, but she won’t spoon.”
Wallingford, grinning over the fatal defect in Fannie Bubble, looked back at the girl.
“She would make a Casino chorus look like a row of Hallowe’en confectionery junk,” he admitted.
“Fannie, come right in here and get supper!” shrilled82 a harsh voice, and in the doorway83 of the Bubble homestead they saw an overly-plump figure in a green silk dress.
“Gosh!” said Bob, and hit one of the little sorrel horses a vindictive84 clip. “That’s Fannie’s stepmother. Jonas Bubble married his hired girl two years ago, and now they don’t hire any. She makes Fannie do the work.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
rattling
|
|
| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
decrepit
|
|
| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
groan
|
|
| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
rattle
|
|
| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
atlas
|
|
| n.地图册，图表集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
gaudy
|
|
| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
ponderous
|
|
| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
ineffable
|
|
| adj.无法表达的，不可言喻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
fabric
|
|
| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
bosom
|
|
| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
aged
|
|
| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
sparse
|
|
| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
buxom
|
|
| adj.（妇女）丰满的，有健康美的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
apron
|
|
| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
friendliness
|
|
| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
resounding
|
|
| adj. 响亮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
whack
|
|
| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
intercepting
|
|
| 截取（技术），截接 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
subscribed
|
|
| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
agility
|
|
| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
reverently
|
|
| adv.虔诚地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
proprietor
|
|
| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
brawny
|
|
| adj.强壮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
overalls
|
|
| n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
plow
|
|
| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
gravel
|
|
| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
ranger
|
|
| n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
drooping
|
|
| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
groomed
|
|
| v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
sitting-room
|
|
| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
rinse
|
|
| v.用清水漂洗，用清水冲洗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
rigidly
|
|
| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
perpendicular
|
|
| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
plumb
|
|
| adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
askew
|
|
| adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
consultation
|
|
| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
bruised
|
|
| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
graceful
|
|
| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
hitch
|
|
| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
alacrity
|
|
| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
connoisseur
|
|
| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
reins
|
|
| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
clattering
|
|
| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
maples
|
|
| 槭树，枫树( maple的名词复数 )； 槭木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
maple
|
|
| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
loam
|
|
| n.沃土 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
chattering
|
|
| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
grove
|
|
| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
syrup
|
|
| n.糖浆，糖水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
query
|
|
| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
speculation
|
|
| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
walnut
|
|
| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
elevation
|
|
| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
intersection
|
|
| n.交集，十字路口，交叉点；[计算机] 交集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
shale
|
|
| n.页岩，泥板岩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
disintegrated
|
|
| v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
slate
|
|
| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
seeping
|
|
| v.（液体）渗( seep的现在分词 )；渗透；渗出；漏出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
quarry
|
|
| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
inquisitive
|
|
| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
mumbling
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
descending
|
|
| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
implement
|
|
| n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
slant
|
|
| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
ornaments
|
|
| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
ridges
|
|
| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
prominence
|
|
| n.突出；显著；杰出；重要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
complexion
|
|
| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
heartiness
|
|
| 诚实，热心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
shrilled
|
|
| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
vindictive
|
|
| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |