I RETURN TO MY OLD HOME.

It was easy to get a train from Manchester to Scotland. I went in the night train and had a nice sleeping compartment¹, through to Glasgow, which I reached about 7 o'clock in the morning. I had been away for ten years, but the place looked so familiar, except that they had tramcars running all over the place. I got in one and was soon at Dr. Fargus' house. A male attendant opened the door and told me that Mrs. Fargus was at their summer house at the seaside. I asked for the daughter, and was told that she was at home. She was a married lady now. I saw her and she remembered me. I brought some wild flowers and shells for her mother from the Cape². She was pleased and told me that they expected her mother back that night. She asked me to stay, and so the first night in Scotland I was in what seemed to me my old, old home. It was a rest indeed.

Mrs. Fargus returned, and I had much to tell. My listeners looked appalled³; I saw tears in that dear lady's eyes, because of the ungenerousness of my husband. They would have liked me to go back to them again for all time, but I could not, however much I wished to do so, and although it was indeed a home of gladness. I slept that night in my same old bed. And the next day I went to see Mr. White, whom I had letters for, at Mary Hill, with his sons. He was in a bank in Glasgow, and he had a daughter in Adelaide. They had but one word to say—Would I come there? They had no other daughter. How they came clinging close to hear every word I could tell about their girl. There were three sons, and they were in Scotch⁴ Volunteers and wore the kilts. In the evening they brought a lot more in with kilts on to see a woman from Australia. I had one letter sent there. It was from Captain Alstone not to let me forget. I went then through the Slamannan, and after travelling about so much it did not seem far. For a time the rush of memories was awful. I got into the old identical train with a ticket for Slamannan. I cried all the way. I got there early in the afternoon. I could see no one whom I knew when I got out at the station, and I walked to the village. I saw one man whom I knew, and I made myself known to him. He took me to his home. His daughters and I were playmates as children.[Pg 110] In walking along with him I passed the house where we lived. The door was open, and I could see the gooseberry bush that I had planted. I was not in Mr. Boyd's house five minutes before there had gathered a crowd of the people whom I used to know. Certainly I was the object of so much eagerness and curiosity that it was a comedy. They said they came for "auld⁵ lang syne⁶." They questioned me as to whether I had seen Mr. So-and-So, who had gone to Melbourne. And someone else who had gone to Queensland. My brother-in-law's sister came and brought a large photo of her brother's place near Geelong. I remembered the man before he went there. They thought it strange I had not been to see him, as he was a prosperous and a rich man.

In a way I wondered where the young man was who had for seven years played so big a part in my life. So full of bitter memories was I that I was thankful to learn that he had gone to Wales. I was glad I did not see him. What would be the use? I shuddered⁷ at the thought. I was neither a wife nor a maid; I was nothing. It was a hard fate; yet I loved my own husband. He was so far from me and was lost for ever.

My visit to Slamannan was almost too much for me. I found many kind friends to take me here and there till I was utterly⁸ weary. I spent nearly all my time out of doors. As I stood again amongst the wild heather for the time it seemed unreal and dreamlike.

After two weeks had passed I received a telegram, telling me to be in London on a certain date. I knew where the ship was at anchor. So I only stopped one more day in Glasgow and got back by train to London. On board the City of Adelaide there were a good many passengers returning, but I did not in any way have to attend or do any act of waiting, except on the lady and her little boy. I had a nice cabin to myself and every comfort, beside a free passage for my services. The vessel⁹ was a few days in the London docks, and I stopped on the ship with the lady. I saw more of London than I had ever thought of seeing, with the captain and his wife. They took me with them, and they were very good to me. We all went to a market one afternoon; and, just think of it, I saw the tops of turnips¹⁰ sold at 4d. a pound. And as to the meat, I will leave that.

I felt by the movement one morning while in bed that once again we were passing through the Thames. How gently those sailing vessels¹¹ seem to go along if the wind is favorable, but the City of Adelaide began to roll about soon after leaving the river. There were more rough seas in her than when I was in the South Australian. There was no note of calling anywhere en route. The lady was a good sailor and they had a nice piano on board, which the lady played and the captain sang. The captain and his wife practised with firearms on the poop at night. She seemed to enjoy it; they asked me if I would like to use the gun and try, so that if[Pg 111] a mutiny should rise amongst the seamen¹² there would be us three with pistols. I would not, and I could not. Thanks be to goodness they were never wanted. I did not know what to think at the time, but afterwards I thought that they were merely joking with me and never thought any mutiny would rise. All went on so evenly with nothing but the glittering sea about that I loved so well.

I had no time to write much. The little boy's name was Roland, and he and I were great friends. We went all over the ship, and knew all the sails by name. To hear Roland calling out to the men to "let go" this or that made everyone laugh. There was a family returning to Adelaide, and one of their sons died when about half-way through the voyage. It was very sorrowful, for it came so suddenly. I knew the people. There was a medical man on board, which made us feel grateful. So the days slipped by. The captain said we were rounding Cape Horn, and anyway the ship got into a regular shoal of whales. It was awful, for wherever you looked you would see those horrid¹³ monsters. It was a nice calm morning, and I had Roland in my arms. He was in high glee, and started to make a hissing¹⁴ noise like them as they sent up jets of water, and the ship shook. When the captain got his gun and began shooting at them we were afraid of what they might do after being shot at. So much of them was under the water that the shots might not have the desired effect of killing¹⁵ them. I never knew if any were killed or not, but how thankful I felt when they left off firing. The nearness of the whales dazed us. Everyone said it was out of the common to see so many. There was only the sky above and the waters around, while we were in what was like an island of whales. There was a sense of gratitude¹⁶ when I felt the ship glide¹⁷ gently away and leave those animals behind in a cluster. Roland kept the memory up all through the homeward journey. He never tired of showing what the whales did. The ship did not call in anywhere all the voyage, but from the birds we saw there must have been land near at the time.

The young doctor's name was Clark. He was coming to Adelaide to practice. Someone told him I had been in South Australia, and he got chatting with me about the health of the people and the effect of the climate. I told him I had been in South Australia for ten years, and that it had cost me nothing for medicine in all that time, and that I had never to consult a doctor. He said he hoped that there were not many more like me in Adelaide, or he would have to go back. I learnt the name of the place he went to, but I have forgotten it. He shot a large bird and gave the skin to me. I had it made into a muff, and it is as good to-day as it was at first.

All the talk was concerning the time when the ship would be in port. Needless to say I had nothing hopeful to remember, and I[Pg 112] knew there would be little pleasure to have, as all had changed. Life had now no allurements¹⁸ for me, and the outside world no temptations. I could not help these feelings as the City of Adelaide was towed into Port Adelaide.

1 compartment   

n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间

参考例句：

• We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴，整个客车隔间由我们独享。
• The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。

2 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

3 appalled   

v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.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。

5 auld   

adj.老的，旧的

参考例句：

• Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind?怎能忘记旧日朋友，心中能不怀念？
• The party ended up with the singing of Auld Lang Sync.宴会以《友谊地久天长》的歌声而告终。

6 syne   

adv.自彼时至此时，曾经

参考例句：

• The meeting ended up with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.大会以唱《友谊地久天长》结束。
• We will take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne.让我们为了过去的好时光干一杯友谊的酒。

7 shuddered   

v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

9 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

10 turnips   

芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表

参考例句：

• Well, I like turnips, tomatoes, eggplants, cauliflowers, onions and carrots. 噢，我喜欢大萝卜、西红柿、茄子、菜花、洋葱和胡萝卜。 来自魔法英语-口语突破（高中）
• This is turnip soup, made from real turnips. 这是大头菜汤，用真正的大头菜做的。

11 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 seamen   

n.海员

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。

13 horrid   

adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的

参考例句：

• I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
• The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

14 hissing   

n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
• His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕

15 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

16 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。

17 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

18 allurements   

n.诱惑( allurement的名词复数 )；吸引；诱惑物；有诱惑力的事物

参考例句：

• The big cities are full of allurements on which to spend money. 大城市充满形形色色诱人花钱的事物。 来自《简明英汉词典》