Chapter 4

 He came into the kitchen, two evenings later, from the parlor¹. His father sat by the table, reading his paper. His mother pottered about the turf fire, teasing it into flame. In a corner Joe sat, polishing the barrel of a breech-loading fowling-piece with an old rag. His father caught the glimpse of paper in his hand.

 

"Were you writing, Willie John?"

 

"Ay," Grant answered; "I was writing a letter to America."

 

He moved toward the fireplace and turned slowly about again to his father.

 

"You were saying," he asked, "that that place of McKenna's was for sale. I wonder how much he 'd want for it."

 

"He 'd take four thousand pounds," his father answered. "Maybe less."

 

"I 'm afraid I have n't got that much." Grant shook his head. "I 've only two thousand."

 

"We can lend you the difference, Willie John," Joe broke in. He squinted² down the barrel of the rifle. "Can't we, Dad?"

 

"Ay sure!" his father answered.

 

"I 'm much obliged to both of you," Grant said.

 

He reached for his hat.

 

"Are you going out, Willie John?" his mother asked.

 

"I thought I 'd go up and call on Eunice Doran," Grant answered her. "I might as well be neighborly."

 

He went out, and there was silence in the kitchen for a few minutes. Joe clicked the lock of the gun.

 

"Do you mind that wild gander I put a ring on three years ago?" he asked his father. "It's back again. I saw it over the marshes⁴ to-day."

 

"It 'll take a mate and settle down in the marsh³ now." His father nodded. "It took it three years to find out that home is a good place. It's a queer, silly bird—the barnacle goose."

 

A little ripple⁵ of laughter came from the mother's lips as she stood over and poked⁶ the turf. The elder Grant looked up, astonished.

 

"What are you laughing at, Sarah Ann?" he inquired.

 

"I was thinking," she answered.

 

"What was it you were thinking about?" he pursued.

 

"Oh nothing!" she parried. "I was just thinking."

 

And she went on teasing the fire, while a subtle, affectionate smile played about the corners of her eyes.

1 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

2 squinted   

斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看

参考例句：

• Pulling his rifle to his shoulder he squinted along the barrel. 他把枪顶肩，眯起眼睛瞄准。
• I squinted through the keyhole. 我从锁眼窥看。

3 marsh   

n.沼泽，湿地

参考例句：

• There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。
• I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。

4 marshes   

n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
• We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

6 poked   

v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交

参考例句：

• She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
• His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》