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CHAPTER I
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 Through the still summer dusk the night mail for London roared down the long declivity1, clashed into a cutting and forth2 again, screamed, flashed past the deserted3 little station of Dunford, and thundered triumphantly4 along the level towards Kitty Carstairs.
 
Leaning on the fence bounding the track, the girl watched the tremendous approach with a fascination5 which custom had failed to dull.  As the monster seemed to leap upon her, her attitude lost its easy laxness; she stood erect6, her white-clad arms leaving the fence, her slim brown fingers clutching it.  A sensation of oily, steamy warmth, a glimpse of two dark human figures in a fiery7 glow—and the great engine was past.  A whirl of brilliantly-lighted corridors with their puppet-like occupants, a couple of darkened sleeping-cars, more carriages, a postal8 van, a p. 2guard’s van—and the train was gone.  A rush of air cooled her delicately-tanned face and disturbed her unprotected dark hair.  Her brown eyes gazed after the train, and saw the big net swing out from the postal van, and snatch the little leather-covered bundle from the iron arm, which Sam the postman had moved into position a minute earlier.
 
With a sigh Kitty took her hands from the fence.  The thrill was over, the reaction had come.  For a moment she hesitated.  Should she wait for Sam, the postman, as she sometimes did, and get his honest, cheerful company home?  No, she couldn’t be bothered with Sam to-night; she would sooner run the risk of meeting some one whom she would rather not meet.
 
She turned to cross the broad field that stretched between her and the main road, and found herself face to face with a young man in light tweeds, well cut but getting shabby.  He was fairly tall, grey-eyed, and inclined to fairness, and his shaven countenance9 was decidedly attractive.
 
“Good evening,” he said, with a grave smile, as though not quite sure of his welcome.
 
She was startled, but recovered herself as quickly as the flush left her cheek.  “Good evening, Mr. Hayward,” she returned in a tone of p. 3politeness softened10 by kindness.  “I didn’t know you were in Dunford.”
 
“I came home this afternoon.  May I walk a bit of the way with you?—that is if you aren’t—”  He stopped short.
 
Following his gaze she saw the figure of a man crossing the field in their direction.  She frowned slightly, saying: “You know your people won’t like it, Mr. Hayward.”  Then hurriedly—“I don’t want to have to speak to Mr. Symington—if that’s he coming.”
 
“Then I’ll stay with you, Kitty, for it’s certainly Symington.  Ah, he’s turning back.  One would almost think he had heard you.”
 
“He couldn’t possibly hear me at that distance, unless in his mind,” she said.  “And you had better not call me ‘Kitty,’ Mr. Hayward,” she added.  It was more an appeal than a command.
 
He made no reply, and they walked a little way in silence.  He was first to speak.
 
“So you still go down to watch the London mail run through.”
 
“Yes.  I don’t miss many evenings, but then, you know, it’s the one sensation of this place—to me, at any rate.”
 
“The first time I ever saw you was at the p. 4fence there—five years ago, it must have been.  Your hair was in a pigtail and—”
 
“I was sixteen then, and now I’m—about sixty.”  She laughed rather drearily11.
 
“And the last time I saw you, three months ago, you were there—”
 
“And no doubt if you come back in a hundred years, Mr. Hayward, you’ll find me there again!”
 
“I was glad to see you there to-night, Kitty—please don’t forbid me to be friendly.  I’m feeling particularly friendless at present.  Indeed, I think you might be kinder than call me ‘Mr. Hayward.’  What’s wrong with ‘Colin’?”
 
She ignored the question, but said kindly12 enough—“If you are in trouble, I’m sorry, and I hope it’s not serious.”
 
“I’ve failed in my final—for the second time.”
 
“Oh, Colin!” she exclaimed, sympathy putting an end to formality.
 
“Thanks, Kitty.  That’s the most comforting thing I’ve heard since I came home.”
 
“Surely they weren’t hard on you.”  Kitty’s social position was several steps down from that of Colin’s people, but behind her words lurked13 the suspicion, not based entirely14 on fancy, that the Haywards might have been very hard indeed on the youngest son and brother.
 
p. 5“Oh, I daresay I deserved the dressing-down I got,” he returned.  “You see my parents, brothers, and sisters take my failure as a sort of public affront15.  My brothers have been brilliant, and because two of them became a minister and a lawyer without any apparent trouble, my father can’t see why I have not become a doctor with equal ease and speed.”
 
“But you never wanted to be a doctor.”
 
“That is not the point, Kitty.  I was expected to become one.  Well, I’ve struggled through four professionals, but Providence—I’ve no doubt about its being Providence—says I’ve gone far enough for humanity’s sake.”
 
“Do you mean that you are not going to try again?” she asked after a moment.
 
“Exactly!  And that has added to the trouble at home.  I’m twenty-five, and I told them that I could not go on wasting more years at a thing I was plainly not adapted for.  They insisted that I should go on, and I respectfully but firmly refused.”  He paused.
 
“Well, Colin?”—anxiously.
 
“I don’t want you to imagine,” he said slowly, “that I’m thinking any evil of my people.  I understand their feelings, their pride, and so on, well enough; but they don’t understand me one p. 6little bit.  Well, I’m going to look for something to do that doesn’t require a university brain.  To begin with, I’m going to London—”
 
“London!  Oh!”
 
“Still hankering, Kitty?” he gently inquired.
 
“Never mind me.  Please tell me more—if you want to.”
 
“There isn’t any more.  If you are watching the train to-morrow night, you may see the last of me.  I’ll be on the look out, anyway.”
 
They had come to the gate leading to the main road, and by tacit agreement they halted.
 
“But you haven’t quarrelled with your people, Colin?”
 
He smiled queerly.  “We don’t quarrel in our family—more’s the pity.  We bottle it up, and of course that preserves the resentment16.  So, as far as I can see, we shall part politely, but I’m perfectly17 well aware that I needn’t trouble to come home again until I can prove that my way was the right one.”  His tone changed suddenly.  “But that’s enough—too much—about my affairs.  Tell me something about yourself, Kitty.”
 
She shook her head.  “I must go; it’s almost ten, and—”
 
“Let me come as far as the end of the little wood.”
 
p. 7She hesitated and gave in.  It was for the last time.  “We must walk quickly, then,” she said.
 
But their steps lagged in the darkness of the pines.
 
“Do you still want to get away from Dunford?” he asked her.  “Does the London train still call you?”
 
“Oh, don’t speak about it!  And please try to forget that I ever spoke18 about it.  I’m a silly girl no longer.”
 
“I never thought your ideas and ambitions silly, Kitty.”
 
“You tried to discourage them,” she said quickly.
 
“That was my selfishness.  I didn’t want you to go away from Dunford.  It may not be a very lively place, but it’s safe.  Quite a number of people seem to find moderate happiness in the neighbourhood.”
 
“The happiness of turnips19!” she said fiercely, then laughed sadly.  “Oh, that wasn’t fair of me,” she went on.  “But, you know, before I came to live with my aunt and uncle here, I always looked forward to seeing the world and doing something in it, and my father encouraged me—but there’s no use in going over that again.  p. 8Some day, perhaps, I’ll resign myself to selling postage stamps, and sending telegrams and—”
 
“Are your uncle and aunt still set against your going elsewhere?  Now that you’re of age they could hardly prevent—”
 
“Please say no more, Colin.  When you come back rich or famous, or both, you will find me here.”
 
He could not check the words that rushed from his heart.  “Kitty, if I could only hope that I might find you here—waiting.”
 
She did not affect to misunderstand him.
 
“You don’t really mean that,” she said quietly.  “We are too good friends for that sort of thing.  Yes, I believe we are good friends, although our friendship has not all been open and straightforward20.  But I’m glad we’ve had it, Colin, and I don’t want to be sorry afterwards.”
 
“I never supposed you could love me,” he said sadly, “but since you allow the friendship, will you let me write to you?  You’re the only friend I feel I want to write to while I’m trying to prove that my way is the right one.”
 
She considered before she said, “I’d like to hear from you, but you must not write.  It will only make trouble.  And now I must say good-bye and—good luck.”  She put out her hand.
 
p. 9He held it, striving with himself.  Then he said a little unsteadily, “I think you must know that I have cared for you all along, and because I may never see you again, will you—will you let me kiss you—once?”
 
“But, Colin, you understand that I—I don’t love you?”
 
“Too well!”
 
She could just see that his face was white.  She made an almost imperceptible movement, and it was not of refusal.
 
A moment later he was gone.
 
When the sound of his footsteps had ceased, Kitty stirred.
 
“Am I crying?” she said to herself, and wiped her eyes.  “Poor Colin, poor boy! I wonder if he will write, after all.”  She started for home.  “And I thought I had sort of got over the London longing,” she sighed.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 declivity 4xSxg     
n.下坡,倾斜面
参考例句:
  • I looked frontage straightly,going declivity one by one.我两眼直视前方,一路下坡又下坡。
  • He had rolled down a declivity of twelve or fifteen feet.他是从十二尺或十五尺高的地方滚下来的。
2 forth Hzdz2     
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。
3 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
参考例句:
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
4 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地
参考例句:
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
5 fascination FlHxO     
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋
参考例句:
  • He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
  • His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。
6 erect 4iLzm     
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的
参考例句:
  • She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头,把背挺得笔直。
  • Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。
7 fiery ElEye     
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的
参考例句:
  • She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
  • His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。
8 postal EP0xt     
adj.邮政的,邮局的
参考例句:
  • A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
  • Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。
9 countenance iztxc     
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同
参考例句:
  • At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
  • I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地,仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。
10 softened 19151c4e3297eb1618bed6a05d92b4fe     
(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰
参考例句:
  • His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
  • The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。
11 drearily a9ac978ac6fcd40e1eeeffcdb1b717a2     
沉寂地,厌倦地,可怕地
参考例句:
  • "Oh, God," thought Scarlett drearily, "that's just the trouble. "啊,上帝!" 思嘉沮丧地想,"难就难在这里呀。
  • His voice was utterly and drearily expressionless. 他的声调,阴沉沉的,干巴巴的,完全没有感情。
12 kindly tpUzhQ     
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。
13 lurked 99c07b25739e85120035a70192a2ec98     
vi.潜伏,埋伏(lurk的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The murderers lurked behind the trees. 谋杀者埋伏在树后。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Treachery lurked behind his smooth manners. 他圆滑姿态的后面潜伏着奸计。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
14 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
15 affront pKvy6     
n./v.侮辱,触怒
参考例句:
  • Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
  • This remark caused affront to many people.这句话得罪了不少人。
16 resentment 4sgyv     
n.怨愤,忿恨
参考例句:
  • All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
  • She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。
17 perfectly 8Mzxb     
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。
18 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
19 turnips 0a5b5892a51b9bd77b247285ad0b3f77     
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。
20 straightforward fFfyA     
adj.正直的,坦率的;易懂的,简单的
参考例句:
  • A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
  • I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。


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