The Ewes was in its normal condition; the parish was in its normal condition; the excitement of Harry11 Jardine's return to Whitethorn had died out; he might shoot, as it was September, or fish still, or farm, or ride, or read as he pleased. He retained his popularity. His father had been a popular man, fully12 more popular than Mr. Crawfurd of the Ewes. Harry was even more approved, [Page 31]for mingling13 with the world had smoothed down in him the intolerance of temper which beset14 his father. What did Joanna Crawfurd say to such compromising agreeability? Joanna was disarmed15 in his case; she contradicted herself, as we all do. She had the penetration16 to perceive that many externals went to raise Harry Jardine's price in the eyes of the world; externals which had little to do with the individual man,—youth, a good presence, a fair patrimony17, freedom from appropriating ties. Strip Harry of these, render him middle-aged18, time-worn or care-worn, reduce him to poverty, marry him, furnish him with a clamorous19 circle of connections, land-lock him with children! Would the difference not be startling? Would he need to be condemned20 for the world's favour, then? Joanna trowed not.
The Crawfurds met Mr. Jardine occasionally, but there was no probability of the acquaintance ripening21, since Mr. Crawfurd could not call for Harry at Whitethorn, and Harry did not see the necessity of offering his company at the Ewes. Mrs. Jardine had not visited much since the shock of her widowhood, and she only now began to recur22 to her long-disused visiting-list on Harry's account. Though a reasonable woman, it is scarcely requisite23 to say that she did not propose to renew her friendship with the family at the Ewes. The blow which rendered her without control did not break her spirit, but it pressed out its buoyance. Mrs. Jardine was a grave, occupied, resigned woman, no longer a blithe24 one, very fond and proud of Harry, but grateful, not glad in her fondness and pride.
The frost had come early, strong, and stern on those [Page 32]Highlands of the Lowlands, those moors26 of the south. The "lustre27 deep" at twilight28 and dawn, the imperial Tyrian dye at noon, the glorious "orange and purple and grey" at sunset and sunrise, which, once known and loved, man never forgets, nor woman either—all would soon be swept away this year, and Joanna regretted it. She liked the flower-garden, but, after all, the garden was tame to the moor25. The moor's seasons were, at best, short—short the golden flush of its June; short the red gleam of its September. Not that the lowland Moor has not its dead, frosted grace in its winter winding-sheet, and its tender spring charm, when curlews scream over it incessantly29. But Joanna had never seen the autumn so short as this year; and she had heard them tell, that in the Fall, when poor Mr. Jardine was killed, the heather remained bright till November.
Thinking of that date caused Joanna, when she strolled out on the moor one morning, to go near the scene with its melancholy30 celebrity31.
It was quite early in the morning, a hail shower lying all around, though the sky was a deep sapphire32 blue, with the wan33 ghost of the moon lingering on the horizon, and the atmosphere bitter cold. The breakfast was late at the Ewes, owing to Mr. Crawfurd's delicate health, and because Mrs. Crawfurd had her fancies like Mrs. Primrose34. Thus Joanna was frequently abroad before breakfast, and, like most persons of healthy organization, was rather tempted35 to court the stinging air as it blew across the heather, bracing36 her whole frame, nipping her fingers and toes, and sending blush-roses into her cheeks.
[Page 33]Joanna was walking along, feeling cheerful, although she was in that neighbourhood, and vaunting to herself that their moor was infinitely37 superior to a park, when a grey object caught her eye, lying beyond some whin bushes—a thing raised above the ground, but stretched still and motionless. Joanna stopped with a strange thrill. No! it was not on that piece of earth; but so must he have lain on that disastrous38 morning, far removed from the abundance, and garnered39 goods, and heartiness40 of harvest.
Joanna stood a moment, then reproaching herself with cowardice41, egotism, inhumanity, she advanced, her heart fluttering wildly. Yes, it was a man in tweed-coat, trousers, and cap; and stay! was that a gun by his side? Joanna could not go a step further; she closed her eyes to hide the blood which she felt must be oozing42 and stealing along the ground, or else congealed43 among the heather and it was only after she had told herself how far she was from home, and how long it would be ere she could run back for assistance, that she opened them and approached the figure. There was no blood that she could see; the man might not be dead, but stupefied or insensible. Oh, dear! it was Harry Jardine of Whitethorn; the hail-drops among his black curls, the sprigs of the heather dinted into his brown cheek.
It darted44 into Joanna's mind like inspiration how the chance had occurred. She remembered Susan had said, yesterday, that she had met Mr. Jardine going in shooting garb45 across the moor in the afternoon, and he had stopped her and asked if she had seen a dog. He had taken out a new dog and lost it, and was vexed at wasting [Page 34]half the morning in the pursuit. She recalled, with a peculiar46 vividness of perception, that somebody had observed, one day lately, that Mr. Jardine was not so strong as he looked; that he had fever while abroad, just before he came home, and that his mother was annoyed because he would not take care of himself, and complained that he was constantly over-taxing his unrecovered powers, and subjecting himself to fresh attacks of illness. Joanna remembered, with a pang47, that she had laughed at the remark, mentally conjuring48 up Harry Jardine's athletic49, sunburnt comeliness50.
Joanna freed herself more quickly from this phantom51 than from the last, and, while she did so, called out his name, and stepped to his side, stooping down and even touching52 him. He was breathing, though he was very cold and stiff, and she did not rouse him. Oh, Joanna was very thankful! But what should she do next? Life must be very faint, and frozen in the muscular, active young man. He had loitered at his sport till the dusk; he had been bewildered on the moor—strange to him as to a foreigner; he had wandered here and there impatient and weary; but still more angry with himself than alarmed. He had sat down in the intense chill and dim darkness to recover himself; no way forewarned, "simply because he was on Corncockle Moor, so near home," on a September night. He had sunk down further and further, until the stealthy foe53 sprang upon him and held him fast—the sleep from which there is so tardy54 an awakening55.
Joanna dared not leave the faint, vital spark to smoulder [Page 35]down or leap out. The moor was very unfrequented at this hour; at certain periods of the day, portions of it, intersected by meandering56 tracks, were crossed by men labouring in the adjacent fields or quarry57; but till then it was only the circumstance of alarm being excited on Harry's account, or her protracted58 absence giving rise to surmise59 and search, that could bring them companions.
As a forlorn hope Joanna raised her voice and cried for assistance; fear and distress60 choked the sound, and the freezing air caused it to fall on the silence with a ringing quaver. She persevered61, however, every now and then varying the appeal, "Papa, Lilias, Sandy, do some of you come to me; I want you here, for God's sake! here."
She took his big hands and chafed62 them between her own little ones; she lifted his head on her lap, her fingers getting entangled63 in his curly hair, she prayed for him that he might be restored to them.
He continued to breathe dully and heavily; his eyes never unclosed; she felt tempted to raise the lashes64, as she would lift up and peep under the lids of a child. Ah! but she feared to see the balls sightless and glazing65 over fast. The marked, lively face was placid66 as if it were set in death, and the slight contraction67 between the brows, which she had remarked the first night she saw him, was almost effaced68. How dreadful it would be if he died on her knees there, in the solitude69 of the moor! The son at the daughter's feet, as his father at her father's. How would his mother bear it? Her father would never survive this mournful re-writing of the old letters traced in blood. It should be she rather who should die; and [Page 36]Joanna in her piety70, her goodness, her great love for her father, her exquisite71 kindness for Harry Jardine, did ask God if He sought a life, in His justice and mercy, to allow hers to pay for Harry's, to substitute her in some way for Harry; and Joanna well remembered that prayer afterwards.
Joanna was beginning to cower72 and fail in her trial. Suddenly she shook herself up, when she was lapsing73 into a heap nearly as passive as that beside her; a suggestion darted across her brain; she detected in the little pocket of her dress a bottle of a strong essence and perfume, which Polly Musgrave had forced upon her the day she left.
Joanna was quick and clear in following out a notion. With trembling fingers she poured the hot, stimulating74, subtle liquid into her hollow hands, and bathed his forehead. She unloosed his cravat75, and sent the warm stream over his throat and chest, rubbing them with her free hand, while she supported his head on the other arm; and inspired with fresh courage and trust she called anew this time a shrill76, echoing call, and Harry Jardine shivered, sobbed77, and stretched himself, and slowly opened his sealed eyes, looking her first vaguely78 and then wonderingly in the face, and her father's and Lilias's voices rose from opposite sides of the heath, near and far in reply. "What is it, Joanna? What has kept you? What has happened? We missed you; we were getting anxious; we are coming, coming!"
点击收听单词发音
1 indefatigable | |
adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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2 procuring | |
v.(努力)取得, (设法)获得( procure的现在分词 );拉皮条 | |
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3 toiled | |
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉 | |
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4 penitent | |
adj.后悔的;n.后悔者;忏悔者 | |
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5 vexed | |
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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6 fragrant | |
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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7 guise | |
n.外表,伪装的姿态 | |
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8 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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9 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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10 intervals | |
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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11 harry | |
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼 | |
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12 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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13 mingling | |
adj.混合的 | |
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14 beset | |
v.镶嵌;困扰,包围 | |
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15 disarmed | |
v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 );使息怒 | |
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16 penetration | |
n.穿透,穿人,渗透 | |
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17 patrimony | |
n.世袭财产,继承物 | |
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18 middle-aged | |
adj.中年的 | |
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19 clamorous | |
adj.吵闹的,喧哗的 | |
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20 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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21 ripening | |
v.成熟,使熟( ripen的现在分词 );熟化;熟成 | |
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22 recur | |
vi.复发,重现,再发生 | |
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23 requisite | |
adj.需要的,必不可少的;n.必需品 | |
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24 blithe | |
adj.快乐的,无忧无虑的 | |
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25 moor | |
n.荒野,沼泽;vt.(使)停泊;vi.停泊 | |
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26 moors | |
v.停泊,系泊(船只)( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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27 lustre | |
n.光亮,光泽;荣誉 | |
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28 twilight | |
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
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29 incessantly | |
ad.不停地 | |
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30 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
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31 celebrity | |
n.名人,名流;著名,名声,名望 | |
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32 sapphire | |
n.青玉,蓝宝石;adj.天蓝色的 | |
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33 wan | |
(wide area network)广域网 | |
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34 primrose | |
n.樱草,最佳部分, | |
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35 tempted | |
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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36 bracing | |
adj.令人振奋的 | |
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37 infinitely | |
adv.无限地,无穷地 | |
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38 disastrous | |
adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的 | |
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39 garnered | |
v.收集并(通常)贮藏(某物),取得,获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40 heartiness | |
诚实,热心 | |
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41 cowardice | |
n.胆小,怯懦 | |
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42 oozing | |
v.(浓液等)慢慢地冒出,渗出( ooze的现在分词 );使(液体)缓缓流出;(浓液)渗出,慢慢流出 | |
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43 congealed | |
v.使凝结,冻结( congeal的过去式和过去分词 );(指血)凝结 | |
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44 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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45 garb | |
n.服装,装束 | |
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46 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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47 pang | |
n.剧痛,悲痛,苦闷 | |
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48 conjuring | |
n.魔术 | |
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49 athletic | |
adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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50 comeliness | |
n. 清秀, 美丽, 合宜 | |
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51 phantom | |
n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的 | |
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52 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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53 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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54 tardy | |
adj.缓慢的,迟缓的 | |
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55 awakening | |
n.觉醒,醒悟 adj.觉醒中的;唤醒的 | |
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56 meandering | |
蜿蜒的河流,漫步,聊天 | |
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57 quarry | |
n.采石场;v.采石;费力地找 | |
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58 protracted | |
adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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59 surmise | |
v./n.猜想,推测 | |
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60 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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61 persevered | |
v.坚忍,坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62 chafed | |
v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的过去式 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒 | |
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63 entangled | |
adj.卷入的;陷入的;被缠住的;缠在一起的v.使某人(某物/自己)缠绕,纠缠于(某物中),使某人(自己)陷入(困难或复杂的环境中)( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64 lashes | |
n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 );鞭子;突然猛烈的一击;急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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65 glazing | |
n.玻璃装配业;玻璃窗;上釉;上光v.装玻璃( glaze的现在分词 );上釉于,上光;(目光)变得呆滞无神 | |
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66 placid | |
adj.安静的,平和的 | |
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67 contraction | |
n.缩略词,缩写式,害病 | |
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68 effaced | |
v.擦掉( efface的过去式和过去分词 );抹去;超越;使黯然失色 | |
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69 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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70 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
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71 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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72 cower | |
v.畏缩,退缩,抖缩 | |
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73 lapsing | |
v.退步( lapse的现在分词 );陷入;倒退;丧失 | |
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74 stimulating | |
adj.有启发性的,能激发人思考的 | |
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75 cravat | |
n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结 | |
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76 shrill | |
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫 | |
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77 sobbed | |
哭泣,啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 ); 哭诉,呜咽地说 | |
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78 vaguely | |
adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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