Next day, before the ladies were up, the wagonette and a trap for the shooting party were at the door, and Laska, aware since early morning that they were going shooting, after much whining1 and darting2 to and fro, had sat herself down in the wagonette beside the coachman, and, disapproving3 of the delay, was excitedly watching the door from which the sportsmen still did not come out. The first to come out was Vassenka Veslovsky, in new high boots that reached half-way up his thick thighs4, in a green blouse, with a new Russian leather cartridge5-belt, and in his Scotch6 cap with ribbons, with a brand-new English gun without a sling7. Laska flew up to him, welcomed him, and jumping up, asked him in her own way whether the others were coming soon, but getting no answer from him, she returned to her post of observation and sank into repose8 again, her head on one side, and one ear pricked9 up to listen. At last the door opened with a creak, and Stepan Arkadyevitch's spot-and-tan pointer Krak flew out, running round and round and turning over in the air. Stepan Arkadyevitch himself followed with a gun in his hand and a cigar in his mouth.
"Good dog, good dog, Krak!" he cried encouragingly to the dog, who put his paws up on his chest, catching10 at his game bag. Stepan Arkadyevitch was dressed in rough leggings and spats11, in torn trousers and a short coat. On his head there was a wreck12 of a hat of indefinite form, but his gun of a new patent was a perfect gem13, and his game bag and cartridge belt, though worn, were of the very best quality.
Vassenka Veslovsky had had no notion before that it was truly chic14 for a sportsman to be in tatters, but to have his shooting outfit15 of the best quality. He saw it now as he looked at Stepan Arkadyevitch, radiant in his rags, graceful16, well-fed, and joyous17, a typical Russian nobleman. And he made up his mind that next time he went shooting he would certainly adopt the same get-up.
"Well, and what about our host?" he asked.
"A young wife," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, smiling.
"Yes, and such a charming one!"
"He came down dressed. No doubt he's run up to her again."
Stepan Arkadyevitch guessed right. Levin had run up again to his wife to ask her once more If she forgave him for his idiocy18 yesterday, and, moreover, to beg her for Christ's sake to be more careful. The great thing was for her to keep away from the children--they might any minute push against her. Then he had once more to hear her declare that she was not angry with him for going away for two days, and to beg her to be sure to send him a note next morning by a servant on horseback, to write him, if it were but two words only, to let him know that all was well with her.
Kitty was distressed19, as she always was, at parting for a couple of days from her husband, but when she saw his eager figure, looking big and strong in his shooting-boots and his white blouse, and a sort of sportsman elation20 and excitement incomprehensible to her, she forgot her own chagrin21 for the sake of his pleasure, and said good-bye to him cheerfully.
"Pardon, gentlemen!" he said, running out onto the steps. "Have you put the lunch in? Why is the chestnut22 on the right? Well, it doesn't matter. Laska, down; go and lie down!"
"Put it with the herd23 of oxen," he said to the herdsman, who was waiting for him at the steps with some question. "Excuse me, here comes another villain24."
Levin jumped out of the wagonette, in which he had already taken his seat, to meet the carpenter, who came towards the steps with a rule in his hand.
"You didn't come to the counting house yesterday, and now you're detaining me. Well, what is it?"
"Would your honor let me make another turning? It's only three steps to add. And we make it just fit at the same time. It will be much more convenient."
"You should have listened to me," Levin answered with annoyance25. "I said: Put the lines and then fit in the steps. Now there's no setting it right. Do as I told you, and make a new staircase."
The point was that in the lodge26 that was being built the carpenter had spoiled the staircase, fitting it together without calculating the space it was to fill, so that the steps were all sloping when it was put in place. Now the carpenter wanted, keeping the same staircase, to add three steps.
"It will be much better."
"But where's your staircase coming out with its three steps?"
"Why, upon my word, sir," the carpenter said with a contemptuous smile. "It comes out right at the very spot. It starts, so to speak," he said, with a persuasive27 gesture; "it comes down, and comes down, and comes out."
"But three steps will add to the length too...where is it to come out?"
"Why, to be sure, it'll start from the bottom and go up and go up, and come out so," the carpenter said obstinately28 and convincingly.
"It'll reach the ceiling and the wall."
"Upon my word! Why, it'll go up, and up, and come out like this."
Levin took out a ramrod and began sketching29 him the staircase in the dust.
"There, do you see?"
"As your honor likes," said the carpenter, with a sudden gleam in his eyes, obviously understanding the thing at last. "It seems it'll be best to make a new one."
"Well, then, do it as you're told," Levin shouted, seating himself in the wagonette. "Down! Hold the dogs, Philip!"
Levin felt now at leaving behind all his family and household cares such an eager sense of joy in life and expectation that he was not disposed to talk. Besides that, he had that feeling of concentrated excitement that every sportsman experiences as he approaches the scene of action. If he had anything on his mind at that moment, it was only the doubt whether they would start anything in the Kolpensky marsh30, whether Laska would show to advantage in comparison with Krak, and whether he would shoot well that day himself. Not to disgrace himself before a new spectator--not to be outdone by Oblonsky--that too was a thought that crossed his brain.
Oblonsky was feeling the same, and he too was not talkative. Vassenka Veslovsky kept up alone a ceaseless flow of cheerful chatter31. As he listened to him now, Levin felt ashamed to think how unfair he had been to him the day before. Vassenka was really a nice fellow, simple, good-hearted, and very good-humored. If Levin had met him before he was married, he would have made friends with him. Levin rather disliked his holiday attitude to life and a sort of free and easy assumption of elegance32. It was as though he assumed a high degree of importance in himself that could not be disputed, because he had long nails and a stylish33 cap, and everything else to correspond; but this could be forgiven for the sake of his good nature and good breeding. Levin liked him for his good education, for speaking French and English with such an excellent accent, and for being a man of his world.
Vassenka was extremely delighted with the left horse, a horse of the Don Steppes. He kept praising him enthusiastically. "How fine it must be galloping35 over the steppes on a steppe horse! Eh? isn't it?" he said. He had imagined riding on a steppe horse as something wild and romantic, and it turned out nothing of the sort. But his simplicity36, particularly in conjunction with his good looks, his amiable37 smile, and the grace of his movements, was very attractive. Either because his nature was sympathetic to Levin, or because Levin was trying to atone38 for his sins of the previous evening by seeing nothing but what was good in him, anyway he liked his society.
After they had driven over two miles from home, Veslovsky all at once felt for a cigar and his pocketbook, and did not know whether he had lost them or left them on the table. In the pocketbook there were thirty-seven pounds, and so the matter could not be left in uncertainty39.
"Do you know what, Levin, I'll gallop34 home on that left trace-horse. That will be splendid. Eh?" he said, preparing to get out.
"No, why should you?" answered Levin, calculating that Vassenka could hardly weigh less than seventeen stone. "I'll send the coachman."
The coachman rode back on the trace-horse, and Levin himself drove the remaining pair.
收听单词发音 |
1
whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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disapproving
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| adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 ) | |
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thighs
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| n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿 | |
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cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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scotch
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| 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 | |
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sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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spats
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| n.口角( spat的名词复数 )；小争吵；鞋罩；鞋套v.spit的过去式和过去分词( spat的第三人称单数 )；口角；小争吵；鞋罩 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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chic
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| n./adj.别致(的)，时髦(的)，讲究的 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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idiocy
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| n.愚蠢 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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sketching
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| n.草图 | |
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marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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