how’s ’bout that. What in tarnation you youngsters found floatin’ in the river this time? I swan, allus draggin’ in some crap or other . . .” “Didn’t rightly find it, Pa; sorter conjured63 it up.” “You don’t tell me!” He leans forward, displaying more interest. “Nasty-lookin’ outfit64 . . . what you reckon it be? Some-thin’ come in on the tide?” “I’m afeared, Pa”—Hank hangs his head and scuffs65 his toe at the floor, shredding66 white pine in all directions with his spikes—“that it be”—scratches his belly67, swallows—“be yer youngest son, Leland Stanford.” “Damnation! I told you once I told you a friggin’ hunnert times, I don’t never! want the name o’ that quitter! spoke68 in thisyere house again! Phoo. Cain’t stand the sound of him, lit-lone the sight! Jesus, son, what got into you to pull such a boner?” Hank steps closer to the throne. “Paw, I knowed how ya felt. I cain’t help but feel the same way myself—worst, mebbe, comes down to it; I’d as leave never heard his name again the rest o’ my nachrul life—but I didn’t see no way gettin’ around it, considerin’ the situation we is in.” “What situation!” “The labor69 situation.” “You mean—” The old man gasps70; his hand lifts in a gesture of involuntary horror. “I’m afeared so. We come to the end of the bench, old fellow, to the last of the beans. You knowed when we saved out Joe Ben that we was scrapin’ the bottom of the barrel. So it was like we didn’t have a choice, Pa . . .” He crosses his arms, waiting. . . . (In the low mountains the crows sleep fitfully. Jenny works with need and loneliness and the magic of her ignorance. At the old house the discussion of Joe Ben’s idea for writing other relatives in other states is halted suddenly by Orland’s demand to see the books. “I’ll bring them right down,” Hank volunteers and heads for the steps . . . welcoming the opportunity to leave the noise and hubbub71 for a moment . . .) Henry stares forlornly at young Leland, who is feebly waving at his venerable father from inside the plastic bag. Henry wags his old head. “So. This is how it is, eh? It’s finally come to this.” Then, fired by a sudden fury, he lurches standing from the chair and shakes his cane72 at the cringing73 kinsmen. “Ain’t I been tellin’ you boys this was a-comin’? Ain’t I been sayin’ till I’m blue in the face, ‘Leave off this diddlin’ of your cousins and sisters an’ the like an’ get out an’ knock us up some other women fer a change!’ I’m sick ’n tired of all these freaks an’ halfwits you been turnin’ out. We cain’t be inbreedin’ all the time like a buncha damn hawgs! The family got to be healthy an’ strong t’ keep up the standards. I don’t aim to tolerate weaklings! No, b’ gawd, I don’t. We need examples by gawd, like my own boy, Hank there, like the stock I turn out—” His face freezes for an instant as his eyes light once more on the plastic sack, then his stoic74 features shatter with humiliation75. He collapses76 backward into his rocker, gasping77 and clutching at his tormented78 heart. When the fit has passed, Hank goes on in a subdued79 voice: “I know how it galls80 ya, Pa. I know how he took away your young an’ faithful wife with his weakness an’ his whining81. But here’s how it looked to me when I realized we had to bring up the un-pleasant subject.” He rolls a log up close and seats himself, becoming confidential82. “I figured ...that we’re a family first, and that’s the most important. We got to keep ourselfs free of racial pollution. We ain’t some bunch o’ niggers or Jews or ordinary people; we’re Stampers.” A flourish of trumpets83; Hank, tin hat in hand, waits for the ranks to finish the Family Anthem84. “An’ that the most important thing was to keep them ordinary people from by God ever fergittin’ it!” Shouts and whistles. “You tell ’em, Hank!” “Thatsa boy!” “Yeh!” “An’ the only way we gonna do that ...is keep our empire goin’, come hell or high water; no matter what degree of family scum it takes—that’s how to prove what a superior race we are.” More applause. Jaws85 become grim and nod in terse86, manly affirmative. Old Henry dries his eyes and swallows. Hank is standing. He jerks one of his handy axes from a pillar and waves it about dramatically. “An’ didn’t we all sign in blood that we’d by god fight to our last by god man? Okay then...let’s fight.” More trumpets. The men join Hank in a closed-rank march about a flag mounted in the center of the hall.

点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音
1
tingling
|
|
| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
2
standing
|
|
| n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
3
illiterate
|
|
| adj.文盲的;无知的;n.文盲 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
4
goad
|
|
| n.刺棒,刺痛物;激励;vt.激励,刺激 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
5
wrest
|
|
| n.扭,拧,猛夺;v.夺取,猛扭,歪曲 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
6
looming
|
|
| n.上现蜃景(光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼)v.隐约出现,阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 );隐约出现,阴森地逼近 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
7
wilt
|
|
| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎;(指人)疲倦,衰弱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
8
withering
|
|
| 使人畏缩的,使人害羞的,使人难堪的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
9
muster
|
|
| v.集合,收集,鼓起,激起;n.集合,检阅,集合人员,点名册 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
10
sneer
|
|
| v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
11
bullied
|
|
| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓,威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
12
furor
|
|
| n.狂热;大骚动 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
13
frustration
|
|
| n.挫折,失败,失效,落空 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
14
prods
|
|
| n.刺,戳( prod的名词复数 );刺激;促使;(用手指或尖物)戳v.刺,戳( prod的第三人称单数 );刺激;促使;(用手指或尖物)戳 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
15
spiked
|
|
| adj.有穗的;成锥形的;有尖顶的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
16
spike
|
|
| n.长钉,钉鞋;v.以大钉钉牢,使...失效 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
17
horde
|
|
| n.群众,一大群 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
18
kinsmen
|
|
| n.家属,亲属( kinsman的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
19
forth
|
|
| adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
20
manly
|
|
| adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
21
bespeak
|
|
| v.预定;预先请求 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
22
wafted
|
|
| v.吹送,飘送,(使)浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
23
fragrant
|
|
| adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
24
ruggedly
|
|
| 险峻地; 粗暴地; (面容)多皱纹地; 粗线条地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
25
darts
|
|
| n.掷飞镖游戏;飞镖( dart的名词复数 );急驰,飞奔v.投掷,投射( dart的第三人称单数 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
26
shreds
|
|
| v.撕碎,切碎( shred的第三人称单数 );用撕毁机撕毁(文件) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
27
barbs
|
|
| n.(箭头、鱼钩等的)倒钩( barb的名词复数 );带刺的话;毕露的锋芒;钩状毛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
28
wretch
|
|
| n.可怜的人,不幸的人;卑鄙的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
29
forefinger
|
|
| n.食指 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
30
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
31
clan
|
|
| n.氏族,部落,宗族,家族,宗派 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
32
butt
|
|
| n.笑柄;烟蒂;枪托;臀部;v.用头撞或顶 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
33
hop
|
|
| n.单脚跳,跳跃;vi.单脚跳,跳跃;着手做某事;vt.跳跃,跃过 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
34
sop
|
|
| n.湿透的东西,懦夫;v.浸,泡,浸湿 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
35
scuttle
|
|
| v.急赶,疾走,逃避;n.天窗;舷窗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
36
sopping
|
|
| adj. 浑身湿透的 动词sop的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
37
gnome
|
|
| n.土地神;侏儒,地精 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
38
exterior
|
|
| adj.外部的,外在的;表面的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
39
spacious
|
|
| adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
40
bog
|
|
| n.沼泽;室...陷入泥淖 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
41
plucky
|
|
| adj.勇敢的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
42
semblance
|
|
| n.外貌,外表 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
43
scrap
|
|
| n.碎片;废料;v.废弃,报废 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
44
lumber
|
|
| n.木材,木料;v.以破旧东西堆满;伐木;笨重移动 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
45
precariously
|
|
| adv.不安全地;危险地;碰机会地;不稳定地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
46
transparent
|
|
| adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
47
reverberates
|
|
| 回响,回荡( reverberate的第三人称单数 ); 使反响,使回荡,使反射 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
48
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
49
reign
|
|
| n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
50
condemned
|
|
| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
51
maze
|
|
| n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
52
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 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
53
collapse
|
|
| vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
54
domain
|
|
| n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
55
monarchy
|
|
| n.君主,最高统治者;君主政体,君主国 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
56
exalted
|
|
| adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
57
potentate
|
|
| n.统治者;君主 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
58
rumbling
|
|
| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
59
illuminating
|
|
| a.富于启发性的,有助阐明的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
60
hawklike
|
|
参考例句: |
|
|
|
|
61
beak
|
|
| n.鸟嘴,茶壶嘴,钩形鼻 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
62
hissing
|
|
| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
63
conjured
|
|
| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 ); 祈求,恳求; 变戏法; (变魔术般地) 使…出现 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
64
outfit
|
|
| n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
65
scuffs
|
|
| v.使磨损( scuff的第三人称单数 );拖着脚走 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
66
shredding
|
|
| v.撕碎,切碎( shred的现在分词 );用撕毁机撕毁(文件) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
67
belly
|
|
| n.肚子,腹部;(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分,膛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
68
spoke
|
|
| 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: |
|
|
|
69
labor
|
|
| n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
70
gasps
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
71
hubbub
|
|
| n.嘈杂;骚乱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
72
cane
|
|
| n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
73
cringing
|
|
| adj.谄媚,奉承 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
74
stoic
|
|
| n.坚忍克己之人,禁欲主义者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
75
humiliation
|
|
| n.羞辱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
76
collapses
|
|
| 折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 ); 倒塌; 崩溃; (尤指工作劳累后)坐下 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
77
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
78
tormented
|
|
| 饱受折磨的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
79
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
80
galls
|
|
| v.使…擦痛( gall的第三人称单数 );擦伤;烦扰;侮辱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
81
whining
|
|
| n. 抱怨,牢骚 v. 哭诉,发牢骚 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
82
confidential
|
|
| adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
83
trumpets
|
|
| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 ); 小号; 喇叭形物; (尤指)绽开的水仙花 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
84
anthem
|
|
| n.圣歌,赞美诗,颂歌 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
85
jaws
|
|
| n.口部;嘴 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
86
terse
|
|
| adj.(说话,文笔)精炼的,简明的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |
