"Margaret! Behold8!" was Ned's laughing shout.
The girls reined9 in abruptly10 and followed his hand.
"It is Andy!" cried Mary gaily11. "I see where we lose our Gooseberry, promptly12 and automatically."
As she uttered the words a shout floated down from the silhouette13 above and the rider sent his mount over the bank. The brave brute14 took the precipice15 with a sure nonchalance16, sliding on all fours or "sitting" the perpendicular17 slides with swift and perilous18 drop.
"Lucifer hits the toboggan!" cried Ned.
"The magnificent dare-devils!" exclaimed Mary, thrilled by the sight. In a moment it was over and Andy closed in upon them at a smart trot4, reining19 his horse on his heels but a length before them.
"A mighty20 fine slide!" applauded Ned.
"Margaret can't peep," teased Mary. "Her heart's in her mouth."
Margaret acknowledged the newcomer with a sedate21 bow. Her voice was severely22 accusing as she said:
"Why do you find it necessary to skid23 that horrible hill on poor Night?"
"Just dropping into good company, Margaret," was the bright reply. "Night likes it."
"Very well! You are welcome to—the skidding," was the demure24 impertinence.
She turned from him to glance over the lake. Had Andy caught her eyes he would have seen deep down in their dark depths a gleam of exquisite25 pleasure. Good riding, and daring at that, could not fail to delight Margaret, and of this the wily Andy was well aware. A moment later he was enjoying her gay sallies as they rode side by side.
The four riders advanced abreast26 with the girls in the centre, the sound of their voices mingling27 with the champing of bits and the restless tramping of prancing28 hoofs29. Suddenly, to their right, a gully opened up, winding30 its way into the hills. Andy caught Ned's eye flashing him some significant message. Ned instantly realized his intention and seizing Bobs' bridle31 turned abruptly into the gully. In the meantime Andy had adroitly32 directed Margaret's attention to a big loon33 basking34 in the water near the shore. They were well past the gully before she discovered that two of the party were missing. She halted Flash and looked blankly at Andy. With remarkable35 address he simulated her expression. She searched his nonplussed36 features critically, passing their fluctuations37 through her mental sieve38.
"Two is company!" ejaculated Andy, shrugging his shoulders and looking back upon the empty trail.
"And three a crowd!" supplemented Margaret.
"And four a multitude!" completed Andy, a tone of satisfaction betraying him.
Margaret tipped her head a trifle haughtily39 and looked thoughtfully out over the lake.
"We have good company here, at any rate," ventured Andy.
Again Margaret gave him that searching glance. For a moment she studied him, then the glimmers40 of a whimsical mischief41 shone in her eyes and throwing back her head she laughed merrily.
"What transparent42 creatures you men are!" was her na?ve remark. "Obviously you and Ned arranged this sudden and innocent happening."
"How do you know?" challenged Andy boldly.
"How very like a man!" she cried, laughing quietly. "There you go confessing it. How do I know? Simply because Mary and I did not arrange it. It just happened. And Mary! I wonder. Was Mary kidnapped or is she an accomplice43 deep-dyed in guilt44? Never mind. There's a loon on the water and two more on the shore. We'll go ahead to the Big Stone and wait for them."
So came Andy's opportunity, effected by his masterly strategy and the conniving45 Ned.
Their horses secured, they took seats in comfortable niches46 of the great stones and let their gaze sweep over the lake. A steady breeze fanned their faces and the water lapped musically about the base of the rock. It set Margaret musing47.
"Do you hear it, Andy?" she cried. "I could stay here forever and dream of the sea. The sea is in my blood and—my heart,—always in my heart. I have but to shut my eyes and I am a wild, free Norse-girl tossing on the deep, or—a bold pirate."
"Pirate is better," said Andy with a grin. "You are always stealing something from me—secrets and other things. These dead Norse maidens48 appear to better advantage these days among the zoological collections of infamous49 old bones in famous old museums."
Margaret looked up severe and shocked.
"Thank you!" said she with dignity. "You have an affectionate regard for my ancient ancestors."
"None whatever!" retorted Andy. "Not a little bit. They are animals of another and stonier50 age. Give me a nice living girl with plenty of breath in her body and a soft heart,—one with a laugh in her eyes and her soul, who can loll comfortably on a rock and revel51 dreamily in sheer langour and laziness; a girl for instance like Margaret Grant."
"You don't like me when I'm poetic—rapt."
"Don't I? How like a woman! You want me to confess that I am mad about you. But I will not, for I am not—not the very slightest."
Margaret glanced up curiously52, a smile playing about her lips.
"The fact is, Margaret," continued Andy, "I do like you—just you, in any mood, at any time and on any condition. It is not a foolish, mad regard; just a cool, composed, deliberate but fatal, tremendously fatal affection."
"Why fatal, Andy? I don't like the word."
"Take a look at me. Can you not see doom53 written all over me?"
Margaret looked. Their eyes met. She smiled whimsically.
"You look for all the world like a Norseman ready for Valhalla. But you are a very live and hopeful and preposterous54 Yellow-hair. In what way am I connected with this horrible doom?"
"You are the wild Norse girl that has demented your Norseman."
"Then you are mad after all?"
Again their eyes met. A unique confusion lay behind the light in the man's; something inscrutable behind the humorous banter55 in the girl's. Yet it was a happy unembarrassed moment. Andy seized it.
"Margaret," he said, rising and stepping toward her. "You guessed my artifice56 all right. I alone am to blame for sending Ned and Mary up the gully. There was no plot, only on my part. I decided57 that we must come to a clear understanding. Lately I have had hours of anxious reflection. I wanted to see you alone to-day. Do you think you love me, Margaret?"
The girl turned frank, open eyes upon him, all levity58 gone. There was something looking out of his eyes that made her tremble. A deep seriousness stole over her face. Slowly she averted59 her gaze, looking out into the lake. For a long time she was silent. Then she said gently:
"I love no one else, Andy. But—I—I cannot answer your question. I know you love me. I am not sure that I love you. Do I love you? I—I cannot say. Perhaps I do. I have always thought I did. It may be true. It may all have come about in a way so gradual, so natural, so ordinary that I am confused. I cannot answer you—now. I do not know. Something will help us."
Looking up she met his eyes. They were full of trouble. A wave of compunction swept over her. Holding out her hands she leaned toward him.
"Come," she said simply, "you may kiss me, Andy. I love your kisses."
"How I would like to," was his quiet return as he fought the temptation. "But I cannot. It would not be right. You have a tender heart, Margaret. I love you ever so much more in the last few moments. I shall wait for the right to kiss you. Perhaps it will come."
The girl looked up surprised, a faint flush dyeing her face. Their attachment60 had obtained for years and since the engagement two years before they had enjoyed the sweet amenities61 of true lovers. A pang62 smote63 her as she realized that he was right.
Upon riding back they discovered the delinquent64 couple enjoying the shade of a giant oak just beyond the entrance to the gully. Joining forces the troop rode homeward.
点击收听单词发音
1 retracing | |
v.折回( retrace的现在分词 );回忆;回顾;追溯 | |
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2 glade | |
n.林间空地,一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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3 trotting | |
小跑,急走( trot的现在分词 ); 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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4 trot | |
n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 | |
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5 spanking | |
adj.强烈的,疾行的;n.打屁股 | |
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6 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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7 speck | |
n.微粒,小污点,小斑点 | |
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8 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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9 reined | |
勒缰绳使(马)停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 ); 驾驭; 严格控制; 加强管理 | |
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10 abruptly | |
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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11 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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12 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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13 silhouette | |
n.黑色半身侧面影,影子,轮廓;v.描绘成侧面影,照出影子来,仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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14 brute | |
n.野兽,兽性 | |
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15 precipice | |
n.悬崖,危急的处境 | |
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16 nonchalance | |
n.冷淡,漠不关心 | |
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17 perpendicular | |
adj.垂直的,直立的;n.垂直线,垂直的位置 | |
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18 perilous | |
adj.危险的,冒险的 | |
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19 reining | |
勒缰绳使(马)停步( rein的现在分词 ); 驾驭; 严格控制; 加强管理 | |
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20 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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21 sedate | |
adj.沉着的,镇静的,安静的 | |
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22 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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23 skid | |
v.打滑 n.滑向一侧;滑道 ,滑轨 | |
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24 demure | |
adj.严肃的;端庄的 | |
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25 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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26 abreast | |
adv.并排地;跟上(时代)的步伐,与…并进地 | |
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27 mingling | |
adj.混合的 | |
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28 prancing | |
v.(马)腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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29 hoofs | |
n.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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30 winding | |
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 | |
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31 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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32 adroitly | |
adv.熟练地,敏捷地 | |
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33 loon | |
n.狂人 | |
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34 basking | |
v.晒太阳,取暖( bask的现在分词 );对…感到乐趣;因他人的功绩而出名;仰仗…的余泽 | |
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35 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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36 nonplussed | |
adj.不知所措的,陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37 fluctuations | |
波动,涨落,起伏( fluctuation的名词复数 ) | |
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38 sieve | |
n.筛,滤器,漏勺 | |
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39 haughtily | |
adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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40 glimmers | |
n.微光,闪光( glimmer的名词复数 )v.发闪光,发微光( glimmer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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41 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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42 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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43 accomplice | |
n.从犯,帮凶,同谋 | |
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44 guilt | |
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责 | |
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45 conniving | |
v.密谋 ( connive的现在分词 );搞阴谋;默许;纵容 | |
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46 niches | |
壁龛( niche的名词复数 ); 合适的位置[工作等]; (产品的)商机; 生态位(一个生物所占据的生境的最小单位) | |
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47 musing | |
n. 沉思,冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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48 maidens | |
处女( maiden的名词复数 ); 少女; 未婚女子; (板球运动)未得分的一轮投球 | |
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49 infamous | |
adj.声名狼藉的,臭名昭著的,邪恶的 | |
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50 stonier | |
多石头的( stony的比较级 ); 冷酷的,无情的 | |
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51 revel | |
vi.狂欢作乐,陶醉;n.作乐,狂欢 | |
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52 curiously | |
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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53 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
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54 preposterous | |
adj.荒谬的,可笑的 | |
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55 banter | |
n.嘲弄,戏谑;v.取笑,逗弄,开玩笑 | |
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56 artifice | |
n.妙计,高明的手段;狡诈,诡计 | |
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57 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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58 levity | |
n.轻率,轻浮,不稳定,多变 | |
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59 averted | |
防止,避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 ); 转移 | |
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60 attachment | |
n.附属物,附件;依恋;依附 | |
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61 amenities | |
n.令人愉快的事物;礼仪;礼节;便利设施;礼仪( amenity的名词复数 );便利设施;(环境等的)舒适;(性情等的)愉快 | |
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62 pang | |
n.剧痛,悲痛,苦闷 | |
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63 smote | |
v.猛打,重击,打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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64 delinquent | |
adj.犯法的,有过失的;n.违法者 | |
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