Immense barrels of tar2 had been loaded on four waggons3, to which four of the most prosperous farmers of the district had harnessed teams. Odiam was of course not represented, nor was Grandturzel, but three bell-ringing sorrels had come all the way from Kitchenhour, while the marsh4 farms of Leasan, the Loose, and Becket's House, accounted for the rest.
The crowd surged round the waggons, cheered, joked, sang. The whole of Rye was there—prosperous tradesmen from the High Street or Station Road, innkeepers, farmers, shop-assistants, chains of fishermen in high boots, jerseys5, and gold ear-rings, coast-guards from the Camber, and one or two scared-looking women clinging to stalwart arms.
Rose shrank close to Handshut, though she did not take his arm. Sometimes the crowd would fling them together, so that they were close as in an embrace, at others they would stand almost apart, linked only by sidelong glances. The flare6 of a torch would suddenly slide over Handshut's face, showing her its dark gipsy profile, and she would turn away her eyes as from something too bright to bear.
Every now and then the crowd would start singing inanely7:
"Soles, plaice, and dabs8,
Rate, skate, and crabs9.
God save the Queen!"
It was like a muddled10 dream—people seemed to have no reason for what they did or shouted; they just ebbed11 and flowed, jostled and jambed, ran hither and thither12, sang and laughed and swore. Rose looked round her to see if she could recognise anyone; now and then a face glowed on her in the torch-light, then died away, once she thought she saw the back of a tradesman's daughter whom she knew—but her chief feeling was of[Pg 309] an utter isolation13 with her loved one, as if he and she stood alone on some sea-pounded island against which the tides of the world roared in vain.
At last the crowd began to move. The band had crushed through to the front of it, and was braying15 Rule Britannia up Playden Hill; then came the waggons, then the stout16 champions of freedom, singing at the pitch of their lungs:
"Soles, plaice, and dabs,
Rate, skate, and crabs.
God save the Queen!"
The stars winked17 on the black zenith, while troubled winds sped and throbbed18 over the fields that huddled19 in mystery and silence on either side of the road—where noise and skirmish and darting20 lights, with the odours of warm human bodies, and the thudding and scrabbling of a thousand feet, proclaimed the People's holiday.
They flowed through Playden like a torrent22 through an open sluice23, sweeping24 up and carrying on all sorts of flotsam—villagers from cottage doors, ploughboys from the farms down by the Military Canal, gipsies from Iden Wood ... a mixed multitude, which the central mass absorbed, till all was one steaming and shouting blackness.
The first gate was at Mockbeggar, where the road to Iden joins that which crosses the Marsh by Corkwood and Baron's Grange. In a minute it was off its hinges, and swealing in tar, while lusty arms pulled twigs25, branches, even whole bushes out of the hedges to build its pyre.
Rose shrank close to Handshut, so close that the clover scents26 of her laces were drowned in the smell of the cowhouse that came from his clothes. She found herself liking27 it, drinking in that soft, mixed, milky28 odour ... till a cloud of stifling29 tar-smoke swept suddenly over them, and she reeled against him suffocating30, while all round them people choked and gasped31 and sneezed.
The fire was lighted, a great crimson32 tongue screamed up in front of two motionless poplars, leaped as high as their tops, then spread fan-shaped, roaring. Men and women joined hands and danced round the blaze—in the distance, above the surging pack of heads, Rose could see them jumping and capering33, with snatches of song that became screams every minute.
The fire roared like a storm, and the wood crackled with sudden yelping34 reports. The dancing girls' hats flew off, their hair streamed wide, their skirts belled and swirled35 ... there was laughter and obscene remarks from the onlookers36. Many from the rear pressed forward to join the dance, and those who were trampled37 on screamed or cursed, while one or two women fainted. Rose felt as if she would faint in the heat and reek38 of it all. She leaned heavily against Handshut and closed her eyes ... then she realised that his arm was round her. He held her against him, supporting her, while either she heard or thought she heard him say—"D?an't be scared, liddle Rose—I'm wud you. I w?an't let you fall."
She opened her eyes. The people were moving. The Mockbeggar gate had been accounted for, and they rolled on towards Thornsdale. The jamb was not so alarming, for a good many revellers had been left behind, dancing round the remains39 of the bonfire, crowding into the public-house, or scattering40 in couples over the fields.
But though the jostling was no longer dangerous, Handshut still kept his arm about Rose, and held her close to his side. Now and then she made a feeble effort as if to free herself, but he held her fast, and she never put out her full strength. They walked as if in a dream, they two together, not speaking to anyone, not speaking to each other. Rose saw as if in a dream the Sign of Virgo hanging above Stone. The dipping of the lane showed the Kentish marshes41 down in the valley, with[Pg 311] the hills of Kent beyond them, twinkling with lights. The band lifted the strains of Hearts of Oak and Cheer, Boys, Cheer above the thud of marching feet, or occasionally drifted into sentiment with Love's Pilgrim—while every now and then, regardless of what was being played, two hundred throats would bray14:
"Soles, plaice, and dabs,
Rate, skate, and crabs.
God save the Queen!"
It was about nine o'clock when they came to Thornsdale, down on the Rother levels; the moon had risen and the marsh was smeethed in white. The air was thick with a strong-scented miasma42, and beside the dykes44 long lines of willows45 faded into the mist. Here another orgy was started, in grotesque46 contrast with the pallid47 sleep of water. The gate that barred the Kent road was torn down, the bonfire prepared, the dance begun.
The mists became patched with leaping shadows, and a dull crimson wove itself into the prevailing49 whiteness. Flaming twigs and sparks hissed50 into the dykes, rolls of acrid51 tar-smoke spread like a pall48 over the river and the Highnock Sewer52, under which their waters were spotted with fire. The ground was soon pulped53 and poached with the jigging54 feet, and mud and water spurted55 into the dancers' faces.
It was all rather ugly and ridiculous, and as before at Mockbeggar, the crowd began to straggle. This time there was no public-house to swallow up strays, but the marsh spread far and wide, a Land of Promise for lovers, who began to slink off two by two into the mists. Some who were not lovers formed themselves into noisy groups, and bumped about the lanes—waking the farmers' wives from Bosney to Marsh Quarter.
Rose felt Handshut's arm clinging more tenderly about her, and she knew that he wanted to lead her[Pg 312] away from the noise and glare, to the coolness and loneliness of the waterside. She wanted to go—her head ached, her nostrils56 tingled57, and her eyes were sore with the fumes58 of tar, her ears wearied with the din21.
"Let's go home," she said faintly—"it's getting late."
"We can go back by Corkwood across the marshes. It'll be quicker, and we shan't have no crowd spanneling round."
They elbowed their way into the open, and soon the noise had died into a subdued59 roar, not so loud as the sigh of the reeds, while the bonfire showed only as a crimson stain on the eastward60 piling fogs.
In time the contrast of silence grew quite painful. It ached. Only the sough of the wind in the reeds troubled it—the feet of Rose and Handshut were noiseless on the grass, they breathed inaudibly, only the breath of the watching night was heard.
They skirted the Corkwood dyke43, from which rose the stupefying, sodden61, almost flavorous, smell of dying reeds—a waterfowl suddenly croaked62 among them, and another answered her with a wail63 from beyond Ethnam. The willows were shimmering64 silver dreams, bathed in the light of the moon which hung above the Fivewatering and had washed nearly all the stars out of the sky—only Sirius hung like a dim lamp over Great Knell65, while Lyra was faint above Reedbed in the north.
Rose walked half leaning against Handshut. She felt a very little feeble thing in the power of that great amorous66 night. The warm breath of the wind in her hair, the caress67 of moonlight on her eyes, the throbbing68, miasmic69, night-sweet scents of water and grass, the hush70, the great sleep ... all tore at her heart, all weakened her with their huge soft strength, all crushed with their languors the poor resistance of her will.
The tears began to roll down her cheeks, they shone on her face in the moonlight—they fell quite fast as she[Pg 313] walked on gripped against her lover's heart. She was leaning more and more heavily against him, for her strength was ebbing71 fast—oh, if he would only speak!—she could not walk much further, and yet she dared not rest beside him on that haunted ground.
At last they came to where the high land rose out of the levels like a shore out of the sea, with a lick of road on it, winding72 up to Peasmarsh. It was here that Rose's uncertain strength failed her, she lurched against Handshut, and still encircled by his arms slid to the grass.
They were in a huge meadow, sloping upwards73 to mysterious, night-wrapped hedges. The moonlight still trembled over the marsh, kindling74 sudden streaks75 of water, steeping fogs, silvering pollards and reeds. One could distinctly see the little houses on the Kent side of the Rother, Ethnam, and Lossenham, and Lambstand, some with lights blinking from them, others just black patches on the moon-grey country. Rose looked out towards them, and tried to picture in each a hearth76 beside which a husband and wife sat united ... then suddenly they were blotted77 out, as Handshut's face loomed78 dark between her and them, and his lips slowly fastened on her own.
For a moment she yielded to the kiss, then suddenly tore herself away.
"Rose ..."
"Let me go—I can't."
"Rose, why shud you pretend? You d?an't love the m?aster79, and you do love me. Why shudn't we be happy together?"
"We—I can't."
"Why?—I love you, and you love me. Come away wud me—you shan't have a hard life——"
"—It's not that."
"Wot is it then?"
"It's—oh, I can't—I'm his wife."
She pushed him from her as he tried to take her in his arms again, and stumbled to her feet.
"It's late—I—I must go home."
"Rose, you queer me."
He had risen too, and stood before her in mingled80 pain and surprise. He thought her resistance mere81 coyness, and suddenly flung his arms round her as she stood.
She began to cry.
"No, no—don't be so cruel! Let me go!—I'm his wife."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
spotted
|
|
| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
tar
|
|
| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
waggons
|
|
| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
marsh
|
|
| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
jerseys
|
|
| n.运动衫( jersey的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
flare
|
|
| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
inanely
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
dabs
|
|
| 少许( dab的名词复数 )； 是…能手； 做某事很在行； 在某方面技术熟练 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
crabs
|
|
| n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
muddled
|
|
| adj.混乱的；糊涂的；头脑昏昏然的v.弄乱，弄糟( muddle的过去式)；使糊涂；对付，混日子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
ebbed
|
|
| （指潮水）退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
thither
|
|
| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
isolation
|
|
| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
bray
|
|
| n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
braying
|
|
| v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的现在分词 )；发嘟嘟声；粗声粗气地讲话（或大笑）；猛击 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
winked
|
|
| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
throbbed
|
|
| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
huddled
|
|
| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
darting
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
din
|
|
| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
torrent
|
|
| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
sluice
|
|
| n.水闸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
sweeping
|
|
| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
twigs
|
|
| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
scents
|
|
| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
liking
|
|
| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
milky
|
|
| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
stifling
|
|
| a.令人窒息的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
suffocating
|
|
| a.使人窒息的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
capering
|
|
| v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的现在分词 )；蹦蹦跳跳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
yelping
|
|
| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
swirled
|
|
| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
onlookers
|
|
| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
trampled
|
|
| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
reek
|
|
| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
scattering
|
|
| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
marshes
|
|
| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
miasma
|
|
| n.毒气；不良气氛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
dyke
|
|
| n.堤，水坝，排水沟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
dykes
|
|
| abbr.diagonal wire cutters 斜线切割机n.堤( dyke的名词复数 )；坝；堰；沟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
willows
|
|
| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
grotesque
|
|
| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
pallid
|
|
| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
pall
|
|
| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
prevailing
|
|
| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
hissed
|
|
| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
acrid
|
|
| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
sewer
|
|
| n.排水沟，下水道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
pulped
|
|
| 水果的肉质部分( pulp的过去式和过去分词 )； 果肉； 纸浆； 低级书刊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
jigging
|
|
| n.跳汰选，簸选v.（使）上下急动( jig的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
spurted
|
|
| （液体，火焰等）喷出，（使）涌出( spurt的过去式和过去分词 )； （短暂地）加速前进，冲刺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
nostrils
|
|
| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
tingled
|
|
| v.有刺痛感( tingle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
fumes
|
|
| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
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： |
|
|
|
|
60
eastward
|
|
| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
sodden
|
|
| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
croaked
|
|
| v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
wail
|
|
| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
shimmering
|
|
| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
knell
|
|
| n.丧钟声；v.敲丧钟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
amorous
|
|
| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
caress
|
|
| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
throbbing
|
|
| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
miasmic
|
|
| adj.瘴气的；有害的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
70
hush
|
|
| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
ebbing
|
|
| （指潮水）退( ebb的现在分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
winding
|
|
| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
upwards
|
|
| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
kindling
|
|
| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
streaks
|
|
| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
hearth
|
|
| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
blotted
|
|
| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
loomed
|
|
| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
aster
|
|
| n.紫菀属植物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |