The Distracted Preacher Chapter 2

Matters being in this advancing state, Stockdale was rathersurprised one cloudy evening, while sitting in his room, at hearingher speak in low tones of expostulation to some one at the door. Itwas nearly dark, but the shutters¹ were not yet closed, nor thecandles lighted; and Stockdale was tempted² to stretch his headtowards the window. He saw outside the door a young man in clothesof a whitish colour, and upon reflection judged their wearer to bethe well-built and rather handsome miller³ who lived below. Themiller's voice was alternately low and firm, and sometimes itreached the level of positive entreaty⁴; but what the words wereStockdale could in no way hear.

　　Before the colloquy⁵ had ended, the minister's attention wasattracted by a second incident. Opposite Lizzy's home grew a clumpof laurels⁶, forming a thick and permanent shade. One of the laurelboughs now quivered against the light background of sky, and in amoment the head of a man peered out, and remained still. He seemedto be also much interested in the conversation at the door, and wasplainly lingering there to watch and listen. Had Stockdale stood inany other relation to Lizzy than that of a lover, he might have goneout and investigated the meaning of this: but being as yet but anunprivileged ally, he did nothing more than stand up and showhimself against the firelight, whereupon the listener disappeared,and Lizzy and the miller spoke⁷ in lower tones.

　　Stockdale was made so uneasy by the circumstance, that as soon asthe miller was gone, he said, 'Mrs. Newberry, are you aware that youwere watched just now, and your conversation heard?'

　　'When?' she said.

　　'When you were talking to that miller. A man was looking from thelaurel-tree as jealously as if he could have eaten you.'

　　She showed more concern than the trifling⁸ event seemed to demand,and he added, 'Perhaps you were talking of things you did not wishto be overheard?'

　　'I was talking only on business,' she said.

　　'Lizzy, be frank!' said the young man. 'If it was only on business,why should anybody wish to listen to you?'

　　She looked curiously⁹ at him. 'What else do you think it could be,then?'

　　'Well--the only talk between a young woman and man that is likely toamuse an eavesdropper¹⁰.'

　　'Ah yes,' she said, smiling in spite of her preoccupation. 'Well,my cousin Owlett has spoken to me about matrimony, every now andthen, that's true; but he was not speaking of it then. I wish hehad been speaking of it, with all my heart. It would have been muchless serious for me.'

　　'O Mrs. Newberry!'

　　'It would. Not that I should ha' chimed in with him, of course. Iwish it for other reasons. I am glad, Mr. Stockdale, that you havetold me of that listener. It is a timely warning, and I must see mycousin again.'

　　'But don't go away till I have spoken,' said the minister. 'I'llout with it at once, and make no more ado. Let it be Yes or Nobetween us, Lizzy; please do!' And he held out his hand, in whichshe freely allowed her own to rest, but without speaking.

　　'You mean Yes by that?' he asked, after waiting a while.

　　'You may be my sweetheart, if you will.'

　　'Why not say at once you will wait for me until I have a house andcan come back to marry you.'

　　'Because I am thinking--thinking of something else,' she said withembarrassment. 'It all comes upon me at once, and I must settle onething at a time.'

　　'At any rate, dear Lizzy, you can assure me that the miller shallnot be allowed to speak to you except on business? You have neverdirectly encouraged him?'

　　She parried the question by saying, 'You see, he and his party havebeen in the habit of leaving things on my premises¹¹ sometimes, and asI have not denied him, it makes him rather forward.'

　　'Things--what things?'

　　'Tubs--they are called Things here.'

　　'But why don't you deny him, my dear Lizzy?'

　　'I cannot well.'

　　'You are too timid. It is unfair of him to impose so upon you, andget your good name into danger by his smuggling¹² tricks. Promise methat the next time he wants to leave his tubs here you will let meroll them into the street?'

　　She shook her head. 'I would not venture to offend the neighboursso much as that,' said she, 'or do anything that would be so likelyto put poor Owlett into the hands of the excisemen.'

　　Stockdale sighed, and said that he thought hers a mistakengenerosity when it extended to assisting those who cheated the kingof his dues. 'At any rate, you will let me make him keep hisdistance as your lover, and tell him flatly that you are not forhim?'

　　'Please not, at present,' she said. 'I don't wish to offend my oldneighbours. It is not only Owlett who is concerned.'

　　'This is too bad,' said Stockdale impatiently.

　　'On my honour, I won't encourage him as my lover,' Lizzy answeredearnestly. 'A reasonable man will be satisfied with that.'

　　'Well, so I am,' said Stockdale, his countenance¹³ clearing.

1 shutters   

百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门

参考例句：

• The shop-front is fitted with rolling shutters. 那商店的店门装有卷门。
• The shutters thumped the wall in the wind. 在风中百叶窗砰砰地碰在墙上。

2 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

3 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

4 entreaty   

n.恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• Mrs. Quilp durst only make a gesture of entreaty.奎尔普太太仅做出一种哀求的姿势。
• Her gaze clung to him in entreaty.她的眼光带着恳求的神色停留在他身上。

5 colloquy   

n.谈话，自由讨论

参考例句：

• The colloquy between them was brief.他们之间的对话很简洁。
• They entered into eager colloquy with each other.他们展开热切的相互交谈。

6 laurels   

n.桂冠，荣誉

参考例句：

• The path was lined with laurels.小路两旁都种有月桂树。
• He reaped the laurels in the finals.他在决赛中荣膺冠军。

7 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：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

9 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

10 eavesdropper   

偷听者

参考例句：

• Now that there is one, the eavesdropper's days may be numbered. 既然现在有这样的设备了，偷窥者的好日子将屈指可数。
• In transit, this information is scrambled and unintelligible to any eavesdropper. 在传输过程，对该信息进行编码，使窃听者无法获知真正的内容。

11 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

12 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

13 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。