Part 5 The Second Wedding Chapter 6

This end of September was like another summer, only a little lesslively. The weather was so beautiful, that had it not been for thedead leaves that fell upon the roads, one might have thought that Junehad come back again. Husbands and sweethearts had all returned, andeverywhere was the joy of a second spring-time of love.

　　At last, one day, one of the missing ships was signalled. Which onewas it?

　　The groups of speechless and anxious women had rapidly formed on thecliff. Gaud, pale and trembling, was there, by the side of her Yann'sfather.

　　"I'm almost sure," said the old fisher, "I'm almost sure it's them! Ared rail and a topsail that clews up--it's very like them anyhow. Whatdo you make it, Gaud?

　　"No, it isn't," he went on, with sudden discouragement; "we've made amistake again, the boom isn't the same, and ours has a jigger sail.

　　Well, well, it isn't our boat this time, it's only the /Marie-Jeanne/.

　　Never mind, my lass, surely they'll not be long now."But day followed day, and night succeeded night, with uninterruptedserenity.

　　Gaud continued to dress every day like a poor crazed woman, always infear of being taken for the widow of a shipwrecked sailor, feelingexasperated when others looked furtively¹ and compassionately² at her,and glancing aside so that she might not meet those glances that frozeher very blood.

　　She had fallen into the habit of going in the early morning right tothe end of the headland, on the high cliffs of Pors-Even, passingbehind Yann's old home, so as not to be seen by his mother or littlesisters. She went to the extreme point of the Ploubazlanec land, whichis outlined in the shape of a reindeer's horn upon the gray waters ofthe channel, and sat there all day long at the foot of the lonelycross, which rises high above the immense waste of the ocean. Thereare many of these crosses hereabout; they are set up on the mostadvanced cliffs of the seabound land, as if to implore³ mercy and tocalm that restless mysterious power that draws men away, never to givethem back, and in preference retains the bravest and noblest.

　　Around this cross stretches the ever-green waste, strewn with shortrushes. At this great height the sea air was very pure; it scarcelyretained the briny⁴ odour of the weeds, but was perfumed with all theexquisite ripeness of September flowers.

　　Far away, all the bays and inlets of the coast were firmly outlined,rising one above another; the land of Brittany terminated in raggededges, which spread out far into the tranquil⁵ surface.

　　Near at hand the reefs were numerous, but out beyond nothing broke itspolished mirror, from which arose a soft, caressing⁶ ripple⁷, light andintensified from the depths of its many bays. Its horizon seemed socalm, and its depths so soft! The great blue sepulchre of many Gaoseshid its inscrutable mystery, while the breezes, faint as human breath,wafted to and fro the perfume of the stunted⁸ gorse, which had bloomedagain in the lastest autumn sun.

　　At regular hours the sea retreated, and great spaces were leftuncovered everywhere, as if the Channel was slowly drying up; thenwith the same lazy slowness, the waters rose again, and continuedtheir everlasting⁹ coming and going, without any heed¹⁰ of the dead.

　　At the foot of the cross, Gaud remained, surrounded by these tranquilmysteries, gazing ever before her, until the night fell and she couldsee no more.

1 furtively   

adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地

参考例句：

• At this some of the others furtively exchanged significant glances. 听他这样说，有几个人心照不宣地彼此对望了一眼。
• Remembering my presence, he furtively dropped it under his chair. 后来想起我在，他便偷偷地把书丢在椅子下。

2 compassionately   

adv.表示怜悯地，有同情心地

参考例句：

• The man at her feet looked up at Scarlett compassionately. 那个躺在思嘉脚边的人同情地仰望着她。 来自飘（部分）
• Then almost compassionately he said,"You should be greatly rewarded." 接着他几乎带些怜悯似地说：“你是应当得到重重酬报的。” 来自辞典例句

3 implore   

vt.乞求，恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• I implore you to write. At least tell me you're alive.请给我音讯，让我知道你还活着。
• Please implore someone else's help in a crisis.危险时请向别人求助。

4 briny   

adj.盐水的；很咸的；n.海洋

参考例句：

• The briny water is not good for the growth of the trees.海水不利于这种树木的生长。
• The briny air gave a foretaste of the nearby sea.咸空气是快近海的前兆。

5 tranquil   

adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的

参考例句：

• The boy disturbed the tranquil surface of the pond with a stick. 那男孩用棍子打破了平静的池面。
• The tranquil beauty of the village scenery is unique. 这乡村景色的宁静是绝无仅有的。

6 caressing   

爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的

参考例句：

• The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。
• He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里，不断抚摸着鞑靼，它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。

7 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

8 stunted   

adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的

参考例句：

• the stunted lives of children deprived of education 未受教育的孩子所过的局限生活
• But the landed oligarchy had stunted the country's democratic development for generations. 但是好几代以来土地寡头的统治阻碍了这个国家民主的发展。

9 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

10 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。