THE bombardment of the Queen City continued. With unprecedented1 stubbornness did she resist the enemy's fierce demands, and stand firm amid the death-dealing blows of shot and shell. Many of the inhabitants had fled from their homes at the first boom of the shelling guns, but many, too, had remained; and among the latter number was Mr. Mordecai's family. But now the moment had arrived when farther exposure to danger seemed to the banker a reckless disregard of life. So they were going-going, as many others had gone, leaving behind the palatial2 home, with its comforts and luxuries, for the privations, hardships, discomforts3, of a refugee life. Articles of value were being removed to places of greater security, some to be sold, others given to remaining friends, who could not get away, and some left uncared for. It was the day before the proposed departure. The house wore the aspect of a dismantled4 castle. In the room formerly5 the library, but now well filled with trunks, boxes, bundles, and so on, Rebecca and her faithful attendant were busy with the packing, unpacking6, and repacking of their household goods. "Here, Barbara," said Rebecca, turning to the woman nearest her, as she pushed aside an old worn portmanteau, "you can take this. It's an old valise that my husband sent up from the bank the other day, among his rubbish from there. Here, give me the papers out of it, and I'll lookover them, while I sit here to rest a moment. Here, pour them into my apron7." Obeying this command, Barbara emptied the contents into the large apron that the mistress upheld to receive them, and she sat down to the examination. One by one the papers fell from her fingers to the floor as valueless trash, and she pushed them with her foot toward the open fire-place. Suddenly she descried8 upon the floor a dark brown paper, loosely folded, that had fallen from her lap unobserved. picking it up, she drew from it a small book, bound in Russia leather, the size of a man's hand. Upon the outer cover, in dim, well-worn, and mold-covered letters was the word "Journal." "What can this be?" she murmured curiously9, holding it tightly in her hand. Slowly unfastening the slender clasp, she read with astonishment10 the words written upon the first page: "Emile Le Grande's Diary."
Amazed at what her eyes beheld11, Rebecca hastily secreted12 the book in her dress pocket and retired13 from the room. Once securely out of sight, she eagerly began her scrutiny14 of the ill-fated little book that had fallen so mysteriously into her possession. Record after record was read with greedy eye. Soon her eye rested upon the name, "Leah Mordecai." No vulture ever devoured15 its unfortunate prey16 with more rapacity17 that did this wicked woman the contents that followed, day after day. Her eye gleamed with delight, and her jewelled hands trembled for joy, as she turned leaf after leaf of the unfortunate book. At length she stopped suddenly, and exclaimed half-wildly, "Aha! I know it now! At last the truth has come to light, the terrible mystery is revealed," as she read the unfortunate yet idle record of young Le Grande's, made on the night of Bertha Levy's tea- party, the foolish record: "If I knew that she loved Mark Abrams, I would kill him."
"You are mistaken, my bird," Rebecca continued to soliloquize; "he did not love Leah Mordecai as fondly as you supposed, but you dared to kill him from jealous hatred18 when you well knew you were destroying the hopes and future of my child. Well, I'll see to it that revenge comes. My young eagle, you are not so far away, but justice can find you. Though the water of a dozen oceans rolled between us, I think my revenge could reach you. Rest on in your fancied security while you may, young villain19; the storm is gathering20 for your destruction. Rest on. Rebecca Mordecai will never, never forget you. I will keep this secret to myself till my plans are matured; then I will act. Now, we must fly, and then-well, never mind what then, so I keep this treasure safe in my grasp." So saying, she stowed the journal away in her bosom21, and with a cruel laugh, busied herself again with her preparations for departure. The removal was made. The mansion22 of the banker was vacated, and the Queen City left to the mercy of the spoiler. In all these days of agitation23 and confusion, the little journal lay safe in the bosom of its possessor. She intended to have the way clear, before unfolding her secret and her purpose. And so it was.
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1
unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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palatial
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| adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的 | |
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discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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rapacity
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| n.贪婪，贪心，劫掠的欲望 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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