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首页 » 经典英文小说 » THE GOLDEN ROAD黄金岁月 » CHAPTER XXIX. WE LOSE A FRIEND
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CHAPTER XXIX. WE LOSE A FRIEND
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 Our beautiful October was marred1 by one day of black tragedy—the day Paddy died. For Paddy, after seven years of as happy a life as ever a cat lived, died suddenly—of poison, as was supposed. Where he had wandered in the darkness to meet his doom2 we did not know, but in the frosty dawnlight he dragged himself home to die. We found him lying on the doorstep when we got up, and it did not need Aunt Janet’s curt3 announcement, or Uncle Blair’s reluctant shake of the head, to tell us that there was no chance of our pet recovering this time. We felt that nothing could be done. Lard and sulphur on his paws would be of no use, nor would any visit to Peg4 Bowen avail. We stood around in mournful silence; the Story Girl sat down on the step and took poor Paddy upon her lap.
 
“I s’pose there’s no use even in praying now,” said Cecily desperately5.
 
“It wouldn’t do any harm to try,” sobbed6 Felicity.
 
“You needn’t waste your prayers,” said Dan mournfully, “Pat is beyond human aid. You can tell that by his eyes. Besides, I don’t believe it was the praying cured him last time.”
 
“No, it was Peg Bowen,” declared Peter, “but she couldn’t have bewitched him this time for she’s been away for months, nobody knows where.”
 
“If he could only TELL us where he feels the worst!” said Cecily piteously. “It’s so dreadful to see him suffering and not be able to do a single thing to help him!”
 
“I don’t think he’s suffering much now,” I said comfortingly.
 
The Story Girl said nothing. She passed and repassed her long brown hand gently over her pet’s glossy7 fur. Pat lifted his head and essayed to creep a little nearer to his beloved mistress. The Story Girl drew his limp body close in her arms. There was a plaintive8 little mew—a long quiver—and Paddy’s friendly soul had fared forth9 to wherever it is that good cats go.
 
“Well, he’s gone,” said Dan, turning his back abruptly10 to us.
 
“It doesn’t seem as if it can be true,” sobbed Cecily. “This time yesterday morning he was full of life.”
 
“He drank two full saucers of cream,” moaned Felicity, “and I saw him catch a mouse in the evening. Maybe it was the last one he ever caught.”
 
“He did for many a mouse in his day,” said Peter, anxious to pay his tribute to the departed.
 
“‘He was a cat—take him for all in all. We shall not look upon his like again,’” quoted Uncle Blair.
 
Felicity and Cecily and Sara Ray cried so much that Aunt Janet lost patience completely and told them sharply that they would have something to cry for some day—which did not seem to comfort them much. The Story Girl shed no tears, though the look in her eyes hurt more than weeping.
 
“After all, perhaps it’s for the best,” she said drearily11. “I’ve been feeling so badly over having to go away and leave Paddy. No matter how kind you’d all be to him I know he’d miss me terribly. He wasn’t like most cats who don’t care who comes and goes as long as they get plenty to eat. Paddy wouldn’t have been contented12 without me.”
 
“Oh, no-o-o, oh, no-o-o,” wailed13 Sara Ray lugubriously14.
 
Felix shot a disgusted glance at her.
 
“I don’t see what YOU are making such a fuss about,” he said unfeelingly. “He wasn’t your cat.”
 
“But I l-l-oved him,” sobbed Sara, “and I always feel bad when my friends d-do.”
 
“I wish we could believe that cats went to heaven, like people,” sighed Cecily. “Do you really think it isn’t possible?”
 
Uncle Blair shook his head.
 
“I’m afraid not. I’d like to think cats have a chance for heaven, but I can’t. There’s nothing heavenly about cats, delightful15 creatures though they are.”
 
“Blair, I’m really surprised to hear the things you say to the children,” said Aunt Janet severely16.
 
“Surely you wouldn’t prefer me to tell them that cats DO go to heaven,” protested Uncle Blair.
 
“I think it’s wicked to carry on about an animal as those children do,” answered Aunt Janet decidedly, “and you shouldn’t encourage them. Here now, children, stop making a fuss. Bury that cat and get off to your apple picking.”
 
We had to go to our work, but Paddy was not to be buried in any such off-hand fashion as that. It was agreed that we should bury him in the orchard17 at sunset that evening, and Sara Ray, who had to go home, declared she would be back for it, and implored18 us to wait for her if she didn’t come exactly on time.
 
“I mayn’t be able to get away till after milking,” she sniffed19, “but I don’t want to miss it. Even a cat’s funeral is better than none at all.”
 
“Horrid thing!” said Felicity, barely waiting until Sara was out of earshot.
 
We worked with heavy hearts that day; the girls cried bitterly most of the time and we boys whistled defiantly20. But as evening drew on we began to feel a sneaking21 interest in the details of the funeral. As Dan said, the thing should be done properly, since Paddy was no common cat. The Story Girl selected the spot for the grave, in a little corner behind the cherry copse, where early violets enskied the grass in spring, and we boys dug the grave, making it “soft and narrow,” as the heroine of the old ballad22 wanted hers made. Sara Ray, who managed to come in time after all, and Felicity stood and watched us, but Cecily and the Story Girl kept far aloof23.
 
“This time last night you never thought you’d be digging Pat’s grave to-night,” sighed Felicity.
 
“We little k-know what a day will bring forth,” sobbed Sara. “I’ve heard the minister say that and it is true.”
 
“Of course it’s true. It’s in the Bible; but I don’t think you should repeat it in connection with a cat,” said Felicity dubiously24.
 
When all was in readiness the Story Girl brought her pet through the orchard where he had so often frisked and prowled. No useless coffin25 enclosed his breast but he reposed26 in a neat cardboard box.
 
“I wonder if it would be right to say ‘ashes to ashes and dust to dust,’” said Peter.
 
“No, it wouldn’t,” averred27 Felicity. “It would be real wicked.”
 
“I think we ought to sing a hymn28, anyway,” asseverated29 Sara Ray.
 
“Well, we might do that, if it isn’t a very religious one,” conceded Felicity.
 
“How would ‘Pull for the shore, sailor, pull for the shore,’ do?” asked Cecily. “That never seemed to me a very religious hymn.”
 
“But it doesn’t seem very appropriate to a funeral occasion either,” said Felicity.
 
“I think ‘Lead, kindly30 light,’ would be ever so much more suitable,” suggested Sara Ray, “and it is kind of soothing31 and melancholy32 too.”
 
“We are not going to sing anything,” said the Story Girl coldly. “Do you want to make the affair ridiculous? We will just fill up the grave quietly and put a flat stone over the top.”
 
“It isn’t much like my idea of a funeral,” muttered Sara Ray discontentedly.
 
“Never mind, we’re going to have a real obituary33 about him in Our Magazine,” whispered Cecily consolingly.
 
“And Peter is going to cut his name on top of the stone,” added Felicity. “Only we mustn’t let on to the grown-ups until it is done, because they might say it wasn’t right.”
 
We left the orchard, a sober little band, with the wind of the gray twilight34 blowing round us. Uncle Roger passed us at the gate.
 
“So the last sad obsequies are over?” he remarked with a grin.
 
And we hated Uncle Roger. But we loved Uncle Blair because he said quietly,
 
“And so you’ve buried your little comrade?”
 
So much may depend on the way a thing is said. But not even Uncle Blair’s sympathy could take the sting out of the fact that there was no Paddy to get the froth that night at milking time. Felicity cried bitterly all the time she was straining the milk. Many human beings have gone to their graves unattended by as much real regret as followed that one gray pussy35 cat to his.

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1 marred 5fc2896f7cb5af68d251672a8d30b5b5     
adj. 被损毁, 污损的
参考例句:
  • The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨,把比赛给搅了。
  • Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。
2 doom gsexJ     
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定
参考例句:
  • The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
  • The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。
3 curt omjyx     
adj.简短的,草率的
参考例句:
  • He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
  • He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。
4 peg p3Fzi     
n.木栓,木钉;vt.用木钉钉,用短桩固定
参考例句:
  • Hang your overcoat on the peg in the hall.把你的大衣挂在门厅的挂衣钩上。
  • He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。
5 desperately cu7znp     
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地
参考例句:
  • He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
  • He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。
6 sobbed 4a153e2bbe39eef90bf6a4beb2dba759     
哭泣,啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 ); 哭诉,呜咽地说
参考例句:
  • She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
  • She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。
7 glossy nfvxx     
adj.平滑的;有光泽的
参考例句:
  • I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。
  • She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。
8 plaintive z2Xz1     
adj.可怜的,伤心的
参考例句:
  • Her voice was small and plaintive.她的声音微弱而哀伤。
  • Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里,一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
9 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
10 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地,出其不意地
参考例句:
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
11 drearily a9ac978ac6fcd40e1eeeffcdb1b717a2     
沉寂地,厌倦地,可怕地
参考例句:
  • "Oh, God," thought Scarlett drearily, "that's just the trouble. "啊,上帝!" 思嘉沮丧地想,"难就难在这里呀。
  • His voice was utterly and drearily expressionless. 他的声调,阴沉沉的,干巴巴的,完全没有感情。
12 contented Gvxzof     
adj.满意的,安心的,知足的
参考例句:
  • He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
  • The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。
13 wailed e27902fd534535a9f82ffa06a5b6937a     
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句
14 lugubriously 117fb830ab48560ef86b5dbc3e2a7b1e     
参考例句:
  • His mirth hoarse and ghastly, like a raven's and the sick wolf joined him, howling lugubriously. 他的笑声粗厉可怕,跟乌鸦的怪叫一样,而那条病狼也随着他,一阵阵地惨嗥。 来自互联网
15 delightful 6xzxT     
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
参考例句:
  • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
  • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
16 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地
参考例句:
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
17 orchard UJzxu     
n.果园,果园里的全部果树,(美俚)棒球场
参考例句:
  • My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
  • Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。
18 implored 0b089ebf3591e554caa381773b194ff1     
恳求或乞求(某人)( implore的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She implored him to stay. 她恳求他留下。
  • She implored him with tears in her eyes to forgive her. 她含泪哀求他原谅她。
19 sniffed ccb6bd83c4e9592715e6230a90f76b72     
v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 );抽鼻子(尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气);抱怨,不以为然地说
参考例句:
  • When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣,吸了吸鼻子,擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 defiantly defiantly     
adv.挑战地,大胆对抗地
参考例句:
  • Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 sneaking iibzMu     
a.秘密的,不公开的
参考例句:
  • She had always had a sneaking affection for him. 以前她一直暗暗倾心于他。
  • She ducked the interviewers by sneaking out the back door. 她从后门偷偷溜走,躲开采访者。
22 ballad zWozz     
n.歌谣,民谣,流行爱情歌曲
参考例句:
  • This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
  • This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。
23 aloof wxpzN     
adj.远离的;冷淡的,漠不关心的
参考例句:
  • Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
  • On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。
24 dubiously dubiously     
adv.可疑地,怀疑地
参考例句:
  • "What does he have to do?" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事?”琴向觉民问道,她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
  • He walked out fast, leaving the head waiter staring dubiously at the flimsy blue paper. 他很快地走出去,撇下侍者头儿半信半疑地瞪着这张薄薄的蓝纸。 来自辞典例句
25 coffin XWRy7     
n.棺材,灵柩
参考例句:
  • When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
  • The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。
26 reposed ba178145bbf66ddeebaf9daf618f04cb     
v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Mr. Cruncher reposed under a patchwork counterpane, like a Harlequin at home. 克朗彻先生盖了一床白衲衣图案的花哨被子,像是呆在家里的丑角。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
  • An old man reposed on a bench in the park. 一位老人躺在公园的长凳上。 来自辞典例句
27 averred 4a3546c562d3f5b618f0024b711ffe27     
v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 );证实;证明…属实;作为事实提出
参考例句:
  • She averred that she had never seen the man before. 她斩钉截铁地说以前从未见过这个男人。
  • The prosecutor averred that the prisoner killed Lois. 检察官称被拘犯杀害洛伊丝属实。 来自互联网
28 hymn m4Wyw     
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌
参考例句:
  • They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌,赞美上帝。
  • The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。
29 asseverated 506fcdab9fd1ae0c79cdf630d83df7f3     
v.郑重声明,断言( asseverate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He asseverated that he had seen a flying saucer. 他坚持说,他看见了飞碟。 来自辞典例句
30 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
31 soothing soothing     
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的
参考例句:
  • Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
  • His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
32 melancholy t7rz8     
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的
参考例句:
  • All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
  • He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过,他感到很郁闷。
33 obituary mvvy9     
n.讣告,死亡公告;adj.死亡的
参考例句:
  • The obituary records the whole life of the deceased.讣文记述了这位死者的生平。
  • Five days after the letter came,he found Andersen s obituary in the morning paper.收到那封信五天后,他在早报上发现了安德森的讣告。
34 twilight gKizf     
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期
参考例句:
  • Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
  • Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。
35 pussy x0dzA     
n.(儿语)小猫,猫咪
参考例句:
  • Why can't they leave my pussy alone?为什么他们就不能离我小猫咪远一点?
  • The baby was playing with his pussy.孩子正和他的猫嬉戏。


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