A CONCERT—AND AFTER II

 Peter walked back to his cottage with his mind in a turmoil¹.

 

It had been utterly², entirely³ different from the scene he had pictured to himself. He had not swaggered, he had not stepped on to his platform with an air of assurance. Something had gripped him, something indefinable and powerful, and he—Peter—had lost the strength to assert his own personality.

 

It had been there, sure enough, but swayed, [Pg 113]dominated, by something outside, beyond him. It had come out from himself, forced out it would seem, into the music of his piping. He had played himself, his own story, to this woman on whom he had never before set eyes.

 

Yet did he not know her? Had he never before seen her? Peter searched the recesses⁴ of his memory, penetrating⁵ to its remotest corners, but with no avail.

 

No; in spite of all searching memory remained a blank. Instinct, intuition—call it what you will—said, “You know this woman.” Reason said as firmly, “You do not.”

 

He had reached his cottage by now. He went in and shut the door. He would work. He wanted to soothe⁶ his mind. He would throw himself into the quiet calm thoughts of his Wanderer.

 

He pulled paper, pen, and ink towards him and turned resolutely⁷ to his manuscript. For over an hour he sat with it before him, then suddenly realized that he had written no single word. It was useless to attempt to write in this mood. A vague unrest was upon him.

 

Peter pushed the papers aside, and leaving the cottage, set off to walk across the moorland.

 

1 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

2 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

4 recesses   

n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭

参考例句：

• I could see the inmost recesses. 我能看见最深处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I had continually pushed my doubts to the darker recesses of my mind. 我一直把怀疑深深地隐藏在心中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 penetrating   

adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的

参考例句：

• He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
• He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。

6 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

7 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。