Ivanov lighted a cigarette, and as the match flared5 between his fingers, illuminating6 his black beard, his trembling hands were distinctly visible. His pointer Gek came out of the darkness and fawned7 round his legs.
Through the darkness of the windless night rang the church bell tolling8 for the last Gospel Service; it seemed to peal9 just outside the manor10. The yard was silent, but once or twice Aganka's voice could be heard from the cattle-shed calling to the cows, and the sound of milk falling into her pail was faintly audible.
Ivanov listened to the church chimes and the subdued11 sounds of night round the manor, then noiselessly, well accustomed to the obscurity, he descended12 the steps; only Gek was at his side, the other dogs did not hear him.
Cold raindrops fell from the trees in tiny shining globules of iridescent13 light, close by him an owl14 fluttered in a tangle15 of branches, uttering its dreadful cry of joy as it flashed past.
Ivanov walked through the fields, descended by a chalky ribbon of a footpath16 to the ravine, crossed over it by a narrow shadow-dappled pathway hidden among a maze17 of trees, and made his way along its further ridge18 to a forest watch-house. It stood in a bare open space, exposed to the swift rushing Dance of the Winds, and close to the naked trunks of three ancient pines that still reared their grim, shaggy heads to the sky and spilled their pungent19 balsam perfumes into the air. Behind it loomed20 the faint grey shadow of an embankment.
A dog at the watch-house began to bark. Gek growled21 in return and suddenly disappeared. The dogs became silent. A man appeared on the step with a lantern.
"Who is there?" he asked quietly.
"It is I," said Ivanov.
"You, Sergius Mitrich?… Aha! But Arina is still at church … went off there … busy with her nonsense." The watchman paused. "Shall I go in and turn off the light? The express will soon be passing. Will you come in? Arina will be back before long. The wife's at home."
"No, I'm going into the forest."
"As you wish." The watchman passed along the embankment with his lantern and approached the bridge.
Ivanov left the watch-house, and went into the forest, walking along the edge of the ravine towards the river slope. A train rushed out from the forest on the further side of the river, its flaming eyes reflected in the dark shiny water; it moved forward, rolling loudly and harshly over the bridge.
It was that hour of spring-time when, despite the many noises, there was still an atmosphere of peace, and the burgeoning22, luxuriantly- clad earth could almost be heard breathing as it absorbed the vernal moisture; the clash of the stream as it struck the rocks in the ravine was hushed for the night. Nevertheless it seemed as though the bold-browed, rugged23 wood-demon—awakened by spring—was shaking his wings in the water.
Beyond the ravine and wood, beyond the river to the right, left, behind, and before, the birds still chirruped over the currents. Below, not many steps away, the stream flowed almost noiselessly; only, as though immeasurably remote the confused gurgle of its waters broke the profound quiet. Far away rose a soft murmur24. The air hummed and shook with the roar of distant rapids.
Ivanov leaned against a birch tree, laid his rifle beside him, struck a match and began to smoke. The flickering25 light illuminated26 the white trunks of the trees, the withered27 herbage of last year's growth and a path leading down the embankment. Arina had descended it many times.
The church bells in the village were ringing for evensong. From the church precincts twinkled the yellow lights of candles and lanterns, then there was the hum of people's voices. Many of the lights dispersed28 to the right and left, others moved down to the river side. There was the sound of foot-falls on the bottom of a boat and the splashing of oars29. Someone called out:
"Wai … ait … Mitri … ich!"
There was a clanking of iron—a boat-chain; then stillness. Only the lights showed that the boat had been launched into the middle of the river and was floating down stream. Soon the murmur of voices again, and the plash of oars, and now these sounds were quite close to Ivanov. One of the men was teasing the girls, the latter laughed at first, then all at once they were silent.
The boat was made fast to the bridge, the passengers bustling30 about for a long time on landing. The ferryman collected his paper roubles, the men continued merry-making with the girls. Their rugged forms— their chest, knees and chins were clearly discernible in the lights they carried. They all strolled up a narrow pathway, but one light withdrew from the rest and moved along a short cut that led to the watch-house—it was Arina's. Ivanov held Gek in tightly, the dog was straining to rush down the embankment.
Arina slowly ascended31 the steep incline, planting her broad, short heavily-shod feet firmly in the sticky mud; her breath came pantingly. She wore a red jacket, unbuttoned in the front through which her large bosom32 was visible in the lantern-light. The reflection shone upon her bent33 face, illuminating her lips, her bluish cheek-bones and dark arched brows; only her eyes were invisible in the darkness, and their cavities seemed enormous. The night's density34 gave way before the light of her lantern and the silvery trunks of birch trees glimmered35 ahead.
Ivanov crossed the road in front of her. Arina stopped with a sudden gasp36, and he felt the touch of her warm breath.
"How you scared me!" she exclaimed quickly, stretching out her hand.
"How are you? I have been at the church service. How you scared me!"
Ivanov was about to draw her hand towards him, but she withdrew it, saying sternly: "No, you musn't, I'm in a hurry to get home, I have no time. Let me go."
Ivanov smiled faintly, and dropped her hands.
"All right, it does not matter, I will come to-morrow at dusk." Then in a low voice he added: "Will you come?"
Arina moved closer to him, and she too spoke37 under her breath: "Yes, come this way. And we will have a walk … Bother my father! But go now, I am in a hurry … there is the house to put straight…. I feel the baby under my heart. Go!"
The first warm rain drops fell from the invisible sky as Ivanov walked across the meadows; at first they were sparse38, pattering noisily on his leather jacket; then they began to fall more heavily and he was soon enveloped39 in the sonorous40 downpour of a vernal shower. Close to the manor Gek darted41 aside and disappeared down the ravine, from whence arose the rustling42 of wings, and the perturbed43 cries of cranes. Gek barked, some dogs on a neighbouring farm answered him; to these, others responded from a distant village, and then again, from far away there was borne over the earth the clear springtime baying of other dogs.
On entering the main avenue of the park, Ivanov noticed the glow of a cigarette suddenly disappearing down a side-walk; afterwards he encountered Aganka at a gate.
The girl giggled45 loudly and ran off, splashing through the mud towards the cow-shed; then she called out innocently:
"I have put the milk by the window in your study."
Ivanov lingered a while on the doorstep scraping the mud off his boots, then stretched himself vigorously, working the muscles of his arms and reflecting that it was high time for him to be in bed, in a sound healthy sleep, so as to be up at dawn on the morrow.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
triumphant
|
|
| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
glimmer
|
|
| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
aroma
|
|
| n.香气，芬芳，芳香 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
medley
|
|
| n.混合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
Flared
|
|
| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
illuminating
|
|
| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
fawned
|
|
| v.（尤指狗等）跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的过去式和过去分词 )；巴结；讨好 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
tolling
|
|
| [财]来料加工 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
peal
|
|
| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
manor
|
|
| n.庄园，领地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
iridescent
|
|
| adj.彩虹色的，闪色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
owl
|
|
| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
tangle
|
|
| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
footpath
|
|
| n.小路，人行道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
maze
|
|
| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
ridge
|
|
| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
pungent
|
|
| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
loomed
|
|
| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
growled
|
|
| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
burgeoning
|
|
| adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
rugged
|
|
| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
flickering
|
|
| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
illuminated
|
|
| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
withered
|
|
| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
dispersed
|
|
| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
oars
|
|
| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
bustling
|
|
| adj.喧闹的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
ascended
|
|
| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
bosom
|
|
| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
density
|
|
| n.密集，密度，浓度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
glimmered
|
|
| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
gasp
|
|
| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
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： |
|
|
|
|
38
sparse
|
|
| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
enveloped
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
sonorous
|
|
| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
rustling
|
|
| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
perturbed
|
|
| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
smoker
|
|
| n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
giggled
|
|
| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |