CHAPTER XIII THE HOUSE-BOAT 'TAWNY OWL'

 Dick disappeared into the kitchen with Mrs. Meredith to show her how they make a salad at the Wigwam, and Nell and her father went a-fishing from a bedroom window. The night was so silent now that Rob and Mary seemed to have it to themselves. A canoe in a blaze of coloured light drifted past without a sound. The grass on the bank parted, and water-rats peeped out. All at once Mary had nothing to say, and Rob shook on his stool. The moon was out looking at them.

 

'Oh,' Mary cried, as something dipped suddenly in the water near them.

 

'It was only a dabchick,' Rob guessed, looking over the rail.

 

'What is a dabchick?' asked Mary.

 

Rob did not tell her. She had not the least desire to know.

 

In the river, on the opposite side from where the Tawny¹ Owl² lay, a stream drowns itself. They had not known of its existence before, but it was roaring like a lasher³ to them now. Mary shuddered⁴ slightly, turning her face to the island, and Rob took a great breath as he looked at her. His hand held her brown sunshade that was ribbed with velvet⁵, the sunshade with the preposterous⁶ handle that Mary held upside down. Other ladies carried their sunshades so, and Rob resented it. Her back was toward him, and he sat still, gazing at the loose blue jacket that only reached her waist. It was such a slender waist that Rob trembled for it.

 

The trees that hung over the house-boat were black, but the moon made a fairyland of the sward beyond. Mary could only see the island between heavy branches, but she looked straight before her until tears dimmed her eyes. Who would dare to seek the thoughts of a girl at such a moment? Rob moved nearer her. Her blue cap was tilted⁷ back, her chin rested on the rail. All that was good in him was astir when she turned and read his face.

 

'I think I shall go down now,' Mary said, becoming less pale as she spoke⁸. Rob's eyes followed her as she moved toward the ladder.

 

'Not yet,' he called after her, and could say no more. It was always so when they were alone; and he made himself suffer for it afterwards.

 

Mary stood irresolutely⁹ at the top of the ladder. She would not turn back, but she did not descend¹⁰. Mr. Meredith was fishing lazily from the lower deck, and there was a murmur¹¹ of voices in the saloon. On the road running parallel to the river traps and men were shadows creeping along to Hampton. Lights were going out there. Mary looked up the stretch of water and sighed.

 

'Was there ever so beautiful a night?' she said.

 

'Yes,' said Rob, at her elbow, 'once at Dome¹² Castle, the night I saw you first.'

 

'I don't remember,' said Mary hastily, but without going down the ladder.

 

'I might never have met you,' Rob continued grimly, 'if some man in Silchester had not murdered his wife.'

 

Mary started and looked up at him. Until she ceased to look he could not go on.

 

'The murder,' he explained, 'was of more importance than Colonel Abinger's dinner, and so I was sent to the castle. It is rather curious to trace these things back a step. The woman enraged¹³ her husband into striking her, because she had not prepared his supper. Instead of doing that she had been gossiping with a neighbour, who would not have had time for gossip had she not been laid up with a sprained¹⁴ ankle. It came out in the evidence that this woman had hurt herself by slipping on a marble, so that I might never have seen you had not two boys, whom neither of us ever heard of, challenged each other to a game at marbles.'

 

'It was stranger that we should meet again in London,' Mary said.

 

'No,' Rob answered, 'the way we met was strange, but I was expecting you.'

 

Mary pondered how she should take this, and then pretended not to hear it.

 

'Was it not rather The Scorn of Scorns that made us know each other?' she asked.

 

'I knew you after I read it a second time,' he said; 'I have got that copy of it still.'

 

'You said you had the card.'

 

'I have never been able to understand,' Rob answered, 'how I lost that card. But,' he added sharply, 'how do you know that I lost it?'

 

Mary glanced up again.

 

'I hate being asked questions, Mr. Angus,' she said sweetly.

 

'Do you remember,' Rob went on, 'saying in that book that men were not to be trusted until they reached their second childhood?'

 

'I don't know,' Mary replied, laughing, 'that they are to be trusted even then.'

 

'I should think,' said Rob, rather anxiously, 'that a woman might as well marry a man in his first childhood as in his second. Surely the golden mean——' Rob paused. He was just twenty-seven.

 

'We should strike the golden mean, you think?' asked Mary demurely¹⁵. 'But you see it is of such short duration.'

 

After that there was such a long pause that Mary could easily have gone down the ladder had she wanted to do so.

 

'I am glad that you and Dick are such friends,' she said at last.

 

'Why?' asked Rob quickly.

 

'Oh, well,' said Mary.

 

'He has been the best friend I have ever made,' Rob continued warmly, 'though he says our only point in common is a hatred¹⁶ of rice pudding.'

 

'He told me,' said Mary, 'that you write on politics in the Wire.'

 

'I do a little now, but I have never met any one yet who admitted that he had read my articles. Even your brother won't go so far as that.'

 

'I have read several of them,' said Mary.

 

'Have you?' Rob exclaimed, like a big boy.

 

'Yes,' Mary answered severely¹⁷; 'but I don't agree with them. I am a Conservative, you know.'

 

She pursed up her mouth complacently¹⁸ as she spoke, and Rob fell back a step to prevent his going a step closer. He could hear Mr. Meredith's line tearing the water. The boy on the next house-boat was baling the dingey, and whistling a doleful ditty between each canful.

 

'There will never be such a night again,' Rob said, in a melancholy¹⁹ voice. Then he waited for Mary to ask why, when he would have told her, but she did not ask.

 

'At least, not to me,' he continued, after a pause, 'for I am not likely to be here again. But there may be many such nights to you.'

 

Mary was unbuttoning her gloves and then buttoning them again. There is something uncanny about a woman who has a chance to speak and does not take it.

 

'I am glad to hear,' said Rob, 'that my being away will make no difference to you.'

 

A light was running along the road to Hampton Court, and Mary watched it.

 

'Are you glad?' asked Rob desperately²⁰.

 

'You said I was,' answered Mary, without turning her head. Dick was thrumming the banjo below. Her hand touched a camp-chair, and Rob put his over it. He would have liked to stand like that and talk about things in general now.

 

'Mary,' said Rob.

 

The boy ceased to whistle. All nature in that quarter was paralysed, except the tumble of water across the river. Mary withdrew her hand, but said nothing. Rob held his breath. He had not even the excuse of having spoken impulsively²¹, for he had been meditating²² saying it for weeks.

 

By and by the world began to move again. The boy whistled. A swallow tried another twig²³. A moor-hen splashed in the river. They had thought it over, and meant to let it pass.

 

'Are you angry with me?' Rob asked.

 

Mary nodded her head, but did not speak. Suddenly Rob started.

 

'You are crying,' he said.

 

'No, I'm not,' said Mary, looking up now.

 

There was a strange light in her face that made Rob shake. He was so near her that his hands touched her jacket. At that moment there was a sound of feet on the plank²⁴ that communicated between the Tawny Owl and the island, and Dick called out—

 

'You people up there, are you coming once round the island before you have something to eat?'

 

Rob muttered a reply that Dick fortunately did not catch, but Mary answered 'Yes,' and they descended²⁵ the ladder.

 

'You had better put a shawl over your shoulders,' said Rob, in rather a lordly tone.

 

'No,' Mary answered, thrusting away the shawl he produced from the saloon; 'a wrap on a night like this would be absurd.'

 

Something caught in her throat at that moment, and she coughed. Rob looked at her anxiously.

 

'You had better,' he said, putting the shawl over her shoulders.

 

'No,' said Mary, flinging it off.

 

'Yes,' said Rob, putting it on again.

 

Mary stamped her foot.

 

'How dare you, Mr. Angus?' she exclaimed.

 

Rob's chest heaved.

 

'You must do as you are told,' he said.

 

Mary looked at him while he looked at her, but she did not take off the shawl again, and that was the great moment of Rob's life.

 

The others had gone on before. Although it was a white night the plank was dark in shadow, and as she stepped off it she slipped back. Rob's arm went round her for a moment. They walked round the island together behind the others, but neither uttered a word. Rob was afraid even to look at her, so he did not see that Mary looked once or twice at him.

 

Long after he was supposed to be in the hotel Rob was still walking round the island, with no one to see him but the cow. All the Chinese lanterns were out now, but red window-blinds shone warm in several house-boats, and a terrier barked at his footsteps. The grass was silver-tipped, as in an enchanted²⁶ island, and the impatient fairies might only have been waiting till he was gone. He was wondering if she was offended. While he paced the island she might be vowing²⁷ never to look at him again, but perhaps she was only thinking that he was very much improved.

 

At last Rob wandered to the hotel, and reaching his bedroom sat down on a chair to think it out again by candle-light. He rose and opened the window. There was a notice over the mantelpiece announcing that smoking was not allowed in the bedrooms, and having read it thoughtfully he filled his pipe. A piece of crumpled²⁸ paper lay beneath the dressing-table, and he lifted it up to make a spill of it. It was part of an envelope, and it floated out of Rob's hand as he read the address in Mary Abinger's handwriting, 'Sir Clement²⁹ Dowton, Island Hotel.'

1 tawny   

adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色

参考例句：

• Her black hair springs in fine strands across her tawny,ruddy cheek.她的一头乌发分披在健康红润的脸颊旁。
• None of them noticed a large,tawny owl flutter past the window.他们谁也没注意到一只大的、褐色的猫头鹰飞过了窗户。

2 owl   

n.猫头鹰，枭

参考例句：

• Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。
• I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

3 lasher   

n.堰，堰下的水溏，鞭打者；装石工

参考例句：

4 shuddered   

v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

6 preposterous   

adj.荒谬的，可笑的

参考例句：

• The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。
• It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

7 tilted   

v. 倾斜的

参考例句：

• Suddenly the boat tilted to one side. 小船突然倾向一侧。
• She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。

8 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：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 irresolutely   

adv.优柔寡断地

参考例句：

• He followed irresolutely for a little distance, half a pace behind her. 他犹豫地跟了短短的一段距离，落在她身后半步路。 来自英汉文学
• She arose and stood irresolutely at the foot of the stairs. 她起身来到楼梯脚下，犹豫不定地站在那里。 来自飘（部分）

10 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

11 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

12 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

13 enraged   

使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤

参考例句：

• I was enraged to find they had disobeyed my orders. 发现他们违抗了我的命令，我极为恼火。
• The judge was enraged and stroke the table for several times. 大法官被气得连连拍案。

14 sprained   

v.&n. 扭伤

参考例句：

• I stumbled and sprained my ankle. 我摔了一跤，把脚脖子扭了。
• When Mary sprained her ankles, John carried her piggyback to the doctors. 玛丽扭伤了足踝，约翰驮她去看医生。

15 demurely   

adv.装成端庄地，认真地

参考例句：

• "On the forehead, like a good brother,'she answered demurely. "吻前额，像个好哥哥那样，"她故作正经地回答说。 来自飘（部分）
• Punctuation is the way one bats one's eyes, lowers one's voice or blushes demurely. 标点就像人眨眨眼睛，低声细语，或伍犯作态。 来自名作英译部分

16 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

17 severely   

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。

18 complacently   

adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地

参考例句：

• He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
• "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

19 melancholy   

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。

20 desperately   

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。

21 impulsively   

adv.冲动地

参考例句：

• She leant forward and kissed him impulsively. 她倾身向前，感情冲动地吻了他。
• Every good, true, vigorous feeling I had gathered came impulsively round him. 我的一切良好、真诚而又强烈的感情都紧紧围绕着他涌现出来。

22 meditating   

a.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

23 twig   

n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解

参考例句：

• He heard the sharp crack of a twig.他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。
• The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away.细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。

24 plank   

n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目

参考例句：

• The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
• They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。

25 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

26 enchanted   

adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
• He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。

27 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

28 crumpled   

adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She crumpled the letter up into a ball and threw it on the fire. 她把那封信揉成一团扔进了火里。
• She flattened out the crumpled letter on the desk. 她在写字台上把皱巴巴的信展平。

29 clement   

adj.仁慈的；温和的

参考例句：

• A clement judge reduced his sentence.一位仁慈的法官为他减了刑。
• The planet's history contains many less stable and clement eras than the holocene.地球的历史包含着许多不如全新世稳定与温和的地质时期。