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首页 » 经典英文小说 » The Girl Scouts' Captain25章节 » CHAPTER XXII. QUEENIE’S CALLER.
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CHAPTER XXII. QUEENIE’S CALLER.
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 Marjorie realized at last that her strength was completely exhausted1; she was only too willing to remain in bed, and to allow Lily to call up her parents and inform them of her condition. She even promised to go home as soon as her family sent for her.
 
A change came over Queenie as she grew fully2 aware of the seriousness of Marjorie’s condition. Now that she herself was safe, her own troubles were forgotten; all her anxiety was directed towards her captain.
 
“Your father is going to drive out for you tomorrow, Marj,” Lily informed her as she returned from the telephone booth. “And Miss Hawes is coming right away to take you to the infirmary.”
 
“Then I can’t be with you?” asked Queenie, almost pathetically.
 
“I’m afraid not,” replied Lily. “But I’ll look out for you. I’ll take you down to dinner with me tonight.”
 
“Oh, I couldn’t! I have nuthin’ to wear that’s decent. I’d disgrace you sure!”
“Wear one of my dresses,” murmured Marjorie languidly as if the effort to talk were too much for her.
 
Lily beckoned3 to her visitor to follow her out of the room.
 
“We won’t bother her, Queenie. I’m sure she’ll be all right if we leave her alone.”
 
“I’m afraid she’s going to be sick!” wailed4 Queenie stifling5 her sobs6.
 
All during dinner she was very quiet, as she sat beside Lily in Marjorie’s demure7 little gray dress, no one would have thought her to be any different from the college girls about her—only younger. Except for a short walk after the meal was over, she remained in the girls’ sitting room all evening, anxiously awaiting news of her captain.
 
The next morning she learned to her relief that Marjorie was better, that the fever with which she had been afflicted8 during the night had subsided9, and that the doctor thought it would be safe for her to go home in a closed car. This news brought Queenie not only hope but occupation; for the next hour she busied herself by packing Marjorie’s things. At eleven o’clock the machine arrived.
 
In a few words Lily explained the situation about Queenie to Mrs. Wilkinson, and the latter gladly consented to take her along. Then she gave her attention to Marjorie.
 
The girl lay listlessly against her mother during the long ride, her head pillowed on her shoulder,211 her eyes closed. Mrs. Wilkinson was more worried than she would admit even to herself.
 
She found Queenie very useful when they reached home; the girl did not spare herself in any way when she found that she could really help. She knew, too, that Marjorie’s mother was grateful; as long as she could be of service to her captain she was content.
 
Yet, after the patient had been put to bed, and a doctor summoned, she found time suddenly very heavy on her hands. Jack10 was not at home; Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson were too pre-occupied to talk to her, and she began to feel lonely. Dinner had been gloomy and tiring; she wondered how she would get through the evening.
 
She tiptoed into Marjorie’s room, and sat down by her bedside. The sick girl looked up and smiled, assuring her that she felt better.
 
“You ought to go out somewhere this evening, Queenie,” she whispered. “Put on my violet-gray voile that you like so much, and go to the movies.”
 
“Oh, Miss Wilkinson, I couldn’t enjoy a show with you home here sick!” she protested.
 
“But if I insist?” asked Marjorie.
 
Before she could reply, Mrs. Wilkinson entered the room softly, making sure that her daughter was awake before she ventured to speak.
 
“Mr. Richards is here, Marjorie, asking for you. I told him Queenie was with you, and that she would come down if he liked. He seemed very much pleased—so run along, dear. You need a change!”
 
“Why, I’d love to,” admitted Queenie, trying not to appear too eager. “If—if—Miss Wilkinson wants me to.”
 
“By all means,” replied Marjorie. “And slip on my dress, Queenie—and take my gray cloak, so you can go out if you want to.”
 
“Thanks ever so much!” said Queenie, stooping to kiss Marjorie’s finger tips. “If anybody sees me, they’ll think it’s you—revived in short order.”
 
Within five minutes she was down in the living room greeting her caller.
 
“Mrs. Wilkinson suggested that I come down and see you—if you can stand me!” she blurted11 out.
 
Mr. Richards beamed; he had always admired Queenie’s frankness.
 
“Maybe that is the very reason I came,” he retorted. “You know I could have inquired Miss Wilkinson’s condition over the telephone.”
 
The girl’s eyes lighted up with happiness; once more she was glad that she had been rescued from her silly adventure. If she were to see more of him—and of men like him——
 
But he was asking her to go to the movies.
 
“No, don’t let’s go yet,” she aroused herself to reply. “I want to talk to you for a while——” She hesitated, as if she did not know exactly how to begin. “It’s this, Mr. Richards: I sort of want to take a new start. Your rescuing me from that213 lemon made me wake up. My, wasn’t it funny the way Sam ran when he seen—saw—you two? Guilty conscience, I bet!”
 
“We certainly were lucky to beat that train,” remarked the young man. “Hadley’s a good driver.”
 
Queenie was silent for a moment; she wanted to express her gratitude12 and yet she could not find the right words.
 
“I guess I’ll be thankful to you two for the rest of my life—and Miss Wilkinson, too,” she said finally. “And there’s one thing I want to ask, did you and Mr. Hadley think of it yourself, or did she put you up to it?”
 
“No, we did. But the credit of most of it goes to Mr. Hadley.”
 
“But you were interested enough to help him. I wonder why?”
 
“Because,” answered the scout-master seriously, “I think you are too fine a girl to waste her life on such a fellow as that man is. I believe you could make something worth while of your life.”
 
“What?” demanded Queenie eagerly. “That’s just what I want to talk about. You know I quit my old job, to come here with Miss Wilkinson.”
 
“What do you think you would like to do?” he inquired.
 
“I don’t know yet. But not sell stockings at a basement counter.”
 
“Would you like to study stenography13?”
 
“I don’t think so. Clara Abrams is doin’ that—don’t214 let on to Miss Wilkinson, for she’s plannin’ to surprise her when she lands her first job—but it doesn’t look good to me. I’d like to do somethin’ with people. I’m awful sociable14.”
 
“Yet you don’t like selling?”
 
“No, I don’t.”
 
“Well, I’d like to think about it, if you are willing to take me on as an advisor15. I can keep my eyes open and try to hunt up something for you.”
 
“Will you really?” Queenie beamed in appreciation16.
 
“I will—if you’ll let me come to see you and tell you all about anything I find.”
 
She blushed in genuine surprise.
 
“You mean you actually want to see me, when you could be spending your time with girls like Miss Wilkinson?”
 
The young man laughed heartily17.
 
“I can like you both, can’t I?” he suggested.
 
“Of course, unless you was—I mean were—plannin’ to go steady with her.”
 
Again he laughed.
 
“I’m not planning to go steady as you say with anybody at present. I’m too busy and too poor!”
 
Queenie looked at him timidly. “I want to ask you something,” she faltered18, “What would you say instead of ‘goin’ steady’ with a girl? It seemed to strike you funny.”
 
“I guess I’d say ‘engaged’—become engaged, I mean. Why?”
 
“Because I want to get to talk like Miss Wilkinson—and you. Will you correct me?”
 
“Certainly,” he agreed. Then, rising, “Now let’s go to a show—I think you need an outing.”
 
“All right—only—one thing more. Will you make me out a list of books to read?”
 
“Yes, I’ll send you one. I’ll write to you tomorrow. Now, run and get your coat.”
 
He put the gray cloak around her shoulders and they descended19 the steps together, arm in arm. At the same moment a car drew up in front of the house, and its occupant gazed at the couple in amazement20. Could it be possible, thought John Hadley, that Marjorie was well enough to go out with Walter Richards?
 
“There’s no reason why I should be angry,” he mused21, “for she hadn’t any engagement with me. But it does seem funny. Guess I’ll stop in and ask about her, as if I hadn’t seen a thing.”
 
Stepping out of his car, he assumed an air of indifference22 as he mounted the steps and rang the door-bell.
 
“Is Miss Marjorie in?” he asked of the maid.
 
“Yes, sir, but she’s ill,” came the surprising, the unbelievable reply, for had he not just seen her, in her gray cloak and dress, that he liked so well?
 
He forgot to say that he was sorry; he only bit his lip in chagrin23.
 
“Will you come in?” invited the maid.
 
“Is Mr. Jack home?”
 
“No, sir.”
 
“Then I won’t come in, thank you,” he replied.
 
“Shall I tell Miss Marjorie that you called, Mr. Hadley?”
 
“Yes, I wish you would,” he answered grimly.
 

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 exhausted 7taz4r     
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的
参考例句:
  • It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长,到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
  • Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
2 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
3 beckoned b70f83e57673dfe30be1c577dd8520bc     
v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
  • The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 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
5 stifling dhxz7C     
a.令人窒息的
参考例句:
  • The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热,光景是要下雨。
  • We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里,简直透不过气来。
6 sobs d4349f86cad43cb1a5579b1ef269d0cb     
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
  • She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。
7 demure 3mNzb     
adj.严肃的;端庄的
参考例句:
  • She's very demure and sweet.她非常娴静可爱。
  • The luscious Miss Wharton gave me a demure but knowing smile.性感迷人的沃顿小姐对我羞涩地会心一笑。
8 afflicted aaf4adfe86f9ab55b4275dae2a2e305a     
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
  • A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。
9 subsided 1bda21cef31764468020a8c83598cc0d     
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句:
  • After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后,部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚, 暴风雨已经过去,四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
10 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
11 blurted fa8352b3313c0b88e537aab1fcd30988     
v.突然说出,脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She blurted it out before I could stop her. 我还没来得及制止,她已脱口而出。
  • He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime. 他不慎说出了真相,说是他犯了那个罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
13 stenography xrKyP     
n.速记,速记法
参考例句:
  • Stenography is no longer a marketable skill.速记法已没有多大市场了。
  • This job necessitated a knowledge of stenography and typewriting,which she soon acquired.这工作需要会速记和打字,她不久便学会了。
14 sociable hw3wu     
adj.好交际的,友好的,合群的
参考例句:
  • Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
  • Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。
15 advisor JKByk     
n.顾问,指导老师,劝告者
参考例句:
  • They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
  • The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。
16 appreciation Pv9zs     
n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨
参考例句:
  • I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
  • I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。
17 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
18 faltered d034d50ce5a8004ff403ab402f79ec8d     
(嗓音)颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 ); 支吾其词; 蹒跚; 摇晃
参考例句:
  • He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
  • "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着:“这孩子脑袋真长。”
19 descended guQzoy     
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。
20 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
21 mused 0affe9d5c3a243690cca6d4248d41a85     
v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事)
参考例句:
  • \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们,”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道:‘我们这是在干什么?” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
22 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
23 chagrin 1cyyX     
n.懊恼;气愤;委屈
参考例句:
  • His increasingly visible chagrin sets up a vicious circle.他的明显的不满引起了一种恶性循环。
  • Much to his chagrin,he did not win the race.使他大为懊恼的是他赛跑没获胜。


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