CHAPTER XI.

 "The man who lays a hand upon a woman," said Jimmy, paddling strongly, "save in the way of kindness—I'm very sorry, Molly, but you didn't seem able to make up your mind. You aren't angry, are you?"

 

There was a brief pause, while Molly apparently¹ debated the matter in her mind.

 

"You wouldn't take me back even if I were angry," she said.

 

"You have guessed it," said Jimmy approvingly. "Do you read much poetry, Molly?"

 

"Why?"

 

"I was only thinking how neatly² some of these poets put a thing. The chap who said, 'distance lends enchantment³ to the view,' for instance. Take the case of Wesson. He looks quite nice when you see him at a distance like this, with a good strip of water in between."

 

Mr. Wesson was still standing⁴ in a statuesque attitude on the bank. Molly, gazing over the side of the boat into the lake, abstained⁵ from feasting her eyes on the picturesque⁶ spectacle.

 

"Jolly the water looks," said Jimmy.

 

"I was just thinking it looked rather dirty."

 

"Beastly," agreed Jimmy.

 

The water as a topic of conversation dried up. Mr. Wesson had started now to leave the stricken field. There was a reproachful look about his back which harassed⁷ Molly's sensitive conscience. Jimmy, on the other hand—men being of coarser fibre than women, especially as to the conscience—appeared in no way distressed⁸ at the sight.

 

"You oughtn't to have done it, Jimmy," said Molly.

 

"I had to. There seemed to be no other way of ever getting you by yourself for five minutes at a stretch. You're always in the middle of a crowd nowadays."

 

"But I must look after my guests."

 

"Not a bit of it. Let 'em rip. Why should they monopolize⁹ you?"

 

"It will be awfully¹⁰ unpleasant meeting Mr. Wesson after this."

 

"It is always unpleasant meeting Wesson."

 

"I shan't know what to say."

 

"Don't say anything."

 

"I shan't be able to look him in the face."

 

"That's a bit of luck for you."

 

"You aren't much help, Jimmy."

 

"The subject of Wesson doesn't inspire me somehow—I don't know why. Besides, you've simply got to say you changed your mind. You're a woman. It's expected of you."

 

"I feel awfully mean."

 

"What you want to do is to take your thoughts off the business. Keep your mind occupied with something else. Then you'll forget all about it. Keep talking to me about things. That's the plan. There are heaps of subjects. The weather, for instance, as a start. Hot, isn't it?"

 

"We're going to have a storm. There's a sort of feel in the air. We'd better go back, I think."

 

"Tush! And possibly bah!" said Jimmy, digging the paddle into the water. "We've only just started. I say, who was that man I saw you talking to after lunch?"

 

"How soon after lunch?"

 

"Just before the rehearsal¹¹. He was with your father. Short chap with a square face. Dressed in gray. I hadn't seen him before."

 

"Oh, that was Mr. Galer. A New York friend of father's."

 

"Did you know him out in New York?"

 

"I didn't. But he seems to know father very well."

 

"What's his name, did you say?"

 

"Galer. Samuel Galer. Did you ever hear of him?"

 

"Never. But there were several people in New York I didn't know. How did your father meet him over here?"

 

"He was stopping at the inn in the village, and he'd heard about the abbey being so old, so he came over to look at it, and the first person he met was father. He's going to stay in the house now. The cart was sent down for his things this afternoon. Did you feel a spot of rain then? I wish you'd paddle back."

 

"Not a drop. That storm's not coming till to-night. Why, it's a gorgeous evening."

 

He turned the nose of the boat toward the island, which lay, cool and green and mysterious, in the middle of the lake. The heat was intense. The sun, as if conscious of having only a brief spell of work before it, blazed fiercely, with the apparent intention of showing what it could do before the rain came. The air felt curiously¹² parched¹³.

 

"There!" said Molly. "Surely you felt something, then."

 

"I did."

 

"Is there time to get back before it begins?"

 

"No."

 

"We shall get soaked!"

 

"Not a bit of it. On the other side of the island there is a handy little boat-house sort of place. We will put in there."

 

The boathouse was simply a little creek¹⁴ covered over with boards and capable of sheltering an ordinary rowing boat. Jimmy ran the canoe in just as the storm began, and turned her broadside on so that they could watch the rain, which was sweeping¹⁵ over the lake in sheets.

 

"Just in time," he said, shipping¹⁶ the paddle. "Snug¹⁷ in here, isn't it?"

 

"We should have got wet in another minute! I hope it won't last long."

 

"I hope it will, because I've got something very important to say to you, and I don't want to have to hurry it. Are you quite comfortable?"

 

"Yes, thanks."

 

"I don't know how to put it exactly. I mean, I don't want to offend you or anything. What I mean to say is—do you mind if I smoke? Thanks. I don't know why it is, but I always talk easier if I've got a cigarette going."

 

He rolled one with great deliberation and care. Molly watched him admiringly.

 

"You're the only man I've ever seen roll a cigarette properly, Jimmy," she said. "Everybody else leaves them all flabby at the ends."

 

"I learned the trick from a little Italian who kept a clothing store in the Bowery. It was the only useful thing he could do."

 

"Look at the rain!"

 

Jimmy leaned forward.

 

"Molly——"

 

"I wonder if poor Mr. Wesson got indoors before it began. I do hope he did."

 

Jimmy sat back again. He scowled¹⁸. Every man is liable on occasion to behave like a sulky schoolboy. Jimmy did so.

 

"You seem to spend most of your time thinking about Wesson," he said savagely¹⁹.

 

Molly had begun to hum a tune²⁰ to herself as she watched the rain. She stopped. A profound and ghastly silence brooded over the canoe.

 

"Molly," said Jimmy at last, "I'm sorry."

 

No reply.

 

"Molly."

 

"Well?"

 

"I'm sorry."

 

Molly turned.

 

"I wish you wouldn't say things like that, Jimmy. It hurts—from you."

 

He could see that there were tears in her eyes.

 

"Molly, don't!"

 

She turned her head away once more.

 

"I can't help it, Jimmy. It hurts. Everything's so changed. I'm miserable²¹. You wouldn't have said a thing like that in the old days."

 

"Molly, if you knew——"

 

"It's all right, Jimmy. It was silly of me. I'm all right now! The rain has stopped. Let's go back, shall we?"

 

"Not yet. For God's sake, not yet! This is my only chance. Directly we get back, it will be the same miserable business all over again; the same that it's been every day since I came to this place. Heavens! When you first told me that you were living at the abbey, I was absolutely happy, like a fool. I might have known how it would be. Every day there's a crowd round you. I never get a chance of talking to you. I consider myself lucky if you speak a couple of words to me. If I'd known the slow torture it was going to be, I'd have taken the next train back to London. I can't stand it. Molly, you remember what friends we were in the old days. Was it ever anything more with you? Was it? Is it now?"

 

"I was very fond of you, Jimmy." He could hardly hear the words.

 

"Was it ever anything more than that? Is it now? That was three years ago. You were a child. We were just good friends then. I don't want friendship now. It's not enough. I want you—you. You were right a moment ago. Everything has changed. For me, at least. Has it for you? Has it for you, Molly?"

 

On the island a thrush had begun to sing. Molly raised her head, as if to listen. The water lapped against the sides of the canoe.

 

"Has it, Molly?"

 

She bent²² over, and dabbled²³ one finger in the water.

 

"I—I think it has, Jimmy," she whispered.

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

3 enchantment   

n.迷惑，妖术，魅力

参考例句：

• The beauty of the scene filled us with enchantment.风景的秀丽令我们陶醉。
• The countryside lay as under some dread enchantment.乡村好像躺在某种可怖的魔法之下。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 abstained   

v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票）

参考例句：

• Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
• They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 picturesque   

adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的

参考例句：

• You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
• That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

7 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

8 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

9 monopolize   

v.垄断，独占，专营

参考例句：

• She tried to monopolize his time.她想独占他的时间。
• They are controlling so much cocoa that they are virtually monopolizing the market.他们控制了大量的可可粉，因此他们几乎垄断了整个市场。

10 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

11 rehearsal   

n.排练，排演；练习

参考例句：

• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
• You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。

12 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

13 parched   

adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干

参考例句：

• Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。
• The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。

14 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

15 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

16 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

17 snug   

adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房

参考例句：

• He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
• She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。

18 scowled   

怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。
• The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。

19 savagely   

adv. 野蛮地，残酷地

参考例句：

• The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
• He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。

20 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

21 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

22 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

23 dabbled   

v.涉猎( dabble的过去式和过去分词 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资

参考例句：

• He dabbled in business. 他搞过一点生意。 来自辞典例句
• His vesture was dabbled in blood. 他穿的衣服上溅满了鲜血。 来自辞典例句