Beat down the soul, at moments blind and dumb
With agony; yet, patience—there shall come
Many great voices from life's outer sea,
—ABCHIBALD LAMPMAN.
Miss Ella Anne Long was busy "reddin' up" the parlor5, for to-night the young people of the village who were musically inclined—and, for that matter, who wasn't?—were to hold a final practice for the Temperance Society's concert.
The Longs' home was the musical center of the village, the organ being kept as busy as the telescope, and Miss Long was the leading musician. Even Elsie Cameron could not compete with her, for Ella Anne was organist in the church, and had a voice that, when she wished, could drown out all the rest of the choir6. Every one in Elmbrook was musically inclined, irrespective of talent. To "play a piece" or sing a solo at a public gathering7 was the great ambition of every young lady in the place. Masculine performance on any instrument, except a mouth-organ or a fiddle8, which last was distinctly worldly, was regarded as rather inclining to effeminacy. But the men all sang, for, of course, it went without saying that every one could sing bass9. Tenors11 were scarce, there being only one at present—a young Englishman who had come out to learn farming at Sandy McQuarry's, and who suffered from chronic12 huskiness.
Each of the sopranos had an attendant swain in the basses13. That was a necessity to any smallest hope of enjoyment14 when the choir went abroad. To have a sweetheart who could sing alone in public was to be distinguished15 far above one's fellow-songstresses. Bella Winters once sang "The Larboard Watch" with Wes Long at the Glenoro Dominion16 Day picnic, and until this was transcended17 she was the envy of one and all. Ella Anne Long, of course, was the one who achieved even greater heights. She and Mack McQuarry sang "The Larboard Watch" at the next Elmbrook harvest home, while at one and the same time she played the accompaniment. No one had ever before conceived of such a triple triumph, and it was felt by all that Ella Anne would surely experience some disciplining misfortune to balance things. So, every one nodded her head and said, "I told you so," when Mack went off to Athabasca, or some such out-of-the-way corner of Canada, and married a half-breed, when Ella Anne had her wedding clothes all ready. And now she was no longer quite one of the young people of the village, and, besides, was receiving attentions from Sawed-Off Wilmott, a little widower18, who ran the cheese factory, and who could not have sung even bass if he had had all his teeth.
Nevertheless, as Miss Long went about her duties she was watching eagerly for Mr. Wilmott's buggy. It was not for the reasons why a maiden19 usually looks for her lover, but because Davy Munn and the oldest orphan20 were sitting on the sidewalk at the doctor's gate, with mischievous21 designs upon her middle-aged22 admirer. As she stood on the porch, shading her eyes from the slanting23 rays of the sun, Sawed-Off's buggy came whizzing down the street, and Miss Long modestly withdrew. Two or three of the earliest arrivals had already entered by the store door, and Mr. Wilmott soon joined them. He had safely passed Scylla and Charybdis at the doctor's gate, but a worse fate awaited him, for the Sawyer twins were there, and his youthful spirits proved so attractive that they appropriated him as their own, and kept him from even speaking to Ella Anne all evening.
On practice nights the whole village gathered at the Longs', the company dividing itself into three parts. Ella Anne's friends assembled in the parlor, Mrs. Long received the mothers in the kitchen, and Silas entertained on the store veranda24.
The Elmbrook kitchen was a fine place to receive one's friends; it was not the tiny workshop now in fashion, but a big, roomy place, where the homemaker sacrificed to the household gods, with the stove a sort of shining high altar in the center, and the incense26 from the merry kettle curling up to the ceiling.
The frequenters of the milkstand got on the nail-kegs and packing-boxes of the veranda, and discussed astronomy and enjoyed the music. It was a fine situation for studying the stars, for the house stood at the end of the village, opposite the school, and commanded a view of the pond and the valley and a great stretch of sky.
The planet Mars, and its possible inhabitants, was under discussion when Spectacle John Cross came up the steps with a bundle of hymn27-books under his arm.
"Ye see," Silas was explaining, "it ain't one o' yer ordinary stars. Lord love ye! it's a 'igh sight better'n that. It's a planet, that's wot it is, like our own world, an' it keeps a-spinnin' 'round the sun like our earth, too." He ended up with a descriptive sweep of his arm, and gazed triumphantly28 at his enemy.
"Did ye ever hear the likes o' such balderdash?" sneered30 Spectacle John, appealing to Jake Sawyer.
Jake passed his hands, in some perplexity, over the youngest orphan's curls. "Most folks'll tell ye the same, John," he said, regarding his partner doubtfully. "The doctor, there, now—look at the eddication he's had!—an' he says the same."
"It's my opinion," said the miller31, "that the more book learnin' a man crams32 into his head the more common sense gets squeezed out. It stands to reason that there couldn't be room for everything unless his head was to swell33 like a punkin."
"Huh!" cried Sandy McQuarry impatiently. "Ony fool can see the world's round; but when folks go far enough to tell a body that pin-points like yon are as big as this world, that's jist clean ridic'l'us."
"Well," exclaimed Spectacle John, "if ye once get it fixed34 in yer head that this world's bumpin' 'round through the air like a football, there isn't anny fool yarn35 you're not ready to believe." He stopped suddenly. The Duke of Wellington was coming up the steps, and his remarks trailed off into coughs and incoherent murmurs about the weather. Spectacle John knew better than to air his scientific theories before the Duke. She gave a contemptuous sniff36 and passed into the parlor.
Silas Long chuckled37. "John knows w'en to shut his mouth, don't ee, now, John?" he asked facetiously38.
Sandy McQuarry grunted39 scornfully. "Losh! afore Ah'd be scared by a wumman!" he exclaimed witheringly.
Spectacle John looked sheepish. "There's weemin an' weemin," he announced meaningly. "I'm no more afraid of the ordinary run o' them than you, Sandy. I got a wife that can hold her own with annybody, and my word's law at home. But I'm not ashamed to say that woman's one too many for me. I've been a trustee," he ended up feelingly.
"Sandy thinks he's a mighty40 hand at managin' folks," put in William Winters, happy to second any one who lived in fear of the gentler sex. "But I'm willin' to make a bet right here that if he was to run again' the Dook she'd come out ahead."
"Ah'm willin' to take ye ony day, Weeliam. Ah'd like to see the wumman that'd get the upper hand o' me. Jist name yer bet, man."
"Hoots41! toots!" cried Uncle Hughie in his stateliest manner. "Indeed, it is surely not making a bet on a lady you will be, whatever!"
"I'll tell ye!" cried Spectacle John, his eyes twinkling. "If you an' the Dook gets to argifyin', or gets into any difference, an' she gets the best o' the bargain, you'll promise William and all of us here that you'll go back to church and tell the minister you was a darn fool for the way you acted."
Sandy McQuarry's bristling42 brows came together, "Ah'll take ye!" he cried, slapping his knee fiercely. "Ah'd be a fool onyway, if Ah let a wumman scare me the way you did, John. Ah, ha! Here's his reverence43 now, comin' to tell ye about Muskoky, very like. Ah'll jist be biddin' ye a good-evenin'." He tramped down the steps as the tall form of the minister came into the ring of light.
"Fine night," remarked each of the company in turn.
"We would jist be talkin' about the play-net Mars a minute ago, indeed," said Uncle Hughie Cameron, striving to cover Sandy's retreat.
"Yes, yes," said the minister with a sigh. "Astronomy's a wonderful subject—wonderful. The more we learn of the Creator's works, the more we wonder at His greatness and goodness."
"Eh! eh! it will jist be fearsome, indeed!" cried Uncle Hughie. "How far, now, would you be saying the sun is from us, Silas—ninety—now what would it be?"
"Ninety-five million mile!" declared the astronomer44 impressively. "There's a fine day's walk for ye!"
"Ninety-five million!" cried the blacksmith, astounded45. "Are ye sure it's not feet ye mean, Si?" he asked hopefully.
"No—miles," was the inexorable answer. "Lord love ye, man! it's a good thing. If she was any nearer she'd burn us all to a frazzle!"
"Eh, now, ain't that a caution!" cried Jake Sawyer, with the air of one who has just had a narrow escape from destruction.
"Astronomy's a orful subject," continued Silas. "I sometimes wish I 'adn't meddled46 with the thing. It makes me feel like nothing—like a worm o' the dust."
"'When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers,'" quoted the minister, "'the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained47, what is man, that Thou art mindful of him or the son of man that Thou visitest him?'"
"That's it! that's jist it!" cried Silas. "The Psalmist knew! 'E must 'a' 'ad a telescope. D'ye think 'e 'ad?"
"Hoots!" cried Uncle Hughie. "How could the buddie? an' he would be livin' away back in the times when nobody even knew"—he added in a loud tone—"that the world was round." But Spectacle John had disappeared indoors, and the minister added:
"Yes, we have a great many advantages that the Psalmist never had, and the greatest is the knowledge that we need not be afraid. For He became flesh and dwelt among us, you know, Silas." A reverent48 silence fell over the little group.
At the farther end of the veranda a door led into the lamp-lit parlor. It was open, and from it now burst the opening notes of a rousing chorus. In Elmbrook there were fashions in songs, just as there were in the sopranos' hats. The former varied49, not with the season, but with the sentiments of the people. One winter the Methodists held revival50 meetings for two months in the schoolhouse, and for nearly a year after it was considered very worldly to sing anything but hymns51. The other extreme was reached one fall when Hank Winters came home for a visit from the States, and set all the village singing "coon songs."
This spring, and during the past winter, the rousing, Salvation52 Army variety of hymn was greatly in vogue53. The opening chorus for the concert was of this kind, a stirring sort of semi-religious song, called "The King's Highway." It was with this the chorus now burst forth54 into tumultuous harmony:
"Wherever you may be,
Whatever you may see,
That would lead you into evil,
Be sure you take no heed,
They're trying to mislead;
Just keep along the middle
Of the King's highway!"
The verse was no extraordinary feat56, but in the chorus the bass singers had a part calling for marvelous dexterity57 and tremendous speed. For, while the ladies sang leisurely58, "Just keep along the middle of the King's Highway," the gentlemen were expected to get over about four times the space in the same time. They had to repeat the self-same warning a half dozen times, with sundry59 advices and variations concerning the turning to the right of the King's Highway and the left of the King's Highway, so many, and so complicated, that they arrived at the end gasping60 for breath. Spectacle John warned the sopranos again and again to go slowly, so as to admit of their overworked followers61 getting in all their parts about the middle, left and right. But Ella Anne Long was the real leader, and would wait for no man. She hastened along the King's Highway at such a pace that it was beyond the powers of human breath to keep up with her. Pete McQuarry declared that it kept a fellow puffing62 just to stay anywheres on the King's Highway, without bothering about the middle; and Davy Munn did not even attempt the feat, but sang the air an octave lower.
They were scampering63 through the song for the third time when there was a stir at the door, and a group of four entered: Elsie Cameron and her brother Malcolm, with the minister's daughter and—actually—the busy doctor himself. It was the first time Elsie had attended one of the musical gatherings64 since her return, but she took her old place as simply and naturally as though she had never left it. Malcolm went over to the corner where the husky young Englishman stood, alone and unheard, and gave him some assistance with the tenor10, while the doctor joined the other young men, and sang bass like a native.
They weathered through "The King's Highway" again, and sang a temperance anthem65, and several other choruses, and then they all sat around the room, on the red and green plush chairs, and took a rest while Ella Anne and her mother passed around raspberry vinegar and layer-cake.
Spectacle John was just calling them all to order again for another chorus when the minister put his head in at the door. Marjorie was to get her hat, as they must be going in a moment, he announced, happily unconscious of the scorching66 glance from the region of the tenors, and would Elsie sing "Abide67 With Me" before he left?
The girl arose and went to the organ. Since her home-coming she had been regarded with some disapproval68 in Elmbrook social circles because of the promptness with which she answered an invitation to sing. It was considered much more genteel and modest to at first disclaim69 positively70 all musical ability, and to yield only after much importuning71. Every one felt that, though Elsie had been away in the city, she ought to show a little backwardness.
"Abide with me! fast falls the eventide,
The darkness deepens. Lord, with me abide."
She sang, as she always did, with her heart as well as her voice. The song hushed the gay chatter72 in the room; it passed out to the group on the veranda, and their conversation ceased; it floated through the open windows and rang across the darkly luminous73 water of the pond. And there it reached the ear of a man with whom only despair and loss had been abiding74, and who was fighting a losing battle with these dark companions. The sound of the old hymn, that had been his children's lullaby, arrested John McIntyre on the brink75 of self-destruction:
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away,
Change and decay in all around I see,
O Thou, who changest not, abide with me!"
A trembling weakness seized him. He shrank back against the heap of logs. He seemed to have no power against the imperative77 sweetness of that voice. It called him away, it called him up. He clutched the rough bark of a log, and stood listening till the song swept on to its triumphant29 ending:
"Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee,
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!"
The last echo died away in the shadow of the willows78. John McIntyre stood a moment, dazed by the glimpse into the depths to which his despair had brought him. He glanced down at the dark water and shuddered79, then staggered weakly to his old place at the mill door, and sank in the sawdust. Something, not a prayer, but nearer it than anything he had uttered for years, burst from him—the name of his Maker25, spoken unwittingly, in an abandon of weakness. "My God!" he whispered shakingly. The strength of desperation which had driven him on was gone, but his despair remained. And so he lay, spent and weak, in utter blackness of soul, not knowing that the prayer of the song had been answered, and that, though he knew Him not in the darkness, his Father was abiding with him still.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
strife
|
|
| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
heed
|
|
| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
murmurs
|
|
| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
eternity
|
|
| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
parlor
|
|
| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
choir
|
|
| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
gathering
|
|
| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
fiddle
|
|
| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
bass
|
|
| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
tenor
|
|
| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
tenors
|
|
| n.男高音( tenor的名词复数 )；大意；男高音歌唱家；（文件的）抄本 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
chronic
|
|
| adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
basses
|
|
| 低音歌唱家，低音乐器( bass的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
dominion
|
|
| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
transcended
|
|
| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的过去式和过去分词 )； 优于或胜过… | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
widower
|
|
| n.鳏夫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
maiden
|
|
| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
orphan
|
|
| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
mischievous
|
|
| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
middle-aged
|
|
| adj.中年的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
slanting
|
|
| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
veranda
|
|
| n.走廊；阳台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
maker
|
|
| n.制造者，制造商 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
incense
|
|
| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
hymn
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
triumphantly
|
|
| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
triumphant
|
|
| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
sneered
|
|
| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
miller
|
|
| n.磨坊主 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
crams
|
|
| v.塞入( cram的第三人称单数 )；填塞；塞满；（为考试而）死记硬背功课 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
yarn
|
|
| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
sniff
|
|
| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
facetiously
|
|
| adv.爱开玩笑地；滑稽地，爱开玩笑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
grunted
|
|
| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
hoots
|
|
| 咄，啐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
bristling
|
|
| a.竖立的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
reverence
|
|
| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
astronomer
|
|
| n.天文学家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
astounded
|
|
| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
meddled
|
|
| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
ordained
|
|
| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
reverent
|
|
| adj.恭敬的，虔诚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
varied
|
|
| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
revival
|
|
| n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
hymns
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
salvation
|
|
| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
Vogue
|
|
| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
feat
|
|
| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
dexterity
|
|
| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
leisurely
|
|
| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
sundry
|
|
| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
followers
|
|
| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
puffing
|
|
| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
scampering
|
|
| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
gatherings
|
|
| 聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
anthem
|
|
| n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
scorching
|
|
| adj. 灼热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
abide
|
|
| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
disapproval
|
|
| n.反对，不赞成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
disclaim
|
|
| v.放弃权利，拒绝承认 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
importuning
|
|
| v.纠缠，向（某人）不断要求( importune的现在分词 )；（妓女）拉（客） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
chatter
|
|
| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
luminous
|
|
| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
abiding
|
|
| adj.永久的，持久的，不变的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
brink
|
|
| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
ebbs
|
|
| 退潮( ebb的名词复数 )； 落潮； 衰退 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
imperative
|
|
| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
willows
|
|
| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
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： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |