The calm that follows storm, the great surcease,
—WILLIAM WILFRED CAMPBELL.
The storm was over, the snow had ceased falling, and under its muffling3 mantle4, white and spent with the day's struggle, lay the great swamp of the Oro. It seemed to hold in its motionless bosom5 the very spirit of silence and death. The delicately traced pattern of a rabbit or weasel track, and a narrow human pathway that wound tortuously6 into the sepulchral7 depths, were the only signs of life in all the white stillness. Away down the dim, cathedral-like aisles8, that fainted into softest grey in the distance, the crackling of an overburdened twig9 rang startlingly clear in the awesome10 hush12. The tall firs and pines swept the white earth with their snow-laden13 branches, the drooping14 limbs looking like throngs15 of cowled heads, bent16 to worship in the sacred stillness of a vast temple. For the forest was, indeed, a place in which to wonder and to pray, a place all white and holy, filled with the mystery and awe11 of death.
But suddenly into this softly curtained sanctuary17 came a profaning18 sound; a clear, joyous19 shout rang through the sacred aisles; and, down the narrow pathway, leaping over fallen logs, whipping aside the laden branches and scattering20 their snow-crowns in a whirling mist about him, destroying, in his ruthless progress, both the sanctity and the beauty of the place, came a human figure, a little figure, straight and sturdy, and as lithe21 and active as any other wild, forest-creature. His small, red-mittened hands, the scarlet22 woollen scarf about his neck, and his rosy23 cheeks made a bold dash of colour in the sombre gloom, as his abounding24 life disturbed the winter death-sleep.
On he came, leaping from log to log like a hare, and setting the stately forest arches ringing to a rollicking Scottish song, tuneful and incongruous,—
"Wi' a hundred pipers an' a', an' a',
Wi' a hundred pipers an' a', an' a',
We'll up an gie them a blaw, a blaw!
Wi' a hundred pipers an' a', an' a'!"
But as he plunged25 down the hill into the grey depths he suddenly ceased singing. The awe of the place touched his child's spirit. Reared in the forest though he had been, he suddenly felt strangely unfamiliar26 with his surroundings. He had never before experienced anything like fear in the woods. The rigours of seven Canadian winters had bred a hardy27 spirit in this little backwoodsman, and besides what was there to dread28 in the forest? It had been his playground ever since he was first able to steal away from Granny and toddle29 off to "the bush" to gather blue flags and poke30 up the goggle-eyed frogs from their fragrant31 musk-pools. But here was something unfamiliar; a strange uncanny place the swamp seemed to-day; and, being Nature's intimate, he fell into sudden sympathy with her awe-stricken mood.
He sped silently forward, glancing fearfully down the dim, shadowy aisles, so ghostly, so mysterious, dreading32 he knew not what.
"Eh, eh, it will be a fearsome place," he whispered. "It's jist,—eh, it must be the 'valley of the shadow'!" And then he suddenly remembered the psalm33 that Granny had taught him as soon as he could speak,—
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me."
He whispered it over from beginning to end, not because he comprehended its meaning as applied34 to his case, but because it was associated with Granny and all things good, and, therefore, gave him a sense of comfort. For he felt as though he were home by the fireside, and she was smoothing his curls and singing those words, as she so often did when he was falling asleep.
"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
As he whispered the last line he reached the top of the hill and suddenly emerged from the valley of shadows and fears into the light of day. Just ahead lay a clearing, with the rose-coloured sunset flooding its white expanse and glowing between the dark tree-stems. He ran forward with joyful35 relief and leaped out into an open world of beauty, all ablaze36 in the dazzling rays of the setting sun. Here was light and safety—yes, and friends!
He had emerged upon the public highway, known in that part of the country as the "Scotch37 Line," and there, coming swiftly down the glittering hill, was a low, rough sleigh, drawn38 by a pair of bell-less horses. The driver was an elderly man, tall, straight, and fierce-looking, with a fine, noble head and a long, sweeping39, grey beard, which gave him a patriarchal appearance. By his side sat a young man, almost his exact counterpart in face and figure, but lacking the stately dignity of years. Behind, on the edge of the sleigh, swinging their feet in the snow, sat two more youths, both showing in face and figure unmistakable signs of close relationship to the elderly man on the front seat.
As the little figure came bounding out from the forest the whole quartette broke into a welcoming shout. With an answering whoop40 the boy darted41 forward and pitched himself upon the sleigh.
"Horo, Scotty!" "Woohoo!" "How's our big college-student?"
He was caught up and flung from one to another like a bundle of hay, until he landed, laughing and breathless, in the arms of the driver. Big Malcolm MacDonald stood the boy up between his knees, his deep eyes shining with pride.
"Hey, hey!" he cried. "And how's our big man that will be going to school?"
The boy's dark eyes were blazing with excitement.
"Oh, Grandad, it would jist be fine! It's jist grand! An' me an' Big Sandy's Archie and Peter Jimmie is all readin' in one place, an' the master says I can read jist fine, whatever!"
"Didn't you get a lickin'?" demanded a voice from the rear of the sleigh.
The bright face suddenly fell, one could never aspire42 to be a hero until one had braved the master's tawse.
"No," was the reluctant admission. "The master would be jist fearsome to the big lads, but he would not be saying anything to me. But," he added, brightening, "I would be having a fight!"
"Horo!" the three young men laughed delightedly. "That will be a fine start, jist keep it up!" cried the youth on the front seat.
"Hoots43, whist ye, Callum!" cried the elder man, reprovingly, while his dancing eyes contradicted his tongue. "What will his Granny be sayin' to such goin's on, an' the first day at school, too!"
"And who would you be fightin', Scotty?" asked Uncle Rory, leaning eagerly forward.
"Danny Murphy!" he announced truculently44, "an' I would be lickin' him good, too!"
There was a chorus of joyous approval.
"Good for you!" shouted Callum; "jist you pitch into any o' yon Irish crew every time you get a chance!"
"Be quate, will ye, Callum!" cried his father more sternly. "The lad will be jist like yerself, too ready with his fists, whatever. A brave man will never be a boaster, Scotty, man."
"What would Danny be doin' to you?" inquired Callum.
At the question, the proud little head came up swiftly.
"He said—he said!" cried its owner, stammering47 in his wrath48, "he said I would be an Englishman!"
Small comfort he received, for the report of this deadly insult produced yells of laughter.
"Yon was a black-hearted Irish trick, an' jist like one o' Pat Murphy's tribe, whatever," said Callum, with a sudden affectation of solemnity that somewhat appeased49 the child's rising indignation.
"An' you would be pitchin' into him good for his lies, wouldn't you?" inquired Rory, encouragingly.
The boy looked up shyly at his grandfather. "A wee bit," he admitted modestly.
The father glanced significantly at his eldest50 son. "School will be the place to learn many things," he said in a low tone. The young man laughed easily. "He's bound to be finding it out some time, anyway," he answered, but not so low that the boy's quick ears could not catch the words. He looked up intently into the faces of the two men, a startled expression in his big eyes. Then he suddenly scrambled51 out from between them, and went behind to where Hamish, his youngest uncle, sat. He felt vaguely52 that he was approaching some strange, unforeseen trouble, and Hamish was always sympathetic.
The sleigh had been moving swiftly through long, narrow forest aisles, and now it suddenly turned into view of a small farm, a "clearing," plentifully53 besprinkled with snow-crowned stumps54 and surrounded by the still unconquered forest, dark and menacing, but sullenly55 and slowly retreating.
Here was a home, nevertheless; a home wrested56 by heroic struggles from the wilderness57. In the centre, on the face of a little sloping hill, stood the citadel58 of this newly-conquered territory,—a farmhouse59 and out-buildings.
They were all rough log structures, but the dwelling60 house had about it the unmistakable atmosphere of a home. Around it, even under the snowdrifts, were vague signs of a garden; from the low, wide chimney poured forth61 a blue column of smoke; and at one of the windows a candle twinkled cheerfully; both speaking of warmth and welcome within, very grateful in the chill, winter dusk. And at the side of the house, on a small knoll62, spreading its bare branches over the roof as though to shield the home from the biting blasts, grew a gigantic silver maple63, a welcome shelter alike in summer and winter.
As the sleigh swept past the house on its way to the barn. Big Malcolm pushed the boy gently forward. "Run away in, Scotty, man," he said; "see, Granny will be watchin' for you at the window."
Scotty hesitated; he wanted to go on to the stable, and there give Rory and Hamish a more detailed64 account of his glorious battle of the morning. But Granny was expecting him, and he must not disappoint her; even Callum dared not do that, and Callum dared almost anything else. So the boy leaped down and ran swiftly up the rough little pathway. At his approach the old, weather-beaten door flew open; and he sprang into a pair of outstretched arms.
点击收听单词发音
1 slumber | |
n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 mantling | |
覆巾 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 muffling | |
v.压抑,捂住( muffle的现在分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 mantle | |
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 tortuously | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 sepulchral | |
adj.坟墓的,阴深的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 aisles | |
n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 twig | |
n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 awesome | |
adj.令人惊叹的,难得吓人的,很好的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 hush | |
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 laden | |
adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 drooping | |
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 throngs | |
n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群,挤满( throng的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 sanctuary | |
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 profaning | |
v.不敬( profane的现在分词 );亵渎,玷污 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 joyous | |
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 scattering | |
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 lithe | |
adj.(指人、身体)柔软的,易弯的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 rosy | |
adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 abounding | |
adj.丰富的,大量的v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 unfamiliar | |
adj.陌生的,不熟悉的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 hardy | |
adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 toddle | |
v.(如小孩)蹒跚学步 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 poke | |
n.刺,戳,袋;vt.拨开,刺,戳;vi.戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 fragrant | |
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 dreading | |
v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 psalm | |
n.赞美诗,圣诗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 applied | |
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 joyful | |
adj.欢乐的,令人欢欣的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 ablaze | |
adj.着火的,燃烧的;闪耀的,灯火辉煌的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 scotch | |
n.伤口,刻痕;苏格兰威士忌酒;v.粉碎,消灭,阻止;adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 whoop | |
n.大叫,呐喊,喘息声;v.叫喊,喘息 | |
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 aspire | |
vi.(to,after)渴望,追求,有志于 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 hoots | |
咄,啐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 truculently | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 drooped | |
弯曲或下垂,发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 abashed | |
adj.窘迫的,尴尬的v.使羞愧,使局促,使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 stammering | |
v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 appeased | |
安抚,抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 ); 绥靖(满足另一国的要求以避免战争) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 eldest | |
adj.最年长的,最年老的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 scrambled | |
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 vaguely | |
adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 plentifully | |
adv. 许多地,丰饶地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 stumps | |
(被砍下的树的)树桩( stump的名词复数 ); 残肢; (板球三柱门的)柱; 残余部分 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 sullenly | |
不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 wrested | |
(用力)拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 ); 费力取得; (从…)攫取; ( 从… ) 强行取去… | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 citadel | |
n.城堡;堡垒;避难所 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 farmhouse | |
n.农场住宅(尤指主要住房) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 knoll | |
n.小山,小丘 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 maple | |
n.槭树,枫树,槭木 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 detailed | |
adj.详细的,详尽的,极注意细节的,完全的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |