CHAPTER III PREPARING TO RECEIVE COMPANY

 Leeby was at the fire brandering a quarter of steak on the tongs¹, when the house was flung into consternation² by Hendry's casual remark that he had seen Tibbie Mealmaker in the town with her man.

 

"The Lord preserv's!" cried Leeby.

 

Jess looked quickly at the clock.

 

"Half fower!" she said, excitedly.

 

"Then it canna be dune," said Leeby, falling despairingly into a chair, "for they may be here ony meenute."

 

"It's most michty," said Jess, turning on her husband, "'at ye should tak a pleasure in bringin' this hoose to disgrace. Hoo did ye no tell's suner?"

 

"I fair forgot," Hendry answered, "but what's a' yer steer³?"

 

Jess looked at me (she often did this) in a way that meant, "What a man is this I'm tied to!"

 

"Steer!" she exclaimed. "Is't no time we was makkin' a steer? They'll be in for their tea ony meenute, an' the room no sae muckle as sweepit. Ay, an' me lookin' like a sweep; an' Tibbie Mealmaker 'at's sae partikler genteel seein' you sic a sicht as ye are?"

 

Jess shook Hendry out of his chair, while Leeby began to sweep with the one hand, and agitatedly⁴ to unbutton her wrapper with the other.

 

"She didna see me," said Hendry, sitting down forlornly on the table.

 

"Get aff that table!" cried Jess. "See haud o' the besom," she said to Leeby.

 

"For mercy's sake, mother," said Leeby, "gie yer face a dicht, an' put on a clean mutch."

 

"I'll open the door if they come afore you're ready," said Hendry, as Leeby pushed him against the dresser.

 

"Ye daur to speak aboot openin'the door, an' you sic a mess!" cried Jess, with pins in her mouth.

 

"Havers!" retorted Hendry. "A man canna be aye washin' at 'imsel."

 

Seeing that Hendry was as much in the way as myself, I invited him upstairs to the attic⁵, whence we heard Jess and Leeby upbraiding⁶ each other shrilly⁷. I was aware that the room was speckless⁸; but for all that, Leeby was turning it upside down.

 

"She's aye ta'en like that," Hendry said to me, referring to his wife, "when she's expectin' company. Ay, it's a peety she canna tak things cannier⁹."

 

"Tibbie Mealmaker must be some one of importance?" I asked.

 

"Ou, she's naething by the ord'nar'; but ye see she was mairit to a Tilliedrum man no lang syne¹⁰, an' they're said to hae a michty grand establishment. Ay, they've a wardrobe spleet new; an' what think ye Tibbie wears ilka day?"

 

I shook my head.

 

"It was Chirsty Miller¹¹ 'at put it through the toon," Henry continued. "Chirsty was in Tilliedrum last Teisday or Wednesday, an' Tibbie gae her a cup o' tea. Ay, weel, Tibbie telt Chirsty 'at she wears hose ilka day."

 

"Wears hose?"

 

"Ay. It's some michty grand kind o' stockin'. I never heard o't in this toon. Na, there's naebody in Thrums 'at wears hose."

 

"And who did Tibbie get?" I asked; for in Thrums they say, "Wha did she get?" and "Wha did he tak?"

 

"His name's Davit Curly. Ou, a crittur fu' o' maggots, an' nae great match, for he's juist the Tilliedrum bill-sticker."

 

At this moment Jess shouted from her chair (she was burnishing¹² the society teapot as she spoke), "Mind, Hendry McQumpha, 'at upon nae condition are you to mention the bill-stickin' afore Tibbie!"

 

"Tibbie," Hendry explained to me, "is a terrible vain tid, an' doesna think the bill-stickin' genteel. Ay, they say 'at if she meets Davit in the street wi' his paste-pot an' the brush in his hands she pretends no to ken¹³ 'im."

 

Every time Jess paused to think she cried up orders, such as—

 

"Dinna call her Tibbie, mind ye. Always address her as Mistress Curly."

 

"Shak' hands wi' baith o' them, an' say ye hope they're in the enjoyment¹⁴ o' guid health."

 

"Dinna put yer feet on the table."

 

"Mind, you're no' to mention 'at ye kent they were in the toon."

 

"When onybody passes ye yer tea say, 'Thank ye.'"

 

"Dinna stir yer tea as if ye was churnin' butter, nor let on 'at the scones¹⁵ is no our am bakin'."

 

"If Tibbie says onything aboot the china yer no' to say 'at we dinna use it ilka day."

 

"Dinna lean back in the big chair, for it's broken, an' Leeby's gi'en it a lick o' glue this meenute."

 

"When Leeby gies ye a kick aneath the table that'll be a sign to ye to say grace."

 

Hendry looked at me apologetically while these instructions came up.

 

"I winna dive my head wi' sic nonsense," he said; "it's no' for a man body to be sae crammed¹⁶ fu' o' manners."

 

"Come awa doon," Jess shouted to him, "an' put on a clean dickey."

 

"I'll better do't to please her," said Hendry, "though for my ain part I dinna like the feel o' a dickey on week-days. Na, they mak's think it's the Sabbath."

 

Ten minutes afterwards I went downstairs to see how the preparations were progressing. Fresh muslin curtains had been put up in the room. The grand footstool, worked by Leeby, was so placed that Tibbie could not help seeing it; and a fine cambric handkerchief, of which Jess was very proud, was hanging out of a drawer as if by accident. An antimacassar lying carelessly on the seat of a chair concealed¹⁷ a rent in the horse-hair, and the china ornaments¹⁸ on the mantelpiece were so placed that they looked whole. Leeby's black merino was hanging near the window in a good light, and Jess's Sabbath bonnet¹⁹, which was never worn, occupied a nail beside it. The tea-things stood on a tray in the kitchen bed, whence they could be quickly brought into the room, just as if they were always ready to be used daily. Leeby, as yet in deshabille, was shaving her father at a tremendous rate, and Jess, looking as fresh as a daisy, was ready to receive the visitors. She was peering through the tiny window-blind looking for them.

 

"Be cautious, Leeby," Hendry was saying, when Jess shook her hand at him. "Wheesht," she whispered; "they're comin'."

 

Hendry was hustled²⁰ into his Sabbath coat, and then came a tap at the door, a very genteel tap. Jess nodded to Leeby, who softly shoved Hendry into the room.

 

The tap was repeated, but Leeby pushed her father into a chair and thrust Barrow's Sermons open into his hand. Then she stole but the house, and swiftly buttoned her wrapper, speaking to Jess by nods the while. There was a third knock, whereupon Jess said, in a loud, Englishy voice—

 

"Was that not a chap (knock) at the door?"

 

Hendry was about to reply, but she shook her fist at him. Next moment Leeby opened the door. I was upstairs, but I heard Jess say—

 

"Dear me, if it's not Mrs. Curly—and Mr. Curly! And hoo are ye? Come in, by. Weel, this is, indeed, a pleasant surprise!"

1 tongs   

n.钳；夹子

参考例句：

• She used tongs to put some more coal on the fire.她用火钳再夹一些煤放进炉子里。
• He picked up the hot metal with a pair of tongs.他用一把钳子夹起这块热金属。

2 consternation   

n.大为吃惊，惊骇

参考例句：

• He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。
• Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

3 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

4 agitatedly   

动摇，兴奋； 勃然

参考例句：

• "Where's she waiting for me?" he asked agitatedly. 他慌忙问道：“在哪里等我？” 来自子夜部分
• His agitatedly ground goes accusatorial accountant. 他勃然大怒地去责问会计。

5 attic   

n.顶楼，屋顶室

参考例句：

• Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
• What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理？

6 upbraiding   

adj.& n.谴责（的）v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His wife set about upbraiding him for neglecting the children. 他妻子开始指责他不照顾孩子。 来自辞典例句
• I eschewed upbraiding, I curtailed remonstrance. 我避免责备，少作规劝。 来自辞典例句

7 shrilly   

尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的

参考例句：

• The librarian threw back his head and laughed shrilly. 图书管理员把头往后面一仰，尖着嗓子哈哈大笑。
• He half rose in his seat, whistling shrilly between his teeth, waving his hand. 他从车座上半欠起身子，低声打了一个尖锐的唿哨，一面挥挥手。

8 speckless   

adj.无斑点的，无瑕疵的

参考例句：

9 cannier   

精明的，狡猾的( canny的比较级 )

参考例句：

• We should carry out the policy of integrating unified planning with the principle of adaptation to local conditions. 我们应该执行计划同因事制宜的原则相结合的政策。
• Talks will now begin about integrating the activities of both companies. 关于合并两家公司业务的谈判现在将会开始。

10 syne   

adv.自彼时至此时，曾经

参考例句：

• The meeting ended up with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.大会以唱《友谊地久天长》结束。
• We will take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne.让我们为了过去的好时光干一杯友谊的酒。

11 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

12 burnishing   

n.磨光，抛光，擦亮v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的现在分词 )；被擦亮，磨光

参考例句：

• Taps, reamers, drills, saws, milling cutters, burnishing tools, and so on, have all been successfully plated. 丝锥、铰刀、钻头、锯片、铣切刀具、磨光工具以及其它等等，所有这些方面的片镀都是很成功的。 来自辞典例句
• Pure white was obtained by entirely effacing burnishing the plate. 光白部份则把芒刺激完全磨去。 来自互联网

13 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

14 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

15 scones   

n.烤饼，烤小圆面包( scone的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• scones and jam with clotted cream 夹有凝脂奶油和果酱的烤饼
• She makes scones and cakes for the delectation of visitors. 她烘制了烤饼和蛋糕供客人享用。 来自辞典例句

16 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

17 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

18 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 bonnet   

n.无边女帽；童帽

参考例句：

• The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光，使之不刺眼。
• She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽，帽上缀着褪了色的假花。

20 hustled   

催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He grabbed her arm and hustled her out of the room. 他抓住她的胳膊把她推出房间。
• The secret service agents hustled the speaker out of the amphitheater. 特务机关的代理人把演讲者驱逐出竞技场。