CHAPTER IX

 "'When He cometh, when He cometh

To make up His jewels,

All His jewels, precious jewels,

His loved and His own.

Like the stars of the morning,

His bright crown adorning¹,

They shall shine—'"

 

"Mr. Herring, sir, breakfast's most ready."

 

"So am I," answered Wade², throwing open the door. "It certainly smells good, Zephania. Got lots of coffee?"

 

"Oh, yes, Mr. Herring."

 

"Herrick, Zephania."

 

"Yes, sir; excuse me; Herrick."

 

After breakfast Zene, as his father and Zephania called him, or Zenas Third, as he was known to the Village, appeared with Wade's trunk on a wheelbarrow. Zenas Third was a big, broad-shouldered youth of twenty with a round, freckled³, smiling face and eager yellow-brown eyes. He always reminded Wade of an amiable⁴ animated⁵ pumpkin⁶. Wade got his fishing tackle out of the trunk and he and Zenas Third started off for a day's fishing.

 

They took the road past The Cedars⁸, Wade viewing the house on the chance of seeing the ladies. But although he failed and was a little disappointed he did not escape observation himself.

 

"There goes Mr. Herrick with Zenas Third," announced Miss Mullett, hurrying cautiously to the sitting-room⁹ window. As she had been in the act of readjusting her embroidery¹⁰ hoops¹¹ when she arose, her efforts to secure all the articles in her lap failed and the hoops went circling off in different directions. "They're going fishing, Eve."

 

"Are they?" asked Eve from the old mahogany desk by the side window, with only a glance from her writing.

 

"Yes, and—Did you see where those hoops rolled to?"

 

"No, I didn't notice. But your handkerchief is over by the couch and you're stepping on a skein of linen¹²."

 

"So I am." Miss Mullett rescued and reassembled her things and sat down again. "Are you very busy, dear?"

 

"No." Eve sighed impatiently and laid her pen down. "I'm not at all busy. I wish I were. I can't seem to write this morning."

 

"I'm so glad. Not that you can't write, of course, but that you're not busy. I want to talk."

 

"Talk on." Eve placed her hands behind her head and eyed the few lines of writing distastefully.

 

"But I want you to talk, too," said Miss Mullett, snipping¹³ a thread with her tiny scissors.

 

"I haven't anything to say."

 

"Nonsense, dear! There's always plenty to say. Why, I'm sure if I lived to be a thousand, I'd not be talked out. There's always so many interesting things to talk about."

 

"And what is it this morning?" asked Eve, smiling across at the sleek¹⁴ head bent¹⁵ above the embroidery frame.

 

"Mr. Herrick. Tell me what you think of him, Eve."

 

"I haven't thought—much."

 

"But you ought to. I'm positive he is very much impressed, dear."

 

"Really? With what?"

 

"With you." Eve laughed, softly.

 

"Carrie, you're incorrigible¹⁶! You won't be satisfied until you've got me married to some one."

 

"Of course I shan't. I don't intend that you shall make the mistake I did."

 

"You didn't make a mistake, you dear thing. Your mistake would have been to marry. You'd never have been contented¹⁷ with just one man, Carrie; you know you think every one you meet is perfectly¹⁸ beautiful."'

 

"Because I haven't one of my very own," replied Miss Mullett, tranquilly¹⁹. "I made a great mistake in not marrying. I would have been happier married, I'm sure. Every woman ought to have a man to look after; it keeps her from worrying over trifles."

 

"Do you think I worry over trifles?" asked Eve.

 

"You're worrying over that story this minute."

 

"If I am, it's unkind of you to call my stories trifles. Please remember that if it wasn't for the stories, such as they are, I couldn't afford marmalade with my tea."

 

"And you probably couldn't afford me," said Miss Mullett, "and I guess I'm a good deal like marmalade myself—half sweet and half bitter." Miss Mullett laughed at the conceit²⁰.

 

"Anyway, dear, you don't cloy," said Eve. "But you're not like marmalade the least bit; you're—you're like a nice currant jelly, just tart⁷ enough to be pleasant. How's that?"

 

"Just so long as you don't call me a pickle²¹ I don't mind," replied the other. Presently: "You must acknowledge that he's very attractive, dear."

 

"Who?" asked Eve, coming suddenly out of her thoughts.

 

"Mr. Herrick. And I think he has the most wonderful voice, too; don't you? It's so deep and—and manly²²."

 

"Carrie, if his Satanic Majesty²³ called on us, you'd be telling me after he'd gone how manly he looked!"

 

"Well, I'm not one to deny the resemblance between man and the Devil," responded Miss Mullett, with a chuckle²⁴. "I dare say that's why we like them so—the men, I mean."

 

"Does Mr. Herrick strike you as being somewhat devilish?" inquired Eve, idly.

 

"N-no, I suppose not. Not too much so, at least. I think he must be very kind; he has such nice eyes. He's the sort of man that makes a lovely husband."

 

Eve clapped her hands to her ears, laughing.

 

"Carrie, stop it! I refuse to listen to any more laudations of Mr. Herrick! Think how the poor man's ears must burn!"

 

"Let them. He has very nice ears, Eve. Did you notice how small and close they were?"

 

"I did not!" declared Eve despairingly. "Nor did I specially²⁵ observe his teeth or his hair or his feet, or—"

 

"But you noticed the scar on his face, didn't you?"

 

"Yes, I couldn't very well help doing that," owned Eve. "Any more than I could help noticing his hands."

 

"So strong looking, aren't they?" asked Miss Mullett, eagerly.

 

"Are they? I thought them rather ugly."

 

"Oh, how can you say so? Just think of all the wonderful things those hands must have done! And as for the scar, I thought it gave him quite a distinguished²⁶ air, didn't you?"

 

"Carrie Mullett, I am not interested in Mr. Herrick. If you say another word about him before luncheon—"

 

"You can say that if you like," interrupted Miss Mullett placidly²⁷, "but you are interested in him, my dear."

 

"Carrie!"

 

"Then why can't you write your story? Oh, you can't fool me, my dear!"

 

Eve turned a disdainful back and picked up her pen, resentful of the warmth that she felt creeping into her cheeks.

 

Miss Mullett smiled and drew a new thread from the skein.

 

1 adorning   

修饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• Many have gems adorning their foreheads, and gold bands on their arms. 许多人在前额上挂着宝石，手臂上戴着金饰。
• The commandments, or rules, are like pure white pearls adorning the wearer. （喻）戒律洁白，可以庄严人身，好像晶莹可爱的宝珠。

2 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

3 freckled   

adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句

4 amiable   

adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的

参考例句：

• She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。
• We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

5 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

6 pumpkin   

n.南瓜

参考例句：

• They ate turkey and pumpkin pie.他们吃了火鸡和南瓜馅饼。
• It looks like there is a person looking out of the pumpkin!看起来就像南瓜里有人在看着你！

7 tart   

adj.酸的；尖酸的，刻薄的；n.果馅饼；淫妇

参考例句：

• She was learning how to make a fruit tart in class.她正在课上学习如何制作水果馅饼。
• She replied in her usual tart and offhand way.她开口回答了，用她平常那种尖酸刻薄的声调随口说道。

8 cedars   

雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The old cedars were badly damaged in the storm. 风暴严重损害了古老的雪松。
• Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 1黎巴嫩哪，开开你的门，任火烧灭你的香柏树。

9 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

10 embroidery   

n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品

参考例句：

• This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。
• This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

11 hoops   

n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓

参考例句：

• a barrel bound with iron hoops 用铁箍箍紧的桶
• Hoops in Paris were wider this season and skirts were shorter. 在巴黎，这个季节的裙圈比较宽大，裙裾却短一些。 来自飘（部分）

12 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

13 snipping   

n.碎片v.剪( snip的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The crew had been snipping it for souvenirs. 舰上人员把它剪下来当作纪念品。 来自辞典例句
• The gardener is snipping off the dead leaves in the garden. 花匠在花园时剪枯叶。 来自互联网

14 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

15 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。

16 incorrigible   

adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的

参考例句：

• Because he was an incorrigible criminal,he was sentenced to life imprisonment.他是一个死不悔改的罪犯，因此被判终生监禁。
• Gamblers are incorrigible optimists.嗜赌的人是死不悔改的乐天派。

17 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

18 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

19 tranquilly   

adv. 宁静地

参考例句：

• He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. 他拿起刷子，一声不响地干了起来。
• The evening was closing down tranquilly. 暮色正在静悄悄地笼罩下来。

20 conceit   

n.自负，自高自大

参考例句：

• As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。
• She seems to be eaten up with her own conceit.她仿佛已经被骄傲冲昏了头脑。

21 pickle   

n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡

参考例句：

• Mother used to pickle onions.妈妈过去常腌制洋葱。
• Meat can be preserved in pickle.肉可以保存在卤水里。

22 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

23 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

24 chuckle   

vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑

参考例句：

• He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
• I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。

25 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

26 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

27 placidly   

adv.平稳地，平静地

参考例句：

• Hurstwood stood placidly by, while the car rolled back into the yard. 当车子开回场地时，赫斯渥沉着地站在一边。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• The water chestnut floated placidly there, where it would grow. 那棵菱角就又安安稳稳浮在水面上生长去了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说