CHAPTER V

 Ryder ran screaming, and alarmed the other servants.

 

All the windows that looked on the mere¹ were hung open.

 

But no more sounds were heard. A terrible silence brooded now over those clear waters.

 

The female servants huddled² together, and quaked; for who could doubt that a bloody³ deed had been done?

 

It was some time before they mustered⁴ the presence of mind to go and tell Mrs. Gaunt. At last they opened her door. She was not in her room.

 

Ryder ran to Griffith's. It was locked.

 

She called to him. He made no reply.

 

They burst the door open. He was not there: and the window was open.

 

While their tongues were all going, in consternation⁵, Mrs. Gaunt was suddenly among them, very pale.

 

They turned, and looked at her aghast.

 

"What means all this?" said she. "Did I not hear cries outside?"

 

"Ay," said Ryder: "Murder! and a pistol fired. Oh, my poor master!"

 

Mrs. Gaunt was white as death; but self-possessed. "Light torches this moment, and search the place," said she.

 

There was only one man in the house, and he declined to go out alone. So Ryder and Mrs. Gaunt went with him, all three bearing lighted links.

 

They searched the place where Ryder had heard the cries. They went up and down the whole bank of the mere, and east their torches; red light over the placid⁶ waters themselves. But there was nothing to be seen, alive or dead; no trace either of calamity⁷ or crime.

 

They roused the neighbors, and came back to the house with their clothes all draggled and dirty.

 

Mrs. Gaunt took Ryder apart, and asked her if she could guess at what time of the night Griffith had made his escape.

 

"He is a villain," said she, "yet I would not have him come to harm, God knows. There are thieves abroad. But I hope he ran away as soon as your back was turned, and so fell not in with them."

 

"Humph!" said Ryder. Then, looking Mrs. Gaunt In the face, she said, quietly, "Where were you when you heard the cries?"

 

"I was on the other side of the house."

 

"What, out o'doors, at that time of night!"

 

"Ay; I was in the grove⁸. Praying."

 

"Did you hear any voice you knew?"

 

"No: all was too indistinct. I heard a pistol, but no words. Did you?"

 

"I heard no more than you, madam," said Ryder, trembling.

 

No one went to bed any more that night in Hernshaw Castle.

1 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

2 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

3 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

4 mustered   

v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发

参考例句：

• We mustered what support we could for the plan. 我们极尽所能为这项计划寻求支持。
• The troops mustered on the square. 部队已在广场上集合。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 placid   

adj.安静的，平和的

参考例句：

• He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
• You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。

7 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

8 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。