CHAPTER VI

 It was Indian summer. Uncle William was mending his chimney. He had built a platform to work on. Another man would have clung to the sloping roof while he laid the bricks and spread the mortar¹. But Uncle William had constructed an elaborate platform with plenty of room for bricks and the pail of mortar, and space in which to stretch his great legs. It was a comfortable place to sit and look out over Arichat harbor. Andy, who had watched the preparations with scornful eye, had suggested an arm-chair and cushion.

 

“I like to be comf’tabul,” assented² Uncle William. “I know I do. I don’t like to work none too well, anyhow. Might as well be comf’tabul if you can.”

 

The platform was comfortable. Even Andy admitted that, when Uncle William persuaded him to climb up one day, on the pretext³ of advising whether the row of bricks below the roof line would hold. It was a clear, warm day, with little clouds floating lightly, as in summer. Andy had climbed the ladder grumbling⁴.

 

“Nice place to see,” suggested Uncle William.

 

Andy peered down the chimney hole. “You will have to take off the top row all around,” he said resentfully.

 

“Ye think so, do ye? I kind o’ thought so myself. They seemed sort o’ tottery⁶. But I thought mebbe they’d hold. Sit down, Andy, sit down.” He pushed the pail of mortar a little to one side to make room.

 

Andy edged away. “Can’t stop,” he said. He was searching with his foot for the ladder.

 

“What you going to do?” demanded Uncle William.

 

Andy glanced at the sky. “I’m going to take in the Andrew Halloran.” He was already on his way down the ladder.

 

Uncle William pursued him, peering over. “You’ll have to have me to help ye, Andy. Can’t you jest wait till to-morrow—till I get my chimbley done?”

 

“You’ve been a month now,” said Andy. He was glowering⁷ at the bay and the little boat bobbing below.

 

“I know it, Andy, I know it.” Uncle William was descending⁸ the ladder with slow care. “But I don’t want my mortar to freeze, and I’m kind o’ ’fraid of its comin’ off cold again to-night. I was jest goin’ to begin to hurry up. I was goin’ to begin to-day.”

 

“I can get along without you,” said Andrew, doggedly⁹.

 

“Why, no, you can’t, Andy. How you goin’ to haul her up?” Uncle William spoke¹⁰ reproachfully.

 

Andy moved away. “I can do it, I guess.” He was mumbling¹¹ it to his teeth. “I don’t need anybody’s help.”

 

With a sigh and a look of affection at the platform and the pail and the blue sky above, Uncle William followed him down the rocky path.

 

They worked busily all the morning, towing in the Andrew Halloran, cleaning her up and stowing away tackle, making her ready for the winter.

 

In the afternoon Uncle William mounted the roof again. His face, under its vast calm, wore a look of resolve. He looked thoughtfully down the chimney hole. Then he sat down on the platform and took up his trowel. He balanced it on his palm and looked at the pile of bricks. His gaze wandered to the sky. It swept the bay and came back across the moors¹². A look of soft happiness filled it; the thin edges of resolve melted before it. “Best kind of weather,” murmured Uncle William, “best kind—” His eye fell on the pile of bricks and he took up one, looking at it affectionately. He laid it in place and patted down the mortar, rumbling⁵ to himself.

 

When Andy came by, half an hour later, three bricks were in place. Uncle William nodded to him affably. “Where goin’, Andy?”

 

“How much you got done?” demanded Andy.

 

Uncle William looked at it thoughtfully. “Well, there’s quite a piece. Comin’ up?” he said hopefully.

 

“It don’t show any.”

 

“No, it don’t show much—yet. It’s kind of down below.—Think we’re goin’ to have a change?” The tone was full of hopeful interest.

 

Andy nodded. “Freeze inside of twenty-four hours.”

 

Uncle William scanned the horizon.

 

“When you calculatin’ to finish?” asked Andy.

 

“Well, I was thinkin’ of finishin’ to-night.”

 

Andy’s gaze sought the sun.

 

Uncle William took up another brick.

 

Andy seated himself on a rock. He had done a good day’s work. His conscience was clear; and then William worked better when Andy was around, and Andy took pride in it. “Where’d you get your bricks?” he asked.

 

Uncle William looked at the one in his hand. “I wheeled them over from the Bodet cellar-place. The’ ’s quite a pile left there yet.”

 

“They all good?”

 

“Putty good.” Uncle William was working thoughtfully. “We’ve set by them bricks a good many times, Andy.”

 

“Yep.”

 

“You remember the things she used to give us to eat?”

 

Andy swung about. “Who give us?”

 

“Old Mis’ Bodet.”

 

Andy’s eye lighted. “So she did. I’d forgot all about ’em.”

 

Uncle William nodded. “There was a kind of tart¹³ she used to make—”

 

Andy broke in. A look of genuine enthusiasm filled his eye. “I know—that gingery¹⁴, pumpkin¹⁵ kind—”

 

“That’s it. And you and me and Benjy used to sit and toast our toes by the fire and eat it—”

 

“He was a mean cuss,” said Andy.

 

“Who Benjy? Why, we was al’ays fond of Benjy!” Uncle William’s face beamed over the edge of the roof. “We was fond of him, wa’n’t we?”

 

“I wa’n’t,” said Andy, shortly. “He’ lick a feller every chance he got.”

 

“Yes, that’s so—I guess that’s so.” Uncle William was slapping on the mortar with heavy skill. “But he did it kind o’ neat, didn’t he?” His eye twinkled to his work. “‘Member that time you ’borrowed’ his lobster-pot—took it up when it happened to have lobsters¹⁶ in it, and kep’ the lobsters—not to hev ’em waste?”

 

Andy’s face was impassive.

 

“Oh, you was fond of Benjy!” Uncle William spoke cheeringly. “You’ve kind o’ forgot, I guess. And I set a heap o’ store by him. He was jest about our age—twelve year the summer they moved away. I cried much as a week, off and on I should think. Couldn’t seem to get ust to not havin’ him around.”

 

“Reckon he’s dead by this time?” Andy spoke hopefully. A little green gleam had crept into his eye.

 

Uncle William leaned over, looking down at him reproachfully. “Now, what makes you say that, Andy? He don’t hev no more call to be dead’n we do. We was both fond of him.”

 

Andy stirred uneasily. “I liked him well enough, but it ain’t any use talkin’ about folks that’s moved away, or dead.”

 

“Do you feel that way, Andy? Now I don’t feel so.” Uncle William’s gaze was following a floating cloud. “I feel as if they was kind o’ near us; not touching¹⁷ close, but round somewheres. Now, I wouldn’t really say Benjy Bodet was in that cloud—”

 

Andy stared at it suspiciously.

 

“He ain’t really there, but it makes me feel the way he did. I used to get up kind o’ light in the mornin’, ’cause I was goin’ to see Benjy. The’ wa’n’t ever anybody I was so fond of, except Jennie—and you, mebbe.”

 

Andy’s gaze was looking out to sea. “You was mighty¹⁸ thick with that painter chap,” he said gruffly.

 

“That wa’n’t the same,”—Uncle William spoke thoughtfully,—“not quite the same.”

 

The gloom in Andy’s face lifted.

 

“I’ve thought about that a good many times,” went on Uncle William. “It’s cur’us. You get to know folks that’s a good deal nicer than your own folks that you was born and brought up and have lived and quarreled with,—and you get to know ’em a good deal better some ways—but they ain’t the same as your own.”

 

Andy’s face had grown almost mild. “I guess that’s right,” he said. “Now there’s Harr’et—I’ve lived with Harr’et a good many year.”

 

Uncle William nodded. “She come from Digby way, didn’t she?”

 

“Northeast o’ Digby. And some days I feel as if I wa’n’t even acquainted with her.”

 

Uncle William chuckled¹⁹.

 

Andy glanced at the sun. “I must be gettin’ home. It’s supper-time.” His gaze sought the ridge-pole. The few rows of bricks set above its line gleamed red and white in the sun. “You won’t get that done to-night.” The tone was not acrid²⁰. It was almost sympathetic—for Andy.

 

Uncle William glanced at it placidly²¹. “I reckon I shall. There’s a moon, you know. And this is a pleasant place to set. It ought to be quite nice up here by moonlight.”

 

He set and watched Andy’s figure down the road. Then he took up the trowel once more, whistling. The floating cloud had sailed to the horizon. It grew rosy²² red and opened softly, spreading in little flames. The glow of color spread from north to south. A breeze had sprung up and ruffled²³ the bay. Uncle William glanced at it and fell to work. “Andy’s right—it’s goin’ to change.”

 

He worked till the cold, clear moon came over the hill behind him. It shone on the chimney rising, straight and firm, above the little house. By its light William put on the finishing touches.

 

 

 

1 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

2 assented   

同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
• "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

3 pretext   

n.借口，托词

参考例句：

• He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
• He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

4 grumbling   

adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的

参考例句：

• She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work. 她总是向我抱怨她在工作中如何受亏待。
• We didn't hear any grumbling about the food. 我们没听到过对食物的抱怨。

5 rumbling   

n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词

参考例句：

• The earthquake began with a deep [low] rumbling sound. 地震开始时发出低沉的隆隆声。
• The crane made rumbling sound. 吊车发出隆隆的响声。

6 tottery   

adj.蹒跚的，摇摇欲倒

参考例句：

7 glowering   

v.怒视( glower的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The boy would not go, but stood at the door glowering at his father. 那男孩不肯走，他站在门口对他父亲怒目而视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then he withdrew to a corner and sat glowering at his wife. 然后他溜到一个角落外，坐在那怒视着他的妻子。 来自辞典例句

8 descending   

n. 下行 adj. 下降的

参考例句：

• The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
• The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

9 doggedly   

adv.顽强地，固执地

参考例句：

• He was still doggedly pursuing his studies.他仍然顽强地进行着自己的研究。
• He trudged doggedly on until he reached the flat.他顽强地、步履艰难地走着，一直走回了公寓。

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 mumbling   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I could hear him mumbling to himself. 我听到他在喃喃自语。
• He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg. 宴会结束时，他仍在咕哝着医院里的事。说着说着，他在一块冰上滑倒，跌断了左腿。

12 moors   

v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• the North York moors 北约克郡的漠泽
• They're shooting grouse up on the moors. 他们在荒野射猎松鸡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 gingery   

adj.姜味的

参考例句：

• You can tell that it' s root ginger, cause It'smells really gingery. 你可以分辨出姜块，因为它闻起来有很重的姜味。 来自互联网

15 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！

16 lobsters   

龙虾( lobster的名词复数 )； 龙虾肉

参考例句：

• I have no idea about how to prepare those cuttlefish and lobsters. 我对如何烹调那些乌贼和龙虾毫无概念。
• She sold me a couple of live lobsters. 她卖了几只活龙虾给我。

17 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

18 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

19 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

20 acrid   

adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的

参考例句：

• There is an acrid tone to your remarks.你说这些话的口气带有讥刺意味。
• The room was filled with acrid smoke.房里充满刺鼻的烟。

21 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

22 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

23 ruffled   

adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She ruffled his hair affectionately. 她情意绵绵地拨弄着他的头发。
• All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management's feathers. 所有这些关于罢工的闲言碎语显然让管理层很不高兴。