CHAPTER XXI A REQUEST

Half an hour later Father Maloney was wending his way towards Delancey Castle.

 

“I’m thinking she’ll not altogether understand,” mused¹ he ruefully, “but ’twas the child’s eyes of him, ’twas just that. Though if he hasn’t a will at the back of them, my name’s not Dan Maloney.”

 

An hour later he was bearing² a note in the direction of the White Cottage. It was addressed to John Mortimer, Esq. It contained a sentence which may be of interest to you.

 

“Please will you both wear morning dress at dinner on Thursday.”

 

Father Maloney tramped along the road looking at the hedges³ and the trees. Finally he raised his eyes to the sky.

 

“She’s a wonderful woman is Lady Mary!” he ejaculated, “A wonderful woman!”

 

1 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

2 bearing   

n.关系，影响，举止，姿态，方位，方向

参考例句：

• What you said had not much bearing on the problem.你说的话跟这个问题没有多大关系。
• He preserved his grave and dignified bearing.他保持庄重威严的仪态。

3 hedges   

树篱( hedge的名词复数 )； 保护手段； 防止损失（尤指金钱）的手段

参考例句：

• Farmers often enclose their land with hedges. 农夫们常用树篱将他们的地围起来。
• She came across butchered hedges and flowerbeds choked with weeds. 她发现树篱被糟蹋，花坛里野草丛生。