The heavens were growing very dark; the wind was rising and driving black clouds athwart the sky; the atmosphere was becoming piercingly cold; the snow, that during the middle of the day had thawed1, was freezing hard. Yet Marian hurried fearlessly and gayly on over the rugged2 and slippery stubble fields that lay between the cottage and the beach. A rapid walk of fifteen minutes brought her down to the water's edge. But it was now quite dark. Nothing could be more deserted3, lonely and desolate4 than the aspect of this place. From her feet the black waters spread outward, till their utmost boundaries were lost among the blacker vapors5 of the distant horizon. Afar off a sail, dimly seen or guessed at, glided6 ghost-like through the shadows. Landward, the boundaries of field and forest, hill and vale, were all blended, fused, in murky7 obscurity. Heavenward, the lowering sky was darkened by wild, scudding8, black clouds, driven by the wind, through which the young moon seemed plunging10 and hiding as in terror. The tide was coming in, and the waves surged heavily with a deep moan upon the beach. Not a sound was heard except the dull, monotonous11 moan of the sea, and the fitful, hollow wail12 of the wind. The character of the scene was in the last degree wild, dreary13, gloomy and fearful. Not so, however, it seemed to Marian, who, filled with happy, generous and tumultuous thoughts, was scarcely conscious of the gathering14 darkness and the lowering storm, as she walked up and down upon the beach, listening and waiting. She wondered that Thurston had not been there ready to receive her; but this thought gave her little uneasiness; it was nearly lost, as the storm and darkness also were, in the brightness and gladness of her own loving, generous emotions. There was no room in her heart for doubt or trouble. If the thought of the morning's conversation and of Angelica entered her mind, it was only to be soon dismissed with fair construction and cheerful hope. And then she pictured to herself the surprise, the pleasure of Thurston, when he should hear of the accession of fortune which should set them both free to pursue their inclinations15 and plans for their own happiness and for the benefit of others. And she sought in her bosom16 if the letters were safe. Yes; there they were; she felt them. Her happiness had seemed a dream without that proof of its reality. For once she gave way to imagination, and allowed that magician to build castles in the air at will. Thurston and herself must go to England immediately to take possession of the estate; that was certain. Then they must return. But ere that she would confide17 to him her darling project; one that she had never breathed to any, because to have done so would have been vain; one that she had longingly18 dreamed of, but never, as now, hoped to realize. And Edith—she would make Edith so comfortable! Edith should be again surrounded with the elegancies and refinements19 of life. And Miriam—Miriam should have every advantage of education that wealth could possibly secure for her, either in this country or in Europe. If Edith would spare Miriam, the little girl should go with her to England. But Thurston—above all, Thurston! A heavy drop of rain struck Marian in the face, and, for an instant, woke her from her blissful reverie.
She looked up. Why did not Thurston come? The storm would soon burst forth20 upon the earth; where was Thurston? Were he by her side there would be nothing formidable in the storm, for he would shelter her with his cloak and umbrella, as they should scud9 along over the fields to the cottage, and reach the fireside before the rain could overtake them. Where was he? What could detain him at such a time? She peered through the darkness up and down the beach. To her accustomed eye, the features of the landscape were dimly visible. That black form looming21 like a shadowy giant before her was the headland of Pine Bluff22, with its base washed by the sullen23 waves. It was the only object that broke the dark, dull monotony of the shore. She listened; the moan of the sea, the wail of the wind, were blended in mournful chorus. It was the only sound that broke the dreary silence of the hour.
Hark! No; there was another sound. Amid the moaning and the wailing24 of winds and waves, and the groaning26 of the coming storm, was heard the regular fall of oars27, soon followed by the slow, grating sound of a boat pushed up upon the frozen strand28. Marian paused and strained her eyes through the darkness in the direction of the sound, but could see nothing save the deeper, denser29 darkness around Pine Bluff. She turned, and, under cover of the darkness, moved swiftly and silently from the locality. The storm was coming on very fast. The rain was falling and the wind rising and driving it into her face. She pulled her hood30 closely about her face, and wrapped her shawl tightly about her as she met the blast.
Oh! where was Thurston, and why did he not come? She blamed herself for having ventured out; yet could she have foreseen this? No; for she had confidently trusted in his keeping his appointment. She had never known him to fail before. What could have caused the failure now? Had he kept his tryste they would now have been safely housed at Old Field Cottage. Perhaps Thurston, seeing the clouds, had taken for granted that she would not come, and he had therefore stayed away. Yet, no; she could not for an instant entertain that thought. Well she knew that had a storm risen, and raged as never a storm did before, Thurston, upon the bare possibility of her presence there, would keep his appointment. No; something beyond his control had delayed him. And, unless he should now very soon appear, something very serious had happened to him. The storm was increasing in violence; her shawl was already wet, and she resolved to hurry home.
She had just turned to go when the sound of a man's heavy, measured footsteps, approaching from the opposite direction, fell upon her ear. She looked up half in dread31, and strained her eyes out into the blackness of the night. It was too dark to see anything but the outline of a man's figure wrapped in a large cloak, coming slowly on toward her. As the man drew near she recognized the well-known figure, air and gait; she had of the identity. She hastened to meet him, exclaiming in a low, eager tone:
"Thurston! dear Thurston!"
Why did he not answer her? Why did he not speak to her? Why did he stand so motionless, and look so strange? She could not have seen the expression of his countenance33, even if a flap of his cloak had not been folded across his face; but his whole form shook as with an ague fit.
"Thurston! dear Thurston!" she exclaimed once more, under her breath, as she pressed toward him.
But he suddenly stretched out his hand to repulse34 her, gasping35, as it were, breathlessly, "Not yet—not yet!" and again his whole frame shook with an inward storm. What could be the reason of his strange behavior? Oh, some misfortune had happened to him—that was evident! Would it were only of a nature that her own good news might be able to cure. And it might be so. Full of this thought, she was again pressing toward him, when a violent flurry of rain and wind whistled before her and drove into her face, concealing36 him from her view. When the sudden gust37 as suddenly passed, she saw that he remained in the same spot, his breast heaving, his whole form shaking. She could bear it no longer. She started forward and put her arms around his neck, and dropped her head upon his bosom, and whispered in suppressed tones:
"Dearest Thurston, what is the matter? Tell me, for I love you more than life!"
The man clasped his left arm fiercely around her waist, lifted his right hand, and, hissing38 sharply through his clenched39 teeth:
"You have drawn40 on your own doom—die, wretched girl!" plunged41 a dagger42 in her bosom, and pushed her from him.
One sudden, piercing shriek43, and she dropped at his feet, grasping at the ground, and writhing44 in agony. Her soul seemed striving to recover the shock, and recollect45 its faculties46. She half arose upon her elbow, supported her head upon her hand, and with her other hand drew the steel out from her bosom, and laid it down. The blood followed, and with the life-stream her strength flowed away. The hand that supported her head suddenly dropped, and she fell back. The man had been standing47 over her, speechless, motionless, breathless, like some wretched somnambulist, suddenly awakened48 in the commission of a crime, and gazing in horror, amazement49, and unbelief upon the work of his sleep.
Suddenly he dropped upon his knees by her side, put his arm under her head and shoulders and raised her up; but her chin fell forward upon her bosom, and her eyes fixed50 and glazed51. He laid her down gently, groaning in a tone of unspeakable anguish52:
"Miss Mayfield! My God! what have I done?" And with an awful cry, between a shriek and a groan25, the wretched man cast himself upon the ground by the side of the fallen body.
The storm was beating wildly upon the assassin and his victim; but the one felt it no more than the other. At length the sound of footsteps was heard approaching fast and near. In the very anguish of remorse53 the instinct of self-preservation seized the wretched man, and he started up and fled as from the face of the avenger54 of blood.
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1
thawed
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| 解冻 | |
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2
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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5
vapors
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| n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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6
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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7
murky
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| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
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8
scudding
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| n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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scud
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| n.疾行；v.疾行 | |
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10
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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11
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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12
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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13
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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inclinations
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| 倾向( inclination的名词复数 )； 倾斜； 爱好； 斜坡 | |
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16
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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longingly
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| adv. 渴望地 热望地 | |
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refinements
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| n.（生活）风雅；精炼( refinement的名词复数 )；改良品；细微的改良；优雅或高贵的动作 | |
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20
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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24
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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25
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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27
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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28
strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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29
denser
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| adj. 不易看透的, 密集的, 浓厚的, 愚钝的 | |
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30
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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31
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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32
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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33
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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34
repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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35
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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36
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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37
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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38
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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39
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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41
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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42
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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43
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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44
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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45
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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46
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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47
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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48
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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49
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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50
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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51
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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52
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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53
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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54
avenger
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| n. 复仇者 | |
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