Up to this time Nan Keith had undergone the experience of nine out of ten married women in early California: that is, she had been neglected. Neglect in some form or other was the common lot of the legally attached feminine. How could it logically be otherwise? In the turbulent, varied1, restless, intensely interesting, deeply exciting life of the pioneer city only a poor-spirited, bloodless, nerveless man would have thought to settle down to domesticity. A quiet evening at home stands small chance, even in an old-established community, against a dog fight on the corner or a fire in the next block; and here were men fights instead, and a great, splendid, conflagration2 of desires, appetites, and passions, a grand clash of interests and wills that burned out men's lives in the space of a few years. It was a restless time, full of neglected women. This neglect varied in degree to be sure. Nan was lucky there. No other woman had thrust her way in, no other attraction lured3 Keith from her, as had happened to so many others. She possessed4 all his interest. But at present that interest seemed so attenuated5, so remote!
After her revulsion of feeing the afternoon the Vigilantes first rose in their might, she withdrew within her pride. Nan was no meek6 and humble7 spirit. But the scales had dropped from her eyes as to affairs about her. San Francisco suddenly became something besides a crude collection of buildings. For the first time she saw it as a living entity8, strong in the throes of growth. She devoured9 eagerly all the newspapers, collected avidly10 all the rumours11. Whenever possible, she discussed the state of affairs; but this was difficult, for nearly every one was strongly partisan12 for one side or another, and incapable13 of anything but excitement and vituperation. The Sherwoods were a great comfort to her here. While approving of the new movement, they nevertheless refused to become heated, and retained a spirit of humour. Sherwood was not a member of the Committee of Vigilance, but he had subscribed14 heavily--and openly--to its funds; he had assisted it with his counsels; and it was hinted that, sub-rosa, he had taken part in some of the more obscure but dangerous operations.
"I am an elderly, peace-loving, respectable citizen," he told Nan, "and I stand unequivocably for law and order and for justice, for the orderly doing of things; and against violence, mob spirit, and high-handedness."
"Why, John Sherwood!" cried Nan, up in arms at once. "I'd never have believed you could be on the side of Judge Terry and that stripe."
"Oho!" cried Sherwood, delighted to have drawn15 her. "Now we have it! But what made you think I was on that side?"
"Why--didn't you just say--"
"Oh," said Sherwood comfortably, "I was using real meanings, not just word tags. In my opinion real law and order, orderly doing of things, _et cetera_, are all on the other side."
"And the men--" cried Nan, aglow16.
"The men are of course all noble, self-sacrificing, patriotic17, immaculate demigods who--" He broke off, chuckling18 at Nan's expression. "No, seriously, I think they are doing a fine work, and that they'll go down in history."
"You're an old dear!" cried Nan, impulsively19 kissing his cheek.
"Take care," he warned, "you're endangering my glasses and making my wife jealous."
Nan drew back, a little ashamed at having shown her feelings; and rather astonished herself at their intensity21.
In the course of these conversations the pendulum22 with her began again to quiver at the descent. Through the calmly philosophical23 eye of the ex- gambler, John Sherwood, she partly envisaged24 the significance of what was happening--the struggling forth25 of real government from the sham20. Her own troubles grew small by comparison. She began to feel nearer Keith in spirit than for some time past, to understand him better, even--though this was difficult--to get occasionally a glimpse of his relations toward herself. It was all very inchoate26, instinctive27, unformed; rather an instinct than a clear view. She became restless; for she had no outlet28 either for her own excitement or the communicated excitement of the times. It was difficult to wait, and yet wait she must. For what? She did not know!
On the crucial June evening she sat by the lamp trying in vain to concentrate her attention on a book. The sound of the door bell made her jump. She heard Wing Sam's shuffle29, and his cheerful greeting which all her training had been unable to eliminate. Wing Sam always met every caller with a smiling "Hello!" A moment later she arose in some surprise as Mrs. Morrell entered the room.
Relations between the women had never been broken off, though the pretence30 of ordinary cordiality had long since been dropped. When Mrs. Morrell found it expedient31 to make this call, she spent several hours trying to invent a plausible32 excuse. She was unable to do so. Finally she gave it up in angry despair.
"As long as it is not too bald, what difference does it make?" she said to herself cynically33.
And out of this desperation, and by no means from cleverness, she hit on the cleverest thing possible. Instead of coming to make a friendly call, she pretended to be on an errand of protest.
"It's about your dog," she told Nan, "he's a dear good dog, and a great friend of ours. But cannot you shut him up nights? He's inclined to prowl around under my windows, and just the sound of him there keeps me awake. I know it's foolish; but I am so nervous these days--"
"Why, of course," said Nan with real contrition34. "I'd no idea--"
Gringo was at the moment ingratiating himself with Wing Sam _in re_ one soup bone of no use to anybody but dogs. If he could have heard Mrs. Morrell's indictment35, he would have been both grieved and surprised: Gringo never prowled anywhere. Like most rather meaty individuals, he was a very sound sleeper36; and in the morning he often felt a little uneasy in his conscience as to the matter of stray trespassing37 cats or such small fry. He had every confidence that his instincts would warn him of really important things, like burglars. Still, the important things are not all of life, nor burglars all the duty of a dog.
Having slandered38 the innocent Gringo, Mrs. Morrell stayed for a chat. Apparently39 she was always just on the point of departure, but never went. Nan, being, as she thought, in the wrong as to the worthy40 Gringo, tried her best to be polite, but was miserably41 conscious of being snippy.
At the end of an hour the door bell rang again. If Nan had been watching, she might have seen Mrs. Morrell's body relax as though from a tension. After a moment Wing Sam shuffled42 into the room carrying a soiled folded paper.
"Man he tell you lead this chop-chop," said he.
Murmuring an apology, Nan opened the paper. With a cry she sprang to her feet. Her face had gone white.
"What is it?" cried Mrs. Morrell in apparent anxiety.
Without a word Nan extended the paper. Written in pencil were these words:
MADAM: Your husband has been injured in an attempt at arrest. He wants me to tell you he is at Jake's Place hurt bad. With respects. JOHN Q. ALDER43.
For an instant Mrs. Morrell did not dare look up. She was thoroughly44 angry at what she thought to be her husband's stupidity.
"Why, that wouldn't deceive a child!" she thought contemptuously.
"How dreadful! Who is Alder?" she said, merely to say something.
Nan shook her head.
"I don't know," she replied rather wildly. "One of the Vigilantes, I suppose. I must go out there. At once!"
She ran to the hall where she began to rummage45 for cloaks. Mrs. Morrell followed her in wonderment. She was going to take this crude bait after all! Mrs. Morrell had not the slightest idea Nan still loved her husband.
"You can't go alone!" she cried in apparent sympathy. "You poor child! Jake's Place--at this time of night!"
"I'd go to hell if he needed me there!" cried Nan.
Mrs. Morrell became suddenly capable and commanding.
"Then I shall go with you," she announced firmly.
"Oh, you're good to me!" cried Nan, full of contrition, and feeling, beneath her anxiety, that she had misjudged her neighbour's heart.
Mrs. Morrell took charge. She lit the lantern, led the way to the stable, did the most toward harnessing the horse. They made rather a mess of it, but the horse was gentle and reliable. When they had backed the buggy out of the barn, she insisted on driving.
"You're in no fit condition," she told Nan, and Nan obediently climbed in beside her.
The drive was made in silence, except that occasionally Nan urged hurry. She sat bolt upright, her hands clasped in her lap, her figure rigid46, trying to keep hold of herself. At Jake's Place a surly hostler appeared and led away their horse. Jake's Place was in darkness save for one lighted room on the ground floor and a dimly illuminated47 bar at the other end.
It is but just to a celebrated48 resort that had seen and was still to see much of life to say that it knew nothing of the plot. Sansome had engaged the ground-floor parlour, and ordered a fire and drinks. Morrell had commanded a little supper for later. Now two ladies appeared. This was all normal. Without drinks, little suppers, and the subsequent appearance of ladies, Jake's Place would soon have languished49.
Nan leaped over the wheel to the ground as soon as the buggy had stopped, and before the dilatory50 hostler had cramped51 aside the wheel.
"Where is he?" she demanded breathlessly. The hostler jerked a thumb at the lighted windows. Without a word Nan ran up the steps and to the door. The hostler looked after her flying figure, then grinned up at Mrs. Morrell.
"Yum! yum!" said he, "but she's the eager little piece!"
Mrs. Morrell gave him a coin, and as he moved away with the horse, she, too, ran up the steps. Nan had entered the parlour door, leaving it open behind her. Mrs. Morrell closed it again, and locked it. Then, with a certainty that proved her familiarity with the place, she walked down the length of the veranda52 to a hall, which she entered.
Nan had burst into a parlour with an open fire. Before it stood a small table crowded with bottles and glasses. Sansome rose, rather unsteadily, from one of the easy chairs. Nan uttered an exclamation53 of relief as she recognized him.
"Oh, I'm glad you're here!" she cried. "This is kind! How is he? Where is he?"
收听单词发音 |
1
varied
|
|
| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
conflagration
|
|
| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
lured
|
|
| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
attenuated
|
|
| v.（使）变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）变薄；（使）变小；减弱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
meek
|
|
| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
entity
|
|
| n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
devoured
|
|
| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
avidly
|
|
| adv.渴望地，热心地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
rumours
|
|
| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
partisan
|
|
| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
incapable
|
|
| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
subscribed
|
|
| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
aglow
|
|
| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
patriotic
|
|
| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
chuckling
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
impulsively
|
|
| adv.冲动地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
sham
|
|
| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
intensity
|
|
| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
pendulum
|
|
| n.摆，钟摆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
philosophical
|
|
| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
envisaged
|
|
| 想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
inchoate
|
|
| adj.才开始的，初期的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
instinctive
|
|
| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
outlet
|
|
| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
shuffle
|
|
| n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
pretence
|
|
| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
expedient
|
|
| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
plausible
|
|
| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
cynically
|
|
| adv.爱嘲笑地，冷笑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
contrition
|
|
| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
indictment
|
|
| n.起诉；诉状 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
sleeper
|
|
| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
trespassing
|
|
| [法]非法入侵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
slandered
|
|
| 造谣中伤( slander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
miserably
|
|
| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
shuffled
|
|
| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
alder
|
|
| n.赤杨树 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
rummage
|
|
| v./n.翻寻，仔细检查 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
rigid
|
|
| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
illuminated
|
|
| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
celebrated
|
|
| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
languished
|
|
| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
dilatory
|
|
| adj.迟缓的，不慌不忙的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
cramped
|
|
| a.狭窄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
veranda
|
|
| n.走廊；阳台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
exclamation
|
|
| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |