Part 3 Book 8 Chapter 1 Marius, while seeking a Girl in a Bonnet encounters a Man in a Cap

Summer passed, then the autumn; winter came. Neither M. Leblanc nor the young girl had again set foot in the Luxembourg garden. Thenceforth, Marius had but one thought,--to gaze once more on that sweet and adorable face. He sought constantly, he sought everywhere; he found nothing. He was no longer Marius, the enthusiastic dreamer, the firm, resolute¹, ardent² man, the bold defier of fate, the brain which erected³ future on future, the young spirit encumbered⁴ with plans, with projects, with pride, with ideas and wishes; he was a lost dog.  He fell into a black melancholy⁵. All was over. Work disgusted him, walking tired him. Vast nature, formerly⁶ so filled with forms, lights, voices, counsels, perspectives, horizons, teachings, now lay empty before him. It seemed to him that everything had disappeared. 　

He thought incessantly⁷, for he could not do otherwise; but he no longer took pleasure in his thoughts. To everything that they proposed to him in a whisper, he replied in his darkness: "What is the use?"

He heaped a hundred reproaches on himself. "Why did I follow her?   I was so happy at the mere⁸ sight of her! She looked at me; was not that immense? She had the air of loving me. Was not that everything? I wished to have, what? There was nothing after that. I have been absurd. It is my own fault," etc., etc. Courfeyrac, to whom he confided⁹ nothing,--it was his nature,-- but who made some little guess at everything,--that was his nature,-- had begun by congratulating him on being in love, though he was amazed at it; then, seeing Marius fall into this melancholy state, he ended by saying to him: "I see that you have been simply an animal. Here, come to the Chaumiere." 　

Once, having confidence in a fine September sun, Marius had allowed himself to be taken to the ball at Sceaux by Courfeyrac, Bossuet, and Grantaire, hoping, what a dream! that he might, perhaps, find her there. Of course he did not see the one he sought.--"But this is the place, all the same, where all lost women are found," grumbled¹⁰ Grantaire in an aside. Marius left his friends at the ball and returned home on foot, alone, through the night, weary, feverish¹¹, with sad and troubled eyes, stunned¹² by the noise and dust of the merry wagons¹³ filled with singing creatures on their way home from the feast, which passed close to him, as he, in his discouragement, breathed in the acrid¹⁴ scent¹⁵ of the walnut-trees, along the road, in order to refresh his head. 　

He took to living more and more alone, utterly¹⁶ overwhelmed, wholly given up to his inward anguish¹⁷, going and coming in his pain like the wolf in the trap, seeking the absent one everywhere, stupefied by love.

On another occasion, he had an encounter which produced on him a singular effect. He met, in the narrow streets in the vicinity of the Boulevard des Invalides, a man dressed like a workingman and wearing a cap with a long visor, which allowed a glimpse of locks of very white hair. Marius was struck with the beauty of this white hair, and scrutinized¹⁸ the man, who was walking slowly and as though absorbed in painful meditation¹⁹. Strange to say, he thought that he recognized M. Leblanc. The hair was the same, also the profile, so far as the cap permitted a view of it, the mien²⁰ identical, only more depressed²¹. But why these workingman's clothes?  What was the meaning of this? What signified that disguise? Marius was greatly astonished. When he recovered himself, his first impulse was to follow the man; who knows whether he did not hold at last the clue which he was seeking? In any case, he must see the man near at hand, and clear up the mystery. But the idea occurred to him too late, the man was no longer there.   He had turned into some little side street, and Marius could not find him. This encounter occupied his mind for three days and then was effaced²². "After all," he said to himself, "it was probably only a resemblance."

夏季过去了，秋季也过了，冬季到了。白先生和那姑娘都没有去过卢森堡公园。马吕斯只有一个念头，再见到那张温柔和令人拜倒的脸儿。他无时不找，无处不找，可是什么也没有找着。他已不是那个以一腔热忱梦想着未来的马吕斯，那个顽强、热烈、坚定的汉子，对命运的大胆挑战者，有着建造空中重楼叠阁的头脑，一个计划、远谋、豪情、思想、壮志满怀的青年，而是一条丧家之犬。他已陷在一筹莫展的苦境里。完了。工作使他反感，散步使他疲倦，孤独使他烦恼；广大的天地从前是如此充满形相、光彩、声音、启导、远景、见识和教育的，现在在他眼里竟成了一片空虚。他仿佛觉得一切全消失了。

他老在想，因为他不能不想，但是他已不能再感到想的乐趣。对他的思想向他不断低声建议的一切，他都黯然回答说：

“有什么意义？”

他不停地埋怨自己。当初我为什么要去跟她？那时我能看见她，便已那么快乐了。她望着我，难道这不是已很了不起吗？看神气，她在爱我。难道这还不美满吗？我还有什么可希求的呢？这以后已不会再有什么。我太傻了，是我错了。等等。他从不把他的心事泄露给古费拉克，这是他的性格，但是古费拉克多少猜到了一点，这也是他的性格，古费拉克开始祝贺他有了意中人，同时也感到这事来得突兀，随后，看见马吕斯那么苦闷，他终于对他说：“我看你这人太简单，只有兽性。来，到茅庐去走走！”

一次，马吕斯见到九月天美丽的阳光，满怀信心，跟着古费拉克、博须埃和格朗泰尔去参加索城的舞会，希望棗多美的梦！棗能有机会在那里遇见她。当然，他没有见到他寻找的人儿。“可是丢了的女人总能在这里找到的嘛。”格朗泰尔独自嘟囔着。马吕斯把他的朋友甩在舞会里，孤孤单单地走回家去了，摸着黑路，浑身疲倦，脑子发烧，眼睛矇眬忧郁，一辆一辆从舞会回来的车辆满载着尽情歌唱的人从他身边经过，他听到那种欢乐的声音，嗅到车轮卷起的尘土，感到非常烦乱，心灰意懒地呼吸着路旁核桃树的涩味来清醒自己的头脑。

他开始过着越来越狐独的生活，徬徨，沮丧，完全陷在内心的苦痛里，好象笼中狼那样，在他的悲戚中走去走来，四处张望那不在眼前的意中人，被爱情搞得晕头转向。

另一次，他遇见一个人，给了他一种异样的感受。他在残废军人院路附近的那些小街上，劈面遇见一个衣着象工人模样的男子，戴一顶长檐鸭舌帽，露出几绺雪白的头发。马吕斯瞥见那些白发，感到美得出奇，只见那人一步一步慢慢走着，好象心事重重，沉浸在忧伤的遐想里。说也奇怪，他仿佛认出了那人便是白先生。同样的头发，同样的侧面轮廓，至少露出在帽檐下的那部分是同样的，同样的走路姿态，只是比较忧郁些。但是为什么穿这身工人服呢？这怎么解释？为什么要乔装？马吕斯见了心里非常惊讶。当他的心情安定下来后，他的第一个动作便是去追那人，谁知他这次不会抓住他所寻找的线索呢？总之，应当跑到他近处去看个清楚，打破这闷葫芦。可是他的念头转得太迟，那人已不在那里了。他走进了一条横巷，马吕斯没有能再看见他。这次邂逅使他回想了好几天，印象才淡薄下去。他心里想道：“不用大惊小怪，这也许只是个相貌相象的人罢了。”

1 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

2 ardent   

adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的

参考例句：

• He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。
• Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。

3 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

4 encumbered   

v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The police operation was encumbered by crowds of reporters. 警方的行动被成群的记者所妨碍。
• The narrow quay was encumbered by hundreds of carts. 狭窄的码头被数百辆手推车堵得水泄不通。 来自辞典例句

5 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

6 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

7 incessantly   

ad.不停地

参考例句：

• The machines roar incessantly during the hours of daylight. 机器在白天隆隆地响个不停。
• It rained incessantly for the whole two weeks. 雨不间断地下了整整两个星期。

8 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。

9 confided   

v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等）

参考例句：

• She confided all her secrets to her best friend. 她向她最要好的朋友倾吐了自己所有的秘密。
• He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison. 他私下向我透露，他蹲过五年监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 grumbled   

抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
• The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

11 feverish   

adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的

参考例句：

• He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。
• They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。

12 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

13 wagons   

n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车

参考例句：

• The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。
• They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。

14 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。

15 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

16 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

17 anguish   

n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼

参考例句：

• She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
• The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

18 scrutinized   

v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The jeweler scrutinized the diamond for flaws. 宝石商人仔细察看钻石有无瑕庇 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Together we scrutinized the twelve lemon cakes from the delicatessen shop. 我们一起把甜食店里买来的十二块柠檬蛋糕细细打量了一番。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比

19 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

20 mien   

n.风采；态度

参考例句：

• He was a Vietnam veteran with a haunted mien.他是个越战老兵，举止总有些惶然。
• It was impossible to tell from his mien whether he was offended.从他的神态中难以看出他是否生气了。

21 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

22 effaced   

v.擦掉( efface的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；超越；使黯然失色

参考例句：

• Someone has effaced part of the address on his letter. 有人把他信上的一部分地址擦掉了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The name of the ship had been effaced from the menus. 那艘船的名字已经从菜单中删除了。 来自辞典例句