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Chapter 47
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SOME weeks passed without bringing any change. We waited for Wemmick, and he made no sign. If I had never known him out of Little Britain, and had never enjoyed the privilege of being on a familiar footing at the Castle, I might have doubted him; not so for a moment, knowing him as I did.
My worldly affairs began to wear a gloomy appearance, and I was pressed for money by more than one creditor1. Even I myself began to know the want of money (I mean of ready money in my own pocket), and to relieve it by converting some easily spared articles of jewellery into cash. But I had quite determined2 that it would be a heartless fraud to take more money from my patron in the existing state of my uncertain thoughts and plans. Therefore, I had sent him the unopened pocket-book by Herbert, to hold in his own keeping, and I felt a kind of satisfaction - whether it was a false kind or a true, I hardly know - in not having profited by his generosity3 since his revelation of himself.

As the time wore on, an impression settled heavily upon me that Estella was married. Fearful of having it confirmed, though it was all but a conviction, I avoided the newspapers, and begged Herbert (to whom I had confided4 the circumstances of our last interview) never to speak of her to me. Why I hoarded5 up this last wretched little rag of the robe of hope that was rent and given to the winds, how do I know! Why did you who read this, commit that not dissimilar inconsistency of your own, last year, last month, last week?

It was an unhappy life that I lived, and its one dominant6 anxiety, towering over all its other anxieties like a high mountain above a range of mountains, never disappeared from my view. Still, no new cause for fear arose. Let me start from my bed as I would, with the terror fresh upon me that he was discovered; let me sit listening as I would, with dread7, for Herbert's returning step at night, lest it should be fleeter than ordinary, and winged with evil news; for all that, and much more to like purpose, the round of things went on. Condemned8 to inaction and a state of constant restlessness and suspense9, I rowed about in my boat, and waited, waited, waited, as I best could.

There were states of the tide when, having been down the river, I could not get back through the eddy-chafed arches and starlings of old London Bridge; then, I left my boat at a wharf10 near the Custom House, to be brought up afterwards to the Temple stairs. I was not averse11 to doing this, as it served to make me and my boat a commoner incident among the water-side people there. From this slight occasion, sprang two meetings that I have now to tell of.

One afternoon, late in the month of February, I came ashore12 at the wharf at dusk. I had pulled down as far as Greenwich with the ebb13 tide, and had turned with the tide. It had been a fine bright day, but had become foggy as the sun dropped, and I had had to feel my way back among the shipping15, pretty carefully. Both in going and returning, I had seen the signal in his window, All well.

As it was a raw evening and I was cold, I thought I would comfort myself with dinner at once; and as I had hours of dejection and solitude16 before me if I went home to the Temple, I thought I would afterwards go to the play. The theatre where Mr Wopsle had achieved his questionable17 triumph, was in that waterside neighbourhood (it is nowhere now), and to that theatre I resolved to go. I was aware that Mr Wopsle had not succeeded in reviving the Drama, but, on the contrary, had rather partaken of its decline. He had been ominously18 heard of, through the playbills, as a faithful Black, in connexion with a little girl of noble birth, and a monkey. And Herbert had seen him as a predatory Tartar of comic propensities19, with a face like a red brick, and an outrageous20 hat all over bells.

I dined at what Herbert and I used to call a Geographical21 chop-house - where there were maps of the world in porter-pot rims22 on every half-yard of the table-cloths, and charts of gravy23 on every one of the knives - to this day there is scarcely a single chop-house within the Lord Mayor's dominions24 which is not Geographical - and wore out the time in dozing25 over crumbs26, staring at gas, and baking in a hot blast of dinners. By-and-by, I roused myself and went to the play.

There, I found a virtuous27 boatswain in his Majesty's service - a most excellent man, though I could have wished his trousers not quite so tight in some places and not quite so loose in others - who knocked all the little men's hats over their eyes, though he was very generous and brave, and who wouldn't hear of anybody's paying taxes, though he was very patriotic28. He had a bag of money in his pocket, like a pudding in the cloth, and on that property married a young person in bed-furniture, with great rejoicings; the whole population of Portsmouth (nine in number at the last Census) turning out on the beach, to rub their own hands and shake everybody else's, and sing `Fill, fill!' A certain dark-complexioned Swab, however, who wouldn't fill, or do anything else that was proposed to him, and whose heart was openly stated (by the boatswain) to be as black as his figure-head, proposed to two other Swabs to get all mankind into difficulties; which was so effectually done (the Swab family having considerable political influence) that it took half the evening to set things right, and then it was only brought about through an honest little grocer with a white hat, black gaiters, and red nose, getting into a clock, with a gridiron, and listening, and coming out, and knocking everybody down from behind with the gridiron whom he couldn't confute with what he had overheard. This led to Mr Wopsle's (who had never been heard of before) coming in with a star and garter on, as a plenipotentiary of great power direct from the Admiralty, to say that the Swabs were all to go to prison on the spot, and that he had brought the boatswain down the Union Jack29, as a slight acknowledgment of his public services. The boatswain, unmanned for the first time, respectfully dried his eyes on the Jack, and then cheering up and addressing Mr Wopsle as Your Honour, solicited30 permission to take him by the fin14. Mr Wopsle conceding his fin with a gracious dignity, was immediately shoved into a dusty corner while everybody danced a hornpipe; and from that corner, surveying the public with a discontented eye, became aware of me.

The second piece was the last new grand comic Christmas pantomime, in the first scene of which, it pained me to suspect that I detected Mr Wopsle with red worsted legs under a highly magnified phosphoric countenance31 and a shock of red curtain-fringe for his hair, engaged in the manufacture of thunderbolts in a mine, and displaying great cowardice32 when his gigantic master came home (very hoarse) to dinner. But he presently presented himself under worthier33 circumstances; for, the Genius of Youthful Love being in want of assistance - on account of the parental34 brutality35 of an ignorant farmer who opposed the choice of his daughter's heart, by purposely falling upon the object, in a flour sack, out of the firstfloor window - summoned a sententious Enchanter; and he, coming up from the antipodes rather unsteadily, after an apparently36 violent journey, proved to be Mr Wopsle in a high-crowned hat, with a necromantic37 work in one volume under his arm. The business of this enchanter on earth, being principally to be talked at, sung at, butted38 at, danced at, and flashed at with fires of various colours, he had a good deal of time on his hands. And I observed with great surprise, that he devoted39 it to staring in my direction as if he were lost in amazement40.

There was something so remarkable41 in the increasing glare of Mr Wopsle's eye, and he seemed to be turning so many things over in his mind and to grow so confused, that I could not make it out. I sat thinking of it, long after he had ascended42 to the clouds in a large watch-case, and still I could not make it out. I was still thinking of it when I came out of the theatre an hour afterwards, and found him waiting for me near the door.

`How do you do?' said I, shaking hands with him as we turned down the street together. `I saw that you saw me.'

`Saw you, Mr. Pip!' he returned. `Yes, of course I saw you. But who else was there?'

`Who else?'

`It is the strangest thing,' said Mr Wopsle, drifting into his lost look again; `and yet I could swear to him.'

Becoming alarmed, I entreated43 Mr Wopsle to explain his meaning.

`Whether I should have noticed him at first but for your being there,' said Mr Wopsle, going on in the same lost way, `I can't be positive; yet I think I should.'

Involuntarily I looked round me, as I was accustomed to look round me when I went home; for, these mysterious words gave me a chill.

`Oh! He can't be in sight,' said Mr Wopsle. `He went out, before I went off, I saw him go.'

Having the reason that I had, for being suspicious, I even suspected this poor actor. I mistrusted a design to entrap44 me into some admission. Therefore, I glanced at him as we walked on together, but said nothing.

`I had a ridiculous fancy that he must be with you, Mr Pip, till I saw that you were quite unconscious of him, sitting behind you there, like a ghost.'

My former chill crept over me again, but I was resolved not to speak yet, for it was quite consistent with his words that he might be set on to induce me to connect these references with Provis. Of course, I was perfectly45 sure and safe that Provis had not been there.

`I dare say you wonder at me, Mr Pip; indeed I see you do. But it is so very strange! You'll hardly believe what I am going to tell you. I could hardly believe it myself, if you told me.'

`Indeed?' said I.

`No, indeed. Mr Pip, you remember in old times a certain Christmas Day, when you were quite a child, and I dined at Gargery's, and some soldiers came to the door to get a pair of handcuffs mended?'

`I remember it very well.'

`And you remember that there was a chase after two convicts, and that we joined in it, and that Gargery took you on his back, and that I took the lead and you kept up with me as well as you could?'

`I remember it all very well.' Better than he thought - except the last clause.

`And you remember that we came up with the two in a ditch, and that there was a scuffle between them, and that one of them had been severely46 handled and much mauled about the face, by the other?'

`I see it all before me.'

`And that the soldiers lighted torches, and put the two in the centre, and that we went on to see the last of them, over the black marshes47, with the torchlight shining on their faces - I am particular about that; with the torchlight shining on their faces, when there was an outer ring of dark night all about us?'

`Yes,' said I. `I remember all that.'

`Then, Mr Pip, one of those two prisoners sat behind you tonight. I saw him over your shoulder.'

`Steady!' I thought. I asked him then, `Which of the two do you suppose you saw?'

`The one who had been mauled,' he answered readily, `and I'll swear I saw him! The more I think of him, the more certain I am of him.'

`This is very curious!' said I, with the best assumption I could put on, of its being nothing more to me. `Very curious indeed!'

I cannot exaggerate the enhanced disquiet48 into which this conversation threw me, or the special and peculiar49 terror I felt at Compeyson's having been behind me `like a ghost.' For, if he had ever been out of my thoughts for a few moments together since the hiding had begun, it was in those very moments when he was closest to me; and to think that I should be so unconscious and off my guard after all my care, was as if I had shut an avenue of a hundred doors to keep him out, and then had found him at my elbow. I could not doubt either that he was there, because I was there, and that however slight an appearance of danger there might be about us, danger was always near and active.

I put such questions to Mr Wopsle as, When did the man come in? He could not tell me that; he saw me, and over my shoulder he saw the man. It was not until he had seen him for some time that he began to identify him; but he had from the first vaguely50 associated him with me, and known him as somehow belonging to me in the old village time. How was he dressed? Prosperously, but not noticeably otherwise; he thought, in black. Was his face at all disfigured? No, he believed not. I believed not, too, for, although in my brooding state I had taken no especial notice of the people behind me, I thought it likely that a face at all disfigured would have attracted my attention.

When Mr Wopsle had imparted to me all that he could recall or I extract, and when I had treated him to a little appropriate refreshment51 after the fatigues52 of the evening, we parted. It was between twelve and one o'clock when I reached the Temple, and the gates were shut. No one was near me when I went in and went home.

Herbert had come in, and we held a very serious council by the fire. But there was nothing to be done, saving to communicate to Wemmick what I had that night found out, and to remind him that we waited for his hint. As I thought that I might compromise him if I went too often to the Castle, I made this communication by letter. I wrote it before I went to bed, and went out and posted it; and again no one was near me. Herbert and I agreed that we could do nothing else but be very cautious. And we were very cautious indeed - more cautious than before, if that were possible - and I for my part never went near Chinks's Basin, except when I rowed by, and then I only looked at Mill Pond Bank as I looked at anything else.

 

几个星期又悄然而过,并没有发生什么变化。我们都在等待着温米克的来到,然而他音信全无。如果我和他之间的交往只限于小不列颠街的律师事务所,而没有足登过他的城堡,形成熟悉的私人来往,也许我早就对他生疑了。可我深深了解他的为人,所以对他半点儿也没有怀疑过。

我的凡俗事务也开始抹上了一层阴影,债主一个接一个追逼着我还债。我这才开始了解缺钱的难处(我所说的缺钱是指我的皮夹子里缺少现钱),不得不拿出一些易于出手并舍得割爱的珠宝,把它们变换成现金,以救燃眉之急。不过,我业已下定决心,处在目前行踪未定、计划未成的情况下,我绝对不再用我恩主的钱,否则就是没有良心的欺诈行为了。所以,我请赫伯特把那个尚未打开的钱包送还给普鲁威斯,让他自己保管,这才感到有一点儿满意。当然,我很难说这究竟是真的满意还是假的满意。不管怎样,自从他本人露面以来,我没有利用他的慷慨而获得任何利益。

随着时间的推移,埃斯苔娜已经结婚的念头紧紧压在我的心头。虽然这件事是确定无疑的,但我还是担心得到证实。我不看报,以免从中得到消息;我还请求赫伯特不要在我面前提到她,因为我和埃斯苔娜的最后一次会晤,已经向他全盘吐露。我的希望就好像一件长袍,已经被撕得一片一片,而且除了最后一片以外均已随风飘去,我为什么要把这一片藏于心间呢?我自问也不得其解。噢,各位读者啊,你们又为什么在上一年、上个月、上个星期,做出了诸如此类的前后矛盾之事呢?

我过的是多么不幸的生活,内心的焦虑烦忧好比是连绵的山峦,其中主宰我的忧虑好比是一座最高的山峰,无时无刻都矗立在我的眼前。不过,当前还没有出现新的担忧。有时我会突然从心头涌起一阵恐惧,唯恐普鲁威斯被人发现,吓得会从床上惊起;有时我深夜静静地坐着,等候赫伯特的归来,却总是心惊胆寒,唯恐他的脚步声比平时急促,带来坏消息,虽有所有这一切的忧虑烦乱,以及诸如此类的苦恼,日子倒正常地过去了。可是这种日子却使我毫无活动的余地,无尽的不安。不断的疑心,我只有水上荡舟,荡来荡去,等啊等啊,反复荡舟,反复等待。

有时,由于潮水情况变化,我已经划着小舟驶到了河的下游,而老伦敦桥桥墩四周木桩处的潮水突然形成连天漩涡,使我无法通过返回,只有把船系在海关附近的小码头上,以后再把它划回寺区的石埠码头。对于这种做法我并不讨厌,因为这对我很有好处,住在河滨的人们无论对我或我的船都会习以为常的。就这件微不足道的小事,却使我两次和熟人相遇,这里不得不述说一下。

一次是二月下旬的一个下午,正是黄昏时分,我于那个码头登岸。我在落潮时顺流把船划到格林威治,再在涨潮的时候把船划回来。那天起初天气晴朗,而在太阳落山时却迷雾四起,我不得不小心摸着水路,在水上船舶之间行驶。来去途中我都看到普鲁威斯窗口的信号,知道一切平安无事。

这是一个阴冷的傍晚,我感到冷得发抖,想立刻吃晚饭,让自己舒服一下;我又想要是回到寺区的家中,在那里闷闷不乐、孤孤单单地待上几小时,倒不如吃过饭后到戏院去看场戏。听说沃甫赛先生演得很成功,这颇令人怀疑。他演出的那家戏院就在河滨一带(当然现在已不存在了),于是我决定到那个戏院去。我知道在复兴戏剧方面,沃甫赛先生并没有做出成绩,相反,戏剧走下坡路他却要负一定的责任。从剧院的招贴画上可以看到他扮演一位忠实的黑人,他旁边是一位高贵出身的小女孩,还有一只猴子,真是不吉利的兆头。赫伯特还在招贴画上看到过他扮演一个善于掠夺的鞑靼人,简直滑稽可笑,面孔像一块红砖,头戴一顶形状荒谬的帽子,四边都挂了小铃。

我吃晚饭的那家小酒店就是我和赫伯特称之为地图室的酒店,因为桌布上每隔半码就有一个酒壶边留下的印子,就像世界地图一样,再说,每一把餐刀上也都留着航海图式的肉汁印。直到今天,在伦敦市长大人的统辖之下,几乎所有的酒馆都是地图室了。我对着面包屑一面打着瞌睡一面望着煤气灯,在热气腾腾的酒菜中烘着自己,以此打发时间。最后我才站起来,向戏院走去。

在戏里我发现一位有道德的皇家水手长。这是一位非常杰出的人物,尽管我认为他身上穿的那条裤子,有些地方绷得太紧,而另外一些地方又显得过分肥大;虽然他慷慨大方,又侠义勇为,可是却把所有的小人物打得连帽子都压在了眼睛上;虽然他颇为爱国,但却不能容忍别人谈起交税纳捐之事。他口袋里装了一包钱,就好像用布包着的一块糕点。他就用这笔财产,和一位用床上用品打扮起来的年轻女孩结了婚,并因此而欢天喜地。朴茨茅斯的全体民众(据最后一次统计,共有九人一起来到海边,他们一面各自搓手,一面相互握手,一起唱着:“把大家的酒斟满!把大家的酒斟满!”里面有一个脸皮子黑黝黝的笨蛋,就是不把酒斟满,别人指定他干的事他也不做;水手长说这个家伙的心和他的脸皮子一样黑;这一来这个笨蛋又发动了另外两个笨蛋,一道把整个集体弄得不得安宁。原来这帮子水手也颇有些政治影响,他们干得很有成效,几乎花了半个晚上的时间才得以把这不安的局面拨乱反正。这其中还亏了一位老实巴交的小商人,此人头上戴了一顶白帽子,下面裹着黑绑腿,脸上还生了一只红鼻子。他钻在一座大钟里,随身带了一只烤架,偷听外面的谈话,然后从大钟里走出来,向大伙儿吐露所听真情,要是他无法用偷听来的真情驳倒谁,他就干脆用烤架从背后把这人打翻。这时沃甫赛先生出场了,在这之前从没有提到过他。他出场时身上佩戴着一颗星和嘉德勋章,作为海军大臣委派来的全权代表,他手握生杀大权,当场宣布,这些笨蛋水手统统该被关进监牢,至于水手长,则被授予一面英国国旗作为嘉奖,因为他对国家尽职尽忠。这位水手长生平第一次失去男子气概,恭恭敬敬地抓起国旗擦拭眼中流下的泪水,转眼又兴高采烈,称呼沃甫赛先生“阁下”,还恳求他赏脸让自己拉着他的手。沃甫赛先生谦恭地伸出他的手,态度显得特别庄重严肃,却即刻被水手长推到了一个布满灰尘的角落,其余的人便跳起活泼的水手舞来。沃甫赛就站在这个角落里,带着不满的神情扫了一下在场的观众,就这时候,他发现了我。

第二个节目是最新的大型滑稽圣诞童话剧,在这节目的第一个场景中,我就难过地见到了沃甫赛先生,腿上穿着红绒长筒袜,一副夸张的面容,闪着磷光,头发是一把红窗帘上的稳子;他这时正在矿井中声响如雷地干活,一看到身高马大的主人回来吃饭,发出嘶哑的声音,他便表现出胆小心虚。好的是没有多久他的角色变成了地位比较高贵的人。剧中有一位年轻的爱情天才,赢得了一位农场主千金的芳心,可是这位无知无识的农场主蛮横无礼,反对他女儿的这门亲事,套上面粉袋,从二楼窗口跳下,故意压在他女儿的情人身上,此情人不得不去找个巫师来帮忙,而这位巫师是个有才有学、知道很多格言的人。这位巫师来自地球的另一面,经历了一段艰巨的旅行,跌跌撞撞地走上台来。这位巫师不是别人,正是沃甫赛先生,头上戴了一顶高帽子,臂膀下夹了一本巫术大全。这位巫师来到人世的任务主要是让别人对他诉说,对他歌唱,对他冲撞,对他跳舞,对着他挥舞五颜六色的火焰,而他有的是时间对付。他一心一意地用眼睛朝我坐的地方瞧,好像惊呆了一样,而我也非常惊奇地注意着他。

沃甫赛先生越来越睁大眼睛注视着我,其中蕴藏着深刻的含义,在他的头脑中仿佛转动着许许多多的事情,却糊里糊涂,这把我也弄得百思不得其解。我坐在那里思索着,甚至在他登上一块大表盒子腾云而去时,仍然果坐那里,百思不得其解。即使是一个小时之后,我走出了剧院,心中还在考虑着这个问题。这时,突然我看到他正站在剧院门口等我。

“你好吗?”我说道,连忙和他握握手,然后一同转弯走上大街,“我看到你站在台上看我。”

“皮普先生,我看到你了!”他答道,“是啊,我当然看到你了。不过,还有一位不知是谁?”

“还有哪一位?”

“这可是件奇怪的事情了,”沃甫赛先生带着非常失望的神情,又说道,“我敢发誓,我明明看到了他。”

这一惊非同小可,我恳求沃甫赛先生说明这话的用意。

“如果你不在场我会不会一眼就注意到他,”沃甫赛先生还是那一副丧魂落魄的样子,说道,“那我就很难说了,不过,我想我还是会注意到那个人的。”

我不自主地看了一下四周,因为我每次回家时看看四周动静已成了习惯,何况他这几句神秘的话不禁使我打了个寒噤。

“噢!他不在这里了,”沃甫赛先生说道,“在我下台前他就走出去了,我看到他走的。”

他的这番话使我有理由怀疑起来,甚至对这个可怜的演员我也怀疑了,这莫不是设计的圈套,让我一头钻进去不打自招。于是,我望了他一眼,继续和他一起走着,并没有再讲什么。

“我的想法太可笑了,皮普先生,我还以为他是和你一道的,后来我才发现你并没有意识到他在旁边,他就坐在你的后面,样子就像一个鬼魂似的。”

刚才的寒噤又开始在我心中复活,不过我决定什么也不讲。从他的这些话看,他完全有可能是受人指使来诱我人瓮的,想把我和普鲁威斯联系起来。当然,我完全可以肯定,普鲁威斯决没有到这戏院里来过。

“皮普先生,我敢打赌你听了我的话一定很吃惊,我看得出来,不过,事情也太奇怪了!我要告诉你,你一定不会相信。当然,如果是你告诉我,我自己也不会相信的。”

“真的吗?”我说道。

“没错,完全是真的。皮普先生,你不会忘记过去有一次过圣诞节的日子吧。那时你还是一个孩子,我们在葛奇里家中吃饭,有一队官兵找来说有一副手铐要修理,你还记得吗?”

“我记得太清楚了。”

“还有,你记不记得追捕两个逃犯的事?我们也加入了当时官兵的行列,葛奇里背着你,而我在前面领路,你们在后面拼命地跟着以免掉队?”

“我全都记得一清二楚。”我记得比他更清楚,因为他最后一句话是胡诌的。

“我们正赶上看到那两个逃犯在水沟里,当时他们两个人正打成一团,其中一个人被另一人打得够呛,脸上到处是伤,记得吗?”

“这事就好比发生在眼前一样。”

“你可记得那些官兵点着火把,把这两个逃犯国在当中,我们跟过去要看个究竟,只见在那黑压压的沼泽地上,火把正照在他们的面孔上?我特别要提到的是这一点,当时在我们的四周是一片漆黑的夜,你可记得他们的火把正照在两个逃犯的脸上?”

“记得,’戏说道,“我记得很清楚。”

“那么,皮普先生,这两个逃犯中有一个今天晚上就坐在你后面2我看到他就在你的后面坐着。”

我嘱咐自己要“冷静对付”,于是便问他:“你看到的是他们当中的哪一个?”

“就是被打得满脸是伤的那个,”他立刻答道,“我敢发誓,我看到的就是他!我越想,就越肯定是他。”

“这可太奇怪了!”我说道,极力装出和我毫无关系的神态,又说了一句,“确实太奇怪了!”

通过这一次谈话,我心中不安所增加的程度怎么说也不为夸大。一想到这个康佩生竟然“像一个鬼魂”似的就在我的身后,我的这种特殊的恐惧就更加难言了。因为自从我的恩主躲藏起来后,我无时无刻不在考虑着康佩生;如果说有那么一刻不曾考虑到他,那恰巧就是他距离我最近的时候。我是非常小心谨慎的,竟然这一次却毫不留意,失去警惕,就好像为了避开他我关上了一百道门,隔断他的一切来路,结果猛一回头,他却就在近处。无可怀疑,因为我去到戏院,所以他也跟到了戏院。从表面上看来,我们四周危险的阴影还很小,可事实上危险永远在我的身边,而且随时会被触发。

我向沃甫赛先生提了几个问题,问他这个人是什么时候走进来的。他没有办法回答,说是先看到了我,然后就看到了这个人坐在我的后面。他先没有看到他,看到他后又过了一会儿才认出他;起先他有些糊涂,以为那人是和我一起来的,说不定还是我们村子里的同乡呢。我又问他,那人的穿着如何,他说衣服是挺讲究的,不过并不引人注意;他认为那人穿的是黑色衣服。我问他那个人脸上有没有破相?他说没有。我也认为那人没有破相,因为我觉得虽然我在沉思的时候没有注意到那些坐在我背后的人,但如果他们当中有一张脸是破了相的话,我是会注意到的。

沃甫赛先生告诉了我所有他能回忆起来的情况,以及所有能被榨出来的情况,所以我招待他吃了些夜宵,以消除他一晚以来演出的疲倦,然后便告别了。我回到寺区时大约在十二点至一点之间,寺区所有的门都关了。我走进栅门,回到家,一直没发现四周有人。

赫伯特早已回来,我们坐在炉边,进行了一次非常严肃认真的讨论。但是讨论并无多大成果,办法只有把我今晚所发现的情况一五一十告诉温米克,并提醒他我们正在等待他的指点。我想,我到城堡去的次数也不能太多,否则说不定会连累到他,所以我便写信告诉了他。我在睡觉之前写好信,并连夜赶出去投进邮筒,一来一回都没有发现周围有人。赫伯特和我都同意我们唯一要做的就是小心谨慎。我们已经够小心谨慎了,不过,只要可能,我们还要比以前更加警惕。从我来说,干脆不再到四湾一带去,即使划船经过时,也只是像看其他任何地方一样对着磨坊河滨看一眼。


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 creditor tOkzI     
n.债仅人,债主,贷方
参考例句:
  • The boss assigned his car to his creditor.那工头把自己的小汽车让与了债权人。
  • I had to run away from my creditor whom I made a usurious loan.我借了高利贷不得不四处躲债。
2 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
3 generosity Jf8zS     
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为
参考例句:
  • We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
  • We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。
4 confided 724f3f12e93e38bec4dda1e47c06c3b1     
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》
5 hoarded fe2d6b65d7be4a89a7f38b012b9a0b1b     
v.积蓄并储藏(某物)( hoard的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • It owned great properties and often hoarded huge treasures. 它拥有庞大的财产,同时往往窖藏巨额的财宝。 来自辞典例句
  • Sylvia among them, good-naturedly applaud so much long-hoarded treasure of useless knowing. 西尔维亚也在他们中间,为那些长期珍藏的无用知识,友好地、起劲地鼓掌。 来自互联网
6 dominant usAxG     
adj.支配的,统治的;占优势的;显性的;n.主因,要素,主要的人(或物);显性基因
参考例句:
  • The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
  • She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。
7 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
参考例句:
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
8 condemned condemned     
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
  • The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。
9 suspense 9rJw3     
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑
参考例句:
  • The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
  • The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。
10 wharf RMGzd     
n.码头,停泊处
参考例句:
  • We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
  • We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。
11 averse 6u0zk     
adj.厌恶的;反对的,不乐意的
参考例句:
  • I don't smoke cigarettes,but I'm not averse to the occasional cigar.我不吸烟,但我不反对偶尔抽一支雪茄。
  • We are averse to such noisy surroundings.我们不喜欢这么吵闹的环境。
12 ashore tNQyT     
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸
参考例句:
  • The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前,孩子们就上岸了。
  • He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。
13 ebb ebb     
vi.衰退,减退;n.处于低潮,处于衰退状态
参考例句:
  • The flood and ebb tides alternates with each other.涨潮和落潮交替更迭。
  • They swam till the tide began to ebb.他们一直游到开始退潮。
14 fin qkexO     
n.鳍;(飞机的)安定翼
参考例句:
  • They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
  • The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。
15 shipping WESyg     
n.船运(发货,运输,乘船)
参考例句:
  • We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
  • There's a shipping charge of £5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。
16 solitude xF9yw     
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句:
  • People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
  • They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。
17 questionable oScxK     
adj.可疑的,有问题的
参考例句:
  • There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
  • Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。
18 ominously Gm6znd     
adv.恶兆地,不吉利地;预示地
参考例句:
  • The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块,在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘(部分)
19 propensities db21cf5e8e107956850789513a53d25f     
n.倾向,习性( propensity的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • This paper regarded AFT as a criterion to estimate slagging propensities. 文中以灰熔点作为判断煤灰结渣倾向的标准。 来自互联网
  • Our results demonstrate that different types of authoritarian regime face different propensities to develop toward democracy. 本文研究结果显示,不同的威权主义政体所面对的民主发展倾向是不同的。 来自互联网
20 outrageous MvFyH     
adj.无理的,令人不能容忍的
参考例句:
  • Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
  • Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。
21 geographical Cgjxb     
adj.地理的;地区(性)的
参考例句:
  • The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。
  • These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。
22 rims e66f75a2103361e6e0762d187cf7c084     
n.(圆形物体的)边( rim的名词复数 );缘;轮辋;轮圈
参考例句:
  • As she spoke, the rims of her eyes reddened a little. 说时,眼圈微红。 来自汉英文学 - 围城
  • Her eyes were a little hollow, and reddish about the rims. 她的眼睛微微凹陷,眼眶有些发红。 来自辞典例句
23 gravy Przzt1     
n.肉汁;轻易得来的钱,外快
参考例句:
  • You have spilled gravy on the tablecloth.你把肉汁泼到台布上了。
  • The meat was swimming in gravy.肉泡在浓汁之中。
24 dominions 37d263090097e797fa11274a0b5a2506     
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图
参考例句:
  • The King sent messengers to every town, village and hamlet in his dominions. 国王派使者到国内每一个市镇,村落和山庄。
  • European powers no longer rule over great overseas dominions. 欧洲列强不再统治大块海外领土了。
25 dozing dozing     
v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡
参考例句:
  • The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
  • He never falters in his determination. 他的决心从不动摇。
26 crumbs crumbs     
int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式
参考例句:
  • She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
  • Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊,天哪!都这会儿啦?
27 virtuous upCyI     
adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的
参考例句:
  • She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性,人人都尊敬她。
  • My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。
28 patriotic T3Izu     
adj.爱国的,有爱国心的
参考例句:
  • His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
  • The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。
29 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
30 solicited 42165ba3a0defc35cb6bc86d22a9f320     
v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 );(指娼妇)拉客;索求;征求
参考例句:
  • He's already solicited their support on health care reform. 他已就医疗改革问题请求他们的支持。 来自辞典例句
  • We solicited ideas from Princeton University graduates and under graduates. 我们从普林斯顿大学的毕业生与大学生中征求意见。 来自辞典例句
31 countenance iztxc     
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同
参考例句:
  • At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
  • I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地,仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。
32 cowardice norzB     
n.胆小,怯懦
参考例句:
  • His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。
  • His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。
33 worthier 309910ce145fa0bfb651b2b8ce1095f6     
应得某事物( worthy的比较级 ); 值得做某事; 可尊敬的; 有(某人或事物)的典型特征
参考例句:
  • I am sure that you might be much, much worthier of yourself.' 我可以肯定你能非常非常值得自己骄傲。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
  • I should like the chance to fence with a worthier opponent. 我希望有机会跟实力相当的对手击剑。
34 parental FL2xv     
adj.父母的;父的;母的
参考例句:
  • He encourages parental involvement in the running of school.他鼓励学生家长参与学校的管理。
  • Children always revolt against parental disciplines.孩子们总是反抗父母的管束。
35 brutality MSbyb     
n.野蛮的行为,残忍,野蛮
参考例句:
  • The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
  • a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军
36 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
37 necromantic c4e342b3782dff44deec8528992ec7a1     
降神术的,妖术的
参考例句:
  • Lorekeep, the great city of necromantic magic, lies in ruins. 学识要塞,伟大的巫术魔法之城,现在已是一片废墟。
38 butted 6cd04b7d59e3b580de55d8a5bd6b73bb     
对接的
参考例句:
  • Two goats butted each other. 两只山羊用角顶架。
  • He butted against a tree in the dark. 他黑暗中撞上了一棵树。
39 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
40 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
41 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
42 ascended ea3eb8c332a31fe6393293199b82c425     
v.上升,攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》
43 entreated 945bd967211682a0f50f01c1ca215de3     
恳求,乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They entreated and threatened, but all this seemed of no avail. 他们时而恳求,时而威胁,但这一切看来都没有用。
  • 'One word,' the Doctor entreated. 'Will you tell me who denounced him?' “还有一个问题,”医生请求道,“你可否告诉我是谁告发他的?” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
44 entrap toJxk     
v.以网或陷阱捕捉,使陷入圈套
参考例句:
  • The police have been given extra powers to entrap drug traffickers.警方已经被进一步授权诱捕毒贩。
  • He overturned the conviction,saying the defendant was entrapped.他声称被告是被诱骗的,从而推翻了有罪的判决。
45 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
46 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地
参考例句:
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
47 marshes 9fb6b97bc2685c7033fce33dc84acded     
n.沼泽,湿地( marsh的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
  • We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
48 disquiet rtbxJ     
n.担心,焦虑
参考例句:
  • The disquiet will boil over in the long run.这种不安情绪终有一天会爆发的。
  • Her disquiet made us uneasy too.她的忧虑使我们也很不安。
49 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的
参考例句:
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
50 vaguely BfuzOy     
adv.含糊地,暖昧地
参考例句:
  • He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
  • He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面,对一切都视而不见。
51 refreshment RUIxP     
n.恢复,精神爽快,提神之事物;(复数)refreshments:点心,茶点
参考例句:
  • He needs to stop fairly often for refreshment.他须时不时地停下来喘口气。
  • A hot bath is a great refreshment after a day's work.在一天工作之后洗个热水澡真是舒畅。
52 fatigues e494189885d18629ab4ed58fa2c8fede     
n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 );杂役;厌倦;(士兵穿的)工作服
参考例句:
  • The patient fatigues easily. 病人容易疲劳。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Instead of training the men were put on fatigues/fatigue duty. 那些士兵没有接受训练,而是派去做杂务。 来自辞典例句


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