Chapter 16

Raych, Manella, and little Bellis were waiting at the spaceport.
    The hypership was preparing for liftoff and the three had already checked their baggage.
    Raych said, "Dad, come along with us."
    Seldon shook his head. "I cannot."
    "If you change your mind, we will always have a place for you."
    "I know it, Raych. We've been together for almost forty years-and they've been good years. Dors and I were lucky to find you."
    "I'm the lucky one." His eyes filled with tears. "Don't think I don't think of Mother every day."
    "Yes." Seldon looked away miserably¹. Wanda was playing with Bellis when the call rang out for everyone to board the hypership.
    They did, after a tearful last embrace² of Wanda by her parents. Raych looked back to wave at Seldon and to try to plant a crooked³ smile on his face.
    Seldon waved and one hand moved out blindly to embrace Wanda's shoulders.
    She was the only one left. One by one through his long life, he had lost his friends and those he had loved. Demerzel had left, never to return; Emperor Cleon was gone; his beloved⁴ Dors was gone; his faithful⁵ friend Yugo Amaryl was gone; and now Raych, his only son, was gone as well.
    He was left only with Wanda.
   

1 miserably   

adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地

参考例句：

• The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
• It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨，天气又冷又湿，令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 embrace   

vt.拥抱；包括；包围，环绕；n.拥抱，怀抱

参考例句：

• He held her to him in a warm embrace.他热列地拥抱她。
• The hills embrace the village.山丘环绕着村庄。

3 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

4 beloved   

adj./n.受爱戴的，敬爱的；爱人，被心爱的人

参考例句：

• She longs for the early return of her beloved.她盼着心上人早日归来。
• She is Tom's beloved wife.她是汤姆的爱妻。

5 faithful   

adj.守信的，忠实的，如实的，可靠的

参考例句：

• They promised to be faithful to their ideal for ever.他们保证永远忠于自己的理想。
• We must be honest and faithful to the people.我们对人民必须忠诚老实。