The coulee was a sheltered nook when bitter winds swept the higher grounds above; it was cool when scorching9 heat yellowed the grasses of the plain.
So a little church had been built there. The four walls of peeled logs carefully chinked with plaster were now grey and weathered. Inside of the building the red-draped altar, pulpit and reading-desk occupied at least one-third of the available space. There were pews to seat a score of people and behind these was a large heater. The uneven10 walls were whitewashed11. In the windows, three on each side, were alternate blue and white panes12 of glass.
Mr. Wells the clergyman was of English birth, very conservative and inclined to be shy. He was unusually tall with broad shoulders. Mrs. Wopp once said of him, “When Mr. Wells gits his gownd on, he’s the hull13 lan’scape.” The deeply pious14 lady seldom criticized things ecclesiastical; but she had “feelin’s that ef Ebenezer Wopp bed of took to larnin’ like his Mar15 wished, he’d of looked amazin’ well in that pulpit, better nor Mr. Wells.”
One brilliant Sunday Mr. Wells paced up and down in the sunshine before his little church. An ardent16 lover of nature he was admiring the beautiful shades of the foliage17 on either hand and the gorgeous masses of golden-rod that lifted feathery heads to the sun. Presently seeing two or three vehicles approaching he retired18 into the church.
Down the road came a democrat19. In the front seat sat Mr. and Mrs. Wopp resplendent in Sunday attire20 and both wearing bouquets21 of bright nasturtiums. Behind them sat Moses and Betty also dressed in their best. Moses was cogitating22, “Its a blessin’ Betty’s eyebrows23 hev growed out. She cut an orful figger without them.” Keeping pace with the democrat; but roving here and there in search of gophers ran Jethro enjoying himself mightily24.
Not far behind the democrat came a light buggy drawn25 by a team of greys. Howard Eliot and Nell Gordon sat therein.
Next followed a buckboard gaily26 painted red. Mrs. Mifsud and her daughter Maria aged27 fourteen who had taken a “quarter” of music lessons and was now the organist of the church, were occupants. Between them was wedged the pet of the family St. Elmo Mifsud a child of four. St. Elmo wore long chestnut28 curls and an angelic expression. Clarence Egerton Crump, Mrs. Mifsud’s nephew who was visiting his aunt and cousins, accompanied the family on his wheel.
Behind the Mifsuds followed a few other parishioners.
The service began and was proceeding29 with its accustomed smoothness and decorum when a most unseemly interruption occurred. Maria Mifsud had long entertained suspicions that all was not well with the interior of the organ. Lately a few of the notes had refused to make a sound, and to-day there seemed to be more of these delinquents30 than ever. While Mr. Bliggins was collecting the offering Maria began to play a voluntary carefully practised beforehand. She had fairly launched into “One Sweetly Solemn Thought” when suddenly she discerned peering curiously31 at her through one of the round holes which adorn32 the front of the instrument the small bright eye of a mouse. The intruder was apparently33 quite calm and self-possessed. Not so Maria. With a piercing shriek34 she jumped from the organ stool and rushing to the back of the church leaped wildly to the seat beside her scandalized and uncomprehending mother. Almost at the same moment the offending mouse scampered35 down the internal anatomy36 of the organ and gained freedom through an exit beside the pedals. Mr. Wells turned crimson37 and stood on one foot. Most of the ladies of the congregation drew their feet up on the seat beside them. The mouse ran furiously along the sacred aisles39 of the church.
In the meantime, affairs outside were in a more lethargic40 condition. The Wopp’s steady-going brown team Josh and Jake tied to a wheel of the democrat stood enjoying a small pile of hay on the ground before them. Beneath the democrat sat Jethro watching with eager gaze for the reappearance of his friends. Occasionally he administered chastisement41 to an impertinent fly which after buzzing around in a tantalizing42 manner ventured to settle on his nose or ear. After an hour of intense boredom43 he rose, stretched himself, yawned; then began to walk sedately44 towards the church. He intended to find out what was going on anyway. He had been told to watch the democrat; but there were limits to even canine45 patience. He reached the church door just in time to see a small, badly-frightened mouse running madly up the aisle38. Quick as a flash he gave chase, uttering short, excited yelps46 as he ran. The mouse redoubled its speed. So did Jethro. Round and round the church they raced. In his excitement and mad haste Jethro, intent only on his immediate47 task, ran violently against Mr. Bliggins who stood transfixed in the aisle, his work only half completed. Though he managed to retain his balance the collection plate was jolted48 from his hand and in its clattering49 descent was accompanied by the tinkling50 of a small shower of silver coins which rolled here and there over the floor of the church.
“By heck!” ejaculated Mr. Wopp who sat in the front seat beside his wife and Betty. Then he glanced hastily around to see if anyone had noticed his irreverent outburst. But no one had. They were all too intent on other matters.
After several rounds the mouse, at last seeing the open door, darted51 through it to freedom. Jethro a short distance behind assayed to follow; but taking a short cut under the back seat on which huddled52 the Mifsud family he unexpectedly encountered his ancient enemy Snappy the Mifsud’s collie. Snappy, who had been roused from his slumbers53 under the buckboard by the commotion54 in the church, had crept in unnoticed and had been an interested spectator of the proceedings55. Jethro’s always superabundant energies were now turned in a new direction. Snarls56 and snaps and the fiercest growls57 testified to the bitterness of the feud58.
Moses Wopp, sitting with Clarence Crump on a bench near the door had hitherto been enjoying himself hugely. Now fearing injury to his beloved dog he rushed boldly to the rescue. Clarence followed more slowly. It was but the work of a few moments to separate the combatants and remove them from the church. Jethro borne away to a safe distance in the arms of Moses still uttered occasional rumbling59 growls, each individual hair on his spine60 standing61 erect62. Clarence kept a firm hold on Snappy’s collar.
“Jeth could whip your ole mongrel; but I don’t warnt him bit up,” called Moses over his shoulder as he walked away. To this taunt63 Clarence replied only with a hideous64 grimace65.
Inside the church matters were beginning to resume a normal condition. But Mr. Wells still badly shaken and feeling unable to proceed announced, “My friends we will conclude our service with a hymn66. Will some one suggest a suitable one.”
“The strife67 is o’er, the battle done,” recommended Mrs. Wopp without hesitation68. As Maria could not be persuaded to approach the organ the singing was lustily led by Mrs. Wopp and under her able leadership maintained the most vigorous proportions.
点击收听单词发音
1 cedar | |
n.雪松,香柏(木) | |
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2 evergreen | |
n.常青树;adj.四季常青的 | |
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3 lining | |
n.衬里,衬料 | |
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4 grassy | |
adj.盖满草的;长满草的 | |
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5 swelled | |
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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6 gushed | |
v.喷,涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 );滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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7 pebbly | |
多卵石的,有卵石花纹的 | |
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8 creek | |
n.小溪,小河,小湾 | |
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9 scorching | |
adj. 灼热的 | |
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10 uneven | |
adj.不平坦的,不规则的,不均匀的 | |
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11 whitewashed | |
粉饰,美化,掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12 panes | |
窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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13 hull | |
n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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14 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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15 mar | |
vt.破坏,毁坏,弄糟 | |
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16 ardent | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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17 foliage | |
n.叶子,树叶,簇叶 | |
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18 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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19 democrat | |
n.民主主义者,民主人士;民主党党员 | |
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20 attire | |
v.穿衣,装扮[同]array;n.衣着;盛装 | |
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21 bouquets | |
n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 );(酒的)芳香 | |
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22 cogitating | |
v.认真思考,深思熟虑( cogitate的现在分词 ) | |
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23 eyebrows | |
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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24 mightily | |
ad.强烈地;非常地 | |
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25 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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26 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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27 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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28 chestnut | |
n.栗树,栗子 | |
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29 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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30 delinquents | |
n.(尤指青少年)有过失的人,违法的人( delinquent的名词复数 ) | |
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31 curiously | |
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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32 adorn | |
vt.使美化,装饰 | |
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33 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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34 shriek | |
v./n.尖叫,叫喊 | |
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35 scampered | |
v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑,惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36 anatomy | |
n.解剖学,解剖;功能,结构,组织 | |
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37 crimson | |
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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38 aisle | |
n.(教堂、教室、戏院等里的)过道,通道 | |
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39 aisles | |
n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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40 lethargic | |
adj.昏睡的,懒洋洋的 | |
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41 chastisement | |
n.惩罚 | |
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42 tantalizing | |
adj.逗人的;惹弄人的;撩人的;煽情的v.逗弄,引诱,折磨( tantalize的现在分词 ) | |
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43 boredom | |
n.厌烦,厌倦,乏味,无聊 | |
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44 sedately | |
adv.镇静地,安详地 | |
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45 canine | |
adj.犬的,犬科的 | |
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46 yelps | |
n.(因痛苦、气愤、兴奋等的)短而尖的叫声( yelp的名词复数 )v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的第三人称单数 ) | |
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47 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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48 jolted | |
(使)摇动, (使)震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49 clattering | |
发出咔哒声(clatter的现在分词形式) | |
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50 tinkling | |
n.丁当作响声 | |
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51 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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52 huddled | |
挤在一起(huddle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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53 slumbers | |
睡眠,安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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54 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
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55 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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56 snarls | |
n.(动物的)龇牙低吼( snarl的名词复数 );愤怒叫嚷(声);咆哮(声);疼痛叫声v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的第三人称单数 );咆哮着说,厉声地说 | |
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57 growls | |
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的第三人称单数 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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58 feud | |
n.长期不和;世仇;v.长期争斗;世代结仇 | |
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59 rumbling | |
n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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60 spine | |
n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊 | |
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61 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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62 erect | |
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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63 taunt | |
n.辱骂,嘲弄;v.嘲弄 | |
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64 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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65 grimace | |
v.做鬼脸,面部歪扭 | |
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66 hymn | |
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
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67 strife | |
n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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68 hesitation | |
n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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