Chapter 11

In the night I heard ?sop¹ get up from his corner and growl²; I heard it through my sleep, but I was dreaming just then of shooting, the growl of the dog fitted into the dream, and it did not wake me, quite. When I stepped out of the hut next morning there were tracks in the grass of a pair of human feet; someone had been there — had gone first to one of my windows, then to the other. The tracks were lost again down on the road.

She came towards me with hot cheeks, with a face all beaming³.

“Have you been waiting?” she said. “I was afraid you would have to wait.”

I had not been waiting; she was on the way before me.

“Have you slept well?” I asked. I hardly knew what to say.

“No, I haven’t. I have been awake,” she answered. And she told me she had not slept that night, but had sat in a chair with her eyes closed. And she had been out of the house for a little walk.

“Someone was outside my hut last night,” I said. “I saw tracks in the grass this morning.”

And her face colored; she took my hand there, on the road, and made no answer. I looked at her, and said:

“Was it you, I wonder?”

“Yes,” she answered, pressing close to me. “It was I. I hope I didn’t wake you — I stepped as quietly as I could. Yes, it was I. I was near you again. I am fond of you!”

1 sop   

n.湿透的东西，懦夫；v.浸，泡，浸湿

参考例句：

• I used a mop to sop up the spilled water.我用拖把把泼出的水擦干。
• The playground was a mere sop.操场很湿。

2 growl   

v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣

参考例句：

• The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫，尾巴也跟着摇摆。
• The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。

3 beaming   

adj.照耀的；光亮的；喜气洋洋的；愉快的v.发出光与热( beam的现在分词 )；面露喜色；播送；1 笑容满面，眉开眼笑 2 发射电波，播送 3 放出束状的光（或热）

参考例句：

• When the touring theatrical troupe arrived at the mountain village, the villagers all ran to tell one and another beaming with delight. 巡回剧团来到山村， 人们笑逐颜开，奔走相告。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Drouet shook hands, beaming good nature, and they strolled towards the bar. 杜洛埃和他握手，露出宽厚和气的笑容。他们一起朝卖酒的柜台踱去。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹