Seventeen（1）

Seventeen
Mark Easterbrook’s Narrative¹
I
“Are you really going to a séance at Thyrza’s?” Rhoda demanded.
“Why not?”
“I never knew you were interested in that sort of thing, Mark.”
“I’m not really,” I said truthfully. “But it’s such a queer setup, thosethree. I’m curious to see what sort of a show they put on.”
I did not find it really easy to put on a light manner. Out of the tail of myeye, I saw Hugh Despard looking at me thoughtfully. He was a shrewdman, with an adventurous² life behind him. One of those men who have akind of sixth sense where danger is concerned. I think he scented³ its pres-ence now—realised that something more important than idle curiositywas at stake.
“Then I shall come with you,” said Rhoda gleefully. “I’ve always wantedto go.”
“You’ll do nothing of the sort, Rhoda,” growled⁴ Despard.
“But I don’t really believe in spirits and all that, Hugh. You know I don’t.
I just want to go for the fun of it!”
“That sort of business isn’t fun,” said Despard. “There may be somethinggenuine to it, there probably is. But it doesn’t have a good effect on peoplewho go out of ‘idle curiosity.’”
“Then you ought to dissuade⁵ Mark, too.”
“Mark’s not my responsibility,” said Despard.
But again he gave me that quick sidelong look. He knew, I was quitesure, that I had a purpose.
Rhoda was annoyed, but she got over it, and when we chanced to meetThyrza Grey in the village a little later that morning, Thyrza herself wasblunt upon the matter.
“Hallo, Mr. Easterbrook, we’re expecting you this evening. Hope we canput on a good show for you. Sybil’s a wonderful medium, but one neverknows beforehand what results one will get. So you mustn’t be disappoin-ted. One thing I do ask you. Keep an open mind. An honest inquirer is al-ways welcome—but a frivolous⁶, scoffing⁷ approach is bad.”
“I wanted to come too,” said Rhoda. “But Hugh is so frightfully preju-diced. You know what he’s like.”
“I wouldn’t have had you, anyway,” said Thyrza. “One outsider is quiteenough.”
She turned to me.
“Suppose you come and have a light meal with us first,” she said. “Wenever eat much before a séance. About seven o’clock? Good, we’ll be ex-pecting you.”
She nodded, smiled, and strode briskly away. I stared after her, so en-grossed in my surmises⁸, that I entirely⁹ missed what Rhoda was saying tome.
“What did you say? I’m sorry.”
“You’ve been very odd lately, Mark. Ever since you arrived. Is anythingthe matter?”
“No, of course not. What should be the matter?”
“Have you got stuck with the book? Something like that?”
“The book?” Just for a moment I couldn’t remember anything about thebook. Then I said hastily, “Oh yes, the book. It’s getting on more or less allright.”
“I believe you’re in love,” said Rhoda accusingly. “Yes, that’s it. Being inlove has a very bad effect on men—it seems to addle¹⁰ their wits. Now wo-men are just the opposite—on top of the world, looking radiant and twiceas good-looking as usual. Funny, isn’t it, that it should suit women, andonly make a man look like a sick sheep?”
“Thank you!” I said.
“Oh, don’t be cross with me, Mark. I think it’s a very good thing really—and I’m delighted. She’s really very nice.”
“Who’s nice?”
“Hermia Redcliffe, of course. You seem to think I know nothing aboutanything. I’ve seen it coming on for ages. And she really is just the personfor you—good-looking and clever; absolutely suitable.”
“That,” I said, “is one of the cattiest things you could say about anyone.”
Rhoda looked at me.
“It is rather,” she said.
She turned away and said she had to go and give a pep talk to thebutcher. I said that I would go and pay a call at the vicarage.
“But not”—I forestalled¹¹ any comment—“in order to ask the vicar to putthe banns up!”

1 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

2 adventurous   

adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的　

参考例句：

• I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
• He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

3 scented   

adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词)

参考例句：

• I let my lungs fill with the scented air. 我呼吸着芬芳的空气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The police dog scented about till he found the trail. 警犬嗅来嗅去，终于找到了踪迹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 dissuade   

v.劝阻，阻止

参考例句：

• You'd better dissuade him from doing that.你最好劝阻他别那样干。
• I tried to dissuade her from investing her money in stocks and shares.我曾设法劝她不要投资于股票交易。

6 frivolous   

adj.轻薄的；轻率的

参考例句：

• This is a frivolous way of attacking the problem.这是一种轻率敷衍的处理问题的方式。
• He spent a lot of his money on frivolous things.他在一些无聊的事上花了好多钱。

7 scoffing   

n. 嘲笑, 笑柄, 愚弄 v. 嘲笑, 嘲弄, 愚弄, 狼吞虎咽

参考例句：

• They were sitting around the table scoffing. 他们围坐在桌子旁狼吞虎咽地吃着。
• He the lid and showed the wonderful the scoffing visitors. 他打开盖子给嘲笑他们的老人看这些丰富的收获。

8 surmises   

v.臆测，推断( surmise的第三人称单数 )；揣测；猜想

参考例句：

• The detective is completely correct in his surmises. 这个侦探所推测的完全正确。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As the reader probably surmises, a variety of interest tables exists. 正如读者可能推测的那样，存在着各种各样的利息表。 来自辞典例句

9 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

10 addle   

v.使腐坏，使昏乱

参考例句：

• Eggs addle quickly in hot weather.蛋在热天易坏。
• The object is to addle and not to elucidate.其目的是为了混淆而不是为了阐明。

11 forestalled   

v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She forestalled their attempt. 她先发制人，阻止了他们的企图。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I had my objection all prepared, but Stephens forestalled me. 我已做好准备要提出反对意见，不料斯蒂芬斯却抢先了一步。 来自辞典例句