Prologue

Prologue¹
It was 2 p.m. on the afternoon of May 7th, 1915. The Lusitania had beenstruck by two torpedoes² in succession and was sinking rapidly, while theboats were being launched with all possible speed. The women and chil-dren were being lined up awaiting their turn. Some still clung desperatelyto husbands and fathers; others clutched their children closely to theirbreasts. One girl stood alone, slightly apart from the rest. She was quiteyoung, not more than eighteen. She did not seem afraid, and her gravesteadfast eyes looked straight ahead.
“I beg your pardon.”
A man’s voice beside her made her start and turn. She had noticed thespeaker more than once amongst the first- class passengers. There hadbeen a hint of mystery about him which had appealed to her imagination.
He spoke³ to no one. If anyone spoke to him he was quick to rebuff theoverture. Also he had a nervous way of looking over his shoulder with aswift, suspicious glance.
She noticed now that he was greatly agitated⁴. There were beads⁵ of per-spiration on his brow. He was evidently in a state of overmastering fear.
And yet he did not strike her as the kind of man who would be afraid tomeet death!
“Yes?” Her grave eyes met his inquiringly.
He stood looking at her with a kind of desperate irresolution⁶.
“It must be!” he muttered to himself. “Yes—it is the only way.” Thenaloud he said abruptly⁷: “You are an American?”
“Yes.”
“A patriotic⁸ one?”
The girl flushed.
“I guess you’ve no right to ask such a thing! Of course I am!”
“Don’t be offended. You wouldn’t be if you knew how much there was atstake. But I’ve got to trust someone—and it must be a woman.”
“Why?”
“Because of ‘women and children first.’ ” He looked round and loweredhis voice. “I’m carrying papers—vitally important papers. They may makeall the difference to the Allies in the war. You understand? These papershave got to be saved! They’ve more chance with you than with me. Willyou take them?”
The girl held out her hand.
“Wait—I must warn you. There may be a risk—if I’ve been followed. Idon’t think I have, but one never knows. If so, there will be danger. Haveyou the nerve to go through with it?”
The girl smiled.
“I’ll go through with it all right. And I’m real proud to be chosen! Whatam I to do with them afterwards?”
“Watch the newspapers! I’ll advertise in the personal column of TheTimes, beginning ‘Shipmate.’ At the end of three days if there’s nothing—well, you’ll know I’m down and out. Then take the packet to the AmericanEmbassy, and deliver it into the Ambassador’s own hands. Is that clear?”
“Quite clear.”
“Then be ready—I’m going to say good-bye.” He took her hand in his.
“Good-bye. Good luck to you,” he said in a louder tone.
Her hand closed on the oilskin packet that had lain in his palm.
The Lusitania settled with a more decided⁹ list to starboard. In answer toa quick command, the girl went forward to take her place in the boat.

1 prologue   

n.开场白，序言；开端，序幕

参考例句：

• A poor wedding is a prologue to misery.不幸的婚姻是痛苦的开始。
• The prologue to the novel is written in the form of a newspaper account.这本小说的序言是以报纸报道的形式写的。

2 torpedoes   

鱼雷( torpedo的名词复数 )； 油井爆破筒； 刺客； 掼炮

参考例句：

• We top off, take on provisions and torpedoes, and go. 我们维修完，装上给养和鱼雷就出发。
• The torpedoes hit amidship, and there followed a series of crashing explosions. 鱼雷击中了船腹，引起了一阵隆隆的爆炸声。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 agitated   

adj.被鼓动的，不安的

参考例句：

• His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
• She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

5 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

6 irresolution   

n.不决断，优柔寡断，犹豫不定

参考例句：

• A lack of certainty that often leads to irresolution. 疑惑缺少肯定而导致犹豫不决。 来自互联网
• Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? 我们迟疑不决、无所作为就能积聚力量吗？ 来自互联网

7 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

8 patriotic   

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。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。