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Chapter 40
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SCARLETT SLEPT little that night. When the dawn had come and the sun was creeping overthe black pines on the hills to the east, she rose from her tumbled bed and, seating herself on astool by the window, laid her tired head on her arm and looked out over the barn yard and orchardof Tara toward the cotton fields. Everything was fresh and dewy and silent and green and the sightof the cotton fields brought a measure of balm and comfort to her sore heart. Tara, at sunrise,looked loved, well tended and at peace, for all that its master lay dead. The squatty log chickenhouse was clay daubed against rats weasels and clean with whitewash2, and so was the log stable.

  The garden with its rows of corn, bright-yellow squash, butter beans and turnips3 was well weededand neatly4 fenced with split-oak rails. The orchard1 was cleared of underbrush and only daisiesgrew beneath the long rows of trees. The sun picked out with faint glistening5 the apples and thefurred pink peaches half hidden in the green leaves. Beyond lay the curving rows of cotton, still and green under the gold of the new sky. The ducks and chickens were waddling6 and strutting7 offtoward the fields, for under the bushes in the soft plowed9 earth were found the choicest worms andslugs.

  Scarlett’s heart swelled10 with affection and gratitude11 to Will who had done all of this. Even herloyalty to Ashley could not make her believe he had been responsible for much of this well-being,for Tara’s bloom was not the work of a planter-aristocrat, but of the plodding12, tireless “smallfarmer” who loved his land. It was a “two-horse” farm, not the lordly plantation13 of other days withpastures full of mules14 and fine horses and cotton and corn stretching as far as eye could see. Butwhat there was of it was good and the acres that were lying fallow could be reclaimed15 when timesgrew better, and they would be the more fertile for their rest.

  Will had done more than merely farm a few acres. He had kept sternly at bay those two enemiesof Georgia planters, the seedling16 pine and the blackberry brambles. They had not stealthily takengarden and pasture and cotton field and lawn and reared themselves insolently17 by the porches ofTara, as they were doing on numberless plantations18 throughout the state.

  Scarlett’s heart failed a beat when she thought how close Tara had come to going back towilderness. Between herself and Will, they had done a good job. They had held off the Yankees,the Carpetbaggers and the encroachments of Nature. And, best of all, Will had told her that afterthe cotton came in in the fall, she need send no more money—unless some other Carpetbaggercoveted Tara and skyrocketed the taxes. Scarlett knew Will would have a hard pull without herhelp but she admired and respected his independence. As long as he was in the position of hiredhelp he would take her money, but now that he was to become her brother-in-law and the man ofthe house, he intended to stand on his own efforts. Yes, Will was something the Lord had provided.

  Pork had dug the grave the night before, close by Ellen’s grave, and he stood, spade in hand,behind the moist red clay he was soon to shovel20 back in place. Scarlett stood behind him in thepatchy shade of a gnarled low-limbed cedar21, the hot sun of the June morning dappling her, andtried to keep her eyes away from the red trench22 in front of her. Jim Tarleton, little Hugh Munroe,Alex Fontaine and old man McRae’s youngest grandson came slowly and awkwardly down thepath from the house bearing Gerald’s coffin23 on two lengths of split oak. Behind them, at arespectful distance, followed a large straggling crowd of neighbors and friends, shabbily dressed,silent. As they came down the sunny path through the garden, Pork bowed his head upon the top ofthe spade handle and cried; and Scarlett saw with incurious surprise that the kinks on his head, sojettily black when she went to Atlanta a few months before, were now grizzled.

  She thanked God tiredly that she had cried all her tears the night before, so now she could standerect and dry eyed. The sound of Suellen’s tears, put back of her shoulder, irritated her unbearablyand she had to clench24 her fists to keep from turning and slapping the swollen25 face. Sue had beenthe cause of her father’s death, whether she intended it or not, and she should have the decency26 tocontrol herself in front of the hostile neighbors. Not a single person had spoken to her that morningor given her one look of sympathy. They had kissed Scarlett quietly, shaken her hand, murmuredkind words to Carreen and even to Pork but had looked through Suellen as if she were not there.

  To them she had done worse than murder her father. She had tried to betray him into disloyalty to the South. And to that grim and close-knit community it was as if she had tried to betray thehonor of them all. She had broken the solid front the County presented to the world. By herattempt to get money from the Yankee government she had aligned28 herself with Carpetbaggers andScalawags, more hated enemies than the Yankee soldiers had ever been. She, a member of an oldand staunchly Confederate family, a planter’s family, had gone over to the enemy and by so doinghad brought shame on every family in the County.

  The mourners were seething29 with indignation and downcast with sorrow, especially three ofthem—old man McRae, who had been Gerald’s crony since he came to the up-country fromSavannah so many years before, Grandma Fontaine who loved him because he was Ellen’shusband, and Mrs. Tarleton who had been closer to him than to any of her neighbors because, asshe often said, he was the only man in the County who knew a stallion from a gelding.

  The sight of the stormy faces of these three in the dim parlor30 where Gerald lay before the funeralhad caused Ashley and Will some uneasiness and they had retired31 to Ellen’s office for aconsultation.

  “Some of them are goin’ to say somethin’ about Suellen,” said Will abruptly32, biting his straw inhalf. They think they got just cause to say somethin’. Maybe they have. It ain’t for me to say. But,Ashley, whether they’re right or not, we’ll have to resent it, bein’ the men of the family, and thenthere’ll be trouble. Can’t nobody do nothin’ with old man McRae because he’s deaf as a post andcan’t hear folks tryin’ to shut him up. And you know there ain’t nobody in God’s world everstopped Grandma Fontaine from speakin’ her mind. And as for Mrs. Tarleton—did you see her rollthem russet eyes of hers every time she looked at Sue? She’s got her ears laid back and can’thardly wait. If they say somethin’, we got to take it up and we got enough trouble at Tara nowwithout bein’ at outs with our neighbors.”

  Ashley sighed worriedly. He knew the tempers of his neighbors better than Will did and heremembered that fully34 half of the quarrels and some of the shootings of the days before the warhad risen from the County custom of saying a few words over the coffins35 of departed neighbors.

  Generally the words were eulogistic36 in the extreme but occasionally they were not. Sometimes,words meant in the utmost respect were misconstrued by overstrung relatives of the dead andscarcely were the last shovels37 of earth mounded above the coffin before trouble began.

  In the absence of a priest Ashley was to conduct the services with the aid of Carreen’s Book ofDevotions, the assistance of the Methodist and Baptist preachers of Jonesboro and Fayettevillehaving been tactfully refused. Carreen, more devoutly38 Catholic than her sisters, had been veryupset that Scarlett had neglected to bring a priest from Atlanta with her and had only been a littleeased by the reminder39 that when the priest came down to marry Will and Suellen, he could read theservices over Gerald. It was she who objected to the neighboring Protestant preachers and gave thematter into Ashley’s hands, marking passages in her book for him to read. Ashley, leaning againstthe old secretary, knew that the responsibility for preventing trouble lay with him and, knowing thehair-trigger tempers of the County, was at a loss as to how to proceed.

  “There’s no help for it, Will,” he said, rumpling40 his bright hair. “I can’t knock Grandma Fontainedown or old man McRae either, and I can’t hold my hand over Mrs. Tarleton’s mouth. And themildest thing they’ll say is that Suellen is a murderess and a traitor41 and but for her Mr. O’Hara would still be alive. Damn this custom of speaking over the dead. It’s barbarous.”

  “Look, Ash,” said Will slowly. “I ain’t aimin’ to have nobody say nothin’ against Suellen, nomatter what they think. You leave it to me. When you’ve finished with the readin’ and the prayin’

  and you say: ‘If anyone would like to say a few words,’ you look right at me, so I can speak first.”

  But Scarlett, watching the pallbearers’ difficulty in getting the coffin through the narrowentrance into the burying ground, had no thought of trouble to come after the funeral. She wasthinking with a leaden heart that in burying Gerald she was burying one of the last links that joinedher to the old days of happiness and irresponsibility.

  Finally the pallbearers set the coffin down near the grave and stood clenching42 and unclenchingtheir aching fingers. Ashley, Melanie and Will filed into the enclosure and stood behind the O’Haragirls. All the closer neighbors who could crowd in were behind them and the others stood outsidethe brick wall. Scarlett, really seeing them for the first time, was surprised and touched by the sizeof the crowd. With transportation so limited it was kind of so many to come. There were fifty orsixty people there, some of them from so far away she wondered how they had heard in time tocome. There were whole families from Jonesboro and Fayetteville and Lovejoy and with them afew negro servants. Many small farmers from far across the river were present and Crackers44 fromthe backwoods and a scattering46 of swamp folk. The swamp men were lean bearded giants inhomespun, coon-skin caps on their heads, their rifles easy in the crooks47 of their arms, their wads oftobacco stilled in their cheeks. Their women were with them, their bare feet sunk in the soft redearth, their lower lips full of snuff. Their faces beneath their sun-bonnets were sallow and malarial-looking but shining clean and their freshly ironed calicoes glistened48 with starch49.

  The near neighbors were there in full force. Grandma Fontaine, withered50, wrinkled and yellowas an old molted51 bird, was leaning on her cane52, and behind her were Sally Munroe Fontaine andYoung Miss Fontaine. They were trying vainly by whispered pleas and jerks at her skirt to makethe old lady sit down on the brick wall. Grandma’s husband, the Old Doctor, was not there. He haddied two months before and much of the bright malicious53 joy of life had gone from her old eyes.

  Cathleen Calvert Hilton stood alone as befitted one whose husband had helped bring about thepresent tragedy, her faded sunbonnet hiding her bowed face. Scarlett saw with amazement54 that herpercale dress had grease spots on it and her hands were freckled55 and unclean. There were evenblack crescents under her fingernails. There was nothing of quality folks about Cathleen now. Shelooked Cracker45, even worse. She looked poor white, shiftless, slovenly56, trifling57.

  “She’ll be dipping snuff soon, if she isn’t doing it already,” thought Scarlett in horror. “GoodLord! What a comedown!”

  She shuddered58, turning her eyes from Cathleen as she realized how narrow was the chasmbetween quality folk and poor whites.

  “There but for a lot of gumption59 am I,” she thought, and pride surged through her as she realizedthat she and Cathleen had started with the same equipment after the surrender—empty hands andwhat they had in their heads.

  “I haven’t done so bad,” she thought, lifting her chin and smiling.

  But she stopped in mid-smile as she saw the scandalized eyes of Mrs. Tarleton upon her. Her eyes were red-rimmed from tears and, after giving Scarlett a reproving look, she turned her gazeback to Suellen, a fierce angry gaze that boded60 ill for her. Behind her and her husband were thefour Tarleton girls, their red locks indecorous notes in the solemn occasion, their russet eyes stilllooking like the eyes of vital young animals, spirited and dangerous.

  Feet were stilled, hats were removed, hands folded and skirts rustled61 into quietness as Ashleystepped forward with Carreen’s worn Book of Devotions in his hand. He stood for a momentlooking down, the sun glittering on his golden head. A deep silence fell on the crowd, so deep thatthe harsh whisper of the wind in the magnolia leaves came clear to their ears and the far-offrepetitious note of a mockingbird sounded unendurably loud and sad. Ashley began to read theprayers and all heads bowed as his resonant62, beautifully modulated63 voice rolled out the brief anddignified words.

  “Oh!” thought Scarlett, her throat constricting64. “How beautiful his voice is! If anyone has to dothis for Pa, I’m glad it’s Ashley. I’d rather have him than a priest. I’d rather have Pa buried by oneof his own folks than a stranger.”

  When Ashley came to the part of the prayers concerning the souls in Purgatory65, which Carreenhad marked for him to read, he abruptly closed the book. Only Carreen noticed the omission66 andlooked up puzzled, as he began the Lord’s Prayer. Ashley knew that half the people present hadnever heard of Purgatory and those who had would take it as a personal affront67, if he insinuated,even in prayer, that so fine a man as Mr. O’Hara had not gone straight to Heaven. So, in deferenceto public opinion, he skipped all mention of Purgatory. The gathering68 joined heartily69 in the Lord’sPrayer but their voices trailed off into embarrassed silence when he began the Hail Mary. They hadnever heard that prayer and they looked furtively70 at each other as the O’Hara girls, Melanie and theTara servants gave the response: “Pray for us, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

  Then Ashley raised his head and stood for a moment, uncertain. The eyes of the neighbors wereexpectantly upon him as they settled themselves in easier positions for a long harangue71. They werewaiting for him to go on with the service, for it did not occur to any of them that he was at the endof the Catholic prayers. County funerals were always long. The Baptist and Methodist ministerswho performed them had no set prayers but extemporized72 as the circumstances demanded andseldom stopped before all mourners were in tears and the bereaved73 feminine relatives screamingwith grief. The neighbors would have been shocked, aggrieved74 and indignant, had these briefprayers been all the service over the body of their loved friend, and no one knew this better thanAshley. The matter would be discussed at dinner tables for weeks and the opinion of the Countywould be that the O’Hara girls had not shown proper respect for their father.

  So he threw a quick apologetic glance at Carreen and, bowing his head again, began recitingfrom memory the Episcopal burial service which he had often read over slaves buried at TwelveOaks.

  “I am the Resurrection and the Life ... and whosoever ... believeth in Me shall never die.”

  It did not come back to him readily and he spoke27 slowly, occasionally falling silent for a spaceas he waited for phrases to rise from his memory. But this measured delivery made his words moreimpressive, and mourners who had been dry-eyed before began now to reach for handkerchiefs.

  Sturdy Baptists and Methodists all, they thought it the Catholic ceremony and immediately rear ranged their first opinion that the Catholic services were cold and Popish. Scarlett and Suellenwere equally ignorant and thought the words comforting and beautiful. Only Melanie and Carreenrealized that a devoutly Catholic Irishman was being laid to rest by the Church of England’sservice. And Carreen was too stunned75 by grief and her hurt at Ashley’s treachery to interfere76.

  When he had finished, Ashley opened wide his sad gray eyes and looked about the crowd. Aftera pause, his eyes caught those of Will and he said: “Is there anyone present who would like to say aword?”

  Mrs. Tarleton twitched77 nervously78 but before she could act, Will stumped79 forward and standing80 atthe head of the coffin began to speak.

  “Friends,” he began in his flat voice, “maybe you think I’m gettin’ above myself, speakin’ first—me who never knew Mr. O’Hara till “bout a year ago when you all have known him twentyyears or more. But this here is my excuse. If he’d lived a month or so longer, I’d have had the rightto call him Pa.”

  A startled ripple81 went over the crowd. They were too well bred to whisper but they shifted ontheir feet and stared at Carreen’s bowed head. Everyone knew his dumb devotion to her. Seeing thedirection in which all eyes were cast, Will went on as if he had taken no note.

  “So bein’ as how I’m to marry Miss Suellen as soon as the priest comes down from Atlanta, Ithought maybe that gives me the right to speak first.”

  The last part of his speech was lost in a faint sibilant buzz that went through the gathering, anangry beelike buzz. There were indignation and disappointment in the sound. Everyone liked Will,everyone respected him for what he had done for Tara. Everyone knew his affections lay withCarreen, so the news that he was to marry the neighborhood pariah82 instead sat ill upon them. Goodold Will marrying that nasty, sneaking83 little Suellen O’Hara!

  For a moment the air was tense. Mrs. Tarleton’s eyes began to snap and her lips to shapesoundless words. In the silence, old man McRae’s high voice could be heard imploring84 hisgrandson to tell him what had been said. Will faced them all, still mild of face, but there was somethingin his pale blue eyes which dared them to say one word about his future wife. For a momentthe balance hung between the honest affection everyone had for Will and their contempt forSuellen. And Will won. He continued as if his pause had been a natural one.

  “I never knew Mr. O’Hara in his prime like you all done. All I knew personally was a fine oldgentleman who was a mite43 addled85. But I’ve heard tell from you all “bout what he used to be like.

  And I want to say this. He was a fightin’ Irishman and a Southern gentleman and as loyal aConfederate as ever lived. You can’t get no better combination than that. And we ain’t likely to seemany more like him, because the times that bred men like him are as dead as he is. He was born ina furrin country but the man we’re buryin’ here today was more of a Georgian than any of usmournin’ him. He lived our life, he loved our land and, when you come right down to it, he diedfor our Cause, same as the soldiers did. He was one of us and he had our good points and our badpoints and he had our strength and he had our failin’s. He had our good points in that couldn’tnothin’ stop him when his mind was made up and he warn’t scared of nothin’ that walked in shoeleather. There warn’t nothin’ that come to him from the outside that could lick him.

  “He warn’t scared of the English government when they wanted to hang him. He just lit out andleft home. And when he come to this country and was pore, that didn’t scare him a mite neither. Hewent to work and he made his money. And he warn’t scared to tackle this section when it was partwild and the Injuns had just been run out of it. He made a big plantation out of a wilderness19. Andwhen the war come on and his money begun to go, he warn’t scared to be pore again. And whenthe Yankees come through Tara and might of burnt him out or killed him, he warn’t fazed a bit andhe warn’t licked neither. He just planted his front feet and stood his ground. That’s why I say hehad our good points. There ain’t nothin’ from the outside can lick any of us.

  “But he had our failin’s too, ‘cause he could be licked from the inside. I mean to say that whatthe whole world couldn’t do, his own heart could. When Mrs. O’Hara died, his heart died too andhe was licked. And what we seen walking ‘round here warn’t him.”

  Will paused and his eyes went quietly around the circle of faces. The crowd stood in the hot sunas if enchanted86 to the ground and whatever wrath87 they had felt for Suellen was forgotten. Will’seyes rested for a moment on Scarlett and they crinkled slightly at the corners as if he wereinwardly smiling comfort to her. Scarlett, who had been fighting back rising tears, did feelcomforted. Will was talking common sense instead of a lot of tootle about reunions in another andbetter world and submitting her will to God’s. And Scarlett had always found strength and comfortin common sense.

  “And I don’t want none of you to think the less of him for breakin’ like he done. All you all andme, too, are like him. We got the same weakness and failin’. There ain’t nothin’ that walks can lickus, any more than it could lick him, not Yankees nor Carpetbaggers nor hard times nor high taxesnor even downright starvation. But that weakness that’s in our hearts can lick us in the time it takesto bat your eye. It ain’t always losin’ someone you love that does it, like it done Mr. O’Hara.

  Everybody’s mainspring is different. And I want to say this—folks whose mainsprings are bustedare better dead. There ain’t no place for them in the world these days, and they’re happier bein’

  dead. ... That’s why I’m sayin’ you all ain’t got no cause to grieve for Mr. O’Hara now. The time togrieve was back when Sherman come through and he lost Mrs. O’Hara. Now that his body’s goneto join his heart, I don’t see that we got reason to mourn, unless we’re pretty damned selfish, andI’m sayin’ it who loved him like he was my own pa. ... There won’t be no more words said, if youfolks don’t mind. The family is too cut up to listen and it wouldn’t be no kindness to them.”

  Will stopped and, turning to Mrs. Tarleton, he said in a lower voice: “I wonder couldn’t you takeScarlett in the house, Ma’m? It ain’t right for her to be standin’ in the sun so long. And GrandmaFontaine don’t look any too peart neither, meanin’ no disrespect,”

  Startled at the abrupt33 switching from the eulogy89 to herself, Scarlett went red with embarrassmentas all eyes turned toward her. Why should Will advertise her already obvious pregnancy90? She gavehim a shamed indignant look, but Will’s placid91 gaze bore her down.

  “Please,” his look said. “I know what I’m doin’.”

  Already he was the man of the house and, not wishing to make a scene, Scarlett turnedhelplessly to Mrs. Tarleton. That lady, suddenly diverted, as Will had intended, from thoughts ofSuellen to the always fascinating matter of breeding, be it animal or human, took Scarlett’s arm.

  “Come in the house, honey.”

  Her face took on a look of kind, absorbed interest and Scarlett suffered herself to be led throughthe crowd that gave way and made a narrow path for her. There was a sympathetic murmuring asshe passed and several hands went out to pat her comfortingly. When she came abreast92 GrandmaFontaine, the old lady put out a skinny claw and said: “Give me your arm, child,” and added with afierce glance at Sally and Young Miss: “No, don’t you come. I don’t want you.”

  They passed slowly through the crowd which closed behind them and went up the shady pathtoward the house, Mrs. Tarleton’s eager helping93 hand so strong under Scarlett’s elbow that she wasalmost lifted from the ground at each step.

  “Now, why did Will do that?” cried Scarlett heatedly, when they were out of earshot. “Hepractically said: ‘Look at her! She’s going to have a baby!’ ”

  “Well, sake’s alive, you are, aren’t you?” said Mrs. Tarleton. “Will did right It was foolish ofyou to stand in the hot sun when you might have fainted and had a miscarriage94.”

  “Will wasn’t bothered about her miscarrying,” said Grandma, a little breathless as she laboredacross the front yard toward the steps. There was a grim, knowing smile on her face. “Will’s smart.

  He didn’t want either you or me, Beetrice, at the graveside. He was scared of what we’d say and heknew this was the only way to get rid of us. ... And it was more than that. He didn’t want Scarlettto hear the clods dropping on the coffin. And he’s right. Just remember, Scarlett, as long as youdon’t hear that sound, folks aren’t actually dead to you. But once you hear it ... Well, it’s the mostdreadfully final sound in the world. ... Help me up the steps, child, and give me a hand, Beetrice.

  Scarlett don’t any more need your arm than she needs crutches95 and I’m not so peart, as Will observed.

  ... Will knew you were your father’s pet and he didn’t want to make it worse for you than italready was. He figured it wouldn’t be so bad for your sisters. Suellen has her shame to sustain herand Carreen her God. But you’ve got nothing to sustain you, have you, child?”

  “No,” answered Scarlett, helping the old lady up the Steps, faintly surprised at the truth thatsounded in the reedy old voice. “I’ve never had anything to sustain me—except Mother.”

  “But when you lost her, you found you could stand alone, didn’t you? Well, some folks can’t.

  Your pa was one. Will’s right. Don’t you grieve. He couldn’t get along without Ellen and he’shappier where he is. Just like I’ll be happier when I join the Old Doctor.”

  She spoke without any desire for sympathy and the two gave her none. She spoke as briskly andnaturally as if her husband were alive and in Jonesboro and a short buggy ride would bring themtogether. Grandma was too old and had seen too much to fear death.

  “But—you can stand alone too,” said Scarlett.

  “Yes, but it’s powerful uncomfortable at times.”

  “Look here, Grandma,” interrupted Mrs. Tarleton, “you ought not to talk to Scarlett like that.

  She’s upset enough already. What with her trip down here and that tight dress and her grief and theheat, she’s got enough to make her miscarry without your adding to it, talking grief and sorrow.”

  “God’s nightgown!” cried Scarlett in irritation96. I’m not upset! And I’m not one of those sicklymiscarrying fools!”

  “You never can tell,” said Mrs. Tarleton omnisciently97. “I lost my first when I saw a bull gore98 oneof our darkies and—you remember my red mare99, Nellie? Now, there was the healthiest-lookingmare you ever saw but she was nervous and high strung and if I didn’t watch her, she’d—”

  “Beatrice, hush,” said Grandma. “Scarlett wouldn’t miscarry on a bet. Let’s us sit here in thehall where it’s cool. There’s a nice draft through here. Now, you go fetch us a glass of buttermilk,Beetrice, if there’s any in the kitchen. Or look in the pantry and see if there’s any wine. I could dowith a glass. We’ll sit here till the folks come up to say good-by.”

  “Scarlett ought to be in bed,” insisted Mrs. Tarleton, running her eyes over her with the expertair of one who calculated a pregnancy to the last-minute of its length.

  “Get going,” said Grandma, giving her a prod100 with her cane, and Mrs. Tarleton went toward thekitchen, throwing her hat carelessly on the sideboard and running her hands through her damp redhair.

  Scarlett lay back in her chair and unbuttoned the two top buttons of her tight basque, it was cooland dim in the high-ceilinged hall and the vagrant101 draft that went from back to front of the housewas refreshing102 after the heat of the sun. She looked across the hall into the parlor where Gerald hadlain and, wrenching103 her thoughts from him, looked up at the portrait of Grandma Robillardhanging above the fireplace. The bayonet-scarred portrait with its high-piled hair, half-exposedbreasts and cool insolence104 had, as always, a tonic105 effect upon her.

  “I don’t know which hit Beetrice Tarleton worse, losing her boys or her horses,” said GrandmaFontaine. “She never did pay much mind to Jim or her girls, you know. She’s one of those folksWill was talking about. Her mainspring’s busted88. Sometimes I wonder if she won’t go the wayyour pa went. She wasn’t ever happy unless horses or humans were breeding right in her face andnone of her girls are married or got any prospects106 of catching107 husbands in this county, so she’s gotnothing to occupy her mind. If she wasn’t such a lady at heart, she’d be downright common. ...

  Was Will telling the truth about marrying Suellen?”

  “Yes,” said Scarlett, looking the old lady full in the eye. Goodness, she could remember the timewhen she was scared to death of Grandma Fontaine! Well, she’d grown up since then and she’djust as soon as not tell her to go to the devil if she meddled108 in affairs at Tara.

  “He could do better,” said Grandma candidly109.

  “Indeed?” said Scarlett haughtily110.

  “Come off your high horse, Miss,” said the old lady tartly111. “I shan’t attack your precious sister,though I might have if I’d stayed at the burying ground. What I mean is with the scarcity112 of men inthe neighborhood, Will could marry most any of the girls. There’s Beatrice’s four wild cats and theMunroe girls and the McRae—”

  “He’s going to marry Sue and that’s that.”

  “She’s lucky to get him.”

  “Tara is lucky to get him.”

  “You love this place, don’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “So much that you don’t mind your sister marrying out of her class as long as you have a manaround to care for Tara?”

  “Class?” said Scarlett, startled at the idea. “Class? What does class matter now, so long as a girlgets a husband who can take care of her?”

  “That’s a debatable question,” said Old Miss. “Some folks would say you were talking commonsense113. Others would say you were letting down bars that ought never be lowered one inch. Will’scertainly not quality folks and some of your people were.”

  Her sharp old eyes went to the portrait of Grandma Robillard.

  Scarlett thought of Will, lank114, unimpressive, mild, eternally chewing a straw, his wholeappearance deceptively devoid115 of energy, like that of most Crackers. He did not have behind him along line of ancestors of wealth, prominence116 and blood. The first of Will’s family to set foot onGeorgia soil might even have been one of Oglethorpe’s debtors117 or a bond servant. Will had notbeen to college. In fact, four years in a backwoods school was all the education he had ever had.

  He was honest and he was loyal, he was patient and he was hard working, but certainly he was notquality. Undoubtedly118 by Robillard standards, Suellen was coming down in the world.

  “So you approve of Will coming into your family?”

  “Yes,” answered Scarlett fiercely, ready to pounce119 upon the old lady at the first words ofcondemnation.

  “You may kiss me,” said Grandma surprisingly, and she smiled in her most approving manner.

  “I never liked you much till now, Scarlett. You were always hard as a hickory nut, even as a child,and I don’t like hard females, barring myself. But I do like the way you meet things. You don’tmake a fuss about things that can’t be helped, even if they are disagreeable. You take your fencescleanly like a good hunter.”

  Scarlett smiled uncertainly and pecked obediently at the withered cheek presented to her. It waspleasant to hear approving words again, even if she had little idea what they meant.

  “There’s plenty of folks hereabouts who’ll have something to say about you letting Sue marry aCracker—for all that everybody likes Will. They’ll say in one breath what a fine man he is andhow terrible it is for an O’Hara girl to marry beneath her. But don’t you let it bother you.”

  “I’ve never bothered about what people said.”

  “So I’ve heard.” There was a hint of acid in the old voice. “Well, don’t bother about what folkssay. It’ll probably be a very successful marriage. Of course, Will’s always going to look like aCracker and marriage won’t improve his grammar any. And, even if he makes a mint of money,he’ll never lend any shine and sparkle to Tara, like your father did. Crackers are short on sparkle.

  But Will’s a gentleman at heart. He’s got the right instincts. Nobody but a born gentleman couldhave put his finger on what is wrong with us as accurately120 as he just did, down there at theburying. The whole world can’t lick us but we can lick ourselves by longing121 too hard for things wehaven’t got any more—and by remembering too much. Yes, Will will do well by Suellen and byTara.”

  “Then you approve of me letting him marry her?”

  “God, no!” The old voice was tired and bitter but vigorous. “Approve of Crackers marrying intoold families? Bah! Would I approve of breeding scrub stock to thoroughbreds? Oh, Crackers aregood and solid and honest but—”

  “But you said you thought it would be a successful match!” cried Scarlett bewildered.

  “Oh, I think it’s good for Suellen to marry Will—to marry anybody for that matter, because sheneeds a husband bad. And where else could she get one? And where else could you get as good amanager for Tara? But that doesn’t mean I like the situation any better than you do.”

  But I do like it, thought Scarlett trying to grasp the old lady’s meaning. I’m glad Will is going tomarry her. Why should she think I minded? She’s taking it for granted that I do mind, just like her.

  She felt puzzled and a little ashamed, as always when people attributed to her emotions andmotives they possessed122 and thought she shared.

  Grandma fanned herself with her palmetto leaf and went on briskly: “I don’t approve of thematch any more than you do but I’m practical and so are you. And when it comes to somethingthat’s unpleasant but can’t be helped, I don’t see any sense in screaming and kicking about it.

  That’s no way to meet the ups and downs of life. I know because my family and the Old Doctor’sfamily have had more than our share of ups and downs. And if we folks have a motto, it’s this:

  ‘Don’t holler—smile and bide123 your time.’ We’ve survived a passel of things that way, smiling andbiding our time, and we’ve gotten to be experts at surviving. We had to be. We’ve always bet onthe wrong horses. Run out of France with the Huguenots, run out of England with the Cavaliers,run out of Scotland with Bonnie Prince Charlie, run out of Haiti by the niggers and now licked bythe Yankees. But we always turn up on top in a few years. You know why?”

  She cocked her head and Scarlett thought she looked like nothing so much as an old, knowingparrot.

  “No, I don’t know, I’m sure,” she answered politely. But she was heartily bored, even as she hadbeen the day when Grandma launched on her memories of the Creek124 uprising.

  “Well, this is the reason. We bow to the inevitable125. We’re not wheat, we’re buckwheat! When astorm comes along it flattens126 ripe wheat because it’s dry and can’t bend with the wind. But ripebuckwheat’s got sap in it and it bends. And when the wind has passed, it springs up almost asstraight and strong as before. We aren’t a stiff-necked tribe. We’re mighty127 limber when a hardwind’s blowing, because we know it pays to be limber. When trouble comes we bow to theinevitable without any mouthing, and we work and we smile and we bide our time. And we playalong with lesser128 folks and we take what we can get from them. And when we’re strong enough,we kick the folks whose necks we’ve climbed over. That, my child, is the secret of the survival.”

  And after a pause, she added: “I pass it on to you.”

  The old lady cackled, as if she were amused by her words, despite the venom129 in them. Shelooked as if she expected some comment from Scarlett but the words had made little sense to herand she could think of nothing to say.

  “No, sir,” Old Miss went on, “our folks get flattened130 out but they rise up again, and that’s more than I can say for plenty of people not so far away from here. Look at Cathleen Calvert. You cansee what she’s come to. Poor white! And a heap lower than the man she married. Look at theMcRae family. Flat to the ground, helpless, don’t know what to do, don’t know how to doanything. Won’t even try. They spend their time whining131 about the good old days. And look at—well, look at nearly anybody in this County except my Alex and my Sally and you and JimTarleton and his girls and some others. The rest have gone under because they didn’t have any sapin them, because they didn’t have the gumption to rise up again. There never was anything to thosefolks but money and darkies, and now that the money and darkies are gone, those folks will beCracker in another generation.”

  “You forgot the Wilkes.”

  “No, I didn’t forget them. I just thought I’d be polite and not mention them, seeing that Ashley’sa guest under this roof. But seeing as how you’ve brought up their names—look at them! There’sIndia who from all I hear is a dried-up old maid already, giving herself all kinds of widowed airsbecause Stu Tarleton was killed and not making any effort to forget him and try to catch anotherman. Of course, she’s old but she could catch some widower132 with a big family if she tried. Andpoor Honey was always a man-crazy fool with no more sense than a guinea hen. And as forAshley, look at him!”

  “Ashley is a very fine man,” began Scarlett hotly.

  “I never said he wasn’t but he’s as helpless as a turtle on his back. If the Wilkes family pullsthrough these hard times, it’ll be Melly who pulls them through. Not Ashley.”

  “Melly! Lord, Grandma! What are you talking about? I’ve lived with Melly long enough toknow she’s sickly and scared and hasn’t the gumption to say Boo to a goose.”

  “Now why on earth should anyone want to say Boo to a goose? It always sounded like a wasteof time to me. She might not say Boo to a goose but she’d say Boo to the world or the Yankeegovernment or anything else that threatened her precious Ashley or her boy or her notions ofgentility. Her way isn’t your way, Scarlett, or my way. It’s the way your mother would have actedif she’d lived. Melly puts me in mind of your mother when she was young. ... And maybe she’llpull the Wilkes family through.”

  “Oh, Melly’s a well-meaning little ninny. But you are very unjust to Ashley. He’s—”

  “Oh, foot! Ashley was bred to read books and nothing else. That doesn’t help a man pull himselfout of a tough fix, like we’re all in now. From what I hear, he’s the worst plow8 hand in the County!

  Now you just compare him with my Alex! Before the war, Alex was the most worthless dandy inthe world and he never had a thought beyond a new cravat133 and getting drunk and shootingsomebody and chasing girls who were no better than they should be. But look at him now! Helearned farming because he had to learn. He’d have starved and so would all of us. Now he raisesthe best cotton in the County—yes, Miss! It’s a heap better than Tara cotton!—and he knows whatto do with hogs134 and chickens. Ha! He’s a fine boy for all his bad temper. He knows how to bide histime and change with changing ways and when all this Reconstruction135 misery136 is over, you’re goingto see my Alex as rich a man as his father and his grandfather were. But Ashley—”

  Scarlett was smarting at the slight to Ashley.

  “It all sounds like tootle to me,” she said coldly.

  “Well, it shouldn’t,” said Grandma, fastening a sharp eye upon her. “For it’s just exactly thecourse you’ve been following since you went to Atlanta. Oh, yes! We hear of your didoes, even ifwe are buried down here in the country. You’ve changed with the changing times too. We hear howyou suck up to the Yankees and the white trash and the new-rich Carpetbaggers to get money outof them. Butter doesn’t melt in your mouth from all I can hear. Well, go to it, I say. And get everycent out of them you can, but when you’ve got enough money, kick them in the face, because theycan’t serve you any longer. Be sure you do that and do it properly, for trash hanging onto your coattails can ruin you.”

  Scarlett looked at her, her brow wrinkling with the effort to digest the words. They still didn’tmake much sense and she was still angry at Ashley being called a turtle on his back.

  “I think you’re wrong about Ashley,” she said abruptly.

  “Scarlett, you just aren’t smart.”

  “That’s your opinion,” said Scarlett rudely, wishing it were permissible137 to smack138 old ladies’

  jaws.

  “Oh, you’re smart enough about dollars and cents. That’s a man’s way of being smart. But youaren’t smart at all like a woman. You aren’t a speck139 smart about folks.”

  Scarlett’s eyes began to snap fire and her hands to clench and unclench.

  “I’ve made you good and mad, haven’t I?” asked the old lady, smiling. “Well, I aimed to do justthat.”

  “Oh, you did, did you? And why, pray?”

  “I had good and plenty reasons.”

  Grandma sank back in her chair and Scarlett suddenly realized that she looked very tired andincredibly old. The tiny clawlike hands folded over the fan were yellow and waxy140 as a deadperson’s. The anger went out of Scarlett’s heart as a thought came to her. She leaned over and tookone of the hands in hers.

  “You’re a mighty sweet old liar,” she said. “You didn’t mean a word of all this rigmarole.

  You’ve just been talking to keep my mind off Pa, haven’t you?”

  “Don’t fiddle141 with me!” said Old Miss grumpily, Jerking away her hand. “Partly for that reason,partly because what I’ve been telling you is the truth and you’re just too stupid to realize it.”

  But she smiled a little and took the sting from her words. Scarlett’s heart emptied itself of wrathabout Ashley. It was nice to know Grandma hadn’t meant any of it.

  “Thank you, just the same. It was nice of you to talk to me—and I’m glad to know you’re withme about Will and Suellen, even if—even if a lot of other people do disapprove142.”

  Mrs. Tarleton came down the hall, carrying two glasses of buttermilk. She did all domesticthings badly and the glasses were slopping over.

  “I had to go clear to the spring house to get it,” she said. “Drink it quick because the folks are coming up from the burying ground. Scarlett, are you really going to let Suellen marry Will? Notthat he isn’t a sight too good for her but you know he is a Cracker and—”

  Scarlett’s eyes met those of Grandma. There was a wicked sparkle in the old eyes that found ananswer in her own.

  这一夜,思嘉翻来覆去睡不着。天亮以后,太阳从东边小山上的青松后面升起,她从破床上起身,坐在窗口一张凳子上,用一只胳臂支着沉甸甸的头,朝窗外看去,看见了打谷场,果园,还有远处的棉花地。一切都是那么清新、湿润、宁静,碧绿。她一看见那棉花地,痛苦的心就感到一定的安慰。虽然塔拉的主人已经故去,在清早看得出这地方是有人维护的,是有个精心照料的,是宁静的。矮矮的木鸡舍外面糊着一层泥,免得让耗子和鼬鼠钻进去,而且用白粉刷得干干净净,用森砂盖的马厩也是这样。园子里束平地种着一行行的玉米,又黄又亮的南瓜、豆子、萝卜,没有丁点儿杂草,四周是橡树枝条做成的篱笆,显得整整齐齐。果园里没有杂乱的树丛,一行行果树下面只有雏菊在生长。绿叶遮掩下的苹果和长满绒毛的粉红桃子,在闪烁的阳光下看得格外清晰。
  再朝远处看,弯曲成行的棉花在清晨金色的天空下呈现出一片绿色,纹丝不动,成群的鸡鸭正优闲的漫步向田里走去。因为在那新耕的土地里可以找到最美味的虫子和蜓蚰。
  思嘉明白这一切都要归功于威尔,因而心里充满了殷切的感激之情。她虽然对艾希礼是一片忠心,也不认为艾希礼为这兴旺景象作了多少贡献,因为塔拉的兴旺绝不是靠一位种田的贵族,而是靠一个热爱土地的"小农"的辛勤劳动。目前农场只有两骑马,远没有昔日那种气派。当年草场上到处骡子、骏马,棉花地和玉米地一眼望不到边。不过现在有的这一部分也还是不错的,那大片荒凉土地等将来日子好了还可以开垦嘛,休耕一段时间,还会更肥沃呢。
  要说威尔干的话,还不仅限于种了几英亩地,他制服了佐治亚州种田人的两个死敌:靠种子繁殖的松树和一蓬蓬杂乱的黑莓。他们没有能悄悄地侵入花园、牧尝棉田、草地,也没有在门廓附近肆意滋生。佐治亚州有无数农场,却很少见到这种情况。
  思嘉想到塔拉几乎变成一片荒野,心里感到一阵后怕。幸亏她和威尔两个人干得不错。他们顶住了北方佬的侵犯,也阻挡住了大自然的掠夺。最使她感到欣慰的是威尔已经告诉她,等到秋天棉花收进来以后,她就可以不再寄钱了,除非贪婪的北方佬看上了塔拉,非要课以重税不可。她知道,要是没有她的帮助,威尔的日子会是非常艰难的,但她佩服而且敬重他那种独立的精神。过去他的身份是雇工,思嘉给的钱他都是接受的,可是现在他就要当思嘉的妹夫了,要当一家之主了,他就想靠自己努力了。确实可以说,威尔是上帝为她安排的。
  头一天晚上,波克就把墓穴挖好了,紧挨着爱伦的墓。此时他手执铁锹,站在湿润的红土后面,等着过一会儿把土铲回去。思嘉站在他的身后,躲在一棵矮小的疙里疙瘩的雪松下面一小片树荫里。六月的清晨,赤热的归光洒在她身上,呈现出无数的斑点。她两眼望着别处,尽量不看面前那红土墓穴。吉母·塔尔顿,小休·芒罗、亚历克斯·方丹和麦克雷老头儿最小的孙子,他们四个人用两块木板抬着杰拉尔德的棺木从房子里走出来,沿着小路歪歪斜斜地慢慢走来,后面,隔着一段适当的距离,跟着一大群邻居和朋友,穿着破破烂烂的衣服,默默地往前走,当他们来到花园里充满阳光的小路上的时候,波克把头靠在铁锹把顶上,哭起来。思嘉看到波克的头发,几个月前她去亚特兰大时还是乌黑发亮的,现在却已一片花白了,心里不禁感到惊讶。
  思嘉觉得有些疲倦。她托上帝的福,昨天晚上就把眼泪哭干了,所以现在她能站在那里,眼睛干干的。苏伦在她身后掉眼泪,这哭声使她无法忍受,要不是攥紧了拳头,真会转身在那发肿的脸上给她一耳光。不管是有意还是无意,父亲的死是苏伦造成的,照理说,在对她不满的众位邻居面前,她应该克制自己的感情。那天清晨,没有一个人和她说话,也没有人向她投以同情的目光。大家都默默地与思嘉亲吻,与握手,悄悄地对卡琳甚至对波克说些安慰的话,看见苏伦,却像没这么个人似的。
  他们认为,苏伦的过错不仅是杀害了自己的父亲。她还曾设法使父亲背叛南方。在当地那种严厉的封闭的社会里,这样做就等于背叛他们大家的荣誉。她打破了本地区在世人面前展示的牢固的联合阵线,她企图向北方政府要钱,这就和从北方来的冒险家和投靠北方的南方人站到一边去了,而这样的人比北方军的大兵还要遭憎恨。她出身于一个历史悠久的坚决支持联盟的家庭,出身于一个农场主的家庭,却投靠了敌人,从而给本地的所有家庭带来了耻辱。
  送葬的人一方面因为忿怒而激动,另一方面因为悲伤而沉闷,其中有三个人尤其如此,一个是麦克雷老头儿,自从多年前杰拉尔德从萨凡纳搬到这里,他们就成了最要好的朋友。另一个是方丹老太太,她喜欢杰拉尔德,因为他是爱伦的丈夫,还有一个是塔尔顿太太,她对杰拉尔德比对别的邻居更亲近些,她常常说,当地只有杰拉尔德一人能分得出公马和阉马。
  葬礼之前,在停放灵柩的客厅里,这三个人怒容满面,艾希礼和威尔一看这情况,感到有些紧张,就来到爱伦生前的办事房里商量对策。
  “他们有人要谴责苏伦,"威尔直截了当地说,一面说,一面把一根稻草放进嘴里咬成两段。"他们自以为有理由谴责她。也许他们是对的。这一点,我管不着。可是,艾希礼,无论他们说该说不该说,我们都不能赞成,因为我们是家中管事的男人。这样一来,就会出麻烦。谁能想个法子,别让麦克雷老头讲话,他聋得像个木头桩子,他要是讲起来,谁阻止他,他也听不见。你清楚,方丹老太太要是劳叨起来,天底下谁也没法让她停下来,而塔尔顿太太,你没看见吗,她每次见到苏伦,红眼珠子不停地转。她现在什么都听不进去,到了急不可耐的地步。他们要是说些什么,我们就非得顶他们不可。即使不和邻居顶嘴,现在我们这里的麻烦事也就够多的了。"艾希礼叹了口气,他非常担心。邻居们的议论,他比威尔更清楚。而且他知道,在战前,邻居之间的争吵,甚至互相开枪,多半是因为送葬者要对着死者的灵柩讲几句话这种习俗而引起的。这葬者往往都是说些赞美的话,但也不尽然,有时说话者的本意是要表示极大的尊敬,而死者的亲属过于敏感,却产生了误会,因此棺材上面刚填完最后一铣土,接着就出现了麻烦。
  琼斯博罗和弗耶特维尔这两个地方的卫理公会牧师和浸礼会牧师都表示愿意来帮忙,但是都被婉言谢绝了。既然没有牧师,就由艾希礼拿着卡琳的《忠诚福音》来主持仪式。卡琳信奉天主教,姐妹们中她最虔诚,对于思嘉没有想到从亚特兰大请一位牧师来十分不满。后来人们提醒她,等以后有牧师来主持威尔和苏伦的婚礼时,还可以到杰拉尔德坟上去祈祷一番,这才使她的气消了一点。就是她极力反对请附近的新教牧师,而把仪式交给艾希礼来主持,她还把书中该读的段落作了记号。艾希礼在这位老秘书的帮助下可以主持仪式,但他明白自己肩负着防止出麻烦的重任,同时也了解老乡们的火爆脾气,不知怎样主持才好。
  “真没主意,威尔,"艾希礼一面抓着光亮的头发,一面说。"我既不能把方丹老太太和麦克雷老头儿打倒在地,也不能捂住塔尔顿太太的嘴不让她说话。他们起码会说苏伦是个杀人犯,是叛徒。要不是她,奥哈拉先生是不会死的。这种对着死者说话的习俗真是要命。这是一种野蛮的作法。"“你听我说,艾希礼,"威尔慢条斯理的说。"我今天决不让任何人谴责苏伦,不管他是怎么想的,你等着看我的吧。你念完了经书,作完了祈祷,说'谁想讲几句话吗',这时你就朝我看一看,我就头一个出来讲话。"思嘉呢,她看着那几个人抬着棺材勉强进了小门,来到墓地,她压根儿没有想到仪式之后会出什么麻烦。她心里十分沉重,觉得父亲这一入土,意味着她与往昔无忧无虑的幸福生活之间的纽带又少了一条。
  抬棺材的人终于把棺材放在墓穴旁,站在了一边,同时活动活动酸疼的手指。艾希礼、媚兰和威尔依次来到墓地,站在奥哈拉家三姐妹的身后,比较亲近的邻居挤了进来,其他的人站在砖墙外面。思嘉头一次和这些人见面,对这么多人来送葬有些惊讶,也很感动。交通不便,来的人就算很多了,总共大约有五六十人,有些人是远道而来的,思嘉不知道他们是如何得到消息,及进赶来的。有些是全家带着黑奴从琼斯博罗、费耶特维尔和洛夫乔伊赶来的。许多小农场主从河那边赶了很远的路来参加葬礼,在场的还有几个从山林的沼泽地来的穷苦人,沼泽地的男人都是细高个子,留着长胡子,身穿租毛外衣,头戴浣熊皮帽,长枪,随便挂在胳臂上,口里含着烟叶,他们的老婆也都来了。这些女人光着脚站在松软的红土地上,下嘴唇上沾满了烟末。她们头戴遮阳帽,脸色发暗,仿佛得了疟疾,但都是干干净净,浆过熨过的印花布衣服显得发亮。
  左邻右舍是全体出动了,方丹老太太面容憔悴,脸色发黄,像是一只掉了毛的鸟,倚着手杖在那里站着,站在她身后的是萨利·芒罗·方丹和年轻的方丹小姐。她们小声恳求老太太。甚至拽她的裙子,想让她坐在矮墙上,可老太太就是不肯坐。老太太的丈夫,人们管他叫老大夫,没有在场,他已经在两个月之前去世了,那以后,许多生活的乐趣就从老太太的眼睛里消失了。凯瑟琳·卡尔弗特·希尔顿独自一人站在那里,这倒也合适,因为目前这场悲剧,她丈夫也是有责任的。她戴着一顶褪了色的遮阳帽,低垂着头,思嘉惊讶地到看凯瑟琳是细纱长裙上挂着油渍,手上长了黑斑,也不干净,指甲盖底下都是泥。如今的凯瑟琳已经失去了上流社会的风度。她穷了,不仅如此,她贫困潦倒、无精打采、邋邋遢遢,无可奈何地混日子。
  “她不定哪一天就会嚼烟末了,说不定她已经嚼上了。"思嘉想到这里,感到惊恐不巡,"我的天哪!真是今非昔比啊!"她打了一个冷战,赶忙把眼光从凯瑟琳身上移开,因为她意识到上流社会与穷百姓之间的距离是微乎其微的。
  “我就是比别人能干,"思嘉这样想。她又想到南方投降以后,她和凯瑟琳是在同样的条件下干起来的,都是一个脑袋两只手,心里感到一阵宽慰。
  “我干得不错,"她一面想,一面仰起脸来,露出了微笑。
  她这微笑只笑了一半便收敛起来,因为她注意到塔尔顿太太正瞪着大眼盯着她。塔尔顿太太眼圈都哭红了,她用责备的目光瞪了思嘉一眼以后,又把目光转到苏伦身上,她那异常愤怒的眼光说明苏伦要倒霉了。在她和她丈夫身后站着塔尔顿家的四个姑娘,她们的红头发对眼前这严肃的场合不是合适的,她们那红棕色的眼睛和欢蹦乱跳的小动物的眼睛一样,又精神,又让人害怕。
  过了一会儿,艾希礼站出来,手里拿着卡琳的旧经书《忠诚福音》,这时大家都不再走动,帽子都摘了,两手交叉着,连裙子的啊啊声也听不见了。艾希礼低头站了一会儿,阳光照得他那一头金发闪闪发光。人群中间没有一丝声音,微风吹过木兰的枝叶发出的窃窃私语可以听得清清楚楚,远处一只模仿鸟不停地发出刺耳的哀鸣,让人无法忍受。艾希礼开始读祈祷文,所有的人都低头听他用洪亮而有节奏的声音一字一顿地读那简短而庄重的经文。
  “啊!他的声音多好听啊!"思嘉想着,喉咙里感到一阵哽咽。"如果爸爸的葬礼说一定得有人主持,我倒愿意让艾希礼来主持。我宁愿让他主持,也不让一个牧师来主持。我宁愿让他也不愿让一个生人来掩埋父亲的遗骨。"艾希礼该读炼狱里的灵魂一节了,这一节也是卡琳作了记号让他读的,但是他突然停下来,把书合上了。只有卡琳发现他没读这一切,她感到困惑,就抬起头来,只听艾希礼接着读起了主祷文。艾希礼这样做,是因为他知道在场的人有一半从没有听说过炼狱,如果他们听了后发现他暗示像奥哈拉先生这样的好人也没有能直接进入天堂,即使是在祈祷文中所这种暗示,也会认为他是进行人身攻击。因此,他尊重大家的意见,把炼狱这一切省略了。大家热情地跟着他读主祷文,但是在他开始读"万福马利亚"的时候,大家的声音逐渐减弱,以至于完全沉静下来,使人感到尴尬,他们以前可从来没听说过这篇祈祷文,于是开始偷偷地交换眼色,只有奥哈拉家的小姐们,媚兰,还有几个仆人跟着说:“请为我们祈祷,现在以及将来我们死的时候都为我们祈祷。阿门。"艾希礼抬起头来,站了一会儿,不知怎样进行下去。邻居们用期待的眼光看着他,同时调整了一个姿势,站得随便一点,等着听期讲话。大家都觉得仪式还应该继续下去,谁也没想到他主持的这天主都祈祷仪式就要结束了。这里的葬礼一向拖得很长。卫理公会和浸礼会的牧师主持葬礼,没有固定的祈祷文,而是根据具体情况边想边说,而且往往都要说得所有送葬的人落泪,死都家属中的妇女嚎啕大哭,为亲密的朋友举行的葬礼,如果只读几篇简短的祈祷文就算完了,邻居们是会感到惊讶,感到伤心,感到忿怒的。这一点,艾希礼比谁都清楚。人们会把这件事当做饭桌上的话题谈上几个星期,老百姓会认为奥哈拉家的小姐们对父亲不够敬重。
  所以,艾希礼很快瞧了卡琳一眼,表示歉意,接着就又低下头,背诵起圣公会葬礼祈祷文来了,他以前曾多次在"十二橡树"村用这篇祈祷文给奴隶们送葬。
  “我能使你复活,我能给你生命。……无论何人。……凡信我者,必将永生。“这篇祈祷文他也没有记得很清楚,所以他背得很慢,有时甚至停下来,回忆下面应该怎么说。但是他这样一字一顿地说,却使得艾希礼的话更为感人。一直没有掉泪的人现在开始纷纷掏手绢了。虔诚的卫理公会教徒和浸礼会教徒都认为这是一次天主教仪式,起初他们以为天主教仪式都是庄严肃穆,不动感情的,现在也改变了他们的看法,思嘉和苏伦都毫无觉察,还觉得艾希礼的话又入耳又动听。只有媚兰和卡琳已经悲伤过度,看到艾希礼这样胡闹又感到非常伤心,但是没有出来制止。
  艾希礼背完以后,睁大他那双悲哀的灰色的眼睛,环顾四周。接着他与威尔交换了个眼色,就说:“有谁想讲几句话吗?"塔尔顿太太的嘴唇动了一动,显得非常紧张,可是没等她开口,威尔就吃力地迈步向前,站在棺材面讲起话来。
  “朋友们,"他用平静的语调说,"我头一次出来讲话,也许你们会觉得我太狂妄了,因为我是大给一年前认识奥哈拉生先的,而你们认识了已经二十年,或者二十多年了,但是我有一条理由:他要是能够活上一个月,我就可以他爸爸了。“人们露出惊讶的神色,这些人都是很有教养的,不会悄悄说话,但他们的脚交替挪动,眼睛转身卡琳。卡琳低着头站在那里,大家都知道威尔一下爱着卡琳,威尔看到大家都向那边看,便若无其事地继续说下去。
  “因为我即将和苏伦小姐结婚,只等牧师从亚特兰大前来主持婚礼,我想我是有权第一个讲话的。"威尔的话还未说完,人群里就出现了一阵轻微的骚动,发出了像蜜蜂嗡嗡叫的忿怒的声音。这声音里既包含着愤怒,也包含着失望。大家都喜欢威尔,都尊敬他,因为他为塔拉出了大力。大家也都知道他喜欢卡琳,因此当他们听到他要和最近最受大家鄙视的人结婚的消息时,感到无法接受。善良的威尔怎么会和那个卑鄙可恶的小人苏伦·奥哈拉结婚呢?
  气氛一度十分紧张。塔尔顿在太太两眼射出了愤怒的目光,嘴唇动了动,仿佛要说什么,却没有说出声来。在一片寂静之中,可以听见麦克雷老头高声恳求孙子告诉他刚才威尔说了些什么。威尔面对众人,脸色依然温和,但他那双浅蓝色的眼睛却好像在说,看谁敢对他未来的妻子说三道四。霎那间人们难以决定,他们既疼爱威尔又鄙视苏伦。后来还是威尔胜利了。他继续讲下去,他们刚才


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 orchard UJzxu     
n.果园,果园里的全部果树,(美俚)棒球场
参考例句:
  • My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
  • Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。
2 whitewash 3gYwJ     
v.粉刷,掩饰;n.石灰水,粉刷,掩饰
参考例句:
  • They tried hard to whitewash themselves.他们力图粉饰自己。
  • What he said was a load of whitewash.他所说的是一大堆粉饰之词。
3 turnips 0a5b5892a51b9bd77b247285ad0b3f77     
芜青( turnip的名词复数 ); 芜菁块根; 芜菁甘蓝块根; 怀表
参考例句:
  • Well, I like turnips, tomatoes, eggplants, cauliflowers, onions and carrots. 噢,我喜欢大萝卜、西红柿、茄子、菜花、洋葱和胡萝卜。 来自魔法英语-口语突破(高中)
  • This is turnip soup, made from real turnips. 这是大头菜汤,用真正的大头菜做的。
4 neatly ynZzBp     
adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地
参考例句:
  • Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
  • The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。
5 glistening glistening     
adj.闪耀的,反光的v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。
  • Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》
6 waddling 56319712a61da49c78fdf94b47927106     
v.(像鸭子一样)摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Rhinoceros Give me a break, were been waddling every day. 犀牛甲:饶了我吧,我们晃了一整天了都。 来自互联网
  • A short plump woman came waddling along the pavement. 有个矮胖女子一摇一摆地沿人行道走来。 来自互联网
7 strutting 2a28bf7fb89b582054410bf3c6bbde1a     
加固,支撑物
参考例句:
  • He, too, was exceedingly arrogant, strutting about the castle. 他也是非常自大,在城堡里大摇大摆地走。
  • The pompous lecturer is strutting and forth across the stage. 这个演讲者在台上趾高气扬地来回走着。
8 plow eu5yE     
n.犁,耕地,犁过的地;v.犁,费力地前进[英]plough
参考例句:
  • At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
  • We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后,我们将马上耕田。
9 plowed 2de363079730210858ae5f5b15e702cf     
v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 );犁耕;费力穿过
参考例句:
  • They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句
  • He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土,然后播种。 来自辞典例句
10 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
11 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
12 plodding 5lMz16     
a.proceeding in a slow or dull way
参考例句:
  • They're still plodding along with their investigation. 他们仍然在不厌其烦地进行调查。
  • He is plodding on with negotiations. 他正缓慢艰难地进行着谈判。
13 plantation oOWxz     
n.种植园,大农场
参考例句:
  • His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
  • The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。
14 mules be18bf53ebe6a97854771cdc8bfe67e6     
骡( mule的名词复数 ); 拖鞋; 顽固的人; 越境运毒者
参考例句:
  • The cart was pulled by two mules. 两匹骡子拉这辆大车。
  • She wore tight trousers and high-heeled mules. 她穿紧身裤和拖鞋式高跟鞋。
15 reclaimed d131e8b354aef51857c9c380c825a4c9     
adj.再生的;翻造的;收复的;回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 );要求收回;从废料中回收(有用的材料);挽救
参考例句:
  • Many sufferers have been reclaimed from a dependence on alcohol. 许多嗜酒成癖的受害者已经被挽救过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They reclaimed him from his evil ways. 他们把他从邪恶中挽救出来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
16 seedling GZYxQ     
n.秧苗,树苗
参考例句:
  • She cut down the seedling with one chop.她一刀就把小苗砍倒了。
  • The seedling are coming up full and green.苗长得茁壮碧绿。
17 insolently 830fd0c26f801ff045b7ada72550eb93     
adv.自豪地,自傲地
参考例句:
  • No does not respect, speak insolently,satire, etc for TT management team member. 不得发表对TT管理层人员不尊重、出言不逊、讽刺等等的帖子。 来自互联网
  • He had replied insolently to his superiors. 他傲慢地回答了他上司的问题。 来自互联网
18 plantations ee6ea2c72cc24bed200cd75cf6fbf861     
n.种植园,大农场( plantation的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园,使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
  • Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后,那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句
19 wilderness SgrwS     
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠
参考例句:
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。
20 shovel cELzg     
n.铁锨,铲子,一铲之量;v.铲,铲出
参考例句:
  • He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。
  • He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。
21 cedar 3rYz9     
n.雪松,香柏(木)
参考例句:
  • The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
  • She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。
22 trench VJHzP     
n./v.(挖)沟,(挖)战壕
参考例句:
  • The soldiers recaptured their trench.兵士夺回了战壕。
  • The troops received orders to trench the outpost.部队接到命令在前哨周围筑壕加强防卫。
23 coffin XWRy7     
n.棺材,灵柩
参考例句:
  • When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
  • The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。
24 clench fqyze     
vt.捏紧(拳头等),咬紧(牙齿等),紧紧握住
参考例句:
  • I clenched the arms of my chair.我死死抓住椅子扶手。
  • Slowly,he released his breath through clenched teeth.他从紧咬的牙缝间慢慢地舒了口气。
25 swollen DrcwL     
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀
参考例句:
  • Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着,她的双腿已经肿了。
  • A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她,她的手臂肿起来了。
26 decency Jxzxs     
n.体面,得体,合宜,正派,庄重
参考例句:
  • His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
  • Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
27 spoke XryyC     
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。
28 aligned 165f93b99f87c219277d70d866425da6     
adj.对齐的,均衡的
参考例句:
  • Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.务必使搁架与橱柜顶端对齐。
29 seething e6f773e71251620fed3d8d4245606fcf     
沸腾的,火热的
参考例句:
  • The stadium was a seething cauldron of emotion. 体育场内群情沸腾。
  • The meeting hall was seething at once. 会场上顿时沸腾起来了。
30 parlor v4MzU     
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
参考例句:
  • She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
  • Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店?
31 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
32 abruptly iINyJ     
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。
33 abrupt 2fdyh     
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的
参考例句:
  • The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
  • His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。
34 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
35 coffins 44894d235713b353f49bf59c028ff750     
n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 );使某人早亡[死,完蛋,垮台等]之物
参考例句:
  • The shop was close and hot, and the atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. 店堂里相当闷热,空气仿佛被棺木的味儿污染了。 来自辞典例句
  • Donate some coffins to the temple, equal to the number of deaths. 到寺庙里,捐赠棺材盒给这些死者吧。 来自电影对白
36 eulogistic bndxk     
adj.颂扬的,颂词的
参考例句:
  • This is a formal eulogistic composition.这是一篇正式的颂扬性文章。
  • One is the eulogistic word freedom,and the other is the opprobrious word chance. 一个是表示褒义的词“自由”,另一个是表示贬义的词“偶然”。
37 shovels ff43a4c7395f1d0c2d5931bbb7a97da6     
n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 );锹;推土机、挖土机等的)铲;铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 );锹;推土机、挖土机等的)铲;铲形部份
参考例句:
  • workmen with picks and shovels 手拿镐铲的工人
  • In the spring, we plunge shovels into the garden plot, turn under the dark compost. 春天,我们用铁锨翻开园子里黑油油的沃土。 来自辞典例句
38 devoutly b33f384e23a3148a94d9de5213bd205f     
adv.虔诚地,虔敬地,衷心地
参考例句:
  • She was a devoutly Catholic. 她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • This was not a boast, but a hope, at once bold and devoutly humble. 这不是夸夸其谈,而是一个即大胆而又诚心、谦虚的希望。 来自辞典例句
39 reminder WkzzTb     
n.提醒物,纪念品;暗示,提示
参考例句:
  • I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
  • It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知,她才付应该交的房租。
40 rumpling 1444bedba386aa87ba8b75dcd4c8c2d8     
v.弄皱,使凌乱( rumple的现在分词 )
参考例句:
41 traitor GqByW     
n.叛徒,卖国贼
参考例句:
  • The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
  • He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。
42 clenching 1c3528c558c94eba89a6c21e9ee245e6     
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • I'll never get used to them, she thought, clenching her fists. 我永远也看不惯这些家伙,她握紧双拳,心里想。 来自飘(部分)
  • Clenching her lips, she nodded. 她紧闭着嘴唇,点点头。 来自辞典例句
43 mite 4Epxw     
n.极小的东西;小铜币
参考例句:
  • The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
  • He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。
44 crackers nvvz5e     
adj.精神错乱的,癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 );薄脆饼干;(认为)十分愉快的事;迷人的姑娘
参考例句:
  • That noise is driving me crackers. 那噪声闹得我简直要疯了。
  • We served some crackers and cheese as an appetiser. 我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
45 cracker svCz5a     
n.(无甜味的)薄脆饼干
参考例句:
  • Buy me some peanuts and cracker.给我买一些花生和饼干。
  • There was a cracker beside every place at the table.桌上每个位置旁都有彩包爆竹。
46 scattering 91b52389e84f945a976e96cd577a4e0c     
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散
参考例句:
  • The child felle into a rage and began scattering its toys about. 这孩子突发狂怒,把玩具扔得满地都是。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The farmers are scattering seed. 农夫们在播种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
47 crooks 31060be9089be1fcdd3ac8530c248b55     
n.骗子( crook的名词复数 );罪犯;弯曲部分;(牧羊人或主教用的)弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • The police are getting after the crooks in the city. 警察在城里追捕小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The cops got the crooks. 警察捉到了那些罪犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
48 glistened 17ff939f38e2a303f5df0353cf21b300     
v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
49 starch YrAyK     
n.淀粉;vt.给...上浆
参考例句:
  • Corn starch is used as a thickener in stews.玉米淀粉在炖煮菜肴中被用作增稠剂。
  • I think there's too much starch in their diet.我看是他们的饮食里淀粉太多了。
50 withered 342a99154d999c47f1fc69d900097df9     
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句:
  • The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。
  • The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。
51 molted 67dd8cd4f7437dab4a39240a69e0ab7a     
v.换羽,脱毛( molt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • This couple have his knitted out of the hair molted by the pedigreed pets. 这对夫妇拥有他们自己的由纯血种的宠物的毛编制而成的无袖套衫。 来自互联网
52 cane RsNzT     
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的
参考例句:
  • This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
  • English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。
53 malicious e8UzX     
adj.有恶意的,心怀恶意的
参考例句:
  • You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
  • Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。
54 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
55 freckled 1f563e624a978af5e5981f5e9d3a4687     
adj.雀斑;斑点;晒斑;(使)生雀斑v.雀斑,斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句
56 slovenly ZEqzQ     
adj.懒散的,不整齐的,邋遢的
参考例句:
  • People were scandalized at the slovenly management of the company.人们对该公司草率的经营感到愤慨。
  • Such slovenly work habits will never produce good products.这样马马虎虎的工作习惯决不能生产出优质产品来。
57 trifling SJwzX     
adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的
参考例句:
  • They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
  • So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利,不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。
58 shuddered 70137c95ff493fbfede89987ee46ab86     
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动
参考例句:
  • He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车,车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
59 gumption a5yyx     
n.才干
参考例句:
  • With his gumption he will make a success of himself.凭他的才干,他将大有作为。
  • Surely anyone with marketing gumption should be able to sell good books at any time of year.无疑,有经营头脑的人在一年的任何时节都应该能够卖掉好书。
60 boded 3ee9f155e2df361f160805e631a2c2ca     
v.预示,预告,预言( bode的过去式和过去分词 );等待,停留( bide的过去分词 );居住;(过去式用bided)等待
参考例句:
  • The beginning of that summer boded ill. 夏季一开始就来势不善。 来自辞典例句
61 rustled f68661cf4ba60e94dc1960741a892551     
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He rustled his papers. 他把试卷弄得沙沙地响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Leaves rustled gently in the breeze. 树叶迎着微风沙沙作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
62 resonant TBCzC     
adj.(声音)洪亮的,共鸣的
参考例句:
  • She has a resonant voice.她的嗓子真亮。
  • He responded with a resonant laugh.他报以洪亮的笑声。
63 modulated b5bfb3c5c3ebc18c62afa9380ab74ba5     
已调整[制]的,被调的
参考例句:
  • He carefully modulated his voice. 他小心地压低了声音。
  • He had a plump face, lemur-like eyes, a quiet, subtle, modulated voice. 他有一张胖胖的脸,狐猴般的眼睛,以及安详、微妙和富于抑扬顿挫的嗓音。
64 constricting e39c4b9a75f5ad2209b346998437e7b6     
压缩,压紧,使收缩( constrict的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Objective To discuss the clinical characteristics and treatment of congenital constricting band syndrome(CCBS) and amputations. 目的探讨先天性束带症与先天性截肢的临床特点及治疗方法。
65 purgatory BS7zE     
n.炼狱;苦难;adj.净化的,清洗的
参考例句:
  • Every step of the last three miles was purgatory.最后3英里时每一步都像是受罪。
  • Marriage,with peace,is this world's paradise;with strife,this world's purgatory.和谐的婚姻是尘世的乐园,不和谐的婚姻则是人生的炼狱。
66 omission mjcyS     
n.省略,删节;遗漏或省略的事物,冗长
参考例句:
  • The omission of the girls was unfair.把女孩排除在外是不公平的。
  • The omission of this chapter from the third edition was a gross oversight.第三版漏印这一章是个大疏忽。
67 affront pKvy6     
n./v.侮辱,触怒
参考例句:
  • Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
  • This remark caused affront to many people.这句话得罪了不少人。
68 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会,聚会,聚集
参考例句:
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
69 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
70 furtively furtively     
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地
参考例句:
  • At this some of the others furtively exchanged significant glances. 听他这样说,有几个人心照不宣地彼此对望了一眼。
  • Remembering my presence, he furtively dropped it under his chair. 后来想起我在,他便偷偷地把书丢在椅子下。
71 harangue BeyxH     
n.慷慨冗长的训话,言辞激烈的讲话
参考例句:
  • We had to listen to a long harangue about our own shortcomings.我们必须去听一有关我们缺点的长篇大论。
  • The minister of propaganda delivered his usual harangue.宣传部长一如既往发表了他的长篇大论。
72 extemporized 8414f7e0227d27a99842db733b3447cf     
v.即兴创作,即席演奏( extemporize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He completely departed from the text and extemporized in a very energetic fashion. 他完全脱稿,慷慨激昂地进行即席演说。 来自辞典例句
  • The president extemporized a speech after the working dinner. 总裁即席发表了一篇工作餐后演说。 来自互联网
73 bereaved dylzO0     
adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去(希望、生命等)( bereave的过去式和过去分词);(尤指死亡)使丧失(亲人、朋友等);使孤寂;抢走(财物)
参考例句:
  • The ceremony was an ordeal for those who had been recently bereaved. 这个仪式对于那些新近丧失亲友的人来说是一种折磨。
  • an organization offering counselling for the bereaved 为死者亲友提供辅导的组织
74 aggrieved mzyzc3     
adj.愤愤不平的,受委屈的;悲痛的;(在合法权利方面)受侵害的v.令委屈,令苦恼,侵害( aggrieve的过去式);令委屈,令苦恼,侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • He felt aggrieved at not being chosen for the team. 他因没被选到队里感到愤愤不平。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She is the aggrieved person whose fiance&1& did not show up for their wedding. 她很委屈,她的未婚夫未出现在他们的婚礼上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
75 stunned 735ec6d53723be15b1737edd89183ec2     
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
  • The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。
76 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。
77 twitched bb3f705fc01629dc121d198d54fa0904     
vt.& vi.(使)抽动,(使)颤动(twitch的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
  • The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着,像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
78 nervously tn6zFp     
adv.神情激动地,不安地
参考例句:
  • He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇,努力忍着不哭出来。
  • He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
79 stumped bf2a34ab92a06b6878a74288580b8031     
僵直地行走,跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 ); 把(某人)难住; 使为难; (选举前)在某一地区作政治性巡回演说
参考例句:
  • Jack huffed himself up and stumped out of the room. 杰克气喘吁吁地干完活,然后很艰难地走出房间。
  • He was stumped by the questions and remained tongue-tied for a good while. 他被问得张口结舌,半天说不出话来。
80 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
81 ripple isLyh     
n.涟波,涟漪,波纹,粗钢梳;vt.使...起涟漪,使起波纹; vi.呈波浪状,起伏前进
参考例句:
  • The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
  • The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来,碎在沙滩上。
82 pariah tSUzv     
n.被社会抛弃者
参考例句:
  • Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village.不一会儿,汤姆碰上了村里的少年弃儿。
  • His landlady had treated him like a dangerous criminal,a pariah.房东太太对待他就像对待危险的罪犯、对待社会弃儿一样。
83 sneaking iibzMu     
a.秘密的,不公开的
参考例句:
  • She had always had a sneaking affection for him. 以前她一直暗暗倾心于他。
  • She ducked the interviewers by sneaking out the back door. 她从后门偷偷溜走,躲开采访者。
84 imploring cb6050ff3ff45d346ac0579ea33cbfd6     
恳求的,哀求的
参考例句:
  • Those calm, strange eyes could see her imploring face. 那平静的,没有表情的眼睛还能看得到她的乞怜求情的面容。
  • She gave him an imploring look. 她以哀求的眼神看着他。
85 addled fc5f6c63b6bb66aeb3c1f60eba4e4049     
adj.(头脑)糊涂的,愚蠢的;(指蛋类)变坏v.使糊涂( addle的过去式和过去分词 );使混乱;使腐臭;使变质
参考例句:
  • Being in love must have addled your brain. 坠入爱河必已使你神魂颠倒。
  • He has addled his head with reading and writing all day long. 他整天读书写字,头都昏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
86 enchanted enchanted     
adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
  • He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。
87 wrath nVNzv     
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒
参考例句:
  • His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
  • The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。
88 busted busted     
adj. 破产了的,失败了的,被降级的,被逮捕的,被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • You are so busted! 你被当场逮住了!
  • It was money troubles that busted up their marriage. 是金钱纠纷使他们的婚姻破裂了。
89 eulogy 0nuxj     
n.颂词;颂扬
参考例句:
  • He needs no eulogy from me or from any other man. 他不需要我或者任何一个人来称颂。
  • Mr.Garth gave a long eulogy about their achievements in the research.加思先生对他们的研究成果大大地颂扬了一番。
90 pregnancy lPwxP     
n.怀孕,怀孕期
参考例句:
  • Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
  • Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。
91 placid 7A1yV     
adj.安静的,平和的
参考例句:
  • He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
  • You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。
92 abreast Zf3yi     
adv.并排地;跟上(时代)的步伐,与…并进地
参考例句:
  • She kept abreast with the flood of communications that had poured in.她及时回复如雪片般飞来的大批信件。
  • We can't keep abreast of the developing situation unless we study harder.我们如果不加强学习,就会跟不上形势。
93 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
94 miscarriage Onvzz3     
n.失败,未达到预期的结果;流产
参考例句:
  • The miscarriage of our plans was a great blow.计划的失败给我们以巨大的打击。
  • Women who smoke are more to have a miscarriage.女性吸烟者更容易流产。
95 crutches crutches     
n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑
参考例句:
  • After the accident I spent six months on crutches . 事故后我用了六个月的腋杖。
  • When he broke his leg he had to walk on crutches. 他腿摔断了以后,不得不靠拐杖走路。
96 irritation la9zf     
n.激怒,恼怒,生气
参考例句:
  • He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
  • Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说,但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。
97 omnisciently f4171016d8f5480ff68461c0a1db526f     
无所不知的
参考例句:
  • The novel has an omniscient narrator. 这部小说有一个全知全能的叙述者。
  • He's nervous when trying to potray himself as omniscient. 当他试图把自己描绘得无所不知时,内心其实很紧张。
98 gore gevzd     
n.凝血,血污;v.(动物)用角撞伤,用牙刺破;缝以补裆;顶
参考例句:
  • The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
  • Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。
99 mare Y24y3     
n.母马,母驴
参考例句:
  • The mare has just thrown a foal in the stable.那匹母马刚刚在马厩里产下了一只小马驹。
  • The mare foundered under the heavy load and collapsed in the road.那母马因负载过重而倒在路上。
100 prod TSdzA     
vt.戳,刺;刺激,激励
参考例句:
  • The crisis will prod them to act.那个危机将刺激他们行动。
  • I shall have to prod him to pay me what he owes.我将不得不催促他把欠我的钱还给我。
101 vagrant xKOzP     
n.流浪者,游民;adj.流浪的,漂泊不定的
参考例句:
  • A vagrant is everywhere at home.流浪者四海为家。
  • He lived on the street as a vagrant.他以在大街上乞讨为生。
102 refreshing HkozPQ     
adj.使精神振作的,使人清爽的,使人喜欢的
参考例句:
  • I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
  • The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼,特别解乏提神。
103 wrenching 30892474a599ed7ca0cbef49ded6c26b     
n.修截苗根,苗木铲根(铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土)v.(猛力地)扭( wrench的现在分词 );扭伤;使感到痛苦;使悲痛
参考例句:
  • China has been through a wrenching series of changes and experiments. 中国经历了一系列艰苦的变革和试验。 来自辞典例句
  • A cold gust swept across her exposed breast, wrenching her back to reality. 一股寒气打击她的敞开的胸膛,把她从梦幻的境地中带了回来。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
104 insolence insolence     
n.傲慢;无礼;厚颜;傲慢的态度
参考例句:
  • I've had enough of your insolence, and I'm having no more. 我受够了你的侮辱,不能再容忍了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • How can you suffer such insolence? 你怎么能容忍这种蛮横的态度? 来自《简明英汉词典》
105 tonic tnYwt     
n./adj.滋补品,补药,强身的,健体的
参考例句:
  • It will be marketed as a tonic for the elderly.这将作为老年人滋补品在市场上销售。
  • Sea air is Nature's best tonic for mind and body.海上的空气是大自然赋予的对人们身心的最佳补品。
106 prospects fkVzpY     
n.希望,前途(恒为复数)
参考例句:
  • There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
  • They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
107 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
108 meddled 982e90620b7d0b2256cdf4782c24285e     
v.干涉,干预(他人事务)( meddle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Someone has meddled with the photographs I laid out so carefully. 有人把我精心布置的照片弄乱了。 来自辞典例句
  • The gifts of charity meddled with a man's private affair. 慈善团体的帮助实际上是干涉私人的事务。 来自互联网
109 candidly YxwzQ1     
adv.坦率地,直率而诚恳地
参考例句:
  • He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
  • Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫,说实话我认为你不讲道理。
110 haughtily haughtily     
adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地
参考例句:
  • She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
  • Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯,走到二楼,我刚好站在那儿。
111 tartly 0gtzl5     
adv.辛辣地,刻薄地
参考例句:
  • She finished by tartly pointing out that he owed her some money. 她最后刻薄地指出他欠她一些钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Kay said tartly, "And you're more Yankee than Italian. 恺酸溜溜他说:“可你哪,与其说是意大利人,还不如说是新英格兰人。 来自教父部分
112 scarcity jZVxq     
n.缺乏,不足,萧条
参考例句:
  • The scarcity of skilled workers is worrying the government.熟练工人的缺乏困扰着政府。
  • The scarcity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果供不应求是由于干旱造成的。
113 commonsense aXpyp     
adj.有常识的;明白事理的;注重实际的
参考例句:
  • It is commonsense to carry an umbrella in this weather.这种天气带把伞是很自然的。
  • These results are no more than a vindication of commonsense analysis.这些结果只不过是按常理分析得出的事实。
114 lank f9hzd     
adj.瘦削的;稀疏的
参考例句:
  • He rose to lank height and grasped Billy McMahan's hand.他瘦削的身躯站了起来,紧紧地握住比利·麦默恩的手。
  • The old man has lank hair.那位老人头发稀疏
115 devoid dZzzx     
adj.全无的,缺乏的
参考例句:
  • He is completely devoid of humour.他十分缺乏幽默。
  • The house is totally devoid of furniture.这所房子里什么家具都没有。
116 prominence a0Mzw     
n.突出;显著;杰出;重要
参考例句:
  • He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
  • This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。
117 debtors 0fb9580949754038d35867f9c80e3c15     
n.债务人,借方( debtor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Never in a debtors' prison? 从没有因债务坐过牢么? 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
118 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
119 pounce 4uAyU     
n.猛扑;v.猛扑,突然袭击,欣然同意
参考例句:
  • Why do you pounce on every single thing I say?干吗我说的每句话你都要找麻烦?
  • We saw the tiger about to pounce on the goat.我们看见老虎要向那只山羊扑过去。
120 accurately oJHyf     
adv.准确地,精确地
参考例句:
  • It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
  • Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。
121 longing 98bzd     
n.(for)渴望
参考例句:
  • Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
  • His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
122 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
123 bide VWTzo     
v.忍耐;等候;住
参考例句:
  • We'll have to bide our time until the rain stops.我们必须等到雨停。
  • Bide here for a while. 请在这儿等一会儿。
124 creek 3orzL     
n.小溪,小河,小湾
参考例句:
  • He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
  • People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。
125 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的
参考例句:
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
126 flattens f3ea5b71164f77bebebca23ad58479b4     
变平,使(某物)变平( flatten的第三人称单数 ); 彻底打败某人,使丢脸; 停止增长(或上升); (把身体或身体部位)紧贴…
参考例句:
  • After Oxford the countryside flattens out. 过了牛津以远乡村逐渐平坦。
  • The graph flattens out gradually after a steep fall. 图表上的曲线突降之后逐渐趋于平稳。
127 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的;巨大的
参考例句:
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
128 lesser UpxzJL     
adj.次要的,较小的;adv.较小地,较少地
参考例句:
  • Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
  • She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及,但程度较轻。
129 venom qLqzr     
n.毒液,恶毒,痛恨
参考例句:
  • The snake injects the venom immediately after biting its prey.毒蛇咬住猎物之后马上注入毒液。
  • In fact,some components of the venom may benefit human health.事实上,毒液的某些成分可能有益于人类健康。
130 flattened 1d5d9fedd9ab44a19d9f30a0b81f79a8     
[医](水)平扁的,弄平的
参考例句:
  • She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
  • I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。
131 whining whining     
n. 抱怨,牢骚 v. 哭诉,发牢骚
参考例句:
  • That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
  • The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着(要进来)。
132 widower fe4z2a     
n.鳏夫
参考例句:
  • George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。
  • Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后,他终于决定二婚了。
133 cravat 7zTxF     
n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结
参考例句:
  • You're never fully dressed without a cravat.不打领结,就不算正装。
  • Mr. Kenge adjusting his cravat,then looked at us.肯吉先生整了整领带,然后又望着我们。
134 hogs 8a3a45e519faa1400d338afba4494209     
n.(尤指喂肥供食用的)猪( hog的名词复数 );(供食用的)阉公猪;彻底地做某事;自私的或贪婪的人
参考例句:
  • 'sounds like -- like hogs grunting. “像——像是猪发出的声音。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
  • I hate the way he hogs down his food. 我讨厌他那副狼吞虎咽的吃相。 来自辞典例句
135 reconstruction 3U6xb     
n.重建,再现,复原
参考例句:
  • The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后,该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
  • In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期,技术决定一切。
136 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦
参考例句:
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
137 permissible sAIy1     
adj.可允许的,许可的
参考例句:
  • Is smoking permissible in the theatre?在剧院里允许吸烟吗?
  • Delay is not permissible,even for a single day.不得延误,即使一日亦不可。
138 smack XEqzV     
vt.拍,打,掴;咂嘴;vi.含有…意味;n.拍
参考例句:
  • She gave him a smack on the face.她打了他一个嘴巴。
  • I gave the fly a smack with the magazine.我用杂志拍了一下苍蝇。
139 speck sFqzM     
n.微粒,小污点,小斑点
参考例句:
  • I have not a speck of interest in it.我对它没有任何兴趣。
  • The sky is clear and bright without a speck of cloud.天空晴朗,一星星云彩也没有。
140 waxy pgZwk     
adj.苍白的;光滑的
参考例句:
  • Choose small waxy potatoes for the salad.选些个头小、表皮光滑的土豆做色拉。
  • The waxy oil keeps ears from getting too dry.这些蜡状耳油可以保持耳朵不会太干燥。
141 fiddle GgYzm     
n.小提琴;vi.拉提琴;不停拨弄,乱动
参考例句:
  • She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。
  • Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。
142 disapprove 9udx3     
v.不赞成,不同意,不批准
参考例句:
  • I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
  • She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员,但她的父母不赞成。


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