选择字号:【大】【中】【小】 | 关灯
护眼
|
A Wayside Comedy
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment1, therefore the misery2 of man is great upon him.
— Eccles. viii. 6.
Fate and the Government of India have turned the Station of Kashima into a prison; and, because there is no help for the poor souls who are now lying there in torment3, I write this story, praying that the Government of India may be moved to scatter4 the European population to the four winds.
Kashima is bounded on all sides by the rocktipped circle of the Dosehri hills. In Spring, it is ablaze5 with roses; in Summer, the roses die and the hot winds blow from the hills; in Autumn, the white mists from the jhils cover the place as with water, and in Winter the frosts nip everything young and tender to earth-level. There is but one view in Kashima a stretch of perfectly6 flat pasture and plough-land, running up to the gray-blue scrub of the Dosehri hills.
There are no amusements, except snipe and tiger shooting; but the tigers have been long since hunted from their lairs8 in the rock-caves, and the snipe only come once a year. Narkarra one hundred and forty-three miles by road is the nearest station to Kashima. But Kashima never goes to Narkarra, where there are at least twelve English people. It stays within the circle of the Dosehri hills.
All Kashima acquits9 Mrs. Vansuythen of any intention to do harm; but all Kashima knows that she, and she alone, brought about their pain.
Boulte, the Engineer, Mrs. Boulte, and Captain Kurrell know this. They are the English population of Kashima, if we except Major Vansuythen, who is of no importance whatever, and Mrs. Vansuythen, who is the most important of all.
You must remember, though you will not understand, that all laws weaken in a small and hidden community where there is no public opinion. When a man is absolutely alone in a Station he runs a certain risk of falling into evil ways. This risk is multiplied by every addition to the population up to twelve the Jury-number. After that, fear and consequent restraint begin, and human action becomes less
点击
收听单词发音

1
judgment
![]() |
|
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2
misery
![]() |
|
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3
torment
![]() |
|
n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4
scatter
![]() |
|
vt.撒,驱散,散开;散布/播;vi.分散,消散 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5
ablaze
![]() |
|
adj.着火的,燃烧的;闪耀的,灯火辉煌的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6
perfectly
![]() |
|
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7
ted
![]() |
|
vt.翻晒,撒,撒开 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8
lairs
![]() |
|
n.(野兽的)巢穴,窝( lair的名词复数 );(人的)藏身处 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9
acquits
![]() |
|
宣判…无罪( acquit的第三人称单数 ); 使(自己)作出某种表现 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10
grotesquely
![]() |
|
adv. 奇异地,荒诞地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11
perverse
![]() |
|
adj.刚愎的;坚持错误的,行为反常的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12
intelligible
![]() |
|
adj.可理解的,明白易懂的,清楚的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13
wan
![]() |
|
(wide area network)广域网 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14
etiquette
![]() |
|
n.礼仪,礼节;规矩 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15
masonry
![]() |
|
n.砖土建筑;砖石 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16
waded
![]() |
|
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17
pretence
![]() |
|
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18
civilisation
![]() |
|
n.文明,文化,开化,教化 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19
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: |
|
|
20
sobs
![]() |
|
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21
streaked
![]() |
|
adj.有条斑纹的,不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 );使布满条纹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22
folly
![]() |
|
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23
truthfulness
![]() |
|
n. 符合实际 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24
distress
![]() |
|
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25
contrition
![]() |
|
n.悔罪,痛悔 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26
gulp
![]() |
|
vt.吞咽,大口地吸(气);vi.哽住;n.吞咽 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27
pony
![]() |
|
adj.小型的;n.小马 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28
hysterical
![]() |
|
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29
desperately
![]() |
|
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30
rustled
![]() |
|
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31
gasp
![]() |
|
n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32
brute
![]() |
|
n.野兽,兽性 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33
wrath
![]() |
|
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34
impenitent
![]() |
|
adj.不悔悟的,顽固的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35
jealousy
![]() |
|
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36
meditations
![]() |
|
默想( meditation的名词复数 ); 默念; 沉思; 冥想 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37
mashing
![]() |
|
捣碎 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38
liar
![]() |
|
n.说谎的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39
groaned
![]() |
|
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40
idiotic
![]() |
|
adj.白痴的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41
killing
![]() |
|
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42
decency
![]() |
|
n.体面,得体,合宜,正派,庄重 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43
wincing
![]() |
|
赶紧避开,畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44
havoc
![]() |
|
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45
retaliate
![]() |
|
v.报复,反击 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46
humiliated
![]() |
|
感到羞愧的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47
honourable
![]() |
|
adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48
virtuous
![]() |
|
adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49
captivity
![]() |
|
n.囚禁;被俘;束缚 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50
abruptly
![]() |
|
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51
wondrous
![]() |
|
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52
fixed
![]() |
|
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53
bent
![]() |
|
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54
scarlet
![]() |
|
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55
reins
![]() |
|
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56
abominably
![]() |
|
adv. 可恶地,可恨地,恶劣地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57
brutally
![]() |
|
adv.残忍地,野蛮地,冷酷无情地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58
rattled
![]() |
|
慌乱的,恼火的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59
embarrassment
![]() |
|
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60
wont
![]() |
|
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61
remarkably
![]() |
|
ad.不同寻常地,相当地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62
bungalows
![]() |
|
n.平房( bungalow的名词复数 );单层小屋,多于一层的小屋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63
unearthing
![]() |
|
发掘或挖出某物( unearth的现在分词 ); 搜寻到某事物,发现并披露 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64
twilight
![]() |
|
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65
simplicity
![]() |
|
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66
digestion
![]() |
|
n.消化,吸收 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67
tune
![]() |
|
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68
geniality
![]() |
|
n.和蔼,诚恳;愉快 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69
vow
![]() |
|
n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70
semblance
![]() |
|
n.外貌,外表 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71
hatred
![]() |
|
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72
bosom
![]() |
|
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73
awakens
![]() |
|
v.(使)醒( awaken的第三人称单数 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
74
detests
![]() |
|
v.憎恶,嫌恶,痛恨( detest的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
75
gallant
![]() |
|
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
76
verge
![]() |
|
n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
77
miserable
![]() |
|
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
上一章:
At the Pit’s Mouth
下一章:
The Hill of Illusion
©英文小说网 2005-2010