It was night. She lay in the narrow, crimson1-draped bed. The heavy crimson curtains had been drawn2 across the dirty lace curtains of the window, but the lights of the little square faintly penetrated3 through chinks into the room. The sounds of the square also penetrated, extraordinarily4 loud and clear, for the unabated heat had compelled her to leave the window open. She could not sleep. Exhausted6 though she was, there was no hope of her being able to sleep.
Once again she was profoundly depressed7. She remembered the dinner with horror. The long, crowded table, with semi-circular ends, in the oppressive and reeking8 dining-room lighted by oil-lamps! There must have been at least forty people at that table. Most of them ate disgustingly, as noisily as pigs, with the ends of the large coarse napkins tucked in at their necks. All the service was done by the fat woman whom she had seen at the window with Gerald, and a young girl whose demeanour was candidly9 brazen10. Both these creatures were slatterns. Everything was dirty. But the food was good. Chirac and Gerald were agreed that the food was good, as well as the wine. "Remarquable!" Chirac had said, of the wine. Sophia, however, could neither eat nor drink with relish11. She was afraid. The company shocked her by its gestures alone. It was very heterogeneous12 in appearance, some of the diners being well dressed, approaching elegance13, and others shabby. But all the faces, to the youngest, were brutalized, corrupt14, and shameless. The juxtaposition15 of old men and young women was odious16 to her, especially when those pairs kissed, as they did frequently towards the end of the meal. Happily she was placed between Chirac and Gerald. That situation seemed to shelter her even from the conversation. She would have comprehended nothing of the conversation, had it not been for the presence of a middle-aged17 Englishman who sat at the opposite end of the table with a youngish, stylish18 Frenchwoman whom she had seen at Sylvain's on the previous night. The Englishman was evidently under a promise to teach English to the Frenchwoman. He kept translating for her into English, slowly and distinctly, and she would repeat the phrases after him, with strange contortions19 of the mouth.
Thus Sophia gathered that the talk was exclusively about assassinations20, executions, criminals, and executioners. Some of the people there made a practice of attending every execution. They were fountains of interesting gossip, and the lions of the meal. There was a woman who could recall the dying words of all the victims of justice for twenty years past. The table roared with hysteric laughter at one of this woman's anecdotes21. Sophia learned that she had related how a criminal had said to the priest who was good-naturedly trying to screen the sight of the guillotine from him with his body: "Stand away now, parson. Haven't I paid to see it?" Such was the Englishman's rendering22. The wages of the executioners and their assistants were discussed, and differences of opinions led to ferocious23 arguments. A young and dandiacal fellow told, as a fact which he was ready to vouch24 for with a pistol, how Cora Pearl, the renowned25 English courtesan, had through her influence over a prefect of police succeeded in visiting a criminal alone in his cell during the night preceding his execution, and had only quitted him an hour before the final summons. The tale won the honours of the dinner. It was regarded as truly impressive, and inevitably26 it led to the general inquiry27: what could the highest personages in the empire see to admire in that red-haired Englishwoman? And of course Rivain himself, the handsome homicide, the centre and hero of the fete, was never long out of the conversation. Several of the diners had seen him; one or two knew him and could give amazing details of his prowess as a man of pleasure. Despite his crime, he seemed to be the object of sincere idolatry. It was said positively28 that a niece of his victim had been promised a front place at the execution.
Apropos29 of this, Sophia gathered, to her intense astonishment30 and alarm, that the prison was close by and that the execution would take place at the corner of the square itself in which the hotel was situated31. Gerald must have known; he had hidden it from her. She regarded him sideways, with distrust. As the dinner finished, Gerald's pose of a calm, disinterested32, scientific observer of humanity gradually broke down. He could not maintain it in front of the increasing license33 of the scene round the table. He was at length somewhat ashamed of having exposed his wife to the view of such an orgy; his restless glance carefully avoided both Sophia and Chirac. The latter, whose unaffected simplicity34 of interest in the affair had more than anything helped to keep Sophia in countenance35, observed the change in Gerald and Sophia's excessive discomfort36, and suggested that they should leave the table without waiting for the coffee. Gerald agreed quickly. Thus had Sophia been released from the horror of the dinner. She did not understand how a man so thoughtful and kindly37 as Chirac--he had bidden her good night with the most distinguished38 courtesy--could tolerate, much less pleasurably savour, the gluttonous39, drunken, and salacious debauchery of the Hotel de Vezelay; but his theory was, so far as she could judge from his imperfect English, that whatever existed might be admitted and examined by serious persons interested in the study of human nature. His face seemed to say: "Why not?" His face seemed to say to Gerald and to herself: "If this incommodes you, what did you come for?"
Gerald had left her at the bedroom door with a self-conscious nod. She had partly undressed and lain down, and instantly the hotel had transformed itself into a kind of sounding-box. It was as if, beneath and within all the noises of the square, every movement in the hotel reached her ears through cardboard walls: distant shoutings and laughter below; rattlings of crockery below; stampings up and down stairs; stealthy creepings up and down stairs; brusque calls; fragments of song, whisperings; long sighs suddenly stifled40; mysterious groans41 as of torture, broken by a giggle42; quarrels and bickering,--she was spared nothing in the strangely resonant43 darkness.
Then there came out of the little square a great uproar44 and commotion45, with shrieks46, and under the shrieks a confused din5. In vain she pressed her face into the pillow and listened to the irregular, prodigious47 noise of her eyelashes as they scraped the rough linen48. The thought had somehow introduced itself into her head that she must arise and go to the window and see all that was to be seen. She resisted. She said to herself that the idea was absurd, that she did not wish to go to the window. Nevertheless, while arguing with herself, she well knew that resistance to the thought was useless and that ultimately her legs would obey its command.
When ultimately she yielded to the fascination49 and went to the window and pulled aside one of the curtains, she had a feeling of relief. The cool, grey beginnings of dawn were in the sky, and every detail of the square was visible. Without exception all the windows were wide open and filled with sightseers. In the background of many windows were burning candles or lamps that the far distant approach of the sun was already killing50. In front of these, on the frontier of two mingling51 lights, the attentive52 figures of the watchers were curiously53 silhouetted54. On the red- tiled roofs, too, was a squatted55 population. Below, a troop of gendarmes56, mounted on caracoling horses stretched in line across the square, was gradually sweeping57 the entire square of a packed, gesticulating, cursing crowd. The operation of this immense besom was very slow. As the spaces of the square were cleared they began to be dotted by privileged persons, journalists or law officers or their friends, who walked to and fro in conscious pride; among them Sophia descried58 Gerald and Chirac, strolling arm-in-arm and talking to two elaborately clad girls, who were also arm-in-arm.
Then she saw a red reflection coming from one of the side streets of which she had a vista59; it was the swinging lantern of a waggon60 drawn by a gaunt grey horse. The vehicle stopped at the end of the square from which the besom had started, and it was immediately surrounded by the privileged, who, however, were soon persuaded to stand away. The crowd amassed61 now at the principal inlets of the square, gave a formidable cry and burst into the refrain--
"Le voila! Nicolas! Ah! Ah! Ah!"
The clamour became furious as a group of workmen in blue blouses drew piece by piece all the components62 of the guillotine from the waggon and laid them carefully on the ground, under the superintendence of a man in a black frock-coat and a silk hat with broad flat brims; a little fussy63 man of nervous gestures. And presently the red columns had risen upright from the ground and were joined at the top by an acrobatic climber. As each part was bolted and screwed to the growing machine the man in the high hat carefully tested it. In a short time that seemed very long, the guillotine was finished save for the triangular64 steel blade which lay shining on the ground, a cynosure65. The executioner pointed66 to it, and two men picked it up and slipped it into its groove67, and hoisted68 it to the summit of the machine. The executioner peered at it interminably amid a universal silence. Then he actuated the mechanism69, and the mass of metal fell with a muffled70, reverberating71 thud. There were a few faint shrieks, blended together, and then an overpowering racket of cheers, shouts, hootings, and fragments of song. The blade was again lifted, instantly reproducing silence, and again it fell, liberating72 a new bedlam73. The executioner made a movement of satisfaction. Many women at the windows clapped enthusiastically, and the gendarmes had to fight brutally74 against the fierce pressure of the crowd. The workmen doffed75 their blouses and put on coats, and Sophia was disturbed to see them coming in single file towards the hotel, followed by the executioner in the silk hat.
1 crimson | |
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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2 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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3 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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4 extraordinarily | |
adv.格外地;极端地 | |
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5 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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6 exhausted | |
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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7 depressed | |
adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的 | |
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8 reeking | |
v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的现在分词 );散发臭气;发出难闻的气味 (of sth);明显带有(令人不快或生疑的跡象) | |
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9 candidly | |
adv.坦率地,直率而诚恳地 | |
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10 brazen | |
adj.厚脸皮的,无耻的,坚硬的 | |
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11 relish | |
n.滋味,享受,爱好,调味品;vt.加调味料,享受,品味;vi.有滋味 | |
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12 heterogeneous | |
adj.庞杂的;异类的 | |
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13 elegance | |
n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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14 corrupt | |
v.贿赂,收买;adj.腐败的,贪污的 | |
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15 juxtaposition | |
n.毗邻,并置,并列 | |
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16 odious | |
adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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17 middle-aged | |
adj.中年的 | |
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18 stylish | |
adj.流行的,时髦的;漂亮的,气派的 | |
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19 contortions | |
n.扭歪,弯曲;扭曲,弄歪,歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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20 assassinations | |
n.暗杀( assassination的名词复数 ) | |
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21 anecdotes | |
n.掌故,趣闻,轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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22 rendering | |
n.表现,描写 | |
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23 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
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24 vouch | |
v.担保;断定;n.被担保者 | |
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25 renowned | |
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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26 inevitably | |
adv.不可避免地;必然发生地 | |
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27 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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28 positively | |
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实 | |
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29 apropos | |
adv.恰好地;adj.恰当的;关于 | |
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30 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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31 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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32 disinterested | |
adj.不关心的,不感兴趣的 | |
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33 license | |
n.执照,许可证,特许;v.许可,特许 | |
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34 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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35 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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36 discomfort | |
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便 | |
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37 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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38 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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39 gluttonous | |
adj.贪吃的,贪婪的 | |
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40 stifled | |
(使)窒息, (使)窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 ); 镇压,遏制; 堵 | |
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41 groans | |
n.呻吟,叹息( groan的名词复数 );呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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42 giggle | |
n.痴笑,咯咯地笑;v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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43 resonant | |
adj.(声音)洪亮的,共鸣的 | |
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44 uproar | |
n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
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45 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
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46 shrieks | |
n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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47 prodigious | |
adj.惊人的,奇妙的;异常的;巨大的;庞大的 | |
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48 linen | |
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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49 fascination | |
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋 | |
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50 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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51 mingling | |
adj.混合的 | |
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52 attentive | |
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的 | |
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53 curiously | |
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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54 silhouetted | |
显出轮廓的,显示影像的 | |
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55 squatted | |
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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56 gendarmes | |
n.宪兵,警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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57 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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58 descried | |
adj.被注意到的,被发现的,被看到的 | |
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59 vista | |
n.远景,深景,展望,回想 | |
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60 waggon | |
n.运货马车,运货车;敞篷车箱 | |
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61 amassed | |
v.积累,积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62 components | |
(机器、设备等的)构成要素,零件,成分; 成分( component的名词复数 ); [物理化学]组分; [数学]分量; (混合物的)组成部分 | |
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63 fussy | |
adj.为琐事担忧的,过分装饰的,爱挑剔的 | |
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64 triangular | |
adj.三角(形)的,三者间的 | |
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65 cynosure | |
n.焦点 | |
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66 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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67 groove | |
n.沟,槽;凹线,(刻出的)线条,习惯 | |
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68 hoisted | |
把…吊起,升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69 mechanism | |
n.机械装置;机构,结构 | |
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70 muffled | |
adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己) | |
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71 reverberating | |
回响,回荡( reverberate的现在分词 ); 使反响,使回荡,使反射 | |
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72 liberating | |
解放,释放( liberate的现在分词 ) | |
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73 bedlam | |
n.混乱,骚乱;疯人院 | |
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74 brutally | |
adv.残忍地,野蛮地,冷酷无情地 | |
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75 doffed | |
v.脱去,(尤指)脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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