A high and narrow gate of carefully joined boards, standing² ajar in a fence of the same construction! What is there in this to rouse a whole neighbourhood and collect before it a group of eager, anxious, hesitating people?

I will tell you.

This fence is no ordinary fence, and this gate no ordinary gate; nor is the fact of the latter standing a trifle open, one to be lightly regarded or taken an inconsiderate advantage of. For this is Judge Ostrander’s place, and any one who knows Shelby or the gossip of its suburbs, knows that this house of his has not opened its doors to any outsider, man or woman, for over a dozen years; nor have his gates — in saying which, I include the great one in front — been seen in all that time to gape³ at any one’s instance or to stand unclosed to public intrusion, no, not for a moment. The seclusion⁴ sought was absolute. The men and women who passed and repassed this corner many times a day were as ignorant as the townspeople in general of what lay behind the grey, monotonous⁵ exterior⁶ of the weather-beaten boards they so frequently brushed against. The house was there, of course,— they all knew the house, or did once — but there were rumours⁷ (no one ever knew how they originated) of another fence, a second barrier, standing a few feet inside the first and similar to it in all respects, even to the gates which corresponded exactly with these outer and visible ones and probably were just as fully¹ provided with bolts and bars.

To be sure, these were reports rather than acknowledged facts, but the possibility of their truth roused endless wonder and gave to the eccentricities⁸ of this well-known man a mysterious significance which lost little or nothing in the slow passage of years.

And now! in the freshness of this summer morning, without warning or any seeming reason for the change, the strict habit of years has been broken into and this gate of gates is not only standing unlocked before their eyes, but a woman — a stranger to the town as her very act shows — has been seen to enter there!— to enter, but not come out; which means that she must still be inside, and possibly in the very presence of the judge.

点击收听单词发音  

1 fully
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。

2 standing
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。

3 gape
v.张口，打呵欠，目瞪口呆地凝视
参考例句：
His secretary stopped taking notes to gape at me.他的秘书停止了记录，目瞪口呆地望着我。 He was not the type to wander round gaping at everything like a tourist.他不是那种像个游客似的四处闲逛、对什么都好奇张望的人。

4 seclusion
n.隐遁，隔离
参考例句：
She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。 I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。

5 monotonous
adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的
参考例句：
She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。 His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。

6 exterior
adj.外部的，外在的；表面的
参考例句：
The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。 We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

7 rumours
n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传
参考例句：
The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。 Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

8 eccentricities
n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖
参考例句：
My wife has many eccentricities. 我妻子有很多怪癖。 来自《简明英汉词典》 His eccentricities had earned for him the nickname"The Madman". 他的怪癖已使他得到'疯子'的绰号。 来自辞典例句

9 awe
n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧
参考例句：
The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。 The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

10 redoubtable
adj.可敬的；可怕的
参考例句：
He is a redoubtable fighter.他是一位可敬的战士。 Whose only defense is their will and redoubtable spirit.他们唯一的国防是他们的意志和可怕的精神。

11 bribe
n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通
参考例句：
He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。 He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

12 virtue
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
参考例句：
He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。 You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

13 pebble
n.卵石，小圆石
参考例句：
The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。 The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。

14 fascination
n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋
参考例句：
He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。 His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

15 motif
n.(图案的)基本花纹，(衣服的)花边；主题
参考例句：
Alienation is a central motif in her novels.疏离感是她小说的一个重要的主题。 The jacket has a rose motif on the collar.这件夹克衫领子上有一朵玫瑰花的图案。

16 intruding
v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于
参考例句：
Does he find his new celebrity intruding on his private life? 他是否感觉到他最近的成名侵扰了他的私生活？ After a few hours of fierce fighting,we saw the intruding bandits off. 经过几小时的激烈战斗，我们赶走了入侵的匪徒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 revered
v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

18 abode
n.住处，住所
参考例句：
It was ten months before my father discovered his abode.父亲花了十个月的功夫，才好不容易打听到他的住处。 Welcome to our humble abode!欢迎光临寒舍！

19 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

20 ordeal
n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验
参考例句：
She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。 Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

21 condemnation
n.谴责; 定罪
参考例句：
There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。 The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

22 waylaid
v.拦截，拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I got waylaid on my way here. 我在来这里的路上遭到了拦路抢劫。 He was waylaid by thieves. 他在路上被抢了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

23 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

24 sociability
n.好交际，社交性，善于交际
参考例句：
A fire of withered pine boughs added sociability to the gathering. 枯松枝生起的篝火给这次聚合增添了随和、友善的气氛。 来自辞典例句 A certain sociability degree is a specific character of most plants. 特定的群集度是多数植物特有的特征。 来自辞典例句

25 isolated
adj.与世隔绝的
参考例句：
His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。 Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

26 sundering
v.隔开，分开( sunder的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Where were now her discreet plans for sundering their lives for ever? 现在，她那个考虑周到的永远斩断他们之间生活联系的计划哪里去了呢？ 来自辞典例句

27 wreck
n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难
参考例句：
Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。 No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

28 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

29 recluse
n.隐居者
参考例句：
The old recluse secluded himself from the outside world.这位老隐士与外面的世界隔绝了。 His widow became a virtual recluse for the remainder of her life.他的寡妻孤寂地度过了余生。

30 judicial
adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的
参考例句：
He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。 Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

31 scrupulous
adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的
参考例句：
She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。 Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

32 formerly
adv.从前，以前
参考例句：
We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。 This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

33 mellowness
成熟； 芳醇； 肥沃； 怡然
参考例句：
I love these colours because they symbolize mellowness, abundance, strength and happiness. 我喜欢这秋色，因为它表示着成熟、昌盛和繁荣，也意味着愉快、欢乐和富强。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文 The mellowness of the cuckoo report the come of spring. 杜鹃甜美的叫声报告了春天的来临。

34 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

35 awakened
v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到
参考例句：
She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。 The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 marred
adj. 被损毁, 污损的
参考例句：
The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。 Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

37 invective
n.痛骂，恶意抨击
参考例句：
He retorted the invective on her.他用恶言讽刺还击她。 His command of irony and invective was said to be very classic and lethal.据说他嬉笑怒骂的本领是极其杰出的，令人无法招架的。

38 accost
v.向人搭话，打招呼
参考例句：
He ruminated on his defenses before he should accost her father.他在与她父亲搭话前，仔细地考虑着他的防范措施。 They have been assigned to accost strangers and extract secrets from them.他们被指派去与生疏人搭讪从并从他们那里套出奥秘。

39 waylay
v.埋伏，伏击
参考例句：
She lingered outside the theater to waylay him after the show.她在戏院外面徘徊想在演出之后拦住他说话。 The trucks are being waylaid by bandits.卡车被强盗拦了下来。

40 presumption
n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定
参考例句：
Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。 I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

41 incurred
[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式
参考例句：
She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。 We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

42 peculiarities
n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪
参考例句：
the cultural peculiarities of the English 英国人的文化特点 He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another. 他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

43 rupture
n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂
参考例句：
I can rupture a rule for a friend.我可以为朋友破一次例。 The rupture of a blood vessel usually cause the mark of a bruise.血管的突然破裂往往会造成外伤的痕迹。

44 isolation
n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离
参考例句：
The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。 He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

45 dissimulation
n.掩饰，虚伪，装糊涂
参考例句：
A habit of dissimulation is a hindrance, and a poorness to him. 在他这样的一个人，一种掩饰的习惯是一种阻挠，一个弱点。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Still we have our limits beyond which we call dissimulation treachery. 不过我们仍然有自己的限度，超过这个界限，就是虚伪与背信弃义。 来自辞典例句

46 inquiry
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。 The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。