Three hours later, an agitated¹ confab took place at the gate, or rather between the two front gates. Mr. Black had rung for admittance, and Mrs. Scoville had answered the call. In the constrained² interview which followed, these words were said:

“One moment, Mrs. Scoville. How can I tell the judge! Young Ostrander is gone — flew the city, and I can get no clew to his whereabouts. Some warning of what is happening here may have reached him, or he may be simply following impulses consequent upon his personal disappointments; but the fact is just this — he asked for two weeks’ leave to go West upon business,— and he’s been gone three. Meanwhile, no word has come, nor can his best friends tell the place of his destination. I have been burning the telegraph wires ever since the first despatch³, and this is the result.”

“Poor Judge Ostrander!” Then, in lower and still more pathetic tones, “Poor Reuther!”

“Where is Reuther?”

“At Miss Weeks’. I had to command her to leave me alone with the judge. It’s the first time I ever spoke⁴ unkindly to her.”

“Shall I tell the judge the result of his telegram, or will you?”

“Have you the messages with you?”

He bundled them into her hand.

“I will hand them in to him. We can do nothing less and nothing more. Then if he wants you, I will telephone.”

“Mrs. Scoville?”

She felt his hand laid softly on her shoulder.

“Yes, Mr. Black.”

“There is some one else in this matter to consider besides Judge Ostrander.”

“Reuther? Oh, don’t I know it! She’s not out of my mind a moment.”

“Reuther is young, and has a gallant⁶ soul. I mean you, Mrs. Scoville, you! You are not to succumb⁷ to this trial. You have a future — a bright future — or should have. Do not endanger it by giving up all your strength now. It’s precious, that strength, or would be —”

He broke off; she began to move away. Overhead in the narrow space of sky visible to them from where they stood, the stars burned brightly. Some instinct made them look up; as they did so, their hands met. Then a gruff sound broke the silence. It was Alanson Black’s voice uttering a grim farewell.

点击收听单词发音  

1 agitated
adj.被鼓动的，不安的
参考例句：
His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。 She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

2 constrained
adj.束缚的,节制的
参考例句：
The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。 I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

3 despatch
n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道
参考例句：
The despatch of the task force is purely a contingency measure.派出特遣部队纯粹是应急之举。 He rushed the despatch through to headquarters.他把急件赶送到总部。

4 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

6 gallant
adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句：
Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。 These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

7 succumb
v.屈服，屈从；死
参考例句：
They will never succumb to the enemies.他们决不向敌人屈服。 Will business leaders succumb to these ideas?商业领袖们会被这些观点折服吗？

8 manly
adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地
参考例句：
The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。 He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

9 forestall
vt.抢在…之前采取行动；预先阻止
参考例句：
I left the room to forestall involvements.我抢先离开了这房间以免受牵累。 He followed this rule in order to forestall rumors.他遵守这条规矩是为了杜绝流言蜚语。

10 hermit
n.隐士，修道者；隐居
参考例句：
He became a hermit after he was dismissed from office.他被解职后成了隐士。 Chinese ancient landscape poetry was in natural connections with hermit culture.中国古代山水诗与隐士文化有着天然联系。

11 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。

12 lessen
vt.减少，减轻；缩小
参考例句：
Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。 They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

13 adjourned
（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。 The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

14 adviser
n.劝告者，顾问
参考例句：
They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。 Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

15 swelling
n.肿胀
参考例句：
Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。 There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

16 suspense
n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑
参考例句：
The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。 The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

17 gratitude
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。

18 lesser
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。

19 treatise
n.专著；(专题)论文
参考例句：
The doctor wrote a treatise on alcoholism.那位医生写了一篇关于酗酒问题的论文。 This is not a treatise on statistical theory.这不是一篇有关统计理论的论文。

20 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。

21 lodge
v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆
参考例句：
Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？ I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

22 placid
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。

23 contemplated
adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式
参考例句：
The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。 The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。

24 secrete
vt.分泌；隐匿，使隐秘
参考例句：
The pores of your body secrete sweat.身上的毛孔分泌汗液。 Squirrels secrete a supply of nuts for winter.松鼠为准备过冬而藏坚果。

25 pretext
n.借口，托词
参考例句：
He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。 He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

26 eloquent
adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的
参考例句：
He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。 These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

27 soften
v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和
参考例句：
Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。 This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

28 anticipation
n.预期，预料，期望
参考例句：
We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。 The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

29 triumphant
adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的
参考例句：
The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。 There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

30 jaunty
adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意
参考例句：
She cocked her hat at a jaunty angle.她把帽子歪戴成俏皮的样子。 The happy boy walked with jaunty steps.这个快乐的孩子以轻快活泼的步子走着。

31 complaisant
adj.顺从的，讨好的
参考例句：
He has a pretty and complaisant wife.他有个漂亮又温顺的妻子。 He is complaisant to her.他对她百依百顺。

32 scent
n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉
参考例句：
The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。 The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

33 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

34 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。