Above all, I saw the open window. I stared at it, conscious, as I did so, of a curious catching² of the breath. It was so near to me; so very near. I had but to stretch out my hand to thrust it through the aperture³. Once inside, my hand would at least be dry. How it rained out there! My scanty⁴ clothing was soaked; I was wet to the skin! I was shivering. And, each second, it seemed to rain still faster. My teeth were chattering⁵. The damp was liquefying the very marrow⁶ in my bones.

 

And, inside that open window, it was, it must be, so warm, so dry!

 

There was not a soul in sight. Not a human being anywhere near. I listened; there was not a sound. I alone was at the mercy of the sodden⁷ night. Of all God’s creatures the only one unsheltered from the fountains of Heaven which He had opened. There was not one to see what I might do; not one to care. I need fear no spy.

 

Perhaps the house was empty; nay⁸, probably. It was my plain duty to knock at the door, rouse the inmates⁹, and call attention to their oversight,—the open window. The least they could do would be to reward me for my pains. But, suppose the place was empty, what would be the use of knocking? It would be to make a useless clatter

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1 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。

2 catching
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。

3 aperture
n.孔，隙，窄的缺口
参考例句：
The only light came through a narrow aperture.仅有的光亮来自一个小孔。 We saw light through a small aperture in the wall.我们透过墙上的小孔看到了亮光。

4 scanty
adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的
参考例句：
There is scanty evidence to support their accusations.他们的指控证据不足。 The rainfall was rather scanty this month.这个月的雨量不足。

5 chattering
n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。 I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。

6 marrow
n.骨髓；精华；活力
参考例句：
It was so cold that he felt frozen to the marrow. 天气太冷了，他感到寒冷刺骨。 He was tired to the marrow of his bones.他真是累得筋疲力尽了。

7 sodden
adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑
参考例句：
We stripped off our sodden clothes.我们扒下了湿透的衣服。 The cardboard was sodden and fell apart in his hands.纸板潮得都发酥了，手一捏就碎。

8 nay
adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者
参考例句：
He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。 Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

9 inmates
n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )
参考例句：
One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 clatter
v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声
参考例句：
The dishes and bowls slid together with a clatter.碟子碗碰得丁丁当当的。 Don't clatter your knives and forks.别把刀叉碰得咔哒响。

11 ingratitude
n.忘恩负义
参考例句：
Tim's parents were rather hurt by his ingratitude.蒂姆的父母对他的忘恩负义很痛心。 His friends were shocked by his ingratitude to his parents.他对父母不孝，令他的朋友们大为吃惊。

12 inviting
adj.诱人的，引人注目的
参考例句：
An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。 The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

13 tempting
a.诱人的, 吸引人的
参考例句：
It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。 It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

14 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

15 crevice
n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口
参考例句：
I saw a plant growing out of a crevice in the wall.我看到墙缝里长出一棵草来。 He edged the tool into the crevice.他把刀具插进裂缝里。

16 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

17 emboldened
v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。 His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 plight
n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定
参考例句：
The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。 She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

19 bosom
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。 A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

20 punctilious
adj.谨慎的，谨小慎微的
参考例句：
He was a punctilious young man.他是个非常拘礼的年轻人。 Billy is punctilious in the performance of his duties.毕利执行任务总是一丝不苟的。

21 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

22 caressed
爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
His fingers caressed the back of her neck. 他的手指抚摩着她的后颈。 He caressed his wife lovingly. 他怜爱万分地抚摸着妻子。

23 puddly
adj.多泥水坑的
参考例句：

24 uneven
adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的
参考例句：
The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。 The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

25 ascertained
v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 partially
adv.部分地，从某些方面讲
参考例句：
The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。 The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

27 rapture
n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜
参考例句：
His speech was received with rapture by his supporters.他的演说受到支持者们的热烈欢迎。 In the midst of his rapture,he was interrupted by his father.他正欢天喜地，被他父亲打断了。

28 ostensible
adj.(指理由)表面的，假装的
参考例句：
The ostensible reason wasn't the real reason.表面上的理由并不是真正的理由。 He resigned secretaryship on the ostensible ground of health.他借口身体不好，辞去书记的职务。

29 faculties
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院
参考例句：
Although he's ninety, his mental faculties remain unimpaired. 他虽年届九旬，但头脑仍然清晰。 All your faculties have come into play in your work. 在你的工作中，你的全部才能已起到了作用。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 unnaturally
adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地
参考例句：
Her voice sounded unnaturally loud. 她的嗓音很响亮，但是有点反常。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Her eyes were unnaturally bright. 她的眼睛亮得不自然。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 persuasion
n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派
参考例句：
He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。 After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

32 organisation
n.组织，安排，团体，有机休
参考例句：
The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。 His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

33 paralysis
n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)
参考例句：
The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。 The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

34 physically
adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律
参考例句：
He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。 Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

35 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。

36 frenzy
n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动
参考例句：
He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。 They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

37 specks
n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Minutes later Brown spotted two specks in the ocean. 几分钟后布朗发现海洋中有两个小点。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821 Do you ever seem to see specks in front of your eyes? 你眼睛前面曾似乎看见过小点吗？ 来自辞典例句

38 squelching
v.发吧唧声，发扑哧声( squelch的现在分词 )；制止；压制；遏制
参考例句：
I could hear his broken shoes squelching in the water. 我可以听到他的破鞋在水中格喳格喳作响。 来自辞典例句 The armies got bogged down in the thick squelching mud. 军队都陷入泥沼中，行进时烂泥扑哧作声。 来自互联网

39 frantic
adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的
参考例句：
I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。 He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

40 longing
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。

41 humiliation
n.羞辱
参考例句：
He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。 He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

42 plunged
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降
参考例句：
The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。 She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

43 incapable
adj.无能力的，不能做某事的
参考例句：
He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。 Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

44 unevenly
adv.不均匀的
参考例句：
Fuel resources are very unevenly distributed. 燃料资源分布很不均匀。 The cloth is dyed unevenly. 布染花了。

45 nausea
n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶)
参考例句：
Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕期常有恶心的现象。 He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。

46 rendering
n.表现，描写
参考例句：
She gave a splendid rendering of Beethoven's piano sonata.她精彩地演奏了贝多芬的钢琴奏鸣曲。 His narrative is a super rendering of dialect speech and idiom.他的叙述是方言和土语最成功的运用。

47 ascend
vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上
参考例句：
We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher.我们看着飞机逐渐升高。 We ascend in the order of time and of development.我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。

48 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

49 perpendicular
adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置
参考例句：
The two lines of bones are set perpendicular to one another.这两排骨头相互垂直。 The wall is out of the perpendicular.这墙有些倾斜。

50 monstrous
adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的
参考例句：
The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。 Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

51 brace
n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备
参考例句：
My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。 You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

52 hearty
adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的
参考例句：
After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。 We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

53 positively
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。 The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

54 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

55 hue
n.色度；色调；样子
参考例句：
The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。 The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。

56 adhesive
n.粘合剂；adj.可粘着的，粘性的
参考例句：
You'll need a strong adhesive to mend that chair. 你需要一种粘性很强的东西来修理那把椅子。 Would you give me an adhesive stamp?请给我一枚带胶邮票好吗？

57 smelt
v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼
参考例句：
Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。 Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法，他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼，而改用焦炭。

58 unbearable
adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的
参考例句：
It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。 The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。

59 hideous
adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的
参考例句：
The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。 They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。

60 enveloped
v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She was enveloped in a huge white towel. 她裹在一条白色大毛巾里。 Smoke from the burning house enveloped the whole street. 燃烧着的房子冒出的浓烟笼罩了整条街。 来自《简明英汉词典》

61 myriad
adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量
参考例句：
They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.对于我们数不清的问题他们束手无策。 I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements.我花了三个星期做大量准备工作。

62 shrieking
v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They were all shrieking with laughter. 他们都发出了尖锐的笑声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

63 fatigues
n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服
参考例句：
The patient fatigues easily. 病人容易疲劳。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Instead of training the men were put on fatigues/fatigue duty. 那些士兵没有接受训练，而是派去做杂务。 来自辞典例句