Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories
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Miriam's LoverToC

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 I had been reading a ghost story to Mrs. Sefton, and I laid it down at the end with a little shrug1 of contempt.
 
"What utter nonsense!" I said.
 
Mrs. Sefton nodded abstractedly above her fancywork.
 
"That is. It is a very commonplace story indeed. I don't believe the spirits of the departed trouble themselves to revisit the glimpses of the moon for the purpose of frightening honest mortals—or even for the sake of hanging around the favourite haunts of their existence in the flesh. If they ever appear, it must be for a better reason than that."
 
"You don't surely think that they ever do appear?" I said incredulously.
 
"We have no proof that they do not, my dear."
 
"Surely, Mary," I exclaimed, "you don't mean to say that you believe people ever do or can see spirits—ghosts, as the word goes?"
 
"I didn't say I believed it. I never saw anything of the sort. I neither believe nor disbelieve. But you know queer things do happen at times—things you can't account for. At least, people who you know wouldn't lie say so. Of course, they may be mistaken. And I don't think that everybody can see spirits either, provided they are to be seen. It requires people of a certain organization—with a spiritual eye, as it were. We haven't all got that—in fact, I think very few of us have. I dare say you think I'm talking nonsense."
 
"Well, yes, I think you are. You really surprise me, Mary. I always thought you the least likely person in the world to take up with such ideas. Something must have come under your observation to develop such theories in your practical head. Tell me what it was."
 
"To what purpose? You would remain as sceptical as ever."
 
"Possibly not. Try me; I may be convinced."
 
"No," returned Mrs. Sefton calmly. "Nobody ever is convinced by hearsay2. When a person has once seen a spirit—or thinks he has—he thenceforth believes it. And when somebody else is intimately associated with that person and knows all the circumstances—well, he admits the possibility, at least. That is my position. But by the time it gets to the third person—the outsider—it loses power. Besides, in this particular instance the story isn't very exciting. But then—it's true."
 

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1 shrug Ry3w5     
v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)
参考例句：
  • With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。
  • I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。
2 hearsay 4QTzB     
n.谣传，风闻
参考例句：
  • They started to piece the story together from hearsay.他们开始根据传闻把事情的经过一点点拼湊起来。
  • You are only supposing this on hearsay.You have no proof.你只是根据传闻想像而已，并没有证据。
3 inexplicable tbCzf     
adj.无法解释的，难理解的
参考例句：
  • It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的，现在已经无法说清楚了。
  • There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。
4 tainted qgDzqS     
adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏
参考例句：
  • The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
  • He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 standing 2hCzgo     
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。
6 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
7 winsome HfTwx     
n.迷人的，漂亮的
参考例句：
  • She gave him her best winsome smile.她给了他一个最为迷人的微笑。
  • She was a winsome creature.她十分可爱。
8 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
9 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
10 contraction sn6yO     
n.缩略词，缩写式，害病
参考例句：
  • The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
  • The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。
11 betokened 375655c690bd96db4a8d7f827433e1e3     
v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Nothing betokened that the man know anything of what had occurred. 显然那个人还不知道已经发生了什么事。 来自互联网
  • He addressed a few angry words to her that betokened hostility. 他对她说了几句预示敌意的愤怒的话。 来自互联网
12 implored 0b089ebf3591e554caa381773b194ff1     
恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • She implored him to stay. 她恳求他留下。
  • She implored him with tears in her eyes to forgive her. 她含泪哀求他原谅她。
13 detest dm0zZ     
vt.痛恨，憎恶
参考例句：
  • I detest people who tell lies.我恨说谎的人。
  • The workers detest his overbearing manner.工人们很讨厌他那盛气凌人的态度。
14 inconvenient m4hy5     
adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的
参考例句：
  • You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
  • Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？
15 mischievously 23cd35e8c65a34bd7a6d7ecbff03b336     
adv.有害地；淘气地
参考例句：
  • He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
  • Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠，是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网
16 fret wftzl     
v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损
参考例句：
  • Don't fret.We'll get there on time.别着急，我们能准时到那里。
  • She'll fret herself to death one of these days.她总有一天会愁死的.
17 abominable PN5zs     
adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的
参考例句：
  • Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。
  • The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。
18 fretted 82ebd7663e04782d30d15d67e7c45965     
焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的
参考例句：
  • The wind whistled through the twigs and fretted the occasional, dirty-looking crocuses. 寒风穿过枯枝，有时把发脏的藏红花吹刮跑了。 来自英汉文学
  • The lady's fame for hitting the mark fretted him. 这位太太看问题深刻的名声在折磨着他。
19 favourable favourable     
adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的
参考例句：
  • The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。
  • We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。
20 celebrated iwLzpz     
adj.有名的，声誉卓著的
参考例句：
  • He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
  • The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
21 shudder JEqy8     
v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动
参考例句：
  • The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
  • We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。
22 shudderingly 6bd08ef3d20ff11bc83adcaa37343066     
参考例句：
  • Shudderingly, she acknowledged to herself that she dared not face what lay before her. 她害怕地发抖，她承认自己不敢面对眼前的一切。 来自互联网
23 queried 5c2c5662d89da782d75e74125d6f6932     
v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问
参考例句：
  • She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
24 frankly fsXzcf     
adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说
参考例句：
  • To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
  • Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

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