IN a little provincial¹ town，in the house of a man who owned his own home， the whole family was sitting together in a circle one evening，in the time of the year when people say “the evenings are drawing in”.The weather was still mild and warmth lamp was lighted；the long cur-tans hung down in front of the windows，by which stood many flower－pots；and outside there was the most beautiful moonshine．But they were not talking about this．They were talking about the old great stone which lay below in the courtyard， close by the kitchen door， and on which the maids often laid the cleaned copper² kitchen utensils³ that they might dry in the sun，and where the children were fond of playing．It was，in fact，an old gravestone.

“Yes，” said the master of the house， “I believe the stone comes from the old convent church； for from the old convent church yonder，which was taken down，the pulpit，the memorial boards，and the gravestones were sold．My father bought several of the latter，and they were cut in two to be used as paving-stones；but that old stone was left over， and has been lying in the courtyard ever since．”

“One can very well see that it is a gravestone，”Bo－served the eldest⁴ of the children；“we can still see on it an hourglass and a piece of an angel；but the inscription⁵ which stood below it is almost quite effaced， except that you may read the name of Preen⁶，and a great S close be-hind it，and a little farther down the name of Martha．But nothing more can be distinguished，and even that is only plain when it has been raining，or when we have washed the stone．” “On my word，that must be the gravestone of Preen Sane⁷ and his wife！” These words were spoken by an old man；so old，that he might well have been the grandfather of all who were present in the room．

“Yes，they were one of the last pairs that were buried in the old churchyard of the convent． They were an honest old couple． I can remember them from the days of my boyhood. Every one knew them，and every one Es-teemed them． They were the oldest pair here in the town．The people declared that they had more than a tub－full of gold；and yet they went about very plainly dressed，in the coarsest stuffs， but always with splendidly clean linen．They were a fine old pair， Preen and Martha！When both of them sat on the bench at the top of the steep stone stairs in front of the house，with the old linden tree spreading its branches above them，and nodded at one in their kind gentle way，it seemed quite to do one good．They were very kind to the poor； they fed them and clothed them； and there was

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1 provincial
adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人
参考例句：
City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

2 copper
n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的
参考例句：
The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。 Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

3 utensils
器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物
参考例句：
Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。 Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

4 eldest
adj.最年长的，最年老的
参考例句：
The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。 The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

5 inscription
n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文
参考例句：
The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。 He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。

6 preen
v.（人）打扮修饰
参考例句：
50% of men under 35 spend at least 20 minutes preening themselves every morning in the bathroom.50%的35岁以下男性每天早上至少花20分钟在盥洗室精心打扮。 Bill preened his beard.比尔精心修剪了他的胡须。

7 sane
adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的
参考例句：
He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。 He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

8 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。

9 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。

10 pretexts
n.借口，托辞( pretext的名词复数 )
参考例句：
On various pretexts they all moved off. 他们以各种各样的借口纷纷离开了。 来自辞典例句 Pretexts and appearances no longer deceive us. 那些托辞与假象再也不会欺骗我们了。 来自辞典例句

11 engraved
v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中）
参考例句：
The silver cup was engraved with his name. 银杯上刻有他的名字。 It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 graveyard
n.坟场
参考例句：
All the town was drifting toward the graveyard.全镇的人都象流水似地向那坟场涌过去。 Living next to a graveyard would give me the creeps.居住在墓地旁边会使我毛骨悚然。

13 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

14 entrusted
v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。 She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 ripen
vt.使成熟；vi.成熟
参考例句：
I'm waiting for the apples to ripen.我正在等待苹果成熟。 You can ripen the tomatoes on a sunny windowsill.把西红柿放在有阳光的窗台上可以让它们成熟。

16 obliterated
v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭
参考例句：
The building was completely obliterated by the bomb. 炸弹把那座建筑物彻底摧毁了。 He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。 来自《简明英汉词典》