WISPS ARE IN THE TOWN，"

SAYS THE MOOR¹-WOMAN

THERE was a man who once knew many stories，butthey had slipped away from him-so he said； the storythat used to visit him of its own accord no longer cameand knocked at his door：and why did it come no longer？It is true enouhg that for days and years the man had notthouhgt of it，had not expected it to come and knock；butit certainly had not been there either，for outside therewas war，and within was the care and sorrow that warbrings with it．

The stork² and the swallows came back from theirlong journey，for they thought of no danger；and，behold，when they arrived，the nest was burnt，the habitations ofmen were burnt，the gates were all in disorder，and evenquite gone，and the enemy's horses trampled³ on the oldgraves．Those were hard，gloomy times，but they came toan end．

And now they were past and gone，so people said；and yet no story came and knocked at the door，or gaveany tidings of its presence．

"I suppose it must be dead，or gone away with manyother things，said the man．

But the Story never dies．And more than a wholeyear went by，and he longed—oh，so very much！for theStory．

"I wonder if the Story will ever come back again,and knock？"

And he remembered it so well in all the variousforms in which it had come to him，sometimes young andcharming，like spring itself，sometimes as a beautifulmaiden，with a wreath of woodruff in her hair，and abeechen branch in her hand，and with eyes that gleamedlike deep woodland lakes in the bright sunshine．

Sometimes it had come to him in the guise⁴ of a ped-lar，and had opened its pack and let sliver⁵ ribbon comefluttering out，with verses and inscriptions⁶ of old remem-brances．But it was most charming of all when itan old grandmother，with silvery hair，and such large sen-sible eyes：she knew so well how to tell about the oldesttimes，long before the Princesses span with the goldenspindles，and the dragons lay outside the castles，guardingthem．She told with such an air of truth，that black spotsdanced before the eyes of all who heard her， and the floorbecame black with human blood；terrible to see and to hear，and yet so entertaining，because such a long timehad passed since it all happened．

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1 moor
n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊
参考例句：
I decided to moor near some tourist boats.我决定在一些观光船附近停泊。 There were hundreds of the old huts on the moor.沼地上有成百上千的古老的石屋。

2 stork
n.鹳
参考例句：
A Fox invited a long-beaked Stork to have dinner with him.狐狸请长嘴鹳同他一起吃饭。 He is very glad that his wife's going to get a visit from the stork.他为她的妻子将获得参观鹳鸟的机会感到非常高兴。

3 trampled
踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯
参考例句：
He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊，怕他让暴民踩着。 People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。

4 guise
n.外表，伪装的姿态
参考例句：
They got into the school in the guise of inspectors.他们假装成视察员进了学校。 The thief came into the house under the guise of a repairman.那小偷扮成个修理匠进了屋子。

5 sliver
n.裂片，细片，梳毛；v.纵切，切成长片，剖开
参考例句：
There was only one sliver of light in the darkness.黑暗中只有一点零星的光亮。 Then,one night,Monica saw a thin sliver of the moon reappear.之后的一天晚上，莫尼卡看到了一个月牙。

6 inscriptions
（作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记
参考例句：
Centuries of wind and rain had worn away the inscriptions on the gravestones. 几个世纪的风雨已磨损了墓碑上的碑文。 The inscriptions on the stone tablet have become blurred with the passage of time. 年代久了，石碑上的字迹已经模糊了。

7 margin
n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
参考例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。 The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

8 withered
adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。 The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。

9 monk
n.和尚，僧侣，修道士
参考例句：
The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。 Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

10 coffin
n.棺材，灵柩
参考例句：
When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。 The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

11 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

12 manor
n.庄园，领地
参考例句：
The builder of the manor house is a direct ancestor of the present owner.建造这幢庄园的人就是它现在主人的一个直系祖先。 I am not lord of the manor,but its lady.我并非此地的领主，而是这儿的女主人。

13 hover
vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫
参考例句：
You don't hover round the table.你不要围着桌子走来走去。 A plane is hover on our house.有一架飞机在我们的房子上盘旋。

14 chestnut
n.栗树，栗子
参考例句：
We have a chestnut tree in the bottom of our garden.我们的花园尽头有一棵栗树。 In summer we had tea outdoors,under the chestnut tree.夏天我们在室外栗树下喝茶。

15 lures
吸引力，魅力（lure的复数形式）
参考例句：
He left home because of the lures of life in the city. 他离家是由于都市生活的诱惑。 Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures men down to the depths of the earth. 可能正是寻觅幽静的去处，或者找个猎奇的机会的欲望引诱着人们进入地球的深处。

16 scattered
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

17 moss
n.苔，藓，地衣
参考例句：
Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。 He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

18 alder
n.赤杨树
参考例句：
He gave john some alder bark.他给了约翰一些桤木树皮。 Several coppice plantations have been seeded with poplar,willow,and alder.好几个灌木林场都种上了白杨、柳树和赤杨。

19 accurately
adv.准确地，精确地
参考例句：
It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。 Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

20 attest
vt.证明，证实；表明
参考例句：
I can attest to the absolute truth of his statement. 我可以证实他的话是千真万确的。 These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place. 这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

21 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

22 vaccination
n.接种疫苗，种痘
参考例句：
Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。 Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

23 mound
n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫
参考例句：
The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。 The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。

24 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。

25 brew
v.酿造，调制
参考例句：
Let's brew up some more tea.咱们沏些茶吧。 The policeman dispelled the crowd lest they should brew trouble.警察驱散人群，因恐他们酿祸。

26 owl
n.猫头鹰，枭
参考例句：
Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。 I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

27 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。

28 brewery
n.啤酒厂
参考例句：
The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。 When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候，这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。

29 stump
n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走
参考例句：
He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。 He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

30 flask
n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱
参考例句：
There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。 He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。

31 effervescing
v.冒气泡，起泡沫( effervesce的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I was full and effervescing with joy of creation. 由于创作的乐趣，我感到满足和欢欣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 That hot spring was effervescing with bubbles. 温泉正冒着泡泡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 gutter
n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟
参考例句：
There's a cigarette packet thrown into the gutter.阴沟里有个香烟盒。 He picked her out of the gutter and made her a great lady.他使她脱离贫苦生活，并成为贵妇。

33 pious
adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的
参考例句：
Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。 Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

34 champagne
n.香槟酒；微黄色
参考例句：
There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。 They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。

35 commotion
n.骚动，动乱
参考例句：
They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。 Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。

36 fiery
adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的
参考例句：
She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。 His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

37 smack
vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍
参考例句：
She gave him a smack on the face.她打了他一个嘴巴。 I gave the fly a smack with the magazine.我用杂志拍了一下苍蝇。

38 aspires
v.渴望，追求( aspire的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The fame to which he aspires was beyond his reach. 他追求的名誉乃是他所不能及的。 来自《简明英汉词典》 An old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand li. 老骥伏枥，志在千里。 来自《简明英汉词典》

39 distinguished
adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的
参考例句：
Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。 A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

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 condemned
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。 The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

42 imprisoned
下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。 They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

43 glimmering
n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. 他这么说是什么意思，我有点明白了。 来自辞典例句 Now that darkness was falling, only their silhouettes were outlined against the faintly glimmering sky. 这时节两山只剩余一抹深黑，赖天空微明为画出一个轮廓。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

44 inflicted
把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。 Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

45 pebbles
[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。 Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

46 raven
n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的
参考例句：
We know the raven will never leave the man's room.我们知道了乌鸦再也不会离开那个男人的房间。 Her charming face was framed with raven hair.她迷人的脸上垂落着乌亮的黑发。

47 entice
v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿
参考例句：
Nothing will entice the children from television.没有任何东西能把孩子们从电视机前诱开。 I don't see why the English should want to entice us away from our native land.我不明白，为什英国人要引诱我们离开自己的国土。

48 crooked
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。 You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

49 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

50 chatter
vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战
参考例句：
Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。 I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。