Frank looked with some surprise at the womanwho was looking through the slide of his door. Hehad expected to see Nathan Graves. She also regardedhim with interest.

　　``I have brought you some supper,'' she said.

　　Frank reached out and drew in a small waiter,containing a cup of tea and a plate of toast.

　　``Thank you,'' he said. ``Where is the man whobrought me here?''

　　``He has gone out.''

　　``Do you know why he keeps me here in confinement¹?''

　　``No,'' said the woman, hastily. ``I know nothing.

　　I see much, but I know nothing.''

　　``Are many prisoners brought here as I havebeen?'' asked our hero, in spite of the woman's refusalto speak.

　　``No.''

　　``I can't understand what object they can have indetaining me. If I were rich, I might guess, but Iam poor. I am compelled to work for my dailybread, and have been out of a place for two weeks.''

　　``I don't understand,'' she said, in a low voice,rather to herself than to him. ``But I cannot wait.

　　I must not stand here. I will come up in fifteenminutes, and if you wish another cup of tea, or sometoast, I will bring them.''

　　His confinement did not affect his appetite, forhe enjoyed his tea and toast; and when, as she hadpromised, the woman came up, he told her he wouldlike another cup of tea, and some more toast.

　　``Will you answer one question?'' asked our hero.

　　``I don't know,'' answered the woman in a flurriedtone.

　　``You look like a good woman. Why do you stayin such a house as this?''

　　``I will tell you, though I should do better to besilent. But you won't betray me?''

　　``On no account.''

　　``I was poor, starving, when I had an applicationto come here. The man who engaged me told methat it was to be a housekeeper², and I had no suspicionof the character of the house--that it was aden of--''

　　She stopped short, but Frank understood whatshe would have said.

　　``When I discovered the character of the house, Iwould have left but for two reasons. First, I hadno other home; next, I had become acquainted withthe secrets of the house, and they would have fearedthat I would reveal them. I should incur³ great risk.

　　So I stayed.''

　　Here there was a sound below. The womanstarted.

　　``Some one has come,'' she said. ``I must go downI will come up as soon as I can with the rest of yoursupper.''

点击收听单词发音  

1 confinement
n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限
参考例句：
He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。 The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

2 housekeeper
n.管理家务的主妇，女管家
参考例句：
A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。 She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

3 incur
vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇
参考例句：
Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。 An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

4 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。

5 applied
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。 This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

7 wade
v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉
参考例句：
We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。 We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

8 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

9 bequest
n.遗赠；遗产，遗物
参考例句：
In his will he made a substantial bequest to his wife.在遗嘱里他给妻子留下了一大笔遗产。 The library has received a generous bequest from a local businessman.图书馆从当地一位商人那里得到了一大笔遗赠。

10 risky
adj.有风险的，冒险的
参考例句：
It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。 He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

11 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。