IN THE INN, before which was standing¹ the doctor's covered cart, there were already some half-dozen officers. Marya Hendrihovna, a plump, flaxen-headed little German in a dressing-jacket and nightcap, was sitting on a board bench in the foremost corner. Her husband, the doctor, lay asleep behind her. Rostov and Ilyin entered the room, welcomed with merry shouts and laughter.

“I say! You are having a jolly time here!” said Rostov, laughing.

“And what are you yawning over?”

“Pretty figures you look! There's a perfect waterfall from them! Don't swamp our drawing-room.”

“Mind you don't spatter Marya Hendrihovna's dress,” chimed in voices.

Rostov and Ilyin made haste to look for a retreat where, without offence to the modesty² of Marya Hendrihovna, they might change their wet clothes. They went behind a partition wall to change; but in the little recess³ were three officers, who completely filled it up. They were sitting playing cards by the light of a single candle on an empty box, and nothing would induce them to budge⁴ from their places. Marya Hendrihovna lent them her petticoat to be hung by way of a curtain; and screened by it, Rostov and Ilyin took off their wet things and put on dry clothes, with the aid of Lavrushka, who had brought their packages.

They made up a fire in the broken-down stove. They got hold of a board, propped⁵ it on two saddles, and covered it with a horse-cloth; then brought out a little samovar, a case of wine, and half a bottle of rum. All crowded round Marya Hendrihovna, begging her to preside. One offered her a clean handkerchief, to wipe her charming hands; another put his tunic⁶ under her little feet, to keep them from the damp floor; a third hung a cape⁷ over the window, to screen her from the draught⁸; while a fourth brushed the flies off her husband's face, to prevent their waking him.

点击收听单词发音  

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 modesty
n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素
参考例句：
Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。 As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。

3 recess
n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）
参考例句：
The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。 Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

4 budge
v.移动一点儿；改变立场
参考例句：
We tried to lift the rock but it wouldn't budge.我们试图把大石头抬起来，但它连动都没动一下。 She wouldn't budge on the issue.她在这个问题上不肯让步。

5 propped
支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sat propped up in the bed by pillows. 他靠着枕头坐在床上。 This fence should be propped up. 这栅栏该用东西支一支。

6 tunic
n.束腰外衣
参考例句：
The light loose mantle was thrown over his tunic.一件轻质宽大的斗蓬披在上衣外面。 Your tunic and hose match ill with that jewel,young man.你的外套和裤子跟你那首饰可不相称呢，年轻人。

7 cape
n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风
参考例句：
I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。 She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

8 draught
n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计
参考例句：
He emptied his glass at one draught.他将杯中物一饮而尽。 It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught.可惜这房间没北窗，没有过堂风。

9 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。

10 homage
n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬
参考例句：
We pay homage to the genius of Shakespeare.我们对莎士比亚的天才表示敬仰。 The soldiers swore to pay their homage to the Queen.士兵们宣誓效忠于女王陛下。

11 devoted
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。 We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

12 conceal
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。 He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

13 slumbering
微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式）
参考例句：
It was quiet. All the other inhabitants of the slums were slumbering. 贫民窟里的人已经睡眠静了。 Then soft music filled the air and soothed the slumbering heroes. 接着，空中响起了柔和的乐声，抚慰着安睡的英雄。

14 pounced
v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击）
参考例句：
As soon as I opened my mouth, the teacher pounced on me. 我一张嘴就被老师抓住呵斥了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The police pounced upon the thief. 警察向小偷扑了过去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 knave
n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克
参考例句：
Better be a fool than a knave.宁做傻瓜，不做无赖。 Once a knave,ever a knave.一次成无赖，永远是无赖。

16 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。

17 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

18 peals
n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
She burst into peals of laughter. 她忽然哈哈大笑起来。 She went into fits/peals of laughter. 她发出阵阵笑声。 来自辞典例句

19 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

20 muffled
adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）
参考例句：
muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音 There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》