Leonard--he would figure at length in a newspaper report, but that evening he did not count for much. The foot of the tree was in shadow, since the moon was still hidden behind the house. But above, to right, to left, down the long meadow the moonlight was streaming. Leonard seemed not a man, but a cause.

Perhaps it was Helen's way of falling in love--a curious way to Margaret, whose agony and whose contempt of Henry were yet imprinted¹ with his image. Helen forgot people. They were husks that had enclosed her emotion. She could pity, or sacrifice herself, or have instincts, but had she ever loved in the noblest way, where man and woman, having lost themselves in sex, desire to lose sex itself in comradeship?

Margaret wondered, but said no word of blame. This was Helen's evening. Troubles enough lay ahead of her--the loss of friends and of social advantages, the agony, the supreme² agony, of motherhood, which is even yet not a matter of common knowledge. For the present let the moon shine brightly and the breezes of the spring blow gently, dying away from the gale³ of the day, and let the earth, who brings increase, bring peace. Not even to herself dare she blame Helen. She could not assess her trespass⁴ by any moral code; it was everything or nothing. Morality can tell us that murder is worse than stealing, and group most sins in an order all must approve, but it cannot group Helen. The surer its pronouncements on this point, the surer may we be that morality is not speaking. Christ was evasive when they questioned Him. It is those that cannot connect who hasten to cast the first stone.

This was Helen's evening--won at what cost, and not to be marred⁵ by the sorrows of others. Of her own tragedy Margaret never uttered a word.

"One isolates," said Helen slowly. "I isolated⁶ Mr. Wilcox from the other forces that were pulling Leonard downhill. Consequently, I was full of pity, and almost of revenge. For weeks I had blamed Mr. Wilcox only, and so, when your letters came--"

"I need never have written them," sighed Margaret. "They never shielded Henry. How hopeless it is to tidy away the past, even for others!"

点击收听单词发音  

1 imprinted
v.盖印（imprint的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
The terrible scenes were indelibly imprinted on his mind. 那些恐怖场面深深地铭刻在他的心中。 The scene was imprinted on my mind. 那个场面铭刻在我的心中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 gale
n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）
参考例句：
We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。 According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

4 trespass
n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地
参考例句：
The fishing boat was seized for its trespass into restricted waters.渔船因非法侵入受限制水域而被扣押。 The court sentenced him to a fine for trespass.法庭以侵害罪对他判以罚款。

5 marred
adj. 被损毁, 污损的
参考例句：
The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。 Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

6 isolated
adj.与世隔绝的
参考例句：
His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。 Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

7 callousness
参考例句：
He remembered with what callousness he had watched her. 他记得自己以何等无情的态度瞧着她。 来自辞典例句 She also lacks the callousness required of a truly great leader. 她还缺乏一个真正伟大领袖所应具备的铁石心肠。 来自辞典例句

8 wrought
v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的
参考例句：
Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。 It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。

9 appalling
adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的
参考例句：
The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。 Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

10 verge
n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临
参考例句：
The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。 She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

11 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

12 rave
vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬
参考例句：
The drunkard began to rave again.这酒鬼又开始胡言乱语了。 Now I understand why readers rave about this book.我现明白读者为何对这本书赞不绝口了。

13 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

14 merged
（使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中
参考例句：
Turf wars are inevitable when two departments are merged. 两个部门合并时总免不了争争权限。 The small shops were merged into a large market. 那些小商店合并成为一个大商场。

15 blustering
adj.狂风大作的，狂暴的v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的现在分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹
参考例句：
It was five and a half o'clock now, and a raw, blustering morning. 这时才五点半，正是寒气逼人，狂风咆哮的早晨。 来自辞典例句 So sink the shadows of night, blustering, rainy, and all paths grow dark. 夜色深沉，风狂雨骤；到处途暗路黑。 来自辞典例句

16 muddling
v.弄乱，弄糟( muddle的现在分词 )；使糊涂；对付，混日子
参考例句：
Don't do that—you're muddling my papers. 别动—你会弄乱我的文件的。 In our company you see nobody muddling along. 在咱们公司，看不到混日子的人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 rustled
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He rustled his papers. 他把试卷弄得沙沙地响。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Leaves rustled gently in the breeze. 树叶迎着微风沙沙作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 apprehend
vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑
参考例句：
I apprehend no worsening of the situation.我不担心局势会恶化。 Police have not apprehended her killer.警察还未抓获谋杀她的凶手。

19 gravel
n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石
参考例句：
We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。 More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。