The letter which the Virginian wrote to Molly Wood was, as has been stated, the first that he had ever addressed to her. I think, perhaps, he may have been a little shy as to his skill in the epistolary art, a little anxious lest any sustained production from his pen might contain blunders that would too staringly remind her of his scant¹ learning. He could turn off a business communication about steers² or stock cars, or any other of the subjects involved in his profession, with a brevity and a clearness that led the Judge to confide³ three-quarters of such correspondence to his foreman. "Write to the 76 outfit," the Judge would say, "and tell them that my wagon⁴ cannot start for the round-up until," etc.; or "Write to Cheyenne and say that if they will hold a meeting next Monday week, I will," etc. And then the Virginian would write such communications with ease.

But his first message to his lady was scarcely written with ease. It must be classed, I think, among those productions which are styled literary EFFORTS. It was completed in pencil before it was copied in ink; and that first draft of it in pencil was well-nigh illegible⁵ with erasures and amendments⁶. The state of mind of the writer during its composition may be gathered without further description on my part from a slight interruption which occurred in the middle.

The door opened, and Scipio put his head in. "You coming to dinner?" he inquired.

"You go to hell," replied the Virginian.

"My links!" said Scipio, quietly, and he shut the door without further observation.

To tell the truth, I doubt if this letter would ever have been undertaken, far less completed and despatched, had not the lover's heart been wrung⁷ with disappointment. All winter long he had looked to that day when he should knock at the girl's door, and hear her voice bid him come in. All winter long he had been choosing the ride he would take her. He had imagined a sunny afternoon, a hidden

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1 scant
adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略
参考例句：
Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。 Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候，许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。

2 steers
n.阉公牛，肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 )；操纵；控制；引导
参考例句：
This car steers easily. 这部车子易于驾驶。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Good fodder fleshed the steers up. 优质饲料使菜牛长肉。 来自辞典例句

3 confide
v.向某人吐露秘密
参考例句：
I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。 He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。

4 wagon
n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车
参考例句：
We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。 The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

5 illegible
adj.难以辨认的，字迹模糊的
参考例句：
It is impossible to deliver this letter because the address is illegible.由于地址字迹不清，致使信件无法投递。 Can you see what this note says—his writing is almost illegible!你能看出这个便条上写些什么吗？他的笔迹几乎无法辨认。

6 amendments
（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案
参考例句：
The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。 Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

7 wrung
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）
参考例句：
He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。 He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

8 grove
n.林子，小树林，园林
参考例句：
On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。 The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

9 cleft
n.裂缝；adj.裂开的
参考例句：
I hid the message in a cleft in the rock.我把情报藏在石块的裂缝里。 He was cleft from his brother during the war.在战争期间，他与他的哥哥分离。

10 deferred
adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从
参考例句：
The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。 a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划

11 consolation
n.安慰，慰问
参考例句：
The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。 This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

12 creek
n.小溪，小河，小湾
参考例句：
He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。 People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

13 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。

14 devious
adj.不坦率的，狡猾的；迂回的，曲折的
参考例句：
Susan is a devious person and we can't depend on her.苏姗是个狡猾的人，我们不能依赖她。 He is a man who achieves success by devious means.他这个人通过不正当手段获取成功。

15 stagecoach
n.公共马车
参考例句：
She's getting off the stagecoach.她正在下马车。 The stagecoach driver cracked the whip.驿站马车的车夫抽响了鞭子。

16 poker
n.扑克；vt.烙制
参考例句：
He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。 I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

17 mingled
混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]
参考例句：
The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。 The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

18 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

19 ranch
n.大牧场，大农场
参考例句：
He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。 The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

20 rein
n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治
参考例句：
The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。 He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

21 calves
n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解
参考例句：
a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛 The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 outrageous
adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的
参考例句：
Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。 Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

23 wretch
n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人
参考例句：
You are really an ungrateful wretch to complain instead of thanking him.你不但不谢他，还埋怨他，真不知好歹。 The dead husband is not the dishonoured wretch they fancied him.死去的丈夫不是他们所想象的不光彩的坏蛋。

24 rosy
adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的
参考例句：
She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。 She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

25 perturbed
adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I am deeply perturbed by the alarming way the situation developing. 我对形势令人忧虑的发展深感不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Mother was much perturbed by my illness. 母亲为我的病甚感烦恼不安。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》