《廊桥遗梦》｜单词注释｜Chapter 7

The 

Highway

 and the 

Peregrine

highway /ˈhaɪweɪ/ 大路 peregrine /ˈpɛrəɡrɪn/ adj. 异国的 1

Robert Kincaid gave up photography for the next few days.  2

And except for the necessary chores, which she 

minimized

, Francesca Johnson gave up farm life. minimize /ˈmɪnɪmaɪz/ v. 使减少到最低限度 3

The two of them spent all their time together, either talking or making love. 4

Twice, when she asked, he played the guitar and sang for her in a voice somewhere between fair and good, a little uncomfortable, telling her she was his first 

audience

. audience /ˈɔːdiəns/ n. 听众 5

When he said that, she smiled and kissed him, then lay back upon her feelings, listening to him sing of 

whaling

 ships and 

desert

 winds. whale /weɪl/ vi. 捕鲸 desert /ˈdezərt/ n. 沙漠 6

She rode with him in Harry to the Des Moines airport, where he 

shipped

 film to New York. ship /ʃɪp/ vt. 运送 7

He always sent the first few rolls ahead, when it was possible, so the editors could look at what he was getting and the 

technicians

 could check to make sure his camera 

shutters

 were 

functioning

properly

. technician /tekˈnɪʃn/ n. 技术人员 shutter /'ʃʌtɚ/ n. (照相机的)快门 function /ˈfʌŋkʃn/ vi. 运行 properly /'prɑpɚli/ adv. 正确地 8

Afterward he took her to a 

fancy

 restaurant for lunch and held her hands across the table, looking at her in his 

intense

 way. fancy adj. 昂贵的 intense /ɪnˈtens/ adj. 专注的 9

And the waiter smiled, just watching them, hoping he would feel that way sometime. 10

She 

marveled

 at the sense Robert Kincaid had of his ways coming to a 

close

 and the 

ease

 with which he accepted it. marvel /ˈmɑːrvl/ vi. 感到惊讶 close /kloʊz/ n. 结束 ease /iːz/ n. 舒适 11

He could see the approaching death of cowboys and others like them, including himself. 12

And she began to understand what he meant when he said he was at the 

terminus

 of a 

branch

 of 

evolution

 and that it was a dead end. terminus /ˈtɜːrmɪnəs/ n. 终点 branch /bræntʃ/ n. 分支 evolution /evəˈluːʃn/ n. 演变 13

Once, in talking about what he called “last things,” he whispered: “ ‘Never again,’ cried the High-Desert Master. ‘Never and never and never again.’ ” 14

He saw nothing beyond himself along the branch. His kind was obsolete. 15

On Thursday they talked after making love in the afternoon. Both of them knew this conversation had to 

occur

. Both of them had been avoiding it. occur /əˈkɜːr/ vi. 发生 16

“What are we going to do?” he said. 17

She was silent, 

torn-apart

 silent. Then, “I don’t know,” softly. torn-apart 心痛欲裂 18

“Look, I’ll stay here if you want, or in town, or wherever. When your family comes home, I’ll simply talk with your husband and explain how it 

lies

. It won’t be easy, but I’ll get it done.” lie /laɪ/ vi. 存在 19

She shook her head. 20

“Richard could never get his arms around this; he doesn’t think in these 

terms

. terms /tə:mz/ n. 说话的方式 21

He doesn’t understand magic and passion and all those other things we talk about and experience, and he never will. 22

That doesn’t necessarily make him an 

inferior

 person. It’s just too far removed from anything he’s ever felt or thought about. He has no way of dealing with it.” inferior /ɪnˈfɪriər/ adj. 下等的 23

“Are we going to let all of this go, then?” He was serious, not smiling. 24

“I don’t know that, either. Robert, in a curious way, you 

own

 me. I didn’t want to be owned, didn’t need it, and I know you didn’t intend that, but that’s what has happened. own /on/ vt. 拥有 25

I’m no longer sitting next to you, here on the grass. You have me inside of you as a 

willing

prisoner

.” willing /ˈwɪlɪŋ/ adj. 心甘情愿的 prisoner /ˈprɪznər/ n. 囚徒 26

He replied, “I’m not sure you’re inside of me, or that I am inside of you, or that I own you. At least I don’t want to own you. I think we’re both inside of another being we have created called ‘us.’ 27

“Well, we’re really not inside of that being. We are that being. We have both lost ourselves and created something else, something that exists only as an 

interlacing

 of the two of us. interlace /ˌɪntərˈleɪs/ vt. 使交织 28

Christ, we’re in love. As deeply, as 

profoundly

, as it’s possible to be in love. profoundly /prə'faʊndli/ adv. 深切地 29

“Come travel with me, Francesca. That’s not a problem. 30

We’ll make love in desert sand and drink brandy on 

balconies

 in Mombasa, watching 

dhows

 from Arabia run up their 

sails

 in the first wind of morning. balcony /ˈbælkəni/ n. 阳台 dhow /daʊ/ n. (阿拉伯国家沿海的)独桅帆船的一种 sail /seɪl/ n. 帆 31

I’ll show you lion country and an old French city on the Bay of Bengal where there’s a wonderful 

rooftop

 restaurant, rooftop /'rʊf'tɑp/ n. 屋顶 32

and trains that climb through mountain 

passes

 and little 

inns

 run by Basques high in the Pyrenees. pass /pæs/ n. 山道 inn /ɪn/ n. 小旅馆 33

In a tiger 

preserve

 in south India, there’s a special place on an island in the middle of a huge lake. preserve /prɪˈzɜːrv/ n. 保护区 34

If you don’t like the road, I’ll set up shop somewhere and shoot local stuff or 

portraits

 or whatever it takes to keep us going.” portrait /ˈpɔːrtrət/ n. 肖像 35

“Robert, when we were making love last night, you said something that I still remember. I kept whispering to you about your power — and, my God, you have that. 36

You said, ‘I am the highway and a peregrine and all the sails that ever went to sea.’ You were right. That’s what you feel; you feel the road inside of you. 37

 No, more than that, in a way that I’m not certain I can explain, you are the road. In the crack where 

illusion

 meets reality, that’s where you are, out there on the road, and the road is you. illusion /ɪˈluːʒn/ n. 幻想 38

“You’re old knapsacks and a truck named Harry and jet airplanes to Asia. And that’s what I want you to be. 39

If your evolutionary branch is a dead end, as you say it is, then I want you to hit that end at full speed. I’m not sure you can do that with me along. 40

Don’t you see, I love you so much that I cannot think of 

restraining

 you for a moment. To do that would be to kill the wild, 

magnificent

 animal that is you, and the power would die with it.” restrain /rɪˈstreɪn/ vt. 抑制 magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfɪsnt/ adj. 出色的 41

He started to speak, but Francesca stopped him. 42

“Robert, I’m not quite finished. If you took me in your arms and carried me to your truck and forced me to go with you, I wouldn’t murmur a complaint. You could do the same thing just by talking to me. 43

But I don’t think you will. You’re too sensitive, too aware of my feelings, for that. And I have feelings of responsibility here. 44

“Yes, it’s boring in its way. My life, that is. It lacks romance, eroticism, dancing in the kitchen to candlelight, and the wonderful feel of a man who knows how to love a woman. Most of all, it lacks you. 45

But there’s this 

damn

 sense of responsibility I have. To Richard, to the children. Just my leaving, taking away my physical presence, would be hard enough for Richard. That alone might destroy him. damn /dæm/ adj. 可恶的 46

“On top of that, and this is even worse, he would have to live the rest of his life with the whispers of the people here. 47

‘That’s Richard Johnson. His hot little Italian wife ran off with some long-haired photographer a few years back.’ 48

Richard would have to suffer that, and the children would hear the 

snickering

 of Winterset for as long as they live here. They would suffer, too. And they would hate me for it. snicker /ˈsnɪkər/ v. 偷笑 49

“As much as I want you and want to be with you and part of you, I can’t tear myself away from the 

realness

 of my responsibilities. realness /'ri:lnis/ n. 真实性 50

If you force me, physically or 

mentally

, to go with you, as I said earlier, I cannot fight that. I don’t have the strength, given my feelings for you. mentally /'mɛntli/ adv. 精神上 51

In spite of what I said about not taking the road away from you, I’d go because of my own selfish wanting of you. 52

“But please don’t make me. Don’t make me give this up, my responsibilities. I cannot do that and live with the thought of it. 53

If I did leave now, those thoughts would turn me into something other than the woman you have come to love.” 54

Robert Kincaid was silent. He knew what she was saying about the road and responsibilities and how the guilt could 

transform

 her. He knew she was right, in a way. transform /trænsˈfɔːrm/ vt. & vi. 改变 55

Looking out the window, he fought within himself, fought to understand her feelings. 56

She began to cry. 57

Then they held each other for a long time. And he whispered to her, 58

“I have one thing to say, one thing only; I’ll never say it another time, to anyone, and I ask you to remember it: 59

In a universe of 

ambiguity

, this kind of certainty comes only once, and never again, no matter how many lifetimes you live.” ambiguity /ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti/ n. 不明确 60

They made love again that night, Thursday night, lying together until well after sunrise, touching and whispering. 61

Francesca slept a little then, and when she awoke, the sun was high and already hot. She heard one of Harry’s doors 

creaking

 and threw on some clothes. creak /krik/ vi. 发出咯吱咯吱声 throw on 匆匆穿上 62

He had made coffee and was sitting at the kitchen table, smoking, when she got there. 63

He grinned at her. She moved across the room and buried her face in his neck, her hands in his hair, his arms around her waist. He turned her around and sat her on his 

lap

, touching her. lap /læp/ n. （人坐下时的）大腿面 64

Finally he stood. He had his old jeans on, with orange suspenders running over a clean khaki shirt, his Red Wing boots were 

laced

 tight, the Swiss Army knife was on his belt. lace /leɪs/ vt. & vi. 系紧 65

His photo vest hung from the back of the chair, the 

cable release

 poking out of a pocket. The cowboy was 

saddled

up. cable release 快门线 saddle /ˈsædl/ vi. 跨上马鞍   66

“I’d better be going.” 67

She nodded, beginning to cry. She saw the tears in his eyes, but he kept smiling that little smile of his. 68

“Is it okay if I write you sometime? I want to at least send a photo or two.” 69

“It’s all right,” Francesca said, wiping her eyes on the towel hanging from the cupboard door. “I’ll make some excuse for getting mail from a hippie photographer, as long as it’s not too much.” 70

“You have my Washington address and phone, right?” She nodded. 71

“If I’m not there, call the National Geographic offices. Here, I’ll write the number down for you.” He wrote on the 

pad

by the phone, tore off the 

sheet

, and handed it to her. pad /pæd/ n. 便笺簿 sheet /ʃiːt/ n. 一片 72

“Or you can always find the number in the magazine. Ask for the 

editorial offices

. They know where I am most of the time. editorial office 编辑部 73

“Don’t hesitate if you want to see me, or just to talk. Call me 

collect

 anywhere in the world; the 

charges

 won’t appear on your 

bill

 that way. collect /kə'lɛkt/ adv. 对方付通话费地 charge /tʃɑːrdʒ/ n. 费用 bill /bɪl/ n. 账单 74

And I’ll be around here for a few more days. Think about what I’ve said. I can be here, 

settle

 the matter 

in short order

, and we could drive northwest together.” settle /ˈsetl/ vt. 解决 in short order 迅速地 75

Francesca said nothing. She knew he could, indeed, settle the matter in short order. Richard was five years younger than him, but no 

match

intellectually

 or physically for Robert Kincaid. match /mætʃ/ n. 对手 intellectually /inti'lektʃjuəli/ adv. 智力上 76

He slipped into his vest. Her mind was gone, empty, turning. “Don’t leave, Robert Kincaid,” she could hear herself crying out from somewhere inside. 77

Taking her hand, he walked through the back door toward the truck. He opened the driver’s door, put his foot on the 

running board

, then stepped off it and held her again for several minutes. running board 踏脚板 78

Neither of them spoke; they simply stood there, 

sending

, receiving, 

imprinting

 the feel of each on the other, 

indelibly

. 

Reaffirming

 the existence of that special being he had talked about. send /sɛnd/ v. 传达 imprint /ɪmˈprɪnt/ vt. 铭刻 indelibly /in'delibli/ adv. 不能消灭地 reaffirm /ˌriːəˈfɜːrm/ vt. 再确认 79

For the last time, he let her go and stepped into the truck, sitting there with the door open. Tears running down his cheeks. Tears running down her cheeks. 80

Slowly he pulled the door shut, 

hinges

 creaking. Harry was 

reluctant

 to start, as usual, but she could hear his boot hitting the 

accelerator

, and the old truck eventually 

relented

. hinge /hɪndʒ/ n. 合叶 reluctant /rɪˈlʌktənt/ adj. 不情愿的 accelerator /ək'sɛlə'retɚ/ n. 加速装置(尤指车辆的油门踏板) relent /rɪˈlent/ v. 不再反对 81

He shifted into 

reverse

 and sat there with the 

clutch

 in. First serious, then with a little grin, pointing toward the lane. reverse /rɪˈvɜːrs/ v. （发动机）反向运转 clutch /klʌtʃ/ n. 离合器 82

“The road, you know. I’ll be in southeast India next month. Want a card from there?” 83

She couldn’t speak but said no with a shake of her head. That would be too much for Richard to find in the mailbox. She knew Robert understood. He nodded. 84

The truck backed into the farmyard, 

crunching

 across the gravel, chickens 

scattering

 from under its wheels.  crunch /krʌntʃ/ v. 嘎吱嘎吱地行进 scatter /ˈskætər/ vi. 散开 85

Jack chased one of them into the machine shed, barking. 86

Robert Kincaid waved to her through the open passenger-side window.  87

She could see the sun flashing off his silver bracelet. The top two buttons of his shirt were open. 88

He moved into the lane and down it. Francesca kept wiping her eyes, trying to see, the sunlight making strange 

prisms

 from her tears. prism /'prɪzəm/ n.[物]棱镜 89

As she had done the first night they met, she hurried to the head of the lane and watched the old pickup 

bounce

along. bounce v. （使）上下晃动 90

At the end of it, the truck stopped, the driver’s door swung open, and he stepped out on the running board. He could see her a hundred yards back, looking small from this distance. 91

He stood there, with Harry turning over impatiently in the 

heat

, and stared. Neither of them moved; they already had said good-bye. heat /hiːt/ n. 高温 92

They just looked — the Iowa farm wife, the creature at the end of his 

evolutionary

 branch, one of the last cowboys. evolutionary /ˌiːvəˈluːʃəneri/ adj. 进化的 93

For thirty seconds he stood there, his photographer’s eyes missing nothing, making their own image that he never would lose. 94

He closed the door, 

ground

 the gears, and was crying again as he turned left on the county road toward Winterset. grind /ɡraɪnd/ v. （机器或车辆伴有噪音地）缓慢运转 95

He looked back just before a 

grove

 of trees on the northwest edge of the farm would block his view and saw her sitting cross-legged in the dust where the lane began, her head in her hands. grove /ɡroʊv/ n. 小树林 96

Richard and the children arrived in early evening with stories of the fair and a 

ribbon

 the steer had won before being sold for 

slaughter

. Carolyn was on the phone immediately. ribbon /ˈrɪbən/ n. （作为比赛奖品的）绶带 slaughter /ˈslɔːtər/ vt. 屠宰 97

It was Friday, and Michael took the pickup truck into town for the things that seventeen-year-old boys do on Friday nights — mostly hang around the square and talk or shout at girls going by in cars. 98

Richard turned on the television, telling Francesca how good the cornbread was as he ate a piece with butter and 

maple syrup

. maple syrup n. 糖枫汁 99

She sat on the front porch swing. 100

Richard came out after his program was finished at ten o’clock. He stretched and said, “Sure is good to be home.” 101

Then, looking at her, “You okay, Frannie? You seem a little tired or 

dreamy

 or somethin’.” dreamy /'drimi/ adj. 恍惚的 102

“Yes, I’m just fine, Richard. It’s good to have you back safe and sound.” 103

“Well, I’m turnin’ in; it’s been a long week at the fair, and I’m 

bushed

. You comin’, Frannie?” bushed /bʊʃt/ adj. 疲倦的 104

“Not for a little bit. It’s kind of nice out here, so I think I’ll just sit awhile.” She was tired, but she was also afraid Richard might have sex in mind. She just couldn’t handle that tonight. 105

She could hear him walking around in their bedroom, above where she pushed back and forth on the swing, her bare feet on the porch floor. 106

From the back of the house, she could hear Carolyn’s radio playing. 107

She avoided going into town for the next few days, aware all the time that Robert Kincaid was only a few miles away. Frankly, she didn’t think she could stop herself if she saw him. 108

She might run to him and say, “Now! We must go now!” She had 

defied

 risk to see him at Cedar Bridge, now there was too much risk in seeing him again. defy /dɪˈfaɪ/ vt. 顶住 109

By Tuesday the groceries were running low and Richard needed a part for the corn picker he was getting back 

in shape

. The day was low-

slung

, 

steady

 rain, light fog, cool for August. in shape 处于良好状态 sling /slɪŋ/ vt. 吊起 steady /ˈstedi/ adj. 持续的 110

Richard got his part and had coffee with the other men at the cafe while she shopped for 

groceries

. He knew her schedule and was waiting out in front of the 

Super Value

 when she finished. grocery /ˈɡroʊsəri/ n. 杂货店 Super Value 超值 111

He jumped out, wearing his Allis-Chalmers cap, and helped her load the bags into the Ford pickup, on the seat and around her knees. And she thought of tripods and knapsacks. 112

“I’ve got to run up to the 

implement

 place again. I forgot one more piece I might need.” implement /ˈɪmplɪment/ n. 工具 113

They drove north on U.S. Route 169, which 

formed

 the main street of Winterset. form /fɔːrm/ v. 构成 114

A block south of the Texaco station, she saw Harry rolling away from the pumps, 

windshield wipers

slapping

, and out onto the road ahead of them. windshield wiper 风挡刮水器 slap /slæp/ vt. （快速地、随意地或用力地）涂抹（某物） 115

Their 

momentum

 brought them up right behind the old pickup, momentum /moʊˈmentəm/ n. 动力 116

and sitting high in the Ford, she could see a black 

tarpaulin

lashed

 down tight in the back, 

outlining

 a suitcase and guitar case wedged in next to the spare tire lying flat. tarpaulin /tɑrˈpɔlɪn/ n. 防水帆布罩 lash /læʃ/ vt. 扎捆 outline /ˈaʊtlaɪn/ vt. 描画…轮廓 117

The back window was rain-

spattered

, but part of his head was 

visible

. He leaned over as if to get something from the 

glove box

; eight days ago he’d done that and his arm had brushed across her leg. spatter /ˈspætər/ vt. & vi. 溅 visible /ˈvɪzəbl/ adj. 看得见的 glove box n. (汽车前部挡风玻璃下的)储物箱 118

A week ago she’d been in Des Moines buying a pink dress. 119

“That truck’s a long way from home,” 

remarked

 Richard. remark /rɪˈmɑːrk/ vt. & vi. 谈论 120

“Washington State. Looks like a woman driving it; long hair, anyway. 

On second thought

, I’ll bet it’s that photographer they been talkin’ about at the cafe.” on second thought 转念一想 121

They followed Robert Kincaid a few blocks north to where 169 

intersected

 with 92 running east and west. intersect /ˌɪntərˈsekt/ vt. & vi. (指线条、道路等)相交 122

It was a four-way stop, with 

heavy

cross traffic

 in all directions, 

complicated

 by the rain and the fog, which had gotten heavier. heavy /'hɛvi/ adj. 大量的 cross traffic 交叉车流 complicate /ˈkɑːmplɪkeɪt/ vt. 使复杂化 123

For maybe twenty seconds they sat there. He was up ahead, only thirty feet from her. She could still do it. Get out and run to Harry’s right door, climb in over the knapsacks and cooler and tripods. 124

Since Robert Kincaid had driven away from her last Friday, she realized, in spite of how much she thought she’d cared for him then, she had 

nonetheless

badly

underestimated

 her feelings. nonetheless /ˌnʌnðəˈles/ adv. 然而 badly /ˈbædli/ adv. 非常 underestimate /ˌʌndərˈestɪmeɪt/ vt. 低估 125

That didn’t seem possible, but it was true. She had begun to understand what he already understood. 126

But she sat frozen by her responsibilities, staring at that back window harder than she had ever looked at anything in her life. 127

His left 

signal

 light came on. In a moment he’d be gone. Richard was 

fiddling

 with the Ford’s radio. signal /ˈsɪɡnəl/ adj. 作为信号的 fiddle /'fɪdl/ vi. 瞎搞 128

She began to see things in slow motion, some curious trick of the mind.  129

His turn came, and… slowly… slowly… he moved Harry into the 

intersection

 — intersection /ˌɪntərˈsekʃn/ n. 十字路口 130

she could 

visualize

 his long legs working the clutch and 

accelerator

 and the muscles in his right forearm flexing as he shifted gears — 

curling

 left now onto 92 toward 

Council

 Bluffs, the Black Hills, visualize /'vɪʒuəlaɪz/ vt. 在脑中使(某人或某物)形象化 accelerator /ək'sɛlə'retɚ/ n. 油门 curl /kɜːrl/ v.（使）弯弯曲曲移动 council n. 会议 131

and the Northwest… slowly… slowly… the old pickup came around… so slowly it came around through the intersection, putting its 

nose

 to the west. nose /noz/ n. 头部 132

Squinting

 through tears and rain and fog, she could barely make out the faded red paint on the door: “Kincaid Photography — Bellingham, Washington.” squint /skwɪnt/ vi. 眯眼看 133

He had lowered his window to help him get through the bad 

visibility

 as he turned. visibility /ˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/ n. 能见度 134

He made the 

corner

, and she could see his hair blowing as he began to 

accelerate

 down 92, heading west, 

rolling up

 the window as he drove. corner /'kɔrnɚ/ n. （道路的）急转弯 accelerate /əkˈseləreɪt/ vt. & vi. (使)增速 roll up 滚滚上升 135

“Oh, Christ—oh, Jesus 

Christ

Almighty

… no!” The words were inside of her. Christ /kraɪst/ n. 救世主 almighty /ɔːlˈmaɪti/ adj. 万能的 136

“I was wrong, Robert, I was wrong to stay… but I can’t go…. Let me tell you again… why I can’t go…. Tell me again why I should go.” 137

And she heard his voice coming back down the highway.  138

“In a universe of 

ambiguity

, this kind of certainty comes only once, and never again, no matter how many 

lifetimes

you live.” ambiguity /ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti/ n. 不明确 lifetime /ˈlaɪftaɪm/ n. 一生 139

Richard took the truck across the intersection heading north. She looked for an 

instant

past

 his face toward Harry’s red 

taillights

 moving off into the fog and rain. instant /ˈɪnstənt/ n. 片刻 past /pæst/ prep. 经过 taillight /ˈtelˌlaɪt/ n. 尾灯 140

The old Chevy pickup looked small beside a huge 

semitrailer

 rig roaring into Winterset, 

spraying

 a wave of road water over the last cowboy. semitrailer /ˌsɛmaɪ'trelɚ/ n. 半拖车 spray /spreɪ/ v. （使）飞溅 141

“Good-bye, Robert Kincaid,” she whispered, and began to cry, 

openly

. openly /ˈoʊpənli/ adv. 公然地 142

Richard looked over at her. “What’s wrong, Frannie? Will you please tell me what’s wrong with you?” 143

“Richard, I just need some time to myself. I’ll be all right in a few minutes.” 144

Richard tuned in the noon 

livestock

 reports, looked over at her, and shook his head. livestock /ˈlaɪvstɑːk/ n. 家畜 145