《廊桥遗梦》｜单词注释｜Chapter 5
The Bridges of Tuesday
1
Robert Kincaid drove past Richard Johnson’s
mailbox
an hour before dawn,
mailbox /'mel'bɑks/ n. 信箱
2
alternately
chewing on a
Milky Way
and taking bites from an apple, squeezing the coffee cup on the seat between his
thighs
to keep it from
tipping over
.
alternately /ɔ:l'tə:nitli/ adv. 交替地
Milky Way 银河
thigh /θaɪ/ n. 大腿
tip over 使翻倒
3
He looked up at the white house standing in thin, late moonlight as he passed and shook his head at the stupidity of men, some men, most men.
4
They could at least drink the brandy and not
bang
the
screen door
on their way out.
bang /bæŋ/ vi. 发出砰的一声
screen door 纱门
5
Francesca heard the out-of-tune pickup go by. She lay there in bed, having slept
naked
for the first time as
far back
as she could remember.
naked /ˈneɪkɪd/ adj. 裸体的
far back 久远
6
She could imagine Kincaid, hair blowing in the wind
curling
through the truck window, one hand on the wheel, the other holding a Camel.
curl /kɜːrl/ vi. 卷曲
7
She listened as the sound of his wheels faded toward Roseman Bridge.
8
And she began to roll words over in her mind from the Yeats poem: “I went out to the
hazel
wood, because a fire was in my head….”
hazel /'hezl/ n. 榛树
9
Her
rendering
of it
fell
somewhere between that of teacher and
supplicant
.
rendering /ˈrendərɪŋ/ n. (戏剧或乐曲的)表演
supplicant /'sʌplɪkənt/ n. 恳求者
well /wɛl/ adv. 远远地
10
He parked the truck well
back
from the bridge so it wouldn’t
interfere
with his
compositions
.
back v. 在...后面
interfere /ˌɪntərˈfɪr/ vi. 妨碍
composition /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃn/ n. 构图
11
From the small space behind the seat, he took a knee-high pair of rubber boots, sitting on the
running board
to
unlace
his leather ones and pull on the others.
running board 踏脚板
unlace /ʌn'les/ vt. 解开带子
12
One knapsack with straps over both shoulders, tripod
slung
over his left shoulder by its leather strap, the other knapsack in his right hand,
slung /slʌŋ/ v. 悬挂（sling的过去分词）
13
he worked his way down the
steep
bank
toward the
stream
.
steep /stiːp/ adj. 陡峭的
bank /bæŋk/ n. 岸
stream /striːm/ n. 溪流
14
The
trick
would be to put the bridge at an angle for some
compositional
tension
, get a little of the stream at the same time, and miss the
graffiti
on the walls near the entrance.
trick /trɪk/ n. 技巧
compositional /ˌkɑmpəˈzɪʃənəl/ adj. 创作的
tension /ˈtenʃn/ n. 张力
graffiti /ɡrə'fiti/ n. 墙上乱写乱画的东西（graffito的复数形式）
15
The telephone wires in the background were a problem, too, but that could be handled through
careful
framing
.
careful /'kɛrfl/ adj. 仔细的
frame /freɪm/ n. 取景
16
He took out the Nikon loaded with Kodachrome and
screwed
it onto the heavy tripod. The camera had the 24-millimeter lens on it, and he replaced that with his favorite 105-millimeter.
screw /skruː/ vt. 拧
17
Gray light in the east now, and he began to
experiment
with his composition. Move tripod two feet left,
readjust
legs sticking in muddy ground by the stream.
experiment /ɪkˈsperɪmənt/ n. 实验
readjust /ˌriə'dʒʌst/ vt. 使…重新调整
18
He kept the camera strap
wound
over his left wrist, a
practice
he always
followed
when working around water. He’d seen too many cameras go into the water when tripods tipped over.
wound /wund/ v. 缠绕（wind 的过去式和过去分词形式）
practice /ˈpræktɪs/ n. 惯例
follow /ˈfɑːloʊ/ v. 遵循
19
Red color coming up, sky brightening. Lower camera six inches, adjust tripod legs.
20
Still not there. A foot more to the left. Adjust legs again.
21
Level
camera on tripod head. Set lens to f/8.
level /ˈlevl/ v. 使平坦
22
Estimate
depth of field,
maximize
it
via
hyperfocal
technique.
estimate /ˈestɪmeɪt/ v. 估计
maximize /ˈmæksɪmaɪz/ vt. 使(某事物)增至最大限度
via /ˈvaɪə/ prep. 通过
hyperfocal /ˌhaipə'fəukəl/ adj. 超焦(距)的
23
Screw in
cable release
on
shutter
button.
cable release （照相机）[摄] 快门线
shutter /'ʃʌtɚ/ n. (照相机的)快门
24
Sun 40 percent above the horizon, old
paint
on the bridge turning a warm red, just what he wanted.
paint /peɪnt/ n. 涂层
25
Light meter
out of left
breast pocket
. Check it at f/8. One-second
exposure
, but the Kodachrome would
hold
well for that extreme.
light meter n. 曝光表
breast pocket n. 胸袋
exposure /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/ n. 曝光
hold /hoʊld/ （使）保持（价值或水平）
26
Look through the viewfinder.
Fine-tune
leveling
of camera. He pushed the
plunger
of the
shutter release
and waited for a second to pass.
fine-tune /ˈfaɪnˈtun/ v. 调整
leveling 水准测量
plunger /'plʌndʒɚ/ n. [机] 活塞
shutter release 快门线
27
Just as he
fired
the shutter, something caught his eye. He looked through the viewfinder again.
fire /ˈfaɪər/ v. 启动
28
“What the hell is hanging by the entrance to the bridge?” he muttered. “A piece of paper. Wasn’t there yesterday.”
29
Tripod steady. Run up the bank with sun coming fast behind him. Paper neatly
tacked
to bridge.
tack /tæk/ v. （用平头钉）钉上
30
Pull it off, put
tack
and paper in
vest
pocket. Back toward the bank, down it, behind the camera. Sun 60 percent up.
tack /tæk/ n. 平头钉
vest /vest/ n. 〈美〉背心
31
Breathing hard from the
sprint
. Shoot again. Repeat twice for
duplicates
. No wind, grass
still
. Shoot three at two seconds and three at one-half second for
insurance
.
sprint /sprɪnt/ n. 短跑
duplicate /ˈduːplɪkeɪt/ n. 复制品
still /stɪl/ v. (使)静止
insurance /ɪnˈʃʊrəns/ n. 保险
32
Click lens to f/16
setting
. Repeat entire process. Carry tripod and camera to the middle of the stream.
setting /ˈsetɪŋ/ n. （设备的）档位
33
Get
set up
,
silt
from footsteps moving away behind. Shoot entire
sequence
again.
set up 调试（设备或机器）
silt /sɪlt/ n. 淤泥
sequence /ˈsiːkwəns/ n. 一组镜头
34
New roll of Kodachrome. Switch lenses. Lock on the 24-millimeter,
jam
the 105 into a pocket. Move closer to the bridge,
wading
upstream
.
jam /dʒæm/ vt. & vi. (使)塞紧
wade vt. & vi. (从水、泥等)蹚
upstream /ˌʌp'strim/ adv. &adj. 向上游(的)
35
Adjust, level,
light check
, fire three, and
bracket
shots for insurance.
light check 灯光检查
bracket /ˈbrækɪt/ v. 置于……两侧
36
Flip
the camera to
vertical
, recompose. Shoot again. Same
sequence
,
methodical
.
flip /flɪp/ v.（使）快速翻转
vertical /ˈvɜːrtɪkl/ n. 垂直面
sequence /ˈsiːkwəns/ n. 一组镜头
methodical /mə'θɑdɪkl/ adj. 有条理的
37
There never was anything
clumsy
about his
movements
.
clumsy /ˈklʌmzi/ adj. 笨拙的
movements /ˈmuvmənts/ n. 整个活动
38
All were practiced, all had a reason, the
contingencies
were
covered
,
efficiently
and
professionally
.
contingency /kən'tɪndʒənsi/ n. 意外事故
cover /ˈkʌvər/ v. 守住
efficiently /ɪˈfɪʃəntlɪ/ adv. 有效地
professionally /prə'fɛʃənəli/ adv. 专业地
39
Up the bank, through the bridge, running with the equipment, racing the sun. Now the
tough
one. Grab second camera with faster film,
sling
both cameras around neck, climb tree behind bridge.
tough /tʌf/ adj. 棘手的
sling /slɪŋ/ vt. 吊起
40
Scrape
arm on
bark
—“
Dammit
!”—keep climbing. High up now, looking down on the bridge at an angle with the stream catching sunlight.
scrape /skreɪp/ v. 擦伤
bark /bɑːrk/ n. 吼叫声
dammit /ˈdæmɪt/ int. 该死
41
Use
spot meter
to
isolate
bridge
roof
, then
shady
side of bridge.
spot meter [摄] 点亮度计
isolate /ˈaɪsəleɪt/ adj. 孤立的
roof /ruːf/ n. 屋顶
shady /'ʃedi/ adj. 背阴的
42
Take
reading
off water. Set camera for
compromise
. Shoot nine shots, bracketing, camera resting on vest wedged into tree
crotch
. Switch cameras. Faster film. Shoot a dozen more shots.
reading /ˈriːdɪŋ/ （测量仪器的）读数
compromise /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪz/ n. 妥协方案
crotch /krɑtʃ/ n. 分叉处
43
Down the tree. Down the bank. Set up tripod, reload Kodachrome, shoot composition similar to the first series only from the opposite side of the stream.
44
Pull third camera out of bag. The old SP,
rangefinder
camera. Black-and-white work now. Light on bridge changing second by second.
rangefinder /'rendʒ,faɪndɚ/ n. 测距仪
45
After twenty intense minutes of the kind understood only by soldiers,
surgeons
, and photographers,
surgeon /'sɝdʒən/ n. 外科医生
46
Robert Kincaid swung his knapsacks into the truck and headed back down the road he had come along before.
47
It was fifteen minutes to Hogback Bridge northwest of town, and he might just get some shots there if he hurried.
48
Dust flying, Camel lit, truck bouncing, past the white frame house facing north, past Richard Johnson’s mailbox.
49
No sign of her. What did you expect? She’s married, doing okay. You’re doing okay. Who needs those kinds of
complications
?
complication /ˌkɑːmplɪˈkeɪʃn/ n. 难题
50
Nice evening, nice supper, nice woman. Leave it at that. God, she’s lovely, though, and there’s something about her. Something. I have trouble taking my eyes away from her.
51
Francesca was in the barn doing
chores
when he
barreled
past her place.
chore /tʃɔːr/ n. 家庭杂务
barrel /ˈbærəl/ vi. 快速移动
52
Noise from the
livestock
cloaked
any sound from the road. And Robert Kincaid headed for Hogback Bridge, racing the years, chasing the light.
livestock /ˈlaɪvstɑːk/ n. 家畜
cloak /kloʊk/ vt. 遮掩
53
Things went well at the second bridge. It sat in a
valley
and still had mist rising around it when he arrived.
valley /ˈvæli/ n. 山谷
54
The 300-millimeter lens gave him a big sun in the
upper-left
part of his frame, with the rest taking in the
winding
white rock road toward the bridge and the bridge itself.
upper-left 左上角
winding /'waɪndɪŋ/ adj. 蜿蜒的
55
Then into his
viewfinder
came a farmer driving a team of light brown
Belgians
pulling a
wagon
along the white road. One of the last of the oldstyle boys, Kincaid thought, grinning.
viewfinder /'vjufaɪndɚ/ n. (照相机)取景器
Belgian /ˈbɛldʒən/ adj. 比利时的
wagon /ˈwæɡən/ n. 四轮的运货马车
56
He knew when the good ones came by and could already see what the final
would look like as he worked. On the
vertical
shots he left some light sky where a title could go.
print /prɪnt/ n. (由底片印出的)照片
vertical /ˈvɜːrtɪkl/ adj. 垂直的
57
When he folded up his tripod at eight thirty-five, he felt good. The morning’s work had some keepers.
Bucolic
,
conservative
stuff, but nice and
solid
.
bucolic /bjuːˈkɑːlɪk/ adj. 乡村风味的
conservative /kənˈsɜːrvətɪv/ adj. 保守的
solid adj. 经得起时间考验的
58
The one with the farmer and horses might even be a
cover
shot; that’s why he had left the space at the top of the
frame
, room for
type
, for a logo.
cover /ˈkʌvər/ n. 封面
frame /freɪm/ n. 画面
type /taɪp/ n. 文字
59
Editors liked that kind of
thoughtful
craftsmanship
. That’s why Robert Kincaid got
assignments
.
thoughtful /ˈθɔːtfl/ adj. 体贴的
craftsmanship /'kræftsmənʃɪp/ n. 精工细作
assignment /əˈsaɪnmənt/ n. 工作
60
He had shot all or part of seven rolls of film, emptied the three cameras, and reached into the lower-left pocket of his vest to get the other four.
61
“Damn!” The
thumbtack
pricked
his
index finger
. He had forgotten about dropping it in the pocket when he’d removed the piece of paper from Roseman Bridge.
thumbtack /ˈθʌmˌtæk/ n. 图钉
prick /prɪk/ vt. 扎
index finger 食指
62
In fact, he had forgotten about the piece of paper. He fished it out, opened it, and read:
63
“If you’d like supper again when ‘white moths are
on the wing,
’ come by tonight after you’re finished. Anytime is fine.”
on the wing 在飞行中
64
He couldn’t help smiling a little, imagining Francesca Johnson with her note and thumbtack driving through the darkness to the bridge.
65
In five minutes he was back in town. While the Texaco man filled the
tank
and checked the oil (“Down half a
quart
”), Kincaid used the
pay telephone
at the station.
tank /tæŋk/ n. （存放液体或气体的）箱
quart /kwɔːrt/ n. 夸脱(液体或固体的容积单位)
pay telephone 公共电话
66
The
thin
phone book was
grimy
from being
thumbed
by
filling station
hands. There were two listings under “R. Johnson,” but one had a town address.
thin /θɪn/ adj. 薄的
grimy /'ɡraɪmi/ adj. 肮脏的
thumb /θʌm/ v. 用拇指翻动
filling station n. 汽车加油站
67
He dialed the
rural
number and waited. Francesca was feeding the dog on the back porch when the phone rang in the kitchen. She caught it
at the front of
the second ring: “Johnson’s.”
rural /ˈrʊrəl/ adj. 农村的
at the front of 在......前面
68
“Hi, this is Robert Kincaid.”
69
Her insides jumped again, just as they had yesterday. A little
stab
of something that started in her chest and
plunged
to her stomach.
stab /stæb/ n. 刺
plunge /plʌndʒ/ v. 猛插
70
“Got your note. W. B. Yeats as a
messenger
and all that. I accept the invitation, but it might be late.
messenger /ˈmesɪndʒər/ n. 信使
71
The weather’s pretty good, so I’m planning on shooting the—let’s see, what’s it called?—the
Cedar
Bridge… this evening. It could be after nine before I’m finished.
cedar /'sidɚ/ n. 雪松
72
Then I’ll want to clean up a bit. So I might not be there until nine-thirty or ten. Is that all right?”
73
No, it wasn’t all right. She didn’t want to wait that long, but she only said, “Oh, sure. Get your work done; that’s what’s important. I’ll fix something that’ll be easy to warm up when you get here.”
74
Then he added, “If you want to come along while I’m shooting, that’s fine. It won’t bother me. I could stop by for you about five-thirty.”
75
Francesca’s mind worked the problem. She wanted to go with him. But what if someone saw her? What could she say to Richard if he found out?
76
Cedar Bridge sat fifty yards upstream from and
parallel
to the new road and its
concrete
bridge.
parallel /ˈpærəlel/ 与……并行
concrete /ˈkɑːŋkriːt/ n. 混凝土
77
She wouldn’t be too
noticeable
. Or would she? In less than two seconds, she decided. “Yes, I’d like that. But I’ll drive my pickup and meet you there. What time?”
noticeable /ˈnoʊtɪsəbl/ adj. 明显的
78
“About six. I’ll see you then. Okay? ‘Bye.”
79
He spent the rest of the day at the local newspaper office looking through old
editions
.
edition /ɪˈdɪʃn/ n. 版次
80
It was a pretty town, with a nice
courthouse
square
, and he sat there on a bench in the shade at lunch with a small sack of fruit and some bread, along with a
Coke
from a cafe across the street.
courthouse /'kɔrthaʊs/ n. 法院大楼
square /skwer/ n. 广场
coke n. 可口可乐
81
When he had walked in the cafe and asked for a Coke to
take out
, it was a little after noon.
take out 把...带出去
82
Like an old Wild West
saloon
when the
regional
gunfighter
appeared, the
busy
conversation had stopped for a moment while they all looked him over.
saloon /sə'lun/ n. （旧时美国西部和加拿大的）酒吧
regional /ˈriːdʒənl/ adj. 地区的
gunfighter /'ɡʌnfaitə/ 枪战能手
busy /'bɪzi/ adj. 热闹的
83
He hated that, felt
self-conscious
; but it was the standard
procedure
in small towns. Someone new! Someone different! Who is he? What’s he doing here?
self-conscious /ˌself ˈkɑːnʃəs/ adj. 不自然的
procedure /prəˈsiːdʒər/ n. 程序
84
“Somebody said he’s a photographer. Said they saw him out by Hogback Bridge this morning with all sorts of cameras.”
85
“Sign on his truck says he’s from Washington, out west.”
86
“Been over to the newspaper office all morning. Jim says he’s looking through the papers for information on the covered bridges.”
87
“Yeah, young Fischer at the Texaco said he stopped in yesterday and asked directions to all the covered bridges.”
88
“What’s he wanna know about them for, anyway?”
89
“And why in the world would anybody wanna take pictures of ’em? They’re just all fallin’ down in bad shape.”
90
“Sure does have long hair. Looks like one of them Beatle fellows, or what is it they been callin’ some of them other people? Hippies, ain’t that it?”
91
That brought laughter in the back
booth
and to the table next to it.
booth n. (隔开的）小间
92
Kincaid got his Coke and left, the eyes still on him as he went out the door. Maybe he’d made a mistake in inviting Francesca,
for her sake
, not his.
for one's sake 为.......起见
93
If someone saw her at Cedar Bridge, word would
hit
the cafe next morning at breakfast,
relayed
by young Fischer at the Texaco station after taking a
handoff
from the passerby.
hit /hɪt/ v. 使（某人）突然意识到
relay /ˈriːleɪ/ vi. 转播
handoff /'hændɒf/ n. 手递手传球
94
Probably quicker than that.
95
He’d learned never to
underestimate
the
telecommunicative
flash
of
trivial
news in small towns.
underestimate /ˌʌndərˈestɪmeɪt/ vt. 低估
telecommunicative 远程通讯
flash /flæʃ/ v. 传送（信息）
trivial /ˈtrɪviəl/ adj. 琐碎的
96
Two million children could be dying of hunger in the Sudan, and that wouldn’t cause a
bump
in
consciousness
. But Richard Johnson’s wife seen with a long-haired stranger—now that was news!
bump /bʌmp/ n. 撞击
consciousness /ˈkɑːnʃəsnəs/ n. 感知
97
News to be passed around, news to be chewed on, news that created a
vague
carnal
lapping
in the minds of those who heard it, the only such
ripple
they’d feel that year.
vague /veɪɡ/ adj. 模糊的
carnal /ˈkɑrnəl/ adj. 肉欲的
lap /læp/ 欣然接受
ripple /ˈrɪpl/ n. 涟漪
98
He finished his lunch and walked over to the public phone on the parking of the courthouse. Dialed her number. She answered, slightly breathless, on the third ring. “Hi, it’s Robert Kincaid again.”
99
Her stomach tightened
instantly
as she thought, He can’t come; he’s called to say that.
instantly /ˈɪnstəntli/ adv. 立刻
100
“Let me be
direct.
If it’s a problem for you to come out with me tonight, given the curiosity of small-town people, don’t feel pressured to do it.
direct /dɪ'rekt/ adj. 坦率的
101
Frankly, I could care less what they think of me around here, and one way or the other, I’ll come by later.
102
What I’m trying to say is that I might have made an error in inviting you, so don’t feel
compelled
in any way to do it. Though I’d love to have you along.”
compel /kəmˈpel/ vt. 强迫
103
She’d been thinking about just that since they’d talked earlier. But she had decided. “No, I’d like to see you do your work. I’m not worried about talk.”
104
She was worried, but something in her had taken hold, something to do with risk. Whatever the cost, she was going out to Cedar Bridge.
105
“Great. Just thought I’d check. See you later.”
106
“Okay.” He was
sensitive
, but she already knew that.
sensitive /ˈsensətɪv/ adj. 敏感的
107
At four o’clock he stopped by his
motel
and did some
laundry
in the sink, put on a clean shirt, and tossed a second one in the truck,
motel /moʊˈtel/ n. 汽车旅馆
laundry /ˈlɔːndri/ n. 洗衣物的活
108
along with a pair of khaki slacks and brown
sandals
he’d
picked up
in India in 1962 while doing a story on the
baby
railroad up to Darjeeling.
sandal /'sændl/ n. 凉鞋
pick up 获得
baby /'bebi/ adj. 小型的
109
At a
tavern
he
purchased
two six-packs of
Budweiser
. Eight of the bottles, all that would
fit
, he arranged around his film in the cooler.
tavern /'tæv(ə)n/ n. 酒馆
purchase /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/ n. 购买
Budweiser 百威啤酒
fit /fɪt/ v. 可容纳
110
Hot, real hot again. The late afternoon sun in Iowa piled itself on top of its earlier damage, which had been absorbed by
cement
and brick and
earth
. It fairly
blistered
down out of the west.
cement /sɪˈment/ n. 水泥
earth /ɝθ/ n. 泥土
blister /'blɪstɚ/ v. 起泡
111
The tavern had been dark and
passably
cool, with the front door open and big fans on the ceiling and one on a stand by the door
whirring
at about a hundred and five
decibels
.
passably /'pæsəbli/ adv. 尚可地
whir /hwə/ vi. 作呼呼声
decibel /'dɛsɪbɛl/ n. 分贝
112
Somehow, though, the noise of the fans, the smell of
stale
beer and smoke, the
blare
of the
jukebox
,
stale /steɪl/ adj. 不新鲜的
blare /bler/ vi. (喇叭或其他高音器具)刺耳地大声鸣响
jukebox /'dʒʊk'bɑks/ n. 自动唱机
113
and the
semihostile
faces staring at him from along the bar made it seem hotter than it really was.
semi /'sɛmi/ pref. 表示“一半的；部分的；不完全的”
hostile /ˈhɑːstl/ adj. 怀有敌意的
114
Out on the road the sunlight almost hurt, and he thought about the Cascades and
fir
trees and breezes along the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, near Kydaka Point.
fir /fɝ/ n. <植>冷杉
115
Francesca Johnson looked cool, though. She was leaning against the
fender
of her Ford pickup where she had parked it behind some trees near the bridge.
fender /'fɛndɚ/ n.（汽车等的）挡泥板
116
She had on the same jeans that
fit
her so well,
sandals
, and a white
cotton
T-shirt that did nice things for her body.
fit /fɪt/ vt. 使……合身
sandal /'sændl/ n. 凉鞋
cotton /ˈkɑːtn/ adj. 棉制的
117
He waved as he
pulled up
next to her truck.
pull up 停下来
118
“Hi. Nice to see you. Pretty hot,” he said.
Innocuous
talk, around-the-edges-of-things talk. That old
uneasiness
again, just being in the
presence
of a woman for whom he felt something.
innocuous /ɪˈnɑːkjuəs/ adj. 无害的
uneasiness /ʌnˈizɪnɪs/ n. 拘束
presence /ˈprezns/ n. 存在
119
He never knew quite what to say, unless the talk was serious.
He never knew quite what to say,
unless the talk was serious.
120
Even though his sense of humor was well
developed
,
if
a little
bizarre
, he had a
fundamentally
serious mind and took things seriously.
developed /dɪˈveləpt/ adj. 成熟的
if /ɪf/ conj. 尽管
bizarre /bɪˈzɑːr/ adj. 奇异的（指态度，容貌，款式等）
fundamentally /ˌfʌndəˈmentəli/ adv. 根本地
121
His mother had always said he was an adult at four years of age.
122
That
served
him well as a professional. To his way of thinking, though, it did not serve him well around women such as Francesca Johnson.
serve /sɜːrv/ vt. & vi.（对…）有用
123
“I wanted to watch you make your pictures. ‘Shoot,’ as you call it.”
124
“Well, you’re about to see it, and you’ll find it pretty boring. At least other people
generally
do. It’s not like listening to someone practice the piano, where you can be part of it.
generally /ˈdʒenrəli/ adv. 通常
125
In
photography
,
production
and performance are separated by a long time
span
. Today I’m doing production. When the pictures appear somewhere, that’s the performance.
photography /fəˈtɑːɡrəfi/ n. 摄影术
production /prəˈdʌkʃn/ n. 制作
span /spæn/ n. 跨度
126
All you’re going to see is a lot of
fiddling around
. But you’re more than welcome. In fact, I’m glad you came.”
fiddling around 玩弄
127
She
hung
on those last four words. He needn’t have said them. He could have stopped with “welcome,” but he didn’t.
hang /hæŋ/ v. 徘徊
128
He was
genuinely
glad to see her; that was clear. She hoped the fact she was here
implied
something of the same to him.
genuinely /ˈd ʒ ɛnjʊɪnlɪ/ adv. 真诚地
imply /ɪmˈplaɪ/ v. 暗示
129
“Can I help you in some way?” she asked as he pulled on his rubber boots.
130
“You can carry that blue knapsack. I’ll take the
tan
one and the tripod.”
tan /tæn/ n. 黄褐色
131
So Francesca became a photographer’s
assistant
.
assistant /əˈsɪstənt/ n. 助手
132
He had been wrong. There was much to see. There was a performance of sorts, though he was not aware of it. It was what she had noticed yesterday and part of what drew her toward him.
133
His
grace
, his quick eyes, the muscles along his
forearms
working.
Mostly
the way he moved his body. The men she knew seemed
cumbrous
compared to him.
grace /ɡreɪs/ n. 优雅
forearm /fɔrˈɑrm/ n. 前臂
mostly /ˈmoʊstli/ adv 主要的
cumbrous /ˈkʌmbrəs/ adj. 累赘的
134
It wasn’t that he hurried. In fact, he didn’t hurry at all. There was a
gazellelike
quality about him, though she could tell he was strong in a
supple
way.
gazelle /gə'zɛl/ n. 小羚羊
supple /ˈsʌpl/ adj. 柔韧的
135
Maybe he was more like a
leopard
than a gazelle. Yes. Leopard, that was it. He was not
prey
. Quite the
reverse
, she
sensed
.
leopard /'lɛpɚd/ n. 美洲豹
prey /preɪ/ n. 被捕食的动物
reverse /rɪˈvɜːrs/ n. 相反
sense /sɛns/ v. 感觉到
136
“Francesca, give me the camera with the blue strap, please.”
137
She opened the knapsack, feeling a little
overcautious
about the expensive equipment he handled so
casually
, and took out the camera.
overcautious /ˌovɚˈkɔʃəs/ adj. 过于谨慎的
casually /ˈkæʒuəli/ adv. 若无其事地
138
It said “Nikon” on the
chrome plating
of the viewfinder, with an “F” to the upper left of the name.
chrome plating 镀铬
139
He was on his knees northeast of the bridge, with the tripod low.
140
He held out his left hand without taking his eye from the viewfinder, and she gave him the camera, watching his hand close about the lens as he felt it touch him.
141
He worked the plunger on the end of the
cord
she had seen hanging out of his vest yesterday. The
shutter
fired. He
cocked
the shutter and fired again.
cord /kɔːrd/ n. 绳索
shutter /'ʃʌtɚ/ n. (照相机的)快门
cock /kɑːk/ vt. 使某物竖起
142
He reached under the tripod head and
unscrewed
the camera on it, which was replaced by the one she had given him.
unscrew /ˌʌn'skru/ vt. & vi. 从…旋出螺丝
143
While he fastened on the new one, he turned his head toward her and grinned. “Thanks, you’re a
first-class
assistant.” She
flushed
a little.
first-class /ˈfɚstˈklæs/ adv. 第一流地
flushed /fl ʌʃt/ v. 脸发红（flush的过去式和过去分词）
144
God, what was it about him! He was like some star creature who had drafted in on the tail of a
comet
and dropped off at the end of her lane. Why can’t I just say “you’re welcome”? she thought.
comet /ˈkɑːmɪt/ n. 彗星
145
I feel sort of slow around him, though it’s nothing he does. It’s me, not him. I’m just not used to being with people whose minds work as fast as his does.
146
He moved into the creek, then up the other bank. She went through the bridge with the blue knapsack and stood behind him, happy, strangely happy.
147
There was
energy
here, a power of some kind in the way he worked. He didn’t just wait for nature, he took it over in a gentle way,
shaping
it to his
vision
, making it fit what he saw in his mind.
energy /ˈenərdʒi/ n. 活力
shape /ʃep/ vt. 塑造
vision /ˈvɪʒn/ n. 想象力
148
He
imposed
his
will
on the scene, countering changes in light with different lenses, different films, a
filter
occasionally. He didn’t just
fight back
, he dominated, using skill and intellect.
impose /ɪmˈpoʊz/ vt. 强加
will /wɪl/ n. 意图
filter /ˈfɪltər/ n. 滤光器
fight back 抵抗
149
Farmers also dominated the land with
chemicals
and
bulldozers
. But Robert Kincaid’s way of changing nature was
elastic
and always left things in their
original
form when he finished.
chemical /ˈkemɪkl/ n. 化学制品
bulldozer /'bʊl'dozɚ/ n. 推土机
elastic /ɪˈlæstɪk/ adj. 有弹性的
original /əˈrɪdʒənl/ n. 原型
150
She looked at the jeans pulling themselves tight around his thigh muscles as he
knelt
down. At the faded
denim
shirt sticking to his back, gray hair over the
collar
of it.
knelt /nɛlt/ v. 跪下（kneel的过去式）
denim /'dɛnɪm/ n. 坚韧的斜纹粗棉布
collar /ˈkɑːlər/ n. 衣领
151
At how he sat back on his
haunches
to adjust a piece of equipment, and for the first time in ever so long, she grew wet between her legs just watching someone.
haunch /hɔntʃ/ n. 腰部
152
When she felt it, she looked up at the evening sky and breathed deeply, listening to him quietly curse a
jammed
filter
that wouldn’t
unscrew
from a lens.
jam /dʒæm/ vt. & vi. 卡住
filter /ˈfɪltər/ n. 滤光器
unscrew /ˌʌn'skru/ vt. & vi. 旋开
153
He crossed the
creek
again back toward the
trucks
,
sloshing
along in his rubber boots.
creek /krik/ n. 〈美〉小河
truck /trʌk/ n. 卡车
slosh /slɑːʃ/ vi. 溅
154
Francesca went into the covered bridge, and when she came out the other end, he was crouched and pointing a camera toward her.
155
He fired,
cocked
the
shutter
, and fired a second and third time as she walked toward him along the road. She felt herself grin in
mild
embarrassment
.
cock /kɑːk/ vt. 使某物竖起
shutter /'ʃʌtɚ/ n. (照相机的)快门
mild /maɪld/ adj. 轻微的
embarrassment /ɪmˈbærəsmənt/ n. 尴尬
156
“Don’t worry.” He smiled. “I won’t use those anywhere without your permission. I’m finished here. Think I’ll stop by the
motel
and
rinse
off a bit before coming out.”
motel /moʊˈtel/ n. 汽车旅馆
rinse /rɪns/ vt. 冲洗
157
“Well, you can if you want. But I can spare a towel or a
shower
or the
pump
or whatever,” she said quietly, earnestly.
shower /'ʃaʊɚ/ n. 淋雨
pump /pʌmp/ n. 抽水机
158
“Okay,
you’re on
. Go ahead. I’ll load the equipment in Harry—that’s my truck—and be right there.”
you’re on 没问题
159
She backed Richard’s new Ford out of the trees and took it up on the main road away from the bridge, turned right, and headed toward Winterset, where she
cut
southwest toward home.
cut /kʌt/ v. 穿过
160
The dust was too thick for her to see if he was following, though once, coming around a curve, she thought she could see his lights a mile back, rattling along in the truck he called Harry.
161
It must have been him, for she heard his truck coming up the lane just after she arrived.
162
Jack barked at first but settled down right away, muttering to himself, “Same guy as last night; okay, I guess.” Kincaid stopped for a moment to talk with him.
163
Francesca stepped out of the back porch door. “Shower?”
164
“That’d be great. Show me the way.”
165
She took him upstairs to the bathroom she had insisted Richard put in when the children were growing up. That was one of the few demands on which she had stood firm.
166
She liked long hot baths in the evening, and she wasn’t going to deal with teenagers
tromping
around in her private spaces.
tromp /trɔmp/ vt. 践踏
167
Richard used the other bath, said he felt uncomfortable with all the feminine things in hers. “Too
fussy
,” were his words.
fussy /ˈfʌsi/ adj. 过于讲究的
168
The bath could be reached only through their bedroom. She opened the door to it and took out an
assortment
of towels and a
washcloth
from a cupboard under the sink.
assortment /əˈsɔːrtmənt/ n. 各类物品或同类各种物品的聚集
washcloth /ˈwɑʃˌklɔθ/ n. 毛巾
169
“Use anything you want.” She smiled while biting her lower lip slightly.
170
“I might borrow some
shampoo
if you can spare it. Mine’s at the motel.”
shampoo /ʃæm'pu/ n. 洗发精
171
“Sure.
Take your pick
.” She set three different bottles on the
counter
, each partly used.
take your pick 任你挑(非正式)
counter /ˈkaʊntər/ n. 柜台
172
“Thanks.” He tossed his fresh clothes on the bed, and Francesca
noted
the khakis, white shirt, and sandals.
note /noʊt/ vt. 注意
173
None of the local men wore sandals. A few of them from town had started wearing Bermuda shorts at the golf course, but not the farmers. And sandals… never.
174
She went downstairs and heard the shower come on. He’s naked now, she thought, and felt funny in her lower belly.
175
Earlier in the day, after he called, she had driven the forty miles into Des Moines and went to the state
liquor
store.
worldly
.
liquor /ˈlɪkər/ n. 酒
worldly /'wɝldli/ adj. 世俗的
176
She was not experienced in this and asked a
clerk
about a good wine. He didn’t know any more than she did, which was nothing.
clerk /klɜːrk/ n. 店员
177
So she looked through the rows of bottles until she came across a label that read “
Valpolicella
.” She remembered that from a long time ago. Dry, Italian red wine.
Valpolicella /ˌvælpɔli'selə/ 瓦尔波利塞拉葡萄酒
178
She bought two bottles and another
decanter
of brandy, feeling
sensual
and worldly.
decanter /dɪ'kæntɚ/ n. 玻璃水瓶
sensual /'sɛnʃuəl/ adj. 喜爱感官享受（尤指情欲）的
179
Next she looked for a new summer dress from a shop
downtown
.
downtown /ˈdaʊntaʊn/ n. 使中心
180
She found one, light pink with thin straps.
181
It
scooped
down in back, did the same in front rather
dramatically
so the tops of her breasts were
exposed
, and gathered around her waist with a narrow
sash
.
scoop /skup/ v. 挖空
dramatically /drəˈmætɪkli/ adv. 引人注目地
expose /ɪkˈspoʊz/ v. 暴露
sash /sæʃ/ n. 腰带
182
And new white sandals, expensive ones, flat-heeled, with delicate
handiwork
on the straps.
handiwork /'hændɪ'wɝk/ n. 手工
183
In the afternoon she fixed stuffed
peppers
, filling them with a mixture of tomato sauce, brown rice, cheese, and
chopped
parsley
.
pepper /ˈpepər/ n. 胡椒粉
chop /tʃɑːp/ vt. 剁碎
parsley /'pɑrsli/ n. <植>西芹
184
Then came a simple
spinach
salad, corn bread, and an apple-
sauce
soufflé
for dessert.
spinach /'spɪnɪtʃ/ n. 菠菜
sauce /sɔːs/ n. 酱汁
souffle /'suːf(ə)l/ n. 蛋奶酥
185
All of it, except the soufflé, went into the
refrigerator
.
refrigerator /rɪ'frɪdʒəretɚ/ n. 冰箱
186
She hurried to shorten her dress to knee length. The Des Moines Register had carried an article earlier in the summer saying that was the
preferred
length this year.
preferred /prɪ'fɝd/ adj. 首选的
187
She always had thought fashion and all it
implied
pretty
weird
, people behaving
sheeplike
in the service of European designers.
imply /ɪmˈplaɪ/ vt. 暗示
weird /wɪrd/ adj. 奇怪的
sheeplike adj. 温顺的
188
But the length
suited
her, so that’s where the
hem
went.
suit /suːt/ v. （服装、风格、颜色）使显得漂亮
hem /hɛm/ n. 摺边
189
The wine was a problem. People around here kept it in the refrigerator, though in Italy they never had done that. Yet it was too warm just to let it sit on the counter.
190
Then she remembered the
spring house
. It was about sixty degrees in there in the summer, so she put the wine along the wall.
spring house 食品冷藏所
191
The shower shut off upstairs just as the phone rang. It was Richard, calling from Illinois.
192
“Everything okay?”
193
“Yes.”
194
“Carolyn’s steer’ll be judged on Wednesday. Some other things we want to see next day. Be home Friday, late.”
195
“All right, have a good time and drive carefully.”
196
“Frannie, you sure you’re okay? Sound a little strange.”
197
“No, I’m fine. Just hot. I’ll be better after my bath.”
198
“Okay. Say hello to Jack for me.”
199
“Yes, I’ll do that.” She glanced at Jack
sprawled
on the
cement
of the back porch floor.
cement /sɪˈment/ n. 水泥
sprawl /sprɔːl/ vi. 伸开四肢坐〔躺〕
200
Robert Kincaid came down the stairs and into the kitchen.
201
White button-down–collar shirt, sleeves rolled up to just above the elbow, light khaki slacks, brown sandals, silver bracelet, top two buttons of his shirt open, silver
chain
.
chain /tʃeɪn/ n. 锁链
202
His hair was still damp and brushed neatly, with a part in the middle. And she
marveled
at the sandals.
marvel /ˈmɑːrvl/ vt. 对…感到惊异（主要指人创造的奇迹）
203
“I’ll just take my
field
duds
out to the truck and bring in the gear for a little cleaning.”
field /fild/ adj. 野外的
dud /dʌd/ n. 衣服
204
“Go ahead. I’m going to take a bath.”
205
“Want a beer with your bath?”
206
“If you have an extra one.”
207
He brought in the cooler first, lifted out a beer for her, and opened it, while she found two tall glasses that would serve as
mugs
.
mug /mʌɡ/ n. 大杯
208
When he went back to the truck for the cameras, she took her beer and went upstairs, noted that he had cleaned the
tub
,
tub /tʌb/ n. 浴盆
209
and then ran a high, warm bath for herself, settling in with her glass on the floor beside her while she shaved and soaped.
210
He had been here just a few minutes before; she was lying where the water had run down his body, and she found that
intensely
erotic
.
intensely /ɪnˈt ɛnslɪ/ adv. 强烈地
erotic /ɪ'rɑtɪk/ adj. (引起)性欲的
211
Almost everything about Robert Kincaid had begun to seem erotic to her.
212
Something as simple as a cold glass of beer at bath time felt so
elegant
. Why didn’t she and Richard live this way? Part of it, she knew, was the
inertia
of
protracted
custom
.
elegant /ˈelɪɡənt/ adj. （人）高雅的
inertia /ɪˈnɜːrʃə/ n. 惰性
protracted /prə'træktɪd/ adj. 长时间的
custom /ˈkʌstəm/ n. 习惯
213
All marriages, all relationships, are
susceptible
to that. Custom brings
predictability
, and predictability carries its own comforts; she was aware of that, too.
susceptible /səˈseptəbl/ adj. 易受影响的
predictability /pri,diktə'biliti/ n. 可预言
214
And there was the farm. Like a
demanding
invalid
, it needed constant attention,
demanding /dɪˈmændɪŋ/ adj. 很费心的
invalid /ɪnˈvælɪd/ n. 病人
215
even though the steady substitution of equipment for human
labor
had made much of the work less
onerous
than it had been in the past.
labor /ˈleɪbər/ n. 劳动
onerous /ˈoʊnərəs/ adj. 繁重的
216
But there was something more going on here. Predictability is one thing, fear of change is something else. And Richard was afraid of change, any kind of change, in their marriage.
217
Didn’t want to talk about it in general. Didn’t want to talk about sex in particular.
Eroticism
was, in some way, dangerous business,
unseemly
to his way of thinking.
eroticism /ɪ'rɑtə,sɪzəm/ n. 色情
unseemly /ʌnˈsiːmli/ adj. 不得体的
218
But he wasn’t alone and really wasn’t to blame.
219
What was the
barrier
to freedom that had been
erected
out here? Not just on their farm, but in the
rural
culture. Maybe urban culture, for that matter.
barrier /ˈbæriər/ n. 屏障
erect /ɪˈrekt/ vt. 竖起
rural /ˈrʊrəl/ adj. 农村的
220
Why the walls and the fences
preventing
open, natural relationships between men and women? Why the
lack
of intimacy, the absence of eroticism?
prevent /prɪˈvent/ vt. 阻止
lack /læk/ vt. 缺乏（侧重客观条件等场景）
221
The women’s magazines talked about these matters.
222
And women were starting to have expectations about their
allotted
place in the
grander
scheme
of things, as well as what
transpired
in the bedrooms of their lives.
allot /əˈlɑːt/ vt. 分配
grand /ɡrænd/ adj. 宏大的
scheme /skiːm/ n. 计划
transpire /træn'spaɪɚ/ vi. 发生
223
Men such as Richard — most men, she guessed — were
threatened
by these expectations. In a way, women were asking for men to be
poets
and
driving
,
passionate
lovers at the same time.
threaten /ˈθretn/ vi. 威胁
poet /ˈpoʊət/ n. 诗人
driving /'draɪvɪŋ/ adj. 精力旺盛的
passionate /ˈpæʃənət/ adj. 多情的
224
Women saw no
contradiction
in that. Men did.
contradiction /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃn/ n. 矛盾
225
The
locker rooms
and
stag parties
and
pool halls
and segregated
gatherings
of their lives
locker room /ˈlɑkɚˌrum/ 衣帽间
stag party 只有男人参加的聚会
poll hall (美)台球房
gathering /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/ n. 聚会
226
defined
a certain set of male characteristics in which poetry, or anything of
subtlety
, had no place.
define /dɪˈfaɪn/ vt. 定义
subtlety /'sʌtlti/ n. 微妙
227
Hence
, if eroticism was a matter of
subtlety
, an art form of its own, which Francesca knew it to be, it had no place in the
fabric
of their lives.
hence /hens/ adv. 因此
subtlety /'sʌtlti/ n. 微妙
fabric /ˈfæbrɪk/ n. 构造
228
So the
distracting
and
conveniently
clever dance that held them apart went on, while women sighed and turned their faces to the wall in the nights of Madison County.
distract /dɪˈstrækt/ vt. 分心
conveniently /kənˈvinjəntlɪ/ adv. 合宜地
229
There was something in the mind of Robert Kincaid that understood all of this,
implicitly
. She was sure of that.
implicitly /ɪmˈplɪsɪtlɪ/ adv. 绝对地
230
Walking into the bedroom,
toweling
off, she noted it was a little after ten. Still hot, but the bath had cooled her. From the closet she took the new dress.
towel /ˈtaʊəl/ vi. 用毛巾擦干
231
She pulled her long black hair behind her and fastened it with a silver
clasp
. Silver
earrings
, large
hooped
ones, and a
loose-fitting
silver bracelet she also had bought in Des Moines that morning.
clasp /klæsp/ n. 扣子
earring /ˈɪrɪŋ/ n. 耳环
hoop /huːp/ n. 铁环
loose-fitting adj. 宽松的
232
The Wind Song perfume again. A little
lipstick
on the high-
cheekboned
, Latin face, the
shade
of pink even lighter than the dress.
lipstick /ˈlɪpstɪk/ n. 口红
cheekbone n. 颧骨
shade /ʃeɪd/ n. （色彩的）浓淡深浅
233
Her tan from working outdoors in shorts and
midriff
tops
accented
the whole
outfit
. Her
slim
legs came out from under the hem looking just fine.
midriff /'mɪdrɪf/ n. 中腹部
accent /ˈæksent/ v. 突出
outfit /ˈaʊtfɪt/ n. 一套服装
slim /slɪm/ adj. 修长的
g
234
She turned first one way, then the other, looking at herself in the
bureau
mirror. That’s about as good as I can do, she thought. And then, pleased, said half out loud, “It’s pretty good, though.”
bureau /ˈbjʊroʊ/ n. 衣柜
235
Robert Kincaid was working on his second beer and
repacking
the cameras when she came into the kitchen. He looked up at her.
repack v. 重新打包
236
“
Jesus
,” he said softly. All of the feelings, all of the searching and
reflecting
, a lifetime of feeling and searching and reflecting, came together at that moment.
Jesus /'dʒizəs/ 天哪
reflecting /rɪ'flɛktɪŋ/ adj. 沉思的
237
And he fell in love with Francesca Johnson, farmer’s wife, of Madison County, Iowa, long ago from Naples.
238
“I mean”—his voice was a little shaky, a little rough—
239
“if you don’t mind my
boldness
, you look
stunning
. Make-’em-run-around-the-block-howling-in-
agony
stunning. I’m serious. You’re big-time
elegant
, Francesca, in the purest sense of that word.”
boldness /'bəuldnis/ n. 大胆
stunning /ˈstʌnɪŋ/ adj. 极吸引人的
agony /ˈæɡəni/ n. 极大的痛苦
elegant /ˈelɪɡənt/ adj. 优美的
240
His admiration was
genuine
, she could tell.
genuine /ˈdʒenjuɪn/ adj. 真诚的
241
She
reveled
in it,
bathed
in it, let it swirl over her and into the
pores
of her skin like soft oil from the hands of some
deity
somewhere who had deserted her years ago and had now returned.
revel /'rɛvl/ vi. 陶醉
bathe /beɪð/ vt. 沐浴
pore /pɔr/ n. 气孔
deity /'deəti/ n. 神
242
And, in the catch of that moment, she fell in love with Robert Kincaid, photographer-writer, from Bellingham, Washington, who drove an old pickup truck named Harry.
243
