黄面人10

“I was struck dumb with astonishment¹ at the sight of her, but my emotions were nothing to those which showed themselves upon her face when our eyes met. She seemed for an instant to wish to shrink back inside the house again; and then, seeing how useless all concealment² must be, she came forward, with a very white face and frightened eyes which belied³ the smile upon her lips.

“‘Ah, Jack⁴,’ she said, ‘I have just been in to see if I can be of any assistance to our new neighbours. Why do you look at me like that, Jack? You are not angry with me?’

“‘So,’ said I, ‘this is where you went during the night.’

“‘What do you mean?’ she cried.

“‘You came here. I am sure of it. Who are these people that you should visit them at such an hour?’

“‘I have not been here before.’

“‘How can you tell me what you know is false?’ I cried. ‘Your very voice changes as you speak. When have I ever had a secret from you? I shall enter that cottage, and I shall probe the matter to the bottom.’

“‘No, no, Jack, for God’s sake!’ she gasped⁵ in uncontrollable emotion. Then, as I approached the door, she seized my sleeve and pulled me back with convulsive strength.

“‘I implore⁶ you not to do this, Jack,’ she cried. ‘I swear that I will tell you everything some day, but nothing but misery⁷ can come of it if you enter that cottage.’ Then, as I tried to shake her off, she clung to me in a frenzy⁸ of entreaty⁹.

“‘Trust me, Jack!’ she cried. ‘Trust me only this once. You will never have cause to regret it. You know that I would not have a secret from you if it were not for your own sake. Our whole lives are at stake in this. If you come home with me all will be well. If you force your way into that cottage all is over between us.’

“There was such earnestness, such despair, in her manner that her words arrested me, and I stood irresolute¹⁰ before the door.

“‘I will trust you on one condition, and on one condition only,’ said I at last. ‘It is that this mystery comes to an end from now. You are at liberty to preserve your secret, but you must promise me that there shall be no more nightly visits, no more doings which are kept from my knowledge. I am willing to forget those which are past if you will promise that there shall be no more in the future.’

“‘I was sure that you would trust me,’ she cried with a great sigh of relief. ‘It shall be just as you wish. Come away — oh, come away up to the house.’

“Still pulling at my sleeve, she led me away from the cottage. As we went I glanced back, and there was that yellow livid face watching us out of the upper window. What link could there be between that creature and my wife? Or how could the coarse, rough woman whom I had seen the day before be connected with her? It was a strange puzzle, and yet I knew that my mind could never know ease again until I had solved it.

“For two days after this I stayed at home, and my wife appeared to abide¹¹ loyally by our engagement, for, as far as I know, she never stirred out of the house. On the third day however, I had ample evidence that her solemn promise was not enough to hold her back from this secret influence which drew her away from her husband and her duty.

“我一见到她，竟惊呆得说不出话来，可是当我们目光相遇时，我妻子显得比我更加激动。一霎时，她似乎想再退回到那所别墅中去。后来，看到再隐藏也没有什么用了，便走上前来，面色异常苍白，目光惊惧，与她嘴辱上强露出的微笑，显然是毫不相称的。

“'啊，杰克，'她说道，'我刚才来看看是不是能给新邻居帮点忙。你为什么这样看着我？杰克，你不会和我生气吧？'

“'那么，'我说道，'这就是你昨夜来过的地方了。'

“'你这是什么意思？'她喊道。

“'我完全可以肯定，你昨夜到这里来了。这都是些什么人？你竟然在深更半夜来看他们？'

“'以前我没到这里来过。'

“'你怎能竟然对我说起假话来？'我大声喊道，'你说话时声音都变了。我什么时候有事瞒过你？我要进去，把这件事弄个一清二楚。'

“'不，不，杰克，看在上帝的面上！不要进去。'她激动得控制不住自己，气喘吁吁地说道。等我走到门口时，她一把扯住我的袖子，一股蛮劲把我拉回去。

“'我恳求你不要这样做，杰克，'她高声喊道，'我保证过几天把一切全都告诉你，如果你进到别墅里去，除了自找苦吃以外，没有别的好处。'后来，我从她手中挣脱开，她紧紧把我缠住，疯狂地哀求着。

“请你相信我，杰克！'她叫喊道，'就相信我这一次。你决不会因此而感到后悔的。你知道，要不是为了你好，我决不会对你隐瞒什么的。这关系到我们的整个生活。如果你和我一起回家，一切都会很好的，如果你硬要进别墅去，那么我们之间的一切就全完了。'

“她的态度如此诚恳，又如此绝望，她的话劝阻了我，使我犹豫不决地站在门前。

“'要让我相信你，必须有一个条件，而且只有一个条件，'我终于说道，'那就是从现在起必须停止这种秘密活动。你有权保留你的秘密，但你必须答应我夜里不再出来，不再做什么事情不让我知道。如果你答应我，将来不会再有这样的事情，我就忘掉过去的一切。'

“'我知道你会相信我的，'她非常宽慰地松了口气，高声喊道，'完全可以照你的愿望办。走吧，啊，离开这儿回家去吧。'

“她仍然拉着我的衣袖，把我从小别墅引开。我走时向后看了看，看到上面窗上，有一张铅灰色的面孔正向我们张望。我妻子和这个怪人之间有什么关系呢？头天我看到的那个粗野而又丑陋的女人和她又有什么瓜葛呢？这是一个奇怪的谜。我知道，在我解开这个疑团之前，我的心情是永远不会平静的。

“在这以后，我在家呆了两天，我妻子很忠实守约，因为，就我所知，她从未出门一步。然而，第三天，我有充分的证据证明，她那么严肃许诺的话，竟不能使她摆脱那股神秘的吸引力，从而使她背弃她的丈夫和她的责任。

1 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

2 concealment   

n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒

参考例句：

• the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒
• Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。

3 belied   

v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎

参考例句：

• His bluff exterior belied a connoisseur of antiques. 他作风粗放，令人看不出他是古董鉴赏家。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her smile belied her true feelings. 她的微笑掩饰了她的真实感情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

5 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 implore   

vt.乞求，恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• I implore you to write. At least tell me you're alive.请给我音讯，让我知道你还活着。
• Please implore someone else's help in a crisis.危险时请向别人求助。

7 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

8 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

9 entreaty   

n.恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• Mrs. Quilp durst only make a gesture of entreaty.奎尔普太太仅做出一种哀求的姿势。
• Her gaze clung to him in entreaty.她的眼光带着恳求的神色停留在他身上。

10 irresolute   

adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的

参考例句：

• Irresolute persons make poor victors.优柔寡断的人不会成为胜利者。
• His opponents were too irresolute to call his bluff.他的对手太优柔寡断,不敢接受挑战。

11 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。