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大学英语精读第三册 Unit Two:The Woman Who Would Not Tell

时间:2005-04-20 16:00来源:互联网 提供网友:鱼尾巴   字体: [ ]
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Text
Aunt Bettie is faced with a difficult decision. A wounded Union soldier is found hiding in a farmhouse1 near her home. She has to decide whether to help him or let him be captured. What will she choose to do?

The Woman Who Would Not Tell

Janice Keyser Lester
"I never did hate the Yankees. All that hated was the war.……"
That's how my great-aunt Bettie began her story. I heard it many times as a child, whenever my family visited Aunt Bettie in the old house in Berryville, Virginia. Aunt Bettie was almost 80 years old then. But I could picture her as she was in the story she told me —— barely 20, pretty, with bright blue eyes.
Bettie Van Metre had good reason to hate the Civil War. One of her brother was killed at Gettysburg, another taken prisoner. Then her young husband, James, a Confederate officer, was captured and sent to an unknown prison camp somewhere.
One hot day in late September Dick Runner, a former slave, came to Bettie with a strange report. He had been checking a farmhouse half a mile away from the Van Metre home, a farmhouse he thought was empty. But inside, he heard low groans2. Following them to the attic3, he found a wounded Union soldier, with a rifle at his side.
When Aunt Bettie told me about her first sight of the bearded man in the stained blue uniform, she always used the same words. "It was like walking into a nightmare: those awful bandages, that dreadful smell. That's what war is really like, child: no bugles5 and banners. Just pain and filth6, futility7 and death."
To Bettie Van Metre this man was not an enemy but rather a suffering human being. She gave him water and tried to clean his terrible wounds. Then she went out into the cool air and leaned against the house, trying not to be sick as she thought of what she had seen —— that smashed right hand, that missing left leg.
The man's papers Bettie found in the attic established his identity: Lt. Henry Bedell, Company D, 11th Vermont Volunteers, 30 year old. She knew that she should report the presence of this Union officer to the Confederate army. But she also knew that she would not do it. This is how she explained it to me: "I kept wondering if he had a wife somewhere, waiting, and hoping, and not knowing —— just as I was. It seemed to me that the only thing that mattered was to get her husband back to her."
Slowly, patiently, skillfully, James Van Metre's wife fanned the spark of life that flickered8 in Henry Bedell. Of drugs or medicines she had almost none. And she was not willing to take any from the few supplies at the Confederate hospital. But she did the best she could with what she had.
As his strength returned, Bedell told Bettie about his wife and children in Westfield, Vermont. And BedelL listened as she told him about her brothers and about James. "I knew his wife must be praying for him," Aunt Bettie would say to me, "just as I was praying for James. It was strange how close I felt to her."
The October nights in the valley grew cold. The infection in Bedell's wounds flared10 up. With Dick and his wife, Jennie, helping11, she moved the Union officer at night, to a bed in a hidden loft12 above the warm kitchen of her own home.
But the next day, Bedell had a high fever. Knowing that she must get help or he would die, she went to her long-time friend and family doctor. Graham Osborne.
Dr. Osborne examined Bedell, then shook his head. There was little hope, he said, unless proper medicine could be found.
"All right, then," Bettie said. "I'll get it from the Yankees at Harpers Ferry."
The doctor told her she was mad. The Union headquarters were almost 20 miles away. Even if she reached them, the Yankees would never believe her story.
"I'll take proof," Bettie said. She went to the loft and came back with a blood-stained paper bearing the official War Department seal. "This is a record of his last promotion," she said. "When I show it, they'll have to believe me."
She made the doctor writer out list of the medical items he needed. Early the next morning she set off.
For five hours she drove, stopping only to rest her horse. The sun was almost down when she finally stood before the commanding officer at Harpers Ferry.
Gen. John D. Stevenson listened, but did not believe her. "Madam," he said, "Bedell's death was reported to us."
"He's alive," Bettie insisted. "But he won't be much longer unless he has the medicines on that list."
"Well," the general said finally, "I'm not going to risk the lives of a patrol just to find out." He turned to a junior officer. "See that Mrs. Van Metre gets the supplies." He brushed aside Bettie's thanks. "You're a brave woman," he said, "whether you're telling the truth or not."
With the medicines that Bettie carried to Berryville, Dr. Osborne brought Bedell through the crisis. Ten days later Bedell was hobbling on a pair of crutches13 that Dick had made for him. "I can't go on putting you in danger," Bedell told Bettie. "I'm strong enough to travel now. I'd lie to go back as soon as possible."
So it was arranged that Mr. Sam, one of Bettie's neighbors and friends, should go and help Bettie deliver Bedeel to Union headquarters at Harpers Ferry in his wagon14.
They hitched15 Bettie's mare4 alongside Mr. Sam's mule16. Bedell lay down in an old box filled with hay, his rifle and crutches beside him.
It was a long, slow journey that almost ended in disaster. Only an hour from the Union lines, two horsemen suddenly appeared. One pointed17 a pistol, demanding money while the other pulled Mr. Sam from the wagon. Shocked, Bettie sat still. Then a rifle shot cracked out, and the man with the pistol fell to the ground dead. A second shot, and the man went sprawling18. It was Bedell shooting! Bettie watched him lower the rifle and brush the hay out of his hair. "Come on, Mr. Sam," he said. "Let's keep moving."
At Harpers Ferry, the soldiers stared in surprise at the old farmer and the girl. They were even more amazed when the Union officer with the missing leg rose from his hay-filled box.
Bedell was sent to Washington. There he told his story to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Stanton wrote a letter of thanks to Bettie and-signed an order to free James Van Metre from prison. But first James had to be found. It was arranged for Bedell to go with Bettie as she searched for her husband.
Records showed that a James Van Metre had been sent to a prison camp in Ohio. But when the ragged19 prisoners were paraded before Bettie, James was not there. A second prison was checked, with the same result. Bettie Van Metre fought back a chilling fear that her husband was dead.
Then at Fort Delaware, near the end of the line of prisoners a tall man stepped out and stumbled into Bettie's arms. Bettie held him, tears streaming down her face. And Henry Bedell, standing20 by on his crutches, wept, too.

NEW WORDS
tell
v. act as an informer 告发

Yankee
n. (in the Civil War) a native of any of the northern states; a citizen of the U.S. 北方佬;美国佬

great-aunt
n. an aunt of one's father or mother; sister of one's grandfather or grandmother

civil
a. 国内的; 民间的

Confederate
a. of or belonging to the Confederacy 南部邦联的

capture
vt. make a prisoner of; seize 俘虏;夺得

unknown
a. whose name, nature, or origin is not known

former
a. of an earlier period 以前的

farmhouse
n. the main house on a farm, where a farmer lives

groan
n. a sound made in a deep voice that expresses suffering, grief or disapproval21 呻吟(声)

attic
n. the space just under the roof of a house, esp. that made into a low small room 阁楼

Union, the
n. those states that supported the Federal government of the U.S. during the Civil War; the U.S.A. (美国南北战争期间的)联邦政府;美国
a. of or having to do with the Union

rifle
n. 步枪

awful
a. terrible; very bad

bandage
n. a narrow long piece of material, esp. cloth, for binding22 a wound or injury 绷带

dreadful
a. very unpleasant or shocking; terrible

bugle
n. a musical wind instrument usually made of brass23, used chiefly for military signals 军号,喇叭

filth
n. disgusting dirt 污秽

futility
n. uselessness

futile24 a.

lean
vi. support or rest oneself in a bent25 position 靠,倚

establish
vt. find out or make certain of (a fact, answer, etc.), prove 确立,证实

identity
n. who or what a particular person or thing is 身份
identical
a. 同一的;完全相同的确良
Lt.
abbr. lieutenant26 陆军中尉

company
n. 连

volunteer
n. person who joins the army, navy, or air force of his own free will 志愿兵

presence
n. being present in a place

skillfully
ad. in a skillful manner 灵巧地,娴熟地

skillful
a. having or showing skill

fan
vt. 扇,扇动;激起

spark
n. 火花

flicker
vi. burn unsteadily; shine with an unsteady light

drug
n. a medicine or substance used for medical purposes

supply
n. (pl.) the food, equipment, etc. necessary for an army, expedition or the like 补给品

pray
vi. 祈祷

valley
n. a stretch of land between hills or mountains; the land through which a stated river or great river system flows 山谷;流域

infection
n. 感染;传染

infect vt.

flare9
vi. burn with a bright, unsteady flame (火焰)闪耀

loft
n. a room under the roof of a building, attic 阁楼

ferry
n. 渡口;渡船

headquarters
n. (used with a sing. or pl. v. ) the place from which the chief of a police force or the commanding officer of an army sends out orders 司令部

proof
n. evidence showing that sth. is true 证据

bear
vt. show; have

seal
n. 印,图章

item
n. a single thing among a set, esp. included in a list 条;项

commanding
a. having command; in charge

commanding officer
指挥官

command
vt. 指挥

Gen.
abbr. general 将军

madam
n. respectful form of address to a woman (whether married or unmarried)夫人,太太,女士,小姐

risk
vt. endanger; take the chance of

patrol
n. a small group of soldiers, vehicles, etc. sent out to search for the enemy, or to protect a place from the enemy 巡逻队

junior
a. younger or lower in rank than another

hobble
vi. walk awkwardly; limp 跛行;蹒跚

crutch
n. support used under the arm to help a lame27 person to walk 拐杖

wagon
n. four-wheeled vehicle for carrying goods, pulled by horses or oxen 四轮运货马(牛)车

hitch
vt. fasten with a hook, ring, rope, etc. 钩住,拴住,套住

mare
n. female horse or donkey

alongside
prep. close to; along the side of

mule
n. an animal that has a donkey and a horse as parents 骡

disaster
n. a great or sudden misfortune; terrible accident

line
n. a row of defence works, esp. that nearest the enemy 战线,防线

horseman
n. a person who rides a horse, esp. one who is skilled

pistol
n. handgun 手枪

crack
v. (cause to) make a sudden explosive sound (使)发出爆裂声

sprawl
vi. lie or sit with hands and feet spread out, esp. ungracefully

lower
vt. move or let down in height 放下;放低

secretary
vt. an official who takes charge of a governmental department; an employee in an office, who is in charge of correspondence, records, making appointments, etc. 部长,大臣;秘书

ragged
a. (of a person ) dressed in old torn clothes; (of clothes) old an torn 衣衫褴褛的;破旧的

parade
vt. cause to walk in an informal procession for the purpose of being looked at; cause to march in procession 使列队行进
n. 游行;检阅

chill
v. (cause to) have a feeling of cold as from fear; (cause to ) become cold, esp. without freezing (使)感到冷;(使)冷

fort
n. 要塞,堡垒

stumble
vi. walk or move in an unsteady way; strike the foot against sth. and almost fall
stream
vi. flow fast and strongly; pour out

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
take prisoner
capture and hold as a prisoner, esp. as a prisoner of war 俘虏

flare up
break out or intensify29 suddenly or violently; burst into bright flame or rage 突发;加剧;突然发光;突然发怒

write out
write in full, write (sth. formal)

brush aside
disregard, ignore 不理;漠视

bring through
save (sb.) from (an illness, etc.)

PROPER NAMES
Berryville
贝里维尔(美国地名)

Virginia
弗吉尼亚(美国州名)

Bettie Van Metre
贝蒂.范.米特

the Civil War
(美国)南北战争

Gettysburg
葛底斯堡(美国城市)

Dick Runner
迪克.朗纳

Henry Bedell
亨利.贝德尔

Vermont
佛蒙特(美国州名)

Westfield
韦斯菲尔德(美国地名)

Jennie
詹妮(女子名)

Graham Osborne 格雷厄姆.奥斯本

Harpers Ferry
哈珀斯渡口(美国地名)

Stevenson
史蒂文森(姓氏)

Secretary of War(old use)
(美国)陆军部长

Edwin M. Stanton
埃德温.M.斯坦顿

Ohio
俄亥俄(美国州名)

Fort Delaware
特拉华堡(美国地名)



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 farmhouse kt1zIk     
n.农场住宅(尤指主要住房)
参考例句:
  • We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。
  • We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。
2 groans 41bd40c1aa6a00b4445e6420ff52b6ad     
n.呻吟,叹息( groan的名词复数 );呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦
参考例句:
  • There were loud groans when he started to sing. 他刚开始歌唱时有人发出了很大的嘘声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It was a weird old house, full of creaks and groans. 这是所神秘而可怕的旧宅,到处嘎吱嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 attic Hv4zZ     
n.顶楼,屋顶室
参考例句:
  • Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
  • What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理?
4 mare Y24y3     
n.母马,母驴
参考例句:
  • The mare has just thrown a foal in the stable.那匹母马刚刚在马厩里产下了一只小马驹。
  • The mare foundered under the heavy load and collapsed in the road.那母马因负载过重而倒在路上。
5 bugles 67a03de6e21575ba3e57a73ed68d55d3     
妙脆角,一种类似薯片但做成尖角或喇叭状的零食; 号角( bugle的名词复数 ); 喇叭; 匍匐筋骨草; (装饰女服用的)柱状玻璃(或塑料)小珠
参考例句:
  • Blow, bugles, blow, set the wild echoes flying. "响起来,号角,响起来,让激昂的回声在空中震荡"。
  • We hear the silver voices of heroic bugles. 我们听到了那清亮的号角。
6 filth Cguzj     
n.肮脏,污物,污秽;淫猥
参考例句:
  • I don't know how you can read such filth.我不明白你怎么会去读这种淫秽下流的东西。
  • The dialogue was all filth and innuendo.这段对话全是下流的言辞和影射。
7 futility IznyJ     
n.无用
参考例句:
  • She could see the utter futility of trying to protest. 她明白抗议是完全无用的。
  • The sheer futility of it all exasperates her. 它毫无用处,这让她很生气。
8 flickered 93ec527d68268e88777d6ca26683cc82     
(通常指灯光)闪烁,摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The lights flickered and went out. 灯光闪了闪就熄了。
  • These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 这些灯象发狂的交通灯一样不停地闪动着。
9 flare LgQz9     
v.闪耀,闪烁;n.潮红;突发
参考例句:
  • The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
  • You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。
10 Flared Flared     
adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
  • The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭,但它突然又燃烧起来。
11 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
12 loft VkhyQ     
n.阁楼,顶楼
参考例句:
  • We could see up into the loft from bottom of the stairs.我们能从楼梯脚边望到阁楼的内部。
  • By converting the loft,they were able to have two extra bedrooms.把阁楼改造一下,他们就可以多出两间卧室。
13 crutches crutches     
n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑
参考例句:
  • After the accident I spent six months on crutches . 事故后我用了六个月的腋杖。
  • When he broke his leg he had to walk on crutches. 他腿摔断了以后,不得不靠拐杖走路。
14 wagon XhUwP     
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。
15 hitched fc65ed4d8ef2e272cfe190bf8919d2d2     
(免费)搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 ); 搭便车; 攀上; 跃上
参考例句:
  • They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。
  • We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。
16 mule G6RzI     
n.骡子,杂种,执拗的人
参考例句:
  • A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
  • He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。
17 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
18 sprawling 3ff3e560ffc2f12f222ef624d5807902     
adj.蔓生的,不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 );蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着)
参考例句:
  • He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
  • a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇
19 ragged KC0y8     
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
参考例句:
  • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
  • Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
20 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
21 disapproval VuTx4     
n.反对,不赞成
参考例句:
  • The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
  • They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。
22 binding 2yEzWb     
有约束力的,有效的,应遵守的
参考例句:
  • The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
  • Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。
23 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
24 futile vfTz2     
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的
参考例句:
  • They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败,他们全部被杀,无一幸免。
  • Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。
25 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
26 lieutenant X3GyG     
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员
参考例句:
  • He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
  • He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官,递上了一张简短的便条进去。
27 lame r9gzj     
adj.跛的,(辩解、论据等)无说服力的
参考例句:
  • The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
  • I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。
28 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的
参考例句:
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
29 intensify S5Pxe     
vt.加强;变强;加剧
参考例句:
  • We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
  • They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻,保卫我国的领空。
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