the open window英文完整版

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The open window 第一人称改写

The open window 第一人称改写

The Open WindowMy name is Vera, a fifteen years young lady, in this holiday I live in my aunt‟s home and I never thought it would be such boring but today a young man named Framton Nuttel came to visit who wants cure nerve by formal visits of total strangers. “My aunt will be down presently, Mr.Nuttel ,” I said, “in the meantime you must try and put up with me.”And then me and Mr.Nuttel were immersed in sufficient silent communion. Suddenly, I have had a crazy thought why don‟t I make today more interesting? So I ask him “Do you know many of the people round here?”“Hardly a soul,” he said. “My sister was staying here, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here.” And he made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret.That is sounds good, so I continue to ask “Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?” I am a little proud.“Only her name and address,” he answered.That is incredible amazing!This stupid psychosis man must wondering whether my aunt was in the married or widowed state.“Her great tragedy happened just three years ago,” I said, “that would be since your sister‟s time.”“Her tragedy?” Framton asked.“You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an October afternoon,” I said and indicating a large French window that opened on to a lawn.“It is quite warm for the time of the year,” Framton said; “but has that window got anything to do with the tragedy?”I cannot help smiling but I have to continue so I go on my speaking, “Out through that window, three years ago to a day, her husband and her two young brothers went off for their day‟s shooting. They never came back. In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without warming. Their bodies were never recovered. That was the dreadful part of it.” And then my voice lost my self-possessed note and became falteringly human. “Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back some day, they and the little brown spaniel that was lost with them, and walk in at that window just as they used to do. That is why the window is kept open every evening till it is quite dusk. Poor dear aunt, she has often told me how they went out, her husband with his white waterproof coat over his arm, and Ronnie, her youngest brother, singing …Bertie, why do you bound?‟as he always did to tease her, because she said it got on her nerves. Do you know, sometimes on still, quiet evenings like this, I almost get a creepy feeling that they will all walk in through that window----”I broke off with a little shudder. And then my aunt bustled into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in making her appearance. Oh, it must be a relief to Framton.“I hope Vera has been amusing you?” my aunt said.“She has been very interesting,” said Framton.Yes, absolutely not, how interesting girl I am! But if aunt know what I am saying just now, she must kill me.“I hope you don‟t mind the open window,” my aunt said; “my husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting, and they always come in this way. They‟ve been out for snipe in the marshes to-day, so they‟ll make a fine mess over my poor carpets. So like you men-folk, isn‟t it?”My aunt rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds, and the prospects for duck in the winter. But to Framton it was all purely horrible. Mr.Framton made a desperate but only partially successful effort to turn the talk on to a less ghastly topic; he was conscious that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention, and my aunt eyes were constantly straying past him to the open window and the lawn beyond. It was certainly an unfortunate coincidence that he should have paid his visit on this tragic anniversary, right? I could not help but laugh.“The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest, an absence of mental excitement, and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise. On the matter of diet they are not so much in agreement,” he said.“No?” said my aunt, in a voice which only replaced a yawn at the last moment. From aunt‟s face, I knew that she was not interested in him. But then she suddenly brightened into alert attention- but not to what Framton was saying.“Here they are at last!” she cried. “Just in time for tea, and don't they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes!”Framton shivered slightly and turned towards me with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension. I was staring out through the open window with dazed horror in my eyes. In a chill shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in the same direction.In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn towards the window, they all carried guns under their arms, and one of them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his shoulders. A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels. Noiselessly they neared the house, and then a hoarse young voice chanted out of the dusk: “I said, Bertie, why do you bound?”Mr.Framton must be absolutely terrified that he grabbed wildly at his stick and hat; the hall door, the gravel drive, and the front gate were dimly noted stages in his headlong retreat. A cyclist coming along the road had to run into the hedge to avoid imminent collision.“Here we are, my dear,” said the bearer of the white mackintosh, coming in through thewindow; “fairly muddy, but most of it's dry. Who was that who bolted out as we came up?”“A most extraordinary man, a Mr. Nuttel,” said my aunt;“could only talk about his illnesses, and dashed off without a word of goodbye or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost.”“I expect it was the spaniel,” I said calmly, I want to give my aunt a boring reason, “he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs, and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make anyone lose their nerve.”Romance at short notice was my speciality and that is such a wonderful day.。

the_open_window中文翻译_以及作者介绍

the_open_window中文翻译_以及作者介绍

“内特尔先生,我婶婶马上下楼来,”说话的是一位十五岁的神情自若的年轻姑娘,她说,“在她下来之前的这段时间,暂且有我来陪您。

”内特尔西先生努力说些好听的话,想在这种场合下既恭维了这位侄女,又不会冷落那位即将出现的婶婶。

他患了精神忧郁症,该接受治疗。

他怀疑这次礼节性的拜访,对于他神经的毛病,究竟会有多大好处。

“我知道事情会变成什么样子,”当他准备搬到这个偏僻的乡村时,他姐姐曾对他说,“你到了乡下就会迷糊,不跟任何人讲话,然后,由于孤独,会使你的忧郁症更加严重。

我会给我在那里认识的所有人都写封信,把你介绍给他们。

在我的记忆中,其中有些人是相当友好的。

”内特尔想知道,他拿者信来拜访的这位萨普顿夫人是否属于那种友善的人。

“这附近您认识很多人吗?”那位侄女问,这时她认为,他们之间不做声地坐着的时间已经够久了。

“几乎没有一个认识的,”内特尔说,“大约四年前,我姐姐住在这个区。

她叫我拿者她写的信去拜访这里的一些人。

”他说最后一句话时,语调中带着明显的悲伤。

“那么,您对我婶婶的情况一无所知?”这位神情自若的姑娘追问道。

“仅仅知道她的名字和地址。

”内特尔承认。

他推测着萨普顿夫人是有丈夫还是寡居。

这个屋子似乎有男人住过。

“她那场大悲剧刚好发生在三年前,”那个孩子说,“那应该是你姐姐走了之后。

”“她的悲剧?”内特尔问道。

在某种程度上,悲剧看上去和这个宁静的乡村有些不协调。

“你可能会觉得奇怪,为什么在十月的午后,我们还把那扇窗户大开着。

”那位侄女说。

她指着一扇巨大的法式落地窗,窗子外面是一个草坪。

“今年这个时候还相当暖和,”内特尔说,“可是,那扇窗户和你婶婶的悲剧之间有什么关系吗?”“到今天正好三年了,就是从那扇窗子,他的丈夫和她的两个年轻的弟弟出去了,他们去打猎。

然后就再也没回来。

他们穿过沼泽地,去最喜爱的猎场。

可是,他们陷到了沼泽中。

你知道,那是个可怕的多雨的夏天,往年可以安全走过的地方会突然塌陷下去,事先没有一点征兆。

lesson 2 the open window知识讲解

lesson 2 the open window知识讲解
❖(F) 5. Mrs. Sappleton was late in making her appearance, because she knew that her niece was old enough to look after the patient.
❖(T)6. Frampton was trying to turn the talk on to a less embarrassing topic, but he was ignored by the hostess.
❖(T) 8. The child pretended to be staring out through the open window with horror in her eyes in order to attract Frampton’s attention.
❖(T) 9.Mrs. Sappleton was not unhappy, though Frampton dashed off without a word of good-bye or apology when her husband arrived back.
new words and phrases
❖ 1)annoy 使生气,使烦恼 ❖ 2)affect 影响 ❖ 3)tremble 颤抖 ❖ 4)relief 缓解,救助 ❖ 5)scarcity 短缺,不足 ❖ 6) muddy 泥泞的,粘满了泥巴的 ❖ 7)sympathetic 同情的,怜悯的 ❖ 8)extraordinary 不一般的,非凡的 ❖ 9)graveyard 墓地 ❖ 10)creature 生物,通常指动物
Characters
C. Mrs. Stapleton -----aunt

适合中学生阅读的英文小说 The open window 英汉对照

适合中学生阅读的英文小说 The open window 英汉对照

适合中学生阅读的英文小说The Open Window 英汉对照by H.H. Munro (SAKI)"My aunt will be downpresently, Mr. Nuttel," said avery self-possessed young ladyof fifteen; "in the meantime youmust try and put up withme."Framton Nuttelendeavored to say the correctsomething which should dulyflatter the niece of the momentwithout unduly discounting the aunt that was to come.Privately he doubted more than ever whether these formalvisits on a succession of total strangers would do muchtowards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed tobe undergoing"I know how it will be," his sister had said when hewas preparing to migrate to this rural retreat; "you willbury yourself down there and not speak to a living soul,and your nerves will be worse than ever from moping. Ishall just give you letters of introduction to all the peopleI know there. Some of them, as far as I can remember, werequite nice."Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton, the ladyto whom he was presenting one of the letters ofintroduction came into the nice division."Do you know many of the people round here?" askedthe niece, when she judged that they had had sufficientsilent communion."Hardly a soul," said Framton. "My sister was stayinghere, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, andshe gave me letters of introduction to some of the peoplehere."He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret."Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?"pursued the self-possessed young lady."Only her name and address," admitted the caller. Hewas wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the marriedor widowed state. An undefinable something about theroom seemed to suggest masculine habitation.。

the open window英文完整版

the open window英文完整版

The Open WindowBy Saki (H H Munro)In this story a very imaginative young lady of fifteen plays an amusing trick on a visitor to her aunt`s house. As you read, watch closely how smoothly she conducts herself. The story is told with a charm and grace that is characteristics of this English author (1870-1916),who commonly wrote under the pen name of Saki.“My aunt will be down presently,Mr. Nuttel,” said a very s elf-possessed young lady of fifteen;“in the meantime you must try and put up with me.”Framton Nuttel endeavoured to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. Privately he doubted more than ever whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers would do much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing.“I know how it will be,” his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat,“you will bury yourself down there and not speak to a living soul,and your nerves will be worse than ever from moping. I shall just give you letters of introduction to all the people I know there. Some of them,as far as I can remember,were quite nice.”Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton,the lady to whom he was presenting one of the letters of introduction,came into the nice division.“Do you know many of the people round here?” asked the niece,when she judged that they had sufficient silent communion.“Hardly a soul,” said Framton. “My sister was staying here,at the rectory you know,some four years ago,and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here.”He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret.“Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?” pursued theself-possessed young lady.“Only her name and address,” admitted the caller. He was wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the married or widowed state. An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine habitation.“Her great tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child;“that would be since your sister's time.”“Her tragedy?” asked Framton;somehow in this restful country spot tragedies seemed out of place.“You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an October afternoon,” said the niece,indicating a large French window that opened on to a lawn.“It is quite warm for the time of the year,” said Framton;“but has that window got anything to do with the tragedy?”“Out through that window,three years ago to a day,her husband and her two young brothers went off for their day's shooting. They never came back. In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog. It had been that dreadful wet summer,you know,and places that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning. Their bodies were never recovered. That was the dreadful part of it.” Here th e child's voice lost its self-possessed note and became falteringly human. “Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back some day,they and the little brown spaniel that was lost with them,walk in at that window just as they used to do. That is why the window is kept open every evening till it is quite dusk. Poor dear aunt,she has often told me how they went out,her husband with his white water proof coat over his arm,and Ronnie,her youngest brother,singing 'Bertie,why do you bound?' as he always did to tease her,because she said it got on her nerves. Do you know,sometimes on still,quiet evenings like this,I almost get a creepy feeling that they will walk in through that window - ”She broke off with a little shudder. It was a relief to Framton when the aunt bustled into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in making her appearance.“I hope Vera has been amusing you?” she said.“She has been very interesting,” said Framton.“I hope you don't mind the open window,” said Mrs. Sappleton briskly;“My husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting,and they always come in this way. They have been out for snipe in the marshes today,so they will make a fine mess over my poor carpets. So like you menfolk,isn't it?”She rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds,and the prospects for duck in the winter. To Framton it was all purely horrible. He made a desperate but only partially successful effort to turn the talk on to aless ghastly topic;he was conscious that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention and her eyes were constantly straying past him to the open window and the lawn beyond. It was certainly an unfortunate coincidence that he should have paid his visit on this tragic anniversary.“The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest,an absence of mental excitement,and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise,” announced Framton,who laboured under the tolerablywide-spread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and infirmities,their cause and cure. “On the matter of diet they are not so much in agreement,” he continued.“No?” said Mrs. Sappleton,in a voice which only replaced a yawn at the last moment. Then she suddenly brightened into alert attention - but not to what Framton was saying.“Here they are at last!” she cried. “Just in time for tea,and don't they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes!”Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension. The child was staring out through the open window with dazed horror in her eyes. In a chill shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in the same direction.In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn towards the window;they all carried guns under their arms,and one of them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his shoulders. A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels. Noiselessly they neared the house,and then a hoarse young voice chanted out of the dusk:“I said,Bertie,why do you bound?”Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat;the hall-door,thegravel-drive,and the front gate were dimly noted stages in his headlong retreat. A cyclist coming along the road had to run into the hedge to avoid (an) imminent collision.“Here we are,my dear,” said the bearer of the white mackintosh coming in through the window;“fairly muddy,but most of it's dry. Who was that who bolted out as we came up?”“A most extraordinary man,a Mr. Nuttel,” said Mrs. Sappleton;“could only talk about his illnesses,and dashed off without a word of good-bye or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost.”“I expect it was the spaniel,” said the niece calmly;“he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs,and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make any one lose their nerve.”Romance at short notice was her specialty.。

the open window主要内容

the open window主要内容

the open window主要内容“The Open Window” is a famously ironic short story by Saki. Published in 1914, the story is set in the countryside and revolves around a young girl named Vera and her mischief-making ways. Though the story is deceptively simple, it isfull of clever ironies and surprises that make it a natural favorite among readers of all ages.The story begins with a young man named Framton Nuttel going to visit the Sappletons, who are relatives of hissister's. His sister has given him a letter of introductionas he is new to the area and does not know anyone. When he arrives, the daughter of the Sappletons, Vera, is the onlyone home and offers to entertain him until her aunt and two cousins return from their walk. While they wait, Vera tells Framton a tall tale involving hunting, a tragic accident, and the open window facing the garden.As the story unfolds, people do indeed come into view outside the window, causing Framton to believe that Vera’s story is true, which leads him to become more and more anxious. When the aunt and cousins come back from their walk, they are too friendly and gregarious, and they do not seem at all like the grieving family that Vera had described. However, when Framton tells them what Vera had said and speculates about the ghosts who are now outside, the Sappletons quickly whisk him away, dismissing his words with a curt explanation that Vera often tells tall tales.The irony of the ending is that although Framton hasbeen invited to the Sappletons’ to recover from hi s illness,the encounter has instead heightened his anxiety and caused him to feel like he has lost his grip on reality. The use of irony in the story reflects Saki's own attitude towards the world. This irony is marked by the author’s tone, which isat on ce satirical and mocking, making “The Open Window” a highly enjoyable read.In conclusion, “The Open Window” is a short story that is full of irony and clever twists. The story is well-told and the characters are charming. Its unexpected ending makes the story memorable and thought-provoking. The use of irony throughout the story emphasizes the complexity and unpredictability of human experiences. Despite its seeming simplicity, the story's messages about the nature of reality and human perception remain relevant today.。

the open window中文翻译 以及作者介绍

the open window中文翻译 以及作者介绍

“家姑母马上就要下来了,纳特尔先生。

”一位故作深沉的十五岁的小女士道:“在此期间您得暂时忍耐我了。

”弗拉姆顿.纳特尔尽力想说几句得体的话,即能适时恭维了眼前的侄女有得提防止怠慢了就要登场的姑母。

私下里他却比平常更加怀疑这种接连不断的正式拜访完全陌生之人对他正在进行的镇定神经的治疗是否有益。

“我知道是怎么回事。

”他姐姐在他准备隐居乡里的时对他道:“你会把自己完全埋起来,不跟一个活人讲话,你的神经会因为闷闷不乐而更加糟糕。

我会多写几封信,将你介绍给我在当地认识的所有人,我记的有几个人相当不错的。

”弗拉姆顿在想,眼下他已经呈上一封介绍信的这位萨普尔顿太太是否属于不错的阵营。

“这一带您认识的人很多吗?”“我几乎谁都不认识。

”弗拉姆顿道。

“家姊四年前曾在这儿小住,住在教区长公馆,您知道,她给了我几封写给这里一些人的引见信。

”他的最后一句话带上了明显的悔恨语气.“这么说来您实际上对家姑母一无所知了?”这位颇为自持的年轻女士道.“只知道她的姓名和住址。

”拜访者承认道。

他在捉摸萨普而顿太太是已婚呢还是寡居。

房间里某种无以名状的气氛让人觉得逐个该是个男性的居所.“她的重大悲剧就发生在三年前,”侄女道:“应该是令姊离开之后的事了。

”“她的悲剧?”弗拉姆顿问,在这个宁静的乡居之地,似乎绝无发生什么悲剧的可能。

“您也许会想,十月天的午后温暖干吗还要把那扇窗户大开着。

”侄女道,指向一扇开往草坪的巨大法式窗户。

“虽然已是十月天了,今年倒还暖和,”弗拉姆顿道:“不过听您这么说,那扇窗难道跟您提到的悲剧有关?”“三年前的一天,她丈夫和她的两个幼弟就是通过那扇窗户出去打猎的。

他们在也没有回来。

经过那片沼泽地到他们喜欢猎鹬场时,三个人全都被一片背信弃义的沼泽吞没。

那年夏天潮湿的可怕,您知道,很多原本安全的地方突然就没法立足了。

他们的尸体一直没找到。

可怕的正是这个。

”说到此处,侄女颇为自持的态度也消失不见了,开始变的结结巴巴了。

“可怜的姑母总是觉得他们总有一天会回来,他们还有跟他们一起去打猎的小黄,而且会像以往那样通过那扇窗户进来。

the open window的总结

the open window的总结

the open window的总结"The Open Window" is a short story written by the British author Saki, also known as Hector Hugh Munro. First published in 1911, it is a masterpiece of the horror and ghost genre, with a twist ending that lingers in the mind of the reader. The story revolves around a social visit gone wrong, as the protagonist falls victim to a young girl's vivid imagination and her manipulation of reality.The story is set in the countryside estate of Mr. Nuttel, a city dweller seeking respite from his nervous disorder. The classical rural landscape provides a sense of tranquility, in stark contrast to the bustling and overwhelming city life that the protagonist has left behind. In his search for peace, Mr. Nuttel is introduced to a young girl named Vera, whose unique storytelling abilities and mischievous nature lead him down an unsettling path.Vera's storytelling skills are highlighted through her description of Mr. Nuttel’s ailment and the tragic event that supposedly caused it. The narrative suggests that Nuttel had a terrible experience with hunting, causing him to develop a severe case of nerves. Vera's manipulation of facts and embellishment of the story is evident, making it clear that she enjoys creating fictional narratives to confound and entertain her audience.The central conflict emerges when Mrs. Sappleton, the woman Mr. Nuttel has come to visit, mentions the open window in the parlor. Following this comment, Vera weaves a tale about how the open window came to be, claiming that Mrs. Sappleton's husband and two younger brothers had left three years prior to go hunting, never to return. Mrs. Sappleton, unable to accept their deaths, continuesto keep the windows open, expecting their return at any time.The atmosphere of suspense is skillfully built through the author's use of literary devices. The eerie details about the open window and the constant references to the hunting expedition create an underlying sense of foreboding. The vivid descriptions of the countryside and Mrs. Sappleton's house, coupled with the protagonist's vulnerability due to his nerves, intensify the reader's sense of anticipation, knowing that something is amiss.The climactic twist occurs when the men whom Vera had described as deceased enter the parlor, coming back from their hunting trip. At this moment, Mr. Nuttel is completely taken aback, questioning the reality of the situation. It is revealed that Vera had designed this elaborate scheme to frighten Mr. Nuttel, using her creative imagination to exploit his vulnerabilities.The story's ending leaves the readers with a profound sense of irony and amusement. Mr. Nuttel, unable to comprehend the situation, hurriedly flees from the house, leaving Vera and her family in awe of his reaction. The true brilliance of the story lies not only in the unexpected conclusion but also in the subtle commentary on the potential power of storytelling and manipulation."The Open Window" demonstrates Saki's mastery of storytelling and his ability to captivate readers with his unique blend of dark humor and psychological intrigue. Through Vera's mischievous games, the author challenges the boundaries of reality and exposes the vulnerability of individuals. It raises questions about thereliability of narratives and the impact of storytelling on shaping perceptions.In conclusion, "The Open Window" is a remarkable short story that engages readers from start to finish. With its vivid descriptions, suspenseful atmosphere, and unexpected twist ending, it continues to captivate audiences even a century after its initial publication. Saki's exploration of the power of imagination and the manipulation of reality showcases his unparalleled talent as a storyteller. As readers, we are left questioning the nature of truth, the line between fiction and reality, and the influence of storytelling on our lives.。

the-open-window-赏析

the-open-window-赏析

t h e-o p e n-w i n d o w-赏析(总3页) --本页仅作为文档封面,使用时请直接删除即可----内页可以根据需求调整合适字体及大小--本科生课程大作业课程名称:英国短篇小说赏析开课时间:2014年秋任课教师:学生姓名:学生学号:提交日期:2014-11-10The Open WindowThe author is Hector Hugh Munro, whose pen name is Saki. Saki isan excellent author and playwright. The scholars always compare himto O Henry. The stories of Saki are very short, usually about five hundred. But readers enjoy a lot about his vivid plot, humorous words and extraordinary description of characters. Being similar with O Henry, Saki is famous for his bedding, the unexpected end and an amazing suspense. The Open Window is outstanding in above features. The whole story is only approximately 1,000 words while the vividplot and highly logic structure bring us a delicious breast. Apart from his wonderful description, the subtle feeling of irony in the story is also worth analyzing. That’s also the reason I like this short story.The niece, Vera first in the story employs the ghost as the hookor suspense, which draw the attention of immediately. Framton Nuttle is a slightly nervous person who is undergoing a nerve cure. Hissister introduced him to visit Mrs. Sappleton in anther town to takea rest. The Vera actually leads the whole conversation. Then Veratells a few words about the tragedy of Mrs. Sammpleton and takes the French window into Mr. Nuttle’s eyes. In her statement, she emphasizes the tragedy just 3 years ago , which is because that Mr. Nuttle’s aunt lived there 4 years ago. The hook is so great and captivated. In England, an October day was a little cold especiallyin the evening, nearly below 0 Celsius. But the window is still open. It is abnormal for . The whole suspense is so successful for the who is curious about the open window and asks the reason. Next, Vera has the chance to continue her lie and tell that Mrs Sammpleton believes that her husband and her brothers, who were killed in a shooting accident three years before, will come back one day. In this sense,if her husband and brothers are back, they must be the ghosts.To make Vera herself more trustful, Vera shows her excellent play. When Mrs Sammpleton points out that her husband and her brothers are coming, sees the facial look of Vera and look out of the window.Vera “was staring out through the open window with a dazed horror in her eyes”. The facial look of Vera is appealing and creating ahorror atmosphere. There must be something unusual thing happening.To ’s horror, he thinks he is seeing ghosts and running away.Vera employs all the normal elements to establish the ghost story which successfully make the nervous get away. But the end isdifferent from the ghost story and also reasoning in logic. There isno ghost actually. It is only the tricks by Vera. And it is theghosts in ’s mind that tease himself.However, the short novel is more than telling a wonderful story. The unnecessary and over-elaborate formalities in society is also an irony.On this point, we need to focus back to Saki’s life experience. Saki was brought up by his two aunts who flatter their status and emphasize on rituals only, without loving and mercy actually. Intheir mind, being a good manner, obeying the law and to be polite kid is better than one with fair sole, mercy, loving and tolerance. Undergoing the parenting by aunts, Saki had experienced a bored childhood. On this point, Saki began to hate the social nonsense formalities. In the open window, we can find the results.is the social person who begins to call a series of visit to strangers introduced by his sister. Actually, the strangers are not only to , but also to his sister even. His sister lived here 4 years ago only for a while. She declared to have lots of good friends but actually they are only strange friends. This kind of visit is only killing time. After reading the story, you may ask why does Vera liein the story Is it just because of her love for making up stories, or is there something else I think the answers are the attitudes of hating social etiquette rather than rejecting it. was out of innovation, rigidness, self-centered and nervous man. You can imagine how boring it will be getting along with him. According to the social tradition, Vera could not leave the guest alone. So she had to stay there. And this is the original idea of teasing . In the normal sense, the lie is easy to find. In Victorian era, people could not show others their mind or ask others what they want. That’s why thepublic topic is usually the weather or unimportant things. “triedto say correct something which should flatter the niece of the moment without discounting the aunt that was to come”. When he heard the Mrs. Sammpleton talked of her husband, he failed to ask more details. If had the courage to ask, the little girl’s trick would have been revealed easily.In the open window, we can see the human relationships are not bound together strongly. The sister knew little about the brother.The guest knew no more than the address and name of the host. Theaunt knew only some about the niece, for example the aunt did not know Vera is an excellent story-maker. Although the story does not refer the relationship between the aunt and the niece is good or bad, obviously they are not very well. If they get along well enough, when ran out, would know it was the tricks by her niece Vera.The window open looks like only an amazing ghost story. On the other hand, it is an irony picture of the social life at that time.At a typical occasion, all the present three people said meaningless words to each other, with the different own minds indeed. The aunt was waiting his husband back; Vera was thinking how to tease the guest; was abandoning himself into the self-complaining in his own world. It is the hypocritical and tedious occasion that make the smart and self-possessed Vera show her specialty of “romance at short time”. The story is extremely wonderful even in a tiny detail.。

2.The Open Window

2.The Open Window

About Saki (H. H. Munro) (5)
• 他曾在缅甸任警察职务,后任《晨邮报》记者,驻俄国、波兰、 巴黎6年之久。 • 第一次世界大战中在法国被以为德国狙击手射中.最后的遗言居 然是“把你手上该死的香烟灭掉阵亡”。尽管他出版有数部长篇 小说,但最为人们称道的还是他的带有超自然色彩的短篇作品。 • 这些作品机智、俏皮、辛辣、奇特,多为社会讽刺和政治讽刺, 无情嘲弄上层社会的陈腐庸俗与愚蠢浅陋。 • 故事结构巧妙,多以异峰突起式的意外结局点明主题;对话机智 俏皮,为故事增添了不少情趣。 • 《The Open Window》是萨基最受欢迎的短篇小说
About Saki (H. H. Munro) (4)
• 这个笔名有着雅俗的两种说法。雅的据说取自 波斯诗人欧玛尔海亚姆的<鲁拜集>,集中有部分 是写给Saki的,起波斯语意为侍酒人。
• 萨基生于缅甸的实兑,在他的母亲去世后,他 被带到英国,和两位严厉的阿姨一起生活。这 也是“阿姨”是他在讽刺文学作品中比较喜欢 运用的角色的原因。
1. It was certainly unfortunate that he should have paid his visit on this sorrowful day. 2. Just in time for tea, and don’t they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes
About Saki (H. H. Munro) (2)
• Christopher Morley writes that Saki provides one an excellent introduction to “the mysterious jungles of English humour, a savage country with birds of unexpected plumage.” Saki is often compared to O. Henry, but I rather suspect his stance is more closely related to Dorothy Parker’s. In any case, Saki speaks for himself and indeed it is quite difficult to speak of Saki.

the-open-window-中文版讲课教案

the-open-window-中文版讲课教案

t h e-o p e n-w i n d o w-中文版The Open Window“努特尔先生,我婶婶很快就回来了,”一个颇自负的十五岁小姑娘说道,“那时候您可得多包涵点。

”弗兰顿.努特尔设法说上几句阿谀的话,恭维一下这位侄女和那位很快就回家的婶婶。

他越来越疑心,对这么一大群毫不相识的人作正式拜访,于他的正在治疗的神经病究竟有何益处?当他做好准备到乡下去时,姐姐对他说:“我看,你要是老不合群,不跟人打交道,整天在家郁闷,病情会越来越严重。

我写封信,给你带去,和那边我的熟人认识。

我记得他们当中有不少热情的好人。

”弗兰顿想:萨伯莱顿夫人——就是他正在拜访的这位女主人——是不是也在“好人”之列呢?小侄女觉得他们静坐太久了,于是打破沉默,问道:“这儿的人您认识多不多?”“几乎没一个,”弗兰顿道,“我姐姐在邻近的教区长家里住过,那可能是四年前的事情。

她给我信,让我和这儿的人认识。

”说完,他不可掩饰地流露出后悔的心情。

“这么说,您一点也不知道我婶婶的事啦?”自负的少女又问道。

弗兰顿承认:“我只知道她的名字和地址。

”他不知道萨伯莱顿的丈夫是否还健在,但屋子里的摆设使他觉得夫人不可能是个寡妇。

“她有个大大的悲剧,发生在三年前,”女孩说,“那时候您姐姐已经搬走了。

”“大悲剧?”弗兰顿反问。

在这个幽寂僻静的小乡村,“悲剧”一词根本不可思议。

“您不觉得奇怪,为啥这样冷的十月天气,下午我们还把窗户敞开着?”侄女手指向一扇开向草坪的巨大落地玻璃窗。

“是啊。

这时节,天气已经有点凉意了,”弗兰顿道,“但这窗户跟你婶婶的悲剧有什么关系呢?”“刚好是三年前的今天,她丈夫和两个弟弟从这窗户前走过,去打猎。

他们再也没有回来。

在穿过沼泽地到他们最中意的水鹭狩猎场时,三个人被一片险恶的泥沼吞没了。

您知道吗,那个阴雨连绵的可恶的夏天,林子里原先安全的道路神不知鬼不觉陷进了泥沼。

时至今日,三个人的尸体还没找到,真可怕!”讲到这,姑娘的声音不再像原来那么平静安详了,她支支唔唔地说:“可怜的婶婶还一直认为他们有一天会回来,他们三个和一条棕色小长耳狗——它也不见了——就像以往那样,从这扇窗户走过。

The Open Window

The Open Window

F3 _Short Story _ For Bonus QuestionsThe Open Windowby H. H. Munro (Saki) (1870-1916)Word Count: 1274"My aunt will be down presently, Mr. Nuttel," said a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen; "in the meantime you must try and put up with me."Framton Nuttel endeavored to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. Privately he doubted more than ever whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers would do much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing"I know how it will be," his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat; "you will bury yourself down there and not speak to a living soul, and your nerves will be worse than ever from moping. I shall just give you letters of introduction to all the people I know there. Some of them, as far as I can remember, were quite nice."Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton, the lady to whom he was presenting one of the letters of introduction came into the nice division."Do you know many of the people round here?" asked the niece, when she judged that they had had sufficient silent communion."Hardly a soul," said Framton. "My sister was staying here, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here."He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret."Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?" pursued the self-possessed young lady."Only her name and address," admitted the caller. He was wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the married or widowed state. An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine habitation."Her great tragedy happened just three years ago," said the child; "that would be since your sister's time.""Her tragedy?" asked Framton; somehow in this restful country spot tragedies seemed out of place."You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an October afternoon," said the niece, indicating a large French window that opened on to a lawn."It is quite warm for the time of the year," said Framton; "but has that window got anything to do with the tragedy?""Out through that window, three years ago to a day, her husband and her two young brothers went off for their day's shooting. They never came back. In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog. It had been that dreadful wet summer, you know, and places that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning. Their bodies were never recovered. That was the dreadful part of it." Here the child's voice lost its self-possessed note and became falteringly human. "Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back someday, they and the little brown spaniel that was lost with them, and walk in at that window just as they used to do. That is why the window is kept open every evening till it is quite dusk. Poor dear aunt, she has often told me how they went out, her husband with his white waterproof coat over his arm, and Ronnie, her youngest brother, singing 'Bertie, why do you bound?' as he always did to tease her, because she said it got on her nerves. Do you know, sometimes on still, quiet evenings like this, I almost get a creepy feeling that they will all walk in through that window--"She broke off with a little shudder. It was a relief to Framton when the aunt bustled into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in making her appearance."I hope Vera has been amusing you?" she said."She has been very interesting," said Framton."I hope you don't mind the open window," said Mrs. Sappleton briskly; "my husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting, and they always come in this way. They've been out for snipe in the marshes today, so they'll make a fine mess over my poor carpets. So like you menfolk, isn't it?"She rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds, and the prospects for duck in the winter. To Framton it was all purely horrible. He made a desperate but only partially successful effort to turn the talk on to a less ghastly topic, he was conscious that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention, and her eyes were constantly straying past him to the open window and the lawn beyond. It was certainly an unfortunate coincidence that he should have paid his visit on this tragic anniversary."The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest, an absence of mental excitement, and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise," announced Framton, who labored under the tolerably widespread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and infirmities, their cause and cure. "On the matter of diet they are not so much in agreement," he continued. "No?" said Mrs. Sappleton, in a voice which only replaced a yawn at the last moment. Then she suddenly brightened into alert attention--but not to what Framton was saying."Here they are at last!" she cried. "Just in time for tea, and don't they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes!"Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension. The child was staring out through the open window with a dazed horror in her eyes. In a chill shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in the same direction.In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn towards the window, they all carried guns under their arms, and one of them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his shoulders. A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels. Noiselessly they neared the house, and then a hoarse young voice chanted out of the dusk: "I said, Bertie, why do you bound?"Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat; the hall door, the gravel drive, and the front gate were dimly noted stages in his headlong retreat. A cyclist coming along the road had to run into the hedge to avoid imminent collision."Here we are, my dear," said the bearer of the white mackintosh, coming in through the window, "fairly muddy, but most of it's dry. Who was that who bolted out as we came up?""A most extraordinary man, a Mr. Nuttel," said Mrs. Sappleton; "could only talk about his illnesses, and dashed off without a word of goodby or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost.""I expect it was the spaniel," said the niece calmly; "he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs, and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make anyone lose their nerve." Romance at short notice was her speciality.END。

人教版高中英语选修小说欣赏入门课件 Unit 1 The Open Window 课件

人教版高中英语选修小说欣赏入门课件 Unit 1 The Open Window 课件
一个也不认识他说道我姐姐四年前在这里住过就在教区长的屋一个也不认识他说道我姐姐四年前在这里住过就在教区长的屋子她于是写了引荐信要我来拜访这里的一些人
Unit 1
The Open Window
Hector Hugh Munro
赫克托· 门罗
(1870-1916) Pen name: Saki Occupation: Author, Playwright Nationality: British
“这一带你认识的人不少吧?”外甥女觉得静坐了太久,打破沉默问道。 “一个也不认识,”他说道“我姐姐四年前在这里住过,就在教区长的屋 子,她于是写了引荐信要我来拜访这里的一些人。” 他说最后一句话的时候明显带有后悔的语气。 “这么说你对我的姨妈差不多一无所知?”女孩不动声色的问道。 “只知道名字和住址,”客人坦白的说道。
Plot Analysis:
Climax
Rising Action
Falling Action
plot
Beginning
Resolution
Begining:
• Introduction of the main character:
• Framton Nuttle: a slightly nervous person who is undergoing a nerve cure. His sister introduced him to visit Mrs. Sappelton in anther town to take a rest. . • Mrs. Sappelton’s niece---Vera: a very selfpossessed (镇静、泰然自若)young lady.
• 你知道吗,有时候像今天这样寂静无声的傍晚,我总会有一种感觉,那 就是他们会从那个窗子里走进来,一想到这里就会让人觉得毛骨悚然……”

the open window中文翻译 以及作者介绍

the open window中文翻译 以及作者介绍

“家姑母马上就要下来了,纳特尔先生。

”一位故作深沉的十五岁的小女士道:“在此期间您得暂时忍耐我了。

”弗拉姆顿.纳特尔尽力想说几句得体的话,即能适时恭维了眼前的侄女有得提防止怠慢了就要登场的姑母。

私下里他却比平常更加怀疑这种接连不断的正式拜访完全陌生之人对他正在进行的镇定神经的治疗是否有益。

“我知道是怎么回事。

”他姐姐在他准备隐居乡里的时对他道:“你会把自己完全埋起来,不跟一个活人讲话,你的神经会因为闷闷不乐而更加糟糕。

我会多写几封信,将你介绍给我在当地认识的所有人,我记的有几个人相当不错的。

”弗拉姆顿在想,眼下他已经呈上一封介绍信的这位萨普尔顿太太是否属于不错的阵营。

“这一带您认识的人很多吗?”“我几乎谁都不认识。

”弗拉姆顿道。

“家姊四年前曾在这儿小住,住在教区长公馆,您知道,她给了我几封写给这里一些人的引见信。

”他的最后一句话带上了明显的悔恨语气.“这么说来您实际上对家姑母一无所知了?”这位颇为自持的年轻女士道.“只知道她的姓名和住址。

”拜访者承认道。

他在捉摸萨普而顿太太是已婚呢还是寡居。

房间里某种无以名状的气氛让人觉得逐个该是个男性的居所.“她的重大悲剧就发生在三年前,”侄女道:“应该是令姊离开之后的事了。

”“她的悲剧?”弗拉姆顿问,在这个宁静的乡居之地,似乎绝无发生什么悲剧的可能。

“您也许会想,十月天的午后温暖干吗还要把那扇窗户大开着。

”侄女道,指向一扇开往草坪的巨大法式窗户。

“虽然已是十月天了,今年倒还暖和,”弗拉姆顿道:“不过听您这么说,那扇窗难道跟您提到的悲剧有关?”“三年前的一天,她丈夫和她的两个幼弟就是通过那扇窗户出去打猎的。

他们在也没有回来。

经过那片沼泽地到他们喜欢猎鹬场时,三个人全都被一片背信弃义的沼泽吞没。

那年夏天潮湿的可怕,您知道,很多原本安全的地方突然就没法立足了。

他们的尸体一直没找到。

可怕的正是这个。

”说到此处,侄女颇为自持的态度也消失不见了,开始变的结结巴巴了。

“可怜的姑母总是觉得他们总有一天会回来,他们还有跟他们一起去打猎的小黄,而且会像以往那样通过那扇窗户进来。

The Open Window

The Open Window

“纳特先生,我姑妈很快就下来。

”一个15岁的年轻小姐说,她看上去十分沉着冷静。

“在这段时间里,我来陪陪你。

”在这小姐的姑妈还没有到来之前,弗雷顿•纳特努力的寻找着适当的词语来赞美这个漂亮的姑娘。

可他又不想因唐突说错话而让小姐的姑妈对他的印象打折扣。

纳特目前正患着精神衰弱症。

他比以前更加怀疑,这一个接一个的拜访陌生人是否真的能对他的精神治疗有帮助。

纳特的姐姐在他准备搬到乡下住的时候曾经说:“我知道最后你会怎样。

你一定会把你封闭起来,不对任何人说话。

在闷闷不乐的生活中,你的精神病一定会比以前更糟糕。

我要为你写介绍信,介绍你给所有住在那里的我认识的人。

在我印象中,他们中间有些人还是有着好心肠的。

”介绍信中有一封是给赛普顿夫人的。

弗雷顿揣测着这位夫人是不是个和善之辈。

“你认识很多附近的人么?”那小姐问道,她觉得他们之间的沉默已经太长了。

“几乎没有。

”弗雷顿说:“四年前我姐姐在这里住过一段时间,你也许知道,就是在那教区长家里。

是她给了写这些介绍信让我认识周围的人的。

”他说最后一句的时候,语气中满是后悔。

那个冷静的小姐继续说:“那么你几乎对我姑妈是一无所知了?”“只知道名字和地址。

”弗雷顿承认到。

房间的一些迹象含糊的暗示着这里有男子居住,但是弗雷特不能确定赛普顿夫人的丈夫是否还健在。

“我姑妈最大的不幸发生在三年前。

”那小姐接着说,“那时候你姐姐已经离开了。

”“不幸?”弗雷顿说。

不知怎的,他觉得这样闲逸的村庄里充满了悲剧。

“你也许觉得奇怪,为什么我们在十月天里还开着窗户。

”小姐指着一扇开着的巨大法式落地窗说。

窗外是一片草坪。

“一年当中,这个时候的确是有些热的,不大适合开窗。

”弗雷顿说,“但这和你姑妈的不幸有什么关系?”“三年前的今天,我姑妈的丈夫和两个弟弟从那窗户里穿过,出去外面打猎,此后就再也没有回来。

他们本来要去那最合适猎杀锥鸟的沼泽地的,可是谁也没有想到,在穿越沼泽的时候,他们都被陷了进去。

那是个死气沉沉又湿闷的下午,你也许不知道,那地方本来是安全的,可那天突然没了预兆和警示。

The Open Window

The Open Window

突然,她容光焕发——并非为弗兰顿的故事所吸引。
“他们终于回来了!”她喊道,“又是准准地在喝午茶的时候。您还没见过他们浑身泥巴,连眼睛也脏兮兮的样子呢!”
弗兰顿又轻轻地颤抖起来,他转向侄女,眼里含着祈求同情理解的神色。那小姑娘两眼直盯着窗外,表情恐惧。弗兰顿在座椅里不安地扭动,朝她目光的方向望去,一阵莫名的冰冷恐怖感控制了他。
“Her great tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child; “that would be since your sister's time.”
“Her tragedy?” asked Framton; somehow in this restful country spot tragedies seemed out of place.
“Do you know many of the people round here?” asked the niece, when she judged that they had had sufficient silent
communion.
“Hardly a soul,” said Framton. “My sister was staying here, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here.”
“It is quite warm for the time of the year,” said Framton; “but has that window got anything to do with the tragedy?”

lesson-2-the-open-window课件

lesson-2-the-open-window课件


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to go speak
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THE OPEN WINDOW
After Saki
1
Hector Hugh Munro
赫克托·门罗
(1870-1916)
Pen name: Saki Occupation: Author, Playwright Nationality: British
Master of short stories.
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❖ He made the last statement in a sad voice. ❖ "Then you know almost nothing about my aunt?" continued
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The Open WindowBy Saki (H H Munro)In this story a very imaginative young lady of fifteen plays an amusing trick on a visitor to her aunt`s house. As you read, watch closely how smoothly she conducts herself. The story is told with a charm and grace that is characteristics of this English author (1870-1916),who commonly wrote under the pen name of Saki.“My aunt will be down presently,Mr. Nuttel,” said a very s elf-possessed young lady of fifteen;“in the meantime you must try and put up with me.”Framton Nuttel endeavoured to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. Privately he doubted more than ever whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers would do much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing.“I know how it will be,” his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat,“you will bury yourself down there and not speak to a living soul,and your nerves will be worse than ever from moping. I shall just give you letters of introduction to all the people I know there. Some of them,as far as I can remember,were quite nice.”Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton,the lady to whom he was presenting one of the letters of introduction,came into the nice division.“Do you know many of the people round here?” asked the niece,when she judged that they had sufficient silent communion.“Hardly a soul,” said Framton. “My sister was staying here,at the rectory you know,some four years ago,and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here.”He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret.“Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?” pursued theself-possessed young lady.“Only her name and address,” admitted the caller. He was wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the married or widowed state. An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine habitation.“Her great tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child;“that would be since your sister's time.”“Her tragedy?” asked Framton;somehow in this restful country spot tragedies seemed out of place.“You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an October afternoon,” said the niece,indicating a large French window that opened on to a lawn.“It is quite warm for the time of the year,” said Framton;“but has that window got anything to do with the tragedy?”“Out through that window,three years ago to a day,her husband and her two young brothers went off for their day's shooting. They never came back. In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog. It had been that dreadful wet summer,you know,and places that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning. Their bodies were never recovered. That was the dreadful part of it.” Here th e child's voice lost its self-possessed note and became falteringly human. “Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back some day,they and the little brown spaniel that was lost with them,walk in at that window just as they used to do. That is why the window is kept open every evening till it is quite dusk. Poor dear aunt,she has often told me how they went out,her husband with his white water proof coat over his arm,and Ronnie,her youngest brother,singing 'Bertie,why do you bound?' as he always did to tease her,because she said it got on her nerves. Do you know,sometimes on still,quiet evenings like this,I almost get a creepy feeling that they will walk in through that window - ”She broke off with a little shudder. It was a relief to Framton when the aunt bustled into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in making her appearance.“I hope Vera has been amusing you?” she said.“She has been very interesting,” said Framton.“I hope you don't mind the open window,” said Mrs. Sappleton briskly;“My husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting,and they always come in this way. They have been out for snipe in the marshes today,so they will make a fine mess over my poor carpets. So like you menfolk,isn't it?”She rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds,and the prospects for duck in the winter. To Framton it was all purely horrible. He made a desperate but only partially successful effort to turn the talk on to aless ghastly topic;he was conscious that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention and her eyes were constantly straying past him to the open window and the lawn beyond. It was certainly an unfortunate coincidence that he should have paid his visit on this tragic anniversary.“The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest,an absence of mental excitement,and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise,” announced Framton,who laboured under the tolerablywide-spread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and infirmities,their cause and cure. “On the matter of diet they are not so much in agreement,” he continued.“No?” said Mrs. Sappleton,in a voice which only replaced a yawn at the last moment. Then she suddenly brightened into alert attention - but not to what Framton was saying.“Here they are at last!” she cried. “Just in time for tea,and don't they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes!”Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension. The child was staring out through the open window with dazed horror in her eyes. In a chill shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in the same direction.In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn towards the window;they all carried guns under their arms,and one of them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his shoulders. A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels. Noiselessly they neared the house,and then a hoarse young voice chanted out of the dusk:“I said,Bertie,why do you bound?”Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat;the hall-door,thegravel-drive,and the front gate were dimly noted stages in his headlong retreat. A cyclist coming along the road had to run into the hedge to avoid (an) imminent collision.“Here we are,my dear,” said the bearer of the white mackintosh coming in through the window;“fairly muddy,but most of it's dry. Who was that who bolted out as we came up?”“A most extraordinary man,a Mr. Nuttel,” said Mrs. Sappleton;“could only talk about his illnesses,and dashed off without a word of good-bye or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost.”“I expect it was the spaniel,” said the niece calmly;“he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs,and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make any one lose their nerve.”Romance at short notice was her specialty.。

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