perception：n。感知，感覺
dismiss：vt。不再考慮，擺脫
trivial：adj。瑣碎的，微不足道的
persistence：n。堅持
impose sth。upon/on sb。：將……強加於……之上
intention：n。意圖，目的
no less：正如
crime：n。罪行
illumination：n。頭腦清醒
count for：認為有……價值。原句意為“在……麵前，愛，這種難解的神秘事物，又算得了什麼？”
possession：n。擁有，占有
self-assertion：n。自作主張
impulse：n。衝動
17.Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lipsto the keyhole，imploring for admission。“Louise，open the door！I beg open the door—you willmake yourself ill。What are you doing，Louise？For heaven’s sake open the door。”
18.“Go away。I am not making myself ill。”No she was drinkingin a very elixir of life through that open window。
19.Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her。Spring days，and summer days，and all sorts of days that would be her own。She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long。It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long。
20.She arose at length and opened the door to her sister’s importunities。There was a feverish triumph in her eyes，and she carried herself unwittingly like agoddess of Victory。She clasped her sister’s waist，and together they descended the stairs。Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom。
21.Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey。It wasBrently Mallardwho entered，a little travel-stained，composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella。He had been far from the scene of the accident，and did not even know that there had been one。He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry at Richards’quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife。
implore for sth。：懇求
admission：n。進入
elixir：n。長生不老藥
importunity：n。強求
triumph：n。勝利
unwittingly：adv。無意地
composedly：adv。沉著地
amaze at：吃驚於
piercing：adj。刺耳的
22.But Richards was too late。
23.When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills。
評注：女主人公的心髒病突發到底是出於“高興”（joy）還是“失望”呢？這個問題值得推敲。
Comprehension Exercises：
1.What do the images in the 5th paragraph imply？
2.What do the sky and the clouds symbolize in the 6th paragraph？
3.The death of Mrs。Mallard at the end of the story seems to suggest that it was no easy at the time for women to win independence。Why do you think it was not easy？
4.Mrs。Mallard’s feeling at her husband’s death was a mixed one。She loved him“sometimes”，and he loved her，too。Then what made her so exalted at his death？
凱特·肖邦（1851—1904）：19世紀美國最重要的女作家。其代表作品《覺醒》（Awakening）因忠實地處理女性婚姻和性問題曾被列為“禁書”，而此惡名恰恰反映了男權社會對女性追求平等自由聲音的壓製。直到20世紀60年代，肖邦的作品才在女權主義的呼喊聲中走出了曆史的陰霾。其作品深刻發掘了女性意識的覺醒過程，有力批判男權社會婚姻道德對女性追求自由願望的桎梏，受到了評論界的高度評價。鮮明的女性主題和帶有南方地方色彩的書寫，使她當之無愧地成為美國第一代女性作家中的一朵奇葩。《一小時的故事》、《暴風雨》是她短篇小說的代表作。這兩部作品都真實地反映了男權社會裏女性在婚姻生活中所受到的束縛和壓抑。