#好词好句#
Catherine had frightened her aunt, but she was also frightened herself; she was on the point of rushing to give orders to the servant, who was passing to the door, to admit no one; but the fear of meeting her visitor checked her.
 凯瑟琳虽然把姨妈吓住了，但她自己也心惊胆战；她正要冲过去，叫住那个正要出门的仆人，吩咐他谁也不准放进来；但一想到要面对来访的客人，她又胆怯了，停住了脚步。

这句话由三个主要部分组成，层层递进地展现了凯瑟琳的心理活动：

Catherine had frightened her aunt, but she was also frightened herself;

had frightened: 过去完成时，表示在此之前发生的动作。

frightened: 在这里作动词，意为“吓唬”、“恐吓”。

herself: 强调反身代词，意为“她自己也感到害怕”。

she was on the point of rushing to give orders to the servant... to admit no one

was on the point of: 这是一个关键短语，意为“正要……”、“即将……”，表示动作马上就要发生，但通常后面会接一个转折（如 but, however）。

rushing to: 冲过去做某事，形容急切。

give orders to: 向……下达命令。

to admit no one: 不定式作目的状语，解释命令的内容，即“不准放任何人进来”。

but the fear of meeting her visitor checked her

the fear of...: 对……的恐惧。

checked her: 这里的  check  是动词，意为“阻止”、“制止”、“使……停住”。这是整句话的转折点，说明她虽然有冲动，但最终被恐惧所压制。

On the point of doing sth: 正要做某事，即将做某事。

However / But: 但是，然而（引出转折）。

例句 1：日常生活

I was on the point of calling you to say I was running late; however, my phone battery died.
（我正要给你打电话说我要迟到了，然而我的手机没电了。）

解析：动作“打电话”即将发生，但被“没电”打断。

例句 2：职场场景

She was on the point of resigning after the argument with her boss, however, she decided to give it one more chance.
（在和老板争吵后，她正要辞职，然而她决定再给（这份工作）一次机会。）

解析：动作“辞职”即将发生，但被“改变主意”打断。

例句 3：情感描写

He was on the point of confessing his love to her; however, he lost his courage at the last second.
（他正要向她表白，然而在最后一刻他失去了勇气。）

解析：这与凯瑟琳的心理描写非常相似。

例句 4：紧急情况

They were on the point of giving up hope when however, they saw a rescue boat in the distance.
（他们正要放弃希望，然而这时他们看到了远处有一艘救援船。）

解析：动作“放弃希望”即将发生，但被“看到救援船”这一意外打断。

在写作中，使用  on the point of...  加上  however  或  but ，可以非常有效地制造悬念或突出人物内心的挣扎（就像凯瑟琳那个句子一样）。它强调了“行动”与“犹豫”之间的那一瞬间。这句话生动地描绘了凯瑟琳内心的矛盾与恐惧。