CHAPTER X.

 For three whole days you thus may rest

From office business, news, and strife¹.—Pope.

 

 

When the summer heats set in, Meredith, one evening, drove to Morton's house, and, arrayed in linen² and grass-cloth, smoked his cigar under his friend's veranda³ with as much contentment as the thermometer at ninety would permit. The window at his side was that of the room which Morton used as his study, and the table was covered with books.

 

"Colonel," said Meredith, "what a painstaking⁴ fellow you are! Ever since you left college—except when you were off on that journey, which was one of the most rational things you ever did in your life—you have been digging here among your books, as if you were some half-starved law student, with a prospect⁵ of matrimony."

 

"I've done digging for the present. It's against my principles to work much in July and August."

 

"What do you mean to do?"

 

"Set out on a journey."

 

"I suppose so. You are a lucky fellow."

 

"Give yourself a vacation, and come with me."

 

"No, I'm in for it for the next two months; but I will have my revenge before long."

 

"Three days from your office will never ruin you or your family. Come with me to New Baden, if you can't do better."

 

"I think I can manage that,—and I will."

 

Accordingly, on Monday morning, they took the train thitherward.

1 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

2 linen   

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。

3 veranda   

n.走廊；阳台

参考例句：

• She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
• They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

4 painstaking   

adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的

参考例句：

• She is not very clever but she is painstaking.她并不很聪明，但肯下苦功夫。
• Through years of our painstaking efforts,we have at last achieved what we have today.大家经过多少年的努力，才取得今天的成绩。

5 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。