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CHAPTER IV
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 Mrs. North’s tennis party pursued its usual successful career in the brilliant sunshine, which, as Mr. Fothersley remembered, always favoured her. Fred Riversley had brought an unexpected carload of R. A. F. boys down from London with him. This made a tournament possible, as Mrs. North saw at once. They drew partners with much fun and laughter. Mr. Fothersley telephoned to Fairbridge for a selection of prizes to be sent out by the 4.30 bus. It was one of the charming sort of things which Mr. Fothersley did. It was more particularly nice of him on this particular afternoon than usual, because, so far as Mr. Fothersley was concerned, Mr. Pithey was making it almost unbearable1.
He was a large, flat, pale yellow gentleman, with a peculiarly penetrating3 metallic4 voice. He had a very long nose, with a broad tip curving upwards5, and small keen eyes which darted6 everywhere. Without the slightest hesitation7 he took the place which from time immemorial belonged to Mr. Fothersley at all Mentmore 64parties. Under the beech-tree, where by all the rights of precedence Mr. Fothersley should have led the conversation, Mr. Pithey’s metallic voice held sway and drove all before it. In the usual walk round the garden, always personally conducted by Mr. Fothersley and his hostess, Mr. Pithey laid down the correct lines on which to bed out, to grow carnations8, to keep down weeds, or anything else that cropped up. When Mr. Fothersley drew attention to the fact that on any of the courts the final of the hard-fought set was in progress, it was Mr. Pithey’s voice that drowned all others as he shouted “Well played!” and gave advice to all concerned. In fact, Mr. Pithey dominated the party.
Mrs. Pithy10, a small blue-faced lady, very expensively dressed, sat in a comfortable basket chair with her feet on a stool and, unless actually asked a question, she spoke11 to no one except her husband, whom she always addressed by name. Bertie when she remembered, ’Erb when she forgot.
Even the arrival of Lady Condor12, undoubtedly13 the personage of the place, made no impression on this strange couple’s evident conviction that they were people of supreme14 importance in the universe. Lady Condor could have put the Old Gentleman himself in his place 65if the mood were on her, but on this occasion, as it happened, she was frankly15 and evidently entertained by the Pitheys. Mr. Fothersley regretted it. Seldom had he looked out more anxiously for the arrival of her wheeled chair surrounded by its usual escort of five white West Highlanders. Lady Condor always used her chair, in preference to her car, for short journeys, so that her dogs also might have an outing. Seldom had he been more disappointed in her, and Lady Condor was given to amazing surprises. This was certainly one of them. Solemnly, and as far as was possible in his manner conveying the honour being conferred on him, Mr. Fothersley led Mr. Pithey to Lady Condor’s chair, so soon as she had been ensconced by her hostess in a comfortable and shady spot near the tea-tables and with a good view of the tennis. Not that she ever looked at it for more than a second at a time, she was always too busy talking, but it was de rigueur that she should have the best place at any entertainment.
Mrs. Pithey, for the moment, it was impossible to introduce, as it would plainly not occur to her to leave her chair until she had finished her tea for anybody, except, possibly, Mr. Pithey.
Mr. Fothersley effected Mr. Pithey’s introduction admirably. The delicate shade of deference16 66in his own manner left nothing to be desired.
“May I be allowed to present Mr. Pithey, dear Lady Condor?” he asked, deftly17 bringing that gentleman’s large pale presence into her line of vision.
“Ah—how-d’ye-do? No, don’t trouble to shake hands.” She waved away a large approach. “You can’t get at me for the dogs. And where are my glasses? Arthur, I have dropped them somewhere. Could it have been in the drive? No, I had them since. What! on my lap? Oh yes—thank you very much.”
She put them on and looked at Mr. Pithey, and Mr. Pithey looked at her.
“Pleased to meet you,” he said. “Do you always take a pack of dogs about with you?” Plainly Mr. Pithey disapproved18. Jock and Jinny, father and mother of the family, were moving in an unfriendly manner round his feet. “Just call them off, will you?”
Mr. Fothersley awaited the swift and complete annihilation of Mr. Pithey. It was a matter of doubt if even Lady Condor could have accomplished19 it; at any rate, she made no attempt. She continued to look at him with what might almost be described as appreciation20 in her shrewd eyes under their heavy lids. Only she did not call the dogs off.
67And then, to an amazed company of the Mentmore élite, she gave Mr. Pithey her whole and undivided attention for the space of nearly half an hour.
Mr. Pithey gave his opinion as it was always apparently21 his pride and pleasure to do, on many and various things.
“The old order changeth, yielding place to new,” might have served for the text of Mr. Pithey’s conversation.
“Who’s been at the head of affairs in this village I don’t know,” he said largely, “but more rotten management, more want of enterprise, more lack of ordinary sense, I’ve never come across. Why, you see it everywhere! Here’s the whole place without any light, unless you call lamps and candles light, and a stream running through the place. Water power at your doors, by Jingo! And money in it too, or I shouldn’t be taking it up. Ever been in Germany?” He gulped23 down his third cup of tea, and looked around at his now more or less interested audience.
“Well, they’ve got electric light in every potty little village you go to, got it there still at this minute, and”—Mr. Pithey laid a large yellow hand on Lady Condor’s knee—“cheaper than you can get it over here.”
68“One really can’t believe it!” exclaimed Mrs. North. “Surely it’s not possible!”
“Everything is possible,” said Lady Condor, curiously24 examining Mr. Pithey’s hand through her glasses.
“I was over there, staying near Cologne on business last week,” returned Mr. Pithey impressively. “So I ought to know. And when you know me better, Mrs. North”—Mr. Fothersley’s shudder25 was almost audible—“you’ll know I don’t talk without my book. I got nails over there—metal, mind you—cheaper than you can get ’em here. P’rhaps you won’t credit that!”
He helped himself to more cake, and started afresh.
“Now look at the farming round about here. Rotten, that’s what it is, rotten! Never went in for it myself before, but I know when a concern’s run as it should be or not. There’s only one farm in this district that’s real tip-top, and that’s Thorpe. It’s a little bit of a place, but it’s well run. Run by a woman too! But she’s a fool. If you’ll believe me, I offered her a twenty-five per cent. profit on whatever the price she gave for that little place, and she wouldn’t take it. Just have suited me to play with. And there’s one or two things there I’d 69like up at the Court. By the way, any gentleman or lady here got some of those old lead water tanks they’d like a fancy price for, because I’m a buyer.”
By this time the assembly under the beech-tree was more or less paralysed, and Mrs. North was wondering what madness had possessed26 her to be the first to ask Mr. Pithey to meet Lady Condor. But Lady Condor continued to beam; not only to beam, but every now and then to break into a chuckle27. And yet this was not at all the sort of thing one would have expected to amuse her.
“Old lead water tanks!” she repeated, thoughtfully. “Dear Arthur, would you mind putting Jock on my lap? Thank you so much. And now Jinny! There, darlings! Don’t be nervous, Mr. Pithey. They never really bite unless you come too close. Let me see, where were we? Oh—yes—tanks! No, I am afraid I have none for sale just now.”
“You see,” said Mr. Pithey confidentially28, “if I get the stuff off some of you old inhabitants I know it’s the right sort, and I don’t mind what I pay.”
“If you go on talking much longer, Bertie, you’ll be late for seeing the man who’s coming about the butler’s place,” said Mrs. Pithey, suddenly, 70from her chair. She had just finished her tea, and swept many crumbs29 from her lap as she spoke.
“Quite right, my dear! Quite right!” Mr. Pithey rose as he spoke. “I’m never late for an appointment, Mrs. North. Matter of conscience with me, never mind who it’s with, butler or duke.” It was characteristic of Mr. Pithey that he put the butler first. “Well, good-by to you all.” Mr. Pithey shook hands largely all round, followed by Mrs. Pithey. “Pleased to have met your Ladyship. Sorry not to have seen your good husband, Mrs. North. The man in this place, I reckon. That margarine business of his is one of the best managed in Leicester, and we don’t let flies walk on us there, anyhow. He goes in for a bit of science and writing as well, doesn’t he? Good all round man, eh?”
And, conscious of having been generally pleasant, Mr. Pithey removed his large pale presence to where his Rolls-Royce car awaited him in the front drive.
“I know you will forgive me, dear lady,” said Mr. Fothersley, his voice trembling with emotion, “if I do not see them off.”
“Indeed, yes!” exclaimed Mrs. North. The allusion30 to the margarine factory had made her hot all over. “What perfectly31 hateful people! 71He did nothing but talk, and she did nothing but eat!”
Lady Condor arose briskly from her chair, scattering32 West Highlanders around her.
“Where is Roger?” she demanded. “I am going to be really clever if I can only concentrate sufficiently33 to say what I mean. Don’t distract my thoughts, any of you! But I must have Roger! He is the only really brainy one among us—at least, I mean he is the only one who’s used his brains. I have naturally a very good brain, but it is rusty34 from want of use. All our brains are rusty. But what is it I want? Oh yes—Roger. In his study, my dear? Let us all go—yes. Where are my glasses, and my gloves? Please put them in your pocket until I go, Arthur. I cannot afford to lose them as I used to do. Down, children! down!”
She took Mrs. North’s arm, and with Mr. Fothersley on her other hand and the dogs in full chorus, started across the lawn toward the house.
“Well played, Violet! well played! The child’s as good as ever at it. But where were we going? Oh yes—I must have Roger. We will surprise him through the window. He will be very cross, but he won’t say anything because it’s me. Ah—but there he is——”
North’s long figure came out into the sunlight, 72and as he approached the group he had much the air of a big schoolboy who had been playing truant35.
“I apologize profusely,” he said. “My intentions were of the very best. I intended to come out to tea, but I happened on Mr. Pithey in the hall, where he was endeavouring to purchase Mansfield——”
There was a chorus of exclamations36.
“Well, he was asking Mansfield to recommend him a good butler for a gentleman’s establishment. Salary no object, if man satisfactory. I confess I ran away. Lady Condor, if you will drink another cup of tea I should love to fetch it for you, but it is plainly not my fault if you will encourage my wife to entertain these people.”
“You would never entertain anybody if you had your own way,” said his wife.
“I would always entertain Lady Condor. Or rather, I am always sure Lady Condor will entertain me.”
“Well, I am delighted with Mr. Pithey,” announced Lady Condor, reoccupying her chair, and enjoying the sensation she created. “Yes. In Mr. Pithey I see our—now what is the word I want?—oh yes—our avenger38! The people have dethroned Us. They are taxing Us out of existence. Condor told me this morning he must 73put the Cleve estate into the market. I shall be lucky if I keep my diamonds, and poor Hawkhurst will be lucky if he and his wife don’t end in the workhouse. But where was I? I had got it all in my head just now. If only I could write it all down directly I think of it, I could make my fortune as a writer of leaders in a daily paper. Yes. They have dethroned Us, and they will get Pitheys, dozens of Pitheys, instead. We shall be ruined, obsolete39, extinct, but we shall be revenged. They will get Pitheys in our place. Heaven be praised! The old nouveaux riches were bearable. They had reverence40, they recognized their limitations, they were prepared to be taught. Look at you dear people, of course we have all known about the margarine. And you, dear Nita, yours was wine—or was it mineral water?—something to drink, wasn’t it? We needn’t hide anything now, because the Pitheys will strip everything bare. If you dear things had come here with 2?d. a year, and lived in a villa22, we should never have known you. And yet—yes, now I have it—yet really and truly, Roger was the real aristocracy. The aristocracy of brains. The margarine and wine didn’t matter, nor did the money—at least, I mean it ought not to have. I’m getting terribly muddled41! And where is my scarf? Did I drop it when I got up? Oh, here it is. 74You see, We made the aristocracy of wealth. We couldn’t resist the shoots in Scotland for the boys, and the balls for the girls, and the snug42 directorships on big companies. Yes—we smirched our position—our grandfathers and grandmothers would never have done it. And now here we are positively43 being patronized—yes, dear Arthur—patronized by Pitheys. I think I have gone off on to another tack44. It was losing my scarf! But I am delighted with Pithey. He will avenge37 Us on the masses—Pithey the Avenger—yes. But I should have put it much better if I could have said it while he was here. Arthur, do look more cheerful! Think of Pithey as the avenger. It makes him so bearable. And I will have that cup of tea, Roger!”
“I cannot laugh,” said Mr. Fothersley. His voice, even though addressing Lady Condor, held a word of rebuke45. “We should never have called! It enrages46 me to think that we should have submitted to such—such——”
Words failed him. “However,” he added, “we have reason to be thankful we did not call on the St. Ubes. I gathered to-day that the name, which might easily have misled us, was originally Stubbs. I shall not call. These Pithey people——”
75Again words failed him, and Lady Condor chuckled47.
“Mrs. Pithey disapproves48 of me,” she announced. “She is probably telling Mr. Pithey that I paint. I must own it is very badly done to-day; Mullins was in a temper. She always makes me up badly when she is in a temper. Now do let us enjoy ourselves! Let us forget the Pithian invasion. Thank you—and some cake—yes. And some one else must have some tea to keep me company. Dear Nita—yes. The poor hostess never gets enough tea. Now this is cosy49. And where are my glasses? I have not looked at the tennis yet. And I know it is very good. And I have not spoken to dear Violet, or to Fred. And there, why surely they are playing together. Did they draw together? How strange! The child is lovelier than ever. And now they have finished. Bring them to have tea with me. What is Fred now? A major! Isn’t it too ridiculous? And I suppose those little boys you have brought with you in R.A.F. uniforms are Brigadier-Generals. And have you won the tournament, my dears?”
“No,” said Fred Riversley. He and Violet had shaken hands and had waited till Lady Condor stopped for breath. “No. I 76played very badly. Even Vi couldn’t pull me through.”
He was a fair heavily-built young man, and while the ladies talked, all three seemingly at once, for Lady Condor rarely ceased, he sat down on the grass and was at once the centre of attraction for the five dogs. When a momentary50 pause occurred, he asked, “How’s Dudley?”
“Dudley,” said Lady Condor, “has got his aluminium51 leg. It is really too wonderful. You’d never guess it wasn’t a real live leg—unless he tries to run, which of course he mustn’t do. But everything else. And John, we had letters from only yesterday. Russia—yes—and Heaven knows when we’ll get him back. And where is your Harry52? Why, it seems only yesterday he was retrieving53 tennis balls in a sailor suit!”
“Harry is stuck at Marseilles,” said Riversley, “on his way to Egypt. Doesn’t know what’s going to happen to him till Peace is signed.”
The little group fell on a sudden silence, a silence that the steady thud of the tennis balls, the call of the scores, the applause, did not touch. A shadow seemed to cross the sunbathed54 lawns and brilliant flower-beds. There were others whom they all remembered, of 77whom no one would ever ask for news again.
Riversley got up and carried the empty cups back to the tea-table. Then he stood and watched the tennis for a little space.
His mind moved heavily, but he was conscious that, in spite of all the momentum55 given by a great reaction, it would not be so easy as of old to make a business of pleasure.
Presently he slipped away to the peace and seclusion56 of his father-in-law’s study. It was a long low room, lined from floor to ceiling with books. North’s writing-table stood in one window, the other opened on to the lawn, while a further means of escape was afforded by a second door at the end of the room opening into his laboratory. In the great armchair guarding the hearth57 slept respectively Larry and Victoria, the little lady fox-terrier who owned Roger North. Between Vic and Larry there existed a curious compact, immovable apparently as the laws of the Medes and Persians. Each had a share of the room on which the other never encroached, and Larry possessed certain privileges, plainly conceded by Victoria, with regard to North, beyond which he never went. In all other matters the two were fast friends, and had been so long before Larry came to live at Westwood. Lady Condor’s West Highlanders they tolerated in the garden, 78but never in the house. Both dogs greeted Riversley with effusion, and the heavy, silent young man sat with Victoria on his knee and Larry at his feet, surrounding himself with clouds of smoke and stroking the little sleek58 head against his arm.
Presently North joined him. “You are staying the night?” he asked, accepting a proffered59 cigar.
“No.” Riversley emptied his pipe of ashes and began to refill it.
“I’ve made the excuse of business in London,” he went on after that little pause. “I think Vi wants a change from—everything.”
There was another pause, but still North did not speak. He understood this stolid60 and apparently rather ordinary young man better than most people did. He knew the difficulty with which he spoke of things that touched him deeply, things that really mattered. So he lit his cigar and passed the light in silence, and presently Riversley went on again.
“You see, I still think Vi did the best thing she could, under the circumstances, when she married me,” he said, “but even so it has not been the success I hoped it would have been. There’s something wrong. Something more than having to put up with me instead of a chap like old Dick. It was a knock-down blow 79losing him, but Vi was damned plucky61 over that, and it doesn’t account for——”
“What?” asked North, sharply this time, when the usual pause came.
“I don’t know,” answered Riversley, stolid as ever. “That’s what worries me. I can’t put a name to it. But there’s something wrong. Vi’s altered, and it isn’t for the better.”
“Altered?”
“Well, she looks at things differently—she’s lost—oh, I don’t know.”
“My dear fellow, can’t you be a little more explicit62?”
“No. I’m a stupid sort of a fellow, or perhaps I’d understand better what’s wrong. The only thing definite that I can lay hold of is, that she gets sudden spasms63 of hatred64, and it’s—well, it’s like looking into a red-hot hell. I don’t know how else to describe it. She always had a bit of a temper, you know, but this is different. And”—his voice dropped a little and lost its steadiness for a moment—“the animals won’t go near her sometimes.”
There was a queer strange silence for a minute across which the laughter outside broke like a jangling wire.
“I expect she’s treated them unjustly,” said North, conscious even as he spoke of the futility65 of his reason.
80“Dogs never resent where they care,” said Riversley briefly66. “It’s not that. They—they are afraid of her for some reason, and it’s horribly uncanny sometimes. I thought perhaps if she came down here without me, had a rest from me you know, it would help her a bit.”
North nodded. “I think you are wise. I hope it’s only a passing phase. She’s been through a stiff time, and we are none of us yet quite normal, I fancy.”
“It isn’t as if she’d care for me,” Riversley went on steadily67. “I took my risk, and I’d take it again, and I’m not blaming her, mind you. And I’m only telling you about it because she seems to hang on to you, and you’ll be able to help her better if you know.”
“Yes, I understand that,” returned North. He felt, as a matter of fact, particularly helpless. What Riversley had just told him, coupled with Violet’s outburst to himself that afternoon, worried and disturbed him not a little. He remembered those words of hers: “Sometimes I am frightened.” The words overwrought, hysterical68, long-strained, jumbled69 in his mind and brought no comfort. Then suddenly, like a hand stretched out to a stumbling man, came the thought of Thorpe, its radiant peace, the steady eyes of Ruth Seer. And with 81that came the thought of Dick Carey. He looked across at Riversley.
“There’s one thing I’d like to tell you,” he said, “and that is, Dick wished Violet had chosen you instead of himself. He felt somehow that you were really better suited to her.”
Riversley’s eyes met his in blank amazement70. “Dick thought that?”
“He always felt he was too old for Vi. But she was desperately71 in love with him, and he knew it, and you know old Dick. Besides, Vi could twist almost any man round her little finger. But that he would have been glad if her choice had fallen on you instead of himself, I have no doubt whatever.”
Riversley stood up, filling his chest with a long breath. “Thank you for telling me,” he said. “It’s a help.”
“There’s one other thing I’d like to say,” North went on, speaking rather hurriedly, “and that is, see that you and Vi don’t get like myself and her mother. Vi is like her in some ways, and though no doubt I’ve been in fault too, and we were always wholly unsuited, yet we began under better conditions than you have. And now we’ve got on each other’s nerves so much that everything she says or does irritates me, and vice9 versa. We can’t get right now if we would. She thinks she’s fond of me still, because 82it’s the correct thing to be fond of your husband, but it’s far nearer hatred than love. And I—have no delusions72. And for God’s sake, my boy, keep clear of following in our footsteps.”
“We come of a different generation, sir,” said Riversley simply. “If we can’t hit it off, we shall part. Only if there is trouble ahead for her, and I am afraid there is, I’m right there.”
North looked at him with kindly73 eyes, but he sighed. He knew only too well how the long years of misunderstanding, and irritability75, and want of give and take, can wear out what at first seemed such a wonderful and indestructible thing.
“Roger! Roger!” shrilled76 his wife’s voice from the lawn. “Everyone is going. Aren’t you coming to say good-bye?”
She flashed on their vision as she called, her face flushed with indignation under her beflowered hat, her hands full of small boxes, tissue paper and cotton wool.
“I really do think you might help a little! It looks so odd, and all my friends think you peculiar2 enough already.”
Brought back with a shock to the deadly importance of the ordinary routine, North became 83flippant. “You don’t mean to say they tell you so?” he asked.
“It’s easy enough to guess what they must think, without any telling,” retorted his wife. “At any rate, if you can’t behave with common civility yourself, you might let Fred come and help me. Fred, I have arranged for cold supper at 8.30. Will you come at once and look after the friends you brought down, while Violet and I change. And don’t, I beg you, for Violet’s sake, get into the same ways as her father.”
Riversley followed her meekly77 across the lawn. “I’m really awfully78 sorry,” he apologized. “Is there anything else I can do?”
Then he stopped. His mother-in-law was immersed in a group of her guests saying good-bye, and his eyes had found the figure they always sought. Outside the front door, Lady Condor, her scarves, gloves, and glasses, were all being packed carefully into her bath-chair, and a little way down the drive was his wife. In front of her, just out of arm’s length, were the little pack of West Highlanders, barking furiously. She stooped down, coaxing79 them to come and be petted.
He progressed across the lawn towards her in his usual rather ponderous80 fashion, and stood watching. All the light of the sun seemed 84for him to centre round that slim white figure. It touched the smooth dark silk of her hair with a crown of glory, and found no flaw in the clear pale skin, the rose-red mouth. Those slender hands held out to the dogs, he would have followed them to the end of the earth. He loved all of her, with every thing he had or was.
Presently she gave up her hopeless efforts, and, standing74 to her full height, looked at him across the still barking dogs.
“They have forgotten me, the little pigs!” she said. “They won’t even let me pat them.”
But Riversley knew, even as dogs do not resent where they love, neither do they forget.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 unbearable alCwB     
adj.不能容忍的;忍受不住的
参考例句:
  • It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
  • The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。
2 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的
参考例句:
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
3 penetrating ImTzZS     
adj.(声音)响亮的,尖锐的adj.(气味)刺激的adj.(思想)敏锐的,有洞察力的
参考例句:
  • He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
  • He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。
4 metallic LCuxO     
adj.金属的;金属制的;含金属的;产金属的;像金属的
参考例句:
  • A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
  • He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。
5 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上,在更高处...以上
参考例句:
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
6 darted d83f9716cd75da6af48046d29f4dd248     
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了,瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
8 carnations 4fde4d136e97cb7bead4d352ae4578ed     
n.麝香石竹,康乃馨( carnation的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • You should also include some carnations to emphasize your underlying meaning.\" 另外要配上石竹花来加重这涵意的力量。” 来自汉英文学 - 围城
  • Five men per ha. were required for rose production, 6 or 7 men for carnations. 种植玫瑰每公顷需5个男劳力,香石竹需6、7个男劳力。 来自辞典例句
9 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
参考例句:
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
10 pithy TN8xR     
adj.(讲话或文章)简练的
参考例句:
  • Many of them made a point of praising the film's pithy dialogue.他们中很多人特别赞扬了影片精炼的对白。
  • His pithy comments knocked the bottom out of my argument.他精辟的评论驳倒了我的论点。
11 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
12 condor ip1zl     
n.秃鹰;秃鹰金币
参考例句:
  • The condor soars above the mountain heights.禿鹰翱翔于高山之上。
  • A condor prepares to fly in Colombia.一只兀鹰在哥伦比亚准备振翅高飞。
13 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
14 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
15 frankly fsXzcf     
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说
参考例句:
  • To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说,我一点也不赞成这个主意。
  • Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说,我不反对改革。
16 deference mmKzz     
n.尊重,顺从;敬意
参考例句:
  • Do you treat your parents and teachers with deference?你对父母师长尊敬吗?
  • The major defect of their work was deference to authority.他们的主要缺陷是趋从权威。
17 deftly deftly     
adv.灵巧地,熟练地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He deftly folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope. 他灵巧地将打有字的纸折好重新放回信封。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • At last he had a clew to her interest, and followed it deftly. 这一下终于让他发现了她的兴趣所在,于是他熟练地继续谈这个话题。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
18 disapproved 3ee9b7bf3f16130a59cb22aafdea92d0     
v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • My parents disapproved of my marriage. 我父母不赞成我的婚事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing. 她不赞成儿子不加选择地收看电视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
19 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
参考例句:
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
20 appreciation Pv9zs     
n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨
参考例句:
  • I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
  • I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。
21 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
22 villa xHayI     
n.别墅,城郊小屋
参考例句:
  • We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。
  • We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。
23 gulped 4873fe497201edc23bc8dcb50aa6eb2c     
v.狼吞虎咽地吃,吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 );大口地吸(气);哽住
参考例句:
  • He gulped down the rest of his tea and went out. 他把剩下的茶一饮而尽便出去了。
  • She gulped nervously, as if the question bothered her. 她紧张地咽了一下,似乎那问题把她难住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
25 shudder JEqy8     
v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动
参考例句:
  • The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材,他浑身一阵战栗。
  • We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。
26 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
27 chuckle Tr1zZ     
vi./n.轻声笑,咯咯笑
参考例句:
  • He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
  • I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个,我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。
28 confidentially 0vDzuc     
ad.秘密地,悄悄地
参考例句:
  • She was leaning confidentially across the table. 她神神秘秘地从桌子上靠过来。
  • Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou talked confidentially in low tones. 高松年汪处厚两人低声密谈。
29 crumbs crumbs     
int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式
参考例句:
  • She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
  • Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊,天哪!都这会儿啦?
30 allusion CfnyW     
n.暗示,间接提示
参考例句:
  • He made an allusion to a secret plan in his speech.在讲话中他暗示有一项秘密计划。
  • She made no allusion to the incident.她没有提及那个事件。
31 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
32 scattering 91b52389e84f945a976e96cd577a4e0c     
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散
参考例句:
  • The child felle into a rage and began scattering its toys about. 这孩子突发狂怒,把玩具扔得满地都是。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The farmers are scattering seed. 农夫们在播种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
33 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
34 rusty hYlxq     
adj.生锈的;锈色的;荒废了的
参考例句:
  • The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
  • I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用,我的法语又荒疏了。
35 truant zG4yW     
n.懒惰鬼,旷课者;adj.偷懒的,旷课的,游荡的;v.偷懒,旷课
参考例句:
  • I found the truant throwing stones in the river.我发现那个逃课的学生在往河里扔石子。
  • Children who play truant from school are unimaginative.逃学的孩子们都缺乏想像力。
36 exclamations aea591b1607dd0b11f1dd659bad7d827     
n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 );感叹;感叹语;感叹词
参考例句:
  • The visitors broke into exclamations of wonder when they saw the magnificent Great Wall. 看到雄伟的长城,游客们惊叹不已。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • After the will has been read out, angry exclamations aroused. 遗嘱宣读完之后,激起一片愤怒的喊声。 来自辞典例句
37 avenge Zutzl     
v.为...复仇,为...报仇
参考例句:
  • He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。
  • He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。
38 avenger avenger     
n. 复仇者
参考例句:
  • "Tom Sawyer, the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main. “我乃西班牙海黑衣侠盗,汤姆 - 索亚。
  • Avenger's Shield-0.26 threat per hit (0.008 threat per second) 飞盾-0.26仇恨每击(0.08仇恨每秒)
39 obsolete T5YzH     
adj.已废弃的,过时的
参考例句:
  • These goods are obsolete and will not fetch much on the market.这些货品过时了,在市场上卖不了高价。
  • They tried to hammer obsolete ideas into the young people's heads.他们竭力把陈旧思想灌输给青年。
40 reverence BByzT     
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬
参考例句:
  • He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
  • We reverence tradition but will not be fettered by it.我们尊重传统,但不被传统所束缚。
41 muddled cb3d0169d47a84e95c0dfa5c4d744221     
adj.混乱的;糊涂的;头脑昏昏然的v.弄乱,弄糟( muddle的过去式);使糊涂;对付,混日子
参考例句:
  • He gets muddled when the teacher starts shouting. 老师一喊叫他就心烦意乱。
  • I got muddled up and took the wrong turning. 我稀里糊涂地拐错了弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
42 snug 3TvzG     
adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房
参考例句:
  • He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
  • She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。
43 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
44 tack Jq1yb     
n.大头钉;假缝,粗缝
参考例句:
  • He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
  • We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。
45 rebuke 5Akz0     
v.指责,非难,斥责 [反]praise
参考例句:
  • He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
  • Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。
46 enrages 5e325a6bb92fa279315afe5ace3fca2f     
使暴怒( enrage的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • That is exactly what enrages and frightens the Sunnis. 但这个点子带点垂死挣扎的味道:伊朗早已深植于伊拉克的逊尼派,这恰恰是逊尼派又惊又怕的原因。
  • He often stabs people in the back, which enrages me. 他就会背后放冷箭,真让人火大。
47 chuckled 8ce1383c838073977a08258a1f3e30f8     
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
  • She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情,她就轻轻地暗自发笑。
48 disapproves 2409ec34a905c5a568c1e2e81c7efcdc     
v.不赞成( disapprove的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • She disapproves of unmarried couples living together. 她反对未婚男女同居。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Her mother disapproves of her wearing transparent underwear. 她母亲不赞成她穿透明的内衣。 来自辞典例句
49 cosy dvnzc5     
adj.温暖而舒适的,安逸的
参考例句:
  • We spent a cosy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
  • It was so warm and cosy in bed that Simon didn't want to get out.床上温暖而又舒适,西蒙简直不想下床了。
50 momentary hj3ya     
adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的
参考例句:
  • We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
  • I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。
51 aluminium uLjyc     
n.铝 (=aluminum)
参考例句:
  • Aluminium looks heavy but actually it is very light.铝看起来很重,实际上却很轻。
  • If necessary, we can use aluminium instead of steel.如果必要,我们可用铝代钢。
52 harry heBxS     
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼
参考例句:
  • Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天,人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
  • Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
53 retrieving 4eccedb9b112cd8927306f44cb2dd257     
n.检索(过程),取还v.取回( retrieve的现在分词 );恢复;寻回;检索(储存的信息)
参考例句:
  • Ignoring all, he searches the ground carefully for any cigarette-end worth retrieving. 没管打锣的说了什么,他留神的在地上找,看有没有值得拾起来的烟头儿。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
  • Retrieving the nodules from these great depths is no easy task. 从这样的海底深渊中取回结核可不是容易的事情。 来自辞典例句
54 sunbathed 590b4199ab527345b013f29a9bf5c5ff     
日光浴( sunbathe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Q: Have you ever sunbathed on a nude beach? 你在裸体海滩浴场进行过日光浴么?
  • Sometimes we went to the beach and at other times we sunbathed on the patio. 我们有时去海滩, 有时在院子里做日光浴。
55 momentum DjZy8     
n.动力,冲力,势头;动量
参考例句:
  • We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
  • The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。
56 seclusion 5DIzE     
n.隐遁,隔离
参考例句:
  • She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。
  • I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。
57 hearth n5by9     
n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面
参考例句:
  • She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来,在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。
  • She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里,打开电灯。
58 sleek zESzJ     
adj.光滑的,井然有序的;v.使光滑,梳拢
参考例句:
  • Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
  • The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。
59 proffered 30a424e11e8c2d520c7372bd6415ad07     
v.提供,贡献,提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She proffered her cheek to kiss. 她伸过自己的面颊让人亲吻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He rose and proffered a silver box full of cigarettes. 他站起身,伸手递过一个装满香烟的银盒子。 来自辞典例句
60 stolid VGFzC     
adj.无动于衷的,感情麻木的
参考例句:
  • Her face showed nothing but stolid indifference.她的脸上毫无表情,只有麻木的无动于衷。
  • He conceals his feelings behind a rather stolid manner.他装作无动于衷的样子以掩盖自己的感情。
61 plucky RBOyw     
adj.勇敢的
参考例句:
  • The plucky schoolgirl amazed doctors by hanging on to life for nearly two months.这名勇敢的女生坚持不放弃生命近两个月的精神令医生感到震惊。
  • This story featured a plucky heroine.这个故事描述了一个勇敢的女英雄。
62 explicit IhFzc     
adj.详述的,明确的;坦率的;显然的
参考例句:
  • She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
  • He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。
63 spasms 5efd55f177f67cd5244e9e2b74500241     
n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 );抽搐;(能量、行为等的)突发;发作
参考例句:
  • After the patient received acupuncture treatment,his spasms eased off somewhat. 病人接受针刺治疗后,痉挛稍微减轻了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The smile died, squeezed out by spasms of anticipation and anxiety. 一阵阵预测和焦虑把她脸上的微笑挤掉了。 来自辞典例句
64 hatred T5Gyg     
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨
参考例句:
  • He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
  • The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。
65 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。
66 briefly 9Styo     
adv.简单地,简短地
参考例句:
  • I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
  • He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
67 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
68 hysterical 7qUzmE     
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的
参考例句:
  • He is hysterical at the sight of the photo.他一看到那张照片就异常激动。
  • His hysterical laughter made everybody stunned.他那歇斯底里的笑声使所有的人不知所措。
69 jumbled rpSzs2     
adj.混乱的;杂乱的
参考例句:
  • Books, shoes and clothes were jumbled together on the floor. 书、鞋子和衣服胡乱堆放在地板上。
  • The details of the accident were all jumbled together in his mind. 他把事故细节记得颠三倒四。
70 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
71 desperately cu7znp     
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地
参考例句:
  • He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
  • He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。
72 delusions 2aa783957a753fb9191a38d959fe2c25     
n.欺骗( delusion的名词复数 );谬见;错觉;妄想
参考例句:
  • the delusions of the mentally ill 精神病患者的妄想
  • She wants to travel first-class: she must have delusions of grandeur. 她想坐头等舱旅行,她一定自以为很了不起。 来自辞典例句
73 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
74 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。
75 irritability oR0zn     
n.易怒
参考例句:
  • It was the almost furtive restlessness and irritability that had possessed him. 那是一种一直纠缠着他的隐秘的不安和烦恼。
  • All organisms have irritability while alive. 所有生物体活着时都有应激性。
76 shrilled 279faa2c22e7fe755d14e94e19d7bb10     
(声音)尖锐的,刺耳的,高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Behind him, the telephone shrilled. 在他身后,电话铃刺耳地响了起来。
  • The phone shrilled, making her jump. 电话铃声刺耳地响起,惊得她跳了起来。
77 meekly meekly     
adv.温顺地,逆来顺受地
参考例句:
  • He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时,他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》
78 awfully MPkym     
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地
参考例句:
  • Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
  • I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
79 coaxing 444e70224820a50b0202cb5bb05f1c2e     
v.哄,用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 );巧言骗取;哄劝,劝诱;“锻炼”效应
参考例句:
  • No amount of coaxing will make me change my mind. 任你费尽口舌也不会说服我改变主意。
  • It took a lot of coaxing before he agreed. 劝说了很久他才同意。 来自辞典例句
80 ponderous pOCxR     
adj.沉重的,笨重的,(文章)冗长的
参考例句:
  • His steps were heavy and ponderous.他的步伐沉重缓慢。
  • It was easy to underestimate him because of his occasionally ponderous manner.由于他偶尔现出的沉闷的姿态,很容易使人小看了他。


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