The eldest Miss Crofton entertained one supreme7 ambition. It was that she might become Margaret's "particular friend," confidante, and, eventually, favourite sister-in-law. She had not as yet attained8 any of the degrees of the position to which she aspired9, but that slight impediment by no means interfered10 with her assumption, for the edification of her friends and the general public, of the completed character.
She entertained considerable jealousy11 of Lady Davyntry, who was, she argued, in her frequent cogitations on this subject, much older than Margaret, and "not a bit more" her sister-in-law than she (Lucy Crofton) was destined12 to be at no distant time. She was particularly well pleased to learn that Lady Davyntry had not accompanied her brother and his wife on their return to England, and promised herself, within five minutes of her having learned that Margaret was at Chayleigh, that she would make the most of the opportunity now open to her.
It was not altogether, it was indeed not much, from self-interest, or any mean variety of that pervading13 meanness, that the eldest Miss Crofton proposed to herself to be "great friends" with Mrs. Baldwin; there was a good deal of real girlish enthusiasm about her, and it found a natural outlet14 in the direction of vehement15 admiration16 for the sister of her future husband,--admiration not disturbed by any perception or suspicion of her own inferiority. Such a suspicion was by no means likely to suggest itself to Lucy Crofton in connection with any one, especially at the present interesting and important epoch17 of her life--for she knew, as well as any young lady in England, how to exploiter the great fact of being "engaged."
As for Margaret, she liked the pretty, lively, passably well-bred girl well enough for her own, and was resolved to like her better, and to befriend her in every possible way, for her brother's, sake; but a missish intimacy18 of the kind which Lucy longed for was completely foreign to her tastes and habits. While Lucy Crofton pleased herself by commenting on the similarity between them in point of age, Margaret was trying to realise that such was actually the case, trying to realise that she had ever been young, putting a strong constraint19 upon herself to turn her mind into the same groove20 as that in which the girl's mind ran. Between herself and all the thoughts, plans, hopes, and pleasures of girlhood lay a deep and wide gulf21, not formed alone of the privileges and duties of her present position, not fashioned by her unusual gravity and strength of character, but the work of the past--an enduring monument of the terrible truths which had sent her of late a terrible memento22.
Thus it happened that when Margaret received a note profusely23 underlined, and crowded with interjections, superlatives, all kinds of epistolary explosives from the eldest Miss Crofton, announcing her intention of coming a little later to pass a "delightful24 long afternoon" with her darling friend, she experienced a sudden accession of weariness of spirit which communicated itself to her aspect, and attracted the attention of her father, who immediately asked her if anything ailed25 her.
"Nothing whatever, papa," replied Margaret; and informed him after a minute or so that Lucy was coming to see her.
Provided Lucy did not come to Chayleigh accompanied by her wonderfully clever little brother, and did not pester27 him with questions intended to evince her lively interest in his collection, which, however, manifested much more clearly her profound ignorance of all its components28, Mr. Carteret was perfectly29 indifferent to her movements. She did not interest him, but she was perfectly respectable, eligible30, and, he understood, amiable31; and if she interested Haldane, that was quite enough for him. A simple sincerity32, which never degenerated33 into rudeness, characterised Mr. Carteret; and he perfectly understood the distinction between saying what he did not think and leaving much that he did think unsaid--a useful branch of practical science, social and domestic. So he made no comment on Margaret's reply.
But Hayes Meredith, who had not yet seen Captain Carteret's future bride, was rather curious about her, and addressed a question concerning her to Margaret, which she, being in an absent mood, did not hear. Mr. Baldwin answered promptly35 and expansively, giving Lucy Crofton praise for good looks, good manners, good abilities, and good temper. The three men went on to talk of Haldane, his promotion36, his general prospects37, and the time fixed38 for his marriage, which was not to take place until the autumn. During this conversation Margaret rose from the breakfast-table, and stood thoughtfully beside the fire, and Robert Meredith employed himself in listening to the talkers and watching her face.
"Amiable creature!" he thought--and the sneer39 which was strangely habitual40 to so young a face settled upon his lips as he thus mentally apostrophised her--"you don't care a pin for the girl; you are bored by her coming here, and she's a long way prettier than ever you were, fine lady as you think yourself."
Then, as Margaret looked up, with a bright flush on her face, with the air of one who suddenly remembers, or has something painful or embarrassing suggested by a passing remark, the boy thought--
"I shouldn't wonder if she's jealous of this pretty girl, who has always been a lady, and knows nothing about the low life and ruffianism she could tell her of."
Wide of the mark as were the speculations41 of the boy, in whose mind a dislike of Margaret, strong in proportion to its causelessness, had taken root, he was not wrong in assigning the change in Margaret's expression from reverie to active painful thought to something in which Lucy Crofton was concerned.
She had been informed of her brother's plans; but in the strangely combined distraction42 and concentration of her mind since her trouble had fallen upon her--trouble which each day was lightening for removing from her husband--she had almost forgotten them, she had never taken them into consideration as among the circumstances which she must influence, or which might influence her. The words which had roused her from her reverie reminded her she had something to do in this matter.
"Why is Haldane's marriage put off till the summer?" she said.
"It is not put off," said James. "There never was any idea of its taking place sooner, that I know of;--was there, sir?"
"No," said Mr. Carteret, "I think not.--Indeed, Margery, I fancy it was so settled with a view to your being at home then. We did not think you would come home so soon, you know."
"When is Haldane coming here, papa?
"Very soon. Early next month he hopes to get leave."
Margaret said no more, and the party shortly afterwards dispersed43 for their several morning avocations44.
James Dugdale's attention had been caught by Margaret's look and manner when she spoke45 of her brother's marriage. He discerned something painful in her mind in reference to it, but he could not trace its nature, and he could not question her just then.
Margaret went to her room, and seated in her old place by the window--its floral framework bore no blossom now--thought out the subject which had come into her mind.
Miss Crofton arrived punctually, and found the drawing-room into which she was shown--very much against her will, for she would have preferred a tumultuous rush upstairs, and the entrée to the nursery region--occupied only by Robert Meredith. They had met during Hayes Meredith's expedition to London, and Lucy, though an engaged young lady, and therefore, of course, impervious47 to the temptations of coquetry, had perceived with quite sufficient distinctness that this "remarkably48 nice boy," as she afterwards called him, thought her very pretty, and found her rattling49, rapid, girlish talk--which had the delightful effect of setting him quite at his ease--very attractive.
Nothing could be more ridiculous, of course; but then nothing was more common than for very young persons of the male sex (somehow, Miss Lucy avoided calling him a "boy" in her thoughts) to "take a fancy" to girls or women much older than themselves; and in some not clearly-explained or distinctly-understood way, it was supposed to be very "safe" for them to do so. She had no objection to the admiration even of so young an admirer as Robert Meredith, and she was pleased as well as amused by the candid50 and unequivocal pleasure which Robert manifested on seeing her. The youthful colonial did not suffer in the least from the disease of shyness, and was pleasantly unembarrassed in the presence of the eldest Miss Crofton.
The two had had time to talk over the unexpected return of Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin; and Miss Crofton, who was by no means deficient51 in perception, had had an opportunity of observing that her young admirer did not share her enthusiasm for Margaret, but was, on the contrary, distinctly cold and disdainful in the few remarks which he permitted himself to make concerning her, before Margaret made her appearance. When she did so, and Miss Crofton had started up and rapturously embraced her, that young lady and Robert Meredith alike remarked simultaneously52 that she was startlingly pale.
After a great many questions had been asked by Lucy and answered by Margaret, in whose manner there was an indefinable change which her friend felt very soon, and which puzzled her, Margaret took Miss Crofton upstairs for an inspection53 of little Gertrude and the "thoroughly54 confidential55" talk for which Lucy declared herself irrepressibly eager.
"If she knew--if she only knew--this pure, harmless creature," Margaret thought, with a pang56 of fierce pain as Lucy Crofton hugged the child and talked to her, and appealed to the nurse in support of her admiration, for which Gerty was poutingly57 ungrateful,--"if she did but know how it has been with me since we last met, and how it is with my child!"
"Yon are shivering, Margaret. You seem very cold. Let me poke46 the fire up before we settle ourselves. And now tell me all about yourself, how you really are; of course one could not ask before that young Meredith. I want to see his father so much. By the bye, Haldane told me you knew him so well in Australia. You don't look very well, I think, but you are much stronger than when you went abroad."
"I am much stronger," said Margaret. "But before I talk about myself, and I have a deal to tell you,"--Miss Crofton was delighted,--"I want to talk to you about yourself and Haldane."
Miss Crofton was perfectly willing to enter on so congenial a subject, and she told Margaret all about the arrangements, which included many festive58 proceedings59, to which the girl naturally attached pleasurable anticipations60. When she had reached that portion of the programme which included the names and dresses of the bridesmaids, she stopped abruptly61, and said with some embarrassment62:
"Why do you look so grave, Margaret?--is anything wrong?" Then she added, before Margaret could speak, "Ah, I know, you don't like a gay wedding; I remember how quiet your own was; but, you see, it would seem so odd if mine wasn't gay, and besides, I like it; it's not the same, you know."
"I know, dear," Margaret said very gently, "it is not at all the same thing, and I can quite understand your wishing to have a gay wedding. But I want you to listen to me, and to do what I am going: to ask you. It is something in which you can do me a great service."
This was delightful, this was being the "great friend," indeed this was very like being the favourite sister-in-law. So Lucy promptly knelt down by Margaret's chair, and putting her arm round her, assured her, with much emphasis, of her readiness to do anything she could for her pleasure.
There was a short pause, during which Margaret looked at the girl with a grave sweet smile, and took her disengaged hand; then she spoke:
"Haldane is coming here very soon, my father tells me. What leave has he got?
"A month."
"Now Lucy, don't be astonished, and don't say no at once. I want you to be married during his leave, instead of waiting until the autumn."
"Margaret! Why?" asked Lucy, in a tone which fully26 expressed all the surprise she had been requested not to feel.
"I will tell you, Lucy. In a short time I am likely to have another baby. You did not know that, at least you did not know it was to be so soon; and I am very, very anxious--so anxious, that if I cannot have my own way in this it will be very bad for me--that your marriage should be over before a time comes when I may be very ill--you know I was very ill indeed after Gerty's birth."
"I know," said Lucy, still with the surprised look.
"And I feel sure, dear Lucy, that if you are not married until the summer I shall not be here."
"Not be here, Margaret! You surely do not mean--"
"I mean nothing to frighten you, Lucy, but I do mean this. I have not been well lately, and I have been sent away as you know; I ought not to be here now, the doctors would say--but it cannot be helped; we were obliged to come to England, and I may be sent away again, and not be able to go to your wedding. In short, Lucy," and here Mrs. Baldwin lost her composure, "I have set my heart on this. Will you make the sacrifice for me? will you put up with a much quieter wedding, and go and spend your honeymoon63 at our villa64 at Naples?"
"I don't know what to think," said Lucy; "I would do anything you liked, but it does not quite depend upon me; there's papa and mamma, and Haldane, you know."
"I fancy Haldane will not object to your marriage being hurried a little," said Margaret, with a smile; "and I have generally understood that Miss Lucy Crofton contrives65 to get her own way with papa and mamma."
Margaret was very unlikely to remember her own importance out of season; but it was not unseasonable that she should think of it now, and feel comforted by the assurance that Mr. and Mrs. Crofton would probably yield to any very strongly urged wish of hers.
Lucy laughed a little--the imputation66 of power over anybody was not unpleasing to this young lady, who, after a fashion which had not hitherto developed into unamiability, dearly loved her own way.
"But Lady Davyntry is at Naples," she said in a tone which was very reassuring67 to Margaret, who felt that the chief question was virtually disposed of, and details only now remained to be mastered.
"She is; but I am going to ask her to come home, since I find I cannot return. We must go to the Deane soon, if you will only be good, and let things be arranged as I wish. I need not go until after your wedding; but my husband and I wish that the child should be born at the Deane.
"Yes, we hope it may be a boy."
"Well, whether it is a boy or a girl, I must be its godmother. You will let that be a promise, won't you?"
A long conversation ensued, and Lucy bade Margaret farewell until the morrow, with a delightful consciousness that she had achieved the position she had so much desired.
Margaret told Mr. Baldwin her wish with regard to Haldane's marriage, and the steps she had taken towards its fulfilment. He found no fault with it, but failed to comprehend her reasons.
"I can understand your dislike of the kind of wedding the Croftons would have been likely to institute," he said; "but you might have escaped it on the plea of your health."
"No," she replied, "I could not do that--I could not hurt the feelings of all these good people, and I could not endure the wedding. Even as it will be now, think how painful it must be to me."
Her husband understood all those simple words implied, but he passed them over unnoticed. It grieved him inexpressibly to observe that Margaret had not shaken off the impression of the occurrence from which his own happy, hopeful nature had rallied so much more quickly.
"I know, my darling, I know--and, indeed, I ought not to have asked you for a reason, because you are the least fanciful of women--it would be true masculine logic69 to refuse to aid you in one fancy, but I am not going to be logical after that fashion. I will write to Haldane, and get everything settled."
Accordingly, everything was settled. Mr. Carteret was acquiescent70 as usual, and with his customary politeness congratulated himself on the presence of Mr. Meredith and his son on so interesting an occasion. The Croftons were benignant. Dear Mrs. Baldwin had made such a point of their daughter's profiting by her villa at Naples, and had set her heart so completely on the matter, and, of course, dear Mrs. Baldwin must just now be considered in everything. Haldane was delighted, and all went well.
"Margaret," said James Dugdale, when all had been arranged, "why is this fixed idea always present with you? Can you not shake it off? Ever since you came home I have been watching you, and hoping that you were yielding to the influence of time; but I see now, since you have set yourself to arrange Haldane's marriage, that this is a vain hope. Why is it, Margaret?"
"You ask me why it is?" she replied. "You--can you say it is not in your own mind also? Can you say that you ever really believed that I could get over the thing that has befallen me? You may call it superstition71, and no doubt it is so. I fancy such a youth as mine is fruitful ground for the sowing and the nurture72 of superstition, if such be the sense of doom73, of an inevitable74 fate hanging over me; but it is stronger than I, and you know I am not generally weak, James. It is always there,--always before me--I can see nothing else, think of nothing else."
"I know, dear, I know; but when your health is stronger--believe me, Margaret, I do not wish to mock you with an assurance that you can ever quite get over what has happened--when your child, the son and heir, is born, you will be better; you will wonder at yourself that you allowed such sway to these dark forebodings. Think of all you have to make you happy, Margaret, and don't, don't yield to the presentiment75 which is due to your health alone."
She laid her hand on his arm with a smile.
"Supposing it be so, James; supposing all I think and feel--all the horrors which come to me in the night-watches, all the memories perfectly distinct in their pain, whereas I could not recall an hour of the brief happiness I ever knew in my days of delusion--supposing all this to be a mere34 groundless state of suffering, and you know better"--here her clear gray eyes looked at him with an expression of ineffable76 trust and compassion--"what harm have I done? If I live, this marriage may as well be over; and if I die, I have spared my husband and my father one sharp pang, at any rate. Haldane would be very sorry, but he would want to be married all the same, and it would be hard upon Fitzwilliam and my father."
"And me?" he asked her, as if the question were wrung77 from him by an irresistible78 impulse of suffering.
Her hand still lay upon his shoulder, and her clear gray eyes, which deepened and darkened as she slowly spoke, still looked steadily79 into his.
"And you, James. No, I have no power to save you a pang more or less; it would not make any difference to you."
There was a strange cruel satisfaction to him in her words. It was something, nay80, it was very much, that she should know and acknowledge that with her all that had vital interest for him began and ended, that the gift of his heart, pure, generous, disinterested81, was understood and accepted. There was silence between them for some time, and then they talked of more general subjects, and just before their interview came to an end their talk turned upon little Gertrude.
"You will always love her best, James; both my children will be dear to you," said Margaret; "but you will always love her whom her mother unconsciously wronged best."
Lady Davyntry made her appearance at Davyntry in due season, and the set of Neapolitan coral, which she brought as her contribution to the worldly goods of the bride, was so magnificent, that Lucy could not find it in her heart to cherish any such unpleasant sentiment as jealousy against Eleanor, and determined82 that the "great friend's" scheme should extend to her also.
The return of her sister-in-law was a great pleasure, but also a great trial for Margaret. Her presence renewed painfully the scene of secret humiliation83, of severance84 from those who had nothing to hide, from which she had already suffered so much; and the phantoms85 of the past came forth87 and swarmed88 about her, as Eleanor overwhelmed her with caresses89, and declared her delight at being once more with her, and her vivid perception of the improvement in "baby."
The most unsuspicious and unexacting of women, Eleanor Davyntry had been so perfectly satisfied with the reasons assigned by her brother for his return to England, that it never occurred to her to ask him a question on the subject. She was very eloquent90 concerning the beauty of the season at Naples, assured Haldane that she had left everything in perfect order for the reception of his bride, and wound up a long and animated91 monologue92 by informing Margaret that she had brought with her the unfinished portraits.
"What a pity!" interrupted Baldwin; "They may be injured, and surely you knew we intended to return."
"Yes, I did," said Eleanor, "but I thought Mr. Carteret would like to see them as they are, and I never reflected that they might be injured."
The few days which followed the arrival of Lady Davyntry were full of the confusion and discomfort93 which ordinarily precede a wedding, even on the quietest scale. The Merediths, father and son, had gone to Oxford94, where Hayes Meredith had one or two old friends among the University authorities. They were not to return until the day before the wedding. Mr. Carteret was rather "put out" by the inevitable atmosphere of fuss and preparation, and Margaret devoted95 herself as much as possible to him, passing in his study all the time she could subtract from the demands of the bride-elect and her brother. Mr. Baldwin was much with Lady Davyntry, and James Dugdale kept himself, after his fashion, as much as possible to himself.
On the clay before that fixed for Haldane's marriage all the inmates96 of Chayleigh were assembled, and Lady Davyntry was of the party. They had been talking cheerfully of the event anticipated on the morrow, and Eleanor had been expressing her fears that Mr. Carteret would feel very lonely after his son's departure--fears which that placid97 gentleman did by no means entertain on his own account--when Hayes Meredith and Robert arrived. The evening passed away rapidly, and the little party broke up early. Meredith joined Dugdale in his sitting-room98, and the friends proceeded to the discussion of the business on which Hayes Meredith had come to England. With two exceptions they adhered strictly99 to this one matter. The first was of a trifling100 nature.
"Did you happen to see my pocket-book anywhere about?" Meredith asked.
"No," said Dugdale; "you mean your red-leather one, I suppose?"
"Yes."
"I have not seen it, or heard of its being found in the house."
"I must have lost it on our journey to Oxford, I suppose," said Meredith. "It's of no consequence; there was no money in it, and nobody but myself could understand the memoranda101."
The second exception was of a graver kind; it, too, arose on Meredith's part.
"I am sorry to see Margaret looking so ill," he said. "I was very much struck by her looks this evening. Has she been looking so ill as this since I saw her last?"
"No," replied James; "she has overexerted herself lately, I fancy, and she has never gotten over the shock."
"Has she not?" said Meredith quickly. "That's a very bad job; very likely to tell against her, I should think. Isn't it rather weak of her, though, to dwell so much as to injure her health on a thing that is of so little real consequence, after all?"
But the matter had evidently made an impression on Meredith, for he said again,
"I thought her looking very ill, feverish103, and nervous, and quite unlike herself. Do you think Baldwin perceives it?"
"No," said James shortly, "I don't think he does. Margaret never complains."
"Well, well, it will all be right when the heir to the Deane comes to put an end to uncertainty104 and fear, if she has any."
And then he led the conversation to his own affairs.
"I like your friend so much, Madge," said Lady Davyntry to Mrs. Baldwin, as the sisters-in-law were enjoying the customary dressing-room confabulation. "He is such a frank, hearty105, good fellow, and not the least rough, or what we think of as 'colonial' in his manners. What a pleasure it must have been to you to see him again!"
"Yes," said Margaret absently.
"How tired your voice sounds, darling! you are quite knocked up, I am afraid. You must go to bed at once, and try to be all right by to-morrow. I delight in the idea of a wedding; it is ages since I have been at one, except yours. What sort of a boy is Mr. Meredith's son?" she continued, in a discursive way to which she was rather prone106; "he looks clever."
"He looks knowing," said Margaret, "more than clever, I think. I don't like him."
"If she knew--if she, too, only knew," ran the changeless refrain of Margaret's thoughts when she was again alone, "if she could but know what I have lived through since she saw me last! What a change has fallen on everything--what a deadly blight107! How hard, and how utterly108 in vain I strive against this phantom86 which haunts me! If I had but listened to the warning which came to me when I found out first that he loved me, the warning which her words and the yearning109 of my own weak heart dispelled110! If I had but heeded111 the secret inspiration which told me my past should never be taken into any honest, unsullied life! And yet, my God, how happy, how wonderfully, fearfully happy I was for a while--for happiness is a fearful thing in this perishing world. Would I have heeded any warning that bade me renounce112 it? Could I have given him up, even for his own sake?"
She rose and paced the room in one of those keen but transient paroxysms of distress3 which, all unknown by any human being, were of frequent occurrence, and which had not quite subsided113 when her husband came into her dressing-room.
"Margaret," he said to her gravely, when he had elicited114 from her an avowal115 of some of her feelings, "you are bringing this dead past into our life yourself, as no other power on earth could bring it. Do you remember when you promised to live for me only? Can you not keep your word? This is the trial of that faith you pledged to me. Is it failing you?"
"No," she said, "no, it is not failing, and I can keep my word. But"--and she clasped her arms around his neck and burst into sudden tears--"my child, my child!"
点击收听单词发音
1 eldest | |
adj.最年长的,最年老的 | |
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2 distressingly | |
adv. 令人苦恼地;悲惨地 | |
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3 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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4 procuring | |
v.(努力)取得, (设法)获得( procure的现在分词 );拉皮条 | |
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5 discursive | |
adj.离题的,无层次的 | |
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6 proxy | |
n.代理权,代表权;(对代理人的)委托书;代理人 | |
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7 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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8 attained | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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9 aspired | |
v.渴望,追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 interfered | |
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 );调停;妨碍;干涉 | |
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11 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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12 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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13 pervading | |
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的现在分词 ) | |
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14 outlet | |
n.出口/路;销路;批发商店;通风口;发泄 | |
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15 vehement | |
adj.感情强烈的;热烈的;(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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16 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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17 epoch | |
n.(新)时代;历元 | |
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18 intimacy | |
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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19 constraint | |
n.(on)约束,限制;限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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20 groove | |
n.沟,槽;凹线,(刻出的)线条,习惯 | |
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21 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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22 memento | |
n.纪念品,令人回忆的东西 | |
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23 profusely | |
ad.abundantly | |
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24 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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25 ailed | |
v.生病( ail的过去式和过去分词 );感到不舒服;处境困难;境况不佳 | |
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26 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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27 pester | |
v.纠缠,强求 | |
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28 components | |
(机器、设备等的)构成要素,零件,成分; 成分( component的名词复数 ); [物理化学]组分; [数学]分量; (混合物的)组成部分 | |
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29 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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30 eligible | |
adj.有条件被选中的;(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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31 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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32 sincerity | |
n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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33 degenerated | |
衰退,堕落,退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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35 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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36 promotion | |
n.提升,晋级;促销,宣传 | |
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37 prospects | |
n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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38 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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39 sneer | |
v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
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40 habitual | |
adj.习惯性的;通常的,惯常的 | |
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41 speculations | |
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 );思考;投机活动;推断 | |
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42 distraction | |
n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐 | |
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43 dispersed | |
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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44 avocations | |
n.业余爱好,嗜好( avocation的名词复数 );职业 | |
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45 spoke | |
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 | |
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46 poke | |
n.刺,戳,袋;vt.拨开,刺,戳;vi.戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢 | |
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47 impervious | |
adj.不能渗透的,不能穿过的,不易伤害的 | |
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48 remarkably | |
ad.不同寻常地,相当地 | |
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49 rattling | |
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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50 candid | |
adj.公正的,正直的;坦率的 | |
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51 deficient | |
adj.不足的,不充份的,有缺陷的 | |
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52 simultaneously | |
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地 | |
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53 inspection | |
n.检查,审查,检阅 | |
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54 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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55 confidential | |
adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
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56 pang | |
n.剧痛,悲痛,苦闷 | |
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57 poutingly | |
adv.撅嘴 | |
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58 festive | |
adj.欢宴的,节日的 | |
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59 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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60 anticipations | |
预期( anticipation的名词复数 ); 预测; (信托财产收益的)预支; 预期的事物 | |
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61 abruptly | |
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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62 embarrassment | |
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 | |
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63 honeymoon | |
n.蜜月(假期);vi.度蜜月 | |
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64 villa | |
n.别墅,城郊小屋 | |
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65 contrives | |
(不顾困难地)促成某事( contrive的第三人称单数 ); 巧妙地策划,精巧地制造(如机器); 设法做到 | |
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66 imputation | |
n.归罪,责难 | |
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67 reassuring | |
a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的,使人放心的 | |
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68 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69 logic | |
n.逻辑(学);逻辑性 | |
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70 acquiescent | |
adj.默许的,默认的 | |
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71 superstition | |
n.迷信,迷信行为 | |
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72 nurture | |
n.养育,照顾,教育;滋养,营养品;vt.养育,给与营养物,教养,扶持 | |
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73 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
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74 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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75 presentiment | |
n.预感,预觉 | |
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76 ineffable | |
adj.无法表达的,不可言喻的 | |
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77 wrung | |
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水) | |
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78 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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79 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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80 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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81 disinterested | |
adj.不关心的,不感兴趣的 | |
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82 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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83 humiliation | |
n.羞辱 | |
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84 severance | |
n.离职金;切断 | |
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85 phantoms | |
n.鬼怪,幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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86 phantom | |
n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的 | |
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87 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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88 swarmed | |
密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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89 caresses | |
爱抚,抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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90 eloquent | |
adj.雄辩的,口才流利的;明白显示出的 | |
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91 animated | |
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
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92 monologue | |
n.长篇大论,(戏剧等中的)独白 | |
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93 discomfort | |
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便 | |
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94 Oxford | |
n.牛津(英国城市) | |
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95 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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96 inmates | |
n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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97 placid | |
adj.安静的,平和的 | |
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98 sitting-room | |
n.(BrE)客厅,起居室 | |
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99 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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100 trifling | |
adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
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101 memoranda | |
n. 备忘录, 便条 名词memorandum的复数形式 | |
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102 unwilling | |
adj.不情愿的 | |
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103 feverish | |
adj.发烧的,狂热的,兴奋的 | |
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104 uncertainty | |
n.易变,靠不住,不确知,不确定的事物 | |
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105 hearty | |
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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106 prone | |
adj.(to)易于…的,很可能…的;俯卧的 | |
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107 blight | |
n.枯萎病;造成破坏的因素;vt.破坏,摧残 | |
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108 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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109 yearning | |
a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的 | |
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110 dispelled | |
v.驱散,赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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111 heeded | |
v.听某人的劝告,听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 );变平,使(某物)变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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112 renounce | |
v.放弃;拒绝承认,宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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113 subsided | |
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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114 elicited | |
引出,探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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115 avowal | |
n.公开宣称,坦白承认 | |
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