From this moment on — the moment when Mary the maid’s pleasant smile saluted1 her — Laura’s opinion of life at school suffered a change. She was glad to be back — that was the first point: just as an adventurous2 sheep is glad to regain3 the cover of the flock. Learning might be hard; the governesses mercilessly secure in their own wisdom; but here she was at least a person of some consequence, instead of as at Godmother’s a mere4 negligible null.
Of her unlucky essay at holiday-making she wrote home guardedly: the most tell-tale sentence in her letter was that in which she said she would rather not go to Godmother’s again in the meantime. But there was such a lack of warmth in her account of the visit that mother made this, together with the above remark, the text for a scolding.
“YOU’RE A VERY UNGRATEFUL GIRL,” she wrote, “TO FORGET ALL GODMOTHER HAS DONE FOR YOU. IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR HER SUPPLYING YOU WITH BOOKS AND THINGS I COULDN’T HAVE SENT YOU TO SCHOOL AT ALL. AND I HOPE WHEN YOU GROW UP YOU’LL BE AS MUCH OF A HELP TO ME AS MARINA IS TO HER MOTHER. I’D MUCH RATHER HAVE YOU GOOD AND USEFUL THAN CLEVER AND I THINK FOR A CHILD OF YOUR AGE YOU SEE THINGS WITH VERY SHARP UNKIND EYES. TRY AND ONLY THINK NICE THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE AND NOT BE ALWAYS SPYING OUT THEIR FAULTS. THEN YOU’LL HAVE PLENTY OF FRIENDS AND BE LIKED WHEREVER YOU GO.”
Laura took the statement about the goodness and cleverness with a grain of salt: she knew better. Mother thought it the proper thing to say, and she would certainly have preferred the two qualities combined; but, had she been forced to choose between them, there was small doubt how her choice would have fallen out. And if, for instance, Laura confessed that her teachers did not regard her as even passably intelligent, there would be a nice to-do. Mother’s ambitions knew no bounds; and, wounded in these, she was quite capable of writing post-haste to Mrs. Gurley or Mr. Strachey, complaining of their want of insight, and bringing forward a string of embarrassing proofs. So, leaving Mother to her pleasing illusions, Laura settled down again to her role of dunce, now, though, with more equanimity6 than before. School was really not a bad place after all — this had for some time been her growing conviction, and the visit to Godmother seemed to bring it to a head.
About this time, too, a couple of pieces of good fortune came her way.
The first: she was privileged to be third in the friendship between Inez and Bertha — a favour of which she availed herself eagerly, though the three were as different from one another as three little girls could be. Bertha was a good-natured romp8, hard-fisted, thick of leg, and of a plodding9 but ineffectual industry. Inez, on the other hand, was so pretty that Laura never tired of looking at her: she had a pale skin, hazel eyes, brown hair with a yellow light in it, and a Greek nose. Her mouth was very small; her nostrils10 were mere tiny slits11; and so lazy was she that she seldom more than half opened her eyes. Both girls were well over fourteen, and very fully12 developed: compared with them, Laura was like nothing so much as a skinny young colt.
She was so grateful to them for tolerating her that she never took up a stand of real equality with them: proud and sensitive, she was always ready to draw back and admit their prior rights to each other; hence the friendship did not advance to intimacy13. But such as it was, it was very comforting; she no longer needed to sit alone in recess14; she could link arms and walk the garden with complacency; and many were the supercilious15 glances she now threw at Maria Morell and that clique16; for her new friends belonged socially to the best set in the school.
In another way, too, their company made things easier for her: neither of them aimed high; and both were well content with the lowly places they occupied in the class. And so Laura, who was still, in her young confusion, unequal to discovering what was wanted of her, grew comforted by the presence and support of her friends, and unmindful of higher opinion; and Miss Chapman, in supervising evening lessons, remarked with genuine regret that little Laura was growing perky and lazy.
Her second piece of good luck was of quite a different nature.
Miss Hicks, the visiting governess for geography, had a gift for saying biting things that really bit. She bore Inez a peculiar18 grudge19; for she believed that certain faculties20 slumbered21 behind the Grecian profile, and that only the girl’s ingrained sloth22 prevented them.
One day she lost patience with this sluggish23 pupil.
“I’ll tell you what it is, Inez,” she said; “you’re blessed with a real woman’s brain: vague, slippery, inexact, interested only in the personal aspect of a thing. You can’t concentrate your thoughts, and, worst of all, you’ve no curiosity — about anything that really matters. You take all the great facts of existence on trust — just as a hen does — and I’ve no doubt you’ll go on contentedly24 till the end of your days, without ever knowing why the ocean has tides, and what causes the seasons.— It makes me ashamed to belong to the same sex.”
Inez’s classmates tittered furiously, let the sarcasm25 glide26 over them, unhit by its truth. Inez herself, indeed, was inclined to consider the governess’s taunt27 a compliment, as proving that she was incapable28 of a vulgar inquisitiveness29. But Laura, though she laughed docilely30 with the rest, could not forget the incident — words in any case had a way of sticking to her memory — and what Miss Hicks had said often came back to her, in the days that followed. And then, all of a sudden, just as if an invisible hand had opened the door to an inner chamber31, a light broke on her. Vague, slippery, inexact, interested only in the personal — every word struck home. Had Miss Hicks set out to describe HER, in particular, she could not have done it more accurately32. It was but too true: until now, she, Laura, had been satisfied to know things in a slipslop, razzle-dazzle way, to know them anyhow, as it best suited herself. She had never set to work to master a subject, to make it her own in every detail. Bits of it, picturesque33 scraps34, striking features — what Miss Hicks no doubt meant by the personal — were all that had attracted her. — Oh, and she, too, had no intelligent curiosity. She could not say that she had ever teased her brains with wondering why the earth went round the sun and not the sun round the earth. Honestly speaking, it made no difference to her that the globe was indented35 like an orange, and not the perfect round you began by believing it to be.— But if this were so, if she were forced to make these galling36 admissions, then it was clear that her vaunted cleverness had never existed, except in Mother’s imagination. Or, at any rate, it had crumbled37 to pieces like a lump of earth, under the hard, heavy hand of Miss Hicks. Laura felt humiliated38, and could not understand her companions treating the matter so airily. She did not want to have a woman’s brain, thank you; not one of that sort; and she smarted for the whole class.
Straightway she set to work to sharpen her wits, to follow the strait road. At first with some stumbling, of course, and frequent backslidings. Intellectual curiosity could not, she discovered, be awakened39 to order; and she often caught herself napping. Thus though she speedily became one of the most troublesome askers-why, her desire for information was apt to exhaust itself in putting the question, and she would forget to listen to the answer. Besides, for the life of her she could not drum up more interest in, say, the course of the Gulf40 Stream, or the formation of a plateau, than in the fact that, when Nelly Bristow spoke41, little bubbles came out of her mouth, and that she needed to swallow twice as often as other people; or that when Miss Hicks grew angry her voice had a way of failing, at the crucial moment, and flattening42 out to nothing — just as if one struck tin after brass43. No, it was indeed difficult for Laura to invert44 the value of these things.— In another direction she did better. By dint45 of close attention, of pondering both the questions asked by Miss Hicks, and the replies made by the cleverest pupils, she began to see more clearly where true knowledge lay. It was facts that were wanted of her; facts that were the real test of learning; facts she was expected to know. Stories, pictures of things, would not help her an inch along the road. Thus, it was not the least use in the world to her to have seen the snowy top of Mount Kosciusko stand out against a dark blue evening sky, and to know its shape to a tittlekin. On the other hand, it mattered tremendously that this mountain was 7308 and not 7309 feet high: that piece of information was valuable, was of genuine use to you; for it was worth your place in the class.
Thus did Laura apply herself to reach the school ideal, thus force herself to drive hard nails of fact into her vagrant46 thoughts. And with success. For she had, it turned out, a retentive47 memory, and to her joy learning by heart came easy to her — as easy as to the most brilliant scholars in the form. From now on she gave this talent full play, memorising even pages of the history book in her zeal48; and before many weeks had passed, in all lessons except those in arithmetic — you could not, alas49! get sums by rote5 — she was separated from Inez and Bertha by the width of the class.
But neither her taste of friendship and its comforts, nor the abrupt50 change for the better in her class-fortunes, could counterbalance Laura’s luckless knack51 of putting her foot in it. This she continued to do, in season and out of season. And not with the authorities alone.
There was, for instance, that unfortunate evening when she was one of the batch52 of girls invited to Mrs. Strachey’s drawingroom. Laura, ignorant of what it meant to be blasee, had received her note of invitation with a thrill, had even enjoyed writing, in her best hand, the prescribed formula of acceptance. But she was alone in this; by the majority of her companions these weekly parties were frankly53 hated, the chief reason being that every guest was expected to take a piece of music with her. Even the totally unfit had to show what they could do. And the fact that cream-tarts were served for supper was not held to square accounts.
“It’s all very well for you,” grumbled54 Laura’s room-mate, Lilith Gordon, as she lathered55 her thick white arms and neck before dressing56. “You’re a new girl; you probably won’t be asked.”
Laura did not give the matter a second thought: hastily selecting a volume of music, she followed the rest of the white dresses into the passage. The senior girl tapped at the drawingroom door. It was opened by no other than the Principal himself.
In the girls’ eyes, Mr. Strachey stood over six feet in his stocking-soles. He had also a most arrogant57 way of looking down his nose, and of tugging58, intolerantly, at his long, drooping59 moustache. There was little need for him to assume the frigid60 contemptuousness of Mrs. Gurley’s manner: his mere presence, the very unseeingness of his gaze, inspired awe61. Tales ran of his wrath62, were it roused; but few had experienced it. He quelled63 the high spirits of these young colonials by his dignified64 air of detachment.
Now, however, he stood there affable and smiling, endeavouring to put a handful of awkward girls at their ease. But neither his nor Mrs. Strachey’s efforts availed. It was impossible for the pupils to throw off, at will, the crippling fear that governed their relations with the Principal. To them, his amiability65 resembled the antics of an uncertain-tempered elephant, with which you could never feel safe.— Besides on this occasion it was a young batch, and of particularly mixed stations. And so a dozen girls, from twelve to fifteen years old, sat on the extreme edges of their chairs, and replied to what was said to them, with dry throats.
Though the youngest of the party, Laura was the least embarrassed: she had never known a nursery, but had mixed with her elders since her babyhood. And she was not of a shy disposition66; indeed, she still had to be reminded daily that shyness was expected of her. So she sat and looked about her. It was an interesting room in which she found herself. Low bookshelves, three shelves high, ran round the walls, and on the top shelf were many outlandish objects. What an evening it would have been had Mr. Strachey invited them to examine these ornaments67, or to handle the books, instead of having to pick up a title here and there by chance.— From the shelves, her eyes strayed to the pictures on the walls; one, in particular struck her fancy. It hung over the mantelpiece, and was a man’s head seen in profile, with a long hooked nose, and wearing a kind of peaked cap. But that was not all: behind this head were other profiles of the same face, and seeming to come out of clouds. Laura stared hard, but could make nothing of it.— And meanwhile her companions were rising with sickly smiles, to seat themselves, red as turkey-cocks’ combs, on the piano stool, where with cold, stiff fingers they stumbled through the movement of a sonata68 or sonatina.
It was Lilith Gordon who broke the chain by offering to sing. The diversion was welcomed by Mrs. Strachey, and Lilith went to the piano. But her nervousness was such that she broke down half-way in the little prelude69 to the ballad70.
Mrs. Strachey came to the rescue. “It’s so difficult, is it not, to accompany oneself?” she said kindly71. “Perhaps one of the others would play for you?”
No one moved.
“Do any of you know the song?”
Two or three ungraciously admitted the knowledge, but none volunteered.
It was here Laura chimed in. “I could play it,” she said; and coloured at the sound of her own voice.
Mrs. Strachey looked doubtfully at the thin little girl. “Do you know it, dear? You’re too young for singing, I think.”
“No, I don’t know it. But I could play it from sight. It’s quite easy.”
Everyone looked disbelieving, especially the unhappy singer.
“I’ve played much harder things than that,” continued Laura.
“Well, perhaps you might try,” said Mrs. Strachey, with the ingrained distrust of the unmusical.
Laura rose and went to the piano, where she conducted the song to a successful ending.
Mrs. Strachey looked relieved. “Very nice indeed.” And to Laura: “Did you say you didn’t know it, dear?”
“No, I never saw it before.”
Again the lady looked doubtful. “Well, perhaps you would play us something yourself now?”
Laura had no objection; she had played to people before her fingers were long enough to cover the octave. She took the volume of Thalberg she had brought with her, selected “Home, Sweet Home”, and pranced72 in.
Her audience kept utter silence; but, had she been a little sharper, she would have grasped that it was the silence of amazement73. After the prim74 sonatinas that had gone before, Thalberg’s florid ornaments had a shameless sound. Her performance, moreover, was a startling one; the forte17 pedal was held down throughout; the big chords were crashed and banged with all the strength a pair of twelve-year-old arms could put into them; and wrong notes were freely scattered75. Still, rhythm and melody were well marked, and there was no mistaking the agility76 of the small fingers.
Dead silence, too, greeted the conclusion of the piece Several girls were very red, from trying not to laugh. The Principal tugged77 at his moustache, in abstracted fashion.
Laura had reached her seat again before Mrs. Strachey said undecidedly: “Thank you, dear. Did you . . . hm . . . learn that piece here?”
Laura saw nothing wrong. “Oh, no, at home,” she answered. “I wouldn’t care to play the things I learn here, to people. They’re so dull.”
A girl emitted a faint squeak78. But a half turn of Mrs. Strachey’s head subdued79 her. “Oh, I hope you will soon get to like classical music also,” said the lady gravely, and in all good faith. “We prefer it, you know, to any other.”
“Do you mean things like the AIR IN G WITH VARIATIONS? I’m afraid I never shall. There’s no tune7 in them.”
Music was as fatal to Laura’s equilibrium80 as wine would have been. Finding herself next Mr. Strachey, she now turned to him and said, with what she believed to be ease of manner: “Mr. Strachey, will you please tell me what that picture is hanging over the mantelpiece? I’ve been looking at it ever since I came in, but I can’t make it out. Are those ghosts, those things behind the man, or what?”
It took Mr. Strachey a minute to recover from his astonishment81. He stroked hard, and the look he bent82 on Laura was not encouraging.
“It seems to be all the same face,” continued the child, her eyes on the picture.
“That,” said Mr. Strachey, with extreme deliberation: “that is the portrait, by a great painter, of a great poet — Dante Alighieri.”
“Oh, Dante, is it?” said Laura showily — she had once heard the name. “Oh, yes, of course, I know now. He wrote a book, didn’t he, called FAUST? I saw it over there by the door.— What lovely books!”
But here Mr. Strachey abruptly83 changed his seat, and Laura’s thirst for information was left unquenched.
The evening passed, and she was in blessed ignorance of anything being amiss, till the next morning after breakfast she was bidden to Mrs. Gurley.
A quarter of an hour later, on her emerging from that lady’s private sitting-room84, her eyes were mere swollen85 slits in her face. Instead, however, of sponging them in cold water and bravely joining her friends, Laura was still foolish enough to hide and have her cry out. So that when the bell rang, she was obliged to go in to public prayers looking a prodigious86 fright, and thereby87 advertising88 to the curious what had taken place.
Mrs. Gurley had crushed and humiliated her. Laura learnt that she had been guilty of a gross impertinence, in profaning89 the ears of the Principal and Mrs. Strachey with Thalberg’s music, and that all the pieces she had brought with her from home would now be taken from her. Secondly90, Mr. Strachey had been so unpleasantly impressed by the boldness of her behaviour, that she would not be invited to the drawing-room again for some time to come.
The matter of the music touched Laura little: if they preferred their dull old exercises to what she had offered them, so much the worse for them. But the reproach cast on her manners stung her even more deeply than it had done when she was still the raw little newcomer: for she had been pluming91 herself of late that she was now “quite the thing”.
And yet, painful as was this fresh overthrow92 of her pride, it was neither the worst nor the most lasting93 result of the incident. That concerned her schoolfellows. By the following morning the tale of her doings was known to everyone. It was circulated in the first place, no doubt, by Lilith Gordon, who bore her a grudge for her offer to accompany the song: had Laura not put herself forward in this objectionable way, Lilith might have escaped singing altogether. Lilith also resented her having shown that she could do it — and this feeling was generally shared. It evidenced a want of good-fellowship, and made you very glad the little prig had afterwards come to grief: if you had abilities that others had not you concealed94 them, instead of parading them under people’s noses.
In short, Laura had committed a twofold breach95 of school etiquette96. No one of course vouchsafed97 to explain this to her; these things one did not put into words, things you were expected to know without telling. Hence, she never more than half understood what she had done. She only saw disapproval98 painted on faces that had hitherto been neutral, and from one or two quarters got what was unmistakably the cold shoulder.— Her little beginnings at popularity had somehow received a setback99, and through her own foolish behaviour.
收听单词发音 |
1
saluted
|
|
| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
adventurous
|
|
| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
regain
|
|
| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
rote
|
|
| n.死记硬背，生搬硬套 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
equanimity
|
|
| n.沉着，镇定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
tune
|
|
| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
romp
|
|
| n.欢闹；v.嬉闹玩笑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
plodding
|
|
| a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
nostrils
|
|
| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
slits
|
|
| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
intimacy
|
|
| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
recess
|
|
| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
supercilious
|
|
| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
clique
|
|
| n.朋党派系，小集团 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
forte
|
|
| n.长处，擅长；adj.(音乐)强音的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
grudge
|
|
| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
faculties
|
|
| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
slumbered
|
|
| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
sloth
|
|
| n.[动]树懒；懒惰，懒散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
sluggish
|
|
| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
contentedly
|
|
| adv.心满意足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
sarcasm
|
|
| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
glide
|
|
| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
taunt
|
|
| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
incapable
|
|
| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
inquisitiveness
|
|
| 好奇，求知欲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
docilely
|
|
| adv.容易教地，易驾驶地，驯服地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
chamber
|
|
| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
accurately
|
|
| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
scraps
|
|
| 油渣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
indented
|
|
| adj.锯齿状的，高低不平的；缩进排版 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
galling
|
|
| adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
crumbled
|
|
| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
humiliated
|
|
| 感到羞愧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
gulf
|
|
| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
flattening
|
|
| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
invert
|
|
| vt.使反转，使颠倒，使转化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
dint
|
|
| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
vagrant
|
|
| n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
retentive
|
|
| v.保留的，有记忆的；adv.有记性地，记性强地；n.保持力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
zeal
|
|
| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
alas
|
|
| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
abrupt
|
|
| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
knack
|
|
| n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
batch
|
|
| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
frankly
|
|
| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
grumbled
|
|
| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
lathered
|
|
| v.（指肥皂）形成泡沫( lather的过去式和过去分词 )；用皂沫覆盖；狠狠地打 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
dressing
|
|
| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
arrogant
|
|
| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
tugging
|
|
| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
drooping
|
|
| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
frigid
|
|
| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
awe
|
|
| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
wrath
|
|
| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
quelled
|
|
| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
dignified
|
|
| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
amiability
|
|
| n.和蔼可亲的，亲切的，友善的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
disposition
|
|
| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
ornaments
|
|
| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
sonata
|
|
| n.奏鸣曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
prelude
|
|
| n.序言，前兆，序曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
ballad
|
|
| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
pranced
|
|
| v.（马）腾跃( prance的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
prim
|
|
| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
agility
|
|
| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
tugged
|
|
| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
squeak
|
|
| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
equilibrium
|
|
| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
sitting-room
|
|
| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
swollen
|
|
| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
prodigious
|
|
| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
thereby
|
|
| adv.因此，从而 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
advertising
|
|
| n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
profaning
|
|
| v.不敬( profane的现在分词 )；亵渎，玷污 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
secondly
|
|
| adv.第二，其次 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
pluming
|
|
| 用羽毛装饰（plume的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
overthrow
|
|
| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
lasting
|
|
| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
concealed
|
|
| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
breach
|
|
| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
etiquette
|
|
| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
vouchsafed
|
|
| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
disapproval
|
|
| n.反对，不赞成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
setback
|
|
| n.退步，挫折，挫败 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |