Carpenters had torn out the partition between front parlor and back parlor, thrown it into a long room on which she lavished10 yellow and deep blue; a Japanese obi with an intricacy of gold thread on stiff ultramarine tissue, which she hung as a panel against the maize11 wall; a couch with pillows of sapphire12 velvet13 and gold bands; chairs which, in Gopher Prairie, seemed flippant. She hid the sacred family phonograph in the dining-room, and replaced its stand with a square cabinet on which was a squat14 blue jar between yellow candles.
Kennicott decided15 against a fireplace. “We’ll have a new house in a couple of years, anyway.”
She decorated only one room. The rest, Kennicott hinted, she’d better leave till he “made a ten-strike.”
The brown cube of a house stirred and awakened16; it seemed to be in motion; it welcomed her back from shopping; it lost its mildewed17 repression18.
The supreme19 verdict was Kennicott’s “Well, by golly, I was afraid the new junk wouldn’t be so comfortable, but I must say this divan20, or whatever you call it, is a lot better than that bumpy21 old sofa we had, and when I look around —— Well, it’s worth all it cost, I guess.”
Every one in town took an interest in the refurnishing. The carpenters and painters who did not actually assist crossed the lawn to peer through the windows and exclaim, “Fine! Looks swell22!” Dave Dyer at the drug store, Harry23 Haydock and Raymie Wutherspoon at the Bon Ton, repeated daily, “How’s the good work coming? I hear the house is getting to be real classy.”
Even Mrs. Bogart.
Mrs. Bogart lived across the alley24 from the rear of Carol’s house. She was a widow, and a Prominent Baptist, and a Good Influence. She had so painfully reared three sons to be Christian25 gentlemen that one of them had become an Omaha bartender, one a professor of Greek, and one, Cyrus N. Bogart, a boy of fourteen who was still at home, the most brazen26 member of the toughest gang in Boytown.
Mrs. Bogart was not the acid type of Good Influence. She was the soft, damp, fat, sighing, indigestive, clinging, melancholy27, depressingly hopeful kind. There are in every large chicken-yard a number of old and indignant hens who resemble Mrs. Bogart, and when they are served at Sunday noon dinner, as fricasseed chicken with thick dumplings, they keep up the resemblance.
Carol had noted28 that Mrs. Bogart from her side window kept an eye upon the house. The Kennicotts and Mrs. Bogart did not move in the same sets — which meant precisely29 the same in Gopher Prairie as it did on Fifth Avenue or in Mayfair. But the good widow came calling.
She wheezed30 in, sighed, gave Carol a pulpy31 hand, sighed, glanced sharply at the revelation of ankles as Carol crossed her legs, sighed, inspected the new blue chairs, smiled with a coy sighing sound, and gave voice:
“I’ve wanted to call on you so long, dearie, you know we’re neighbors, but I thought I’d wait till you got settled, you must run in and see me, how much did that big chair cost?”
“Seventy-seven dollars!”
“Sev —— Sakes alive! Well, I suppose it’s all right for them that can afford it, though I do sometimes think —— Of course as our pastor33 said once, at Baptist Church —— By the way, we haven’t seen you there yet, and of course your husband was raised up a Baptist, and I do hope he won’t drift away from the fold, of course we all know there isn’t anything, not cleverness or gifts of gold or anything, that can make up for humility34 and the inward grace and they can say what they want to about the P. E. church, but of course there’s no church that has more history or has stayed by the true principles of Christianity better than the Baptist Church and —— In what church were you raised, Mrs. Kennicott?”
“W-why, I went to Congregational, as a girl in Mankato, but my college was Universalist.”
“Well —— But of course as the Bible says, is it the Bible, at least I know I have heard it in church and everybody admits it, it’s proper for the little bride to take her husband’s vessel35 of faith, so we all hope we shall see you at the Baptist Church and —— As I was saying, of course I agree with Reverend Zitterel in thinking that the great trouble with this nation today is lack of spiritual faith — so few going to church, and people automobiling on Sunday and heaven knows what all. But still I do think that one trouble is this terrible waste of money, people feeling that they’ve got to have bath-tubs and telephones in their houses —— I heard you were selling the old furniture cheap.”
“Yes!”
“Well — of course you know your own mind, but I can’t help thinking, when Will’s ma was down here keeping house for him — SHE used to run in to SEE me, real OFTEN! — it was good enough furniture for her. But there, there, I mustn’t croak36, I just wanted to let you know that when you find you can’t depend on a lot of these gadding37 young folks like the Haydocks and the Dyers — and heaven only knows how much money Juanita Haydock blows in in a year — why then you may be glad to know that slow old Aunty Bogart is always right there, and heaven knows ——” A portentous38 sigh. “— I HOPE you and your husband won’t have any of the troubles, with sickness and quarreling and wasting money and all that so many of these young couples do have and —— But I must be running along now, dearie. It’s been such a pleasure and —— Just run in and see me any time. I hope Will is well? I thought he looked a wee mite39 peaked.”
It was twenty minutes later when Mrs. Bogart finally oozed40 out of the front door. Carol ran back into the living-room and jerked open the windows. “That woman has left damp finger-prints in the air,” she said.
II
Carol was extravagant41, but at least she did not try to clear herself of blame by going about whimpering, “I know I’m terribly extravagant but I don’t seem to be able to help it.”
Kennicott had never thought of giving her an allowance. His mother had never had one! As a wage-earning spinster Carol had asserted to her fellow librarians that when she was married, she was going to have an allowance and be business- like and modern. But it was too much trouble to explain to Kennicott’s kindly42 stubbornness that she was a practical housekeeper43 as well as a flighty playmate. She bought a budget- plan account book and made her budgets as exact as budgets are likely to be when they lack budgets.
For the first month it was a honeymoon44 jest to beg prettily45, to confess, “I haven’t a cent in the house, dear,” and to be told, “You’re an extravagant little rabbit.” But the budget book made her realize how inexact were her finances. She became self-conscious; occasionally she was indignant that she should always have to petition him for the money with which to buy his food. She caught herself criticizing his belief that, since his joke about trying to keep her out of the poorhouse had once been accepted as admirable humor, it should continue to be his daily bon mot. It was a nuisance to have to run down the street after him because she had forgotten to ask him for money at breakfast.
But she couldn’t “hurt his feelings,” she reflected. He liked the lordliness of giving largess.
She tried to reduce the frequency of begging by opening accounts and having the bills sent to him. She had found that staple46 groceries, sugar, flour, could be most cheaply purchased at Axel Egge’s rustic47 general store. She said sweetly to Axel:
“I think I’d better open a charge account here.”
“I don’t do no business except for cash,” grunted48 Axel.
She flared49, “Do you know who I am?”
“Yuh, sure, I know. The doc is good for it. But that’s yoost a rule I made. I make low prices. I do business for cash.”
She stared at his red impassive face, and her fingers had the undignified desire to slap him, but her reason agreed with him. “You’re quite right. You shouldn’t break your rule for me.”
Her rage had not been lost. It had been transferred to her husband. She wanted ten pounds of sugar in a hurry, but she had no money. She ran up the stairs to Kennicott’s office. On the door was a sign advertising50 a headache cure and stating, “The doctor is out, back at ——” Naturally, the blank space was not filled out. She stamped her foot. She ran down to the drug store — the doctor’s club.
As she entered she heard Mrs. Dyer demanding, “Dave, I’ve got to have some money.”
Carol saw that her husband was there, and two other men, all listening in amusement.
Dave Dyer snapped, “How much do you want? Dollar be enough?”
“No, it won’t! I’ve got to get some underclothes for the kids.”
“Why, good Lord, they got enough now to fill the closet so I couldn’t find my hunting boots, last time I wanted them.”
“I don’t care. They’re all in rags. You got to give me ten dollars ——”
Carol perceived that Mrs. Dyer was accustomed to this indignity51. She perceived that the men, particularly Dave, regarded it as an excellent jest. She waited — she knew what would come — it did. Dave yelped52, “Where’s that ten dollars I gave you last year?” and he looked to the other men to laugh. They laughed.
Cold and still, Carol walked up to Kennicott and commanded, “I want to see you upstairs.”
“Why — something the matter?”
“Yes!”
He clumped53 after her, up the stairs, into his barren office. Before he could get out a query54 she stated:
“Yesterday, in front of a saloon, I heard a German farm- wife beg her husband for a quarter, to get a toy for the baby — and he refused. Just now I’ve heard Mrs. Dyer going through the same humiliation55. And I— I’m in the same position! I have to beg you for money. Daily! I have just been informed that I couldn’t have any sugar because I hadn’t the money to pay for it!”
“Who said that? By God, I’ll kill any ——”
“Tut. It wasn’t his fault. It was yours. And mine. I now humbly56 beg you to give me the money with which to buy meals for you to eat. And hereafter to remember it. The next time, I sha’n’t beg. I shall simply starve. Do you understand? I can’t go on being a slave ——”
Her defiance57, her enjoyment58 of the role, ran out. She was sobbing59 against his overcoat, “How can you shame me so?” and he was blubbering, “Dog-gone it, I meant to give you some, and I forgot it. I swear I won’t again. By golly I won’t!”
He pressed fifty dollars upon her, and after that he remembered to give her money regularly. . .sometimes.
Daily she determined60, “But I must have a stated amount — be business-like. System. I must do something about it.” And daily she didn’t do anything about it.
III
Mrs. Bogart had, by the simpering viciousness of her comments on the new furniture, stirred Carol to economy. She spoke61 judiciously62 to Bea about left-overs. She read the cook- book again and, like a child with a picture-book, she studied the diagram of the beef which gallantly63 continues to browse65 though it is divided into cuts.
But she was a deliberate and joyous66 spendthrift in her preparations for her first party, the housewarming. She made lists on every envelope and laundry-slip in her desk. She sent orders to Minneapolis “fancy grocers.” She pinned patterns and sewed. She was irritated when Kennicott was jocular about “these frightful67 big doings that are going on.” She regarded the affair as an attack on Gopher Prairie’s timidity in pleasure. “I’ll make ’em lively, if nothing else. I’ll make ’em stop regarding parties as committee-meetings.”
Kennicott usually considered himself the master of the house. At his desire, she went hunting, which was his symbol of happiness, and she ordered porridge for breakfast, which was his symbol of morality. But when he came home on the afternoon before the housewarming he found himself a slave, an intruder, a blunderer. Carol wailed68, “Fix the furnace so you won’t have to touch it after supper. And for heaven’s sake take that horrible old door-mat off the porch. And put on your nice brown and white shirt. Why did you come home so late? Would you mind hurrying? Here it is almost suppertime, and those fiends are just as likely as not to come at seven instead of eight. PLEASE hurry!”
She was as unreasonable69 as an amateur leading woman on a first night, and he was reduced to humility. When she came down to supper, when she stood in the doorway70, he gasped71. She was in a silver sheath, the calyx of a lily, her piled hair like black glass; she had the fragility and costliness73 of a Viennese goblet74; and her eyes were intense. He was stirred to rise from the table and to hold the chair for her; and all through supper he ate his bread dry because he felt that she would think him common if he said “Will you hand me the butter?”
IV
She had reached the calmness of not caring whether her guests liked the party or not, and a state of satisfied suspense75 in regard to Bea’s technique in serving, before Kennicott cried from the bay-window in the living-room, “Here comes somebody!” and Mr. and Mrs. Luke Dawson faltered76 in, at a quarter to eight. Then in a shy avalanche77 arrived the entire aristocracy of Gopher Prairie: all persons engaged in a profession, or earning more than twenty-five hundred dollars a year, or possessed78 of grandparents born in America.
Even while they were removing their overshoes they were peeping at the new decorations. Carol saw Dave Dyer secretively turn over the gold pillows to find a price-tag, and heard Mr. Julius Flickerbaugh, the attorney, gasp72, “Well, I’ll be switched,” as he viewed the vermilion print hanging against the Japanese obi. She was amused. But her high spirits slackened as she beheld80 them form in dress parade, in a long, silent, uneasy circle clear round the living-room. She felt that she had been magically whisked back to her first party, at Sam Clark’s.
“Have I got to lift them, like so many pigs of iron? I don’t know that I can make them happy, but I’ll make them hectic81.”
A silver flame in the darkling circle, she whirled around, drew them with her smile, and sang, “I want my party to be noisy and undignified! This is the christening of my house, and I want you to help me have a bad influence on it, so that it will be a giddy house. For me, won’t you all join in an old-fashioned square dance? And Mr. Dyer will call.”
She had a record on the phonograph; Dave Dyer was capering82 in the center of the floor, loose-jointed, lean, small, rusty83 headed, pointed84 of nose, clapping his hands and shouting, “Swing y’ pardners — alamun lef!”
Even the millionaire Dawsons and Ezra Stowbody and “Professor” George Edwin Mott danced, looking only slightly foolish; and by rushing about the room and being coy and coaxing85 to all persons over forty-five, Carol got them into a waltz and a Virginia Reel. But when she left them to disenjoy themselves in their own way Harry Haydock put a one-step record on the phonograph, the younger people took the floor, and all the elders sneaked86 back to their chairs, with crystallized smiles which meant, “Don’t believe I’ll try this one myself, but I do enjoy watching the youngsters dance.”
Half of them were silent; half resumed the discussions of that afternoon in the store. Ezra Stowbody hunted for something to say, hid a yawn, and offered to Lyman Cass, the owner of the flour-mill, “How d’ you folks like the new furnace, Lym? Huh? So.”
“Oh, let them alone. Don’t pester87 them. They must like it, or they wouldn’t do it.” Carol warned herself. But they gazed at her so expectantly when she flickered88 past that she was reconvinced that in their debauches of respectability they had lost the power of play as well as the power of impersonal89 thought. Even the dancers were gradually crushed by the invisible force of fifty perfectly90 pure and well-behaved and negative minds; and they sat down, two by two. In twenty minutes the party was again elevated to the decorum of a prayer-meeting.
“We’re going to do something exciting,” Carol exclaimed to her new confidante, Vida Sherwin. She saw that in the growing quiet her voice had carried across the room. Nat Hicks, Ella Stowbody, and Dave Dyer were abstracted, fingers and lips slightly moving. She knew with a cold certainty that Dave was rehearsing his “stunt” about the Norwegian catching91 the hen, Ella running over the first lines of “An Old Sweetheart of Mine,” and Nat thinking of his popular parody92 on Mark Antony’s oration79.
“But I will not have anybody use the word ‘stunt’ in my house,” she whispered to Miss Sherwin.
“That’s good. I tell you: why not have Raymond Wutherspoon sing?”
“Raymie? Why, my dear, he’s the most sentimental93 yearner94 in town!”
“See here, child! Your opinions on house-decorating are sound, but your opinions of people are rotten! Raymie does wag his tail. But the poor dear —— Longing95 for what he calls ‘self-expression’ and no training in anything except selling shoes. But he can sing. And some day when he gets away from Harry Haydock’s patronage96 and ridicule97, he’ll do something fine.”
Carol apologized for her superciliousness98. She urged Raymie, and warned the planners of “stunts99,” “We all want you to sing, Mr. Wutherspoon. You’re the only famous actor I’m going to let appear on the stage tonight.”
While Raymie blushed and admitted, “Oh, they don’t want to hear me,” he was clearing his throat, pulling his clean handkerchief farther out of his breast pocket, and thrusting his fingers between the buttons of his vest.
In her affection for Raymie’s defender100, in her desire to “discover artistic101 talent,” Carol prepared to be delighted by the recital102.
Raymie sang “Fly as a Bird,” “Thou Art My Dove,” and “When the Little Swallow Leaves Its Tiny Nest,” all in a reasonably bad offertory tenor103.
Carol was shuddering104 with the vicarious shame which sensitive people feel when they listen to an “elocutionist” being humorous, or to a precocious105 child publicly doing badly what no child should do at all. She wanted to laugh at the gratified importance in Raymie’s half-shut eyes; she wanted to weep over the meek106 ambitiousness which clouded like an aura his pale face, flap ears, and sandy pompadour. She tried to look admiring, for the benefit of Miss Sherwin, that trusting admirer of all that was or conceivably could be the good, the true, and the beautiful.
At the end of the third ornithological107 lyric108 Miss Sherwin roused from her attitude of inspired vision and breathed to Carol, “My! That was sweet! Of course Raymond hasn’t an unusually good voice, but don’t you think he puts such a lot of feeling into it?”
Carol lied blackly and magnificently, but without originality109: “Oh yes, I do think he has so much FEELING!”
She saw that after the strain of listening in a cultured manner the audience had collapsed110; had given up their last hope of being amused. She cried, “Now we’re going to play an idiotic111 game which I learned in Chicago. You will have to take off your shoes, for a starter! After that you will probably break your knees and shoulder-blades.”
Much attention and incredulity. A few eyebrows112 indicating a verdict that Doc Kennicott’s bride was noisy and improper113.
“I shall choose the most vicious, like Juanita Haydock and myself, as the shepherds. The rest of you are wolves. Your shoes are the sheep. The wolves go out into the hall. The shepherds scatter114 the sheep through this room, then turn off all the lights, and the wolves crawl in from the hall and in the darkness they try to get the shoes away from the shepherds — who are permitted to do anything except bite and use black- jacks115. The wolves chuck the captured shoes out into the hall. No one excused! Come on! Shoes off!”
Every one looked at every one else and waited for every one else to begin.
Carol kicked off her silver slippers116, and ignored the universal glance at her arches. The embarrassed but loyal Vida Sherwin unbuttoned her high black shoes. Ezra Stowbody cackled, “Well, you’re a terror to old folks. You’re like the gals117 I used to go horseback-riding with, back in the sixties. Ain’t much accustomed to attending parties barefoot, but here goes!” With a whoop118 and a gallant64 jerk Ezra snatched off his elastic- sided Congress shoes.
The others giggled119 and followed.
When the sheep had been penned up, in the darkness the timorous120 wolves crept into the living-room, squealing121, halting, thrown out of their habit of stolidity122 by the strangeness of advancing through nothingness toward a waiting foe123, a mysterious foe which expanded and grew more menacing. The wolves peered to make out landmarks124, they touched gliding125 arms which did not seem to be attached to a body, they quivered with a rapture126 of fear. Reality had vanished. A yelping127 squabble suddenly rose, then Juanita Haydock’s high titter, and Guy Pollock’s astonished, “Ouch! Quit! You’re scalping me!”
Mrs. Luke Dawson galloped128 backward on stiff hands and knees into the safety of the lighted hallway, moaning, “I declare, I nev’ was so upset in my life!” But the propriety129 was shaken out of her, and she delightedly continued to ejaculate “Nev’ in my LIFE” as she saw the living-room door opened by invisible hands and shoes hurling130 through it, as she heard from the darkness beyond the door a squawling, a bumping, a resolute131 “Here’s a lot of shoes. Come on, you wolves. Ow! Y’ would, would you!”
When Carol abruptly132 turned on the lights in the embattled living-room, half of the company were sitting back against the walls, where they had craftily133 remained throughout the engagement, but in the middle of the floor Kennicott was wrestling with Harry Haydock — their collars torn off, their hair in their eyes; and the owlish Mr. Julius Flickerbaugh was retreating from Juanita Haydock, and gulping134 with unaccustomed laughter. Guy Pollock’s discreet135 brown scarf hung down his back. Young Rita Simons’s net blouse had lost two buttons, and betrayed more of her delicious plump shoulder than was regarded as pure in Gopher Prairie. Whether by shock, disgust, joy of combat, or physical activity, all the party were freed from their years of social decorum. George Edwin Mott giggled; Luke Dawson twisted his beard; Mrs. Clark insisted, ‘I did too, Sam — I got a shoe — I never knew I could fight so terrible!”
Carol was certain that she was a great reformer.
She mercifully had combs, mirrors, brushes, needle and thread ready. She permitted them to restore the divine decency136 of buttons.
The grinning Bea brought down-stairs a pile of soft thick sheets of paper with designs of lotos blossoms, dragons, apes, in cobalt and crimson137 and gray, and patterns of purple birds flying among sea-green trees in the valleys of Nowhere.
“These,” Carol announced, “are real Chinese masquerade costumes. I got them from an importing shop in Minneapolis. You are to put them on over your clothes, and please forget that you are Minnesotans, and turn into mandarins and coolies and — and samurai (isn’t it?), and anything else you can think of.”
While they were shyly rustling138 the paper costumes she disappeared. Ten minutes after she gazed down from the stairs upon grotesquely139 ruddy Yankee heads above Oriental robes, and cried to them, “The Princess Winky Poo salutes140 her court!”
As they looked up she caught their suspense of admiration141. They saw an airy figure in trousers and coat of green brocade edged with gold; a high gold collar under a proud chin; black hair pierced with jade142 pins; a languid peacock fan in an out- stretched hand; eyes uplifted to a vision of pagoda143 towers. When she dropped her pose and smiled down she discovered Kennicott apoplectic144 with domestic pride — and gray Guy Pollock staring beseechingly145. For a second she saw nothing in all the pink and brown mass of their faces save the hunger of the two men.
She shook off the spell and ran down. “We’re going to have a real Chinese concert. Messrs. Pollock, Kennicott, and, well, Stowbody are drummers; the rest of us sing and play the fife.”
The fifes were combs with tissue paper; the drums were tabourets and the sewing-table. Loren Wheeler, editor of the Dauntless, led the orchestra, with a ruler and a totally inaccurate146 sense of rhythm. The music was a reminiscence of tom-toms heard at circus fortune-telling tents or at the Minnesota State Fair, but the whole company pounded and puffed147 and whined148 in a sing-song, and looked rapturous.
Before they were quite tired of the concert Carol led them in a dancing procession to the dining-room, to blue bowls of chow mein, with Lichee nuts and ginger149 preserved in syrup150.
None of them save that city-rounder Harry Haydock had heard of any Chinese dish except chop sooey. With agreeable doubt they ventured through the bamboo shoots into the golden fried noodles of the chow mein; and Dave Dyer did a not very humorous Chinese dance with Nat Hicks; and there was hubbub151 and contentment.
Carol relaxed, and found that she was shockingly tired. She had carried them on her thin shoulders. She could not keep it up. She longed for her father, that artist at creating hysterical152 parties. She thought of smoking a cigarette, to shock them, and dismissed the obscene thought before it was quite formed. She wondered whether they could for five minutes be coaxed153 to talk about something besides the winter top of Knute Stamquist’s Ford32, and what Al Tingley had said about his mother-in-law. She sighed, “Oh, let ’em alone. I’ve done enough.” She crossed her trousered legs, and snuggled luxuriously154 above her saucer of ginger; she caught Pollock’s congratulatory still smile, and thought well of herself for having thrown a rose light on the pallid155 lawyer; repented156 the heretical supposition that any male save her husband existed; jumped up to find Kennicott and whisper, “Happy, my lord? . . . No, it didn’t cost much!”
“Best party this town ever saw. Only —— Don’t cross your legs in that costume. Shows your knees too plain.”
She was vexed157. She resented his clumsiness. She returned to Guy Pollock and talked of Chinese religions — not that she knew anything whatever about Chinese religions, but he had read a book on the subject as, on lonely evenings in his office, he had read at least one book on every subject in the world. Guy’s thin maturity158 was changing in her vision to flushed youth and they were roaming an island in the yellow sea of chatter159 when she realized that the guests were beginning that cough which indicated, in the universal instinctive160 language, that they desired to go home and go to bed.
While they asserted that it had been “the nicest party they’d ever seen — my! so clever and original,” she smiled tremendously, shook hands, and cried many suitable things regarding children, and being sure to wrap up warmly, and Raymie’s singing and Juanita Haydock’s prowess at games. Then she turned wearily to Kennicott in a house filled with quiet and crumbs161 and shreds162 of Chinese costumes.
He was gurgling, “I tell you, Carrie, you certainly are a wonder, and guess you’re right about waking folks up. Now you’ve showed ’em how, they won’t go on having the same old kind of parties and stunts and everything. Here! Don’t touch a thing! Done enough. Pop up to bed, and I’ll clear up.”
His wise surgeon’s-hands stroked her shoulder, and her irritation163 at his clumsiness was lost in his strength.
V
From the Weekly Dauntless:
One of the most delightful164 social events of recent months was held Wednesday evening in the housewarming of Dr. and Mrs. Kennicott, who have completely redecorated their charming home on Poplar Street, and is now extremely nifty in modern color scheme. The doctor and his bride were at home to their numerous friends and a number of novelties in diversions were held, including a Chinese orchestra in original and genuine Oriental costumes, of which Ye Editor was leader. Dainty refreshments165 were served in true Oriental style, and one and all voted a delightful time.
VI
The week after, the Chet Dashaways gave a party. The circle of mourners kept its place all evening, and Dave Dyer did the “stunt” of the Norwegian and the hen.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
dubious
|
|
| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
plowed
|
|
| v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
shrine
|
|
| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
parlor
|
|
| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
moldy
|
|
| adj.发霉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
scamper
|
|
| v.奔跑，快跑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
ceramics
|
|
| n.制陶业；陶器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
lavished
|
|
| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
maize
|
|
| n.玉米 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
sapphire
|
|
| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
squat
|
|
| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
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： |
|
|
|
|
17
mildewed
|
|
| adj.发了霉的，陈腐的，长了霉花的v.（使）发霉，（使）长霉( mildew的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
repression
|
|
| n.镇压，抑制，抑压 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
divan
|
|
| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
bumpy
|
|
| adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
alley
|
|
| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
brazen
|
|
| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
precisely
|
|
| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
wheezed
|
|
| v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
pulpy
|
|
| 果肉状的，多汁的，柔软的； 烂糊； 稀烂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
Ford
|
|
| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
pastor
|
|
| n.牧师，牧人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
humility
|
|
| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
croak
|
|
| vi.嘎嘎叫，发牢骚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
gadding
|
|
| n.叮搔症adj.蔓生的v.闲逛( gad的现在分词 )；游荡；找乐子；用铁棒刺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
portentous
|
|
| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
mite
|
|
| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
oozed
|
|
| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
extravagant
|
|
| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
housekeeper
|
|
| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
honeymoon
|
|
| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
prettily
|
|
| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
staple
|
|
| n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
grunted
|
|
| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
Flared
|
|
| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
advertising
|
|
| n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
indignity
|
|
| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
yelped
|
|
| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
clumped
|
|
| adj.[医]成群的v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的过去式和过去分词 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
query
|
|
| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
humiliation
|
|
| n.羞辱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
humbly
|
|
| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
defiance
|
|
| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
sobbing
|
|
| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
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： |
|
|
|
|
62
judiciously
|
|
| adv.明断地，明智而审慎地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
gallantly
|
|
| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
gallant
|
|
| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
browse
|
|
| vi.随意翻阅，浏览；(牛、羊等)吃草 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
joyous
|
|
| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
frightful
|
|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
wailed
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
unreasonable
|
|
| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
gasp
|
|
| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
costliness
|
|
| 昂贵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
74
goblet
|
|
| n.高脚酒杯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
suspense
|
|
| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
faltered
|
|
| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
avalanche
|
|
| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
oration
|
|
| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
beheld
|
|
| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
hectic
|
|
| adj.肺病的；消耗热的；发热的；闹哄哄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
capering
|
|
| v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的现在分词 )；蹦蹦跳跳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
rusty
|
|
| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
coaxing
|
|
| 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： |
|
|
|
|
86
sneaked
|
|
| v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
pester
|
|
| v.纠缠，强求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
flickered
|
|
| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
impersonal
|
|
| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
parody
|
|
| n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
sentimental
|
|
| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
yearner
|
|
| n.渴望者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
95
longing
|
|
| n.（for）渴望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
patronage
|
|
| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
ridicule
|
|
| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
superciliousness
|
|
| n.高傲，傲慢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
stunts
|
|
| n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
defender
|
|
| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
artistic
|
|
| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
recital
|
|
| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
tenor
|
|
| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
shuddering
|
|
| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
precocious
|
|
| adj.早熟的；较早显出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
meek
|
|
| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
107
ornithological
|
|
| adj.鸟类学的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
108
lyric
|
|
| n.抒情诗，歌词；adj.抒情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
109
originality
|
|
| n.创造力，独创性；新颖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
110
collapsed
|
|
| adj.倒塌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
111
idiotic
|
|
| adj.白痴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
112
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
113
improper
|
|
| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
114
scatter
|
|
| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
115
jacks
|
|
| n.抓子游戏；千斤顶( jack的名词复数 )；（电）插孔；[电子学]插座；放弃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
116
slippers
|
|
| n. 拖鞋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
117
gals
|
|
| abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
118
whoop
|
|
| n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
119
giggled
|
|
| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
120
timorous
|
|
| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
121
squealing
|
|
| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
122
stolidity
|
|
| n.迟钝，感觉麻木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
123
foe
|
|
| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
124
landmarks
|
|
| n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
125
gliding
|
|
| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
126
rapture
|
|
| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
127
yelping
|
|
| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
128
galloped
|
|
| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
129
propriety
|
|
| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
130
hurling
|
|
| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
131
resolute
|
|
| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
132
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
133
craftily
|
|
| 狡猾地，狡诈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
134
gulping
|
|
| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的现在分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
135
discreet
|
|
| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
136
decency
|
|
| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
137
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
138
rustling
|
|
| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
139
grotesquely
|
|
| adv. 奇异地,荒诞地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
140
salutes
|
|
| n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
141
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
142
jade
|
|
| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
143
pagoda
|
|
| n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
144
apoplectic
|
|
| adj.中风的；愤怒的；n.中风患者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
145
beseechingly
|
|
| adv. 恳求地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
146
inaccurate
|
|
| adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
147
puffed
|
|
| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
148
whined
|
|
| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
149
ginger
|
|
| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
150
syrup
|
|
| n.糖浆，糖水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
151
hubbub
|
|
| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
152
hysterical
|
|
| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
153
coaxed
|
|
| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
154
luxuriously
|
|
| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
155
pallid
|
|
| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
156
repented
|
|
| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
157
vexed
|
|
| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
158
maturity
|
|
| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
159
chatter
|
|
| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
160
instinctive
|
|
| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
161
crumbs
|
|
| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
162
shreds
|
|
| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
163
irritation
|
|
| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
164
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
165
refreshments
|
|
| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |