There was, late in June, a day of heat-lightning.
Because of the work imposed by the absence of the other doctors the Kennicotts had not moved to the lake cottage but remained in town, dusty and irritable7. In the afternoon, when she went to Oleson & McGuire’s (formerly Dahl & Oleson’s), Carol was vexed8 by the assumption of the youthful clerk, recently come from the farm, that he had to be neighborly and rude. He was no more brusquely familiar than a dozen other clerks of the town, but her nerves were heat- scorched9.
When she asked for codfish, for supper, he grunted11, “What d’you want that darned old dry stuff for?”
“I like it!”
“Punk! Guess the doc can afford something better than that. Try some of the new wienies we got in. Swell12. The Haydocks use ’em.”
She exploded. “My dear young man, it is not your duty to instruct me in housekeeping, and it doesn’t particularly concern me what the Haydocks condescend13 to approve!”
He was hurt. He hastily wrapped up the leprous fragment of fish; he gaped14 as she trailed out. She lamented15, “I shouldn’t have spoken so. He didn’t mean anything. He doesn’t know when he is being rude.”
Her repentance17 was not proof against Uncle Whittier when she stopped in at his grocery for salt and a package of safety matches. Uncle Whittier, in a shirt collarless and soaked with sweat in a brown streak19 down his back, was whining20 at a clerk, “Come on now, get a hustle21 on and lug22 that pound cake up to Mis’ Cass’s. Some folks in this town think a storekeeper ain’t got nothing to do but chase out ‘phone- orders. . . . Hello, Carrie. That dress you got on looks kind of low in the neck to me. May be decent and modest — I suppose I’m old-fashioned — but I never thought much of showing the whole town a woman’s bust23! Hee, hee, hee! . . . . Afternoon, Mrs. Hicks. Sage24? Just out of it. Lemme sell you some other spices. Heh?” Uncle Whittier was nasally indignant “CERTAINLY! Got PLENTY other spices jus’ good as sage for any purp’se whatever! What’s the matter with — well, with allspice?” When Mrs. Hicks had gone, he raged, “Some folks don’t know what they want!”
“Sweating sanctimonious25 bully26 — my husband’s uncle!” thought Carol.
She crept into Dave Dyer’s. Dave held up his arms with, “Don’t shoot! I surrender!” She smiled, but it occurred to her that for nearly five years Dave had kept up this game of pretending that she threatened his life.
As she went dragging through the prickly-hot street she reflected that a citizen of Gopher Prairie does not have jests — he has a jest. Every cold morning for five winters Lyman Cass had remarked, “Fair to middlin’ chilly27 — get worse before it gets better.” Fifty times had Ezra Stowbody informed the public that Carol had once asked, “Shall I indorse this check on the back?” Fifty times had Sam Clark called to her, “Where’d you steal that hat?” Fifty times had the mention of Barney Cahoon, the town drayman, like a nickel in a slot produced from Kennicott the apocryphal28 story of Barney’s directing a minister, “Come down to the depot29 and get your case of religious books — they’re leaking!”
She came home by the unvarying route. She knew every house-front, every street-crossing, every billboard30, every tree, every dog. She knew every blackened banana-skin and empty cigarette-box in the gutters31. She knew every greeting. When Jim Howland stopped and gaped at her there was no possibility that he was about to confide32 anything but his grudging33, “Well, haryuh t’day?”
All her future life, this same red-labeled bread-crate in front of the bakery, this same thimble-shaped crack in the sidewalk a quarter of a block beyond Stowbody’s granite34 hitching- post ——
She silently handed her purchases to the silent Oscarina. She sat on the porch, rocking, fanning, twitchy with Hugh’s whining.
Kennicott came home, grumbled36, “What the devil is the kid yapping about?”
“I guess you can stand it ten minutes if I can stand it all day!”
He came to supper in his shirt sleeves, his vest partly open, revealing discolored suspenders.
“Why don’t you put on your nice Palm Beach suit, and take off that hideous37 vest?” she complained.
“Too much trouble. Too hot to go up-stairs.”
She realized that for perhaps a year she had not definitely looked at her husband. She regarded his table-manners. He violently chased fragments of fish about his plate with a knife and licked the knife after gobbling them. She was slightly sick. She asserted, “I’m ridiculous. What do these things matter! Don’t be so simple!” But she knew that to her they did matter, these solecisms and mixed tenses of the table.
She realized that they found little to say; that, incredibly, they were like the talked-out couples whom she had pitied at restaurants.
Bresnahan would have spouted38 in a lively, exciting, unreliable manner . . . .
She realized that Kennicott’s clothes were seldom pressed. His coat was wrinkled; his trousers would flap at the knees when he arose. His shoes were unblacked, and they were of an elderly shapelessness. He refused to wear soft hats; cleaved39 to a hard derby, as a symbol of virility40 and prosperity; and sometimes he forgot to take it off in the house. She peeped at his cuffs41. They were frayed42 in prickles of starched43 linen44. She had turned them once; she clipped them every week; but when she had begged him to throw the shirt away, last Sunday morning at the crisis of the weekly bath, he had uneasily protested, “Oh, it’ll wear quite a while yet.”
He was shaved (by himself or more socially by Del Snafflin) only three times a week. This morning had not been one of the three times.
Yet he was vain of his new turn-down collars and sleek45 ties; he often spoke16 of the “sloppy dressing” of Dr. McGanum; and he laughed at old men who wore detachable cuffs or Gladstone collars.
Carol did not care much for the creamed codfish that evening.
She noted46 that his nails were jagged and ill-shaped from his habit of cutting them with a pocket-knife and despising a nail-file as effeminate and urban. That they were invariably clean, that his were the scoured47 fingers of the surgeon, made his stubborn untidiness the more jarring. They were wise hands, kind hands, but they were not the hands of love.
She remembered him in the days of courtship. He had tried to please her, then, had touched her by sheepishly wearing a colored band on his straw hat. Was it possible that those days of fumbling48 for each other were gone so completely? He had read books, to impress her; had said (she recalled it ironically) that she was to point out his every fault; had insisted once, as they sat in the secret place beneath the walls of Fort Snelling ——
She shut the door on her thoughts. That was sacred ground. But it WAS a shame that ——
She nervously49 pushed away her cake and stewed50 apricots.
After supper, when they had been driven in from the porch by mosquitos, when Kennicott had for the two-hundredth time in five years commented, “We must have a new screen on the porch — lets all the bugs51 in,” they sat reading, and she noted, and detested52 herself for noting, and noted again his habitual53 awkwardness. He slumped54 down in one chair, his legs up on another, and he explored the recesses55 of his left ear with the end of his little finger — she could hear the faint smack56 — he kept it up — he kept it up ——
He blurted57, “Oh. Forgot tell you. Some of the fellows coming in to play poker58 this evening. Suppose we could have some crackers59 and cheese and beer?”
She nodded.
“He might have mentioned it before. Oh well, it’s his house.”
The poker-party straggled in: Sam Clark, Jack60 Elder, Dave Dyer, Jim Howland. To her they mechanically said, “ ‘Devenin’,” but to Kennicott, in a heroic male manner, “Well, well, shall we start playing? Got a hunch61 I’m going to lick somebody real bad.” No one suggested that she join them. She told herself that it was her own fault, because she was not more friendly; but she remembered that they never asked Mrs. Sam Clark to play.
Bresnahan would have asked her.
She sat in the living-room, glancing across the hall at the men as they humped over the dining table.
They were in shirt sleeves; smoking, chewing, spitting incessantly62; lowering their voices for a moment so that she did not hear what they said and afterward63 giggling64 hoarsely65; using over and over the canonical66 phrases: “Three to dole,” “I raise you a finif,” “Come on now, ante up; what do you think this is, a pink tea?” The cigar-smoke was acrid67 and pervasive68. The firmness with which the men mouthed their cigars made the lower part of their faces expressionless, heavy, unappealing. They were like politicians cynically69 dividing appointments.
How could they understand her world?
Did that faint and delicate world exist? Was she a fool? She doubted her world, doubted herself, and was sick in the acid, smoke-stained air.
She slipped back into brooding upon the habituality of the house.
Kennicott was as fixed71 in routine as an isolated72 old man. At first he had amorously73 deceived himself into liking74 her experiments with food — the one medium in which she could express imagination — but now he wanted only his round of favorite dishes: steak, roast beef, boiled pig’s-feet, oatmeal, baked apples. Because at some more flexible period he had advanced from oranges to grape-fruit he considered himself an epicure75.
During their first autumn she had smiled over his affection for his hunting-coat, but now that the leather had come unstitched in dribbles76 of pale yellow thread, and tatters of canvas, smeared77 with dirt of the fields and grease from gun- cleaning, hung in a border of rags, she hated the thing.
Wasn’t her whole life like that hunting-coat?
She knew every nick and brown spot on each piece of the set of china purchased by Kennicott’s mother in 1895 — discreet78 china with a pattern of washed-out forget-me-nots, rimmed79 with blurred80 gold: the gravy-boat, in a saucer which did not match, the solemn and evangelical covered vegetable-dishes, the two platters.
Twenty times had Kennicott sighed over the fact that Bea had broken the other platter — the medium-sized one.
The kitchen.
Damp black iron sink, damp whitey-yellow drain-board with shreds81 of discolored wood which from long scrubbing were as soft as cotton thread, warped82 table, alarm clock, stove bravely blackened by Oscarina but an abomination in its loose doors and broken drafts and oven that never would keep an even heat.
Carol had done her best by the kitchen: painted it white, put up curtains, replaced a six-year-old calendar by a color print. She had hoped for tiling, and a kerosene83 range for summer cooking, but Kennicott always postponed84 these expenses.
She was better acquainted with the utensils85 in the kitchen than with Vida Sherwin or Guy Pollock. The can-opener, whose soft gray metal handle was twisted from some ancient effort to pry86 open a window, was more pertinent87 to her than all the cathedrals in Europe; and more significant than the future of Asia was the never-settled weekly question as to whether the small kitchen knife with the unpainted handle or the second-best buckhorn carving-knife was better for cutting up cold chicken for Sunday supper.
II
She was ignored by the males till midnight. Her husband called, “Suppose we could have some eats, Carrie?” As she passed through the dining-room the men smiled on her, belly- smiles. None of them noticed her while she was serving the crackers and cheese and sardines88 and beer. They were determining the exact psychology89 of Dave Dyer in standing90 pat, two hours before.
When they were gone she said to Kennicott, “Your friends have the manners of a barroom. They expect me to wait on them like a servant. They’re not so much interested in me as they would be in a waiter, because they don’t have to tip me. Unfortunately! Well, good night.”
So rarely did she nag91 in this petty, hot-weather fashion that he was astonished rather than angry. “Hey! Wait! What’s the idea? I must say I don’t get you. The boys —— Barroom? Why, Perce Bresnahan was saying there isn’t a finer bunch of royal good fellows anywhere than just the crowd that were here tonight!”
They stood in the lower hall. He was too shocked to go on with his duties of locking the front door and winding92 his watch and the clock.
“Bresnahan! I’m sick of him!” She meant nothing in particular.
“Why, Carrie, he’s one of the biggest men in the country! Boston just eats out of his hand!”
“I wonder if it does? How do we know but that in Boston, among well-bred people, he may be regarded as an absolute lout93? The way he calls women ‘Sister,’ and the way ——”
“Now look here! That’ll do! Of course I know you don’t mean it — you’re simply hot and tired, and trying to work off your peeve94 on me. But just the same, I won’t stand your jumping on Perce. You —— It’s just like your attitude toward the war-so darn afraid that America will become militaristic ——”
“But you are the pure patriot95!”
“By God, I am!”
“Yes, I heard you talking to Sam Clark tonight about ways of avoiding the income tax!”
He had recovered enough to lock the door; he clumped96 up-stairs ahead of her, growling97, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m perfectly98 willing to pay my full tax — fact, I’m in favor of the income tax — even though I do think it’s a penalty on frugality99 and enterprise — fact, it’s an unjust, darn-fool tax. But just the same, I’ll pay it. Only, I’m not idiot enough to pay more than the government makes me pay, and Sam and I were just figuring out whether all automobile100 expenses oughn’t to be exemptions101. I’ll take a lot off you, Carrie, but I don’t propose for one second to stand your saying I’m not patriotic102. You know mighty103 well and good that I’ve tried to get away and join the army. And at the beginning of the whole fracas104 I said — I’ve said right along — that we ought to have entered the war the minute Germany invaded Belgium. You don’t get me at all. You can’t appreciate a man’s work. You’re abnormal. You’ve fussed so much with these fool novels and books and all this highbrow junk —— You like to argue!”
It ended, a quarter of an hour later, in his calling her a “neurotic” before he turned away and pretended to sleep.
For the first time they had failed to make peace.
“There are two races of people, only two, and they live side by side. His calls mine ‘neurotic’; mine calls his ‘stupid.’ We’ll never understand each other, never; and it’s madness for us to debate — to lie together in a hot bed in a creepy room — enemies, yoked105.”
III
It clarified in her the longing106 for a place of her own.
“While it’s so hot, I think I’ll sleep in the spare room,” she said next day.
“Not a bad idea.” He was cheerful and kindly107.
The room was filled with a lumbering108 double bed and a cheap pine bureau. She stored the bed in the attic109; replaced it by a cot which, with a denim110 cover, made a couch by day; put in a dressing-table, a rocker transformed by a cretonne cover; had Miles Bjornstam build book-shelves.
Kennicott slowly understood that she meant to keep up her seclusion111. In his queries1, “Changing the whole room?” “Putting your books in there?” she caught his dismay. But it was so easy, once her door was closed, to shut out his worry. That hurt her — the ease of forgetting him.
Aunt Bessie Smail sleuthed out this anarchy112. She yammered, “Why, Carrie, you ain’t going to sleep all alone by yourself? I don’t believe in that. Married folks should have the same room, of course! Don’t go getting silly notions. No telling what a thing like that might lead to. Suppose I up and told your Uncle Whit18 that I wanted a room of my own!”
Carol spoke of recipes for corn-pudding.
But from Mrs. Dr. Westlake she drew encouragement. She had made an afternoon call on Mrs. Westlake. She was for the first time invited up-stairs, and found the suave113 old woman sewing in a white and mahogany room with a small bed.
“Oh, do you have your own royal apartments, and the doctor his?” Carol hinted.
“Indeed I do! The doctor says it’s bad enough to have to stand my temper at meals. Do ——” Mrs. Westlake looked at her sharply. “Why, don’t you do the same thing?”
“I’ve been thinking about it.” Carol laughed in an embarrassed way. “Then you wouldn’t regard me as a complete hussy if I wanted to be by myself now and then?”
“Why, child, every woman ought to get off by herself and turn over her thoughts — about children, and God, and how bad her complexion114 is, and the way men don’t really understand her, and how much work she finds to do in the house, and how much patience it takes to endure some things in a man’s love.”
“Yes!” Carol said it in a gasp115, her hands twisted together. She wanted to confess not only her hatred116 for the Aunt Bessies but her covert117 irritation118 toward those she best loved: her alienation119 from Kennicott, her disappointment in Guy Pollock, her uneasiness in the presence of Vida. She had enough self-control to confine herself to, “Yes. Men! The dear blundering souls, we do have to get off and laugh at them.”
“Of course we do. Not that you have to laugh at Dr. Kennicott so much, but MY man, heavens, now there’s a rare old bird! Reading story-books when he ought to be tending to business! ‘Marcus Westlake,’ I say to him, ‘you’re a romantic old fool.’ And does he get angry? He does not! He chuckles120 and says, ‘Yes, my beloved, folks do say that married people grow to resemble each other!’ Drat him!” Mrs. Westlake laughed comfortably.
After such a disclosure what could Carol do but return the courtesy by remarking that as for Kennicott, he wasn’t romantic enough — the darling. Before she left she had babbled121 to Mrs. Westlake her dislike for Aunt Bessie, the fact that Kennicott’s income was now more than five thousand a year, her view of the reason why Vida had married Raymie (which included some thoroughly122 insincere praise of Raymie’s “kind heart”), her opinion of the library-board, just what Kennicott had said about Mrs. Carthal’s diabetes123, and what Kennicott thought of the several surgeons in the Cities.
She went home soothed124 by confession125, inspirited by finding a new friend.
IV
The tragicomedy of the “domestic situation.”
Oscarina went back home to help on the farm, and Carol had a succession of maids, with gaps between. The lack of servants was becoming one of the most cramping126 problems of the prairie town. Increasingly the farmers’ daughters rebelled against village dullness, and against the unchanged attitude of the Juanitas toward “hired girls.” They went off to city kitchens, or to city shops and factories, that they might be free and even human after hours.
The Jolly Seventeen were delighted at Carol’s desertion by the loyal Oscarina. They reminded her that she had said, “I don’t have any trouble with maids; see how Oscarina stays on.”
Between incumbencies127 of Finn maids from the North Woods, Germans from the prairies, occasional Swedes and Norwegians and Icelanders, Carol did her own work — and endured Aunt Bessie’s skittering in to tell her how to dampen a broom for fluffy128 dust, how to sugar doughnuts, how to stuff a goose. Carol was deft129, and won shy praise from Kennicott, but as her shoulder blades began to sting, she wondered how many millions of women had lied to themselves during the death- rimmed years through which they had pretended to enjoy the puerile130 methods persisting in housework.
She doubted the convenience and, as a natural sequent, the sanctity of the monogamous and separate home which she had regarded as the basis of all decent life.
She considered her doubts vicious. She refused to remember how many of the women of the Jolly Seventeen nagged131 their husbands and were nagged by them.
She energetically did not whine132 to Kennicott. But her eyes ached; she was not the girl in breeches and a flannel133 shirt who had cooked over a camp-fire in the Colorado mountains five years ago. Her ambition was to get to bed at nine; her strongest emotion was resentment134 over rising at half-past six to care for Hugh. The back of her neck ached as she got out of bed. She was cynical70 about the joys of a simple laborious135 life. She understood why workmen and workmen’s wives are not grateful to their kind employers.
At mid-morning, when she was momentarily free from the ache in her neck and back, she was glad of the reality of work. The hours were living and nimble. But she had no desire to read the eloquent137 little newspaper essays in praise of labor136 which are daily written by the white-browed journalistic prophets. She felt independent and (though she hid it) a bit surly.
In cleaning the house she pondered upon the maid’s-room. It was a slant-roofed, small-windowed hole above the kitchen, oppressive in summer, frigid138 in winter. She saw that while she had been considering herself an unusually good mistress, she had been permitting her friends Bea and Oscarina to live in a sty. She complained to Kennicott. “What’s the matter with it?” he growled139, as they stood on the perilous140 stairs dodging141 up from the kitchen. She commented upon the sloping roof of unplastered boards stained in brown rings by the rain, the uneven142 floor, the cot and its tumbled discouraged- looking quilts, the broken rocker, the distorting mirror.
“Maybe it ain’t any Hotel Radisson parlor143, but still, it’s so much better than anything these hired girls are accustomed to at home that they think it’s fine. Seems foolish to spend money when they wouldn’t appreciate it.”
But that night he drawled, with the casualness of a man who wishes to be surprising and delightful144, “Carrie, don’t know but what we might begin to think about building a new house, one of these days. How’d you like that?”
“W-why ——”
“I’m getting to the point now where I feel we can afford one — and a corker! I’ll show this burg something like a real house! We’ll put one over on Sam and Harry145! Make folks sit up an’ take notice!”
“Yes,” she said.
He did not go on.
Daily he returned to the subject of the new house, but as to time and mode he was indefinite. At first she believed. She babbled of a low stone house with lattice windows and tulip-beds, of colonial brick, of a white frame cottage with green shutters146 and dormer windows. To her enthusiasms he answered, “Well, ye-es, might be worth thinking about. Remember where I put my pipe?” When she pressed him he fidgeted, “I don’t know; seems to me those kind of houses you speak of have been overdone147.”
It proved that what he wanted was a house exactly like Sam Clark’s, which was exactly like every third new house in every town in the country: a square, yellow stolidity148 with im- maculate clapboards, a broad screened porch, tidy grass-plots, and concrete walks; a house resembling the mind of a merchant who votes the party ticket straight and goes to church once a month and owns a good car.
He admitted, “Well, yes, maybe it isn’t so darn artistic149 but —— Matter of fact, though, I don’t want a place just like Sam’s. Maybe I would cut off that fool tower he’s got, and I think probably it would look better painted a nice cream color. That yellow on Sam’s house is too kind of flashy. Then there’s another kind of house that’s mighty nice and substantial-looking, with shingles150, in a nice brown stain, instead of clapboards — seen some in Minneapolis. You’re way off your base when you say I only like one kind of house!”
Uncle Whittier and Aunt Bessie came in one evening when Carol was sleepily advocating a rose-garden cottage.
“You’ve had a lot of experience with housekeeping, aunty, and don’t you think,” Kennicott appealed, “that it would be sensible to have a nice square house, and pay more attention to getting a crackajack furnace than to all this architecture and doodads?”
Aunt Bessie worked her lips as though they were an elastic151 band. “Why of course! I know how it is with young folks like you, Carrie; you want towers and bay-windows and pianos and heaven knows what all, but the thing to get is closets and a good furnace and a handy place to hang out the washing, and the rest don’t matter.”
Uncle Whittier dribbled152 a little, put his face near to Carol’s, and sputtered153, “Course it don’t! What d’you care what folks think about the outside of your house? It’s the inside you’re living in. None of my business, but I must say you young folks that’d rather have cakes than potatoes get me riled.”
She reached her room before she became savage154. Below, dreadfully near, she could hear the broom-swish of Aunt Bessie’s voice, and the mop-pounding of Uncle Whittier’s grumble35. She had a reasonless dread155 that they would intrude156 on her, then a fear that she would yield to Gopher Prairie’s conception of duty toward an Aunt Bessie and go down-stairs to be “nice.” She felt the demand for standardized157 behavior coming in waves from all the citizens who sat in their sitting-rooms watching her with respectable eyes, waiting, demanding, unyielding. She snarled158, “Oh, all right, I’ll go!” She powdered her nose, straightened her collar, and coldly marched down-stairs. The three elders ignored her. They had advanced from the new house to agreeable general fussing. Aunt Bessie was saying, in a tone like the munching159 of dry toast:
“I do think Mr. Stowbody ought to have had the rain-pipe fixed at our store right away. I went to see him on Tuesday morning before ten, no, it was couple minutes after ten, but anyway, it was long before noon — I know because I went right from the bank to the meat market to get some steak — my! I think it’s outrageous160, the prices Oleson & McGuire charge for their meat, and it isn’t as if they gave you a good cut either but just any old thing, and I had time to get it, and I stopped in at Mrs. Bogart’s to ask about her rheumatism161 ——”
Carol was watching Uncle Whittier. She knew from his taut162 expression that he was not listening to Aunt Bessie but herding163 his own thoughts, and that he would interrupt her bluntly. He did:
“Will, where c’n I get an extra pair of pants for this coat and vest? D’ want to pay too much.”
“Well, guess Nat Hicks could make you up a pair. But if I were you, I’d drop into Ike Rifkin’s — his prices are lower than the Bon Ton’s.”
“Humph. Got the new stove in your office yet?”
“No, been looking at some at Sam Clark’s but ——”
“Well, y’ ought get ‘t in. Don’t do to put off getting a stove all summer, and then have it come cold on you in the fall.”
Carol smiled upon them ingratiatingly. “Do you dears mind if I slip up to bed? I’m rather tired — cleaned the upstairs today.”
She retreated. She was certain that they were discussing her, and foully164 forgiving her. She lay awake till she heard the distant creak of a bed which indicated that Kennicott had retired165. Then she felt safe.
It was Kennicott who brought up the matter of the Smails at breakfast. With no visible connection he said, “Uncle Whit is kind of clumsy, but just the same, he’s a pretty wise old coot. He’s certainly making good with the store.”
Carol smiled, and Kennicott was pleased that she had come to her senses. “As Whit says, after all the first thing is to have the inside of a house right, and darn the people on the outside looking in!”
It seemed settled that the house was to be a sound example of the Sam Clark school.
Kennicott made much of erecting166 it entirely167 for her and the baby. He spoke of closets for her frocks, and “a comfy sewing- room.” But when he drew on a leaf from an old account- book (he was a paper-saver and a string-picker) the plans for the garage, he gave much more attention to a cement floor and a work-bench and a gasoline-tank than he had to sewing- rooms.
She sat back and was afraid.
In the present rookery there were odd things — a step up from the hall to the dining-room, a picturesqueness168 in the shed and bedraggled lilac bush. But the new place would be smooth, standardized, fixed. It was probable, now that Kennicott was past forty, and settled, that this would be the last venture he would ever make in building. So long as she stayed in this ark, she would always have a possibility of change, but once she was in the new house, there she would sit for all the rest of her life — there she would die. Desperately169 she wanted to put it off, against the chance of miracles. While Kennicott was chattering170 about a patent swing-door for the garage she saw the swing-doors of a prison.
She never voluntarily returned to the project. Aggrieved171, Kennicott stopped drawing plans, and in ten days the new house was forgotten.
V
Every year since their marriage Carol had longed for a trip through the East. Every year Kennicott had talked of attending the American Medical Association convention, “and then afterwards we could do the East up brown. I know New York clean through — spent pretty near a week there — but I would like to see New England and all these historic places and have some sea-food.” He talked of it from February to May, and in May he invariably decided172 that coming confinement- cases or land-deals would prevent his “getting away from home-base for very long THIS year — and no sense going till we can do it right.”
The weariness of dish-washing had increased her desire to go. She pictured herself looking at Emerson’s manse, bathing in a surf of jade173 and ivory, wearing a trottoir and a summer fur, meeting an aristocratic Stranger. In the spring Kennicott had pathetically volunteered, “S’pose you’d like to get in a good long tour this summer, but with Gould and Mac away and so many patients depending on me, don’t see how I can make it. By golly, I feel like a tightwad though, not taking you.” Through all this restless July after she had tasted Bresnahan’s disturbing flavor of travel and gaiety, she wanted to go, but she said nothing. They spoke of and postponed a trip to the Twin Cities. When she suggested, as though it were a tremendous joke, “I think baby and I might up and leave you, and run off to Cape174 Cod10 by ourselves!” his only reaction was “Golly, don’t know but what you may almost have to do that, if we don’t get in a trip next year.”
Toward the end of July he proposed, “Say, the Beavers175 are holding a convention in Joralemon, street fair and everything. We might go down tomorrow. And I’d like to see Dr. Calibree about some business. Put in the whole day. Might help some to make up for our trip. Fine fellow, Dr. Calibree.”
Joralemon was a prairie town of the size of Gopher Prairie.
Their motor was out of order, and there was no passenger- train at an early hour. They went down by freight-train, after the weighty and conversational177 business of leaving Hugh with Aunt Bessie. Carol was exultant178 over this irregular jaunting. It was the first unusual thing, except the glance of Bresnahan, that had happened since the weaning of Hugh. They rode in the caboose, the small red cupola-topped car jerked along at the end of the train. It was a roving shanty179, the cabin of a land schooner180, with black oilcloth seats along the side, and for desk, a pine board to be let down on hinges. Kennicott played seven-up with the conductor and two brakemen. Carol liked the blue silk kerchiefs about the brakemen’s throats; she liked their welcome to her, and their air of friendly independence. Since there were no sweating passengers crammed181 in beside her, she reveled in the train’s slowness. She was part of these lakes and tawny182 wheat-fields. She liked the smell of hot earth and clean grease; and the leisurely183 chug-a- chug, chug-a-chug of the trucks was a song of contentment in the sun.
She pretended that she was going to the Rockies. When they reached Joralemon she was radiant with holiday-making.
Her eagerness began to lessen184 the moment they stopped at a red frame station exactly like the one they had just left at Gopher Prairie, and Kennicott yawned, “Right on time. Just in time for dinner at the Calibrees’. I ‘phoned the doctor from G. P. that we’d be here. ‘We’ll catch the freight that gets in before twelve,’ I told him. He said he’d meet us at the depot and take us right up to the house for dinner. Calibree is a good man, and you’ll find his wife is a mighty brainy little woman, bright as a dollar. By golly, there he is.”
Dr. Calibree was a squat185, clean-shaven, conscientious-looking man of forty. He was curiously186 like his own brown-painted motor car, with eye-glasses for windshield. “Want you to meet my wife, doctor — Carrie, make you ‘quainted with Dr. Calibree,” said Kennicott. Calibree bowed quietly and shook her hand, but before he had finished shaking it he was concentrating upon Kennicott with, “Nice to see you, doctor. Say, don’t let me forget to ask you about what you did in that exopthalmic goiter case — that Bohemian woman at Wahkeenyan.”
The two men, on the front seat of the car, chanted goiters and ignored her. She did not know it. She was trying to feed her illusion of adventure by staring at unfamiliar187 houses . . . drab cottages, artificial stone bungalows188, square painty stolidities with immaculate clapboards and broad screened porches and tidy grass-plots.
Calibree handed her over to his wife, a thick woman who called her “dearie,” and asked if she was hot and, visibly searching for conversation, produced, “Let’s see, you and the doctor have a Little One, haven’t you?” At dinner Mrs. Calibree served the corned beef and cabbage and looked steamy, looked like the steamy leaves of cabbage. The men were oblivious189 of their wives as they gave the social passwords of Main Street, the orthodox opinions on weather, crops, and motor cars, then flung away restraint and gyrated in the debauch190 of shop-talk. Stroking his chin, drawling in the ecstasy191 of being erudite, Kennicott inquired, “Say, doctor, what success have you had with thyroid for treatment of pains in the legs before child-birth?”
Carol did not resent their assumption that she was too ignorant to be admitted to masculine mysteries. She was used to it. But the cabbage and Mrs. Calibree’s monotonous192 “I don’t know what we’re coming to with all this difficulty getting hired girls” were gumming her eyes with drowsiness193. She sought to clear them by appealing to Calibree, in a manner of exag- gerated liveliness, “Doctor, have the medical societies in Minnesota ever advocated legislation for help to nursing mothers?”
Calibree slowly revolved194 toward her. “Uh — I’ve never — uh — never looked into it. I don’t believe much in getting mixed up in politics.” He turned squarely from her and, peering earnestly at Kennicott, resumed, “Doctor, what’s been your experience with unilateral pyelonephritis? Buckburn of Baltimore advocates decapsulation and nephrotomy, but seems to me ——”
Not till after two did they rise. In the lee of the stonily195 mature trio Carol proceeded to the street fair which added mundane196 gaiety to the annual rites197 of the United and Fraternal Order of Beavers. Beavers, human Beavers, were everywhere: thirty-second degree Beavers in gray sack suits and decent derbies, more flippant Beavers in crash summer coats and straw hats, rustic198 Beavers in shirt sleeves and frayed suspenders; but whatever his caste-symbols, every Beaver176 was distinguished199 by an enormous shrimp-colored ribbon lettered in silver, “Sir Knight200 and Brother, U. F. O. B., Annual State Convention.” On the motherly shirtwaist of each of their wives was a badge “Sir Knight’s Lady.” The Duluth delegation201 had brought their famous Beaver amateur band, in Zouave costumes of green velvet202 jacket, blue trousers, and scarlet203 fez. The strange thing was that beneath their scarlet pride the Zouaves’ faces remained those of American business-men, pink, smooth, eye- glassed; and as they stood playing in a circle, at the corner of Main Street and Second, as they tootled on fifes or with swelling204 cheeks blew into cornets, their eyes remained as owlish as though they were sitting at desks under the sign “This Is My Busy Day.”
Carol had supposed that the Beavers were average citizens organized for the purposes of getting cheap life-insurance and playing poker at the lodge205-rooms every second Wednesday, but she saw a large poster which proclaimed:
BEAVERS U. F. O. B.
The greatest influence for good citizenship206 in the country. The jolliest aggregation207 of red-blooded, open-handed, hustle-em-up good fellows in the world. Joralemon welcomes you to her hospitable208 city.
Kennicott read the poster and to Calibree admired, “Strong lodge, the Beavers. Never joined. Don’t know but what I will,”
Calibree adumbrated209, “They’re a good bunch. Good strong lodge. See that fellow there that’s playing the snare210 drum? He’s the smartest wholesale211 grocer in Duluth, they say. Guess it would be worth joining. Oh say, are you doing much insurance examining?”
They went on to the street fair.
Lining212 one block of Main Street were the “attractions”— two hot-dog stands, a lemonade and pop-corn stand, a merry- go-round, and booths in which balls might be thrown at rag dolls, if one wished to throw balls at rag dolls. The dignified213 delegates were shy of the booths, but country boys with brickred necks and pale-blue ties and bright-yellow shoes, who had brought sweethearts into town in somewhat dusty and listed Fords, were wolfing sandwiches, drinking strawberry pop out of bottles, and riding the revolving214 crimson215 and gold horses. They shrieked216 and giggled217; peanut-roasters whistled; the merry-go- round pounded out monotonous music; the barkers bawled218, “Here’s your chance — here’s your chance — come on here, boy — come on here — give that girl a good time — give her a swell time — here’s your chance to win a genuwine gold watch for five cents, half a dime219, the twentieth part of a dollah!” The prairie sun jabbed the unshaded street with shafts220 that were like poisonous thorns the tinny cornices above the brick stores were glaring; the dull breeze scattered221 dust on sweaty Beavers who crawled along in tight scorching222 new shoes, up two blocks and back, up two blocks and back, wondering what to do next, working at having a good time.
Carol’s head ached as she trailed behind the unsmiling Calibrees along the block of booths. She chirruped at Kennicott, “Let’s be wild! Let’s ride on the merry-go-round and grab a gold ring!”
Kennicott considered it, and mumbled223 to Calibree, “Think you folks would like to stop and try a ride on the merry-go-round?”
Calibree considered it, and mumbled to his wife, “Think you’d like to stop and try a ride on the merry-go-round?”
Mrs. Calibree smiled in a washed-out manner, and sighed, “Oh no, I don’t believe I care to much, but you folks go ahead and try it.”
Calibree stated to Kennicott, “No, I don’t believe we care to a whole lot, but you folks go ahead and try it.”
Kennicott summarized the whole case against wildness: “Let’s try it some other time, Carrie.”
She gave it up. She looked at the town. She saw that in adventuring from Main Street, Gopher Prairie, to Main Street, Joralemon, she had not stirred. There were the same two- story brick groceries with lodge-signs above the awnings224; the same one-story wooden millinery shop; the same fire-brick garages; the same prairie at the open end of the wide street; the same people wondering whether the levity225 of eating a hot- dog sandwich would break their taboos226.
They reached Gopher Prairie at nine in the evening.
“You look kind of hot,” said Kennicott.
“Yes.”
“Joralemon is an enterprising town, don’t you think so?” She broke. “No! I think it’s an ash-heap.”
“Why, Carrie!”
He worried over it for a week. While he ground his plate with his knife as he energetically pursued fragments of bacon, he peeped at her.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
queries
|
|
| n.问题( query的名词复数 )；疑问；询问；问号v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的第三人称单数 )；询问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
homeliness
|
|
| n.简朴，朴实；相貌平平 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
tightened
|
|
| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
shutter
|
|
| n.百叶窗；(照相机)快门；关闭装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
rust
|
|
| n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
glamor
|
|
| n.魅力，吸引力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
irritable
|
|
| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
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： |
|
|
|
|
9
scorched
|
|
| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
cod
|
|
| n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
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： |
|
|
|
|
12
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
condescend
|
|
| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
gaped
|
|
| v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
lamented
|
|
| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
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： |
|
|
|
|
17
repentance
|
|
| n.懊悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
whit
|
|
| n.一点，丝毫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
streak
|
|
| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
whining
|
|
| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
hustle
|
|
| v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
lug
|
|
| n.柄，突出部，螺帽；(英）耳朵；（俚）笨蛋；vt.拖，拉，用力拖动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
bust
|
|
| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
sage
|
|
| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
sanctimonious
|
|
| adj.假装神圣的，假装虔诚的，假装诚实的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
bully
|
|
| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
chilly
|
|
| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
apocryphal
|
|
| adj.假冒的，虚假的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
depot
|
|
| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
billboard
|
|
| n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
gutters
|
|
| （路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
confide
|
|
| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
grudging
|
|
| adj.勉强的，吝啬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
granite
|
|
| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
grumble
|
|
| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
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： |
|
|
|
|
37
hideous
|
|
| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
spouted
|
|
| adj.装有嘴的v.（指液体）喷出( spout的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
cleaved
|
|
| v.劈开，剁开，割开( cleave的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
virility
|
|
| n.雄劲，丈夫气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
cuffs
|
|
| n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
frayed
|
|
| adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
starched
|
|
| adj.浆硬的，硬挺的，拘泥刻板的v.把（衣服、床单等）浆一浆( starch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
linen
|
|
| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
sleek
|
|
| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
scoured
|
|
| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
fumbling
|
|
| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
nervously
|
|
| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
stewed
|
|
| adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
bugs
|
|
| adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
detested
|
|
| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
habitual
|
|
| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
slumped
|
|
| 大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
recesses
|
|
| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
smack
|
|
| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
blurted
|
|
| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
poker
|
|
| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
crackers
|
|
| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
hunch
|
|
| n.预感，直觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
incessantly
|
|
| ad.不停地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
afterward
|
|
| adv.后来；以后 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
giggling
|
|
| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
hoarsely
|
|
| adv.嘶哑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
canonical
|
|
| n.权威的；典型的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
acrid
|
|
| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
pervasive
|
|
| adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
cynically
|
|
| adv.爱嘲笑地，冷笑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
cynical
|
|
| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
isolated
|
|
| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
amorously
|
|
| adv.好色地，妖艳地；脉；脉脉；眽眽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
liking
|
|
| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
epicure
|
|
| n.行家，美食家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
dribbles
|
|
| n.涓滴( dribble的名词复数 )；细滴；少量（液体）v.流口水( dribble的第三人称单数 )；（使液体）滴下或作细流；运球，带球 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
smeared
|
|
| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
discreet
|
|
| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
rimmed
|
|
| adj.有边缘的，有框的v.沿…边缘滚动；给…镶边 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
blurred
|
|
| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
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： |
|
|
|
|
82
warped
|
|
| adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
kerosene
|
|
| n.(kerosine)煤油，火油 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
postponed
|
|
| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
utensils
|
|
| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
pry
|
|
| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
pertinent
|
|
| adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
sardines
|
|
| n. 沙丁鱼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
psychology
|
|
| n.心理，心理学，心理状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
nag
|
|
| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
winding
|
|
| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
lout
|
|
| n.粗鄙的人；举止粗鲁的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
peeve
|
|
| v.气恼，怨恨；n.麻烦的事物，怨恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
patriot
|
|
| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
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： |
|
|
|
|
97
growling
|
|
| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
frugality
|
|
| n.节约，节俭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
automobile
|
|
| n.汽车，机动车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
exemptions
|
|
| n.（义务等的）免除( exemption的名词复数 )；免（税）；（收入中的）免税额 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
patriotic
|
|
| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
fracas
|
|
| n.打架；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
yoked
|
|
| 结合（yoke的过去式形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
longing
|
|
| n.（for）渴望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
107
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
108
lumbering
|
|
| n.采伐林木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
109
attic
|
|
| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
110
denim
|
|
| n.斜纹棉布；斜纹棉布裤，牛仔裤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
111
seclusion
|
|
| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
112
anarchy
|
|
| n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
113
suave
|
|
| adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
114
complexion
|
|
| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
115
gasp
|
|
| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
116
hatred
|
|
| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
117
covert
|
|
| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
118
irritation
|
|
| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
119
alienation
|
|
| n.疏远；离间；异化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
120
chuckles
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
121
babbled
|
|
| v.喋喋不休( babble的过去式和过去分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
122
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
123
diabetes
|
|
| n.糖尿病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
124
soothed
|
|
| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
125
confession
|
|
| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
126
cramping
|
|
| 图像压缩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
127
incumbencies
|
|
| n.现任职位，现任职权，任期( incumbency的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
128
fluffy
|
|
| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
129
deft
|
|
| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
130
puerile
|
|
| adj.幼稚的，儿童的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
131
nagged
|
|
| adj.经常遭责怪的；被压制的；感到厌烦的；被激怒的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的过去式和过去分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
132
whine
|
|
| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
133
flannel
|
|
| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
134
resentment
|
|
| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
135
laborious
|
|
| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
136
labor
|
|
| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
137
eloquent
|
|
| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
138
frigid
|
|
| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
139
growled
|
|
| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
140
perilous
|
|
| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
141
dodging
|
|
| n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
142
uneven
|
|
| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
143
parlor
|
|
| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
144
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
145
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
146
shutters
|
|
| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
147
overdone
|
|
| v.做得过分( overdo的过去分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
148
stolidity
|
|
| n.迟钝，感觉麻木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
149
artistic
|
|
| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
150
shingles
|
|
| n.带状疱疹；（布满海边的）小圆石( shingle的名词复数 )；屋顶板；木瓦（板）；墙面板 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
151
elastic
|
|
| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
152
dribbled
|
|
| v.流口水( dribble的过去式和过去分词 )；（使液体）滴下或作细流；运球，带球 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
153
sputtered
|
|
| v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
154
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
155
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
156
intrude
|
|
| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
157
standardized
|
|
| adj.标准化的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
158
snarled
|
|
| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
159
munching
|
|
| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
160
outrageous
|
|
| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
161
rheumatism
|
|
| n.风湿病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
162
taut
|
|
| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
163
herding
|
|
| 中畜群 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
164
foully
|
|
| ad.卑鄙地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
165
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
166
erecting
|
|
| v.使直立，竖起( erect的现在分词 )；建立 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
167
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
168
picturesqueness
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
169
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
170
chattering
|
|
| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
171
aggrieved
|
|
| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
172
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
173
jade
|
|
| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
174
cape
|
|
| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
175
beavers
|
|
| 海狸( beaver的名词复数 )； 海狸皮毛； 棕灰色； 拼命工作的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
176
beaver
|
|
| n.海狸，河狸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
177
conversational
|
|
| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
178
exultant
|
|
| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
179
shanty
|
|
| n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
180
schooner
|
|
| n.纵帆船 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
181
crammed
|
|
| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
182
tawny
|
|
| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
183
leisurely
|
|
| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
184
lessen
|
|
| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
185
squat
|
|
| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
186
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
187
unfamiliar
|
|
| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
188
bungalows
|
|
| n.平房( bungalow的名词复数 )；单层小屋，多于一层的小屋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
189
oblivious
|
|
| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
190
debauch
|
|
| v.使堕落，放纵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
191
ecstasy
|
|
| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
192
monotonous
|
|
| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
193
drowsiness
|
|
| n.睡意；嗜睡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
194
revolved
|
|
| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
195
stonily
|
|
| 石头地，冷酷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
196
mundane
|
|
| adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
197
rites
|
|
| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
198
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
199
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
200
knight
|
|
| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
201
delegation
|
|
| n.代表团；派遣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
202
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
203
scarlet
|
|
| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
204
swelling
|
|
| n.肿胀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
205
lodge
|
|
| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
206
citizenship
|
|
| n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
207
aggregation
|
|
| n.聚合，组合；凝聚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
208
hospitable
|
|
| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
209
adumbrated
|
|
| v.约略显示，勾画出…的轮廓( adumbrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
210
snare
|
|
| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
211
wholesale
|
|
| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
212
lining
|
|
| n.衬里，衬料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
213
dignified
|
|
| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
214
revolving
|
|
| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
215
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
216
shrieked
|
|
| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
217
giggled
|
|
| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
218
bawled
|
|
| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
219
dime
|
|
| n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
220
shafts
|
|
| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
221
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
222
scorching
|
|
| adj. 灼热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
223
mumbled
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
224
awnings
|
|
| 篷帐布 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
225
levity
|
|
| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
226
taboos
|
|
| 禁忌( taboo的名词复数 )； 忌讳； 戒律； 禁忌的事物（或行为） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |