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Chapter 37 Looking South
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‘A spade! a rake! a hoe!

A pickaxe or a bill!

A hook to reap, or a scythe1 to mow2,

A flail3, or what ye will —

And here’s a ready hand

To ply4 the needful tool,

And skill’d enough, by lessons rough,

In Labour’s rugged5 school.’

HOOD6.

Higgins’s door was locked the next day, when they went to pay their call on the widow Boucher: but they learnt this time from an officious neighbour, that he was really from home. He had, however, been in to see Mrs. Boucher, before starting on his day’s business, whatever that was. It was but an unsatisfactory visit to Mrs. Boucher; she considered herself as an ill-used woman by her poor husband’s suicide; and there was quite germ of truth enough in this idea to make it a very difficult one to refute. Still, it was unsatisfactory to see how completely her thoughts were turned upon herself and her own position, and this selfishness extended even to her relations with her children, whom she considered as incumbrances, even in the very midst of her somewhat animal affection for them. Margaret tried to make acquaintances with one or two of them, while her father strove to raise the widow’s thoughts into some higher channel than that of mere7 helpless querulousness. She found that the children were truer and simpler mourners than the widow. Daddy had been a kind daddy to them; each could tell, in their eager stammering8 way, of some tenderness shown some indulgence granted by the lost father.

‘Is yon thing upstairs really him? it doesna look like him. I’m feared on it, and I never was feared o’ daddy.’

Margaret’s heart bled to hear that the mother, in her selfish requirement of sympathy, had taken her children upstairs to see their disfigured father. It was intermingling the coarseness of horror with the profoundness of natural grief She tried to turn their thoughts in some other direction; on what they could do for mother; on what — for this was a more efficacious way of putting it — what father would have wished them to do. Margaret was more successful than Mr. Hale in her efforts. The children seeing their little duties lie in action close around them, began to try each one to do something that she suggested towards redding up the slatternly room. But her father set too high a standard, and too abstract a view, before the indolent invalid9. She could not rouse her torpid10 mind into any vivid imagination of what her husband’s misery11 might have been before he had resorted to the last terrible step; she could only look upon it as it affected12 herself; she could not enter into the enduring mercy of the God who had not specially13 interposed to prevent the water from drowning her prostrate14 husband; and although she was secretly blaming her husband for having fallen into such drear despair, and denying that he had any excuse for his last rash act, she was inveterate15 in her abuse of all who could by any possibility be supposed to have driven him to such desperation. The masters — Mr. Thornton in particular, whose mill had been attacked by Boucher, and who, after the warrant had been issued for his apprehension16 on the charge of rioting, had caused it to be withdrawn17 — the union, of which Higgins was the representative to the poor woman — the children so numerous, so hungry, and so noisy — all made up one great army of personal enemies, whose fault it was that she was now a helpless widow.

Margaret heard enough of this unreasonableness19 to dishearten her; and when they came away she found it impossible to cheer her father.

‘It is the town life,’ said she. ‘Their nerves are quickened by the haste and bustle20 and speed of everything around them, to say nothing of the confinement21 in these pent-up houses, which of itself is enough to induce depression and worry of spirits. Now in the country, people live so much more out of doors, even children, and even in the winter.’

‘But people must live in towns. And in the country some get such stagnant22 habits of mind that they are almost fatalists.’

‘Yes; I acknowledge that. I suppose each mode of life produces its own trials and its own temptations. The dweller23 in towns must find it as difficult to be patient and calm, as the country-bred man must find it to be active, and equal to unwonted emergencies. Both must find it hard to realise a future of any kind; the one because the present is so living and hurrying and close around him; the other because his life tempts24 him to revel25 in the mere sense of animal existence, not knowing of, and consequently not caring for any pungency26 of pleasure for the attainment27 of which he can plan, and deny himself and look forward.’

‘And thus both the necessity for engrossment, and the stupid content in the present, produce the same effects. But this poor Mrs. Boucher! how little we can do for her.’

‘And yet we dare not leave her without our efforts, although they may seem so useless. Oh papa! it’s a hard world to live in!’

‘So it is, my child. We feel it so just now, at any rate; but we have been very happy, even in the midst of our sorrow. What a pleasure Frederick’s visit was!’

‘Yes, that it was,’ said Margaret; brightly. ‘It was such a charming, snatched, forbidden thing.’ But she suddenly stopped speaking. She had spoiled the remembrance of Frederick’s visit to herself by her own cowardice28. Of all faults the one she most despised in others was the want of bravery; the meanness of heart which leads to untruth. And here had she been guilty of it! Then came the thought of Mr. Thornton’s cognisance of her falsehood. She wondered if she should have minded detection half so much from any one else. She tried herself in imagination with her Aunt Shaw and Edith; with her father; with Captain and Mr. Lennox; with Frederick. The thought of the last knowing what she had done, even in his own behalf, was the most painful, for the brother and sister were in the first flush of their mutual29 regard and love; but even any fall in Frederick’s opinion was as nothing to the shame, the shrinking shame she felt at the thought of meeting Mr. Thornton again. And yet she longed to see him, to get it over; to understand where she stood in his opinion. Her cheeks burnt as she recollected30 how proudly she had implied an objection to trade (in the early days of their acquaintance), because it too often led to the deceit of passing off inferior for superior goods, in the one branch; of assuming credit for wealth and resources not possessed31, in the other. She remembered Mr. Thornton’s look of calm disdain32, as in few words he gave her to understand that, in the great scheme of commerce, all dishonourable ways of acting33 were sure to prove injurious in the long run, and that, testing such actions simply according to the poor standard of success, there was folly34 and not wisdom in all such, and every kind of deceit in trade, as well as in other things. She remembered — she, then strong in her own untempted truth — asking him, if he did not think that buying in the cheapest and selling in the dearest market proved some want of the transparent35 justice which is so intimately connected with the idea of truth: and she had used the word chivalric36 — and her father had corrected her with the higher word, Christian37; and so drawn18 the argument upon himself, while she sate38 silent by with a slight feeling of contempt.

No more contempt for her! — no more talk about the chivalric! Henceforward she must feel humiliated39 and disgraced in his sight. But when should she see him? Her heart leaped up in apprehension at every ring of the door-bell; and yet when it fell down to calmness, she felt strangely saddened and sick at heart at each disappointment. It was very evident that her father expected to see him, and was surprised that he did not come. The truth was, that there were points in their conversation the other night on which they had no time then to enlarge; but it had been understood that if possible on the succeeding evening — if not then, at least the very first evening that Mr. Thornton could command — they should meet for further discussion. Mr. Hale had looked forward to this meeting ever since they had parted. He had not yet resumed the instruction to his pupils, which he had relinquished40 at the commencement of his wife’s more serious illness, so he had fewer occupations than usual; and the great interest of the last day or so (Boucher’s suicide) had driven him back with more eagerness than ever upon his speculations41. He was restless all evening. He kept saying, ‘I quite expected to have seen Mr. Thornton. I think the messenger who brought the book last night must have had some note, and forgot to deliver it. Do you think there has been any message left today?’

‘I will go and inquire, papa,’ said Margaret, after the changes on these sentences had been rung once or twice. ‘Stay, there’s a ring!’ She sate down instantly, and bent42 her head attentively43 over her work. She heard a step on the stairs, but it was only one, and she knew it was Dixon’s. She lifted up her head and sighed, and believed she felt glad.

‘It’s that Higgins, sir. He wants to see you, or else Miss Hale. Or it might be Miss Hale first, and then you, sir; for he’s in a strange kind of way.

‘He had better come up here, Dixon; and then he can see us both, and choose which he likes for his listener.’

‘Oh! very well, sir. I’ve no wish to hear what he’s got to say, I’m sure; only, if you could see his shoes, I’m sure you’d say the kitchen was the fitter place.

‘He can wipe them, I suppose, said Mr. Hale. So Dixon flung off, to bid him walk up-stairs. She was a little mollified, however, when he looked at his feet with a hesitating air; and then, sitting down on the bottom stair, he took off the offending shoes, and without a word walked up-stairs.

‘Sarvant, sir!’ said he, slicking his hair down when he came into the room. ‘If hoo’l excuse me (looking at Margaret) for being i’ my stockings; I’se been tramping a’ day, and streets is none o’ th’ cleanest.’

Margaret thought that fatigue44 might account for the change in his manner, for he was unusually quiet and subdued45; and he had evidently some difficulty in saying what he came to say.

Mr. Hale’s ever-ready sympathy with anything of shyness or hesitation46, or want of self-possession, made him come to his aid.

‘We shall have tea up directly, and then you’ll take a cup with us, Mr. Higgins. I am sure you are tired, if you’ve been out much this wet relaxing day. Margaret, my dear, can’t you hasten tea?’

Margaret could only hasten tea by taking the preparation of it into her own hands, and so offending Dixon, who was emerging out of her sorrow for her late mistress into a very touchy47, irritable48 state. But Martha, like all who came in contact with Margaret — even Dixon herself, in the long run — felt it a pleasure and an honour to forward any of her wishes; and her readiness, and Margaret’s sweet forbearance, soon made Dixon ashamed of herself.

‘Why master and you must always be asking the lower classes up-stairs, since we came to Milton, I cannot understand. Folk at Helstone were never brought higher than the kitchen; and I’ve let one or two of them know before now that they might think it an honour to be even there.’

Higgins found it easier to unburden himself to one than to two. After Margaret left the room, he went to the door and assured himself that it was shut. Then he came and stood close to Mr. Hale.

‘Master,’ said he, ‘yo’d not guess easy what I’ve been tramping after today. Special if yo’ remember my manner o’ talk yesterday. I’ve been a seeking work. I have’ said he. ‘I said to mysel’, I’d keep a civil tongue in my head, let who would say what ’em would. I’d set my teeth into my tongue sooner nor speak i’ haste. For that man’s sake — yo’ understand,’ jerking his thumb back in some unknown direction.

‘No, I don’t,’ said Mr. Hale, seeing he waited for some kind of assent49, and completely bewildered as to who ‘that man’ could be.

‘That chap as lies theer,’ said he, with another jerk. ‘Him as went and drownded himself, poor chap! I did na’ think he’d got it in him to lie still and let th’ water creep o’er him till he died. Boucher, yo’ know.’

‘Yes, I know now,’ said Mr. Hale. ‘Go back to what you were saying: you’d not speak in haste ——’

‘For his sake. Yet not for his sake; for where’er he is, and whate’er, he’ll ne’er know other clemming or cold again; but for the wife’s sake, and the bits o’ childer.’

‘God bless you!’ said Mr. Hale, starting up; then, calming down, he said breathlessly, ‘What do you mean? Tell me out.’

‘I have telled yo’,’ said Higgins, a little surprised at Mr. Hale’s agitation50. ‘I would na ask for work for mysel’; but them’s left as a charge on me. I reckon, I would ha guided Boucher to a better end; but I set him off o’ th’ road, and so I mun answer for him.’

Mr. Hale got hold of Higgins’s hand and shook it heartily51, without speaking. Higgins looked awkward and ashamed.

‘Theer, theer, master! Theer’s ne’er a man, to call a man, amongst us, but what would do th’ same; ay, and better too; for, belie’ me, I’se ne’er got a stroke o’ work, nor yet a sight of any. For all I telled Hamper52 that, let alone his pledge — which I would not sign — no, I could na, not e’en for this — he’d ne’er ha’ such a worker on his mill as I would be-he’d ha’ none o’ me — no more would none o’ th’ others. I’m a poor black feckless sheep — childer may clem for aught I can do, unless, parson, yo’d help me?’

‘Help you! How? I would do anything — but what can I do?’

‘Miss there’— for Margaret had re-entered the room, and stood silent, listening —‘has often talked grand o’ the South, and the ways down there. Now I dunnot know how far off it is, but I’ve been thinking if I could get ’em down theer, where food is cheap and wages good, and all the folk, rich and poor, master and man, friendly like; yo’ could, may be, help me to work. I’m not forty-five, and I’ve a deal o’ strength in me, measter.’

‘But what kind of work could you do, my man?’

‘Well, I reckon I could spade a bit ——’

‘And for that,’ said Margaret, stepping forwards, ‘for anything you could do, Higgins, with the best will in the world, you would, may be, get nine shillings a week; may be ten, at the outside. Food is much the same as here, except that you might have a little garden ——’

‘The childer could work at that,’ said he. ‘I’m sick o’ Milton anyways, and Milton is sick o’ me.’

‘You must not go to the South,’ said Margaret, ‘for all that. You could not stand it. You would have to be out all weathers. It would kill you with rheumatism53. The mere bodily work at your time of life would break you down. The fare is far different to what you have been accustomed to.’

‘I’se nought54 particular about my meat,’ said he, as if offended.

‘But you’ve reckoned on having butcher’s meat once a day, if you’re in work; pay for that out of your ten shillings, and keep those poor children if you can. I owe it to you — since it’s my way of talking that has set you off on this idea — to put it all clear before you. You would not bear the dulness of the life; you don’t know what it is; it would eat you away like rust55. Those that have lived there all their lives, are used to soaking in the stagnant waters. They labour on, from day to day, in the great solitude56 of steaming fields — never speaking or lifting up their poor, bent, downcast heads. The hard spade-work robs their brain of life; the sameness of their toil57 deadens their imagination; they don’t care to meet to talk over thoughts and speculations, even of the weakest, wildest kind, after their work is done; they go home brutishly tired, poor creatures! caring for nothing but food and rest. You could not stir them up into any companionship, which you get in a town as plentiful58 as the air you breathe, whether it be good or bad — and that I don’t know; but I do know, that you of all men are not one to bear a life among such labourers. What would be peace to them would be eternal fretting59 to you. Think no more of it, Nicholas, I beg. Besides, you could never pay to get mother and children all there — that’s one good thing.’

‘I’ve reckoned for that. One house mun do for us a’, and the furniture o’ t’other would go a good way. And men theer mun have their families to keep — mappen six or seven childer. God help ’em!’ said he, more convinced by his own presentation of the facts than by all Margaret had said, and suddenly renouncing60 the idea, which had but recently formed itself in a brain worn out by the day’s fatigue and anxiety. ‘God help ’em! North an’ South have each getten their own troubles. If work’s sure and steady theer, labour’s paid at starvation prices; while here we’n rucks o’ money coming in one quarter, and ne’er a farthing th’ next. For sure, th’ world is in a confusion that passes me or any other man to understand; it needs fettling, and who’s to fettle it, if it’s as yon folks say, and there’s nought but what we see?’

Mr. Hale was busy cutting bread and butter; Margaret was glad of this, for she saw that Higgins was better left to himself: that if her father began to speak ever so mildly on the subject of Higgins’s thoughts, the latter would consider himself challenged to an argument, and would feel himself bound to maintain his own ground. She and her father kept up an indifferent conversation until Higgins, scarcely aware whether he ate or not, had made a very substantial meal. Then he pushed his chair away from the table, and tried to take an interest in what they were saying; but it was of no use; and he fell back into dreamy gloom. Suddenly, Margaret said (she had been thinking of it for some time, but the words had stuck in her throat), ‘Higgins, have you been to Marlborough Mills to seek for work?’

‘Thornton’s?’ asked he. ‘Ay, I’ve been at Thornton’s.’

‘And what did he say?’

‘Such a chap as me is not like to see the measter. Th’ o’erlooker bid me go and be d —— d.’

‘I wish you had seen Mr. Thornton,’ said Mr. Hale. ‘He might not have given you work, but he would not have used such language.’

‘As to th’ language, I’m welly used to it; it dunnot matter to me. I’m not nesh mysel’ when I’m put out. It were th’ fact that I were na wanted theer, no more nor ony other place, as I minded.’

‘But I wish you had seen Mr. Thornton,’ repeated Margaret. ‘Would you go again — it’s a good deal to ask, I know — but would you go tomorrow and try him? I should be so glad if you would.’

‘I’m afraid it would be of no use,’ said Mr. Hale, in a low voice. ‘It would be better to let me speak to him.’ Margaret still looked at Higgins for his answer. Those grave soft eyes of hers were difficult to resist. He gave a great sigh.

‘It would tax my pride above a bit; if it were for mysel’, I could stand a deal o’ clemming first; I’d sooner knock him down than ask a favour from him. I’d a deal sooner be flogged mysel’; but yo’re not a common wench, axing yo’r pardon, nor yet have yo’ common ways about yo’. I’ll e’en make a wry61 face, and go at it tomorrow. Dunna yo’ think that he’ll do it. That man has it in him to be burnt at the stake afore he’ll give in. I do it for yo’r sake, Miss Hale, and it’s first time in my life as e’er I give way to a woman. Neither my wife nor Bess could e’er say that much again me.’

‘All the more do I thank you,’ said Margaret, smiling. ‘Though I don’t believe you: I believe you have just given way to wife and daughter as much as most men.’

‘And as to Mr. Thornton,’ said Mr. Hale, ‘I’ll give you a note to him, which, I think I may venture to say, will ensure you a hearing.’

‘I thank yo’ kindly62, sir, but I’d as lief stand on my own bottom. I dunnot stomach the notion of having favour curried63 for me, by one as doesn’t know the ins and outs of the quarrel. Meddling64 ‘twixt master and man is liker meddling ‘twixt husband and wife than aught else: it takes a deal o’ wisdom for to do ony good. I’ll stand guard at the lodge65 door. I’ll stand there fro’ six in the morning till I get speech on him. But I’d liefer sweep th’ streets, if paupers66 had na’ got hold on that work. Dunna yo’ hope, miss. There’ll be more chance o’ getting milk out of a flint. I wish yo’ a very good night, and many thanks to yo’.’

‘You’ll find your shoe’s by the kitchen fire; I took them there to dry,’ said Margaret.

He turned round and looked at her steadily67, and then he brushed his lean hand across his eyes and went his way.

‘How proud that man is!’ said her father, who was a little annoyed at the manner in which Higgins had declined his intercession with Mr. Thornton.

‘He is,’ said Margaret; ‘but what grand makings of a man there are in him, pride and all.’

‘It’s amusing to see how he evidently respects the part in Mr. Thornton’s character which is like his own.’

‘There’s granite68 in all these northern people, papa, is there not?’

‘There was none in poor Boucher, I am afraid; none in his wife either.’

‘I should guess from their tones that they had Irish blood in them. I wonder what success he’ll have tomorrow. If he and Mr. Thornton would speak out together as man to man — if Higgins would forget that Mr. Thornton was a master, and speak to him as he does to us — and if Mr. Thornton would be patient enough to listen to him with his human heart, not with his master’s ears —’

‘You are getting to do Mr. Thornton justice at last, Margaret,’ said her father, pinching her ear.

Margaret had a strange choking at her heart, which made her unable to answer. ‘Oh!’ thought she, ‘I wish I were a man, that I could go and force him to express his disapprobation, and tell him honestly that I knew I deserved it. It seems hard to lose him as a friend just when I had begun to feel his value. How tender he was with dear mamma! If it were only for her sake, I wish he would come, and then at least I should know how much I was abased69 in his eyes.’

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 scythe GDez1     
n. 长柄的大镰刀,战车镰; v. 以大镰刀割
参考例句:
  • He's cutting grass with a scythe.他正在用一把大镰刀割草。
  • Two men were attempting to scythe the long grass.两个人正试图割掉疯长的草。
2 mow c6SzC     
v.割(草、麦等),扫射,皱眉;n.草堆,谷物堆
参考例句:
  • He hired a man to mow the lawn.他雇人割草。
  • We shall have to mow down the tall grass in the big field.我们得把大田里的高草割掉。
3 flail hgNzc     
v.用连枷打;击打;n.连枷(脱粒用的工具)
参考例句:
  • No fence against flail.飞来横祸不胜防。
  • His arms were flailing in all directions.他的手臂胡乱挥舞着。
4 ply DOqxa     
v.(搬运工等)等候顾客,弯曲
参考例句:
  • Taxis licensed to ply for hire at the railway station.许可计程车在火车站候客。
  • Ferryboats ply across the English Channel.渡船定期往返于英吉利海峡。
5 rugged yXVxX     
adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的
参考例句:
  • Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
  • The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。
6 hood ddwzJ     
n.头巾,兜帽,覆盖;v.罩上,以头巾覆盖
参考例句:
  • She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
  • The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。
7 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
8 stammering 232ca7f6dbf756abab168ca65627c748     
v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He betrayed nervousness by stammering. 他说话结结巴巴说明他胆子小。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"Why,\" he said, actually stammering, \"how do you do?\" “哎呀,\"他说,真的有些结结巴巴,\"你好啊?” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
9 invalid V4Oxh     
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的
参考例句:
  • He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
  • A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
10 torpid hq2yQ     
adj.麻痹的,麻木的,迟钝的
参考例句:
  • He just walked and his mind drifted slowly like a torpid stream.他只是埋头走,脑袋里思想都凝滞了,有如一汪流不动的溪水。
  • Even when he was awake he was completely torpid.他醒着的时候也完全麻木不动。
11 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦
参考例句:
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
12 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
13 specially Hviwq     
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地
参考例句:
  • They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
  • The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。
14 prostrate 7iSyH     
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的
参考例句:
  • She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。
  • The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。
15 inveterate q4ox5     
adj.积习已深的,根深蒂固的
参考例句:
  • Hitler was not only an avid reader but also an inveterate underliner.希特勒不仅酷爱读书,还有写写划划的习惯。
  • It is hard for an inveterate smoker to give up tobacco.要一位有多年烟瘾的烟民戒烟是困难的。
16 apprehension bNayw     
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑
参考例句:
  • There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑,于是她越来越担心。
  • She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。
17 withdrawn eeczDJ     
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出
参考例句:
  • Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
  • All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。
18 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
19 unreasonableness aaf24ac6951e9ffb6e469abb174697de     
无理性; 横逆
参考例句:
  • Figure out the unreasonableness and extend the recommendation of improvement. 对发现的不合理性,提供改进建议。
  • I'd ignore every one of them now, embrace every quirk or unreasonableness to have him back. 现在,对这些事情,我情愿都视而不见,情愿接受他的每一个借口或由着他不讲道理,只要他能回来。
20 bustle esazC     
v.喧扰地忙乱,匆忙,奔忙;n.忙碌;喧闹
参考例句:
  • The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深,喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
  • There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。
21 confinement qpOze     
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限
参考例句:
  • He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
  • The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。
22 stagnant iGgzj     
adj.不流动的,停滞的,不景气的
参考例句:
  • Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少,工业生产一直停滞不前。
  • Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。
23 dweller cuLzQz     
n.居住者,住客
参考例句:
  • Both city and town dweller should pay tax.城镇居民都需要纳税。
  • The city dweller never experiences anxieties of this sort.城市居民从未经历过这种担忧。
24 tempts 7d09cc10124deb357a618cdb6c63cdd6     
v.引诱或怂恿(某人)干不正当的事( tempt的第三人称单数 );使想要
参考例句:
  • It tempts the eye to dream. 这种景象会使眼睛产生幻觉。 来自辞典例句
  • This is the tidbit which tempts his insectivorous fate. 就是这一点东西引诱它残杀昆虫。 来自互联网
25 revel yBezQ     
vi.狂欢作乐,陶醉;n.作乐,狂欢
参考例句:
  • She seems to revel in annoying her parents.她似乎以惹父母生气为乐。
  • The children revel in country life.孩子们特别喜欢乡村生活。
26 pungency USJxj     
n.(气味等的)刺激性;辣;(言语等的)辛辣;尖刻
参考例句:
  • I'd also like some pungency wings for appetizer. 我想要在餐前来点辣鸡翅。 来自辞典例句
  • He commented with typical pungency. 他评论时带着典型的讽刺口气。 来自互联网
27 attainment Dv3zY     
n.达到,到达;[常pl.]成就,造诣
参考例句:
  • We congratulated her upon her attainment to so great an age.我们祝贺她高寿。
  • The attainment of the success is not easy.成功的取得并不容易。
28 cowardice norzB     
n.胆小,怯懦
参考例句:
  • His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。
  • His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。
29 mutual eFOxC     
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的
参考例句:
  • We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
  • Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。
30 recollected 38b448634cd20e21c8e5752d2b820002     
adj.冷静的;镇定的;被回忆起的;沉思默想的v.记起,想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I recollected that she had red hair. 我记得她有一头红发。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • His efforts, the Duke recollected many years later, were distinctly half-hearted. 据公爵许多年之后的回忆,他当时明显只是敷衍了事。 来自辞典例句
31 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
32 disdain KltzA     
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑
参考例句:
  • Some people disdain labour.有些人轻视劳动。
  • A great man should disdain flatterers.伟大的人物应鄙视献媚者。
33 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
34 folly QgOzL     
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话
参考例句:
  • Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
  • Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。
35 transparent Smhwx     
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的
参考例句:
  • The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明,可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
  • The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。
36 chivalric 343dd3459ba6ad51d93d5247ae9dc0bb     
有武士气概的,有武士风范的
参考例句:
37 Christian KVByl     
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
参考例句:
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
38 sate 2CszL     
v.使充分满足
参考例句:
  • Nothing could sate the careerist's greed for power.什么也满足不了这个野心家的权力欲。
  • I am sate with opera after listening to it for a whole weekend.听了整整一个周末的歌剧,我觉得腻了。
39 humiliated 97211aab9c3dcd4f7c74e1101d555362     
感到羞愧的
参考例句:
  • Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当,父母也失体面。
  • He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻,丢尽了面子。
40 relinquished 2d789d1995a6a7f21bb35f6fc8d61c5d     
交出,让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 ); 放弃
参考例句:
  • She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。
  • The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。
41 speculations da17a00acfa088f5ac0adab7a30990eb     
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 );思考;投机活动;推断
参考例句:
  • Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》
42 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
43 attentively AyQzjz     
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神
参考例句:
  • She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时,她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着,把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
44 fatigue PhVzV     
n.疲劳,劳累
参考例句:
  • The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
  • I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。
45 subdued 76419335ce506a486af8913f13b8981d     
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:
  • He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
  • I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候,我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。
46 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
47 touchy PJfz6     
adj.易怒的;棘手的
参考例句:
  • Be careful what you say because he's touchy.你说话小心,因为他容易生气。
  • He's a little touchy about his weight.他对自己的体重感到有点儿苦恼。
48 irritable LRuzn     
adj.急躁的;过敏的;易怒的
参考例句:
  • He gets irritable when he's got toothache.他牙一疼就很容易发脾气。
  • Our teacher is an irritable old lady.She gets angry easily.我们的老师是位脾气急躁的老太太。她很容易生气。
49 assent Hv6zL     
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可
参考例句:
  • I cannot assent to what you ask.我不能应允你的要求。
  • The new bill passed by Parliament has received Royal Assent.议会所通过的新方案已获国王批准。
50 agitation TN0zi     
n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动
参考例句:
  • Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
  • These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。
51 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
52 hamper oyGyk     
vt.妨碍,束缚,限制;n.(有盖的)大篮子
参考例句:
  • There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
  • The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。
53 rheumatism hDnyl     
n.风湿病
参考例句:
  • The damp weather plays the very devil with my rheumatism.潮湿的天气加重了我的风湿病。
  • The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
54 nought gHGx3     
n./adj.无,零
参考例句:
  • We must bring their schemes to nought.我们必须使他们的阴谋彻底破产。
  • One minus one leaves nought.一减一等于零。
55 rust XYIxu     
n.锈;v.生锈;(脑子)衰退
参考例句:
  • She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。
  • The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。
56 solitude xF9yw     
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句:
  • People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
  • They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。
57 toil WJezp     
vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事
参考例句:
  • The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
  • Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。
58 plentiful r2izH     
adj.富裕的,丰富的
参考例句:
  • Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
  • Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。
59 fretting fretting     
n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的
参考例句:
  • Fretting about it won't help. 苦恼于事无补。
  • The old lady is always fretting over something unimportant. 那位老妇人总是为一些小事焦虑不安。
60 renouncing 377770b8c6f521d1e519852f601d42f7     
v.声明放弃( renounce的现在分词 );宣布放弃;宣布与…决裂;宣布摒弃
参考例句:
  • He enraged the government by renouncing the agreement. 他否认那项协议,从而激怒了政府。 来自辞典例句
  • What do you get for renouncing Taiwan and embracing Beijing instead? 抛弃台湾,并转而拥抱北京之后,你会得到什么? 来自互联网
61 wry hMQzK     
adj.讽刺的;扭曲的
参考例句:
  • He made a wry face and attempted to wash the taste away with coffee.他做了个鬼脸,打算用咖啡把那怪味地冲下去。
  • Bethune released Tung's horse and made a wry mouth.白求恩放开了董的马,噘了噘嘴。
62 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
63 curried 359c0f70c2fd9dd3cd8145ea5ee03f37     
adj.加了咖喱(或咖喱粉的),用咖哩粉调理的
参考例句:
  • She curried favor with the leader by contemptible means. 她用卑鄙的手段博取领导的欢心。 来自互联网
  • Fresh ham, curried beef? 鲜火腿?咖喱牛肉? 来自互联网
64 meddling meddling     
v.干涉,干预(他人事务)( meddle的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切“干预”促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
  • They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野,因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句
65 lodge q8nzj     
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆
参考例句:
  • Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗?
  • I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。
66 paupers 4c4c583df03d9b7a0e9ba5a2f5e9864f     
n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 );贫民;贫穷
参考例句:
  • The garment is expensive, paupers like you could never afford it! 这件衣服很贵,你这穷鬼根本买不起! 来自互联网
  • Child-friendliest among the paupers were Burkina Faso and Malawi. 布基纳法索,马拉维,这俩贫穷国家儿童友善工作做得不错。 来自互联网
67 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
68 granite Kyqyu     
adj.花岗岩,花岗石
参考例句:
  • They squared a block of granite.他们把一块花岗岩加工成四方形。
  • The granite overlies the older rocks.花岗岩躺在磨损的岩石上面。
69 abased 931ad90519e026728bcd37308549d5ff     
使谦卑( abase的过去式和过去分词 ); 使感到羞耻; 使降低(地位、身份等); 降下
参考例句:
  • His moral force was abased into more than childish weakness. 他的精神力量已经衰颓,低得不如孩子。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
  • He is self-abased because of unluck he meets with. 他因遭不幸而自卑。


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