Lady Annabel observed to her that she wished no such thing, but she desired that Pauncefort would make no more observations on the subject, either to her or to any one else. And then Pauncefort bade her ladyship good night in a huff, catching28 up her candle with a rather impertinent jerk, and gently slamming the door, as if she had meant to close it quietly, only it had escaped out of her fingers.
Whatever might be the tone, whether of surprise or displeasure, which Lady Annabel thought fit to assume to her attendant on her noticing Lord Cadurcis’ attentions to her daughter, there is no doubt that his conduct had early and long engaged her ladyship’s remark, her consideration, and her approval. Without meditating29 indeed an immediate30 union between Cadurcis and Venetia, Lady Annabel pleased herself with the prospect31 of her daughter’s eventual32 marriage with one whom she had known so early and so intimately; who was by nature of a gentle, sincere, and affectionate disposition33, and in whom education had carefully instilled34 the most sound and laudable principles and opinions; one apparently35 with simple tastes, moderate desires, fair talents, a mind intelligent, if not brilliant, and passions which at the worst had been rather ill-regulated than violent; attached also to Venetia from her childhood, and always visibly affected36 by her influence. All these moral considerations seemed to offer a fair security for happiness; and the material ones were neither less promising37, nor altogether disregarded by the mother. It was an union which would join broad lands and fair estates; which would place on the brow of her daughter one of the most ancient coronets in England; and, which indeed was the chief of these considerations, would, without exposing Venetia to that contaminating contact with the world from which Lady Annabel recoiled38, establish her, without this initiatory39 and sorrowful experience, in a position superior to which even the blood of the Herberts, though it might flow in so fair and gifted a form as that of Venetia, need not aspire40.
Lord Cadurcis had not returned to Cherbury a week before this scheme entered into the head of Lady Annabel. She had always liked him; had always given him credit for good qualities; had always believed that his early defects were the consequence of his mother’s injudicious treatment; and that at heart he was an amiable41, generous, and trustworthy being, one who might be depended on, with a naturally good judgment42, and substantial and sufficient talents, which only required cultivation43. When she met him again after so long an interval44, and found her early prognostics so fairly, so completely fulfilled, and watched his conduct and conversation, exhibiting alike a well-informed mind, an obliging temper, and, what Lady Annabel valued even above all gifts and blessings45, a profound conviction of the truth of all her own opinions, moral, political, and religious, she was quite charmed; she was moved to unusual animation46; she grew excited in his praise; his presence delighted her; she entertained for him the warmest affection, and reposed47 in him unbounded confidence. All her hopes became concentred in the wish of seeing him her son-in-law; and she detected with lively satisfaction the immediate impression which Venetia had made upon his heart; for indeed it should not be forgotten, that although Lady Annabel was still young, and although her frame and temperament48 were alike promising of a long life, it was natural, when she reflected upon the otherwise lone49 condition of her daughter, that she should tremble at the thought of quitting this world without leaving her child a protector. To Doctor Masham, from whom Lady Annabel had no secrets, she confided50 in time these happy but covert51 hopes, and he was not less anxious than herself for their fulfilment. Since the return of Cadurcis the Doctor contrived52 to be a more frequent visitor at the hall than usual, and he lost no opportunity of silently advancing the object of his friend.
As for Cadurcis himself, it was impossible for him not quickly to discover that no obstacle to his heart’s dearest wish would arise on the part of the parent. The demeanour of the daughter somewhat more perplexed53 him. Venetia indeed had entirely fallen into her old habits of intimacy and frankness with Plantagenet; she was as affectionate and as unembarrassed as in former days, and almost as gay; for his presence and companionship had in a great degree insensibly removed that stillness and gravity which had gradually influenced her mind and conduct. But in that conduct there was, and he observed it with some degree of mortification54, a total absence of the consciousness of being the object of the passionate55 admiration56 of another. She treated Lord Cadurcis as a brother she much loved, who had returned to his home after a long absence. She liked to listen to his conversation, to hear of his adventures, to consult over his plans. His arrival called a smile to her face, and his departure for the night was always alleviated57 by some allusion58 to their meeting on the morrow. But many an ardent59 gaze on the part of Cadurcis, and many a phrase of emotion, passed unnoticed and unappreciated. His gallantry was entirely thrown away, or, if observed, only occasioned a pretty stare at the unnecessary trouble he gave himself, or the strange ceremony which she supposed an acquaintance with society had taught him. Cadurcis attributed this reception of his veiled and delicate overtures60 to her ignorance of the world; and though he sighed for as passionate a return to his strong feelings as the sentiments which animated61 himself, he was on the whole not displeased62, but rather interested, by these indications of a pure and unsophisticated spirit.

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1
habitual
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adj.习惯性的;通常的,惯常的 | |
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2
inmate
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n.被收容者;(房屋等的)居住人;住院人 | |
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lark
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n.云雀,百灵鸟;n.嬉戏,玩笑;vi.嬉戏 | |
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4
inmates
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n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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emancipation
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n.(从束缚、支配下)解放 | |
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annoyances
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n.恼怒( annoyance的名词复数 );烦恼;打扰;使人烦恼的事 | |
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glided
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v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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8
entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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conceal
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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homage
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n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬 | |
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utterly
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adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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12
intimacy
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n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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13
Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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vigilant
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adj.警觉的,警戒的,警惕的 | |
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sleepless
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adj.不睡眠的,睡不著的,不休息的 | |
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scrutiny
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n.详细检查,仔细观察 | |
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17
participation
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n.参与,参加,分享 | |
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18
astonishment
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n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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19
pettish
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adj.易怒的,使性子的 | |
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20
agitation
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n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 | |
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21
mortified
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v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 );伤害(人的感情);克制;抑制(肉体、情感等) | |
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22
inquisitiveness
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好奇,求知欲 | |
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23
condescended
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屈尊,俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 ); 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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24
sneer
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v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
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25
remarkably
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ad.不同寻常地,相当地 | |
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displease
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vt.使不高兴,惹怒;n.不悦,不满,生气 | |
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27
chattering
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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 | |
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28
catching
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adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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29
meditating
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a.沉思的,冥想的 | |
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immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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31
prospect
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n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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eventual
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adj.最后的,结局的,最终的 | |
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disposition
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n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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34
instilled
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v.逐渐使某人获得(某种可取的品质),逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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affected
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adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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promising
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adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
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recoiled
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v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 );退缩;报应;返回 | |
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initiatory
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adj.开始的;创始的;入会的;入社的 | |
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aspire
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vi.(to,after)渴望,追求,有志于 | |
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41
amiable
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adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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42
judgment
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n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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43
cultivation
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n.耕作,培养,栽培(法),养成 | |
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44
interval
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n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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45
blessings
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n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
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46
animation
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n.活泼,兴奋,卡通片/动画片的制作 | |
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47
reposed
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v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
temperament
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n.气质,性格,性情 | |
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49
lone
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adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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50
confided
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v.吐露(秘密,心事等)( confide的过去式和过去分词 );(向某人)吐露(隐私、秘密等) | |
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51
covert
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adj.隐藏的;暗地里的 | |
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52
contrived
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adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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53
perplexed
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adj.不知所措的 | |
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54
mortification
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n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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55
passionate
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adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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56
admiration
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n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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57
alleviated
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减轻,缓解,缓和( alleviate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
allusion
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n.暗示,间接提示 | |
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59
ardent
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adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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60
overtures
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n.主动的表示,提议;(向某人做出的)友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 );(歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的)序曲,前奏曲 | |
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61
animated
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adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
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62
displeased
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a.不快的 | |
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