Isabel did more for Fanny than telling her to cheer up. Everything that Fanny inherited from her father, old Aleck Minafer, had been invested in Wilbur's business; and Wilbur's business, after a period of illness corresponding in dates to the illness of Wilbur's body, had died just before Wilbur did. George Amberson and Fanny were both "wiped out to a miracle of precision," as Amberson said. They "owned not a penny and owed not a penny," he continued, explaining his phrase. "It's like the moment just before drowning: you're not under water and you're not out of it. All you know is that you're not dead yet." He
spoke1 philosophically3, having his "
prospects4" from his father to fall back upon; but Fanny had neither "prospects" nor philosophy. However, a legal survey of Wilbur's estate revealed the fact that his life insurance was left clear of the
wreck5; and Isabel, with the cheerful consent of her son,
promptly6 turned this
salvage7 over to her sister-in-law. Invested, it would yield something better than nine hundred dollars a year, and thus she was assured of becoming neither a
pauper8 nor a dependent, but proved to be, as Amberson said, adding his efforts to the cheering up of Fanny, "an heiress, after all, in spite of rolling mills and the devil." She was unable to smile, and he continued his
humane9 gayeties. "See what a wonderfully desirable income nine hundred dollars is, Fanny: a bachelor, to be in your class, must have exactly forty-nine thousand one hundred a year. Then, you see, all you need to do, in order to have fifty thousand a year, is to be a little encouraging when some bachelor in your class begins to show by his haberdashery what he wants you to think about him!" She looked at him
wanly10, murmured a
desolate11 response—she had "sewing to do"—and left the room; while Amberson shook his head ruefully at his sister. "I've often thought that humor was not my forte," he sighed. "Lord! She doesn't 'cheer up' much!" The collegian did not return to his home for the holidays. Instead, Isabel joined him, and they went South for the two weeks. She was proud of her stalwart, good-looking son at the hotel where they stayed, and it was meat and drink to her when she saw how people stared at him in the lobby and on the big verandas—indeed, her vanity in him was so
dominant12 that she was
unaware13 of their staring at her with more interest and an
admiration14 friendlier than George
evoked15. Happy to have him to herself for this fortnight, she loved to walk with him, leaning upon his arm, to read with him, to watch the sea with him—perhaps most of all she liked to enter the big dining room with him. Yet both of them felt constantly the difference between this Christmastime and other Christmas-times of theirs—in all, it was a sorrowful holiday. But when Isabel came East for George's commencement, in June, she brought Lucy with her—and things began to seem different, especially when George Amberson arrived with Lucy's father on Class Day. Eugene had been in New York, on business; Amberson easily persuaded him to this outing; and they made a cheerful party of it, with the new graduate of course the hero and center of it all. His uncle was a fellow alumnus. "Yonder was where I roomed when I was here," he said, pointing out one of the university buildings to Eugene. "I don't know whether George would let my admirers place a tablet to mark the spot, or not. He owns all these buildings now, you know." "Didn't you, when you were here? Like uncle, like nephew." "Don't tell George you think he's like me. Just at this time we should be careful of the young gentleman's feelings." "Yes," said Eugene. "If we weren't he mightn't let us exist at all." "I'm sure I didn't have it so badly at his age," Amberson said reflectively, as they strolled on through the commencement crowd. "For one thing, I had brothers and sisters, and my mother didn't just sit at my feet as George's does; and I wasn't an only grandchild, either. Father's always spoiled Georgie a lot more than he did any of his own' children." Eugene laughed. "You need only three things to explain all that's good and bad about Georgie." "Three?" "He's Isabel's only child. He's an Amberson. He's a boy." "Well, Mister Bones, of these three things which are the good ones and which are the bad ones?" "All of them," said Eugene. It happened that just then they came in sight of the subject of their
discourse16. George was walking under the elms with Lucy, swinging a stick and pointing out to her various objects and localities which had
attained17 historical value during the last four years. The two older men marked his gestures, careless and
graceful18; they observed his attitude, unconsciously noble, his easy
proprietorship20 of the ground beneath his feet and round about, of the branches overhead, of the old buildings beyond, and of Lucy. "I don't know," Eugene said, smiling whimsically. "I don't know. When I spoke of his being a human being—I don't know. Perhaps it's more like
deity22." "I wonder if I was like that!" 'Amberson
groaned23.' "You don't suppose every Amberson has had to go through it, do you?" "Don't worry! At least half of it is a combination of youth, good looks, and college; and even the noblest Ambersons get over their nobility and come to, be people in time. It takes more than time, though." "I should say it did take more than time!" his friend agreed, shaking a rueful head. Then they walked over to join the loveliest Amberson, whom neither time nor trouble seemed to have touched. She stood alone, thoughtful under the great trees, chaperoning George and Lucy at a distance; but, seeing the two friends approaching, she came to meet them. "It's charming, isn't it!" she said, moving her black-gloved hand to indicate the summery dressed crowd strolling about them, or clustering in groups, each with its own hero. "They seem so eager and so confident, all these boys—it's
touching24. But of course youth doesn't know it's touching." Amberson coughed. "No, it doesn't seem to take itself as pathetic,
precisely25! Eugene and I were just speaking of something like that. Do you know what I think whenever I see these smooth, triumphal young faces? I always think: 'Oh, how you're going to catch it'!" "George!" "Oh, yes," he said. "Life's most ingenious: it's got a special walloping for every mother's son of 'em!" "Maybe," said Isabel, troubled—"maybe some of the mothers can take the walloping for them." "Not one!" her brother assured her, with emphasis. "Not any more than she can take on her own face the lines that are bound to come on her son's. I suppose you know that all these young faces have got to get lines on 'em?" "Maybe they won't," she said, smiling wistfully. "Maybe times will change, and nobody will have to wear lines." "Times have changed like that for only one person that I know," Eugene said. And as Isabel looked inquiring, he laughed, and she saw that she was the "only one person." His implication was
justified26, moreover, and she knew it. She blushed charmingly. "Which is it puts the lines on the faces?" Amberson asked. "Is it age or trouble? Of course we can't decide that wisdom does it—we must be polite to Isabel." "I'll tell you what puts the lines there," Eugene said. "Age puts some, and trouble puts some, and work puts some, but the deepest are carved by lack of faith. The
serenest27 brow is the one that believes the most." "In what?" Isabel asked gently. "In everything!" She looked at him inquiringly, and he laughed as he had a moment before, when she looked at him that way. "Oh, yes, you do!" he said. She continued to look at him inquiringly a moment or two longer, and there was an unconscious earnestness in her glance, something trustful as well as inquiring, as if she knew that whatever he meant it was all right. Then her eyes
drooped28 thoughtfully, and she seemed to address some
inquiries29 to herself. She looked up suddenly. "Why, I believe," she said, in a tone of surprise, "I believe I do!" And at that both men laughed. "Isabel!" her brother exclaimed. "You're a foolish person! There are times when you look exactly fourteen years old!" But this reminded her of her real affair in that part of the world. "Good gracious!" she said. "Where have the children got to? We must take Lucy pretty soon, so that George can go and sit with the Class. We must catch up with them." She took her brother's arm, and the three moved on, looking about them in the crowd. "Curious," Amberson remarked, as they did not immediately discover the young people they sought. "Even in such a concourse one would think we couldn't fail to see the
proprietor19." "Several hundred
proprietors21 today," Eugene suggested. "No; they're only proprietors of the university," said George's uncle. "We're looking for the proprietor of the universe." "There he is!" cried Isabel fondly, not minding this
satire30 at all. "And doesn't he look it!" Her escorts were still laughing at her when they joined the proprietor of the universe and his pretty friend, and though both Amberson and Eugene declined to explain the cause of their mirth, even upon Lucy's urgent request, the
portents31 of the day were
amiable32, and the five made a happy party—that is to say, four of them made a happy audience for the fifth, and the mood of this fifth was gracious and cheerful. George took no
conspicuous33 part in either the academic or the social celebrations of his class; he seemed to regard both sets of exercises with a tolerant amusement, his own "crowd" "not going in much for either of those sorts of things," as he explained to Lucy. What his crowd had gone in for remained ambiguous; some
negligent34 testimony35 indicating that, except for an astonishing
reliability36 which they all seemed to have attained in matters relating to musical comedy, they had not gone in for anything. Certainly the question one of them put to Lucy, in response to
investigations37 of hers, seemed to point that way: "Don't you think," he said, "really, don't you think that being things is rather better than doing things?" He said "rahthuh bettuh" for "rather better," and seemed to do it
deliberately38, with perfect knowledge of what he was doing. Later, Lucy mocked him to George, and George refused to smile: he somewhat inclined to such pronunciations, himself. This
inclination39 was one of the things that he had acquired in the four years. What else he had acquired, it might have puzzled him to state, had anybody asked him and required a direct reply within a reasonable space of time. He had learned how to pass examinations by "cramming"; that is, in three or four days and nights he could get into his head enough of a selected fragment of some scientific or
philosophical2 or literary or
linguistic40 subject to reply
plausibly41 to six questions out of ten. He could retain the information necessary for such a
feat42 just long enough to give a successful performance; then it would evaporate
utterly43 from his brain, and leave him undisturbed. George, like his "crowd," not only preferred "being things" to "doing things," but had
contented44 himself with four years of "being things" as a preparation for going on "being things." And when Lucy rather shyly pressed him for his friend's probable definition of the "things" it seemed so superior and beautiful to be, George raised his
eyebrows45 slightly, meaning that she should have understood without explanation; but he did explain: "Oh, family and all that—being a gentleman, I suppose." Lucy gave the horizon a long look, but offered no comment.
点击
收听单词发音
|
1
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： |
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
|
|
2
philosophical
|
|
| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 |
参考例句： |
- The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
- She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。
|
|
3
philosophically
|
|
| adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地 |
参考例句： |
- He added philosophically that one should adapt oneself to the changed conditions. 他富于哲理地补充说，一个人应该适应变化了的情况。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Harry took his rejection philosophically. 哈里达观地看待自己被拒的事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
|
|
4
prospects
|
|
| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) |
参考例句： |
- There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
- They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
|
|
5
wreck
|
|
| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 |
参考例句： |
- Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
- No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。
|
|
6
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 |
参考例句： |
- He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
- She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
|
|
7
salvage
|
|
| v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救 |
参考例句： |
- All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
- The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。
|
|
8
pauper
|
|
| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 |
参考例句： |
- You lived like a pauper when you had plenty of money.你有大把钱的时候，也活得像个乞丐。
- If you work conscientiously you'll only die a pauper.你按部就班地干，做到老也是穷死。
|
|
9
humane
|
|
| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 |
参考例句： |
- Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
- Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。
|
|
10
wanly
|
|
| adv.虚弱地；苍白地，无血色地 |
参考例句： |
- She was smiling wanly. 她苍白无力地笑着。 来自互联网
|
|
11
desolate
|
|
| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 |
参考例句： |
- The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
- We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。
|
|
12
dominant
|
|
| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 |
参考例句： |
- The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
- She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。
|
|
13
unaware
|
|
| a.不知道的，未意识到的 |
参考例句： |
- They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
- I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。
|
|
14
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 |
参考例句： |
- He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
- We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
|
|
15
evoked
|
|
| [医]诱发的 |
参考例句： |
- The music evoked memories of her youth. 这乐曲勾起了她对青年时代的回忆。
- Her face, though sad, still evoked a feeling of serenity. 她的脸色虽然悲伤，但仍使人感觉安详。
|
|
16
discourse
|
|
| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 |
参考例句： |
- We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
- He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。
|
|
17
attained
|
|
| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） |
参考例句： |
- She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
- Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。
|
|
18
graceful
|
|
| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 |
参考例句： |
- His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
- The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
|
|
19
proprietor
|
|
| n.所有人；业主；经营者 |
参考例句： |
- The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
- The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。
|
|
20
proprietorship
|
|
| n.所有（权）；所有权 |
参考例句： |
- A sole proprietorship ends with the incapacity or death of the owner. 当业主无力经营或死亡的时候，这家个体企业也就宣告结束。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
- This company has a proprietorship of the copyright. 这家公司拥有版权所有权。 来自辞典例句
|
|
21
proprietors
|
|
| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- These little proprietors of businesses are lords indeed on their own ground. 这些小业主们，在他们自己的行当中，就是真正的至高无上的统治者。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
- Many proprietors try to furnish their hotels with antiques. 许多经营者都想用古董装饰他们的酒店。 来自辞典例句
|
|
22
deity
|
|
| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) |
参考例句： |
- Many animals were seen as the manifestation of a deity.许多动物被看作神的化身。
- The deity was hidden in the deepest recesses of the temple.神藏在庙宇壁龛的最深处。
|
|
23
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 |
参考例句： |
- He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
- The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
|
|
24
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 |
参考例句： |
- It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
- His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
|
|
25
precisely
|
|
| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 |
参考例句： |
- It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
- The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
|
|
26
justified
|
|
| a.正当的，有理的 |
参考例句： |
- She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
- The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。
|
|
27
serenest
|
|
| serene（沉静的，宁静的，安宁的）的最高级形式 |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
28
drooped
|
|
| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。
- The flowers drooped in the heat of the sun. 花儿晒蔫了。
|
|
29
inquiries
|
|
| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 |
参考例句： |
- He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
- I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
|
|
30
satire
|
|
| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 |
参考例句： |
- The movie is a clever satire on the advertising industry.那部影片是关于广告业的一部巧妙的讽刺作品。
- Satire is often a form of protest against injustice.讽刺往往是一种对不公正的抗议形式。
|
|
31
portents
|
|
| n.预兆( portent的名词复数 )；征兆；怪事；奇物 |
参考例句： |
- But even with this extra support, labour-market portents still look grim. 但是即使采取了额外支持措施，劳动力市场依然阴霾密布。 来自互联网
- So the hiccups are worth noting as portents. 因此这些问题作为不好的征兆而值得关注。 来自互联网
|
|
32
amiable
|
|
| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 |
参考例句： |
- She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。
- We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。
|
|
33
conspicuous
|
|
| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 |
参考例句： |
- It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。
- Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。
|
|
34
negligent
|
|
| adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的 |
参考例句： |
- The committee heard that he had been negligent in his duty.委员会听说他玩忽职守。
- If the government is proved negligent,compensation will be payable.如果证明是政府的疏忽，就应支付赔偿。
|
|
35
testimony
|
|
| n.证词；见证，证明 |
参考例句： |
- The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
- He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。
|
|
36
reliability
|
|
| n.可靠性，确实性 |
参考例句： |
- We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。
- I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。
|
|
37
investigations
|
|
| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 |
参考例句： |
- His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
- He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。
|
|
38
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 |
参考例句： |
- The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
- They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。
|
|
39
inclination
|
|
| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 |
参考例句： |
- She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
- I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。
|
|
40
linguistic
|
|
| adj.语言的，语言学的 |
参考例句： |
- She is pursuing her linguistic researches.她在从事语言学的研究。
- The ability to write is a supreme test of linguistic competence.写作能力是对语言能力的最高形式的测试。
|
|
41
plausibly
|
|
| 似真地 |
参考例句： |
- The case was presented very plausibly. 案情的申述似很可信。
- He argued very plausibly for its acceptance. 他为使之认可辩解得头头是道。
|
|
42
feat
|
|
| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 |
参考例句： |
- Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
- He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。
|
|
43
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 |
参考例句： |
- Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
- I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
|
|
44
contented
|
|
| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 |
参考例句： |
- He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
- The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。
|
|
45
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
- His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
|
