Algernon looked thoughtful and anxious, for full a quarter of an hour, as he pondered these things. But then he fell into a fit of laughter at the recollection of Lady Seely and Fido. "There is something very absurd about that old woman," said he to himself. "She is so impudent11! And why wear a wig12 at all, if a wig is to be such a one as hers? A turban or a skull-cap would do just as well to cover her head with. But then they wouldn't be half so funny. Fido is something like his mistress—nearly as fat, and with the same style of profile."
Then he set himself to draw a caricature representing Fido, attired13 after the fashion of Lady Seely, and became quite cheerful and buoyant over it.
In the interval14 between the day of his visit to the Seelys and the Thursday on which he was to dine with them, Algernon made one or two calls, and delivered a couple of letters of introduction, with which his Whitford friends had furnished him. One was from Dr. Bodkin to an old-fashioned solicitor15, who was reputed to be rich, but who lived in a very quiet way, in a very quiet square, and gave very quiet little dinners to a select few who could appreciate a really fine glass of port. The other letter was to a sister of young Mr. Pawkins, of Pudcombe Hall, married to the chief clerk of the Admiralty, who lived in a fashionable neighbourhood, and gave parties as fashionable as her visiting-list permitted, and by no means desired any special connoisseurship16 in wine on the part of her guests.
On the occasion of his first calls, Algernon found neither Mr. Leadbeater, the solicitor, nor Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs (that was the name of young Pawkins's sister) at home. So he left his letters and cards, and wandered about the streets in a rather forlorn way; for although it was his first visit to London, it was not possible for him to get much enjoyment18 out of the metropolis19, all alone. To him every place, even London, appeared in the light of a stage or background, whereon that supremely20 interesting personage, himself, might figure to more or less advantage. Now London is a big theatre. And although a big theatre full of spectators may be very exhilarating to the object of public attention who performs in it, a big theatre, practically barren of spectators—for, of course, the only real spectators are the spectators who look at us—is apt to oppress the mind with a sense of desertion. So he was very glad when Thursday evening came, and he found himself once more within the hall door of Lord Seely's house.
My lord was in the drawing-room alone, standing21 on the hearth-rug. He shook hands very kindly22 with Algernon, and bade him come near to the fire and warm himself, for the evening was cold.
"And what have you been doing with yourself, Mr. Errington?" asked Lord Seely.
"I have been chiefly employed to-day in losing myself and asking my way," answered Algernon, laughing. And then he began an account of his adventures, and absolutely surprised himself by the amount of fun and sparkle he contrived23 to elicit24 from the narration25 of circumstances which had been in fact dull and commonplace enough.
My lord was greatly amused, and once even laughed out loud at Algernon's imitation of an Irish apple-woman, who had misdirected him with the best intentions, and much calling down of blessings27 on his handsome face, in return for a silver sixpence.
"Capital!" said my lord, nodding his head up and down.
"The sixpence was badly invested, though," observed Algernon, "for she sent me about three miles out of my way."
"Ah, but the blarney! You forget the blessing26 and the blarney. Surely they were worth the money, eh?"
"No, my lord; not to me. I can't afford expensive luxuries."
Lady Seely, when she entered the room, gorgeous in pea-green satin, which singularly set off the somewhat pronounced tone of her rouge28, found Algy and my lord laughing together very merrily, and, as she gave her hand to her young relative, demanded to be informed what the joke was.
Now it has been said that Algernon was possessed of wonderfully rapid powers of perception, and by sundry29 signs, so slight that they would have entirely30 escaped most observers, this clever young gentleman perceived that my lady was not altogether delighted at finding her husband and himself on such easy and pleasant terms together. In fact, my lady, with all her blunt careless jollity of manner and pleasant mellow31 voice, was apt to be both jealous and suspicious. She was jealous of her ascendancy32 over Lord Seely, who was said by the ill-natured to be completely under his wife's thumb, and she was suspicious of most strangers—especially of strangers who might be expected to want anything of his lordship. And she usually assumed that such persons would endeavour to "come over" that nobleman, when he was apart from his wife's protecting influence. She had a general theory that "men might be humbugged into anything;" and a particular experience that Lord Seely, despite his stiff carriage and abrupt33 manner, was in truth far softer-natured than she was herself.
"That young scamp has been coming over Valentine with his jokes and his flummery," said my lady to herself. "He's an Ancram, every inch of him."
At that very moment Algernon was mentally declaring that the conquest of my lady would, after all, be a more difficult matter than that of my lord; but that, by some means or other, the conquest must be made, if any good was to come to him from the Seely connection. And a stream of easy chat flowed over these underlying35 intentions and hid them, except that here and there, perhaps, a bubble or an eddy36 told of rough places out of sight.
After some ten minutes of desultory37 talk, my lady was obliged to own to herself that the "young scamp" had a wonderfully good manner. Without a trace of servility, he was respectful; conveying, with perfect tact38, exactly the sort of homage39 that was graceful40 and becoming from a youth like himself to persons of the Seelys' age and position. Neither did he commit the error of becoming familiar, in response to Lady Seely's tone of familiarity, a pitfall41 which had before now entrapped42 the unwary. For my lady, whom Nature had created vulgar—having possibly, in the hurry of business, mistaken one kind of clay for another, and put some low person's mind into the fine porcelain43 of an undoubted Ancram—was fond of asserting her position in the world by a rough unceremoniousness in the first place, and a very wide-eyed arrogance44 in the second place, if such unceremoniousness chanced to be reciprocated45 by unauthorised persons.
"Do we wait for any one, Belinda?" asked Lord Seely.
"The Dormers are coming. They're such great musicians, you know. And I want Lady Harriet to hear this boy sing. And then there may be Jack46 Price, very likely."
"Very likely?" said my lord, raising his eyebrows47 and stiffening48 his back. "Doesn't Mr. Price do us the honour of saying positively49 whether he will come or not?"
"Oh, you know what Jack Price is. He says he'll come, and nine times out of ten he don't come; and then the tenth time he comes, and people have to put up with him."
My lord cleared his throat significantly, as who should say that he, at all events, did not feel inclined to put up with this system of tithes50 in the fulfilment of Mr. Jack Price's promises.
"If he comes," said Lady Seely, addressing Algernon, "you'll have to walk into dinner by yourself. I've only got one young lady; and, if Jack comes, he must have her."
"Where is Castalia?" asked my lord.
"Oh, I suppose she's dressing51. Castalia is always the slowest creature at her toilet I ever knew."
Algernon had read up the family genealogy52 in the "Peerage," under his mother's instructions, sufficiently53 to be aware that Lord and Lady Seely were childless, having lost their only son in a boating accident years ago. "Castalia," then, could not be a daughter of the house. Who was she? A young lady who was evidently at present living with the Seelys, whom they called by her Christian54 name, and who was habitually56 a long time at her toilet! Algernon felt a little agreeable excitement and curiosity on the subject of the tardy57 Castalia.
The door was thrown open. "Here she comes!" thought Algernon, settling his cravat58 as he threw a quick side glance at a mirror.
"General and Lady Harriet Dormer," announced the servant.
There entered a tall, elegant woman, leaning on the arm of a short, stout59, benevolent60-looking man in spectacles. To these personages Algernon was duly presented, being introduced, much to his gratification, by Lady Seely, as "A young cousin of mine, Mr. Ancram Errington, who has just come to town." Then, having made his bow to General Dormer, who smiled and shook hands with him, Algernon stood opposite to the graceful Lady Harriet, and was talked to very kindly and pleasantly, and felt extremely content with himself and his surroundings. Nevertheless he watched with some impatience61 for the appearance of "Castalia;" and forgot his usual self-possession so far as to turn his head, and break off in the middle of a sentence he was uttering to Lady Harriet, when he heard the door open again. But once more he was disappointed; for, this time, dinner was announced, and Lord Seely offered his arm to Lady Harriet and led the way out of the room.
"No Jack," said Lady Seely, as she passed out before Algernon. "And no Castalia!" said my lord over his shoulder, in a tone of vexation.
Algernon followed his seniors alone; but just as he got out on to the staircase there appeared a lady, leisurely62 descending63 from an upper floor, at whom Lord Seely looked up reproachfully.
"Late, late, Castalia!" said he, and shook his head solemnly.
"Oh no, Uncle Valentine; just in time," replied the lady.
"Castalia, take Ancram's arm, and do let us get to dinner before the soup is cold," said Lady Seely. "Give your arm to Miss Kilfinane, and come along." And her ladyship's pea-green satin swept downstairs after Lady Harriet's sober purple draperies. Algernon bowed, and offered his arm to the lady beside him; she placed her hand on it almost without looking at him, and they entered the dining-room without having exchanged a word.
The dining-room was better lighted than the staircase, and Algernon took an early opportunity of looking at his companion. She was not very young, being, in fact, nearly thirty, but looking older. Neither was she handsome. She was very thin, sallow, and sickly-looking, with a small round face, not wrinkled, but crumpled64, as it were, into queer, fretful lines. Her eyes were bright and well-shaped, but deeply sunken, and she had a great deal of thick, pale-brown hair, worn in huge bows and festoons on the top of her head, according to the extreme of the mode of that day. Her dress displayed more than it was judicious65 to display, in an ?sthetic point of view, of very lean shoulders, and was of a bright, soft, pink hue66, that would have been trying to the most blooming complexion67. Altogether, the Honourable68 Castalia Kilfinane's appearance was disappointing, and her manner was not so attractive as to make up for lack of beauty. Her face expressed a mixture of querulousness and hauteur69, and she spoke70 in a languid drawl, with strange peevish71 inflections.
"You and I ought to be some sort of relations to each other, oughtn't we?" said Algernon, having taken in all the above particulars in a series of rapid observations.
"Why?" returned the lady, without raising her eyes from her soup-plate.
"Because you are Lady Seely's niece and I am her cousin."
"Who says that I am Lady Seely's niece?"
"I thought," stammered72 Algernon—"I fancied—you called Lord Seely 'Uncle Valentine?'"
Even his equanimity73, and a certain glow of complacency he felt at finding himself where he was, were a little disturbed by Miss Castalia's freezing manner.
"I am Lord Seely's niece," returned she.
Then, after a little pause, having finished her soup, she leaned back in her chair and stared at Algernon, who pretended—not quite successfully—to be unconscious of her scrutiny75. Apparently76, the result of it was favourable77 to Algernon; for the lady's manner thawed78 perceptibly, and she began to talk to him. She had evidently heard of him from Lady Seely, and understood the exact degree of his relationship to that great lady.
"Did you ever meet the Dormers before?" asked Miss Kilfinane.
"Never. How should I? You know I am the merest country mouse. I never was in London in my life, until last Friday."
"Oh, but the Dormers don't live in town. Indeed, they are here very seldom. You might have met them; their place is in the West of England."
Algernon, after a rapid balancing of pros80 and cons74, resolved to be absolutely candid7. With his brightest smile and most arched eyebrows, he began to give Miss Kilfinane an almost unvarnished description of his life at Whitford. Almost unvarnished; but it is no more easy to tell the simple truth only occasionally, than it is to stand quite upright only occasionally. Mind and muscles will fall back to their habitual55 posture81. So that it may be doubted whether Miss Kilfinane received an accurate notion of the precise degree of poverty and obscurity in which the young man who was speaking to her had hitherto lived.
"And so," said she, "you have come to London to——"
"To seek my fortune," said Algernon merrily. "It is the proper and correct beginning to a story. And I think I have had a piece of good luck at the very outset by way of a good omen34."
Miss Kilfinane opened her eyes interrogatively, but said nothing.
"I think it was a piece of luck for me," continued Algernon, emboldened82 by having secured the scornful lady's attention, and perhaps a little also by the wine he had drunk, "a great piece of good luck that Mr. Jack Price, whoever he may be, did not turn up this evening."
"Why?"
"Because, if he had, I should not have been allowed the honour of bringing you in to dinner."
"Oh yes! I should have had to go in with Jack, I suppose," answered the lady with a little smile.
"Please, Miss Kilfinane, who is Jack Price? I do so want to know!"
"Jack Price is Lord Mullingar's son."
"But what is he? And why do people want to have him so much, that they put up with his disappointing them nine times out of ten?"
"As to what he is—well, he was in the Guards, and he gave that up. Then they got him a place somewhere—in Africa, or South America, or somewhere—and he gave that up. Then he got the notion that he would be a farmer in Canada, and went out with an axe83 to cut down the trees, and a plough to plough the ground afterwards, and he gave that up. Now he does nothing particular."
"And has he found his vocation84 at last?"
"I don't know, I'm sure," said Miss Kilfinane, languidly. Her power of perceiving a joke was very limited.
"Thanks. Now I know all about Mr. Price; except—except why everybody wants to invite him."
"That I really cannot tell you."
"Then you don't share the general enthusiasm about him?"
"I don't know that there is any general enthusiasm. Only, of course—don't you know how it is?—people have got into the way of putting up with him, and letting him do as he likes."
"He's a very fortunate young man, I should say."
"Young man!" Miss Kilfinane laughed a hard little laugh. "Why Jack Price is ever so old!"
"Ever so old, is he?" echoed Algernon, genuinely surprised.
"He must be turned forty," said the fair Castalia, rising in obedience85 to a look from Lady Seely. And if she had been but fifteen herself, she could not have said it with a more infantine air.
After the ladies had withdrawn86, Algernon had to sit for about twenty minutes in the shade, as it were, silent, and listening with modesty87 and discretion88 to the conversation of his seniors. Had they talked politics, Algernon would have been able to throw in a word or two; but Lord Seely and his guest talked, not of principles or party, but of persons. The persons talked of were such as Lord Seely conceived to be useful or hostile to his party, and he discussed their conduct, and criticised the tactics of ministers in regard to them, with much warmth. But, unfortunately, Algernon neither knew, nor could pretend to know, anything about these individuals, so he sipped89 his wine, and looked at the family portraits which hung round the room, in silence.
My lord made a kind of apology to him, as they were going upstairs to the drawing-room.
"I'm afraid you were bored, Mr. Errington. I am sorry, for your sake, that Mr. Price did not honour us with his company. You would have found him much more amusing than us old fogies."
Algernon knew, when Lord Seely talked of Mr. Price not having honoured them with his company, that my lord was indignant against that gentleman. "I have no doubt Mr. Price is a very agreeable person," said he, "but I did not regret him, my lord. I thought it a great privilege to be allowed to listen to you."
Later in the evening Algy overheard Lord Seely say to General Dormer, "He's a remarkably90 intelligent young fellow, I assure you."
"He has a capital manner," returned the general. "There is something very taking about him, indeed."
"Oh yes, manner; yes; a very good manner—but there's more judgment91, more solidity about him than appears on the surface."
Meanwhile, Algernon went on flourishingly, and ingratiated himself with every one. He steered92 his way, with admirable tact, past various perils93, such as must inevitably94 threaten one who aims at universal popularity. Lady Harriet was delighted with his singing, and Lady Harriet's expressed approbation95 pleased Lady Seely; for the Dormers were considered to be great musical connoisseurs17, and their judgment had considerable weight among their own set. Their own set further supposed that the verdict of the Dormers was important to professional artists: a delusion96 which the givers of second-rate concerts, who depended on Lady Harriet to get rid of many seven-and-sixpenny tickets during the season, were at no pains to disturb. Then, Algernon took the precaution to keep away from Lord Seely, and to devote himself to my lady, during the remainder of the evening. This behaviour had so good an effect, that she called him "Ancram," and bade him go and talk to Castalia, who was sitting alone on a distant ottoman, with a distinctly sour expression of countenance97.
"How did you get on with Castalia at dinner?" asked my lady.
"Miss Kilfinane was very kind to me, ma'am."
"Was she? Well, she don't make herself agreeable to everybody, so consider yourself honoured. Castalia's a very clever girl. She can draw, make wax flowers, and play the piano beautifully."
"Can she really? Will she play to-night?"
"I'm sure I don't know. Go and ask her."
"May I?"
"Yes; be off."
Miss Kilfinane did not move or raise her eyes when Algernon went and stood before her.
"I have come with a petition," he said, after a little pause.
"Have you?"
"Yes; will you play to-night?"
"No."
"Oh, that's very cruel! I wish you would!"
"I don't like playing before the Dormers. They set up for being such connoisseurs, and I hate that kind of thing."
"I am sure you can have no reason to fear their criticism."
"I don't want to have my performance picked to pieces in that knowing sort of way. I play for my own amusement, and I don't want to be criticised, and applauded, and patronised."
"But how can people help applauding when you play? Lady Seely says you play exquisitely98."
"Did she tell you to ask me to play?"
"Not exactly. But she said I might ask you."
At this moment General Dormer came up, and said, with his most benevolent smile, "Won't you give us a little music, Miss Kilfinane? Some Beethoven, now! I see a volume of his sonatas99 on the piano."
"I hate Beethoven," returned Miss Kilfinane.
"Hate Beethoven! No, no, you don't. It's quite impossible! A pianist like you! Oh no, Miss Kilfinane, it is out of the question."
"Yes, I do. I hate all classical music, and the sort of stuff that people talk about it."
The general smiled again, shook his head, shrugged100 his shoulders, and walked away.
"Miss Kilfinane, you are ferociously101 cruel!" said Algernon under his breath as General Dormer turned his back on them. The little fear he had had of Castalia's chilly102 manner and ungracious tongue had quite vanished. Algernon was not apt to be in awe79 of anyone; and he certainly was not in awe of Castalia Kilfinane. "Why did you tell the general that you hated Beethoven?" he went on saucily103. "I'm quite sure you don't hate Beethoven!"
"I hate all the kind of professional jargon104 which the Dormers affect about music. Music is all very well, but it isn't our business, any more than tailoring or millinery is our business. To hear the Dormers talk, you would think it the most important matter in the world to decide whether this fiddler is better than that fiddler, or what is the right time to play a fugue of Bach's in."
"I'm such an ignoramus that I'm afraid I don't even know with any precision what a fugue of Bach's is!" said Algernon, ingenuously105. He thought he had learned to understand Miss Castalia. Nevertheless, when, later in the evening, Lady Harriet asked him in her pretty silver tones, "And do you, too, hate classical music, Mr. Errington?" he professed106 the most unbounded love and reverence107 for the great masters. "I have had few opportunities of hearing fine music, Lady Harriet," said he; "but it is the thing I have longed for all my life." Whereupon Lady Harriet, much pleased at the prospect108 of such a disciple109, invited him to go to her house every Saturday morning, when he would hear some of the best performers in London execute some of the best music. "I only ask real listeners," said Lady Harriet. "We are just a few music-lovers who take the thing very much au sérieux."
On the whole, when Algernon thought over his evening, sitting over the fire in his bedroom at the inn, he acknowledged to himself that he had been successful. "Lady Seely is the toughest customer, though! What a fish-wife she looks beside that elegant Lady Harriet! But she can put on airs of a great lady too, when she likes. It's a very fine line that divides dignity from impudence110. Take her wig off, wash her face, and clothe her in a short cotton gown with a white apron111, and how many people would know that Belinda, Lady Seely, had ever been anything but a cook, or the landlady112 of a public-house? Well, I think I am cleverer than any of 'em. And, after all, that's a great point." With which comfortable reflection Algernon Ancram Errington went to bed, and to sleep.
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1
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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recurrence
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| n.复发，反复，重现 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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candidly
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| adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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wig
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| n.假发 | |
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attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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connoisseurship
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| n.鉴赏家（或鉴定家、行家）身份，鉴赏（或鉴定）力 | |
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connoisseurs
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| n.鉴赏家，鉴定家，行家( connoisseur的名词复数 ) | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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supremely
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| adv.无上地，崇高地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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contrived
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elicit
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| v.引出,抽出,引起 | |
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narration
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| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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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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rouge
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| n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红 | |
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sundry
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entirely
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mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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ascendancy
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| n.统治权，支配力量 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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eddy
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desultory
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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pitfall
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| n.隐患，易犯的错误；陷阱，圈套 | |
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entrapped
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| v.使陷入圈套，使入陷阱( entrap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
porcelain
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| n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的 | |
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44
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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45
reciprocated
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| v.报答，酬答( reciprocate的过去式和过去分词 )；（机器的部件）直线往复运动 | |
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46
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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47
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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48
stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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49
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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50
tithes
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| n.（宗教捐税）什一税，什一的教区税，小部分( tithe的名词复数 ) | |
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51
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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52
genealogy
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| n.家系，宗谱 | |
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53
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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54
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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55
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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56
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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57
tardy
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| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 | |
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58
cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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61
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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62
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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63
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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70
spoke
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| 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 | |
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71
peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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72
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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equanimity
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| n.沉着，镇定 | |
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74
cons
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| n.欺骗，骗局( con的名词复数 )v.诈骗，哄骗( con的第三人称单数 ) | |
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75
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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76
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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thawed
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| 解冻 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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pros
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| abbr.prosecuting 起诉；prosecutor 起诉人；professionals 自由职业者；proscenium （舞台）前部n.赞成的意见( pro的名词复数 )；赞成的理由；抵偿物；交换物 | |
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81
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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82
emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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83
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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84
vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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85
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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86
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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87
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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88
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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89
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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90
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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91
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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92
steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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93
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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94
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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95
approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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96
delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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97
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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98
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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99
sonatas
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| n.奏鸣曲( sonata的名词复数 ) | |
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100
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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101
ferociously
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| 野蛮地，残忍地 | |
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102
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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103
saucily
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| adv.傲慢地，莽撞地 | |
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104
jargon
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| n.术语，行话 | |
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105
ingenuously
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| adv.率直地，正直地 | |
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106
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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107
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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108
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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109
disciple
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| n.信徒，门徒，追随者 | |
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110
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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111
apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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112
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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