小说搜索     点击排行榜   最新入库
首页 » 经典英文小说 » 荒凉的小屋 Bleak House » Chapter 4 Telescopic Philanthropy
选择底色: 选择字号:【大】【中】【小】
Chapter 4 Telescopic Philanthropy
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。

We were to pass the night, Mr. Kenge told us when we arrived in hisroom, at Mrs. Jellyby's; and then he turned to me and said he tookit for granted I knew who Mrs. Jellyby was.

  "I really don't, sir," I returned. "Perhaps Mr. Carstone--or MissClare--"But no, they knew nothing whatever about Mrs. Jellyby. "In-deed!

  Mrs. Jellyby," said Mr. Kenge, standing1 with his back to the fireand casting his eyes over the dusty hearth-rug as if it were Mrs.

  Jellyby's biography, "is a lady of very remarkable2 strength ofcharacter who devotes herself entirely3 to the public. She hasdevoted herself to an extensive variety of public subjects atvarious times and is at present (until something else attracts her)devoted4 to the subject of Africa, with a view to the generalcultivation of the coffee berry--AND the natives--and the happysettlement, on the banks of the African rivers, of oursuperabundant home population. Mr. Jarndyce, who is desirous toaid any work that is considered likely to be a good work and who ismuch sought after by philanthropists, has, I believe, a very highopinion of Mrs. Jellyby."Mr. Kenge, adjusting his cravat5, then looked at us.

  "And Mr. Jellyby, sir?" suggested Richard.

  "Ah! Mr. Jellyby," said Mr. Kenge, "is--a--I don't know that I candescribe him to you better than by saying that he is the husband ofMrs. Jellyby.""A nonentity6, sir?" said Richard with a droll7 look.

  "I don't say that," returned Mr. Kenge gravely. "I can't say that,indeed, for I know nothing whatever OF Mr. Jellyby. I never, to myknowledge, had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Jellyby. He may be avery superior man, but he is, so to speak, merged--merged--in themore shining qualities of his wife." Mr. Kenge proceeded to tellus that as the road to Bleak8 House would have been very long, dark,and tedious on such an evening, and as we had been travellingalready, Mr. Jarndyce had himself proposed this arrangement. Acarriage would be at Mrs. Jellyby's to convey us out of town earlyin the forenoon of to-morrow.

  He then rang a little bell, and the young gentleman came in.

  Addressing him by the name of Guppy, Mr. Kenge inquired whetherMiss Summerson's boxes and the rest of the baggage had been "sentround." Mr. Guppy said yes, they had been sent round, and a coachwas waiting to take us round too as soon as we pleased.

  "Then it only remains," said Mr. Kenge, shaking hands with us, "forme to express my lively satisfaction in (good day, Miss Clare!) thearrangement this day concluded and my (GOOD-bye to you, MissSummerson!) lively hope that it will conduce to the happiness, the(glad to have had the honour of making your acquaintance, Mr.

  Carstone!) welfare, the advantage in all points of view, of allconcerned! Guppy, see the party safely there.""Where IS 'there,' Mr. Guppy?" said Richard as we went downstairs.

  "No distance," said Mr. Guppy; "round in Thavies Inn, you know.""I can't say I know where it is, for I come from Winchester and amstrange in London.""Only round the corner," said Mr. Guppy. "We just twist upChancery Lane, and cut along Holborn, and there we are in fourminutes' time, as near as a toucher. This is about a Londonparticular NOW, ain't it, miss?" He seemed quite delighted with iton my account.

  "The fog is very dense9 indeed!" said I.

  "Not that it affects you, though, I'm sure," said Mr. Guppy,putting up the steps. "On the contrary, it seems to do you good,miss, judging from your appearance."I knew he meant well in paying me this compliment, so I laughed atmyself for blushing at it when he had shut the door and got uponthe box; and we all three laughed and chatted about ourinexperience and the strangeness of London until we turned up underan archway to our destination--a narrow street of high houses likean oblong cistern10 to hold the fog. There was a confused littlecrowd of people, principally children, gathered about the house atwhich we stopped, which had a tarnished11 brass12 plate on the doorwith the inscription13 JELLYBY.

  "Don't be frightened!" said Mr. Guppy, looking in at the coach-window. "One of the young Jellybys been and got his head throughthe area railings!""Oh, poor child," said I; "let me out, if you please!""Pray be careful of yourself, miss. The young Jellybys are alwaysup to something," said Mr. Guppy.

  I made my way to the poor child, who was one of the dirtiest littleunfortunates I ever saw, and found him very hot and frightened andcrying loudly, fixed14 by the neck between two iron railings, while amilkman and a beadle, with the kindest intentions possible, wereendeavouring to drag him back by the legs, under a generalimpression that his skull15 was compressible by those means. As Ifound (after pacifying16 him) that he was a little boy with anaturally large head, I thought that perhaps where his head couldgo, his body could follow, and mentioned that the best mode ofextrication might be to push him forward. This was so favourablyreceived by the milkman and beadle that he would immediately havebeen pushed into the area if I had not held his pinafore whileRichard and Mr. Guppy ran down through the kitchen to catch himwhen he should be released. At last he was happily got downwithout any accident, and then he began to beat Mr. Guppy with ahoop-stick in quite a frantic17 manner.

  Nobody had appeared belonging to the house except a person inpattens, who had been poking18 at the child from below with a broom;I don't know with what object, and I don't think she did. Itherefore supposed that Mrs. Jellyby was not at home, and was quitesurprised when the person appeared in the passage without thepattens, and going up to the back room on the first floor beforeAda and me, announced us as, "Them two young ladies, MissisJellyby!" We passed several more children on the way up, whom itwas difficult to avoid treading on in the dark; and as we came intoMrs. Jellyby's presence, one of the poor little things felldownstairs--down a whole flight (as it sounded to me), with a greatnoise.

  Mrs. Jellyby, whose face reflected none of the uneasiness which wecould not help showing in our own faces as the dear child's headrecorded its passage with a bump on every stair--Richard afterwardssaid he counted seven, besides one for the landing--received uswith perfect equanimity19. She was a pretty, very diminutive20, plumpwoman of from forty to fifty, with handsome eyes, though they had acurious habit of seeming to look a long way off. As if--I amquoting Richard again--they could see nothing nearer than Africa!

  "I am very glad indeed," said Mrs. Jellyby in an agreeable voice,"to have the pleasure of receiving you. I have a great respect forMr. Jarndyce, and no one in whom he is interested can be an objectof indifference21 to me."We expressed our acknowledgments and sat down behind the door,where there was a lame22 invalid23 of a sofa. Mrs. Jellyby had verygood hair but was too much occupied with her African duties tobrush it. The shawl in which she had been loosely muffled24 droppedonto her chair when she advanced to us; and as she turned to resumeher seat, we could not help noticing that her dress didn't nearlymeet up the back and that the open space was railed across with alattice-work of stay-lace--like a summer-house.

  The room, which was strewn with papers and nearly filled by a greatwriting-table covered with similar litter, was, I must say, notonly very untidy but very dirty. We were obliged to take notice ofthat with our sense of sight, even while, with our sense ofhearing, we followed the poor child who had tumbled downstairs: Ithink into the back kitchen, where somebody seemed to stifle25 him.

  But what principally struck us was a jaded26 and unhealthy-lookingthough by no means plain girl at the writing-table, who sat bitingthe feather of her pen and staring at us. I suppose nobody everwas in such a state of ink. And from her tumbled hair to herpretty feet, which were disfigured with frayed27 and broken satinslippers trodden down at heel, she really seemed to have no articleof dress upon her, from a pin upwards28, that was in its propercondition or its right place.

  "You find me, my dears," said Mrs. Jellyby, snuffing the two greatoffice candles in tin candlesticks, which made the room tastestrongly of hot tallow (the fire had gone out, and there wasnothing in the grate but ashes, a bundle of wood, and a poker),"you find me, my dears, as usual, very busy; but that you willexcuse. The African project at present employs my whole time. Itinvolves me in correspondence with public bodies and with privateindividuals anxious for the welfare of their species all over thecountry. I am happy to say it is advancing. We hope by this timenext year to have from a hundred and fifty to two hundred healthyfamilies cultivating coffee and educating the natives ofBorrioboola-Gha, on the left bank of the Niger."As Ada said nothing, but looked at me, I said it must be verygratifying.

  "It IS gratifying," said Mrs. Jellyby. "It involves the devotionof all my energies, such as they are; but that is nothing, so thatit succeeds; and I am more confident of success every day. Do youknow, Miss Summerson, I almost wonder that YOU never turned yourthoughts to Africa."This application of the subject was really so unexpected to me thatI was quite at a loss how to receive it. I hinted that theclimate--"The finest climate in the world!" said Mrs. Jellyby.

  "Indeed, ma'am?""Certainly. With precaution," said Mrs. Jellyby. "You may go intoHolborn, without precaution, and be run over. You may go intoHolborn, with precaution, and never be run over. Just so withAfrica."I said, "No doubt." I meant as to Holborn.

  "If you would like," said Mrs. Jellyby, putting a number of paperstowards us, "to look over some remarks on that head, and on thegeneral subject, which have been extensively circulated, while Ifinish a letter I am now dictating29 to my eldest30 daughter, who is myamanuensis--"The girl at the table left off biting her pen and made a return toour recognition, which was half bashful and half sulky.

  "--I shall then have finished for the present," proceeded Mrs.

  Jellyby with a sweet smile, "though my work is never done. Whereare you, Caddy?""'Presents her compliments to Mr. Swallow, and begs--'" said Caddy.

  "'And begs,'" said Mrs. Jellyby, dictating, "'to inform him, inreference to his letter of inquiry31 on the African project--' No,Peepy! Not on my account!"Peepy (so self-named) was the unfortunate child who had fallendownstairs, who now interrupted the correspondence by presentinghimself, with a strip of plaster on his forehead, to exhibit hiswounded knees, in which Ada and I did not know which to pity most--the bruises32 or the dirt. Mrs. Jellyby merely added, with theserene composure with which she said everything, "Go along, younaughty Peepy!" and fixed her fine eyes on Africa again.

  However, as she at once proceeded with her dictation, and as Iinterrupted nothing by doing it, I ventured quietly to stop poorPeepy as he was going out and to take him up to nurse. He lookedvery much astonished at it and at Ada's kissing him, but soon fellfast asleep in my arms, sobbing33 at longer and longer intervals34,until he was quiet. I was so occupied with Peepy that I lost theletter in detail, though I derived35 such a general impression fromit of the momentous36 importance of Africa, and the utterinsignificance of all other places and things, that I felt quiteashamed to have thought so little about it.

  "Six o'clock!" said Mrs. Jellyby. "And our dinner hour isnominally (for we dine at all hours) five! Caddy, show Miss Clareand Miss Summerson their rooms. You will like to make some change,perhaps? You will excuse me, I know, being so much occupied. Oh,that very bad child! Pray put him down, Miss Summerson!"I begged permission to retain him, truly saying that he was not atall troublesome, and carried him upstairs and laid him on my bed.

  Ada and I had two upper rooms with a door of communication between.

  They were excessively bare and disorderly, and the curtain to mywindow was fastened up with a fork.

  "You would like some hot water, wouldn't you?" said Miss Jellyby,looking round for a jug37 with a handle to it, but looking in vain.

  "If it is not being troublesome," said we.

  "Oh, it's not the trouble," returned Miss Jellyby; "the questionis, if there IS any."The evening was so very cold and the rooms had such a marshy38 smellthat I must confess it was a little miserable39, and Ada was halfcrying. We soon laughed, however, and were busily unpacking40 whenMiss Jellyby came back to say that she was sorry there was no hotwater, but they couldn't find the kettle, and the boiler41 was out oforder.

  We begged her not to mention it and made all the haste we could toget down to the fire again. But all the little children had comeup to the landing outside to look at the phenomenon of Peepy lyingon my bed, and our attention was distracted by the constantapparition of noses and fingers in situations of danger between thehinges of the doors. It was impossible to shut the door of eitherroom, for my lock, with no knob to it, looked as if it wanted to bewound up; and though the handle of Ada's went round and round withthe greatest smoothness, it was attended with no effect whatever onthe door. Therefore I proposed to the children that they shouldcome in and be very good at my table, and I would tell them thestory of Little Red Riding Hood42 while I dressed; which they did,and were as quiet as mice, including Peepy, who awoke opportunelybefore the appearance of the wolf.

  When we went downstairs we found a mug with "A Present fromTunbridge Wells" on it lighted up in the staircase window with afloating wick, and a young woman, with a swelled43 face bound up in aflannel bandage blowing the fire of the drawing-room (now connectedby an open door with Mrs. Jellyby's room) and choking dreadfully.

  It smoked to that degree, in short, that we all sat coughing andcrying with the windows open for half an hour, during which Mrs.

  Jellyby, with the same sweetness of temper, directed letters aboutAfrica. Her being so employed was, I must say, a great relief tome, for Richard told us that he had washed his hands in a pie-dishand that they had found the kettle on his dressing-table, and hemade Ada laugh so that they made me laugh in the most ridiculousmanner.

  Soon after seven o'clock we went down to dinner, carefully, by Mrs.

  Jellyby's advice, for the stair-carpets, besides being verydeficient in stair-wires, were so torn as to be absolute traps. Wehad a fine cod-fish, a piece of roast beef, a dish of cutlets, anda pudding; an excellent dinner, if it had had any cooking to speakof, but it was almost raw. The young woman with the flannelbandage waited, and dropped everything on the table wherever ithappened to go, and never moved it again until she put it on thestairs. The person I had seen in pattens, who I suppose to havebeen the cook, frequently came and skirmished with her at the door,and there appeared to be ill will between them.

  All through dinner--which was long, in consequence of suchaccidents as the dish of potatoes being mislaid in the coal skuttleand the handle of the corkscrew coming off and striking the youngwoman in the chin--Mrs. Jellyby preserved the evenness of herdisposition. She told us a great deal that was interesting aboutBorrioboola-Gha and the natives, and received so many letters thatRichard, who sat by her, saw four envelopes in the gravy44 at once.

  Some of the letters were proceedings45 of ladies' committees orresolutions of ladies' meetings, which she read to us; others wereapplications from people excited in various ways about thecultivation of coffee, and natives; others required answers, andthese she sent her eldest daughter from the table three or fourtimes to write. She was full of business and undoubtedly46 was, asshe had told us, devoted to the cause.

  I was a little curious to know who a mild bald gentleman inspectacles was, who dropped into a vacant chair (there was no topor bottom in particular) after the fish was taken away and seemedpassively to submit himself to Borriohoola-Gha but not to beactively interested in that settlement. As he never spoke47 a word,he might have been a native but for his complexion48. It was notuntil we left the table and he remained alone with Richard that thepossibility of his being Mr. Jellyby ever entered my head. But heWAS Mr. Jellyby; and a loquacious49 young man called Mr. Quale, withlarge shining knobs for temples and his hair all brushed to theback of his head, who came in the evening, and told Ada he was aphilanthropist, also informed her that he called the matrimonialalliance of Mrs. Jellyby with Mr. Jellyby the union of mind andmatter.

  This young man, besides having a great deal to say for himselfabout Africa and a project of his for teaching the coffee coloniststo teach the natives to turn piano-forte legs and establish anexport trade, delighted in drawing Mrs. Jellyby out by saving, "Ibelieve now, Mrs. Jellyby, you have received as many as from onehundred and fifty to two hundred letters respecting Africa in asingle day, have you not?" or, "If my memory does not deceive me,Mrs. Jellyby, you once mentioned that you had sent off fivethousand circulars from one post-office at one time?"--alwaysrepeating Mrs. Jellyby's answer to us like an interpreter. Duringthe whole evening, Mr. Jellyby sat in a corner with his headagainst the wall as if he were subject to low spirits. It seemedthat he had several times opened his mouth when alone with Richardafter dinner, as if he had something on his mind, but had alwaysshut it again, to Richard's extreme confusion, without sayinganything.

  Mrs. Jellyby, sitting in quite a nest of waste paper, drank coffeeall the evening and dictated50 at intervals to her eldest daughter.

  She also held a discussion with Mr. Quale, of which the subjectseemed to be--if I understood it--the brotherhood51 of humanity, andgave utterance52 to some beautiful sentiments. I was not soattentive an auditor53 as I might have wished to be, however, forPeepy and the other children came flocking about Ada and me in acorner of the drawing-room to ask for another story; so we sat downamong them and told them in whispers "Puss in Boots" and I don'tknow what else until Mrs. Jellyby, accidentally remembering them,sent them to bed. As Peepy cried for me to take him to bed, Icarried him upstairs, where the young woman with the flannelbandage charged into the midst of the little family like a dragonand overturned them into cribs.

  After that I occupied myself in making our room a little tidy andin coaxing54 a very cross fire that had been lighted to burn, whichat last it did, quite brightly. On my return downstairs, I feltthat Mrs. Jellyby looked down upon me rather for being sofrivolous, and I was sorry for it, though at the same time I knewthat I had no higher pretensions55.

  It was nearly midnight before we found an opportunity of going tobed, and even then we left Mrs. Jellyby among her papers drinkingcoffee and Miss Jellyby biting the feather of her pen.

  "What a strange house!" said Ada when we got upstairs. "Howcurious of my cousin Jarndyce to send us here!""My love," said I, "it quite confuses me. I want to understand it,and I can't understand it at all.""What?" asked Ada with her pretty smile.

  "All this, my dear," said I. "It MUST be very good of Mrs. Jellybyto take such pains about a scheme for the benefit of natives--andyet--Peepy and the housekeeping!"Ada laughed and put her arm about my neck as I stood looking at thefire, and told me I was a quiet, dear, good creature and had wonher heart. "You are so thoughtful, Esther," she said, "and yet socheerful! And you do so much, so unpretendingly! You would make ahome out of even this house."My simple darling! She was quite unconscious that she only praisedherself and that it was in the goodness of her own heart that shemade so much of me!

  "May I ask you a question?" said I when we had sat before the firea little while.

  "Five hundred," said Ada.

  "Your cousin, Mr. Jarndyce. I owe so much to him. Would you minddescribing him to me?"Shaking her golden hair, Ada turned her eyes upon me with suchlaughing wonder that I was full of wonder too, partly at herbeauty, partly at her surprise.

  "Esther!" she cried.

  "My dear!""You want a description of my cousin Jarndyce?""My dear, I never saw him.""And I never saw him!" returned Ada.

  Well, to be sure!

  No, she had never seen him. Young as she was when her mama died,she remembered how the tears would come into her eyes when shespoke of him and of the noble generosity56 of his character, whichshe had said was to be trusted above all earthly things; and Adatrusted it. Her cousin Jarndyce had written to her a few monthsago--"a plain, honest letter," Ada said--proposing the arrangementwe were now to enter on and telling her that "in time it might healsome of the wounds made by the miserable Chancery suit." She hadreplied, gratefully accepting his proposal. Richard had received asimilar letter and had made a similar response. He HAD seen Mr.

  Jarndyce once, but only once, five years ago, at Winchester school.

  He had told Ada, when they were leaning on the screen before thefire where I found them, that he recollected57 him as "a bluff58, rosyfellow." This was the utmost description Ada could give me.

  It set me thinking so that when Ada was asleep, I still remainedbefore the fire, wondering and wondering about Bleak House, andwondering and wondering that yesterday morning should seem so longago. I don't know where my thoughts had wandered when they wererecalled by a tap at the door.

  I opened it softly and found Miss Jellyby shivering there with abroken candle in a broken candlestick in one hand and an egg-cup inthe other.

  "Good night!" she said very sulkily.

  "Good night!" said I.

  "May I come in?" she shortly and unexpectedly asked me in the samesulky way.

  "Certainly," said I. "Don't wake Miss Clare."She would not sit down, but stood by the fire dipping her inkymiddle finger in the egg-cup, which contained vinegar, and smearingit over the ink stains on her face, frowning the whole time andlooking very gloomy.

  "I wish Africa was dead!" she said on a sudden.

  I was going to remonstrate59.

  "I do!" she said "Don't talk to me, Miss Summerson. I hate it anddetest it. It's a beast!"I told her she was tired, and I was sorry. I put my hand upon herhead, and touched her forehead, and said it was hot now but wouldbe cool tomorrow. She still stood pouting60 and frowning at me, butpresently put down her egg-cup and turned softly towards the bedwhere Ada lay.

  "She is very pretty!" she said with the same knitted brow and inthe same uncivil manner.

  I assented61 with a smile.

  "An orphan62. Ain't she?""Yes.""But knows a quantity, I suppose? Can dance, and play music, andsing? She can talk French, I suppose, and do geography, andglobes, and needlework, and everything?""No doubt," said I.

  "I can't," she returned. "I can't do anything hardly, exceptwrite. I'm always writing for Ma. I wonder you two were notashamed of yourselves to come in this afternoon and see me able todo nothing else. It was like your ill nature. Yet you thinkyourselves very fine, I dare say!"I could see that the poor girl was near crying, and I resumed mychair without speaking and looked at her (I hope) as mildly as Ifelt towards her.

  "It's disgraceful," she said. "You know it is. The whole house isdisgraceful. The children are disgraceful. I'M disgraceful. Pa'smiserable, and no wonder! Priscilla drinks--she's always drinking.

  It's a great shame and a great story of you if you say you didn'tsmell her today. It was as bad as a public-house, waiting atdinner; you know it was!""My dear, I don't know it," said I.

  "You do," she said very shortly. "You shan't say you don't. Youdo!""Oh, my dear!" said I. "If you won't let me speak--""You're speaking now. You know you are. Don't tell stories, MissSummerson.""My dear," said I, "as long as you won't hear me out--""I don't want to hear you out.""Oh, yes, I think you do," said I, "because that would be so veryunreasonable. I did not know what you tell me because the servantdid not come near me at dinner; but I don't doubt what you tell me,and I am sorry to hear it.""You needn't make a merit of that," said she.

  "No, my dear," said I. "That would be very foolish."She was still standing by the bed, and now stooped down (but stillwith the same discontented face) and kissed Ada. That done, shecame softly back and stood by the side of my chair. Her bosom63 washeaving in a distressful64 manner that I greatly pitied, but Ithought it better not to speak.

  "I wish I was dead!" she broke out. "I wish we were all dead. Itwould be a great deal better for us.

  In a moment afterwards, she knelt on the ground at my side, hid herface in my dress, passionately65 begged my pardon, and wept. Icomforted her and would have raised her, but she cried no, no; shewanted to stay there!

  "You used to teach girls," she said, "If you could only have taughtme, I could have learnt from you! I am so very miserable, and Ilike you so much!"I could not persuade her to sit by me or to do anything but move aragged stool to where she was kneeling, and take that, and stillhold my dress in the same manner. By degrees the poor tired girlfell asleep, and then I contrived66 to raise her head so that itshould rest on my lap, and to cover us both with shawls. The firewent out, and all night long she slumbered67 thus before the ashygrate. At first I was painfully awake and vainly tried to losemyself, with my eyes closed, among the scenes of the day. Atlength, by slow degrees, they became indistinct and mingled68. Ibegan to lose the identity of the sleeper69 resting on me. Now itwas Ada, now one of my old Reading friends from whom I could notbelieve I had so recently parted. Now it was the little mad womanworn out with curtsying and smiling, now some one in authority atBleak House. Lastly, it was no one, and I was no one.

  The purblind70 day was feebly struggling with the fog when I openedmy eyes to encounter those of a dirty-faced little spectre fixedupon me. Peepy had scaled his crib, and crept down in his bed-gownand cap, and was so cold that his teeth were chattering71 as if hehad cut them all.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
2 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
3 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
4 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
5 cravat 7zTxF     
n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结
参考例句:
  • You're never fully dressed without a cravat.不打领结,就不算正装。
  • Mr. Kenge adjusting his cravat,then looked at us.肯吉先生整了整领带,然后又望着我们。
6 nonentity 2HZxr     
n.无足轻重的人
参考例句:
  • She was written off then as a political nonentity.她当时被认定是成不了气候的政坛小人物。
  • How could such a nonentity become chairman of the company? 这样的庸才怎么能当公司的董事长?
7 droll J8Tye     
adj.古怪的,好笑的
参考例句:
  • The band have a droll sense of humour.这个乐队有一种滑稽古怪的幽默感。
  • He looked at her with a droll sort of awakening.他用一种古怪的如梦方醒的神情看着她.
8 bleak gtWz5     
adj.(天气)阴冷的;凄凉的;暗淡的
参考例句:
  • They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
  • The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。
9 dense aONzX     
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
参考例句:
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
10 cistern Uq3zq     
n.贮水池
参考例句:
  • The cistern is empty but soon fills again.蓄水池里现在没水,但不久就会储满水的。
  • The lavatory cistern overflowed.厕所水箱的水溢出来了
11 tarnished e927ca787c87e80eddfcb63fbdfc8685     
(通常指金属)(使)失去光泽,(使)变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 ); 玷污,败坏
参考例句:
  • The mirrors had tarnished with age. 这些镜子因年深日久而照影不清楚。
  • His bad behaviour has tarnished the good name of the school. 他行为不轨,败坏了学校的声誉。
12 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
13 inscription l4ZyO     
n.(尤指石块上的)刻印文字,铭文,碑文
参考例句:
  • The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损,无法辨认了。
  • He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。
14 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
15 skull CETyO     
n.头骨;颅骨
参考例句:
  • The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
  • He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去,跌裂了颅骨。
16 pacifying 6bba1514be412ac99ea000a5564eb242     
使(某人)安静( pacify的现在分词 ); 息怒; 抚慰; 在(有战争的地区、国家等)实现和平
参考例句:
  • The papers put the emphasis on pacifying rather than suppressing the protesters. 他们强调要安抚抗议者而不是动用武力镇压。
  • Hawthorn products have the function of pacifying the stomach and spleen, and promoting digestion. 山楂制品,和中消食。
17 frantic Jfyzr     
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的
参考例句:
  • I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
  • He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。
18 poking poking     
n. 刺,戳,袋 vt. 拨开,刺,戳 vi. 戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢
参考例句:
  • He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
  • He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。
19 equanimity Z7Vyz     
n.沉着,镇定
参考例句:
  • She went again,and in so doing temporarily recovered her equanimity.她又去看了戏,而且这样一来又暂时恢复了她的平静。
  • The defeat was taken with equanimity by the leadership.领导层坦然地接受了失败。
20 diminutive tlWzb     
adj.小巧可爱的,小的
参考例句:
  • Despite its diminutive size,the car is quite comfortable.尽管这辆车很小,但相当舒服。
  • She has diminutive hands for an adult.作为一个成年人,她的手显得非常小。
21 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
22 lame r9gzj     
adj.跛的,(辩解、论据等)无说服力的
参考例句:
  • The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
  • I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。
23 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。
24 muffled fnmzel     
adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己)
参考例句:
  • muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
  • There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 stifle cF4y5     
vt.使窒息;闷死;扼杀;抑止,阻止
参考例句:
  • She tried hard to stifle her laughter.她强忍住笑。
  • It was an uninteresting conversation and I had to stifle a yawn.那是一次枯燥无味的交谈,我不得不强忍住自己的呵欠。
26 jaded fqnzXN     
adj.精疲力竭的;厌倦的;(因过饱或过多而)腻烦的;迟钝的
参考例句:
  • I felt terribly jaded after working all weekend. 整个周末工作之后我感到疲惫不堪。
  • Here is a dish that will revive jaded palates. 这道菜简直可以恢复迟钝的味觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 frayed 1e0e4bcd33b0ae94b871e5e62db77425     
adj.磨损的v.(使布、绳等)磨损,磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • His shirt was frayed. 他的衬衫穿破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The argument frayed their nerves. 争辩使他们不快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
28 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上,在更高处...以上
参考例句:
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
29 dictating 9b59a64fc77acba89b2fa4a927b010fe     
v.大声讲或读( dictate的现在分词 );口授;支配;摆布
参考例句:
  • The manager was dictating a letter to the secretary. 经理在向秘书口授信稿。 来自辞典例句
  • Her face is impassive as she listens to Miller dictating the warrant for her arrest. 她毫无表情地在听米勒口述拘留她的证书。 来自辞典例句
30 eldest bqkx6     
adj.最年长的,最年老的
参考例句:
  • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
31 inquiry nbgzF     
n.打听,询问,调查,查问
参考例句:
  • Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
  • The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。
32 bruises bruises     
n.瘀伤,伤痕,擦伤( bruise的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He was covered with bruises after falling off his bicycle. 他从自行车上摔了下来,摔得浑身伤痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The pear had bruises of dark spots. 这个梨子有碰伤的黑斑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
33 sobbing df75b14f92e64fc9e1d7eaf6dcfc083a     
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句:
  • I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
  • Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。
34 intervals f46c9d8b430e8c86dea610ec56b7cbef     
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息
参考例句:
  • The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴,有阵雨。
  • Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。
35 derived 6cddb7353e699051a384686b6b3ff1e2     
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取
参考例句:
  • Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
36 momentous Zjay9     
adj.重要的,重大的
参考例句:
  • I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合,我深感荣幸。
  • The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。
37 jug QaNzK     
n.(有柄,小口,可盛水等的)大壶,罐,盂
参考例句:
  • He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐,保持着平衡往前走。
  • She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。
38 marshy YBZx8     
adj.沼泽的
参考例句:
  • In August 1935,we began our march across the marshy grassland. 1935年8月,我们开始过草地。
  • The surrounding land is low and marshy. 周围的地低洼而多沼泽。
39 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
参考例句:
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
40 unpacking 4cd1f3e1b7db9c6a932889b5839cdd25     
n.取出货物,拆包[箱]v.从(包裹等)中取出(所装的东西),打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 );拆包;解除…的负担;吐露(心事等)
参考例句:
  • Joe sat on the bed while Martin was unpacking. 马丁打开箱子取东西的时候,乔坐在床上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They are unpacking a trunk. 他们正在打开衣箱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
41 boiler OtNzI     
n.锅炉;煮器(壶,锅等)
参考例句:
  • That boiler will not hold up under pressure.那种锅炉受不住压力。
  • This new boiler generates more heat than the old one.这个新锅炉产生的热量比旧锅炉多。
42 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。
43 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
44 gravy Przzt1     
n.肉汁;轻易得来的钱,外快
参考例句:
  • You have spilled gravy on the tablecloth.你把肉汁泼到台布上了。
  • The meat was swimming in gravy.肉泡在浓汁之中。
45 proceedings Wk2zvX     
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报
参考例句:
  • He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
  • to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼
46 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
47 spoke XryyC     
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。
48 complexion IOsz4     
n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格
参考例句:
  • Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
  • Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。
49 loquacious ewEyx     
adj.多嘴的,饶舌的
参考例句:
  • The normally loquacious Mr O'Reilly has said little.平常话多的奥赖利先生几乎没说什么。
  • Kennedy had become almost as loquacious as Joe.肯尼迪变得和乔一样唠叨了。
50 dictated aa4dc65f69c81352fa034c36d66908ec     
v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 );口授;支配;摆布
参考例句:
  • He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
  • No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》
51 brotherhood 1xfz3o     
n.兄弟般的关系,手中情谊
参考例句:
  • They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
  • They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。
52 utterance dKczL     
n.用言语表达,话语,言语
参考例句:
  • This utterance of his was greeted with bursts of uproarious laughter.他的讲话引起阵阵哄然大笑。
  • My voice cleaves to my throat,and sob chokes my utterance.我的噪子哽咽,泣不成声。
53 auditor My5ziV     
n.审计员,旁听着
参考例句:
  • The auditor was required to produce his working papers.那个审计员被要求提供其工作底稿。
  • The auditor examines the accounts of all county officers and departments.审计员查对所有县官员及各部门的帐目。
54 coaxing 444e70224820a50b0202cb5bb05f1c2e     
v.哄,用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 );巧言骗取;哄劝,劝诱;“锻炼”效应
参考例句:
  • No amount of coaxing will make me change my mind. 任你费尽口舌也不会说服我改变主意。
  • It took a lot of coaxing before he agreed. 劝说了很久他才同意。 来自辞典例句
55 pretensions 9f7f7ffa120fac56a99a9be28790514a     
自称( pretension的名词复数 ); 自命不凡; 要求; 权力
参考例句:
  • The play mocks the pretensions of the new middle class. 这出戏讽刺了新中产阶级的装模作样。
  • The city has unrealistic pretensions to world-class status. 这个城市不切实际地标榜自己为国际都市。
56 generosity Jf8zS     
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为
参考例句:
  • We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
  • We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。
57 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
58 bluff ftZzB     
v.虚张声势,用假象骗人;n.虚张声势,欺骗
参考例句:
  • His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
  • John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。
59 remonstrate rCuyR     
v.抗议,规劝
参考例句:
  • He remonstrated with the referee.他向裁判抗议。
  • I jumped in the car and went to remonstrate.我跳进汽车去提出抗议。
60 pouting f5e25f4f5cb47eec0e279bd7732e444b     
v.撅(嘴)( pout的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The child sat there pouting. 那孩子坐在那儿,一副不高兴的样子。 来自辞典例句
  • She was almost pouting at his hesitation. 她几乎要为他这种犹犹豫豫的态度不高兴了。 来自辞典例句
61 assented 4cee1313bb256a1f69bcc83867e78727     
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
  • "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对,”汤姆表示赞同地说,“他们不杀女人——真伟大!
62 orphan QJExg     
n.孤儿;adj.无父母的
参考例句:
  • He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大,并且把自己的医术传给了他。
  • The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。
63 bosom Lt9zW     
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的
参考例句:
  • She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
  • A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。
64 distressful 70998be82854667c839efd09a75b1438     
adj.苦难重重的,不幸的,使苦恼的
参考例句:
  • The whole hall is filled with joy and laughter -- there is only one who feels distressful. 满堂欢笑,一人向隅。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Under these distressful circumstances it was resolved to slow down the process of reconstruction. 在这种令人痛苦的情况下,他们决定减慢重建的进程。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
65 passionately YmDzQ4     
ad.热烈地,激烈地
参考例句:
  • She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿,也能爱得一往情深。
  • He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。
66 contrived ivBzmO     
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的
参考例句:
  • There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
  • The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。
67 slumbered 90bc7b1e5a8ccd9fdc68d12edbd1f200     
微睡,睡眠(slumber的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The baby slumbered in his cradle. 婴儿安睡在摇篮中。
  • At that time my virtue slumbered; my evil, kept awake by ambition. 就在那时,我的善的一面睡着了,我的邪恶面因野心勃勃而清醒着。
68 mingled fdf34efd22095ed7e00f43ccc823abdf     
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系]
参考例句:
  • The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
  • The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候,这一男一女就开始交往了。
69 sleeper gETyT     
n.睡眠者,卧车,卧铺
参考例句:
  • I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
  • But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。
70 purblind IS6xh     
adj.半盲的;愚笨的
参考例句:
  • If an administrator has no access to information,it's as if he was purblind and hard of hearing and had a stuffed nose.做管理工作的人没有信息,就是耳目不灵,鼻子不通。
  • Even his most purblind supporters knows this is nonsense.即使他最愚蠢的支持者也知道这是无稽之谈。
71 chattering chattering     
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
  • I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。


欢迎访问英文小说网

©英文小说网 2005-2010

有任何问题,请给我们留言,管理员邮箱:[email protected]  站长QQ :点击发送消息和我们联系56065533