It was interesting when I dressed before daylight to peep out ofwindow, where my candles were reflected in the black panes1 like twobeacons, and finding all beyond still enshrouded in theindistinctness of last night, to watch how it turned out when theday came on. As the prospect2 gradually revealed itself anddisclosed the scene over which the wind had wandered in the dark,like my memory over my life, I had a pleasure in discovering theunknown objects that had been around me in my sleep. At first theywere faintly discernible in the mist, and above them the laterstars still glimmered3. That pale interval4 over, the picture beganto enlarge and fill up so fast that at every new peep I could havefound enough to look at for an hour. Imperceptibly my candlesbecame the only incongruous part of the morning, the dark places inmy room all melted away, and the day shone bright upon a cheerfullandscape, prominent in which the old Abbey Church, with itsmassive tower, threw a softer train of shadow on the view thanseemed compatible with its rugged5 character. But so from roughoutsides (I hope I have learnt), serene6 and gentle influences oftenproceed.
Every part of the house was in such order, and every one was soattentive to me, that I had no trouble with my two bunches of keys,though what with trying to remember the contents of each littlestore-room drawer and cupboard; and what with making notes on aslate about jams, and pickles7, and preserves, and bottles, andglass, and china, and a great many other things; and what withbeing generally a methodical, old-maidish sort of foolish littleperson, I was so busy that I could not believe it was breakfast-time when I heard the bell ring. Away I ran, however, and madetea, as I had already been installed into the responsibility of thetea-pot; and then, as they were all rather late and nobody was downyet, I thought I would take a peep at the garden and get someknowledge of that too. I found it quite a delightful8 place--infront, the pretty avenue and drive by which we had approached (andwhere, by the by, we had cut up the gravel9 so terribly with ourwheels that I asked the gardener to roll it); at the back, theflower-garden, with my darling at her window up there, throwing itopen to smile out at me, as if she would have kissed me from thatdistance. Beyond the flower-garden was a kitchen-garden, and thena paddock, and then a snug10 little rick-yard, and then a dear littlefarm-yard. As to the house itself, with its three peaks in theroof; its various-shaped windows, some so large, some so small, andall so pretty; its trellis-work, against the southfront for rosesand honey-suckle, and its homely11, comfortable, welcoming look--itwas, as Ada said when she came out to meet me with her arm throughthat of its master, worthy12 of her cousin John, a bold thing to say,though he only pinched her dear cheek for it.
Mr. Skimpole was as agreeable at breakfast as he had beenovernight. There was honey on the table, and it led him into adiscourse about bees. He had no objection to honey, he said (and Ishould think he had not, for he seemed to like it), but heprotested against the overweening assumptions of bees. He didn'tat all see why the busy bee should be proposed as a model to him;he supposed the bee liked to make honey, or he wouldn't do it--nobody asked him. It was not necessary for the bee to make such amerit of his tastes. If every confectioner went buzzing about theworld banging against everything that came in his way andegotistically calling upon everybody to take notice that he wasgoing to his work and must not be interrupted, the world would bequite an unsupportable place. Then, after all, it was a ridiculousposition to be smoked out of your fortune with brimstone as soon asyou had made it. You would have a very mean opinion of aManchester man if he spun13 cotton for no other purpose. He must sayhe thought a drone the embodiment of a pleasanter and wiser idea.
The drone said unaffectedly, "You will excuse me; I really cannotattend to the shop! I find myself in a world in which there is somuch to see and so short a time to see it in that I must take theliberty of looking about me and begging to be provided for bysomebody who doesn't want to look about him." This appeared to Mr.
Skimpole to be the drone philosophy, and he thought it a very goodphilosophy, always supposing the drone to be willing to be on goodterms with the bee, which, so far as he knew, the easy fellowalways was, if the consequential14 creature would only let him, andnot be so conceited15 about his honey!
He pursued this fancy with the lightest foot over a variety ofground and made us all merry, though again he seemed to have asserious a meaning in what he said as he was capable of having. Ileft them still listening to him when I withdrew to attend to mynew duties. They had occupied me for some time, and I was passingthrough the passages on my return with my basket of keys on my armwhen Mr. Jarndyce called me into a small room next his bed-chamber,which I found to be in part a little library of books and papersand in part quite a little museum of his boots and shoes and hat-boxes.
"Sit down, my dear," said Mr. Jarndyce. "This, you must know, isthe growlery. When I am out of humour, I come and growl16 here.""You must be here very seldom, sir," said I.
"Oh, you don't know me!" he returned. "When I am deceived ordisappointed in--the wind, and it's easterly, I take refuge here.
The growlery is the best-used room in the house. You are not awareof half my humours yet. My dear, how you are trembling!"I could not help it; I tried very hard, but being alone with thatbenevolent presence, and meeting his kind eyes, and feeling sohappy and so honoured there, and my heart so full--I kissed his hand. I don't know what I said, or even that I spoke17.
He was disconcerted and walked to the window; I almost believedwith an intention of jumping out, until he turned and I wasreassured by seeing in his eyes what he had gone there to hide. Hegently patted me on the head, and I sat down.
"There! There!" he said. "That's over. Pooh! Don't be foolish.""It shall not happen again, sir," I returned, "but at first it isdifficult--""Nonsense!" he said. "It's easy, easy. Why not? I hear of a goodlittle orphan18 girl without a protector, and I take it into my headto be that protector. She grows up, and more than justifies19 mygood opinion, and I remain her guardian20 and her friend. What isthere in all this? So, so! Now, we have cleared off old scores,and I have before me thy pleasant, trusting, trusty face again."I said to myself, "Esther, my dear, you surprise me! This reallyis not what I expected of you!" And it had such a good effect thatI folded my hands upon my basket and quite recovered myself. Mr.
Jarndyce, expressing his approval in his face, began to talk to meas confidentially22 as if I had been in the habit of conversing24 withhim every morning for I don't know how long. I almost felt as if Ihad.
"Of course, Esther," he said, "you don't understand this Chancerybusiness?"And of course I shook my head.
"I don't know who does," he returned. "The lawyers have twisted itinto such a state of bedevilment that the original merits of thecase have long disappeared from the face of the earth. It's abouta will and the trusts under a will--or it was once. It's aboutnothing but costs now. We are always appearing, and disappearing,and swearing, and interrogating25, and filing, and cross-filing, andarguing, and sealing, and motioning, and referring, and reporting,and revolving26 about the Lord Chancellor27 and all his satellites, andequitably waltzing ourselves off to dusty death, about costs.
That's the great question. All the rest, by some extraordinarymeans, has melted away.""But it was, sir," said I, to bring him back, for he began to rubhis head, "about a will?""Why, yes, it was about a will when it was about anything," hereturned. "A certain Jarndyce, in an evil hour, made a greatfortune, and made a great will. In the question how the trustsunder that will are to be administered, the fortune left by thewill is squandered28 away; the legatees under the will are reduced tosuch a miserable29 condition that they would be sufficiently30 punishedif they had committed an enormous crime in having money left them,and the will itself is made a dead letter. All through thedeplorable cause, everything that everybody in it, except one man,knows already is referred to that only one man who don't know it tofind out--all through the deplorable cause, everybody must havecopies, over and over again, of everything that has accumulatedabout it in the way of cartloads of papers (or must pay for themwithout having them, which is the usual course, for nobody wantsthem) and must go down the middle and up again through such aninfernal country-dance of costs and fees and nonsense andcorruption as was never dreamed of in the wildest visions of awitch's Sabbath. Equity31 sends questions to law, law sendsquestions back to equity; law finds it can't do this, equity findsit can't do that; neither can so much as say it can't do anything,without this solicitor32 instructing and this counsel appearing forA, and that solicitor instructing and that counsel appearing for B;and so on through the whole alphabet, like the history of the applepie. And thus, through years and years, and lives and lives,everything goes on, constantly beginning over and over again, andnothing ever ends. And we can't get out of the suit on any terms,for we are made parties to it, and MUST BE parties to it, whetherwe like it or not. But it won't do to think of it! When my greatuncle, poor Tom Jarndyce, began to think of it, it was thebeginning of the end!""The Mr. Jarndyce, sir, whose story I have heard?"He nodded gravely. "I was his heir, and this was his house,Esther. When I came here, it was bleak33 indeed. He had left thesigns of his misery34 upon it.""How changed it must be now!" I said.
"It had been called, before his time, the Peaks. He gave it itspresent name and lived here shut up, day and night poring over thewicked heaps of papers in the suit and hoping against hope todisentangle it from its mystification and bring it to a close. Inthe meantime, the place became dilapidated, the wind whistledthrough the cracked walls, the rain fell through the broken roof,the weeds choked the passage to the rotting door. When I broughtwhat remained of him home here, the brains seemed to me to havebeen blown out of the house too, it was so shattered and ruined."He walked a little to and fro after saying this to himself with ashudder, and then looked at me, and brightened, and came and satdown again with his hands in his pockets.
"I told you this was the growlery, my dear. Where was I?"I reminded him, at the hopeful change he had made in Bleak House.
"Bleak House; true. There is, in that city of London there, someproperty of ours which is much at this day what Bleak House wasthen; I say property of ours, meaning of the suit's, but I ought tocall it the property of costs, for costs is the only power on earththat will ever get anything out of it now or will ever know it foranything but an eyesore and a heartsore. It is a street ofperishing blind houses, with their eyes stoned out, without a paneof glass, without so much as a window-frame, with the bare blankshutters tumbling from their hinges and falling asunder35, the ironrails peeling away in flakes36 of rust21, the chimneys sinking in, thestone steps to every door (and every door might be death's door)turning stagnant37 green, the very crutches38 on which the ruins arepropped decaying. Although Bleak House was not in Chancery, itsmaster was, and it was stamped with the same seal. These are theGreat Seal's impressions, my dear, all over England--the childrenknow them!""How changed it is!" I said again.
"Why, so it is," he answered much more cheerfully; "and it iswisdom in you to keep me to the bright side of the picture." (Theidea of my wisdom!) "These are things I never talk about or eventhink about, excepting in the growlery here. If you consider itright to mention them to Rick and Ada," looking seriously at me,"you can. I leave it to your discretion39, Esther.""I hope, sir--" said I.
"I think you had better call me guardian, my dear."I felt that I was choking again--I taxed myself with it, "Esther,now, you know you are!"--when he feigned40 to say this slightly, asif it were a whim41 instead of a thoughtful tenderness. But I gavethe housekeeping keys the least shake in the world as a reminder42 tomyself, and folding my hands in a still more determined43 manner onthe basket, looked at him quietly.
"I hope, guardian," said I, "that you may not trust too much to mydiscretion. I hope you may not mistake me. I am afraid it will bea disappointment to you to know that I am not clever, but it reallyis the truth, and you would soon find it out if I had not thehonesty to confess it."He did not seem at all disappointed; quite the contrary. He toldme, with a smile all over his face, that he knew me very wellindeed and that I was quite clever enough for him.
"I hope I may turn out so," said I, "but I am much afraid of it,guardian.""You are clever enough to be the good little woman of our liveshere, my dear," he returned playfully; "the little old woman of thechild's (I don't mean Skimpole's) rhyme:
'Little old woman, and whither so high?'
'To sweep the cobwebs out of the sky.'
You will sweep them so neatly44 out of OUR sky in the course of yourhousekeeping, Esther, that one of these days we shall have toabandon the growlery and nail up the door."This was the beginning of my being called Old Woman, and Little OldWoman, and Cobweb, and Mrs. Shipton, and Mother Hubbard, and DameDurden, and so many names of that sort that my own name soon becamequite lost among them.
"However," said Mr. Jarndyce, "to return to our gossip. Here'sRick, a fine young fellow full of promise. What's to be done withhim?"Oh, my goodness, the idea of asking my advice on such a point!
"Here he is, Esther," said Mr. Jarndyce, comfortably putting hishands into his pockets and stretching out his legs. "He must havea profession; he must make some choice for himself. There will bea world more wiglomeration about it, I suppose, but it must bedone.""More what, guardian?" said I.
"More wiglomeration," said he. "It's the only name I know for thething. He is a ward45 in Chancery, my dear. Kenge and Carboy willhave something to say about it; Master Somebody--a sort ofridiculous sexton, digging graves for the merits of causes in aback room at the end of Quality Court, Chancery Lane--will havesomething to say about it; counsel will have something to say aboutit; the Chancellor will have something to say about it; thesatellites will have something to say about it; they will all haveto be handsomely feed, all round, about it; the whole thing will bevastly ceremonious, wordy, unsatisfactory, and expensive, and Icall it, in general, wiglomeration. How mankind ever came to beafflicted with wiglomeration, or for whose sins these young peopleever fell into a pit of it, I don't know; so it is."He began to rub his head again and to hint that he felt the wind.
But it was a delightful instance of his kindness towards me thatwhether he rubbed his head, or walked about, or did both, his facewas sure to recover its benignant expression as it looked at mine;and he was sure to turn comfortable again and put his hands in hispockets and stretch out his legs.
"Perhaps it would be best, first of all," said I, "to ask Mr.
Richard what he inclines to himself.""Exactly so," he returned. "That's what I mean! You know, justaccustom yourself to talk it over, with your tact46 and in your quietway, with him and Ada, and see what you all make of it. We aresure to come at the heart of the matter by your means, littlewoman."I really was frightened at the thought of the importance I wasattaining and the number of things that were being confided47 to me.
I had not meant this at all; I had meant that he should speak toRichard. But of course I said nothing in reply except that I woulddo my best, though I feared (I realty felt it necessary to repeatthis) that he thought me much more sagacious than I was. At whichmy guardian only laughed the pleasantest laugh I ever heard.
"Come!" he said, rising and pushing back his chair. "I think wemay have done with the growlery for one day! Only a concludingword. Esther, my dear, do you wish to ask me anything?"He looked so attentively48 at me that I looked attentively at him andfelt sure I understood him.
"About myself, sir?" said I.
"Yes.""Guardian," said I, venturing to put my hand, which was suddenlycolder than I could have wished, in his, "nothing! I am quite surethat if there were anything I ought to know or had any need toknow, I should not have to ask you to tell it to me. If my wholereliance and confidence were not placed in you, I must have a hardheart indeed. I have nothing to ask you, nothing in the world."He drew my hand through his arm and we went away to look for Ada.
From that hour I felt quite easy with him, quite unreserved, quitecontent to know no more, quite happy.
We lived, at first, rather a busy life at Bleak House, for we hadto become acquainted with many residents in and out of theneighbourhood who knew Mr. Jarndyce. It seemed to Ada and me thateverybody knew him who wanted to do anything with anybody else'smoney. It amazed us when we began to sort his letters and toanswer some of them for him in the growlery of a morning to findhow the great object of the lives of nearly all his correspondentsappeared to be to form themselves into committees for getting inand laying out money. The ladies were as desperate as thegentlemen; indeed, I think they were even more so. They threwthemselves into committees in the most impassioned manner andcollected subscriptions50 with a vehemence51 quite extraordinary. Itappeared to us that some of them must pass their whole lives indealing out subscription49-cards to the whole post-office directory--shilling cards, half-crown cards, half-sovereign cards, pennycards. They wanted everything. They wanted wearing apparel, theywanted linen52 rags, they wanted money, they wanted coals, theywanted soup, they wanted interest, they wanted autographs, theywanted flannel53, they wanted whatever Mr. Jarndyce had--or had not.
Their objects were as various as their demands. They were going toraise new buildings, they were going to pay off debts on oldbuildings, they were going to establish in a picturesque54 building(engraving of proposed west elevation55 attached) the Sisterhood ofMediaeval Marys, they were going to give a testimonial to Mrs.
Jellyby, they were going to have their secretary's portrait paintedand presented to his mother-in-law, whose deep devotion to him waswell known, they were going to get up everything, I really believe,from five hundred thousand tracts56 to an annuity57 and from a marblemonument to a silver tea-pot. They took a multitude of titles.
They were the Women of England, the Daughters of Britain, theSisters of all the cardinal58 virtues59 separately, the Females ofAmerica, the Ladies of a hundred denominations60. They appeared tobe always excited about canvassing61 and electing. They seemed toour poor wits, and according to their own accounts, to beconstantly polling people by tens of thousands, yet never bringingtheir candidates in for anything. It made our heads ache to think,on the whole, what feverish62 lives they must lead.
Among the ladies who were most distinguished63 for this rapaciousbenevolence (if I may use the expression) was a Mrs. Pardiggle, whoseemed, as I judged from the number of her letters to Mr. Jarndyce,to be almost as powerful a correspondent as Mrs. Jellyby herself.
We observed that the wind always changed when Mrs. Pardiggle becamethe subject of conversation and that it invariably interrupted Mr.
Jarndyce and prevented his going any farther, when he had remarkedthat there were two classes of charitable people; one, the peoplewho did a little and made a great deal of noise; the other, thepeople who did a great deal and made no noise at all. We weretherefore curious to see Mrs. Pardiggle, suspecting her to be atype of the former class, and were glad when she called one daywith her five young sons.
She was a formidable style of lady with spectacles, a prominentnose, and a loud voice, who had the effect of wanting a great dealof room. And she really did, for she knocked down little chairswith her skirts that were quite a great way off. As only Ada and Iwere at home, we received her timidly, for she seemed to come inlike cold weather and to make the little Pardiggles blue as theyfollowed.
"These, young ladies," said Mrs. Pardiggle with great volubilityafter the first salutations, "are my five boys. You may have seentheir names in a printed subscription list (perhaps more than one)in the possession of our esteemed64 friend Mr. Jarndyce. Egbert, myeldest (twelve), is the boy who sent out his pocket-money, to theamount of five and threepence, to the Tockahoopo Indians. Oswald,my second (ten and a half), is the child who contributed two andnine-pence to the Great National Smithers Testimonial. Francis, mythird (nine), one and sixpence halfpenny; Felix, my fourth (seven),eightpence to the Superannuated66 Widows; Alfred, my youngest (five),has voluntarily enrolled68 himself in the Infant Bonds of Joy, and ispledged never, through life, to use tobacco in any form."We had never seen such dissatisfied children. It was not merelythat they were weazened and shrivelled--though they were certainlythat to--but they looked absolutely ferocious69 with discontent. Atthe mention of the Tockahoopo Indians, I could really have supposedEghert to be one of the most baleful members of that tribe, he gaveme such a savage70 frown. The face of each child, as the amount ofhis contribution was mentioned, darkened in a peculiarly vindictivemanner, but his was by far the worst. I must except, however, thelittle recruit into the Infant Bonds of Joy, who was stolidly71 andevenly miserable.
"You have been visiting, I understand," said Mrs. Pardiggle, "atMrs. Jellyby's?"We said yes, we had passed one night there.
"Mrs. Jellyby," pursued the lady, always speaking in the samedemonstrative, loud, hard tone, so that her voice impressed myfancy as if it had a sort of spectacles on too--and I may take theopportunity of remarking that her spectacles were made the lessengaging by her eyes being what Ada called "choking eyes," meaningvery prominent--"Mrs. Jellyby is a benefactor72 to society anddeserves a helping73 hand. My boys have contributed to the Africanproject--Egbert, one and six, being the entire allowance of nineweeks; Oswald, one and a penny halfpenny, being the same; the rest,according to their little means. Nevertheless, I do not go withMrs. Jellyby in all things. I do not go with Mrs. Jellyby in hertreatment of her young family. It has been noticed. It has beenobserved that her young family are excluded from participation74 inthe objects to which she is devoted75. She may be right, she may bewrong; but, right or wrong, this is not my course with MY youngfamily. I take them everywhere."I was afterwards convinced (and so was Ada) that from the ill-conditioned eldest65 child, these words extorted76 a sharp yell. Heturned it off into a yawn, but it began as a yell.
"They attend matins with me (very prettily77 done) at half-past sixo'clock in the morning all the year round, including of course thedepth of winter," said Mrs. Pardiggle rapidly, "and they are withme during the revolving duties of the day. I am a School lady, Iam a Visiting lady, I am a Reading lady, I am a Distributing lady;I am on the local Linen Box Committee and many general committees;and my canvassing alone is very extensive--perhaps no one's moreso. But they are my companions everywhere; and by these means theyacquire that knowledge of the poor, and that capacity of doingcharitable business in general--in short, that taste for the sortof thing--which will render them in after life a service to theirneighbours and a satisfaction to themselves. My young family arenot frivolous78; they expend79 the entire amount of their allowance insubscriptions, under my direction; and they have attended as manypublic meetings and listened to as many lectures, orations80, anddiscussions as generally fall to the lot of few grown people.
Alfred (five), who, as I mentioned, has of his own election joinedthe Infant Bonds of Joy, was one of the very few children whomanifested consciousness on that occasion after a fervid81 address oftwo hours from the chairman of the evening."Alfred glowered82 at us as if he never could, or would, forgive theinjury of that night.
"You may have observed, Miss Summerson," said Mrs. Pardiggle, "insome of the lists to which I have referred, in the possession ofour esteemed friend Mr. Jarndyce, that the names of my young familyare concluded with the name of O. A. Pardiggle, F.R.S., one pound.
That is their father. We usually observe the same routine. I putdown my mite83 first; then my young family enrol67 their contributions,according to their ages and their little means; and then Mr.
Pardiggle brings up the rear. Mr. Pardiggle is happy to throw inhis limited donation, under my direction; and thus things are madenot only pleasant to ourselves, but, we trust, improving toothers."Suppose Mr. Pardiggle were to dine with Mr. Jellyby, and supposeMr. Jellyby were to relieve his mind after dinner to Mr. Pardiggle,would Mr. Pardiggle, in return, make any confidential23 communicationto Mr. Jellyby? I was quite confused to find myself thinking this,but it came into my head.
"You are very pleasantly situated84 here!" said Mrs. Pardiggle.
We were glad to change the subject, and going to the window,pointed out the beauties of the prospect, on which the spectaclesappeared to me to rest with curious indifference85.
"You know Mr. Gusher86?" said our visitor.
We were obliged to say that we had not the pleasure of Mr. Gusher'sacquaintance.
"The loss is yours, I assure you," said Mrs. Pardiggle with hercommanding deportment. "He is a very fervid, impassioned speaker-full of fire! Stationed in a waggon87 on this lawn, now, which, fromthe shape of the land, is naturally adapted to a public meeting, hewould improve almost any occasion you could mention for hours andhours! By this time, young ladies," said Mrs. Pardiggle, movingback to her chair and overturning, as if by invisible agency, alittle round table at a considerable distance with my work-basketon it, "by this time you have found me out, I dare say?"This was really such a confusing question that Ada looked at me inperfect dismay. As to the guilty nature of my own consciousnessafter what I had been thinking, it must have been expressed in thecolour of my cheeks.
"Found out, I mean," said Mrs. Pardiggle, "the prominent point inmy character. I am aware that it is so prominent as to bediscoverable immediately. I lay myself open to detection, I know.
Well! I freely admit, I am a woman of business. I love hard work;I enjoy hard work. The excitement does me good. I am soaccustomed and inured88 to hard work that I don't know what fatigueis."We murmured that it was very astonishing and very gratifying, orsomething to that effect. I don't think we knew what it waseither, but this is what our politeness expressed.
"I do not understand what it is to be tired; you cannot tire me ifyou try!" said Mrs. Pardiggle. "The quantity of exertion90 (which isno exertion to me), the amount of business (which I regard asnothing), that I go through sometimes astonishes myself. I haveseen my young family, and Mr. Pardiggle, quite worn out withwitnessing it, when I may truly say I have been as fresh as alark!"If that dark-visaged eldest boy could look more malicious91 than hehad already looked, this was the time when he did it. I observedthat he doubled his right fist and delivered a secret blow into thecrown of his cap, which was under his left arm.
"This gives me a great advantage when I am making my rounds," saidMrs. Pardiggle. "If I find a person unwilling92 to hear what I haveto say, I tell that person directly, 'I am incapable93 of fatigue89, mygood friend, I am never tired, and I mean to go on until I havedone.' It answers admirably! Miss Summerson, I hope I shall haveyour assistance in my visiting rounds immediately, and Miss Clare'svery soon."At first I tried to excuse myself for the present on the generalground of having occupations to attend to which I must not neglect.
But as this was an ineffectual protest, I then said, moreparticularly, that I was not sure of my qualifications. That I wasinexperienced in the art of adapting my mind to minds verydifferently situated, and addressing them from suitable points ofview. That I had not that delicate knowledge of the heart whichmust be essential to such a work. That I had much to learn,myself, before I could teach others, and that I could not confidein my good intentions alone. For these reasons I thought it bestto be as useful as I could, and to render what kind services Icould to those immediately about me, and to try to let that circleof duty gradually and naturally expand itself. All this I saidwith anything but confidence, because Mrs. Pardiggle was much olderthan I, and had great experience, and was so very military in hermanners.
"You are wrong, Miss Summerson," said she, "but perhaps you are notequal to hard work or the excitement of it, and that makes a vastdifference. If you would like to see how I go through my work, Iam now about--with my young family--to visit a brickmaker in theneighbourhood (a very bad character) and shall be glad to take youwith me. Miss Clare also, if she will do me the favour."Ada and I interchanged looks, and as we were going out in any case,accepted the offer. When we hastily returned from putting on ourbonnets, we found the young family languishing94 in a corner and Mrs.
Pardiggle sweeping95 about the room, knocking down nearly all thelight objects it contained. Mrs. Pardiggle took possession of Ada,and I followed with the family.
Ada told me afterwards that Mrs. Pardiggle talked in the same loudtone (that, indeed, I overheard) all the way to the brickmaker'sabout an exciting contest which she had for two or three yearswaged against another lady relative to the bringing in of theirrival candidates for a pension somewhere. There had been aquantity of printing, and promising96, and proxying, and polling, andit appeared to have imparted great liveliness to all concerned,except the pensioners--who were not elected yet.
I am very fond of being confided in by children and am happy inbeing usually favoured in that respect, but on this occasion itgave me great uneasiness. As soon as we were out of doors, Egbert,with the manner of a little footpad, demanded a shilling of me onthe ground that his pocket-money was "boned" from him. On mypointing out the great impropriety of the word, especially inconnexion with his parent (for he added sulkily "By her!"), hepinched me and said, "Oh, then! Now! Who are you! YOU wouldn'tlike it, I think? What does she make a sham97 for, and pretend togive me money, and take it away again? Why do you call it myallowance, and never let me spend it?" These exasperatingquestions so inflamed98 his mind and the minds of Oswald and Francisthat they all pinched me at once, and in a dreadfully expert way--screwing up such little pieces of my arms that I could hardlyforbear crying out. Felix, at the same time, stamped upon my toes.
And the Bond of Joy, who on account of always having the whole ofhis little income anticipated stood in fact pledged to abstain99 fromcakes as well as tobacco, so swelled100 with grief and rage when wepassed a pastry-cook's shop that he terrified me by becomingpurple. I never underwent so much, both in body and mind, in thecourse of a walk with young people as from these unnaturallyconstrained children when they paid me the compliment of beingnatural.
I was glad when we came to the brickmaker's house, though it wasone of a cluster of wretched hovels in a brick-field, with pigstiesclose to the broken windows and miserable little gardens before thedoors growing nothing but stagnant pools. Here and there an oldtub was put to catch the droppings of rain-water from a roof, orthey were banked up with mud into a little pond like a large dirt-pie. At the doors and windows some men and women lounged orprowled about, and took little notice of us except to laugh to oneanother or to say something as we passed about gentlefolks mindingtheir own business and not troubling their heads and muddying theirshoes with coming to look after other people's.
Mrs. Pardiggle, leading the way with a great show of moraldetermination and talking with much volubility about the untidyhabits of the people (though I doubted if the best of us could havebeen tidy in such a place), conducted us into a cottage at thefarthest corner, the ground-floor room of which we nearly filled.
Besides ourselves, there were in this damp, offensive room a womanwith a black eye, nursing a poor little gasping101 baby by the fire; aman, all stained with clay and mud and looking very dissipated,lying at full length on the ground, smoking a pipe; a powerfulyoung man fastening a collar on a dog; and a bold girl doing somekind of washing in very dirty water. They all looked up at us aswe came in, and the woman seemed to turn her face towards the fireas if to hide her bruised102 eye; nobody gave us any welcome.
"Well, my friends," said Mrs. Pardiggle, but her voice had not afriendly sound, I thought; it was much too businesslike andsystematic. "How do you do, all of you? I am here again. I toldyou, you couldn't tire me, you know. I am fond of hard work, andam true to my word.""There an't," growled103 the man on the floor, whose head rested onhis hand as he stared at us, "any more on you to come in, isthere?""No, my friend," said Mrs. Pardiggle, seating herself on one stooland knocking down another. "We are all here.""Because I thought there warn't enough of you, perhaps?" said theman, with his pipe between his lips as he looked round upon us.
The young man and the girl both laughed. Two friends of the youngman, whom we had attracted to the doorway104 and who stood there withtheir hands in their pockets, echoed the laugh noisily.
"You can't tire me, good people," said Mrs. Pardiggle to theselatter. "I enjoy hard work, and the harder you make mine, thebetter I like it.""Then make it easy for her!" growled the man upon the floor. "Iwants it done, and over. I wants a end of these liberties tookwith my place. I wants an end of being drawed like a badger105. Nowyou're a-going to poll-pry and question according to custom--I knowwhat you're a-going to be up to. Well! You haven't got nooccasion to be up to it. I'll save you the trouble. Is mydaughter a-washin? Yes, she IS a-washin. Look at the water.
Smell it! That's wot we drinks. How do you like it, and what doyou think of gin instead! An't my place dirty? Yes, it is dirty--it's nat'rally dirty, and it's nat'rally onwholesome; and we've hadfive dirty and onwholesome children, as is all dead infants, and somuch the better for them, and for us besides. Have I read thelittle book wot you left? No, I an't read the little book wot youleft. There an't nobody here as knows how to read it; and if therewos, it wouldn't be suitable to me. It's a book fit for a babby,and I'm not a babby. If you was to leave me a doll, I shouldn'tnuss it. How have I been conducting of myself? Why, I've beendrunk for three days; and I'da been drunk four if I'da had themoney. Don't I never mean for to go to church? No, I don't nevermean for to go to church. I shouldn't be expected there, if I did;the beadle's too gen-teel for me. And how did my wife get thatblack eye? Why, I give it her; and if she says I didn't, she's alie!"He had pulled his pipe out of his mouth to say all this, and he nowturned over on his other side and smoked again. Mrs. Pardiggle,who had been regarding him through her spectacles with a forciblecomposure, calculated, I could not help thinking, to increase hisantagonism, pulled out a good book as if it were a constable'sstaff and took the whole family into custody107. I mean intoreligious custody, of course; but she really did it as if she werean inexorable moral policeman carrying them all off to a station-house.
Ada and I were very uncomfortable. We both felt intrusive108 and outof place, and we both thought that Mrs. Pardiggle would have got oninfinitely better if she had not had such a mechanical way oftaking possession of people. The children sulked and stared; thefamily took no notice of us whatever, except when the young manmade the dog bark, which he usually did when Mrs. Pardiggle wasmost emphatic109. We both felt painfully sensible that between us andthese people there was an iron barrier which could not be removedby our new friend. By whom or how it could be removed, we did notknow, but we knew that. Even what she read and said seemed to usto be ill-chosen for such auditors110, if it had been imparted ever somodestly and with ever so much tact. As to the little book towhich the man on the floor had referred, we acqulred a knowledge ofit afterwards, and Mr. Jarndyce said he doubted if Robinson Crusoecould have read it, though he had had no other on his desolateisland.
We were much relieved, under these circumstances, when Mrs.
Pardiggle left off.
The man on the floor, then turning his bead106 round again, saidmorosely, "Well! You've done, have you?""For to-day, I have, my friend. But I am never fatigued111. I shallcome to you again in your regular order," returned Mrs. Pardigglewith demonstrative cheerfulness.
"So long as you goes now," said he, folding his arms and shuttinghis eyes with an oath, "you may do wot you like!"Mrs. Pardiggle accordingly rose and made a little vortex in theconfined room from which the pipe itself very narrowly escaped.
Taking one of her young family in each hand, and telling the othersto follow closely, and expressing her hope that the brickmaker andall his house would be improved when she saw them next, she thenproceeded to another cottage. I hope it is not unkind in me to saythat she certainly did make, in this as in everything else, a showthat was not conciliatory of doing charity by wholesale112 and ofdealing in it to a large extent.
She supposed that we were following her, but as soon as the spacewas left clear, we approached the woman sitting by the fire to askif the baby were ill.
She only looked at it as it lay on her lap. We had observed beforethat when she looked at it she covered her discoloured eye with herhand, as though she wished to separate any association with noiseand violence and ill treatment from the poor little child.
Ada, whose gentle heart was moved by its appearance, bent113 down totouch its little face. As she did so, I saw what happened and drewher back. The child died.
"Oh, Esther!" cried Ada, sinking on her knees beside it. "Lookhere! Oh, Esther, my love, the little thing! The suffering,quiet, pretty little thing! I am so sorry for it. I am so sorryfor the mother. I never saw a sight so pitiful as this before!
Oh, baby, baby!"Such compassion114, such gentleness, as that with which she bent downweeping and put her hand upon the mother's might have softened115 anymother's heart that ever beat. The woman at first gazed at her inastonishment and then burst into tears.
Presently I took the light burden from her lap, did what I could tomake the baby's rest the prettier and gentler, laid it on a shelf,and covered it with my own handkerchief. We tried to comfort themother, and we whispered to her what Our Saviour116 said of children.
She answered nothing, but sat weeping--weeping very much.
When I turned, I found that the young man had taken out the dog andwas standing117 at the door looking in upon us with dry eyes, butquiet. The girl was quiet too and sat in a corner looking on theground. The man had risen. He still smoked his pipe with an airof defiance118, but he was silent.
An ugly woman, very poorly clothed, hurried in while I was glancingat them, and coming straight up to the mother, said, "Jenny!
Jenny!" The mother rose on being so addressed and fell upon thewoman's neck.
She also had upon her face and arms the marks of ill usage. Shehad no kind of grace about her, but the grace of sympathy; but whenshe condoled119 with the woman, and her own tears fell, she wanted nobeauty. I say condoled, but her only words were "Jenny! Jenny!"All the rest was in the tone in which she said them.
I thought it very touching120 to see these two women, coarse andshabby and beaten, so united; to see what they could be to oneanother; to see how they felt for one another, how the heart ofeach to each was softened by the hard trials of their lives. Ithink the best side of such people is almost hidden from us. Whatthe poor are to the poor is little known, excepting to themselvesand God.
We felt it better to withdraw and leave them uninterrupted. Westole out quietly and without notice from any one except the man.
He was leaning against the wall near the door, and finding thatthere was scarcely room for us to pass, went out before us. Heseemed to want to hide that he did this on our account, but weperceived that be did, and thanked him. He made no answer.
Ada was so full of grief all the way home, and Richard, whom wefound at home, was so distressed121 to see her in tears (though hesaid to me, when she was not present, how beautiful it was too!),that we arranged to return at night with some little comforts andrepeat our visit at the brick-maker's house. We said as little aswe could to Mr. Jarndyce, but the wind changed directly.
Richard accompanied us at night to the scene of our morningexpedition. On our way there, we had to pass a noisy drinking-house, where a number of men were flocking about the door. Amongthem, and prominent in some dispute, was the father of the littlechild. At a short distance, we passed the young man and the dog,in congenial company. The sister was standing laughing and talkingwith some other young women at the corner of the row of cottages,but she seemed ashamed and turned away as we went by.
We left our escort within sight of the brickmaker's dwelling122 andproceeded by ourselves. When we came to the door, we found thewoman who had brought such consolation123 with her standing therelooking anxiously out.
"It's you, young ladies, is it?" she said in a whisper. "I'm a-watching for my master. My heart's in my mouth. If he was tocatch me away from home, he'd pretty near murder me.""Do you mean your husband?" said I.
"Yes, miss, my master. Jennys asleep, quite worn out. She'sscarcely had the child off her lap, poor thing, these seven daysand nights, except when I've been able to take it for a minute ortwo."As she gave way for us, she went softly in and put what we hadbrought near the miserable bed on which the mother slept. Noeffort had been made to clean the room--it seemed in its naturealmost hopeless of being clean; but the small waxen form from whichso much solemnity diffused124 itself had been composed afresh, andwashed, and neatly dressed in some fragments of white linen; and onmy handkerchief, which still covered the poor baby, a little bunchof sweet herbs had been laid by the same rough, scarred hands, solightly, so tenderly!
"May heaven reward you!" we said to her. "You are a good woman.""Me, young ladies?" she returned with surprise. "Hush125! Jenny,Jenny!"The mother had moaned in her sleep and moved. The sound of thefamiliar voice seemed to calm her again. She was quiet once more.
How little I thought, when I raised my handkerchief to look uponthe tiny sleeper126 underneath127 and seemed to see a halo shine aroundthe child through Ada's drooping128 hair as her pity bent her head--how little I thought in whose unquiet bosom129 that handkerchief wouldcome to lie after covering the motionless and peaceful breast! Ionly thought that perhaps the Angel of the child might not be allunconscious of the woman who replaced it with so compassionate130 ahand; not all unconscious of her presently, when we had takenleave, and left her at the door, by turns looking, and listening interror for herself, and saying in her old soothing131 manner, "Jenny,Jenny!"
收听单词发音 |
1
panes
|
|
| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
glimmered
|
|
| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
interval
|
|
| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
rugged
|
|
| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
serene
|
|
| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
pickles
|
|
| n.腌菜( pickle的名词复数 )；处于困境；遇到麻烦；菜酱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
gravel
|
|
| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
snug
|
|
| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
homely
|
|
| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
spun
|
|
| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
consequential
|
|
| adj.作为结果的，间接的；重要的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
conceited
|
|
| adj.自负的，骄傲自满的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
growl
|
|
| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
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： |
|
|
|
|
18
orphan
|
|
| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
justifies
|
|
| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
rust
|
|
| n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
confidentially
|
|
| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
confidential
|
|
| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
conversing
|
|
| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
interrogating
|
|
| n.询问技术v.询问( interrogate的现在分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
revolving
|
|
| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
chancellor
|
|
| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
squandered
|
|
| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
equity
|
|
| n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
solicitor
|
|
| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
bleak
|
|
| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
misery
|
|
| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
asunder
|
|
| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
flakes
|
|
| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
stagnant
|
|
| adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
crutches
|
|
| n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
discretion
|
|
| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
feigned
|
|
| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
whim
|
|
| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
reminder
|
|
| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
neatly
|
|
| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
ward
|
|
| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
tact
|
|
| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
confided
|
|
| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
attentively
|
|
| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
subscription
|
|
| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
subscriptions
|
|
| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
vehemence
|
|
| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
linen
|
|
| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
flannel
|
|
| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
elevation
|
|
| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
tracts
|
|
| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
annuity
|
|
| n.年金；养老金 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
cardinal
|
|
| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
virtues
|
|
| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
denominations
|
|
| n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 )；教派；面额；名称 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
canvassing
|
|
| v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的现在分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
feverish
|
|
| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
esteemed
|
|
| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
eldest
|
|
| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
superannuated
|
|
| adj.老朽的，退休的；v.因落后于时代而废除，勒令退学 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
enrol
|
|
| v.（使）注册入学，（使）入学，（使）入会 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
enrolled
|
|
| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
ferocious
|
|
| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
stolidly
|
|
| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
benefactor
|
|
| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
helping
|
|
| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
participation
|
|
| n.参与，参加，分享 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
extorted
|
|
| v.敲诈( extort的过去式和过去分词 )；曲解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
prettily
|
|
| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
frivolous
|
|
| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
expend
|
|
| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
orations
|
|
| n.（正式仪式中的）演说，演讲( oration的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
fervid
|
|
| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
glowered
|
|
| v.怒视( glower的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
mite
|
|
| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
situated
|
|
| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
indifference
|
|
| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
gusher
|
|
| n.喷油井 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
waggon
|
|
| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
inured
|
|
| adj.坚强的，习惯的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
fatigue
|
|
| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
exertion
|
|
| n.尽力，努力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
malicious
|
|
| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
unwilling
|
|
| adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
incapable
|
|
| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
languishing
|
|
| a. 衰弱下去的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
sweeping
|
|
| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
promising
|
|
| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
sham
|
|
| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
inflamed
|
|
| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
abstain
|
|
| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
swelled
|
|
| 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： |
|
|
|
|
101
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
bruised
|
|
| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
growled
|
|
| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
badger
|
|
| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
bead
|
|
| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
107
custody
|
|
| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
108
intrusive
|
|
| adj.打搅的；侵扰的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
109
emphatic
|
|
| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
110
auditors
|
|
| n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
111
fatigued
|
|
| adj. 疲乏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
112
wholesale
|
|
| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
113
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
114
compassion
|
|
| n.同情，怜悯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
115
softened
|
|
| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
116
saviour
|
|
| n.拯救者，救星 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
117
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
118
defiance
|
|
| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
119
condoled
|
|
| v.表示同情，吊唁( condole的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
120
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
121
distressed
|
|
| 痛苦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
122
dwelling
|
|
| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
123
consolation
|
|
| n.安慰，慰问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
124
diffused
|
|
| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
125
hush
|
|
| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
126
sleeper
|
|
| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
127
underneath
|
|
| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
128
drooping
|
|
| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
129
bosom
|
|
| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
130
compassionate
|
|
| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
131
soothing
|
|
| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |