PART I Two 5

V“Oh! Come on, Mary. It’s Garbo, and a grand film—all about Paris. And a story by a tiptopauthor. There was an opera of it once.”
“It’s frightfully nice of you, Ted¹, but I really won’t.”
Ted Bigland said angrily:
“I can’t make you out nowadays, Mary. You’re different—altogether different.”
“No, I’m not, Ted.”
“You are! I suppose because you’ve been away to that grand school and to Germany. You’retoo good for us now.”
“It’s not true, Ted. I’m not like that.”
She spoke² vehemently³.
The young man, a fine sturdy specimen⁴, looked at her appraisingly⁵ in spite of his anger.
“Yes, you are. You’re almost a lady, Mary.”
Mary said with sudden bitterness:
“Almost isn’t much good, is it?”
He said with sudden understanding:
“No, I reckon it isn’t.”
Mary said quickly:
“Anyway, who cares about that sort of thing nowadays? Ladies and gentlemen, and all that!”
“It doesn’t matter like it did—no,” Ted assented⁷, but thoughtfully. “All the same, there’s afeeling. Lord, Mary, you look like a duchess or a countess or something.”
Mary said:
“That’s not saying much. I’ve seen countesses looking like old-clothes women!”
“Well, you know what I mean.”
A stately figure of ample proportions, handsomely dressed in black, bore down upon them. Hereyes gave them a sharp glance. Ted moved aside a step or two. He said:
“Afternoon, Mrs. Bishop⁸.”
Mrs. Bishop inclined her head graciously.
“Good afternoon, Ted Bigland. Good afternoon, Mary.”
She passed on, a ship in full sail.
Ted looked respectfully after her.
Mary murmured.
“Now, she really is like a duchess!”
“Yes—she’s got a manner. Always makes me feel hot inside my collar.”
Mary said slowly:
“She doesn’t like me.”
“Nonsense, my girl.”
“It’s true. She doesn’t. She’s always saying sharp things to me.”
“Jealous,” said Ted, nodding his head sapiently⁹. “That’s all it is.”
Mary said doubtfully:
“I suppose it might be that….”
“That’s it, depend upon it. She’s been housekeeper¹⁰ at Hunterbury for years, ruling the roost andordering everyone about and now old Mrs. Welman takes a fancy to you, and it puts her out!
That’s all it is.”
Mary said, a shade of trouble on her forehead:
“It’s silly of me, but I can’t bear it when anyone doesn’t like me. I want people to like me.”
“Sure to be women who don’t like you, Mary! Jealous cats who think you’re too good-looking!”
Mary said:
“I think jealousy’s horrible.”
Ted said slowly:
“Maybe—but it exists all right. Say, I saw a lovely film over at Alledore last week. Clark Gable.
All about one of these millionaire blokes who neglected his wife; and then she pretended she’ddone the dirty on him. And there was another fellow….”
Mary moved away. She said:
“Sorry, Ted, I must go. I’m late.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to have tea with Nurse Hopkins.”
Ted made a face.
“Funny taste. That woman’s the biggest gossip in the village! Pokes¹¹ that long nose of hers intoeverything.”
Mary said:
“She’s been very kind to me always.”
“Oh, I’m not saying there’s any harm in her. But she talks.”
Mary said:
“Goodbye, Ted.”
She hurried off, leaving him standing⁶ gazing resentfully after her.

1 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

4 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

5 appraisingly   

adv.以品评或评价的眼光

参考例句：

• He looked about him appraisingly. 他以品评的目光环视四周。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She sat opposite him on the bench and studied him-wryly, appraisingly, curiously. 她坐在他对面的凳子上，仔细打量着他--带着嘲笑、揣摩和好奇的神情。 来自辞典例句

6 standing   

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。

7 assented   

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！

8 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

9 sapiently   

参考例句：

10 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

11 pokes   

v.伸出( poke的第三人称单数 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交

参考例句：

• He pokes his nose into everything. 他这人好管闲事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Only the tip of an iceberg pokes up above water. 只有冰山的尖端突出于水面。 来自辞典例句