Sixteen（1）

Sixteen
I
“Good evening, Mrs. Betterton.”
“Good evening, Miss Jennson.”
The thin, spectacled girl was looking excited. Her eyes glinted behindthe thick lenses.
“There will be a Reunion this evening,” she said. “The Director himself isgoing to address us!”
She spoke¹ in an almost hushed voice.
“That’s good,” said Andy Peters, who was standing² close by. “I’ve beenwaiting to catch a glimpse of this Director.”
Miss Jennson threw him a glance of shocked reproof³.
“The Director,” she said austerely⁴, “is a very wonderful man.”
As she went away from them down one of the inevitable⁵ white cor-ridors, Andy Peters gave a low whistle.
“Now did I, or did I not, catch a hint of the Heil Hitler attitude there?”
“It certainly sounded like it.”
“The trouble in this life is that you never really know where you’re go-ing. If I’d known when I left the States all full of boyish ardour for thegood old Brotherhood⁶ of Man that I was going to land myself in theclutches of yet another heavenborn Dictator—” he threw out his hands.
“You don’t know that yet,” Hilary reminded him.
“I can smell it—in the air,” said Peters.
“Oh,” cried Hilary. “How glad I am that you’re here!” She flushed, as helooked at her quizzically.
“You’re so nice and ordinary,” said Hilary desperately⁷.
Peters looked amused.
“Where I come from,” he said, “the word ordinary doesn’t have yourmeaning. It can stand for being just plain mean.”
“You know I didn’t mean it that way. I mean you’re like everybody else.
Oh dear, that sounds rude, too.”
“The common man, that’s what you’re asking for? You’ve had enough ofthe genius?”
“Yes, and you’ve changed, too, since you came here. You’ve lost thatstreak of bitterness—of hatred⁸.”
But immediately his face grew rather grim.
“Don’t count on that,” he said. “It’s still there—underneath. I can stillhate. There are things, believe me, that should be hated.”

1 spoke   

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

参考例句：

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

2 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。

3 reproof   

n.斥责，责备

参考例句：

• A smart reproof is better than smooth deceit.严厉的责难胜过温和的欺骗。
• He is impatient of reproof.他不能忍受指责。

4 austerely   

adv.严格地，朴质地

参考例句：

• The austerely lighted garage was quiet. 灯光黯淡的车库静悄悄的。 来自辞典例句
• Door of Ministry of Agriculture and produce will be challenged austerely. 农业部门及农产品将受到严重的挑战。 来自互联网

5 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

6 brotherhood   

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。

7 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

8 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。