THE doctor was wrong. Fanny Mere¹ did return, though he did not discover the fact.

She went away in a state of mind which is dangerous when it possesses a woman of determination. The feminine mind loves to understand motives³ and intentions; it hates to be puzzled. Fanny was puzzled. Fanny could not understand what had been intended and what was now meant. For, first, a man, apparently⁴ dying, had been brought into the house — why? Then the man began slowly to recover, and the doctor, whose attentions had always been of the most slender character, grew more morose⁵ every day. Then he suddenly, on the very day when he sent her away, became cheerful, congratulated the patient on his prospect⁶ of recovery, and assisted in getting him out of bed for a change. The cook having been sent away, there was now no one in the house but the Dane, the doctor, and Lord Harry⁷.

Man hunts wild creatures; woman hunts man. Fanny was impelled⁸ by the hunting instinct. She was sent out of the house to prevent her hunting; she began to consider next, how, without discovery, she could return and carry on the hunt.

Everything conspired⁹ to drive her back: the mystery of the thing; the desire to baffle, or at least to discover, a dark design; the wish to be of service to her mistress; and the hope of finding out something which would keep Iris¹⁰ from going back to her husband. Fanny was unable to comprehend the depth of her mistress’s affection for Lord Harry; but that she was foolishly, weakly in love with him, and that she would certainly return to him unless plain proofs of real villainy were prepared — so much Fanny understood very well. When the omnibus set her down, she found a quiet hotel near the terminus for Dieppe. She spent the day walking about — to see the shops and streets, she would have explained; to consider the situation, she should have explained. She bought a new dress, a new hat, and a thick veil, so as to be disguised at a distance. As for escaping the doctor’s acuteness by any disguise should he meet her face to face, that was impossible. But her mind was made up — she would run any risk, meet any danger, in order to discover the meaning of all this.

点击收听单词发音  

1 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

2 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

3 motives
n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机 His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

4 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 morose
adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的
参考例句：
He was silent and morose.他沉默寡言、郁郁寡欢。 The publicity didn't make him morose or unhappy?公开以后，没有让他郁闷或者不开心吗？

6 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

7 harry
vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼
参考例句：
Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。 Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

8 impelled
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He felt impelled to investigate further. 他觉得有必要作进一步调查。 I feel impelled to express grave doubts about the project. 我觉得不得不对这项计划深表怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 conspired
密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致
参考例句：
They conspired to bring about the meeting of the two people. 他们共同促成了两人的会面。 Bad weather and car trouble conspired to ruin our vacation. 恶劣的气候连同汽车故障断送了我们的假日。

10 iris
n.虹膜，彩虹
参考例句：
The opening of the iris is called the pupil.虹膜的开口处叫做瞳孔。 This incredible human eye,complete with retina and iris,can be found in the Maldives.又是在马尔代夫，有这样一只难以置信的眼睛，连视网膜和虹膜都刻画齐全了。

11 candid
adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的
参考例句：
I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。 He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

12 conspiracy
n.阴谋，密谋，共谋
参考例句：
The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。 He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

13 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

14 convalescence
n.病后康复期
参考例句：
She bore up well during her convalescence.她在病后恢复期间始终有信心。 After convalescence he had a relapse.他于痊愈之后，病又发作了一次。

15 alcove
n.凹室
参考例句：
The bookcase fits neatly into the alcove.书架正好放得进壁凹。 In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves.火炉两边的凹室里是书架。

16 concealment
n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒
参考例句：
the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒 Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。

17 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。

18 concealed
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。 I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

19 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

20 deceptive
adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的
参考例句：
His appearance was deceptive.他的外表带有欺骗性。 The storyline is deceptively simple.故事情节看似简单，其实不然。

21 disorder
n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调
参考例句：
When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。 It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

22 confide
v.向某人吐露秘密
参考例句：
I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。 He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。

23 noted
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。 Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

24 prudent
adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的
参考例句：
A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。 You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

25 shuddered
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动
参考例句：
He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

27 inquiries
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。 I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

28 invaluable
adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的
参考例句：
A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。 This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

29 soothing
adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
参考例句：
Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。 His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

30 vigour
（=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力
参考例句：
She is full of vigour and enthusiasm.她有热情，有朝气。 At 40,he was in his prime and full of vigour.他40岁时正年富力强。

31 awaken
vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起
参考例句：
Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。 Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

32 sleeper
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。

33 pealed
v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The bells pealed (out) over the countryside. 钟声响彻郊野。 来自辞典例句 A gun shot suddenly pealed forth and shot its flames into the air. 突然一声炮响，一道火光升上天空。 来自辞典例句

34 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。

35 tempted
v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）
参考例句：
I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。 I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

36 bonnet
n.无边女帽；童帽
参考例句：
The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光，使之不刺眼。 She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽，帽上缀着褪了色的假花。

37 slumber
n.睡眠，沉睡状态
参考例句：
All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。 Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。

38 corks
n.脐梅衣；软木( cork的名词复数 )；软木塞
参考例句：
Champagne corks were popping throughout the celebrations. 庆祝会上开香槟酒瓶塞的砰砰声不绝於耳。 来自辞典例句 Champagne corks popped, and on lace tablecloths seven-course dinners were laid. 桌上铺着带装饰图案的网织的桌布，上面是七道菜的晚餐。 来自飘（部分）

39 smelt
v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼
参考例句：
Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。 Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法，他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼，而改用焦炭。

40 shrieked
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。 Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城