NOT many English tourists go out of their way to visit Louvain, even though it has a Hotel de Ville surpassing even that of Brussels itself, and though one can get there in an hour from that city of youth and pleasure. And there are no English residents at all in the place — at least, none in evidence, though perhaps there may be some who have gone there for the same reasons which led Mr. William Linville and his wife to choose this spot — in order to be private and secluded¹. There are many more people than we know of who desire, above all things, seclusion² and retirement³, and dread⁴ nothing so much as a chance meeting with an old friend.

Mr. William Linville took a small house, furnished, like the cottage at Passy, and, also like that little villa⁵, standing⁶ in its own garden. Here, with a cook and a maid, Iris⁷ set up her modest menage. To ask whether she was happy would be absurd. At no time since her marriage had she been happy; to live under the condition of perpetual concealment⁸ is not in itself likely to make a woman any the happier. Fortunately she had no time to experience the full bitterness of the plan proposed by her husband.

Consider. Had their scheme actually been carried out quite successfully, this pair, still young, would have found themselves condemned⁹ to transportation for life. That was the first thing. Next, they could never make any friends among their own countrymen or countrywomen for fear of discovery. Iris could never again speak to an English lady. If they had children the risk would appear ten times more terrible, the consequences ten times more awful. The children themselves would have to grow up without family and without friends. The husband, cut off from

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1 secluded
adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
Some people like to strip themselves naked while they have a swim in a secluded place. 一些人当他们在隐蔽的地方游泳时，喜欢把衣服脱光。 来自《简明英汉词典》 This charming cottage dates back to the 15th century and is as pretty as a picture, with its thatched roof and secluded garden. 这所美丽的村舍是15世纪时的建筑，有茅草房顶和宁静的花园，漂亮极了，简直和画上一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 seclusion
n.隐遁，隔离
参考例句：
She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。 I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。

3 retirement
n.退休，退职
参考例句：
She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。 I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

4 dread
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。 Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

5 villa
n.别墅，城郊小屋
参考例句：
We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。 We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

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 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。

8 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。

9 condemned
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。 The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

10 intercourse
n.性交；交流，交往，交际
参考例句：
The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。 There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

11 inevitably
adv.不可避免地；必然发生地
参考例句：
In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。 Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

12 loathe
v.厌恶，嫌恶
参考例句：
I loathe the smell of burning rubber.我厌恶燃着的橡胶散发的气味。 You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

13 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。

14 coup
n.政变；突然而成功的行动
参考例句：
The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。 That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

15 glum
adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的
参考例句：
He was a charming mixture of glum and glee.他是一个很有魅力的人，时而忧伤时而欢笑。 She laughed at his glum face.她嘲笑他闷闷不乐的脸。

16 conspirator
n.阴谋者，谋叛者
参考例句：
We started abusing him,one conspirator after another adding his bitter words.我们这几个预谋者一个接一个地咒骂他，恶狠狠地骂个不停。 A conspirator is not of the stuff to bear surprises.谋反者是经不起惊吓的。

17 attesting
v.证明( attest的现在分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓
参考例句：
Thus, a word of God, giving his own authoritative promise of redemption, must be self-attesting. 因此，上帝的话-将祂自己权威性的救赎应许赐给了人-必须是自证的。 来自互联网 There might be a letter in your file attesting to your energetic and imaginative teaching. 可能我会写封信证明你生动而充满想象力的教学。 来自互联网

18 continental
adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的
参考例句：
A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。 The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

19 trifling
adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的
参考例句：
They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。 So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

20 justified
a.正当的，有理的
参考例句：
She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。 The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

21 awakened
v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到
参考例句：
She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。 The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 acquiesce
vi.默许，顺从，同意
参考例句：
Her parents will never acquiesce in such an unsuitable marriage.她的父母决不会答应这门不相宜的婚事。 He is so independent that he will never acquiesce.他很有主见，所以绝不会顺从。

23 recoiled
v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回
参考例句：
She recoiled from his touch. 她躲开他的触摸。 Howard recoiled a little at the sharpness in my voice. 听到我的尖声，霍华德往后缩了一下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 liar
n.说谎的人
参考例句：
I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！ She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

25 vile
adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的
参考例句：
Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？ Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

26 degradation
n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变
参考例句：
There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。 Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。

27 humble
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。 Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

28 defrauded
v.诈取，骗取( defraud的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He defrauded his employers of thousands of dollars. 他诈取了他的雇主一大笔钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He defrauded them of their money. 他骗走了他们的钱。 来自辞典例句

29 villain
n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因
参考例句：
He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。 The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

30 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

31 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。

32 dishonour
n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩
参考例句：
There's no dishonour in losing.失败并不是耻辱。 He would rather die than live in dishonour.他宁死不愿忍辱偷生。