THE trouble was made by Iris¹ herself.

In this way —

She saw Fanny’s advertisement. Her first impulse was to take her back into her service. But she remembered the necessity for concealment². She must not place herself — she realised already the fact that she had done a thing which would draw upon her the vengeance³ of the law — and her husband in the power of this woman, whose fidelity⁴ might not stand the shock of some fit of jealousy⁵, rage, or revenge for fancied slight. She must henceforth be cut off altogether from all her old friends.

She therefore answered the letter by one which contained no address, and which she posted with her own hand at the General Post Office. She considered her words carefully. She must not say too much or too little.

“I enclose,” she said, “a bank note for ten pounds to assist you. I am about to travel abroad, but must, under existing circumstances, dispense⁷ with the services of a maid. In the course of my travels I expect to be in Brussels. If, therefore, you have anything to tell me or to ask of me, write to me at the Poste Restante of that city, and in the course of six mouths or so I am tolerably sure to send for the letter. In fact, I shall expect to find a letter from you. Do not think that I have forgotten you or your faithful services, though for a moment I am not able to call you to my side. Be patient.”

There was no address given in the letter. This alone was mysterious. If Lady Harry⁸ was in London and the letter was posted at the General Post Office — why should she not give her address? If she was abroad, why should she hide her address? In any case, why should she do without a maid — she who had never been without a maid — to whom a maid was as necessary as one of her hands? Oh! she could never get along at all without a maid. As for Iris’s business in London and her part in the

点击收听单词发音  

1 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。

2 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。

3 vengeance
n.报复，报仇，复仇
参考例句：
He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。 For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

4 fidelity
n.忠诚，忠实；精确
参考例句：
There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。 His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。

5 jealousy
n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌
参考例句：
Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。 I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

6 fully
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。 They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 dispense
vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施
参考例句：
Let us dispense the food.咱们来分发这食物。 The charity has been given a large sum of money to dispense as it sees fit.这个慈善机构获得一大笔钱，可自行适当分配。

8 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。

9 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。

10 imploring
恳求的，哀求的
参考例句：
Those calm, strange eyes could see her imploring face. 那平静的，没有表情的眼睛还能看得到她的乞怜求情的面容。 She gave him an imploring look. 她以哀求的眼神看着他。

11 narrative
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。 Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

12 indirectly
adv.间接地，不直接了当地
参考例句：
I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。 They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

13 interfere
v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰
参考例句：
If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。 When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

14 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。

15 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

16 agitation
n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动
参考例句：
Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。 These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

17 villains
n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼
参考例句：
The impression of villains was inescapable. 留下恶棍的印象是不可避免的。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Some villains robbed the widow of the savings. 有几个歹徒将寡妇的积蓄劫走了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

18 shameful
adj.可耻的，不道德的
参考例句：
It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。 We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

19 deserted
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。 The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

20 misanthropic
adj.厌恶人类的，憎恶（或蔑视）世人的；愤世嫉俗
参考例句：
Jane is filled with sympathy for the misanthropic Rochester. Nevertheless, she realizes she must now depart. 简对愤世嫉俗的罗切斯特满怀同情，但意识到此时她必须离开。 来自互联网

21 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。

22 foulest
adj.恶劣的( foul的最高级 )；邪恶的；难闻的；下流的
参考例句：
Most of the foremen abused the workmen in the foulest languages. 大多数的工头用极其污秽的语言辱骂工人。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Of all men the drunkard is the foulest. 男人中最讨人厌的是酒鬼。 来自辞典例句

23 timing
n.时间安排，时间选择
参考例句：
The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。 The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

24 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》

25 inquiry
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。 The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

26 solicitors
初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Most solicitors in England and Wales are in private practice . 英格兰和威尔士的大多数律师都是私人执业者。 The family has instructed solicitors to sue Thomson for compensation. 那家人已经指示律师起诉汤姆森，要求赔偿。

27 solicitor
n.初级律师，事务律师
参考例句：
The solicitor's advice gave me food for thought.律师的指点值得我深思。 The solicitor moved for an adjournment of the case.律师请求将这个案件的诉讼延期。

28 ascertain
vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清
参考例句：
It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。 We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。

29 bereavement
n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛
参考例句：
the pain of an emotional crisis such as divorce or bereavement 诸如离婚或痛失亲人等情感危机的痛苦 I sympathize with you in your bereavement. 我对你痛失亲人表示同情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

31 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。

32 implored
恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She implored him to stay. 她恳求他留下。 She implored him with tears in her eyes to forgive her. 她含泪哀求他原谅她。

33 conjured
用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现
参考例句：
He conjured them with his dying breath to look after his children. 他临终时恳求他们照顾他的孩子。 His very funny joke soon conjured my anger away. 他讲了个十分有趣的笑话，使得我的怒气顿消。

34 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。

35 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。