The rain that had begun with the morning still poured on steadily¹ in the afternoon. After one look out of the window, Regina decided² on passing the rest of the day luxuriously³, in the company of a novel, by her own fireside. With her feet on the tender, and her head on the soft cushion of her favourite easy-chair, she opened the book. Having read the first chapter and part of the second, she was just lazily turning over the leaves in search of a love scene, when her languid interest in the novel was suddenly diverted to an incident in real life. The sitting-room⁴ door was gently opened, and her maid appeared in a state of modest confusion.

“If you please, miss, here’s a strange gentleman who comes from Mr. Goldenheart. He wishes particularly to say —”

She paused, and looked behind her. A faint and curious smell of mingled⁵ soap and scent⁶ entered the room, followed closely by a tall, calm, shabbily-dressed man, who laid a wiry yellow hand on the maid’s shoulder, and stopped her effectually before she could say a word more.

“Don’t you think of troubling yourself to git through with it, my dear; I’m here, and I’ll finish for you.” Addressing the maid in these encouraging terms, the stranger advanced to Regina, and actually attempted to shake hands with her! Regina rose — and looked at him. It was a look that ought to have daunted⁷ the boldest man living; it produced no sort of effect on this man. He still held out his hand; his lean face broadened with a pleasant smile. “My name is Rufus Dingwell,” he said. “I come from Coolspring, Mass.; and Amelius is my introduction to yourself and family.”

Regina silently acknowledged this information by a frigid⁸ bow, and addressed herself to the maid, waiting at the door: “Don’t leave the room, Phoebe.”

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1 steadily
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。 Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

2 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 luxuriously
adv.奢侈地，豪华地
参考例句：
She put her nose luxuriously buried in heliotrope and tea roses. 她把自己的鼻子惬意地埋在天芥菜和庚申蔷薇花簇中。 来自辞典例句 To be well dressed doesn't mean to be luxuriously dressed. 穿得好不一定衣着豪华。 来自辞典例句

4 sitting-room
n.（BrE）客厅，起居室
参考例句：
The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。 Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

5 mingled
混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]
参考例句：
The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。 The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

6 scent
n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉
参考例句：
The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。 The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

7 daunted
使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She was a brave woman but she felt daunted by the task ahead. 她是一个勇敢的女人，但对面前的任务却感到信心不足。 He was daunted by the high quality of work they expected. 他被他们对工作的高品质的要求吓倒了。

8 frigid
adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的
参考例句：
The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged for long.水冰冷彻骨，他在下面呆不了太长时间。 She returned his smile with a frigid glance.对他的微笑她报以冷冷的一瞥。

9 genial
adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的
参考例句：
Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。 He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

10 alacrity
n.敏捷，轻快，乐意
参考例句：
Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。 He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

11 repelled
v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开
参考例句：
They repelled the enemy. 他们击退了敌军。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The minister tremulously, but decidedly, repelled the old man's arm. 而丁梅斯代尔牧师却哆里哆嗦地断然推开了那老人的胳臂。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

12 heartiest
亲切的( hearty的最高级 )； 热诚的； 健壮的； 精神饱满的
参考例句：
He was then the heartiest and sturdiest boy in the world. 他那时是世界上最诚恳、最坚强的孩子。 We parted with them in the heartiest manner. 我们和他们在最热烈的气氛下分别了。

13 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》

14 sumptuous
adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的
参考例句：
The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。 We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

15 favourable
adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的
参考例句：
The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。 We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。

16 portraiture
n.肖像画法
参考例句：
I am going to have my portraiture taken.我请人给自己画张肖像。 The painting of beautiful women was another field of portraiture.人物画中的另一个领域是仕女画。

17 briefly
adv.简单地，简短地
参考例句：
I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。 He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

18 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

19 socialist
n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的
参考例句：
China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。 His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

20 certify
vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给
参考例句：
I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。 This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。

21 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。

22 outrage
n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒
参考例句：
When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。 We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

23 propriety
n.正当行为；正当；适当
参考例句：
We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。 The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。

24 darted
v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 annihilating
v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的现在分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃
参考例句：
There are lots of ways of annihilating the planet. 毁灭地球有很多方法。 来自辞典例句 We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句

26 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。

27 stimulate
vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋
参考例句：
Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。 Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

28 exhausted
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。 Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

29 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。

31 intentional
adj.故意的，有意（识）的
参考例句：
Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。 His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

32 habitually
ad.习惯地，通常地
参考例句：
The pain of the disease caused him habitually to furrow his brow. 病痛使他习惯性地紧皱眉头。 Habitually obedient to John, I came up to his chair. 我已经习惯于服从约翰，我来到他的椅子跟前。

33 scruple
n./v.顾忌，迟疑
参考例句：
It'seemed to her now that she could marry him without the remnant of a scruple.她觉得现在她可以跟他成婚而不需要有任何顾忌。 He makes no scruple to tell a lie.他说起谎来无所顾忌。

34 innately
adv.天赋地；内在地，固有地
参考例句：
Innately conservative, Confucius was fascinated by the last of these disciplines. 由于生性保守，孔子特别推崇“礼”。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史 Different individuals are innately fitted for different kinds of employment. 不同的人适合不同的职业，这是天生的。 来自互联网

35 inaccessible
adj.达不到的，难接近的
参考例句：
This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。 The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

36 docile
adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的
参考例句：
Circus monkeys are trained to be very docile and obedient.马戏团的猴子训练得服服贴贴的。 He is a docile and well-behaved child.他是个温顺且彬彬有礼的孩子。

37 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。

38 liking
n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢
参考例句：
The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。 I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

39 likeness
n.相像，相似（之处）
参考例句：
I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。 She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

40 hesitation
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。 There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

41 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

42 ridicule
v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄
参考例句：
You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。 Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。

43 prevaricated
v.支吾( prevaricate的过去式和过去分词 )；搪塞；说谎
参考例句：

44 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

45 lodgings
n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍
参考例句：
When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。 I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

46 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

47 eloquent
adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的
参考例句：
He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。 These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

48 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。