The imaginative flights of Clyde in connection with all this--his dreams of what it might mean for him to beconnected with so glorious an institution--can only be suggested. For his ideas of luxury were in the main soextreme and mistaken and gauche--mere¹ wanderings of a repressed and unsatisfied fancy, which as yet had hadnothing but imaginings to feed it.

　　He went back to his old duties at the drug-store--to his home after hours in order to eat and sleep--but now forthe balance of this Friday and Saturday and Sunday and Monday until late in the day, he walked on air, really.

　　His mind was not on what he was doing, and several times his superior at the drugstore had to remind him to"wake-up." And after hours, instead of going directly home, he walked north to the corner of 14th and Baltimore,where stood this great hotel, and looked at it. There, at midnight even, before each of the three principalentrances--one facing each of three streets--was a doorman in a long maroon² coat with many buttons and a high-rimmed and long-visored maroon cap. And inside, behind looped and fluted³ French silk curtains, were the stillblazing lights, the a la carte dining-room and the American grill⁴ in the basement near one corner still open. Andabout them were many taxis and cars. And there was music always--from somewhere.

　　After surveying it all this Friday night and again on Saturday and Sunday morning, he returned on Mondayafternoon at the suggestion of Mr. Squires⁵ and was greeted by that individual rather crustily, for by then he hadall but forgotten him. But seeing that at the moment he was actually in need of help, and being satisfied thatClyde might be of service, he led him into his small office under the stair, where, with a very superior mannerand much actual indifference⁶, he proceeded to question him as to his parentage, where he lived, at what he hadworked before and where, what his father did for a living--a poser that for Clyde, for he was proud and soashamed to admit that his parents conducted a mission and preached on the streets. Instead he replied (which wastrue at times) that his father

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 maroon
v.困住，使（人）处于孤独无助之境；n.逃亡黑奴；孤立的人；酱紫色，褐红色；adj.酱紫色的，褐红色的
参考例句：
Five couples were marooned in their caravans when the River Avon broke its banks.埃文河决堤的时候，有5对夫妇被困在了他们的房车里。 Robinson Crusoe has been marooned on a desert island for 26 years.鲁滨逊在荒岛上被困了26年。

3 fluted
a.有凹槽的
参考例句：
The Taylor house is that white one with the tall fluted column on Polyock Street. 泰勒家的住宅在波洛克街上，就是那幢有高大的雕花柱子的白色屋子。 Single chimera light pink two-tone fluted star. Plain, pointed. Large. 单瓣深浅不一的亮粉红色星形缟花，花瓣端有凹痕。平坦尖型叶。大型。

4 grill
n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问
参考例句：
Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。 I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

5 squires
n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The family history was typical of the Catholic squires of England. 这个家族的历史，在英格兰信天主教的乡绅中是很典型的。 来自辞典例句 By 1696, with Tory squires and Amsterdam burghers complaining about excessive taxes. 到1696年，托利党的乡绅们和阿姆斯特丹的市民都对苛捐杂税怨声载道。 来自辞典例句

6 indifference
n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎
参考例句：
I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。 He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

7 canvassed
v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的过去式和过去分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查
参考例句：
He canvassed the papers, hunting for notices of jobs. 他仔细查阅报纸，寻找招工广告。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The stirring event was well canvassed. 那桩惊人的事情已经是满城风雨。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

8 displeasing
不愉快的，令人发火的
参考例句：
Such conduct is displeasing to your parents. 这种行为会使你的父母生气的。 Omit no harsh line, smooth away no displeasing irregularity. 不能省略任何刺眼的纹路，不能掩饰任何讨厌的丑处。

9 undue
adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的
参考例句：
Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。 It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。

10 courteous
adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的
参考例句：
Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一，但她总是很谦恭有礼。 He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善，而且彬彬有礼。

11 promptly
adv.及时地，敏捷地
参考例句：
He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。 She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

12 flirt
v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者
参考例句：
He used to flirt with every girl he met.过去他总是看到一个姑娘便跟她调情。 He watched the stranger flirt with his girlfriend and got fighting mad.看着那个陌生人和他女朋友调情，他都要抓狂了。

13 assent
v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可
参考例句：
I cannot assent to what you ask.我不能应允你的要求。 The new bill passed by Parliament has received Royal Assent.议会所通过的新方案已获国王批准。

14 temperament
n.气质，性格，性情
参考例句：
The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。 Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。

15 pitcher
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手
参考例句：
He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。 Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

16 dime
n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角
参考例句：
A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。 The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

17 suffocating
a.使人窒息的
参考例句：
After a few weeks with her parents, she felt she was suffocating.和父母呆了几个星期后，她感到自己毫无自由。 That's better. I was suffocating in that cell of a room.这样好些了，我刚才在那个小房间里快闷死了。

18 inspection
n.检查，审查，检阅
参考例句：
On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。 The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

19 daze
v.(使)茫然，(使)发昏
参考例句：
The blow on the head dazed him for a moment.他头上受了一击后就昏眩了片刻。 I like dazing to sit in the cafe by myself on Sunday.星期日爱独坐人少的咖啡室发呆。

20 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。

21 payroll
n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额
参考例句：
His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。 I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

22 mentor
n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导
参考例句：
He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。 He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

23 jersey
n.运动衫
参考例句：
He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。 They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

24 lingo
n.语言不知所云，外国话，隐语
参考例句：
If you live abroad it helps to know the local lingo.住在国外，学一点当地的语言自有好处。 Don't use all that technical lingo try and explain in plain English.别尽用那种专门术语，用普通的词语解释吧。

25 freckled
adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句

26 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。

27 buffalo
n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛
参考例句：
Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。 The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

28 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。

29 rattled
慌乱的，恼火的
参考例句：
The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。 Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

30 ascended
v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 den
n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室
参考例句：
There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。 The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

32 dough
n.生面团；钱，现款
参考例句：
She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。 The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。

33 glimmering
n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. 他这么说是什么意思，我有点明白了。 来自辞典例句 Now that darkness was falling, only their silhouettes were outlined against the faintly glimmering sky. 这时节两山只剩余一抹深黑，赖天空微明为画出一个轮廓。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

34 realization
n.实现；认识到，深刻了解
参考例句：
We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。 He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

35 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。

36 locker
n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人
参考例句：
At the swimming pool I put my clothes in a locker.在游泳池我把衣服锁在小柜里。 He moved into the locker room and began to slip out of his scrub suit.他走进更衣室把手术服脱下来。

37 nervously
adv.神情激动地，不安地
参考例句：
He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。 He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

38 complicate
vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂
参考例句：
There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。 These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

39 confession
n.自白，供认，承认
参考例句：
Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。 The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

40 gee
n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转
参考例句：
Their success last week will gee the team up.上星期的胜利将激励这支队伍继续前进。 Gee,We're going to make a lot of money.哇！我们会赚好多钱啦！