Twenty-three
IYes, that was what I was doing. It was all over now. The last of the fight,the last of the struggle. The last phase of the journey.
It seemed so long ago to the time of my restless youth. The days of “Iwant, I want.” But it wasn’t long. Less than a year….
I went over it all—lying there in my bunk¹, and thinking.
Meeting Ellie—our times in Regent’s Park—our marriage in the Regis-trar’s Office. The house—Santonix building it—the house completed. Mine,all mine. I was me—me—me as I wanted to be. As I’d always wanted to be.
I’d got everything I’d wanted and I was going home to it.
Before I left New York I’d written one letter and sent it off by air mail toget there ahead of me. I’d written to Phillpot. Somehow I felt that Phillpotwould understand, though others mightn’t.
It was easier to write than to tell him. Anyway, he’d got to know. Every-one had got to know. Some people probably wouldn’t understand, but Ithought he would. He’d seen for himself how close Ellie and Greta hadbeen, how Ellie had depended on Greta. I thought he’d realize how I’dcome to depend upon her also, how it would be impossible for me to livealone in the house where I’d lived with Ellie unless there was someonethere to help me. I don’t know if I put it very well. I did my best.
“I’d like you,” I wrote, “to be the first to know. You’ve been so kind to us,and I think you’ll be the only person to understand. I can’t face livingalone at Gipsy’s Acre. I’ve been thinking all the time I’ve been in Americaand I’ve decided² that as soon as I get home I’m going to ask Greta to marryme. She’s the only person I can really talk to about Ellie, you see. She’ll un-derstand. Perhaps she won’t marry me, but I think she will…It will makeeverything as though there were the three of us together still.”
I wrote the letter three times before I could get it to express just what Iwanted to say. Phillpot ought to get it two days before my return.
I came up on deck as we were approaching England. I looked out as theland came nearer. I thought, “I wish Santonix was with me.” I did wish it. Iwished he could know how everything was all coming true. Everything I’dplanned—everything I’d thought—everything I’d wanted.
I’d shaken off America, I’d shaken off the crooks

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1 bunk
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话
参考例句：
He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。 Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。

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 crooks
n.骗子( crook的名词复数 )；罪犯；弯曲部分；（牧羊人或主教用的）弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The police are getting after the crooks in the city. 警察在城里追捕小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The cops got the crooks. 警察捉到了那些罪犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 sycophants
n.谄媚者，拍马屁者( sycophant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The office is a menagerie of egotists and sycophants. 该办公室乃是自私者与谄媚者汇集之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They even praise such a disappointing program, they really are sycophants. 这么差劲的节目也有人夸赞，真是捧臭脚！ 来自互联网

5 bishop
n.主教，（国际象棋）象
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

6 subterfuges
n.（用说谎或欺骗以逃脱责备、困难等的）花招，遁词( subterfuge的名词复数 )
参考例句：

7 pretence
n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰
参考例句：
The government abandoned any pretence of reform. 政府不再装模作样地进行改革。 He made a pretence of being happy at the party.晚会上他假装很高兴。

8 frenzied
a.激怒的；疯狂的
参考例句：
Will this push him too far and lead to a frenzied attack? 这会不会逼他太甚，导致他进行疯狂的进攻？ Two teenagers carried out a frenzied attack on a local shopkeeper. 两名十几岁的少年对当地的一个店主进行了疯狂的袭击。

9 inordinate
adj.无节制的；过度的
参考例句：
The idea of this gave me inordinate pleasure.我想到这一点感到非常高兴。 James hints that his heroine's demands on life are inordinate.詹姆斯暗示他的女主人公对于人生过于苛求。

10 aged
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。 He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

11 toiled
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉
参考例句：
They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。 He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

12 middle-aged
adj.中年的
参考例句：
I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。 The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

13 vat
n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶
参考例句：
The office is asking for the vat papers.办事处要有关增值税的文件。 His father emptied sacks of stale rye bread into the vat.他父亲把一袋袋发霉的黑面包倒进大桶里。

14 puerile
adj.幼稚的，儿童的
参考例句：
The story is simple,even puerile.故事很简单，甚至有些幼稚。 Concert organisers branded the group's actions as puerile.音乐会的组织者指称该乐队的行为愚蠢幼稚。

15 respiration
n.呼吸作用；一次呼吸；植物光合作用
参考例句：
They tried artificial respiration but it was of no avail.他们试做人工呼吸，可是无效。 They made frequent checks on his respiration,pulse and blood.他们经常检查他的呼吸、脉搏和血液。

16 gambling
n.赌博；投机
参考例句：
They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。 The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

17 bulging
膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱
参考例句：
Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。 Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”

18 gasp
n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说
参考例句：
She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。 The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

19 acting
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
参考例句：
Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。 During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

20 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

21 groomed
v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗
参考例句：
She is always perfectly groomed. 她总是打扮得干净利落。 Duff is being groomed for the job of manager. 达夫正接受训练，准备当经理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 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。

23 overdid
v.做得过分( overdo的过去式 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度
参考例句：
We overdid the meat and it didn't taste good. 我们把肉煮得太久，结果味道不好了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He overdid and became extremely tired. 他用力过猛，感到筋疲力尽。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

24 tricky
adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的
参考例句：
I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？ He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

25 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。

26 cemetery
n.坟墓，墓地，坟场
参考例句：
He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。 His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

27 strings
n.弦
参考例句：
He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。 She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

28 latched
v.理解( latch的过去式和过去分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上）
参考例句：
The government have latched onto environmental issues to win votes. 政府已开始大谈环境问题以争取选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He latched onto us and we couldn't get rid of him. 他缠着我们，甩也甩不掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 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。

30 champagne
n.香槟酒；微黄色
参考例句：
There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。 They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。

31 delirious
adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的
参考例句：
He was delirious,murmuring about that matter.他精神恍惚，低声叨念着那件事。 She knew that he had become delirious,and tried to pacify him.她知道他已经神志昏迷起来了，极力想使他镇静下来。

32 obstinately
ad.固执地，顽固地
参考例句：
He obstinately asserted that he had done the right thing. 他硬说他做得对。 Unemployment figures are remaining obstinately high. 失业数字仍然顽固地居高不下。

33 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

34 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。

35 superstitious
adj.迷信的
参考例句：
They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。 These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。

36 filthy
adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的
参考例句：
The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。 You really should throw out that filthy old sofa and get a new one.你真的应该扔掉那张肮脏的旧沙发，然后再去买张新的。

37 quarry
n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找
参考例句：
Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。 This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。