This penitential mood kept her from naming the wedding-day. The beginning of November found its date still in abeyance¹, though he asked her at the most tempting² times. But Tess's desire seemed to be for a perpetual betrothal³ in which everything should remain as it was then.

The meads were changing now; but it was still warm enough in early afternoons before milking to idle there awhile, and the state of dairy-work at this time of year allowed a spare hour for idling. Looking over the damp sod in the direction of the sun, a glistening⁴ ripple⁵ of gossamer⁶ webs was visible to their eyes under the luminary⁷, like the track of moonlight on the sea. Gnats⁸, knowing nothing of their brief glorification⁹, wandered across the shimmer¹⁰ of this pathway, irradiated as if they bore fire within them, then passed out of its line, and were quite extinct. In the presence of these things he would remind her that the date was still the question.

Or he would ask her at night, when he accompanied her on some mission invented by Mrs Crick to give him the opportunity. This was mostly a journey to the farmhouse¹¹ on the slopes above the vale, to inquire how the advanced cows were getting on in the straw-barton to which they were relegated¹². For it was a time of the year that brought great changes to the world of kine.

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1 abeyance
n.搁置，缓办，中止，产权未定
参考例句：
The question is in abeyance until we know more about it.问题暂时搁置，直到我们了解更多有关情况再行研究。 The law was held in abeyance for well over twenty years.这项法律被搁置了二十多年。

2 tempting
a.诱人的, 吸引人的
参考例句：
It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。 It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

3 betrothal
n. 婚约, 订婚
参考例句：
Their betrothal took place with great pomp and rejoicings. 他们举行了盛大而又欢乐的订婚仪式。 "On the happy occasion of the announcement of your betrothal," he finished, bending over her hand. "在宣布你们订婚的喜庆日。" 他补充说，同时低下头来吻她的手。

4 glistening
adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。 Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》

5 ripple
n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进
参考例句：
The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。 The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

6 gossamer
n.薄纱，游丝
参考例句：
The prince helped the princess,who was still in her delightful gossamer gown.王子搀扶着仍穿著那套美丽薄纱晚礼服的公主。 Gossamer is floating in calm air.空中飘浮着游丝。

7 luminary
n.名人，天体
参考例句：
That luminary gazed earnestly at some papers before him.那个大好佬在用心细看面前的报纸。 Now that a new light shone upon the horizon,this older luminary paled in the west.现在东方地平线上升起了一轮朝阳，这弯残月就在西边天际失去了光泽。

8 gnats
n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 )
参考例句：
He decided that he might fire at all gnats. 他决定索性把鸡毛蒜皮都摊出来。 来自辞典例句 The air seemed to grow thick with fine white gnats. 空气似乎由于许多白色的小虫子而变得浑浊不堪。 来自辞典例句

9 glorification
n.赞颂
参考例句：
Militant devotion to and glorification of one's country; fanatical patriotism. 对国家的军事效忠以及美化；狂热的爱国主义。 Glorification-A change of place, a new condition with God. 得荣─在神面前新处境，改变了我们的结局。

10 shimmer
v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光
参考例句：
The room was dark,but there was a shimmer of moonlight at the window.屋子里很黑，但靠近窗户的地方有点微光。 Nor is there anything more virginal than the shimmer of young foliage.没有什么比新叶的微光更纯洁无瑕了。

11 farmhouse
n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房）
参考例句：
We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。 We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。

12 relegated
v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类
参考例句：
She was then relegated to the role of assistant. 随后她被降级做助手了。 I think that should be relegated to the garbage can of history. 我认为应该把它扔进历史的垃圾箱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 batches
一批( batch的名词复数 )； 一炉； （食物、药物等的）一批生产的量； 成批作业
参考例句：
The prisoners were led out in batches and shot. 这些囚犯被分批带出去枪毙了。 The stainless drum may be used to make larger batches. 不锈钢转数设备可用来加工批量大的料。

14 calves
n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解
参考例句：
a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛 The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 calf
n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮
参考例句：
The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。 The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

16 interval
n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息
参考例句：
The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。 There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

17 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

18 weirs
n.堰，鱼梁（指拦截游鱼的枝条篱）( weir的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They shot some pretty weirs and rapids. 他们看到了一些美丽的堰坎和湍滩。 来自辞典例句 She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows the weirs. 她让我简单的去生活，就像地上长出青草。 来自互联网

19 tinkling
n.丁当作响声
参考例句：
I could hear bells tinkling in the distance. 我能听到远处叮当铃响。 To talk to him was like listening to the tinkling of a worn-out musical-box. 跟他说话，犹如听一架老掉牙的八音盒子丁冬响。 来自英汉文学

20 intonation
n.语调，声调；发声
参考例句：
The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。 Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。

21 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

22 sobbing
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句：
I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。 Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

23 groaning
adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式
参考例句：
She's always groaning on about how much she has to do. 她总抱怨自己干很多活儿。 The wounded man lay there groaning, with no one to help him. 受伤者躺在那里呻吟着，无人救助。

24 heeding
v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的现在分词 )
参考例句：
This come of heeding people who say one thing and mean another! 有些人嘴里一回事，心里又是一回事，今天这个下场都是听信了这种人的话的结果。 来自辞典例句 Her dwarfish spouse still smoked his cigar and drank his rum without heeding her. 她那矮老公还在吸他的雪茄，喝他的蔗酒，睬也不睬她。 来自辞典例句

25 obedience
n.服从，顺从
参考例句：
Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。 Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

26 arable
adj.可耕的，适合种植的
参考例句：
The terrain changed quickly from arable land to desert.那个地带很快就从耕地变成了沙漠。 Do you know how much arable land has been desolated?你知道什么每年有多少土地荒漠化吗？

27 myriads
n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Each galaxy contains myriads of stars. 每一星系都有无数的恒星。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The sky was set with myriads of stars. 无数星星点缀着夜空。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

28 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。

29 secrecy
n.秘密，保密，隐蔽
参考例句：
All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。 Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

30 ornamental
adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物
参考例句：
The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。 The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。

31 graceful
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了! The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

32 phenomena
n.现象
参考例句：
Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。 The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

33 implore
vt.乞求，恳求，哀求
参考例句：
I implore you to write. At least tell me you're alive.请给我音讯，让我知道你还活着。 Please implore someone else's help in a crisis.危险时请向别人求助。

34 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

35 plausible
adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的
参考例句：
His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。 Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

36 doomed
命定的
参考例句：
The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。 A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

37 bucolic
adj.乡村的；牧羊的
参考例句：
It is a bucolic refuge in the midst of a great bustling city.它是处在繁华的大城市之中的世外桃源。 She turns into a sweet country girl surrounded by family,chickens and a bucolic landscape.她变成了被家人、鸡与乡村景象所围绕的甜美乡村姑娘。

38 beheld
v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

39 idyllic
adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的
参考例句：
These scenes had an idyllic air.这种情景多少有点田园气氛。 Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

40 tinge
vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息
参考例句：
The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。 There was a tinge of sadness in her voice.她声音中流露出一丝忧伤。

41 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。

42 advantageous
adj.有利的；有帮助的
参考例句：
Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous.注射维生素C显然是有利的。 You're in a very advantageous position.你处于非常有利的地位。

43 ordeal
n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验
参考例句：
She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。 Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

44 proprietor
n.所有人；业主；经营者
参考例句：
The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。 The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

45 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。

46 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。

47 mansion
n.大厦，大楼；宅第
参考例句：
The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。 The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

48 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。

49 loomed
v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近
参考例句：
A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。 The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

50 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。

51 privately
adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地
参考例句：
Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。 The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

52 postponement
n.推迟
参考例句：
He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。 Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

53 impatience
n.不耐烦，急躁
参考例句：
He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。 He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

54 omission
n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长
参考例句：
The omission of the girls was unfair.把女孩排除在外是不公平的。 The omission of this chapter from the third edition was a gross oversight.第三版漏印这一章是个大疏忽。

55 tune
n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整
参考例句：
He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。 The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

56 scourged
鞭打( scourge的过去式和过去分词 )； 惩罚，压迫
参考例句：
He was scourged by the memory of his misdeeds. 他对以往的胡作非为的回忆使得他精神上受惩罚。 Captain White scourged his crew without mercy. 船长怀特无情地鞭挞船员。

57 smoothly
adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地
参考例句：
The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。 Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

58 bonnet
n.无边女帽；童帽
参考例句：
The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光，使之不刺眼。 She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽，帽上缀着褪了色的假花。

59 undoing
n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭
参考例句：
That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。 This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。

60 alterations
n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变
参考例句：
Any alterations should be written in neatly to the left side. 改动部分应书写清晰，插在正文的左侧。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code. 基因突变是指DNA 密码的改变。 来自《简明英汉词典》

61 attire
v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装
参考例句：
He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。 Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。

62 ballad
n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲
参考例句：
This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。 This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。

63 blithely
adv.欢乐地，快活地，无挂虑地
参考例句：
They blithely carried on chatting, ignoring the customers who were waiting to be served. 他们继续开心地聊天，将等着购物的顾客们置于一边。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He blithely ignored her protests and went on talking as if all were agreed between them. 对她的抗议他毫不在意地拋诸脑后，只管继续往下说，仿彿他们之间什么都谈妥了似的。 来自《简明英汉词典》