The city of Wintoncester, that fine old city, aforetime capital of Wessex, lay amidst its convex and concave downlands in all the brightness and warmth of a July morning. The gabled brick, tile, and freestone houses had almost dried off for the season their integument¹ of lichen², the streams in the meadows were low, and in the sloping High Street, from the West Gateway³ to the medieval cross, and from the medieval cross to the bridge, that leisurely⁴ dusting and sweeping⁵ was in progress which usually ushers⁶ in an old-fashioned market-day.

From the western gate aforesaid the highway, as every Wintoncestrian knows, ascends⁷ a long and regular incline of the exact length of a measured mile, leaving the houses gradually behind. Up this road from the precincts of the city two persons were walking rapidly, as if unconscious of the trying ascent⁸ - unconscious through preoccupation and not through buoyancy. They had emerged upon this road through a narrow barred wicket in a high wall a little lower down. They seemed anxious to get out of the sight of the houses and of their kind, and this road appeared to offer the quickest means of doing so. Though they were young they walked with bowed heads, which gait of grief the sun's rays smiled on pitilessly.

One of the pair was Angel Clare, the other a tall budding creature - half girl, half woman - a spiritualized image of Tess, slighter than she, but with the same beautiful eyes - Clare's sister-in-law, 'Liza-Lu. Their pale faces seemed to have shrunk to half their natural size. They moved on hand in hand, and never spoke⁹ a word, the drooping

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1 integument
n.皮肤
参考例句：
The first protector against the entry of microorganisms is the integument.抗御微生物进入体内的第一道防线是皮肤。 The cells of the integument and nucellus of some plants form perfectly normal embryos.某些植物的珠被和珠心细胞形成完全正常的胚。

2 lichen
n.地衣, 青苔
参考例句：
The stone stairway was covered with lichen.那石级长满了地衣。 There is carpet-like lichen all over the moist corner of the wall.潮湿的墙角上布满了地毯般的绿色苔藓。

3 gateway
n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法
参考例句：
Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。 A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

4 leisurely
adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的
参考例句：
We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。 He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

5 sweeping
adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的
参考例句：
The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。 Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

6 ushers
n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Seats clicked, ushers bowed while he looked blandly on. 座位发出啪啦啪啦的声响，领座员朝客人们鞠躬，而他在一边温和殷勤地看着。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 The minister then offers a brief prayer of dedication, and the ushers return to their seats. 于是牧师又做了一个简短的奉献的祈祷，各招待员也各自回座位。 来自辞典例句

7 ascends
v.上升，攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The azygos vein ascends in the right paravertebral gutter. 奇静脉在右侧脊柱旁沟内上升。 来自辞典例句 The mortality curve ascends gradually to a plateau at age 65. 死亡曲线逐渐上升，到65岁时成平稳状态。 来自辞典例句

8 ascent
n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高
参考例句：
His rapid ascent in the social scale was surprising.他的社会地位提高之迅速令人吃惊。 Burke pushed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.伯克按动电钮，电梯开始缓慢上升。

9 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。

10 drooping
adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词
参考例句：
The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。 The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

11 onward
adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先
参考例句：
The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。 He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

12 milestone
n.里程碑；划时代的事件
参考例句：
The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。 I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

13 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。

14 margin
n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
参考例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。 The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

15 impelled
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He felt impelled to investigate further. 他觉得有必要作进一步调查。 I feel impelled to express grave doubts about the project. 我觉得不得不对这项计划深表怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 suspense
n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑
参考例句：
The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。 The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

17 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

18 unlimited
adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的
参考例句：
They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。 There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

19 aisle
n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道
参考例句：
The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。 The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

20 nave
n.教堂的中部；本堂
参考例句：
People gathered in the nave of the house.人们聚拢在房子的中间。 The family on the other side of the nave had a certain look about them,too.在中殿另一边的那一家人，也有着自己特有的相貌。

21 spires
n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Her masts leveled with the spires of churches. 船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。 来自《简明英汉词典》 White church spires lift above green valleys. 教堂的白色尖顶耸立在绿色山谷中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 pinnacled
小尖塔般耸立的，顶处的
参考例句：
How sharply its pinnacled angles and its wilderness of spires were cut against the sky. 峰峦般的棱角和无数尖塔，多么醒目地搠在天空。 He desired not to be pinnacled, but sink into the crowd. 他不想出人头地，只愿深入群众之中。

23 dole
n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给
参考例句：
It's not easy living on the dole.靠领取失业救济金生活并不容易。 Many families are living on the dole since the strike.罢工以来，许多家庭靠失业救济金度日。

24 edifices
n.大建筑物( edifice的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They complain that the monstrous edifices interfere with television reception. 他们抱怨说，那些怪物般的庞大建筑，干扰了电视接收。 来自辞典例句 Wealthy officials and landlords built these queer edifices a thousand years ago. 有钱的官吏和地主在一千年前就修建了这种奇怪的建筑物。 来自辞典例句

25 bespeaking
v.预定( bespeak的现在分词 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求
参考例句：
Every voice in nature was unanimous in bespeaking change. 自然界的各种迹象都在表明要变天了。 来自辞典例句 Research results showed that this new scheme is very valid for bespeaking and demodulating M-ary communication. 理论研究结果表明：此方案对高速扩频通信系统的解扩解调是行之有效的。 来自互联网

26 captivity
n.囚禁；被俘；束缚
参考例句：
A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。 He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

27 quaint
adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的
参考例句：
There were many small lanes in the quaint village.在这古香古色的村庄里，有很多小巷。 They still keep some quaint old customs.他们仍然保留着一些稀奇古怪的旧风俗。

28 yews
n.紫杉( yew的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We hedged our yard with yews. 我们用紫杉把院子围起。 来自辞典例句 The trees grew more and more in groves and dotted with old yews. 那里的树木越来越多地长成了一簇簇的小丛林，还点缀着几棵老紫杉树。 来自辞典例句

29 evergreen
n.常青树；adj.四季常青的
参考例句：
Some trees are evergreen;they are called evergreen.有的树是常青的，被叫做常青树。 There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。

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 blot
vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍
参考例句：
That new factory is a blot on the landscape.那新建的工厂破坏了此地的景色。 The crime he committed is a blot on his record.他犯的罪是他的履历中的一个污点。

32 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。

33 riveted
铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意
参考例句：
I was absolutely riveted by her story. 我完全被她的故事吸引住了。 My attention was riveted by a slight movement in the bushes. 我的注意力被灌木丛中的轻微晃动吸引住了。

34 immortals
不朽的人物( immortal的名词复数 )； 永生不朽者
参考例句：
Nobody believes in the myth about human beings becoming immortals. 谁也不相信人能成仙的神话。 Shakespeare is one of the immortals. 莎士比亚是不朽的人物之一。

35 knights
骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马
参考例句：
stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事 He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

36 dames
n.（在英国）夫人（一种封号），夫人（爵士妻子的称号）( dame的名词复数 )；女人
参考例句：
Dames would not comment any further. Dames将不再更多的评论。 来自互联网 Flowers, candy, jewelry, seemed the principal things in which the elegant dames were interested. 鲜花、糖果和珠宝看来是那些贵妇人的主要兴趣所在。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

37 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。