The Passing of a Public School Man

SIX days later the school was given a half holiday, and soon after luncheon¹ the bigamous union of Captain Edgar Grimes and Miss Florence Selina Fagan was celebrated² at the Llanabba Parish Church. A slight injury to his hand prevented Paul from playing the organ. He walked down the church with Mr Prendergast, who, greatly to his dismay, had been instructed by Dr Fagan to give away the bride.

'I do not intend to be present,' said the Doctor. 'The whole business is exceedingly painful to me.' Everybody else, however, was there except little Lord Tangent, whose foot was being amputated at a local nursing home. The boys for the most part welcomed the event as a pleasant variation to the rather irregular routine of their day. Clutterbuck alone seemed disposed to sulk.

'I don't suppose that their children will be terribly attractive,' said Beste Chetwynde.

There were few wedding presents. The boys had subscribed³ a shilling each and had bought at a shop in Llandudno a silver plated teapot, coyly suggestive of art nouveau. The Doctor gave them a cheque for twenty five pounds. Mr Prendergast gave Grimes a walking stick - 'because he was always borrowing mine'   and Dingy⁴ rather generously, two photograph frames, a calendar, and a tray of Benares brassware. Paul was the best man.

The service passed off without a hitch⁵, for Grimes's Irish wife did not turn up to forbid the banns. Flossie wore a frock of a rather noticeable velveteen and a hat with two pink feathers to match.

'I was so pleased when I found he didn't want me to wear white,' she said, 'though, of course, it might have been dyed afterwards.'

Both bride and bridegroom spoke⁶ up well in the responses, and afterwards the Vicar delivered a very moving address on the subject of Home and Conjugal⁷ Love.

'How beautiful it is,' he said, 'to see two young people in the hope of youth setting out with the Church's

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1 luncheon
n.午宴，午餐，便宴
参考例句：
We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。 I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

2 celebrated
adj.有名的，声誉卓著的
参考例句：
He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。 The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

3 subscribed
v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意
参考例句：
It is not a theory that is commonly subscribed to. 一般人并不赞成这个理论。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I subscribed my name to the document. 我在文件上签了字。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 dingy
adj.昏暗的，肮脏的
参考例句：
It was a street of dingy houses huddled together. 这是一条挤满了破旧房子的街巷。 The dingy cottage was converted into a neat tasteful residence.那间脏黑的小屋已变成一个整洁雅致的住宅。

5 hitch
v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉
参考例句：
They had an eighty-mile journey and decided to hitch hike.他们要走80英里的路程，最后决定搭便车。 All the candidates are able to answer the questions without any hitch.所有报考者都能对答如流。

6 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。

7 conjugal
adj.婚姻的，婚姻性的
参考例句：
Conjugal visits are banned,so marriages break down.配偶访问是禁止的，罪犯的婚姻也因此破裂。 Conjugal fate is something delicate.缘分，其实是一种微妙的东西。

8 blessing
n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿
参考例句：
The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。 A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

9 honeymoon
n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月
参考例句：
While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。 The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

10 postponed
vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）
参考例句：
The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。 The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

11 lodges
v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属
参考例句：
But I forget, if I ever heard, where he lodges in Liverpool. 可是我记不得有没有听他说过他在利物浦的住址。 来自辞典例句 My friend lodges in my uncle's house. 我朋友寄居在我叔叔家。 来自辞典例句

12 upheaval
n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱
参考例句：
It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。 The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

13 remains
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。 The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

14 thawing
n.熔化，融化v.（气候）解冻( thaw的现在分词 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化
参考例句：
The ice is thawing. 冰在融化。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 It had been snowing and thawing and the streets were sloppy. 天一直在下雪，雪又一直在融化，街上泥泞不堪。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

15 earnings
n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得
参考例句：
That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。 Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

16 circumference
n.圆周，周长，圆周线
参考例句：
It's a mile round the circumference of the field.运动场周长一英里。 The diameter and the circumference of a circle correlate.圆的直径与圆周有相互关系。

17 dread
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。 Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

18 conceited
adj.自负的，骄傲自满的
参考例句：
He could not bear that they should be so conceited.他们这样自高自大他受不了。 I'm not as conceited as so many people seem to think.我不像很多人认为的那么自负。

19 supercilious
adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲
参考例句：
The shop assistant was very supercilious towards me when I asked for some help.我要买东西招呼售货员时，那个售货员对我不屑一顾。 His manner is supercilious and arrogant.他非常傲慢自大。

20 wince
n.畏缩，退避，（因痛苦，苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动；v.畏缩，退缩，退避
参考例句：
The barb of his wit made us wince.他那锋芒毕露的机智使我们退避三舍。 His smile soon modified to a wince.他的微笑很快就成了脸部肌肉的抽搐。

21 muddle
n.困惑，混浊状态；vt.使混乱，使糊涂，使惊呆；vi.胡乱应付，混乱
参考例句：
Everything in the room was in a muddle.房间里每一件东西都是乱七八糟的。 Don't work in a rush and get into a muddle.克服忙乱现象。

22 winces
避开，畏缩( wince的名词复数 )
参考例句：
He winces at the memory of that experience. 他一回想起那番经历就畏缩起来。 He winces at the memory of that defeat. 一想到那次失败他就畏缩了。

23 wholesale
n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售
参考例句：
The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。 Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

24 brewery
n.啤酒厂
参考例句：
The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。 When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候，这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。

25 diluted
无力的，冲淡的
参考例句：
The paint can be diluted with water to make a lighter shade. 这颜料可用水稀释以使色度淡一些。 This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields. 这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。

26 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。

27 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

29 bowler
n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手
参考例句：
The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。 The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。

30 insanity
n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐
参考例句：
In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱，为自己辩解。 He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里，这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。

31 pretences
n.假装( pretence的名词复数 )；作假；自命；自称
参考例句：
You've brought your old friends out here under false pretences. 你用虚假的名义把你的那些狐朋狗党带到这里来。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 There are no pretences about him. 他一点不虚伪。 来自辞典例句

32 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。

33 reverent
adj.恭敬的，虔诚的
参考例句：
He gave reverent attention to the teacher.他恭敬地听老师讲课。 She said the word artist with a gentle,understanding,reverent smile.她说作家一词时面带高雅，理解和虔诚的微笑。

34 despondently
adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地
参考例句：
It had come to that, he reflected despondently. 事情已经到了这个地步了，他沉思着，感到心灰意懒。 来自辞典例句 He shook his head despondently. 他沮丧地摇摇头。 来自辞典例句

35 assertive
adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的
参考例句：
She always speaks an assertive tone.她总是以果断的语气说话。 China appears to have become more assertive in the waters off its coastline over recent years.在近些年，中国显示出对远方海洋的自信。

36 inscribed
v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接
参考例句：
His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。 The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 severely
adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地
参考例句：
He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。 He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

38 curtailment
n.缩减，缩短
参考例句：
The usage based allocation method and the curtailment based allocation method are discuss. 在责任分摊法中，阐述了使用程度分摊法和裁减量分摊法。 来自互联网 In transaction curtailment study, different transaction curtailment models using different types of curtailment objectives. 在交易裁减的研究中，不同的交易裁减模型采用了不同类型的裁减目标。 来自互联网

39 distressing
a.使人痛苦的
参考例句：
All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。 It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。