THEIR next and second attempt thereat was more deliberately¹ made, though it was begun on the morning following the singular child's arrival at their home.

Him they found to be in the habit of sitting silent, his quaint² and weird³ face set, and his eyes resting on things they did not see in the substantial world.

"His face is like the tragic⁴ mask of Melpomene," said Sue. "What is your name, dear? Did you tell us?"

"Little Father Time is what they always called me. It is a nickname; because I look so aged⁵, they say."

"And you talk so, too," said Sue tenderly. "It is strange, Jude, that these preternaturally old boys almost always come from new countries. But what were you christened?"

"I never was."

"Why was that?"

"Because, if I died in damnation, 'twould save the expense of a Christian⁶ funeral."

"Oh--your name is not Jude, then?" said his father with some disappointment.

The boy shook his head. "Never heerd on it."

"Of course not," said Sue quickly; "since she was hating you all the time!"

"We'll have him christened," said Jude; and privately⁷ to Sue: "The day we are married." Yet the advent⁸ of the child disturbed him.

Their position lent them shyness, and having an impression that a marriage at a superintendent⁹ registrar's office was more private than an ecclesiastical one, they decided¹⁰ to avoid a church this time. Both Sue and Jude together went to the office of the district to give notice: they had become such companions that they could hardly do anything of importance except in each other's company.

点击收听单词发音  

1 deliberately
adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地
参考例句：
The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。 They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

2 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。

3 weird
adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的
参考例句：
From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。 His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

4 tragic
adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的
参考例句：
The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。 Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 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。

6 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

7 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。

8 advent
n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临
参考例句：
Swallows come by groups at the advent of spring. 春天来临时燕子成群飞来。 The advent of the Euro will redefine Europe.欧元的出现将重新定义欧洲。

9 superintendent
n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长
参考例句：
He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。 He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

10 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。

11 undertaking
n.保证，许诺，事业
参考例句：
He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。 He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

12 volatile
adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质
参考例句：
With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。 His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

13 apprehensive
adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的
参考例句：
She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。 He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

14 horrid
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。 The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

15 sordid
adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的
参考例句：
He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。 They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。

16 betrothed
n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
She is betrothed to John. 她同约翰订了婚。 His daughter was betrothed to a teacher. 他的女儿同一个教师订了婚。

17 scriptures
经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典
参考例句：
Here the apostle Peter affirms his belief that the Scriptures are 'inspired'. 使徒彼得在此表达了他相信《圣经》是通过默感写成的。 You won't find this moral precept in the scriptures. 你在《圣经》中找不到这种道德规范。

18 profane
adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污
参考例句：
He doesn't dare to profane the name of God.他不敢亵渎上帝之名。 His profane language annoyed us.他亵渎的言语激怒了我们。

19 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。

20 furtively
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地
参考例句：
At this some of the others furtively exchanged significant glances. 听他这样说，有几个人心照不宣地彼此对望了一眼。 Remembering my presence, he furtively dropped it under his chair. 后来想起我在，他便偷偷地把书丢在椅子下。

21 affixed
adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章）
参考例句：
The label should be firmly affixed to the package. 这张标签应该牢牢地贴在包裹上。 He affixed the sign to the wall. 他将标记贴到墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 clinch
v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench
参考例句：
Clinch the boards together.用钉子把木板钉牢在一起。 We don't accept us dollars,please Swiss francs to clinch a deal business.我方不收美元，请最好用瑞士法郎来成交生意。

23 attachment
n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附
参考例句：
She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。 She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。

24 inviting
adj.诱人的，引人注目的
参考例句：
An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。 The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

25 brass
n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器
参考例句：
Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。 Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

26 allotted
分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。 Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。

27 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

28 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。

29 jocund
adj.快乐的，高兴的
参考例句：
A poet could not but be gay in such a jocund company.一个诗人在这种兴高采烈的同伴中自然而然地会快乐。 Her jocund character made her the most popular girl in the county.她快乐的个性使她成为这个郡最受欢迎的女孩。

30 thwart
v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的)
参考例句：
We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。 I don't think that will thwart our purposes.我认为那不会使我们的目的受到挫折。

31 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。

32 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。

33 coffin
n.棺材，灵柩
参考例句：
When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。 The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

34 obstinate
adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的
参考例句：
She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了，不会让任何人帮她的。 The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。

35 intensified
v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。 The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 sitting-room
n.（BrE）客厅，起居室
参考例句：
The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。 Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

37 lashes
n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥
参考例句：
Mother always lashes out food for the children's party. 孩子们聚会时，母亲总是给他们许多吃的。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Never walk behind a horse in case it lashes out. 绝对不要跟在马后面，以防它突然猛踢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 doom
n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定
参考例句：
The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。 The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

39 temerity
n.鲁莽，冒失
参考例句：
He had the temerity to ask for higher wages after only a day's work.只工作了一天，他就蛮不讲理地要求增加工资。 Tins took some temerity,but it was fruitless.这件事做得有点莽撞，但结果还是无用。

40 vow
n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓
参考例句：
My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。 I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

41 vowed
起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。 I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

42 deterrent
n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的
参考例句：
Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。 I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

43 joyful
adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的
参考例句：
She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。 They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

44 dismal
adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的
参考例句：
That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。 My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

45 chilly
adj.凉快的，寒冷的
参考例句：
I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。 I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

46 dreary
adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的
参考例句：
They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。 She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

47 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。

48 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。

49 recess
n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）
参考例句：
The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。 Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

50 sullen
adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句：
He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。 Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

51 casually
adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地
参考例句：
She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。 I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

52 gaol
n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢
参考例句：
He was released from the gaol.他被释放出狱。 The man spent several years in gaol for robbery.这男人因犯抢劫罪而坐了几年牢。

53 brink
n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿
参考例句：
The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。 The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

54 jocosely
adv.说玩笑地，诙谐地
参考例句：

55 saluted
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。 He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

56 unnatural
adj.不自然的；反常的
参考例句：
Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？ She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。

57 climax
n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点
参考例句：
The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。 His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

58 alley
n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路
参考例句：
We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。 The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。

59 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

60 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

61 nominal
adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的
参考例句：
The king was only the nominal head of the state. 国王只是这个国家名义上的元首。 The charge of the box lunch was nominal.午餐盒饭收费很少。

62 bondage
n.奴役，束缚
参考例句：
Masters sometimes allowed their slaves to buy their way out of bondage.奴隶主们有时允许奴隶为自己赎身。 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。

63 tyrant
n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人
参考例句：
The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。 The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。

64 salvation
n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困
参考例句：
Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。 Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

65 tack
n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝
参考例句：
He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。 We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。

66 proceedings
n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。 to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

67 awakened
v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到
参考例句：
She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。 The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

68 immoral
adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的
参考例句：
She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。 It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。

69 preposterous
adj.荒谬的，可笑的
参考例句：
The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。 It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

70 joint
adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合
参考例句：
I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。 We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

71 shuddered
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动
参考例句：
He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

72 perjure
v.作伪证；使发假誓
参考例句：
The man scrupled to perjure himself.这人发伪誓时迟疑了起来。 She would rather perjure herself than admit to her sins.她宁愿在法庭上撒谎也不愿承认她的罪行。

73 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。

74 incompetency
n.无能力，不适当
参考例句：
I have suffered a martyrdom from their incompetency and caprice. 他们的无能和任性折磨得我够受了。 来自辞典例句

75 peculiarities
n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪
参考例句：
the cultural peculiarities of the English 英国人的文化特点 He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another. 他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

76 vividly
adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地
参考例句：
The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。 The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。

77 hideously
adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地
参考例句：
The witch was hideously ugly. 那个女巫丑得吓人。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Pitt's smile returned, and it was hideously diabolic. 皮特的脸上重新浮现出笑容，但却狰狞可怕。 来自辞典例句

78 morbid
adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的
参考例句：
Some people have a morbid fascination with crime.一些人对犯罪有一种病态的痴迷。 It's morbid to dwell on cemeteries and such like.不厌其烦地谈论墓地以及诸如此类的事是一种病态。

79 risky
adj.有风险的，冒险的
参考例句：
It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。 He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

80 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。

81 WHIMS
虚妄，禅病
参考例句：
The mate observed regretfully that he could not account for that young fellow's whims. 那位伙伴很遗憾地说他不能说出那年轻人产生怪念头的原因。 The rest she had for food and her own whims. 剩下的钱她用来吃饭和买一些自己喜欢的东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

82 coercion
n.强制，高压统治
参考例句：
Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions.既不诱供也不逼供。 He paid the money under coercion.他被迫付钱。

83 briefly
adv.简单地，简短地
参考例句：
I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。 He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

84 repent
v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔
参考例句：
He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。 Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。

85 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。