"Well," said Mr. Povey, rising from the rocking-chair that in a previous age had been John Baines's, "I've got to make a start some time, so I may as well begin now!"

And he went from the parlour into the shop. Constance's eye followed him as far as the door, where their glances met for an instant in the transient gaze which expresses the tenderness of people who feel more than they kiss.

It was on the morning of this day that Mrs. Baines, relinquishing¹ the sovereignty of St. Luke's Square, had gone to live as a younger sister in the house of Harriet Maddack at Axe². Constance guessed little of the secret anguish³ of that departure. She only knew that it was just like her mother, having perfectly⁴ arranged the entire house for the arrival of the honeymoon⁵ couple from Buxton, to flit early away so as to spare the natural blushing diffidence of the said couple. It was like her mother's commonsense⁶ and her mother's sympathetic comprehension. Further, Constance did not pursue her mother's feelings, being far too busy with her own. She sat there full of new knowledge and new importance, brimming with experience and strange, unexpected aspirations⁷, purposes, yes--and cunnings! And yet, though the very curves of her cheeks seemed to be mysteriously altering, the old Constance still lingered in that frame, an innocent soul hesitating to spread its wings and quit for ever the body which had been its home; you could see the timid thing peeping wistfully out of the eyes of the married woman.

Constance rang the bell for Maggie to clear the table; and as she did so she had the illusion that she was not really a married woman and a house-mistress, but only a kind of counterfeit⁸. She did most fervently

点击收听单词发音  

1 relinquishing
交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃
参考例句：
The international relinquishing of sovereignty would have to spring from the people. 在国际间放弃主权一举要由人民提出要求。 We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. 我们很明白，没有人会为了废除权力而夺取权力。 来自英汉文学

2 axe
n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减
参考例句：
Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。 The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

3 anguish
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼
参考例句：
She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。 The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

4 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。

5 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。

6 commonsense
adj.有常识的；明白事理的；注重实际的
参考例句：
It is commonsense to carry an umbrella in this weather.这种天气带把伞是很自然的。 These results are no more than a vindication of commonsense analysis.这些结果只不过是按常理分析得出的事实。

7 aspirations
强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音
参考例句：
I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。 The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

8 counterfeit
vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的
参考例句：
It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。 The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

9 fervently
adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地
参考例句：
"Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》 O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

10 obsequious
adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的
参考例句：
He looked at the two ladies with an obsequious air.他看着两位太太,满脸谄媚的神情。 He was obsequious to his superiors,but he didn't get any favor.他巴结上司，但没得到任何好处。

11 concealed
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。 I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

12 ineffable
adj.无法表达的，不可言喻的
参考例句：
The beauty of a sunset is ineffable.日落的美是难以形容的。 She sighed a sigh of ineffable satisfaction,as if her cup of happiness were now full.她发出了一声说不出多么满意的叹息，仿佛她的幸福之杯已经斟满了。

13 primly
adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地
参考例句：
He didn't reply, but just smiled primly. 他没回答，只是拘谨地笑了笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He wore prim suits with neckties set primly against the collar buttons of his white shirts. 他穿着整洁的外套，领结紧贴着白色衬衫领口的钮扣。 来自互联网

14 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

15 drudge
n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳
参考例句：
I feel like a real drudge--I've done nothing but clean all day!我觉得自己像个做苦工的--整天都在做清洁工作！ I'm a poor,miserable,forlorn drudge;I shall only drag you down with me.我是一个贫穷，倒运，走投无路的苦力，只会拖累你。

16 sobs
啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 )
参考例句：
She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。 She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。

17 widower
n.鳏夫
参考例句：
George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。 Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后，他终于决定二婚了。

18 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

19 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。

20 frankly
adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说
参考例句：
To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。 Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

21 primness
n.循规蹈矩，整洁
参考例句：

22 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。

23 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。

24 unpaid
adj.未付款的，无报酬的
参考例句：
Doctors work excessive unpaid overtime.医生过度加班却无报酬。 He's doing a month's unpaid work experience with an engineering firm.他正在一家工程公司无偿工作一个月以获得工作经验。

25 inquiries
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。 I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

26 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。

27 instinctive
adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的
参考例句：
He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。 Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。

28 outrage
n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒
参考例句：
When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。 We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

29 imminent
adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的
参考例句：
The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。 The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

30 astounded
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶
参考例句：
His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。 How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话？我感到大为震惊。

31 premises
n.建筑物，房屋
参考例句：
According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。 All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

32 plumbers
n.管子工，水暖工( plumber的名词复数 )；[美][口]（防止泄密的）堵漏人员
参考例句：
Plumbers charge by the hour for their work. 水管工人的工作是以小时收费的。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Plumbers, carpenters, and other workmen finished the new house quickly. 管道工、木工及其他工匠很快完成了这幢新房子。 来自辞典例句

33 plumber
n.(装修水管的)管子工
参考例句：
Have you asked the plumber to come and look at the leaking pipe?你叫管道工来检查漏水的管子了吗？ The plumber screwed up the tap by means of a spanner.管子工用板手把龙头旋紧。

34 sedately
adv.镇静地，安详地
参考例句：
Life in the country's south-west glides along rather sedately. 中国西南部的生活就相对比较平静。 来自互联网 She conducts herself sedately. 她举止端庄。 来自互联网

35 diminution
n.减少；变小
参考例句：
They hope for a small diminution in taxes.他们希望捐税能稍有减少。 He experienced no diminution of his physical strength.他并未感觉体力衰落。

36 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。

37 tassel
n.流苏，穗；v.抽穗， （玉米）长穗须
参考例句：
The corn has begun to tassel.玉米开始长出穗状雄花。 There are blue tassels on my curtains.我的窗帘上有蓝色的流苏。

38 luscious
adj.美味的；芬芳的；肉感的，引与性欲的
参考例句：
The watermelon was very luscious.Everyone wanted another slice.西瓜很可口，每个人都想再来一片。 What I like most about Gabby is her luscious lips!我最喜欢的是盖比那性感饱满的双唇！

39 opulence
n.财富，富裕
参考例句：
His eyes had never beheld such opulence.他从未见过这样的财富。 He owes his opulence to work hard.他的财富乃辛勤工作得来。

40 converse
vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反
参考例句：
He can converse in three languages.他可以用3种语言谈话。 I wanted to appear friendly and approachable but I think I gave the converse impression.我想显得友好、平易近人些,却发觉给人的印象恰恰相反。

41 twilight
n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期
参考例句：
Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。 Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。

42 laden
adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的
参考例句：
He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。 Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

43 ledgers
n.分类账( ledger的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The ledgers and account books had all been destroyed. 分类账本和账簿都被销毁了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The ledgers had all been destroyed. 账簿都被销毁了。 来自辞典例句

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 justifiable
adj.有理由的，无可非议的
参考例句：
What he has done is hardly justifiable.他的所作所为说不过去。 Justifiable defense is the act being exempted from crimes.正当防卫不属于犯罪行为。

46 astonishment
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。 I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

47 stunned
adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。 The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

48 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。