"Sam!" she cried from the top of the crooked¹ stairs.

No answer. The door at the foot was closed.

"Sam!"

"Hello?" Distantly, faintly.

"I've done all I'm going to do to-night."

And she ran back along the corridor, a white figure in the deep gloom, and hurried into bed, and drew the clothes up to her chin.

In the life of a bride there are some dramatic moments. If she has married the industrious² apprentice³, one of those moments occurs when she first occupies the sacred bed-chamber of her ancestors, and the bed on which she was born. Her parents' room had always been to Constance, if not sacred, at least invested with a certain moral solemnity. She could not enter it as she would enter another room. The course of nature, with its succession of deaths, conceptions, and births, slowly makes such a room august with a mysterious quality which interprets the grandeur⁴ of mere⁵ existence and imposes itself on all. Constance had the strangest sensations in that bed, whose heavy dignity of ornament⁶ symbolized⁷ a past age; sensations of sacrilege and trespass⁸, of being a naughty girl to whom punishment would accrue⁹ for this shocking freak. Not since she was quite tiny had she slept in that bed--one night with her mother, before her father's seizure¹⁰, when he had been away. What a limitless, unfathomable bed it was then! Now it was just a bed--so she had to tell herself--like any other bed. The tiny child that, safely

点击收听单词发音  

1 crooked
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。 You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

2 industrious
adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的
参考例句：
If the tiller is industrious,the farmland is productive.人勤地不懒。 She was an industrious and willing worker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。

3 apprentice
n.学徒，徒弟
参考例句：
My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。 The apprentice is not yet out of his time.这徒工还没有出徒。

4 grandeur
n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华
参考例句：
The grandeur of the Great Wall is unmatched.长城的壮观是独一无二的。 These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place.这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

5 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

6 ornament
v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物
参考例句：
The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。 She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

7 symbolized
v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
For Tigress, Joy symbolized the best a woman could expect from life. 在她看，小福子就足代表女人所应有的享受。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子 A car symbolized distinction and achievement, and he was proud. 汽车象征着荣誉和成功，所以他很自豪。 来自辞典例句

8 trespass
n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地
参考例句：
The fishing boat was seized for its trespass into restricted waters.渔船因非法侵入受限制水域而被扣押。 The court sentenced him to a fine for trespass.法庭以侵害罪对他判以罚款。

9 accrue
v.(利息等)增大，增多
参考例句：
Ability to think will accrue to you from good habits of study.思考能力将因良好的学习习惯而自然增强。 Money deposited in banks will accrue to us with interest.钱存在银行，利息自生。

10 seizure
n.没收；占有；抵押
参考例句：
The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。 The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

11 touching
adj.动人的，使人感伤的
参考例句：
It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。 His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

12 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

13 esteemed
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为
参考例句：
The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

15 intimidating
vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)
参考例句：
They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。 This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

16 foam
v./n.泡沫，起泡沫
参考例句：
The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。 The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

17 puff
n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气
参考例句：
He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。 They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

18 tassels
n.穗( tassel的名词复数 )；流苏状物；（植物的）穗；玉蜀黍的穗状雄花v.抽穗， （玉米）长穗须( tassel的第三人称单数 )；使抽穗， （为了使作物茁壮生长）摘去穗状雄花；用流苏装饰
参考例句：
Tassels and Trimmings, Pillows, Wall Hangings, Table Runners, Bell. 采购产品垂饰，枕头，壁挂，表亚军，钟。 来自互联网 Cotton Fabrics, Embroidery and Embroiders, Silk, Silk Fabric, Pillows, Tassels and Trimmings. 采购产品棉花织物，刺绣品而且刺绣，丝，丝织物，枕头，流行和装饰品。 来自互联网

19 hip
n.臀部，髋；屋脊
参考例句：
The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。 The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

20 decency
n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重
参考例句：
His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。 Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

21 judicial
adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的
参考例句：
He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。 Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

22 futile
adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的
参考例句：
They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。 Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

23 lessen
vt.减少，减轻；缩小
参考例句：
Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。 They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

24 embroidery
n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品
参考例句：
This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。 This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

25 kindliness
n.厚道，亲切，友好的行为
参考例句：
Martha looked up into a strange face and dark eyes alight with kindliness and concern. 马撒慢慢抬起头，映入眼帘的是张陌生的脸，脸上有一双充满慈爱和关注的眼睛。 来自辞典例句 I think the chief thing that struck me about Burton was his kindliness. 我想，我对伯顿印象最深之处主要还是这个人的和善。 来自辞典例句

26 perseverance
n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠
参考例句：
It may take some perseverance to find the right people.要找到合适的人也许需要有点锲而不舍的精神。 Perseverance leads to success.有恒心就能胜利。

27 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

28 meticulous
adj.极其仔细的，一丝不苟的
参考例句：
We'll have to handle the matter with meticulous care.这事一点不能含糊。 She is meticulous in her presentation of facts.她介绍事实十分详细。

29 impulsively
adv.冲动地
参考例句：
She leant forward and kissed him impulsively. 她倾身向前，感情冲动地吻了他。 Every good, true, vigorous feeling I had gathered came impulsively round him. 我的一切良好、真诚而又强烈的感情都紧紧围绕着他涌现出来。

30 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。

31 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。

32 linen
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。 Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

33 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。

34 tact
n.机敏，圆滑，得体
参考例句：
She showed great tact in dealing with a tricky situation.她处理棘手的局面表现得十分老练。 Tact is a valuable commodity.圆滑老练是很有用处的。

35 enveloping
v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Always the eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you. 那眼睛总是死死盯着你，那声音总是紧紧围着你。 来自英汉文学 The only barrier was a mosquito net, enveloping the entire bed. 唯一的障碍是那顶蚊帐罩住整个床。 来自辞典例句

36 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。

37 chasm
n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突
参考例句：
There's a chasm between rich and poor in that society.那社会中存在着贫富差距。 A huge chasm gaped before them.他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。

38 hovered
鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫
参考例句：
A hawk hovered over the hill. 一只鹰在小山的上空翱翔。 A hawk hovered in the blue sky. 一只老鹰在蓝色的天空中翱翔。

39 naive
adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的
参考例句：
It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致，你未免太单纯了。 Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。

40 chasms
裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别
参考例句：
She found great chasms in her mathematics and physics. 她觉得她的数学课和物理课的知识还很欠缺。 The sectarian chasms remain deep, the wounds of strife raw. 各派别的分歧巨大，旧恨新仇交织。

41 deficient
adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的
参考例句：
The crops are suffering from deficient rain.庄稼因雨量不足而遭受损害。 I always have been deficient in selfconfidence and decision.我向来缺乏自信和果断。