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CHAPTER XIV. HELENA’S DIARY.
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To-day I went as usual to the Scripture-class for girls. It was harder work than ever, teaching without Eunice to help me. Indeed, I felt lonely all day without my sister. When I got home, I rather hoped that some friend might have come to see us, and have been asked to stay to tea. The housemaid opened the door to me. I asked Maria if anybody had called.
“Yes, miss; a lady, to see the master.”
“A stranger?”
“Never saw her before, miss, in all my life.” I put no more questions. Many ladies visit my father. They call it consulting the Minister. He advises them in their troubles, and guides them in their religious difficulties, and so on. They come and go in a sort of secrecy1. So far as I know, they are mostly old maids, and they waste the Minister’s time.
When my father came in to tea, I began to feel some curiosity about the lady who had called on him. Visitors of that sort, in general, never appear to dwell on his mind after they have gone away; he sees too many of them, and is too well accustomed to what they have to say. On this particular evening, however, I perceived appearances that set me thinking; he looked worried and anxious.
“Has anything happened, father, to vex2 you?” I said.
“Yes.”
“Is the lady concerned in it?”
“What lady, my dear?”
“The lady who called on you while I was out.”
“Who told you she had called on me?”
“I asked Maria—”
“That will do, Helena, for the present.”
He drank his tea and went back to his study, instead of staying a while, and talking pleasantly as usual. My respect submitted to his want of confidence in me; but my curiosity was in a state of revolt. I sent for Maria, and proceeded to make my own discoveries, with this result:
No other person had called at the house. Nothing had happened, except the visit of the mysterious lady. “She looked between young and old. And, oh dear me, she was certainly not pretty. Not dressed nicely, to my mind; but they do say dress is a matter of taste.”
Try as I might, I could get no more than that out of our stupid young housemaid.
Later in the evening, the cook had occasion to consult me about supper. This was a person possessing the advantages of age and experience. I asked if she had seen the lady. The cook’s reply promised something new: “I can’t say I saw the lady; but I heard her.”
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1
secrecy
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n.秘密,保密,隐蔽 | |
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2
vex
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vt.使烦恼,使苦恼 | |
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3
afflicted
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使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
courteous
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adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的 | |
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5
vile
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adj.卑鄙的,可耻的,邪恶的;坏透的 | |
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6
languor
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n.无精力,倦怠 | |
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fatigue
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n.疲劳,劳累 | |
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8
agitation
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n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 | |
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9
remains
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n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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10
interval
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n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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middle-aged
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adj.中年的 | |
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morsel
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n.一口,一点点 | |
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13
spoke
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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 | |
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14
amends
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n. 赔偿 | |
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partnership
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n.合作关系,伙伴关系 | |
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adverse
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adj.不利的;有害的;敌对的,不友好的 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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18
speculation
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n.思索,沉思;猜测;投机 | |
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retired
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adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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wreck
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n.失事,遇难;沉船;vt.(船等)失事,遇难 | |
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shameful
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adj.可耻的,不道德的 | |
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22
calamity
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n.灾害,祸患,不幸事件 | |
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23
prostrated
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v.使俯伏,使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 );(指疾病、天气等)使某人无能为力 | |
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imperatively
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adv.命令式地 | |
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25
regained
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复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地 | |
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26
discreet
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adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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pecuniary
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adj.金钱的;金钱上的 | |
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profligacy
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n.放荡,不检点,肆意挥霍 | |
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creditors
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n.债权人,债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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prospect
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n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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momentary
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adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的 | |
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hesitation
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n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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intimacy
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n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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34
stifled
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(使)窒息, (使)窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 ); 镇压,遏制; 堵 | |
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clinched
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v.(尤指两人)互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 );解决(争端、交易),达成(协议) | |
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36
reviled
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v.辱骂,痛斥( revile的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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incubus
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n.负担;恶梦 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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tickled
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(使)发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)愉快,逗乐 | |
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