The reader will understand that the fate of the necklace was very soon decided¹. Ayala declared that it was very beautiful. She had, indeed, a pretty taste for diamonds, and would have been proud enough to call this necklace her own; but, as she declared to her aunt, she would not accept Tom though he were made of diamonds from head to foot. Accept Tom, when she could not even bring herself to think of becoming the wife of Jonathan Stubbs! If Colonel Stubbs could not be received by her imagination as an Angel of Light, how immeasurably distant from anything angelic must be Tom Tringle! “Of course it must go back,” she said, when the question had to be decided as to the future fate of the necklace. As a consequence poor Mr Dosett was compelled to make a special journey into the City, and to deposit a well-sealed parcel in the hands of Tom Tringle himself. “Your cousin sends her kind regards,” he said, “but cannot bring herself to accept your magnificent present.”

Tom had been very much put about since his visit to the Crescent. Had his aunt merely told him that his present would be inefficacious, he would have taken that assurance as being simply her opinion, and would have still entertained some hopes in the diamonds. But these tidings as to another lover crushed him altogether. And such a lover! The very man whom he had asked to write his letter for him! Why had not Colonel Stubbs told him the truth when thus his own secret had become revealed by an accident? He understood it all now — the “Ayala”, and the Mister, and the reason why the Colonel could not write the letter. Then he became very angry with the Colonel, whom he bitterly accused of falsehood and treason. What right had the Colonel to meddle² with his cousin at all? And how false he had been to say nothing of what he himself had done when his rival had told him everything! In this way he made up his mind that it was his duty to hate Colonel Stubbs, and if possible to inflict³ some personal punishment upon him. He was reckless of himself now, and, if he could only get one good blow at the Colonel’s head with a thick stick, would be indifferent as to what the law might do with him afterwards. Or perhaps he might be able to provoke Colonel Stubbs to fight with him. He had an idea that duels⁴ at present were not in fashion. But nevertheless, in such a case as this, a man ought to fight. He could at any rate have the gratification of calling the Colonel a coward if he should refuse to fight.

点击收听单词发音  

1 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。

2 meddle
v.干预，干涉，插手
参考例句：
I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。 Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。

3 inflict
vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担
参考例句：
Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。 Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

4 duels
n.两男子的决斗( duel的名词复数 )；竞争，斗争
参考例句：
That's where I usually fight my duels. 我经常在那儿进行决斗。” 来自英语晨读30分（初三） Hyde Park also became a favourite place for duels. 海德公园也成了决斗的好地方。 来自辞典例句

5 redeem
v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）
参考例句：
He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。 The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

6 consigning
v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的现在分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃
参考例句：
By consigning childhood illiteracy to history we will help make poverty history too. 而且，通过将儿童文盲归于历史，我们也将改变贫穷的历史。 来自互联网

7 bosom
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。 A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

8 jewelry
n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝
参考例句：
The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。 Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

9 grudge
n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做
参考例句：
I grudge paying so much for such inferior goods.我不愿花这么多钱买次品。 I do not grudge him his success.我不嫉妒他的成功。

10 consolation
n.安慰，慰问
参考例句：
The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。 This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

11 devoted
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。 We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

12 champagne
n.香槟酒；微黄色
参考例句：
There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。 They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。

13 lodgings
n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍
参考例句：
When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。 I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

14 jovial
adj.快乐的，好交际的
参考例句：
He seemed jovial,but his eyes avoided ours.他显得很高兴，但他的眼光却避开了我们的眼光。 Grandma was plump and jovial.祖母身材圆胖，整天乐呵呵的。

15 impeded
阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Work on the building was impeded by severe weather. 楼房的施工因天气恶劣而停了下来。 He was impeded in his work. 他的工作受阻。

16 metropolis
n.首府；大城市
参考例句：
Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。 He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

17 enrolled
adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起
参考例句：
They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 alluded
提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。 She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

19 billiards
n.台球
参考例句：
John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。 Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

20 delightful
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。 Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

21 alas
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)
参考例句：
Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！ Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

22 guardian
n.监护人；守卫者，保护者
参考例句：
The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。 The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

23 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

24 magistrate
n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官
参考例句：
The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。 John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。

25 lamentable
adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的
参考例句：
This lamentable state of affairs lasted until 1947.这一令人遗憾的事态一直持续至1947年。 His practice of inebriation was lamentable.他的酗酒常闹得别人束手无策。

26 fidelity
n.忠诚，忠实；精确
参考例句：
There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。 His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。

27 pecuniary
adj.金钱的；金钱上的
参考例句：
She denies obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.她否认通过欺骗手段获得经济利益。 She is so independent that she refused all pecuniary aid.她很独立，所以拒绝一切金钱上的资助。

28 fiery
adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的
参考例句：
She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。 His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

29 sob
n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣
参考例句：
The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。 The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。

30 intoxication
n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning
参考例句：
He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。 Predator: Intoxication-Damage over time effect will now stack with other allies. Predator:Intoxication,持续性伤害的效果将会与队友相加。

31 prelude
n.序言，前兆，序曲
参考例句：
The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。 The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

32 ignominious
adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的
参考例句：
The marriage was considered especially ignominious since she was of royal descent.由于她出身王族，这门婚事被认为是奇耻大辱。 Many thought that he was doomed to ignominious failure.许多人认为他注定会极不光彩地失败。

33 traitor
n.叛徒，卖国贼
参考例句：
The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。 He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

34 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

35 remonstrances
n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 )
参考例句：
There were remonstrances, but he persisted notwithstanding. 虽遭抗议，他仍然坚持下去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Mr. Archibald did not give himself the trouble of making many remonstrances. 阿奇博尔德先生似乎不想自找麻烦多方规劝。 来自辞典例句

36 testimony
n.证词；见证，证明
参考例句：
The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。 He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

37 dubious
adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的
参考例句：
What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。 He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

38 ignominiously
adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地
参考例句：
Their attempt failed ignominiously. 他们的企图可耻地失败了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She would be scolded, abused, ignominiously discharged. 他们会说她，骂她，解雇她，让她丢尽脸面的。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

39 extricate
v.拯救，救出；解脱
参考例句：
How can we extricate the firm from this trouble?我们该如何承救公司脱离困境呢？ She found it impossible to extricate herself from the relationship.她发现不可能把自己从这种关系中解脱出来。

40 conspired
密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致
参考例句：
They conspired to bring about the meeting of the two people. 他们共同促成了两人的会面。 Bad weather and car trouble conspired to ruin our vacation. 恶劣的气候连同汽车故障断送了我们的假日。

41 entrusted
v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。 She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 entailed
使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需
参考例句：
The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son. 城堡和土地限定由长子继承。 The house and estate are entailed on the eldest daughter. 这所房子和地产限定由长女继承。

43 jobbers
n.做零活的人( jobber的名词复数 )；营私舞弊者；股票经纪人；证券交易商
参考例句：
Civil war may mean disaster for other businessmen, but stock-jobbers thrive on it. 别项生意碰到开火就该倒楣，做公债却是例外。 来自子夜部分 Dupont strongly recommends Solar Simulator to its jobbers and paint shops. 杜邦公司强烈建议太阳模拟器的批发商和油漆店。 来自互联网

44 prospectus
n.计划书；说明书；慕股书
参考例句：
An order form was included with the prospectus.订单附在说明书上。 The prospectus is the most important instrument of legal document.招股说明书是上市公司信息披露制度最重要法律文件。

45 bauble
n.美观而无价值的饰物
参考例句：
That little bauble is not to be compared with this enormous jewel.那个小摆设不能与这个大宝石相比较。 A bauble is a showy ornament of little value.廉价珠宝是华而不实的装饰品。

46 prostrate
v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的
参考例句：
She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。 The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。

47 imprisonment
n.关押，监禁，坐牢
参考例句：
His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。 He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

48 clenching
v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I'll never get used to them, she thought, clenching her fists. 我永远也看不惯这些家伙，她握紧双拳，心里想。 来自飘（部分） Clenching her lips, she nodded. 她紧闭着嘴唇，点点头。 来自辞典例句

49 contemplating
深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想
参考例句：
You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。 She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

50 afflicted
使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。 A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

51 juvenile
n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的
参考例句：
For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。 Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。

52 acceded
v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职
参考例句：
He acceded to demands for his resignation. 他同意要他辞职的要求。 They have acceded to the treaty. 他们已经加入了那个条约。 来自《简明英汉词典》

53 repulse
n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝
参考例句：
The armed forces were prepared to repulse any attacks.武装部队已作好击退任何进攻的准备。 After the second repulse,the enemy surrendered.在第二次击退之后，敌人投降了。

54 uncommon
adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的
参考例句：
Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。 Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

55 vindicated
v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护
参考例句：
I have every confidence that this decision will be fully vindicated. 我完全相信这一决定的正确性将得到充分证明。 Subsequent events vindicated the policy. 后来的事实证明那政策是对的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

56 eloquence
n.雄辩；口才，修辞
参考例句：
I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。 The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。

57 persuasion
n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派
参考例句：
He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。 After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。