In following the results of Tom’s presentation of the necklace we have got beyond the period which our story is presumed to have reached. Tom was in durance during the Christmas week, but we must go back to the promise which had been made by her uncle, Sir Thomas, to Lucy about six weeks before that time. The promise had extended only to an undertaking¹ on the part of Sir Thomas to see Isadore Hamel if he would call at the house in Lombard Street at a certain hour on a certain day. Lucy was overwhelmed with gratitude² when the promise was made. A few moments previously³ she had been indignant because her uncle had appeared to speak of her and her lover as two beggars — but Sir Thomas had explained and in some sort apologised, and then had come the promise which to Lucy seemed to contain an assurance of effectual aid. Sir Thomas would not have asked to see the lover had he intended to be hostile to the lover. Something would be done to solve the difficulty which had seemed to Lucy to be so grave. She would not any longer be made to think that she should give up either her lover or her home under her uncle’s roof. This had been terribly distressing⁴ to her because she had been well aware that on leaving her uncle’s house she could be taken in only by her lover, to whom an immediate⁵ marriage would be ruinous. And yet she could not undertake to give up her lover. Therefore her uncle’s promise had made her very happy, and she forgave the ungenerous allusion⁶ to the two beggars.

The letter was written to Isadore in high spirits. “I do not know what Uncle Tom intends, but he means to be kind. Of course you must go to him, and if I were you I would tell him everything about everything. He is not strict and hard like Aunt Emmeline. She means to be good too, but she is sometimes so very hard. I am happier now because I think something will be done to relieve you from the terrible weight which I am to you. I sometimes wish that you had never come to me in Kensington Gardens, because I have become such a burden to you.”

There was much more in which Lucy no doubt went on to declare that, burden as she was, she intended to be

点击收听单词发音  

1 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。

2 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

3 previously
adv.以前，先前（地）
参考例句：
The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。 Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 distressing
a.使人痛苦的
参考例句：
All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。 It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。

5 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 allusion
n.暗示，间接提示
参考例句：
He made an allusion to a secret plan in his speech.在讲话中他暗示有一项秘密计划。 She made no allusion to the incident.她没有提及那个事件。

7 persistent
adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的
参考例句：
Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。 She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

8 conceited
adj.自负的，骄傲自满的
参考例句：
He could not bear that they should be so conceited.他们这样自高自大他受不了。 I'm not as conceited as so many people seem to think.我不像很多人认为的那么自负。

9 vile
adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的
参考例句：
Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？ Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

10 unwilling
adj.不情愿的
参考例句：
The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。 His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

11 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。

12 misery
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。 He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

13 specially
adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地
参考例句：
They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。 The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

14 prone
adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的
参考例句：
Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。 He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

15 dictate
v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令
参考例句：
It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。 What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

16 condescend
v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑
参考例句：
Would you condescend to accompany me?你肯屈尊陪我吗？ He did not condescend to answer.He turned his back on me.他不愿屈尊回答我的问题。他不理睬我。

17 prospects
n.希望，前途(恒为复数)
参考例句：
There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。 They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

18 impudence
n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼
参考例句：
His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。 What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。

19 accosted
v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭
参考例句：
She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger. 在街上，一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。 His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 aggrieved
adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
He felt aggrieved at not being chosen for the team. 他因没被选到队里感到愤愤不平。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She is the aggrieved person whose fiance&1& did not show up for their wedding. 她很委屈，她的未婚夫未出现在他们的婚礼上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 obedience
n.服从，顺从
参考例句：
Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。 Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

22 impudent
adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的
参考例句：
She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。 The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

23 sculptor
n.雕刻家，雕刻家
参考例句：
A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。 The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。

24 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》

25 auction
n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖
参考例句：
They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。 They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

26 condescended
屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲
参考例句：
We had to wait almost an hour before he condescended to see us. 我们等了几乎一小时他才屈尊大驾来见我们。 The king condescended to take advice from his servants. 国王屈驾向仆人征求意见。

27 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。

28 adorned
[计]被修饰的
参考例句：
The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。 And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。

29 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。

30 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。

31 grotesque
adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）
参考例句：
His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。 Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

32 unintelligible
adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的
参考例句：
If a computer is given unintelligible data, it returns unintelligible results.如果计算机得到的是难以理解的数据，它给出的也将是难以理解的结果。 The terms were unintelligible to ordinary folk.这些术语一般人是不懂的。

33 lumber
n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动
参考例句：
The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。 They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。

34 bankruptcy
n.破产；无偿付能力
参考例句：
You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。 His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

35 wares
n. 货物, 商品
参考例句：
They sold their wares at half-price. 他们的货品是半价出售的。 The peddler was crying up his wares. 小贩极力夸耀自己的货物。

36 busts
半身雕塑像( bust的名词复数 )； 妇女的胸部； 胸围； 突击搜捕
参考例句：
Dey bags swells up and busts. 那奶袋快胀破了。 Marble busts all looked like a cemetery. 大理石的半身象，简直就象是坟山。

37 bust
vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部
参考例句：
I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。 She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

38 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

39 confidential
adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的
参考例句：
He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。 We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

40 uncommonly
adv. 稀罕(极，非常)
参考例句：
an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童 My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。

41 earnings
n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得
参考例句：
That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。 Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

42 discomfort
n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便
参考例句：
One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。 She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

43 manliness
刚毅
参考例句：
She was really fond of his strength, his wholesome looks, his manliness. 她真喜欢他的坚强，他那健康的容貌，他的男子气概。 His confidence, his manliness and bravery, turn his wit into wisdom. 他的自信、男子气概和勇敢将他的风趣变为智慧。

44 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。

45 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

46 judicious
adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的
参考例句：
We should listen to the judicious opinion of that old man.我们应该听取那位老人明智的意见。 A judicious parent encourages his children to make their own decisions.贤明的父亲鼓励儿女自作抉择。

47 dissuade
v.劝阻，阻止
参考例句：
You'd better dissuade him from doing that.你最好劝阻他别那样干。 I tried to dissuade her from investing her money in stocks and shares.我曾设法劝她不要投资于股票交易。

48 ratify
v.批准，认可，追认
参考例句：
The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。 The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。