选择字号:【大】【中】【小】 | 关灯
护眼
|
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
And then one morning — it was spring now, and piping hot at noon — Long Jim brought home from the post-office a letter for Polly, addressed in her sister Sarah’s sloping hand. Knowing the pleasure it would give her, Mahony carried it at once to his wife; and Polly laid aside broom and duster and sat down to read.
But he was hardly out of the room when a startled cry drew him back to her side. Polly had hidden her face, and was shaken by sobs1 As he could not get her to speak, Mahony picked up the letter from the floor and read it for himself.
Sarah wrote like one distracted.
OH, MY DEAR SISTER, HOW CAN I FIND WORDS TO TELL YOU OF THE TRULY “AWFUL” CALAMITY2 THAT HAS BEFALLEN OUR UNHAPPY BROTHER. Mahony skipped the phrases, and learnt that owing to a carriage accident Emma Turnham had been prematurely3 confined, and, the best medical aid notwithstanding — JOHN SPARED ABSOLUTELY “NO” EXPENSE— had died two days later. JOHN IS LIKE A MADMAN. DIRECTLY I HEARD THE “SHOCKING” NEWS, I AT ONCE THREW UP MY ENGAGEMENT— AT “SERIOUS” LOSS TO MYSELF, BUT THAT IS A MATTER OF SMALL CONSEQUENCE— AND CAME TO TAKE MY PLACE BESIDE OUR POOR DEAR BROTHER IN HIS GREAT TRIAL. BUT ALL MY EFFORTS TO BRING HIM TO A PROPER AND “CHRISTIAN” FRAME OF MIND HAVE BEEN FRUITLESS. I AM INDEED ALARMED TO BE ALONE WITH HIM, AND I TREMBLE FOR THE CHILDREN, FOR HE IS POSSESSED4 OF AN “INSANE” HATRED5 FOR THE SWEET LITTLE LOVES. HE HAS LOCKED HIMSELF IN HIS ROOM, WILL SEE “NO ONE” NOR TOUCH A “PARTICLE” OF NOURISHMENT6. DO, MY DEAREST POLLY, COME AT ONCE ON RECEIPT OF THIS, AND HELP ME IN THE “TRULY AWFUL” TASK THAT HAS BEEN LAID UPON ME. AND PRAY FORGIVE ME FOR USING THIS PLAIN PAPER. I HAVE HAD LITERALLY7 NO TIME TO ORDER MOURNING “OF ANY KIND.”
So that was Sarah! With a click of the tongue Mahony tossed the letter on the table, and made it clear to Polly that under no consideration would he allow her to attempt the journey to town. Her relatives seemed

1
sobs
![]() |
|
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2
calamity
![]() |
|
n.灾害,祸患,不幸事件 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3
prematurely
![]() |
|
adv.过早地,贸然地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4
possessed
![]() |
|
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5
hatred
![]() |
|
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6
nourishment
![]() |
|
n.食物,营养品;营养情况 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7
literally
![]() |
|
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8
utterly
![]() |
|
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9
heed
![]() |
|
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10
soothe
![]() |
|
v.安慰;使平静;使减轻;缓和;奉承 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11
promising
![]() |
|
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12
entirely
![]() |
|
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13
erect
![]() |
|
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14
marvelled
![]() |
|
v.惊奇,对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15
havoc
![]() |
|
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16
tonic
![]() |
|
n./adj.滋补品,补药,强身的,健体的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17
well-being
![]() |
|
n.安康,安乐,幸福 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18
spoke
![]() |
|
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 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19
mantle
![]() |
|
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20
persuasion
![]() |
|
n.劝说;说服;持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21
speculations
![]() |
|
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 );思考;投机活动;推断 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22
noted
![]() |
|
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23
prospector
![]() |
|
n.探矿者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24
prospect
![]() |
|
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25
relished
![]() |
|
v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 );从…获得乐趣;渴望 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26
intruding
![]() |
|
v.侵入,侵扰,打扰( intrude的现在分词);把…强加于 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27
intruded
![]() |
|
n.侵入的,推进的v.侵入,侵扰,打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 );把…强加于 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28
tact
![]() |
|
n.机敏,圆滑,得体 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29
gravel
![]() |
|
n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30
sprightly
![]() |
|
adj.愉快的,活泼的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31
severely
![]() |
|
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32
hysterical
![]() |
|
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33
coffined
![]() |
|
vt.收殓(coffin的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34
deserted
![]() |
|
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35
collapse
![]() |
|
vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36
previously
![]() |
|
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37
briefly
![]() |
|
adv.简单地,简短地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38
morsel
![]() |
|
n.一口,一点点 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39
gasped
![]() |
|
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40
bridled
![]() |
|
给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 ); 控制; 昂首表示轻蔑(或怨忿等); 动怒,生气 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41
battering
![]() |
|
n.用坏,损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42
suspense
![]() |
|
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43
skulking
![]() |
|
v.潜伏,偷偷摸摸地走动,鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44
twilight
![]() |
|
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45
hoarse
![]() |
|
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46
cant
![]() |
|
n.斜穿,黑话,猛扔 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47
smacked
![]() |
|
拍,打,掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48
extravagant
![]() |
|
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49
vault
![]() |
|
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50
scruples
![]() |
|
n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 );顾虑,顾忌v.感到于心不安,有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51
torrent
![]() |
|
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52
blasphemies
![]() |
|
n.对上帝的亵渎,亵渎的言词[行为]( blasphemy的名词复数 );侮慢的言词(或行为) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53
almighty
![]() |
|
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54
interfere
![]() |
|
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55
winced
![]() |
|
赶紧避开,畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56
scurrility
![]() |
|
n.粗俗下流;辱骂的言语 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57
exhaustion
![]() |
|
n.耗尽枯竭,疲惫,筋疲力尽,竭尽,详尽无遗的论述 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58
consolation
![]() |
|
n.安慰,慰问 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59
precluded
![]() |
|
v.阻止( preclude的过去式和过去分词 );排除;妨碍;使…行不通 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60
spike
![]() |
|
n.长钉,钉鞋;v.以大钉钉牢,使...失效 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61
wrung
![]() |
|
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62
charred
![]() |
|
v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式);烧焦 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63
gulped
![]() |
|
v.狼吞虎咽地吃,吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 );大口地吸(气);哽住 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64
rankled
![]() |
|
v.(使)痛苦不已,(使)怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65
tricky
![]() |
|
adj.狡猾的,奸诈的;(工作等)棘手的,微妙的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66
reins
![]() |
|
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67
thwarting
![]() |
|
阻挠( thwart的现在分词 ); 使受挫折; 挫败; 横过 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68
extremities
![]() |
|
n.端点( extremity的名词复数 );尽头;手和足;极窘迫的境地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69
coma
![]() |
|
n.昏迷,昏迷状态 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70
swarmed
![]() |
|
密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71
contraction
![]() |
|
n.缩略词,缩写式,害病 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72
effusively
![]() |
|
adv.变溢地,热情洋溢地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73
swelled
![]() |
|
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
74
premises
![]() |
|
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
75
lodging
![]() |
|
n.寄宿,住所;(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
76
complexion
![]() |
|
n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
77
virtue
![]() |
|
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
78
fumed
![]() |
|
愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 ); 大怒; 发怒; 冒烟 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
79
superfluous
![]() |
|
adj.过多的,过剩的,多余的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
80
agitated
![]() |
|
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
81
sipping
![]() |
|
v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
82
wriggled
![]() |
|
v.扭动,蠕动,蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 );(使身体某一部位)扭动;耍滑不做,逃避(应做的事等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
83
scarlet
![]() |
|
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
84
groaned
![]() |
|
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
参考例句: |
|
|