Mary Louise in the Country
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CHAPTER XXIII PECULIAR PEOPLE

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 Old Swallowtail came home at about four o'clock in the afternoon. The day was hot, yet the old man seemed neither heated nor wearied. Without a word to his daughter or Ingua he drew a chair to the little shady porch and sat down in their company. Nan was mending her child's old frock; Ingua sat thinking.
 
For half an hour, perhaps, silence was maintained by all. Then Nan turned and asked:
 
"Have you covered your tracks?"
 
He turned his glassy, expressionless eyes toward her.
 
"My tracks, as you call them," said he, "have been laid for forty years or more. They are now ruts. I cannot obliterate2 them in a day."
 
The woman studied his face thoughtfully.
 
"You are not worrying over your probable arrest?"
 
"No."
 
"Then it's all right," said she, relieved. "You're a foxy old rascal3, Dad, and you've held your own for a good many years. I guess you don't need more than a word of warning."
 
He made no reply, his eyes wandering along the path to the bridge. Mary Louise was coming their way, walking briskly. Her steps slowed a bit as she drew nearer, but she said in an eager voice:
 
"Oh, Mrs. Scammel, Josie has told me you are here and who you are. Isn't it queer how lives get tangled4 up? But I remember you with gratitude5 and kindliest thoughts, because you were so considerate of my dear Gran'pa Jim. And to think that you are really Ingua's mother!"
 
Nan rose and took the girl's hands in her own.
 
"I fear I've been a bad mother to my kid," she replied, "but I thought she was all right with her grandfather and happy here. I shall look after her better in the future."
 
Mary Louise bowed to Mr. Cragg, who nodded his head in acknowledgment. Then she sat down beside Ingua.
 
"Are you plannin' to take me away from here, Mama?" asked the child.
 
"Wouldn't you rather be with me than with your grandfather?" returned Nan with a smile.
 

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1 kin 22Zxv     
n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的
参考例句：
  • He comes of good kin.他出身好。
  • She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。
2 obliterate 35QzF     
v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去
参考例句：
  • Whole villages were obliterated by fire.整座整座的村庄都被大火所吞噬。
  • There was time enough to obliterate memories of how things once were for him.时间足以抹去他对过去经历的记忆。
3 rascal mAIzd     
n.流氓；不诚实的人
参考例句：
  • If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
  • The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。
4 tangled e487ee1bc1477d6c2828d91e94c01c6e     
adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
  • Your hair's so tangled that I can't comb it. 你的头发太乱了，我梳不动。
  • A movement caught his eye in the tangled undergrowth. 乱灌木丛里的晃动引起了他的注意。
5 gratitude p6wyS     
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。
6 musingly ddec53b7ea68b079ee6cb62ac6c95bf9     
adv.沉思地，冥想地
参考例句：
7 ingenuous mbNz0     
adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的
参考例句：
  • Only the most ingenuous person would believe such a weak excuse!只有最天真的人才会相信这么一个站不住脚的借口！
  • With ingenuous sincerity,he captivated his audience.他以自己的率真迷住了观众。
8 countenance iztxc     
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。
9 nance Gnsz41     
n.娘娘腔的男人，男同性恋者
参考例句：
  • I think he's an awful nance.我觉得他这个人太娘娘腔了。
  • He doesn't like to be called a nance.他不喜欢被叫做娘娘腔。
10 judgment e3xxC     
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
  • The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
  • He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
11 outfit YJTxC     
n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装
参考例句：
  • Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
  • His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
12 civilized UwRzDg     
a.有教养的，文雅的
参考例句：
  • Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
  • rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为
13 hoard Adiz0     
n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积
参考例句：
  • They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
  • How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？
14 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
15 lapsed f403f7d09326913b001788aee680719d     
adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失
参考例句：
  • He had lapsed into unconsciousness. 他陷入了昏迷状态。
  • He soon lapsed into his previous bad habits. 他很快陷入以前的恶习中去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒，生气，烦恼
参考例句：
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
17 mincing joAzXz     
adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎
参考例句：
  • She came to the park with mincing,and light footsteps.她轻移莲步来到了花园之中。
  • There is no use in mincing matters.掩饰事实是没有用的。
18 cane RsNzT     
n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的
参考例句：
  • This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
  • English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。
19 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
参考例句：
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
20 invalid V4Oxh     
n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的
参考例句：
  • He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
  • A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
21 decided lvqzZd     
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。
22 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前，以前
参考例句：
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
23 gee ZsfzIu     
n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转
参考例句：
  • Their success last week will gee the team up.上星期的胜利将激励这支队伍继续前进。
  • Gee,We're going to make a lot of money.哇！我们会赚好多钱啦！
24 bum Asnzb     
n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨
参考例句：
  • A man pinched her bum on the train so she hit him.在火车上有人捏她屁股，她打了那人。
  • The penniless man had to bum a ride home.那个身无分文的人只好乞求搭车回家。
25 wig 1gRwR     
n.假发
参考例句：
  • The actress wore a black wig over her blond hair.那个女演员戴一顶黑色假发罩住自己的金黄色头发。
  • He disguised himself with a wig and false beard.他用假发和假胡须来乔装。
26 landlady t2ZxE     
n.女房东，女地主
参考例句：
  • I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
  • The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。
27 promising BkQzsk     
adj.有希望的，有前途的
参考例句：
  • The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
  • We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
28 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
29 queried 5c2c5662d89da782d75e74125d6f6932     
v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问
参考例句：
  • She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
30 rambled f9968757e060a59ff2ab1825c2706de5     
（无目的地）漫游( ramble的过去式和过去分词 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论
参考例句：
  • We rambled through the woods. 我们漫步走过树林。
  • She rambled on at great length but she didn't get to the heart of the matter. 她夹七夹八地说了许多话也没说到点子上。
31 ramble DAszo     
v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延
参考例句：
  • This is the best season for a ramble in the suburbs.这是去郊区漫游的最好季节。
  • I like to ramble about the street after work.我下班后在街上漫步。
32 exhausted 7taz4r     
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
  • It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
  • Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
33 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
34 kerosene G3uxW     
n.(kerosine)煤油，火油
参考例句：
  • It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
  • Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电，有煤油灯。
35 attired 1ba349e3c80620d3c58c9cc6c01a7305     
adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
36 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
37 pried 4844fa322f3d4b970a4e0727867b0b7f     
v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的过去式和过去分词 )；撬开
参考例句：
  • We pried open the locked door with an iron bar. 我们用铁棍把锁着的门撬开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • So Tom pried his mouth open and poured down the Pain-killer. 因此汤姆撬开它的嘴，把止痛药灌下去。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
38 neatly ynZzBp     
adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地
参考例句：
  • Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
  • The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。
39 devoted xu9zka     
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。
40 bruised 5xKz2P     
[医]青肿的，瘀紫的
参考例句：
  • his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
  • She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。
41 standing 2hCzgo     
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。
42 herald qdCzd     
vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎
参考例句：
  • In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
  • Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

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