George Vavasor was not in a very happy mood when he left Queen Anne Street, after having flung his gift ring under the grate. Indeed there was much in his condition as connected with the house which he was leaving, which could not but make him unhappy. Alice was engaged to be his wife and had as yet said nothing to show that she meditated² any breach³ of that engagement, but she had treated him in a way which made him long to throw her promise in her teeth. He was a man to whom any personal slight from a woman was unendurable. To slights from men, unless they were of a nature to provoke offence, he was indifferent. There was no man living for whose liking⁴ or disliking George Vavasor cared anything. But he did care much for the good opinion, or rather for the personal favour, of any woman to whom he had endeavoured to make himself agreeable. “I will marry you,” Alice had said to him — not in words, but in acts and looks, which were plainer than words — “I will marry you for certain reasons of my own, which in my present condition make it seem that that arrangement will be more convenient to me than any other that I can make; but pray understand that there is no love mixed up with this. There is another man whom I love — only, for those reasons above hinted, I do not care to marry him.” It was thus that he read Alice’s present treatment of him, and he was a man who could not endure this treatment with ease.

But though he could throw his ring under the grate in his passion, he could not so dispose of her. That he would have done so had his hands been free, we need not doubt. And he would have been clever enough to do so in some manner that would have been exquisitely⁵ painful to Alice, willing as she might be to be released from her engagement. But he could not do this to a woman whose money he had borrowed, and whose money he could not repay — to a woman, more of whose money he intended to borrow immediately. As to that latter part of it, he did say to himself over and over again, that he would have no more of it. As he left the house in Queen Anne Street, on that occasion, he swore, that under no circumstances would he be indebted to her for another shilling. But before he had reached Great Marlborough Street, to which his steps took him, he had reminded himself that everything depended on a further advance. He was in Parliament, but Parliament would be dissolved within three months. Having sacrificed so much for his position, should he let it all fall from him now — now, when success seemed to be within his reach? That wretched old man in Westmoreland, who seemed gifted almost with

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1 meditate
v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想
参考例句：
It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。 I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

2 meditated
深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑
参考例句：
He meditated for two days before giving his answer. 他在作出答复之前考虑了两天。 She meditated for 2 days before giving her answer. 她考虑了两天才答复。

3 breach
n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破
参考例句：
We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。 He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

4 liking
n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢
参考例句：
The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。 I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

5 exquisitely
adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地
参考例句：
He found her exquisitely beautiful. 他觉得她异常美丽。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He wore an exquisitely tailored gray silk and accessories to match. 他穿的是做工非常考究的灰色绸缎衣服，还有各种配得很协调的装饰。 来自教父部分

6 immortality
n.不死，不朽
参考例句：
belief in the immortality of the soul 灵魂不灭的信念 It was like having immortality while you were still alive. 仿佛是当你仍然活着的时候就得到了永生。

7 paltry
adj.无价值的，微不足道的
参考例句：
The parents had little interest in paltry domestic concerns.那些家长对家里鸡毛蒜皮的小事没什么兴趣。 I'm getting angry;and if you don't command that paltry spirit of yours.我要生气了，如果你不能振作你那点元气。

8 vent
n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄
参考例句：
He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。 When the vent became plugged,the engine would stop.当通风口被堵塞时，发动机就会停转。

9 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

10 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

11 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：
I overcame my moral scruples. 我抛开了道德方面的顾虑。 I'm not ashamed of my scruples about your family. They were natural. 我并未因为对你家人的顾虑而感到羞耻。这种感觉是自然而然的。 来自疯狂英语突破英语语调

12 manly
adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地
参考例句：
The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。 He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

13 doctrine
n.教义；主义；学说
参考例句：
He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。 The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。

14 hatred
n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨
参考例句：
He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。 The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

15 squire
n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅
参考例句：
I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。 The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

16 fully
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。 They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

17 ingenuity
n.别出心裁；善于发明创造
参考例句：
The boy showed ingenuity in making toys.那个小男孩做玩具很有创造力。 I admire your ingenuity and perseverance.我钦佩你的别出心裁和毅力。

18 insinuate
vt.含沙射影地说，暗示
参考例句：
He tried to insinuate himself into the boss's favor.他设法巧妙地渐渐取得老板的欢心。 It seems to me you insinuate things about her.我觉得你讲起她来，总有些弦外之音。

19 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

20 wheezed
v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The old organ wheezed out a tune. 那架老风琴呜呜地奏出曲子。 来自辞典例句 He wheezed out a curse. 他喘着气诅咒。 来自辞典例句

21 wheeze
n.喘息声，气喘声；v.喘息着说
参考例句：
The old man managed to wheeze out a few words.老人勉强地喘息着说出了几句话。 He has a slight wheeze in his chest.他呼吸时胸部发出轻微的响声。

22 recipient
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器
参考例句：
Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。 Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

23 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

24 chambers
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅
参考例句：
The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

25 meek
adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的
参考例句：
He expects his wife to be meek and submissive.他期望妻子温顺而且听他摆布。 The little girl is as meek as a lamb.那个小姑娘像羔羊一般温顺。

26 meekly
adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地
参考例句：
He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时，他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》 He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 acting
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
参考例句：
Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。 During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

28 conceal
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。 He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

29 wheezing
v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的现在分词 )；哮鸣
参考例句：
He was coughing and wheezing all night. 他整夜又咳嗽又喘。 A barrel-organ was wheezing out an old tune. 一架手摇风琴正在呼哧呼哧地奏着一首古老的曲子。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

30 ascertaining
v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. 我当时是要弄清楚地下室是朝前还是朝后延伸的。 来自辞典例句 The design and ascertaining of permanent-magnet-biased magnetic bearing parameter are detailed introduced. 并对永磁偏置磁悬浮轴承参数的设计和确定进行了详细介绍。 来自互联网

31 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。

32 tinkle
vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声
参考例句：
The wine glass dropped to the floor with a tinkle.酒杯丁零一声掉在地上。 Give me a tinkle and let me know what time the show starts.给我打个电话，告诉我演出什么时候开始。

33 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

34 dingy
adj.昏暗的，肮脏的
参考例句：
It was a street of dingy houses huddled together. 这是一条挤满了破旧房子的街巷。 The dingy cottage was converted into a neat tasteful residence.那间脏黑的小屋已变成一个整洁雅致的住宅。

35 impatience
n.不耐烦，急躁
参考例句：
He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。 He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

36 shamefully
可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地
参考例句：
He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 They have served me shamefully for a long time. 长期以来，他们待我很坏。

37 pall
v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕
参考例句：
Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall.饭店里的饭菜已经不像以前那样诱人。 I find his books begin to pall on me after a while.我发觉他的书读过一阵子就开始对我失去吸引力。

38 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。