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CHAPTER 7. THE GREAT PAUL LESSINGHAM

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 He was in evening dress. He carried a small portfolio1 in his left hand. If the discovery of my presence startled him, as it could scarcely have failed to do, he allowed no sign of surprise to escape him. Paul Lessingham’s impenetrability is proverbial. Whether on platforms addressing excited crowds, or in the midst of heated discussion in the House of Commons, all the world knows that his coolness remains2 unruffled. It is generally understood that he owes his success in the political arena3 in no slight measure to the adroitness4 which is born of his invulnerable presence of mind. He gave me a taste of its quality then. Standing5 in the attitude which has been familiarised to us by caricaturists, his feet apart, his broad shoulders well set back, his handsome head a little advanced, his keen blue eyes having in them something suggestive of a bird of prey6 considering just when, where, and how to pounce7, he regarded me for some seconds in perfect silence,—whether outwardly I flinched8 I cannot say; inwardly I know I did. When he spoke9, it was without moving from where he stood, and in the calm, airy tones in which he might have addressed an acquaintance who had just dropped in.
 
‘May I ask, sir, to what I am indebted for the pleasure of your company?’
 
He paused, as if waiting for my answer. When none came, he put his question in another form.
 
‘Pray, sir, who are you, and on whose invitation do I find you here?’
 
As I still stood speechless, motionless, meeting his glance without a twitching

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1 portfolio 9OzxZ     
n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位
参考例句：
  • He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
  • He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。
2 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
3 arena Yv4zd     
n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台
参考例句：
  • She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
  • He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。
4 adroitness 3a57832c80698c93c847783e9122732b     
参考例句：
  • He showed similar adroitness and persistence in strategic arm control. 在战略武器方面，他显示出了同样的机敏和执著。 来自辞典例句
  • He turned his large car with some adroitness and drove away. 他熟练地把他那辆大车子调了个头，开走了。 来自辞典例句
5 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。
6 prey g1czH     
n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨
参考例句：
  • Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
  • The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。
7 pounce 4uAyU     
n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意
参考例句：
  • Why do you pounce on every single thing I say?干吗我说的每句话你都要找麻烦？
  • We saw the tiger about to pounce on the goat.我们看见老虎要向那只山羊扑过去。
8 flinched 2fdac3253dda450d8c0462cb1e8d7102     
v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He flinched at the sight of the blood. 他一见到血就往后退。
  • This tough Corsican never flinched or failed. 这个刚毅的科西嘉人从来没有任何畏缩或沮丧。 来自辞典例句
9 spoke XryyC     
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：
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
10 twitching 97f99ba519862a2bc691c280cee4d4cf     
n.颤搐
参考例句：
  • The child in a spasm kept twitching his arms and legs. 那个害痉挛的孩子四肢不断地抽搐。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • My eyelids keep twitching all the time. 我眼皮老是跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
11 eyebrow vlOxk     
n.眉毛，眉
参考例句：
  • Her eyebrow is well penciled.她的眉毛画得很好。
  • With an eyebrow raised,he seemed divided between surprise and amusement.他一只眉毛扬了扬，似乎既感到吃惊，又觉有趣。
12 tremor Tghy5     
n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震
参考例句：
  • There was a slight tremor in his voice.他的声音有点颤抖。
  • A slight earth tremor was felt in California.加利福尼亚发生了轻微的地震。
13 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
14 suavity 0tGwJ     
n.温和；殷勤
参考例句：
  • He's got a surface flow of suavity,but he's rough as a rasp underneath.他表面看来和和气气的，其实是个粗野狂暴的恶棍。
  • But the well-bred,artificial smile,when he bent upon the guests,had its wonted steely suavity.但是他哈着腰向宾客招呼的那种彬彬有礼、故意装成的笑容里，却仍然具有它平时那种沉着的殷勤。
15 hissing hissing     
n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式
参考例句：
  • The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
  • His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕
16 vow 0h9wL     
n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓
参考例句：
  • My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
  • I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。
17 beetle QudzV     
n.甲虫，近视眼的人
参考例句：
  • A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。
  • He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。
18 crouching crouching     
v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • a hulking figure crouching in the darkness 黑暗中蹲伏着的一个庞大身影
  • A young man was crouching by the table, busily searching for something. 一个年轻人正蹲在桌边翻看什么。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译
19 crouch Oz4xX     
v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏
参考例句：
  • I crouched on the ground.我蹲在地上。
  • He crouched down beside him.他在他的旁边蹲下来。
20 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。
21 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇，惊讶
参考例句：
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
22 discomfort cuvxN     
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。
23 frenzied LQVzt     
a.激怒的；疯狂的
参考例句：
  • Will this push him too far and lead to a frenzied attack? 这会不会逼他太甚，导致他进行疯狂的进攻？
  • Two teenagers carried out a frenzied attack on a local shopkeeper. 两名十几岁的少年对当地的一个店主进行了疯狂的袭击。
24 foe ygczK     
n.敌人，仇敌
参考例句：
  • He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
  • A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。
25 renowned okSzVe     
adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的
参考例句：
  • He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
  • She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。
26 afflicted aaf4adfe86f9ab55b4275dae2a2e305a     
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。
27 mingled fdf34efd22095ed7e00f43ccc823abdf     
混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]
参考例句：
  • The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
  • The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。
28 inchoate vxpyx     
adj.才开始的，初期的
参考例句：
  • His dreams were senseless and inchoate.他的梦想根本行不通，很不成熟。
  • Her early works are inchoate idea,nothing but full of lush rhetoric.她的早期作品都不太成熟，除了华丽的词藻外就没什麽内容了。
29 bamboozled e722f248f7fec35d321a36124526e207     
v.欺骗，使迷惑( bamboozle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He bamboozled his professors into thinking that he knew the subject well. 他欺骗了他的教授，使教授认为他很了解这门学科。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He bamboozled the old lady out of her diamond ring. 他骗了那老妇人的钻石戒指。 来自《简明英汉词典》
30 bogey CWXz8     
n.令人谈之变色之物；妖怪，幽灵
参考例句：
  • The universal bogey is AIDS.艾滋病是所有人唯恐避之不及的东西。
  • Age is another bogey for actresses.年龄是另一个让女演员头疼的问题。
31 conjure tnRyN     
v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法
参考例句：
  • I conjure you not to betray me.我恳求你不要背弃我。
  • I can't simply conjure up the money out of thin air.我是不能像变魔术似的把钱变来。
32 fixedness cfd25d584565b602b5bbfba1a3aedc85     
n.固定；稳定；稳固
参考例句：
  • The fixedness of his gaze upset her. 他目不转睛的凝视让她心烦意乱。 来自互联网
  • Its distributing of stress is simulated by finite element analysis software order to compare their fixedness. 并使用有限元分析软件对不同微桥进行结构分析，以比较其稳固性。 来自互联网
33 unbearable alCwB     
adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的
参考例句：
  • It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
  • The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。
34 eloquence 6mVyM     
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。
35 sarcasm 1CLzI     
n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）
参考例句：
  • His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
  • She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。
36 pristine 5BQyC     
adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的
参考例句：
  • He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
  • He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。
37 utterance dKczL     
n.用言语表达，话语，言语
参考例句：
  • This utterance of his was greeted with bursts of uproarious laughter.他的讲话引起阵阵哄然大笑。
  • My voice cleaves to my throat,and sob chokes my utterance.我的噪子哽咽，泣不成声。
38 cynical Dnbz9     
adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的
参考例句：
  • The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
  • He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。
39 levity Q1uxA     
n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变
参考例句：
  • His remarks injected a note of levity into the proceedings.他的话将一丝轻率带入了议事过程中。
  • At the time,Arnold had disapproved of such levity.那时候的阿诺德对这种轻浮行为很看不惯。
40 rue 8DGy6     
n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔
参考例句：
  • You'll rue having failed in the examination.你会悔恨考试失败。
  • You're going to rue this the longest day that you live.你要终身悔恨不尽呢。
41 sufficiently 0htzMB     
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。
42 narrative CFmxS     
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
  • He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
  • Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。
43 lingo S0exp     
n.语言不知所云，外国话，隐语
参考例句：
  • If you live abroad it helps to know the local lingo.住在国外，学一点当地的语言自有好处。
  • Don't use all that technical lingo try and explain in plain English.别尽用那种专门术语，用普通的词语解释吧。
44 patois DLQx1     
n.方言；混合语
参考例句：
  • In France patois was spoken in rural,less developed regions.在法国，欠发达的农村地区说方言。
  • A substantial proportion of the population speak a French-based patois.人口中有一大部分说以法语为基础的混合语。
45 modulated b5bfb3c5c3ebc18c62afa9380ab74ba5     
已调整[制]的，被调的
参考例句：
  • He carefully modulated his voice. 他小心地压低了声音。
  • He had a plump face, lemur-like eyes, a quiet, subtle, modulated voice. 他有一张胖胖的脸，狐猴般的眼睛，以及安详、微妙和富于抑扬顿挫的嗓音。
46 mirage LRqzB     
n.海市蜃楼，幻景
参考例句：
  • Perhaps we are all just chasing a mirage.也许我们都只是在追逐一个幻想。
  • Western liberalism was always a mirage.西方自由主义永远是一座海市蜃楼。
47 delusion x9uyf     
n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑
参考例句：
  • He is under the delusion that he is Napoleon.他患了妄想症，认为自己是拿破仑。
  • I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.我误认为他要娶我。
48 pranks cba7670310bdd53033e32d6c01506817     
n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Frank's errancy consisted mostly of pranks. 法兰克错在老喜欢恶作剧。 来自辞典例句
  • He always leads in pranks and capers. 他老是带头胡闹和开玩笑。 来自辞典例句
49 proficient Q1EzU     
adj.熟练的，精通的；n.能手，专家
参考例句：
  • She is proficient at swimming.她精通游泳。
  • I think I'm quite proficient in both written and spoken English.我认为我在英语读写方面相当熟练。
50 susceptible 4rrw7     
adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的
参考例句：
  • Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
  • We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。
51 butt uSjyM     
n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶
参考例句：
  • The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
  • He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。
52 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。
53 braggadocio kWbzF     
n.吹牛大王
参考例句：
  • He was disliked because his manner was always full of braggadocio.人们讨厌他，因为他老是吹牛。
  • Underneath his goofball braggadocio lies a kind of purity.在他笨拙的自夸里蕴含着一丝纯洁。
54 agitation TN0zi     
n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动
参考例句：
  • Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
  • These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。
55 destined Dunznz     
adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句：
  • It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
  • The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。
56 esteemed ftyzcF     
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为
参考例句：
  • The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
57 awe WNqzC     
n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧
参考例句：
  • The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
  • The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。
58 defiance RmSzx     
n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗
参考例句：
  • He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
  • He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。
59 confessions 4fa8f33e06cadcb434c85fa26d61bf95     
n.承认( confession的名词复数 )；自首；声明；（向神父的）忏悔
参考例句：
  • It is strictly forbidden to obtain confessions and to give them credence. 严禁逼供信。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions. 既不诱供也不逼供。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
60 perspiration c3UzD     
n.汗水；出汗
参考例句：
  • It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
  • The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。
61 dabs 32dc30a20249eadb50ca16023088da55     
少许( dab的名词复数 )； 是…能手； 做某事很在行； 在某方面技术熟练
参考例句：
  • Each of us had two dabs of butter. 我们每人吃了两小块黄油。
  • He made a few dabs at the fence with the paint but didn't really paint it. 他用颜料轻刷栅栏，但一点也没刷上。
62 thither cgRz1o     
adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的
参考例句：
  • He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
  • He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。
63 constrained YvbzqU     
adj.束缚的,节制的
参考例句：
  • The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
  • I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。
64 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
65 inquiry nbgzF     
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
  • Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
  • The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。
66 slumber 8E7zT     
n.睡眠，沉睡状态
参考例句：
  • All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
  • Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。
67 unwillingly wjjwC     
adv.不情愿地
参考例句：
  • He submitted unwillingly to his mother. 他不情愿地屈服于他母亲。
  • Even when I call, he receives unwillingly. 即使我登门拜访，他也是很不情愿地接待我。
68 cowardice norzB     
n.胆小，怯懦
参考例句：
  • His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。
  • His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。
69 dignified NuZzfb     
a.可敬的，高贵的
参考例句：
  • Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
  • He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。
70 watchfulness 2ecdf1f27c52a55029bd5400ce8c70a4     
警惕，留心； 警觉（性）
参考例句：
  • The escort and the universal watchfulness had completely isolated him. 护送和普遍一致的监视曾经使他完全孤立。
  • A due watchfulness on the movements of the enemy was maintained. 他们对敌人的行动还是相当警惕的。
71 determined duszmP     
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。
72 doomed EuuzC1     
命定的
参考例句：
  • The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
  • A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。
73 imprisonment I9Uxk     
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。
74 dictates d2524bb575c815758f62583cd796af09     
n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布
参考例句：
  • Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
75 mumble KwYyP     
n./v.喃喃而语，咕哝
参考例句：
  • Her grandmother mumbled in her sleep.她祖母含混不清地说着梦话。
  • He could hear the low mumble of Navarro's voice.他能听到纳瓦罗在小声咕哝。
76 overdoing 89ebeb1ac1e9728ef65d83e16bb21cd8     
v.做得过分( overdo的现在分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度
参考例句：
  • He's been overdoing things recently. 近来他做事过分努力。 来自辞典例句
  • You think I've been overdoing it with the work thing? 你认为我对工作的关注太过分了吗？ 来自电影对白

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