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CHAPTER III A COUNCIL
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Hot sunshine flooded the Ghyllside lawn, but there was a belt of shadow beneath a copper1 beech2, where a family group had gathered. Leonard sat in a basket-chair, talking to Mrs. Fenwood, an elderly widow with an austere3 expression; his wife and Gertrude Wannop were whispering over their teacups; Wannop, red-faced and burly, stood beside Robert Allinson, a solemn-looking clergyman.
"We have been here half an hour and not a word has been said yet upon the subject everybody's itching4 to talk about. We're a decorous lot," Wannop remarked, surveying the others with amusement. "Personally, I should be glad if we were allowed to go home without its being broached5. It's hardly the thing to discuss Andrew's shortcomings round his table."
"There are times when it's a duty to overcome one's delicacy," Robert replied. "If I have been correctly informed, the matter demands attention. Hitherto the Allinsons have never given their neighbors cause to criticize their conduct."
"None of them? I seem to remember——"
"None of them," Robert interposed firmly. "There was once a malicious6 story about Arthur, but I am glad to say it was disproved. But this Mrs. Olcott, whom I haven't seen—I suppose she's attractive?"
Wannop smiled.
[Pg 24]"Distinctly so; what's more, she has a forlorn and pathetic air which is highly fetching. Still, I'm convinced that there's no harm in her."
"A married woman living apart from her husband!" Robert exclaimed severely7. "I understand that Andrew is at her house now, and I must confess that after walking some distance I feel hurt at his not being here to receive us."
"He didn't know you were coming," Wannop
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copper
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n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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beech
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n.山毛榉;adj.山毛榉的 | |
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austere
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adj.艰苦的;朴素的,朴实无华的;严峻的 | |
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itching
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adj.贪得的,痒的,渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 ) | |
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broached
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v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 );打开并开始用;用凿子扩大(或修光);(在桶上)钻孔取液体 | |
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malicious
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adj.有恶意的,心怀恶意的 | |
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severely
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adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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pointed
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adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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bail
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v.舀(水),保释;n.保证金,保释,保释人 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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deter
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vt.阻止,使不敢,吓住 | |
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shareholder
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n.股东,股票持有人 | |
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inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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skilfully
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adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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disparagement
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n.轻视,轻蔑 | |
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candor
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n.坦白,率真 | |
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purely
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adv.纯粹地,完全地 | |
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nominal
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adj.名义上的;(金额、租金)微不足道的 | |
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hesitation
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n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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chivalrous
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adj.武士精神的;对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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vein
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n.血管,静脉;叶脉,纹理;情绪;vt.使成脉络 | |
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inclinations
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倾向( inclination的名词复数 ); 倾斜; 爱好; 斜坡 | |
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peremptory
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adj.紧急的,专横的,断然的 | |
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pointedly
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adv.尖地,明显地 | |
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confide
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v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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erring
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做错事的,错误的 | |
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uncommonly
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adv. 稀罕(极,非常) | |
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conspire
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v.密谋,(事件等)巧合,共同导致 | |
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perverting
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v.滥用( pervert的现在分词 );腐蚀;败坏;使堕落 | |
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spoke
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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 | |
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mischief
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n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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owl
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n.猫头鹰,枭 | |
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dubious
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adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的 | |
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assent
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v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可 | |
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devoid
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adj.全无的,缺乏的 | |
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interfere
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v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
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undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 | |
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afterward
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adv.后来;以后 | |
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tiresome
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adj.令人疲劳的,令人厌倦的 | |
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harassed
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adj. 疲倦的,厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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softened
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(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰 | |
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reassuring
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a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的,使人放心的 | |
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distress
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n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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compassionate
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adj.有同情心的,表示同情的 | |
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irresolution
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n.不决断,优柔寡断,犹豫不定 | |
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alterations
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n.改动( alteration的名词复数 );更改;变化;改变 | |
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tenant
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n.承租人;房客;佃户;v.租借,租用 | |
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candid
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adj.公正的,正直的;坦率的 | |
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bent
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n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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persecuting
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(尤指宗教或政治信仰的)迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的现在分词 ); 烦扰,困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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mused
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v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
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amends
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n. 赔偿 | |
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dingy
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adj.昏暗的,肮脏的 | |
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deference
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n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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abruptly
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adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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deducting
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v.扣除,减去( deduct的现在分词 ) | |
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tenants
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n.房客( tenant的名词复数 );佃户;占用者;占有者 | |
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undue
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adj.过分的;不适当的;未到期的 | |
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contemplated
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adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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restive
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adj.不安宁的,不安静的 | |
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chuckled
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轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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complacent
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adj.自满的;自鸣得意的 | |
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