When Mappin left, Frobisher went to his smoking-room, where he was surprised to find Geraldine waiting for him.
"I think," he said with mock severity, "it was mean of you to leave Mr. Mappin on my hands, particularly as I don't suppose his visit was made on my account."
"Did he bore you very badly?" Geraldine inquired.
"We have had guests here whom I'd rather entertain; but for your aunt's sake I try to be civil. After all, we have known the man for a long while."
"I feel that we have been very patient in putting up with him! He's insufferable!"
"Ah!" said Frobisher, taking out a cigar. "Then you didn't happen to be here by accident? Sit down and we'll have a talk."
Geraldine took the chair he indicated.
"I have something to tell you," she said with an effort. "Mappin asked me to marry him a little while ago."
"It strikes me as curious that this is the first I've heard of it."
"I was ashamed to tell you," Geraldine admitted, shyly. "I felt degraded. Besides, you must have guessed——"
"Yes. I had some idea of the man's ambitions; in my opinion, he's too cold-blooded to be influenced by[Pg 204] any more tender sentiment. We'll take it for granted that you refused him. Nowadays it seems to be a father's business to sanction and not to
interfere1; but I really think if you had wanted to marry the fellow I'd have been as firm as
adamant2. However, this is not to the purpose. Why do you tell me about it now?"
"You'll see presently. But try to remember that he has other feelings than
avarice3. The man's unscrupulous and full of
savage4 cruelty."
"Well?"
"To begin with, will you read this? It's from Ethel Hillyard, whom I met in London. You have heard me speak of her."
She gave him a letter containing sufficient information about the house of Allinson to explain why Andrew had gone to Canada. His character and his relations with Hathersage and the rest of the family were cleverly
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收听单词发音
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1
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 |
参考例句： |
- If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
- When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。
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2
adamant
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| adj.坚硬的，固执的 |
参考例句： |
- We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。
- Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。
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3
avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 |
参考例句： |
- Avarice is the bane to happiness.贪婪是损毁幸福的祸根。
- Their avarice knows no bounds and you can never satisfy them.他们贪得无厌，你永远无法满足他们。
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4
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 |
参考例句： |
- The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
- He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
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5
sketched
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| v.草拟（sketch的过去式与过去分词形式） |
参考例句： |
- The historical article sketched the major events of the decade. 这篇有关历史的文章概述了这十年中的重大事件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He sketched the situation in a few vivid words. 他用几句生动的语言简述了局势。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
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6
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 |
参考例句： |
- The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
- The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。
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7
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 |
参考例句： |
- I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
- He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。
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8
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 |
参考例句： |
- The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
- That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 |
参考例句： |
- She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
- Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。
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10
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 |
参考例句： |
- He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
- He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 |
参考例句： |
- The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
- They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。
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pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 |
参考例句： |
- She yawned and looked pointedly at her watch. 她打了个哈欠，又刻意地看了看手表。
- The demand for an apology was pointedly refused. 让对方道歉的要求遭到了断然拒绝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 |
参考例句： |
- Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
- Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。
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reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 |
参考例句： |
- He patted her knee reassuringly. 他轻拍她的膝盖让她放心。
- The doctor smiled reassuringly. 医生笑了笑，让人心里很踏实。
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 |
参考例句： |
- Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
- Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
- The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身，准备猛扑。
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 |
参考例句： |
- The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
- I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 |
参考例句： |
- He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
- He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。
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uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) |
参考例句： |
- an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童
- My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。
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compassionately
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| adv.表示怜悯地，有同情心地 |
参考例句： |
- The man at her feet looked up at Scarlett compassionately. 那个躺在思嘉脚边的人同情地仰望着她。 来自飘（部分）
- Then almost compassionately he said,"You should be greatly rewarded." 接着他几乎带些怜悯似地说：“你是应当得到重重酬报的。” 来自辞典例句
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 |
参考例句： |
- He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
- He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 |
参考例句： |
- "Excuse me," he said hoarsely. “对不起。”他用嘶哑的嗓子说。
- Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. 杰瑞嘶声嘶气地表示愿为普洛丝小姐效劳。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
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mighty
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| 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。
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 |
参考例句： |
- We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
- The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。
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mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 |
参考例句： |
- The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。
- The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
- "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！
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gulch
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| n.深谷，峡谷 |
参考例句： |
- The trail ducks into a narrow gulch.这条羊肠小道突然下到一个狭窄的峡谷里。
- This is a picture of California Gulch.这是加利福尼亚峡谷的图片。
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