The Head of the House of Coombe
 小说分类
选择字号：【大】【中】【小】
关灯
护眼
CHAPTER XIII

关注小说网官方公众号（noveltingroom），原版名著免费领。


 It was no custom of his to outstay other people; in fact, he usually went away comparatively early. Feather could not imagine what his reason could be, but she was sure there was a reason. She was often disturbed by his reasons, and found it difficult to adjust herself to them. How—even if one had a logically brilliant mind—could one calculate on a male being, who seemed not exactly to belong to the race of men.
 
As a result of the skirt dancing, the furniture of the empty drawing-room was a little scattered1 and untidy, but Feather had found a suitable corner among cushions on a sofa, after everyone had gone leaving Coombe alone with her. She wished he would sit down, but he preferred to stand in his still, uncomfortable way.
 
“I know you are going to tell me something,” she broke the silence.
 
“I am. When I went out of the room, I did not drive round to my club as I said I found myself obliged to. I went upstairs to the third floor—to the Nursery.”
 
Feather sat quite upright.
 
“You went up to the Nursery!” If this was the reason for his staying, what on earth had he come upon in the region of the third floor, and how ridiculously unlike him to allow himself to interfere2. Could it be Andrews and Jennings? Surely Andrews was too old.—This passed across her mind in a flash.
 
“You called Andrews to use her authority with the child when she would not shake hands with me. The little creature, for some reason of her own, evidently feels an antipathy4 to me. That interested me and I watched her as Andrews whispered in her ear. The woman’s vanity was stung. I realized that she whispered a threat. A hint of actual ferocity showed in her eyes in spite of herself. Robin5 turned pale.”
 
“Andrews was quite right. Children must be punished when they are rude.” Feather felt this at once silly and boring. What did he know about such matters?
 
“The child said, ‘Andrews will pinch me!’ and I caught Andrews’ eye and knew it was true—also that she had done it before. I looked at the woman’s long, thin, strong fingers. They were cruel fingers. I do not take liberties, as a rule, but I took a liberty. I excused myself and climbed three flights of stairs.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。
2 interfere b5lx0     
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。
3 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室
参考例句：
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
4 antipathy vM6yb     
n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物
参考例句：
  • I feel an antipathy against their behaviour.我对他们的行为很反感。
  • Some people have an antipathy to cats.有的人讨厌猫。
5 robin Oj7zme     
n.知更鸟，红襟鸟
参考例句：
  • The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
  • We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。
6 feline nkdxi     
adj.猫科的
参考例句：
  • As a result,humans have learned to respect feline independence.结果是人们已经学会尊重猫的独立性。
  • The awakening was almost feline in its stealthiness.这种醒觉，简直和猫的脚步一样地轻悄。
7 extraordinarily Vlwxw     
adv.格外地；极端地
参考例句：
  • She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
  • The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。
8 exquisite zhez1     
adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的
参考例句：
  • I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
  • I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。
9 shudder JEqy8     
v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动
参考例句：
  • The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
  • We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。
10 abrupt 2fdyh     
adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的
参考例句：
  • The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
  • His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。
11 faltered d034d50ce5a8004ff403ab402f79ec8d     
（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃
参考例句：
  • He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
  • "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”
12 acquiescence PJFy5     
n.默许；顺从
参考例句：
  • The chief inclined his head in sign of acquiescence.首领点点头表示允许。
  • This is due to his acquiescence.这是因为他的默许。
13 stifle cF4y5     
vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止
参考例句：
  • She tried hard to stifle her laughter.她强忍住笑。
  • It was an uninteresting conversation and I had to stifle a yawn.那是一次枯燥无味的交谈，我不得不强忍住自己的呵欠。
14 shrieks e693aa502222a9efbbd76f900b6f5114     
n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • shrieks of fiendish laughter 恶魔般的尖笑声
  • For years, from newspapers, broadcasts, the stages and at meetings, we had heard nothing but grandiloquent rhetoric delivered with shouts and shrieks that deafened the ears. 多少年来， 报纸上， 广播里， 舞台上， 会场上的声嘶力竭，装腔做态的高调搞得我们震耳欲聋。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
15 invaluable s4qxe     
adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的
参考例句：
  • A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
  • This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。
16 sinewy oyIwZ     
adj.多腱的，强壮有力的
参考例句：
  • When muscles are exercised often and properly,they keep the arms firm and sinewy.如果能经常正确地锻炼肌肉的话，双臂就会一直结实而强健。
  • His hard hands and sinewy sunburned limbs told of labor and endurance.他粗糙的双手，被太阳哂得发黑的健壮四肢,均表明他十分辛勤，非常耐劳。
17 acrid TJEy4     
adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的
参考例句：
  • There is an acrid tone to your remarks.你说这些话的口气带有讥刺意味。
  • The room was filled with acrid smoke.房里充满刺鼻的烟。
18 feverishly 5ac95dc6539beaf41c678cd0fa6f89c7     
adv. 兴奋地
参考例句：
  • Feverishly he collected his data. 他拼命收集资料。
  • The company is having to cast around feverishly for ways to cut its costs. 公司迫切须要想出各种降低成本的办法。
19 propitiate 1RNxa     
v.慰解，劝解
参考例句：
  • They offer a sacrifice to propitiate the god.他们供奉祭品以慰诸神。
  • I tried to propitiate gods and to dispel demons.我试著取悦神只，驱赶恶魔。
20 horrid arozZj     
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
  • I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
  • The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。
21 dinginess affc36375c16b7c60e61d958b86e3ced     
n.暗淡，肮脏
参考例句：
  • Mary was appalled by the dinginess of the house. 玛丽被那肮脏的房子吓坏了。 来自辞典例句
  • She hated dinginess as much as her mother had hated it. 她同母亲一样，对贫困寒酸的日子深恶痛绝。 来自辞典例句
22 zephyr 3fCwV     
n.和风，微风
参考例句：
  • I feel very comfortable in the zephyr from the sea.从海上吹来的和风令我非常惬意。
  • Zephyr,the West Wind,blew away the clouds so that Apollo,the sun god,could shine and made this flower bloom.西风之神吹散了云朵，太阳神阿波罗得以照耀它并使它开花。
23 loom T8pzd     
n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近
参考例句：
  • The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
  • The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。
24 tragic inaw2     
adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的
参考例句：
  • The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
  • Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。
25 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。
26 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。
27 casually UwBzvw     
adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地
参考例句：
  • She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
  • I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。
28 inexplicable tbCzf     
adj.无法解释的，难理解的
参考例句：
  • It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的，现在已经无法说清楚了。
  • There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。
29 rapture 9STzG     
n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜
参考例句：
  • His speech was received with rapture by his supporters.他的演说受到支持者们的热烈欢迎。
  • In the midst of his rapture,he was interrupted by his father.他正欢天喜地，被他父亲打断了。
30 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。
31 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
32 concealed 0v3zxG     
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
  • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
  • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
33 hideous 65KyC     
adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的
参考例句：
  • The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
  • They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。
34 multiplication i15yH     
n.增加，增多，倍增；增殖，繁殖；乘法
参考例句：
  • Our teacher used to drum our multiplication tables into us.我们老师过去老是让我们反覆背诵乘法表。
  • The multiplication of numbers has made our club building too small.会员的增加使得我们的俱乐部拥挤不堪。
35 resentments 4e6d4b541f5fd83064d41eea9a6dec89     
（因受虐待而）愤恨，不满，怨恨( resentment的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • He could never transcend his resentments and his complexes. 他从来不能把他的怨恨和感情上的症结置之度外。
  • These local resentments burst into open revolt. 地方性反感变成公开暴动。
36 hysterical 7qUzmE     
adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的
参考例句：
  • He is hysterical at the sight of the photo.他一看到那张照片就异常激动。
  • His hysterical laughter made everybody stunned.他那歇斯底里的笑声使所有的人不知所措。
37 questionable oScxK     
adj.可疑的，有问题的
参考例句：
  • There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
  • Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。
38 whatsoever Beqz8i     
adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么
参考例句：
  • There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
  • All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。
39 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
40 rigid jDPyf     
adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的
参考例句：
  • She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
  • The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。
41 dozing dozing     
v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡
参考例句：
  • The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
  • He never falters in his determination. 他的决心从不动摇。
42 glade kgTxM     
n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地
参考例句：
  • In the midst of a glade were several huts.林中的空地中间有几间小木屋。
  • The family had their lunch in the glade.全家在林中的空地上吃了午饭。
43 infested f7396944f0992504a7691e558eca6411     
adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于
参考例句：
  • The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
  • The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。

分享到：


返回目录
上一章: CHAPTER XII
下一章: CHAPTER XIV

英语听力 |  手机版  |  网页版
©英文小说网 2005-2010