The mill of silence
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CHAPTER XX. DUKE SPEAKS.

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That evening, in the luminous1 dusk of our sitting-room2, I sat up and gave Duke my history. He would have stopped me at the outset, but I would brook3 no eccentric philosophy in the imperious fever of insistence4 that was my mood. I told him of all that related personally to me—my deed, my repentance—my brother’s exposure and renewed menaces; but to Zyp I only referred in such manner as to convey the impression that whatever influence she had once exerted over me was dead with boyhood and scarcely to be resurrected.
 
That here I intentionally5 told a half-truth only, cowardly in the suspicion that the whole would be resented by my hearer on Dolly’s behalf, I cannot deny. I dared not commit myself to a policy of absolute confidence.
 
When I had finished there was a silence, which I myself was forced to at length break.
 
“Duke,” I said, “haven’t you a remark to make—no word of advice or rebuke6?”
 
“Not one, Renny. What concern have we with that past existence of yours?”
 
“Oh, for heaven’s sake drop that nonsense for once in a way. It’s a very real trouble to me, whatever it is to you.”
 
“Old man, you did and you repented7 in one day. The account up there must balance.”
 
“You think it must?”
 
“We are masters of our acts—not of our impulses. You strike a bell and it clangs. You strike a man and the devil leaps out at his eyes. It’s in the rebound8 that the thought comes that decides the act. In this case yours was natural to yourself, for you are a good fellow.”

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1 luminous 98ez5     
adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的
参考例句：
  • There are luminous knobs on all the doors in my house.我家所有门上都安有夜光把手。
  • Most clocks and watches in this shop are in luminous paint.这家商店出售的大多数钟表都涂了发光漆。
2 sitting-room sitting-room     
n.（BrE）客厅，起居室
参考例句：
  • The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
  • Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。
3 brook PSIyg     
n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让
参考例句：
  • In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
  • The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。
4 insistence A6qxB     
n.坚持；强调；坚决主张
参考例句：
  • They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
  • His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。
5 intentionally 7qOzFn     
ad.故意地，有意地
参考例句：
  • I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
  • The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。
6 rebuke 5Akz0     
v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise
参考例句：
  • He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
  • Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。
7 repented c24481167c6695923be1511247ed3c08     
对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He repented his thoughtlessness. 他后悔自己的轻率。
  • Darren repented having shot the bird. 达伦后悔射杀了那只鸟。
8 rebound YAtz1     
v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回
参考例句：
  • The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
  • Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。
9 berth yt0zq     
n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊
参考例句：
  • She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
  • They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。
10 forestall X6Qyv     
vt.抢在…之前采取行动；预先阻止
参考例句：
  • I left the room to forestall involvements.我抢先离开了这房间以免受牵累。
  • He followed this rule in order to forestall rumors.他遵守这条规矩是为了杜绝流言蜚语。
11 intensity 45Ixd     
n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度
参考例句：
  • I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
  • The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。
12 wail XMhzs     
vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸
参考例句：
  • Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
  • One of the small children began to wail with terror.小孩中的一个吓得大哭起来。
13 manly fBexr     
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。
14 gauge 2gMxz     
v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器
参考例句：
  • Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
  • It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。
15 implore raSxX     
vt.乞求，恳求，哀求
参考例句：
  • I implore you to write. At least tell me you're alive.请给我音讯，让我知道你还活着。
  • Please implore someone else's help in a crisis.危险时请向别人求助。
16 vile YLWz0     
adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的
参考例句：
  • Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？
  • Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。
17 erect 4iLzm     
n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的
参考例句：
  • She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
  • Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。
18 blighting a9649818dde9686d12463120828d7504     
使凋萎( blight的现在分词 )； 使颓丧； 损害； 妨害
参考例句：
  • He perceived an instant that she did not know the blighting news. 他立即看出她还不知道这个失败的消息。
  • The stink of exhaust, the mind-numbing tedium of traffic, parking lots blighting central city real estate. 排气管散发的难闻气味；让人麻木的交通拥堵；妨碍中心城市房地产的停车场。
19 precipice NuNyW     
n.悬崖，危急的处境
参考例句：
  • The hut hung half over the edge of the precipice.那间小屋有一半悬在峭壁边上。
  • A slight carelessness on this precipice could cost a man his life.在这悬崖上稍一疏忽就会使人丧生。
20 complexion IOsz4     
n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格
参考例句：
  • Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
  • Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。
21 affinity affinity     
n.亲和力，密切关系
参考例句：
  • I felt a great affinity with the people of the Highlands.我被苏格兰高地人民深深地吸引。
  • It's important that you share an affinity with your husband.和丈夫有共同的爱好是十分重要的。
22 procure A1GzN     
vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条
参考例句：
  • Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
  • I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。
23 abashed szJzyQ     
adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He glanced at Juliet accusingly and she looked suitably abashed. 他怪罪的一瞥，朱丽叶自然显得很窘。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The girl was abashed by the laughter of her classmates. 那小姑娘因同学的哄笑而局促不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 abrogation JIXyI     
n.取消，废除
参考例句：
  • China regrets the abrogation of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. 中国对《反弹道导弹条约》失效感到遗憾。
  • Measures for the abrogation shall be stipulated by the State Council. 废除的办法由国务院制定。
25 humbly humbly     
adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地
参考例句：
  • We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy. 我们恳请陛下发发慈悲。
  • "You must be right, Sir,'said John humbly. “你一定是对的，先生，”约翰恭顺地说道。
26 phantom T36zQ     
n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的
参考例句：
  • I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
  • He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。
27 warp KgBwx     
vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见
参考例句：
  • The damp wood began to warp.这块潮湿的木材有些翘曲了。
  • A steel girder may warp in a fire.钢梁遇火会变弯。
28 ominous Xv6y5     
adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的
参考例句：
  • Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
  • There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。
29 monotonous FwQyJ     
adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的
参考例句：
  • She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
  • His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。
30 babble 9osyJ     
v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语
参考例句：
  • No one could understand the little baby's babble. 没人能听懂这个小婴孩的话。
  • The babble of voices in the next compartment annoyed all of us.隔壁的车厢隔间里不间歇的嘈杂谈话声让我们都很气恼。
31 delirium 99jyh     
n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋
参考例句：
  • In her delirium, she had fallen to the floor several times. 她在神志不清的状态下几次摔倒在地上。
  • For the next nine months, Job was in constant delirium.接下来的九个月，约伯处于持续精神错乱的状态。
32 monstrous vwFyM     
adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的
参考例句：
  • The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
  • Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！
33 marrow M2myE     
n.骨髓；精华；活力
参考例句：
  • It was so cold that he felt frozen to the marrow. 天气太冷了，他感到寒冷刺骨。
  • He was tired to the marrow of his bones.他真是累得筋疲力尽了。
34 writhed 7985cffe92f87216940f2d01877abcf6     
（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He writhed at the memory, revolted with himself for that temporary weakness. 他一想起来就痛悔不已，只恨自己当一时糊涂。
  • The insect, writhed, and lay prostrate again. 昆虫折腾了几下，重又直挺挺地倒了下去。
35 snarl 8FAzv     
v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮
参考例句：
  • At the seaside we could hear the snarl of the waves.在海边我们可以听见波涛的咆哮。
  • The traffic was all in a snarl near the accident.事故发生处附近交通一片混乱。
36 heed ldQzi     
v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心
参考例句：
  • You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
  • For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。
37 shriek fEgya     
v./n.尖叫，叫喊
参考例句：
  • Suddenly he began to shriek loudly.突然他开始大声尖叫起来。
  • People sometimes shriek because of terror,anger,or pain.人们有时会因为恐惧，气愤或疼痛而尖叫。
38 phantoms da058e0e11fdfb5165cb13d5ac01a2e8     
n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • They vanished down the stairs like two phantoms. 他们像两个幽灵似的消失在了楼下。 来自辞典例句
  • The horrible night that he had passed had left phantoms behind it. 他刚才度过的恐布之夜留下了种种错觉。 来自辞典例句
39 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

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