The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing. Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little. If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life! It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss¹! He would have a sore fight with all those imps² of things, before he ceased to love that which was not lovely, and to covet³ that which was not good! But the man gained a precious benefit from this world, who but began to repent⁴ before he left it! If only the laird would start up the hill before his body got quite to the bottom! Was there any way to approach him again with her petition that he would be good to himself, good to God, good to the universe, that he would love what was worth loving, and cast away what was not? She had no light, and could do nothing!

 

Suddenly the old man failed quite—apparently from no cause but weakness. The unease of his mind, the haunting of the dread⁵ thought of having to part with the chalice⁶, had induced it. He was in his closet one night late into the morning, and the next day did not get up to breakfast He wanted a little rest, he said. In a day he would be well! But the hour to rise again, much anticipated, never came. He seemed very troubled at times, and very desirous of getting up, but never was able. It became necessary to sit with him at night. In fits of delirium⁷ he would make fierce endeavor to rise, insisting that he must go to his study. His closet he never mentioned: even in dreams was his secrecy⁸ dominant

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1 bliss
n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福
参考例句：
It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。 He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。

2 imps
n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童
参考例句：
Those imps are brewing mischief. 那些小淘气们正在打坏主意。 来自辞典例句 No marvel if the imps follow when the devil goes before. 魔鬼带头，难怪小鬼纷纷跟随。 来自互联网

3 covet
vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西)
参考例句：
We do not covet anything from any nation.我们不觊觎任何国家的任何东西。 Many large companies covet these low-cost acquisition of troubled small companies.许多大公司都觊觎低价收购这些陷入困境的小公司。

4 repent
v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔
参考例句：
He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。 Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。

5 dread
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。 Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

6 chalice
n.圣餐杯；金杯毒酒
参考例句：
He inherited a poisoned chalice when he took over the job as union leader.他接手工会领导职务，看似风光，实则会给他带来很多麻烦。 She was essentially feminine,in other words,a parasite and a chalice.她在本质上是个女人，换句话说，是一个食客和一只酒杯。

7 delirium
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。

8 secrecy
n.秘密，保密，隐蔽
参考例句：
All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。 Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

9 dominant
adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因
参考例句：
The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。 She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

10 resentment
n.怨愤，忿恨
参考例句：
All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。 She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

11 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

12 Christians
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。 His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

13 saviour
n.拯救者，救星
参考例句：
I saw myself as the saviour of my country.我幻想自己为国家的救星。 The people clearly saw her as their saviour.人们显然把她看成了救星。

14 utterance
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。

15 soothed
v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦
参考例句：
The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。 The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

16 slumber
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。

17 absolving
宣告…无罪，赦免…的罪行，宽恕…的罪行( absolve的现在分词 )； 不受责难，免除责任 [义务] ,开脱（罪责）
参考例句：
I'm not absolving myself from blame just because I was not playing. 我不是只是因为我没有参加比赛就把自己从责任中开脱出去。 The method of culturing treepeony containerized seedlings and absolving epicotyl dormancy of treepeony seeds. 笔者探索了牡丹容器育苗的方法和解除牡丹种子上胚轴休眠的方法。

18 bosom
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。 A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

19 rebuked
责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The company was publicly rebuked for having neglected safety procedures. 公司因忽略了安全规程而受到公开批评。 The teacher rebuked the boy for throwing paper on the floor. 老师指责这个男孩将纸丢在地板上。

20 engraved
v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中）
参考例句：
The silver cup was engraved with his name. 银杯上刻有他的名字。 It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 ornament
v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物
参考例句：
The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。 She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

22 gems
growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长
参考例句：
a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠 The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。

23 patchwork
n.混杂物；拼缝物
参考例句：
That proposal is nothing else other than a patchwork.那个建议只是一个大杂烩而已。 She patched new cloth to the old coat,so It'seemed mere patchwork. 她把新布初到那件旧上衣上，所以那件衣服看上去就象拼凑起来的东西。

24 eternity
n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷
参考例句：
The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。 Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

25 withholds
v.扣留( withhold的第三人称单数 )；拒绝给予；抑制（某事物）；制止
参考例句：
Marketing success or failure is directly traceable to the support that top management gives or withholds. 市场营销的成败直接归因于最高管理层能否给予支持。 来自辞典例句 I lie awake fuming-isn't It'supposed to be the woman who withholds favours? 我干躺在那儿，气得睡不着：不应该是女人才会拿性作为要挟吗？ 来自互联网

26 longing
n.（for）渴望
参考例句：
Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。 His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

27 torment
n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠
参考例句：
He has never suffered the torment of rejection.他从未经受过遭人拒绝的痛苦。 Now nothing aggravates me more than when people torment each other.没有什么东西比人们的互相折磨更使我愤怒。

28 gasped
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要
参考例句：
She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。 People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

29 spoke
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。

30 rascal
n.流氓；不诚实的人
参考例句：
If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。 The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

31 maniac
n.精神癫狂的人；疯子
参考例句：
Be careful!That man is driving like a maniac!注意！那个人开车像个疯子一样！ You were acting like a maniac,and you threatened her with a bomb!你像一个疯子，你用炸弹恐吓她！

32 mingled
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。

33 feverish
adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的
参考例句：
He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。 They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。

34 doze
v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐
参考例句：
He likes to have a doze after lunch.他喜欢午饭后打个盹。 While the adults doze,the young play.大人们在打瞌睡，而孩子们在玩耍。

35 idol
n.偶像，红人，宠儿
参考例句：
As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。 Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

36 mischief
n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹
参考例句：
Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。 He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

37 odds
n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别
参考例句：
The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。 Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

38 vengeance
n.报复，报仇，复仇
参考例句：
He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。 For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

39 almighty
adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的
参考例句：
Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。 It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

40 relish
n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味
参考例句：
I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。 I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。