The receipt of Mrs Trevelyan’s letter on that Monday morning was a great surprise both to Mr and Mrs Outhouse. There was no time for any consideration, no opportunity for delaying their arrival till they should have again referred the matter to Mr Trevelyan. Their two nieces were to be with them on that evening, and even the telegraph wires, if employed with such purpose, would not be quick enough to stop their coming. The party, as they knew, would have left Nuncombe Putney before the arrival of the letter at the parsonage of St. Diddulph’s. There would have been nothing in this to have caused vexation, had it not been decided¹ between Trevelyan and Mr Outhouse that Mrs Trevelyan was not to find a home at the parsonage. Mr Outhouse was greatly afraid of being so entangled² in the matter as to be driven to take the part of the wife against the husband; and Mrs Outhouse, though she was full of indignation against Trevelyan, was at the same time not free from anger in regard to her own niece. She more than once repeated that most unjust of all proverbs, which declares that there is never smoke without fire, and asserted broadly that she did not like to be with people who could not live at home, husbands with wives, and wives with husbands, in a decent, respectable manner. Nevertheless the preparations went on busily, and when the party arrived at seven o’clock in the evening, two rooms had been prepared close to each other, one for the two sisters, and the other for the child and nurse, although poor Mr Outhouse himself was turned out of his own little chamber³ in order that the accommodation might be given. They were all very hot, very tired, and very dusty, when the cab reached the parsonage. There had been the preliminary drive from Nuncombe Putney to Lessboro’. Then the railway journey from thence to the Waterloo Bridge Station had been long. And it had seemed to them that the distance from the station to St. Diddulph’s had been endless. When the cabman was told whither he was to go, he looked doubtingly at his poor old horse, and then at the luggage which he was required to pack on the top of his cab, and laid himself out for his work with a full understanding that it would not be accomplished⁴ without considerable difficulty. The cabman made it twelve miles from Waterloo Bridge to St. Diddulph’s, and suggested that extra passengers and parcels would make the fare up to ten and six. Had he named double as much Mrs Trevelyan would have

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1 decided
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。

2 entangled
adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The bird had become entangled in the wire netting. 那只小鸟被铁丝网缠住了。 Some military observers fear the US could get entangled in another war. 一些军事观察家担心美国会卷入另一场战争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 accomplished
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。 Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

5 assented
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！

6 fatigue
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。

7 sobbing
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句：
I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。 Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

8 resolutely
adj.坚决地，果断地
参考例句：
He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。 He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

9 solitary
adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士
参考例句：
I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。 The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

10 meditation
n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录
参考例句：
This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。 I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

11 groaned
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦
参考例句：
He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。 The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 unreasonable
adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的
参考例句：
I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。 They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

13 outrageous
adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的
参考例句：
Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。 Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

14 stratagem
n.诡计，计谋
参考例句：
Knit the brows and a stratagem comes to mind.眉头一皱，计上心来。 Trade discounts may be used as a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty.商业折扣可以用作维护顾客忠诚度的一种竞争策略。

15 immunities
免除，豁免( immunity的名词复数 )； 免疫力
参考例句：
Supplying nutrients and immunities to my baby? 为我的宝贝提供营养物质和免疫物质？ And these provide immunities against the a host of infections and diseases. 这些物质可提高婴儿的免疫力，使之免受病毒感染和疾病侵袭。

16 injustice
n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利
参考例句：
They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。 All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

17 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

18 lugubrious
adj.悲哀的，忧郁的
参考例句：
That long,lugubrious howl rose on the night air again!夜空中又传来了那又长又凄凉的狗叫声。 After the earthquake,the city is full of lugubrious faces.地震之后，这个城市满是悲哀的面孔。

19 grimace
v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭
参考例句：
The boy stole a look at his father with grimace.那男孩扮着鬼脸偷看了他父亲一眼。 Thomas made a grimace after he had tasted the wine.托马斯尝了那葡萄酒后做了个鬼脸。

20 caressing
爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的
参考例句：
The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。 He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里，不断抚摸着鞑靼，它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。

21 perversity
n.任性；刚愎自用
参考例句：
She's marrying him out of sheer perversity.她嫁给他纯粹是任性。 The best of us have a spice of perversity in us.在我们最出色的人身上都有任性的一面。

22 persecution
n. 迫害,烦扰
参考例句：
He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。 Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

23 expediency
n.适宜；方便；合算；利己
参考例句：
The government is torn between principle and expediency. 政府在原则与权宜之间难于抉择。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It was difficult to strike the right balance between justice and expediency. 在公正与私利之间很难两全。 来自辞典例句

24 akin
adj.同族的，类似的
参考例句：
She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。 Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

25 lasting
adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持
参考例句：
The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。 We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

26 reconciliation
n.和解，和谐，一致
参考例句：
He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。 Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

27 rebuke
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。

28 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

29 misery
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。 He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

30 intercourse
n.性交；交流，交往，交际
参考例句：
The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。 There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

31 confession
n.自白，供认，承认
参考例句：
Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。 The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

32 amendment
n.改正，修正，改善，修正案
参考例句：
The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。 The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

33 reviled
v.辱骂，痛斥( revile的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The tramp reviled the man who drove him off. 流浪汉辱骂那位赶他走开的人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The old man reviled against corruption. 那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 retraced
v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯
参考例句：
We retraced our steps to where we started. 我们折回我们出发的地方。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 We retraced our route in an attempt to get back on the right path. 我们折返，想回到正确的路上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 maze
n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑
参考例句：
He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。 She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时，她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。

36 sane
adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的
参考例句：
He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。 He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。