It was only two weeks since the Duc de Sairmeuse had returned to France; he had not yet had time to shake the dust of exile from his feet, and already his imagination saw enemies on every side.

He had been at Sairmeuse only two days, and yet he unhesitatingly accepted the venomous reports which Chupin poured into his ears.

The suspicions which he was endeavoring to make Martial¹ share were cruelly unjust.

At the moment when the duke accused the baron² of conspiring³ against the house of Sairmeuse, that unfortunate man was weeping at the bedside of his son, who was, he believed, at the point of death.

Maurice was indeed dangerously ill.

His excessively nervous organization had succumbed⁴ before the rude assaults of destiny.

When, in obedience⁵ to M. Lacheneur’s imperative⁶ order, he left the grove⁷ on the Reche, he lost the power of reflecting calmly and deliberately⁸ upon the situation.

Marie-Anne’s incomprehensible obstinacy⁹, the insults he had received from the marquis, and Lacheneur’s feigned¹⁰ anger were mingled¹¹ in inextricable confusion, forming one immense, intolerable misfortune, too crushing for his powers of resistance.

The peasants who met him on his homeward way were struck by his singular demeanor¹²

点击收听单词发音  

1 martial
adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的
参考例句：
The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。 The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

2 baron
n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王
参考例句：
Henry Ford was an automobile baron.亨利·福特是一位汽车业巨头。 The baron lived in a strong castle.男爵住在一座坚固的城堡中。

3 conspiring
密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致
参考例句：
They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。 John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。

4 succumbed
不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死
参考例句：
The town succumbed after a short siege. 该城被围困不久即告失守。 After an artillery bombardment lasting several days the town finally succumbed. 在持续炮轰数日后，该城终于屈服了。

5 obedience
n.服从，顺从
参考例句：
Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。 Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

6 imperative
n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的
参考例句：
He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。 The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

7 grove
n.林子，小树林，园林
参考例句：
On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。 The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

8 deliberately
adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地
参考例句：
The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。 They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

9 obstinacy
n.顽固；（病痛等）难治
参考例句：
It is a very accountable obstinacy.这是一种完全可以理解的固执态度。 Cindy's anger usually made him stand firm to the point of obstinacy.辛迪一发怒，常常使他坚持自见，并达到执拗的地步。

10 feigned
a.假装的，不真诚的
参考例句：
He feigned indifference to criticism of his work. 他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。 He accepted the invitation with feigned enthusiasm. 他假装热情地接受了邀请。

11 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。

12 demeanor
n.行为；风度
参考例句：
She is quiet in her demeanor.她举止文静。 The old soldier never lost his military demeanor.那个老军人从来没有失去军人风度。

13 catastrophe
n.大灾难，大祸
参考例句：
I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。 This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

14 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。

15 sinister
adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的
参考例句：
There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。 Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

16 presentiment
n.预感，预觉
参考例句：
He had a presentiment of disaster.他预感会有灾难降临。 I have a presentiment that something bad will happen.我有某种不祥事要发生的预感。

17 hoarsely
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

18 resolute
adj.坚决的，果敢的
参考例句：
He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。 The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

19 alluding
提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He didn't mention your name but I was sure he was alluding to you. 他没提你的名字，但是我确信他是暗指你的。 But in fact I was alluding to my physical deficiencies. 可我实在是为自己的容貌寒心。

20 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。

21 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。

22 scarlet
n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的
参考例句：
The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。 The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

23 parched
adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干
参考例句：
Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。 The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。

24 chattering
n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。 I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。

25 gallop
v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展
参考例句：
They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。 The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

26 incompetency
n.无能力，不适当
参考例句：
I have suffered a martyrdom from their incompetency and caprice. 他们的无能和任性折磨得我够受了。 来自辞典例句

27 shunned
v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She was shunned by her family when she remarried. 她再婚后家里人都躲着她。 He was a shy man who shunned all publicity. 他是个怕羞的人，总是避开一切引人注目的活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 applied
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。 This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

29 faculty
n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员
参考例句：
He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。 He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

30 slung
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往
参考例句：
He slung the bag over his shoulder. 他把包一甩，挎在肩上。 He stood up and slung his gun over his shoulder. 他站起来把枪往肩上一背。

31 apprehension
n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑
参考例句：
There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。 She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

32 practitioner
n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者
参考例句：
He is an unqualified practitioner of law.他是个无资格的律师。 She was a medical practitioner before she entered politics.从政前她是个开业医生。

33 baroness
n.男爵夫人，女男爵
参考例句：
I'm sure the Baroness will be able to make things fine for you.我相信男爵夫人能够把家里的事替你安排妥当的。 The baroness,who had signed,returned the pen to the notary.男爵夫人这时已签过字，把笔交回给律师。

34 funereal
adj.悲哀的；送葬的
参考例句：
He addressed the group in funereal tones.他语气沉痛地对大家讲话。 The mood of the music was almost funereal.音乐的调子几乎像哀乐。

35 pervaded
v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
A retrospective influence pervaded the whole performance. 怀旧的影响弥漫了整个演出。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The air is pervaded by a smell [smoking]. 空气中弥散着一种气味[烟味]。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

36 abating
减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼）
参考例句：
The storm showed no signs of abating. 暴风雨没有减弱的迹象。 The recent public anxiety about this issue may now be abating. 近来公众对这个问题的焦虑心情现在也许正在缓和下来。

37 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。

38 phantoms
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 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

40 malady
n.病，疾病(通常做比喻)
参考例句：
There is no specific remedy for the malady.没有医治这种病的特效药。 They are managing to control the malady into a small range.他们设法将疾病控制在小范围之内。

41 confided
v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等）
参考例句：
She confided all her secrets to her best friend. 她向她最要好的朋友倾吐了自己所有的秘密。 He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison. 他私下向我透露，他蹲过五年监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 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》

43 recital
n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会
参考例句：
She is going to give a piano recital.她即将举行钢琴独奏会。 I had their total attention during the thirty-five minutes that my recital took.在我叙述的35分钟内，他们完全被我吸引了。

44 wretch
n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人
参考例句：
You are really an ungrateful wretch to complain instead of thanking him.你不但不谢他，还埋怨他，真不知好歹。 The dead husband is not the dishonoured wretch they fancied him.死去的丈夫不是他们所想象的不光彩的坏蛋。