With the dusk and the arrival of some county constabulary, and first one and presently two other fire engines from Port Burdock and Hampstead-on-Sea, the local talent of Fishbourne found itself forced back into a secondary, less responsible and more observant r?le. I will not pursue the story of the fire to its ashes, nor will I do more than glance at the unfortunate Mr. Rusper, a modern Laocoon, vainly trying to retrieve¹ his scattered² hose amidst the tramplings and rushings of the Port Burdock experts.

In a small sitting-room³ of the Fishbourne Temperance Hotel a little group of Fishbourne tradesmen sat and conversed⁴ in fragments and anon went to the window and looked out upon the smoking desolation of their homes across the way, and anon sat down again. They and their families were the guests of old Lady Bargrave, who had displayed the utmost sympathy and interest in their misfortunes. She had taken several people into her own house at Everdean, had engaged the Temperance Hotel as a temporary refuge, and personally superintended the housing of Mantell and Throbson’s homeless assistants. The Temperance Hotel became and remained extremely noisy and congested, with people sitting about anywhere, conversing⁵ in fragments and totally unable to get themselves to bed. The manager was an old soldier, and following the best traditions of the service saw that everyone had hot cocoa. Hot cocoa seemed to be about everywhere, and it was no doubt very heartening and sustaining to everyone. When the manager detected anyone disposed to be drooping⁶ or pensive⁷ he exhorted⁸ that person at once to drink further hot cocoa and maintain a stout⁹ heart.

The hero of the occasion, the centre of interest, was Mr. Polly. For he had not only caused the fire by upsetting a lighted lamp,

点击收听单词发音  

1 retrieve
vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索
参考例句：
He was determined to retrieve his honor.他决心恢复名誉。 The men were trying to retrieve weapons left when the army abandoned the island.士兵们正试图找回军队从该岛撤退时留下的武器。

2 scattered
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。

3 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。

4 conversed
v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 )
参考例句：
I conversed with her on a certain problem. 我与她讨论某一问题。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 She was cheerful and polite, and conversed with me pleasantly. 她十分高兴，也很客气，而且愉快地同我交谈。 来自辞典例句

5 conversing
v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I find that conversing with her is quite difficult. 和她交谈实在很困难。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They were conversing in the parlor. 他们正在客厅谈话。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 drooping
adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词
参考例句：
The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。 The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

7 pensive
a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的
参考例句：
He looked suddenly sombre,pensive.他突然看起来很阴郁，一副忧虑的样子。 He became so pensive that she didn't like to break into his thought.他陷入沉思之中,她不想打断他的思路。

8 exhorted
v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The party leader exhorted his members to start preparing for government. 该党领袖敦促党员着手准备筹建政府。 He exhorted his elder. 他规劝长辈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 scorching
adj. 灼热的
参考例句：
a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳 a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

11 amiable
adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的
参考例句：
She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。 We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

12 persistence
n.坚持，持续，存留
参考例句：
The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。 He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。

13 vigour
（=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力
参考例句：
She is full of vigour and enthusiasm.她有热情，有朝气。 At 40,he was in his prime and full of vigour.他40岁时正年富力强。

14 levity
n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变
参考例句：
His remarks injected a note of levity into the proceedings.他的话将一丝轻率带入了议事过程中。 At the time,Arnold had disapproved of such levity.那时候的阿诺德对这种轻浮行为很看不惯。

15 profusely
ad.abundantly
参考例句：
We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture. 我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。 He had been working hard and was perspiring profusely. 他一直在努力干活，身上大汗淋漓的。

16 diffused
散布的，普及的，扩散的
参考例句：
A drop of milk diffused in the water. 一滴牛奶在水中扩散开来。 Gases and liquids diffused. 气体和液体慢慢混合了。

17 defective
adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的
参考例句：
The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。 If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

18 albeit
conj.即使；纵使；虽然
参考例句：
Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。 Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。

19 chromatic
adj.色彩的，颜色的
参考例句：
The removal of the chromatic aberration is then of primary importance.这时消除色差具有头等重要性。 In lampblack many kitchens easy to present the chromatic aberration.油烟较多的厨房中易出现色差。

20 intervals
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。 Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

21 munched
v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She munched on an apple. 她在大口啃苹果。 The rabbit munched on the fresh carrots. 兔子咯吱咯吱地嚼着新鲜胡萝卜。 来自辞典例句

22 dignified
a.可敬的，高贵的
参考例句：
Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。 He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

23 illustrated
adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。 The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

24 blurred
v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离
参考例句：
She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。 Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 crumbling
adj.摇摇欲坠的
参考例句：
an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子 The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

26 honourable
adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的
参考例句：
I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。 I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

27 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。

28 elation
n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意
参考例句：
She showed her elation at having finally achieved her ambition.最终实现了抱负，她显得十分高兴。 His supporters have reacted to the news with elation.他的支持者听到那条消息后兴高采烈。

29 opaque
adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的
参考例句：
The windows are of opaque glass.这些窗户装着不透明玻璃。 Their intentions remained opaque.他们的意图仍然令人费解。

30 fabric
n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织
参考例句：
The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。 I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

31 retail
v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格
参考例句：
In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。 These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

32 phoenix
n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生
参考例句：
The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。 The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

33 questionable
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。

34 tweezers
n.镊子
参考例句：
We simply removed from the cracked endocarp with sterile tweezers.我们简单地用消过毒的镊子从裂开的内果皮中取出种子。 Bee stings should be removed with tweezers.蜜蜂的螫刺应该用小镊子拔出来。

35 eloquent
adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的
参考例句：
He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。 These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

36 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》

37 utterly
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。

38 loathsome
adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的
参考例句：
The witch hid her loathsome face with her hands.巫婆用手掩住她那张令人恶心的脸。 Some people think that snakes are loathsome creatures.有些人觉得蛇是令人憎恶的动物。

39 hitched
（免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上
参考例句：
They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。 We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。

40 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

41 precisely
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。 The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。