The End of the Scene
i

The linen¹ money-bag and the account-book, proper to the last Wednesday in the month, lay on the green damask cloth of the round table where Hilda and her mother took their meals. A paralytic² stroke had not been drastic enough to mar³ Mr. Skellorn’s most precious reputation for probity⁴ and reliability⁵. His statement of receipts and expenditure⁶, together with the corresponding cash, had been due at two o’clock, and despite the paralytic stroke it was less than a quarter of an hour late. On one side of the bag and the book were ranged the older women,—Mrs. Lessways, thin and vivacious⁷, and Mrs. Grant, large and solemn; and on the other side, as it were in opposition⁸, the young, dark, slim girl with her rather wiry black hair, and her straight, prominent eyebrows⁹, and her extraordinary expression of uncompromising aloofness¹⁰.

“She’s just enjoying it, that’s what she’s doing!” said Hilda to herself, of Mrs. Grant.

And the fact was that Mrs. Grant, quite unconsciously, did appear to be savouring the catastrophe¹¹ with pleasure. Although paralytic strokes were more prevalent at that period than now, they constituted even then a striking dramatic event. Moreover, they were considered as direct visitations of God. Also there was something mysteriously and agreeably impressive in the word ‘paralytic,’ which people would repeat for the pleasure of repeating it. Mrs. Grant, over whose

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1 linen
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。 Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

2 paralytic
adj. 瘫痪的 n. 瘫痪病人
参考例句：
She was completely paralytic last night.她昨天晚上喝得酩酊大醉。 She rose and hobbled to me on her paralytic legs and kissed me.她站起来，拖着她那麻痹的双腿一瘸一拐地走到我身边，吻了吻我。

3 mar
vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟
参考例句：
It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。 Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 probity
n.刚直；廉洁，正直
参考例句：
Probity and purity will command respect everywhere.为人正派到处受人尊敬。 Her probity and integrity are beyond question.她的诚实和正直是无可争辩的。

5 reliability
n.可靠性，确实性
参考例句：
We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。 I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。

6 expenditure
n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗
参考例句：
The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。 The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

7 vivacious
adj.活泼的，快活的
参考例句：
She is an artless,vivacious girl.她是一个天真活泼的女孩。 The picture has a vivacious artistic conception.这幅画气韵生动。

8 opposition
n.反对，敌对
参考例句：
The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。 The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 eyebrows
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。 His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

10 aloofness
超然态度
参考例句：
Why should I have treated him with such sharp aloofness? 但我为什么要给人一些严厉，一些端庄呢？ 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说 He had an air of haughty aloofness. 他有一种高傲的神情。 来自辞典例句

11 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。

12 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

13 mantle
n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红
参考例句：
The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。 The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

14 narrated
v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Some of the story was narrated in the film. 该电影叙述了这个故事的部分情节。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Defoe skilfully narrated the adventures of Robinson Crusoe on his desert island. 笛福生动地叙述了鲁滨逊·克鲁索在荒岛上的冒险故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 contemplated
adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式
参考例句：
The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。 The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。

16 grandeur
n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华
参考例句：
The grandeur of the Great Wall is unmatched.长城的壮观是独一无二的。 These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place.这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

17 condemned
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。 The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

18 mattress
n.床垫，床褥
参考例句：
The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。 The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。

19 aesthetic
adj.美学的，审美的，有美感
参考例句：
My aesthetic standards are quite different from his.我的审美标准与他的大不相同。 The professor advanced a new aesthetic theory.那位教授提出了新的美学理论。

20 appreciation
n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨
参考例句：
I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。 I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

21 theatrical
adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的
参考例句：
The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。 She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

22 necessitated
使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Recent financial scandals have necessitated changes in parliamentary procedures. 最近的金融丑闻使得议会程序必须改革。 No man is necessitated to do wrong. 没有人是被迫去作错事的。

23 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。

24 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。

25 preposterous
adj.荒谬的，可笑的
参考例句：
The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。 It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

26 sarcastic
adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的
参考例句：
I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。 She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。

27 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。

28 dwelling
n.住宅，住所，寓所
参考例句：
Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。 He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

29 grievances
n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚
参考例句：
The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 grievance
n.怨愤，气恼，委屈
参考例句：
He will not easily forget his grievance.他不会轻易忘掉他的委屈。 He had been nursing a grievance against his boss for months.几个月来他对老板一直心怀不满。

31 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。

32 obsession
n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感)
参考例句：
I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。 She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。

33 volition
n.意志；决意
参考例句：
We like to think that everything we do and everything we think is a product of our volition.我们常常认为我们所做和所想的一切都出自自己的意愿。 Makin said Mr Coombes had gone to the police of his own volition.梅金说库姆斯先生是主动去投案的。

34 voluptuously
adv.风骚地，体态丰满地
参考例句：
He sniffed the perfume voluptuously. 他纵情地闻着香水的味道。 来自互联网

35 expressive
adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的
参考例句：
Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。 He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。

36 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。

37 intensified
v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。 The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 incapable
adj.无能力的，不能做某事的
参考例句：
He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。 Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

39 repulse
n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝
参考例句：
The armed forces were prepared to repulse any attacks.武装部队已作好击退任何进攻的准备。 After the second repulse,the enemy surrendered.在第二次击退之后，敌人投降了。

40 ingenuous
adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的
参考例句：
Only the most ingenuous person would believe such a weak excuse!只有最天真的人才会相信这么一个站不住脚的借口！ With ingenuous sincerity,he captivated his audience.他以自己的率真迷住了观众。

41 candidly
adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地
参考例句：
He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。 Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

42 candid
adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的
参考例句：
I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。 He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

43 deficient
adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的
参考例句：
The crops are suffering from deficient rain.庄稼因雨量不足而遭受损害。 I always have been deficient in selfconfidence and decision.我向来缺乏自信和果断。

44 authoritativeness
[法]权威
参考例句：
In the tourist zone, should emphasize the authoritativeness of planning. 在旅游区，应强调规划的权威性。 Urgency, danger, authoritativeness, human itarianism and systematicness are the five basic characteristics of public crisis management. 公共危机管理具有紧迫性、危险性、权威性、人本性和系统性五个基本特征。

45 stature
n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材
参考例句：
He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。 The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

46 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

47 maternal
adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的
参考例句：
He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。 The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

48 altercation
n.争吵，争论
参考例句：
Throughout the entire altercation,not one sensible word was uttered.争了半天，没有一句话是切合实际的。 The boys had an altercation over the umpire's decision.男孩子们对裁判的判决颇有争议。

49 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。

50 tenants
n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者
参考例句：
A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。 Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

51 savagely
adv. 野蛮地，残酷地
参考例句：
The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。 He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。

52 grotesque
adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）
参考例句：
His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。 Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

53 futile
adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的
参考例句：
They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。 Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

54 inferno
n.火海；地狱般的场所
参考例句：
Rescue workers fought to get to victims inside the inferno.救援人员奋力营救大火中的受害者。 The burning building became an inferno.燃烧着的大楼成了地狱般的地方。

55 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

56 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

57 replenished
补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满
参考例句：
She replenished her wardrobe. 她添置了衣服。 She has replenished a leather [fur] coat recently. 她最近添置了一件皮袄。

58 feigning
假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等）
参考例句：
He survived the massacre by feigning death. 他装死才在大屠杀中死里逃生。 She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。

59 simplicity
n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯
参考例句：
She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。 The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

60 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。

61 complacent
adj.自满的；自鸣得意的
参考例句：
We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。 She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

62 amicably
adv.友善地
参考例句：
Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The couple parted amicably. 这对夫妻客气地分手了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

63 tarnished
（通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏
参考例句：
The mirrors had tarnished with age. 这些镜子因年深日久而照影不清楚。 His bad behaviour has tarnished the good name of the school. 他行为不轨，败坏了学校的声誉。

64 detested
v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
They detested each other on sight. 他们互相看着就不顺眼。 The freethinker hated the formalist; the lover of liberty detested the disciplinarian. 自由思想者总是不喜欢拘泥形式者，爱好自由者总是憎恶清规戒律者。 来自辞典例句

65 tattered
adj.破旧的，衣衫破的
参考例句：
Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。 Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。

66 wilfully
adv.任性固执地；蓄意地
参考例句：
Don't wilfully cling to your reckless course. 不要一意孤行。 来自辞典例句 These missionaries even wilfully extended the extraterritoriality to Chinese converts and interfered in Chinese judicial authority. 这些传教士还肆意将"治外法权"延伸至中国信徒，干涉司法。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书

67 tighten
v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧
参考例句：
Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。 Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

68 oblivious
adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的
参考例句：
Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后，妈妈变得特别健忘。 He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。

69 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。

70 exquisitely
adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地
参考例句：
He found her exquisitely beautiful. 他觉得她异常美丽。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He wore an exquisitely tailored gray silk and accessories to match. 他穿的是做工非常考究的灰色绸缎衣服，还有各种配得很协调的装饰。 来自教父部分

71 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。

72 unstable
adj.不稳定的，易变的
参考例句：
This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。 The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

73 frigidly
adv.寒冷地；冷漠地；冷淡地；呆板地
参考例句：

74 incisive
adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的
参考例句：
His incisive remarks made us see the problems in our plans.他的话切中要害，使我们看到了计划中的一些问题。 He combined curious qualities of naivety with incisive wit and worldly sophistication.他集天真质朴的好奇、锐利的机智和老练的世故于一体。

75 articulation
n.（清楚的）发音；清晰度，咬合
参考例句：
His articulation is poor.他发音不清楚。 She spoke with a lazy articulation.她说话慢吞吞的。

76 rattling
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词
参考例句：
This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。 At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

77 fussily
adv.无事空扰地，大惊小怪地，小题大做地
参考例句：
She adjusted her head scarf fussily. 她小题大做地整了整头巾。 来自辞典例句 He spoke to her fussily. 他大惊小怪地对她说。 来自互联网

78 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。

79 wrath
n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒
参考例句：
His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。 The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

80 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。

81 overture
n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉
参考例句：
The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。 His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。

82 twilight
n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期
参考例句：
Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。 Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。