Exhausted¹ and wounded as the Invisible Man was, he refused to accept Kemp's word that his freedom should be respected. He examined the two windows of the bedroom, drew up the blinds and opened the sashes, to confirm Kemp's statement that a retreat by them would be possible. Outside the night was very quiet and still, and the new moon was setting over the down. Then he examined the keys of the bedroom and the two dressing-room doors, to satisfy himself that these also could be made an assurance of freedom. Finally he expressed himself satisfied. He stood on the hearth² rug and Kemp heard the sound of a yawn.

"I'm sorry," said the Invisible Man, "if I cannot tell you all that I have done to-night. But I am worn out. It's grotesque³, no doubt. It's horrible! But believe me, Kemp, in spite of your arguments of this morning, it is quite a possible thing. I have made a discovery. I meant to keep it to myself. I can't. I must have a partner. And you.... We can do such things ... But to-morrow. Now, Kemp, I feel as though I must sleep or perish."

Kemp stood in the middle of the room staring at the headless garment. "I suppose I must leave you," he said. "It's--incredible. Three things happening like this, overturning all my preconceptions--would make me insane. But it's real! Is there anything more that I can get you?"

"Only bid me good-night," said Griffin.

"Good-night," said Kemp, and shook an invisible hand. He walked sideways to the door. Suddenly the dressing-gown walked quickly towards him. "Understand me!" said the dressing-gown. "No attempts to hamper⁴ me, or capture me! Or--"

Kemp's face changed a little. "I thought I gave you my word," he said.

Kemp closed the door softly behind him, and the key was turned upon him forthwith. Then, as he stood with an expression of passive amazement⁵ on his face, the rapid feet came to the door of the dressing-room and that too was locked. Kemp slapped his brow with his hand. "Am I dreaming? Has the world gone mad--or have I?"

He laughed, and put his hand to the locked door. "Barred out of my own bedroom, by a flagrant

点击收听单词发音  

1 exhausted
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。 Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

2 hearth
n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面
参考例句：
She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。 She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

3 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。

4 hamper
vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子
参考例句：
There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。 The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

5 amazement
n.惊奇，惊讶
参考例句：
All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。 He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

6 absurdity
n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论
参考例句：
The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。 The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。

7 bruised
[医]青肿的，瘀紫的
参考例句：
his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子 She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

8 larvae
n.幼虫
参考例句：
Larvae are parasitic on sheep.幼虫寄生在绵羊的身上。 The larvae prey upon small aphids.这种幼虫以小蚜虫为食。

9 microscopic
adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的
参考例句：
It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。 A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。

10 translucent
adj.半透明的；透明的
参考例句：
The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.这座建筑完全用半透明瓦楞塑料封顶。 A small difference between them will render the composite translucent.微小的差别,也会使复合材料变成半透明。

11 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。

12 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。

13 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。

14 exclamation
n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词
参考例句：
He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。 The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

15 mariner
n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者
参考例句：
A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.平静的大海决不能造就熟练的水手。 A mariner must have his eye upon rocks and sands as well as upon the North Star.海员不仅要盯着北极星，还要注意暗礁和险滩。

16 marvel
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事
参考例句：
The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。 The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

17 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

18 surgical
adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的
参考例句：
He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。 All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

19 mingle
vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往
参考例句：
If we mingle with the crowd,we should not be noticed.如果我们混在人群中，就不会被注意到。 Oil will not mingle with water.油和水不相融。

20 descending
n. 下行 adj. 下降的
参考例句：
The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。 The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

21 explicit
adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的
参考例句：
She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。 He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

22 confirmation
n.证实，确认，批准
参考例句：
We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。 We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

23 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。

24 minor
adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修
参考例句：
The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。 I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

25 notably
adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地
参考例句：
Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。 A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

26 scrap
n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废
参考例句：
A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。 Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

27 devoured
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光
参考例句：
She devoured everything she could lay her hands on: books, magazines and newspapers. 无论是书、杂志，还是报纸，只要能弄得到，她都看得津津有味。 The lions devoured a zebra in a short time. 狮子一会儿就吃掉了一匹斑马。

28 mania
n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好
参考例句：
Football mania is sweeping the country.足球热正风靡全国。 Collecting small items can easily become a mania.收藏零星物品往往容易变成一种癖好。

29 breach
n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破
参考例句：
We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。 He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。