I can see the artist bite the end of his pencil and frown when it comes to drawing his Easter picture; for his legitimate¹ pictorial² conceptions of figures pertinent³ to the festival are but four in number.

First comes Easter, pagan goddess of spring. Here his fancy may have free play. A beautiful maiden⁴ with decorative⁵ hair and the proper number of toes will fill the bill. Miss Clarice St. Vavasour, the well-known model, will pose for it in the "Lethergogallagher," or whatever it was that Trilby called it.

Second - the melancholy⁶ lady with upturned eyes in a framework of lilies. This is magazine-covery, but reliable.

Third - Miss Manhattan in the Fifth Avenue Easter Sunday parade.

Fourth - Maggie Murphy with a new red feather in her old straw hat, happy and self-conscious, in the Grand Street turnout.

Of course, the rabbits do not count. Nor the Easter eggs, since the higher criticism has hard-boiled them.

The limited field of its pictorial possibilities proves that Easter, of all our festival days, is the most vague and shifting in our conception. It belongs to all religions, although the pagans invented it. Going back still further to the first spring, we can see Eve choosing with pride a new green leaf from the tree ficus carica.

Now, the object of this critical and learned preamble⁷ is to set forth⁸ the theorem that Easter is neither a date, a season, a festival, a holiday nor an occasion. What it is you shall find out if you follow in the footsteps of Danny McCree.

Easter Sunday dawned as it should, bright and early, in its place on the calendar between Saturday and Monday. At 5:24 the sun rose, and at 10:30 Danny followed its example. He went into the kitchen and washed his face at the sink. His mother was frying bacon. She looked at his hard, smooth, knowing

点击收听单词发音  

1 legitimate
adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法
参考例句：
Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。 That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

2 pictorial
adj.绘画的；图片的；n．画报
参考例句：
The had insisted on a full pictorial coverage of the event.他们坚持要对那一事件做详尽的图片报道。 China Pictorial usually sells out soon after it hits the stands.《人民画报》往往一到报摊就销售一空。

3 pertinent
adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的
参考例句：
The expert made some pertinent comments on the scheme.那专家对规划提出了一些中肯的意见。 These should guide him to pertinent questions for further study.这些将有助于他进一步研究有关问题。

4 maiden
n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的
参考例句：
The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。 The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

5 decorative
adj.装饰的，可作装饰的
参考例句：
This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。 The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽，而且装饰效果很好。

6 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。

7 preamble
n.前言；序文
参考例句：
He spoke without preamble.他没有开场白地讲起来。 The controversy has arisen over the text of the preamble to the unification treaty.针对统一条约的序文出现了争论。

8 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

10 juggled
v.歪曲( juggle的过去式和过去分词 )；耍弄；有效地组织；尽力同时应付（两个或两个以上的重要工作或活动）
参考例句：
He juggled the company's accounts to show a profit. 为了表明公司赢利，他篡改了公司的账目。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The juggler juggled three bottles. 这个玩杂耍的人可同时抛接3个瓶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 precocious
adj.早熟的；较早显出的
参考例句：
They become precocious experts in tragedy.他们成了一批思想早熟、善写悲剧的能手。 Margaret was always a precocious child.玛格丽特一直是个早熟的孩子。

12 scramble
v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料
参考例句：
He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。 It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。

13 chauffeur
n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车
参考例句：
The chauffeur handed the old lady from the car.这个司机搀扶这个老太太下汽车。 She went out herself and spoke to the chauffeur.她亲自走出去跟汽车司机说话。

14 gilded
a.镀金的，富有的
参考例句：
The golden light gilded the sea. 金色的阳光使大海如金子般闪闪发光。 "Friends, they are only gilded disks of lead!" "朋友们，这只不过是些镀金的铅饼！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

15 hippopotamus
n.河马
参考例句：
The children enjoyed watching the hippopotamus wallowing in the mud.孩子们真喜观看河马在泥中打滚。 A hippopotamus surfs the waves off the coast of Gabon.一头河马在加蓬的海岸附近冲浪。

16 hippopotamuses
n.河马（产于非洲）( hippopotamus的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Hippopotamuses teem in this river. 这条河里有很多河马。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 janitor
n.看门人，管门人
参考例句：
The janitor wiped on the windows with his rags.看门人用褴褛的衣服擦着窗户。 The janitor swept the floors and locked up the building every night.那个看门人每天晚上负责打扫大楼的地板和锁门。

18 outrages
引起…的义愤，激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
People are seeking retribution for the latest terrorist outrages. 人们在设法对恐怖分子最近的暴行进行严惩。 He [She] is not allowed to commit any outrages. 不能任其胡作非为。

19 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。

20 northward
adv.向北；n.北方的地区
参考例句：
He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。 I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。

21 blithe
adj.快乐的，无忧无虑的
参考例句：
Tonight,however,she was even in a blithe mood than usual.但是，今天晚上她比往常还要高兴。 He showed a blithe indifference to her feelings.他显得毫不顾及她的感情。

22 anthems
n.赞美诗( anthem的名词复数 )；圣歌；赞歌；颂歌
参考例句：
They usually play the national anthems of the teams at the beginning of a big match. 在大型赛事开始前，他们通常演奏参赛国国歌。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Rise please, rise for the anthems of & . 请全体起立，奏和两国国歌。 来自互联网

23 choirs
n.教堂的唱诗班( choir的名词复数 )；唱诗队；公开表演的合唱团；（教堂）唱经楼
参考例句：
They ran the three churches to which they belonged, the clergy, the choirs and the parishioners. 她们管理着自己所属的那三家教堂、牧师、唱诗班和教区居民。 来自飘（部分） Since 1935, several village choirs skilled in this music have been created. 1935以来，数支熟练掌握这种音乐的乡村唱诗班相继建立起来。 来自互联网

24 mansions
n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑，空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗，钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊，那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌！ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

25 flora
n.(某一地区的)植物群
参考例句：
The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。 All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。

26 curb
n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制
参考例句：
I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。 You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

27 judicial
adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的
参考例句：
He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。 Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

28 commissioner
n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员
参考例句：
The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。 He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

29 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

30 specially
adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地
参考例句：
They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。 The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

31 incumbency
n.职责，义务
参考例句：
Every incumbency employee has his year-end bonus.所有的在职员工都可以领到年终奖金。 Administrator ethic includes administrative incumbency and administrative conscience.行政人员伦理包括行政义务和行政良知。

32 simultaneously
adv.同时发生地，同时进行地
参考例句：
The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。 The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

33 picturesque
adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的
参考例句：
You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。 That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

34 philistine
n.庸俗的人；adj.市侩的，庸俗的
参考例句：
I believe he seriously thinks me an awful Philistine.我相信，他真的认为我是个不可救药的庸人。 Do you know what a philistine is,jim?吉姆，知道什么是庸俗吗?

35 disport
v.嬉戏，玩
参考例句：
Every Sunday,they disport themselves either in the parks or in the mountains.每周日他们或去公园或去爬山。 A servant was washing the steps,and some crabs began to disport themselves in the little pools.一个仆人正在清洗台阶，一些螃蟹开始在小渠里玩耍。

36 capers
n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
I like to fly about and cut capers. 我喜欢跳跳蹦蹦闹着玩儿。 来自辞典例句 He always leads in pranks and capers. 他老是带头胡闹和开玩笑。 来自辞典例句

37 jaw
n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训
参考例句：
He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。 A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

38 linoleumed
Linoleumed
参考例句：
Who will lay the linoleum? 谁将铺设地板油毡？ They mislaid the linoleum. 他们把油毡放错了地方。

39 jubilee
n.周年纪念；欢乐
参考例句：
They had a big jubilee to celebrate the victory.他们举行盛大的周年纪念活动以祝贺胜利。 Every Jubilee,to take the opposite case,has served a function.反过来说，历次君主巡幸，都曾起到某种作用。

40 eastward
adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部
参考例句：
The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。 The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

41 construe
v.翻译，解释
参考例句：
He had tried to construe a passage from Homer.他曾尝试注释荷马著作的一段文字。 You can construe what he said in a number of different ways.他的话可以有好几种解释。

42 diagnosis
n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断
参考例句：
His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。 The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。

43 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。

44 gee
n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转
参考例句：
Their success last week will gee the team up.上星期的胜利将激励这支队伍继续前进。 Gee,We're going to make a lot of money.哇！我们会赚好多钱啦！

45 expounding
论述，详细讲解( expound的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Soon Gandhi was expounding the doctrine of ahimsa (nonviolence). 不久甘地就四出阐释非暴力主义思想。 He was expounding, of course, his philosophy of leadership. 当然，他这是在阐述他的领导哲学。

46 pique
v.伤害…的自尊心，使生气 n.不满，生气
参考例句：
She went off in a fit of pique.她一赌气就走了。 Tom finished the sentence with an air of pique.汤姆有些生气地说完这句话。

47 dangling
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
参考例句：
The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。 The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

48 leavening
n.酵母，发酵，发酵物v.使（面团）发酵( leaven的现在分词 )；在…中掺入改变的因素
参考例句：
Shall we make cakes with this leavening dough tonight? 晚上我们用这块酵子烙饼吃吧。 来自互联网 His sermons benefited from a leavening of humor. 他的布道得益于幽默的影响。 来自互联网

49 libretto
n.歌剧剧本，歌曲歌词
参考例句：
The printed libretto was handsomely got up.这本印刷的歌剧剧本装帧得很美观。 On the other hand,perhaps there is something to be said for the convenience of downloading a libretto in one's own home rather than looking for it in a library or book store.但是反过来看，或许尤为重要的是如果网

50 drowsy
adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的
参考例句：
Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。 I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

51 intonation
n.语调，声调；发声
参考例句：
The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。 Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。

52 hoarse
adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的
参考例句：
He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。 He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

53 bum
n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨
参考例句：
A man pinched her bum on the train so she hit him.在火车上有人捏她屁股，她打了那人。 The penniless man had to bum a ride home.那个身无分文的人只好乞求搭车回家。

54 labor
n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦
参考例句：
We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。 He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

55 Flared
adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。 The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

56 gilt
adj.镀金的；n.金边证券
参考例句：
The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。 The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。