“I took a chance in sending for you,” said Jack¹ Berners. “But there’s a job that you just may be able to help out with.”

Though Pat Hobby was not offended, either as man or writer, a formal protest was called for.

“I been in the industry fifteen years, Jack. I’ve got more screen credits than a dog has got fleas².”

“Maybe I chose the wrong word,” said Jack. “What I mean is, that was a long time ago. About money we’ll pay you just what Republic paid you last month — three-fifty a week. Now — did you ever hear of a writer named René Wilcox?”

The name was unfamiliar³. Pat had scarcely opened a book in a decade.

“She’s pretty good,” he ventured.

“It’s a man, an English playwright⁴. He’s only here in L. A. for his health. Well — we’ve had a Russian Ballet picture kicking around for a year — three bad scripts on it. So last week we signed up René Wilcox — he seemed just the person.”

Pat considered.

“You mean he’s —”

“I don’t know and I don’t care,” interrupted Berners sharply. “We think we can borrow Zorina, so we want to hurry things up — do a shooting script instead of just a treatment. Wilcox is inexperienced and that’s where you come in. You used to be a good man for structure.”

“Used to be!”

“All right, maybe you still are.” Jack beamed with momentary⁵ encouragement. “Find yourself an office and get together with René Wilcox.” As Pat started out he called him back and put a bill in his hand. “First of all, get a new hat. You used to be quite a boy around the secretaries in the old days. Don’t give up at forty-nine!”

Over in the Writers’ Building Pat glanced at the directory in the hall and knocked at the door of 216. No answer, but he went in to discover a blond, willowy youth of twenty-five staring moodily

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1 jack
n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克
参考例句：
I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。 He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 fleas
n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 )；爱财如命；没好气地（拒绝某人的要求）
参考例句：
The dog has fleas. 这条狗有跳蚤。 Nothing must be done hastily but killing of fleas. 除非要捉跳蚤，做事不可匆忙。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 unfamiliar
adj.陌生的，不熟悉的
参考例句：
I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。 The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

4 playwright
n.剧作家，编写剧本的人
参考例句：
Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。 The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

5 momentary
adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的
参考例句：
We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。 I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

6 moodily
adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地
参考例句：
Pork slipped from the room as she remained staring moodily into the distance. 阿宝从房间里溜了出来，留她独个人站在那里瞪着眼睛忧郁地望着远处。 来自辞典例句 He climbed moodily into the cab, relieved and distressed. 他忧郁地上了马车，既松了一口气，又忧心忡忡。 来自互联网

7 heartily
adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很
参考例句：
He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。 The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

8 collaborate
vi.协作，合作；协调
参考例句：
The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。 I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

9 concocted
v.将（尤指通常不相配合的）成分混合成某物( concoct的过去式和过去分词 )；调制；编造；捏造
参考例句：
The soup was concocted from up to a dozen different kinds of fish. 这种汤是用多达十几种不同的鱼熬制而成的。 Between them they concocted a letter. 他们共同策划写了一封信。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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。

11 dismal
adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的
参考例句：
That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。 My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

12 regenerated
v.新生，再生( regenerate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
They are regarded as being enveloped in regenerated gneisses. 它们被认为包围在再生的片麻岩之中。 来自辞典例句 The party soon regenerated under her leadership. 该党在她的领导下很快焕然一新。 来自辞典例句

13 collaborating
合作( collaborate的现在分词 )； 勾结叛国
参考例句：
Joe is collaborating on the work with a friend. 乔正与一位朋友合作做那件工作。 He was not only learning from but also collaborating with Joseph Thomson. 他不仅是在跟约瑟福？汤姆逊学习，而且也是在和他合作。

14 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。

15 fumbled
（笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下
参考例句：
She fumbled in her pocket for a handkerchief. 她在她口袋里胡乱摸找手帕。 He fumbled about in his pockets for the ticket. 他（瞎）摸着衣兜找票。

16 regenerating
v.新生，再生( regenerate的现在分词 )；正反馈
参考例句：
It is not proposed to deal with the detailed histology of regenerating tissues here. 这里未提出详细的再生组织的组织学。 来自辞典例句 This is accomplished by using a thermocompressor to recycle regenerating steam through the absorber. 它用热压机使再生蒸汽经吸附器循环完成解吸过程。 来自辞典例句

17 nausea
n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶)
参考例句：
Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕期常有恶心的现象。 He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。

18 grumbled
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声
参考例句：
He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。 The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

19 dictated
v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布
参考例句：
He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。 No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 interspersing
v.散布，散置( intersperse的现在分词 )；点缀
参考例句：

21 biased
a.有偏见的
参考例句：
a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校 The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。

22 battered
adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损
参考例句：
He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。 The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

23 hatred
n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨
参考例句：
He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。 The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

24 daze
v.(使)茫然，(使)发昏
参考例句：
The blow on the head dazed him for a moment.他头上受了一击后就昏眩了片刻。 I like dazing to sit in the cafe by myself on Sunday.星期日爱独坐人少的咖啡室发呆。

25 nervously
adv.神情激动地，不安地
参考例句：
He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。 He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

26 sincerity
n.真诚，诚意；真实
参考例句：
His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。 He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

27 consulate
n.领事馆
参考例句：
The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。 The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

28 technically
adv.专门地，技术上地
参考例句：
Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。 The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

29 proficient
adj.熟练的，精通的；n.能手，专家
参考例句：
She is proficient at swimming.她精通游泳。 I think I'm quite proficient in both written and spoken English.我认为我在英语读写方面相当熟练。

30 detailed
adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的
参考例句：
He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。 A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

31 frantically
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句：
He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。 She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。

32 collaborator
n.合作者，协作者
参考例句：
I need a collaborator to help me. 我需要个人跟我合作，帮我的忙。 His collaborator, Hooke, was of a different opinion. 他的合作者霍克持有不同的看法。

33 laboriously
adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地
参考例句：
She is tracing laboriously now. 她正在费力地写。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She is laboriously copying out an old manuscript. 她正在费劲地抄出一份旧的手稿。 来自辞典例句

34 enlisted
adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）
参考例句：
enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵 He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

35 regenerates
n.新生，再生( regenerate的名词复数 )v.新生，再生( regenerate的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
This activity regenerates some of the ATP lost in proton reduction. 这一反应可以使在质子还原过程中丢失的某些ATP再生。 来自辞典例句 Level 2-Heals all allied Heroes for 300 HP. Fully Regenerates converted creeps. 二级-治疗地图上所有的友方英雄300点的生命，完全恢复皈依你的单位。 来自互联网

36 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。

37 implicating
vt.牵涉，涉及（implicate的现在分词形式）
参考例句：
He was in the public dock, confessing everything, implicating everybody. 他站在被告席上，什么都招认，什么人都咬。 来自英汉文学 No one would have had me get out of the scrape by implicating an old friend. 无论什么人都不能叫我为了自己摆脱困难便把一个老朋友牵累到这案子里去。 来自辞典例句

38 wagers
n.赌注，用钱打赌( wager的名词复数 )v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的第三人称单数 )；保证，担保
参考例句：
He wagers $100 on the result of the election. 他用100美元来对选举结果打赌。 来自互联网 He often wagers money on horses. 他时常在马身上赌钱。 来自互联网

39 prophesied
v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She prophesied that she would win a gold medal. 她预言自己将赢得金牌。 She prophesied the tragic outcome. 她预言有悲惨的结果。 来自《简明英汉词典》

40 cuff
n.袖口；手铐；护腕；vt.用手铐铐；上袖口
参考例句：
She hoped they wouldn't cuff her hands behind her back.她希望他们不要把她反铐起来。 Would you please draw together the snag in my cuff?请你把我袖口上的裂口缝上好吗？

41 reassured
adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 gravy
n.肉汁；轻易得来的钱，外快
参考例句：
You have spilled gravy on the tablecloth.你把肉汁泼到台布上了。 The meat was swimming in gravy.肉泡在浓汁之中。

43 mansion
n.大厦，大楼；宅第
参考例句：
The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。 The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

44 larceny
n.盗窃（罪）
参考例句：
The man was put in jail for grand larceny.人因重大盗窃案而被监禁。 It was an essential of the common law crime of larceny.它是构成普通法中的盗窃罪的必要条件。

45 dreariness
沉寂，可怕，凄凉
参考例句：
The park wore an aspect of utter dreariness and ruin. 园地上好久没人收拾，一片荒凉。 There in the melancholy, in the dreariness, Bertha found a bitter fascination. 在这里，在阴郁、倦怠之中，伯莎发现了一种刺痛人心的魅力。

46 swell
vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强
参考例句：
The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。 His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

47 faltered
（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃
参考例句：
He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。 "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”