IN THE GUARD-ROOM to which Pierre had been taken, the officer and soldiers in charge treated him with hostility¹, but at the same time with respect. Their attitude to him betrayed both doubt who he might be—perhaps a person of great importance—and hostility, in consequence of the personal conflict they had so recently had with him.

But when on the morning of the next day the guard was relieved, Pierre felt that for his new guard—both officers and soldiers—he was no longer an object of the same interest as he had been to those who had taken him prisoner. And, indeed, in the big, stout² man in a peasant's coat, the sentinels in charge next day saw nothing of the vigorous person who had fought so desperately³ with the pillaging⁴ soldier and the convoy⁵, and had uttered that solemn phrase about saving a child; they saw in him only number seventeen of the Russian prisoners who were to be detained for some reason by order of the higher authorities. If there were anything peculiar⁶ about Pierre, it lay only in his undaunted air of concentrated thought, and in the excellent French in which, to the surprise of the French, he expressed himself. In spite of that, Pierre was put that day with the other suspicious characters who had been apprehended⁷, since the room he had occupied was wanted for an officer.

All the Russians detained with Pierre were persons of the lowest class. And all of them, recognising Pierre as a gentleman, held aloof⁸ from him all the more for his speaking French. Pierre mournfully heard their jeers⁹ at his expense.

On the following evening, Pierre learned that all the prisoners (and himself probably in the number) were to be tried for incendiarism. The day after, Pierre was taken with the rest to a house where were sitting a French general with white moustaches, two colonels, and other Frenchmen with scarfs on their shoulders. With that peculiar exactitude and definiteness, which is always employed in the examination of prisoners and is supposed to

点击收听单词发音  

1 hostility
n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争
参考例句：
There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。 His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

3 desperately
adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地
参考例句：
He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。 He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

4 pillaging
v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The rebels went looting and pillaging. 叛乱者趁火打劫，掠夺财物。 Soldiers went on a rampage, pillaging stores and shooting. 士兵们横冲直撞，洗劫商店并且开枪射击。 来自辞典例句

5 convoy
vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队
参考例句：
The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。 Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

6 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。

7 apprehended
逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解
参考例句：
She apprehended the complicated law very quickly. 她很快理解了复杂的法律。 The police apprehended the criminal. 警察逮捕了罪犯。

8 aloof
adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的
参考例句：
Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。 On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。

9 jeers
n.操纵帆桁下部（使其上下的）索具；嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
They shouted jeers at him. 他们大声地嘲讽他。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The jeers from the crowd caused the speaker to leave the platform. 群众的哄笑使讲演者离开讲台。 来自辞典例句

10 preclude
vt.阻止，排除，防止；妨碍
参考例句：
We try to preclude any possibility of misunderstanding.我们努力排除任何误解的可能性。 My present finances preclude the possibility of buying a car.按我目前的财务状况我是不可能买车的。

11 inquiry
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。 The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

12 conducive
adj.有益的，有助的
参考例句：
This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。 Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

13 condescension
n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人)
参考例句：
His politeness smacks of condescension. 他的客气带有屈尊俯就的意味。 Despite its condescension toward the Bennet family, the letter begins to allay Elizabeth's prejudice against Darcy. 尽管这封信对班纳特家的态度很高傲，但它开始消除伊丽莎白对达西的偏见。

14 proceeding
n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报
参考例句：
This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。 The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

15 tragic
adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的
参考例句：
The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。 Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

16 irrelevant
adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的
参考例句：
That is completely irrelevant to the subject under discussion.这跟讨论的主题完全不相关。 A question about arithmetic is irrelevant in a music lesson.在音乐课上，一个数学的问题是风马牛不相及的。

17 Ford
n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过
参考例句：
They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。 If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

18 detention
n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下
参考例句：
He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。 He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

19 ascertain
vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清
参考例句：
It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。 We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。