You must suppose about three weeks passed over. Mrs. Graham and I were now established friends - or brother and sister, as we rather chose to consider ourselves. She called me Gilbert, by my express desire, and I called her Helen, for I had seen that name written in her books. I seldom attempted to see her above twice a week; and still I made our meetings appear the result of accident as often as I could - for I found it necessary to be extremely careful - and, altogether, I behaved with such exceeding propriety¹ that she never had occasion to reprove me once. Yet I could not but perceive that she was at times unhappy and dissatisfied with herself or her position, and truly I myself was not quite contented² with the latter: this assumption of brotherly nonchalance³ was very hard to sustain, and I often felt myself a most confounded hypocrite with it all; I saw too, or rather I felt, that, in spite of herself, 'I was not indifferent to her,' as the novel heroes modestly express it, and while I thankfully enjoyed my present good fortune, I could not fail to wish and hope for something better in future; but, of course, I kept such dreams entirely⁵ to myself.

'Where are you going, Gilbert?' said Rose, one evening, shortly after tea, when I had been busy with the farm all day.

'To take a walk,' was the reply.

'Do you always brush your hat so carefully, and do your hair so nicely, and put on such smart new gloves when you take a walk?'

'Not always.'

'You're going to Wildfell Hall, aren't you?'

'What makes you think so?'

'Because you look as if you were - but I wish you wouldn't go so often.'

'Nonsense, child! I don't go once in six weeks - what do you mean?'

'Well, but if I were you, I wouldn't have so much to do with Mrs. Graham.'

'Why, Rose, are you, too, giving in to the prevailing⁶ opinion?'

'No,' returned she, hesitatingly - 'but I've heard so much about her lately, both at the Wilsons' and the vicarage; - and besides, mamma says, if she were a proper person she would not be living there by herself - and don't you remember last winter, Gilbert, all that about the false name to the picture; and how she explained it - saying she had friends or acquaintances from whom she wished her present residence to be

点击收听单词发音  

1 propriety
n.正当行为；正当；适当
参考例句：
We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。 The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。

2 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

3 nonchalance
n.冷淡，漠不关心
参考例句：
She took her situation with much nonchalance.她对这个处境毫不介意。 He conceals his worries behind a mask of nonchalance.他装作若无其事，借以掩饰内心的不安。

4 fully
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。 They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

6 prevailing
adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的
参考例句：
She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。 This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

7 concealed
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。 I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

8 interfere
v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰
参考例句：
If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。 When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

9 innuendoes
n.影射的话( innuendo的名词复数 )；讽刺的话；含沙射影；暗讽
参考例句：
innuendoes about her private life 对她私生活含沙射影的指责 I'm sure he thinks I stole the money—he kept making innuendoes about my \"new-found-wealth\". 我确信他一定以为钱是我偷的，因为他不断含沙射影地说我“新近发了财”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 ponderous
adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的
参考例句：
His steps were heavy and ponderous.他的步伐沉重缓慢。 It was easy to underestimate him because of his occasionally ponderous manner.由于他偶尔现出的沉闷的姿态，很容易使人小看了他。

11 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。

12 irate
adj.发怒的，生气
参考例句：
The irate animal made for us,coming at a full jump.那头发怒的动物以最快的速度向我们冲过来。 We have received some irate phone calls from customers.我们接到顾客打来的一些愤怒的电话

13 derisively
adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地
参考例句：
This answer came derisively from several places at the same instant. 好几个人都不约而同地以讥讽的口吻作出回答。 The others laughed derisively. 其余的人不以为然地笑了起来。

14 loquacious
adj.多嘴的，饶舌的
参考例句：
The normally loquacious Mr O'Reilly has said little.平常话多的奥赖利先生几乎没说什么。 Kennedy had become almost as loquacious as Joe.肯尼迪变得和乔一样唠叨了。

15 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

16 majestic
adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的
参考例句：
In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。 He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

17 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。

18 alacrity
n.敏捷，轻快，乐意
参考例句：
Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。 He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

19 beverage
n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料
参考例句：
The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。 Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

20 incumbent
adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的
参考例句：
He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。 It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

21 auditor
n.审计员，旁听着
参考例句：
The auditor was required to produce his working papers.那个审计员被要求提供其工作底稿。 The auditor examines the accounts of all county officers and departments.审计员查对所有县官员及各部门的帐目。

22 reprehensible
adj.该受责备的
参考例句：
Lying is not seen as being morally reprehensible in any strong way.人们并不把撒谎当作一件应该大加谴责的事儿。 It was reprehensible of him to be so disloyal.他如此不忠，应受谴责。

23 despondent
adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的
参考例句：
He was up for a time and then，without warning,despondent again.他一度兴高采烈，但忽然又情绪低落下来。 I feel despondent when my work is rejected.作品被拒后我感到很沮丧。

24 savage
adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人
参考例句：
The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。 He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

25 extenuation
n.减轻罪孽的借口；酌情减轻；细
参考例句：
Miss Glover could allow no extenuation of her crime. 格洛弗小姐是不允许袒护罪过的。 来自辞典例句 It was a comfort to him, this extenuation. 这借口对他是种安慰。 来自辞典例句

26 remonstrance
n抗议，抱怨
参考例句：
She had abandoned all attempts at remonstrance with Thomas.她已经放弃了一切劝戒托马斯的尝试。 Mrs. Peniston was at the moment inaccessible to remonstrance.目前彭尼斯顿太太没功夫听她告状。

27 nay
adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者
参考例句：
He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。 Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

28 displeasing
不愉快的，令人发火的
参考例句：
Such conduct is displeasing to your parents. 这种行为会使你的父母生气的。 Omit no harsh line, smooth away no displeasing irregularity. 不能省略任何刺眼的纹路，不能掩饰任何讨厌的丑处。

29 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

30 consort
v.相伴；结交
参考例句：
They went in consort two or three together.他们三三两两结伴前往。 The nurses are instructed not to consort with their patients.护士得到指示不得与病人交往。

31 utterance
n.用言语表达，话语，言语
参考例句：
This utterance of his was greeted with bursts of uproarious laughter.他的讲话引起阵阵哄然大笑。 My voice cleaves to my throat,and sob chokes my utterance.我的噪子哽咽，泣不成声。

32 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。

33 chaos
n.混乱，无秩序
参考例句：
After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。 The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。