Margaret greeted her lord with peculiar¹ tenderness on the morrow. Mature as he was, she might yet be able to help him to the building of the rainbow bridge that should connect the prose in us with the passion. Without it we are meaningless fragments, half monks², half beasts, unconnected arches that have never joined into a man. With it love is born, and alights on the highest curve, glowing against the grey, sober against the fire. Happy the man who sees from either aspect the glory of these outspread wings. The roads of his soul lie clear, and he and his friends shall find easy-going.

It was hard-going in the roads of Mr. Wilcox's soul. From boyhood he had neglected them. "I am not a fellow who bothers about my own inside." Outwardly he was cheerful, reliable, and brave; but within, all had reverted⁴ to chaos⁵, ruled, so far as it was ruled at all, by an incomplete asceticism⁶. Whether as boy, husband, or widower⁷, he had always the sneaking⁸ belief that bodily passion is bad, a belief that is desirable only when held passionately⁹. Religion had confirmed him. The words that were read aloud on Sunday to him and to other respectable men were the words that had once kindled¹⁰ the souls of St. Catharine and St. Francis into a white-hot hatred¹¹ of the carnal. He could-not be as the saints and love the Infinite with a seraphic ardour, but he could be a little ashamed of loving a wife. "Amabat, amare timebat." And it was here that Margaret hoped to help him.

It did not seem so difficult. She need trouble him with no gift of her own. She would only point out the

点击收听单词发音  

1 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。

2 monks
n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。 He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 monk
n.和尚，僧侣，修道士
参考例句：
The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。 Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

4 reverted
恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还
参考例句：
After the settlers left, the area reverted to desert. 早期移民离开之后，这个地区又变成了一片沙漠。 After his death the house reverted to its original owner. 他死后房子归还给了原先的主人。

5 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。

6 asceticism
n.禁欲主义
参考例句：
I am not speaking here about asceticism or abstinence.我说的并不是苦行主义或禁欲主义。 Chaucer affirmed man's rights to pursue earthly happiness and epposed asceticism.乔叟强调人权，尤其是追求今生今世幸福快乐的权力，反对神权与禁欲主义。

7 widower
n.鳏夫
参考例句：
George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。 Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后，他终于决定二婚了。

8 sneaking
a.秘密的，不公开的
参考例句：
She had always had a sneaking affection for him. 以前她一直暗暗倾心于他。 She ducked the interviewers by sneaking out the back door. 她从后门偷偷溜走，躲开采访者。

9 passionately
ad.热烈地，激烈地
参考例句：
She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿，也能爱得一往情深。 He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。

10 kindled
（使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光
参考例句：
We watched as the fire slowly kindled. 我们看着火慢慢地燃烧起来。 The teacher's praise kindled a spark of hope inside her. 老师的赞扬激起了她内心的希望。

11 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。

12 salvation
n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困
参考例句：
Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。 Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

13 exalted
adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的
参考例句：
Their loveliness and holiness in accordance with their exalted station.他们的美丽和圣洁也与他们的崇高地位相称。 He received respect because he was a person of exalted rank.他因为是个地位崇高的人而受到尊敬。

14 isolation
n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离
参考例句：
The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。 He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

15 obtuseness
感觉迟钝
参考例句：
Much of the contentment of that time was based on moral obtuseness. 对那个年代的满意是基于道德上的一种惰性。 来自互联网

16 plantations
n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件 Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句

17 milestones
n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑
参考例句：
Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

18 vengeance
n.报复，报仇，复仇
参考例句：
He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。 For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

19 ominously
adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地
参考例句：
The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块，在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘（部分）

20 sublet
v.转租；分租
参考例句：
I have sublet a flat to my friend for the summer.夏天我把一套公寓转租给一个朋友。 There is a clause in the contract forbidding tenants to sublet.合同中有一条款禁止承租人转租房屋。

21 subletting
v.转租( sublet的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The landlady found they had been illegally subletting the flat. 女房东发现他们一直在违法转租公寓。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 tenant
n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用
参考例句：
The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。 The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

23 steered
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导
参考例句：
He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。 The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 bourgeois
adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子
参考例句：
He's accusing them of having a bourgeois and limited vision.他指责他们像中产阶级一样目光狭隘。 The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois.法国革命受到中产阶级的鼓励。

25 yearned
渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The people yearned for peace. 人民渴望和平。 She yearned to go back to the south. 她渴望回到南方去。

26 margin
n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
参考例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。 The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

27 insipidity
n.枯燥无味，清淡，无精神；无生气状
参考例句：
The insipidity of the meeting was exactly such as Elinor had expected. 聚会的枯燥无味恰如埃莉诺预料的。 来自辞典例句 The English of the lieutenant general is very eccentric, empty insipidity, interpreter official leisurely, below drowsy. 中将的英语十分古怪，空洞无味，翻译官慢条斯理，下面昏昏欲睡。 来自互联网

28 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

29 pier
n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱
参考例句：
The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。 The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

30 hooting
（使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩
参考例句：
He had the audience hooting with laughter . 他令观众哄堂大笑。 The owl was hooting. 猫头鹰在叫。

31 berth
n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊
参考例句：
She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。 They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。

32 sublets
n.转租( sublet的名词复数 )v.转租( sublet的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
But sublets not to surpass renting of deadline this contract agreement. 但转租不得超过本合同约定之租赁期限。 来自互联网 He rents the house and sublets a room to a friend. 他租下了这幢房子，然后把一个房间转租给朋友。 来自互联网

33 compensate
vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消
参考例句：
She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。 Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。

34 bully
n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮
参考例句：
A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。 The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。

35 intercept
vt.拦截，截住，截击
参考例句：
His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。 Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

36 intercepted
拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻
参考例句：
Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。 Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

37 scarlet
n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的
参考例句：
The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。 The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

38 catching
adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住
参考例句：
There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。 Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

39 tariff
n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表
参考例句：
There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。 The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

40 steadily
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。 Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

41 negotiation
n.谈判，协商
参考例句：
They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。 The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

42 insolvency
n.无力偿付，破产
参考例句：
The company is on the verge of insolvency.该公司快要破产了。 Normal insolvency procedures should not be applied to banks.通常的破产程序不应当适用于银行。

43 extravagant
adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的
参考例句：
They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。 He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

44 sentimental
adj.多愁善感的，感伤的
参考例句：
She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。 We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

45 subscribe
vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助
参考例句：
I heartily subscribe to that sentiment.我十分赞同那个观点。 The magazine is trying to get more readers to subscribe.该杂志正大力发展新订户。

46 impersonal
adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的
参考例句：
Even his children found him strangely distant and impersonal.他的孩子们也认为他跟其他人很疏远，没有人情味。 His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.他的态度似乎很生硬冷淡。

47 complacent
adj.自满的；自鸣得意的
参考例句：
We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。 She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

48 neurotic
adj.神经病的，神经过敏的；n.神经过敏者，神经病患者
参考例句：
Nothing is more distracting than a neurotic boss. 没有什么比神经过敏的老板更恼人的了。 There are also unpleasant brain effects such as anxiety and neurotic behaviour.也会对大脑产生不良影响，如焦虑和神经质的行为。

49 stunt
n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长
参考例句：
Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。 Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

50 sloppy
adj.邋遢的，不整洁的
参考例句：
If you do such sloppy work again,I promise I'll fail you.要是下次作业你再马马虎虎，我话说在头里，可要给你打不及格了。 Mother constantly picked at him for being sloppy.母亲不断地批评他懒散。

51 distressed
痛苦的
参考例句：
He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。 The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

52 exasperated
adj.恼怒的
参考例句：
We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。 Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

53 disquieted
v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
People are disquieted [on tenterhooks]. 人心惶惶。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The bad news disquieted him. 恶讯使他焦急不安。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》