The Choice of Life
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Chapter IX

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1

Beside the house, two old cypresses1 make great pools of shadow in the bright, green garden. Motionless, they keep a pious2 and jealous watch over the stone fountain whose basin seems to round itself into an obliging mirror for their benefit. Here, amid the cool stillness, the running water murmurs3 its unceasing orison.

I make Rose sit beside the fountain and slowly I begin unbinding her hair.

Oh, the beauty of the honey-coloured waves that roll down her shoulders and frame her face in their sweetness! Again and again I lifted and shook out those long-imprisoned tresses, giving them life and liberty at last. Rose, following the ancient fashion of our Norman peasant-women, does her hair into a mass of tight little plaits, twisted so cruelly as to forbid all freedom.

The better to efface4 the impress of their tyrannical
past, I had to dip them into water. They opened out, like sea-weed.

I had brought rich materials, jewels and flowers for Rose's adornment5. All her beauty, so long hidden, was at last to stand revealed. I knew its potency6, I divined its splendour; but her hair was too barbarously done, her garments too coarse and rough for me to discover the character of her beauty or say what constituted its nobility.

Rose, still smiling, held her head back patiently and, with closed eyes, gave herself over to my tender mercies. Then another picture, a similar picture, but tragic7 and now fading into dimness, rose in my mind; and, almost in spite of myself, I said, softly:

"Your long hair must have floated like this, I expect, on the day when you wished to die. And it must have been its splendour that would not suffer such a catastrophe8. I wonder, dear, that you should have wished that, you who are so faint-hearted in the presence of life!"
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1 cypresses f4f41610ddee2e20669feb12f29bcb7c     
n.柏属植物，柏树( cypress的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Green and luxuriant are the pines and cypresses. 苍松翠柏郁郁葱葱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Before them stood a grove of tall cypresses. 前面是一个大坝子，种了许多株高大的松树。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
2 pious KSCzd     
adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的
参考例句：
  • Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。
  • Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。
3 murmurs f21162b146f5e36f998c75eb9af3e2d9     
n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕
参考例句：
  • They spoke in low murmurs. 他们低声说着话。 来自辞典例句
  • They are more superficial, more distinctly heard than murmurs. 它们听起来比心脏杂音更为浅表而清楚。 来自辞典例句
4 efface Pqlxp     
v.擦掉，抹去
参考例句：
  • It takes many years to efface the unpleasant memories of a war.许多年后才能冲淡战争的不愉快记忆。
  • He could not efface the impression from his mind.他不能把这个印象从心中抹去。
5 adornment cxnzz     
n.装饰；装饰品
参考例句：
  • Lucie was busy with the adornment of her room.露西正忙着布置她的房间。
  • Cosmetics are used for adornment.化妆品是用来打扮的。
6 potency 9Smz8     
n. 效力，潜能
参考例句：
  • Alcohol increases the drug's potency.酒精能增加这种毒品的效力。
  • Sunscreen can lose its potency if left over winter in the bathroom cabinet.如果把防晒霜在盥洗室的壁橱里放一个冬天，就有可能失效。
7 tragic inaw2     
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。
8 catastrophe WXHzr     
n.大灾难，大祸
参考例句：
  • I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
  • This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。
9 veins 65827206226d9e2d78ea2bfe697c6329     
n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理
参考例句：
  • The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）
参考例句：
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。
11 embarrassment fj9z8     
n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫
参考例句：
  • She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
  • Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。
12 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
13 incapable w9ZxK     
adj.无能力的，不能做某事的
参考例句：
  • He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
  • Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。
14 incense dcLzU     
v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气
参考例句：
  • This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
  • In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。
15 adorning 059017444879c176351b18c169e7b75b     
修饰，装饰物
参考例句：
  • Many have gems adorning their foreheads, and gold bands on their arms. 许多人在前额上挂着宝石，手臂上戴着金饰。
  • The commandments, or rules, are like pure white pearls adorning the wearer. （喻）戒律洁白，可以庄严人身，好像晶莹可爱的宝珠。
16 intoxicating sqHzLB     
a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的
参考例句：
  • Power can be intoxicating. 权力能让人得意忘形。
  • On summer evenings the flowers gave forth an almost intoxicating scent. 夏日的傍晚，鲜花散发出醉人的芳香。
17 throb aIrzV     
v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动
参考例句：
  • She felt her heart give a great throb.她感到自己的心怦地跳了一下。
  • The drums seemed to throb in his ears.阵阵鼓声彷佛在他耳边震响。
18 beholds f506ef99b71fdc543862c35b5d46fd71     
v.看，注视( behold的第三人称单数 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
  • He who beholds the gods against their will, shall atone for it by a heavy penalty. 谁违背神的意志看见了神，就要受到重罚以赎罪。 来自辞典例句
  • All mankind has gazed on it; Man beholds it from afar. 25?所行的，万人都看见；世人都从远处观看。 来自互联网
19 longing 98bzd     
n.（for）渴望
参考例句：
  • Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
  • His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
20 dressing 1uOzJG     
n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料
参考例句：
  • Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
  • The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。
21 undo Ok5wj     
vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销
参考例句：
  • His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
  • I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。
22 bust WszzB     
vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部
参考例句：
  • I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
  • She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。
23 modesty REmxo     
n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素
参考例句：
  • Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。
  • As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。
24 loathing loathing     
n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢
参考例句：
  • She looked at her attacker with fear and loathing . 她盯着襲擊她的歹徒，既害怕又憎恨。
  • They looked upon the creature with a loathing undisguised. 他们流露出明显的厌恶看那动物。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
25 unnatural 5f2zAc     
adj.不自然的；反常的
参考例句：
  • Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
  • She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。
26 tempted b0182e969d369add1b9ce2353d3c6ad6     
v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）
参考例句：
  • I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
  • I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
27 syllable QHezJ     
n.音节；vt.分音节
参考例句：
  • You put too much emphasis on the last syllable.你把最后一个音节读得太重。
  • The stress on the last syllable is light.最后一个音节是轻音节。
28 confession 8Ygye     
n.自白，供认，承认
参考例句：
  • Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
  • The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。
29 coaxing 444e70224820a50b0202cb5bb05f1c2e     
v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应
参考例句：
  • No amount of coaxing will make me change my mind. 任你费尽口舌也不会说服我改变主意。
  • It took a lot of coaxing before he agreed. 劝说了很久他才同意。 来自辞典例句
30 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
31 glorified 74d607c2a7eb7a7ef55bda91627eda5a     
美其名的，变荣耀的
参考例句：
  • The restaurant was no more than a glorified fast-food cafe. 这地方美其名曰餐馆，其实只不过是个快餐店而已。
  • The author glorified the life of the peasants. 那个作者赞美了农民的生活。
32 wield efhyv     
vt.行使，运用，支配；挥，使用(武器等)
参考例句：
  • They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。
  • People may wield the power in a democracy.在民主国家里，人民可以行使权力。
33 imprisons 061cdfda138d2df09735cfefec786f57     
v.下狱，监禁( imprison的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • Gatsby was overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves. 盖茨比深切地体会到财富怎样禁锢和保存着青春与神秘。 来自辞典例句
  • And he who defines his conduct by ethics imprisons his song-bird in a cage. 那用伦理道德界定他行为的人就像将他歌唱的鸟儿关进了笼子。 来自互联网
34 fetters 25139e3e651d34fe0c13030f3d375428     
n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 )；束缚v.给…上脚镣，束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • They were at last freed from the fetters of ignorance. 他们终于从愚昧无知的束缚中解脱出来。
  • They will run wild freed from the fetters of control. 他们一旦摆脱了束缚，就会变得无法无天。 来自《简明英汉词典》
35 alas Rx8z1     
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)
参考例句：
  • Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
  • Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。
36 serene PD2zZ     
adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的
参考例句：
  • He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
  • He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。
37 frustrated ksWz5t     
adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧
参考例句：
  • It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
  • The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》
38 contemptible DpRzO     
adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的
参考例句：
  • His personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.他气貌不扬，言语粗俗。
  • That was a contemptible trick to play on a friend.那是对朋友玩弄的一出可鄙的把戏。
39 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
40 penetrated 61c8e5905df30b8828694a7dc4c3a3e0     
adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
  • The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
  • They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。

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