November is not altogether an hymeneal month, but it was not till November that Lady Mary Palliser became the wife of Frank Tregear. It was postponed¹ a little, perhaps, in order that the Silverbridges,—as they were now called,—might be present. The Silverbridges, who were now quite Darby and Joan, had gone to the States when the Session had been brought to a close early in August, and had remained there nearly three months. Isabel had taken infinite pleasure in showing her English husband to her American friends, and the American friends had no doubt taken a pride in seeing so glorious a British husband in the hands of an American wife. Everything was new to Silverbridge, and he was happy in his new possession. She too enjoyed it infinitely², and so it happened that they had been unwilling³ to curtail⁴ their sojourn⁵. But in November they had to return, because Mary had declared that her marriage should be postponed till it could be graced by the presence of her elder brother.

The marriage of Silverbridge had been August. There had been a manifest intention that it should be so. Nobody knew with whom this originated. Mrs. Boncassen had probably been told that it ought to be so, and Mr. Boncassen had been willing to pay the bill. External forces had perhaps operated. The Duke had simply been passive and obedient. There had however been a general feeling that the bride of the heir of the house of Omnium should be produced to the world amidst a blare of trumpets⁶ and a glare of torches. So it had been. But both the Duke and Mary were determined⁷ that this other wedding should be different. It was to take place at Matching, and none would be present but they who were staying in the house, or who lived around,—such as tenants⁸ and dependants

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1 postponed
vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）
参考例句：
The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。 The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

2 infinitely
adv.无限地，无穷地
参考例句：
There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。 The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

3 unwilling
adj.不情愿的
参考例句：
The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。 His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

4 curtail
vt.截短，缩短；削减
参考例句：
The government hopes to curtail public spending.政府希望缩减公共事业开支。 The minister had to curtail his visit.部长不得不缩短访问日期。

5 sojourn
v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留
参考例句：
It would be cruel to begrudge your sojourn among flowers and fields.如果嫉妒你逗留在鲜花与田野之间，那将是太不近人情的。 I am already feeling better for my sojourn here.我在此逗留期间，觉得体力日渐恢复。

6 trumpets
喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花
参考例句：
A wreath was laid on the monument to a fanfare of trumpets. 在响亮的号角声中花圈被献在纪念碑前。 A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King. 嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

7 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。

8 tenants
n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者
参考例句：
A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。 Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

9 dependants
受赡养者，受扶养的家属( dependant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The government has agreed to take only 150 refugees plus their dependants. 政府承诺只收留150 名难民及家属。 There are approximately 12 million migrants with their dependants living in the EU countries. 大约有1200万流动工人带着家属居住在欧盟诸国。

10 bishop
n.主教，（国际象棋）象
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

11 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

12 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

13 improper
adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的
参考例句：
Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。 Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

14 crest
n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖
参考例句：
The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。 He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

15 scrap
n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废
参考例句：
A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。 Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

16 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

17 hilarity
n.欢乐；热闹
参考例句：
The announcement was greeted with much hilarity and mirth.这一项宣布引起了热烈的欢呼声。 Wine gives not light hilarity,but noisy merriment.酒不给人以轻松的欢乐，而给人以嚣嚷的狂欢。

18 thoroughly
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。

19 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。

20 slippers
n. 拖鞋
参考例句：
a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋 He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

21 manly
adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地
参考例句：
The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。 He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

22 justify
vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护
参考例句：
He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。 Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

23 arrogance
n.傲慢，自大
参考例句：
His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。 Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。