The Courtship of Susan Bell
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Chapter 1

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 John Munroe Bell had been a lawyer in Albany, State of New York, and as such had thriven well.  He had thriven well as long as thrift1 and thriving on this earth had been allowed to him.  But the Almighty2 had seen fit to shorten his span.
 
Early in life he had married a timid, anxious, pretty, good little wife, whose whole heart and mind had been given up to do his bidding and deserve his love.  She had not only deserved it but had possessed3 it, and as long as John Munroe Bell had lived, Henrietta Bell—Hetta as he called her—had been a woman rich in blessings4.  After twelve years of such blessings he had left her, and had left with her two daughters, a second Hetta, and the heroine of our little story, Susan Bell.
 
A lawyer in Albany may thrive passing well for eight or ten years, and yet not leave behind him any very large sum of money if he dies at the end of that time.  Some small modicum5, some few thousand dollars, John Bell had amassed6, so that his widow and daughters were not absolutely driven to look for work or bread.
 
In those happy days when cash had begun to flow in plenteously to the young father of the family, he had taken it into his head to build for himself, or rather for his young female brood, a small neat house in the outskirts7 of Saratoga Springs.  In doing so he was instigated8 as much by the excellence9 of the investment for his pocket as by the salubrity of the place for his girls.  He furnished the house well, and then during some summer weeks his wife lived there, and sometimes he let it.
 
How the widow grieved when the lord of her heart and master of her mind was laid in the grave, I need not tell.  She had already counted ten years of widowhood, and her children had grown to be young women beside her at the time of which I am now about to speak.  Since that sad day on which they had left Albany they had lived together at the cottage at the Springs.  In winter their life had been lonely enough; but as soon as the hot weather began to drive the fainting citizens out from New York, they had always received two or three boarders—old ladies generally, and occasionally an old gentleman—persons of very steady habits, with whose pockets the widow’s moderate demands agreed better than the hotel charges.  And so the Bells lived for ten years.

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1 thrift kI6zT     
adj.节约，节俭；n.节俭，节约
参考例句：
  • He has the virtues of thrift and hard work.他具备节俭和勤奋的美德。
  • His thrift and industry speak well for his future.他的节俭和勤勉预示着他美好的未来。
2 almighty dzhz1h     
adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的
参考例句：
  • Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
  • It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。
3 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
4 blessings 52a399b218b9208cade790a26255db6b     
n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福
参考例句：
  • Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
5 modicum Oj3yd     
n.少量，一小份
参考例句：
  • If he had a modicum of sense,he wouldn't do such a foolish thing.要是他稍有一点理智，他决不会做出如此愚蠢的事来。
  • There's not even a modicum of truth in her statement.她说的话没有一点是真的。
6 amassed 4047ea1217d3f59ca732ca258d907379     
v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。
  • They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 outskirts gmDz7W     
n.郊外，郊区
参考例句：
  • Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
  • They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。
8 instigated 55d9a8c3f57ae756aae88f0b32777cd4     
v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The government has instigated a programme of economic reform. 政府已实施了经济改革方案。
  • He instigated the revolt. 他策动了这次叛乱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
9 excellence ZnhxM     
n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德
参考例句：
  • His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
  • My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。
10 bliss JtXz4     
n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福
参考例句：
  • It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
  • He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。
11 demure 3mNzb     
adj.严肃的；端庄的
参考例句：
  • She's very demure and sweet.她非常娴静可爱。
  • The luscious Miss Wharton gave me a demure but knowing smile.性感迷人的沃顿小姐对我羞涩地会心一笑。
12 lengthened 4c0dbc9eb35481502947898d5e9f0a54     
（时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The afternoon shadows lengthened. 下午影子渐渐变长了。
  • He wanted to have his coat lengthened a bit. 他要把上衣放长一些。
13 eloquence 6mVyM     
n.雄辩；口才，修辞
参考例句：
  • I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。
  • The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。
14 lighter 5pPzPR     
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
  • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
  • The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
15 serenity fEzzz     
n.宁静，沉着，晴朗
参考例句：
  • Her face,though sad,still evoked a feeling of serenity.她的脸色虽然悲伤，但仍使人感觉安详。
  • She escaped to the comparative serenity of the kitchen.她逃到相对安静的厨房里。
16 picturesque qlSzeJ     
adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的
参考例句：
  • You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
  • That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。
17 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
18 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
19 peculiar cinyo     
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。
20 mishaps 4cecebd66139cdbc2f0e50a83b5d60c5     
n.轻微的事故，小的意外( mishap的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • a series of mishaps 一连串的倒霉事
  • In spite of one or two minor mishaps everything was going swimmingly. 尽管遇到了一两件小小的不幸，一切都进行得很顺利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
21 abode hIby0     
n.住处，住所
参考例句：
  • It was ten months before my father discovered his abode.父亲花了十个月的功夫，才好不容易打听到他的住处。
  • Welcome to our humble abode!欢迎光临寒舍！
22 lodge q8nzj     
v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆
参考例句：
  • Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
  • I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。
23 vouchsafe uMZzz     
v.惠予，准许
参考例句：
  • Elinor would not vouchsafe any answer.埃莉诺不想给予任何回答。
  • Vouchsafe me a spirit of faith and knowledge.赐予我信心和一颗有知识的心灵。
24 chattered 0230d885b9f6d176177681b6eaf4b86f     
（人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤
参考例句：
  • They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。
  • We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天，像两个十多岁的孩子。
25 demurely demurely     
adv.装成端庄地，认真地
参考例句：
  • "On the forehead, like a good brother,'she answered demurely. "吻前额，像个好哥哥那样，"她故作正经地回答说。 来自飘（部分）
  • Punctuation is the way one bats one's eyes, lowers one's voice or blushes demurely. 标点就像人眨眨眼睛，低声细语，或伍犯作态。 来自名作英译部分
26 acquiesced 03acb9bc789f7d2955424223e0a45f1b     
v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Senior government figures must have acquiesced in the cover-up. 政府高级官员必然已经默许掩盖真相。
  • After a lot of persuasion,he finally acquiesced. 经过多次劝说，他最终默许了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 lodger r8rzi     
n.寄宿人，房客
参考例句：
  • My friend is a lodger in my uncle's house.我朋友是我叔叔家的房客。
  • Jill and Sue are at variance over their lodger.吉尔和休在对待房客的问题上意见不和。
28 sleepless oiBzGN     
adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的
参考例句：
  • The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
  • One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。
29 lodgers 873866fb939d5ab097342b033a0e269d     
n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • He takes in lodgers. 他招收房客。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A good proportion of my lodgers is connected with the theaters. 住客里面有不少人是跟戏院子有往来的。 来自辞典例句
30 surmise jHiz8     
v./n.猜想，推测
参考例句：
  • It turned out that my surmise was correct.结果表明我的推测没有错。
  • I surmise that he will take the job.我推测他会接受这份工作。
31 warranty 3gwww     
n.担保书，证书，保单
参考例句：
  • This warranty is good for one year after the date of the purchase of the product.本保证书自购置此产品之日起有效期为一年。
  • As your guarantor,we have signed a warranty to the bank.作为你们的担保人，我们已经向银行开出了担保书。
32 propriety oRjx4     
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。
33 rev njvzwS     
v.发动机旋转，加快速度
参考例句：
  • It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
  • Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。
34 virtue BpqyH     
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
参考例句：
  • He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
  • You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
35 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
36 hemmed 16d335eff409da16d63987f05fc78f5a     
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围
参考例句：
  • He hemmed and hawed but wouldn't say anything definite. 他总是哼儿哈儿的，就是不说句痛快话。
  • The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides. 士兵们被四面包围了。
37 savagely 902f52b3c682f478ddd5202b40afefb9     
adv. 野蛮地，残酷地
参考例句：
  • The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
  • He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。
38 dodge q83yo     
v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计
参考例句：
  • A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪，才没被车从身上辗过。
  • The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。
39 dodger Ku9z0c     
n.躲避者；躲闪者；广告单
参考例句：
  • They are tax dodgers who hide their interest earnings.他们是隐瞒利息收入的逃税者。
  • Make sure she pays her share she's a bit of a dodger.她自己的一份一定要她付清--她可是有点能赖就赖。
40 drawn MuXzIi     
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。
41 sketch UEyyG     
n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述
参考例句：
  • My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
  • I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。
42 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
43 portfolio 9OzxZ     
n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位
参考例句：
  • He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
  • He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。
44 pertinaciously 5d90e67eb8cbe7a8f4fbc7032619ce81     
adv.坚持地；固执地；坚决地；执拗地
参考例句：
  • He struggled pertinaciously for the new resolution. 他为了这项新决议而不懈努力。 来自互联网
45 aptitude 0vPzn     
n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资
参考例句：
  • That student has an aptitude for mathematics.那个学生有数学方面的天赋。
  • As a child,he showed an aptitude for the piano.在孩提时代，他显露出对于钢琴的天赋。
46 prim SSIz3     
adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地
参考例句：
  • She's too prim to enjoy rude jokes!她太古板，不喜欢听粗野的笑话！
  • He is prim and precise in manner.他的态度一本正经而严谨
47 doctrine Pkszt     
n.教义；主义；学说
参考例句：
  • He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。
  • The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。

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