The conference between Colonel Johnson and Travers was
apparently1 of great interest to the latter. It is important that the reader should be made acquainted with its nature.
"I take it for granted, Mr. Travers," said the colonel, after their potation, "that you are ready to undertake a job if there is money in it."
"That's as true as you live," said Travers emphatically.
"Am I also right in concluding that you are not squeamish as to how the money is earned? You are not overburdened with
conscientious2 scruples3, eh?"
"Not much! They're all nonsense," returned Travers.
"Good! I see you are the sort of a man I took you for. Now you must, to begin with, promise that you will regard as
confidential4 what I am about to say to you."
"Tom Travers can be relied upon, colonel. He's safe every time."
"Good again! Then I shall not hesitate to[Pg 144] unfold to you my little plan. I believe you have a bank in the village?"
"Yes; but, colonel, I am a stranger here. I only know one person here—my friend Brandon."
"Is he—the same kind of a man as yourself?" inquired Johnson.
"The same identical kind, colonel. What is it Shakespeare, or some other poet, says:
"'Two flowers upon a single stalk,
Two hearts that beat as one.'"
"I compliment you on your knowledge of poetry, Mr. Travers. I didn't think it was in you."
Travers looked complimented.
"I've had an education, colonel," he said
complacently5, "though circumstances have been against me for the last four years. As for my friend Brandon, he's one you can rely upon."
"I shall probably require his services as well as yours," said Johnson. "Now let me proceed. You agree with me that bank capitalists are grasping monopolists, that they grind down the poor man, and live in luxury at the expense of the poor
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收听单词发音
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1
apparently
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| 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。
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2
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 |
参考例句： |
- He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责，也很懂行。
- He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。
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3
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) |
参考例句： |
- I overcame my moral scruples. 我抛开了道德方面的顾虑。
- I'm not ashamed of my scruples about your family. They were natural. 我并未因为对你家人的顾虑而感到羞耻。这种感觉是自然而然的。 来自疯狂英语突破英语语调
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4
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 |
参考例句： |
- He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
- We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。
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5
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 |
参考例句： |
- He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
- "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
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6
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 |
参考例句： |
- We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
- He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。
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7
laborer
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| n.劳动者，劳工 |
参考例句： |
- Her husband had been a farm laborer.她丈夫以前是个农场雇工。
- He worked as a casual laborer and did not earn much.他当临时工，没有赚多少钱。
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8
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 |
参考例句： |
- He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet. 他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。
- This seemed mightily to relieve him. 干完这件事后，他似乎轻松了许多。
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9
coupon
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| n.息票，配给票，附单 |
参考例句： |
- The coupon can be used once only.此优惠券只限使用一次。
- I have a coupon for ten pence off a packet of soap.我有一张优惠券买一盒肥皂可以便宜十便士。
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premium
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| n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的 |
参考例句： |
- You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
- Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。
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adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 |
参考例句： |
- Jamie was adroit at flattering others.杰米很会拍马屁。
- His adroit replies to hecklers won him many followers.他对质问者的机敏应答使他赢得了很多追随者。
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12
unconditionally
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| adv.无条件地 |
参考例句： |
- All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
- It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工，真糟糕！ 来自子夜部分
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13
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 |
参考例句： |
- He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
- She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
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14
postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 |
参考例句： |
- I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
- She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 |
参考例句： |
- There is a tavern at the corner of the street.街道的拐角处有一家酒馆。
- Philip always went to the tavern,with a sense of pleasure.菲利浦总是心情愉快地来到这家酒菜馆。
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 |
参考例句： |
- A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
- You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
- "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！
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mortifying
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| adj.抑制的，苦修的v.使受辱( mortify的现在分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） |
参考例句： |
- I've said I did not love her, and rather relished mortifying her vanity now and then. 我已经说过我不爱她，而且时时以伤害她的虚荣心为乐。 来自辞典例句
- It was mortifying to know he had heard every word. 知道他听到了每一句话后真是尴尬。 来自互联网
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 |
参考例句： |
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
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grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 |
参考例句： |
- The soldiers showed that they had plenty of grit. 士兵们表现得很有勇气。
- I've got some grit in my shoe.我的鞋子里弄进了一些砂子。
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pointed
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| 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。
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 |
参考例句： |
- Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
- I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
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fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 |
参考例句： |
- "Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
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stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 |
参考例句： |
- As the whisky took effect, he gradually fell into a drunken stupor.随着威士忌酒力发作，他逐渐醉得不省人事。
- The noise of someone banging at the door roused her from her stupor.梆梆的敲门声把她从昏迷中唤醒了。
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ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. 我当时是要弄清楚地下室是朝前还是朝后延伸的。 来自辞典例句
- The design and ascertaining of permanent-magnet-biased magnetic bearing parameter are detailed introduced. 并对永磁偏置磁悬浮轴承参数的设计和确定进行了详细介绍。 来自互联网
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 |
参考例句： |
- She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。
- The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。
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drowsily
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| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 |
参考例句： |
- She turned drowsily on her side, a slow creeping blackness enveloping her mind. 她半睡半醒地翻了个身，一片缓缓蠕动的黑暗渐渐将她的心包围起来。 来自飘（部分）
- I felt asleep drowsily before I knew it. 不知过了多久，我曚扙地睡着了。 来自互联网
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 |
参考例句： |
- Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
- The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。
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acceded
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 |
参考例句： |
- He acceded to demands for his resignation. 他同意要他辞职的要求。
- They have acceded to the treaty. 他们已经加入了那个条约。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 |
参考例句： |
- She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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