Herbert Carter's Legacy
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CHAPTER XIV HERBERT'S NEW UNDERTAKING

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 To be willing to work, and yet to be unable to find an opportunity, was certainly a hardship. Herbert was a boy of active temperament1, and, even had he not needed the wages of labor2, he would still have felt it necessary to his happiness to do something.
In the course of his walks about the village, he stopped at the house of a carpenter, who bore the rather peculiar3 name of Jeremiah Crane. Mr. Crane owned about an acre and a half of land, which might have been cultivated, but at the time Herbert called, early in April, there were no indications of this intention. The carpenter was at work in a small shop just beyond the house, and there Herbert found him.
“Well, Herbert,” said Mr. Crane, in a friendly manner, “what are you up to nowadays?”
“Nothing profitable, Mr. Crane; I am wandering about in search of work.”
“Can't you find any?”
“Not yet.”
“Have you been to Squire4 Leech5?”
“Yes.”
“I should think he might find something for you to do.”
“There is a little difficulty in the way.”
“What is that?”
Then Herbert told Mr. Crane about the squire's wish to purchase their cottage, and his vexation because they were not willing to sell.
“Seems to me that's unreasonable6 in the squire. He acts as if it was your duty to oblige him.”
“I don't know but we shall have to come to his terms,” said Herbert, rather dejectedly. “We certainly shall if I don't find anything to do.”
“I wish I could help you; but, if you were to learn my trade, you wouldn't be worth any wages for nigh a year, and you couldn't afford to work so long without pay.”
“No, I couldn't.”
“Besides, in a village like this, there isn't more than enough work for one man. Why, there isn't more than one new house built a year. If the squire wants to provide Mr. Banks with a house, why doesn't he build him one? He might just as well as not.”

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1 temperament 7INzf     
n.气质，性格，性情
参考例句：
  • The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
  • Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。
2 labor P9Tzs     
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。
3 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。
4 squire 0htzjV     
n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅
参考例句：
  • I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
  • The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。
5 leech Z9UzB     
n.水蛭，吸血鬼，榨取他人利益的人；vt.以水蛭吸血；vi.依附于别人
参考例句：
  • A leech is a small blood-sucking worm and usually lives in water.水蛭是一种小型吸血虫，通常生活在水中。
  • One-side love like a greedy leech absorbed my time and my mirth.单相思如同一只贪婪的水蛭，吸走了我的时间和欢笑。
6 unreasonable tjLwm     
adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的
参考例句：
  • I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
  • They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。
7 plow eu5yE     
n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough
参考例句：
  • At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
  • We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后，我们将马上耕田。
8 plowing 6dcabc1c56430a06a1807a73331bd6f2     
v.耕( plow的现在分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过
参考例句：
  • "There are things more important now than plowing, Sugar. "如今有比耕种更重要的事情要做呀，宝贝儿。 来自飘（部分）
  • Since his wife's death, he has been plowing a lonely furrow. 从他妻子死后，他一直过着孤独的生活。 来自辞典例句
9 promptly LRMxm     
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。
10 plowed 2de363079730210858ae5f5b15e702cf     
v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过
参考例句：
  • They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句
  • He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土，然后播种。 来自辞典例句
11 judgment e3xxC     
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
  • The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
  • He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
12 reposed ba178145bbf66ddeebaf9daf618f04cb     
v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Mr. Cruncher reposed under a patchwork counterpane, like a Harlequin at home. 克朗彻先生盖了一床白衲衣图案的花哨被子，像是呆在家里的丑角。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
  • An old man reposed on a bench in the park. 一位老人躺在公园的长凳上。 来自辞典例句
13 justify j3DxR     
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？
14 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修
参考例句：
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
15 detailed xuNzms     
adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的
参考例句：
  • He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
  • A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

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