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CHAPTER XIV. THE ARTIST'S SECRET.

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 Frederic Vernon sat in his studio, toying with his brush. The canvas was before him, but he seemed to be in a brown study.
"What has got into me?" he asked himself, impatiently. "I cannot fix my mind upon my work. I am no longer on the verge1 of destitution2, or compelled to labor3 for a mere4 pittance5; yet my mind is less at ease than when I hardly knew where the next day's food was to come from."
Vernon's circumstances had improved. He had taken a lighter6 and more cheerful studio, and moved with his mother into better rooms. He was no longer forced to court the penurious7 patronage8 of young ladies like Miss Framley, and, thanks to the influence of Miss Dearborn, he was never without some work in hand. Yet, though he ought to have been cheerful, he found himself restless, and his work often had to wait upon his moods.
"Frederic, what is the matter with you?" asked his mother, earnestly, one day.
[Pg 112]"Why do you ask, mother? I am well," he answered, evasively.
"You have lost your appetite, and your mind seems preoccupied9. Is anything troubling you?"
"Anything troubling me?" he asked, with a forced smile. "What a strange idea!"
"Nay10, my son; you cannot conceal11 it from your mother's eyes that something is amiss with you. What is it?"
"I am sure I cannot tell, mother."

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1 verge gUtzQ     
n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临
参考例句：
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。
2 destitution cf0b90abc1a56e3ce705eb0684c21332     
n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷
参考例句：
  • The people lived in destitution. 民生凋敝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • His drinking led him to a life of destitution. 酗酒导致他生活贫穷。 来自辞典例句
3 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。
4 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
5 pittance KN1xT     
n.微薄的薪水，少量
参考例句：
  • Her secretaries work tirelessly for a pittance.她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
  • The widow must live on her slender pittance.那寡妇只能靠自己微薄的收入过活。
6 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。
7 penurious YMqxq     
adj.贫困的
参考例句：
  • One penurious year,my parents used Swiss cheese plant.经济拮据的一年，我父母曾用绳状藤来代替圣诞树。
  • Raised on a hog farm in Hunan Province,she laughs off the penurious ways of her parents and grandparents.李小姐在湖南省的一家养猪场长大，她嘲笑祖父母及父母吝啬的生活方式。
8 patronage MSLzq     
n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场
参考例句：
  • Though it was not yet noon,there was considerable patronage.虽然时间未到中午，店中已有许多顾客惠顾。
  • I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this.很抱歉，我的赞助只能到此为止。
9 preoccupied TPBxZ     
adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)
参考例句：
  • He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事，没注意到有什么不对。
  • The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 nay unjzAQ     
adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者
参考例句：
  • He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
  • Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。
11 conceal DpYzt     
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
  • He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
  • He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
12 proceeding Vktzvu     
n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报
参考例句：
  • This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
  • The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
13 eligible Cq6xL     
adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的
参考例句：
  • He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
  • Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。
14 undue Vf8z6V     
adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的
参考例句：
  • Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
  • It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。
15 refinement kinyX     
n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼
参考例句：
  • Sally is a woman of great refinement and beauty. 莎莉是个温文尔雅又很漂亮的女士。
  • Good manners and correct speech are marks of refinement.彬彬有礼和谈吐得体是文雅的标志。
16 mortification mwIyN     
n.耻辱，屈辱
参考例句：
  • To my mortification, my manuscript was rejected. 使我感到失面子的是：我的稿件被退了回来。
  • The chairman tried to disguise his mortification. 主席试图掩饰自己的窘迫。
17 spurned 69f2c0020b1502287bd3ff9d92c996f0     
v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Eve spurned Mark's invitation. 伊夫一口回绝了马克的邀请。
  • With Mrs. Reed, I remember my best was always spurned with scorn. 对里德太太呢，我记得我的最大努力总是遭到唾弃。 来自辞典例句
18 worthy vftwB     
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
19 counselor czlxd     
n.顾问，法律顾问
参考例句：
  • The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
  • Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。
20 ardor 5NQy8     
n.热情，狂热
参考例句：
  • His political ardor led him into many arguments.他的政治狂热使他多次卷入争论中。
  • He took up his pursuit with ardor.他满腔热忱地从事工作。
21 labors 8e0b4ddc7de5679605be19f4398395e1     
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转
参考例句：
  • He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors. 他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。 来自辞典例句
  • Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句
22 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒，生气，烦恼
参考例句：
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
23 jealousy WaRz6     
n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌
参考例句：
  • Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
  • I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

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