Trevor and Clowes, of Donaldson's, were sitting in their study a weekafter the gramophone incident, preparatory to going on the river. Atleast Trevor was in the study, getting tea ready. Clowes was on thewindow-sill, one leg in the room, the other outside, hanging overspace. He loved to sit in this attitude, watching some one else work,and giving his views on life to whoever would listen to them. Cloweswas tall, and looked sad, which he was not. Trevor was shorter, andvery much in earnest over all that he did. On the present occasion hewas measuring out tea with a concentration worthy¹ of a generalplanning a campaign.

　　"One for the pot," said Clowes.

　　"All right," breathed Trevor. "Come and help, you slacker.""Too busy.""You aren't doing a stroke.""My lad, I'm thinking of Life. That's a thing you couldn't do. I oftensay to people, 'Good chap, Trevor, but can't think of Life. Give him atea-pot and half a pound of butter to mess about with,' I say, 'andhe's all right. But when it comes to deep thought, where is he? Amongthe also-rans.' That's what I say.""Silly ass²," said Trevor, slicing bread. "What particular rot were youthinking about just then? What fun it was sitting back and watchingother fellows work, I should think.""My mind at the moment," said Clowes, "was tensely occupied with theproblem of brothers at school. Have you got any brothers, Trevor?""One. Couple of years younger than me. I say, we shall want some morejam to-morrow. Better order it to-day.""See it done, Tigellinus, as our old pal⁴ Nero used to remark. Where ishe? Your brother, I mean.""Marlborough.""That shows your sense. I have always had a high opinion of yoursense, Trevor. If you'd been a silly ass, you'd have let your peoplesend him here.""Why not? Shouldn't have minded.""I withdraw what I said about your sense. Consider it unsaid. I have abrother myself. Aged⁵ fifteen. Not a bad chap in his way. Like theheroes of the school stories. 'Big blue eyes literally⁶ bubbling overwith fun.' At least, I suppose it's fun to him. Cheek's what I callit. My people wanted to send him here. I

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1 worthy
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。

2 ass
n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人
参考例句：
He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。 An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

3 pro
n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者
参考例句：
The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。 Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

4 pal
n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友
参考例句：
He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。 Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着，小子，我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。

5 aged
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。 He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 literally
adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实
参考例句：
He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。 Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

7 lodged
v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属
参考例句：
The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 verge
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。

10 infancy
n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期
参考例句：
He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。 Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。

11 revered
v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

12 fawned
v.（尤指狗等）跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的过去式和过去分词 )；巴结；讨好
参考例句：
The dog fawned on [upon] the boy. 那条狗向那少年摇尾乞怜。 来自辞典例句 The lion, considering him attentively, and remembering his former friend, fawned upon him. 狮子将他仔细地打量了一番，记起他就是从前的那个朋友，于是亲昵地偎在他身旁。 来自辞典例句

13 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

14 odds
n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别
参考例句：
The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。 Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

15 conscientious
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。

16 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

17 lugged
vt.用力拖拉（lug的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
She lugged the heavy case up the stairs. 她把那只沉甸甸的箱子拖上了楼梯。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They used to yell that at football when you lugged the ball. 踢足球的时候，逢着你抢到球，人们总是对你这样嚷嚷。 来自辞典例句

18 apparently
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 delirious
adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的
参考例句：
He was delirious,murmuring about that matter.他精神恍惚，低声叨念着那件事。 She knew that he had become delirious,and tried to pacify him.她知道他已经神志昏迷起来了，极力想使他镇静下来。

20 coherence
n.紧凑；连贯；一致性
参考例句：
There was no coherence between the first and the second half of the film.这部电影的前半部和后半部没有连贯性。 Environmental education is intended to give these topics more coherence.环境教育的目的是使这些课题更加息息相关。