The sound of Miss Painter's latch-key made her start. Shewas still a bundle of quivering fears to whom each comingmoment seemed a menace.

　　There was a slight interval¹, and a sound of voices in thehall; then Miss Painter's vigorous hand was on the door.

　　Anna stood up as she came in. "You've found him?""I've found Sophy.""And Owen?--has she seen him? Is he here?""SHE'S here: in the hall. She wants to speak to you.""Here--NOW?" Anna found no voice for more.

　　"She drove back with me," Miss Painter continued in the toneof impartial² narrative³. "The cabman was impertinent. I'vegot his number." She fumbled⁴ in a stout⁵ black reticule.

　　"Oh, I can't--" broke from Anna; but she collected herself,remembering that to betray her unwillingness⁶ to see the girlwas to risk revealing much more.

　　"She thought you might be too tired to see her: she wouldn'tcome in till I'd found out."Anna drew a quick breath. An instant's thought had told herthat Sophy Viner would hardly have taken such a step unlesssomething more important had happened. "Ask her to come,please," she said.

　　Miss Painter, from the threshold, turned back to announceher intention of going immediately to the police station toreport the cabman's delinquency; then she passed out, andSophy Viner entered.

　　The look in the girl's face showed that she had indeed comeunwillingly; yet she seemed animated⁷ by an eagerresoluteness that made Anna ashamed of her tremors⁸. For amoment they looked at each other in silence, as if thethoughts between them were packed too thick for speech; thenAnna said, in a voice from which she strove to take the edgeof hardness: "You know where Owen is, Miss Painter tellsme.""Yes; that was my reason for asking you to see me." Sophyspoke simply, without

点击收听单词发音  

1 interval
n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息
参考例句：
The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。 There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

2 impartial
adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的
参考例句：
He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。 Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。

3 narrative
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。 Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

4 fumbled
（笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下
参考例句：
She fumbled in her pocket for a handkerchief. 她在她口袋里胡乱摸找手帕。 He fumbled about in his pockets for the ticket. 他（瞎）摸着衣兜找票。

6 unwillingness
n. 不愿意，不情愿
参考例句：
Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。 His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

7 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

8 tremors
震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动
参考例句：
The story was so terrible that It'sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。 The story was so terrible that it sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。

9 constraint
n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物
参考例句：
The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。 The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。

10 hesitation
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。 There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

11 faltered
（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃
参考例句：
He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。 "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

12 pang
n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷
参考例句：
She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。 She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。

13 dread
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。 Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

14 entreaty
n.恳求，哀求
参考例句：
Mrs. Quilp durst only make a gesture of entreaty.奎尔普太太仅做出一种哀求的姿势。 Her gaze clung to him in entreaty.她的眼光带着恳求的神色停留在他身上。

15 justifies
证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护）
参考例句：
Their frequency of use both justifies and requires the memorization. 频繁的使用需要记忆，也促进了记忆。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓 In my judgement the present end justifies the means. 照我的意见，只要目的正当，手段是可以不计较的。

16 subdued
adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。 I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。