OVER the tea-table Justine forgot the note in her muff; but when she went upstairs to dress it fell to the floor, and she picked it up and laid it on her dressing-table.

She had already recognized the hand as Wyant's, for it was not the first letter she had received from him.

Three times since her marriage he had appealed to her for help, excusing himself on the plea of difficulties and ill-health. The first time he wrote, he alluded¹ vaguely² to having married, and to being compelled, through illness, to give up his practice at Clifton. On receiving this letter she made enquiries, and learned that, a month or two after her departure from Lynbrook, Wyant had married a Clifton girl--a pretty piece of flaunting³ innocence⁴, whom she remembered about the lanes, generally with a young man in a buggy. There had evidently been something obscure and precipitate⁵ about the marriage, which was a strange one for the ambitious young doctor. Justine conjectured⁶ that it might have been the cause of his leaving Clifton--or or perhaps he had already succumbed⁷ to the fatal habit she had suspected in him. At any rate he seemed, in some mysterious way, to have dropped in two years from promise to failure; yet she could not believe that, with his talents, and the name he had begun to make, such a lapse⁸ could be more than temporary. She had often heard Dr. Garford prophesy⁹ great things for him; but Dr. Garford had died suddenly during the previous summer, and the loss of this powerful friend was mentioned by Wyant among his misfortunes.

Justine was anxious to help him, but her marriage to a rich man had not given her the command of much money. She and Amherst, choosing to regard themselves as

点击收听单词发音  

1 alluded
提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。 She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

2 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

3 flaunting
adj.招摇的，扬扬得意的，夸耀的v.炫耀，夸耀( flaunt的现在分词 )；有什么能耐就施展出来
参考例句：
He did not believe in flaunting his wealth. 他不赞成摆阔。 She is fond of flaunting her superiority before her friends and schoolmates. 她好在朋友和同学面前逞强。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 innocence
n.无罪；天真；无害
参考例句：
There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。 The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

5 precipitate
adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物
参考例句：
I don't think we should make precipitate decisions.我认为我们不应该贸然作出决定。 The king was too precipitate in declaring war.国王在宣战一事上过于轻率。

6 conjectured
推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The old peasant conjectured that it would be an unusually cold winter. 那老汉推测冬天将会异常地寒冷。 The general conjectured that the enemy only had about five days' supply of food left. 将军推测敌人只剩下五天的粮食给养。

7 succumbed
不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死
参考例句：
The town succumbed after a short siege. 该城被围困不久即告失守。 After an artillery bombardment lasting several days the town finally succumbed. 在持续炮轰数日后，该城终于屈服了。

8 lapse
n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效
参考例句：
The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。 I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

9 prophesy
v.预言；预示
参考例句：
He dares to prophesy what will happen in the future.他敢预言未来将发生什么事。 I prophesy that he'll be back in the old job.我预言他将重操旧业。

10 pensioners
n.领取退休、养老金或抚恤金的人( pensioner的名词复数 )
参考例句：
He intends to redistribute income from the middle class to poorer paid employees and pensioners. 他意图把中产阶级到低薪雇员和退休人员的收入做重新分配。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I am myself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. 我自己就是一个我们的高贵的施主遗留基金的养老金领取者。 来自辞典例句

11 scrupulous
adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的
参考例句：
She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。 Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

12 expenditure
n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗
参考例句：
The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。 The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

13 muster
v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册
参考例句：
Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。 I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

14 persistent
adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的
参考例句：
Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。 She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

15 smeared
弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上
参考例句：
The children had smeared mud on the walls. 那几个孩子往墙上抹了泥巴。 A few words were smeared. 有写字被涂模糊了。

16 illegible
adj.难以辨认的，字迹模糊的
参考例句：
It is impossible to deliver this letter because the address is illegible.由于地址字迹不清，致使信件无法投递。 Can you see what this note says—his writing is almost illegible!你能看出这个便条上写些什么吗？他的笔迹几乎无法辨认。

17 softening
变软，软化
参考例句：
Her eyes, softening, caressed his face. 她的眼光变得很温柔了。它们不住地爱抚他的脸。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26） He might think my brain was softening or something of the kind. 他也许会觉得我婆婆妈妈的，已经成了个软心肠的人了。

18 insufficient
adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的
参考例句：
There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。 In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

19 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。

20 renewal
adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来
参考例句：
Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。 Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

21 reluctance
n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿
参考例句：
The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。 He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

22 luxurious
adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的
参考例句：
This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。 The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

23 annoyances
n.恼怒( annoyance的名词复数 )；烦恼；打扰；使人烦恼的事
参考例句：
At dinner that evening two annoyances kept General Zaroff from perfect enjoyment one. 当天晚上吃饭时，有两件不称心的事令沙洛夫吃得不很香。 来自辞典例句 Actually, I have a lot of these little annoyances-don't we all? 事实上我有很多类似的小烦恼，我们不都有这种小烦恼吗？ 来自互联网

24 confide
v.向某人吐露秘密
参考例句：
I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。 He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。

25 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。

26 mere
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。

27 discretion
n.谨慎；随意处理
参考例句：
You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。 Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

28 desperately
adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地
参考例句：
He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。 He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

29 clenched
v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。 She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 importunity
n.硬要，强求
参考例句：
They got only blushes, ejaculations, tremors, and titters, in return for their importunity. 她们只是用脸红、惊叫、颤抖和傻笑来回答他们的要求。 来自辞典例句 His importunity left me no alternative but to agree. 他的强硬要求让我只能答应而没有别的选择。 来自互联网

31 blackmail
n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓
参考例句：
She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。 The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。

32 malignant
adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的
参考例句：
Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。 He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来，不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。

33 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

34 condemned
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。 The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

35 impartially
adv.公平地，无私地
参考例句：
Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。 We hope that they're going to administer justice impartially. 我们希望他们能主持正义，不偏不倚。

36 justified
a.正当的，有理的
参考例句：
She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。 The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

37 indirectly
adv.间接地，不直接了当地
参考例句：
I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。 They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

38 judgments
判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判
参考例句：
A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。 He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

39 inflicting
把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。 It's impossible to do research without inflicting some pain on animals. 搞研究不让动物遭点罪是不可能的。

40 assent
v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可
参考例句：
I cannot assent to what you ask.我不能应允你的要求。 The new bill passed by Parliament has received Royal Assent.议会所通过的新方案已获国王批准。

41 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

42 decided
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。

43 avowal
n.公开宣称，坦白承认
参考例句：
The press carried his avowal throughout the country.全国的报纸登载了他承认的消息。 This was not a mere empty vaunt,but a deliberate avowal of his real sentiments.这倒不是一个空洞的吹牛，而是他真实感情的供状。

44 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

45 deceptive
adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的
参考例句：
His appearance was deceptive.他的外表带有欺骗性。 The storyline is deceptively simple.故事情节看似简单，其实不然。

46 motives
n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机 His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

47 crumpling
压皱，弄皱( crumple的现在分词 )； 变皱
参考例句：
His crumpling body bent low from years of carrying heavy loads. 由于经年累月的负重，他那皱巴巴的身子被压得弯弯的。 This apparently took the starch out of the fast-crumpling opposition. 这显然使正在迅速崩溃的反对党泄了气。

48 affected
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。 His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

49 blur
n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚
参考例句：
The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。 If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了，图像就会变得模糊不清。

50 abominable
adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的
参考例句：
Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。 The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

51 dispel
vt.驱走，驱散，消除
参考例句：
I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。 We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

52 hearth
n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面
参考例句：
She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。 She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

53 exterminate
v.扑灭，消灭，根绝
参考例句：
Some people exterminate garden insects by spraying poison on the plants.有些人在植物上喷撒毒剂以杀死花园内的昆虫。 Woodpeckers can exterminate insect pests hiding in trees.啄木鸟能消灭躲在树里的害虫。

54 blotted
涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干
参考例句：
She blotted water off the table with a towel. 她用毛巾擦干桌上的水。 The blizzard blotted out the sky and the land. 暴风雪铺天盖地而来。

55 repulsive
adj.排斥的，使人反感的
参考例句：
She found the idea deeply repulsive.她发现这个想法很恶心。 The repulsive force within the nucleus is enormous.核子内部的斥力是巨大的。

56 vile
adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的
参考例句：
Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？ Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

57 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

58 longing
n.（for）渴望
参考例句：
Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。 His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

59 reassuringly
ad.安心，可靠
参考例句：
He patted her knee reassuringly. 他轻拍她的膝盖让她放心。 The doctor smiled reassuringly. 医生笑了笑，让人心里很踏实。

60 distress
n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛
参考例句：
Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。 Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

61 distressed
痛苦的
参考例句：
He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。 The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

62 tightened
收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧
参考例句：
The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。 His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

63 ails
v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳
参考例句：
He will not concede what anything ails his business. 他不允许任何事情来干扰他的工作。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Measles ails the little girl. 麻疹折磨着这个小女孩。 来自《简明英汉词典》

64 propping
支撑
参考例句：
You can usually find Jack propping up the bar at his local. 你常常可以看见杰克频繁出没于他居住的那家酒店。 The government was accused of propping up declining industries. 政府被指责支持日益衰败的产业。

65 preposterous
adj.荒谬的，可笑的
参考例句：
The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。 It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

66 agitation
n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动
参考例句：
Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。 These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

67 respite
n.休息，中止，暂缓
参考例句：
She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。 Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。

68 phantom
n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的
参考例句：
I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。 He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

69 impulsively
adv.冲动地
参考例句：
She leant forward and kissed him impulsively. 她倾身向前，感情冲动地吻了他。 Every good, true, vigorous feeling I had gathered came impulsively round him. 我的一切良好、真诚而又强烈的感情都紧紧围绕着他涌现出来。

70 lashes
n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥
参考例句：
Mother always lashes out food for the children's party. 孩子们聚会时，母亲总是给他们许多吃的。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Never walk behind a horse in case it lashes out. 绝对不要跟在马后面，以防它突然猛踢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

71 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

72 narcotic
n.麻醉药，镇静剂；adj.麻醉的，催眠的
参考例句：
Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。 No medical worker is allowed to prescribe any narcotic drug for herself.医务人员不得为自己开处方使用麻醉药品。

73 veins
n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理
参考例句：
The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

74 dexterously
adv.巧妙地，敏捷地
参考例句：
He operates the machine dexterously. 他操纵机器动作非常轻巧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 How dexterously he handled the mite. 他伺候小家伙，有多么熟练。 来自辞典例句