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Chapter XV
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When I reached London I found waiting for me an urgent request that I should go to Mrs. Strickland's as soon after dinner as I could. I found her with Colonel MacAndrew and his wife. Mrs. Strickland's sister was older than she, not unlike her, but more faded; and she had the efficient air, as though she carried the British Empire in her pocket, which the wives of senior officers acquire from the consciousness of belonging to a superior caste. Her manner was brisk, and her good-breeding scarcely concealed1 her conviction that if you were not a soldier you might as well be a counter-jumper. She hated the Guards, whom she thought conceited2, and she could not trust herself to speak of their ladies, who were so remiss3 in calling. Her gown was dowdy4 and expensive.
Mrs. Strickland was plainly nervous.
"Well, tell us your news," she said.
"I saw your husband. I'm afraid he's quite made up his mind not to return." I paused a little. "He wants to paint."
"What do you mean?" cried Mrs. Strickland, with the utmost astonishment5.
"Did you never know that he was keen on that sort of thing."
"He must be as mad as a hatter," exclaimed the Colonel.
Mrs. Strickland frowned a little. She was searching among her recollections.
"I remember before we were married he used to potter about with a paint-box. But you never saw such daubs. We used to chaff6 him. He had absolutely no gift for anything like that."
"Of course it's only an excuse," said Mrs. MacAndrew.
Mrs. Strickland pondered deeply for some time. It was quite clear that she could not make head or tail of my announcement. She had put some order into the drawing-room by now, her housewifely instincts having got the better of her dismay; and it no longer bore that
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1
concealed
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| a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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conceited
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| adj.自负的,骄傲自满的 | |
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remiss
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| adj.不小心的,马虎 | |
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dowdy
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| adj.不整洁的;过旧的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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chaff
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| v.取笑,嘲笑;n.谷壳 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 ); 志向; 发送气音; 发 h 音 | |
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tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)变紧; (使)绷紧; 加紧 | |
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spoke
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| 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 | |
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derisively
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| adv. 嘲笑地,嘲弄地 | |
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stockbroker
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| n.股票(或证券),经纪人(或机构) | |
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tartly
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| adv.辛辣地,刻薄地 | |
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whim
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| n.一时的兴致,突然的念头;奇想,幻想 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽,兽性 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地 | |
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gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地 | |
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friendliness
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| n.友谊,亲切,亲密 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满,怨恨,妒嫉;vt.勉强给,不情愿做 | |
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longevity
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| n.长命;长寿 | |
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postpones
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| v.延期,推迟( postpone的第三人称单数 ) | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的,令人厌恶的 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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vindictiveness
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| 恶毒;怀恨在心 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华 | |
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malice
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| n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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unstably
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| adj.不稳固的;不坚定的;易变的;反复无常的 | |
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transformations
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| n.变化( transformation的名词复数 );转换;转换;变换 | |
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vacancy
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| n.(旅馆的)空位,空房,(职务的)空缺 | |
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guile
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| n.诈术 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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Chapter XIV
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Chapter XVI
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