no acquaintance to claim, no gentleman to assist them.

They saw nothing of Mr. Allen; and after looking about



them in vain for a more eligible situation, were obliged

to sit down at the end of a table, at which a large party



were already placed, without having anything to do there,

or anybody to speak to, except each other.



Mrs. Allen congratulated herself, as soon as they

were seated, on having preserved her gown from injury.



"It would have been very shocking to have it torn," said she,

"would not it? It is such a delicatemuslin. For my part



I have not seen anything I like so well in the whole room,

I assure you."



"How uncomfortable it is," whispered Catherine,

"not to have a single acquaintance here!"



"Yes, my dear," replied Mrs. Allen, with perfect

serenity, "it is very uncomfortable indeed."



"What shall we do? The gentlemen and ladies at this

table look as if they wondered why we came here--we seem



forcing ourselves into their party."

"Aye, so we do. That is very disagreeable.



I wish we had a large acquaintance here."

"I wish we had any--it would be somebody to go to."



"Very true, my dear; and if we knew anybody we would

join them directly. The Skinners were here last year--I



wish they were here now."

"Had not we better go away as it is? Here are no



tea-things for us, you see."

"No more there are, indeed. How very provoking! But



I think we had better sit still, for one gets so tumbled

in such a crowd! How is my head, my dear? Somebody gave



me a push that has hurt it, I am afraid."

"No, indeed, it looks very nice. But, dear Mrs. Allen,



are you sure there is nobody you know in all this multitude

of people? I think you must know somebody."



"I don't, upon my word--I wish I did. I wish I had a

large acquaintance here with all my heart, and then I should



get you a partner. I should be so glad to have you dance.

There goes a strange-looking woman! What an odd gown



she has got on! How old-fashioned it is! Look at the back."

After some time they received an offer of tea from



one of their neighbours; it was thankfully accepted,

and this introduced a light conversation with the gentleman



who offered it, which was the only time that anybody spoke

to them during the evening, till they were discovered



and joined by Mr. Allen when the dance was over.

"Well, Miss Morland," said he, directly, "I hope



you have had an agreeable ball."

"Very agreeable indeed," she replied,



vainly endeavouring to hide a great yawn.

"I wish she had been able to dance," said his wife;



"I wish we could have got a partner for her. I have been

saying how glad I should be if the Skinners were here this



winter instead of last; or if the Parrys had come, as they

talked of once, she might have danced with George Parry.



I am so sorry she has not had a partner!"

"We shall do better another evening I hope,"



was Mr. Allen's consolation.

The company began to disperse when the dancing was



over--enough to leave space for the remainder to walk

about in some comfort; and now was the time for a heroine,



who had not yet played a very distinguished part in

the events of the evening, to be noticed and admired.



Every five minutes, by removing some of the crowd,

gave greater openings for her charms. She was now seen



by many young men who had not been near her before.

Not one, however, started with rapturous wonder on



beholding her, no whisper of eager inquiry ran round

the room, nor was she once called a divinity by anybody.



Yet Catherine was in very good looks, and had the company

only seen her three years before, they would now have thought



her exceedingly handsome.

She was looked at, however, and with some admiration;



for, in her own hearing, two gentlemen pronounced her

to be a pretty girl. Such words had their due effect;



she immediately thought the evening pleasanter than she

• wholly [´həul-li] ad.完全，十足；统统 (初中英语单词)


• throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)


• intimate [´intimit] a.亲密的 n.知己 (初中英语单词)


• remarkable [ri´mɑ:kəbl] a.值得注意的；显著的 (初中英语单词)


• writing [´raitiŋ] n.书写；写作；书法 (初中英语单词)


• character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)


• relative [´relətiv] a.有关系的 n.亲属 (初中英语单词)


• excite [ik´sait] vt.激动；引起，招惹 (初中英语单词)


• suitable [´su:təbəl, ´sju:-] a.合适的，适当的 (初中英语单词)


• striking [´straikiŋ] a.显著的，明显的 (初中英语单词)


• description [di´skripʃən] n.描写 (初中英语单词)


• promote [prə´məut] vt.促进；发扬；助长 (初中英语单词)


• distress [di´stres] n.痛苦 vt.使苦恼 (初中英语单词)


• volume [´vɔlju:m, ´vɑljəm] n.卷；书籍；体积；容量 (初中英语单词)


• emotion [i´məuʃən] n.感情；情绪；激动 (初中英语单词)


• temper [´tempə] n.韧度 v.锻炼；调和 (初中英语单词)


• account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)


• sensible [´sensəbəl] a.感觉得到的 (初中英语单词)


• intelligent [in´telidʒənt] a.聪明的；理智的 (初中英语单词)


• passion [´pæʃən] n.激情；激怒；恋爱 (初中英语单词)


• learning [´lə:niŋ] n.学习；学问；知识 (初中英语单词)


• mostly [´məustli] ad.主要地；多半；通常 (初中英语单词)


• admiration [,ædmə´reiʃən] n.赞赏，钦佩 (初中英语单词)


• welcome [´welkəm] a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词)


• swiftly [´swiftli] ad.迅速地，敏捷地 (初中英语单词)


• firmly [´fə:mli] ad.坚固地，稳定地 (初中英语单词)


• amazement [ə´meizmənt] n.惊愕；惊奇 (初中英语单词)


• whereas [weər´æz] conj.鉴于；因此；而 (初中英语单词)


• diligence [´dilidʒəns] n.勤奋，努力 (初中英语单词)


• acquaintance [ə´kweintəns] n.相识；熟人，相识的人 (初中英语单词)


• shortly [´ʃɔ:tli] ad.立刻，马上；不久 (初中英语单词)


• relieve [ri´li:v] v.救济，援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)


• assist [ə´sist] v.协助；援助；搀扶 (初中英语单词)


• delicate [´delikət] a.精美的；微妙的 (初中英语单词)


• partner [´pɑ:tnə] n.伙伴 v.同….合作 (初中英语单词)


• old-fashioned [´əuld´feʃənd] a.老式的；过时的 (初中英语单词)


• agreeable [ə´gri:əbəl] a.适合的；符合的 (初中英语单词)


• whisper [´wispə] v.耳语 n.低语；沙沙声 (初中英语单词)


• inquiry [in´kwaiəri] n.询问；质询；调查 (初中英语单词)


• separation [,sepə´reiʃən] n.分离；分开；分居 (高中英语单词)


• fortunately [´fɔ:tʃənətli] ad.幸运地 (高中英语单词)


• hereafter [hiər´ɑ:ftə] ad.&n.将来；来世 (高中英语单词)


• accomplishment [ə´kʌmpliʃmənt] n.完成；成就；才艺 (高中英语单词)


• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)


• harmless [´hɑ:mləs] a.无害的，无恶意的 (高中英语单词)


• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)


• repeated [ri´pi:tid] a.反复的；重复的 (高中英语单词)


• motion [´məuʃən] n.手势 vt.打手势 (高中英语单词)


• imprisonment [im´priznmənt] n.监禁，下狱 (高中英语单词)


• syllable [´siləbəl] n.音节；只言片语 (高中英语单词)


• uncomfortable [ʌn´kʌmftəbəl] a.不舒服的，不自在的 (高中英语单词)


• disperse [di´spə:s] v.解散；驱散；传播 (高中英语单词)


• remainder [ri´meində] n.剩余物；残余部分 (高中英语单词)


• distinguished [di´stiŋgwiʃt] a.卓越的，著名的 (高中英语单词)


• exceedingly [ik´si:diŋli] ad.非常地，极度地 (高中英语单词)


• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)


• pronounced [prə´naunst] a.发出音的；显著的 (高中英语单词)


• moderation [,mɔdə´reiʃən] n.适度；温和；节制 (英语四级单词)


• composure [kəm´pəuʒə] n.镇静，沉着 (英语四级单词)


• consistent [kən´sistənt] a.一致的；始终如一的 (英语四级单词)


• refined [ri´faind] a.精制的；文雅的 (英语四级单词)


• unlimited [ʌn´limitid] a.无限的；过渡的 (英语四级单词)


• expedient [ik´spi:diənt] a.合适的 n.权宜之计 (英语四级单词)


• exertion [ig´zə:ʃən] n.努力；行使；活动 (英语四级单词)


• totally [´təutəli] ad.统统，完全 (英语四级单词)


• muslin [´mʌzlin] n.平纹细布，薄纱织物 (英语四级单词)


• divinity [di´viniti] n.神性，神；神学 (英语四级单词)


• inactive [in´æktiv] a.不活动的 (英语六级单词)


• admirably [´ædmərəbli] ad.令人钦佩地；极妙地 (英语六级单词)


• eminence [´eminəns] n.杰出；重要人物；高处 (英语六级单词)


• shocking [´ʃɔkiŋ] a.令人震惊的；可怕的 (英语六级单词)