L49-2: The ideal servant
Though my aunt pursued what was, in those days, an enlightened policy, in that she never allowed her domestic staff to work more than eight hours a day, she was extremely difficult to please. While she always criticized the fickleness of human nature, she carried on an unrelenting search for the ideal servant to the end of her days, even after she had been sadly disillusioned by Bessie. Bessie worked for Aunt Harriet for three years. During that time she so gained my aunt's confidence that she was put in charge of the domestic staff. Aunt Harriet could not find words to praise Bessie's industriousness and efficiency. In addition to all her other qualifications, Bessie was an expert cook. She acted the role of the perfect servant for three years before Aunt Harriet discovered her 'little weakness'. After being absent from the Gables for a week, my aunt unexpectedly returned one afternoon with a party of guests and instructed Bessie to prepare dinner.
pursue /pərˈsuː/ 追求;致力于;执行;
enlightened /ɪnˈlaɪtnd/ 开明的
fickle /ˈfɪkl/ 易变的;无常的;反复无常的 fickleness 变化无常、浮躁
unrelenting /ˌʌnrɪˈlentɪŋ/ 不屈不挠的，不松懈的，不留情的;持续的;
disillusion /ˌdɪsɪˈluːʒn/ v. 使幻想破灭，使醒悟;使不再抱幻想;
industriousness n. 勤奋 industrious /ɪnˈdʌstriəs/ adj.
qualification /ˌkwɑːlɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ 资格、能力
absent /ˈæbsənt/ 缺席;不参加;不在 absent from 缺席
instruct /ɪnˈstrʌkt/ 指导;指示;通知;命令
in charge of 负责;负责看护；掌管；指导
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