Harry does not need to be prompted to explain how he bought his precious bottle of mud.

prompt ^{v.to encourage sb. to speak by asking them questions or suggesting words that they could say 提问或提示以鼓励某人说}

• 'And then what happened?' he prompted.
• The speaker was hesitant and had to be prompted occasionally by the chairman.

One day, he went to an exclusive shop in London and asked for 'Myrolite'.

exclusive ^{adj. 含义1：very expensive, and therefore available only to wealthy people 高级的，高档的}

• an exclusive store / restaurant / neighborhood
• inclusive ^{adj.包容广阔的} → exclusive ^{adj.不含…的；排外的；排斥的}
• import ^{v./n. 进口} → export ^v./n.出口
• input ^{v./n.输入、投入} → output ^{v./n.产出、输出}

The shop assistant looked puzzled and Harry repeated the word, slowly stressing each syllable.

stress ^{v.to pronounce a word or part of a word so that it sounds louder or more forceful 重读}

• The word 'machine' is stressed on the second syllable.

When the woman shook her head in bewilderment, Harry went on to explain that 'myrolite' was a hard, amber-like substance which could be used to remove freckles.

in bewilderment = in confusion  = in puzzlement  = in perplexity ^迷惑

• She looked at him in bewilderment.
• Matt stared at her in confusion. 
• She frowned in puzzlement.
• Jane looked about in perplexity.

This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched shelf after shelf.

convey sth. to sb. ^{向某人传达或表达…}

• Please convey my good wishes to your parents.
• If you see James, do convey my apologies to him.
• The poem perfectly conveys to the reader the poet’s feelings.

定语从句充当并列句 §

• This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman and she searched shelf after shelf. 
• This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched shelf after shelf.

sth. after sth. ^{（一个又一个）}

• But when the train dawdled at station after station, I began to wonder. 
• He fired shot after shot.  ^{一枪又一枪}
• Shelley sent him letter after letter to explain the delay.  ^{一封又一封}
• They sent regiment after regiment to attack us.
• In factory after factory we were shown machines built by the workers themselves.

She produced all sorts of weird concoctions, but none of them met with Harry's requirements.

produce ^{v. if you produce an object, you bring it out or present it, so that people can see or consider it 出示，拿出}

• Produce your ticket!
• They made no effort to hide their amusement whenever I produced a packet of sweets from my pocket.

all sorts / kinds / types of sth. ^{各种各样的，各式各样的…}

• all sorts of silly jokes
• all sorts of weird concoctions 
• all sorts of indignities

concoction ^{n. sth. that has been made out of several things mixed together 调制品，混合物}

• a concoction of honey, yogurt, oats, and apples

requirement ^{n.  (usually requirements) [pl.] something that you need or want 所需的（或所要的）东西}

• The new computer system will meet (with) all our requirements. 

When Harry put on his act of being mildly annoyed, the assistant promised to order some for him.

put on an act ^装模作样

• He wasn’t really angry; he just put on an act. 

Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked for perfumed mud.

Intoxicated ^{adj.喝醉的；极度兴奋的 v.沉醉}

• He appeared intoxicated, police said. ^{他看上去好像是喝醉了，警察说。}
• My cousins seem to have become intoxicated by their success. ^{我的堂兄弟们好象已经被他们的成功陶醉了。}

He expected the assistant to look at him in blank astonishment.

blank ^{adj. showing no feeling, understanding or interest 茫然的(脸是空白的)}

• Steve looked blank and said he had no idea what I was talking about. 

However, it was his turn to be surprised, for the woman's eyes immediately lit up and she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect.

it is one’s turn (to do sth.) ^{轮到某人做某事}

• It's your turn.
• It's our turn to drive the kids to school this week.

light up ^{if someone’s face or eyes light up, they show pleasure, excitement etc.（因喜悦、兴奋等脸上或眼中）露出光彩}

• His eyes lit up with laughter. 
• Her face lit up with pleasure.
• Suddenly, I saw the Officer's face light up.

定语从句充当并列句

• … she fetched several bottles and she placed them on the counter for Harry to inspect.
• … she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect.

For once, Harry had to admit defeat.

(just) for once ^{used to say that sth. unusual happens, especially when you wish it would happen more often 这一回，这一次}

• Be honest for once.
• Just for once, let me make my own decision. 
• For once Colin was speechless.

accept / admit / concede defeat ^认输

• She is very determined, and will never admit defeat. 
• The prime minister conceded defeat and resigned.
• After he was arrested, the man admitted hiding in the box before the plane left London.
• When he asked if Mr. Lane lived there, the policeman on duty told him that since his defeat, the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad.

He picked up what seemed to be the smallest bottle and discreetly asked the price.

discreet ^{adj.careful not to cause embarrassment or attract too much attention, especially by keeping something secret 言行小心谨慎的}

• The family made discreet enquiries about his background.
• They are very good assistants, very discreet — they wouldn't go shouting to the press about anything they discovered while working for you.

He was glad to get away with a mere ￡20 and he beat a hasty retreat, clutching the precious bottle under his arm.

a mere … ^仅仅…

beat a (hasty) retreat  ^{leave a place quickly in order to avoid an embarrassing or dangerous situation 赶紧走了}

• The cat beat a hasty retreat when it saw the dog was coming. ^{（避免危险）赶紧溜了}
• I saw my aunt coming and beat a hasty retreat.^{（避免尴尬）赶紧跑了}

clutch ^{v.to hold something tightly because you do not want to lose it 紧紧抓住}

• She was clutching a bottle of champagne.

From then on, Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive.

from then on ^从那以后

• From then on he never trusted her again.^{从那时起，他再也不信任她了。}
• She left in 1984 and from then on he lived alone. ^{她于1984年离去，从那时起他便独自一人生活。}
• I stopped pretending from then on. ^{从那时起，我不再装了。}

decide  ^{不一定译为“决定”，而常常译为“（在考虑之后）确定，断定，认为”，尤其是其后加 that 引导的宾语从句时。}

• The pie committee decided that the best way to transport the dish would be by canal, so they insured it for the trip.
• From then on, Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive. 
• I decided that I must have taken a wrong turning somewhere.
• Her first impulse was to go round all the rooms looking for the thieves, but then she decided that at her age it might be more prudent to have someone with her, so she went to fetch the porter from his basement.

The curious bottle which now adorns the bookcase in his study was his first and last purchase of rare cosmetics.

adorn ^{v. (fml.) to decorate sth. 装饰}

• The walls were adorned with paintings.