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34.

I took a ring from Meg’s jewelry¹ box and gave it to a designer, so he’d know her size.

Since he was also the keeper of Mummy’s bracelets³, earrings⁴ and necklaces, I asked him to

harvest the diamonds from one particularly beautiful bracelet² of Mummy’s and use those to create

a ring.

I’d cleared all this in advance with Willy. I’d asked my brother if I could have the bracelet,

and told him what it was for. I don’t recall him hesitating, for one second, in giving it to me. He

seemed to like Meg, despite his oft-cited concerns. Kate seemed to like her too. We’d had them

over for dinner during one of Meg’s visits, and Meg cooked, and everything was good. Willy had

a cold: he was sneezing and coughing, and Meg ran upstairs to get him some of her homeopathic

cure-alls. Oregano oil, turmeric. He seemed charmed, moved, though Kate announced to the table

that he’d never take such unconventional remedies.

We talked about Wimbledon that night, and Suits, and Willy and Kate weren’t brave enough to

admit to being superfans. Which was sweet.

The only possibly discordant⁵ note I could think of was the marked difference in how the two

women dressed, which both of them seemed to notice.

Meg: ripped jeans, barefoot.

Kate: done up to the nines.

No big deal, I thought.

Along with the diamonds from the bracelet I’d asked the designer to add a third—a blood-free

diamond from Botswana.

He asked if there was a rush.

Well…now that you mention it…

1 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

2 bracelet   

n.手镯，臂镯

参考例句：

• The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
• She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。

3 bracelets   

n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 earrings   

n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子

参考例句：

• a pair of earrings 一对耳环
• These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 discordant   

adj.不调和的

参考例句：

• Leonato thought they would make a discordant pair.里奥那托认为他们不适宜作夫妻。
• For when we are deeply mournful discordant above all others is the voice of mirth.因为当我们极度悲伤的时候，欢乐的声音会比其他一切声音都更显得不谐调。