Certain it was that Knight's disappointment at finding himself second or third in the field, at Elfride's momentary equivoque, and at her reluctance to be candid, brought him to the verge of cynicism.

可以肯定的是，奈特发现自己在该领域排名第二或第，埃尔弗莱德一时的模棱两可，以及她不愿坦诚相待，感到失望，处于愤世嫉俗的边缘。