本文提供《高级英语（张汉熙版）》第一册第X课《Blackmail》的课后习题参考答案，仅供学习交流使用，请勿直接抄袭。
Q: Why did the Duchess agree to pay the blackmailer?
A: Because she wanted to protect her husband’s reputation and avoid public scandal.
Q: What does the story reveal about social hypocrisy?
A: It shows how the upper class prioritizes appearances over morality, willing to pay to hide their secrets.
“She was too proud to beg, but not too proud to pay.”
她骄傲得不屑乞求，却并不骄傲到不愿付钱。
在分析《Blackmail》时，可聚焦人物心理、社会阶层矛盾以及道德困境。建议结合历史背景（如20世纪初英国贵族生活）进行深入探讨。