Mused19 thus Godfrey de Bouillon, Marquis of Codlingsby, as he debouched from Wych Street into the Strand20. He had been to take a box for Armida at Madame Vestris’s theatre. That little Armida was folle of Madame Vestris’s theatre; and her little brougham, and her little self, and her enormous eyes, and her prodigious21 opera-glass, and her miraculous22 bouquet23, which cost Lord Codlingsby twenty guineas every evening at Nathan’s in Covent Garden (the children of the gardeners of Sharon have still no rival for flowers), might be seen, three nights in the week at least, in the narrow, charming, comfortable little theatre. Godfrey had the box. He was strolling, listlessly, eastward24; and the above thoughts passed through the young noble’s mind as he came in sight of Holywell Street.
The occupants of the London Ghetto25 sat at their porches basking26 in the evening sunshine. Children were playing on the steps. Fathers were smoking at the lintel. Smiling faces looked out from the various and darkling draperies with which the warehouses were hung. Ringlets glossy27, and curly, and jetty — eyes black as night — midsummer night — when it lightens; haughty28 noses bending like beaks29 of eagles — eager quivering nostrils30 — lips curved like the bow of Love — every man or maiden31, every babe or matron in that English Jewry bore in his countenance32 one or more of these characteristics of his peerless Arab race.
“How beautiful they are!” mused Codlingsby, as he surveyed these placid33 groups calmly taking their pleasure in the sunset.
“D’you vant to look at a nishe coat?” a voice said, which made him start; and then some one behind him began handling a masterpiece of Stultz’s with a familiarity which would have made the baron34 tremble.
“Rafael Mendoza!” exclaimed Godfrey.
“The same, Lord Codlingsby,” the individual so apostrophized replied. “I told you we should meet again where you would little expect me. Will it please you to enter? this is Friday, and we close at sunset. It rejoices my heart to welcome you home.” So saying Rafael laid his hand on his breast, and bowed, an oriental reverence35. All traces of the accent with which he first addressed Lord Codlingsby had vanished: it was disguise; half the Hebrew’s life is a disguise. He shields himself in craft, since the Norman boors36 persecuted37 him.
They passed under an awning38 of old clothes, tawdry fripperies, greasy39 spangles, and battered40 masks, into a shop as black and hideous41 as the entrance was foul42. “THIS your home, Rafael?” said Lord Codlingsby.
“Why not?” Rafael answered. “I am tired of Schloss Schinkenstein; the Rhine bores me after a while. It is too hot for Florence; besides they have not completed the picture-gallery, and my place smells of putty. You wouldn’t have a man, mon cher, bury himself in his chateau43 in Normandy, out of the hunting season? The Rugantino Palace stupefies me. Those Titians are so gloomy, I shall have my Hobbimas and Tenierses, I think, from my house at the Hague hung over them.”
“How many castles, palaces, houses, warehouses, shops, have you, Rafael?” Lord Codlingsby asked, laughing.
“This is one,” Rafael answered. “Come in.”

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收听单词发音

1
likeness
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n.相像,相似(之处) | |
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2
congregated
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(使)集合,聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
idols
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偶像( idol的名词复数 ); 受崇拜的人或物; 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物; 神像 | |
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4
incense
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v.激怒;n.香,焚香时的烟,香气 | |
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5
minarets
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n.(清真寺旁由报告祈祷时刻的人使用的)光塔( minaret的名词复数 ) | |
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6
cypresses
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n.柏属植物,柏树( cypress的名词复数 ) | |
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7
lucid
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adj.明白易懂的,清晰的,头脑清楚的 | |
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8
squatted
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v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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9
warehouses
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仓库,货栈( warehouse的名词复数 ) | |
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10
graceful
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adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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11
brotherhood
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n.兄弟般的关系,手中情谊 | |
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12
scattered
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adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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13
clan
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n.氏族,部落,宗族,家族,宗派 | |
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14
mighty
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adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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15
monarchies
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n. 君主政体, 君主国, 君主政治 | |
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16
caravans
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(可供居住的)拖车(通常由机动车拖行)( caravan的名词复数 ); 篷车; (穿过沙漠地带的)旅行队(如商队) | |
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17
odds
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n.让步,机率,可能性,比率;胜败优劣之别 | |
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18
agonized
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v.使(极度)痛苦,折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 );苦斗;苦苦思索;感到极度痛苦 | |
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19
mused
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v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
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20
strand
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vt.使(船)搁浅,使(某人)困于(某地) | |
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21
prodigious
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adj.惊人的,奇妙的;异常的;巨大的;庞大的 | |
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22
miraculous
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adj.像奇迹一样的,不可思议的 | |
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23
bouquet
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n.花束,酒香 | |
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24
eastward
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adv.向东;adj.向东的;n.东方,东部 | |
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25
ghetto
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n.少数民族聚居区,贫民区 | |
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26
basking
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v.晒太阳,取暖( bask的现在分词 );对…感到乐趣;因他人的功绩而出名;仰仗…的余泽 | |
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27
glossy
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adj.平滑的;有光泽的 | |
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28
haughty
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adj.傲慢的,高傲的 | |
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29
beaks
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n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 );鹰钩嘴;尖鼻子;掌权者 | |
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30
nostrils
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鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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31
maiden
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n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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32
countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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33
placid
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adj.安静的,平和的 | |
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34
baron
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n.男爵;(商业界等)巨头,大王 | |
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35
reverence
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n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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36
boors
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n.农民( boor的名词复数 );乡下佬;没礼貌的人;粗野的人 | |
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37
persecuted
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(尤指宗教或政治信仰的)迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 ); 烦扰,困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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38
awning
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n.遮阳篷;雨篷 | |
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39
greasy
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adj. 多脂的,油脂的 | |
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40
battered
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adj.磨损的;v.连续猛击;磨损 | |
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41
hideous
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adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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42
foul
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adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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43
chateau
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n.城堡,别墅 | |
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