Thus I reflected, one day in the Whitsun week last past, as I floated down the Thames among the bridges, looking — not inappropriately — at the drags that were hanging up at certain dirty stairs to hook the drowned out, and at the numerous conveniences provided to facilitate their tumbling in. My object in that uncommercial journey called up another train of thought, and it ran as follows:
‘When I was at school, one of seventy boys, I wonder by what secret understanding our attention began to wander when we had pored over our books for some hours. I wonder by what ingenuity15 we brought on that confused state of mind when sense became nonsense, when figures wouldn’t work, when dead languages wouldn’t construe16, when live languages wouldn’t be spoken, when memory wouldn’t come, when dulness and vacancy17 wouldn’t go. I cannot remember that we ever conspired18 to be sleepy after dinner, or that we ever particularly wanted to be stupid, and to have flushed faces and hot beating heads, or to find blank hopelessness and obscurity this afternoon in what would become perfectly19 clear and bright in the freshness of to-morrow morning. We suffered for these things, and they made us miserable20 enough. Neither do I remember that we ever bound ourselves by any secret oath or other solemn obligation, to find the seats getting too hard to be sat upon after a certain time; or to have intolerable twitches21 in our legs, rendering22 us aggressive and malicious23 with those members; or to be troubled with a similar uneasiness in our elbows, attended with fistic consequences to our neighbours; or to carry two pounds of lead in the chest, four pounds in the head, and several active blue-bottles in each ear. Yet, for certain, we suffered under those distresses24, and were always charged at for labouring under them, as if we had brought them on, of our own deliberate act and deed. As to the mental portion of them being my own fault in my own case — I should like to ask any well-trained and experienced teacher, not to say psychologist. And as to the physical portion — I should like to ask PROFESSOR OWEN.’
It happened that I had a small bundle of papers with me, on what is called ‘The Half-Time System’ in schools. Referring to one of those papers I found that the indefatigable25 MR. CHADWICK had been beforehand with me, and had already asked Professor Owen: who had handsomely replied that I was not to blame, but that, being troubled with a skeleton, and having been constituted according to certain natural laws, I and my skeleton were unfortunately bound by those laws even in school — and had comported26 ourselves accordingly. Much comforted by the good Professor’s being on my side, I read on to discover whether the indefatigable Mr. Chadwick had taken up the mental part of my afflictions. I found that he had, and that he had gained on my behalf, SIR BENJAMIN BRODIE, SIR DAVID WILKIE, SIR WALTER SCOTT, and the common sense of mankind. For which I beg Mr. Chadwick, if this should meet his eye, to accept my warm acknowledgments.
Up to that time I had retained a misgiving27 that the seventy unfortunates of whom I was one, must have been, without knowing it, leagued together by the spirit of evil in a sort of perpetual Guy Fawkes Plot, to grope about in vaults28 with dark lanterns after a certain period of continuous study. But now the misgiving vanished, and I floated on with a quieted mind to see the Half-Time System in action. For that was the purpose of my journey, both by steamboat on the Thames, and by very dirty railway on the shore. To which last institution, I beg to recommend the legal use of coke as engine-fuel, rather than the illegal use of coal; the recommendation is quite disinterested29, for I was most liberally supplied with small coal on the journey, for which no charge was made. I had not only my eyes, nose, and ears filled, but my hat, and all my pockets, and my pocket-book, and my watch.
The V.D.S.C.R.C. (or Very Dirty and Small Coal Railway Company) delivered me close to my destination, and I soon found the Half-Time System established in spacious30 premises31, and freely placed at my convenience and disposal.
What would I see first of the Half-Time System? I chose Military Drill. ‘Atten-tion!’ Instantly a hundred boys stood forth32 in the paved yard as one boy; bright, quick, eager, steady, watchful33 for the look of command, instant and ready for the word. Not only was there complete precision — complete accord to the eye and to the ear — but an alertness in the doing of the thing which deprived it, curiously34, of its monotonous35 or mechanical character. There was perfect uniformity, and yet an individual spirit and emulation36. No spectator could doubt that the boys liked it. With non-commissioned officers varying from a yard to a yard and a half high, the result could not possibly have been attained37 otherwise. They marched, and counter-marched, and formed in line and square, and company, and single file and double file, and performed a variety of evolutions; all most admirably. In respect of an air of enjoyable understanding of what they were about, which seems to be forbidden to English soldiers, the boys might have been small French troops. When they were dismissed and the broadsword exercise, limited to a much smaller number, succeeded, the boys who had no part in that new drill, either looked on attentively38, or disported39 themselves in a gymnasium hard by. The steadiness of the broadsword boys on their short legs, and the firmness with which they sustained the different positions, was truly remarkable40.
The broadsword exercise over, suddenly there was great excitement and a rush. Naval41 Drill!
In the corner of the ground stood a decked mimic42 ship, with real masts, yards, and sails — mainmast seventy feet high. At the word of command from the Skipper of this ship — a mahogany-faced Old Salt, with the indispensable quid in his cheek, the true nautical43 roll, and all wonderfully complete — the rigging was covered with a swarm44 of boys: one, the first to spring into the shrouds45, outstripping46 all the others, and resting on the truck of the main-topmast in no time.
And now we stood out to sea, in a most amazing manner; the Skipper himself, the whole crew, the Uncommercial, and all hands present, implicitly47 believing that there was not a moment to lose, that the wind had that instant chopped round and sprung up fair, and that we were away on a voyage round the world. Get all sail upon her! With a will, my lads! Lay out upon the main-yard there! Look alive at the weather earring48! Cheery, my boys! Let go the sheet, now! Stand by at the braces49, you! With a will, aloft there! Belay, starboard watch! Fifer! Come aft, fifer, and give ’em a tune50! Forthwith, springs up fifer, fife in hand — smallest boy ever seen — big lump on temple, having lately fallen down on a paving-stone — gives ’em a tune with all his might and main. Hoo-roar, fifer! With a will, my lads! Tip ’em a livelier one, fifer! Fifer tips ’em a livelier one, and excitement increases. Shake ’em out, my lads! Well done! There you have her! Pretty, pretty! Every rag upon her she can carry, wind right astarn, and ship cutting through the water fifteen knots an hour!
At this favourable51 moment of her voyage, I gave the alarm ‘A man overboard!’ (on the gravel), but he was immediately recovered, none the worse. Presently, I observed the Skipper overboard, but forbore to mention it, as he seemed in no wise disconcerted by the accident. Indeed, I soon came to regard the Skipper as an amphibious creature, for he was so perpetually plunging52 overboard to look up at the hands aloft, that he was oftener in the bosom53 of the ocean than on deck. His pride in his crew on those occasions was delightful54, and the conventional unintelligibility55 of his orders in the ears of uncommercial landlubbers and loblolly boys, though they were always intelligible56 to the crew, was hardly less pleasant. But we couldn’t expect to go on in this way for ever; dirty weather came on, and then worse weather, and when we least expected it we got into tremendous difficulties. Screw loose in the chart perhaps — something certainly wrong somewhere — but here we were with breakers ahead, my lads, driving head on, slap on a lee shore! The Skipper broached57 this terrific announcement in such great agitation58, that the small fifer, not fifeing now, but standing14 looking on near the wheel with his fife under his arm, seemed for the moment quite unboyed, though he speedily recovered his presence of mind. In the trying circumstances that ensued, the Skipper and the crew proved worthy59 of one another. The Skipper got dreadfully hoarse60, but otherwise was master of the situation. The man at the wheel did wonders; all hands (except the fifer) were turned up to wear ship; and I observed the fifer, when we were at our greatest extremity61, to refer to some document in his waistcoat-pocket, which I conceived to be his will. I think she struck. I was not myself conscious of any collision, but I saw the Skipper so very often washed overboard and back again, that I could only impute62 it to the beating of the ship. I am not enough of a seaman63 to describe the manoeuvres by which we were saved, but they made the Skipper very hot (French polishing his mahogany face) and the crew very nimble, and succeeded to a marvel64; for, within a few minutes of the first alarm, we had wore ship and got her off, and were all a-tauto — which I felt very grateful for: not that I knew what it was, but that I perceived that we had not been all a-tauto lately. Land now appeared on our weather-bow, and we shaped our course for it, having the wind abeam65, and frequently changing the man at the helm, in order that every man might have his spell. We worked into harbour under prosperous circumstances, and furled our sails, and squared our yards, and made all ship-shape and handsome, and so our voyage ended. When I complimented the Skipper at parting on his exertions66 and those of his gallant67 crew, he informed me that the latter were provided for the worst, all hands being taught to swim and dive; and he added that the able seaman at the main-topmast truck especially, could dive as deep as he could go high.
The next adventure that befell me in my visit to the Short-Timers, was the sudden apparition68 of a military band. I had been inspecting the hammocks of the crew of the good ship, when I saw with astonishment69 that several musical instruments, brazen70 and of great size, appeared to have suddenly developed two legs each, and to be trotting71 about a yard. And my astonishment was heightened when I observed a large drum, that had previously72 been leaning helpless against a wall, taking up a stout73 position on four legs. Approaching this drum and looking over it, I found two boys behind it (it was too much for one), and then I found that each of the brazen instruments had brought out a boy, and was going to discourse74 sweet sounds. The boys — not omitting the fifer, now playing a new instrument — were dressed in neat uniform, and stood up in a circle at their music-stands, like any other Military Band. They played a march or two, and then we had Cheer boys, Cheer, and then we had Yankee Doodle, and we finished, as in loyal duty bound, with God save the Queen. The band’s proficiency75 was perfectly wonderful, and it was not at all wonderful that the whole body corporate76 of Short-Timers listened with faces of the liveliest interest and pleasure.
What happened next among the Short-Timers? As if the band had blown me into a great class-room out of their brazen tubes, IN a great class-room I found myself now, with the whole choral force of Short-Timers singing the praises of a summer’s day to the harmonium, and my small but highly respected friend the fifer blazing away vocally77, as if he had been saving up his wind for the last twelvemonth; also the whole crew of the good ship Nameless swarming78 up and down the scale as if they had never swarmed79 up and down the rigging. This done, we threw our whole power into God bless the Prince of Wales, and blessed his Royal Highness to such an extent that, for my own Uncommercial part, I gasped80 again when it was over. The moment this was done, we formed, with surpassing freshness, into hollow squares, and fell to work at oral lessons as if we never did, and had never thought of doing, anything else.
Let a veil be drawn81 over the self-committals into which the Uncommercial Traveller would have been betrayed but for a discreet82 reticence83, coupled with an air of absolute wisdom on the part of that artful personage. Take the square of five, multiply it by fifteen, divide it by three, deduct84 eight from it, add four dozen to it, give me the result in pence, and tell me how many eggs I could get for it at three farthings apiece. The problem is hardly stated, when a dozen small boys pour out answers. Some wide, some very nearly right, some worked as far as they go with such accuracy, as at once to show what link of the chain has been dropped in the hurry. For the moment, none are quite right; but behold a labouring spirit beating the buttons on its corporeal85 waistcoat, in a process of internal calculation, and knitting an accidental bump on its corporeal forehead in a concentration of mental arithmetic! It is my honourable86 friend (if he will allow me to call him so) the fifer. With right arm eagerly extended in token of being inspired with an answer, and with right leg foremost, the fifer solves the mystery: then recalls both arm and leg, and with bump in ambush87 awaits the next poser. Take the square of three, multiply it by seven, divide it by four, add fifty to it, take thirteen from it, multiply it by two, double it, give me the result in pence, and say how many halfpence. Wise as the serpent is the four feet of performer on the nearest approach to that instrument, whose right arm instantly appears, and quenches88 this arithmetical fire. Tell me something about Great Britain, tell me something about its principal productions, tell me something about its ports, tell me something about its seas and rivers, tell me something about coal, iron, cotton, timber, tin, and turpentine. The hollow square bristles89 with extended right arms; but ever faithful to fact is the fifer, ever wise as the serpent is the performer on that instrument, ever prominently buoyant and brilliant are all members of the band. I observe the player of the cymbals90 to dash at a sounding answer now and then rather than not cut in at all; but I take that to be in the way of his instrument. All these questions, and many such, are put on the spur of the moment, and by one who has never examined these boys. The Uncommercial, invited to add another, falteringly91 demands how many birthdays a man born on the twenty-ninth of February will have had on completing his fiftieth year? A general perception of trap and pitfall92 instantly arises, and the fifer is seen to retire behind the corduroys of his next neighbours, as perceiving special necessity for collecting himself and communing with his mind. Meanwhile, the wisdom of the serpent suggests that the man will have had only one birthday in all that time, for how can any man have more than one, seeing that he is born once and dies once? The blushing Uncommercial stands corrected, and amends93 the formula. Pondering ensues, two or three wrong answers are offered, and Cymbals strikes up ‘Six!’ but doesn’t know why. Then modestly emerging from his Academic Grove94 of corduroys appears the fifer, right arm extended, right leg foremost, bump irradiated. ‘Twelve, and two over!’
The feminine Short-Timers passed a similar examination, and very creditably too. Would have done better perhaps, with a little more geniality95 on the part of their pupil-teacher; for a cold eye, my young friend, and a hard, abrupt96 manner, are not by any means the powerful engines that your innocence97 supposes them to be. Both girls and boys wrote excellently, from copy and dictation; both could cook; both could mend their own clothes; both could clean up everything about them in an orderly and skilful98 way, the girls having womanly household knowledge superadded. Order and method began in the songs of the Infant School which I visited likewise, and they were even in their dwarf99 degree to be found in the Nursery, where the Uncommercial walking-stick was carried off with acclamations, and where ‘the Doctor’ — a medical gentleman of two, who took his degree on the night when he was found at an apothecary’s door — did the honours of the establishment with great urbanity and gaiety.
These have long been excellent schools; long before the days of the Short-Time. I first saw them, twelve or fifteen years ago. But since the introduction of the Short-Time system it has been proved here that eighteen hours a week of book-learning are more profitable than thirty-six, and that the pupils are far quicker and brighter than of yore. The good influences of music on the whole body of children have likewise been surprisingly proved. Obviously another of the immense advantages of the Short-Time system to the cause of good education is the great diminution100 of its cost, and of the period of time over which it extends. The last is a most important consideration, as poor parents are always impatient to profit by their children’s labour.
It will be objected: Firstly, that this is all very well, but special local advantages and special selection of children must be necessary to such success. Secondly101, that this is all very well, but must be very expensive. Thirdly, that this is all very well, but we have no proof of the results, sir, no proof.
On the first head of local advantages and special selection. Would Limehouse Hole be picked out for the site of a Children’s Paradise? Or would the legitimate102 and illegitimate pauper4 children of the long-shore population of such a riverside district, be regarded as unusually favourable specimens103 to work with? Yet these schools are at Limehouse, and are the Pauper Schools of the Stepney Pauper union.
On the second head of expense. Would sixpence a week be considered a very large cost for the education of each pupil, including all salaries of teachers and rations9 of teachers? But supposing the cost were not sixpence a week, not fivepence? it is FOURPENCE-HALFPENNY.
On the third head of no proof, sir, no proof. Is there any proof in the facts that Pupil Teachers more in number, and more highly qualified104, have been produced here under the Short-Time system than under the Long-Time system? That the Short-Timers, in a writing competition, beat the Long-Timers of a first-class National School? That the sailor-boys are in such demand for merchant ships, that whereas, before they were trained, 10L. premium105 used to be given with each boy — too often to some greedy brute106 of a drunken skipper, who disappeared before the term of apprenticeship107 was out, if the ill-used boy didn’t — captains of the best character now take these boys more than willingly, with no premium at all? That they are also much esteemed108 in the Royal Navy, which they prefer, ‘because everything is so neat and clean and orderly’? Or, is there any proof in Naval captains writing ‘Your little fellows are all that I can desire’? Or, is there any proof in such testimony109 as this: ‘The owner of a vessel110 called at the school, and said that as his ship was going down Channel on her last voyage, with one of the boys from the school on board, the pilot said, “It would be as well if the royal were lowered; I wish it were down.” Without waiting for any orders, and unobserved by the pilot, the lad, whom they had taken on board from the school, instantly mounted the mast and lowered the royal, and at the next glance of the pilot to the masthead, he perceived that the sail had been let down. He exclaimed, “Who’s done that job?” The owner, who was on board, said, “That was the little fellow whom I put on board two days ago.” The pilot immediately said, “Why, where could he have been brought up?” The boy had never seen the sea or been on a real ship before’? Or, is there any proof in these boys being in greater demand for Regimental Bands than the union can meet? Or, in ninety-eight of them having gone into Regimental Bands in three years? Or, in twelve of them being in the band of one regiment111? Or, in the colonel of that regiment writing, ‘We want six more boys; they are excellent lads’? Or, in one of the boys having risen to be band-corporal in the same regiment? Or, in employers of all kinds chorusing, ‘Give us drilled boys, for they are prompt, obedient, and punctual’? Other proofs I have myself beheld112 with these Uncommercial eyes, though I do not regard myself as having a right to relate in what social positions they have seen respected men and women who were once pauper children of the Stepney union.
Into what admirable soldiers others of these boys have the capabilities113 for being turned, I need not point out. Many of them are always ambitious of military service; and once upon a time when an old boy came back to see the old place, a cavalry114 soldier all complete, WITH HIS SPURS ON, such a yearning115 broke out to get into cavalry regiments116 and wear those sublime117 appendages118, that it was one of the greatest excitements ever known in the school. The girls make excellent domestic servants, and at certain periods come back, a score or two at a time, to see the old building, and to take tea with the old teachers, and to hear the old band, and to see the old ship with her masts towering up above the neighbouring roofs and chimneys. As to the physical health of these schools, it is so exceptionally remarkable (simply because the sanitary119 regulations are as good as the other educational arrangements), that when Mr. TUFNELL, the Inspector120, first stated it in a report, he was supposed, in spite of his high character, to have been betrayed into some extraordinary mistake or exaggeration. In the moral health of these schools — where corporal punishment is unknown — Truthfulness121 stands high. When the ship was first erected122, the boys were forbidden to go aloft, until the nets, which are now always there, were stretched as a precaution against accidents. Certain boys, in their eagerness, disobeyed the injunction, got out of window in the early daylight, and climbed to the masthead. One boy unfortunately fell, and was killed. There was no clue to the others; but all the boys were assembled, and the chairman of the Board addressed them. ‘I promise nothing; you see what a dreadful thing has happened; you know what a grave offence it is that has led to such a consequence; I cannot say what will be done with the offenders123; but, boys, you have been trained here, above all things, to respect the truth. I want the truth. Who are the delinquents124?’ Instantly, the whole number of boys concerned, separated from the rest, and stood out.
Now, the head and heart of that gentleman (it is needless to say, a good head and a good heart) have been deeply interested in these schools for many years, and are so still; and the establishment is very fortunate in a most admirable master, and moreover the schools of the Stepney union cannot have got to be what they are, without the Stepney Board of Guardians125 having been earnest and humane126 men strongly imbued127 with a sense of their responsibility. But what one set of men can do in this wise, another set of men can do; and this is a noble example to all other Bodies and unions, and a noble example to the State. Followed, and enlarged upon by its enforcement on bad parents, it would clear London streets of the most terrible objects they smite128 the sight with — myriads129 of little children who awfully130 reverse Our Saviour’s words, and are not of the Kingdom of Heaven, but of the Kingdom of Hell.
Clear the public streets of such shame, and the public conscience of such reproach? Ah! Almost prophetic, surely, the child’s jingle131:
When will that be, Say the bells of Step-ney!
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1
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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paupers
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| n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 )；贫民；贫穷 | |
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pauper
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| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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construe
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| v.翻译，解释 | |
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vacancy
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conspired
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| 密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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twitches
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rendering
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malicious
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distresses
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| n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 )；痛苦；贫困；危险 | |
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indefatigable
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comported
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misgiving
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vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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premises
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forth
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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emulation
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| n.竞争；仿效 | |
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attained
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attentively
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disported
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| v.嬉戏，玩乐，自娱( disport的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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42
mimic
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| v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人 | |
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43
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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44
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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45
shrouds
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| n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密 | |
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46
outstripping
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| v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的现在分词 ) | |
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47
implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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48
earring
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| n.耳环，耳饰 | |
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49
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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50
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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51
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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52
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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53
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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54
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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55
unintelligibility
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| 不可懂度，不清晰性 | |
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56
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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57
broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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58
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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59
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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60
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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61
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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62
impute
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| v.归咎于 | |
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63
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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64
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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65
abeam
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| adj.正横着(的) | |
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66
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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67
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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68
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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69
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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70
brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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71
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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72
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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74
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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75
proficiency
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| n.精通，熟练，精练 | |
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76
corporate
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| adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的 | |
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77
vocally
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| adv. 用声音, 用口头, 藉著声音 | |
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78
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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79
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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80
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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81
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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82
discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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83
reticence
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| n.沉默，含蓄 | |
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84
deduct
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| vt.扣除，减去 | |
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85
corporeal
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| adj.肉体的，身体的；物质的 | |
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86
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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87
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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88
quenches
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| 解（渴）( quench的第三人称单数 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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89
bristles
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| 短而硬的毛发，刷子毛( bristle的名词复数 ) | |
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90
cymbals
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| pl.铙钹 | |
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91
falteringly
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| 口吃地，支吾地 | |
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92
pitfall
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| n.隐患，易犯的错误；陷阱，圈套 | |
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93
amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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94
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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95
geniality
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| n.和蔼，诚恳；愉快 | |
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96
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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97
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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98
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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99
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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100
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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101
secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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102
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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103
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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104
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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105
premium
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| n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的 | |
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106
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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107
apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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108
esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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109
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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110
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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111
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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112
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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113
capabilities
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| n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力 | |
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114
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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115
yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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116
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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117
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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118
appendages
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| n.附属物( appendage的名词复数 )；依附的人；附属器官；附属肢体（如臂、腿、尾等） | |
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119
sanitary
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| adj.卫生方面的，卫生的，清洁的，卫生的 | |
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120
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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121
truthfulness
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| n. 符合实际 | |
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122
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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123
offenders
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| n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物） | |
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124
delinquents
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| n.（尤指青少年）有过失的人，违法的人( delinquent的名词复数 ) | |
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125
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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126
humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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127
imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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128
smite
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| v.重击；彻底击败；n.打；尝试；一点儿 | |
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129
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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130
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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131
jingle
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| n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵 | |
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