DURING my stay in Montenegro, I had the honour of several private conversations with the Prince of that interesting country, and I was astonished at the amount of practical knowledge he possessed4, and the advanced views he entertained, with regard to commerce, administration, and 178 political economy. But he is cramped5 up in every way, Montenegro has no outlet6, and though his native mountains come so near to the Adriatic that a man could almost spring from them into the sea, still there is everywhere a narrow strip of land between them and that sea, which effectually excludes him from direct commercial or other intercourse7 with the rest of the world.
This strip of land, in some places only a few yards wide, belongs to Austria and forms part of the Province of Dalmatia. During the reign8 of Napoleon I. the Principality of Montenegro extended for a short period to the sea shore, and Cattaro was occupied by the Montenegrins till the 14th June, 1814, when it was most unjustly taken away from them again and incorporated with the Austrian Empire by the Congress of Vienna. An act of injustice9 all the more flagrant, that the Turkish territory was allowed to come down to the sea at the opening of the Gulf10 of Cattaro, dividing the territory of Ragusa from that of Cattaro, and thus affording the Mahommedan rulers of a Christian11 land advantages which are denied to the neighbouring Christian Principality. 179
But whilst I am admiring the scene before me and pondering over the wrongs and the resources of these interesting countries, I must not forget that the sun is every moment getting higher in the heavens, and that it is important to get on with our journey, in order to avoid being out on those arid12 rocks during the heat of the day.
Our caravan13 was now in motion again, but the road having almost ceased to exist, we had to proceed more cautiously, picking our way among loose stones and boulders14, sometimes following a sort of path, and sometimes climbing up the dried up water-courses of Winter torrents15. After another short interval16 of clambering, we reached a fountain where everyone considered it his duty to dismount and drink, as did also our cattle. When we had refreshed ourselves with copious17 draughts18 from that cool spring we again faced up the mountain, but this time on foot, as owing to the steepness and ruggedness20 of the rocks, it was not deemed advisable to attempt it on horseback.
Except climbing up the cone21 of Vesuvius, where one generally makes two steps in advance and three steps backwards22, I never met anything more trying 180 than some parts of this ascent23 into Tchernagora or the "Black Mountains," as the natives called this region, and which was rendered by the Venetians into "Montenegro," the name it retains to this day.
The sun was becoming extremely hot, and I should have found it considerably24 difficult to keep my place, but for the occasional assistance afforded me by the powerful hand and arm of my Prince of Mountaineers, Pero Pejovich, who whenever I came to some rugged19 impediment which seemed to tax my energies more than usual, would quickly, with one hand passed under my arms close below my shoulder, lift me bodily over it, with his broad good-humoured face beaming with smiles; and when I tell you, gentle reader, that I sometimes weigh more but never less than fourteen stone, I leave you to calculate the strength of my amiable25 giant.
We had now topped the worst of our ascent, and remounting our horses commenced a short descent to a little plain surrounded by steep, rugged, barren rocks seemingly the bed of some ancient dried up lake. At the further extremity26 of this little plain 181 could be seen half-a-dozen scattered27 houses forming the village of Niegosch, the birth-place of the Prince of Montenegro, as well as the cradle of his race, from which they take their patronimic of Petrovich Niegosch.
We rode up straight to the principal house where we were expected and received by a young Petrovich, a cousin of the Prince, a very handsome young fellow, with whom unfortunately I could only have conversation by the help of Pero Pejovich, who speaking Italian as well as Montenegrin, always proved himself a most valuable interpreter.
We made a very short stay here, as we wanted to reach Cettigne before the middle of the day; so having partaken of some excellent coffee, served up with toast and such clotted29 cream as I never before tasted out of Devonshire, and having admired the gorgeous arms which hung round young Petrovich's room, each of which had some story attached to it, all being trophies30 taken in battle from the Turks, we mounted our horses, and again plunging31 into a ravine recommenced the difficult ascent.
After a short but arduous32 climb, we at length 182 reached the top of the pass and the highest point between Cattaro and Cettigne. Here a wonderful panorama spread itself out before us—not beautiful, perhaps, but grand in its way. Right, left, and front, nothing could be seen but barren, grey mountain tops—except right in front of us, where at a short distance lay the valley of Cettigne, also apparently33 the bed of an ancient Alpine34 lake. Beyond that plain the bleak35 and rocky mountains closed in again; and beyond them, far in the hazy36 distance, shining in the noon-day sun, could be seen the glittering lake of Scutari, or more properly of Skodra, in Northern Albania.
A scene like this could scarcely be conceived, such a wilderness37 of rocks, such a picture of sterility38, had never met my eyes. Peak after peak, desolate39 and barren, rose in every direction, as far as the sight could reach; and as the point on which we stood must have been more than four thousand feet above the sea, the distance we could see in that bright clear atmosphere may be imagined.
The rocks of which those mountains are formed 183 looked ashy grey in the bright sunlight, except here and there in some of the ravines where a scanty40, scrubby vegetation, struggling for existence, offered a precarious41 subsistence to considerable flocks of small wild goats, herded42 by still wilder-looking children. These grey rocky masses, when it rains, become of a dark slate43 colour, nearly black, and hence arose the name of the country, Tchernagora.
To account for the presence of such immense quantities of stones in their country, the Montenegrins have a legend which says that after the Creator had made this earth, the Devil was permitted to go and scatter28 stones all over it. He carried the stones in a bag over his shoulder, but as he passed in his flight over their country, the bag suddenly burst, and thus a greater share of stones fell to their lot than they were fairly entitled to.
I don't know which was the most fatiguing44, the climb up to the top of the pass, or the scramble45 down; I think the latter, and if I did reach the bottom without a fall or a sprained46 ankle, I owe it all to my excellent fellow-traveller, Pero Pejovich, 184 who kept a sturdy hold of me all through, and saved me, I am sure, from many an ugly tumble.
At last we found ourselves in the little plain of Cettigne, and putting spurs to our small horses cantered over the turf till we reached the first houses of the straggling street which constitutes the capital of one of the most interesting countries in Europe.
The next travellers who visit Cettigne will find there good accommodation in a spacious47 hotel, which was all but completed before I left; but when I was there, nothing existed in the shape of an inn except a couple of very wretched khans, where it would have been difficult to get rest, owing to the activity of the insect population and the total absence of every accommodation. Thanks to the liberal hospitality of His Highness, I was provided, by his orders, with apartments in the ancient fortified48 palace of the Vladikas, or Prince-Bishops of Montenegro, to which I was conducted by one of His Highness's aide-de-camps, who had come to meet me. This gentleman had been educated in France, at the Military School of St. 185 Cyr, spoke49 French like a Parisian, and was most kind in never allowing me to want for anything. Guessing that I did not know a word of Slave, he had most thoughtfully appointed a man in the town, who could speak a few words of Italian, to attend me during my stay, and to provide me daily with food from a sort of very primitive50 restaurant in the place.
Having rested a couple of hours after eating an early dinner, according to the fashion of southern countries, I received a visit from Mr. Nico Matanovich, the gentleman alluded51 to above, and to whom I was indebted for the comfort with which I was installed, who in company with the Russian Consul52 (who was residing at the new Palace with the Prince), came to propose a walk about the place as soon as the sun should be somewhat nearer to the horizon. Having ordered up coffee, as is always expected in these countries, Mr. Nico Matanovich conveyed to me the agreeable information that His Highness would receive me the following day at eleven o'clock in the morning. In reply, I begged he would present my humble53 respects to His Highness, and my unbounded thanks for 186 the handsome manner in which I was treated.
The sun being now sufficiently54 low, we sallied forth55 to take a turn round the place, and see what was to be seen. But before I leave my quarters, let me try to give some idea of the Vladika's Palace, where I was lodged56. This quaint57 old building consists of a quadrangle of about a hundred and fifty paces[7] either way, surrounded by a very massive and high wall, pierced by two large roofed-in gateways59, one in front and one at the side, and having at each corner a round squat60 tower with a conical roof, reminding one somewhat of those that surround, at intervals61, the Kremlin at Moscow. Running midway from side to side, and dividing this enclosure into about two equal parts is the palace itself, which consists of two stories, the second of which is divided into a series of chambers62, each about sixteen feet square and ten feet high, all opening into each other, and communicating also at the back with a wide corridor which goes the whole length of the building. The windows, 187 of which there are two to each room, look into the front compartment63 of the quadrangle, while the windows of the corridor look on the back.
The entrance is by a hall door from which one ascends64 at once to the upper story, by means of a massive wooden staircase formed of solid beams of timber roughly hewn. The lower story has been turned partly into an arsenal65, principally filled with ancient weapons taken from the Turks, and partly into a Government school; the upper rooms are occupied at one end by the Archimandrite and some other officials—the rest are untenanted. In the centre of the front court-yard is a deep well of the most delicious water, and so cold that I used it to cool my wine and beer with nearly as much success as if I had been using snow. The back compartment was a kitchen-garden and orchard66.
Leaving the old Palace by the side gate which opens upon one of the two streets that constitute the town of Cettigne, we found ourselves opposite to the new Palace lately built by the Prince—the style of which I in no wise admire, though I do not doubt it is comfortable enough inside; but it has no character whatever, and looks insignificant67 188 when compared with the old Palace. If the money spent on building the new had been judiciously68 laid out in adding to the old, a truly fine Palace could have been erected69, with all the old characteristics preserved, which the eyes of the people, as well as of travellers, would have had an historical stamp as the abode70 of all the old Vladikas, those ancient Prince-Bishops—Bishops of the Church Militant—who for many years had valiantly71 defended their country, their liberty, and their faith against the unceasing attacks of the Infidels.
Opposite this gate, and just midway in the very broad street between the old and the new Palace, stands a large carob tree, with a stone bench of roughly hewn blocks round its trunk, and here in Summer from about nine o'clock every morning the Prince sits for some hours administering justice. I often watched him with the greatest interest from a window in the old Palace. It was like acting72 a chapter in the Old Testament—Deborah judging Israel under a palm tree, "between Ramah and Beth-el in Mount Ephraim!" Beyond the "Tree of Justice" one came to the new Palace, a homely73 structure, as I said before, and of no pretence74. 189 At the gate two sentries75 of the Prince's bodyguard76, in full Montenegrin costume, mount guard, and are constantly relieved every hour, their barracks being exactly opposite. The process of relieving guard is very simple—two privates walk out of the barracks with their long breechloaders over their shoulders "à volonté," and take their station on each side of the gateway58 of the Palace, while the other two walk back into barracks, and that is all.
We now turned our backs on the "Tree of Justice," and walked up the street, which is but short, until we came to the main street which crosses it at right angles. This main street is not paved, but is wide, and the houses on each side, though seemingly poor and wretched in the extreme in our eyes, are, most probably, comfortable enough in theirs; and as they do not even possess a word in their language to denote "comfort," what we would consider such, would, perhaps, be only considered by them an uneasy restraint.
Turning now to the right we walked to the end of the street, where is the new hotel with the post and telegraph office. The hotel, as I 190 previously77 said, was not yet opened, though the building was completed, and when supplied with beds, tables, and chairs will be a very creditable affair, incomparably better than any hotel in Dalmatia. Near the hotel, a little to the left, is another modern institution, evincing in no small degree the enlightened anxiety of the Prince for the advancement78 of his country. It is a Pensionnat de demoiselles for the education of the daughters of the better classes, both of Montenegro and the surrounding countries; it can accommodate forty pupils, and is superintended by a charming and highly accomplished79 Russian lady, assisted by efficient governesses. The charge being very small, only £20 per annum, it must be largely subsidized by His Highness.
Being vacation time, I had not the satisfaction of seeing any of the boarders, much to the regret of Mademoiselle Pakievitch, who kindly80 showed me all over the institution, which was admirably neat and clean. She was anxious that I should have heard some of the pupils speak English and French. "I think you would have been both pleased and surprised," said she. The majority 191 spoke Illyrian, Russian and German, while several were proficient81 in addition with both English and French, and one with Albanian also. The institution is under the special patronage82 of the Empress of Russia, who takes the greatest interest in it, and constantly sends presents to it.
Keeping now a little to the right, and following the path which leads to the town of Rieka, we soon came to the foot of the crags which on that side close in with an impassable barrier the little plain of Cettigne. We now turned sharp round and set our faces towards the town, as the lengthening83 shadows warned us that the sun was already setting behind the mountains which we had traversed in the morning. The smooth plain covered with short grass was delightful84 to walk over, though one had to be careful of one's steps owing to the many wells with which it is dotted for the purpose of getting water for the cattle, and which, quite level with the ground and without the semblance85 of a parapet, might have swallowed one up before one would have had time to see them.
Right before us, standing86 a little to the left and 192 just beyond the old palace, could be seen in the distance the ancient monastery87 which in old times used to be occupied by the Archimandrite, in the days when the Vladika used to inhabit the palace; but now that Church and State are separated, it is occupied by Monsignor Roganovitch, the Metropolitan88 of Montenegro.
Just above it, perched upon a rock and standing out in bold relief against the glowing sky, could be seen the old tower of Cettigne, an ancient piece of masonry89 which until three or four years ago used to be constantly decorated with the heads of Turks killed and decapitated in their several skirmishes and forays. This barbarous custom has now been abandoned, never to be resumed again it is to be hoped, and the present Prince, further to turn away the thoughts of the natives from the barbarous habit of their forefathers90, has caused a belfry to be erected on the top of the tower wherein is placed a large bell, which is only rung in cases of great alarm to gather the tribes. The bell is very heavy, and much ingenuity91 and labour were required to transport it on men's backs from Cattaro to Cettigne. 193
By the time we got back to the Palace it was dark, so wishing good night to my kind friends I made a frugal92 supper and went to bed.
点击收听单词发音
1 deprivation | |
n.匮乏;丧失;夺去,贫困 | |
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2 panorama | |
n.全景,全景画,全景摄影,全景照片[装置] | |
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3 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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4 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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5 cramped | |
a.狭窄的 | |
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6 outlet | |
n.出口/路;销路;批发商店;通风口;发泄 | |
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7 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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8 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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9 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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10 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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11 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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12 arid | |
adj.干旱的;(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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13 caravan | |
n.大蓬车;活动房屋 | |
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14 boulders | |
n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 );巨砾;(受水或天气侵蚀而成的)巨石;漂砾 | |
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15 torrents | |
n.倾注;奔流( torrent的名词复数 );急流;爆发;连续不断 | |
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16 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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17 copious | |
adj.丰富的,大量的 | |
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18 draughts | |
n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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19 rugged | |
adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的 | |
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20 ruggedness | |
险峻,粗野; 耐久性; 坚固性 | |
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21 cone | |
n.圆锥体,圆锥形东西,球果 | |
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22 backwards | |
adv.往回地,向原处,倒,相反,前后倒置地 | |
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23 ascent | |
n.(声望或地位)提高;上升,升高;登高 | |
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24 considerably | |
adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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25 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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26 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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27 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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28 scatter | |
vt.撒,驱散,散开;散布/播;vi.分散,消散 | |
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29 clotted | |
adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30 trophies | |
n.(为竞赛获胜者颁发的)奖品( trophy的名词复数 );奖杯;(尤指狩猎或战争中获得的)纪念品;(用于比赛或赛跑名称)奖 | |
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31 plunging | |
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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32 arduous | |
adj.艰苦的,费力的,陡峭的 | |
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33 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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34 alpine | |
adj.高山的;n.高山植物 | |
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35 bleak | |
adj.(天气)阴冷的;凄凉的;暗淡的 | |
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36 hazy | |
adj.有薄雾的,朦胧的;不肯定的,模糊的 | |
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37 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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38 sterility | |
n.不生育,不结果,贫瘠,消毒,无菌 | |
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39 desolate | |
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂 | |
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40 scanty | |
adj.缺乏的,仅有的,节省的,狭小的,不够的 | |
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41 precarious | |
adj.不安定的,靠不住的;根据不足的 | |
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42 herded | |
群集,纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 ); 放牧; (使)向…移动 | |
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43 slate | |
n.板岩,石板,石片,石板色,候选人名单;adj.暗蓝灰色的,含板岩的;vt.用石板覆盖,痛打,提名,预订 | |
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44 fatiguing | |
a.使人劳累的 | |
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45 scramble | |
v.爬行,攀爬,杂乱蔓延,碎片,片段,废料 | |
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46 sprained | |
v.&n. 扭伤 | |
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47 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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48 fortified | |
adj. 加强的 | |
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49 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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50 primitive | |
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物 | |
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51 alluded | |
提及,暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52 consul | |
n.领事;执政官 | |
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53 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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54 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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55 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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56 lodged | |
v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 );暂住;埋入;(权利、权威等)归属 | |
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57 quaint | |
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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58 gateway | |
n.大门口,出入口,途径,方法 | |
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59 gateways | |
n.网关( gateway的名词复数 );门径;方法;大门口 | |
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60 squat | |
v.蹲坐,蹲下;n.蹲下;adj.矮胖的,粗矮的 | |
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61 intervals | |
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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62 chambers | |
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅 | |
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63 compartment | |
n.卧车包房,隔间;分隔的空间 | |
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64 ascends | |
v.上升,攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 ) | |
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65 arsenal | |
n.兵工厂,军械库 | |
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66 orchard | |
n.果园,果园里的全部果树,(美俚)棒球场 | |
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67 insignificant | |
adj.无关紧要的,可忽略的,无意义的 | |
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68 judiciously | |
adv.明断地,明智而审慎地 | |
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69 ERECTED | |
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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70 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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71 valiantly | |
adv.勇敢地,英勇地;雄赳赳 | |
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72 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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73 homely | |
adj.家常的,简朴的;不漂亮的 | |
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74 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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75 sentries | |
哨兵,步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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76 bodyguard | |
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77 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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78 advancement | |
n.前进,促进,提升 | |
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79 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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80 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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81 proficient | |
adj.熟练的,精通的;n.能手,专家 | |
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82 patronage | |
n.赞助,支援,援助;光顾,捧场 | |
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83 lengthening | |
(时间或空间)延长,伸长( lengthen的现在分词 ); 加长 | |
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84 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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85 semblance | |
n.外貌,外表 | |
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86 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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87 monastery | |
n.修道院,僧院,寺院 | |
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88 metropolitan | |
adj.大城市的,大都会的 | |
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89 masonry | |
n.砖土建筑;砖石 | |
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90 forefathers | |
n.祖先,先人;祖先,祖宗( forefather的名词复数 );列祖列宗;前人 | |
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91 ingenuity | |
n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
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92 frugal | |
adj.节俭的,节约的,少量的,微量的 | |
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