I could hear the noisy clamor among the negroes over the advent1 of Tulp, whom I had sent off, desiring to be alone, while I still stood irresolute2 on the porch. My hand was on the familiar, well-worn latch3, yet I almost hesitated to enter, so excited was I with eager anticipations4 of welcome.
The spacious5 hall--our sitting-room--was deserted6. A fire was blazing on the hearth7, and plates were laid on the oak table as in preparation for a meal, but there was no one to speak to me. I lighted a candle, and opened the door to the kitchen; here too there was a fire, but my aunt was not visible. Mr. Stewart's room to the right of the hall, and mine to the left, were alike unoccupied. I threw aside my hat and watch-coat here, and then with the light went up-stairs, whistling as was my wont8 to warn Daisy of my coming. There was no sound or sign of movement. The door of her outer room stood open, and I entered and looked about.
The furniture and appointments had been changed in position somewhat, so that the chamber9 seemed strange to me. There were numerous novel objects scattered10 through the rooms as well. A Spanish guitar which I had never seen before stood beside the old piano. There were several elegantly bound books, new to me, on the table; on the mantel-shelf were three miniatures, delicately painted, depicting11 a florid officer in scarlet12, a handsome, proud-looking lady with towering powdered coiffure, and a fair-haired, proud-looking youth. This last I knew in an instant to be the likeness14 of Master Philip Cross, though it seemingly portrayed15 him at an age half-way between the two times I had seen him as boy and man. His resemblance to the lady, and then my own recurring16 recollection of the officer's features, helped me to place them as his parents.
I called out "Daisy!" My voice had a faltering17, mournful sound, and there was no answer.
I came down the stairs again, burdened with a sudden sense of mental discomfort18. Already the visions I had had of an enthusiastic welcome were but vague outlines of dreams. There had sprung up in my mind instead a sudden, novel doubt of my position in this house--a cruel idea that perhaps the affection which had so swelled19 and buoyed20 my heart was not reciprocated21. I put this notion away as foolish and baseless, but all the same the silent hall-room down-stairs seemed now larger and colder, and the flames curled and writhed22 toward the flue with a chill, metallic23 aspect, instead of the bright, honest glow of greeting.
While I stood before the fire-place, still holding the candle in my hand, my aunt entered the room from the kitchen door. At sight of me the good soul gave a guttural exclamation24, dropped flat an apronful of chips she was bringing in, and stared at me open-mouthed. When she was at last persuaded that I was in proper person and not the spirit, she submitted to be kissed by me--it was not a fervent25 proceeding26, I am bound to add--but it was evident the shock had sent her wits wool-gathering. Her hands were a bright brown from the butternut dye, and the pungent27, acrid28 odor she brought in with her garments made unnecessary her halting explanation that she had been out in the smoke-house.
"Philip sent down two haunches yesterday by Marinus Folts," she said, apologetically, "and this muggy29 weather I was afraid they wouldn't keep."
"This is the Dutch conception of a welcome after five months!" I could not help thinking to myself, uncharitably forgetting for the moment my aunt's infirmities. Aloud I said:
"How are they all--Mr. Stewart and Daisy? And where are they? And how have the farms been doing?"
"Well," answered Dame30 Kronk, upon reflection, "I maintain that the wool is the worst we ever clipped. Was the shearing31 after you went? Yes, of course it was. Well, how I'm going to get out enough fine for the stockings alone, is more than I can see. It's downright poor."
"But Mr. Stewart and Daisy--are they well? Where are they?"
"But the niggers have gathered five times as much ginseng as they ever did before. The pigs are fattening32 fit to eat alive. Eli's been drunk some, bur his girls are really a good deal of help. There are going to be more elder-berries this fall than you can shake a stick at; they're just breaking the branches. And the--"
"Oh, aunt," I broke in, "do tell me! Are Daisy and Mr. Stewart well?"
"Why, of course they are," she answered; "that is, they were when they left here a week come Thursday. And Marinus Folts didn't say anything to the contrary yesterday. Why shouldn't they be well? They don't do anything but gad33 about, these days. Daisy hasn't done a stitch of work all summer but knit a couple of comforters--and the time she's been about it! When I was her age I could have knit the whole side of a house in less time. One of them is for you."
Dear girl, I had wronged her, then. She had been thinking of me--working for me. My heart felt lighter34.
"But where are they?" I repeated.
"Oh, where are they? Up at Sir William's new summer-house that he's just built. I don't know just where it is, but it's fourteen miles from the Hall, up somewhere on the Sacondaga Vlaie, where two creeks35 join. He's made a corduroy road out to it, and he's painted it white and green, and he's been having a sort of fandango out there--a house-warming, I take it. Marinus Folts says he never saw so much drinking in his born days. He'd had his full share himself, I should judge. They're coming back to-night."
I sat down at this, and stared into the fire. It was not just the home-coming which I had looked forward to, but it would be all right when they returned Ah, but would it? Yes, I forced myself to believe so, and began to find comfort of mind again.
My aunt picked up the chips and dumped them into the wood-box. Then she came over and stood for a long time looking at me. Once she said: "I'm going to get supper for them when they get back. Can you wait till then, or shall I cook you something now?" Upon my thanking her and saying I would wait, she relapsed into silence, but still keeping her eyes on me. I was growing nervous under this phlegmatic36 inspection37, and idly investing it with some occult and sinister38 significance, when she broke out with:
"Oh, I know what it was I wanted to ask you. Is it really true that the trappers and men in the woods out there eat the hind-quarters of frogs and toads39?"
This was the sum of my relative's interest in my voyage. When I had answered her, she gathered up my luggage and bundles and took them off to the kitchen, there to be overhauled40, washed, and mended.
I got into my slippers41 and a loose coat, lighted a pipe, and settled myself in front of the fire to wait. Tulp came over, grinning with delight at being among his own once more, to see if I wanted anything. I sent him off, rather irritably42 I fear, but I couldn't bear the contrast which his jocose43 bearing enforced on my moody44 mind, between my reception and his. This slave of mine had kin13 and friends who rushed to fall upon his neck, and made the night echoes ring again with their shouts of welcome. I could hear that old Eli had got down his fiddle45, and between the faint squeaking46 strains I could distinguish choruses of happy guffaws47 and bursts of child-like merriment. Tulp's return caused joy, while mine----
Then I grew vexed48 at my peevish49 injustice50 in complaining because my dear ones, not being gifted with second-sight, had failed to exactly anticipate my coming; and in blaming my poor aunt for behaving just as the dear old slow-witted creature had always behaved since she was stricken with small-pox, twenty years before. Yet this course of candid51 self-reproach upon which I entered brought me small relief. I was unhappy, and whether it was my own fault or that of somebody else did not at all help the matter. And I had thought to be so exaltedly52 happy, on this of all the nights of my life!
At length I heard the sound of hoofs53 clattering54 down the road, and of voices lifted in laughing converse55. Eli's fiddle ceased its droning, and on going to the window I saw lanterns scudding56 along to the gate from the slaves' cabins, like fireflies in a gale57. I opened the window softly, enough to hear. Not much was to be seen, for the night had set in dark; but there were evidently a number of horsemen outside the gate, and, judging from the noise, all were talking together. The bulk of the party, I understood at once, were going on down the river road, to make a night of it at Sir John's bachelor quarters in old Fort Johnson, or at one of the houses of his two brothers-in-law. I was relieved to hear these roisterers severally decline the invitations to enter the Cedars58 for a time, and presently out of the gloom became distinguishable the forms of the two for whom I had been waiting. Both were muffled59 to the eyes, for the air had turned cold, but it seemed as if I should have recognized them in any disguise.
I heard Tulp and Eli jointly60 shouting out the news of my arrival--for which premature61 disclosure I could have knocked their woolly heads together--but it seemed that the tidings had reached them before. In fact, they had met Mr. Cross and Enoch on the road down from Johnstown, as I learned afterward62.
All my doubts vanished in the warm effusion of their welcome to me, as sincere and honest as it was affectionate. I had pictured it to myself almost aright. Mr. Stewart did come to me with outstretched arms, and wring63 my hands, and pat my shoulder, and well-nigh weep for joy at seeing me returned, safe and hale. Daisy did not indeed throw herself upon my breast, but she ran to me and took my hands, and lifted her face to be kissed with a smile of pleasure in which there was no reservation.
And it was a merry supper-table around which we sat, too, half an hour later, and gossiped gayly, while the wind rose outside, and the sparks flew the swifter and higher for it. There was so much to tell on both sides.
Somehow, doubtless because of my slowness of tongue, my side did not seem very big compared with theirs. One day had been very much like another with me, and, besides, the scenes through which I had passed did not possess the novelty for these frontier folk that they would have for people nowadays.
But their budget of news was fairly prodigious64, alike in range and quantity. The cream of this, so to speak, had been taken off by hospitable65 Jelles Fonda at Caughnawaga, yet still a portentous66 substance remained. Some of my friends were dead, others were married. George Klock was in fresh trouble through his evil tricks with the Indians. A young half-breed had come down from the Seneca nation and claimed John Abeel as his father. Daniel Claus had set up a pack of hounds, equal in breed to Sir William's. It was really true that Sir John was to marry Miss Polly Watts67 of New York, and soon too. Walter Butler had been crossed in love, and was very melancholy68 and moody, so much so that he had refused to join the house-warming party at the new summer-house on Sacondaga Vlaie, which Sir William had christened Mount Joy Pleasure Hall--an ambitious enough name, surely, for a forest fishing-cottage.
Naturally a great deal was told me concerning this festival from which they had just returned. It seems that Lady Berenicia Cross and Daisy were the only ladies there. They were given one of the two sleeping-rooms, while Sir William and Mr. Stewart shared the other. The younger men had ridden over to Fish House each night, returning next day. Without its being said in so many words, I could see that the drinking and carousing69 there had disturbed and displeased70 Daisy. There had even, I fancied, been a dispute on this subject between her and our guardian71, for he was at pains several times to insist upon telling me incidents which it was plain she desired left unmentioned, and to rather pointedly72 yet good-humoredly laugh at her as a little puritan, who did not realize that young gentlemen had their own particular ways, as proper and natural to them as were other habits and ways to young foxes or fishes. Her manner said clearly enough that she did not like these ways, but he pleasantly joked her down.
I noted73 some slight changes in Mr. Stewart, which gave me a sense of uneasiness. He seemed paler than before, and there were darker pits under his prominent, bright eyes. He had been visibly exhausted74 on entering the house, but revived his strength and spirits under the influence of the food and wine. But the spirits struck, somehow, a false note on my ear. They seemed not to come from a natural and wholesome75 fund, as of old, but to have a ring of artificiality in them. I could not help thinking, as I looked at him, of the aged76 French noblemen we read about, who, at an age and an hour which ought to have found them nightcapped and asleep, nourishing their waning77 vitality78, were dancing attendance in ladies' boudoirs, painted, rouged79, padded, and wigged80, aping the youth they had parted with so long ago. Of course, the comparison was ridiculous, but still it suggested itself, and, once framed in my mind, clung there.
It dawned upon me after a time that it was contact with that Lady Berenicia which had wrought81 this change in him, or, rather, had brought forth82 in his old age a development of his early associations, that, but for her, would to the end have lain hidden, unsuspected, under the manly83 cover of his simple middle life.
If there were alterations84 of a similar sort in Daisy, I could not see them this night. I had regard only for the beauty of the fire-glow on her fair cheek, for the sweet, maidenly85 light in her hazel eyes, for the soft smile which melted over her face when she looked upon me. If she was quieter and more reserved in her manner than of old, doubtless the same was true of me, for I did not notice it.
I had learned at Fonda's that young Philip Cross was cutting a great swath, socially, in the Valley, and that he was building a grand mansion86, fully87 as large as Johnson Hall, nearly at the summit of the eminence88 which crowned his patent. Major Fonda was, indeed, contracting to furnish the bricks for what he called the "shimlies," and the house was, by all accounts, to be a wonderful affair. I heard much more about it, in detail, this evening, chiefly from Mr. Stewart. Nay89, I might say entirely90, for Daisy never once mentioned Philip's name if it could be avoided. Mr. Stewart was evidently much captivated by the young man's spirit and social qualities and demeanor91 generally.
"He is his father's own boy, ay, and his mother's too," said the old man, with sparkling eyes. "Not much for books, perhaps, though no dullard. But he can break a wild colt, or turn a bottle inside out, or bore a pencilled hole with a pistol-bullet at thirty paces, or tell a story, or sing a song, or ride, dance, box, cross swords, with any gentleman in the Colony. You should have seen him stand Walrath the blacksmith on his head at the races a fortnight ago! I never saw it better done in the Tweed country."
"A highly accomplished92 gentleman, truly," I said, with as little obvious satire93 as possible.
"Ah, but he has mind as well as muscle," put in Mr. Stewart. "He is a very Bolingbroke with the ladies. It carries me back to my days at the play, I swear, to hear him and Lady Berenicia clashing rapiers in badinage94. You shall hear them, my boy, and judge. And there's a sweet side to his tongue, too, or many a pretty, blushing cheek belies95 the little ear behind it."
The old gentleman chuckled96 amiably97 to himself as he spoke98, and poured more Madeira into my glass and his. Daisy somewhat hurriedly rose, bade us "good-night," and left us to ourselves.
Oh, if I had only spoken the word that night!
点击收听单词发音
1 advent | |
n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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2 irresolute | |
adj.无决断的,优柔寡断的,踌躇不定的 | |
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3 latch | |
n.门闩,窗闩;弹簧锁 | |
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4 anticipations | |
预期( anticipation的名词复数 ); 预测; (信托财产收益的)预支; 预期的事物 | |
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5 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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6 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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7 hearth | |
n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面 | |
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8 wont | |
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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9 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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10 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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11 depicting | |
描绘,描画( depict的现在分词 ); 描述 | |
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12 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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13 kin | |
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的 | |
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14 likeness | |
n.相像,相似(之处) | |
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15 portrayed | |
v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 );描述;描绘;描画 | |
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16 recurring | |
adj.往复的,再次发生的 | |
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17 faltering | |
犹豫的,支吾的,蹒跚的 | |
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18 discomfort | |
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便 | |
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19 swelled | |
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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20 buoyed | |
v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 );支持;为…设浮标;振奋…的精神 | |
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21 reciprocated | |
v.报答,酬答( reciprocate的过去式和过去分词 );(机器的部件)直线往复运动 | |
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22 writhed | |
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23 metallic | |
adj.金属的;金属制的;含金属的;产金属的;像金属的 | |
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24 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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25 fervent | |
adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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26 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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27 pungent | |
adj.(气味、味道)刺激性的,辛辣的;尖锐的 | |
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28 acrid | |
adj.辛辣的,尖刻的,刻薄的 | |
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29 muggy | |
adj.闷热的;adv.(天气)闷热而潮湿地;n.(天气)闷热而潮湿 | |
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30 dame | |
n.女士 | |
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31 shearing | |
n.剪羊毛,剪取的羊毛v.剪羊毛( shear的现在分词 );切断;剪切 | |
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32 fattening | |
adj.(食物)要使人发胖的v.喂肥( fatten的现在分词 );养肥(牲畜);使(钱)增多;使(公司)升值 | |
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33 gad | |
n.闲逛;v.闲逛 | |
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34 lighter | |
n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级 | |
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35 creeks | |
n.小湾( creek的名词复数 );小港;小河;小溪 | |
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36 phlegmatic | |
adj.冷静的,冷淡的,冷漠的,无活力的 | |
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37 inspection | |
n.检查,审查,检阅 | |
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38 sinister | |
adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 | |
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39 toads | |
n.蟾蜍,癞蛤蟆( toad的名词复数 ) | |
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40 overhauled | |
v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 );大修;赶上;超越 | |
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41 slippers | |
n. 拖鞋 | |
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42 irritably | |
ad.易生气地 | |
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43 jocose | |
adj.开玩笑的,滑稽的 | |
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44 moody | |
adj.心情不稳的,易怒的,喜怒无常的 | |
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45 fiddle | |
n.小提琴;vi.拉提琴;不停拨弄,乱动 | |
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46 squeaking | |
v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 );吱吱叫;告密;充当告密者 | |
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47 guffaws | |
n.大笑,狂笑( guffaw的名词复数 )v.大笑,狂笑( guffaw的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48 vexed | |
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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49 peevish | |
adj.易怒的,坏脾气的 | |
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50 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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51 candid | |
adj.公正的,正直的;坦率的 | |
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52 exaltedly | |
得意忘形地 | |
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53 hoofs | |
n.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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54 clattering | |
发出咔哒声(clatter的现在分词形式) | |
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55 converse | |
vi.谈话,谈天,闲聊;adv.相反的,相反 | |
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56 scudding | |
n.刮面v.(尤指船、舰或云彩)笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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57 gale | |
n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
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58 cedars | |
雪松,西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 ) | |
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59 muffled | |
adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己) | |
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60 jointly | |
ad.联合地,共同地 | |
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61 premature | |
adj.比预期时间早的;不成熟的,仓促的 | |
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62 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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63 wring | |
n.扭绞;v.拧,绞出,扭 | |
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64 prodigious | |
adj.惊人的,奇妙的;异常的;巨大的;庞大的 | |
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65 hospitable | |
adj.好客的;宽容的;有利的,适宜的 | |
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66 portentous | |
adj.不祥的,可怕的,装腔作势的 | |
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67 watts | |
(电力计量单位)瓦,瓦特( watt的名词复数 ) | |
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68 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
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69 carousing | |
v.痛饮,闹饮欢宴( carouse的现在分词 ) | |
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70 displeased | |
a.不快的 | |
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71 guardian | |
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者 | |
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72 pointedly | |
adv.尖地,明显地 | |
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73 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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74 exhausted | |
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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75 wholesome | |
adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的 | |
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76 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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77 waning | |
adj.(月亮)渐亏的,逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 );(月)亏;变小;变暗淡 | |
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78 vitality | |
n.活力,生命力,效力 | |
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79 rouged | |
胭脂,口红( rouge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80 wigged | |
adj.戴假发的 | |
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81 wrought | |
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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82 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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83 manly | |
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地 | |
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84 alterations | |
n.改动( alteration的名词复数 );更改;变化;改变 | |
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85 maidenly | |
adj. 像处女的, 谨慎的, 稳静的 | |
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86 mansion | |
n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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87 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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88 eminence | |
n.卓越,显赫;高地,高处;名家 | |
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89 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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90 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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91 demeanor | |
n.行为;风度 | |
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92 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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93 satire | |
n.讽刺,讽刺文学,讽刺作品 | |
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94 badinage | |
n.开玩笑,打趣 | |
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95 belies | |
v.掩饰( belie的第三人称单数 );证明(或显示)…为虚假;辜负;就…扯谎 | |
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96 chuckled | |
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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97 amiably | |
adv.和蔼可亲地,亲切地 | |
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98 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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