For George Roden was admitted to the house even though it was at last acknowledged that he must be George Roden, and nothing more. And it was found also that he must be a Post Office clerk, and nothing more. Lord Persiflage3, on whom Lady Kingsbury chiefly depended for seeing that her own darlings should not be disgraced by being made brothers-in-law to anything so low as a clerk in the Post Office, was angry at last, and declared that it was impossible to help a man who would not help himself. "It is no use trying to pick a man up who will lie in the gutter4." It was thus he spoke5 of Roden in his anger; and then the Marchioness would wring6 her hands and abuse her stepdaughter. Lord Persiflage did think that something might be done for the young man if the young man would only allow himself to be called a Duke. But the young man would not allow it, and Lord Persiflage did not see what could be done. Nevertheless there was a general idea abroad in the world that something would be done. Even the mysterious savour of high rank which attached itself to the young man would do something for him.
It may be remembered that the Marquis himself, when first the fact had come to his ears that his daughter loved the young man, had been almost as ferociously7 angry as his wife. He had assented8 to the carrying of her away to the Saxon castle. He had frowned upon her. He had been a party to the expelling her from his own house. But gradually his heart had become softened9 towards her; in his illness he had repented10 of his harshness; he had not borne her continued absence easily, and had of late looked about for an excuse for accepting her lover. When the man was discovered to be a Duke, though it was only an Italian Duke, of course he accepted him. Now his wife told him daily that Roden was not a Duke, because he would not accept his Dukedom,—and ought therefore again to be rejected. Lord Persiflage had declared that nothing could be done for him, and therefore he ought to be rejected. But the Marquis clung to his daughter. As the man was absolutely a Duke, according to the laws of all the Heralds11, and all the Courts, and all the tables of precedency and usages of peerage in Christendom, he could not de-grade himself even by any motion of his own. He was the eldest12 and the legitimate13 son of the last Duca di Crinola,—so the Marquis said,—and as such was a fitting aspirant14 for the hand of the daughter of an English peer. "But he hasn't got a shilling," said Lady Kingsbury weeping. The Marquis felt that it was within his own power to produce some remedy for this evil, but he did not care to say as much to his wife, who was tender on that point in regard to the interest of her three darlings. Roden continued his visits to Park Lane very frequently all through the summer, and had already arranged for an autumn visit to Castle Hautboy,—in spite of that angry word spoken by Lord Persiflage. Everybody knew he was to marry Lady Frances. But when the season was over, and all the world had flitted from London, nothing was settled.
Lady Kingsbury was of course very unhappy during all this time; but there was a source of misery15 deeper, more pressing, more crushing than even the Post Office clerk. Mr. Greenwood, the late chaplain, had, during his last interview with the Marquis, expressed some noble sentiments. He would betray nothing that had been said to him in confidence. He would do nothing that could annoy the Marchioness, because the Marchioness was a lady, and as such, entitled to all courtesy from him as a gentleman. There were grounds no doubt on which he could found a claim, but he would not insist on them, as his doing so would be distasteful to her ladyship. He felt that he was being ill-treated, almost robbed; but he would put up with that rather than say a word which would come against his own conscience as a gentleman. With these high assurances he took his leave of the Marquis as though he intended to put up with the beggarly stipend16 of ￡200 a year which the Marquis had promised him. Perhaps that had been his intention;—but before two days were over he had remembered that though it might be base to tell her ladyship's secrets, the penny-post was still open to him.
It certainly was the case that Lady Kingsbury had spoken to him with strong hopes of the death of the heir to the title. Mr. Greenwood, in discussing the matter with himself, went beyond that, and declared to himself that she had done so with expectation as well as hope. Fearful words had been said. So he assured himself. He thanked his God that nothing had come of it. Only for him something,—he assured himself,—would have come of it. The whisperings in that up-stairs sitting-room17 at Trafford had been dreadful. He had divulged18 nothing. He had held his tongue,—like a gentleman. But ought he not to be paid for holding his tongue? There are so many who act honestly from noble motives19, and then feel that their honesty should be rewarded by all those gains which dishonesty might have procured20 for them! About a fortnight after the visit which Mr. Greenwood made to the Marquis he did write a letter to the Marchioness. "I am not anxious," he said, "to do more than remind your ladyship of those peculiarly confidential21 discussions which took place between yourself and me at Trafford during the last winter; but I think you will acknowledge that they were of a nature to make me feel that I should not be discarded like an old glove. If you would tell his lordship that something should be done for me, something would be done." Her ladyship when she received this was very much frightened. She remembered the expressions she had allowed herself to use, and did say a hesitating, halting word to her husband, suggesting that Mr. Greenwood's pension should be increased. The Marquis turned upon her in anger. "Did you ever promise him anything?" he asked. No;—she had promised him nothing. "I am giving him more than he deserves, and will do no more," said the Marquis. There was something in his voice which forbade her to speak another word.
Mr. Greenwood's letter having remained for ten days without an answer, there came another. "I cannot but think that you will acknowledge my right to expect an answer," he said, "considering the many years through which I have enjoyed the privilege of your ladyship's friendship, and the very confidential terms on which we have been used to discuss matters of the highest interest to us both." The "matters" had no doubt been the probability of the accession to the title of her own son through the demise22 of his elder brother! She understood now all her own folly23, and something of her own wickedness. To this second appeal she wrote a short answer, having laid awake over it one entire night.
Dear Mr. Greenwood—I have spoken to the Marquis, and he will do nothing.
Yours truly,
C. Kingsbury.
This she did without saying a word to her husband.
Then, after the interval24 of a few days, there came a third letter.
My dear Lady Kingsbury,—
I cannot allow myself to think that this should be the end of it all, after so many years of social intimacy25 and confidential intercourse26. Can you yourself imagine the condition of a gentleman of my age reduced after a life of ease and comfort to exist on a miserable27 pension of ￡200 a year? It simply means death,—death! Have I not a right to expect something better after the devotion of a life?
Who has known as well as I the stumbling-blocks to your ladyship's ambition which have been found in the existences of Lord Hampstead and Lady Frances Trafford? I have sympathized with you no doubt,—partly because of their peculiarities28, partly from sincere affection for your ladyship. It cannot surely be that your ladyship should now treat me as an enemy because I could do no more than sympathize!
Dig I cannot. To beg I am ashamed. You will hardly wish that I should perish from want. I have not as yet been driven to open out my sad case to any one but yourself. Do not force me to it,—for the sake of those darling children for whose welfare I have ever been so anxious.
Believe me to be,
Your ladyship's most devoted29 and faithful friend,
Thomas Greenwood.
This epistle so frightened her that she began to consider how she might best collect together a sufficient sum of money to satisfy the man. She did succeed in sending him a note for ￡50. But this he was too wary30 to take. He returned it, saying that he could not, though steeped in poverty, accept chance eleemosynary aid. What he required.—and had he thought a right to ask,—was an increase to the fixed31 stipend allowed him. He must, he thought, again force himself upon the presence of the Marquis, and explain the nature of the demand more explicitly32.
Upon this Lady Kingsbury showed all the letters to her husband. "What does he mean by stumbling-blocks?" asked the Marquis in his wrath33. Then there was a scene which was sad enough. She had to confess that she had spoken very freely to the chaplain respecting her step-children. "Freely! What does freely mean? Do you want them out of the way?" What a question for a husband to have to ask his wife! But she had a door by which she could partly escape. It was not that she had wanted them out of the way, but that she had been so horrified34 by what she had thought to be their very improper35 ideas as to their own rank of life. Those marriages which they had intended had caused her to speak as she had done to the chaplain. When alone at Trafford she had no doubt opened her mind to the clergyman. She rested a great deal on the undoubted fact that Mr. Greenwood was a clergyman. Hampstead and Fanny had been stumbling-blocks to her ambition because she had desired to see them married properly into proper families. She probably thought that she was telling the truth as she said all this. It was at any rate accepted as truth, and she was condoned36. As to Hampstead, it was known by this time that that marriage could never take place; and as to Lady Frances, the Marchioness was driven, in her present misery, to confess, that as the Duca was in truth a Duca, his family must be held to be proper.
But the Marquis sent for Mr. Cumming, his London solicitor37, and put all the letters into his hand,—with such explanation as he thought necessary to give. Mr. Cumming at first recommended that the pension should be altogether stopped; but to this the Marquis did not consent. "It would not suit me that he should starve," said the Marquis. "But if he continues to write to her ladyship something must be done."
"Threatening letters to extort38 money!" said the lawyer confidently. "I can have him before a magistrate39 to-morrow, my lord, if it be thought well." It was, however, felt to be expedient40 that Mr. Cumming should in the first case send for Mr. Greenwood, and explain to that gentleman the nature of the law.
Mr. Cumming no doubt felt himself that it would be well that Mr. Greenwood should not starve, and well also that application should not be made to the magistrate, unless as a last resort. He, too, asked himself what was meant by "stumbling-blocks." Mr. Greenwood was a greedy rascal41, descending42 to the lowest depth of villany with the view of making money out of the fears of a silly woman. But the silly woman, the lawyer thought, must have been almost worse than silly. It seemed natural to Mr. Cumming that a stepmother should be anxious for the worldly welfare of her own children;—not unnatural43, perhaps, that she should be so anxious as to have a feeling at her heart amounting almost to a wish that "chance" should remove the obstacle. Chance, as Mr. Cumming was aware, could in such a case mean only—death. Mr. Cumming, when he put this in plain terms to himself, felt it to be very horrid44; but there might be a doubt whether such a feeling would be criminal, if backed up by no deed and expressed by no word. But here it seemed that words had been spoken. Mr. Greenwood had probably invented that particular phrase, but would hardly have invented it unless something had been said to justify45 it. It was his business, however, to crush Mr. Greenwood, and not to expose her ladyship. He wrote a very civil note to Mr. Greenwood. Would Mr. Greenwood do him the kindness to call in Bedford Row at such or such an hour,—or indeed at any other hour that might suit him. Mr. Greenwood thinking much of it, and resolving in his mind that any increase to his pension might probably be made through Mr. Cumming, did as he was bid, and waited upon the lawyer.
Mr. Cumming, when the clergyman was shown in, was seated with the letters before him,—the various letters which Mr. Greenwood had written to Lady Kingsbury,—folded out one over another, so that the visitor's eye might see them and feel their presence; but he did not intend to use them unless of necessity. "Mr. Greenwood," he said, "I learn that you are discontented with the amount of a retiring allowance which the Marquis of Kingsbury has made you on leaving his service."
"I am, Mr. Cumming; certainly I am.—￡200 a year is not—"
"Let us call it ￡300, Mr. Greenwood."
"Well, yes; Lord Hampstead did say something—"
"And has paid something. Let us call it ￡300. Not that the amount matters. The Marquis and Lord Hampstead are determined46 not to increase it."
"Determined!"
"Quite determined that under no circumstances will they increase it. They may find it necessary to stop it."
"Is this a threat?"
"Certainly it is a threat,—as far as it goes. There is another threat which I may have to make for the sake of coercing47 you; but I do not wish to use it if I can do without it."
"Her ladyship knows that I am ill-treated in this matter. She sent me ￡50 and I returned it. It was not in that way that I wished to be paid for my services."
"It was well for you that you did. But for that I could not certainly have asked you to come and see me here."
"You could not?"
"No;—I could not. You will probably understand what I mean." Here Mr. Cumming laid his hands upon the letters, but made no other allusion48 to them. "A very few words more will, I think, settle all that there is to be arranged between us. The Marquis, from certain reasons of humanity,—with which I for one hardly sympathize in this case,—is most unwilling49 to stop, or even to lessen50, the ample pension which is paid to you."
"Ample;—after a whole lifetime!"
"But he will do so if you write any further letters to any member of his family."
"That is tyranny, Mr. Cumming."
"Very well. Then is the Marquis a tyrant51. But he will go further than that in his tyranny. If it be necessary to defend either himself or any of his family from further annoyance52, he will do so by criminal proceedings53. You are probably aware that the doing this would be very disagreeable to the Marquis. Undoubtedly54 it would. To such a man as Lord Kingsbury it is a great trouble to have his own name, or worse, that of others of his family, brought into a Police Court. But, if necessary, it will be done. I do not ask you for any assurance, Mr. Greenwood, because it may be well that you should take a little time to think of it. But unless you are willing to lose your income, and to be taken before a police magistrate for endeavouring to extort money by threatening letters, you had better hold your hand."
"I have never threatened."
"Good morning, Mr. Greenwood."
"Mr. Cumming, I have threatened no one."
"Good morning, Mr. Greenwood." Then the discarded chaplain took his leave, failing to find the words with which he could satisfactorily express his sense of the injury which had been done him.
Before that day was over he had made up his mind to take his ￡300 a year and be silent. The Marquis, he now found, was not so infirm as he had thought, nor the Marchioness quite so full of fears. He must give it up, and take his pittance55. But in doing so he continued to assure himself that he was greatly injured, and did not cease to accuse Lord Kingsbury of sordid56 parsimony57 in refusing to reward adequately one whose services to the family had been so faithful and long-enduring.
It may, however, be understood that in the midst of troubles such as these Lady Kingsbury did not pass a pleasant summer.
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1
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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2
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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persiflage
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| n.戏弄；挖苦 | |
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gutter
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| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
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5
spoke
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| 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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6
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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7
ferociously
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| 野蛮地，残忍地 | |
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8
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
heralds
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| n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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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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14
aspirant
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| n.热望者；adj.渴望的 | |
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15
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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stipend
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| n.薪贴；奖学金；养老金 | |
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17
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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18
divulged
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| v.吐露，泄露( divulge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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20
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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21
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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22
demise
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| n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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24
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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25
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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26
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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27
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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28
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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29
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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30
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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31
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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32
explicitly
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| ad.明确地，显然地 | |
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33
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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34
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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35
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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36
condoned
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| v.容忍，宽恕，原谅( condone的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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38
extort
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| v.勒索，敲诈，强要 | |
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39
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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40
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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41
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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42
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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43
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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44
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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45
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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46
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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47
coercing
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| v.迫使做( coerce的现在分词 )；强迫；（以武力、惩罚、威胁等手段）控制；支配 | |
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48
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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49
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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50
lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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51
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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52
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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53
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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54
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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55
pittance
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| n.微薄的薪水，少量 | |
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56
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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57
parsimony
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| n.过度节俭，吝啬 | |
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