Among the episodes of the Revolutionary War, none is stranger than that of Ethan Allen in England; the event and the man being equally uncommon2.
Allen seems to have been a curious combination of a Hercules, a Joe Miller3, a Bayard, and a Tom Hyer; had a person like the Belgian giants; mountain music in him like a Swiss; a heart plump as Coeur de Lion's. Though born in New England, he exhibited no trace of her character. He was frank, bluff4, companionable as a Pagan, convivial5, a Roman, hearty6 as a harvest. His spirit was essentially7 Western; and herein is his peculiar8 Americanism; for the Western spirit is, or will yet be (for no other is, or can be), the true American one.
For the most part, Allen's manner while in England was scornful and ferocious9 in the last degree; however, qualified10 by that wild, heroic sort of levity11, which in the hour of oppression or peril12 seems inseparable from a nature like his; the mode whereby such a temper best evinces its barbaric disdain13 of adversity, and how cheaply and waggishly14 it holds the malice15, even though triumphant16, of its foes17! Aside from that inevitable18 egotism relatively19 pertaining20 to pine trees, spires21, and giants, there were, perhaps, two special incidental reasons for the Titanic22 Vermonter's singular demeanor23 abroad. Taken captive while heading a forlorn hope before Montreal, he was treated with inexcusable cruelty and indignity24; something as if he had fallen into the hands of the Dyaks. Immediately upon his capture he would have been deliberately26 suffered to have been butchered by the Indian allies in cold blood on the spot, had he not, with desperate intrepidity27, availed himself of his enormous physical strength, by twitching28 a British officer to him, and using him for a living target, whirling him round and round against the murderous tomahawks of the savages29. Shortly afterwards, led into the town, fenced about by bayonets of the guard, the commander of the enemy, one Colonel McCloud, flourished his cane30 over the captive's head, with brutal31 insults promising32 him a rebel's halter at Tyburn. During his passage to England in the same ship wherein went passenger Colonel Guy Johnson, the implacable tory, he was kept heavily ironed in the hold, and in all ways treated as a common mutineer; or, it may be, rather as a lion of Asia; which, though caged, was still too dreadful to behold33 without fear and trembling, and consequent cruelty. And no wonder, at least for the fear; for on one occasion, when chained hand and foot, he was insulted on shipboard by an officer; with his teeth he twisted off the nail that went through the mortise of his handcuffs, and so, having his arms at liberty, challenged his insulter to combat. Often, as at Pendennis Castle, when no other avengement was at hand, he would hurl34 on his foes such howling tempests of anathema35 as fairly to shock them into retreat. Prompted by somewhat similar motives36, both on shipboard and in England, he would often make the most vociferous37 allusions38 to Ticonderoga, and the part he played in its capture, well knowing, that of all American names, Ticonderoga was, at that period, by far the most famous and galling39 to Englishmen.
Parlor-men, dancing-masters, the graduates of the Albe Bellgarde, may shrug40 their laced shoulders at the boisterousness41 of Allen in England. True, he stood upon no punctilios with his jailers; for where modest gentlemanhood is all on one side, it is a losing affair; as if my Lord Chesterfield should take off his hat, and smile, and bow, to a mad bull, in hopes of a reciprocation42 of politeness. When among wild beasts, if they menace you, be a wild beast. Neither is it unlikely that this was the view taken by Allen. For, besides the exasperating43 tendency to self-assertion which such treatment as his must have bred on a man like him, his experience must have taught him, that by assuming the part of a jocular, reckless, and even braggart44 barbarian45, he would better sustain himself against bullying46 turnkeys than by submissive quietude. Nor should it be forgotten, that besides the petty details of personal malice, the enemy violated every international usage of right and decency47, in treating a distinguished48 prisoner of war as if he had been a Botany-Bay convict. If, at the present day, in any similar case between the same States, the repetition of such outrages49 would be more than unlikely, it is only because it is among nations as among individuals: imputed50 indigence51 provokes oppression and scorn; but that same indigence being risen to opulence52, receives a politic53 consideration even from its former insulters.
As the event proved, in the course Allen pursued, he was right. Because, though at first nothing was talked of by his captors, and nothing anticipated by himself, but his ignominious54 execution, or at the least, prolonged and squalid incarceration55, nevertheless, these threats and prospects56 evaporated, and by his facetious57 scorn for scorn, under the extremest sufferings, he finally wrung58 repentant59 usage from his foes; and in the end, being liberated60 from his irons, and walking the quarter-deck where before he had been thrust into the hold, was carried back to America, and in due time, at New York, honorably included in a regular exchange of prisoners.
It was not without strange interest that Israel had been an eye-witness of the scenes on the Castle Green. Neither was this interest abated61 by the painful necessity of concealing62, for the present, from his brave countryman and fellow-mountaineer, the fact of a friend being nigh. When at last the throng63 was dismissed, walking towards the town with the rest, he heard that there were some forty or more Americans, privates, confined on the cliff. Upon this, inventing a pretence64, he turned back, loitering around the walls for any chance glimpse of the captives. Presently, while looking up at a grated embrasure in the tower, he started at a voice from it familiarly hailing him:
"Potter, is that you? In God's name how came you here?"
At these words, a sentry65 below had his eye on our astonished adventurer. Bringing his piece to bear, he bade him stand. Next moment Israel was under arrest. Being brought into the presence of the forty prisoners, where they lay in litters of mouldy straw, strewn with gnawed66 bones, as in a kennel67, he recognized among them one Singles, now Sergeant68 Singles, the man who, upon our hero's return home from his last Cape69 Horn voyage, he had found wedded70 to his mountain Jenny. Instantly a rush of emotions filled him. Not as when Damon found Pythias. But far stranger, because very different. For not only had this Singles been an alien to Israel (so far as actual intercourse71 went), but impelled72 to it by instinct, Israel had all but detested73 him, as a successful, and perhaps insidious74 rival. Nor was it altogether unlikely that Singles had reciprocated75 the feeling. But now, as if the Atlantic rolled, not between two continents, but two worlds—this, and the next—these alien souls, oblivious76 to hate, melted down into one.
At such a juncture77, it was hard to maintain a disguise, especially when it involved the seeming rejection78 of advances like the Sergeant's. Still, converting his real amazement79 into affected80 surprise, Israel, in presence of the sentries81, declared to Singles that he (Singles) must labor82 under some unaccountable delusion83; for he (Potter) was no Yankee rebel, thank Heaven, but a true man to his king; in short, an honest Englishman, born in Kent, and now serving his country, and doing what damage he might to her foes, by being first captain of a carronade on board a letter of marque, that moment in the harbor.
For a moment the captive stood astounded84, but observing Israel more narrowly, detecting his latent look, and bethinking him of the useless peril he had thoughtlessly caused to a countryman, no doubt unfortunate as himself, Singles took his cue, and pretending sullenly85 to apologize for his error, put on a disappointed and crest-fallen air. Nevertheless, it was not without much difficulty, and after many supplemental scrutinies86 and inquisitions from a board of officers before whom he was subsequently brought, that our wanderer was finally permitted to quit the cliff.
This luckless adventure not only nipped in the bud a little scheme he had been revolving87, for materially befriending Ethan Allen and his comrades, but resulted in making his further stay at Falmouth perilous88 in the extreme. And as if this were not enough, next day, while hanging over the side, painting the hull89, in trepidation90 of a visit from the castle soldiers, rumor91 came to the ship that the man-of-war in the haven92 purposed impressing one-third of the letter of marque's crew; though, indeed, the latter vessel93 was preparing for a second cruise. Being on board a private armed ship, Israel had little dreamed of its liability to the same governmental hardships with the meanest merchantman. But the system of impressment is no respecter either of pity or person.
His mind was soon determined94. Unlike his shipmates, braving immediate25 and lonely hazard, rather than wait for a collective and ultimate one, he cunningly dropped himself overboard the same night, and after the narrowest risk from the muskets95 of the man-of-war's sentries (whose gangways he had to pass), succeeded in swimming to shore, where he fell exhausted96, but recovering, fled inland, doubly hunted by the thought, that whether as an Englishman, or whether as an American, he would, if caught, be now equally subject to enslavement.
Shortly after the break of day, having gained many miles, he succeeded in ridding himself of his seaman's clothing, having found some mouldy old rags on the banks of a stagnant97 pond, nigh a rickety building, which looked like a poorhouse—clothing not improbably, as he surmised98, left there on the bank by some pauper99 suicide. Marvel100 not that he should with avidity seize these rags; what the suicides abandon, the living hug.
Once more in beggar's garb101, the fugitive102 sped towards London, prompted by the same instinct which impels103 the hunted fox to the wilderness; for solitudes104 befriend the endangered wild beast, but crowds are the security, because the true desert, of persecuted105 man. Among the things of the capital, Israel for more than forty years was yet to disappear, as one entering at dusk into a thick wood. Nor did ever the German forest, nor Tasso's enchanted106 one, contain in its depths more things of horror than eventually were revealed in the secret clefts107, gulfs, caves and dens108 of London.
But here we anticipate a page.
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1 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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2 uncommon | |
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的 | |
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3 miller | |
n.磨坊主 | |
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4 bluff | |
v.虚张声势,用假象骗人;n.虚张声势,欺骗 | |
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5 convivial | |
adj.狂欢的,欢乐的 | |
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6 hearty | |
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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7 essentially | |
adv.本质上,实质上,基本上 | |
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8 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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9 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
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10 qualified | |
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的 | |
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11 levity | |
n.轻率,轻浮,不稳定,多变 | |
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12 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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13 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
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14 waggishly | |
adv.waggish(滑稽的,诙谐的)的变形 | |
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15 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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16 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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17 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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18 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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19 relatively | |
adv.比较...地,相对地 | |
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20 pertaining | |
与…有关系的,附属…的,为…固有的(to) | |
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21 spires | |
n.(教堂的) 塔尖,尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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22 titanic | |
adj.巨人的,庞大的,强大的 | |
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23 demeanor | |
n.行为;风度 | |
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24 indignity | |
n.侮辱,伤害尊严,轻蔑 | |
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25 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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26 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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27 intrepidity | |
n.大胆,刚勇;大胆的行为 | |
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28 twitching | |
n.颤搐 | |
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29 savages | |
未开化的人,野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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30 cane | |
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
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31 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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32 promising | |
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
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33 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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34 hurl | |
vt.猛投,力掷,声叫骂 | |
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35 anathema | |
n.诅咒;被诅咒的人(物),十分讨厌的人(物) | |
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36 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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37 vociferous | |
adj.喧哗的,大叫大嚷的 | |
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38 allusions | |
暗指,间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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39 galling | |
adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
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40 shrug | |
v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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41 boisterousness | |
n.喧闹;欢跃;(风暴)狂烈 | |
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42 reciprocation | |
n.互换 | |
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43 exasperating | |
adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式 | |
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44 braggart | |
n.吹牛者;adj.吹牛的,自夸的 | |
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45 barbarian | |
n.野蛮人;adj.野蛮(人)的;未开化的 | |
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46 bullying | |
v.恐吓,威逼( bully的现在分词 );豪;跋扈 | |
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47 decency | |
n.体面,得体,合宜,正派,庄重 | |
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48 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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49 outrages | |
引起…的义愤,激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
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50 imputed | |
v.把(错误等)归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51 indigence | |
n.贫穷 | |
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52 opulence | |
n.财富,富裕 | |
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53 politic | |
adj.有智虑的;精明的;v.从政 | |
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54 ignominious | |
adj.可鄙的,不光彩的,耻辱的 | |
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55 incarceration | |
n.监禁,禁闭;钳闭 | |
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56 prospects | |
n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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57 facetious | |
adj.轻浮的,好开玩笑的 | |
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58 wrung | |
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水) | |
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59 repentant | |
adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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60 liberated | |
a.无拘束的,放纵的 | |
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61 abated | |
减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 ); 减去; 降价; 撤消(诉讼) | |
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62 concealing | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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63 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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64 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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65 sentry | |
n.哨兵,警卫 | |
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66 gnawed | |
咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 ); (长时间) 折磨某人; (使)苦恼; (长时间)危害某事物 | |
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67 kennel | |
n.狗舍,狗窝 | |
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68 sergeant | |
n.警官,中士 | |
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69 cape | |
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
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70 wedded | |
adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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72 impelled | |
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 detested | |
v.憎恶,嫌恶,痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74 insidious | |
adj.阴险的,隐匿的,暗中为害的,(疾病)不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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75 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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76 oblivious | |
adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的 | |
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77 juncture | |
n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头 | |
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78 rejection | |
n.拒绝,被拒,抛弃,被弃 | |
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79 amazement | |
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
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80 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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81 sentries | |
哨兵,步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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82 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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83 delusion | |
n.谬见,欺骗,幻觉,迷惑 | |
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84 astounded | |
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词);愕然;愕;惊讶 | |
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85 sullenly | |
不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
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86 scrutinies | |
细看,细查,监视( scrutiny的名词复数 ) | |
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87 revolving | |
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想 | |
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88 perilous | |
adj.危险的,冒险的 | |
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89 hull | |
n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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90 trepidation | |
n.惊恐,惶恐 | |
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91 rumor | |
n.谣言,谣传,传说 | |
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92 haven | |
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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93 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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94 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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95 muskets | |
n.火枪,(尤指)滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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96 exhausted | |
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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97 stagnant | |
adj.不流动的,停滞的,不景气的 | |
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98 surmised | |
v.臆测,推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 );揣测;猜想 | |
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99 pauper | |
n.贫民,被救济者,穷人 | |
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100 marvel | |
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异;n.令人惊异的事 | |
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101 garb | |
n.服装,装束 | |
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102 fugitive | |
adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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103 impels | |
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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104 solitudes | |
n.独居( solitude的名词复数 );孤独;荒僻的地方;人迹罕至的地方 | |
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105 persecuted | |
(尤指宗教或政治信仰的)迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 ); 烦扰,困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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106 enchanted | |
adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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107 clefts | |
n.裂缝( cleft的名词复数 );裂口;cleave的过去式和过去分词;进退维谷 | |
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108 dens | |
n.牙齿,齿状部分;兽窝( den的名词复数 );窝点;休息室;书斋 | |
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