Thus day by day and month by month we past;
It was nine years since, in an evil hour, Leslie had first seen Miss Cynthia Everille, playing on a harp3, and accompanying herself in a thin, sweet voice, with words of her own composing. His weak heart succumbed4: he fell in love off hand; and within a year after the death of his first wife, Edith's mother, her picture was taken from the wall, and a second Mrs. Leslie reigned5 in her stead.
"Sweet,"—"charming,"—"fascinating,"—were the least of the adjectives lavished6 on the interesting bride. Some of his lady acquaintance felicitated him that he had espoused7 an angel, an embodied8 beatitude not more than half pertaining9 to this world. In fact, there was a certain aerial grace in her movements, a certain translucency10 in her small alabaster11 features, which might countenance12 such a notion. The winning smile, too, with which she met her visitors on her reception Thursdays, savored13 wholly of the angelic. She breathed courtesies around her as the beneficent royalty14 of Naples scatters15 sugar plums among his loving subjects at the carnival16, and, on the next day, sends them to prison by the cart load.
The tyranny of the strong is bad enough; but the tyranny of the weak is intolerable; and this latter visitation came upon Leslie in its most rueful form—that, namely, whose weapons are sobs17, sighs, vapors18, and the dire19 coercion20 of hysteric fits. He was a soft-hearted fool, and a fair subject for such oppression. Not that his newly-installed mistress—his mistress, since she made him her slave—was naturally of an ill temper. On the contrary, she was somewhat amiable21, or, at least, much given to tears and tenderness; but in process of time, this profuse22 sensibility had all centred on herself. In short, she was profoundly selfish, though nothing could have astonished her more than to tell her so; for, in her own eyes, she seemed a miracle of sensibility, as indeed she was, though her sensibility had learned to give little response to any woes23 but her own. What these woes might be would be hard to say: she had a wonderful talent for finding and inventing grievances26. She was submerged and drowned in a sentimental27 melancholy28, which wore in turn ten thousand different aspects, each worse than the other. She was a sea-anemone, covered with a myriad29 of filaments30, all more shrinking and sensitive than a snail's horns.
One reads of famished31 wretches32 who have tried to nourish life from the current of their own veins33. So, in a figurative sense, did she. She was always anatomizing her own ridiculous heart; groping among the depths of her own sickly fancies, and making them her daily food. She was a busy gatherer of tokens, souvenirs, and mementoes, and was beset34 with blighted35 hopes, vain longings36, sad remembrances, and all the spectral37 ills engendered38 between a frail39 mind and a depraved stomach. She was a great reader, and floated rudderless through a sea of books, fishing out of it all that was tender, morbid40, and despairing, and stowing it up in albums.
It may be thought that some disconsolate41 memory, some affection nipped in the bud, or the like catastrophe42, had brought her to this pass. Far from it. She mourned that her fate had been too flat and sterile43; that the rapturous emotions of her heart had never been awakened44; that no sentimental passion, in short, had ever stirred her soul from its depths. This was the grievance25 which rankled45 most in her reveries. To give her her due, she never told it to her husband; but she brooded upon it in secret; and the result was, a multitude of affecting verses, which she treasured in her album as anonymous46.
Leslie, though none of the wisest of men, was one of the most amiable; and, under his wife's discipline, he learned to be one of the most discreet47. It behooved48 him to be watchful49 and circumspect50. His married life was a voyage through shoals and shallows, and needed sagacious pilotage; for no common eye could see where the danger lay. There was an endless variety of subjects tabooed to him; matters to all appearance quite indifferent, but to which he must never allude51, because, Heaven knows how, they touched some trembling susceptibility, or wakened some grievous memory from its blessed sleep. The penalty, if the case were mild, would be a deep-drawn sigh; if more aggravated52, a flood of tears; if extreme, an hysteric fit. And if, in his efforts to console her, he ventured to add any thing in the form of remonstrance53, or let fall any word which might intimate that her conduct was not quite reasonable, the outraged54 sufferer would cease weeping, cast up her eyes reproachfully, and murmuring, "O William, is it come to this?" relapse again instantly into the depths of sobbing55 affliction. It was only by the most abject56 submission57, coupled with all the resources of conjugal58 eloquence59, that Leslie could succeed at length in purchasing a look of resignation and a faint smile of forgiveness.
Use, it is said, will blunt the sharpest of troubles. In time, he became acclimated60 to his fate; yet, on one or two occasions, his equanimity61 was quite overset. He thought that his wife was losing her wits; for, as he came into her room, she fixed62 on him a melting gaze, sank on his shoulder, and flooded him with such a freshet of tears, that he might have complained with De Bracy, that a water fiend possessed63 her. The truth was, she had just been musing64 on her own dissolution, and imagining, in a luxury of woe24, her own funeral, with all the circumstance of that sad event. As she looked around and bethought her how desolate65 that chamber66 would be when she was gone, and how each trifle that had once been hers would be treasured by those she left behind, her sensitive heart had dissolved in tenderness, and produced the hydraulic67 demonstration68 just mentioned.
This libel on womankind became the mother of a pair of twins—the same infant prodigies69 whom Morton had seen at the White Mountains. Both perished at the age of seven, their precocious70 brains having by that time usurped71 all the vitality72 of their miserable73 little bodies. She was inconsolable at their death, though, while they lived, her delicate nerves could seldom abide74 their presence for five minutes at a time.
There was once an idiot, who, being of a conciliating temper, thought to appease75 a fire and persuade it to go out by feeding it with fuel till it should be satisfied, and crave76 no more. On the same principle Leslie tried to satisfy the exacting77 spirit of his wife by a most watchful and anxious devotion to all her whims78; but the greater his devotion, the more exacting she grew. She felt her power, and used it without mercy. She was, withal, intolerably jealous, not so much of any living rival, as of the memory of a dead one, Leslie's former wife. Here, indeed, she had some show of reason; for the poles are not wider asunder79 than were the characters of herself and her predecessor80.
Those who had known the latter in her maidenhood—she married young, or perhaps she would never have married Leslie—knew her as the dominant81 belle82 of the season, conspicuous83 for her beauty, her position, and for a degree of culture rare in America at that time; devoted84 and ardent85 towards a few close friends, haughty86 and distant towards the many; greatly loved by her few intimates, and either greatly admired or greatly disliked by most others around her. Those who knew her in the last years of her life knew her as one who had passed through a fiery87 ordeal88. Of her many children, only one was left. They had fallen around her in a sudden and sharp succession, till it seemed to her that a destroying doom89 had gone forth90 against her race, and that the world of her affections was turned to a field of carnage. Leslie felt the shock acutely, not to say intensely, for a while; but the storm passed, and left on him very little trace. It sank into the deeper nature of his wife with such a penetrating91 sense of the vanity of life and the rottenness of mortal hope, as, in the olden time, drew saints and anchorites to renounce92 the world and give themselves to penance93 and seclusion94. It made no anchorite of her. She rose from her baptism of fire saddened, but not broken nor unstrung; with a rooted faith and an absolute resignation; a nice perception of all human suffering; sympathies broad and embracing as the air; a benevolence95 pervading96 as the sunshine; and a spirit so calm in its elevation97 that no wind of calamity98 had power to ruffle99 it.
Edith Leslie was a child when her mother died, yet old enough to feel the loss profoundly, and to be greatly shocked and cast down at the alacrity100 with which her father contrived101 to forget it. Having reduced Leslie to obedience102, his bride essayed the same experiment on his daughter, but failed notably103. There was something in the nature of the latter which revolted so impatiently against the selfish caprices and morbid fooleries which were played off hourly before her,—she was so indignant, moreover, at seeing her father sunk inch by inch in the slough104 of matrimonial thraldom,—that the issue might easily have been a protracted105 household feud106. None but herself could know with how costly107 an effort she schooled herself to patience. With a caustic108 wit, and a fervent109 fancy which haunted her with images of an ideal life brighter than the work-day world around her, a nature with impulses which, less curbed110 and tempered, might have carried her through all the mazes111 of morbid rebellion, she still bent112 herself to accept her lot as she found it, in the full faith that flowers may be taught to grow on the flintiest soil. And now that the imagined maladies of a lifetime were turned at last into a mortal reality, and her step-mother lay on her death bed, Edith Leslie watched by her side with as much care as if this wretched piece of perverted113 sensibility had deserved her affection and esteem114.
点击收听单词发音
1 fatigue | |
n.疲劳,劳累 | |
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2 spouse | |
n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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3 harp | |
n.竖琴;天琴座 | |
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4 succumbed | |
不再抵抗(诱惑、疾病、攻击等)( succumb的过去式和过去分词 ); 屈从; 被压垮; 死 | |
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5 reigned | |
vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式) | |
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6 lavished | |
v.过分给予,滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7 espoused | |
v.(决定)支持,拥护(目标、主张等)( espouse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8 embodied | |
v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 );象征;包括;包含 | |
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9 pertaining | |
与…有关系的,附属…的,为…固有的(to) | |
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10 translucency | |
半透明,半透明物; 半透澈度 | |
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11 alabaster | |
adj.雪白的;n.雪花石膏;条纹大理石 | |
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12 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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13 savored | |
v.意味,带有…的性质( savor的过去式和过去分词 );给…加调味品;使有风味;品尝 | |
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14 royalty | |
n.皇家,皇族 | |
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15 scatters | |
v.(使)散开, (使)分散,驱散( scatter的第三人称单数 );撒 | |
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16 carnival | |
n.嘉年华会,狂欢,狂欢节,巡回表演 | |
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17 sobs | |
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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18 vapors | |
n.水汽,水蒸气,无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 );自夸者;幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁(症)v.自夸,(使)蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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19 dire | |
adj.可怕的,悲惨的,阴惨的,极端的 | |
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20 coercion | |
n.强制,高压统治 | |
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21 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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22 profuse | |
adj.很多的,大量的,极其丰富的 | |
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23 woes | |
困境( woe的名词复数 ); 悲伤; 我好苦哇; 某人就要倒霉 | |
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24 woe | |
n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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25 grievance | |
n.怨愤,气恼,委屈 | |
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26 grievances | |
n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 );苦衷;不满;牢骚 | |
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27 sentimental | |
adj.多愁善感的,感伤的 | |
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28 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
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29 myriad | |
adj.无数的;n.无数,极大数量 | |
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30 filaments | |
n.(电灯泡的)灯丝( filament的名词复数 );丝极;细丝;丝状物 | |
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31 famished | |
adj.饥饿的 | |
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32 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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33 veins | |
n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理 | |
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34 beset | |
v.镶嵌;困扰,包围 | |
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35 blighted | |
adj.枯萎的,摧毁的 | |
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36 longings | |
渴望,盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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37 spectral | |
adj.幽灵的,鬼魂的 | |
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38 engendered | |
v.产生(某形势或状况),造成,引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39 frail | |
adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的 | |
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40 morbid | |
adj.病的;致病的;病态的;可怕的 | |
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41 disconsolate | |
adj.忧郁的,不快的 | |
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42 catastrophe | |
n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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43 sterile | |
adj.不毛的,不孕的,无菌的,枯燥的,贫瘠的 | |
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44 awakened | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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45 rankled | |
v.(使)痛苦不已,(使)怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46 anonymous | |
adj.无名的;匿名的;无特色的 | |
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47 discreet | |
adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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48 behooved | |
v.适宜( behoove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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50 circumspect | |
adj.慎重的,谨慎的 | |
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51 allude | |
v.提及,暗指 | |
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52 aggravated | |
使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 ); 使更严重; 激怒; 使恼火 | |
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53 remonstrance | |
n抗议,抱怨 | |
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54 outraged | |
a.震惊的,义愤填膺的 | |
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55 sobbing | |
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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56 abject | |
adj.极可怜的,卑屈的 | |
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57 submission | |
n.服从,投降;温顺,谦虚;提出 | |
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58 conjugal | |
adj.婚姻的,婚姻性的 | |
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59 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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60 acclimated | |
v.使适应新环境,使服水土服水土,适应( acclimate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61 equanimity | |
n.沉着,镇定 | |
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62 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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63 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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64 musing | |
n. 沉思,冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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65 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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66 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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67 hydraulic | |
adj.水力的;水压的,液压的;水力学的 | |
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68 demonstration | |
n.表明,示范,论证,示威 | |
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69 prodigies | |
n.奇才,天才(尤指神童)( prodigy的名词复数 ) | |
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70 precocious | |
adj.早熟的;较早显出的 | |
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71 usurped | |
篡夺,霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 ); 盗用; 篡夺,篡权 | |
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72 vitality | |
n.活力,生命力,效力 | |
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73 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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74 abide | |
vi.遵守;坚持;vt.忍受 | |
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75 appease | |
v.安抚,缓和,平息,满足 | |
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76 crave | |
vt.渴望得到,迫切需要,恳求,请求 | |
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77 exacting | |
adj.苛求的,要求严格的 | |
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78 WHIMS | |
虚妄,禅病 | |
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79 asunder | |
adj.分离的,化为碎片 | |
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80 predecessor | |
n.前辈,前任 | |
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81 dominant | |
adj.支配的,统治的;占优势的;显性的;n.主因,要素,主要的人(或物);显性基因 | |
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82 belle | |
n.靓女 | |
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83 conspicuous | |
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的 | |
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84 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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85 ardent | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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86 haughty | |
adj.傲慢的,高傲的 | |
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87 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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88 ordeal | |
n.苦难经历,(尤指对品格、耐力的)严峻考验 | |
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89 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
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90 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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91 penetrating | |
adj.(声音)响亮的,尖锐的adj.(气味)刺激的adj.(思想)敏锐的,有洞察力的 | |
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92 renounce | |
v.放弃;拒绝承认,宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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93 penance | |
n.(赎罪的)惩罪 | |
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94 seclusion | |
n.隐遁,隔离 | |
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95 benevolence | |
n.慈悲,捐助 | |
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96 pervading | |
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的现在分词 ) | |
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97 elevation | |
n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
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98 calamity | |
n.灾害,祸患,不幸事件 | |
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99 ruffle | |
v.弄皱,弄乱;激怒,扰乱;n.褶裥饰边 | |
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100 alacrity | |
n.敏捷,轻快,乐意 | |
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101 contrived | |
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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102 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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103 notably | |
adv.值得注意地,显著地,尤其地,特别地 | |
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104 slough | |
v.蜕皮,脱落,抛弃 | |
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105 protracted | |
adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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106 feud | |
n.长期不和;世仇;v.长期争斗;世代结仇 | |
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107 costly | |
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的 | |
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108 caustic | |
adj.刻薄的,腐蚀性的 | |
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109 fervent | |
adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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110 curbed | |
v.限制,克制,抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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111 mazes | |
迷宫( maze的名词复数 ); 纷繁复杂的规则; 复杂难懂的细节; 迷宫图 | |
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112 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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113 perverted | |
adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 );腐蚀;败坏;使堕落 | |
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114 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
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