After he had exhausted9 his vocabulary in describing some of his clairvoyant10 achievements he needlessly directed us to be silent. He had permitted none of us a chance to speak thitherto. We were to wait, he said, till he began to breathe in a peculiar11 heavy manner, and then who so wished to experiment, must take his hands and hold them firmly for a little while, thinking of the matter next the experimenter's heart; and then we should see what we should see. With a smile of lordly self-confidence he reposed12 his limbs upon a couch and sank back on the cushions. I glanced around the throng13 and saw they were all staring at Navarro—Miss Ottley with parted lips and rapt intentness. Her expression irritated me. Soon afterwards I met Hubbard's eyes. He gave me a scowl14. I looked at Weldon. He turned and frowned at me. I directed my attention to Lady Helen. She grew restless and, presently moving in her chair, glanced rapidly about. She started when our eyes encountered and impulsively15 placed a finger on her lips. I hadn't thought of speaking. I was disgusted. Mrs. Greaves, the Countess and the [Pg 157]Ambassador all in turn gave me scowling16 glances. It was as if everybody recognised and resented my secret scepticism. It appeared I was the only sane17 person in the room. Oh! no, there was Navarro. He was sane enough undoubtedly18; the rogue19. He was making his living. It was his business to make fools of people. I returned to contemplating20 him with a sense of positive relief. At least I could hope to be amused. He had closed his eyes and was therefore uglier than ever. His whole body was tense with silent effort. I wondered if some of his audience were unconsciously imitating him. They all were, except myself. I felt inclined to get up and shake them for a pack of self-delivered dupes, lambs self-abandoned to the sacrificial rites21 of this High Priest of Thomas-rot. Soon, friend Navarro began to breathe stertorously22. So did his audience, for a minute or two. Then they turned and looked at one another and at me; and I rejoice to say my calm smile disconcerted them. But I refrained from glancing at Miss Ottley. I could not bear to see her look foolish. Perhaps she did not. They pointed23 at one another. They feared, it seemed, to speak. Who would be the first? And who would dare the oracle24? The Count von Oeltzen arose. Brave, noble man! He approached the couch and took Navarro's hand in his own. The medium was now in a trance. His body was quite limp. A breathless silence fell upon the gathering25. It lasted about four minutes. Then[Pg 158] Navarro began to speak, not in his ordinary booming baritone, but in a high falsetto—his spirit organ, no doubt. The language employed was German.
"I see," said he, "a short fat man in the uniform of an Austrian courier. He is seated in a railway train. He is smoking a cheroot. He has on his knees a small, flat iron box. It is a despatch26 box. It contains letters and despatches. He is coming to England——"
"Ah!" sighed the Count.
"Ah! Ah!" sighed the Countess.
"He is on his way to you," went on Navarro. "The despatches are for you. One of them is in a cipher27. It relates to your recall. It——"
But the Count on that instant dropped Navarro's hands as if they had burnt him and abruptly28 rose up, the picture of agitation29. He turned and looked at the Countess. She stood up, most agitated30, too. "My friends," he began. But the Countess said "Hush31!" He bowed to her, bowed to Lady Helen and offered his wife a shaking arm. They forthwith left the room. It was most dramatic. For a little while everybody sat under a sort of spell. I was glad, because I felt disinclined to break up the party by expressing my views on Navarro's revelation, and if any one had said a word I should have been compelled to speak, I was so angry that sensible people could allow themselves to be imposed upon so easily. Moreover, I wished[Pg 159] to learn what Miss Ottley's object was. When, therefore, Mrs. Greaves quietly arose and moved to the couch, I said a little prayer of thankfulness.
Presently the high falsetto squeaked33 forth32 in Irish-Spanish-English. "I see—a large building, square, very tall. It is made of steel and stone. It is in America—in New York. It is a hotel. I see in it a room. There are tables and chairs. Then one—two—three—four—five—six are there. They play cards. The game is poker34. One loses. He is young. He is English. He has a little cast in his left eye. His name is Julian Greaves. The floor is littered with cards. Julian Greaves is annoyed because he loses. He——"
The voice ceased.
Mrs. Greaves was returning to us. She was smiling. She said to Lady Helen in her calm, slow way, "I believe, my dear, that my naughty son is at present occupied exactly as you have heard described. Signor Navarro has a great gift. Good-night, my dear—No, I cannot stay—I promised the Bexleys. Do not trouble——"
She had gone.
Dixon Hubbard walked over to the couch. I glanced at Lady Helen. She was biting her lower lip—and holding her breath. I stole across the room on tip-toe and sat down beside her.
"I see," said Navarro, after the proper interval35, "a woman. She is young and very beautiful. (Oh! artful Navarro.) Her mind is deeply troubled.[Pg 160] The person she cares most for despises her. On that account she is wretchedly unhappy, although she permits no one to suspect it. She is not far away. She——"
But Hubbard had dropped the medium's hand like hot potatoes.
"It is your turn, Captain Weldon," he said, with a poor attempt at jocularity. "Step forward and have the secret of your life laid bare."
"How much did you pay Navarro for that last?" I whispered in Lady Helen's ear.
She gave me a radiant smile. "Nothing to call me beautiful," she whispered back.
Weldon had taken the medium's hands. Immediately he did so, Navarro heaved a portentous37 sigh. I watched his face very narrowly, and somewhat to my surprise I observed it to turn to a horrid38, fishy39, whitish-yellow colour. Presently his eyelids40 slightly opened, disclosing the whites. The eyes were fixed41 upwards42 rigidly43. He looked simply monstrous44. For the first time I doubted his mala fides. There were many signs of cataleptic trance about him. I stole over to the foot of the couch and inserted a pin into the calf45 of his leg. Not a muscle twitched46. Evidently he had hypnotised himself. I tried the other leg, with an equal result. I became furious. It seemed just possible that the fellow had some esoteric faculty47 after all.[Pg 161] Science, of course, scouts48 the phenomena49 of clairvoyancy, but in my younger days I had witnessed so many experiments with hypnotised subjects in Paris that I had ever since kept an open mind on the question. This time we waited for quite a while for the medium to begin his manifestations50. Perhaps ten minutes passed and he was still silent. But by that time I felt convinced of his unconsciousness. "Ask him some question, Weldon," I said quietly. "He is not shamming51, I believe. In my opinion he is in hypnotic sleep and cannot act as his own Barnum."
Weldon laughed, but before he could adopt my hint Miss Ottley glided52 to the couch and standing53 at the head of it put her fingers lightly on the medium's eyes.
"I know what to do," she said, looking at me. "I have seen him in this state before. He is not a charlatan1, Dr. Pinsent, at least when he is like this. Presently you will see. He will astonish you, I think."
"I wish you'd ask him where the lost key of my saratoga is, May," whispered Weldon.
Navarro answered the question instantly, and in his natural reverberating54 baritone.
"By Gad56!" cried Weldon. "That's where it is as sure as I stand here. I tossed it up there a month ago and more—and forgot all about it."
"Hush!" said Miss Ottley. "Think of Dr. Belleville, Frankfort, please."
Weldon frowned. "You might have chosen a pleasanter topic," he muttered.
"Hush!" said the girl again.
Navarro sighed. "I see a large room," he began. "It is half library, half laboratory. One part of it is filled with racks of books and parchments. At the other end is a dispensary made up of shelves containing jars of different oils and phials filled with drugs. In the middle of the room is a table spread with maps and papyri. The papyri are inscribed58 with hieroglyphics59. Beside the table, standing on two steel trestles, is a large sarcophagus of lead and iron lined with silver. The lid is propped60 against the wall near by. It is ornamented61 with the leaden cast of a man. An inscription62 states that this man is Ptahmes, a high priest of Amen-Ra. His body was once enclosed within the sarcophagus. It is now, however, reclining on a couch at a little distance from the table——"
"Describe it!" said Miss Ottley.
"It is apparently63 the body of a man of latter middle age. It is of great proportions. It is almost seven feet in length. But the body is very lank64 and shrunken and ill nourished. The head is[Pg 163] of extraordinary shape and dimensions. It is very large and long, and broad. It is surmounted65 by a crown of jet-black hair that has recently been cut. It tapers66 like a cone67 above the temples and again like an inverted68 cone from the cheek bones to the chin. The nose is long and hooked like the beak69 of an eagle. The eyes are closed; I cannot see them. But they are almond shaped and set far apart in the skull70. The mouth is shrivelled and almost shapeless. The chin is long and pointed. The skin is dark brown, almost black. It looks unhealthy. The body is clothed in ordinary European garments. One arm is fastened in a sling71. The chest is, underneath72 the clothes, swathed in bandages. On the feet are fastened rubber shoes, on the soles of which are particles of fresh-dried mud. That is all."
"Proceed!" said Miss Ottley. "There are living people in the room, are there not?"
"Two," replied the medium after a short pause. "One is seated before the table poring over a torn piece of papyrus73. Beside him on the table is a dictionary of hieroglyphics to which he constantly refers. He is a big, thick-set man with black eyes, strongly marked features, and a black bushy beard. In his hand is a pen. He writes with this pen upon the paper before him. He is engaged in translating the papyrus. Ha! he stops. He is looking up at his companion. He is speaking."
"What does he say?"
"He says, 'I cannot altogether reconcile our subject's statements with the records, Ottley. Either in his long sleep his memory has somewhat failed him, or in his sleep he has learnt more than he knew before. It is most annoying; we shall have to question him again.' The other—a little old man, with white hair and very bright small grey eyes—replies, 'You are too damned pernicketty, Doctor. Haven't we the formula, and hasn't it nobly stood the test of practical experience? What more do you want? Your infernal curiosity would ruin everything if I let you have your way. Once for all I tell you that Ptahmes belongs to me, not to you. Damn your science! You've had enough out of him. I'll not allow him to be used again except for my purposes. He has disappointed me with the elixir74. Well, he'll have to atone75 by making me the richest man in the universe. I'll not be satisfied till every shilling in the world belongs to me—every shilling—every shilling.' The little man is now laughing like a lunatic. The big man watches him with a frown, bending his big black brows together. 'But you fool!' he says very angrily, 'do you forget that these things here—' he points to the body of Ptahmes—'will soon wear out? Every time that you drive it to work the friction76 sheds into dust a portion of its matter. Is it not better to use its brain than its body? Remember that we cannot repair his tissues. Unless we make absolutely certain of the composition of[Pg 165] the invisible oil while we have the chance, we may be left stranded77 in the end. His body is of secondary importance after all. It serves you now, but you can just as well serve yourself by using the oil and doing your own dirty business. But the thing is to make sure of learning how to replenish78 the oil when our stock gives out. That is the all-important matter. And that is why his brain is of paramount79 interest to me, and should be to you.'
"The little man says,—'I won't have it, I tell you, we know enough!' The big man replies,—'Be sensible, Ottley! Remember he lost five pounds in weight yesterday! He is melting away before our eyes. Come! I'll make you a proposal. Let me do what I like with Ptahmes and I'll take his place for your money-making purposes. I'll be the ghost of the Stock Exchange and find out all you want to know. Now, what can be fairer than that?'
"The little man is biting his lip. He seems to be thinking," (there was a pause in the narration). Presently Navarro went on. "The little man speaks again; he says:—'That is all very well, Doctor, but you know as well as I do—that you intend to use Ptahmes to destroy your rival. You haven't the courage to do it yourself.' The big man answers very quickly, 'And are you brave enough to tackle Pinsent? Yet his existence threatens all our plans. I firmly believe he has a notion of our[Pg 166] ideas already. He is no fool and an adept80 at putting two and two together. Do you suppose he hasn't guessed at the reason of the success of your enormous transactions on 'Change?' The little man grinds his teeth. 'Curse him!' he shouts. 'Curse him to Hell!' The big man smiles. 'With all my heart,' he says, 'may he rot there for ever and ever! But all this proves to us how careful we should be of the waning81 strength of our magician. Remember the last time he tried odds82 with Pinsent on the Nile he got all the worst of the encounter. Three broken ribs83! It's true we are more advanced in knowledge since then, and now we can make him quite invisible. But all the same we cannot afford to trifle with the strength of our subject, considering the two great tasks before him.'—Ah!——"
"Proceed! I command you!" said Miss Ottley in a trembling voice.
But Navarro for a third time groaned, and he began to struggle on the couch.
"Oh, God! he is waking up!" cried the girl. "Hold his hands tightly, Frankfort. He must tell us more! He must, he must!"
But Navarro with a sudden spasmodic writhe86 and twist, broke away and sat erect87. He was shaking like a man in an ague, and he began to pant and groan like a wounded animal.
I handed the medium a glass of water, but he was trembling too violently to take it of himself. He spilt half the contents on his knee. I forced the rest into his mouth. It revived him. A little later he stood up. He was bathed in perspiration90, and looked sick. But he rejected all offers of assistance. He seemed to be very angry. He declared that we had treated him most cruelly, and that we might have killed him. He would not be appeased91, and he went off in the care of a footman filled with petulant92 resentment93 and mouthing stupid threats. It may have been a pose, part of his "business" intended for effect to impress his clients;—probably it was. But I am not sure. He certainly seemed to be in a highly over-wrought, nervous condition; he could not easily have affected94 that.
After he had gone we all sat back in our chairs and stared at one another. Nobody was in the least haste to speak; we had so much to think about; and it was plain that "Fancy"—"Well, I never!" and ejaculations of that ilk did not even begin to meet the conversational95 demands of the occasion. Lady Helen was the first to speak.
She said, "Well, I am trying hard to be an ideal hostess and not ask any questions that might seem impertinent. But will someone tell me, is it Sir Robert Ottley and Dr. Belleville who are [Pg 168]making preparations for Dr. Pinsent's funeral. I wish to know real badly, because I want him to do quite a lot of things for me before he crosses over the divide, and if necessary I shall go to Sir Robert and ask him for my sake to give Dr. Pinsent a little time to say his prayers."
It was just the flippant tone needed to bring us back to earth again. Everybody laughed. Everybody was so relieved that the laugh was unconventionally loud, and it had a tendency to overdo96 itself.
"Did you ever hear such a lot of rubbish talk?" demanded Lady Helen.
"It quite took my breath away," said Miss Ottley with a gallant98 effort to attain99 the correct, approved, sociably100 foolish affectation of brainlessness.
"The fellow deserves three months without the option for his villainous slanders," said the Captain heartily101. He was honest, anyhow. "Lord knows I can't stand Belleville at any price," he continued. "But Navarro went a bit too far, by Gad! I never heard anything more malicious102 in my life than his vile103 insinuations."
"And a foreigner to boot," said the Captain, in the manner of one absolutely clinching105 an argument. "Ah, well!" he suppressed a yawn, "he entertained us—and that's something. Seen the [Pg 169]'Japanese Marriage' yet, Lady Helen? Miss Ottley and I did an act or two last night. It's ripping. So—ah! so jolly unusual, don't you know. You get left every time you think something is going to happen; and when you least expect it one of the funny little beggars ups and wants to make his friend a present of his liver on a plate, or cut off his rival's head, or something."
"Miss Ottley's carriage," announced a footman.
"I asked for it," said the girl to Lady Helen. "My father has been very poorly all day."
Weldon went away with her. She did not even spare me a glance.
Lady Helen consoled me with the best cigar I have ever received at the hands of a woman.
She lit a cigarette for herself and curled up on a pile of cushions.
"That man Navarro is a rapacious106 rascal," she observed presently. "He wouldn't take a penny less than a hundred to say what he did say to Dixon. But I did not tell him to call me beautiful," she added.
"I am glad to be certain that the fellow is a rascal," I muttered half underbreath. But she heard me.
"Surely you knew. His ravings did not take you in," she cried scornfully. "Everyone knows he simply loathes107 Sir Robert Ottley. He used to be the little old millionaire's tin god. Sir Robert hardly dared to breathe without consulting his[Pg 170] oracle. And they say the man bled him of thousands. No wonder he went mad to find that Sir Robert had escaped his influence. Ever since then he has been saying the most awful things. Lots of people believe them, I know, but I never thought you would."
"I don't." I smiled. I could smile now, for I felt wonderfully relieved. "But tell me, Lady Helen, just why you employed him to say that to your husband?"
She puffed108 out a cloud of smoke. "Dixon is superstitious109 at heart," she replied. "He will not want to, but he will end by believing what Navarro told him."
"What! that you care for him despising you?"
"Silly!" she cried. "No—not that I care for him—but for another man despising me—the man for whom I care. Have you forgotten Navarro's words?"
"But why on earth deceive your husband?"
"To make him jealous."
"No, my friend," said Lady Helen, smiling very strangely. "Of you! Remember, you have promised to revile111 me to him. That alone would fix a suspicious mind like his on you. But to make assurance doubly sure, I told him this afternoon that it hurt me very much to find that he had given you a poor opinion of me."
I sprang to my feet, aghast. "But look here—my girl," I cried. "This is a dangerous game you are playing."
"Are you afraid—are you then a coward?" she flashed.
"Hubbard is my oldest friend. You will make him hate me!" I protested.
"And you will refuse to risk that for his happiness and mine?" she asked. "Remember, he is my husband, and soured, twisted creature that he is, I love him!"
"Ah!" said I.
"I could have made you serve me in ignorance," she cried, "but I am incapable112 of playing you or any other—save him—a trick like that. However, say the word and the play ends—this instant. I have no claim upon you. I'll save you the trouble of telling me that. I am only a woman fellow-creature, and knight-errants are out of fashion now-a-days. Well—what is it to be?"
Her words stung like nettles113. Such a little spitfire I had never seen before. But that was the proper way to treat me, and I believe she knew it. She was as sharp as any needle, that young woman.
"I am not in the habit of breaking my word once given," I growled114 out. "Good-night!" Then I stalked off most indignant. But she caught me at the door, flung her arms round my neck and kissed me on both cheeks.
"You are a darling," she whispered. "And—well—Dixon will have to hurry and reform—or else—but there—go!"
That is the way clever women bind115 foolish men to the furtherance of their caprices. A cuff116, a kiss, a piece of subtle, thrilling flattery, and the trick is done. I was heart and soul in love with another woman, and yet from that moment Lady Helen Hubbard possessed117 the right to walk over me, if she wished to do it. And, mind you, I am not an out-of-the-way brand of idiot as fools go. It's just a matter of armour118 and the weak spot. No suit of armour ever existed that hadn't one. Some women are born with the faculty of being able to put their soft little fingers on those places right away.
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1
charlatan
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| n.骗子；江湖医生；假内行 | |
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charlatanry
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| n.吹牛，骗子行为 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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5
scouted
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| 寻找，侦察( scout的过去式和过去分词 )； 物色（优秀运动员、演员、音乐家等） | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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7
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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cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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clairvoyant
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| adj.有预见的；n.有预见的人 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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stertorously
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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oracle
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| n.神谕，神谕处，预言 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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cipher
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| n.零；无影响力的人；密码 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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poker
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| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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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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fishy
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| adj. 值得怀疑的 | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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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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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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45
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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46
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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47
faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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48
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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49
phenomena
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| n.现象 | |
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50
manifestations
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| n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式） | |
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51
shamming
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| 假装，冒充( sham的现在分词 ) | |
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52
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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53
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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54
reverberating
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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55
canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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56
gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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57
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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58
inscribed
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接 | |
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59
hieroglyphics
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| n.pl.象形文字 | |
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60
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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63
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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64
lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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66
tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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67
cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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inverted
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| adj.反向的，倒转的v.使倒置，使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69
beak
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| n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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papyrus
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| n.古以纸草制成之纸 | |
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74
elixir
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| n.长生不老药，万能药 | |
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atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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76
friction
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| n.摩擦，摩擦力 | |
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stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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replenish
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| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
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paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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80
adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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81
waning
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| 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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82
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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85
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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writhe
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| vt.挣扎，痛苦地扭曲；vi.扭曲，翻腾，受苦；n.翻腾，苦恼 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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89
wrung
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| 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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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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91
appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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92
petulant
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| adj.性急的，暴躁的 | |
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93
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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94
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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95
conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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96
overdo
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| vt.把...做得过头，演得过火 | |
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97
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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98
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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99
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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100
sociably
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| adv.成群地 | |
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101
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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102
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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103
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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104
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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105
clinching
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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106
rapacious
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| adj.贪婪的，强夺的 | |
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107
loathes
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| v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的第三人称单数 )；极不喜欢 | |
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108
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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109
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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110
chimera
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| n.神话怪物；梦幻 | |
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111
revile
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| v.辱骂，谩骂 | |
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112
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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113
nettles
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| n.荨麻( nettle的名词复数 ) | |
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114
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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115
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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116
cuff
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| n.袖口；手铐；护腕；vt.用手铐铐；上袖口 | |
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117
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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118
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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