IT has often seemed to me that my mother’s life was like that of the century-plant—increasing in beauty as time went on. The last flowering, the loveliest of all, came when she was well over four-score years of age. Is not this the normal course of a well-spent life? The fruit reaches its full beauty when ready to drop from the tree. The colors of the sunset splendidly crown a perfect day.
In those last years she seemed to us like a lovely saint whose faults had all been burned away by the fires of life, leaving only the ethereal spirit behind. Yet she was by no means entirely2 absorbed in religious meditation3. This was an important part of her existence, but she also enjoyed the things of this world and was often full of fun and gaiety.
For all who knew her, and for all, I hope, who have read the story of her life, she has robbed old age of half its terrors. She met it bravely, smilingly, wisely, submitting with good grace to certain inevitable4 restrictions5. Thus while she never gave up walking so far as her strength permitted, since more fresh air was desirable, she accepted the wheeled chair for additional exercise. To other limitations she would not submit. She would attend meetings, public and private; she would make the addresses which were so much prized by her audience; in a word, she would continue the intellectual and social intercourse6 with her fellow-men and women which was to her literally7 the breath of life. For their love and sympathy, their interest in her words, were to her a veritable elixir8. The feeling that she still had a message which the world wished to hear helped to keep her alive. The veteran who believes that “he lags superfluous9 on the stage” is not likely to survive long.
When she attended the biennial10 of the General Federation11 of Women’s Clubs in Boston, in 1908, I was her companion, as on many earlier club occasions. She confessed afterward12 that she had feared the delivery of her speech in the vast auditorium13 of Symphony Hall might kill her, but this did not deter14 her from reading it! In the last summer of her life we attended a suffrage15 meeting in Bristol Ferry at the house of Miss Cora Mitchell, founder16 and president of the Newport County Suffrage League. Here she told the ladies of her work for peace, begun shortly after the Franco-Prussian War. It should be said that, despite her interest in German philosophy, her sympathies in that conflict were entirely with the French, whom she felt to be the victims of German aggression17. It was the wholly unnecessary nature of the conflict which made the author of the “Battle Hymn18” call in the early ’seventies a Peace Congress of Women to protest against future wars of the sort. In her correspondence we find that she met with no encouragement from the women of Germany.
Her visit to Smith College, where the degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon her, shortly before her death, has been described in her Life. The story of the awarding to her of the degree of LL.D. at Tufts College has a special interest because it was the first, and because in her speech she made a protest against Turkish cruelty, thus carrying on the work begun by her husband on the shores of Greece eighty years before! Her grandson, Dr. Henry Marion Hall, who accompanied her, has thus described the occasion:
Professor Evans, of the department of history, drove Grandmother and me from No. 241 Beacon19 Street to the college, where we remained in his rooms for a short while until Grandmother felt rested. Then we walked across the campus, which was bright with the colors seen only in coeducational institutions. Mrs. Howe joined the academic procession just before it entered the hall, and all at once she and I found ourselves on a platform, surrounded by men in caps and gowns, the instructors20 and those about to receive degrees. Grandmother was the only woman on the platform, and everybody in the audience seemed particularly interested in her. In spite of her great age I recall that there was something quite simple and almost childlike in her expression—absolutely different from the self-consciousness peculiar21 to most people under similar circumstances. When she rose to receive her degree there was a remarkable22 hush23, such a hush as I have seldom known of with so many people in a large room. The hood1 was put about her shoulders by the president, Doctor Chapin, and she flushed with pleasure at the burst of applause.
At the dinner which followed the exercises she sat with the guests of honor, among whom was Mr. Moody24, Secretary of the Navy. When Mrs. Howe arose to speak she took occasion to express the hope that the Secretary might indicate whether or not the government of the United States was going to exert its influence to mitigate25 the horrors of the Armenian atrocities26, for the Turks were then carrying on systematic27 massacres28. Mr. Moody spoke29 next, and gave a fine oration30, but said that circumstances prevented him from indicating the policy of his government at that time. He deprecated, of course, the villainous behavior of the Turks. Grandmother was delighted to receive the degree, and we drove back to Boston with Professor Evans, Grandmother still wearing the hood and holding the sheepskin in her hands.
This grandson, Henry Marion Hall, received, a few years later, the degrees of M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University. To our great delight, his thesis, “The Idylls of Fishermen,” was warmly praised by the critics.
She was as pleased as a young girl to hear that we were “going to give a party” during that last summer. “Flossy shall do my hair!” she gaily31 exclaimed. “The party” was only a small frolic for the Hall grandchildren and their young friends, with a few elders to play cards with her. No one enjoyed the occasion more than she did.
We still continued our duets on the piano, playing airs from “Il Pirata” and other old operas which she loved, as well as H?ndel’s quaint32 arias33. Her fingers, which never lost their flexibility34, played in these last years for her great-grandchildren to dance, as she had played for children and grandchildren.
An article published that autumn in the press, declaring that protestantism was on the decline, troubled her. She desired to make some reply, not in a controversial spirit, however. Her interest in religion was too broad to be confined to any sect35. We were glad to have her preach whenever invited to do so, provided her strength permitted, but unreasonable36 requests were sometimes made. Thus when the zealous37 pastor38 of a negro church invited us, in the course of an afternoon call, to go down on our knees in prayer, I protested successfully. If he had not carried a large umbrella in his hand I might have yielded. But how impossible would have been any approach to solemnity in the presence of that most unecclesiastical object!
The memorial exercises after her death were held in Symphony Hall. Tickets had been issued to persons having a special claim to be present, but as soon as the doors were opened the great public, who also loved her, would not be denied admittance. They surged in, tickets or no tickets, and took possession of the great auditorium. The varied39 nature of the program corresponded with her diversified40 talents. A haunting-chorus of her own composition was sung by the blind pupils of the Institution founded by her husband. Many were the beautiful tributes paid to her by men and women of national reputation. None, however, equaled in heartfelt eloquence41 the speech of Lewis, the distinguished42 negro lawyer, as he poured out the gratitude43 of his race to the woman who had written the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” I suddenly realized what the words meant to the colored people. The appeal, “Let us die to make men free,” was for all men and for all time, yet in a special sense it was meant for the despised slave for whose freedom the soldiers of the union laid down their lives in those dark days of the ’sixties.
Sister Laura and I were already rejoicing in several grandchildren while our mother was still with us. People sometimes feel sorry for the grandmothers whom they see in the streets in charge of little children. The first impulse is to exclaim, “That old woman has earned a right to rest. It is too bad she should still be burdened with the care of babies.”
The second and saner44 impulse is to rejoice that she still has strength for the day’s work. Our civilization should be so ordered that a well-spent life may bring a certain degree of freedom toward its close. But to have no responsibilities, to be an idle and frivolous45 elderly woman, would be a sad fate.
No one need sink into it if she has grandchildren, the loveliest of all flowers, who bloom in the evening of life. If she has grandchildren of assorted46 ages she is especially fortunate, for she can then enjoy the various stages of babyhood and childhood at the same time.
Life is full of pleasant surprises. Our sons and daughters grow to maturity47 so gradually that we fail to realize the change from their childhood’s days. They are still boys and girls to us when they are so absurd as to suppose themselves men and women! They marry, and on some fine day present us with a grandchild! Then we suddenly realize that we are again to have the delightful48 experience—almost forgotten—of growing up with a baby.
On our journey through life we have been disappointed in meeting many people who did not come up to our ideals. We are weary of the petty ambitions, the injustice49 of the world—of everybody’s faults, our own included. In the twinkling of an eye we are transported back into the lovely child-garden, where faith, love, and hope bloom! Little hands cling trustingly to us, a little cheek is laid against ours, eyes like stars smile up at us! There is a new heaven and a new earth!
The bond between age and childhood is known of all men. Are not the glory of the sunrise and that of the sunset one and the same? The child rejoices in the beautiful and wonderful things he sees all about him—in birds, beasts, and flowers, the blue sky and the trees of the forest. The woman declining into the vale of years has long known these things, but in the light of the sunset they become transfigured and glorified50. With the little child she learns again lessons half forgotten; together they enjoy the true pleasures of life—the simple, every-day things that we forget to be thankful for during the years when we are busily hunting for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
So the child and its grandame walk together for a while, until their paths separate. The little one goes forward with eager feet into the great battle of life, the grandmother advances with tranquil51 step to meet the shadows. The coming into this world of the child has strengthened her faith, as its companionship has strengthened her love.
It came, she knows not whence, “trailing clouds of glory.” Will not the morning of a new and splendid day break for her, also, in a new world?
We enjoy our grandchildren all the more, in the twentieth century, because we have other cares and responsibilities besides those of the family and household. Hence we cannot be selfishly absorbed in our own small circle. Our duties have multiplied since the great war began to call the young men and women more and more into service.
We elders now have a new incentive52 to work with all our strength while it is yet day for us. This summer I visited Camp Merryweather, where sister Laura aids her husband in conducting a delightful place of sojourn53 for forty boys. Of the sons whose help they have had in former years one had gone as a soldier to France, the other and the sons-in-law were attending drill and caring for war gardens. Upon the older generation came the care and responsibility of the summer’s work and play. Never have I seen them more resolute54 and courageous55! No word was said of added duties, but in their manner one could see a determination to do their bit and to do it valiantly56! Sister Laura’s relaxation57 will be to go on a “grandmothering tour” to see her dozen grandchildren.
In this twentieth century, and especially in war-time, the public and private duties of women sometimes conflict. We want very, very much to go to some inspiring meeting on a day when we are needed at home. It is best to give the latter the benefit of the doubt, when we feel any. Yet we must sometimes go forth58 to gain inspiration, in order to give it out again. The woman who stays always at home from a mistaken sense of duty is in danger of becoming a dull drudge59. The mother of sons and daughters must, in these stirring times, teach them to have the love of freedom, the public spirit, necessary for the salvation60 of our Republic.
She must take her share, too, in labors62 for the welfare of our native land and for the comfort and protection of its brave defenders63. If we fail to do our part it may happen that no homes will be left us to care for!
We return to them from work for the Red Cross or other civic64 service, with renewed delight in children and grandchildren, with renewed ability to minister to their welfare, both spiritual and material!
It is delightful to be able to help the boys and girls with those dreadful mathematical problems and with the Latin authors, who in a world turned topsy-turvy, remain always the same.
To give my little granddaughters lessons upon the piano has been my great pleasure.
Countless65 women are now called upon to make the supreme66 sacrifice, to give up the sons and daughters dearer to them than life, to the dreadful Minotaur who devours67 hecatombs of youths and maidens68. It is the duty of every mother to prepare herself for that ordeal69, so that she may not hesitate to send her best-beloved, if the summons comes to her, as it has come to thousands.
Terrible as are these years, their darkness is brightened by the light of a self-sacrifice unparalleled in the history of mankind. We could not bear the thought of those hideous70 trenches71 and of the awful destruction of human life, if they had not shown us such splendid examples of courage, devotion, self-immolation. These are wonderful days to live in, despite all the horrors of the time. The young men going forward so bravely into the mouth of hell, dying in defense72 of their ideals and ours, seem to us like a consecrated73 army, like beings set apart from their fellow-men. We have talked about freedom; we have been full of enthusiasm. But they have gone quietly forward, to suffer tortures and, if need be, to lay down their lives. They are the heroes of the hour, beside whom the rest of the world seem suddenly to have shrunken into nothingness.
Yet we must not forget that America, like England, expects every man, civilian74 as well as soldier, to do his duty, and every woman likewise. The power of a democracy is built up of the strength of each individual life. Let us give our brave soldiers their full meed of admiration75, let us support and uphold them in every possible way. But we must not be so dazzled by their gallant76 deeds as to worship, like Germany, a military autocracy77. It is our duty to remember, and to help them to remember, that among civilized78 nations war is temporary and abnormal, while peace is normal and eternal. The first means destruction, the last means construction. In the midst of peace we must prepare for war, that haply we may avert79 it. In the midst of war we have the double duty of upholding our armies to the utmost extent of our ability and at the same time making ready for the righteous peace which we know must come. We must bind80 up the wounds of the warriors81 and restore the devastated82 lands. We must prepare to return, when the right time comes, to quiet, every-day life. We shall still wage war, not against the bodies of men, but against ignorance, greed, corruption83, evil of all kinds. For Satan, whom before the great European convulsion we hopefully thought to be dead, is evidently very much alive. At each new atrocity84 we have seemed to hear the wings of Apollyon, Prince of Darkness, rustling85 in the air, as he dealt foul86 blows at the struggling Christian87.
We have had a horrible glimpse of hell! The sight must convince us that the devoted88 labor61 of every one of us is needed to prevent the overthrow89 of the ideals of civilization! The hideous doctrine90 that might makes right, that crafty91 murder, “leaving no trace behind,” treacherous92 intrigue93 and shameless lying, are the proper occupation for “gentlemen” must be combated not by arms alone, but by the upholding of the high ideals of our own country. The memory of heroic deeds, of noble sayings, is the most precious inheritance of mankind. We who are now living have been inspired by it, we have held our course guided by its light, however much we may have stumbled on the way and fallen short of our ideals.
The sacred fires of noble tradition must not perish. To pass on to our descendants the lighted torch received from our predecessors94, glowing ever brighter with the fervor95 inspired by the heroic deeds of the present hour, is for us an imperative96 duty and a splendid privilege.
THE END
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1 hood | |
n.头巾,兜帽,覆盖;v.罩上,以头巾覆盖 | |
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2 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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3 meditation | |
n.熟虑,(尤指宗教的)默想,沉思,(pl.)冥想录 | |
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4 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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5 restrictions | |
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则) | |
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6 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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7 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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8 elixir | |
n.长生不老药,万能药 | |
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9 superfluous | |
adj.过多的,过剩的,多余的 | |
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10 biennial | |
adj.两年一次的 | |
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11 federation | |
n.同盟,联邦,联合,联盟,联合会 | |
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12 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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13 auditorium | |
n.观众席,听众席;会堂,礼堂 | |
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14 deter | |
vt.阻止,使不敢,吓住 | |
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15 suffrage | |
n.投票,选举权,参政权 | |
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16 Founder | |
n.创始者,缔造者 | |
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17 aggression | |
n.进攻,侵略,侵犯,侵害 | |
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18 hymn | |
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
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19 beacon | |
n.烽火,(警告用的)闪火灯,灯塔 | |
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20 instructors | |
指导者,教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
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21 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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22 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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23 hush | |
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
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24 moody | |
adj.心情不稳的,易怒的,喜怒无常的 | |
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25 mitigate | |
vt.(使)减轻,(使)缓和 | |
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26 atrocities | |
n.邪恶,暴行( atrocity的名词复数 );滔天大罪 | |
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27 systematic | |
adj.有系统的,有计划的,有方法的 | |
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28 massacres | |
大屠杀( massacre的名词复数 ); 惨败 | |
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29 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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30 oration | |
n.演说,致辞,叙述法 | |
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31 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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32 quaint | |
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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33 arias | |
n.咏叹调( aria的名词复数 ) | |
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34 flexibility | |
n.柔韧性,弹性,(光的)折射性,灵活性 | |
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35 sect | |
n.派别,宗教,学派,派系 | |
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36 unreasonable | |
adj.不讲道理的,不合情理的,过度的 | |
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37 zealous | |
adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
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38 pastor | |
n.牧师,牧人 | |
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39 varied | |
adj.多样的,多变化的 | |
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40 diversified | |
adj.多样化的,多种经营的v.使多样化,多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 );进入新的商业领域 | |
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41 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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42 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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43 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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44 saner | |
adj.心智健全的( sane的比较级 );神志正常的;明智的;稳健的 | |
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45 frivolous | |
adj.轻薄的;轻率的 | |
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46 assorted | |
adj.各种各样的,各色俱备的 | |
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47 maturity | |
n.成熟;完成;(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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48 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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49 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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50 glorified | |
美其名的,变荣耀的 | |
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51 tranquil | |
adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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52 incentive | |
n.刺激;动力;鼓励;诱因;动机 | |
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53 sojourn | |
v./n.旅居,寄居;逗留 | |
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54 resolute | |
adj.坚决的,果敢的 | |
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55 courageous | |
adj.勇敢的,有胆量的 | |
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56 valiantly | |
adv.勇敢地,英勇地;雄赳赳 | |
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57 relaxation | |
n.松弛,放松;休息;消遣;娱乐 | |
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58 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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59 drudge | |
n.劳碌的人;v.做苦工,操劳 | |
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60 salvation | |
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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61 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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62 labors | |
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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63 defenders | |
n.防御者( defender的名词复数 );守卫者;保护者;辩护者 | |
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64 civic | |
adj.城市的,都市的,市民的,公民的 | |
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65 countless | |
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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66 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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67 devours | |
吞没( devour的第三人称单数 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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68 maidens | |
处女( maiden的名词复数 ); 少女; 未婚女子; (板球运动)未得分的一轮投球 | |
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69 ordeal | |
n.苦难经历,(尤指对品格、耐力的)严峻考验 | |
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70 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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71 trenches | |
深沟,地沟( trench的名词复数 ); 战壕 | |
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72 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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73 consecrated | |
adj.神圣的,被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣,给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 );奉献 | |
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74 civilian | |
adj.平民的,民用的,民众的 | |
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75 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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76 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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77 autocracy | |
n.独裁政治,独裁政府 | |
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78 civilized | |
a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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79 avert | |
v.防止,避免;转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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80 bind | |
vt.捆,包扎;装订;约束;使凝固;vi.变硬 | |
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81 warriors | |
武士,勇士,战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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82 devastated | |
v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词);摧毁;毁灭;在感情上(精神上、财务上等)压垮adj.毁坏的;极为震惊的 | |
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83 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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84 atrocity | |
n.残暴,暴行 | |
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85 rustling | |
n. 瑟瑟声,沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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86 foul | |
adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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87 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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88 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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89 overthrow | |
v.推翻,打倒,颠覆;n.推翻,瓦解,颠覆 | |
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90 doctrine | |
n.教义;主义;学说 | |
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91 crafty | |
adj.狡猾的,诡诈的 | |
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92 treacherous | |
adj.不可靠的,有暗藏的危险的;adj.背叛的,背信弃义的 | |
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93 intrigue | |
vt.激起兴趣,迷住;vi.耍阴谋;n.阴谋,密谋 | |
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94 predecessors | |
n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 );前辈;(被取代的)原有事物;前身 | |
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95 fervor | |
n.热诚;热心;炽热 | |
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96 imperative | |
n.命令,需要;规则;祈使语气;adj.强制的;紧急的 | |
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