But Donatello’s enjoyment was of a livelier kind. He soon began to draw long and delightful8 breaths among those shadowy walks. Judging by the pleasure which the sylvan9 character of the scene excited in him, it might be no merely fanciful theory to set him down as the kinsman11, not far remote, of that wild, sweet, playful, rustic12 creature, to whose marble image he bore so striking a resemblance. How mirthful a discovery would it be (and yet with a touch of pathos13 in it), if the breeze which sported fondly with his clustering locks were to waft14 them suddenly aside, and show a pair of leaf-shaped, furry15 ears! What an honest strain of wildness would it indicate! and into what regions of rich mystery would it extend Donatello’s sympathies, to be thus linked (and by no monstrous16 chain) with what we call the inferior trioes of being, whose simplicity17, mingled18 with his human intelligence, might partly restore what man has lost of the divine!
The scenery amid which the youth now strayed was such as arrays itself in the imagination when we read the beautiful old myths, and fancy a brighter sky, a softer turf, a more picturesque19 arrangement of venerable trees, than we find in the rude and untrained landscapes of the Western world. The ilex-trees, so ancient and time-honored were they, seemed to have lived for ages undisturbed, and to feel no dread20 of profanation21 by the axe22 any more than overthrow23 by the thunder-stroke. It had already passed out of their dreamy old memories that only a few years ago they were grievously imperilled by the Gaul’s last assault upon the walls of Rome. As if confident in the long peace of their lifetime, they assumed attitudes of indolent repose24. They leaned over the green turf in ponderous25 grace, throwing abroad their great branches without danger of interfering26 with other trees, though other majestic27 trees grew near enough for dignified28 society, but too distant for constraint29. Never was there a more venerable quietude than that which slept among their sheltering boughs30; never a sweeter sunshine than that now gladdening the gentle gloom which these leafy patriarchs strove to diffuse32 over the swelling33 and subsiding34 lawns.
In other portions of the grounds the stone-pines lifted their dense35 clump36 of branches upon a slender length of stem, so high that they looked like green islands in the air, flinging down a shadow upon the turf so far off that you hardly knew which tree had made it. Again, there were avenues of cypress37, resembling dark flames of huge funeral candles, which spread dusk and twilight38 round about them instead of cheerful radiance. The more open spots were all abloom, even so early in the season, with anemones39 of wondrous40 size, both white and rose-colored, and violets that betrayed themselves by their rich fragrance41, even if their blue eyes failed to meet your own. Daisies, too, were abundant, but larger than the modest little English flower, and therefore of small account.
These wooded and flowery lawns are more beautiful than the finest of English park scenery, more touching42, more impressive, through the neglect that leaves Nature so much to her own ways and methods. Since man seldom interferes43 with her, she sets to work in her quiet way and makes herself at home. There is enough of human care, it is true, bestowed44, long ago and still bestowed, to prevent wildness from growing into deformity; and the result is an ideal landscape, a woodland scene that seems to have been projected out of the poet’s mind. If the ancient Faun were other than a mere10 creation of old poetry, and could have reappeared anywhere, it must have been in such a scene as this.
In the openings of the wood there are fountains plashing into marble basins, the depths of which are shaggy with water-weeds; or they tumble like natural cascades45 from rock to rock, sending their murmur46 afar, to make the quiet and silence more appreciable47. Scattered48 here and there with careless artifice49, stand old altars bearing Roman inscriptions50. Statues, gray with the long corrosion51 of even that soft atmosphere, half hide and half reveal themselves, high on pedestals, or perhaps fallen and broken on the turf. Terminal figures, columns of marble or granite52 porticos, arches, are seen in the vistas54 of the wood-paths, either veritable relics55 of antiquity56, or with so exquisite57 a touch of artful ruin on them that they are better than if really antique. At all events, grass grows on the tops of the shattered pillars, and weeds and flowers root themselves in the chinks of the massive arches and fronts of temples, and clamber at large over their pediments, as if this were the thousandth summer since their winged seeds alighted there.
What a strange idea—what a needless labor—to construct artificial ruins in Rome, the native soil of ruin! But even these sportive imitations, wrought58 by man in emulation59 of what time has done to temples and palaces, are perhaps centuries old, and, beginning as illusions, have grown to be venerable in sober earnest. The result of all is a scene, pensive60, lovely, dreamlike, enjoyable and sad, such as is to be found nowhere save in these princely villa-residences in the neighborhood of Rome; a scene that must have required generations and ages, during which growth, decay, and man’s intelligence wrought kindly61 together, to render it so gently wild as we behold62 it now.
The final charm is bestowed by the malaria63. There is a piercing, thrilling, delicious kind of regret in the idea of so much beauty thrown away, or only enjoyable at its half-development, in winter and early spring, and never to be dwelt amongst, as the home scenery of any human being. For if you come hither in summer, and stray through these glades64 in the golden sunset, fever walks arm in arm with you, and death awaits you at the end of the dim vista53. Thus the scene is like Eden in its loveliness; like Eden, too, in the fatal spell that removes it beyond the scope of man’s actual possessions. But Donatello felt nothing of this dream-like melancholy65 that haunts the spot. As he passed among the sunny shadows, his spirit seemed to acquire new elasticity66. The flicker67 of the sunshine, the sparkle of the fountain’s gush68, the dance of the leaf upon the bough31, the woodland fragrance, the green freshness, the old sylvan peace and freedom, were all intermingled in those long breaths which he drew.
The ancient dust, the mouldiness of Rome, the dead atmosphere in which he had wasted so many months, the hard pavements, the smell of ruin and decaying generations, the chill palaces, the convent bells, the heavy incense69 of altars, the life that he had led in those dark, narrow streets, among priests, soldiers, nobles, artists, and women,—all the sense of these things rose from the young man’s consciousness like a cloud which had darkened over him without his knowing how densely70.
He drank in the natural influences of the scene, and was intoxicated71 as by an exhilarating wine. He ran races with himself along the gleam and shadow of the wood-paths. He leapt up to catch the overhanging bough of an ilex, and swinging himself by it alighted far onward72, as if he had flown thither73 through the air. In a sudden rapture74 he embraced the trunk of a sturdy tree, and seemed to imagine it a creature worthy75 of affection and capable of a tender response; he clasped it closely in his arms, as a Faun might have clasped the warm feminine grace of the nymph, whom antiquity supposed to dwell within that rough, encircling rind. Then, in order to bring himself closer to the genial76 earth, with which his kindred instincts linked him so strongly, he threw himself at full length on the turf, and pressed down his lips, kissing the violets and daisies, which kissed him back again, though shyly, in their maiden77 fashion.
While he lay there, it was pleasant to see how the green and blue lizards78, who had beta basking79 on some rock or on a fallen pillar that absorbed the warmth of the sun, scrupled80 not to scramble81 over him with their small feet; and how the birds alighted on the nearest twigs82 and sang their little roundelays unbroken by any chirrup of alarm; they recognized him, it may be, as something akin83 to themselves, or else they fancied that he was rooted and grew there; for these wild pets of nature dreaded84 him no more in his buoyant life than if a mound85 of soil and grass and flowers had long since covered his dead body, converting it back to the sympathies from which human existence had estranged86 it.
All of us, after a long abode87 in cities, have felt the blood gush more joyously88 through our veins89 with the first breath of rural air; few could feel it so much as Donatello, a creature of simple elements, bred in the sweet sylvan life of Tuscany, and for months back dwelling90 amid the mouldy gloom and dim splendor91 of old Rome. Nature has been shut out for numberless centuries from those stony-hearted streets, to which he had latterly grown accustomed; there is no trace of her, except for what blades of grass spring out of the pavements of the less trodden piazzas92, or what weeds cluster and tuft themselves on the cornices of ruins. Therefore his joy was like that of a child that had gone astray from home, and finds him suddenly in his mother’s arms again.
At last, deeming it full time for Miriam to keep her tryst93, he climbed to the tiptop of the tallest tree, and thence looked about him, swaying to and fro in the gentle breeze, which was like the respiration94 of that great leafy, living thing. Donatello saw beneath him the whole circuit of the enchanted95 ground; the statues and columns pointing upward from among the shrubbery, the fountains flashing in the sunlight, the paths winding96 hither and thither, and continually finding out some nook of new and ancient pleasantness. He saw the villa, too, with its marble front incrusted all over with basreliefs, and statues in its many niches97. It was as beautiful as a fairy palace, and seemed an abode in which the lord and lady of this fair domain98 might fitly dwell, and come forth each morning to enjoy as sweet a life as their happiest dreams of the past night could have depicted99. All this he saw, but his first glance had taken in too wide a sweep, and it was not till his eyes fell almost directly beneath him, that Donatello beheld100 Miriam just turning into the path that led across the roots of his very tree.
He descended101 among the foliage102, waiting for her to come close to the trunk, and then suddenly dropped from an impending103 bough, and alighted at her side. It was as if the swaying of the branches had let a ray of sunlight through. The same ray likewise glimmered104 among the gloomy meditations105 that encompassed106 Miriam, and lit up the pale, dark beauty of her face, while it responded pleasantly to Donatello’s glance.
“I hardly know,” said she, smiling, “whether you have sprouted107 out of the earth, or fallen from the clouds. In either case you are welcome.”
And they walked onward together.
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1
forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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villa
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n.别墅,城郊小屋 | |
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3
specimen
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n.样本,标本 | |
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4
lava
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n.熔岩,火山岩 | |
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5
seclusion
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n.隐遁,隔离 | |
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solitude
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n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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7
enjoyment
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n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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8
delightful
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adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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9
sylvan
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adj.森林的 | |
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10
mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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11
kinsman
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n.男亲属 | |
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12
rustic
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adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬 | |
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13
pathos
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n.哀婉,悲怆 | |
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14
waft
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v.飘浮,飘荡;n.一股;一阵微风;飘荡 | |
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15
furry
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adj.毛皮的;似毛皮的;毛皮制的 | |
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16
monstrous
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adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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17
simplicity
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n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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18
mingled
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混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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19
picturesque
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adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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20
dread
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vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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21
profanation
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n.亵渎 | |
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22
axe
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n.斧子;v.用斧头砍,削减 | |
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23
overthrow
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v.推翻,打倒,颠覆;n.推翻,瓦解,颠覆 | |
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24
repose
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v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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25
ponderous
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adj.沉重的,笨重的,(文章)冗长的 | |
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26
interfering
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adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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27
majestic
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adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
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28
dignified
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a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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29
constraint
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n.(on)约束,限制;限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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30
boughs
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大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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31
bough
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n.大树枝,主枝 | |
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32
diffuse
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v.扩散;传播;adj.冗长的;四散的,弥漫的 | |
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33
swelling
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n.肿胀 | |
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34
subsiding
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v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的现在分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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35
dense
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a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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36
clump
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n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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37
cypress
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n.柏树 | |
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38
twilight
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n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
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39
anemones
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n.银莲花( anemone的名词复数 );海葵 | |
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40
wondrous
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adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地 | |
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41
fragrance
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n.芬芳,香味,香气 | |
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42
touching
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adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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43
interferes
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vi. 妨碍,冲突,干涉 | |
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44
bestowed
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赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
cascades
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倾泻( cascade的名词复数 ); 小瀑布(尤指一连串瀑布中的一支); 瀑布状物; 倾泻(或涌出)的东西 | |
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46
murmur
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n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
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47
appreciable
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adj.明显的,可见的,可估量的,可觉察的 | |
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48
scattered
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adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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49
artifice
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n.妙计,高明的手段;狡诈,诡计 | |
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50
inscriptions
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(作者)题词( inscription的名词复数 ); 献词; 碑文; 证劵持有人的登记 | |
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51
corrosion
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n.腐蚀,侵蚀;渐渐毁坏,渐衰 | |
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52
granite
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adj.花岗岩,花岗石 | |
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53
vista
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n.远景,深景,展望,回想 | |
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54
vistas
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长条形景色( vista的名词复数 ); 回顾; 展望; (未来可能发生的)一系列情景 | |
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55
relics
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[pl.]n.遗物,遗迹,遗产;遗体,尸骸 | |
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56
antiquity
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n.古老;高龄;古物,古迹 | |
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57
exquisite
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adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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58
wrought
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v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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59
emulation
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n.竞争;仿效 | |
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60
pensive
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a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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61
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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62
behold
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v.看,注视,看到 | |
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63
malaria
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n.疟疾 | |
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64
glades
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n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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65
melancholy
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n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
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66
elasticity
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n.弹性,伸缩力 | |
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67
flicker
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vi./n.闪烁,摇曳,闪现 | |
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68
gush
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v.喷,涌;滔滔不绝(说话);n.喷,涌流;迸发 | |
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69
incense
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v.激怒;n.香,焚香时的烟,香气 | |
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70
densely
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ad.密集地;浓厚地 | |
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71
intoxicated
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喝醉的,极其兴奋的 | |
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72
onward
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adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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73
thither
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adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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74
rapture
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n.狂喜;全神贯注;着迷;v.使狂喜 | |
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75
worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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76
genial
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adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的 | |
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77
maiden
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n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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78
lizards
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n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 ) | |
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79
basking
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v.晒太阳,取暖( bask的现在分词 );对…感到乐趣;因他人的功绩而出名;仰仗…的余泽 | |
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80
scrupled
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v.感到于心不安,有顾忌( scruple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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81
scramble
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v.爬行,攀爬,杂乱蔓延,碎片,片段,废料 | |
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82
twigs
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细枝,嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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83
akin
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adj.同族的,类似的 | |
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84
dreaded
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adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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85
mound
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n.土墩,堤,小山;v.筑堤,用土堆防卫 | |
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86
estranged
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adj.疏远的,分离的 | |
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87
abode
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n.住处,住所 | |
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88
joyously
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ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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89
veins
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n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理 | |
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90
dwelling
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n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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91
splendor
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n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌 | |
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92
piazzas
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n.广场,市场( piazza的名词复数 ) | |
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93
tryst
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n.约会;v.与…幽会 | |
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94
respiration
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n.呼吸作用;一次呼吸;植物光合作用 | |
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95
enchanted
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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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96
winding
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n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 | |
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97
niches
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壁龛( niche的名词复数 ); 合适的位置[工作等]; (产品的)商机; 生态位(一个生物所占据的生境的最小单位) | |
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98
domain
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n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围 | |
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99
depicted
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描绘,描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 ); 描述 | |
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100
beheld
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v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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101
descended
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a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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102
foliage
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n.叶子,树叶,簇叶 | |
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103
impending
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a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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104
glimmered
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v.发闪光,发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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105
meditations
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默想( meditation的名词复数 ); 默念; 沉思; 冥想 | |
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106
encompassed
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v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 );包围;包含;包括 | |
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107
sprouted
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v.发芽( sprout的过去式和过去分词 );抽芽;出现;(使)涌现出 | |
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