"Phew! Isn't it rather hot in here?" Mr. Hutton asked as he entered the room.
"You know I have to keep warm, dear." The voice seemed breaking on the verge5 of tears. "I get so shivery."
"I hope you're better this evening."
"Not much, I'm afraid."
The conversation stagnated6. Mr. Hutton stood leaning his back against the mantelpiece. He looked down at the Pomeranian lying at his feet, and with the toe of his right boot he rolled the little dog over and rubbed its white-flecked chest and belly7. The creature lay in an inert8 ecstasy9. Mrs. Hutton continued to play Patience. Arrived at an impasse10, she altered the position of one card, took back another, and went on playing. Her Patiences always came out.
"Dr. Libbard thinks I ought to go to Llandrindod Wells this summer."
"Well—go, my dear—go, most certainly."
Mr. Hutton was thinking of the events of the afternoon: how they had driven, Doris and he, up to the hanging wood, had left the car to wait for them under the shade of the trees, and walked together out into the windless sunshine of the chalk down.
"I'm to drink the waters for my liver, and he thinks I ought to have massage11 and electric treatment, too."
Hat in hand, Doris had stalked four blue butterflies that were dancing together round a scabious flower with a motion that was like the flickering12 of blue fire. The blue fire burst and scattered13 into whirling sparks; she had given chase, laughing and shouting like a child.
"I'm sure it will do you good, my dear."
"I was wondering if you'd come with me, dear."
"But you know I'm going to Scotland at the end of the month."
Mrs. Hutton looked up at him entreatingly14. "It's the journey," she said. "The thought of it is such a nightmare. I don't know if I can manage it. And you know I can't sleep in hotels. And then there's the luggage and all the worries. I can't go alone.
"But you won't be alone. You'll have your maid with you." He spoke15 impatiently. The sick woman was usurping16 the place of the healthy one. He was being dragged back from the memory of the sunlit down and the quick, laughing girl, back to this unhealthy, overheated room and its complaining occupant.
"I don't think I shall be able to go."
"But you must, my dear, if the doctor tells you to. And, besides, a change will do you good."
"I don't think so."
"But Libbard thinks so, and he knows what he's talking about."
"No, I can't face it. I'm too weak. I can't go alone." Mrs. Hutton pulled a handkerchief out of her black silk bag, and put it to her eyes.
"Nonsense, my dear, you must make the effort."
"I had rather be left in peace to die here." She was crying in earnest now.
"O Lord! Now do be reasonable. Listen now, please." Mrs. Hutton only sobbed17 more violently. "Oh, what is one to do?" He shrugged18 his shoulders and walked out of the room.
Mr. Hutton was aware that he had not behaved with proper patience; but he could not help it. Very early in his manhood he had discovered that not only did he not feel sympathy for the poor, the weak, the diseased, and deformed19; he actually hated them. Once, as an undergraduate, he spent three days at a mission in the East End. He had returned, filled with a profound and ineradicable disgust. Instead of pitying, he loathed20 the unfortunate. It was not, he knew, a very comely21 emotion; and he had been ashamed of it at first. In the end he had decided22 that it was temperamental, inevitable23, and had felt no further qualms24. Emily had been healthy and beautiful when he married her. He had loved her then. But now—was it his fault that she was like this?
Mr. Hutton dined alone. Food and drink left him more benevolent25 than he had been before dinner. To make amends26 for his show of exasperation27 he went up to his wife's room and offered to read to her. She was touched, gratefully accepted the offer, and Mr. Hutton, who was particularly proud of his accent, suggested a little light reading in French.
"French? I am so fond of French." Mrs. Hutton spoke of the language of Racine as though it were a dish of green peas.
Mr. Hutton ran down to the library and returned with a yellow volume. He began reading. The effort of pronouncing perfectly28 absorbed his whole attention. But how good his accent was! The fact of its goodness seemed to improve the quality of the novel he was reading.
At the end of fifteen pages an unmistakable sound aroused him. He looked up; Mrs. Hutton had gone to sleep. He sat still for a little while, looking with a dispassionate curiosity at the sleeping face. Once it had been beautiful; once, long ago, the sight of it, the recollection of it, had moved him with an emotion profounder, perhaps, than any he had felt before or since. Now it was lined and cadaverous. The skin was stretched tightly over the cheekbones, across the bridge of the sharp, bird-like nose. The closed eyes were set in profound bone-rimmed sockets29. The lamplight striking on the face from the side emphasised with light and shade its cavities and projections30. It was the face of a dead Christ by Morales.
Le squelette était invisible
Au temps heureux de l'art pa?en.
He shivered a little, and tiptoed out of the room.
On the following day Mrs. Hutton came down to luncheon31. She had had some unpleasant palpitations during the night, but she was feeling better now. Besides, she wanted to do honour to her guest. Miss Spence listened to her complaints about Llandrindod Wells, and was loud in sympathy, lavish32 with advice. Whatever she said was always said with intensity33. She leaned forward, aimed, so to speak, like a gun, and fired her words. Bang! the charge in her soul was ignited, the words whizzed forth34 at the narrow barrel of her mouth. She was a machine-gun riddling35 her hostess with sympathy. Mr. Hutton had undergone similar bombardments, mostly of a literary or philosophic36 character—bombardments of Maeterlinck, of Mrs. Besant, of Bergson, of William James. To-day the missiles were medical. She talked about insomnia37, she expatiated38 on the virtues39 of harmless drugs and beneficent specialists. Under the bombardment Mrs. Hutton opened out, like a flower in the sun.
Mr. Hutton looked on in silence. The spectacle of Janet Spence evoked40 in him an unfailing curiosity. He was not romantic enough to imagine that every face masked an interior physiognomy of beauty or strangeness, that every woman's small talk was like a vapour hanging over mysterious gulfs. His wife, for example, and Doris; they were nothing more than what they seemed to be. But with Janet Spence it was somehow different. Here one could be sure that there was some kind of a queer face behind the Gioconda smile and the Roman eyebrows41. The only question was: What exactly was there? Mr. Hutton could never quite make out.
"But perhaps you won't have to go to Llandrindod after all," Miss Spence was saying. "If you get well quickly Dr. Libbard will let you off."
"I only hope so. Indeed, I do really feel rather better to-day."
Mr. Hutton felt ashamed. How much was it his own lack of sympathy that prevented her from feeling well every day? But he comforted himself by reflecting that it was only a case of feeling, not of being better. Sympathy does not mend a diseased liver or a weak heart.
"My dear, I wouldn't eat those red currants if I were you," he said, suddenly solicitous42. "You know that Libbard has banned everything with skins and pips."
"But I am so fond of them," Mrs. Hutton protested, "and I feel so well to-day."
"Don't be a tyrant," said Miss Spence, looking first at him and then at his wife. "Let the poor invalid43 have what she fancies; it will do her good." She laid her hand on Mrs. Hutton's arm and patted it affectionately two or three times.
"Well, don't blame me if they make you ill again."
"Do I ever blame you, dear?"
"You have nothing to blame me for," Mr. Hutton answered playfully. "I am the perfect husband."
They sat in the garden after luncheon. From the island of shade under the old cypress45 tree they looked out across a flat expanse of lawn, in which the parterres of flowers shone with a metallic46 brilliance47.
"Just to be alive," his wife echoed, stretching one pale, knot-jointed hand into the sunlight.
A maid brought the coffee; the silver pots and the little blue cups were set on a folding table near the group of chairs.
"Oh, my medicine!" exclaimed Mrs. Hutton. "Run in and fetch it, Clara, will you? The white bottle on the sideboard."
"I'll go," said Mr. Hutton. "I've got to go and fetch a cigar in any case."
He ran in towards the house. On the threshold he turned round for an instant. The maid was walking back across the lawn. His wife was sitting up in her deck-chair, engaged in opening her white parasol. Miss Spence was bending over the table, pouring out the coffee. He passed into the cool obscurity of the house.
"Do you like sugar in your coffee?" Miss Spence inquired.
"Yes, please. Give me rather a lot. I'll drink it after my medicine to take the taste away."
Mrs. Hutton leaned back in her chair, lowering the sunshade over her eyes, so as to shut out from her vision the burning sky.
Behind her, Miss Spence was making a delicate clinking among the coffee-cups.
"I've given you three large spoonfuls. That ought to take the taste away. And here comes the medicine."
Mr. Hutton had reappeared, carrying a wineglass, half full of a pale liquid.
"It smells delicious," he said, as he handed it to his wife.
"That's only the flavouring." She drank it off at a gulp49, shuddered50, and made a grimace51. "Ugh, it's so nasty. Give me my coffee."
Miss Spence gave her the cup; she sipped52 at it. "You've made it like syrup53. But it's very nice, after that atrocious medicine."
At half-past three Mrs. Hutton complained that she did not feel as well as she had done, and went indoors to lie down. Her husband would have said something about the red currants, but checked himself; the triumph of an "I told you so" was too cheaply won. Instead, he was sympathetic, and gave her his arm to the house.
"A rest will do you good," he said. "By the way, I shan't be back till after dinner."
"But why? Where are you going?"
"I promised to go to Johnson's this evening. We have to discuss the war memorial, you know."
"Oh, I wish you weren't going." Mrs. Hutton was almost in tears. "Can't you stay? I don't like being alone in the house."
"But, my dear, I promised weeks ago." It was a bother having to lie like this. "And now I must get back and look after Miss Spence."
He kissed her on the forehead and went out again into the garden. Miss Spence received him aimed and intense.
"Your wife is dreadfully ill," she fired off at him.
"I thought she cheered up so much when you came."
"That was purely54 nervous, purely nervous. I was watching her closely. With a heart in that condition and her digestion wrecked—yes, wrecked—anything might happen."
"Libbard doesn't take so gloomy a view of poor Emily's health." Mr. Hutton held open the gate that led from the garden into the drive; Miss Spence's car was standing55 by the front door.
"Libbard is only a country doctor. You ought to see a specialist."
Miss Spence held up her hand in protest. "I am serious. I think poor Emily is in a very bad state. Anything might happen at any moment."
He handed her into the car and shut the door. The chauffeur57 started the engine and climbed into his place, ready to drive off.
"Shall I tell him to start?" He had no desire to continue the conversation.
Miss Spence leaned forward and shot a Gioconda in his direction. "Remember, I expect you to come and see me again soon."
Mechanically he grinned, made a polite noise, and, as the car moved forward, waved his hand. He was happy to be alone.
A few minutes afterwards Mr. Hutton himself drove away. Doris was waiting at the cross-roads. They dined together twenty miles from home, at a roadside hotel. It was one of those bad, expensive meals which are only cooked in country hotels frequented by motorists. It revolted Mr. Hutton, but Doris enjoyed it. She always enjoyed things. Mr. Hutton ordered a not very good brand of champagne58. He was wishing he had spent the evening in his library.
When they started homewards Doris was a little tipsy and extremely affectionate. It was very dark inside the car, but looking forward, past the motionless form of M'Nab, they could see a bright and narrow universe of forms and colours scooped59 out of the night by the electric head-lamps.
It was after eleven when Mr. Hutton reached home. Dr. Libbard met him in the hall. He was a small man with delicate hands and well-formed features that were almost feminine. His brown eyes were large and melancholy60. He used to waste a great deal of time sitting at the bedside of his patients, looking sadness through those eyes and talking in a sad, low voice about nothing in particular. His person exhaled61 a pleasing odour, decidedly antiseptic but at the same time suave62 and discreetly63 delicious.
"Libbard?" said Mr. Hutton in surprise. "You here? Is my wife ill?"
"We tried to fetch you earlier," the soft, melancholy voice replied. "It was thought you were at Mr. Johnson's, but they had no news of you there."
"No, I was detained. I had a breakdown," Mr. Hutton answered irritably64. It was tiresome65 to be caught out in a lie.
"Your wife wanted to see you urgently."
"Well, I can go now." Mr. Hutton moved towards the stairs.
Dr. Libbard laid a hand on his arm. "I am afraid it's too late."
"Mrs. Hutton passed away half an hour ago."
The voice remained even in its softness, the melancholy of the eyes did not deepen. Dr. Libbard spoke of death as he would speak of a local cricket match. All things were equally vain and equally deplorable.
Mr. Hutton found himself thinking of Janet Spence's words. At any moment—at any moment. She had been extraordinarily67 right.
"What happened?" he asked. "What was the cause?"
Dr. Libbard explained. It was heart failure brought on by a violent attack of nausea68, caused in its turn by the eating of something of an irritant nature. Red currants? Mr. Hutton suggested. Very likely. It had been too much for the heart. There was chronic69 valvular disease: something had collapsed70 under the strain. It was all over; she could not have suffered much.
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1
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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extenuated
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| v.（用偏袒的辩解或借口）减轻( extenuate的过去式和过去分词 )；低估，藐视 | |
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3
fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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stagnated
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| v.停滞，不流动，不发展( stagnate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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impasse
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| n.僵局；死路 | |
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massage
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| n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据 | |
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12
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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entreatingly
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| 哀求地，乞求地 | |
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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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16
usurping
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| 篡夺，霸占( usurp的现在分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权 | |
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17
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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18
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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loathed
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| v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢 | |
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comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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qualms
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| n.不安；内疚 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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29
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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30
projections
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| 预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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32
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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riddling
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| adj.谜一样的，解谜的n.筛选 | |
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philosophic
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| adj.哲学的，贤明的 | |
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insomnia
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| n.失眠，失眠症 | |
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38
expatiated
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| v.详述，细说( expatiate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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40
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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42
solicitous
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| adj.热切的，挂念的 | |
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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44
stewed
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| adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧 | |
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45
cypress
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| n.柏树 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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47
brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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49
gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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50
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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51
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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52
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
syrup
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| n.糖浆，糖水 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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55
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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56
macabre
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| adj.骇人的，可怖的 | |
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57
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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58
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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59
scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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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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exhaled
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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62
suave
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| adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的 | |
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63
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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64
irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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66
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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67
extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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nausea
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| n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶) | |
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69
chronic
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| adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的 | |
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70
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
参考例句： |
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