THE MAN WAS A WOE-BEGONE SPECIMEN13 OF HUMANITY, WITH HUNGRY EYES GAZING AT YOU OUT OF A CARE-WORN, FURROWED14 COUNTENANCE15
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Both Novo-Kaidansk and Yerachmiel Sendorowitz 212were deserving of these appellations17 in fullest measure. The town was a collection of miserable18 huts and shanties19, irregularly scattered20 over the dull expanse of a Lithuanian plain, with unpaved streets that were ankle-deep in dust most of the summer, and knee-deep in mud and slush and snow most of the winter. The man was a woe-begone specimen of humanity, with hungry eyes gazing at you out of a careworn21, furrowed countenance, the lower part of which was surrounded by a neglected-looking, reddish beard; clad in an aged22 suit of many colors—a man who was ready to do any and every work for a few kopecks, and who was rarely so fortunate as to see a whole rouble. He was not a bad sort of fellow at all, nor stupid. On the contrary, he had somewhat of a smattering of Hebrew education, and he endured with patience the unceasing chidings and naggings of his wife Shprinze, who, despite the auspicious23 significance of her name—a Yiddish corruption of the melodious24 Spanish appellation16 Esperanza—Hope—and thus also a far-off reminder25 of the sojourn26 of the children of Israel in the beautiful Iberian peninsula—did nothing to inspire the spouse27 of her bosom28 with courage or confidence, but was enough to break down the resolution of any man. He 213was never known to answer her revilings with a single harsh word. No doubt much of his patience was due to his knowledge of the fact that Shprinze had ample provocation29, for, whatever might have been the reason, Yerachmiel simply could not earn a living. But, though Shprinze had provocation for her ill-temper, justification30 she had none. Yerachmiel did the very best he could, and it was not his fault but only the cruelty of unfeeling fate which prevented him from extracting even “bread of adversity and water of affliction” from the world. He tried to earn a little by being a porter or burden-bearer for one of the merchants of the town at very scanty32 wages, but just as he was about to get the place, along came a younger and stronger man and offered to do the work for even less. Needless to say, the latter was selected. He thought he could earn his livelihood33 by being a Mithassek, that is to say, one who watches at the bed of the dead and performs the funeral ablutions and rites34; but it was provokingly healthy that season. No one died for a long time; and when at last the angel of death did claim one of the Hebrew residents of Novo-Kaidansk—a wealthy Baal Ha-Bayith he was, too, whose family always paid liberally for all services rendered to any of its members—it 214just happened that they had a poor relative, an aged man of greater learning and stricter piety35 than Yerachmiel; and so, of course, he was preferred, and Yerachmiel was not considered at all. At one time he dealt in fruit, purchasing a small stock with a sum of money which a pitying philanthropist had given him in order to set him up in business; but the demand for fruit was very slack just then, and in a short time Yerachmiel decided36 to retire from that line of commerce with the capital which he had originally possessed37, that is to say, nothing. He made a dozen other attempts to coax39 the unwilling40 world into providing him with sustenance41, but each attempt ended with the same result—failure, and caused him to sink appreciably42 lower in the estimation of Shprinze, whose temper grew bitterer and whose tongue sharper with every new proof of her husband’s Shlemihligkeit. In fact, the term Shlemihl no longer harmonized with her conception of her husband’s worthlessness; it was too mild, too utterly inadequate43. She began to address him by no other term than Shlamazzalnik, that is, one doomed44 and predestined to perpetual misfortune; and soon the neighbors and the other townspeople, and even the children on the streets, took up the cry, and “Yerachmiel Shlamazzalnik” 215resounded from one end to the other of the dusty highways of Novo-Kaidansk whenever the poor fellow made his appearance. Poor Yerachmiel! He used to console himself by saying that he was the equal in some respects of the great Ibn Ezra, the renowned45 Hebrew exegete and poet of the Middle Ages, for the latter was also an incurable46 Shlemihl and Shlamazzalnik. Yerachmiel used to think he was reading of his own experiences when he read the complaint of Ibn Ezra:
“Were I to deal in candles,
The sun would shine alway;
Then death would pass away.”
But poetry, though it may be a good consoler, is a poor substitute for substantial food and the other requisites48 of a comfortable life; and so Yerachmiel was not entirely49 satisfied with his lot, even though the great Ibn Ezra was a companion in misfortune. Finding that his attempts to earn a living by work were not crowned with success, Yerachmiel did what other unsuccessful persons have done under similar circumstances—he took to religion. He became an assiduous attendant at the local Beth Hammidrash, was present at all services, morning, afternoon, and evening, and remained 216in the sacred edifice50 during the greater part of the day and night. He would pray with great fervor51, particularly the “prayer for sustenance” at the end of the morning service, would listen attentively52 to the rabbi or the other learned Talmudists expounding53 the Holy Law, and would sometimes try to learn a little himself from some of the bulky tomes. He was, no doubt, sincere in his new-found fervor, but candor54 impels55 the statement that one of the motives56 of his fondness for the sacred place was a desire to have a refuge in which the sharp tongue of Shprinze could not reach him; and another was a desire to participate in the doles57 which were distributed on certain occasions, such as the beginnings of months or the memorial days of the death of the parents of well-to-do members to the poor persons who regularly attended. In this way he managed to exist in a precarious58 fashion, at least without being a burden to his wife; for whenever he had a little money he gave it to her, and when he had none he simply did not eat. It is true, he was sometimes obliged to go without food or with next to none for several days at a time; but, like all other things, semi-starvation becomes a habit, and Yerachmiel was so used to it he did not even complain.
217One afternoon he was poring over one of the volumes of the Talmud, trying to interest himself in a particularly intricate disputation between Abaye and Raba, and thus forget the unidealistic fact that he had not eaten a substantial meal in three days, and that there were no visible prospects60 of obtaining any in the near future. He had fallen into a light doze38, and was just dreaming that he had been invited by the Parnass to take dinner with him on the Sabbath, and that the Sabbath goose, juicy and savory61 and appetizing, had just been carried to the table, when he was aroused by a hearty62 whack63 on his shoulders and a loud voice exclaiming, in boisterous64 though friendly tones, “Wake up, old Chaver! What are you doing here?” Yerachmiel awoke with a start. The vision of savory goose disappeared into thin air, and he was about to protest angrily against the rude disturbance65 of his entrancing dream when he recognized that the man who stood before him with a broad smile upon his countenance was none other than Shmulke Aronowitz, his old-time friend and boyhood comrade. It was Shmulke, sure enough, but strangely altered. He was dressed in an elegant suit of foreign make; his hair and beard were closely trimmed, and his whole appearance, including his ruddy 218countenance and his cheerful smile, indicated prosperity. All of these characteristics were strange enough in Novo-Kaidansk, heaven knows, but they were hardly to be wondered at in Shmulke, who had emigrated to America some twenty years previously66 and had amassed67 wealth in the liquor business in the classic vicinity of Baxter Street, New York. He had Americanized his cognomen into Samuel Aarons, and had incidentally acquired local fame by pugilistic ability so that he was sometimes referred to as “Sam, the Hebrew slugger.” He was now on a visit to his native town, where his parents still resided, and was unfeignedly glad to see Yerachmiel, who had been a real chum to him in boyhood days. The latter sat gazing dazedly68 at his old friend for a few moments, utterly unable to speak, so overwhelmed was he by the unexpected sight and also by the manifest contrast between his own condition and that of his friend.
Shmulke recalled him to himself. “Come, come, old comrade,” he said with good-humored impatience69. “Don’t sit staring at me as though I were a curiosity in a circus. Speak out and tell me how you are getting on.” Thus encouraged, Yerachmiel lost no time in pouring his sad story into the ears of his friend. Shmulke 219listened attentively until the tale was all told, including the present hunger and the dream goose, and then said: “That is too bad, Yerachmiel. I am really sorry that you are so unfortunate. Come with me now to the inn of Reb Yankele, where, if you can’t get the roast goose of which I deprived you, at least you can get something to eat, and there we can consult as to what can be done for you.” Yerachmiel complied with alacrity70.
Reb Yankele was more than surprised at the unexpected apparition71 of Yerachmiel the Shlemihl, who had never in all his life been rich enough to be a guest at the Kretchm, although he had been glad to get an occasional meal or drink there in return for odd jobs, boldly entering his establishment as the companion of a manifestly prosperous Deitch. He stepped forward with an obsequious72 bow and a deferential73 “What do the gentlemen wish?”
“The best your house has of food and drink,” answered Shmulke, “and be quick about it. A rouble or two more or less makes no difference.”
Thus encouraged the innkeeper performed his task with alacrity; and in a few minutes Shmulke and Yerachmiel were sitting down before a very fair meal, consisting of beet74 soup, roast chicken, boiled potatoes, black bread, 220onions sliced in vinegar, and a large bottle of vodka. Yerachmiel almost imagined himself in Gan Eden, and was convinced that if dreams were not prophetic, they were certainly closely akin75 to prophecy. The roast chicken, if not equal in quality to the dream goose, was not much inferior; and the vodka, while undoubtedly76 not as good as the wine which is stored up for the righteous since creation’s dawn, was yet abundantly satisfying to a poor sinner in the cheerless present.
Shmulke watched Yerachmiel’s enjoyment78 of the meal with a quiet smile of satisfaction, and said to him: “What is the best way to provide you with a permanent parnoso?” Yerachmiel did not exactly know. He suggested half a dozen different sorts of business, from banker to butcher, but was most inclined to favor the occupation of innkeeper, of whose delights he had just had emphatic79 demonstration80.
Shmulke rejected all these propositions with scorn. “To tell you the truth,” he said, “I don’t believe you could succeed at anything in Russia. You are too much of a Shlemihl, and you could never get along without some one to look after you. What do you say to going with me to America? I would set you up in business and help you along with my advice.”
221The magnificence, as well as the unexpectedness, of this proposal fairly took Yerachmiel’s breath away. Indeed, it made him feel a little faint. He did not really want to go to America. He admired America as a land of extraordinary and incomprehensible prosperity; but he also feared it as a land which corrupted82 Jewish piety, and made the holy people faithless to their ancient heritage. He would rather have remained in his native place and continued to live in his accustomed manner could he have been assured of even the most modest sustenance. But in his heart he knew that Shmulke had spoken the truth; that he was too much of a Shlemihl to succeed without friendly aid and sympathetic guidance, and that he could not expect to receive those from any one except the old friend of his youth. He therefore murmured a confused assent83, adding, however, faintly that he was afraid Shprinze might not be willing to have her husband leave her and go to so distant a land.
“Don’t worry about that, old friend,” said Shmulke, with a broad smile. “I’ll guarantee that she will not put any obstacles in the way of her own prosperity. And now that you have agreed, we will go and see her at once.”
Shmulke was right. Shprinze assented84 at 222once to Shmulke’s proposition, which was that he would take Yerachmiel to America and assist him to become self-supporting, that he would provide her with sufficient money to maintain her for several months until Yerachmiel would probably be able to send her of his own earnings85; and that if Yerachmiel proved unable to adapt himself to the conditions of America and find his way in his new home, at the end of three years he, Shmulke, would send him back to his native place with a substantial gift. Indeed, her assent was so willing, and given with such manifest pleasure, that it jarred disagreeably upon Yerachmiel, and was not altogether pleasing even to Shmulke.
Thus did Yerachmiel Sendorowitz become a resident and a respected citizen of the metropolis86 of America. It is not necessary to enter into the details of his career in the New World, which did not differ essentially87 from that of many of his Russian Jewish compatriots. At first he was a peddler, Shmulke providing him with suitable goods and initiating88 him into the mysteries of the profession. He did not fail. The mysterious something in the American atmosphere which confers energy and shrewdness and practical sense seemed to be even more potent89 than usual in his case. This may have been due to 223the fact that the Shlemihligkeit, which had hitherto been his distinguishing characteristic, had been more apparent than real, and that he had really possessed innate90 qualities of courage and astuteness91 which only had lacked the opportunity of manifesting themselves. However that may have been, he certainly became a different man under the invigorating influence of America. He toiled92 early and late with untiring assiduity and industry; he purchased his little articles of merchandise wisely and sold prudently93. In six months he had developed into a customer peddler, and no longer wandered through the streets with a pack upon his back, but went with samples only to the numerous customers whose friendship and trade he had gained, and received their orders. A year later he had given this up also, and was the proud and happy possessor of a peddler’s supply store in one of the little streets which abut94 on the main thoroughfare of the Jewish East Side, Canal Street, and had purchased a tenement95 house. Success even affected96 his personal appearance favorably. The old slouchy, unkempt, ne’er-do-well, with the hungry eyes and hopeless air, had disappeared forever, and in his stead had come a bright, alert, neat, active man. Yerachmiel the Shlemihl had given way to Mr. 224Sendorowitz, the prosperous wholesale97 merchant and real-estate owner. Nor had he failed to keep his promises to Shprinze. He wrote to her regularly, every week, telling her in detail and with great pride about his doings and his successes, not failing either to give due credit to Shmulke for the large share which the latter had had in bringing about these gratifying results, and always inquiring solicitously98 about her health and welfare. Once a month he sent her money, at first only a few roubles, afterward99 larger sums, but always sufficient to enable her to live in proper comfort in the little Russian town of her residence. He often wrote her, too, of his intention to go out and take her to his new home as soon as business would permit, she having expressed a strong aversion to crossing “the great sea” alone. In all this he was thoroughly100 sincere, for he was naturally the soul of honor, and really loved his wife in a simple, unreflecting way, despite the slight cause she had ever given him for affection. Besides, his Talmudic studies had given him a clear conviction that a Jewish husband was under many obligations to his wife; but his ideas of the counter duties of wife to husband were much less distinct. Despite the slight demands which he made upon the conjugal101 sentiment of his life 225partner, he had, however, to confess to himself that the letters of Shprinze were not satisfactory. They were excessively brief, not very frequent, expressed very little interest in his personal welfare or his doings, and invariably contained a demand for a larger amount of money. Yerachmiel tried to obey the rabbinical precept102, “Judge every one leniently,” and to find excuses for Shprinze’s unsympathetic demeanor103. He told himself that women are naturally inclined to scold, and that Shprinze was merely following the rule of her sex; that she did not put full faith in his tales of prosperity, and was demanding money as a test of their truth; that women are naturally less expressive104 of the affection they feel than are men, and a half-dozen other excuses for her apparent coldness and mercenariness. But none of these excuses seemed really adequate, and gradually Yerachmiel found a great dissatisfaction with the conduct of his wife toward him rising in his breast. Finally, a most painful question began to torture him. “Did Shprinze love him at all, or was her interest in him purely105 mercenary, and limited to the material benefits which she could derive11 from him?”
Simple-minded as Yerachmiel was in worldly things, untutored in romantic concepts and 226affairs of the heart, his whole nature revolted against the idea of marital106 relations with a woman in whose soul burned no flame of love for him as her husband. But how could he ascertain107 the truth; how find out whether his wife really loved him or not? Gradually a plan matured in his mind. He did not permit Shprinze to have any inkling of the doubts and the conflicting emotions by which he was agitated108. He wrote her as frequently and regularly as hitherto, and sent her monthly remittances109 of money with unfailing punctuality. After some five years of absence he wrote her that he had found it at last possible to withdraw his constant personal attention from business for a few months, and that he would come out and take her with him to his new home in America. When Shprinze received this letter it did not fill her with the joy which the prospect59 of reunion with a beloved and long-absent husband might be expected to inspire in the heart of an affectionate and devoted110 wife. She would have preferred the indefinite continuance of the condition which had now lasted upward of five years, and which she had found very agreeable. It had been very pleasant to receive constant remittances of money, to live in comfort and ease, and to be looked up to on all 227sides as the fortunate and happy one. When she had entered the women’s gallery in the synagogue all the women had hastened to make way for her with the utmost deference111; and many a highly esteemed112 Baal Ha-bayis had looked upon her with favor, and would not have spurned113 to ask her hand in marriage if her incumbrance on the other side of the Atlantic would only have been good enough to make a polite exit for a better world, leaving her a substantial fortune in American dollars. And now all this was to cease; and she must leave her native place for a strange land, and live again with one whom in her heart she still despised as a Shlemihl, despite his unexpected good fortune in the New World. Besides, she had a dim presentiment114 of evil, a feeling that the advent115 of Yerachmiel meant some undesirable116 change in her tide of fortune, why or what she could not think. At last a despatch117 came from Yerachmiel, informing her that he was in Hamburg, and would reach Novo-Kaidansk with the train due at such and such an hour. At the appointed hour she was at the station, accompanied by quite a throng119 of Jewish townsfolk bent120 on giving their long-absent townsman a hearty welcome. Speculation121 was rife122 as to his appearance. Some thought that his long absence 228in a foreign land would have removed his Jewish looks; that he would have shaved off his beard and assumed in every way the appearance of the Gentile. Others thought such a thing impossible of Yerachmiel Sendorowitz; that he was far too pious123 and God-fearing to fall away so utterly from Jewish ways, and that the only change probable was that he would be elegantly attired124 in fine clothing, and would show in his prosperous and beaming aspect the possession of much America-gained wealth. The grimy train, drawn125 by the ugly, soot-covered locomotive, swept into the low-roofed Russian station. The swarm126 of passengers, of all kinds and degrees, flowed from the narrow openings of the cars; and then a shock came over the waiting throng. From amidst the crowd of passengers emerged one who was unmistakably Yerachmiel; and, horrible to relate, the Yerachmiel of old, Yerachmiel the Schlemihl. To be sure, he was not exactly the same in appearance as of old, for the hat and suit that he wore were of American make; but they were shabby and dusty, and ill suited to a prosperous man. His hair and beard were unkempt and neglected, and his face bore an expression of anxiety and care. All were surprised and shocked; but the most pitiably shocked of all was Shprinze. 229Yerachmiel at once recognized his townsmen and his wife, and advanced with a sort of wan81 smile to greet them. The former, of course, returned his greetings, and inquired how he had fared in America; but their embarrassment127 was only too manifest, and cutting short his answers to them, Yerachmiel turned to his wife, who had been standing128 all the while as if petrified129, and said: “Come, Shprinze, let us go home.” Mechanically she led him to her home. Hardly had the door of the little dwelling130 closed behind them when all the animation131 and energy which had left Shprinze when she beheld132 her spouse in such unexpected and unwelcome guise133 suddenly returned.
“What is the meaning of all this?” she demanded fiercely, while flames of wrath134 blazed from her piercing eyes. “Why do you come to me from America looking like a beggar and a ragged135 saint fresh from the benches of the Beth-Hammidrash instead of a prosperous New York merchant, as you had made us all believe you had become? Was it all a lie, your oft-repeated tale of your success in business and your progress? Did you steal the money you sent me, and have you fled from the officers of the law, who, perhaps, are after you now? Oh, you are still the same old Shlemihl, the same old goodfor-nothing! 230Why did the Most High curse me by making me your wife?”
“My dear Shprinze, do not rave136 so!” expostulated Yerachmiel. “How can you say such things before you have heard any explanation from me? I am not a liar4 nor a Shlemihl. Whatever I wrote you about my business success in America was strictly137 true; and the money I sent you was my own, and all honestly earned. I have come to take you with me to America; and I already have the steamship138 tickets for us both, and plenty of money for railroad fare and necessary expenses.”
“Then why are you dressed so shabbily?” continued Shprinze, with undiminished fierceness; “and why do you look so down-hearted? Is that the appearance and the bearing suitable to a wealthy merchant, such as you have claimed to be?”
“I suppose I am not very particular about my appearance,” answered Yerachmiel; “and then, I admit, I have had considerable trouble and losses in business lately, and that may have given me a worried look. But what need that concern you? I have learned the art of getting on in America, and I do not fear but that I shall soon be able to recover whatever I have lost. In the mean while I am here. I am your 231husband, and I ask you to come and make your home with me.”
“You are mechulleh,” said Shprinze, suspicion gazing out of every line of her excited countenance. “I can understand from what you admit that you have lost all you had, and you want me to share your poverty, or perhaps to give you the money that I have saved from what you sent me! I shall not do it! I do not want to go with you! Give me a Get. I do not want to be the wife of such a Shlemihl.”
Yerachmiel’s pale face became fiery139 red when he heard these harsh and heartless words; but again he endeavored to bring his wife to a better frame of mind. “Shprinze,” he said in appealing tones that might have melted a heart of stone, “is this my welcome home? Have I deserved this of you? Have I not always been faithful to you, even when I was a poor Shlemihl in this town, and did I not give you every kopeck I earned? Did I not send you money abundantly from America? You may trust me. I still have the means to support my wife, and therefore I again ask you to come with me to my home, as beseems a good and true wife in Israel.”
“I will believe you are not mechulleh,” said Shprinze, in a tone of calculating shrewdness, 232“if you will give me a thousand roubles now. If you do that I will go with you.”
“That I shall not do,” said Yerachmiel, a manly140 anger getting the better of his usual extreme mildness. “I do not need to buy my wife. Have you no love for me at all? I ask you to go with me because I can support you; and as a wife you can ask no more.”
“Then I see you are mechulleh,” answered Shprinze, “and I will not go. Divorce me, I say; give me a Get. I want none of you or your money. All I want is a Get.”
Again and again did Yerachmiel appeal to Shprinze’s better nature. It was of no avail. She persisted in her demand and could not be induced to alter it. Seeing that her determination was unalterable and that her one wish was to be separated from him, Yerachmiel, although according to the Jewish religious law he could have refused to consent to the desired divorce and thus have effectually baffled any other matrimonial plans that Shprinze might have entertained, decided to accede141 to her wishes. “I shall do as you ask, hard-hearted and ungrateful woman,” he said; “for even now that you treat me thus cruelly I wish you no evil. But one thing I must tell you. In order to show that this divorce is not in accordance 233with my wish, I shall pay neither the rabbi, nor the scribe, nor any of the other expenses. Whatever outlay142 there is you must defray. Thus shall all know that you are the one who seeks to undo77 the bond that has bound us together these many years, but that I am satisfied to keep you as my lawful143, wedded144 wife.”
Shprinze eagerly agreed to this; and having further agreed that they should meet on the morrow in the house of Rabbi Israel, the spiritual guide of the Jewish community of the town, they separated, Yerachmiel leaving the house without word of farewell.
Great was the surprise of Reb Yankele, the innkeeper, when Yerachmiel, whom he had assisted in welcoming at the railroad station a few hours previously, entered the inn and gloomily inquired whether he could be accommodated with food and lodging145 for the night. He wondered greatly why Yerachmiel was not staying in his own home on the first night after his arrival from a distant land; but the latter volunteered no explanation, and Reb Yankele did not venture to ask for any. However, he did not need to remain long in ignorance. No sooner had Yerachmiel left his wife’s house than Shprinze rushed to the nearest female neighbor 234and told her the news, adding many dreadful details about the repulsiveness146 of Yerachmiel’s appearance, his poverty, and his hopeless Shlemihligkeit; adding, however, that in spite of all she must be grateful to him for his willingness to grant her the divorce she craved147, and assuring her (the neighbor) of her unutterable joy at the prospect of being at last free from an incurable Shlemihl and Shlamazzalnik. The neighbor, of course, had no more imperative148 duty to perform than to put her shawl over her head and rush to communicate to her nearest neighbor the news, still fresh and hot, of the impending149 divorce of Yerachmiel and Shprinze Sendorowitz. In this way not two hours had passed before the whole Kehillah of Novo-Kaidansk had learned the news. Reb Yankele had learned why Yerachmiel was his guest; and even Rabbi Israel had been informed, at evening service in the synagogue, of the function which he was to be asked to perform on the morrow.
At nine the next morning Yerachmiel and Shprinze were in the large front room in the rabbi’s dwelling, which served as his office, and whither repaired whosoever in Novo-Kaidansk had a religious question to ask or a ceremony to be performed, or that was in need of spiritual counsel or guidance of any kind. Shprinze was 235gayly attired, and chattered150 constantly with a group of female acquaintances by whom she was surrounded. She was in high spirits, and cast occasional contemptuous glances at Yerachmiel, who sat, moody151 and abstracted, in a corner and spoke3 to no one. Besides these the room was crowded with the most notable members of the congregation, drawn hither by the exceptional interest which this extraordinary case had aroused. The side door opened, and a hush152 fell upon the assembly as the venerable Rabbi Israel, accompanied by two coadjutor rabbis and several other persons who were to take part in the solemn function of pronouncing the divorce, entered and took their places in seats which had been reserved for their occupancy, behind long tables at the head of the room. The Shammas then asked in a loud voice whether there was any one present who desired to consult the Beth Din7 on any matter. At this Yerachmiel arose, and, addressing Rabbi Israel, said: “Venerable rabbi, I desire to divorce my wife, Shprinze, daughter of Moses; and I request of you to ordain153 the issuing of such a divorce, according to the law of Moses and Israel.”
“I hear your request with sorrow,” said the rabbi, while an expression of pain passed over 236his venerable features. “Is it the desire of your wife also that your marriage be dissolved?”
Yerachmiel bent his head in assent; and the Shammas, in response to a motion of the rabbi’s hand, called in a loud voice: “Shprinze, daughter of Moses, step forward.” Shprinze did so, and the rabbi put to her the question whether she consented to the dissolution of her marriage to Yerachmiel, son of Isaac, to which she responded with a loud and distinct “Yes.” Summoning them both before him, the rabbi now addressed to them a long and earnest plea to give up their intention of divorce. He pointed118 out to them that, although the holy Torah permitted the dissolution of a marriage which had been polluted and desecrated154 by gross and abominable155 sin, or which had grown utterly intolerable to either or both parties, and left it to their decision whether it should be dissolved; yet it did not approve, but, on the contrary, severely156 condemned157, the tearing asunder158 of the holy bonds of wedlock160, and that in the words of the sages161 the altar shed tears over husband and wife who became recreant162 to the covenant163 of their youth. He therefore entreated164 them most earnestly to become reconciled to each other, and to remain faithful to the pledges which they had once taken upon each other. To this 237touching plea they returned no answer. Yerachmiel gazed at the floor, his face alternately flushed and ashy pale. Shprinze gazed at the rabbi with firm eyes and shook her head in the negative. Seeing that his efforts at reconciliation165 were useless, the rabbi then announced “the giving of the Get must, therefore, take place.”
These words were the signal for the commencement of the divorce ceremonial, which was now performed with all the solemn and impressive formalities with which it has been carried out since time immemorial in Israel. The rabbi appointed an expert and skilful166 scribe to write the bill of divorce, which must be written in strict accordance with many minute and detailed167 rules, the neglect or violation168 of any of which would render it invalid169. He also designated two pious and trustworthy men, both proficient170 in the art of writing the square Hebrew script, to act as the official witnesses to the document. The scribe seated himself at his desk and produced his paper, quill171 pen, and ink, all of them specially172 prepared, in accordance with fixed173 rules, for this purpose. To him Yerachmiel, acting31 under the instruction of the rabbi, now spoke and directed him to write a bill of divorce for his wife, Shprinze, daughter 238of Moses. Amidst breathless silence the scribe now began to write the document which was to sunder159 two lives hitherto joined. The writing lasted a considerable time; and during all its continuance not a sound, save the steady scratching of the scribe’s pen, was heard, for it is strictly forbidden to make a noise of any kind while a Get is being written, lest the sound disturb the Sopher and cause him to err1 in some particular, thus necessitating174 the rewriting of the document. At last the bill of divorce was finished and the two witnesses appended their signatures, written in the square Hebrew script, and without title of any kind. The rabbi then designated two other men of religious standing and good repute to be the official witnesses of the delivery of the Get. Summoning Shprinze, the rabbi bade her uncover her face, which hitherto during the proceedings175 had been covered with a heavy veil, and said to her in solemn tones: “Shprinze, daughter of Moses, art thou willing to accept a bill of divorce from thy husband, Yerachmiel, son of Isaac?” Shprinze responded with a firm “Yes.” Turning to Yerachmiel, the rabbi asked him whether he still desired to divorce his wife, to which Yerachmiel answered in the affirmative. Turning again to the woman, the rabbi said in a stern voice: “Give me thy Ketubah. 239Thou no longer hast any use for it.” At this, the most feared part in the divorce ceremony, Shprinze’s face grew slightly pale; but she drew forth176 her marriage certificate, which she had brought along for this purpose, and gave it to the rabbi, who laid it aside, to be destroyed immediately after the completion of the divorce proceedings. The rabbi then bade her remove her marriage ring and extend her hands to receive her bill of divorce. Yerachmiel then took the bill of divorce, placed it in the outstretched hands of Shprinze, and said: “Behold, this is thy bill of divorce. Accept thy bill of divorce, and by it thou art released and divorced from me, and free to contract lawful marriage with any other man.” With a few earnest words from the rabbi pointing out the duty of living their separate lives in peace and righteousness, and of avoiding in the future the sins which had led to this sorrow, the ceremony was concluded.
Yerachmiel and Shprinze were no longer man and wife. At once a clamorous177 buzz of conversation arose all over the room. The excitement which had been suppressed so long now burst the bonds of enforced silence and found relief in vociferous178 exclamations179 of wonderment and emphatic expressions of approval 240and disapproval180. Some of the women congratulated Shprinze; others held aloof181. The men were unanimous in their condemnation182 of the hard-hearted woman who had taken her husband’s money for years and then induced him, when grown poor, to give her a divorce.
The excitement was at its height, when suddenly a tremendous rap on the table drew the startled gaze of all toward the spot whence the sound had proceeded. What they saw caused a hush to fall over the assemblage. Yerachmiel stood at the side of one of the tables, his cheeks ashy pale, his eyes blazing with a furious light that no one had ever seen in them before, fiercely rapping with his cane183 in an effort to procure184 silence. As soon as his voice could be heard he began to speak.
“Jewish brethren and sisters of Novo-Kaidansk,” he said, with painfully labored185 yet distinct utterance186. “You have come here to see Yerachmiel the Shlemihl give divorce to his wife, Shprinze. I know most of you are good people and have pitied me for being such a Shlemihl that I could not keep either my money or my wife. But, perhaps, I am not such a Shlemihl after all. I have not desired nor sought this divorce, but I have tried to find out the truth about an old wrong and to right it; 241and I believe I have succeeded as well as some who are considered wiser and cleverer than I. Shlemihl though I may be, I have always tried to do my duty toward my wife. Even before I went to America, when poverty and wretchedness were my lot in this town, I gave Shprinze every kopeck that I earned. From America, where God blessed me and made me prosperous, I sent her regularly all that she could properly require. But in return for this I asked wifely love. I knew that a husband must honor, cherish, and maintain his wife; and that a wife must, in true marriage, return love for love, affection for affection. Shprinze never showed the least trace of love for me. My soul hungered and thirsted for love. Shprinze gave me, at worst, bitter revilings and beratings, tongue-stabbings that pierced my soul like the thrusts of a sword; at best, cold indifference187. In the beginning, when I could not, because of poverty, properly support her, I excused her. I said to myself that I deserved nothing better. But when from America I sent abundance of gold and loving words, and showed in every way I could that I was a true and loving husband, and when, in return for all this, I could not get an affectionate word, a loving sentence, I resolved that I would find out whether in 242Shprinze’s heart dwelt a spark of love for me, or whether it was only my gold she loved. The rest you know. I came here, dressed in shabby clothing, looking the olden Shlemihl. Her evil heart made her quickly conclude that I had lost my all, and without questioning me or offering, like a true wife, to share my lot, she demanded a divorce. I saw that she loved me not, that she had never been to me more than a wife in name, and to-day I have granted her wish. But let me assure her and you, friends, that she is mistaken in thinking that she has now got rid of a Shlemihl, of a poor, never succeeding unfortunate. She has freed herself of a successful, of a wealthy man; she has deprived herself of a splendid home in the greatest city of free America; she has deprived herself of luxury and riches, and, what is more, of the love of a man who was deeply attached to her, and who would have given his all for a kind word or a loving kiss from her lips. See, here are the presents I had brought here for her, and would have given her had she treated me rightly.” So speaking, he drew forth a magnificent diamond necklace and a beautiful, richly ornamented188 gold watch and chain. “And here is the proof that I am a man of means and no deceiver—a letter of credit on a Berlin banking-house for ten thousand 243marks”—and here he drew from his wallet the precious document and flourished it triumphantly189 yet sorrowfully before the eyes of his hearers. “As for me,” he continued, “I thank the All-Merciful that He has opened my eyes to the truth, and that He has freed me from a serpent that would only have devoured190 my substance, and with its icy touch have frozen my heart. Now farewell, friends, and farewell, false and heartless woman. I go to my home beyond the sea, where I shall try to forget this long, sad dream of misplaced love and cruel ingratitude191 and heartlessness.”
Having thus spoken, he turned and left the room. None ventured to detain him or to restrain his departure. As he went out of the door, Shprinze, who had been listening with strained attention to his words, and whose countenance had alternately flushed and paled as he spoke, rushed forward as if she would have held him back, then paused, uttered a piercing, heartrending shriek192, and fell in a deathly swoon to the floor. The cry reached the ears of Yerachmiel as he strode down the dusty street. An expression of pain crossed his features as he heard it, but he did not turn and he came not back.
点击收听单词发音
1 err | |
vi.犯错误,出差错 | |
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2 cognomen | |
n.姓;绰号 | |
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3 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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4 liar | |
n.说谎的人 | |
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5 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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6 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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7 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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8 aggravated | |
使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 ); 使更严重; 激怒; 使恼火 | |
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9 incapable | |
adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
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10 derived | |
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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11 derive | |
v.取得;导出;引申;来自;源自;出自 | |
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12 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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13 specimen | |
n.样本,标本 | |
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14 furrowed | |
v.犁田,开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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16 appellation | |
n.名称,称呼 | |
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17 appellations | |
n.名称,称号( appellation的名词复数 ) | |
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18 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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19 shanties | |
n.简陋的小木屋( shanty的名词复数 );铁皮棚屋;船工号子;船歌 | |
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20 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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21 careworn | |
adj.疲倦的,饱经忧患的 | |
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22 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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23 auspicious | |
adj.吉利的;幸运的,吉兆的 | |
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24 melodious | |
adj.旋律美妙的,调子优美的,音乐性的 | |
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25 reminder | |
n.提醒物,纪念品;暗示,提示 | |
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26 sojourn | |
v./n.旅居,寄居;逗留 | |
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27 spouse | |
n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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28 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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29 provocation | |
n.激怒,刺激,挑拨,挑衅的事物,激怒的原因 | |
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30 justification | |
n.正当的理由;辩解的理由 | |
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31 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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32 scanty | |
adj.缺乏的,仅有的,节省的,狭小的,不够的 | |
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33 livelihood | |
n.生计,谋生之道 | |
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34 rites | |
仪式,典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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35 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
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36 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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37 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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38 doze | |
v.打瞌睡;n.打盹,假寐 | |
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39 coax | |
v.哄诱,劝诱,用诱哄得到,诱取 | |
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40 unwilling | |
adj.不情愿的 | |
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41 sustenance | |
n.食物,粮食;生活资料;生计 | |
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42 appreciably | |
adv.相当大地 | |
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43 inadequate | |
adj.(for,to)不充足的,不适当的 | |
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44 doomed | |
命定的 | |
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45 renowned | |
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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46 incurable | |
adj.不能医治的,不能矫正的,无救的;n.不治的病人,无救的人 | |
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47 shrouds | |
n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 );寿衣;遮蔽物;覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 );保密 | |
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48 requisites | |
n.必要的事物( requisite的名词复数 ) | |
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49 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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50 edifice | |
n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿,教室) | |
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51 fervor | |
n.热诚;热心;炽热 | |
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52 attentively | |
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神 | |
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53 expounding | |
论述,详细讲解( expound的现在分词 ) | |
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54 candor | |
n.坦白,率真 | |
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55 impels | |
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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56 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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57 doles | |
救济物( dole的名词复数 ); 失业救济金 | |
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58 precarious | |
adj.不安定的,靠不住的;根据不足的 | |
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59 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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60 prospects | |
n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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61 savory | |
adj.风味极佳的,可口的,味香的 | |
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62 hearty | |
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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63 whack | |
v.敲击,重打,瓜分;n.重击,重打,尝试,一份 | |
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64 boisterous | |
adj.喧闹的,欢闹的 | |
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65 disturbance | |
n.动乱,骚动;打扰,干扰;(身心)失调 | |
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66 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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67 amassed | |
v.积累,积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68 dazedly | |
头昏眼花地,眼花缭乱地,茫然地 | |
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69 impatience | |
n.不耐烦,急躁 | |
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70 alacrity | |
n.敏捷,轻快,乐意 | |
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71 apparition | |
n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
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72 obsequious | |
adj.谄媚的,奉承的,顺从的 | |
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73 deferential | |
adj. 敬意的,恭敬的 | |
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74 beet | |
n.甜菜;甜菜根 | |
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75 akin | |
adj.同族的,类似的 | |
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76 undoubtedly | |
adv.确实地,无疑地 | |
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77 undo | |
vt.解开,松开;取消,撤销 | |
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78 enjoyment | |
n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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79 emphatic | |
adj.强调的,着重的;无可置疑的,明显的 | |
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80 demonstration | |
n.表明,示范,论证,示威 | |
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81 wan | |
(wide area network)广域网 | |
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82 corrupted | |
(使)败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)腐化; 引起(计算机文件等的)错误; 破坏 | |
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83 assent | |
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可 | |
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84 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85 earnings | |
n.工资收人;利润,利益,所得 | |
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86 metropolis | |
n.首府;大城市 | |
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87 essentially | |
adv.本质上,实质上,基本上 | |
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88 initiating | |
v.开始( initiate的现在分词 );传授;发起;接纳新成员 | |
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89 potent | |
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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90 innate | |
adj.天生的,固有的,天赋的 | |
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91 astuteness | |
n.敏锐;精明;机敏 | |
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92 toiled | |
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉 | |
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93 prudently | |
adv. 谨慎地,慎重地 | |
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94 abut | |
v.接界,毗邻 | |
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95 tenement | |
n.公寓;房屋 | |
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96 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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97 wholesale | |
n.批发;adv.以批发方式;vt.批发,成批出售 | |
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98 solicitously | |
adv.热心地,热切地 | |
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99 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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100 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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101 conjugal | |
adj.婚姻的,婚姻性的 | |
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102 precept | |
n.戒律;格言 | |
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103 demeanor | |
n.行为;风度 | |
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104 expressive | |
adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的 | |
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105 purely | |
adv.纯粹地,完全地 | |
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106 marital | |
adj.婚姻的,夫妻的 | |
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107 ascertain | |
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
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108 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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109 remittances | |
n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 );汇款,汇款额 | |
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110 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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111 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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112 esteemed | |
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为 | |
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113 spurned | |
v.一脚踢开,拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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114 presentiment | |
n.预感,预觉 | |
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115 advent | |
n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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116 undesirable | |
adj.不受欢迎的,不良的,不合意的,讨厌的;n.不受欢迎的人,不良分子 | |
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117 despatch | |
n./v.(dispatch)派遣;发送;n.急件;新闻报道 | |
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118 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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119 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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120 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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121 speculation | |
n.思索,沉思;猜测;投机 | |
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122 rife | |
adj.(指坏事情)充斥的,流行的,普遍的 | |
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123 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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124 attired | |
adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服,使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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125 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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126 swarm | |
n.(昆虫)等一大群;vi.成群飞舞;蜂拥而入 | |
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127 embarrassment | |
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 | |
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128 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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129 petrified | |
adj.惊呆的;目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆,使惊呆;变僵硬;使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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130 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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131 animation | |
n.活泼,兴奋,卡通片/动画片的制作 | |
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132 beheld | |
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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133 guise | |
n.外表,伪装的姿态 | |
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134 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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135 ragged | |
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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136 rave | |
vi.胡言乱语;热衷谈论;n.热情赞扬 | |
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137 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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138 steamship | |
n.汽船,轮船 | |
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139 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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140 manly | |
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地 | |
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141 accede | |
v.应允,同意 | |
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142 outlay | |
n.费用,经费,支出;v.花费 | |
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143 lawful | |
adj.法律许可的,守法的,合法的 | |
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144 wedded | |
adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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145 lodging | |
n.寄宿,住所;(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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146 repulsiveness | |
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147 craved | |
渴望,热望( crave的过去式 ); 恳求,请求 | |
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148 imperative | |
n.命令,需要;规则;祈使语气;adj.强制的;紧急的 | |
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149 impending | |
a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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150 chattered | |
(人)喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 ); 唠叨; (牙齿)打战; (机器)震颤 | |
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151 moody | |
adj.心情不稳的,易怒的,喜怒无常的 | |
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152 hush | |
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
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153 ordain | |
vi.颁发命令;vt.命令,授以圣职,注定,任命 | |
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154 desecrated | |
毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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155 abominable | |
adj.可厌的,令人憎恶的 | |
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156 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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157 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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158 asunder | |
adj.分离的,化为碎片 | |
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159 sunder | |
v.分开;隔离;n.分离,分开 | |
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160 wedlock | |
n.婚姻,已婚状态 | |
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161 sages | |
n.圣人( sage的名词复数 );智者;哲人;鼠尾草(可用作调料) | |
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162 recreant | |
n.懦夫;adj.胆怯的 | |
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163 covenant | |
n.盟约,契约;v.订盟约 | |
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164 entreated | |
恳求,乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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165 reconciliation | |
n.和解,和谐,一致 | |
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166 skilful | |
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的 | |
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167 detailed | |
adj.详细的,详尽的,极注意细节的,完全的 | |
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168 violation | |
n.违反(行为),违背(行为),侵犯 | |
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169 invalid | |
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的 | |
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170 proficient | |
adj.熟练的,精通的;n.能手,专家 | |
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171 quill | |
n.羽毛管;v.给(织物或衣服)作皱褶 | |
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172 specially | |
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地 | |
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173 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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174 necessitating | |
使…成为必要,需要( necessitate的现在分词 ) | |
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175 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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176 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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177 clamorous | |
adj.吵闹的,喧哗的 | |
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178 vociferous | |
adj.喧哗的,大叫大嚷的 | |
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179 exclamations | |
n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 );感叹;感叹语;感叹词 | |
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180 disapproval | |
n.反对,不赞成 | |
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181 aloof | |
adj.远离的;冷淡的,漠不关心的 | |
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182 condemnation | |
n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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183 cane | |
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
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184 procure | |
vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条 | |
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185 labored | |
adj.吃力的,谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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186 utterance | |
n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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187 indifference | |
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎 | |
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188 ornamented | |
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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189 triumphantly | |
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地 | |
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190 devoured | |
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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191 ingratitude | |
n.忘恩负义 | |
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192 shriek | |
v./n.尖叫,叫喊 | |
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