"No! How do you know? Who told you?"
"I heard Dr. Osborne say so to Miss Winter."
"Ah! so likely Dr. Osborne would tell that old beast! Why was its name throughout doctors are the silentest fellows in the world. My uncle Robert is a doctor, and I know all about it."
"Well, I'll take my dick I heard old Osborne say so! I say, Hawkes, if Ashurst does die, we shall break up at once, sha'n't we?"
"I should think so! Stunning1!"
"And we sha'n't come back till there's a new head master?"
"Of course not, you young ass2! That don't matter much to me; I'm going to leave this term."
"Don't I wish I was, that's all! I say, Hawkes, do you think the governors will give old Ashurst's place to Joyce?"
"Joyce?--that snob3! Not they, indeed! They'll get a swell4 from Oxford5, or somewhere, to be head master; and I should think he'll give Master Joyce the sack. Baker6, lend me twopence!"
"No--I say, Hawkes, you owe me----"
"I know all about that, you young beggar--pay you on Saturday. Hand out now, or I'll fetch you a lick on the head."
Under the pressure of this awful threat, little Sam Baker produced the required sum from his trousers-pocket, and gave the coins to big Alfred Hawkes, who threw them into the air, caught them over-handed, and walked off, whistling. Little Sam Baker, left to himself, turned out the pocket of his trousers, which he had not yet explored, found a half-melted acidulated drop sticking in one corner, removed it, placed it in his mouth, and enjoyed it with great relish7. This refection finished, he leaned his little arms over the park-paling of the cricket-field, where the above-described colloquy8 had taken place, and surveyed the landscape. Immediately beneath him was a large meadow, from which the hay had been just removed, and which, looking brown and bare and closely shorn as the chin of some retired9 Indian civilian10, remained yet fragrant11 from its recent treasure. The meadow sloped down to a broad sluggishly-flowing stream, unnavigated and unnavigable, where the tall green flags, standing12 breast-high, bent13 and nodded gracefully14, under the influence of the gentle summer breeze, to the broad-leaved water-lilies couchant below them. A notion of scuttling15 across the meadow and having "a bathe" in a sequestered16 part of the stream which he well knew, faded out of little Sam Baker's mind before it was half formed. Though a determined17 larker and leader in mischief18 among his coevals, he was too chivalrous19 to take advantage of the opportunity which their chief's illness gave him over his natural enemies, the masters. Their chief's illness! And little Sam Baker's eyes were lifted from the river and fixed20 themselves on a house about a quarter of a mile further on--a low-roofed, one-storeyed, red-brick house, with a thatched roof and little mullioned windows, from one of which a white blind was fluttering in the evening breeze. "That's his room," said little Sam Baker to himself. "Poor old Ashurst! He wasn't half a bad old chap; he often let me off a hundred lines he--poor old Ashurst!" And two large tears burst from the small boy's eyes and rolled down his cheeks.
The boy was right. Where the white blind fluttered was the dominie's bedroom, and there the dominie lay dying. A gaunt, square, ugly 'room with panelled walls, on which the paint had cracked and rubbed and blistered21, with such furniture as it possessed22 old-fashioned, lumbering23, and mean, with evidence of poverty everywhere--evidence of poverty which a woman's hand had evidently tried to screen and soften24 without much effect. The bed, its well-worn red-moreen curtains, with a dirty yellow border, having been tightly bound round each sculptured post for the admittance of air, stood near the window, on which its occupant frequently turned his glazed25 and sunken eyes. The sun had gone to rest, the invalid26 had marked its sinking, and so had those who watched him, and the same thought had occurred to all, but not a word had been spoken; but the roseate flush which it leaves behind still lingered in the heavens, and, as if in mockery, lent momentarily to the dying man's cheek a bright healthy hue27 such as it was not destined28 to wear in life again. The flush grew fainter, and faded away, and then a glance at the face, robbed of its artificial glory, must have been conclusive29 as to the inevitable30 result. For the cheeks were hollow and sunken, yellowish-white in colour, and cold and clammy to the touch; the eyes, with scarcely any fire left in them, seemed set in large bistre rings; the nose was thin and pinched, and the bloodless lips were tightly compressed with an expression of acute pain.
The Rev31. James Ashurst was dying. Every one in Helmingham knew that, and nearly every one had a word of kindness and commiseration32 for the stricken man, and for his wife and daughter. Dr. Osborne had carried the news up to the Park several days previously33, and Sir Thomas had hemmed34 and coughed; and said, "Dear me!" and Lady Churchill had shaken her head piteously on hearing it. "And nothing much to leave in the way of--eh, my dear doctor?" It was the doctor's turn to shake his head then, and he solaced35 himself with a large pinch of snuff, taken in a flourishing and sonorous36 manner, before he replied that he believed matters in that way were much worse than people thought; that he did not believe there was a single penny--not a single penny: indeed, it was a thing not to be generally talked of, but he might mention it in the strictest confidence to Sir Thomas and my lady, who had always proved themselves such good friends to the Ashursts--that was, he had mentioned to Mrs. Ashurst that there was one faint hope of saving her husband's life, if he would submit to a certain operation which only one man in England, Godby of St. Vitus's Hospital in London, could perform. But when he had mentioned Godby's probable fee--and you could not expect these eminent37 men to leave their regular work, and come down such a long distance under a large sum--he saw at once how the land lay, and that it was impossible for them to raise the money. Miss Ashurst--curious girl that, so determined and all that kind of thing--had indeed pressed him so hard that he had sent his man over to the telegraph-office at Brocksopp with a message inquiring what would be Godby's exact charge for running down--it was a mere39 question of distance with these men, so much a mile, and so much for the operation--but he knew the sum he had named was not far out.
From the Park, Dr. Osborne had driven his very decorous little four-wheeler to Woolgreaves, the residence of the Creswells, his other great patients, and there he had given a modified version of his story, with a very much modified result. For old Mr. Creswell was away in France, and neither of the two young ladies was of an age to feel much sympathy, unless with their intimate relations, and they had been educated abroad, and seen but little of the Helmingham folk; and as for Tom Creswell, he was the imp38 of the school, having all Sam Baker's love of mischief without any of his good heart, and would not have oared40 who was ill or who died, provided illness or death afforded occasion for slacking work and making holiday. Every one else in the parish was grieved at the news. The rector--bland, polished, and well endowed with worldly goods--had been most actively41 compassionate42 towards his less fortunate brother; the farmers, who looked upon "Master Ashurst" as a marvel43 of book-learning, the labourers, who had consented to the removal of the village sports, held from time immemorial on the village green, to a remote meadow, whence the noise could not penetrate44 to the sick man's room, and who had considerately lowered the matter as well as the manner of their singing as they passed the schoolhouse at night in jovial45 chorus--all these people pitied the old man dying, and the old wife whom he would leave behind. They did not say much about the daughter; when they referred to her it was generally to the effect that she would manage tolerably well for herself, for "she were a right plucked un, Miss Marian were."
They were right. It needed little skill in physiognomy to trace, even under the influence of the special circumstances surrounding her, the pluck and spirit and determination in every feature of Marian Ashurst's face. They were patent to the most ordinary beholder46; patent in the brown eye, round rather than elongated47, small yet bright as a beryl; in the short sharply curved nose, in the delicately rounded chin, which relieved the jaw48 of a certain fulness, sufficiently49 characteristic, but scarcely pretty. Variety of expression was Marian's great charm; her mobile features acting50 under every impulse of her mind, and giving expression to her every thought. Those who had seen her seldom, or only in one mood, would scarcely have recognised her in another. To the old man, lying stretched on his death-bed, she had been a fairy to be worshipped, a plaything to be for ever prized. In his presence the brown eyes were always bright, the small, sharp, white teeth gleamed between the ripe red lips, and one could scarcely have traced the jaw, that occasionally rose rigid51 and hard as iron, in the soft expanse of the downy cheek. Had he been able to raise his eyes, he would have seen a very different look in her face as, after bending over the bed and ascertaining52 that her father slept, she turned to the other occupant of the room, and said, more in the tone of one pondering over and repeating something previously heard than of a direct question----
"A hundred and thirty guineas, mother!"
For a minute Mrs. Ashurst made her no reply. Her thoughts were far away. She could scarcely realise the scene passing round her, though she had pictured it to herself a hundred times in a hundred different phases. Years ago--how many years ago it seemed!--she was delicate and fragile, and thought she should die before her husband, and she would lie awake for hours in the night, rehearsing her own death-bed, and thinking how she should tell James not to grieve after her, but to marry again, anybody except that Eleanor Shaw, the organist's daughter, and she should be sorry to think of that flighty minx going through the linen53 and china after she was gone. And now the time had really come, and he was going to be taken from her; he, her James, with his big brown eyes and long silky hair, and strong lithe54 figure, as she first remembered him--going to be taken from her now, and leave her an old woman, poor and lone55 and forlorn--and Mrs. Ashurst tried to stop the tears which rolled down her face, and to reply to her daughter's strange remark.
"A hundred and thirty guineas! yes, my dear, you're thinking of Mr.---- I forget his name--the surgeon. That was the sum he named."
"You're sure of it, mother?"
"Certain sure, my dear! Mr. Casserly, Dr. Osborne's assistant, a very pleasant-spoken young man, showed me the telegraph message, and I read it for myself. It gave me such a turn that I thought I should have dropped, and Mr. Casserly offered me some sal volatile56 or peppermint--I mean of his own accord, and never intended to charge for it, I am sure."
"A hundred and thirty guineas! and the one chance of saving his life is to be lost because we cannot command that sum! Good God! to think of our losing him for want of---- Is there no one, mother, from whom we could get it? Think, think! It's of no use sitting crying there! Think, is there no one who could help us in this strait?"
The feeling of dignity which Mrs. Ashurst knew she ought to have assumed was scared by her daughter's earnestness, so the old lady merely fell to smoothing her dress, and, after a minute's pause, said in a tremulous voice--
"I fear there is no one, my dear! The rector, I dare say, would do something, but I'm afraid your father has already borrowed money of him, and I know he has of Mr. King, the chairman of the governors of the school. I don't know whether Mr. Casserly----"
"Mr. Casserly, mother, a parish doctor's drudge57! Is it likely that he would be able to assist us?"
"Well, I don't know, my dear, about being able, I'm sure he would be willing! He was so kind about that sal volatile that I am sure he would do what---- Lord! we never thought of Mr. Creswell!"
Set and hard as Marian's face had been throughout the dialogue, it grew even more rigid as she heard these words. Her lips tightened58, and her brow clouded as she said, "Do you think that I should have overlooked that chance, mother? Do you not know that Mr. Creswell is away in France? He is the very first person to whom I should have thought of applying."
Under any other circumstances, Mrs. Ashurst would have been excessively delighted at this announcement. As it was, she merely said, "The young ladies are at Woolgreaves, I think."
"The young ladies!" repeated Marian, bitterly--"the young ladies! The young dolls--dolts--dummies to try dresses on! What are Maude and Gertrude Creswell to us, mother? What kindness, courtesy even, have they ever shown us? To get at their uncle's purse is what we most need----"
"Oh, Marian, Marian!" interrupted Mrs. Ashurst, "what are you saying?"
"Saying?" replied Marian calmly--"Saying? The truth! What should I say when I know that if we had the command of Mr. Creswell's purse, father's life might--from what I gather from Dr. Osborne, most probably would--be saved! Are these circumstances under which one should be meek59 and mild and thankful for one's lot in life! Is this a time to talk of gratitude60 and---- He's moving! Yes, darling father, Marian is here!"
Two hours afterwards, Marian and Dr. Osborne stood in the porch. There were tears in the eyes of the garrulous61 but kindly62 old man; but the girl's eyes were dry, and her face was set harder and more rigid than ever. The doctor was the first to speak.
"Good night, my dear child," said he; "and may God comfort you in your affliction. I have given your poor mother a composing draught63, and trust to find her better in the morning. Fortunately, you require nothing of that kind. God bless you, dear! It will be a consolation64 to you, as it is to me, to know that your father, my dear old friend, went off perfectly65 placid66 and peacefully."
"It is a consolation, doctor--more especially as I believe such an ending is rare with people suffering under his disease."
"His disease, child? Why, what do you think your father died of?"
"Think, doctor? I know! Of the want of a hundred and thirty guineas!"
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1
stunning
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| adj.极好的；使人晕倒的 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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3
snob
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| n.势利小人，自以为高雅、有学问的人 | |
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4
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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5
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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6
baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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8
colloquy
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| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
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9
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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10
civilian
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| adj.平民的，民用的，民众的 | |
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11
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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12
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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13
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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14
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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15
scuttling
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| n.船底穿孔，打开通海阀（沉船用）v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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16
sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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17
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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19
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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21
blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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26
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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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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conclusive
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| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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rev
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| v.发动机旋转，加快速度 | |
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32
commiseration
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| n.怜悯，同情 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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solaced
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| v.安慰，慰藉( solace的过去分词 ) | |
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36
sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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imp
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| n.顽童 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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40
oared
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| adj.有桨的v.划（行）( oar的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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43
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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45
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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beholder
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| n.观看者，旁观者 | |
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47
elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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49
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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50
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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51
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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52
ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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53
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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54
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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56
volatile
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| adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质 | |
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57
drudge
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| n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳 | |
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58
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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59
meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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60
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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garrulous
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| adj.唠叨的，多话的 | |
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62
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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63
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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64
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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65
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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66
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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