And the sourness that greenness beneath;
You may have a right
To a colic at night—
But consider your children's teeth!
Dr. Hale retired1 from his gaily2 illuminated3 grounds in too much displeasure to consider the question of dignity. One suddenly acting4 cause was the news given him by Vivian. The other was the sight of Morton Elder's face as he struck a match to light his cigarette.
Thus moved, and having entered and left his own grounds like a thief in the night, he proceeded to tramp in the high-lying outskirts5 of the town until every light in his house had gone out. Then he returned, let himself into his office, and lay there on a lounge until morning.
Vivian had come out so quickly to greet the doctor from obscure motives6. She felt a sudden deep objection to being found there with Morton, a wish to appear as one walking about unconcernedly, and when that match glow made Morton's face shine out prominently in the dark shelter, she, too, felt a sudden displeasure.
Without a word she went swiftly to the house, excused herself to her Grandmother, who nodded understandingly, and returned to The Cottonwoods, to her room. She felt that she must be alone and think; think of that irrevocable word she had uttered, and its consequences.
She sat at her window, rather breathless, watching the rows of pink lanterns swaying softly on the other side of the street; hearing the lively music, seeing young couples leave the gate and stroll off homeward.
Susie's happiness came more vividly7 to mind than her own. It was so freshly joyous8, so pure, so perfectly9 at rest. She could not feel that way, could not tell with decision exactly how she did feel. But if this was happiness, it was not as she had imagined it. She thought of that moonlit summer night so long ago, and the memory of its warm wonder seemed sweeter than the hasty tumult10 and compulsion of to-night.
She was stirred through and through by Morton's intense emotion, but with a sort of reaction, a wish to escape. He had been so madly anxious, he had held her so close; there seemed no other way but to yield to him—in order to get away.
And then Dr. Hale had jarred the whole situation. She had to be polite to him, in his own grounds. If only Morton had kept still—that grating match—his face, bent11 and puffing12, Dr. Hale must have seen him. And again she thought of little Susie with almost envy. Even after that young lady had come in, bubbled over with confidences and raptures13, and finally dropped to sleep without Vivian's having been able to bring herself to return the confidences, she stole back to her window again to breathe.
Why had Dr. Hale started so at the name of Mrs. St. Cloud? That was puzzling her more than she cared to admit. By and by she saw his well-known figure, tall and erect,207 march by on the other side and go into the office.
"O, well," she sighed at last, "I'm not young, like Susie. Perhaps it is like this—"
Now Morton had been in no special need of that cigarette at that special moment, but he did not wish to seem to hide in the dusky arbor14, nor to emerge lamely15 as if he had hidden. So he lit the match, more from habit than anything else. When it was out, and the cigarette well lighted, he heard the doctor's sudden thump16 on the other side of the fence and came out to rejoin Vivian. She was not there.
He did not see her again that night, and his meditations17 were such that next day found him, as a lover, far more agreeable to Vivian than the night before. He showed real understanding, no triumph, no airs of possession; took no liberties, only said: "When I am good enough I shall claim you—my darling!" and looked at her with such restrained longing18 that she quite warmed to him again.
He held to this attitude, devoted19, quietly affectionate; till her sense of rebel208lion passed away and her real pleasure in his improvement reasserted itself. As they read together, if now and then his arm stole around her waist, he always withdrew it when so commanded. Still, one cannot put the same severity into a prohibition20 too often repeated. The constant, thoughtful attention of a man experienced in the art of pleasing women, the new and frankly21 inexperienced efforts he made to meet her highest thoughts, to learn and share her preferences, both pleased her.
He was certainly good looking, certainly amusing, certainly had become a better man from her companionship. She grew to feel a sort of ownership in this newly arisen character; a sort of pride in it. Then, she had always been fond of Morton, since the time when he was only "Susie's big brother." That counted.
Another thing counted, too, counted heavily, though Vivian never dreamed of it and would have hotly repudiated22 the charge. She was a woman of full marriageable age, with all the unused powers of her woman's nature calling for expression, quite unrecognized.
He was a man who loved her, loved her more deeply than he had ever loved before, than he had even known he could love; who quite recognized what called within him and meant to meet the call. And he was near her every day.
After that one fierce outbreak he held himself well in check. He knew he had startled her then, almost lost her. And with every hour of their companionship he felt more and more how much she was to him. Other women he had pursued, overtaken, left behind. He felt that there was something in Vivian which was beyond him, giving a stir and lift of aspiration23 which he genuinely enjoyed.
Day by day he strove to win her full approval, and day by day he did not neglect the tiny, slow-lapping waves of little tendernesses, small affectionate liberties at well-chosen moments, always promptly24 withdrawing when forbidden, but always beginning again a little further on.
Dr. Bellair went to Dr. Hale's office and sat herself down solidly in the patient's chair.
"Dick," she said, "are you going to stand for this?"
She eyed his calm, reserved countenance27 with friendly admiration28. "You are an awfully29 good fellow, Dick, but dull. At the same time dull and transparent30. Are you going to sit still and let that dangerous patient of yours marry the finest girl in town?"
"Your admiration for girls is always stronger than mine, Jane; and I have, if you will pardon the boast, more than one patient."
"All right, Dick—if you want it made perfectly clear to your understanding. Do you mean to let Morton Elder marry Vivian Lane?"
"What business is it of mine?" he demanded, more than brusquely—savagely.
"You know what he's got."
"Or lover," added Dr. Bellair, eyeing him quietly. She thought she saw a second's flicker32 of light in the deep gray eyes, a possible tightening33 of set lips. "Suppose you are not," she said; "nor even a humanitarian34. You are a member of society. Do you mean to let a man whom you know has no right to marry, poison the life of that splendid girl?"
He was quite silent for a moment, but she could see the hand on the farther arm of his chair grip it till the nails were white.
"How do you know he—wishes to marry her?"
"If you were about like other people, you old hermit35, you'd know it as well as anybody. I think they are on the verge36 of an engagement, if they aren't over it already. Once more, Dick, shall you do anything?"
"No," said he. Then, as she did not add a word, he rose and walked up and down the office in big strides, turning upon her at last.
"You know how I feel about this. It is a matter of honor—professional honor. You women don't seem to know what the word means. I've told that good-for-nothing young wreck37 that he has no right to marry212 for years yet, if ever. That is all I can do. I will not betray the confidence of a patient."
"Not if he had smallpox38, or scarlet39 fever, or the bubonic plague? Suppose a patient of yours had the leprosy, and wanted to marry your sister, would you betray his confidence?"
"I might kill my sister," he said, glaring at her. "I refuse to argue with you."
"Yes, I think you'd better refuse," she said, rising. "And you don't have to kill Vivian Lane, either. A man's honor always seems to want to kill a woman to satisfy it. I'm glad I haven't got the feeling. Well, Dick, I thought I'd give you a chance to come to your senses, a real good chance. But I won't leave you to the pangs41 of unavailing remorse42, you poor old goose. That young syphilitic is no patient of mine." And she marched off to perform a difficult duty.
She was very fond of Vivian. The girl's unselfish sweetness of character and the depth of courage and power she perceived behind the sensitive, almost timid exterior43, appealed to her. If she had had a daughter, perhaps she would have been like that. If213 she had had a daughter would she not have thanked anyone who would try to save her from such a danger? From that worse than deadly peril44, because of which she had no daughter.
Dr. Bellair was not the only one who watched Morton's growing devotion with keen interest. To his aunt it was a constant joy. From the time her boisterous45 little nephew had come to rejoice her heart and upset her immaculate household arrangements, and had played, pleasantly though tyrannically, with the little girl next door, Miss Orella had dreamed this romance for him. To have it fail was part of her grief when he left her, to have it now so visibly coming to completion was a deep delight.
If she had been blind to his faults, she was at least vividly conscious of the present sudden growth of virtues46. She beamed at him with affectionate pride, and her manner to Mrs. Pettigrew was one of barely subdued48 "I told you so." Indeed, she could not restrain herself altogether, but spoke49 to that lady with tender triumph of how lovely it was to have Morton so gentle and nice.
"You never did like the boy, I know, but you must admit that he is behaving beautifully now."
"I will," said the old lady; "I'll admit it without reservation. He's behaving beautifully—now. But I'm not going to talk about him—to you, Orella." So she rolled up her knitting work and marched off.
"Too bad she's so prejudiced and opinionated," said Miss Elder to Susie, rather warmly. "I'm real fond of Mrs. Pettigrew, but when she takes a dislike——"
Susie was so happy herself that she seemed to walk in an aura of rosy40 light. Her Jimmie was so evidently the incarnation of every masculine virtue47 and charm that he lent a reflected lustre50 to other men, even to her brother. Because of her love for Jimmie, she loved Morton better—loved everybody better. To have her only brother marry her dearest friend was wholly pleasant to Susie.
It was not difficult to wring51 from Vivian a fair knowledge of how things stood, for, though reserved by nature, she was utterly52 unused to concealing53 anything, and could not tell an efficient lie if she wanted to.
"Are you engaged or are you not, you dear old thing?" demanded Susie.
And Vivian admitted that there was "an understanding." But Susie absolutely must not speak of it.
For a wonder she did not, except to Jimmie. But people seemed to make up their minds on the subject with miraculous54 agreement. The general interest in the manifold successes of Mrs. St. Cloud gave way to this vivid personal interest, and it was discussed from two sides among their whole circle of acquaintance.
One side thought that a splendid girl was being wasted, sacrificed, thrown away, on a disagreeable, good-for-nothing fellow. The other side thought the "interesting" Mr. Elder might have done better; they did not know what he could see in her.
They, that vaguely55 important They, before whom we so deeply bow, were also much occupied in their mind by speculations56 concerning Mr. Dykeman and two Possibilities. One quite patently possible, even probable, giving rise to the complacent57 "Why, anybody could see that!" and the other a fascinatingly impossible Possibility of a sort which allows the even more complacent "Didn't you? Why, I could see it from the first."
Mr. Dykeman had been a leading citizen in that new-built town for some ten years, which constituted him almost the Oldest Inhabitant. He was reputed to be extremely wealthy, though he never said anything about it, and neither his clothing nor his cigars reeked58 of affluence59. Perhaps nomadic60 chambermaids had spread knowledge of those silver-backed appurtenances, and the long mirror. Or perhaps it was not woman's gossip at all, but men's gossip, which has wider base, and wider circulation, too.
Mr. Dykeman had certainly "paid attentions" to Miss Elder. Miss Elder had undeniably brightened and blossomed most becomingly under these attentions. He had danced with her, he had driven with her, he had played piquet with her when he might have played whist. To be sure, he did these things with other ladies, and had done them217 for years past, but this really looked as if there might be something in it.
Mr. Skee, as Mr. Dykeman's oldest friend, was even questioned a little; but it was not very much use to question Mr. Skee. His manner was not repellant, and not in the least reserved. He poured forth61 floods of information so voluminous and so varied62 that the recipient63 was rather drowned than fed. So opinions wavered as to Mr. Dykeman's intentions.
Then came this lady of irresistible64 charm, and the unmarried citizens of the place fell at her feet as one man. Even the married ones slanted65 over a little.
Mr. Dykeman danced with her, more than he had with Miss Elder. Mr. Dykeman drove with her, more than he had with Miss Elder. Mr. Dykeman played piquet with her, and chess, which Miss Elder could not play. And Miss Elder's little opening petals66 of ribbon and lace curled up and withered67 away; while Mrs. St. Cloud's silken efflorescence, softly waving and jewel-starred, flourished apace.
Dr. Bellair had asked Vivian to take a walk with her; and they sat together, resting, on a high lonely hill, a few miles out of town.
"It's a great pleasure to see this much of you, Dr. Bellair," said the girl, feeling really complimented.
"I'm afraid you won't think so, my dear, when you hear what I have to say: what I have to say."
The girl flushed a little. "Are you going to scold me about something? Have I done anything wrong?" Her eyes smiled bravely. "Go on, Doctor. I know it will be for my best good."
"It will indeed, dear child," said the doctor, so earnestly that Vivian felt a chill of apprehension68.
"I am going to talk to you 'as man to man' as the story books say; as woman to woman. When I was your age I had been married three years."
Vivian was silent, but stole out a soft sympathetic hand and slipped it into the older woman's. She had heard of this early-made marriage, also early broken; with various dark comments to which she had paid no attention.
Dr. Bellair was Dr. Bellair, and she had a reverential affection for her.
There was a little silence. The Doctor evidently found it hard to begin. "You love children, don't you, Vivian?"
The girl's eyes kindled69, and a heavenly smile broke over her face. "Better than anything in the world," she said.
"Ever think about them?" asked her friend, her own face whitening as she spoke. "Think about their lovely little soft helplessness—when you hold them in your arms and have to do everything for them. Have to go and turn them over—see that the little ear isn't crumpled—that the covers are all right. Can't you see 'em, upside down on the bath apron70, grabbing at things, perfectly happy, but prepared to howl when it comes to dressing71? And when they are big enough to love you! Little soft arms that will hardly go round your neck. Little soft cheeks against yours, little soft mouths and little soft kisses,—ever think of them?"
The girl's eyes were like stars. She was looking into the future; her breath came quickly; she sat quite still.
The doctor swallowed hard, and went on. "We mostly don't go much farther than that at first. It's just the babies we want. But you can look farther—can follow up, year by year, the lovely changing growing bodies and minds, the confidence and love between you, the pride you have as health is established, strength and skill developed, and character unfolds and deepens.
"Then when they are grown, and sort of catch up, and you have those splendid young lives about you, intimate strong friends and tender lovers. And you feel as though you had indeed done something for the world."
She stopped, saying no more for a little, watching the girl's awed72 shining face. Suddenly that face was turned to her, full of exquisite73 sympathy, the dark eyes swimming with sudden tears; and two soft eager arms held her close.
"Oh, Doctor! To care like that and not—!"
"Yes, my dear;" said the doctor, quietly. "And not have any. Not be able to have any—ever."
"Never be able to have a child, because I married a man who had gonorrhea. In place of happy love, lonely pain. In place of motherhood, disease. Misery75 and shame, child. Medicine and surgery, and never any possibility of any child for me."
The girl was pale with horror. "I—I didn't know—" She tried to say something, but the doctor burst out impatiently:
"No! You don't know. I didn't know. Girls aren't taught a word of what's before them till it's too late—not then, sometimes! Women lose every joy in life, every hope, every capacity for service or pleasure. They go down to their graves without anyone's telling them the cause of it all."
"That was why you—left him?" asked Vivian presently.
"Yes, I left him. When I found I could not be a mother I determined76 to be a doctor, and save other women, if I could." She said222 this with such slow, grave emphasis that Vivian turned a sudden startled face to her, and went white to the lips.
"I may be wrong," the doctor said, "you have not given me your confidence in this matter. But it is better, a thousand times better, that I should make this mistake than for you to make that. You must not marry Morton Elder."
Vivian did not admit nor deny. She still wore that look of horror.
"You think he has—That?"
"I do not know whether he has gonorrhea or not; it takes a long microscopic77 analysis to be sure; but there is every practical assurance that he's had it, and I know he's had syphilis."
If Vivian could have turned paler she would have, then.
"I've heard of—that," she said, shuddering78.
"Yes, the other is newer to our knowledge, far commoner, and really more dangerous. They are two of the most terrible diseases known to us; highly contagious79, and in the case of syphilis, hereditary80. Nearly three-223quarters of the men have one or the other, or both."
But Vivian was not listening. Her face was buried in her hands. She crouched81 low in agonized82 weeping.
"Oh, come, come, my dear. Don't take it so hard. There's no harm done you see, it's not too late."
"I don't care if you were at the altar, child; you haven't married him, and you mustn't."
"I have given my word!" said the girl dully. She was thinking of Morton now. Of his handsome face, with it's new expression of respectful tenderness; of all the hopes they had built together; of his life, so dependent upon hers for its higher interests.
She turned to the doctor, her lips quivering. "He loves me!" she said. "I—we—he says I am all that holds him up, that helps him to make a newer better life. And he has changed so—I can see it! He says he has loved me, really, since he was seventeen!"
The older sterner face did not relax.
"He told me he had—done wrong. He was honest about it. He said he wasn't—worthy."
"He isn't," said Dr. Bellair.
"But surely I owe some duty to him. He depends on me. And I have promised—"
The doctor grew grimmer. "Marriage is for motherhood," she said. "That is its initial purpose. I suppose you might deliberately84 forego motherhood, and undertake a sort of missionary85 relation to a man, but that is not marriage."
"He loves me," said the girl with gentle stubbornness. She saw Morton's eyes, as she had so often seen them lately; full of adoration86 and manly87 patience. She felt his hand, as she had felt it so often lately, holding hers, stealing about her waist, sometimes bringing her fingers to his lips for a strong slow kiss which she could not forget for hours.
She raised her head. A new wave of feeling swept over her. She saw a vista88 of self-sacrificing devotion, foregoing much, forgiving much, but rejoicing in the companionship of a noble life, a soul rebuilt, a love that was passionately89 grateful. Her eyes met those of her friend fairly. "And I love him!" she said.
"Will you tell that to your crippled children?" asked Dr. Bellair. "Will they understand it if they are idiots? Will they see it if they are blind? Will it satisfy you when they are dead?"
The girl shrank before her.
"You shall understand," said the doctor. "This is no case for idealism and exalted90 emotion. Do you want a son like Theophile?"
"I thought you said—they didn't have any."
"Some don't—that is one result. Another result—of gonorrhea—is to have children born blind. Their eyes may be saved, with care. But it is not a motherly gift for one's babies—blindness. You may have years and years of suffering yourself—any or all of those diseases 'peculiar91 to women' as we used to call them! And we pitied the men who 'were so good to their invalid92 wives'! You may have any number of still-born children, year after year. And every little marred93 dead face would remind you that you allowed it! And they may be deformed94 and twisted, have all manner of terrible and loathsome95 afflictions, they and their children after them, if they have any. And many do! dear girl, don't you see that's wicked?"
"Don't think that you are 'ruining his life,'" said the doctor kindly97. "He ruined it long ago—poor boy!"
The girl turned quickly at the note of sympathy.
"They don't know either," her friend went on. "What could Miss Orella do, poor little saint, to protect a lively young fellow like that! All they have in their scatter-brained heads is 'it's naughty but it's nice!' And so they rush off and ruin their whole lives—and their wives'—and their children's. A man don't have to be so very wicked, either, understand. Just one mis-step may be enough for infection."
"Even if it did break his heart, and yours—even if you both lived single, he because it is the only decent thing he can do now, you227 because of a misguided sense of devotion; that would be better than to commit this plain sin. Beware of a biological sin, my dear; for it there is no forgiveness."
She waited a moment and went on, as firmly and steadily98 as she would have held the walls of a wound while she placed the stitches.
"If you two love each other so nobly and devotedly99 that it is higher and truer and more lasting100 than the ordinary love of men and women, you might be 'true' to one another for a lifetime, you see. And all that friendship can do, exalted influence, noble inspiration—that is open to you."
Vivian's eyes were wide and shining. She saw a possible future, not wholly unbearable101.
"Has he kissed you yet?" asked the doctor suddenly.
"No," she said. "That is—except——"
"Don't let him. You might catch it. Your friendship must be distant. Well, shall we be going back? I'm sorry, my dear. I did hate awfully to do it. But I hated worse to see you go down those awful steps from which there is no returning."
"Yes," said Vivian. "Thank you. Won't you go on, please? I'll come later."
An hour the girl sat there, with the clear blue sky above her, the soft steady wind rustling102 the leaves, the little birds that hopped103 and pecked and flirted104 their tails so near her motionless figure.
She thought and thought, and through all the tumult of ideas it grew clearer to her that the doctor was right. She might sacrifice herself. She had no right to sacrifice her children.
A feeling of unreasoning horror at this sudden outlook into a field of unknown evil was met by her clear perception that if she was old enough to marry, to be a mother, she was surely old enough to know these things; and not only so, but ought to know them.
Shy, sensitive, delicate in feeling as the girl was, she had a fair and reasoning mind.
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1 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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2 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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3 illuminated | |
adj.被照明的;受启迪的 | |
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4 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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5 outskirts | |
n.郊外,郊区 | |
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6 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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7 vividly | |
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地 | |
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8 joyous | |
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
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9 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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10 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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11 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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12 puffing | |
v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 );喷着汽(或烟)移动;吹嘘;吹捧 | |
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13 raptures | |
极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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14 arbor | |
n.凉亭;树木 | |
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15 lamely | |
一瘸一拐地,不完全地 | |
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16 thump | |
v.重击,砰然地响;n.重击,重击声 | |
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17 meditations | |
默想( meditation的名词复数 ); 默念; 沉思; 冥想 | |
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18 longing | |
n.(for)渴望 | |
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19 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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20 prohibition | |
n.禁止;禁令,禁律 | |
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21 frankly | |
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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22 repudiated | |
v.(正式地)否认( repudiate的过去式和过去分词 );拒绝接受;拒绝与…往来;拒不履行(法律义务) | |
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23 aspiration | |
n.志向,志趣抱负;渴望;(语)送气音;吸出 | |
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24 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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25 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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26 cryptic | |
adj.秘密的,神秘的,含义模糊的 | |
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27 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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28 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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29 awfully | |
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地 | |
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30 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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31 guardian | |
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者 | |
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32 flicker | |
vi./n.闪烁,摇曳,闪现 | |
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33 tightening | |
上紧,固定,紧密 | |
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34 humanitarian | |
n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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35 hermit | |
n.隐士,修道者;隐居 | |
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36 verge | |
n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 | |
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37 wreck | |
n.失事,遇难;沉船;vt.(船等)失事,遇难 | |
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38 smallpox | |
n.天花 | |
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39 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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40 rosy | |
adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的 | |
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41 pangs | |
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛 | |
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42 remorse | |
n.痛恨,悔恨,自责 | |
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43 exterior | |
adj.外部的,外在的;表面的 | |
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44 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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45 boisterous | |
adj.喧闹的,欢闹的 | |
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46 virtues | |
美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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47 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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48 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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49 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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50 lustre | |
n.光亮,光泽;荣誉 | |
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51 wring | |
n.扭绞;v.拧,绞出,扭 | |
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52 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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53 concealing | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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54 miraculous | |
adj.像奇迹一样的,不可思议的 | |
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55 vaguely | |
adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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56 speculations | |
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 );思考;投机活动;推断 | |
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57 complacent | |
adj.自满的;自鸣得意的 | |
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58 reeked | |
v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的过去式和过去分词 );散发臭气;发出难闻的气味 (of sth);明显带有(令人不快或生疑的跡象) | |
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59 affluence | |
n.充裕,富足 | |
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60 nomadic | |
adj.流浪的;游牧的 | |
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61 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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62 varied | |
adj.多样的,多变化的 | |
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63 recipient | |
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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64 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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65 slanted | |
有偏见的; 倾斜的 | |
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66 petals | |
n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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67 withered | |
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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68 apprehension | |
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑 | |
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69 kindled | |
(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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70 apron | |
n.围裙;工作裙 | |
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71 dressing | |
n.(食物)调料;包扎伤口的用品,敷料 | |
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72 awed | |
adj.充满敬畏的,表示敬畏的v.使敬畏,使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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74 intensity | |
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度 | |
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75 misery | |
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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76 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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77 microscopic | |
adj.微小的,细微的,极小的,显微的 | |
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78 shuddering | |
v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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79 contagious | |
adj.传染性的,有感染力的 | |
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80 hereditary | |
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
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81 crouched | |
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82 agonized | |
v.使(极度)痛苦,折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 );苦斗;苦苦思索;感到极度痛苦 | |
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83 wailed | |
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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84 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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85 missionary | |
adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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86 adoration | |
n.爱慕,崇拜 | |
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87 manly | |
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地 | |
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88 vista | |
n.远景,深景,展望,回想 | |
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89 passionately | |
ad.热烈地,激烈地 | |
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90 exalted | |
adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
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91 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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92 invalid | |
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的 | |
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93 marred | |
adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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94 deformed | |
adj.畸形的;变形的;丑的,破相了的 | |
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95 loathsome | |
adj.讨厌的,令人厌恶的 | |
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96 wrung | |
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水) | |
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97 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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98 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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99 devotedly | |
专心地; 恩爱地; 忠实地; 一心一意地 | |
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100 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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101 unbearable | |
adj.不能容忍的;忍受不住的 | |
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102 rustling | |
n. 瑟瑟声,沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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103 hopped | |
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花 | |
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104 flirted | |
v.调情,打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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