It was one of those afternoons in late April which are as mild and balmy as any June day. The air was full of the chirps1 and twitters of nest-building birds, and of sweet indefinable odors from half-developed leaf-buds and cherry and pear blossoms. The wisterias overhead were thickly starred with pointed2 pearl-colored sacs, growing purpler with each hour, which would be flowers before long; the hedges were quickening into life, the long pensile willow-boughs and the honey-locusts hung in a mist of fine green against the sky, and delicious smells came with every puff3 of wind from the bed of white violets under the parlor4 windows.
Katy and Clover Carr, sitting with their sewing on the door-steps, drew in with every breath the sense of spring. Who does not know the delightfulness5 of that first sitting out of doors after a long winter's confinement6? It seems like flinging the gauntlet down to the powers of cold. Hope and renovation7 are in the air. Life has conquered Death, and to the happy hearts in love with life there is joy in the victory. The two sisters talked busily as they sewed, but all the time an only half-conscious rapture8 informed their senses,—the sympathy of that which is immortal9 in human souls with the resurrection of natural things, which is the sure pledge of immortality10.
It was nearly a year since Katy had come back from that too brief journey to Europe with Mrs. Ashe and Amy, about which some of you have read, and many things of interest to the Carr family had happened during the interval11. The "Natchitoches" had duly arrived in New York in October, and presently afterward12 Burnet was convulsed by the appearance of a tall young fellow in naval13 uniform, and the announcement of Katy's engagement to Lieutenant14 Worthington.
It was a piece of news which interested everybody in the little town, for Dr. Carr was a universal friend and favorite. For a time he had been the only physician in the place; and though with the gradual growth of population two or three younger men had appeared to dispute the ground with him, they were forced for the most part to content themselves with doctoring the new arrivals, and with such fragments and leavings of practice as Dr. Carr chose to intrust to them. None of the old established families would consent to call in any one else if they could possibly get the "old" doctor.
A skilful16 practitioner17, who is at the same time a wise adviser18, a helpful friend, and an agreeable man, must necessarily command a wide influence. Dr. Carr was "by all odds19 and far away," as our English cousins would express it, the most popular person in Burnet, wanted for all pleasant occasions, and doubly wanted for all painful ones.
So the news of Katy's engagement was made a matter of personal concern by a great many people, and caused a general stir, partly because she was her father's daughter, and partly because she was herself; for Katy had won many friends by her own merit. So long as Ned Worthington stayed, a sort of tide of congratulation and sympathy seemed to sweep through the house all day long. Tea-roses and chrysanthemums20, and baskets of pears and the beautiful Burnet grapes flooded the premises21, and the door-bell rang so often that Clover threatened to leave the door open, with a card attached,—"Walk straight in. He is in the parlor!"
Everybody wanted to see and know Katy's lover, and to have him as a guest. Ten tea-drinkings a week would scarcely have contented23 Katy's well-wishers, had the limitations of mortal weeks permitted such a thing; and not a can of oysters24 would have been left in the place if Lieutenant Worthington's leave had lasted three days longer. Clover and Elsie loudly complained that they themselves never had a chance to see him; for whenever he was not driving or walking with Katy, or having long tête-à-têtes in the library, he was eating muffins somewhere, or making calls on old ladies whose feelings would be dreadfully hurt if he went away without their seeing him.
"Sisters seem to come off worst of all," protested Johnnie. But in spite of their lamentations they all saw enough of their future brother-in-law to grow fond of him; and notwithstanding some natural pangs25 of jealousy26 at having to share Katy with an outsider, it was a happy visit, and every one was sorry when the leave of absence ended, and Ned had to go away.
A month later the "Natchitoches" sailed for the Bahamas. It was to be a six months' cruise only; and on her return she was for a while to make part of the home squadron. This furnished a good opportunity for her first lieutenant to marry; so it was agreed that the wedding should take place in June, and Katy set about her preparations in the leisurely27 and simple fashion which was characteristic of her. She had no ambition for a great trousseau, and desired to save her father expense; so her outfit28, as compared with that of most modern brides, was a very moderate one, but being planned and mostly made at home, it necessarily involved thought, time, and a good deal of personal exertion29.
Dear little Clover flung herself into the affair with even more interest than if it had been her own. Many happy mornings that winter did the sisters spend together over their dainty stitches and "white seam." Elsie and Johnnie were good needle-women now, and could help in many ways. Mrs. Ashe often joined them; even Amy could contribute aid in the plainer sewing, and thread everybody's needles. But the most daring and indefatigable30 of all was Clover, who never swerved31 in her determination that Katy's "things" should be as nice and as pretty as love and industry combined could make them. Her ideas as to decoration soared far beyond Katy's. She hem-stitched, she cat-stitched, she feather-stitched, she lace-stitched, she tucked and frilled and embroidered33, and generally worked her fingers off; while the bride vainly protested that all this finery was quite unnecessary, and that simple hems15 and a little Hamburg edging would answer just as well. Clover merely repeated the words, "Hamburg edging!" with an accent of scorn, and went straight on in her elected way.
As each article received its last touch, and came from the laundry white and immaculate, it was folded to perfection, tied with a narrow blue or pale rose-colored ribbon, and laid aside in a sacred receptacle known as "The Wedding Bureau." The handkerchiefs, grouped in dozens, were strewn with dried violets and rose-leaves to make them sweet. Lavender-bags and sachets of orris lay among the linen34; and perfumes as of Araby were discernible whenever a drawer in the bureau was pulled out.
So the winter passed, and now spring was come; and the two girls on the doorsteps were talking about the wedding, which seemed very near now.
"Tell me just what sort of an affair you want it to be," said Clover.
"It seems more your wedding than mine, you have worked so hard for it," replied Katy. "You might give your ideas first."
"My ideas are not very distinct. It's only lately that I have begun to think about it at all, there has been so much to do. I'd like to have you have a beautiful dress and a great many wedding-presents and everything as pretty as can be, but not so many bridesmaids as Cecy, because there is always such a fuss in getting them nicely up the aisle35 in church and out again,—that is as far as I've got. But so long as you are pleased, and it goes off well, I don't care exactly how it is managed."
"Then, since you are in such an accommodating frame of mind, it seems a good time to break my views to you. Don't be shocked, Clovy; but, do you know, I don't want to be married in church at all, or to have any bridesmaids, or anything arranged for beforehand particularly. I should like things to be simple, and to just happen."
"But, Katy, you can't do it like that. It will all get into a snarl36 if there is no planning beforehand or rehearsals37; it would be confused and horrid38."
"I don't see why it would be confused if there were nothing to confuse. Please not be vexed39; but I always have hated the ordinary kind of wedding, with its fuss and worry and so much of everything, and just like all the other weddings, and the bride looking tired to death, and nobody enjoying it a bit. I'd like mine to be different, and more—more—real. I don't want any show or processing about, but just to have things nice and pretty, and all the people I love and who love me to come to it, and nothing cut and dried, and nobody tired, and to make it a sort of dear, loving occasion, with leisure to realize how dear it is and what it all means. Don't you think it would really be nicer in that way?"
"Well, yes, as you put it, and 'viewed from the higher standard,' as Miss Inches would say, perhaps it would. Still, bridesmaids and all that are very pretty to look at; and folks will be surprised if you don't have them."
"Never mind folks," remarked the irreverent Katy. "I don't care a button for that argument. Yes; bridesmaids and going up the aisle in a long procession and all the rest are pretty to look at,—or were before they got to be so hackneyed. I can imagine the first bridal procession up the aisle of some early cathedral as having been perfectly40 beautiful. But nowadays, when the butcher and baker41 and candlestick-maker and everybody else do it just alike, the custom seems to me to have lost its charm. I never did enjoy having things exactly as every one else has them,—all going in the same direction like a flock of sheep. I would like my little wedding to be something especially my own. There was a poetical42 meaning in those old customs; but now that the custom has swallowed up so much of the meaning, it would please me better to retain the meaning and drop the custom."
"I see what you mean," said Clover, not quite convinced, but inclined as usual to admire Katy and think that whatever she meant must be right. "But tell me a little more. You mean to have a wedding-dress, don't you?" doubtfully.
"Yes, indeed!"
"Have you thought what it shall be?"
"Do you recollect43 that beautiful white crape shawl of mamma's which papa gave me two years ago? It has a lovely wreath of embroidery44 round it; and it came to me the other day that it would make a charming gown, with white surah or something for the under-dress. I should like that better than anything new, because mamma used to wear it, and it would seem as if she were here still, helping45 me to get ready. Don't you think so?"
"It is a lovely idea," said Clover, the ever-ready tears dimming her happy blue eyes for a moment, "and just like you. Yes, that shall be the dress,—dear mamma's shawl. It will please papa too, I think, to have you choose it."
"I thought perhaps it would," said Katy, soberly. "Then I have a wide white watered sash which Aunt Izzy gave me, and I mean to have that worked into the dress somehow. I should like to wear something of hers too, for she was really good to us when we were little, and all that long time that I was ill; and we were not always good to her, I am afraid. Poor Aunt Izzy! What troublesome little wretches46 we were,—I most of all!"
"Were you? Somehow I never can recollect the time when you were not a born angel. I am afraid I don't remember Aunt Izzy well. I just have a vague memory of somebody who was pretty strict and cross."
"Ah, you never had a back, and needed to be waited on night and day, or you would recollect a great deal more than that. Cousin Helen helped me to appreciate what Aunt Izzy really was. By the way, one of the two things I have set my heart on is to have Cousin Helen come to my wedding."
"It would be lovely if she could. Do you suppose there is any chance?"
"I wrote her week before last, but she hasn't answered yet. Of course it depends on how she is; but the accounts from her have been pretty good this year."
"What is the other thing you have set your heart on? You said 'two.'"
"The other is that Rose Red shall be here, and little Rose. I wrote to her the other day also, and coaxed47 hard. Wouldn't it be too enchanting48? You know how we have always longed to have her in Burnet; and if she could come now it would make everything twice as pleasant."
"Katy, what an enchanting thought!" cried Clover, who had not seen Rose since they all left Hillsover. "It would be the greatest lark49 that ever was to have the Roses. When do you suppose we shall hear? I can hardly wait, I am in such a hurry to have her say 'Yes.'"
"But suppose she says 'No'?"
"I won't think of such a possibility. Now go on. I suppose your principles don't preclude50 a wedding-cake?"
"On the contrary, they include a great deal of wedding-cake. I want to send a box to everybody in Burnet,—all the poor people, I mean, and the old people and the children at the Home and those forlorn creatures at the poor-house and all papa's patients."
"I know it; so we must do it in the cheapest way, and make the cake ourselves. I have Aunt Izzy's recipe, which is a very good one; and if we all take hold, it won't be such an immense piece of work. Debby has quantities of raisins52 stoned already. She has been doing them in the evenings a few at a time for the last month. Mrs. Ashe knows a factory where you can get the little white boxes for ten dollars a thousand, and I have commissioned her to send for five hundred."
"Five hundred! What an immense quantity!"
"Yes; but there are all the Hillsover girls to be remembered, and all our kith and kin22, and everybody at the wedding will want one. I don't think it will be too many. Oh, I have arranged it all in my mind. Johnnie will slice the citron, Elsie will wash the currants, Debby measure and bake, Alexander mix, you and I will attend to the icing, and all of us will cut it up."
"Alexander!"
"Alexander. He is quite pleased with the idea, and has constructed an implement—a sort of spade, cut out of new pine wood—for the purpose. He says it will be a sight easier than digging flower-beds. We will set about it next week; for the cake improves by keeping, and as it is the heaviest job we have to do, it will be well to get it out of the way early."
"Sha'n't you have a floral bell, or a bower53 to stand in, or something of that kind?" ventured Clover, timidly.
"Indeed I shall not," replied Katy. "I particularly dislike floral bells and bowers54. They are next worst to anchors and harps55 and 'floral pillows' and all the rest of the dreadful things that they have at funerals. No, we will have plenty of fresh flowers, but not in stiff arrangements. I want it all to seem easy and to be easy. Don't look so disgusted, Clovy."
"Oh, I'm not disgusted. It's your wedding. I want you to have everything in your own way."
"It's everybody's wedding, I think," said Katy, tenderly. "Everybody is so kind about it. Did you see the thing that Polly sent this morning?"
"No. It must have come after I went out. What was it?"
"Seven yards of beautiful nun's lace which she bought in Florence. She says it is to trim a morning dress; but it's really too pretty. How dear Polly is! She sends me something almost every day. I seem to be in her thoughts all the time. It is because she loves Ned so much, of course; but it is just as kind of her."
"I think she loves you almost as much as Ned," said Clover.
"Oh, she couldn't do that; Ned is her only brother. There is Amy at the gate now."
It was a much taller Amy than had come home from Italy the year before who was walking toward them under the budding locust-boughs. Roman fever had seemed to quicken and stimulate56 all Amy's powers, and she had grown very fast during the past year. Her face was as frank and childlike as ever, and her eyes as blue; but she was prettier than when she went to Europe, for her cheeks were pink, and the mane of waving hair which framed them in was very becoming. The hair was just long enough now to touch her shoulders; it was turning brown as it lengthened57, but the ends of the locks still shone with childish gold, and caught the sun in little shining rings as it filtered down through the tree branches.
She kissed Clover several times, and gave Katy a long, close hug; then she produced a parcel daintily hid in silver paper.
"Tanta," she said,—this was a pet name lately invented for Katy,—"here is something for you from mamma. It's something quite particular, I think, for mamma cried when she was writing the note; not a hard cry, you know, but just two little teeny-weeny tears in her eyes. She kept smiling, though, and she looked happy, so I guess it isn't anything very bad. She said I was to give it to you with her best, best love."
This was my wedding-veil, dearest Katy, and my mother wore it before me. It has been laid aside all these years with the idea that perhaps Amy might want it some day; but instead I send it to you, without whom there would be no Amy to wear this or anything else. I think it would please Ned to see it on your head, and I know it would make me very happy; but if you don't feel like using it, don't mind for a moment saying so to
Your loving
Polly.
Katy opened the parcel, and beheld a square veil of beautiful old blonde
"Katy opened the parcel, and beheld a square veil of beautiful old blonde."
Katy handed the note silently to Clover, and laid her face for a little while among the soft folds of the lace, about which a faint odor of roses hung like the breath of old-time and unforgotten loves and affections.
"Why, of course! Doesn't it seem too sweet? Both our mothers!"
"There!" cried Amy, "you are going to cry too, Tanta! I thought weddings were nice funny things. I never supposed they made people feel badly. I sha'n't ever let Mabel get married, I think. But she'll have to stay a little girl always in that case, for I certainly won't have her an old maid."
"What do you know about old maids, midget?" asked Clover.
"Why, Miss Clover, I have seen lots of them. There was that one at the Pension Suisse; you remember, Tanta? And the two on the steamer when we came home. And there's Miss Fitz who made my blue frock; Ellen said she was a regular old maid. I never mean to let Mabel be like that."
"I don't think there's the least danger," remarked Katy, glancing at the inseparable Mabel, who was perched on Amy's arm, and who did not look a day older than she had done eighteen months previously60. "Amy, we're going to make wedding-cake next week,—heaps and heaps of wedding-cake. Don't you want to come and help?"
"Why, of course I do. What fun! Which day may I come?"
The cake-making did really turn out fun. Many hands made light work of what would have been a formidable job for one or two. It was all done gradually. Johnnie cut the golden citron quarters into thin transparent61 slices in the sitting-room62 one morning while the others were sewing, and reading Tennyson aloud. Elsie and Amy made a regular frolic of the currant-washing. Katy, with Debby's assistance, weighed and measured; and the mixture was enthusiastically stirred by Alexander, with the "spade" which he had invented, in a large new wash-tub. Then came the baking, which for two days filled the house with spicy63, plum-puddingy odors; then the great feat32 of icing the big square loaves; and then the cutting up, in which all took part. There was much careful measurement that the slices might be an exact fit; and the kitchen rang with bright laughter and chat as Katy and Clover wielded64 the sharp bread-knives, and the others fitted the portions into their boxes, and tied the ribbons in crisp little bows. Many delicious crumbs65 and odd corners and fragments fell to the share of the younger workers; and altogether the occasion struck Amy as so enjoyable that she announced—with her mouth full—that she had changed her mind, and that Mabel might get married as often as she pleased, if she would have cake like that every time,—a liberality of permission which Mabel listened to with her invariable waxen smile.
When all was over, and the last ribbons tied, the hundreds of little boxes were stacked in careful piles on a shelf of the inner closet of the doctor's office to wait till they were wanted,—an arrangement which naughty Clover pronounced eminently66 suitable, since there should always be a doctor close at hand where there was so much wedding-cake. But before all this was accomplished67, came what Katy, in imitation of one of Miss Edgeworth's heroines, called "The Day of Happy Letters."
点击收听单词发音
1 chirps | |
鸟叫,虫鸣( chirp的第三人称单数 ); 啾; 啾啾 | |
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2 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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3 puff | |
n.一口(气);一阵(风);v.喷气,喘气 | |
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4 parlor | |
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅 | |
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5 delightfulness | |
n.delightful(令人高兴的,使人愉快的,给人快乐的,讨人喜欢的)的变形 | |
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6 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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7 renovation | |
n.革新,整修 | |
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8 rapture | |
n.狂喜;全神贯注;着迷;v.使狂喜 | |
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9 immortal | |
adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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10 immortality | |
n.不死,不朽 | |
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11 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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12 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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13 naval | |
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的 | |
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14 lieutenant | |
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员 | |
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15 hems | |
布的褶边,贴边( hem的名词复数 ); 短促的咳嗽 | |
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16 skilful | |
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的 | |
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17 practitioner | |
n.实践者,从事者;(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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18 adviser | |
n.劝告者,顾问 | |
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19 odds | |
n.让步,机率,可能性,比率;胜败优劣之别 | |
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20 chrysanthemums | |
n.菊花( chrysanthemum的名词复数 ) | |
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21 premises | |
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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22 kin | |
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的 | |
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23 contented | |
adj.满意的,安心的,知足的 | |
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24 oysters | |
牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 ) | |
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25 pangs | |
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛 | |
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26 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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27 leisurely | |
adj.悠闲的;从容的,慢慢的 | |
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28 outfit | |
n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装 | |
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29 exertion | |
n.尽力,努力 | |
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30 indefatigable | |
adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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31 swerved | |
v.(使)改变方向,改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32 feat | |
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的 | |
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33 embroidered | |
adj.绣花的 | |
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34 linen | |
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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35 aisle | |
n.(教堂、教室、戏院等里的)过道,通道 | |
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36 snarl | |
v.吼叫,怒骂,纠缠,混乱;n.混乱,缠结,咆哮 | |
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37 rehearsals | |
n.练习( rehearsal的名词复数 );排练;复述;重复 | |
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38 horrid | |
adj.可怕的;令人惊恐的;恐怖的;极讨厌的 | |
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39 vexed | |
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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40 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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41 baker | |
n.面包师 | |
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42 poetical | |
adj.似诗人的;诗一般的;韵文的;富有诗意的 | |
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43 recollect | |
v.回忆,想起,记起,忆起,记得 | |
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44 embroidery | |
n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品 | |
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45 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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46 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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47 coaxed | |
v.哄,用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 );巧言骗取;哄劝,劝诱 | |
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48 enchanting | |
a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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49 lark | |
n.云雀,百灵鸟;n.嬉戏,玩笑;vi.嬉戏 | |
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50 preclude | |
vt.阻止,排除,防止;妨碍 | |
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51 thrifty | |
adj.节俭的;兴旺的;健壮的 | |
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52 raisins | |
n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 ) | |
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53 bower | |
n.凉亭,树荫下凉快之处;闺房;v.荫蔽 | |
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54 bowers | |
n.(女子的)卧室( bower的名词复数 );船首锚;阴凉处;鞠躬的人 | |
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55 harps | |
abbr.harpsichord 拨弦古钢琴n.竖琴( harp的名词复数 ) | |
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56 stimulate | |
vt.刺激,使兴奋;激励,使…振奋 | |
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57 lengthened | |
(时间或空间)延长,伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58 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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59 queried | |
v.质疑,对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 );询问 | |
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60 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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61 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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62 sitting-room | |
n.(BrE)客厅,起居室 | |
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63 spicy | |
adj.加香料的;辛辣的,有风味的 | |
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64 wielded | |
手持着使用(武器、工具等)( wield的过去式和过去分词 ); 具有; 运用(权力); 施加(影响) | |
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65 crumbs | |
int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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66 eminently | |
adv.突出地;显著地;不寻常地 | |
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67 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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