Otter was a rambling14 white house in a green meadow opening to the sea. Its salient points were its size and age. The slowest-growing shrubs15 in its pleasance were tough, seamed, branched and bowed with time. There were few trees in the neighbourhood except at forsaken16 Ferndean; but there were slow swelling17 hills crowned with heather closing in the valley over which Otter presided with the dignified18 paternal19 character of the great house of strath, or glen. Leslie smiled when she first heard the natives of the district term the grey or glittering track that bounded the western horizon, "The Otter Sea," but very soon she fell into the use of the same name, and was conscious of feeling far more interest in the boats and ships that crossed that limited space, than in those which she saw from the hilltops spread far and wide over a great expanse broken only by the misty20 Irish coast-line. Indeed, Hector Garret explained to her that he had seignorial claims over that strip of waves—that the seaweed, and, after certain restrictions21, the fragments of wreck22 cast upon its sands, were his property, quite as much as if he had waved his banner over it, like the gallant23 Spaniard, in the name of his Most Catholic Majesty24.
Leslie had variety in her locality; the beach, with its [Page 230]huge boulders25 and inspiring music; the fields and "uplands airy," with their hedge wealth of vetch, briar, and bramble; the garden, the ancient walled garden, at whose antiquities26 Hector Garret laughed.
Leslie played sad pranks27 in the early season of her disenthralment. She wandered far and near, and soiled her white gowns, to the despair of the Otter servant who did up the master's shirts and managed the mistress's clear-starching, but who never dreamt, in those days of frills, robes, and flounces, of styling herself a laundress. Leslie filled her apron28 with mosses29 and lichens30: she stole out after the reapers31 had left the patch of oats which was not within sight of the house, and gathered among the sheaves like a Ruth. She grew stout32 and hardy33, and, in spite of her gipsy bonnet34, as brown as a berry under this out-of-door life, until no one would have known the waxen-faced city girl; and many a time when Hector Garret left his study in the dusk and found his way to the drawing-room, he discovered her asleep from very weariness, with her head laid down on her spindle-legged work-table, and the white moonbeams trying to steal under her long eyelashes. He would tread softly, and stand, and gaze, but he never stooped and kissed her cheek in merry frolic, never in yearning36 tenderness.
Such was Leslie's holiday; let her have it—it ended, certainly. The black October winds began to whistle in the chimneys and lash35 the Otter sea into foam37; the morning mists were white and dense38 on the hills, and sometimes the curtain never rose the whole day; the burns were hoarse39 and muddy, the sheep in fold, the little birds silent. Leslie loved the prospect40 still, even the wild grey clouds rent and whirled across the sky, the watery41 sun, and the ragged42, wan11, dripping verdure; but it made her shiver too, and turn to her fireside, where she would doze43 and yawn, work and get weary in her long solitary44 hours. Hector Garret was patient and good-humoured; he took the trouble to teach her any knowledge to which she aspired45; but he was so far beyond her, so hopelessly superior, that she was vexed46 and ashamed to confess to him her ignorance, and it was clear that when he came up to her domain47 in the evening he liked best to rest himself, or to play with her in a fondling, toying way. After the first interminable rainy day which she had spent by herself at Otter, when he entered and proceeded in his cool, rather lazy fashion to tap her under the chin, to inquire if she had been counting the rain drops, to bid her try his cigar, she felt something swelling in her throat, and answered him shortly and crossly; but when she found that he treated her offended air as the whim48 of a spoilt child, and was rather the more amused by it, she determined49 that he should not be entertained by her humours. Perilous50 entertainment as it was, Leslie could not have afforded it; her wilderness51 tamed her so that she welcomed Hector Garret eagerly, submitted to be treated as a child, exerted herself to prattle52 away gaily53 and foolishly when her heart was a little heavy and her spirits languid.
Leslie saw so little of her husband—perhaps it was the case with all wives; her father and mother were as much apart—but Leslie did not understand the necessity. She did not like her life to be selfish, smooth, and aimless, ex[Page 231]cept for her own fancies, as it had been from the first. She wanted to share Hector Garret's cares and his work which he transacted54 so faithfully. She wished he thought her half as worth consulting as his steward55. She had faith in woman's wit. She had a notion that she herself was quick and could become painstaking56. She tried entering his room once or twice uninvited, but he always looked so discontented, and when she withdrew so relieved, that she could not persevere57 in the attempt.
When Hector Garret went shooting or fishing, Leslie would have accompanied him gladly, would have delighted in his trophies58, and carried his bag or his basket, like any gillie or callant of the Highlands or Lowlands, if he would have allowed it; but his excursions were too remote and fatiguing59, and beyond the strength that was supposed consistent with her sex and nurture60.
Little fool! to assail61 another's responsibilities and avocations62 when her own were embarrassing her sufficiently63. Her household web had got warped64 and entangled65 in her careless, inexperienced hands, and vexed and mortified66 her with a sense of incapacity and failure—an oppression which she could not own to Hector Garret, because there was no common ground, and no mutual67 understanding between them. When Leslie came to Otter she found the housekeeping in the hands of an Irish follower68 of the Garrets—themselves of Irish origin; and Hector Garret presented Bridget Kennedy to his wife as his faithful and honoured servant, whom he recommended to a high place in her regard. Bridget Kennedy displayed more marked traces of race than her master, but it was the Celtic nature [Page 233]under its least attractive aspect to strangers, proud, passionate69, fanciful, and vindictive70. She was devoted71 to her master, and capable of consideration for Leslie on his account—though jealous of her entrance upon the stage of Otter; but she evinced this reflected interest by encroachments and tyranny, a general determination to adhere doggedly72 to her own ways, and to impose them upon her mistress.
Leslie began by admiring Bridget, as she did everything else at Otter. Leslie would have propitiated73 the mayor of the palace with kind words and attentions, but when she was snapped up in her efforts, she drew back with a girl's aptness to be affronted74 and repelled75. Next Leslie began to angrily resist Bridget's unbecoming interference with her movements, and design of exercising authority and control over the child whom the master had chosen to set over his house; but her fitful impulses were met and overruled by stubborn and slenderly veiled fierceness. Leslie was not weak, but she was undisciplined; and she who had been the young Hotspur of the most orderly and pacific of families, learnt to tremble at the sound of Bridget's crutch76 in the lobbies, and her shrill77 voice rating the servants who flew to do her bidding.
In proportion as Leslie cowered78 at her subordinate, the subordinate was tempted79 to despise her and lord it over her.
Hector Garret was blind to this contention80. For his own part, he humoured Bridget or smiled at her asperities81, as suited him; and it is probable that if he had been appealed to, he would have adopted his old favourite's side, [Page 234]and censured82 Leslie as touchy83, inconsiderate, perhaps a little spiteful. But he never was made umpire, for Leslie had all the disadvantage of a noble temper in an unseemly struggle. Bridget plagued Leslie, but Leslie would not injure Bridget,—no, not for the world. The imperious old woman was Hector Garret's friend; he had said that he had known no firmer friend than Bridget Kennedy. She had closed his father's eyes, she had stood by himself in sickness and sorrow (for all his strength and self-command, Hector had known sickness and sorrow—that was a marvel84 to Leslie)—Bridget might clutch her rights to the end, what did it signify? only a little pique85 and bitterness to an interloper.
Leslie had ceased to credit that she would ever become the wise, helpful woman that she had once warmly desired to see herself. Her own defects were now familiar and sorely disheartening to her, and she had grown aware that she could not by inspiration set and preserve in smooth, swift motion the various wheels of Otter, not even if—unlooked for and undesired sequel!—she received express permission to dance upon the head of old Bridget.
Leslie had fancied once, when Hector Garret told her how few neighbours lived within visiting distance, that she should not want society: but the solitude86 was matter of regret, especially when it proved that of the few families who exchanged rare intercourse87, some of better birth than breeding scarcely held the daughter of the disinherited laird and Glasgow scholar as their equal in social rank, or a spouse88 worthy89 of the master of Otter, or indeed entitled to their special esteem90.
[Page 235]The only house without any pretension91 within sight of Otter was situated92 at the other extremity93 of the bay, on a peninsula projecting far into the sea. It had been built in the days when each mansion94 was a fortalice, and when safety from enemies was of more moment than the convenience of friends.
This Earlscraig was now little more than a grim, grey turret95, seldom occupied; the companion body of the building had been destroyed nearly a score of years before by a fire—the tragedy of the country-side, as it consummated96 the ruin of an old family—and in its horrors a lady of the house perished miserably97. So the sight of its cold cluster of chimneys, wind-rocked walls, and scorched98 and crumbling99 vestiges100 of sudden destruction, far from adding to the cheerfulness of the landscape, was a blot101 on its rural prosperity.
The homes of humbler friends were foreign thresholds to Leslie; the reserved, engrossed102, dignified master of Otter crossed them with a freer step. Leslie could but address her servants, and venture to intermeddle bashfully with their most obvious concerns. She had neither tongue nor eye for more distant and difficult dependants103.
But Leslie was not dying of ennui104 or spleen, or miserable105 and with a nameless fathomless106 misery107. She was only disenchanted—conscious of feeling a great deal older than she had done six months since. How could she have been so credulous108, so vain! Verily, every path of roses has its panoply109 of thorns.
点击收听单词发音
1 otter | |
n.水獭 | |
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2 honeymoon | |
n.蜜月(假期);vi.度蜜月 | |
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3 exultation | |
n.狂喜,得意 | |
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4 benevolently | |
adv.仁慈地,行善地 | |
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5 rigid | |
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的 | |
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6 conscientiousness | |
责任心 | |
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7 bower | |
n.凉亭,树荫下凉快之处;闺房;v.荫蔽 | |
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8 heterogeneously | |
adj.多种多样的,混杂的;不均匀;非均匀;错杂 | |
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9 sanctuary | |
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区 | |
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10 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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11 wan | |
(wide area network)广域网 | |
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12 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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13 extravagant | |
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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14 rambling | |
adj.[建]凌乱的,杂乱的 | |
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15 shrubs | |
灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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16 Forsaken | |
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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17 swelling | |
n.肿胀 | |
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18 dignified | |
a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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19 paternal | |
adj.父亲的,像父亲的,父系的,父方的 | |
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20 misty | |
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的 | |
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21 restrictions | |
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则) | |
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22 wreck | |
n.失事,遇难;沉船;vt.(船等)失事,遇难 | |
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23 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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24 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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25 boulders | |
n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 );巨砾;(受水或天气侵蚀而成的)巨石;漂砾 | |
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26 antiquities | |
n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 );古迹;古人们;古代的风俗习惯 | |
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27 pranks | |
n.玩笑,恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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28 apron | |
n.围裙;工作裙 | |
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29 mosses | |
n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式 | |
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30 lichens | |
n.地衣( lichen的名词复数 ) | |
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31 reapers | |
n.收割者,收获者( reaper的名词复数 );收割机 | |
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33 hardy | |
adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的 | |
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34 bonnet | |
n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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35 lash | |
v.系牢;鞭打;猛烈抨击;n.鞭打;眼睫毛 | |
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36 yearning | |
a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的 | |
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37 foam | |
v./n.泡沫,起泡沫 | |
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38 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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39 hoarse | |
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的 | |
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40 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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41 watery | |
adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的 | |
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42 ragged | |
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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43 doze | |
v.打瞌睡;n.打盹,假寐 | |
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44 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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45 aspired | |
v.渴望,追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46 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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47 domain | |
n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围 | |
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48 whim | |
n.一时的兴致,突然的念头;奇想,幻想 | |
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49 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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50 perilous | |
adj.危险的,冒险的 | |
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51 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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52 prattle | |
n.闲谈;v.(小孩般)天真无邪地说话;发出连续而无意义的声音 | |
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53 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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54 transacted | |
v.办理(业务等)( transact的过去式和过去分词 );交易,谈判 | |
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55 steward | |
n.乘务员,服务员;看管人;膳食管理员 | |
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56 painstaking | |
adj.苦干的;艰苦的,费力的,刻苦的 | |
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57 persevere | |
v.坚持,坚忍,不屈不挠 | |
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58 trophies | |
n.(为竞赛获胜者颁发的)奖品( trophy的名词复数 );奖杯;(尤指狩猎或战争中获得的)纪念品;(用于比赛或赛跑名称)奖 | |
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59 fatiguing | |
a.使人劳累的 | |
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60 nurture | |
n.养育,照顾,教育;滋养,营养品;vt.养育,给与营养物,教养,扶持 | |
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61 assail | |
v.猛烈攻击,抨击,痛斥 | |
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62 avocations | |
n.业余爱好,嗜好( avocation的名词复数 );职业 | |
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63 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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64 warped | |
adj.反常的;乖戾的;(变)弯曲的;变形的v.弄弯,变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 );使(行为等)不合情理,使乖戾, | |
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65 entangled | |
adj.卷入的;陷入的;被缠住的;缠在一起的v.使某人(某物/自己)缠绕,纠缠于(某物中),使某人(自己)陷入(困难或复杂的环境中)( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66 mortified | |
v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 );伤害(人的感情);克制;抑制(肉体、情感等) | |
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67 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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68 follower | |
n.跟随者;随员;门徒;信徒 | |
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69 passionate | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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70 vindictive | |
adj.有报仇心的,怀恨的,惩罚的 | |
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71 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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72 doggedly | |
adv.顽强地,固执地 | |
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73 propitiated | |
v.劝解,抚慰,使息怒( propitiate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74 affronted | |
adj.被侮辱的,被冒犯的v.勇敢地面对( affront的过去式和过去分词 );相遇 | |
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75 repelled | |
v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 );使厌恶;排斥;推开 | |
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76 crutch | |
n.T字形拐杖;支持,依靠,精神支柱 | |
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77 shrill | |
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫 | |
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78 cowered | |
v.畏缩,抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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79 tempted | |
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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80 contention | |
n.争论,争辩,论战;论点,主张 | |
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81 asperities | |
n.粗暴( asperity的名词复数 );(表面的)粗糙;(环境的)艰苦;严寒的天气 | |
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82 censured | |
v.指责,非难,谴责( censure的过去式 ) | |
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83 touchy | |
adj.易怒的;棘手的 | |
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84 marvel | |
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异;n.令人惊异的事 | |
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85 pique | |
v.伤害…的自尊心,使生气 n.不满,生气 | |
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86 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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87 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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88 spouse | |
n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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89 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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90 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
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91 pretension | |
n.要求;自命,自称;自负 | |
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92 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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93 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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94 mansion | |
n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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95 turret | |
n.塔楼,角塔 | |
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96 consummated | |
v.使结束( consummate的过去式和过去分词 );使完美;完婚;(婚礼后的)圆房 | |
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97 miserably | |
adv.痛苦地;悲惨地;糟糕地;极度地 | |
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98 scorched | |
烧焦,烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(植物)枯萎,把…晒枯; 高速行驶; 枯焦 | |
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99 crumbling | |
adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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100 vestiges | |
残余部分( vestige的名词复数 ); 遗迹; 痕迹; 毫不 | |
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101 blot | |
vt.弄脏(用吸墨纸)吸干;n.污点,污渍 | |
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102 engrossed | |
adj.全神贯注的 | |
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103 dependants | |
受赡养者,受扶养的家属( dependant的名词复数 ) | |
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104 ennui | |
n.怠倦,无聊 | |
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105 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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106 fathomless | |
a.深不可测的 | |
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107 misery | |
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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108 credulous | |
adj.轻信的,易信的 | |
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109 panoply | |
n.全副甲胄,礼服 | |
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