“For your sake,” he murmured, “I have all but sold myself, body and soul. For the love of you I have undermined my health, neglected my child, ruined the fortunes of hundreds of men and women, and committed m—”
He could not bring himself to say the word, but he could not help thinking it, and the thought filled him with horror. The memory of that dread3 hour when he expected every instant to be whelmed in the raging sea rushed upon him vividly4. He passed from that to the period of his sickness, when he used to fancy he was struggling fiercely in the seething5 brine with drowning men—men whom he had brought to that pass, and who strove revengefully to drag him down along with them. He clasped his hands over his eyes as if he thought to shut out those dreadful memories, and groaned6 in spirit. Despair would have seized upon the gold-lover at that time, had not his guardian7 angel risen before his agonised mind. Annie’s soft tones recurred8 to him. He thought of the words she had spoken to him, the passages from God’s Word that she had read, and, for the first time in his long life, the sordid9 man of business exclaimed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!”
No other word escaped him, but when, after remaining motionless for a long time, he removed his hands from his face, the subdued10 expression that rested there might have led an observer to believe that the prayer had been answered.
A knock at the office-door caused him to start and endeavour to resume his ordinary professional expression and composure as he said, “Come in.”
Harry11 Boyns, however, had not waited for the answer. He was already in the room, hat in hand.
“Now, sir,” he said, eagerly, “are you ready to start? The train leaves in half an hour, and we must not risk losing it to-day.”
“Losing it!” said Mr Webster, as he rose and slowly put on his greatcoat, assisted by Harry, “why, it just takes me five minutes to walk to the station. How do you propose to spend the remaining twenty-five?—But I say, Harry,” he added with a peculiar12 smile, “how uncommonly13 spruce you are to-day!”
“Not an unusual condition for a man to be in on his wedding-day,” retorted Harry; “and I am sure that I can return you the compliment with interest!”
This was true, for Mr Webster had “got himself up” that morning with elaborate care. His morning coat still smelt14 of the brown paper in which it had come home. His waistcoat was immaculately white. His pearl-grey trousers were palpably new. His lavender kid-gloves were painfully clean. His patent-leather boots were glitteringly black, and his tout15 ensemble16 such as to suggest the idea that a band-box was his appropriate and native home.
“Don’t be impatient, boy,” he said, putting some books into an iron safe, “I must attend to business first, you know.”
“You have no right to attend to business at all, after making it over to me, as you formally did yesterday,” said Harry. “If you come here again, sir, and meddle17 with my department, I shall be compelled to dissolve partnership18 at once!”
“Please, sir,” said Mr Grinder, appearing suddenly at the door, in a costume which was remarkable19 for its splendour and the badness of its fit—for Grinder’s was a figure that no ordinary tailor could understand, “Captain Daniel Boyns is at the door.”
“Send him in,” said Webster.
“He won’t come, sir; he’s afraid of being late for the train.”
“Well, well,” said Webster, with a laugh, “come along. Are you ready, Grinder?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then, lock the office-door, and don’t forget to take out the key.”
So saying, the old gentleman took Harry’s arm, and, accompanied by Grinder and Captain Boyns senior, hurried to the train; was whirled in due course to Covelly, and shortly after found himself seated at a wedding-breakfast, along with our hero Harry Boyns, and our heroine Annie Webster, who was costumed as a bride, and looked inexpressibly bewitching. Besides these there were present excellent Mrs Boyns—happily no longer a widow!—and Grinder, whose susceptible20 nature rendered it difficult for him to refrain from shedding tears; and a bevy21 of bride’s-maids, so beautiful and sweet that it seemed quite preposterous22 to suppose that they could remain another day in the estate of spinsterhood. Mr Joseph Dowler was also there, self-important as ever, and ready for action at a moment’s notice; besides a number of friends of the bride and bridegroom, among whom was a pert young gentleman, friend of Mr Dowler, and a Mr Crashington, friend of Mr Webster,—an earnest, enthusiastic old gentleman, who held the opinion that most things in the world were wrong, and who wondered incessantly23 “why in the world people would not set to work at once to put them all right!” Niven, the old nurse, was there too, of course all excitement and tears, and so was Bob Gaston, whose appearance was powerfully suggestive of the individual styled in the ballad24, “the jolly young waterman.”
Now, it would take a whole volume, good reader, to give you the details of all that was said and done by that wedding-party before that breakfast was over. But it is not necessary that we should go into full details. You know quite well, that when the health of the happy couple was drunk, Annie blushed and looked down, and Harry tried to look at ease, but failed to do so, in consequence of the speech which had cost him such agonising thought the night before, which he had prepared with such extreme care, which contained such an inconceivable amount of sentimental25 nonsense, which he fortunately forgot every word of at the critical moment of delivery, and, instead thereof, delivered a few short, earnest, stammering26 sentences, which were full of bad grammar and blunders, but which, nevertheless, admirably conveyed the true, manly27 sentiments of his heart. You also know, doubtless, that the groom’s-man rose to propose the health of the bride’s-maids, but you cannot be supposed to know that Dowler rose at the same time, having been told by his pert young friend that he was expected to perform that duty in consequence of the groom’s-man being “unaccustomed to public speaking!” Dowler, although not easily put down, was, after some trouble, convinced that he had made a mistake, and sat down without making an apology, and with a mental resolve to strike in at the first favourable28 opportunity.
When these and various other toasts had been drunk and replied to, the health of Mr Crashington, as a very old friend of the bride’s family, was proposed. Hereupon Crashington started to his feet. Dowler, who was slightly deaf, and had only caught something about “old friend of the family,” also started up, and announced to the company that that was the happiest moment of his life; an announcement which the company received with an explosion of laughter so loud and long that the two “old friends of the family” stood gazing in speechless amazement29 at the company, and at each other for three or four minutes. At last silence was obtained, and Dowler exclaimed, “Sir,” to which Crashington replied, “Sir,” and several of the company cried, laughingly, “Sit down, Dowler.”
It is certain that Dowler would not have obeyed the order, had not his pert young friend caught him by the coat-tails and pulled him down with such violence that he sat still astonished!
Then Crashington, ignoring him altogether, turned to Mr Webster, and said vehemently—
“Sir, and Ladies and Gentlemen, if this is not the happiest moment of my life, it is at least the proudest. I am proud to be recognised as an old friend of the family to which our beautiful bride belongs; proud to see my dear Annie wedded30 to a man who, besides possessing many great and good qualities of mind, has shown himself pre-eminently capable of cherishing and protecting his wife, by the frequency and success with which he has risked his own life to save the lives of others. But, Ladies and Gentlemen, things more serious than proposing toasts and paying compliments are before us to-day. I regard this as a lifeboat wedding, if I may be allowed the expression. In early life the blooming bride of to-day was saved by a lifeboat, and the brave man who steered31 that boat, and dived into the sea to rescue the child, now sits on my left hand. Again, years after, a lifeboat saved, not only the bride, but her father and her father’s ship; which last, although comparatively insignificant32, was, nevertheless, the means of preventing the fortunes of the family from being utterly33 wrecked34, and the man who steered the boat on that occasion, as you all know, was the bridegroom? But—to turn from the particular to the general question—I am sure, Ladies and Gentlemen, that you will bear with me while I descant35 for a little on the wrong that is done to society by the present state of our laws in reference to the saving of life from shipwreck36. Despite the activity of our noble Lifeboat Institution; despite the efficiency of her splendid boats, and the courage of those who man them; despite the vigour37 and zeal38 of our coastguardmen, whose working of the rocket apparatus39 cannot be too highly praised; despite all this, I say, hundreds of lives are lost annually40 on our coasts which might be saved; and I feel assured that if the British public will continue their earnest support to our great National Institution, this death-roll must continue to be diminished. My friends sometimes tell me that I am a visionary—that many of my opinions are ridiculous. Is it ridiculous that I should regard the annual loss of nearly 600 lives, and above two millions of money, as being worthy41 of the serious attention of every friend of his country?
“Excuse me if I refrain from inflicting42 on you my own opinions, and, instead, quote those of a correspondent of the Times...”
Here the old gentleman hastily unfolded a newspaper, and read as follows:—
“‘Why should not such an amount of information be obtained as will not only induce, but enable the Board of Trade immediately to frame some plain, practical measure, the enforcement of which would tend to lighten the appalling43 yearly death-list from shipwreck? The plan I would suggest is that the Board of Trade should prepare a chart of the British and Irish coasts, on which every lifeboat, rocket-apparatus, and mortar44 station should be laid down and along with this a sort of guide-book, with instructions giving every particular connected with them,—such as, their distances from each other, whether they are stationary45 or transportable, and the probable time that would elapse before one or the other could be brought to work with a view to the rescue of the shipwrecked crew. To illustrate46 my idea more plainly, I will take the eastern shore of Mounts Bay in Cornwall. A vessel47 has been driven on shore at Gunwalloe; the captain, having this chart, would find that there is a lifeboat at Mullion, on the south, and a transporting lifeboat at Porthleven, on the north of him, as well as a rocket-apparatus at each place. Referring to his book of instructions, he would find something like this:— “The Mullion lifeboat will drop down on you from Mullion Island. The Porthleven boat will most likely be launched from the beach opposite. All going well, one or other of the boats will be alongside in less than an hour and a half. Look out and get ready for the rocket lines in an hour after striking.” The very knowledge even that the means of saving life are at hand would enable the captain to maintain a certain amount of discipline, while passengers and crew alike would retain in a great measure their presence of mind, and be prepared for every emergency. And again, as is often the case, if a captain is compelled to run his ship ashore48, with the view of saving the lives intrusted to him, he would at once find from his chart and book of instructions the safest and nearest point from which he could obtain the desired assistance. It should be imperative49 (not optional, as at present) for every vessel to carry a certain number of lifebelts. The cork50 jacket recommended by the Royal National Institution is by far the best yet introduced, not only on account of its simplicity51 and cheapness, but because it affords, also, warmth and protection to the body.’
“Now, Ladies and Gentlemen,” continued Crashington earnestly, “here you have the opinions of a man with whom I entirely52 agree, for, while much is done by philanthropists, too little is done by Government to rescue those who are in peril53 on our shores. In conclusion, let me thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen, for drinking my health, and permit me also to reiterate54 my hope that the happy pair who have this day been united may long live to support the lifeboat cause, and never require the services of a lifeboat.”
Although Crashington’s remarks were regarded by some of the wedding-party as being somewhat out of place, Mr John Webster listened to them with marked attention, and replied to them with deep feeling. After commenting slightly on the kind manner in which he had referred to the heroic deeds of his son-in-law, and expressing his belief and hope, that, now that he had married Annie, and become a member of the firm of Webster and Company, a life of usefulness and happiness lay before him, he went on to say—
“I heartily55 sympathise with you, sir, in designating this a lifeboat-wedding, because, under God, my daughter and I owe our lives to the lifeboat. You are also right in stating that the lifeboat has been the means of preserving my fortunes from being wrecked, because the saving of the Ocean Queen was a momentous56 turning-point in my affairs. But a far higher and more blessed result has accrued57 to myself than the saving of life or fortune, for these events have been made the means of opening my eyes to the truth of God, and inducing me to accept the offer of free forgiveness held out to me by that blessed Saviour58 to whom my dear Annie has clung for many a year, while I was altogether immersed in business. I feel myself justified59, therefore, in saying, with deep humility60 and gratitude61, that I have been saved by the lifeboat—body and soul.”
The End
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1
repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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2
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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3
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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4
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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7
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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9
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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10
subdued
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| 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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11
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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12
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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13
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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14
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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15
tout
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| v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱 | |
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16
ensemble
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| n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果 | |
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17
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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19
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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21
bevy
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| n.一群 | |
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22
preposterous
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| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
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23
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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24
ballad
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| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 | |
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25
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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26
stammering
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
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27
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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28
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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29
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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30
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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32
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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35
descant
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| v.详论，絮说；n.高音部 | |
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36
shipwreck
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| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
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37
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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38
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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39
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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40
annually
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| adv.一年一次，每年 | |
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41
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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42
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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43
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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44
mortar
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| n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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45
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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46
illustrate
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| v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图 | |
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47
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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48
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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49
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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50
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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51
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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52
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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53
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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54
reiterate
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| v.重申，反复地说 | |
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55
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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56
momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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57
accrued
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| adj.权责已发生的v.增加( accrue的过去式和过去分词 )；（通过自然增长）产生；获得；（使钱款、债务）积累 | |
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58
saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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59
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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60
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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61
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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