Nothing worthy2 of particular note occurred during the boat-voyage along the northern shore of Java to Sunda Straits. A fair, steady breeze wafted3 them westward4, and, on the morning of the third day, they came in sight of the comparatively small uninhabited island of Krakatoa.
The boat in which they voyaged, although a little one, had a small portion of the bow decked over, so that our hero and his sable5 friend could find shelter from the night air when disposed to sleep and from the fierce rays of the sun at noon.
By the advice of his father, Nigel had changed his sailor costume for the "shore-goin' toggery" in which he had landed on the Keeling Islands, as being more suitable to his new character as a traveller, namely, a white cloth cap with a peak in front and a curtain behind to protect his neck, a light-grey tunic6 belted at the waist, and a pair of strong canvas trousers. He had also purchased an old-fashioned double-barrelled fowling-piece, muzzle-loading and with percussion7 locks.
"For you see, Nigel," the captain had said, "it's all very well to use breech-loaders when you've got towns and railways and suchlike to supply you wi' cartridges8, but when you've got to cruise in out-o'-the-way waters, there's nothin' like the old style. It's not difficult to carry a few thousand percussion-caps an' a bullet-mould about wi' you wherever you go. As to powder, why, you'll come across that 'most everywhere, an' lead too; and, for the matter o' that, if your life depended on it you could shove a handful of gravel9 or a pen-knife or tooth-pick into your gun an' blaze away, but with a breech-loader, if you run out o' cartridges, where are you?"
So, as Nigel could not say where he was, the percussion-gun had been purchased.
The peak of Rakata—the highest in the island—a little over 2600 feet, came in sight first; gradually the rest of the island rose out of the horizon, and ere long the rich tropical verdure became distinguishable.
Krakatoa—destined so soon to play a thrilling part in the world's history; to change the aspect of the heavens everywhere; to attract the wondering gaze of nearly all nations, and to devastate10 its immediate11 neighbourhood—is of volcanic12 origin, and, at the time we write of (1883) was beginning to awaken13 from a long, deep slumber14 of two hundred years. Its last explosion occurred in the year 1680. Since that date it had remained quiet. But now the tremendous subterranean15 forces which had originally called it into being were beginning to reassert their existence and their power. Vulcan was rousing himself again and beginning once more to blow his bellows16. So said some of the sailors who were constantly going close past the island and through Sunda Straits, which may be styled the narrows of the world's highway to the China seas.
Subterranean forces, however, are so constantly at work more or less violently in those regions that people took little notice of these indications in the comparatively small island of Krakatoa, which was between five and six miles long by four broad.
As we have said, it was uninhabited, and lying as it does between Sumatra and Java, about sixteen miles from the former and over twenty miles from the latter, it was occasionally visited by fishermen. The hermit whom Nigel was about to visit might, in some sort, be counted an inhabitant, for he had dwelt there many years, but he lived in a cave which was difficult of access, and held communication with no one. How he spent his time was a mystery, for although his negro servant went to the neighbouring town of Anjer in Java for supplies, and sometimes to Batavia, as we have seen, no piece of inanimate ebony from the forest could have been less communicative than he. Indeed, our hero was the first to unlock the door of his lips, with that key of mysterious sympathy to which reference has already been made. Some of the bolder of the young fishermen of the neighbouring coasts had several times made futile17 efforts to find out where and how the hermit lived, but the few who got a glimpse of him at a distance brought back such a report that a kind of superstitious19 fear of him was generated which kept them at a respectful distance.
He was ten feet high, some romancers said, with shoulders four feet broad, a chest like a sugar-hogshead, and a countenance20 resembling a compound of orang-utan and tiger.
Of course our hero knew nothing of these rumours21, and as Moses declined to give any information regarding his master beyond that already given, he was left to the full play of his imagination.
Moses was quite candid22 about it. He made no pretence23 to shroud24 things in mystery.
"You mus' know, Massa Nadgel," he said, as they slowly drew near to the island, "I's 'fraid ob 'im dough25 I lub 'im."
"But why do you love him, Moses?"
"'Cause he sabe my life an' set me free."
"Indeed? well, that is good reason. And why do you fear him?"
"Da's what I don' know, massa," replied the negro with a puzzled look.
"Is he harsh, then?"
"No."
"Passionate26?"
"No. Gentle as a lamb."
"Strong?"
"Yes—oh! mighty27 strong an' big."
"Surely you're not afraid of his giving you a licking, Moses?"
"Oh no," returned the negro, with a smile of expansive benignity28; "I's not 'fraid ob dat. I's bin29 a slabe once, got used to lickin's. Don't care nuffin' at all for a lickin'!"
"Then it must be that you're afraid of hurting his feelings, Moses, for I know of no other kind of fear."
"Pr'aps da's it!" said the negro with a bright look, "now I wouldn't wonder if you's right, Massa Nadgel. It neber come into my head in dat light before. I used to be t'ink, t'inkin' ob nights—when I's tired ob countin' my fingers an' toes—But I couldn't make nuffin' ob it. Now I knows! It's 'fraid I am ob hurtin' his feelin's."
In the excess of his satisfaction at the solution of this long-standing puzzle, Moses threw back his head, shut his eyes, opened his enormous mouth and chuckled30.
By the time he had reversed this process they were sufficiently31 near to Krakatoa to distinguish all its features clearly, and the negro began to point out to Nigel its various localities. There were three prominent peaks on it, he said, named respectively, Perboewatan about 400 feet high, at the northern end of the island; Danan, near the centre, 1500 feet; and Rakata, at the southern end, over 2600 feet. It was high up on the sides of the last cone32 that the residence of the hermit was situated34.
"And you won't tell me your master's name?" said Nigel.
Moses shook his woolly head. "No, sar, no. I's 'fraid ob him—he! he! 'fraid ob hurtin' his feelin's!"
"Well, never mind; I'll find it out from himself soon. By the way, what were you telling me about explosions yesterday when that little white gull35 came to admire your pretty face, and took off our attention?"
"Well, I dun know. Not got much to tell, only dar's bin rumblin' an' grumblin's an' heavin's lately in de mountains as didn't use to be, an' cracks like somet'in' bustin' down blow, an' massa he shook 'is head two or free times an' look solemn. He don't often do dat—shook 'is head, I mean—for he mostly always looks solemn."
A few minutes later the boat, running through a narrow opening among the rocks into a small circular harbour not more than fifty yards in diameter, rested its keel gently on a little bed of pure yellow sand. The shore there was so densely36 covered with bushes that the harbour might easily have been passed without being observed.
Jumping ashore37, Moses made the painter fast to a tree.
"What a quiet, cosy38 place!" said Nigel, as he sprang on the beach and looked admiringly round.
"Yes, an' not easy to find if you don't knows 'im. We will leabe de boat here,—no danger ob bein' tooked away—an' den33 go up to de cave."
"Is it far?" asked Nigel.
"A good bit—near de top ob de mountain,"—answered the negro, who looked at his companion somewhat uneasily.
"Why, what's the matter, Moses?"
"Nuffin'—oh! nuffin'—but—but when massa axes you who you is, an' what you bin up to, an' whar your a-gwine to, an' what wages you want, jist you answer 'im in a sorter permiscuous way, an' don't be too partikler."
"Wages! man, what d' ye mean?"
"Well, you'll 'scuse me, sar," returned the negro with an air of profound humility39, "but my massa lost a old sarvint—a nigger like myself—only last munt', an' he wants to go on one ob his usual expeditions jus' now, so he sends me to Batavia to git anoder man—'a good one, you know,' says massa,—an' as you, sar, was good 'nuff to ax me what you should do, an' you looked a pritty smart man, I——"
"You scoundrel!" cried Nigel, interrupting him, "do you really mean to tell me that you've brought me here as a hired servant?"
"Well, not zackly," returned Moses, with solemn simplicity40, "you needn't ax no wages unless you like."
"But what if I don't want to take service?" demanded our hero, with a savage41 frown.
"You kin18 go home agin," answered Moses, humbly42.
Nigel could contain himself no longer. As he observed the man's deprecatory air, and thought of his own position, he burst into a fit of hearty43 laughter, whereupon the negro recovered himself and smiled the smile of the guiltless.
"Come," said Nigel at last. "Lead on, you rascal44! When I see your master I shall know what to say."
"All right, Massa Nadgel, but mind what you say, else I won't answer for de consikences. Foller me an' look arter your feet, for de road is roughish."
The negro's last remark was unquestionably true, for the road—if a mere45 footpath46 merits the name—was rugged47 in the extreme—here winding48 round the base of steep cliffs, there traversing portions of luxuriant forest, elsewhere skirting the margin49 of the sea.
Moses walked at such a pace that Nigel, young and active though he was, found it no easy matter to keep up with him. Pride, however, forbade him to show the slightest sign of difficulty, and made him even converse50 now and then in tones of simulated placidity51. At last the path turned abruptly52 towards the face of a precipice53 and seemed to terminate in a small shallow cave. Any one following the path out of mere curiosity would have naturally imagined that the cave was the termination of it; and a very poor termination too, seeing that it was a rather uninteresting cave, the whole of the interior of which could be seen at a single glance from its mouth.
But this cave served in reality as a blind. Climbing by one or two projecting points, the negro, closely followed by Nigel, reached a narrow ledge54 and walked along it a short distance. On coming to the end of the ledge he jumped down into a mass of undergrowth, where the track again became visible—winding among great masses of weatherworn lava55. Here the ascent56 became very steep, and Moses put on what sporting men call a spurt57, which took him far ahead of Nigel, despite the best efforts of the latter to keep up. Still our hero scorned to run or call out to his guide to wait, and thereby58 admit himself beaten. He pushed steadily59 on, and managed to keep the active Moses in view.
Presently the negro stepped upon a platform of rock high up on the cliffs, where his form could be distinctly seen against the bright sky. There Nigel observed that he was joined by a man whose tall commanding figure seemed in such a position to be of gigantic proportions.
The two stood engaged in earnest conversation while watching Nigel. The latter immediately slackened his pace, in order at once to recover breath and approach with a leisurely60 aspect.
"The wild man of the island, I suppose," he thought as he drew near; but on coming still nearer he saw that he must be mistaken, for the stranger who advanced to meet him with gracious ease and self-possession was obviously a gentleman, and dressed, not unlike himself, in a sort of mixed travelling and shooting costume.
"I must apologise, Mr. Roy, for the presumption61 of my man, in bringing you here under something like false pretences," said the stranger, holding out his hand, which Nigel shook heartily62. "Moses, I find, has failed to execute my commission, and has partially63 deceived you; but as you are now here, the least I can do is to bid you welcome, and offer you the hospitality of my roof."
There was something so courteous64 and kindly65 in the tone and manner of the stranger, and something so winning in his soft gentle tones, which contrasted strangely with his grand towering figure and massive bearded countenance, that Nigel felt drawn66 to him instantly. Indeed there was a peculiar67 and mysterious something about him which quite fascinated our hero as he looked up at him, for, bordering on six feet though Nigel was, the stranger stood several inches above him.
"You are very kind," said the visitor, "and I don't think that Moses can fairly be charged with deceiving me, although he has been somewhat unwise in his way of going about this business, for I had told him I wanted to see something of these regions, and perhaps it may be to my advantage to travel in your service—that is, if I can be of any use to you; but the time at my disposal may be too limited."
"How much time have you to spare?" asked the stranger.
"Well, say perhaps three months."
"That will do," returned his questioner, looking thoughtfully at the ground. "We will talk of this hereafter."
"But—excuse me," said Nigel, "your man spoke68 of you as a hermit—a sort of—of—forgive me—a wild-man-of-the-island, if I may—"
"No, I didn't, Massa Nadgel," said the negro, the edge of whose flat contradiction was taken off by the extreme humility of his look.
"Well," returned Nigel, with a laugh; "you at least gave me to understand that other people said something of that sort."
"Da's right, Massa Nadgel—kite right. You're k'rect now."
"People have indeed got some strange ideas about me, I believe," interposed the hermit, with a grave almost sad expression and tone. "But come, let me introduce you to my hermitage and you shall judge for yourself."
So saying, this singular being turned and led the way further up the rugged side of the peak of Rakata.
After about five minutes' walk in silence, the trio reached a spot where there was a clear view over the tree-tops, revealing the blue waters of the strait, with the Java shores and mountains in the distance.
Behind them there yawned, dark and mysterious, a mighty cavern69, so black and high that it might well suggest a portal leading to the regions below, where Vulcan is supposed to stir those tremendous fires which have moulded much of the configuration70 of the world, and which are ever seething—an awful Inferno—under the thin crust of the globe on which we stand.
Curiously71 formed and large-leaved trees of the tropics, with their pendent parasites72, as well as rank grasses, sprouting73 from below and hanging from above, partially concealed74 this cavern from Nigel when he first turned towards it, but a few steps further on he could see it in all its rugged grandeur75.
"My home," said the hermit, with a very slight smile and the air of a prince, as he turned towards his visitor and waved his hand towards it.
"A magnificent entrance at all events," said Nigel, returning the smile with something of dubiety, for he was not quite sure that his host was in earnest.
"Follow me," said the hermit, leading the way down a narrow well-worn path which seemed to lose itself in profound darkness. After being a few minutes within the cavern, however, Nigel's eyes became accustomed to the dim light, and he perceived that the roof rapidly lowered, while its walls narrowed until they reached a spot which was not much wider than an ordinary corridor. Here, however, it was so dark that it was barely possible to see a small door in the right-hand wall before which they halted. Lifting a latch76 the hermit threw the door wide open, and a glare of dazzling light almost blinded the visitor.
Passing through the entrance, Nigel followed his guide, and the negro let the heavy door shut behind him with a clang that was depressingly suggestive of a prison.
"Again I bid you welcome to my home," said the hermit, turning round and extending his hand, which Nigel mechanically took and pressed, but without very well knowing what he did, for he was almost dumfounded by what he saw, and for some minutes gazed in silence around him.
And, truly, there was ground for surprise. The visitor found himself in a small but immensely high and brilliantly lighted cavern or natural chamber77, the walls of which were adorned78 with drawings of scenery and trees and specimens79 of plants, while on various shelves stood innumerable stuffed birds, and shells, and other specimens of natural history.
A table and two chairs stood at one end of the cave, and, strangest of all, a small but well-filled book-case ornamented80 the other end.
"Arabian Nights!" thought Nigel. "I must be dreaming."
His wandering eyes travelled slowly round the cavern until they rested at last on the door by which they had entered, beside which stood the negro with a broad grin on his sable visage.
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1
hermit
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| n.隐士，修道者；隐居 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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wafted
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| v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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sable
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| n.黑貂；adj.黑色的 | |
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tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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percussion
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| n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响 | |
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cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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9
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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10
devastate
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| v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒 | |
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11
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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bellows
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| n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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17
futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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shroud
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| n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏 | |
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dough
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| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
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passionate
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| 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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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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benignity
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| n.仁慈 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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densely
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| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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footpath
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| n.小路，人行道 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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placidity
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| n.平静，安静，温和 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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54
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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lava
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| n.熔岩，火山岩 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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presumption
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| n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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64
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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66
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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68
spoke
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| 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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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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configuration
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| n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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72
parasites
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| 寄生物( parasite的名词复数 )； 靠他人为生的人； 诸虫 | |
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sprouting
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| v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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75
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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