It need not be said who was the captain. Nibs4 and John were first and second mate. There was a woman aboard. The rest were tars5 [sailors] before the mast, and lived in the fo'c'sle. Peter had already lashed6 himself to the wheel; but he piped all hands and delivered a short address to them; said he hoped they would do their duty like gallant7 hearties8, but that he knew they were the scum of Rio and the Gold Coast, and if they snapped at him he would tear them. The bluff9 strident words struck the note sailors understood, and they cheered him lustily. Then a few sharp orders were given, and they turned the ship round, and nosed her for the mainland.
Captain Pan calculated, after consulting the ship's chart, that if this weather lasted they should strike the Azores about the 21st of June, after which it would save time to fly.
Some of them wanted it to be an honest ship and others were in favour of keeping it a pirate; but the captain treated them as dogs, and they dared not express their wishes to him even in a round robin10 [one person after another, as they had to Cpt. Hook]. Instant obedience11 was the only safe thing. Slightly got a dozen for looking perplexed12 when told to take soundings. The general feeling was that Peter was honest just now to lull13 Wendy's suspicions, but that there might be a change when the new suit was ready, which, against her will, she was making for him out of some of Hook's wickedest garments. It was afterwards whispered among them that on the first night he wore this suit he sat long in the cabin with Hook's cigar-holder in his mouth and one hand clenched14, all but for the forefinger15, which he bent16 and held threateningly aloft like a hook.
Instead of watching the ship, however, we must now return to that desolate17 home from which three of our characters had taken heartless flight so long ago. It seems a shame to have neglected No. 14 all this time; and yet we may be sure that Mrs. Darling does not blame us. If we had returned sooner to look with sorrowful sympathy at her, she would probably have cried, “Don't be silly; what do I matter? Do go back and keep an eye on the children.” So long as mothers are like this their children will take advantage of them; and they may lay to [bet on] that.
Even now we venture into that familiar nursery only because its lawful18 occupants are on their way home; we are merely hurrying on in advance of them to see that their beds are properly aired and that Mr. and Mrs. Darling do not go out for the evening. We are no more than servants. Why on earth should their beds be properly aired, seeing that they left them in such a thankless hurry? Would it not serve them jolly well right if they came back and found that their parents were spending the week-end in the country? It would be the moral lesson they have been in need of ever since we met them; but if we contrived19 things in this way Mrs. Darling would never forgive us.
One thing I should like to do immensely, and that is to tell her, in the way authors have, that the children are coming back, that indeed they will be here on Thursday week. This would spoil so completely the surprise to which Wendy and John and Michael are looking forward. They have been planning it out on the ship: mother's rapture20, father's shout of joy, Nana's leap through the air to embrace them first, when what they ought to be prepared for is a good hiding. How delicious to spoil it all by breaking the news in advance; so that when they enter grandly Mrs. Darling may not even offer Wendy her mouth, and Mr. Darling may exclaim pettishly21, “Dash it all, here are those boys again.” However, we should get no thanks even for this. We are beginning to know Mrs. Darling by this time, and may be sure that she would upbraid22 us for depriving the children of their little pleasure.
“But, my dear madam, it is ten days till Thursday week; so that by telling you what's what, we can save you ten days of unhappiness.”
“Yes, but at what a cost! By depriving the children of ten minutes of delight.”
“Oh, if you look at it in that way!”
“What other way is there in which to look at it?”
You see, the woman had no proper spirit. I had meant to say extraordinarily23 nice things about her; but I despise her, and not one of them will I say now. She does not really need to be told to have things ready, for they are ready. All the beds are aired, and she never leaves the house, and observe, the window is open. For all the use we are to her, we might well go back to the ship. However, as we are here we may as well stay and look on. That is all we are, lookers-on. Nobody really wants us. So let us watch and say jaggy things, in the hope that some of them will hurt.
The only change to be seen in the night-nursery is that between nine and six the kennel24 is no longer there. When the children flew away, Mr. Darling felt in his bones that all the blame was his for having chained Nana up, and that from first to last she had been wiser than he. Of course, as we have seen, he was quite a simple man; indeed he might have passed for a boy again if he had been able to take his baldness off; but he had also a noble sense of justice and a lion's courage to do what seemed right to him; and having thought the matter out with anxious care after the flight of the children, he went down on all fours and crawled into the kennel. To all Mrs. Darling's dear invitations to him to come out he replied sadly but firmly:
“No, my own one, this is the place for me.”
In the bitterness of his remorse25 he swore that he would never leave the kennel until his children came back. Of course this was a pity; but whatever Mr. Darling did he had to do in excess, otherwise he soon gave up doing it. And there never was a more humble26 man than the once proud George Darling, as he sat in the kennel of an evening talking with his wife of their children and all their pretty ways.
Very touching27 was his deference28 to Nana. He would not let her come into the kennel, but on all other matters he followed her wishes implicitly29.
Every morning the kennel was carried with Mr. Darling in it to a cab, which conveyed him to his office, and he returned home in the same way at six. Something of the strength of character of the man will be seen if we remember how sensitive he was to the opinion of neighbours: this man whose every movement now attracted surprised attention. Inwardly he must have suffered torture; but he preserved a calm exterior30 even when the young criticised his little home, and he always lifted his hat courteously31 to any lady who looked inside.
It may have been Quixotic, but it was magnificent. Soon the inward meaning of it leaked out, and the great heart of the public was touched. Crowds followed the cab, cheering it lustily; charming girls scaled it to get his autograph; interviews appeared in the better class of papers, and society invited him to dinner and added, “Do come in the kennel.”
On that eventful Thursday week, Mrs. Darling was in the night-nursery awaiting George's return home; a very sad-eyed woman. Now that we look at her closely and remember the gaiety of her in the old days, all gone now just because she has lost her babes, I find I won't be able to say nasty things about her after all. If she was too fond of her rubbishy children, she couldn't help it. Look at her in her chair, where she has fallen asleep. The corner of her mouth, where one looks first, is almost withered32 up. Her hand moves restlessly on her breast as if she had a pain there. Some like Peter best, and some like Wendy best, but I like her best. Suppose, to make her happy, we whisper to her in her sleep that the brats33 are coming back. They are really within two miles of the window now, and flying strong, but all we need whisper is that they are on the way. Let's.
It is a pity we did it, for she has started up, calling their names; and there is no one in the room but Nana.
“O Nana, I dreamt my dear ones had come back.”
Nana had filmy eyes, but all she could do was put her paw gently on her mistress's lap; and they were sitting together thus when the kennel was brought back. As Mr. Darling puts his head out to kiss his wife, we see that his face is more worn than of yore, but has a softer expression.
He gave his hat to Liza, who took it scornfully; for she had no imagination, and was quite incapable34 of understanding the motives35 of such a man. Outside, the crowd who had accompanied the cab home were still cheering, and he was naturally not unmoved.
“Listen to them,” he said; “it is very gratifying.”
“There were several adults to-day,” he assured her with a faint flush; but when she tossed her head he had not a word of reproof38 for her. Social success had not spoilt him; it had made him sweeter. For some time he sat with his head out of the kennel, talking with Mrs. Darling of this success, and pressing her hand reassuringly39 when she said she hoped his head would not be turned by it.
“But if I had been a weak man,” he said. “Good heavens, if I had been a weak man!”
“And, George,” she said timidly, “you are as full of remorse as ever, aren't you?”
“Full of remorse as ever, dearest! See my punishment: living in a kennel.”
“But it is punishment, isn't it, George? You are sure you are not enjoying it?”
“My love!”
“Won't you play me to sleep,” he asked, “on the nursery piano?” and as she was crossing to the day-nursery he added thoughtlessly, “And shut that window. I feel a draught41.”
“O George, never ask me to do that. The window must always be left open for them, always, always.”
Now it was his turn to beg her pardon; and she went into the day-nursery and played, and soon he was asleep; and while he slept, Wendy and John and Michael flew into the room.
Oh no. We have written it so, because that was the charming arrangement planned by them before we left the ship; but something must have happened since then, for it is not they who have flown in, it is Peter and Tinker Bell.
Peter's first words tell all.
“Quick Tink,” he whispered, “close the window; bar it! That's right. Now you and I must get away by the door; and when Wendy comes she will think her mother has barred her out; and she will have to go back with me.”
Now I understand what had hitherto puzzled me, why when Peter had exterminated42 the pirates he did not return to the island and leave Tink to escort the children to the mainland. This trick had been in his head all the time.
Instead of feeling that he was behaving badly he danced with glee; then he peeped into the day-nursery to see who was playing. He whispered to Tink, “It's Wendy's mother! She is a pretty lady, but not so pretty as my mother. Her mouth is full of thimbles, but not so full as my mother's was.”
He did not know the tune44, which was “Home, Sweet Home,” but he knew it was saying, “Come back, Wendy, Wendy, Wendy”; and he cried exultantly45, “You will never see Wendy again, lady, for the window is barred!”
He peeped in again to see why the music had stopped, and now he saw that Mrs. Darling had laid her head on the box, and that two tears were sitting on her eyes.
“She wants me to unbar the window,” thought Peter, “but I won't, not I!”
He peeped again, and the tears were still there, or another two had taken their place.
“She's awfully46 fond of Wendy,” he said to himself. He was angry with her now for not seeing why she could not have Wendy.
The reason was so simple: “I'm fond of her too. We can't both have her, lady.”
But the lady would not make the best of it, and he was unhappy. He ceased to look at her, but even then she would not let go of him. He skipped about and made funny faces, but when he stopped it was just as if she were inside him, knocking.
“Oh, all right,” he said at last, and gulped47. Then he unbarred the window. “Come on, Tink,” he cried, with a frightful48 sneer37 at the laws of nature; “we don't want any silly mothers;” and he flew away.
Thus Wendy and John and Michael found the window open for them after all, which of course was more than they deserved. They alighted on the floor, quite unashamed of themselves, and the youngest one had already forgotten his home.
“John,” he said, looking around him doubtfully, “I think I have been here before.”
“Of course you have, you silly. There is your old bed.”
“So it is,” Michael said, but not with much conviction.
“I say,” cried John, “the kennel!” and he dashed across to look into it.
“Perhaps Nana is inside it,” Wendy said.
But John whistled. “Hullo,” he said, “there's a man inside it.”
“It's father!” exclaimed Wendy.
“Let me see father,” Michael begged eagerly, and he took a good look. “He is not so big as the pirate I killed,” he said with such frank disappointment that I am glad Mr. Darling was asleep; it would have been sad if those had been the first words he heard his little Michael say.
Wendy and John had been taken aback somewhat at finding their father in the kennel.
“Surely,” said John, like one who had lost faith in his memory, “he used not to sleep in the kennel?”
“John,” Wendy said falteringly49, “perhaps we don't remember the old life as well as we thought we did.”
A chill fell upon them; and serve them right.
“It is very careless of mother,” said that young scoundrel John, “not to be here when we come back.”
It was then that Mrs. Darling began playing again.
“It's mother!” cried Wendy, peeping.
“So it is!” said John.
“Then are you not really our mother, Wendy?” asked Michael, who was surely sleepy.
“Oh dear!” exclaimed Wendy, with her first real twinge of remorse [for having gone], “it was quite time we came back.”
“Let us creep in,” John suggested, “and put our hands over her eyes.”
“Let us all slip into our beds, and be there when she comes in, just as if we had never been away.”
And so when Mrs. Darling went back to the night-nursery to see if her husband was asleep, all the beds were occupied. The children waited for her cry of joy, but it did not come. She saw them, but she did not believe they were there. You see, she saw them in their beds so often in her dreams that she thought this was just the dream hanging around her still.
She sat down in the chair by the fire, where in the old days she had nursed them.
They could not understand this, and a cold fear fell upon all the three of them.
“Mother!” Wendy cried.
“That's Wendy,” she said, but still she was sure it was the dream.
“Mother!”
“That's John,” she said.
“Mother!” cried Michael. He knew her now.
“That's Michael,” she said, and she stretched out her arms for the three little selfish children they would never envelop51 again. Yes, they did, they went round Wendy and John and Michael, who had slipped out of bed and run to her.
“George, George!” she cried when she could speak; and Mr. Darling woke to share her bliss52, and Nana came rushing in. There could not have been a lovelier sight; but there was none to see it except a little boy who was staring in at the window. He had had ecstasies53 innumerable that other children can never know; but he was looking through the window at the one joy from which he must be for ever barred.
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1
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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2
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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3
hitching
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| 搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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4
nibs
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| 上司，大人物； 钢笔尖，鹅毛管笔笔尖( nib的名词复数 )； 可可豆的碎粒； 小瑕疵 | |
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5
tars
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| 焦油，沥青，柏油( tar的名词复数 ) | |
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6
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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8
hearties
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| 亲切的( hearty的名词复数 )； 热诚的； 健壮的； 精神饱满的 | |
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9
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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10
robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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14
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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17
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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18
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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20
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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pettishly
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upbraid
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| v.斥责，责骂，责备 | |
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extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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24
kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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26
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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27
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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30
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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31
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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32
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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33
brats
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| n.调皮捣蛋的孩子( brat的名词复数 ) | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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36
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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38
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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39
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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40
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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41
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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42
exterminated
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| v.消灭，根绝( exterminate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
bragged
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| v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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45
exultantly
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| adv.狂欢地，欢欣鼓舞地 | |
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46
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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47
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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48
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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49
falteringly
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| 口吃地，支吾地 | |
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50
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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51
envelop
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| vt.包，封，遮盖；包围 | |
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52
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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53
ecstasies
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| 狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 )； 出神； 入迷； 迷幻药 | |
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