After the death of my protector, Captain Fagan, I am forced to confess that I fell into the very worst of courses and company. Being a rough soldier of fortune himself, he had never been a favourite with the officers of his regiment1; who had a contempt for Irishmen, as Englishmen sometimes will have, and used to mock his brogue, and his blunt uncouth3 manners. I had been insolent4 to one or two of them, and had only been screened from punishment by his intercession; especially his successor, Mr. Rawson, had no liking5 for me, and put another man into the sergeant6’s place vacant in his company after the battle of Minden. This act of injustice7 rendered my service very disagreeable to me; and, instead of seeking to conquer the dislike of my superiors, and win their goodwill8 by good behaviour, I only sought for means to make my situation easier to me, and grasped at all the amusements in my power. In a foreign country, with the enemy before us, and the people continually under contribution from one side or the other, numberless irregularities were permitted to the troops which would not have been allowed in more peaceable times. I descended9 gradually to mix with the sergeants10, and to share their amusements: drinking and gambling11 were, I am sorry to say, our principal pastimes; and I fell so readily into their ways, that though only a young lad of seventeen, I was the master of them all in daring wickedness; though there were some among them who, I promise you, were far advanced in the science of every kind of profligacy12. I should have been under the provost-marshal’s hands, for a dead certainty, had I continued much longer in the army: but an accident occurred which took me out of the English service in rather a singular manner.
The year in which George II died, our regiment had the honour to be present at the battle of Warburg (where the Marquis of Granby and his horse fully13 retrieved14 the discredit15 which had fallen upon the cavalry16 since Lord George Sackville’s defalcation17 at Minden), and where Prince Ferdinand once more completely defeated the Frenchmen. During the action, my lieutenant18, Mr. Fakenham, of Fakenham, the gentleman who had threatened me, it may be remembered, with the caning19, was struck by a musket20-ball in the side. He had shown no want of courage in this or any other occasion where he had been called upon to act against the French; but this was his first wound, and the young gentleman was exceedingly frightened by it. He offered five guineas to be carried into the town, which was hard by; and I and another man, taking him up in a cloak, managed to transport him into a place of decent appearance, where we put him to bed, and where a young surgeon (who desired nothing better than to take himself out of the fire of the musketry) went presently to dress his wound.
In order to get into the house, we had been obliged, it must be confessed, to fire into the locks with our pieces; which summons brought an inhabitant of the house to the door, a very pretty and black-eyed young woman, who lived there with her old half-blind father, a retired21 Jagdmeister of the Duke of Cassel, hard by. When the French were in the town, Meinherr’s house had suffered like those of his neighbours; and he was at first exceedingly unwilling22 to accommodate his guests. But the first knocking at the door had the effect of bringing a speedy answer; and Mr. Fakenham, taking a couple of guineas out of a very full purse, speedily convinced the people that they had only to deal with a person of honour.
Leaving the doctor (who was very glad to stop) with his patient, who paid me the stipulated23 reward, I was returning to my regiment with my other comrade — after having paid, in my German jargon24, some deserved compliments to the black-eyed beauty of Warburg, and thinking, with no small envy, how comfortable it would be to be billeted there — when the private who was with me cut short my reveries by suggesting that we should divide the five guineas the lieutenant had given me.
‘There is your share,’ said I, giving the fellow one piece; which was plenty, as I was the leader of the expedition. But he swore a dreadful oath that he would have half; and when I told him to go to a quarter which I shall not name, the fellow, lifting his musket, hit me a blow with the butt-end of it, which sent me lifeless to the ground: when I awoke from my> trance, I found myself bleeding with a large wound in the head, and had barely time to stagger back to the house where I had left the lieutenant, when I again fell fainting at the door.
Here I must have been discovered by the surgeon on his issuing out; for when I awoke a second time I found myself in the ground-floor of the house, supported by the black-eyed girl, while the surgeon was copiously25 bleeding me at the arm. There was another bed in the room where the lieutenant had been laid — it was that occupied by Gretel, the servant; while Lischen, as my fair one was called, had, till now, slept in the couch where the wounded officer lay.
‘Who are you putting into that bed?’ said he languidly, in German; for the ball had been extracted from his side with much pain and loss of blood.
They told him it was the corporal who had brought him.
‘A corporal?’ said he, in English; ‘turn him out.’ And you may be sure I felt highly complimented by the words. But we were both too faint to compliment or to abuse each other much, and I was put to bed carefully; and, on being undressed, had an opportunity to find that my pockets had been rifled by the English soldier after he had knocked me down. However, I was in good quarters: the young lady who sheltered me presently brought me a refreshing26 drink; and, as I took it, I could not help pressing the kind hand that gave it me; nor, in truth, did this token of my gratitude27 seem unwelcome.
This intimacy28 did not decrease with further acquaintance. I found Lischen the tenderest of nurses. Whenever any delicacy29 was to be provided for the wounded lieutenant, a share was always sent to the bed opposite his, and to the avaricious30 man’s no small annoyance31. His illness was long. On the second day the fever declared itself; for some nights he was delirious32; and I remember it was when a commanding officer was inspecting our quarters, with an intention, very likely, of billeting himself on the house, that the howling and mad words of the patient overhead struck him, and he retired rather frightened. I had been sitting up very comfortably in the lower apartment, for my hurt was quite subsided33; and it was only when the officer asked me, with a rough voice, why I was not at my regiment, that I began to reflect how pleasant my quarters were to me, and that I was much better here than crawling under an odious34 tent with a parcel of tipsy soldiers, or going the night-rounds or rising long before daybreak for drill.
The delirium35 of Mr. Fakenham gave me a hint, and I determined36 forthwith to GO MAD. There was a poor fellow about Brady’s Town called ‘Wandering Billy,’ whose insane pranks37 I had often mimicked38 as a lad, and I again put them in practice. That night I made an attempt upon Lischen, saluting39 her with a yell and a grin which frightened her almost out of her wits; and when anybody came I was raving40. The blow on the head had disordered my brain; the doctor was ready to vouch41 for this fact. One night I whispered to him that I was Julius Caesar, and considered him to be my affianced wife Queen Cleopatra, which convinced him of my insanity42. Indeed, if Her Majesty43 had been like my Aesculapius, she must have had a carroty beard, such as is rare in Egypt.
A movement on the part of the French speedily caused an advance on our part. The town was evacuated44, except by a few Prussian troops, whose surgeons were to visit the wounded in the place; and, when we were well, we were to be drafted to our regiments45. I determined that I never would join mine again. My intention was to make for Holland, almost the only neutral country of Europe in those times, and thence to get a passage somehow to England, and home to dear old Brady’s Town.
If Mr. Fakenham is now alive, I here tender him my apologies for my conduct to him. He was very rich; he used me very ill. I managed to frighten away his servant who came to attend him after the affair of Warburg, and from that time would sometimes condescend46 to wait upon the patient, who always treated me with scorn; but it was my object to have him alone, and I bore his brutality47 with the utmost civility and mildness, meditating48 in my own mind a very pretty return for all his favours to me. Nor was I the only person in the house to whom the worthy49 gentleman was uncivil. He ordered the fair Lischen hither and thither50, made impertinent love to her, abused her soups, quarrelled with her omelettes, and grudged51 the money which was laid out for his maintenance; so that our hostess detested52 him as much as, I think, without vanity, she regarded me.
For, if the truth must be told, I had made very deep love to her during my stay under her roof; as is always my way with women, of whatever age or degree of beauty. To a man who has to make his way in the world, these dear girls can always be useful in one fashion or another; never mind, if they repel53 your passion; at any rate, they are not offended with your declaration of it, and only look upon you with more favourable54 eyes in consequence of your misfortune. As for Lischen, I told her such a pathetic story of my life (a tale a great deal more romantic than that here narrated55 — for I did not restrict myself to the exact truth in that history, as in these pages I am bound to do), that I won the poor girl’s heart entirely56, and, besides, made considerable progress in the German language under her instruction. Do not think me very cruel and heartless, ladies; this heart of Lischen’s was like many a town in the neighbourhood in which she dwelt, and had been stormed and occupied several times before I came to invest it; now mounting French colours, now green and yellow Saxon, now black and white Prussian, as the case may be. A lady who sets her heart upon a lad in uniform must prepare to change lovers pretty quickly, or her life will be but a sad one.
The German surgeon who attended us after the departure of the English only condescended57 to pay our house a visit twice during my residence; and I took care, for a reason I had, to receive him in a darkened room, much to the annoyance of Mr. Fakenham, who lay there: but I said the light affected58 my eyes dreadfully since my blow on the head; and so I covered up my head with clothes when the doctor came, and told him that I was an Egyptian mummy, or talked to him some insane nonsense, in order to keep up my character.
‘What is that nonsense you were talking about an Egyptian mummy, fellow?’ asked Mr. Fakenham peevishly59.
‘Oh! you’ll know soon, sir,’ said I.
The next time that I expected the doctor to come, instead of receiving him in a darkened room, with handkerchiefs muffled60, I took care to be in the lower room, and was having a game at cards with Lischen as the surgeon entered. I had taken possession of a dressing-jacket of the lieutenant’s, and some other articles of his wardrobe, which fitted me pretty well; and, I flatter myself, was no ungentlemanlike figure.
‘Good-morrow, Corporal,’ said the doctor, rather gruffly, in reply to my smiling salute61.
‘Corporal! Lieutenant, if you please,’ answered I, giving an arch look at Lischen, whom I had instructed in my plot.
‘How lieutenant?’ asked the surgeon. ‘I thought the lieutenant was’—
‘Upon my word, you do me great honour,’ cried I, laughing; ‘you mistook me for the mad corporal upstairs. The fellow has once or twice pretended to be an officer, but my kind hostess here can answer which is which.’
‘Yesterday he fancied he was Prince Ferdinand,’ said Lischen; ‘the day you came he said he was an Egyptian mummy.’
‘So he did,’ said the doctor; ‘I remember; but, ha! ha! do you know, Lieutenant, I have in my notes made a mistake in you two?’
‘Don’t talk to me about his malady62; he is calm now.’
Lischen and I laughed at this error as at the most ridiculous thing in the world; and when the surgeon went up to examine his patient, I cautioned him not to talk to him about the subject of his malady, for he was in a very excited state.
The reader will be able to gather from the above conversation what my design really was. I was determined to escape, and to escape under the character of Lieutenant Fakenham; taking it from him to his face, as it were, and making use of it to meet my imperious necessity. It was forgery63 and robbery, if you like; for I took all his money and clothes — I don’t care to conceal64 it; but the need was so urgent, that I would do so again: and I knew I could not effect my escape without his purse, as well as his name. Hence it became my duty to take possession of one and the other.
As the lieutenant lay still in bed upstairs, I did not hesitate at all about assuming his uniform, especially after taking care to inform myself from the doctor whether any men of ours who might know me were in the town. But there were none that I could hear of; and so I calmly took my walks with Madame Lischen, dressed in the lieutenant’s uniform, made inquiries65 as to a horse that I wanted to purchase, reported myself to the commandant of the place as Lieutenant Fakenham, of Gale’s English regiment of foot, convalescent, and was asked to dine with the officers of the Prussian regiment at a very sorry mess they had. How Fakenham would have stormed and raged, had he known the use I was making of his name!
Whenever that worthy used to inquire about his clothes, which he did with many oaths and curses that he would have me caned67 at the regiment for inattention, I, with a most respectful air, informed him that they were put away in perfect safety below; and, in fact, had them very neatly68 packed, and ready for the day when I proposed to depart. His papers and money, however, he kept under his pillow; and, as I had purchased a horse, it became necessary to pay for it.
At a certain hour, then, I ordered the animal to be brought round, when I would pay the dealer69 for him. (I shall pass over my adieux with my kind hostess, which were very tearful indeed). And then, making up my mind to the great action, walked upstairs to Fakenham’s room attired70 in his full regimentals, and with his hat cocked over my left eye.
‘You gWeat scoundWel!’ said he, with a multiplicity of oaths; ‘you mutinous71 dog! what do you mean by dWessing yourself in my Wegimentals? As sure as my name’s Fakenham, when we get back to the Wegiment, I’ll have your soul cut out of your body.’
‘I’m promoted, Lieutenant,’ said I, with a sneer72. ‘I’m come to take my leave of you;’ and then going up to his bed, I said, ‘I intend to have your papers and purse.’ With this I put my hand under his pillow; at which he gave a scream that might have called the whole garrison73 about my ears. ‘Hark ye, sir!’ said I, ‘no more noise, or you are a dead man!’ and taking a handkerchief, I bound it tight around his mouth so as well-nigh to throttle74 him, and, pulling forward the sleeves of his shirt, tied them in a knot together, and so left him; removing the papers and the purse, you may be sure, and wishing him politely a good day.
‘It is the mad corporal,’ said I to the people down below who were attracted by the noise from the sick man’s chamber75; and so taking leave of the old blind Jagdmeister, and an adieu (I will not say how tender) of his daughter, I mounted my newly purchased animal; and, as I pranced76 away, and the sentinels presented arms to me at the town-gates, felt once more that I was in my proper sphere, and determined never again to fall from the rank of a gentleman.
I took at first the way towards Bremen, where our army was, and gave out that I was bringing reports and letters from the Prussian commandant of Warburg to headquarters; but, as soon as I got out of sight of the advanced sentinels, I turned bridle77 and rode into the Hesse-Cassel territory, which is luckily not very far from Warburg: and I promise you I was very glad to see the blue-and-red stripes on the barriers, which showed me that I was out of the land occupied by our countrymen. I rode to Hof, and the next day to Cassel, giving out that I was the bearer of despatches to Prince Henry, then on the Lower Rhine, and put up at the best hotel of the place, where the field-officers of the garrison had their ordinary. These gentlemen I treated to the best wines that the house afforded, for I was determined to keep up the character of the English gentleman, and I talked to them about my English estates with a fluency78 that almost made me believe in the stories which I invented. I was even asked to an assembly at Wilhelmshohe, the Elector’s palace, and danced a minuet there with the Hofmarshal’s lovely daughter, and lost a few pieces to his excellency the first huntmaster of his Highness.
At our table at the inn there was a Prussian officer who treated me with great civility, and asked me a thousand questions about England; which I answered as best I might. But this best, I am bound to say, was bad enough. I knew nothing about England, and the Court, and the noble families there; but, led away by the vaingloriousness of youth (and a propensity79 which I possessed80 in my early days, but of which I have long since corrected myself, to boast and talk in a manner not altogether consonant81 with truth), I invented a thousand stories which I told him; described the King and the Ministers to him, said the British Ambassador at Berlin was my uncle, and promised my acquaintance a letter of recommendation to him. When the officer asked me my uncle’s name, I was not able to give him the real name, and so said his name was O’Grady: it is as good a name as any other, and those of Kilballyowen, county Cork82, are as good a family as any in the world, as I have heard. As for stories about my regiment, of these, of course, I had no lack. I wish my other histories had been equally authentic83.
On the morning I left Cassel, my Prussian friend came to me with an open smiling countenance84, and said he, too, was bound for Dusseldorf, whither I said my route lay; and so laying our horses’ heads together we jogged on. The country was desolate85 beyond description. The prince in whose dominions86 we were was known to be the most ruthless seller of men in Germany. He would sell to any bidder87, and during the five years which the war (afterwards called the Seven Years’ War) had now lasted, had so exhausted88 the males of his principality, that the fields remained untilled: even the children of twelve years old were driven off to the war, and I saw herds89 of these wretches90 marching forwards, attended by a few troopers, now under the guidance of a red-coated Hanovarian sergeant, now with a Prussian sub-officer accompanying them; with some of whom my companion exchanged signs of recognition.
‘It hurts my feelings,’ said he, ‘to be obliged to commune with such wretches; but the stern necessities of war demand men continually, and hence these recruiters whom you see market in human flesh. They get five-and-twenty dollars from our Government for every man they bring in. For fine men — for men like you,’ he added, laughing, ‘we would go as high as a hundred. In the old King’s time we would have given a thousand for you, when he had his giant regiment that our present monarch91 disbanded.’
‘I knew one of them,’ said I, ‘who served with you: we used to call him Morgan Prussia.’
‘Indeed; and who was this Morgan Prussia?’
‘Why, a huge grenadier of ours, who was somehow snapped up in Hanover by some of your recruiters.’
‘The rascals92!’ said my friend: ‘and did they dare take an Englishman?’
‘‘Faith this was an Irishman, and a great deal too sharp for them; as you shall hear. Morgan was taken, then, and drafted into the giant guard, and was the biggest man almost among all the giants there. Many of these monsters used to complain of their life, and their caning, and their long drills, and their small pay; but Morgan was not one of the grumblers. “It’s a deal better,” said he, “to get fat here in Berlin, than to starve in rags in Tipperary!”’
‘Where is Tipperary?’ asked my companion.
‘That is exactly what Morgan’s friends asked him. It is a beautiful district in Ireland, the capital of which is the magnificent city of Clonmel: a city, let me tell you, sir, only inferior to Dublin and London, and far more sumptuous93 than any on the Continent. Well, Morgan said that his birthplace was near that city, and the only thing which caused him unhappiness, in his present situation, was the thought that his brothers were still starving at home, when they might be so much better off in His Majesty’s service.
‘”‘Faith,” says Morgan to the sergeant, to whom he imparted the information, “it’s my brother Bin94 that would make the fine sergeant of the guards, entirely!”
‘“Is Ben as tall as you are?” asked the sergeant.
‘“As tall as ME, is it? Why, man, I’m the shortest of my family! There’s six more of us, but Bin’s the biggest of all. Oh! out and out the biggest. Seven feet in his stockin-FUT, as sure as my name’s Morgan!”
‘“Can’t we send and fetch them over, these brothers of yours?”
‘“Not you. Ever since I was seduced96 by one of you gentlemen of the cane66, they’ve a mortal aversion to all sergeants,” answered Morgan: “but it’s a pity they cannot come, too. What a monster Bin would be in a grenadier’s cap!”
‘He said nothing more at the time regarding his brothers, but only sighed as if lamenting97 their hard fate. However, the story was told by the sergeant to the officers, and by the officers to the King himself; and His Majesty was so inflamed98 by curiosity, that he actually consented to let Morgan go home in order to bring back with him his seven enormous brothers.’
‘And were they as big as Morgan pretended?’ asked my comrade. I could not help laughing at his simplicity99.
‘Do you suppose,’ cried I, ‘that Morgan ever came back? No, no; once free, he was too wise for that. He has bought a snug100 farm in Tipperary with the money that was given him to secure his brothers; and I fancy few men of the guards ever profited so much by it.’
The Prussian captain laughed exceedingly at this story, said that the English were the cleverest nation in the world, and, on my setting him right, agreed that the Irish were even more so. We rode on very well pleased with each other; for he had a thousand stories of the war to tell, of the skill and gallantry of Frederick, and the thousand escapes, and victories, and defeats scarcely less glorious than victories, through which the King had passed. Now that I was a gentleman, I could listen with admiration101 to these tales: and yet the sentiment recorded at the end of the last chapter was uppermost in my mind but three weeks back, when I remembered that it was the great general got the glory, and the poor soldier only insult and the cane.
‘By the way, to whom are you taking despatches?’ asked the officer.
It was another ugly question, which I determined to answer at hap-hazard; and so I said ‘To General Rolls.’ I had seen the general a year before, and gave the first name in my head. My friend was quite satisfied with it, and we continued our ride until evening came on; and our horses being weary, it was agreed that we should come to a halt.
‘There is a very good inn,’ said the Captain, as we rode up to what appeared to me a very lonely-looking place.
‘This may be a very good inn for Germany,’ said I, ‘but it would not pass in old Ireland. Corbach is only a league off: let us push on for Corbach.’
‘Do you want to see the loveliest woman in Europe?’ said the officer. ‘Ah! you sly rogue2, I see THAT will influence you;’ and, truth to say, such a proposal WAS always welcome to me, as I don’t care to own. ‘The people are great farmers,’ said the Captain, ‘as well as innkeepers;’ and, indeed, the place seemed more a farm than an inn yard. We entered by a great gate into a Court walled round, and at one end of which was the building, a dingy102 ruinous place. A couple of covered waggens were in the court, their horses were littered under a shed hard by, and lounging about the place were some men and a pair of sergeants in the Prussian uniform, who both touched their hats to my friend the Captain. This customary formality struck me as nothing extraordinary, but the aspect of the inn had something exceedingly chilling and forbidding in it, and I observed the men shut to the great yard-gates as soon as we were entered. Parties of French horsemen, the Captain said, were about the country, and one could not take too many precautions against such villains103.
We went into supper, after the two sergeants had taken charge of our horses; the Captain, also, ordering one of them to take my valise to my bedroom. I promised the worthy fellow a glass of schnapps for his pains.
A dish of fried eggs-and-bacon was ordered from a hideous104 old wench that came to serve us, in place of the lovely creature I had expected to see; and the Captain, laughing, said, ‘Well, our meal is a frugal105 one, but a soldier has many a time a worse:’ and, taking off his hat, sword-belt, and gloves, with great ceremony, he sat down to eat. I would not be behindhand with him in politeness, and put my weapon securely on the old chest of drawers where his was laid.
The hideous old woman before mentioned brought us in a pot of very sour wine, at which and at her ugliness I felt a considerable ill-humour.
‘Where’s the beauty you promised me?’ said I, as soon as the old hag had left the room.
‘Bah!’ said he, laughing, and looking hard at me: ‘it was my joke. I was tired, and did not care to go farther. There’s no prettier woman here than that. If she won’t suit your fancy, my friend, you must wait a while.’
This increased my ill-humour.
‘Upon my word, sir,’ said I sternly, ‘I think you have acted very coolly!’
‘I have acted as I think fit!’ replied the captain.
‘Sir,’ said I, ‘I’m a British officer!’
‘It’s a lie!’ roared the other, ‘you’re a DESERTER! You’re an impostor, sir; I have known you for such these three hours. I suspected you yesterday. My men heard of a man escaping from Warburg, and I thought you were the man. Your lies and folly106 have confirmed me. You pretend to carry despatches to a general who has been dead these ten months: you have an uncle who is an ambassador, and whose name forsooth you don’t know. Will you join and take the bounty107, sir; or will you be given up?’
‘Neither!’ said I, springing at him like a tiger. But, agile108 as I was, he was equally on his guard. He took two pistols out of his pocket, fired one off, and said, from the other end of the table where he stood dodging109 me, as it were —
‘Advance a step, and I send this bullet into your brains!’ In another minute the door was flung open, and the two sergeants entered, armed with musket and bayonet to aid their comrade.
The game was up. I flung down a knife with which I had armed myself; for the old hag on bringing in the wine had removed my sword.
‘I volunteer,’ said I.
‘That’s my good fellow. What name shall I put on my list?’
‘Write Redmond Barry of Bally Barry,’ said I haughtily110; ‘a descendant of the Irish kings!’
‘I was once with the Irish brigade, Roche’s,’ said the recruiter, sneering111, ‘trying if I could get any likely fellows among the few countrymen of yours that are in the brigade, and there was scarcely one of them that was not descended from the kings of Ireland.’
‘Sir,’ said I, ‘king or not, I am a gentleman, as you can see.’
‘Oh! you will find plenty more in our corps,’ answered the Captain, still in the sneering mood. ‘Give up your papers, Mr. Gentleman, and let us see who you really are.’
As my pocket-book contained some bank-notes as well as papers of Mr. Fakenham’s, I was not willing to give up my property; suspecting very rightly that it was but a scheme on the part of the Captain to get and keep it.
‘It can matter very little to you,’ said I, ‘what my private papers are: I am enlisted112 under the name of Redmond Barry.’
‘Give it up, sirrah!’ said the Captain, seizing his cane.
‘I will not give it up!’ answered I.
‘HOUND! do you mutiny?’ screamed he, and, at the same time, gave me a lash114 across the face with the cane, which had the anticipated effect of producing a struggle. I dashed forward to grapple with him, the two sergeants flung themselves on me, I was thrown to the ground and stunned115 again; being hit on my former wound in the head. It was bleeding severely116 when I came to myself, my laced coat was already torn off my back, my purse and papers gone, and my hands tied behind my back.
The great and illustrious Frederick had scores of these white slave-dealers all round the frontiers of his kingdom, debauching troops or kidnapping peasants, and hesitating at no crime to supply those brilliant regiments of his with food for powder; and I cannot help telling here, with some satisfaction, the fate which ultimately befell the atrocious scoundrel who, violating all the rights of friendship and good-fellowship, had just succeeded in entrapping117 me. This individual was a person of high family and known talents and courage, but who had a propensity to gambling and extravagance, and found his calling as a recruit-decoy far more profitable to him than his pay of second captain in the line. The sovereign, too, probably found his services more useful in the former capacity. His name was Monsieur de Galgenstein, and he was one of the most successful of the practisers of his rascally118 trade. He spoke119 all languages, and knew all countries, and hence had no difficulty in finding out the simple braggadocio120 of a young lad like me.
About 1765, however, he came to his justly merited end. He was at this time living at Kehl, opposite Strasburg, and used to take his walk upon the bridge there, and get into conversation with the French advanced sentinels; to whom he was in the habit of promising121 ‘mountains and marvels,’ as the French say, if they would take service in Prussia. One day there was on the bridge a superb grenadier, whom Galgenstein accosted122, and to whom he promised a company, at least, if he would enlist113 under Frederick.
‘Ask my comrade yonder,’ said the grenadier; ‘I can do nothing without him. We were born and bred together, we are of the same company, sleep in the same room, and always go in pairs. If he will go and you will give him a captaincy, I will go too.’
‘Bring your comrade over to Kehl,’ said Galgenstein, delighted. ‘I will give you the best of dinners, and can promise to satisfy both of you.’
‘Had you not better speak to him on the bridge?’ said the grenadier. ‘I dare not leave my post; but you have but to pass, and talk over the matter.’
Galgenstein, after a little parley123, passed the sentinel; but presently a panic took him, and he retraced124 his steps. But the grenadier brought his bayonet to the Prussian’s breast and bade him stand: that he was his prisoner.
The Prussian, however, seeing his danger, made a bound across the bridge and into the Rhine; whither, flinging aside his musket, the intrepid125 sentry126 followed him. The Frenchman was the better swimmer of the two, seized upon the recruiter, and bore him to the Strasburg side of the stream, where he gave him up.
‘You deserve to be shot,’ said the general to him, ‘for abandoning your post and arms; but you merit reward for an act of courage and daring. The King prefers to reward you,’ and the man received money and promotion127.
As for Galgenstein, he declared his quality as a nobleman and a captain in the Prussian service, and applications were made to Berlin to know if his representations were true. But the King, though he employed men of this stamp (officers to seduce95 the subjects of his allies) could not acknowledge his own shame. Letters were written back from Berlin to say that such a family existed in the kingdom, but that the person representing himself to belong to it must be an impostor, for every officer of the name was at his regiment and his post. It was Galgenstein’s death-warrant, and he was hanged as a spy in Strasburg.
‘Turn him into the cart with the rest,’ said he, as soon as I awoke from my trance.
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1 regiment | |
n.团,多数,管理;v.组织,编成团,统制 | |
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2 rogue | |
n.流氓;v.游手好闲 | |
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3 uncouth | |
adj.无教养的,粗鲁的 | |
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4 insolent | |
adj.傲慢的,无理的 | |
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5 liking | |
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢 | |
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6 sergeant | |
n.警官,中士 | |
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7 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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8 goodwill | |
n.善意,亲善,信誉,声誉 | |
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9 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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10 sergeants | |
警官( sergeant的名词复数 ); (美国警察)警佐; (英国警察)巡佐; 陆军(或空军)中士 | |
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11 gambling | |
n.赌博;投机 | |
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12 profligacy | |
n.放荡,不检点,肆意挥霍 | |
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13 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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14 retrieved | |
v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 );恢复;寻回;检索(储存的信息) | |
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15 discredit | |
vt.使不可置信;n.丧失信义;不信,怀疑 | |
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16 cavalry | |
n.骑兵;轻装甲部队 | |
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17 defalcation | |
n.盗用公款,挪用公款,贪污 | |
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18 lieutenant | |
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员 | |
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19 caning | |
n.鞭打 | |
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20 musket | |
n.滑膛枪 | |
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21 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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22 unwilling | |
adj.不情愿的 | |
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23 stipulated | |
vt.& vi.规定;约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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24 jargon | |
n.术语,行话 | |
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25 copiously | |
adv.丰富地,充裕地 | |
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26 refreshing | |
adj.使精神振作的,使人清爽的,使人喜欢的 | |
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27 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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28 intimacy | |
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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29 delicacy | |
n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴 | |
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30 avaricious | |
adj.贪婪的,贪心的 | |
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31 annoyance | |
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼 | |
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32 delirious | |
adj.不省人事的,神智昏迷的 | |
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33 subsided | |
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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34 odious | |
adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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35 delirium | |
n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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36 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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37 pranks | |
n.玩笑,恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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38 mimicked | |
v.(尤指为了逗乐而)模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 );酷似 | |
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39 saluting | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的现在分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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40 raving | |
adj.说胡话的;疯狂的,怒吼的;非常漂亮的;令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话;疯话adv.胡言乱语地;疯狂地 | |
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41 vouch | |
v.担保;断定;n.被担保者 | |
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42 insanity | |
n.疯狂,精神错乱;极端的愚蠢,荒唐 | |
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43 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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44 evacuated | |
撤退者的 | |
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45 regiments | |
(军队的)团( regiment的名词复数 ); 大量的人或物 | |
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46 condescend | |
v.俯就,屈尊;堕落,丢丑 | |
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47 brutality | |
n.野蛮的行为,残忍,野蛮 | |
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48 meditating | |
a.沉思的,冥想的 | |
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49 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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50 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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51 grudged | |
怀恨(grudge的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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52 detested | |
v.憎恶,嫌恶,痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53 repel | |
v.击退,抵制,拒绝,排斥 | |
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54 favourable | |
adj.赞成的,称赞的,有利的,良好的,顺利的 | |
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55 narrated | |
v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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57 condescended | |
屈尊,俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 ); 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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58 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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59 peevishly | |
adv.暴躁地 | |
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60 muffled | |
adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己) | |
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61 salute | |
vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮 | |
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62 malady | |
n.病,疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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63 forgery | |
n.伪造的文件等,赝品,伪造(行为) | |
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64 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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65 inquiries | |
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 );疑问;探究;打听 | |
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66 cane | |
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
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67 caned | |
vt.用苔杖打(cane的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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68 neatly | |
adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地 | |
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69 dealer | |
n.商人,贩子 | |
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70 attired | |
adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服,使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71 mutinous | |
adj.叛变的,反抗的;adv.反抗地,叛变地;n.反抗,叛变 | |
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72 sneer | |
v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
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73 garrison | |
n.卫戍部队;驻地,卫戍区;vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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74 throttle | |
n.节流阀,节气阀,喉咙;v.扼喉咙,使窒息,压 | |
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75 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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76 pranced | |
v.(马)腾跃( prance的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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78 fluency | |
n.流畅,雄辩,善辩 | |
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79 propensity | |
n.倾向;习性 | |
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80 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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81 consonant | |
n.辅音;adj.[音]符合的 | |
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82 cork | |
n.软木,软木塞 | |
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83 authentic | |
a.真的,真正的;可靠的,可信的,有根据的 | |
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84 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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85 desolate | |
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂 | |
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86 dominions | |
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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87 bidder | |
n.(拍卖时的)出价人,报价人,投标人 | |
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88 exhausted | |
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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89 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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90 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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91 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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92 rascals | |
流氓( rascal的名词复数 ); 无赖; (开玩笑说法)淘气的人(尤指小孩); 恶作剧的人 | |
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93 sumptuous | |
adj.豪华的,奢侈的,华丽的 | |
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94 bin | |
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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95 seduce | |
vt.勾引,诱奸,诱惑,引诱 | |
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96 seduced | |
诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 ); 勾引; 诱使堕落; 使入迷 | |
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97 lamenting | |
adj.悲伤的,悲哀的v.(为…)哀悼,痛哭,悲伤( lament的现在分词 ) | |
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98 inflamed | |
adj.发炎的,红肿的v.(使)变红,发怒,过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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99 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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100 snug | |
adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房 | |
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101 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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102 dingy | |
adj.昏暗的,肮脏的 | |
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103 villains | |
n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 );罪犯;(小说、戏剧等中的)反面人物;淘气鬼 | |
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104 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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105 frugal | |
adj.节俭的,节约的,少量的,微量的 | |
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106 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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107 bounty | |
n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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108 agile | |
adj.敏捷的,灵活的 | |
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109 dodging | |
n.避开,闪过,音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 );回避 | |
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110 haughtily | |
adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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111 sneering | |
嘲笑的,轻蔑的 | |
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112 enlisted | |
adj.应募入伍的v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 );获得(帮助或支持) | |
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113 enlist | |
vt.谋取(支持等),赢得;征募;vi.入伍 | |
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114 lash | |
v.系牢;鞭打;猛烈抨击;n.鞭打;眼睫毛 | |
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115 stunned | |
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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116 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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117 entrapping | |
v.使陷入圈套,使入陷阱( entrap的现在分词 ) | |
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118 rascally | |
adj. 无赖的,恶棍的 adv. 无赖地,卑鄙地 | |
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119 spoke | |
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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120 braggadocio | |
n.吹牛大王 | |
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121 promising | |
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
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122 accosted | |
v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 );跟…搭讪;(乞丐等)上前向…乞讨;(妓女等)勾搭 | |
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123 parley | |
n.谈判 | |
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124 retraced | |
v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 );回忆;回顾;追溯 | |
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125 intrepid | |
adj.无畏的,刚毅的 | |
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126 sentry | |
n.哨兵,警卫 | |
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127 promotion | |
n.提升,晋级;促销,宣传 | |
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