It will be remembered, how, at his mother's request, Maxence hadspent that night in the Rue2 St. Gilles, and how, the next morning,unable any longer to resist his eager desire to see Mlle. Lucienne,he had started for the Hotel des Folies, leaving his sister aloneat home.
He retired3 to his room, as she had requested him, and, sinkingupon his old arm-chair in a fit of the deepest distress4,"She is singing," he murmured: "Mme. Fortin has not told her anything."And at the same moment Mlle. Lucienne had resumed her song, thewords of which reached him like a bitter raillery,"Hope! 0 sweet, deceiving word!
Mad indeed is he,Who does think he can trust thee,And take thy coin can afford.
Over his door every oneWill hang thee to his sorrow,Then saying of days begone,'Cash to-day, credit to-morrow!'
'Tis very nice to run;But to have is better fun!""What will she say," thought Maxence, "when she learns the horribletruth?"And he felt a cold perspiration5 starting on his temples when heremembered Mlle. Lucienne's pride, and that honor has her only faith,the safety-plank to which she had desperately6 clung in the midst ofthe storms of her life. What if she should leave him, now that thename he bore was disgraced!
A rapid and light step on the landing drew him from his gloomythoughts. Almost immediately, the door opened, and Mlle. Luciennecame in.
She must have dressed in haste; for she was just finishing hookingher dress, the simplicity7 of which seemed studied, so marvelouslydid it set off the elegance8 of her figure, the splendors9 of herwaist, and the rare perfections of her shoulders and of her neck.
A look of intense dissatisfaction could be read upon her lovelyfeatures; but, as soon as she had seen Maxence, her countenancechanged.
And, in fact, his look of utter distress, the disorder11 of hisgarments, his livid paleness, and the sinister12 look of his eyes,showed plainly enough that a great misfortune had befallen him.
In a voice whose agitation13 betrayed something more than the anxietyand the sympathy. of a friend,"What is the matter? What has happened?" inquired the girl.
"A terrible misfortune," he replied.
He was hesitating: he wished to tell every thing at once, and knewnot how to begin.
"I have told you," he said, "that my family was very rich.""Yes.""Well, we have nothing left, absolutely nothing!' She seemed tobreathe more freely, and, in a tone of friendly irony,"And it is the loss of your fortune," she said, "that distressesyou thus?"He raised himself painfully to his feet, and, in a low hoarse14 voice,"Honor is lost too," he uttered.
"Honor?""Yes. My father has stolen: my father has forged!"She had become whiter than her collar.
"Your father!" she stammered15.
"Yes. For years he has been using the money that was intrusted tohim, until the deficit16 now amounts to twelve millions.""Great heavens!""And, notwithstanding the enormity of that sum, he was reduced,during the latter months, to the most miserable17 expedients18, - goingfrom door to door in the neighborhood, soliciting19 deposits, untilhe actually basely swindled a poor newspaper-vender out of fivehundred francs.""Why, this is madness! And how did you find out?""Last night they came to arrest him. Fortunately we had beennotified; and I helped him to escape through a window of my sister'sroom, which opens on the yard of an adjoining house.""And where is he now?""Who knows?""Had he any money?""Everybody thinks that he carries off millions. I do not believeit. He even refused to take the few thousand francs which M. deThaller had brought him to facilitate his flight."Mlle. Lucienne shuddered20.
"Did you see M. de Thaller?" she asked.
"He got to the house a few moment in advance of the commissary ofpolice; and a terrible scene took place between him and my father.""What was he saying?""That my father had ruined him.""And your father?""He stammered incoherent phrases. He was like a man who hasreceived a stunning21 blow. But we have discovered incredible things.
My father, so austere22 and so parsimonious23 at home, led a merry lifeelsewhere, spending money without stint24. It was for a woman thathe robbed.""And - do you know who that woman is?""No. But I can find out from the writer of the article in thispaper, who says that he knows her. See!"Mlle. Lucienne took the paper which Maxence was holding out to her:
but she hardly condescended25 to look at it.
"But what's your idea now?""I do not believe that my father is innocent; but I believe thatthere are people more guilty than he, - skillful and prudent26 knaves,who have made use of him as a man of straw, - villains27 who willquietly digest their share of the millions (the biggest one, ofcourse), while he will be sent to prison."A fugitive28 blush colored Mlle. Lucienne's cheeks.
"That being the case," she interrupted, "what do you expect to do?""Avenge29 my father, if possible, and discover his accomplices31, if hehas any."She held out her hand to him.
"That's right," she said. "But how will you go about it?""I don't know yet. At any rate, I must first of all run to thenewspaper office, and get that woman's address."But Mlle. Lucienne stopped him.
"No," she uttered: "it isn't there that you must go. You must comewith me to see my friend the commissary."Maxence received this suggestion with a gesture of surprise, almostof terror.
"Why, how can you think of such a thing?" he exclaimed. "My fatheris fleeing from justice; and you want me to take for my confidant acommissary of police, - the very man whose duty it is to arrest him,if he can find him!"But he interrupted himself for a moment, staring and gaping32, as ifthe truth had suddenly flashed upon his mind in dazzling evidence.
"For my father has not gone abroad," he went on. "It is in Paristhat he is hiding: I am sure of it. You have seen him?"Mlle. Lucienne really thought that Maxence was losing his mind.
"I have seen your father - I?" she said.
"Yes, last evening. How could I have forgotten it? While you werewaiting for me down stairs, between eleven and half-past eleven amiddle-aged man, thin, wearing a long overcoat, came and asked forme.""Yes, I remember.""He spoke33 to you in the yard.""That's a fact.""What did he tell you?"She hesitated for a moment, evidently trying to tax her memory; then,"Nothing," she replied, "that he had not already said before theFortins; that he wanted to see you on important business, and wassorry not to find you in. What surprised me, though, is, that hewas speaking as if he knew me, and knew that I was a friend of yours."Then, striking her forehead," Perhaps you are right," she went on. "Perhaps that man was indeedyour father. Wait a minute. Yes, he seemed quite excited, and atevery moment he looked around towards the door. He said it would beimpossible for him to return, but that he would write to you, andthat probably he would require your assistance and your services.""You see," exclaimed Maxence, almost crazy with subdued34 excitement,"it was my father. He is going to write; to return, perhaps; and,under the circumstances, to apply to a commissary of police wouldbe sheer folly35, almost treason."She shook her head.
"So much the more reason," she uttered, "why you should follow myadvice. Have you ever had occasion to repent36 doing so?""No, but you may be mistaken.""I am not mistaken."She expressed herself in a tone of such absolute-certainty, thatMaxence, in the disorder of his mind, was at a loss to know what toimagine, what to believe.
"You must have some reason to urge me thus," he said.
"I have.""Why not tell it to me then?""Because I should have no proofs to furnish you of my assertions.
Because I should have to go into details which you would notunderstand. Because, above all, I am following one of thoseinexplicable presentiments37 which never deceive."It was evident that she was not willing to unveil her whole mind;and yet Maxence felt himself terribly staggered.
Think of my agony," he said, " if I were to cause my father's arrest.""Would my own be less? Can any misfortune strike you withoutreaching me? Let us reason a little. What were you saying a momentsince? That certainly your father is not as guilty as people think;at any rate, that he is not alone guilty; that he has been but theinstrument of rascals38 more skillful and more powerful than himself;and that he has had but a small share of the twelve millions?""Such is my absolute conviction.""And that you would like to deliver up to justice the villains whohave benefitted by your father's crime, and who think themselves sureof impunity39?"Tears of anger fell from Maxence's eyes.
"Do you wish to take away all my courage?" he murmured.
"No; but I wish to demonstrate to you the necessity of the stepwhich I advise you to take. The end justifies40 the means; and wehave not the choice of means. Come, 'tis to an honest man and atried friend that I shall take you. Fear nothing. If he remembersthat he is commissary of police, it will be to serve us, not toinjure you. You hesitate? Perhaps at this moment he alreadyknows more than we do ourselves."Maxence took a sudden resolution.
Very well," he said: "let us go."In less than five minutes they were off; and, as they went out, theyhad to disturb Mme. Fortin, who stood at the door, gossiping withtwo or three of the neighboring shop-keepers.
As soon as Maxence and Mlle. Lucienne were out of hearing,"You see that young man," said the honorable proprietress of theHotel des Folies to her interlocutors. "Well, he is the son of thatfamous cashier who has just run off with twelve millions, afterruining a thousand families. It don't seem to trouble him, either;for there he is, going out to spend a pleasant day with his mistress,and to treat her to a fine dinner with the old man's money."Meantime, Maxence and Lucienne reached the commissary's house. Hewas at home; they walked in. And, as soon as they appeared,"I expected you," he said.
He was a man already past middle age, but active and vigorous still.
With his white cravat41 and long frock-coat, he looked like a notary42.
Benign43 was the expression of his countenance10; but the lustre44 of hislittle gray eyes, and the mobility45 of his nostrils46, showed that itshould not be trusted too far.
"Yes, I expected you," he repeated, addressing himself as much toMaxence as to Mlle. Lucienne. "It is the Mutual47 Credit matter whichbrings you here?"Maxence stepped forward,"I am Vincent Favoral's son, sir," he replied. "I have still mymother and a sister. Our situation is horrible. Mlle. Luciennesuggested that you might be willing to give me some advice; and herewe are."The commissary rang, and, on the bell being answered,"I am at home for no one," he said.
And then turning to Maxence,"Mlle. Lucienne did well to bring you," he said; "for it may be,that, whilst rendering48 her an important service, I may also renderyou one. But I have no time to lose. Sit down, and tell me allabout it." With the most scrupulous49 exactness Maxence told thehistory of his family, and the events of the past twenty-four hours.
Not once did the commissary interrupt him; but, when he had done,"Tell me your father's interview with M. de Thaller all over again,"he requested, "and, especially, do not omit any thing that you haveheard or seen, not a word, not a gesture, not a look."And, Maxence having complied,"Now," said the commissary, "repeat every thing your father said atthe moment of going."He did so. The commissary took a few notes, and then,"What were," he inquired, "the relations of your family with theThaller family?""There were none.
"What! Neither Mme. nor Mlle. de Thaller ever visited you?""Never.""Do you know the Marquis de Tregars?"Maxence stared in surprise.
"Tregars! " he repeated. "It's the first time that I hear thatname."The usual clients of the commissary would have hesitated to recognizehim, so completely had he set aside his professional stiffness, somuch had his freezing reserve given way to the most encouragingkindness.
"Now, then," he resumed, "never mind M. de Tregars: let us talk ofthe woman, who, you seem to think, has been the cause of M. Favoral'sruin."On the table before him lay the paper in which Maxence had read inthe morning the terrible article headed: Another Financial Disaster.""I know nothing of that woman," he replied; "but it must be easy tofind out, since the writer of this article pretends to know."The commissary smiled, not having quite as much faith in newspapersas Maxence seemed to have.
"Yes, I read that," he said.
"We might send to the office of that paper," suggested Mlle. Lucienne.
"I have already sent, my child."And, without noticing the surprise of Maxence and of the young girl,he rang the bell, and asked whether his secretary had returned. Thesecretary answered by appearing in person.
"Well?" inquired the commissary.
"I have attended to the matter, sir," he replied. "I saw thereporter who wrote the article in question; and, after beating aboutthe bush for some time, he finally confessed that he knew nothingmore than had been published, and that he had obtained hisinformation from two intimate friends of the cashier, M. Costeclarand M. Saint Pavin.""You should have gone to see those gentlemen.""I did.""Very well. What then?""Unfortunately, M. Costeclar had just gone out. As to M. SaintPavin, I found him at the office of his paper, 'The Financial Pilot.'
He is a coarse and vulgar personage, and received me like apickpocket. I had even a notion to -""Never mind that! Go on.""He was closeted with another gentleman, a banker, named Jottras,of the house of Jottras and Brother. They were both in a terriblerage, swearing like troopers, and saying that the Favoraldefalcation would ruin them; that they had been taken in like fools,but that they were not going to take things so easy, and they werepreparing a crushing article."But he stopped, winking50, and pointing to Maxence and Mlle. Lucienne,who were listening as attentively51 as they could.
"Speak, speak!" said the commissary. "Fear nothing.""Well," he went on, "M. Saint Pavin and M. Jottras were saying thatM. Favoral was only a poor dupe, but that they would know how tofind the others.""What others?""Ah! they didn't say."The commissary shrugged52 his shoulders.
"What!" he exclaimed, "you find yourself in presence of two menfurious to have been duped, who swear and threaten, and you can'tget from them a name that you want? You are not very smart,my dear!"And as the poor secretary, somewhat put out of countenance, lookeddown, and said nothing,"Did you at least ask them," he resumed, "who the woman is to whomthe article refers, and whose existence they have revealed to thereporter?""Of course I did, sir.""And what did they answer?""That they were not spies, and had nothing to say, M. Saint Pavinadded, however, that he had said it without much thought, and onlybecause he had once seen M. Favoral buying a three thousand francsbracelet, and also because it seemed impossible to him that a manshould do away with millions without the aid of a woman."The commissary could not conceal53 his ill humor.
"Of course!" he grumbled54. "Since Solomon said, 'Look for the woman'
(for it was King Solomon who first said it), every fool thinks itsmart to repeat with a cunning look that most obvious of truths.
What next?""M. Saint Pavin politely invited me to go to - well, not here."The commissary wrote rapidly a few lines, put them in an envelope,which he sealed with his private seal, and handed it to hissecretary, saying,"That will do. Take this to the prefecture yourself." And, afterthe secretary had gone out,"Well, M. Maxence," he said, "you have heard?" Of course he had.
Only Maxence was thinking much less of what he had just heard thanof the strange interest this commissary had taken in his affairs,even before he had seen him.
"I think," he stammered, "that it is very unfortunate the womancannot be found."With a gesture full of confidence,"Be easy," said the commissary: "she shall be found. A woman cannotswallow millions at that rate, without attracting attention.
Believe me, we shall find her, unless -"He paused for a moment, and, speaking slowly and emphatically,"Unless," he added, "she should have behind her a very skillful andvery prudent man. Or else that she should be in a situation whereher extravagance could not have created any scandal."Mlle. Lucienne started. She fancied she understood the commissary'sidea, and could catch a glimpse of the truth.
"Good heavens!" she murmured.
But Maxence didn't notice any thing, his mind being wholly bent55 uponfollowing the commissary's deductions56.
"Or unless," he said, "my father should have received almost nothingfor his share of the enormous sums subtracted from the Mutual Credit,in which case he could have given relatively57 but little to that woman.
M.Saint Pavin himself acknowledges that my father has beenegregiously taken in.""By whom?""Maxence hesitated for a moment.
"I think," he said at last, "and several friends of my family (amongwhom M. Chapelain, an old lawyer) think as I do, that it is verystrange that my father should have drawn58 millions from the MutualCredit without any knowledge of the fact on the part of the manager.""Then, according to you, M. de Thaller must be an accomplice30."Maxence made no answer.
"Be it so," insisted the commissary. " I admit M. de Thaller'scomplicity; but then we must suppose that he had over your fathersome powerful means of action."An employer always has a great deal of influence over hissubordinates.""An influence sufficiently59 powerful to make them run the risk ofthe galleys60 for his benefit! That is not likely. We must try andimagine something else.""I am trying; but I don't find any thing.""And yet it is not all. How do you explain your father's silencewhen M. de Thaller was heaping upon him the most outrageous61 insults?""My father was stunned62, as it were.""And at the moment of escaping, if he did have any accomplices, howis it that he did not mention their names to you, to your mother,or to your sister?""Because, doubtless, he had no proofs of their complicity to offer.""Would you have asked him for any?""0 sir!""Therefore such is not evidently the motive63 of his silence; and itmight better be attributed to some secret hope that he still hadleft."The commissary now had all the information, which, voluntarily orotherwise, Maxence was able to give him. He rose, and in thekindest tone,"You have come," he said to him, "to ask me for advice. Here it is:
say nothing, and wait. Allow justice and the police to pursue theirwork. Whatever may be your suspicions, hide them. I shall do foryou as I would for Lucienne, whom I love as if she were my ownchild; for it so happens, that, in helping64 you, I shall help her."He could not help laughing at the astonishment65, which at those wordsdepicted itself upon Maxence's face; and gayly,"You don't understand," he added. "Well, never mind. It is notnecessary that you should."
点击收听单词发音
1 forgery | |
n.伪造的文件等,赝品,伪造(行为) | |
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2 rue | |
n.懊悔,芸香,后悔;v.后悔,悲伤,懊悔 | |
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3 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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4 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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5 perspiration | |
n.汗水;出汗 | |
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6 desperately | |
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地 | |
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7 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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8 elegance | |
n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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9 splendors | |
n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 );壮丽;光辉;显赫 | |
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10 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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11 disorder | |
n.紊乱,混乱;骚动,骚乱;疾病,失调 | |
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12 sinister | |
adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 | |
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13 agitation | |
n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 | |
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14 hoarse | |
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的 | |
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15 stammered | |
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16 deficit | |
n.亏空,亏损;赤字,逆差 | |
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17 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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18 expedients | |
n.应急有效的,权宜之计的( expedient的名词复数 ) | |
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19 soliciting | |
v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 );(指娼妇)拉客;索求;征求 | |
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20 shuddered | |
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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21 stunning | |
adj.极好的;使人晕倒的 | |
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22 austere | |
adj.艰苦的;朴素的,朴实无华的;严峻的 | |
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23 parsimonious | |
adj.吝啬的,质量低劣的 | |
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24 stint | |
v.节省,限制,停止;n.舍不得化,节约,限制;连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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25 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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26 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
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27 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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28 fugitive | |
adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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29 avenge | |
v.为...复仇,为...报仇 | |
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30 accomplice | |
n.从犯,帮凶,同谋 | |
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31 accomplices | |
从犯,帮凶,同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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32 gaping | |
adj.口的;张口的;敞口的;多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 );张开,张大 | |
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33 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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34 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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35 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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36 repent | |
v.悔悟,悔改,忏悔,后悔 | |
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37 presentiments | |
n.(对不祥事物的)预感( presentiment的名词复数 ) | |
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38 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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39 impunity | |
n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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40 justifies | |
证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 ); 为…辩护; 对…作出解释; 为…辩解(或辩护) | |
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41 cravat | |
n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结 | |
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42 notary | |
n.公证人,公证员 | |
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43 benign | |
adj.善良的,慈祥的;良性的,无危险的 | |
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44 lustre | |
n.光亮,光泽;荣誉 | |
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45 mobility | |
n.可动性,变动性,情感不定 | |
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46 nostrils | |
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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47 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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48 rendering | |
n.表现,描写 | |
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49 scrupulous | |
adj.审慎的,小心翼翼的,完全的,纯粹的 | |
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50 winking | |
n.瞬眼,目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
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51 attentively | |
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神 | |
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52 shrugged | |
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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53 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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54 grumbled | |
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 发牢骚; 咕哝; 发哼声 | |
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55 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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56 deductions | |
扣除( deduction的名词复数 ); 结论; 扣除的量; 推演 | |
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57 relatively | |
adv.比较...地,相对地 | |
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58 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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59 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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60 galleys | |
n.平底大船,战舰( galley的名词复数 );(船上或航空器上的)厨房 | |
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61 outrageous | |
adj.无理的,令人不能容忍的 | |
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62 stunned | |
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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63 motive | |
n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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64 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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65 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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