We had found no mark nor burn upon him, not even upon his hands over which had run the licking flame. The slightly purplish, cyanotic tinge4 of his skin had given way to a clear pallor; the skin was itself disquietingly cold, the blood-pressure only slightly subnormal. The pulse was more rapid, stronger; the breathing faint but regular, and with no laboring5. The pupils of his eyes were contracted almost to the point of invisibility.
I could get no nervous reactions whatever. I am familiar with the effects of electric shock and know what to do in such cases, but Ventnor’s symptoms, while similar in part, presented other features unknown to me and most puzzling. There was a passive automatism, a perplexing muscular rigidity6 which caused arms and legs, hands and head to remain, doll-like, in any position placed.
Several times during my labors8 I had been aware of Norhala gazing down upon us; but she made no effort to help, nor did she speak.
Now, my strained attention relaxing, I began to receive and note impressions from without. There was a different feeling in the air, a diminution9 of the magnetic tension; I smelled the blessed breath of trees and water.
The light about us was clear and pearly, about the intensity10 of the moon at full. Looking back along the way we had been traveling, I saw a half mile away vertical11, knife-sharp edges of two facing cliffs, the gap between them a mile or more wide.
Through them we must have passed, for beyond them were the radiant mists of the pit of the city, and through this precipitous gateway12 filtered the enveloping13 luminosity. On each side of us uprose gradually converging14 and perpendicular15 scarps along whose base huddled16 a sparse17 foliage18.
There came a low whistle of astonishment19 from Drake; I turned. We were slowly gliding20 toward something that looked like nothing so much as a huge and shimmering21 bubble of mingled22 sapphire23 and turquoise24, swimming up from and two-thirds above and the balance still hidden within earth. It seemed to draw to itself the light, sending it back with gleamings of the gray-blue of the star sapphire, with pellucid25 azures and lazulis like clouded jades26, with glistening27 peacock iridescences and tender, milky28 greens of tropic shallows.
Little turrets29 globular and topaz, yellow and pierced with tiny hexagonal openings clustered about it like baby bubbles just nestling down to rest.
Great trees shadowed it, unfamiliar30 trees among whose glossy31 leaves blossomed in wreaths flowers pink and white as apple-blossoms. From their graceful32 branches strange fruits, golden and scarlet33 and pear-shaped, hung pendulous34.
It was an elfin palace; a goblin dwelling35; such a bower36 as some mirthful, beauty-loving Jinn King of Jewels might have built from enchanted37 hoards38 for some well-beloved daughter of earth.
All of fifty feet in height was the blue globe, and up to a wide and ovaled entrance ran a broad and shining roadway. Along this the cubes swept and stopped.
“My house,” murmured Norhala.
The attraction that had held us to the surface of the blocks relaxed, angled through changed and assisting lines of force; the hosts of minute eyes sparkling quizzically, interestedly, at us, we gently slid Ventnor’s body; lifted down the pony39.
“Enter,” sighed Norhala, and waved a welcoming hand.
“Tell her to wait a minute,” ordered Drake.
He slipped the bandage from off the pony’s head, threw off the saddlebags, and led it to the side of the roadway where thick, lush grass was growing, spangled with flowerets. There he hobbled it and rejoined us. Together we picked up Ventnor and passed slowly through the portal.
We stood in a shadowed chamber40. The light that filled it was translucent42, and oddly enough with little of the bluish quality I had expected. Crystalline it was; the shadows crystalline, too, rigid7 — like the facets43 of great crystals. And as my eyes accustomed themselves I saw that what I had thought shadows actually were none.
They were slices of semitransparent stone like pale moonstones, springing from the curving walls and the high dome3, and bisecting and intersecting the chamber. They were pierced with oval doorways45 over which fell glimmering46 metallic47 curtains — silk of silver and gold.
I glimpsed a pile of this silken stuff near by, and as we laid our burden upon it Ruth caught my arm with a little frightened cry.
Through a curtained oval sidled a figure.
Black and tall, its long and gnarled arms swung apelike; its shoulders were distorted, one so much longer than the other that the hand upon that side hung far below the knee.
It walked with a curious, crablike48 motion. Upon its face were stamped countless49 wrinkles and its blackness seemed less that of pigmentation than the weathering of unbelievable years, the very stain of ancientness. And about neither face nor figure was there anything to show whether it was man or woman.
From the twisted shoulders a short and sleeveless red tunic50 fell. Incredibly old the creature was — and by its corded muscles, its sinewy51 tendons, as incredibly powerful. It raised within me a half sick revulsion, loathing52. But the eyes were not ancient, no. Irisless, lashless53, black and brilliant, they blazed out of the face’s carven web of wrinkles, intent upon Norhala and filled with a flame of worship.
It threw itself at her feet, prostrate54, the inordinately55 long arms outstretched.
“Mistress!” it whined56 in a high and curiously57 unpleasant falsetto. “Great lady! Goddess!”
She stretched out a sandaled foot, touched one of the black taloned58 hands, and at the contact I saw a shiver of ecstasy59 run through the lank60 body. “Yuruk —” she began, and paused, regarding us.
“The goddess speaks! Yuruk hears! The goddess speaks!” It was a chant of adoration61.
“Yuruk. Rise. Look upon the strangers.”
The creature — and now I knew what it was — writhed62, twisted, and hideously63 apelike crouched64 upon its haunches, hands knuckling65 the floor.
By the amazement66 in the unwinking eyes it was plain that not till now had the eunuch taken cognizance of us. The amazement fled, was replaced with a black fire of malignancy, of hatred67 — jealousy68.
“Augh!” he snarled69; leaped to his feet; thrust an arm toward Ruth. She gave a little cry, cowered70 against Drake.
“None of that!” He struck down the clutching arm.
“Yuruk!” There was a hint of anger in the bell-toned voice. “Yuruk, these belong to me. No harm must come to them. Yuruk — beware!”
“The goddess commands. Yuruk obeys.” If fear quavered in the words, beneath was more than a trace of a sullenness71, too, sinister72 enough.
“That’s a nice little playmate for her new playthings,” muttered Drake. “If that bird gets the least bit gay — I shoot him pronto.” He gave Ruth a reassuring73 hug. “Cheer up, Ruth. Don’t mind that thing. He’s something we can handle.”
Norhala waved a white hand; Yuruk sidled over to one of the curtained ovals and through it, reappearing almost instantly with a huge platter upon which were fruits, and a curdly white liquid in bowls of thick porcelain74.
“Eat,” she said, as the gnarled black arms placed the platter at our feet.
“Hungry?” asked Drake. Ruth shook her head violently.
“I’m going out for the saddlebags,” said Drake. “We’ll use our own stuff — while it lasts. I’m taking no chances on what the Yuruk lad brings — with all due respect to Norhala’s good intentions.”
He started for the doorway44; the eunuch blocked his way.
“We have with us food of our own, Norhala,” I explained. “He goes to get it.”
She nodded indifferently; clapped her hands. Yuruk shrank back, and out strode Drake.
“I am weary,” sighed Norhala. “The way was long. I will refresh myself —”
She stretched out a foot toward Yuruk. He knelt, unlaced the turquoise bands, drew off the sandals. Her hands sought her breast, dwelt for an instant there.
Down slipped her silken veils, clingingly, slowly, as though reluctant to unclasp her; whispering they fell from the high and tender breasts, the delicate rounded hips75, and clustered about her feet in soft petalings as of some flower of pale amber41 foam76. Out of the calyx of that flower arose the gleaming miracle of her body crowned with glowing glory of her cloudy hair.
Naked she was, yet clothed with an unearthly purity, the purity of the far-flung, serene77 stars, of the eternal snows upon some calm, high-flung peak, the tranquil78, silver dawns of spring; protected by some spell of divinity which chilled and slew79 the flame of desire. A maiden80 Ishtar, a virginal Isis; a woman — yet with no more of woman’s lure81 than if she had been some exquisite82 and breathing statue of mingled ivory and milk of pearls.
So she stood, indifferent to us who gazed upon her, withdrawn83, musing84, as though she had forgotten us. And that serene indifference85, with its entire absence of what we term sex consciousness, revealed to me once more how great was the abyss between us and her.
Slowly she raised her arms, wound the floating tresses into a coronal. I saw Drake enter with the saddlebags; saw them drop from hands relaxing under the shock of this amazing tableau86; saw his eyes widen and fill with wonder and half-awed admiration87.
Now Norhala stepped out of her fallen robes and moved toward the further wall, Yuruk following. He stooped, raised an ewer88 of silver and began gently to pour over her shoulders its contents. Again and again he bent89 and filled the vessel90, dipping it into a shallow basin from which came the bubbling and chuckling91 of a little spring. And again I marveled at the marble smoothness and fineness of her skin on which the caressing92 water left tiny silvery globules, gemming93 it. The eunuch slithered to one side, drew from a quaint94 chest clothes of white floss; patted her dry with them; threw over her shoulders a silken robe of blue.
Back she floated to us; hovered95 over Ruth, crouching96 with her brother’s head upon her knees.
She made a motion as though to draw the girl to her; hesitated as Ruth’s face set in a passion of denial. A shadow of kindness drifted through the wide, mysterious eyes; a shadow of pity joined it as she looked curiously down on Ventnor.
“Bathe,” she murmured, and pointed97 to the pool. “And rest. No harm shall come to any of you here. And you —” A hand rested for a moment lightly on the girl’s curly head. “When you desire it — I will again give you — peace!”
She parted the curtains, and the eunuch still following, was hidden beyond them.
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1
massaged
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| 按摩，推拿( massage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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abdomen
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| n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分) | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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laboring
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| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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rigidity
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| adj.钢性，坚硬 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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enveloping
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 ) | |
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14
converging
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| adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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16
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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sparse
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| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
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18
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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21
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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22
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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23
sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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24
turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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pellucid
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| adj.透明的，简单的 | |
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jades
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| n.玉，翡翠（jade的复数形式）v.（使）疲（jade的第三人称单数形式） | |
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27
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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28
milky
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| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
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turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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30
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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pendulous
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| adj.下垂的；摆动的 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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38
hoards
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| n.（钱财、食物或其他珍贵物品的）储藏，积存( hoard的名词复数 )v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的第三人称单数 ) | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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42
translucent
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| adj.半透明的；透明的 | |
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43
facets
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| n.（宝石或首饰的）小平面( facet的名词复数 )；（事物的）面；方面 | |
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44
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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45
doorways
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| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
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46
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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47
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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48
crablike
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| adj.似蟹的，似蟹行般的 | |
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49
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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50
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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51
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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52
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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53
lashless
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| adj.无睫毛的 | |
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54
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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55
inordinately
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| adv.无度地，非常地 | |
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56
whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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57
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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taloned
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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60
lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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61
adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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62
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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64
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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knuckling
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| n.突球v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的现在分词 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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66
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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67
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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68
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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69
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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70
cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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71
sullenness
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| n. 愠怒, 沉闷, 情绪消沉 | |
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72
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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73
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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74
porcelain
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| n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的 | |
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75
hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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76
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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77
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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80
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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81
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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82
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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83
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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84
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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85
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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86
tableau
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| n.画面，活人画（舞台上活人扮的静态画面） | |
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87
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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88
ewer
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| n.大口水罐 | |
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89
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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90
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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91
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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92
caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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93
gemming
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| 点缀（gem的现在分词形式） | |
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94
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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95
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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96
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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97
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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