Was it true that when death faces us the consciousness finds power through its will to live to conquer the illusion — to prolong Time? That, recoiling3 from oblivion, we can recreate in a fractional moment whole years gone past, years yet to come — striving to lengthen4 our existence, stretching out our apperception beyond the phantom5 boundaries, overdrawing6 upon a Barmecide deposit of minutes, staking fresh claims upon a mirage8?
How else explain the seeming slowness with which we were falling — the seeming leisureness with which the wall drifted up past us?
And was this punishment — a sentence meted9 out for profaning10 with our eyes a forbidden place; a penalty for touching11 with our gaze the ark of the Metal Tribes — their holy of holies — the budding place of the Metal Babes?
The valley was swinging — swinging in slow broad curves; was oscillating dizzily.
Slowly the colossal12 wall slipped upward.
Realization13 swept me; left me amazed; only half believing. This was no illusion. After that first swift plunge14 our fall had been checked. We were swinging — not the valley.
Deliberately15, in wide arcs like pendulums16, we were swinging across the City’s scarp; three feet out from it, and as we swung, slowly sinking.
And now I saw the countless17 eyes of the watching wall again were twinkling, regarding us with impish mockery.
It was the grip of the living wall that held us; that rocked us from side to side as though giving greater breadths of it chance to behold18 us; that was dropping us gently, carefully, to the valley floor now a scant19 two thousand feet below.
A storm of rage, of intensest resentment20 swept me; as once before any gratitude21 I should have felt for escape was submerged in the utter humiliation22 with which it was charged.
I shook my fists at the twinkling wall, strove to kick and smite23 it like an angry child, cursed it — not childishly. Dared it to hurl24 me down to death.
I felt Drake’s hand touch mine.
“Steady,” he said. “Steady, old boy. It’s no use. Steady. Look down.”
Hot with shame for my outburst, weak from its violence, I obeyed. The valley floor was not more than a thousand feet away. Thronging25 about where we must at last touch, clustered and seething27, was a multitude of the Metal Things. They seemed to be looking up at us, watching, waiting for us.
“Reception committee,” grinned Drake.
I glanced away; over the valley. It was luminously28 clear; yet the sky was overcast29, no stars showing. The light was no stronger than that of the moon at full, but it held a quality unfamiliar30 to me. It cast no shadows; though soft, it was piercing, revealing all it bathed with the distinctness of bright sunshine. The illumination came, I thought, from the encircling veils falling from the band of amethyst31.
And, as I peered, out of the veils and far away sped a violet spark. With meteor speed it flew toward us. Close to the base of the vast facade32 it landed with a flashing of blue incandescence33. I knew it for one of the Flying Things, the Mark Makers34 — one of the incredible messengers.
Close upon its fall came increase in the turmoil35 of the crowding throng26 awaiting us. Came, too, an abrupt36 change in our own motion. The long arcs lessened37. We were dropped more swiftly.
Far away in the direction from which the Flying Thing had flown I sensed another movement; something coming that carried with it subtle suggestion of unlikeness to all the other incessant39, linked movement over the pit. Closer it drew.
“Norhala!” gasped40 Drake.
Robed in her silken amber41 swathings, red-copper hair streaming, woven with elfin sparklings, she was racing42 toward the City like some lovely witch, riding upon the back of a steed of huge cubes.
Nearer she raced. More direct became our fall. Now we were dropping as though at the end of an unreeling plummet43 cord; the floor of the valley was no more than two hundred feet below.
“Norhala!” we shouted; and again and again — again “Norhala!”
Before our cries could have reached her the cubes swerved44; came to a halt beneath us. Through the hundred feet of space between I caught the brilliancy of the weird45 constellations46 in Norhala’s great eyes — saw with a vague but no less dire38 foreboding that on her face dwelt a terrifying, a blasting wrath47.
As softly as though by the hand of a giant of cloud we were lifted out from the wall, and were set with no perceptible shock beside her on the back of the cubes.
“Norhala —” I stopped. For this was no Norhala whom we had known. Gone was all calm, vanished every trace of unearthly tranquillity48. It was a Norhala awakened49 at last — all human.
Yet in the still rage that filled her I sensed a force, an intensity50, more than human. Over the blazing eyes the brows were knit in a rigid51, golden bar; the delicate nostrils52 were pinched; the sweet red mouth was white and merciless. It was as though in its long sleep her human self had gathered more than human strength, and that now, awakened and unleashed54, the violence of its rage touched the vibrant56 zenith of that sphere of which her quiet had been the nadir57.
She was like an urn58 filled and flaming with the fires of the Gods of wrath.
What was it that had awakened her — what in awakening59 had changed the inpouring human consciousness into this flood of fury? Foreboding gripped me.
“Norhala!” My voice was shaking. “Those we left —”
“They are gone!” The golden voice was octaves deeper, vibrant, throbbing60 with that muffled61, menacing note that must have pulsed from the golden tambours that summoned to battle Timur’s fierce hordes62. “They were — taken.”
“Taken!” I gasped. “Taken by what — these?” I swept my hands out toward the Metal Things milling around us.
“No! THESE are mine. These are they who obey me.” The golden voice now shrilled63 with her passion. “Taken by — men!”
Drake had read my face although he could not understand our words.
“Ruth —”
“Taken,” I said. “Both Ruth and Ventnor. Taken by the armored men — the men of Cherkis!”
“Cherkis!” She had caught the word. “Yes — Cherkis! And now he and all his men — and all his women — and every living thing he rules shall pay. And fear not — you two. For I, Norhala, will bring back my own.
“Woe64, woe to you, Cherkis, and to all of yours! For I, Norhala, am awake, and I, Norhala, remember. Woe to you, Cherkis, woe — for now all ends for you!
“Not by the gods of my mother who turned their strength against her do I promise this. I, Norhala, have no need for them — I, Norhala, who have strength greater than they. And would I could crush those gods as I shall crush you, Cherkis — and every living thing of yours! Yea — and every UNLIVING thing as well!”
Not halting now was Norhala’s speech; it poured from the ruthless lips — flamingly.
“We go,” she cried. “And something of vengeance65 I have saved for you — as is your right.”
She tossed her arms high; stamped upon the back of the Metal Thing that held us.
It quivered and sped away. Swiftly dwindled66 the City’s bulk; fast faded its glimmering67 watchful68 face.
Not toward the veils of light but out over the plain we flew. Above us, crouching69 against the blast of our going, streamed like a silken banner Norhala’s hair, gemmed70 with the witch lights.
We were far out now, the City far away. The cube slowed. Norhala threw high her head. From the arched, exquisite71 throat pealed72 a trumpet73 call — golden, summoning, imperious. Thrice it rang forth74 — and all the surrounding valley seemed to halt and listen.
Followed upon its ending, a chanting as goldenly sonorous75. Wild, peremptory76, triumphant77. It was like a mustering78 shouting to adventurous79 stars, buglings to buccaneering winds, cadenced80 beckonings to restless ranks of viking waves, signaling to all the corsairs and picaroons of the elemental.
A cosmic call to slay81!
The gigantic block upon which we rode quivered; I myself felt a thousand needle-pointed82 roving arrows prick83 me, urging me on to some jubilant, reckless orgy of destruction.
Obeying that summoning there swirled84 to us cube and globe and pyramid by the score — by the hundreds. They swept into our wake and followed — lifting up behind us, an ever-rising sea.
Higher and higher arose the metal wave — mounting, ever mounting as other score upon score leaped upon it, rushed up it and swelled85 its crest86. And soon so great it was that it shadowed us, hung over us.
The cubes we rode angled in their course; raced now with ever-increasing speed toward the spangled curtains.
And still Norhala’s golden chant lured87; higher and even higher reached the following wave. Now we were rising upon a steep slope; now the amethystine88, gleaming ring was almost overheard.
Norhala’s song ceased. One breathless, soundless moment and we had pierced the veils. A globule of sapphire89 shone afar, the elfin bubble of her home. We neared it.
Heart leaping, I saw three ponies90, high and empty saddles turquoise91 studded, lift their heads from their roadway browsing92. For a moment they stood, stiff with terror; then whimpering raced away.
We were at Norhala’s door; were lifted down; stood close to its threshold. Slaves to a single thought, Drake and I sprang to enter.
“Wait!” Norhala’s white hands caught us. “There is peril93 there — without me! Me you must — follow!”
Upon the exquisite face was no unshadowing of wrath, no diminishing of rage, no weakening of dreadful determination. The star-flecked eyes were not upon us; they looked over and beyond — coldly, calculatingly.
“Not enough,” I heard her whisper. “Not enough — for that which I will do.”
We turned, following her gaze. A hundred feet on high, stretching nearly across the gorge94, an incredible curtain was flung. Over its folds was movement — arms of spinning globes that thrust forth like paws and down upon which leaped pyramid upon pyramid stiffening95 as they clung like bristling96 spikes97 of hair; great bars of clicking cubes that threw themselves from the shuttering — shook and withdrew. The curtain was a ferment98 — shifting, mercurial99; it throbbed100 with desire, palpitated with eagerness.
“Not enough!” murmured Norhala.
Her lips parted; from them came another trumpeting101 — tyrannic, arrogant102 and clangorous. Under it the curtaining writhed103 — out from it spurted104 thin cascades105 of cubes. They swarmed106 up into tall pillars that shook and swayed and gyrated.
With blinding flash upon flash the sapphire incandescences struck forth at their feet. A score of flaming columned shapes leaped up and curved in meteor flight over the tumultuous curtain. Streaming with violet fires they shot back to the valley of the City.
“Hai!” shouted Norhala as they flew. “Hai!”
Up darted107 her arms; the starry108 galaxies109 of her eyes danced madly, shot forth visible rays. The mighty110 curtain of the Metal Things pulsed and throbbed; its units interweaving — block and globe and pyramid of which it was woven, each seeming to strain at leash55.
“Come!” cried Norhala — and led the way through the portal.
Close behind her we pressed. I stumbled, nearly fell, over a brown-faced, leather-cuirassed body that lay half over, legs barring the threshold.
Contemptuously Norhala stepped over it. We were within that chamber111 of the pool. About it lay a fair dozen of the armored men. Ruth’s defense112, I thought with a grim delight, had been most excellent — those who had taken her and Ventnor had not done so without paying full toll113.
A violet flashing drew my eyes away. Close to the pool wherein we had first seen the white miracle of Norhala’s body, two immense, purple fired stars blazed. Between them, like a suppliant114 cast from black iron, was Yuruk.
Poised115 upon their nether116 tips the stars guarded him. Head touching his knees, eyes hidden within his folded arms, the black eunuch crouched117.
“Yuruk!”
There was an unearthly mercilessness in Norhala’s voice.
The eunuch raised his head; slowly, fearfully.
“Goddess!” he whispered. “Goddess! Mercy!”
“I saved him,” she turned to us, “for you to slay. He it was who brought those who took the maid who was mine and the helpless one she loved. Slay him.”
Drake understood — his hand twitched118 down to his pistol, drew it. He leveled the gun at the black eunuch. Yuruk saw it — shrieked119 and cowered120. Norhala laughed — sweetly, ruthlessly.
“He dies before the stroke falls,” she said. “He dies doubly therefore — and that is well.”
Drake slowly lowered the automatic; turned to me.
“I can’t,” he said. “I can’t — do it —”
“Masters!” Upon his knees the eunuch writhed toward us. “Masters — I meant no wrong. What I did was for love of the Goddess. Years upon years I have served her. And her mother before her.
“I thought if the maid and the blasted one were gone, that you would follow. Then I would be alone with the Goddess once more. Cherkis will not slay them — and Cherkis will welcome you and give the maid and the blasted one back to you for the arts that you can teach him.
“Mercy, Masters, I meant no harm — bid the Goddess be merciful!”
The ebon pools of eyes were clarified of their ancient shadows by his terror; age was wiped from them by fear, even as it was wiped from his face. The wrinkles were gone. Appallingly121 youthful, the face of Yuruk prayed to us.
“Why do you wait?” she asked us. “Time presses, and even now we should be on the way. When so many are so soon to die, why tarry over one? Slay him!”
“Norhala,” I answered, “we cannot slay him so. When we kill, we kill in fair fight — hand to hand. The maid we both love has gone, taken with her brother. It will not bring her back if we kill him through whom she was taken. We would punish him — yes, but slay him we cannot. And we would be after the maid and her brother quickly.”
A moment she looked at us, perplexity shading the high and steady anger.
“As you will,” she said at last; then added, half sarcastically122, “Perhaps it is because I who am now awake have slept so long that I cannot understand you. But Yuruk has disobeyed ME. That of MINE which I committed to his care he has given to the enemies of me and those who were mine. It matters nothing to me what YOU would do. Matters to me only what I will to do.”
She pointed to the dead.
“Yuruk”— the golden voice was cold —“gather up these carrion123 and pile them together.”
The eunuch arose, stole out fearfully from between the two stars. He slithered to body after body, dragging them one after the other to the center of the chamber, lifting them and forming of them a heap. One there was who was not dead. His eyes opened as the eunuch seized him, the blackened mouth opened.
“Water!” he begged. “Give me drink. I burn!”
I felt a thrill of pity; lifted my canteen and walked toward him.
“You of the beard,” the merciless chime rang out, “he shall have no water. But drink he shall have, and soon — drink of fire!”
The soldier’s fevered eyes rolled toward her, saw and read aright the ruthlessness in the beautiful face.
“Sorceress!” he groaned124. “Cursed spawn125 of Ahriman!” He spat126 at her.
The black talons127 of Yuruk stretched around his throat
“Son of unclean dogs!” he whined128. “You dare blaspheme the Goddess!”
He snapped the soldier’s neck as though it had been a rotten twig129.
At the callous130 cruelty I stood for an instant petrified131; I heard Drake swear wildly, saw his pistol flash up.
Norhala struck down his arm.
“Your chance has passed,” she said, “and not for THAT shall you slay him.”
And now Yuruk had cast that body upon the others; the pile was complete.
“Mount!” commanded Norhala, and pointed. He cast himself at her feet, writhing132, moaning, imploring133. She looked at one of the great Shapes; something of command passed from her, something it understood plainly.
The star slipped forward — there was an almost imperceptible movement of its side points. The twitching134 form of the black seemed to leap up from the floor, to throw itself like a bag upon the mound135 of the dead.
Norhala threw up her hands. Out of the violet ovals beneath the upper tips of the Things spurted streams of blue flame. They fell upon Yuruk and splashed over him upon the heap of the slain137. In the mound was a dreadful movement, a contortion138; the bodies stiffened139, seemed to try to rise, to push away — dead nerves and muscles responding to the blasting energy passing through them.
Out from the stars rained bolt upon bolt. In the chamber was the sound of thunder, crackling like broken glass. The bodies flamed, crumbled140. There was a little smoke — nauseous, feebly protesting, beaten out by the consuming fires almost before it could rise.
Where had been the heap of slain capped by the black eunuch there was but a little whirling cloud of sad gray dust. Caught by a passing draft, it eddied141, slipped over the floor, vanished through the doorway142. Motionless stood the blasting stars, contemplating143 us. Motionless stood Norhala, her wrath no whit53 abated144 by the ghastly sacrifice. And paralyzed by what we had beheld145, motionless stood we.
“Listen,” she said. “You two who love the maid. What you have seen is nothing to that which you SHALL see — a wisp of mist to the storm cloud.”
“Norhala”— I found speech —“can you tell us when it was that the maid was captured?”
Perhaps there was still time to overtake the abductors before Ruth was thrust into the worse peril waiting where she was being carried. Crossed this thought another — puzzling, baffling. The cliffs Yuruk had pointed out to me as those through which the hidden way passed were, I had estimated then, at least twenty miles away. And how long was the pass, the tunnel, through them? And then how far this place of the armored men? It had been past dawn when Drake had frightened the black eunuch with his pistol. It was not yet dawn now. How could Yuruk have made his way to the Persians so swiftly — how could they so swiftly have returned?
Amazingly she answered the spoken question and the unspoken.
“They came long before dusk,” she said. “By the night before Yuruk had won to Ruszark, the city of Cherkis; and long before dawn they were on their way hither. This the black dog I slew147 told me.”
“But Yuruk was with us here at dawn yesterday,” I gasped.
“A night has passed since then,” she said, “and another night is almost gone.”
Stunned148, I considered this. If this were true — and not for an instant did I doubt her — then not for a few hours had we lain there at the foot of the living wall in the Hall of the Cones149 — but for the balance of that day and that night, and another day and part of still another night.
“What does she say?” Drake stared anxiously into my whitened face. I told him.
“Yes.” Norhala spoke146 again. “The dusk before the last dusk that has passed I returned to my house. The maid was there and sorrowing. She told me you had gone into the valley, prayed me to help you and to bring you back. I comforted her, and something of — the peace — I gave her; but not all, for she fought against it. A little we played together, and I left her sleeping. I sought you and found you also sleeping. I knew no harm would come to you, and I went my ways — and forgot you. Then I came here again — and found Yuruk and these the maid had slain.”
The great eyes flashed.
“Now do I honor the maid for the battle that she did,” she said, “though how she slew so many strong men I do not know. My heart goes out to her. And therefore when I bring her back she shall no more be plaything to Norhala, but sister. And with you it shall be as she wills. And woe to those who have taken her!”
She paused, listening. From without came a rising storm of thin wailings, insistent150 and eager.
“But I have an older vengeance than this to take,” the golden voice tolled151 somberly. “Long have I forgotten — and shame I feel that I had forgot. So long have I forgotten all hatreds152, all lusts153, all cruelty — among — these —” She thrust a hand forth toward the hidden valley. “Forgot — dwelling154 in the great harmonies. Save for you and what has befallen I would never have stirred from them, I think. But now awakened, I take that vengeance. After it is done”— she paused —“after it is over I shall go back again. For this awakening has in it nothing of the ordered joy I love — it is a fierce and slaying155 fire. I shall go back —”
The shadow of her far dreaming flitted over, softened156 the angry brilliancy of her eyes.
“Listen, you two!” The shadow of dream fled. “Those that I am about to slay are evil — evil are they all, men and women. Long have they been so — yea, for cycles of suns. And their children grow like them — or if they be gentle and with love for peace they are slain or die of heartbreak. All this my mother told me long ago. So no more children shall be born from them either to suffer or to grow evil.”
Again she paused, nor did we interrupt her musing157.
“My father ruled Ruszark,” she said at last. “Rustum he was named, of the seed of Rustum the Hero even as was my mother. They were gentle and good, and it was their ancestors who built Ruszark when, fleeing from the might of Iskander, they were sealed in the hidden valley by the falling mountain.
“Then there sprang from one of the families of the nobles — Cherkis. Evil, evil was he, and as he grew he lusted158 for rule. On a night of terror he fell upon those who loved my father and slew; and barely had my father time to fly from the city with my mother, still but a bride, and a handful of those loyal to him.
“They found by chance the way to this place, hiding in the cleft159 which is its portal. They came, and they were taken by — Those who are now my people. Then my mother, who was very beautiful, was lifted before him who rules here and she found favor in his sight and he had built for her this house, which now is mine.
“And in time I was born — but not in this house. Nay160 — in a secret place of light where, too, are born my people.”
She was silent. I shot a glance at Drake. The secret place of light — was it not that vast vault161 of mystery, of dancing orbs162 and flames transmuted163 into music into which we had peered and for which sacrilege, I had thought, had been thrust from the City? And did in this lie the explanation of her strangeness? Had she there sucked in with her mother’s milk the enigmatic life of the Metal Hordes, been transformed into half human changeling, become true kin7 to them? What else could explain —
“My mother showed me Ruszark,” her voice, taking up once more her tale, checked my thoughts. “Once when I was little she and my father bore me through the forest and through the hidden way. I looked upon Ruszark — a great city it is and populous164, and a caldron of cruelty and of evil.
“Not like me were my father and mother. They longed for their kind and sought ever for means to regain165 their place among them. There came a time when my father, driven by his longing166, ventured forth to Ruszark, seeking friends to help him regain that place — for these who obey me obeyed not him as they obey me; nor would he have marched them — as I shall — upon Ruszark if they had obeyed him.
“Cherkis caught him. And Cherkis waited, knowing well that my mother would follow. For Cherkis knew not where to seek her, nor where they had lain hid, for between his city and here the mountains are great, unscalable, and the way through them is cunningly hidden; by chance alone did my mother’s mother and those who fled with her discover it: And though they tortured him, my father would not tell. And after a while forthwith those who still remained of hers stole out with my mother to find him. They left me here with Yuruk. And Cherkis caught my mother.”
The proud breasts heaved, the eyes shot forth visible flames.
“My father was flayed167 alive and crucified,” she said. “His skin they nailed to the City’s gates. And when Cherkis had had his will with my mother he threw her to his soldiers for their sport.
“All of those who went with them he tortured and slew — and he and his laughed at their torment168. But one there was who escaped and told me — me who was little more than a budding maid. He called on me to bring vengeance — and he died. A year passed — and I am not like my mother and my father — and I forgot — dwelling here in the great tranquillities, barred from and having no thought for men and their way.
“AIE, AIE!” she cried; “woe to me that I could forget! But now I shall take my vengeance — I, Norhala, will stamp them flat — Cherkis and his city of Ruszark and everything it holds! I, Norhala, and my servants shall stamp them into the rock of their valley so that none shall know that they have been! And would that I could meet their gods with all their powers that I might break them, too, and stamp them into the rock under the feet of my servants!”
She threw out white arms.
Why had Yuruk lied to me? I wondered as I watched her. The Disk had not slain her mother. Of course! He had lied to play upon our terrors; had lied to frighten us away.
The wailings were rising in a sustained crescendo169. One of the slaying stars slipped over the chamber floor, folded its points and glided170 out the door.
“Come!” commanded Norhala, and led the way. The second star closed, followed us. We stepped over the threshold.
For one astounded171, breathless moment we paused. In front of us reared a monster — a colossal, headless Sphinx. Like forelegs and paws, a ridge172 of pointed cubes, and globes thrust against each side of the canyon173 walls. Between them for two hundred feet on high stretched the breast.
And this was a shifting, weaving mass of the Metal Things; they formed into gigantic cuirasses, giant bucklers, corselets of living mail. From them as they moved — nay, from all the monster — came the wailings. Like a headless Sphinx it crouched — and as we stood it surged forward as though it sprang a step to greet us.
“HAI!” shouted Norhala, battle buglings ringing through the golden voice. “HAI! my companies!”
Out from the summit of the breast shot a tremendous trunk of cubes and spinning globes. And like a trunk it nuzzled us, caught us up, swept us to the crest. An instant I tottered174 dizzily; was held; stood beside Norhala upon a little, level twinkling eyed platform; upon her other side swayed Drake.
Now through the monster I felt a throbbing, an eager and impatient pulse. I turned my head. Still like some huge and grotesque175 beast the back of the clustered Things ran for half a mile at least behind, tapering176 to a dragon tail that coiled and twisted another full mile toward the Pit. And from this back uprose and fell immense spiked177 and fan-shaped ruffs, thickets178 of spikes, whipping knouts of bristling tentacles179, fanged180 crests181. They thrust and waved, whipped and fell constantly; and constantly the great tail lashed136 and snapped, fantastic, long and living.
“HAI!” shouted Norhala once more. From her lifted throat came again the golden chanting — but now a relentless182, ruthless song of slaughter183.
Up reared the monstrous184 bulk. Into it ran the dragon tail. Into it poured the fanged and bristling back.
Up, up we were thrust — three hundred feet, four hundred, five hundred. Over the blue globe of Norhala’s house bent185 a gigantic leg. Spiderlike out from each side of the monster thrust half a score of others.
Overhead the dawn began to break. Through it with ever increasing speed we moved, straight to the line of the cliffs behind which lay the city of the armored men — and Ruth and Ventnor.
点击收听单词发音
1 hummingbird | |
n.蜂鸟 | |
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2 shuffle | |
n.拖著脚走,洗纸牌;v.拖曳,慢吞吞地走 | |
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3 recoiling | |
v.畏缩( recoil的现在分词 );退缩;报应;返回 | |
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4 lengthen | |
vt.使伸长,延长 | |
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5 phantom | |
n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的 | |
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6 overdrawing | |
透支( overdraw的现在分词 ) | |
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7 kin | |
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的 | |
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8 mirage | |
n.海市蜃楼,幻景 | |
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9 meted | |
v.(对某人)施以,给予(处罚等)( mete的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 profaning | |
v.不敬( profane的现在分词 );亵渎,玷污 | |
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11 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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12 colossal | |
adj.异常的,庞大的 | |
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13 realization | |
n.实现;认识到,深刻了解 | |
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14 plunge | |
v.跳入,(使)投入,(使)陷入;猛冲 | |
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15 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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16 pendulums | |
n.摆,钟摆( pendulum的名词复数 );摇摆不定的事态(或局面) | |
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17 countless | |
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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18 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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19 scant | |
adj.不充分的,不足的;v.减缩,限制,忽略 | |
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20 resentment | |
n.怨愤,忿恨 | |
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21 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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22 humiliation | |
n.羞辱 | |
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23 smite | |
v.重击;彻底击败;n.打;尝试;一点儿 | |
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24 hurl | |
vt.猛投,力掷,声叫骂 | |
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25 thronging | |
v.成群,挤满( throng的现在分词 ) | |
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26 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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27 seething | |
沸腾的,火热的 | |
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28 luminously | |
发光的; 明亮的; 清楚的; 辉赫 | |
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29 overcast | |
adj.阴天的,阴暗的,愁闷的;v.遮盖,(使)变暗,包边缝;n.覆盖,阴天 | |
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30 unfamiliar | |
adj.陌生的,不熟悉的 | |
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31 amethyst | |
n.紫水晶 | |
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32 facade | |
n.(建筑物的)正面,临街正面;外表 | |
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33 incandescence | |
n.白热,炽热;白炽 | |
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34 makers | |
n.制造者,制造商(maker的复数形式) | |
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35 turmoil | |
n.骚乱,混乱,动乱 | |
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36 abrupt | |
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的 | |
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37 lessened | |
减少的,减弱的 | |
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38 dire | |
adj.可怕的,悲惨的,阴惨的,极端的 | |
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39 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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40 gasped | |
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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41 amber | |
n.琥珀;琥珀色;adj.琥珀制的 | |
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42 racing | |
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 | |
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43 plummet | |
vi.(价格、水平等)骤然下跌;n.铅坠;重压物 | |
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44 swerved | |
v.(使)改变方向,改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45 weird | |
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的 | |
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46 constellations | |
n.星座( constellation的名词复数 );一群杰出人物;一系列(相关的想法、事物);一群(相关的人) | |
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47 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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48 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
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49 awakened | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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50 intensity | |
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度 | |
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51 rigid | |
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的 | |
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52 nostrils | |
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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53 whit | |
n.一点,丝毫 | |
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54 unleashed | |
v.把(感情、力量等)释放出来,发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55 leash | |
n.牵狗的皮带,束缚;v.用皮带系住 | |
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56 vibrant | |
adj.震颤的,响亮的,充满活力的,精力充沛的,(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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57 nadir | |
n.最低点,无底 | |
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58 urn | |
n.(有座脚的)瓮;坟墓;骨灰瓮 | |
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59 awakening | |
n.觉醒,醒悟 adj.觉醒中的;唤醒的 | |
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60 throbbing | |
a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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61 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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62 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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63 shrilled | |
(声音)尖锐的,刺耳的,高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64 woe | |
n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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65 vengeance | |
n.报复,报仇,复仇 | |
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66 dwindled | |
v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67 glimmering | |
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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68 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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69 crouching | |
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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70 gemmed | |
点缀(gem的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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71 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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72 pealed | |
v.(使)(钟等)鸣响,(雷等)发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 trumpet | |
n.喇叭,喇叭声;v.吹喇叭,吹嘘 | |
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74 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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75 sonorous | |
adj.响亮的,回响的;adv.圆润低沉地;感人地;n.感人,堂皇 | |
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76 peremptory | |
adj.紧急的,专横的,断然的 | |
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77 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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78 mustering | |
v.集合,召集,集结(尤指部队)( muster的现在分词 );(自他人处)搜集某事物;聚集;激发 | |
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79 adventurous | |
adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的 | |
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80 cadenced | |
adj.音调整齐的,有节奏的 | |
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81 slay | |
v.杀死,宰杀,杀戮 | |
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82 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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83 prick | |
v.刺伤,刺痛,刺孔;n.刺伤,刺痛 | |
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84 swirled | |
v.旋转,打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85 swelled | |
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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86 crest | |
n.顶点;饰章;羽冠;vt.达到顶点;vi.形成浪尖 | |
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87 lured | |
吸引,引诱(lure的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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88 amethystine | |
adj.紫水晶质的,紫色的;紫晶 | |
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89 sapphire | |
n.青玉,蓝宝石;adj.天蓝色的 | |
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90 ponies | |
矮种马,小型马( pony的名词复数 ); £25 25 英镑 | |
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91 turquoise | |
n.绿宝石;adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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92 browsing | |
v.吃草( browse的现在分词 );随意翻阅;(在商店里)随便看看;(在计算机上)浏览信息 | |
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93 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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94 gorge | |
n.咽喉,胃,暴食,山峡;v.塞饱,狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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95 stiffening | |
n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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96 bristling | |
a.竖立的 | |
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97 spikes | |
n.穗( spike的名词复数 );跑鞋;(防滑)鞋钉;尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 );偷偷地给某人的饮料加入(更多)酒精( 或药物);把尖状物钉入;打乱某人的计划 | |
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98 ferment | |
vt.使发酵;n./vt.(使)激动,(使)动乱 | |
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99 mercurial | |
adj.善变的,活泼的 | |
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100 throbbed | |
抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 ); (心脏、脉搏等)跳动 | |
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101 trumpeting | |
大声说出或宣告(trumpet的现在分词形式) | |
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102 arrogant | |
adj.傲慢的,自大的 | |
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103 writhed | |
(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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104 spurted | |
(液体,火焰等)喷出,(使)涌出( spurt的过去式和过去分词 ); (短暂地)加速前进,冲刺 | |
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105 cascades | |
倾泻( cascade的名词复数 ); 小瀑布(尤指一连串瀑布中的一支); 瀑布状物; 倾泻(或涌出)的东西 | |
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106 swarmed | |
密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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107 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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108 starry | |
adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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109 galaxies | |
星系( galaxy的名词复数 ); 银河系; 一群(杰出或著名的人物) | |
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110 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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111 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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112 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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113 toll | |
n.过路(桥)费;损失,伤亡人数;v.敲(钟) | |
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114 suppliant | |
adj.哀恳的;n.恳求者,哀求者 | |
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115 poised | |
a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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116 nether | |
adj.下部的,下面的;n.阴间;下层社会 | |
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117 crouched | |
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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118 twitched | |
vt.& vi.(使)抽动,(使)颤动(twitch的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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119 shrieked | |
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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120 cowered | |
v.畏缩,抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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121 appallingly | |
毛骨悚然地 | |
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122 sarcastically | |
adv.挖苦地,讽刺地 | |
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123 carrion | |
n.腐肉 | |
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124 groaned | |
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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125 spawn | |
n.卵,产物,后代,结果;vt.产卵,种菌丝于,产生,造成;vi.产卵,大量生产 | |
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126 spat | |
n.口角,掌击;v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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127 talons | |
n.(尤指猛禽的)爪( talon的名词复数 );(如爪般的)手指;爪状物;锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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128 whined | |
v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 );哀诉,诉怨 | |
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129 twig | |
n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解 | |
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130 callous | |
adj.无情的,冷淡的,硬结的,起老茧的 | |
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131 petrified | |
adj.惊呆的;目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆,使惊呆;变僵硬;使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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132 writhing | |
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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133 imploring | |
恳求的,哀求的 | |
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134 twitching | |
n.颤搐 | |
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135 mound | |
n.土墩,堤,小山;v.筑堤,用土堆防卫 | |
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136 lashed | |
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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137 slain | |
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词) | |
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138 contortion | |
n.扭弯,扭歪,曲解 | |
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139 stiffened | |
加强的 | |
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140 crumbled | |
(把…)弄碎, (使)碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 衰落; 坍塌; 损坏 | |
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141 eddied | |
起漩涡,旋转( eddy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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142 doorway | |
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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143 contemplating | |
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 | |
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144 abated | |
减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 ); 减去; 降价; 撤消(诉讼) | |
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145 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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146 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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147 slew | |
v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
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148 stunned | |
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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149 cones | |
n.(人眼)圆锥细胞;圆锥体( cone的名词复数 );球果;圆锥形东西;(盛冰淇淋的)锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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150 insistent | |
adj.迫切的,坚持的 | |
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151 tolled | |
鸣钟(toll的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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152 hatreds | |
n.仇恨,憎恶( hatred的名词复数 );厌恶的事 | |
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153 lusts | |
贪求(lust的第三人称单数形式) | |
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154 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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155 slaying | |
杀戮。 | |
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156 softened | |
(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰 | |
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157 musing | |
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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158 lusted | |
贪求(lust的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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159 cleft | |
n.裂缝;adj.裂开的 | |
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160 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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161 vault | |
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室 | |
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162 orbs | |
abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球,天体,圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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163 transmuted | |
v.使变形,使变质,把…变成…( transmute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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164 populous | |
adj.人口稠密的,人口众多的 | |
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165 regain | |
vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 | |
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166 longing | |
n.(for)渴望 | |
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167 flayed | |
v.痛打( flay的过去式和过去分词 );把…打得皮开肉绽;剥(通常指动物)的皮;严厉批评 | |
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168 torment | |
n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠 | |
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169 crescendo | |
n.(音乐)渐强,高潮 | |
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170 glided | |
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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171 astounded | |
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词);愕然;愕;惊讶 | |
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172 ridge | |
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭 | |
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173 canyon | |
n.峡谷,溪谷 | |
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174 tottered | |
v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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175 grotesque | |
adj.怪诞的,丑陋的;n.怪诞的图案,怪人(物) | |
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176 tapering | |
adj.尖端细的 | |
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177 spiked | |
adj.有穗的;成锥形的;有尖顶的 | |
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178 thickets | |
n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 );丛状物 | |
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179 tentacles | |
n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 );触角;触须;触毛 | |
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180 fanged | |
adj.有尖牙的,有牙根的,有毒牙的 | |
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181 crests | |
v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的第三人称单数 );到达洪峰,达到顶点 | |
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182 relentless | |
adj.残酷的,不留情的,无怜悯心的 | |
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183 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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184 monstrous | |
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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185 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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