One morning, for instance, when I was in the midst of the seventeenth chapter of my new novel, my little Mini stole into the room, and putting her hand into mine, said: "Father! Ramdayal the door-keeper calls a crow a krow! He doesn't know anything, does he?"
Before I could explain to her the differences of language in this world, she was embarked5 on the full tide of another subject. "What do you think, Father? Bhola says there is an elephant in the [Pg 4] clouds, blowing water out of his trunk, and that is why it rains!"
And then, darting6 off anew, while I sat still making ready some reply to this last saying: "Father! what relation is Mother to you?"
The window of my room overlooks the road. The child had seated herself at my feet near my table, and was playing softly, drumming on her knees. I was hard at work on my seventeenth chapter, where Pratap Singh, the hero, had just caught Kanchanlata, the heroine, in his arms, and was about to escape with her by the third-story window of the castle, when all of a sudden Mini left her play, and ran to the window, crying: "A Cabuliwallah! a Cabuliwallah!" Sure enough in the street below was a Cabuliwallah, passing slowly along. He wore the loose, soiled clothing of his people, with a tall turban; there was a bag on his back, and he carried boxes of grapes in his hand.
I cannot tell what were my daughter's feelings at the sight of this man, but she began to call him loudly. "Ah!" I thought, "he will come in, and my seventeenth chapter will never be finished!" At which exact moment the Cabuliwallah turned, and looked up at the child. When she saw this, overcome [Pg 5] by terror, she fled to her mother's protection and disappeared. She had a blind belief that inside the bag, which the big man carried, there were perhaps two or three other children like herself. The pedlar meanwhile entered my doorway8 and greeted me with a smiling face.
So precarious9 was the position of my hero and my heroine, that my first impulse was to stop and buy something, since the man had been called. I made some small purchases, and a conversation began about Abdurrahman, the Russians, the English, and the Frontier Policy.
As he was about to leave, he asked: "And where is the little girl, sir?"
And I, thinking that Mini must get rid of her false fear, had her brought out.
She stood by my chair, and looked at the Cabuliwallah and his bag. He offered her nuts and raisins10, but she would not be tempted11, and only clung the closer to me, with all her doubts increased.
This was their first meeting.
One morning, however, not many days later, as I was leaving the house, I was startled to find Mini, seated on a bench near the door, laughing and talking, with the great Cabuliwallah at her feet. In all her life, it appeared, my small daughter had never found so patient a listener, save her father. And [Pg 6] already the corner of her little sari was stuffed with almonds and raisins, the gift of her visitor. "Why did you give her those?" I said, and taking out an eight-anna bit, I handed it to him. The man accepted the money without demur12, and slipped it into his pocket.
Alas13, on my return an hour later, I found the unfortunate coin had made twice its own worth of trouble! For the Cabuliwallah had given it to Mini; and her mother, catching14 sight of the bright round object, had pounced15 on the child with: "Where did you get that eight-anna bit?"
"The Cabuliwallah gave it me," said Mini cheerfully.
"The Cabuliwallah gave it you!" cried her mother much shocked. "O Mini! how could you take it from him?"
I, entering at the moment, saved her from impending16 disaster, and proceeded to make my own inquiries17.
It was not the first or second time, I found, that the two had met. The Cabuliwallah had overcome the child's first terror by a judicious18 bribery19 of nuts and almonds, and the two were now great friends.
They had many quaint20 jokes, which afforded them much amusement. Seated in front of him, looking down on his gigantic frame in all her tiny dignity, [Pg 7] Mini would ripple21 her face with laughter and begin: "O Cabuliwallah! Cabuliwallah! what have you got in your bag?"
And he would reply, in the nasal accents of the mountaineer: "An elephant!" Not much cause for merriment, perhaps; but how they both enjoyed the fun! And for me, this child's talk with a grown-up man had always in it something strangely fascinating.
Then the Cabuliwallah, not to be behindhand, would take his turn: "Well, little one, and when are you going to the father-in-law's house?"
Now most small Bengali maidens22 have heard long ago about the father-in-law's house; but we, being a little new-fangled, had kept these things from our child, and Mini at this question must have been a trifle bewildered. But she would not show it, and with ready tact23 replied: "Are you going there?"
Amongst men of the Cabuliwallah's class, however, it is well known that the words father-in-law's house have a double meaning. It is a euphemism24 for jail, the place where we are well cared for, at no expense to ourselves. In this sense would the sturdy pedlar take my daughter's question. "Ah," he would say, shaking his fist at an invisible policeman, "I will thrash my father-in-law!" Hearing this, and picturing the poor discomfited25 relative, Mini [Pg 8] would go off into peals26 of laughter, in which her formidable friend would join.
These were autumn mornings, the very time of year when kings of old went forth27 to conquest; and I, never stirring from my little corner in Calcutta, would let my mind wander over the whole world. At the very name of another country, my heart would go out to it, and at the sight of a foreigner in the streets, I would fall to weaving a network of dreams,—the mountains, the glens, and the forests of his distant home, with his cottage in its setting, and the free and independent life of far-away wilds. Perhaps the scenes of travel conjure28 themselves up before me and pass and repass in my imagination all the more vividly29, because I lead such a vegetable existence that a call to travel would fall upon me like a thunder-bolt. In the presence of this Cabuliwallah I was immediately transported to the foot of arid30 mountain peaks, with narrow little defiles31 twisting in and out amongst their towering heights. I could see the string of camels bearing the merchandise, and the company of turbanned merchants carrying some their queer old firearms, and some their spears, journeying downward towards the plains. I could see—. But at some such point Mini's mother would intervene, imploring32 me to "beware of that man."
Mini's mother is unfortunately a very timid lady. [Pg 9] Whenever she hears a noise in the street, or sees people coming towards the house, she always jumps to the conclusion that they are either thieves, or drunkards, or snakes, or tigers, or malaria33, or cockroaches34, or caterpillars35. Even after all these years of experience, she is not able to overcome her terror. So she was full of doubts about the Cabuliwallah, and used to beg me to keep a watchful36 eye on him.
I tried to laugh her fear gently away, but then she would turn round on me seriously, and ask me solemn questions:—
Were children never kidnapped?
Was it, then, not true that there was slavery in Cabul?
Was it so very absurd that this big man should be able to carry off a tiny child?
I urged that, though not impossible, it was highly improbable. But this was not enough, and her dread37 persisted. As it was indefinite, however, it did not seem right to forbid the man the house, and the intimacy38 went on unchecked.
Once a year in the middle of January Rahmun, the Cabuliwallah, was in the habit of returning to his country, and as the time approached he would be very busy, going from house to house collecting his debts. This year, however, he could always find time to come and see Mini. It would have seemed [Pg 10] to an outsider that there was some conspiracy39 between the two, for when he could not come in the morning, he would appear in the evening.
Even to me it was a little startling now and then, in the corner of a dark room, suddenly to surprise this tall, loose-garmented, much bebagged man; but when Mini would run in smiling, with her "O Cabuliwallah! Cabuliwallah!" and the two friends, so far apart in age, would subside40 into their old laughter and their old jokes, I felt reassured41.
One morning, a few days before he had made up his mind to go, I was correcting my proof sheets in my study. It was chilly42 weather. Through the window the rays of the sun touched my feet, and the slight warmth was very welcome. It was almost eight o'clock, and the early pedestrians43 were returning home with their heads covered. All at once I heard an uproar44 in the street, and, looking out, saw Rahmun being led away bound between two policemen, and behind them a crowd of curious boys. There were blood-stains on the clothes of the Cabuliwallah, and one of the policemen carried a knife. Hurrying out, I stopped them, and inquired what it all meant. Partly from one, partly from another, I gathered that a certain neighbour had owed the pedlar something for a Rampuri shawl, but had falsely [Pg 11] denied having bought it, and that in the course of the quarrel Rahmun had struck him. Now, in the heat of his excitement, the prisoner began calling his enemy all sorts of names, when suddenly in a verandah of my house appeared my little Mini, with her usual exclamation45: "O Cabuliwallah! Cabuliwallah!" Rahmun's face lighted up as he turned to her. He had no bag under his arm to-day, so she could not discuss the elephant with him. She at once therefore proceeded to the next question: "Are you going to the father-in-law's house?" Rahmun laughed and said: "Just where I am going, little one!" Then, seeing that the reply did not amuse the child, he held up his fettered46 hands. "Ah!" he said, "I would have thrashed that old father-in-law, but my hands are bound!"
On a charge of murderous assault, Rahmun was sentenced to some years' imprisonment47.
Time passed away and he was not remembered. The accustomed work in the accustomed place was ours, and the thought of the once free mountaineer spending his years in prison seldom or never occurred to us. Even my light-hearted Mini, I am ashamed to say, forgot her old friend. New companions filled her life. As she grew older, she spent more of her time with girls. So much time indeed did [Pg 12] she spend with them that she came no more, as she used to do, to her father's room. I was scarcely on speaking terms with her.
Years had passed away. It was once more autumn and we had made arrangements for our Mini's marriage. It was to take place during the Puja Holidays. With Durga returning to Kailas, the light of our home also was to depart to her husband's house, and leave her father's in the shadow.
The morning was bright. After the rains, there was a sense of ablution in the air, and the sun-rays looked like pure gold. So bright were they, that they gave a beautiful radiance even to the sordid48 brick walls of our Calcutta lanes. Since early dawn that day the wedding-pipes had been sounding, and at each beat my own heart throbbed49. The wail50 of the tune51, Bhairavi, seemed to intensify52 my pain at the approaching separation. My Mini was to be married that night.
From early morning noise and bustle53 had pervaded54 the house. In the courtyard the canopy55 had to be slung56 on its bamboo poles; the chandeliers with their tinkling57 sound must be hung in each room and verandah. There was no end of hurry and excitement. I was sitting in my study, looking through the accounts, when some one entered, saluting58 respectfully, and stood before me. It was Rahmun the [Pg 13] Cabuliwallah. At first I did not recognise him. He had no bag, nor the long hair, nor the same vigour59 that he used to have. But he smiled, and I knew him again.
"When did you come, Rahmun?" I asked him.
"Last evening," he said, "I was released from jail."
The words struck harsh upon my ears. I had never before talked with one who had wounded his fellow, and my heart shrank within itself when I realised this; for I felt that the day would have been better-omened had he not turned up.
"There are ceremonies going on," I said, "and I am busy. Could you perhaps come another day?"
At once he turned to go; but as he reached the door he hesitated, and said: "May I not see the little one, sir, for a moment?" It was his belief that Mini was still the same. He had pictured her running to him as she used, calling "O Cabuliwallah! Cabuliwallah!" He had imagined too that they would laugh and talk together, just as of old. In fact, in memory of former days he had brought, carefully wrapped up in paper, a few almonds and raisins and grapes, obtained somehow from a countryman; for his own little fund was dispersed60.
I said again: "There is a ceremony in the house, and you will not be able to see any one to-day." [Pg 14]
The man's face fell. He looked wistfully at me for a moment, then said "Good morning," and went out.
I felt a little sorry, and would have called him back, but I found he was returning of his own accord. He came close up to me holding out his offerings with the words: "I brought these few things, sir, for the little one. Will you give them to her?"
I took them and was going to pay him, but he caught my hand and said: "You are very kind, sir! Keep me in your recollection. Do not offer me money!—You have a little girl: I too have one like her in my own home. I think of her, and bring fruits to your child—not to make a profit for myself."
Saying this, he put his hand inside his big loose robe, and brought out a small and dirty piece of paper. With great care he unfolded this, and smoothed it out with both hands on my table. It bore the impression of a little hand. Not a photograph. Not a drawing. The impression of an ink-smeared hand laid flat on the paper. This touch of his own little daughter had been always on his heart, as he had come year after year to Calcutta to sell his wares62 in the streets.
Tears came to my eyes. I forgot that he was a poor Cabuli fruit-seller, while I was—. But no, what was I more than he? He also was a father. [Pg 15]
That impression of the hand of his little Pārbati in her distant mountain home reminded me of my own little Mini.
I sent for Mini immediately from the inner apartment. Many difficulties were raised, but I would not listen. Clad in the red silk of her wedding-day, with the sandal paste on her forehead, and adorned63 as a young bride, Mini came, and stood bashfully before me.
The Cabuliwallah looked a little staggered at the apparition64. He could not revive their old friendship. At last he smiled and said: "Little one, are you going to your father-in-law's house?"
But Mini now understood the meaning of the word "father-in-law," and she could not reply to him as of old. She flushed up at the question, and stood before him with her bride-like face turned down.
I remembered the day when the Cabuliwallah and my Mini had first met, and I felt sad. When she had gone, Rahmun heaved a deep sigh, and sat down on the floor. The idea had suddenly come to him that his daughter too must have grown in this long time, and that he would have to make friends with her anew. Assuredly he would not find her as he used to know her. And besides, what might not have happened to her in these eight years?
The marriage-pipes sounded, and the mild autumn [Pg 16] sun streamed round us. But Rahmun sat in the little Calcutta lane, and saw before him the barren mountains of Afghanistan.
I took out a bank-note and gave it to him, saying: "Go back to your own daughter, Rahmun, in your own country, and may the happiness of your meeting bring good fortune to my child!"
Having made this present, I had to curtail65 some of the festivities. I could not have the electric lights I had intended, nor the military band, and the ladies of the house were despondent66 at it. But to me the wedding-feast was all the brighter for the thought that in a distant land a long-lost father met again with his only child.
WORDS TO BE STUDIED
precarious. From the root "prec," meaning prayer. Compare deprecate, imprecation; "precarious" means, therefore, held by entreaty67, and thus insecure.
impending. From the Latin "pendere," to hang. Compare depend, expend68, expensive, pendant, suspend, interdependent, independent.
judicious. From the root "jus," "jud," meaning law, right. Compare judge, judicial69, judgment70, just, prejudge, adjustment, adjudicate.
transported. From the Latin "portare," to carry. Compare porter, import, export, deport72, support, deportation73.
intervene. From the Latin "venire," to come. Compare convenient, convene74, supervene, prevent. [Pg 17]
conclusion. From the Latin "claudere," to close, shut. Compare include, preclude75, exclude, exclusive, exclusion76.
exclamation. From the Latin "clamare," to cry out. Compare clamour, proclaim, proclamation, clamorous77, disclaim78, declaim.
separation. From the Latin "parare," to make ready. Compare prepare, preparation, compare, comparison, comparative.
recollect61. From the Latin "legere," to choose. Compare collect, elect, election, college, eligible79.
impression. From the Latin "premere," to press. Compare impressive, depress, express, suppress, oppress, pressure.
photograph. From two Greek roots "phōt," meaning light and "graph," meaning to write. Compare epigraph, epigram, photographic, phosphorus, graph, diagram.
intend. From the Latin "tendere," meaning to stretch. Compare extend, superintend, attend, attendant, extensive, tense, pretend, distend80, contend.
点击收听单词发音
1 chattering | |
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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2 vexed | |
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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3 prattle | |
n.闲谈;v.(小孩般)天真无邪地说话;发出连续而无意义的声音 | |
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4 unnatural | |
adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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5 embarked | |
乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 ); 装载; 从事 | |
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6 darting | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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7 contrived | |
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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8 doorway | |
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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9 precarious | |
adj.不安定的,靠不住的;根据不足的 | |
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10 raisins | |
n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 ) | |
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11 tempted | |
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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12 demur | |
v.表示异议,反对 | |
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13 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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14 catching | |
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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15 pounced | |
v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 );猛扑;一眼看出;抓住机会(进行抨击) | |
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16 impending | |
a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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17 inquiries | |
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 );疑问;探究;打听 | |
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18 judicious | |
adj.明智的,明断的,能作出明智决定的 | |
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19 bribery | |
n.贿络行为,行贿,受贿 | |
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20 quaint | |
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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21 ripple | |
n.涟波,涟漪,波纹,粗钢梳;vt.使...起涟漪,使起波纹; vi.呈波浪状,起伏前进 | |
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22 maidens | |
处女( maiden的名词复数 ); 少女; 未婚女子; (板球运动)未得分的一轮投球 | |
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23 tact | |
n.机敏,圆滑,得体 | |
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24 euphemism | |
n.婉言,委婉的说法 | |
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25 discomfited | |
v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词);使狼狈;使挫折;挫败 | |
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26 peals | |
n.(声音大而持续或重复的)洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 );隆隆声;洪亮的钟声;钟乐v.(使)(钟等)鸣响,(雷等)发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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27 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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28 conjure | |
v.恳求,祈求;变魔术,变戏法 | |
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29 vividly | |
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地 | |
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30 arid | |
adj.干旱的;(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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31 defiles | |
v.玷污( defile的第三人称单数 );污染;弄脏;纵列行进 | |
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32 imploring | |
恳求的,哀求的 | |
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33 malaria | |
n.疟疾 | |
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34 cockroaches | |
n.蟑螂( cockroach的名词复数 ) | |
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35 caterpillars | |
n.毛虫( caterpillar的名词复数 );履带 | |
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36 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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37 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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38 intimacy | |
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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39 conspiracy | |
n.阴谋,密谋,共谋 | |
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40 subside | |
vi.平静,平息;下沉,塌陷,沉降 | |
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41 reassured | |
adj.使消除疑虑的;使放心的v.再保证,恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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42 chilly | |
adj.凉快的,寒冷的 | |
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43 pedestrians | |
n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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44 uproar | |
n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
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45 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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46 fettered | |
v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47 imprisonment | |
n.关押,监禁,坐牢 | |
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48 sordid | |
adj.肮脏的,不干净的,卑鄙的,暗淡的 | |
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49 throbbed | |
抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 ); (心脏、脉搏等)跳动 | |
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50 wail | |
vt./vi.大声哀号,恸哭;呼啸,尖啸 | |
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51 tune | |
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
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52 intensify | |
vt.加强;变强;加剧 | |
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53 bustle | |
v.喧扰地忙乱,匆忙,奔忙;n.忙碌;喧闹 | |
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54 pervaded | |
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55 canopy | |
n.天篷,遮篷 | |
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56 slung | |
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往 | |
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57 tinkling | |
n.丁当作响声 | |
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58 saluting | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的现在分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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59 vigour | |
(=vigor)n.智力,体力,精力 | |
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60 dispersed | |
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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61 recollect | |
v.回忆,想起,记起,忆起,记得 | |
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62 wares | |
n. 货物, 商品 | |
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63 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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64 apparition | |
n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
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65 curtail | |
vt.截短,缩短;削减 | |
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66 despondent | |
adj.失望的,沮丧的,泄气的 | |
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67 entreaty | |
n.恳求,哀求 | |
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68 expend | |
vt.花费,消费,消耗 | |
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69 judicial | |
adj.司法的,法庭的,审判的,明断的,公正的 | |
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70 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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71 blasphemy | |
n.亵渎,渎神 | |
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72 deport | |
vt.驱逐出境 | |
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73 deportation | |
n.驱逐,放逐 | |
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74 convene | |
v.集合,召集,召唤,聚集,集合 | |
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75 preclude | |
vt.阻止,排除,防止;妨碍 | |
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76 exclusion | |
n.拒绝,排除,排斥,远足,远途旅行 | |
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77 clamorous | |
adj.吵闹的,喧哗的 | |
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78 disclaim | |
v.放弃权利,拒绝承认 | |
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79 eligible | |
adj.有条件被选中的;(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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80 distend | |
vt./vi.(使)扩大,(使)扩张 | |
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