Miss Wren6 expected him. He could see her through the window by the light of her low fire — carefully banked up with damp cinders8 that it might last the longer and waste the less when she was out — sitting waiting for him in her bonnet9. His tap at the glass roused her from the musing10 solitude11 in which she sat, and she came to the door to open it; aiding her steps with a little crutch-stick.
‘Good evening, godmother!’ said Miss Jenny Wren.
The old man laughed, and gave her his arm to lean on.
‘Won’t you come in and warm yourself, godmother?’ asked Miss Jenny Wren.
‘Not if you are ready, Cinderella, my dear.’
‘Well!’ exclaimed Miss Wren, delighted. ‘Now you ARE a clever old boy! If we gave prizes at this establishment (but we only keep blanks), you should have the first silver medal, for taking me up so quick.’ As she spake thus, Miss Wren removed the key of the house-door from the keyhole and put it in her pocket, and then bustlingly closed the door, and tried it as they both stood on the step. Satisfied that her dwelling12 was safe, she drew one hand through the old man’s arm and prepared to ply13 her crutch-stick with the other. But the key was an instrument of such gigantic proportions, that before they started Riah proposed to carry it.
‘No, no, no! I’ll carry it myself,’ returned Miss Wren. ‘I’m awfully14 lopsided, you know, and stowed down in my pocket it’ll trim the ship. To let you into a secret, godmother, I wear my pocket on my high side, o’ purpose.’
With that they began their plodding15 through the fog.
‘Yes, it was truly sharp of you, godmother,’ resumed Miss Wren with great approbation16, ‘to understand me. But, you see, you ARE so like the fairy godmother in the bright little books! You look so unlike the rest of people, and so much as if you had changed yourself into that shape, just this moment, with some benevolent17 object. Boh!’ cried Miss Jenny, putting her face close to the old man’s. ‘I can see your features, godmother, behind the beard.’
‘Does the fancy go to my changing other objects too, Jenny?’
‘Ah! That it does! If you’d only borrow my stick and tap this piece of pavement — this dirty stone that my foot taps — it would start up a coach and six. I say! Let’s believe so!’
‘With all my heart,’ replied the good old man.
‘And I’ll tell you what I must ask you to do, godmother. I must ask you to be so kind as give my child a tap, and change him altogether. O my child has been such a bad, bad child of late! It worries me nearly out of my wits. Not done a stroke of work these ten days. Has had the horrors, too, and fancied that four coppercoloured men in red wanted to throw him into a fiery18 furnace.’
‘But that’s dangerous, Jenny.’
‘Dangerous, godmother? My child is always dangerous, more or less. He might’— here the little creature glanced back over her shoulder at the sky —‘be setting the house on fire at this present moment. I don’t know who would have a child, for my part! It’s no use shaking him. I have shaken him till I have made myself giddy. “Why don’t you mind your Commandments and honour your parent, you naughty old boy?” I said to him all the time. But he only whimpered and stared at me.’
‘What shall be changed, after him?’ asked Riah in a compassionately19 playful voice.
‘Upon my word, godmother, I am afraid I must be selfish next, and get you to set me right in the back and the legs. It’s a little thing to you with your power, godmother, but it’s a great deal to poor weak aching me.’
There was no querulous complaining in the words, but they were not the less touching20 for that.
‘And then?’
‘Yes, and then — YOU know, godmother. We’ll both jump up into the coach and six and go to Lizzie. This reminds me, godmother, to ask you a serious question. You are as wise as wise can be (having been brought up by the fairies), and you can tell me this: Is it better to have had a good thing and lost it, or never to have had it?’
‘Explain, god-daughter.’
‘I feel so much more solitary21 and helpless without Lizzie now, than I used to feel before I knew her.’ (Tears were in her eyes as she said so.)
‘Some beloved companionship fades out of most lives, my dear,’ said the Jew — ‘that of a wife, and a fair daughter, and a son of promise, has faded out of my own life — but the happiness was.’
‘Ah!’ said Miss Wren thoughtfully, by no means convinced, and chopping the exclamation22 with that sharp little hatchet23 of hers; ‘then I tell you what change I think you had better begin with, godmother. You had better change Is into Was and Was into Is, and keep them so.’
‘Would that suit your case? Would you not be always in pain then?’ asked the old man tenderly.
‘Right!’ exclaimed Miss Wren with another chop. ‘You have changed me wiser, godmother. — Not,’ she added with the quaint24 hitch25 of her chin and eyes, ‘that you need be a very wonderful godmother to do that deed.’
Thus conversing26, and having crossed Westminster Bridge, they traversed the ground that Riah had lately traversed, and new ground likewise; for, when they had recrossed the Thames by way of London Bridge, they struck down by the river and held their still foggier course that way.
But previously27, as they were going along, Jenny twisted her venerable friend aside to a brilliantly-lighted toy-shop window, and said: ‘Now look at ‘em! All my work!’
This referred to a dazzling semicircle of dolls in all the colours of the rainbow, who were dressed for presentation at court, for going to balls, for going out driving, for going out on horseback, for going out walking, for going to get married, for going to help other dolls to get married, for all the gay events of life.’
‘Pretty, pretty, pretty!’ said the old man with a clap of his hands. ‘Most elegant taste!’
‘Glad you like ‘em,’ returned Miss Wren, loftily. ‘But the fun is, godmother, how I make the great ladies try my dresses on. Though it’s the hardest part of my business, and would be, even if my back were not bad and my legs queer.’
He looked at her as not understanding what she said.
‘Bless you, godmother,’ said Miss Wren, ‘I have to scud29 about town at all hours. If it was only sitting at my bench, cutting out and sewing, it would be comparatively easy work; but it’s the trying-on by the great ladies that takes it out of me.’
‘How, the trying-on?’ asked Riah.
‘What a mooney godmother you are, after all!’ returned Miss Wren. ‘Look here. There’s a Drawing Room, or a grand day in the Park, or a Show, or a Fete, or what you like. Very well. I squeeze among the crowd, and I look about me. When I see a great lady very suitable for my business, I say “You’ll do, my dear!’ and I take particular notice of her, and run home and cut her out and baste30 her. Then another day, I come scudding31 back again to try on, and then I take particular notice of her again. Sometimes she plainly seems to say, ‘How that little creature is staring!’ and sometimes likes it and sometimes don’t, but much more often yes than no. All the time I am only saying to myself, “I must hollow out a bit here; I must slope away there;” and I am making a perfect slave of her, with making her try on my doll’s dress. Evening parties are severer work for me, because there’s only a doorway32 for a full view, and what with hobbling among the wheels of the carriages and the legs of the horses, I fully7 expect to be run over some night. However, there I have ‘em, just the same. When they go bobbing into the hall from the carriage, and catch a glimpse of my little physiognomy poked33 out from behind a policeman’s cape34 in the rain, I dare say they think I am wondering and admiring with all my eyes and heart, but they little think they’re only working for my dolls! There was Lady Belinda Whitrose. I made her do double duty in one night. I said when she came out of the carriage, “YOU’ll do, my dear!” and I ran straight home and cut her out and basted35 her. Back I came again, and waited behind the men that called the carriages. Very bad night too. At last, “Lady Belinda Whitrose’s carriage! Lady Belinda Whitrose coming down!” And I made her try on — oh! and take pains about it too — before she got seated. That’s Lady Belinda hanging up by the waist, much too near the gaslight for a wax one, with her toes turned in.’
When they had plodded36 on for some time nigh the river, Riah asked the way to a certain tavern37 called the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters. Following the directions he received, they arrived, after two or three puzzled stoppages for consideration, and some uncertain looking about them, at the door of Miss Abbey Potterson’s dominions38. A peep through the glass portion of the door revealed to them the glories of the bar, and Miss Abbey herself seated in state on her snug39 throne, reading the newspaper. To whom, with deference40, they presented themselves.
Taking her eyes off her newspaper, and pausing with a suspended expression of countenance41, as if she must finish the paragraph in hand before undertaking42 any other business whatever, Miss Abbey demanded, with some slight asperity43: ‘Now then, what’s for you?’
‘Could we see Miss Potterson?’ asked the old man, uncovering his head.
‘You not only could, but you can and you do,’ replied the hostess.
‘Might we speak with you, madam?’
By this time Miss Abbey’s eyes had possessed44 themselves of the small figure of Miss Jenny Wren. For the closer observation of which, Miss Abbey laid aside her newspaper, rose, and looked over the half-door of the bar. The crutch-stick seemed to entreat45 for its owner leave to come in and rest by the fire; so, Miss Abbey opened the half-door, and said, as though replying to the crutchstick:
‘Yes, come in and rest by the fire.’
‘My name is Riah,’ said the old man, with courteous46 action, ‘and my avocation47 is in London city. This, my young companion —’
‘Stop a bit,’ interposed Miss Wren. ‘I’ll give the lady my card.’ She produced it from her pocket with an air, after struggling with the gigantic door-key which had got upon the top of it and kept it down. Miss Abbey, with manifest tokens of astonishment48, took the diminutive49 document, and found it to run concisely50 thus:—
MISS JENNY WREN
DOLLS' DRESSMAKER.
Dolls attended at their own residences.
‘Lud!’ exclaimed Miss Potterson, staring. And dropped the card.
‘We take the liberty of coming, my young companion and I, madam,’ said Riah, ‘on behalf of Lizzie Hexam.’
Miss Potterson was stooping to loosen the bonnet-strings of the dolls’ dressmaker. She looked round rather angrily, and said: ‘Lizzie Hexam is a very proud young woman.’
‘She would be so proud,’ returned Riah, dexterously51, ‘to stand well in your good opinion, that before she quitted London for —’
‘For where, in the name of the Cape of Good Hope?’ asked Miss Potterson, as though supposing her to have emigrated.
‘For the country,’ was the cautious answer — ‘she made us promise to come and show you a paper, which she left in our hands for that special purpose. I am an unserviceable friend of hers, who began to know her after her departure from this neighbourhood. She has been for some time living with my young companion, and has been a helpful and a comfortable friend to her. Much needed, madam,’ he added, in a lower voice. ‘Believe me; if you knew all, much needed.’
‘I can believe that,’ said Miss Abbey, with a softening52 glance at the little creature.
‘And if it’s proud to have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts,’ Miss Jenny struck in, flushed, ‘she is proud. And if it’s not, she is NOT.’
Her set purpose of contradicting Miss Abbey point blank, was so far from offending that dread53 authority, as to elicit54 a gracious smile. ‘You do right, child,’ said Miss Abbey, ‘to speak well of those who deserve well of you.’
‘Right or wrong,’ muttered Miss Wren, inaudibly, with a visible hitch of her chin, ‘I mean to do it, and you may make up your mind to THAT, old lady.’
‘Here is the paper, madam,’ said the Jew, delivering into Miss Potterson’s hands the original document drawn up by Rokesmith, and signed by Riderhood. ‘Will you please to read it?’
‘But first of all,’ said Miss Abbey, ‘— did you ever taste shrub55, child?’
Miss Wren shook her head.
‘Should you like to?’
‘Should if it’s good,’ returned Miss Wren.
‘You shall try. And, if you find it good, I’ll mix some for you with hot water. Put your poor little feet on the fender. It’s a cold, cold night, and the fog clings so.’ As Miss Abbey helped her to turn her chair, her loosened bonnet dropped on the floor. ‘Why, what lovely hair!’ cried Miss Abbey. ‘And enough to make wigs56 for all the dolls in the world. What a quantity!’
‘Call THAT a quantity?’ returned Miss Wren. ‘Poof! What do you say to the rest of it?’ As she spoke57, she untied58 a band, and the golden stream fell over herself and over the chair, and flowed down to the ground. Miss Abbey’s admiration59 seemed to increase her perplexity. She beckoned60 the Jew towards her, as she reached down the shrub-bottle from its niche61, and whispered:
‘Child, or woman?’
‘Child in years,’ was the answer; ‘woman in self-reliance and trial.’
‘You are talking about Me, good people,’ thought Miss Jenny, sitting in her golden bower62, warming her feet. ‘I can’t hear what you say, but I know your tricks and your manners!’
The shrub, when tasted from a spoon, perfectly63 harmonizing with Miss Jenny’s palate, a judicious64 amount was mixed by Miss Potterson’s skilful65 hands, whereof Riah too partook. After this preliminary, Miss Abbey read the document; and, as often as she raised her eyebrows66 in so doing, the watchful67 Miss Jenny accompanied the action with an expressive68 and emphatic69 sip70 of the shrub and water.
‘As far as this goes,’ said Miss Abbey Potterson, when she had read it several times, and thought about it, ‘it proves (what didn’t much need proving) that Rogue71 Riderhood is a villain72. I have my doubts whether he is not the villain who solely73 did the deed; but I have no expectation of those doubts ever being cleared up now. I believe I did Lizzie’s father wrong, but never Lizzie’s self; because when things were at the worst I trusted her, had perfect confidence in her, and tried to persuade her to come to me for a refuge. I am very sorry to have done a man wrong, particularly when it can’t be undone74. Be kind enough to let Lizzie know what I say; not forgetting that if she will come to the Porters, after all, bygones being bygones, she will find a home at the Porters, and a friend at the Porters. She knows Miss Abbey of old, remind her, and she knows what-like the home, and what-like the friend, is likely to turn out. I am generally short and sweet — or short and sour, according as it may be and as opinions vary —’ remarked Miss Abbey, ‘and that’s about all I have got to say, and enough too.’
But before the shrub and water was sipped75 out, Miss Abbey bethought herself that she would like to keep a copy of the paper by her. ‘It’s not long, sir,’ said she to Riah, ‘and perhaps you wouldn’t mind just jotting76 it down.’ The old man willingly put on his spectacles, and, standing28 at the little desk in the corner where Miss Abbey filed her receipts and kept her sample phials (customers’ scores were interdicted77 by the strict administration of the Porters), wrote out the copy in a fair round character. As he stood there, doing his methodical penmanship, his ancient scribelike figure intent upon the work, and the little dolls’ dressmaker sitting in her golden bower before the fire, Miss Abbey had her doubts whether she had not dreamed those two rare figures into the bar of the Six Jolly Fellowships, and might not wake with a nod next moment and find them gone.
Miss Abbey had twice made the experiment of shutting her eyes and opening them again, still finding the figures there, when, dreamlike, a confused hubbub78 arose in the public room. As she started up, and they all three looked at one another, it became a noise of clamouring voices and of the stir of feet; then all the windows were heard to be hastily thrown up, and shouts and cries came floating into the house from the river. A moment more, and Bob Gliddery came clattering79 along the passage, with the noise of all the nails in his boots condensed into every separate nail.
‘What is it?’ asked Miss Abbey.
‘It’s summut run down in the fog, ma’am,’ answered Bob. ‘There’s ever so many people in the river.’
‘Tell ‘em to put on all the kettles!’ cried Miss Abbey. ‘See that the boiler’s full. Get a bath out. Hang some blankets to the fire. Heat some stone bottles. Have your senses about you, you girls down stairs, and use ‘em.’
While Miss Abbey partly delivered these directions to Bob — whom she seized by the hair, and whose head she knocked against the wall, as a general injunction to vigilance and presence of mind — and partly hailed the kitchen with them — the company in the public room, jostling one another, rushed out to the causeway, and the outer noise increased.
‘Come and look,’ said Miss Abbey to her visitors. They all three hurried to the vacated public room, and passed by one of the windows into the wooden verandah overhanging the river.
‘Does anybody down there know what has happened?’ demanded Miss Abbey, in her voice of authority.
‘It’s a steamer, Miss Abbey,’ cried one blurred80 figure in the fog.
‘It always IS a steamer, Miss Abbey,’ cried another.
‘Them’s her lights, Miss Abbey, wot you see a-blinking yonder,’ cried another.
‘She’s a-blowing off her steam, Miss Abbey, and that’s what makes the fog and the noise worse, don’t you see?’ explained another.
Boats were putting off, torches were lighting81 up, people were rushing tumultuously to the water’s edge. Some man fell in with a splash, and was pulled out again with a roar of laughter. The drags were called for. A cry for the life-buoy passed from mouth to mouth. It was impossible to make out what was going on upon the river, for every boat that put off sculled into the fog and was lost to view at a boat’s length. Nothing was clear but that the unpopular steamer was assailed82 with reproaches on all sides. She was the Murderer, bound for Gallows83 Bay; she was the Manslaughterer, bound for Penal84 Settlement; her captain ought to be tried for his life; her crew ran down men in row-boats with a relish85; she mashed86 up Thames lightermen with her paddles; she fired property with her funnels87; she always was, and she always would be, wreaking88 destruction upon somebody or something, after the manner of all her kind. The whole bulk of the fog teemed89 with such taunts90, uttered in tones of universal hoarseness91. All the while, the steamer’s lights moved spectrally92 a very little, as she layto, waiting the upshot of whatever accident had happened. Now, she began burning blue-lights. These made a luminous93 patch about her, as if she had set the fog on fire, and in the patch — the cries changing their note, and becoming more fitful and more excited — shadows of men and boats could be seen moving, while voices shouted: ‘There!’ ‘There again!’ ‘A couple more strokes ahead!’ ‘Hurrah!’ ‘Look out!’ ‘Hold on!’ ‘Haul in!’ and the like. Lastly, with a few tumbling clots94 of blue fire, the night closed in dark again, the wheels of the steamer were heard revolving95, and her lights glided96 smoothly97 away in the direction of the sea.
It appeared to Miss Abbey and her two companions that a considerable time had been thus occupied. There was now as eager a set towards the shore beneath the house as there had been from it; and it was only on the first boat of the rush coming in that it was known what had occurred.
‘If that’s Tom Tootle,’ Miss Abbey made proclamation, in her most commanding tones, ‘let him instantly come underneath98 here.’
The submissive Tom complied, attended by a crowd.
‘What is it, Tootle?’ demanded Miss Abbey.
‘It’s a foreign steamer, miss, run down a wherry.’
‘How many in the wherry?’
‘One man, Miss Abbey.’
‘Found?’
‘Yes. He’s been under water a long time, Miss; but they’ve grappled up the body.’
‘Let ‘em bring it here. You, Bob Gliddery, shut the house-door and stand by it on the inside, and don’t you open till I tell you. Any police down there?’
‘Here, Miss Abbey,’ was official rejoinder.
‘After they have brought the body in, keep the crowd out, will you? And help Bob Gliddery to shut ‘em out.’
‘All right, Miss Abbey.’
The autocratic landlady99 withdrew into the house with Riah and Miss Jenny, and disposed those forces, one on either side of her, within the half-door of the bar, as behind a breastwork.
‘You two stand close here,’ said Miss Abbey, ‘and you’ll come to no hurt, and see it brought in. Bob, you stand by the door.’
That sentinel, smartly giving his rolled shirt-sleeves an extra and a final tuck on his shoulders, obeyed.
Sound of advancing voices, sound of advancing steps. Shuffle100 and talk without. Momentary101 pause. Two peculiarly blunt knocks or pokes102 at the door, as if the dead man arriving on his back were striking at it with the soles of his motionless feet.
‘That’s the stretcher, or the shutter103, whichever of the two they are carrying,’ said Miss Abbey, with experienced ear. ‘Open, you Bob!’
Door opened. Heavy tread of laden104 men. A halt. A rush. Stoppage of rush. Door shut. Baffled boots from the vexed105 souls of disappointed outsiders.
‘Come on, men!’ said Miss Abbey; for so potent106 was she with her subjects that even then the bearers awaited her permission. ‘First floor.’
The entry being low, and the staircase being low, they so took up the burden they had set down, as to carry that low. The recumbent figure, in passing, lay hardly as high as the half door.
Miss Abbey started back at sight of it. ‘Why, good God!’ said she, turning to her two companions, ‘that’s the very man who made the declaration we have just had in our hands. That’s Riderhood!’
点击收听单词发音
1 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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2 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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3 axe | |
n.斧子;v.用斧头砍,削减 | |
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4 wading | |
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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5 waded | |
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6 wren | |
n.鹪鹩;英国皇家海军女子服务队成员 | |
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7 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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8 cinders | |
n.煤渣( cinder的名词复数 );炭渣;煤渣路;煤渣跑道 | |
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9 bonnet | |
n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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10 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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11 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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12 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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13 ply | |
v.(搬运工等)等候顾客,弯曲 | |
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14 awfully | |
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地 | |
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15 plodding | |
a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
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16 approbation | |
n.称赞;认可 | |
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17 benevolent | |
adj.仁慈的,乐善好施的 | |
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18 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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19 compassionately | |
adv.表示怜悯地,有同情心地 | |
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20 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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21 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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22 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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23 hatchet | |
n.短柄小斧;v.扼杀 | |
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24 quaint | |
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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25 hitch | |
v.免费搭(车旅行);系住;急提;n.故障;急拉 | |
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26 conversing | |
v.交谈,谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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27 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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28 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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29 scud | |
n.疾行;v.疾行 | |
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30 baste | |
v.殴打,公开责骂 | |
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31 scudding | |
n.刮面v.(尤指船、舰或云彩)笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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32 doorway | |
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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33 poked | |
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交 | |
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34 cape | |
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
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35 basted | |
v.打( baste的过去式和过去分词 );粗缝;痛斥;(烤肉等时)往上抹[浇]油 | |
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36 plodded | |
v.沉重缓慢地走(路)( plod的过去式和过去分词 );努力从事;沉闷地苦干;缓慢进行(尤指艰难枯燥的工作) | |
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37 tavern | |
n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店 | |
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38 dominions | |
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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39 snug | |
adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房 | |
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40 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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41 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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42 undertaking | |
n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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43 asperity | |
n.粗鲁,艰苦 | |
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44 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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45 entreat | |
v.恳求,恳请 | |
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46 courteous | |
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的 | |
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47 avocation | |
n.副业,业余爱好 | |
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48 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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49 diminutive | |
adj.小巧可爱的,小的 | |
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50 concisely | |
adv.简明地 | |
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51 dexterously | |
adv.巧妙地,敏捷地 | |
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52 softening | |
变软,软化 | |
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53 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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54 elicit | |
v.引出,抽出,引起 | |
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55 shrub | |
n.灌木,灌木丛 | |
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56 wigs | |
n.假发,法官帽( wig的名词复数 ) | |
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57 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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58 untied | |
松开,解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 ); 解除,使自由; 解决 | |
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59 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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60 beckoned | |
v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61 niche | |
n.壁龛;合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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62 bower | |
n.凉亭,树荫下凉快之处;闺房;v.荫蔽 | |
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63 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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64 judicious | |
adj.明智的,明断的,能作出明智决定的 | |
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65 skilful | |
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的 | |
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66 eyebrows | |
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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67 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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68 expressive | |
adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的 | |
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69 emphatic | |
adj.强调的,着重的;无可置疑的,明显的 | |
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70 sip | |
v.小口地喝,抿,呷;n.一小口的量 | |
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71 rogue | |
n.流氓;v.游手好闲 | |
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72 villain | |
n.反派演员,反面人物;恶棍;问题的起因 | |
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73 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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74 undone | |
a.未做完的,未完成的 | |
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75 sipped | |
v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76 jotting | |
n.简短的笔记,略记v.匆忙记下( jot的现在分词 );草草记下,匆匆记下 | |
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77 interdicted | |
v.禁止(行动)( interdict的过去式和过去分词 );禁用;限制 | |
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78 hubbub | |
n.嘈杂;骚乱 | |
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79 clattering | |
发出咔哒声(clatter的现在分词形式) | |
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80 blurred | |
v.(使)变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 );(使)难以区分;模模糊糊;迷离 | |
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81 lighting | |
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光 | |
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82 assailed | |
v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对 | |
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83 gallows | |
n.绞刑架,绞台 | |
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84 penal | |
adj.刑罚的;刑法上的 | |
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85 relish | |
n.滋味,享受,爱好,调味品;vt.加调味料,享受,品味;vi.有滋味 | |
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86 mashed | |
a.捣烂的 | |
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87 funnels | |
漏斗( funnel的名词复数 ); (轮船,火车等的)烟囱 | |
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88 wreaking | |
诉诸(武力),施行(暴力),发(脾气)( wreak的现在分词 ) | |
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89 teemed | |
v.充满( teem的过去式和过去分词 );到处都是;(指水、雨等)暴降;倾注 | |
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90 taunts | |
嘲弄的言语,嘲笑,奚落( taunt的名词复数 ) | |
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91 hoarseness | |
n.嘶哑, 刺耳 | |
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92 spectrally | |
adv.幽灵似地,可怕地 | |
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93 luminous | |
adj.发光的,发亮的;光明的;明白易懂的;有启发的 | |
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94 clots | |
n.凝块( clot的名词复数 );血块;蠢人;傻瓜v.凝固( clot的第三人称单数 ) | |
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95 revolving | |
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想 | |
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96 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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97 smoothly | |
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地 | |
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98 underneath | |
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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99 landlady | |
n.女房东,女地主 | |
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100 shuffle | |
n.拖著脚走,洗纸牌;v.拖曳,慢吞吞地走 | |
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101 momentary | |
adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的 | |
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102 pokes | |
v.伸出( poke的第三人称单数 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交 | |
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103 shutter | |
n.百叶窗;(照相机)快门;关闭装置 | |
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104 laden | |
adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
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105 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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106 potent | |
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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