“I was present,” continued the pilot, “when the brave Scot was put on the raft, which carried him through the Traitor13’s Gate into the Tower. His hands and feet were bound with iron; but his head, owing to faintness from the wounds he had received at Lumloch, was so bent14 down on his breast as he reclined on the float, that I could not then see his face. There was a great pause, for none of us, when he did appear in sight, could shout over the downfall of so merciful a conqueror15. Many were spectators of this scene whose lives he had spared on the fields of Scotland; and my brother was amongst them. However, that I might have a distinct view of the man who has so long held our warlike monarch16 in dread17, I went to Westminster Hall on the day appointed for his trial. The great judges of the land, and almost all the lords besides were there, and a very grand spectacle they made. But when the hall-door was opened, and the dauntless prisoner appeared, then it was that I saw true majesty18. King Edward on his throne never looked with such a royal air. His very chains seemed given to be graced by him as he moved through the parting crowd with the step of one who had been used to have all his accusers at his feet. Though pale with loss of blood, and his countenance20 bore traces of the suffering occasioned by the state of his yet unhealed wounds, his head was now erect21, and he looked with undisturbed dignity on all around. The Earl of Gloucester, whose life and liberty he had granted at Berwick, sat on the right of the lord chancellor22. Bishop23 Beck, the Lords de Valence and Soulis, with one Monteith (who it seems was the man that betrayed him into our hands), charged him with high treason against the life of King Edward and the peace of his majesty’s realms of England and Scotland. Grievous were the accusations24 brought against him, and bitter the revilings with which he was denounced as a traitor too mischievous25 to deserve any show of mercy. The Earl of Gloucester at last rose indignantly, and in energetic and respectful terms, called on Sir William Wallace, by the reverence26 in which he held the tribunal of future ages, to answer for himself!
“‘On this adjuration27, brave earl!’ replied he, ‘I will speak!’ O! men of Scotland, what a voice was that! In it was all honesty and nobleness! and a murmur29 arose from some who feared its power, which Gloucester was obliged to check by exclaiming aloud with a stern voice; ‘Silence, while Sir William Wallace answers. He who disobeys, sergeant-at-arms, take into custody30!’ A pause succeeded, and the chieftain, with god-like majesty of truth, denied the possibility of being a traitor where he never had owed allegiance. But with a matchless fearlessness, he avowed31 the facts alleged32 against him, which told the havoc33 he had made of the English on the Scottish plains, and the devastations he had afterward34 wrought35 in the lands of England. ‘It was a son,’ cried he, ‘defending the orphans36 of his father from the steel and rapine of a treacherous37 friend! It was the sword of restitution38 gathering39 on that false friend’s fields the harvests he had ravaged40 from theirs!’ He spoke more and nobly — too nobly for them who heard him. They rose to a man to silence what they could not confute; and the sentence of death was pronounced on him — the cruel death of a traitor! The Earl of Gloucester turned pale on his seat, but the countenance of Wallace was unmoved. As he was led forth41, I followed, and of Wallace was unmoved. As he was led forth, I followed, and saw the young Le de Spencer, with several other reprobate42 gallants of our court, ready to receive him. With shameful43 mockery they flew laurels44 on his head, and with torrents45 of derision, told him, it was meet they should so salute46 the champion of Scotland! Wallace glanced on them a look which spoke pity rather than contempt, and, with a serene47 countenance, he followed the warden48 toward the Tower. The hirelings of his accusers loaded him with invectives as he passed along; but the populace who beheld49 his noble mien50, with those individuals who had heard of — while many had felt — his generous virtues51, deplored52 and wept his sentence. To-morrow at sunrise he dies.”
Helen’s face being overshadowed by the low brim of her hat, the agony of her mind could not have been read in her countenance had the good Southron been sufficiently53 uninterested in his story to regard the sympathy of others; but as soon as he had uttered the last dreadful words, “To-morrow at sunrise he dies!” she started from her seat; her horror-struck senses apprehended54 nothing further, and turning to the Norwegian, “Captain,” cried she, “I must reach the Tower this night!”
“Impossible!” was the reply: “the tide will not take us up till to-morrow at noon.”
“Then the waves shall!” cried she, and frantically55 rushing toward the ship’s side, she would have thrown herself into the water, had not the pilot caught her arm.
“Boy!” said he, “are you mad? your action, your looks —”
“No,” interrupted she, wringing57 her hands; “but in the Tower I must be this night, or — Oh! God of mercy, end my misery58!”
The unutterable anguish59 of her voice, countenance, and gesture excited a suspicion in the Englishman, that this youth was connected with the Scottish chief; and not choosing to hint his surmise60 to the unfeeling Norwegian, in a different tone he exhorted61 Helen to composure, and offered her his own boat, which was then towed at the side of the vessel, to take her to the Tower. Helen grasped the pilot’s rough hand, and in a paroxysm of gratitude62 pressed it to her lips; then forgetful of her engagements with the insensible man who stood unmoved by his side, sprung into the boat. The Norwegian followed her, and in a threatening tone demanded his hire. She now recollected63 it, and putting her hand into her vest, gave him the string of pearls which had been her necklace. He was satisfied, and the boat pushed off.
The cross, the cherished memorial of her hallowed meeting with Wallace in the chapel64 of Snawdoun, and which always hung suspended on her bosom, was now in her hand and pressed close to her heart. The rowers plied28 their oars65, and her eyes, with a gaze as if they would pierce the horizon, looked intently onward66, while the men labored67 through the tide. Even to see the walls which contained Wallace, seemed to promise her a degree of comfort she dared hardly hope herself to enjoy. At last the awful battlements of England’s state prison rose before her. She could not mistake them. “That is the Tower,” said one of the rowers. A shriek68 escaped her, and instantly covering her face with her hands, she tried to shut from her sight those very walls she had so long sought amongst the clouds. They imprisoned69 Wallace! He groaned70 within their confines! and their presence paralyzed her heart.
“Shall I die before I reach thee, Wallace?” was the question her almost flitting soul uttered, as she, trembling, yet with swift steps, ascended71 the stone stairs which led from the water’s edge to the entrance to the Tower. She flew through the different courts to the one in which stood the prison of Wallace. One of the boatmen, being bargeman to the Governor of the Tower, as a privileged person, conducted her unmolested through every ward19 till she reached the place of her destination. There she dismissed him with a ring from her finger as his reward; and passing a body of soldiers, who kept guard before a large porch that led to the dungeons73, she entered, and found herself in an immense paved room. A single sentinel stood at the end near to an iron grating, or small portcullis; there, then, was Wallace! Forgetting her disguise and situation, in the frantic56 eagerness of her pursuit, she hastily advanced to the man:
“Let me pass to Sir William Wallace,” cried she, “and treasures shall be your reward.”
“Whose treasures, my pretty page?” demanded the soldier; “I dare not, were it at the suit of the Countess of Gloucester herself.”
“Oh!” cried Helen, “for the sake of a greater than any countess in the land, take this jeweled bracelet74, and let me pass!”
The man, misapprehending the words of this adjuration, at sight of the diamonds, supposing the page must come from the good queen, no longer demurred75. Putting the bracelet into his bosom, he whispered Helen, that as he granted this permission at the risk of his life, she must conceal76 herself in the interior chamber77 of the prisoner’s dungeon72 should any person from the warden visit him during their interview. She readily promised this; and he informed her that, when through this door, she must cross two other apartments, the bolts to the entrances of which she must undraw; and then, at the extremity78 of a long passage, a door, fastened by a latch79, would admit her to Sir William Wallace. With these words, the soldier removed the massy bars, and Helen entered.

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收听单词发音

1
embarked
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乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 ); 装载; 从事 | |
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2
bosom
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n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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3
vessel
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n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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4
majestic
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adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
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diverging
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分开( diverge的现在分词 ); 偏离; 分歧; 分道扬镳 | |
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6
dome
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n.圆屋顶,拱顶 | |
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spoke
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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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8
trumpet
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n.喇叭,喇叭声;v.吹喇叭,吹嘘 | |
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recital
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n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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10
renowned
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adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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patriotism
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n.爱国精神,爱国心,爱国主义 | |
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affected
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adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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traitor
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n.叛徒,卖国贼 | |
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bent
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n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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15
conqueror
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n.征服者,胜利者 | |
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monarch
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n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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dread
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vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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18
majesty
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n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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19
ward
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n.守卫,监护,病房,行政区,由监护人或法院保护的人(尤指儿童);vt.守护,躲开 | |
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20
countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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21
erect
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n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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chancellor
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n.(英)大臣;法官;(德、奥)总理;大学校长 | |
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23
bishop
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n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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accusations
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n.指责( accusation的名词复数 );指控;控告;(被告发、控告的)罪名 | |
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mischievous
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adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的 | |
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reverence
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n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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adjuration
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n.祈求,命令 | |
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plied
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v.使用(工具)( ply的过去式和过去分词 );经常供应(食物、饮料);固定往来;经营生意 | |
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29
murmur
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n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
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30
custody
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n.监护,照看,羁押,拘留 | |
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31
avowed
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adj.公开声明的,承认的v.公开声明,承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
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alleged
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a.被指控的,嫌疑的 | |
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havoc
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n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
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afterward
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adv.后来;以后 | |
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wrought
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v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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36
orphans
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孤儿( orphan的名词复数 ) | |
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37
treacherous
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adj.不可靠的,有暗藏的危险的;adj.背叛的,背信弃义的 | |
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restitution
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n.赔偿;恢复原状 | |
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gathering
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n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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ravaged
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毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 ); 蹂躏; 劫掠; 抢劫 | |
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41
forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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42
reprobate
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n.无赖汉;堕落的人 | |
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43
shameful
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adj.可耻的,不道德的 | |
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laurels
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n.桂冠,荣誉 | |
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torrents
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n.倾注;奔流( torrent的名词复数 );急流;爆发;连续不断 | |
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46
salute
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vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮 | |
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47
serene
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adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的 | |
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48
warden
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n.监察员,监狱长,看守人,监护人 | |
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49
beheld
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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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50
mien
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n.风采;态度 | |
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51
virtues
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美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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52
deplored
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v.悲叹,痛惜,强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
sufficiently
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adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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54
apprehended
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逮捕,拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 ); 理解 | |
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55
frantically
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ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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56
frantic
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adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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57
wringing
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淋湿的,湿透的 | |
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58
misery
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n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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59
anguish
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n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼 | |
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60
surmise
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v./n.猜想,推测 | |
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61
exhorted
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v.劝告,劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
gratitude
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adj.感激,感谢 | |
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63
recollected
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adj.冷静的;镇定的;被回忆起的;沉思默想的v.记起,想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
chapel
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n.小教堂,殡仪馆 | |
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65
oars
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n.桨,橹( oar的名词复数 );划手v.划(行)( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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66
onward
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adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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67
labored
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adj.吃力的,谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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68
shriek
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v./n.尖叫,叫喊 | |
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69
imprisoned
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下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
groaned
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v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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71
ascended
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v.上升,攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
dungeon
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n.地牢,土牢 | |
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73
dungeons
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n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
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74
bracelet
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n.手镯,臂镯 | |
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75
demurred
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v.表示异议,反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
conceal
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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77
chamber
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n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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extremity
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n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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latch
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n.门闩,窗闩;弹簧锁 | |
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