Pleasant Truro! At last we regain1 the territories of civility and civilization! Here is the honest little English inn, with its cheerful dining-room, its clean spread, its abundant dishes, its glass of ripe ale, its pleased alacrity2 of service. After our long ride from West River, we enjoy the best inn's best room, the ease, the comfort, and the fair aspect of one of the prettiest towns in the province. Truro is situated3 on the head waters of the Basin of Minas, or Cobequid Bay, as it is denominated on the map, between the Shubenacadie and Salmon4 rivers. Here we are within fifty miles of the idyllic5 land, the pastoral meadows of Grand-Pré! But, alas6! there is yet a long ride before us; the path from Truro to Grand-Pré being in the shape of an acute angle, of which Halifax is the[Pg 225] apex7. As yet there is no direct road from place to place, but by the shores of the Basin of Minas. Let us look, however, at pleasant Truro.
One of the striking features of this part of the country is the peculiarity8 of the rivers; these are full or empty, with every flux10 and reflux of the tide; for instance, when we crossed the Salmon, we saw only a high, broad, muddy ditch, drained to the very bottom. This is owing to the ocean tides, which, sweeping11 up the Bay of Fundy, pour into the Basin of Minas, and fill all its tributary12 streams; then, with prodigal13 reaction, sweeping forth14 again, leave only the vacant channels of the rivers—if they may be called by that name. This peculiar9 feature of hydrography is of course local—limited to this section of the province—indeed if it be not to this corner of the world. The country surrounding the village is well cultivated, diversified15 with rolling hill and dale, and although I had not the opportunity of seeing much of it, yet the mere16 description of its natural scenery was sufficiently17 tempting18. Here, too, I saw something that reminded me of home—a clump19 of cedar-trees! These of course were exotics, brought, not without expense, from the States, planted in the courtyard of a little aristocratic cottage, and protected in winter by warm over-coats of wheat straw.[Pg 226] So we go! Here they grub up larches20 and spruces to plant cedars21.
The mail coach was soon at the door of our inn, and after taking leave of my fellow-traveller with the big hat, I engaged a seat on the stage-box beside Jeangros, a French Canadian, or Canuck—one of the best whips on the line. Jeangros is not a great portly fellow, as his name would seem to indicate, but a spare, small man—nevertheless with an air of great courage and command. Jeangros touched up the leaders, the mail-coach rattled22 through the street of the town, and off we trotted23 from Truro into the pleasant road that leads to Halifax.
One thing I observed in the province especially worthy24 of imitation—the old English practice of turning to the left in driving, instead of to the right, as we do. Let me exhibit the merits of the respective systems by a brief diagram. By the English system they drive thus:
English system of driving on the left.
The arrows represent the drivers, as well as the directions of the vehicles; of course when two[Pg 227] vehicles, coming in opposite directions, pass each other on the road, each driver is nearest the point of contact, and can see readily, and provide against accidents. Now contrast our system with the former:
American system of driving on the right.
no wonder we have so many collisions.
"The rule of the road is a paradox25 quite,
In driving your carriage along,
If you keep to the left, you are sure to go right,
If you keep to the right, you go wrong."
It would be a good thing if our present senseless laws were reversed in this matter, and a few lives saved, and a few broken limbs prevented.
When I took leave of my native country for a short sojourn26 in this province, the great question then before the public was the invasion of international law, by the British minister and a whole solar system of British consuls27. I had the pleasure of being a fellow exile on the Canada with Mr. Crampton, Mr. Barclay, and Mr. ——, Her British Majesty28's representatives, and of course felt no little interest to know the fate of the Foreign Legion.[Pg 228]
Before I left Halifax, I learned some particulars of that famous flock of jail birds. All that we knew, at home, was that a number of recruits for the Crimea had been picked up in the streets and alleys29 of Columbia, and carried, at an enormous expense, to Halifax, there to be enrolled30. And also, that as a mere cover to this infraction31 of the law of Neutrality, the men were engaged as laborers32, to work upon the public improvements of Nova Scotia. The sequel of that enterprise remained to be told. A majority of these recruits were Irishmen—some of them not wanting in the mother wit of the race. So when they were gathered in the great province building at Halifax, and Sir John Gaspard le Marchant, in chapeau, feather and sword, came down to review his levies33, with great spirit and military pomp, "Well, my men," said he, "you are here to enlist34, eh, and serve Her Majesty?" To which the spokesman of the Foreign Legion, fully35 understanding the beauty of his position, replied, with a sly twinkle of the eye, "We didn't engage to 'list at all, at all, but to wurruk on the railroad." Upon which Sir John Gaspard, seeing that Her Majesty had been imposed upon, politely told the legion to go to——Dante's Inferno36.
Now whether the place to which the Foreign Legion was consigned37 by Sir John Gaspard, pos[Pg 229]sessed even less attractions than Halifax, or from whatever reason soever, it chanced that the jolly boys, raked from our alleys and jails, never stirred a foot out of the province; and while the peace of the whole world was endangered by their abduction, as that of Greece and Troy had been by the rape38 of Helen, they were quietly enlisting39 in less warlike expeditions—in fact, engaging themselves to work upon that great railroad, of which mention has been made heretofore.
Now we have seen something of the clannish40 propensities41 of the people of the colonies, and the contractors42 knew what sort of material they had to deal with. And, inasmuch as there was a pretty large group of five-shilling Highlandmen, grading, levelling, and filling in one end of a section of the road, the gang of Irishmen was placed at the opposite end, as far from them as possible, which no doubt would have preserved peaceful relations between the two, but for the fact, that as the work progressed the hostile forces naturally approached each other. It was towards the close of a summer evening, that the ground was broken by the gentlemen of the shamrock, within sight of the shanties43 decorated with the honorable order of the thistle. A lovely evening in the month of June! Not with spumy cannon44 and prickly bayo[Pg 230]nets, but with peaceful spade and mattock, advanced the sons of St. Patrick towards the children of a sister isle45. Then did Roderick Dhu step forth from his shanty46, and inquire, in choice Gaelic, if a person named Brian Borheime was in the ranks of the approaching forces. Then then did Brian Borheime advance, spade in hand, and with a single spat47 of his implement48 level Roderick, as though he had been a piece of turf. Then was Brian flattened49 out by the spade of Vich Ian Vohr; and Vich Ian Vohr, by the spade of Captain Rock. Then fell Captain Rock by the spade of Rob Roy; and Rob Roy smelt50 the earth under the spade of Handy Andy. In a word, the fight became general—the bagpipe51 blew to arms—Celt joined Celt, there was the tug52 of war; but the sun set upon the lowered standard of the thistle, and victory proclaimed Shamrock the conqueror53. Several of the natives were left for dead upon the field of battle, the triumphant54 Irish ran away, to a man, to avoid the consequences, and I blush to say it, as I do to record any act of heartless ingratitude55, handbills were speedily posted up by the order of government, offering a reward of ten pounds apiece for the capture of certain members of the Foreign Legion, who had been the ringleaders in the riot, which handbill was not only signed by that seducer[Pg 231] of soldiers, Sir John Gaspard le Marchant, but also ornamented56 with the horn of the unicorn57 and the claws of the British lion.
But there is a Nemesis58 even in Nova Scotia, for this riot produced effects, unwonted and unlooked for. One of the prominent leaders in the Nova Scotia Parliament, a gentleman distinguished59 both as an orator60 and as a poet—the Hon. Joseph Howe, who had signalized himself as an advocate of the right of Her Majesty to recruit for the Crimea in the streets of Columbia, and was ready to pit the British Lion against the American Eagle in support of that right, fell by the very legion he had been so zealous61 to create. The Hon. Joseph Howe, M. P., by the support of the Irish population, could always command a popular majority and keep his seat in the house, so long as he maintained his loyalty62 to this votive class of citizens. But, unfortunately, Hon. Joseph Howe, in alluding63 to the riot, took the Scotch64 side of the broil65. This was sufficient. At the election following he was a defeated candidate, and politely advised to retire to private life. Thus was the Hon. J. H. "hoist66 by his own petard," the first man to fall by this expensive military company.
An adventure upon the Shubenacadie brought one of these heroes into prominent relief. After[Pg 232] we had parted from pleasant Truro, at every nook and corner of the road, there seemed to be a passenger waiting for the Halifax coach. So that the top of the vehicle was soon filled with dusty fellow-travellers, and Jeangros was getting to be a little impatient. Just as we turned into the densest67 part of the forest, where the evening sun was most obscured by the close foliage68, we saw two men, one decorated with a pair of handcuffs, and the other armed with a brace69 of pistols. The latter hailed the coach.
"What d'ye want?" quoth Jeangros, drawing up by the roadside.
"Government prisoner," said the man with the pistols.
"What the —— is government prisoner to me?" quoth Jeangros.
"I want to take him to Dartmouth," said the tall policeman.
"Then take him there," said our jolly driver, shaking up the leaders.
"Hold up," shouted out the tall policeman, "I will pay his fare."
"Why didn't you say so, then?" replied Jeangros, full of the dignity of his position as driver of H. B. M. Mail-coach, before whose tin horn everything must get out of the way.[Pg 233]
There was a doubt which was the drunkenest, the officer or the prisoner. We found out afterwards that the officer had conciliated his captive with drink, partly to keep him friendly in case of an attempted rescue, and partly to get him in such a state that running away would be impracticable. And, indeed, there would have been a great race if the prisoner had attempted to escape. The prisoner too drunk to run—the officer too drunk to pursue.
The pair had scarcely crawled up among the luggage upon the stage-top, before there was an outcry from the passengers on the box in front—"Uncock your pistols! uncock your pistols!" for the officer had dropped his fire-arms, cocked and capped, upon the top of our coach, with the muzzles70 pointed71 towards us. And indeed I may affirm here, that I never saw metallic72 cylinders73 with more menacing aspect, than those which lay quietly behind us, ready to explode—unconscious instruments as they were—and carry any of the party into the next world upon the slightest lurch74 of the stage-coach.
"Uncock your pistols," said the passengers.
But the officer, in the mellifluous75 dialect of his mother country, replied that "He'd be —— if he would. Me prishner," said he, "me prishner[Pg 234] might escape; or, the divil knows but there might be a rescue come to him, for there's a good many of the same hereabouts."
It struck me that no person upon the top of the stage-coach was so particularly interested in this dispute as the member of the Foreign Legion, who was on his way either to the gallows76 or a perpetual prison. I observed that he nervously77 twitched78 at his handcuffs, perhaps—as I thought—to prepare for escape in case of an explosion; or else to be ready for the rescue; or else to take advantage of his captor, the tall policeman—jump from the stage, and run for dear life and liberty. Never was I more mistaken. True to his race, and to tradition, Pat was only striving to free himself from the leather shackles79, in order to fight any man who was an enemy to his friend the policeman, and the pistols, that were cocked to shoot himself. But had not poor Paddy made such blunders in all times? The hubbub80 increased, a terrific contest was impending81; the travellers below poked82 their heads out of the windows; there was every prospect83 of a catastrophe84 of some kind, when suddenly Jeangros rose to his feet, and said, in a voice clear and sharp through the tumult85 as an electric flash through a storm, "Uncock those pistols, or I will throw you from the top of the coach!"[Pg 235]
There was a pause instantly, and we heard the sharp click of the cocks, as they were lowered in obedience86 to the little stage-driver. It had a wonderful power of command, that voice—soft and clear, but brief, decisive, authoritative87.
It is quite interesting to ride fellow-passenger with a person who has played a part in the national drama, but more villainous face I never saw. Mr. Crampton, with whom I sailed on the Canada, had a much more amiable88 expression; indeed I think we should all be obliged to him for ridding us of at least a portion of his fellow-countrymen.
But now we ride by the Shubenacadie lakes, a chain—a bracelet—binding the province from the Basin of Minas to the seaboard. The eye never tires of this lovely feature of Acadia. Lake above lake—the division, the isthmus89 between, not wider than the breadth of your India shawl, my lady! I must declare that, all in all, the scenery of the province is surpassingly beautiful. As you ride by these sparkling waters, through the flowery, bowery, woods, you feel as if you like to pitch tent here—at least for the summer.
And now we approach a rustic90 inn by the roadside, rich in shrubbery before it, and green moss91 from ridge-pole to low drooping92 eaves, where we[Pg 236] change horses. And as we rest here upon the wooden inn-porch, dismounted from our high perch93 on the stage-coach, we see right above us against the clear evening sky, Her Majesty's ci-devant partisan94, now prisoner—by merit raised to that bad eminence95. The officer hands him a glass of brandy, to keep up his spirits. The prisoner takes it, and, lifting the glass high in air, shouts out with the exultation96 of a fiend:
"Here's to the hinges of liberty—may they never want oil,
Nor an Orangeman's bones in a pot for to boil."
Once more upon the stage to Dartmouth, where we deposit our precious fellow-travellers, and then to the ferry, and look you! across the harbor, the twinkling lights of dear old mouldy Halifax. And now we are crossing Chebucto, and the cab carries us again to our former quarters in the Hotel Waverley.
点击收听单词发音
1 regain | |
vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 | |
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2 alacrity | |
n.敏捷,轻快,乐意 | |
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3 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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4 salmon | |
n.鲑,大马哈鱼,橙红色的 | |
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5 idyllic | |
adj.质朴宜人的,田园风光的 | |
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6 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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7 apex | |
n.顶点,最高点 | |
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8 peculiarity | |
n.独特性,特色;特殊的东西;怪癖 | |
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9 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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10 flux | |
n.流动;不断的改变 | |
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11 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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12 tributary | |
n.支流;纳贡国;adj.附庸的;辅助的;支流的 | |
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13 prodigal | |
adj.浪费的,挥霍的,放荡的 | |
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14 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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15 diversified | |
adj.多样化的,多种经营的v.使多样化,多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 );进入新的商业领域 | |
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16 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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17 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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18 tempting | |
a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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19 clump | |
n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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20 larches | |
n.落叶松(木材)( larch的名词复数 ) | |
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21 cedars | |
雪松,西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 ) | |
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22 rattled | |
慌乱的,恼火的 | |
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23 trotted | |
小跑,急走( trot的过去分词 ); 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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24 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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25 paradox | |
n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法;自相矛盾的人(物) | |
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26 sojourn | |
v./n.旅居,寄居;逗留 | |
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27 consuls | |
领事( consul的名词复数 ); (古罗马共和国时期)执政官 (古罗马共和国及其军队的最高首长,同时共有两位,每年选举一次) | |
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28 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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29 alleys | |
胡同,小巷( alley的名词复数 ); 小径 | |
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30 enrolled | |
adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 );登记,招收,使入伍(或入会、入学等),参加,成为成员;记入名册;卷起,包起 | |
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31 infraction | |
n.违反;违法 | |
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32 laborers | |
n.体力劳动者,工人( laborer的名词复数 );(熟练工人的)辅助工 | |
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33 levies | |
(部队)征兵( levy的名词复数 ); 募捐; 被征募的军队 | |
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34 enlist | |
vt.谋取(支持等),赢得;征募;vi.入伍 | |
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35 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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36 inferno | |
n.火海;地狱般的场所 | |
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37 consigned | |
v.把…置于(令人不快的境地)( consign的过去式和过去分词 );把…托付给;把…托人代售;丟弃 | |
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38 rape | |
n.抢夺,掠夺,强奸;vt.掠夺,抢夺,强奸 | |
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39 enlisting | |
v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的现在分词 );获得(帮助或支持) | |
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40 clannish | |
adj.排他的,门户之见的 | |
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41 propensities | |
n.倾向,习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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42 contractors | |
n.(建筑、监造中的)承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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43 shanties | |
n.简陋的小木屋( shanty的名词复数 );铁皮棚屋;船工号子;船歌 | |
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44 cannon | |
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
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45 isle | |
n.小岛,岛 | |
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46 shanty | |
n.小屋,棚屋;船工号子 | |
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47 spat | |
n.口角,掌击;v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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48 implement | |
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行 | |
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49 flattened | |
[医](水)平扁的,弄平的 | |
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50 smelt | |
v.熔解,熔炼;n.银白鱼,胡瓜鱼 | |
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51 bagpipe | |
n.风笛 | |
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52 tug | |
v.用力拖(或拉);苦干;n.拖;苦干;拖船 | |
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53 conqueror | |
n.征服者,胜利者 | |
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54 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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55 ingratitude | |
n.忘恩负义 | |
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56 ornamented | |
adj.花式字体的v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57 unicorn | |
n.(传说中的)独角兽 | |
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58 nemesis | |
n.给以报应者,复仇者,难以对付的敌手 | |
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59 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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60 orator | |
n.演说者,演讲者,雄辩家 | |
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61 zealous | |
adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
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62 loyalty | |
n.忠诚,忠心 | |
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63 alluding | |
提及,暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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64 scotch | |
n.伤口,刻痕;苏格兰威士忌酒;v.粉碎,消灭,阻止;adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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65 broil | |
v.烤,烧,争吵,怒骂;n.烤,烧,争吵,怒骂 | |
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66 hoist | |
n.升高,起重机,推动;v.升起,升高,举起 | |
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67 densest | |
密集的( dense的最高级 ); 密度大的; 愚笨的; (信息量大得)难理解的 | |
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68 foliage | |
n.叶子,树叶,簇叶 | |
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69 brace | |
n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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70 muzzles | |
枪口( muzzle的名词复数 ); (防止动物咬人的)口套; (四足动物的)鼻口部; (狗)等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
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71 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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72 metallic | |
adj.金属的;金属制的;含金属的;产金属的;像金属的 | |
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73 cylinders | |
n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 );圆柱;汽缸;(尤指用作容器的)圆筒状物 | |
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74 lurch | |
n.突然向前或旁边倒;v.蹒跚而行 | |
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75 mellifluous | |
adj.(音乐等)柔美流畅的 | |
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76 gallows | |
n.绞刑架,绞台 | |
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77 nervously | |
adv.神情激动地,不安地 | |
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78 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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79 shackles | |
手铐( shackle的名词复数 ); 脚镣; 束缚; 羁绊 | |
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80 hubbub | |
n.嘈杂;骚乱 | |
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81 impending | |
a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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82 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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83 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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84 catastrophe | |
n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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85 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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86 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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87 authoritative | |
adj.有权威的,可相信的;命令式的;官方的 | |
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88 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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89 isthmus | |
n.地峡 | |
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90 rustic | |
adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬 | |
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91 moss | |
n.苔,藓,地衣 | |
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92 drooping | |
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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93 perch | |
n.栖木,高位,杆;v.栖息,就位,位于 | |
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94 partisan | |
adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒 | |
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95 eminence | |
n.卓越,显赫;高地,高处;名家 | |
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96 exultation | |
n.狂喜,得意 | |
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