It would be fun to drop some of these names casually15 in this quiet little room - fun to tell Marc-Ange that Bond knew of the old abandoned jetty called the Port of Crovani near the village of Galeria, and of the ancient silver mine called Argentella in the hills behind, whose maze16 of underground tunnels accommodates one of the great world junctions17 in the heroin18 traffic. Yes, it would be fun to frighten his captor in exchange for the fright he had given Bond. But better keep this ammunition19 in reserve until more had been revealed! For the time being it was interesting to note that this was Marc-Ange Draco's travelling headquarters. His contact in the Deuxieme Bureau would be an essential tip-off man. Bond and the girl had been'sent for' for some purpose that was still to be announced. The 'borrowing' of the Bombard rescue-boat would have been a simple matter of finance in the right quarter, perhaps accompanied by a 'pot de vin' for the coastguards to look the other way. The guards were Corsicans. On reflection, that was anyway what they looked like. The whole operation was simple for an organization as powerful as the union - as simple in France as it would have been for the Mafia in most of Italy. And now for more veils to be lifted! James Bond sipped20 his drink and watched the other man's face with respect. This was one of the great professionals of the world!
(How typical of Corsica, Bond thought, that their top bandit should bear the name of an angel! He remembered that two other famous Corsican gangsters had been called 'Gracieux' and 'Toussaint' - 'All-Saints'.) Marc-Ange spoke21. He spoke excellent but occasionally rather clumsy English, as if he had been well taught but had little occasion to use the language. He said, 'My dear Commander, everything I am going to discuss with you will please remain behind your Herkos Odonton. You know the ex-, pression? No?' The wide smile lit up his face. 'Then, if I may say so, your education was incomplete. It is from the classical Greek. It means literally22 "the hedge of the teeth".
It was the Greek equivalent of your "top secret". Is that agreed?'
Bond shrugged23. 'If you tell me secrets that affect my profession, I'm afraid I shall have to pass them on.'
'That I fully6 comprehend. What I wish to discuss is a personal matter. It concerns my daughter, Teresa.'
Good God! The plot was indeed thickening! Bond concealed24 his surprise. He said, 'Then I agree.' He smiled, '"Herkos Odonton" it is.'
'Thank you. You are a man to trust. You would have to be, in your profession, but I see it also in your face. Now then.' He lit a Caporal and sat back in his chair. He gazed at a point on the aluminium25 wall above Bond's head, only occasionally looking into Bond's eyes when he wished to emphasize a point. 'I was married once only, to an English girl, an English governess. She was a romantic. She had come to Corsica to look for bandits ' - he smiled - 'rather like some English women adventure into the desert to look for sheiks. She explained to me later that she must have been possessed26 by a subconscious27 desire to be raped28. Well' - this time he didn't smile -'she found me in the mountains and she was raped - by me. The police were after me at the time, they have been for most of my life, and the girl was a grave encumbrance29. But for some reason she refused to leave me. There was a wildness in her, a love of the unconventional, and, for God knows what reason, she liked the months of being chased from cave to cave, of getting food by robbery at night. She even learned to skin and cook a moufflon, those are our mountain sheep, and even eat the animal, which is tough as shoe leather and about as palatable30. And in those crazy months, I came to love this girl and I smuggled31 her away from the island to Marseilles and married her.' He paused and looked at Bond.' The result, my dear Commander, was Teresa, my only child.'
So, thought Bond. That explained the curious mixture the girl was - the kind of wild 'lady' that was so puzzling in her. What a complex of bloods and temperaments32! Corsican English. No wonder he hadn't been able to define her nationality.
'My wife died ten years ago ' - Marc-Ange held up his hand, not wanting sympathy - 'and I had the girl's education finished in Switzerland. I was already rich and at that time I was elected Capu, that is chief, of the union, and became infinitely33 richer - by means, my dear Commander, which you can guess but need not inquire into. The girl was - how do you say? - that charming expression, "the apple of my eye", and I gave her all she wanted. But she was a wild one, a wild bird, without a proper home, or, since I was always on the move, without proper supervision34. Through her school in Switzerland, she entered the fast international set that one reads of in the newspapers - the South American millionaires, the Indian princelings, the Paris English and Americans, the playboys of Cannes and Gstaad. She was always getting in and out of scrapes and scandals, and when I remonstrated35 with her, cut off her allowance, she would commit some even grosser folly36 - to spite me, I suppose.' He paused and looked at Bond and now there was a terrible misery37 in the happy face. 'And yet all the while, behind her bravado38, the mother's side of her blood was making her hate herself, despise herself more and more, and as I now see it, the worm of self-destruction had somehow got a hold inside her and, behind the wild, playgirl facade39, was eating away what I can only describe as her soul.' He looked at Bond.' You know that this can happen, my friend - to men and to women. They burn the heart out of themselves by living too greedily, and suddenly they examine their lives and see that they are worthless. They have had everything, eaten all the sweets of life at one great banquet, and there is nothing left. She made what I now see was a desperate attempt to get back on the rails, so to speak. She went off, without telling me, and married, perhaps with the idea of settling down. But the man, a worthless Italian called Vicenzo, Count Giulio di Vicenzo, took as much of her money as he could lay his hands on and deserted40 her, leaving her with a girl child. I purchased a divorce and bought a small chateau41 for my daughter in the Dordogne and installed her there, and for once, with the baby and a pretty garden to look after, she seemed almost at peace. And then, my friend, six months ago, the baby died - died of that most terrible of all children's ailments42, spinal43 meningitis.'
There was silence in the little metal room. Bond thought of the girl a few yards away down the corridor. Yes. He had been near the truth. He had seen some of this tragic44 story in the calm desperation of the girl. She had indeed come to the end of the road!
Marc-Ange got slowly up from his chair and came round and poured out more whisky for himself and for Bond. He said, 'Forgive me. I am a poor host. But the telling of this story, which I have always kept locked up inside me, to another man, has been a great relief.' He put a hand on Bond's shoulder. 'You understand that?'
'Yes. I understand that. But she is a fine girl. She still has nearly all her life to live. Have you thought of psychoanalysis? Of her church? Is she a Catholic?'
'No. Her mother would not have it. She is Presbyterian. But wait while I finish the story.' He went back to his chair and sat down heavily. 'After the tragedy, she disappeared. She took her jewels and went off in that little car of hers, and I heard occasional news of her, selling the jewels and living furiously all over Europe, with her old set. Naturally I followed her, had her watched when I could, but she avoided all my attempts to meet her and talk to her. Then I heard from one of my agents that she had reserved a room here, at the Splendide, for last night, and I hurried down from Paris' -he waved a hand - 'in this, because I had a presentiment45 of tragedy. You see, this was where we had spent the summers in her childhood and she had always loved it. She is a wonderful swimmer and she was almost literally in love with the sea. And, when I got the news, I suddenly had a dreadful memory, the memory of a day when she had been naughty and had been locked in her room all afternoon instead of going bathing. That night she had said to her mother, quite calmly, "You made me very unhappy keeping me away from the sea. One day, if I get really unhappy I shall swim out into the sea, down the path of the moon or the sun, and go on swimming until I sink. So there!" Her mother told me the story and we laughed over it together, at the childish tantrum. But now I suddenly remembered again the occasion and it seemed to me that the childish fantasy might well have stayed with her, locked away deep down, and that now, wanting to put an end to herself, she had resurrected it and was going to act on it. And so, my dear friend, I had her closely watched from the moment she arrived. Your gentlemanly conduct in the casino, for which' - he looked across at Bond - 'I now deeply thank you, was reported to me, as of course were your later movements together.' He held up his hand as Bond shifted with embarrassment46. 'There is nothing to be ashamed of, to apologize for, in what you did kst night. A man is a man and, who knows? - but I shall come to that later. What you did, the way you behaved in general, may have been the beginning of some kind of therapy.'
Bond remembered how, in the Bombard, she had yielded when he leaned against her. It had been a tiny reaction, but it had held more affection, more warmth, than all the physical ecstasies47 of the night. Now, suddenly he had an inkling of why he might be here, where the root of the mystery lay, and he gave an involuntary shudder48, as if someone had walked over his grave.
Marc-Ange continued, 'So I put in my inquiry49 to my friend from the Deuxieme, at six o'clock this morning. At eight o'clock he went to his office and to the central files and by nine o'clock he had reported to me fully about you - by radio. I have a high-powered station in this vehicle.' He smiled. 'And that is another of my secrets that I deliver into your hands. The report, if I may say so, was entirely50 to your credit, both as an officer in your Service, and, more important, as a man - a man, that is, in the terms that I understand the word. So I reflected. I reflected all through this morning. And, in the end, I gave orders that you were both to be brought to me here.' He made a throw-away gesture with his right hand. 'I need not tell you the details of my instructions. You yourself saw them in operation. You have been inconvenienced. I apologize. You have perhaps thought yourself in danger. Forgive me. I only trust that my men behaved with correctness, with finesse51.'
Bond smiled. 'I am very glad to have met you. If the introduction had to be effected at the point of two automatics, that will only make it all the more memorable52. The whole affair was certainly executed with neatness and expedition.'
Marc-Ange's expression was rueful. 'Now you are being sarcastic53. But believe me, my friend, drastic measures were necessary. I knew they were.' He reached to the top drawer of his desk, took out a sheet of writing-paper and passed it over to Bond. 'And now, if you read that, you will agree with me. That letter was handed in to the concierge54 of the Splendide at 4.30 this afternoon for posting to me in Marseilles, when Teresa went out and you followed her. You suspected something? You also feared for her? Read it, please.'
Bond took the letter. He said, 'Yes. I was worried about her. She is a girl worth worrying about.' He held up the letter. It contained only a few words, written clearly, with decision.
Dear Papa,
I am sorry, but I have had enough. It is only sad because tonight I met a man who might have changed my mind. He is an Englishman called James Bond. Please find him and pay him 20,000 New Francs which I owe him. And thank him from me.
This is nobody's fault but my own.
Goodbye and forgive me.
TRACY
Bond didn't look at the man who had received this letter. He slid it back to him across the desk. He took a deep drink of the whisky and reached for the bottle. He said, 'Yes, I see.'
'She likes to call herself Tracy. She thinks Teresa sounds too grand.'
'Yes.'
'Commander Bond.' There was now a terrible urgency in the man's voice - urgency, authority and appeal. 'My friend, you have heard the whole story and now you have seen the evidence. Will you help me? Will you help me save this girl? It is my only chance, that you will give her hope. That you will give her a reason to live. Will you?'
Bond kept his eyes on the desk in front of him. He dared not look up and see the expression on this man's face. So he had been right, right to fear that he was going to become involved in all this private trouble! He cursed under his breath. The idea appalled55 him. He was no Good Samaritan. He was no doctor for wounded birds. What she needed, he said fiercely to himself, was the psychiatrist56's couch. All right, so she had taken a passing fancy to him and he to her. Now he was going to be asked, he knew it, to pick her up and carry her perhaps for the rest of his life, haunted by the knowledge, the unspoken blackmail57, that, if he dropped her, it would almost certainly be to kill her. He said glumly58, 'I do not see that I can help. What is it you have in mind?' He picked up his glass and looked into it. He drank, to give him courage to look across the desk into Marc-Ange's face.
The man's soft brown eyes glittered with tension. The creased59 dark skin round the mouth had sunk into deeper folds. He said, holding Bond's eyes, 'I wish you to pay court to my daughter and marry her. On the day of the marriage, I will give you a personal dowry of one million pounds in gold.'
James Bond exploded angrily. 'What you ask is utterly60 impossible. The girl is sick. What she needs is a psychiatrist Not me. And I do not want to marry, not anyone. Nor do I want a million pounds. I have enough money for my needs. I have my profession.' (Is that true? What about that letter of resignation? Bond ignored the private voice.) 'You must understand all this.' Suddenly he could not bear the hurt in the man's face. He said, softly, 'She is a wonderful girl. I will do all I can for her. But only when she is well again. Then I would certainly like to see her again - very much. But, if she thinks so well of me, if you do, then she must first get well of her own accord. That is the only way. Any doctor would tell you so. She must go to some clinic, the best there is, in Switzerland probably, and bury her past. She must want to live again. Then, only then, would there be any point in our meeting again.' He pleaded with Marc-Ange. 'You do understand, don't you, Marc-Ange? I am a ruthless man. I admit it. And I have not got the patience to act as anyone's nurse, man or woman. Your idea of a cure might only drive her into deeper despair. You must see that I cannot take the responsibility, however much I am attracted by your daughter.' Bond ended lamely61, 'Which I am.'
The man said resignedly, 'I understand you, my friend. And I will not importune62 you with further arguments. I will try and act in the way you suggest. But will you please do one further favour for me? It is now nine o'clock. Will you please take her out to dinner tonight? Talk to her as you please, but show her that she is wanted, that you have affection for her. Her car is here and her clothes. I have had them brought. If only you can persuade her that you would like to see her again, I think I may be able to do the rest. Will you do this forme?'
Bond thought, God, what an evening! But he smiled with all the warmth he could summon. 'But of course. I would love to do that. But I am booked on the first morning night from Le Touquet tomorrow morning. Will you be responsible for her from then?'
'Certainly, my friend. Of course I will do that.' Marc-Ange brusquely wiped a hand across his eyes. 'Forgive me. But you have given me hope at the end of a long night.' He straightened his shoulders and suddenly leaned across the desk and put his hands decisively down.' I will not thank you. I cannot, but tell me, my dear friend, is there anything in this world that I can do for you, now at this moment? I have great resources, great knowledge, great power. They are all yours. Is there nothing I can do for you?'
Bond had a flash of inspiration. He smiled broadly. 'There is a piece of information I want. There is a man called Blofeld, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. You will have heard of him. I wish to know if he is alive and where he is to be found.'
Marc-Ange's face underwent a remarkable63 change. Now the bandit, cold, cruel, avenging64, looked out through the eyes that had suddenly gone as hard as brown opals. 'Aha!' he said thoughtfully: 'The Blofeld. Yes, he is certainly alive. Only recently he suborned three of my men, bribed65 them away from the union. He has done this to me before. Three of the members of the old SPECTRE were taken from the union. Come, let us find out what we can.'
There was a single black telephone on the desk. He picked up the receiver and at once Bond heard the soft crackle of the operator responding. 'Dammi u commandu.' Marc-Ange put the receiver back. 'I have asked for my local headquarters in Ajaccio. We will have them in five minutes. But I must speak fast. The police may know my frequency, though I change it every week. But the Corsican dialect helps.' The telephone burred. When Marc-Ange picked up the receiver, Bond could hear the zing and crackle he knew so well. Marc-Ange spoke, in a voice of rasping authority. 'Ecco u Capu. Avette nuttizie di Blofeld, Ernst Stavro? Duve sta?' A voice crackled thinly. 'Site sigura? Ma no ezzatu indirizzu?' More crackle. 'Buon. Sara tutto.'
Marc-Ange put back the receiver. He spread his hands apologetically. 'All we know is that he is in Switzerland. We have no exact address for him. Will that help? Surely your men there can find him - if the Swiss Securite will help. But they are difficult brutes66 when it comes to the privacy of a resident, particularly if he is rich.'
Bond's pulse had quickened with triumph. Got you, you bastard67! He said enthusiastically, 'That's wonderful, Marc-Ange. The rest shouldn't be difficult. We have good friends in Switzerland.'
Marc-Ange smiled happily at Bond's reaction. He said seriously, 'But if things go wrong for you, on this case or in any other way, you will come at onqe to me. Yes?' He pulled open a drawer and handed a sheet of notepaper over to Bond. 'This is my open address. Telephone or cable to me, but put your request or your news in terms that would be used in connexion with electrical appliances. A consignment68 of radios is faulty. You will meet my representative at such and such a place, on such and such a date. Yes? You understand these tricks, and anyway' - he smiled slyly - 'I believe you are connected with an international export firm. "Universal Export", isn't it?'
Bond smiled. How did the old devil know these things? Should he warn Security? No. This man had become a friend. And anyway, all this was Herkos Odonton!
Marc-Ange said diffidently, 'And now may I bring in Teresa? She does not know what we have been discussing. Let us say it is about one of the South of France jewel robberies. You represent the insurance company. I have been making a private deal with you. You can manage that? Good.' He got up and came over to Bond and put his hand on Bond's shoulder. 'And thank you. Thank you for everything.' Then he went out of the door.
Oh my God! thought Bond. Now for my side of the bargain.
点击收听单词发音
1 flicked | |
(尤指用手指或手快速地)轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 ); (用…)轻挥; (快速地)按开关; 向…笑了一下(或瞥了一眼等) | |
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2 metropolitan | |
adj.大城市的,大都会的 | |
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3 smuggling | |
n.走私 | |
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4 liquidated | |
v.清算( liquidate的过去式和过去分词 );清除(某人);清偿;变卖 | |
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5 ebullient | |
adj.兴高采烈的,奔放的 | |
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6 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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7 riddled | |
adj.布满的;充斥的;泛滥的v.解谜,出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
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8 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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9 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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10 gangsters | |
匪徒,歹徒( gangster的名词复数 ) | |
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11 gangster | |
n.匪徒,歹徒,暴徒 | |
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12 reigning | |
adj.统治的,起支配作用的 | |
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13 discreet | |
adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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14 retirement | |
n.退休,退职 | |
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15 casually | |
adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地 | |
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16 maze | |
n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑 | |
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17 junctions | |
联结点( junction的名词复数 ); 会合点; (公路或铁路的)交叉路口; (电缆等的)主结点 | |
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18 heroin | |
n.海洛因 | |
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19 ammunition | |
n.军火,弹药 | |
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20 sipped | |
v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21 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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22 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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23 shrugged | |
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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24 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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25 aluminium | |
n.铝 (=aluminum) | |
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26 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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27 subconscious | |
n./adj.潜意识(的),下意识(的) | |
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28 raped | |
v.以暴力夺取,强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 );强奸 | |
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29 encumbrance | |
n.妨碍物,累赘 | |
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30 palatable | |
adj.可口的,美味的;惬意的 | |
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31 smuggled | |
水货 | |
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32 temperaments | |
性格( temperament的名词复数 ); (人或动物的)气质; 易冲动; (性情)暴躁 | |
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33 infinitely | |
adv.无限地,无穷地 | |
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34 supervision | |
n.监督,管理 | |
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35 remonstrated | |
v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 );告诫 | |
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36 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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37 misery | |
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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38 bravado | |
n.虚张声势,故作勇敢,逞能 | |
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39 facade | |
n.(建筑物的)正面,临街正面;外表 | |
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40 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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41 chateau | |
n.城堡,别墅 | |
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42 ailments | |
疾病(尤指慢性病),不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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43 spinal | |
adj.针的,尖刺的,尖刺状突起的;adj.脊骨的,脊髓的 | |
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44 tragic | |
adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的 | |
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45 presentiment | |
n.预感,预觉 | |
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46 embarrassment | |
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 | |
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47 ecstasies | |
狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 ); 出神; 入迷; 迷幻药 | |
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48 shudder | |
v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动 | |
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49 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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50 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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51 finesse | |
n.精密技巧,灵巧,手腕 | |
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52 memorable | |
adj.值得回忆的,难忘的,特别的,显著的 | |
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53 sarcastic | |
adj.讥讽的,讽刺的,嘲弄的 | |
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54 concierge | |
n.管理员;门房 | |
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55 appalled | |
v.使惊骇,使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的;丧胆的 | |
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56 psychiatrist | |
n.精神病专家;精神病医师 | |
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57 blackmail | |
n.讹诈,敲诈,勒索,胁迫,恫吓 | |
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58 glumly | |
adv.忧郁地,闷闷不乐地;阴郁地 | |
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59 creased | |
(使…)起折痕,弄皱( crease的过去式和过去分词 ); (皮肤)皱起,使起皱纹; 皱皱巴巴 | |
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60 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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61 lamely | |
一瘸一拐地,不完全地 | |
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62 importune | |
v.强求;不断请求 | |
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63 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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64 avenging | |
adj.报仇的,复仇的v.为…复仇,报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 );为…报复 | |
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65 bribed | |
v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂 | |
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66 brutes | |
兽( brute的名词复数 ); 畜生; 残酷无情的人; 兽性 | |
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67 bastard | |
n.坏蛋,混蛋;私生子 | |
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68 consignment | |
n.寄售;发货;委托;交运货物 | |
参考例句: |
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