Chapter 6

The  Commdora was  much younger  than her  husband. Her  face was  pale andcoldly  formed and  her  black hair  was drawn  smoothly¹ and  tightly back.
Her voice was tart². "You are quite finished, my gracious and noble husband?
Quite,  quite finished?  I suppose I may  even enter the garden  if I wish,now.""There is no need for dramatics, Licia, my dear," said the Commdor, mildly.
"The young  man will attend at  dinner tonight, and you  can speak with himall you  wish and even amuse yourself by listening to  all I say. Room willhave to be arranged  for his men somewhere about the place. The stars grantthat they be few in numbers.""Most  likely they'll  be great  hogs³ of  eaters who  will eat meat  by thequarter-animal and wine by  the hogshead. And you will groan⁴ for two nightswhen you calculate the expense.""Well now,  perhaps I won't. Despite  your opinion, the dinner  is to be onthe most lavish⁵ scale.""Oh, I see." She  stared at him contemptuously. "You are very friendly withthese barbarians⁶.  Perhaps that is why I was not  to be permitted to attendyour conversation.  Perhaps your  little weazened soul is  plotting to turnagainst my father.""Not at all.""Yes, I'd  be likely to believe  you, wouldn't I? If  ever a poor woman wassacrificed for policy to  an unsavory marriage, it was myself. I could havepicked a more proper  man from the alleys⁷ and mudheaps of my native world.""Well, now, I'll tell  you what, my lady. Perhaps you would enjoy returningto your native world.  Except that, to retain as a souvenir that portion ofyou  with which  I am  best acquainted,  I could  have your tongue  cut outfirst. And,"  he tolled⁸ his head,  calculatingly, to one side,  "as a finalimproving  touch to  your beauty,  your ears  and the  tip of your  nose aswell.""You wouldn't dare, you  little pug-dog. My father would pulverize⁹ your toynation to meteoric¹⁰ dust. In fact, he might do it in any case, if I told himyou were treating with these barbarians.""Hm-mmm. Well,  there's no need for  threats. You are free  to question theman yourself  tonight. Meanwhile,  madam, keep your  wagging tongue still.""At your orders?""Here, take this, then, and keep still."The band  was about her waist  and the necklace around  her neck. He pushedthe knob himself and stepped back.
The  Commdora  drew in  her  breath and  held  out her  hands stiffly.  Shefingered the necklace gingerly, and gasped¹¹ again.
The Commdor  rubbed his hands with satisfaction and  said, "You may wear ittonight ?and I'll get you more. Now keep still."The Commdora kept still.

1 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

2 tart   

adj.酸的；尖酸的，刻薄的；n.果馅饼；淫妇

参考例句：

• She was learning how to make a fruit tart in class.她正在课上学习如何制作水果馅饼。
• She replied in her usual tart and offhand way.她开口回答了，用她平常那种尖酸刻薄的声调随口说道。

3 hogs   

n.（尤指喂肥供食用的）猪( hog的名词复数 )；（供食用的）阉公猪；彻底地做某事；自私的或贪婪的人

参考例句：

• 'sounds like -- like hogs grunting. “像——像是猪发出的声音。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• I hate the way he hogs down his food. 我讨厌他那副狼吞虎咽的吃相。 来自辞典例句

4 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

5 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

6 barbarians   

n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人

参考例句：

• The ancient city of Rome fell under the iron hooves of the barbarians. 古罗马城在蛮族的铁蹄下沦陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It conquered its conquerors, the barbarians. 它战胜了征服者——蛮族。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

7 alleys   

胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径

参考例句：

• I followed him through a maze of narrow alleys. 我紧随他穿过一条条迂迴曲折的窄巷。
• The children lead me through the maze of alleys to the edge of the city. 孩子们领我穿过迷宫一般的街巷，来到城边。

8 tolled   

鸣钟（toll的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Bells were tolled all over the country at the King's death. 全国为国王之死而鸣钟。
• The church bell tolled the hour. 教堂的钟声报时。

9 pulverize   

v.研磨成粉；摧毁

参考例句：

• A factory making armaments had been bombed the night before and a residential area not far away had been pulverized.前天晚上，一家兵工厂被炸，不远处的居民区也被夷为平地。
• He is set to pulverise his two opponents in the race for the presidency.他决心在总统竞选中彻底击垮他的两个对手。

10 meteoric   

adj.流星的，转瞬即逝的，突然的

参考例句：

• In my mind,losing weight is just something meteoric.在我眼中，减肥不过是昙花一现的事情。
• His early career had been meteoric.他的早期生涯平步青云。

11 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》