She would have fallen but that he was on the alert to save her. Quite simply and naturally he put his arms round her and lifted her down.
Only for a moment he held her in his embrace, her panting form close to his, her face almost resting on his shoulders, but that moment roused the blood in his fiery1 heart, and her face went pale.
[52]
"Are you hurt?" he murmured.
"No, no!" she said, and she slipped out of his arms and stood a little away from him, the color coming and going in her face; it was the first time that any man's arms, save her father's, had ever encircled her.
"Are you quite sure?" he repeated.
"Quite," she said, then she laughed. "What would have happened if I had slipped?"
"You would have sprained2 your ankle," he said.
"Sprained my ankle, really?" she repeated, with open eyes.
"Yes, and I should have had to carry you down to the boat," he said, slowly.
She looked away from him.
"I am glad I did not slip."
"And I," he said, "am—glad also."
She stooped and picked up the primroses3 and ran down the slope, her cheeks aflame, a feeling that was something like shame, and yet too full of a strange, indefinable joy to be sullen4 shame, took possession of her.
With light feet, her hat swinging in her hand, she threaded her way between the trees and sprang on to the grassy5 road beside the river bank.
He did not follow so quickly, but stood for a moment looking at her, his face pale, his eyes full of a strange, wistful restlessness.
Then Stella heard his step, firm and masterful, behind her. A sudden impulse tempted6 her sorely to jump into the boat and push off—she could pull a pair of sculls—and her hand was on the edge of the boat, when she heard the sound of bells, and paused with astonishment7. Looking up she saw a tiny ph?ton drawn8 by a pair of cream-white ponies9 coming along the road; it was the bells on their harness that she had heard.
They came along at a fair pace, and Stella saw that the ph?ton was being driven by a coachman in dark-brown livery, but the next moment all her attention was absorbed by the young girl who sat beside him.
She was so fair, so lovely, so ethereal looking, that Stella was spellbound.
A book was in her hand—ungloved and small and white as a child's—but she was not reading. She held it so loosely that as the ph?ton came along the top of the bank which hid Stella, the book dropped from the lax grasp of the white fingers.
The girl uttered an exclamation10, and Stella, obeying one of her sudden impulses, sprang lightly up the bank, and picking up the book, held it toward her.
Her appearance was so sudden that Lady Lilian was startled and for a moment the pale face was dyed with a faint color; even after the moment had passed she sat speechless, and the surprise in her eyes gave place to a frank, generous admiration11.
"Oh, thank you—thank you!" she said. "How kind of you. It was so stupid of me to drop it. But where did you come from—the clouds?" And there was a delicious hint of flattery in the look that accompanied the words.
[53]
"Quite the reverse," said Stella, with her open smile. "I was standing12 below there, by the boat."
And she pointed13.
"Oh?" said Lady Lilian. "I did not see you."
"You were looking the other way," said Stella, drawing back to allow the carriage to proceed; but Lady Lilian seemed reluctant to go, and made no sign to the coachman, who sat holding the reins14 like an image of stone, apparently15 deaf and dumb.
For a few strokes of Time's scythe16 the two girls looked at each other—the one with the pale face and the blue eyes regarding the fresh, healthful beauty of the other with sad, wistful gaze. Then Lady Lilian spoke17.
"What beautiful primroses! You have been gathering18 them on the slopes?" with a suggestion of a sigh.
"Yes," said Stella. "Will you take them?"
"Oh, no, no; I could not think of robbing you."
Stella smiled with her characteristic archness.
"It is I who have been the thief. I have been taking what did not belong to me. You will take these?"
Lady Lilian was too well bred to refuse; besides, she thirsted for them.
"If you will give them to me, and will not mind picking some more," she said.
Stella laid the bunch on the costly19 sables20 which wrapped the frail21 figure.
Lady Lilian put them to her face with a caressing22 gesture. "You are, like me, fond of flowers?" she said.
Stella nodded. "Yes."
Then there was a pause. Above them, unseen by Lilian, forgotten by Stella, stood Lord Leycester.
He was watching and waiting with a strange smile. He could read the meaning in his sister's eyes; she was longing23 to know more of the beautiful girl who had sprang like a fairy to her side.
With a faint flush, Lady Lilian said:
"You—you are a stranger, are you not? I mean you do not live here?"
"Yes," said Stella; "I live"—and she smiled and pointed to the cottage across the meadow—"there."
Lady Lilian started, and Lord Leycester seized the moment, and coming down, quietly stood by Stella's side.
"Leycester!" exclaimed Lilian, with a start of surprise.
He smiled into her eyes, his strange, masterful, irresistible24 smile. It was as if he had said, "Did I not tell you? Can you withstand her?"
But aloud he said:
"Let me make the introduction in due form. This is Miss Etheridge, Lilian. Miss Etheridge, this is my sister. As the French philosopher said, 'Know each other.'"
Lady Lilian held out her hand.
"I am very glad," she said.
Stella took the thin, white hand, and held it for a moment; then Lady Lilian looked from one to the other.
Lord Leycester interpreted the glance at once.
[54]
"Miss Etheridge has intrusted herself on the watery25 deep with me," he said. "We came across to gather flowers, leaving Mr. Etheridge to paint there."
And he waved his hand across the river.
Lady Lilian looked.
"I see," she said—"I see. And he is painting. Is he not clever? How proud you must be of him!"
Stella's eyes grew dark. It was the one word wanting to draw them together. She said not a word.
"Your uncle and I are old friends," Lady Lilian continued. "Sometime when—when I am stronger, I am coming to see him—when the weather gets warmer—" Stella glanced at the frail form clad in sables, with a moistened eye—"I am going to spend a long afternoon among the pictures. He is always so kind and patient, and explains them all to me. But, as I am not able to come to you, you will come and see me, will you not?"
There was a moment's silence. Lord Leycester stood looking over the river as if waiting for Stella's reply.
Stella looked up.
"I shall be very glad," she said, and Lord Leycester drew a breath, almost of relief.
"You will, will you not?" said Lady Lilian, with a sweet smile.
"Yes, I will come," said Stella, almost solemnly.
"You will find me poor company," said the daughter of the great earl, with meek26 humility27. "I see so little of the world that I grow dull and ignorant; but I shall be so glad to see you," and she held out her hand.
Stella took it in her warm, soft fingers.
"I will come," she said.
Lady Lilian looked at the coachman, who, though his eyes were fixed28 in quite another direction, seemed to see the glance, for he touched the horses with the whip.
"Good-bye," she said, "good-bye."
Then, as the ph?ton moved on, she called out, in her low, musical voice, that was a low echo of her brother's:
"Oh, Leycester, Lenore has come!"
Leycester raised his hat.
"Very well," he said. "Good-bye."
Stella stood a moment looking after her. Strangely enough the last words rang in her ears with a senseless kind of insistence29 and emphasis. "Lenore has come!" She found herself repeating them mentally.
Recalling herself she turned swiftly to Lord Leycester.
"How beautiful she is!" she said, almost in a whisper.
He looked at her with gratitude30 in his eloquent31 eyes.
"Yes."
"So beautiful and so kind!" Stella murmured, and the tears sprang to her eyes. "I can see her face now. I can hear her voice. I do not wonder that you love her as you do."
"How do you know that I love her?" he said. "Brothers, generally——"
Stella stopped him with a gesture.
[55]
"No man with a heart warmer than a stone could help loving her."
"And so you agree that my heart is warmer than a stone. Thank you for that, at least," he said, with a smile that was not at all unselfish.
Stella looked at him.
"Let us go now," she said. "See, uncle is getting his things together."
"Not without the primroses," he said; "Lilian will break her heart if you go without any. Let me get some," and he went up the slope.
Stella stood in thought. The sudden meeting with the fairy-like creatures, had filled her with strange thoughts. She understood now that rank and money are not all that is wanted for earthly happiness.
So lost in thought was she that she did not hear the sound of a horse coming along the mossy road, though the animal was coming at a great pace.
Lord Leycester's ears were freer or quicker however, for he caught the sound and turned round.
Turned round in time to see a huge bay horse ridden by a tall, thin, dark young man, almost upon the slim form, standing with its back to it.
With something like an oath on his lips, he dropped the flowers and with one spring stood between her and the horse, and seizing the bridle32 with both hands threw the beast, with sheer force, on to its haunches.
The rider had been staring at the river, and was taken by surprise so complete, that, as the horse rose on its legs, he was thrown from the saddle.
Stella, alarmed by the noise, turned and swerved33 out of the path. And so they were grouped. Lord Leycester, pale with furious passion, still holding the reins and forcing the horse in an iron grip, and the erstwhile rider lying huddled34 up on the mossy road.
He lay still, only for a moment, however; the next he was on his feet and advancing toward Lord Leycester. It was Jasper Adelstone.
His face was deadly pale, making, by contrast, his small eyes black as coals.
"What do you mean?" he exclaimed, furiously, and half-unconsciously he raised his whip.
It was an unlucky gesture, for it was all that was needed to rouse the devil in Lord Leycester's breast.
With one little irresistible gesture he seized the whip arm and the whip, and flinging the owner to the ground again with one movement, broke the whip, and flung it on the top of him with the other.
It was all done in a second. With all the will in the world, Stella had no time to interpose before the rash act was accomplished35; but now she sprang between them.
"Lord Leycester," she cried, pale and horror-stricken, as she gazed into his face, white and working with passion; all its[56] beauty gone, and with the mask of a fury in its place. "Lord Leycester!"
At the sound of her voice—pleading, expostulating, rebuking—a shiver ran through him, his hand fell to his side, and still holding the now plunging36 and furious horse with a grip of steel, he stood humbly37 before her.
Not so Jasper Adelstone. With a slow, sinuous38 movement he rose and shook himself, and glared at him. Speechless from the sheer breathlessness of furious hate he stood and looked at the tall, velvet-clad figure.
Stella was the first to break the silence.
"Oh, my lord!" she said.
At the sound of her reproachful voice, Lord Leycester's face paled.
"Forgive me," he said, humbly. "I beg—I crave39 your forgiveness; but I thought you were in danger, you were—you were!" Then, at the thought, his fiery passion broke out again, and he turned to the silent, white-faced Jasper. "What the devil do you mean by riding in that fashion?"
Jasper Adelstone's lips moved, and at last speech came.
"You shall answer for this, Lord Leycester."
It was the worst word he could have said.
In an instant all Lord Leycester's repentances fled.
With a smothered40 oath on his lips, he advanced toward him.
"What! Is that all you have to say? Do you know, you miserable41 wretch42, that you nearly rode over this lady—yes, rode over her? Answer for it! Confound you——" and he raised his arm.
But Stella, all her wits on the qui vive, was in time, and her own arms were wound about his, on which the muscles stood thick and prominent—like iron bands.
With a gesture he became calm again, and there was a mute prayer for pardon in his eyes as he looked at her.
"Do not be afraid," he murmured, between his lips; "I will not hurt him. No, no."
Then he pointed to the horse.
"Mount, sir, and get out of my sight. Stop!" and the fiery passion broke out again. "No, by Heaven, you shall not, until you have begged the lady's pardon."
"No, no!" said Stella.
"But I say 'Yes!'" said Lord Leycester, his eyes blazing. "Is every tailor to ride through the Chase and knock down whom he will? Ask for pardon, sir, or——"
Jasper stood looking from one to the other.
"No, no!" said Stella. "It was all an accident. Please, pray do not say another word. Mr. Adelstone, I beg you will go without another word."
Jasper Adelstone hesitated for a moment.
"Miss Stella," he said, hoarsely43.
Alas44! it was oil on the smoldering45 fire.
"Miss Stella!" exclaimed Lord Leycester. "Who gave you the right to address this lady by her Christian46 name, sir?"
Jasper bit his lip.
"Miss Etheridge, you cannot doubt that I am heartily47 sorry[57] that this unpleasant contretemps should have been caused by my carelessness. I was riding carelessly——"
"Like an idiot!" broke in Lord Leycester.
"And did not see you. No harm would have resulted, however, if this man—if Lord Leycester Wyndward had not, with brutal48 force, thrown me from the saddle. I should have seen you in time, and, as I say, no harm would have been done. All that has occurred is this man—Lord Leycester Wyndward's—fault. Again I beg your pardon."
And he bent49 his head before her. But as he did so a malignant50 gleam shot out of his eyes in the direction of the tall, stalwart figure and white, passionate51 face.
"No, no, there is no occasion!" said Stella, trembling. "I do not want you to beg my pardon. It was only an accident. You did not expect to see anyone here—I—I—oh, I wish I had not come."
Lord Leycester started.
"Do not say that," he murmured.
Then aloud:
"Here is your horse, sir; mount him and go home, and thank your stars the lady has escaped without a broken limb."
Jasper stood a moment looking at him, then, with another inclination52 of the head, he slowly mounted the horse.
Lord Leycester, his passion gone, stood calm and motionless for a moment, then raised his hat with an old-world gesture.
"Good-day to you, and remember to ride more carefully in future."
Jasper Adelstone looked down at him with a malignant smile on his thin lips.
"Good-day, my lord. I shall remember. I am not one to forget. No, I am not one to forget," and striking spurs into the horse, he rode off.
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收听单词发音
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1
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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sprained
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| v.&n. 扭伤 | |
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primroses
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| n.报春花( primrose的名词复数 )；淡黄色；追求享乐（招至恶果） | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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7
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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8
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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9
ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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scythe
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| n. 长柄的大镰刀，战车镰； v. 以大镰刀割 | |
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17
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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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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sables
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| n.紫貂( sable的名词复数 )；紫貂皮；阴暗的；暗夜 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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insistence
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| n.坚持；强调；坚决主张 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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40
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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41
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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43
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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45
smoldering
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| v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 ) | |
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46
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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47
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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48
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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49
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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50
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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51
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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52
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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