Orellana had driven his pirogue to the shore, and jumped onto the beach, signing to the young man to follow. As they neared the cliffs, he stopped him; the pious2 throng3 had vanished, but not in a dream, for the sound of chanting could still be heard from within the rock.
“Come with me,” said the old man. “They have gone to the Temple of Death, but we shall be there before them.”
They entered a grotto4. Dick had no will but Orellana’s, and no hope. He was convinced that Maria-Teresa must die, and regarded that last greeting of theirs as the supreme5 one. Once certain that she had passed to the realms of night, he would follow her there. He had been told she was to end her life in the Temple of Death, and this old man, who ten years before had lost his daughter in the same way, said he knew where it was. Well, he would follow him.
The grotto was a deep one. After walking for a few seconds over sand and shells, the old man lit a resinous6 torch, and the spluttering flame showed the dark entrance of a passage. Before entering it, however, he bent7 down in a corner and picked something up. Dick saw that it was a pick.
“What are you going to do with that?”
“Save my daughter, of course! Just come with me, and I’ll show you. I shan’t let those devils choke her as they did ten years ago. They wall them up alive, you see. All we need do is to wait until they have gone, and then take her out again. Clear enough, isn’t it?... When I discovered the Temple of Death and saw all the slabs8 on the wall, I said to myself: ‘It would have been easy enough to save her if I had been there.’ It was too late then. And of course, I didn’t know which stone she was behind. This time, though, I shall watch them.... We’ll get the best of them yet. See if we don’t!”
There was hope, then! Dick took a long breath, and steadied himself. Madmen with their set ideas are sometimes nearer the truth than sane10 men with their set reason. Dick took the pick, and followed Orellana down the winding11 passage, the torch in the old man’s trembling hand throwing weird12 lights and shadows on their path. There was not a foreign sound to be heard. The earth had choked all noise as it might yet choke them.
Hacked13 through the stone, their corridor opened at intervals14 onto little square rooms, probably the burial-places of long-forgotten priests and dignitaries, slumbering15 there as their brethren of ancient Egypt slumber16 in the Pyramids. In the last of these rooms, Orellana put out the torch, and fell on his knees, for the narrow gut17 which they now entered was far too low for a man to stand upright in. A few yards further on, they came to a spacious18 niche19, and stood up again.
“We are there,” said the old man, stopping Dick.
It was far less dark here, and Dick, his eyes growing used to the obscurity, realized that a diffused20 light was reaching them from somewhere. The shadowy outline of columns and cornices gradually took shape, and he realized that he was looking down from a height of several feet into a vast hall.
“That is the Temple of Death,” said Orellana. “Listen!”
From the distance came the sound of rhythmic21 chanting, and suddenly a blinding stream of light descended22 into the chamber23 before them. Instinctively24, they threw themselves back into the darkest corner of their niche. Above them, at the summit of the vast subterranean25 hall, a stone had been removed, letting in the golden sunlight. In the heart of the vault26 was a kind of truncated27 cone28, so fashioned that the sunbeams, sliding along its surface, were thrown into the farthest corner of the mysterious temple.
Altars, altar-steps, and niches29 were heavy with gold, the plaques31 of the precious metal being bound together by a wonderful cement, to make which liquid gold had been used. This hidden temple was, in a word, a veritable goldmine.
On the eastern wall was an image of the divinity, wrought32 in massive gold, and representing a human head surrounded by shafts33 of light. So the old world has also represented the sun. The heavy plaque30 was studded with emeralds and other precious stones. The rays of the rising sun fell full upon it, filling the whole temple with a light that seemed almost supernatural, and flashing back from the gold ornaments34 with which walls and vault were incrusted. Gold, in the poetic35 language of the country, is “the tears shed by the Sun,” and the Temple blazed with the precious metal. The cornices crowning the sanctuary36 walls were also of gold, and a frieze37 of gold, hammered into the stone, ran right round the hall.
Dick and Orellana, from their coign of vantage, could see a number of chapels38 placed symmetrically round the great central chamber. One of them was sacred to the Moon, mother of the Incas. Her effigy40 was almost identical with that of the Sun, but the plaque was of silver, recalling the soft glow of that gentle planet. Another chapel39 was dedicated41 to the Armies of the Heavens, which are the stars and the brilliant court of the sister of the Sun; a third, to thunder and lightning, the terrible ministers of her wrath42; yet another, to the rainbow. And in all these chapels, as in the temple, all that was not silver was gold, gold, gold.
The young engineer’s eyes gradually took in all the details of the temple. First, the central altar, several steps above the floor, on which were golden vases brimming over with maize43, incense-burners, ewers44 for the blood of the sacrifice, and a great golden knife on a tray of gold. Then he realized that something living was moving in the hall, which he had thought deserted45. The Guardians46 of the Temple, like three hideous47 gnomes48, glided49 from altar to altar, while the one with the cap skull50, given the taste for blood from his earliest years by this deformation51 of the cranium, urged the others to hasten, and every little while went to the main altar to pat the great knife waiting there. Behind the altar, and rising above it, was a kind of golden pyramid, crowned with a golden throne. “That is for the King,” said Orellana. On each side of the altar, and before it, were three other pyramids. But they were not so high, and were not of gold. They were of wood. “The pyres,” explained Orellana.
“The pyres! What do you mean, man?”
“Steady, steady! They’re not going to burn her. She’s the Bride of the Sun, and they wall her up. Burn her, indeed! It’s not done, I tell you. Every A?mara child knows that. Little children don’t see the Temple of Death unless they are to die in it, but they know that much. Burn my daughter, indeed! As if I would allow it! What do you think I brought this pick for? You do just as well not to answer. Much better remain silent than talk nonsense like that. If you look at the walls out there you’ll see a big porphyry slab9 between each gold panel. There are just a hundred of them, and behind each one is one of the Sun’s brides. If I only knew which | tomb my daughter was in, I would have had her out a long time ago. But the slabs are all just alike, and there is nothing to help a poor father in his search. This time, though, I’m watching, and as soon as they’ve gone, I shall save her.”
“She may be dead, smothered52 alive, when you get her out.” Dick, thinking hard while the old man babbled53 on in whispers, was hoping against hope.
“That just shows how little you know about it. They are deep tombs, like cupboards, and you can sit in them. Don’t you know the Indians always bury people sitting? There’s air enough in there to keep her alive for an hour, or even two. And I shall have her out in ten minutes!”
Dick stared blindly at the porphyry slabs before him.
“But if there are a hundred of them in there already, there isn’t room for another. Are you sure?”
“Of course I am. You needn’t worry, boy. The pyres are for the two mammaconas who go before the Bride to prepare her chamber in the Enchanted54 Realms of the Sun.”
“There are three pyres, though.”
“Naturally. They have to take out the oldest bride to make room for my daughter. Then they burn her. What else should they do?”
“Burn her? Then they do burn her!”
Dick had almost lost control of his mind.
“The old one, you fool!” retorted Orellana testily55. “Didn’t I tell you there were a hundred there? The Sun is given a new bride every ten years. Can you count, or can’t you? That makes one of them a thousand years old.... There’s no harm in burning a wife who is a thousand years old. The Sun has got tired of her by then. Doesn’t he set fire to her pyre himself? That proves it.... Listen. Here they come!”
The chanting grew louder, and soon the priests appeared. Behind them walked the nobles, recognizable by the heavy ear-rings which only descendants of an Inca may wear; they were dressed in sleeveless red tunics56, and each man bore a banner on which was embroidered57 a rainbow, its brilliant hues58 varying to mark the coat-armor of each house. Next came young girls of noble family, who in the old days would have become Virgins59 of the Sun, ending their lives on the altars of the deity60, or as the wives of the Inca. They were followed by their adult brothers, wearing the white robes, crosses embroidered on the breast, which were the traditional costume of men of their caste about to enter the order of knighthood. After them, the curacas, chiefs of the races conquered by the Incas and of all the tribes which had taken the oath of fealty61. These men wore multi-colored tunics, unadorned with gold.
The cortège had advanced to the center of the temple, and suddenly, as the chanting ceased, all turned toward the door by which they had entered. A strange silence succeeded the rhythmic throbbing62 of canticles. Then a terrible scream tore the air. Dick gripped Orellana’s arm.
“What was that?” he asked hoarsely63.
“Nothing to do with us. They’re sacrificing a child in the Black Chapel of Pacahuamac, the Pure Spirit.”
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1
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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grotto
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| n.洞穴 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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resinous
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| adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的 | |
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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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slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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hacked
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| 生气 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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15
slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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gut
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| n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏 | |
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spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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truncated
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| adj.切去顶端的，缩短了的，被删节的v.截面的( truncate的过去式和过去分词 )；截头的；缩短了的；截去顶端或末端 | |
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cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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niches
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| 壁龛( niche的名词复数 )； 合适的位置[工作等]； （产品的）商机； 生态位（一个生物所占据的生境的最小单位） | |
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plaque
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| n.饰板，匾，(医)血小板 | |
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plaques
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| （纪念性的）匾牌( plaque的名词复数 )； 纪念匾； 牙斑； 空斑 | |
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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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shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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frieze
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| n.(墙上的)横饰带，雕带 | |
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38
chapels
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| n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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40
effigy
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| n.肖像 | |
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41
dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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42
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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43
maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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44
ewers
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| n.大口水壶，水罐( ewer的名词复数 ) | |
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45
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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46
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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47
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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48
gnomes
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| n.矮子( gnome的名词复数 )；侏儒；（尤指金融市场上搞投机的）银行家；守护神 | |
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49
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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50
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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51
deformation
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| n.形状损坏；变形；畸形 | |
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52
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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53
babbled
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| v.喋喋不休( babble的过去式和过去分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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54
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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55
testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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56
tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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57
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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58
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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59
virgins
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| 处女，童男( virgin的名词复数 )； 童贞玛利亚（耶稣之母） | |
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60
deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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61
fealty
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| n.忠贞，忠节 | |
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62
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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63
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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