“I’ve brought some water. I thought you might like to wash your face,” he said.
“Thanks,” gratefully. “You’re very thoughtful.”
He mended the fire for the night, and waiting until she had finished her impromptu2 toilet, took the saucepan to the stream and rinsed3 it again. Then he cleared the remains4 of the fish away, hung the creels together on the limb of a tree and, without looking toward the shelter, threw himself down beside the fire, utterly5 exhausted6.
“Good night,” she said. He turned his head toward her. The firelight was dancing in her eyes, which were as wide open as his own.
“Good night,” he said pleasantly, “and pleasant dreams.”
“I don’t seem to be a bit sleepy—are you?”
“No, not yet. Aren’t you comfortable?”
“Oh, yes. It isn’t that. I think I’m too tired to sleep.”
[23]
He changed his position a little to ease his joints7.
“I believe I am, too,” he smiled. “You’d better try though. You’ve had a bad day.”
“I will. Good night.”
“Good night.”
But try as he might, he could not sleep. Each particular muscle was clamoring in indignant protest at its unaccustomed usage. The ground, too, he was forced to admit was not as soft as it might have been, and he was sure from the way his hip8 bone ached, that it was on the point of coming through his flesh. He raised his body and removed a small flat stone which had been the cause of the discomfort9. As he did so he heard her voice again.
“You’re dreadfully unhappy. I don’t see why——”
“Oh, no, I’m not. This is fine. Please go to sleep.”
“I can’t. Why didn’t you make another bed for yourself?”
“I didn’t think about it,” he said, wondering now why the thought had never occurred to him. “You see,” he lied cautiously, “I’m used to this sort of thing. I sleep this way very often. I like it.”
“Oh!”
What an expressive10 interjection it was as she used it. It ran a soft arpeggio up the scale of her voice and down again, in curiosity rather than surprise, in protest rather than acquiescence11. This time it was mildly skeptical12.
“It’s true—really. I like it here. Now I insist that you go to sleep.”
“If you use that tone, I suppose I must.” She closed her eyes, settled one soft cheek against the palm of her hand.
“Good night,” she said again.
“Good night,” he repeated.
[24]
Gallatin turned away from her so that she might not see his face and lay again at full length with his head pillowed on his arms, looking into the fire. His mental faculties13 were keenly alive, more perhaps by reason of the silence and physical inaction than they had been at any time during the day. Never in his life before, it seemed, had he been so broadly awake. His mind flitted with meddlesome14 agility15 from one thought to another; and so before he had lain long, he was aware that he was entirely16 at the mercy of his imagination.
One by one the pictures emerged—the girl’s flight, the wild disorder17 of her appearance, her slender figure lying helpless in the leaves, the pathos18 of her streaming eyes, and the diminutive19 proportions of her slender foot. It was curious, too, how completely his own difficulties and discomforts20 had been forgotten in the mitigation of hers. Their situation he was forced to admit was not as satisfactory as his confident words of assurance had promised.
He had not forgotten that most of his back-trail had been laid in water, and it was not to be expected that Joe Keegón could perform the impossible. Their getting out by the way he had come must largely depend upon his own efforts in finding the spot up-stream where he had come through. The help that could be expected from her own people was also problematical. She had come a long distance. That was apparent from the condition of her gaiters. For all Gallatin knew, her camp might be ten, or even fifteen miles away. Something more than a mild curiosity possessed21 him as to this camp and the people who were using it; for there was a mystery in her sudden separation from the “companion” to whom she had so haltingly and vaguely22 alluded23.
It was none of his business, of course, who this girl was or where she came from; he was aware, at this moment[25] of vagrant24 visions, of an unequivocal and not unpleasant interest in this hapless waif whom fortune, with more humor than discretion25, had so unceremoniously thrust upon his mercies. She was very good to look at. He had decided26 that back in the gorge27 where she had first raised her elfin head from the leaves. And yet, now as he lay there in the dark, he could not for the life of him guess even at the color of her eyes or hair. Her hair at first had seemed quite dark until a shaft28 of the declining light in the west had caught it, when he had decided that it was golden. Her eyes had been too light to be brown and yet—yes, they had been quite too dark to be blue. The past perfect tense seemed to be the only one which suited her, for in spite of the evidences of her tangibility29 close at hand, he still associated her with the wild things of the forest, the timid things one often heard at night but seldom glimpsed by day. Cautiously he turned his head and looked into the shelter. She lay as he had seen her last, her eyes closed, her breath scarcely stirring her slender body. Her knees were huddled30 under her skirt and she looked no larger than a child. He remembered that when she had stood upright she had been almost as tall as he, and this metamorphosis only added another to the number of his illusions.
With an effort, at last, he lowered his head and closed his eyes, in angry determination. What the devil had the troubles of this unfortunate female to do with him? What difference did it make to him if her hair and eyes changed color or that she could become grown up or childish at will? Wasn’t one fool who lost himself in the woods enough in all conscience! Besides he had a right to get himself lost if he wanted to. He was his own master and it didn’t matter to any one but himself what became of him. Why couldn’t the little idiot have stayed[26] where she belonged? A woman had no business in the woods, anyway.
With his eyes closed it was easy to shut out sight, but the voices of the night persisted. An owl31 called, and far off in the distance a solitary32 mournful loon33 took up the plaint. There were sounds close at hand, too, stealthy footfalls of minute paws, sniffs34 from the impertinent noses of smaller animals; the downward fluttering of leaves and twigs35 all magnified a thousandfold, pricked36 upon the velvety37 background of the vast silence. He tried to relax his muscles and tipped his head back upon the ground. As he did so his lids flew up like those of a doll laid upon its back. The moon was climbing now, so close to the tree tops that the leaves and branches looked like painted scrolls38 upon its surface. In the thicket39 shapes were moving. They were only the tossing shadows from his fire, he knew, but they interested him and he watched them for a long time. It pleased him to think of them as the shadows of lost travelers. He could hear them whispering softly, too, in the intervals40 between the other sounds, and in the distance, farther even than the call of the whippoorwill, he could hear them singing:
à la claire fontaine M’en allant promener J’ai trouvé l’eau si belle41 Que je m’y suis baigné Il y a longtemps que le t’aime Jamais je ne t’oublierai.
The sound of the rapids, too, or was it only the tinkle42 of the stream?
He raised his head and peered around him to right and left. As he did so a voice joined the lesser43 voices, its[27] suddenness breaking the stillness like the impact of a blow.
“Aren’t you asleep?” She lay as he had seen her before, with her cheek pillowed upon her hand, but the firelight danced in her wide-open eyes.
“No,” he said, straightening slowly. “I don’t seem to be sleepy.”
“Neither am I. Did you hear them—the voices?”
“Yes,” in surprise. “Did you? You’re not frightened at all, are you?”
“Not at the voices. Other things seem to bother me much more. The little sounds close at hand, I can understand, too. There was a four-legged thing out there where you threw the fish offal a while ago. But you didn’t see him——”
“I heard him—but he won’t bother us.”
“No. I’m not frightened—not at that.”
“At what, then?”
“I don’t—I don’t think I really know.”
“There’s nothing to be frightened at.”
“It—it’s just that I’m frightened at—nothing—nothing at all.”
A pause.
“I wish you’d go to sleep.”
“I suppose I shall after a while.”
“How is your foot?”
“Oh, better. I’m not conscious of it at all. It isn’t my foot that keeps me awake. It’s the hush44 of the stillnesses between the other sounds,” she whispered, as though the silence might hear her. “You never get those distinctions sleeping in a tent. I don’t think I’ve ever really known the woods before—or the meaning of silence. The world is poised45 in space holding its breath on the brink46 of some awful abyss. So I can’t help holding mine, too.”
[28]
She sat upright and faced him.
“You don’t mind if I talk, do you? I suppose you’ll think I’m very cowardly and foolish, but I want to hear a human voice. It makes things real somehow——”
“Of course,” he laughed. He took out his watch and held it toward the fire with a practical air. “Besides it’s only ten o’clock.”
“Oh,” she sighed, “I thought it was almost morning.”
He silently rose and kicked the fire into a blaze.
“It’s too bad you’re so nervous.”
“That’s it. I’m glad you called it by a name. I’m glad you looked at your watch and that you kicked the fire. I had almost forgotten that there were such things as watches. I seem to have been poised in space, too, waiting and listening for something—I don’t know what—as though I had asked a great question which must in some way be answered.”
Gallatin glanced at her silently, then slowly took out his pipe and tobacco.
“Let’s talk,” he said quietly.
But instead of taking his old place beside the fire, he sank at the foot of one of the young beech47 trees that formed a part of the structure of her shelter near the head of her balsam bed.
“I know what you mean,” he said soothingly49. “I felt it, too. The trouble is—there’s never any answer. They’d like to tell us many things—those people out there,” and he waved his hand. “They’d like to, but they can’t. It’s a pity, isn’t it? The sounds are cheerful, though. They say they’re the voyagers singing as they shoot the rapids.”
She watched his face narrowly, not doubtfully as she[29] had done earlier, but eagerly, as though seeking the other half of a thought which conformed to her own.
“I’m glad you heard,” she said quickly. “I thought I must have dreamed—which would have been strange, since I haven’t been asleep. It gives me a greater faith in myself. I haven’t been really frightened, I hope. Only filled with wonder that such things could be.”
“They can’t really, you know,” he drawled. “Some people never hear the voices.”
“I never did before.”
“The woods people hear them often. It means,” he said with a smile, “that you and I are initiated50 into the Immortal51 Fellowship.”
“Oh!” in a whisper, almost of awe52.
“Yes,” he reassured53 her gaily54, “you belong to the Clan55 of Mak-wa, the Bear, and Kee-way-din, the North-Wind. The trees are keeping watch. Nothing can harm you now.”
Her eyes lifted to his, and a hesitating smile suddenly wreathed her lips.
“You’re very comforting,” she said, in a doubtful tone which showed her far from comforted. “I really would try to believe you,” with a glance over her shoulder, “if it wasn’t for the menace of the silence when the voices stop.”
“The menace——”
“Yes. I can’t explain. It’s like a sudden hush of terror—as though the pulse of Nature had stopped beating—was waiting on some immortal decision.”
“Yes,” he assented56 quietly, his gaze on the fire. “I know. I felt that, too.”
“Did you? I’m glad. It makes me more satisfied.”
She was sitting up on her bed of twigs now, leaning[30] toward him, her eyes alight with a strange excitement, her body leaning toward his own, as she listened. The firelight danced upon her hair and lit her face with a weird57, wild beauty. She was very near him at that moment—spiritually—physically. In a gush58 of pity he put his hand over hers and held it tightly in his own, his voice reassuring59 her gently.
“No harm can come to you here, child. Don’t you understand? There are no voices—but yours and mine. See! The woods are filled with moonlight. It is as bright as day.”
She had put one arm before her eyes as though by physical effort to obliterate60 the fancies that possessed her. Her hand was ice-cold and her fingers unconsciously groped in his, seeking strength in his warm clasp. With an effort she raised her head and looked more calmly into the shadows.
“No, there are no voices now,” she repeated. “I am—foolish.” And then aware of his fingers still holding hers, she withdrew her hand abruptly61 and straightened her slender figure. “I—I’m all right, I think.”
He straightened slowly, and his matter of fact tone reassured her.
“I didn’t know you were really frightened or I shouldn’t have spoken so. I’m sorry.”
“But you heard,” she persisted.
Gallatin took up his pipe and put it in his mouth before he replied.
“The wilderness62 is no place for nerves—or imaginations. It seems that you have the one and I the other. There were no sounds.”
“What did I hear then?”
“The stream and the leaves overhead. I’d rather prove it to you by daylight.”
[31]
“Will the day never come?”
“Oh, yes. I suppose so. It usually does.”
There was no smile on his lips and another note in his voice caused her to look at him keenly. The bowl of his pipe had dropped and his gaze was fixed63 upon the fire. It was a new—and distinct impression that he made upon her now—a not altogether pleasant one. Until a moment ago, he had been merely a man in the woods—a kindly64 person of intelligence with a talent for the building of balsam beds; in the last few minutes he had developed an outline, a quite too visible personality, and instinctively65 she withdrew from the contact.
“I think I can sleep now,” she said.
He understood. His place was at the fireside and he took it without reluctance66, aware of a sense of self-reproach. It had been her privilege to be a fool—but not his. He threw a careless glance at her over his shoulder.
“If you’re still timid, I’ll sit up and watch.”
“No, you mustn’t do that.” But by this time he had taken another coal for his pipe and sitting, Indian-fashion, was calmly puffing67.
“I’m going to, anyway,” he said. “Don’t bother about me, please.”
Without reply she stretched herself on the couch and disposed herself again to sleep. This time she buried her head in her arms and lay immovable. He knew that she was not asleep and that she was still listening for the menace of the silences; but he knew, too, that if suffer she must, he could not help her. A moment ago he had been on the point of taking her in his arms and soothing48 her as he would have done a child. They had been very close in spirit at that moment, drawn68 together like two vessels69 alone in a calm waste of water. It was the appeal[32] of her helplessness to his strength, his strength to her helplessness, of course, and yet——
For a long while Gallatin watched the flames as they rose and fell and the column of smoke that drifted upward on the still night air and lost itself among the leaves overhead. The voices he heard no more. The fire crackled, a vagrant breeze sighed, a bird called somewhere, but he realized that he was listening for another sound. The girl had not moved since he had last spoken, and now he heard the rhythmic70 breathing which told him that at last she was asleep. He waited some moments more, then softly arose, took up his coat, which he had thrown over a log, and laid it gently over her shoulders. Then he crept back to his fire.
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收听单词发音
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1
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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impromptu
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| adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地) | |
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rinsed
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| v.漂洗( rinse的过去式和过去分词 )；冲洗；用清水漂洗掉（肥皂泡等）；（用清水）冲掉 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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5
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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6
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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7
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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9
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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10
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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11
acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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12
skeptical
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| adj.怀疑的，多疑的 | |
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13
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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14
meddlesome
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| adj.爱管闲事的 | |
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15
agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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16
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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17
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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18
pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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19
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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21
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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22
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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23
alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vagrant
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| n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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26
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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27
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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28
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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29
tangibility
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| n.确切性 | |
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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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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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32
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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33
loon
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| n.狂人 | |
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34
sniffs
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的第三人称单数 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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35
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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36
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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37
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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38
scrolls
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| n.（常用于录写正式文件的）纸卷( scroll的名词复数 )；卷轴；涡卷形（装饰）；卷形花纹v.（电脑屏幕上）从上到下移动（资料等），卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 )；（似卷轴般）卷起；（像展开卷轴般地）将文字显示于屏幕 | |
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39
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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40
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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41
belle
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| n.靓女 | |
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42
tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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43
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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44
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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45
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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46
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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47
beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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48
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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49
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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50
initiated
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| n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入 | |
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51
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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52
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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53
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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54
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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55
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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56
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
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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58
gush
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| v.喷，涌；滔滔不绝(说话)；n.喷，涌流；迸发 | |
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59
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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60
obliterate
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| v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去 | |
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61
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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63
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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64
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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65
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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66
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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67
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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68
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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69
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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70
rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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