Eliza made her desperate retreat across the river just in the dusk of twilight1. The gray mist of evening, rising slowly from the river, enveloped2 her as she disappeared up the bank, and the swollen3 current and floundering masses of ice presented a hopeless barrier between her and her pursuer. Haley therefore slowly and discontentedly returned to the little tavern5, to ponder further what was to be done. The woman opened to him the door of a little parlor6, covered with a rag carpet, where stood a table with a very shining black oil-cloth, sundry7 lank8, high-backed wood chairs, with some plaster images in resplendent colors on the mantel-shelf, above a very dimly-smoking grate; a long hard-wood settle extended its uneasy length by the chimney, and here Haley sat him down to meditate9 on the instability of human hopes and happiness in general.
"What did I want with the little cuss, now," he said to himself, "that I should have got myself treed like a coon, as I am, this yer way?" and Haley relieved himself by repeating over a not very select litany of imprecations on himself, which, though there was the best possible reason to consider them as true, we shall, as a matter of taste, omit.
He was startled by the loud and dissonant10 voice of a man who was apparently11 dismounting at the door. He hurried to the window.
"By the land! if this yer an't the nearest, now, to what I've heard folks call Providence12," said Haley. "I do b'lieve that ar's Tom Loker."
Haley hastened out. Standing13 by the bar, in the corner of the room, was a brawny14, muscular man, full six feet in height, and broad in proportion. He was dressed in a coat of buffalo-skin, made with the hair outward, which gave him a shaggy and fierce appearance, perfectly15 in keeping with the whole air of his physiognomy. In the head and face every organ and lineament expressive16 of brutal17 and unhesitating violence was in a state of the highest possible development. Indeed, could our readers fancy a bull-dog come unto man's estate, and walking about in a hat and coat, they would have no unapt idea of the general style and effect of his physique. He was accompanied by a travelling companion, in many respects an exact contrast to himself. He was short and slender, lithe19 and catlike in his motions, and had a peering, mousing expression about his keen black eyes, with which every feature of his face seemed sharpened into sympathy; his thin, long nose, ran out as if it was eager to bore into the nature of things in general; his sleek20, thin, black hair was stuck eagerly forward, and all his motions and evolutions expressed a dry, cautious acuteness. The great man poured out a big tumbler half full of raw spirits, and gulped21 it down without a word. The little man stood tiptoe, and putting his head first to one side and then the other, and snuffing considerately in the directions of the various bottles, ordered at last a mint julep, in a thin and quivering voice, and with an air of great circumspection22. When poured out, he took it and looked at it with a sharp, complacent23 air, like,a man who thinks he has done about the right thing, and hit the nail on the head, and proceeded to dispose of it in short and well-advised sips24.
"Wal, now, who'd a thought this yer luck 'ad come to me? Why, Loker, how are ye?" said Haley, coming forward, and extending his hand to the big man.
"The devil!" was the civil reply. "What brought you here, Haley?"
The mousing man, who bore the name of Marks, instantly stopped his sipping25, and, poking26 his head forward, looked shrewdly on the new acquaintance, as a cat sometimes looks at a moving dry leaf, or some other possible object of pursuit.
"I say, Tom, this yer's the luckiest thing in the world. I'm in a devil of a hobble, and you must help me out."
"Ugh? aw! like enough!" grunted27 his complacent acquaintance. "A body may be pretty sure of that, when _you're_ glad to see 'em; something to be made off of 'em. What's the blow now?"
"You've got a friend here?" said Haley, looking doubtfully at Marks; "partner, perhaps?"
"Yes, I have. Here, Marks! here's that ar feller that I was in with in Natchez."
"Shall be pleased with his acquaintance," said Marks, thrusting out a long, thin hand, like a raven's claw. "Mr. Haley, I believe?"
"The same, sir," said Haley. "And now, gentlemen, seein' as we've met so happily, I think I'll stand up to a small matter of a treat in this here parlor. So, now, old coon," said he to the man at the bar, "get us hot water, and sugar, and cigars, and plenty of the _real stuff_ and we'll have a blow-out."
Behold29, then, the candles lighted, the fire stimulated30 to the burning point in the grate, and our three worthies31 seated round a table, well spread with all the accessories to good fellowship enumerated32 before.
Haley began a pathetic recital33 of his peculiar34 troubles. Loker shut up his mouth, and listened to him with gruff and surly attention. Marks, who was anxiously and with much fidgeting compounding a tumbler of punch to his own peculiar taste, occasionally looked up from his employment, and, poking his sharp nose and chin almost into Haley's face, gave the most earnest heed35 to the whole narrative36. The conclusion of it appeared to amuse him extremely, for he shook his shoulders and sides in silence, and perked37 up his thin lips with an air of great internal enjoyment39.
"So, then, ye'r fairly sewed up, an't ye?" he said; "he! he! he! It's neatly40 done, too."
"This yer young-un business makes lots of trouble in the trade," said Haley, dolefully.
"If we could get a breed of gals42 that didn't care, now, for their young uns," said Marks; "tell ye, I think 't would be 'bout18 the greatest mod'rn improvement I knows on,"--and Marks patronized his joke by a quiet introductory sniggle.
"Jes so," said Haley; "I never couldn't see into it; young uns is heaps of trouble to 'em; one would think, now, they'd be glad to get clar on 'em; but they arn't. And the more trouble a young un is, and the more good for nothing, as a gen'l thing, the tighter they sticks to 'em."
"Wal, Mr. Haley," said Marks, "'est pass the hot water. Yes, sir, you say 'est what I feel and all'us have. Now, I bought a gal41 once, when I was in the trade,--a tight, likely wench she was, too, and quite considerable smart,--and she had a young un that was mis'able sickly; it had a crooked44 back, or something or other; and I jest gin 't away to a man that thought he'd take his chance raising on 't, being it didn't cost nothin';--never thought, yer know, of the gal's taking' on about it,--but, Lord, yer oughter seen how she went on. Why, re'lly, she did seem to me to valley the child more 'cause _'t was_ sickly and cross, and plagued her; and she warn't making b'lieve, neither,--cried about it, she did, and lopped round, as if she'd lost every friend she had. It re'lly was droll45 to think on 't. Lord, there ain't no end to women's notions."
"Wal, jest so with me," said Haley. "Last summer, down on Red river, I got a gal traded off on me, with a likely lookin' child enough, and his eyes looked as bright as yourn; but, come to look, I found him stone blind. Fact--he was stone blind. Wal, ye see, I thought there warn't no harm in my jest passing him along, and not sayin' nothin'; and I'd got him nicely swapped46 off for a keg o' whiskey; but come to get him away from the gal, she was jest like a tiger. So 't was before we started, and I hadn't got my gang chained up; so what should she do but ups on a cotton-bale, like a cat, ketches a knife from one of the deck hands, and, I tell ye, she made all fly for a minit, till she saw 't wan't no use; and she jest turns round, and pitches head first, young un and all, into the river,--went down plump, and never ris."
"Bah!" said Tom Loker, who had listened to these stories with ill-repressed disgust,--"shif'less, both on ye! _my_ gals don't cut up no such shines, I tell ye!"
"Indeed! how do you help it?" said Marks, briskly.
"Help it? why, I buys a gal, and if she's got a young un to be sold, I jest walks up and puts my fist to her face, and says, `Look here, now, if you give me one word out of your head, I'll smash yer face in. I won't hear one word--not the beginning of a word.' I says to 'em, `This yer young un's mine, and not yourn, and you've no kind o' business with it. I'm going to sell it, first chance; mind, you don't cut up none o' yer shines about it, or I'll make ye wish ye'd never been born.' I tell ye, they sees it an't no play, when I gets hold. I makes 'em as whist as fishes; and if one on 'em begins and gives a yelp47, why,--" and Mr. Loker brought down his fist with a thump48 that fully28 explained the hiatus.
"That ar's what ye may call _emphasis_," said Marks, poking Haley in the side, and going into another small giggle49. "An't Tom peculiar? he! he! I say, Tom, I s'pect you make 'em _understand_, for all niggers' heads is woolly. They don't never have no doubt o' your meaning, Tom. If you an't the devil, Tom, you 's his twin brother, I'll say that for ye!"
Tom received the compliment with becoming modesty50, and began to look as affable as was consistent, as John Bunyan says, "with his doggish nature."
Haley, who had been imbibing51 very freely of the staple52 of the evening, began to feel a sensible elevation53 and enlargement of his moral faculties,--a phenomenon not unusual with gentlemen of a serious and reflective turn, under similar circumstances.
"Wal, now, Tom," he said, "ye re'lly is too bad, as I al'ays have told ye; ye know, Tom, you and I used to talk over these yer matters down in Natchez, and I used to prove to ye that we made full as much, and was as well off for this yer world, by treatin' on 'em well, besides keepin' a better chance for comin' in the kingdom at last, when wust comes to wust, and thar an't nothing else left to get, ye know."
"Boh!" said Tom, "_don't_ I know?--don't make me too sick with any yer stuff,--my stomach is a leetle riled now;" and Tom drank half a glass of raw brandy.
"I say," said Haley, and leaning back in his chair and gesturing impressively, "I'll say this now, I al'ays meant to drive my trade so as to make money on 't _fust and foremost_, as much as any man; but, then, trade an't everything, and money an't everything, 'cause we 's all got souls. I don't care, now, who hears me say it,--and I think a cussed sight on it,--so I may as well come out with it. I b'lieve in religion, and one of these days, when I've got matters tight and snug54, I calculates to tend to my soul and them ar matters; and so what's the use of doin' any more wickedness than 's re'lly necessary?--it don't seem to me it's 't all prudent55."
"Tend to yer soul!" repeated Tom, contemptuously; "take a bright lookout56 to find a soul in you,--save yourself any care on that score. If the devil sifts57 you through a hair sieve58, he won't find one."
"Why, Tom, you're cross," said Haley; "why can't ye take it pleasant, now, when a feller's talking for your good?"
"Stop that ar jaw59 o' yourn, there," said Tom, gruffly. "I can stand most any talk o' yourn but your pious60 talk,--that kills me right up. After all, what's the odds61 between me and you? 'Tan't that you care one bit more, or have a bit more feelin'--it's clean, sheer, dog meanness, wanting to cheat the devil and save your own skin; don't I see through it? And your `gettin' religion,' as you call it, arter all, is too p'isin mean for any crittur;--run up a bill with the devil all your life, and then sneak62 out when pay time comes! Bob!"
"Come, come, gentlemen, I say; this isn't business," said Marks. "There's different ways, you know, of looking at all subjects. Mr. Haley is a very nice man, no doubt, and has his own conscience; and, Tom, you have your ways, and very good ones, too, Tom; but quarrelling, you know, won't answer no kind of purpose. Let's go to business. Now, Mr. Haley, what is it?--you want us to undertake to catch this yer gal?"
"The gal's no matter of mine,--she's Shelby's; it's only the boy. I was a fool for buying the monkey!"
"You're generally a fool!" said Tom, gruffly.
"Come, now, Loker, none of your huffs," said Marks, licking his lips; "you see, Mr. Haley 's a puttin' us in a way of a good job, I reckon; just hold still--these yer arrangements is my forte63. This yer gal, Mr. Haley, how is she? what is she?"
"Wal! white and handsome--well brought up. I'd a gin Shelby eight hundred or a thousand, and then made well on her."
"White and handsome--well brought up!" said Marks, his sharp eyes, nose and mouth, all alive with enterprise. "Look here, now, Loker, a beautiful opening. We'll do a business here on our own account;--we does the catchin'; the boy, of course, goes to Mr. Haley,--we takes the gal to Orleans to speculate on. An't it beautiful?"
Tom, whose great heavy mouth had stood ajar during this communication, now suddenly snapped it together, as a big dog closes on a piece of meat, and seemed to be digesting the idea at his leisure.
"Ye see," said Marks to Haley, stirring his punch as he did so, "ye see, we has justices convenient at all p'ints along shore, that does up any little jobs in our line quite reasonable. Tom, he does the knockin' down and that ar; and I come in all dressed up--shining boots--everything first chop, when the swearin' 's to be done. You oughter see, now," said Marks, in a glow of professional pride, "how I can tone it off. One day, I'm Mr. Twickem, from New Orleans; 'nother day, I'm just come from my plantation64 on Pearl river, where I works seven hundred niggers; then, again, I come out a distant relation of Henry Clay, or some old cock in Kentuck. Talents is different, you know. Now, Tom's roarer when there's any thumping65 or fighting to be done; but at lying he an't good, Tom an't,--ye see it don't come natural to him; but, Lord, if thar's a feller in the country that can swear to anything and everything, and put in all the circumstances and flourishes with a long face, and carry 't through better 'n I can, why, I'd like to see him, that's all! I b'lieve my heart, I could get along and snake through, even if justices were more particular than they is. Sometimes I rather wish they was more particular; 't would be a heap more relishin' if they was,--more fun, yer know."
Tom Loker, who, as we have made it appear, was a man of slow thoughts and movements, here interrupted Marks by bringing his heavy fist down on the table, so as to make all ring again, _"It'll do!"_ he said.
"Lord bless ye, Tom, ye needn't break all the glasses!" said Marks; "save your fist for time o' need."
"But, gentlemen, an't I to come in for a share of the profits?" said Haley.
"An't it enough we catch the boy for ye?" said Loker. "What do ye want?"
"Wal," said Haley, "if I gives you the job, it's worth something,--say ten per cent. on the profits, expenses paid."
"Now," said Loker, with a tremendous oath, and striking the table with his heavy fist, "don't I know _you_, Dan Haley? Don't you think to come it over me! Suppose Marks and I have taken up the catchin' trade, jest to 'commodate gentlemen like you, and get nothin' for ourselves?--Not by a long chalk! we'll have the gal out and out, and you keep quiet, or, ye see, we'll have both,--what's to hinder? Han't you show'd us the game? It's as free to us as you, I hope. If you or Shelby wants to chase us, look where the partridges was last year; if you find them or us, you're quite welcome."
"O, wal, certainly, jest let it go at that," said Haley, alarmed; "you catch the boy for the job;--you allers did trade _far_ with me, Tom, and was up to yer word."
"Ye know that," said Tom; "I don't pretend none of your snivelling ways, but I won't lie in my 'counts with the devil himself. What I ses I'll do, I will do,--you know _that_, Dan Haley."
"Jes so, jes so,--I said so, Tom," said Haley; "and if you'd only promise to have the boy for me in a week, at any point you'll name, that's all I want."
"But it an't all I want, by a long jump," said Tom. "Ye don't think I did business with you, down in Natchez, for nothing, Haley; I've learned to hold an eel43, when I catch him. You've got to fork over fifty dollars, flat down, or this child don't start a peg66. I know yer."
"Why, when you have a job in hand that may bring a clean profit of somewhere about a thousand or sixteen hundred, why, Tom, you're onreasonable," said Haley.
"Yes, and hasn't we business booked for five weeks to come,--all we can do? And suppose we leaves all, and goes to bush-whacking round arter yer young uns, and finally doesn't catch the gal,--and gals allers is the devil _to_ catch,--what's then? would you pay us a cent--would you? I think I see you a doin' it--ugh! No, no; flap down your fifty. If we get the job, and it pays, I'll hand it back; if we don't, it's for our trouble,--that's _far_, an't it, Marks?"
"Certainly, certainly," said Marks, with a conciliatory tone; "it's only a retaining fee, you see,--he! he! he!--we lawyers, you know. Wal, we must all keep good-natured,--keep easy, yer know. Tom'll have the boy for yer, anywhere ye'll name; won't ye, Tom?"
"If I find the young un, I'll bring him on to Cincinnati, and leave him at Granny Belcher's, on the landing," said Loker.
Marks had got from his pocket a greasy67 pocket-book, and taking a long paper from thence, he sat down, and fixing his keen black eyes on it, began mumbling68 over its contents: "Barnes--Shelby County--boy Jim, three hundred dollars for him, dead or alive.
"Edwards--Dick and Lucy--man and wife, six hundred dollars; wench Polly and two children--six hundred for her or her head.
"I'm jest a runnin' over our business, to see if we can take up this yer handily. Loker," he said, after a pause, "we must set Adams and Springer on the track of these yer; they've been booked some time."
"They'll charge too much," said Tom.
"I'll manage that ar; they 's young in the business, and must spect to work cheap," said Marks, as he continued to read. "Ther's three on 'em easy cases, 'cause all you've got to do is to shoot 'em, or swear they is shot; they couldn't, of course, charge much for that. Them other cases," he said, folding the paper, "will bear puttin' off a spell. So now let's come to the particulars. Now, Mr. Haley, you saw this yer gal when she landed?"
"To be sure,--plain as I see you."
"And a man helpin' on her up the bank?" said Loker.
"To be sure, I did."
"Most likely," said Marks, "she's took in somewhere; but where, 's a question. Tom, what do you say?"
"We must cross the river tonight, no mistake," said Tom.
"But there's no boat about," said Marks. "The ice is running awfully69, Tom; an't it dangerous?"
"Don'no nothing 'bout that,--only it's got to be done," said Tom, decidedly.
"Dear me," said Marks, fidgeting, "it'll be--I say," he said, walking to the window, "it's dark as a wolf's mouth, and, Tom--"
"The long and short is, you're scared, Marks; but I can't help that,--you've got to go. Suppose you want to lie by a day or two, till the gal 's been carried on the underground line up to Sandusky or so, before you start."
"O, no; I an't a grain afraid," said Marks, "only--"
"Only what?" said Tom.
"Well, about the boat. Yer see there an't any boat."
"I heard the woman say there was one coming along this evening, and that a man was going to cross over in it. Neck or nothing, we must go with him," said Tom.
"I s'pose you've got good dogs," said Haley.
"First rate," said Marks. "But what's the use? you han't got nothin' o' hers to smell on."
"Yes, I have," said Haley, triumphantly71. "Here's her shawl she left on the bed in her hurry; she left her bonnet72, too."
"That ar's lucky," said Loker; "fork over."
"Though the dogs might damage the gal, if they come on her unawars," said Haley.
"That ar's a consideration," said Marks. "Our dogs tore a feller half to pieces, once, down in Mobile, 'fore4 we could get 'em off."
"Well, ye see, for this sort that's to be sold for their looks, that ar won't answer, ye see," said Haley.
"I do see," said Marks. "Besides, if she's got took in, 'tan't no go, neither. Dogs is no 'count in these yer up states where these critters gets carried; of course, ye can't get on their track. They only does down in plantations73, where niggers, when they runs, has to do their own running, and don't get no help."
"Well," said Loker, who had just stepped out to the bar to make some inquiries74, "they say the man's come with the boat; so, Marks--"
That worthy75 cast a rueful look at the comfortable quarters he was leaving, but slowly rose to obey. After exchanging a few words of further arrangement, Haley, with visible reluctance76, handed over the fifty dollars to Tom, and the worthy trio separated for the night.
If any of our refined and Christian77 readers object to the society into which this scene introduces them, let us beg them to begin and conquer their prejudices in time. The catching78 business, we beg to remind them, is rising to the dignity of a lawful79 and patriotic80 profession. If all the broad land between the Mississippi and the Pacific becomes one great market for bodies and souls, and human property retains the locomotive tendencies of this nineteenth century, the trader and catcher may yet be among our aristocracy.
While this scene was going on at the tavern, Sam and Andy, in a state of high felicitation, pursued their way home.
Sam was in the highest possible feather, and expressed his exultation81 by all sorts of supernatural howls and ejaculations, by divers82 odd motions and contortions83 of his whole system. Sometimes he would sit backward, with his face to the horse's tail and sides, and then, with a whoop84 and a somerset, come right side up in his place again, and, drawing on a grave face, begin to lecture Andy in high-sounding tones for laughing and playing the fool. Anon, slapping his sides with his arms, he would burst forth85 in peals86 of laughter, that made the old woods ring as they passed. With all these evolutions, he contrived87 to keep the horses up to the top of their speed, until, between ten and eleven, their heels resounded88 on the gravel89 at the end of the balcony. Mrs. Shelby flew to the railings.
"Is that you, Sam? Where are they?"
"Mas'r Haley 's a-restin' at the tavern; he's drefful fatigued90, Missis."
"And Eliza, Sam?"
"Wal, she's clar 'cross Jordan. As a body may say, in the land o' Canaan."
"Why, Sam, what _do_ you mean?" said Mrs. Shelby, breathless, and almost faint, as the possible meaning of these words came over her.
"Wal, Missis, de Lord he persarves his own. Lizy's done gone over the river into 'Hio, as 'markably as if de Lord took her over in a charrit of fire and two hosses."
Sam's vein91 of piety92 was always uncommonly93 fervent94 in his mistress' presence; and he made great capital of scriptural figures and images.
"Come up here, Sam," said Mr. Shelby, who had followed on to the verandah, "and tell your mistress what she wants. Come, come, Emily," said he, passing his arm round her, "you are cold and all in a shiver; you allow yourself to feel too much."
"Feel too much! Am not I a woman,--a mother? Are we not both responsible to God for this poor girl? My God! lay not this sin to our charge."
"What sin, Emily? You see yourself that we have only done what we were obliged to."
"There's an awful feeling of guilt95 about it, though," said Mrs. Shelby. "I can't reason it away."
"Here, Andy, you nigger, be alive!" called Sam, under the verandah; "take these yer hosses to der barn; don't ye hear Mas'r a callin'?" and Sam soon appeared, palm-leaf in hand, at the parlor door.
"Now, Sam, tell us distinctly how the matter was," said Mr. Shelby. "Where is Eliza, if you know?"
"Wal, Mas'r, I saw her, with my own eyes, a crossin' on the floatin' ice. She crossed most 'markably; it wasn't no less nor a miracle; and I saw a man help her up the 'Hio side, and then she was lost in the dusk."
"Sam, I think this rather apocryphal,--this miracle. Crossing on floating ice isn't so easily done," said Mr. Shelby.
"Easy! couldn't nobody a done it, without de Lord. Why, now," said Sam, "'t was jist dis yer way. Mas'r Haley, and me, and Andy, we comes up to de little tavern by the river, and I rides a leetle ahead,--(I's so zealous96 to be a cotchin' Lizy, that I couldn't hold in, no way),--and when I comes by the tavern winder, sure enough there she was, right in plain sight, and dey diggin' on behind. Wal, I loses off my hat, and sings out nuff to raise the dead. Course Lizy she hars, and she dodges97 back, when Mas'r Haley he goes past the door; and then, I tell ye, she clared out de side door; she went down de river bank;--Mas'r Haley he seed her, and yelled out, and him, and me, and Andy, we took arter. Down she come to the river, and thar was the current running ten feet wide by the shore, and over t' other side ice a sawin' and a jiggling up and down, kinder as 't were a great island. We come right behind her, and I thought my soul he'd got her sure enough,--when she gin sich a screech98 as I never hearn, and thar she was, clar over t' other side of the current, on the ice, and then on she went, a screeching99 and a jumpin',--the ice went crack! c'wallop! cracking! chunk100! and she a boundin' like a buck101! Lord, the spring that ar gal's got in her an't common, I'm o' 'pinion102."
Mrs. Shelby sat perfectly silent, pale with excitement, while Sam told his story.
"God be praised, she isn't dead!" she said; "but where is the poor child now?"
"De Lord will `ervide," said Sam, rolling up his eyes piously103. "As I've been a sayin', dis yer 's a providence and no mistake, as Missis has allers been a instructin' on us. Thar's allers instruments ris up to do de Lord's will. Now, if 't hadn't been for me today, she'd a been took a dozen times. Warn't it I started off de hosses, dis yer morning' and kept 'em chasin' till nigh dinner time? And didn't I car Mas'r Haley night five miles out of de road, dis evening, or else he'd a come up with Lizy as easy as a dog arter a coon. These yer 's all providences."
"They are a kind of providences that you'll have to be pretty sparing of, Master Sam. I allow no such practices with gentlemen on my place," said Mr. Shelby, with as much sternness as he could command, under the circumstances.
Now, there is no more use in making believe be angry with a negro than with a child; both instinctively104 see the true state of the case, through all attempts to affect the contrary; and Sam was in no wise disheartened by this rebuke105, though he assumed an air of doleful gravity, and stood with the corners of his mouth lowered in most penitential style.
"Mas'r quite right,--quite; it was ugly on me,--there's no disputin' that ar; and of course Mas'r and Missis wouldn't encourage no such works. I'm sensible of dat ar; but a poor nigger like me 's 'mazin' tempted106 to act ugly sometimes, when fellers will cut up such shines as dat ar Mas'r Haley; he an't no gen'l'man no way; anybody's been raised as I've been can't help a seein' dat ar."
"Well, Sam," said Mrs. Shelby, "as you appear to have a proper sense of your errors, you may go now and tell Aunt Chloe she may get you some of that cold ham that was left of dinner today. You and Andy must be hungry."
"Missis is a heap too good for us," said Sam, making his bow with alacrity107, and departing.
It will be perceived, as has been before intimated, that Master Sam had a native talent that might, undoubtedly108, have raised him to eminence109 in political life,--a talent of making capital out of everything that turned up, to be invested for his own especial praise and glory; and having done up his piety and humility110, as he trusted, to the satisfaction of the parlor, he clapped his palm-leaf on his head, with a sort of rakish, free-and-easy air, and proceeded to the dominions111 of Aunt Chloe, with the intention of flourishing largely in the kitchen.
"I'll speechify these yer niggers," said Sam to himself, "now I've got a chance. Lord, I'll reel it off to make 'em stare!"
It must be observed that one of Sam's especial delights had been to ride in attendance on his master to all kinds of political gatherings112, where, roosted on some rail fence, or perched aloft in some tree, he would sit watching the orators113, with the greatest apparent gusto, and then, descending114 among the various brethren of his own color, assembled on the same errand, he would edify115 and delight them with the most ludicrous burlesques116 and imitations, all delivered with the most imperturbable117 earnestness and solemnity; and though the auditors118 immediately about him were generally of his own color, it not unfrequently happened that they were fringed pretty deeply with those of a fairer complexion119, who listened, laughing and winking120, to Sam's great self-congratulation. In fact, Sam considered oratory121 as his vocation122, and never let slip an opportunity of magnifying his office.
Now, between Sam and Aunt Chloe there had existed, from ancient times, a sort of chronic123 feud124, or rather a decided70 coolness; but, as Sam was meditating125 something in the provision department, as the necessary and obvious foundation of his operations, he determined126, on the present occasion, to be eminently127 conciliatory; for he well knew that although "Missis' orders" would undoubtedly be followed to the letter, yet he should gain a considerable deal by enlisting128 the spirit also. He therefore appeared before Aunt Chloe with a touchingly129 subdued130, resigned expression, like one who has suffered immeasurable hardships in behalf of a persecuted131 dellow-creature,--enlarged upon the fact that Missis had directed him to come to Aunt Chloe for whatever might be wanting to make up the balance in his solids and fluids,--and thus unequivocally acknowledged her right and supremacy132 in the cooking department, and all thereto pertaining133.
The thing took accordingly. No poor, simple, virtuous134 body was ever cajoled by the attentions of an electioneering politician with more ease than Aunt Chloe was won over by Master Sam's suavities; and if he had been the prodigal135 son himself, he could not have been overwhelmed with more maternal136 bountifulness; and he soon found himself seated, happy and glorious, over a large tin pan, containing a sort of _olla podrida_ of all that had appeared on the table for two or three days past. Savory137 morsels138 of ham, golden blocks of corn-cake, fragments of pie of every conceivable mathematical figure, chicken wings, gizzards, and drumsticks, all appeared in picturesque139 confusion; and Sam, as monarch140 of all he surveyed, sat with his palm-leaf cocked rejoicingly to one side, and patronizing Andy at his right hand.
The kitchen was full of all his compeers, who had hurried and crowded in, from the various cabins, to hear the termination of the day's exploits. Now was Sam's hour of glory. The story of the day was rehearsed, with all kinds of ornament141 and varnishing142 which might be necessary to heighten its effect; for Sam, like some of our fashionable dilettanti, never allowed a story to lose any of its gilding143 by passing through his hands. Roars of laughter attended the narration144, and were taken up and prolonged by all the smaller fry, who were lying, in any quantity, about on the floor, or perched in every corner. In the height of the uproar145 and laughter, Sam, however, preserved an immovable gravity, only from time to time rolling his eyes up, and giving his auditors divers inexpressibly droll glances, without departing from the sententious elevation of his oratory.
"Yer see, fellow-countrymen," said Sam, elevating a turkey's leg, with energy, "yer see, now what dis yer chile 's up ter, for fendin' yer all,--yes, all on yer. For him as tries to get one o' our people is as good as tryin' to get all; yer see the principle 's de same,--dat ar's clar. And any one o' these yer drivers that comes smelling round arter any our people, why, he's got _me_ in his way; _I'm_ the feller he's got to set in with,--I'm the feller for yer all to come to, bredren,--I'll stand up for yer rights,--I'll fend146 'em to the last breath!"
"Why, but Sam, yer telled me, only this mornin', that you'd help this yer Mas'r to cotch Lizy; seems to me yer talk don't hang together," said Andy.
"I tell you now, Andy," said Sam, with awful superiority, "don't yer be a talkin' 'bout what yer don't know nothin' on; boys like you, Andy, means well, but they can't be spected to collusitate the great principles of action."
Andy looked rebuked147, particularly by the hard word collusitate, which most of the youngerly members of the company seemed to consider as a settler in the case, while Sam proceeded.
"Dat ar was _conscience_, Andy; when I thought of gwine arter Lizy, I railly spected Mas'r was sot dat way. When I found Missis was sot the contrar, dat ar was conscience _more yet_,--cause fellers allers gets more by stickin' to Missis' side,--so yer see I 's persistent148 either way, and sticks up to conscience, and holds on to principles. Yes, _principles_," said Sam, giving an enthusiastic toss to a chicken's neck,--"what's principles good for, if we isn't persistent, I wanter know? Thar, Andy, you may have dat ar bone,--tan't picked quite clean."
Sam's audience hanging on his words with open mouth, he could not but proceed.
"Dis yer matter 'bout persistence149, feller-niggers," said Sam, with the air of one entering into an abstruse150 subject, "dis yer 'sistency 's a thing what an't seed into very clar, by most anybody. Now, yer see, when a feller stands up for a thing one day and night, de contrar de next, folks ses (and nat'rally enough dey ses), why he an't persistent,--hand me dat ar bit o' corn-cake, Andy. But let's look inter38 it. I hope the gen'lmen and der fair sex will scuse my usin' an or'nary sort o' 'parison. Here! I'm a trying to get top o' der hay. Wal, I puts up my larder151 dis yer side; 'tan't no go;--den, cause I don't try dere no more, but puts my larder right de contrar side, an't I persistent? I'm persistent in wantin' to get up which ary side my larder is; don't you see, all on yer?"
"It's the only thing ye ever was persistent in, Lord knows!" muttered Aunt Chloe, who was getting rather restive152; the merriment of the evening being to her somewhat after the Scripture153 comparison,--like "vinegar upon nitre."
"Yes, indeed!" said Sam, rising, full of supper and glory, for a closing effort. "Yes, my feller-citizens and ladies of de other sex in general, I has principles,--I'm proud to 'oon 'em,--they 's perquisite154 to dese yer times, and ter _all_ times. I has principles, and I sticks to 'em like forty,--jest anything that I thinks is principle, I goes in to 't;--I wouldn't mind if dey burnt me 'live,--I'd walk right up to de stake, I would, and say, here I comes to shed my last blood fur my principles, fur my country, fur de gen'l interests of society."
"Well," said Aunt Chloe, "one o' yer principles will have to be to get to bed some time tonight, and not be a keepin' everybody up till mornin'; now, every one of you young uns that don't want to be cracked, had better be scase, mighty155 sudden."
"Niggers! all on yer," said Sam, waving his palm-leaf with benignity156, "I give yer my blessin'; go to bed now, and be good boys."
And, with this pathetic benediction157, the assembly dispersed158.
收听单词发音 |
1
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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meditate
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| v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想 | |
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dissonant
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| adj.不和谐的；不悦耳的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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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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brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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circumspection
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| n.细心，慎重 | |
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complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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sips
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| n.小口喝，一小口的量( sip的名词复数 )v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的第三人称单数 ) | |
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sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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26
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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worthies
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| 应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
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enumerated
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| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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perked
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| （使）活跃( perk的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）增值； 使更有趣 | |
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inter
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| v.埋葬 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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gals
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| abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 ) | |
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eel
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| n.鳗鲡 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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46
swapped
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| 交换（工作）( swap的过去式和过去分词 )； 用…替换，把…换成，掉换（过来） | |
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yelp
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| vi.狗吠 | |
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48
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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49
giggle
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| n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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50
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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51
imbibing
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| v.吸收( imbibe的现在分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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52
staple
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| n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类 | |
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53
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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54
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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55
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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56
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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57
sifts
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| v.筛( sift的第三人称单数 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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58
sieve
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| n.筛，滤器，漏勺 | |
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59
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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60
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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61
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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62
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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63
forte
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| n.长处，擅长；adj.(音乐)强音的 | |
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64
plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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65
thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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66
peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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67
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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68
mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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69
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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70
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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71
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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72
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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73
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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74
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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75
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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76
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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77
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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78
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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81
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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82
divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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83
contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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84
whoop
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| n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息 | |
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85
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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peals
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| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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88
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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91
vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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92
piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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93
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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94
fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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95
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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96
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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dodges
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| n.闪躲( dodge的名词复数 )；躲避；伎俩；妙计v.闪躲( dodge的第三人称单数 )；回避 | |
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98
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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99
screeching
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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100
chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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101
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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102
pinion
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| v.束缚；n.小齿轮 | |
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103
piously
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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104
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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105
rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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106
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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107
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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108
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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109
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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110
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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111
dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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112
gatherings
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| 聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集 | |
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113
orators
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| n.演说者，演讲家( orator的名词复数 ) | |
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114
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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115
edify
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| v.陶冶；教化；启发 | |
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116
burlesques
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| n.滑稽模仿( burlesque的名词复数 )；（包括脱衣舞的）滑稽歌舞杂剧v.（嘲弄地）模仿，（通过模仿）取笑( burlesque的第三人称单数 ) | |
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117
imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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118
auditors
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| n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生 | |
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119
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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120
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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121
oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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122
vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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123
chronic
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| adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的 | |
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feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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125
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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126
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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127
eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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128
enlisting
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| v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的现在分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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129
touchingly
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| adv.令人同情地，感人地，动人地 | |
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130
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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131
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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132
supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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133
pertaining
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| 与…有关系的，附属…的，为…固有的(to) | |
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134
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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135
prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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136
maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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137
savory
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| adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的 | |
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138
morsels
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| n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑 | |
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139
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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140
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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141
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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142
varnishing
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| 在（某物）上涂清漆( varnish的现在分词 ) | |
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143
gilding
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| n.贴金箔，镀金 | |
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144
narration
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| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
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145
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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146
fend
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| v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开 | |
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147
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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148
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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149
persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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150
abstruse
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| adj.深奥的，难解的 | |
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151
larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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152
restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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153
scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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154
perquisite
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| n.固定津贴，福利 | |
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155
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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156
benignity
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| n.仁慈 | |
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157
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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158
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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