Platforms for the convenience of the orators8 had been erected9 round the grand column--the symbol of an Empire which these well-meaning busybodies were so anxious to dismember and destroy. Below, crowded laborers10, artisans, shopkeepers, traders of all kinds; and on the fringe of the mob, hard by the National Gallery, were lines of hansom cabs, surmounted11 by clubmen from Pall12 Mall and St. James' Street who had come to see the fun. There were plenty of women, bringing with them their children, when they could not leave them at home, and a sprinkling of redcoats and bluejackets. These, as the visible symbol of England's fighting power, were idolized by the mob. For, alas14 for Mr. Scarse and his supporters, the voice of the people was dead against their philanthropic efforts. Instead of the Boer National Anthem15, "God Save the Queen" and "Rule Britannia" were being sung. The Little Englanders were doing their best to laud16 Kruger and damn their own Government; but the temper of the mob was all the other way. In a word, the Imperialists were in the majority.
On the parapet, near the National Gallery, Brenda, very plainly dressed, was holding on to Wilfred's arm. He had been lunching at Mrs. St. Leger's, and afterward17 Brenda had persuaded him to escort her to the meeting. She feared for the safety of her father, and dreaded18 lest his speech should draw on him the anger of the mob. The colonel had declined to come, swearing in true military style that he would attend no meeting meant to belittle19 England.
"Is Mr. van Zwieten here?" asked Brenda, looking over the sea of heads.
"I don't think so," replied Wilfred, whose pale face was flushed with excitement. "He is too clever to sympathize openly with the cause he advocates. No! his task is to condemn20 the Boers in public and to support them in private."
"Have you found out anything about him, Wilfred?"
"Yes. He lives ostensibly in Duke Street, St. James; but he has other rooms in Westminster, where he passes under another name. There he receives all kinds of queer people--especially at night.
"Spies?" asked Brenda, so low as not to be heard by those near her.
"I believe so. He calls himself Jones, and a good many spies go up to see Mr. Jones. The scoundrel! To plot treason almost in the shadow of the Clock Tower! But I do not blame him so much as those who are betraying their country. After all, Van Zwieten is a foreigner, and naturally hates us; but there are Englishmen, Brenda--Englishmen born and bred--who are selling secrets for Transvaal gold. I'd hang the lot if I could!"
"Hush21, Wilfred, don't speak so loud. Can you prove that Van Zwieten is a spy?"
"Not yet; but I have a plan in my head to trap him."
"He will not be easily trapped."
"No; he is a cunning beast, but I'll get the better of him yet. When I tear his mask off he'll be forced to leave London. Hullo! there's your father!"
Brenda turned pale as that familiar lean figure appeared on the platform. He was saluted22 with a groan23. Several union Jacks24 were waved defiantly25 in his face, and a few bars of "God Save the Queen" were sung with lusty strength. A small knot of people stood round him. Taking off his hat, he advanced to the edge of the platform. A few expressions, such as "God-fearing farmers," "greedy capitalists," "the Jingoism26 of Chamberlain," "the treachery of Rhodes," caught Brenda's ear, and then her father's voice was drowned in a roar of cheering and singing. In vain did Mr. Scarse hold up his hand for silence; in reply he was assailed27 with insults, and a lifeguardsman was shouldered and passed along the heads of the crowd, a red spot of color amid the neutral tints28. union Jacks were waved, "Rule Britannia" was sung. Many a groan was there for Kruger; many a cheer for "Joe"; and the close-locked crowd, maddened by the sound of its own voice, rolled and swung like a stormy sea.
"Pore thing! pore thing!" said an old woman near Brenda, "I 'ope they won't chuck him into the fountings."
"Oh, Wilfred!" gasped29 the girl, terrified for her father's safety.
But the suggestion met with the approval of the crowd, and passed from mouth to mouth until it reached those immediately under the fountain. A roar went up to the sky, and several enthusiasts31 endeavored to clamber up the platform. The police beat them back, and order was restored for the moment. Then, as an appeal to the chivalry32 of the mob, a grim-looking female with a black bag came forward to speak. She commenced a highly abusive harangue33, but it was drowned in laughter and a recommendation, in terms purely34 colloquial35, that she should go home and tend any young offspring she might chance to have. The pro-Boers began to look disconsolate36. Each effort they made to speak was abortive37. A sailor jumped on the parapet opposite Morley's Hotel and waved a union Jack13. The mob saw and cheered, and roared out the National Anthem. Some threw apples and oranges at the orators on the platform, who promptly38 dodged39 behind the Column and endeavored to obtain a hearing on the other side, but with even less success.
On losing sight of her father, Brenda wanted to try and follow him; and Wilfred, the patriot40, although he hated Scarse, and would gladly have seen him ducked, could not but sympathize with the girl's anxiety. So, extricating41 themselves from the crowd, they struggled downward toward the lower part of the square. There a knot of talkers attracted their attention.
"Wot I say is, Why does Rhodes want to fight a lot of 'ard-working coves42 like them Boers?" said one begrimed ruffian. "They're the same as us, ain't they?"
"No, they ain't," grunted43 his neighbor. "They won't give Englishmen votes, an' we made their bloomin' country, we did."
"I 'old by Gladstone, I tell you----"
"Garn! you and your Gladstone; he'd ha' given away Windsor Castle if he cud."
"Ho! Wot price Majuba!"
"Ah! we must wipe out that disgrace," said a clearer and apparently44 more highly-educated speaker.
Then the fun began. Some abused Gladstone as the cause of all the trouble, others made extensive demands upon their vocabulary for a due definition of Mr. Chamberlain. It speedily became apparent that none of them knew what they were talking about. Wilfred laughed, and the begrimed one straightway resented his laughter.
"We don't want no tall 'ats 'ere," he yelped45.
"No, you want sense," retorted Burton. But, unwilling46 to involve Brenda in a row, he pushed on. As they passed away they heard a scuffle, and looked back to see that the dirty man had at last his heart's desire, so far as to have found an antagonist47. But even thus early in the game he was getting the worst of it. At length, having apparently had enough, he gave forth a lusty yell for "police," and was duly rescued in a battered48 condition, and still arguing. Brenda felt anxious. The mob all round was showing signs of restiveness49.
In another part of the square some pro-Boer orators spoke50 with more chance of a hearing. They drew the usual picture of a small toiling51 community, of unscrupulous capitalists, the worship of gold, the rights of the Boers to arrange affairs in their own house, and the iniquity52 of a mighty53 Empire crushing a diminutive54 State, wholly unable to defend itself.
Furious at the falsehoods which he heard all around him, Wilfred lost his head altogether, and, despite all Brenda's entreaty55, got up on the parapet and raised his voice.
"Lies, lies! all lies, I say. All that we demand are equal rights for the white man and kindly56 treatment of the black. The Boer is a brutal57 bully58. He beats the black man, and treats him like a dog. Kruger and his gang have accumulated millions through the industry of those to whom they refuse the franchise59. It is they who want war, not England; and if we refuse their challenge, then will they try to drive us out of Africa. It is not the Transvaal Republic which is in danger, but the Empire. Continental60 Powers, who hate us, are urging these misguided people to do what they dare not do themselves, hoping to profit took place. At length the police, as in the former by their folly61 and attack us when we are hampered62 in South Africa. Don't believe these liars63, men! They betray their own country, and a good half of them are paid with Transvaal gold for doing so. Spies! Traitors64, all of them. Duck them here in the fountains."
Then, having thus relieved his feelings, Wilfred took the girl's hand and pushed on hurriedly; and soon they were lost to view in the crowd.
But the effect of his words was immediate30. The pro-Boer champions, trying to make good their cause, were not allowed speech. As quickly as they opened their mouths the mob shouted them down. Some ugly rushes were made in their direction, and they were hustled65 roughly. A couple of men and women, beginning to see they were in danger of being chucked, shouted for the police of the very Government they had been abusing. A body of constables66 forced itself through the crowd and formed a cordon67 round these political martyrs68. They were escorted to the fringe of the mob, looking pale and nervous--anything, in fact, but heroic. And the language with which they were saluted was not such as need be set down here.
Meanwhile their friends at the Column were faring badly enough. The police began to see that the temper of the mob was rising, and insisted that the speaking--or rather the attempts to speak--should stop. The orators refused, and stuck to their platform they were driven off from one side and they climbed up the other. Missiles began to fly, the crowd to growl69, and some rough-and-tumble fights took place. At length the police, as in the former case, marched them away down Northumberland Avenue. The crowd which followed was so excited that the martyrs, afraid of the storm which, by their own folly, they had raised, tried to enter one of the hotels. But the porters here were prepared, and drove them back, and the wretched creatures--Scarse amongst them--were beaten to and fro like tennis balls. Finally, they managed to gain the shelter of a clubhouse, where they held an indignation meeting on their own account. But nothing on earth and above it would have convinced them that they had got just what they deserved.
Brenda was in a great state of alarm for her father. But Wilfred consoled her as well as he could. "He will be all right," he said cheerfully; "the police will look after him."
"He may be hurt."
"He should have thought of that before he played the fool. But he will not be hurt; those sort of people never are. I beg your pardon, Brenda. After all, he is your father."
"He honestly believes in the Boers, Wilfred."
"I know he does. He'd find out his mistake if he went to live amongst them. I wish I could have had half an hour at them, Brenda," he said, with sparkling eyes. "I would have done but for you."
"You said quite enough, Wilfred. I was afraid the police would arrest you."
"Arrest me! Come, that's good, seeing I spoke for the Government. What about your father and his wretched friends who are abusing their own country?"
"There are two sides to every question."
"Not to this one," replied Wilfred, who was easily excited on the subject.
Brenda decided70 that it was best not to contradict him. He was so highly strung that in moments of this kind he was not altogether accountable either for his speech or actions. He would flash into a rage on the slightest provocation71, and contradict every one around him, like some hysterical72 woman. No doctor could call him insane, since he knew well how to conduct himself, and was not the prey73 of any hallucination. But his brain was delicately balanced, and worry or persistent74 irritation75 brought him very near the borders of insanity76. For this reason he led a quiet life, and saw but few people. The magnitude and whirl of London always overwrought him, and Brenda regretted now that she had argued with him at all.
"Have it your own way, Wilfred," she said, taking his arm. "But I hope my father is safe. I have seen enough, so you might take me home."
"All right. Don't be angry with me, Brenda. But the silly views your father takes annoy me."
"I am not angry with you, Wilfred. Come along; let's get back now."
"About time too," said he. "The whole thing's a farce77."
"Ah! I agree with you there, Mr. Burton," said a voice, and Brenda turned with a start to find Van Zwieten at her elbow. "How are you, Miss Scarse?" he asked quietly, as though nothing unusual had passed between them at their last meeting. "And what do you think of this silly business?"
"I think it just what you call it--silly," replied Brenda, coldly. "But I did not expect to hear you say so."
"You ought to be pleased that your friends are fighting your battles," said Wilfred.
Van Zwieten flicked78 a grain of dust from off his frock coat and raised his eyebrows79. "My friends!" he repeated. "Oh, none of those who spoke are my friends, unless you refer to Mr. Scarse. But of course I don't agree with his views. I am an Imperialist," he said smoothly80.
Remembering the disclosures he had made to her, Brenda was astounded81 at the effrontery82 of the man; but Wilfred understood.
"Of course you are an Imperialist," he said; "it pays better!"
"Quite so," assented83 Van Zwieten "it pays better--much better. But you talk in riddles84."
"Do I? I think you can guess them then," retorted Wilfred, "and I don't think you will find Oom Paul will benefit by this meeting. It will show him how very much of one mind the English people are, and how they are determined85 to teach him a lesson."
"Oh, a lesson, eh?" Van Zwieten laughed. "It is to be hoped Oom Paul will prove an apt pupil; but I fear he is too old to learn."
"And Leyds--is he too old? He pulls the strings86!"
"What strings?" asked the Dutchman, blankly.
"The strings to make you dance!"
In spite of Van Zwieten's command of his temper, Wilfred was making him angry. This of itself Brenda did not mind in the least; but she did mind a quarrel, and toward that she could see these two were fast drifting. Moreover, owing to the raised tones of Wilfred's voice, a crowd was collecting. Mr. van Zwieten did not look altogether comfortable. He despised Wilfred as a mere87 boy; but even so, boy or not, this young fellow, with his fearless nature and frantic88 patriotism89, might put highly undesirable90 notions into the heads of those around. And most of them were more or less inflammable just then. The fountains, too, were close at hand.
"Come along, Wilfred," said Brenda. "Do let us get home."
But before he could reply, a hubbub91 arose amid the crowd not far distant, and they turned in that direction. From out the jeers92 and laughter an angry voice could be heard holding forth in abuse of the Government and in praise of the Boers.
Then the crowd parted, surged along, and Brenda saw advancing a tall, thin man. He wore a snuff-colored coat, and a yard or so of crape wrapped round his throat like a scarf. And his face--how like it was to that of her father!
"Oh!" she cried, grasping Wilfred's arm, "that is the man who----"
"Hush!" Van Zwieten whispered fiercely. "Don't accuse him in public!"
点击收听单词发音
1 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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2 convened | |
召开( convene的过去式 ); 召集; (为正式会议而)聚集; 集合 | |
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3 justify | |
vt.证明…正当(或有理),为…辩护 | |
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4 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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5 overflowed | |
溢出的 | |
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6 apprehensive | |
adj.担心的,恐惧的,善于领会的 | |
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7 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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8 orators | |
n.演说者,演讲家( orator的名词复数 ) | |
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9 ERECTED | |
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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10 laborers | |
n.体力劳动者,工人( laborer的名词复数 );(熟练工人的)辅助工 | |
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11 surmounted | |
战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 ); 克服(困难); 居于…之上; 在…顶上 | |
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12 pall | |
v.覆盖,使平淡无味;n.柩衣,棺罩;棺材;帷幕 | |
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13 jack | |
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克 | |
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14 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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15 anthem | |
n.圣歌,赞美诗,颂歌 | |
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16 laud | |
n.颂歌;v.赞美 | |
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17 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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18 dreaded | |
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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19 belittle | |
v.轻视,小看,贬低 | |
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20 condemn | |
vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑 | |
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21 hush | |
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
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22 saluted | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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23 groan | |
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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24 jacks | |
n.抓子游戏;千斤顶( jack的名词复数 );(电)插孔;[电子学]插座;放弃 | |
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25 defiantly | |
adv.挑战地,大胆对抗地 | |
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26 jingoism | |
n.极端之爱国主义 | |
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27 assailed | |
v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对 | |
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28 tints | |
色彩( tint的名词复数 ); 带白的颜色; (淡色)染发剂; 痕迹 | |
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29 gasped | |
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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30 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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31 enthusiasts | |
n.热心人,热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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32 chivalry | |
n.骑士气概,侠义;(男人)对女人彬彬有礼,献殷勤 | |
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33 harangue | |
n.慷慨冗长的训话,言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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34 purely | |
adv.纯粹地,完全地 | |
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35 colloquial | |
adj.口语的,会话的 | |
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36 disconsolate | |
adj.忧郁的,不快的 | |
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37 abortive | |
adj.不成功的,发育不全的 | |
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38 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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39 dodged | |
v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 );回避 | |
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40 patriot | |
n.爱国者,爱国主义者 | |
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41 extricating | |
v.使摆脱困难,脱身( extricate的现在分词 ) | |
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42 coves | |
n.小海湾( cove的名词复数 );家伙 | |
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43 grunted | |
(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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44 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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45 yelped | |
v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46 unwilling | |
adj.不情愿的 | |
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47 antagonist | |
n.敌人,对抗者,对手 | |
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48 battered | |
adj.磨损的;v.连续猛击;磨损 | |
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49 restiveness | |
n.倔强,难以驾御 | |
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50 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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51 toiling | |
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉 | |
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52 iniquity | |
n.邪恶;不公正 | |
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53 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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54 diminutive | |
adj.小巧可爱的,小的 | |
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55 entreaty | |
n.恳求,哀求 | |
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56 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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57 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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58 bully | |
n.恃强欺弱者,小流氓;vt.威胁,欺侮 | |
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59 franchise | |
n.特许,特权,专营权,特许权 | |
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60 continental | |
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的 | |
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61 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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62 hampered | |
妨碍,束缚,限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63 liars | |
说谎者( liar的名词复数 ) | |
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64 traitors | |
卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 ); 叛徒; 背叛者; 背信弃义的人 | |
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65 hustled | |
催促(hustle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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66 constables | |
n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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67 cordon | |
n.警戒线,哨兵线 | |
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68 martyrs | |
n.martyr的复数形式;烈士( martyr的名词复数 );殉道者;殉教者;乞怜者(向人诉苦以博取同情) | |
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69 growl | |
v.(狗等)嗥叫,(炮等)轰鸣;n.嗥叫,轰鸣 | |
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70 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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71 provocation | |
n.激怒,刺激,挑拨,挑衅的事物,激怒的原因 | |
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72 hysterical | |
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的 | |
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73 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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74 persistent | |
adj.坚持不懈的,执意的;持续的 | |
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75 irritation | |
n.激怒,恼怒,生气 | |
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76 insanity | |
n.疯狂,精神错乱;极端的愚蠢,荒唐 | |
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77 farce | |
n.闹剧,笑剧,滑稽戏;胡闹 | |
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78 flicked | |
(尤指用手指或手快速地)轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 ); (用…)轻挥; (快速地)按开关; 向…笑了一下(或瞥了一眼等) | |
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79 eyebrows | |
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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80 smoothly | |
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地 | |
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81 astounded | |
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词);愕然;愕;惊讶 | |
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82 effrontery | |
n.厚颜无耻 | |
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83 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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84 riddles | |
n.谜(语)( riddle的名词复数 );猜不透的难题,难解之谜 | |
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85 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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86 strings | |
n.弦 | |
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87 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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88 frantic | |
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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89 patriotism | |
n.爱国精神,爱国心,爱国主义 | |
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90 undesirable | |
adj.不受欢迎的,不良的,不合意的,讨厌的;n.不受欢迎的人,不良分子 | |
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91 hubbub | |
n.嘈杂;骚乱 | |
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92 jeers | |
n.操纵帆桁下部(使其上下的)索具;嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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