Being for the Benefit of Mr Vincent Crummles, andpositively his last Appearance on this Stage.
It was with a very sad and heavy heart, oppressed by manypainful ideas, that Nicholas retraced2 his steps eastward3 andbetook himself to the counting-house of Cheeryble Brothers.
Whatever the idle hopes he had suffered himself to entertain,whatever the pleasant visions which had sprung up in his mindand grouped themselves round the fair image of Madeline Bray4,they were now dispelled5, and not a vestige6 of their gaiety andbrightness remained.
It would be a poor compliment to Nicholas’s better nature, andone which he was very far from deserving, to insinuate7 that thesolution, and such a solution, of the mystery which had seemed tosurround Madeline Bray, when he was ignorant even of her name,had damped his ardour or cooled the fervour of his admiration8. Ifhe had regarded her before, with such a passion as young menattracted by mere9 beauty and elegance10 may entertain, he was nowconscious of much deeper and stronger feelings. But, reverencefor the truth and purity of her heart, respect for the helplessnessand loneliness of her situation, sympathy with the trials of one soyoung and fair and admiration of her great and noble spirit, allseemed to raise her far above his reach, and, while they impartednew depth and dignity to his love, to whisper that it was hopeless.
‘I will keep my word, as I have pledged it to her,’ said Nicholas,manfully. ‘This is no common trust that I have to discharge, and I will perform the double duty that is imposed upon me mostscrupulously and strictly11. My secret feelings deserve noconsideration in such a case as this, and they shall have none.’
Still, there were the secret feelings in existence just the same,and in secret Nicholas rather encouraged them than otherwise;reasoning (if he reasoned at all) that there they could do no harmto anybody but himself, and that if he kept them to himself from asense of duty, he had an additional right to entertain himself withthem as a reward for his heroism12.
All these thoughts, coupled with what he had seen that morningand the anticipation13 of his next visit, rendered him a very dull andabstracted companion; so much so, indeed, that Tim Linkinwatersuspected he must have made the mistake of a figure somewhere,which was preying14 upon his mind, and seriously conjured15 him, ifsuch were the case, to make a clean breast and scratch it out,rather than have his whole life embittered16 by the tortures ofremorse.
But in reply to these considerate representations, and manyothers both from Tim and Mr Frank, Nicholas could only bebrought to state that he was never merrier in his life; and so wenton all day, and so went towards home at night, still turning overand over again the same subjects, thinking over and over again thesame things, and arriving over and over again at the sameconclusions.
In this pensive17, wayward, and uncertain state, people are apt tolounge and loiter without knowing why, to read placards on thewalls with great attention and without the smallest idea of oneword of their contents, and to stare most earnestly through shop-windows at things which they don’t see. It was thus that Nicholas found himself poring with the utmost interest over a large play-billhanging outside a Minor18 Theatre which he had to pass on his wayhome, and reading a list of the actors and actresses who hadpromised to do honour to some approaching benefit, with as muchgravity as if it had been a catalogue of the names of those ladiesand gentlemen who stood highest upon the Book of Fate, and hehad been looking anxiously for his own. He glanced at the top ofthe bill, with a smile at his own dulness, as he prepared to resumehis walk, and there saw announced, in large letters with a largespace between each of them, ‘Positively1 the last appearance of MrVincent Crummles of Provincial19 Celebrity20!!!’
‘Nonsense!’ said Nicholas, turning back again. ‘It can’t be.’
But there it was. In one line by itself was an announcement ofthe first night of a new melodrama21; in another line by itself was anannouncement of the last six nights of an old one; a third line wasdevoted to the re-engagement of the unrivalled African Knife-swallower, who had kindly22 suffered himself to be prevailed uponto forego his country engagements for one week longer; a fourthline announced that Mr Snittle Timberry, having recovered fromhis late severe indisposition, would have the honour of appearingthat evening; a fifth line said that there were ‘Cheers, Tears, andLaughter!’ every night; a sixth, that that was positively the lastappearance of Mr Vincent Crummles of Provincial Celebrity.
‘Surely it must be the same man,’ thought Nicholas. ‘Therecan’t be two Vincent Crummleses.’
The better to settle this question he referred to the bill again,and finding that there was a Baron23 in the first piece, and thatRoberto (his son) was enacted24 by one Master Crummles, andSpaletro (his nephew) by one Master Percy Crummles—their last appearances—and that, incidental to the piece, was acharacteristic dance by the characters, and a castanet pas seul bythe Infant Phenomenon—her last appearance—he no longerentertained any doubt; and presenting himself at the stage-door,and sending in a scrap25 of paper with ‘Mr Johnson’ written thereonin pencil, was presently conducted by a Robber, with a very largebelt and buckle26 round his waist, and very large leather gauntletson his hands, into the presence of his former manager.
Mr Crummles was unfeignedly glad to see him, and starting upfrom before a small dressing-glass, with one very bushy eyebrowstuck on crooked28 over his left eye, and the fellow eyebrow27 and thecalf of one of his legs in his hand, embraced him cordially; at thesame time observing, that it would do Mrs Crummles’s heart goodto bid him goodbye before they went.
‘You were always a favourite of hers, Johnson,’ said Crummles,‘always were from the first. I was quite easy in my mind about youfrom that first day you dined with us. One that Mrs Crummles tooka fancy to, was sure to turn out right. Ah! Johnson, what a womanthat is!’
‘I am sincerely obliged to her for her kindness in this and allother respects,’ said Nicholas. ‘But where are you going,’ that youtalk about bidding goodbye?’
‘Haven’t you seen it in the papers?’ said Crummles, with somedignity.
‘No,’ replied Nicholas.
‘I wonder at that,’ said the manager. ‘It was among thevarieties. I had the paragraph here somewhere—but I don’tknow—oh, yes, here it is.’
So saying, Mr Crummles, after pretending that he thought he must have lost it, produced a square inch of newspaper from thepocket of the pantaloons he wore in private life (which, togetherwith the plain clothes of several other gentlemen, lay scatteredabout on a kind of dresser in the room), and gave it to Nicholas toread:
‘The talented Vincent Crummles, long favourably29 known tofame as a country manager and actor of no ordinary pretensions,is about to cross the Atlantic on a histrionic expedition. Crummlesis to be accompanied, we hear, by his lady and gifted family. Weknow no man superior to Crummles in his particular line ofcharacter, or one who, whether as a public or private individual,could carry with him the best wishes of a larger circle of friends.
Crummles is certain to succeed.’
‘Here’s another bit,’ said Mr Crummles, handing over a stillsmaller scrap. ‘This is from the notices to correspondents, thisone.’
Nicholas read it aloud. ‘“Philo-Dramaticus. Crummles, thecountry manager and actor, cannot be more than forty-three, orforty-four years of age. Crummles is not a Prussian, having beenborn at Chelsea.” Humph!’ said Nicholas, ‘that’s an oddparagraph.’
‘Very,’ returned Crummles, scratching the side of his nose, andlooking at Nicholas with an assumption of great unconcern. ‘Ican’t think who puts these things in. I didn’t.’
Still keeping his eye on Nicholas, Mr Crummles shook his headtwice or thrice with profound gravity, and remarking, that hecould not for the life of him imagine how the newspapers foundout the things they did, folded up the extracts and put them in hispocket again.
‘I am astonished to hear this news,’ said Nicholas. ‘Going toAmerica! You had no such thing in contemplation when I was withyou.’
‘No,’ replied Crummles, ‘I hadn’t then. The fact is that MrsCrummles—most extraordinary woman, Johnson.’ Here he brokeoff and whispered something in his ear.
‘Oh!’ said Nicholas, smiling. ‘The prospect30 of an addition toyour family?’
‘The seventh addition, Johnson,’ returned Mr Crummles,solemnly. ‘I thought such a child as the Phenomenon must havebeen a closer; but it seems we are to have another. She is a veryremarkable woman.’
‘I congratulate you,’ said Nicholas, ‘and I hope this may prove aphenomenon too.’
‘Why, it’s pretty sure to be something uncommon31, I suppose,’
rejoined Mr Crummles. ‘The talent of the other three is principallyin combat and serious pantomime. I should like this one to have aturn for juvenile32 tragedy; I understand they want something ofthat sort in America very much. However, we must take it as itcomes. Perhaps it may have a genius for the tight-rope. It mayhave any sort of genius, in short, if it takes after its mother,Johnson, for she is an universal genius; but, whatever its genius is,that genius shall be developed.’
Expressing himself after these terms, Mr Crummles put on hisother eyebrow, and the calves33 of his legs, and then put on his legs,which were of a yellowish flesh-colour, and rather soiled about theknees, from frequent going down upon those joints34, in curses,prayers, last struggles, and other strong passages.
While the ex-manager completed his toilet, he informed Nicholas that as he should have a fair start in America from theproceeds of a tolerably good engagement which he had beenfortunate enough to obtain, and as he and Mrs Crummles couldscarcely hope to act for ever (not being immortal35, except in thebreath of Fame and in a figurative sense) he had made up hismind to settle there permanently36, in the hope of acquiring someland of his own which would support them in their old age, andwhich they could afterwards bequeath to their children. Nicholas,having highly commended the resolution, Mr Crummles went onto impart such further intelligence relative to their mutual37 friendsas he thought might prove interesting; informing Nicholas, amongother things, that Miss Snevellicci was happily married to anaffluent young wax-chandler who had supplied the theatre withcandles, and that Mr Lillyvick didn’t dare to say his soul was hisown, such was the tyrannical sway of Mrs Lillyvick, who reignedparamount and supreme38.
Nicholas responded to this confidence on the part of MrCrummles, by confiding39 to him his own name, situation, andprospects, and informing him, in as few general words as he could,of the circumstances which had led to their first acquaintance.
After congratulating him with great heartiness40 on the improvedstate of his fortunes, Mr Crummles gave him to understand thatnext morning he and his were to start for Liverpool, where thevessel lay which was to carry them from the shores of England,and that if Nicholas wished to take a last adieu of Mrs Crummles,he must repair with him that night to a farewell supper, given inhonour of the family at a neighbouring tavern41; at which Mr SnittleTimberry would preside, while the honours of the vice42-chair wouldbe sustained by the African Swallower.
The room being by this time very warm and somewhatcrowded, in consequence of the influx43 of four gentlemen, who hadjust killed each other in the piece under representation, Nicholasaccepted the invitation, and promised to return at the conclusionof the performances; preferring the cool air and twilight44 out ofdoors to the mingled45 perfume of gas, orange-peel, and gunpowder,which pervaded46 the hot and glaring theatre.
He availed himself of this interval47 to buy a silver snuff-box—thebest his funds would afford—as a token of remembrance for MrCrummles, and having purchased besides a pair of ear-rings forMrs Crummles, a necklace for the Phenomenon, and a flamingshirt-pin for each of the young gentlemen, he refreshed himselfwith a walk, and returning a little after the appointed time, foundthe lights out, the theatre empty, the curtain raised for the night,and Mr Crummles walking up and down the stage expecting hisarrival.
‘Timberry won’t be long,’ said Mr Crummles. ‘He played theaudience out tonight. He does a faithful black in the last piece, andit takes him a little longer to wash himself.’
‘A very unpleasant line of character, I should think?’ saidNicholas.
‘No, I don’t know,’ replied Mr Crummles; ‘it comes off easilyenough, and there’s only the face and neck. We had a first-tragedyman in our company once, who, when he played Othello, used toblack himself all over. But that’s feeling a part and going into it asif you meant it; it isn’t usual; more’s the pity.’
Mr Snittle Timberry now appeared, arm-in-arm with theAfrican Swallower, and, being introduced to Nicholas, raised hishat half a foot, and said he was proud to know him. The Swallower said the same, and looked and spoke48 remarkably49 like an Irishman.
‘I see by the bills that you have been ill, sir,’ said Nicholas to MrTimberry. ‘I hope you are none the worse for your exertionstonight?’
Mr Timberry, in reply, shook his head with a gloomy air, tappedhis chest several times with great significancy, and drawing hiscloak more closely about him, said, ‘But no matter, no matter.
Come!’
It is observable that when people upon the stage are in anystrait involving the very last extremity50 of weakness andexhaustion, they invariably perform feats51 of strength requiringgreat ingenuity52 and muscular power. Thus, a wounded prince orbandit chief, who is bleeding to death and too faint to move, exceptto the softest music (and then only upon his hands and knees),shall be seen to approach a cottage door for aid in such a series ofwrithings and twistings, and with such curlings up of the legs, andsuch rollings over and over, and such gettings up and tumblingsdown again, as could never be achieved save by a very strong manskilled in posture-making. And so natural did this sort ofperformance come to Mr Snittle Timberry, that on their way out ofthe theatre and towards the tavern where the supper was to beholden, he testified the severity of his recent indisposition and itswasting effects upon the nervous system, by a series of gymnasticperformances which were the admiration of all witnesses.
‘Why this is indeed a joy I had not looked for!’ said MrsCrummles, when Nicholas was presented.
‘Nor I,’ replied Nicholas. ‘It is by a mere chance that I have thisopportunity of seeing you, although I would have made a greatexertion to have availed myself of it.’
‘Here is one whom you know,’ said Mrs Crummles, thrustingforward the Phenomenon in a blue gauze frock, extensivelyflounced, and trousers of the same; ‘and here another—andanother,’ presenting the Master Crummleses. ‘And how is yourfriend, the faithful Digby?’
‘Digby!’ said Nicholas, forgetting at the instant that this hadbeen Smike’s theatrical53 name. ‘Oh yes. He’s quite—what am Isaying?—he is very far from well.’
‘How!’ exclaimed Mrs Crummles, with a tragic54 recoil55.
‘I fear,’ said Nicholas, shaking his head, and making an attemptto smile, ‘that your better-half would be more struck with him nowthan ever.’
‘What mean you?’ rejoined Mrs Crummles, in her most popularmanner. ‘Whence comes this altered tone?’
‘I mean that a dastardly enemy of mine has struck at methrough him, and that while he thinks to torture me, he inflicts56 onhim such agonies of terror and suspense57 as—You will excuse me, Iam sure,’ said Nicholas, checking himself. ‘I should never speak ofthis, and never do, except to those who know the facts, but for amoment I forgot myself.’
With this hasty apology Nicholas stooped down to salute58 thePhenomenon, and changed the subject; inwardly cursing hisprecipitation, and very much wondering what Mrs Crummlesmust think of so sudden an explosion.
That lady seemed to think very little about it, for the supperbeing by this time on table, she gave her hand to Nicholas andrepaired with a stately step to the left hand of Mr SnittleTimberry. Nicholas had the honour to support her, and MrCrummles was placed upon the chairman’s right; the Phenomenon and the Master Crummleses sustained the vice.
The company amounted in number to some twenty-five orthirty, being composed of such members of the theatricalprofession, then engaged or disengaged in London, as werenumbered among the most intimate friends of Mr and MrsCrummles. The ladies and gentlemen were pretty equallybalanced; the expenses of the entertainment being defrayed by thelatter, each of whom had the privilege of inviting59 one of the formeras his guest.
It was upon the whole a very distinguished60 party, forindependently of the lesser61 theatrical lights who clustered on thisoccasion round Mr Snittle Timberry, there was a literarygentleman present who had dramatised in his time two hundredand forty-seven novels as fast as they had come out—some of themfaster than they had come out—and who was a literary gentlemanin consequence.
This gentleman sat on the left hand of Nicholas, to whom hewas introduced by his friend the African Swallower, from thebottom of the table, with a high eulogium upon his fame andreputation.
‘I am happy to know a gentleman of such great distinction,’ saidNicholas, politely.
‘Sir,’ replied the wit, ‘you’re very welcome, I’m sure. Thehonour is reciprocal, sir, as I usually say when I dramatise a book.
Did you ever hear a definition of fame, sir?’
‘I have heard several,’ replied Nicholas, with a smile. ‘What isyours?’
‘When I dramatise a book, sir,’ said the literary gentleman,‘that’s fame. For its author.’
‘Oh, indeed!’ rejoined Nicholas.
‘That’s fame, sir,’ said the literary gentleman.
‘So Richard Turpin, Tom King, and Jerry Abershaw havehanded down to fame the names of those on whom theycommitted their most impudent62 robberies?’ said Nicholas.
‘I don’t know anything about that, sir,’ answered the literarygentleman.
‘Shakespeare dramatised stories which had previouslyappeared in print, it is true,’ observed Nicholas.
‘Meaning Bill, sir?’ said the literary gentleman. ‘So he did. Billwas an adapter, certainly, so he was—and very well he adaptedtoo—considering.’
‘I was about to say,’ rejoined Nicholas, ‘that Shakespearederived some of his plots from old tales and legends in generalcirculation; but it seems to me, that some of the gentlemen of yourcraft, at the present day, have shot very far beyond him—’
‘You’re quite right, sir,’ interrupted the literary gentleman,leaning back in his chair and exercising his toothpick. ‘Humanintellect, sir, has progressed since his time, is progressing, willprogress.’
‘Shot beyond him, I mean,’ resumed Nicholas, ‘in quite anotherrespect, for, whereas he brought within the magic circle of hisgenius, traditions peculiarly adapted for his purpose, and turnedfamiliar things into constellations64 which should enlighten theworld for ages, you drag within the magic circle of your dulness,subjects not at all adapted to the purposes of the stage, and debaseas he exalted65. For instance, you take the uncompleted books ofliving authors, fresh from their hands, wet from the press, cut,hack, and carve them to the powers and capacities of your actors, and the capability66 of your theatres, finish unfinished works, hastilyand crudely vamp up ideas not yet worked out by their originalprojector, but which have doubtless cost him many thoughtfuldays and sleepless67 nights; by a comparison of incidents anddialogue, down to the very last word he may have written afortnight before, do your utmost to anticipate his plot—all thiswithout his permission, and against his will; and then, to crownthe whole proceeding68, publish in some mean pamphlet, anunmeaning farrago of garbled69 extracts from his work, to whichyour name as author, with the honourable70 distinction annexed71, ofhaving perpetrated a hundred other outrages72 of the samedescription. Now, show me the distinction between such pilferingas this, and picking a man’s pocket in the street: unless, indeed, itbe, that the legislature has a regard for pocket-handkerchiefs, andleaves men’s brains, except when they are knocked out byviolence, to take care of themselves.’
‘Men must live, sir,’ said the literary gentleman, shrugging hisshoulders.
‘That would be an equally fair plea in both cases,’ repliedNicholas; ‘but if you put it upon that ground, I have nothing moreto say, than, that if I were a writer of books, and you a thirstydramatist, I would rather pay your tavern score for six months,large as it might be, than have a niche73 in the Temple of Fame withyou for the humblest corner of my pedestal, through six hundredgenerations.’
The conversation threatened to take a somewhat angry tonewhen it had arrived thus far, but Mrs Crummles opportunelyinterposed to prevent its leading to any violent outbreak, bymaking some inquiries74 of the literary gentleman relative to the plots of the six new pieces which he had written by contract tointroduce the African Knife-swallower in his various unrivalledperformances. This speedily engaged him in an animatedconversation with that lady, in the interest of which, allrecollection of his recent discussion with Nicholas very quicklyevaporated.
The board being now clear of the more substantial articles offood, and punch, wine, and spirits being placed upon it andhanded about, the guests, who had been previously63 conversing75 inlittle groups of three or four, gradually fell off into a dead silence,while the majority of those present glanced from time to time atMr Snittle Timberry, and the bolder spirits did not even hesitateto strike the table with their knuckles76, and plainly intimate theirexpectations, by uttering such encouragements as ‘Now, Tim,’
‘Wake up, Mr Chairman,’ ‘All charged, sir, and waiting for a toast,’
To these remonstrances78 Mr Timberry deigned79 no otherrejoinder than striking his chest and gasping80 for breath, andgiving many other indications of being still the victim ofindisposition—for a man must not make himself too cheap eitheron the stage or off—while Mr Crummles, who knew full well thathe would be the subject of the forthcoming toast, sat gracefully81 inhis chair with his arm thrown carelessly over the back, and nowand then lifted his glass to his mouth and drank a little punch,with the same air with which he was accustomed to take longdraughts of nothing, out of the pasteboard goblets82 in banquetscenes.
At length Mr Snittle Timberry rose in the most approvedattitude, with one hand in the breast of his waistcoat and the other on the nearest snuff-box, and having been received with greatenthusiasm, proposed, with abundance of quotations83, his friendMr Vincent Crummles: ending a pretty long speech by extendinghis right hand on one side and his left on the other, and severallycalling upon Mr and Mrs Crummles to grasp the same. This done,Mr Vincent Crummles returned thanks, and that done, the AfricanSwallower proposed Mrs Vincent Crummles, in affecting terms.
Then were heard loud moans and sobs84 from Mrs Crummles andthe ladies, despite of which that heroic woman insisted uponreturning thanks herself, which she did, in a manner and in aspeech which has never been surpassed and seldom equalled. Itthen became the duty of Mr Snittle Timberry to give the youngCrummleses, which he did; after which Mr Vincent Crummles, astheir father, addressed the company in a supplementary85 speech,enlarging on their virtues86, amiabilities, and excellences87, andwishing that they were the sons and daughter of every lady andgentleman present. These solemnities having been succeeded by adecent interval, enlivened by musical and other entertainments,Mr Crummles proposed that ornament88 of the profession, theAfrican Swallower, his very dear friend, if he would allow him tocall him so; which liberty (there being no particular reason why heshould not allow it) the African Swallower graciously permitted.
The literary gentleman was then about to be drunk, but it beingdiscovered that he had been drunk for some time in anotheracceptation of the term, and was then asleep on the stairs, theintention was abandoned, and the honour transferred to theladies. Finally, after a very long sitting, Mr Snittle Timberryvacated the chair, and the company with many adieux andembraces dispersed89.
Nicholas waited to the last to give his little presents. When hehad said goodbye all round and came to Mr Crummles, he couldnot but mark the difference between their present separation andtheir parting at Portsmouth. Not a jot90 of his theatrical mannerremained; he put out his hand with an air which, if he could havesummoned it at will, would have made him the best actor of hisday in homely91 parts, and when Nicholas shook it with the warmthhe honestly felt, appeared thoroughly92 melted.
‘We were a very happy little company, Johnson,’ said poorCrummles. ‘You and I never had a word. I shall be very gladtomorrow morning to think that I saw you again, but now I almostwish you hadn’t come.’
Nicholas was about to return a cheerful reply, when he wasgreatly disconcerted by the sudden apparition93 of Mrs Grudden,who it seemed had declined to attend the supper in order that shemight rise earlier in the morning, and who now burst out of anadjoining bedroom, habited in very extraordinary white robes; andthrowing her arms about his neck, hugged him with greataffection.
‘What! Are you going too?’ said Nicholas, submitting with asgood a grace as if she had been the finest young creature in theworld.
‘Going?’ returned Mrs Grudden. ‘Lord ha’ mercy, what do youthink they’d do without me?’
Nicholas submitted to another hug with even a better gracethan before, if that were possible, and waving his hat as cheerfullyas he could, took farewell of the Vincent Crummleses.
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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retraced
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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bray
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dispelled
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vestige
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insinuate
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admiration
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mere
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elegance
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strictly
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heroism
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anticipation
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preying
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conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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embittered
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pensive
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minor
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provincial
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celebrity
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melodrama
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kindly
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baron
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enacted
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scrap
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buckle
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eyebrow
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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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favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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juvenile
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| n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的 | |
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calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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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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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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heartiness
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| 诚实，热心 | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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influx
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| n.流入，注入 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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inflicts
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 ) | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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constellations
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| n.星座( constellation的名词复数 )；一群杰出人物；一系列（相关的想法、事物）；一群（相关的人） | |
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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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capability
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| n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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garbled
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| adj.（指信息）混乱的，引起误解的v.对（事实）歪曲，对（文章等）断章取义，窜改( garble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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annexed
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| [法] 附加的，附属的 | |
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outrages
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| 引起…的义愤，激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
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niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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76
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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deigned
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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82
goblets
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| n.高脚酒杯( goblet的名词复数 ) | |
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quotations
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| n.引用( quotation的名词复数 )；[商业]行情（报告）；（货物或股票的）市价；时价 | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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supplementary
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| adj.补充的，附加的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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excellences
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| n.卓越( excellence的名词复数 )；（只用于所修饰的名词后）杰出的；卓越的；出类拔萃的 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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jot
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| n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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