[Pg 104]
To the eye of a well-meaning ruler or of a well-disposed globe-trotter this is really a pleasant sight. Framed in alleys9 of tall trees, there rises in the park a far-stretching stone structure, of St. Petersburg dimensions, surmounted10 by a great cupola. On the payment of ten kopeks at the entrance we walk into the well-heated central portion under the dome11, brightly illuminated12 by arc-lamps. Furs and overshoes are removed. And now an exclamation13 of admiration14 escapes our lips. A well-dressed crowd strolls naturally, without crowding and elbowing, towards a platform rising at the farther end, on which, to judge at a distance, Neapolitan folk-singers are performing. We join the procession, and when scarcely in the middle of the immense hall supported by iron girders, there resound15 behind us thundering notes that cause us to look upward. An orchestra stationed on a one-story-high cross-gallery has begun a Russian popular song. The singers before us stop for a while. The crowd moves forward. A negro dandy with high, white standing16 collar and patent-leather boots, proudly leads by the arm a voluptuous17 blonde of the Orpheum type. He grimly shows his teeth and fists to the scoffers who make fun of the unequal pair; but this does not end in a race conflict, for it is not yet certain whether a negro boy is more in sympathy with the Japanese or the Russians. We finally reach the interesting side of the hall, and there opens before us a still more [Pg 105]enchanting picture. Behind long buffet-tables, kept scrupulously18 clean, and laden19 with all the delicacies20 of Russian cookery, from caviar sandwiches to the splendid mayonnaise of salmon21, there bustle22 neat waitresses in white caps and broad, white aprons23. The prices are maintained low throughout. The same is true of the warm dishes, the preparation of which we could watch in the large, open kitchen. Spirituous liquors are not sold, but in their place kvass, and tea from the immense copper24 samovar blinking in the kitchen. The glasses are continually washed by sparkling water on an automatically turning high stand. The bright nickel, the reddish shimmer25 of the copper, the bluish white tiles of the floor and walls, the snow-white garments of the cooks, the white light of the arc-lamps could induce a Dutchman to produce a very effective painting of neatness. We allow ourselves to be crowded forward, and after a fruitful pilgrimage, pass the folk-singers, where a part of the crowd is gathered, back towards the central hall, which we now observe at our leisure. We are struck here, in the first place, by the colossal26 portraits of the Emperor and Empress. They are the hosts here; for the millions for the imposing27 structure came from the Emperor's private purse. Then there is an immense map of the Russian empire for stimulating28 patriotic29 sentiments. But there await us still other pleasures. The entire left wing of the building is occupied by an enormous popular theatre. To-night [Pg 106]Tschaikowski's "Maid of Orleans" is being played. We purchase tickets at the popular price of one ruble per seat, whereby we secure a place at about the middle of the extensive parterre, and are enabled to look over the public in front and at back of us; and this is not less interesting than the play on the stage. The seats in the rows ahead of us cost up to two rubles; in the rows at the back of us up to sixty kopeks. On either side are galleries and standing room that cost "only" from thirty to seventy kopeks. In comparison with the prices in the other St. Petersburg theatres those of the "Narodni Dom" must be considered decidedly popular, even though it is a peculiar30 class of people that can spare thirty kopeks to two rubles for an evening at the theatre, quite aside from the incidental expenses of an evening drive, of admission, and of wardrobe. But of that later.
We follow the play. The performance is decidedly respectable, from the leader to the chorus. The setting is quite brilliant, and true to style, the orchestra well trained, with some very excellent performers among the soloists31. We forget, for the time being, that we are in Russia, notwithstanding the Russian language and the Russian music. It is Schiller's heroic composition which has inspired the composer. Dunoi's Lahire, Lionel, Raymond, Bertram, Agnes Sorel, Charles, the cardinal32 appear before us in familiar scenes, and we experience at times quite peculiar sensations when we again come[Pg 107] across this northern night, the images, the glowing rhetoric33 of which in the dear tongue of our own poet had given us the first intoxication34 of patriotic enthusiasm. The passionately35 warm music of Tschaikowski, and the swing of his choruses intensify36 the effect of those reminiscences.
But let us return to Russian reality. A thin, black-bearded young man paces busily through the rows during one of the entr'actes. He exchanges remarks here and there with the officers and officials, whom he leaves with a smile. And in the second entr'acte it becomes evident what preparations had been made here. War had just been declared; the password had just been given out to arouse patriotic enthusiasm, or, at least, to make the attempt. Already in one or another of the theatres the public had thunderingly called for the national hymn37. What is proper in the Imperial Theatre must be acceptable in the popular theatre. The curtain had fallen after the second act, when suddenly, from one of the boxlike recesses38 on the left gallery was heard the call "Hymn! Hymn!" Everybody looked curiously39 up. There were there a few uniformed young men, as we found later, student-members of that patriotic secret association organized under the patronage40 of the reactionaries—a stroke of Suvorin—to watch the progressive students. The orchestra replied to the call with remarkable41 alacrity42, and the public rose dutifully smiling and stood to the beautiful hymn. But new[Pg 108] shouts were heard. The choir43 must join in. The curtain rose obediently, and the entire cast of "The Maid of Orleans," Charles, Agnes, Jean d'Arc, and Lionel, Burgundy and England; the people and knights44 were already properly grouped and joined in the hymn with the orchestra accompaniment. The public again arose politely and listened standing. The demonstration45 was not yet at an end. It was reported that the hymn was sung three times in the other theatres, hence that should occur also here. And the public patiently rises for the third time, and lets the song float over it. The thin, black-bearded young man, however, rubs his hands with which he joined in the applause but shortly before, throws a significant glance to his neighbors, and hastens out. I do not know to this day whether he was an entrepreneur of the public resort, or a penny-a-liner who had arranged an interesting piece of local news.
Thus I came to see the birth of one of those patriotic demonstrations46 of which the papers were full in the following days. The impression was anything but striking. The fine hand of the police could be detected in the arrangement as well as in the audience. It was a forced demonstration that no one could avoid. I remember from my boyhood the explosive enthusiasm after the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war, and the evening after the battle of Sedan. In man's estate I was a non-participating observer of patriotic demonstrations[Pg 109] in Hungary; my heart beat fast at home as well as in Hungary under the stress of sympathy. That was a real storm of feeling. Here—wet straw that would not burn. Worse. An obedient participation—woe to him who did not participate! and then a sarcastic47 wink48 felt as a compensation for the coercion49 just experienced.
The difference was never clearer to me between free citizens and Russian subjects, between national sentiment and obedience50, as at these patriotic demonstrations under police supervision51 and inspiration.
And now I looked at the public more carefully. Where was the "people" among the thousands sitting in the theatre, or eddying52 up and down the colossal halls? not one hundred, not fifty men or women in the dress of the common people. All of it what is known in St. Petersburg as the "gray public," officials, business-men, the class with an income of two or three thousand rubles. I saw high-school instructors53, students with their girls, modistes, the good, small bourgeois54, that often stand morally and mentally high above the fashionable world; but the people, in our sense of the term, the workingman, the peasant, for whom the popular house was really built, in whose name the Czar was made to contribute, and to whom the building is dedicated55, these were absent, and had to be absent, because they do not possess the schooling56 that would enable them at all to enjoy the offerings of the "Narodni Dom." The court may be persuaded[Pg 110] that with such an institution they are marching in the vanguard of civilization, and that something of the future state has been realized with an institution that even the republics of the West do not possess; but the Russian patriots57 who are indeed living for their nation, and who would free it from the fetters58 of ignorance and superstition59, only shake their heads sadly at this Potemkinism. Sand for the eyes of the philanthropic Czar, another winter resort for the St. Petersburg middle class; for the people neither "panem" nor "circenses," but for the paid eulogists a theme at which enthusiasm may be kindled—that is the "Narodni Dom," the pride of St. Petersburg. In Zurich, in Frankfort, in any place with real popular education, this "Narodni Dom" would be an ideal people's house, adapted to inspire sentiment of citizenship60 and patriotism61, and to elevate the general culture level. In St. Petersburg it only shows the good intentions of the Czar and his consort62, and the fundamental corruption63 of the régime. A sober, enlightened, culture-loving people would not submit to the autocracy64 of bureaucratic65 dictation shown above. It makes ideal "people's houses," but takes care that as far as possible, this house be kept free from the people.

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1
misery
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n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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2
accomplished
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adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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3
predecessor
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n.前辈,前任 | |
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4
treasury
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n.宝库;国库,金库;文库 | |
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5
fortress
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n.堡垒,防御工事 | |
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utilized
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v.利用,使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
paternally
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adv.父亲似地;父亲一般地 | |
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8
civilized
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a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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9
alleys
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胡同,小巷( alley的名词复数 ); 小径 | |
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10
surmounted
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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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11
dome
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n.圆屋顶,拱顶 | |
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12
illuminated
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adj.被照明的;受启迪的 | |
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13
exclamation
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n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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14
admiration
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n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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15
resound
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v.回响 | |
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16
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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17
voluptuous
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adj.肉欲的,骄奢淫逸的 | |
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18
scrupulously
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adv.一丝不苟地;小心翼翼地,多顾虑地 | |
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19
laden
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adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
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20
delicacies
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n.棘手( delicacy的名词复数 );精致;精美的食物;周到 | |
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21
salmon
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n.鲑,大马哈鱼,橙红色的 | |
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22
bustle
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v.喧扰地忙乱,匆忙,奔忙;n.忙碌;喧闹 | |
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23
aprons
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围裙( apron的名词复数 ); 停机坪,台口(舞台幕前的部份) | |
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24
copper
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n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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25
shimmer
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v./n.发微光,发闪光;微光 | |
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26
colossal
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adj.异常的,庞大的 | |
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27
imposing
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adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的 | |
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28
stimulating
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adj.有启发性的,能激发人思考的 | |
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29
patriotic
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adj.爱国的,有爱国心的 | |
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30
peculiar
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adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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31
soloists
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n.独唱者,独奏者,单飞者( soloist的名词复数 ) | |
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32
cardinal
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n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的 | |
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33
rhetoric
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n.修辞学,浮夸之言语 | |
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34
intoxication
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n.wild excitement;drunkenness;poisoning | |
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35
passionately
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ad.热烈地,激烈地 | |
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36
intensify
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vt.加强;变强;加剧 | |
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hymn
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n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
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38
recesses
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n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 );(工作或业务活动的)中止或暂停期间;学校的课间休息;某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 );将(墙)做成凹形,在(墙)上做壁龛;休息,休会,休庭 | |
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39
curiously
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adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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40
patronage
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n.赞助,支援,援助;光顾,捧场 | |
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41
remarkable
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adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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42
alacrity
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n.敏捷,轻快,乐意 | |
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43
choir
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n.唱诗班,唱诗班的席位,合唱团,舞蹈团;v.合唱 | |
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44
knights
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骑士; (中古时代的)武士( knight的名词复数 ); 骑士; 爵士; (国际象棋中)马 | |
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45
demonstration
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n.表明,示范,论证,示威 | |
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46
demonstrations
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证明( demonstration的名词复数 ); 表明; 表达; 游行示威 | |
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47
sarcastic
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adj.讥讽的,讽刺的,嘲弄的 | |
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48
wink
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n.眨眼,使眼色,瞬间;v.眨眼,使眼色,闪烁 | |
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49
coercion
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n.强制,高压统治 | |
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50
obedience
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n.服从,顺从 | |
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51
supervision
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n.监督,管理 | |
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52
eddying
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涡流,涡流的形成 | |
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53
instructors
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指导者,教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
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54
bourgeois
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adj./n.追求物质享受的(人);中产阶级分子 | |
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55
dedicated
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adj.一心一意的;献身的;热诚的 | |
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56
schooling
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n.教育;正规学校教育 | |
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57
patriots
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爱国者,爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 ) | |
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58
fetters
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n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 );束缚v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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59
superstition
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n.迷信,迷信行为 | |
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60
citizenship
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n.市民权,公民权,国民的义务(身份) | |
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61
patriotism
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n.爱国精神,爱国心,爱国主义 | |
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62
consort
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v.相伴;结交 | |
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63
corruption
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n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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64
autocracy
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n.独裁政治,独裁政府 | |
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bureaucratic
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adj.官僚的,繁文缛节的 | |
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