Burke, after the lawyer had left him, watched the doorexpectantly for the coming of the girl, whom he had orderedbrought before him. But, when at last Dan appeared, and stoodaside to permit her passing into the office, the Inspector1 gaspedat the unexpectedness of the vision. He had anticipated thecoming of a woman of that world with which he was most familiarin the exercise of his professional duties--the underworld ofcriminals, some one beautiful perhaps, but with the brand ofviciousness marked subtly, yet visibly for the trained eye tosee. Then, even in that first moment, he told himself that heshould have been prepared for the unusual in this instance, sincethe girl had to do with Mary Turner, and that disturbing personherself showed in face and form and manner nothing to suggestaught but a gentlewoman. And, in the next instant, the Inspectorforgot his surprise in a sincere, almost ardent3 admiration4.
The girl was rather short, but of a slender elegance5 of form thatwas ravishing. She was gowned, too, with a chic6 nicety to arousethe envy of all less-fortunate women. Her costume had about itan indubitable air, a finality of perfection in its kind. Onanother, it might have appeared perhaps the merest trifle garish7.
But that fault, if in fact it ever existed, was made into avirtue by the correcting innocence8 of the girl's face. It was achildish face, childish in the exquisite9 smoothness of the soft,pink skin, childish in the wondering stare of the blue eyes, nowso widely opened in dismay, childish in the wistful drooping10 ofthe rosebud11 mouth.
The girl advanced slowly, with a laggard12 hesitation13 in hermovements obviously from fear. She approached the desk, frombehind which the Inspector watched, fascinated by the fresh andwholesome beauty of this young creature. He failed to observethe underlying14 anger beneath the girl's outward display of alarm.
He shook off his first impression by means of a resort to hiscustomary bluster15 in such cases.
"Now, then, my girl," he said roughly, "I want to know----"There came a change, wrought16 in the twinkling of an eye. Thetiny, trimly shod foot of the girl rose and fell in a wrathfulstamp.
"How dare you!" The clear blue eyes were become darkened withanger. There was a deepened leaf of red in either cheek. Thedrooping lips drooped18 no longer, but were bent19 to a haughtinessthat was finely impressive.
Before the offended indignation of the young woman, Burke satbewildered by embarrassment21 for once in his life, and quite at aloss.
"What's that?" he said, dubiously22.
The girl explained the matter explicitly23 enough.
"What do you mean by this outrage24?" she stormed. Her voice waslow and rich, with a charming roundness that seemed the veryhallmark of gentility. But, now, it was surcharged with anindignant amazement25 over the indignity26 put upon her by therepresentatives of the law. Then, abruptly27, the blue eyes weresoftened in their fires, as by the sudden nearness of tears.
"What do you mean?" the girl repeated. Her slim form was tensewith wrath17. "I demand my instant release." There wasindescribable rebuke29 in her slow emphasis of the words.
Burke was impressed in spite of himself, in spite of hisaccustomed cold indifference30 to the feelings of others asnecessity compelled him to make investigation31 of them. Hisharsh, blustering32 voice softened28 perceptibly, and he spoke33 in awheedling tone, such as one might employ in the effort totranquillize a spoiled child in a fit of temper.
"Wait a minute," he remonstrated36. "Wait a minute!" He made apacifically courteous37 gesture toward one of the chairs, whichstood by an end of the desk. "Sit down," he invited, with aneffort toward cajoling.
The scorn of the girl was superb. Her voice came icily, as sheanswered:
"I shall do nothing of the sort. Sit down, indeed!--here! Why, Ihave been arrested----" There came a break in the music of hertones throbbing38 resentment39. A little sob40 crept in, and broke thesequence of words. The dainty face was vivid with shame. "I--"she faltered41, "I've been arrested--by a common policeman!"The Inspector seized on the one flaw left him for defense42 againsther indictment43.
"No, no, miss," he argued, earnestly. "Excuse me. It wasn't anycommon policeman--it was a detective sergeant44."But his effort to placate45 was quite in vain. The ingenuouslittle beauty with the child's face and the blue eyes so widelyopened fairly panted in her revolt against the ignominy of herposition, and was not to be so easily appeased47. Her voice camevibrant with disdain48. Her level gaze on the Inspector was of asort to suggest to him anxieties over possible complicationshere.
"You wait!" she cried violently. "You just wait, I tell you,until my papa hears of this!"Burke regarded the furious girl doubtfully.
"Who is your papa?" he asked, with a bit of alarm stirring inhis breast, for he had no mind to offend any one of importancewhere there was no need.
"I sha'n't tell you," came the petulant49 retort from the girl.
Her ivory forehead was wrinkled charmingly in a little frown ofobstinacy. "Why," she went on, displaying new symptoms ofdistress over another appalling50 idea that flashed on her in thismoment, "you would probably give my name to the reporters." Onceagain the rosebud mouth drooped into curves of sorrow, of a greatself-pity. "If it ever got into the newspapers, my family woulddie of shame!"The pathos51 of her fear pierced through the hardened crust of thepolice official. He spoke apologetically.
"Now, the easiest way out for both of us," he suggested, "is foryou to tell me just who you are. You see, young lady, you werefound in the house of a notorious crook52."The haughtiness20 of the girl waxed. It seemed as if she grew aninch taller in her scorn of the Inspector's saying.
"How perfectly53 absurd!" she exclaimed, scathingly. "I was callingon Miss Mary Turner!""How did you come to meet her, anyhow?" Burke inquired. Hestill held his big voice to a softer modulation54 than that towhich it was habituated.
Yet, the disdain of the girl seemed only to increase momently.
She showed plainly that she regarded this brass-buttoned officialas one unbearably55 insolent56 in his demeanor57 toward her.
Nevertheless, she condescended58 to reply, with an exaggeration ofthe aristocratic drawl to indicate her displeasure.
"I was introduced to Miss Turner," she explained, "by Mr. RichardGilder. Perhaps you have heard of his father, the owner of theEmporium.""Oh, yes, I've heard of his father, and of him, too," Burkeadmitted, placatingly60.
But the girl relaxed not a whit61 in her attitude of offense62.
"Then," she went on severely63, "you must see at once that you areentirely mistaken in this matter." Her blue eyes widened furtheras she stared accusingly at the Inspector, who betrayed evidencesof perplexity, and hesitated for an answer. Then, the doll-like,charming face took on a softer look, which had in it a suggestionof appeal.
"Don't you see it?" she demanded.
"Well, no," Burke rejoined uneasily; "not exactly, I don't!" Inthe presence of this delicate and graceful64 femininity, heexperienced a sudden, novel distaste for his usual sledge-hammermethods of attack in interrogation. Yet, his duty required thathe should continue his questioning. He found himself in factbetween the devil and the deep sea--though this particular devilappeared rather as an angel of light.
Now, at his somewhat feeble remark in reply to her query65, thechildish face grew as hard as its curving contours would permit.
"Sir!" she cried indignantly. Her little head was thrown back inscornful reproof66, and she turned a shoulder toward the officialcontemptuously.
"Now, now!" Burke exclaimed in remonstrance67. After all, he couldnot be brutal68 with this guileless maiden69. He must, however, makethe situation clear to her, lest she think him a beast--whichwould never do!
"You see, young lady," he went on with a gentleness of voice andmanner that would have been inconceivable to Dacey and ChicagoRed; "you see, the fact is that, even if you were introduced tothis Mary Turner by young Mr. Gilder59, this same Mary Turnerherself is an ex-convict, and she's just been arrested formurder."At the dread70 word, a startling change was wrought in the girl.
She wheeled to face the Inspector, her slender body swaying alittle toward him. The rather heavy brows were lifted slightlyin a disbelieving stare. The red lips were parted, rounded to atremulous horror.
"Murder!" she gasped2; and then was silent.
"Yes," Burke went on, wholly at ease now, since he had broken theice thus effectually. "You see, if there's a mistake about you,you don't want it to go any further --not a mite71 further, that'ssure. So, you see, now, that's one of the reasons why I mustknow just who you are." Then, in his turn, Burke put the querythat the girl had put to him a little while before. "You seethat, don't you?""Oh, yes, yes!" was the instant agreement. "You should have toldme all about this horrid72 thing in the first place." Now, thegirl's manner was transformed. She smiled wistfully on theInspector, and the glance of the blue eyes was very kind, subtlyalluring. Yet in this unbending, there appeared even moredecisively than hitherto the fine qualities in bearing of onedelicately nurtured73. She sank down in a chair by the desk, andforthwith spoke with a simplicity75 that in itself was somehowpeculiarly potent77 in its effect on the official who gaveattentive ear.
"My name is Helen Travers West," she announced.
Burke started a little in his seat, and regarded the speaker witha new deference79 as he heard that name uttered.
"Not the daughter of the railway president?" he inquired.
"Yes," the girl admitted. Then, anew, she displayed a seriousagitation over the thought of any possible publicity80 in thisaffair.
"Oh, please, don't tell any one," she begged prettily81. The blueeyes were very imploring82, beguiling83, too. The timid smile thatwreathed the tiny mouth was marvelously winning. The neatlygloved little hands were held outstretched, clasped insupplication. "Surely, sir, you see now quite plainly why itmust never be known by any one in all the wide, wide world that Ihave ever been brought to this perfectly dreadful place--thoughyou have been quite nice!" Her voice dropped to a note of musicalprayerfulness. The words were spoken very softly and veryslowly, with intonations85 difficult for a man to deny. "Pleaselet me go home." She plucked a minute handkerchief from herhandbag, put it to her eyes, and began to sob quietly.
The burly Inspector of Police was moved to quick sympathy.
Really, when all was said and done, it was a shame that one likeher should by some freak of fate have become involved in thesordid, vicious things that his profession made it obligatory86 onhim to investigate. There was a considerable hint of the paternalin his air as he made an attempt to offer consolation87 to theafflicted damsel.
"That's all right, little lady," he exclaimed cheerfully. "Now,don't you be worried--not a little bit. Take it from me, MissWest.... Just go ahead, and tell me all you know about thisTurner woman. Did you see her yesterday?"The girl's sobs88 ceased. After a final dab89 with the minutehandkerchief, she leaned forward a little toward the Inspector,and proceeded to put a question to him with great eagerness.
"Will you let me go home as soon as I've told you the teensylittle I know?""Yes," Burke agreed promptly90, with an encouraging smile. And fora good measure of reassurance91, he added as one might to analarmed child: "No one is going to hurt you, young lady.""Well, then, you see, it was this way," began the briskexplanation. "Mr. Gilder was calling on me one afternoon, and hesaid to me then that he knew a very charming young woman,who----"Here the speech ended abruptly, and once again the handkerchiefwas brought into play as the sobbing92 broke forth74 with increasedviolence. Presently, the girl's voice rose in a wail93.
"Oh, this is dreadful--dreadful!" In the final word, the wailbroke to a moan.
Burke felt himself vaguely94 guilty as the cause of such sufferingon the part of one so young, so fair, so innocent. As a culprit,he sought his best to afford a measure of soothing95 for this griefthat had had its source in his performance of duty.
"That's all right, little lady," he urged in a voice as nearlymellifluous as he could contrive96 with its mighty97 volume. "That'sall right. I have to keep on telling you. Nobody's going tohurt you--not a little bit. Believe me! Why, nobody ever wouldwant to hurt you!"But his well-meant attempt to assuage98 the stricken creature's wowas futile99. The sobbing continued. With it came a plaintivecry, many times repeated, softly, but very miserably101.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!""Isn't there something else you can tell me about this woman?"Burke inquired in desperation before the plaintive100 outburst. Hehoped to distract her from such grief over her predicament.
The girl gave no least heed35 to the question.
"Oh, I'm so frightened!" she gasped.
"Tut, tut!" the Inspector chided. "Now, I tell you there'snothing at all for you to be afraid of.""I'm afraid!" the girl asserted dismally102. "I'm afraid youwill--put me--in a cell!" Her voice sank to a murmur103 hardlyaudible as she spoke the words so fraught104 with dread import toone of her refined sensibilities.
"Pooh!" Burke returned, gallantly105. "Why, my dear young lady,nobody in the world could think of you and a cell at the sametime--no, indeed!"Instantly, the girl responded to this bald flattery. She fairlyradiated appreciation106 of the compliment, as she turned her eyes,dewy with tears, on the somewhat flustered107 Inspector.
"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, with naive108 enjoyment109.
Forthwith, Burke set out to make the most of this favorableopportunity.
"Are you sure you've told me all you know about this woman?" hequestioned.
"Oh, yes! I've only seen her two or three times," came the readyresponse. The voice changed to supplication84, and again theclasped hands were extended beseechingly110.
"Oh, please, Commissioner111! Won't you let me go home?"The use of a title higher than his own flattered the Inspector,and he was moved to graciousness. Besides, it was obvious thathis police net in this instance had enmeshed only the mostharmless of doves. He smiled encouragingly.
"Well, now, little lady," he said, almost tenderly, "if I let yougo now, will you promise to let me know if you are able to thinkof anything else about this Turner woman?""I will--indeed, I will!" came the fervent112 assurance. There wassomething almost--quite provocative113 in the flash of gratitudethat shone forth from the blue eyes of the girl in that moment ofher superlative relief. It moved Burke to a desire forrehabilitation in her estimation.
"Now, you see," he went on in his heavy voice, yet very kindly,and with a sort of massive playfulness in his manner," no one hashurt you--not even a little bit, after all. Now, you run righthome to your mother."The girl did not need to be told twice. On the instant, shesprang up joyously114, and started toward the door, with a finalravishing smile for the pleased official at the desk.
"I'll go just as fast as ever I can," the musical voice madeassurance blithely115.
"Give my compliments to your father," Burke requestedcourteously. "And tell him I'm sorry I frightened you."The girl turned at the door.... After all, too great haste mightbe indiscreet.
"I will, Commissioner," she promised, with an arch smile. "And Iknow papa will be so grateful to you for all your kindness tome!"It was at this critical moment that Cassidy entered from theopposite side of the office. As his eyes fell on the girl at thedoor across from him, his stolid116 face lighted in a grin. And, inthat same instant of recognition between the two, the color wentout of the girl's face. The little red lips snapped together ina line of supreme117 disgust against this vicissitude118 of fate afterall her manoeuverings in the face of the enemy. She stoodmotionless in wordless dismay, impotent before this disasterforced on her by untoward119 chance.
"Hello, Aggie120!" the detective remarked, with a smirk121, while theInspector stared from one to the other with rounded eyes ofwonder, and his jaw122 dropped from the stark123 surprise of this newdevelopment.
The girl returned deliberately124 to the chair she had occupiedthrough the interview with the Inspector, and dropped into itweakly. Her form rested there limply now, and the blue eyesstared disconsolately125 at the blank wall before her. She realizedthat fate had decreed defeat for her in the game. It was after aminute of silence in which the two men sat staring that at lastshe spoke with a savage126 wrath against the pit into which she hadfallen after her arduous127 efforts.
"Ain't that the damnedest luck!"For a little interval128 still, Burke turned his glances from thegirl to Cassidy, and then back again to the girl, who satimmobile with her blue eyes steadfastly129 fixed130 on the wall. Thepolice official was, in truth, totally bewildered. Here wasinexplicable mystery. Finally, he addressed the detective curtly131.
"Cassidy, do you know this woman?""Sure, I do!" came the placid132 answer. He went on to explain withthe direct brevity of his kind. "She's little Aggie Lynch--con'
woman, from Buffalo--two years for blackmail--did her time atBurnsing."With this succinct133 narrative134 concerning the girl who sat mute andmotionless in the chair with her eyes fast on the wall, Cassidyrelapsed into silence, during which he stared rather perplexedlyat his chief, who seemed to be in the throes of unusual emotion.
As the detective expressed it in his own vernacular135: For thefirst time in his experience, the Inspector appeared to beactually "rattled136."For a little time, there was silence, the while Burke sat staringat the averted137 face of the girl. His expression was that of onewho has just undergone a soul-stirring shock. Then, presently,he set his features grimly, rose from his chair, and walked to aposition directly in the front of the girl, who still refused tolook in his direction.
"Young woman----" he began, severely. Then, of a sudden helaughed. "You picked the right business, all right, all right!"he said, with a certain enthusiasm. He laughed aloud until hiseyes were only slits138, and his ample paunch trembled vehemently139.
"Well," he went on, at last, "I certainly have to hand it to you,kid. You're a beaut'!"Aggie sniffed140 vehemently in rebuke of the gross partiality offate in his behalf.
"Just as I had him goin'!" she said bitterly, as if inself-communion, without shifting her gaze from the blank surfaceof the wall.
Now, however, Burke was reminded once again of his officialduties, and he turned quickly to the attentive78 Cassidy.
"Have you got a picture of this young woman?" he askedbrusquely. And when Cassidy had replied in the negative, heagain faced the adventuress with a mocking grin--in whichmockery, too, was a fair fragment for himself, who had been sothoroughly within her toils141 of blandishment.
"I'd dearly love to have a photograph of you, Miss Helen TraversWest," he said.
The speech aroused the stolid detective to a new interest.
"Helen Travers West?" he repeated, inquiringly.
"Oh, that's the name she told me," the Inspector explained,somewhat shamefacedly before this question from his inferior.
Then he chuckled142, for he had sense of humor sufficient to triumpheven over his own discomfiture143 in this encounter. "And she hadme winging, too!" he confessed. "Yes, I admit it." He turned tothe girl admiringly. "You sure are immense, little one--immense!" He smiled somewhat more in his official manner ofmastery. "And now, may I have the honor of asking you to acceptthe escort of Mr. Cassidy to our gallery."Aggie sprang to her feet and regarded the Inspector with eyes inwhich was now no innocence, such as had beguiled144 him so recentlyfrom those ingenuous46 orbs145.
"Oh, can that stuff!" she cried, crossly. "Let's get down tobusiness on the dot--and no frills on it! Keep to cases!""Now you're talking," Burke declared, with a new appreciation ofthe versatility146 of this woman--who had not been wasting her timehitherto, and had no wish to lose it now.
"You can't do anything to us," Aggie declared, strongly. Thereremained no trace of the shrinking violet that had been MissHelen Travers West. Now, she revealed merely the business womanengaged in a fight against the law, which was opposed definitelyto her peculiar76 form of business.
"You can't do anything to me, and you know you can't!" she wenton, with an almost convincing tranquillity147 of assertion. "Why,I'll be sprung inside an hour." There came a ripple148 of laughterthat reminded the Inspector of the fashion in which he had beenovercome by this woman's wiles149. And she spoke with a certitudeof conviction that was rather terrifying to one who had justfallen under the stress of her spells.
"Why, habeas corpus is my lawyer's middle name!""On the level, now," the Inspector demanded, quite unmoved by thefinal declarations, "when did you see Mary Turner last?"Aggie resorted anew to her practices of deception150. Her voice heldthe accents of unimpeachable151 truth, and her eyes lookedunflinchingly into those of her questioner as she answered.
"Early this morning," she declared. "We slept together lastnight, because I had the willies. She blew the joint152 abouthalf-past ten."Burke shook his head, more in sorrow than in anger.
"What's the use of your lying to me?" he remonstrated.
"What, me?" Aggie clamored, with every evidence of being deeplywounded by the charge against her veracity153. "Oh, I wouldn't doanything like that--on the level! What would be the use? Icouldn't fool you, Commissioner."Burke stroked his chin sheepishly, under the influence ofmemories of Miss Helen Travers West.
"So help me," Aggie continued with the utmost solemnity, "Marynever left the house all night. I'd swear that's the truth on apile of Bibles a mile high!""Have to be higher than that," the Inspector commented, grimly.
"You see, Aggie Lynch, Mary Turner was arrested just aftermidnight." His voice deepened and came blustering. "Youngwoman, you'd better tell all you know.""I don't know a thing!" Aggie retorted, sharply. She faced theInspector fiercely, quite unabashed by the fact that her vigorousoffer to commit perjury154 had been of no avail.
Burke, with a quick movement, drew the pistol from his pocket andextended it toward the girl.
"How long has she owned this gun?" he said, threateningly.
Aggie showed no trace of emotion as her glance ran over theweapon.
"She didn't own it," was her firm answer.
"Oh, then it's Garson's!" Burke exclaimed.
"I don't know whose it is," Aggie replied, with an air of boredomwell calculated to deceive. "I never laid eyes on it till now."The Inspector's tone abruptly took on a somber155 coloring, with anunderlying menace.
"English Eddie was killed with this gun last night," he said.
"Now, who did it?" His broad face was sinister156. "Come on, now!
Who did it?"Aggie became flippant, seemingly unimpressed by the Inspector'ssavageness.
"How should I know?" she drawled. "What do you think I am--afortune-teller?""You'd better come through," Burke reiterated157. Then his mannerchanged to wheedling34. "If you're the wise kid I think you are,you will."Aggie waxed very petulant over this insistence158.
"I tell you, I don't know anything! Say, what are you trying tohand me, anyway?"Burke scowled159 on the girl portentously160, and shook his head.
"Now, it won't do, I tell you, Aggie Lynch. I'm wise. Youlisten to me." Once more his manner turned to the cajoling.
"You tell me what you know, and I'll see you make a cleanget-away, and I'll slip you a nice little piece of money, too."The girl's face changed with startling swiftness. She regardedthe Inspector shrewdly, a crafty161 glint in her eyes.
"Let me get this straight," she said. "If I tell you what I knowabout Mary Turner and Joe Garson, I get away?""Clean!" Burke ejaculated, eagerly.
"And you'll slip me some coin, too?""That's it!" came the hasty assurance. "Now, what do you say?"The small figure grew tense. The delicate, childish face wassuddenly distorted with rage, a rage black and venomous. Theblue eyes were blazing. The voice came thin and piercing.
"I say, you're a great big stiff! What do you think I am?" shestormed at the discomfited162 Inspector, while Cassidy looked on insome enjoyment at beholding163 his superior being worsted. Aggiewheeled on the detective. "Say, take me out of here," she criedin a voice surcharged with disgust. "I'd rather be in the coolerthan here with him!"Now Burke's tone was dangerous.
"You'll tell," he growled164, "or you'll go up the river for astretch.""I don't know anything," the girl retorted, spiritedly And, if Idid, I wouldn't tell--not in a million years!" She thrust herhead forward challengingly as she faced the Inspector, and herexpression was resolute165. "Now, then," she ended, "send me up--ifyou can!""Take her away," Burke snapped to the detective.
Aggie went toward Cassidy without any sign of reluctance166.
"Yes, do, please!" she exclaimed with a sneer167. "And do it in ahurry. Being in the room with him makes me sick! She turned tostare at the Inspector with eyes that were very clear and veryhard. In this moment, there was nothing childish in their gaze.
"Thought I'd squeal168, did you?" she said, evenly. Yes, Iwill"--the red lips bent to a smile of supreme scorn--"likehell!"
1 inspector | |
n.检查员,监察员,视察员 | |
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2 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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3 ardent | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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4 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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5 elegance | |
n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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6 chic | |
n./adj.别致(的),时髦(的),讲究的 | |
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7 garish | |
adj.华丽而俗气的,华而不实的 | |
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8 innocence | |
n.无罪;天真;无害 | |
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9 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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10 drooping | |
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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11 rosebud | |
n.蔷薇花蕾,妙龄少女 | |
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12 laggard | |
n.落后者;adj.缓慢的,落后的 | |
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13 hesitation | |
n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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14 underlying | |
adj.在下面的,含蓄的,潜在的 | |
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15 bluster | |
v.猛刮;怒冲冲的说;n.吓唬,怒号;狂风声 | |
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16 wrought | |
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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17 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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18 drooped | |
弯曲或下垂,发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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20 haughtiness | |
n.傲慢;傲气 | |
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21 embarrassment | |
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 | |
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22 dubiously | |
adv.可疑地,怀疑地 | |
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23 explicitly | |
ad.明确地,显然地 | |
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24 outrage | |
n.暴行,侮辱,愤怒;vt.凌辱,激怒 | |
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25 amazement | |
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
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26 indignity | |
n.侮辱,伤害尊严,轻蔑 | |
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27 abruptly | |
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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28 softened | |
(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰 | |
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29 rebuke | |
v.指责,非难,斥责 [反]praise | |
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30 indifference | |
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎 | |
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31 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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32 blustering | |
adj.狂风大作的,狂暴的v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的现在分词 );咆哮;(风)呼啸;狂吹 | |
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33 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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34 wheedling | |
v.骗取(某物),哄骗(某人干某事)( wheedle的现在分词 ) | |
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35 heed | |
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心 | |
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36 remonstrated | |
v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 );告诫 | |
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37 courteous | |
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的 | |
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38 throbbing | |
a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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39 resentment | |
n.怨愤,忿恨 | |
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40 sob | |
n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣 | |
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41 faltered | |
(嗓音)颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 ); 支吾其词; 蹒跚; 摇晃 | |
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42 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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43 indictment | |
n.起诉;诉状 | |
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44 sergeant | |
n.警官,中士 | |
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45 placate | |
v.抚慰,平息(愤怒) | |
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46 ingenuous | |
adj.纯朴的,单纯的;天真的;坦率的 | |
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47 appeased | |
安抚,抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 ); 绥靖(满足另一国的要求以避免战争) | |
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48 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
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49 petulant | |
adj.性急的,暴躁的 | |
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50 appalling | |
adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的 | |
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51 pathos | |
n.哀婉,悲怆 | |
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52 crook | |
v.使弯曲;n.小偷,骗子,贼;弯曲(处) | |
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53 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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54 modulation | |
n.调制 | |
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55 unbearably | |
adv.不能忍受地,无法容忍地;慌 | |
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56 insolent | |
adj.傲慢的,无理的 | |
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57 demeanor | |
n.行为;风度 | |
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58 condescended | |
屈尊,俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 ); 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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59 gilder | |
镀金工人 | |
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60 placatingly | |
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61 whit | |
n.一点,丝毫 | |
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62 offense | |
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪 | |
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63 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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64 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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65 query | |
n.疑问,问号,质问;vt.询问,表示怀疑 | |
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66 reproof | |
n.斥责,责备 | |
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67 remonstrance | |
n抗议,抱怨 | |
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68 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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69 maiden | |
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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70 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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71 mite | |
n.极小的东西;小铜币 | |
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72 horrid | |
adj.可怕的;令人惊恐的;恐怖的;极讨厌的 | |
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73 nurtured | |
养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 ); 培育; 滋长; 助长 | |
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74 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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75 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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76 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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77 potent | |
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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78 attentive | |
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的 | |
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79 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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80 publicity | |
n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 | |
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81 prettily | |
adv.优美地;可爱地 | |
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82 imploring | |
恳求的,哀求的 | |
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83 beguiling | |
adj.欺骗的,诱人的v.欺骗( beguile的现在分词 );使陶醉;使高兴;消磨(时间等) | |
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84 supplication | |
n.恳求,祈愿,哀求 | |
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85 intonations | |
n.语调,说话的抑扬顿挫( intonation的名词复数 );(演奏或唱歌中的)音准 | |
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86 obligatory | |
adj.强制性的,义务的,必须的 | |
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87 consolation | |
n.安慰,慰问 | |
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88 sobs | |
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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89 dab | |
v.轻触,轻拍,轻涂;n.(颜料等的)轻涂 | |
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90 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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91 reassurance | |
n.使放心,使消除疑虑 | |
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92 sobbing | |
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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93 wail | |
vt./vi.大声哀号,恸哭;呼啸,尖啸 | |
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94 vaguely | |
adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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95 soothing | |
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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96 contrive | |
vt.谋划,策划;设法做到;设计,想出 | |
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97 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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98 assuage | |
v.缓和,减轻,镇定 | |
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99 futile | |
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的 | |
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100 plaintive | |
adj.可怜的,伤心的 | |
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101 miserably | |
adv.痛苦地;悲惨地;糟糕地;极度地 | |
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102 dismally | |
adv.阴暗地,沉闷地 | |
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103 murmur | |
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
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104 fraught | |
adj.充满…的,伴有(危险等)的;忧虑的 | |
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105 gallantly | |
adv. 漂亮地,勇敢地,献殷勤地 | |
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106 appreciation | |
n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨 | |
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107 flustered | |
adj.慌张的;激动不安的v.使慌乱,使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词) | |
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108 naive | |
adj.幼稚的,轻信的;天真的 | |
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109 enjoyment | |
n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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110 beseechingly | |
adv. 恳求地 | |
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111 commissioner | |
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员 | |
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112 fervent | |
adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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113 provocative | |
adj.挑衅的,煽动的,刺激的,挑逗的 | |
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114 joyously | |
ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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115 blithely | |
adv.欢乐地,快活地,无挂虑地 | |
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116 stolid | |
adj.无动于衷的,感情麻木的 | |
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117 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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118 vicissitude | |
n.变化,变迁,荣枯,盛衰 | |
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119 untoward | |
adj.不利的,不幸的,困难重重的 | |
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120 aggie | |
n.农校,农科大学生 | |
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121 smirk | |
n.得意地笑;v.傻笑;假笑着说 | |
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122 jaw | |
n.颚,颌,说教,流言蜚语;v.喋喋不休,教训 | |
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123 stark | |
adj.荒凉的;严酷的;完全的;adv.完全地 | |
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124 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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125 disconsolately | |
adv.悲伤地,愁闷地;哭丧着脸 | |
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126 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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127 arduous | |
adj.艰苦的,费力的,陡峭的 | |
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128 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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129 steadfastly | |
adv.踏实地,不变地;岿然;坚定不渝 | |
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130 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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131 curtly | |
adv.简短地 | |
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132 placid | |
adj.安静的,平和的 | |
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133 succinct | |
adj.简明的,简洁的 | |
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134 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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135 vernacular | |
adj.地方的,用地方语写成的;n.白话;行话;本国语;动植物的俗名 | |
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136 rattled | |
慌乱的,恼火的 | |
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137 averted | |
防止,避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 ); 转移 | |
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138 slits | |
n.狭长的口子,裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开,撕开( slit的第三人称单数 );在…上开狭长口子 | |
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139 vehemently | |
adv. 热烈地 | |
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140 sniffed | |
v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 );抽鼻子(尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气);抱怨,不以为然地说 | |
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141 toils | |
网 | |
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142 chuckled | |
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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143 discomfiture | |
n.崩溃;大败;挫败;困惑 | |
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144 beguiled | |
v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 );使陶醉;使高兴;消磨(时间等) | |
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145 orbs | |
abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球,天体,圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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146 versatility | |
n.多才多艺,多样性,多功能 | |
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147 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
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148 ripple | |
n.涟波,涟漪,波纹,粗钢梳;vt.使...起涟漪,使起波纹; vi.呈波浪状,起伏前进 | |
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149 wiles | |
n.(旨在欺骗或吸引人的)诡计,花招;欺骗,欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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150 deception | |
n.欺骗,欺诈;骗局,诡计 | |
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151 unimpeachable | |
adj.无可指责的;adv.无可怀疑地 | |
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152 joint | |
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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153 veracity | |
n.诚实 | |
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154 perjury | |
n.伪证;伪证罪 | |
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155 somber | |
adj.昏暗的,阴天的,阴森的,忧郁的 | |
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156 sinister | |
adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 | |
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157 reiterated | |
反复地说,重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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158 insistence | |
n.坚持;强调;坚决主张 | |
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159 scowled | |
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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160 portentously | |
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161 crafty | |
adj.狡猾的,诡诈的 | |
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162 discomfited | |
v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词);使狼狈;使挫折;挫败 | |
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163 beholding | |
v.看,注视( behold的现在分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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164 growled | |
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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165 resolute | |
adj.坚决的,果敢的 | |
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166 reluctance | |
n.厌恶,讨厌,勉强,不情愿 | |
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167 sneer | |
v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
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168 squeal | |
v.发出长而尖的声音;n.长而尖的声音 | |
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