“Reculer pour mieux sauter,” is a maxim1 strictly2 in accordance with His Majesty3’s notions of strategy. Twenty days had elapsed since the return of the expedition, when the arrival before the palace of six thousand head of cattle proclaimed the success of a second sweeping4 foray directed against the Ekka and Finfinni Galla. A Mohammadan merchant residing at Roqué, the market town and great slave-mart of Yerrur, was suspected of having with his own hand slain6 the son of Ayto Besuehnech, grand-nephew to the king—this youth having pressed on far in advance of his comrades in pursuit of the retreating pagans. To avenge7 his untimely death, a detachment, consisting of five thousand horse, was despatched under the command of Aytos Berkie, Chilo, and Dogmo, the government of which latter chief had previously8 been extended in acknowledgment of his recent services. They made a forced march through Bulga, and although foiled in their principal object by the precipitate9 flight of the rover whose life they sought, the whole of his family and followers10 were massacred, his effects plundered11, and his house burnt to the ground.
The survivors12 of the Ekka and Finfinni tribes, believing the fatal storm to be expended13, had already returned with the residue14 of their flocks and herds15, and were actively16 engaged in restoring their dilapidated habitations, when the Amhára hordes17 again burst over their fair valley, slew18 six hundred souls, and captured all the remaining cattle, thus completing the chastisement19 of these devoted20 clans21, who, notwithstanding the generous restoration of their enslaved families, had failed to make submission—and redeeming23 the royal pledge “to play the rebels another trick.”
The king had not honoured Ankóber with his presence since the arrival in Shoa of the British Embassy, but His Majesty now announced his intention of entering the capital in triumph. Thinly attended, and unscreened by the state umbrellas, he issued at sunrise on horseback through the sirkosh ber, the only addition to his usual costume being a plume24 of nine feathers stripped from the Rása, or egret, which were worn in the hair in token of his recent prowess at Boora Roofa. Putting his horse into a gallop25, he never drew bridle26 until stopped by the Beréza, many parties under governors of the adjacent districts joining the royal cortège from various quarters, and swelling27 the retinue28 to two thousand equestrians29, who continued at a furious pace to clatter30 over the stony31 ground.
Mosábeit, a village standing22 on a peninsula formed by the junction32 of the Toro Mesk water with the Beréza, imparts its name to this, the most direct road from Angollála to Ankóber. The river forded, the king mounted his mule33, and diverging34 to the right, passed through a valley studded with hamlets, the inhabitants of which, male and female, came forth35 with many prostrations to the earth, whilst the women raised their voices together in the usual ringing heléltee.
On all occasions of rejoicing and ceremony, whether on the successful return of the monarch36 or of the warrior37, or on the sight of a passing procession, the ladies of Abyssinia, with their characteristic love of noise, thus burst forth into a thrilling clamour of welcome, moving the tongue with more than ordinary volubility against the palate, and producing a continuous succession of tremulous notes. One watchful38 dame39 on the outskirts40 perceives the approach of the cavalcade41, and forthwith gives out her wild screech42 of warning. In a moment the mountain side is covered with every female within hearing; the Hil! lil! lil! progresses fast and furious as they bend nearly double to assist in upraising the yelling chorus; tears stream from their eyes in the violence of the exertion43, and far and near the hills resound44 with the gathered volume of their shrill45 throats.
The king halted for a moment at a pile of stones by the way-side, covered with rags, feathers, and flowers, to which every devout46 Christian47 adds his tribute whilst saluting48 it with his lips. It points to the white-roofed church of Saint Michael the Archangel, peeping through a dark clump49 of junipers at some distance from the road, and many were the fervent50 kisses of adoration51 bestowed52 by the triumphant53 warriors54. A little beyond, a large black cross on the summit of a tumulus directs attention to the residence of Ayto Berri, quarter-master-general of the Amhára forces. Here His Majesty again diverged55, in order to lead the cavalcade through the most thickly populated tract57; and after resting for half an hour in the Ungua-mesk, one of the many royal meadows, now black with the Galla herds, he turned suddenly off to the Motátit road, according to his invariable custom, when proceeding58 to the capital after a successful foray.
The Arsiamba, styled at its point of intersection59 with the route usually pursued, Ya Wurjoch Madéria, the “resting-place of merchants,” is a singular cataract60 rolling over columnar basalt, of which the ribbed cliffs on either side are thronged61 by bees. But by far the most interesting object is a certain white pillar, overgrown with nettles62, standing at the foot of the hills which bound the Ungua-mesk. It is designated “Graan’s stone,” and is famous from an existing tradition that the Moslem63 invader64 tied his war-horse to it on the occasion of his leading the Ada?el to the destruction of Debra Berhán.
Abundantly cultivated, and rich in grazing land, the tract we had passed over is throughout so destitute65 of trees and even of bushes, that the inhabitants employ no other fuel than dried manure66. Arrived at the summit of the Chaka mountain, where straggling cossos break the monotony of the landscape, many hundred females, assembled from the numerous villages in the vicinity, lining67 the surrounding heights, again kept up one continued cry. It was drowned at intervals68 by discharges of musketry which echoed among the broken glens as the despot descended69; and, preceded by a war-dance, wherein all the warriors joined, he finally took up his quarters for the night in a house separated by a deep valley from the capital.
Early the ensuing morning we rode out to the Cháffa meadow at the foot of the palace, to meet and welcome His Majesty, who, after arraying himself within a marquee erected70 for his accommodation, shortly appeared through a gorge71 in a low range of hills, which was crowned on either side by matchlock-men of the imperial body-guard. These kept up an incessant72 fire as the royal cortège advanced over the grassy73 plain, preceded by a band of mounted warriors, who, as on the occasion of the triumphant entry to Angollála, careered in intersecting circles. The king bestrode a richly caparisoned mule, and wore a green scarf mantle74 of Delhi embroidery75. A golden collar encircled his neck, and a massive silver akódama extended on either side a considerable distance beyond the temples. The ends of the beam were hung with a profusion76 of silver chains a yard in length, whilst a row of spangled pendants across the brow half obscured the eyes, and imparted a peculiarly savage77 aspect, which was enhanced by a large branch of wild asparagus floating above the curly locks, and by a white and crimson78 robe drawn79 across the lower portion of the face.
As the cavalcade advanced, the braves continued to caracole until reaching the extremity80 of the meadow, where the assembled priests and monks81 of Ankóber, as well as of the neighbouring churches and monasteries82, were drawn up to receive their sovereign. The holy arks were each screened under the canopy83 of a large embroidered84 umbrella; and that of Saint Michael, the senior, which had accompanied the army into the field, was carried beneath a debáb of solid embossed silver, decorated with chain pendants and fretwork. Psalms85 having been chanted by the turbaned body, who danced vehemently86 to their own chorus, the Alaka of the cathedral advancing, laid his hands on the head of the victorious87 monarch, and gave his blessing88, when the procession moved slowly forward towards the foot of the hill, singing the death knell89 of the pagan,—
“Moolohóy Mooló? Hai hai!
Wokáo? Selála dábito!”
The warriors, preceded by the royal band of kettle-drums and wind instruments, took the lead up the long steep and narrow path, which winds along the verge56 of a precipitous ascent90 to the palace, perched on the very pinnacle91 of the cone92. A proclamation, through the herald93, having commanded the presence of all the inhabitants of the capital and of the villages adjacent, every roof, bank, and cliff, was crowded with women and girls. As the king passed on, they kept up an unceasing clamour, and it increased to a deafening94 din5 as he approached the gate of the outer enclosure, where a dense95 mass of curled heads extended across the entire open area in front of the palisades.
The British escort, drawn up before the lower defences, presented arms as the monarch passed, and within the stockade96 stood the high priests of the five churches, robed and mitred. The clamour, the music, and the echo of musketry, continued during the tedious ascent of the steep and difficult path, which, broken into steps, winds betwixt lofty palisades, through nine gateways97 and lodges98, to the inner enclosure. Here His Majesty took his seat in a raised alcove99, the throne, and the usual trappings of royalty100, being on this occasion new throughout, and more than wonted cleanliness pervading101 every quarter of the palace.
Once more the large drum in the middle of the court gave forth its deep notes. Three hundred concubines, seated in a circle around, again screamed and clapped their stained hands in deafening concert. A dancing girl, flanked by two wild braves, whirled in front of the throne, and in a series of eulogistic102 rhymes, composed by herself, chanted a rehearsal103 of the recent heroic deeds of the puissant104 monarch, “who, although invariably triumphant over his heathen foes105, had never decorated his royal brow with a branch greener than that by which it was now surmounted106.” Each time she turned towards the crowd, a shrill clamour of united voices rang forth the chorus to her verse. The skin-clad warriors leapt and howled;—akodámas, coronets, and silver swords, glistened107 in the morning sun; and as the chiefs, governors, and nobles, formed in a semicircle on either side of the latticed balcony, stamped and clapped their hands in savage triumph—the populace, crowding the carpeted yard, and lining every wall, capered108, yelled, and shouted with the wildest enthusiasm. A general war-dance followed the cessation of the shrill notes of the songstress, and the pageant109 concluded with a royal salute110, fired by the artillery111 detachment over the British flag, which, in honour of His Majesty’s arrival, floated far below in the centre of the capital of Shoa.
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1 maxim | |
n.格言,箴言 | |
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2 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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3 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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4 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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5 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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6 slain | |
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词) | |
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7 avenge | |
v.为...复仇,为...报仇 | |
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8 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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9 precipitate | |
adj.突如其来的;vt.使突然发生;n.沉淀物 | |
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10 followers | |
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件 | |
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11 plundered | |
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12 survivors | |
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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13 expended | |
v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 );使用(钱等)做某事;用光;耗尽 | |
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14 residue | |
n.残余,剩余,残渣 | |
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15 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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16 actively | |
adv.积极地,勤奋地 | |
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17 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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18 slew | |
v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
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19 chastisement | |
n.惩罚 | |
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20 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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21 clans | |
宗族( clan的名词复数 ); 氏族; 庞大的家族; 宗派 | |
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22 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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23 redeeming | |
补偿的,弥补的 | |
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24 plume | |
n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰 | |
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25 gallop | |
v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展 | |
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26 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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27 swelling | |
n.肿胀 | |
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28 retinue | |
n.侍从;随员 | |
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29 equestrians | |
n.骑手(equestrian的复数形式) | |
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30 clatter | |
v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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31 stony | |
adj.石头的,多石头的,冷酷的,无情的 | |
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32 junction | |
n.连接,接合;交叉点,接合处,枢纽站 | |
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33 mule | |
n.骡子,杂种,执拗的人 | |
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34 diverging | |
分开( diverge的现在分词 ); 偏离; 分歧; 分道扬镳 | |
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35 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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36 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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37 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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38 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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39 dame | |
n.女士 | |
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40 outskirts | |
n.郊外,郊区 | |
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41 cavalcade | |
n.车队等的行列 | |
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42 screech | |
n./v.尖叫;(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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43 exertion | |
n.尽力,努力 | |
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44 resound | |
v.回响 | |
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45 shrill | |
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫 | |
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46 devout | |
adj.虔诚的,虔敬的,衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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47 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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48 saluting | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的现在分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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49 clump | |
n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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50 fervent | |
adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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51 adoration | |
n.爱慕,崇拜 | |
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52 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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54 warriors | |
武士,勇士,战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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55 diverged | |
分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 ); 偏离; 分歧; 分道扬镳 | |
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56 verge | |
n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 | |
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57 tract | |
n.传单,小册子,大片(土地或森林) | |
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58 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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59 intersection | |
n.交集,十字路口,交叉点;[计算机] 交集 | |
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60 cataract | |
n.大瀑布,奔流,洪水,白内障 | |
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61 thronged | |
v.成群,挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62 nettles | |
n.荨麻( nettle的名词复数 ) | |
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63 Moslem | |
n.回教徒,穆罕默德信徒;adj.回教徒的,回教的 | |
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64 invader | |
n.侵略者,侵犯者,入侵者 | |
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65 destitute | |
adj.缺乏的;穷困的 | |
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66 manure | |
n.粪,肥,肥粒;vt.施肥 | |
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67 lining | |
n.衬里,衬料 | |
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68 intervals | |
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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69 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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70 ERECTED | |
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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71 gorge | |
n.咽喉,胃,暴食,山峡;v.塞饱,狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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72 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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73 grassy | |
adj.盖满草的;长满草的 | |
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74 mantle | |
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
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75 embroidery | |
n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品 | |
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76 profusion | |
n.挥霍;丰富 | |
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77 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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78 crimson | |
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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79 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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80 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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81 monks | |
n.修道士,僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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82 monasteries | |
修道院( monastery的名词复数 ) | |
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83 canopy | |
n.天篷,遮篷 | |
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84 embroidered | |
adj.绣花的 | |
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85 psalms | |
n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 );圣诗;圣歌;(中的) | |
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86 vehemently | |
adv. 热烈地 | |
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87 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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88 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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89 knell | |
n.丧钟声;v.敲丧钟 | |
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90 ascent | |
n.(声望或地位)提高;上升,升高;登高 | |
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91 pinnacle | |
n.尖塔,尖顶,山峰;(喻)顶峰 | |
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92 cone | |
n.圆锥体,圆锥形东西,球果 | |
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93 herald | |
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎 | |
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94 deafening | |
adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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95 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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96 stockade | |
n.栅栏,围栏;v.用栅栏防护 | |
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97 gateways | |
n.网关( gateway的名词复数 );门径;方法;大门口 | |
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98 lodges | |
v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 );暂住;埋入;(权利、权威等)归属 | |
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99 alcove | |
n.凹室 | |
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100 royalty | |
n.皇家,皇族 | |
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101 pervading | |
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的现在分词 ) | |
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102 eulogistic | |
adj.颂扬的,颂词的 | |
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103 rehearsal | |
n.排练,排演;练习 | |
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104 puissant | |
adj.强有力的 | |
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105 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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106 surmounted | |
战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 ); 克服(困难); 居于…之上; 在…顶上 | |
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107 glistened | |
v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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108 capered | |
v.跳跃,雀跃( caper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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109 pageant | |
n.壮观的游行;露天历史剧 | |
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110 salute | |
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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111 artillery | |
n.(军)火炮,大炮;炮兵(部队) | |
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