The day following our victory over the monarch2 of the forest was passed in the laborious3 operation of hewing4 out the ponderous5 tusks6, each of which formed the load of a donkey, and was valued at one hundred German crowns. A strong force was in attendance to keep the peace; and owing to the inferiority of the tools at command, and the existing necessity of cutting completely through the head to the root of the lower tusk7, which was half-buried in the soil with the violence of the fall, the trophies8 were not borne off until the sun had set. The wounded man had meanwhile been conveyed to the camp for surgical9 aid. The edges of the laceration in his thigh10 had been by an amateur practitioner11 neatly12 brought together with acacia thorns fastened by threads of wiry grass; and a handful of silver easily reconciled the patient to a few weeks of confinement13 to his bed.
An Armenian, acting14 in capacity of dragoman to the Embassy, had been the Esculapius—a man who, without the smallest pretensions15, gratuitously16 set up also to be a first-rate Nimrod; and the merriment made throughout this day at his expense had covered him with confusion. When setting out from Ankóber with a borrowed musket17, he had rubbed his hands and feigned18 the highest spirits at the prospect19 of resuming his “old sport,” for he had slain20 elephants by the dozen in Northern Abyssinia; and their tails, he contended, “like the tails of all elephants, were not tufted at the extremity21, as I asserted, but covered with long hair, after the fashion of the horse!” A mouse wandering from an adjacent granary at Dokáket, and unwisely scampering22 over his bed, fell a sacrifice to the well-aimed staff of the hero, who, by virtue23 of this brilliant exploit, stuck a white feather in his hair, and whooped24 the war-song during half the ensuing march.
Nevertheless, in the course of the first day’s unsuccessful hunting, he had been seen to hide himself in a manner far from creditable to his nerves; he had been heard to exert his voice in earnest supplications for assistance at the rumoured25 approach of the animal for whose life he had previously26 affected27 to thirst; and when at last actually confronted with the defunct28 monster, he was fain to confess that he had only once beheld29 a live elephant “from the summit of a very high tree, when he discharged his matchlock as the beast retreated, and the people declared that it would die.”
This curious confession30 on the part of the impostor, whose statements had heretofore been credited, led to further disclosures. He had been addicted31 to shooting at hyenas32 by night in the suburbs of Adowa; and having once been so fortunate as to overturn the object at which he fired, he flew enraptured33 to the spot, and was somewhat disagreeably surprised to find a Christian34 man weltering in blood, which flowed from a perforation through the heart. For this untoward35 murder he was sentenced to pay two hundred pieces of salt, by Oubié the usurper36, who, however fond of putting his own subjects to death, permitted no one else to do so with impunity37; and being unable to raise the amount of this fine among his numerous friends, he wisely adopted the alternative of flight.
In Shoa he set up as a physician, and practised medicine, until so many patients died under his hands, that the king was compelled to issue an interdiction38. It formed the veteran’s boast, that although well stricken in years, he could still bolt ten pounds of raw beef at one sitting, whereas, if subjected to a culinary process, three were more than he could contrive39 with comfort. Notwithstanding all his exaggerations, he had witnessed strange sights, which are but too well corroborated40. He had seen the monster Oubié, when his conscience was stained by fewer foul41 crimes than it now is, put out the eyes of his elder brother, who, as the searing-iron hissed42 over the unflinching orbs43, thanked God that he had so long been spared the use of them; and he had seen Ras Subagádis, under whom he once held a petty government in Tigré, executed by the hands of a pagan Galla, who undertook the task for some bread and a barille of hydromel, after numerous Amhára had refused to become headsman to so humane44 a prince.
Every object in visiting Giddem having been fully45 and satisfactorily accomplished46, we bade adieu to the hospitable47 old governor, whose parting request was, that he might be favourably48 mentioned to his royal master. This I unhesitatingly promised; and Ayto Elbeshár was deputed to lead the way to the celebrated49 thermal springs of Feelámba, situated50 within his government, and which I had determined51 to visit as we returned to Ankóber. Descending52 by an extremely steep footpath53 to a deep dell below the Aito hill, the road wound above a mile along the sunken channel of the narrow river, through which meandered54 a rippling55 brook56 of crystal water, varied57 at intervals58 by miniature cascades59, and shaded throughout its tortuous60 course by trees and flowering creepers of luxuriant beauty. In an angle formed by a sudden bend are the hot wells, five in number, rising at some distance from each other—the remnants of old volcanic61 action, which has long entirely62 disappeared in other parts of its theatre, but has left behind it, in this secluded63 and highly picturesque64 spot, a salubrious fountain of life.
Aragáwi, the most celebrated of these springs, derives65 its name from one of the nine missionaries66 of the Greek church, who, at the close of the fifth century, completed the conversion67 of Abyssinia during the reign68 of Alámeda. He is styled also Za Michael; and is said to have been conveyed on the tail of a huge serpent to the summit of the lofty and then inaccessible69 rock on Debra Dámo, where he founded a convent, of which he is the tutelar saint, and which is still one of the most renowned70 in Ethiopia. It is recorded of Aragáwi that he raised the dead, and caused the blind to see; and among the manifold notable miracles ascribed to him, the not least remarkable71 is the conversion to Christianity of the Devil himself, whom he persuaded to take the monastic cap for forty years!
Selássie, the Holy Trinity, is another open pool or basin situated close to Aragáwi, and like it rising in bubbles from the sandy bank and bed of the stream. In both the temperature stood at 118 degrees of Fahrenheit72. Mariam, the blessed Virgin73, at 115 degrees, issues from a cave, provided with a rude door, and partitioned by a bar of wood into two cells for new and old complaints, and in these patients were in the act of immersion74. Abbo, at 120 degrees, percolates75 from the centre of a steep bank of soft red sandstone, covering basaltic wacke, through an artificial spout76 inserted for the convenience of drinking the waters. Numbers of dreadfully diseased wretches77, the lame78, the halt, and the blind, who were here assembled, with victims who had suffered under the Galla knife, formed a horrible spectacle, which called vividly79 to mind the scriptural account of the pool of Bethesda.
The superintendence of the numerous patients who thus flock hither to undergo the discipline of the baths, is limited to the collection of one piece of salt, value two-pence halfpenny sterling80, for the use of the wells, which are believed to possess the highest sanative virtues81 in a great variety of disorders82. The waters possess a slight taste and smell of sulphuretted hydrogen; but they may be drunk hot from the spring without creating nausea83. There is no precipitate84 whatever; and not five yards from their source they mingle85 with a strong current of cold pure mountain water, to which no perceptible alteration86 is imparted in colour, temperature, or taste.
Here we obtained many rare and beautiful birds; amongst others, the Adagoota, a superb black-crested falcon87, which had been first seen in the wilderness88 of Giddem. Following the course of the Feelámba to its junction89 with the Jow-wahá, whereof it forms the principal source, the main road was gained at no great distance from the ford90, and the steep Gozi range again surmounted91 to the village of Telim Amba. It is situated on a height divided by a deep valley from the opposite residence of the governor of Mahhfood, whose lady presently sent me, through a slave girl, the expression of her regret, that “the king’s guests” should have chosen to halt at so great a distance; and although it exceeded four miles, she finally insisted upon supplying us with a huge pepper pie, and other ready-cooked provisions. “You might eat these,” was the message delivered by the Abigail: “they were prepared for you, but you have taken another road.”
On the banks of the Robi we had again met Ayto Abaiyo, superintending operations at one of the royal threshing-floors, where all the inhabitants of the district were assembled; and self-interested motives92 induced him very uncivilly to oppose a day’s hunting on that river, upon the score of alleged93 hostilities94 with Anbássa Ali. In order to free himself from any further importunity95, he clandestinely96 instructed our guide to lead us by the most direct route, and hence arose the offence which I had committed against the “Emabiet.”
点击收听单词发音
1 thermal | |
adj.热的,由热造成的;保暖的 | |
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2 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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3 laborious | |
adj.吃力的,努力的,不流畅 | |
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4 hewing | |
v.(用斧、刀等)砍、劈( hew的现在分词 );砍成;劈出;开辟 | |
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5 ponderous | |
adj.沉重的,笨重的,(文章)冗长的 | |
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6 tusks | |
n.(象等动物的)长牙( tusk的名词复数 );獠牙;尖形物;尖头 | |
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7 tusk | |
n.獠牙,长牙,象牙 | |
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8 trophies | |
n.(为竞赛获胜者颁发的)奖品( trophy的名词复数 );奖杯;(尤指狩猎或战争中获得的)纪念品;(用于比赛或赛跑名称)奖 | |
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9 surgical | |
adj.外科的,外科医生的,手术上的 | |
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10 thigh | |
n.大腿;股骨 | |
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11 practitioner | |
n.实践者,从事者;(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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12 neatly | |
adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地 | |
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13 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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14 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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15 pretensions | |
自称( pretension的名词复数 ); 自命不凡; 要求; 权力 | |
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16 gratuitously | |
平白 | |
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17 musket | |
n.滑膛枪 | |
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18 feigned | |
a.假装的,不真诚的 | |
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19 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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20 slain | |
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词) | |
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21 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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22 scampering | |
v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑,惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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23 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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24 whooped | |
叫喊( whoop的过去式和过去分词 ); 高声说; 唤起 | |
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25 rumoured | |
adj.谣传的;传说的;风 | |
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26 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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27 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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28 defunct | |
adj.死亡的;已倒闭的 | |
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29 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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30 confession | |
n.自白,供认,承认 | |
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31 addicted | |
adj.沉溺于....的,对...上瘾的 | |
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32 hyenas | |
n.鬣狗( hyena的名词复数 ) | |
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33 enraptured | |
v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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35 untoward | |
adj.不利的,不幸的,困难重重的 | |
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36 usurper | |
n. 篡夺者, 僭取者 | |
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37 impunity | |
n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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38 interdiction | |
n.禁止;封锁 | |
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39 contrive | |
vt.谋划,策划;设法做到;设计,想出 | |
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40 corroborated | |
v.证实,支持(某种说法、信仰、理论等)( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
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41 foul | |
adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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42 hissed | |
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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43 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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44 humane | |
adj.人道的,富有同情心的 | |
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45 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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46 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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47 hospitable | |
adj.好客的;宽容的;有利的,适宜的 | |
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48 favourably | |
adv. 善意地,赞成地 =favorably | |
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49 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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50 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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51 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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52 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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53 footpath | |
n.小路,人行道 | |
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54 meandered | |
(指溪流、河流等)蜿蜒而流( meander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55 rippling | |
起涟漪的,潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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56 brook | |
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让 | |
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57 varied | |
adj.多样的,多变化的 | |
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58 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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59 cascades | |
倾泻( cascade的名词复数 ); 小瀑布(尤指一连串瀑布中的一支); 瀑布状物; 倾泻(或涌出)的东西 | |
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60 tortuous | |
adj.弯弯曲曲的,蜿蜒的 | |
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61 volcanic | |
adj.火山的;象火山的;由火山引起的 | |
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62 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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63 secluded | |
adj.与世隔绝的;隐退的;偏僻的v.使隔开,使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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64 picturesque | |
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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65 derives | |
v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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66 missionaries | |
n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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67 conversion | |
n.转化,转换,转变 | |
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68 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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69 inaccessible | |
adj.达不到的,难接近的 | |
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70 renowned | |
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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71 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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72 Fahrenheit | |
n./adj.华氏温度;华氏温度计(的) | |
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73 virgin | |
n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的 | |
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74 immersion | |
n.沉浸;专心 | |
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75 percolates | |
v.滤( percolate的第三人称单数 );渗透;(思想等)渗透;渗入 | |
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76 spout | |
v.喷出,涌出;滔滔不绝地讲;n.喷管;水柱 | |
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77 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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78 lame | |
adj.跛的,(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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79 vividly | |
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地 | |
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80 sterling | |
adj.英币的(纯粹的,货真价实的);n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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81 virtues | |
美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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82 disorders | |
n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 );凌乱;骚乱;(身心、机能)失调 | |
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83 nausea | |
n.作呕,恶心;极端的憎恶(或厌恶) | |
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84 precipitate | |
adj.突如其来的;vt.使突然发生;n.沉淀物 | |
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85 mingle | |
vt.使混合,使相混;vi.混合起来;相交往 | |
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86 alteration | |
n.变更,改变;蚀变 | |
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87 falcon | |
n.隼,猎鹰 | |
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88 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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89 junction | |
n.连接,接合;交叉点,接合处,枢纽站 | |
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90 Ford | |
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过 | |
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91 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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92 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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93 alleged | |
a.被指控的,嫌疑的 | |
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94 hostilities | |
n.战争;敌意(hostility的复数);敌对状态;战事 | |
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95 importunity | |
n.硬要,强求 | |
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96 clandestinely | |
adv.秘密地,暗中地 | |
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