They pressed their noses against the window of the show-room, and gazed down into the Square as perpendicularly1 as the projecting front of the shop would allow. The show-room was over the millinery and silken half of the shop. Over the woollen and shirting half were the drawing-room and the chief bedroom. When in quest of articles of coquetry, you mounted from the shop by a curving stair, and your head gradually rose level with a large apartment having a mahogany counter in front of the window and along one side, yellow linoleum2 on the floor, many cardboard boxes, a magnificent hinged cheval glass, and two chairs. The window-sill being lower than the counter, there was a gulf3 between the panes4 and the back of the counter, into which important articles such as scissors, pencils, chalk, and artificial flowers were continually disappearing: another proof of the architect's incompetence5.
The girls could only press their noses against the window by kneeling on the counter, and this they were doing. Constance's nose was snub, but agreeably so. Sophia had a fine Roman nose; she was a beautiful creature, beautiful and handsome at the same time. They were both of them rather like racehorses, quivering with delicate, sensitive, and luxuriant life; exquisite7, enchanting8 proof of the circulation of the blood; innocent, artful, roguish, prim9, gushing11, ignorant, and miraculously13 wise. Their ages were sixteen and fifteen; it is an epoch14 when, if one is frank, one must admit that one has nothing to learn: one has learnt simply everything in the previous six months.
"There she goes!" exclaimed Sophia.
Up the Square, from the corner of King Street, passed a woman in a new bonnet15 with pink strings16, and a new blue dress that sloped at the shoulders and grew to a vast circumference17 at the hem6. Through the silent sunlit solitude18 of the Square (for it was Thursday afternoon, and all the shops shut except the confectioner's and one chemist's) this bonnet and this dress floated northwards in search of romance, under the relentless19 eyes of Constance and Sophia. Within them, somewhere, was the soul of Maggie, domestic servant at Baines's. Maggie had been at the shop since before the creation of Constance and Sophia. She lived seventeen hours of each day in an underground kitchen and larder20, and the other seven in an attic21, never going out except to chapel22 on Sunday evenings, and once a month on Thursday afternoons. "Followers23" were most strictly24 forbidden to her; but on rare occasions an aunt from Longshaw was permitted as a tremendous favour to see her in the subterranean26 den25. Everybody, including herself, considered that she had a good "place," and was well treated. It was undeniable, for instance, that she was allowed to fall in love exactly as she chose, provided she did not "carry on" in the kitchen or the yard. And as a fact, Maggie had fallen in love. In seventeen years she had been engaged eleven times. No one could conceive how that ugly and powerful organism could softly languish27 to the undoing29 of even a butty-collier, nor why, having caught a man in her sweet toils30, she could ever be imbecile enough to set him free. There are, however, mysteries in the souls of Maggies. The drudge31 had probably been affianced oftener than any woman in Bursley. Her employers were so accustomed to an interesting announcement that for years they had taken to saying naught32 in reply but 'Really, Maggie!' Engagements and tragic33 partings were Maggie's pastime. Fixed34 otherwise, she might have studied the piano instead.
"No gloves, of course!" Sophia criticized.
"Well, you can't expect her to have gloves," said Constance.
Then a pause, as the bonnet and dress neared the top of the Square.
"Supposing she turns round and sees us?" Constance suggested.
"I don't care if she does," said Sophia, with a haughtiness35 almost impassioned; and her head trembled slightly.
There were, as usual, several loafers at the top of the Square, in the corner between the bank and the "Marquis of Granby." And one of these loafers stepped forward and shook hands with an obviously willing Maggie. Clearly it was a rendezvous36, open, unashamed. The twelfth victim had been selected by the virgin37 of forty, whose kiss would not have melted lard! The couple disappeared together down Oldcastle Street.
"WELL!" cried Constance. "Did you ever see such a thing?"
While Sophia, short of adequate words, flushed and bit her lip.
With the profound, instinctive38 cruelty of youth, Constance and Sophia had assembled in their favourite haunt, the show-room, expressly to deride39 Maggie in her new clothes. They obscurely thought that a woman so ugly and soiled as Maggie was had no right to possess new clothes. Even her desire to take the air of a Thursday afternoon seemed to them unnatural40 and somewhat reprehensible41. Why should she want to stir out of her kitchen? As for her tender yearnings, they positively42 grudged43 these to Maggie. That Maggie should give rein44 to chaste45 passion was more than grotesque46; it was offensive and wicked. But let it not for an instant be doubted that they were nice, kind-hearted, well- behaved, and delightful47 girls! Because they were. They were not angels.
"It's too ridiculous!" said Sophia, severely48. She had youth, beauty, and rank in her favour. And to her it really was ridiculous.
"Poor old Maggie!" Constance murmured. Constance was foolishly good-natured, a perfect manufactory of excuses for other people; and her benevolence49 was eternally rising up and overpowering her reason.
"What time did mother say she should be back?" Sophia asked.
"Not until supper."
"Oh! Hallelujah!" Sophia burst out, clasping her hands in joy. And they both slid down from the counter just as if they had been little boys, and not, as their mother called them, "great girls."
"Let's go and play the Osborne quadrilles," Sophia suggested (the Osborne quadrilles being a series of dances arranged to be performed on drawing-room pianos by four jewelled hands).
"I couldn't think of it," said Constance, with a precocious50 gesture of seriousness. In that gesture, and in her tone, was something which conveyed to Sophia: "Sophia, how can you be so utterly51 blind to the gravity of our fleeting52 existence as to ask me to go and strum the piano with you?" Yet a moment before she had been a little boy.
"Why not?" Sophia demanded.
"I shall never have another chance like to-day for getting on with this," said Constance, picking up a bag from the counter.
She sat down and took from the bag a piece of loosely woven canvas, on which she was embroidering53 a bunch of roses in coloured wools. The canvas had once been stretched on a frame, but now, as the delicate labour of the petals54 and leaves was done, and nothing remained to do but the monotonous55 background, Constance was content to pin the stuff to her knee. With the long needle and several skeins of mustard-tinted wool, she bent56 over the canvas and resumed the filling-in of the tiny squares. The whole design was in squares--the gradations of red and greens, the curves of the smallest buds--all was contrived57 in squares, with a result that mimicked58 a fragment of uncompromising Axminster carpet. Still, the fine texture59 of the wool, the regular and rapid grace of those fingers moving incessantly60 at back and front of the canvas, the gentle sound of the wool as it passed through the holes, and the intent, youthful earnestness of that lowered gaze, excused and invested with charm an activity which, on artistic61 grounds, could not possibly be justified62. The canvas was destined63 to adorn64 a gilt65 firescreen in the drawing-room, and also to form a birthday gift to Mrs. Baines from her elder daughter. But whether the enterprise was as secret from Mrs. Baines as Constance hoped, none save Mrs Baines knew.
"Con," murmured Sophia, "you're too sickening sometimes."
"Well," said Constance, blandly66, "it's no use pretending that this hasn't got to be finished before we go back to school, because it has." Sophia wandered about, a prey67 ripe for the Evil One. "Oh," she exclaimed joyously--even ecstatically--looking behind the cheval glass, "here's mother's new skirt! Miss Dunn's been putting the gimp on it! Oh, mother, what a proud thing you will be!" Constance heard swishings behind the glass. "What are you doing, Sophia?"
"Nothing."
"You surely aren't putting that skirt on?"
"Why not?"
"You'll catch it finely, I can tell you!"
Without further defence, Sophia sprang out from behind the immense glass. She had already shed a notable part of her own costume, and the flush of mischief68 was in her face. She ran across to the other side of the room and examined carefully a large coloured print that was affixed69 to the wall.
This print represented fifteen sisters, all of the same height and slimness of figure, all of the same age--about twenty-five or so, and all with exactly the same haughty70 and bored beauty. That they were in truth sisters was clear from the facial resemblance between them; their demeanour indicated that they were princesses, offspring of some impossibly prolific71 king and queen. Those hands had never toiled72, nor had those features ever relaxed from the smile of courts. The princesses moved in a landscape of marble steps and verandahs, with a bandstand and strange trees in the distance. One was in a riding-habit, another in evening attire74, another dressed for tea, another for the theatre; another seemed to be ready to go to bed. One held a little girl by the hand; it could not have been her own little girl, for these princesses were far beyond human passions. Where had she obtained the little girl? Why was one sister going to the theatre, another to tea, another to the stable, and another to bed? Why was one in a heavy mantle75, and another sheltering from the sun's rays under a parasol? The picture was drenched76 in mystery, and the strangest thing about it was that all these highnesses were apparently77 content with the most ridiculous and out-moded fashions. Absurd hats, with veils flying behind; absurd bonnets78, fitting close to the head, and spotted79; absurd coiffures that nearly lay on the nape; absurd, clumsy sleeves; absurd waists, almost above the elbow's level; absurd scolloped jackets! And the skirts! What a sight were those skirts! They were nothing but vast decorated pyramids; on the summit of each was stuck the upper half of a princess. It was astounding80 that princesses should consent to be so preposterous81 and so uncomfortable. But Sophia perceived nothing uncanny in the picture, which bore the legend: "Newest summer fashions from Paris. Gratis82 supplement to Myra's Journal." Sophia had never imagined anything more stylish83, lovely, and dashing than the raiment of the fifteen princesses.
For Constance and Sophia had the disadvantage of living in the middle ages. The crinoline had not quite reached its full circumference, and the dress-improver had not even been thought of. In all the Five Towns there was not a public bath, nor a free library, nor a municipal park, nor a telephone, nor yet a board- school. People had not understood the vital necessity of going away to the seaside every year. Bishop84 Colenso had just staggered Christianity by his shameless notions on the Pentateuch. Half Lancashire was starving on account of the American war. Garroting was the chief amusement of the homicidal classes. Incredible as it may appear, there was nothing but a horse-tram running between Bursley and Hanbridge--and that only twice an hour; and between the other towns no stage of any kind! One went to Longshaw as one now goes to Pekin. It was an era so dark and backward that one might wonder how people could sleep in their beds at night for thinking about their sad state.
Happily the inhabitants of the Five Towns in that era were passably pleased with themselves, and they never even suspected that they were not quite modern and quite awake. They thought that the intellectual, the industrial, and the social movements had gone about as far as these movements could go, and they were amazed at their own progress. Instead of being humble85 and ashamed, they actually showed pride in their pitiful achievements. They ought to have looked forward meekly86 to the prodigious87 feats88 of posterity89; but, having too little faith and too much conceit90, they were content to look behind and make comparisons with the past. They did not foresee the miraculous12 generation which is us. A poor, blind, complacent91 people! The ludicrous horse-car was typical of them. The driver rang a huge bell, five minutes before starting, that could he heard from the Wesleyan Chapel to the Cock Yard, and then after deliberations and hesitations92 the vehicle rolled off on its rails into unknown dangers while passengers shouted good-bye. At Bleakridge it had to stop for the turnpike, and it was assisted up the mountains of Leveson Place and Sutherland Street (towards Hanbridge) by a third horse, on whose back was perched a tiny, whip-cracking boy; that boy lived like a shuttle on the road between Leveson Place and Sutherland Street, and even in wet weather he was the envy of all other boys. After half an hour's perilous93 transit94 the car drew up solemnly in a narrow street by the Signal office in Hanbridge, and the ruddy driver, having revolved95 many times the polished iron handle of his sole brake, turned his attention to his passengers in calm triumph, dismissing them with a sort of unsung doxology.
And this was regarded as the last word of traction96! A whip- cracking boy on a tip horse! Oh, blind, blind! You could not foresee the hundred and twenty electric cars that now rush madly bumping and thundering at twenty miles an hour through all the main streets of the district!
So that naturally Sophia, infected with the pride of her period, had no misgivings97 whatever concerning the final elegance98 of the princesses. She studied them as the fifteen apostles of the ne plus ultra; then, having taken some flowers and plumes99 out of a box, amid warnings from Constance, she retreated behind the glass, and presently emerged as a great lady in the style of the princesses. Her mother's tremendous new gown ballooned about her in all its fantastic richness and expensiveness. And with the gown she had put on her mother's importance--that mien101 of assured authority, of capacity tested in many a crisis, which characterized Mrs. Baines, and which Mrs. Baines seemed to impart to her dresses even before she had regularly worn them. For it was a fact that Mrs. Baines's empty garments inspired respect, as though some essence had escaped from her and remained in them.
"Sophia!"
Constance stayed her needle, and, without lifting her head, gazed, with eyes raised from the wool-work, motionless at the posturing102 figure of her sister. It was sacrilege that she was witnessing, a prodigious irreverence103. She was conscious of an expectation that punishment would instantly fall on this daring, impious child. But she, who never felt these mad, amazing impulses, could nevertheless only smile fearfully.
"Sophia!" she breathed, with an intensity104 of alarm that merged100 into condoning105 admiration106. "Whatever will you do next?"
Sophia's lovely flushed face crowned the extraordinary structure like a blossom, scarcely controlling its laughter. She was as tall as her mother, and as imperious, as crested107, and proud; and in spite of the pigtail, the girlish semi-circular comb, and the loose foal-like limbs, she could support as well as her mother the majesty108 of the gimp-embroidered dress. Her eyes sparkled with all the challenges of the untried virgin as she minced109 about the showroom. Abounding110 life inspired her movements. The confident and fierce joy of youth shone on her brow. "What thing on earth equals me?" she seemed to demand with enchanting and yet ruthless arrogance111. She was the daughter of a respected, bedridden draper in an insignificant112 town, lost in the central labyrinth113 of England, if you like; yet what manner of man, confronted with her, would or could have denied her naive114 claim to dominion115? She stood, in her mother's hoops116, for the desire of the world. And in the innocence117 of her soul she knew it! The heart of a young girl mysteriously speaks and tells her of her power long ere she can use her power. If she can find nothing else to subdue118, you may catch her in the early years subduing119 a gate-post or drawing homage120 from an empty chair. Sophia's experimental victim was Constance, with suspended needle and soft glance that shot out from the lowered face.
Then Sophia fell, in stepping backwards121; the pyramid was overbalanced; great distended122 rings of silk trembled and swayed gigantically on the floor, and Sophia's small feet lay like the feet of a doll on the rim10 of the largest circle, which curved and arched above them like a cavern's mouth. The abrupt123 transition of her features from assured pride to ludicrous astonishment124 and alarm was comical enough to have sent into wild uncharitable laughter any creature less humane125 than Constance. But Constance sprang to her, a single embodied126 instinct of benevolence, with her snub nose, and tried to raise her.
"Oh, Sophia!" she cried compassionately--that voice seemed not to know the tones of reproof--"I do hope you've not messed it, because mother would be so--"
The words were interrupted by the sound of groans127 beyond the door leading to the bedrooms. The groans, indicating direst physical torment128, grew louder. The two girls stared, wonder-struck and afraid, at the door, Sophia with her dark head raised, and Constance with her arms round Sophia's waist. The door opened, letting in a much-magnified sound of groans, and there entered a youngish, undersized man, who was frantically129 clutching his head in his hands and contorting all the muscles of his face. On perceiving the sculptural group of two prone130, interlocked girls, one enveloped131 in a crinoline, and the other with a wool-work bunch of flowers pinned to her knee, he jumped back, ceased groaning132, arranged his face, and seriously tried to pretend that it was not he who had been vocal133 in anguish28, that, indeed, he was just passing as a casual, ordinary wayfarer134 through the showroom to the shop below. He blushed darkly; and the girls also blushed.
"Oh, I beg pardon, I'm sure!" said this youngish man suddenly; and with a swift turn he disappeared whence he had come.
He was Mr. Povey, a person universally esteemed135, both within and without the shop, the surrogate of bedridden Mr. Baines, the unfailing comfort and stand-by of Mrs. Baines, the fount and radiating centre of order and discipline in the shop; a quiet, diffident, secretive, tedious, and obstinate136 youngish man, absolutely faithful, absolutely efficient in his sphere; without brilliance137, without distinction; perhaps rather little-minded, certainly narrow-minded; but what a force in the shop! The shop was inconceivable without Mr. Povey. He was under twenty and not out of his apprenticeship138 when Mr. Baines had been struck down, and he had at once proved his worth. Of the assistants, he alone slept in the house. His bedroom was next to that of his employer; there was a door between the two chambers140, and the two steps led down from the larger to the less.
The girls regained141 their feet, Sophia with Constance's help. It was not easy to right a capsized crinoline. They both began to laugh nervously142, with a trace of hysteria.
"I thought he'd gone to the dentist's," whispered Constance.
Mr. Povey's toothache had been causing anxiety in the microcosm for two days, and it had been clearly understood at dinner that Thursday morning that Mr. Povey was to set forth143 to Oulsnam Bros., the dentists at Hillport, without any delay. Only on Thursdays and Sundays did Mr. Povey dine with the family. On other days he dined later, by himself, but at the family table, when Mrs. Baines or one of the assistants could "relieve" him in the shop. Before starting out to visit her elder sister at Axe73, Mrs. Baines had insisted to Mr. Povey that he had eaten practically nothing but "slops" for twenty-four hours, and that if he was not careful she would have him on her hands. He had replied in his quietest, most sagacious, matter-of-fact tone--the tone that carried weight with all who heard it--that he had only been waiting for Thursday afternoon, and should of course go instantly to Oulsnams' and have the thing attended to in a proper manner. He had even added that persons who put off going to the dentist's were simply sowing trouble for themselves.
None could possibly have guessed that Mr. Povey was afraid of going to the dentist's. But such was the case. He had not dared to set forth. The paragon144 of commonsense145, pictured by most people as being somehow unliable to human frailties146, could not yet screw himself up to the point of ringing a dentist's door-bell.
"He did look funny," said Sophia. "I wonder what he thought. I couldn't help laughing!"
Constance made no answer; but when Sophia had resumed her own clothes, and it was ascertained147 beyond doubt that the new dress had not suffered, and Constance herself was calmly stitching again, she said, poising148 her needle as she had poised149 it to watch Sophia:
"I was just wondering whether something oughtn't to be done for Mr. Povey."
"What?" Sophia demanded.
"Has he gone back to his bedroom?"
"Let's go and listen," said Sophia the adventuress.
They went, through the showroom door, past the foot of the stairs leading to the second storey, down the long corridor broken in the middle by two steps and carpeted with a narrow bordered carpet whose parallel lines increased its apparent length. They went on tiptoe, sticking close to one another. Mr. Povey's door was slightly ajar. They listened; not a sound.
"Mr. Povey!" Constance coughed discreetly150.
No reply. It was Sophia who pushed the door open. Constance made an elderly prim plucking gesture at Sophia's bare arm, but she followed Sophia gingerly into the forbidden room, which was, however, empty. The bed had been ruffled151, and on it lay a book, "The Harvest of a Quiet Eye."
"Harvest of a quiet tooth!" Sophia whispered, giggling152 very low.
"Hsh!" Constance put her lips forward.
From the next room came a regular, muffled153, oratorical154 sound, as though some one had begun many years ago to address a meeting and had forgotten to leave off and never would leave off. They were familiar with the sound, and they quitted Mr. Povey's chamber139 in fear of disturbing it. At the same moment Mr. Povey reappeared, this time in the drawing-room doorway155 at the other extremity156 of the long corridor. He seemed to be trying ineffectually to flee from his tooth as a murderer tries to flee from his conscience.
"Oh, Mr. Povey!" said Constance quickly--for he had surprised them coming out of his bedroom; "we were just looking for you."
"To see if we could do anything for you," Sophia added.
"Oh no, thanks!" said Mr. Povey.
Then he began to come down the corridor, slowly.
"You haven't been to the dentist's," said Constance sympathetically.
"No, I haven't," said Mr. Povey, as if Constance was indicating a fact which had escaped his attention. "The truth is, I thought it looked like rain, and if I'd got wet--you see--"
"Yes," said Constance, "you certainly ought to keep out of draughts158. Don't you think it would be a good thing if you went and sat in the parlour? There's a fire there."
"I shall be all right, thank you," said Mr. Povey. And after a pause: "Well, thanks, I will."
收听单词发音 |
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perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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linoleum
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| n.油布，油毯 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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incompetence
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| n.不胜任，不称职 | |
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hem
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| n.贴边，镶边；vt.缝贴边；(in)包围，限制 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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miraculously
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| ad.奇迹般地 | |
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epoch
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| n.(新)时代；历元 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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strings
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circumference
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solitude
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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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larder
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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strictly
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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subterranean
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languish
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anguish
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undoing
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toils
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| 网 | |
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drudge
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| n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳 | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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haughtiness
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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virgin
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instinctive
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deride
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unnatural
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reprehensible
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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grudged
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| 怀恨（grudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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44
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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45
chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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46
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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47
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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48
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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49
benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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50
precocious
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| adj.早熟的；较早显出的 | |
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51
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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52
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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53
embroidering
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| v.（在织物上）绣花( embroider的现在分词 )；刺绣；对…加以渲染（或修饰）；给…添枝加叶 | |
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54
petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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55
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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56
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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57
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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58
mimicked
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 )；酷似 | |
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59
texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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60
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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61
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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62
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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63
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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64
adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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65
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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66
blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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67
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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68
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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69
affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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70
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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71
prolific
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| adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的 | |
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72
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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73
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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74
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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75
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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76
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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77
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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78
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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79
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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80
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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81
preposterous
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| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
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82
gratis
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| adj.免费的 | |
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83
stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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84
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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85
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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86
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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87
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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88
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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89
posterity
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| n.后裔，子孙，后代 | |
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90
conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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91
complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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92
hesitations
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| n.犹豫( hesitation的名词复数 )；踌躇；犹豫（之事或行为）；口吃 | |
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93
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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94
transit
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| n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过 | |
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95
revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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96
traction
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| n.牵引；附着摩擦力 | |
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97
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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98
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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99
plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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100
merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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101
mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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102
posturing
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| 做出某种姿势( posture的现在分词 ) | |
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103
irreverence
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| n.不尊敬 | |
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104
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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105
condoning
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| v.容忍，宽恕，原谅( condone的现在分词 ) | |
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106
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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107
crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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108
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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109
minced
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| v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉） | |
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110
abounding
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| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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111
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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112
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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113
labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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114
naive
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| adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的 | |
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115
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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116
hoops
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| n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓 | |
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117
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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118
subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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119
subduing
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| 征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗 | |
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120
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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121
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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122
distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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123
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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124
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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125
humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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126
embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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127
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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128
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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129
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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130
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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131
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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132
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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133
vocal
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| adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目 | |
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134
wayfarer
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| n.旅人 | |
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135
esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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136
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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137
brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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138
apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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139
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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140
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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141
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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142
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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143
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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144
paragon
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| n.模范，典型 | |
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145
commonsense
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| adj.有常识的；明白事理的；注重实际的 | |
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146
frailties
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| n.脆弱( frailty的名词复数 )；虚弱；（性格或行为上的）弱点；缺点 | |
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147
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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148
poising
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| 使平衡( poise的现在分词 )； 保持（某种姿势）； 抓紧； 使稳定 | |
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149
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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150
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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151
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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152
giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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153
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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154
oratorical
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| adj.演说的，雄辩的 | |
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155
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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156
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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157
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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158
draughts
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| n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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