"AN excellent society-excellent, I assure you, Madame--"
"Truly, Mr. Hadger," interrupted Mrs. Swiggs, "your labors1 on behalf of this Tract3 Society will be rewarded in heaven--"
"Dear--a--me," Mr. Hadger returns, ere Mrs. Swiggs can finish her sentence, "don't mention such a thing. I assure you it is a labor2 of love."
"Their tracts4 are so carefully got up. If my poor old negro property could only read--(Mrs. Swiggs pauses.) I was going to say-if it wasn't for the law (again she pauses), we couldn't prejudice our cause by letting our negroes read them--"
"Excuse the interruption," Mr. Hadger says, "but it wouldn't do, notwithstanding (no one can be more liberal than myself on the subject of enlightening our negro property!) the Tract Society exhibits such an unexceptionable regard to the requirements of our cherished institution."
This conversation passes between Mrs. Swiggs and Mr. Hadger, who, as he says with great urbanity of manner, just dropped in to announce joyous6 tidings. He has a letter from Sister Abijah Slocum, which came to hand this morning, enclosing one delicately enveloped7 for Sister Swiggs. "The Lord is our guide," says Mrs. Swiggs, hastily reaching out her hand and receiving the letter. "Heaven will reward her for the interest she takes in the heathen world."
"Truly, if she hath not now, she will have there a monument of gold," Mr. Hadger piously9 pursues, adding a sigh.
"There! there!--my neuralgy; it's all down my left side. I'm not long for this world, you see!" Mrs. Swiggs breaks out suddenly, then twitches12 her head and oscillates her chin. And as if some electric current had changed the train of her thoughts, she testily13 seizes hold of her Milton, and says: "I have got my Tom up again-yes I have, Mr. Hadger."
Mr. Hadger discovers the sudden flight her thoughts have taken: "I am sure," he interposes, "that so long as Sister Slocum remains14 a member of the Tract Society we may continue our patronage15."
Mrs. Swiggs is pleased to remind Mr. Hadger, that although her means have been exceedingly narrowed down, she has not, for the last ten years, failed to give her mite16, which she divides between the house of the "Foreign Missions," and the "Tract Society."
A nice, smooth-faced man, somewhat clerically dressed, straight and portly of person, and most unexceptionable in his morals, is Mr. Hadger. A smile of Christian18 resignation and brotherly love happily ornaments19 his countenance20; and then, there is something venerable about his nicely-combed gray whiskers, his white cravat21, his snowy hair, his mild brown eyes, and his pleasing voice. One is almost constrained22 to receive him as the ideal of virtue23 absolved24 in sackcloth and ashes. As an evidence of our generosity25, we regard him an excellent Christian, whose life hath been purified with an immense traffic in human--(perhaps some good friend will crack our skull26 for saying it).
In truth (though we never could find a solution in the Bible for it), as the traffic in human property increased Mr. Hadger's riches, so also did it in a corresponding ratio increase his piety27. There is, indeed, a singular connection existing between piety and slavery; but to analyze28 it properly requires the mind of a philosopher, so strange is the blending.
Brother Hadger takes a sup of ice-water, and commences reading Sister Slocum's letter, which runs thus: "NEW YORK, May -, 1850. "DEAR BROTHER HADGER:
"Justice and Mercy is the motto of the cause we have lent our hands and hearts to promote. Only yesterday we had a gathering29 of kind spirits at the Mission House in Centre street, where, thank God, all was peace and love. We had, too, an anxious gathering at the 'Tract Society's rooms.' There it was not so much peace and love as could have been desired. Brother Bight seemed earnest, but said many unwise things; and Brother Scratch let out some very unwise indiscretions which you will find in the reports I send. There was some excitement, and something said about what we got from the South not being of God's chosen earnings30. And there was something more let off by our indiscreet Brothers against the getting up of the tracts. But we had a majority, and voted down our indiscreet Brothers, inasmuch as it was shown to be necessary not to offend our good friends in the South. Not to give offence to a Brother is good in the sight of the Lord, and this Brother Primrose31 argued in a most Christian speech of four long hours or more, and which had the effect of convincing every one how necessary it was to free the tracts of everything offensive to your cherished institution. And though we did not, Brother Hadger, break up in the continuance of that love we were wont32 to when you were among us, we sustained the principle that seemeth most acceptable to you-we gained the victory over our disaffected33 Brothers. And I am desired on behalf of the Society, to thank you for the handsome remittance34, hoping you will make it known, through peace and love, to those who kindly35 contributed toward it. The Board of 'Foreign Missions,' as you will see by the report, also passed a vote of thanks for your favor. How grateful to think what one will do to enlighten the heathen world, and how many will receive a tract through the medium of the other.
"We are now in want of a few thousand dollars, to get the Rev36. Singleton Spyke, a most excellent person, off to Antioch. Aid us with a mite, Brother Hadger, for his mission is one of God's own. The enclosed letter is an appeal to Sister Swiggs, whose yearly mites37 have gone far, very far, to aid us in the good but mighty38 work now to be done. Sister Swiggs will have her reward in heaven for these her good gifts. How thankful should she be to Him who provides all things, and thus enableth her to bestow39 liberally.
"And now, Brother, I must say adieu! May you continue to live in the spirit of Christian love. And may you never feel the want of these mites bestowed40 in the cause of the poor heathen. "SISTER ABIJAH SLOCUM."
"May the good be comforted!" ejaculates Mrs. Swiggs, as Mr. Hadger concludes. She has listened with absorbed attention to every word, at times bowing, and adding a word of approval. Mr. Hadger hopes something may be done in this good cause, and having interchanged sundry41 compliments, takes his departure, old Rebecca opening the door.
"Glad he's gone!" the old lady says to herself. "I am so anxious to hear the good tidings Sister Slocum's letter conveys." She wipes and wipes her venerable spectacles, adjusts them piquantly42 over her small, wicked eyes, gives her elaborate cap-border a twitch11 forward, frets43 her finger nervously44 over the letter, and gets herself into a general state of confritteration. "There!" she says, entirely45 forgetting her Milton, which has fallen on the floor, to the great satisfaction of the worthy46 old cat, who makes manifest his regard for it by coiling himself down beside it, "God bless her. It makes my heart leap with joy when I see her writing," she pursues, as old Rebecca stands contemplating47 her, with serious and sullen48 countenance. Having prilled and fussed over the letter, she commences reading in a half whisper: "NO. -, 4TH AVENUE, NEW YORK, May -, 1850. "MUCH BELOVED SISTER:
"I am, as you know, always overwhelmed with business; and having hoped the Lord in his goodness yet spares you to us, and gives you health and bounty49 wherewith to do good, must be pardoned for my brevity. The Lord prospers50 our missions among the heathen, and the Tract Society continues to make its labors known throughout the country. It, as you will see by the tracts I send here--with, still continues that scrupulous51 regard to the character of your domestic institution which has hitherto characterized it. Nothing is permitted to creep into them that in any way relates to your domestics, or that can give pain to the delicate sensibilities of your very excellent and generous people. We would do good to all without giving pain to any one. Oh! Sister, you know what a wicked world this is, and how it becomes us to labor for the good of others. But what is this world compared with the darkness of the heathen world, and those poor wretches53 ('Sure enough!' says Mrs. Swiggs) who eat one another, never have heard of a God, and prefer rather to worship idols54 of wood and stone. When I contemplate55 this dreadful darkness, which I do night and day, day and night, I invoke56 the Spirit to give me renewed strength to go forward in the good work of bringing from darkness ('Just as I feel,' thinks Mrs. Swiggs) unto light those poor benighted57 wretches of the heathen world. How often I have wished you could be here with us, to add life and spirit to our cause-to aid us in beating down Satan, and when we have got him down not to let him up. The heathen world never will be what it should be until Satan is bankrupt, deprived of his arts, and chained to the post of humiliation-never! ('I wish I had him where my Tom is!' Mrs. Swiggs mutters to herself.) Do come on here, Sister. We will give you an excellent reception, and make you so happy while you sojourn58 among us. And now, Sister, having never appealed to you in vain, we again extend our hand, hoping you will favor the several very excellent projects we now have on hand. First, we have a project-a very excellent one, on hand, for evangelizing the world; second, in consideration of what has been done in the reign17 of the Seven Churches-Pergamos Thyatira, Magnesia, Cassaba, Demish, and Baindir, where all is darkness, we have conceived a mission to Antioch; and third, we have been earnestly engaged in, and have spent a few thousand dollars over a project of the 'Tract Society,' which is the getting up of no less than one or two million of their excellent tracts, for the Dahomy field of missionary59 labor-such as the Egba mission, the Yoruba mission, and the Ijebu missions. Oh! Sister, what a field of labor is here open to us. And what a source of joy and thankfulness it should be to us that we have the means to labor in those fields of darkness. We have selected brother Singleton Spyke, a young man of great promise, for this all-important mission to Antioch. He has been for the last four years growing in grace and wisdom. No expense has been spared in everything necessary to his perfection, not even in the selection of a partner suited to his prospects60 and future happiness. We now want a few thousand dollars to make up the sum requisite61 to his mission, and pay the expenses of getting him off. Come to our assistance, dear Sister-do come! Share with us your mite in this great work of enlightening the heathen, and know that your deeds are recorded in heaven. ('Verily!' says the old lady.) And now, hoping the Giver of all good will continue to favor you with His blessing62, and preserve you in that strength of intellect with which you have so often assisted us in beating down Satan, and hoping either to have the pleasure of seeing you, or hearing from you soon, I will say adieu! subscribing63 myself a servant in the cause of the heathen, and your sincere Sister, "MRS. ABIJAH SLOCUM.
"P.S.--Remember, dear Sister, that the amount of money expended64 in idol-worship--in erecting65 monster temples and keeping them in repair, would provide comfortable homes and missions for hundreds of our very excellent young men and women, who are now ready to buckle66 on the armor and enter the fight against Satan. "A.S."
"Dear-a-me," she sighs, laying the letter upon the table, kicking the cat as she resumes her rocking, and with her right hand restoring her Milton to its accustomed place on the table. "Rebecca," she says, "will get a pillow and place it nicely at my back." Rebecca, the old slave, brings the pillow. "There, there! now, not too high, nor too low, Rebecca!" her thin, sharp voice echoes, as she works her shoulders, and permits her long fingers to wander over her cap-border. "When 'um got just so missus like, say-da he is!" mumbles67 the old negress in reply. "Well, well-a little that side, now--" The negress moves the pillow a little to the left. "That's too much, Rebecca-a slight touch the other way. You are so stupid, I will have to sell you, and get Jewel to take care of me. I would have done it before but for the noise of her crutch68-I would, Rebecca! You never think of me-you only think of how much hominy you can eat." The old negress makes a motion to move the pillow a little to the right, when Mrs. Swiggs settles her head and shoulders into it, saying, "there!"
"Glad 'um suit-fo'h true!" retorts the negress, her heavy lips and sullen face giving out the very incarnation of hatred69.
"Now don't make a noise when you go out." Rebecca in reply says she is "gwine down to da kitchen to see Isaac," and toddles70 out of the room, gently closing the door after her.
Resignedly Mrs. Swiggs closes her eyes, moderates her rocking, and commences evolving and revolving71 the subject over in her mind. "I haven't much of this world's goods-no, I haven't; but I'm of a good family, and its name for hospitality must be kept up. Don't see that I can keep it up better than by helping72 Sister Slocum and the Tract Society out," she muses73. But the exact way to effect this has not yet come clear to her mind. Times are rather hard, and, as we have said before, she is in straightened circumstances, having, for something more than ten years, had nothing but the earnings of eleven old negroes, five of whom are cripples, to keep up the dignity of the house of the Swiggs. "There's old Zeff," she says, "has took to drinking, and Flame, his wife, ain't a bit better; and neither one of them have been worth anything since I sold their two children-which I had to do, or let the dignity of the family suffer. I don't like to do it, but I must. I must send Zeff to the workhouse-have him nicely whipped, I only charge him eighteen dollars a month for himself, and yet he will drink, and won't pay over his wages. Yes!--he shall have it. The extent of the law, well laid on, will learn him a lesson. There's old Cato pays me twenty dollars a month, and Cato's seventy-four-four years older than Zeff. In truth, my negro property is all getting careless about paying wages. Old Trot74 runs away whenever he can get a chance; Brutus has forever got something the matter with him; and Cicero has come to be a real skulk75. He don't care for the cowhide; the more I get him flogged the worse he gets. Curious creature! And his old woman, since she broke her leg, and goes with a crutch, thinks she can do just as she pleases. There is plenty of work in her-plenty; she has no disposition76 to let it come out, though! And she has kept up a grumbling77 ever since I sold her girls. Well, I didn't want to keep them all the time at the whipping-post; so I sold them to save their characters." Thus Mrs. Swiggs muses until she drops into a profound sleep, in which she remains, dreaming that she has sold old Mumma Molly, Cicero's wife, and with the proceeds finds herself in New York, hob-nobbing it with Sister Slocum, and making one extensive donation to the Tract Society, and another to the fund for getting Brother Singleton Spyke off to Antioch. Her arrival in Gotham, she dreams, is a great event. The Tract Society (she is its guest) is smothering78 her with its attentions. Indeed, a whole column and a half of the very conservative and highly respectable old Observer is taken up with an elaborate and well-written history of her many virtues79.
The venerable old lady dreams herself into dusky evening, and wakes to find old Rebecca summoning her to tea. She is exceedingly sorry the old slave disturbed her. However, having great faith in dreams, and the one she has just enjoyed bringing the way to aid Sister Slocum in carrying out her projects of love so clear to her mind, she is resolved to lose no time in carrying out its principles. Selling old Molly won't be much; old Molly is not worth much to her; and the price of old Molly (she'll bring something!) will do so much to enlighten the heathen, and aid the Tract Society in giving out its excellent works. "And I have for years longed to see Sister Slocum, face to face, before I die," she says. And with an affixed80 determination to carry out this pious8 resolve, Mrs. Swiggs sips81 her tea, and retires to her dingy82 little chamber83 for the night.
A bright and cheerful sun ushers84 in the following morning. The soft rays steal in at the snuffy door, at the dilapidated windows, through the faded curtains, and into the "best parlor," where, at an early hour, sits the antique old lady, rummaging85 over some musty old papers piled on the centre-table. The pale light plays over and gives to her features a spectre-like hue86; while the grotesque87 pieces of furniture by which she is surrounded lend their aid in making complete the picture of a wizard's abode88. The paper she wants is nowhere to be found. "I must exercise a little judgment89 in this affair," she mutters, folding a bit of paper, and seizing her pen. Having written--"TO THE MASTER OF THE WORKHOUSE:
"I am sorry I have to trouble you so often with old Cicero. He will not pay wages all I can do. Give him at least thirty-well laid on. I go to New York in a few days, and what is due you from me for punishments will be paid any time you send your bill. "SARAH PRINGLE HUGHES SWIGGS."
"Well! he deserves what he gets," she shakes her head and ejaculates. Having summoned Rebecca, Master Cicero, a hard-featured old negro, is ordered up, and comes tottering90 into the room, half-bent91 with age, his hair silvered, and his face covered with a mossy-white beard-the picture of a patriarch carved in ebony. "Good mornin', Missus," he speaks in a feeble and husky voice, standing5 hesitatingly before his august owner. "You are--well, I might as well say it--you're a miserable92 old wretch52!" Cicero makes a nervous motion with his left hand, as the fingers of his right wander over the bald crown of his head, and his eyes give out a forlorn look. She has no pity for the poor old man-none. "You are, Cicero-you needn't pretend you ain't," she pursues; and springing to her feet with an incredible nimbleness, she advances to the window, tucks up the old curtain, and says, "There; let the light reflect on your face. Badness looks out of it. Cicero! you never was a good nigger--"
"Per'aps not, Missus; but den10 I'se old.
"Old! you ain't so old but you can pay wages," the testy93 old woman interrupts, tossing her head. "You're a capital hand at cunning excuses. This will get you done for, at the workhouse." She hands him a delicately enveloped and carefully superscribed billet, and commands him to proceed forthwith to the workhouse. A tear courses slowly down his time-wrinkled face, he hesitates, would speak one word in his own defence. But the word of his owner is absolute, and in obedience94 to the wave of her hand he totters95 to the door, and disappears. His tears are only those of a slave. How useless fall the tears of him who has no voice, no power to assert his manhood! And yet, in that shrunken bosom-in that figure, bent and shattered of age, there burns a passion for liberty and hatred of the oppressor more terrible than the hand that has made him the wretch he is. That tear! how forcibly it tells the tale of his sorrowing soul; how eloquently96 it foretells97 the downfall of that injustice98 holding him in its fierce chains!
Cicero has been nicely got out of the way. Molly, his wife, is summoned into the presence of her mistress, to receive her awful doom99. "To be frank with you, Molly, and I am always outspoken100, you know, I am going to sell you. We have been long enough together, and necessity at this moment forces me to this conclusion," says our venerable lady, addressing herself to the old slave, who stands before her, leaning on her crutch, for she is one of the cripples. "You will get a pious owner, I trust; and God will be merciful to you."
The old slave of seventy years replies only with an expression of hate in her countenance, and a drooping101 of her heavy lip. "Now," Mrs. Swiggs pursues, "take this letter, go straight to Mr. Forcheu with it, and he will sell you. He is very kind in selling old people-very!" Molly inquires if Cicero may go. Mrs. Swiggs replies that nobody will buy two old people together.
The slave of seventy years, knowing her entreaties102 will be in vain, approaches her mistress with the fervency103 of a child, and grasping warmly her hand, stammers104 out: "Da-da-dah Lord bless um, Missus. Tan't many days fo'h we meet in t'oder world-good-bye."
"God bless you-good-bye, Molly. Remember what I have told you so many times-long suffering and forbearance make the true Christian. Be a Christian-seek to serve your Master faithfully; such the Scripture105 teacheth. Now tie your handkerchief nicely on your head, and get your clean apron106 on, and mind to look good-natured when Mr. Forcheu sells you." This admonition, methodically addressed to the old slave, and Mrs. Swiggs waves her hand, resumes her Milton, and settles herself back into her chair. Reader! if you have a heart in the right place it will be needless for us to dwell upon the feelings of that old slave, as she drags her infirm body to the shambles107 of the extremely kind vender108 of people.
1 labors | |
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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2 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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3 tract | |
n.传单,小册子,大片(土地或森林) | |
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4 tracts | |
大片土地( tract的名词复数 ); 地带; (体内的)道; (尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的)短文 | |
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5 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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6 joyous | |
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
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7 enveloped | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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9 piously | |
adv.虔诚地 | |
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10 den | |
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室 | |
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11 twitch | |
v.急拉,抽动,痉挛,抽搐;n.扯,阵痛,痉挛 | |
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12 twitches | |
n.(使)抽动, (使)颤动, (使)抽搐( twitch的名词复数 ) | |
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13 testily | |
adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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14 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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15 patronage | |
n.赞助,支援,援助;光顾,捧场 | |
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16 mite | |
n.极小的东西;小铜币 | |
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17 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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18 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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19 ornaments | |
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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20 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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21 cravat | |
n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结 | |
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22 constrained | |
adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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23 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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24 absolved | |
宣告…无罪,赦免…的罪行,宽恕…的罪行( absolve的过去式和过去分词 ); 不受责难,免除责任 [义务] ,开脱(罪责) | |
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25 generosity | |
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为 | |
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26 skull | |
n.头骨;颅骨 | |
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27 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
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28 analyze | |
vt.分析,解析 (=analyse) | |
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29 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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30 earnings | |
n.工资收人;利润,利益,所得 | |
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31 primrose | |
n.樱草,最佳部分, | |
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32 wont | |
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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33 disaffected | |
adj.(政治上)不满的,叛离的 | |
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34 remittance | |
n.汇款,寄款,汇兑 | |
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35 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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36 rev | |
v.发动机旋转,加快速度 | |
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37 mites | |
n.(尤指令人怜悯的)小孩( mite的名词复数 );一点点;一文钱;螨 | |
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38 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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39 bestow | |
v.把…赠与,把…授予;花费 | |
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40 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41 sundry | |
adj.各式各样的,种种的 | |
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42 piquantly | |
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43 frets | |
基质间片; 品丝(吉他等指板上定音的)( fret的名词复数 ) | |
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44 nervously | |
adv.神情激动地,不安地 | |
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45 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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46 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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47 contemplating | |
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 | |
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48 sullen | |
adj.愠怒的,闷闷不乐的,(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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49 bounty | |
n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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50 prospers | |
v.成功,兴旺( prosper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51 scrupulous | |
adj.审慎的,小心翼翼的,完全的,纯粹的 | |
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52 wretch | |
n.可怜的人,不幸的人;卑鄙的人 | |
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53 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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54 idols | |
偶像( idol的名词复数 ); 受崇拜的人或物; 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物; 神像 | |
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55 contemplate | |
vt.盘算,计议;周密考虑;注视,凝视 | |
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56 invoke | |
v.求助于(神、法律);恳求,乞求 | |
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57 benighted | |
adj.蒙昧的 | |
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58 sojourn | |
v./n.旅居,寄居;逗留 | |
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59 missionary | |
adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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60 prospects | |
n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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61 requisite | |
adj.需要的,必不可少的;n.必需品 | |
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62 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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63 subscribing | |
v.捐助( subscribe的现在分词 );签署,题词;订阅;同意 | |
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64 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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65 erecting | |
v.使直立,竖起( erect的现在分词 );建立 | |
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66 buckle | |
n.扣子,带扣;v.把...扣住,由于压力而弯曲 | |
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67 mumbles | |
含糊的话或声音,咕哝( mumble的名词复数 ) | |
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68 crutch | |
n.T字形拐杖;支持,依靠,精神支柱 | |
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69 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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70 toddles | |
v.(幼儿等)东倒西歪地走( toddle的第三人称单数 );蹒跚行走;溜达;散步 | |
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71 revolving | |
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想 | |
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72 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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73 muses | |
v.沉思,冥想( muse的第三人称单数 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
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74 trot | |
n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 | |
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75 skulk | |
v.藏匿;潜行 | |
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76 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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77 grumbling | |
adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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78 smothering | |
(使)窒息, (使)透不过气( smother的现在分词 ); 覆盖; 忍住; 抑制 | |
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79 virtues | |
美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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80 affixed | |
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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81 sips | |
n.小口喝,一小口的量( sip的名词复数 )v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的第三人称单数 ) | |
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82 dingy | |
adj.昏暗的,肮脏的 | |
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83 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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84 ushers | |
n.引座员( usher的名词复数 );招待员;门房;助理教员v.引,领,陪同( usher的第三人称单数 ) | |
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85 rummaging | |
翻找,搜寻( rummage的现在分词 ); 海关检查 | |
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86 hue | |
n.色度;色调;样子 | |
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87 grotesque | |
adj.怪诞的,丑陋的;n.怪诞的图案,怪人(物) | |
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88 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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89 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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90 tottering | |
adj.蹒跚的,动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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91 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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92 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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93 testy | |
adj.易怒的;暴躁的 | |
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94 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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95 totters | |
v.走得或动得不稳( totter的第三人称单数 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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96 eloquently | |
adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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97 foretells | |
v.预言,预示( foretell的第三人称单数 ) | |
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98 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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99 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
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100 outspoken | |
adj.直言无讳的,坦率的,坦白无隐的 | |
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101 drooping | |
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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102 entreaties | |
n.恳求,乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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103 fervency | |
n.热情的;强烈的;热烈 | |
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104 stammers | |
n.口吃,结巴( stammer的名词复数 )v.结巴地说出( stammer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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105 scripture | |
n.经文,圣书,手稿;Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》,《圣经》中的一段 | |
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106 apron | |
n.围裙;工作裙 | |
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107 shambles | |
n.混乱之处;废墟 | |
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108 vender | |
n.小贩 | |
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