‘Great Heavens!’ he said: ‘here have I been sleeping away while Nyleptha was nearly murdered—and all through me, too. What a fiend that Sorais must be! It would have served her well if Umslopogaas had cut her down in the act.’
‘Ay,’ said the Zulu. ‘Fear not; I should have slain1 her ere she struck. I was but waiting the moment.’
I said nothing, but I could not help thinking that many a thousand doomed2 lives would have been saved if he had meted4 out to Sorais the fate she meant for her sister. And, as the issue proved, I was right.
After he had told his tale Umslopogaas went off unconcernedly to get his morning meal, and Sir Henry and I fell to talking.
At first he was very bitter against Good, who, he said, was no longer to be trusted, having designedly allowed Sorais to escape by some secret stair when it was his duty to have handed her over to justice. Indeed, he spoke6 in the most unmeasured terms on the matter. I let him run on awhile, reflecting to myself how easy we find it to be hard on the weaknesses of others, and how tender we are to our own.
‘Really, my dear fellow,’ I said at length, ‘one would never think, to hear you talk, that you were the man who had an interview with this same lady yesterday, and found it rather difficult to resist her fascinations7, notwithstanding your ties to one of the loveliest and most loving women in the world. Now suppose it was Nyleptha who had tried to murder Sorais, and you had caught her, and she had pleaded with you, would you have been so very eager to hand her over to an open shame, and to death by fire? Just look at the matter through Good’s eyeglass for a minute before you denounce an old friend as a scoundrel.’
He listened to this jobation submissively, and then frankly9 acknowledged that he had spoken hardly. It is one of the best points in Sir Henry’s character that he is always ready to admit it when he is in the wrong.
But, though I spoke up thus for Good, I was not blind to the fact that, however natural his behaviour might be, it was obvious that he was being involved in a very awkward and disgraceful complication. A foul10 and wicked murder had been attempted, and he had let the murderess escape, and thereby12, among other things, allowed her to gain a complete ascendency over himself. In fact, he was in a fair way to become her tool—and no more dreadful fate can befall a man than to become the tool of an unscrupulous woman, or indeed of any woman. There is but one end to it: when he is broken, or has served her purpose, he is thrown away—turned out on the world to hunt for his lost self-respect. Whilst I was pondering thus, and wondering what was to be done—for the whole subject was a thorny13 one—I suddenly heard a great clamour in the courtyard outside, and distinguished14 the voice of Umslopogaas and Alphonse, the former cursing furiously, and the latter yelling in terror.
Hurrying out to see what was the matter, I was met by a ludicrous sight. The little Frenchman was running up the courtyard at an extraordinary speed, and after him sped Umslopogaas like a great greyhound. Just as I came out he caught him, and, lifting him right off his legs, carried him some paces to a beautiful but very dense15 flowering shrub16 which bore a flower not unlike the gardenia17, but was covered with short thorns. Next, despite his howls and struggles, he with one mighty18 thrust plunged19 poor Alphonse head first into the bush, so that nothing but the calves20 of his legs and heels remained in evidence. Then, satisfied with what he had done, the Zulu folded his arms and stood grimly contemplating21 the Frenchman’s kicks, and listening to his yells, which were awful.
‘What art thou doing?’ I said, running up. ‘Wouldst thou kill the man? Pull him out of the bush!’
With a savage22 grunt23 he obeyed, seizing the wretched Alphonse by the ankle, and with a jerk that must have nearly dislocated it, tearing him out of the heart of the shrub. Never did I see such a sight as he presented, his clothes half torn off his back, and bleeding as he was in every direction from the sharp thorns. There he lay and yelled and rolled, and there was no getting anything out of him.
At last, however, he got up and, ensconcing himself behind me, cursed old Umslopogaas by every saint in the calendar, vowing24 by the blood of his heroic grandfather that he would poison him, and ‘have his revenge’.
At last I got to the truth of the matter. It appeared that Alphonse habitually25 cooked Umslopogaas’s porridge, which the latter ate for breakfast in the corner of the courtyard, just as he would have done at home in Zululand, from a gourd26, and with a wooden spoon. Now Umslopogaas had, like many Zulus, a great horror of fish, which he considered a species of water-snake; so Alphonse, who was as fond of playing tricks as a monkey, and who was also a consummate27 cook, determined28 to make him eat some. Accordingly he grated up a quantity of white fish very finely, and mixed it with the Zulu’s porridge, who swallowed it nearly all down in ignorance of what he was eating. But, unfortunately for Alphonse, he could not restrain his joy at this sight, and came capering29 and peering round, till at last Umslopogaas, who was very clever in his way, suspected something, and, after a careful examination of the remains30 of his porridge, discovered ‘the buffalo31 heifer’s trick’, and, in revenge, served him as I have said. Indeed, the little man was fortunate not to get a broken neck for his pains; for, as one would have thought, he might have learnt from the episode of his display of axemanship that ‘le Monsieur noir’ was an ill person to play practical jokes upon.
This incident was unimportant enough in itself, but I narrate33 it because it led to serious consequences. As soon as he had stanched34 the bleeding from his scratches and washed himself, Alphonse went off still cursing, to recover his temper, a process which I knew from experience would take a very long time. When he had gone I gave Umslopogaas a jobation and told him that I was ashamed of his behaviour.
‘Ah, well, Macumazahn,’ he said, ‘you must be gentle with me, for here is not my place. I am weary of it, weary to death of eating and drinking, of sleeping and giving in marriage. I love not this soft life in stone houses that takes the heart out of a man, and turns his strength to water and his flesh to fat. I love not the white robes and the delicate women, the blowing of trumpets35 and the flying of hawks36. When we fought the Masai at the kraal yonder, ah, then life was worth the living, but here is never a blow struck in anger, and I begin to think I shall go the way of my fathers and lift Inkosi-kaas no more,’ and he held up the axe32 and gazed at it in sorrow.
‘Ah,’ I said, ‘that is thy complaint, is it? Thou hast the blood-sickness, hast thou? And the Woodpecker wants a tree. And at thy age, too. Shame on thee! Umslopogaas.’
‘Ay, Macumazahn, mine is a red trade, yet is it better and more honest than some. Better is it to slay37 a man in fair fight than to suck out his heart’s blood in buying and selling and usury38 after your white fashion. Many a man have I slain, yet is there never a one that I should fear to look in the face again, ay, many are there who once were friends, and whom I should be right glad to snuff with. But there! there! thou hast thy ways, and I mine: each to his own people and his own place. The high-veldt ox will die in the fat bush country, and so is it with me, Macumazahn. I am rough, I know it, and when my blood is warm I know not what to do, but yet wilt39 thou be sorry when the night swallows me and I am utterly40 lost in blackness, for in thy heart thou lovest me, my father, Macumazahn the fox, though I be nought41 but a broken-down Zulu war-dog—a chief for whom there is no room in his own kraal, an outcast and a wanderer in strange places: ay, I love thee, Macumazahn, for we have grown grey together, and there is that between us that cannot be seen, and yet is too strong for breaking;’ and he took his snuff-box, which was made of an old brass42 cartridge43, from the slit44 in his ear where he always carried it, and handed it to me for me to help myself.
I took the pinch of snuff with some emotion. It was quite true, I was much attached to the bloodthirsty old ruffian. I do not know what was the charm of his character, but it had a charm; perhaps it was its fierce honesty and directness; perhaps one admired his almost superhuman skill and strength, or it may have been simply that he was so absolutely unique. Frankly, with all my experience of savages45, I never knew a man quite like him, he was so wise and yet such a child with it all; and though it seems laughable to say so, like the hero of the Yankee parody46, he ‘had a tender heart’. Anyway, I was very fond of him, though I should never have thought of telling him so.
‘Ay, old wolf,’ I said, ‘thine is a strange love. Thou wouldst split me to the chin if I stood in thy path tomorrow.’
‘Thou speakest truth, Macumazahn, that would I if it came in the way of duty, but I should love thee all the same when the blow had gone fairly home. Is there any chance of some fighting here, Macumazahn?’ he went on in an insinuating47 voice. ‘Methought that what I saw last night did show that the two great Queens were vexed48 one with another. Else had the “Lady of the Night” not brought that dagger49 with her.’
I agreed with him that it showed that more or less pique50 and irritation51 existed between the ladies, and told him how things stood, and that they were quarrelling over Incubu.
‘Ah, is it so?’ he exclaimed, springing up in delight; ‘then will there be war as surely as the rivers rise in the rains—war to the end. Women love the last blow as well as the last word, and when they fight for love they are pitiless as a wounded buffalo. See thou, Macumazahn, a woman will swim through blood to her desire, and think nought of it. With these eyes have I seen it once, and twice also. Ah, Macumazahn, we shall see this fine place of houses burning yet, and hear the battle cries come ringing up the street. After all, I have not wandered for nothing. Can this folk fight, think ye?’
Just then Sir Henry joined us, and Good arrived, too, from another direction, looking very pale and hollow-eyed. The moment Umslopogaas saw the latter he stopped his bloodthirsty talk and greeted him.
‘Ah, Bougwan,’ he cried, ‘greeting to thee, Inkoos! Thou art surely weary. Didst thou hunt too much yesterday?’ Then, without waiting for an answer, he went on—
‘Listen, Bougwan, and I will tell thee a story; it is about a woman, therefore wilt thou hear it, is it not so?
‘There was a man and he had a brother, and there was a woman who loved the man’s brother and was beloved of the man. But the man’s brother had a favourite wife and loved not the woman, and he made a mock of her. Then the woman, being very cunning and fierce-hearted for revenge, took counsel with herself and said to the man, “I love thee, and if thou wilt make war upon thy brother I will marry thee.” And he knew it was a lie, yet because of his great love of the woman, who was very fair, did he listen to her words and made war. And when many people had been killed his brother sent to him, saying, “Why slayest thou me? What hurt have I done unto thee? From my youth up have I not loved thee? When thou wast little did I not nurture52 thee, and have we not gone down to war together and divided the cattle, girl by girl, ox by ox, and cow by cow? Why slayest thou me, my brother, son of my own mother?”
‘Then the man’s heart was heavy, and he knew that his path was evil, and he put aside the tempting53 of the woman and ceased to make war on his brother, and lived at peace in the same kraal with him. And after a time the woman came to him and said, “I have lost the past, I will be thy wife.” And in his heart he knew that it was a lie and that she thought the evil thing, yet because of his love did he take her to wife.
‘And the very night that they were wed5, when the man was plunged into a deep sleep, did the woman arise and take his axe from his hand and creep into the hut of his brother and slay him in his rest. Then did she slink back like a gorged54 lioness and place the thong55 of the red axe back upon his wrist and go her ways.
‘And at the dawning the people came shouting, “Lousta is slain in the night,” and they came unto the hut of the man, and there he lay asleep and by him was the red axe. Then did they remember the war and say, “Lo! he hath of a surety slain his brother,” and they would have taken and killed him, but he rose and fled swiftly, and as he fleeted by he slew56 the woman.
‘But death could not wipe out the evil she had done, and on him rested the weight of all her sin. Therefore is he an outcast and his name a scorn among his own people; for on him, and him only, resteth the burden of her who betrayed. And, therefore, does he wander afar, without a kraal and without an ox or a wife, and therefore will he die afar like a stricken buck57 and his name be accursed from generation to generation, in that the people say that he slew his brother, Lousta, by treachery in the night-time.’
The old Zulu paused, and I saw that he was deeply agitated58 by his own story. Presently he lifted his head, which he had bowed to his breast, and went on:
‘I was the man, Bougwan. Ou! I was that man, and now hark thou! Even as I am so wilt thou be—a tool, a plaything, an ox of burden to carry the evil deeds of another. Listen! When thou didst creep after the “Lady of the Night” I was hard upon thy track. When she struck thee with the knife in the sleeping place of the White Queen I was there also; when thou didst let her slip away like a snake in the stones I saw thee, and I knew that she had bewitched thee and that a true man had abandoned the truth, and he who aforetime loved a straight path had taken a crooked59 way. Forgive me, my father, if my words are sharp, but out of a full heart are they spoken. See her no more, so shalt thou go down with honour to the grave. Else because of the beauty of a woman that weareth as a garment of fur shalt thou be even as I am, and perchance with more cause. I have said.’
Throughout this long and eloquent60 address Good had been perfectly61 silent, but when the tale began to shape itself so aptly to his own case, he coloured up, and when he learnt that what had passed between him and Sorais had been overseen62 he was evidently much distressed63. And now, when at last he spoke, it was in a tone of humility64 quite foreign to him.
‘I must say,’ he said, with a bitter little laugh, ‘that I scarcely thought that I should live to be taught my duty by a Zulu; but it just shows what we can come to. I wonder if you fellows can understand how humiliated65 I feel, and the bitterest part of it is that I deserve it all. Of course I should have handed Sorais over to the guard, but I could not, and that is a fact. I let her go and I promised to say nothing, more is the shame to me. She told me that if I would side with her she would marry me and make me king of this country, but thank goodness I did find the heart to say that even to marry her I could not desert my friends. And now you can do what you like, I deserve it all. All I have to say is that I hope that you may never love a woman with all your heart and then be so sorely tempted11 of her,’ and he turned to go.
‘Look here, old fellow,’ said Sir Henry, ‘just stop a minute. I have a little tale to tell you too.’ And he went on to narrate what had taken place on the previous day between Sorais and himself.
This was a finishing stroke to poor Good. It is not pleasant to any man to learn that he has been made a tool of, but when the circumstances are as peculiarly atrocious as in the present case, it is about as bitter a pill as anybody can be called on to swallow.
‘Do you know,’ he said, ‘I think that between you, you fellows have about worked a cure,’ and he turned and walked away, and I for one felt very sorry for him. Ah, if the moths66 would always carefully avoid the candle, how few burnt wings there would be!
That day was a Court day, when the Queens sat in the great hall and received petitions, discussed laws, money grants, and so forth67, and thither68 we adjourned69 shortly afterwards. On our way we were joined by Good, who was looking exceedingly depressed70.
When we got into the hall Nyleptha was already on her throne and proceeding71 with business as usual, surrounded by councillors, courtiers, lawyers, priests, and an unusually strong guard. It was, however, easy to see from the air of excitement and expectation on the faces of everybody present that nobody was paying much attention to ordinary affairs, the fact being that the knowledge that civil war was imminent72 had now got abroad. We saluted73 Nyleptha and took our accustomed places, and for a little while things went on as usual, when suddenly the trumpets began to call outside the palace, and from the great crowd that was gathered there in anticipation74 of some unusual event there rose a roar of ‘Sorais! Sorais!’
Then came the roll of many chariot wheels, and presently the great curtains at the end of the hall were drawn75 wide and through them entered the ‘Lady of the Night’ herself. Nor did she come alone. Preceding her was Agon, the High Priest, arrayed in his most gorgeous vestments, and on either side were other priests. The reason for their presence was obvious—coming with them it would have been sacrilege to attempt to detain her. Behind her were a number of the great lords, and behind them a small body of picked guards. A glance at Sorais herself was enough to show that her mission was of no peaceful kind, for in place of her gold embroidered76 ‘kaf’ she wore a shining tunic77 formed of golden scales, and on her head a little golden helmet. In her hand, too, she bore a toy spear, beautifully made and fashioned of solid silver. Up the hall she came, looking like a lioness in her conscious pride and beauty, and as she came the spectators fell back bowing and made a path for her. By the sacred stone she halted, and laying her hand on it, she cried out with a loud voice to Nyleptha on the throne, ‘Hail, oh Queen!’
‘All hail, my royal sister!’ answered Nyleptha. ‘Draw thou near. Fear not, I give thee safe conduct.’
Sorais answered with a haughty78 look, and swept on up the hall till she stood right before the thrones.
‘Speak on, my sister; what is there that I can give thee who hath half our kingdom?’
‘Thou canst tell me a true word—me and the people of Zu-Vendis. Art thou, or art thou not, about to take this foreign wolf,’ and she pointed80 to Sir Henry with her toy spear, ‘to be a husband to thee, and share thy bed and throne?’
Curtis winced81 at this, and turning towards Sorais, said to her in a low voice, ‘Methinks that yesterday thou hadst other names than wolf to call me by, oh Queen!’ and I saw her bite her lips as, like a danger flag, the blood flamed red upon her face. As for Nyleptha, who is nothing if not original, she, seeing that the thing was out, and that there was nothing further to be gained by concealment82, answered the question in a novel and effectual manner, inspired thereto, as I firmly believe, by coquetry and a desire to triumph over her rival.
Up she rose and, descending83 from the throne, swept in all the glory of her royal grace on to where her lover stood. There she stopped and untwined the golden snake that was wound around her arm. Then she bade him kneel, and he dropped on one knee on the marble before her, and next, taking the golden snake with both her hands, she bent84 the pure soft metal round his neck, and when it was fast, deliberately85 kissed him on the brow and called him her ‘dear lord’.
‘Thou seest,’ she said, when the excited murmur86 of the spectators had died away, addressing her sister as Sir Henry rose to his feet, ‘I have put my collar round the “wolf’s” neck, and behold87! he shall be my watchdog, and that is my answer to thee, Queen Sorais, my sister, and to those with thee. Fear not,’ she went on, smiling sweetly on her lover, and pointing to the golden snake she had twined round his massive throat, ‘if my yoke88 be heavy, yet is it of pure gold, and it shall not gall89 thee.’
Then, turning to the audience, she continued in a clear proud tone, ‘Ay, Lady of the Night, Lords, Priests, and People here gathered together, by this sign do I take the foreigner to husband, even here in the face of you all. What, am I a Queen, and yet not free to choose the man whom I will love? Then should I be lower than the meanest girl in all my provinces. Nay90, he hath won my heart, and with it goes my hand, and throne, and all I have—ay, had he been a beggar instead of a great lord fairer and stronger than any here, and having more wisdom and knowledge of strange things, I had given him all, how much more so being what he is!’ And she took his hand and gazed proudly on him, and holding it, stood there boldly facing the people. And such was her sweetness and the power and dignity of her person, and so beautiful she looked standing8 hand in hand there at her lover’s side, so sure of him and of herself, and so ready to risk all things and endure all things for him, that most of those who saw the sight, which I am sure no one of them will ever forget, caught the fire from her eyes and the happy colour from her blushing face, and cheered her like wild things. It was a bold stroke for her to make, and it appealed to the imagination; but human nature in Zu-Vendis, as elsewhere, loves that which is bold and not afraid to break a rule, and is moreover peculiarly susceptible92 to appeals to its poetical93 side.
And so the people cheered till the roof rang; but Sorais of the Night stood there with downcast eyes, for she could not bear to see her sister’s triumph, which robbed her of the man whom she had hoped to win, and in the awfulness of her jealous anger she trembled and turned white like an aspen in the wind. I think I have said somewhere of her that she reminded me of the sea on a calm day, having the same aspect of sleeping power about her. Well, it was all awake now, and like the face of the furious ocean it awed94 and yet fascinated me. A really handsome woman in a royal rage is always a beautiful sight, but such beauty and such a rage I never saw combined before, and I can only say that the effect produced was well worthy95 of the two.
She lifted her white face, the teeth set, and there were purple rings beneath her glowing eyes. Thrice she tried to speak and thrice she failed, but at last her voice came. Raising her silver spear, she shook it, and the light gleamed from it and from the golden scales of her cuirass.
‘And thinkest thou, Nyleptha,’ she said in notes which pealed91 through the great hall like a clarion96, ‘thinkest thou that I, Sorais, a Queen of the Zu-Vendi, will brook97 that this base outlander shall sit upon my father’s throne and rear up half-breeds to fill the place of the great House of the Stairway? Never! never! while there is life in my bosom98 and a man to follow me and a spear to strike with. Who is on my side? Who?
‘Now hand thou over this foreign wolf and those who came hither to prey99 with him to the doom3 of fire, for have they not committed the deadly sin against the sun? or, Nyleptha, I give thee War—red War! Ay, I say to thee that the path of thy passion shall be marked out by the blazing of thy towns and watered with the blood of those who cleave100 to thee. On thy head rest the burden of the deed, and in thy ears ring the groans101 of the dying and the cries of the widows and those who are left fatherless for ever and for ever.
‘I tell thee I will tear thee, Nyleptha, the White Queen, from thy throne, and that thou shalt be hurled102—ay, hurled even from the topmost stair of the great way to the foot thereof, in that thou hast covered the name of the House of him who built it with black shame. And I tell ye strangers—all save Bougwan, whom because thou didst do me a service I will save alive if thou wilt leave these men and follow me’ (here poor Good shook his head vigorously and ejaculated ‘Can’t be done’ in English)—‘that I will wrap you in sheets of gold and hang you yet alive in chains from the four golden trumpets of the four angels that fly east and west and north and south from the giddiest pinnacles103 of the Temple, so that ye may be a token and a warning to the land. And as for thee, Incubu, thou shalt die in yet another fashion that I will not tell thee now.’
She ceased, panting for breath, for her passion shook her like a storm, and a murmur, partly of horror and partly of admiration104, ran through the hall. Then Nyleptha answered calmly and with dignity:
‘Ill would it become my place and dignity, oh sister, so to speak as thou hast spoken and so to threat as thou hast threatened. Yet if thou wilt make war, then will I strive to bear up against thee, for if my hand seem soft, yet shalt thou find it of iron when it grips thine armies by the throat. Sorais, I fear thee not. I weep for that which thou wilt bring upon our people and on thyself, but for myself I say—I fear thee not. Yet thou, who but yesterday didst strive to win my lover and my lord from me, whom today thou dost call a “foreign wolf”, to be thy lover and thy lord’ (here there was an immense sensation in the hall), ‘thou who but last night, as I have learnt but since thou didst enter here, didst creep like a snake into my sleeping-place—ay, even by a secret way, and wouldst have foully105 murdered me, thy sister, as I lay asleep—’
‘It is false, it is false!’ rang out Agon’s and a score of other voices.
‘It is not false,’ said I, producing the broken point of the dagger and holding it up. ‘Where is the haft from which this flew, oh Sorais?’
‘It is not false,’ cried Good, determined at last to act like a loyal man. ‘I took the Lady of the Night by the White Queen’s bed, and on my breast the dagger broke.’
‘Who is on my side?’ cried Sorais, shaking her silver spear, for she saw that public sympathy was turning against her. ‘What, Bougwan, thou comest not?’ she said, addressing Good, who was standing close to her, in a low, concentrated voice. ‘Thou pale-souled fool, for a reward thou shalt eat out thy heart with love of me and not be satisfied, and thou mightest have been my husband and a king! At least I hold thee in chains that cannot be broken.
‘War! War! War!’ she cried. ‘Here, with my hand upon the sacred stone that shall endure, so runs the prophecy, till the Zu-Vendi set their necks beneath an alien yoke, I declare war to the end. Who follows Sorais of the Night to victory and honour?’
Instantly the whole concourse began to break up in indescribable confusion. Many present hastened to throw in their lot with the ‘Lady of the Night’, but some came from her following to us. Amongst the former was an under officer of Nyleptha’s own guard, who suddenly turned and made a run for the doorway106 through which Sorais’ people were already passing. Umslopogaas, who was present and had taken the whole scene in, seeing with admirable presence of mind that if this soldier got away others would follow his example, seized the man, who drew his sword and struck at him. Thereon the Zulu sprang back with a wild shout, and, avoiding the sword cuts, began to peck at his foe107 with his terrible axe, till in a few seconds the man’s fate overtook him and he fell with a clash heavily and quite dead upon the marble floor.
This was the first blood spilt in the war.
‘Shut the gates,’ I shouted, thinking that we might perhaps catch Sorais so, and not being troubled with the idea of committing sacrilege. But the order came too late, her guards were already passing through them, and in another minute the streets echoed with the furious galloping108 of horses and the rolling of her chariots.
So, drawing half the people after her, Sorais was soon passing like a whirlwind through the Frowning City on her road to her headquarters at M’Arstuna, a fortress109 situated110 a hundred and thirty miles to the north of Milosis.
And after that the city was alive with the endless tramp of regiments111 and preparations for the gathering112 war, and old Umslopogaas once more began to sit in the sunshine and go through a show of sharpening Inkosi-kaas’s razor edge.
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1
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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meted
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| v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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fascinations
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| n.魅力( fascination的名词复数 )；有魅力的东西；迷恋；陶醉 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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shrub
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| n.灌木，灌木丛 | |
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gardenia
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| n.栀子花 | |
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18
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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19
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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21
contemplating
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| 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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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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23
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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24
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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25
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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26
gourd
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| n.葫芦 | |
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27
consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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capering
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| v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的现在分词 )；蹦蹦跳跳 | |
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30
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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31
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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32
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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33
narrate
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| v.讲，叙述 | |
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34
stanched
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| v.使（伤口）止血( stanch的过去式 )；止（血）；使不漏；使不流失 | |
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35
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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36
hawks
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| 鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物 | |
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37
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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38
usury
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| n.高利贷 | |
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39
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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40
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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41
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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42
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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43
cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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44
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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45
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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46
parody
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| n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文 | |
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insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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49
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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50
pique
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| v.伤害…的自尊心，使生气 n.不满，生气 | |
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51
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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52
nurture
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| n.养育，照顾，教育；滋养，营养品；vt.养育，给与营养物，教养，扶持 | |
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53
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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54
gorged
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的过去式和过去分词 )；作呕 | |
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55
thong
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| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
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56
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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57
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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58
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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59
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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61
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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62
overseen
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| v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 ) | |
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63
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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64
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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65
humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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66
moths
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| n.蛾( moth的名词复数 ) | |
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67
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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68
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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69
adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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71
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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72
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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73
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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74
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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75
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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76
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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77
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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78
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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79
boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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80
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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81
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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83
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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84
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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85
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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86
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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87
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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88
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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89
gall
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| v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难 | |
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90
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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91
pealed
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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92
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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93
poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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94
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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95
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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96
clarion
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| n.尖音小号声；尖音小号 | |
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97
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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98
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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99
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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100
cleave
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| v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋 | |
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101
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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102
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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103
pinnacles
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| 顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔 | |
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104
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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105
foully
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| ad.卑鄙地 | |
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106
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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107
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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108
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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109
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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110
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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111
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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112
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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