Lasciate ogni speranza voi ch' entrate.
---DANTE.
Cyprian de Mulverton, fifth prior of the monastery1 of Saint Francis, a prelate of singular sanctity, being afflicted2, in his latter days, with a despondency so deep that neither penance3 nor fasting could remove it, vowed4 never again to behold6, with earthly eyes, the blessed light of heaven, nor to dwell longer with his fellowmen; but, relinquishing7 his spiritual dignity, "the world forgetting, by the world forgot," to immure8 himself, while living, within the tomb.
He kept his vow5. Out of the living rock that sustained the saintly structure, beneath the chapel9 of the monastery, was another chapel wrought10, and thither11, after bidding an eternal farewell to the world, and bestowing12 his benediction13 upon his flock, whom he committed to the care of his successor, the holy man retired14.
Never, save at midnight, and then only during the performance of masses for his soul's repose16, did he ascend17 from his cell: and as the sole light allowed within the dismal18 dungeon19 of his choice was that of a sepulchral20 lamp, as none spoke21 with him when in his retreat, save in muttered syllables22, what effect must the lustre23 emanating24 from a thousand tapers25, the warm and pungent26 odors of the incense-breathing shrine27, contrasted with the earthy vapors28 of his prison-house, and the solemn swell29 of the Sanctus, have had upon his excited senses? Surely they must have seemed like a foretaste of the heaven he sought to gain!
Ascetic30 to the severest point to which nature's endurance could be stretched, Cyprian even denied himself repose. He sought not sleep, and knew it only when it stole on him unawares. His couch was the flinty rock; and long afterwards, when the zealous31 resorted to the sainted prior's cell, and were shown those sharp and jagged stones, they marvelled32 how one like unto themselves could rest, or even recline upon their points without anguish33, until it was explained to them that, doubtless, He who tempereth the wind to the shorn lamb had made that flinty couch soft to the holy sufferer as a bed of down. His limbs were clothed in a garb34 of horsehair of the coarsest fabric35; his drink was the dank drops that oozed36 from the porous37 walls of his cell; and his sustenance38, such morsels39 as were bestowed40 upon him by the poor--the only strangers permitted to approach him. No fire was suffered, where perpetual winter reigned42. None were admitted to his nightly vigils; none witnessed any act of penance; nor were any groans43 heard to issue from that dreary44 cave; but the knotted, blood-stained thong45, discovered near his couch, too plainly betrayed in what manner those long lone46 nights were spent. Thus did a year roll on. Traces of his sufferings were visible in his failing strength. He could scarcely crawl; but he meekly47 declined assistance. He appeared not, as had been his wont48, at the midnight mass; the door of his cell was thrown open at that hour; the light streamed down like a glory upon his reverend head; he heard the distant reverberations of the deep Miserere; and breathed odors as if wafted49 from Paradise.
One morn it chanced that they who sought his cell found him with his head upon his bosom51, kneeling before the image of the virgin52 patroness of his shrine. Fearing to disturb his devotions, they stood reverently53 looking on; and thus silently did they tarry for an hour; but, as in that space he had shown no signs of motion, fearing the worst, they ventured to approach him. He was cold as the marble before which he knelt. In the act of humblest intercession--it may be, in the hope of grace--had Cyprian's spirit fled.
"Blessed are they who die in the Lord," exclaimed his brethren, regarding his remains54 with deepest awe55. On being touched, the body fell to the ground. It was little more than a skeleton.
Under the cloisters56 of the holy pile were his bones interred57, with a degree of pomp and ostentation58 that little accorded with the lowliness and self-abasement of this man of many sorrows.
This chapel, at the time of which we treat, was pretty much in the same condition as it existed in the days of its holy inmate59. Hewn out of the entrails of the rock, the roof, the vaults61, the floor, were of solid granite62. Three huge cylindrical63 pillars, carved out of the native rock, rough as the stems of gnarled oak-trees, lent support to the ceiling. Support, however, was unneeded; an earthquake would scarce have shaken down those solid rafters. Only in one corner, where the water welled through a crevice64 of the rock, in drops that fell like tears, was decay manifest. Here the stone, worn by the constant dripping, had, in some places, given way. In shape, the vault60 was circular. The integral between each massive pillar formed a pointed65 arch. Again, from each pillar sprang other arches, which, crossed by diagonal, ogive branches, weaving one into the other, and radiating from the centre, formed those beautifully intricate combinations upon which the eye of the architectural enthusiast66 loves to linger. Within the ring formed by these triple columns, in which again the pillars had their own web of arches, was placed an altar of stone, and beside it a crucifix of the same rude material. Here also stood the sainted image of her who had filled the prior with holy aspirations67, now a shapeless stone. The dim lamp, that, like a star struggling with the thick gloom of a wintry cell, had shed its slender radiance over the brow of the Virgin Thecla, was gone. But around the keystone of the central arches, whence a chain had once depended, might be traced in ancient characters, half effaced68 by time, the inscription69:
One outlet70 only was there from the chapel--that which led by winding71 steps to the monastery; one only recess--the prior's cell. The former faced the altar; the latter yawned like the mouth of a tomb at its back. Altogether it was a dreary place. Dumb were its walls as when they refused to return the murmured orisons of the anchorite. One uniform sad coloring prevailed throughout. The gray granite was grown hoar with age, and had a ghostly look; the columns were ponderous72, and projected heavy shadows. Sorrow and superstition73 had their tale, and a moral gloom deepened the darkness of the spot. Despair, which had inspired its construction, seemed to brood therein. Hope shunned74 its inexorable recesses75.
Alone, within this dismal sanctuary76, with hands outstretched towards the desecrated77 image of its tutelar saint, knelt Sybil. All was darkness. Neither the heavy vapors that surrounded her, nor the shrine before which she bent78, were visible; but, familiar with the dreary spot, she knew that she had placed herself aright. Her touch had satisfied her that she bowed before the altar of stone; that her benighted79 vision was turned towards the broken image of the saint, though now involved in gloom the most profound; and with clasped hands and streaming eyes, in low and mournful tones, she addressed herself in the following hymn80 to the tutelar saint of the spot:
HYMN TO SAINT THECLA
In my trouble, in my anguish,
In the depths of my despair,
Unto thee I raise my prayer.
Let thy countenance83 incline
Kneeling lowly at thy shrine;
That in agony, in terror,
In her blind perplexity,
Wandering weak in doubt and error,
Calleth feebly upon thee.
Sinful thoughts, sweet saint, oppress me,
Thoughts that will not be dismissed;
Temptations dark possess me,
Which my strength may not resist.
I am full of pain, and weary
Of my life; I fain would die:
Unto me the world is dreary;
To the grave for rest I fly.
For rest!--oh! could I borrow
Upon one with woes o'erladen,
Kneeling lowly at thy shrine;
Sainted virgin! martyr'd maiden!
Let thy countenance incline!
Mei miserere Virgo,
By thy loveliness, thy purity,
Unpolluted, undefiled,
Upon earth's temptations smiled;--
By thy flame-attested faith,
By thine angel-ushered death;--
Of thy sanctified translation
To beatitude enduring;--
By the mystic interfusion
Of thy spirit with the rays,
Round the Throne Eternal blaze;--
By thy portion now partaken,
With the pain-perfected just;
From the gates, of mercy thrust.
Upon one with woes o'erladen,
Kneeling lowly at thy shrine,
Sainted virgin! martyr'd maiden!
Let thy countenance incline!
Ora pro me mortis hora!
Sancta Virgo, oro te!
Kyrie Eleison!
The sweet, sad voice of the singer died faintly away. The sharpness of her sorrow was assuaged94. Seldom, indeed, is it that fervent95 supplication96 fails to call down solace97 to the afflicted. Sybil became more composed. She still, however, trembled at the thoughts of what remained to be done.
"They will be here ere my prayer is finished," murmured she--"ere the end is accomplished98 for which I came hither alone. Let me, oh! let me make my peace with my Creator, ere I surrender my being to His hands, and then let them deal with me as they will." And she bowed her head in lowly prayer.
Again raising her hands, and casting her eyes towards the black ceiling, she implored99, in song, the intercession of the saintly man who had bequeathed his name to the cell.
HYMN TO SAINT CYPRIAN
Hear! oh! hear me, sufferer holy,
Who didst make thine habitation
'Mid these rocks, devoting wholly
By severe mortification102
Didst deliver thee. Oh! hear me!
In my dying moments cheer me.
By thy penance, self-denial,
Aid me in the hour of trial.
May, through thee, my prayers prevailing103
My soul, in this dark hour be driven!
May of sinfulness be shriven,
And His gift unto the Giver
May be rendered pure as ever!
Aid me with thine intercession!
Scarcely had she concluded this hymn, when the torch of the knight108 of Malta in part dissipated the gloom that hung around the chapel.
点击收听单词发音
1 monastery | |
n.修道院,僧院,寺院 | |
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2 afflicted | |
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3 penance | |
n.(赎罪的)惩罪 | |
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4 vowed | |
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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5 vow | |
n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓 | |
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6 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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7 relinquishing | |
交出,让给( relinquish的现在分词 ); 放弃 | |
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8 immure | |
v.囚禁,幽禁 | |
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9 chapel | |
n.小教堂,殡仪馆 | |
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10 wrought | |
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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11 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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12 bestowing | |
砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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13 benediction | |
n.祝福;恩赐 | |
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14 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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15 mid | |
adj.中央的,中间的 | |
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16 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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17 ascend | |
vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上 | |
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18 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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19 dungeon | |
n.地牢,土牢 | |
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20 sepulchral | |
adj.坟墓的,阴深的 | |
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21 spoke | |
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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22 syllables | |
n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
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23 lustre | |
n.光亮,光泽;荣誉 | |
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24 emanating | |
v.从…处传出,传出( emanate的现在分词 );产生,表现,显示 | |
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25 tapers | |
(长形物体的)逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 ); 微弱的光; 极细的蜡烛 | |
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26 pungent | |
adj.(气味、味道)刺激性的,辛辣的;尖锐的 | |
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27 shrine | |
n.圣地,神龛,庙;v.将...置于神龛内,把...奉为神圣 | |
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28 vapors | |
n.水汽,水蒸气,无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 );自夸者;幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁(症)v.自夸,(使)蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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29 swell | |
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强 | |
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30 ascetic | |
adj.禁欲的;严肃的 | |
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31 zealous | |
adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
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32 marvelled | |
v.惊奇,对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33 anguish | |
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼 | |
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34 garb | |
n.服装,装束 | |
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35 fabric | |
n.织物,织品,布;构造,结构,组织 | |
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36 oozed | |
v.(浓液等)慢慢地冒出,渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 );使(液体)缓缓流出;(浓液)渗出,慢慢流出 | |
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37 porous | |
adj.可渗透的,多孔的 | |
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38 sustenance | |
n.食物,粮食;生活资料;生计 | |
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39 morsels | |
n.一口( morsel的名词复数 );(尤指食物)小块,碎屑 | |
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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 pro | |
n.赞成,赞成的意见,赞成者 | |
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42 reigned | |
vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式) | |
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43 groans | |
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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44 dreary | |
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的 | |
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45 thong | |
n.皮带;皮鞭;v.装皮带 | |
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46 lone | |
adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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47 meekly | |
adv.温顺地,逆来顺受地 | |
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48 wont | |
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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49 wafted | |
v.吹送,飘送,(使)浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50 waft | |
v.飘浮,飘荡;n.一股;一阵微风;飘荡 | |
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51 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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52 virgin | |
n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的 | |
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53 reverently | |
adv.虔诚地 | |
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54 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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55 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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56 cloisters | |
n.(学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的)走廊( cloister的名词复数 );回廊;修道院的生活;隐居v.隐退,使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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57 interred | |
v.埋,葬( inter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58 ostentation | |
n.夸耀,卖弄 | |
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59 inmate | |
n.被收容者;(房屋等的)居住人;住院人 | |
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60 vault | |
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室 | |
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61 vaults | |
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴 | |
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62 granite | |
adj.花岗岩,花岗石 | |
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63 cylindrical | |
adj.圆筒形的 | |
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64 crevice | |
n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝;缺口 | |
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65 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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66 enthusiast | |
n.热心人,热衷者 | |
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67 aspirations | |
强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 ); 志向; 发送气音; 发 h 音 | |
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68 effaced | |
v.擦掉( efface的过去式和过去分词 );抹去;超越;使黯然失色 | |
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69 inscription | |
n.(尤指石块上的)刻印文字,铭文,碑文 | |
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70 outlet | |
n.出口/路;销路;批发商店;通风口;发泄 | |
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71 winding | |
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 | |
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72 ponderous | |
adj.沉重的,笨重的,(文章)冗长的 | |
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73 superstition | |
n.迷信,迷信行为 | |
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74 shunned | |
v.避开,回避,避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75 recesses | |
n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 );(工作或业务活动的)中止或暂停期间;学校的课间休息;某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 );将(墙)做成凹形,在(墙)上做壁龛;休息,休会,休庭 | |
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76 sanctuary | |
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区 | |
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77 desecrated | |
毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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78 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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79 benighted | |
adj.蒙昧的 | |
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80 hymn | |
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
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81 languish | |
vi.变得衰弱无力,失去活力,(植物等)凋萎 | |
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82 maiden | |
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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83 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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84 woes | |
困境( woe的名词复数 ); 悲伤; 我好苦哇; 某人就要倒霉 | |
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85 celestial | |
adj.天体的;天上的 | |
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86 bowers | |
n.(女子的)卧室( bower的名词复数 );船首锚;阴凉处;鞠躬的人 | |
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87 requiem | |
n.安魂曲,安灵曲 | |
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88 serene | |
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的 | |
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89 fetters | |
n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 );束缚v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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90 fervor | |
n.热诚;热心;炽热 | |
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91 elation | |
n.兴高采烈,洋洋得意 | |
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92 profusion | |
n.挥霍;丰富 | |
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93 Forsaken | |
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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94 assuaged | |
v.减轻( assuage的过去式和过去分词 );缓和;平息;使安静 | |
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95 fervent | |
adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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96 supplication | |
n.恳求,祈愿,哀求 | |
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97 solace | |
n.安慰;v.使快乐;vt.安慰(物),缓和 | |
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98 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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99 implored | |
恳求或乞求(某人)( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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100 expiation | |
n.赎罪,补偿 | |
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101 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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102 mortification | |
n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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103 prevailing | |
adj.盛行的;占优势的;主要的 | |
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104 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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105 assailing | |
v.攻击( assail的现在分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对 | |
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106 exhaling | |
v.呼出,发散出( exhale的现在分词 );吐出(肺中的空气、烟等),呼气 | |
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107 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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108 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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