Take, for instance, a scene which I witnessed on Saturday night late, outside the East Dulwich Hotel, at the corner of Goose Green. It had been raining for a long time, and the streets were in an exceedingly bad state. Just there, however, some attempt had been made earlier in the day to sweep them, and in consequence the kennel7 on both sides was full of liquid mud, had become in fact a creek8 of mud a yard wide and several inches deep. I was taking some pictures home during a slight break in the weather, and rounding this corner I saw two men, both of whom were drunk, amicably9 endeavouring to take one another home. They staggered about a good deal, getting nearer and nearer the kerb, until one of them slipped down, and the other, endeavouring to raise him, rolled over on the top of him. Locked in a close embrace, and making no sound, they rolled into the kennel; while I, the solitary10 spectator, helpless by reason of my burden, became doubly so because of a perfect agony of laughter. Like hippopotami they wallowed in the viscid stream, and at last emerged on the farther side, as Mrs Gamp would say, a marks of mud, but still horizontal. They rolled right across the road, which was fairly wide, and into the creek of mud on the other side where, with their heads on the kerb, they rested from their arduous11 journey apparently12 full of peace. A policeman and a little knot of spectators had by this time arrived, and much discussion, punctuated13 with shouts of laughter, went on as to what should be done with and for them. What was done eventually I do not know, for I had to fulfil my errand, aching all over with my paroxysms of laughter. Yet as the boys say when they are the victims, "I don't see anything to laugh at."
This digression is of malice14 aforethought, because I cannot help feeling that readers will say "I wish Bullen wouldn't so persistently15 sue for our sympathy. Surely he must have had some good times." And that is the worst of the simple annals of the poor; they are deeply interesting of course to the protagonists16, but are apt to become wearisome in the recital17, because, as the Irishman said of his wife, they are all worse and no better. However I went on, doggedly18, hopelessly, not because I was a brave man struggling with adversity, but because as far as my limited intelligence went I couldn't do anything else. Several people, one of whom most generously helped me over a tremendously difficult stile, suggested bankruptcy19 as being the obvious way out of all my troubles, but that I felt was impossible. True, I was a bankrupt de facto but not de jure, and I believed that if I did become a bankrupt in law, I should lose my last hope of earning a living, my job at the office. So I ruled that suggestion out as impracticable, for supposing I did lose my job, it was no figure of speech to call it my last hope. I was rapidly nearing forty, my own profession was irrevocably closed to me even if the state of my health would have allowed me to take it up again, and as for my other employment, with[Pg 173] thousands of abler, younger men clamouring for it, what possible prospect20 had I? and I had a wife and five young children! I will not say that I was absolutely friendless, but the two or three faithful friends I had were powerless to help me except in a desperate emergency, and at a great personal sacrifice then. As a dear friend said to me the other day, while we were discussing the condition of a mutual21 friend who had become the victim of a most serious misfortune absolutely without fault of his own: "There is nothing more heart-breaking than to have a friend who is what the Spaniards call gastados, used up, no more good in this pushing world. You can't keep him, you can't ask anybody else to keep him, and in spite of yourself, with the best will in the world, you get tired of his incessant23 appeals for help, however piteous and sincere."
Is that not so? and all the more sad when it is the result of misfortune and not of indolence or vice24. However I did not allow myself to think, for fear I should lose my power of sleep, which I knew would be fatal. I dared not open my letters, the postman's knock sent a clutching pang25 through the pit of my stomach, and if it had not been for my Sundays, with their entire switch off from the terrors of every day life, I feel sure I should have gone mad. It was at this juncture26 that I began to write. Leaning over the counter in the empty shop I covered page after page with neat clerkly script, an exercise I always[Pg 174] loved, narrating27 my early experiences at sea. It was a delightful28 relief, and as such I enjoyed it, but if I ever had any wild dreams about publishing what I was writing they did not last, for when I had written about forty thousand words I put the MS. away and forgot all about it. Finally I threw it in the dustbin, which was a pity, for I daresay it was quite as good as anything I have ever done in the same way since.
Meanwhile matters plodded29 towards that destined30 end which I felt was inevitable31, but would not realise. I got into more difficulties with my landlord. The state of the house was simply disgraceful, and he would do nothing. Then all of us got sore throats, and the doctor said bluntly, "It's of no use my attending you unless you have these drains seen to; they are a grave danger to anybody's health who comes into your shop!" Thus admonished32 I again approached my landlord, who sent a man to put two dabs33 of mortar34 upon the soil-pipe at the back of the house. Then in despair I wrote to the vestry, and very promptly35 their surveyor appeared. He condemned36 not merely my drains, but those of the whole row of houses in which my house stood. And then there was a pretty fine how d'ye do, I can tell you. My premises37 were all ripped up at the back to get at the drains, which of course were under the foundations, and when everything was in a state of chaos38 the operations mysteriously ceased. Rats invaded the house and devoured39 our small stock of provisions, until I took to hanging them up as we used to do on board ship. I wrote piteous letters to the vestry, imploring40 them for mercy's sake to finish the job, but they took no notice and kept on doing so.
Then I made a bold stroke. I wrote to the Local Government Board, placing the whole facts before them. Talk about red tape and bureaucracy! Never have I dreamed of such celerity. Within forty-eight hours the work was completed, and I received from Whitehall a copy of an indignant letter from the vestry denouncing my complaint, as the work in question was done. I never before realised how efficient a public department might be in the proper hands. Those drains of mine had been open for three weeks, and there had been absolutely no response to my repeated applications to have the work done, when I took the step I have detailed41.
This little affair cost my landlord (so he said) £25, a large sum for a man in his position, and this did not improve our relations, as might be supposed. But I hardly thought he would go to the length he did. It is customary for such tenants42 as I was to take a few days' grace for payment of the quarter's rent, which varies from one week to six according to the disposition44 of the landlord, and the circumstances of the tenant43. Naturally I took as long as I could, and as long as I paid within a month was usually considered a good payer. With this landlord, however, I had to be very careful, especially after his last feat45. Still I[Pg 176] was not prepared to find, as I did on coming home on the evening of quarter day, three bailiffs in my humble46 abode47. One was an emissary of the landlord's, whose rent was only due at twelve that day; one was for the inhabited house-duty, a trifling48 matter of a pound, including landlord's property tax; and one was from some other creditor49 whose claim I had overlooked. The total amount with costs of all their claims amounted to a little less than £20.
I confess that unable as I generally was to extract any fun out of my troubles, this time was an exception. As I was introduced to each of my uninvited guests in turn, and heard their claims, I was suddenly seized with the humour of the situation, and laughed until I was fain to hold on to the counter, or I should have fallen down. My wife stood at the door of the shop parlour looking most anxiously at me, for she thought, as she afterwards told me, that my brain had given way at last, while the three bums50 looked at me, and at one another in an undecided irresolute52 fashion, which only made me laugh all the more. However, I gradually recovered, and then said, "Well, gentlemen, I am sorry for you if you have decided51 to remain here, for I can neither feed you nor give you a shake-down. So you'll have but a poor time of it. I can't possibly get any money until to-morrow, and I am doubtful if I can get much then. However, that's not the point. Do the best you can. I've got some work to get on with," and I mounted to my workshop and started.
Before many minutes two of them decided to go home for the night, having delegated their authority to the third, who as soon as their backs were turned came up to me and said, that if I could give him a couple of shillings he would go too, he didn't want to put me to any trouble. I told him candidly53 I should have been glad to comply with his request, but as all the money I had was sixpence, I must forego the pleasure. He sighed, and then after exacting54 a promise that I would let him in next morning, departed also, leaving me free to get on with my work. He had not been gone many minutes when I heard my chum Bob's musical whistle below, and immediately he came bounding up, having heard the news across at the library of my having a house full of bums. He could only sympathise, but rejoiced to find me in such good spirits, was surprised also, but not more so than myself. He left a couple of shillings, with the desire that I would make one of my famous curries55 against the time he closed the library, when we would have supper together.
I readily agreed and hurried up with my job in order to get at my cookery, for indeed these little chance meals which I was in the habit of preparing, when there were funds, were exceedingly pleasant to me, to my family, and to Bob, who was a frequent sharer of them. I am afraid they bore a strong family likeness56 to the celebrated57 symposia58 indulged in by Mr Micawber and his family with David Copperfield as only guest, but I can honestly say that I never pawned59 or sold any household goods to procure60 them, as the immortal61 Micawber did. At any rate on this particular occasion I know that, thanks to Bob's two shillings, we had a gorgeous supper of curried62 skirt and kidney, with potatoes and rice; the scent63 of which, as Bob said when coming in at 10.30, was enough to make a dead man sit up and ask for some.
His genial64 company and the good meal sufficed to keep the black shadow away long enough for me to get to sleep, but as soon as I awakened65 in the morning it was beside me with all its terrors. In my emergency I bethought me of a certain money-lender who, upon a previous application to him, had informed me that he would willingly lend me £20 if I found a good surety, and would take repayment66 at the rate of £2 per month for twelve months. I did not accept then, because I could not bring myself to ask anyone whom I knew to do anything I would not do myself, viz., become surety for another. But now I was desperate, and I remembered an acquaintance who, though his salary was good, was for some reason or another chronically68 hard up. He, I felt sure, would be my surety if I could spare him a little of the loan. Utterly69 immoral70, even dishonest and without excuse, of course, and I am going to offer none—I only set down the facts.
Upon broaching71 the matter to him, I found him not only willing but eager, for he himself was in urgent need of £3, and I could spare him that out of £25, the amount I proposed borrowing. So at lunch-time we sallied forth72, finding our, what shall I call him, banker? in, and ready to oblige. Indeed it was fatally easy, and I was absurdly grateful, quite forgetting for the time the other gentleman in the Adelphi to whom I had to pay £1 every month as interest on a loan of £10. I handed over the £3 to my friend in need, and at five o'clock hurried home to find my three visitors ranged along the counter in the shop. In a lordly manner I paid them off, took their receipts, and we parted on the best of terms.
My amiability73 to the agent, however, did not extend to my landlord. I felt his behaviour to me very, very villainous, especially remembering the wretched state of the premises for which I paid him rent under his solemn agreement to keep them in habitable repair. The rain came through the roof so copiously74, that I had to keep tubs up in the top rooms to prevent the whole house from becoming swamped. The ceilings were falling down, and the huge cistern75 supported upon brick piers76 in the kitchen was leaking to such an extent that it threatened daily to collapse77 and flood us out. So I resolved, as this was the last quarter of my three years' agreement, to remove before quarter day, and to refuse to pay him any rent, as a set off against the condition of the premises he had compelled me to live in so long.
A shop nearly opposite had become vacant by reason[Pg 180] of fire which had gutted78 the whole house, but it had been restored to its original condition, or something resembling it, and I took it. I did not blazon79 my intention abroad, believing that my few regular customers would easily find me, but I passed the word around among my acquaintances, and I make no doubt at all that my present landlord knew of my intentions perfectly80. But he was powerless to prevent me going. Indeed, I believe that the privilege of leaving the house you hold before quarter day without fear of distraint for rent is about the only one possessed81 by the poor tenant, who is otherwise entirely at the mercy of his landlord. However, my landlord made no sign, while as the time approached I made all preparations for flitting. At night, after closing time, my chum Bob, to whom all violent exercises were a joy, used to come over and assist me in the transference of my goods from one house to the other, until we were fairly well fixed82 in the new abode, with the exception of our absolute necessaries, such as bedding, cooking utensils83, etc.
On the last night, that is the 20th of the month, we worked like beavers84, getting bedsteads across and put up so that the family might move in and be comfortable. Fortunately it was fine, for we had left the heaviest things, the piano and two counters, until the last. We got the two counters over without much difficulty, and then at nearly 1 a.m. we tackled the piano. We wheeled it out and along the pavement[Pg 181] until it was opposite the new home, then lifting it into the roadway we tried to wheel it across, on its own castors of course. But it was heavy going, and in the middle of the road we stopped for breath and to wipe our brows. Suddenly a light beamed across us, and a gruff voice said, "Now then, what's this ere little game?" We both looked up, and there stood a huge policeman, who had come up all silently in his rubber-soled boots, and was shedding the light of his bull's eye on the scene. For some idiotic85 reason or another, I burst into yells of laughter, Bob joined in, and the policeman followed suit. Just three idiots I suppose. But it was a quaint67 scene at one in the morning, in the middle of Lordship Lane.
As soon as we could speak, we explained the situation to him; and he, bless him for a good fellow, saw it in the right light, pulled off his heavy coat, and lent a hearty hand, so that the piano was installed in the new premises in a very short time. Fortunately we had a little liquid refreshment86 to offer him, which he accepted in a becoming spirit, and then said, "Well, boys, I must get around before my sergeant87 turns up—he won't understand who I am with my coat off." And so with hearty good wishes all round we parted.
I had a busy week following, for of necessity I had to do everything that needed doing to the shop with my own hands, save what Bob did in the precious hours of his leisure after ten, which he so willingly devoted88 to my service. And I managed to spend a sovereign for the fascia, which was done by a man who was so drunk that he could not stand on the solid earth, but balanced himself upon a precarious89 plank90 stretched between two high trestles in front of the shop, and splashed in the letters in magnificent style. I did not watch him, for I fully91 expected to see him dashed to death upon the pavement at any moment; but when on his coming for his money I went out and surveyed his handiwork, I paid him without a word, for indeed there was absolutely no fault to find.
But I had hardly settled in this new shop than my troubles with regard to the building commenced, and threatened to surpass my experiences across the road. Hardly a piece of furniture could be moved upstairs without bringing some of the ceilings down, and such easily scamped places as pantries and cupboards were de-ceiled en bloc92. The first really serious matter, however, which showed me that I had in no way bettered my position arose through the frost. I cannot fix the year properly, but it was when the frost set in some time at the end of January, and lasted until nearly June. I saw with a certain complacency my neighbours carrying water into their homes from standpipes in the streets, while my supply was intact and working well. And then with dramatic suddenness the supply-pipe from the main which[Pg 183] ran underneath93 the pavement into my house burst asunder94, and the water welled up through the flagstones, making a glare of ice all over the footway, which was a great danger to the passers-by.
I was immediately summoned by the Water Company on the one hand, and by the vestry on the other, to make this breakage good. With cheerful confidence I turned these demands over to my landlord, never doubting in the first place that it was his duty to repair this damage, and in the next that he would instantly perform that duty. It was a heavy blow to me when I received a curt95 note from him to the effect that it was no business of his, and that I could do what I chose in the matter. As if I had any choice. And so I had to call in labourers and plumbers96 to the tune22 of nearly £3, which outlay97 moreover did not result in my water-supply being resumed. But the shock I then received was a lasting98 one, for I realised that these new premises of mine bade fair to become worse than the old ones. They had been renovated99 after the fire by contract in the flimsiest and most casual way, and scarcely a day passed but some new defect discovered itself, until I really was afraid that the building would collapse about my ears.
Meanwhile my old landlord lost no time in putting the law's machinery100 in motion against me. He summoned me for two quarters' rent, one being in lieu of notice and a trifle of £10 for dilapidations caused to his premises by my neglect. Strong in my belief that I was legally justified101 in leaving uninhabitable premises as I did, I determined102 to fight, and in due time I appeared before Judge Emden at the Cottage Ornée. Of course I conducted my own case, and equally of course my creditor employed a solicitor103. But I lost nothing by that, for I found his honour most kind and impartial104. Only when I exhibited my defence explaining the condition of the premises, and asking the Judge whether I was compelled to remain in a house which was in so parlous105 a state, he replied in words which I can never forget: "You are not compelled to remain in such a house, you may leave before the expiration106 of your term, but you must pay the rent—that is the law."
Then, of course, I could only express my sorrow at having built upon so insecure a foundation, and explaining my circumstances asked for time to pay. The judge asked me what offer I could make, and I immediately said that it was impossible for me to promise more than a pound a month, which indeed it was, for at this time nearly all my office pay was eaten up by these monthly payments, and my means of living were intensely precarious. But the solicitor to the landlord in a white heat of indignation put on for the purpose, pictured me as rolling in wealth, enjoying a bloated official salary, and having a fine business in addition, so that it was the barest justice that I should be ordered to pay forthwith.
To my great joy the judge replied with sternness that he believed I had made an exceedingly fair and honest offer under the circumstances, and that if my offer were not accepted immediately he should exercise his own discretion107 as to what terms he should consider reasonable, and it was quite possible that he would make no order at all. This was sufficient for my opponent, one pound a month was accepted, and, as they say in the House of Lords, the matter then dropped.
点击收听单词发音
1 blessings | |
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
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2 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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3 hearty | |
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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4 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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5 saturnine | |
adj.忧郁的,沉默寡言的,阴沉的,感染铅毒的 | |
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6 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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7 kennel | |
n.狗舍,狗窝 | |
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8 creek | |
n.小溪,小河,小湾 | |
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9 amicably | |
adv.友善地 | |
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10 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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11 arduous | |
adj.艰苦的,费力的,陡峭的 | |
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12 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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13 punctuated | |
v.(在文字中)加标点符号,加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 );不时打断某事物 | |
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14 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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15 persistently | |
ad.坚持地;固执地 | |
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16 protagonists | |
n.(戏剧的)主角( protagonist的名词复数 );(故事的)主人公;现实事件(尤指冲突和争端的)主要参与者;领导者 | |
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17 recital | |
n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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18 doggedly | |
adv.顽强地,固执地 | |
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19 bankruptcy | |
n.破产;无偿付能力 | |
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20 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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21 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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22 tune | |
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
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23 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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24 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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25 pang | |
n.剧痛,悲痛,苦闷 | |
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26 juncture | |
n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头 | |
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27 narrating | |
v.故事( narrate的现在分词 ) | |
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28 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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29 plodded | |
v.沉重缓慢地走(路)( plod的过去式和过去分词 );努力从事;沉闷地苦干;缓慢进行(尤指艰难枯燥的工作) | |
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30 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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31 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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32 admonished | |
v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 );训诫;(温和地)责备;轻责 | |
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33 dabs | |
少许( dab的名词复数 ); 是…能手; 做某事很在行; 在某方面技术熟练 | |
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34 mortar | |
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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35 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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36 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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37 premises | |
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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38 chaos | |
n.混乱,无秩序 | |
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39 devoured | |
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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40 imploring | |
恳求的,哀求的 | |
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41 detailed | |
adj.详细的,详尽的,极注意细节的,完全的 | |
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42 tenants | |
n.房客( tenant的名词复数 );佃户;占用者;占有者 | |
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43 tenant | |
n.承租人;房客;佃户;v.租借,租用 | |
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44 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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45 feat | |
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的 | |
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46 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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47 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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48 trifling | |
adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
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49 creditor | |
n.债仅人,债主,贷方 | |
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50 bums | |
n. 游荡者,流浪汉,懒鬼,闹饮,屁股 adj. 没有价值的,不灵光的,不合理的 vt. 令人失望,乞讨 vi. 混日子,以乞讨为生 | |
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51 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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52 irresolute | |
adj.无决断的,优柔寡断的,踌躇不定的 | |
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53 candidly | |
adv.坦率地,直率而诚恳地 | |
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54 exacting | |
adj.苛求的,要求严格的 | |
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55 curries | |
n.咖喱食品( curry的名词复数 ) | |
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56 likeness | |
n.相像,相似(之处) | |
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57 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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58 symposia | |
座谈会,评论集; 讨论会( symposium的名词复数 ); 专题讨论会; 研讨会; 小型讨论会 | |
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59 pawned | |
v.典当,抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 );以(某事物)担保 | |
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60 procure | |
vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条 | |
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61 immortal | |
adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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62 curried | |
adj.加了咖喱(或咖喱粉的),用咖哩粉调理的 | |
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63 scent | |
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉 | |
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64 genial | |
adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的 | |
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65 awakened | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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66 repayment | |
n.偿还,偿还款;报酬 | |
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67 quaint | |
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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68 chronically | |
ad.长期地 | |
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69 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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70 immoral | |
adj.不道德的,淫荡的,荒淫的,有伤风化的 | |
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71 broaching | |
n.拉削;推削;铰孔;扩孔v.谈起( broach的现在分词 );打开并开始用;用凿子扩大(或修光);(在桶上)钻孔取液体 | |
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72 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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73 amiability | |
n.和蔼可亲的,亲切的,友善的 | |
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74 copiously | |
adv.丰富地,充裕地 | |
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75 cistern | |
n.贮水池 | |
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76 piers | |
n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 );(常设有娱乐场所的)突堤;柱子;墙墩 | |
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77 collapse | |
vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷 | |
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78 gutted | |
adj.容易消化的v.毁坏(建筑物等)的内部( gut的过去式和过去分词 );取出…的内脏 | |
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79 blazon | |
n.纹章,装饰;精确描绘;v.广布;宣布 | |
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80 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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81 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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82 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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83 utensils | |
器具,用具,器皿( utensil的名词复数 ); 器物 | |
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84 beavers | |
海狸( beaver的名词复数 ); 海狸皮毛; 棕灰色; 拼命工作的人 | |
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85 idiotic | |
adj.白痴的 | |
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86 refreshment | |
n.恢复,精神爽快,提神之事物;(复数)refreshments:点心,茶点 | |
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87 sergeant | |
n.警官,中士 | |
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88 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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89 precarious | |
adj.不安定的,靠不住的;根据不足的 | |
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90 plank | |
n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目 | |
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91 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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92 bloc | |
n.集团;联盟 | |
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93 underneath | |
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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94 asunder | |
adj.分离的,化为碎片 | |
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95 curt | |
adj.简短的,草率的 | |
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96 plumbers | |
n.管子工,水暖工( plumber的名词复数 );[美][口](防止泄密的)堵漏人员 | |
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97 outlay | |
n.费用,经费,支出;v.花费 | |
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98 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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99 renovated | |
翻新,修复,整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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100 machinery | |
n.(总称)机械,机器;机构 | |
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101 justified | |
a.正当的,有理的 | |
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102 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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103 solicitor | |
n.初级律师,事务律师 | |
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104 impartial | |
adj.(in,to)公正的,无偏见的 | |
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105 parlous | |
adj.危险的,不确定的,难对付的 | |
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106 expiration | |
n.终结,期满,呼气,呼出物 | |
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107 discretion | |
n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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