His new life was easy; hours at the Rialto were short and the pay was high. Inasmuch as the place was a playground where cares were forgotten, there was a wholly artificial atmosphere of gaiety and improvidence6 about it. When patrons won at the gambling8-games, they promptly9 squandered10 their winnings at the bar and in the theater; when they lost, they cheerfully ignored their ill-fortune. Even the gamblers themselves shared this recklessness, this prodigality11; they made much money; nevertheless, they were usually broke. Most of them drank quite as freely as did the customers.
This was not a temperance country. Although alcohol was not considered a food, it was none the less regarded as a prime essential of comfort and well-being12. It was inevitable13, therefore, that Pierce Phillips, a youth in his growing age, should adopt a good deal the same habits, as well as the same spirit and outlook, as the people with whom he came in daily contact.
Vice14 is erroneously considered hideous15; it is supposed to have a visage so repulsive16 that the simplest stranger will shudder17 at sight of it and turn of his own accord to more attractive Virtue18. If that were only true! More often than not it is the former that wears a smile and masquerades in agreeable forms, while the latter repels19. This is true of the complex life of the city, where a man has landmarks20 and guide-posts of conduct to go by, and it is equally true of the less complicated life of the far frontier where he must blaze his own trail. Along with the strength and vigor2 and independence derived21 from the great outdoors, there comes also a freedom of individual conduct, an impatience22 at irksome restraints, that frequently offsets23 any benefits that accrue24 from such an environment.
So it was in Pierce's case. He realized, subconsciously25, that he was changing, had changed; on the whole, he was glad of it. It filled him with contemptuous amusement, for instance, to look back upon his old puritanical26 ideas. They seemed now very narrow, very immature27, very impractical28, and he was gratified at his broader vision. The most significant alteration, however, entirely29 escaped his notice. That alteration was one of outlook rather than of inlook. Bit by bit he had come to regard the general crowd—the miners, merchants, townspeople—as outsiders, and him self as an insider—one of the wise, clever, ease-loving class which subsisted30 without toil31 and for whom a freer code of morals existed. Those outsiders were stupid, hard-working; they were somehow inferior. He and his kind were of a higher, more advanced order of intelligence; moreover, they were bound together by the ties of a common purpose and understanding and therefore enjoyed privileges denied their less efficient brethren.
If jackals were able to reason, doubtless they would justify32 their existence and prove their superiority to the common herd33 by some such fatuous34 argument.
Pierce's complacency received its first jolt35 when he discovered that he had lost caste in the eyes of the better sort of people—people such as he had been accustomed to associate with at home. This discovery came as the result of a chance meeting with a stranger, and, but for it, he probably would have remained unaware36 of the truth, for his newly made friends had treated him with consideration and nothing had occurred to disturb his complacency. He had acquired a speaking acquaintance with many of the best citizens, including the Mounted Police and even the higher Dominion37 officials, all of whom came to the Rialto. These men professed38 a genuine liking39 for him, and, inasmuch as his time was pretty full and there was plenty of amusement close at hand, he had never stopped to think that the side of Dawson life which he saw was merely the under side—that a real social community was forming, with real homes on the back streets, where already women of the better sort were living. Oblivious40 of these facts, it never occurred to Pierce to wonder why these men did not ask him to their cabins or why he did not meet their families.
He had long since become a night-hawk, mainly through a growing fondness for gambling, and he had arrived at the point where daylight impressed him as an artificial and unsatisfactory method of illumination. Recently, too, he had been drinking more than was good for him, and he awoke finally to the unwelcome realization41 that he was badly in need of fresh air and outdoor exercise.
After numerous half-hearted attempts, he arose one day about noon; then, having eaten a tasteless breakfast and strengthened his languid determination by a stiff glass of "hootch," he strolled out of town, taking he first random42 trail that offered itself. It was a wood trail, leading nowhere in particular, a fact which precisely43 suited his resentful mood. His blood moved sluggishly44, he was short of breath, the cold was bitter. Before long he decided45 that walking was a profitless and stultifying46 occupation, a pastime for idiots and solitaire-players; nevertheless, he continued in the hope of deriving47 some benefit, however indirect or remote.
It was a still afternoon. A silvery brightness beyond the mountain crests48 far to the southward showed where the low winter sun was sweeping49 past on its flat arc. The sky to the north was empty, colorless. There had been no wind for some time, and now the firs sagged50 beneath burdens of white; even the bare birch branches carried evenly balanced inch-deep layers of snow. Underfoot, the earth was smothered51 in a feathery shroud52 as light, as clean as the purest swan's-down, and into it Pierce's moccasins sank to the ankles. He walked as silently as a ghost. Through this queer, breathless hush53 the sounds of chopping, of distant voices, of an occasional dog barking followed him as he went deeper into the woods.
Time was when merely to be out in the forest on such a day would have pleased him, but gone entirely was that pleasure, and in its place there came now an irritation54 at the physical discomfort55 it entailed56. He soon began to perspire58 freely, too freely; nevertheless, there was no glow to his body; he could think only of easy-chairs and warm stoves. He wondered what ailed57 him. Nothing could be more abhorrent59 than this, he told himself. Health was a valuable thing, no doubt, and he agreed that no price was too high to pay for it—no price, perhaps, except dull, uninteresting exercise of this sort. He was upon the point of turning back when the trail suddenly broke out into a natural clearing and he saw something which challenged his attention.
To the left of the path rose a steep bank, and beyond that the bare, sloping mountain-side. In the shelter of the bank the snow had drifted deep, but, oddly enough, its placid60 surface was churned up, as if from an explosion or some desperate conflict that had been lately waged. It had been tossed up and thrown down. What caused him to stare was the fact that no footprints were discernible—nothing except queer, wavering parallel streaks61 that led downward from the snowy turmoil62 to the level ground below. They resembled the tracks of some oddly fashioned sled.
Pierce halted, and with bent63 head was studying the phenomenon, when close above him he heard the rush of a swiftly approaching body; he looked up just in time to behold64 an apparition65 utterly66 unexpected, utterly astounding67. Swooping68 directly down upon him with incredible velocity69 was what seemed at first glance to be a bird-woman, a valkyr out of the pages of Norse mythology70. Wingless she was, yet she came like the wind, and at the very instant Pierce raised his eyes she took the air almost over his head—quite as if he had startled her into an upward flight. Upon her feet was a pair of long, Norwegian skees, and upon these she had scudded71 down the mountain-side; where the bank dropped away she had leaped, and now, like a meteor, she soared into space. This amazing creature was clad in a blue-and-white toboggan suit, short skirt, sweater jacket, and knitted cap. As she hung outlined against the wintry sky Pierce caught a snap-shot glimpse of a fair, flushed, youthful face set in a ludicrous expression of open-mouthed dismay at sight of him. He heard, too, a high-pitched cry, half of warning, half of fright; the next instant there was a mighty72 upheaval73 of snow, an explosion of feathery white, as the human projectile74 landed, then a blur75 of blue-and-white stripes as it went rolling down the declivity76.
"Good Lord!" Pierce cried, aghast; then he sped after the apparition. Only for the evidence of that undignified tumble, he would have doubted the reality of this flying Venus and considered her some creature of his imagination. There she lay, however, a thing of flesh and blood, bruised77, broken, helpless; apprehensively78 he pictured himself staggering back to town with her in his arms.
He halted, speechless, when the girl sat up, shook the snow out of her hair, gingerly felt one elbow, then the other, and finally burst into a peal79 of ringing laughter. The face she lifted to his, now that it wore a normal expression, was wholly charming; it was, in fact, about the freshest, the cleanest, the healthiest and the frankest countenance80 he had ever looked into.
"You scared me. I never dreamed—I didn't hear a thing until— Well, I looked up and there you were. The sky was full of you. Gee83! I thought I'd lost my mind. Are you quite sure you're all right?"
"Oh, I'll be black and blue again, but I'm used to that. That's the funniest one I've had, the very funniest. Why don't you laugh?"
"I'm—too rattled84, I suppose. I'm not accustomed to flying girls. Never had them rain down on me out of the heavens."
The girl's face grew sober. "You're entirely to blame," she cried, angrily. "I was getting it beautifully until you showed up. You popped right out of the ground. What are you doing in the Queen's Park, anyhow? You've no business at the royal sports."
"I think I'll call the guards."
"Call the court physician and make sure—"
"Pshaw! I'm not hurt." Ignoring his extended hand, she scrambled86 to her feet and brushed herself again. Evidently the queenly anger was short-lived, for she was beaming again, and in a tone that was boyishly intimate she explained:
"I'd made three dandy jumps and was going higher each time, but the sight of you upset me. Think of being upset by a perfectly87 strange man. Shows lack of social training, doesn't it? It's a wonder I didn't break a skee."
Pierce glanced apprehensively at the bluff88 overhead. "Hadn't we better move out of the way?" he inquired. "If the royal family comes dropping in, we'll be ironed out like a couple of handkerchiefs. I don't want to feel the divine right of the king, or his left, either."
"There isn't any king-nor any royal family. I'm just the Queen of
Pretend."
"You're skee-jumping, alone? Is that what you mean?"
The girl nodded.
"Isn't that a dangerous way to amuse self? I thought skees were—tricky."
"Have you ever ridden them?" the girl inquired, quickly.
"Never."
"You don't know what fun is. Here—" The speaker stooped and detached her feet from the straps89. "Just have a go at it." Pierce protested, but she insisted in a business-like way. "They're long ones—too long for me. They'll just suit you."
"Really, I don't care to—"
"Oh yes, you do. You must."
"You'll be sorry," Pierce solemnly warned her. "When my feet glance off and leave me sticking up in the snow to starve, you'll—Say! I can think of a lot of things I want to do, but I don't seem to find skee-jumping on the list."
"You needn't jump right away." Determination was in the girl's tone; there was a dancing light of malice90 in her eyes. "You can practise a bit. Remember, you laughed at me."
"Nothing of the sort. I was amazed, not amused. I thought I'd flushed a very magnificent pheasant with blue-and-white stripes, and I was afraid it was going to fly away before I got a good look at it. Now, then—" He slowly finished buckling91 the runners to his feet and looked up interrogatively. "What are your Majesty's orders?"
"Walk around. Slide down the hill."
"What on?"
The girl smothered a laugh and waved him away. She looked on while he set off with more or less caution. When he managed to maintain an upright position despite the antics of his skees her face expressed genuine disappointment.
"It's not so hard as I thought it would be," he soon announced, triumphantly92. "A little awkward at first, but—" he cast an eye up at the bank. "You never know what you can do until you try."
"You've been skeeing before," she accused him, reproachfully.
"Never."
"Then you pick it up wonderfully. Try a jump."
Her mocking invitation spurred him to make the effort, so he removed the skees and waded93 a short distance up the hill. When he had secured his feet in position for a second time he called down:
"I'm going to let go and trust to Providence7. Look out."
"The same to you," she cried. "You're wonderful, but—men can do anything, can't they?"
There was nothing graceful94, nothing of the free abandon of the practised skee-runner in Pierce's attitude; he crouched95 apelike, with his muscles set to maintain an equilibrium96, and this much he succeeded in doing—until he reached the jumping, off place. At that point, however, gravity, which he had successfully defied, wreaked97 vengeance98 upon him; it suddenly reached forth99 and made him its vindictive100 toy. He pawed, he fought, he appeared to be climbing an invisible rope. With a mighty flop101 he landed flat upon his back, uttering a loud and dismayed grunt102 as his breath left him. When he had dug himself out he found that the girl, too, was breathless. She was rocking in silent ecstasy103, she hugged herself gleefully, and there were tears in her eyes.
"I'm—so—sorry!" she exclaimed, in a thin, small voice. "Did you—trip over something?"
The young man grinned. "Not at all. I was afraid of a sprained104 ankle, so I hit on my head. We meet on common ground, as it were."
Once again he climbed the grade, once again he skidded105 downward, once again he went sprawling106. Nor were his subsequent attempts more successful. After a final ignominious107 failure he sat where he had fetched up and ruefully took stock of the damage he had done himself. Seriously he announced:
"I was mistaken. Women are entitled to vote—they're entitled to anything. I've learned something else, too—Mr. Newton's interesting little theory is all wrong; falling bodies travel sixteen miles, not sixteen feet, the first second."
The girl demanded her skees, and, without rising, Pierce surrendered them; then he looked on admiringly while she attached them to her feet and went zigzagging108 up the hill to a point much higher than the one from which he had dared to venture. She made a very pretty picture, he acknowledged, for she was vivid with youth and color. She was lithe109 and strong and confident, too; she was vibrant110 with the healthy vigor of the out-of-doors.
She descended111 with a terrific rush, and this time she took the air with grace and certainty. She cleared a very respectable distance and ricocheted safely down the landing-slope.
Pierce did try again; he tried manfully, but with a humiliating lack of success. He was puffing114 and blowing, his face was wet with perspiration115, he had lost all count of time, when his companion finally announced it was time for her to be going.
"You're not very fit, are you?" said she.
Pierce colored uncomfortably. "Not very," he confessed. He was relieved when she did not ask the reason for his lack of fitness. Just why he experienced such relief he hardly knew, but suddenly he felt no great pride in himself nor in the life that had brought him to such a state of flabbiness. Nor did he care to have this girl know who or what he was. Plainly she was one of those "nice people" at whom Laure and the other denizens116 of the Rialto were wont117 to sneer118 with open contempt; probably that was why he had never chanced to meet her. He felt cheated because they had not met, for she was the sort of girl he had known at home, the sort who believed in things and in whom he believed. Despite all his recently acquired wisdom, in this short hour she had made him over into a boy again, and somehow or other the experience was agreeable. Never had he seen a girl so cool, so candid119, so refreshingly120 unconscious and unaffected as this one. She was as limpid121 as a pool of glacier122 water; her placidity123, he imagined, had never been stirred, and in that fact lay much of her fascination124.
With her skees slung125 over her shoulder, the girl strode along beside Phillips, talking freely on various topics, but with no disposition126 to chatter127. Her mind was alert, inquisitive128, and yet she had that thoughtful gravity of youth, wisdom coming to life. That Pierce had made a good impression upon her she implied at parting by voicing a sincere hope that they would meet again very soon.
"Perhaps I'll see you at the next dance," she suggested.
"Dance!" The word struck Pierce unpleasantly.
"Saturday night, at the Barracks."
"I'd love to come," he declared.
"Do. They're loads of fun. All the nice people go."
With a nod and a smile she was gone, leaving him to realize that he did not even know her name. Well, that was of no moment; Dawson was a small place, and—Saturday was not far off. He had heard about those official parties at the Barracks and he made up his mind to secure an invitation sufficiently129 formal to permit him to attend the very next one.
His opportunity came that night when one of the younger Mounted Police officers paused to exchange greetings with him. Lieutenant130 Rock was a familiar figure on the streets of Dawson and on the trails near by, a tall, upstanding Canadian with a record for unfailing good humor and relentless131 efficiency. He nodded at Pierce's casual reference to the coming dance at Headquarters.
"Great sport," said he. "It's about the only chance we fellows have to play."
When no invitation to share in the treat was forthcoming Pierce told of meeting a most attractive girl that afternoon, and, having obtained his hearer's interest, he described the youthful goddess of the snows with more than necessary enthusiasm. He became aware of a peculiar132 expression upon Rock's face.
"Yes. I know her well," the latter said, quietly. "D'you mean to say she invited you to the ball?"
"It wasn't exactly an invitation—"
"Oh! I see. Well"—Rock shook his head positively—"there's nothing doing, old man. It isn't your kind of a party. Understand?"
"I—don't understand," Pierce confessed in genuine surprise.
The officer eyed him with a cool, disconcerting directness. "We draw the lines pretty close—have to in a camp like this. No offense133, I trust." With a smile and a careless wave of the hand he moved on, leaving Pierce to stare after him until he was swallowed up by the crowd in the gambling-room.
A blow in the face would not have amazed Pierce Phillips more, nor would it have more greatly angered him. So, he was ostracized134! These men who treated him with such apparent good-fellowship really despised him; in their eyes he was a renegade; they considered him unfit to know their women. It was incredible!
This was the first deliberate slight the young man had ever received. His face burned, his pride withered135 under it; he would have bitten out his tongue rather than subject himself to such a rebuff. Who was Rock? How dared he? Rock knew the girl, oh yes! But he refused to mention her name—as if that name would be sullied by his, Pierce's, use of it. That hurt most of all; that was the bitterest pill. Society! Caste! On the Arctic Circle! It was to laugh!
But Phillips could not laugh. He could more easily have cried, or cursed, or raved136; even to pretend to laugh off such an affront137 was impossible. It required no more than this show of opposition138 to fan the embers of his flickering139 desire into full flame, and, now that he was forbidden to meet that flying goddess, it seemed to him that he must do so at whatever cost. He'd go to that dance, he decided, in spite of Rock; he'd go unbidden; he'd force his way in if needs be.
This sudden ardor140 died, however, as quickly as it had been born, leaving him cold with apprehension141. What would happen if he took the bit in his teeth? Rock knew about Laure—those detestable redcoats knew pretty much everything that went on beneath the surface of Dawson life—and if Pierce ran counter to the fellow's warning he would probably speak out. Rock was just that sort. His methods were direct and forceful. What then? Pierce cringed inwardly at the contemplation. That snow-girl was so clean, so decent, so radically142 different from all that Laure stood for, that he shrank from associating them together even in his thoughts.
Well, he was paying the fiddler, and the price was high. Even here on the fringe of the frontier society exacted penalty for the breach143 of its conventions. Pierce's rebellion at this discovery, his resentment144 at the whole situation, prevented him from properly taking the lesson to heart. The issue was clouded, too, by a wholly natural effort at self-justification. The more he tried this latter, however, the angrier he became and the more humiliating seemed his situation.
He was in no mood to calmly withstand another shock, especially when that shock was administered by Joe McCaskey, of all persons; nevertheless, it came close upon the heels of Rock's insult.
Pierce had not seen either brother since their departure for Hunker Creek145, therefore Joe's black visage leering through the window of the cashier's cage was an unwelcome surprise.
"Hello, Phillips! How are you making it?" the man inquired.
"All right."
Despite this gruffness, Joe's grin widened. There was nothing of pleasure at the meeting, nor of friendliness146 behind it, however. On the contrary, it masked both malice and triumph, as was plain when he asked:
"Did you hear about our strike?"
"What strike?"
"Why, it's all over town! Frank and I hit pay in our first shaft—three feet of twenty-cent dirt."
"Really?" Pierce could not restrain a movement of surprise.
Joe nodded and chuckled147, meanwhile keeping his malignant148 gaze focused upon the younger man's face. "It's big. We came to town to buy grub and a dog-team and to hire a crew of hands. We've got credit at the A. C. Company up to fifty thousand dollars."
"Did Tom and Jerry have any luck?"
"Sure thing! They've hit it, the same as us. You tossed off a home-stake, kid. Don't believe it, eh? Well, here's the proof-coarse gold from Hunker." With an ostentatious flourish the speaker flung down a half-filled poke150, together with a bar check. "Cash me in, and don't let any of it stick to your fingers."
Pierce was impelled151 to hurl152 the gold sack at Joe's head, but he restrained himself. His hands were shaky, however, and when he untied153 the thongs154 he was mortified155 at spilling some of the precious yellow particles. Mortification156 changed to anger when the owner cried, sharply:
"Hey! Got cashier's ague, have you? Just cut out the sleight-of-hand!"
Pierce smothered a retort; silently he brushed the dust back into the blower and set the weights upon his scales. But McCaskey ran on with an insulting attempt at banter157:
"I'm onto you short-weighers. Take your bit out of the drunks; I'm sober."
When Pierce had retied the sack and returned it he looked up and into
Joe's face. His own was white, his eyes were blazing.
"Don't pull any more comedy here," he said, quietly. "That short-weight joke doesn't go at the Rialto."
"Oh, it don't? JOKE!" McCaskey snorted. "I s'pose it's a joke to spill dust—when you can't get away with it. Well, I've spotted158 a lot of crooked159 cashiers in this town."
"No doubt. It takes a thief to catch a thief." McCaskey started. His sneer vanished. "Thief! Say—" he blustered160, angrily. "D'you mean—" The clash, brief as it had been, had excited attention. Noting the fact that an audience was gathering161, the speaker lowered his voice and, thrusting his black, scowling162 countenance closer to the cage opening, he said: "You needn't remind me of anything. I've got a good memory. Damn' good!" After a moment he turned his back and moved away.
When Pierce went off shift he looked up Lars Anderson and received confirmation163 of the Hunker strike. Lars was in a boisterous164 mood and eager to share his triumph.
"I knew that was a rich piece of ground," he chuckled, "and I knew I was handing those boys a good thing. But a fellow owes something to his friends, doesn't he?"
"I thought you said it was low grade?"
"Low grade!" Big Lars threw back his head and laughed loudly. "I never said nothing of the kind. Me knock my own ground? Why, I'd have banked my life on Hunker!"
Here was luck, Pierce told himself. A fortune had been handed him on a silver platter, and he had shoved it aside. He was sick with regret; he was furious with himself for his lack of wisdom; he hated Laure for the deception165 she had practised upon him. The waste he had made of this opportunity bred in him a feeling of desperation.
Toward the close of the show Laure found him braced166 against the bar; the face he turned upon her was cold, repellent. When she urged him to take her to supper he shook his head.
"What's the matter?" she inquired.
"Big Lars never told you Hunker was low grade," he declared.
"Simply this—Tom and Jerry and the McCaskeys have struck rich pay."
"Indeed?"
"You lied to me."
Laure's lips parted slowly in a smile. "What did you expect? What would any girl do?" She laid a caressing168 hand upon his arm. "I don't care how much they make or how poor you are—"
Pierce disengaged her grasp. "I care!" he cried, roughly. "I've lost my big chance. They've made their piles and I'm—well, look at me."
"You blame me?"
He stared at her for a moment. "What's the difference whether I blame you or myself? I'm through. I've been through for some time, but—this is curtain."
"Pierce!"
Impatiently he flung her off and strode out of the theater.
"Have a dance?" he inquired.
She undertook to answer, but her lips refused to frame any words; silently she shook her head.
"What's the idea? A lovers' quarrel?" McCaskey eyed her curiously170, then he chuckled mirthlessly. "You can come clean with me. I don't like him any better than you do."
"Mind your own business," stormed the girl in a sudden fury.
"That's what I'm doing, and minding it good. I've got a lot of business—with that rat." Joe's sinister171 black eyes held Laure's in spite of her effort to avoid them; it was plain that he wished to say more, but hesitated. "Maybe it would pay us to get acquainted," he finally suggested. "Frank and me and the Count are having a bottle of wine upstairs. Better join us."
"I will," said Laure, after a moment. Together they mounted the stairs to the gallery above.
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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alteration
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| n.变更，改变；蚀变 | |
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deterioration
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| n.退化；恶化；变坏 | |
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fiber
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| n.纤维，纤维质 | |
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improvidence
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| n.目光短浅 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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squandered
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prodigality
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| n.浪费，挥霍 | |
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well-being
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| n.安康，安乐，幸福 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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repels
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| v.击退( repel的第三人称单数 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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landmarks
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| n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址） | |
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derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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offsets
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| n.开端( offset的名词复数 )；出发v.抵消( offset的第三人称单数 )；补偿；（为了比较的目的而）把…并列（或并置）；为（管道等）装支管 | |
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accrue
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| v.(利息等)增大，增多 | |
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25
subconsciously
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| ad.下意识地，潜意识地 | |
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26
puritanical
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| adj.极端拘谨的；道德严格的 | |
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27
immature
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| adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的 | |
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28
impractical
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| adj.不现实的，不实用的，不切实际的 | |
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29
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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30
subsisted
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| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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32
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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33
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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34
fatuous
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| adj.愚昧的；昏庸的 | |
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35
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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36
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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37
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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38
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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39
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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40
oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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41
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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42
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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43
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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44
sluggishly
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| adv.懒惰地；缓慢地 | |
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45
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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46
stultifying
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| v.使成为徒劳，使变得无用( stultify的现在分词 ) | |
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47
deriving
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| v.得到( derive的现在分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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48
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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49
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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50
sagged
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| 下垂的 | |
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51
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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52
shroud
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| n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏 | |
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53
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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54
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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55
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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56
entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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57
ailed
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| v.生病( ail的过去式和过去分词 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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58
perspire
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| vi.出汗，流汗 | |
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59
abhorrent
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| adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的 | |
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60
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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61
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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62
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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63
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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64
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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65
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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66
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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67
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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68
swooping
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的现在分词 ) | |
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69
velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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70
mythology
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| n.神话，神话学，神话集 | |
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71
scudded
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| v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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73
upheaval
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| n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱 | |
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74
projectile
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| n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的 | |
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75
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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76
declivity
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| n.下坡，倾斜面 | |
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77
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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78
apprehensively
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| adv.担心地 | |
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79
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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80
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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81
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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83
gee
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|
| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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84
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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85
trespass
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|
| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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86
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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87
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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88
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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89
straps
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|
| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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90
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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91
buckling
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| 扣住 | |
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92
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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93
waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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94
graceful
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|
| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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95
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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96
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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97
wreaked
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| 诉诸（武力），施行（暴力），发（脾气）( wreak的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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98
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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99
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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100
vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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101
flop
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| n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下 | |
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102
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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103
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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104
sprained
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| v.&n. 扭伤 | |
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105
skidded
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| v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区 | |
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106
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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107
ignominious
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| adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的 | |
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108
zigzagging
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| v.弯弯曲曲地走路，曲折地前进( zigzag的现在分词 )；盘陀 | |
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109
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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110
vibrant
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| adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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111
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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112
fawn
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| n.未满周岁的小鹿；v.巴结，奉承 | |
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113
mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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114
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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115
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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116
denizens
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| n.居民，住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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117
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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118
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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119
candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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120
refreshingly
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| adv.清爽地，有精神地 | |
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121
limpid
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| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
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122
glacier
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| n.冰川，冰河 | |
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123
placidity
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| n.平静，安静，温和 | |
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124
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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125
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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126
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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127
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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128
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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129
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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130
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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131
relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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132
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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133
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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134
ostracized
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| v.放逐( ostracize的过去式和过去分词 )；流放；摈弃；排斥 | |
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135
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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136
raved
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| v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说 | |
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137
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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138
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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139
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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140
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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141
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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142
radically
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| ad.根本地，本质地 | |
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143
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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144
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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145
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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146
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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147
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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148
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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149
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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150
poke
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| n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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151
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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152
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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153
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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154
thongs
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| 的东西 | |
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155
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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156
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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157
banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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158
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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159
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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160
blustered
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| v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹 | |
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161
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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162
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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163
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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164
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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165
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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166
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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167
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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168
caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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169
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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170
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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171
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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