"I don't believe you realize how incessant1 the noise will be," he urged. "Every morning hammering and sawing and the inevitable2 shouting and argument that seem to attend all building operations, especially when the job is one of alteration3, like this."
"I shall not mind the noise, dear," said Mrs. Willis tranquilly4. "Let me see the plans again."
She held out her hand for the blue prints and four interested heads immediately bent6 above them, Rosemary being tall enough to look over her mother's shoulder and Sarah and Shirley pressing close to her side.
"I don't see how anyone can tell a thing from that," Rosemary complained. "There's nothing but white lines."
The doctor smiled, but his glance was on the frail7, almost transparent8 hands which held the roll of paper flat on the desk.
"I suppose you thought that carpenters worked from photographs of completed interiors, or illustrations in interior-decoration catalogues," he suggested good-naturedly. "You see before you, Rosemary, a most practical conception of two offices and a reception room. Mr. Greggs will rip out one side of the house and add them on as a wing and when the joining is painted over you'll think those rooms were built when the original house was."
"Well—all right," conceded Rosemary, "I suppose Mr. Greggs knows. Anyway, it will be fun to have something going on. Vacation certainly isn't very exciting."
"I want to see them rip the house," announced Sarah with intense satisfaction.
"I think I owe it to Mr. Greggs almost as much as to Mother, to have you at a safe distance before the ripping begins," said Doctor Hugh a little grimly. "Somehow I have the feeling, Sarah, that the best-laid plans of architects may go awry9 when you're about."
"Huh!" retorted Sarah, abandoning blue prints for her favorite goatskin rug on which she flopped10 in an attitude more comfortable than graceful11.
Shirley, too, wearying of the unfamiliar12, turned to the delights of the iron wastebasket into which she tried to wedge her plump self with indifferent success and a great crackling of paper.
Doctor Hugh began to sharpen a pencil with meticulous13 care, his dark eyes behind their glasses apparently14 intent on the task in hand. But the more discerning of his patients, and every nurse who had served on his cases, could have told you that Doctor Willis always saw most when he appeared to be quite absorbed.
Even an outsider would have been interested in the group gathered in the young doctor's office that summer afternoon. The little mother (she was no taller than her oldest daughter and came only to her tall son's shoulder) sat at one side of the flat-topped desk, leaning her head on one hand as she studied the plans for the addition to the house. She was very lovely and very appealing, from her wavy15 dark hair faintly streaked16 with gray to her little buckled17 slippers18, and there was nothing of the invalid19 about her. It would have been difficult to say, off-hand, just why she should inspire the conviction, immediate5 and swift, that those who loved her must be constantly on guard to protect her against physical exhaustion20 and weakness. Difficult, that is, only until one saw her patient, shining eyes and then one knew, what had never been hidden from Doctor Hugh, that in her body dwelt an unquenchable spirit that would always outrun her strength.
In Rosemary, leaning above her mother and studying the blue prints so intently that a little frown gathered between her arched brows, the spirit and strength were united. The effect of Rosemary on the most casual beholder21, was always one of radiance. The mass of her waving hair was bronze, said her friends; it was red, it was gold, it was all of these. Her eyes were like her mother's, a violet blue, but dancing, drenched22 in tears or black with storm—seldom patient eyes. She lived intensely, did Rosemary, and sometimes she hurt herself and sometimes she hurt others. She could be obstinate—wanting her own way with the insistence23 of a driving force; that was the Willis will working in her, Winnie said. All the Willis children had that trait, Winnie said also. Rosemary could be sorry and make frank confession24. That, Sarah always thought, was the hardest thing in the world to do.
The dark and stolid25 Sarah lying on her stomach on the white goatskin rug, was "the queer one" of the family. Sarah's nature was as uncompromising as her own square-toed sandals and about as blunt. Demonstrations26 of affection bored her. She tended strictly27 to her interests and felt small concern in the affairs of her sisters. You could reach Sarah—after you had learned the way—and the depths in her were worth reaching. But her one passionate28 devotion was for animals—she would do anything for her pets, dare anything for them. Sometimes Doctor Hugh wondered if she would not sacrifice anyone to their needs.
If one desired a contrast to Sarah, there was Shirley. Shirley who sat in the wastebasket and beamed upon an approving world. Six year old Shirley was a born sunbeam and her brief fits of temper only seemed to intensify29 the normal sunshine of her disposition30. She smiled and she coaxed31 answering smiles from the severest mortal; she dimpled and laughter bubbled up to meet her chuckling32 mirth. It was impossible to remain cross or ill-tempered when Shirley danced into a room and it is to be feared that her gifts of cajolery bought her off from often needed reproofs33. It was never easy to scold Shirley.
Doctor Hugh Willis, sharpening his pencil so painstakingly34, knew all this and more. To his natural endowment of keen-eyed penetration35 had been recently added the illuminating36 experience of a year as sole head of the household—a year in which the little mother had been absent in a sanitarium recovering her shattered health and he had been responsible for the welfare of his sisters.
Not the least interesting figure of that group—Doctor Hugh. Dark-haired, dark-eyed and tall, his keen, intelligent face could be as expressive37 as Rosemary's. His chin was firm and his mouth could be grim and smiling, by turns. His speaking voice was rather remarkable38 in the range of its modulations and his manner was incisive39 as one used to commanding obedience40. His patients said "Doctor" had a way with him.
"Shall I cut the cake, or put it on whole?" inquired someone blandly41 on the other side of the closed door.
"There's Winnie," said Mrs. Willis, lifting her head and smiling. "Open the door, Shirley."
Five pairs of eyes turned affectionately to the tall, thin woman who stepped into the room as Shirley obeyed. This was Winnie without whom the Willis household would have been lost indeed since for twenty-eight years she had solved every domestic difficulty for them, shrewdly and capably. Loyalty42 and service were beautiful, concrete things in her faithful loving eyes. Dear Winnie!
"About the cake," she said now, smoothing her immaculate apron43 and glancing sharply at the circle of rather serious faces.
"Bother the cake," answered Doctor Hugh, secure in the knowledge that whatever he said would receive Winnie's unqualified approval. "Have you seen the plans for the new office, Winnie?"
"That I have not," she replied eagerly and Rosemary yielded her place while Winnie stared over Mrs. Willis' shoulder at the mysterious white lines and dots.
"You must be expecting a lot of sick folks, Hughie," she commented after a moment's study.
"I'll give up the other office," the doctor explained, "and have all my office hours here."
"When can Mr. Greggs start work, Hugh?" asked his mother, rescuing the elastic44 bands from Shirley and moving the ink well back from the small, exploring fingers.
"Next week, he hopes," Doctor Hugh answered. "There won't be any digging to be done, because we are not going to extend the cellar; but there will be mason work for the foundation and they want to open out the side of the hall as soon as they start."
"It will be messy," said Winnie, with unmistakable disapproval45 of anything "messy."
"It will be messy," agreed the doctor. "Worse than that, it will be noisy. I want Mother and you to take the girls and go away till it is over. I don't think anyone should be asked to endure the sound of constant hammering in the hot weather; I'll be out of the house so much that I don't count and of course I'll keep the other office till things are in shape here."
"I think we ought to get out of Mr. Greggs' way," declared Winnie briskly. "Carpenters have small patience with women and their housekeeping habits. They think we're interfering48 when we only want to keep 'em from driving nails in the mahogany tables. And if they're going to ruin the hall rug with their bricks and mortar49 I, for one, don't want to be here to see it."
"Oh, Winnie, you fraud!" Mrs. Willis spoke merrily. "You are not worrying about the hall rug—I know you too well. You're siding with Hugh and you are both conspiring50 to wreck51 the household budget a second time. I had all the luxury one woman is entitled to last year in the sanitarium—from now on I intend to consider expenses and a summer away from home isn't to be thought of."
"I'm not going to take music lessons this vacation," offered Rosemary. "That ought to help, Mother."
"If I can arrange it so you can leave the house while the alterations53 are being put through and yet keep the living expenses down to your stipulated54 level—will you go, Mother?" said Doctor Hugh artfully.
"Can you come, too?" countered his mother.
"Well—part of the time at least," he temporized55.
A sudden picture of her orderly quiet home in the hands of the loud-talking, aggressively cheerful town carpenter and his helpers, the gash56 in the hall letting in dirt and flies, with the attendant bustle57 and confusion that go with artisan work, flashed across Mrs. Willis' vision. Sarah and Shirley must be constantly admonished58 to keep out of mischief59 and danger, Winnie placated60 when her domain61 should be encroached upon. And the noise of hammers and saws and files!
"I have only two objections to going away, Hugh," said Mrs. Willis quietly. "One is leaving you and the other is the expense."
"Then it is as good as settled," declared Doctor Hugh, rolling up the blue prints and snapping an elastic around them as though he snapped his ideas into place with the same deft62 movement.
Rosemary's eyes began to shine.
"Rainbow Hill," was the answer he made to every question.
Winnie, always an ally of the doctor's, appealed to, could give no help. "If you studied geography more and cats less, Sarah," she informed that small girl who insisted on repeated questioning, "you might be able to tell me. I've told you before that I know nothing at all about this Rainbow Hill."
And Rosemary, waylaying66 her brother with carefully planned nonchalance67, fared no more successfully.
"You can't wheedle68 any news out of me, my dear," announced Doctor Hugh, his eyes twinkling. "All in good time—and after Mother, you'll be the first to be told. Patience is a virtue69, Rosemary."
And then he ducked to escape the porch cushion she sent whirling toward him.
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1
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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alteration
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| n.变更，改变；蚀变 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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awry
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| adj.扭曲的，错的 | |
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flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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meticulous
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| adj.极其仔细的，一丝不苟的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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beholder
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| n.观看者，旁观者 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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insistence
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| n.坚持；强调；坚决主张 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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26
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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28
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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29
intensify
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| vt.加强；变强；加剧 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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coaxed
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
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32
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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33
reproofs
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| n.责备，责难，指责( reproof的名词复数 ) | |
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painstakingly
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| adv. 费力地 苦心地 | |
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penetration
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| n.穿透，穿人，渗透 | |
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illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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incisive
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| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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46
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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47
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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48
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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49
mortar
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| n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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50
conspiring
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| 密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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51
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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52
sagely
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| adv. 贤能地，贤明地 | |
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53
alterations
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| n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变 | |
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54
stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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55
temporized
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| v.敷衍( temporize的过去式和过去分词 )；拖延；顺应时势；暂时同意 | |
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56
gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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57
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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58
admonished
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| 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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59
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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placated
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| v.安抚，抚慰，使平静( placate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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62
deft
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| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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64
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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conundrum
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| n.谜语；难题 | |
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waylaying
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| v.拦截，拦路( waylay的现在分词 ) | |
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67
nonchalance
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| n.冷淡，漠不关心 | |
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68
wheedle
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| v.劝诱，哄骗 | |
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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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