Monockonok Island lies in the stream of the Susquehanna, where the Valley of Wyoming presents its greenest fields and most level banks to the sunshine. It is a quiet little spot, lying dreamily in the river, which breaks and sparkles around it with a silvery tumult1. The Indians have gathered up the music of these waters in a name that will live forever—Monockonok—rapid or broken waters. You scarcely notice the island amid the luxuriant scenery of Wyoming, it seems so insignificant2 in its prettiness. Hedges of black alder3, hazel branches, and sedgy rushes stand in thickets4, or droop5 in garlands along its shores.
A few miles below Monockonok, between a curve of the river and a picturesque6 sweep of the mountains, lies the town of Wilkesbarre, a gem7 among villages set in a haven8 of loveliness.
Two or three miles higher up may be seen the town of Pittston, with its mines, its forges, its mills, and its modern dwelling9-houses, crowding close up to the heart of the valley, in which the Lackawanna and the Susquehanna unite among exhaustless coal beds and the eternal beat of human industry.
For twenty miles below the Lackawanna gap, the valley, though under partial cultivation10 for nearly a 2quarter of a century, seemed scarcely more than an unbroken forest. The beautiful river in its bosom11 was almost hidden beneath the huge black walnuts12, the elms and sycamores that crowded to its banks.
But with all this beautiful wildness, the strife14 of disputed civilization had already been felt in the valley. Indian forages15 were frequent, and the Connecticut settlers had been twice driven from their humble16 dwellings17 by the Pennsylvanians, who were restive18 at the introduction of pioneers from the neighboring States into this fertile region.
The blackened ruins of a dwelling here and there left evidence of this unnatural19 contest, while stockades20 and block-houses of recent erection, scattered21 along the valley, gave picturesque proofs of continued anxiety and peril22.
From twenty to thirty houses occupied the spot where Wilkesbarre now stands, while log-cabins were grouped near the forts, each with its clearing, its young fruit-orchard, and its patch of wheat or corn.
A single log-cabin, sheltered by a huge old elm with a slope of grass descending23 to the water in front, and a garden in the rear, enriched with variously tinted24 vegetables, and made cheerful by a few hollyhocks, marigolds, and sunflowers, stood like a mammoth25 bird’s nest on Monockonok Island.
Two immense black walnuts, with their mastlike trunks naked thirty feet high, stood back from the house. The shore was broken up with clumps26 of sycamores, oaks, maples27, and groups of drooping28 willows29, while an undergrowth of dogwood, mountain-ash and tamarisk trees chained into huge garlands by frost grape-vines and wild clematis, were seen in picturesque leafiness along the banks.
This log-cabin had been built years before, by a young man who came with his mother and his two little orphan30 girls to seek a home, and hide the deep grief occasioned 3by the loss of his wife in the wilderness31. Derwent took up his residence in Wyoming with the New England settlers on their second return to the valley, when it was almost as much inhabited by the Indians as the whites.
Derwent struggled manfully in his new enterprise, but it was with a broken spirit and by stern moral force alone. His health, always delicate, sunk beneath the labor32 of establishing a new home, and though he worked on, month by month, it was as a Pilgrim toils33 toward a shrine34, patiently and with endurance rather than hope.
Two little girls formed the sunshine of this humble family, and the fairy island was made brighter by their pleasant voices and graceful35 ways, as it was by the wild birds that haunted it with music. In the great indulgence of the invalid36 father, and the active love of that dear old grandmother, they had early lost all sense of orphanage37, and were happy as the wild birds, free as the striped squirrels that peeped at them from the branches of the black walnut13 trees where they loved to play.
Very different were these two children from infancy38 up. Jane, the youngest, was a bright, happy little creature, full of fun, eager for a frolic, and heedless of everything else; endowed with commonplace goodness and a pleasant temper, she was simply a bright, lovable child. But Mary, who seemed younger by half than her robust39 sister, was so fragile, so delicate, that you dreaded40 to see the very winds of heaven blow upon her, even when they left the spring blossoms unhurt. Her large wistful eyes were full of earnestness. She was so fair, so fragile, swaying as she walked, like a flower too heavy for its stem, and with that look of unutterable sweetness forever about the little mouth.
With Derwent Little Mary was an object of singular tenderness, while the force and life of his warmer 4affections went to the younger child. He was their only teacher, and during the years that he lived it was a pleasant recreation to give them such instruction as his own rather superior attainments41 afforded.
Thus in primitive42 happiness the little family lived till Mary passed gently out of her childhood. There was little visiting among the pioneers, and a stranger seldom made way to Monockonok. An Indian sometimes touched the island with his canoe in his progress down the river; but this was always a happy event to the children, who received the savages44 with childish admiration45, as if they had been orioles or golden robins46. At the sight of a canoe, Jane would run gleefully to the river, waving kisses to the savage43 with her hand, and flaunting47 out her apron48 as a signal to win him shoreward. It was a singular fact, but the Indians seldom obeyed these signals unless Mary was by her side. A single gleam of her golden hair—a glimpse of her bent49 form—would prove more effectual than all her sister’s pretty wiles50.
Why did these savages come so readily at her look? What was the meaning of the strange homage51 with which they approached her? Why did they never touch her dress, or smooth her hair, or give her any of those wild marks of liking52 which Jane received so cheerfully? Why did they lay eagles’ plumes53 and the skins of flame-colored birds at her feet, with so much humility54? Mary could never comprehend this, but it filled her with vague awe55, while the savages went away thoughtfully, like men filled with a spirit of worship.
One other person sometimes visited the island, who had a powerful influence over these children. This man was an Indian missionary56, who, following the path of Zinzendorf, had made his home in the wilderness, about the time that Derwent entered the valley. He was evidently a man of birth and education, for even the wild habits of the woods had been insufficient57 to 5disguise the natural refinement58 of mind and manners which made the humility of his character so touchingly59 beautiful.
This man came often to the island. Sometimes he remained all night in the cabin. Sometimes he lingered days with the family, teaching the little girls those higher branches which their father could not control, and planting a thousand holy thoughts in the young minds, that lifted themselves to his knowledge, as the flower opens its cup for the night dew.
Under these beautiful and almost holy influences the children lived in their island home, each taking from the elements around her such nutriment as her nature craved60, till Derwent, who had been ill since their first remembrance, sunk slowly to his deathbed.
The last attack came suddenly, while the missionary was absent among the Shawnees, far down the valley; but scarcely had the little family felt the need of his presence, when he appeared quietly and kindly61. All one night he remained with the sick man; their conversation could be heard in broken fragments in the next room, where the old mother sat weeping over her grandchildren, holding Jane fondly in her lap, while Mary sat upon the floor, so chilled with grief that she did not feel the tender sorrow lavished62 upon her sister, as neglect of herself. Like a pure white lily broken at the stem, she sat wistfully gazing in the distance, wondering what death was, vaguely63 and in dreamy desolation. They were called at last, and with a dying effort Jane was drawn64 to her father’s bed, the last breath, the last blessing65 fell upon her. Mary had no time; the father’s life was exhausted66 in that one benediction67.
The missionary led her forth68 into the open air. He said but little, and his voice fell dreamily on the senses of the child; but its first low cadence69 filled her soul with infinite resignation. From that time Mary could 6never realize that her father had died, leaving no blessing for her. It seemed as if the missionary had inhaled70 the life from his departing soul, and turned it all to love. The child recognized a double presence in this holy man. Not even her grandmother was permitted to kiss the forehead which his lips had touched. Her brow became sacred from that time, and she would shrink back with a cry of absolute pain if any one attempted to disturb the kiss which was to her the place of a lost blessing.
The missionary had many duties to perform, and his intercourse71 with the island was sometimes interrupted for months; but the little heart that clung to him could live upon a remembrance of his teachings, even when his presence was withheld72. It was a wonderful influence, that which his strong, pure soul had obtained over the child. While these feelings were taking root in the nature of one sister, the other was working out her own life, and the grandmother took up the duties imposed by her bereavement73 with great resolution.
7
CHAPTER II
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tumult
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n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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insignificant
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adj.无关紧要的,可忽略的,无意义的 | |
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alder
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n.赤杨树 | |
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thickets
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n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 );丛状物 | |
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droop
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v.低垂,下垂;凋萎,萎靡 | |
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picturesque
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adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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gem
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n.宝石,珠宝;受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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haven
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n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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dwelling
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n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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cultivation
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n.耕作,培养,栽培(法),养成 | |
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bosom
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n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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walnuts
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胡桃(树)( walnut的名词复数 ); 胡桃木 | |
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walnut
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n.胡桃,胡桃木,胡桃色,茶色 | |
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strife
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n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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forages
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n.牛马饲料( forage的名词复数 );寻找粮草 | |
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humble
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adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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dwellings
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n.住处,处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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restive
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adj.不安宁的,不安静的 | |
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unnatural
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adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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stockades
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n.(防御用的)栅栏,围桩( stockade的名词复数 ) | |
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scattered
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adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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peril
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n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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descending
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n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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tinted
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adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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mammoth
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n.长毛象;adj.长毛象似的,巨大的 | |
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clumps
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n.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的名词复数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声v.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声 | |
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maples
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槭树,枫树( maple的名词复数 ); 槭木 | |
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drooping
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adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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willows
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n.柳树( willow的名词复数 );柳木 | |
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orphan
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n.孤儿;adj.无父母的 | |
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wilderness
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n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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labor
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n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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toils
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网 | |
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shrine
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n.圣地,神龛,庙;v.将...置于神龛内,把...奉为神圣 | |
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graceful
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adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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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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orphanage
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n.孤儿院 | |
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infancy
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n.婴儿期;幼年期;初期 | |
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robust
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adj.强壮的,强健的,粗野的,需要体力的,浓的 | |
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dreaded
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adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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attainments
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成就,造诣; 获得( attainment的名词复数 ); 达到; 造诣; 成就 | |
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primitive
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adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物 | |
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savage
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adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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savages
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未开化的人,野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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admiration
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n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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robins
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n.知更鸟,鸫( robin的名词复数 );(签名者不分先后,以避免受责的)圆形签名抗议书(或请愿书) | |
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47
flaunting
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adj.招摇的,扬扬得意的,夸耀的v.炫耀,夸耀( flaunt的现在分词 );有什么能耐就施展出来 | |
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apron
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n.围裙;工作裙 | |
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49
bent
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n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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50
wiles
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n.(旨在欺骗或吸引人的)诡计,花招;欺骗,欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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homage
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n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬 | |
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liking
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n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢 | |
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plumes
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羽毛( plume的名词复数 ); 羽毛饰; 羽毛状物; 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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humility
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n.谦逊,谦恭 | |
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55
awe
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n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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56
missionary
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adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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insufficient
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adj.(for,of)不足的,不够的 | |
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refinement
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n.文雅;高尚;精美;精制;精炼 | |
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touchingly
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adv.令人同情地,感人地,动人地 | |
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60
craved
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渴望,热望( crave的过去式 ); 恳求,请求 | |
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61
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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lavished
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v.过分给予,滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vaguely
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adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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blessing
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n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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exhausted
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adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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benediction
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n.祝福;恩赐 | |
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forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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cadence
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n.(说话声调的)抑扬顿挫 | |
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inhaled
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v.吸入( inhale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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intercourse
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n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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withheld
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withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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bereavement
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n.亲人丧亡,丧失亲人,丧亲之痛 | |
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