Chatanskah made good his promise as soon as the tribe had secured the spoils of the hunt. He collected a little band of picked warriors1, presented us with powder and lead captured from the Chippewa to replenish3 the reserve stock Corlaer carried in a great ox-horn and leather pouch4, and we said good-by to the huddle5 of teepees, now surrounded by high-built racks of jerking meat and pegged-out hides in process of tanning. The last breath of Summer had left the air, and we were glad of the buffalo6-skin robes the Wahpeton gave us. But there was advantage, too, in the keen zest7 of the lower temperature, for it inspired us to greater exertions8, and we traveled at a rate we could not have attained9 during the hot months.
Our course lay up the valley of the Missouri in a north-westerly direction, more truly north than west, as I discovered. We journeyed so for many days, encountering frequently bands of the other Dakota Council Fires, Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Sisseton, Yankton and Yanktonai. Once a raiding band of Arikara, savage10 warriors, with buffalo horns woven into their long hair instead of feathers, and wolf-skin breechclouts, swooped12 down upon us from the north. But they were looking for an undefended village to yield them the buffalo-meat they had been denied by some perverse13 trick of fate, and they sheered off at the discharge of our muskets15, carrying their dead with them.
Each night we expected to awake to find the ground covered with snow, for the Winter usually develops earlier in these western lands than on the seacoast; but Providence16 aided us, and at the end of two weeks we met a wandering band of Yanktonai, who told us the Teton bands had crossed the Missouri and followed westward17 another river bordered by sandhills,* which entered the Missouri a day's march ahead of us. These Yanktonai were the first horse Indians we saw. They were of leaner build than the eastern Dakota, with keen, predatory faces and a harsher speech, matchless riders. Their mounts, which they stole from the Southern tribes—who in turn stole from the Spaniards—or bred from stolen stock, were small, clean-limbed beasts, bespeaking18 the Arab strain the Spaniards favor. Their arms were the lance in place of the tomahawk, and bow and arrow, and they carried also a small, round shield of the thick, rugged19 neck-hide of the buffalo.
*I think Ormerod refers to the Platte. From here on, his account of his wanderings increases in vagueness, owing to lack of established place names.—A.D.H.S.
Chatanskah was much concerned at the news that the Teton had moved farther west, for he knew that his return journey to his own villages would probably be delayed by snow; but when we offered to relieve him of his pledge he scouted20 the idea and insisted upon accompanying us as he had promised. And to say truth, as we penetrated21 deeper into this land of incredible distances and unknown peoples, we appreciated as we had not before the advantage of his knowledge and protection. The horse Indians, as we were to learn at first-hand, were natural thieves, who stole for the love of thieving and whose hands were instinctively22 raised against all men. To them, likewise, the name of the Long House, which had reached even the Wahpeton, was all but meaningless. I am sure the Yanktonai band would have murdered us cheerfully, if it had not been for Chatanskah's escort.
We easily identified the river they had described to us by its size and the white shimmer23 of the sandhills along the bank. Luckily for us the Missouri was low, and it was a task of no difficulty to ford24 and swim its bed at a point just above the other river's mouth. But the water was bitter cold, and we were glad to build two roaring fires and broil25 ourselves between walls of flame.
The next day, and for another two weeks, we continued up the valley of this river, having, to our no small discomfort26, to pass over many tributaries27 large and small. But the weather continued clear, without a trace of moisture or snow. The country, it seemed to me, sloped upward slowly, as though climbing toward the huge mountains, which the Indians said were the final bar to the world they knew. We saw no people, but we passed a number of deserted28 village-sites, which Chatanskah asserted to represent the course taken by the Teton in their westward journey, probably in search of better grazing conditions for their horse herds29.
Indeed, this proved to be the case. Our first glimpse of a man after we parted from the Yanktonai came as we surmounted31 a hill that shouldered abruptly33 above the level of the savannahs. As noiseless as a figure in a dream, a boy of adolescent age rode over its summit and peered down at us with startled eyes. A yelp34 rose from his lips, and he heeled his mount up and down in confused fashion as if not knowing which way to turn, then, shaking his fist defiantly35 in our direction, galloped36 off down the opposite slope.
"The Teton keep good watch," I commented. "But why did the boy wait to run?"
"He was signaling," explained Tawannears. "When we reach the hill-top you will see what he has accomplished37."
From the brow of the hill we looked down upon a broad stretch of level grass-land. Midway of it hundreds of teepees clustered in concentric circles, with an opening to the east. Smoke curled up between the lodge38-poles, and men, women and children swarmed39 the streets, all staring up at us. A body of warriors were running from the village toward the river, where several thousand horses were being rounded up by the boy herd30-guards, whose shrill40 cries came faintly to our ears; and whilst we were still a considerable distance away the herd was in motion toward the village, and an imposing41 troop of warriors galloped to meet us, the sunlight glinting on feather head-dresses and lance-points and the bright beadwork of sheaths and quivers.
"Hai!" exclaimed Chatanskah. "The Teton have their eyes open. They do well to watch from the hill-top, but if I were choosing a place to pitch my people's teepees I would not put them under a hill which I could not see through in the night. However, I suppose they must have protection for their sunka wakan* from the cold north winds. And here beneath the hill they have fine grazing grounds and water for the taking."
* Mysterious dogs—Indian name for horses.
At his advice we halted at the foot of the hill to await the coming of the horsemen, who stormed up as though they would ride us down. But a little, shriveled-up old man who rode in advance, flung out one hand with a single word of command, and they yanked their horses to an abrupt32 halt, scattering42 the sods right and left and flowing around us in a circle that barred all chance of retreat.
"Hao," said Chatanskah calmly. "Have the Teton left the Council of the Seven Fires? Does Nadoweiswe** forget the face of Chatanskah?"
The little, shriveled-up chief eyed us grimly from the back of the big horse he bestrode. He had much of the look of an adder, beady, bright eyes, and a trick of thrusting out his tongue when he talked to lick around his lips. He spoke44 with a hissing45 sing-song accent because of the loss of several front teeth. And he was sudden in his actions, and his warriors plainly feared him, although any one of them could have tucked him under one arm.
"Hao," he answered. "Why did not Chatanskah send one in advance to tell Nadoweiswe he was coming?"
"Chatanskah knew not where the Teton were camped," retorted the Wahpeton chief. "This is a strange country for my warriors. Are the Wahpeton welcome or must they go back and tell their brothers the Teton no longer honor the Seven Fires?"
Nadoweiswe made an impatient gesture with his hand.
"Chatanskah talks like a child. He comes suddenly, without warning, and is surprised because we do not expect him. The Wahpeton and the Teton are brothers. But the Teton are not brothers to the Mazzonka I see with you."
"What enmity has Nadoweiswe for the Mazzonka?" asked Chatanskah in surprise. "There are none in his country."
"There was one a few sleeps ago," replied the Teton with savage emphasis. "He turned the hearts of my young men to water, so that they allowed the Siksika* to run off twenty hands** of horses the next night."
* Blackfeet.
** One hundred.
He turned in his saddle, and scowled46 at his warriors, and the fear that showed in every eye was amusing.
"Cowardly squaws!" he snorted. "They were afraid to leave their teepees. The white man had watered their hearts with his medicine."
"That is why we will have nothing to do with any white men," he concluded. "They may be friends of the one who bewitched my young men."
Tawannears spoke up, his ringing, musical voice in strange contrast to the rasping tones of the old chief.
"I am Tawannears, War Chief of the People of the Long House," he began.
Nadoweiswe looked at him with some astonishment49.
"Many more moons' journey than my people have ever traveled," admitted Tawannears. "It is my post to guard the Western Door of the Long House. Tawannears has honor in his own country."
"That may be," returned The Adder ungraciously. "Here you are unknown."
"And Tawannears is also known in his country as the friend of the white men," continued Tawannears. "He is the friend of these white men here. They came with him to aid him in a search. They are his brothers."
"If they are friends of the Mazzonka who bewitched my young men they shall go away from here," snapped Nadoweiswe, "or I will take their scalps for my new medicine lance."
"What was this white man like?" inquired Tawannears.
"He was tall, and he wore a long black robe that reached his moccasins. My young men found him on the prairie, and they galloped up to take him captive. But he drew a weapon from his belt and shook it at them, and a great fear possessed50 them. There was strong medicine in that weapon. It did not make a loud noise like that." He pointed51 to my pun. "Nor did he strike with it. He did no more than hold it toward them, calling something the while in a loud voice, and their hearts turned to water, and they fled."
"What was the appearance of the weapon?" pressed Tawannears.
The Adder crossed two fingers, and Tawannears laughed, repeating the conversation to us.
"It was Black Robe!" I exclaimed.
Tawannears turned back to the Teton chief, whose eyes had never left our faces during this interval53.
"Yes, Nadoweiswe," he said, "Tawannears and his white friends know the white man you speak of. He is our enemy."
"Hai," cried The Adder, "is it him you seek!"
"No," denied Tawannears, "we cannot lift finger against him, for the Great Spirit has set his seal upon him."
A look of comprehension dawned in The Adder's face. He nodded his head wisely.
"That was it," he said. "The Great Spirit punished my young men for threatening one He had set aside. I have known it to happen. Hai, it was unfortunate! But perhaps we can make it up. Chatanskah, you and your friends are welcome. There are seats in my teepee awaiting you. Come, and tell us of your wanderings; for soon it will be Winter, and we shall have nothing to do save sit around the fire and talk of what has been."
And I am bound to say the old rascal54 entertained us with savage courtesy during our progress to the village. We asked him for additional details about Black Robe, but all he could tell us was that the Jesuit had been seen south of the river the one time. Whence he came or where he was going, the Teton could not say.
A quarter-mile short of the teepees we were held up by the retrograde movement of the horse-herd, which was being shifted back to the grazing grounds along the river. The young lads who handled it worked with consummate55 skill, yet with the peculiarly cruel tactics which the Indians seem always to practice. They had driven the horses out of the village circle, and were turning them south when a diversion was created by a splendid stallion with a mottled brown and white coat, that had eluded56 all attempts to maneuver57 him into the ranks of the herd. Finally one of the youngsters raced up beside him and quirted him heavily over the flanks with a rawhide58 whip.
The stallion screamed with rage, swung around on his hind-legs and lashed60 out with fore-hoofs and snapping teeth. He missed the boy, but laid open the ribs61 of the other horse, that naturally took fright, unseated its rider and made off. For a moment the mottled stallion stood motionless, panting, nostrils62 expanded, eyes wide. Then he danced after the fleeing boy, heels flirting63, teeth bared.
Nadoweiswe and his warriors paused to see what would happen next. None of them seemed anxious to interfere64, and the love of horses that has been in my blood ever since the boyhood I spent in the Dorset countryside gripped hold of me. I handed my musket14 to Tawannears and started toward the stallion.
There was a thrill of interest in the group of Teton, and Nadoweiswe called after me.
"The Teton says to stay here," translated Tawannears. "He says Sunka-wakan-Kedeshka* has never been backed."
But that was just the push I needed to send me on. The instant my eyes had lighted upon that herd of glorious, half-tamed beasts my thighs66 had itched48 to clasp horse-flesh again, and the idea that the stallion was unbroken was the definite lure67. One gift I confess to pride in is my knack68 with horses. It comes naturally to me, and at home in England and afterward69 in France, I had frequent occasion to learn the fine points of the ménage. Moreover, I was fairly sure from what little I had seen of the horse Indians up to this time that their only theory of horse-taming was horse-breaking. They knew nothing of the arts of conciliation70 by which the most high-strung animals can be mastered—arts which I had learned from many a Gypsy farrier to supplement the natural ability that was born in me. I suspected that in the case of this stallion they had found it impossible to do anything with him short of killing71 him.
I kept on, emitting a shrill whistle, which, as I anticipated, switched the stallion's attention from the Indian boy to myself. He hesitated, looked from one to the other of us—and gave the boy time to catch his own badly-scared mount. That was enough for the stallion. He was after some human on two legs, and he cantered up to me, eyes wickedly distended72, lips drawn73 back. I simply folded my arms, and waited until he was within ear-shot before I spoke to him in a gentle, soothing74 tone, taking care to reveal no trace of fear or uneasiness. I suppose he had never heard a kind word from a man. It would have been contrary to the practice of his masters. So he was bewildered, and he slowed up involuntarily, and sidled around me.
I made no attempt to catch him, and his curiosity increasing, he circled me and peered into my face, careful to keep beyond reach, for he was now more afraid of me than vicious. I was a new experience. An Indian was something that he knew would lash59 him or kick him or stick a lance into him. He didn't know what I would do. So I talked to him some more, using the few Dakota words I had picked up, but aiming more to influence him by the tone of my voice and my eyes. And gradually I succeeded. He came closer. He pushed his velvet75 muzzle76 into my face, whinnying as ingratiatingly as though I were a young mare77. But I affected78 not to notice him, and talked on.
When I threw one arm around his lowered neck, his eyes widened, but he did not bare his teeth or draw back. When I twisted one hand in his mane he shivered slightly, but stood still. I talked to him a while longer, and he quieted down. Then I patted his broad back, and vaulted79 upon it, leaned forward quickly and whispered again in his high-cocked ear. He hesitated, I pressed his flanks with my knees, jerked his mane, and he headed toward the herd.
Fifty feet from the nearest of his kind I slid from his back, and slapped him smartly on the rump. He turned his head, gave me a reproachful glance and cantered quietly up to a group of mares, taking his place as if by right among them. But as I walked away he flung up his head once and sent after me a prolonged whinny of farewell, surely as close to a human good-by as a beast could manage.
Nadoweiswe, with Chatanskah and Tawannears, rode out from the array of warriors to meet me.
"The Adder says," Tawannears hailed me, "that he would like to have you sit at his right-hand in his teepee. He does not know how good a warrior you are—" the Seneca's teeth showed in a smile—"but he is sure you would make a great horse-stealer."
I laughed.
"What did you tell The Adder?" I asked.
"I told him this was a feat11 I had never seen you perform before, and I did not think that you would consent."
Nadoweiswe leaned down from his horse, and spoke rapidly again.
"He says," Tawannears translated, "that he wishes to recover his horses the Blackfeet stole, but that with you to aid him he would likewise go south and raid the pastures of the Apache and the Comanche."
"Tell him," I answered, "to have his warriors remember that a horse does not have to be beaten to be mastered. As for the Blackfeet, tell him in my country they teach their warriors to stampede an enemy's horses by firing the grass behind them."
Nadoweiswe listened to this advice with a look of intense admiration80.
"He says," Tawannears gave me his reply, "that you must be much wiser than you look. He is amazed at you. He will do what you say."
And it is a fact that during our short stay with the Teton they honored me as their principal guest, not because I was a warrior, or because I had displayed skill in diplomacy81 such as many tribes admire, or because I was an orator82. No, the quality which they considered admirable was my God-given talent for horse-stealing.
点击收听单词发音
1 warriors | |
武士,勇士,战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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2 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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3 replenish | |
vt.补充;(把…)装满;(再)填满 | |
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4 pouch | |
n.小袋,小包,囊状袋;vt.装...入袋中,用袋运输;vi.用袋送信件 | |
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5 huddle | |
vi.挤作一团;蜷缩;vt.聚集;n.挤在一起的人 | |
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6 buffalo | |
n.(北美)野牛;(亚洲)水牛 | |
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7 zest | |
n.乐趣;滋味,风味;兴趣 | |
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8 exertions | |
n.努力( exertion的名词复数 );费力;(能力、权力等的)运用;行使 | |
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9 attained | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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10 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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11 feat | |
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的 | |
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12 swooped | |
俯冲,猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13 perverse | |
adj.刚愎的;坚持错误的,行为反常的 | |
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14 musket | |
n.滑膛枪 | |
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15 muskets | |
n.火枪,(尤指)滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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16 providence | |
n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝 | |
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17 westward | |
n.西方,西部;adj.西方的,向西的;adv.向西 | |
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18 bespeaking | |
v.预定( bespeak的现在分词 );订(货);证明;预先请求 | |
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19 rugged | |
adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的 | |
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20 scouted | |
寻找,侦察( scout的过去式和过去分词 ); 物色(优秀运动员、演员、音乐家等) | |
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21 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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22 instinctively | |
adv.本能地 | |
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23 shimmer | |
v./n.发微光,发闪光;微光 | |
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24 Ford | |
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过 | |
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25 broil | |
v.烤,烧,争吵,怒骂;n.烤,烧,争吵,怒骂 | |
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26 discomfort | |
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便 | |
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27 tributaries | |
n. 支流 | |
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28 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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29 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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30 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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31 surmounted | |
战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 ); 克服(困难); 居于…之上; 在…顶上 | |
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32 abrupt | |
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的 | |
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33 abruptly | |
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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34 yelp | |
vi.狗吠 | |
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35 defiantly | |
adv.挑战地,大胆对抗地 | |
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36 galloped | |
(使马)飞奔,奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 ); 快速做[说]某事 | |
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37 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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38 lodge | |
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆 | |
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39 swarmed | |
密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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40 shrill | |
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫 | |
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41 imposing | |
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的 | |
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42 scattering | |
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散 | |
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43 adder | |
n.蝰蛇;小毒蛇 | |
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44 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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45 hissing | |
n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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46 scowled | |
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47 scowl | |
vi.(at)生气地皱眉,沉下脸,怒视;n.怒容 | |
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48 itched | |
v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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50 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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51 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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52 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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54 rascal | |
n.流氓;不诚实的人 | |
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55 consummate | |
adj.完美的;v.成婚;使完美 [反]baffle | |
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56 eluded | |
v.(尤指机敏地)避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 );逃避;躲避;使达不到 | |
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57 maneuver | |
n.策略[pl.]演习;v.(巧妙)控制;用策略 | |
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58 rawhide | |
n.生牛皮 | |
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59 lash | |
v.系牢;鞭打;猛烈抨击;n.鞭打;眼睫毛 | |
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60 lashed | |
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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61 ribs | |
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 );(船或屋顶等的)肋拱;肋骨状的东西;(织物的)凸条花纹 | |
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62 nostrils | |
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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63 flirting | |
v.调情,打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 ) | |
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64 interfere | |
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
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65 spotted | |
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的 | |
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66 thighs | |
n.股,大腿( thigh的名词复数 );食用的鸡(等的)腿 | |
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67 lure | |
n.吸引人的东西,诱惑物;vt.引诱,吸引 | |
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68 knack | |
n.诀窍,做事情的灵巧的,便利的方法 | |
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69 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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70 conciliation | |
n.调解,调停 | |
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71 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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72 distended | |
v.(使)膨胀,肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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74 soothing | |
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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75 velvet | |
n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的 | |
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76 muzzle | |
n.鼻口部;口套;枪(炮)口;vt.使缄默 | |
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77 mare | |
n.母马,母驴 | |
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78 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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79 vaulted | |
adj.拱状的 | |
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80 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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81 diplomacy | |
n.外交;外交手腕,交际手腕 | |
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82 orator | |
n.演说者,演讲者,雄辩家 | |
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