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CHAPTER III THE NIGHT-PASSENGER’S NEWS
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Rise! If the past detain you,
Her sunshine and storms forget;
No chains so unworthy to hold you
As those of a vain regret.
Sad or bright, it is lifeless ever,
Cast its phantom1 arms away,
Nor look back but to learn the lesson
Of a nobler strife2 to-day.
The future has deeds of glory,
Of honor—God grant it may!
But your arm will never be stronger
Or the need so great as to-day.
A. A. P.
The Rev3. Mr. Cave and the good Dr. Kerr, both devoted4 friends of Tudor Hereward, had promised him to leave nothing untried that might lead to a clew to trace the fate of the missing women. For—to reach the truth more promptly5 and effectually—it was deemed highly important to institute an exhaustive investigation6 into the movements of both the lost ones, from the day of their disappearance7.
 
One of them lay in her grave, in the village church-yard; and the other had vanished.
 
But which was the dead and which was the living, no human being at Frosthill could prove.
 
The negroes and the neighbors had identified the 27body thrown up by the spring flood from the bed of the creek9 and found in the ravine as that of young Mrs. Tudor Hereward; but they had identified it only by the clothing and by the long, black, curling hair—only by these; for “decay’s effacing10 finger” had blotted11 out every feature beyond recognition.
 
And this held good for the truth until old Adah declared in the most solemn manner her conviction that the remains12 were those of the poor gypsy girl Lucille, giving strong reasons to support her statement.
 
Lucille was dressed in a suit of young Mrs. Hereward’s clothes, which had been bestowed13 on her by that lady.
 
Lucille had left Adah’s hut that fatal night, in company with her ruffian husband, with whom she had ventured to remonstrate14 on his robbing the poor old woman of the goods sent her by Mrs. Hereward; and they had gone away quarreling until they were out of hearing; soon after which, and at about the time they might have reached the point where the path through the woods passed over the bridge crossing the creek, a piercing shriek16 rang through the air followed by another and another, startling the bed-ridden old woman in the hut and filling her soul with terror.
 
Then all was still as death.
 
Old Adah had not at that time suspected the man of killing17 his wife, but only of beating her brutally18, as he had been in the habit of doing.
 
Never until she heard of the body that had been found did she think of murder.
 
Then, at the first opportunity, she had told her story and given her opinion to the convalescent master of the Cliffs, who, in her judgment19, was entitled to the first information.
 
Tudor Hereward’s “wish” was certainly “father to the thought” when he gave so ready a credence20 to old Adah’s story, and called his two oldest and most 28faithful friends into counsel as to the best means of ascertaining21 the truth.
 
And they, without committing themselves to any positive opinion—for, in such a case, they could have no just grounds for entertaining one—had pledged their words to leave “no stone unturned” for discovering the truth.
 
To do so, they knew that they must search for clews for both the missing women.
 
And they searched long, thoroughly22, but fruitlessly, until near the end of May.
 
They ascertained23 from the accounts of the ticket agent at Frosthill that two passengers only had bought tickets for the midnight express on that fatal 21st of March. One was a ruffianly young man, he—the agent—was sure, but the other he could not describe at all.
 
Now who were those two passengers?
 
The uttermost efforts of our amateur detectives failed to discover. They could find no one in the village or in the surrounding country who had taken the train that night.
 
The “ruffianly young man” mentioned by the ticket agent was probably the husband of the poor gypsy girl; but who was the other passenger? Was she his wife, traveling with him, as they had set out from the hut to do, or was it Lilith, who was a mere24 accidental fellow-passenger?
 
No one could tell.
 
And so the time passed in fruitless search and heart-sickening suspense25, until late in May, when one morning, as Dr. Kerr was seated in his office, the door opened and a stranger entered.
 
The doctor, believing the visitor to be a patient, arose and offered him a chair.
 
“Thank you, sir. I dare say you are surprised to 29see me, sir,” said the man, as he seated himself, took off his hat and wiped his face.
 
“Not at all. Strangers sometimes honor me with a call,” blandly26 replied the doctor.
 
“Yes, I know, for medical advice, with a fee in their hands, and then they have a right to come, and you are glad to see them. But I don’t want any medical advice whatever, and I haven’t brought any fee; and that’s the reason why I am afraid you will think I am intruding27.”
 
“Not at all, if I can serve you in any way,” politely replied the doctor.
 
“Yes, but you can’t even do that! I don’t stand in need of services.”
 
“Then will you kindly28 enlighten me as to the circumstance to which I am indebted for this honor?” inquired the doctor, with a smile of amusement.
 
“Do you mean to ask what brought me here?”
 
“Yes, if you please.”
 
“Well, I don’t mind telling you. I should have to do it anyway, because that is what I came for. My name is Carter, and I came from Maryland.”
 
“Yes?” smiled the doctor.
 
“And have been traveling through the country here looking for land.”
 
“Quite so, and you have found a great deal.”
 
“I mean, and to buy. I hear that land is very good and cheap about here and the climate very healthy.”
 
“All quite true; but I fear I cannot help you in the least in that matter. You had better take counsel with Lawyer Jordon, who acts as land agent occasionally,” said the doctor.
 
“Did I ask you to help me? I told you first off that I didn’t want any service.”
 
“Then what in the name of——”
 
“Sense have I come for?”
 
“Yes, if you please.”
 
30“Why, I am telling you, man! Being in search of a suitable farm, I have been traveling about these parts considerable. Last night I came here and put up at ‘The Stag.’ Good house that!”
 
“Pretty good. Yes.”
 
“Well, I did hear of a rum case. The body of that young woman being found, and there being a distressing29 doubt whether it be that of young Mrs. Tudor Hereward, who disappeared from the neighborhood on the 21st of last March, or that of a little gypsy tramp, who bore a great personal resemblance to that lady, and who was suspected of having been made way with by her ruffian of a husband!”
 
“Yes, yes,” eagerly exclaimed the doctor, all his listless indifference30 vanished. “Yes! You have heard of that affair. You have been traveling about in this region. Is it possible that you may be able to throw some light on that dark subject?”
 
“I think I may; that is what has brought me here this morning. Perhaps I ought to have gone out to the place they call the Cliffs to see Mr. Tudor Hereward himself; but they told me it was a matter of six miles from the village, and that perhaps I had better see you, as you were interested; and so here I am.”
 
“I am very glad you did. Now tell me quickly what you have to tell, for I am extremely anxious to hear,” said the doctor, eagerly.
 
“Wait a bit! Let us see how the land lies first. You say young Mrs. Hereward and the gypsy girl looked alike?”
 
“In size, figure, and the unusual length and beauty of their hair—yes!”
 
“And that both disappeared from the neighborhood the same night. At least so I heard from the talk at the Stag.”
 
“It was true.”
 
31“And a young woman’s body was found near the creek a month afterwards?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“But so far gone that it could not be identified except by the clothing?”
 
“True.”
 
“And that clothing was recognized as having been young Mrs. Hereward’s?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“And that proved to the coroner’s jury the body to be also young Mrs. Hereward’s.”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Until a certain old woman comes with a tale that young Mrs. Hereward gave those clothes to the gypsy girl?”
 
“You have a correct account.”
 
“And so the doubt remains, which of the two missing women was killed and thrown into the creek, and which levanted from the neighborhood?”
 
“Yes, that is the situation at present. Can you help us to clear up the doubt?” anxiously inquired the doctor.
 
“Well, I rather reckon I can clear it up pretty decidedly, if not satisfactorily.”
 
“What do you mean? Speak!”
 
“You were much interested in young Mrs. Hereward?”
 
“I was very much attached to her, having known her from her infancy32.”
 
“Then I am afraid I am going to grieve you. I am indeed,” said the man, gravely and hesitatingly.
 
“Oh, what do you mean?”
 
“It was that young gypsy girl who took the train at Frosthill at midnight of March 21st,” said Carter, in a low tone.
 
The doctor stared gravely for a moment, and then inquired:
 
32“How do you know this?”
 
“Because I was on that very same train, and sat in that very same car along with her.”
 
“Man! Is this undoubtedly33 true?” demanded the doctor.
 
“Well, I will tell you all about it, and then you will see that it is true. I took the train at Westbourne and traveled on until we got to Frosthill, which it reached at midnight, and where it stopped for one minute. Two passengers got on—a young man who looked like a young devil, saving your presence, he had such a dark, scowling34, lowering face. He was clothed in a rough overcoat, and had his hands thrust into his pockets, and never offered the least assistance to the young woman, who came creeping and cowering35 behind him. I couldn’t help but notice them both, and saw at a glance that they were man and wife, and that they had had a row, in which the woman, of course, had come off second best. He looked so wicked and sullen36, and she so frightened and broken-hearted. He just threw himself into a seat, and stretched out his legs over the top of another one; and she slunk away into a corner, and turned her face to the wall, and cried fit to break her heart. And he never took any more notice of her than if she had been a dog. I wanted to kick him all around the car. There was plenty of room to do it, too, because there weren’t a half a dozen people in that car, all told. I got out at Snowden, about twenty miles farther on, where I stopped over a day to look at a farm, and I never thought any more about that ruffian husband and gypsy wife until I came here to Frosthill last night, and heard the whole story of the mystery at the Stag. And then I thought I would tell you what I had seen at the Frosthill station, at midnight, on the twenty-first of March,” concluded the visitor.
 
33“I thank you very much. Still, still, there may be ground for a faint hope. How was this girl whom you saw in the man’s company dressed, do you remember?” inquired the doctor, with increased uneasiness.
 
“Oh, yes; I remember quite well. She was clothed in a red suit, with something dark about her head and shoulders. And Mrs. Hereward was in deep mourning, they say, for her father.”
 
“Yes, she was,” said the doctor, as the faint hope died away. “And this red suit,” he added, mentally, “was, of course, the very suit that she used to wear before she went in mourning, and which, of course, she must have given to the girl in preference—upon every account of economy and fitness—to giving her a black one.”
 
While the doctor was turning these hopeless thoughts over in his mind the visitor arose and said:
 
“Well, sir, I have told you all I came to tell, and now I must go. But I shall be in this neighborhood for a few days longer, if anybody wants to ask me any questions about this matter.”
 
The doctor also arose and said:
 
“I thank you, Mr. Carter, for the trouble you are taking, and shall, perhaps, have occasion to see you again. You will be at the Stag?”
 
“Yes, mostly, for the rest of this week; but I shall be riding round a good deal in the daytime, looking at land, but always at home—leastways at the hotel—at night, and shall be glad to see you or any one you send. Good-morning, sir.”
 
“Good-morning, Mr. Carter.”
 
And the visitor left.
 
The doctor sat ruminating37 over what he had heard for some time after he had been left alone.
 
At length, when his office hours were over, instead of taking his noontide meal and rest as a preparation 34for his afternoon round of professional visits, he rang for his servant, ordered his horse, and started on a ride to the Cliffs.
 
He did not go to the mansion38 house, but taking a narrow bridle39 path through the woods to the creek, he crossed the little rustic40 bridge, and drew up at the log hut in the thicket41 on the other side.
 
Here he dismounted, tied his horse to a tree, and went up to the door, where he found old Adah sitting in the sun, and busy with her knitting.
 
“Well, auntie, how is the rheumatism42 to-day?” he inquired cheerfully, as the old woman stood up and courtesied.
 
“T’anky, Marse Doctor, sah. Dis warm sun hab melted it all out’n my bones. ’Deed it’s de trufe. Will you come inter31 de house, Marse Doctor, or take a chair out yere?” she inquired, politely.
 
“I will stay out here,” replied the doctor, as he settled himself on a little bench outside the door.
 
“Have anyfing been yeard ’bout15 po’ dee Miss Lilif, Marse Doctor?” anxiously questioned old Adah.
 
“No. Not since the verdict of the coroner’s jury,” significantly replied Dr. Kerr.
 
“Oh, Lor’, Marse Doctor, dat want nuffin. Dat hadn’ nuffin to do long ob Miss Lilif. Dat war de gypsy gal43 wot war foun’ in dem woods, and war sot on by dat jury. I done tole Marse Tudor Her’ward all bout dat a mont’ ago,” said old Adah, speaking with the utmost confidence.
 
“Yes; I have heard so from Mr. Hereward himself. I know all the evidence you have brought forward in rebuttal of the evidence given before the coroner. I would to Heaven it had been as conclusive44 as you thought. But we will not go into that. I only wish to ask you a few questions.”
 
“Go on Marse Doctor. I’ll answer de trufe. I ain’t got no secrets from nobody.”
 
35“Well, then, did you see the clothing worn by the gypsy girl on the night she left the hut in company with her husband?”
 
“Yes, Marse Doctor, I did. I yeard her say how Missis Her’ward had gib it to her, an’ I seed her put it on, an’ tie her ole close—nuffin but duds dey was—in a bundle.”
 
“What was the color of those clothes?”
 
“Dem wot she took off an’ tied into a bundle?”
 
“No, no; those given her by Mrs. Hereward.”
 
“Oh! dose as she wo’ ’way?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Wot was it yer ax me ’bout ’em, Marse Doctor?”
 
“I asked you what color they were?”
 
“Oh! Dey was sort o’ dark.”
 
“Dark red?”
 
“Now, dey mought o’ been. Or dey mought o’ been dark blue or dark black. You see, Marse Doctor, it was sort o’ dark in de house, an’ it made eberyfing look dark.”
 
“Had you no light?”
 
“Nuffin’ but a tallow dip—dat didn’ show much.”
 
“And you can’t be certain about the color of the clothing?”
 
“No, Marse Doctor; on’y it were dark. I sort o’ t’ought it were dark black, but I dessay it were dark red, jes’ as you say.”
 
The doctor asked a few more questions, and then arose to depart. He put a half dollar into the hand of the old woman, who thanked him heartily45. And then he remounted his horse and rode away along the same bridle-path that led back through the thicket to the little bridge crossing the creek, and by a circuit through the next woods up to the mansion house.
 
He found Tudor Hereward walking up and down on the front piazza46. He had convalesced47 so very 36slowly that he had not yet been strong enough to take a ride.
 
Hereward dropped heavily into a chair as the doctor dismounted, threw his bridle to Steve, who came up to take it, and walked up the steps.
 
“Any news, doctor?” anxiously inquired Mr. Hereward.
 
“Not a trace of Lilith yet. No, I did not come to bring news, but to make a few investigations48 here in the house that may lead to something.”
 
“Very well, doctor; you have carte blanche. But what is the nature of the investigation in this instance?” wearily inquired Hereward.
 
“Into the wardrobe of your wife, to see what is missing, and what is left.”
 
Hereward sighed, as if he were very weary of a hopeless subject and then faintly replied:
 
“Why, you know that has been done, thoroughly, and there is nothing missing but the one black waterproof49 cloth suit that was found on the body of that poor murdered gypsy girl.”
 
“And that was Lilith’s usual walking-dress when in the country, was it not?”
 
“Yes, it was; but she gave it to that poor girl upon whose dead body it was found.”
 
“She gave a suit; but you do not know that it was the waterproof suit she gave. She would not have been likely to have given the suit that she was in the habit of wearing, and that she could not very well do without,” suggested the doctor.
 
“Ah! but she did give it. It was found on the body of the girl.”
 
“You still feel so sure that it was the body of the gypsy girl which was found?”
 
“Yes, I do. Oh, doctor, why do you doubt it?” demanded Hereward, with the fretful querulousness of an invalid50.
 
37“Because we cannot be sure until the other missing one is found. Until the living one turns up we cannot prove who is the dead,” gravely replied the physician.
 
“How much proof do you want? The dress that Lilith gave to the gypsy girl was found on the dead body.”
 
“But you do not know that the black waterproof cloth was the dress that was given by Lilith to the girl. I repeat, that it was not likely that Lilith should have given away a suit that was so necessary to her own comfort, when she might have given others.”
 
“But that is the only one missing from her wardrobe.”
 
“The only one missing from her wardrobe?”
 
“Yes. I have told you so twice before.”
 
“Then, if Lilith is living, what dress did she wear when she left home?” significantly inquired the doctor.
 
Hereward started, turned paler than before, and stared fixedly51 at the questioner. He had never asked himself that question. He stared, but did not speak.
 
“Tudor, my dear boy, we must look facts in the face. And now I ask you, was the discarded wardrobe of your wife examined when the investigation was made?”
 
“The discarded wardrobe?” questioned Hereward, with a perplexed52 look.
 
“Yes; I mean the colored clothing that she left off and packed away when she went into mourning for your father?”
 
“Of course it was not touched. She would not have been likely to wear colored clothing in her deep mourning.”
 
“No, of course she would not. But she would have been very likely to give that left-off colored clothing to the gypsy instead of the mourning suit, which would have been unsuitable to the girl.”
 
38Again Hereward started, changed color and gazed at the speaker, but without uttering a word.
 
“Come, Hereward, let us send for Nancy and have her search through her mistress’ left-off clothing, to see if any portion of it is missing. Shall I ring?” inquired the doctor.
 
“If you—please,” faltered53 the young man, sinking back into his chair.
 
Dr. Kerr rang the door bell which was soon answered by Alick, who had reinstated himself in his place as butler at the Cliffs, but who was still a poor, broken-hearted old man, grieving for his young mistress, and accusing himself of being her murderer.
 
“Go and tell Nancy to come here,” said Dr. Kerr.
 
Alick ducked his head and disappeared.
 
Nancy soon stood in his place.
 
“Aunty,” said the doctor, speaking for his young friend and patient, “I wish you to open all Mrs. Hereward’s boxes of colored clothing, and examine every article and find out if any be missing.”
 
“Berry well, sah,” said the woman, turning and going to do her errand.
 
The doctor followed her into the house, went to the corner buffet54 in Lilith’s parlor55, and took out a certain liqueur case, opened it, and proceeded to mix a strong, restorative cordial, which he brought out and placed on the stand beside Hereward’s chair, saying:
 
“Drink half of that now, Hereward, and leave the rest.”
 
The young man obeyed, and then, as he put down the half emptied glass, he inquired:
 
“What is it that you expect to prove by this new search, doctor?”
 
“Wait and see, dear boy! I do not yet know what myself.”
 
39About half an hour passed, and Nancy came downstairs.
 
“Well, auntie, have you missed anything?” inquired Dr. Kerr.
 
“Yes, Marse Doctor. Miss Lilif’s red cashmere dress, w’ich was her mos’ favorite home dress, an’ w’ich she wo’ de werry day ’fo’ she was marr’d, an’ ’fo’ ole marse died, an’ nebber wored since den8.”
 
“And are you sure it is gone?”
 
“Yes, Marse Doctor, sure, ’cause I knowed whey I packed it away, an’ nobody ebber went to dat trunk ’cept it was me an’ Miss Lilif.”
 
“And what do you think has become of it, Nancy?”
 
“Well, Marse Doctor, I s’pose as po’ dee Miss Lilif give it to dat po’ gal wot come beggin’. I know she did give her a bundle of close, ’caze I helped dat gal to carry dat bundle t’rough de woods an’ ’cross de crik to ole Aunt Adah’s house.”
 
“Did you see what was in the bundle, Nancy?”
 
“No, Marse Doctor, not I. I warn’t upstairs in Miss Lilif’s room w’en she give ’way dem close, I war downsta’rs in de store room packing ob a basket wid tea an’ sugar, an’ bread, an’ meat, an’ fings, to tote to po’ ole Aunt Adah, ’cordin’ to Miss Lilif’s orders, an’ I nebber seen dat bundle till dat gal fotch it downsta’rs, an’ I nebber seen wot war inside ob it; but de gal tell me, as I went along wid her, how de young madame had gib her a good dress, an’ dat it must a been dat red cashmere dress wot de young mist’ess couldn’ wear herse’f, ’stead of bein’ de black mournin’ dress wot she could wear; let alone de fac’ dat de young gal wouldn’t a-liked to ’cepted a mournin’ dress, not bein’ in no mournin’. It wouldn’t a been lucky.”
 
“You are right,” said the doctor. “It was the red cashmere dress that Mrs. Hereward gave to the girl, 40and that the girl wore when she left the neighborhood that night.”
 
“Oh, most merciful Heaven, doctor! Do you mean to knock from under me the last prop56 of hope that sustains me?” groaned58 Hereward, sinking back pale and faint as any woman might have looked at such a crisis.
 
“Hush, Tudor! Drink this,” said Dr. Kerr, placing the glass of restorative cordial to his lips.
 
Hereward emptied the glass, and the doctor set it down, and continued:
 
“I deprive you of no real hope, Tudor, but of a false hope which, instead of being a prop to support you, is a burden that is wearing you out with anxiety. The sooner you give up all hope the sooner you will be able to resign yourself to the inevitable59 and find peace and rest for your spirit.”
 
“But I cannot! I cannot resign all hope! I cannot!” passionately60 exclaimed the young man.
 
“Listen to me further. Hear all that I have to say and you must do so,” gravely and tenderly replied the doctor.
 
“What have you to tell me now? You said you had no news to bring me of Lilith. You said so when you first came in and I asked you the question.”
 
“And I spoke61 the truth,” patiently replied the old man. “I had no news of Lilith. But I had news of the gypsy girl, which—ah me!—leaves me no doubt as to whose remains they were that were found in the woods.”
 
“Oh, Heaven! Oh, Heaven!” groaned Hereward. “But tell me all! I can bear it! Yes, I can bear it!”
 
“There is a man by the name of Carter now stopping at the Stag, who was in the train at midnight of March 21st, when the strolling player and his gypsy wife got on board. He was a sullen ruffian in coarse clothing. She a pretty, dark-eyed gypsy, 41with black hair, and she was dressed in a red suit, with something dark about her head and shoulders. They were the only people who got in that train at Frosthill. They had been quarreling, and the man had a scowling, ferocious62 look, while the woman seemed terrified and broken-hearted. Does not this coincide perfectly63 with all that we have heard about the poor girl and her ruffianly companion?” gently inquired the doctor.
 
Hereward replied only by a groan57.
 
“Come, Tudor! I must take you upstairs. You must lie down, and I will send Cave to you,” said the doctor, with gentle firmness.
 
But it was with considerable difficulty that the doctor finally prevailed on his deeply stricken patient to seek the rest and retirement64 of his own chamber65.
 
Then Dr. Kerr, leaving Nancy in charge of the sick-room, went downstairs, got into his saddle and rode off, dinnerless, to make a round of professional visits on a circuit of at least thirty miles. It was very late in the afternoon when he finally reached Frosthill.
 
Even then, before going home, he stopped at the rectory and had half an hour’s interview with the Rev. Mr. Cave, in which he told the latter of all the news he had received and all the discoveries he had made concerning the fate of Lilith, during the day. He ended by asking the rector to go with him to the Stag to see and question Carter.
 
Mr. Cave put on his hat and walked with Dr. Kerr the short distance that lay between the rectory and the hotel.
 
They found Carter smoking in the little reading-room. He willingly accompanied the gentlemen to the parlor, at their request, and closeted there, he readily answered every question put to him, but, 42after all, they elicited66 nothing more than had been told to the doctor that morning.
 
At the end of the interview they thanked Carter and took leave of him.
 
“And, after all,” sighed Mr. Cave, “the verdict of the coroner’s jury was right.”
 
“Yes,” assented67 the doctor, “it was right! And now I do not think we have far to look for the dastardly murderer of Lilith Hereward.”
 
“Whom do you suspect?” inquired the rector, in a low, awe-stricken voice.
 
“The ruffian husband of the gypsy girl who was on the creek the same night of her death.”
 

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 phantom T36zQ     
n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的
参考例句:
  • I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她,好像她是一个幽灵。
  • He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。
2 strife NrdyZ     
n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争
参考例句:
  • We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
  • Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。
3 rev njvzwS     
v.发动机旋转,加快速度
参考例句:
  • It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
  • Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。
4 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
5 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
6 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查,调查研究
参考例句:
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
7 disappearance ouEx5     
n.消失,消散,失踪
参考例句:
  • He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
  • Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。
8 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室
参考例句:
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
9 creek 3orzL     
n.小溪,小河,小湾
参考例句:
  • He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
  • People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。
10 effacing 130fde006b3e4e6a3ccd0369b9d3ad3a     
谦逊的
参考例句:
  • He was a shy, self-effacing man. 他是个腼腆谦逊的人。
  • She was a quiet woman, bigboned, and self-effacing. 她骨架很大,稳稳当当,从来不喜欢抛头露面。 来自辞典例句
11 blotted 06046c4f802cf2d785ce6e085eb5f0d7     
涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 ); (用吸墨纸)吸干
参考例句:
  • She blotted water off the table with a towel. 她用毛巾擦干桌上的水。
  • The blizzard blotted out the sky and the land. 暴风雪铺天盖地而来。
12 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
13 bestowed 12e1d67c73811aa19bdfe3ae4a8c2c28     
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
  • He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。
14 remonstrate rCuyR     
v.抗议,规劝
参考例句:
  • He remonstrated with the referee.他向裁判抗议。
  • I jumped in the car and went to remonstrate.我跳进汽车去提出抗议。
15 bout Asbzz     
n.侵袭,发作;一次(阵,回);拳击等比赛
参考例句:
  • I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
  • That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。
16 shriek fEgya     
v./n.尖叫,叫喊
参考例句:
  • Suddenly he began to shriek loudly.突然他开始大声尖叫起来。
  • People sometimes shriek because of terror,anger,or pain.人们有时会因为恐惧,气愤或疼痛而尖叫。
17 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
18 brutally jSRya     
adv.残忍地,野蛮地,冷酷无情地
参考例句:
  • The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
  • A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。
19 judgment e3xxC     
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见
参考例句:
  • The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
  • He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
20 credence Hayy3     
n.信用,祭器台,供桌,凭证
参考例句:
  • Don't give credence to all the gossip you hear.不要相信你听到的闲话。
  • Police attach credence to the report of an unnamed bystander.警方认为一位不知姓名的目击者的报告很有用。
21 ascertaining e416513cdf74aa5e4277c1fc28aab393     
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. 我当时是要弄清楚地下室是朝前还是朝后延伸的。 来自辞典例句
  • The design and ascertaining of permanent-magnet-biased magnetic bearing parameter are detailed introduced. 并对永磁偏置磁悬浮轴承参数的设计和确定进行了详细介绍。 来自互联网
22 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
23 ascertained e6de5c3a87917771a9555db9cf4de019     
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
25 suspense 9rJw3     
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑
参考例句:
  • The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
  • The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。
26 blandly f411bffb7a3b98af8224e543d5078eb9     
adv.温和地,殷勤地
参考例句:
  • There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. 布里斯托尔有那么一帮人为此恨透了布兰德利。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
  • \"Maybe you could get something in the stage line?\" he blandly suggested. “也许你能在戏剧这一行里找些事做,\"他和蔼地提议道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
27 intruding b3cc8c3083aff94e34af3912721bddd7     
v.侵入,侵扰,打扰( intrude的现在分词);把…强加于
参考例句:
  • Does he find his new celebrity intruding on his private life? 他是否感觉到他最近的成名侵扰了他的私生活?
  • After a few hours of fierce fighting,we saw the intruding bandits off. 经过几小时的激烈战斗,我们赶走了入侵的匪徒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
28 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
29 distressing cuTz30     
a.使人痛苦的
参考例句:
  • All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。
  • It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。
30 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
31 inter C5Cxa     
v.埋葬
参考例句:
  • They interred their dear comrade in the arms.他们埋葬了他们亲爱的战友。
  • The man who died in that accident has been interred.在那次事故中死的那个人已经被埋葬了。
32 infancy F4Ey0     
n.婴儿期;幼年期;初期
参考例句:
  • He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。
  • Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。
33 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
34 scowling bbce79e9f38ff2b7862d040d9e2c1dc7     
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • There she was, grey-suited, sweet-faced, demure, but scowling. 她就在那里,穿着灰色的衣服,漂亮的脸上显得严肃而忧郁。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • Scowling, Chueh-hui bit his lips. 他马上把眉毛竖起来。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
35 cowering 48e9ec459e33cd232bc581fbd6a3f22d     
v.畏缩,抖缩( cower的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He turned his baleful glare on the cowering suspect. 他恶毒地盯着那个蜷缩成一团的嫌疑犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He stood over the cowering Herb with fists of fury. 他紧握着两个拳头怒气冲天地站在惊魂未定的赫伯面前。 来自辞典例句
36 sullen kHGzl     
adj.愠怒的,闷闷不乐的,(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句:
  • He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
  • Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐,因为昨晚没睡好。
37 ruminating 29b02bd23c266a224e13df488b3acca0     
v.沉思( ruminate的现在分词 );反复考虑;反刍;倒嚼
参考例句:
  • He sat there ruminating and picking at the tablecloth. 他坐在那儿沉思,轻轻地抚弄着桌布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He is ruminating on what had happened the day before. 他在沉思前一天发生的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》
38 mansion 8BYxn     
n.大厦,大楼;宅第
参考例句:
  • The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
  • The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。
39 bridle 4sLzt     
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒
参考例句:
  • He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。
  • I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。
40 rustic mCQz9     
adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬
参考例句:
  • It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷。
  • We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.我们希望新鲜的空气和乡村的氛围能帮他调整自己。
41 thicket So0wm     
n.灌木丛,树林
参考例句:
  • A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。
  • We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。
42 rheumatism hDnyl     
n.风湿病
参考例句:
  • The damp weather plays the very devil with my rheumatism.潮湿的天气加重了我的风湿病。
  • The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
43 gal 56Zy9     
n.姑娘,少女
参考例句:
  • We decided to go with the gal from Merrill.我们决定和那个从梅里尔来的女孩合作。
  • What's the name of the gal? 这个妞叫什么?
44 conclusive TYjyw     
adj.最后的,结论的;确凿的,消除怀疑的
参考例句:
  • They produced some fairly conclusive evidence.他们提供了一些相当确凿的证据。
  • Franklin did not believe that the French tests were conclusive.富兰克林不相信这个法国人的实验是结论性的。
45 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
46 piazza UNVx1     
n.广场;走廊
参考例句:
  • Siena's main piazza was one of the sights of Italy.锡耶纳的主要广场是意大利的名胜之一。
  • They walked out of the cafeteria,and across the piazzadj.他们走出自助餐厅,穿过广场。
47 convalesced 4d2c72732c53481011e6f4229baaf0da     
v.康复( convalesce的过去式 )
参考例句:
  • The patient convalesced nicely. 患者顺利地康复了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • After his operation, Henry convalesced in Milan with Catherine Barkley as his attendant. 手术后,亨利在米兰休养,凯瑟琳·巴克利作他的护理员。 来自互联网
48 investigations 02de25420938593f7db7bd4052010b32     
(正式的)调查( investigation的名词复数 ); 侦查; 科学研究; 学术研究
参考例句:
  • His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查,但没有发现什么。
  • He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。
49 waterproof Ogvwp     
n.防水材料;adj.防水的;v.使...能防水
参考例句:
  • My mother bought me a waterproof watch.我妈妈给我买了一块防水手表。
  • All the electronics are housed in a waterproof box.所有电子设备都储放在一个防水盒中。
50 invalid V4Oxh     
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的
参考例句:
  • He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
  • A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
51 fixedly 71be829f2724164d2521d0b5bee4e2cc     
adv.固定地;不屈地,坚定不移地
参考例句:
  • He stared fixedly at the woman in white. 他一直凝视着那穿白衣裳的女人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The great majority were silent and still, looking fixedly at the ground. 绝大部分的人都不闹不动,呆呆地望着地面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
52 perplexed A3Rz0     
adj.不知所措的
参考例句:
  • The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛,走了又回来,犹豫不决,总怕上当受骗。
  • The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。
53 faltered d034d50ce5a8004ff403ab402f79ec8d     
(嗓音)颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 ); 支吾其词; 蹒跚; 摇晃
参考例句:
  • He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
  • "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着:“这孩子脑袋真长。”
54 buffet 8sXzg     
n.自助餐;饮食柜台;餐台
参考例句:
  • Are you having a sit-down meal or a buffet at the wedding?你想在婚礼中摆桌宴还是搞自助餐?
  • Could you tell me what specialties you have for the buffet?你能告诉我你们的自助餐有什么特色菜吗?
55 parlor v4MzU     
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
参考例句:
  • She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
  • Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店?
56 prop qR2xi     
vt.支撑;n.支柱,支撑物;支持者,靠山
参考例句:
  • A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
  • The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。
57 groan LfXxU     
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音
参考例句:
  • The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
  • The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。
58 groaned 1a076da0ddbd778a674301b2b29dff71     
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦
参考例句:
  • He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
  • The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
59 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的
参考例句:
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
60 passionately YmDzQ4     
ad.热烈地,激烈地
参考例句:
  • She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿,也能爱得一往情深。
  • He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。
61 spoke XryyC     
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
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
62 ferocious ZkNxc     
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的
参考例句:
  • The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
  • The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。
63 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
64 retirement TWoxH     
n.退休,退职
参考例句:
  • She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
  • I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
65 chamber wnky9     
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所
参考例句:
  • For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
  • The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
66 elicited 65993d006d16046aa01b07b96e6edfc2     
引出,探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Threats to reinstate the tax elicited jeer from the Opposition. 恢复此项征税的威胁引起了反对党的嘲笑。
  • The comedian's joke elicited applause and laughter from the audience. 那位滑稽演员的笑话博得观众的掌声和笑声。
67 assented 4cee1313bb256a1f69bcc83867e78727     
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
  • "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对,”汤姆表示赞同地说,“他们不杀女人——真伟大!


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