Oliva Cresswell did not feel at all sleepy, so she discovered, by the time she was ready for bed. To retire in that condition of wakefulness meant another sleepless1 night, and she slipped a kimono over her, found a book and settled into the big wicker-chair under the light for the half-hour's reading which would reduce her to the necessary state of drowsiness2. The book at any other time would have held her attention, but now she found her thoughts wandering. On the other side of the wall (she regarded it with a new interest) was the young man who had so strangely intruded3 himself into her life. Or was he out? What would a man like that do with his evenings? He was not the sort of person who could find any pleasure in making a round of music-halls or sitting up half the night in a card-room.
She heard a dull knock, and it came from the wall.
Mr. Beale was at home then, he had pushed a chair against the wall, or he was knocking in nails at this hour of the night.
"Thud--thud--thud"--a pause--"thud, tap, thud, tap."
The dull sound was as if made by a fist, the tap by a finger-tip.
It was repeated.
Suddenly the girl jumped up with a little laugh. He was signalling to her and had sent "O.C."--her initials.
She tapped three times with her finger, struck once with the flat of her hand and tapped again. She had sent the "Understood" message.
Presently he began and she jotted4 the message on the margin5 of her book.
"Most urgent: Don't use soap. Bring it to office."
She smiled faintly. She expected something more brilliant in the way of humour even from Mr. Beale. She tapped "acknowledged" and went to bed.
"Matilda, my innocent child," she said to herself, as she snuggled up under the bed-clothes, "exchanging midnight signals with a lodger6 is neither proper nor lady-like."
She had agreed with herself that in spite of the latitude7 she was allowed in the matter of office hours, that she would put in an appearance punctually at ten. This meant rising not later than eight, for she had her little household to put in order before she left.
It was the postman's insistent8 knocking at eight-thirty that woke her from a dreamless sleep, and, half-awake, she dragged herself into her dressing-gown and went to the door.
"Parcel, miss," said the invisible official, and put into the hand that came round the edge of the door a letter and a small package. She brought them to the sitting-room9 and pulled back the curtains. The letter was type-written and was on the note-paper of a well-known firm of perfumers. It was addressed to "Miss Olivia Cresswell," and ran:
"DEAR MADAME,--
"We have pleasure in sending you for your use a sample cake of our new Complexion10 Soap, which we trust will meet with your approval."
"But how nice," she said, and wondered why she had been singled out for the favour. She opened the package. In a small carton, carefully wrapped in the thinnest of paper, was an oval tablet of lavender-coloured soap that exhaled11 a delicate fragrance12.
"But how nice," she said again, and put the gift in the bath-room.
This was starting the day well--a small enough foundation for happiness, yet one which every woman knows, for happiness is made up of small and acceptable things and, given the psychological moment, a bunch of primroses13 has a greater value than a rope of pearls.
In her bath she picked up the soap and dropped it back in the tidy again quickly.
"Don't use soap; bring it to office."
She remembered the message in a flash. Beale had known that this parcel was coming then, and his "most urgent" warning was not a joke. She dressed quickly, made a poor breakfast and was at the office ten minutes before the hour.
She found her employer waiting, sitting in his accustomed place on the edge of the table in her office. He gave her a little nod of welcome, and without a word stretched out his hand.
"The soap?" she asked.
He nodded.
She opened her bag.
"Good," he said. "I see you have kept the wrappings, and that, I presume, is the letter which accompanied the--what shall I say--gift? Don't touch it with your bare hand," he said quickly. "Handle it with the paper."
He pulled his gloves from his pocket and slipped them on, then took the cake of soap in his hand and carried it to the light, smelt14 it and returned it to its paper.
"Now let me see the letter."
She handed it to him, and he read it.
"From Brandan, the perfumers. They wouldn't be in it, but we had better make sure."
He walked to the telephone and gave a number, and the girl heard him speaking in a low tone to somebody at the other end. Presently he put down the receiver and walked back, his hands thrust into his pockets.
"They know nothing about this act of generosity," he said.
By this time she had removed her coat and hat and hung them up, and had taken her place at her desk. She sat with her elbows on the blotting-pad, her chin on her clasped hands, looking up at him.
"I don't think it's fair that things should be kept from me any longer," she said. "Many mysterious things have happened in the past few days, and since they have all directly affected15 me, I think I am entitled to some sort of explanation."
"I think you are," said Mr. Beale, with a twinkle in his grey eyes, "but I am not prepared to explain everything just yet. Thus much I will tell you, that had you used this soap this morning, by the evening you would have been covered from head to foot in a rather alarming and irritating rash."
"But who dared to send me this?"
"Who knows? But first let me ask you this. Miss Cresswell. Suppose to-night when you had looked at yourself in the glass you had discovered your face was covered with red blotches18 and, on further examination, you found your arms and, indeed, the whole of your body similarly disfigured, what would you have done?"
She thought for a moment.
"Why, of course, I should have sent for the doctor."
"Which doctor?" he asked carelessly.
"Doctor van Heerden--oh!" She looked at him resentfully. "You don't suggest that Doctor van Heerden sent that hideous19 thing to me?"
"I don't suggest anything," said Mr. Beale coolly.
"I merely say that you would have sent for a doctor, and that that doctor would have been Doctor van Heerden. I say further, that he would have come to you and been very sympathetic, and would have ordered you to remain in bed for four or five days. I think, too," he said, looking up at the ceiling and speaking slowly, as though he were working out the possible consequence in his mind, "that he would have given you some very palatable20 medicine."
"What are you insinuating21?" she asked quietly.
He did not reply immediately.
"If you will get out of your mind the idea that I have any particular grievance22 against Doctor van Heerden, that I regard him as a rival, a business rival let us say, or that I have some secret grudge23 against him, and if in place of that suspicion you would believe that I am serving a much larger interest than is apparent to you, I think we might discuss"--he smiled--"even Doctor van Heerden without such a discussion giving offence to you."
She laughed.
"I am really not offended. I am rather distressed25, if anything," she said, knitting her brows. "You see, Doctor van Heerden has always been most kind to me."
Beale nodded.
"He got you your rooms at the flats," he replied quietly; "he was also ready to give you employment the moment you were providentially discharged from Punsonby's. Does it not strike you, Miss Cresswell, that every kind act of Doctor van Heerden's has had a tendency to bring you together, into closer association, I mean? Does it not appear to you that the net result of all the things that might have happened to you in the past few days would have been to make you more and more dependent upon Doctor van Heerden? For example, if you had gone into his employ as he planned that you should?"
"Planned!" she gasped.
His face was grave now and the laughter had gone out of his eyes.
"Planned," he said quietly. "You were discharged from Punsonby's at Doctor van Heerden's instigation."
"I will not believe it!"
"That will not make it any less the fact," said Mr. Beale. "You were nearly arrested--again at Doctor van Heerden's instigation. He was waiting for you when you came back from Punsonby's, ready to offer you his job. When he discovered you had already engaged yourself he telephoned to White, instructing him to have you arrested so that you might be disgraced and might turn to him, your one loyal friend."
She listened speechless. She could only stare at him and could not even interrupt him. For her shrewd woman instinct told her so convincingly that even her sense of loyalty26 could not eject the doubt which assailed27 her mind, that if there was not truth in what he was saying there was at least probability.
"I suggest even more," Beale went on. "I suggest that for some purpose, Doctor van Heerden desires to secure a mental, physical and moral ascendancy28 over you. In other words, he wishes to enslave you to his will."
She looked at him in wonder and burst into a peal29 of ringing laughter.
"Really, Mr. Beale, you are too absurd," she said.
"Aren't I?" he smiled. "It sounds like something out of a melodrama30."
"Why on earth should he want to secure a mental ascendancy over me? Do you suggest----" She flushed.
"I suggest nothing any longer," said Beale, slipping off from the end of the table. "I merely make a statement of fact. I do not think he has any designs on you, within the conventional meaning of that phrase, indeed, I think he wants to marry you--what do you think about that?"
She had recovered something of her poise31, and her sense of humour was helping32 her out of a situation which, without such a gift, might have been an embarrassing one.
"I think you have been seeing too many plays and reading too many exciting books, Mr. Beale," she said, "I confess I have never regarded Doctor van Heerden as a possible suitor, and if I thought he was I should be immensely flattered. But may I suggest to you that there are other ways of winning a girl than by giving her nettle-rash!"
They laughed together.
"All right," he said, swinging up his hat, "proceed with the good work and seek out the various domiciles of Mr. Scobbs."
Then she remembered.
"Do you know----?"
He was at the door when she spoke33 and he stopped and turned.
"The name of Mr. Scobbs gives me a cold shiver."
"Why?"
"Answer me this," she said: "why should I who have never heard of him before until yesterday hear his name mentioned by a perfect stranger?"
The smile died away from his face.
"Who mentioned him! No, it isn't idle curiosity," he said in face of her derisive34 finger. "I am really serious. Who mentioned his name?"
"A visitor of Doctor van Heerden's. I heard them talking through the ventilator when I was bolting my door."
"A visitor to Doctor van Heerden, and he mentioned Mr. Scobbs of Red Horse Valley," he said half to himself. "You didn't see the man?"
"No."
"You just heard him. No names were mentioned?"
"None," she said. "Is it a frightfully important matter?"
"It is rather," he replied. "We have got to get busy," and with this cryptic35 remark he left her.
The day passed as quickly as its predecessor36. The tabulation37 at which she was working grew until by the evening there was a pile of sheets in the left-hand cupboard covered with her fine writing. She might have done more but for the search she had to make for a missing report to verify one of her facts. It was not on the shelf, and she was about to abandon her search and postpone38 the confirmation39 till she saw Beale, when she noticed a cupboard beneath the shelves. It was unlocked and she opened it and found, as she had expected, that it was full of books, amongst which was the missing documentation she sought.
With a view to future contingencies40, she examined the contents of the cupboard and was arrested by a thin volume which bore no inscription41 or title on its blank cover. She opened it, and on the title page read: "The Millinborn Murder." The author's name was not given and the contents were made up of very careful analysis of evidence given by the various witnesses at the inquest, and plans and diagrams with little red crosses to show where every actor in that tragedy had been.
She read the first page idly and turned it. She was half-way down the second page when she uttered a little exclamation42, for a familiar name was there, the name of Dr. van Heerden.
Fascinated, she read the story to the end, half-expecting that the name of Mr. Beale would occur.
There were many names all unknown to her and one that occurred with the greatest frequency was that of James Kitson. Mr. Beale did not appear to have played any part. She read for an hour, sitting on the floor by the cupboard. She reached the last page, closed the book and slipped it back in the cupboard. She wondered why Beale had preserved this record and whether his antagonism43 to the doctor was founded on that case. At first she thought she identified him with the mysterious man who had appeared in the plantation44 before the murder, but a glance back at the description of the stranger dispelled45 that idea. For all the reputation he had, Mr. Beale did not have "an inflamed46, swollen47 countenance48, colourless bloodshot eyes," nor was he bald.
She was annoyed with herself that she had allowed her work to be interrupted, and in penance49 decided50 to remain on until six instead of five o'clock as she had intended. Besides, she half expected that Mr. Beale would return, and was surprised to discover that she was disappointed that he had not.
At six o'clock she dismissed the boy, closed and locked the office, and made her way downstairs into the crowded street.
To her surprise she heard her name spoken, and turned to face Dr. van Heerden.
"I have been waiting for you for nearly an hour," he said with good-humoured reproach.
"And your patients are probably dying like flies," she countered.
It was in her mind to make some excuse and go home alone, but curiosity got the better of her and impelled51 her to wait to discover the object of this unexpected visitation.
"How did you know where I was working?" she asked, as the thought occurred to her.
He laughed.
"It was a very simple matter. I was on my way to a patient and I saw you coming out to lunch," he said, "and as I found myself in the neighbourhood an hour ago I thought I would wait and take you home. You are doing a very foolish thing," he added.
"What do you mean-in stopping to talk to you when I ought to be on my way home to tea?"
"No, in engaging yourself to a man like Beale. You know the reputation he has! My dear girl, I was shocked when I discovered who your employer was."
"I don't think you need distress24 yourself on my account, doctor," she said quietly. "Really, Mr. Beale is quite pleasant--in his lucid52 moments," she smiled to herself.
She was not being disloyal to her employer. If he chose to encourage suspicion in his mode of life he must abide53 by the consequences.
"But a drunkard, faugh!" The exquisite54 doctor shivered. "I have always tried to be a friend of yours, Miss Cresswell, and I hope you are going to let me continue to be, and my advice to you in that capacity is--give Mr. Beale notice."
"How absurd you are!" she laughed. "There is no reason in the world why I should do anything of the sort. Mr. Beale has treated me with the greatest consideration."
"What is he, by the way?" asked the doctor.
"He's an agent of some sort," said the girl, "but I am sure you don't want me to discuss his business. And now I must go, doctor, if you will excuse me."
"One moment," he begged. "I have a cab here. Won't you come and have tea somewhere?"
"Where is somewhere?" she asked.
"The Grand Alliance?" he suggested.
She nodded slowly.
收听单词发音 |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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drowsiness
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| n.睡意；嗜睡 | |
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intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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jotted
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| v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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lodger
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| n.寄宿人，房客 | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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exhaled
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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primroses
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| n.报春花( primrose的名词复数 )；淡黄色；追求享乐（招至恶果） | |
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smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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blotches
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| n.（皮肤上的）红斑，疹块( blotch的名词复数 )；大滴 [大片]（墨水或颜色的）污渍 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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palatable
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| adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的 | |
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insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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ascendancy
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| n.统治权，支配力量 | |
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peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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melodrama
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| n.音乐剧；情节剧 | |
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poise
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| vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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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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derisive
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| adj.嘲弄的 | |
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cryptic
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| adj.秘密的，神秘的，含义模糊的 | |
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predecessor
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| n.前辈，前任 | |
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tabulation
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| 作表，表格； 表列结果； 列表； 造表 | |
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postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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contingencies
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| n.偶然发生的事故，意外事故( contingency的名词复数 )；以备万一 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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antagonism
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| n.对抗，敌对，对立 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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50
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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51
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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53
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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54
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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