He Effects a Lodgment in the House of a Rich Jeweller.
In consequence of this determination, he to the uttermost exerted his good-humour among the few friends of consequence his fortune had left, and even carried his complaisance1 so far as to become the humble2 servant of their pleasures, while he attempted to extend his acquaintance in an inferior path of life, where he thought his talents would shine more conspicuous3 than at the assemblies of the great, and conduce more effectually to the interest of all his designs. Nor did he find himself disappointed in that expectation, sanguine4 as it was. He soon found means to be introduced to the house of a wealthy bourgeois5, where every individual was charmed with his easy air and extraordinary qualifications. He accommodated himself surprisingly to the humours of the whole family; smoked tobacco, swallowed wine, and discoursed6 of stones with the husband, who was a rich jeweller; sacrificed himself to the pride and loquacity7 of the wife; and played upon the violin, and sung alternately, for the amusement of his only daughter, a buxom8 lass, nearly of his own age, the fruit of a former marriage.
It was not long before Ferdinand had reason to congratulate himself on the footing he had gained in this society. He had expected to find, and in a little time actually discovered, that mutual9 jealousy10 and rancour which almost always subsist11 between a daughter and her step-dame12, inflamed13 with all the virulence14 of female emulation15; for the disparity in their ages served only to render them the more inveterate16 rivals in the desire of captivating the other sex. Our adventurer having deliberated upon the means of converting this animosity to his own advantage, saw no method for this purpose so feasible as that of making his approaches to the hearts of both, by ministering to each in private, food for their reciprocal envy and malevolence18; because he well knew that no road lies so direct and open to a woman’s heart as that of gratifying her passions of vanity and resentment19.
When he had an opportunity of being particular with the mother, he expressed his concern for having unwittingly incurred20 the displeasure of Mademoiselle, which, he observed, was obvious in every circumstance of her behaviour towards him; protesting he was utterly21 innocent of all intention of offending her; and that he could not account for his disgrace any other way, than by supposing she took umbrage22 at the direction of his chief regards towards her mother-in-law, which, he owned, was altogether involuntary, being wholly influenced by that lady’s superior charms and politeness.
Such a declaration was perfectly23 well calculated for the meridian24 of a dame like her, who with all the intoxications of unenlightened pride, and an increased appetite for pleasure, had begun to find herself neglected, and even to believe that her attractions were actually on the wane25. She very graciously consoled our gallant26 for the mishap27 of which he complained, representing Wilhelmina (that was the daughter’s name) as a pert, illiterate28, envious29 baggage, of whose disgust he ought to make no consideration; then she recounted many instances of her own generosity30 to that young lady, with the returns of malice31 and ingratitude32 she had made; and, lastly, enumerated33 all the imperfections of her person, education, and behaviour; that he might see with what justice the gypsy pretended to vie with those who had been distinguished34 by the approbation35 and even gallantry of the best people in Vienna.
Having thus established himself her confidant and gossip, he knew his next step of promotion36 would necessarily be to the degree of her lover; and in that belief resolved to play the same game with Mademoiselle Wilhelmina, whose complexion37 was very much akin17 to that of her stepmother; indeed they resembled each other too much to live upon any terms of friendship or even decorum. Fathom38, in order to enjoy a private conversation with the young lady, never failed to repeat his visit every afternoon, till at length he had the pleasure of finding her disengaged, the jeweller being occupied among his workmen, and his wife gone to assist at a lying-in.
Our adventurer and the daughter had already exchanged their vows39, by the expressive40 language of the eyes; he had even declared himself in some tender ejaculations which had been softly whispered in her ear, when he could snatch an opportunity of venting41 them unperceived; nay42, he had upon divers43 occasions gently squeezed her fair hand, on pretence44 of tuning45 her harpsichord46, and been favoured with returns of the same cordial pressure; so that, instead of accosting47 her with the fearful hesitation48 and reserve of a timid swain, he told her, after the exercise of the doux-yeux, that he was come to confer with her upon a subject that nearly concerned her peace; and asked if she had not observed of late an evident abatement49 of friendship in her mother’s behaviour to him, whom she had formerly50 treated with such marks of favour and respect. Mademoiselle would not pay so ill a compliment to her own discernment as to say she had not perceived the alteration51; which, on the contrary, she owned was extremely palpable; nor was it difficult to divine the cause of such estranged52 looks. This remark was accompanied with an irresistible53 glance; she smiled enchanting54, the colour deepened on her cheeks, her breast began to heave, and her whole frame underwent a most agreeable confusion.
Ferdinand was not a man to let such a favourable55 conjuncture pass unregarded. “Yes, charming Wilhelmina!” exclaimed the politician in an affected56 rapture57, “the cause is as conspicuous as your attractions. She hath, in spite of all my circumspection58, perceived that passion which it is not in my power to conceal59, and in consequence of which I now declare myself your devoted60 adorer; or, conscious of your superior excellence61, her jealousy hath taken the alarm, and, though stung with conjecture62 only, repines at the triumph of your perfections. How far this spirit of malignity63 may be inflamed to my prejudice, I know not. Perhaps, as this is the first, it may be also the last opportunity I shall have of avowing64 the dearest sentiments of my heart to the fair object that inspired them; in a word, I may be for ever excluded from your presence. Excuse me, then, divine creature! from the practice of those unnecessary forms, which I should take pride in observing, were I indulged with the ordinary privileges of an honourable65 lover; and, once for all, accept the homage66 of an heart overflowing67 with love and admiration68. Yes, adorable Wilhelmina! I am dazzled with your supernatural beauty; your other accomplishments69 strike me with wonder and awe70. I am enchanted71 by the graces of your deportment, ravished with the charms of your conversation; and there is a certain tenderness of benevolence72 in that endearing aspect, which, I trust, will not fail to melt with sympathy at the emotions of a faithful slave like me.”
So saying, he threw himself upon his knees, and, seizing her plump hand, pressed it to his lips with all the violence of real transport. The nymph, whose passions nature had filled to the brim, could not hear such a rhapsody unmoved. Being an utter stranger to addresses of this kind, she understood every word of it in the literal acceptation; she believed implicitly74 in the truth of the encomiums he had bestowed75, and thought it reasonable he should be rewarded for the justice he had done to her qualifications, which had hitherto been almost altogether overlooked. In short, her heart began to thaw76, and her face to hang out the flag of capitulation; which was no sooner perceived by our hero, than he renewed his attack with redoubled fervour, pronouncing in a most vehement77 tone, “Light of my eyes, and empress of my soul! behold78 me prostrate79 at your feet, waiting with the most pious80 resignation, for that sentence from your lips, on which my future happiness or misery81 must altogether depend. Not with more reverence82 does the unhappy bashaw kiss the sultan’s letter that contains his doom83, than I will submit to your fatal determination. Speak then, angelic sweetness! for never, ah! never will I rise from this suppliant84 posture85, until I am encouraged to live and hope. No! if you refuse to smile upon my passion, here shall I breathe the last sighs of a despairing lover; here shall this faithful sword do the last office to its unfortunate master, and shed the blood of the truest heart that ever felt the cruel pangs86 of disappointed love.”
The young lady, well-nigh overcome by this effusion, which brought the tears into her eyes, “Enough, enough,” cried she, interrupting him, “sure you men were created for the ruin of our sex.”—“Ruin!” re-echoed Fathom, “talk not of ruin and Wilhelmina! let these terms be for ever parted, far as the east and west asunder87! let ever smiling peace attend her steps, and love and joy still wanton in her train! Ruin, indeed, shall wait upon her enemies, if such there be, and those love-lorn wretches88 who pine with anguish89 under her disdain90. Grant me, kind Heaven, a more propitious91 boon92; direct her genial93 regards to one whose love is without example, and whose constancy is unparalleled. Bear witness to my constancy and faith, ye verdant94 hills, ye fertile plains, ye shady groves95, ye purling streams; and if I prove untrue, ah! let me never find a solitary96 willow97 or a bubbling brook98, by help of which I may be enabled to put a period to my wretched life.”
Here this excellent actor began to sob99 most piteously, and the tender-hearted Wilhelmina, unable longer to withstand his moving tale, with a repetition of the interjection, ah! gently dropped into his arms. This was the beginning of a correspondence that soon rose to a very interesting pitch; and they forthwith concerted measures for carrying it on without the knowledge or suspicion of her mother-in-law. Nevertheless, the young lady, vanquished100 as she was, and unskilled in the ways of men, would not all at once yield at discretion101; but insisted upon those terms, without which no woman’s reputation can be secured. Our lover, far from seeking to evade102 the proposal, assented103 to it in terms of uncommon104 satisfaction, and promised to use his whole industry in finding a priest upon whose discretion they could rely; nay, he certainly resolved to comply with her request in good earnest, rather than forfeit105 the advantages which he foresaw in their union. His good fortune, however, exempted106 him from the necessity of taking such a step, which at best must have been disagreeable; for so many difficulties occurred in the inquiry107 which was set on foot, and so artfully did Fathom in the meantime manage the influence he had already gained over her heart, that, before her passion could obtain a legal gratification, she surrendered to his wish, without any other assurance, than his solemn profession of sincerity108 and truth, on which she reposed109 herself with the most implicit73 confidence and faith.
1 complaisance | |
n.彬彬有礼,殷勤,柔顺 | |
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2 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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3 conspicuous | |
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的 | |
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4 sanguine | |
adj.充满希望的,乐观的,血红色的 | |
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5 bourgeois | |
adj./n.追求物质享受的(人);中产阶级分子 | |
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6 discoursed | |
演说(discourse的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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7 loquacity | |
n.多话,饶舌 | |
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8 buxom | |
adj.(妇女)丰满的,有健康美的 | |
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9 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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10 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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11 subsist | |
vi.生存,存在,供养 | |
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12 dame | |
n.女士 | |
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13 inflamed | |
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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14 virulence | |
n.毒力,毒性;病毒性;致病力 | |
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15 emulation | |
n.竞争;仿效 | |
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16 inveterate | |
adj.积习已深的,根深蒂固的 | |
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17 akin | |
adj.同族的,类似的 | |
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18 malevolence | |
n.恶意,狠毒 | |
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19 resentment | |
n.怨愤,忿恨 | |
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20 incurred | |
[医]招致的,遭受的; incur的过去式 | |
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21 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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22 umbrage | |
n.不快;树荫 | |
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23 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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24 meridian | |
adj.子午线的;全盛期的 | |
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25 wane | |
n.衰微,亏缺,变弱;v.变小,亏缺,呈下弦 | |
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26 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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27 mishap | |
n.不幸的事,不幸;灾祸 | |
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28 illiterate | |
adj.文盲的;无知的;n.文盲 | |
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29 envious | |
adj.嫉妒的,羡慕的 | |
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30 generosity | |
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为 | |
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31 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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32 ingratitude | |
n.忘恩负义 | |
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33 enumerated | |
v.列举,枚举,数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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35 approbation | |
n.称赞;认可 | |
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36 promotion | |
n.提升,晋级;促销,宣传 | |
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37 complexion | |
n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 | |
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38 fathom | |
v.领悟,彻底了解 | |
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39 vows | |
誓言( vow的名词复数 ); 郑重宣布,许愿 | |
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40 expressive | |
adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的 | |
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41 venting | |
消除; 泄去; 排去; 通风 | |
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42 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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43 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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44 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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45 tuning | |
n.调谐,调整,调音v.调音( tune的现在分词 );调整;(给收音机、电视等)调谐;使协调 | |
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46 harpsichord | |
n.键琴(钢琴前身) | |
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47 accosting | |
v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的现在分词 );跟…搭讪;(乞丐等)上前向…乞讨;(妓女等)勾搭 | |
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48 hesitation | |
n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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49 abatement | |
n.减(免)税,打折扣,冲销 | |
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50 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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51 alteration | |
n.变更,改变;蚀变 | |
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52 estranged | |
adj.疏远的,分离的 | |
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53 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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54 enchanting | |
a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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55 favourable | |
adj.赞成的,称赞的,有利的,良好的,顺利的 | |
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56 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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57 rapture | |
n.狂喜;全神贯注;着迷;v.使狂喜 | |
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58 circumspection | |
n.细心,慎重 | |
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59 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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60 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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61 excellence | |
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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62 conjecture | |
n./v.推测,猜测 | |
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63 malignity | |
n.极度的恶意,恶毒;(病的)恶性 | |
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64 avowing | |
v.公开声明,承认( avow的现在分词 ) | |
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65 honourable | |
adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
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66 homage | |
n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬 | |
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67 overflowing | |
n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的,充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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68 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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69 accomplishments | |
n.造诣;完成( accomplishment的名词复数 );技能;成绩;成就 | |
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70 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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71 enchanted | |
adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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72 benevolence | |
n.慈悲,捐助 | |
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73 implicit | |
a.暗示的,含蓄的,不明晰的,绝对的 | |
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74 implicitly | |
adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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75 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76 thaw | |
v.(使)融化,(使)变得友善;n.融化,缓和 | |
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77 vehement | |
adj.感情强烈的;热烈的;(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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78 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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79 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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80 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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81 misery | |
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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82 reverence | |
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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83 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
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84 suppliant | |
adj.哀恳的;n.恳求者,哀求者 | |
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85 posture | |
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势 | |
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86 pangs | |
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛 | |
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87 asunder | |
adj.分离的,化为碎片 | |
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88 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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89 anguish | |
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼 | |
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90 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
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91 propitious | |
adj.吉利的;顺利的 | |
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92 boon | |
n.恩赐,恩物,恩惠 | |
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93 genial | |
adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的 | |
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94 verdant | |
adj.翠绿的,青翠的,生疏的,不老练的 | |
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95 groves | |
树丛,小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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96 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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97 willow | |
n.柳树 | |
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98 brook | |
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让 | |
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99 sob | |
n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣 | |
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100 vanquished | |
v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 );战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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101 discretion | |
n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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102 evade | |
vt.逃避,回避;避开,躲避 | |
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103 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104 uncommon | |
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的 | |
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105 forfeit | |
vt.丧失;n.罚金,罚款,没收物 | |
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106 exempted | |
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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107 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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108 sincerity | |
n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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109 reposed | |
v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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