Verily and truly all those who find pleasure in histories like this ought show their gratitude1 to Cide Hamete, its original author, for the scrupulous2 care he has taken to set before us all its minute particulars, not leaving anything, however trifling3 it may be, that he does not make clear and plain. He portrays4 the thoughts, he reveals the fancies, he answers implied questions, clears up doubts, sets objections at rest, and, in a word, makes plain the smallest points the most inquisitive5 can desire to know. O renowned6 author! O happy Don Quixote! O famous famous droll7 Sancho! All and each, may ye live countless8 ages for the delight and amusement of the dwellers9 on earth!
The history goes on to say that when Sancho saw the Distressed10 One faint he exclaimed: “I swear by the faith of an honest man and the shades of all my ancestors the Panzas, that never I did see or hear of, nor has my master related or conceived in his mind, such an adventure as this. A thousand devils — not to curse thee — take thee, Malambruno, for an enchanter and a giant! Couldst thou find no other sort of punishment for these sinners but bearding them? Would it not have been better — it would have been better for them — to have taken off half their noses from the middle upwards11, even though they’d have snuffled when they spoke12, than to have put beards on them? I’ll bet they have not the means of paying anybody to shave them.”
“That is the truth, senor,” said one of the twelve; “we have not the money to get ourselves shaved, and so we have, some of us, taken to using sticking-plasters by way of an economical remedy, for by applying them to our faces and plucking them off with a jerk we are left as bare and smooth as the bottom of a stone mortar13. There are, to be sure, women in Kandy that go about from house to house to remove down, and trim eyebrows14, and make cosmetics15 for the use of the women, but we, the duennas of my lady, would never let them in, for most of them have a flavour of agents that have ceased to be principals; and if we are not relieved by Senor Don Quixote we shall be carried to our graves with beards.”
“I will pluck out my own in the land of the Moors,” said Don Quixote, “if I don’t cure yours.”
At this instant the Trifaldi recovered from her swoon and said, “The chink of that promise, valiant16 knight17, reached my ears in the midst of my swoon, and has been the means of reviving me and bringing back my senses; and so once more I implore18 you, illustrious errant, indomitable sir, to let your gracious promises be turned into deeds.”
“There shall be no delay on my part,” said Don Quixote. “Bethink you, senora, of what I must do, for my heart is most eager to serve you.”
“The fact is,” replied the Distressed One, “it is five thousand leagues, a couple more or less, from this to the kingdom of Kandy, if you go by land; but if you go through the air and in a straight line, it is three thousand two hundred and twenty-seven. You must know, too, that Malambruno told me that, whenever fate provided the knight our deliverer, he himself would send him a steed far better and with less tricks than a post-horse; for he will be that same wooden horse on which the valiant Pierres carried off the fair Magalona; which said horse is guided by a peg19 he has in his forehead that serves for a bridle20, and flies through the air with such rapidity that you would fancy the very devils were carrying him. This horse, according to ancient tradition, was made by Merlin. He lent him to Pierres, who was a friend of his, and who made long journeys with him, and, as has been said, carried off the fair Magalona, bearing her through the air on its haunches and making all who beheld21 them from the earth gape22 with astonishment23; and he never lent him save to those whom he loved or those who paid him well; and since the great Pierres we know of no one having mounted him until now. From him Malambruno stole him by his magic art, and he has him now in his possession, and makes use of him in his journeys which he constantly makes through different parts of the world; he is here to-day, to-morrow in France, and the next day in Potosi; and the best of it is the said horse neither eats nor sleeps nor wears out shoes, and goes at an ambling24 pace through the air without wings, so that he whom he has mounted upon him can carry a cup full of water in his hand without spilling a drop, so smoothly25 and easily does he go, for which reason the fair Magalona enjoyed riding him greatly.”
“For going smoothly and easily,” said Sancho at this, “give me my Dapple, though he can’t go through the air; but on the ground I’ll back him against all the amblers in the world.”
They all laughed, and the Distressed One continued: “And this same horse, if so be that Malambruno is disposed to put an end to our sufferings, will be here before us ere the night shall have advanced half an hour; for he announced to me that the sign he would give me whereby I might know that I had found the knight I was in quest of, would be to send me the horse wherever he might be, speedily and promptly26.”
“And how many is there room for on this horse?” asked Sancho.
“Two,” said the Distressed One, “one in the saddle, and the other on the croup; and generally these two are knight and squire27, when there is no damsel that’s being carried off.”
“I’d like to know, Senora Distressed One,” said Sancho, “what is the name of this horse?”
“His name,” said the Distressed One, “is not the same as Bellerophon’s horse that was called Pegasus, or Alexander the Great’s , called Bucephalus, or Orlando Furioso’s, the name of which was Brigliador, nor yet Bayard, the horse of Reinaldos of Montalvan, nor Frontino like Ruggiero’s , nor Bootes or Peritoa, as they say the horses of the sun were called, nor is he called Orelia, like the horse on which the unfortunate Rodrigo, the last king of the Goths, rode to the battle where he lost his life and his kingdom.”
“I’ll bet,” said Sancho, “that as they have given him none of these famous names of well-known horses, no more have they given him the name of my master’s Rocinante, which for being apt surpasses all that have been mentioned.”
“That is true,” said the bearded countess, “still it fits him very well, for he is called Clavileno the Swift, which name is in accordance with his being made of wood, with the peg he has in his forehead, and with the swift pace at which he travels; and so, as far as name goes, he may compare with the famous Rocinante.”
“I have nothing to say against his name,” said Sancho; “but with what sort of bridle or halter is he managed?”
“I have said already,” said the Trifaldi, “that it is with a peg, by turning which to one side or the other the knight who rides him makes him go as he pleases, either through the upper air, or skimming and almost sweeping28 the earth, or else in that middle course that is sought and followed in all well-regulated proceedings29.”
“I’d like to see him,” said Sancho; “but to fancy I’m going to mount him, either in the saddle or on the croup, is to ask pears of the elm tree. A good joke indeed! I can hardly keep my seat upon Dapple, and on a pack-saddle softer than silk itself, and here they’d have me hold on upon haunches of plank30 without pad or cushion of any sort! Gad31, I have no notion of bruising32 myself to get rid of anyone’s beard; let each one shave himself as best he can; I’m not going to accompany my master on any such long journey; besides, I can’t give any help to the shaving of these beards as I can to the disenchantment of my lady Dulcinea.”
“Yes, you can, my friend,” replied the Trifaldi; “and so much, that without you, so I understand, we shall be able to do nothing.”
“In the king’s name!” exclaimed Sancho, “what have squires33 got to do with the adventures of their masters? Are they to have the fame of such as they go through, and we the labour? Body o’ me! if the historians would only say, ‘Such and such a knight finished such and such an adventure, but with the help of so and so, his squire, without which it would have been impossible for him to accomplish it;’ but they write curtly34, “Don Paralipomenon of the Three Stars accomplished35 the adventure of the six monsters;’ without mentioning such a person as his squire, who was there all the time, just as if there was no such being. Once more, sirs, I say my master may go alone, and much good may it do him; and I’ll stay here in the company of my lady the duchess; and maybe when he comes back, he will find the lady Dulcinea’s affair ever so much advanced; for I mean in leisure hours, and at idle moments, to give myself a spell of whipping without so much as a hair to cover me.”
“For all that you must go if it be necessary, my good Sancho,” said the duchess, “for they are worthy36 folk who ask you; and the faces of these ladies must not remain overgrown in this way because of your idle fears; that would be a hard case indeed.”
“In the king’s name, once more!” said Sancho; “If this charitable work were to be done for the sake of damsels in confinement37 or charity-girls, a man might expose himself to some hardships; but to bear it for the sake of stripping beards off duennas! Devil take it! I’d sooner see them all bearded, from the highest to the lowest, and from the most prudish38 to the most affected39.”
“You are very hard on duennas, Sancho my friend,” said the duchess; “you incline very much to the opinion of the Toledo apothecary40. But indeed you are wrong; there are duennas in my house that may serve as patterns of duennas; and here is my Dona Rodriguez, who will not allow me to say otherwise.”
“Your excellence41 may say it if you like,” said the Rodriguez; “for God knows the truth of everything; and whether we duennas are good or bad, bearded or smooth, we are our mothers’ daughters like other women; and as God sent us into the world, he knows why he did, and on his mercy I rely, and not on anybody’s beard.”
“Well, Senora Rodriguez, Senora Trifaldi, and present company,” said Don Quixote, “I trust in Heaven that it will look with kindly42 eyes upon your troubles, for Sancho will do as I bid him. Only let Clavileno come and let me find myself face to face with Malambruno, and I am certain no razor will shave you more easily than my sword shall shave Malambruno’s head off his shoulders; for ‘God bears with the wicked, but not for ever.”
“Ah!” exclaimed the Distressed One at this, “may all the stars of the celestial43 regions look down upon your greatness with benign44 eyes, valiant knight, and shed every prosperity and valour upon your heart, that it may be the shield and safeguard of the abused and downtrodden race of duennas, detested45 by apothecaries46, sneered47 at by squires, and made game of by pages. Ill betide the jade48 that in the flower of her youth would not sooner become a nun49 than a duenna! Unfortunate beings that we are, we duennas! Though we may be descended50 in the direct male line from Hector of Troy himself, our mistresses never fail to address us as ‘you’ if they think it makes queens of them. O giant Malambruno, though thou art an enchanter, thou art true to thy promises. Send us now the peerless Clavileno, that our misfortune may be brought to an end; for if the hot weather sets in and these beards of ours are still there, alas51 for our lot!”
The Trifaldi said this in such a pathetic way that she drew tears from the eyes of all and even Sancho’s filled up; and he resolved in his heart to accompany his master to the uttermost ends of the earth, if so be the removal of the wool from those venerable countenances52 depended upon it.
所有喜欢这个故事的人真应该感谢原作者锡德·哈迈德,他事无巨细地向我们介绍了故事的每一个细节。他向我们刻画了人物的思想,揭示了人物的想象力,道出了隐情,解开了疑团,分析了情节,总之,把人们想知道的每一点细微的东西都做了交代。噢,杰出的作者!幸运的唐吉诃德!大出风头的杜尔西内亚!滑稽的桑乔·潘萨!这些人一个个都将千秋万代地为生活带来笑谈。
故事说,桑乔看见忧伤妇人昏了过去,就说:
“我凭着一个正直人的信仰,凭着潘萨家族的历代祖先发誓,这种事我从未听过也从未见过,我的主人也从没有对我讲过,甚至他连想也没有想到过会有这种事。见你的鬼去吧,你这个魔法师巨人马兰布鲁诺!你除了让她们满脸长满胡须外,就没有别的办法来惩治这些娘儿们吗?怎么搞的!你把她们的下半个鼻子割掉岂不更好?尽管以后她们说起话来会瓮声瓮气,可那对她们岂不是更合适吗?我敢打赌,她们连剃胡须的钱也没有。”
“是的,大人,”一个女仆说,“我们没钱剃胡须,所以我们有的人采用了一个省钱的办法,把膏药贴在脸上,然后猛地揭下来,这样脸上就像磨盘一样平滑了。虽然在坎达亚专有女人挨家串户为人去汗毛、纹眉毛或者兜售妇女化妆品,可是我们从来不让她们进门,因为这种人以前都是卖身的,现在又来拉皮条。如果唐吉诃德大人不能帮助我们,我们就得带着胡子进坟墓了。”
“我若是不能帮助你们,”唐吉诃德说,“我就到摩尔人那儿去把我的胡子揪掉。”
此时“三摆裙夫人”也苏醒过来,说道:
“英勇的骑士,我在昏迷中听到了你的诺言,于是我就苏醒过来了。现在我再次请求你,著名的游侠骑士和战无不胜的大人,你一定不要食言啊。”
“我决不会食言,”唐吉诃德说,“夫人,您看我现在应该怎么办呢?我现在随时听候您的吩咐。”
“现在的情况是,”忧伤妇人说,“从这儿到坎达亚王国,如果从陆地走,距离有五千西里,多少不会相差两西里地;如果从空中走直线,就只有三千二百二十七西里。我还应该告诉你们,马兰布鲁诺对我说,如果我有幸找到了能帮我解脱魔法的骑士,他就送给那位骑士一匹马。那匹马比租来的马只好不坏,是英勇的彼雷斯夺回美丽的马加洛娜时骑的木马。木马靠额头上的一个当辔头用的销子操纵,飞起来特别轻盈,像是见了鬼。按照以前的传说,这匹马是魔法师梅尔林组装的,后来借给了他的朋友彼雷斯。彼雷斯就骑着它到处周游,并且像刚才说的,骑着它夺回了美丽的马加洛娜。彼雷斯用马的臀部驮着马加洛娜在空中飞行,当时看见他们的人无不目瞪口呆。梅尔林只把马借给他喜欢的人或是能出大价钱的人。自从伟大的彼雷斯那次骑马之后到现在,我们还没听说有谁骑过那匹马呢。马兰布鲁诺靠他的手腕把马弄了出来,霸占了它,并且骑着它到处奔波。他去过世界上许多地方,今天在这儿,明天就到了法兰西,后天又到了波多西。妙就妙在这匹马不吃不睡也不用马蹄铁,没有翅膀却能疾步如飞,而且走得非常稳,骑马的人可以手里平端满满一杯水,水一点儿也不会洒出来。所以,美人马加洛娜骑上这匹马时很高兴。”
桑乔这时说道:
“要说走得稳,还得数我那头驴。它虽然不能在空中飞,只是在地上走,我却敢说世界上的任何马都跑不过它。”
大家都笑了。忧伤妇人又接着说道:
“如果马兰布鲁诺想结束我们的不幸,他就会在午夜之前把这匹马送到我们面前,这是个信号。他若是把马送来,我马上就知道我已经找到了我要找的骑士。”
“那匹马能够载几个人?”桑乔问。
忧伤妇人回答道:
“两个人,一个骑在马鞍上,另一人骑在鞍后。如果没有夺来的女人的话,两个人通常是一个骑士和一个侍从。”
“忧伤妇人,”桑乔说,“我想知道那匹马叫什么名字?”
“它并不像贝来罗丰特的马那样叫佩加索,”忧伤妇人说,“也不像亚历山大的马那样叫布塞法罗,不像疯狂的罗兰的马那样叫布里利亚多罗,更不叫巴亚尔特,那是雷纳尔多斯·德蒙塔尔万的马;它不像鲁赫罗的马那样叫弗朗蒂诺,也不叫布特斯或佩里托亚,据说那是索尔的马;它也不叫奥雷利亚,哥特人倒霉的末代国王罗德里戈就是骑着那匹马参战,结果丧命亡国的。”
“我敢打赌,”桑乔说,“既然那么多名马的响亮名字它都不用,它肯定也不会采用我主人那匹马的名字罗西南多,而这个名字显然比所有马的名字都强。”
“是的,”忧伤妇人说,“不过这匹马的名字也起得很合适。它叫‘轻木销’,因为它是用木头做的,额头上有个销子,而且跑得飞快。论名字,它完全可以同驰名的罗西南多比美。”
“名字倒不错,”桑乔说,“可是用什么样的缰辔来驾驭它呢?”
“我刚才说过了,”三摆裙夫人说,“就靠那个销子。骑马的人把销子往这边或那边拧,就可以任意操纵它,或者让它腾云驾雾,或者让它掠地飞翔,或者不高不低,这是最好的,办事要有条理就得这样。”
“我倒想见见这匹马,”桑乔说,“不过,若想让我骑到它的鞍子上或屁股上去,那可别指望。我骑驴时要坐在比丝绵还软的驮鞍上,才勉强能走稳,现在要我骑在木马的硬屁股上,什么垫子都没有,那怎么行呢!我可不愿为了去掉别人脸上的胡须而让自己受罪。谁觉得合适谁就去做,我可不想陪我的主人跑那么远,况且,这不像使我的女主人杜尔西内亚解脱魔法,根本用不着我去管什么去掉胡须的闲事。”
“用得着,”三摆裙夫人说,“而且你应该管。我觉得若是没有你,我们什么事情也做不成。”
“我的天啊!”桑乔说,“主人征险同侍从有什么相干呀?他们征险成功,获得美名,却要我们去吃苦受罪,这像什么话!如果骑士小说的作者写上‘某某骑士完成了什么征险,但这是在他的侍从某某的帮助下完成的,没有侍从的帮助,骑士根本不可能完成这次征险’……那倒也成。可书上只是干巴巴地写:‘三星骑士唐帕拉里波梅农完成了某次征险,降伏了六个妖怪。’却只字不提侍从,好像世界上根本就没有侍从似的,其实,侍从一直跟随在左右嘛!各位大人,我现在再说一遍,让我的主人只身前往吧,他一定会马到成功。我要留在这里陪伴我的女主人公爵夫人。很可能在我的主人回来时,杜尔西内亚夫人的事情已大有好转了。我宁愿在这里抽空打自己一顿鞭子,把自己打得浑身是伤。”
“即使这样,如果有必要,你还是得陪你的主人去,好桑乔,这么多的好人都在求你呢。不能仅仅因为你害怕,就让这些女仆永远满脸胡须,那可是件丢人的事。”
“我还得再喊一遍我的天啊!”桑乔说,“如果是为一些幽居的女人或慈善堂的女孩做善事,那么男子汉作出冒险牺牲或许还值得;可如果是为了去掉女仆脸上的胡须而受罪,那就太冤枉了!我倒宁愿看到,从老太太到小姑娘,从娇声娇气到白皮嫩肉的,一个个都长上胡须!”
“你对女仆们太过分了,桑乔朋友。”公爵夫人说,“你太偏信药剂师的话了。你肯定是错了。我家有的女仆可以说是女仆的楷模。我身边这位唐娜罗德里格斯就无可挑剔。”
“随您怎么说,”唐娜罗德里格斯说,“上帝反正会判明是非。无论我们好还是不好,长胡须还是不长胡须,都像其他女人一样是从娘肚子里出来的,上帝既然让我们来到这个世界上,就知道该如何安排我们。我只接受上帝的怜悯,不接受什么胡须!”
“行了,唐娜罗德里格斯夫人、三摆裙夫人以及其他各位,”唐吉诃德说,“我希望老天会怜惜你们的痛苦,桑乔也会按照我的吩咐去做。只要‘轻木销’一到,我就与马兰布鲁诺交手,准能去掉你们脸上的胡须,用快刀把马兰布鲁诺的脑袋从他的肩膀上砍下来。上帝有时会让好人受苦,可是并不永远如此。”
“啊!”忧伤妇人说道,“让天上所有的星星都用温和的目光看着您吧,英勇的骑士,让它们给您以运气和勇气,来保护这些被人唾弃的女仆吧。药剂师憎恶她们,侍从议论她们,侍童也欺骗她们。她们年轻时没做修女却当了女仆,真是邪了门,活该受罪!我们这些倒霉的女仆,即使是特洛伊王子赫克托的直系后代,也还是要被我们的女主人以‘你’相称,也许这样她们就觉得自己是女王了。啊,巨人马兰布鲁诺啊,你虽然是魔法师,却言而有信,赶紧派那举世无双的‘轻木销’来吧,快来结束我们的不幸吧!假如天气热了,我们仍长着胡子,那可就糟了!”
三摆裙夫人这番伤心之言使所有在场的人都流下了眼泪,连桑乔也不例外。他心想,若能除去这些令人尊敬的脸庞上的胡须,即使陪主人走到天涯海角,他也心甘情愿。
1 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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2 scrupulous | |
adj.审慎的,小心翼翼的,完全的,纯粹的 | |
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3 trifling | |
adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
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4 portrays | |
v.画像( portray的第三人称单数 );描述;描绘;描画 | |
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5 inquisitive | |
adj.求知欲强的,好奇的,好寻根究底的 | |
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6 renowned | |
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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7 droll | |
adj.古怪的,好笑的 | |
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8 countless | |
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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9 dwellers | |
n.居民,居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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10 distressed | |
痛苦的 | |
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11 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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12 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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13 mortar | |
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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14 eyebrows | |
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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15 cosmetics | |
n.化妆品 | |
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16 valiant | |
adj.勇敢的,英勇的;n.勇士,勇敢的人 | |
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17 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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18 implore | |
vt.乞求,恳求,哀求 | |
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19 peg | |
n.木栓,木钉;vt.用木钉钉,用短桩固定 | |
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20 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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21 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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22 gape | |
v.张口,打呵欠,目瞪口呆地凝视 | |
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23 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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24 ambling | |
v.(马)缓行( amble的现在分词 );从容地走,漫步 | |
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25 smoothly | |
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地 | |
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26 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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27 squire | |
n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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28 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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29 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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30 plank | |
n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目 | |
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31 gad | |
n.闲逛;v.闲逛 | |
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32 bruising | |
adj.殊死的;十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式) | |
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33 squires | |
n.地主,乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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34 curtly | |
adv.简短地 | |
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35 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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36 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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37 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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38 prudish | |
adj.装淑女样子的,装规矩的,过分规矩的;adv.过分拘谨地 | |
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39 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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40 apothecary | |
n.药剂师 | |
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41 excellence | |
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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42 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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43 celestial | |
adj.天体的;天上的 | |
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44 benign | |
adj.善良的,慈祥的;良性的,无危险的 | |
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45 detested | |
v.憎恶,嫌恶,痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46 apothecaries | |
n.药剂师,药店( apothecary的名词复数 ) | |
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47 sneered | |
讥笑,冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48 jade | |
n.玉石;碧玉;翡翠 | |
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49 nun | |
n.修女,尼姑 | |
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50 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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51 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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52 countenances | |
n.面容( countenance的名词复数 );表情;镇静;道义支持 | |
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