The duke and duchess had no reason to regret the joke that had been played upon Sancho Panza in giving him the government; especially as their majordomo returned the same day, and gave them a minute account of almost every word and deed that Sancho uttered or did during the time; and to wind up with, eloquently1 described to them the attack upon the island and Sancho’s fright and departure, with which they were not a little amused. After this the history goes on to say that the day fixed2 for the battle arrived, and that the duke, after having repeatedly instructed his lacquey Tosilos how to deal with Don Quixote so as to vanquish3 him without killing4 or wounding him, gave orders to have the heads removed from the lances, telling Don Quixote that Christian5 charity, on which he plumed6 himself, could not suffer the battle to be fought with so much risk and danger to life; and that he must be content with the offer of a battlefield on his territory (though that was against the decree of the holy Council, which prohibits all challenges of the sort) and not push such an arduous7 venture to its extreme limits. Don Quixote bade his excellence8 arrange all matters connected with the affair as he pleased, as on his part he would obey him in everything. The dread9 day, then, having arrived, and the duke having ordered a spacious10 stand to be erected11 facing the court of the castle for the judges of the field and the appellant duennas, mother and daughter, vast crowds flocked from all the villages and hamlets of the neighbourhood to see the novel spectacle of the battle; nobody, dead or alive, in those parts having ever seen or heard of such a one.
The first person to enter the-field and the lists was the master of the ceremonies, who surveyed and paced the whole ground to see that there was nothing unfair and nothing concealed12 to make the combatants stumble or fall; then the duennas entered and seated themselves, enveloped13 in mantles14 covering their eyes, nay15 even their bosoms16, and displaying no slight emotion as Don Quixote appeared in the lists. Shortly afterwards, accompanied by several trumpets17 and mounted on a powerful steed that threatened to crush the whole place, the great lacquey Tosilos made his appearance on one side of the courtyard with his visor down and stiffly cased in a suit of stout19 shining armour20. The horse was a manifest Frieslander, broad-backed and flea-bitten, and with half a hundred of wool hanging to each of his fetlocks. The gallant21 combatant came well primed by his master the duke as to how he was to bear himself against the valiant22 Don Quixote of La Mancha; being warned that he must on no account slay23 him, but strive to shirk the first encounter so as to avoid the risk of killing him, as he was sure to do if he met him full tilt24. He crossed the courtyard at a walk, and coming to where the duennas were placed stopped to look at her who demanded him for a husband; the marshal of the field summoned Don Quixote, who had already presented himself in the courtyard, and standing25 by the side of Tosilos he addressed the duennas, and asked them if they consented that Don Quixote of La Mancha should do battle for their right. They said they did, and that whatever he should do in that behalf they declared rightly done, final and valid26. By this time the duke and duchess had taken their places in a gallery commanding the enclosure, which was filled to overflowing27 with a multitude of people eager to see this perilous28 and unparalleled encounter. The conditions of the combat were that if Don Quixote proved the victor his antagonist29 was to marry the daughter of Dona Rodriguez; but if he should be vanquished30 his opponent was released from the promise that was claimed against him and from all obligations to give satisfaction. The master of the ceremonies apportioned31 the sun to them, and stationed them, each on the spot where he was to stand. The drums beat, the sound of the trumpets filled the air, the earth trembled under foot, the hearts of the gazing crowd were full of anxiety, some hoping for a happy issue, some apprehensive32 of an untoward33 ending to the affair, and lastly, Don Quixote, commending himself with all his heart to God our Lord and to the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, stood waiting for them to give the necessary signal for the onset34. Our lacquey, however, was thinking of something very different; he only thought of what I am now going to mention.
It seems that as he stood contemplating35 his enemy she struck him as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen all his life; and the little blind boy whom in our streets they commonly call Love had no mind to let slip the chance of triumphing over a lacquey heart, and adding it to the list of his trophies36; and so, stealing gently upon him unseen, he drove a dart37 two yards long into the poor lacquey’s left side and pierced his heart through and through; which he was able to do quite at his ease, for Love is invisible, and comes in and goes out as he likes, without anyone calling him to account for what he does. Well then, when they gave the signal for the onset our lacquey was in an ecstasy38, musing39 upon the beauty of her whom he had already made mistress of his liberty, and so he paid no attention to the sound of the trumpet18, unlike Don Quixote, who was off the instant he heard it, and, at the highest speed Rocinante was capable of, set out to meet his enemy, his good squire40 Sancho shouting lustily as he saw him start, “God guide thee, cream and flower of knights-errant! God give thee the victory, for thou hast the right on thy side!” But though Tosilos saw Don Quixote coming at him he never stirred a step from the spot where he was posted; and instead of doing so called loudly to the marshal of the field, to whom when he came up to see what he wanted he said, “Senor, is not this battle to decide whether I marry or do not marry that lady?” “Just so,” was the answer. “Well then,” said the lacquey, “I feel qualms42 of conscience, and I should lay a-heavy burden upon it if I were to proceed any further with the combat; I therefore declare that I yield myself vanquished, and that I am willing to marry the lady at once.”
The marshal of the field was lost in astonishment43 at the words of Tosilos; and as he was one of those who were privy44 to the arrangement of the affair he knew not what to say in reply. Don Quixote pulled up in mid45 career when he saw that his enemy was not coming on to the attack. The duke could not make out the reason why the battle did not go on; but the marshal of the field hastened to him to let him know what Tosilos said, and he was amazed and extremely angry at it. In the meantime Tosilos advanced to where Dona Rodriguez sat and said in a loud voice, “Senora, I am willing to marry your daughter, and I have no wish to obtain by strife46 and fighting what I can obtain in peace and without any risk to my life.”
The valiant Don Quixote heard him, and said, “As that is the case I am released and absolved47 from my promise; let them marry by all means, and as ‘God our Lord has given her, may Saint Peter add his blessing48.’”
The duke had now descended49 to the courtyard of the castle, and going up to Tosilos he said to him, “Is it true, sir knight41, that you yield yourself vanquished, and that moved by scruples50 of conscience you wish to marry this damsel?”
“It is, senor,” replied Tosilos.
“And he does well,” said Sancho, “for what thou hast to give to the mouse, give to the cat, and it will save thee all trouble.”
Tosilos meanwhile was trying to unlace his helmet, and he begged them to come to his help at once, as his power of breathing was failing him, and he could not remain so long shut up in that confined space. They removed it in all haste, and his lacquey features were revealed to public gaze. At this sight Dona Rodriguez and her daughter raised a mighty51 outcry, exclaiming, “This is a trick! This is a trick! They have put Tosilos, my lord the duke’s lacquey, upon us in place of the real husband. The justice of God and the king against such trickery, not to say roguery!”
“Do not distress52 yourselves, ladies,” said Don Quixote; “for this is no trickery or roguery; or if it is, it is not the duke who is at the bottom of it, but those wicked enchanters who persecute53 me, and who, jealous of my reaping the glory of this victory, have turned your husband’s features into those of this person, who you say is a lacquey of the duke’s; take my advice, and notwithstanding the malice54 of my enemies marry him, for beyond a doubt he is the one you wish for a husband.”
When the duke heard this all his anger was near vanishing in a fit of laughter, and he said, “The things that happen to Senor Don Quixote are so extraordinary that I am ready to believe this lacquey of mine is not one; but let us adopt this plan and device; let us put off the marriage for, say, a fortnight, and let us keep this person about whom we are uncertain in close confinement55, and perhaps in the course of that time he may return to his original shape; for the spite which the enchanters entertain against Senor Don Quixote cannot last so long, especially as it is of so little advantage to them to practise these deceptions56 and transformations58.”
“Oh, senor,” said Sancho, “those scoundrels are well used to changing whatever concerns my master from one thing into another. A knight that he overcame some time back, called the Knight of the Mirrors, they turned into the shape of the bachelor Samson Carrasco of our town and a great friend of ours; and my lady Dulcinea del Toboso they have turned into a common country wench; so I suspect this lacquey will have to live and die a lacquey all the days of his life.”
Here the Rodriguez’s daughter exclaimed, “Let him be who he may, this man that claims me for a wife; I am thankful to him for the same, for I had rather he the lawful59 wife of a lacquey than the cheated mistress of a gentleman; though he who played me false is nothing of the kind.”
To be brief, all the talk and all that had happened ended in Tosilos being shut up until it was seen how his transformation57 turned out. All hailed Don Quixote as victor, but the greater number were vexed60 and disappointed at finding that the combatants they had been so anxiously waiting for had not battered61 one another to pieces, just as the boys are disappointed when the man they are waiting to see hanged does not come out, because the prosecution62 or the court has pardoned him. The people dispersed63, the duke and Don Quixote returned to the castle, they locked up Tosilos, Dona Rodriguez and her daughter remained perfectly64 contented65 when they saw that any way the affair must end in marriage, and Tosilos wanted nothing else.
与仆人托西洛斯进行了一场空前的决斗
公爵和公爵夫人对他们让桑乔当总督这个玩笑并没有感到后悔。特别是管家当天也赶回来了,向他们一五一十地把桑乔说的话和做的事都讲述了一遍,甚至包括他们佯装攻岛,桑乔害怕,一走了事等等,公爵和公爵夫人更觉得有意思了。接着,故事说到规定的决斗日期到了。在此之前,公爵已经多次嘱咐仆人托西洛斯,该如何战胜唐吉诃德,却又不能伤害他。公爵还吩咐把长矛的铁尖取了下来。公爵对唐吉诃德说,他所信奉的基督教不允许这次决斗太残酷,千万别危及性命。他能够在自己的领地上提供决斗场地就很不错了,因为决斗违反了教会关于禁止决斗的规定。他不想让这次决斗那么严酷。
唐吉诃德说公爵尽管吩咐,他都会服从。可怕的一天终于到了,公爵已吩咐在城堡前面的广场上搭起了一个宽敞的决斗台,决斗的裁判和原告女佣母女都坐在台上。当地和附近的无数人都跑来观看。在那个地方,无论是仍然健在的人还是已经死去的人,都没见过甚至没听说过这种决斗。
司仪首先进入场地,在场地内巡视察看,以防有任何欺骗行为或者有可能绊倒人的东西。女佣母女俩随后进入场地,坐到了自己的位置上。她们的头巾盖住了眼睛,甚至盖到了胸口,以示她们的极大悲痛。唐吉诃德出场了。不一会儿,身材高大的仆人托西洛斯也骑着一匹高头大马,在一片号角声的伴奏下从决斗台的另一侧出场了。他眼睛上戴着护眼罩,身上穿着亮光闪闪的坚固盔甲。他的马看样子是弗里萨马①,身体宽大,呈黑白色,每个蹄子上都长着一大丛毛。
①弗里萨出产的马非常雄健,四蹄毛多。
这位勇敢的战士已从公爵处得知该如何对待勇敢的唐吉诃德。他无论如何也不能杀死他,只能在交锋时尽力躲闪,以免在两人正面冲杀时危及自己的生命。他沿着决斗场转了一圈,来到母女俩面前,看了一眼那位要求同他结婚的姑娘。司仪召唤已经来到决斗场上的唐吉诃德,让唐吉诃德当着托西洛斯的面问两位女佣,是否同意让唐吉诃德为她们主持公道。她们回答说同意,而且无论出现什么结果,她们都认账,都认为有效。此时,公爵和公爵夫人正在决斗场上边的一个回廊里观看。他们周围簇拥着无数人,都想看看这场空前严酷的决斗。决斗的条件是,如果唐吉诃德战胜对手,那个对手就得同唐娜罗德里格斯的女儿结婚;如果唐吉诃德战败了,那个对手就不再履行同那个姑娘结婚的诺言,而且不承担任何义务。
司仪让两个人站到平等地面向阳光的位置,让他们在各自的位置上站好。鼓声响起,号角声响彻天空,脚下的大地在颤动。大家都悬着心,有些人害怕,有些人则期待着决斗的结果,不管是什么结果。唐吉诃德此时一边在心里虔诚地向上帝、向杜尔西内亚夫人祈祷,一边等待着发出开始进攻的信号。可是,那位仆人却另有想法,且看下面。
那个仆人看了姑娘一眼,立刻觉得她是自己平生见过的最美丽的姑娘。那个被人们称为爱神的瞎小子居然不放过战胜一个仆人灵魂的机会,以便给自己的功劳薄上再添光彩。他神不知鬼不觉地来到仆人身旁,把一支两尺长的箭从左侧射进了仆人的胸膛,箭穿透了仆人的心。爱神完全可以做到这点,因为他是隐而不见的,可以任意穿梭,而且没有任何人要求他解释自己做的事情。
进攻的信号发出时,那个仆人已经走了神,正想入非非地想着那个姑娘的美貌,竟没有听到号角声。唐吉诃德一听到号角声就立刻开始进攻。他催动罗西南多快速冲向敌人。他的侍从桑乔见状大声喊道:
“上帝为你指路,游侠骑士的精英!上帝保佑你胜利,正义在你一边!”
托西洛斯虽然看见唐吉诃德向他冲来,却呆在原地一动不动,相反,他大声呼唤司仪。司仪跑过来看他想干什么。仆人对司仪说道:
“大人,这场战斗是为了决定是否同那个姑娘结婚的问题吧?”
“是的。”司仪答道。
“那么好吧,”仆人说,“我内心感到害怕。如果把这场战斗进行下去,我于心不忍。我愿意认输,同那个姑娘结婚。”
司仪是这次活动的知情者之一,所以听了托西洛斯的话十分惊讶,不知如何回答是好。唐吉诃德见自己的对手不向前进攻,跑了一半也停下来。公爵不知道决斗为什么停了下来,待司仪向他报告了托西洛斯的话以后,他不禁勃然大怒。此时,托西洛斯已经来到唐娜罗德里格斯面前,大声说道:
“夫人,我愿意同您的女儿结婚。我不愿通过争斗获取本来可以心平气和、相安无事地得到的东西。”
唐吉诃德听到此话后说道:
“既然这样,我的话也就算兑现了。让他赶紧结婚吧,这是上帝的安排,让圣佩德罗为他们祝福吧。”
公爵从城堡的看台上走下来,来到托西洛斯身旁问他:
“小伙子,你真的认输了?你是不是因为内心感到恐惧才愿意同这个姑娘结婚的?”
“是的,大人。”托西洛斯说。
“他做得对。”桑乔此时说道,“本来应该给耗子的,现在给了猫,这回倒省事了。”
托西洛斯想摘掉头盔,就请大家帮忙,因为头盔扣得太紧,他有点受不了。大家立刻帮他把头盔摘了下来,结果仆人露出了他的本来面目。唐娜罗德里格斯和她女儿一见就大声喊道:
“这是个骗局!他们让公爵的仆人托西洛斯冒充我真正的丈夫!愿上帝和国王为我们主持公道!这要不说是卑鄙,也够恶毒了!”
“别着急,”唐吉诃德说,“这并不恶毒,也不卑鄙,即使恶毒卑鄙,也不是公爵所为,而是那些专跟我捣乱的魔法师干的事情。他们嫉妒我在这次决斗中取得胜利,于是把你丈夫的面孔变成了你说的那个公爵仆人的面孔。你就听我的劝告吧,尽管我的敌人在捣乱,你还是同他结婚吧,他肯定就是你想得到的那个丈夫。”
公爵听了差点儿大笑起来,说道:
“唐吉诃德遇到的事情总是这么奇怪!我竟差点相信我这个仆人不是我的仆人了。咱们还是采取这个办法吧:如果你们同意,咱们把婚礼推迟十五天,先把咱们怀疑的这个人关起来。这期间他肯定会恢复原形,魔法师们对唐吉诃德大人的仇恨不至于持续那么长时间,况且他们把人的面孔改变了对他们也没什么好处呀。”
“噢,大人,”桑乔说,“这些坏蛋常常把一些与我主人有关的东西变成另外一种东西。前几天我的主人打败了一个叫‘镜子骑士’的骑士,可是魔法师们把他变成了我们村一位老朋友参孙·卡拉斯科的模样,还把我的女主人杜尔西内亚变成了一个丑陋的农妇。所以,我觉得这个仆人无论是生是死,这辈子只能当仆人了。”
唐娜罗德里格斯的女儿说道:
“无论这个向我求婚的人是谁,我都要感谢他。我宁愿成为一个仆人的正式妻子,也不愿意当一个绅士的玩物,更何况玩弄我的人还不是绅士呢。”
不过,最后托西洛斯还是被关了起来,以便看看他到底能变成什么模样。很多人欢呼唐吉诃德的胜利,可是更多的人却因为没有看到两个战士被撕成碎片而感到沮丧,就像那些本来想看绞死人的孩子却看到被判绞刑的人被赦免时那样沮丧。人们离去了,公爵和唐吉诃德回到了城堡,托西洛斯被关了起来。唐娜罗德里格斯和她女儿满意地看到,不管怎么样,这件事最终将以结婚收场。托西洛斯也对此寄托了很大的希望。
1 eloquently | |
adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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2 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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3 vanquish | |
v.征服,战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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4 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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5 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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6 plumed | |
饰有羽毛的 | |
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7 arduous | |
adj.艰苦的,费力的,陡峭的 | |
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8 excellence | |
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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9 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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10 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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11 ERECTED | |
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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12 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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13 enveloped | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14 mantles | |
vt.&vi.覆盖(mantle的第三人称单数形式) | |
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15 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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16 bosoms | |
胸部( bosom的名词复数 ); 胸怀; 女衣胸部(或胸襟); 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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17 trumpets | |
喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 ); 小号; 喇叭形物; (尤指)绽开的水仙花 | |
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18 trumpet | |
n.喇叭,喇叭声;v.吹喇叭,吹嘘 | |
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20 armour | |
(=armor)n.盔甲;装甲部队 | |
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21 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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22 valiant | |
adj.勇敢的,英勇的;n.勇士,勇敢的人 | |
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23 slay | |
v.杀死,宰杀,杀戮 | |
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24 tilt | |
v.(使)倾侧;(使)倾斜;n.倾侧;倾斜 | |
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25 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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26 valid | |
adj.有确实根据的;有效的;正当的,合法的 | |
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27 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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28 perilous | |
adj.危险的,冒险的 | |
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29 antagonist | |
n.敌人,对抗者,对手 | |
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30 vanquished | |
v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 );战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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31 apportioned | |
vt.分摊,分配(apportion的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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32 apprehensive | |
adj.担心的,恐惧的,善于领会的 | |
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33 untoward | |
adj.不利的,不幸的,困难重重的 | |
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34 onset | |
n.进攻,袭击,开始,突然开始 | |
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35 contemplating | |
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 | |
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36 trophies | |
n.(为竞赛获胜者颁发的)奖品( trophy的名词复数 );奖杯;(尤指狩猎或战争中获得的)纪念品;(用于比赛或赛跑名称)奖 | |
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37 dart | |
v.猛冲,投掷;n.飞镖,猛冲 | |
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38 ecstasy | |
n.狂喜,心醉神怡,入迷 | |
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39 musing | |
n. 沉思,冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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40 squire | |
n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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41 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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42 qualms | |
n.不安;内疚 | |
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43 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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44 privy | |
adj.私用的;隐密的 | |
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45 mid | |
adj.中央的,中间的 | |
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46 strife | |
n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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47 absolved | |
宣告…无罪,赦免…的罪行,宽恕…的罪行( absolve的过去式和过去分词 ); 不受责难,免除责任 [义务] ,开脱(罪责) | |
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48 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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49 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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50 scruples | |
n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 );顾虑,顾忌v.感到于心不安,有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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52 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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53 persecute | |
vt.迫害,虐待;纠缠,骚扰 | |
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54 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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55 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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56 deceptions | |
欺骗( deception的名词复数 ); 骗术,诡计 | |
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57 transformation | |
n.变化;改造;转变 | |
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58 transformations | |
n.变化( transformation的名词复数 );转换;转换;变换 | |
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59 lawful | |
adj.法律许可的,守法的,合法的 | |
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60 vexed | |
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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61 battered | |
adj.磨损的;v.连续猛击;磨损 | |
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62 prosecution | |
n.起诉,告发,检举,执行,经营 | |
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63 dispersed | |
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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64 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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65 contented | |
adj.满意的,安心的,知足的 | |
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