Chupin’s stupefying revelations and the thought that Martial1, the heir of his name and dukedom, should degrade himself so low as to enter into a conspiracy2 with vulgar peasants, drove the Duc de Sairmeuse nearly wild.
But the Marquis de Courtornieu’s coolness restored the duke’s sang-froid.
He ran to the barracks, and in less than half an hour five hundred foot-soldiers and three hundred of the Montaignac chasseurs were under arms.
With these forces at his disposal it would have been easy enough to suppress this movement without the least bloodshed. It was only necessary to close the gates of the city. It was not with fowling-pieces and clubs that these poor peasants could force an entrance into a fortified3 town.
But such moderation did not suit a man of the duke’s violent temperament4, a man who was ever longing5 for struggle and excitement, a man whose ambition prompted him to display his zeal6.
He had ordered the gate of the citadel7 to be left open, and had concealed8 some of his soldiers behind the parapets of the outer fortifications.
He then stationed himself where he could command a view of the approach to the citadel, and deliberately9 chose his moment for giving the signal to fire.
Still, a strange thing happened. Of four hundred shots, fired into a dense10 crowd of fifteen hundred men, only three had hit the mark.
More humane11 than their chief, nearly all the soldiers had fired in the air.
But the duke had not time to investigate this strange occurrence now. He leaped into the saddle, and placing himself at the head of about five hundred men, cavalry12 and infantry13, he started in pursuit of the fugitives14.
The peasants had the advantage of their pursuers by about twenty minutes.
Poor simple creatures!
They might easily have made their escape. They had only to disperse15, to scatter16; but, unfortunately, the thought never once occurred to the majority of them. A few ran across the fields and gained their homes in safety; the others, frantic17 and despairing, overcome by the strange vertigo18 that seizes the bravest in moments of panic, fled like a flock of frightened sheep.
Fear lent them wings, for did they not hear each moment shots fired at the laggards19?
But there was one man, who, at each of these detonations20, received, as it were, his death-wound — this man was Lacheneur.
He had reached the Croix d’Arcy just as the firing at Montaignac began. He listened and waited. No discharge of musketry replied to the first fusillade. There might have been butchery, but combat, no.
Lacheneur understood it all; and he wished that every ball had pierced his own heart.
He put spurs to his horse and galloped23 to the crossroads. The place was deserted24. At the entrance of one of the roads stood the cabriolet which had brought M. d’Escorval and the abbe.
At last M. Lacheneur saw the fugitives approaching in the distance. He dashed forward, to meet them, trying by mingled25 curses and insults to stay their flight.
“Cowards!” he vociferated, “traitors! You flee — and you are ten against one! Where are you going? To your own homes. Fools! you will find the gendarmes26 there only awaiting your coming to conduct you to the scaffold. Is it not better to die with your weapons in your hands? Come — right about. Follow me! We may still conquer. Reinforcements are at hand; two thousand men are following me!”
He promised them two thousand men; had he promised them ten thousand, twenty thousand — an army and cannon27, it would have made no difference.
Not until they reached the wide-open space of the cross-roads, where they had talked so confidently scarcely an hour before, did the most intelligent of the throng28 regain29 their senses, while the others fled in every direction.
About a hundred of the bravest and most determined30 of the conspirators31 gathered around M. Lacheneur. In the little crowd was the abbe, gloomy and despondent32. He had been separated from the baron33. What had been his fate? Had he been killed or taken prisoner? Was it possible that he had made his escape?
The worthy34 priest dared not go away. He waited, hoping that his companion might rejoin him, and deemed himself fortunate in finding the carriage still there. He was still waiting when the remnant of the column confided35 to Maurice and Chanlouineau came up.
Of the five hundred men that composed it on its departure from Sairmeuse, only fifteen remained, including the two retired36 officers.
Marie-Anne was in the centre of this little party.
M. Lacheneur and his friends were trying to decide what course it was best for them to pursue. Should each man go his way? or should they unite, and by an obstinate37 resistance, give all their comrades time to reach their homes?
The voice of Chanlouineau put an end to all hesitation38.
“I have come to fight,” he exclaimed, “and I shall sell my life dearly.”
“We will make a stand then!” cried the others.
But Chanlouineau did not follow them to the spot which they had considered best adapted to the prolonged defence; he called Maurice and drew him a little aside.
“You, Monsieur d’Escorval,” he said, almost roughly, “are going to leave here and at once.”
“I— I came here, Chanlouineau, as you did, to do my duty.”
“Your duty, Monsieur, is to serve Marie-Anne. Go at once, and take her with you.”
“I shall remain,” said Maurice, firmly.
He was going to join his comrades when Chanlouineau stopped him.
“You have no right to sacrifice your life here,” he said, quietly. “Your life belongs to the woman who has given herself to you.”
Chanlouineau sadly shook his head.
“What is the use of denying it?” said he.
“It was so great a temptation that only an angel could have resisted it. It was not your fault, nor was it hers. Lacheneur was a bad father. There was a day when I wished either to kill myself or to kill you, I knew not which. Ah! only once again will you be as near death as you were that day. You were scarcely five paces from the muzzle40 of my gun. It was God who stayed my hand by reminding me of her despair. Now that I am to die, as well as Lacheneur, someone must care for Marie-Anne. Swear that you will marry her. You may be involved in some difficulty on account of this affair; but I have here the means of saving you.”
A sound of firing interrupted him; the soldiers of the Duc de Sairmeuse were approaching.
“Good God!” exclaimed Chanlouineau, “and Marie-Anne!”
They rushed in pursuit of her, and Maurice was the first to discover her, standing41 in the centre of the open space clinging to the neck of her father’s horse. He took her in his arms, trying to drag her away.
“Come!” said he, “come!”
But she refused.
“Leave me, leave me!” she entreated42.
“But all is lost!”
“Yes, I know that all is lost — even honor. Leave me here. I must remain; I must die, and thus hide my shame. I must, it shall be so!”
Just then Chanlouineau appeared.
Had he divined the secret of her resistance? Perhaps; but without uttering a word, he lifted her in his strong arms as if she had been a child and bore her to the carriage guarded by Abbe Midon.
“Get in,” he said, addressing the priest, “and quick — take Mademoiselle Lacheneur. Now, Maurice, in your turn!”
But already the duke’s soldiers were masters of the field. Seeing a group in the shadow, at a little distance, they rushed to the spot.
The heroic Chanlouineau seized his gun, and brandishing43 it like a club, held the enemy at bay, giving Maurice time to spring into the carriage, catch the reins44 and start the horse off at a gallop22.
All the cowardice45 and all the heroism46 displayed on that terrible night will never be really known.
Two minutes after the departure of Marie-Anne and of Maurice, Chanlouineau was still battling with the foe47.
A dozen or more soldiers were in front of him. Twenty shots had been fired, but not a ball had struck him. His enemies always believed him invulnerable.
“Surrender!” cried the soldiers, amazed by such valor48; “surrender!”
“Never! never!”
He was truly formidable; he brought to the support of his marvellous courage a superhuman strength and agility49. No one dared come within reach of those brawny50 arms that revolved51 with the power and velocity52 of the sails of a wind-mill.
Then it was that a soldier, confiding53 his musket21 to the care of a companion, threw himself flat upon his belly54, and crawling unobserved around behind this obscure hero, seized him by the legs. He tottered55 like an oak beneath the blow of the axe56, struggled furiously, but taken at such a disadvantage was thrown to the ground, crying, as he fell:
“Help! friends, help!”
But no one responded to this appeal.
At the other end of the open space those upon whom he called had, after a desperate struggle, yielded.
The main body of the duke’s infantry was near at hand.
The rebels heard the drums beating the charge; they could see the bayonets gleaming in the sunlight.
Lacheneur, who had remained in the same spot, utterly57 ignoring the shot that whistled around him, felt that his few remaining comrades were about to be exterminated58.
In that supreme59 moment the whole past was revealed to him as by a flash of lightning. He read and judged his own heart. Hatred60 had led him to crime. He loathed61 himself for the humiliation62 which he had imposed upon his daughter. He cursed himself for the falsehoods by which he had deceived these brave men, for whose death he would be accountable.
Enough blood had flowed; he must save those who remained.
“Cease firing, my friends,” he commanded; “retreat!”
They obeyed — he could see them scatter in every direction.
He too could flee; was he not mounted upon a gallant63 steed which would bear him beyond the reach of the enemy?
But he had sworn that he would not survive defeat. Maddened with remorse64, despair, sorrow, and impotent rage, he saw no refuge save in death.
He had only to wait for it; it was fast approaching; he preferred to rush to meet it. Gathering65 up the reins, he dashed the rowels in his steed and, alone, charged upon the enemy.
The shock was rude, the ranks opened, there was a moment of confusion.
But Lacheneur’s horse, its chest cut open by the bayonets, reared, beat the air with his hoofs66, then fell backward, burying his rider beneath him.
And the soldiers marched on, not suspecting that beneath the body of the horse the brave rider was struggling to free himself.
It was half-past one in the morning — the place was deserted.
Nothing disturbed the silence save the moans of a few wounded men, who called upon their comrades for succor67.
But before thinking of the wounded, M. de Sairmeuse must decide upon the course which would be most likely to redound68 to his advantage and to his political glory.
Now that the insurrection had been suppressed, it was necessary to exaggerate its magnitude as much as possible, in order that his reward should be in proportion to the service supposed to have been rendered.
Some fifteen or twenty rebels had been captured; but that was not a sufficient number to give the victory the eclat69 which he desired. He must find more culprits to drag before the provost-marshal or before a military commission.
He, therefore, divided his troops into several detachments, and sent them in every direction with orders to explore the villages, search all isolated70 houses, and arrest all suspected persons.
His task here having been completed, he again recommended the most implacable severity, and started on a brisk trot71 for Montaignac.
He was delighted; certainly he blessed — as had M. de Courtornieu — these honest and artless conspirators; but one fear, which he vainly tried to dismiss, impaired72 his satisfaction.
His son, the Marquis de Sairmeuse, was he, or was he not, implicated73 in this conspiracy?
He could not, he would not, believe it; and yet the recollection of Chupin’s assurance troubled him.
On the other hand, what could have become of Martial? The servant who had been sent to warn him — had he met him? Was the marquis returning? And by which road? Could it be possible that he had fallen into the hands of the peasants?
The duke’s relief was intense when, on returning home, after a conference with M. de Courtornieu, he learned that Martial had arrived about a quarter of an hour before.
“The marquis went at once to his own room on dismounting from his horse,” added the servant.
“Very well,” replied the duke. “I will seek him there.”
Before the servants he said, “Very well;” but secretly, he exclaimed: “Abominable impertinence! What! I am on horseback at the head of my troops, my life imperilled, and my son goes quietly to bed without even assuring himself of my safety!”
He reached his son’s room, but found the door closed and locked on the inside. He rapped.
“Who is there?” demanded Martial.
“It is I; open the door.”
Martial drew the bolt; M. de Sairmeuse entered, but the sight that met his gaze made him tremble.
Upon the table was a basin of blood, and Martial, with chest bared, was bathing a large wound in his right breast.
“You have been fighting!” exclaimed the duke, in a husky voice.
“Yes.”
“Ah! then you were, indeed ——”
“I was where? what?”
“At the convocation of these miserable74 peasants who, in their parricidal75 folly76, have dared to dream of the overthrow77 of the best of princes!”
Martial’s face betrayed successively profound surprise, and a more violent desire to laugh.
“I think you must be jesting, Monsieur,” he replied.
The young man’s words and manner reassured78 the duke a little, without entirely79 dissipating his suspicions.
“Then, these vile80 rascals81 attacked you?” he exclaimed.
“Not at all. I have been simply obliged to fight a duel83.”
“With whom? Name the scoundrel who has dared to insult you!”
A faint flush tinged84 Martial’s cheek; but it was in his usual careless tone that he replied:
“Upon my word, no; I shall not give his name. You would trouble him, perhaps; and I really owe the fellow a debt of gratitude85. It happened upon the highway; he might have assassinated86 me without ceremony, but he offered me open combat. Besides, he was wounded far more severely87 than I.”
All M. de Sairmeuse’s doubts had returned.
“And why, instead of summoning a physician, are you attempting to dress this wound yourself?”
“Because it is a mere88 trifle, and because I wish to keep it a secret.”
The duke shook his head.
“All this is scarcely plausible,” he remarked, “especially after the assurance of your complicity, which I have received.”
“Ah!” said he; “and from whom? From your spy-in-chief, no doubt — that rascal82 Chupin. It surprises me to see that you can hesitate for a moment between the word of your son and the stories of such a wretch.”
“Do not speak ill of Chupin, Marquis; he is a very useful man. Had it not been for him, we should have been taken unawares. It was through him that I learned of this vast conspiracy organized by Lacheneur ——”
“What! is it Lacheneur —”
“Who is at the head of the movement? yes, Marquis. Ah! your usual discernment has failed you in this instance. What, you have been a constant visitor at this house, and you have suspected nothing? And you contemplate89 a diplomatic career! But this is not all. You know now for what purpose the money which you so lavishly90 bestowed91 upon them has been employed. They have used it to purchase guns, powder, and ammunition92.”
The duke had become satisfied of the injustice93 of his suspicions; but he was now endeavoring to irritate his son.
It was a fruitless effort. Martial knew very well that he had been duped, but he did not think of resenting it.
“If Lacheneur has been captured,” he thought; “if he should be condemned94 to death and if I should save him, Marie-Anne would refuse me nothing.”
1 martial | |
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的 | |
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2 conspiracy | |
n.阴谋,密谋,共谋 | |
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3 fortified | |
adj. 加强的 | |
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4 temperament | |
n.气质,性格,性情 | |
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5 longing | |
n.(for)渴望 | |
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6 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
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7 citadel | |
n.城堡;堡垒;避难所 | |
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8 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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9 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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10 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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11 humane | |
adj.人道的,富有同情心的 | |
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12 cavalry | |
n.骑兵;轻装甲部队 | |
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13 infantry | |
n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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14 fugitives | |
n.亡命者,逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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15 disperse | |
vi.使分散;使消失;vt.分散;驱散 | |
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16 scatter | |
vt.撒,驱散,散开;散布/播;vi.分散,消散 | |
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17 frantic | |
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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18 vertigo | |
n.眩晕 | |
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19 laggards | |
n.落后者( laggard的名词复数 ) | |
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20 detonations | |
n.爆炸 (声)( detonation的名词复数 ) | |
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21 musket | |
n.滑膛枪 | |
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22 gallop | |
v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展 | |
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23 galloped | |
(使马)飞奔,奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 ); 快速做[说]某事 | |
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24 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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25 mingled | |
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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26 gendarmes | |
n.宪兵,警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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27 cannon | |
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
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28 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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29 regain | |
vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 | |
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30 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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31 conspirators | |
n.共谋者,阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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32 despondent | |
adj.失望的,沮丧的,泄气的 | |
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33 baron | |
n.男爵;(商业界等)巨头,大王 | |
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34 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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35 confided | |
v.吐露(秘密,心事等)( confide的过去式和过去分词 );(向某人)吐露(隐私、秘密等) | |
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36 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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37 obstinate | |
adj.顽固的,倔强的,不易屈服的,较难治愈的 | |
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38 hesitation | |
n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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39 wretch | |
n.可怜的人,不幸的人;卑鄙的人 | |
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40 muzzle | |
n.鼻口部;口套;枪(炮)口;vt.使缄默 | |
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41 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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42 entreated | |
恳求,乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43 brandishing | |
v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 );炫耀 | |
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44 reins | |
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带 | |
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45 cowardice | |
n.胆小,怯懦 | |
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46 heroism | |
n.大无畏精神,英勇 | |
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47 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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48 valor | |
n.勇气,英勇 | |
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49 agility | |
n.敏捷,活泼 | |
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50 brawny | |
adj.强壮的 | |
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51 revolved | |
v.(使)旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 );细想 | |
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52 velocity | |
n.速度,速率 | |
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53 confiding | |
adj.相信人的,易于相信的v.吐露(秘密,心事等)( confide的现在分词 );(向某人)吐露(隐私、秘密等) | |
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54 belly | |
n.肚子,腹部;(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分,膛 | |
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55 tottered | |
v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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56 axe | |
n.斧子;v.用斧头砍,削减 | |
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57 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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58 exterminated | |
v.消灭,根绝( exterminate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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60 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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61 loathed | |
v.憎恨,厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 );极不喜欢 | |
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62 humiliation | |
n.羞辱 | |
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63 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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64 remorse | |
n.痛恨,悔恨,自责 | |
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65 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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66 hoofs | |
n.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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67 succor | |
n.援助,帮助;v.给予帮助 | |
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68 redound | |
v.有助于;提;报应 | |
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69 eclat | |
n.显赫之成功,荣誉 | |
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70 isolated | |
adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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71 trot | |
n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 | |
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72 impaired | |
adj.受损的;出毛病的;有(身体或智力)缺陷的v.损害,削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 implicated | |
adj.密切关联的;牵涉其中的 | |
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74 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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75 parricidal | |
adj.杀父母的,杀长上者 | |
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76 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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77 overthrow | |
v.推翻,打倒,颠覆;n.推翻,瓦解,颠覆 | |
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78 reassured | |
adj.使消除疑虑的;使放心的v.再保证,恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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79 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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80 vile | |
adj.卑鄙的,可耻的,邪恶的;坏透的 | |
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81 rascals | |
流氓( rascal的名词复数 ); 无赖; (开玩笑说法)淘气的人(尤指小孩); 恶作剧的人 | |
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82 rascal | |
n.流氓;不诚实的人 | |
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83 duel | |
n./v.决斗;(双方的)斗争 | |
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84 tinged | |
v.(使)发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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86 assassinated | |
v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 );中伤;诋毁;破坏 | |
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87 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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88 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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89 contemplate | |
vt.盘算,计议;周密考虑;注视,凝视 | |
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90 lavishly | |
adv.慷慨地,大方地 | |
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91 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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92 ammunition | |
n.军火,弹药 | |
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93 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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94 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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