Vitriol, sal-tartre, argaile, alkaly,
Cinoper: I know all.— This fellow, Captain,
Will come in time to be a great distiller,
And give a say (I will not say directly,
But very near) at the philosopher’s stone.
The Alchemist.
Tressilian and his attendants pressed their route with all dispatch. He had asked the smith, indeed, when their departure was resolved on, whether he would not rather choose to avoid Berkshire, in which he had played a part so conspicuous2? But Wayland returned a confident answer. He had employed the short interval3 they passed at Lidcote Hall in transforming himself in a wonderful manner. His wild and overgrown thicket4 of beard was now restrained to two small moustaches on the upper lip, turned up in a military fashion. A tailor from the village of Lidcote (well paid) had exerted his skill, under his customer’s directions, so as completely to alter Wayland’s outward man, and take off from his appearance almost twenty years of age. Formerly5, besmeared with soot6 and charcoal7, overgrown with hair, and bent8 double with the nature of his labour, disfigured too by his odd and fantastic dress, he seemed a man of fifty years old. But now, in a handsome suit of Tressilian’s livery, with a sword by his side and a buckler on his shoulder, he looked like a gay ruffling9 serving-man, whose age might be betwixt thirty and thirty-five, the very prime of human life. His loutish11, savage-looking demeanour seemed equally changed, into a forward, sharp, and impudent12 alertness of look and action.
When challenged by Tressilian, who desired to know the cause of a metamorphosis so singular and so absolute, Wayland only answered by singing a stave from a comedy, which was then new, and was supposed, among the more favourable13 judges, to augur14 some genius on the part of the author. We are happy to preserve the couplet, which ran exactly thus,—
“Ban, ban, ca Caliban —
Get a new master — Be a new man.”
Although Tressilian did not recollect15 the verses, yet they reminded him that Wayland had once been a stage player, a circumstance which, of itself, accounted indifferently well for the readiness with which he could assume so total a change of personal appearance. The artist himself was so confident of his disguise being completely changed, or of his having completely changed his disguise, which may be the more correct mode of speaking, that he regretted they were not to pass near his old place of retreat.
“I could venture,” he said, “in my present dress, and with your worship’s backing, to face Master Justice Blindas, even on a day of Quarter Sessions; and I would like to know what is become of Hobgoblin, who is like to play the devil in the world, if he can once slip the string, and leave his granny and his dominie.— Ay, and the scathed16 vault17!” he said; “I would willingly have seen what havoc18 the explosion of so much gunpowder19 has made among Doctor Demetrius Doboobie’s retorts and phials. I warrant me, my fame haunts the Vale of the Whitehorse long after my body is rotten; and that many a lout10 ties up his horse, lays down his silver groat, and pipes like a sailor whistling in a calm for Wayland Smith to come and shoe his tit for him. But the horse will catch the founders20 ere the smith answers the call.”
In this particular, indeed, Wayland proved a true prophet; and so easily do fables21 rise, that an obscure tradition of his extraordinary practice in farriery prevails in the Vale of Whitehorse even unto this day; and neither the tradition of Alfred’s Victory, nor of the celebrated22 Pusey Horn, are better preserved in Berkshire than the wild legend of Wayland Smith.10
The haste of the travellers admitted their making no stay upon their journey, save what the refreshment23 of the horses required; and as many of the places through which they passed were under the influence of the Earl of Leicester, or persons immediately dependent on him, they thought it prudent24 to disguise their names and the purpose of their journey. On such occasions the agency of Wayland Smith (by which name we shall continue to distinguish the artist, though his real name was Lancelot Wayland) was extremely serviceable. He seemed, indeed, to have a pleasure in displaying the alertness with which he could baffle investigation25, and amuse himself by putting the curiosity of tapsters and inn-keepers on a false scent26. During the course of their brief journey, three different and inconsistent reports were circulated by him on their account — namely, first, that Tressilian was the Lord Deputy of Ireland, come over in disguise to take the Queen’s pleasure concerning the great rebel Rory Oge MacCarthy MacMahon; secondly27, that the said Tressilian was an agent of Monsieur, coming to urge his suit to the hand of Elizabeth; thirdly, that he was the Duke of Medina, come over, incognito28, to adjust the quarrel betwixt Philip and that princess.
Tressilian was angry, and expostulated with the artist on the various inconveniences, and, in particular, the unnecessary degree of attention to which they were subjected by the figments he thus circulated; but he was pacified29 (for who could be proof against such an argument?) by Wayland’s assuring him that a general importance was attached to his own (Tressilian’s) striking presence, which rendered it necessary to give an extraordinary reason for the rapidity and secrecy30 of his journey.
At length they approached the metropolis31, where, owing to the more general recourse of strangers, their appearance excited neither observation nor inquiry33, and finally they entered London itself.
It was Tressilian’s purpose to go down directly to Deptford, where Lord Sussex resided, in order to be near the court, then held at Greenwich, the favourite residence of Elizabeth, and honoured as her birthplace. Still a brief halt in London was necessary; and it was somewhat prolonged by the earnest entreaties34 of Wayland Smith, who desired permission to take a walk through the city.
“Take thy sword and buckler, and follow me, then,” said Tressilian; “I am about to walk myself, and we will go in company.”
This he said, because he was not altogether so secure of the fidelity35 of his new retainer as to lose sight of him at this interesting moment, when rival factions36 at the court of Elizabeth were running so high. Wayland Smith willingly acquiesced37 in the precaution, of which he probably conjectured38 the motive39, but only stipulated40 that his master should enter the shops of such chemists or apothecaries41 as he should point out, in walking through Fleet Street, and permit him to make some necessary purchases. Tressilian agreed, and obeying the signal of his attendant, walked successively into more than four or five shops, where he observed that Wayland purchased in each only one single drug, in various quantities. The medicines which he first asked for were readily furnished, each in succession, but those which he afterwards required were less easily supplied; and Tressilian observed that Wayland more than once, to the surprise of the shopkeeper, returned the gum or herb that was offered to him, and compelled him to exchange it for the right sort, or else went on to seek it elsewhere. But one ingredient, in particular, seemed almost impossible to be found. Some chemists plainly admitted they had never seen it; others denied that such a drug existed, excepting in the imagination of crazy alchemists; and most of them attempted to satisfy their customer, by producing some substitute, which, when rejected by Wayland, as not being what he had asked for, they maintained possessed42, in a superior degree, the self-same qualities. In general they all displayed some curiosity concerning the purpose for which he wanted it. One old, meagre chemist, to whom the artist put the usual question, in terms which Tressilian neither understood nor could recollect, answered frankly43, there was none of that drug in London, unless Yoglan the Jew chanced to have some of it upon hand.
“I thought as much,” said Wayland. And as soon as they left the shop, he said to Tressilian, “I crave44 your pardon, sir, but no artist can work without his tools. I must needs go to this Yoglan’s; and I promise you, that if this detains you longer than your leisure seems to permit, you shall, nevertheless, be well repaid by the use I will make of this rare drug. Permit me,” he added, “to walk before you, for we are now to quit the broad street and we will make double speed if I lead the way.”
Tressilian acquiesced, and, following the smith down a lane which turned to the left hand towards the river, he found that his guide walked on with great speed, and apparently45 perfect knowledge of the town, through a labyrinth46 of by-streets, courts, and blind alleys47, until at length Wayland paused in the midst of a very narrow lane, the termination of which showed a peep of the Thames looking misty48 and muddy, which background was crossed saltierwise, as Mr. Mumblazen might have said, by the masts of two lighters49 that lay waiting for the tide. The shop under which he halted had not, as in modern days, a glazed50 window, but a paltry51 canvas screen surrounded such a stall as a cobbler now occupies, having the front open, much in the manner of a fishmonger’s booth of the present day. A little old smock-faced man, the very reverse of a Jew in complexion52, for he was very soft-haired as well as beardless, appeared, and with many courtesies asked Wayland what he pleased to want. He had no sooner named the drug, than the Jew started and looked surprised. “And vat32 might your vorship vant vith that drug, which is not named, mein God, in forty years as I have been chemist here?”
“These questions it is no part of my commission to answer,” said Wayland; “I only wish to know if you have what I want, and having it, are willing to sell it?”
“Ay, mein God, for having it, that I have, and for selling it, I am a chemist, and sell every drug.” So saying, he exhibited a powder, and then continued, “But it will cost much moneys. Vat I ave cost its weight in gold — ay, gold well-refined — I vilI say six times. It comes from Mount Sinai, where we had our blessed Law given forth53, and the plant blossoms but once in one hundred year.”
“I do not know how often it is gathered on Mount Sinai,” said Wayland, after looking at the drug offered him with great disdain54, “but I will wager55 my sword and buckler against your gaberdine, that this trash you offer me, instead of what I asked for, may be had for gathering56 any day of the week in the castle ditch of Aleppo.”
“You are a rude man,” said the Jew; “and, besides, I ave no better than that — or if I ave, I will not sell it without order of a physician, or without you tell me vat you make of it.”
The artist made brief answer in a language of which Tressilian could not understand a word, and which seemed to strike the Jew with the utmost astonishment57. He stared upon Wayland like one who has suddenly recognized some mighty58 hero or dreaded59 potentate60, in the person of an unknown and unmarked stranger. “Holy Elias!” he exclaimed, when he had recovered the first stunning61 effects of his surprise; and then passing from his former suspicious and surly manner to the very extremity62 of obsequiousness64, he cringed low to the artist, and besought65 him to enter his poor house, to bless his miserable66 threshold by crossing it.
“Vill you not taste a cup vith the poor Jew, Zacharias Yoglan? — Vill you Tokay ave?— vill you Lachrymae taste?— vill you —”
“You offend in your proffers,” said Wayland; “minister to me in what I require of you, and forbear further discourse67.”
The rebuked68 Israelite took his bunch of keys, and opening with circumspection69 a cabinet which seemed more strongly secured than the other cases of drugs and medicines amongst which it stood, he drew out a little secret drawer, having a glass lid, and containing a small portion of a black powder. This he offered to Wayland, his manner conveying the deepest devotion towards him, though an avaricious70 and jealous expression, which seemed to grudge71 every grain of what his customer was about to possess himself, disputed ground in his countenance72 with the obsequious63 deference73 which he desired it should exhibit.
“Have you scales?” said Wayland.
The Jew pointed74 to those which lay ready for common use in the shop, but he did so with a puzzled expression of doubt and fear, which did not escape the artist.
“They must be other than these,” said Wayland sternly. “Know you not that holy things lose their virtue75 if weighed in an unjust balance?”
The Jew hung his head, took from a steel-plated casket a pair of scales beautifully mounted, and said, as he adjusted them for the artist’s use, “With these I do mine own experiment — one hair of the high-priest’s beard would turn them.”
“It suffices,” said the artist, and weighed out two drachms for himself of the black powder, which he very carefully folded up, and put into his pouch76 with the other drugs. He then demanded the price of the Jew, who answered, shaking his head and bowing,
“No price — no, nothing at all from such as you. But you will see the poor Jew again? you will look into his laboratory, where, God help him, he hath dried himself to the substance of the withered77 gourd78 of Jonah, the holy prophet. You will ave pity on him, and show him one little step on the great road?”
“Hush!” said Wayland, laying his finger mysteriously on his mouth; “it may be we shall meet again. Thou hast already the Schahmajm, as thine own Rabbis call it — the general creation; watch, therefore, and pray, for thou must attain79 the knowledge of Alchahest Elixir80 Samech ere I may commune further with thee.” Then returning with a slight nod the reverential congees81 of the Jew, he walked gravely up the lane, followed by his master, whose first observation on the scene he had just witnessed was, that Wayland ought to have paid the man for his drug, whatever it was.
“I pay him?” said the artist. “May the foul82 fiend pay me if I do! Had it not been that I thought it might displease83 your worship, I would have had an ounce or two of gold out of him, in exchange of the same just weight of brick dust.”
“I advise you to practise no such knavery84 while waiting upon me,” said Tressilian.
“Did I not say,” answered the artist, “that for that reason alone I forbore him for the present?— Knavery, call you it? Why, yonder wretched skeleton hath wealth sufficient to pave the whole lane he lives in with dollars, and scarce miss them out of his own iron chest; yet he goes mad after the philosopher’s stone. And besides, he would have cheated a poor serving-man, as he thought me at first, with trash that was not worth a penny. Match for match, quoth the devil to the collier; if his false medicine was worth my good crowns, my true brick dust is as well worth his good gold.”
“It may be so, for aught I know,” said Tressilian, “in dealing85 amongst Jews and apothecaries; but understand that to have such tricks of legerdemain86 practised by one attending on me diminishes my honour, and that I will not permit them. I trust thou hast made up thy purchases?”
“I have, sir,” replied Wayland; “and with these drugs will I, this very day, compound the true orvietan, that noble medicine which is so seldom found genuine and effective within these realms of Europe, for want of that most rare and precious drug which I got but now from Yoglan.”11
“But why not have made all your purchases at one shop?” said his master; “we have lost nearly an hour in running from one pounder of simples to another.”
“Content you, sir,” said Wayland. “No man shall learn my secret; and it would not be mine long, were I to buy all my materials from one chemist.”
They now returned to their inn (the famous Bell-Savage); and while the Lord Sussex’s servant prepared the horses for their journey, Wayland, obtaining from the cook the service of a mortar87, shut himself up in a private chamber88, where he mixed, pounded, and amalgamated89 the drugs which he had bought, each in its due proportion, with a readiness and address that plainly showed him well practised in all the manual operations of pharmacy90.
By the time Wayland’s electuary was prepared the horses were ready, and a short hour’s riding brought them to the present habitation of Lord Sussex, an ancient house, called Sayes Court, near Deptford, which had long pertained91 to a family of that name, but had for upwards92 of a century been possessed by the ancient and honourable93 family of Evelyn. The present representative of that ancient house took a deep interest in the Earl of Sussex, and had willingly accommodated both him and his numerous retinue94 in his hospitable95 mansion96. Sayes Court was afterwards the residence of the celebrated Mr. Evelyn, whose “Silva” is still the manual of British planters; and whose life, manners, and principles, as illustrated97 in his Memoirs98, ought equally to be the manual of English gentlemen.
点击收听单词发音
1 arsenic | |
n.砒霜,砷;adj.砷的 | |
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2 conspicuous | |
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的 | |
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3 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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4 thicket | |
n.灌木丛,树林 | |
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5 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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6 soot | |
n.煤烟,烟尘;vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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7 charcoal | |
n.炭,木炭,生物炭 | |
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8 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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9 ruffling | |
弄皱( ruffle的现在分词 ); 弄乱; 激怒; 扰乱 | |
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10 lout | |
n.粗鄙的人;举止粗鲁的人 | |
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11 loutish | |
adj.粗鲁的 | |
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12 impudent | |
adj.鲁莽的,卑鄙的,厚颜无耻的 | |
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13 favourable | |
adj.赞成的,称赞的,有利的,良好的,顺利的 | |
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14 augur | |
n.占卦师;v.占卦 | |
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15 recollect | |
v.回忆,想起,记起,忆起,记得 | |
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16 scathed | |
v.伤害,损害(尤指使之枯萎)( scathe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17 vault | |
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室 | |
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18 havoc | |
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
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19 gunpowder | |
n.火药 | |
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20 founders | |
n.创始人( founder的名词复数 ) | |
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21 fables | |
n.寓言( fable的名词复数 );神话,传说 | |
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22 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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23 refreshment | |
n.恢复,精神爽快,提神之事物;(复数)refreshments:点心,茶点 | |
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24 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
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25 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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26 scent | |
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉 | |
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27 secondly | |
adv.第二,其次 | |
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28 incognito | |
adv.匿名地;n.隐姓埋名;adj.化装的,用假名的,隐匿姓名身份的 | |
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29 pacified | |
使(某人)安静( pacify的过去式和过去分词 ); 息怒; 抚慰; 在(有战争的地区、国家等)实现和平 | |
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30 secrecy | |
n.秘密,保密,隐蔽 | |
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31 metropolis | |
n.首府;大城市 | |
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32 vat | |
n.(=value added tax)增值税,大桶 | |
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33 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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34 entreaties | |
n.恳求,乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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35 fidelity | |
n.忠诚,忠实;精确 | |
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36 factions | |
组织中的小派别,派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
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37 acquiesced | |
v.默认,默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38 conjectured | |
推测,猜测,猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39 motive | |
n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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40 stipulated | |
vt.& vi.规定;约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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41 apothecaries | |
n.药剂师,药店( apothecary的名词复数 ) | |
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42 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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43 frankly | |
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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44 crave | |
vt.渴望得到,迫切需要,恳求,请求 | |
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45 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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46 labyrinth | |
n.迷宫;难解的事物;迷路 | |
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47 alleys | |
胡同,小巷( alley的名词复数 ); 小径 | |
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48 misty | |
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的 | |
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49 lighters | |
n.打火机,点火器( lighter的名词复数 ) | |
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50 glazed | |
adj.光滑的,像玻璃的;上过釉的;呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式);上釉于,上光;(目光)变得呆滞无神 | |
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51 paltry | |
adj.无价值的,微不足道的 | |
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52 complexion | |
n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 | |
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53 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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54 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
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55 wager | |
n.赌注;vt.押注,打赌 | |
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56 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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57 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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58 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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59 dreaded | |
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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60 potentate | |
n.统治者;君主 | |
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61 stunning | |
adj.极好的;使人晕倒的 | |
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62 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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63 obsequious | |
adj.谄媚的,奉承的,顺从的 | |
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64 obsequiousness | |
媚骨 | |
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65 besought | |
v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的过去式和过去分词 );(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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66 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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67 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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68 rebuked | |
责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69 circumspection | |
n.细心,慎重 | |
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70 avaricious | |
adj.贪婪的,贪心的 | |
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71 grudge | |
n.不满,怨恨,妒嫉;vt.勉强给,不情愿做 | |
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72 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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73 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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74 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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75 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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76 pouch | |
n.小袋,小包,囊状袋;vt.装...入袋中,用袋运输;vi.用袋送信件 | |
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77 withered | |
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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78 gourd | |
n.葫芦 | |
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79 attain | |
vt.达到,获得,完成 | |
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80 elixir | |
n.长生不老药,万能药 | |
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81 congees | |
v.告别,鞠躬( congee的第三人称单数 ) | |
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82 foul | |
adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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83 displease | |
vt.使不高兴,惹怒;n.不悦,不满,生气 | |
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84 knavery | |
n.恶行,欺诈的行为 | |
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85 dealing | |
n.经商方法,待人态度 | |
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86 legerdemain | |
n.戏法,诈术 | |
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87 mortar | |
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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88 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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89 amalgamated | |
v.(使)(金属)汞齐化( amalgamate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)合并;联合;结合 | |
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90 pharmacy | |
n.药房,药剂学,制药业,配药业,一批备用药品 | |
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91 pertained | |
关于( pertain的过去式和过去分词 ); 有关; 存在; 适用 | |
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92 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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93 honourable | |
adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
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94 retinue | |
n.侍从;随员 | |
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95 hospitable | |
adj.好客的;宽容的;有利的,适宜的 | |
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96 mansion | |
n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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97 illustrated | |
adj. 有插图的,列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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98 memoirs | |
n.回忆录;回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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