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Chapter 44
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THE TIME ARRIVES FOR NANCY TO REDEEM1 HER PLEDGE TO ROSE MAYLIE. SHE FAILS.

Adept2 as she was, in all the arts of cunning and dissimulation3, the girl Nancy could not wholly conceal4 the effect which the knowledge of the step she had taken, wrought5 upon her mind. She remembered that both the crafty6 Jew and the brutal7 Sikes had confided8 to her schemes, which had been hidden from all others: in the full confidence that she was trustworthy and beyond the reach of their suspicion. Vile9 as those schemes were, desperate as were their originators, and bitter as were her feelings towards Fagin, who had led her, step by step, deeper and deeper down into an abyss of crime and misery10, whence was no escape; still, there were times when, even towards him, she felt some relenting, lest her disclosure should bring him within the iron grasp he had so long eluded11, and he should fall at last--richly as he merited such a fate--by her hand.

But, these were the mere12 wanderings of a mind unable wholly to detach itself from old companions and associations, though enabled to fix itself steadily13 on one object, and resolved not to be turned aside by any consideration. Her fears for Sikes would have been more powerful inducements to recoil14 while there was yet time; but she had stipulated15 that her secret should be rigidly16 kept, she had dropped no clue which could lead to his discovery, she had refused, even for his sake, a refuge from all the guilt17 and wretchedness that encompasses18 her--and what more could she do! She was resolved.

Though all her mental struggles terminated in this conclusion, they forced themselves upon her, again and again, and left their traces too. She grew pale and thin, even within a few days. At times, she took no heed19 of what was passing before her, or no part in conversations where once, she would have been the loudest. At other times, she laughed without merriment, and was noisy without a moment afterwards--she sat silent and dejected, brooding with her head upon her hands, while the very effort by which she roused herself, told, more forcibly than even these indications, that she was ill at ease, and that her thoughts were occupied with matters very different and distant from those in the course of discussion by her companions.

It was Sunday night, and the bell of the nearest church struck the hour. Sikes and the Jew were talking, but they paused to listen. The girl looked up from the low seat on which she crouched20, and listened too. Eleven.

'An hour this side of midnight,' said Sikes, raising the blind to look out and returning to his seat. 'Dark and heavy it is too. A good night for business this.'

'Ah!' replied Fagin. 'What a pity, Bill, my dear, that there's none quite ready to be done.'

'You're right for once,' replied Sikes gruffly. 'It is a pity, for I'm in the humour too.'

Fagin sighed, and shook his head despondingly.

'We must make up for lost time when we've got things into a good train. That's all I know,' said Sikes.

'That's the way to talk, my dear,' replied Fagin, venturing to pat him on the shoulder. 'It does me good to hear you.'

'Does you good, does it!' cried Sikes. 'Well, so be it.'

'Ha! ha! ha!' laughed Fagin, as if he were relieved by even this concession21. 'You're like yourself to-night, Bill. Quite like yourself.'

'I don't feel like myself when you lay that withered22 old claw on my shoulder, so take it away,' said Sikes, casting off the Jew's hand.

'It make you nervous, Bill,--reminds you of being nabbed, does it?' said Fagin, determined23 not to be offended.

'Reminds me of being nabbed by the devil,' returned Sikes. 'There never was another man with such a face as yours, unless it was your father, and I suppose _he_ is singeing24 his grizzled red beard by this time, unless you came straight from the old 'un without any father at all betwixt you; which I shouldn't wonder at, a bit.'

Fagin offered no reply to this compliment: but, pulling Sikes by the sleeve, pointed25 his finger towards Nancy, who had taken advantage of the foregoing conversation to put on her bonnet26, and was now leaving the room.

'Hallo!' cried Sikes. 'Nance27. Where's the gal28 going to at this time of night?'

'Not far.'

'What answer's that?' retorted Sikes. 'Do you hear me?'

'I don't know where,' replied the girl.

'Then I do,' said Sikes, more in the spirit of obstinacy29 than because he had any real objection to the girl going where she listed. 'Nowhere. Sit down.'

'I'm not well. I told you that before,' rejoined the girl. 'I want a breath of air.'

'Put your head out of the winder,' replied Sikes.

'There's not enough there,' said the girl. 'I want it in the street.'

'Then you won't have it,' replied Sikes. With which assurance he rose, locked the door, took the key out, and pulling her bonnet from her head, flung it up to the top of an old press. 'There,' said the robber. 'Now stop quietly where you are, will you?'

'It's not such a matter as a bonnet would keep me,' said the girl turning very pale. 'What do you mean, Bill? Do you know what you're doing?'

'Know what I'm--Oh!' cried Sikes, turning to Fagin, 'she's out of her senses, you know, or she daren't talk to me in that way.'

'You'll drive me on the something desperate,' muttered the girl placing both hands upon her breast, as though to keep down by force some violent outbreak. 'Let me go, will you,--this minute--this instant.'

'No!' said Sikes.

'Tell him to let me go, Fagin. He had better. It'll be better for him. Do you hear me?' cried Nancy stamping her foot upon the ground.

'Hear you!' repeated Sikes turning round in his chair to confront her. 'Aye! And if I hear you for half a minute longer, the dog shall have such a grip on your throat as'll tear some of that screaming voice out. Wot has come over you, you jade30! Wot is it?'

'Let me go,' said the girl with great earnestness; then sitting herself down on the floor, before the door, she said, 'Bill, let me go; you don't know what you are doing. You don't, indeed. For only one hour--do--do!'

'Cut my limbs off one by one!' cried Sikes, seizing her roughly by the arm, 'If I don't think the gal's stark31 raving32 mad. Get up.'

'Not till you let me go--not till you let me go--Never--never!' screamed the girl. Sikes looked on, for a minute, watching his opportunity, and suddenly pinioning33 her hands dragged her, struggling and wrestling with him by the way, into a small room adjoining, where he sat himself on a bench, and thrusting her into a chair, held her down by force. She struggled and implored34 by turns until twelve o'clock had struck, and then, wearied and exhausted35, ceased to contest the point any further. With a caution, backed by many oaths, to make no more efforts to go out that night, Sikes left her to recover at leisure and rejoined Fagin.

'Whew!' said the housebreaker wiping the perspiration36 from his face. 'Wot a precious strange gal that is!'

'You may say that, Bill,' replied Fagin thoughtfully. 'You may say that.'

'Wot did she take it into her head to go out to-night for, do you think?' asked Sikes. 'Come; you should know her better than me. Wot does it mean?'

'Obstinacy; woman's obstinacy, I suppose, my dear.'

'Well, I suppose it is,' growled37 Sikes. 'I thought I had tamed her, but she's as bad as ever.'

'Worse,' said Fagin thoughtfully. 'I never knew her like this, for such a little cause.'

'Nor I,' said Sikes. 'I think she's got a touch of that fever in her blood yet, and it won't come out--eh?'

'Like enough.'

'I'll let her a little blood, without troubling the doctor, if she's took that way again,' said Sikes.

Fagin nodded an expressive38 approval of this mode of treatment.

'She was hanging about me all day, and night too, when I was stretched on my back; and you, like a blackhearted wolf as you are, kept yourself aloof,' said Sikes. 'We was poor too, all the time, and I think, one way or other, it's worried and fretted39 her; and that being shut up here so long has made her restless--eh?'

'That's it, my dear,' replied the Jew in a whisper. 'Hush40!'

As he uttered these words, the girl herself appeared and resumed her former seat. Her eyes were swollen41 and red; she rocked herself to and fro; tossed her head; and, after a little time, burst out laughing.

'Why, now she's on the other tack42!' exclaimed Sikes, turning a look of excessive surprise on his companion.

Fagin nodded to him to take no further notice just then; and, in a few minutes, the girl subsided43 into her accustomed demeanour. Whispering Sikes that there was no fear of her relapsing, Fagin took up his hat and bade him good-night. He paused when he reached the room-door, and looking round, asked if somebody would light him down the dark stairs.

'Light him down,' said Sikes, who was filling his pipe. 'It's a pity he should break his neck himself, and disappoint the sight-seers. Show him a light.'

Nancy followed the old man downstairs, with a candle. When they reached the passage, he laid his finger on his lip, and drawing close to the girl, said, in a whisper.

'What is it, Nancy, dear?'

'What do you mean?' replied the girl, in the same tone.

'The reason of all this,' replied Fagin. 'If _he_'--he pointed with his skinny fore-finger up the stairs--'is so hard with you (he's a brute44, Nance, a brute-beast), why don't you--'

'Well?' said the girl, as Fagin paused, with his mouth almost touching45 her ear, and his eyes looking into hers.

'No matter just now. We'll talk of this again. You have a friend in me, Nance; a staunch friend. I have the means at hand, quiet and close. If you want revenge on those that treat you like a dog--like a dog! worse than his dog, for he humours him sometimes--come to me. I say, come to me. He is the mere hound of a day, but you know me of old, Nance.'

'I know you well,' replied the girl, without manifesting the least emotion. 'Good-night.'

She shrank back, as Fagin offered to lay his hand on hers, but said good-night again, in a steady voice, and, answering his parting look with a nod of intelligence, closed the door between them.

Fagin walked towards his home, intent upon the thoughts that were working within his brain. He had conceived the idea--not from what had just passed though that had tended to confirm him, but slowly and by degrees--that Nancy, wearied of the housebreaker's brutality46, had conceived an attachment47 for some new friend. Her altered manner, her repeated absences from home alone, her comparative indifference48 to the interests of the gang for which she had once been so zealous49, and, added to these, her desperate impatience50 to leave home that night at a particular hour, all favoured the supposition, and rendered it, to him at least, almost matter of certainty. The object of this new liking51 was not among his myrmidons. He would be a valuable acquisition with such an assistant as Nancy, and must (thus Fagin argued) be secured without delay.

There was another, and a darker object, to be gained. Sikes knew too much, and his ruffian taunts52 had not galled53 Fagin the less, because the wounds were hidden. The girl must know, well, that if she shook him off, she could never be safe from his fury, and that it would be surely wreaked--to the maiming of limbs, or perhaps the loss of life--on the object of her more recent fancy.

'With a little persuasion,' thought Fagin, 'what more likely than that she would consent to poison him? Women have done such things, and worse, to secure the same object before now. There would be the dangerous villain54: the man I hate: gone; another secured in his place; and my influence over the girl, with a knowledge of this crime to back it, unlimited55.'

These things passed through the mind of Fagin, during the short time he sat alone, in the housebreaker's room; and with them uppermost in his thoughts, he had taken the opportunity afterwards afforded him, of sounding the girl in the broken hints he threw out at parting. There was no expression of surprise, no assumption of an inability to understand his meaning. The girl clearly comprehended it. Her glance at parting showed _that_.

But perhaps she would recoil from a plot to take the life of Sikes, and that was one of the chief ends to be attained56. 'How,' thought Fagin, as he crept homeward, 'can I increase my influence with her? What new power can I acquire?'

Such brains are fertile in expedients57. If, without extracting a confession58 from herself, he laid a watch, discovered the object of her altered regard, and threatened to reveal the whole history to Sikes (of whom she stood in no common fear) unless she entered into his designs, could he not secure her compliance59?

'I can,' said Fagin, almost aloud. 'She durst not refuse me then. Not for her life, not for her life! I have it all. The means are ready, and shall be set to work. I shall have you yet!'

He cast back a dark look, and a threatening motion of the hand, towards the spot where he had left the bolder villain; and went on his way: busying his bony hands in the folds of his tattered60 garment, which he wrenched61 tightly in his grasp, as though there were a hated enemy crushed with every motion of his fingers.


    南希姑娘虽然对耍猾做假的全套功夫十分娴熟,却也很难完全隐瞒迈出这一步在她心中产生的影响。她记得,不管是诡计多端的老犹太,还是残忍无情的赛克斯,他们的那些诡计对其他人只字不提,在她面前却毫不隐瞒,两个人完全相信她是靠得住的,根本不会怀疑到她头上。尽管这些诡计十分奸诈,策划者胆大包天,尽管她对老犹太深恶痛绝,是他一步一步领着自己,在罪恶与不幸的深渊中越陷越深,难以自拔,然而有的时候,即便是对于他,南希仍然感到有些于心不忍,怕自己泄露出去的事会使他落入他躲避了那么久的铁拳,并且最终会栽在自己手里――虽说他完全是罪有应得。

    然而,这些仅仅是心灵上的动摇,虽然她无法与多年来的伙伴一刀两断,但还是能够抱定一个目标,决不因为任何顾虑而回心转意。她放心不下的是赛克斯,这一点本来更有可能诱使她在最后一分钟退缩变卦,但她已经得到人家会为她严守秘密的保证,也没有泄漏可能导致他落入法网的任何线索,为了他的缘故,甚至拒绝从包围着她的所有罪恶和苦难中逃出来――她还能怎么样呢?她已经横下一条心。

    尽管内心的斗争都以这样的结果告终,但它们依然一次又一次向她袭来,并且在她身上留下了痕迹。不出几天,她就变得苍白而又消瘦。她时常对面前发生的事毫不理会,或者根本不介人众人的谈话云:“仁者不忧,知者不惑,勇者不惧。”《中庸》指出:“好,而过去她在这类谈话中嗓门比谁都大。有的时候,她干巴巴地发出一阵笑声,无缘无故或者说毫无意义地大闹一通。可往往刹那之间,她又无精精打采地坐了下来,手支着脑袋沉思默想。她有时也想尽力振作起来,但这种努力甚至比这些征兆更能说明她心神不定,她所想的和同伴们正在商量的根本不是一回事。

    星期天夜里,附近教堂的钟声开始报时。赛克斯与老犹太在聊天,却还是停下来谛听着。南希姑娘蜷缩着身子坐在一个矮凳上,她也抬起头来,听了听。十一点。

    “离半夜还有一个钟头,”赛克斯拉起窗板看了看外边,又回到座位上,说道。“天又黑又问,今儿晚上做买卖真是没得说。”

    “啊。”费金回答,“真可惜,亲爱的比尔,我们连一笔可以做的现成买卖都没有。”

    “你算是说对了一回,”赛克斯绷着脸说,“确实可惜啊,我也有点这种感觉。”

    费金叹了口气,沮丧地摇了摇头。

    “等我们把事情好好排个队,非得把丢掉的时光补回来不可。我就知道这个。”

    “说得可也是,亲爱的,”费金一边回答,一边大着胆子拍了拍他的肩膀。“听你这么一说,我就放心了。”

    “你放心了。”赛克斯嚷嚷着,“得了,就这样吧。”

    “哈哈哈!”费金大笑起来,好像这一点点让步也使他感到欣慰。“你今儿晚上像你自个儿了,比尔,这才像你自个嘛。”

    “干什么,你那只皱巴巴的老爪子搁在我胳膊上,我可没觉得像我自己,你给我拿开。”赛克斯说着,撂开老犹太的手。

    “这会弄得你神经紧张,比尔――让你觉得给人逮住了,是不是啊?”费金决定不生气,说道。

    “让我觉得给魔鬼逮住了,”赛克斯回敬道,“像你这副嘴脸,压根找不出第二个,除了你爹,这功夫他没准正在烧他那带点花白的红胡子,要不就是你根本没个爹,直接就从魔鬼那儿来了――我才不觉得这有什么好奇怪的。”

    费金对这一番恭维没有回答,只是扯了一下赛克斯的衣袖,用手指朝南希指去,她借前边那番谈话的机会戴上软帽,正要离开房间。

    “哈罗。”赛克斯大声地说,“南希,晚上都这功夫了,小丫头还要上哪儿去啊?”

    “没多远。”

    “这叫什么话?”赛克斯问道,“你上什么地方去?”

    “我说了,没有多远。”

    “我问的是什么地方?”赛克斯钉得很紧,“我的话你听见没有?”

    “我不知道什么地方。”姑娘回答。

    “你不知道我知道,”赛克斯这样说主要是出于固执,倒也不是真有什么原因反对南希姑娘去她一心想去的地方。“哪儿也别去。坐下。”

    “我不舒服,我先前跟你讲过的,”姑娘答道,“我想吹吹凉风。”

    “你把脑袋从窗户里伸出去不就得了。”赛克斯回答。

    “这哪儿够,”姑娘说道,“我要上街。”

    “那你休想出去。”赛克斯一口拒绝,站起来锁上房门,抽出钥匙,又扯下她头上的软帽,扔到一只旧衣柜顶上。“行了,”那强盗说,“眼下就安安静静呆在老地方吧,好不好?”

    “一顶软帽,多大一回事,还想留住我?”姑娘脸色一片煞白。“你是什么意思,比尔?你知不知道你在干什么?”

    “知不知道我在――噢!”赛克斯大声嚷嚷着转向费金。“她疯了,你知道,要不然绝不敢这样跟我说话。”

    “你是要把我逼上绝路啊,”姑娘双手按在胸脯上,似乎想竭力压住满腔怒火,喃喃地说。“你放我出去,听见没有――现在――马上――”

    “不行!”赛克斯说道。

    “告诉他,放我出去,费金,他最好是放我出去,这对他有好处,听见没有?”南希大喊大叫,一边用脚踩着地板。

    “听见没有!”赛克斯在椅子上转了个身,面朝着她。“行啊!我要是过半分钟还听见你在说话,狗就会一日咬住你脖子,看你还能不能这样尖声嚷嚷。真是见鬼了你,贱货。怎么回事?”

    “让我出去,”姑娘一本正经地说,随后便在门边的地板上坐下来,说道。“比尔,让我出去吧。你不明白自己在干什么,你不明白,真的。只要一个钟头――就够了――就够了!”

    “胡说八道,这小娘们要是还没疯得没个底,我敢把我的手脚一只一只割下来。”赛克斯吼叫着,粗暴地抓住她的胳膊。“起来。”

    “除非你让我出去――除非你让我出去――就不起来――就不起来!”姑娘尖叫着。赛克斯看了一会儿,瞅准机会突然扼住她的双手,任凭她挣扎扭打,把她拖进隔壁小屋,推到一把椅子上,用力按住,自己在一张长凳上坐下来。她轮番挣扎,哀求,直到钟敲十二点,她折腾得筋疲力尽,这才不再坚持原来的要求。赛克斯警告了一声,又加了一通诅咒,要她当晚别再打算出去,便扔下她去慢慢缓过劲来,自己回到费金那儿。

    “哎呀。”这个专门入室抢劫的家伙擦了擦脸上的汗水,说道。“真是个稀奇古怪的小娘们。”

    “你可以这么说,比尔,”费金若有所思地答道,“你可以这么说。”

    “她干吗想起来今儿晚上要出去,你知道不知道?”赛克斯问,“对了,照道理你比我了解她,这到底是怎么回事?”

    “固执,我想是女人的固执,亲爱的。”

    “对啊,我想也是,”赛克斯咕哝着,“我还以为把她调教好了呢,敢情还是照样可恶。”

    “更可恶了,”费金依旧是一副若有所思的样子,“我压根儿没想到她会这样,为了一点小事。”

    “我也没想到,”赛克斯说道,“恐怕她血里是沾上了一点热病的病根,出不来了――唔?”

    “很有点像。”’

    “她要是再这样闹腾,我就给她放点血,用不着麻烦大夫。”赛克斯说。

    费金点点头,对这种疗法表示赞同。

    “那些日子,我起不来床,她没日没夜守在我身边,而你,就跟一头黑心狼似的,老是躲得远远的,”赛克斯说道,“我们那一向也太寒伧了点,这样那样的,搞得她又着急又心烦,而且她在这儿关了那么久,也有点坐不住了――唔?”

    “是啊,亲爱的,”老犹太低声答道,“别说了。”

    他刚说出这句话,南希姑娘便出来了,她回到先前的座位上,两只眼睛又红又肿,身子左右摇晃,脑袋昂起,过了一会儿,她忽然放声大笑。

    “哟,她现在又换了一个花样。”赛克斯大叫起来,惊愕地看了同伴一眼。

    费金点点头,示意赛克斯暂时不要理她。过了几分钟,姑娘恢复了平时的样子。费金咬着赛克斯的耳朵说,不用担心她发病了,然后拿起帽子,和他道了晚安。他走到房间门口,又停住了,回头看看,问有没有人愿意替他下楼的时候照照亮,因为楼梯上一片漆黑。

    “替他照个亮,让他下去。”赛克斯正在装烟斗,说道,“他要是把自个儿脖子摔断了,让那班看热闹的落个一场空才叫可惜哩。替他照个亮。”

    南希擎着蜡烛,跟在老头儿身后走下楼来。到了走廊里,他将一根指头接在嘴唇上,靠近姑娘身边,低声说道:

    “南希,怎么回事啊,亲爱的?”

    “你是什么意思?”姑娘同样低声答道。

    “所有这一切总有个原因,”费金回答,“既然他,”――他用瘦仃仃的食指朝楼上指了指――“对你这么刻薄(他是一个畜生,南希,畜生加野兽),你干吗不――”

    “哦!”姑娘叫了一声,费金骤然打住,嘴巴差一点没碰着她的耳朵,双眼逼视着她的眼睛。

    “眼下不提了,”老犹太说道,“我们以后再商量。你可以把我当朋友,南希,一个可靠的朋友。我手头有的是办法,又稳当又秘密。你要是想报仇,就是为他把你和狗一样看待的那些事报仇――和狗一样!连他的狗都不如,他有时候还同狗闹着玩呢――你来找我好了。我是说,你尽管来找我。他跟你交往日子不长,你我可是老朋友了,南希。”

    “我很了解你,”姑娘回答,连最起码的感动也没有表示。“再见。”

    费金想跟她握握手,她往后退去,又用镇定的声音说了一声再见,对于他临别的一瞥,她会意地点了点头,便把门关上了。

    费金朝自己的住处走去,一门心思全用在脑子里那些进进出出的鬼点子上头。他已经看出――这个念头是缓慢地一步一步形成的,而不是根据刚才的一幕,尽管这事为他提供了佐证――南希不堪忍受那个强盗的粗暴对待,打算另寻新欢。她近来神色大变,常常单独外出,以前她对团伙的利益那样热心,现在似乎变得相当冷漠,加上她不顾死活,急着要在当晚一个特定的时间出门,凡此种种都有助于证实这个推测,至少在他看来,这几乎成了十拿九稳的事。她新结识的那位相好不在他那班忠心耿耿的部下当中。加上南希这样一个帮手,此人完全可能成为一株非常宝贵的摇钱树,必须(费金如此这般地论证着)毫不拖延地弄到手。

    还有一个目的,一个更为阴险的目的必须达到。赛克斯知道的事太多了,他那些恶言冷语给费金造成的伤害虽然看不见,但产生的刻骨仇恨并没有因此而减轻。那姑娘必须懂得,就是说,即使能够把赛克斯给甩了,她也绝对躲不过他的疯狂报复,这口气肯定会出在她最近认识的相好头上――弄个肢体残废,没准儿还得送命。“只要劝说一番,”费金思忖道,“她会不答应给他下点毒药?为了达到相同的目的,以前就有娘们干过这种事,甚至比这更辣手的也有。活该这个危险的家伙完蛋了,我讨厌这家伙,以后他的位置会有人来填的。那姑娘干了杀人勾当,把柄攥在我手里,往后怎么摆布她还不得由着我。”

    费金刚才独自坐在那个强盗的房间里,在那个短暂的间隔,这些事情从他脑海里掠过。他对这些事看得很重,临走的时候又趁机用一些断断续续的暗示向南希试探过了,那姑娘没有一点惊奇的表情,也没有佯装不懂他的意思。姑娘显然已经心领神会,这从她临别的眼神看得出来。

    可是,一个谋害赛克斯性命的计划也许会把她吓得缩回去,而这正是必须达到的主要目的之一。“我怎么才能增加对她的影响呢?”费金蹑手蹑脚地往家里走,一路都在盘算。“怎么才能再加一把力?”

    这样的脑袋瓜真可以称得上足智多谋。就算不逼她自己说出来,他也可以设一个暗探,找到她刚换的心上人,然后扬言要把这事统统告诉赛克斯(她对赛克斯怕得不得了),除非她参与自己的计划,还愁她不答应?

    “我有办法,”费金险些儿高声说了出来,“到时候她不敢不由着我,又不是要她的命,又不是要她的命。我有绝对的把握。办法都是现成的,立马就可以见效。你反正逃不出我的手心。”

    他扭过头,恶狠狠地看了一眼自己丢下那个冒失家伙的地点,做了一个恐吓的手势,又继续赶路,枯瘦的双手忙个不停,使劲拧他那件破烂不堪的外衣褶缝,仿佛手指的每一个动作都是在把一个可恨的仇敌碾成齑粉。


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 redeem zCbyH     
v.买回,赎回,挽回,恢复,履行(诺言等)
参考例句:
  • He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。
  • The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。
2 adept EJIyO     
adj.老练的,精通的
参考例句:
  • When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相,我不是内行。
  • He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。
3 dissimulation XtrxX     
n.掩饰,虚伪,装糊涂
参考例句:
  • A habit of dissimulation is a hindrance, and a poorness to him. 在他这样的一个人,一种掩饰的习惯是一种阻挠,一个弱点。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Still we have our limits beyond which we call dissimulation treachery. 不过我们仍然有自己的限度,超过这个界限,就是虚伪与背信弃义。 来自辞典例句
4 conceal DpYzt     
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽
参考例句:
  • He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方,他只好隐瞒身份。
  • He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
5 wrought EoZyr     
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的
参考例句:
  • Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。
  • It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。
6 crafty qzWxC     
adj.狡猾的,诡诈的
参考例句:
  • He admired the old man for his crafty plan.他敬佩老者的神机妙算。
  • He was an accomplished politician and a crafty autocrat.他是个有造诣的政治家,也是个狡黠的独裁者。
7 brutal bSFyb     
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的
参考例句:
  • She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
  • They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼,骨子里却是野蛮残忍。
8 confided 724f3f12e93e38bec4dda1e47c06c3b1     
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)
参考例句:
  • She confided all her secrets to her best friend. 她向她最要好的朋友倾吐了自己所有的秘密。
  • He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison. 他私下向我透露,他蹲过五年监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 vile YLWz0     
adj.卑鄙的,可耻的,邪恶的;坏透的
参考例句:
  • Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢?
  • Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。
10 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦
参考例句:
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
11 eluded 8afea5b7a29fab905a2d34ae6f94a05f     
v.(尤指机敏地)避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 );逃避;躲避;使达不到
参考例句:
  • The sly fox nimbly eluded the dogs. 那只狡猾的狐狸灵活地躲避开那群狗。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The criminal eluded the police. 那个罪犯甩掉了警察的追捕。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
12 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
13 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
14 recoil GA4zL     
vi.退却,退缩,畏缩
参考例句:
  • Most people would recoil at the sight of the snake.许多人看见蛇都会向后退缩。
  • Revenge may recoil upon the person who takes it.报复者常会受到报应。
15 stipulated 5203a115be4ee8baf068f04729d1e207     
vt.& vi.规定;约定adj.[法]合同规定的
参考例句:
  • A delivery date is stipulated in the contract. 合同中规定了交货日期。
  • Yes, I think that's what we stipulated. 对呀,我想那是我们所订定的。 来自辞典例句
16 rigidly hjezpo     
adv.刻板地,僵化地
参考例句:
  • Life today is rigidly compartmentalized into work and leisure. 当今的生活被严格划分为工作和休闲两部分。
  • The curriculum is rigidly prescribed from an early age. 自儿童时起即已开始有严格的课程设置。
17 guilt 9e6xr     
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责
参考例句:
  • She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
  • Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。
18 encompasses cba8673f835839b92e7b81ba5bccacfb     
v.围绕( encompass的第三人称单数 );包围;包含;包括
参考例句:
  • The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
  • Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句
19 heed ldQzi     
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心
参考例句:
  • You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
  • For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。
20 crouched 62634c7e8c15b8a61068e36aaed563ab     
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
  • The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身,准备猛扑。
21 concession LXryY     
n.让步,妥协;特许(权)
参考例句:
  • We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
  • That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。
22 withered 342a99154d999c47f1fc69d900097df9     
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
参考例句:
  • The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。
  • The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。
23 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
24 singeing ee19567bc448215bb94d4902ddd1149b     
v.浅表烧焦( singe的现在分词 );(毛发)燎,烧焦尖端[边儿];烧毛
参考例句:
  • The smell of the singeing clothes and burning leather was horrible. 衣服烧焦和皮革燃烧的味儿十分浓烈。 来自辞典例句
  • I can smell something singeing. 有东西烧焦了。 来自互联网
25 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
26 bonnet AtSzQ     
n.无边女帽;童帽
参考例句:
  • The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光,使之不刺眼。
  • She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽,帽上缀着褪了色的假花。
27 nance Gnsz41     
n.娘娘腔的男人,男同性恋者
参考例句:
  • I think he's an awful nance.我觉得他这个人太娘娘腔了。
  • He doesn't like to be called a nance.他不喜欢被叫做娘娘腔。
28 gal 56Zy9     
n.姑娘,少女
参考例句:
  • We decided to go with the gal from Merrill.我们决定和那个从梅里尔来的女孩合作。
  • What's the name of the gal? 这个妞叫什么?
29 obstinacy C0qy7     
n.顽固;(病痛等)难治
参考例句:
  • It is a very accountable obstinacy.这是一种完全可以理解的固执态度。
  • Cindy's anger usually made him stand firm to the point of obstinacy.辛迪一发怒,常常使他坚持自见,并达到执拗的地步。
30 jade i3Pxo     
n.玉石;碧玉;翡翠
参考例句:
  • The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
  • He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。
31 stark lGszd     
adj.荒凉的;严酷的;完全的;adv.完全地
参考例句:
  • The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
  • He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。
32 raving c42d0882009d28726dc86bae11d3aaa7     
adj.说胡话的;疯狂的,怒吼的;非常漂亮的;令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话;疯话adv.胡言乱语地;疯狂地
参考例句:
  • The man's a raving lunatic. 那个男子是个语无伦次的疯子。
  • When I told her I'd crashed her car, she went stark raving bonkers. 我告诉她我把她的车撞坏了时,她暴跳如雷。
33 pinioning 8c15ee612b04b07d57183ac7b173b904     
v.抓住[捆住](双臂)( pinion的现在分词 )
参考例句:
34 implored 0b089ebf3591e554caa381773b194ff1     
恳求或乞求(某人)( implore的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She implored him to stay. 她恳求他留下。
  • She implored him with tears in her eyes to forgive her. 她含泪哀求他原谅她。
35 exhausted 7taz4r     
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的
参考例句:
  • It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长,到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
  • Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
36 perspiration c3UzD     
n.汗水;出汗
参考例句:
  • It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了,我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
  • The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。
37 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
38 expressive shwz4     
adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的
参考例句:
  • Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
  • He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的,富于表情的,生动活泼的脸。
39 fretted 82ebd7663e04782d30d15d67e7c45965     
焦躁的,附有弦马的,腐蚀的
参考例句:
  • The wind whistled through the twigs and fretted the occasional, dirty-looking crocuses. 寒风穿过枯枝,有时把发脏的藏红花吹刮跑了。 来自英汉文学
  • The lady's fame for hitting the mark fretted him. 这位太太看问题深刻的名声在折磨着他。
40 hush ecMzv     
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静
参考例句:
  • A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
  • Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去!
41 swollen DrcwL     
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀
参考例句:
  • Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着,她的双腿已经肿了。
  • A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她,她的手臂肿起来了。
42 tack Jq1yb     
n.大头钉;假缝,粗缝
参考例句:
  • He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
  • We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。
43 subsided 1bda21cef31764468020a8c83598cc0d     
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句:
  • After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后,部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚, 暴风雨已经过去,四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
44 brute GSjya     
n.野兽,兽性
参考例句:
  • The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
  • That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲,它咬人。
45 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
46 brutality MSbyb     
n.野蛮的行为,残忍,野蛮
参考例句:
  • The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
  • a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军
47 attachment POpy1     
n.附属物,附件;依恋;依附
参考例句:
  • She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
  • She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。
48 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
49 zealous 0MOzS     
adj.狂热的,热心的
参考例句:
  • She made zealous efforts to clean up the classroom.她非常热心地努力清扫教室。
  • She is a zealous supporter of our cause.她是我们事业的热心支持者。
50 impatience OaOxC     
n.不耐烦,急躁
参考例句:
  • He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢,他显得不耐烦。
  • He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。
51 liking mpXzQ5     
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢
参考例句:
  • The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
  • I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。
52 taunts 479d1f381c532d68e660e720738c03e2     
嘲弄的言语,嘲笑,奚落( taunt的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He had to endure the racist taunts of the crowd. 他不得不忍受那群人种族歧视的奚落。
  • He had to endure the taunts of his successful rival. 他不得不忍受成功了的对手的讥笑。
53 galled f94b58dc6efd8961e328ed2a18460f06     
v.使…擦痛( gall的过去式和过去分词 );擦伤;烦扰;侮辱
参考例句:
  • Their unkind remarks galled her. 他们不友善的话语使她恼怒。 来自辞典例句
  • He was galled by her insulting language. 他被她侮辱性的语言激怒了。 来自辞典例句
54 villain ZL1zA     
n.反派演员,反面人物;恶棍;问题的起因
参考例句:
  • He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
  • The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。
55 unlimited MKbzB     
adj.无限的,不受控制的,无条件的
参考例句:
  • They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
  • There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。
56 attained 1f2c1bee274e81555decf78fe9b16b2f     
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况)
参考例句:
  • She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
  • Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。
57 expedients c0523c0c941d2ed10c86887a57ac874f     
n.应急有效的,权宜之计的( expedient的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He is full of [fruitful in] expedients. 他办法多。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Perhaps Calonne might return too, with fresh financial expedients. 或许卡洛纳也会回来,带有新的财政机谋。 来自辞典例句
58 confession 8Ygye     
n.自白,供认,承认
参考例句:
  • Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
  • The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。
59 compliance ZXyzX     
n.顺从;服从;附和;屈从
参考例句:
  • I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
  • She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。
60 tattered bgSzkG     
adj.破旧的,衣衫破的
参考例句:
  • Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。
  • Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。
61 wrenched c171af0af094a9c29fad8d3390564401     
v.(猛力地)扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 );扭伤;使感到痛苦;使悲痛
参考例句:
  • The bag was wrenched from her grasp. 那只包从她紧握的手里被夺了出来。
  • He wrenched the book from her hands. 他从她的手中把书拧抢了过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》


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