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Chapter 2
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1921-1928 RalphThe road to Drogheda brought back no memories of his youth, thought Father Ralph de Bricassart, eyes halfshut against the glare as his new Daimler bounced along in the rutted wheel tracks that marched through the longsilver grass. No lovely misty1 green Ireland, this. And Drogheda? No battlefield, no high seat of power. Or wasthat strictly2 true? Better disciplined these days but acute as ever, his sense of humor conjured3 in his mind animage of a Cromwellian Mary Carson dealing4 out her particular brand of imperial malevolence5. Not such ahighflown comparison, either; the lady surely wielded6 as much power and controlled as many individuals as anypuissant war lord of elder days.

The last gate loomed8 up through a stand of box and stringybark; the car came to a throbbing9 halt. Clapping adisreputable grey broad-brimmed hat on his head to ward11 off the sun, Father Ralph got out, plodded12 to the steelbolt on the wooden strut14, pulled it back and flung the gate open with weary impatience15. There were twenty-sevengates between the presbytery in Gillanbone and Drogheda homestead, each one meaning he had to stop, get outof the car, open the gate, get into the car and drive it through, stop, get out, go back to close the gate, then get inthe car again and proceed to the next one. Many and many a time he longed to dispense16 with at least half theritual, scoot on down the track leaving the gates open like a series of astonished mouths behind him; but even theawesome aura of his calling would not prevent the owners of the gates from tarring and feathering him for it. Hewished horses were as fast and efficient as cars, because one could open and close gates from the back of a horsewithout dismounting.

"Nothing is given without a disadvantage in it," he said, patting the dashboard of the new Daimler and startingoff down the last mile of the grassy18, treeless Home Paddock, the gate firmly bolted behind him. Even to anIrishman used to castles and mansions19, this Australian homestead was imposing20. Drogheda was the oldest andthe biggest property in the district, and had been endowed by its late doting21 owner with a fitting residence. Builtof butter-yellow sandstone blocks handhewn in quarries22 five hundred miles eastward23, the house had two storiesand was constructed on austerely24 Georgian lines, with large, many-paned windows and a wide, iron-pillaredveranda running all the way around its bottom story. Gracing the sides of every window were black woodenshutters, not merely ornamental28 but useful; in the heat of summer they were pulled closed to keep the interiorcool.

Though it was autumn now and the spindling vine was green, in spring the wistaria which had been planted theday the house was finished fifty years before was a solid mass of lilac plumes29, rioting all over the outer walls andthe veranda25 roof. Several acres of meticulously30 scythed31 lawn surrounded the house, strewn with formal gardenseven now full of color from roses, wall-flowers, dahlias and marigolds. A stand of magnificent ghost gums withpallid white trunks and drifting thin leaves hanging seventy feet above the ground shaded the house from thepitiless sun, their branches wreathed 66 in brilliant magenta37 where bougainvillea vines grew intertwined withthem. Even those indispensable Outback monstrosities the water tanks were thickly clothed in hardy39 native vines,roses and wistaria, and thus managed to look more decorative41 than functional42. Thanks to the late MichaelCarson's passion for Drogheda homestead, he had been lavish43 in the matter of water tanks; rumor44 had itDrogheda could afford to keep its lawns green and its flower beds blooming though no rain fell in ten years. Asone approached down the Home Paddock the house and its ghost gums took the eye first, but then one was awareof many other yellow sandstone houses of one story behind it and to each side, interlocking with the mainstructure by means of roofed ramps47 smothered48 in creepers. A wide gravel49 driveway succeeded the wheel ruts ofthe track, curving to a circular parking area at one side of the big house, but also continuing beyond it and out ofsight down to where the real business of Drogheda lay: the stockyards, the shearing50 shed, the barns. PrivatelyFather Ralph preferred the giant pepper trees which shaded all these outbuildings and their attendant activities tothe ghost gums of the main house. Pepper trees were dense33 with pale green fronds52 and alive with the sound ofbees, just the right lazy sort of foliage53 for an Outback station.

As Father Ralph parked his car and walked across the lawn, the maid waited on the front veranda, her freckledface wreathed in smiles. "Good morning, Minnie," he said.

"Oh, Father, happy it is to see you this fine dear mornin"," she said in her strong brogue, one hand holding thedoor wide and the other outstretched to receive his battered55, unclerical hat.

Inside the dim hall, with its marble tiles and greet brass56-railed staircase, he paused until Minnie gave him a nodbefore entering the drawing room.

Mary Carson was sitting in her wing chair by an open window which extended fifteen feet from floor to ceiling,apparently57 indifferent to the cold air flooding in. Her shock of red hair was almost as bright as it had been in heryouth; though the coarse freckled54 skin had picked up additional splotches from age, for a woman of sixty-fiveshe had few wrinkles, rather a fine network of tiny diamond-shaped cushions like a quilted bedspread. The onlyclues to her intractable nature lay in the two deep fissures58 which ran one on either side of her Roman nose, to endpulling down the corners of her mouth, and in the stony59 look of the pale-blue eyes. Father Ralph crossed theAubusson carpet silently and kissed her hands; the gesture sat well on a man as tall and graceful60 as he was,especially since he wore a plain black soutane which gave him something of a courtly air. Her expressionlesseyes suddenly coy and sparkling, Mary Carson almost simpered. "Will you have tea, Father?" she asked.

"It depends on whether you wish to hear Mass," he said, sitting down in the chair facing hers and crossing hislegs, the soutane riding up sufficiently62 to show that under it he wore breeches and knee-high boots, a concessionto the locale of his parish. "I've brought you Communion, but if you'd like to hear Mass I can be ready to say it ina very few minutes. I don't mind continuing my fast a little longer.""You're too good to me, Father," she said smugly, knowing perfectly63 well that he, along with everybody else,did homage64 not to her but to her money. "Please have tea," she went on. "I'm quite happy with Communion." Hekept his resentment65 from showing in his face; this parish had been excellent for his self-control. If once he wasoffered the chance to rise out of the obscurity his temper had landed him in, he would not again make the samemistake. And if he played his cards well, this old woman might be the answer to his prayers.

"I must confess, Father, that this past year has been very pleasant," she said. "You're a far more satisfactoryshepherd than old Father Kelly was, God rot his soul." Her voice on the last phrase was suddenly harsh,vindictive. His eyes lifted to her face, twinkling. "My dear Mrs. Carson! That's not a very Catholic sentiment.""But the truth. He was a drunken old sot, and I'm quite sure God will rot his soul as much as the drink rotted hisbody." She leaned forward. "I know you fairly well by this time; I think I'm entitled to ask you a few questions,don't you? After all, you feel free to use Drogheda as your private playground-off learning how to be a stockman,polishing your riding, escaping from the vicissitudes67 of life in Gilly. All at my invitation, of course, but I dothink I'm entitled to some answers, don't you?" He didn't like to be reminded that he ought to feel grateful, but hehad been waiting for the day when she would think she owned him enough to begin demanding things of him.

"Indeed you are, Mrs. Carson. I can't thank you enough for permitting me the run of Drogheda, and for all yourgifts-my horses, my car.""How old are you?" she asked without further preamble68. "Twenty-eight," he replied.

"Younger than I thought. Even so, they don't send priests like you to places like Gilly. What did you do, tomake them send someone like you out here into the back of beyond?""I insulted the bishop71," he said calmly, smiling. "You must have! But I can't think a priest of your peculiartalents can be happy in a place like Gillanbone.""It is God's will.""Stuff and nonsense! You're here because of human failings-your own and the bishop's. Only the Pope isinfallible. You're utterly73 out of your natural element in Gilly, we all know that, not that we're not grateful to havesomeone like you for a change, instead of the ordained74 remittance75 men they send us usually. But your naturalelement lies in some corridor of ecclesiastical power, not here among horses and sheep. You'd look magnificentin cardinal76's red.""No chance of that, I'm afraid. I fancy Gillanbone is not exactly the epicenter of the Archbishop Papal Legate'smap. And it could be worse. I have you, and I have Drogheda."She accepted the deliberately77 blatant78 flattery in the spirit in which it was intended, enjoying his beauty, hisattentiveness, his barbed and subtle mind; truly he would make a magnificent cardinal. In all her life she couldnot remember seeing a better-looking man, nor one who used his beauty in quite the same way. He had to beaware of how he looked: the height and the perfect proportions of his body, the fine aristocratic features, the wayevery physical element had been put together with a degree of care about the appearance of the finished productGod lavished79 on few of His creations. From the loose black curls of his head and the startling blue of his eyes tothe small, slender hands and feet, he was perfect. Yes, he had to be conscious of what he was. And yet there wasan aloofness80 about him, a way he had of making her feel he had never been enslaved by his beauty, nor everwould be. He would use it to get what he wanted without compunction if it would help, but not as though he wasenamored of it; rather as if he deemed people beneath contempt for being influenced by it. And she would havegiven much to know what in his past life had made him so.

Curious, how many priests were handsome as Adonis, had the sexual magnetism82 of Don Juan. Did they espousecelibacy as a refuge from the consequences? "Why do you put up with Gillanbone?" she asked. "Why not leavethe priesthood rather than put up with it? You could be rich and powerful in any one of a number of fields withyour talents, and you can't tell me the thought of power at least doesn't appeal to you."His left eyebrow84 flew up. "My dear Mrs. Carson, you're a Catholic. You know my vows85 are sacred. Until mydeath I remain a priest. I cannot deny it." She snorted with laughter. "Oh, come now! Do you really believe thatif you renounced86 your vows they'd come after you with everything from bolts of lightning to bloodhounds andshotguns?""Of course not. Nor do I believe you're stupid enough to think fear of retribution is what keeps me within thepriestly fold.""Oho! Waspish, Father de Bricassart! Then what does keep you tied? What compels you to suffer the dust, theheat and the Gilly flies? For all you know, it might be a life sentence."A shadow momentarily dimmed the blue eyes, but he smiled, pitying her. "You're a great comfort, aren't you?"His lips parted, he looked toward the ceiling and sighed. "I was brought up from my cradle to be a priest, but it'sfar more than that. How can I explain it to a woman? I am a vessel88, Mrs. Carson, and at times I'm filled withGod. If I were a better priest, there would be no periods of emptiness at all. And that filling, that oneness withGod, isn't a function of place. Whether I'm in Gillanbone or a bishop's palace, it occurs. But to define it isdifficult, because even to priests it's a great mystery. A divine possession, which other men can never know.

That's it, perhaps. Abandon it? I couldn't.""So it's a power, is it? Why should it be given to priests, then? What makes you think the mere27 smearing89 ofchrism during an exhaustingly long ceremony is able to endow any man with it?"He shook his head. "Look, it's years of life, even before getting to the point of ordination90. The carefuldevelopment of a state of mind which opens the vessel to God. It's earned! Every day it's earned. Which is thepurpose of the vows, don't you see? That no earthly things come between the priest and his state of mind--notlove of a woman, nor love of money, nor unwillingness92 to obey the dictates93 of other men. Poverty is nothing newto me; I don't come from a rich family. Cha/y I accept without finding it difficult to maintain. And obedience94?

For me, it's the hardest of the three. But I obey, because if I hold myself more important than my function as areceptacle for God, I'm lost. I obey. And if necessary, I'm willing to endure Gillanbone as a life sentence.""Then you're a fool," she said. "I, too, think that there are more important things than lovers, but being areceptacle for God isn't one of them. Odd. I never realized you believed in God so ardently95. I thought you wereperhaps a man who doubted.""I do doubt. What thinking man doesn't? That's why at times I'm empty." He looked beyond her, at somethingshe couldn't see. "Do you know, I think I'd give up every ambition, every desire in me, for the chance to be aperfect priest?""Perfection in anything," she said, "is unbearably97 dull. Myself, I prefer a touch of imperfection."He laughed, looking at her in admiration98 tinged99 with envy. She was a remarkable100 woman.

Her widowhood was thirty-three years old and her only child, a son, had died in infancy101. Because of herpeculiar status in the Gillanbone community she had not availed herself of any of the overtures102 made to her bythe more ambitious males of her acquaintance; as Michael Carson's widow she was indisputably a queen, but assomeone's wife she passed control "of all she had to that someone. Not Mary Carson's idea of living, to playsecond fiddle104. So she had abjured105 the flesh, preferring to wield7 power; it was inconceivable that she should take alover, for when it came to gossip Gillanbone was as receptive as a wire to an electrical current. To prove herselfhuman and weak was not a part of her obsession106.

But now she was old enough to be officially beyond the drives of the body. If the new young priest wasassiduous in his duties to her and she rewarded him with little gifts like a car, it was not at all incongruous. Astaunch pillar of the Church all her life, she had supported her parish and its spiritual leader in fitting fashioneven when Father Kelly had hiccupped his way through the Mass. She was not alone in feeling charitablyinclined toward Father Kelly's successor; Father Ralph de Bricassart was deservedly popular with every memberof his flock, rich or poor. If his more remote parishioners could not get into Gilly to see him, he went to them,and until Mary Carson had given him his car he had gone on horseback. His patience and kindness had broughthim liking108 from all and sincere love from some; Martin King of Bugela had expensively refurnished thepresbytery, Dominic O'Rourke of Dibban-Dibban paid the salary of a good housekeeper109.

So from the pedestal of her age and her position Mary Carson felt quite safe in enjoying Father Ralph; she likedmatching her wits against a brain as intelligent as her own, she liked outguessing him because she was never sureshe actually did outguess him.

"Getting back to what you were saying about Gilly not being the epicenter of the Archbishop Papal Legate'smap," she said, settling deeply into her chair, "what do you think would shake the reverend gentlemansufficiently to make Gilly the pivot110 of his world?"The priest smiled ruefully. "Impossible to say. A coup112 of some sort? The sudden saving of a thousand souls, asudden capacity to heal the lame113 and the blind .... But the age of miracles is past.""Oh, come now, I doubt that! It's just that He's altered His technique. These days He uses money.""What a cynic you are! Maybe that's why I like you so much, Mrs. Carson." "My name is Mary. Please call meMary."Minnie came in wheeling the tea trolley114 as Father de Bricassart said, "Thank you, Mary."Over fresh bannocks and anchovies115 on toast, Mary Carson sighed. "Dear Father, I want you to pray especiallyhard for me this morning." "Call me Ralph," he said, then went on mischievously116, "I doubt it's possible for me topray any harder for you than I normally do, but I'll try." "Oh, you're a charmer! Or was that remark innuendo117? Idon't usually care for obviousness, but with you I'm never sure if the obviousness isn't actually a cloak forsomething deeper. Like a carrot before a donkey. Just what do you really think of me, Father de Bricassart? I'llnever know, because you'll never be tactless enough to tell me, will you? Fascinating, fascinating . . . But youmust pray for me. I'm old, and I've sinned much." "Age creeps on us all, and I, too, have sinned."A dry chuckle118 escaped her. "I'd give a lot to know how you've sinned! Indeed, indeed I would." She was silentfor a moment, then changed the subject. "At this minute I'm minus a head stockman.""Again?""Five in the past year. It's getting hard to find a decent man." "Well, rumor hath it you're not exactly a generousor a considerate employer.""Oh, impudent119!" she gasped120, laughing. "Who bought you a brand-new Daimler so you wouldn't have to ride?""Ah, but look how hard I pray for you!""If Michael had only had half your wit and character, I might have loved him," she said abruptly121. Her facechanged, became spiteful. "Do you think I'm without a relative in the world and must leave my money and myland to Mother Church, is that it?""I have no idea," he said tranquilly122, pouring himself more tea.

"As a matter of fact, I have a brother with a large and thriving family of sons.""How nice for you," he said demurely123.

"When I married I was quite without worldly goods. I knew I'd never marry well in Ireland, where a woman hasto have breeding and background to catch a rich husband. So I worked my fingers to the bone to save my passagemoney to a land where the rich men aren't so fussy124. All I had when I got here were a face and a figure and abetter125 brain than women are supposed to have, and they were adequate to catch Michael Carson, who was a richfool. He doted on me until the day he died.""And your brother?" he prompted, thinking she was going off at a tangent. "My brother is eleven years youngerthan I am, which would make him fifty-four now. We're the only two still alive. I hardly know him; he was asmall child when I left Galway. At present he lives in New Zealand, though if he emigrated to make his fortunehe hasn't succeeded. "But last night when the station hand brought me the news that Arthur Teviot had packedhis traps and gone, I suddenly thought of Padraic. Here I am, not getting any younger, with no family around me.

And it occurred to me that Paddy is an experienced man of the land, without the means to own land. Why not, Ithought, write to him and ask him to bring himself and his sons here? When I die he'll inherit Drogheda andMichar Limited, as he's my only living relative closer than some unknown cousins back in Ireland." She smiled.

"It seems silly to wait, doesn't it? He might as well come now as later, get used to running sheep on the black soilplains, which I'm sure is quite different from sheep in New Zealand. Then when I'm gone he can step into myshoes without feeling the pinch." Head lowered, she watched Father Ralph closely.

"I wonder you didn't think of it earlier," he said. "Oh, I did. But until recently I thought the last thing I wantedwas a lot of vultures waiting anxiously for me to breathe my last. Only lately the day of my demise127 seems a lotcloser than it used to, and I feel . . . oh, I don't know. As if it might be nice to be surrounded by people of myown flesh and blood.""What's the matter, do you think you're ill?" he asked quickly, a real concern in his eyes.

She shrugged128. "I'm perfectly all right. Yet there's something ominous129 about turning sixty-five. Suddenly old ageis not a phenomenon which will occur; it has occurred.""I see what you mean, and you're right. It will be very pleasant for you, hearing young voices in the house.""Oh, they won't live here," she said. "They can live in the head stockman's house down by the creek130, well awayfrom me. I'm not fond of children or their voices.""Isn't that a rather shabby way to treat your only brother, Mary? Even if your ages are so disparate?""He'll inherit-let him earn it," she said crudely.

Fiona Cleary was delivered of another boy six days before Meggie's ninth birthday, counting herself luckynothing but a couple of miscarriages131 had happened in the interim132. At nine Meggie was old enough to be a realhelp. Fee herself was forty years old, too old to bear children without a great deal of strength-sapping pain. Thechild, named Harold, was a delicate baby; for the first time anyone could ever remember, the doctor cameregularly to the house.

And as troubles do, the Cleary troubles multiplied. The aftermath of the war was not a boom, but a ruraldepression. Work became increasingly harder to get.

Old Angus MacWhirter delivered a telegram to the house one day just as they were finishing tea, and Paddytore it open with trembling hands; telegrams never held good news. The boys gathered round, all save Frank,who took his cup of tea and left the table. Fee's eyes followed him, then turned back as Paddy groaned133. "What isit?" she asked.

Paddy was staring at the piece of paper as if it held news of a death. "Archibald doesn't want us."Bob pounded his fist on the table savagely134; he had been so looking forward to going with his father as anapprentice shearer136, and Archibald's was to have been his first pen. "Why should he do a dirty thing like this to us,Daddy? We were due to start there tomorrow.""He doesn't say why, Bob. I suppose some scab contractor137 undercut me." "Oh, Paddy!" Fee sighed.

Baby Hal began to cry from the big bassinet by the stove, but before Fee could move Meggie was up; Frank hadcome back inside the door and was standing139, tea in hand, watching his father narrowly. "Well, I suppose I'll haveto go and see Archibald," Paddy said at last. "It's too late now to look for another shad to replace his, but I dothink he owes me a better explanation than this. We'll just have to hope we can find work milking untilWilloughby's shed starts in July."Meggie pulled a square of white towel from the huge pile sitting by the stove warming and spread it carefullyon the work table, then lifted the crying child out of the wicker crib. The Cleary hair glittered sparsely140 on hislittle skull141 as Meggie changed his diaper swiftly, and as efficiently142 as her mother could have done.

"Little Mother Meggie," Frank said, to tease her. "I'm not!" she answered indignantly. "I'm just helping143 Mum.""I know," he said gently. "You're a good girl, wee Meggie." He tugged144 at the white taffeta bow on the back ofher head until it hung lopsided. Up came the big grey eyes to his face adoringly; over the nodding head of thebaby she might have been his own age, or older. There was a pain in his chest, that this should have fallen uponher at an age when the only baby she ought to be caring for was Agnes, now relegated146 forgotten to the bedroom.

If it wasn't for her and their mother, he would have been gone long since. He looked at his father sourly, thecause of the new life creating such chaos147 in the house. Served him right, getting done out of his shed.

Somehow the other boys and even Meggie had never intruded148 on his thoughts the way Hal did; but when Fee'swaistline began to swell149 this time, he was old enough himself to be married and a father. Everyone except littleMeggie had been uncomfortable about it, his mother especially. The furtive150 glances of the boys made her shrinklike a rabbit; she could not meet Frank's eyes or quench151 the shame in her own. Nor should any woman gothrough that, Frank said to himself for the thousandth time, remembering the horrifying153 moans and cries whichhad come from her bedroom the night Hal was born; of age now, he hadn't been packed off elsewhere like theothers. Served Daddy right, losing his shed. A decent man would have left her alone. His mother's head in thenew electric light was spun154 gold, the pure profile as she looked down the long table at Paddy unspeakablybeautiful. How had someone as lovely and refined as she married an itinerant155 shearer from the bogs156 of Galway?

Wasting herself and her Spode china, her damask table napery and her Persian rugs in the parlor157 that no one eversaw, because she didn't fit in with the wives of Paddy's peers. She made them too conscious of their vulgar loudvoices, their bewilderment when faced with more than one fork. Sometimes on a Sunday she would go into thelonely parlor, sit down at the spinet158 under the window and play, though her touch had long gone from want oftime to practice and she could no longer manage any but 78 the simplest pieces. He would sit beneath thewindow among the lilacs and the lilies, and close his eyes to listen. There was a sort of vision he had then, of hismother clad in a long bustled159 gown of palest pink shadow lace sitting at the spinet in a huge ivory room, greatbranches of candles all around her. It would make him long to weep, but he never wept anymore; not since thatnight in the barn after the police had brought him home. Meggie had put Hal back in the bassinet, and gone tostand beside her mother. There was another one wasted. The same proud, sensitive profile; something of Fionaabout her hands, her child's body. She would be very like her mother when she, too, was a woman. And whowould marry her? Another oafish160 Irish shearer, or a clodhopping yokel161 from some Wahine dairy farm? She wasworth more, but she was not born to more. There was no way out, that was what everyone said, and every yearlonger that he lived seemed to bear it out.

Suddenly conscious of his fixed162 regard, Fee and Meggie turned together, smiling at him with the peculiartenderness women save for the most beloved men in their lives. Frank put his cup on the table and went out tofeed the dogs, wishing he could weep, or commit murder. Anything which might banish163 the pain.

Three days after Paddy lost the Archibald shed, Mary Carson's letter came. He had opened it in the Wahine postoffice the moment he collected his mail, and came back to the house skipping like a child. "We're going toAustralia!" he yelled, waving the expensive vellum pages under his family's stunned164 noses.

There was silence, all eyes riveted165 on him. Fee's were shocked, so were Meggie's, but every male pair had litwith joy. Frank's blazed. "But, Paddy, why should she think of you so suddenly after all these years?" Fee askedafter she had read the letter. "Her money's not new to her, nor is her isolation166. I never remember her offering tohelp us before.""It seems she's frightened of dying alone," he said, as much to reassure167 himself as Fee. "You saw what shewrote: "I am not young, and you and your boys are my heirs. I think we ought to see each other before I die, andit's time you learned how to run your inheritance. I have the intention of making you my head stockman-it will beexcellent training, and those of your boys who are old enough to work may have employment as stockmen also.

Drogheda will become a family concern, run by the family without help from outsiders.""Does she say anything about sending us the money to get to Australia?" Fee asked.

Paddy's back stiffened168. "I wouldn't dream of dunning her for that!" he snapped. "We can get to Australiawithout begging from her; I have enough put by.""I think she ought to pay our way," Fee maintained stubbornly, and to everyone's shocked surprise; she did notoften voice an opinion. "Why should you give up your life here and go off to work for her on the strength of apromise given in a letter? She's never lifted a finger to help us before, and I don't trust her. All I ever rememberyour saying about her was that she had the tightest clutch on a pound you'd ever seen. After all, Paddy, it's not asif you know her so very well; there was such a big gap between you in age, and she went to Australia before youwere old enough to start school." "I don't see how that alters things now, and if she is tight-fisted, all the more forus to inherit. No, Fee, we're going to Australia, and we'll pay our own way there."Fee said no more. It was impossible to tell from her face whether she resented being so summarily dismissed.

"Hooray, we're going to Australia!" Bob shouted, grabbing at his father's shoulder. Jack169, Hughie and Stu 80jigged up and down, and Frank was smiling, his eyes seeing nothing in the room but something far beyond it.

Only Fee and Meggie wondered and feared, hoping painfully it would all come to nothing, for their lives couldbe no easier in Australia, just the same things under strange conditions. "Where's Gillanbone?" Stuart asked.

Out came the old atlas170; poor though the Clearys were, there were several shelves of books behind the kitchendining table. The boys pored over yellowing pages until they found New South Wales. Used to small NewZealand. distances, it didn't occur to them to consult the scale of miles in the bottom left-hand corner. They justnaturally assumed New South Wales was the same size as the North Island of New Zealand. And there wasGillanbone, up toward the top left-hand corner; about the same distance from Sydney as Wanganui was fromAuckland, it seemed, though the dots indicating towns were far fewer than on the North Island map.

"It's a very old atlas," Paddy said. "Australia is like America, growing in leaps and bounds. I'm sure there are alot more towns these days." They would have to go steerage on the ship, but it was only three days after all, nottoo bad. Not like the weeks and weeks between England and the Antipodes. All they could afford to take withthem were clothes, china, cutlery, household linens172, cooking utensils174 and those shelves of precious books; thefurniture would have to be sold to cover the cost of shipping175 Fee's few bits and pieces in the parlor, her spinetand rugs and chairs. "I won't hear of your leaving them behind," Paddy told Fee firmly. "Are you sure we canafford it?""Positive. As to the other furniture, Mary says she's readying the head stockman's house and that it's goteverything we're likely to be needing. I'm glad we don't have to live in the same house as Mary.""So am I," said Fee.

Paddy went into Wanganui to book them an eight-berth176 steerage cabin on the Wahine; strange that the ship andtheir nearest town should have the same name. They were due to sail at the end of August, so by the beginning ofthat month everyone started realizing the big adventure was actually going to happen. The dogs had to be givenaway, the horses and the buggy sold, the furniture loaded onto old Angus MacWhirter's dray and taken intoWanganui for auction177, Fee's few pieces crated178 along with the china and linen173 and books and kitchen goods.

Frank found his mother standing by the beautiful old spinet, stroking its faintly pink, streaky paneling andlooking vaguely179 at the powdering of gold dust on her fingertips.

"Did you always have it, Mum?" he asked.

"Yes. What was actually mine they couldn't take from me when I married. The spinet, the Persian carpets, theLouis Quinze sofa and chairs, the Regency escritoire. Not much, but they were rightfully mine." The grey,wistful eyes stared past his shoulder at the oil painting on the wall behind him, dimmed with age a little, but stillshowing clearly the golden-haired woman in her pale-pink lace gown, crinolined with a hundred and sevenflounces. "Who was she?" he asked curiously180, turning his head. "I've always wanted to know.""A great lady.""Well, she's got to be related to you; she looks like you a bit." "Her? A relation of mine?" The eyes left theircontemplation of the picture and rested on her son's face ironically. "Now, do I look as if I could ever have had arelative like her?""Yes.""You've cobwebs in your brain; brush them out.""I wish you'd tell me, Mum."She sighed and shut the spinet, dusting the gold off her fingers. "There's nothing to tell, nothing at all. Come on,help me move these things into the middle of the room, so Daddy can pack them."The voyage was a nightmare. Before the Wahine was out of Wellington harbor they were all seasick182, and theycontinued to be seasick all the way across twelve hundred miles of gale-stirred, wintry seas. Paddy took the boysup on deck and kept them there in spite of the bitter wind and constant spray, only going below to see his womenand baby when some kind soul volunteered to keep an eye on his four miserable183, retching boys. Much though heyearned for fresh air, Frank had elected to remain below to guard the women. The cabin was tiny, stifling185 andreeked of oil, for it was below the water line and toward the bow, where the ship's motion was most violent.

Some hours out of Wellington Frank and Meggie became convinced their mother was going to die; the doctor,summoned from first class by a very worried steward189, shook his head over her pessimistically. "Just as well it'sonly a short voyage," he said, instructing his nurse to find milk for the baby.

Between bouts190 of retching Frank and Meggie managed to bottle-feed Hal, who didn't take to it kindly191. Fee hadstopped trying to vomit192 and had sunk into a kind of coma193, from which they could not rouse her. The stewardhelped Frank put her in the top bunk194, where the air was a little less stale, and holding a towel to his mouth tostem the watery195 bile he still brought up, Frank perched himself on the edge beside her, stroking the mattedyellow hair back from her brow. Hour after hour he stuck to his post in spite of his own sickness; every timePaddy came in he was with his mother, stroking her hair, while Meggie huddled196 on a lower berth with Hal, atowel to her mouth. Three hours out of Sydney the seas dropped to a glassy calm and fog stole in furtively198 fromthe far Antarctic, wrapping itself about the old ship. Meggie, reviving a little, imagined it bellowed199 regularly inpain now the terrible buffeting200 was over. They inched through the gluey greyness as stealthily as a hunted thinguntil that deep, monotonous201 bawl202 sounded again from somewhere on the superstructure, a lost and lonely,indescribably sad noise. Then all around them the air was filled with mournful bellows203 as they slipped throughghostly smoking water into the harbor. Meggie never forgot the sound of foghorns204, her first introduction toAustralia.

Paddy carried Fee off the Wahine in his arms, Frank following with the baby, Meggie with a case, each of theboys stumbling wearily under some kind of burden. They had come into Pyrmont, a meaningless name, on afoggy winter morning at the end of August, 1921. An enormous line of taxis waited outside the iron shed on thewharf; Meggie gaped205 round-eyed, for she had never seen so many cars in one place at one time. Somehow Paddypacked them all into a single cab, its driver volunteering to take them to the People's Palace. "That's the place foryouse, mate," he told Paddy. "It's a hotel for the workingman run by the Sallies."The streets were thronged207 with cars seeming to rush in all directions; there were very few horses. They staredraptly out of the taxi windows at the tall brick buildings, the narrow winding208 streets, the rapidity with whichcrowds of people seemed to merge209 and dissolve in some strange urban ritual. Wellington had awed210 them, butSydney made Wellington look like a small country town.

While Fee rested in one of the myriad211 rooms of the warren the Salvation212 Army fondly called the People'sPalace, Paddy went off to Central Railway Station to see when they could get a train for Gillanbone. Quiterecovered, the boys clamored to go with him, for they had been told it was not very far, and that the way was 84all shops, including one which sold squill candy. Envying their youth, Paddy yielded, for he wasn't sure howstrong his own legs were after three days of seasickness213. Frank and Meggie stayed with Fee and the baby,longing214 to go, too, but more concerned that their mother be better. Indeed, she seemed to gain strength rapidlyonce off the ship, and had drunk a bowl of soup and nibbled215 a slice of toast brought to her by one of theworkingman's bonneted216 angels.

"If we don't go tonight, Fee, it's a week until the next through train," Paddy said when he returned. "Do youthink you could manage the journey tonight?"Fee sat up, shivering. "I can manage.""I think we ought to wait," Frank said hardily217. "I don't think Mum's well enough to travel.""What you don't seem to understand, Frank, is that if we miss tonight's train we have to wait a whole week, andI just don't have the price of a week's stay in Sydney in my pocket. This is a big country, and where we're goingisn't served by a daily train. We could get as far as Dubbo on any one of three trains tomorrow, but then we'dhave to wait for a local connection, and they told me we'd suffer a lot more traveling that way than if we makethe effort to catch tonight's express.""I'll manage, Paddy," Fee repeated. "I've got Frank and Meggie; I'll be all right." Her eyes were on Frank,pleading for his silence. "Then I'll send Mary a telegram now, telling her to expect us tomorrow night."Central Station was bigger than any building the Clearys had ever been inside, a vast glass cylinder218 whichseemed simultaneously219 to echo and absorb the din51 of thousands of people waiting beside battered, strappedsuitcases and fixedly221 watching a giant indicator222 board which men with long poles altered by hand. In thegathering evening darkness they found themselves a part of the throng206, their eyes on the steel concertina gates ofplatform five; though shut, they bore a large hand-painted sign saying GILLANBONE MAIL. On platform oneand platform two a terrific activity heralded225 the imminent226 departure of the Brisbane and Melbourne nightexpresses, passengers crowding through the barriers. Soon it was their turn, as the gates of platform fivesquashed themselves open and the people began eagerly to move.

Paddy found them an empty second-class compartment227, put the older boys by the windows and Fee, Meggieand the baby by the sliding doors which led into the long corridor connecting compartments228. Faces would peer inhopefully in sight of a spare seat, to vanish horrified229 at the sight of so many young children. Sometimes being alarge family was an advantage. The night was cold enough to warrant unstrapping of the big tartan traveling rugsall the suitcases bore on their outsides; though the carnage was not heated, steel boxes full of hot ashes lay alongthe floor radiating warmth, and no one had expected heating anyway because nothing in Australia or NewZealand was ever heated.

"How far is it, Daddy?" Meggie asked as the train drew out, clanking and rocking gently across an eternity230 ofpoints.

"A long way further than it looked on our atlas, Meggie. Six hundred and ten miles. We'll be there latetomorrow afternoon."The boys gasped, but forgot it at the blossoming of a fairyland of lights outside; everyone clustered at thewindows and watched while the first miles flew by and still the houses did not diminish. The speed increased, thelights grew scattered233 and finally went out, replaced by a constant flurry of sparks streaming past in a howlingwind. When Paddy took the boys outside so Fee could feed Hal, Meggie gazed after them longingly234. These daysit seemed she was not to be included as one of the boys, not since the baby had disrupted her life and chained herto the house as firmly as her mother 86 was. Not that she really minded, she told herself loyally. He was such adear little fellow, the chief delight of her life, and it was nice to have Mum treat her as another grown-up lady.

What caused Mum to grow babies she had no idea, but the result was lovely. She gave Hal to Fee; the trainstopped not long after, creaking and squealing235, and seemed to stand hours panting for breath. She was dying toopen the window and look out, but the compartment was growing very cold in spite of the hot ashes on the floor.

Paddy came in from the corridor with a steaming cup of tea for Fee, who put Hal back on the seat, glutted236 andsleepy.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A place called Valley Heights. We take on another engine here for the climb to Lithgow, the girl in therefreshment room said.""How long have I got to drink this?""Fifteen minutes. Frank's getting you some sandwiches and I'll see the boys are fed. Our next refreshment237 stopis a placed called Blayney, much later in the night."Meggie shared her mother's cup of hot, sugary tea, suddenly unbearably excited, and gobbled her sandwichwhen Frank brought it. He settled her on the long seat below baby Hal, tucked a rug firmly around her, and thendid the same for Fee, stretched out full length on the seat opposite. Stuart and Hughie were bedded down on thefloor between the seats, but Paddy told Fee that he was taking Bob, Frank and Jack several compartments downto talk to some shearers, and would spend the night there. It was much nicer than the ship, clicking along to therhythmic huff-a-huff of the two engines, listening to the wind in the telegraph wires, the occasional flurry offurious huffs as steel wheels slipped on sloping steel rails, frantically239 sought traction240; Meggie went to sleep.

In the morning they stared, awed and dismayed, at a landscape so alien they had not dreamed anything like itexisted on the same planet as New Zealand. The rolling hills were there certainly, but absolutely nothing elsereminiscent of home. It was all brown and grey, even the trees! The winter wheat was already turned a fawnishsilver by the glaring sun, miles upon miles of it rippling242 and bending in the wind, broken only by stands of thin,spindling, blue-leafed trees and dusty clumps243 of tired grey bushes. Fee's stoical eyes surveyed the scene withoutchanging expression, but poor Meggie's were full of tears. It was horrible, fenceless and vast, without a trace ofgreen.

From freezing night it turned to scorching245 day as the sun climbed toward its zenith and the train racketed on andon and on, stopping occasionally in some tiny town full of bicycles and horse-drawn246 vehicles; cars were scarceout here, it seemed. Paddy opened both the windows all the way in spite of the soot247 which swirled248 in and settledon everything; it was so hot they were gasping249, their heavy New Zealand winter clothing sticking and itching250. Itdid not seem possible that anywhere outside of hell could be so hot in winter. Gillanbone came with the dyingsun, a strange small collection of ramshackle wooden and corrugated251 iron buildings along either side of onedusty wide street, treeless and tired. The melting sun had licked a golden paste over everything, and gave thetown a transient gilded252 dignity which faded even as they stood on the platform watching. It became once more atypical settlement on the very edge of the Back of Beyond, a last outpost in a steadily254 diminishing rainfall belt;not far away westward255 began two thousand miles of the Neverationever, the desert lands where it could not rain.

A resplendent black car was standing in the station yard, and striding unconcernedly toward them through theinches-deep dust came a priest. His long soutane made him seem a figure out of the past, as if he did not move onfeet like ordinary men, but drifted dreamlike; 88 the dust rose and billowed around him, red in the last of thesunset. "Hello, I'm Father de Bricassart," he said, holding out his hand to Paddy. "You have to be Mary's brother;you're the living image of her." He turned to Fee and lifted her limp hand to his lips, smiling in genuineastonishment; no one could spot a gentlewoman quicker than Father Ralph. "Why, you're beautiful!" he said, asif it were the most natural remark in the world for a priest to make, and then his eyes went onward256 to the boys,standing together in a huddle197. They rested for a moment with puzzled bewilderment on Frank, who had charge ofthe baby, and ticked off each boy as they got smaller and smaller. Behind them, all by herself, Meggie stoodgaping up at him with her mouth open, as if she were looking at God. Without seeming to notice how his fineserge robe wallowed in the dust, he stepped past the boys and squatted258 down to hold Meggie between his hands,and they were firm, gentle, kind. "Well! And who are you?" he asked her, smiling. "Meggie," she said.

"Her name's Meghann." Frank scowled259, hating this beautiful man, his stunning260 height.

"My favorite name, Meghann." He straightened, but held Meggie's hand in his. "It will be better for you to stayat the presbytery tonight," he said, leading Meggie toward the car. "I'll drive you out to Drogheda in the morning;it's too far after the train ride from Sydney."Aside from the Hotel Imperial, the Catholic church, school, convent and presbytery were the only brick edificesin Gillanbone, even the big public school having to content itself with timber frame. Now that darkness hadfallen, the air had grown incredibly chill; but in the presbytery lounge a huge log fire was blazing, and the smellof food came tantalizingly261 from somewhere beyond. The housekeeper, a wizened263 old Scotswoman with amazingenergy, bustled about showing them their 89 rooms, chattering264 all the while in a broad western Highlands accent.

Used to the touch-me-not reserve of the Wahine priests, the Clearys found it hard to cope with Father Ralph'seasy, cheerful bonhomie. Only Paddy thawed265, for he could remember the friendliness266 of the priests in his nativeGalway, their closeness to lesser267 beings. The rest ate their supper in careful silence and escaped upstairs as soonas they could, Paddy reluctantly following. To him, his religion was a warmth and a consolation268; but to the restof his family it was something rooted in fear, a do-it-or-thou-shah-be-damned compulsion.

When they had gone, Father Ralph stretched out in his favorite chair, staring at the fire, smoking a cigarette andsmiling. In his mind's eye he was passing the Clearys in review, as he had first seen them from the station yard.

The man so like Mary, but bowed with hard work and very obviously not of her malicious269 disposition270; his weary,beautiful wife, who looked as if she ought to have descended271 from a landaulet drawn by matched white horses;dark and surly Frank, with black eyes, black eyes; the sons, most of them like their father, but the youngest one,Stuart, very like his mother, he'd be a handsome man when he grew up; impossible to tell what the baby wouldbecome; and Meggie. The sweetest, the most adorable little girl he had ever seen; hair of a color which defieddescription, not red and not gold, a perfect fusion272 of both. And looking up at him with silver-grey eyes of such alambent purity, like melted jewels. Shrugging, he threw the cigarette stub into the fire and got to his feet. He wasgetting fanciful in his old age; melted jewels, indeed! More likely his own eyes were coming down with thesandy blight274.

In the morning he drove his overnight guests to Drogheda, so inured275 by now to the landscape that he derivedgreat amusement from their comments. The last hill lay two hundred miles to the east; this was the land of theblack soil plains, he explained. Just sweeping277, lightly timbered grasslands278 as flat as a board. The day was as hotas the previous one, but the Daimler was a great deal more comfortable to travel in than the train had been. Andthey had started out early, fasting, Father Ralph's vestments and the Blessed Sacrament packed carefully in ablack case.

"The sheep are dirty!" said Meggie dolefully, gazing at the many hundreds of rusty279-red bundles with theirquesting noses down into the grass. "Ah, I can see I ought to have chosen New Zealand," the priest said. "It mustbe like Ireland, then, and have nice cream sheep.""Yes, it is like Ireland in many ways; it has the same beautiful green grass. But it's wilder, a lot less tamed,"Paddy answered. He liked Father Ralph very much.

Just then a group of emus lurched to their feet and commenced to run, fleet as the wind, their ungainly legs ablur, their long necks stretched out. The children gasped and burst out laughing, enchanted280 at seeing giant birdswhich ran instead of flying.

"What a pleasure it is not to have to get out and open these' wretched gates," Father Ralph said as the last onewas shut behind them and Bob, who had done gate duty for him, scrambled282 back into the car. After the shocksAustralia had administered to them in bewildering rapidity, Drogheda homestead seemed like a touch of home,with its gracious Georgian facade283 and its budding wistaria vines, its thousands of rosebushes. "Are we going tolive here?" Meggie squeaked284. "Not exactly," the priest said quickly. "The house you're going to live in is about amile further on, down by the creek."Mary Carson was waiting to receive them in the vast drawing room and did not rise to greet her brother, butforced him to come to her as she sat in her wing chair.

"Well, Paddy," she said pleasantly enough, looking past him fixedly to where Father Ralph stood with Meggiein his arms, and her little arms locked tightly about his neck. Mary Carson got up ponderously285, without greetingFee or the children.

"Let us hear Mass immediately," she said. "I'm sure Father de Bricassart is anxious to be on his way.""Not at all, my dear Mary." He laughed, blue eyes gleaming. "I shall say Mass, we'll all have a good hotbreakfast at your table, and then I've promised Meggie I'll show her where she's going to live.""Meggie," said Mary Carson.

"Yes, this is Meggie. Which rather begins the introductions at the tail, doesn't it? Let me begin at the head,Mary, please. This is Fiona." Mary Carson nodded curtly287, and paid scant288 attention as Father Ralph ran throughthe boys; she was too busy watching the priest and Meggie.

The head stockman's house stood on piles some thirty feet above a narrow gulch289 fringed with tall, stragglinggum trees and many weeping willows291. After the splendor292 of Drogheda homestead it was rather bare andutilitarian, but in its appurtenances it was not unlike the house they had left behind in New Zealand. SolidVictorian furniture filled the rooms to overflowing294, smothered in fine red dust.

"You're lucky here, you have a bathroom," Father Ralph said as he brought them up the plank295 steps to the frontveranda; it was quite a climb, for the piles upon which the house was poised296 were fifteen feet high. "In case thecreek runs a banker," Father Ralph explained. "You're right on it here and I've heard it can rise sixty feet in anight."They did indeed have a bathroom; an old tin bath and a chipped water heater stood in a walled-off alcove297 at theend of the back veranda. But, as the women found to their disgust, the lavatory298 was nothing more than a hole inthe ground some two hundred yards away from the house, and it stank299. After New Zealand, primitive300.

"Whoever lived here wasn't very clean," Fee said as she ran her finger through the dust on the sideboard.

Father Ralph laughed. "You'll fight a losing battle trying to get rid of that," he said. "This is the Outback, andthere are three things you'll never defeat-the heat, the dust and the flies. No matter what you do, they'll always bewith you."Fee looked at the priest. "You're very good to us, Father.""And why not? You're the only relatives of my very good friend, Mary Carson."She shrugged, unimpressed. "I'm not used to being on friendly terms with a priest. In New Zealand they keptthemselves very much to themselves." "You're not a Catholic, are you?""No, Paddy's the Catholic. Naturally the children have been reared as Catholics, every last one of them, if that'swhat's worrying you." "It never occurred to me. Do you resent it?""I really don't care one way or the other.""You didn't convert?""I'm not a hypocrite, Father de Bricassart. I had lost faith in my own church, and I had no wish to espouse83 adifferent, equally meaningless creed302." "I see." He watched Meggie as she stood on the front veranda, peering upthe track toward Drogheda big house. "She's so pretty, your daughter. I have a fondness for titian hair, you know.

Hers would have sent the artist running for his brushes. I've never seen exactly that color before. Is she your onlydaughter?""Yes. Boys run in both Paddy's family and my own; girls are unusual." "Poor little thing," he said obscurely.

After the crates303 arrived from Sydney and the house took on a more familiar look with its books, china,ornaments and the parlor filled with Fee's furniture, things began to settle down. Paddy and the boys older thanStu were away most of the time with the two station hands Mary Carson had retained to teach them the manydifferences between sheep in northwest New SouthWales and sheep in New Zealand. Fee, Meggie and Stu discovered the differences between running a house inNew Zealand and living in the head stockman's residence on Drogheda; there was a tacit understanding theywould never disturb Mary Carson herself, but her housekeeper and her maids were just as eager to help thewomen as her station hands were to help the men. Drogheda was, everyone learned, a world in itself, so cut offfrom civilization that after a while even Gillanbone became no more than a name with remote memories. Withinthe bounds of the great Home Paddock lay stables, a smithy, garages, innumerable sheds storing everything fromfeed to machinery304, dog kennels305 and runs, a labyrinthine306 maze307 of stockyards, a mammoth308 shearing shed with thestaggering number of twenty-six stands in it, and yet another jigsaw309 puzzle of yards behind it. There were fowlruns, pigpens, cow bails310 and a dairy, quarters for the twenty-six shearers, small shacks311 for the rouseabouts, twoother, smaller, houses like their own for stockmen, a jackaroos' barracks, a slaughter313 yard, and woodheaps. Allthis sat in just about the middle of a treeless circle whose diameter measured three miles: the Home Paddock.

Only at the point where the head stockman's house lay did the conglomeration314 of buildings almost touch theforests beyond. However, there were many trees around the sheds, yards and animal runs, to provide welcomeand necessary shade; mostly pepper trees, huge, hardy, dense and sleepily lovely. Beyond in the long grass of theHome Paddock, horses and milch cows grazed drowsily315. The deep gully beside the head stockman's house had ashallow, sluggish316 stream of muddy water at its bottom. No one credited Father Ralph's tale of its rising sixty feetovernight; it didn't seem possible. Water from this creek was pumped up by hand to service the bathroom andkitchen, and it took the women a long time to get used to washing themselves, the dishes and the clothes ingreenish-brown water. Six massive corrugated-iron tanks perched on wooden derricklike towers caught rain fromthe roof and provided them with drinking water, but they learned they must use it very sparingly, that it wasnever to be used for washing. For there was no guarantee as to when the next rains might come to fill the tanksup.

The sheep and cattle drank artesian water, not tapped from an easily accessible water table, but true artesianwater brought from over three thousand feet below the surface. It gushed318 at boiling point from a pipe at what wascalled the borehead, and ran through tiny channels fringed with poisonously green grass to every paddock on theproperty. These channels were the bore drains, and the heavily sulphurated, mineral-laden water they containedwas not fit for human consumption.

At first the distances staggered them; Drogheda had two hundred and fifty thousand acres. Its longest boundarystretched for eighty miles. The homestead was forty miles and twenty-seven gates away from Gillanbone, theonly settlement of any kind closer than a hundred and six miles. The narrow eastern boundary was formed by theBarwon River, which was what the locals called this northern course of the Darling River, a great muddythousand-mile stream that finally joined the Murray River and surged out into the southern ocean fifteen hundredmiles away in South Australia. Gillan Creek, which ran in the gully beside the head stockman's house, mergedinto the Barwon two miles beyond the Home Paddock.

Paddy and the boys loved it. Sometimes they spent days on end in the saddle, miles away from the homestead,camping at night under a sky so vast and filled with stars it seemed they were a part of God. The grey-brownland swarmed319 with life. Kangaroos in flocks of thousands streamed leaping through the trees, taking fences intheir stride, utterly lovely in their grace and freedom and numbers; emus built their nests 96 in the middle of thegrassy plain and stalked like giants about their territorial320 boundaries, taking fright at anything strange andrunning fleeter than horses away from their dark-green, football-sized eggs; termites321 built rusty towers likeminiature skyscrapers322; huge ants with a savage135 bite poured in rivers down mounded holes in the ground.

The bird life was so rich and varied325 there seemed no end to new kinds, and they lived not in ones and twos butin thousands upon thousands: tiny green-and-yellow parakeets Fee used to call lovebirds, but which the localscalled budgerigars; scarlet326-and-blue smallish parrots called rosellas; big pale-grey parrots with brilliant purplish-pink breasts, underwings and heads, called galahs; and the great pure white birds with cheeky yellow combscalled sulphur-crested cockatoos. Exquisite327 tiny finches whirred and wheeled, so did sparrows and starlings, andthe strong brown kingfishers called kookaburras laughed and chuckled328 gleefully or dived for snakes, theirfavorite food. They were wellnigh human, all these birds, and completely without fear, sitting in hundreds in thetrees peering about with bright intelligent eyes, screaming, talking, laughing, imitating anything that produced asound. Fearsome lizards329 five or six feet long pounded over the ground and leaped lithely330 for high tree branches,as at home off the earth as on it; they were goannas. And there were many other lizards, smaller but some no lessfrightening, adorned331 with horny triceratopean ruffs about their necks, or with swollen332, bright-blue tongues. Ofsnakes the variety was almost endless, and the Clearys learned that the biggest and most dangerous looking wereoften the most benign333, while a stumpy little creature a foot long might be a death adder334; carpet snakes, coppersnakes, tree snakes, red-bellied black snakes, brown snakes, lethal336 tiger snakes.

And insects! Grasshoppers337, locusts338, crickets, bees, flies of all sizes and sorts, cicadas, gnats339, dragonflies, giantmoths and so many butterflies! The spiders were dreadful, huge hairy things with a leg span of inches, ordeceptively small and deadly black-things lurking343 in the lavatory; some lived in vast wheeling webs slungbetween trees, some rocked inside dense gossamer344 cradles hooked among grass blades, others dived into littleholes in the ground complete with lids which shut after them.

Predators345 were there, too: wild pigs frightened of nothing, savage and flesh-eating, black hairy things the size offully grown cows; dingoes, the wild native dogs which slunk close to the ground and blended into the grass;crows in hundreds carking desolately346 from the blasted white skeletons of dead trees; hawks347 and eagles, hoveringmotionless on the air currents. From some of these the sheep and cattle had to be protected, especially when theydropped their young. The kangaroos and rabbits ate the precious grass; the pigs and dingoes ate lambs, calvesand sick animals; the crows pecked out eyes. The Clearys had to learn to shoot, then carried rifles as they rode,sometimes to put a suffering beast out of its misery350, sometimes to fell a boar or a dingo.

This, thought the boys exultantly351, was life. Not one of them yearned184 for New Zealand; when the flies clusteredlike syrup352 in the corners of their eyes, up their noses, in their mouths and ears, they learned the Australian trickand hung corks353 bobbing from the ends of strings354 all around the brims of their hats. To prevent crawlies fromgetting up inside the legs of (heir baggy355 trousers they tied strips of kangaroo hide called bowyangs below theirknees, giggling356 at the silly-sounding name, but awed by the necessity. New Zealand was tame compared to this;this was life. Tied to the house and its immediate286 environs, the women found life much less to their liking, forthey had not the leisure or the excuse to ride, nor did they have the stimulation358 of varying activities. It was justharder to do what women always did: cook, clean, wash, iron, . 98 care for babies. They battled the heat, thedust, the flies, the many steps, the muddy water, the nearly perennial359 absence of men to carry and chop wood,pump water, kill fowls360. The heat especially was hard to bear, and it was as yet only early spring; even so, thethermometer out on the shady veranda reached a hundred degrees every day. Inside the kitchen with the rangegoing, it was a hundred and twenty degrees.

Their many layers of clothing were close-fitting and designed for New Zealand, where inside the house it wasalmost always cool. Mary Carson, exercising gently by walking down to see her sister-in-law, looked at Fee'shigh-necked, floor-length calico gown superciliously361. She herself was clad in the new fashion, a cream silk dresscoming only halfway362 down her calves348, with loose elbow sleeves, no waist and a low décolletage. "Really, Fiona,you're hopelessly old-fashioned," she said, glancing round the parlor with its fresh coat of cream paint, thePersian carpets and the spindly priceless furniture.

"I have no time to be anything else," Fee said, curtly for her when acting363 as hostess.

"You'll have more time now, with the men away so much and fewer meals to get. Raise your hems224 and stopwearing petticoats and stays, or you'll die when summer comes. It can get fifteen to twenty degrees hotter thanthis, you know." Her eyes dwelled on the portrait of the beautiful blond woman in her Empress Eugeniecrinoline. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing. "My grandmother.""Oh, really? And the furniture, the carpets?" "Mine, from my grandmother.""Oh, really? My dear Fiona, you've come down in the world, haven't you?" Fee never lost her temper, so shedidn't now, but her thin lips got thinner. "I don't think so, Mary. I have a good man; you ought to know that.""But penniless. What was your maiden364 name?""Armstrong.""Oh, really? Not the Roderick Armstrong Armstrongs?" "He's my oldest brother. His namesake was my great-grandfather." Mary Carson rose, flapping her picture hat at the flies, which were not respecters of person. "Well,you're better born than the Clearys are, even if I do say so myself. Did you love Paddy enough to give all thatup?" "My reasons for what I do," said Fee levelly, "are my business, Mary, not yours. I do not discuss myhusband, even with his sister."The lines on either side of Mary Carson's nose got deeper, her eyes bulged365 slightly. "Hoity-toity!"She did not come again, but Mrs. Smith, her housekeeper, came often, and repeated Mary Carson's advice abouttheir clothes. "Look," she said, "there's a sewing machine in my quarters which I never use. I'll have a couple ofthe rouseabouts carry it down. If I do need to use it, I'll come down here." Her eyes strayed to baby Hal, rollingon the floor gleefully. "I like to hear the sound of children, Mrs. Cleary."Once every six weeks the mail came by horse-drawn dray from Gillanbone; this was the only contact with theoutside world. Drogheda possessed366 a Ford45 truck, another specially61 constructed Ford truck with a water tank onits tray, a model-T Ford car and a Rolls-Royce limousine367, but no one ever seemed to use them to go into Gillysave Mary Carson infrequently. Forty miles was as far as the moon.

Bluey Williams had the mail contract for the district and took six weeks to cover his territory. His flattoppeddray with its ten-foot wheels was drawn by a magnificent team of twelve draft horses, and was loaded with allthe things the outlying stations ordered. As well as the Royal Mail, he carried groceries, gasoline in forty-fourgallondrums, kerosene368 in square five-gallon cans, hay, bags of corn, calico bags of sugar and flour, woodenchests of tea, bags of potatoes, farm machinery, mail-order toys and clothes from Anthony Hordern's in Sydney,plus anything else that had to be brought in from Gilly or Outside. Moving at the clipping rate of twenty miles aday, he was welcomed wherever he stopped, plied70 for news and weather far away, handed the scribbled369 scraps370 ofpaper carefully wrapped around money for goods he would purchase in Gilly, handed the laboriously371 writtenletters which went into the canvas sack marked "Royal GVR Mail."West of Gilly there were only two stations on the route, Drogheda closer in, Bugela farther out; beyond Bugelalay the territory that got mail only once every six months. Bluey's dray swung in a great zigzagging372 arc throughall the stations southwest, west and northwest, then returned to Gilly before setting out eastward, a smallerjourney because Booroo town took over sixty miles east. Sometimes he brought people sitting beside him on hisunsheltered leather seat, visitors or hopefuls looking for work; sometimes he took people away, visitors ordiscontented stockmen or maids or roustabouts, very occasionally a governess. The squatters owned cars totransport themselves, but those who worked for the squatters depended upon Bluey for transport as well as goodsand letters.

After the bolts of cloth Fee had ordered came on the mail, she sat down at the donated sewing machine andbegan to make loose dresses in light cotton for herself and Meggie, light trousers and overalls374 for the men,smocks for Hal, curtains for the windows. There was no doubt it was cooler minus layers of underwear andtightly fitting outerwear.

Life was lonely for Meggie, only Stuart at the house among the boys. Jack and Hughie were off with theirfather learning to be stockmen-jackaroos, the young apprentices375 were called. Stuart wasn't company the way Jackand Hughie used to be. He lived in a world all his own, a quiet little boy who preferred to sit for hours watchingthe behavior of a throng of ants than climb trees, whereas Meggie adored to climb trees and thought Australiangums were marvelous, of infinite variety and difficulty. Not that there was much time for tree-climbing, or ant-watching for that matter. Meggie and Stuart worked hard. They chopped and carried the wood, dug holes forrefuse, tended the vegetable garden and looked after the fowls and pigs. They also learned how to kill snakes andspiders, though they never ceased to fear them. The rainfall had been mediocrely376 good for several years; thecreek was low but the tanks were about half full. The grass was still fairly good, but apparently nothing to itslush times.

"It will probably get worse," said Mary Carson grimly. But they were to know flood before they encountered afull-fledged drought. Halfway through January the country caught the southern edge of the northwest monsoons377.

Captious378 in the extreme, the great winds blew to suit themselves. Sometimes only the far northern tips of thecontinent felt their drenching379 summer rains, sometimes they traveled far down the Outback and gave theunhappy urbanites of Sydney a wet summer. That January the clouds stormed dark across the sky, torn intosodden shreds381 by the wind, and it began to rain; not a gentle downpour but a steady, roaring deluge382 which wenton and on.

They had been warned; Bluey Williams had turned up with his dray loaded high and twelve spare horses behindhim, for he was moving fast to get through his rounds before the rains made further provisioning of the stationsimpossible.

"Monsoons are comin'," he said, rolling a cigarette and indicating piles of extra groceries with his whip.

"The Cooper an' the Barcoo an' the Diamantina are runnin' real bankers an' the Overflow293 is overflowin'. Thewhole Queenslan' Outback's two foot under water an' them poor buggers is tryin' to find a rise in the groun' to putthe sheep on."Suddenly there was a controlled panic; Paddy and the boys worked like madmen, moving the sheep out of thelow-lying paddocks and as far away from the creek and the Barwon as they could. Father Ralph turned up,saddled his horse and set off with Frank and the best team of dogs for two uncleared paddocks alongside theBarwon, while Paddy and the two stockmen each took a boy in other directions.

Father Ralph was an excellent stockman himself. He rode a thoroughbred chestnut383 mare181 Mary Carson had givenhim, clad in faultlessly tailored buff jodhpurs, shiny tan knee boots, and a spotless white shirt with its sleevesrolled up his sinewy384 arms and its neck open to show his smooth brown chest. In baggy old grey twill trouserstied with bowyangs and a grey flannel385 under-shirt, Frank felt like a poor relation. Which was what he was, hethought wryly386, following the straight figure on the dainty mare through a stand of box and pine beyond the creek.

He himself rode a hard-mouthed piebald stock horse, a mean-tempered beast with a will of its own and aferocious hatred387 of other horses. The dogs were yelping388 and cavorting389 in excitement, fighting and snarlingamong themselves until parted with a flick390 from Father Ralph's viciously wielded stock whip. It seemed therewas nothing the man couldn't do; he was familiar with the coded whistles setting the dogs to work, and plied hiswhip much better than Frank, still learning this exotic Australian art.

The big Queensland blue brute391 that led the dog pack took a slavish fancy to the priest and followed him withoutquestion, meaning Frank was-very definitely the second-string man. Half of Frank didn't mind; he alone amongPaddy's sons had not taken to life on Drogheda. He had wanted nothing more than to quit New Zealand, but notto come to this. He hated the ceaseless patrolling of the paddocks, the hard ground to sleep on most nights, thesavage dogs which could not be treated as pets and were shot if they failed to do their work. But the ride into thegathering clouds had an element of adventure to it; even the bending, cracking trees seemed to dance with anoutlandish joy. Father Ralph worked like a man in the grip of some obsession, sooling the dogs afterunsuspecting bands of sheep, sending the silly woolly things leaping and bleating392 in fright until the low shapesstreaking through the grass got them packed tight and running. Only having the dogs enabled a small handful ofmen to operate a property the size of Drogheda; bred to work sheep or cattle, they were amazingly intelligent andneeded very little direction. By nightfall Father Ralph and the dogs, with Frank trying to do his inadequate393 bestbehind them, had cleared all the sheep out of one paddock, normally several days' work. He unsaddled his marenear a clump244 of trees by the gate to the second paddock, talking optimistically of being able to get the stock outof it also before the rain started. The dogs were sprawled394 flat out in the grass, tongues lolling, the big Queenslandblue fawning395 and cringing396 at Father Ralph's feet. Frank dug a repulsive397 collection of kangaroo meat out of hissaddlebag and flung it to the dogs, which fell on it snapping and biting at each other jealously.

"Bloody398 awful brutes," he said. "They don't behave like dogs; they're just jackals.""I think these are probably a lot closer to what God intended dogs should be," said Father Ralph mildly. "Alert,intelligent, aggressive and almost untamed. For myself, I prefer them to the house-pet species." He smiled. "Thecats, too. Haven't you noticed them around the sheds? As wild and vicious as panthers; won't let a human beingnear them. But they hunt magnificently, and call no man master or provider."He unearthed399 a cold piece of mutton and a packet of bread and butter from his saddlebag, carved a hunk fromthe mutton and handed the rest to Frank. Putting the bread and butter on a log between them, he sank his whiteteeth into the meat with evident enjoyment400. Thirst was slaked401 from a canvas water bag, then cigarettes rolled.

A lone107 wilga tree stood nearby; Father Ralph indicated it with his cigarette.

"That's the spot to sleep," he said, unstrapping his blanket and picking up his saddle.

Frank followed him to the tree, commonly held the most beautiful in this part of Australia. Its leaves were denseand a pale lime green, its shape almost perfectly rounded. The foliage grew so close to the ground that sheepcould reach it easily, the result being that every wilga bottom was mown as straight as a topiary hedge. If the rainbegan they would have more shelter under it than any other tree, for Australian trees were generally thinner offoliage than the trees of wetter lands.

"You're not happy, Frank, are you?" Father Ralph asked, lying down with a sigh and rolling another smoke.

From his position a couple of feet away Frank turned to look at him suspiciously. "What's happy?""At the moment, your father and brothers. But not you, not your mother, and not your sister. Don't you likeAustralia?""Not this bit of it. I want to go to Sydney. I might have a chance there to make something of myself.""Sydney, eh? It's a den13 of iniquity402." Father Ralph was smiling. "I don't care! Out here I'm stuck the same way Iwas in New Zealand; I can't get away from him.""Him?"But Frank had not meant to say it, and would say no more. He lay looking up at the leaves.

"How old are you, Frank?" "Twenty-two." "Oh, yes! Have you ever been away from your people?"No.

"Have you even been to a dance, had a girlfriend?" "No." Frank refused to give him his title.

"Then he'll not hold you much longer.""He'll hold me until I die."Father Ralph yawned, and composed himself for sleep. "Good night," he said. In the morning the clouds werelower, but the rain held off all day and they got the second paddock cleared. A slight ridge403 ran clear acrossDrogheda from northeast to southwest; it was in these paddocks the stock were concentrated, where they hadhigher ground to seek if the water rose above the escarpments of the creek and the Barwon.

The rain began almost on nightfall, as Frank and the priest hurried at a fast trot404 toward the creek ford below thehead stockman's house. "No use worrying about blowing them now!" Father Ralph shouted. "Dig your heels in,lad, or you'll drown in the mud!"They were soaked within seconds, and so was the hard-baked ground. The fine,- nonporous soil became a sea ofmud, miring405 the horses to their hocks and setting them floundering. While the grass persisted they managed topress on, but near the creek where the earth had been trodden to bareness they had to dismount. Once relieved oftheir burdens, the horses had no trouble, but Frank found it impossible to keep his balance. It was worse than askating rink. On hands and knees they crawled to the top of the creek bank, and slid down it like projectiles406. Thestone roadway, which was normally covered by a foot of lazy water, was under four feet of racing26 foam407; Frankheard the priest laugh. Urged on by shouts and slaps from sodden380 hats, the horses managed to scramble281 up the farbank without mishap408, but Frank and Father Ralph could not. Every time they tried, they slid back again. Thepriest had just suggested they climb a willow290 when Paddy, alerted by the appearance of riderless horses, camewith a rope and hauled them out. Smiling and shaking his head, Father Ralph refused Paddy's offer of hospitality.

"I'm expected at the big house," he said.

Mary Carson heard him calling before any of her staff did, for he had chosen to walk around to the front of thehouse, thinking it would be easier to reach his room.

"You're not coming inside like that," she said, standing on the veranda. "Then be a dear, get me several towelsand my case."Unembarrassed, she watched him peel off his shirt, boots and breeches, leaning against the half-open windowinto her drawing room as he toweled the worst of the mud off.

"You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen, Ralph de Bricassart," she said. "Why is it so many priests arebeautiful? The Irishness? They're rather a handsome people, the Irish. Or is it that beautiful men find thepriesthood a refuge from the consequences of their looks? I'll bet the girls in Gilly just eat their hearts out overyou.""I learned long ago not to take any notice of lovesick girls." He laughed. "Any priest under fifty is a target forsome of them, and a priest under thirty-five is usually a target for all of them. But it's only the Protestant girlswho openly try to seduce409 me.""You never answer my questions outright410, do you?" Straightening, she laid her palm on his chest and held itthere. "You're a sybarite, Ralph, you lie in the sun. Are you as brown all over?"Smiling, he leaned his head forward, then laughed into her hair, his hands unbuttoning the cotton drawers; asthey fell to the ground he kicked them away, standing like a Praxiteles statue while she toured all the way aroundhim, taking her time and looking. The last two days had exhilarated him, so did the sudden awareness411 that shewas perhaps more vulnerable than he had imagined; but he knew her, and he felt quite safe in asking, "Do youwant me to make love to you, Mary?" She eyed his flaccid penis, snorting with laughter. "I wouldn't dream ofputting you to so much trouble! Do you need women, Ralph?" His head reared back scornfully. "No!""Men?""They're worse than women. No, I don't need them.""How about yourself?""Least of all.""Interesting." Pushing the window all the way up, she stepped through into the drawing room. "Ralph, Cardinalde Bricassart!" she mocked. But away from those discerning eyes of his she sagged412 back into her wing chair andclenched her fists, the gesture which rails against the inconsistencies of fate. Naked, Father Ralph stepped off theveranda to stand on the barbered lawn with his arms raised above his head, eyes closed; he let the rain pour overhim in warm, probing, spearing runnels, an exquisite sensation on bare skin. It was very dark. But he was stillflaccid.

The creek broke its banks and the water crept higher up the piles of Paddy's house, farther out across the HomePaddock toward the homestead itself.

"It will go down tomorrow," said Mary Carson when Paddy went to report, worried.

As usual, she was right; over the next week the water ebbed413 and finally returned to its normal channels. The suncame out, the temperature zoomed414 to a hundred and fifteen in the shade, and the grass seemed to take wing forthe sky, thigh-high and clean, bleached415 brilliant as gilt416, hurting the eyes. Washed and dusted, the trees glittered,and the hordes417 of parrots came back from wherever they had gone while the rain fell to flash their rainbowbodies amid the timber, more loquacious418 than ever. Father Ralph had returned to succor419 his neglectedparishioners, serene420 in the knowledge his knuckles421 would not be rapped; under the pristine422 white shirt next to hisheart resided a check for one thousand pounds. The bishop would be ecstatic.

The sheep were moved back to their normal pasture and the Clearys were forced to learn the Outback habit ofsiesta. They rose at five, got everything done before midday, then collapsed423 in twitching424, sweating heaps untilfive in the afternoon. This applied425 both to the women at the house and the men in the paddocks. Chores whichcould not be done early were done after five, and the evening meal eaten after the sun had gone down at a tableoutside on the veranda. All the beds had been moved outside as well for the heat persisted through the night. Itseemed as if the mercury had not gone below a century in weeks, day or night. Beef was a forgotten memory,only a sheep small enough to last without tainting426 until it was all eaten. Their palates longed for a change fromthe eternal round of baked mutton chops, mutton stew188, shepherd's pie made of minced427 mutton, curried428 mutton,roast leg of mutton, boiled pickled mutton, mutton casserole. But at the beginning of February life changedabruptly for Meggie and Stuart. They were sent to the convent in Gillanbone to board, for there was no schoolcloser. Hal, said Paddy, could learn by correspondence from Blackfriars School in Sydney when he was oldenough, but in the meantime, since Meggie and Stuart were used to teachers, Mary Carson had generouslyoffered to pay for their board and tuition at the Holy Cross convent. Besides, Fee was too busy with Hal tosupervise correspondence lessons as well. It had been tacitly understood from the beginning that Jack andHughie would go no further with their educations; Drogheda needed them on the land, and the land was whatthey wanted.

Meggie and Stuart found it a strange, peaceful existence at Holy Cross after their life on Drogheda, butespecially after the Sacred Heart in Wahine. Father Ralph had subtly indicated to the nuns429 that this pair ofchildren were his protégés, their aunt the richest woman in New South Wales. So Meggie's shyness wastransformed from a vice317 into a virtue431, and Stuart's odd isolation, his habit of staring for hours into illimitabledistances, earned him the epithet432 "saintly."It was very peaceful indeed, for there were very few boarders; people of the district wealthy enough to sendtheir offspring to boarding school invariably preferred Sydney. The convent smelled of polish and flowers, itsdark high corridors awash with quietness and a tangible433 holiness. Voices were muted, life went on behind a blackthin veil. No one caned434 them, no one shouted at them, and there was always Father Ralph. He came to see themoften, and had them to stay at the presbytery so regularly he decided435 to paint the bedroom Meggie used a delicateapple green, buy new curtains for the windows and a new quilt for the bed. Stuart continued to sleep in a roomwhich had been cream and brown through two redecorations; it simply never occurred to Father Ralph to wonderif Stuart was happy. He was the afterthought who to avoid offense436 must also be invited. Just why he was so fondof Meggie Father Ralph didn't know, nor for that matter did he spend much time wondering about it. It hadbegun with pity that day in the dusty station yard when he had noticed her lagging behind; set apart from the restof her family by virtue of her sex, he had shrewdly guessed. As to why Frank also moved on an outer perimeter437,this did not intrigue438 him at all, nor did he feel moved to pity Frank. There was something in Frank which killedtender emotions: a dark heart, a spirit lacking inner light. But Meggie? She had moved him unbearably, and hedidn't really know why. There was the color of her hair, which pleased him; the color and form of her eyes, likeher mother's and therefore beautiful, but so much sweeter, more expressive439; and her character, which he saw asthe perfect female character, passive yet enormously strong. No rebel, Meggie; on the contrary. All her life shewould obey, move within the boundaries of her female fate.

Yet none of it added up to the full total. Perhaps, had he looked more deeply into himself, he might have seenthat what he felt for her was the curious result of time, and place, and person. No one thought of her asimportant, which meant there was a space in her life into which he could fit himself and be sure of her love; shewas a child, and therefore no danger to his way of life or his priestly reputation; she was beautiful, and heenjoyed beauty; and, least acknowledged of all, she filled an empty space in his life which his God could not, forshe had warmth and a human solidity. Because he could not embarrass her family by giving her gifts, he gave heras much of his company as he could, and spent time and thought on redecorating her room at the presbytery; notso much to see her pleasure as to create a fitting setting for his jewel. No pinchbeck for Meggie. At the beginningof May the shearers arrived on Drogheda. Mary Carson was extraordinarily440 aware of how everything onDrogheda was done, from deploying441 the sheep to cracking a stock whip; she summoned Paddy to the big housesome days before the shearers came, and without moving from her wing chair she told him precisely442 what to dodown to the last little detail. Used to New Zealand shearing, Paddy had been staggered by the size of the shed, itstwenty-six stands; now, after the interview with his sister, facts and figures warred inside his head. Not onlywould Drogheda sheep be shorn on Drogheda, but Bugela and Dibban-Dibban and Beel-Beel sheep as well. Itmeant a grueling amount of work for every soul on the place, male and female. Communal443 shearing was thecustom and the stations sharing Drogheda's shearing facilities would naturally pitch in to help, but the brunt ofthe incidental work inevitably444 fell on the shoulders of those on Drogheda. The shearers would bring their owncook with them and buy their food from the station store, but those vast amounts of food had to be found; theramshackle barracks with kitchen and primitive bathroom attached had to be scoured445, cleaned and equipped withmattresses and blankets. Not all stations were as generous as Drogheda was to its shearers, but Drogheda prideditself on its hospitality, and its reputation as a "bloody good shed." For this was the one activity in which MaryCarson participated, so she didn't stint446 her purse. Not only was it one of the biggest sheds in New South Wales,but it required the very best men to be had, men of the Jackie Howe caliber447; over three hundred thousand sheepwould be shorn there before the shearers loaded their swags into the contractor's old Ford truck and disappeareddown the track to their next shed.

Frank had not been home for two weeks. With old Beerbarrel Pete the stockman, a team of dogs, two stockhorses and a light sulky attached to an unwilling91 nag40 to hold their modest needs, they had set out for the farwestern paddocks to bring the sheep in, working them closer and closer, culling448 and sorting. It was slow, tediouswork, not to be compared with that wild muster449 before the floods. Each paddock had its own stockyards, inwhich some of the grading and marking would be done and the mobs held until it was their turn to come in. Theshearing shed yards accommodated only ten thousand sheep at a time, so life wouldn't be easy while the shearerswere there; it would be a constant flurry of exchanging mobs, unshorn for shorn.

When Frank stepped into his mother's kitchen she was standing beside the sink at a never-ending job, peelingpotatoes.

"Mum, I'm home!" he said, joy in his voice.

As she swung around her belly450 showed, and his two weeks away lent his eyes added perception.

"Oh, God!" he said.

Her eyes lost their pleasure in seeing him, her face flooded with scarlet shame; she spread her hands over herballooning apron451 as if they could hide what her clothes could not.

Frank was shaking. "The dirty old goat!""Frank, I can't let you say things like that. You're a man now, you ought to understand. This is no different fromthe way you came into the world yourself, and it deserves the same respect. It isn't dirty. When you insult Daddy,you insult me.""He had no right! He should have left you alone!" Frank hissed452, wiping a fleck453 of foam from the corner of histrembling mouth. "It isn't dirty," she repeated wearily, and looked at him from her clear tired eyes as if she hadsuddenly decided to put shame behind her forever. "It's not dirty, Frank, and nor is the act which created it."This time his face reddened. He could not continue to meet her gaze, so he turned and went through into theroom he shared with Bob, Jack and Hughie. Its bare walls and little single beds mocked him, mocked him, thesterile and featureless look to it, the lack of a presence to warm it, a purpose to hallow it. And her face, herbeautiful tired face with its prim301 halo of golden hair, all alight because of what she and that hairy old goat haddone in the terrible heat of summer.

He could not get away from it, he could not get away from her, from the thoughts at the back of his mind, fromthe hungers natural to his age and manhood. Mostly he managed to push it all below consciousness, but when sheflaunted tangible evidence of her lust231 before his eyes, threw her mysterious activity with that lecherous455 old beastin his very teeth .... How could he think of it, how could he consent to it, how could he bear it? He wanted to beable to think of her as totally holy, pure and untainted as the Blessed Mother, a being who was above such thingsthough all her sisters throughout the world be guilty of it. To see her proving his concept of her wrong was theroad to madness. It had become necessary to his sanity457 to imagine that she lay with that ugly old man in perfectcha/y, to have a place to sleep, but that in the night they never turned toward each other, or touched. Oh, God!

A scraping clang made him look down, to find he had twisted the brass rail of the bed's foot into an S.

"Why aren't you Daddy?" he asked it.

"Frank," said his mother from the doorway458.

He looked up, his black eyes glittering and wet like rained-upon coal. "I'll end up killing459 him," he said.

"If you do that, you'll kill me," said Fee, coming to sit upon the bed. "No, I'd free you!" he countered wildly,hopefully. "Frank, I can never be free, and I don't want to be free. I wish I knew where your blindness comesfrom, but I don't. It isn't mine, nor is it your father's. I know you're not happy, but must you take it out on me, andon Daddy? Why do you insist upon making everything so hard? Why?" She looked down at her hands, looked upat him. "I don't want to say this, but I think I have to. It's time you found yourself a girl, Frank, got married andhad a family of your own. There's room on Drogheda. I've never been worried about the other boys in thatrespect; they don't seem to have your nature at all. But you need a wife, Frank. If you had one, you wouldn't havetime to think about me."He had turned his back upon her, and wouldn't turn around. For perhaps five minutes she sat on the bed hopinghe would say something, then she sighed, got up and left.

After the shearers had gone and the district had settled into the semi-inertia of winter came the annualGillanbone Show and Picnic Races. It was the most important event in the social calendar, and went on for twodays. Fee didn't feel well enough to go, so Paddy drove Mary Carson into town in her Rolls-Royce without hiswife to support him or keep Mary's tongue in its silent position. He had noticed that for some mysterious reasonFee's very presence quelled460 his sister, put her at a disadvantage. Everyone else was going. Under threat of deathto behave themselves, the boys rode in with Beerbarrel Pete, Jim, Tom, Mrs. Smith and the maids in the truck,but Frank left early on his own in the model-T Ford. The adults of the party were all staying over for the secondday's race meeting; for reasons known best to herself, Mary Carson declined Father Ralph's offer ofaccommodation at the presbytery, but urged Paddy to accept it for himself and Frank. Where the two stockmenand Tom, the garden roustabout, stayed no one knew, but Mrs. Smith, Minnie and Cat had friends in Gilly whoput them up. It was ten in the morning when Paddy deposited his sister in the best room the Hotel Imperial had tooffer; he made his way down to the bar and found Frank standing at it, a schooner461 of beer in his hand.

"Let me buy the next one, old man," Paddy said genially462 to his son. "I've got to take Auntie Mary to the PicnicRaces luncheon463, and I need moral sustenance464 if I'm going to get through the ordeal465 without Mum." Habit andawe are harder to overcome than people realize until they actually try to circumvent466 the conduct of years; Frankfound he could not do what he longed to do, he could not throw the contents of his glass in his father's face, notin front of a bar crowd. So he downed what was left of his beer at a gulp467, smiled a little sickly and said, "Sorry,Daddy, I've promised to meet some blokes down at the showground.""Well, off you go, then. But here, take this and spend it on yourself. Have a good time, and if you get drunkdon't let your mother find out." Frank stared at the crisp blue five-pound note in his hand, longing to tear it intoshreds and fling them in Paddy's face, but custom won again; he folded it, put it in his fob pocket and thanked hisfather. He couldn't get out of the bar quickly enough.

In his best blue suit, waistcoat buttoned, gold watch secured by a gold chain and a weight made from a nuggetoff the Lawrence goldfields, Paddy tugged at his celluloid collar and looked down the bar for a face he mightrecognize. He had not been into Gilly very often during the nine months since he arrived on Drogheda, but hisposition as Mary Carson's brother and heir apparent meant that he had been treated very hospitably468 whenever hehad been in town, and that his face was well remembered. Several men beamed at him, voices offered to shouthim a beer, and he was soon in the middle of a comfortable little crowd; Frank was forgotten.

Meggie's hair was braided these days, no nun430 being willing (in spite of Mary Carson's money) to attend to itscurling, and it lay in two thick cables over her shoulders, tied with navy-blue ribbons. Clad in the sober navy-blue uniform of a Holy Cross student, she was escorted across the lawn from the convent to the presbytery by anun and handed over to Father Ralph's housekeeper, who adored her.

"Och, it's the wee bairn's bonnie Hielan' hair," she explained to the priest once when he questioned her, amused;Annie wasn't given to liking little girls, and had deplored470 the presbytery's proximity471 to the school. "Come now,Annie! Hair's inanimate; you can't like someone just because of the color of her hair," he said, to tease her.

"Ah, week she's a puir wee lassie-skeggy, ye ken66."He didn't ken at all, but he didn't ask her what "skeggy" meant, either, or pass any remarks about the fact that itrhymed with Meggie. Sometimes it was better not to know what Annie meant, or encourage her by paying muchattention to what she said; she was, in her own parlance472, fey, and if she pitied the child he didn't want to be told itwas because of her future rather than her past.

Frank arrived, still trembling from his encounter with his father in the bar, and at a loose end.

"Come on, Meggie, I'll take you to the fair," he said, holding out his hand.

"Why don't I take you both?" Father Ralph asked, holding out his. Sandwiched between the two men sheworshipped, and hanging on to their hands for dear life, Meggie was in seventh heaven. The Gillanboneshowground lay on the banks of the Barwon River, next door to the racecourse. Though the floods were sixmonths gone, the mud had not completely dried, and the eager feet of early comers had already pulped473 it to amire. Beyond the stalls of sheep and cattle, pigs and goats, the prime and perfect livestock474 competing for prizes,lay tents full of handicrafts and cooking. They gazed at stock, cakes, crocheted475 shawls, knitted baby clothes,embroidered476 tablecloths477, cats and dogs and canaries.

On the far side of all this was the riding ring, where young equestrians478 and equestriennes cantered theirbobtailed hacks312 before judges who looked, it seemed to a giggling Meggie, rather like horses themselves. Ladyriders in magnificent serge habits perched sidesaddle on tall horses, their top hats swathed with tantalizing262 wispsof veiling. How anyone so precariously479 mounted and hatted could stay unruffled upon a horse at anything fasterthan an amble69 was beyond Meggie's imagination, until she saw one splendid creature take her prancing480 animalover a series of difficult jumps and finish as impeccable as before she started. Then the lady pricked481 her mountwith an impatient spur and cantered across the soggy ground, reining482 to a halt in front of Meggie, Frank andFather Ralph to bar their progress. The leg in its polished black boot hooked round the saddle was unhooked, andthe lady sat truly on the side of her saddle, her gloved hands extended imperiously. "Father! Be so kind as to helpme dismount!"He reached up to put his hands around her waist, her hands on his shoulders, and swung her lightly down; themoment her heels touched the ground he released her, took her mount's reins484 in his hand and walked on, the ladybeside him, matching his stride effortlessly. "Will you win the Hunting, Miss Carmichael?" he asked in tones ofutter indifference485.

She pouted486; she was young and very beautiful, and that curious impersonal487 quality of his piqued488 her. "I hope towin, but I can't be sure. Miss Hopeton and Mrs. Anthony King both compete. However, I shall win the Dressage,so if I don't win the Hunting I shan't repine."She spoke489 with beautifully rounded vowels490, and with the oddly stilted491 phraseology of a young lady so carefullyreared and educated there was not a trace ofwarmth or idiom left to color her voice. As he spoke to her Father Ralph's own speech became more pearshaped, and quite lost its beguiling492 hint of Irishness; as if she brought back to him a time when he, too, had beenlike this. Meggie frowned, puzzled and affected493 by their light but guarded words, not knowing what the changein Father Ralph was, only knowing there was a change, and not one to her liking. She let go Frank's hand, andindeed it had become difficult for them to continue walking abreast494. By the time they came to a wide puddleFrank had fallen behind them. Father Ralph's eyes danced as he surveyed the water, almost a shallow pond; heturned to the child whose hand he had kept in his firmly, and bent273 down to her with a special tenderness the ladycould not mistake, for it had been entirely496 lacking in his civil exchanges with her. "I wear no cloak, darlingMeggie, so I can't be your Sir Walter Raleigh. I'm sure you'll excuse me, my dear Miss Carmichael"-the reinswere passed to the lady. I can't permit my favorite girl to muddy her shoes, now can I?" He picked Meggie upand tucked her easily against his hip171, leaving Miss Carmichael to collect her heavy trailing skirts in one hand, thereins in her other, and splash her way across unaided. The sound of Frank's hoot349 of laugher just behind themdidn't improve her temper; on the far side of the puddle495 she left them abruptly.

"I do believe she'd kill you if she could," Frank said as Father Ralph put Meggie down. He was fascinated bythis encounter and by Father Ralph's deliberate cruelty. She had seemed to Frank so beautiful and so haughty497 thatno man could gainsay498 her, even a priest, yet Father Ralph had wantonly set out to shatter her faith in herself, inthat heady femininity she wielded like a weapon. As if the priest hated her and what she stood for, Frank thought,the world of women, an exquisite mystery ,he had never had the opportunity to plumb499. Smarting from hismother's words, he had wanted Miss Carmichael to notice him, the oldest son of Mary Carson's heir, but she hadnot so much as deigned500 to admit he existed. All her attention had been focused on the priest, a being sexless andemasculated. Even if he was tall, dark and handsome. "Don't worry, she'll be back for more of the same," saidFather Ralph cynically501. "She's rich, so next Sunday she'll very ostentatiously put a ten-pound note in the plate."He laughed at Frank's expression. "I'm not so much older than you, my son, but in spite of my calling I'm a veryworldly fellow. Don't hold it against me; just put it down to experience." They had left the riding ring behind andentered the amusement part of the grounds. To Meggie and Frank alike it was enchantment502. Father Ralph hadgiven Meggie five whole shillings, and Frank had his five pounds; to own the price of admission to all thoseenticing booths was wonderful. Crowds thronged the area, children running everywhere, gazing wide-eyed at theluridly and somewhat inexpertly painted legends fronting tattered504 tents: The Fattest Lady in the World; PrincessHouri the Snake Dancer (see Her Fan the Flames of a Cobra's Rage!); The India Rubber Man; Goliath theWorld's Strongest Man; Thetis the Mermaid505. At each they paid their pennies and watched raptly, not noticingThetis's sadly tarnished506 scales or the toothless smile on the cobra. At the far end, so big it required a whole sidefor itself, was a giant marquee with a high boardwalk along its front, a curtainlike frieze507 of painted figuresstretching behind the entire length of the board bridge, menacing the crowd. A man with a megaphone in hishand was shouting to the gathering223 people.

"Here it is, gents, Jimmy Sharman's famous boxing troupe508! Eight of the world's greatest prize fighters, and apurse to be won by any chap game to have a go!"Women and girls were trickling509 out of the audience as fast as men and boys came from every direction to swellit, clustering thickly beneath the boardwalk. As solemnly as gladiators parading at the Circus Maximus, eightmen filed onto the bridge and stood, bandaged hands on hips510, legs apart, swaggering at the admiring oohs of thecrowd. Meggie thought they were wearing underclothes, for they were clad in long black tights and vests withclosely fitting grey trunks from waists to midthighs. On their chests, big white Roman capitals said JIMMYSHARMAN'S TROUPE. NO two were the same size, some big, some small, some in between, but they were allof particularly fine physique. Chatting and laughing to each other in an offhand511 manner that suggested this wasan everyday occurrence, they flexed512 their muscles and tried to pretend they weren't enjoying strutting513.

"Come on, chaps, who'll take a glove?" the spruiker was braying514. "Who wants to have a go? Take a glove, win afiver!" he kept yelling between the booms of a bass138 drum.

"I will!" Frank shouted. "I will, I will!"He shook off Father Ralph's restraining hand as those around them in the throng who could see Frank'sdiminutive size began to laugh and good-naturedly push him to the front.

But the spruiker was very serious as one of the troupe extended a friendly hand and pulled Frank up the ladderto stand at one side of the eight already on the bridge. "Don't laugh, gents. He's not very big but he is the first tovolunteer! It isn't the size of the dog in the fight, you know, it's the size of the fight in the dog! Come on now,here's this little bloke game to try-what about some of you big blokes, eh? Put on a glove and win a fiver, go thedistance with one of Jimmy Sharman's troupe!"Gradually the ranks of the volunteers increased, the young men self-consciously clutching their hats and eyeingthe professionals who stood, a band of elite515 beings, alongside them. Dying to stay and see what happened, FatherRalph reluctantly decided it was more than time he removed Meggie from the vicinity, so he picked her up andturned on his heel to leave. Meggie began to scream, and the farther away he got, the louder she screamed;people were beginning to look at them, and he was so well known it was very embarrassing, not to mentionundignified. "Now look, Meggie, I can't take you in there! Your father would flay516 me alive, and rightly!""I want to stay with Frank, I want to stay with Frank!" she howled at the top of her voice, kicking and trying tobite.

"Oh, shit!" said Father Ralph.

Yielding to the inevitable517, he dug into his pocket for the required coins and approached the open flap of themarquee, one eye cocked for any of the Cleary boys; but they were nowhere to be seen, so he presumed theywere safely trying their luck with the horseshoes or gorging518 themselves on meat pies and ice cream.

"You can't take her in there, Father!" the foreman said, shocked. Father Ralph lifted his eyes heavenward. "Ifyou'll only tell me how we can get her away from here without the entire Gilly police force arresting us formolesting a child, I'll gladly go! But her brother volunteered and she's not about to leave her brother without afight that will make your chaps look like amateurs!"The foreman shrugged. "Well, Father, I can't argue with you, can I? In you go, but keep her out of the way, forah-pity's sake. No, no, Father, put your money back in your pocket; Jimmy wouldn't like it."The tent seemed full of men and boys, milling around a central ring; Father Ralph found a place at the back ofthe crowd against the canvas wall, hanging on to Meggie for dear life. The air was foggy from tobacco smokeand redolent with sawdust they had thrown down to absorb the mud. Frank, gloves already on his hands, was thefirst challenger of the day.

Though it was unusual, it was not unknown for a man out of the crowd to last the distance against one of theprofessional boxers520. Admittedly they weren't the best in the world, but they did include some of the best inAustralia. Put up against a flyweight because of his size, Frank knocked him out with the third punch he threw,and offered to fight someone else. By the time, he was on his third professional the word had got around, and thetent was so jammed they could not fit another eager spectator inside. He had hardly been touched by a glove, thefew blows he had taken only provoking his ever-smoldering rage. He was wild-eyed, almost spitting in passion,each of his opponents wearing Paddy's face, the yells and cheers of the crowd throbbing in his head like a vastsingle voice chanting Go! Go! Go! Oh, how he had ached for the chance to fight, denied him since coming toDrogheda! For to fight was the only way he knew of ridding himself of anger and pain, and as he landed thefelling punch he thought the great dull voice in his ears changed its song, to Kill! Kill! Kill! Then they put himwith one of the real champions, a lightweight under orders to keep Frank at a distance and find out if he couldbox as well as he could punch. Jimmy Sharman's eyes were shining. He was always on the lookout521 forchampions, and these little country shows had yielded several. The lightweight did as he was told, hard-pressedin spite of his superior reach, while Frank, so possessed by his hunger to kill that dancing, elusive522 figure he sawnothing else, went after him. He learned with every clinch523 and flurry of blows, one of those strange people whoeven in the midst of titanic524 rake still can think. And he lasted the distance, in spite of the punishment those expertfists had meted525 out; his eye was swelling526, his brow and lip cut. But he had won twenty pounds, and the respect ofevery man present. Meggie wriggled527 from Father Ralph's slackened clasp and bolted from the tent before hecould catch hold of her. When he found her outside she had been sick, and was trying to clean her splatteredshoes with a tiny handkerchief. Silently he gave her his own, stroking her bright, sobbing529 head. The atmosphereinside had not agreed with his gorge530 either, and he wished the dignity of his calling permitted him the relief ofreleasing it in public.

"Do you want to wait for Frank, or would you rather we went now?" "I'll wait for Frank," she whispered,leaning against his side, so grateful for his calmness and sympathy.

"I wonder why you tug145 so at my nonexistent heart?" he mused469, deeming her too sick and miserable to listen butneeding to voice his thoughts aloud, as do so many people who lead a solitary531 life. "You don't remind me of mymother and I never had a sister, and I wish I knew what it was about you and your wretched family . . . . Haveyou had a. hard life, my little Meggie?" Frank came out of the tent, a piece of sticking plaster over his eye,dabbing at his torn lip. For the first time since Father Ralph had met him, he looked happy; the way most mendid after what one knew was a good night in bed with a woman, thought the priest.

"What's Meggie doing here?" he snarled532, not quite down from the exaltation of the ring.

"Short of binding534 her hand and foot, not to mention gagging her, there was no way I could keep her out," saidFather Ralph tartly535, not pleased at having to justify536 himself, but not sure Frank wouldn't have a go at him, too. Hewasn't in the least afraid of Frank, but he was afraid of creating a scene in public. "She was frightened for you,Frank; she wanted to be near enough to you to see for herself that you were all right. Don't be angry with her;she's upset enough already.""Don't you dare let Daddy know you were within a mile of this place," Frank said to Meggie.

"Do you mind if we cut the rest of our tour short?" the priest asked. "I think we could all do with a rest and acup of tea at the presbytery." He pinched the tip of Meggie's nose. "And you, young lady, could do with a goodwash."Paddy had had a tormenting537 day with his sister, at her beck and call in a way Fee never demanded, helping herpick her fastidious, cross-patch way through the Gilly mud in imported guipure lace shoes, smiling and chattingwith the people she greeted royally, standing by her side as she presented the emerald bracelet539 to the winner ofthe principal race, the Gillanbone Trophy540. Why they had to spend all the prize money on a woman's trinketinstead of handing over a gold-plated cup and a nice bundle of cash was beyond him, for he did not understandthe keenly amateur nature of the race meeting, the inference that the people who entered horses didn't needvulgar money, instead could carelessly toss the winnings to the little woman. Horry Hopeton, whose bay geldingKing Edward had won the emerald bracelet, already possessed a ruby541, a diamond and a sapphire542 bracelet fromother years; he had a wife and five daughters and said he couldn't stop until he had won six bracelets543.

Paddy's starched544 shirt and celluloid collar chafed546, the blue suit was too hot, and the exotic Sydney seafood547 theyhad served with champagne548 at luncheon had not agreed with his mutton-inured digestion549. And he had felt a fool,thought he looked a fool. Best though it was, his suit smacked550 of cheap tailoring and bucolic551 unfashionableness.

They were not his kind of people, the bluff552 tweedy graziers, the lofty matrons, the toothy, horsy young women,the cream of what the Bulletin called "the squattocracy." For they were doing their best to forget the days in thelast century when they had squatted on the land and taken vast tracts553 of it for their own, had it tacitlyacknowledged as their own with federation554 and the arrival of home rule. They had become the most envied groupof people on the continent, ran their own political party, sent their children to exclusive Sydney schools,hobnobbed with the visiting Prince of Wales. He, plain Paddy Cleary, was a workingman. He had absolutelynothing in common with these colonial aristocrats556, who reminded him of his wife's family too much for comfort.

So when he came into the presbytery lounge to find Frank, Meggie and Father Ralph relaxed around the fire andlooking as if they had spent a wonderful, carefree day, it irritated him. He had missed Fee's genteel supportunbearably and he still disliked his sister as much as he had back in his early childhood in Ireland. Then henoticed the sticking plaster over Frank's eye, the swollen face; it was a heaven-sent excuse. "And how do youthink you're going to face your mother looking like that?" he yelled. "Not a day out of my sight and you're backat it again, picking fights with anyone who looks at you sideways!"Startled, Father Ralph jumped to his feet with a soothing557 noise half-uttered; but Frank was quicker.

"I earned myself money with this!" he said very softly, pointing to the plaster. "Twenty pounds for a fewminutes' work, better wages than Auntie Mary pays you and me combined in a month! I knocked out three goodboxers and lasted the distance with a lightweight champion in Jimmy Sharman's tent this afternoon. And I earnedmyself twenty pounds. It may not fit in with your ideas of what I ought to do, but this afternoon I earned therespect of every man present!""A few tired, punch-drunk old has-beens at a country show, and you're full of it? Grow up, Frank! I know youcan't grow any more in body, but you might make an effort for your mother's sake to grow in mind!" Thewhiteness of Frank's face! Like bleached bones.

It was the most terrible insult a man could offer him, and this was his father; he couldn't strike back. Hisbreathing started coming from the bottom of his chest with the effort of keeping his hands by his sides. "No hasbeens,Daddy. You know who Jimmy Sharman is as well as I do. And Jimmy Sharman himself said I had aterrific future as a boxer519; he wants to take me into his troupe and train me. And he wants to pay me! I may notgrow any bigger, but I'm big enough to lick any man ever born-and that goes for you, too, you stinking558 old he-goat!"The inference behind the epithet was not lost on Paddy; he went as white as his son. "Don't you dare call methat!""What else are you? You're disgusting, you're worse than a ram46 in rut! Couldn't you leave her alone, couldn'tyou keep your hands off her?" "No, no, no!" Meggie screamed. Father Ralph's hands bit into her shoulders likeclaws and held her painfully against him. The tears poured down her face, she twisted to free herself franticallyand vainly. "No, Daddy, no! Oh, Frank, please! Please, please!" she shrilled559.

But the only one who heard her was Father Ralph. Frank and Paddy faced each other, the dislike and the fear,each for the other, admitted at last. The dam of mutual560 love for Fee was breached561 and the bitter rivalry562 for Feeacknowledged.

"I am her husband. It is by God's grace we are blessed with our children," said Paddy more calmly, fighting forcontrol.

"You're no better than a shitty old dog after any bitch you can stick your thing into!""And you're no better than the shitty old dog who fathered you, whoever he was! Thank God I never had a handin it!" shouted Paddy, and stopped. "Oh, dear Jesus!" His rage quit him like a howling wind, he sagged andshriveled and his hands plucked at his mouth as if to tear out the tongue which had uttered the unutterable. "Ididn't mean it, I didn't mean it! 1 didn't mean it!" The moment the words were out Father Ralph let go of Meggieand grabbed Frank. He had Frank's right arm twisted behind him, his own left arm around Frank's neck,throttling him. And he was strong, the grip paralyzing; Frank fought to be free of him, then suddenly hisresistance flagged and he shook his head in submission563. Meggie had fallen to the floor and knelt there, weeping,her eyes going from her brother to her father in helpless, beseeching564 agony. She didn't understand what hadhappened, but she knew it meant she couldn't keep them both.

"You meant it," Frank croaked565. "I must always have known it! I must always have known it." He tried to turnhis head to Father Ralph. "Let me go, Father. I won't touch him; so help me God I won't.""So help you God? God rot your souls, both of you! If you've ruined the child I'll kill you!" the priest roared,the only one angry now. "Do you realize I had to keep her here to listen to this, for fear if I took her away you'dkill each other while I was gone? I ought to have let you do it, you miserable, self-centered cretins!""It's all right, I'm going," Frank said in a strange, empty voice. "I'm going to join Jimmy Sharman's troupe, and Iwon't be back.""You've got to come back!" Paddy whispered. "What can I tell your mother? You mean more to her than therest of us put together. She'll never forgive me!""Tell her I went to join Jimmy Sharman because I want to be someone. It's the truth.""What I said-it wasn't true, Frank."Frank's alien black eyes flashed scornfully, the eyes the priest had wondered at the first time he saw them; whatwere grey-eyed Fee and blue-eyed Paddy doing with a black-eyed son? Father Ralph knew hisMendelian laws, and didn't think even Fee's greyness made it possible. Frank picked up his hat and coat. "Oh, itwas true! I must always have known it. The memories of Mum playing her spinet in a room you could neverhave owned! The feeling you hadn't always been there, that you came after me. That she was mine first." Helaughed soundlessly. "And to think all these years I've blamed you for dragging her down, when it was me. Itwas me!" "It was no one, Frank, no one!" the priest cried, trying to pull him back. "It's a part of God's greatunfathomable plan; think of it like that!" Frank shook off the detaining hand and walked to the door with hislight, deadly, tiptoed gait. He was born to be a boxer, thought Father Ralph in some detached corner of his brain,that cardinal's brain. "God's great unfathomable plan!" mocked the young man's voice from the door. "You're nobetter than a parrot when you act the priest, Father de Bricassart! I say God help you, because you're the only oneof us here who has no idea what he really is!"Paddy was sitting in a chair, ashen566, his shocked eyes on Meggie as she huddled on her knees by the fire,weeping and rocking herself back and forth357. He got up to go to her, but Father Ralph pushed him roughly away.

"Leave her alone. You've done enough! There's whiskey in the sideboard; take some. I'm going to put the child tobed, but I'll be back to talk to you, so don't go. Do you hear me, man?""I'll be here, Father. Put her to bed."Upstairs in the charming apple-green bedroom the priest unbuttoned the little girl's dress and chemise, made hersit on the edge of the bed so he could pull off her shoes and stockings. Her nightdress lay on the pillow whereAnnie had left it; he tugged it over her head and decently down before he removed her drawers. And all the whilehe talked to her about nothing, silly stories of buttons refusing to come undone567, and shoes stubbornly stayingtied, and ribbons that would not come off. It was impossible to tell if she heard him; with their unspoken tales ofinfant tragedies, of troubles and pains beyond her years, the eyes stared drearily568 past his shoulder. "Now liedown, my darling girl, and try to go to sleep. I'll be back in a little while to see you, so don't worry, do you hear?

We'll talk about it then.""Is she all right?" asked Paddy as he came back into the lounge. Father Ralph reached for the whiskey bottlestanding on the sideboard, and poured a tumbler half full.

"I don't honestly know. God in heaven, Paddy, I wish I knew which is an Irishman's greater curse, the drink orthe temper. What possessed you to say that? No, don't even bother answering! The temper. It's true, of course. Iknew he wasn't yours the moment I first saw him.""There's not much misses you, is there?""I suppose not. However, it doesn't take much more than very ordinary powers of observation to see when thevarious members of my parish are troubled, or in pain. And having seen, it is my duty to do what I can to help.""You're very well liked in Gilly, Father.""For which no doubt I may thank my face and my figure," said the priest bitterly, unable to make it sound aslight as he had intended. "Is that what you think? I can't agree, Father. We like you because you're a goodpastor.""Well, I seem to be thoroughly569 embroiled570 in your troubles, at any rate," said Father Ralph uncomfortably.

"You'd best get it off your chest, man." Paddy stared into the fire, which he had built up to the proportions of afurnace while the priest was putting Meggie to bed, in an excess of remorse571 and frantic1921-1928 RALPH to be doing something. The empty glass in his hand shook in a series of rapid jerks; FatherRalph got up for the whiskey bottle and replenished572 it. After a long draft Paddy sighed, wiping the forgotten tearsfrom his face. "I don't know who Frank's father is. It happened before I met Fee. Her people are practically NewZealand's first family socially, and her father had a big wheat-and-sheep property outside Ashburton in the SouthIsland. Money was no object, and Fee was his only daughter. As I understand it, he'd planned her life for her-atrip to the old country, a debut573 at court, the right husband. She had never lifted a hand in the house, of course.

They had maids and butlers and horses and big carriages; they lived like lords. "I was the dairy hand, andsometimes I used to see Fee in the distance, walking with a little boy about eighteen months old. The next thing,old James Armstrong came to see me. His daughter, he said, had disgraced the family; she wasn't married andshe had a child. It hale been hushed up, of course, but when they tried to get her away her grandmother madesuch a fuss they had no choice but to keep her on the place, in spite of the awkwardness. Now the grandmotherwas dying, there was nothing to stop them getting rid of Fee and her child. I was a single man, James said; if I'dmarry her and guarantee to take her out of the South Island, they'd pay our traveling expenses and an additionalfive hundred pounds. "Well, Father, it was a fortune to me, and I was tired of the single life. But I was always soshy I was never any good with the girls. It seemed like a good idea to me, and I honestly didn't mind the child.

The grandmother got wind of it and sent for me, even though she was very ill. She was a tartar in her day, I'll bet,but a real lady. She told me a bit about Fee, but she didn't say who the father was, and I didn't like to ask.

Anyway, she made me promise to be good to Fee she knew they'd have Fee off the place the minute she wasdead, so she had suggested to James that they find Fee a husband. I felt sorry for the poor old thing; she wasterribly fond of Fee.

"Would you believe, Father, that the first time I was ever close enough to Fee to say hello to her was the day Imarried her?" "Oh, I'd believe it," the priest said under his breath. He looked at the liquid in his glass, thendrained it and reached for the bottle, filling both glasses. "So you married a lady far above you, Paddy.""Yes. I was frightened to death of her at first. She was so beautiful in those days, Father, and so . . . out of it, ifyou know what I mean. As if she wasn't even there, as if it was all happening to someone else." "She's stillbeautiful, Paddy," said Father Ralph gently. "I can see in Meggie what she must have been like before she beganto age.""It hasn't been an easy life for her, Father, but I don't know what else I could have done. At least with me shewas safe, and not abused. It took me two years to get up the courage to be-well, a real husband to her. I had toteach her to cook, to sweep a floor, wash and iron clothes. She didn't know how.

"And never once in all the years we've been married, Father, has she ever complained, or laughed, or cried. It'sonly in the most private part of our life together that she ever displays any feeling, and even then she neverspeaks. I hope she will, yet I don't want her to, because I always have the idea if she did, it would be his nameshe'd say. Oh, I don't mean she doesn't like me, or our children. But I love her so much, and it just seems to meshe hasn't got that sort of feeling left in her. Except for Frank. I've always known she loved Frank more than therest of us put together. She must have loved his father. But I don't know a thing about the man, who he was, whyshe couldn't marry him."Father Ralph looked down at his hands, blinking.

"Oh, Paddy, what hell it is to be alive! Thank God I haven't the courage to try more than the fringe of it."Paddy got up, rather unsteadily. "Well, I've done it now, Father, haven't I? I've sent Frank away, and Fee willnever forgive me.""You can't tell her, Paddy. No, you mustn't tell her, ever. Just tell her Frank ran away with the boxers and leaveit at that. She knows how restless Frank's been; she'll believe you.""I couldn't do that, Father!" Paddy was aghast. "You've got to, Paddy. Hasn't she known enough pain andmisery? Don't heap more on her head." And to himself he thought: Who knows? Maybe she'll learn to give thelove she has for Frank to you at last, to you and the little thing upstairs.

"You really think that, Father?""I do. What happened tonight must go no further.""But what about Meggie? She heard it all.""Don't worry about Meggie, I'll take care of her. I don't think she understood more of what went on than thatyou and Frank quarreled. I'll make her see that with Frank gone, to tell her mother of the quarrel would only bean additional grief. Besides, I have a feeling Meggie doesn't tell her mother much to begin with." He got up. "Goto bed, Paddy. You've got to seem normal and dance attendance on Mary tomorrow, remember?" Meggie wasnot asleep; she was lying with eyes wide in the dim light of the little lamp beside her bed. The priest sat downbeside her and noticed her hair still in its braids. Carefully he untied574 the navy ribbons and pulled gently until thehair lay in a rippling, molten sheet across the pillow. "Frank has gone away, Meggie," he said.

"I know, Father.""Do you know why, darting575?""He had a fight with Daddy.""What are you going to do?""I'm going to go with Frank. He needs me.""You can't, my Meggie.""Yes, I can. I was going to find him tonight, but my legs wouldn't hold me up, and I don't like the dark. But inthe morning I'll look for him." "No, Meggie, you mustn't. You see, Frank's got his own life to lead, and it's timehe went away. I know you don't want him to go away, but he's been wanting to go for a long time. You mustn'tbe selfish; you've got to let him live his own life." The monotony of repetition, he thought, keep on drumming itin. "When we grow up it's natural and right for us to want a life away from the home we grew up in, and Frank isa grown man. He ought to have his own home now, his own wife and family. Do you see that, Meggie? The fightbetween your daddy and Frank was only a sign of Frank's wanting to go. It didn't happen because they don't likeeach other. It happened because that's the way a lot of young men leave home, it's a sort of excuse. The fight wasjust an excuse for Frank to do what he's been wanting to do for a long time, an excuse for Frank to leave. Do youunderstand that, my Meggie?" Her eyes shifted to his face and rested there. They were so exhausted576, so full ofpain, so old. "I know," she said. "I know. Frank wanted to go away when I was a little girl, and he didn't go.

Daddy brought him back and made him stay with us.""But this time Daddy isn't going to bring him back, because Daddy can't make him stay now. Frank has gonefor good, Meggie. He isn't coming back." "Won't I ever see him again?""I don't know," he answered honestly. "I'd like to say of course you will, but no one can predict the future,Meggie, even priests." He drew a breath. "You mustn't tell Mum there was a fight, Meggie, do you hear me? Itwould upset her very much, and she isn't well.""Because there's going to be another baby?""What do you know about that?""Mum likes growing babies; she's done it a lot. And she grows such nice babies, Father, even when she isn'twell. I'm going to grow one like Hal myself, then I won't miss Frank so much, will I?" "Parthenogenesis," hesaid. "Good luck, Meggie. Only what if you don't manage to grow one?""I've still got Hal," she said sleepily, nestling down. Then she said, "Father, will you go away, too? Will you?""One day, Meggie. But not soon, I think, so don't worry. I have a feeling I'm going to be stuck in Gilly for along, long time," answered the priest, his eyes bitter.

There was no help for it, Meggie had to come home. Fee could not manage without her, and the moment he wasleft alone at the convent in Gilly, Stuart went on a hunger strike, so he too came back to Drogheda. It wasAugust, and bitterly cold. Just a year since they had arrived in Australia; but this was a colder winter than last.

The rain was absent and the air was so crisp it hurt the lungs. Up on the tops of the Great Divide three hundredmiles to the east, snow lay thicker than in many years, but no rain had fallen west of Burren Junction577 since themonsoonal drenching of the previous summer. People in Gilly were speaking of another drought: it was overdue,it must come, perhaps this would be it. When Meggie saw her mother, she felt as if an awful weight settled uponher being; maybe a leaving-behind of childhood, a presentiment578 of what it was to be a woman. Outwardly therewas no change, aside from the big belly; but inwardly Fee had slowed down like a tired old clock, running timedown and down until it was forever stilled. The briskness579 Meggie had never known absent from her mother hadgone. She picked her feet up and put them down again as if she was no longer sure of the right way to do it, asort of spiritual fumbling580 got into her gait; and there was no joy in her for the coming baby, not even the rigidlycontrolled content she had shown over Hal. That little red-haired fellow was toddling582 all over the house,constantly into everything, but Fee made no attempt to discipline him, or even supervise his activities. Sheplodded in her self-perpetuating circle of stove, worktable and sink as if nothing else existed. So Meggie had nochoice; she simply filled the vacuum in the child's life and became his mother. It wasn't any sacrifice, for sheloved him dearly and found him a helpless, willing target for all the love she was beginning to want to lavish onsome human creature. He cried for her, he spoke her name before all others, he lifted his arms to her to be pickedup; it was so satisfying it filled her with joy. In spite of the drudgery583, the knitting and mending and sewing, thewashing, the ironing, the hens, all the other jobs she had to do, Meggie found her life very pleasant.

No one ever mentioned Frank, but every six weeks Fee would lift her head when she heard the mail call, and fora while be animated584. Then Mrs. Smith would bring in their share of whatever had come, and when it containedno letter from Frank the small burst of painful interest would die. There were two new lives in the house. Feewas delivered of twins, two more tiny red-haired Cleary boys, christened James and Patrick. The dearest littlefellows, with their father's sunny disposition and his sweetness of nature, they became common propertyimmediately they were born, for "beyond giving them milk Fee took no interest in them. Soon their names wereshortened to Jims and Patsy; they were prime favorites with the women up at the big house, the two spinstermaids and the widowed childless housekeeper, who were starved for the deliciousness of babies. It was mademagically easy for Fee to forget them-they had three very eager mothers-and as time went on it became theaccepted thing that they should spend most of their waking hours up at the big house. Meggie just didn't havetime to take them under her wing as well as managing Hal, who was extremely possessive. Not for him theawkward, unpracticed blandishments of Mrs. Smith, Minnie and Cat. Meggie was the loving nucleus587 of Hal'sworld; he wanted no one but Meggie, he would have no one but Meggie.

Bluey Williams traded in his lovely draft horses and his massive dray for a truck and the mail came every fourweeks instead of every six, but there was never a word from Frank. And gradually his memory slipped a little, asmemories do, even those with so much love attached to them; as if there is an unconscious healing processwithin the mind which mends up in spite of our desperate determination never to forget. To Meggie, an achingfading of the way Frank had looked, a blurring588 of the beloved lineaments to some fuzzy, saintlike image no morerelated to the real Frank than a holy picture Christ to what must have been the Man. And to Fee, from out ofthose silent depths in which she had stilled the evolution of her soul, a substitution. It came about sounobtrusively that no one noticed. For Fee kept herself folded up with quietness, and a totalundemonstrativeness; the substitution was an inner thing no one had time to see, except the new object of herlove, who made no outward sign. It was a hidden, unspoken thing between them, something to buffer590 theirloneliness.

Perhaps it was inevitable, for of all her children Stuart was the only one like her. At fourteen he was as big amystery to his father and brothers as Frank had been, but unlike Frank he engendered591 no hostility592, no irritation593.

He did as he was told without complaint, worked as hard as anyone and created absolutely no ripples594 in the poolof Cleary life. Though his hair was red he was the darkest of all the boys, more mahogany, and his eyes were asclear as pale water in the shade, as if they reached all the way back in time to the very beginning, and saweverything as it really was. He was also the only one of Paddy's sons who promised adult handsomeness, thoughprivately Meggie thought her Hal would outshine him when it came his turn to grow up. No one ever knew whatStuart was thinking; like Fee, he spoke little and never aired an opinion. And he had a curious knack595 of beingutterly still, as still within himself as he was in body, and to Meggie, closest to him in age, it seemed he could gosomewhere no one else could ever follow. Father Ralph expressed it another way. "That lad isn't human!" he hadexclaimed the day he dumped a hunger-striking Stuart back at Drogheda after he was left at the convent minusMeggie. "Did he say he wanted to go home? Did he say he missed Meggie? No! He just stopped eating andpatiently waited for the reason why to sink into our thick skulls596. Not once did he open his mouth to complain,and when I marched up to him and yelled did he want to go home, he simply smiled at me and nodded!"But as time went on it was tacitly assumed that Stuart would not go out into the paddocks to work with Paddyand the other boys, even though in age he might have. Stu would remain on guard at the house, chop the wood,take care of the vegetable garden, do the milking-the huge number of duties the women had no time for withthree babies in the house. It was prudent597 to have a man about the place, albeit598 a half-grown one; it gave proof ofother men close by. For there were visitors-the clump of strange boots up the plank steps to the back veranda, astrange voice saying: "Hullo, Missus, got a bit of tucker for a man?" The Outback had swarms599 of them, swagmenhumping their blueys from station to station, down from Queensland and up from Victoria, men who had losttheir luck or were chary600 of holding a regular job, preferring to tramp on foot thousands of miles in search of onlythey knew what. Mostly they were decent fellows, who appeared, ate a huge meal, packed a bit of donated teaand sugar and flour in the folds of their blueys, then disappeared down the track headed for Barcoola orNarrengang, battered old billycans bouncing, skinny dogs belly down behind them. Australian itinerants601 rarelyrode; they walked.

Occasionally a bad man would come, on the lookout for women whose men were away; with a view to robbery,not rape324. Thus Fee kept a shotgun standing loaded in a corner of the kitchen where the babies couldn't get to it,and made sure she was closer to it than her visitor until her expert eye assessed his character. After Stuart wasofficially allotted602 the house as his domain603, Fee passed the shotgun to him gladly.

Not all the visitors were swaggies, though they were in the majority; there was the Watkins man in his oldmodel-T, for instance. He carried everything from horse liniment to fragrant604 soap unlike the rock-hard stuff Feemade in the laundry copper335 from fat and caustic605; he had lavender water and eau de cologne, powders and creamsfor sun-dried faces. There were certain things one never dreamed of buying from anyone but the Watkins man;like his ointment606, better by far than any drugstore or prescription607 salve, capable of healing anything from a rentin the side of a work dog to an ulcer608 on a human shin. The women would crowd around in every kitchen hevisited, waiting eagerly for him to pop open his big suitcase of wares609. And there were other salesmen, lessregular patrollers of the back-blocks than the Watkins man but equally welcome, hawking610 everything fromtailor-made cigarettes and fancy pipes to whole bolts of material, sometimes even luridly503 seductive underwearand lavishly611 beribboned stays. They were so starved, these women of the Outback, limited to maybe one or twotrips a year into the nearest town, far from the brilliant shops of Sydney, far from fashions and femininefurbelows.

Life seemed mostly flies and dust. There had not been any rain in a long time, even a sprinkle to settle the dustand drown the flies; for the less rain, the more flies, the more dust.

Every ceiling was festooned with long, lazily spinning helixes of sticky flypaper, black with bodies within a dayof being tacked612 up. Nothing could be left uncovered for a moment without becoming either an orgy or agraveyard for the flies, and tiny speckles of fly dirt dewed the furniture, the walls, the Gillanbone General Storecalendar.

And oh, the dust! There was no getting away from it, that fine-grained brown powder which seeped614 into eventightly lidded containers, dulled freshly washed hair, made the skin gritty, lay in the folds of clothes and curtains,smeared a film across polished tables which resettled the moment it was whisked away. The floors were thickwith it, from carelessly wiped boots and the hot dry wind drifting it through the open doors and windows; Feewas forced to roll up her Persian carpets in the parlor and have Stuart nail down linoleum615 she bought sightunseen from the store in Gilly. The kitchen, which took most of the traffic from outside, was floored in teakplanks bleached to the color of old bones by endless scrubbing with a wire brush and lye soap. Fee and Meggiewould strew32 it with sawdust Stuart carefully collected from the woodheap, sprinkle the sawdust with preciousparticles of water and sweep the damp, pungent-fragrant mess away out of doors, down off the veranda onto thevegetable garden, there to decompose616 itself to humus.

But nothing kept the dust at bay for long, and after a while the creek dried up to a string of waterholes, so thatthere was no water to be pumped up from it to kitchen or bathroom. Stuart took the tank truck out to theborehead and brought it back full, emptied it into one of the spare rain tanks, and the women had to get used to adifferent kind of horrible water on dishes and clothes and bodies, worse than muddy creek water. The rank,sulphur-smelling minerally stuff had to be wiped off dishes scrupulously617, and made the hair dull and coarse, likestraw. What little rain water they had was used strictly for drinking and cooking.

Father Ralph watched Meggie tenderly. She was brushing Patsy's curly red head, Jims standing obediently but alittle rockily waiting for his turn, both pairs of bright blue eyes turned up to her adoringly. Just like a tiny mother,she was. It had to be a thing born in them, he mused, that peculiar72 obsession women had for infants, else at herage she would have regarded it as a duty rather than pure pleasure, and been off to do something more alluring618 asfast as she could. Instead she was deliberately prolonging the process, crimping Patsy's hair between her fingersto shape waves out of its unruliness. For a while the priest was charmed with her activity, then he whacked619 theside of his dusty boot with his crop and stared moodily620 off the veranda toward the big house, hidden by its ghostgums and vines, the profusion621 of station buildings and pepper trees which lay between its isolation and this hubof station life, the head stockman's residence. What plot was she weaving, that old spider up there at the center ofher vast web? "Father, you're not watching!" Meggie accused him. "I'm sorry, Meggie. I was thinking." Heturned back to her as she finished with Jims; the three of them stood watching him expectantly until he bent andscooped the twins up, one on either hip. "Let's go and see your Auntie Mary, shall we?"Meggie followed him up the track carrying his crop and leading the chestnut mare; he toted the infants witheasy familiarity and seemed not to mind, though it was almost a mile from the creek to the big house. At thecookhouse he relinquished622 the twins to an ecstatic Mrs. Smith and passed on up the walkway to the main housewith Meggie by his side. Mary Carson was sitting in her wing chair. She hardly ever moved from it these days;there was not the necessity any more with Paddy so capable of overseeing things. As Father Ralph came inholding Meggie's hand, her malevolent623 gaze beat the child's down; Father Ralph felt the increase in Meggie'spulse rate and squeezed her wrist sympathetically. The little girl dropped her aunt a clumsy curtsy, murmuring aninaudible greeting. "Go to the kitchen, girl, have your tea with Mrs. Smith," said Mary Carson curtly.

"Why don't you like her?" Father Ralph asked as he sank into the chair he had come to think of as his own.

"Because you do," she answered.

"Oh, come now!" For once she made him feel at a loss. "She's just a waif, Mary.""That's not what you see in her, and you know it."The fine blue eyes rested on her sardonically625; he was more at ease. "Do you think I tamper626 with children? I am,after all, a priest!" "You're a man first, Ralph de Bricassart! Being a priest makes you feel safe, that's all."Startled, he laughed. Somehow he couldn't fence with her today; it was as if she had found the chink in hisarmor, crept inside with her spider's poison. And he was changing, growing older perhaps, becoming reconciledto obscurity in Gillanbone. The fires were dying; or was it that he burned now for other things?

"I am not a man," he said. "I am a priest.... It's the heat, maybe, the dust and the flies . . . . But I am not a man,Mary. I'm a priest." "Oh, Ralph, how you've changed!" she mocked. "Can this be Cardinal de Bricassart I hear?""It isn't possible," he said, a passing unhappiness in his eyes. "I don't think I want it anymore."She began to laugh, rocking back and forth in herchair, watching him. "Don't you, Ralph? Don't you? Well, I'll let you stew a little while longer, but your day ofreckoning is coming, never doubt it. Not yet, not for two or three years, perhaps, but it will come. I'll be like theDevil, and offer you-Enough said! But never doubt I'll make you writhe627. You're the most fascinating man I'veever met. You throw your beauty in our teeth, contemptuous of our foolishness. But I'll pin you to the wall onyour own weakness, I'll make you sell yourself like any painted whore. Do you doubt it?"He leaned back, smiling. "I don't doubt you'll try. But I don't think you know me as well as you think you do.""Do I not? Time will tell, Ralph, and only time. I'm old; I have nothing but time left to me.""And what do you think I have?" he asked. "Time, Mary, nothing but time. Time, and dust, and flies."The clouds heaped themselves in the sky, and Paddy began to hope for rain. "Dry storms," said Mary Carson.

"We won't get rain out of this. We won't get any rain for a long time."If the Clearys thought they had seen the worst that Australia could offer in the way of climatic harshness, it wasbecause they hadn't yet experienced the dry storms of drought-dogged plains. Bereft628 of soothing dampness, thedryness of the earth and the air rubbed each other raw and crackling, an irritating friction629 which built up and upand up until it could end only in a gargantuan630 dissipation of accumulated energy. The sky dropped and darkenedso much Fee had to light the lamps indoors; out in the stockyards the horses shivered and jumped at the slightestnoise; the hens sought their perches631 and sank their heads into apprehensive632 breasts; the dogs fought and snarled;the tame pigs which rooted among the rubbish of, the station dump burrowed633 their snouts into the dust andpeered out of it with bright, skittish634 eyes. Brooding forces pent in the heavens struck fear into the bones of allliving things, as the vast deep clouds swallowed the sun whole and prepared to spew solar fire over the earth.

Thunder came marching from far away with increasing tread, tiny flickers635 on the horizon cast soaring billowsinto sharp relief, crests636 of startling whiteness foamed637 and curled over midnight-blue depths. Then, with a roaringwind that sucked up the dust and flung it stinging in eyes and ears and mouths, came the cataclysm638. No longerdid they try to imagine the biblical wrath639 of God; they lived through it. No man could have kept himself fromjumping when the thunder cracked-it exploded with the noise and fury of a disintegrating640 world-but after a whilethe assembled household grew so inured to it they crept out onto the veranda and stared across the creek at thefar paddocks. Great forks of lightning stood ribbed in veins641 of fire all around the sky, dozens of bolts each andevery moment; naphtha flashes in chains streaked642 across the clouds, in and out the billows in a fantastic hideand-seek. Blasted trees alone in the grass reeked186 and smoked, and they understood at last why these lonelypaddock sentinels were dead. An eerie643, unearthly glow seeped into the air, air which was no longer invisible buton fire from within, fluorescing pink and lilac and sulphur yellow, and smelling of some hauntingly sweet,elusive perfume quite beyond recognition. The trees shimmered644, the red Cleary hair was haloed in tongues offire, the hairs of their arms stood out stiffly. And all afternoon it went on, only slowly fading into the east torelease them from its awesome17 spell at sunset, and they were excited, on edge, unappeased. Not a drop of rainhad fallen. But it was like dying and coming back to life again, to have survived the atmospheric645 tantrumunscathed; it was all they could talk about for a week.

"We'll get a lot more," said Mary Carson, bored. They did get a lot more. The second dry winter came in colderthan they had thought it could get without snow; frost settled inches thick on the ground at night, and the dogshuddled shivering in their kennels, keeping warm by gorging on kangaroo meat and mounds646 of fat from thehomestead's slaughtered647 cattle. At least the weather meant beef and pork to eat instead of the eternal mutton. Inthe house they built great roaring fires, and the men were forced to come home when they could, for at night inthe paddocks they froze. But the shearers when they arrived were in a mood for rejoicing; they could get throughfaster and sweat less. At each man's stand in the great shed was a circle of flooring much lighter648 in color than therest, the spot where fifty years of shearers had stood dripping their bleaching649 sweat into the wood of the board.

There was still grass from the flood long ago, but it was thinning ominously650. Day after day the skies wereovercast and the light dull, but it never rained. The wind howled sadly across the paddocks, spinning driftingbrown sheets of dust before it like rain, tormenting the mind with images of water. So much like rain it looked,that raggedly651 blowing dust. The children developed chilblains on their fingers, tried not to smile with crackedlips, had to peel their socks away from bleeding heels and shins. It was quite impossible to keep warm in the faceof that bitter high wind, especially when the houses had been designed to catch every stray puff653 of air, not keep itout. Going to bed in icy bedrooms, getting up in icy bedrooms, waiting patiently for Mum to spare a little hotwater from the great kettle on the hob so that washing was not a teeth-chattering, painful ordeal.

One day small Hal started to cough and wheeze654, and rapidly grew worse. Fee mixed up a gluey hot poultice ofcharcoal and spread it on his laboring655 little chest, but it seemed to give him no relief. At first she was not undulyworried, but as the day drew on he began to deteriorate656 so quickly she no longer had any idea what to do, andMeggie sat by his side wringing657 her hands, praying a wordless stream of Our Fathers and Hail Marys. WhenPaddy came in at six the child's breathing was audible from the veranda, and his lips were blue. Paddy set off atonce for the big house and the telephone, but the doctor was forty miles away and out on another case. Theyignited a pan of sulphur and held him over it in an attempt to make him cough up the membrane659 in his throatslowly choking him, but he could not manage to contract his rib87 cage enough to dislodge it. His color wasgrowing a deeper blue, his respiration660 was convulsive. Meggie sat holding him and. praying, her heart squeezedto a wedge of pain because the poor little fellow fought so for every breath. Of all the children, Hal was thedearest to her; she was his mother. Never before had she wished so desperately661 to be a grown-up mother,thinking that were she a woman like Fee, she would somehow have the power to heal him. Fee couldn't heal himbecause Fee wasn't his mother. Confused and terrified, she held the heaving little body close, trying to help Halbreathe. It never occurred to her that he might die, even when Fee and Paddy sank to their knees by the bed andprayed, not knowing what else to do. At midnight Paddy pried662 Meggie's arms from around the still child, and laidhim down tenderly against the stack of pillows.

Meggie's eyes flew open; she had half fallen to sleep, lulled663 because Hal had stopped struggling. "Oh, Daddy,he's better!" she said. Paddy shook his head; he seemed shriveled and old, the lamp picking up frosty bits in hishair, frosty bits in his week-long beard. "No, Meggie, Hal's not better in the way you mean, but he's at peace.

He's gone to God, he's out of his pain.""Daddy means he's dead," said Fee tonelessly. "Oh, Daddy, no! He can't be dead."But the small creature in the pillowed nest was dead.

Meggie knew it the moment she looked, though she had never seen death before. He looked like a doll, not achild. She got up and went out to the boys, sitting hunched664 in an uneasy vigil around the kitchen fire, with Mrs.

Smith on a hard chair nearby keeping an eye on the tiny twins, whose cot had been moved into the kitchen forwarmth.

"Hal just died," said Meggie.

Stuart looked up from a distant reverie. "It's better so," he said. "Think of the peace." He got to his feet as Feecame out of the hallway, and went to her without touching665 her. "Mum, you must be tired. Come and lie down; I'lllight a fire for you in your room. Come on now, lie down."Fee turned and followed him without a word. Bob got up and went out onto the veranda. The rest of the boyssat shuffling666 for a while and then joined him. Paddy hadn't appeared at all. Without a word Mrs. Smith took theperambulator from its corner of the veranda and carefully put the sleeping Jims and Patsy into it. She lookedacross at Meggie, tears running down her face.

"Meggie, I'm going back to the big house, and I'm taking Jims and Patsy with me. I'll be back in the morning,but it's best if the babies stay with Minnie and Cat and me for a while. Tell your mother."Meggie sat down on a vacant chair and folded her hands in her lap. Oh, he was hers and he was dead! LittleHal, whom she had cared for and loved and mothered. The space in her mind he had occupied was not yet empty;she could still feel the warm weight of him against her chest. It was terrible to know the weight would never restthere again, where she had felt it for four long years. No, not a thing to cry over; tears were for Agnes, forwounds in the fragile sheath of self-esteem667, and the childhood she had left behind forever. This was a burden shewould have to carry until the end of her days, and continue in spite of it.

The will to survive is very strong in some, not so strong in others. In Meggie it was as refined and tensile as asteel hawser668. Just so did Father Ralph find her when he came in with the doctor. She pointed669 silently to thehallway but made no effort to follow them. And it was a long time before the priest could finally do what he hadwanted to do since Mary Carson phoned the presbytery; go to Meggie, be with her, give the poor little femaleoutsider something from himself for her very own. He doubted that anyone else fully111 appreciated what Halmeant to her. But it was a long time. There were the last rites585 to be administered, in case the soul had not yet leftthe body; and Fee to see, Paddy to see, practical advice to give. The doctor had gone, dejected but long used tothe tragedies his far-flung practice made inevitable. From what they said, little he could have done anyway, sofar from his hospital and his trained nursing staff. These people took their chances, they faced their demons589 andhung on. His death certificate would say "Croup." It was a handy malady670. Eventually there was nothing left forFather Ralph to see to. Paddy had gone to Fee, Bob and the boys to the carpentry shed to make the little coffin671.

Stuart was on the floor in Fee's bedroom, his pure profile so like her own silhouetted672 against the night skyoutside the window; from where she lay on her pillow with Paddy's hand in hers, Fee never left hercontemplation of the dark shape huddled on the cold floor. It was five o'clock in the morning and the roosterswere stirring drowsily, but it would be dark for a long time yet.

Purple stole around his neck because he . had forgotten he was wearing it, Father Ralph bent to the kitchen fireand built it up from embers into a blaze, turned down the lamp on the table behind, and sat on a wooden benchopposite Meggie to watch her. She had grown, put on seven-league boots which threatened to leave him behind,outstripped; he felt his inadequacy673 then more keenly, watching her, than ever he had in a life filled with agnawing, obsessive674 doubt of his courage. Only what was he afraid of? What did he think he couldn't face if itcame? He could be strong for other people, he didn't fear other people; but within himself, expecting thatnameless something to come sliding into consciousness when he least expected it, he knew fear. While Meggie,born eighteen years after him, was growing beyond him. Not that she was a saint, or indeed anything more thanmost. Only that she never complained, that she had the gift-or was it the curse?-of acceptance. No matter whathad gone or what might come, she confronted it and accepted it, stored it away to fuel the furnace of her being.

What had taught her that? Could it be taught? Or was his idea of her a figment of his own fantasies? Did it reallymatter? Which was more important: what she truly was, or what he thought she was?

"Oh, Meggie," he said helplessly.

She turned her gaze to him and out of her pain gave him a smile of absolute, overflowing love, nothing in itheld back, the taboos675 and inhibitions of womanhood not yet a part of her world. To be so loved shook him,consumed him, made him wish to the God Whose existence he sometimes doubted that he was anyone in theuniverse but Ralph de Bricassart. Was this it, the unknown thing? Oh, God, why did he love her so? But as usualno one answered him; and Meggie sat still smiling at him. At dawn Fee got up to make breakfast, Stuart helpingher, then Mrs. Smith came back with Minnie and Cat, and the four women stood together by the stove talking inhushed monotones, bound in some league of grief neither Meggie nor the priest understood. After the mealMeggie went to line the little wooden box the boys had made, planed smooth and varnished676. Silently Fee hadgiven her a white satin evening gown long since gone to the hue677 of ivory with age, and she fitted strips of it tothe hard contours of the box interior. While Father Ralph put a toweling padding in it she ran the pieces of satininto shape on the sewing machine, then together they fixed the lining678 in place with thumbtacks. And after thatFee dressed her baby in his best velvet679 suit, combed his hair and laid him in the soft nest which smelled of her,but not of Meggie, who had been his mother. Paddy closed down the lid, weeping; this was the first child he hadlost. For years the reception room at Drogheda had been in use as a chapel680; an altar had been built at one end,and was draped in golden raiment Mary Carson had paid the nuns of St. Mary d'Urso a thousand pounds toembroider. Mrs. Smith had decked the room and the altar with winter flowers from Drogheda's gardens,wallflowers and early stocks and late roses, masses of them like pink and rusty paintings magically finding thedimension of scent241. In a laceless white alb and a black chasuble free of any ornamentation, Father Ralph said theRequiem Mass.

As with most of the great Outback stations, Drogheda buried its dead on its own land. The cemetery682 lay beyondthe gardens by the willow-littered banks of the creek, bounded by a white-painted wrought683-iron railing and greeneven in this dry time, for it was watered from the homestead tanks. Michael Carson*and his baby son wereentombed there in an imposing marble vault684, a life-size angel on top of its pediment with sword drawn to guardtheir rest. But perhaps a dozen less pretentious685 plots ringed the mausoleum, marked only by plain white woodencrosses and white croquet hoops686 to define their neat boundaries, some of them bare even of a name: a shearerwith no known relatives who had died in a barracks brawl687; two or three swaggies whose last earthly calling placehad been Drogheda; some sexless and totally anonymous688 bones found in one of the paddocks;Michael Carson's Chinese cook, over whose remains689 stood a quaint103 scarlet umbrella, whose sad small bellsseemed perpetually to chime out the name Hee Sing, Hee Sing, Hee Sing; a drover whose cross said onlyTANKSTAND CHARLIE HE WAS A GOOD BLOKE; and more besides, some of them women. But suchsimplicity was not for Hal, the owner's nephew; they stowed his homemade box on a shelf inside the vault andclosed elaborate bronze doors upon it.

After a while everyone ceased to speak of Hal except in passing. Meggie's sorrow she kept exclusively toherself; her pain had the unreasoning desolation peculiar to children, magnified and mysterious, yet her veryyouth buried it beneath everyday events, and diminished its importance. The boys were little affected save Bob,who had been old enough to be fond of his tiny brother. Paddy grieved deeply, but no one knew whether Feegrieved. It seemed she grew further and further away from husband and children, from all feeling. Because ofthis, Paddy was so grateful to Stu for the way he minded his mother, the grave tenderness with which he treatedher. Only Paddy knew how Fee had looked the day he came back from Gilly without Frank. There had not been aflicker of emotion in those soft grey eyes, not hardening nor accusation690, hate or sorrow. As if she had simplybeen waiting for the blow to fall like a condemned691 dog for the killing bullet, knowing her fate and powerless toavoid it.

"I knew he wouldn't come back," she said.

"Maybe he will, Fee, if you write to him quickly," Paddy said. She shook her head, but being Fee went into noexplanations. Better that Frank made a new life for himself far from Drogheda and her. She knew her son wellenough to be convinced that one word from her would bring him back, so she must not utter that word, ever. Ifthe days were long and bitter with a sense of failure, she must bear it in silence. Paddy hadn't been the man of herchoice, but a better man than Paddy never lived. She was one of those people whose feelings are so intense theybecome unbearable692, unlivable, and her lesson had been a harsh one. For almost twenty-five years she had beencrushing emotion out of existence, and she was convinced that in the end persistence693 would succeed.

Life went on in the rhythmic238, endless cycle of the land; the following summer the rains came, not monsoonalbut a by-product694 of them, filling the creek and the tanks, succoring695 the thirsting grass roots, sponging away thestealthy dust. Almost weeping in joy, the men went about the business of the patterned seasons, secure in theknowledge they would not have to handfeed the sheep. The grass had lasted just long enough, eked187 out by scrub-cutting from the more juicy trees; but it was not so on all the Gilly stations. How many stock a station carrieddepended entirely on the grazier running it. For its great size Drogheda was understocked, which meant the grasslasted just that much longer.

Lambing and the hectic696 weeks that followed it were busiest of all in the sheep calendar. Every lamb born had tobe caught; its tail was ringed, its ear marked, and if it was a male not required for breeding it was also castrated.

Filthy697, abominable698 work which soaked them to the skin with blood, for there was only one way to wade699 throughthousands upon thousands of male lambs in the short time available. The testicles were popped out between thefingers and bitten off, spat700 on the ground. Circled by tin bands incapable701 of expanding, the tails of male andfemale lambs alike gradually lost their vital bloody supply, swelled702, withered703 and dropped off. These were thefinest wool sheep in the world, raised on a scale unheard of in any other country, and with a paucity704 ofmanpower. Everything was geared to the perfect production of perfect wool. There was crutching705; around thesheep's rear end the wool grew foul706 with excrement707, fly-blown, black and lumped together in what were calleddags. This area had to be kept shaven close, or crutched708. It was a minor709 shearing job but one far less pleasing,stinking and fly-ridden, and it paid better rates. Then there was dipping: thousands upon thousands of bleating,leaping creatures were hounded and yanked through a maze of runs, in and out of the phenyl dips which rid themof ticks, pests and vermin. And drenching: the administration of medicine through huge syringes rammed710 downthe throat, to rid the sheep of intestinal711 parasites712.

For work with the sheep never, never ended; as one job finished it became time for another. They weremustered and graded, moved from one paddock to another, bred and unbred, shorn and crutched, dipped anddrenched, slaughtered and shipped off to be sold. Drogheda carried about a thousand head of prime beef cattle aswell as its sheep, but sheep were far more profitable, so in good times Drogheda carried about one sheep forevery two acres of its land, or about 125,000 altogether. Being merinos, they were never sold for meat; at the endof a merino's wool-producing years it was shipped off to become skins, lanolin, tallow and glue, useful only tothe tanneries and the knackeries.

Thus it was that gradually the classics of Bush literature took on meaning. Reading had become more importantthan ever to the Clearys, isolated713 from the world on Drogheda; their only contact with it was through the magicwritten word. But there was no lending library close, as there had been in Wahine, no weekly trip into town formail and newspapers and a fresh stack of library books, as there had been in Wahine. Father Ralph filled thebreach by plundering714 the Gillanbone library, his own and the convent's shelves, and found to his astonishmentthat before he was done he had organized a whole Bush circulating library via Bluey Williams and the mailtruck. It was perpetually loaded with books-worn, thumbed volumes which traveled down the tracks betweenDrogheda and Bugela, Dibban-Dibban and Braichy Pwll, Cunnamutta and Each-Uisge, seized upon gratefully byminds starved for sustenance and escape. Treasured stories were always returned with great reluctance715, butFather Ralph and the nuns kept a careful record of what books stayed longest where, then Father Ralph wouldorder copies through the Gilly news agency and blandly716 charge them to Mary Carson as donations to the HolyCross Bush Bibliophilic717 Society. Those were the days when a book was lucky to contain a chaste718 kiss, when thesenses were never titillated719 by erotic passages, so that the demarcation line between books meant for adults andthose meant for older children was less strictly drawn, and there was no disgrace for a man of Paddy's age to lovebest the books his children also adored: Dot and the Kangaroo, the Billabong series about Jim and Norah andWally, Mrs. Aeneas Gunn's immortal720 We of the Never-Never. In the kitchen at night they would take turns toread the poems of Banjo Paterson and C. J. Dennis out loud, thrilling to the ride of "The Man from SnowyRiver," or laughing with "The Sentimental721 Bloke" and his Doreen, or wiping away surreptitious tears shed forJohn O'Hara's "Laughing Mary."I had written him a letter which I had, for want of better Knowledge, sent to where I met him down the Lachlanyears ago; He was shearing when I knew him, so I sent the letter to him, Just on spec, addressed as follows,"Clancy, of the Overflow."And an answer came directed in a writing unexpected (and I think the same was written with a thumb-naildipped in tar); 'Twas his shearing mate who wrote it, and verbatim I will quote it: "Clancy's gone to Queenslanddroving, and we don't know where he are."In my wild erratic722 fancy visions come to me of Clancy Gone a-droving "down the Cooper" where the Westerndrovers go; As the stock are slowly stringing Clancy rides behind them singing, For the drover's life haspleasures that the townsfolk never know. And the bush has friends to meet him, and their kindly voices greet himIn the murmur624 of the breezes and the river on its bars, And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plainsextended, And at night the wondrous723 glory of the everlasting724 stars.

"Clancy of the Overflow" was everyone's favorite, "the Banjo" their favorite poet. Hoppity-go-kick doggerel725,perhaps, but the poems had never been intended for the eyes of sophisticated savants; they were for the people,of the people, and more Australians of that day could recite them off by heart than knew the standard schoolroompieces by Tennyson and Wordsworth, for their brand of hoppity-go-kick doggerel was written with England asinspiration. Crowds of daffodils and fields of asphodel meant nothing to the Clearys, living in a climate whereneither could exist. The Clearys understood the bush poets better than most, for the Overflow was their backyard,the traveling sheep a reality on the TSR'S. There was an official Traveling Stock Route or TSR winding its waynear the Barwon River, free crown land for the transference of living merchandise from one end of the easternhalf of the continent to the other. In the old days drovers and their hungry, grass-ruining mobs of stock had notbeen welcome, and the bullockies a hated breed as they inched their mammoth teams of from twenty to eightyoxen through the middle of the squatters" best grazing. Now, with official stock routes for the drovers and thebullockies vanished into legend, things were more amicable726 between vagabonds and stay-puts.

The occasional drovers were welcomed as they rode in for a beer and a talk, a home-cooked meal. Some timesthey brought women with them, driving battered old sulkies with galled727 ex-stock horses between the shafts728, potsand billies and bottles banging and clanking in a fringe all around. These were the most cheerful or the mostmorose women in the Outback, drifting from Kynuna to the Paroo, from Goondiwindi to Gundagai;, from theKatherine to the Curry730. Strange women; they never knew a roof over their heads or the feel of a kapok731 mattressbeneath their iron-hard spines732. No man had bested them; they were as tough and en during as the country whichflowed under their restless feet. Wild as the birds in the sun-drenched trees, their children skulked733 shyly behindthe sulky wheels or scuttled734 for the protection of the woodheap while their parents yarned735 over cups of tea,swapped tall stories and books, promised to pass on vague messages to Hoopiron Collins or Brumby Waters, andtold the fantastic tale of the Pommy jackaroo on Gnarlunga. And somehow you could be sure these rootlesswanderers had dug a grave, buried a child or a wife, a husband or a mate, under some never-to-be-forgottencoolibah on a stretch of the TSR which only looked the same to those who didn't know how hearts could markout as singular and special one tree in a wilderness736 of trees.

Meggie was ignorant even of the meaning of a phrase as hackneyed as "the facts of life," for circumstances hadconspired to block every avenue whereby she might have learned. Her father drew a rigid581 line between the malesof the family and the females; subjects like breeding or mating were never discussed in front of the women, nordid the men ever appear in front of the women unless fully clothed. The kind of books that might have given hera clue never appeared on Drogheda, and she had no friends of her own age to con-tribute to her education. Herlife was absolutely harnessed to the needs of the house, and around the house there were no sexual activities atall. The Home Paddock creatures were almost literally737 sterile454. Mary Carson didn't breed horses, she bought themfrom Martin King of Bugela, who did; unless one bred horses stallions were a nuisance, so Drogheda didn't haveany stallions. It did have a bull, a wild and savage beast whose pen was strictly out of bounds, and Meggie wasso frightened of it she never went anywhere near it. The dogs were kept kenneled738 and chained, their mating ascientific, supervised exercise conducted under Paddy's or Bob's eagle eye, therefore also out of bounds. Nor wasthere time to watch the pigs, which Meggie hated and resented having to feed. In truth, there wasn't time forMeggie to watch anyone beyond her two tiny brothers. And ignorance breeds ignorance; an unawakened bodyand mind sleep through events which awareness catalogues automatically.

Just before Meggie's fifteenth birthday, as the summer heat was building up toward its stupefying peak, shenoticed brown, streaky stains on her drawers. After a day or two they went away, but six weeks later they cameback, and her shame turned to terror. The first time she had thought them signs of a dirty bottom, thus hermortification, but in their second appearance they became unmistakably blood. She had no idea where the bloodwas coming from, but assumed it was her bottom. The slow hemorrhage was gone three days later, and did notrecur for over two months; her furtive washing of the drawers had gone unnoticed, for she did most of thelaundry anyway. The next attack brought pain, the first non-bilious739 rigors741 of her life. And the bleeding wasworse, far worse. She stole some of the twins' discarded diapers and tried to bind533 herself under her drawers,terrified the blood would come through. Death taking Hal had been like a tempestuous742 visit from somethingghostly; but this strung-out cessation of her own being was terrifying. How could she possibly go to Fee orPaddy to break the news that she was dying from some disreputable, forbidden disease of the bottom? Only toFrank might she have poured out her torment538, but Frank was so far away she didn't know where to find him. Shehad listened to the women talk over their cups of tea of tumors and cancers, gruesome lingering deaths theirfriends or mothers or sisters had endured, and it seemed to Meggie sure to be some kind of growth eating herinsides away, chewing silently up toward her frightened heart. Oh, she didn't want to die!

Her ideas about the condition of death were vague; she wasn't even clear on what her status would be in thatincomprehensible other world. Religion to Meggie was a set of laws rather than a spiritual experience, it couldn'thelp her at all. Words and phrases jostled piecemeal743 in her panicked consciousness, uttered by her parents, theirfriends, the nuns, priests in sermons, bad men in books threatening vengeance744. There was no way she couldcome to terms with death; she lay night after night in a confused terror, trying to imagine if death was perpetualnight, or an abyss of flames she had to jump over to reach the golden fields on the far side, or a sphere like theinside of a gigantic balloon full of soaring choirs745 and light attenuated746 through limitless stained-glass windows.

She grew very quiet, but in a manner quite different from Stuart's peaceful, dreamy isolation; hers was thepetrified freezing of an animal caught in the serpent's basilisk stare. If she was spoken to suddenly she jumped, ifthe little ones cried for her she fussed over them in an agony of expiation747 for her neglect. And whenever she hada rare moment to herself she ran away, down to the cemetery and Hal, who was the only dead person she knew.

Everyone noticed the change in her, but accepted it as Meggie growing up without once asking themselves whatgrowing up for Meggie entailed748; she hid her distress749 too well. The old lessons had been well learned; her self-control was phenomenal and her pride formidable. No one must ever know what went on inside her, the facademust continue flawless to the end; from Fee to Frank to Stuart the examples were there, and she was of the sameblood, it was a part of her nature and her heritage. But as Father Ralph paid his frequent visits to Drogheda andthe change in Meggie deepened from a pretty feminine metamorphosis to a quenching750 of all her vitality751, hisconcern for her mushroomed into worry, and then into fear. A physical and spiritual wasting away was takingplace beneath his very eyes; she was slipping away from them, and he couldn't bear to see her become anotherFee. The small pointed face was all eyes staring at some dreadful prospect752, the milky753 opaque754 skin which nevertanned or freckled was growing more translucent755. If the process went on, he thought, she would one daydisappear into her own eyes like a snake swallowing its tail, until she drifted through the universe as an almostinvisible shaft729 of glassy grey light, seen only from the corner of the vision where shadows lurk342 and black thingscrawl down a white wall.

Well, he would find out if he had to wring658 it from her forcibly. Mary Carson was at her most demanding thesedays, jealous of every moment he spent down at the head stockman's house; only the infinite patience of a subtle,devious man kept his rebellion against her possessiveness hidden from her. Even his alien preoccupation withMeggie couldn't always overcome his politic555 wisdom, the purring content he derived276 from watching his charmwork on such a cantankerous756, refractory757 subject as Mary Carson. While that long-dormant care for the welfare ofa single other person champed and stamped up and down his mind, he acknowledged the existence of anotherentity dwelling758 side by side with it: the cat-cold cruelty of getting the better of, making a fool of a conceited,masterful woman. Oh, he'd always liked to do that! The old spider would never get the better of him.

Eventually he managed to shake free of Mary Carson and run Meggie to earth in the little graveyard613 under theshadow of the pallid35, unwarlike avenging760 angel. She was staring up into its mawkishly761 placid762 face with shrinkingfear written on her own, an exquisite contrast between the feeling and the unfeeling, he thought. But what was hedoing here, chasing after her like a clucky old hen when it was really none of his business, when it ought to beher mother or her father to find out what was the matter? Only that they hadn't seen anything wrong, that shedidn't matter to them the way she mattered to him. And that he was a priest, he must give comfort to the lonely orthe despairing in spirit. He couldn't bear to see her unhappy, yet he shrank from the way he was tying himself toher by an accumulation of events. He was making a whole arsenal763 of happenings and memories out of her, andhe was afraid. His love for her and his priestly instinct to offer himself in any required spiritual capacity warredwith an obsessive horror of becoming utterly necessary to someone human, and of having someone humanbecome utterly necessary to himself. As she heard him walk across the grass she turned to confront him, foldingher hands in her lap and looking down at her feet. He sat near her, arms locked around his knees, the soutane infolds no more graceful than the easy length of the body inhabiting it. No sense beating around the bush, hedecided; if she could, she would evade764 him.

"What's the matter, Meggie?""Nothing, Father.""I don't believe you.""Please, Father, please! I can't tell you!""Oh, Meggie! Ye of little faith! You can tell me anything, anything under the sun. That's what I'm here for,that's why I'm a priest. I am Our Lord's chosen representative here on earth, I listen on His behalf, I even forgiveon His behalf. And, wee Meggie, there is nothing in God's universe He and I cannot find it in our hearts toforgive. You must tell me what the matter is, my love, because if anyone can help you, 1 c. As long as I live I'lltry to help you, watch over you. If you like, a sort of guardian765 angel, better by far than that chunk766 of marbleabove your head." He took a breath and leaned forward. "Meggie, if you love me, tell me!"Her hands gripped one another. "Father, I'm dying! I've got cancer!" First came a wild desire to laugh, a greatsurge of uproarious anticlimax767; then he looked at the thin blue skin, the wasting of her little arms, and there camean awful longing to weep and cry, scream of its unfairness to the roof of heaven. No, Meggie wouldn't imaginethis out of nothing; there had to be a valid768 reason.

"How do you know, dear heart?"It took her a long time to say it, and when she did he had to bend his head right down to her lips in anunconscious parody769 of the confessional pose, handshielding his face from her eyes, finely modeled ear presented for the sullying.

"It's six months, Father, since it started. I get the most awful pains in my tummy, but not like a bilious attack,and-oh, Father!-a lot of blood runs out of my bottom!"His head reared back, something which had never happened inside the confessional; he stared down at hershamed bent head with so many emotions assaulting him that he could not marshal his wits. An absurd, deliciousrelief; an anger at Fee so great he wanted to kill her; awed admiration for such a little thing as her, to bear somuch so well; and a ghastly, all-pervasive embarrassment770.

He was as much a prisoner of the times as she was. The cheap girls in every town he had known from Dublin toGillanbone would deliberately come into the confessional to whisper their fantasies to him as actual happenings,concerned with the only facet771 of him which interested them, his manhood, and not willing to admit it lay beyondtheir power to arouse it. They muttered of men violating every orifice, of illicit772 games with other girls, of lust andadultery, one or two of superior imagination even going so far as to detail sexual relations with a priest. And hewould listen totally unmoved save for a sick contempt, for he had been through the rigors of the seminary andthat particular lesson was an easy one for a man of his type. But the girls, never, never mentioned that secretactivity which set them apart, demeaned them.

Try as he would, he could not prevent the scorching tide from diffusing773 up under his skin; Father Ralph deBricassart sat with his face turned away behind his hand and writhed774 through the humiliation775 of his first blush.

But this wasn't helping his Meggie. When he was sure the color had subsided776 he got to his feet, picked her upand sat her on a flat-topped marble pedestal, where her face and his were level.

"Meggie, look at me. No, look at me!"She raised hunted eyes and saw that he was smiling; an immeasurable contentment filled her soul at once. Hewould not smile so if she were dying; she knew very well how much she meant to him, for he had neverconcealed it.

"Meggie, you're not dying and you haven't got cancer. It isn't my place to tell you what's the matter, but I think Ihad better. Your mother should have told you years ago, prepared you, and why she didn't is beyond me." Helooked up at the inscrutable marble angel above him and gave a peculiar, half-strangled laugh. "Dear Jesus! Thethings Thou givest me to do!" Then, to the waiting Meggie: "In years to come, as you grow older and learn moreabout the ways of the world, you might be tempted777 to remember today with embarrassment, even shame. Butdon't remember today like that, Meggie. There's absolutely nothing shameful778 or embarrassing about it. In this, asin everything I do, I am simply the instrument of Our Lord. It is my only function on this earth; I must admit noother. You were very frightened, you needed help, and Our Lord has sent you that help in my person. Rememberthat alone, Meggie. I am Our Lord's priest, and I speak in His Name. "You're only doing what all women do,Meggie. Once a month for several days you'll pass blood. It starts usually around twelve or thirteen years of age-how old are you, as much as that?""I'm fifteen, Father.""Fifteen? You?" He shook his head, only half believing her. "Well, if you say you are, I'll have to take yourword for it. In which case you're later than most girls. But it continues every month until you're about fifty, andin some women it's as regular as the phases of the moon, in others it's not so predictable. Some women have nopain with it, others suffer a lot of pain. No one knows why it's so different from one woman to another. But topass blood every month is a sign that you're mature. Do you know what "mature' means?" "Of course, Father! Iread! It means grown up.""All right, that will do. While ever the bleeding persists, you're capable of having children. The bleeding is apart of the cycle of procreation. In the days before the Fall, it is said Eve didn't menstruate. The proper name forit is menstruation, to menstruate. But when Adam and Eve fell, God punished the woman more than He did theman, because it was really her fault they fell. She tempted the man. Do you remember the words in your Biblehistory? "In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children." What God meant was that for a woman everything having todo with children involves pain. Great joy, but also great pain. It is your lot, Meggie, and you must accept it." Shedidn't know it, but just so would he have offered comfort and help to any of his parishioners, if with a lessintense personal involvement; so very kindly, but never identifying himself with the trouble. And, perhaps not sooddly, thereby779 the comfort and help he offered was all the greater. As if he had gone beyond such small things,so they were bound to pass. It was not a conscious thing in him, either; no one who came to him for succor everfelt that he looked down on them, or blamed them for their weaknesses. Many priests left their people feelingguilty, worthless or bestial780, but he never did. For he made them think that he, too, had his sorrows and hisstruggles; alien sorrows and incomprehensible struggles, perhaps, yet no less real. He neither knew nor couldhave been brought to understand that the larger part of his appeal and attraction lay not in his person, but in thisaloof, almost godlike, very human something from his soul.

As far as Meggie was concerned, he talked to her the way Frank had talked to her: as if she were his equal.

But he was older, wiser and far better educated than Frank, a more satisfactory confidant. And how beautiful hisvoice was, with its faint Irishness and pearshaped Britishness. It took all the fear and anguish781 away. Yet she wasyoung, full of curiosity, eager now to know all there was to know, and not troubled by the perplexingphilosophies of those who constantly question not the who of themselves but the why. He was her friend, thecherished idol782 of her heart, the new sun in her firmament783. "Why shouldn't you tell me, Father? Why did you sayit ought to be Mum?" "It's a subject women keep very much to themselves. To mention menstruation or one'speriod in front of men or boys just isn't done, Meggie. It's something strictly between women."He shook his head, and laughed. "To be honest, I really don't know why. I even wish it weren't so. But you musttake my word for it that it is so. Never mention it to a soul except your mother, and don't tell her you discussed itwith me.""All right, Father, I won't."It was damnably difficult, this being a mother; so many practical considerations to remember! "Meggie, youmust go home and tell your mother you've been passing blood, and ask her to show you how to fix yourself up.""Mum does it, too?""All healthy women do. But when they're expecting a baby they stop until after the baby is born. That's howwomen tell they're expecting babies." "Why do they stop when they're expecting babies?" "I don't know, I reallydon't. Sorry, Meggie.""Why does the blood come out of my bottom, Father?" He glared up at the angel, which looked back at himserenely, not troubled by women's troubles. Things were getting too sticky for Father Ralph. Amazing that shepersisted when she was usually so reticent784! Yet realizing he had become the source of her knowledge abouteverything she couldn't find in books, he knew her too well to give her any hint of his embarrassment ordiscomfort. She would withdraw into herself and never ask him anything again.

So he answered patiently, "It doesn't come out of your bottom, Meggie. There is a hidden passageway in frontof your bottom, which has to do with children.""Oh! Where they get out, you mean," she said. "I always wondered how they got out."He grinned, and lifted her down from her pedestal. "Now you know. Do you know what makes babies,Meggie?""Oh, yes," she said importantly, glad she knew at least something. "You grow them, Father.""What causes them to start growing?""You wish them.""Who told you that?""No one. I worked it out for myself," she said. Father Ralph closed his eyes and told himself that he couldn'tpossibly be called a coward for leaving matters where they stood. He could pity her, but he couldn't help her anyfurther. Enough was enough.

Mary Carson was going to be seventy-two years old, and she was planning the biggest party to be held onDrogheda in fifty years. Her birthday fell at the start of November, when it was hot but still bearable-at least forGilly natives.

"Mark that, Mrs. Smith!" Minnie whispered. "Do ye mark that! November the t'urrd herself was born!""What are you on about now, Min?" the housekeeper asked. Minnie's Celtic mysteriousness got on her owngood steady English nerves. "Why, and to be sure it means herself is a Scorpio woman, does it not? A Scorpiowoman, now!""I haven't got the slightest idea what you're talking about, Min!" "The wurrst sign a woman can find herselfborn into, Mrs. Smith darlin". Och, they're children of the Devil, so they are!" said Cat, round-eyed, blessingherself.

"Honestly, Minnie, you and Cat are the dizzy limit," said Mrs. Smith, not a whit36 impressed.

But excitement was running high, and would run higher. The old spider in her wing chair at the exact center ofher web issued a never-ending stream of orders; this was to be done, that was to be done, such and such was tobe taken out of storage, or put into Storage. The two Irish maids ran polishing silver and washing the bestHaviland china, turning the chapel back into a reception room and readying its adjacent dining rooms.

Hindered rather than helped by the little Cleary boys, Stuart and a team of rouseabouts mowed785 and scythed thelawn, weeded the flower beds, sprinkled damp sawdust on the verandas786 to clear dust from between the Spanishtiles, and dry chalk on the reception room floor to make it fit for dancing. Clarence O'Toole's band was comingall the way from Sydney, along with oysters787 and prawns788, crabs789 and lobsters791; several women from Gilly werebeing hired as temporary helpers. The whole district from Rudna Hunish to Inishmurray to Bugela to Narrengangwas in a ferment792. As the marble hallways echoed to unaccustomed sounds of objects being moved and peopleshouting, Mary Carson shifted herself from her wing chair to her desk, drew a sheet of parchment forward,dipped her pen in the standish, and began to write. There was no hesitation793, not so much as a pause to considerthe positioning of a comma. For the last five years she had worked out every intricate phrase in her mind, until itwas absolutely word perfect. It did not take her long to finish; there were two sheets of paper, the second onewith a good quarter of it blank. But for a moment, the last sentence complete, she sat on in her chair. The roll-topdesk stood alongside one of the big windows, so that by simply turning her head she could look out across thelawns. A laugh from outside made her do so, idly at first, then in stiffening794 rage. God damn him and hisobsession! Father Ralph had taught Meggie to ride; daughter of a country family, she had never sat astride ahorse until the priest remedied the deficiency. For oddly enough, the daughters of poor country families did notoften ride. Riding was a pastime for the rich young women of country and city alike. Oh, girls of Meggie'sbackground could drive buggies and teams of heavy horses, even tractors and sometimes cars, but rarely did theyride. It cost too much to mount a daughter.

Father Ralph had brought elastic-sided ankle boots and twill jodhpurs from Gilly and plumped them down onthe Cleary kitchen table noisily. Paddy had looked up from his after-dinner book, mildly surprised. "Well, whathave you got there, Father?" he asked. "Riding clothes for Meggie.""What?" bellowed Paddy's voice.

"What?" squeaked Meggie's.

"Riding clothes for Meggie. Honestly, Paddy, you're a first-class idiot! Heir to the biggest, richest station inNew South Wales, and you've never let your only daughter sit a horse! How do you think she's going to take herplace alongside Miss Carmichael, Miss Hopeton and Mrs. Anthony King, equestriennes all? Meggie's got tolearn to ride, sidesaddle as well as astride, do you hear? I realize you're busy, so I'm going to teach Meggiemyself, and you can like it or lump it. If it happens to interfere795 with her duties in the house, too bad. For a fewhours each week Fee is just going to have to manage minus Meggie, and that's that."One thing Paddy couldn't do was argue with a priest; Meggie learned to ride forthwith. For years she hadlonged for the chance, had once timidly ventured to ask her father might she, but he had forgotten the nextmoment and she never asked again, thinking that was Daddy's way of saying no. To learn under the aegis796 ofFather Ralph cast her into a joy which she didn't show, for by this time her adoration797 of Father Ralph had turnedinto an ardent96, very girlish crush. Knowing it was quite impossible, she permitted herself the luxury of dreamingabout him, of wondering what it would be like to be held in his arms, receive his kiss. Further than that herdreams couldn't go, as she had no idea what came next, or even that anything came next. And if she knew it waswrong to dream so of a priest, there didn't seem to be any way she could discipline herself into not doing it. Thebest she could manage was to make absolutely sure he had no idea of the unruly turn her thoughts had taken.

As Mary Carson watched through the drawing room window, Father Ralph and Meggie walked down from thestables, which were on the far side of the big house from the head stockman's residence. The station men roderawboned stock horses which had never seen the inside of a stable in all their lives, just shuffled798 around the yardswhen penned for duty, or frisked through the grass of the Home Paddock when being spelled. But there werestables on Drogheda, though only Father Ralph used them now. Mary Carson kept two thoroughbred hacks therefor Father Ralph's exclusive use; no rawboned stock horses for him. When he had asked her if Meggie might usehis mounts also, she could not very well object. The girl was her niece, and he was right. She ought to be able toride decently.

With every bitter bone in her swollen old body Mary Carson had wished she had been able to refuse, or elseride with them. But she could neither refuse nor hoist799 herself on a horse anymore. And it galled her to see themnow, strolling across the lawn together, the man in his breeches and knee boots and white shirt as graceful as adancer, the girl in her jodhpurs slim and boyishly beautiful. They radiated an easy friendship; for the millionthtime Mary Carson wondered why no one save she deplored their close, almost intimate relationship. Paddythought it wonderful, Fee-log that she was!-said nothing, as usual, while the boys treated them as brother andsister. Was it because she loved Ralph de Bricassart herself that she saw what no one else saw? Or did sheimagine it, was there really nothing save the friendship of a man in his middle thirties for a girl not yet all theway into womanhood? Piffle! No man in his middle thirties, even Ralph de Bricassart, could fail to see theunfolding rose. Even Ralph de Bricassart? Hah! Especially Ralph de Bricassart! Nothing ever missed that man.

Her hands were trembling; the pen sprinkled darkblue drops across the bottom of the paper. The gnarled fingerplucked another sheet from a pigeonhole800, dipped the pen in the standish again, and rewrote the words as surely asthe first time. Then she heaved herself to her feet and moved her bulk to the door.

"Minnie! Minnie!" she called.

"Lord help us, it's herself!" the maid said clearly from the reception room opposite. Her ageless freckled facecame round the door. "And what might I be gettin' for ye, Mrs. Carson darlin'?" she asked, wondering why theold woman had not rung the bell for Mrs. Smith, as was her wont801. "Go and find the fencer and Tom. Send themhere to me at once." "Ought I not be reportin' to Mrs. Smith furrst?" "No! Just do as you're told, girl!"Tom, the garden rouseabout, was an old, wizened fellow who had been on the track with his bluey and his billy,and taken work for a while seventeen years ago; he had fallen in love with the Drogheda gardens and couldn'tbear to leave them. The fencer, a drifter like all his breed, had been pulled from the endless task of stringing tautwire between posts in the paddocks to repair the homestead's white pickets802 for the party. Awed at the summons,they came within a few minutes and stood in work trousers, braces803 and flannel undershirts, hats screwednervously in their hands. "Can both of you write?" asked Mrs. Carson.

They nodded, swallowed.

"Good. I want you to watch me sign this piece of paper, then fix your own names and addresses just below mysignature. Do you understand?" They nodded.

"Make sure you sign the way you always do, and print your permanent addresses clearly. I don't care if it's apost office general delivery or what, so long as you can be reached through it." The two men watched herinscribe her name; it was the only time her writing was not compressed. Tom came forward, sputtered804 the penacross the paper painfully, then the fencer wrote "Chas. Hawkins" in large round letters, and a Sydney address.

Mary Carson watched them closely; when they were done she gave each of them a dull red ten-pound note, anddismissed them with a harsh injunction to keep their mouths shut.

Meggie and the priest had long since disappeared. Mary Carson sat down at her desk heavily, drew anothersheet of paper toward her, and began once more to write. This communication was not achieved with the easeand fluency805 of the last. Time and time again she stopped to think, then with lips drawn back in a humorless grin,she would continue. It seemed she had a lot to say, for her words were cramped806, her lines very close together,and still she required a second sheet. At the end she read what she had put down, placed all the sheets together,folded them and slid them into an envelope, the back of which she sealed with red wax.

Only Paddy, Fee, Bob, Jack and Meggie were going to the party; Hughie and Stuart were deputed to mind thelittle ones, much to their secret relief. For once in her life Mary Carson had opened her wallet wide enough forthe moths340 to fly out, for everyone had new clothes, the best Gilly could provide. Paddy, Bob and Jack wereimmobilized behind starched shirt fronts, high collars and white bow ties, black tails, black trousers, whitewaistcoats. It was going to be a very formal affair, white tie and tails for the men, sweeping gowns for thewomen.

Fee's dress was of crepe in a peculiarly rich shade of blue-grey, and suited her, falling to the floor in soft folds,low of neckline but tightly sleeved to the wrists, lavishly beaded, much in the style of Queen Mary. Like thatimperious lady, she had her hair done high in backsweeping puffs807, and the Gilly store had produced an imitationpearl choker and earrings808 which would fool all but a close inspection809. A magnificent ostrich810-feather fan dyed thesame color as her gown completed the ensemble811, not so ostentatious as it appeared at first glance; the weatherwas unusually hot, and at seven in the evening it was still well over a hundred degrees.

When Fee and Paddy emerged from their room, the boys gaped. In all their lives they had never seen theirparents so regally handsome, so foreign. Paddy looked his sixty-one years, but in such a distinguished812 way hemight have been a statesman; whereas Fee seemed suddenly ten years younger than her forty-eight, beautiful,vital, magically smiling. Jims and Patsy burst into shrieking813 tears, refusing to look at Mum and Daddy until theyreverted to normal, and in the flurry of consternation814 dignity was forgotten; Mum and Daddy behaved as theyalways did, and soon the twins were beaming in admiration.

But it was at Meggie everyone stared the longest. Perhaps remembering her own girlhood, and angered that allthe other young ladies invited had ordered their gowns from Sydney, the Gilly dressmaker had put her heart intoMeggie's dress. It was sleeveless and had a low, draped neckline; Fee had been dubious815, but Meggie hadimplored and the dressmaker assured her all the girls would be wearing the same sort of thing-did she want herdaughter laughed at for being countrified and dowdy816? So Fee had given in gracefully817. Of crepe georgette, aheavy chiffon, the dress was only slightly fitted at the waist, but sashed around the hips with the same material. Itwas a dusky, pale pinkish grey, the color that in those days was called ashes of roses; between them thedressmaker and Meggie had embroidered the entire gown in tiny pink rosebuds819. And Meggie had cut her hair inthe closest way she could to the shingle820 creeping even through the ranks of Gilly girls. It curled far too much forfashion, of course, but it suited her better short than long.

Paddy opened his mouth to roar because she was not his little girl Meggie, but shut it again with the wordsunuttered; he had learned from that scene in the presbytery with Frank long ago. No, he couldn't keep her a littlegirl forever; she was a young woman and shy of the amazing transformation821 her mirror had shown her. Whymake it harder for the poor little beggar? He extended his hand to her, smiling tenderly. "Oh, Meggie, you're solovely! Come on, I'm going to escort you myself, and Bob and Jack shall take your mother."She was just a month short of seventeen, and for the first time in his life Paddy felt really old. But she was thetreasure of his heart; nothing should spoil her first grown-up party.

They walked to the homestead slowly, far too early for the first guests; they were to dine with Mary Carson andbe on hand to receive with her. No one wanted dirty shoes, but a mile through Drogheda dust meant a pause inthe cookhouse to polish shoes, brush dust from trouser bottoms and trailing hems. Father Ralph was in hissoutane as usual; no male evening fashion could have suited him half so well as that severely822 cut robe with itsslightly flaring823 lines, the innumerable little black cloth buttons up its front from hem38 to collar, the purple-edgedmonsignor's sash. Mary Carson has chosen to wear white satin, white lace and white ostrich feathers. Fee staredat her stupidly, shocked out of her habitual824 indifference. It was so incongruously bridal, so grossly unsuitable-whyon earth had she tricked herself out like a raddled old spinster playacting at being married? She had got veryfat of late, which didn't improve matters. But Paddy seemed to see nothing amiss; he strode forward to take hissister's hands, beaming. What a dear fellow he was, thought Father Ralph as he watched the little scene, halfamused, half detached.

"Well, Mary! How fine you look! Like a young girl!" In truth she looked almost exactly like that famousphotograph of Queen Victoria taken not long before she died. The two heavy lines were there on either side ofthe masterful nose, the mulish mouth was set indomitably, the slightly protruding825 and glacial eyes fixed withoutblinking on Meggie. Father Ralph's own beautiful eyes passed from niece to aunt, and back to niece again.

Mary Carson smiled at Paddy, and put her hand on his arm. "You may take me in to dinner, Padraic. Father deBricassart will escort Fiona, and the boys must make do with Meghann between them." Over her shoulder shelooked back at Meggie. "Do you dance tonight, Meghann?""She's too young, Mary, she's not yet seventeen," said Paddy quickly, remembering another parentalshortcoming; none of his children had been taught to dance.

"What a pity," said Mary Carson.

It was a splendid, sumptuous826, brilliant, glorious party; at least, they were the adjectives most bandied about.

Royal O'Mara was there from Inishmurray, two hundred miles away; he came the farthest with his wife, sons andlone daughter, though not by much. Gilly people thought little of traveling two hundred miles to a cricket match,let alone a party. Duncan Gordon, from Each-Uisge; no one had ever persuaded him to explain why he had calledhis station so far from the ocean the Scots Gaelic for a sea horse. Martin King, his wife, his son Anthony andMrs. Anthony; he was Gilly's senior squatter373, since Mary Carson could not be so called, being a woman. EvanPugh, from Braich y Pwll, which the district pronounced Brakeypull.

Dominic O'Rourke from Dibban-Dibban, Horry Hopeton from Beel-Beel; and dozens more.

They were almost to the last family present Catholic, and few sported Anglo-Saxon names; there was about anequal distribution of Irish, Scottish and Welsh. No, they could not hope for home rule in the old country, nor, ifCatholic in Scotland or Wales, for much sympathy from the Protestant indigenes. But here in the thousands ofsquare miles around Gillanbone they were lords to thumb their noses at British lords, masters of all theysurveyed; Drogheda, the biggest property, was greater in area than several European principalities. Monegasqueprincelings, Liechtensteinian dukes, be-ware! Mary Carson was greater. So they whirled in waltzes to the sleekSydney band and stood back indulgently to watch their children dance the Charleston, ate the lobster790 patties andthe chilled raw oysters, drank the fifteen-year-old French champagne and the twelve-year-old single-malt Scotch827.

If the truth were known, they would rather have eaten roast leg of lamb or corned beef, and much preferred todrink cheap, very potent828 Bundaberg rum or Grafton bitter from the barrel. But it was nice to know the betterthings of life were theirs for the asking.

Yes, there were lean years, many of them. The wool checks were carefully hoarded829 in the good years to guardagainst the depredations830 of the bad, for no one could predict the rain. But it was a good period, had been forsome time, and there was little to spend the money on in Gilly. Oh, once born to the black soil plains of the GreatNorthwest there was no place on earth like it. They made no nostalgic pilgrimages back to the old country; it haddone nothing for them save discriminate831 against them for their religious convictions, where Australia was tooCatholic a country to discriminate. And the Great Northwest was home.

Besides, Mary Carson was footing the bill tonight. She could well afford it. Rumor said she was able to buy andsell the King of England. She had money in steel, money in silver-lead-zinc, money in copper and gold, moneyin a hundred different things, mostly the sort of things that literally and metaphorically832 made money. Droghedahad long since ceased to be the main source of her income; it was no more than a profitable hobby.

Father Ralph didn't speak directly to Meggie during dinner, nor did he afterward833; throughout the evening hestudiously ignored her. Hurt, her eyes sought him wherever he was in the reception room. Aware of it, he achedto stop by her chair and explain to her that it would not do her reputation (or his) any good if he paid her moreattention than he did, say, Miss Carmichael, Miss Gordon or Miss O'Mara. Like Meggie he didn't dance, and likeMeggie there were many eyes on him; they were easily the two most beautiful people in the room.

Half of him hated her appearance tonight, the short hair, the lovely dress, the dainty ashes-of-roses silk slipperswith their two-inch heels; she was growing taller, developing a very feminine figure. And half of him was busybeing terrifically proud of the fact that she shone all the other young ladies down. Miss Carmichael had thepatrician features, but lacked the special glory of that red-gold hair; Miss King had exquisite blond tresses, butlacked the lissome834 body; Miss Mackail was stunning of body, but in the face very like a horse eating an applethrough a wire-netting fence. Yet his overall reaction was one of disappointment, and an anguished835 wish to turnback the calendar. He didn't want Meggie to grow up, he wanted the little girl he could treat as his treasuredbabe. On Paddy's face he glimpsed an expression which mirrored his own thoughts, and smiled faintly. Whatbliss it would be if just once in his life he could show his feelings! But habit, training and discretion836 were tooingrained.

As the evening wore on the dancing grew more and more uninhibited, the liquor changed from champagne andwhiskey to rum and beer, and proceedings837 settled down to something more like a woolshed ball. By two in themorning only a total absence of station hands and working girls could distinguish it from the usualentertainments of the Gilly district, which were strictly democratic.

Paddy and Fee were still in attendance, but promptly838 at midnight Bob and Jack left with Meggie. Neither Feenor Paddy noticed; they were enjoying themselves. If their children couldn't dance, they could, and did; witheach other mostly, seeming to the watching Father Ralph suddenly much more attuned839 to each other, perhapsbecause the times they had an opportunity to relax and enjoy each other were rare. He never remembered seeingthem without at least one child somewhere around, and thought it must be hard on the parents of large families,never able to snatch moments alone save in the bedroom, where they might excusably have other things thanconversation on their minds. Paddy was always cheerful and jolly, but Fee tonight almost literally shone, andwhen Paddy went to beg a duty dance of some squatter's wife, she didn't lack eager partners; there were manymuch younger women wilting840 on chairs around the room who were not so sought after.

However, Father Ralph's moments to observe the Cleary parents were limited. Feeling ten years younger oncehe saw Meggie leave the room, he became a great deal more animated and flabbergasted the Misses Hopeton,Mackail, Gordon and O'Mara by dancing-and extremely well-the Black Bottom with Miss Carmichael. But afterthat he gave every unattached girl in the room her turn, even poor homely841 Miss Pugh, and since by this timeeveryone was thoroughly relaxed and oozing842 goodwill843, no one condemned the priest one bit. In fact, his zeal126 andkindness were much admired and commented upon. No one could say their daughter had not had an opportunityto dance with Father de Bricassart.

Of course, had it not been a private party he could not have made a move toward the dance floor, but it was sonice to see such a fine man really enjoy himself for once.

At three o'clock Mary Carson rose to her feet and yawned. "No, don't stop the festivities! If I'm tired which Iam-I can go to bed, which is what I'm going to do. But there's plenty of food and drink, the band has beenengaged to play as long as someone wants to dance, and a little noise will only speed me into my dreams. Father,would you help me up the stairs, please?" Once outside the reception room she did not turn to the majesticstaircase, but guided the priest to her drawing room, leaning heavily on his arm. Its door had been locked; shewaited while he used the key she handed him, then preceded him inside.

"It was a good party, Mary," he said.

"My last.""Don't say that, my dear.""Why not? I'm tired of living, Ralph, and I'm going to stop." Her hard eyes mocked. "Do you doubt me? Forover seventy years I've done precisely what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it, so if Death thinks he's the oneto choose the time of my going, he's very much mistaken. I'll die when I choose the time, and no suicide, either.

It's our will to live keeps us kicking, Ralph; it isn't hard to stop if we really want to. I'm tired, and I want to stop.

Very simple."He was tired, too; not of living, exactly, but of the endless facade, the climate, the lack of friends with commoninterests, himself. The room was only faintly lit by a tall kerosene lamp of priceless ruby glass, and it casttransparent crimson844 shadows on Mary Carson's face, conjuring845 out of her intractable bones something morediabolical. His feet and back ached; it was a long time since he had danced so much, though he prided himself onkeeping up with whatever was the latest fad253. Thirty-five years of age, a country monsignor, and as a power in theChurch? Finished before he had begun. Oh, the dreams of youth! And the carelessness of youth's tongue, thehotness of youth's temper. He had not been strong enough to meet the test. But he would never make that mistakeagain. Never, never . . .

He moved restlessly, sighed; what was the use? The chance would not come again. Time he faced that factsquarely, time he stopped hoping and dreaming. "Do you remember my saying, Ralph, that I'd beat you, that I'dhoist you with your own petard?"The dry old voice snapped him out of the reverie his weariness had induced. He looked across at Mary Carsonand smiled.

"Dear Mary, I never forget anything you say. What I would have done without you these past seven years Idon't know. Your wit, your malice846, your perception . . .""If I'd been younger I'd have got you in a different way, Ralph. You'll never know how I've longed to throwthirty years of my life out the window. If the Devil had come to me and offered to buy my soul for the chance tobe young again, I'd have sold it in a second, and not stupidly regretted the bargain like that old idiot Faust. But noDevil. I really can't bring myself to believe in God or the Devil, you know. I've never seen a scrap323 of evidence tothe effect they exist. Have you?""No. But belief doesn't rest on proof of existence, Mary. It rests on faith, and faith is the touchstone of theChurch. Without faith, there is nothing.""A very ephemeral tenet.""Perhaps. Faith's born in a man or a woman, I think. For me it's a constant struggle, I admit that, but I'll nevergive up.""I would like to destroy you."His blue eyes laughed, greyed in the light. "Oh, my dear Mary! I know that.""But do you know why?"A terrifying tenderness crept against him, almost inside him, except that he fought it fiercely. "I know why,Mary, and believe me, I'm sorry.""Besides your mother, how many women have loved you?" "Did my mother love me, I wonder? She ended inhating me, anyway. Most women do. My name ought to have been Hippolytos.""Ohhhhhh! That tells me a lot!""As to other women, I think only Meggie . . . But she's a little girl. It's probably not an exaggeration to sayhundreds of women have wanted me, but loved me? I doubt it very much.""I have loved you," she said pathetically.

"No, you haven't. I'm the goad847 of your old age, that's all. When you look at me I remind you of what you cannotdo, because of age.""You're wrong. I have loved you. God, how much! Do you think my years automatically preclude848 it? Well,Father de Bricassart, let me tell you something. Inside this stupid body I'm still young-I still feel, I still want, Istill dream, I still kick up my heels and chafe545 at restrictions849 like my body. Old age is the bitterest vengeance ourvengeful God inflicts850 upon us. Why doesn't He age our minds as well?" She leaned back in her chair and closedher eyes, her teeth showing sourly. "I shall go to Hell, of course. But before I do, I hope I get the chance to tellGod what a mean, spiteful, pitiful apology of a God He is!""You were a widow too long. God gave you freedom of choice, Mary. You could have remarried. If you chosenot to remarry and in consequence you've been intolerably lonely, it's your own doing, not God's." . For amoment she said nothing, her hands gripping the chair arms hard; then she began to relax, and opened her eyes.

They glittered in the lamplight redly, but not with tears; with something harder, more brilliant. He caught hisbreath, felt fear. She looked like a spider.

"Ralph, on my desk is an envelope. Would you bring it to me, please?" Aching and afraid, he got up and wentto her desk, lifted the letter, eyed it curiously. The face of it was blank, but the back had been properly sealedwith red wax and her ram's head seal with the big D. He brought it to her and held it out, but she waved him tohis seat without taking it. "It's yours," she said, and giggled851. "The instrument of your fate, Ralph, that's what it is.

My last and most telling thrust in our long battle. What a pity I won't be here to see what happens. But I knowwhat will happen, because I know you, I know you much better than you think I do. Insufferable conceit759! Insidethat envelope lies the fate of your life and your soul. I must lose you to Meggie, but I've made sure she doesn'tget you, either." "Why do you hate Meggie so?""I told you once before. Because you love her.""Not in that way! She's the child I can never have, the rose of my life. Meggie is an idea, Mary, an idea!"But. the old woman sneered852. "I don't want to talk about your precious Meggie! I shall never see you again, so Idon't want to waste my time with you talking about her. The letter. I want you to swear on your vows as a priestthat you don't open it until you've seen my dead body for yourself, but then that you open it immediately, beforeyou bury me. Swear!" "There's no need to swear, Mary. I'll do as you ask.""Swear to me or I'll take it back!"He shrugged. "All right, then. On my vows as a priest I swear it. Not to open the letter until I've seen you dead,and then to open it before you're buried""Good, good!""Mary, please don't worry. This is a fancy of yours, no more. In the morning you'll laugh at it.""I won't see the morning. I'm going to die tonight; I'm not weak enough to wait on the pleasure of seeing youagain. What an anticlimax! I'm going to bed now. Will you take me to the top of the stairs?"He didn't believe her, but he could see it served no purpose to argue, and she was not in the mood to be jolliedout of it. Only God decided when one would die, unless, of the free will He had given, one took one's own life.

And she had said she wouldn't do that. So he helped her pant up the stairs and at the top took her hands in his,bent to kiss them. She pulled them away. "No, not tonight. On my mouth, Ralph! Kiss my mouth as if we werelovers!"By the brilliant light of the chandelier, lit for the party with four hundred wax candles, she saw the disgust in hisface, the instinctive853 recoil854; she wanted to die then, wanted to die so badly she could not wait.

"Mary, I'm a priest! I can't!"She laughed shrilly855, eerily856. "Oh, Ralph, what a sham152 you are! Sham man, sham priest! And to think once youactually had the temerity857 to offer to make love to me! were you so positive I'd refuse? How I wish I hadn't! I'dgive my soul to see you wriggle528 out of it if we could have that night back again! Sham, sham, sham! That's allyou are, Ralph! An impotent, useless sham! Impotent man and impotent priest! I don't think you could get it upand keep it up for the Blessed Virgin858 herself! Have you ever managed to get it up, Father de Bricassart? Sham!"Outside it was not yet dawn, or the lightening before it. Darkness lay soft, thick and very hot over Drogheda.

The revels859 were becoming extremely noisy; if the homestead had possessed next-door neighbors the policewould have been called long since. Someone was vomiting860 copiously861 and revoltingly on the veranda, and under awispy bottle brush two indistinct forms were locked together. Father Ralph avoided the vomiter862 and the lovers,treading silently across the springy new-mown lawn with such torment in his mind he did not know or carewhere he was going. Only that he wanted to be away from her, the awful old spider who was convinced she wasspinning her death cocoon863 on this exquisite night. At such an early hour the heat was not exhausting; there was afaint, heavy stirring in the air, and a stealing of languorous864 perfumes from boronia and roses, the heavenlystillness only tropical and subtropical latitudes865 can ever know. Oh, God, to be alive, to be really alive! Toembrace the night, and living, and be free!

He stopped on the far side of the lawn and stood looking up at the sky, an instinctive aerial searching for God.

Yes, up there somewhere, between the winking866 points of light so pure and unearthly; what was it about the nightsky? That the blue lid of day was lifted, a man permitted glimpses of eternity? Nothing save witnessing thestrewn vista867 of the stars could convince a man that timelessness and God existed. She's right, of course. A sham,a total sham. No priest, no man. Only someone who wishes he knew how to be either. No! Not either! Priest andman cannot coexist-to be a man is to be no priest. Why did I ever tangle868 my feet in her web? Her poison isstrong, perhaps stronger than I guess. What's in the letter? How like Mary to bait me! How much does she know,how much does she simply guess? What is there to know, or guess? Only futility869, and loneliness. Doubt, pain.

Always pain. Yet you're wrong, Mary. I can get it up. It's just that I don't choose to, that I've spent years provingto myself it can be controlled, dominated, subjugated870. For getting it up is the activity of a man, and I am a priest.

Someone was weeping in the cemetery. Meggie, of course. No one else would think of it. He picked up theskirts of his soutane and stepped over the wrought iron railing, feeling it was inevitable that he had not yet donewith Meggie on this night. If he confronted one of the women in his life, he must also deal with the other. Hisamused detachment was coming back; she could not disperse871 that for long, the old spider. The wicked old spider.

God rot her, God rot her!

"Darling Meggie, don't cry," he said, sitting on the dew-wet grass beside her. "Here, I'll bet you don't have adecent handkerchief. Women never do. Take mine and dry your eyes like a good girl."She took it and did as she was told.

"You haven't even changed out of your finery. Have you been sitting here since midnight?""Yes.""Do Bob and Jack know where you are?""I told them I was going to bed.""What's the matter, Meggie?""You didn't speak to me tonight!""Ali! I thought that might be it. Come, Meggie, look at me!" Away in the east was a pearly luster232, a fleeing oftotal darkness, and the Drogheda roosters were shrieking an early welcome to the dawn. So he could see that noteven protracted872 tears could dim the loveliness of her eyes. "Meggie, you were by far the prettiest girl at the party,and it's well known that I come to Drogheda more often than I need. I am a priest and therefore I ought to beabove suspicion-a bit like Caesar's wife comb I'm afraid people don't think so purely873. As priests go I'm young,and not bad-looking." He paused to think how Mary Carson would have greeted that bit of understatement, andlaughed soundlessly. "If I had paid you a skerrick of attention it would have been all over Gilly in record time.

Every party line in the district would have been buzzing with it. Do you know what I mean?" She shook herhead; the cropped curls were growing brighter in the advancing light.

"Well, you're young to come to knowledge of the ways of the world, but you've got to learn, and it al-waysseems to be my province to teach you, doesn't it? I mean people would be saying I was interested in you as aman, not as a priest.""Father!""Dreadful, isn't it?" He smiled. "But that's what people would say, I assure you. You see, Meggie, you're not alittle girl anymore, you're a young lady. But you haven't learned yet to hide your affection for me, so had Istopped to speak to you with all those people looking on, you'd have stared at me in a way which might havebeen misconstrued."She was looking at him oddly, a sudden inscrutability shuttering her gaze, then abruptly she turned her head andpresented him with her profile. "Yes, I see. I was silly not to have seen it.""Now don't you think it's time you went home? No doubt everyone will sleep in, but if someone's awake at theusual time you'll be in the soup. And you can't say you've been with me, Meggie, even to your own family." Shegot up and stood staring down at him. "I'm going, Father. But I wish they knew you better, then they'd neverthink such things of you. It isn't in you, is it?"For some reason that hurt, hurt right down to his soul as Mary Carson's cruel taunts874 had not. "No, Meggie,you're right. It isn't in me." He sprang up, smiling wryly. "Would you think it strange if I said I wished it was?"He put a hand to his head. "No, I don't wish it was at all! Go home, Meggie, go home!"Her face was sad. "Good night, Father."He took her hands in his, bent and kissed them. "Good night, dearest Meggie."He watched her walk across the graves, step over the railing; in the rosebud818 dress her retreating form wasgraceful, womanly and a little unreal. Ashes of roses. "How appropriate," he said to the angel. Cars were roaringaway from Drogheda as he strolled back across the lawn; the party was finally over. Inside, the band was packingaway its instruments, reeling with rum and exhaustion875, and the tired maids and temporary helpers were trying toclear up. Father Ralph shook his head at Mrs. Smith.

"Send everyone to bed, my dear. It's a lot easier to deal with this sort of thing when you're fresh. I'll make sureMrs. Carson isn't angry." "Would you like something to eat, Father?""Good Lord, no! I'm going to bed."In the late afternoon a hand touched his shoulder. He reached for it blindly without the energy to open his eyes,and tried to hold it against his cheek.

"Meggie," he mumbled876.

"Father, Father! Oh, please will you wake up?" At the tone of Mrs. Smith's voice his eyes came suddenly veryawake. "What is it, Mrs. Smith?""It's Mrs. Carson, Father. She's dead."His watch told him it was after six in the evening; dazed and reeling from the heavy torpor877 the day's terribleheat had induced in him, he struggled out of his pajamas878 and into his priest's clothes, threw a narrow purple stolearound his neck and took the oil of extreme unction, the holy water, his big silver cross, his ebony rosary beads879.

It never occurred to him for a moment to wonder if Mrs. Smith was right; he knew the spider was dead. Had shetaken something after all? Pray God if she had, it was neither obviously present in the room nor obvious to adoctor. What possible use it was to administer extreme unction he didn't know. But it had to be done. Let himrefuse and there would be post-mortems, all sorts of complications. Yet it had nothing to do with his suddensuspicion of suicide; simply that to him laying sacred things on Mary Carson's body was obscene.

She was very dead, must have died within minutes of retiring, a good fifteen hours earlier. The windows wereclosed fast, and the room humid from the great flat pans of water she insisted be put in every inconspicuouscorner to keep her skin youthful. There was a peculiar noise in the air; after a stupid moment of wondering herealized what he heard were flies, hordes of flies buzzing, insanely clamoring as they feasted on her, mated onher, laid their eggs on her. "For God's sake, Mrs. Smith, open the windows!" he gasped, moving to the bedside,face pallid.

She had passed out of rigor740 mortis and was again limp, disgustingly so. The staring eyes were mottling, her thinlips black; and everywhere on her were the flies. He had to have Mrs. Smith keep shooing them away as heworked over her, muttering the ancient Latin exhortations880. What a farce881, and she accursed. The smell of her! Oh,God! Worse than any dead horse in the freshness of a paddock. He shrank from touching her in death as he hadin life, especially those flyblown lips. She would be a mass of maggots within hours.

At last it was done. He straightened. "Go to Mr. Cleary at once, Mrs. Smith, and for God's sake tell him to getthe boys working on a coffin right away. No time to have one sent out from Gilly; she's rotting away before ourvery eyes. Dear lord! I feel sick. I'm going to have a bath and I'll leave my clothes outside my door. Burn them.

I'll never get the smell of her out of them."Back in his room in riding breeches and shirt-for he had not packed two soutanes-he remembered the letter, andhis promise. Seven o'clock had struck; he could hear a restrained chaos as maids and temporary helpers flew toclear the party mess away, transform the reception room back into a chapel, ready the house for tomorrow'sfuneral. No help for it, he would have to go into Gilly tonight to pick up another soutane and vestments for theRequiem Mass. Certain things he was never without when he left the presbytery for an out-lying station,carefully strapped220 in compartments in the little black case, his sacraments for birth, death, benediction882, worship,and the vestments suitable for Mass at whatever time of the year it was. But he was an Irishman, and to carry theblack mourning accouterments of a Requiem681 was to tempt81 fate. Paddy's voice echoed in the distance, but hecould not face Paddy at the moment; he knew Mrs. Smith would do what had to be done. Sitting at his windowlooking out over the vista of Drogheda in the dying sun, the ghost gums golden, the mass of red and pink andwhite roses in the garden all empurpled, he took Mary Carson's letter from his case and held it between hishands. But she had insisted he read it before he buried her, and somewhere in his mind a little voice waswhispering that he must read it now, not later tonight after he had seen Paddy and Meggie, but now before he hadseen anyone save Mary Carson.

It contained four sheets of paper; he riffled them apart and saw immediately that the lower two were her will.

The top two were addressed to him, in the form of a letter.

My dearest Ralph,You will have seen that the second document in this envelope is my will. I already have a perfectly good willsigned and sealed in Harry883 Gough's office in Gilly; the will enclosed herein is a much later one, and naturallynullifies the one Harry has.

As a matter of fact I made it only the other day, and had it witnessed by Tom and the fencer, since I understandit is not permissible884 to have any beneficiary witness one's will. It is quite legal, in spite of the fact Harry didn'tdraw it up for me. No court in the land will deny its validity, I assure you.

But why didn't I have Harry draw this testament885 up if I wanted to alter the disposition of my effects? Verysimple, my dear Ralph. I wanted absolutely no one to know of this will's existence apart from you, and me. Thisis the only copy, and you hold it. Not a soul knows that you do. A very important part of my plan.

Do you remember that piece of the Gospel where Satan took Our Lord Jesus Christ up onto a mountaintop, andtempted Him with the whole world? How pleasant it is to know I have a little of Satan's power, and am able totempt the one I love (do you doubt Satan loved Christ? I do not) with the whole world. The contemplation ofyour dilemma886 has considerably887 enlivened my thoughts during the past few years, and the closer I get to dying,the more delightful888 my visions become.

After you've read the will, you'll understand what I mean. While I bum889 in Hell beyond the borders of this life Iknow now, you'll still be in that life, but burning in a hell with fiercer flames than any God could possiblymanufacture. Oh, my Ralph, I've gauged890 you to a nicety! If I never knew how to do anything else, I've alwaysknown how to make the ones I love suffer. And you're far better game than my dear departed Michael ever was.

When I first knew you, you wanted Drogheda and my money, didn't you, Ralph? You saw it as a way to buyback your natural métier. But then came Meggie, and you put your original purpose in cultivating me out of yourmind, didn't you? I became an excuse to visit Drogheda so you could be with Meggie. I wonder could you haveswitched allegiances so easily had you known how much I'm actually worth? Do you know, Ralph? I don't thinkyou have an inkling. I suppose it isn't ladylike to mention the exact sum of one's assets in one's will, so I hadbetter tell you here just to make sure you have all the necessary information at your fingertips when it comes toyour making a decision. Give or take a few hundred thousands, my fortune amounts to some thirteen millionpounds.

I'm getting down toward the foot of the second page, and I can't be bothered turning this into a thesis. Read mywill, Ralph, and after you've read it, decide what you're going to do with it. Will you tender it to Harry Gough forprobate, or will you burn it and never tell a soul it existed. That's the decision you've got to make. I ought to addthat the will in Harry's office is the one I made the year after Paddy came, and leaves everything I have to him.

Just so you know what hangs in the balance. Ralph, I love you, so much I would have killed you for not wantingme, except that this is a far better form of reprisal891. I'm not the noble kind; I love you but I want you to scream inagony. Because, you see, 1 know what your decision will be. I know it as surely as if I could be there, watching.

You'll scream, Ralph, you'll know what agony is. So read on, my beautiful, ambitious priest! Read my will, anddecide your fate.

It was not signed or initialed. He felt the sweat on his forehead, felt it running down the back of his neck fromhis hair. And he wanted to get up that very moment to burn both documents, never read what the second onecontained. But she had gauged her quarry892 well, the gross old spider. Of course he would read on; he was toocurious to resist. God! What had he ever done, to make her want to do this to him? Why did women make himsuffer so? Why couldn't he have been born small, twisted, ugly? If he were so, he might have been happy. Thelast two sheets were covered by the same precise, almost minute writing. As mean and grudging893 as her soul.

I, Mary Elizabeth Carson, being of sound mind and sound body, do hereby declare that this is my last will andtestament, thereby rendering894 null and void any such testaments895 previously896 made by me. Save only for the specialbequests made below, all my worldly goods and moneys and properties I bequeath to the Holy Catholic Churchof Rome, under the hereby stated conditions of bequest897:

First, that the said Holy Catholic Church of Rome, to be called the Church hereafter, knows in what esteem andwith what affection I hold her priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. It is solely899 because of his kindness, spiritualguidance and unfailing support that I so dispose of my assets. Secondly900, that the bequest shall continue in thefavor of the Church only so long as she appreciates the worth and ability of the said Father Ralph de Bricassart.

Thirdly, that the said Father Ralph de Bricassart be responsible for the administration and channeling of thesemy worldly goods, moneys and properties, as the chief authority in charge of my estate. Fourthly, that upon thedemise of the said Father Ralph de Bricassart, his own last will and testament shall be legally binding in thematter of the further administration of my estate. That is, the Church shall continue in full ownership, but FatherRalph de Bricassart shall be solely responsible for the naming of his successor in administration; he shall not beobliged to select a successor who is either an ecclesiastical or a lay member of the Church.

Fifthly, that the station Drogheda be never sold nor subdivided901. Sixthly, that my brother, Padraic Cleary, beretained as manager of the station Drogheda with the right to dwell in my house, and that he be paid a salary atthe discretion of Father Ralph de Bricassart and no other. Seventhly, that in the event of the death of my brother,the said Padraic Cleary, his widow and children be permitted to remain on the station Drogheda and that theposition of manager shall pass consecutively902 to each of his sons, Robert, John, Hugh, Stuart, James and Patrick,but excluding Francis. Eighthly, that upon the demise of Patrick or whichever son excluding Francis is the lastson remaining, the same rights be permitted the said Padraic Cleary's grandchildren.

Special bequests898:

To Padraic Cleary, the contents of my houses on the station Drogheda. To Eunice Smith, my housekeeper, thatshe remain at a fair salary so long as she desires, and in addition that she be paid the sum of five thousandpounds forthwith, and that upon her retirement903 she be awarded an equitable904 pension.

To Minerva O'Brien and Catherine Donnelly, that they remain at fair salaries so long as they desire, and inaddition that they be paid the sum of one thousand pounds each forthwith, and that upon their retirements905 they beawarded equitable pensions.

To Father Ralph de Bricassart the sum of ten thousand pounds to be paid annually906 so long as he shall live, forhis own private and unquestioned use.

It was duly signed, dated and witnessed.

His room looked west. The sun was setting. The pall34 of dust which came with every summer filled the silent air,and the sun thrust its fingers through the finestrung particles so that it seemed the whole world had turned to goldand purple. Streaky clouds rimmed10 in brilliant fire poked907 silver streamers across the great bloody ball whichhung just above the trees of the far paddocks.

"Bravo!" he said. "I admit, Mary, you've beaten me. A master stroke. I was the fool, not you."He could not see the pages in his hand through the tears, and moved them before they could be blotched.

Thirteen million pounds. Thirteen million pounds! It was indeed what he had been angling for in the days beforeMeggie. And with her coming he had abandoned it, because he couldn't carry on such a campaign in cold bloodto cheat her of her inheritance. But what if he had known how much the old spider was worth? What then? Hehad no idea it was a tenth so much. Thirteen million pounds!

For seven years Paddy and his family had lived in the head stockman's house and worked themselves ragged652 forMary Carson. For what? The niggardly908 wages she paid? Never to Father Ralph's knowledge had Paddycomplained of being shabbily treated, thinking no doubt that when his sister died he would be amply repaid formanaging the property on ordinary stockman's pay, while his sons did stockman's work for rouseabout's wages.

He had made do, and grown to love Drogheda as if it were his own, rightly assuming it would be. "Bravo,Mary!" said Father Ralph again, these first tears since his boyhood dropping from his face onto the backs of hishands, but not onto the paper. Thirteen million pounds, and the chance to be Cardinal de Bricassart yet. AgainstPaddy Cleary, his wife, his sons and Meggie. How diabolically909 well she had read him! Had she stripped Paddy ofeverything, his way would have been clear: he could have taken the will down to the kitchen stove and thrust itinside the firebox without a qualm. But she had made sure Paddy wouldn't want, that after her death he would bemore comfortable on Drogheda than during her life, and that Drogheda could not quite be taken from him. Itsprofits and title, yes, but not the land itself. No, he wouldn't be the owner of that fabulous910 thirteen millionpounds, but he would be well respected, comfortably provided for. Meggie wouldn't go hungry, or be thrownshoeless upon the world. Nor would she be Miss Cleary, either, able to stand on an equal footing with MissCarmichael and that ilk. Quite respectable, socially admissible, but not top drawer. Never top drawer.

Thirteen million pounds. The chance to get out of Gillanbone and perpetual obscurity, the chance to take hisplace within the hierarchy911 of Church administration, the assured goodwill of his peers and superiors. And allwhile he was still young enough to make up the ground he had lost. Mary Carson had made Gillanbone theepicenter of the Archbishop Papal Legate's map with a vengeance; the tremors912 would reach as far as the Vatican.

Rich though the Church was, thirteen million pounds was thirteen million pounds. Not to be sneezed at, even bythe Church. And his was the sole hand which brought it into the fold, his hand acknowledged in blue ink in MaryCarson's own writing. He knew Paddy would never contest the will; so had Mary Carson, God rot her. Oh,certainly Paddy would be furious, would never want to see him again or speak to him again, but his chagrinwouldn't extend to litigation. Was there a decision? Didn't he already know, hadn't he known the moment he readher will what he was going to do? The tears had dried. With his usual grace Father Ralph got to his feet, madesure his shirt was tucked in all the way round, and went to the door. He must get to Gilly, pick up a soutane andvestments. But first he wanted to see Mary Carson again. In spite of the open windows the stench had become areeking fug; no hint of a breeze stirred the limp curtains. With steady tread he crossed to the bed and stoodlooking down. The fly eggs were beginning to hatch maggots in all the wet parts of her face, ballooning gasespuffed up her fat arms and hands to greenish blobs, her skin was breaking down. Oh, God. You disgusting oldspider. You've won, but what a victory. The triumph of one disintegrating caricature of humanity over another.

You can't defeat my Meggie, nor can you take from her what was never yours. I might burn in Hell alongsideyou, but I know the Hell they've got planned for you: to see my indifference to you persist as we rot awaytogether through all eternity ....

Paddy was waiting for him in the hall downstairs, looking sick and bewildered.

"Oh, Father!" he said, coming forward. "Isn't this awful? What a shock! I never expected her to go out like this;she was so well last night! Dear God, what am I going to do?""Have you seen her?""Heaven help me, yes!""Then you know what has to be done. I've never seen a corpse913 decompose so fast. If you don't get her decentlyinto some sort of container within the next few hours you'll have to pour her into a petrol drum. She'll have to beburied first thing in the morning. Don't waste time beautifying her coffin; cover it with roses from the garden orsomething. But get a move on, man! I'm going into Gilly for vestments.""Get back as soon as you can, Father!" Paddy pleaded. But Father Ralph was rather longer than a simple visit tothe presbytery demanded. Before he turned his car in that direction he drove down one of Gillanbone's moreprosperous side streets, to a fairly pretentious dwelling surrounded by a well-laid-out garden.

Harry Gough was just sitting down to his dinner, but came into the parlor when the maid told him who hadcalled.

"Father, will you eat with us? Corned beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes and parsley sauce, and for once thebeef's not too salty.""No, Harry, I can't stay. I just came to tell you Mary Carson died this morning.""Holy Jesus! I was there last night! She seemed so well, Father!" "I know. She was perfectly well when I tookher up the stairs about three, but she must have died almost the moment she retired914. Mrs. Smith found her at sixthis evening. By then she'd been dead so long she was hideous915; the room was shut up like an incubator allthrough the heat of the day. Dear Lord, I pray to forget the sight of her! Unspeakable, Harry, awful.""She'll be buried tomorrow?""She'll have to be.""What time is it? Ten? We must eat dinner as late as the Spaniards in this heat, but no need to worry, it's too lateto start phoning people. Would you like me to do that for you, Father?""Thank you, it would be a great kindness. I only came into Gilly for vestments. I never expected to be saying aRequiem when I started out. I must get back to Drogheda as quickly as I can; they need me. The Mass will be atnine in the morning.""Tell Paddy I'll bring her will with me, so I can deal with it straight after the funeral. You're a beneficiary, too,Father, so I'd appreciate your staying for the reading.""I'm afraid we have a slight problem, Harry. Mary made another will, you see. Last night after she left the partyshe gave me a sealed envelope, and made me promise I'd open it the moment I saw her dead body for myself.

When I did so I found it contained a fresh will.""Mary made a new will? Without me?""It would appear so. I think it was something she had been mulling for a long time, but as to why she chose tobe so secretive about it, I don't know.""Do you have it with you now, Father?""Yes." The priest reached inside his shirt and handed over the sheets of paper, folded small.

The lawyer had no compunction about reading them on the spot. When he finished he looked up, and there wasa great deal in his eyes Father Ralph would rather not have seen. Admiration, anger, a certain contempt. "Well,Father, congratulations! You got the lot after all." He could say it, not being a Catholic.

"Believe me, Harry, it came as a bigger surprise to me than it does to you.""This is the only copy?""As far as I know, yes.""And she gave it to you as late as last night?" "Yes.""Then why didn't you destroy it, make sure poor old Paddy got what's rightfully his? The Church has no right toMary Carson's possessions at all." The priest's fine eyes were bland586. "Ah, but that wouldn't have been fitting,Harry, would it now? It was Mary's property, to dispose of in any manner she wished.""I shall advise Paddy to contest.""I think you should."And on that note they parted. By the time everyone arrived in the morning to see Mary Carson buried, thewhole of Gillanbone and all points of the compass around it would know where the money was going. The diewas cast, there could be no turning back.

It was four in the morning when Father Ralph got through the last gate and into the Home Paddock, for hehadn't hurried on the return drive. All through it he had willed his mind to blankness; he wouldn't let himselfthink. Not of Paddy or of Fee, or. Meggie or that stinking gross thing they had (he devoutly916 hoped) poured intoher coffin. Instead he opened his eyes and his mind to the night, to the ghostly silver of dead trees standinglonely in the gleaming grass, to the heart-of-darkness shadows cast by stands of timber, to the full moon ridingthe heavens like an airy bubble. Once he stopped the car and got out, walked to a wire fence and leaned on itstautness while he breathed in the gums and the bewitching aroma917 of wildflowers. The land was so beautiful, sopure, so indifferent to the fates of the creatures who presumed to rule it. They might put their hands to it, but inthe long run it ruled them. Until they could direct the weather and summon up the rain, it had the upper hand. Heparked his car some distance behind the house and walked slowly toward it. Every window was full of light;faintly from the housekeeper's quarters he could hear the sound of Mrs. Smith leading the two Irish maids in arosary. A shadow moved under the blackness of the wistaria vine; he stopped short, his hackles rising. She hadgot to him in more ways than one, the old spider. But it was only Meggie, patiently waiting for him to comeback. She was in jodhpurs and boots, very much alive.

"You gave me a fright," he said abruptly.

"I'm sorry, Father, I didn't mean to. But I didn't want to be inside there with Daddy and the boys, and Mum isstill down at our house with the babies. I suppose I ought to be praying with Mrs. Smith and Minnie and Cat, butI don't feel like praying for her. That's a sin, isn't it?" He was in no mood to pander918 to the memory of MaryCarson. "I don't think it's a sin, Meggie, whereas hypocrisy919 is. I don't feel like praying for her, either. She wasn't .

. . a very good person." His smile flashed. "So if you've sinned in saying it, so have I, and more seriously at that.

I'm supposed to love everyone, a burden which isn't laid upon you." "Are you all right, Father?""Yes, I'm all right." He looked up at the house, and sighed. "I don't want to be in there, that's all. I don't want tobe where she is until it's light and the demons 200, of the darkness are driven away. If I saddle the horses, willyou ride with me until dawn?"Her hand touched his black sleeve, fell. "I don't want to go inside, either.""Wait a minute while I put my soutane in the car.""I'll go on to the stables."For the first time she was trying to meet him on his ground, adult ground; he could sense the difference in her assurely as he could smell the roses in Mary Carson's beautiful gardens. Roses. Ashes of roses. Roses, roses,everywhere. Petals920 in the grass. Roses of summer, red and white and yellow. Perfume of roses, heavy and sweetin the night. Pink roses, bleached by the moon to ashes. Ashes of roses, ashes of roses. My Meggie, I haveforsaken you. But can't you see, you've become a threat? Therefore have I crushed you beneath the heel of myambition; you have no more substance to me than a bruised921 rose in the grass. The smell of roses. The smell ofMary Carson. Roses and ashes, ashes of roses.

"Ashes of roses," he said, mounting. "Let's get as far from the smell of roses as the moon. Tomorrow the housewill be full of them."He kicked the chestnut mare and cantered ahead of Meggie down the track to the creek, longing to weep; foruntil he smelled the future adornments of Mary Carson's coffin it had not actually impinged on his thinking brainas an imminent fact. He would be going away very soon. Too many thoughts, too many emotions, all of themungovernable. They wouldn't leave him in Gilly a day after learning the terms of that incredible will; they wouldrecall him to Sydney immediately. Immediately! He fled from his pain, never having known such pain, but itkept pace with him effortlessly. It wasn't something in a vague sometime; it was going to happen immediately.

And he could almost see Paddy's face, the revulsion, the turning away. After this he wouldn't be welcome onDrogheda, and he would never see Meggie again.

The disciplining began then, hammered by hoofs922 and in a sensation of flying. It was better so, better so, betterso. Galloping923 on and on. Yes, it would surely hurt less then, tucked safely in some cell in a bishop's palace, hurtless and less, until finally even the ache faded from consciousness. It had to be better so. Better than staying inGilly to watch her change into a creature he didn't want, then have to marry her one day to some unknown man.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Then what was he doing with her now, riding through the stand of box and coolibah on the far side of thecreek? He couldn't seem to think why, he only felt the pain. Not the pain of betrayal; there wasn't room for that.

Only for the pain of leaving her.

"Father, Father! I can't keep up with you! Slow down, Father, please!" It was the call to duty, and reality. Like aman in slow motion he wrenched924 the mare around, sat it until it had danced out its excitement. And waited forMeggie to catch him up. That was the trouble. Meggie was catching925 him up. Close by them was the roar of theborehead, a great steaming pool smelling of sulphur, with a pipe like a ship's ventilator jetting boiling water intoits depths. All around the perimeter of the little elevated lake like spokes926 from a wheel's hub, the bore drainsdribbled off across the plain whiskered in incongruously emerald grass. The banks of the pool were slimy greymud, and the freshwater crayfish called yabbies lived in the mud. Father Ralph started to laugh. "It smells likeHell, Meggie, doesn't it? Sulphur and brimstone, right here on her own property, in her own backyard. She oughtto recognize the smell when she gets there decked in roses, oughtn't she? Oh, Meggie . . ."The horses were trained to stand on a dangling927 rein483; there were no fences nearby, and no trees closer than half amile away. But there was a log on the side of the pool farthest from the borehead itself, where the water wascooler. It was the seat provided for winter bathers as they dried their feet and legs. Father Ralph sat down andMeggie sat some way from him, turned side on to watch him.

"What's the matter, Father?"It sounded peculiar, his oft-asked question from her lips, to him. He smiled. "I've sold you, my Meggie, soldyou for thirteen million pieces of silver.""Sold me?""A figure of speech. It doesn't matter. Come, sit closer to me. There may not be the chance for us to talktogether again.""While we're in mourning for Auntie, you mean?" She wriggled up the log and sat next to him. "Whatdifference will being in mourning make?" "I don't mean that, Meggie.""You mean because I'm growing up, and people might gossip about us?" "Not exactly. I mean I'm going away."There it was: the meeting of trouble head on, the acceptance of another load. No outcry, no weeping, no stormof protest. Just a tiny shrinking, as if the burden sat askew928, would not distribute itself so she could bear itproperly. And a caught breath, not quite like a sigh. "When?""A matter of days.""Oh, Father! It will be harder than Frank.""And for me harder than anything in my life. I have no consolation. You at least have your family.""You have your God.""Well said, Meggie! You are growing up!"But, tenacious929 female, her mind had returned to the question she had ridden three miles without a chance to ask.

He was leaving, it would be so hard to do without him, but the question had its own importance.

"Father, in the stables you said "ashes of roses." Did you mean the color of my dress?""In a way, perhaps. But I think really I meant something else." "What?""Nothing you'd understand, my Meggie. The dying of an idea which had no right to be born, let alone nurtured930.""There is nothing which has no right to be born, even an idea." He turned his head to watch her. "You knowwhat I'm talking about, don't you?""I think so.""Not everything born is good, Meggie.""No. But if it was born at all, it was meant to be.""You argue like a Jesuit. How old are you?""I'll be seventeen in a month, Father.""And you've toiled931 all seventeen years of it. Well, hard work ages us ahead of our years. What do you thinkabout, Meggie, when you've the time to think?""Oh, about Jims and Patsy and the rest of the boys, about Daddy and Mum, about Hal and Auntie Mary.

Sometimes about growing babies. I'd like that very much. And riding, the sheep. All the things the men talkabout. The weather, the rain, the vegetable garden, the hens, what I'm going to do tomorrow." "Do you dream ofhaving a husband?""No, except I suppose I'll have to have one if I want to grow babies. It isn't nice for a baby to have no father."In spite of his pain he smiled; she was such a quaint mixture of ignorance and morality. Then he swungsideways, took her chin in his hand and stared down at her. How to do it, what had to be done? "Meggie, Irealized something not long ago which I ought to have seen sooner. You weren't being quite truthful932 when youtold me what you thought about, were you?""I. . ." she said, and fell silent.

"You didn't say you thought about me, did you? If there was no guilt456 in it, you would have mentioned my namealongside your father's. I think perhaps it's a good thing I'm going away, don't you? You're a little old to behaving schoolgirl crushes, but you're not a very old almost-seventeen, are you? I like your lack of worldlywisdom, but I know how painful schoolgirl crushes can be; I've suffered enough of them."She seemed about to speak, but in the end her lids fell over tear-bright eyes, she shook her head free.

"Look, Meggie, it's simply a phase, a marker on the road to being a woman. When you've become that woman,you'll meet the man destined933 to be your husband and you'll be far too busy getting on with your life to think ofme, except as an old friend who helped you through some of the terrible spasms934 of growing up. What youmustn't do is get into the habit of dreaming about me in any sort of romantic fashion. I can never regard you theway a husband will. I don't think of you in that light at all, Meggie, --do you understand me? When I say I loveyou, I don't mean I love you as a man. I am a priest, not a man. So don't fill your head with dreams of me. I'mgoing away, and I doubt very much that I'll have time to come back, even on a visit."Her shoulders were bent as if the load was very heavy, but she lifted her head to look directly into his face.

"I won't fill my head with dreams of you, don't worry. I know you're a priest.""I'm not convinced I chose my vocation935 wrongly. It fills a need in me no human being ever could, even you.""I know. I can see it when you say Mass. You have a power. I suppose you must feel like Our Lord.""I can feel every suspended breath in the church, Meggie! As each day goes on I die, and in each morningsaying Mass I am reborn. But is it because I'mGod's chosen priest, or because I hear those awed breaths, know the power I have over every soul present?""Does it matter? It just is.""It would probably never matter to you, but it does to me. I doubt, I doubt."She switched the subject to what mattered to her. "I don't know how I shall get on without you, Father. FirstFrank, now you. Somehow with Hal it's different; I know he's dead and can never come back. But you and Frankare alive! I'll always be wondering how you are, what you're doing, if you're all right, if there's anything I coulddo to help you. I'll even have to wonder if you're still alive, won't I?""I'll be feeling the same, Meggie, and I'm sure that Frank does, too." "No. Frank's forgotten us .... You will,too.""I could never forget you, Meggie, not as long as I live. And for my punishment I'm going to live a long, longtime." He got up and pulled her to her feet, put his arms about her loosely and affectionately. "I think this isgoodbye, Meggie. We can't be alone again.""If you hadn't been a priest, Father, would you have married me?" The title jarred. "Don't call me that all thetime! My name is Ralph." Which didn't answer her question.

Though he held her, he did not have any intention of kissing her. The face raised to his was nearly invisible, forthe moon had set and it was very dark. He could feel her small, pointed breasts low down on his chest; a curioussensation, disturbing. Even more so was the fact that as naturally as if she came into a man's arms every day ofher life, her arms had gone up around his neck, and linked tightly.

He had never kissed anyone as a lover, did not want to now; nor, he thought, did Meggie. A warm salute936 on thecheek, a quick hug, as she would demand of her father were he to go away. She was sensitive and proud; he musthave hurt her deeply when he held up her precious dreams to dispassionate inspection. Undoubtedly937 she was aseager to be done with the farewell as he was. Would it comfort her to know his pain was far worse than hers? Ashe bent his head to come at her cheek she raised herself on tiptoe, and more by luck than good managementtouched his lips with her own. He jerked back as if he tasted the spider's poison, then he tipped his head forwardbefore he could lose her, tried to say something against the sweet shut mouth, and in trying to answer she partedit. Her body seemed to lose all its bones, become fluid, a warm melting darkness; one of his arms was clampedround her waist, the other across her back with its hand on her skull, in her hair, holding her face up to his as iffrightened she would go from him in that very moment, before he could grasp and catalogue this unbelievablepresence who was Meggie. Meggie, and not Meggie, too alien to be familiar, for his Meggie wasn't a woman,didn't feel like a woman, could never be a woman to him. Just as he couldn't be a man to her. The thoughtovercame his drowning senses; he wrenched her arms from about his neck, thrust her away and tried to see herface in the darkness. But her head was down, she wouldn't look at him.

"It's time we were going, Meggie," he said.

Without a word she turned to her horse, mounted and waited for him; usually it was he who waited for her.

Father Ralph had been right. At this time of year Drogheda was awash with roses, so the house was smotheredin them. By eight that morning hardly one bloom was left in the garden. The first of the mourners began to arrivenot long after the final rose was plundered938 from its bush; a light breakfast of coffee and freshly baked, butteredrolls was laid out in the small dining room. After Mary Carson was deposited in the vault a more substantialrepast would be served in the big dining room, to fortify939 the departing mourners on their long ways home. Theword had got around; no need to doubt the efficiency of the Gilly grapevine, which was the party line. While lipsshaped conventional phrases, eyes and the minds behind them speculated, deduced, smiled slyly.

"I hear we're going to lose you, Father," said Miss Carmichael nastily. He had never looked so remote, sodevoid of human feeling as he did that morning in his laceless alb and dull black chasuble with silver cross. Itwas as if he attended only in body, while his spirit moved far away. But he looked down at Miss Carmichaelabsently, seemed to recollect940 himself, and smiled with genuine mirth.

"God moves in strange ways, Miss Carmichael," he said, and went to speak to someone else.

What was on his mind no one could have guessed; it was the coming confrontation941 with Paddy over the will,and his dread341 of seeing Paddy's rage, his need of Paddy's rage and contempt.

Before he began the Requiem Mass he turned to face his congregation; the room was jammed, and reeked so ofroses that open windows could not dissipate their heavy perfume.

"I do not intend to make a long eulogy," he said in his clear, almost Oxford942 diction with its faint Irish underlay943.

"Mary Carson was known to you all. A pillar of the community, a pillar of the Church she loved more than anyliving being."At that point there were those who swore his eyes mocked, but others who maintained just as stoutly944 that theywere dulled with a real and abiding945 grief.

"A pillar of the Church she loved more than any living being," he repeated more clearly still; he was not one toturn away, either. "In her last hour she was alone, yet she was not alone. For in the hour of our death Our LordJesus Christ is with us, within us, bearing the burden of our agony. Not the greatest nor the humblest living beingdies alone, and death is sweet. We are gathered here to pray for her immortal soul, that she whom we loved inlife shall enjoy her just and eternal reward. Let us pray." The makeshift coffin was so covered in roses it couldnot be seen, and it rested upon a small wheeled cart the boys had cannibalized from various pieces of farmequipment. Even so, with the windows gaping257 open and the overpowering scent of roses, they could smell her.

The doctor had been talking, too.

"When I reached Drogheda she was so rotten that I just couldn't hold my stomach," he said on the party line toMartin King. "I've never felt so sorry for anyone in all my life as I did then for Paddy Cleary, not only becausehe's been done out of Drogheda but because he had to shove that awful seething946 heap in a coffin.""Then I'm not volunteering for the office of pallbearer," Martin said, so faintly because of all the receivers downthat the doctor had to make him repeat the statement three times before he understood it. Hence the cart; no onewas willing to shoulder the remains of Mary Carson across the lawn to the vault. And no one was sorry when thevault doors were closed on her and breathing could become normal at last. While the mourners clustered in thebig dining room eating, or trying to look as if they were eating, Harry Gough conducted Paddy, his family,Father Ralph, Mrs. Smith and the two maids to the drawing room. None of the mourners had any intention ofgoing home yet, hence the pretense947 at eating; they wanted to be on hand to see what Paddy looked like when hecame out after the reading of the will. To do him and his family justice, they hadn't comported948 themselves duringthe funeral as if conscious of their elevated status. As goodhearted as ever, Paddy had wept for his sister, and Feelooked exactly as she always did, as if she didn't care what happened to her.

"Paddy, I want you to contest," Harry Gough said after he had read the amazing document through in a hard,indignant voice. "The wicked old bitch!" said Mrs. Smith; though she liked the priest, she was fonder by far ofthe Clearys. They had brought babies and children into her life.

But Paddy shook his head. "No, Harry! I couldn't do that. The property was hers, wasn't it? She was quiteentitled to do what she liked with it. If she wanted the Church to have it, she wanted the Church to have it. I don'tdeny it's a bit of a disappointment, but I'm just an ordinary sort of chap, so perhaps it's for the best. I don't thinkI'd like the responsibility of owning a property the size of Drogheda.""You don't understand, Paddy!" the lawyer said in a slow, distinct voice, as if he were explaining to a child. "Itisn't just Drogheda I'm talking about. Drogheda was the least part of what your sister had to leave, believe me.

She's a major shareholder949 in a hundred gilt-edged companies, she owns steel factories and gold mines, she'sMichar Limited, with a ten-story office building all to herself in Sydney. She was worth more than anyone in thewhole of Australia! Funny, she made me contact the Sydney directors of Michar Limited not four weeks ago, tofind out the exact extent of her assets. When she died she was worth something over thirteen million pounds.""Thirteen million pounds!" Paddy said it as one says the distance from the earth to the sun, something totallyincomprehensible. "That settles it, Harry. I don't want the responsibility of that kind of money." "It's noresponsibility, Paddy! Don't you understand yet? Money like that looks after itself! You'd have nothing to dowith cultivating or harvesting it; there are hundreds of people employed simply to take care of it for you. Contestthe will, Paddy, please! I'll get you the best KC'S in the country and I'll fight it for you all the way to the PrivyCouncil if necessary."Suddenly realizing that his family were as concerned as himself, Paddy turned to Bob and Jack, sitting togetherbewildered on a Florentine marble bench. "Boys, what do you say? Do you want to go after Auntie Mary'sthirteen million quid? If you do I'll contest, not otherwise.""But we can live on Drogheda anyway, isn't that what the will says?" Bob asked.

Harry answered. "No one can turn you off Drogheda so long as even one of your father's grandchildren lives.""We're going to live here in the big house, have Mrs. Smith and the girls to look after us, and earn a decentwage," said Paddy as if he could hardly believe his good fortune rather than his bad.

"Then what more do we want, Jack?" Bob asked his brother. "Don't you agree?""It suits me," said Jack.

Father Ralph moved restlessly. He had not stopped to shed his Requiem vestments, nor had he taken a chair;like a dark and beautiful sorcerer he stood half in the shadows at the back of the room, isolated, his hands hiddenbeneath the black chasuble, his face still, and at the back of the distant blue eyes a horrified, stunned resentment.

There was not even going to be the longed-for chastisement950 of rage or contempt; Paddy was going to hand it allto him on a golden plate of goodwill, and thank him for relieving the Clearys of a burden.

"What about Fee and Meggie?" the priest asked Paddy harshly. "Do you not think enough of your women toconsult them, too?" "Fee?" asked Paddy anxiously.

"Whatever you decide, Paddy. I don't care.""Meggie?""I don't want her thirteen million pieces of silver," Meggie said, her eyes fixed on Father Ralph.

Paddy turned to the lawyer. "Then that's it, Harry. We don't want to contest the will. Let the Church haveMary's money, and welcome." Harry struck his hands together. "God damn it, I hate to see you cheated!" "Ithank my stars for Mary," said Paddy gently. "If it wasn't for her I'd still be trying to scrape a living in NewZealand."As they came out of the drawing room Paddy stopped Father Ralph and held out his hand, in full view of thefascinated mourners clustering in the dining room doorway.

"Father, please don't think there are any hard feelings on our side. Mary was never swayed by another humanbeing in all her life, priest or brother or husband. You take it from me, she did what she wanted to do. You weremighty good to her, and you've been mighty951 good to us. We'll never forget it." The guilt. The burden. AlmostFather Ralph did not move to take that gnarled stained hand, but the cardinal's brain won; he gripped it feverishlyand smiled, agonized952.

"Thank you, Paddy. You may rest assured I'll see you never want for a thing."Within the week he was gone, not having appeared on Drogheda again. He spent the few days packing his scantbelongings, and touring every station in the district where there were Catholic families; save Drogheda. FatherWatkin Thomas, late of Wales, arrived to assume the duties of parish priest to the Gillanbone district, whileFather Ralph de Bricassart became private secretary to Archbishop Cluny Dark. But his work load was light; hehad two undersecretaries. For the most part he was occupied in discovering just what and how much MaryCarson had owned, and in gathering the reins of government together on behalf of the Church.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 misty l6mzx     
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的
参考例句:
  • He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿,看看是不是还有雾霭。
  • The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。
2 strictly GtNwe     
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地
参考例句:
  • His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
  • The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。
3 conjured 227df76f2d66816f8360ea2fef0349b5     
用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 ); 祈求,恳求; 变戏法; (变魔术般地) 使…出现
参考例句:
  • He conjured them with his dying breath to look after his children. 他临终时恳求他们照顾他的孩子。
  • His very funny joke soon conjured my anger away. 他讲了个十分有趣的笑话,使得我的怒气顿消。
4 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法,待人态度
参考例句:
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
5 malevolence malevolence     
n.恶意,狠毒
参考例句:
  • I had always been aware of a frame of malevolence under his urbanity. 我常常觉察到,在他温文尔雅的下面掩藏着一种恶意。 来自辞典例句
6 wielded d9bac000554dcceda2561eb3687290fc     
手持着使用(武器、工具等)( wield的过去式和过去分词 ); 具有; 运用(权力); 施加(影响)
参考例句:
  • The bad eggs wielded power, while the good people were oppressed. 坏人当道,好人受气
  • He was nominally the leader, but others actually wielded the power. 名义上他是领导者,但实际上是别人掌握实权。
7 wield efhyv     
vt.行使,运用,支配;挥,使用(武器等)
参考例句:
  • They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。
  • People may wield the power in a democracy.在民主国家里,人民可以行使权力。
8 loomed 9423e616fe6b658c9a341ebc71833279     
v.隐约出现,阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 );隐约出现,阴森地逼近
参考例句:
  • A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
  • The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 throbbing 8gMzA0     
a. 跳动的,悸动的
参考例句:
  • My heart is throbbing and I'm shaking. 我的心在猛烈跳动,身子在不住颤抖。
  • There was a throbbing in her temples. 她的太阳穴直跳。
10 rimmed 72238a10bc448d8786eaa308bd5cd067     
adj.有边缘的,有框的v.沿…边缘滚动;给…镶边
参考例句:
  • Gold rimmed spectacles bit deep into the bridge of his nose. 金边眼镜深深嵌入他的鼻梁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Trees rimmed the pool. 水池的四周树木环绕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 ward LhbwY     
n.守卫,监护,病房,行政区,由监护人或法院保护的人(尤指儿童);vt.守护,躲开
参考例句:
  • The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
  • During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时,我要点根火把,抵挡蚊虫。
12 plodded 9d4d6494cb299ac2ca6271f6a856a23b     
v.沉重缓慢地走(路)( plod的过去式和过去分词 );努力从事;沉闷地苦干;缓慢进行(尤指艰难枯燥的工作)
参考例句:
  • Our horses plodded down the muddy track. 我们的马沿着泥泞小路蹒跚而行。
  • He plodded away all night at his project to get it finished. 他通宵埋头苦干以便做完专题研究。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室
参考例句:
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
14 strut bGWzS     
v.肿胀,鼓起;大摇大摆地走;炫耀;支撑;撑开;n.高视阔步;支柱,撑杆
参考例句:
  • The circulation economy development needs the green science and technology innovation as the strut.循环经济的发展需要绿色科技创新生态化作为支撑。
  • Now we'll strut arm and arm.这会儿咱们可以手挽着手儿,高视阔步地走了。
15 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。
16 dispense lZgzh     
vt.分配,分发;配(药),发(药);实施
参考例句:
  • Let us dispense the food.咱们来分发这食物。
  • The charity has been given a large sum of money to dispense as it sees fit.这个慈善机构获得一大笔钱,可自行适当分配。
17 awesome CyCzdV     
adj.令人惊叹的,难得吓人的,很好的
参考例句:
  • The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
  • That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.
18 grassy DfBxH     
adj.盖满草的;长满草的
参考例句:
  • They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
  • Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。
19 mansions 55c599f36b2c0a2058258d6f2310fd20     
n.宅第,公馆,大厦( mansion的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑,空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗,钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊,那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌! 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
20 imposing 8q9zcB     
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的
参考例句:
  • The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
  • He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。
21 doting xuczEv     
adj.溺爱的,宠爱的
参考例句:
  • His doting parents bought him his first racing bike at 13.宠爱他的父母在他13岁时就给他买了第一辆竞速自行车。
  • The doting husband catered to his wife's every wish.这位宠爱妻子的丈夫总是高度满足太太的各项要求。
22 quarries d5fb42f71c1399bccddd9bc5a29d4bad     
n.(采)石场( quarry的名词复数 );猎物(指鸟,兽等);方形石;(格窗等的)方形玻璃v.从采石场采得( quarry的第三人称单数 );从(书本等中)努力发掘(资料等);在采石场采石
参考例句:
  • This window was filled with old painted glass in quarries. 这窗户是由旧日的彩色菱形玻璃装配的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They hewed out the stones for the building from nearby quarries. 他们从邻近的采石场开凿出石头供建造那栋房子用。 来自辞典例句
23 eastward CrjxP     
adv.向东;adj.向东的;n.东方,东部
参考例句:
  • The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
  • The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去,他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。
24 austerely 81fb68ad1e216c3806c4e926b2516000     
adv.严格地,朴质地
参考例句:
  • The austerely lighted garage was quiet. 灯光黯淡的车库静悄悄的。 来自辞典例句
  • Door of Ministry of Agriculture and produce will be challenged austerely. 农业部门及农产品将受到严重的挑战。 来自互联网
25 veranda XfczWG     
n.走廊;阳台
参考例句:
  • She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
  • They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。
26 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
27 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。
28 ornamental B43zn     
adj.装饰的;作装饰用的;n.装饰品;观赏植物
参考例句:
  • The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。
  • The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。
29 plumes 15625acbfa4517aa1374a6f1f44be446     
羽毛( plume的名词复数 ); 羽毛饰; 羽毛状物; 升上空中的羽状物
参考例句:
  • The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
  • The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头,那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。
30 meticulously AoNzN9     
adv.过细地,异常细致地;无微不至;精心
参考例句:
  • The hammer's silvery head was etched with holy runs and its haft was meticulously wrapped in blue leather. 锤子头是纯银制成的,雕刻着神圣符文,而握柄则被精心地包裹在蓝色的皮革中。 来自辞典例句
  • She is always meticulously accurate in punctuation and spelling. 她的标点和拼写总是非常精确。 来自辞典例句
31 scythed b95ba853fa991a6ae28288f1a4ceed53     
v.(长柄)大镰刀( scythe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • the scent of newly scythed grass 新割下的草散发的清香
  • He's scythed half the orchard. 他已经将半个果园的草割除。 来自辞典例句
32 strew gt1wg     
vt.撒;使散落;撒在…上,散布于
参考例句:
  • Their custom is to strew flowers over the graves.他们的风俗是在坟墓上撒花。
  • Shells of all shapes and sizes strew the long narrow beach.各种各样的贝壳点缀着狭长的海滩。
33 dense aONzX     
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
参考例句:
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
34 pall hvwyP     
v.覆盖,使平淡无味;n.柩衣,棺罩;棺材;帷幕
参考例句:
  • Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall.饭店里的饭菜已经不像以前那样诱人。
  • I find his books begin to pall on me after a while.我发觉他的书读过一阵子就开始对我失去吸引力。
35 pallid qSFzw     
adj.苍白的,呆板的
参考例句:
  • The moon drifted from behind the clouds and exposed the pallid face.月亮从云朵后面钻出来,照着尸体那张苍白的脸。
  • His dry pallid face often looked gaunt.他那张干瘪苍白的脸常常显得憔悴。
36 whit TgXwI     
n.一点,丝毫
参考例句:
  • There's not a whit of truth in the statement.这声明里没有丝毫的真实性。
  • He did not seem a whit concerned.他看来毫不在乎。
37 magenta iARx0     
n..紫红色(的染料);adj.紫红色的
参考例句:
  • In the one photo in which she appeared, Hillary Clinton wore a magenta gown.在其中一张照片中,希拉里身着一件紫红色礼服。
  • For the same reason air information is printed in magenta.出于同样的原因,航空资料采用品红色印刷。
38 hem 7dIxa     
n.贴边,镶边;vt.缝贴边;(in)包围,限制
参考例句:
  • The hem on her skirt needs sewing.她裙子上的褶边需要缝一缝。
  • The hem of your dress needs to be let down an inch.你衣服的折边有必要放长1英寸。
39 hardy EenxM     
adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的
参考例句:
  • The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
  • He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。
40 nag i63zW     
v.(对…)不停地唠叨;n.爱唠叨的人
参考例句:
  • Nobody likes to work with a nag.谁也不愿与好唠叨的人一起共事。
  • Don't nag me like an old woman.别像个老太婆似的唠唠叨叨烦我。
41 decorative bxtxc     
adj.装饰的,可作装饰的
参考例句:
  • This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。
  • The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽,而且装饰效果很好。
42 functional 5hMxa     
adj.为实用而设计的,具备功能的,起作用的
参考例句:
  • The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了,但现在可以用了。
  • The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的,只是为了实用。
43 lavish h1Uxz     
adj.无节制的;浪费的;vt.慷慨地给予,挥霍
参考例句:
  • He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
  • The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。
44 rumor qS0zZ     
n.谣言,谣传,传说
参考例句:
  • The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
  • The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。
45 Ford KiIxx     
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过
参考例句:
  • They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上,所以我们只能涉水过河。
  • If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪,必须极度小心。
46 ram dTVxg     
(random access memory)随机存取存储器
参考例句:
  • 512k RAM is recommended and 640k RAM is preferred.推荐配置为512K内存,640K内存则更佳。
47 ramps c6ff377d97c426df68275cb16cf564ee     
resources allocation and multiproject scheduling 资源分配和多项目的行程安排
参考例句:
  • Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。
  • He has the upper floor and ramps are fitted everywhere for his convenience. 他住在上面一层,为了他的方便着想,到处设有坡道。
48 smothered b9bebf478c8f7045d977e80734a8ed1d     
(使)窒息, (使)透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 ); 覆盖; 忍住; 抑制
参考例句:
  • He smothered the baby with a pillow. 他用枕头把婴儿闷死了。
  • The fire is smothered by ashes. 火被灰闷熄了。
49 gravel s6hyT     
n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石
参考例句:
  • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
  • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
50 shearing 3cd312405f52385b91c03df30d2ce730     
n.剪羊毛,剪取的羊毛v.剪羊毛( shear的现在分词 );切断;剪切
参考例句:
  • The farmer is shearing his sheep. 那农夫正在给他的羊剪毛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The result of this shearing force is to push the endoplasm forward. 这种剪切力作用的结果是推动内质向前。 来自辞典例句
51 din nuIxs     
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声
参考例句:
  • The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深,喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
  • They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。
52 fronds f5152cd32d7f60e88e3dfd36fcdfbfa8     
n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • You can pleat palm fronds to make huts, umbrellas and baskets. 人们可以把棕榈叶折叠起来盖棚屋,制伞,编篮子。 来自百科语句
  • When these breezes reached the platform the palm-fronds would whisper. 微风吹到平台时,棕榈叶片发出簌簌的低吟。 来自辞典例句
53 foliage QgnzK     
n.叶子,树叶,簇叶
参考例句:
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
  • Dark foliage clothes the hills.浓密的树叶覆盖着群山。
54 freckled 1f563e624a978af5e5981f5e9d3a4687     
adj.雀斑;斑点;晒斑;(使)生雀斑v.雀斑,斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句
55 battered NyezEM     
adj.磨损的;v.连续猛击;磨损
参考例句:
  • He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
  • The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。
56 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
57 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
58 fissures 7c89089a0ec5a3628fd80fb80bf349b6     
n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 );裂伤;分歧;分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Rising molten rock flows out on the ocean floor and caps the fissures, trapping the water. 上升熔岩流到海底并堵住了裂隙,结果把海水封在里面。 来自辞典例句
  • The French have held two colloquia and an international symposium on rock fissures. 法国已经开了两次岩石裂缝方面的报告会和一个国际会议。 来自辞典例句
59 stony qu1wX     
adj.石头的,多石头的,冷酷的,无情的
参考例句:
  • The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干,而且布满了石头。
  • He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。
60 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的
参考例句:
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
61 specially Hviwq     
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地
参考例句:
  • They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
  • The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。
62 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
63 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
64 homage eQZzK     
n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬
参考例句:
  • We pay homage to the genius of Shakespeare.我们对莎士比亚的天才表示敬仰。
  • The soldiers swore to pay their homage to the Queen.士兵们宣誓效忠于女王陛下。
65 resentment 4sgyv     
n.怨愤,忿恨
参考例句:
  • All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
  • She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。
66 ken k3WxV     
n.视野,知识领域
参考例句:
  • Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
  • Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.
67 vicissitudes KeFzyd     
n.变迁,世事变化;变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 );盛衰兴废
参考例句:
  • He experienced several great social vicissitudes in his life. 他一生中经历了几次大的社会变迁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A man used to vicissitudes is not easily dejected. 饱经沧桑,不易沮丧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
68 preamble 218ze     
n.前言;序文
参考例句:
  • He spoke without preamble.他没有开场白地讲起来。
  • The controversy has arisen over the text of the preamble to the unification treaty.针对统一条约的序文出现了争论。
69 amble dL1y6     
vi.缓行,漫步
参考例句:
  • The horse is walking at an amble.这匹马正在溜蹄行走。
  • Every evening,they amble along the bank. 每天晚上,他们都沿着江边悠闲地散步。
70 plied b7ead3bc998f9e23c56a4a7931daf4ab     
v.使用(工具)( ply的过去式和过去分词 );经常供应(食物、饮料);固定往来;经营生意
参考例句:
  • They plied me with questions about my visit to England. 他们不断地询问我的英国之行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They plied us with tea and cakes. 他们一个劲儿地让我们喝茶、吃糕饼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
71 bishop AtNzd     
n.主教,(国际象棋)象
参考例句:
  • He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
  • Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。
72 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的
参考例句:
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
73 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
74 ordained 629f6c8a1f6bf34be2caf3a3959a61f1     
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定
参考例句:
  • He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句
75 remittance zVzx1     
n.汇款,寄款,汇兑
参考例句:
  • Your last month's salary will be paid by remittance.最后一个月的薪水将通过汇寄的方式付给你。
  • A prompt remittance would be appreciated.速寄汇款不胜感激。
76 cardinal Xcgy5     
n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的
参考例句:
  • This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
  • The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火,脸涨得通红。
77 deliberately Gulzvq     
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地
参考例句:
  • The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
  • They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。
78 blatant ENCzP     
adj.厚颜无耻的;显眼的;炫耀的
参考例句:
  • I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
  • His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。
79 lavished 7f4bc01b9202629a8b4f2f96ba3c61a8     
v.过分给予,滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I lavished all the warmth of my pent-up passion. 我把憋在心里那一股热烈的情感尽量地倾吐出来。 来自辞典例句
  • An enormous amount of attention has been lavished on these problems. 在这些问题上,我们已经花费了大量的注意力。 来自辞典例句
80 aloofness 25ca9c51f6709fb14da321a67a42da8a     
超然态度
参考例句:
  • Why should I have treated him with such sharp aloofness? 但我为什么要给人一些严厉,一些端庄呢? 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
  • He had an air of haughty aloofness. 他有一种高傲的神情。 来自辞典例句
81 tempt MpIwg     
vt.引诱,勾引,吸引,引起…的兴趣
参考例句:
  • Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
  • The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了,可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。
82 magnetism zkxyW     
n.磁性,吸引力,磁学
参考例句:
  • We know about magnetism by the way magnets act.我们通过磁铁的作用知道磁性是怎么一回事。
  • His success showed his magnetism of courage and devotion.他的成功表现了他的胆量和热诚的魅力。
83 espouse jn1xx     
v.支持,赞成,嫁娶
参考例句:
  • Today,astronomers espouse the theory that comets spawn the swarms.如今,天文学家们支持彗星产生了流星团的说法。
  • Some teachers enthusiastically espouse the benefits to be gained from educational software.有些教师热烈赞同可以从教学软件中得到好处的观点。
84 eyebrow vlOxk     
n.眉毛,眉
参考例句:
  • Her eyebrow is well penciled.她的眉毛画得很好。
  • With an eyebrow raised,he seemed divided between surprise and amusement.他一只眉毛扬了扬,似乎既感到吃惊,又觉有趣。
85 vows c151b5e18ba22514580d36a5dcb013e5     
誓言( vow的名词复数 ); 郑重宣布,许愿
参考例句:
  • Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
  • The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。
86 renounced 795c0b0adbaedf23557e95abe647849c     
v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 );宣布放弃;宣布与…决裂;宣布摒弃
参考例句:
  • We have renounced the use of force to settle our disputes. 我们已再次宣布放弃使用武力来解决争端。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Andrew renounced his claim to the property. 安德鲁放弃了财产的所有权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
87 rib 6Xgxu     
n.肋骨,肋状物
参考例句:
  • He broke a rib when he fell off his horse.他从马上摔下来折断了一根肋骨。
  • He has broken a rib and the doctor has strapped it up.他断了一根肋骨,医生已包扎好了。
88 vessel 4L1zi     
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管
参考例句:
  • The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
  • You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。
89 smearing acc077c998b0130c34a75727f69ec5b3     
污点,拖尾效应
参考例句:
  • The small boy spoilt the picture by smearing it with ink. 那孩子往画上抹墨水把画给毁了。
  • Remove the screen carefully so as to avoid smearing the paste print. 小心的移开丝网,以避免它弄脏膏印。
90 ordination rJQxr     
n.授任圣职
参考例句:
  • His ordination gives him the right to conduct a marriage or a funeral.他的晋升圣职使他有权主持婚礼或葬礼。
  • The vatican said the ordination places the city's catholics in a "very delicate and difficult decision."教廷说,这个任命使得这个城市的天主教徒不得不做出“非常棘手和困难的决定”。
91 unwilling CjpwB     
adj.不情愿的
参考例句:
  • The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
  • His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。
92 unwillingness 0aca33eefc696aef7800706b9c45297d     
n. 不愿意,不情愿
参考例句:
  • Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题,这不利于她所处的形势。
  • His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱,他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。
93 dictates d2524bb575c815758f62583cd796af09     
n.命令,规定,要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 );口授;支配;摆布
参考例句:
  • Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
94 obedience 8vryb     
n.服从,顺从
参考例句:
  • Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。
  • Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。
95 ardently 8yGzx8     
adv.热心地,热烈地
参考例句:
  • The preacher is disserveing the very religion in which he ardently believe. 那传教士在损害他所热烈信奉的宗教。 来自辞典例句
  • However ardently they love, however intimate their union, they are never one. 无论他们的相爱多么热烈,无论他们的关系多么亲密,他们决不可能合而为一。 来自辞典例句
96 ardent yvjzd     
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的
参考例句:
  • He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。
  • Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。
97 unbearably 96f09e3fcfe66bba0bfe374618d6b05c     
adv.不能忍受地,无法容忍地;慌
参考例句:
  • It was unbearably hot in the car. 汽车里热得难以忍受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She found it unbearably painful to speak. 她发现开口说话痛苦得令人难以承受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
98 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
参考例句:
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
99 tinged f86e33b7d6b6ca3dd39eda835027fc59     
v.(使)发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • memories tinged with sadness 略带悲伤的往事
  • white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
100 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
101 infancy F4Ey0     
n.婴儿期;幼年期;初期
参考例句:
  • He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。
  • Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。
102 overtures 0ed0d32776ccf6fae49696706f6020ad     
n.主动的表示,提议;(向某人做出的)友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 );(歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的)序曲,前奏曲
参考例句:
  • Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好,样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句
103 quaint 7tqy2     
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的
参考例句:
  • There were many small lanes in the quaint village.在这古香古色的村庄里,有很多小巷。
  • They still keep some quaint old customs.他们仍然保留着一些稀奇古怪的旧风俗。
104 fiddle GgYzm     
n.小提琴;vi.拉提琴;不停拨弄,乱动
参考例句:
  • She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。
  • Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。
105 abjured 9fb3f4c7198ec875cb05d42e6e5d1807     
v.发誓放弃( abjure的过去式和过去分词 );郑重放弃(意见);宣布撤回(声明等);避免
参考例句:
  • She abjured her beliefs. 她放弃了她的信仰。 来自互联网
  • TAe man abjured his religion. 那个人发誓放弃他的宗教信仰。 来自互联网
106 obsession eIdxt     
n.困扰,无法摆脱的思想(或情感)
参考例句:
  • I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
  • She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。
107 lone Q0cxL     
adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的
参考例句:
  • A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
  • She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。
108 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。
109 housekeeper 6q2zxl     
n.管理家务的主妇,女管家
参考例句:
  • A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
  • She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家,一家人吃得很省。
110 pivot E2rz6     
v.在枢轴上转动;装枢轴,枢轴;adj.枢轴的
参考例句:
  • She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴,表现出万物的女性面貌。
  • If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧,手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。
111 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
112 coup co5z4     
n.政变;突然而成功的行动
参考例句:
  • The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
  • That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。
113 lame r9gzj     
adj.跛的,(辩解、论据等)无说服力的
参考例句:
  • The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
  • I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。
114 trolley YUjzG     
n.手推车,台车;无轨电车;有轨电车
参考例句:
  • The waiter had brought the sweet trolley.侍者已经推来了甜食推车。
  • In a library,books are moved on a trolley.在图书馆,书籍是放在台车上搬动的。
115 anchovies anchovies     
n. 鯷鱼,凤尾鱼
参考例句:
  • a pizza topped with cheese and anchovies 奶酪鳀鱼比萨饼
  • Pesto, mozzarella, parma ham, sun dried tomatoes, egg, anchovies. 核桃香蒜,马苏里拉,巴马火腿,干番茄,鸡蛋,咸鱼。
116 mischievously 23cd35e8c65a34bd7a6d7ecbff03b336     
adv.有害地;淘气地
参考例句:
  • He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
  • Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠,是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网
117 innuendo vbXzE     
n.暗指,讽刺
参考例句:
  • The report was based on rumours,speculation,and innuendo.这份报告建立在谣言、臆断和含沙射影的基础之上。
  • Mark told by innuendo that the opposing team would lose the game.马克暗讽地说敌队会在比赛中输掉。
118 chuckle Tr1zZ     
vi./n.轻声笑,咯咯笑
参考例句:
  • He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
  • I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个,我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。
119 impudent X4Eyf     
adj.鲁莽的,卑鄙的,厚颜无耻的
参考例句:
  • She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
  • The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。
120 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
121 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地,出其不意地
参考例句:
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
122 tranquilly d9b4cfee69489dde2ee29b9be8b5fb9c     
adv. 宁静地
参考例句:
  • He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. 他拿起刷子,一声不响地干了起来。
  • The evening was closing down tranquilly. 暮色正在静悄悄地笼罩下来。
123 demurely demurely     
adv.装成端庄地,认真地
参考例句:
  • "On the forehead, like a good brother,'she answered demurely. "吻前额,像个好哥哥那样,"她故作正经地回答说。 来自飘(部分)
  • Punctuation is the way one bats one's eyes, lowers one's voice or blushes demurely. 标点就像人眨眨眼睛,低声细语,或伍犯作态。 来自名作英译部分
124 fussy Ff5z3     
adj.为琐事担忧的,过分装饰的,爱挑剔的
参考例句:
  • He is fussy about the way his food's cooked.他过分计较食物的烹调。
  • The little girl dislikes her fussy parents.小女孩讨厌她那过分操心的父母。
125 abetter 999d32cd84e6e0159dd404f8e529edb1     
n.教唆者,怂恿者
参考例句:
  • Make them SMAART goals andand you'll have abetter chance of attaining them. 制定SMAART目标,那么你实现这些目标的机会将更大。 来自互联网
  • Betty beat abit of butter to make abetter butter. 贝蒂敲打一小块奶油要做一块更好的奶油面。 来自互联网
126 zeal mMqzR     
n.热心,热情,热忱
参考例句:
  • Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们,于是他们从军了。
  • They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作,以期完成这个项目。
127 demise Cmazg     
n.死亡;v.让渡,遗赠,转让
参考例句:
  • He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标,但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
  • The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。
128 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
129 ominous Xv6y5     
adj.不祥的,不吉的,预兆的,预示的
参考例句:
  • Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
  • There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。
130 creek 3orzL     
n.小溪,小河,小湾
参考例句:
  • He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
  • People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。
131 miscarriages 2c3546985b1786ea597757cadb396a39     
流产( miscarriage的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Miscarriages are usually caused by abnormal chromosome patterns in the fetus. 流产通常是因为胎儿的染色体异常造成的。
  • Criminals go unpunishedareconvicted and are miscarriages of justice. 罪犯会逍遥法外,法律会伤及无辜,审判不公时有发生。
132 interim z5wxB     
adj.暂时的,临时的;n.间歇,过渡期间
参考例句:
  • The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
  • It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。
133 groaned 1a076da0ddbd778a674301b2b29dff71     
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦
参考例句:
  • He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
  • The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
134 savagely 902f52b3c682f478ddd5202b40afefb9     
adv. 野蛮地,残酷地
参考例句:
  • The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
  • He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。
135 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
136 shearer a40990c52fa80f43a70cc31f204fd624     
n.剪羊毛的人;剪切机
参考例句:
  • A bad shearer never had a good sickle. 拙匠无利器。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Eventually, Shearer lost faith, dropping him to the bench. 最终,希勒不再信任他,把他换下场。 来自互联网
137 contractor GnZyO     
n.订约人,承包人,收缩肌
参考例句:
  • The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
  • The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样,有几分要看地势而定。
138 bass APUyY     
n.男低音(歌手);低音乐器;低音大提琴
参考例句:
  • He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
  • The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。
139 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
140 sparsely 9hyzxF     
adv.稀疏地;稀少地;不足地;贫乏地
参考例句:
  • Relative to the size, the city is sparsely populated. 与其面积相比,这个城市的人口是稀少的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The ground was sparsely covered with grass. 地面上稀疏地覆盖草丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
141 skull CETyO     
n.头骨;颅骨
参考例句:
  • The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
  • He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去,跌裂了颅骨。
142 efficiently ZuTzXQ     
adv.高效率地,有能力地
参考例句:
  • The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
  • Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。
143 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
144 tugged 8a37eb349f3c6615c56706726966d38e     
v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。
  • A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
145 tug 5KBzo     
v.用力拖(或拉);苦干;n.拖;苦干;拖船
参考例句:
  • We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
  • The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
146 relegated 2ddd0637a40869e0401ae326c3296bc3     
v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 );使降职;转移;把…归类
参考例句:
  • She was then relegated to the role of assistant. 随后她被降级做助手了。
  • I think that should be relegated to the garbage can of history. 我认为应该把它扔进历史的垃圾箱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
147 chaos 7bZyz     
n.混乱,无秩序
参考例句:
  • After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后,城市一片混乱。
  • The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。
148 intruded 8326c2a488b587779b620c459f2d3c7e     
n.侵入的,推进的v.侵入,侵扰,打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 );把…强加于
参考例句:
  • One could believe that human creatures had never intruded there before. 你简直会以为那是从来没有人到过的地方。 来自辞典例句
  • The speaker intruded a thin smile into his seriousness. 演说人严肃的脸上掠过一丝笑影。 来自辞典例句
149 swell IHnzB     
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强
参考例句:
  • The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
  • His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。
150 furtive kz9yJ     
adj.鬼鬼崇崇的,偷偷摸摸的
参考例句:
  • The teacher was suspicious of the student's furtive behaviour during the exam.老师怀疑这个学生在考试时有偷偷摸摸的行为。
  • His furtive behaviour aroused our suspicion.他鬼鬼祟祟的行为引起了我们的怀疑。
151 quench ii3yQ     
vt.熄灭,扑灭;压制
参考例句:
  • The firemen were unable to quench the fire.消防人员无法扑灭这场大火。
  • Having a bottle of soft drink is not enough to quench my thirst.喝一瓶汽水不够解渴。
152 sham RsxyV     
n./adj.假冒(的),虚伪(的)
参考例句:
  • They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
  • His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。
153 horrifying 6rezZ3     
a.令人震惊的,使人毛骨悚然的
参考例句:
  • He went to great pains to show how horrifying the war was. 他极力指出战争是多么的恐怖。
  • The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate. 战争的可能性太可怕了,真不堪细想。
154 spun kvjwT     
v.纺,杜撰,急转身
参考例句:
  • His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
  • Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。
155 itinerant m3jyu     
adj.巡回的;流动的
参考例句:
  • He is starting itinerant performance all over the world.他正在世界各地巡回演出。
  • There is a general debate nowadays about the problem of itinerant workers.目前,针对流动工人的问题展开了普遍的争论。
156 bogs d60480275cf60a95a369eb1ebd858202     
n.沼泽,泥塘( bog的名词复数 );厕所v.(使)陷入泥沼, (使)陷入困境( bog的第三人称单数 );妨碍,阻碍
参考例句:
  • Whenever It'shows its true nature, real life bogs to a standstill. 无论何时,只要它显示出它的本来面目,真正的生活就陷入停滞。 来自名作英译部分
  • At Jitra we went wading through bogs. 在日得拉我们步行着从泥水塘里穿过去。 来自辞典例句
157 parlor v4MzU     
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
参考例句:
  • She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
  • Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店?
158 spinet 3vbwA     
n.小型立式钢琴
参考例句:
  • One afternoon,when I was better,I played the spinet.有天下午,我好了一点时,便弹奏钢琴。
  • The spinet was too big for me to play.钢琴太大了不适合我弹。
159 bustled 9467abd9ace0cff070d56f0196327c70     
闹哄哄地忙乱,奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 ); 催促
参考例句:
  • She bustled around in the kitchen. 她在厨房里忙得团团转。
  • The hostress bustled about with an assumption of authority. 女主人摆出一副权威的样子忙来忙去。
160 oafish 2HuxP     
adj.呆子的,白痴的
参考例句:
  • The bodyguards,as usual,were brave but oafish.这些保镖照旧勇气可嘉但鲁钝无礼。
  • But we will never see that glory if we till the soil like oafish farm hands.但是要是我们象白痴农奴那样去耕地,我们永远也看不到这样的荣耀!
161 yokel bf6yq     
n.乡下人;农夫
参考例句:
  • The clothes make him look like a yokel.这件衣服让他看起来像个乡巴佬。
  • George is not an ordinary yokel.乔治不是一个普通的粗人。
162 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
163 banish nu8zD     
vt.放逐,驱逐;消除,排除
参考例句:
  • The doctor advised her to banish fear and anxiety.医生劝她消除恐惧和忧虑。
  • He tried to banish gloom from his thought.他试图驱除心中的忧愁。
164 stunned 735ec6d53723be15b1737edd89183ec2     
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
  • The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。
165 riveted ecef077186c9682b433fa17f487ee017     
铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 ); 把…固定住; 吸引; 引起某人的注意
参考例句:
  • I was absolutely riveted by her story. 我完全被她的故事吸引住了。
  • My attention was riveted by a slight movement in the bushes. 我的注意力被灌木丛中的轻微晃动吸引住了。
166 isolation 7qMzTS     
n.隔离,孤立,分解,分离
参考例句:
  • The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
  • He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后,生活比较孤寂。
167 reassure 9TgxW     
v.使放心,使消除疑虑
参考例句:
  • This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点,于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
  • The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。
168 stiffened de9de455736b69d3f33bb134bba74f63     
加强的
参考例句:
  • He leaned towards her and she stiffened at this invasion of her personal space. 他向她俯过身去,这种侵犯她个人空间的举动让她绷紧了身子。
  • She stiffened with fear. 她吓呆了。
169 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
170 atlas vOCy5     
n.地图册,图表集
参考例句:
  • He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
  • The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图,其中包括3幅英国地图。
171 hip 1dOxX     
n.臀部,髋;屋脊
参考例句:
  • The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
  • The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。
172 linens 4648e87ff7e1f3115ba176cfe4b0dfe2     
n.亚麻布( linen的名词复数 );家庭日用织品
参考例句:
  • All linens and towels are provided. 提供全套日用织品和毛巾。 来自辞典例句
  • Linen, Table Linens, Chair Covers, Bed and Bath Linens. Linen. 采购产品亚麻布,亚麻布,椅子套子,床和沭浴亚麻布。 来自互联网
173 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的
参考例句:
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
174 utensils 69f125dfb1fef9b418c96d1986e7b484     
器具,用具,器皿( utensil的名词复数 ); 器物
参考例句:
  • Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
  • Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。
175 shipping WESyg     
n.船运(发货,运输,乘船)
参考例句:
  • We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
  • There's a shipping charge of £5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。
176 berth yt0zq     
n.卧铺,停泊地,锚位;v.使停泊
参考例句:
  • She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
  • They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。
177 auction 3uVzy     
n.拍卖;拍卖会;vt.拍卖
参考例句:
  • They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
  • They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。
178 crated 6e14610a8d7866e6af1450f9efab1145     
把…装入箱中( crate的过去式 )
参考例句:
  • If I know Rhoda she's already crated and boxed them out of sight. 如果没猜错罗达的脾气,我相信她已经把它们装了箱放到一边了。
  • Tanks must be completely drained of fuel before the vehicles are crated. 车辆在装箱前必须把油箱里的燃油完全排干。
179 vaguely BfuzOy     
adv.含糊地,暖昧地
参考例句:
  • He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
  • He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面,对一切都视而不见。
180 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
181 mare Y24y3     
n.母马,母驴
参考例句:
  • The mare has just thrown a foal in the stable.那匹母马刚刚在马厩里产下了一只小马驹。
  • The mare foundered under the heavy load and collapsed in the road.那母马因负载过重而倒在路上。
182 seasick seasick     
adj.晕船的
参考例句:
  • When I get seasick,I throw up my food.我一晕船就呕吐。
  • He got seasick during the voyage.在航行中他晕船。
183 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
参考例句:
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
184 yearned df1a28ecd1f3c590db24d0d80c264305     
渴望,切盼,向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The people yearned for peace. 人民渴望和平。
  • She yearned to go back to the south. 她渴望回到南方去。
185 stifling dhxz7C     
a.令人窒息的
参考例句:
  • The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热,光景是要下雨。
  • We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里,简直透不过气来。
186 reeked eec3a20cf06a5da2657f6426748446ba     
v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的过去式和过去分词 );散发臭气;发出难闻的气味 (of sth);明显带有(令人不快或生疑的跡象)
参考例句:
  • His breath reeked of tobacco. 他满嘴烟臭味。
  • His breath reeked of tobacco. 他满嘴烟臭味。 来自《简明英汉词典》
187 eked 03a15cf7ce58927523fae8738e8533d0     
v.(靠节省用量)使…的供应持久( eke的过去式和过去分词 );节约使用;竭力维持生计;勉强度日
参考例句:
  • She eked out the stew to make another meal. 她省出一些钝菜再做一顿饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She eked out her small income by washing clothes for other people. 她替人洗衣以贴补微薄的收入。 来自辞典例句
188 stew 0GTz5     
n.炖汤,焖,烦恼;v.炖汤,焖,忧虑
参考例句:
  • The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
  • There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。
189 steward uUtzw     
n.乘务员,服务员;看管人;膳食管理员
参考例句:
  • He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
  • He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员,到过世界各地。
190 bouts 2abe9936190c45115a3f6a38efb27c43     
n.拳击(或摔跤)比赛( bout的名词复数 );一段(工作);(尤指坏事的)一通;(疾病的)发作
参考例句:
  • For much of his life he suffered from recurrent bouts of depression. 他的大半辈子反复发作抑郁症。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It was one of fistiana's most famous championship bouts. 这是拳击界最有名的冠军赛之一。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
191 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
192 vomit TL9zV     
v.呕吐,作呕;n.呕吐物,吐出物
参考例句:
  • They gave her salty water to make her vomit.他们给她喝盐水好让她吐出来。
  • She was stricken by pain and began to vomit.她感到一阵疼痛,开始呕吐起来。
193 coma vqxzR     
n.昏迷,昏迷状态
参考例句:
  • The patient rallied from the coma.病人从昏迷中苏醒过来。
  • She went into a coma after swallowing a whole bottle of sleeping pills.她吃了一整瓶安眠药后就昏迷过去了。
194 bunk zWyzS     
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位;废话
参考例句:
  • He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。
  • Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。
195 watery bU5zW     
adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的
参考例句:
  • In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
  • Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏,她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。
196 huddled 39b87f9ca342d61fe478b5034beb4139     
挤在一起(huddle的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
  • We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。
197 huddle s5UyT     
vi.挤作一团;蜷缩;vt.聚集;n.挤在一起的人
参考例句:
  • They like living in a huddle.他们喜欢杂居在一起。
  • The cold wind made the boy huddle inside his coat.寒风使这个男孩卷缩在他的外衣里。
198 furtively furtively     
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地
参考例句:
  • At this some of the others furtively exchanged significant glances. 听他这样说,有几个人心照不宣地彼此对望了一眼。
  • Remembering my presence, he furtively dropped it under his chair. 后来想起我在,他便偷偷地把书丢在椅子下。
199 bellowed fa9ba2065b18298fa17a6311db3246fc     
v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的过去式和过去分词 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫
参考例句:
  • They bellowed at her to stop. 他们吼叫着让她停下。
  • He bellowed with pain when the tooth was pulled out. 当牙齿被拔掉时,他痛得大叫。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
200 buffeting c681ae460087cfe7df93f4e3feaed986     
振动
参考例句:
  • The flowers took quite a buffeting in the storm. 花朵在暴风雨中备受摧残。
  • He's been buffeting with misfortunes for 15 years. 15年来,他与各种不幸相博斗。
201 monotonous FwQyJ     
adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的
参考例句:
  • She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
  • His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律,一个调调儿。
202 bawl KQJyu     
v.大喊大叫,大声地喊,咆哮
参考例句:
  • You don't have to bawl out like that. Eeverybody can hear you.你不必这样大声喊叫,大家都能听见你。
  • Your mother will bawl you out when she sees this mess.当你母亲看到这混乱的局面时她会责骂你的。
203 bellows Ly5zLV     
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫
参考例句:
  • His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句
  • You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想,你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句
204 foghorns b79822a4f1f75c5d5441f4b60c23ba25     
n.(大雾时发出响亮而低沉的声音以警告其他船只的)雾角,雾喇叭( foghorn的名词复数 )
参考例句:
205 gaped 11328bb13d82388ec2c0b2bf7af6f272     
v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 );张开,张大
参考例句:
  • A huge chasm gaped before them. 他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The front door was missing. A hole gaped in the roof. 前门不翼而飞,屋顶豁开了一个洞。 来自辞典例句
206 throng sGTy4     
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集
参考例句:
  • A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。
  • The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。
207 thronged bf76b78f908dbd232106a640231da5ed     
v.成群,挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Mourners thronged to the funeral. 吊唁者蜂拥着前来参加葬礼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The department store was thronged with people. 百货商店挤满了人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
208 winding Ue7z09     
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈
参考例句:
  • A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
  • The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
209 merge qCpxF     
v.(使)结合,(使)合并,(使)合为一体
参考例句:
  • I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
  • The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。
210 awed a0ab9008d911a954b6ce264ddc63f5c8     
adj.充满敬畏的,表示敬畏的v.使敬畏,使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The audience was awed into silence by her stunning performance. 观众席上鸦雀无声,人们对他出色的表演感到惊叹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I was awed by the huge gorilla. 那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
211 myriad M67zU     
adj.无数的;n.无数,极大数量
参考例句:
  • They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.对于我们数不清的问题他们束手无策。
  • I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements.我花了三个星期做大量准备工作。
212 salvation nC2zC     
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困
参考例句:
  • Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
  • Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。
213 seasickness ojpzVf     
n.晕船
参考例句:
  • Europeans take melons for a preventive against seasickness. 欧洲人吃瓜作为预防晕船的方法。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He was very prone to seasickness and already felt queasy. 他快晕船了,已经感到恶心了。 来自辞典例句
214 longing 98bzd     
n.(for)渴望
参考例句:
  • Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
  • His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
215 nibbled e053ad3f854d401d3fe8e7fa82dc3325     
v.啃,一点一点地咬(吃)( nibble的过去式和过去分词 );啃出(洞),一点一点咬出(洞);慢慢减少;小口咬
参考例句:
  • She nibbled daintily at her cake. 她优雅地一点一点地吃着自己的蛋糕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Several companies have nibbled at our offer. 若干公司表示对我们的出价有兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》
216 bonneted 766fe3861d33a0ab2ecebc2c223ce69e     
发动机前置的
参考例句:
217 hardily 58688c5b8413647089bb07c4ffc66e07     
耐劳地,大胆地,蛮勇地
参考例句:
  • Anyway, we should seriously study the tradition and hardily develop the future. 我们要扎实的学习传统又要大胆地开拓未来。
  • He can hardily hold on after working all night for several days. 他成宿地工作,身体都快顶不住了。
218 cylinder rngza     
n.圆筒,柱(面),汽缸
参考例句:
  • What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少?
  • The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。
219 simultaneously 4iBz1o     
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地
参考例句:
  • The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
  • The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。
220 strapped ec484d13545e19c0939d46e2d1eb24bc     
adj.用皮带捆住的,用皮带装饰的;身无分文的;缺钱;手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词);用皮带抽打;包扎;给…打绷带
参考例句:
  • Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
221 fixedly 71be829f2724164d2521d0b5bee4e2cc     
adv.固定地;不屈地,坚定不移地
参考例句:
  • He stared fixedly at the woman in white. 他一直凝视着那穿白衣裳的女人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The great majority were silent and still, looking fixedly at the ground. 绝大部分的人都不闹不动,呆呆地望着地面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
222 indicator i8NxM     
n.指标;指示物,指示者;指示器
参考例句:
  • Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
  • His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。
223 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会,聚会,聚集
参考例句:
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
224 hems 0589093300357a3b2e40a5c413f0fd09     
布的褶边,贴边( hem的名词复数 ); 短促的咳嗽
参考例句:
  • I took the hems of my dresses up to make them shorter. 我把我的连衣裙都改短了。
  • Hems must be level unless uneven design feature is requested. 袖口及裤脚卷边位置宽度必须一致(设计有特别要求的除外)。
225 heralded a97fc5524a0d1c7e322d0bd711a85789     
v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 );宣布(好或重要)
参考例句:
  • The singing of the birds heralded in the day. 鸟鸣报晓。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King. 嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。 来自《简明英汉词典》
226 imminent zc9z2     
adj.即将发生的,临近的,逼近的
参考例句:
  • The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
  • The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。
227 compartment dOFz6     
n.卧车包房,隔间;分隔的空间
参考例句:
  • We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴,整个客车隔间由我们独享。
  • The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。
228 compartments 4e9d78104c402c263f5154f3360372c7     
n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 );(列车车厢的)隔间;(家具或设备等的)分隔间;隔层
参考例句:
  • Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
229 horrified 8rUzZU     
a.(表现出)恐惧的
参考例句:
  • The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
  • We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。
230 eternity Aiwz7     
n.不朽,来世;永恒,无穷
参考例句:
  • The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
  • Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞,永世相随。
231 lust N8rz1     
n.性(淫)欲;渴(欲)望;vi.对…有强烈的欲望
参考例句:
  • He was filled with lust for power.他内心充满了对权力的渴望。
  • Sensing the explorer's lust for gold, the chief wisely presented gold ornaments as gifts.酋长觉察出探险者们垂涎黄金的欲念,就聪明地把金饰品作为礼物赠送给他们。
232 luster n82z0     
n.光辉;光泽,光亮;荣誉
参考例句:
  • His great books have added luster to the university where he teaches.他的巨著给他任教的大学增了光。
  • Mercerization enhances dyeability and luster of cotton materials.丝光处理扩大棉纤维的染色能力,增加纤维的光泽。
233 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的
参考例句:
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来,塞进文件夹里。
234 longingly 2015a05d76baba3c9d884d5f144fac69     
adv. 渴望地 热望地
参考例句:
  • He looked longingly at the food on the table. 他眼巴巴地盯着桌上的食物。
  • Over drinks,he speaks longingly of his trip to Latin America. 他带着留恋的心情,一边喝酒一边叙述他的拉丁美洲之行。
235 squealing b55ccc77031ac474fd1639ff54a5ad9e     
v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。
  • The pigs were squealing. 猪尖叫着。
236 glutted 2e5d1cc646141e5610898efeb7912309     
v.吃得过多( glut的过去式和过去分词 );(对胃口、欲望等)纵情满足;使厌腻;塞满
参考例句:
  • The market was glutted with shoddy goods. 次货充斥市场。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The tour of Guilin glutted my eyes. 桂林一游使我大饱眼福。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
237 refreshment RUIxP     
n.恢复,精神爽快,提神之事物;(复数)refreshments:点心,茶点
参考例句:
  • He needs to stop fairly often for refreshment.他须时不时地停下来喘口气。
  • A hot bath is a great refreshment after a day's work.在一天工作之后洗个热水澡真是舒畅。
238 rhythmic rXexv     
adj.有节奏的,有韵律的
参考例句:
  • Her breathing became more rhythmic.她的呼吸变得更有规律了。
  • Good breathing is slow,rhythmic and deep.健康的呼吸方式缓慢深沉而有节奏。
239 frantically ui9xL     
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句:
  • He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
  • She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
240 traction kJXz3     
n.牵引;附着摩擦力
参考例句:
  • I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
  • She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤,正在作一个月的牵引治疗。
241 scent WThzs     
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉
参考例句:
  • The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
  • The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
242 rippling b84b2d05914b2749622963c1ef058ed5     
起涟漪的,潺潺流水般声音的
参考例句:
  • I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
  • The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。
243 clumps a9a186997b6161c6394b07405cf2f2aa     
n.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的名词复数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声v.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声
参考例句:
  • These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了,剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
244 clump xXfzH     
n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走
参考例句:
  • A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。
  • It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。
245 scorching xjqzPr     
adj. 灼热的
参考例句:
  • a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
  • a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评
246 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
247 soot ehryH     
n.煤烟,烟尘;vt.熏以煤烟
参考例句:
  • Soot is the product of the imperfect combustion of fuel.煤烟是燃料不完全燃烧的产物。
  • The chimney was choked with soot.烟囱被煤灰堵塞了。
248 swirled eb40fca2632f9acaecc78417fd6adc53     
v.旋转,打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The waves swirled and eddied around the rocks. 波浪翻滚着在岩石周围打旋。
  • The water swirled down the drain. 水打着旋流进了下水道。
249 gasping gasping     
adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
参考例句:
  • He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
  • "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗?”“我巴不得能喝点!”
250 itching wqnzVZ     
adj.贪得的,痒的,渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The itching was almost more than he could stand. 他痒得几乎忍不住了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • My nose is itching. 我的鼻子发痒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
251 corrugated 9720623d9668b6525e9b06a2e68734c3     
adj.波纹的;缩成皱纹的;波纹面的;波纹状的v.(使某物)起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • a corrugated iron roof 波纹铁屋顶
  • His brow corrugated with the effort of thinking. 他皱着眉头用心地思考。 来自《简明英汉词典》
252 gilded UgxxG     
a.镀金的,富有的
参考例句:
  • The golden light gilded the sea. 金色的阳光使大海如金子般闪闪发光。
  • "Friends, they are only gilded disks of lead!" "朋友们,这只不过是些镀金的铅饼! 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡
253 fad phyzL     
n.时尚;一时流行的狂热;一时的爱好
参考例句:
  • His interest in photography is only a passing fad.他对摄影的兴趣只是一时的爱好罢了。
  • A hot business opportunity is based on a long-term trend not a short-lived fad.一个热门的商机指的是长期的趋势而非一时的流行。
254 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。
255 westward XIvyz     
n.西方,西部;adj.西方的,向西的;adv.向西
参考例句:
  • We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
  • Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。
256 onward 2ImxI     
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先
参考例句:
  • The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
  • He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。
257 gaping gaping     
adj.口的;张口的;敞口的;多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 );张开,张大
参考例句:
  • Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。
  • The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
258 squatted 45deb990f8c5186c854d710c535327b0     
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。
参考例句:
  • He squatted down beside the footprints and examined them closely. 他蹲在脚印旁仔细地观察。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He squatted in the grass discussing with someone. 他蹲在草地上与一个人谈话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
259 scowled b83aa6db95e414d3ef876bc7fd16d80d     
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。
  • The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。
260 stunning NhGzDh     
adj.极好的;使人晕倒的
参考例句:
  • His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
  • The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。
261 tantalizingly e619a8aa45e5609beb0d97d144f92f2a     
adv.…得令人着急,…到令人着急的程度
参考例句:
  • A band of caribou passed by, twenty and odd animals, tantalizingly within rifle range. 一群驯鹿走了过去,大约有二十多头,都呆在可望而不可即的来福枪的射程以内。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
  • She smiled at him tantalizingly. 她引诱性地对他笑着。 来自互联网
262 tantalizing 3gnzn9     
adj.逗人的;惹弄人的;撩人的;煽情的v.逗弄,引诱,折磨( tantalize的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • This was my first tantalizing glimpse of the islands. 这是我第一眼看见的这些岛屿的动人美景。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We have only vague and tantalizing glimpses of his power. 我们只能隐隐约约地领略他的威力,的确有一种可望不可及的感觉。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
263 wizened TeszDu     
adj.凋谢的;枯槁的
参考例句:
  • That wizened and grotesque little old man is a notorious miser.那个干瘪难看的小老头是个臭名远扬的吝啬鬼。
  • Mr solomon was a wizened little man with frizzy gray hair.所罗门先生是一个干瘪矮小的人,头发鬈曲灰白。
264 chattering chattering     
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
  • I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。
265 thawed fbd380b792ac01e07423c2dd9206dd21     
解冻
参考例句:
  • The little girl's smile thawed the angry old man. 小姑娘的微笑使发怒的老头缓和下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He thawed after sitting at a fire for a while. 在火堆旁坐了一会儿,他觉得暖和起来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
266 friendliness nsHz8c     
n.友谊,亲切,亲密
参考例句:
  • Behind the mask of friendliness,I know he really dislikes me.在友善的面具后面,我知道他其实并不喜欢我。
  • His manner was a blend of friendliness and respect.他的态度友善且毕恭毕敬。
267 lesser UpxzJL     
adj.次要的,较小的;adv.较小地,较少地
参考例句:
  • Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
  • She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及,但程度较轻。
268 consolation WpbzC     
n.安慰,慰问
参考例句:
  • The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
  • This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。
269 malicious e8UzX     
adj.有恶意的,心怀恶意的
参考例句:
  • You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
  • Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。
270 disposition GljzO     
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署
参考例句:
  • He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
  • He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。
271 descended guQzoy     
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
参考例句:
  • A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
  • The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
272 fusion HfDz5     
n.溶化;熔解;熔化状态,熔和;熔接
参考例句:
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc. 黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
  • This alloy is formed by the fusion of two types of metal.这种合金是用两种金属熔合而成的。
273 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
274 blight 0REye     
n.枯萎病;造成破坏的因素;vt.破坏,摧残
参考例句:
  • The apple crop was wiped out by blight.枯萎病使苹果全无收成。
  • There is a blight on all his efforts.他的一切努力都遭到挫折。
275 inured inured     
adj.坚强的,习惯的
参考例句:
  • The prisoners quickly became inured to the harsh conditions.囚犯们很快就适应了苛刻的条件。
  • He has inured himself to accept misfortune.他锻练了自己,使自己能承受不幸。
276 derived 6cddb7353e699051a384686b6b3ff1e2     
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取
参考例句:
  • Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
277 sweeping ihCzZ4     
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的
参考例句:
  • The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
  • Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗?
278 grasslands 72179cad53224d2f605476ff67a1d94c     
n.草原,牧场( grassland的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Songs were heard ringing loud and clear over the grasslands. 草原上扬起清亮激越的歌声。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Grasslands have been broken and planted to wheat. 草原已经开垦出来,种上了小麦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
279 rusty hYlxq     
adj.生锈的;锈色的;荒废了的
参考例句:
  • The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
  • I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用,我的法语又荒疏了。
280 enchanted enchanted     
adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
  • He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。
281 scramble JDwzg     
v.爬行,攀爬,杂乱蔓延,碎片,片段,废料
参考例句:
  • He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。
  • It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。
282 scrambled 2e4a1c533c25a82f8e80e696225a73f2     
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞
参考例句:
  • Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
283 facade El5xh     
n.(建筑物的)正面,临街正面;外表
参考例句:
  • The entrance facade consists of a large full height glass door.入口正面有一大型全高度玻璃门。
  • If you look carefully,you can see through Bob's facade.如果你仔细观察,你就能看穿鲍勃的外表。
284 squeaked edcf2299d227f1137981c7570482c7f7     
v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 );吱吱叫;告密;充当告密者
参考例句:
  • The radio squeaked five. 收音机里嘟嘟地发出五点钟报时讯号。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Amy's shoes squeaked on the tiles as she walked down the corridor. 埃米走过走廊时,鞋子踩在地砖上嘎吱作响。 来自辞典例句
285 ponderously 0e9d726ab401121626ae8f5e7a5a1b84     
参考例句:
  • He turns and marches away ponderously to the right. 他转过身,迈着沉重的步子向右边行进。 来自互联网
  • The play was staged with ponderously realistic sets. 演出的舞台以现实环境为背景,很没意思。 来自互联网
286 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
287 curtly 4vMzJh     
adv.简短地
参考例句:
  • He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
288 scant 2Dwzx     
adj.不充分的,不足的;v.减缩,限制,忽略
参考例句:
  • Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。
  • Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候,许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。
289 gulch se6xp     
n.深谷,峡谷
参考例句:
  • The trail ducks into a narrow gulch.这条羊肠小道突然下到一个狭窄的峡谷里。
  • This is a picture of California Gulch.这是加利福尼亚峡谷的图片。
290 willow bMFz6     
n.柳树
参考例句:
  • The river was sparsely lined with willow trees.河边疏疏落落有几棵柳树。
  • The willow's shadow falls on the lake.垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。
291 willows 79355ee67d20ddbc021d3e9cb3acd236     
n.柳树( willow的名词复数 );柳木
参考例句:
  • The willows along the river bank look very beautiful. 河岸边的柳树很美。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Willows are planted on both sides of the streets. 街道两侧种着柳树。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
292 splendor hriy0     
n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌
参考例句:
  • Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。
  • All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。
293 overflow fJOxZ     
v.(使)外溢,(使)溢出;溢出,流出,漫出
参考例句:
  • The overflow from the bath ran on to the floor.浴缸里的水溢到了地板上。
  • After a long period of rain,the river may overflow its banks.长时间的下雨天后,河水可能溢出岸来。
294 overflowing df84dc195bce4a8f55eb873daf61b924     
n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的,充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The stands were overflowing with farm and sideline products. 集市上农副产品非常丰富。
  • The milk is overflowing. 牛奶溢出来了。
295 plank p2CzA     
n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目
参考例句:
  • The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
  • They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。
296 poised SlhzBU     
a.摆好姿势不动的
参考例句:
  • The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋,准备俯冲。
  • Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张,手悬在电话机上。
297 alcove EKMyU     
n.凹室
参考例句:
  • The bookcase fits neatly into the alcove.书架正好放得进壁凹。
  • In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves.火炉两边的凹室里是书架。
298 lavatory LkOyJ     
n.盥洗室,厕所
参考例句:
  • Is there any lavatory in this building?这座楼里有厕所吗?
  • The use of the lavatory has been suspended during take-off.在飞机起飞期间,盥洗室暂停使用。
299 stank d2da226ef208f0e46fdd722e28c52d39     
n. (英)坝,堰,池塘 动词stink的过去式
参考例句:
  • Her breath stank of garlic. 她嘴里有股大蒜味。
  • The place stank of decayed fish. 那地方有烂鱼的臭味。
300 primitive vSwz0     
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物
参考例句:
  • It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
  • His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。
301 prim SSIz3     
adj.拘泥形式的,一本正经的;n.循规蹈矩,整洁;adv.循规蹈矩地,整洁地
参考例句:
  • She's too prim to enjoy rude jokes!她太古板,不喜欢听粗野的笑话!
  • He is prim and precise in manner.他的态度一本正经而严谨
302 creed uoxzL     
n.信条;信念,纲领
参考例句:
  • They offended against every article of his creed.他们触犯了他的每一条戒律。
  • Our creed has always been that business is business.我们的信条一直是公私分明。
303 crates crates     
n. 板条箱, 篓子, 旧汽车 vt. 装进纸条箱
参考例句:
  • We were using crates as seats. 我们用大木箱作为座位。
  • Thousands of crates compacted in a warehouse. 数以千计的板条箱堆放在仓库里。
304 machinery CAdxb     
n.(总称)机械,机器;机构
参考例句:
  • Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗?
  • Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。
305 kennels 1c735b47bdfbcac5c1ca239c583bbe85     
n.主人外出时的小动物寄养处,养狗场;狗窝( kennel的名词复数 );养狗场
参考例句:
  • We put the dog in kennels when we go away. 我们外出时把狗寄养在养狗场。
  • He left his dog in a kennels when he went on holiday. 他外出度假时把狗交给养狗场照管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
306 labyrinthine 82ixb     
adj.如迷宫的;复杂的
参考例句:
  • His mind slid away into the labyrinthine world of doublethink.他的思绪,早滑进到双重思想迷宫般的世界里去。
  • The streets of the Old City are narrow and labyrinthine.老城区的街道狭促曲折,好似迷宫一般。
307 maze F76ze     
n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑
参考例句:
  • He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。
  • She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时,她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。
308 mammoth u2wy8     
n.长毛象;adj.长毛象似的,巨大的
参考例句:
  • You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
  • Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。
309 jigsaw q3Gxa     
n.缕花锯,竖锯,拼图游戏;vt.用竖锯锯,使互相交错搭接
参考例句:
  • A jigsaw puzzle can keep me absorbed for hours.一副拼图就能让我沉醉几个小时。
  • Tom likes to work on jigsaw puzzles,too.汤姆也喜欢玩拼图游戏。
310 bails fe5250edc2e5e46a7bda1e286a8d6572     
(法庭命令缴付的)保释金( bail的名词复数 ); 三柱门上的横木
参考例句:
  • Heavy-duty wire bails offer extra durability for heavy use. 重型丝保释提供额外的耐用性,为大量使用。
  • To retire (a batsman in cricket) with bowled ball that knocks the bails off the wicket. 使出局,打败:因投球击落柱上横木而迫使(板球以中的击球员)退场。
311 shacks 10fad6885bef7d154b3947a97a2c36a9     
n.窝棚,简陋的小屋( shack的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They live in shacks which they made out of wood. 他们住在用木头搭成的简陋的小屋里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Most people in Port au-Prince live in tin shacks. 太子港的大多数居民居住在铁皮棚里。 来自互联网
312 hacks 7524d17c38ed0b02a3dc699263d3ce94     
黑客
参考例句:
  • But there are hacks who take advantage of people like Teddy. 但有些无赖会占类似泰迪的人的便宜。 来自电影对白
  • I want those two hacks back here, right now. 我要那两个雇工回到这儿,现在就回。 来自互联网
313 slaughter 8Tpz1     
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀
参考例句:
  • I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
  • Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。
314 conglomeration Fp8z6     
n.团块,聚集,混合物
参考例句:
  • a conglomeration of buildings of different sizes and styles 大小和风格各异的建筑楼群
  • To her it was a wonderful conglomeration of everything great and mighty. 在她看来,那里奇妙地聚集着所有伟大和非凡的事业。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
315 drowsily bcb5712d84853637a9778f81fc50d847     
adv.睡地,懒洋洋地,昏昏欲睡地
参考例句:
  • She turned drowsily on her side, a slow creeping blackness enveloping her mind. 她半睡半醒地翻了个身,一片缓缓蠕动的黑暗渐渐将她的心包围起来。 来自飘(部分)
  • I felt asleep drowsily before I knew it. 不知过了多久,我曚扙地睡着了。 来自互联网
316 sluggish VEgzS     
adj.懒惰的,迟钝的,无精打采的
参考例句:
  • This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
  • Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。
317 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
参考例句:
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
318 gushed de5babf66f69bac96b526188524783de     
v.喷,涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 );滔滔不绝地说话
参考例句:
  • Oil gushed from the well. 石油从井口喷了出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Clear water gushed into the irrigational channel. 清澈的水涌进了灌溉渠道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
319 swarmed 3f3ff8c8e0f4188f5aa0b8df54637368     
密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去
参考例句:
  • When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响,孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。
  • When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下,人群就蜂拥回了旅社。
320 territorial LImz4     
adj.领土的,领地的
参考例句:
  • The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
  • They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。
321 termites 8ee357110f82dc8b267190e430924662     
n.白蚁( termite的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Termites are principally tropical in distribution. 白蚁主要分布在热带地区。 来自辞典例句
  • This spray will exterminate the termites. 这种喷剂能消灭白蚁。 来自辞典例句
322 skyscrapers f4158331c4e067c9706b451516137890     
n.摩天大楼
参考例句:
  • A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
  • On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。
323 scrap JDFzf     
n.碎片;废料;v.废弃,报废
参考例句:
  • A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
  • Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。
324 rape PAQzh     
n.抢夺,掠夺,强奸;vt.掠夺,抢夺,强奸
参考例句:
  • The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
  • He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。
325 varied giIw9     
adj.多样的,多变化的
参考例句:
  • The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
  • The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。
326 scarlet zD8zv     
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的
参考例句:
  • The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
  • The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了,深红的颜色变成了绯红,绯红又变为浅红。
327 exquisite zhez1     
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的
参考例句:
  • I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
  • I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。
328 chuckled 8ce1383c838073977a08258a1f3e30f8     
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
  • She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情,她就轻轻地暗自发笑。
329 lizards 9e3fa64f20794483b9c33d06297dcbfb     
n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Nothing lives in Pompeii except crickets and beetles and lizards. 在庞培城里除了蟋蟀、甲壳虫和蜥蜴外,没有别的生物。 来自辞典例句
  • Can lizards reproduce their tails? 蜥蜴的尾巴断了以后能再生吗? 来自辞典例句
330 lithely 1d2d324585371e4e2c44d0c8a3afff24     
adv.柔软地,易变地
参考例句:
331 adorned 1e50de930eb057fcf0ac85ca485114c8     
[计]被修饰的
参考例句:
  • The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。
  • And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。
332 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。
333 benign 2t2zw     
adj.善良的,慈祥的;良性的,无危险的
参考例句:
  • The benign weather brought North America a bumper crop.温和的气候给北美带来大丰收。
  • Martha is a benign old lady.玛莎是个仁慈的老妇人。
334 adder izOzmL     
n.蝰蛇;小毒蛇
参考例句:
  • The adder is Britain's only venomous snake.蝰蛇是英国唯一的一种毒蛇。
  • An adder attacked my father.一条小毒蛇攻击了我父亲。
335 copper HZXyU     
n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的
参考例句:
  • The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
  • Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。
336 lethal D3LyB     
adj.致死的;毁灭性的
参考例句:
  • A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
  • She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。
337 grasshoppers 36b89ec2ea2ca37e7a20710c9662926c     
n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 );蝗虫;蚂蚱;(孩子)矮小的
参考例句:
  • Grasshoppers die in fall. 蚱蜢在秋天死去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • There are usually a lot of grasshoppers in the rice fields. 稻田里通常有许多蚱蜢。 来自辞典例句
338 locusts 0fe5a4959a3a774517196dcd411abf1e     
n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 );贪吃的人;破坏者;槐树
参考例句:
  • a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
  • In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西,什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》
339 gnats e62a9272689055f936a8d55ef289d2fb     
n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He decided that he might fire at all gnats. 他决定索性把鸡毛蒜皮都摊出来。 来自辞典例句
  • The air seemed to grow thick with fine white gnats. 空气似乎由于许多白色的小虫子而变得浑浊不堪。 来自辞典例句
340 moths de674306a310c87ab410232ea1555cbb     
n.蛾( moth的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The moths have eaten holes in my wool coat. 蛀虫将我的羊毛衫蛀蚀了几个小洞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The moths tapped and blurred at the window screen. 飞蛾在窗帘上跳来跳去,弄上了许多污点。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
341 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
参考例句:
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
342 lurk J8qz2     
n.潜伏,潜行;v.潜藏,潜伏,埋伏
参考例句:
  • Dangers lurk in the path of wilderness.在这条荒野的小路上隐伏着危险。
  • He thought he saw someone lurking above the chamber during the address.他觉得自己看见有人在演讲时潜藏在会议厅顶上。
343 lurking 332fb85b4d0f64d0e0d1ef0d34ebcbe7     
潜在
参考例句:
  • Why are you lurking around outside my house? 你在我房子外面鬼鬼祟祟的,想干什么?
  • There is a suspicious man lurking in the shadows. 有一可疑的人躲在阴暗中。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
344 gossamer ufQxj     
n.薄纱,游丝
参考例句:
  • The prince helped the princess,who was still in her delightful gossamer gown.王子搀扶着仍穿著那套美丽薄纱晚礼服的公主。
  • Gossamer is floating in calm air.空中飘浮着游丝。
345 predators 48b965855934a5395e409c1112d94f63     
n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 );奴役他人者(尤指在财务或性关系方面)
参考例句:
  • birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
  • The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》
346 desolately c2e77d1e2927556dd9117afc01cb6331     
荒凉地,寂寞地
参考例句:
  • He knows the truth and it's killing him,'she thought desolately. 他已经明白了,并且非常难过,"思嘉凄凉地思忖着。
  • At last, the night falling, they returned desolately to Hamelin. 最后,夜幕来临,他们伤心地回到了哈默林镇。
347 hawks c8b4f3ba2fd1208293962d95608dd1f1     
鹰( hawk的名词复数 ); 鹰派人物,主战派人物
参考例句:
  • Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
  • Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。
348 calves bb808da8ca944ebdbd9f1d2688237b0b     
n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子,腓;腿肚子( calf的名词复数 );牛犊;腓;小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 );(冰川)崩解;生(小牛等),产(犊);使(冰川)崩解
参考例句:
  • a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
  • The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》
349 hoot HdzzK     
n.鸟叫声,汽车的喇叭声; v.使汽车鸣喇叭
参考例句:
  • The sudden hoot of a whistle broke into my thoughts.突然响起的汽笛声打断了我的思路。
  • In a string of shrill hoot of the horn sound,he quickly ran to her.在一串尖声鸣叫的喇叭声中,他快速地跑向她。
350 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。
351 exultantly 9cbf83813434799a9ce89021def7ac29     
adv.狂欢地,欢欣鼓舞地
参考例句:
  • They listened exultantly to the sounds from outside. 她们欢欣鼓舞地倾听着外面的声音。 来自辞典例句
  • He rose exultantly from their profane surprise. 他得意非凡地站起身来,也不管众人怎样惊奇诅咒。 来自辞典例句
352 syrup hguzup     
n.糖浆,糖水
参考例句:
  • I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
  • Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。
353 corks 54eade048ef5346c5fbcef6e5f857901     
n.脐梅衣;软木( cork的名词复数 );软木塞
参考例句:
  • Champagne corks were popping throughout the celebrations. 庆祝会上开香槟酒瓶塞的砰砰声不绝於耳。 来自辞典例句
  • Champagne corks popped, and on lace tablecloths seven-course dinners were laid. 桌上铺着带装饰图案的网织的桌布,上面是七道菜的晚餐。 来自飘(部分)
354 strings nh0zBe     
n.弦
参考例句:
  • He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上,随意地拨着吉他的弦。
  • She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
355 baggy CuVz5     
adj.膨胀如袋的,宽松下垂的
参考例句:
  • My T-shirt went all baggy in the wash.我的T恤越洗越大了。
  • Baggy pants are meant to be stylish,not offensive.松松垮垮的裤子意味着时髦,而不是无礼。
356 giggling 2712674ae81ec7e853724ef7e8c53df1     
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑,叫我真受不了,那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
357 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
358 stimulation BuIwL     
n.刺激,激励,鼓舞
参考例句:
  • The playgroup provides plenty of stimulation for the children.幼儿游戏组给孩子很多启发。
  • You don't get any intellectual stimulation in this job.你不能从这份工作中获得任何智力启发。
359 perennial i3bz7     
adj.终年的;长久的
参考例句:
  • I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
  • There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。
360 fowls 4f8db97816f2d0cad386a79bb5c17ea4     
鸟( fowl的名词复数 ); 禽肉; 既不是这; 非驴非马
参考例句:
  • A great number of water fowls dwell on the island. 许多水鸟在岛上栖息。
  • We keep a few fowls and some goats. 我们养了几只鸡和一些山羊。
361 superciliously dc5221cf42a9d5c69ebf16b9c64ae01f     
adv.高傲地;傲慢地
参考例句:
  • Madame Defarge looked superciliously at the client, and nodded in confirmation. 德伐日太太轻蔑地望了望客人,点头同意。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
362 halfway Xrvzdq     
adj.中途的,不彻底的,部分的;adv.半路地,在中途,在半途
参考例句:
  • We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路,天就黑了。
  • In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上,最忌讳的是有始无终。
363 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
364 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的
参考例句:
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
365 bulged e37e49e09d3bc9d896341f6270381181     
凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 ); 充满; 塞满(某物)
参考例句:
  • His pockets bulged with apples and candy. 他的口袋鼓鼓地装满了苹果和糖。
  • The oranges bulged his pocket. 桔子使得他的衣袋胀得鼓鼓的。
366 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
367 limousine B3NyJ     
n.豪华轿车
参考例句:
  • A chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady.司机为这个高贵的女士打开了豪华轿车的车门。
  • We arrived in fine style in a hired limousine.我们很气派地乘坐出租的豪华汽车到达那里。
368 kerosene G3uxW     
n.(kerosine)煤油,火油
参考例句:
  • It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
  • Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电,有煤油灯。
369 scribbled de374a2e21876e209006cd3e9a90c01b     
v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 );乱画;草草地写;匆匆记下
参考例句:
  • She scribbled his phone number on a scrap of paper. 她把他的电话号码匆匆写在一张小纸片上。
  • He scribbled a note to his sister before leaving. 临行前,他给妹妹草草写了一封短信。
370 scraps 737e4017931b7285cdd1fa3eb9dd77a3     
油渣
参考例句:
  • Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
  • A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。
371 laboriously xpjz8l     
adv.艰苦地;费力地;辛勤地;(文体等)佶屈聱牙地
参考例句:
  • She is tracing laboriously now. 她正在费力地写。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She is laboriously copying out an old manuscript. 她正在费劲地抄出一份旧的手稿。 来自辞典例句
372 zigzagging 3a075bffeaf9d8f393973a0cb70ff1b6     
v.弯弯曲曲地走路,曲折地前进( zigzag的现在分词 );盘陀
参考例句:
  • She walked along, zigzagging with her head back. 她回头看着,弯弯扭扭地向前走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We followed the path zigzagging up the steep slope. 我们沿着小径曲曲折折地爬上陡坡。 来自互联网
373 squatter 6e108420db496a4914be84015ab9c256     
n.擅自占地者
参考例句:
  • The squatter settlements originally came into being through illegal land invasions. 违章建筑区最初是通过非法的土地占有而形成的。
  • Squatter control is maintained by regular patrols and hut-to-hut checks. 当局定期逐户视察所有寮屋,以收管制之效。
374 overalls 2mCz6w     
n.(复)工装裤;长罩衣
参考例句:
  • He is in overalls today.他今天穿的是工作裤。
  • He changed his overalls for a suit.他脱下工装裤,换上了一套西服。
375 apprentices e0646768af2b65d716a2024e19b5f15e     
学徒,徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They were mere apprentices to piracy. 他们干海盗仅仅是嫩角儿。
  • He has two good apprentices working with him. 他身边有两个好徒弟。
376 mediocrely 4c57abcb210cce4cf4105fcfb03da184     
普通的; 中等的; 质量中等偏下的; 碌
参考例句:
  • I thought the play was only mediocre. 我认为这部戏剧只是平庸之作。
  • The student tried hard, but his work is mediocre. 该生学习刻苦,但学业平庸。
377 monsoons 49fbaf0154b5cc6509d1ad6ed488f7d5     
n.(南亚、尤指印度洋的)季风( monsoon的名词复数 );(与季风相伴的)雨季;(南亚地区的)雨季
参考例句:
  • In Ban-gladesh, the monsoons have started. 在孟加拉,雨季已经开始了。 来自辞典例句
  • The coastline significantly influences the monsoons in two other respects. 海岸线在另外两个方面大大地影响季风。 来自辞典例句
378 captious wTjy2     
adj.难讨好的,吹毛求疵的
参考例句:
  • There is no captious client but faulty product and service.没有挑剔的客户,只有不完善的产品和服务。
  • His criticisms were always captious and frivolous,never offering constructive suggestions.他的评论一向轻率并爱吹毛求疵,从不提出有建设性的建议。
379 drenching c2b2e9313060683bb0b65137674fc144     
n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 );在某人(某物)上大量使用(某液体)
参考例句:
  • A black cloudburst was drenching Siena at midday. 中午,一场天昏地暗的暴风雨在锡耶纳上空倒下来。 来自辞典例句
  • A drenching rain poured down and the rising hurricane drove it in sheets along the ground. 一阵倾盆大雨泼下来了,越来越大的狂风把它顺着地面刮成了一片一片的雨幕。 来自辞典例句
380 sodden FwPwm     
adj.浑身湿透的;v.使浸透;使呆头呆脑
参考例句:
  • We stripped off our sodden clothes.我们扒下了湿透的衣服。
  • The cardboard was sodden and fell apart in his hands.纸板潮得都发酥了,手一捏就碎。
381 shreds 0288daa27f5fcbe882c0eaedf23db832     
v.撕碎,切碎( shred的第三人称单数 );用撕毁机撕毁(文件)
参考例句:
  • Peel the carrots and cut them into shreds. 将胡罗卜削皮,切成丝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I want to take this diary and rip it into shreds. 我真想一赌气扯了这日记。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
382 deluge a9nyg     
n./vt.洪水,暴雨,使泛滥
参考例句:
  • This little stream can become a deluge when it rains heavily.雨大的时候,这条小溪能变作洪流。
  • I got caught in the deluge on the way home.我在回家的路上遇到倾盆大雨。
383 chestnut XnJy8     
n.栗树,栗子
参考例句:
  • We have a chestnut tree in the bottom of our garden.我们的花园尽头有一棵栗树。
  • In summer we had tea outdoors,under the chestnut tree.夏天我们在室外栗树下喝茶。
384 sinewy oyIwZ     
adj.多腱的,强壮有力的
参考例句:
  • When muscles are exercised often and properly,they keep the arms firm and sinewy.如果能经常正确地锻炼肌肉的话,双臂就会一直结实而强健。
  • His hard hands and sinewy sunburned limbs told of labor and endurance.他粗糙的双手,被太阳哂得发黑的健壮四肢,均表明他十分辛勤,非常耐劳。
385 flannel S7dyQ     
n.法兰绒;法兰绒衣服
参考例句:
  • She always wears a grey flannel trousers.她总是穿一条灰色法兰绒长裤。
  • She was looking luscious in a flannel shirt.她穿着法兰绒裙子,看上去楚楚动人。
386 wryly 510b39f91f2e11b414d09f4c1a9c5a1a     
adv. 挖苦地,嘲弄地
参考例句:
  • Molly smiled rather wryly and said nothing. 莫莉苦笑着,一句话也没说。
  • He smiled wryly, then closed his eyes and gnawed his lips. 他狞笑一声,就闭了眼睛,咬着嘴唇。 来自子夜部分
387 hatred T5Gyg     
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨
参考例句:
  • He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
  • The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。
388 yelping d88c5dddb337783573a95306628593ec     
v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • In the middle of the table sat a little dog, shaking its paw and yelping. 在桌子中间有一只小狗坐在那儿,抖着它的爪子,汪汪地叫。 来自辞典例句
  • He saved men from drowning and you shake at a cur's yelping. 他搭救了快要溺死的人们,你呢,听到一条野狗叫唤也瑟瑟发抖。 来自互联网
389 cavorting 64e36f0c70291bcfdffc599496c4bd28     
v.跳跃( cavort的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The photos showed her cavorting on the beach with her new lover. 这些照片展现了她和新情人在海滩上放荡嬉戏的情景。
  • If her heart would only stop bumping and drumming and cavorting. 要是她那颗心停止冲撞、轰鸣、急跳,那该多舒服啊! 来自飘(部分)
390 flick mgZz1     
n.快速的轻打,轻打声,弹开;v.轻弹,轻轻拂去,忽然摇动
参考例句:
  • He gave a flick of the whip.他轻抽一下鞭子。
  • By a flick of his whip,he drove the fly from the horse's head.他用鞭子轻抽了一下,将马头上的苍蝇驱走。
391 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。
392 bleating ba46da1dd0448d69e0fab1a7ebe21b34     
v.(羊,小牛)叫( bleat的现在分词 );哭诉;发出羊叫似的声音;轻声诉说
参考例句:
  • I don't like people who go around bleating out things like that. 我不喜欢跑来跑去讲那种蠢话的人。 来自辞典例句
  • He heard the tinny phonograph bleating as he walked in. 他步入室内时听到那架蹩脚的留声机在呜咽。 来自辞典例句
393 inadequate 2kzyk     
adj.(for,to)不充足的,不适当的
参考例句:
  • The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
  • She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。
394 sprawled 6cc8223777584147c0ae6b08b9304472     
v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词);蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着)
参考例句:
  • He was sprawled full-length across the bed. 他手脚摊开横躺在床上。
  • He was lying sprawled in an armchair, watching TV. 他四肢伸开正懒散地靠在扶手椅上看电视。
395 fawning qt7zLh     
adj.乞怜的,奉承的v.(尤指狗等)跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的现在分词 );巴结;讨好
参考例句:
  • The servant worn a fawning smile. 仆人的脸上露出一种谄笑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Then, what submission, what cringing and fawning, what servility, what abject humiliation! 好一个低眉垂首、阿谀逢迎、胁肩谄笑、卑躬屈膝的场面! 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
396 cringing Pvbz1O     
adj.谄媚,奉承
参考例句:
  • He had a cringing manner but a very harsh voice.他有卑屈谄媚的神情,但是声音却十分粗沙。
  • She stepped towards him with a movement that was horribly cringing.她冲他走了一步,做出一个低三下四,令人作呕的动作。
397 repulsive RsNyx     
adj.排斥的,使人反感的
参考例句:
  • She found the idea deeply repulsive.她发现这个想法很恶心。
  • The repulsive force within the nucleus is enormous.核子内部的斥力是巨大的。
398 bloody kWHza     
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染
参考例句:
  • He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
  • He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。
399 unearthed e4d49b43cc52eefcadbac6d2e94bb832     
出土的(考古)
参考例句:
  • Many unearthed cultural relics are set forth in the exhibition hall. 展览馆里陈列着许多出土文物。
  • Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。
400 enjoyment opaxV     
n.乐趣;享有;享用
参考例句:
  • Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同,我们这次访问更加愉快了。
  • After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话,这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。
401 slaked 471a11f43e136d5e6058d2a4ba9c1442     
v.满足( slake的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I slaked my thirst with three cans of Coke. 我喝了3罐可乐解渴。 来自辞典例句
  • We returned to the barn and slaked our thirst with tea. 我们回到谷仓,饮茶解渴。 来自辞典例句
402 iniquity F48yK     
n.邪恶;不公正
参考例句:
  • Research has revealed that he is a monster of iniquity.调查结果显示他是一个不法之徒。
  • The iniquity of the transaction aroused general indignation.这笔交易的不公引起了普遍的愤怒。
403 ridge KDvyh     
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭
参考例句:
  • We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
  • The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。
404 trot aKBzt     
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
参考例句:
  • They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
  • The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。
405 miring 9134e459d97f0ddd0216459ba984f44e     
v.深陷( mire的现在分词 )
参考例句:
406 projectiles 4aa229cb02c56b1e854fb2e940e731c5     
n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 );(炮弹、子弹等)射弹,(火箭等)自动推进的武器
参考例句:
  • These differences are connected with the strong absorption of the composite projectiles. 这些差别与复杂的入射粒子的强烈吸收有关。 来自辞典例句
  • Projectiles became more important because cannons could now fire balls over hundreds or yards. 抛射体变得更加重要,因为人们已能用大炮把炮弹射到几百码的距离之外。 来自辞典例句
407 foam LjOxI     
v./n.泡沫,起泡沫
参考例句:
  • The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
  • The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。
408 mishap AjSyg     
n.不幸的事,不幸;灾祸
参考例句:
  • I'm afraid your son had a slight mishap in the playground.不好了,你儿子在操场上出了点小意外。
  • We reached home without mishap.我们平安地回到了家。
409 seduce ST0zh     
vt.勾引,诱奸,诱惑,引诱
参考例句:
  • She has set out to seduce Stephen.她已经开始勾引斯蒂芬了。
  • Clever advertising would seduce more people into smoking.巧妙策划的广告会引诱更多的人吸烟。
410 outright Qj7yY     
adv.坦率地;彻底地;立即;adj.无疑的;彻底的
参考例句:
  • If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事,你应该直率地对我说。
  • You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。
411 awareness 4yWzdW     
n.意识,觉悟,懂事,明智
参考例句:
  • There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
  • Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。
412 sagged 4efd2c4ac7fe572508b0252e448a38d0     
下垂的
参考例句:
  • The black reticule sagged under the weight of shapeless objects. 黑色的拎包由于装了各种形状的东西而中间下陷。
  • He sagged wearily back in his chair. 他疲倦地瘫坐到椅子上。
413 ebbed d477fde4638480e786d6ea4ac2341679     
(指潮水)退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 ); 落; 减少; 衰落
参考例句:
  • But the pain had ebbed away and the trembling had stopped. 不过这次痛已减退,寒战也停止了。
  • But gradually his interest in good causes ebbed away. 不过后来他对这类事业兴趣也逐渐淡薄了。
414 zoomed 7d2196a2c3b9cad9d8899e8add247521     
v.(飞机、汽车等)急速移动( zoom的过去式 );(价格、费用等)急升,猛涨
参考例句:
  • Traffic zoomed past us. 车辆从我们身边疾驰而过。
  • Cars zoomed helter-skelter, honking belligerently. 大街上来往车辆穿梭不停,喇叭声刺耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
415 bleached b1595af54bdf754969c26ad4e6cec237     
漂白的,晒白的,颜色变浅的
参考例句:
  • His hair was bleached by the sun . 他的头发被太阳晒得发白。
  • The sun has bleached her yellow skirt. 阳光把她的黄裙子晒得褪色了。
416 gilt p6UyB     
adj.镀金的;n.金边证券
参考例句:
  • The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。
  • The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。
417 hordes 8694e53bd6abdd0ad8c42fc6ee70f06f     
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落
参考例句:
  • There are always hordes of tourists here in the summer. 夏天这里总有成群结队的游客。
  • Hordes of journalists jostled for position outside the conference hall. 大群记者在会堂外争抢位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
418 loquacious ewEyx     
adj.多嘴的,饶舌的
参考例句:
  • The normally loquacious Mr O'Reilly has said little.平常话多的奥赖利先生几乎没说什么。
  • Kennedy had become almost as loquacious as Joe.肯尼迪变得和乔一样唠叨了。
419 succor rFLyJ     
n.援助,帮助;v.给予帮助
参考例句:
  • In two short hours we may look for succor from Webb.在短短的两小时内,韦布将军的救兵就可望到达。
  • He was so much in need of succor,so totally alone.他当时孑然一身,形影相吊,特别需要援助。
420 serene PD2zZ     
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的
参考例句:
  • He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
  • He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多,只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。
421 knuckles c726698620762d88f738be4a294fae79     
n.(指人)指关节( knuckle的名词复数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝v.(指人)指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝
参考例句:
  • He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘,握得指关节都变白了。
  • Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》
422 pristine 5BQyC     
adj.原来的,古时的,原始的,纯净的,无垢的
参考例句:
  • He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
  • He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。
423 collapsed cwWzSG     
adj.倒塌的
参考例句:
  • Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
  • The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。
424 twitching 97f99ba519862a2bc691c280cee4d4cf     
n.颤搐
参考例句:
  • The child in a spasm kept twitching his arms and legs. 那个害痉挛的孩子四肢不断地抽搐。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • My eyelids keep twitching all the time. 我眼皮老是跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
425 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用
参考例句:
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
426 tainting 4abb6ef818b9265c2f619371f966a2fb     
v.使变质( taint的现在分词 );使污染;败坏;被污染,腐坏,败坏
参考例句:
427 minced e78bfe05c6bed310407099ae848ca29a     
v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 );剁碎;绞碎;用绞肉机绞(食物,尤指肉)
参考例句:
  • He minced over to serve us. 他迈着碎步过来招待我们。
  • A young fop minced up to George and introduced himself. 一个花花公子扭扭捏捏地走到乔治面前并作了自我介绍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
428 curried 359c0f70c2fd9dd3cd8145ea5ee03f37     
adj.加了咖喱(或咖喱粉的),用咖哩粉调理的
参考例句:
  • She curried favor with the leader by contemptible means. 她用卑鄙的手段博取领导的欢心。 来自互联网
  • Fresh ham, curried beef? 鲜火腿?咖喱牛肉? 来自互联网
429 nuns ce03d5da0bb9bc79f7cd2b229ef14d4a     
n.(通常指基督教的)修女, (佛教的)尼姑( nun的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Ah Q had always had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns. 小尼姑之流是阿Q本来视如草芥的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Nuns are under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 修女须立誓保持清贫、贞洁、顺从。 来自辞典例句
430 nun THhxK     
n.修女,尼姑
参考例句:
  • I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
  • She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。
431 virtue BpqyH     
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力
参考例句:
  • He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
  • You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
432 epithet QZHzY     
n.(用于褒贬人物等的)表述形容词,修饰语
参考例句:
  • In "Alfred the Great","the Great"is an epithet.“阿尔弗雷德大帝”中的“大帝”是个称号。
  • It is an epithet that sums up my feelings.这是一个简洁地表达了我思想感情的形容词。
433 tangible 4IHzo     
adj.有形的,可触摸的,确凿的,实际的
参考例句:
  • The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
  • There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。
434 caned 191f613112c79cd574fd0de4685e1471     
vt.用苔杖打(cane的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The gaoler caned the man. 狱卒用藤条鞭打这个人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I have caned my son when necessary. 必要时,我就用藤条打儿子一顿。 来自辞典例句
435 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
436 offense HIvxd     
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪
参考例句:
  • I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
  • His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。
437 perimeter vSxzj     
n.周边,周长,周界
参考例句:
  • The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
  • Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。
438 intrigue Gaqzy     
vt.激起兴趣,迷住;vi.耍阴谋;n.阴谋,密谋
参考例句:
  • Court officials will intrigue against the royal family.法院官员将密谋反对皇室。
  • The royal palace was filled with intrigue.皇宫中充满了勾心斗角。
439 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。
440 extraordinarily Vlwxw     
adv.格外地;极端地
参考例句:
  • She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
  • The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨,大海出奇地宁静。
441 deploying 79c9e662a7f3c3d49ecc43f559de9424     
(尤指军事行动)使展开( deploy的现在分词 ); 施展; 部署; 有效地利用
参考例句:
  • Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
  • Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。
442 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地
参考例句:
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
443 communal VbcyU     
adj.公有的,公共的,公社的,公社制的
参考例句:
  • There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。
  • The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。
444 inevitably x7axc     
adv.不可避免地;必然发生地
参考例句:
  • In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去,毫无疑问是会散伙的。
  • Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。
445 scoured ed55d3b2cb4a5db1e4eb0ed55b922516     
走遍(某地)搜寻(人或物)( scour的过去式和过去分词 ); (用力)刷; 擦净; 擦亮
参考例句:
  • We scoured the area for somewhere to pitch our tent. 我们四处查看,想找一个搭帐篷的地方。
  • The torrents scoured out a channel down the hill side. 急流沿着山腰冲刷出一条水沟。
446 stint 9GAzB     
v.节省,限制,停止;n.舍不得化,节约,限制;连续不断的一段时间从事某件事
参考例句:
  • He lavished money on his children without stint.他在孩子们身上花钱毫不吝惜。
  • We hope that you will not stint your criticism.我们希望您不吝指教。
447 caliber JsFzO     
n.能力;水准
参考例句:
  • They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
  • We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。
448 culling 3de85f6723726749ca816af963f0d3b5     
n.选择,大批物品中剔出劣质货v.挑选,剔除( cull的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The mathematicians turned to culling periodic solutions. 数学家们转而去挑选周期解。 来自辞典例句
  • It took us a week to find you, a week of culling out prejudice and hatred. 我们花了一个星期的时间找到你们,把偏见和憎恨剔除出去。 来自演讲部分
449 muster i6czT     
v.集合,收集,鼓起,激起;n.集合,检阅,集合人员,点名册
参考例句:
  • Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
  • I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。
450 belly QyKzLi     
n.肚子,腹部;(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分,膛
参考例句:
  • The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
  • His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。
451 apron Lvzzo     
n.围裙;工作裙
参考例句:
  • We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
  • She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。
452 hissed 2299e1729bbc7f56fc2559e409d6e8a7     
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句:
  • Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过?
  • The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。
453 fleck AlPyc     
n.斑点,微粒 vt.使有斑点,使成斑驳
参考例句:
  • The garlic moss has no the yellow fleck and other virus. 蒜苔无黄斑点及其它病毒。
  • His coat is blue with a grey fleck.他的上衣是蓝色的,上面带有灰色的斑点。
454 sterile orNyQ     
adj.不毛的,不孕的,无菌的,枯燥的,贫瘠的
参考例句:
  • This top fits over the bottle and keeps the teat sterile.这个盖子严实地盖在奶瓶上,保持奶嘴无菌。
  • The farmers turned the sterile land into high fields.农民们把不毛之地变成了高产田。
455 lecherous s9tzA     
adj.好色的;淫邪的
参考例句:
  • Her husband was described in court as a lecherous scoundrel.她的丈夫在法庭上被描绘成一个好色的无赖。
  • Men enjoy all the beautiful bones,but do not mistake him lecherous.男人骨子里全都喜欢美女,但千万别误以为他好色。
456 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。
457 sanity sCwzH     
n.心智健全,神智正常,判断正确
参考例句:
  • I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
  • She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
458 doorway 2s0xK     
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径
参考例句:
  • They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
  • Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。
459 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
460 quelled cfdbdf53cdf11a965953b115ee1d3e67     
v.(用武力)制止,结束,镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Thanks to Kao Sung-nien's skill, the turmoil had been quelled. 亏高松年有本领,弹压下去。 来自汉英文学 - 围城
  • Mr. Atkinson was duly quelled. 阿特金森先生被及时地将了一军。 来自辞典例句
461 schooner mDoyU     
n.纵帆船
参考例句:
  • The schooner was driven ashore.那条帆船被冲上了岸。
  • The current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate.急流正以同样的速度将小筏子和帆船一起冲向南方。
462 genially 0de02d6e0c84f16556e90c0852555eab     
adv.亲切地,和蔼地;快活地
参考例句:
  • The white church peeps out genially from behind the huts scattered on the river bank. 一座白色教堂从散布在岸上的那些小木房后面殷勤地探出头来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • "Well, It'seems strange to see you way up here,'said Mr. Kenny genially. “咳,真没想到会在这么远的地方见到你,"肯尼先生亲切地说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
463 luncheon V8az4     
n.午宴,午餐,便宴
参考例句:
  • We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
  • I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。
464 sustenance mriw0     
n.食物,粮食;生活资料;生计
参考例句:
  • We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
  • The urban homeless are often in desperate need of sustenance.城市里无家可归的人极其需要食物来维持生命。
465 ordeal B4Pzs     
n.苦难经历,(尤指对品格、耐力的)严峻考验
参考例句:
  • She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
  • Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。
466 circumvent gXvz0     
vt.环绕,包围;对…用计取胜,智胜
参考例句:
  • Military planners tried to circumvent the treaty.军事策略家们企图绕开这一条约。
  • Any action I took to circumvent his scheme was justified.我为斗赢他的如意算盘而采取的任何行动都是正当的。
467 gulp yQ0z6     
vt.吞咽,大口地吸(气);vi.哽住;n.吞咽
参考例句:
  • She took down the tablets in one gulp.她把那些药片一口吞了下去。
  • Don't gulp your food,chew it before you swallow it.吃东西不要狼吞虎咽,要嚼碎了再咽下去。
468 hospitably 2cccc8bd2e0d8b1720a33145cbff3993     
亲切地,招待周到地,善于款待地
参考例句:
  • At Peking was the Great Khan, and they were hospitably entertained. 忽必烈汗在北京,他们受到了盛情款待。
  • She was received hospitably by her new family. 她的新家人热情地接待了她。
469 mused 0affe9d5c3a243690cca6d4248d41a85     
v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事)
参考例句:
  • \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们,”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道:‘我们这是在干什么?” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
470 deplored 5e09629c8c32d80fe4b48562675b50ad     
v.悲叹,痛惜,强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They deplored the price of motor car, textiles, wheat, and oil. 他们悲叹汽车、纺织品、小麦和石油的价格。 来自辞典例句
  • Hawthorne feels that all excess is to be deplored. 霍桑觉得一切过分的举动都是可悲的。 来自辞典例句
471 proximity 5RsxM     
n.接近,邻近
参考例句:
  • Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
  • Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。
472 parlance VAbyp     
n.说法;语调
参考例句:
  • The term "meta directory" came into industry parlance two years ago.两年前,商业界开始用“元目录”这个术语。
  • The phrase is common diplomatic parlance for spying.这种说法是指代间谍行为的常用外交辞令。
473 pulped 98d2e337a4b747c174ae5983e92162f9     
水果的肉质部分( pulp的过去式和过去分词 ); 果肉; 纸浆; 低级书刊
参考例句:
  • Debarking: Stripping bark from logs prior ro their being pulped. 去皮:制浆前,把树区性剥去树皮上的操作。
  • Several thousand apples left unsold were pulped. 上千个未卖的苹果制成了果酱。
474 livestock c0Wx1     
n.家畜,牲畜
参考例句:
  • Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
  • The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。
475 crocheted 62b18a9473c261d6b815602f16b0fb14     
v.用钩针编织( crochet的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Mom and I crocheted new quilts. 我和妈妈钩织了新床罩。 来自辞典例句
  • Aunt Paula crocheted a beautiful blanket for the baby. 宝拉婶婶为婴孩编织了一条美丽的毯子。 来自互联网
476 embroidered StqztZ     
adj.绣花的
参考例句:
  • She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。
  • She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。
477 tablecloths abb41060c43ebc073d86c1c49f8fb98f     
n.桌布,台布( tablecloth的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Champagne corks popped, and on lace tablecloths seven-course dinners were laid. 桌上铺着带装饰图案的网织的桌布,上面是七道菜的晚餐。 来自飘(部分)
  • At the moment the cause of her concern was a pile of soiled tablecloths. 此刻她关心的事是一堆弄脏了的台布。 来自辞典例句
478 equestrians eb9e1393f47bab86d72b0c1bd32a6b84     
n.骑手(equestrian的复数形式)
参考例句:
479 precariously 8l8zT3     
adv.不安全地;危险地;碰机会地;不稳定地
参考例句:
  • The hotel was perched precariously on a steep hillside. 旅馆危险地坐落在陡峭的山坡上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The phone was perched precariously on the window ledge. 电话放在窗台上,摇摇欲坠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
480 prancing 9906a4f0d8b1d61913c1d44e88e901b8     
v.(马)腾跃( prance的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The lead singer was prancing around with the microphone. 首席歌手手执麦克风,神气地走来走去。
  • The King lifted Gretel on to his prancing horse and they rode to his palace. 国王把格雷特尔扶上腾跃着的马,他们骑马向天宫走去。 来自辞典例句
481 pricked 1d0503c50da14dcb6603a2df2c2d4557     
刺,扎,戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 ); 刺伤; 刺痛; 使剧痛
参考例句:
  • The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
  • He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。
482 reining dc0b264aac06ae7c86d287f24a166b82     
勒缰绳使(马)停步( rein的现在分词 ); 驾驭; 严格控制; 加强管理
参考例句:
  • "That's a fine bevy, Ma'm,'said Gerald gallantly, reining his horse alongside the carriage. "太太!好一窝漂亮的云雀呀!" 杰拉尔德殷勤地说,一面让自己的马告近塔尔顿的马车。
  • I was a temperamental genius in need of reining in by stabler personalities. 我是个需要由更稳重的人降服住的神经质的天才。
483 rein xVsxs     
n.疆绳,统治,支配;vt.以僵绳控制,统治
参考例句:
  • The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
  • He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。
484 reins 370afc7786679703b82ccfca58610c98     
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
参考例句:
  • She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
  • The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。
485 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。
486 pouted 25946cdee5db0ed0b7659cea8201f849     
v.撅(嘴)( pout的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Her lips pouted invitingly. 她挑逗地撮起双唇。
  • I pouted my lips at him, hinting that he should speak first. 我向他努了努嘴,让他先说。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
487 impersonal Ck6yp     
adj.无个人感情的,与个人无关的,非人称的
参考例句:
  • Even his children found him strangely distant and impersonal.他的孩子们也认为他跟其他人很疏远,没有人情味。
  • His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.他的态度似乎很生硬冷淡。
488 piqued abe832d656a307cf9abb18f337accd25     
v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 );激起(好奇心)
参考例句:
  • Their curiosity piqued, they stopped writing. 他们的好奇心被挑起,停下了手中的笔。 来自辞典例句
  • This phenomenon piqued Dr Morris' interest. 这一现象激起了莫里斯医生的兴趣。 来自辞典例句
489 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
490 vowels 6c36433ab3f13c49838853205179fe8b     
n.元音,元音字母( vowel的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Vowels possess greater sonority than consonants. 元音比辅音响亮。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Note the various sounds of vowels followed by r. 注意r跟随的各种元音的发音。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
491 stilted 5Gaz0     
adj.虚饰的;夸张的
参考例句:
  • All too soon the stilted conversation ran out.很快这种做作的交谈就结束了。
  • His delivery was stilted and occasionally stumbling.他的发言很生硬,有时还打结巴。
492 beguiling xyzzKB     
adj.欺骗的,诱人的v.欺骗( beguile的现在分词 );使陶醉;使高兴;消磨(时间等)
参考例句:
  • Her beauty was beguiling. 她美得迷人。
  • His date was curvaceously beguiling. 他约会是用来欺骗女性的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
493 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
494 abreast Zf3yi     
adv.并排地;跟上(时代)的步伐,与…并进地
参考例句:
  • She kept abreast with the flood of communications that had poured in.她及时回复如雪片般飞来的大批信件。
  • We can't keep abreast of the developing situation unless we study harder.我们如果不加强学习,就会跟不上形势。
495 puddle otNy9     
n.(雨)水坑,泥潭
参考例句:
  • The boy hopped the mud puddle and ran down the walk.这个男孩跳过泥坑,沿着人行道跑了。
  • She tripped over and landed in a puddle.她绊了一下,跌在水坑里。
496 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
497 haughty 4dKzq     
adj.傲慢的,高傲的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a haughty look and walked away.他向我摆出傲慢的表情后走开。
  • They were displeased with her haughty airs.他们讨厌她高傲的派头。
498 gainsay ozAyL     
v.否认,反驳
参考例句:
  • She is a fine woman-that nobody can gainsay.她是个好女人无人能否认。
  • No one will gainsay his integrity.没有人对他的正直有话可讲。
499 plumb Y2szL     
adv.精确地,完全地;v.了解意义,测水深
参考例句:
  • No one could plumb the mystery.没人能看破这秘密。
  • It was unprofitable to plumb that sort of thing.这种事弄个水落石出没有什么好处。
500 deigned 8217aa94d4db9a2202bbca75c27b7acd     
v.屈尊,俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Carrie deigned no suggestion of hearing this. 嘉莉不屑一听。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • Carrie scarcely deigned to reply. 嘉莉不屑回答。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
501 cynically 3e178b26da70ce04aff3ac920973009f     
adv.爱嘲笑地,冷笑地
参考例句:
  • "Holding down the receiver,'said Daisy cynically. “挂上话筒在讲。”黛西冷嘲热讽地说。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比
  • The Democrats sensibly (if cynically) set about closing the God gap. 民主党在明智(有些讽刺)的减少宗教引起的问题。 来自互联网
502 enchantment dmryQ     
n.迷惑,妖术,魅力
参考例句:
  • The beauty of the scene filled us with enchantment.风景的秀丽令我们陶醉。
  • The countryside lay as under some dread enchantment.乡村好像躺在某种可怖的魔法之下。
503 luridly ee5839371f7fa2d242d0fdf96b9c0a0d     
adv. 青灰色的(苍白的, 深浓色的, 火焰等火红的)
参考例句:
  • It was night, and the white faces and the scarlet banners were luridly floodlit. 时间是在夜里,人们的苍白的脸和鲜红的旗帜都沐浴在强烈的泛光灯灯光里。 来自英汉文学
  • Nationalist netizens in China's hyperactive blogosphere are more luridly anti-western than China's current rulers. 中国互联网上活跃的民族主义网民中反西方的比反现行统治者的多。
504 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。
505 mermaid pCbxH     
n.美人鱼
参考例句:
  • How popular would that girl be with the only mermaid mom!和人鱼妈妈在一起,那个女孩会有多受欢迎!
  • The little mermaid wasn't happy because she didn't want to wait.小美人鱼不太高兴,因为她等不及了。
506 tarnished e927ca787c87e80eddfcb63fbdfc8685     
(通常指金属)(使)失去光泽,(使)变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 ); 玷污,败坏
参考例句:
  • The mirrors had tarnished with age. 这些镜子因年深日久而照影不清楚。
  • His bad behaviour has tarnished the good name of the school. 他行为不轨,败坏了学校的声誉。
507 frieze QhNxy     
n.(墙上的)横饰带,雕带
参考例句:
  • The Corinthian painter's primary ornamental device was the animal frieze.科林斯画家最初的装饰图案是动物形象的装饰带。
  • A careful reconstruction of the frieze is a persuasive reason for visiting Liverpool. 这次能让游客走访利物浦展览会,其中一个具有说服力的原因则是壁画得到了精心的重建。
508 troupe cmJwG     
n.剧团,戏班;杂技团;马戏团
参考例句:
  • The art troupe is always on the move in frontier guards.文工团常年在边防部队流动。
  • The troupe produced a new play last night.剧团昨晚上演了一部新剧。
509 trickling 24aeffc8684b1cc6b8fa417e730cc8dc     
n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 );淌;使)慢慢走;缓慢移动
参考例句:
  • Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。
  • The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》
510 hips f8c80f9a170ee6ab52ed1e87054f32d4     
abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯,耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 );[建筑学]屋脊;臀围(尺寸);臀部…的
参考例句:
  • She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
  • They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》
511 offhand IIUxa     
adj.临时,无准备的;随便,马虎的
参考例句:
  • I can't answer your request offhand.我不能随便答复你的要求。
  • I wouldn't want to say what I thought about it offhand.我不愿意随便说我关于这事的想法。
512 flexed 703e75e8210e20f0cb60ad926085640e     
adj.[医]曲折的,屈曲v.屈曲( flex的过去式和过去分词 );弯曲;(为准备大干而)显示实力;摩拳擦掌
参考例句:
  • He stretched and flexed his knees to relax himself. 他伸屈膝关节使自己放松一下。 来自辞典例句
  • He flexed his long stringy muscles manfully. 他孔武有力地弯起膀子,显露出细长条的肌肉。 来自辞典例句
513 strutting 2a28bf7fb89b582054410bf3c6bbde1a     
加固,支撑物
参考例句:
  • He, too, was exceedingly arrogant, strutting about the castle. 他也是非常自大,在城堡里大摇大摆地走。
  • The pompous lecturer is strutting and forth across the stage. 这个演讲者在台上趾高气扬地来回走着。
514 braying 4e9e43129672dd7d81455077ba202718     
v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的现在分词 );发嘟嘟声;粗声粗气地讲话(或大笑);猛击
参考例句:
  • A donkey was braying on the hill behind the house. 房子后面的山上传来驴叫声。 来自互联网
  • What's the use of her braying out such words? 她粗声粗气地说这种话有什么用呢? 来自互联网
515 elite CqzxN     
n.精英阶层;实力集团;adj.杰出的,卓越的
参考例句:
  • The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
  • We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。
516 flay 8ggz4     
vt.剥皮;痛骂
参考例句:
  • You cannot flay the same ox twice.一头牛不能剥两次皮。
  • He was going to flay that stranger with every trick known to the law.他要用法律上所有的招数来痛斥那个陌生人。
517 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的
参考例句:
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
518 gorging 0e89d8c03b779459feea702697460d81     
v.(用食物把自己)塞饱,填饱( gorge的现在分词 );作呕
参考例句:
  • They had been gorging fruit in the forest. 他们方才一直在森林里狼吞虎咽地大嚼野果。 来自辞典例句
  • He saw roses winding about the rain spout; or mulberries-birds gorging in the mulberry tree. 他会看到玫瑰花绕在水管上,或者是看到在桑树枝头上使劲啄食的小鸟。 来自辞典例句
519 boxer sxKzdR     
n.制箱者,拳击手
参考例句:
  • The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
  • He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。
520 boxers a8fc8ea2ba891ef896d3ca5822c4405d     
n.拳击短裤;(尤指职业)拳击手( boxer的名词复数 );拳师狗
参考例句:
  • The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The boxers slugged it out to the finish. 两名拳击手最后决出了胜负。 来自《简明英汉词典》
521 lookout w0sxT     
n.注意,前途,瞭望台
参考例句:
  • You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
  • It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来,公司的前景可就不妙了。
522 elusive d8vyH     
adj.难以表达(捉摸)的;令人困惑的;逃避的
参考例句:
  • Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
  • Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。
523 clinch 4q5zc     
v.敲弯,钉牢;确定;扭住对方 [参]clench
参考例句:
  • Clinch the boards together.用钉子把木板钉牢在一起。
  • We don't accept us dollars,please Swiss francs to clinch a deal business.我方不收美元,请最好用瑞士法郎来成交生意。
524 titanic NoJwR     
adj.巨人的,庞大的,强大的
参考例句:
  • We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力,以达到我们的目的。
  • The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。
525 meted 9eadd1a2304ecfb724677a9aeb1ee2ab     
v.(对某人)施以,给予(处罚等)( mete的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The severe punishment was meted out to the unruly hooligan. 对那个嚣张的流氓已给予严厉惩处。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The money was meted out only after it had been carefully counted. 钱只有仔细点过之后才分发。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
526 swelling OUzzd     
n.肿胀
参考例句:
  • Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
  • There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。
527 wriggled cd018a1c3280e9fe7b0169cdb5687c29     
v.扭动,蠕动,蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 );(使身体某一部位)扭动;耍滑不做,逃避(应做的事等)
参考例句:
  • He wriggled uncomfortably on the chair. 他坐在椅子上不舒服地扭动着身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A snake wriggled across the road. 一条蛇蜿蜒爬过道路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
528 wriggle wf4yr     
v./n.蠕动,扭动;蜿蜒
参考例句:
  • I've got an appointment I can't wriggle out of.我有个推脱不掉的约会。
  • Children wriggle themselves when they are bored.小孩子感到厌烦时就会扭动他们的身体。
529 sobbing df75b14f92e64fc9e1d7eaf6dcfc083a     
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句:
  • I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
  • Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。
530 gorge Zf1xm     
n.咽喉,胃,暴食,山峡;v.塞饱,狼吞虎咽地吃
参考例句:
  • East of the gorge leveled out.峡谷东面地势变得平坦起来。
  • It made my gorge rise to hear the news.这消息令我作呕。
531 solitary 7FUyx     
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士
参考例句:
  • I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
  • The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际,显得十分壮美。
532 snarled ti3zMA     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
  • As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时,它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
533 bind Vt8zi     
vt.捆,包扎;装订;约束;使凝固;vi.变硬
参考例句:
  • I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
  • He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。
534 binding 2yEzWb     
有约束力的,有效的,应遵守的
参考例句:
  • The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
  • Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。
535 tartly 0gtzl5     
adv.辛辣地,刻薄地
参考例句:
  • She finished by tartly pointing out that he owed her some money. 她最后刻薄地指出他欠她一些钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Kay said tartly, "And you're more Yankee than Italian. 恺酸溜溜他说:“可你哪,与其说是意大利人,还不如说是新英格兰人。 来自教父部分
536 justify j3DxR     
vt.证明…正当(或有理),为…辩护
参考例句:
  • He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
  • Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗?
537 tormenting 6e14ac649577fc286f6d088293b57895     
使痛苦的,使苦恼的
参考例句:
  • He took too much pleasure in tormenting an ugly monster called Caliban. 他喜欢一味捉弄一个名叫凯列班的丑妖怪。
  • The children were scolded for tormenting animals. 孩子们因折磨动物而受到责骂。
538 torment gJXzd     
n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠
参考例句:
  • He has never suffered the torment of rejection.他从未经受过遭人拒绝的痛苦。
  • Now nothing aggravates me more than when people torment each other.没有什么东西比人们的互相折磨更使我愤怒。
539 bracelet nWdzD     
n.手镯,臂镯
参考例句:
  • The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
  • She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。
540 trophy 8UFzI     
n.优胜旗,奖品,奖杯,战胜品,纪念品
参考例句:
  • The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
  • He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。
541 ruby iXixS     
n.红宝石,红宝石色
参考例句:
  • She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
  • On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。
542 sapphire ETFzw     
n.青玉,蓝宝石;adj.天蓝色的
参考例句:
  • Now let us consider crystals such as diamond or sapphire.现在让我们考虑象钻石和蓝宝石这样的晶体。
  • He left a sapphire ring to her.他留给她一枚蓝宝石戒指。
543 bracelets 58df124ddcdc646ef29c1c5054d8043d     
n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
544 starched 1adcdf50723145c17c3fb6015bbe818c     
adj.浆硬的,硬挺的,拘泥刻板的v.把(衣服、床单等)浆一浆( starch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • My clothes are not starched enough. 我的衣服浆得不够硬。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The ruffles on his white shirt were starched and clean. 白衬衫的褶边浆过了,很干净。 来自辞典例句
545 chafe yrIzD     
v.擦伤;冲洗;惹怒
参考例句:
  • The foaming waves chafe against the rocky shore.汹涌的波涛猛烈地冲击着礁岸。
  • A stiff collar may chafe your neck.硬的衣领会擦伤你的脖子。
546 chafed f9adc83cf3cbb1d83206e36eae090f1f     
v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的过去式 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒
参考例句:
  • Her wrists chafed where the rope had been. 她的手腕上绳子勒过的地方都磨红了。
  • She chafed her cold hands. 她揉搓冰冷的双手使之暖和。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
547 seafood 7j6zUl     
n.海产食品,海味,海鲜
参考例句:
  • There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
  • Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。
548 champagne iwBzh3     
n.香槟酒;微黄色
参考例句:
  • There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。
  • They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。
549 digestion il6zj     
n.消化,吸收
参考例句:
  • This kind of tea acts as an aid to digestion.这种茶可助消化。
  • This food is easy of digestion.这食物容易消化。
550 smacked bb7869468e11f63a1506d730c1d2219e     
拍,打,掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He smacked his lips but did not utter a word. 他吧嗒两下嘴,一声也不言语。
  • She smacked a child's bottom. 她打孩子的屁股。
551 bucolic 5SKy7     
adj.乡村的;牧羊的
参考例句:
  • It is a bucolic refuge in the midst of a great bustling city.它是处在繁华的大城市之中的世外桃源。
  • She turns into a sweet country girl surrounded by family,chickens and a bucolic landscape.她变成了被家人、鸡与乡村景象所围绕的甜美乡村姑娘。
552 bluff ftZzB     
v.虚张声势,用假象骗人;n.虚张声势,欺骗
参考例句:
  • His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
  • John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。
553 tracts fcea36d422dccf9d9420a7dd83bea091     
大片土地( tract的名词复数 ); 地带; (体内的)道; (尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的)短文
参考例句:
  • vast tracts of forest 大片大片的森林
  • There are tracts of desert in Australia. 澳大利亚有大片沙漠。
554 federation htCzMS     
n.同盟,联邦,联合,联盟,联合会
参考例句:
  • It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
  • Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。
555 politic L23zX     
adj.有智虑的;精明的;v.从政
参考例句:
  • He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明,不会与这么重要的人争吵。
  • The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。
556 aristocrats 45f57328b4cffd28a78c031f142ec347     
n.贵族( aristocrat的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Many aristocrats were killed in the French Revolution. 许多贵族在法国大革命中被处死。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • To the Guillotine all aristocrats! 把全部贵族都送上断头台! 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
557 soothing soothing     
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的
参考例句:
  • Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
  • His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
558 stinking ce4f5ad2ff6d2f33a3bab4b80daa5baa     
adj.臭的,烂醉的,讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 );发臭味;名声臭;糟透
参考例句:
  • I was pushed into a filthy, stinking room. 我被推进一间又脏又臭的屋子里。
  • Those lousy, stinking ships. It was them that destroyed us. 是的!就是那些该死的蠢猪似的臭飞船!是它们毁了我们。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻
559 shrilled 279faa2c22e7fe755d14e94e19d7bb10     
(声音)尖锐的,刺耳的,高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Behind him, the telephone shrilled. 在他身后,电话铃刺耳地响了起来。
  • The phone shrilled, making her jump. 电话铃声刺耳地响起,惊得她跳了起来。
560 mutual eFOxC     
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的
参考例句:
  • We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
  • Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。
561 breached e3498bf16767cf8f9f8dc58f7275a5a5     
攻破( breach的现在分词 ); 破坏,违反
参考例句:
  • These commitments have already been breached. 这些承诺已遭背弃。
  • Our tanks have breached the enemy defences. 我方坦克车突破了敌人的防线。
562 rivalry tXExd     
n.竞争,竞赛,对抗
参考例句:
  • The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
  • He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。
563 submission lUVzr     
n.服从,投降;温顺,谦虚;提出
参考例句:
  • The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
  • No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。
564 beseeching 67f0362f7eb28291ad2968044eb2a985     
adj.恳求似的v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • She clung to her father, beseeching him for consent. 她紧紧挨着父亲,恳求他答应。 来自辞典例句
  • He casts a beseeching glance at his son. 他用恳求的眼光望着儿子。 来自辞典例句
565 croaked 9a150c9af3075625e0cba4de8da8f6a9     
v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 );用粗的声音说
参考例句:
  • The crow croaked disaster. 乌鸦呱呱叫预报灾难。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • 'she has a fine head for it," croaked Jacques Three. “她有一个漂亮的脑袋跟着去呢,”雅克三号低沉地说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
566 ashen JNsyS     
adj.灰的
参考例句:
  • His face was ashen and wet with sweat.他面如土色,汗如雨下。
  • Her ashen face showed how much the news had shocked her.她灰白的脸显示出那消息使她多么震惊。
567 undone JfJz6l     
a.未做完的,未完成的
参考例句:
  • He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。
568 drearily a9ac978ac6fcd40e1eeeffcdb1b717a2     
沉寂地,厌倦地,可怕地
参考例句:
  • "Oh, God," thought Scarlett drearily, "that's just the trouble. "啊,上帝!" 思嘉沮丧地想,"难就难在这里呀。
  • His voice was utterly and drearily expressionless. 他的声调,阴沉沉的,干巴巴的,完全没有感情。
569 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
570 embroiled 77258f75da8d0746f3018b2caba91b5f     
adj.卷入的;纠缠不清的
参考例句:
  • He became embroiled in a dispute with his neighbours. 他与邻居们发生了争执。
  • John and Peter were quarrelling, but Mary refused to get embroiled. 约翰和彼得在争吵,但玛丽不愿卷入。 来自《简明英汉词典》
571 remorse lBrzo     
n.痛恨,悔恨,自责
参考例句:
  • She had no remorse about what she had said.她对所说的话不后悔。
  • He has shown no remorse for his actions.他对自己的行为没有任何悔恨之意。
572 replenished 9f0ecb49d62f04f91bf08c0cab1081e5     
补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 ); 重新装满
参考例句:
  • She replenished her wardrobe. 她添置了衣服。
  • She has replenished a leather [fur] coat recently. 她最近添置了一件皮袄。
573 debut IxGxy     
n.首次演出,初次露面
参考例句:
  • That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里,他初次在百老汇登台,扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
  • The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。
574 untied d4a1dd1a28503840144e8098dbf9e40f     
松开,解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 ); 解除,使自由; 解决
参考例句:
  • Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来,我们老百姓也能移山倒海。
  • He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。
575 darting darting     
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句
576 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。
577 junction N34xH     
n.连接,接合;交叉点,接合处,枢纽站
参考例句:
  • There's a bridge at the junction of the two rivers.两河的汇合处有座桥。
  • You must give way when you come to this junction.你到了这个路口必须让路。
578 presentiment Z18zB     
n.预感,预觉
参考例句:
  • He had a presentiment of disaster.他预感会有灾难降临。
  • I have a presentiment that something bad will happen.我有某种不祥事要发生的预感。
579 briskness Ux2z6U     
n.敏捷,活泼
参考例句:
  • A child who was flying a kite sensed it in terms of briskness.一个孩子在放风筝时猛然感到的飞腾。
  • Father open the window to let in the briskness of the morning air.父亲打开窗户让早晨的清新空气进来。
580 fumbling fumbling     
n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理
参考例句:
  • If he actually managed to the ball instead of fumbling it with an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动,经常这样结束。
  • If he actually managed to secure the ball instead of fumbling it awkwardly an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-50提议有时。他从off-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动,经常这样结束。
581 rigid jDPyf     
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的
参考例句:
  • She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
  • The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严,几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。
582 toddling 5ea72314ad8c5ba2ca08d095397d25d3     
v.(幼儿等)东倒西歪地走( toddle的现在分词 );蹒跚行走;溜达;散步
参考例句:
  • You could see his grandson toddling around in the garden. 你可以看到他的孙子在花园里蹒跚行走。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She fell while toddling around. 她摇摇摆摆地到处走时摔倒了 来自辞典例句
583 drudgery CkUz2     
n.苦工,重活,单调乏味的工作
参考例句:
  • People want to get away from the drudgery of their everyday lives.人们想摆脱日常生活中单调乏味的工作。
  • He spent his life in pointlessly tiresome drudgery.他的一生都在做毫无意义的烦人的苦差事。
584 animated Cz7zMa     
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的
参考例句:
  • His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
  • We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。
585 rites 5026f3cfef698ee535d713fec44bcf27     
仪式,典礼( rite的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
  • He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。
586 bland dW1zi     
adj.淡而无味的,温和的,无刺激性的
参考例句:
  • He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
  • This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。
587 nucleus avSyg     
n.核,核心,原子核
参考例句:
  • These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
  • These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。
588 blurring e5be37d075d8bb967bd24d82a994208d     
n.模糊,斑点甚多,(图像的)混乱v.(使)变模糊( blur的现在分词 );(使)难以区分
参考例句:
  • Retinal hemorrhage, and blurring of the optic dise cause visual disturbances. 视网膜出血及神经盘模糊等可导致视力障碍。 来自辞典例句
  • In other ways the Bible limited Puritan writing, blurring and deadening the pages. 另一方面,圣经又限制了清教时期的作品,使它们显得晦涩沉闷。 来自辞典例句
589 demons 8f23f80251f9c0b6518bce3312ca1a61     
n.恶人( demon的名词复数 );恶魔;精力过人的人;邪念
参考例句:
  • demons torturing the sinners in Hell 地狱里折磨罪人的魔鬼
  • He is plagued by demons which go back to his traumatic childhood. 他为心魔所困扰,那可追溯至他饱受创伤的童年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
590 buffer IxYz0B     
n.起缓冲作用的人(或物),缓冲器;vt.缓冲
参考例句:
  • A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时,很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
  • Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。
591 engendered 9ea62fba28ee7e2bac621ac2c571239e     
v.产生(某形势或状况),造成,引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The issue engendered controversy. 这个问题引起了争论。
  • The meeting engendered several quarrels. 这次会议发生了几次争吵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
592 hostility hdyzQ     
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争
参考例句:
  • There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
  • His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。
593 irritation la9zf     
n.激怒,恼怒,生气
参考例句:
  • He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
  • Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说,但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。
594 ripples 10e54c54305aebf3deca20a1472f4b96     
逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The moon danced on the ripples. 月亮在涟漪上舞动。
  • The sea leaves ripples on the sand. 海水在沙滩上留下了波痕。
595 knack Jx9y4     
n.诀窍,做事情的灵巧的,便利的方法
参考例句:
  • He has a knack of teaching arithmetic.他教算术有诀窍。
  • Making omelettes isn't difficult,but there's a knack to it.做煎蛋饼并不难,但有窍门。
596 skulls d44073bc27628272fdd5bac11adb1ab5     
颅骨( skull的名词复数 ); 脑袋; 脑子; 脑瓜
参考例句:
  • One of the women's skulls found exceeds in capacity that of the average man of today. 现已发现的女性颅骨中,其中有一个的脑容量超过了今天的普通男子。
  • We could make a whole plain white with skulls in the moonlight! 我们便能令月光下的平原变白,遍布白色的骷髅!
597 prudent M0Yzg     
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的
参考例句:
  • A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
  • You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。
598 albeit axiz0     
conj.即使;纵使;虽然
参考例句:
  • Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的,但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
  • Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次,但他并没有气馁。
599 swarms 73349eba464af74f8ce6c65b07a6114c     
蜂群,一大群( swarm的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They came to town in swarms. 他们蜂拥来到城里。
  • On June the first there were swarms of children playing in the park. 6月1日那一天,这个公园里有一群群的孩子玩耍。
600 chary MUmyJ     
adj.谨慎的,细心的
参考例句:
  • She started a chary descent of the stairs.她开始小心翼翼地下楼梯。
  • She is chary of strangers.她见到陌生人会害羞。
601 itinerants d099ad24ebfd40736b93b099e726c263     
n.巡回者(如传教士、行商等)( itinerant的名词复数 )
参考例句:
602 allotted 5653ecda52c7b978bd6890054bd1f75f     
分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。
  • Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。
603 domain ys8xC     
n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围
参考例句:
  • This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
  • This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。
604 fragrant z6Yym     
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的
参考例句:
  • The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
  • The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。
605 caustic 9rGzb     
adj.刻薄的,腐蚀性的
参考例句:
  • He opened his mouth to make a caustic retort.他张嘴开始进行刻薄的反击。
  • He enjoys making caustic remarks about other people.他喜欢挖苦别人。
606 ointment 6vzy5     
n.药膏,油膏,软膏
参考例句:
  • Your foot will feel better after the application of this ointment.敷用这药膏后,你的脚会感到舒服些。
  • This herbal ointment will help to close up your wound quickly.这种中草药膏会帮助你的伤口很快愈合。
607 prescription u1vzA     
n.处方,开药;指示,规定
参考例句:
  • The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
  • The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。
608 ulcer AHmyp     
n.溃疡,腐坏物
参考例句:
  • She had an ulcer in her mouth.她口腔出现溃疡。
  • A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。
609 wares 2eqzkk     
n. 货物, 商品
参考例句:
  • They sold their wares at half-price. 他们的货品是半价出售的。
  • The peddler was crying up his wares. 小贩极力夸耀自己的货物。
610 hawking ca928c4e13439b9aa979b863819d00de     
利用鹰行猎
参考例句:
  • He is hawking his goods everywhere. 他在到处兜售他的货物。
  • We obtain the event horizon and the Hawking spectrumformula. 得到了黑洞的局部事件视界位置和Hawking温度以及Klein—Gordon粒子的Hawking辐射谱。
611 lavishly VpqzBo     
adv.慷慨地,大方地
参考例句:
  • His house was lavishly adorned.他的屋子装饰得很华丽。
  • The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour.这本书里有大量全彩插图。
612 tacked d6b486b3f9966de864e3b4d2aa518abc     
用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 ); 附加,增补; 帆船抢风行驶,用粗线脚缝
参考例句:
  • He tacked the sheets of paper on as carefully as possible. 他尽量小心地把纸张钉上去。
  • The seamstress tacked the two pieces of cloth. 女裁缝把那两块布粗缝了起来。
613 graveyard 9rFztV     
n.坟场
参考例句:
  • All the town was drifting toward the graveyard.全镇的人都象流水似地向那坟场涌过去。
  • Living next to a graveyard would give me the creeps.居住在墓地旁边会使我毛骨悚然。
614 seeped 7b1463dbca7bf67e984ebe1b96df8fef     
v.(液体)渗( seep的过去式和过去分词 );渗透;渗出;漏出
参考例句:
  • The rain seeped through the roof. 雨水透过房顶渗透。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Icy air seeped in through the paper and the room became cold. 寒气透过了糊窗纸。屋里骤然冷起来。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
615 linoleum w0cxk     
n.油布,油毯
参考例句:
  • They mislaid the linoleum.他们把油毡放错了地方。
  • Who will lay the linoleum?谁将铺设地板油毡?
616 decompose knPzS     
vi.分解;vt.(使)腐败,(使)腐烂
参考例句:
  • The eggs began to decompose after a day in the sun.鸡蛋在太阳下放了一天后开始变坏。
  • Most animals decompose very quickly after death.大多数动物死后很快腐烂。
617 scrupulously Tj5zRa     
adv.一丝不苟地;小心翼翼地,多顾虑地
参考例句:
  • She toed scrupulously into the room. 她小心翼翼地踮着脚走进房间。 来自辞典例句
  • To others he would be scrupulously fair. 对待别人,他力求公正。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
618 alluring zzUz1U     
adj.吸引人的,迷人的
参考例句:
  • The life in a big city is alluring for the young people. 大都市的生活对年轻人颇具诱惑力。
  • Lisette's large red mouth broke into a most alluring smile. 莉莎特的鲜红的大嘴露出了一副极为诱人的微笑。
619 whacked je8z8E     
a.精疲力尽的
参考例句:
  • She whacked him with her handbag. 她用手提包狠狠地打他。
  • He whacked me on the back and I held both his arms. 他用力拍拍我的背,我抱住他的双臂。
620 moodily 830ff6e3db19016ccfc088bb2ad40745     
adv.喜怒无常地;情绪多变地;心情不稳地;易生气地
参考例句:
  • Pork slipped from the room as she remained staring moodily into the distance. 阿宝从房间里溜了出来,留她独个人站在那里瞪着眼睛忧郁地望着远处。 来自辞典例句
  • He climbed moodily into the cab, relieved and distressed. 他忧郁地上了马车,既松了一口气,又忧心忡忡。 来自互联网
621 profusion e1JzW     
n.挥霍;丰富
参考例句:
  • He is liberal to profusion.他挥霍无度。
  • The leaves are falling in profusion.落叶纷纷。
622 relinquished 2d789d1995a6a7f21bb35f6fc8d61c5d     
交出,让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 ); 放弃
参考例句:
  • She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。
  • The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。
623 malevolent G8IzV     
adj.有恶意的,恶毒的
参考例句:
  • Why are they so malevolent to me?他们为什么对我如此恶毒?
  • We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。
624 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言
参考例句:
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
625 sardonically e99a8f28f1ae62681faa2bef336b5366     
adv.讽刺地,冷嘲地
参考例句:
  • Some say sardonically that combat pay is good and that one can do quite well out of this war. 有些人讽刺地说战地的薪饷很不错,人们可借这次战争赚到很多钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Tu Wei-yueh merely drew himself up and smiled sardonically. 屠维岳把胸脯更挺得直些,微微冷笑。 来自子夜部分
626 tamper 7g3zom     
v.干预,玩弄,贿赂,窜改,削弱,损害
参考例句:
  • Do not tamper with other's business.不要干预别人的事。
  • They had strict orders not to tamper with the customs of the minorities.他们得到命令严禁干涉少数民族的风俗习惯。
627 writhe QMvzJ     
vt.挣扎,痛苦地扭曲;vi.扭曲,翻腾,受苦;n.翻腾,苦恼
参考例句:
  • They surely writhe under this pressure.他们肯定对这种压力感到苦恼。
  • Her words made him writhe with shame.她的话使他惭愧地感到浑身不自在。
628 bereft ndjy9     
adj.被剥夺的
参考例句:
  • The place seemed to be utterly bereft of human life.这个地方似乎根本没有人烟。
  • She was bereft of happiness.她失去了幸福。
629 friction JQMzr     
n.摩擦,摩擦力
参考例句:
  • When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后,他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
  • Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体,并使其停止。
630 gargantuan 4fvzJ     
adj.巨大的,庞大的
参考例句:
  • My gargantuan,pristine machine was good for writing papers and playing solitaire,and that was all.我那庞大的、早期的计算机只适合写文章和玩纸牌游戏,就这些。
  • Right away,I realized this was a mistake of gargantuan proportions.我立刻意识到这是一个巨大的错误。
631 perches a9e7f5ff4da2527810360c20ff65afca     
栖息处( perch的名词复数 ); 栖枝; 高处; 鲈鱼
参考例句:
  • Other protection can be obtained by providing wooden perches througout the orchards. 其它保护措施是可在种子园中到处设置木制的栖木。
  • The birds were hopping about on their perches and twittering. 鸟儿在栖木上跳来跳去,吱吱地叫着。
632 apprehensive WNkyw     
adj.担心的,恐惧的,善于领会的
参考例句:
  • She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
  • He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。
633 burrowed 6dcacd2d15d363874a67d047aa972091     
v.挖掘(洞穴),挖洞( burrow的过去式和过去分词 );翻寻
参考例句:
  • The rabbits burrowed into the hillside. 兔子在山腰上打洞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She burrowed her head into my shoulder. 她把头紧靠在我的肩膀上。 来自辞典例句
634 skittish 5hay2     
adj.易激动的,轻佻的
参考例句:
  • She gets very skittish when her boy-friend is around.她男朋友在场时,她就显得格外轻佻。
  • I won't have my son associating with skittish girls.我不准我的儿子与轻佻的女孩交往。
635 flickers b24574e519d9d4ee773189529fadd6d6     
电影制片业; (通常指灯光)闪烁,摇曳( flicker的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The fire flickers low. 炉火颤动欲灭。
  • A strange idea flickers in my mind. 一种奇怪的思想又在我脑中燃烧了。
636 crests 9ef5f38e01ed60489f228ef56d77c5c8     
v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的第三人称单数 );到达洪峰,达到顶点
参考例句:
  • The surfers were riding in towards the beach on the crests of the waves. 冲浪者们顺着浪头冲向岸边。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The correspondent aroused, heard the crash of the toppled crests. 记者醒了,他听见了浪头倒塌下来的轰隆轰隆声。 来自辞典例句
637 foamed 113c59340f70ad75b2469cbd9b8b5869     
泡沫的
参考例句:
  • The beer foamed up and overflowed the glass. 啤酒冒着泡沫,溢出了玻璃杯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The man foamed and stormed. 那人大发脾气,暴跳如雷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
638 cataclysm NcQyH     
n.洪水,剧变,大灾难
参考例句:
  • The extinct volcano's eruption would mean a cataclysm for the city.死火山又重新喷发,对这座城市来说意味着大难临头。
  • The cataclysm flooded the entire valley.洪水淹没了整个山谷。
639 wrath nVNzv     
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒
参考例句:
  • His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
  • The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。
640 disintegrating 9d32d74678f9504e3a8713641951ccdf     
v.(使)破裂[分裂,粉碎],(使)崩溃( disintegrate的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • As a poetic version of a disintegrating world, this one pleased him. 作为世界崩溃论在文学上的表现,他非常喜欢这个学说。 来自辞典例句
  • Soil animals increase the speed of litter breakdown by disintegrating tissue. 土壤动物通过分解组织,加速落叶层降解的速度。 来自辞典例句
641 veins 65827206226d9e2d78ea2bfe697c6329     
n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理
参考例句:
  • The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的,感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
642 streaked d67e6c987d5339547c7938f1950b8295     
adj.有条斑纹的,不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 );使布满条纹
参考例句:
  • The children streaked off as fast as they could. 孩子们拔脚飞跑 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • His face was pale and streaked with dirt. 他脸色苍白,脸上有一道道的污痕。 来自辞典例句
643 eerie N8gy0     
adj.怪诞的;奇异的;可怕的;胆怯的
参考例句:
  • It's eerie to walk through a dark wood at night.夜晚在漆黑的森林中行走很是恐怖。
  • I walked down the eerie dark path.我走在那条漆黑恐怖的小路上。
644 shimmered 7b85656359fe70119e38fa62825e4f8b     
v.闪闪发光,发微光( shimmer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The sea shimmered in the sunlight. 阳光下海水闪烁着微光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A heat haze shimmered above the fields. 田野上方微微闪烁着一层热气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
645 atmospheric 6eayR     
adj.大气的,空气的;大气层的;大气所引起的
参考例句:
  • Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
  • Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。
646 mounds dd943890a7780b264a2a6c1fa8d084a3     
土堆,土丘( mound的名词复数 ); 一大堆
参考例句:
  • We had mounds of tasteless rice. 我们有成堆成堆的淡而无味的米饭。
  • Ah! and there's the cemetery' - cemetery, he must have meant. 'You see the mounds? 啊,这就是同墓,”——我想他要说的一定是公墓,“看到那些土墩了吗?
647 slaughtered 59ed88f0d23c16f58790fb11c4a5055d     
v.屠杀,杀戮,屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》
648 lighter 5pPzPR     
n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级
参考例句:
  • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色,色调明朗了一些。
  • The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
649 bleaching c8f59fe090b4d03ec300145821501bd3     
漂白法,漂白
参考例句:
  • Moderately weathered rock showed more intense bleaching and fissuring in the feldspars. 中等风化岩石则是指长石有更为强烈的变白现象和裂纹现象。
  • Bleaching effects are very strong and show on air photos. 退色效应非常强烈,并且反映在航空象片上。
650 ominously Gm6znd     
adv.恶兆地,不吉利地;预示地
参考例句:
  • The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块,在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘(部分)
651 raggedly 5f9192030b180c441f6cd872cea42c73     
破烂地,粗糙地
参考例句:
  • The crowd was shouting raggedly now, instead of in chorus as at first. 群众杂乱地喊着,比第一次的口号稍稍见得不整齐。 来自子夜部分
  • I took the cigarette he offered, drawing at it raggedly. 我接过他给的烟,在上面胡乱地画起来。
652 ragged KC0y8     
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
参考例句:
  • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
  • Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
653 puff y0cz8     
n.一口(气);一阵(风);v.喷气,喘气
参考例句:
  • He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
  • They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。
654 wheeze Ep5yX     
n.喘息声,气喘声;v.喘息着说
参考例句:
  • The old man managed to wheeze out a few words.老人勉强地喘息着说出了几句话。
  • He has a slight wheeze in his chest.他呼吸时胸部发出轻微的响声。
655 laboring 2749babc1b2a966d228f9122be56f4cb     
n.劳动,操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转
参考例句:
  • The young man who said laboring was beneath his dignity finally put his pride in his pocket and got a job as a kitchen porter. 那个说过干活儿有失其身份的年轻人最终只能忍辱,做了厨房搬运工的工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • But this knowledge did not keep them from laboring to save him. 然而,这并不妨碍她们尽力挽救他。 来自飘(部分)
656 deteriorate Zm8zW     
v.变坏;恶化;退化
参考例句:
  • Do you think relations between China and Japan will continue to deteriorate?你认为中日关系会继续恶化吗?
  • He held that this would only cause the situation to deteriorate further.他认为,这只会使局势更加恶化。
657 wringing 70c74d76c2d55027ff25f12f2ab350a9     
淋湿的,湿透的
参考例句:
  • He was wringing wet after working in the field in the hot sun. 烈日下在田里干活使他汗流满面。
  • He is wringing out the water from his swimming trunks. 他正在把游泳裤中的水绞出来。
658 wring 4oOys     
n.扭绞;v.拧,绞出,扭
参考例句:
  • My socks were so wet that I had to wring them.我的袜子很湿,我不得不拧干它们。
  • I'll wring your neck if you don't behave!你要是不规矩,我就拧断你的脖子。
659 membrane H7ez8     
n.薄膜,膜皮,羊皮纸
参考例句:
  • A vibrating membrane in the ear helps to convey sounds to the brain.耳膜的振动帮助声音传送到大脑。
  • A plastic membrane serves as selective diffusion barrier.一层塑料薄膜起着选择性渗透屏障的作用。
660 respiration us7yt     
n.呼吸作用;一次呼吸;植物光合作用
参考例句:
  • They tried artificial respiration but it was of no avail.他们试做人工呼吸,可是无效。
  • They made frequent checks on his respiration,pulse and blood.他们经常检查他的呼吸、脉搏和血液。
661 desperately cu7znp     
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地
参考例句:
  • He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
  • He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。
662 pried 4844fa322f3d4b970a4e0727867b0b7f     
v.打听,刺探(他人的私事)( pry的过去式和过去分词 );撬开
参考例句:
  • We pried open the locked door with an iron bar. 我们用铁棍把锁着的门撬开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • So Tom pried his mouth open and poured down the Pain-killer. 因此汤姆撬开它的嘴,把止痛药灌下去。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
663 lulled c799460fe7029a292576ebc15da4e955     
vt.使镇静,使安静(lull的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • They lulled her into a false sense of security. 他们哄骗她,使她产生一种虚假的安全感。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The movement of the train lulled me to sleep. 火车轻微的震动催我进入梦乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
664 hunched 532924f1646c4c5850b7c607069be416     
(常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦)耸肩弓身的,伏首前倾的
参考例句:
  • He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
  • Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。
665 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。
666 shuffling 03b785186d0322e5a1a31c105fc534ee     
adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • Don't go shuffling along as if you were dead. 别像个死人似地拖着脚走。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • Some one was shuffling by on the sidewalk. 外面的人行道上有人拖着脚走过。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
667 esteem imhyZ     
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作
参考例句:
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。
668 hawser N58yc     
n.大缆;大索
参考例句:
  • The fingers were pinched under a hawser.手指被夹在了大缆绳下面。
  • There's a new hawser faked down there.有条新铁索盘卷在那里。
669 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。
670 malady awjyo     
n.病,疾病(通常做比喻)
参考例句:
  • There is no specific remedy for the malady.没有医治这种病的特效药。
  • They are managing to control the malady into a small range.他们设法将疾病控制在小范围之内。
671 coffin XWRy7     
n.棺材,灵柩
参考例句:
  • When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
  • The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。
672 silhouetted 4f4f3ccd0698303d7829ad553dcf9eef     
显出轮廓的,显示影像的
参考例句:
  • We could see a church silhouetted against the skyline. 我们可以看到一座教堂凸现在天际。
  • The stark jagged rocks were silhouetted against the sky. 光秃嶙峋的岩石衬托着天空的背景矗立在那里。
673 inadequacy Zkpyl     
n.无法胜任,信心不足
参考例句:
  • the inadequacy of our resources 我们的资源的贫乏
  • The failure is due to the inadequacy of preparations. 这次失败是由于准备不足造成的。
674 obsessive eIYxs     
adj. 着迷的, 强迫性的, 分神的
参考例句:
  • Some people are obsessive about cleanliness.有些人有洁癖。
  • He's becoming more and more obsessive about punctuality.他对守时要求越来越过分了。
675 taboos 6a690451c8c44df41d89927fdad5692d     
禁忌( taboo的名词复数 ); 忌讳; 戒律; 禁忌的事物(或行为)
参考例句:
  • She was unhorsed by fences, laws and alien taboos. 她被藩蓠、法律及外来的戒律赶下了马。
  • His mind was charged with taboos. 他头脑里忌讳很多。
676 varnished 14996fe4d70a450f91e6de0005fd6d4d     
浸渍过的,涂漆的
参考例句:
  • The doors are then stained and varnished. 这些门还要染色涂清漆。
  • He varnished the wooden table. 他给那张木桌涂了清漆。
677 hue qdszS     
n.色度;色调;样子
参考例句:
  • The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
  • The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。
678 lining kpgzTO     
n.衬里,衬料
参考例句:
  • The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
  • Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。
679 velvet 5gqyO     
n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的
参考例句:
  • This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
  • The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。
680 chapel UXNzg     
n.小教堂,殡仪馆
参考例句:
  • The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
  • She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午,她在小教堂的演出,可以说是登峰造极。
681 requiem 3Bfz2     
n.安魂曲,安灵曲
参考例句:
  • I will sing a requiem for the land walkers.我会给陆地上走的人唱首安魂曲。
  • The Requiem is on the list for today's concert.《安魂曲》是这次音乐会的演出曲目之一。
682 cemetery ur9z7     
n.坟墓,墓地,坟场
参考例句:
  • He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
  • His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。
683 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。
684 vault 3K3zW     
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室
参考例句:
  • The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
  • The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。
685 pretentious lSrz3     
adj.自命不凡的,自负的,炫耀的
参考例句:
  • He is a talented but pretentious writer.他是一个有才华但自命不凡的作家。
  • Speaking well of yourself would only make you appear conceited and pretentious.自夸只会使你显得自负和虚伪。
686 hoops 528662bd801600a928e199785550b059     
n.箍( hoop的名词复数 );(篮球)篮圈;(旧时儿童玩的)大环子;(两端埋在地里的)小铁弓
参考例句:
  • a barrel bound with iron hoops 用铁箍箍紧的桶
  • Hoops in Paris were wider this season and skirts were shorter. 在巴黎,这个季节的裙圈比较宽大,裙裾却短一些。 来自飘(部分)
687 brawl tsmzw     
n.大声争吵,喧嚷;v.吵架,对骂
参考例句:
  • They had nothing better to do than brawl in the street.他们除了在街上斗殴做不出什么好事。
  • I don't want to see our two neighbours engaged in a brawl.我不希望我们两家吵架吵得不可开交。
688 anonymous lM2yp     
adj.无名的;匿名的;无特色的
参考例句:
  • Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
  • The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。
689 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
690 accusation GJpyf     
n.控告,指责,谴责
参考例句:
  • I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
  • She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。
691 condemned condemned     
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
  • The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。
692 unbearable alCwB     
adj.不能容忍的;忍受不住的
参考例句:
  • It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
  • The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。
693 persistence hSLzh     
n.坚持,持续,存留
参考例句:
  • The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。
  • He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。
694 by-product nSayP     
n.副产品,附带产生的结果
参考例句:
  • Freedom is the by-product of economic surplus.自由是经济盈余的副产品。
  • The raw material for the tyre is a by-product of petrol refining.制造轮胎的原材料是提炼汽油时产生的一种副产品。
695 succoring 9c85f51a69736b30c82530e4cb6912c9     
v.给予帮助( succor的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The government has worked out a plan of succoring the needy. 政府已经制定出了救济贫民的计划。 来自互联网
  • Chinese soldier went to the earthquake-striken area at top speed for succoring the injured person. 军人火速赶往地震灾区展开救援。 来自互联网
696 hectic jdZzk     
adj.肺病的;消耗热的;发热的;闹哄哄的
参考例句:
  • I spent a very hectic Sunday.我度过了一个忙乱的星期天。
  • The two days we spent there were enjoyable but hectic.我们在那里度过的两天愉快但闹哄哄的。
697 filthy ZgOzj     
adj.卑劣的;恶劣的,肮脏的
参考例句:
  • The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。
  • You really should throw out that filthy old sofa and get a new one.你真的应该扔掉那张肮脏的旧沙发,然后再去买张新的。
698 abominable PN5zs     
adj.可厌的,令人憎恶的
参考例句:
  • Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。
  • The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。
699 wade nMgzu     
v.跋涉,涉水;n.跋涉
参考例句:
  • We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
  • We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。
700 spat pFdzJ     
n.口角,掌击;v.发出呼噜呼噜声
参考例句:
  • Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。
  • There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。
701 incapable w9ZxK     
adj.无能力的,不能做某事的
参考例句:
  • He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
  • Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。
702 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
703 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。
704 paucity 3AYyc     
n.小量,缺乏
参考例句:
  • The paucity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果缺乏是由于干旱造成的。
  • The results are often unsatisfactory because of the paucity of cells.因细胞稀少,结果常令人不满意。
705 crutching 1025a478fa4d29c0ffd672591cde6a86     
防蝇去毛,结块污毛,(剪毛前)羊身除下的粪污碎毛
参考例句:
706 foul Sfnzy     
adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规
参考例句:
  • Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
  • What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气!
707 excrement IhLzw     
n.排泄物,粪便
参考例句:
  • The cage smelled of excrement.笼子里粪臭熏人。
  • Clothing can also become contaminated with dust,feathers,and excrement.衣着则会受到微尘、羽毛和粪便的污染。
708 crutched cd09b6235d9fe798d10f8ebdbf44322f     
用拐杖支持的,有丁字形柄的,有支柱的
参考例句:
709 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
710 rammed 99b2b7e6fc02f63b92d2b50ea750a532     
v.夯实(土等)( ram的过去式和过去分词 );猛撞;猛压;反复灌输
参考例句:
  • Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来,出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
  • I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》
711 intestinal DbHzX     
adj.肠的;肠壁;肠道细菌
参考例句:
  • A few other conditions are in high intestinal obstruction. 其它少数情况是高位肠梗阻。 来自辞典例句
  • This complication has occasionally occurred following the use of intestinal antiseptics. 这种并发症偶而发生在使用肠道抗菌剂上。 来自辞典例句
712 parasites a8076647ef34cfbbf9d3cb418df78a08     
寄生物( parasite的名词复数 ); 靠他人为生的人; 诸虫
参考例句:
  • These symptoms may be referable to virus infection rather than parasites. 这些症状也许是由病毒感染引起的,而与寄生虫无关。
  • Kangaroos harbor a vast range of parasites. 袋鼠身上有各种各样的寄生虫。
713 isolated bqmzTd     
adj.与世隔绝的
参考例句:
  • His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
  • Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。
714 plundering 765be35dd06b76b3790253a472c85681     
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The troops crossed the country, plundering and looting as they went. 部队经过乡村,一路抢劫掳掠。
  • They amassed huge wealth by plundering the colonies. 他们通过掠夺殖民地聚敛了大笔的财富。
715 reluctance 8VRx8     
n.厌恶,讨厌,勉强,不情愿
参考例句:
  • The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
  • He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。
716 blandly f411bffb7a3b98af8224e543d5078eb9     
adv.温和地,殷勤地
参考例句:
  • There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. 布里斯托尔有那么一帮人为此恨透了布兰德利。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
  • \"Maybe you could get something in the stage line?\" he blandly suggested. “也许你能在戏剧这一行里找些事做,\"他和蔼地提议道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
717 bibliophilic c54b457718de624ade46fd4f5eba387d     
参考例句:
718 chaste 8b6yt     
adj.贞洁的;有道德的;善良的;简朴的
参考例句:
  • Comparatively speaking,I like chaste poetry better.相比较而言,我更喜欢朴实无华的诗。
  • Tess was a chaste young girl.苔丝是一个善良的少女。
719 titillated b882c5aab000c2e3e40ae34995badb0c     
v.使觉得痒( titillate的过去式和过去分词 );逗引;激发;使高兴
参考例句:
  • The public were titillated; they were already on the grin. 观众听来觉得周身酥痒,他们已经露着牙齿笑了。 来自辞典例句
  • The news titillated the curiosity of the public. 这桩新闻引起了群众的好奇心。 来自辞典例句
720 immortal 7kOyr     
adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的
参考例句:
  • The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
  • The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽!
721 sentimental dDuzS     
adj.多愁善感的,感伤的
参考例句:
  • She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人,她相信姻缘命中注定。
  • We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。
722 erratic ainzj     
adj.古怪的,反复无常的,不稳定的
参考例句:
  • The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
  • The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。
723 wondrous pfIyt     
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地
参考例句:
  • The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
  • We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。
724 everlasting Insx7     
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的
参考例句:
  • These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
  • He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。
725 doggerel t8Lyn     
n.拙劣的诗,打油诗
参考例句:
  • The doggerel doesn't filiate itself.这首打油诗没有标明作者是谁。
  • He styled his poem doggerel.他把他的这首诗歌叫做打油诗。
726 amicable Qexyu     
adj.和平的,友好的;友善的
参考例句:
  • The two nations reached an amicable agreement.两国达成了一项友好协议。
  • The two nations settled their quarrel in an amicable way.两国以和睦友好的方式解决了他们的争端。
727 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
728 shafts 8a8cb796b94a20edda1c592a21399c6b     
n.轴( shaft的名词复数 );(箭、高尔夫球棒等的)杆;通风井;一阵(疼痛、害怕等)
参考例句:
  • He deliberately jerked the shafts to rock him a bit. 他故意的上下颠动车把,摇这个老猴子几下。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
  • Shafts were sunk, with tunnels dug laterally. 竖井已经打下,并且挖有横向矿道。 来自辞典例句
729 shaft YEtzp     
n.(工具的)柄,杆状物
参考例句:
  • He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
  • This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。
730 curry xnozh     
n.咖哩粉,咖哩饭菜;v.用咖哩粉调味,用马栉梳,制革
参考例句:
  • Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。
  • Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。
731 kapok TpZzpL     
n.木棉
参考例句:
  • As all we know,kapok is the city flower of Guangzhou.众所周知,木棉是广州市的市花。
  • Kapok becomes red when spring comes.春天来了,木棉红了。
732 spines 2e4ba52a0d6dac6ce45c445e5386653c     
n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 );脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊
参考例句:
  • Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves. 豪猪用身上的刺毛来自卫。
  • The cactus has spines. 仙人掌有刺。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
733 skulked e141a7947687027923a59bfad6fb5a6e     
v.潜伏,偷偷摸摸地走动,鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Sir Francis Clavering made his appearance, and skulked for a while about the magnificent rooms. 弗朗西斯·克拉弗林爵士也出席了,他在那些金碧辉煌的屋子里遛了一会。 来自辞典例句
  • He skulked around outside until the police had gone. 他窥探着四周,直至见到警察走开。 来自互联网
734 scuttled f5d33c8cedd0ebe9ef7a35f17a1cff7e     
v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 );快跑,急走
参考例句:
  • She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice. 听到他的说话声,她赶紧跑开了。
  • The thief scuttled off when he saw the policeman. 小偷看见警察来了便急忙跑掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
735 yarned cc6984311f211dc78757c55db6c34bda     
vi.讲故事(yarn的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
736 wilderness SgrwS     
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠
参考例句:
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。
737 literally 28Wzv     
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实
参考例句:
  • He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
  • Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候,她不走到真正要昏厥了,决不肯坐下来。
738 kenneled 0bd95d624ad6023c77254644ddb997f4     
v.狗窝( kennel的过去式和过去分词 );养狗场
参考例句:
739 bilious GdUy3     
adj.胆汁过多的;易怒的
参考例句:
  • The quality or condition of being bilious.多脂肪食物使有些人患胆汁病。
  • He was a bilious old gentleman.他是一位脾气乖戾的老先生。
740 rigor as0yi     
n.严酷,严格,严厉
参考例句:
  • Their analysis lacks rigor.他们的分析缺乏严谨性。||The crime will be treated with the full rigor of the law.这一罪行会严格依法审理。
741 rigors 466678414e27533457628ace559db9cb     
严格( rigor的名词复数 ); 严酷; 严密; (由惊吓或中毒等导致的身体)僵直
参考例句:
  • The rigors of that lonely land need no further description. 生活在那个穷乡僻壤的困苦是无庸赘言的。
  • You aren't ready for the rigors of industry. 你不适合干工业的艰苦工作了。
742 tempestuous rpzwj     
adj.狂暴的
参考例句:
  • She burst into a tempestuous fit of anger.她勃然大怒。
  • Dark and tempestuous was night.夜色深沉,狂风肆虐,暴雨倾盆。
743 piecemeal oNIxE     
adj.零碎的;n.片,块;adv.逐渐地;v.弄成碎块
参考例句:
  • A lack of narrative drive leaves the reader with piecemeal vignettes.叙述缺乏吸引力,读者读到的只是一些支离破碎的片段。
  • Let's settle the matter at one stroke,not piecemeal.把这事一气儿解决了吧,别零敲碎打了。
744 vengeance wL6zs     
n.报复,报仇,复仇
参考例句:
  • He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
  • For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。
745 choirs e4152b67d45e685a4d9c5d855f91f996     
n.教堂的唱诗班( choir的名词复数 );唱诗队;公开表演的合唱团;(教堂)唱经楼
参考例句:
  • They ran the three churches to which they belonged, the clergy, the choirs and the parishioners. 她们管理着自己所属的那三家教堂、牧师、唱诗班和教区居民。 来自飘(部分)
  • Since 1935, several village choirs skilled in this music have been created. 1935以来,数支熟练掌握这种音乐的乡村唱诗班相继建立起来。 来自互联网
746 attenuated d547804f5ac8a605def5470fdb566b22     
v.(使)变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)变薄;(使)变小;减弱
参考例句:
  • an attenuated form of the virus 毒性已衰减的病毒
  • You're a seraphic suggestion of attenuated thought . 你的思想是轻灵得如同天使一般的。 来自辞典例句
747 expiation a80c49513e840be0ae3a8e585f1f2d7e     
n.赎罪,补偿
参考例句:
  • 'served him right,'said Drouet afterward, even in view of her keen expiation of her error. “那是他活该,"这一场结束时杜洛埃说,尽管那个妻子已竭力要赎前愆。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • Jesus made expiation for our sins on the cross. 耶稣在十字架上为我们赎了罪。 来自互联网
748 entailed 4e76d9f28d5145255733a8119f722f77     
使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 ); 需要; 限定继承; 使必需
参考例句:
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son. 城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
  • The house and estate are entailed on the eldest daughter. 这所房子和地产限定由长女继承。
749 distress 3llzX     
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛
参考例句:
  • Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
  • Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。
750 quenching 90229e08b1aa329f388bae4268d165d8     
淬火,熄
参考例句:
  • She had, of course, no faculty for quenching memory in dissipation. 她当然也没有以放荡纵欲来冲淡记忆的能耐。
  • This loss, termed quenching, may arise in two ways. 此种损失称为淬火,呈两个方面。
751 vitality lhAw8     
n.活力,生命力,效力
参考例句:
  • He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后,身强体壮,充满活力。
  • He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。
752 prospect P01zn     
n.前景,前途;景色,视野
参考例句:
  • This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
  • The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。
753 milky JD0xg     
adj.牛奶的,多奶的;乳白色的
参考例句:
  • Alexander always has milky coffee at lunchtime.亚历山大总是在午餐时喝掺奶的咖啡。
  • I like a hot milky drink at bedtime.我喜欢睡前喝杯热奶饮料。
754 opaque jvhy1     
adj.不透光的;不反光的,不传导的;晦涩的
参考例句:
  • The windows are of opaque glass.这些窗户装着不透明玻璃。
  • Their intentions remained opaque.他们的意图仍然令人费解。
755 translucent yniwY     
adj.半透明的;透明的
参考例句:
  • The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.这座建筑完全用半透明瓦楞塑料封顶。
  • A small difference between them will render the composite translucent.微小的差别,也会使复合材料变成半透明。
756 cantankerous TTuyb     
adj.爱争吵的,脾气不好的
参考例句:
  • He met a crabbed,cantankerous director.他碰上了一位坏脾气、爱争吵的主管。
  • The cantankerous bus driver rouse on the children for singing.那个坏脾气的公共汽车司机因为孩子们唱歌而骂他们。
757 refractory GCOyK     
adj.倔强的,难驾驭的
参考例句:
  • He is a very refractory child.他是一个很倔强的孩子。
  • Silicate minerals are characteristically refractory and difficult to break down.硅酸盐矿物的特点是耐熔和难以分离。
758 dwelling auzzQk     
n.住宅,住所,寓所
参考例句:
  • Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
  • He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。
759 conceit raVyy     
n.自负,自高自大
参考例句:
  • As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后,谦虚使人进步。
  • She seems to be eaten up with her own conceit.她仿佛已经被骄傲冲昏了头脑。
760 avenging 4c436498f794cbaf30fc9a4ef601cf7b     
adj.报仇的,复仇的v.为…复仇,报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 );为…报复
参考例句:
  • He has devoted the past five years to avenging his daughter's death. 他过去5年一心报丧女之仇。 来自辞典例句
  • His disfigured face was like some avenging nemesis of gargoyle design. 他那张破了相的脸,活象面目狰狞的复仇之神。 来自辞典例句
761 mawkishly e5cea9c0cde970f249046d8cda91b027     
adv.mawkish(淡而无味的)的变形
参考例句:
  • The violinist played that piece mawkishly. 小提琴演奏者演奏的那段乐章很难听。 来自互联网
  • It is marred, however, by songs that editorialize mawkishly about the children's plight. 但是,它被吵闹而乏味的关于小孩子困境的评论文章污损了。 来自互联网
762 placid 7A1yV     
adj.安静的,平和的
参考例句:
  • He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
  • You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。
763 arsenal qNPyF     
n.兵工厂,军械库
参考例句:
  • Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
  • We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。
764 evade evade     
vt.逃避,回避;避开,躲避
参考例句:
  • He tried to evade the embarrassing question.他企图回避这令人难堪的问题。
  • You are in charge of the job.How could you evade the issue?你是负责人,你怎么能对这个问题不置可否?
765 guardian 8ekxv     
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者
参考例句:
  • The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
  • The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。
766 chunk Kqwzz     
n.厚片,大块,相当大的部分(数量)
参考例句:
  • They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
  • The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。
767 anticlimax Penyh     
n.令人扫兴的结局;突降法
参考例句:
  • Travelling in Europe was something of an anticlimax after the years he'd spent in Africa.他在非洲生活了多年,到欧洲旅行真是有点太平淡了。
  • It was an anticlimax when they abandoned the game.他们放弃比赛,真是扫兴。
768 valid eiCwm     
adj.有确实根据的;有效的;正当的,合法的
参考例句:
  • His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
  • Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗?
769 parody N46zV     
n.打油诗文,诙谐的改编诗文,拙劣的模仿;v.拙劣模仿,作模仿诗文
参考例句:
  • The parody was just a form of teasing.那个拙劣的模仿只是一种揶揄。
  • North Korea looks like a grotesque parody of Mao's centrally controlled China,precisely the sort of system that Beijing has left behind.朝鲜看上去像是毛时代中央集权的中国的怪诞模仿,其体制恰恰是北京方面已经抛弃的。
770 embarrassment fj9z8     
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫
参考例句:
  • She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
  • Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。
771 facet wzXym     
n.(问题等的)一个方面;(多面体的)面
参考例句:
  • He has perfected himself in every facet of his job.他已使自己对工作的各个方面都得心应手。
  • Every facet of college life is fascinating.大学生活的每个方面都令人兴奋。
772 illicit By8yN     
adj.非法的,禁止的,不正当的
参考例句:
  • He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
  • Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。
773 diffusing 14602ac9aa9fec67dcb4228b9fef0c68     
(使光)模糊,漫射,漫散( diffuse的现在分词 ); (使)扩散; (使)弥漫; (使)传播
参考例句:
  • Compounding this confusion is a diffusing definition of journalist. 新闻和娱乐的掺和扩散了“记者”定义。
  • Diffusing phenomena also so, after mix cannot spontaneous separating. 扩散现象也如此,混合之后不能自发的分开。
774 writhed 7985cffe92f87216940f2d01877abcf6     
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He writhed at the memory, revolted with himself for that temporary weakness. 他一想起来就痛悔不已,只恨自己当一时糊涂。
  • The insect, writhed, and lay prostrate again. 昆虫折腾了几下,重又直挺挺地倒了下去。
775 humiliation Jd3zW     
n.羞辱
参考例句:
  • He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
  • He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。
776 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》
777 tempted b0182e969d369add1b9ce2353d3c6ad6     
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词)
参考例句:
  • I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。
  • I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
778 shameful DzzwR     
adj.可耻的,不道德的
参考例句:
  • It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己,真不害臊。
  • We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。
779 thereby Sokwv     
adv.因此,从而
参考例句:
  • I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市,因此对它不怎么熟悉。
  • He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民,因而得到了投票权。
780 bestial btmzp     
adj.残忍的;野蛮的
参考例句:
  • The Roman gladiatorial contests were bestial amusements.罗马角斗是残忍的娱乐。
  • A statement on Amman Radio spoke of bestial aggression and a horrible massacre. 安曼广播电台播放的一则声明提到了野蛮的侵略和骇人的大屠杀。
781 anguish awZz0     
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼
参考例句:
  • She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时,她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
  • The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。
782 idol Z4zyo     
n.偶像,红人,宠儿
参考例句:
  • As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子,他是父母的宠儿。
  • Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。
783 firmament h71yN     
n.苍穹;最高层
参考例句:
  • There are no stars in the firmament.天空没有一颗星星。
  • He was rich,and a rising star in the political firmament.他十分富有,并且是政治高层一颗冉冉升起的新星。
784 reticent dW9xG     
adj.沉默寡言的;言不如意的
参考例句:
  • He was reticent about his opinion.他有保留意见。
  • He was extremely reticent about his personal life.他对自己的个人生活讳莫如深。
785 mowed 19a6e054ba8c2bc553dcc339ac433294     
v.刈,割( mow的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The enemy were mowed down with machine-gun fire. 敌人被机枪的火力扫倒。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Men mowed the wide lawns and seeded them. 人们割了大片草地的草,然后在上面播种。 来自辞典例句
786 verandas 1a565cfad0b95bd949f7ae808a04570a     
阳台,走廊( veranda的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Women in stiff bright-colored silks strolled about long verandas, squired by men in evening clothes. 噼噼啪啪香槟酒的瓶塞的声音此起彼伏。
  • They overflowed on verandas and many were sitting on benches in the dim lantern-hung yard. 他们有的拥到了走郎上,有的坐在挂着灯笼显得有点阴暗的院子里。
787 oysters 713202a391facaf27aab568d95bdc68f     
牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • We don't have oysters tonight, but the crayfish are very good. 我们今晚没有牡蛎供应。但小龙虾是非常好。
  • She carried a piping hot grill of oysters and bacon. 她端出一盘滚烫的烤牡蛎和咸肉。
788 prawns d7f00321a6a1efe17e10d298c2afd4b0     
n.对虾,明虾( prawn的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Mine was a picture of four translucent prawns, with two small fish swimming above them. 给我画的是四只虾,半透明的,上画有两条小鱼。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
  • Shall we get some shrimp and prawns? 我们要不要买些小虾和对虾? 来自无师自通 校园英语会话
789 crabs a26cc3db05581d7cfc36d59943c77523     
n.蟹( crab的名词复数 );阴虱寄生病;蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》
790 lobster w8Yzm     
n.龙虾,龙虾肉
参考例句:
  • The lobster is a shellfish.龙虾是水生贝壳动物。
  • I like lobster but it does not like me.我喜欢吃龙虾,但它不适宜于我的健康。
791 lobsters 67c1952945bc98558012e9740c2ba11b     
龙虾( lobster的名词复数 ); 龙虾肉
参考例句:
  • I have no idea about how to prepare those cuttlefish and lobsters. 我对如何烹调那些乌贼和龙虾毫无概念。
  • She sold me a couple of live lobsters. 她卖了几只活龙虾给我。
792 ferment lgQzt     
vt.使发酵;n./vt.(使)激动,(使)动乱
参考例句:
  • Fruit juices ferment if they are kept a long time.果汁若是放置很久,就会发酵。
  • The sixties were a time of theological ferment.六十年代是神学上骚动的时代。
793 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
794 stiffening d80da5d6e73e55bbb6a322bd893ffbc4     
n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • Her mouth stiffening, she could not elaborate. 她嘴巴僵直,无法细说下去。
  • No genius, not a bad guy, but the attacks are hurting and stiffening him. 不是天才,人也不坏,但是四面八方的攻击伤了他的感情,使他横下了心。
795 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。
796 aegis gKJyi     
n.盾;保护,庇护
参考例句:
  • Medical supplies are flied in under the aegis of the red cross.在红十字会的保护下,正在空运进医药用品。
  • The space programme will continue under the aegis of the armed forces.这项太空计划将以武装部队作后盾继续进行。
797 adoration wfhyD     
n.爱慕,崇拜
参考例句:
  • He gazed at her with pure adoration.他一往情深地注视着她。
  • The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
798 shuffled cee46c30b0d1f2d0c136c830230fe75a     
v.洗(纸牌)( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 );拖着脚步走;粗心地做;摆脱尘世的烦恼
参考例句:
  • He shuffled across the room to the window. 他拖着脚走到房间那头的窗户跟前。
  • Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them. 西蒙笨拙地拖着脚朝他们走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
799 hoist rdizD     
n.升高,起重机,推动;v.升起,升高,举起
参考例句:
  • By using a hoist the movers were able to sling the piano to the third floor.搬运工人用吊车才把钢琴吊到3楼。
  • Hoist the Chinese flag on the flagpole,please!请在旗杆上升起中国国旗!
800 pigeonhole tlczdr     
n.鸽舍出入口;v.把...归类
参考例句:
  • The pigeonhole principle is an important principle in combinatorics.鸽巢原理是组合学中一个非常重要的原理。
  • I don't want to be pigeonholed as a kids' presenter.我不想被归类为儿童节目主持人。
801 wont peXzFP     
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯
参考例句:
  • He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
  • It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。
802 pickets 32ab2103250bc1699d0740a77a5a155b     
罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Five pickets were arrested by police. 五名纠察队员被警方逮捕。
  • We could hear the chanting of the pickets. 我们可以听到罢工纠察员有节奏的喊叫声。
803 braces ca4b7fc327bd02465aeaf6e4ce63bfcd     
n.吊带,背带;托架( brace的名词复数 );箍子;括弧;(儿童)牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 );撑牢;使自己站稳;振作起来
参考例句:
  • The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃,因为支架全松了。
  • You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带,就用不着吊带了。
804 sputtered 96f0fd50429fb7be8aafa0ca161be0b6     
v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 );发劈啪声;喷出;飞溅出
参考例句:
  • The candle sputtered out. 蜡烛噼啪爆响着熄灭了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The balky engine sputtered and stopped. 不听使唤的发动机劈啪作响地停了下来。 来自辞典例句
805 fluency ajCxF     
n.流畅,雄辩,善辩
参考例句:
  • More practice will make you speak with greater fluency.多练习就可以使你的口语更流利。
  • Some young children achieve great fluency in their reading.一些孩子小小年纪阅读已经非常流畅。
806 cramped 287c2bb79385d19c466ec2df5b5ce970     
a.狭窄的
参考例句:
  • The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤,但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
  • working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作
807 puffs cb3699ccb6e175dfc305ea6255d392d6     
n.吸( puff的名词复数 );(烟斗或香烟的)一吸;一缕(烟、蒸汽等);(呼吸或风的)呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 );喷着汽(或烟)移动;吹嘘;吹捧
参考例句:
  • We sat exchanging puffs from that wild pipe of his. 我们坐在那里,轮番抽着他那支野里野气的烟斗。 来自辞典例句
  • Puffs of steam and smoke came from the engine. 一股股蒸汽和烟雾从那火车头里冒出来。 来自辞典例句
808 earrings 9ukzSs     
n.耳环( earring的名词复数 );耳坠子
参考例句:
  • a pair of earrings 一对耳环
  • These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
809 inspection y6TxG     
n.检查,审查,检阅
参考例句:
  • On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查,发现肉变质了。
  • The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。
810 ostrich T4vzg     
n.鸵鸟
参考例句:
  • Ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs.驼鸟是双腿跑得最快的动物。
  • The ostrich indeed inhabits continents.鸵鸟确实是生活在大陆上的。
811 ensemble 28GyV     
n.合奏(唱)组;全套服装;整体,总效果
参考例句:
  • We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
  • It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐,每人担任一部分。
812 distinguished wu9z3v     
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的
参考例句:
  • Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
  • A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。
813 shrieking abc59c5a22d7db02751db32b27b25dbb     
v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They were all shrieking with laughter. 他们都发出了尖锐的笑声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
814 consternation 8OfzB     
n.大为吃惊,惊骇
参考例句:
  • He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害,感到非常震惊。
  • Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。
815 dubious Akqz1     
adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的
参考例句:
  • What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
  • He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。
816 dowdy ZsdxQ     
adj.不整洁的;过旧的
参考例句:
  • She was in a dowdy blue frock.她穿了件不大洁净的蓝上衣。
  • She looked very plain and dowdy.她长得非常普通,衣也过时。
817 gracefully KfYxd     
ad.大大方方地;优美地
参考例句:
  • She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
  • The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。
818 rosebud xjZzfD     
n.蔷薇花蕾,妙龄少女
参考例句:
  • At West Ham he was thought of as the rosebud that never properly flowered.在西汉姆他被认为是一个尚未开放的花蕾。
  • Unlike the Rosebud salve,this stuff is actually worth the money.跟玫瑰花蕾膏不一样,这个更值的买。
819 rosebuds 450df99f3a51338414a829f9dbef21cb     
蔷薇花蕾,妙龄少女,初入社交界的少女( rosebud的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. 花开堪折直须折。
  • Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. 有花堪折直须折,莫待花无空折枝。
820 shingle 8yKwr     
n.木瓦板;小招牌(尤指医生或律师挂的营业招牌);v.用木瓦板盖(屋顶);把(女子头发)剪短
参考例句:
  • He scraped away the dirt,and exposed a pine shingle.他刨去泥土,下面露出一块松木瓦块。
  • He hung out his grandfather's shingle.他挂出了祖父的行医招牌。
821 transformation SnFwO     
n.变化;改造;转变
参考例句:
  • Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
  • He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。
822 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地
参考例句:
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
823 flaring Bswzxn     
a.火焰摇曳的,过份艳丽的
参考例句:
  • A vulgar flaring paper adorned the walls. 墙壁上装饰着廉价的花纸。
  • Goebbels was flaring up at me. 戈塔尔当时已对我面呈愠色。
824 habitual x5Pyp     
adj.习惯性的;通常的,惯常的
参考例句:
  • He is a habitual criminal.他是一个惯犯。
  • They are habitual visitors to our house.他们是我家的常客。
825 protruding e7480908ef1e5355b3418870e3d0812f     
v.(使某物)伸出,(使某物)突出( protrude的现在分词 );凸
参考例句:
  • He hung his coat on a nail protruding from the wall. 他把上衣挂在凸出墙面的一根钉子上。
  • There is a protruding shelf over a fireplace. 壁炉上方有个突出的架子。 来自辞典例句
826 sumptuous Rqqyl     
adj.豪华的,奢侈的,华丽的
参考例句:
  • The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。
  • We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。
827 scotch ZZ3x8     
n.伤口,刻痕;苏格兰威士忌酒;v.粉碎,消灭,阻止;adj.苏格兰(人)的
参考例句:
  • Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
  • Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景,真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。
828 potent C1uzk     
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的
参考例句:
  • The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
  • We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。
829 hoarded fe2d6b65d7be4a89a7f38b012b9a0b1b     
v.积蓄并储藏(某物)( hoard的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • It owned great properties and often hoarded huge treasures. 它拥有庞大的财产,同时往往窖藏巨额的财宝。 来自辞典例句
  • Sylvia among them, good-naturedly applaud so much long-hoarded treasure of useless knowing. 西尔维亚也在他们中间,为那些长期珍藏的无用知识,友好地、起劲地鼓掌。 来自互联网
830 depredations 4f01882be2e81bff9ad88e891b8e5847     
n.劫掠,毁坏( depredation的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Protect the nation's resources against the depredations of other countries. 保护国家资源,不容他人染指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Hitler's early'successes\" were only the startling depredations of a resolute felon. 希特勒的早期“胜利”,只不过是一个死心塌地的恶棍出人意料地抢掠得手而已。 来自辞典例句
831 discriminate NuhxX     
v.区别,辨别,区分;有区别地对待
参考例句:
  • You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
  • They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。
832 metaphorically metaphorically     
adv. 用比喻地
参考例句:
  • It is context and convention that determine whether a term will be interpreted literally or metaphorically. 对一个词的理解是按字面意思还是隐喻的意思要视乎上下文和习惯。
  • Metaphorically it implied a sort of admirable energy. 从比喻来讲,它含有一种令人赞许的能量的意思。
833 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
834 lissome 20oxd     
adj.柔软的;敏捷的
参考例句:
  • The lissome birchbark canoe seemed to be a fish,so easily did it cut through the rolling black waves and ranks of ice.轻盈的桦皮舟像一条大鱼,在滚滚的黑色波涛和冰排中间飞一般地前进。
  • His works often present a smart and lissome feeling.他的作品通常给人以灵动而轻盈的观感。
835 anguished WzezLl     
adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式)
参考例句:
  • Desmond eyed her anguished face with sympathy. 看着她痛苦的脸,德斯蒙德觉得理解。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The loss of her husband anguished her deeply. 她丈夫的死亡使她悲痛万分。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
836 discretion FZQzm     
n.谨慎;随意处理
参考例句:
  • You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
  • Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。
837 proceedings Wk2zvX     
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报
参考例句:
  • He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
  • to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼
838 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
839 attuned df5baec049ff6681d7b8a37af0aa8e12     
v.使协调( attune的过去式和过去分词 );调音
参考例句:
  • She wasn't yet attuned to her baby's needs. 她还没有熟悉她宝宝的需要。
  • Women attuned to sensitive men found Vincent Lord attractive. 偏爱敏感男子的女人,觉得文森特·洛德具有魅力。 来自辞典例句
840 wilting e91c5c26d67851ee6c19ef7cf1fd8ef9     
萎蔫
参考例句:
  • The spectators were wilting visibly in the hot sun. 看得出观众在炎热的阳光下快支撑不住了。
  • The petunias were already wilting in the hot sun. 在烈日下矮牵牛花已经开始枯萎了。
841 homely Ecdxo     
adj.家常的,简朴的;不漂亮的
参考例句:
  • We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。
  • Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭,好吗?
842 oozing 6ce96f251112b92ca8ca9547a3476c06     
v.(浓液等)慢慢地冒出,渗出( ooze的现在分词 );使(液体)缓缓流出;(浓液)渗出,慢慢流出
参考例句:
  • Blood was oozing out of the wound on his leg. 血正从他腿上的伤口渗出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The wound had not healed properly and was oozing pus. 伤口未真正痊瘉,还在流脓。 来自《简明英汉词典》
843 goodwill 4fuxm     
n.善意,亲善,信誉,声誉
参考例句:
  • His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
  • We paid £10,000 for the shop,and £2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店,两千英镑买下了它的信誉。
844 crimson AYwzH     
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色
参考例句:
  • She went crimson with embarrassment.她羞得满脸通红。
  • Maple leaves have turned crimson.枫叶已经红了。
845 conjuring IYdyC     
n.魔术
参考例句:
  • Paul's very good at conjuring. 保罗很会变戏法。
  • The entertainer didn't fool us with his conjuring. 那个艺人变的戏法没有骗到我们。
846 malice P8LzW     
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋
参考例句:
  • I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks.我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。
  • There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.他的许多肖像画中都透着一股强烈的怨恨。
847 goad wezzh     
n.刺棒,刺痛物;激励;vt.激励,刺激
参考例句:
  • The opposition is trying to goad the government into calling an election.在野反对党正努力激起政府提出选举。
  • The writer said he needed some goad because he was indolent.这个作家说他需要刺激,因为他很懒惰。
848 preclude cBDy6     
vt.阻止,排除,防止;妨碍
参考例句:
  • We try to preclude any possibility of misunderstanding.我们努力排除任何误解的可能性。
  • My present finances preclude the possibility of buying a car.按我目前的财务状况我是不可能买车的。
849 restrictions 81e12dac658cfd4c590486dd6f7523cf     
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则)
参考例句:
  • I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
  • a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
850 inflicts 6b2f5826de9d4197d2fe3469e10621c2     
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Bullfrog 50 Inflicts poison when your enemy damages you at short range. 牛娃50对近距离攻击你的敌人造成毒伤。
  • The U.S. always inflicts its concept of human nature on other nations. 美国总是把自己的人权观念强加于别国。
851 giggled 72ecd6e6dbf913b285d28ec3ba1edb12     
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The girls giggled at the joke. 女孩子们让这笑话逗得咯咯笑。
  • The children giggled hysterically. 孩子们歇斯底里地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
852 sneered 0e3b5b35e54fb2ad006040792a867d9f     
讥笑,冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
  • It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。
853 instinctive c6jxT     
adj.(出于)本能的;直觉的;(出于)天性的
参考例句:
  • He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
  • Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。
854 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。
855 shrilly a8e1b87de57fd858801df009e7a453fe     
尖声的; 光亮的,耀眼的
参考例句:
  • The librarian threw back his head and laughed shrilly. 图书管理员把头往后面一仰,尖着嗓子哈哈大笑。
  • He half rose in his seat, whistling shrilly between his teeth, waving his hand. 他从车座上半欠起身子,低声打了一个尖锐的唿哨,一面挥挥手。
856 eerily 0119faef8e868c9b710c70fff6737e50     
adv.引起神秘感或害怕地
参考例句:
  • It was nearly mid-night and eerily dark all around her. 夜深了,到处是一片黑黝黝的怪影。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译
  • The vast volcanic slope was eerily reminiscent of a lunar landscape. 开阔的火山坡让人心生怪异地联想起月球的地貌。 来自辞典例句
857 temerity PGmyk     
n.鲁莽,冒失
参考例句:
  • He had the temerity to ask for higher wages after only a day's work.只工作了一天,他就蛮不讲理地要求增加工资。
  • Tins took some temerity,but it was fruitless.这件事做得有点莽撞,但结果还是无用。
858 virgin phPwj     
n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的
参考例句:
  • Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗?
  • There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。
859 revels a11b91521eaa5ae9692b19b125143aa9     
n.作乐( revel的名词复数 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉
参考例句:
  • Christmas revels with feasting and dancing were common in England. 圣诞节的狂欢歌舞在英国是很常见的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Dickens openly revels in the book's rich physical detail and high-hearted conflict. 狄更斯对该书中丰富多彩的具体细节描写和勇敢的争斗公开表示欣赏。 来自辞典例句
860 vomiting 7ed7266d85c55ba00ffa41473cf6744f     
参考例句:
  • Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. 症状有腹泻和呕吐。
  • Especially when I feel seasick, I can't stand watching someone else vomiting." 尤其晕船的时候,看不得人家呕。”
861 copiously a83463ec1381cb4f29886a1393e10c9c     
adv.丰富地,充裕地
参考例句:
  • She leant forward and vomited copiously on the floor. 她向前一俯,哇的一声吐了一地。 来自英汉文学
  • This well-organized, unified course copiously illustrated, amply cross-referenced, and fully indexed. 这条组织完善,统一的课程丰富地被说明,丰富地被相互参照和充分地被标注。 来自互联网
862 vomiter 5d49fd28eb2d1d7aecdf08781fabe2e2     
呕吐的人
参考例句:
863 cocoon 2nQyB     
n.茧
参考例句:
  • A cocoon is a kind of silk covering made by an insect.蚕茧是由昆虫制造的一种由丝组成的外包层。
  • The beautiful butterfly emerged from the cocoon.美丽的蝴蝶自茧中出现。
864 languorous 9ba067f622ece129006173ef5479f0e6     
adj.怠惰的,没精打采的
参考例句:
  • For two days he was languorous and esteemed. 两天来,他因身体衰弱无力,受到尊重。 来自辞典例句
  • Some one says Fuzhou is a languorous and idle city. 有人说,福州是一个慵懒闲淡的城市。 来自互联网
865 latitudes 90df39afd31b3508eb257043703bc0f3     
纬度
参考例句:
  • Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
  • It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。
866 winking b599b2f7a74d5974507152324c7b8979     
n.瞬眼,目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮
参考例句:
  • Anyone can do it; it's as easy as winking. 这谁都办得到,简直易如反掌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The stars were winking in the clear sky. 星星在明亮的天空中闪烁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
867 vista jLVzN     
n.远景,深景,展望,回想
参考例句:
  • From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去,远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
  • These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路,未来看不到一点儿希望。
868 tangle yIQzn     
n.纠缠;缠结;混乱;v.(使)缠绕;变乱
参考例句:
  • I shouldn't tangle with Peter.He is bigger than me.我不应该与彼特吵架。他的块头比我大。
  • If I were you, I wouldn't tangle with them.我要是你,我就不跟他们争吵。
869 futility IznyJ     
n.无用
参考例句:
  • She could see the utter futility of trying to protest. 她明白抗议是完全无用的。
  • The sheer futility of it all exasperates her. 它毫无用处,这让她很生气。
870 subjugated d6ce0285c0f3c68d6cada3e4a93be181     
v.征服,降伏( subjugate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The prince had appeared and subjugated the poor little handmaid. 王子出现了,这使穷苦的小丫头不胜仰慕。 来自辞典例句
  • As we know, rule over subjugated peoples is incompatible with the gentile constitution. 我们知道,对被征服者的统治,是和氏族制度不相容的。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
871 disperse ulxzL     
vi.使分散;使消失;vt.分散;驱散
参考例句:
  • The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
  • The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。
872 protracted 7bbc2aee17180561523728a246b7f16b     
adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争,我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
873 purely 8Sqxf     
adv.纯粹地,完全地
参考例句:
  • I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
  • This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。
874 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。
875 exhaustion OPezL     
n.耗尽枯竭,疲惫,筋疲力尽,竭尽,详尽无遗的论述
参考例句:
  • She slept the sleep of exhaustion.她因疲劳而酣睡。
  • His exhaustion was obvious when he fell asleep standing.他站着睡着了,显然是太累了。
876 mumbled 3855fd60b1f055fa928ebec8bcf3f539     
含糊地说某事,叽咕,咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话,可我没太听清楚。
  • George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。
877 torpor CGsyG     
n.迟钝;麻木;(动物的)冬眠
参考例句:
  • The sick person gradually falls into a torpor.病人逐渐变得迟钝。
  • He fell into a deep torpor.他一下子进入了深度麻痹状态。
878 pajamas XmvzDN     
n.睡衣裤
参考例句:
  • At bedtime,I take off my clothes and put on my pajamas.睡觉时,我脱去衣服,换上睡衣。
  • He was wearing striped pajamas.他穿着带条纹的睡衣裤。
879 beads 894701f6859a9d5c3c045fd6f355dbf5     
n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链
参考例句:
  • a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
  • Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。
880 exhortations 9577ef75756bcf570c277c2b56282cc7     
n.敦促( exhortation的名词复数 );极力推荐;(正式的)演讲;(宗教仪式中的)劝诫
参考例句:
  • The monuments of men's ancestors were the most impressive exhortations. 先辈们的丰碑最能奋勉人心的。 来自辞典例句
  • Men has free choice. Otherwise counsels, exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards and punishments would be in vain. 人具有自由意志。否则,劝告、赞扬、命令、禁规、奖赏和惩罚都将是徒劳的。 来自辞典例句
881 farce HhlzS     
n.闹剧,笑剧,滑稽戏;胡闹
参考例句:
  • They played a shameful role in this farce.他们在这场闹剧中扮演了可耻的角色。
  • The audience roared at the farce.闹剧使观众哄堂大笑。
882 benediction 6Q4y0     
n.祝福;恩赐
参考例句:
  • The priest pronounced a benediction over the couple at the end of the marriage ceremony.牧师在婚礼结束时为新婚夫妇祈求上帝赐福。
  • He went abroad with his parents' benediction.他带着父母的祝福出国去了。
883 harry heBxS     
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼
参考例句:
  • Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天,人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
  • Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
884 permissible sAIy1     
adj.可允许的,许可的
参考例句:
  • Is smoking permissible in the theatre?在剧院里允许吸烟吗?
  • Delay is not permissible,even for a single day.不得延误,即使一日亦不可。
885 testament yyEzf     
n.遗嘱;证明
参考例句:
  • This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
  • It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明,编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。
886 dilemma Vlzzf     
n.困境,进退两难的局面
参考例句:
  • I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
  • He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。
887 considerably 0YWyQ     
adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上
参考例句:
  • The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
  • The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。
888 delightful 6xzxT     
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
参考例句:
  • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
  • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
889 bum Asnzb     
n.臀部;流浪汉,乞丐;vt.乞求,乞讨
参考例句:
  • A man pinched her bum on the train so she hit him.在火车上有人捏她屁股,她打了那人。
  • The penniless man had to bum a ride home.那个身无分文的人只好乞求搭车回家。
890 gauged 6f854687622bacc0cb4b24ec967e9983     
adj.校准的;标准的;量规的;量计的v.(用仪器)测量( gauge的过去式和过去分词 );估计;计量;划分
参考例句:
  • He picked up the calipers and gauged carefully. 他拿起卡钳仔细测量。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Distance is gauged by journey time rather than miles. 距离以行程时间而非英里数来计算。 来自辞典例句
891 reprisal iCSyW     
n.报复,报仇,报复性劫掠
参考例句:
  • There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
  • They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。
892 quarry ASbzF     
n.采石场;v.采石;费力地找
参考例句:
  • Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
  • This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。
893 grudging grudging     
adj.勉强的,吝啬的
参考例句:
  • He felt a grudging respect for her talents as an organizer.他勉强地对她的组织才能表示尊重。
  • After a pause he added"sir."in a dilatory,grudging way.停了一会他才慢吞吞地、勉勉强强地加了一声“先生”。
894 rendering oV5xD     
n.表现,描写
参考例句:
  • She gave a splendid rendering of Beethoven's piano sonata.她精彩地演奏了贝多芬的钢琴奏鸣曲。
  • His narrative is a super rendering of dialect speech and idiom.他的叙述是方言和土语最成功的运用。
895 testaments eb7747506956983995b8366ecc7be369     
n.遗嘱( testament的名词复数 );实际的证明
参考例句:
  • The coastline is littered with testaments to the savageness of the waters. 海岸线上充满了海水肆虐过后的杂乱东西。 来自互联网
  • A personification of wickedness and ungodliness alluded to in the Old and New Testaments. 彼勒《旧约》和《新约》中邪恶和罪孽的化身。 来自互联网
896 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前,先前(地)
参考例句:
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
897 bequest dWPzq     
n.遗赠;遗产,遗物
参考例句:
  • In his will he made a substantial bequest to his wife.在遗嘱里他给妻子留下了一大笔遗产。
  • The library has received a generous bequest from a local businessman.图书馆从当地一位商人那里得到了一大笔遗赠。
898 bequests a47cf7b1ace6563dc82dfe0dc08bc225     
n.遗赠( bequest的名词复数 );遗产,遗赠物
参考例句:
  • About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He left bequests of money to all his friends. 他留下一些钱遗赠给他所有的朋友。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
899 solely FwGwe     
adv.仅仅,唯一地
参考例句:
  • Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
  • The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。
900 secondly cjazXx     
adv.第二,其次
参考例句:
  • Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二,动脑筋提出自己的见解。
  • Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次,需要确定所作用的载荷。
901 subdivided 9c88c887e396c8cfad2991e2ef9b98bb     
再分,细分( subdivide的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The compound was subdivided into four living areas. 那个区域被划分成4个居住小区。
  • This part of geologic calendar has not been satisfactorily subdivided. 这部分地质年代表还没有令人满意地再细分出来。
902 consecutively 8a3a87c7b36569b791fa7c38b06c1a2c     
adv.连续地
参考例句:
  • He was actually too depleted to think consecutively about anything. 他已经打不起一点精神,根本谈不上好好思考一下。 来自辞典例句
  • In any game, the right to serve shall pass consecutively. 在一局中,不错的发球挨次应该是。 来自互联网
903 retirement TWoxH     
n.退休,退职
参考例句:
  • She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
  • I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
904 equitable JobxJ     
adj.公平的;公正的
参考例句:
  • This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
  • Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。
905 retirements 3bb205632ed35db36c39c7bbf0a15446     
退休( retirement的名词复数 ); 退职; 退役; 退休的实例
参考例句:
  • We've had two retirements in our office this year. 今年我们办公室已有二人退休。
  • Those may take the form of sackings redundancies, temporary layoffs or retirements. 这些形式有开除,作为编余人员,暂时解雇或退休。
906 annually VzYzNO     
adv.一年一次,每年
参考例句:
  • Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
  • They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
907 poked 87f534f05a838d18eb50660766da4122     
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交
参考例句:
  • She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
  • His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
908 niggardly F55zj     
adj.吝啬的,很少的
参考例句:
  • Forced by hunger,he worked for the most niggardly pay.为饥饿所迫,他为极少的工资而工作。
  • He is niggardly with his money.他对钱很吝啬。
909 diabolically 212265cd1a140a1386ebd68caba9df5c     
参考例句:
  • His writing could be diabolically satiric. 他的作品极具讽刺性。 来自互联网
910 fabulous ch6zI     
adj.极好的;极为巨大的;寓言中的,传说中的
参考例句:
  • We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
  • This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。
911 hierarchy 7d7xN     
n.等级制度;统治集团,领导层
参考例句:
  • There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
  • She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。
912 tremors 266b933e7f9df8a51b0b0795733d1e93     
震颤( tremor的名词复数 ); 战栗; 震颤声; 大地的轻微震动
参考例句:
  • The story was so terrible that It'sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕,它使我不寒而栗。
  • The story was so terrible that it sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕,它使我不寒而栗。
913 corpse JYiz4     
n.尸体,死尸
参考例句:
  • What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。
  • The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。
914 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
915 hideous 65KyC     
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的
参考例句:
  • The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
  • They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗,是丑陋的畜牲。
916 devoutly b33f384e23a3148a94d9de5213bd205f     
adv.虔诚地,虔敬地,衷心地
参考例句:
  • She was a devoutly Catholic. 她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • This was not a boast, but a hope, at once bold and devoutly humble. 这不是夸夸其谈,而是一个即大胆而又诚心、谦虚的希望。 来自辞典例句
917 aroma Nvfz9     
n.香气,芬芳,芳香
参考例句:
  • The whole house was filled with the aroma of coffee.满屋子都是咖啡的香味。
  • The air was heavy with the aroma of the paddy fields.稻花飘香。
918 pander UKSxI     
v.迎合;n.拉皮条者,勾引者;帮人做坏事的人
参考例句:
  • Don't pander to such people. 要迎合这样的人。
  • Those novels pander to people's liking for stories about crime.那些小说迎合读者对犯罪故事的爱好。
919 hypocrisy g4qyt     
n.伪善,虚伪
参考例句:
  • He railed against hypocrisy and greed.他痛斥伪善和贪婪的行为。
  • He accused newspapers of hypocrisy in their treatment of the story.他指责了报纸在报道该新闻时的虚伪。
920 petals f346ae24f5b5778ae3e2317a33cd8d9b     
n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
  • The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
921 bruised 5xKz2P     
[医]青肿的,瘀紫的
参考例句:
  • his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
  • She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤,摔得鼻青脸肿。
922 hoofs ffcc3c14b1369cfeb4617ce36882c891     
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 )
参考例句:
  • The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句
  • The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句
923 galloping galloping     
adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The horse started galloping the moment I gave it a good dig. 我猛戳了马一下,它就奔驰起来了。
  • Japan is galloping ahead in the race to develop new technology. 日本在发展新技术的竞争中进展迅速,日新月异。
924 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》
925 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
926 spokes 6eff3c46e9c3a82f787a7c99669b9bfb     
n.(车轮的)辐条( spoke的名词复数 );轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动
参考例句:
  • Her baby caught his fingers in the spokes of the pram wheel. 她宝宝的手指被婴儿车轮的辐条卡住了。 来自辞典例句
  • The new edges are called the spokes of the wheel. 新的边称为轮的辐。 来自辞典例句
927 dangling 4930128e58930768b1c1c75026ebc649     
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 ); 摆动不定; 用某事物诱惑…; 吊胃口
参考例句:
  • The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果,那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
  • The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上,摇晃着他们的双腿。
928 askew rvczG     
adv.斜地;adj.歪斜的
参考例句:
  • His glasses had been knocked askew by the blow.他的眼镜一下子被打歪了。
  • Her hat was slightly askew.她的帽子戴得有点斜。
929 tenacious kIXzb     
adj.顽强的,固执的,记忆力强的,粘的
参考例句:
  • We must learn from the tenacious fighting spirit of Lu Xun.我们要学习鲁迅先生韧性的战斗精神。
  • We should be tenacious of our rights.我们应坚决维护我们的权利。
930 nurtured 2f8e1ba68cd5024daf2db19178217055     
养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 ); 培育; 滋长; 助长
参考例句:
  • She is looking fondly at the plants he had nurtured. 她深情地看着他培育的植物。
  • Any latter-day Einstein would still be spotted and nurtured. 任何一个未来的爱因斯坦都会被发现并受到培养。
931 toiled 599622ddec16892278f7d146935604a3     
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉
参考例句:
  • They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
  • He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。
932 truthful OmpwN     
adj.真实的,说实话的,诚实的
参考例句:
  • You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心,他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
  • I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。
933 destined Dunznz     
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句:
  • It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
  • The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。
934 spasms 5efd55f177f67cd5244e9e2b74500241     
n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 );抽搐;(能量、行为等的)突发;发作
参考例句:
  • After the patient received acupuncture treatment,his spasms eased off somewhat. 病人接受针刺治疗后,痉挛稍微减轻了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The smile died, squeezed out by spasms of anticipation and anxiety. 一阵阵预测和焦虑把她脸上的微笑挤掉了。 来自辞典例句
935 vocation 8h6wB     
n.职业,行业
参考例句:
  • She struggled for years to find her true vocation.她多年来苦苦寻找真正适合自己的职业。
  • She felt it was her vocation to minister to the sick.她觉得照料病人是她的天职。
936 salute rYzx4     
vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮
参考例句:
  • Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
  • The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。
937 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
938 plundered 02a25bdd3ac6ea3804fb41777f366245     
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Many of our cultural treasures have been plundered by imperialists. 我国许多珍贵文物被帝国主义掠走了。
  • The imperialists plundered many valuable works of art. 帝国主义列强掠夺了许多珍贵的艺术品。
939 fortify sgezZ     
v.强化防御,为…设防;加强,强化
参考例句:
  • This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
  • This treaty forbade the United States to fortify the canal.此条约禁止美国对运河设防。
940 recollect eUOxl     
v.回忆,想起,记起,忆起,记得
参考例句:
  • He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。
  • She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。
941 confrontation xYHy7     
n.对抗,对峙,冲突
参考例句:
  • We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
  • After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后,他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。
942 Oxford Wmmz0a     
n.牛津(英国城市)
参考例句:
  • At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
  • This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。
943 underlay 2ef138c144347e8fcf93221b38fbcfdd     
v.位于或存在于(某物)之下( underlie的过去式 );构成…的基础(或起因),引起n.衬垫物
参考例句:
  • That would depend upon whether the germs of staunch comradeship underlay the temporary emotion. 这得看这番暂时的情感里,是否含有生死不渝友谊的萌芽。 来自辞典例句
  • Sticking and stitching tongue overlay and tongue underlay Sticking 3㎜ reinforcement. 贴车舌上片与舌下片:贴3㎜补强带。 来自互联网
944 stoutly Xhpz3l     
adv.牢固地,粗壮的
参考例句:
  • He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。
  • Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难,但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。
945 abiding uzMzxC     
adj.永久的,持久的,不变的
参考例句:
  • He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
  • He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。
946 seething e6f773e71251620fed3d8d4245606fcf     
沸腾的,火热的
参考例句:
  • The stadium was a seething cauldron of emotion. 体育场内群情沸腾。
  • The meeting hall was seething at once. 会场上顿时沸腾起来了。
947 pretense yQYxi     
n.矫饰,做作,借口
参考例句:
  • You can't keep up the pretense any longer.你无法继续伪装下去了。
  • Pretense invariably impresses only the pretender.弄虚作假欺骗不了真正的行家。
948 comported a4fa15f7d414de6f25f635b8145b0b31     
v.表现( comport的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He comported himself as if he was already the Presidcnt. 他的举动好象他已经当上了总统似的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • He comported himself as if he had already been elected. 他表现出好像他已经当选了似的。 来自辞典例句
949 shareholder VzPwU     
n.股东,股票持有人
参考例句:
  • The account department have prepare a financial statement for the shareholder.财务部为股东准备了一份财务报表。
  • A shareholder may transfer his shares in accordance with the law.股东持有的股份可以依法转让。
950 chastisement chastisement     
n.惩罚
参考例句:
  • You cannot but know that we live in a period of chastisement and ruin. 你们必须认识到我们生活在一个灾难深重、面临毁灭的时代。 来自辞典例句
  • I think the chastisement to him is too critical. 我认为对他的惩罚太严厉了。 来自互联网
951 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的;巨大的
参考例句:
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
952 agonized Oz5zc6     
v.使(极度)痛苦,折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 );苦斗;苦苦思索;感到极度痛苦
参考例句:
  • All the time they agonized and prayed. 他们一直在忍受痛苦并且祈祷。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • She agonized herself with the thought of her loss. 她念念不忘自己的损失,深深陷入痛苦之中。 来自辞典例句


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