Chapter 4

1933-1938 LUKEIt was amazing how quickly the land mended; within a week little green shoots of grass were poking¹ out of thegluey morass², and within two months the roasted trees were coming into leaf. If the people were tough andresilient, it was because the land gave them no opportunity to be otherwise; those who were faint in heart orlacking a fanatical streak⁴ of endurance did not stay long in the Great Northwest. But it would be years before thescars faded. Many coats of bark would have to grow and fall to eucalyptoid tatters before the tree trunks becamewhite or red or grey again, and a certain percentage of the timber would not regenerate⁵ at all, but remain deadand dark. And for years disintegrating⁶ skeletons would dew the plains, subsiding⁷ into the matting of time,gradually covered by dust and marching little hoofs⁹. And straggling out across Drogheda to the west the sharpdeep channels cut by the corners of a makeshift bier in the mud remained, were pointed¹⁰ out by wanderers whoknew the story to more wanderers who did not, until the tale became a part of black-soil plains lore¹².

Drogheda lost perhaps a fifth of its acreage in the fire, and 25,000 sheep, a mere¹³ bagatelle¹⁴ to a station whosesheep tally¹⁵ in the recent good years lay in the neighborhood of 125,000. There was absolutely no point in railingat the malignity¹⁶ of fate, or the wrath¹⁷ of God, however those concerned might choose to regard a natural disaster.

The only thing to do was cut the losses and begin again. In no case was it the first time, and in no case didanyone assume it would be the last. But to see Drogheda's homestead gardens bare and brown in spring hurtbadly. Against drought they could survive thanks to Michael Carson's water tanks, but in a fire nothing survived.

Even the wistaria failed to bloom; when the flames came its tender clusters of buds were just forming, andshriveled. Roses were crisped, pansies were dead, stocks turned to sepia straw, fuchsias in shady spots witheredpast rejuvenation²¹, babies' breath smothered²³, sweet pea vines were sere²⁵ and scentless²⁷. What had been bled fromthe water tanks during the fire was replaced by the heavy rain that followed hard on it, so everyone on Droghedasacrificed a nebulous spare time to helping²⁸ old Tom bring the gardens back.

Bob decided²⁹ to keep on with Paddy's policy of more hands to run Drogheda, and put on three more stockmen;Mary Carson's policy had been to keep no permanent non-Cleary men on her books, preferring to hire extrahands at mustering³⁰, lambing and shearing³² time, but Paddy felt the men worked better knowing they hadpermanent jobs, and it didn't make much difference in the long run. Most stockmen were chronically³³ afflictedwith itchy feet, and never stayed very long anywhere.

The new houses sitting farther back from the creek³⁴ were inhabited by married men; old Tom had a neat newthree-room cottage under a pepper tree behind the horse yards, and cackled with proprietary³⁶ glee every time heentered it. Meggie continued to look after some of the inner paddocks, and her mother the books.

Fee had taken over Paddy's task of communicating with Bishop³⁸ Ralph, and being Fee failed to pass on anyinformation save those items concerned with the running of the station. Meggie longed to snatch his letters, readthem greedily, but Fee gave her no chance to do so, locking them in a steel box the moment she had digestedtheir contents. With Paddy and Stu gone there was just no reaching Fee. As for Meggie, the minute Bishop Ralphhad gone Fee forgot all about her promise. Meggie answered dance and party invitations with polite negatives;aware of it, Fee never remonstrated⁴⁰ with her or told her she ought to go. Liam O'Rourke seized any opportunityto drive over; Enoch Davies phoned constantly, so did Connor Carmichael and Alastair MacQueen. But witheach of them Meggie was prooccupied, curt⁴¹, to the point where they despaired of interesting her.

The summer was very wet, but not in spates⁴³ protracted⁴⁵ enough to cause flooding, only keeping the groundperpetually muddy and the thousand-mile Barwon-Darling flowing deep, wide and strong. When winter camesporadic rain continued; the flying brown sheets were made up of water, not dust. Thus the Depression march offoot-loose men along the track tapered⁴⁶ off, for it was hell tramping through the blacksoil plains in a wet season,and with cold added to damp, pneumonia⁴⁸ raged among those not able to sleep under warm shelter.

Bob was worried, and began to talk of foot rot among the sheep if. it kept up; merinos couldn't take muchmoisture in the ground without developing diseased hoofs. The shearing had been almost impossible, for shearerswould not touch soaked wool, and unless the mud dried before lambing many offspring would die in the soddenearth and the cold.

The phone jangled its two longs, one short for Drogheda; Fee answered and turned.

"Bob, the AMLAND for you.""Hullo, Jimmy, Bob here . . . . Yeah, righto. . . . Oh, good! References all in order? . . . Righto, send him out tosee me .... Righto, if he's that good you can tellhim he's probably got the job, but I still want to see him formyself; don't like pigs in pokes⁵⁰ and don't trust references . . . . Righto, thanks. Hooroo."Bob sat down again. "New stockman coming, a good bloke according to Jimmy. Been working out on the WestQueensland plains around Longreach and Charlville. Was a drover, too. Good references and all aboveboard.

Can sit anything with four legs and a tail, used to break horses. Was a shearer⁴⁹ before that, gun shearer too,Jimmy says, over two fifty a day. That's what makes me a bit suspicious. Why would a gun shearer want to workfor stockman's wages? Not too often a gun shearer will give up the bo)i for a saddle. Be handy paddockcrutching,though, eh?" With the passing of the years Bob's accent grew more drawling and Australian but hissentences shorter in compensation. He was creeping up toward thirty, and much to Meggie's disappointmentshowed no sign of being smitten⁵² with any of the eligible⁵³ girls he met at the few festivities decency⁵⁴ forced them toattend. For one thing he was painfully shy, and for another he seemed utterly⁵⁶ wrapped in the land, apparentlypreferring to love it without distraction⁵⁸. Jack⁵⁹ and Hughie grew more and more like him; indeed, they could havepassed for triplets as they sat together on one of the hard marble benches, the closest to comfortable houseboundrelaxa tion they could get. They seemed actually to prefer camping out in the paddocks, and when sleeping athome stretched out on the floors of their bedrooms, frightened that beds might soften⁶⁰ them. The sun, the windand the dryness had weathered their fair, freckled⁶¹ skins to a sort of mottled mahogany, in which their blue eyesshone pale and tranquil⁶², with the deep creases⁶³ beside them speaking of gazing into far distances and silver-beigegrass. It was almost impossible to tell what age they were, or which was the oldest and which the youngest. Eachhad Paddy's Roman nose and kind homely⁶⁴ face, but better bodies than Paddy's, which had been stooped andarm-elongated⁶⁵ from so many years shearing. They had developed the spare, easy beauty of horsemen instead.

Yet for women and comfort and pleasure they did not pine.

"Is the new man married?" asked Fee, drawing neat lines with a ruler and a red-inked pen.

"Dunno, didn't ask. Know tomorrow when he comes.""How is he getting here?""Jimmy's driving him out; got to see about those old wethers in Tankstand." "Well, let's hope he stays awhile. Ifhe's not married he'll be off again in a few weeks, I suppose. Wretched people, stockmen," said Fee. Jims andPatsy were boarding at Riverview, vowing⁶⁷ they wouldn't stay at school a minute longer than the fourteen years ofage which was legal. They burned for the day when they would be out in the paddocks with Bob, Jack andHughie, when Drogheda could run on family again and the outsiders would be welcome to come and go asfrequently as they pleased. Sharing the family passion for reading didn't endear Riverview to them at all; a bookcould be carried in a saddlebag or a jacket pocket and read with far more pleasure in the noonday shade of awilga than in a Jesuit classroom. It had been a hard transition for them, boarding school. The big-windowedclassrooms, the spacious⁶⁸ green playing fields, the wealth of gardens and facilities meant nothing to them, nor didSydney with its museums, concert halls and art galleries. They chummed up with the sons of other graziers andspent their leisure hours longing⁷⁰ for home, or boasting about the size and splendor⁷¹ of Drogheda to awed⁷² butbelieving ears; anyone west of Burren Junction⁷³ had heard of mighty⁷⁴ Drogheda.

Several weeks passed before Meggie saw the new stockman. His name had been duly entered in the books,Luke O'neill, and he was already talked about in the big house far more than stockmen usually were. For onething, he had refused to bunk⁷⁵ in the jackaroos" barracks but had taken up residence in the last empty house uponthe creek. For another, he had introduced himself to Mrs. Smith, and was in that lady's good books, though shedidn't usually care for stockmen. Meggie was quite curious about him long before she met him.

Since she kept the chestnut⁷⁶ mare⁷⁷ and the black gelding in the stables rather than the stockyards and was mostlyobliged to start out later of a morning than the men, she would often go long periods of time without running intoany of the hired people. But she finally met Luke O'neill late one afternoon as the summer sun was flaring⁷⁸ redlyover the trees and the long shadows crept toward the gentle oblivion of night. She was coming back fromBorehead to the ford⁷⁹ across the creek, he was coming in from southeast and farther out, also on a course for theford.

The sun was in his eyes, so she saw him before he saw her, and he was riding a big mean bay with a black maneand tail and black points; she knew the animal well because it was her job to rotate the work horses, and she hadwondered why this particular beast was not so much in evidence these days. None of the men cared for it, neverrode it if they could help. Apparently⁵⁷ the new stockman didn't mind it at all, which certainly indicated he couldride, for it was a notorious earlymorning bucker and had a habit of snapping at its rider's head the moment hedismounted.

It was hard to tell a man's height when he was on horseback, for Australian stockmen used small Englishsaddles minus the high cantle and horn of the American saddle, and rode with their knees bent⁸⁰, sitting veryupright. The new man seemed tall, but sometimes height was all in the trunk, the legs disproportionately short, soMeggiie reserved judgment⁸¹. However, unlike most stockmen he preferred a white shirt and white moleskins togrey flannel⁸² and grey twill; somewhat of a dandy, she decided, amused. Good luck to him, if he didn't mind thebother of so much washing and ironing.

"G'day, Missus!" he called as they converged⁸³, doffing⁸⁴ his battered⁸⁵ old grey felt hat and replacing it rakishly onthe back of his head. Laughing blue eyes looked at Meggie in undisguised admiration⁸⁷ as she drew alongside.

"Well, you're certainly not the Missus, so you've got to be the daughter," he said. "I'm Luke O'neill."Meggie muttered something but wouldn't look at him again, so confused and angry she couldn't think of anyappropriately light conversation. Oh, it wasn't fair! How dare someone else have eyes and face like Father Ralph!

Not the way he looked at her: the mirth was something of his own and he had no love burning for her there; fromthe first moment of seeing Father Ralph kneeling in the dust of the Gilly station yard Meggie had seen love in hiseyes. To look into his eyes and not see him! It was a cruel joke, a punishment.

Unaware⁸⁸ of the thoughts his companion harbored, Luke O'neill kept his wicked bay beside Meggie's demuremare as they splashed through the creek, still running strong from so much rain. She was a beauty, all right! Thathair! What was simply carrots on the male Clearys was something else again on this little sprig. If only shewould look up, give him a better chance to see that face! Just then she did, with such a look on it that his browscame together, puzzled; not as if she hated him, exactly, but as if she was trying to see something and couldn't, orhad seen something and wished she hadn't. Or whatever. It seemed to upset her, anyway. Luke was not used tobeing weighed in a feminine balance and found wanting. Caught naturally in a deli- cious trap of sunset-gold hairand soft eyes, his interest only fed on her displeasure and disappointment. Still she was watching him, pinkmouth fallen slightly open, a silky dew of sweat on her upper lip and forehead because it was so hot, her reddish-gold brows arched in seeking wonderment. He grinned to reveal Father Ralph's big white teeth; yet it was notFather Ralph's smile. "Do you know you look exactly like a baby, all oh! and ah!?"She looked away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. You reminded me of someone, that's all.""Stare all you like. It's better than looking at the top of your head, pretty though that might be. Who do I remindyou of?" "No one important. It's just strange, seeing someone familiar and yet terribly unfamiliar⁹⁰.""What's your name, little Miss Cleary?""Meggie.""Meggie . . . It hasn't got enough dignity, it doesn't suit you a bit. I'd rather you were called something likeBelinda or Madeline, but if Meggie's the best you've got to offer, I'll go for it. What's the Meggie stand for-Margaret?""No, Meghann.""Ah, now that's more like! I'll call you Meghann.""No, you won't!" she snapped. "I detest⁹¹ it!"But he only laughed. "You've had too much of your own way, little Miss Meghann. If I want to call youEustacia Sophronia Augusta, I will, you know." They had reached the stockyards; he slipped off his bay, aiminga punch at its snapping head which rocked it into submission⁹², and stood, obviously waiting for her to offer himher hands so he could help her down. But she touched the chestnut mare with her heels and walked on up thetrack. "Don't you put the dainty lady with the common old stockmen?" he called after her.

"Certainly not!" she answered without turning. Oh, it wasn't fair! Even on his own two feet he was like FatherRalph; as tall, as broad in the shoulders and narrow in the hips⁹³, and with something of the same grace, thoughdifferently employed. Father Ralph moved like a dancer, Luke O'neill like an athlete. His hair was as thick andblack and curling, his eyes as blue, his nose as fine and straight, his mouth as well cut.

And yet he was no more like Father Ralph than-than than a ghost gum, so tall and pale and splendid, was like ablue gum, also tall and pale and splendid.

After that chance meeting Meggie kept her ears open for opinions and gossip about Luke O'neill. Bob and theboys were pleased with his work and seemed to get along well with him; apparently he hadn't a lazy bone in hisbody, according to Bob. Even Fee brought his name up in conversation one evening by remarking that he was avery handsome man.

"Does he remind you of anyone?" Meggie asked idly, flat on her stomach on the carpet reading a book.

Fee considered the question for a moment. "Well, I suppose he's a bit like Father de Bricassart. The same build,the same coloring. But it isn't a striking likeness⁹⁵; they're too different as men. "Meggie, I wish you'd sit in a chairlike a lady to read! Just because you're in jodhpurs you don't have to forget modesty⁹⁶ entirely⁹⁷." "Pooh!" saidMeggie. "As if anyone notices!"And so it went. There was a likeness, but the men behind the faces were so unalike only Meggie was plaguedby it, for she was in love with one of them and resented finding the other attractive. In the kitchen she found hewas a prime favorite, and also discovered how he could afford the luxury of wearing white shirts and whitebreeches into the paddocks; Mrs. Smith washed and ironed them for him, succumbing⁹⁹ to his ready, beguilingcharm. "Och, what a fine Irishman he is and all!" Minnie sighed ecstatically. "He's an Australian," said Meggieprovocatively. "Born here, maybe, Miss Meggie darlin', but wit' a name like O'neill now, he's as Irish as Paddy'spigs, not meanin' any disrespect to yer sainted father, Miss Meggie, may he rest in peace and sing wit' the angels.

Mr. Luke not Irish, and him wit' that black hair, thim blue eyes? In the old days the O'neills was the kings ofIreland." "I thought the O'Connors were," said Meggie slyly. Minnie's round little eyes twinkled. "Ah, well now,Miss Meggie, 'twas a big country and all.""Go on! It's about the size of Drogheda! And anyway, O'neill is an Orange name; you can't fool me.""It is that. But it's a great Irish name and it existed before there were Orangemen ever thought of. It is a namefrom Ulster parts, so it's logical there'd have to be a few of thim Orange, isn't it now? But there was the O'neill ofClandeboy and the O'neill Mor back when, Miss Meggie darlin'." Meggie gave up the battle; Minnie had longsince lost any militant¹⁰² Fenian tendencies she might once have possessed¹⁰³, and could pronounce the word"Orange" without having a stroke.

About a week later she ran into Luke O'neill again, down by the creek. She suspected he had lain in wait forher, but she didn't know what to do about it if he had.

"Good afternoon, Meghann.""Good afternoon," said she, looking straight between the chestnut mare's ears.

"There's a woolshed ball at Braich y Pwll next Saturday night. Will you come with me?""Thank you for asking me, but I can't dance. There wouldn't be any point." "I'll teach you how to dance in twoflicks of a dead lamb's tail, so that's no obstacle. Since I'll be taking the squatter¹⁰⁴'s sister, do you think Bob mightlet me borrow the old Rolls, if not the new one?" "I said I wouldn't go!" she said, teeth clenched¹⁰⁵. "You said youcouldn't dance, I said I'd teach you. You never said you wouldn't go with me if you could dance, so I assumed itwas the dancing you objected to, not me. Are you going to bark out?" Exasperated¹⁰⁶, she glared at him fiercely, buthe only laughed at her.

"You're spoiled rotten, young Meghann; it's time you didn't get all your own way.""I'm not spoiled!""Go on, tell me another! The only girl, all those brothers to run round after you, all this land and money, a poshhouse, servants? I know the Catholic Church owns it, but the Clearys aren't short of a penny either." That was thebig difference between them! she thought triumphantly¹⁰⁷; it had been eluding¹⁰⁸ her since she met him. Father Ralphwould never have fallen for outward trappings, but this man lacked his sensitivity; he had no inbuilt antennae¹⁰⁹ totell him what lay beneath the surface. He rode through life without an idea in his head about its complexity¹¹⁰ or itspain.

Flabbergasted, Bob handed over the keys to the new Rolls without a murmur¹¹¹; he had stared at Luke for amoment without speaking, then grinned. "I never thought of Meggie going to a dance, but take her, Luke, andwelcome! I daresay she'd like it, the poor little beggar. She never gets out much. We ought to think of taking her,but somehow we never do." "Why don't you and Jack and Hughie come, too?" Luke asked, apparently not averseto company.

Bob shook his head, horrified¹¹³. "No, thanks. We're not too keen on dances." Meggie wore her ashes-of-rosesdress, not having anything else to wear; it hadn't occurred to her to use some of the stockpiling pounds FatherRalph put in the bank in her name to have dresses made for parties and balls. Until now she had managed torefuse invitations, for men like Enoch Davies and Alastair MacQueen were easy to discourage with a firm no.

They didn't have Luke O'neill's gall⁶⁹.

But as she stared at herself in the mirror she thought she just might go into Gilly next week when Mum madeher usual trip, visit old Gert and have her make up a few new frocks.

For she hated wearing this dress; if she had owned one other even remotely suitable, it would have been off in asecond. Other times, a different black-haired man; it was so tied up with love and dreams, tears and loneli-ness,that to wear it for such a one as Luke O'neill seemed a desecration¹¹⁵. She had grown used to hiding what she felt,to appearing always calm and outwardly happy. Self-control was growing around her thicker than bark on a tree,and sometimes in the night she would think of her mother, and shiver. Would she end up like Mum, cut off fromall feeling? Was this how it began for Mum back in the days when there was Frank's father? And what on earthwould Mum do, what would she say if she knew Meggie had learned the truth about Frank? Oh, that scene in thepresbytery! It seemed like yesterday, Daddy and Frank facing each other, and Ralph holding her so hard he hurt.

Shouting those awful things. Everything had fallen into place. Meggie thought she must always have known,once she did. She had grown up enough to realize there was more to getting babies than she used to think; somesort of physical contact absolutely forbidden between any but a married couple. What disgrace and humiliationpoor Mum must have gone through over Frank. No wonder she was the way she was. If it happened to her,Meggie thought, she would want to die. In books only the lowest, cheapest girls had babies outside of marriage;yet Mum wasn't cheap, could never have been cheap. With all her heart Meggie wished Mum could talk to herabout it, or that she her-self had the courage to bring up the subject. Perhaps in some small way she might havebeen able to help. But Mum wasn't the sort of person one could approach, nor would Mum do the approaching.

Meggie sighed at herself in the mirror, and hoped nothing like that ever happened to her. Yet she was young; attimes like this, staring at herself in the ashes-of-roses dress, she wanted to feel, wanted emotion to blow over herlike a strong hot wind. She didn't want to plod¹¹⁷ like a little automaton¹¹⁸ for the rest of her life, she wanted changeand vitality¹¹⁹ and love. Love, and a husband, and babies. What was the use of hungering after a man she couldnever have? He didn't want her, he never would want her. He said he loved her, but not as a husband would loveher. Because he was married to the Church. Did all men do that, love some inanimate thing more than they couldlove a woman? No, surely not all men. The difficult ones, perhaps, the complex ones with their seas of doubtsand objections, rationalities. But there had to be simpler men, men who could surely love a woman before allelse. Men like Luke O'neill, for instance. "I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," said Luke as hestarted the Rolls.

Compliments were quite out of Meggie's ken³⁷; she gave him a startled sidelong glance and said nothing.

"Isn't this nice?" Luke asked, apparently not upset at her lack of enthusiasm. "Just turn a key and press a buttonon the dashboard and the car starts. No cranking a handle, no hoping the darned donk catches before a man'sexhausted. This is the life, Meghann, no doubt about it." "You won't leave me alone, will you?" she asked.

"Good Lord, no! You've come with me, haven't you? That means you're mine all night long, and I don't intendgiving anyone else a chance." "How old are you, Luke?""Thirty. How old are you?""Almost twenty-three.""As much as that, eh? You look like a baby.""I'm not a baby.""Oho! Have you ever been in love, then?""Once.""Is that all? At twenty-three? Good Lord! I'd been in and out of love a dozen times by your age.""I daresay I might have been, too, but I meet very few people to fall in love with on Drogheda. You're the firststockman I remember who said more than a shy hello.""Well, if you won't go to dances because you can't dance, you're on the outside looking in right there, aren'tyou? Never mind, we'll fix that up in no time. By the end of the evening you'll be dancing, and in a few weekswe'll have you a champion." He glanced at her quickly. "But you can't tell me some of the squatters off otherstations haven't tried to get you to come to the odd dance with them. Stockmen I can understand, you're a cutabove the usual stockman's inclinations¹²¹, but some of the sheep cockies must have given you the glad eye.""If I'm a cut above stockmen, why did you ask me?" she parried. "Oh, I've got all the cheek in the world." Hegrinned. "Come on now, don't change the subject. There must be a few blokes around Gilly who've asked." "Afew," she admitted. "But I've really never wanted to go. You pushed me into it.""Then the rest of them are sillier than pet snakes," he said. "I know a good thing when I see it."She wasn't too sure that she cared for the way he talked, but the trouble with Luke was that he was a hard manto put down. Everyone came to a woolshed dance, from squatters' sons and daughters to stockmen and theirwives if any, maidservants, governesses, town dwellers¹²³ of all ages and sexes. For instance, these were occasionswhen female schoolteachers got the opportunity to fraternize with the stock-and-station-agent apprentices¹²⁴, thebank johnnies and the real bushies off the stations.

The grand manners reserved for more formal affairs were not in evidence at all. Old Mickey O'Brien came outfrom Gilly to play the fiddle¹²⁵, and there was always someone on hand to man the piano accordion¹²⁶ or the buttonaccordion, taking turns to spell each other as Mickey's accompanists while the old violinist sat on a barrel or awool bale for hours playing without a rest, his pendulous¹²⁷ lower lip drooling because hehad no patience withswallowing; it interfered¹²⁸ with his tempo¹²⁹, But it was not the sort of dancing Meggie had seen at Mary Carson'sbirthday party. This was energetic round-dancing: barn dances, jigs¹³⁰, polkas, quadrilles, reels, mazurkas, SirRoger de Coverleys, with no more than a passing touching¹³¹ of the partner's hands, or a wild swirling¹³² in rougharms. There was no sense of intimacy¹³⁴, no dreaminess. Everyone seemed to view the proceedings¹³⁵ as a simpledissipation of frustrations¹³⁸; romantic intrigues¹³⁹ were furthered better outside, well away from the noise and bustle¹⁴⁰.

Meggie soon discovered she was much envied her big handsome escort. He was the target of almost as manyseductive or languishing¹⁴¹ looks as Father Ralph used to be, and more blatantly¹⁴² so. As Father Ralph used to be.

Used to be. How terrible to have to think of him in the very remotest of all past tenses. True to his word, Lukeleft her alone only so long as it took him to visit the Men's. Enoch Davies and Liam O'Rourke were there, andeager to fill his place alongside her. He gave them no opportunity whatsoever¹⁴³, and Meggie herself seemed toodazed to understand that she was quite within her rights to accept invitations to dance from men other than herescort. Though she didn't hear the comments, Luke did, secretly laughing. What a damned cheek the fellow had,an ordinary stockman, stealing her from under their noses! Disapproval¹⁴⁴ meant nothing to Luke. They had hadtheir chances; if they hadn't made the most of them, hard luck.

The last dance was a waltz. Luke took Meggie's hand and put his arm about her waist, drew her against him. Hewas an excellent dancer. To her surprise she found she didn't need to do anything more than follow where hepropelled her. And it was a most extraordinary sen-sation to be held so against a man, to feel the muscles of hischest and thighs¹⁴⁵, to absorb his body warmth. Her brief contacts with Father Ralph had been so intense she hadnot had time to perceive discrete¹⁴⁶ things, and she had honestly thought that what she felt in his arms she wouldnever feel in anyone else's. Yet though this was quite different, it was exciting; her pulse rate had gone up, andshe knew he sensed it by the way he turned her suddenly, gripped her more closely, put his cheek on her hair. Asthe Rolls purred home, making light of the bumpy¹⁴⁷ track and sometimes no track at all, they didn't speak verymuch. Braich y Pwll was seventy miles from Drogheda, across paddocks with never a house to be seen all theway, no lights of someone's home, no intrusion of humanity. The ridge¹⁴⁸ which cut across Drogheda was not morethan a hundred feet higher than the rest of the land, but out on the black-soil plains to reach the crest¹⁴⁹ of it waslike being on top of an Alp to a Swiss. Luke stopped the car, got out and came round to open Meggie's door. Shestepped down beside him, trembling a little; was he going to spoil everything by trying to kiss her? It was soquiet, so far from anyone!

There was a decaying dogleg wooden fence wandering off to one side, and holding her elbow lightly to makesure she didn't stumble in her frivolous¹⁵⁰ shoes, Luke helped Meggie across the uneven¹⁵¹ ground, the rabbit holes.

Gripping the fence tightly and looking out over the plains, she was speechless; first from terror, then, her panicdying as he made no move to touch her, from wonder.

Almost as clearly as the sun could, the moon's still pale light picked out vast sweeping¹⁵² stretches of distance, thegrass shimmering¹⁵³ and rippling¹⁵⁵ like a restless sigh, silver and white and grey. Leaves on trees sparkled suddenlylike points of fire when the wind turned their glossy¹⁵⁶ tops upward, and great yawning gulfs of shadows spreadunder timber stands as mysteriously as mouths of the underworld. Lifting her head, she tried to count the starsand could not; as delicate as drops of dew on a wheeling spider's web the pinpoints¹⁵⁸ flared¹⁵⁹, went out, flared, wentout, in a rhythm as timeless as God. They seemed to hang over her like a net, so beautiful, so very silent, sowatchful and searching of the soul, like jewel eyes of insects turned brilliant in a spotlight¹⁶⁰, blind as to expressionand infinite as to seeing power. The only sounds were the wind hot in the grass, hissing¹⁶¹ trees, an occasional clankfrom the cooling Rolls, and a sleepy bird somewhere close complaining because they had broken its rest; the solesmell the fragrant¹⁶², indefinable scent²⁶ of the bush.

Luke turned his back on the night, pulled out his tobacco pouch¹⁶³ and booklet of rice papers, and began to rollhimself a cigarette. "Were you born out here, Meghann?" he asked, rubbing the strands¹⁶⁴ of leaf back and forth¹⁶⁵ inhis palm, lazily.

"No, I was born in New Zealand. We came to Drogheda thirteen years ago." He slipped the shaped tendrils intotheir paper sheath, twiddled it expertly between thumb and forefinger¹⁶⁷, then licked it shut, poked¹⁶⁸ a few wispsback inside the tube with a match end, struck the match and lit up. "You enjoyed yourself tonight, didn't you?""Oh, yes!""I'd like to take you to all the dances.""Thank you."He fell silent again, smoking quietly and looking back across the roof of the Rolls at the stand of timber wherethe irate¹⁶⁹ bird still twittered querulously. When only a small remnant of the tube sputtered¹⁷⁰ between his stainedfingers he dropped it on the ground and screwed his boot heel viciously down upon it until he was sure it wasout. No one kills a cigarette as dead as an Australian bushman.

Sighing, Meggie turned from the moon vista¹⁷¹, and he helped her to the car. He was far too wise to kiss her at thisearly stage, because he intended to marry her if he could; let her want to be kissed, first. But there were otherdances, as the summer wore on and wore itself down in bloody¹⁷², dusty spendor; gradually the homestead got usedto the fact that Meggie had found herself a very good-looking boyfriend. Her brothers forbore to tease, for theyloved her and liked him well enough. Luke O'neill was the hardest worker they had ever employed; no betterrecommendation than that existed. At heart more working class than squatter class, it never occurred to theCleary men to judge him by his lack of possessions. Fee, who might have weighed him in a more selectivebalance, didn't care sufficiently¹⁷³ to do so. Anyway, Luke's calm assumption that he was different from youraverage stockman bore fruit; because of it, he was treated more like one of themselves.

It became his custom to call up the track at the big house when he was in at night and not out in the paddocks;after a while Bob declared it was silly for him to eat alone when there was plenty on the Cleary table, so he atewith them. After that it seemed rather senseless to send him a mile down the track to sleep when he was niceenough to want to stay talking to Meggie until late, so he was bidden to move into one of the small guesthousesout behind the big house.

By this time Meggie thought about him a great deal, and not as disparagingly¹⁷⁴ as she had at first, alwayscomparing him to Father Ralph. The old sore was healing. After a while she forgot that Father Ralph had smiledso with the same mouth, while Luke smiled thus, that Father Ralph's vivid blue eyes had had a distant stillness tothem while Luke's glittered with restless passion. She was young and she had never quite got to savor¹⁷⁵ love, if fora moment or two she had tasted it. She wanted to roll it round on her tongue, get the bou-quet of it into herlungs, spin it dizzying to her brain. Father Ralph was Bishop Ralph; he would never, never come back to her. Hehad sold her for thirteen million pieces of silver, and it rankled¹⁷⁶. If he hadn't used the phrase that night by theborehead she would not have wondered, but he had used it, and countless¹⁷⁷ were the nights since when she hadlain puzzling as to what he could possibly have meant.

And her hands itched¹⁷⁸ with the feel of Luke's back when he held her close in a dance; she was stirred by him, histouch, his crisp vitality. Oh, she never felt that dark liquid fire in her bones for him, she never thought that if shedidn't see him again she would wither²⁰ and dry up, she never twitched¹⁷⁹ and trembled because he looked at her. Butshe had grown to know men like Enoch Davies, Liam O'Rourke, Alastair MacQueen better as Luke squired herto more and more of the district affairs, and none of them moved her the way Luke O'neill did. If they were tallenough to oblige her to look up, they would turn out not to have Luke's eyes, or if they had the same sort of eyes,they wouldn't have his hair. Something was always lacking which wasn't lacking in Luke, though just what it wasLuke possessed she didn't know. Aside from the fact that he reminded her of Father Ralph, that is, and sherefused to admit her attraction had no better basis than that.

They talked a lot, but always about general things; shearing, the land, the sheep, or what he wanted out of life,or perhaps about the places he had seen, or some political happening. He read an occasional book but he wasn'tan inveterate¹⁸⁰ reader like Meggie, and try as she would, she couldn't seem to persuade him to read this or thatbook simply because she had found it interesting. Nor did he lead the conversation into intellectual depths; mostinteresting and irritating of all, he never evinced any interest in her life, or asked her what she wanted from it.

Sometimes she longed to talk about matters far closer to her heart than sheep or rain, but if she made a leadingstatement he was expert at deflecting¹⁸² her into more impersonal¹⁸³ channels.

Luke O'neill was clever, conceited¹⁸⁴, extremely hardworking and hungry to enrich himself. He had been born in awattle-and-daub shanty¹⁸⁵ exactly on the Tropic of Capricorn, outside the town of Longreach in WesternQueensland. His father was the black sheep of a prosperous but unforgiving Irish family, his mother was thedaughter of the German butcher in Winton; when she insisted on marrying Luke senior, she also was disowned.

There were ten children in that humpy, none of whom possessed a pair of shoes-not that shoes mattered much intorrid Longreach. Luke senior, who shore for a living when he felt like it (but mostly all he felt like doing wasdrinking OP rum), died in a fire at the Blackall pub when young Luke was twelve years old. So as soon as hecould Luke took himself off on the shearing circuit as a tar¹⁸ boy, slapping molten tar on jagged wounds if ashearer slipped and cut flesh as well as wool. One thing Luke was never afraid of, and that was hard work; hethrived on it the way some men thrived on its opposite, whether because his father had been a barfly and a townjoke or because he had inherited his German mother's love of industry no one had ever bothered to find out. Ashe grew older he graduated from tar boy to shed hand, running down the board catching¹⁸⁶ the great heavy fleecesas they flew off the boggis in one piece billowing up like kites, and carrying them to the wool-rolling table to beskirted. From that he learned to skirt, picking the dirt-encrusted edges off the fleeces and transferring them tobins ready for the attention of the classer, who was shed aristocrat¹⁸⁷: the man who like a winetaster or a perfume-tester cannot be trained unless he also has instinct for the job. And Luke didn't have a classer's instinct; either heturned to pressing or to shearing if he wanted to earn more money, which he certainly did. He had the strength toman the press, tamp¹⁸⁸ down the graded fleeces into massive bales, but a gun shearer could make more money.

By now he was well known in Western Queensland as a good worker, so he had no trouble getting himself alearner's pen. With grace, coordination¹⁸⁹, strength and endurance, all necessary and luckily present in Luke, a mancould become a gun shearer. Soon Luke was shearing his two hundred-plus a day six days a week, a quid ahundred; and this with the narrow handpiece resembling a bo)i lizard¹⁹⁰, hence its name. The big New Zealandhandpieces with their wide, coarse combs and cutters were illegal in Australia, though they doubled a shearer'stally.

It was grueling work; bending from his height with a sheep clamped between his knees, sweeping his bo)i inblows the length of the sheep's body to free the wool in one piece and leave as few second cuts as possible, closeenough to the loose kinky skin to please the shed boss, who would be down in a second on any shearer notconforming to his rigorous standards. He didn't mind the heat and the sweat and the thirst which forced him todrink upward of three gallons of water a day, he didn't even mind the tormenting¹⁹¹ hordes¹⁹² of flies, for he was bornin fly country. Nor did he mind the sheep, which were mostly a shearer's nightmare; cobblers, wets, overgrowns,snobs, dags, fly-strikes, they came in all varieties, and they were all merinos, which meant wool all the waydown to their hoofs and noses, and a cobbled fragile skin which moved like slippery paper.

No, it wasn't the work itself Luke minded, for the harder he worked the better he felt; what irked him were thenoise, the being shut inside, the stench. No place on earth was quite the hell a shearing shed was. Se he decidedhe wanted to be the boss cocky, the man who strolled up and down the lines of stooping shearers to watch thefleeces he owned being stripped away by that smooth, flawless motion.

At the end of the floor in his cane¹⁹³-bottomed chair Sits the boss of the board with his eyes every where.

That was what the old shearing song said, and that was who Luke O'neill decided to be. The boss cocky, thehead peanut, the grazier, the squatter. Not for him the perpetual stoop, the elongated arms of a lifelong shearer;he wanted the pleasure of working out in the open air while he watched the money roll in. Only the prospect¹⁹⁴ ofbecoming a dreadnought shearer might have kept Luke inside a shed, one of the rare handful of men whomanaged to shear³¹ over three hundred merino sheep a day, all to standard, and using narrow boggis. They madefortunes on the side by betting. But unfortunately he was just a little too tall, those extra seconds bending andducking mounted up to the difference between gun and dreadnought.

His mind turned within its limitations to another method of acquiring what he hungered for; at about this stagein his life he discovered how attractive he was to women. His first try had been in the guise⁸⁶ of a stockman onGnarlunga, as that station had an heir who was female, fairly young and fairly pretty. It had been sheer bad luckthat in the end she preferred the Pommy jackaroo whose more bizarre exploits were becoming bush legend. FromGnarlunga he went to Bingelly and got a job breaking horses, his eye on the homestead where the aging andunattractive heiress lived with her widowed father. Poor Dot, he had so nearly won her; but in the end she hadfallen in with her father's wishes and married the spry sexagenarian who owned the neighboring property.

These two essays cost him over three years of his life, and he decided twenty months per heiress was far toolong and boring. It would suit him better for a while to journey far and wide, continually on the move, untilwithin this much larger sweep he found another likely prospect. Enjoying himself enormously, he began to drovethe Western Queensland stock routes, down the Cooper and the Diamantina, the Barcoo and the Bulloo Overflowdwindling through the top corner of western New South Wales. He was thirty, and it was more than time hefound the goose who would lay at least part of his golden egg. Everyone had heard of Drogheda, but Luke's earspricked up when he discovered there was an only daughter. No hope she'd inherit, but perhaps they'd want todower her with a modest 100,000 acres out around Kynuna or Winton. This was nice country around Gilly, buttoo cramped¹⁹⁸ and forested for him. Luke yearned¹⁹⁹ for the enormity of far western Queensland, where the grassstretched into infinity²⁰¹ and trees were mostly something a man remembered as being vaguely²⁰² eastward²⁰³. Just thegrass, on and on and on with no beginning and no end, where a man was lucky to graze one sheep for every tenacres he owned. Because sometimes there was no grass, just a flat desert of cracked, panting black soil. Thegrass, the sun, the heat and the flies; to each man his own kind of heaven, and this was Luke O'neill's. He hadprised the rest of the Drogheda story out of Jimmy Strong, the AMLANDF stock-and-station agent who drovehim out that first day, and it had been a bitter blow to discover the Catholic Church owned Drogheda. However,he had learned how few and far between female heirs to properties were; when Jimmy Strong went on to say thatthe only daughter had a nice little cash sum of her own and many doting²⁰⁴ brothers, he decided to carry on asplanned. But though Luke had long decided his life's objective lay in 100,000 acres out around Kynuna orWinton, and worked toward it with single-minded zeal¹⁶⁶, the truth was that at heart he loved hard cash far morethan what it might eventually buy him; not the possession of land, nor its inherent power, but the prospect ofstockpiling rows of neat figures in his bankbook, in his name. It hadn't been Gnarlunga or Bingelly he hadwanted so desperately²⁰⁵, but their value in hard cash. A man who genuinely wanted to be the boss cocky wouldnever have settled for landless Meggie Cleary. Nor would he have loved the physical act of working hard as didLuke O'neill.

The dance at the Holy Cross hall in Gilly was the thirteenth dance Luke had taken Meggie to in as many weeks.

How he discovered where they were and how he wangled some of the invitations Meggie was too naive²⁰⁶ to guess,but regularly on a Saturday he would ask Bob for the keys to the Rolls, and take her somewhere within 150miles.

Tonight it was cold as she stood by a fence looking across a moonless landscape, and under her feet she couldfeel the crunch²⁰⁷ of frost. Winter was coming. Luke's arm came around her and drew her in to his side. "You'recold," he said. "I'd better get you home.""No, it's all right now, I'm getting warm," she answered breathlessly. She felt a change in him, a change in thearm held loosely and impersonally²⁰⁸ across her back. But it was nice to lean against him, to feel the warmthradiating from his body, the different construction of his frame. Even through her cardigan she was conscious ofhis hand, moving now in small, caressing²⁰⁹ circles, a tentative and questioning massage²¹⁰. If at this stage sheannounced she was cold he would stop; if she said nothing, he would take it as tacit permission to proceed. Shewas young, she wanted so badly to savor love properly. This was the only man outside of Ralph who interestedher, so why not see what his kisses were like? Only let them be different! Let them not be like Ralph's kisses!

Taking her silence as acquiescence²¹¹, Luke put his other hand on her shoulder, turned her to face him, and benthis head. Was that how a mouth really felt? Why, it was no more than a sort of pressure! What was she supposedto do to indicate liking²¹²? She moved her lips under his and at once wished she had not. The pushing downincreased; he opened his mouth wide, forced her lips apart with his teeth and tongue, and ran the tongue aroundthe inside of her mouth. Revolting. Why had it seemed so different when Ralph kissed her? She hadn't beenaware then of how wet and faintly nauseating²¹³ it was; she hadn't seemed to think at all, only open to him like acasket when the well-known hand touches a secret spring. What on earth was he doing? Why did her body jumpso, cling to him when her mind wanted badly to pull away? Luke had found the sensitive spot on her side, andkept his fingers on it to make her writhe²¹⁴; so far she wasn't exactly enthusiastic. Breaking the kiss, he put hismouth hard against the side of her neck. She seemed to like that better, her hands came up around him and shegasped, but when he slid his lips down her throat at the same time as his hand attempted to push her dress off hershoulder, she gave him a sharp shove and stepped quickly away. "That's enough, Luke!"The episode had disappointed her, half-repelled her. Luke was very aware of it as he helped her into the car androlled a much-needed cigarette. He rather fancied himself as a lover, none of the girls so far had evercomplained-but then they hadn't been ladies like Meggie. Even Dot MacPherson, the Bingelly heiress, richer byfar than Meggie, was as rough as bags, no posh Sydney boarding school and all that crap. In spite of his looksLuke was about on a par¹¹ with the average rural workingman when it came to sexual experience; he knew little ofthe mechanics beyond what he liked himself, and he knew nothing of the theory. The numerous girls he hadmade love to were nothing loath²¹⁷ to assure him they liked it, but that meant he had to rely on a certain amount ofpersonal information, not always honest, either. A girl went into any affair hoping for marriage when the manwas as attractive and hardworking as Luke, so a girl was as likely as not to lie her head off to please him. Andnothing pleased a man more than being told he was the best ever. Luke never dreamed how many men asidefrom himself had been fooled with that one. Still thinking about old Dot, who had given in and done as her fatherwanted after he locked her in the shearers' barracks for a week with a fly-blown carcass, Luke mentally shruggedhis shoulders. Meggie was going to be a tough nut to crack and he couldn't afford to frighten or disgust her. Funand games would have to wait, that was all. He'd woo her the way she obviously wanted, flowers and attentionand not too much slap and-tickle. For a while an uncomfortable silence reigned²¹⁹, then Meggie sighed and slumpedback in her seat.

"I'm sorry, Luke.""I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to offend you.""Oh, no, you didn't offend me, truly! I suppose I'm not very used to it .... I was frightened, not offended.""Oh, Meghann!" He took one hand off the wheel and put it over her clasped ones. "Look, don't worry about it.

You're a bit of a girl and I went too fast. Let's forget it.

"Yes, let's," she said.

"Didn't he kiss you?" Luke asked curiously²²¹.

"Who?"'

Was there fear in her voice? But why should there be fear in her voice? "You said you'd been in love once, so Ithought you knew the ropes. I'm sorry, Meghann. I should have realized that stuck all the way out here in afamily like yours, what you meant was you had a schoolgirl crush on some bloke who never noticed you."Yes, yes, yes! Let him think that! "You're quite right, Luke; it was just a schoolgirl crush."Outside the house he drew her to him again and gave her a gentle, lingering kiss without any open-mouth,tongue business. She didn't respond exactly, but clearly she liked it; he went off to his guesthouse more satisfiedthat he hadn't ruined his chances.

Meggie dragged herself to bed and lay looking up at the soft round halo the lamp cast on the ceiling. Well, onething had been established: there was nothing in Luke's kisses to remind her of Ralph's. And once or twicetoward the end she had felt a flicker²²² of dismayed excitement, when he had dug his fingers into her side and,when he had kissed her neck. No use equating²²³ Luke with Ralph, and she wasn't sure anymore that she wanted totry. Better forget Ralph; he couldn't be her husband. Luke could.

The second time Luke kissed her Meggie behaved quite differently. They had been to a wonderful party onRudna Hunish, the limit of the territorial²²⁴ boundary Bob had drawn²²⁵ around their jaunts²²⁶, and the evening had gonewell from its beginning. Luke was in his best form, joking so much on the way out he kept her helpless withlaughter, then warmly loving and attentive²²⁷ toward her all through the party. And Miss Carmichael had been sodetermined to take him away from her! Stepping in where Alastair MacQueen and Enoch Davies feared to go,she attached herself to them and flirted²²⁹ with Luke blatantly, forced him for the sake of good manners to ask herto dance. It was a formal affair, the dancing ballroom²³⁰ style, and the dance Luke gave Miss Carmichael was aslow waltz. But he had come back to Meggie immediately it was over and said nothing, only cast his eyes towardthe ceiling in a way which left her in no doubt that to him Miss Carmichael was a bore. And she loved him for it;ever since the day the lady had interfered with her pleasure at the Gilly Show, Meggie had disliked her. She hadnever forgotten the way Father Ralph had ignored the lady to lift a small girl over a puddle²³¹; now tonight Lukeshowed himself in those same colors. Oh, bravo! Luke, you're splendid!

It was a very long way home, and very cold. Luke had cajoled a packet of sandwiches and a bottle ofchampagne out of old Angus MacQueen, and when they were nearly two-thirds of the way home he stopped thecar. Heaters in cars were extremely rare in Australia then as now, but the Rolls was equipped with a heater; thatnight it was very welcome, for the frost lay two inches thick on the ground.

"Oh, isn't it nice to sit without a coat on a night like this?" Meggie smiled, taking the little silver collapsible cupof champagne²³² Luke gave her, and biting into a ham sandwich.

"Yes, it is. You look so pretty tonight, Meghann."What was it about the color of her eyes? Grey wasn't normally a color he cared for, too anemic, but looking ather grey eyes he could have sworn they held every color in the blue end of the spectrum²³³, violet and indigo²³⁴ andthe sky on a rich clear day, deep mossy green, a hint of tawny²³⁵ yellow. And they glowed like soft, half-opaquejewels, framed by those long curling lashes²³⁷ which glittered as if they had been dipped in gold. He reached outand delicately brushed his finger along the lashes of one eye, then solemnly looked down at its tip.

"Why, Luke! What's the matter?""I couldn't resist seeing for myself that you don't have a pot of gold powder on your dressing²³⁸ table. Do youknow you're the only girl I've ever met with real gold on her eyelashes?""Oh!" She touched them herself, looked at her finger, laughed. "So I have! It doesn't come off at all." Thechampagne was tickling²³⁹ her nose and fizzing in her stomach; she felt wonderful.

"And real gold eyebrows²⁴⁰ that have the same shape as a church roof, and the most beautiful real gold hair. . . I always expect it to be hard like metal, yet it's soft and fine like a baby's . . . . And skin you must use goldpowder on, it shines so . . . And the most beautiful mouth, just made for kissing . . ."She sat staring at him with that tender pink mouth slightly open, the way it had been on their first meeting; hereached out and took the empty cup from her.

"I think you need a little more. champagne," he said, filling it. "I must admit this is nice, to stop and giveourselves a little break from the track. And thank you for thinking of asking Mr. MacQueen for the sandwichesand wine."The big. Rolls engine ticked gently in the silence, warm air pouring almost soundlessly through the vents²⁴¹; twoseparate kinds of lulling²⁴² noise. Luke unknotted his tie and pulled it off, opened his shirt collar. Their jackets wereon the back seat, too warm for the car.

"Oh, that feels good! I don't know who invented ties and then insisted a man was only properly dressed when hewore one, but if ever I meet him, I'll strangle him with his own invention."He turned abruptly²⁴³, lowered his face to hers, and seemed to catch the rounded curve of her lips exactly into his,like two pieces of a jigsaw²⁴⁴ puzzle; though he didn't hold her or touch her elsewhere she felt locked to him and lether head follow as he leaned back, drawing her forward onto his. chest. His hands came up to clasp her head, thebetter to work at that dizzying, amazingly responsive mouth, drain it. Sighing, he abandoned himself to feelingnothing else, at home at last with those silky baby's lips finally fitting his own. Her arm slid around his neck,quivering fingers sank into his hair, the palm of her other hand coming to rest on the smooth brown skin at thebase of his throat. This time he didn't hurry, though he had risen and hardened before giving her the second cupof champagne, just from looking at her. Not releasing her head, he kissed her cheeks, her closed eyes, thecurving bones of the orbits beneath her brows, came back to her cheeks because they were so satiny, came backto her mouth because its infantile shape drove him mad, had driven him mad since the day he first saw her.

And there was her throat, the little hollow at its base, the skin of her shoulder so delicate and cool and dry . . . .

Powerless to call a halt, almost beside himself with fear lest she should call a halt, he removed one hand from herhead and plucked at the long row of buttons down the back of her dress, slid it off her obedient arms, then thestraps of her loose satin slip. Face buried between her neck and shoulder, he passed the tips of his fingers downher bare back, feeling her startled little shivers, the sudden hard points to her breasts. He pushed his face lower ina blind, compulsive touch-search of one cold, cushioned surface, lips parted, pressing down, until they closedover taut²⁴⁶ ruched flesh. His tongue lingered for a dazed minute, then his hands clutched in agonized²⁴⁷ pleasure onher back and he sucked, nipped, kissed, sucked .... The old eternal impulse, his particular preference, and it neverfailed. It was so good, good, good, goooooood! He did not cry out, only shuddered²⁴⁸ for a wrenching²⁵⁰, drenchingmoment, and swallowed in the depths of his throat.

Like a satiated nursling, he let the nipple pop out of his mouth, formed a kiss of boundless²⁵² love and gratitudeagainst the side of her breast, and lay utterly still except for the heaves of his breathing. He could feel her mouthin his hair, her hand down inside his shirt, and suddenly he seemed to recollect²⁵³ himself, opened his eyes. Brisklyhe sat up, pulled her slip straps²⁴⁵ up her arms, then her dress, and fastened all the buttons deftly²⁵⁴. "You'd bettermarry me, Meghann," he said, eyes soft and laughing. "I don't think your brothers would approve one little bit ofwhat we just did." "Yes, I think I'd better too," she agreed, lids lowered, a delicate flush in her cheeks.

"Let's tell them tomorrow morning.""Why not? The sooner the better.""Next Saturday I'll drive you into Gilly. We'll see Father Thomas-I suppose you'd like a church wedding-arrange for the banns, and buy an engagement ring.""Thank you, Luke."Well, that was that. She had committed herself, there could be no turning back. In a few weeks or however longit took to call banns, she would marry Luke O'neill. She would be . . . Mrs. Luke O'neill! How strange! Why didshe say yes? Because he told me I must, he said I was to do it. But why? To remove him from danger? To protecthimself, or me? Ralph de Bricassart, sometimes I think I hate you ....

The incident in the car had been startling and disturbing. Not a bit like that first time. So many beautiful,terrifying sensations. Oh, the touch of his hands! That electrifying²⁵⁶ tugging²⁵⁷ at her breast sending vast wideningrings clear through her! And he did it right at the moment her conscience had reared its head, told the mindlessthing she seemed to have become that he was taking off her clothes, that she must scream, slap him, run away.

No longer lulled²⁵⁸ and half senseless from champagne, from warmth, from the discovery that it was delicious to bekissed when it was done right, his first great gulping²⁵⁹ taking-in of her breast had transfixed her, stilled commonsense²⁶⁰, conscience and all thought of flight. Her shoulders came up off his chest, her hips seemed to subsideagainst him, her thighs and that un-named region at their top rammed²⁶¹ by his squeezing hands against a ridge ofhis body hard as a rock, and she had just wanted to stay like that for the rest of her days, shaken to her soul andyawning empty, wanting . . . . Wanting what? She didn't know. In the moment at which he had put her awayfrom him she hadn't wanted to go, could even have flown at him like a savage²⁶². But it had set the seal on herhardening resolve to marry Luke O'neill. Not to mention that she was convinced he had done to her the thingwhich made babies start.

No one was very surprised at the news, and no one dreamed of objecting. The only thing which did startle themwas Meggie's adamant²⁶³ refusal to write and tell Bishop Ralph, her almost hysterical²⁶⁴ rejection²⁶⁵ of Bob's idea thatthey invite Bishop Ralph to Drogheda and have a big house wedding. No, no, no! She had screamed it at them;Meggie who never raised her voice. Apparently she was miffed that he had never come back to see them,maintaining that her marriage was her own business, that if he didn't have the common decency to come toDrogheda for no reason, she was not going to furnish him with an obligation he could not refuse.

So Fee promised not to say a word in her letters; she seemed not to care one way or the other, nor did she seeminterested in Meggie's choice of a husband. Keeping the books of a station as large as Drogheda was a full-timejob. Fee's records would have served a historian with a perfect description of life on a sheep station, for theydidn't simply consist of figures and ledgers²⁶⁶. Every movement of every mob of sheep was rigidly²⁶⁸ described, thechanges of the seasons, the weather each day, even what Mrs. Smith served for dinner. The entry in the log bookfor Sunday, July 22, 1934, said: Sky clear, no cloud, temperature at dawn 34 degrees. No Mass today. Bob in,Jack out at Murrimbah with 2 stockmen, Hughie out at West Dam with 1 stockman, Beerbarrel droving 3-yearwethers from Budgin to Winnemurra. Temperature high at 3 o'clock, 85 degrees. Barometer²⁶⁹ steady, 30.6 inches.

Wind due west. Dinner menu corned beef, boiled potatoes, carrots and cabbage, then plum duff. Meghann Clearyis to marry Mr. Luke O'neill, stockman, on Saturday August 25 at the Holy Cross Church, Gillanbone. Entered 9o'clock evening, temperature 45 degrees, moon last quarter.

Luke bought Meggie a diamond engagement ring, modest but quite pretty, its twin quarter-carat stones set in apair of platinum²⁷⁰ hearts. The banns were called for noon on Saturday, August 25th, in the Holy Cross Church.

This would be followed by a family dinner at the Hotel Imperial, to which Mrs. Smith, Minnie and Cat werenaturally invited, though Jims and Patsy had been left in Sydney after Meggie said firmly that she couldn't seethe²⁷¹ point in bringing them six hundred miles to witness a ceremony they didn't really understand. She hadreceived their letters of congratulations; Jims's long, rambling²⁷² and childlike, Patsy's consisting of three words,"Lots of luck." They knew Luke, of course, having ridden the Drogheda paddocks with him during theirvacations.

Mrs. Smith was grieved at Meggie's insistence²⁷³ on as small an affair as possible; she had hoped to see the onlygirl married on Drogheda with flags flying and cymbals²⁷⁴ clashing, days of celebration. But Meggie was so againsta fuss she even refused to wear bridal regalia; she would be married in a day dress and an ordinary hat, whichcould double afterwards as her traveling outfit²⁷⁶.

"Darling, I've decided where to take you for our honeymoon²⁷⁷," Luke said, slipping into a chair opposite hers theSunday after they had made their wedding plans.

"Where?""North Queensland. While you were at the dressmaker I got talking to some chaps in the Imperial bar, and theywere telling me there's money to be made up in cane country, if a man's strong and not afraid of hard work." "ButLuke, you already have a good job here!" "A man doesn't feel right, battening on his in-laws. I want to get us themoney to buy a place out in Western Queensland, and I want it before I'm too old to work it. A man with noeducation finds it hard to get high-paying work in this Depression, but there's a shortage of men in NorthQueensland, and the money's at least ten times what I earn as a stockman on Drogheda." "Doing what?""Cutting sugar cane.""Cutting sugar cane? That's coolie labor²⁷⁸""No, you're wrong. Coolies aren't big enough to do it as well as the white cutters, and besides, you know as wellas I do that Australian law forbids the importation of black or yellow men to do slave labor or work for wageslower than a white man's, take the bread out of a white Australian's mouth. There's a shortage of cutters and themoney's terrific. Not too many blokes are big enough or strong enough to cut cane. But 1 am. It won't beat me!""Does this mean you're thinking of making our home in North Queensland, Luke?""Yes."She stared past his shoulder through the great bank of windows at Drogheda: the ghost gums, the HomePaddock, the stretch of trees beyond. Not to live onDrogheda! To be somewhere Bishop Ralph could never find her, to live without ever seeing him again, tocleave to this stranger sitting facing her so irrevocably there could be no going back .... The grey eyes rested onLuke's vivid, impatient face and grew more beautiful, but unmistakably sadder. He sensed it only; she had notears there, her lids didn't droop²⁷⁹, or the corners of her mouth. But he wasn't concerned with whatever sorrowsMeggie owned, for he had no intention of letting her become so important to him she caused him worry on herbehalf. Admittedly she was something of a bonus to a man who had tried to marry Dot MacPherson of Bingelly,but her physical desirability and tractable²⁸⁰ nature only increased Luke's guard over his own heart. No woman,even one as sweet and beautiful as Meggie Cleary, was ever going to gain sufficient power over him to tell himwhat to do.

So, remaining true to himself, he plunged²⁸¹ straight into the main thing on his mind. There were times when guilewas necessary, but in this matter it wouldn't serve him as well as bluntness.

"Meghann, I'm an old-fashioned man," he said. She stared at him, puzzled. "Are you?" she asked, her toneimplying: Does it matter?

"Yes," he said. "I believe that when a man and woman marry, all the woman's property should become theman's. The way a dowry did in the old days. I know you've got a bit of money, and I'm telling you now that whenwe marry you're to sign it over to me. It's only fair you know what's in my mind While you're still single, andable to decide whether you want to do it."It had never occurred to Meggie that she would retain her money; she had simply assumed when she married itwould become Luke's, not hers. All save the most educated and sophisticated Australian women were reared tothink themselves more or less the chattels²⁸⁴ of their men, and this was especially true of Meggie. Daddy hadalways ruled Fee and his children, and since his death Fee had deferred²⁸⁶ to Bob as his successor. The man ownedthe money, the house, his wife and his children. Meggie had never questioned his right to do so.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know signing any-thing was necessary, Luke. I thought that what was mineautomatically became yours when we married.""It used to be like that, but those stupid drongos in Canberra stopped it when they gave women the vote. I wanteverything to be fair and square between us, Meghann, so I'm telling you now how things are going to be." Shelaughed, "It's all right, Luke, I don't mind."She took it like a good old-fashioned wife; Dot wouldn't have given in so readily. "How much have you got?"he asked.

"At the moment, fourteen thousand pounds. Every year I get two thousand more."He whistled. "Fourteen thousand pounds! Phew! That's a lot of money, Meghann. Better to have me look after itfor you. We can see the bank manager next week, and remind me to make sure everything coming in in thefuture gets put in my name, too. I'm not going to touch a penny of it, you know that. It's to buy our station lateron. For the next few years we're both going to work hard, and save every penny we earn. All right?" She nodded.

"Yes, Luke."A simple oversight²⁸⁷ on Luke's part nearly scotched²⁸⁹ the wedding in midplan. He was not a Catholic. When FatherWatty found out he threw up his hands in horror.

"Dear Lord, Luke, why didn't you tell me earlier? Indeed and to goodness, it will take all of our energies to haveyou converted and baptized before the wedding!"Luke stared at Father Watty, astonished. "Who said anything about converting, Father? I'm quite happy as I ambeing nothing, but if it worries you, write me down as a Calathumpian or a Holy Roller or whatever you like. Butwrite me down a Catholic you will not."In vain they pleaded; Luke refused to entertainidea of conversion²⁹¹ for a moment. "I've got nothing against Catholicism or Eire, and I think the Catholics inUlster are hard done by. But I'm Orange, and I'm not a turncoat. If I was a Catholic and you wanted me toconvert to Methodism, I'd react the same. It's being a turncoat I object to, not being a Catholic. So you'll have todo without me in the flock, Father, and that's that.""Then you can't get married!""Why on earth not? If you don't want to marry us, I can't see why the Reverend up at the Church of Englandwill object, or Harry²⁹² Gough the J.P." Fee smiled sourly, remembering her contretemps with Paddy and a priest;she had won that encounter.

"But, Luke, I have to be married in church!" Meggie protested fearfully. "If I'm not, I'll be living in sin!""Well, as far as I'm concerned, living in sin is a lot better than turning my coat inside out," said Luke, who wassometimes a curious contradiction; much as he wanted Meggie's money, a blind streak of stubbornness in himwouldn't let him back down.

"Oh, stop all this silliness!" said Fee, not to Luke but to the priest. "Do what Paddy and I did and have an end toargument! Father Thomas can marry you in the presbytery if he doesn't want to soil his church!" Everyone staredat her, amazed, but it did the trick; Father Watkin gave in and agreed to marry them in the presbytery, though herefused to bless the ring.

Partial Church sanction left Meggie feeling she was sinning, but not badly enough to go to Hell, and ancientAnnie the presbytery housekeeper²⁹³ did her best to make Father Watty's study as churchlike as possible, with greatvases of flowers and many brass²⁹⁴ candlesticks. But it was an uncomfortable ceremony, the very displeased²⁹⁵ priestmaking everyone feel he only went through with it to save himself the embarrassment²⁹⁶ of a secular²⁹⁷ weddingelsewhere. No Nuptial²⁹⁸ Mass, no blessings³⁰⁰.

However, it was done. Meggie was Mrs. Luke O'neill, on her way to North Queensland and a honeymoonsomewhat delayed by the time it would take getting there. Luke refused to spend that Saturday night at theImperial, for the branch-line train to Goondiwindi left only once a week, on Saturday night, to connect with theGoondiwindi-Brisbane mail train on Sunday. This would bring them to Bris on Monday in time to catch theCairns express.

The Goondiwindi train was crowded. They had no privacy and sat up all night because it carried no sleepingcars. Hour after hour it trundled its erratic³⁰¹, grumpy way northeast, stopping interminably every time the enginedriver felt like brewing³⁰² a billy of tea for himself, or to let a mob of sheep wander along the rails, or to have ayarn with a drover. "I wonder why they pronounce Goondiwindi Gundiwindi if they don't want to spell it thatway?" Meggie asked idly as they waited in the only place open in Goondiwindi on a Sunday, the awfulinstitutional-green station waiting room with its hard black wooden benches. Poor Meggie, she was nervous andill at ease.

"How do I know?" sighed Luke, who didn't feel like talking and was starving into the bargain. Since it wasSunday they couldn't even get a cup of tea; not until the Monday-morning breakfast stop on the Brisbane maildid they get an opportunity to fill their empty stomachs and slake³⁰³ their thirst. Then Brisbane, into South Brisstation, the trek³⁰⁴ across the city to Roma Street Station and the Cairns train. Here Meggie discovered Luke hadbooked them two second-class upright seats. "Luke, we're not short of money!" she said, tired and exasperated.

"If you forgot to go to the bank, I've got a hundred pounds Bob gave me here in my purse. Why didn't you get usa first-class sleeping compartment³⁰⁵?" He stared down at her, astounded³⁰⁶. "But it's only three nights and three daysto Dungloe! Why spend money on a sleeper³⁰⁷ when we're both young, healthy and strong? Sitting up on a train fora while won't kill you, Meghann! It's about time you realized you've married a plain old workingman, not abloody squatter!

So Meggie slumped²²⁰ in the window seat Luke seized for her and rested her trembling chin on her hand to lookout³⁰⁸ the window so Luke wouldn't notice her tears. He had spoken to her as one speaks to an irresponsible child,and she was beginning to wonder if indeed this was how he regarded her. Rebellion began to stir, but it was verysmall and her fierce pride forbade the indignity³¹⁰ of quarreling. Instead she told herself she was this mart's wife,but it was such a new thing he wasn't used to it. Give him time. They would live together, she would cook hismeals, mend his clothes, look after him, have his babies, be a good wife to him. Look how much Daddy hadappreciated Mum, how much he had adored her. Give Luke time.

They were going to a town called Dungloe, only fifty miles short of Cairns, which was the far northern terminusof the line which ran all the way along the Queensland coast. Over a thousand miles of narrow three-foot-sixgaugerail, rocking and pitching back and forth, every seat in the compartment occupied, no chance to lie downor stretch out. Though it was far more densely³¹² settled countryside than Gilly, and far more colorful, she couldn'tsummon up interest in it.

Her head ached, she could keep no food down and the heat was much, much worse than anything Gilly had evercooked up. The lovely pink silk wedding dress was filthy³¹³ from soot³¹⁵ blowing in the windows, her skin wasclammy with a sweat which wouldn't evaporate, and what was more galling³¹⁷ than any of her physical discomforts,she was close to hating Luke. Apparently not in the least tired or out of sorts because of the journey, he sat at hisease yarning³¹⁹ with two men going to Cardwell. The only times he glanced in her direction he also got up, leanedacross her so carelessly she shrank, and flung a rolled-up newspaper out the window to some event-hungry gangof tattered³²⁰ men beside the line with steel hammers in their hands, calling: "Paip! Paip!""Fettlers looking after the rails," he explained as he sat down again the first time it happened.

And he seemed to assume she was quite as happy and comfortable as he was, that the coastal³²¹ plain flying bywas fascinating her. While she sat staring at it and not seeing it, hating it before she had so much as set foot on it.

At Cardwell the two men got off, and Luke went to the fish-and-chip shop across the road from the station tobring back a newspaper-wrapped bundle. "They say Cardwell fish has to be tasted to be believed, Meghann love.

The best fish in the world. Here, try some. It's your first bit of genuine Bananaland food. I tell you, there's noplace like Queensland." Meggie glanced at the greasy³²² pieces of batter-dipped fish, put her handkerchief to hermouth and bolted for the toilet. He was waiting in the corridor when she came out some time later, white andshaking. "What's the matter? Aren't you feeling well?" "I haven't felt well since we left Goondiwindi.""Good Lord! Why didn't you tell me?""Why didn't you notice?""You looked all right to me.""How far is it now?" she asked, giving up.

"Three to six hours, give or take a bit. They don't run to timetable up here too much. There's plenty of roomnow those blokes are gone; lie down and put your tootsies in my lap.""Oh, don't baby-talk me!" she snapped tartly³²³. "It would have been a lot better if they'd got off two days ago inBundaberg!" "Come on now, Meghann, be a good sport! Nearly there. Only Tully and Innisfail, then Dungloe."It was late afternoon when they stepped off the train,Meggie clinging desperately to Luke's arm, too proud to admit she wasn't able to walk properly. He asked thestationmaster for the name of a workingmen's hotel, picked up their cases and walked out onto the street, Meggiebehind him weaving drunkenly.

"Only to the end of the block on the other side of the street," he comforted. "The white two-storied joint³²⁴."Though their room was small and filled to overflowing³²⁵ with great pieces of Victorian furniture, it looked likeheaven to Meggie, collapsing³²⁶ on the edge of the double bed.

"Lie down for a while before dinner, love. I'm going out to find my landmarks," he said, sauntering from theroom looking as fresh and rested as he had on their wedding morning. That had been Saturday, and this was lateThursday afternoon; five days sitting up in crowded trains, choked by cigarette smoke and soot.

The bed was rocking monotonously³²⁷ in time to the clickety-click of steel wheels passing over rail joins, butMeggie turned her head into the pillow gratefully, and slept, and slept.

Someone had taken off her shoes and stockings, and covered her with a sheet; Meggie stirred, opened her eyesand looked around. Luke was sitting on the window ledge²⁶⁷ with one knee drawn up, smoking. Her movementmade him turn to look at her, and he smiled.

"A nice bride you are! Here I am looking forward to my honeymoon and my wife conks out for nearly twodays! I was a bit worried when I couldn't wake you up, but the publican says it hits women like that, the trip upin the train and the humidity. He said just let you sleep it off. How do you feel now?"She sat up stiffly, stretched her arms and yawned, "I feel much better, thank you. Oh, Luke! I know I'm youngand strong, but I'm a woman! I can't take the sort of physical punishment you can."He came to sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing her arm in a rather charming gesture of contrition³²⁸. "I'm sorry,Meghann, I really am. I didn't think of your being a woman. Not used to having a wife with me, that's all. Areyou hungry, darling?""Starved. Do you realize it's almost a week since I've eaten?" "Then why don't you have a bath, put on a cleandress and come outside to look at Dungloe?"There was a Chinese cafe next door to the hotel, where Luke led Meggie for her first-ever taste of Orientalfood. She was so hungry anything would have tasted good, but this was superb. Nor did she care if it was madeof rats" tails and sharks' fins³²⁹ and fowls³³⁰' bowels³³¹, as rumor³³² had it in Gillanbone, which only possessed a cafe runby Greeks who served steak and chips. Luke had brown-bagged two quart bottles of beer from the hotel andinsisted she drink a glass in spite of her dislike for beer. "Go easy on the water at first," he advised. "Beer won'tgive you the trots³³³."Then he took her arm and walked her around Dungloe proudly, as if he owned it. But then, Luke was born aQueenslander. What a place Dungloe was! It had a look and a character far removed from western towns. In sizeit was probably the same as Gilly, but instead of rambling forever down one main street. Dungloe was built inordered square blocks, and all its shops and houses were painted white, not brown. Windows were verticalwooden transoms, presumably to catch the breeze, and wherever possible roofs had been dispensed³³⁴ with, like themovie theater, which had a screen, transomed walls and rows of ship's canvas desk chairs, but no roof at all. Allaround the edge of the town encroached a genuine jungle. Vines and creepers sprawled³³⁶ everywhere up posts,across roofs, along walls. Trees sprouted³³⁷ casually³³⁸ in the middle of the road, or had houses built around them, orperhaps had grown up through the houses. It was impossible to tell which had come first, trees or humanhabitations, for the overwhelming impression was one of uncontrolled, hectic³³⁹ growth of vegetation. Coconutpalms taller and straighter than the Drogheda ghost gums waved fronds³⁴¹ against a deep, swimming blue sky;everywhere Meggie looked was a blaze of color. No brown-and-grey land, this. Every kind of tree seemed to bein flower-purple, orange, scarlet³⁴², pink, blue, white. There were many Chinese in black silk trousers, tiny blackand-white shoes with white socks, white Mandarin-collared shirts, pigtails down their backs. Males and femaleslooked so alike Meggie found it difficult to tell which were which. Almost the entire commerce of the townseemed to be in the hands of Chinese; a large department store, far more opulent than anything Gilly possessed,bore a Chinese name: AH WONG’S, said the sign. All the houses were built on top of very high piles, like theold head stockman's residence on Drogheda. This was to achieve maximum air circulation, Luke explained, andkeep the termites³⁴³ from causing them to fall down a year after they were built. At the top of each pile was a tinplate with turned-down edges; termites couldn't bend their bodies in the middle and thus couldn't crawl over thetin parapet into the wood of the house itself. Of course they feasted on the piles, but when a pile rotted it wasremoved and replaced by a new one. Much easier and less expensive than putting up a new house. Most of thegardens seemed to be jungle, bamboo and palms, as if the inhabitants had given up trying to keep floral order.

The men and women shocked her. To go for dinner and a walk with Luke she had dressed as custom demandedin heeled shoes, silk stockings, satin slip, floating silk frock with belt and elbow sleeves. On her head was a bigstraw hat, on her hands were gloves. And what irritated her the most was an uncomfortable feeling from the waypeople stared that she was the one improperly³⁴⁵ dressed! The men were bare-footed, bare-legged and mostly bare-chested, wearing nothing but drab khaki shorts; the few who covered their chests did so with athletic³⁴⁶ singlets, notshirts. The women were worse. A few wore skimpy cotton dresses clearly minus anything in the way ofunderwear, no stockings, sloppy³⁴⁷ sandals. But the majority wore short shorts, went bare-footed and shielded theirbreasts with indecent little sleeveless vests. Dungloe was a civilized³⁴⁸ town, not a beach. But here were its nativewhite inhabitants strolling around in brazen³⁴⁹ undress; the Chinese were better clad. There were bicycleseverywhere, hundreds of them; a few cars, no horses at all. Yes, very different from Gilly. And it was hot, hot,hot. They passed a thermometer which incredibly said a mere ninety degrees; in Gilly at 115 degrees it seemedcooler than this. Meggie felt as if she moved through solid air which her body had to cut like wet, steamy butter,as if when she breathed her lungs filled with water.

"Luke, I can't bear it! Please, can we go back?" she gasped²¹⁵ after less than a mile.

"If you want. You're feeling the humidity. It rarely gets below ninety percent, winter or summer, and thetemperature rarely gets below eighty-five or above ninety-five. There's not much of a seasonal³⁵⁰ variation, but insummer the monsoons³⁵² send the humidity up to a hundred percent all the flaming time." "Summer rain, notwinter?""All year round. The monsoons always come, and when they're not blowing, the southeast trades are. Theycarry a lot of rain, too. Dungloe has an annual rainfall of between one and three hundred inches."Three hundred inches of rain a year! Poor Gilly ecstatic if it got a princely fifteen, while here as much as threehundred fell, two thousand miles from Gilly.

"Doesn't it cool off at night?" Meggie asked as they reached the hotel; hot nights in Gilly were bearablecompared to this steam bath.

"Not very much. You'll get used to it." He opened the door to their room and stood back for her to enter. "I'mgoing down to the bar for a beer, but I'll be back in half an hour. That ought to give you enough time." Her eyesflew to his face, startled. "Yes, Luke."Dungloe was seventeen degrees south of the equator, so night fell like a thunderclap; one minute it seemed thesun was scarcely setting, and the next minute pitch-black darkness spread itself thick and warm like treacle³⁵³.

When Luke came back Meggie had switched off the light and was lying in the bed with the sheet pulled up to herchin. Laughing, he reached out and tugged³⁵⁴ it off her, threw it on the floor.

"It's hot enough, love! We won't need a sheet."She could hear him walking about, see his faint shadow shedding its clothes. "I put your pajamas³⁵⁵ on thedressing table," she whispered. "Pajamas? In weather like this? I know in Gilly they'd have a stroke at thethought of a man not wearing pajamas, but this is Dungloe! Are you really wearing a nightie?""Yes.""Then take it off. The bloody thing will only be a nuisance anyway." Fumbling³⁵⁶, Meggie managed to wriggle³⁵⁷ outof the lawn nightgown Mrs. Smith had embroidered³⁵⁸ so lovingly for her wedding night, thankful that it was toodark for him to see her. He was right; it was much cooler lying bare and letting the breeze from the wide-opentransoms play over her thinly. But the thought of another hot body in the bed with her was depressing. Thesprings creaked; Meggie felt damp skin touch her arm and jumped. He turned on his side, pulled her into hisarms and kissed her. At first she lay passively, trying not to think of that wide-open mouth and its probing,indecent tongue, but then she began to struggle to be free, not wanting to be close in the heat, not wanting to bekissed, not wanting Luke. It wasn't a bit like that night in the Rolls coming back from Rudna Hunish. Shecouldn't seem to feel anything in him which thought of her, and some part of him was pushing insistently³⁵⁹ at herthighs while one hand, its nails squarely sharp, dug into her buttocks. Her fear blossomed into terror, she wasoverwhelmed in more than a physical way by his strength and determination, his lack of awareness³⁶⁰ of her.

Suddenly he let her go, sat up and seemed to fumble³⁶¹ with himself, snapping and pulling at something. . "Betterbe safe," he gasped. "Lie on your back, it's time. No, not like that! Open-your legs, for God's sake! Don't youknow anything?" No, no, Luke, I don't! she wanted to cry. This is horrible, obscene; whatever it is you're doingto me can't possibly be permitted by the laws of Church or men! He actually lay down on top of her, lifted hiships and poked at her with one hand, the other so firmly in her hair she didn't dare move. Twitching³⁶² and jumpingat the alien thing between her legs, she tried to do as he wanted, spread her legs wider, but he was much broaderthan she was, and her groin muscles went into crampy spasm³⁶³ from the weight of him and the un-accustomedposture. Even through the darkening mists of fright and exhaustion³⁶⁴ she could sense the gathering³⁶⁵ of some mightypower; as he entered her a long high scream left her lips.

"Shut up!" he groaned³⁶⁶, took his hand out of her hair and clamped it defensively over her mouth. "What do youwant to do, make everyone in this bloody pub think I'm murdering you? Lie still and it won't hurt any more thanit has to! Lie still, lie still!"She fought like one possessed to be rid of that ghastly, painful thing, but his weight pinned her down and hishand deadened her cries, the agony went on and on. Utterly dry because he hadn't roused her, the even driercondom scraped and rasped her tissues as he worked himself in and out, faster and faster, the breath beginning tohiss between his teeth; then some change stilled him, made him shudder²⁴⁹, swallow hard. The pain dulled to rawsoreness and he mercifully rolled off her to lie on his back, gasping³⁶⁸. "It'll be better for you the next time," hemanaged to say. "The first time always hurts the woman."Then why didn't you have the decency to tell me that beforehand? she wanted to snarl³⁶⁹, but she hadn't the energyto utter the words, she was too busy wanting to die. Not only because of the pain, but also from the discoverythat she had possessed no identity for him, only been an instrument. The second time hurt just as much, and thethird; exasperated, expecting her discomfort³¹⁸ (for so he deemed it) to disappear magically after the first time andthus not understanding why she continued to fight and cry out, Luke grew angry, turned his back on her and wentto sleep. The tears slipped sideways from Meggie's eyes into her hair; she lay on her back wishing for death, orelse for her old life on Drogheda.

Was that what Father Ralph had meant years ago, when he had told her of the hidden passageway to do withhaving children? A nice way to find out what he meant. No wonder he had preferred not to explain it moreclearly himself. Yet Luke had liked the activity well enough to do it three times in quick succession. Obviously itdidn't hurt him. And for that she found herself hating him, hating it.

Exhausted¹²⁰, so sore moving was agony, Meggie inched herself over onto her side with her back to Luke, andwept into the pillow. Sleep eluded³⁷² her, though Luke slept so soundly her small timid movements never caused somuch as a change in the pattern of his breathing. He was an economical sleeper and a quiet one, he neithersnored nor flopped³⁷³ about, and she thought while waiting for the late dawn that if it had just been a matter oflying down together, she might have found him nice to be with. And the dawn came, as quickly and joylessly asdarkness had; it seemed strange not to hear roosters crowing, the other sounds of a rousing Drogheda with itssheep and horses and pigs and dogs.

Luke woke, and rolled over, she felt him kiss her on the shoulder and was so tired, so homesick that she forgotmodesty, didn't care about covering herself.

"Come on, Meghann, let's have a look at you," he commanded, his hand on her hip⁹⁴. "Turn over, like a goodlittle girl."Nothing mattered this morning; Meggie turned over, wincing³⁷⁴, and lay looking up at him dully. "I don't likeMeghann," she said, the only form of protest she could manage. "I do wish you'd call me Meggie.""I don't like Meggie. But if you really dislike Meghann so much, I'll call you Meg." His gaze roved her bodydreamily. "What a nice shape you've got." He touched one breast, pink nipple flat and unaroused. "Especiallythese." Bunching the pillows into a heap, he lay back on them and smiled. "Come on, Meg, kiss me. It's your turnto make love to me, and maybe you'll like that better, eh?"I never want to kiss you again as long as I live, she thought, looking at the long, heavily muscled body, the matof dark hair on the chest diving down the belly³⁷⁵ in a thin line and then flaring into a bush, out of which grew thedeceptively small and innocent shoot which could cause so much pain. How hairy his legs were! Meggie hadgrown up with men who never removed a layer of their clothes in the presence of women, but open-necked shirtsshowed hairy chests in hot weather. They were all fair men, and not offensive to her; this dark man was alien,repulsive³⁷⁶. Ralph had a head of hair just as dark, but well she remembered that smooth, hairless brown chest. "Doas you're told, Meg! Kiss me."Leaning over, she kissed him; he cupped her breasts in his palms and made her go on kissing him, took one ofher hands and pushed it down to his groin. Startled, she took her unwilling³⁷⁷ mouth away from his to look at whatlay under her hand, changing and growing. "Oh, please, Luke, not again!" she cried. "Please, not again! Please,please!"The blue eyes scanned her speculatively³⁷⁸. "Hurts that much? All right, we'll do something different, but forGod's sake try to be enthusiastic!" Pulling her on top of him, he pushed her legs apart, lifted her shoulders andattached himself to her breast, as he had done in the car the night she committed herself to marrying him. Thereonly in body, Meggie endured it; at least he didn't put himself inside her, so it didn't hurt any more than simplymoving did. What strange creatures men were, to go at this as if it was the most pleasurable thing in the world. Itwas disgusting, a mockery of love. Had it not been for her hope that it would culminate³⁷⁹ in a baby, Meggie wouldhave refused flatly to have anything more to do with it.

"I've got you a job," Luke said over breakfast in the hotel dining room. "What? Before I've had a chance tomake our home nice, Luke? Before we've even got a home?""There's no point in our renting a house, Meg. I'm going to cut cane; it's all arranged. The best gang of cutters inQueensland is a gang of Swedes, Poles and Irish led by a bloke called Arne Swenson, and while you weresleeping off the journey I went to see him. He's a man short and he's willing to give me a trial. That means I'll beliving in barracks with them. We cut six days a week, sunrise to sunset. Not only that, but we move around upand down the coast, wherever the next job takes us. How much I earn depends on how much sugar I cut, and ifI'm good enough to cut with Arne's gang I'll be pulling in more than twenty quid a week. Twenty quid a week!

Can you imagine that?""Are you trying to tell me we won't be living together, Luke?" "We can't, Meg! The men won't have a womanin the barracks, and what's the use of your living alone in a house? You may as well work, too; it's all moneytoward our station.""But where will I live? What sort of work can I do? There's no stock to drove up here.""No, more's the pity. That's why I've got you a live-in job, Meg. You'll get free board, I won't have the expenseof keeping you. You're going to work as a housemaid on Himmelhoch, Ludwig Mueller's place. He's the biggestcane cocky in the district and his wife's an invalid³⁸⁰, can't manage the house on her own. I'll take you theretomorrow morning.""But when will I see you, Luke?""On Sundays. Luddie understands you're married; he doesn't mind if you disappear on Sundays""Well! You've certainly arranged things to your satisfaction, haven't you?" "I reckon. Oh, Meg, we're going tobe rich! We'll work hard and save every penny, and it won't be long before we can buy ourselves the best stationin Western Queensland. There's the fourteen thousand I've got in the Gilly bank, the two thousand a year morecoming in there, and the thirteen hundred or more a year we can earn between us. It won't be long, love, Ipromise. Grin and bear it for me, eh? Why be content with a rented house when the harder we work now meansthe sooner you'll be looking around your own kitchen?" "If it's what you want." She looked down at her purse.

"Luke, did you take my hundred pounds?""I put it in the bank. You can't carry money like that around, Meg.

"But you took every bit of it! I don't have a penny! What about spending money?""Why on earth do you want spending money? You'll be out at Himmelhoch in the morning, and you can't spendanything there. I'll take care of the hotel bill. It's time you realized you've married a workingman, Meg, thatyou're not the pampered³⁸¹ squatter's daughter with money to burn. Mueller will pay your wages straight into mybank account, where they'll stay along with mine. I'm not spending the money on myself, Meg, you know that.

Neither of us is going to touch it, because it's for our future, our station.""Yes, I understand. You're very sensible, Luke. But what if I should have a baby?"For a moment he was tempted²¹⁶ to tell her the truth, that there would be no baby until the station was a reality,but something in her face made him decide not to.

"Well, let's cross that bridge when we come to it, eh? I'd rather we didn't have one until we've got our station, solet's just hope we don't." No home, no money, no babies. No husband, for that matter. Meggie started to laugh.

Luke joined her, his teacup lifted in a toast. "Here's to French letters," he said.

In the morning they went out to Himmelhoch on the local bus, an old Ford with no glass in its windows androom for twelve people. Meggie was feeling better, for Luke had left her alone when she offered him a breast,and seemed to like it quite as well as that other awful thing. Much and all as she wanted babies, her courage hadfailed her. The first Sunday that she wasn't sore at all, she told herself, she would be willing to try again. Perhapsthere was a baby already on the way, and she needn't bother with it ever again unless she wanted more. Eyesbrighter, she looked around her with interest as the bus chugged out along the red dirt road. It was breath-takingcountry, so different from Gilly; she had to admit there was a grandeur³⁸² and beauty here Gilly quite lacked. Easyto see there was never a shortage of water. The soil was the color of freshly spilled blood, brilliant scarlet, andthe cane in the fields not fallow was a perfect contrast to the soil: long bright green blades waving fifteen ortwenty feet above claret-colored stalks as thick as Luke's arm. Nowhere in the world, raved³⁸³ Luke, did cane growas tall or as rich in sugar; its yield was the highest known. That bright-red soil was over a hundred feet deep, andso stuffed with exactly the right nutrients³⁸⁴ the cane couldn't help but be perfect, especially considering the rainfall.

And nowhere else in the world was it cut by white men, at the white man's driving, money-hungry pace. "Youlook good on a soapbox, Luke," said Meggie ironically. He glanced sideways at her, suspiciously, but refrainedfrom comment because the bus had stopped on the side of the road to let them off. Himmelhoch was a largewhite house on top of a hill, surrounded by coconut³⁴⁰ palms, banana palms and beautiful smaller palms whoseleaves splayed outward in great fans like the tails of peacocks. A grove³⁸⁶ of bamboo forty feet high cut the houseoff from the worst of the northwest monsoonal³⁸⁷ winds; even with its hill elevation³⁸⁸ it was still mounted on top offifteen-foot piles. Luke carried her case; Meggie toiled³⁸⁹ up the red road beside him, gasping, still in correct shoesand stockings, her hat wilting³⁹⁰ around her face. The cane baron³⁹¹ himself wasn't in, but his wife came onto theveranda as they mounted the steps, balancing herself between two sticks. She was smiling; looking at her dearkind face, Meggie felt better at once. "Come in, come in!" she said in a strong Australian accent. Expecting aGerman voice, Meggie was immeasurably cheered. Luke put her case down, shook hands when the lady took herright one off its stick, then pounded away down the steps in a hurry to catch the bus on its return journey. ArneSwenson was picking him up outside the pub at ten o'clock. "What's your first name, Mrs. O'neill?""Meggie.""Oh, that's nice. Mine is Anne, and I'd rather you called me Anne. It's been so lonely up here since my girl leftme a month ago, but it's not easy to get good house help, so I've been battling on my own. There's only Luddieand me to look after; we have no children. I hope you're going to like living with us, Meggie.""I'm sure I will, Mrs. Mueller-Anne.""Let me show you to your room. Can you manage the case? I'm not much good at carrying things, I'm afraid."The room was austerely³⁹³ furnished, like the rest of the house, but it looked out on the only side of the housewhere the view was unimpeded by some sort of windbreak, and shared the same stretch of veranda³⁹² as the livingroom, which seemed very bare to Meggie with its cane furniture and lack of fabric³⁹⁴. "It's just too hot up here forvelvet or chintz," Anne explained. "We live with wicker, and as little on ourselves as decency allows. I'll have toeducate you, or you'll die. You're hopelessly overclothed."She herself was in a sleeveless, low-necked vest and a pair of short shorts, out of which her poor twisted legspoked doddering. In no time at all Meggie found herself similarly clad, loaned from Anne until Luke could bepersuaded to buy her new clothes. It was humiliating to have to explain that she was allowed no money, but atleast having to endure this attenuated³⁹⁶ her embarrassment over wearing so little.

"Well, you certainly decorate my shorts better than I do," said Anne. She went on with her breezy lecture.

"Luddie will bring you firewood; you're not to cut your own or drag it up the steps. I wish we had electricity likethe places closer in to Dunny, but the government is slower than a wet week. Maybe next year the line will reachas far as Himmelhoch, but until then it's the awful old fuel stove, I'm afraid. But you wait, Meggie!

The minute they give us power we'll have an electric stove, electric lights and a refrigerator.""I'm used to doing without them.""Yes, but where you come from the heat is dry. This is far, far worse. I'm just frightened that your health willsuffer. It often does in women who weren't born and brought up here; something to do with the blood. We're onthe same latitude³⁹⁷ south as Bombay and Rangoon are north, you know; not fit country for man or beast unlessborn to it." She smiled. "Oh, it's nice having you already! You and I are going to have a wonderful time! Do youlike reading? Luddie and I have a passion for it."Meggie's face lit up. "Oh, yes!""Splendid! You'll be too content to miss that big handsome husband of yours."Meggie didn't answer. Miss Luke? Was he handsome? She thought that if she never saw him again she wouldbe perfectly³⁹⁸ happy. Except that he was her husband, that the law said she had to make her life with him. She hadgone into it with her eyes open; she had no one to blame save herself. And perhaps as the money came in and thestation in Western Queensland became a reality, there would be time for Luke and her to live together, settledown, know each other, get along.

He wasn't a bad man, or unlikable; it was just that he had been alone so long he didn't know how to sharehimself with someone else. And he was a simple man, ruthlessly single of purpose, untormented. What hedesired was a concrete thing, even if a dream; it was a positive reward which would surely come as the result ofunremitting work, grinding sacrifice. For that one had to respect him. Not for a moment did she think he woulduse the money to give himself luxuries; he had meant what he said; It would stay in the bank. The trouble was hedidn't have the time or the inclination¹²² to understand a woman, he didn't seem to know a woman was different,needed things he didn't need, as he needed things she didn't. Well, it could be worse. He might have put her towork for someone far colder and less considerate than Anne Mueller. On top of this hill she wouldn't come toany harm. But oh, it was so far from Drogheda!

That last thought came again after they finished touring the house, and stood together on the living roomveranda looking out across Himmelhoch. The great fields of cane (one couldn't call them paddocks, since theywere small enough to encompass⁴⁰⁰ with the eyes) plumed⁴⁰¹ lushly in the wind, a restlessly sparkling and polished-by-rain green, falling away in a long slope to the jungle-clad banks of a great river, wider by far than theBarwon. Beyond the river the cane lands rose again, squares of poisonous green interspersed⁴⁰² with bloody fallowfields, until at the foot of a vast mountain the cultivation⁴⁰³ stopped, and the jungle took over. Behind the cone⁴⁰⁴ ofmountain, farther away, other peaks reared and died purple into the distance. The sky was a richer, denser⁴⁰⁵ bluethan Gilly skies, puffed⁴⁰⁶ with white billows of thick cloud, and the color of the whole was vivid, intense.

"That's Mount Bartle Frere," said Anne, pointing to the isolated⁴⁰⁷ peak. "Six thousand feet straight up out of asea-level plain. They say it's solid tin, but there's no hope of mining it for the jungle."On the heavy, idle wind came a strong, sickening stench Meggie hadn't stopped trying to get out of her nostrilssince stepping off the train. Like decay, only not like decay; unbearably⁴⁰⁸ sweet, all-pervasive, a tangible⁴⁰⁹ presencewhich never seemed to diminish no matter how hard the breeze blew. "What you can smell is molasses," saidAnne as she noticed Meggie's flaring nose; she lit a tailor-made Ardath cigarette.

"It's disgusting.""I know. That's why I smoke. But to a certain extent you get used to it, though unlike most smells it never quitedisappears. Day in and day out, the molasses is always there." "What are the buildings on the river with the blackchimney?" "That's the mill. It processes the cane into raw sugar. What's left over, the dry remnants of the caneminus its sugar content, is called bagasse. Both raw sugar and bagasse are sent south to Sydney for furtherrefining. Out of raw sugar they get molasses, treacle, golden syrup⁴¹⁰, brown sugar, white sugar and liquid glucose⁴¹¹.

The bagasse is made into fibrous building board like Masonite. Nothing is wasted, absolutely nothing. That'swhy even in this Depression growing cane is still a very profitable business."Arne Swenson was six feet two inches tall, exactly Luke's height, and just as handsome. His bare body wascoated a dark golden brown by perpetual exposure to the sun, his thatch⁴¹² of bright yellow hair curled all over hishead; the fine Swedish features were so like Luke's in type that it was easy to see how much Norse blood hadpercolated into the veins⁴¹³ of the Scots and Irish.

Luke had abandoned his moleskins and white shirt in favor of shorts. With Arne he climbed into an ancient,wheezing⁴¹⁴ model-T utility truck and headed for where the gang was cutting out by Goondi. The secondhandbicycle he had bought lay in the utility's tray along with his case, and he was dying to begin work.

The other men had been cutting since dawn and didn't lift their heads when Arne appeared from the direction ofthe barracks, Luke in tow. The cutting uniform consisted of shorts, boots with thick woolen⁴¹⁵ socks, and canvashats. Eyes narrowing, Luke stared at the toiling⁴¹⁶ men, who were a peculiar⁴¹⁷ sight. Coal-black dirt covered themfrom head to foot, with sweat making bright pink streaks⁴¹⁸ down chests, arms, backs.

"Soot and muck from the cane," Arne explained. "We have to burn it before we can cut it."He bent down to pick up two instruments, gave one to Luke and kept one. "This is a cane knife," he said,hefting his. "With this you cut the cane. Very easy if you know how." He grinned, proceeding¹³⁶ to demonstrate andmaking it look far easier than it probably was.

Luke looked at the deadly thing he gripped, which was not at all like a West Indian machete. It widened into alarge triangle instead of tapering⁴¹⁹ to a point, and had a wicked hook like a rooster's spur at one of the two bladeends.

"A machete is too small for North Queensland cane," Arne said, finished his demonstration⁴²⁰. "This is the righttoy, you'll find. Keep it sharp, and good luck."Off he went to his own section, leaving Luke standing³⁷¹ undecided for a moment. Then, shrugging, he startedwork. Within minutes he understood why they left it to slaves and to races not sophisticated enough to knowthere were easier ways to make a living; like shearing, he thought with wry²⁸³ humor. Bend, hack⁴²¹, straighten, clutchthe unwieldy top-heavy bunch securely, slide its length through the hands, whack⁴²² off the leaves, drop it in a tidyheap, go to the next cluster of-stems, bend, hack, straighten, hack, add it to the heap ....

The cane was alive with vermin: rats, bandicoots, cockroaches⁴²³, toads⁴²⁴, spiders, snakes, wasps⁴²⁵, flies and bees.

Everything that could bite viciously or sting unbearably was well represented. For that reason the cutters burnedthe cane first, preferring the filth³¹⁴ of working charred⁴²⁶ crops to the depredations⁴²⁷ of green, living cane. Even so theywere stung, bitten and cut. If it hadn't been for the boots Luke's feet would have been worse off than his hands,but no cutter ever wore gloves. They slowed a man down, and time was money in this game. Besides, gloveswere sissy. At sundown Arne called a halt, and came to see how Luke had fared.

"Hey, mate not bad!" he shouted, thumping⁴²⁸ Luke on the back. "Five tons; not bad for a first day!"It was not a long walk back to the barracks, but tropical night fell so suddenly it was dark as they arrived.

Before going inside they collected naked in a communal⁴²⁹ shower, then, towels around their waists, they troopedinto the barracks, where whichever cutter on cook duty that week had mountains of whatever was his specialtyready on the table. Today it was steak and potatoes, damper bread and jam roly-poly; the men fell on it andwolfed every last particle down, ravenous⁴³⁰.

Two rows of iron pallets faced each other down either side of a long room made of corrugated⁴³¹ iron; sighing andcursing the cane with an originality⁴³² a bullocky might have envied, the men flopped naked on top of unbleachedsheets, drew their mosquito nets down from the rings and within moments were asleep, vague shapes undergauzy tents.

Arne detained Luke. "Let me see your hands." He inspected the bleeding cuts, the blisters⁴³³, the stings. "Bluebagthem first, then use this ointment⁵¹. And if you take my advice you'll rub coconut oil into them every night of yourlife. You've got big hands, so if your back can take it you'll make a good cutter. In a week you'll harden, youwon't be so sore."Every muscle in Luke's splendid body had its own separate ache; he was conscious. of nothing but a vast,crucifying pain. Hands wrapped and anointed, he stretched himself on his allotted⁴³⁴ bed, pulled down his mosquitonet and closed his eyes on a world of little suffocating⁴³⁵ holes. Had he dreamed what he was in for he would neverhave wasted his essence on Meggie; she had become a withered¹⁹, unwanted and unwelcome idea in the back ofhis mind, shelved. He knew he would never have anything for her while he cut the cane. It took him thepredicted week to harden, and attain⁴³⁶ the eight-ton-a-day minimum Arne demanded of his gang members. Thenhe settled down to becoming better than Arne. He wanted the biggest share of the money, maybe a partnership⁴³⁷.

But most of all he wanted to see that same look that came into every face for Arne directed at himself; Arne wassomething of a god, for he was the best cutter in Queensland, and that probably meant he was the best meatcutter in the world. When they went into a town on Saturday night the local men couldn't buy Arne enough rumsand beers, and the local women whirred about him like hummingbirds⁴³⁸. There were many similarities betweenArne and Luke. They were both vain and enjoyed evoking⁴³⁹ intense female admiration, but admiration was as faras it went. They had nothing to give to women; they gave it all to the cane.

For Luke the work had a beauty and a pain he seemed to have been waiting all his life to feel. To bend andstraighten and bend in that ritual rhythm was to participate in some mystery beyond the scope of ordinary men.

For, as watching Arne taught him, to do this superbly was to be a top member of the most elite⁴⁴⁰ band ofworkingmen in the world; he could bear himself with pride no matter where he was, knowing that almost everyman he met would never last a day in a cane field. The King of England was no better than he, and the King ofEngland would admire him if he knew him. He could look with pity and contempt on doctors, lawyers, penpushers,cockies. To cut sugar the money-hungry white man's way-that was the greatest achievement. He wouldsit on the edge of his cot feeling the ribbed, corded muscles of his arm swell⁴⁴¹, look at the horny, scarred palms ofhis hands, the tanned length of his beautifully structured legs, and smile. A man who could do this and not onlysurvive but like it was a man. He wondered if the King of England could say as much.

It was four weeks before Meggie saw Luke. Each Sunday she powdered her sticky nose, put on a pretty silkdress-though she gave up the purgatory⁴⁴² of slips and stockings-and waited for her husband, who never came.

Anne and Luddie Mueller said nothing, just watched her animation⁴⁴³ fade as each Sunday darkened dramatically,like a curtain falling on a brilliantly lit, empty stage. It wasn't that she wanted him, precisely⁴⁴⁴; it was just that hewas hers, or she was his, or however best it might be described. To imagine that he didn't even think of her whileshe passed her days and weeks waiting with him in her thoughts all the time, to imagine that was to be filled withrage, frustration¹³⁷, bitterness, humiliation¹¹⁶, sorrow. Much as she had loathed⁴⁴⁶ those two nights at the Dunny pub, atleast then she had come first with him; now she found herself actually wishing she had bitten off her tonguesooner than cried out in pain. That was it, of course. Her suffering had made him tire of her, ruined his ownpleasure. From anger at him, at his indifference⁴⁴⁷ to her pain, she passed to remorse⁴⁴⁸, and ended in blaming it all onherself. The fourth Sunday she didn't bother dressing up, just padded around the kitchen bare-footed in shorts andvest, getting a hot breakfast for Luddie and Anne, who enjoyed this incongruity⁴⁴⁹ once a week. At the sound offootsteps on the back stairs she turned from bacon sizzling in the pan; for a moment she simply stared at the big,hairy fellow in the doorway⁴⁵⁰. Luke? Was this Luke? He seemed made of rock, inhuman⁴⁵¹. But the effigy⁴⁵² crossedthe kitchen, gave her a smacking⁴⁵³ kiss and sat down at the table. She broke eggs into the pan and put on morebacon.

Anne Mueller came in, smiled civilly and inwardly fumed⁴⁵⁵ at him. Wretched man, what was he about, to leavehis new wife neglected for so long? "I'm glad to see you've remembered you have a wife," she said. "Come outonto the veranda, sit with Luddie and me and we'll all have breakfast. Luke, help Meggie carry the bacon andeggs. I can manage the toast rack in my teeth."Ludwig Mueller was Australian-born, but his German heritage was clearly on him: the beefy red complexionnot able to cope with beer and sun combined, the square grey head, the pale-blue Baltic eyes. He and his wifeliked Meggie very much, and counted themselves fortunate to have acquired her services. Especially was Luddiegrateful, seeing how much happier Anne was since that goldy head had been glowing around the house.

"How's the cutting, Luke?" he asked, shoveling eggs and bacon onto his plate.

"If I said I liked it, would you believe me?" Luke laughed, heaping his own plate.

Luddie's shrewd eyes rested on the handsome face, and he nodded. "Oh, yes. You've got the right sort oftemperament and the right sort of body, I think. It makes you feel better than other men, superior to them."Caught in his heritage of cane fields, far from academia and with no chance of exchanging one for the other,Luddie was an ardent⁴⁵⁶ student of human nature; he read great fat tomes bound in Morocco leather with names ontheir spines⁴⁵⁸ like Freud and Jung, Huxley and Russell.

"I was beginning to think you were never going to come and see Meggie," Anne said, spreading ghee on hertoast with a brush; it was the only way they could have butter up here, but it was better than none. "Well, Arneand I decided to work on Sundays for a while. Tomorrow we're off to Ingham.""Which means poor Meggie won't see you too often.""Meg understands. It won't be for more than a couple of years, and we do have the summer layoff⁴⁵⁹. Arne says hecan get me work at the CSR in Sydney then, and I might take Meg with me.""Why do you have to work so hard, Luke?" asked Anne. "Got to get the money together for my property outwest, around Kynuna. Didn't Meg mention it?""I'm afraid our Meggie's not much good at personal talk. You tell us, Luke."The three listeners sat watching the play of expression on the tanned, strong face, the glitter of those very blueeyes; since he had come before breakfast Meggie hadn't uttered a word to anyone. On and on he talked about themarvelous country Back of Beyond; the grass, the big grey brolga birds mincing⁴⁶⁰ delicately in the dust ofKynuna's only road, the thousands upon thousands of flying kangaroos, the hot dry sun. "And one day soon a bigchunk of all that is going to be mine. Meg's put a bit of money toward it, and at the pace we're working it won'ttake more than four or five years. Sooner, if I was content to have a poorer place, but knowing what I can earncutting sugar, I'm tempted to cut a bit longer and get a really decent bit of land." He leaned forward, big scarredhands around his teacup. "Do you know I nearly passed Ame's tally the other day? Eleven tons I cut in one day!"Luddie's whistle was genuinely admiring, and they embarked⁴⁶¹ upon a discussion of tallies⁴⁶². Meggie sipped⁴⁶³ herstrong dark milkless tea. Oh, Luke! First it had been a couple of years, now it was four or five, and who knewhow long it would be the next time he mentioned a period of years? Luke loved it, no one could mistake that. Sowould he give it up when the time came? Would he? For that matter, did she want to wait around to find out?

The Muellers were very kind and she was far from overworked, but if she had to live without a husband,Drogheda was the best place. In the month of her stay at Himmelhoch she hadn't felt really well for one singleday; she didn't want to eat, she suffered bouts⁴⁶⁴ of painful diarrhea, she seemed dogged by lethargy and couldn'tshake it off. Not used to feeling anything but tiptop well, the vague malaise frightened her.

After breakfast Luke helped her wash the dishes, then took her for a walk down to the nearest cane field, talkingall the time about the sugar and what it was like to cut it, what a beaut life it was out in the open air, what a beautlot of blokes they were in Ame's gang, how different it was from shearing, and how much better.

They turned and walked up the hill again; Luke led her into the exquisitely⁴⁶⁵ cool cavern⁴⁶⁷ under the house,between the piles. Anne had made a conservatory⁴⁶⁸ out of it, stood pieces of terra-cotta pipe of differing lengthsand girths upright, then filled them with soil and planted trailing, dangling⁴⁶⁹ things in them; orchids⁴⁷⁰ of every kindand color, ferns, exotic creepers and bushes. The ground was soft and redolent of wood chips; great wire basketshung from the joists overhead, full of ferns or orchids or tuberoses; staghorns in bark nests grew on the piles;magnificent begonias in dozens of brilliant colors had been planted around the bases of the pipes. It wasMeggie's favorite retreat, the one thing of Himmelhoch's she preferred to anything of Drogheda's. For Droghedacould never hope to grow so much on one small spot; there just wasn't enough moisture in the air.

"Isn't this lovely, Luke? Do you think perhaps after a couple of years up here we might be able to rent a housefor me to live in? I'm dying to try something like this for myself.""What on earth do you want to live alone in a house for? This isn't Gilly, Meg; it's the sort of place where awoman on her own isn't safe. You're much better off here, believe me. Aren't you happy here?" "I'm as happy asone can be in someone else's home.""Look, Meg, you've just got to be content with what you have now until we move out west. We can't spendmoney renting houses and having you live a life of leisure and still save. Do you hear me?""Yes, Luke."He was so upset he didn't do what he had intended to do when he led her under the house, namely kiss her.

Instead he gave her a casual smack⁴⁵⁴ on the bottom which hurt a little too much to be casual, and set off down theroad to the spot where he had left his bike propped⁴⁷¹ against a tree. He had pedaled twenty miles to see her ratherthan spend money on a rail motor and a bus, which meant he had to pedal twenty miles back.

"The poor little soul!" said Anne to Luddie. "I could kill him!"January came and went, the slackest month of the year for cane cutters, but there was no sign of Luke. He hadmurmured about taking Meggie to Sydney, but instead he went to Sydney with Arne and without her. Arne was abachelor and had an aunt with a house in Rozelle, within walking distance (no tram fares; save money) of theCSR, the Colonial Sugar Refineries⁴⁷². Within those gargantuan⁴⁷³ concrete walls like a fortress⁴⁷⁴ on a hill, a cutter withconnections could get work. Luke and Arne kept in trim stacking sugar bags, and swimming or surfing in theirspare time.

Left in Dungloe with the Muellers, Meggie sweated her way through The Wet, as the monsoon³⁵¹ season wascalled. The Dry lasted from March to November and in this part of the continent wasn't exactly dry, butcompared to The Wet it was heavenly. During The Wet the skies just opened and vomited⁴⁷⁵ water, not all day butin fits and starts; in between deluges⁴⁷⁶ the land steamed, great clouds of white vapor³¹⁶ rising from the cane, the soil,the jungle, the mountains.

And as time went on Meggie longed for home more and more. North Queensland, she knew now, could neverbecome home to her. For one thing, the climate didn't suit her, perhaps because she had spent most of her life indryness. And, she hated the loneliness, the unfriendliness, the feeling of remorseless lethargy. She hated theprolific insect and reptile⁴⁷⁹ life which made each night an ordeal⁴⁸⁰ of giant toads, tarantulas, cockroaches, rats;nothing seemed to keep them out of the house, and she was terrified of them. They were so huge, so aggressive,so hungry. Most of all she hated the dunny, which was not only the local patois⁴⁸¹ for toilet but the diminutive⁴⁸² forDungloe, much to the delight of the local populace, who punned on it perpetually. But a Dunny dunny left one'sstomach churning in revolt, for in this seething⁴⁸³ climate holes in the ground were out of the question because oftyphoid and other enteric fevers. Instead of being a hole in the ground, a Dunny dunny was a tarred tin can whichstank, and as it filled came alive with noisome⁴⁸⁴ maggots and worms. Once a week the can was removed andreplaced with an empty one, but once a week wasn't soon enough.

Meggie's whole spirit rebelled against the casual local acceptance of such things as normal; a lifetime in NorthQueensland couldn't reconcile her to them. Yet dismally⁴⁸⁵ she reflected that it probably would be a whole lifetime,or at least until Luke was too old to cut the sugar. Much as she longed for and dreamed of Drogheda, she was fartoo proud to admit to her family that her husband neglected her; sooner than admit that, she'd take the lifetimesentence, she told herself fiercely.

Months went by, then a year, and time crept toward the second year's end. Only the constant kindness of theMuellers kept Meggie in residence at Himmelhoch, trying to resolve her dilemma⁴⁸⁶. Had she written to ask Bobfor the fare home he would have sent it by return telegram, but poor Meggie couldn't face telling her family thatLuke kept her without a penny in her purse. The day she did tell them was the day she would leave Luke, neverto go back to him, and she hadn't made up her mind yet to take such a step. Everything in her upbringingconspired to prevent her leaving Luke: the sacredness of her marriage vows⁴⁸⁷, the hope she might have a baby oneday, the position Luke occupied as husband and master of her destiny. Then there were the things which sprangfrom her own nature: that stubborn, stiff-necked pride, and the niggling conviction that the situation was as muchher fault as Luke's. If there wasn't something wrong with her, Luke might have behaved far differently. She hadseen him six times in the eighteen months of her exile, and often thought, quite unaware such a thing ashomosexuality existed, that by rights Luke should have married Arne, because he certainly lived with Arne andmuch preferred his company. They had gone into full partnership and drifted up and down the thousand-milecoast following the sugar harvest, living, it seemed, only to work. When Luke did come to see her he didn'tattempt any kind of intimacy, just sat around for an hour or two yarning to Luddie and Anne, took his wife for awalk, gave her a friendly kiss, and was off again. The three of them, Luddie, Anne and Meggie, spent all theirspare time reading. Himmelhoch had a library far larger than Drogheda's few shelves, more erudite and moresalacious by far, and Meggie learned a great deal while she read.

One Sunday in June of 1936 Luke and Arne turned up together, very pleased with themselves. They had come,they said, to give Meggie a real treat, for they were taking her to a ceilidh.

Unlike the general tendency of ethnic⁴⁸⁸ groups in Australia to scatter⁴⁸⁹ and become purely⁴⁹⁰ Australian, the variousnationalities in the North Queensland peninsula tended to preserve their traditions fiercely: the Chinese, theItalians, the Germans and the Scots-Irish, these four groups making up the bulk of the population. And when theScots threw a ceilidh every Scot for miles attended.

To Meggie's astonishment⁴⁹¹, Luke and Arne were wearing kilts, looking, she thought when she got her breathback, absolutely magnificent. Nothing is more masculine on a masculine man than a kilt, for it swings with along clean stride in a flurry of pleats behind and stays perfectly still in front, the sporran like a loin guard, andbelow the mid²⁹⁰-knee hem³ strong fine legs in diamond checkered⁴⁹² hose, buckled⁴⁹³ shoes. It was far too hot to wearthe plaid and the jacket; they had contented⁴⁹⁴ themselves with white shirts open halfway⁴⁹⁵ down their chests, sleevesrolled up above their elbows.

"What's a ceilidh anyway?" she asked as they set off. "It's Gaelic for a gathering, a shindig.""Why on earth are you wearing kilts?""We won't be let in unless we are, and we're well known at all the ceilidhs between Bris and Cairns.""Are you now? I imagine you must indeed go to quite a few, otherwise I can't see Luke outlaying⁴⁹⁶ money for akilt. Isn't that so, Arne?" "A man's got to have some relaxation," said Luke, a little defensively. The ceilidh wasbeing held in a barnlike shack⁴⁹⁷ falling to rack and ruin down in the midst of the mangrove⁴⁹⁸ swamps festering aboutthe mouth of the Dungloe River. Oh, what a country this was for smells! Meggie thought in despair, her nosetwitching to yet another indescribably disgusting aroma⁴⁹⁹. Molasses, mildew⁵⁰⁰, Bunnies, and now mangroves. Allthe rotting effluvia of the seashore rolled into one smell.

Sure enough, every man arriving at the shed wore a kilt; as they went in and she looked around, Meggieunderstood how drab a peahen must feel when dazzled by the vivid gorgeousness of her mate. The women wereovershadowed into near nonexistence, an impression which the later stages of the evening only sharpened.

Two pipers in the complex, light-blue-based Anderson tartan were standing on a rickety dais at one end of thehall, piping a cheerful reel in perfect synchrony, sandy hair on end, sweat running down ruddy faces. A fewcouples were dancing, but most of the noisy activity seemed to be centered around a group of men who werepassing out glasses of what was surely Scotch²⁸⁸ whiskey. Meggie found herself thrust into a corner with severalother women, and was content to stay there watching, fascinated. Not one woman wore a clan¹⁰¹ tartan, for indeedno Scotswoman wears the kilt, only the plaid, and it was too hot to drape a great heavy piece of material aroundthe shoulders. So the women wore their dowdy⁵⁰² North Queensland cotton dresses, which stuttered into limpsilence beside the men's kilts. There was the blazing red and white of Clan Menzies, the cheery black and yellowof Clan MacLeod of Lewis, the windowpane blue and red checks of Clan Skene, the vivid complexity of ClanOgilvy, the lovely red, grey and black of Clan MacPherson. Luke in Clan Macationeil, Arne in the Sassenach'sJacobean tartan. Beautiful!

Luke and Arne were obviously well known and well liked. How often did they come without her, then? Andwhat had possessed them to bring her tonight? She sighed, leaned against the wall. The other women wereeyeing her curiously, especially the rings on her wedding finger; Luke and Arne were the objects of muchfeminine admiration, herself the object of much feminine envy. I wonder what they'd say if I told them the bigdark one, who is my husband, has seen me precisely twice in the last eight months, and never sees me with theidea of getting into a bed? Look at the pair of them, the conceited Highland⁵⁰³ fops! And neither of them Scottish atall, just playacting because they know they look sensational⁵⁰⁴ in kilts and they like to be the center of attention.

You magnificent pair of frauds! You're too much in love with yourselves to want or need love from anyone else.

At midnight the women were relegated⁵⁰⁵ to standing around the walls; the pipers skirled into "Caber Feidh" andthe serious dancing began. For the rest of her life, whenever she heard the sound of a piper Meggie was back inthat shed. Even the swirl¹³³ of a kilt could do it; there was that dreamlike merging⁵⁰⁶ of sound and sight, of life andbrilliant vitality, which means a memory so piercing, so spellbinding, that it will never be lost. Down went thecrossed swords on the floor; two men in Clan MacDonald of Sleat kilts raised their arms above their heads,hands flicked⁵⁰⁷ over like ballet dancers, and very gravely, as if at the end the swords would be plunged into theirbreasts, began to pick their delicate way through, between, among the blades.

A high shrill⁵⁰⁸ scream ripped above the airy wavering of the pipes, the tune¹⁹⁵ became "All the Blue Bonnets⁵¹⁰ overthe Border," the sabers were scooped⁵¹¹ up, and every man in the room swung into the dance, arms linking anddissolving, kilts flaring. Reels, strathspeys, flings; they danced them all, feet on the board floor sending echoesamong the rafters, buckles⁵¹² on shoes flashing, and every time the pattern changed someone would throw back hishead, emit that shrill, ululating whoop⁵¹³, set off trains of cries from other exuberant⁵¹⁴ throats. While the womenwatched, forgotten.

It was close to four in the morning when the ceilidh broke up; outside was not the astringent⁵¹⁵ crispness of BlairAtholl or Skye but the torpor⁵¹⁶ of a tropical night, a great heavy moon dragging itself along the spangled wastes ofthe heavens, and over it all the stinking⁵¹⁷ miasma⁵¹⁸ of mangroves. Yet as Arne drove them off in the wheezing oldFord, the last thing Meggie heard was the drifting dwindling¹⁹⁶ lament⁵¹⁹ "Flowers o" the Forest," bidding the revelershome. Home. Where was home?

"Well, did you enjoy that?" asked Luke.

"I would have enjoyed it more had I danced more," she answered. "What, at a ceilidh? Break it down, Meg!

Only the men are supposed to dance, so we're actually pretty good to you women, letting you dance at all." "Itseems to me only men do a lot of things, and especially if they're good things, enjoyable things.""Well, excuse me!" said Luke stiffly. "Here was I thinking you might like a bit of a change, which was why Ibrought you. I didn't have to, you know! And if you're not grateful I won't bring you again.""You probably don't have any intention of doing so, anyway," said Meggie. "It isn't good to admit me into yourlife. I learned a lot these past few hours, but I don't think it's what you intended to teach me. It's getting harder tofool me, Luke. In fact, I'm fed up with you, with the life I'm leading, with everything!""Ssssh!" he hissed⁵²⁰, scandalized. "We're not alone!" "Then come alone!" she snapped. "When do I ever get thechance to see you alone for more than a few minutes?"Arne pulled up at the bottom of the Himmelhoch hill, grinning at Luke sympathetically. "Go on, mate," he said.

"Walk her up; I'll wait here for you. No hurry.""I mean it, Luke!" Meggie said as soon as they were out of Arne's hearing. "The worm's turning, do you hearme? I know I promised to obey you, but you promised to love and cherish me, so we're both liars⁵²¹! I want to gohome to Drogheda!"He thought of her two thousand pounds a year and of its ceasing to be put in his name.

"Oh, Meg!" he said helplessly. "Look, sweetheart, it won't be forever, I promise! And this summer I'm going totake you to Sydney with me, word of an O'neill! Arne's aunt has a flat coming vacant in her house, and we canlive there for three months, have a wonderful time! Bear with me another year or so in the cane, then we'll buyour property and settle down, eh?" The moon lit up his face; he looked sincere, upset, anxious, contrite⁵²². And verylike Ralph de Bricassart.

Meggie relented, because she still wanted his babies. "All right," she said. "Another year. But I'm holding youto that promise of Sydney, Luke, so remember!"Once a month Meggie wrote a dutiful letter to Fee, Bob and the boys, full of descriptions of North Queensland,carefully humorous, never hinting of any differences between her and Luke. That pride again. As far asDrogheda knew, the Muellers were friends of Luke's with whom she boarded because Luke traveled so much.

Her genuine affection for the couple came through in every word she wrote about them, so no one on Droghedaworried. Except that it grieved them she never came home. Yet how could she tell them that she didn't have themoney to visit without also telling them how miserable⁵²³ her marriage to Luke O'neill had become?

Occasionally she would nerve herself to insert a casual question about Bishop Ralph, and even less often Bobwould remember to pass on the little he learned from Fee about the Bishop. Then came a letter full of him. "Hearrived out of the blue one day, Meggie," Bob's letter said, "looking a bit upset and down in the mouth. I mustsay he was floored not to find you here. He was spitting mad because we hadn't told him about you and Luke, butwhen Mum said you'd got a bee in your bonnet⁵⁰⁹ about it and didn't want us to tell him, he shut up and never saidanother word. But I thought he missed you more than he would any of the rest of us, and I suppose that's quitenatural because you spent more time with him than the rest of us, and I think he always thought of you as hislittle sister. He wandered around as if he couldn't believe you wouldn't pop up all of a sudden, poor chap. Wedidn't have any pictures to show him either, and I never thought until he asked to see them that it was funny younever had any wedding pictures taken. He asked if you had any kids, and I said I didn't think so. You don't, doyou, Meggie? How long is it now since you were married? Getting on for two years? Must be, because this isJuly. Time flies, eh? I hope you have some kids soon, because I think the Bishop would be pleased to hear of it. Ioffered to give him your address, but he said no. Said it wouldn't be any use because he was going to Athens,Greece, for a while with the archbishop he works for. Some Dago name four yards long, I never can remember it.

Can you imagine, Meggie, they're flying? "Struth! Anyway, once he found out you weren't on Drogheda to goround with him he didn't stay long, just took a ride or two, said Mass for us every day, and went six days after hegot here."Meggie laid the letter down. He knew, he knew! At last he knew. What had he thought, how much had itgrieved him? And why had he pushed her to do this? It hadn't made things any better. She didn't love Luke, shenever would love Luke. He was nothing more than a substitute, a man who would give her children similar intype to those she might have had with Ralph de Bricassart. Oh, God, what a mess!

Archbishop di Contini-Verchese preferred to stay in a secular hotel than avail himself of the offered quarters inan Athens Orthodox palace. His mission was a very delicate one, of some moment; there were matters longoverdue for discussion with the chief prelates of theGreek Orthodox Church, the Vatican having a fondness for Greek and Russian Orthodoxy that it couldn't havefor Protestantism. After all, the Orthodoxies were schisms⁵²⁶, not heresies⁵²⁷; their bishops⁵²⁸, like Rome's, extendedback to Saint Peter in an unbroken line.

The Archbishop knew his appointment for this mission was a diplomatic testing, a stepping stone to greaterthings in Rome. Again his gift for languages had been a boon⁵³⁰, for it was his fluent Greek which had tipped thebalance in his favor. They had sent for him all the way to Australia, flown him out.

And it was unthinkable that he go without Bishop de Bricassart, for he had grown to rely upon that amazingman more and more with the passing of the years. A Mazarin, truly a Mazarin; His Grace admired CardinalMazarin far more than he did Cardinal⁵³¹ Richelieu, so the comparison was high praise. Ralph was everything theChurch liked in her high officials. His theology was conservative, so were his ethics⁵³²; his brain was quick andsubtle, his face gave away nothing of what went on behind it; and he had an exquisite⁴⁶⁶ knack⁵³³ of knowing just howto please those he was with, whether he liked them or loathed them, agreed with them or differed from them. Asycophant he was not, a diplomat⁵²⁹ he was. If he was repeatedly brought to the attention of those in the Vaticanhierarchy, his rise to prominence⁵³⁴ would be certain. And that would please His Grace di Contini-Verchese, for hedidn't want to lose contact with His Lordship de Bricassart.

It was very hot, but Bishop Ralph didn't mind the dry Athens air after Sydney's humidity. Walking rapidly, asusual in boots, breeches and soutane, he strode up the rocky ramp⁴⁷ to the Acropolis, through the frowningPropylon, past the Erechtheum, on up the incline with its slippery rough stones to the Parthenon, and. down tothe wall beyond.

There, with the wind ruffling⁵³⁵ his dark curls, a little grey about the ears now, he stood and looked across thewhite city to the bright hills and the clear, astonishing aquamarine of the Aegean Sea. Right below him was thePlaka with its rooftop cafes, its colonies of Bohemians, and to one side a great theater lapped up the rock. In thedistance were Roman columns, Crusader forts and Venetian castles, but never a sign of the Turks. What amazingpeople, these Greeks. To hate the race who had ruled them for seven hundred years so much that once freed theyhadn't left a mosque⁵³⁷ or a minaret⁵³⁸ standing. And so ancient, so full of rich heritage. His Normans had been fur-clad barbarians⁵³⁹ when Pericles clothed the top of the rock in marble, and Rome had been a rude village. Onlynow, eleven thousand miles away, was he able to think of Meggie without wanting to weep. Even so, the distanthills blurred⁵⁴⁰ for a moment before he brought his emotions under control. How could he possibly blame her, whenhe had told her to do it? He understood at once why she had been determined²²⁸ not to tell him; she didn't want himto meet her new husband, or be a part of her new life. Of course in his mind he had assumed she would bringwhomever she married to Gillanbone if not to Drogheda itself, that she would continue to live where he knew herto be safe, free from care and danger. But once he thought about it, he could see this was the last thing she wouldwant. No, she had been bound to go away, and so long as she and this Luke O'neill were together, she wouldn'tcome back. Bob said they were saving to buy a property in Western Queensland, and that news had been thedeath knell⁵⁴¹. Meggie meant never to come back. As far as he was concerned, she intended to be dead.

But are you happy, Meggie? Is he good to you? Do you love him, this Luke O'neill? What kind of man is he,that you turned from me to him? What was it about him, an ordinary stockman, that you liked better than EnochDavies or Liam O'Rourke or Alastair MacQueen? Was it that 1 didn't know him, that 1 could make nocomparisons? Did you do it to torture me, Meggie, to pay me back? But why are there no children? What's thematter with the man, that he roams up and down the state like a vagabond and puts you to live with friends? Nowonder you have no child; he's not with you long enough. Meggie, why? Why did you marry this Luke O'neill?

Turning, he made his way down from the Acropolis, and walked the busy streets of Athens. In the open-airmarkets around Evripidou Street he lingered, fascinated by the people, the huge baskets of kalamari and fishreeking in the sun, the vegetables and tinsel slippers⁵⁴² hung side by side; the women amused him, their unashamedand open cooing over him, a legacy⁵⁴³ of a culture basically very different from his puritanical⁵⁴⁴ own. Had theirunabashed admiration been lustful⁵⁴⁵ (he could not think of a better word) it would have embarrassed him acutely,but he accepted it in the spirit intended, as an accolade⁵⁴⁶ for extraordinary physical beauty. The hotel was onOmonia Square, very luxurious⁵⁴⁷ and expensive. Archbishop diContini-Verchese was, sitting in a chair by his balcony windows, quietly thinking; as Bishop Ralph came in heturned his head, smiling. "In good time, Ralph. I would like to pray.""I thought everything was settled? Are there sudden complications, Your Grace?""Not of that kind. I had a letter from Cardinal Monteverdi today, expressing the wishes of the Holy Father."Bishop Ralph felt his shoulders tighten⁵⁴⁸, a curious prickling of the skin around his ears. "Tell me.""As soon as the talks are over-and they are over-I am to proceed to Rome. There I am to be blessed with thebiretta of a cardinal, and continue my work in Rome under the direct supervision⁵⁴⁹ of His Holiness.""Whereas I?""You will become Archbishop de Bricassart, and go back to Australia to fill my shoes as Papal Legate."The prickling skin around his ears flushed red hot; his head whirled, rocked. He, a non-Italian, to be honoredwith the Papal Legation! It was unheard of! Oh, depend on it, he would be Cardinal de Bricassart yet! "Of courseyou will receive training and instruction in Rome first. That will take about six months, during which I will bewith you to introduce you to those who are my friends. I want them to know you, because the time will comewhen I shall send for you, Ralph, to help me with my work in the Vatican.""Your Grace, I can't thank you enough! It's due to you, this great chance." "God grant I am sufficientlyintelligent to see when a man is too able to leave in obscurity, Ralph! Now let us kneel and pray. God is verygood." His rosary beads⁵⁵⁰ and missal were sitting on a table nearby; hand trembling, Bishop Ralph reached for thebeads and knocked the missal to the floor. It fell open at the middle. The Archbishop; who was closer to it,picked it up and looked curiously at the brown, tissue thin shape which had once been a rose.

"How extraordinary! Why do you keep this? Is it a memory of your home, or perhaps of your mother?" Theeyes which saw through guile²⁸² and dissimulation⁵⁵¹ were looking straight at him, and there was no time to disguisehis emotion, or his apprehension⁵⁵².

"No." He grimaced⁵⁵³. "I want no memories of my mother.""But it must have great meaning for you, that you store it so lovingly within the pages of the book most dear toyou. Of what does it speak?" "Of a love as pure as that I bear my God, Vittorio. It does the book nothing buthonor.""That I deduced, because I know you. But the-love, does it endanger your love for the Church?""No. It was for the Church I forsook⁵⁵⁴ her, that I always will forsake⁵⁵⁵ her. I've gone so far beyond her, and I cannever go back again.""So at last I understand the sadness! Dear Ralph, it is not as bad as you think, truly it is not. You will live to dogreat good for many people, you will be loved by many people. And she, having the love which is contained insuch an old, fragrant memory as this, will never want. Because you kept the love alongside the rose.""I don't think she understands at all.""Oh, yes. If you have loved her thus, then she is woman enough to understand. Otherwise you would haveforgotten her, and abandoned this relic⁵⁵⁶ long since.""There have been times when only hours on my knees have stopped me from leaving my post, going to her."The Archbishop eased himself out of his chair and came to kneel beside his friend, this beautiful man whom heloved as he had loved few things other than his God and his Church, which to him were indivisible. "You willnot leave, Ralph, and you know it well. You belong to the Church, you always have and you always will. Thevocation for you is a true one. We shall pray now, and I shall add the Rose to my prayers for the rest of my life.

Our Dear Lord sends us many griefs and much pain during our progress to eternal life. We must learn to bear it, Ias much as you."At the end of August Meggie got a letter from Luke to say he was in Townsville Hospital with Weil's disease,but that he was in no danger and would be out soon.

"So it looks like we don't have to wait until the end of the year for our holiday, Meg. I can't go back to the caneuntil I'm one hundred percent fit, and the best way to make sure I am is to have a decent holiday. So I'll be alongin a week or so to pick you up. We're going to Lake Eacham on the Atherton Tableland for a couple of weeks,until I'm well enough to go back to work."Meggie could hardly believe it, and didn't know if she wanted to be with him or not, now that the opportunitypresented itself. Though the pain of her mind had taken a lot longer to heal than the pain of her body, thememory of her honeymoon ordeal in the Dunny pub had been pushed from thought so long it had lost the powerto terrify her, and from her reading she understood better now that much of it had been due to ignorance, her ownand Luke's. Oh, dear Lord, pray this holiday would mean a child! If she could only have a baby to love it wouldbe so much easier. Anne wouldn't mind a baby around, she'd love it. So would Luddie. They had told her so ahundred times, hoping Luke would come once for long enough to rectify⁵⁵⁷ his wife's barren loveless existence.

When she told them what the letter said they were delighted, but privately⁵⁵⁸ skeptical⁵⁵⁹.

"Sure as eggs is eggs that wretch⁶⁶ will find some excuse to be off without her," said Anne to Luddie.

Luke had borrowed a car from somewhere, and picked Meggie up early in the morning. He looked thin,wrinkled and yellow, as if he had been pickled. Shocked, Meggie gave him her case and climbed in beside him.

"What is Weil's disease, Luke? You said you weren't in any danger, but it looks to me as if you've been very sickindeed.""Oh, it's just some sort of jaundice most cutters get sooner or later. The cane rats carry it, we pick it up througha cut or sore. I'm in good health, so I wasn't too sick compared to some who get it. The quacks⁵⁶¹ say I'll be fit as afiddle in no time."Climbing up through a great gorge⁵⁰¹ filled with jungle, the road led inland, a river in full spate⁴⁴ roaring andtumbling below, and at one spot a magnificent waterfall spilling to join it from somewhere up above, rightathwart the road. They drove between the cliff and the angling water in a wet, glittering archway of fantasticlight and shadow. And as they climbed the air grew cool, exquisitely fresh; Meggie had forgotten how good coolair made her feel. The jungle leaned across them, so impenetrable no one ever dared to enter it. The bulk of itwas quite invisible under the weight of leafy vines lying sagging⁵⁶² from treetop to treetop, continuous and endless,like a vast sheet of green velvet³⁹⁵ flung across the forest. Under the eaves Meggie caught glimpses of wonderfulflowers and butterflies, cartwheeling webs with great elegant speckled spiders motionless at their hubs, fabulousfungi chewing at mossy trunks, birds with long trailing red or blond tails. Lake Eacham lay on top of thetableland, idyllic⁵⁶³ in its unspoiled setting. Before night fell they strolled out onto the veranda of theirboardinghouse to look across the still water. Meggie wanted to watch the enormous fruit bats called flying foxeswheel like precursors⁵⁶⁴ of doom⁵⁶⁵ in thousands down toward the places where they found their food. They weremonstrous and repulsive, but singularly timid, entirely benign⁵⁶⁶. To see them come across a molten sky in dark,pulsating sheets was awesome⁵⁶⁷; Meggie never missed watching for them from the Himmelhoch veranda.

And it was heaven to sink into a soft cool bed, not have to lie still until one spot was sweat-saturated and thenmove carefully to a new spot, knowing the old one wouldn't dry out anyway. Luke took a flat brown packet outof his case, picked a handful of small round objects out of it and laid them in a row on the bedside table.

Meggie reached out to take one, inspect it. "What on earth is it?" she asked curiously.

"A French letter." He had forgotten his decision of two years ago, not to tell her he practiced contraception. "Iput it on myself before I go inside you. Otherwise I might start a baby, and we can't afford to do that until we getour place." He was sitting naked on the side of the bed, and he was thin, ribs⁵⁶⁸ and hips protruding⁵⁶⁹. But his blueeyes shone, he reached out to clasp her hand as it held the French letter. "Nearly there,Meg, nearly there! I reckon another five thousand pounds will buy us the best property to be had west ofCharters Towers.""Then you've got it," she said, her voice quite calm. "I can write to Bishop de Bricassart and ask him for a loanof the money. He won't charge us interest.""You most certainly won't!" he snapped. "Damn it, Meg, where's your pride? We'll work for what we have, notborrow! I've never owed anyone a penny in all my life, and I'm not going to start now."She scarcely heard him, glaring at him through a haze⁵⁷⁰ of brilliant red. In all her life she had never been soangry! Cheat, liar⁸⁹, egotist! How dared he do it to her, trick her out of a baby, try to make her believe he ever hadany intention of becoming a grazier! He'd found his niche⁵⁷¹, with Arne Swenson and the sugar.

Concealing⁵⁷³ her rage so well it surprised her, she turned her attention back to the little rubber wheel in her hand.

"Tell me about these French letter things. How do they stop me having a baby?"He came to stand behind her, and contact of their bodies made her shiver; from excitement he thought, fromdisgust she knew. "Don't you know anything, Meg?""No," she lied. Which was true about French letters, at any rate; she could not remember ever seeing a mentionof them.

His hands played with her breasts, tickling. "Look, when I come I make this-I don't know-stuff, and if I'm upinside you with nothing on, it stays there. When it stays there long enough or often enough, it makes a baby." Sothat was it! He wore the thing, like a skin on a sausage! Cheat! Turning off the light, he drew her down onto thebed, and it wasn't long before he was groping for his antibaby device; she heard him making the same sounds hehad made in the Dunny pub bedroom, knowing now they meant he was pulling on the French letter. The cheat!

But how to get around it?

Trying not to let him see how much he hurt her, she endured him. Why did it have to hurt so, if this was anatural thing?

"It's no good, is it, Meg?" he asked afterward²⁷⁵. "You must be awfully⁵⁷⁴ small for it to keep on hurting so muchafter the first time. Well, I won't do it again. You don't mind if I do it on your breast, do you?" "Oh, what does itmatter?" she asked wearily. "If you mean you're not going to hurt me, all right!""You might be a bit more enthusiastic, Meg!""What for?"But he was rising again; it was two years since he had had time or energy for this. Oh, it was nice to be with awoman, exciting and forbidden. He didn't feel at all married to Meg; it wasn't any different from getting a bit inthe paddock behind the Kynuna pub, or having high-and-mighty Miss Carmichael against the shearing shed wall.

Meggie had nice breasts, firm from all that riding, just the way he liked them, and he honestly preferred to get hispleasure at her breast, liking the sensation of unsheathed penis sandwiched between their bellies⁵⁷⁵. French letterscut a man's sensitivity a lot, but not to don one when he put himself inside her was asking for trouble.

Groping, he pulled at her buttocks and made her lie on top of him, then seized one nipple between his teeth,feeling the hidden point swell and harden on his tongue. A great contempt for him had taken. possession ofMeggie; what ridiculous creatures men were, grunting⁵⁷⁶ and sucking and straining for what they got out of it. Hewas becoming more excited, kneading her back and bottom, gulping away for all the world like a greatovergrown kitten sneaked⁵⁷⁷ back to its mother. His hips began to move in a rhythmic⁵⁷⁸, jerky fashion, and sprawledacross him awkwardly because she was hating it too much to try helping him, she felt the tip of his unprotectedpenis slide between her legs.

Since she was not a participant in the act, her thoughts were her own. And it was then the idea came. As slowlyand unobtrusively as she could, she maneuvered⁵⁷⁹ him until he was right at the most painful part of her; with agreat indrawn breath to keep her courage up, she forced the penis in, teeth clenched. But though it did hurt, itdidn't hurt nearly as much. Minus its rubber sheath, his member was more slippery, easier to introduce and fareasier to tolerate.

Luke's eyes opened. He tried to push her away, but oh, God! It was unbelievable without the French letter; hehad never been inside a woman bare, had never realized what a difference it made. He was so close, so excited hecouldn't bring himself to push her away hard enough, and in the end he put his arms round her, unable to keep uphis breast activity. Though it wasn't manly⁵⁸⁰ to cry out, he couldn't prevent the noise leaving him, and afterwardkissed her softly.

"Luke?""What?""Why can't we do that every time? Then you wouldn't have to put on a French letter.""We shouldn't have done it that time, Meg, let alone again. I was right in you when I came."She leaned over him, stroking his chest. "But don't you see? I'm sitting up! It doesn't stay there at all, it runsright out again! Oh, Luke, please! It's so much nicer, it doesn't hurt nearly as much. I'm sure it's all right, becauseI can feel it running out. Please!"What human being ever lived who could resist the repetition of perfect pleasure when offered so plausibly⁵⁸¹?

Adam-like, Luke nodded, for at this stage he was far less informed than Meggie.

"I suppose there's truth in what you say, and it's much nicer for me when you're not fighting it. All right, Meg,we'll do it that way from now on."And in the darkness she smiled, content. For it had not all run out. The moment she felt him shrink out of hershe had drawn up all the internal muscles into a knot, slid off him onto her back, stuck her crossed knees in theair casually and hung on to what she had with every ounce of determination in her. Oho, my fine gentleman, I'llfix you yet! You wait and see, Luke O'neill! I'll get my baby if it kills me! Away from the heat and humidity ofthe coastal plain Luke mended rapidly. Eating well, he began to put the weight he needed back again, and hisskin faded from the sickly yellow to its usual brown. With the lure⁵⁸² of an eager, responsive Meggie in his bed itwasn't too difficult to persuade him to prolong the original two weeks into three, and then into four. But at theend of a month he rebelled.

"There's no excuse, Meg. I'm as well as I've ever been. We're sitting up here on top of the world like a king andqueen, spending money. Arne needs me.""Won't you reconsider, Luke? If you really wanted to, you could buy your station now.""Let's hang on a bit longer the way we are, Meg."He wouldn't admit it, of course, but the lure of the sugar was in his bones, the strange fascination⁵⁸³ some menhave for utterly demanding labor. As long as his young man's strength held up, Luke would remain faithful to thesugar. The only thing Meggie could hope for was to force him into changing his mind by giving him a child, anheir to the property out around Kynuna.

So she went back to Himmelhoch to wait and hope. Please, please, let there be a baby! A baby would solveeverything, so please let there be a baby. And there was. When she told Anne and Luddie, they were overjoyed.

Luddie especially turned out to be a treasure. He did the most exquisite smocking and embroidery⁵⁸⁴, two craftsMeggie had never had time to master, so while he pushed a tiny needle through delicate fabric with his horny,magical hands, Meggie helped Anne get the nursery together. The only trouble was the baby wasn't sitting well,whether because of the heat or her unhappiness Meggie didn't know. The morning sickness was all day, andpersisted long after it should have stopped; in spite of her very slight weight gain she began to suffer badly fromtoo much fluid in the tissues of her body, and her blood pressure went up to a point at which Doc Smith becameapprehensive. At first he talked of hospital in Cairns for the remainder of her pregnancy⁵⁸⁵, but after a long thinkabout her husbandless, friendless situation he decided she would be better off with Luddie and Anne, who didcare for her. For the last three weeks of her term, however, she must definitely go to Cairns.

"And try to get her husband to come and see her!" he roared to Luddie. Meggie had written right away to tellLuke she was pregnant, full of the usual feminine conviction that once the not-wanted was an irrefutable fact,Luke would become wildly enthusiastic. His answering letter scotched any such delusions⁵⁸⁶. He was furious. Asfar as he was concerned, becoming a father simply meant he would have two nonworking mouths to feed, insteadof none. It was a bitter pill for Meggie to swallow, but swallow it she did; she had no choice. Now the comingchild bound her to him as tightly as her pride. But she felt ill, helpless, utterly unloved; even the baby didn't loveher, didn't want to be conceived or born. She could feel it inside her, the weakly tiny creature's feeble protestsagainst growing into being. Had she been able to tolerate the two-thousand-mile rail journey home, she wouldhave gone, but Doc Smith shook his lead firmly. Get on a train for a week or more, even in broken stages, andthat would be the end of the baby. Disappointed and unhappy though she was, Meggie wouldn't consciously doanything to harm the baby. Yet as time went on her enthusiasm and her longing to have someone of her own tolove withered in her; the incubus⁵⁸⁸ child hung heavier, more resentful.

Doc Smith talked of an earlier transfer to Cairns; he wasn't sure Meggie could survive a birth in Dungloe, whichhad only a cottage infirmary. Her blood pressure was recalcitrant⁵⁸⁹, the fluid kept mounting; he talked of toxemiaand eclampsia, other long medical words which frightened Anne and Luddie into agreeing, much as they longedto see the baby born at Himmelhoch. By the end of May there were only four weeks left to go, four weeks untilMeggie could rid herself of this intolerable burden, this ungrateful child. She was learning to hate it, the verybeing she had wanted so much before discovering what trouble it would cause. Why had she assumed Lukewould look forward to the baby once its existence was a reality? Nothing in his attitude or conduct since theirmarriage indicated he would. Time she admitted it was a disaster, abandoned her silly pride and tried to salvagewhat she could from the ruins. They had married for all the wrong reasons: he for her money, she as an escapefrom Ralph de Bricassart while trying to retain Ralph de Bricassart. There had never been any pretense⁵⁹⁰ at love,and only love might have helped her and Luke to overcome the enormous difficulties their differing aims anddesires created. Oddly enough, she never seemed able to hate Luke, where she found herself hating Ralph deBricassart more and more frequently. Yet when all was said and done, Ralph had been far kinder and fairer to herthan Luke. Not once had he encouraged her to dream of him in any roles save priest and friend, for even on thetwo occasions when he had kissed her, she had begun the move herself.

Why be so angry with him, then? Why hate Ralph and not Luke? Blame her own fears and inadequacies, thehuge, outraged⁵⁹¹ resentment⁵⁹² she felt because he had consistently rejected her when she loved and wanted him somuch. And blame that stupid impulse which had led her to marry Luke O'neill. A betrayal of her own self andRalph. No matter if she could never have married him, slept with him, had his child. No matter if he didn't wanther, and he didn't want her. The fact remained that he was who she wanted, and she ought never to have settledfor less.

But knowing the wrongs couldn't alter them. It was still Luke O'neill she had married, Luke O'neill's child shewas carrying. How could she be happy at the thought of Luke O'neill's child, when even he didn't want it? Poorlittle thing. At least when it was born it would be its own piece of humanity, and could be loved as that. Only . . .

What wouldn't she give, for Ralph de Bricassart's child? The impossible, the never-to-be. He served aninstitution which insisted on having all of him, even that part of him she had no use for, his manhood. ThatMother Church required from him as a sacrifice to her power as an institution, and thus wasted him, stamped hisbeing out of being, made sure that when he stopped he would be stopped forever. Only one day she would haveto pay for her greed. One day there wouldn't be any more Ralph de Bricassarts, because they'd value theirmanhood enough to see that her demanding it of them was a useless sacrifice, having no meaning whatsoever ....

Suddenly she stood up and waddled⁵⁹³ through to the living room, where Anne was sitting reading an undergroundcopy of Norman Lindsay's banned novel, Redheap, very obviously enjoying every forbidden word. "Anne, Ithink you're going to get your wish."Anne looked up absently. "What, dear?""Phone Doc Smith. I'm going to have this wretched baby here and now." "Oh, my God! Get into the bedroomand lie down--not your bedroom, ours!" Cursing the whims⁵⁹⁵ of fate and the determination of babies, Doc Smithhurried out from Dungloe in his battered car with the local midwife in the back and as much equipment as hecould carry from his little cottage hospital. No use taking her there; he could do as much for her at Himmelhoch.

But Cairns was where she ought to be. "Have you let the husband know?" he asked as he pounded up the frontsteps, his midwife behind him.

"I sent a telegram. She's in my room; I thought it would give you more space."Hobbling in their wake, Anne went into her bedroom. Meggie was lying on the bed, wide-eyed and giving noindication of pain except for an occasional spasm of her hands, a drawing-in of her body. She turned her head tosmile atAnne, and Anne saw that the eyes were very frightened. "I'm glad I never got to Cairns" she said. "My mothernever went to hospital to have hers, and Daddy said once she had a terrible time with Hat. But she survived, andso will I. We're hard to kill, we Cleary women." It was hours later when the doctor joined Anne on the veranda.

"It's a long, hard business for the little woman. First babies are rarely easy, but this one's not lying well and shejust drags on without getting anywhere. If she was in Cairns she could have a Caesarean, but that's out of thequestion here. She'll just have to push it out all by herself." "Is she conscious?""Oh, yes. Gallant⁵⁹⁶ little soul, doesn't scream or complain. The best ones usually have the worst time of it in myopinion. Keeps asking me if Ralph's here yet, and I have to tell her some lie about the Johnstone in flood. Ithought her husband's name was Luke?""It is.""Hmmm! Well, maybe that's why she's asking for this Ralph, whoever he is. Luke's no comfort, is he?""Luke's a bastard⁵⁹⁷."Anne leaned forward, hands on the veranda railing. A taxi was coming from the Dunny road, and had turned offup the incline to Himmelhoch. Her excellent eyesight just discerned a black-haired man in the back, and shecrowed with relief and joy.

"I don't believe what I see, but I think Luke's finally remembered he's got a wife!""I'd best go back to her and leave you to cope with him, Anne. I won't mention it to her, in case it isn't him. If itis him, give him a cup of tea and save the hard stuff for later. He's going to need it."The taxi drew up; to Anne's surprise the driver got out and went to the back door to open it for his passenger.

Joe Castiglione, who ran Dunny's sole taxi, wasn't usually given to such courtesies.

"Himmelhoch, Your Grace," he said, bowing deeply. A man in a long, flowing black soutane got out, a purplegrosgrain sash about his waist. As he turned, Anne thought for a dazed moment that Luke O'neill was playingsome elaborate trick on her. Then she saw that this was a far different man, a good ten years older than Luke. MyGod! she thought as the graceful⁵⁹⁸ figure mounted her steps two at a time. He's the handsomest chap I've everseen! An archbishop, no less! What does a Catholic archbishop want with a pair of old Lutherans like Luddie andme? "Mrs. Mueller?" he asked, smiling down at her with kind, aloof⁵⁹⁹ blue eyes. As if he had seen much he wouldgive anything not to have seen, and had managed to stop feeling long ago.

"Yes, I'm Anne Mueller.""I'm Archbishop Ralph de Bricassart, His Holiness's Legate in Australia. I understand you have a Mrs. LukeO'neill staying with you?" "Yes, sir." Ralph? Ralph? Was this Ralph?

"I'm a very old friend of hers. I wonder if I might see her, please?" "Well, I'm sure she'd be delighted,Archbishop"!---no, that wasn't right, one didn't say Archbishop, one said Your Grace, like JoeCastiglione-"under more normal circumstances, but at the moment Meggie's in labor, and having a very hardtime."Then she saw that he hadn't succeeded in stopping feeling at all, only disciplined it to a doglike abjection⁶⁰⁰ at theback of his thinking mind. His eyes were so blue she felt she drowned in them, and what she saw in them nowmade her wonder what Meggie was to him, and what he was to Meggie. "I knew something was wrong! I've feltthat something was wrong for a long time, but of late my worry's become an obsession⁶⁰¹. I had to come and see formyself. Please, let me see her! If you wish for a reason, I am a priest." Anne had never intended to deny him.

"Come along, Your Grace, through here, please." And as she shuffled⁶⁰² slowly between her two sticks she keptthinking: Is the house clean and tidy? Have I dusted? Did we remember to throw out that smelly old leg of lamb,or is it all through the place? What a time for a man as important as this one to come calling! Luddie, will younever get your fat arse off that tractor and come in? The boy should have found you hours ago! He went past DocSmith and the midwife as if they didn't exist to drop on his knees beside the bed, his hand reaching for hers.

"Meggie!"She dragged herself out of the ghastly dream into which she had sunk, past caring, and saw the beloved faceclose to hers, the strong black hair with two white wings in its darkness now, the fine aristocratic features a littlemore lined, more patient if possible, and the blue eyes looking into hers with love and longing. How had she everconfused Luke with him? There was no one like him, there never would be for her, and she had betrayed whatshe felt for him. Luke was the dark side of the mirror; Ralph was as splendid as the sun, and as remote. Oh, howbeautiful to see him!

"Ralph, help me," she said.

He kissed her hand passionately⁶⁰³, then held it to his cheek. "Always, my Meggie, you know that.""Pray for me, and the baby. If anyone can save us, you can. You're much closer to God than we are. No onewants us, no one has ever wanted us, even you.""Where's Luke?""I don't know, and I don't care." She closed her eyes and rolled her head upon the pillow, but the fingers in hisgripped strongly, wouldn't let him go.

Then Doc Smith touched him on the shoulder. "Your Grace, I think you ought to step outside now.""If her life is in danger, you'll call me?""In a second."Luddie had finally come in from the cane, frantic⁶⁰⁴ because there was no one to be seen and he didn't dare enterthe bedroom. "Anne, is she all right?" he asked as his wife came out with the Archbishop.

"So far. Doc won't commit himself, but I think he's got hope. Luddie, we have a visitor. This is ArchbishopRalph de Bricassart, an old friend of Meggie's."Better versed⁶⁰⁵ than his wife, Luddie dropped on one knee and kissed the ring on the hand held out to him. "Sitdown, Your Grace, talk to Anne. I'll go and put a kettle on for some tea.""So you're Ralph," Anne said, propping⁶⁰⁶ her sticks against a bamboo table while the priest sat opposite her withthe folds of his soutane falling about him, his glossy black riding boots clearly visible, for he had crossed hisknees. It was an effeminate thing for a man to do, but he was a priest so it didn't matter; yet there was somethingintensely masculine about him, crossed legs or no. He was probably not as old as she had first thought; in hisvery early forties, perhaps. What a waste of a magnificent man!

"Yes, I'm Ralph.""Ever since Meggie's labor started she's been asking for someone called Ralph. I must admit I was puzzled. Idon't ever remember her mentioning a Ralph before.""She wouldn't.""How do you know Meggie, Your Grace? For how long?" The priest smiled wryly⁶⁰⁷ and clasped his thin, verybeautiful hands together so they made a pointed church roof. "I've known Meggie since she was ten years old,only days off the boat from New Zealand. You might in all truth say that I've known Meggie through flood andfire and emotional famine, and through death, and life. All that we have to bear. Meggie is the mirror in whichI'm forced to view my mortality.""You love her!" Anne's tone was surprised.

"Always.""It's a tragedy for both of you.""I had hoped only for me. Tell me about her, what's happened to her since she married. It's many years sinceI've seen her, but I haven't been happy about her.""I'll tell you, but only after you've told me about Meggie. Oh, I don't mean personal things, only about what sortof life she led before she came toDunny. We know absolutely nothing of her, Luddie and I, except that she used to live somewhere nearGillanbone. We'd like to know more, because we're very fond of her. But she would never tell us a thing-pride, Ithink." Luddie carried in a tray loaded with tea and food, and sat down while the priest gave them an outline ofMeggie's life before she married Luke. "I would never have guessed it in a million years! To think Luke O'neillhad the temerity⁶⁰⁸ to take her from all that and put her to work as a housemaid! And had the hide to stipulate⁶⁰⁹ thather wages be put in his bank-book! Do you know the poor little thing has never had a penny in her purse tospend on herself since she's been here? I had Luddie give her a cash bonus lastChristmas, but by then she needed so many things it was all spent in a day, and she'd never take more from us.""Don't feel sorry for Meggie," said Archbishop Ralph a little harshly. "I don't think she feels sorry for herself,certainly not over lack of money. It's brought little joy to her after all, has it? She knows where to go if she can'tdo without it. I'd say Luke's apparent indifference has hurt her far more than the lack of money. My poorMeggie!" Between them Anne and Luddie filled in the outline of Meggie's life, while Archbishop de Bricassartsat, his hands still steepled, his gaze on the lovely sweeping fan of a traveler's palm outside. Not once did amuscle in his face move, or a change come into those detachedly beautiful eyes. He had learned much sincebeing in the service of Vittorio Scarbanza, Cardinal di Contini Verchese.

When the tale was done he sighed, and shifted his gaze to their anxious faces. "Well, it seems we must help her,since Luke will not. If Luke truly doesn't want her, she'd be better off back on Drogheda. I know you don't wantto lose her, but for her sake try to persuade her to go home. I shall send you a check from Sydney for her, so shewon't have the embarrassment of asking her brother for money. Then when she gets home she can tell them whatshe likes." He glanced toward the bedroom door and moved restlessly. "Dear God, let the child be born!"But the child wasn't born until nearly twenty-four hours later, and Meggie almost dead from exhaustion andpain. Doc Smith had given her copious⁶¹⁰ doses of laudanum, that still being the best thing, in his old-fashionedopinion; she seemed to drift whirling through spiraling nightmares in which things from without and withinripped and tore, clawed and spat⁴², howled and whined⁶¹¹ and roared. Sometimes Ralph's face would come into focusfor a small moment, then go again on a heaving tide of pain; but the memory of him persisted, and while he keptwatch she knew neither she nor the baby would die. Pausing, while the midwife coped alone, to snatch food anda stiff tot of rum and check that none of his other patients were inconsiderate enough to think of dying, DocSmith listened to as much of the story as Anne and Luddie thought wise to tell him.

"You're right, Anne," he said. "All that riding is probably one of the reasons for her trouble now. When thesidesaddle went out it was a bad thing for women who must ride a lot. Astride develops the wrong muscles." "I'dheard that was an old wives' tale," said the Archbishop mildly. Doc Smith looked at him maliciously⁶¹². He wasn'tfond of Catholic priests, deemed them a sanctimonious⁶¹³ lot of driveling fools. "Think what you like," he said.

"But tell me, Your Grace, if it came down to a choice between Meggie's life and the baby's, what would yourconscience advise?""The Church is adamant on that point, Doctor. No choice must ever be made. The child cannot be done to deathto save the mother, nor the mother done to death to save the child." He smiled back at Doc Smith just asmaliciously. "But if it should come to that, Doctor, I won't hesitate to tell you to save Meggie, and the hell withthe baby."Doc Smith gasped, laughed, and clapped him on the back. "Good for you! Rest easy, I won't broadcast whatyou said. But so far the child's alive, and I can't see what good killing⁶¹⁴ it is going to do."But Anne was thinking to herself: I wonder what your answer would have been if the child was yours,Archbishop?

About three hours later, as the afternoon sun was sliding sadly down the sky toward Mount Bartle Frere's mistybulk, Doc Smith came out of the bedroom.

"Well, it's over," he said with some satisfaction. "Meggie's got a long road ahead of her, but she'll be all right,God willing. And the baby is a skinny, cranky, five-pound girl with a whopping great head and a temper tomatch the most poisonous red hair I've ever seen on a newborn baby. You couldn't kill that little mite³⁴⁴ with anaxe, and I know, because I nearly tried."Jubilant, Luddie broke out the bottle of champagne he had been saving, and the five of them stood with theirglasses brimming; priest, doctor, midwife, farmer and cripple toasted the health and well-being⁶¹⁶ of the mother andher screaming, crotchety baby. It was the first of June, the first day of the Australian winter.

A nurse had arrived to take over from the midwife, and would stay until Meggie was pronounced out of alldanger. The doctor and the midwife left, while Anne, Luddie and the Archbishop went to see Meggie. Shelooked so tiny and wasted in the double bed that Archbishop Ralph was obliged to store away another, separatepain in the back of his mind, to be taken out later, inspected and endured. Meggie, my torn and beatenMeggie . . . I shall love you always, but I cannot give you what Luke O'neill did, however grudgingly⁶¹⁷.

The grizzling scrap³⁶⁷ of humanity responsible for all this lay in a wicker bassinet by the far wall, not a bitappreciative of their attention as they stood around her and peered down. She yelled her resentment, and kept onyelling. In the end the nurse lifted her, bassinet and all; and put her in the room designated as her nursery.

"There's certainly nothing wrong with her lungs." Archbishop Ralph smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed andtaking Meggie's pale hand. "I don't think she likes life much," Meggie said with an answering smile. How mucholder he looked! As fit and supple⁶¹⁸ as ever, but immeasurably older. She turned her head to Anne and Luddie, andheld out her other hand. "My dear good friends! Whatever would I have done without you? Have we heard fromLuke?""I got a telegram saying he was too busy to come, but wishing you good luck.""Big of him," said Meggie.

Anne bent quickly to kiss her check. "We'll leave you to talk with the Archbishop, dear. I'm sure you've got alot of catching up to do." Leaning onLuddie, she crooked⁶¹⁹ her finger at the nurse, who was gaping⁶²¹ at the priest as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Come on, Nettie, have a cup of tea with us. His Grace will let you know if Meggie needs you.""What are you going to call your noisy daughter?" he asked as the door closed and they were alone.

"Justine.""It's a very good name, but why did you choose it?" "I read it somewhere, and I liked it.""Don't you want her, Meggie?"Her face had shrunk, and seemed all eyes; they were soft and filled with a misty⁶¹⁵ light, no hate but no loveeither. "I suppose I want her. Yes, I do want her. I schemed enough to get her. But while I was carrying her Icouldn't feel anything for her, except that she didn't want me. I don't think Justine will ever be mine, or Luke's, oranyone's. I think she's always going to belong to herself.""I must go, Meggie," he said gently.

Now the eyes grew harder, brighter: her mouth twisted into an unpleasant shape. "I expected that! Funny howthe men in my life all scuttle⁶²² off into the woodwork, isn't it?"He winced⁶²³. "Don't be bitter, Meggie. I can't bear to leave thinking of you like this. No matter what's happenedto you in the past, you've always retained your sweetness and it's the thing about you I find most endearing. Don'tchange, don't become hard because of this. I know it must be terrible to think that Luke didn't care enough tocome, but don't change. You wouldn't be my Meggie anymore." But still she looked at him half as if she hatedhim. "Oh, come off it, Ralph! I'm not your Meggie, I never was! You didn't want me, you sent me to him, toLuke. What do you think I am, some sort of saint, or a nun¹⁹⁷? Well, I'm not! I'm an ordinary human being, andyou've spoiled my life! All the years I've loved you, and wanted to forget you, but then I married a man I thoughtlooked a little bit like you, and he doesn't want me or need me either. Is it so much to ask of a man, to be neededand wanted by him?" She began to sob⁶²⁴, mastered it; there were fine lines of pain on her face that he had neverseen before, and he knew they weren't the kind that rest and returning health would smooth away.

"Luke's not a bad man, or even an unlikable one," she went on. "Just a man. You're all the same, great big hairymoths bashing yourselves to pieces after a silly flame behind a glass so clear your eyes don't see it. And if you domanage to blunder your way inside the glass to fly into the flame, you fall down burned and dead. While all thetime out there in the cool night there's food, and love, and baby moths⁶²⁵ to get. But do you see it, do you want it?

No! It's back after the flame again, beating yourselves senseless until you burn yourselves dead!"He didn't know what to say to her, for this was a side of her he had never seen. Had it always been there, or hadshe grown it out of her terrible trouble and abandonment? Meggie, saying things like this? He hardly heard whatshe said, he was so upset that she should say it, and so didn't understand that it came from her loneliness, and herguilt. "Do you remember the rose you gave me the night I left Drogheda?" he asked tenderly.

"Yes, I remember." The life had gone out of her voice, the hard light out of her eyes. They stared at him nowlike a soul without hope, as expressionless and glassy as her mother's.

"I have it still, in my missal. And every time I see a rose that color, I think of you. Meggie, I love you. You'remy rose, the most beautiful human image and thought in my life."Down went the corners of her mouth again, up shone that tense, glittering fierceness with the tang of hate in it.

"An image, a thought! A human image and thought! Yes, that's right, that's all I am to you! You're nothing but aromantic, dreaming fool, Ralph de Bricassart! You have no more idea of what life is all about than the moth²⁴ Icalled you! No wonder you became a priest! You couldn't live with the ordinariness of life if you were anordinary man any more than ordinary man Luke does!

"You say you love me, but you have no idea what love is; you're just mouthing words you've memorizedbecause you think they sound good! What floors me is why you men haven't managed to dispense³³⁵ with uswomen altogether, which is what you'd like to do, isn't it? You should work out a way of marrying each other;you'd be divinely happy!" "Meggie, don't! Please don't!""Oh, go away! I don't want to look at you! And you've forgotten one thing about your precious roses, Ralphthey'vegot nasty, hooky thorns!" He left the room without looking back.

Luke never bothered to answer the telegram informing him he was the proud father of a five-pound girl namedJustine. Slowly Meggie got better, and the baby began to thrive. Perhaps if Meggie could have managed to feedher she might have developed more rapport⁶²⁶ with the scrawny, bad-tempered⁶²⁷ little thing, but she had absolutelyno milk in the plenteous breasts Luke had so loved to suck. That's an ironic³⁸⁵ justice, she thought. She dutifullychanged and bottle-fed the red-faced, red-headed morsel⁴⁷⁸ just as custom dictated⁶²⁸ she should, waiting for thecommencement of some wonderful, surging emotion. But it never came; she felt no desire to smother²² the tinyface with kisses, or bite the wee fingers, or do any of the thousand silly things mothers loved to do with babies. Itdidn't feel like her baby, and it didn't want or need her any more than she did it. It, it! Her, her! She couldn't evenremember to call it her. Luddie and Anne never dreamed Meggie did not adore Justine, that she felt less forJustine than she had for any of her mother's younger babies. Whenever Justine cried Meggie was right there topick her up, croon to her, rock her, and never was a baby drier or more comfortable. The strange thing was thatJustine didn't seem to want to be picked up or crooned over; she quieted much faster if she was left alone.

As time went on she improved in looks. Her infant skin lost its redness, acquired that thin blue-veinedtransparency which goes so often with red hair, and her little arms and legs filled out to pleasing plumpness. Thehair began to curl and thicken and to assume forever the same violent shade her grandfather Paddy had owned.

Everyone waited anxiously to see what color her eyes would turn out to be, Luddie betting on her father's blue,Anne on her mother's grey, Meggie without an opinion. But Justine's eyes were very definitely her own, andunnerving to say the least. At six weeks they began to change, and by the ninth week had gained their final colorand form. No one had even seen anything like them. Around the outer rim⁹⁸ of the iris¹⁰⁰ was a very dark grey ring,but the iris itself was so pale it couldn't be called either blue or grey; the closest description of the color was asort of dark white. They were riveting⁶²⁹, uncomfortable, inhuman eyes, rather blind-looking; but as time went on itwas obvious Justine saw through them very well. Though he didn't mention it, Doc Smith had been worried bythe size of her head when she was born, and kept a close watch on it for the first six months of her life; he hadwondered, especially after seeing those strange eyes, if she didn't perhaps have what he still called water on thebrain, though the textbooks these days were calling it hydrocephalus. But it appeared Justine wasn't sufferingfrom any kind of cerebral⁶³⁰ dysfunction or malformation; she just had a very big head, and as she grew the rest ofher more or less caught up to it. Luke stayed away. Meggie had written to him repeatedly, but he neitheranswered nor came to see his child. In a way she was glad; she wouldn't have known what to say to him, and shedidn't think he would be at all entranced with the odd little creature who was his daughter. Had Justine been astrapping big son he might have relented, but Meggie was fiercely glad she wasn't. She was living proof the greatLuke O'neill wasn't perfect, for if he was he would surely have sired nothing but sons. The baby thrived betterthan Meggie did, recovered faster from the birth ordeal. By the time she was four months old she ceased to cry somuch and began to amuse herself as she lay in her bassinet, fiddling⁶³¹ and pinching at the rows of brightly coloredbeads strung within her reach. But she never smiled at anyone, even in the guise of gas pains. The Wet cameearly, in October, and it was a very wet Wet. The humidity climbed to 100 percent and stayed there; every dayfor hours the rain roared and whipped about Himmelhoch, melting the scarlet soil, drenching²⁵¹ the cane, filling thewide, deep Dungloe River but not overflowing it, for its course was so short the water got away into the seaquickly enough. While Justine lay in her bassinet contemplating⁶³² her world through those strange eyes, Meggiesat dully watching Bartle Frere disappear behind a wall of dense³¹¹ rain, then reappear.

The sun would come out, writhing⁶³³ veils of steam issue from the ground, the wet cane shimmer¹⁵⁴ and sparklediamond prisms, and the river seem like a great gold snake. Then hanging right across the vault⁶³⁴ of the sky adouble rainbow would materialize, perfect throughout its length on both bows, so rich in its coloring against thesullen dark-blue clouds that all save a North Queensland landscape would have been paled and diminished.

Being North Queensland, nothing was washed out by its ethereal glow, and Meggie thought she knew why theGillanbone countryside was so brown and grey; North Queensland had usurped⁶³⁵ its share of the palette as well.

One day at the beginning of December, Anne came out onto the veranda and sat down beside her, watching her.

Oh, she was so thin, so lifeless! Even the lovely goldy hair had dulled.

"Meggie, I don't know whether I've done the wrong thing, but I've done it anyway, and I want you at least tolisten to me before you say no." Meggie turned from the rainbows, smiling. "You sound so solemn, Anne! Whatis it I must listen to?""Luddie and I are worried about you. You haven't picked up properly since Justine was born, and now TheWet's here you're looking even worse. You're not eating and you're losing weight. I've never thought the climatehere agreed with you, but as long as nothing happened to drag you down you managed to cope with it. Now wethink you're sick, and unless something's done you're going to get really ill."She drew a breath. "So a couple of weeks ago I wrote to a friend of mine in the tourist bureau, and booked youa holiday. And don't start protesting about the expense; it won't dent²⁵⁵ Luke's resources or ours. The Archbishopsent us a very big check for you, and your brother sent us another one for you and the baby-I think he washinting go home for a while-from everyone on Drogheda. And after we talked it over, Luddie and I decided thebest thing we could do was spend some of it on a holiday for you. I don't think going home to Drogheda is theright sort of holiday, though. What Luddie and I feel you need most is a thinking time. No Justine, no us, noLuke, no Drogheda. Have you ever been on your own, Meggie? It's time you were. So we've booked you acottage on Matlock Island for two months, from the beginning of January to the beginning of March. Luddie andI will look after Justine. You know she won't come to any harm, but if we're the slightest bit worried about her,you have our word we'll notify you right away, and the island's on the phone so it wouldn't take long to fetch youback." The rainbows had gone, so had the sun; it was getting ready to rain again. "Anne, if it hadn't been for youand Luddie these past three years, I would have gone mad. You know that. Sometimes in the night I wake upwondering what would have happened to me had Luke put me with people less kind. You've cared for me morethan Luke has.""Twaddle! If Luke had put you with unsympathetic people you would have gone back to Drogheda, and whoknows? Maybe that might have been the best course." "No. It hasn't been pleasant, this thing with Luke, but itwas far better for me to stay and work it out."The rain was beginning to inch its way across the dimming cane blotting⁶³⁶ out everything behind its edge, like agrey cleaver⁶³⁷. "You're right, I'm not well," Meggie said. "I haven't been well since Justine was conceived. I'vetried to pull myself up, but I suppose one reaches a point where there isn't the energy to do it. Oh, Anne, I'm sotired and discouraged! I'm not even a good mother to Justine, and I owe her that. I'm the one caused her to be;she didn't ask for it. But mostly I'm discouraged because Luke, won't even give me a chance to make him happy.

He won't live with me or let me make a home for him; he doesn't want our children. I don't love him -I never didlove him the way a woman ought to love the man she marries, and maybe he sensed it from the word go. Maybeif I had loved him, he would have acted differently. So how can I blame him? I've only myself to blame, I think.""It's the Archbishop you love, isn't it?""Oh, ever since I was a little girl! I was hard on him when he came. Poor Ralph! I had no right to say what I didto him, because he never encouraged me, you know. I hope he's had time to understand that I was in pain, wornout, and terribly unhappy. All I could think was it ought by rights to be his child and it never would be, nevercould be. It isn't fair! Protestant clergy⁶³⁸ can marry, why can't Catholic? And don't try to tell me ministers don'tcare for their flocks the way priests do, because I won't believe you. I've met heartless priests and wonderfulministers. But because of the celibacy⁶³⁹ of priests I've had to go away from Ralph, make my home and my lifewith someone else, have someone else's baby. And do you know something, Anne? That's as disgusting a sin asRalph breaking his vows, or more so. I resent the Church's implication that my loving Ralph or his loving me iswrong!" "Go away for a while, Meggie. Rest and eat and sleep and stop fretting⁶⁴⁰. Then maybe when you comeback you can somehow persuade Luke to buy that station instead of talking about it. I know you don't love him,but I think if he gave you half a chance you might be happy with him."The grey eyes were the same color as the rain falling in sheets all around the house; their voices had risen toshouting pitch to be audible above the incredible din⁸ on the iron roof.

"But that's just it, Anne! When Luke and I went up to Atherton I realized at last that he'll never leave the sugarwhile he's got the strength to cut it. He loves the life, he really does. He loves being with men as strong andindependent as he is himself; he loves roaming from one place to the other. He's always been a wanderer, now Icome to think of it. As for needing a woman for pleasure if nothing else, he's too exhausted by the cane. Andhow can I put it? Luke is the kind of man who quite genuinely doesn't care if he eats his food off a packing crateand sleeps on the floor. Don't you see? One can't appeal to him as to one who likes nice things, because hedoesn't. Sometimes I think he despises nice things, pretty things. They're soft, they might make him soft. I haveabsolutely no enticements powerful enough to sway him from his present way of life."She glanced up impatiently at the veranda roof, as if tired of shouting. "I don't know if I'm strong enough totake the loneliness of having no home for the next ten or fifteen years, Anne, or however long it's going to takeLuke to wear himself out. It's lovely here with you; I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful. But I want a home! Iwant Justine to have brothers and sisters, I want to dust my own furniture, I want to make curtains for my ownwindows, cook on my own stove for my own man. Oh, Anne! I'm just an ordinary sort of a woman; I'm notambitious or intelligent or well educated, you know that. All I want is a husband, children, my own home. And abit of love from someone!"Anne got out her handkerchief, wiped her eyes and tried to laugh. "What a soppy pair we are! But I dounderstand, Meggie, really I do. I've been married to Luddie for ten years, the only truly happy ones of my life. Ihad infantile paralysis⁶⁴¹ when I was five years old, and it left me like this. I was convinced no one would ever lookat me. Nor did they, God knows. When I met Luddie I was thirty years old, teaching for a living. He was tenyears younger than me, so I couldn't take him seriously when he said he loved me and wanted to marry me. Howterrible, Meggie, to ruin a very young man's life! For five years I treated him to the worst display of downrightnastiness you could imagine, but he always came back for more. So I married him, and I've been happy. Luddiesays he is, but I'm not sure. He's had to give up a lot, including children, and he looks older than I do these days,poor chap." "It's the life, Anne, and the climate."The rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun; the sun came out, the rainbows waxed to full glory in the steamysky; Mount Bartle Frere loomed⁶⁴² lilac out of the scudding⁶⁴³ clouds.

Meggie spoke³⁰⁹ again. "I'll go. I'm very grateful to you for thinking of it; it's probably what I need. But are yousure Justine won't be too much trouble?""Lord, no! Luddie's got it all worked out. Anna Maria, who used to work for me before you came, has ayounger sister, Annunziata, who wants to go nursing in Townsville. But she won't be sixteen until March, andshe finishes school in a few days. So while you're away she's going to come here. She's an expert foster mother,too. There are hordes of babies in the Tesoriero clan." "Matlock Island. Where is it?""Just near Whitsunday Passage on the Great Barrier Reef. It's very quiet and private, mostly a honeymoonresort, I suppose. You know the sort of thing-cottages instead of a central hotel. You won't have to go to dinnerin a crowded dining room, or be civil to a whole heap of people you'd rather not talk to at all. And at this time ofyear it's just about deserted⁶⁴⁴, because of the danger of summer cyclones⁶⁴⁵. The Wet isn't a problem, but no one everseems to want to go to the Reef in summer. Probably because most of the people who go to the Reef come fromSydney or Melbourne, and summer down there is lovely without going away. In June and July and August thesoutherners have it booked out for three years ahead."On the last day of 1937 Meggie caught the train to Townsville. Though her holiday had scarcely begun, shealready felt much better, for she had left the molasses reek³⁵ of Dunny behind her. The biggest settlement in NorthQueensland, Townsville was a thriving town of several thousands living in white wooden houses atop stilts⁶⁴⁶. Atight connection between train and boat left her with no time to explore, but in a way Meggie wasn't sorry shehad to rush to the wharf⁶⁴⁷ without a chance to think; after that ghastly voyage across the Tasman sixteen years agoshe wasn't looking forward to thirty-six hours in a ship much smaller than the Wahine.

But it was quite different, a whispering slide in glassy waters, and she was twenty-six, not ten. The air wasbetween cyclones, the sea was exhausted; though it was only midday Meggie put her head down and sleptdreamlessly until the steward⁶⁴⁸ woke her at six the next morning with a cup of tea and a plate of plain sweetbiscuits.

Up on deck was a new Australia, different again. In a high clear sky, delicately colorless, a pink and pearlyglow suffused⁶⁴⁹ slowly upward from the eastern rim of the ocean until the sun stood above the horizon and thelight lost its neonatal redness, became day. The ship was slithering soundlessly through water which had no taint,so translucent⁶⁵⁰ over the side that one could look fathoms⁶⁵¹ down to grottoes of purple and see the forms of vividfish flashing by. In distant vistas⁶⁵³ the sea was a greenish-hued⁶⁵⁴ aquamarine, splotched with wine-dark stains whereweed or coral covered the floor, and on all sides it seemed islands with palmy shores of brilliant white sand justgrew out of it spontaneously like crystals in silica-jungle-clad and mountainous islands or flat, bushy islands notmuch higher than the water. "The flat ones are the true coral islands," explained a crewman. "If they're ring-shaped and enclose a lagoon⁶⁵⁵ they're called atolls, but if they're just a lump of reef risen above the sea they'recalled cays. The hilly islands are the tops of mountains, but they're still surrounded by coral reefs, and they havelagoons.""Where's Matlock Island?" Meggie asked.

He looked at her curiously; a lone¹¹⁴ woman going on holiday to a honeymoon island like Matlock was acontradiction in terms. "We're sailing down Whitsunday Passage now, then we head out to the Pacific edge of thereef. Matlock's ocean side is pounded by the big breakers that come in for a hundred miles off the deep Pacificlike express trains, roaring so you can't hear yourself think. Can you imagine riding the same wave for a hundredmiles?" He sighed wistfully. "We'll be at Matlock before sundown, madam." And an hour before sundown thelittle ship heaved its way through the backwash of the surf whose spume rose like a towering misty wall into theeastern sky. A jetty on spindling piles doddered literally⁶⁵⁶ half a mile out across the reef exposed by low tide,behind it a high, craggy coastline which didn't fit in with Meggie's expectations of tropical splendor. An elderlyman stood waiting, helped her from ship to jetty, and took her cases from a crewman.

"How d'you do, Mrs. O'neill," he greeted her. "I'm Rob Walter. Hope your husband gets the chance to comeafter all. Not too much company on Matlock this time of year; it's really a winter resort."They walked together down the uneasy planking, the exposed coral molten in the dying sun and the fearsomesea a reflected, tumultuous glory of crimson⁶⁵⁷ foam⁶⁵⁸.

"Tide's out, or you'd have had a rougher trip. See the mist in the east? That's the edge of the Great Barrier Reefitself. Here on Matlock we hang onto it by the skin of our teeth; you'll feel the island shaking all the time fromthe pounding out there." He helped her into a car. "This is the windward side of Matlock-a bit wild andunwelcome looking, eh? But you wait until you see the leeward⁶⁵⁹ side, ah! Something like, it is."They hurtled with the careless speed natural to the only car on Matlock down a narrow road of crunchy coralbones, through palms and thick undergrowth with a tall hill rearing to one side, perhaps four miles across theisland's spine⁴⁵⁷.

"Oh, how beautiful!" said Meggie.

They had emerged on another road which ran all around the looping sandy shores of the lagoon side, crescent-shaped and hollow. Far out was more white spray where the ocean broke in dazzling lace on the edges of thelagoon reef, but within the coral's embrace the water was still and calm, a polished silver mirror tinged⁶⁶⁰ withbronze.

"Island's four miles wide and eight long," her guide explained. They drove past a straggling white building witha deep veranda and shoplike windows. "The general store," he said with a proprietary flourish. "I live there withthe Missus, and she's not too happy about a lone woman coming here, I can tell you. Thinks I'll be seduced⁶⁶¹ washow she put it. Just as well the bureau said you wanted complete peace and quiet, because it soothed⁶⁶² the Missus abit when I put you in the farthest out place we have. There's not a soul in your direction; the only other couplehere are on the other side. You can lark⁶⁶³ around without a stitch on-no one will see you. The Missus isn't going tolet me out of her sight while you're here. When you need something, just pick up your phone and I'll bring it out.

No sense walking all the way in. And Missus or no, I'll call in on you once a day at sunset, just to make sureyou're all right. Best that you're in the house then-and wear a proper dress, in case the Missus comes along forthe ride." A one-story structure with three rooms, the cottage had its own private curve of white beach betweentwo prongs of the hill diving into the sea, and here the road ended. Inside it was very plain, but comfortable. Theisland generated its own power, so there was a little refrigerator, electric light, the promised phone, and even awireless set. The toilet flushed, the bath had fresh water; more modern amenities⁶⁶⁴ than either Drogheda orHimmelhoch, Meggie thought in amusement. Easy to see most of the patrons were from Sydney or Melbourne,and so inured⁶⁶⁵ to civilization they couldn't do without it. Left alone while Rob sped back to his suspicious Missus,Meggie unpacked⁶⁶⁶ and surveyed her domain⁶⁶⁷. The big double bed was a great deal more comfortable than her ownnuptial couch had been. But then, this was a genuine honeymoon paradise and the one thing its clients woulddemand was a decent bed; the clients of the Dunny pub were usually too drunk to object to herniating springs.

Both the refrigerator and the overhead cupboards were well stocked with food, and on the counter stood a greatbasket of bananas, passion fruit, pineapples and mangoes. No reason why she shouldn't sleep well, and eat well.

For the first week Meggie seemed to do nothing but eat and sleep; she hadn't realized how tired she was, northat Dungloe's climate was what had killed her appetite. In the beautiful bed she slept the moment she lay down,ten and twelve hours at a stretch, and food had an appeal it hadn't possessed since Drogheda. She seemed to eatevery minute she was awake, even carrying mangoes into the water with her. Truth to tell, that was the mostlogical place to eat mangoes other than a bathtub; they just ran juice. Since her tiny beach lay within the lagoon,the sea was mirror calm and quite free of currents, very shallow. All of which she loved, because she couldn'tswim a stroke. But in water so salty it seemed almost to hold her up, she began to experiment; when she couldfloat for ten seconds at a time she was delighted. The sensation of being freed from the pull of the earth made herlong to be able to move as easily as a fish.

So if she mourned her lack of company, it was only because she would have liked to have someone to teach herto swim. Other than that, being on her own was wonderful. How right Anne had been! All her life there had beenpeople in the house. To have no one was such a relief, so utterly peaceful. She wasn't lonely at all; she didn'tmiss Anne or Luddie or Justine or Luke, and for the first time in three years she didn't yearn²⁰⁰ for Drogheda. OldRob never disturbed her solitude⁶⁶⁸, just chugged far enough down the road each sunset to make sure her friendlywave from the veranda wasn't a signal of distress⁶⁶⁹, turned the car and puttered off again, his surprisingly prettyMissus grimly riding shotgun. Once he phoned her to say he was taking the other couple in residence out in hisglass-bottomed boat, and would she like to come along? It was like having a ticket of admission to a whole newplanet, peering through the glass down into that teeming⁶⁷⁰, exquisitely fragile world, where delicate forms werebuoyed and bolstered⁶⁷¹ by the loving intimacy of water. Live coral, she discovered, wasn't garishly⁶⁷² hued from dyesthe way it was in the souvenir counter of the store. It was soft pink or beige or blue-grey, and around every knoband branch wavered a marvelous rainbow of color, like a visible aura. Great anemones⁶⁷³ twelve inches widefluttered fringes of blue or red or orange or purple tentacles⁶⁷⁴; white fluted⁶⁷⁵ clams⁶⁷⁶ as big as rocks beckoned⁶⁷⁷ unwaryexplorers to take a look inside with tantalizing⁶⁷⁸ glimpses of colorful, restless things through feathery lips; red lacefans swayed in water winds; bright-green ribbons of weed danced loose and drifting. Not one of the four in theboat would have been in the least surprised to see a mermaid⁶⁷⁹: a gleam of polished breast, a twisting glitter of tail,lazily spinning clouds of hair, an alluring⁶⁸⁰ smile taunting⁶⁸¹ the siren's spell to sailors. But the fish! Like livingjewels they darted⁶⁸² in thousands upon thousands, round like Chinese lanterns, slender like bullets, raimented incolors which glowed with life and the light-splitting quality water imparts, some on fire with scales of gold andscarlet, some cool and silvery blue, some swimming rag bags gaudier⁶⁸³ than parrots. There were needle-nosedgarfish, pug-nosed toadfish, fanged⁶⁸⁴ barracuda, a cavernous-mawed grouper lurking⁶⁸⁵ half seen in a grotto⁶⁵², andonce a sleek⁶⁸⁶ grey nurse shark which seemed to take forever to pass silently beneath them.

"But don't worry," said Rob. "We're too far south here for sea wasps, so if anything on the Reef is going to killyou, it's most likely to be a stonefish. Never go walking on the coral without your shoes."Yes, Meggie was glad she went. But she didn't yearn to go again, or make friends with the couple Rob broughtalong. She immersed herself in the sea, and walked, and lay in the sun. Curiously enough, she didn't even misshaving books to read, for there always seemed to be something interesting to watch. She had taken Rob's adviceand stopped wearing clothes. At first she had tended to behave like a rabbit catching whiffs of dingo on thebreeze, bolting for cover if a twig⁶⁸⁷ cracked or a coconut fell like a cannonball from a palm. But after several daysof patent solitude she really began to feel no one would come near her, that indeed it was as Rob said, acompletely private domain. Shyness was wasted. And walking the tracks, lying in the sand, paddling in thatwarm salty water, she began to feel like an animal born and brought up in a cage, suddenly let loose in a gentle,sunny, spacious and welcoming world.

Away from Fee, her brothers, Luke, the unsparing, unthinking domination of her whole life, Meggie discoveredpure leisure; a whole kaleidoscope of thought patterns wove and unwove novel designs in her mind. For the firsttime in her life she wasn't keeping her conscious self absorbed in work thoughts of one description or another.

Surprised, she realized that keeping physically⁶⁸⁸ busy is the most effective blockade against totally mental activityhuman beings can erect⁶⁸⁹. .

Years ago Father Ralph had asked her what she thought about, and she had answered: Daddy and Mum, Bob,Jack, Hughie, Stu, the little boys, Frank, Drogheda, the house, work, the rainfall. She hadn't said him, but he wasat the top of the list, always. Now add to those Justine, Luke, Luddie and Anne, the cane, homesickness, therainfall. And always, of course, the lifesaving release she found in books. But it had all come and gone in suchtangled, unrelated clumps⁶⁹¹ and chains; no opportunity, no training to enable her to sit down quietly and think outwho exactly was Meggie Cleary, Meggie O'neill? What did she want? What did she think she was put on thisearth for? She mourned the lack of training, for that was an omission⁶⁹² no amount of time on her own could everrectify. However, here was the time, the peace, the laziness of idle physical well-being; she could lie on the sandand try. Well, there was Ralph. A wry, despairing laugh. Not a good place to start, but in a sense Ralph was likeGod; everything began and ended with him. Since the day he had knelt in the sunset dust of the Gilly station yardto take her between his hands, there had been Ralph, and though she never saw him again as long as she lived, itseemed likely that her last thought this side of the grave would be of him. How frightening, that one person couldmean so much, so many things.

What had she said to Anne? That her wants and needs were quite ordinary-a husband, children, a home of herown. Someone to love. It didn't seem much to ask; after all, most women had the lot. But how many of thewomen who had them were truly content? Meggie thought she would be, because for her they were so hard tocome by.

Accept it, Meggie Cleary. Meggie ONEILL. The someone you want is Ralph de Bricassart, and you just can'thave him. Yet as a man he seems to have ruined you for anyone else. All right, then. Assume that a man and thesomeone to love can't occur. It will have to be children to love, and the love you receive will have to come fromthose children. Which in turn means Luke, and Luke's children.

Oh, dear God, dear God! No, not dear God! What's God ever done for me, except deprive me of Ralph? We'renot too fond of each other, God and I. And do You know something, God? You don't frighten me the way Youused to. How much I feared You, Your punishment! All my life I've trodden the straight and narrow, from fear ofY. And what's it got me? Not one scrap more than if I'd broken every rule in Your book. You're a fraud, God, ademon of fear. You treat us like children, dangling punishment. But You don't frighten me anymore. Because itisn't Ralph I ought to be hating, it's Y. It's all Your fault, not poor Ralph's. He's just living in fear of You, the wayI always have. That he could love You is something I can't understand. I don't see what there is about You tolove.

Yet how can I stop loving a man who loves God? No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to do it. He's the moon,and I'm crying for it. Well, you've just got to stop crying for it, Meggie ONEILL, that's all there is to it. You'regoing to have to content yourself with Luke, and Luke's children. By hook or by crook⁶²⁰ you're going to weanLuke from the wretched sugar, and live with him out where there aren't even any trees. You're going to tell theGilly bank manager that your future income stays in your own name, and you're going. to use it to have thecomforts and conveniences in your treeless home that Luke won't think to provide for you. You're going to use itto educate Luke's children properly, and make sure they never want. And that's all there is to be said about it,Meggie O'neill. I'm Meggie O'neill, not Meggie de Bricassart. It even sounds silly, Meggie de Bricassart. I'dhave to be Meghann de Bricassart, and I've always hated Meghann. Oh, will I ever stop regretting that they're notRalph's children? That's the question, isn't it? Say it to yourself, over and over again: Your life is your own,Meggie O'neill, and you're not going to waste it dreaming of a man and children you can never have.

There! That's telling yourself! No use thinking of what's past, what must be buried. The future's the thing, andthe future belongs to Luke, to Luke's children. It doesn't belong to Ralph de Bricassart. He is the past. Meggierolled over in the sand and wept as she hadn't wept since she was three years old: noisy wails⁶⁹³, with only the crabsand the birds to hear her desolation.

Anne Mueller had chosen Matlock Island deliberately⁶⁹⁵, planning to send Luke there as soon as she could. Themoment Meggie was on her way she sent Luke a telegram saying Meggie needed him desperately, please tocome. By nature she wasn't given to interfering⁶⁹⁶ in other people's lives, but she loved and pitied Meggie, andadored the difficult, capricious scrap Meggie had borne and Luke fathered. Justine must have a home, and bothher parents. It would hurt to see her go away, but better that than the present situation. Luke arrived two dayslater. He was on his way to the CSR in Sydney, so it didn't cost him much time to go out of his way. Time he sawthe baby; if it had been a boy he would have come when it was born, but news of a girl had disappointed himbadly. If Meggie insisted on having children, let them at least be capable of carrying on the Kynuna station oneday. Girls were no flaming use at all; they just ate a man out of house and home and when they were grown upthey went and worked for someone else instead of staying put like boys to help their old father in his last years.

"How's Meg?" he asked as he came up onto the front veranda. "Not sick, I hope?""You hope. No, she's not sick. I'll tell you in a minute. But first come and see your beautiful daughter."He stared down at the baby, amused and interested but not emotionally moved, Anne thought.

"She's got the queerest eyes I've ever seen," he said. "I wonder whose they are?""Meggie says as far as she knows no one in her family.""Nor mine. She's a throwback, the funny little thing. Doesn't look too happy, does she?""How could she look happy?" Anne snapped, hanging on to her temper grimly. "She's never seen her father, shehas no real home and not much likelihood of one before she's grown up if you go on the way you are!" "I'msaving, Anne!" he protested.

"Rubbish! I know how much money you've got. Friends of mine in Charters Towers send me the-local paperfrom time to time, so I've seen the ads for western properties a lot closer in than Kynuna, and a lot more fertile.

There's a Depression on, Luke! You could pick up a beauty of a place for a lot less by far than the amount youhave in the bank, and you know it." "Now that's just it! There's a Depression on, and west of the ranges a bloodyterrible drought from Junee to the Isa. It's in its second year and there's no rain at all, not a drop. Right now I'llbet Drogheda's hurting, so what do you think it's like out around Winton and Blackall? No, I reckon I ought towait.""Wait until the price of land goes up in a good wet season? Come off it, Luke! Now's the time to buy! WithMeggie's assured two thousand a year, you can wait out a ten-year drought! Just don't stock the place. Live onMeggie's two thousand a year until the rains come, then put your stock on.""I'm not ready to leave the sugar yet," he said, stubbornly, still staring at his daughter's strange light eyes.

"And that's the truth at last, isn't it? Why don't you admit it, Luke? You don't want to be married, you'd ratherlive the way you are at the moment, hard, among men, working your innards out, just like one out of every twoAustralian men I've ever known! What is it about this frigging country, that its men prefer being with other mento having a home life with their wives and children? If the bachelor's life is what they truly want, why on earthdo they try marriage at all? Do you know how many deserted wives there are in Dunny alone, scraping anexistence and trying to rear their children without fathers? Oh, he's just off in the sugar, he'll be back, you know,it's only for a little while. Hah! And every mail they're there hanging over the front gate waiting for the postie,hoping the bastard's sent them a little money. And mostly he hasn't, sometimes he has not enough, but somethingto keep things going!"She was trembling with rage, her gentle brown eyes sparking. "You know, I read in the Brisbane Mail thatAustralia has the highest percentage of deserted wives in the civilized world? It's the only thing we beat everyother country at-isn't that a record to be proud of!" "Go easy, Anne! I haven't deserted Meg; she's safe and she'snot starving. What's the matter with you?""I'm sick of the way you treat your wife, that's what! For the love of God, Luke, grow up, shoulder yourresponsibilities for a while! You've got a wife and baby! You should be making a home for them-be a husbandand a father, not a bloody stranger!""I will, I will! But I can't yet; I've got to carry on in the sugar for a couple more years just to make sure. I don'twant to say I'm living off Meg, which is what I'd be doing until things got better."Anne lifted her lip contemptuously. "Oh, bullshit! You married her for her money, didn't you?"A dark-red flush stained his brown face. He wouldn't look at her. "I admit the money helped, but I married herbecause I liked her better than anyone else.""You liked her! What about loving her?""Love! What's love? Nothing but a figment of women's imagination, that's all." He turned away from the criband those unsettling eyes, not sure someone with eyes like that couldn't understand what was being said. "And ifyou've quite finished telling me off, where's Meg?" "She wasn't well. I sent her away for a while. Oh, don'tpanic! Not on your money. I was hoping I could persuade you to join her, but I see that's impossible.""Out of the question. Arne and I are on our way to Sydney tonight." "What shall I tell Meggie when she comesback?" He shrugged²¹⁸, dying to get away. "I don't care. Oh, tell her to hang on a while longer. Now that she's goneahead with the family business, I wouldn't mind a son."Leaning against the wall for support, Anne bent over the wicker basket and lifted the baby up, then managed toshuffle to the bed and sit down. Luke made no move to help her, or take the baby; he looked rather frightened ofhis daughter.

"Go away, Luke!-You don't deserve what you've got. I'm sick of the sight of you. Go back to bloody Arne, andthe flaming sugar, and the backbreak!" At the door he paused. "What did she call it? I've forgotten its name.""Justine, Justine, Justine!""Bloody stupid name," he said, and went out.

Anne put Justine on the bed and burst into tears. God damn all men but Luddie, God damn them! Was it thesoft, sentimental⁶⁹⁷, almost womanish streak in Luddie made him capable of loving? Was Luke right? Was it just afigment of women's imaginations? Or was it something only women were able to feel, or men with a littlewoman in them? No woman could ever hold Luke, no woman ever had. What he wanted no woman could evergive him. But by the next day she had calmed down, no longer feeling she had tried for nothing. A postcard fromMeggie had come that morning, waxing enthusiastic about Matlock Island and how well she was. Somethinggood had come out of it. Meggie was feeling better. She would come back as the monsoons diminished and beable to face her life. But Anne resolved not to tell her about Luke.

So Nancy, short for Annunziata, carried Justine out onto the front veranda, while Anne hobbled out with thebaby's wants in a little basket between her teeth; clean diaper, tin of powder and toys. She settled in a cane chair,took the baby from Nancy and began to feed her from the bottle of Lactogen Nancy had warmed. It was verypleasant, life was very pleasant; she had done her best to make Luke see sense, and if she had failed, at least itmeant Meggie and Justine would remain at Himmelhoch a while longer. She had no doubt that eventuallyMeggie would realize there was no hope of salvaging⁶⁹⁸ her relationship with Luke, and would then return toDrogheda. But Anne dreaded⁶⁹⁹ the day.

A red English sports car roared off the Dunny road and up the long, hilly drive; it was new and expensive, itsbonnet strapped⁷⁰⁰ down with leather, its silver exhausts and scarlet paintwork glittering. For a while she didn'trecognize the man who vaulted⁷⁰¹ over the low door, for he wore the North Queensland uniform of a pair of shortsand nothing else. My word, what a beautiful bloke! she thought, watching him appreciatively and with a twingeof memory as he took the steps two at a time. I wish Luddie wouldn't eat so much; he could do with a bit of thischap's condition. Now, he's no chicken-look at those marvelous silver temples but I've never seen a cane cutter inbetter nick.

When the calm, aloof eyes looked into hers, she realized who he was.

"My God!" she said, and dropped the baby's bottle. He retrieved⁷⁰² it, handed it to her and leaned against theveranda railing, facing her: "It's all right. The teat didn't strike the ground; you can feed her with it." The babywas just beginning a deprived quiver. Anne stuck the rubber in her mouth and got enough breath back to speak.

"Well, Your Grace, this is a surprise!" Her eyes slid over him, amused. "I must say you don't exactly look like anarchbishop. Not that you ever did, even in the proper togs. I always imagine archbishops of any religiousdenomination to be fat and self-satisfied.""At the moment I'm not an archbishop, only a priest on a well-earned holiday, so you can call me Ralph. Is thisthe little thing caused Meggie so much trouble when I was here last? May I have her? I think I can manage tohold the bottle at the appropriate angle."He settled into a chair alongside Anne, took baby and bottle and continued to feed her, his legs crossedcasually.

"Did Meggie name her Justine?""Yes.""I like it. Good Lord, look at the color of her hair! Her grandfather all over.""That's what Meggie says. I hope the poor little mite doesn't come out in a million freckles⁷⁰³ later on, but I thinkshe will.""Well, Meggie's sort of a redhead and she isn't a bit freckled. Though Meggie's skin is a different color andtexture, more opaque²³⁶." He put the empty bottle down, sat the baby bolt upright on his knee, facing him, bent herforward in a salaam⁷⁰⁴ and began rhythmically⁷⁰⁵ rubbing her back hard. "Among my other duties I have to visitCatholic orphanages⁷⁰⁶, so I'm quite deedy with babies. Mother Gonzaga at my favorite infants' home always saysthis is the only way to burp a baby. Holding it over one's shoulder doesn't flex⁷⁰⁷ the body forward enough, thewind can't escape so easily, and when it does come up there's usually lots of milk as well. This way the baby'sbent in the middle, which corks⁷⁰⁸ the milk in while it lets the gas escape." As if to prove his point, Justine gaveseveral huge eructations but held her gorge. He laughed, rubbed again, and when nothing further happenedsettled her in the crook of his arm comfortably. "What fabulously⁷⁰⁹ exotic eyes! Magnificent, aren't they? TrustMeggie to have an unusual baby.""Not to change the subject, but what a father you'd have made, Father." "I like babies and children, I alwayshave. It's much easier for me to enjoy them, since I don't have any of the unpleasant duties fathers do." "No, it'sbecause you're like Luddie. You've got a bit of woman in you." Apparently Justine, normally so isolationist,returned his liking; she had gone to sleep. Ralph settled her more snugly⁷¹⁰ and pulled a packet of Capstans fromhis shorts pocket.

"Here, give them to me. I'll light one for you.""Where's Meggie?" he asked, taking a lit cigarette from her. "Thank you. I'm sorry, please take one foryourself.""She's not here. She never really got over the bad time she had when Justine was born, and The Wet seemed tobe the last straw. So Luddie and I sent her away for two months. She'll be back around the first of March; anotherseven weeks to go."The moment Anne spoke she was aware of the change in him; as if the whole of his purpose had suddenlyevaporated, and the promise of some very special pleasure.

He drew a long breath. "This is the second time I've come to say goodbye and not found her .... Athens, andnow again. I was away for a year then and it might have been a lot longer; I didn't know at the time. I had nevervisited Drogheda since Paddy and Stu died, yet when it came I found I couldn't leave Australia without seeingMeggie. And she'd married, gone away. I wanted to come after her, but I knew it wouldn't have been fair to heror to Luke. This time I came because I knew I couldn't harm what isn't there.""Where are you going?""To Rome, to the Vatican. Cardinal di Contini Verchese has taken over the duties of Cardinal Monteverdi, whodied not long ago. And he's asked for me, as I knew he would. It's a great compliment, but more than that. Icannot refuse to go.""How long will you be away?""Oh, a very long time, I think. There are war rumbles⁷¹¹ in Europe, though it seems so far away up here. TheChurch in Rome needs every diplomat she has, and thanks to Cardinal di Contini-Verchese I'm classified as adiplomat. Mussolini is closely allied⁷¹² to Hitler, birds of a feather, and somehow the Vatican has to reconcile twoopposing ideologies⁷¹³, Catholicism and Fascism. It won't be easy. I speak German very well, learned Greek when Iwas in Athens and Italian when I was in Rome. I also speak French and Spanish fluently." He sighed. "I'vealways had a talent for languages, and I cultivated it deliberately. It was inevitable⁷¹⁴ that I would be transferred.""Well, Your Grace, unless you're sailing tomorrow you can still see Meggie."The words popped out before Anne let herself stop to think; why shouldn't Meggie see him once before he wentaway, especially if, as he seemed to think, he was going to be away a very long time? His head turned towardher. Those beautiful, distant blue eyes were very intelligent and very hard to fool. Oh, yes, he was a borndiplomat! He knew exactly what she was saying, and every reason at the back of her mind. Anne found herselfhanging breathlessly on his answer, but for a long time he said nothing, just sat staring out over the emerald canetoward the brimming river, with the baby forgotten in the crook of his arm. Fascinated, she stared at his profile-the curve of eyelid⁷¹⁵, the straight nose, the secretive mouth, the determined chin. What forces was he marshalingwhile he contemplated⁷¹⁶ the view? What complicated balances of love, desire, duty, expediency⁷¹⁷, will power,longing, did he weigh in his mind, and which against which? His hand lifted the cigarette to his lips; Anne sawthe fingers tremble and soundlessly let go her breath. He was not indifferent, then. For perhaps ten minutes hesaid nothing; Anne lit him another Capstan, handed it to him in place of the burned-out stub. It, too, he smokeddown steadily⁷¹⁸, not once lifting his gaze from the far mountains and the monsoon clouds lowering the sky.

"Where is she?" he asked then in a perfectly normal voice, throwing the second stub over the veranda railingafter the first. And on what she answered depended his decision; it was her turn to think. Was one right to pushother human beings on a course which led one knew not where, or to what? Her loyalty⁷¹⁹ was all to Meggie; shedidn't honestly care an iota⁷²⁰ what happened to this man. In his way he was no better than Luke. Off after somemale thing with never the time or the inclination to put a woman ahead of it, running and clutching at somedream which probably only existed in has addled⁵⁹⁴ head. No more substance than the smoke from the milldissipating itself in the heavy, molasses-laden air. But it was what he wanted, and he would spend himself andhis life in chasing it. He hadn't lost his good sense, no matter what Meggie meant to him. Not even for her-andAnne was beginning to believe he loved Meggie more than anything except that strange ideal-would hejeopardize the chance of grasping what he wanted in his hands one day. No, not even for her. So if she answeredthat Meggie was in some crowded resort hotel where he might be recognized, he wouldn't go. No one knewbetter than he that he wasn't the sort who could become anonymous⁷²¹ in a crowd. She licked her lips, found hervoice. "Meggie's in a cottage on Matlock Island.""On where?""Matlock Island. It's a resort just off Whitsunday Passage, and it's specially²⁸⁵ designed for privacy. Besides, atthis time of the year there's hardly a soul on it." She couldn't resist adding, "Don't worry, no one will see you!""How reassuring⁷²²." Very gently he eased the sleeping baby out of his arms, handed her to Anne. "Thank you," hesaid, going to the steps. Then he turned back, in his eyes a rather pathetic appeal. "You're quite wrong," he said.

"I just want to see her, no more than that. I shall never involve Meggie in anything which might endanger herimmortal soul.""Or your own, eh? Then you'd better go as Luke O'neill; he's expected. That way you'll be sure to create noscandal, for Meggie or for yourself." "And what if Luke turns up?""There's no chance of that. He's gone to Sydney and he won't be back until March. The only way he could haveknown Meggie was on Matlock is through me, and I didn't tell him, Your Grace.""Does Meggie expect Luke?"Anne smiled wryly. "Oh, dear me, no.""I shan't harm her," he insisted. "I just want to see her for a little while, that's all.""I'm well aware of it, Your Grace. But the fact remains⁷²³ that you'd harm her a great deal less if you wantedmore," said Anne.

When old Rob's car came sputtering⁷²⁴ along the road Meggie was at her station on the cottage veranda, handraised in the signal that everything was fine and she needed nothing. He stopped in the usual spot to reverse, butbefore he did so a man in shorts, shirt and sandals sprang out of the car, suitcase in hand.

"Hooroo, Mr. O'neill!" Rob yelled as he went. But never again would Meggie mistake them, Luke O'neill andRalph de Bricassart. That wasn't Luke; even at the distance and in the fast-fading light she wasn't deceived. Shestood dumbly and waited while he walked down the road toward her, Ralph de Bricassart. He had decided hewanted her after all. There could be no other reason for his joining her in a place like this, calling himself LukeO'neill. Nothing in her seemed to be functioning, not legs or mind or heart. This was Ralph come to claim her,why couldn't she feel? Why wasn't she running down the road to his arms, so utterly glad to see him nothing elsemattered? This was Ralph, and he was all she had ever wanted out of living; hadn't she just spent more than aweek trying to get that fact out of her mind? God damn him, God damn him! Why the hell did he have to comewhen she was finally beginning to get him out of her thoughts, if not out of her heart? Oh, it was all going to startagain! Stunned⁷²⁵, sweating, angry, she stood woodenly waiting, watching that graceful form grow larger. "Hello,Ralph," she said through clenched teeth, not looking at him. "Hello, Meggie.""Bring your case inside. Would you like a hot cup of tea?" As she spoke she led the way into the living room,still not looking at him. "That would be nice," he said, as stilted⁷²⁶ as she. He followed her into the kitchen andwatched while she plugged in an electric jug⁷²⁷, filled the teapot from a little hot-water geyser over the sink, andbusied herself getting cups and saucers down from a cupboard. When she handed him the big five-pound tin ofArnotts biscuits he took a couple of handfuls of cookies out of it and put them on a plate. The jug boiled, sheemptied the hot water out of the teapot, spooned loose tea into it and filled it with bubbling water. While shecarried the cookie plate and the teapot, he followed with the cups and saucers, back into the living room. Thethree rooms had been built alongside each other, the bedroom opening off one side of the living room and thekitchen off the other, with the bathroom beyond it. This meant the house had two verandas⁷²⁸, one facing the roadand the other the beach. Which in turn meant they each had somewhere excusable to look without having to lookat each other. Full darkness had fallen with tropical suddenness, but the air through the wide-open sliding doorswas filled with the lapping of water, the distant surf on the reef, the coming and going of the warm soft wind.

They drank the tea in silence, though neither could eat a biscuit, and the silence stretched on after the tea wasfinished, he shifting his gaze to her and she keeping hers steadfastly⁷²⁹ on the breezy antics- of a baby palm outsidethe road-veranda doors.

"What's the matter, Meggie?" he asked, so gently and tenderly her heart knocked frantically⁷³⁰, and seemed to diefrom the pain of it, the old query⁷³¹ of the grown man to the little girl. He hadn't come to Matlock to see the womanat all. He had come to see the child. It was the child he loved, not the woman. The woman he had hated from themoment she came into being. Round and up came her eyes to his, amazed, outraged, furious; even now, evennow! Time suspended, she stared at him so, and he was forced to see, breath caught astounded, the grownwoman in those glass-clear eyes. Meggie's eyes. Oh, God, Meggie's eyes!

He had meant what he said to Anne Mueller; he just wanted to see her, nothing more. Though he loved her, hehadn't come to be her lover. Only to see her, talk to her, be her friend, sleep on the living room couch while hetried once more to unearth⁷³² the taproot of that eternal fascination she possessed for him, thinking that if only hecould see it fully⁵⁵ exposed, he might gain the spiritual means to eradicate⁷³³ it. It had been hard to adjust to a Meggiewith breasts, a waist, hips; but he had done it because when he looked into her eyes, there like the pool of light ina sanctuary⁷³⁴ lamp shone his Meggie. A mind and a spirit whose pulls he had never been free from since firstmeeting her, still unchanged inside that distressingly⁷³⁵ changed body; but while he could see proof of theircontinued existence in her eyes, he could accept the altered body, discipline his attraction to it.

And, visiting his own wishes and dreams upon her, he had never doubted she wanted to do the same until shehad turned on him like a goaded⁷³⁶ cat, at Justine's birth. Even then, after the anger and hurt died in him, he hadattributed her behavior to the pain she had gone through, spiritual more than physical. Now, seeing her at last asshe was, he could pinpoint¹⁵⁷ to a second the moment when she had shed the lenses of childhood, donned the lensesof a woman: that interlude in the Drogheda cemetery⁷³⁷ after Mary Carson's birthday party. When he had explainedto her why he couldn't show her any special attention, because people might deem him interested in her as a man.

She had looked at him with something in her eyes he had not understood, then looked away, and when she turnedback the expression was gone. From that time, he saw now, she had thought of him in a different light; she hadn'tkissed him in a passing weakness when she had kissed him, then gone back to thinking of him in the old way, ashe had her. He had perpetuated⁷³⁸ his illusions, nurtured⁷³⁹ them, tucked them into his unchanging way of life as besthe could, worn them like a hair shirt. While all the time she had furnished her love for him with woman's objects.

Admit it, he had physically wanted her from the time of their first kiss, but the want had never plagued him theway his love for her had; seeing them as separate and distinct, not facets⁷⁴⁰ of the same thing. She, poormisunderstood creature, had never succumbed⁷⁴¹ to this particular folly⁷⁴². At that moment, had there been any way hecould have got off Matlock Island, he would have fled from her like Orestes from the Eumenides. But he couldn'tquit the island, and he did have the courage to remain in her presence rather than senselessly walk the night.

What can I do, how can I possibly make reparation? I do love her! And if I love her, it has to be because of theway she is now, not because of a juvenile⁷⁴³ way station along her road. It's womanly things I've always loved inher; the bearing of the burden. So, Ralph de Bricassart, take off your blinkers, see her as she really is, not as shewas long ago. Sixteen years ago, sixteen long incredible years . . . I am forty-four and she is twenty-six; neitherof us is a child, but I am by far the more immature⁷⁴⁴. You took it for granted the minute I stepped out of Rob's car,isn't that so, Meggie? You assumed I had given in at last. And before you even had time to get your breath back Ihad to show you how wrong you were. I ripped the fabric of your delusion⁵⁸⁷ apart as if it had been a dirty old rag.

Oh, Meggie! What have I done to you? How could I have been so blind, so utterly self-centered? I'veaccomplished nothing in coming to see you, unless it is to cut you into little pieces. All these years we've beenloving at cross-purposes.

Still she was looking into his eyes, her own filling with shame, humiliation, but as the expressions flew acrosshis face to the final one of despairing pity she seemed to realize the magnitude of her mistake, the horror of it.

And more than that: the fact that he knew her mistake. Go, run! Run, Meggie, get out of here with the scrap ofpride he's left you! The instant she thought it she acted on it, she was up out of her chair and fleeing.

Before she could reach the veranda he caught her, the impetus⁷⁴⁵ of her flight spinning her round against him sohard he staggered. It didn't matter, any of it, the grueling battle to retain his soul's integrity, the long pressingdown of will upon desire; in moments he had gone lifetimes. All that power held dormant⁷⁴⁶, sleeping, only needingthe detonation⁷⁴⁷ of a touch to trigger a chaos⁷⁴⁸ in which mind was subservient⁷⁴⁹ to passion, mind's will extinguished inbody's will.

Up slid her arms around his neck, his across her back, spasmed; he bent his head, groped with his mouth forhers, found it. Her mouth, no longer an unwanted, unwelcome memory but real; her arms about him as if shecouldn't bear to let him go; the way she seemed to lose even the feel other bones; how dark she was like thenight, tangled⁶⁹⁰ memory and desire, unwanted memory and unwelcome desire. The years he must have longed forthis, longed for her and denied her power, kept himself even from the thought of her as a woman!

Did he carry her to the bed, or did they walk? He thought he must have carried her, but he could not be sure;only that she was there upon it, he was there upon it, her skin under his hands, his skin under hers. Oh, God! MyMeggie, my Meggie! How could they rear me from infancy⁷⁵⁰ to think you profanation⁷⁵¹?

Time ceased to tick and began to flow, washed over him until it had no meaning, only a depth of dimensionmore real than real time. He could feel her yet he did not feel her, not as a separate entity³⁷⁰; wanting to make herfinally and forever a part of himself, a graft⁷⁵² which was himself, not a symbiosis⁷⁵³ which acknowledged her asdistinct. Never again would he not know the upthrusts of breasts and belly and buttocks; the folds and crevices⁷⁵⁴ inbetween. Truly she was made for him, for he had made her; for sixteen years he had shaped and molded herwithout knowing that he did, let alone why he did. And he forgot that he had ever given her away, that anotherman had shown her the end of what he had begun for himself, had always intended for himself, for she was hisdownfall, his rose; his creation. It was a dream from which he would never again awaken⁷⁵⁵, not as long as he was aman, with a man's body. Oh, dear God! 1 know, 1 know! I know why I kept her as an idea and a child within mefor so long after she had grown beyond both, but why does it have to be learned like this?

Because at last he understood that what he had aimed to be was not a man. Not a man, never a man; somethingfar greater, something beyond the fate of a mere man. Yet after all his fate was here under his hands, struckquivering and alight with him, her man. A man, forever a man. Dear Lord, couldst Thou not have kept this fromme? I am a man, I can never be God; it was a delusion, that life in search of godhead. Are we all the same, wepriests, yearning⁷⁵⁶ to be God? We abjure⁷⁵⁷ the one act which irrefutably proves us men. He wrapped his arms abouther and looked down with eyes full of tears at the still, faintly lit face, watched its rosebud⁷⁵⁸ mouth drop open,gasp, become a helpless O of astonished pleasure. Her arms and legs were round him, living ropes which boundhim to her, silkily, sleekly⁷⁵⁹ tormented³⁹⁹ him; he put his chin into her shoulder and his cheek against the softness ofhers, gave himself over to the maddening, exasperating⁷⁶⁰ drive of a man grappling with fate. His mind reeled,slipped, became utterly dark and blindingly bright; for one moment he was within the sun, then the brilliancefaded, grew grey, and went out. This was being a man. He could be no more. But that was not the source of thepain. The pain was in the final moment, the finite moment, the empty, desolate⁷⁶¹ realization⁷⁶²: ecstasy⁷⁶³ is fleeting⁷⁶⁴. Hecouldn't bear to let her go, not now that he had her; he had made her for himself. So he clung to her like adrowning man to a spar in a lonely sea, and soon, buoyant, rising again on a tide grown quickly familiar, hesuccumbed to the inscrutable fate which is a man's.

What was sleep? Meggie wondered. A blessing²⁹⁹, a respite⁷⁶⁵ from life, an echo of death, a demanding nuisance?

Whatever it was, he had yielded himself to it, and lay with his arm over her and his head beside her shoulder,possessive even in it. She was tired, too, but she would not let herself sleep. Somehow she felt if she relaxed hergrasp on consciousness he might not be there when she picked it up again. Later she could sleep, after he wasawake and the secretive, beautiful mouth uttered its first words. What would he say to her? Would he regret it?

Had she been a pleasure to him worth what he had abandoned? So many years he had fought it, made her fight itwith him; she could hardly make herself believe he had lain down his arms at last, but there had been things hehad said in the night and in the midst of his pain which blotted⁷⁶⁶ out his long denial of her.

She was supremely⁷⁶⁷ happy, happier than she could remember ever being. From the moment he had pulled herback from the door it had been a body poem, a thing of arms and hands and skin and utter pleasure. I was madefor him, and only for him .... That's why I felt so little with Luke! Borne out beyond the limits of endurance onher body's tide, all she could think was that to give him everything she could was more necessary to her than lifeitself. He must never regret it, never. Oh, his pain! There had been moments when she seemed actually to feel itas if it had been her own. Which only contributed to her happiness; there was some justice in his pain.

He was awake. She looked down into his eyes and saw the same love in their blueness which had warmed her,given her purpose since childhood; and with it a great, shadowed fatigue⁷⁶⁸. Not a weariness of the body, but aweariness of the soul.

He was thinking that in all his life he had never woken in the same bed as another person; it was in a way moreintimate than the sexual act preceding it, a deliberate indication of emotional ties, a cleaving⁷⁶⁹ to her. Light andempty as the air so alluringly⁷⁷⁰ full of marine⁵³⁶ tang and sun-soaked vegetation, he drifted for a while on the wingsof a different kind of freedom: the relief of relinquishing⁷⁷¹ his mandate⁷⁷² to fight her, the peace of losing a long,incredibly bloody war and finding the surrender far sweeter than the battles. Ah, but I gave you a good fight, myMeggie! Yet in the end it isn't your fragments I must glue together, but the dismembered chunks⁷⁷³ of myself. Youwere put in my life to show me how false, how presumptuous⁷⁷⁴ is the pride of a priest of my kind; like Lucifer Iaspired to that which is God's alone, and like Lucifer, I fell. I had the cha/y, the obedience⁷⁷⁵, even the povertybefore Mary Carson. But until this morningI have never known humility⁷⁷⁶. Dear Lord, if she meant nothing to me it would be easier to bear, but sometimes Ithink I love her far more than I do Thee, and that, too, is a part of Thy punishment. Her I do not doubt; Thou? Atrick, a phantom⁷⁷⁷, a jest. How can I love a jest? And yet, I do. "If I could get the energy together, I'd go for a swimand then make breakfast," he said, desperate for something to say, and felt her smile against his chest.

"Go for the swim part, I'll make the breakfast. And there's no need to put anything on here. No one comes.""Truly paradise!" He swung his legs off the bed, sat up and stretched. "It's a beautiful morning. I wonder ifthat's an omen³⁹."Already the pain of parting; just because he had left the bed; she lay watching him as he walked to the slidingdoors giving onto the beach, stepped outside and paused. He turned, held out his hand. "Come with me? We canget breakfast together."The tide was in, the reef covered, the early sun hot but the restless summer wind cool; coarse grass sent feelersdown onto the crumbling⁷⁷⁸, unsandlike sand, where crabs⁶⁹⁴ and insects scuttled⁷⁷⁹ after pickings. "I feel as if I've neverseen the world before," he said, staring. Meggie clutched at his hand; she felt visited, and found this sunnyaftermath more incomprehensible than the night's dreamy reality. Her eyes rested on him, aching. It was time outof mind, a different world. So she said, "Not this world. How could you? This is our world, for as long as itlasts.""What's Luke like?" he asked, over breakfast. She put her head on one side, considering. "Not as much like youphysically as I used to think, because in those days I missed you more, I hadn't got used to doing without you. Ibelieve I married him because he reminded me of you. At any rate, I had made up my mind to marry someone,and he stood head and shoulders above the rest. I don't mean in worthiness⁷⁸⁰, or niceness, or any of the thingswomen are supposed to find desirable in a husband. Just in some way I can't put a finger on. Except perhaps thathe is like you. He doesn't need women, either."His face twisted. "Is that how you see me, Meggie?" "Truthfully? I think so. I'll never understand why, but Ithink so. There's something in Luke and in you which believes that needing a woman is a weakness. I don't meanto sleep with; I mean to need, really need." "And accepting that, you can still want us?"She shrugged, smiled with a trace of pity. "Oh, Ralph! I don't say it isn't important, and it's certainly caused mea lot of unhappiness, but it is the way things are. I'd be a fool to waste myself trying to eradicate it, when it can'tbe eradicated⁷⁸¹. The best I can do is exploit the weakness, not ignore its existence. Because I want and need, too.

And apparently I want and need people like you and Luke, or I wouldn't have spent myself over the pair of youthe way I have. I'd have married a good, kind, simple man like my father, someone who did want and need me.

But there's a streak of Samson in every man, I think. It's just that in men like you and Luke, it's morepronounced." He didn't seem at all insulted; he was smiling. "My wise Meggie!" "That's not wisdom, Ralph. Justcommon sense. I'm not a very wise person at all, you know that. But look at my brothers. I doubt the older onesat any rate will ever get married, or. have girlfriends even. They're terribly shy, they're frightened of the power awoman might have over them, and they're quite wrapped up in Mum."Day followed day, and night followed night. Even the heavy summer rains were beautiful, to be walked innaked and listened to on the iron roof, as warm and full of caresses⁷⁸² as the sun. And when the sun was out theywalked too, lazed on the beach, swam; for he was teaching her to swim.

Sometimes when he didn't know he was being watched Meggie would look at him and try desperately toimprint his face upon her brain's core, remembering how in spite of the love she had borne Frank, with thepassing of the years his image had dimmed, the look of him. There were the eyes, the nose, the mouth, thestunning silver wings in that black hair, the long hard body which had kept the slenderness and tautness⁷⁸³ of youth,yet had set a little, lost elasticity⁷⁸⁴. And he would turn to find her watching him, a look in his eyes of haunted grief,a doomed⁷⁸⁵ look. She understood the implicit⁷⁸⁶ message, or thought she did; he must go, back to the Church and hisduties. Never again with the same spirit, perhaps, but more able to serve. For only those who have slipped andfallen know the vicissitudes⁷⁸⁷ of the way.

One day, when the sun had gone down far enough to bloody the sea and stain the coral sand a hazy⁷⁸⁸ yellow, heturned to her as they lay on the beach. "Meggie, I've never been so happy, or so unhappy.""I know, Ralph.""I believe you do. Is it why I love you? You're not much out of the ordinary way, Meggie, and yet you aren'tordinary at all. Did I sense it, all those years ago? I must have, I suppose. My passion for titian hair! Little did Iknow where it would lead me. I love you, Meggie.""Are you leaving?""Tomorrow. I must. My ship sails for Genoa in less than a week." "Genoa?""Rome, actually. For a long time, perhaps the rest of my life. I don't know.""Don't worry, Ralph, I'll let you go without any fuss. My time is almost up, too. I'm leaving Luke, I'm goinghome to Drogheda.""Oh, my dear! Not because of this, because of me?" "No, of course not," she lied. "I'd made up my mind beforeyou arrived. Luke doesn't want me or need me, he won't miss me in the slightest. But I need a home, somewhereof my own, and I think now that Drogheda is always going to be that place. It isn't right that poor Justine shouldgrow up in a house where I'm the servant, though I know Anne and Luddie don't think of me like a servant. Butit's how I think of myself, and how Justine will think of me when she's old enough to understand she hasn't anormal sort of home. In a way she never will enjoy that, but I must do as much for her as I can. So I'm goingback to Drogheda.""I'll write to you, Meggie.""No, don't. Do you think I need letters, after this? I don't want anything between us which might endanger you,fall into the hands of unscrupulous people. So no letters. If you're ever in Australia it would be natural andnormal of you to visit Drogheda, though I'm warning you, Ralph, to think before you do. There are only twoplaces in the world where you belong to me ahead of God-here on Matlock, and on Drogheda."He pulled her into his arms and held her, stroking her bright hair. "Meggie, I wish with all my heart I couldmarry you, never be apart from you again. I don't want to leave you .... And in a way I'll never be free of youagain. I wish I hadn't come to Matlock. But we can't change what we are, and perhaps it's just as well. I knowthings about myself I would never have known or faced if I hadn't come. It's better to contend with the knownthan the unknown. I love you. I always have, and I always will. Remember it." The next day Rob appeared forthe first time since he had dropped Ralph, and waited patiently while they said their farewells. Obviously not acouple of newlyweds, for he'd come later than she and was leaving first. Not illicit⁷⁸⁹ lovers, either. They weremarried; it was written all over them. But they were fond of each other, very fond indeed. Like him and hisMissus; a big difference in age, and that made for a good marriage. "Goodbye, Meggie.""Goodbye, Ralph. Take care of yourself.""I will. And you."He bent to kiss her; in spite of her resolution she clung to him, but when he plucked her hands from around hisneck she put them stiffly behind her and kept them there.

He got into the car and sat while Rob reversed, then stared ahead through the windscreen without once lookingback at her. It was a rare man who could do that, Rob reflected, without ever having heard of Orpheus. Theydrove in silence through the rain forest and came at last to the sea side of Matlock, and the long jetty. As theyshook hands Rob looked into his face, wondering. He had never seen eyes so human, or so sad. The aloofnesshas passed from Archbishop Ralph's gaze forever.

When Meggie came back to Himmelhoch Anne knew at once she would lose her. Yes, it was the same Meggiecomb so much more, somehow. Whatever Archbishop Ralph might have told himself before he went to Matlock,on Matlock things had gone Meggie's way at last, not his. About time, too. She took Justine into her arms as ifshe only now understood what having Justine meant, and stood rocking the little thing while she looked aroundthe room, smiling. Her eyes met Anne's, so alive, so shining with emotion that Anne felt her own eyes fill withreciprocal tears of that same joy. "I can't thank you enough, Anne.""Pish, for what?""For sending Ralph. You must have known it would mean I'd leave Luke, so I thank you just that much more,dear. Oh, you have no idea what it did for me! I had made up my mind I was going to stay with Luke, you know.

Now I'm going back to Drogheda, and I'm never going to leave it again.""I hate to see you go and especially I hate to see Justine go, but I'm glad for both of you, Meggie. Luke willnever give you anything but unhappiness." "Do you know here he is?""Back from the CSR. He's cutting near Ingham,""I'll have to go and see him, tell him. And, much as I loathe⁴⁴⁵ the idea, sleep with him.""What?"The eyes shone. "I'm two weeks overdue⁵²⁵, and I'm never a day overdue. The only other time I was, Justine wasstarting. I'm pregnant, Anne, I know I am!""My God!" Anne gasped at Meggie as if she had never seen her before; and perhaps she had not. She licked herlips and stammered⁷⁹⁰, "It could be a false alarm."But Meggie shook her head positively⁷⁹¹. "Oh, no. I'm pregnant. There are some things one just knows.""A nice pickle⁵⁶⁰ if you are," Anne muttered.

"Oh, Anne, don't be blind! Don't you see what this means? I can never have Ralph, I've always known I couldnever have Ralph. But I have, I have!" She laughed, gripping Justine so hard Anne was frightened the babywould scream, but strangely she did not. "I've got the part of Ralph the Church can never have, the part of himwhich carries on from generation to generation. Through me he'll continue to live, because I know it's going tobe a son! And that son will have sons, and they'll have sons-I'll beat God yet. I've loved Ralph since I was tenyears old, and I suppose I'll still be loving him if I live to be a hundred. But he isn't mine, where his child will be.

Mine, Anne, mine!""Oh, Meggie!" Anne said helplessly.

The passion died, the exhilaration; she became once more familiar Meggie, quiet and sweet but with the faintthread of iron, the capacity to bear much. Only now Anne trod carefully, wondering just what she had done insending Ralph de Bricassart to Matlock Island. Was it possible for anyone to change this much? Anne didn'tthink so. It must have been there all the time, so well hidden its presence was rarely suspected. There was farmore than a faint thread of iron in Meggie; she was solid steel. "Meggie, if you love me at all, please remembersomething for me?"The grey eyes crinkled at the corners. "I'll try!" "I've picked up most of Luddie's tomes over the years, whenI've run out of my own books. Especially the ones with the ancient Greek stories, because they fascinate me.

They say the Greeks have a word for everything, and that there's no human situation the Greeks didn't describe.""I know. I've read some of Luddie's books, too.""Then don't you remember? The Greeks say it's a sin against the gods to love something beyond all reason. Anddo you remember that they say when someone is loved so, the Gods become jealous, and strike the object downin the very fullness of its flower? There's a lesson in it, Meggie. It's profane⁷⁹² to love too much.""Profane, Anne, that's the key word! I shan't love Ralph's baby profanely⁷⁹³, but with the purity of the BlessedMother herself."Anne's brown eyes were very sad. "Ah, but did she love purely? The object of her love was struck down in thevery fullness of His flower, wasn't He?" Meggie put Justine in her cot. "What must be, must be. Ralph I can'thave, his baby I can. I feel . . . oh, as if there's a purpose to my life after all! That's been the worst thing aboutthese three and a half years, Anne. I was beginning to think there was no purpose to my life." She smiled briskly,decisively. "I'm going to protect this child in every way I can, no matter what the cost to myself. And the firstthing is that no one, including Luke, shall ever imply it has no right to the only name I'm at liberty to give it. Thevery thought of sleeping with Luke makes me ill, but I'll do it. I'd sleep with the Devil himself if it could helpthis baby's future. Then I'm going home to Drogheda, and I hope I never see Luke again." She turned from thecot. "Will you and Luddie come to see us? Drogheda always has room for friends.""Once a year, for as many years as you'll have us. Luddie and I want to see Justine grow up."Only the thought of Ralph's baby kept Meggie's sagging courage up as the little rail motor rocked and jolted⁷⁹⁴ thelong miles to Ingham. Had it not been for the new life she was sure was growing in her, getting into a bed withLuke ever again would have been the ultimate sin against herself; but for Ralph's baby she would indeed haveentered into a contract with the Devil. From a practical viewpoint it wasn't going to be easy either, she knew that.

But she had laid her plans with what foresight⁷⁹⁵ she could, and with Luddie's aid, oddly enough. It hadn't beenpossible to conceal⁵⁷² much from him; he was too shrewd, and too deeply in Anne's confidence. He had looked atMeggie sadly, shaken his head, and then proceeded to give her some excellent advice. The actual aim of hermission hadn't been mentioned, of course, but I was as adept⁷⁹⁶ at adding two and two as most people who readmassive tomes.

"You won't want to have to tell Luke you're leaving him when he's worn out after the cane," said Luddiedelicately. "Much better if you catch him in a good mood, isn't it? Best thing is, see him on a Saturday night or aSunday after it's been his week cooking. The grapevine says Luke's the best cook on the cutting circuit learned tocook when he was low man on the shearing totem pole, and shearers are much fussier⁷⁹⁷ eaters than cutters. Meanscooking doesn't upset him, you know. Probably finds it as easy as falling off a log. That's the speed, then,Meggie. You slap the news on him when he's feeling real good after a week in the barracks kitchen."It seemed to Meggie lately that she had gone a long way from blushing days; she looked at Luddie steadilywithout going the least bit pink. "Could you find out which week Luke cooks, Luddie? Or is there any way Icould find out, if you can't?""Oh, she's apples," he said cheerfully. "I've got my branches on the old grapevine. I'll find out."It was mid Saturday afternoon when Meggie checked into the Ingham pub that looked the most respectable. AllNorth Queensland towns were famous for one thing: they had pubs on all four corners of every block. She puther small case in her room, then made her way back to the unlovely foyer to find a telephone. There was a RugbyLeague football team in town for a preseason training match, and the corridors were full of half-naked, whollydrunk players who greeted her appearance with cheers and affectionate pats on the back and behind. By the timeshe got the use of the phone she was shaking with fright; everything about this venture seemed to be an ordeal.

But through the din and the looming⁷⁹⁸ drunken faces she managed to call Braun's, the farm where Luke's gang wascutting, and ask that a message be relayed to him that his wife was in Ingham, wanting to see him. Seeing herfear, the publican walked back to her room with her, and waited until he heard her turn the key.

Meggie leaned against the door, limp with relief; if it meant she didn't eat again until she was back in Dunny,she wasn't venturing to the dining room. Luckily the publican had put her right next to the women's bathroom, soshe ought to be able to make that journey when necessary. The moment she thought her legs would hold her upshe wobbled to the bed and sat on it, her head bowed, looking at her quivering hands.

All the way down she had thought about the best way of going about it, and everything in her cried, Quickly,quickly! Until coming to live at Himmelhoch she had never read a description of a seduction, and even now,armed with several such recountings, she wasn't confident of her ability to go about one herself. But that waswhat she had to do, for she knew once she started to talk to Luke it would be all over. Her tongue itched to tellhim what she really thought of him. But more than that, the desire to be back on Drogheda with Ralph's babymade safe consumed her.

Shivering in the sultry sugary air she took off her clothes and lay down on the bed, eyes closed, willing herselfnot to think beyond the expediency of making Ralph's baby safe. The footballers didn't worry Luke at all whenhe entered the pub alone at nine o'clock; by then most of them were insensible, and the few still on their feetwere too far gone to notice anything farther away than their beer glasses.

Luddie had been exactly right; at the end of his week's stint¹⁸¹ as cook Luke was rested, eager for a change andoozing goodwill⁷⁹⁹. When Braun's young son had brought Meggie's message down to the barracks he was justwashing the last of the supper dishes and planning to cycle into Ingham, join Arne and the blokes on theircustomary Saturday-night binge. The prospect of Meggie was a very agreeable alternative; ever since thatholiday on the Atherton he had found himself wanting her occasionally in spite of his physical exhaustion. Onlyhis horror of starting her off on the let's-settle-down-in- our-own-home cry had kept him away from Himmelhochwhenever he was near Dunny. But now she had come to him, and he was not at all averse¹¹² to a night in bed. So hefinished the dishes in a hurry, and was lucky enough to be picked up by a truck after he had pedaled a scant⁸⁰⁰ halfmile. But as he walked his bike the three blocks from where his ride had dropped him to the pub where Meggiewas staying, some of his anticipation⁸⁰¹ flattened⁸⁰². All the chemist shops were closed, and he didn't have any Frenchletters. He stopped, stared in a window full of moth-eaten, heat-stippled chocolates and dead blowflies, thenshrugged. Well, he'd just have to take his chances. It would only be tonight, and if there was a baby, with anyluck it would be a boy this time. Meggie jumped nervously⁸⁰³ when she heard his knock, got off the bed and paddedover to the door.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Luke," came his voice.

She turned the key, opened the door a tiny way, and stepped behind it as Luke pushed it wider. The moment hewas inside she slammed it shut, and stood looking at him. He looked at her; at the breasts which were bigger,rounder, more enticing⁸⁰⁴ than ever, the nipples no longer pale pink but a rich dark red from the baby. If he hadbeen in need of stimuli⁸⁰⁵ they were more than adequate; he reached out to pick her up, and carried her to the bed.

By daylight she still hadn't spoken a word, though her touch had welcomed him to a pitch of fevered want hehad never before experienced. Now she lay moved away from him, and curiously divorced from him. Hestretched luxuriously⁸⁰⁶, yawned, cleared his throat. "What brings you down to Ingham, Meg?" he asked.

Her head turned; she regarded him with wide, contemptuous eyes. "Well, what brings you here?" he repeated,nettled. No reply, only the same steady, stinging gaze, as if she couldn't be bothered answering. Which wasridiculous, after the night. Her lips opened; she smiled. "I came to tell you I'm going home to Drogheda," shesaid.

For a moment he didn't believe her, then he looked at her face more closely and saw she meant it, all right.

"Why?" he asked. "I told you what would happen if you didn't take me to Sydney," she said. His astonishmentwas absolutely genuine. "But, Meg! That's flaming eighteen months ago! And I gave you a holiday! Four bloodyexpensive weeks on the Atherton! I couldn't afford to take you to Sydney on top of that!" "You've been toSydney twice since then, both times without me," she said stubbornly. "I can understand the first time, since Iwas expecting Justine, but heaven knows I could have done with a holiday away from The Wet this last January.""Oh, Christ!""What a skinflint you are, Luke," she went on gently. "Twenty thousand pounds you've had from me, moneythat's rightfully mine, and yet you begrudge⁸⁰⁷ the few measly pounds it would have cost you to take me to Sydney.

You and your money! You make me sick.""I haven't touched it," he said feebly. "It's there, every penny of it, and more besides.""Yes, that's right. Sitting in the bank, where it always will. You haven't any intention of spending it, have you?

You want to adore it, like a golden calf⁸⁰⁸. Admit it, Luke, you're a miser⁵²⁴. And what an unforgivable idiot you areinto the bargain! To treat your wife and daughter the way you wouldn't dream of treating a pair of dogs, to ignoretheir existences, let alone their needs! You complacent⁸⁰⁹, conceited, self-centered bastard!" White-faced,trembling, he searched for speech; to have Meg turn on him, especially after the night, was like being bitten todeath by a butterfly. The injustice⁸¹⁰ of her accusations⁸¹¹ appalled⁸¹² him, but there didn't seem to be any way he couldmake her understand the purity of his motives⁸¹³. Womanlike, she saw only the obvious; she just couldn't appreciatethe grand design at back of it all.

So he said, "Oh, Meg!" in tones of bewilderment, despair, resignation. "I've never ill-treated you," he added.

"No, I definitely haven't! There's no one could say I was cruel to you. No one! You've had enough to eat, a roofover your head, you've been warm-was"Oh, yes," she interrupted.. "That's one thing I'll grant you. I've never been warmer in my life." She shook herhead, laughed. "What's the use? It's like talking to a brick wall.""I might say the same!""By all means do," said Meggie icily, getting off the bed and slipping on her panties. "I'm not going to divorceyou," she said. "I don't want to marry again. If you want a divorce, you know where to find me. Technicallyspeaking, I'm the one at fault, aren't I? I'm deserting you-or at least that's the way the courts in this country willsee it. You and the judge can cry on each other's shoulders about the perfidies⁸¹⁴ and ingratitude⁸¹⁵ of women.""I never deserted you," he maintained.

"You can keep my twenty thousand pounds, Luke. But not another penny do you ever get from me. My futureincome I'm going to use to support Justine, and perhaps another child if I'm lucky.""So that's it!" he said. "All you were after was another bloody baby, wasn't it? That's why you came down here-a swan song, a little present from me for you to take back to Drogheda with you! Another bloody baby, not me!

It never was me, was it? To you I'm just a breeder! Christ, what a have!" "That's all most men are to mostwomen," she said maliciously. "You bring out the worst in me, Luke, in more ways than you'll ever understand.

Be of good cheer! I've earned you more money in the last three and a half years than the sugar has. If there isanother child, it's none of your concern. As of this minute I never want to see you again, not as long as I live."She was into her clothes. As she picked up her handbag and the little case by the door she turned back, her handon the knob. "Let me give you a little word of advice, Luke. In case you ever get yourself another woman, whenyou're too old and too tired to give yourself to the cane any more. You can't kiss for toffee. You open your mouthtoo wide, you swallow a woman whole like a python. Saliva's fine, but not a deluge⁴⁷⁷ of it." She wiped her handviciously across her mouth. "You make me want to be sick! Luke O'neill, the great I-am! You're a nothing!"After she had gone he sat on the edge of the bed staring at the closed door for a long while. Then he shruggedand started to dress. Not a long procedure, in North Queensland. Just a pair of shorts. If he hurried he could get aride back to the barracks with Arne and the blokes. Good old Arne. Dear old mate. A man was a fool. Sex wasone thing, but a man's mates were quite another.

1 poking   

n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
• He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

2 morass   

n.沼泽，困境

参考例句：

• I tried to drag myself out of the morass of despair.我试图从绝望的困境中走出来。
• Mathematical knowledge was certain and offered a secure foothold in a morass.数学知识是确定无疑的,它给人们在沼泽地上提供了一个稳妥的立足点。

3 hem   

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。

4 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

5 regenerate   

vt.使恢复，使新生；vi.恢复，再生；adj.恢复的

参考例句：

• Their aim is to regenerate British industry.他们的目的是复兴英国的工业。
• Although it is not easy,you have the power to regenerate your life.尽管这不容易，但你有使生活重获新生的能力。

6 disintegrating   

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

7 subsiding   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的现在分词 )；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：

• The flooded river was subsiding rapidly. 泛滥的河水正在迅速退落。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gradually the tension was subsiding, gradually the governor was relenting. 风潮渐渐地平息了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

8 din   

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。

9 hoofs   

n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )

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

10 pointed   

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。

11 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

12 lore   

n.传说；学问，经验，知识

参考例句：

• I will seek and question him of his lore.我倒要找上他，向他讨教他的渊博的学问。
• Early peoples passed on plant and animal lore through legend.早期人类通过传说传递有关植物和动物的知识。

13 mere   

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。

14 bagatelle   

n.琐事；小曲儿

参考例句：

• To him money is a bagatelle.金钱对他来说不算一回事。
• One day, they argued for a bagatelle of their children.一天，夫妻为了孩子的一件小事吵起来。

15 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

16 malignity   

n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性

参考例句：

• The little witch put a mock malignity into her beautiful eyes, and Joseph, trembling with sincere horror, hurried out praying and ejaculating "wicked" as he went. 这个小女巫那双美丽的眼睛里添上一种嘲弄的恶毒神气。约瑟夫真的吓得直抖，赶紧跑出去，一边跑一边祷告，还嚷着“恶毒！” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Outside, the pitiless rain fell, fell steadily, with a fierce malignity that was all too human. 外面下着无情的雨，不断地下着，简直跟通人性那样凶狠而恶毒。 来自辞典例句

17 wrath   

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。

18 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

19 withered   

adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式

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。

20 wither   

vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡

参考例句：

• She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。
• In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

21 rejuvenation   

n. 复原，再生, 更新, 嫩化, 恢复

参考例句：

• Prolonged starvation and aging might lead to rejuvenation of embryogenic potential. 长期的饥饿和衰老可以导致胚胎发生能力的复壮。
• All this signs rejuvenation of agriculture. 所有这些都预示着农业将复苏。

22 smother   

vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息

参考例句：

• They tried to smother the flames with a damp blanket.他们试图用一条湿毯子去灭火。
• We tried to smother our laughter.我们强忍住笑。

23 smothered   

（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。

24 moth   

n.蛾，蛀虫

参考例句：

• A moth was fluttering round the lamp.有一只蛾子扑打着翅膀绕着灯飞。
• The sweater is moth-eaten.毛衣让蛀虫咬坏了。

25 sere   

adj.干枯的；n.演替系列

参考例句：

• The desert was edged with sere vegetation.沙漠周围零星地长着一些干枯的植被。
• A sere on uncovered rock is a lithosere.在光秃岩石上的演替系列是岩生演替系列。

26 scent   

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。

27 scentless   

adj.无气味的，遗臭已消失的

参考例句：

28 helping   

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。

29 decided   

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。

30 mustering   

v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的现在分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发

参考例句：

• He paused again, mustering his strength and thoughts. 他又停下来，集中力量，聚精会神。 来自辞典例句
• The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war. 这是万军之耶和华点齐军队，预备打仗。 来自互联网

31 shear   

n.修剪，剪下的东西，羊的一岁；vt.剪掉，割，剥夺；vi.修剪，切割，剥夺，穿越

参考例句：

• Every spring they shear off the sheep's wool and sell it.每年春天他们都要剪下羊毛去卖。
• In the Hebrides they shear their sheep later than anywhere else.在赫伯里兹，剪羊毛的时间比其他任何地方都要晚。

32 shearing   

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

33 chronically   

ad.长期地

参考例句：

• Similarly, any pigment nevus that is chronically irritated should be excised. 同样，凡是经常受慢性刺激的各种色素痣切勿予以切除。
• People chronically exposed to chlorine develop some degree of tolerance. 人长期接触氯气可以产生某种程度的耐受性。

34 creek   

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。

35 reek   

v.发出臭气；n.恶臭

参考例句：

• Where there's reek,there's heat.哪里有恶臭，哪里必发热。
• That reek is from the fox.那股恶臭是狐狸发出的。

36 proprietary   

n.所有权，所有的；独占的；业主

参考例句：

• We had to take action to protect the proprietary technology.我们必须采取措施保护专利技术。
• Proprietary right is the foundation of jus rerem.所有权是物权法之根基。

37 ken   

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.

38 bishop   

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。

39 omen   

n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示

参考例句：

• The superstitious regard it as a bad omen.迷信的人认为那是一种恶兆。
• Could this at last be a good omen for peace?这是否终于可以视作和平的吉兆了？

40 remonstrated   

v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫

参考例句：

• They remonstrated with the official about the decision. 他们就这一决定向这位官员提出了抗议。
• We remonstrated against the ill-treatment of prisoners of war. 我们对虐待战俘之事提出抗议。 来自辞典例句

41 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

42 spat   

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。

43 spates   

n.大量( spate的名词复数 )；（河流）暴涨；发洪水；（人）口若悬河

参考例句：

44 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

45 protracted   

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》

46 tapered   

adj. 锥形的，尖削的，楔形的，渐缩的，斜的 动词taper的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The tail tapered to a rounded tip. 尾部越来越细，最后成了个圆尖。
• The organization tapered off in about half a year. 那个组织大约半年内就逐渐消失了。

47 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

48 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

49 shearer   

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

50 pokes   

v.伸出( poke的第三人称单数 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交

参考例句：

• He pokes his nose into everything. 他这人好管闲事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Only the tip of an iceberg pokes up above water. 只有冰山的尖端突出于水面。 来自辞典例句

51 ointment   

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。

52 smitten   

猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• From the moment they met, he was completely smitten by her. 从一见面的那一刻起，他就完全被她迷住了。
• It was easy to see why she was smitten with him. 她很容易看出为何她为他倾倒。

53 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

54 decency   

n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重

参考例句：

• His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

55 fully   

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。

56 utterly   

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。

57 apparently   

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 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

59 jack   

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。

60 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

61 freckled   

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

62 tranquil   

adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的

参考例句：

• The boy disturbed the tranquil surface of the pond with a stick. 那男孩用棍子打破了平静的池面。
• The tranquil beauty of the village scenery is unique. 这乡村景色的宁静是绝无仅有的。

63 creases   

（使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的第三人称单数 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹

参考例句：

• She smoothed the creases out of her skirt. 她把裙子上的皱褶弄平。
• She ironed out all the creases in the shirt. 她熨平了衬衣上的所有皱褶。

64 homely   

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？

65 elongated   

v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Modigliani's women have strangely elongated faces. 莫迪里阿尼画中的妇女都长着奇长无比的脸。
• A piece of rubber can be elongated by streching. 一块橡皮可以拉长。 来自《用法词典》

66 wretch   

n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人

参考例句：

• You are really an ungrateful wretch to complain instead of thanking him.你不但不谢他，还埋怨他，真不知好歹。
• The dead husband is not the dishonoured wretch they fancied him.死去的丈夫不是他们所想象的不光彩的坏蛋。

67 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

68 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

69 gall   

v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难

参考例句：

• It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。
• No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。

70 longing   

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。

71 splendor   

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。

72 awed   

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》

73 junction   

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。

74 mighty   

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。

75 bunk   

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。

76 chestnut   

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。

77 mare   

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。

78 flaring   

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。

79 Ford   

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。

80 bent   

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。

81 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

82 flannel   

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。

83 converged   

v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的过去式 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集

参考例句：

• Thousands of supporters converged on London for the rally. 成千上万的支持者从四面八方汇聚伦敦举行集会。
• People converged on the political meeting from all parts of the city. 人们从城市的四面八方涌向这次政治集会。 来自《简明英汉词典》

84 doffing   

n.下筒，落纱v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The sige of the package in use determines the frequency of doffing. 所用卷装的尺寸决定了落纱的次数。 来自辞典例句
• Obstruction in the movement of Aprons during doffing in modern cards. 新型梳棉机在落卷时皮板输送带（或皮圈，围裙）运行受阻。 来自互联网

85 battered   

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。

86 guise   

n.外表，伪装的姿态

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors.他们假装成视察员进了学校。
• The thief came into the house under the guise of a repairman.那小偷扮成个修理匠进了屋子。

87 admiration   

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。

88 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

89 liar   

n.说谎的人

参考例句：

• I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！
• She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

90 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

91 detest   

vt.痛恨，憎恶

参考例句：

• I detest people who tell lies.我恨说谎的人。
• The workers detest his overbearing manner.工人们很讨厌他那盛气凌人的态度。

92 submission   

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。

93 hips   

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》

94 hip   

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。

95 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

96 modesty   

n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素

参考例句：

• Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。
• As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。

97 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。

98 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

99 succumbing   

不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的现在分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死

参考例句：

• Mrs. Smith washed and ironed clothes for him, succumbing to him. 史密斯太太被他迷住了，愿意为他洗衣烫衣。
• They would not in the end abandon their vital interests by succumbing to Soviet blandishment. 他们最终决不会受苏联人的甜言蜜语的诱惑，从而抛弃自己的切身利益。

100 iris   

n.虹膜，彩虹

参考例句：

• The opening of the iris is called the pupil.虹膜的开口处叫做瞳孔。
• This incredible human eye,complete with retina and iris,can be found in the Maldives.又是在马尔代夫，有这样一只难以置信的眼睛，连视网膜和虹膜都刻画齐全了。

101 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

102 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

103 possessed   

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。

104 squatter   

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。

105 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

106 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

107 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

108 eluding   

v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的现在分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到

参考例句：

• He saw no way of eluding Featherstone's stupid demand. 费瑟斯通的愚蠢要求使他走投无路。 来自辞典例句
• The fox succeeded in eluding the hunters. 这狐狸成功地避过了猎手。 来自辞典例句

109 antennae   

n.天线；触角

参考例句：

• Sometimes a creature uses a pair of antennae to swim.有时某些动物使用其一对触须来游泳。
• Cuba's government said that Cubans found watching American television on clandestine antennae would face three years in jail.古巴政府说那些用秘密天线收看美国电视的古巴人将面临三年监禁。

110 complexity   

n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物

参考例句：

• Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
• The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。

111 murmur   

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。

112 averse   

adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的

参考例句：

• I don't smoke cigarettes,but I'm not averse to the occasional cigar.我不吸烟，但我不反对偶尔抽一支雪茄。
• We are averse to such noisy surroundings.我们不喜欢这么吵闹的环境。

113 horrified   

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。

114 lone   

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。

115 desecration   

n. 亵渎神圣, 污辱

参考例句：

• Desecration, and so forth, and lectured you on dignity and sanctity. 比如亵渎神圣等。想用尊严和神圣不可侵犯之类的话来打动你们。
• Desecration: will no longer break stealth. 亵渎：不再消除潜行。

116 humiliation   

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。

117 plod   

v.沉重缓慢地走，孜孜地工作

参考例句：

• He was destined to plod the path of toil.他注定要在艰辛的道路上跋涉。
• I could recognize his plod anywhere.我能在任何地方辨认出他的沉重脚步声。

118 automaton   

n.自动机器，机器人

参考例句：

• This is a fully functional automaton.这是一个有全自动功能的机器人。
• I get sick of being thought of as a political automaton.我讨厌被看作政治机器。

119 vitality   

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。

120 exhausted   

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。

121 inclinations   

倾向( inclination的名词复数 )； 倾斜； 爱好； 斜坡

参考例句：

• She has artistic inclinations. 她有艺术爱好。
• I've no inclinations towards life as a doctor. 我的志趣不是行医。

122 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

123 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

124 apprentices   

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。

125 fiddle   

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。

126 accordion   

n.手风琴；adj.可折叠的

参考例句：

• The accordion music in the film isn't very beautiful.这部影片中的手风琴音乐不是很好。
• The accordion music reminds me of my boyhood.这手风琴的乐声让我回忆起了我的少年时代。

127 pendulous   

adj.下垂的；摆动的

参考例句：

• The oriole builds a pendulous nest.金莺鸟筑一个悬垂的巢。
• Her lip grew pendulous as she aged.由于老迈，她的嘴唇往下坠了。

128 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

129 tempo   

n.(音乐的)速度；节奏，行进速度

参考例句：

• The boss is unsatisfied with the tardy tempo.老板不满于这种缓慢的进度。
• They waltz to the tempo of the music.他们跟着音乐的节奏跳华尔兹舞。

130 jigs   

n.快步舞（曲）极快地( jig的名词复数 )；夹具v.（使）上下急动( jig的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The simplest method for small volume production requires a number of jigs. 对于小规模生产，最简单方法需要几个装配架。 来自辞典例句
• So the old witch was forced to dance a jigs. 老女巫也只好跳起快步舞来。 来自辞典例句

131 touching   

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。

132 swirling   

v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句

133 swirl   

v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形

参考例句：

• The car raced roughly along in a swirl of pink dust.汽车在一股粉红色尘土的漩涡中颠簸着快速前进。
• You could lie up there,watching the flakes swirl past.你可以躺在那儿，看着雪花飘飘。

134 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

135 proceedings   

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

136 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

137 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

138 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

139 intrigues   

n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• He was made king as a result of various intrigues. 由于搞了各种各样的阴谋，他当上了国王。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Those who go in for intrigues and conspiracy are doomed to failure. 搞阴谋诡计的人注定要失败。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

140 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

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。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

141 languishing   

a. 衰弱下去的

参考例句：

• He is languishing for home. 他苦思家乡。
• How long will she go on languishing for her red-haired boy? 为想见到她的红头发的儿子，她还将为此烦恼多久呢？

142 blatantly   

ad.公开地

参考例句：

• Safety guidelines had been blatantly ignored. 安全规章被公然置之不顾。
• They walked grandly through the lobby, blatantly arm in arm, pretending they were not defeated. 他们大大方方地穿过门厅，故意炫耀地挎着胳膊，假装他们没有被打败。

143 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

144 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

145 thighs   

n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿

参考例句：

• He's gone to London for skin grafts on his thighs. 他去伦敦做大腿植皮手术了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The water came up to the fisherman's thighs. 水没到了渔夫的大腿。 来自《简明英汉词典》

146 discrete   

adj.个别的，分离的，不连续的

参考例句：

• The picture consists of a lot of discrete spots of colour.这幅画由许多不相连的色点组成。
• Most staple fibers are discrete,individual entities.大多数短纤维是不联系的单独实体。

147 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

148 ridge   

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。

149 crest   

n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖

参考例句：

• The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
• He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

150 frivolous   

adj.轻薄的；轻率的

参考例句：

• This is a frivolous way of attacking the problem.这是一种轻率敷衍的处理问题的方式。
• He spent a lot of his money on frivolous things.他在一些无聊的事上花了好多钱。

151 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

152 sweeping   

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？

153 shimmering   

v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The sea was shimmering in the sunlight. 阳光下海水波光闪烁。
• The colours are delicate and shimmering. 这些颜色柔和且闪烁微光。 来自辞典例句

154 shimmer   

v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光

参考例句：

• The room was dark,but there was a shimmer of moonlight at the window.屋子里很黑，但靠近窗户的地方有点微光。
• Nor is there anything more virginal than the shimmer of young foliage.没有什么比新叶的微光更纯洁无瑕了。

155 rippling   

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。

156 glossy   

adj.平滑的；有光泽的

参考例句：

• I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。
• She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。

157 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

158 pinpoints   

准确地找出或描述( pinpoint的第三人称单数 )； 为…准确定位

参考例句：

• The bombs hit the pinpoints at which they were aimed. 炸弹精确地击中了目标。
• There's really no point in arguing about pinpoints. 为芝麻绿豆般的小事争论实在毫无意义。

159 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

160 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

161 hissing   

n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
• His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕

162 fragrant   

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。

163 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

164 strands   

n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Twist a length of rope from strands of hemp. 用几股麻搓成了一段绳子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She laced strands into a braid. 她把几股线编织成一根穗带。 来自《简明英汉词典》

165 forth   

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。

166 zeal   

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。

167 forefinger   

n.食指

参考例句：

• He pinched the leaf between his thumb and forefinger.他将叶子捏在拇指和食指之间。
• He held it between the tips of his thumb and forefinger.他用他大拇指和食指尖拿着它。

168 poked   

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》

169 irate   

adj.发怒的，生气

参考例句：

• The irate animal made for us,coming at a full jump.那头发怒的动物以最快的速度向我们冲过来。
• We have received some irate phone calls from customers.我们接到顾客打来的一些愤怒的电话

170 sputtered   

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

171 vista   

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。

172 bloody   

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。

173 sufficiently   

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。

174 disparagingly   

adv.以贬抑的口吻，以轻视的态度

参考例句：

• These mythological figures are described disparagingly as belonging only to a story. 这些神话人物被轻蔑地描述为“仅在传说中出现”的人物。 来自互联网
• In his memoirs he often speaks disparagingly about the private sector. 在他的回忆录里面他经常轻蔑的谈及私营（商业）部门。 来自互联网

175 savor   

vt.品尝，欣赏；n.味道，风味；情趣，趣味

参考例句：

• The soup has a savor of onion.这汤有洋葱味。
• His humorous remarks added a savor to our conversation.他幽默的话语给谈话增添了风趣。

176 rankled   

v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her comments still rankled. 她的评价仍然让人耿耿于怀。
• The insult rankled in his mind. 这种侮辱使他心里难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

177 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

178 itched   

v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Seeing the children playing ping-pong, he itched to have a go. 他看到孩子们打乒乓，不觉技痒。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He could hardly sIt'still and itched to have a go. 他再也坐不住了，心里跃跃欲试。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

179 twitched   

vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
• The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着，像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

180 inveterate   

adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的

参考例句：

• Hitler was not only an avid reader but also an inveterate underliner.希特勒不仅酷爱读书，还有写写划划的习惯。
• It is hard for an inveterate smoker to give up tobacco.要一位有多年烟瘾的烟民戒烟是困难的。

181 stint   

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。

182 deflecting   

（使）偏斜， （使）偏离， （使）转向( deflect的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A variety of mechanical surfaces have been employed for deflecting the exhaust jets of solid-propellant rockets. 人们已经用过各种类型的机械控制面来偏转固体推进剂火箭的排气流。
• If she made a leading statement, he was expert deflecting her into more impersonal channels. 只要她一开口，他就会巧妙地把她的话题转到与个人无关的问题上去。

183 impersonal   

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。

184 conceited   

adj.自负的，骄傲自满的

参考例句：

• He could not bear that they should be so conceited.他们这样自高自大他受不了。
• I'm not as conceited as so many people seem to think.我不像很多人认为的那么自负。

185 shanty   

n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子

参考例句：

• His childhood was spent in a shanty.他的童年是在一个简陋小屋里度过的。
• I want to quit this shanty.我想离开这烂房子。

186 catching   

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。

187 aristocrat   

n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物

参考例句：

• He was the quintessential english aristocrat.他是典型的英国贵族。
• He is an aristocrat to the very marrow of his bones.他是一个道道地地的贵族。

188 tamp   

v.捣实，砸实

参考例句：

• Then I tamp down the soil with the back of a rake.然后我用耙子的背将土壤拍实。
• Philpott tamped a wad of tobacco into his pipe.菲尔波特往烟斗里塞了一卷碎烟叶。

189 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

190 lizard   

n.蜥蜴，壁虎

参考例句：

• A chameleon is a kind of lizard.变色龙是一种蜥蜴。
• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect.蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。

191 tormenting   

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。

192 hordes   

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》

193 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

194 prospect   

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。

195 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

196 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

197 nun   

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。

198 cramped   

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

199 yearned   

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。

200 yearn   

v.想念；怀念；渴望

参考例句：

• We yearn to surrender our entire being.我们渴望着放纵我们整个的生命。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

201 infinity   

n.无限，无穷，大量

参考例句：

• It is impossible to count up to infinity.不可能数到无穷大。
• Theoretically,a line can extend into infinity.从理论上来说直线可以无限地延伸。

202 vaguely   

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。

203 eastward   

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。

204 doting   

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。

205 desperately   

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。

206 naive   

adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的

参考例句：

• It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致，你未免太单纯了。
• Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。

207 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。

208 impersonally   

ad.非人称地

参考例句：

• "No." The answer was both reticent and impersonally sad. “不。”这回答既简短，又含有一种无以名状的悲戚。 来自名作英译部分
• The tenet is to service our clients fairly, equally, impersonally and reasonably. 公司宗旨是公正、公平、客观、合理地为客户服务。

209 caressing   

爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的

参考例句：

• The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。
• He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里，不断抚摸着鞑靼，它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。

210 massage   

n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据

参考例句：

• He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
• Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。

211 acquiescence   

n.默许；顺从

参考例句：

• The chief inclined his head in sign of acquiescence.首领点点头表示允许。
• This is due to his acquiescence.这是因为他的默许。

212 liking   

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。

213 nauseating   

adj.令人恶心的，使人厌恶的v.使恶心，作呕( nauseate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I had to listen to the whole nauseating story. 我不得不从头到尾听那令人作呕的故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• There is a nauseating smell of rotten food. 有一股令人恶心的腐烂食物的气味。 来自《简明英汉词典》

214 writhe   

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。

215 gasped   

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》

216 tempted   

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。

217 loath   

adj.不愿意的；勉强的

参考例句：

• The little girl was loath to leave her mother.那小女孩不愿离开她的母亲。
• They react on this one problem very slow and very loath.他们在这一问题上反应很慢，很不情愿。

218 shrugged   

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》

219 reigned   

vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式）

参考例句：

• Silence reigned in the hall. 全场肃静。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Night was deep and dead silence reigned everywhere. 夜深人静，一片死寂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

220 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

221 curiously   

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。

222 flicker   

vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现

参考例句：

• There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
• At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。

223 equating   

v.认为某事物（与另一事物）相等或相仿( equate的现在分词 )；相当于；等于；把（一事物） 和（另一事物）等同看待

参考例句：

• [ Ray ] I definitely started equating crossword puzzles with songwriting. 我已经干脆开始把字谜游戏等同于歌曲写作了。 来自电影对白
• But they have a hard time equating plural marriage with those evils. 但是他们很难把这种多妻婚姻与上面说的那些坏事联系起来。 来自互联网

224 territorial   

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。

225 drawn   

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。

226 jaunts   

n.游览( jaunt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• How carefree were those jaunts to the A＆ P.No worries. 去A＆P的路途是那样的轻松，无忧无虑。 来自互联网
• How carefree were those jaunts to A & P. No worries. 去a&p的路途是那样的轻松，无忧无虑。 来自互联网

227 attentive   

adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的

参考例句：

• She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
• The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。

228 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

229 flirted   

v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She flirted her fan. 她急速挥动着扇子。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• During his four months in Egypt he flirted with religious emotions. 在埃及逗留的这四个月期间，他又玩弄起宗教情绪来了。 来自辞典例句

230 ballroom   

n.舞厅

参考例句：

• The boss of the ballroom excused them the fee.舞厅老板给他们免费。
• I go ballroom dancing twice a week.我一个星期跳两次交际舞。

231 puddle   

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。

232 champagne   

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。

233 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

234 indigo   

n.靛青，靛蓝

参考例句：

• The sky was indigo blue,and a great many stars were shining.天空一片深蓝，闪烁着点点繁星。
• He slipped into an indigo tank.他滑落到蓝靛桶中。

235 tawny   

adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色

参考例句：

• Her black hair springs in fine strands across her tawny,ruddy cheek.她的一头乌发分披在健康红润的脸颊旁。
• None of them noticed a large,tawny owl flutter past the window.他们谁也没注意到一只大的、褐色的猫头鹰飞过了窗户。

236 opaque   

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。

237 lashes   

n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• Mother always lashes out food for the children's party. 孩子们聚会时，母亲总是给他们许多吃的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Never walk behind a horse in case it lashes out. 绝对不要跟在马后面，以防它突然猛踢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

238 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

239 tickling   

反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法

参考例句：

• Was It'spring tickling her senses? 是不是春意撩人呢？
• Its origin is in tickling and rough-and-tumble play, he says. 他说，笑的起源来自于挠痒痒以及杂乱无章的游戏。

240 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

241 vents   

（气体、液体等进出的）孔、口( vent的名词复数 )； （鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的）肛门； 大衣等的)衩口； 开衩

参考例句：

• He always vents his anger on the dog. 他总是拿狗出气。
• The Dandelion Patch is the least developed of the four active vents. “蒲公英区”在这四个活裂口中是发育最差的一个。

242 lulling   

vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Ellen closed her eyes and began praying, her voice rising and falling, lulling and soothing. 爱伦闭上眼睛开始祷告，声音时高时低，像催眠又像抚慰。 来自飘（部分）

243 abruptly   

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。

244 jigsaw   

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。

245 straps   

n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• the shoulder straps of her dress 她连衣裙上的肩带
• The straps can be adjusted to suit the wearer. 这些背带可进行调整以适合使用者。

246 taut   

adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的

参考例句：

• The bowstring is stretched taut.弓弦绷得很紧。
• Scarlett's taut nerves almost cracked as a sudden noise sounded in the underbrush near them. 思嘉紧张的神经几乎一下绷裂了，因为她听见附近灌木丛中突然冒出的一个声音。

247 agonized   

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

248 shuddered   

v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

249 shudder   

v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动

参考例句：

• The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
• We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

250 wrenching   

n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛

参考例句：

• China has been through a wrenching series of changes and experiments. 中国经历了一系列艰苦的变革和试验。 来自辞典例句
• A cold gust swept across her exposed breast, wrenching her back to reality. 一股寒气打击她的敞开的胸膛，把她从梦幻的境地中带了回来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

251 drenching   

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

252 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

253 recollect   

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。

254 deftly   

adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He deftly folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope. 他灵巧地将打有字的纸折好重新放回信封。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At last he had a clew to her interest, and followed it deftly. 这一下终于让他发现了她的兴趣所在，于是他熟练地继续谈这个话题。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

255 dent   

n.凹痕，凹坑；初步进展

参考例句：

• I don't know how it came about but I've got a dent in the rear of my car.我不知道是怎么回事，但我的汽车后部有了一个凹痕。
• That dent is not big enough to be worth hammering out.那个凹陷不大，用不着把它锤平。

256 electrifying   

v.使电气化( electrify的现在分词 )；使兴奋

参考例句：

• The dancers gave an electrifying performance. 舞蹈演员们的表演激动人心。
• The national orchestra gave an electrifying performance of classic music. 国家交响乐团举行了一次古典音乐的震撼性演出。 来自辞典例句

257 tugging   

n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. 汤姆捏住一个钮扣眼使劲地拉，样子显得很害羞。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. 她一边踢他，一边扯着他那浓密的头发。 来自辞典例句

258 lulled   

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》

259 gulping   

v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的现在分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住

参考例句：

• She crawled onto the river bank and lay there gulping in air. 她爬上河岸，躺在那里喘着粗气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• And you'll even feel excited gulping down a glass. 你甚至可以感觉到激动下一杯。 来自互联网

260 commonsense   

adj.有常识的；明白事理的；注重实际的

参考例句：

• It is commonsense to carry an umbrella in this weather.这种天气带把伞是很自然的。
• These results are no more than a vindication of commonsense analysis.这些结果只不过是按常理分析得出的事实。

261 rammed   

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》

262 savage   

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。

263 adamant   

adj.坚硬的，固执的

参考例句：

• We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。
• Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。

264 hysterical   

adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的

参考例句：

• He is hysterical at the sight of the photo.他一看到那张照片就异常激动。
• His hysterical laughter made everybody stunned.他那歇斯底里的笑声使所有的人不知所措。

265 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

266 ledgers   

n.分类账( ledger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The ledgers and account books had all been destroyed. 分类账本和账簿都被销毁了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The ledgers had all been destroyed. 账簿都被销毁了。 来自辞典例句

267 ledge   

n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁

参考例句：

• They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
• Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。

268 rigidly   

adv.刻板地，僵化地

参考例句：

• Life today is rigidly compartmentalized into work and leisure. 当今的生活被严格划分为工作和休闲两部分。
• The curriculum is rigidly prescribed from an early age. 自儿童时起即已开始有严格的课程设置。

269 barometer   

n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标

参考例句：

• The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。
• The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。

270 platinum   

n.白金

参考例句：

• I'll give her a platinum ring.我打算送给她一枚白金戒指。
• Platinum exceeds gold in value.白金的价值高于黄金。

271 seethe   

vi.拥挤，云集；发怒，激动，骚动

参考例句：

• Many Indians continue to seethe and some are calling for military action against their riotous neighbour.很多印度人都处于热血沸腾的状态，很多都呼吁针对印度这个恶邻采取军事行动。
• She seethed with indignation.她由于愤怒而不能平静。

272 rambling   

adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的

参考例句：

• We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。
• It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。

273 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

274 cymbals   

pl.铙钹

参考例句：

• People shouted, while the drums and .cymbals crashed incessantly. 人声嘈杂，锣鼓不停地大响特响。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• The dragon dance troupe, beating drums and cymbals, entered the outer compound. 龙灯随着锣鼓声进来，停在二门外的大天井里。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

275 afterward   

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。

276 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

277 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

278 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

279 droop   

v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡

参考例句：

• The heavy snow made the branches droop.大雪使树枝垂下来。
• Don't let your spirits droop.不要萎靡不振。

280 tractable   

adj.易驾驭的；温顺的

参考例句：

• He was always tractable and quiet.他总是温顺、恬静。
• Gold and silver are tractable metals.金和银是容易加工的金属。

281 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

282 guile   

n.诈术

参考例句：

• He is full of guile.他非常狡诈。
• A swindler uses guile;a robber uses force.骗子用诈术；强盗用武力。

283 wry   

adj.讽刺的；扭曲的

参考例句：

• He made a wry face and attempted to wash the taste away with coffee.他做了个鬼脸，打算用咖啡把那怪味地冲下去。
• Bethune released Tung's horse and made a wry mouth.白求恩放开了董的马，噘了噘嘴。

284 chattels   

n.动产，奴隶( chattel的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• An assignment is a total alienation of chattels personal. 动产转让是指属人动产的完全转让。 来自辞典例句
• Alan and I, getting our chattels together, struck into another road to reassume our flight. 艾伦和我收拾好我们的财物，急匆匆地走上了另一条路，继续过我们的亡命生活。 来自辞典例句

285 specially   

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。

286 deferred   

adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从

参考例句：

• The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。
• a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划

287 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

288 scotch   

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。

289 scotched   

v.阻止( scotch的过去式和过去分词 )；制止（车轮）转动；弄伤；镇压

参考例句：

• Plans for a merger have been scotched. 合并计划停止实行。
• The rebellion was scotched by government forces. 政府军已把叛乱镇压下去。 来自辞典例句

290 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

291 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。

292 harry   

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。

293 housekeeper   

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。

294 brass   

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。

295 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

296 embarrassment   

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。

297 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

298 nuptial   

adj.婚姻的，婚礼的

参考例句：

• Their nuptial day hasn't been determined.他们的结婚日还没有决定。
• I went to the room which he had called the nuptial chamber.我走进了他称之为洞房的房间。

299 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

300 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

301 erratic   

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。

302 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

303 slake   

v.解渴，使平息

参考例句：

• We had to slake ourselves with rainwater in the desert.在沙漠中我们不得不用雨水解渴。
• A menu will not satisfy your hunger,a formula will not slake your thirst.菜单不可能填饱你的肚子，一套准则也不可能消除你的饥渴。

304 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

305 compartment   

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。

306 astounded   

v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶

参考例句：

• His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。
• How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话？我感到大为震惊。

307 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

308 lookout   

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。

309 spoke   

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。

310 indignity   

n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑

参考例句：

• For more than a year we have suffered the indignity.在一年多的时间里,我们丢尽了丑。
• She was subjected to indignity and humiliation.她受到侮辱和羞辱。

311 dense   

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。

312 densely   

ad.密集地；浓厚地

参考例句：

• A grove of trees shadowed the house densely. 树丛把这幢房子遮蔽得很密实。
• We passed through miles of densely wooded country. 我们穿过好几英里茂密的林地。

313 filthy   

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。

314 filth   

n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥

参考例句：

• I don't know how you can read such filth.我不明白你怎么会去读这种淫秽下流的东西。
• The dialogue was all filth and innuendo.这段对话全是下流的言辞和影射。

315 soot   

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。

316 vapor   

n.蒸汽，雾气

参考例句：

• The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

317 galling   

adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的

参考例句：

• It was galling to have to apologize to a man she hated. 令人恼火的是得向她憎恶的男人道歉。
• The insolence in the fellow's eye was galling. 这家伙的傲慢目光令人恼怒。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

318 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

319 yarning   

vi.讲故事（yarn的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• We stayed up yarning until midnight. 我们讲故事一直讲到半夜才睡。 来自互联网

320 tattered   

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。

321 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

322 greasy   

adj. 多脂的，油脂的

参考例句：

• He bought a heavy-duty cleanser to clean his greasy oven.昨天他买了强力清洁剂来清洗油污的炉子。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

323 tartly   

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

324 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

325 overflowing   

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。

326 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

327 monotonously   

adv.单调地，无变化地

参考例句：

• The lecturer phrased monotonously. 这位讲师用词单调。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The maid, still in tears, sniffed monotonously. 侍女还在哭，发出单调的抽泣声。 来自辞典例句

328 contrition   

n.悔罪，痛悔

参考例句：

• The next day he'd be full of contrition,weeping and begging forgiveness.第二天，他就会懊悔不已，哭着乞求原谅。
• She forgave him because his contrition was real.她原谅了他是由于他的懊悔是真心的。

329 fins   

[医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌

参考例句：

• The level of TNF-α positively correlated with BMI,FPG,HbA1C,TG,FINS and IRI,but not with SBP and DBP. TNF-α水平与BMI、FPG、HbA1C、TG、FINS和IRI呈显著正相关，与SBP、DBP无相关。 来自互联网
• Fins are a feature specific to fish. 鱼鳍是鱼类特有的特征。 来自辞典例句

330 fowls   

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。

331 bowels   

n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处

参考例句：

• Salts is a medicine that causes movements of the bowels. 泻盐是一种促使肠子运动的药物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cabins are in the bowels of the ship. 舱房设在船腹内。 来自《简明英汉词典》

332 rumor   

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。

333 trots   

小跑，急走( trot的名词复数 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• A horse that trots, especially one trained for harness racing. 训练用于快跑特别是套轭具赛跑的马。
• He always trots out the same old excuses for being late. 他每次迟到总是重复那一套藉口。

334 dispensed   

v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药）

参考例句：

• Not a single one of these conditions can be dispensed with. 这些条件缺一不可。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They dispensed new clothes to the children in the orphanage. 他们把新衣服发给孤儿院的小孩们。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

335 dispense   

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。

336 sprawled   

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。

337 sprouted   

v.发芽( sprout的过去式和过去分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出

参考例句：

• We can't use these potatoes; they've all sprouted. 这些土豆儿不能吃了，都出芽了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rice seeds have sprouted. 稻种已经出芽了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

338 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

339 hectic   

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。

340 coconut   

n.椰子

参考例句：

• The husk of this coconut is particularly strong.椰子的外壳很明显非常坚固。
• The falling coconut gave him a terrific bang on the head.那只掉下的椰子砰地击中他的脑袋。

341 fronds   

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

342 scarlet   

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。

343 termites   

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

344 mite   

n.极小的东西；小铜币

参考例句：

• The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
• He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。

345 improperly   

不正确地，不适当地

参考例句：

• Of course it was acting improperly. 这样做就是不对嘛！
• He is trying to improperly influence a witness. 他在试图误导证人。

346 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

347 sloppy   

adj.邋遢的，不整洁的

参考例句：

• If you do such sloppy work again,I promise I'll fail you.要是下次作业你再马马虎虎，我话说在头里，可要给你打不及格了。
• Mother constantly picked at him for being sloppy.母亲不断地批评他懒散。

348 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为

349 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

350 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

351 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

352 monsoons   

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

353 treacle   

n.糖蜜

参考例句：

• Blend a little milk with two tablespoons of treacle.将少许牛奶和两大汤匙糖浆混合。
• The fly that sips treacle is lost in the sweet.啜饮蜜糖的苍蝇在甜蜜中丧生。

354 tugged   

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》

355 pajamas   

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。

356 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。

357 wriggle   

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。

358 embroidered   

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。

359 insistently   

ad.坚持地

参考例句：

• Still Rhett did not look at her. His eyes were bent insistently on Melanie's white face. 瑞德还是看也不看她，他的眼睛死死地盯着媚兰苍白的脸。
• These are the questions which we should think and explore insistently. 怎样实现这一主体性等问题仍要求我们不断思考、探索。

360 awareness   

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。

361 fumble   

vi.笨拙地用手摸、弄、接等，摸索

参考例句：

• His awkwardness made him fumble with the key.由于尴尬不安，他拿钥匙开锁时显得笨手笨脚。
• He fumbled his one-handed attempt to light his cigarette.他笨拙地想用一只手点燃香烟。

362 twitching   

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》

363 spasm   

n.痉挛，抽搐；一阵发作

参考例句：

• When the spasm passed,it left him weak and sweating.一阵痉挛之后，他虚弱无力，一直冒汗。
• He kicked the chair in a spasm of impatience.他突然变得不耐烦，一脚踢向椅子。

364 exhaustion   

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。

365 gathering   

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。

366 groaned   

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》

367 scrap   

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。

368 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！”

369 snarl   

v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮

参考例句：

• At the seaside we could hear the snarl of the waves.在海边我们可以听见波涛的咆哮。
• The traffic was all in a snarl near the accident.事故发生处附近交通一片混乱。

370 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

371 standing   

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。

372 eluded   

v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到

参考例句：

• The sly fox nimbly eluded the dogs. 那只狡猾的狐狸灵活地躲避开那群狗。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The criminal eluded the police. 那个罪犯甩掉了警察的追捕。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

373 flopped   

v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅

参考例句：

• Exhausted, he flopped down into a chair. 他筋疲力尽，一屁股坐到椅子上。
• It was a surprise to us when his play flopped. 他那出戏一败涂地，出乎我们的预料。 来自《简明英汉词典》

374 wincing   

赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She switched on the light, wincing at the sudden brightness. 她打开了灯，突如其来的强烈光线刺得她不敢睜眼。
• "I will take anything," he said, relieved, and wincing under reproof. “我什么事都愿意做，"他说，松了一口气，缩着头等着挨骂。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

375 belly   

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。

376 repulsive   

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。

377 unwilling   

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。

378 speculatively   

adv.思考地，思索地；投机地

参考例句：

• He looked at her speculatively. 他若有所思的看着她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She eyed It'speculatively as a cruel smile appeared on her black lips. 她若有所思地审视它，黑色的嘴角浮起一丝残酷的微笑。 来自互联网

379 culminate   

v.到绝顶，达于极点，达到高潮

参考例句：

• The celebration of the centenary will culminate with a dinner.百年庆典活动将以宴会作为高潮。
• Everyone feared that the boundary dispute between these two countries would culminate in a war.人人都担心,这两国间的边境争端将以一场战争到达顶点。

380 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

381 pampered   

adj.饮食过量的，饮食奢侈的v.纵容，宠，娇养( pamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The lazy scum deserve worse. What if they ain't fed up and pampered? 他们吃不饱，他们的要求满足不了，这又有什么关系？ 来自飘（部分）
• She petted and pampered him and would let no one discipline him but she, herself. 她爱他，娇养他，而且除了她自己以外，她不允许任何人管教他。 来自辞典例句

382 grandeur   

n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华

参考例句：

• The grandeur of the Great Wall is unmatched.长城的壮观是独一无二的。
• These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place.这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

383 raved   

v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说

参考例句：

• Andrew raved all night in his fever. 安德鲁发烧时整夜地说胡话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They raved about her beauty. 他们过分称赞她的美。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

384 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

385 ironic   

adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的

参考例句：

• That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
• People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。

386 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

387 monsoonal   

季风的

参考例句：

• In the east, the water is mainly oceanic with relatively minor dilution from direct monsoonal rainfall and runoff from small streams. 东部水域主要为海水，而直接的季候雨及小溪溢流，把海水稍为冲淡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• China has a marked continental monsoonal climate characterized by great variety. 中国有明显的大陆性季风气候的特点是种类繁多。 来自互联网

388 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

389 toiled   

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。

390 wilting   

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。

391 baron   

n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王

参考例句：

• Henry Ford was an automobile baron.亨利·福特是一位汽车业巨头。
• The baron lived in a strong castle.男爵住在一座坚固的城堡中。

392 veranda   

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。

393 austerely   

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

394 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

395 velvet   

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。

396 attenuated   

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

397 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

398 perfectly   

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。

399 tormented   

饱受折磨的

参考例句：

• The knowledge of his guilt tormented him. 知道了自己的罪责使他非常痛苦。
• He had lain awake all night, tormented by jealousy. 他彻夜未眠，深受嫉妒的折磨。

400 encompass   

vt.围绕，包围；包含，包括；完成

参考例句：

• The course will encompass physics,chemistry and biology.课程将包括物理、化学和生物学。
• The project will encompass rural and underdeveloped areas in China.这项工程将覆盖中国的农村和不发达地区。

401 plumed   

饰有羽毛的

参考例句：

• The knight plumed his helmet with brilliant red feathers. 骑士用鲜红的羽毛装饰他的头盔。
• The eagle plumed its wing. 这只鹰整理它的翅膀。

402 interspersed   

adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The grass was interspersed with beds of flowers. 草地上点缀着许多花坛。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

403 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

404 cone   

n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果

参考例句：

• Saw-dust piled up in a great cone.锯屑堆积如山。
• The police have sectioned off part of the road with traffic cone.警察用锥形路标把部分路面分隔开来。

405 denser   

adj. 不易看透的, 密集的, 浓厚的, 愚钝的

参考例句：

• The denser population necessitates closer consolidation both for internal and external action. 住得日益稠密的居民，对内和对外都不得不更紧密地团结起来。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• As Tito entered the neighbourhood of San Martino, he found the throng rather denser. 蒂托走近圣马丁教堂附近一带时，发现人群相当密集。

406 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

407 isolated   

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。

408 unbearably   

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》

409 tangible   

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。

410 syrup   

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。

411 glucose   

n.葡萄糖

参考例句：

• I gave him an extra dose of glucose to pep him up.我给他多注射了一剂葡萄糖以增强他的活力。
• The doctor injected glucose into his patient's veins.医生将葡萄糖注入病人的静脉。

412 thatch   

vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋)

参考例句：

• They lit a torch and set fire to the chapel's thatch.他们点着一支火把，放火烧了小教堂的茅草屋顶。
• They topped off the hut with a straw thatch. 他们给小屋盖上茅草屋顶。

413 veins   

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》

414 wheezing   

v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的现在分词 )；哮鸣

参考例句：

• He was coughing and wheezing all night. 他整夜又咳嗽又喘。
• A barrel-organ was wheezing out an old tune. 一架手摇风琴正在呼哧呼哧地奏着一首古老的曲子。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

415 woolen   

adj.羊毛(制)的；毛纺的

参考例句：

• She likes to wear woolen socks in winter.冬天她喜欢穿羊毛袜。
• There is one bar of woolen blanket on that bed.那张床上有一条毛毯。

416 toiling   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• The fiery orator contrasted the idle rich with the toiling working classes. 这位激昂的演说家把无所事事的富人同终日辛劳的工人阶级进行了对比。
• She felt like a beetle toiling in the dust. She was filled with repulsion. 她觉得自己像只甲虫在地里挣扎，心中涌满愤恨。

417 peculiar   

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。

418 streaks   

n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹

参考例句：

• streaks of grey in her hair 她头上的绺绺白发
• Bacon has streaks of fat and streaks of lean. 咸肉中有几层肥的和几层瘦的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

419 tapering   

adj.尖端细的

参考例句：

• Interest in the scandal seems to be tapering off. 人们对那件丑闻的兴趣似乎越来越小了。
• Nonproductive expenditures keep tapering down. 非生产性开支一直在下降。

420 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

421 hack   

n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳

参考例句：

• He made a hack at the log.他朝圆木上砍了一下。
• Early settlers had to hack out a clearing in the forest where they could grow crops.早期移民不得不在森林里劈出空地种庄稼。

422 whack   

v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒，在我背上猛拍一下。

423 cockroaches   

n.蟑螂( cockroach的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At night, the cockroaches filled the house with their rustlings. 夜里，屋里尽是蟑螂窸窸瑟瑟的声音。 来自辞典例句
• It loves cockroaches, and can keep a house clear of these hated insects. 它们好食蟑螂，可以使住宅免除这些讨厌昆虫的骚扰。 来自百科语句

424 toads   

n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆( toad的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All toads blink when they swallow. 所有的癞蛤蟆吞食东西时都会眨眼皮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Toads have shorter legs and are generally more clumsy than frogs. 蟾蜍比青蛙脚短，一般说来没有青蛙灵活。 来自辞典例句

425 wasps   

黄蜂( wasp的名词复数 )； 胡蜂； 易动怒的人； 刻毒的人

参考例句：

• There's a wasps' nest in that old tree. 那棵老树上有一个黄蜂巢。
• We live in dread not only of unpleasant insects like spiders or wasps, but of quite harmless ones like moths. 我们不仅生活在对象蜘蛛或黄蜂这样的小虫的惧怕中，而且生活在对诸如飞蛾这样无害昆虫的惧怕中

426 charred   

v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦

参考例句：

• the charred remains of a burnt-out car 被烧焦的轿车残骸
• The intensity of the explosion is recorded on the charred tree trunks. 那些烧焦的树干表明爆炸的强烈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

427 depredations   

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

428 thumping   

adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持

参考例句：

• Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

429 communal   

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。

430 ravenous   

adj.极饿的，贪婪的

参考例句：

• The ravenous children ate everything on the table.饿极了的孩子把桌上所有东西吃掉了。
• Most infants have a ravenous appetite.大多数婴儿胃口极好。

431 corrugated   

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》

432 originality   

n.创造力，独创性；新颖

参考例句：

• The name of the game in pop music is originality.流行音乐的本质是独创性。
• He displayed an originality amounting almost to genius.他显示出近乎天才的创造性。

433 blisters   

n.水疱( blister的名词复数 )；水肿；气泡

参考例句：

• My new shoes have made blisters on my heels. 我的新鞋把我的脚跟磨起泡了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His new shoes raised blisters on his feet. 他的新鞋把他的脚磨起了水疱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

434 allotted   

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。

435 suffocating   

a.使人窒息的

参考例句：

• After a few weeks with her parents, she felt she was suffocating.和父母呆了几个星期后，她感到自己毫无自由。
• That's better. I was suffocating in that cell of a room.这样好些了，我刚才在那个小房间里快闷死了。

436 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

437 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

438 hummingbirds   

n.蜂鸟( hummingbird的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious. 蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• Why do hummingbirds and gorillas both have backbones? 为什么蜂鸟和大猩猩都有脊骨？

439 evoking   

产生，引起，唤起( evoke的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Some occur in organisms without evoking symptoms. 一些存在于生物体中，但不发生症状。
• Nowadays, the protection of traditional knowledge is evoking heat discussion worldwide. 目前，全球都掀起了保护传统知识的热潮。

440 elite   

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。

441 swell   

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。

442 purgatory   

n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的

参考例句：

• Every step of the last three miles was purgatory.最后3英里时每一步都像是受罪。
• Marriage,with peace,is this world's paradise;with strife,this world's purgatory.和谐的婚姻是尘世的乐园，不和谐的婚姻则是人生的炼狱。

443 animation   

n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作

参考例句：

• They are full of animation as they talked about their childhood.当他们谈及童年的往事时都非常兴奋。
• The animation of China made a great progress.中国的卡通片制作取得很大发展。

444 precisely   

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。

445 loathe   

v.厌恶，嫌恶

参考例句：

• I loathe the smell of burning rubber.我厌恶燃着的橡胶散发的气味。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

446 loathed   

v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢

参考例句：

• Baker loathed going to this red-haired young pup for supplies. 面包师傅不喜欢去这个红头发的自负的傻小子那里拿原料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Therefore, above all things else, he loathed his miserable self! 因此，他厌恶不幸的自我尤胜其它！ 来自英汉文学 - 红字

447 indifference   

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。

448 remorse   

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。

449 incongruity   

n.不协调，不一致

参考例句：

• She smiled at the incongruity of the question.面对这样突兀的问题，她笑了。
• When the particular outstrips the general,we are faced with an incongruity.当特别是超过了总的来讲，我们正面临着一个不协调。

450 doorway   

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。

451 inhuman   

adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的

参考例句：

• We must unite the workers in fighting against inhuman conditions.我们必须使工人们团结起来反对那些难以忍受的工作条件。
• It was inhuman to refuse him permission to see his wife.不容许他去看自己的妻子是太不近人情了。

452 effigy   

n.肖像

参考例句：

• There the effigy stands,and stares from age to age across the changing ocean.雕像依然耸立在那儿，千秋万载地凝视着那变幻无常的大海。
• The deposed dictator was burned in effigy by the crowd.群众焚烧退位独裁者的模拟像。

453 smacking   

活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的

参考例句：

• He gave both of the children a good smacking. 他把两个孩子都狠揍了一顿。
• She inclined her cheek,and John gave it a smacking kiss. 她把头低下，约翰在她的脸上响亮的一吻。

454 smack   

vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍

参考例句：

• She gave him a smack on the face.她打了他一个嘴巴。
• I gave the fly a smack with the magazine.我用杂志拍了一下苍蝇。

455 fumed   

愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟

参考例句：

• He fumed with rage because she did not appear. 因为她没出现，所以他大发雷霆。
• He fumed and fretted and did not know what was the matter. 他烦躁，气恼，不知是怎么回事。

456 ardent   

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。

457 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

458 spines   

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》

459 layoff   

n.临时解雇，操作停止，活动停止期间，失业期

参考例句：

• Finally, prepare an explanation about what led to your layoff.最后，要准备好一套说辞来解释你被解雇的原因。
• Workers were re-employed after the layoff.在暂时解雇不久后工人们又被再度雇用了。

460 mincing   

adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎

参考例句：

• She came to the park with mincing,and light footsteps.她轻移莲步来到了花园之中。
• There is no use in mincing matters.掩饰事实是没有用的。

461 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

462 tallies   

n.账( tally的名词复数 )；符合；（计数的）签；标签v.计算，清点( tally的第三人称单数 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• Cash on hand tallies with the figure in the accounts. 现款跟账上的数目没有出入。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He tallies his own marks. 他把自己的得分记了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

463 sipped   

v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sipped his coffee pleasurably. 他怡然地品味着咖啡。
• I sipped the hot chocolate she had made. 我小口喝着她调制的巧克力热饮。 来自辞典例句

464 bouts   

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》

465 exquisitely   

adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地

参考例句：

• He found her exquisitely beautiful. 他觉得她异常美丽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He wore an exquisitely tailored gray silk and accessories to match. 他穿的是做工非常考究的灰色绸缎衣服，还有各种配得很协调的装饰。 来自教父部分

466 exquisite   

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。

467 cavern   

n.洞穴，大山洞

参考例句：

• The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。
• It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。

468 conservatory   

n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的

参考例句：

• At the conservatory,he learned how to score a musical composition.在音乐学校里，他学会了怎样谱曲。
• The modern conservatory is not an environment for nurturing plants.这个现代化温室的环境不适合培育植物。

469 dangling   

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。

470 orchids   

n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wild flowers such as orchids and primroses are becoming rare. 兰花和报春花这类野花越来越稀少了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She breeds orchids in her greenhouse. 她在温室里培育兰花。 来自《简明英汉词典》

471 propped   

支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sat propped up in the bed by pillows. 他靠着枕头坐在床上。
• This fence should be propped up. 这栅栏该用东西支一支。

472 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

473 gargantuan   

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。

474 fortress   

n.堡垒，防御工事

参考例句：

• They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
• The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。

475 vomited   

参考例句：

• Corbett leaned against the wall and promptly vomited. 科比特倚在墙边，马上呕吐了起来。
• 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

476 deluges   

v.使淹没( deluge的第三人称单数 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付

参考例句：

477 deluge   

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。

478 morsel   

n.一口，一点点

参考例句：

• He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
• The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。

479 reptile   

n.爬行动物；两栖动物

参考例句：

• The frog is not a true reptile.青蛙并非真正的爬行动物。
• So you should not be surprised to see someone keep a reptile as a pet.所以，你不必惊奇有人养了一只爬行动物作为宠物。

480 ordeal   

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。

481 patois   

n.方言；混合语

参考例句：

• In France patois was spoken in rural,less developed regions.在法国，欠发达的农村地区说方言。
• A substantial proportion of the population speak a French-based patois.人口中有一大部分说以法语为基础的混合语。

482 diminutive   

adj.小巧可爱的，小的

参考例句：

• Despite its diminutive size,the car is quite comfortable.尽管这辆车很小，但相当舒服。
• She has diminutive hands for an adult.作为一个成年人，她的手显得非常小。

483 seething   

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。

484 noisome   

adj.有害的，可厌的

参考例句：

• The air is infected with noisome gases.空气受到了有害气体的污染。
• I destroy all noisome and rank weeds ,I keep down all pestilent vapours.我摧毁了一切丛生的毒草，控制一切有害的烟雾。

485 dismally   

adv.阴暗地，沉闷地

参考例句：

• Fei Little Beard assented dismally. 费小胡子哭丧着脸回答。 来自子夜部分
• He began to howl dismally. 它就凄凉地吠叫起来。 来自辞典例句

486 dilemma   

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。

487 vows   

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。

488 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

489 scatter   

vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散

参考例句：

• You pile everything up and scatter things around.你把东西乱堆乱放。
• Small villages scatter at the foot of the mountain.村庄零零落落地散布在山脚下。

490 purely   

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。

491 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

492 checkered   

adj.有方格图案的

参考例句：

• The ground under the trees was checkered with sunlight and shade.林地光影交错。
• He’d had a checkered past in the government.他过去在政界浮沉。

493 buckled   

a. 有带扣的

参考例句：

• She buckled her belt. 她扣上了腰带。
• The accident buckled the wheel of my bicycle. 我自行车的轮子在事故中弄弯了。

494 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

495 halfway   

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。

496 outlaying   

v.支出，费用( outlay的现在分词 )

参考例句：

497 shack   

adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚

参考例句：

• He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.在走到他的茅棚以前，他不得不坐在地上歇了五次。
• The boys made a shack out of the old boards in the backyard.男孩们在后院用旧木板盖起一间小木屋。

498 mangrove   

n.(植物)红树，红树林

参考例句：

• It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
• Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。

499 aroma   

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。

500 mildew   

n.发霉；v.（使）发霉

参考例句：

• The interior was dark and smelled of mildew.里面光线很暗，霉味扑鼻。
• Mildew may form in this weather.这种天气有可能发霉。

501 gorge   

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。

502 dowdy   

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。

503 highland   

n.(pl.)高地，山地

参考例句：

• The highland game is part of Scotland's cultural heritage.苏格兰高地游戏是苏格兰文化遗产的一部分。
• The highland forests where few hunters venture have long been the bear's sanctuary.这片只有少数猎人涉险的高山森林，一直都是黑熊的避难所。

504 sensational   

adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的

参考例句：

• Papers of this kind are full of sensational news reports.这类报纸满是耸人听闻的新闻报道。
• Their performance was sensational.他们的演出妙极了。

505 relegated   

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》

506 merging   

合并（分类）

参考例句：

• Many companies continued to grow by merging with or buying competing firms. 许多公司通过合并或收买竞争对手的公司而不断扩大。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• To sequence by repeated splitting and merging. 用反复分开和合并的方法进行的排序。

507 flicked   

（尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等）

参考例句：

• She flicked the dust off her collar. 她轻轻弹掉了衣领上的灰尘。
• I idly picked up a magazine and flicked through it. 我漫不经心地拿起一本杂志翻看着。

508 shrill   

adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫

参考例句：

• Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
• The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

509 bonnet   

n.无边女帽；童帽

参考例句：

• The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光，使之不刺眼。
• She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽，帽上缀着褪了色的假花。

510 bonnets   

n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子

参考例句：

• All the best bonnets of the city were there. 城里戴最漂亮的无边女帽的妇女全都到场了。 来自辞典例句
• I am tempting you with bonnets and bangles and leading you into a pit. 我是在用帽子和镯子引诱你，引你上钩。 来自飘（部分）

511 scooped   

v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等）

参考例句：

• They scooped the other newspapers by revealing the matter. 他们抢先报道了这件事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• 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》

512 buckles   

搭扣，扣环( buckle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She gazed proudly at the shiny buckles on her shoes. 她骄傲地注视着鞋上闪亮的扣环。
• When the plate becomes unstable, it buckles laterally. 当板失去稳定时，就发生横向屈曲。

513 whoop   

n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息

参考例句：

• He gave a whoop of joy when he saw his new bicycle.他看到自己的新自行车时，高兴得叫了起来。
• Everybody is planning to whoop it up this weekend.大家都打算在这个周末好好欢闹一番。

514 exuberant   

adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的

参考例句：

• Hothouse plants do not possess exuberant vitality.在温室里培养出来的东西，不会有强大的生命力。
• All those mother trees in the garden are exuberant.果园里的那些母树都长得十分茂盛。

515 astringent   

adj.止血的，收缩的，涩的；n.收缩剂，止血剂

参考例句：

• It has an astringent effect.这个有止血的作用。
• Green persimmons are strongly astringent.绿柿子非常涩。

516 torpor   

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。

517 stinking   

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

518 miasma   

n.毒气；不良气氛

参考例句：

• A miasma rose from the marsh.沼泽地里冒出了瘴气。
• The novel spun a miasma of death and decay.小说笼罩着死亡和腐朽的气氛。

519 lament   

n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹

参考例句：

• Her face showed lament.她的脸上露出悲伤的样子。
• We lament the dead.我们哀悼死者。

520 hissed   

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。

521 liars   

说谎者( liar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The greatest liars talk most of themselves. 最爱自吹自擂的人是最大的说谎者。
• Honest boys despise lies and liars. 诚实的孩子鄙视谎言和说谎者。

522 contrite   

adj.悔悟了的，后悔的，痛悔的

参考例句：

• She was contrite the morning after her angry outburst.她发了一顿脾气之后一早上追悔莫及。
• She assumed a contrite expression.她装出一副后悔的表情。

523 miserable   

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。

524 miser   

n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)

参考例句：

• The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。

525 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

526 schisms   

n.教会分立，分裂( schism的名词复数 )

参考例句：

527 heresies   

n.异端邪说，异教( heresy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• However, life would be pleasanter if Rhett would recant his heresies. 不过，如果瑞德放其他的那套异端邪说，生活就会惬意得多。 来自飘（部分）
• The heresy of heresies was common sense. 一切异端当中顶大的异端——那便是常识。 来自英汉文学

528 bishops   

（基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象

参考例句：

• Each player has two bishops at the start of the game. 棋赛开始时，每名棋手有两只象。
• "Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. “他劫富济贫，抢的都是郡长、主教、国王之类的富人。

529 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

530 boon   

n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠

参考例句：

• A car is a real boon when you live in the country.在郊外居住，有辆汽车确实极为方便。
• These machines have proved a real boon to disabled people.事实证明这些机器让残疾人受益匪浅。

531 cardinal   

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。

532 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

533 knack   

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。

534 prominence   

n.突出；显著；杰出；重要

参考例句：

• He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
• This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。

535 ruffling   

弄皱( ruffle的现在分词 )； 弄乱； 激怒； 扰乱

参考例句：

• A cool breeze brushed his face, ruffling his hair. 一阵凉风迎面拂来，吹乱了他的头发。
• "Indeed, they do not,'said Pitty, ruffling. "说真的，那倒不一定。" 皮蒂皱皱眉头，表示异议。

536 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

537 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

538 minaret   

n.（回教寺院的）尖塔

参考例句：

• The minaret is 65 meters high,the second highest in the world.光塔高65米，高度位居世界第二。
• It stands on a high marble plinth with a minaret at each corner.整个建筑建立在一个高大的大理石底座上，每个角上都有一个尖塔。

539 barbarians   

n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人

参考例句：

• The ancient city of Rome fell under the iron hooves of the barbarians. 古罗马城在蛮族的铁蹄下沦陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It conquered its conquerors, the barbarians. 它战胜了征服者——蛮族。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

540 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

541 knell   

n.丧钟声；v.敲丧钟

参考例句：

• That is the death knell of the British Empire.这是不列颠帝国的丧钟。
• At first he thought it was a death knell.起初，他以为是死亡的丧钟敲响了。

542 slippers   

n. 拖鞋

参考例句：

• a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
• He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

543 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

544 puritanical   

adj.极端拘谨的；道德严格的

参考例句：

• He has a puritanical attitude towards sex.他在性问题上主张克制，反对纵欲。
• Puritanical grandfather is very strict with his children.古板严厉的祖父对子女要求非常严格。

545 lustful   

a.贪婪的；渴望的

参考例句：

• Adelmo agreed and duly submitted to Berengar's lustful advances. 阿德尔摩同意了并适时地顺从了贝仁格情欲的增长。
• The lustful scenes of the movie were abhorrent to the old lady. 电影里淫荡的画面让这老妇人厌恶。

546 accolade   

n.推崇备至，赞扬

参考例句：

• Four restaurants have been awarded the highest accolade of a three-star rating.四家餐馆获授予三星级餐馆的最高荣誉称号。
• The Nobel prize has become the ultimate accolade in the sciences.诺贝尔奖已成为科学界的最高荣誉。

547 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

548 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

549 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

550 beads   

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。

551 dissimulation   

n.掩饰，虚伪，装糊涂

参考例句：

• A habit of dissimulation is a hindrance, and a poorness to him. 在他这样的一个人，一种掩饰的习惯是一种阻挠，一个弱点。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Still we have our limits beyond which we call dissimulation treachery. 不过我们仍然有自己的限度，超过这个界限，就是虚伪与背信弃义。 来自辞典例句

552 apprehension   

n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑

参考例句：

• There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。
• She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

553 grimaced   

v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He grimaced at the bitter taste. 他一尝那苦味，做了个怪相。
• She grimaced at the sight of all the work. 她一看到这么多的工作就皱起了眉头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

554 forsook   

forsake的过去式

参考例句：

• He faithlessly forsook his friends in their hour of need. 在最需要的时刻他背信弃义地抛弃朋友。
• She forsook her worldly possessions to devote herself to the church. 她抛弃世上的财物而献身教会。

555 forsake   

vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃

参考例句：

• She pleaded with her husband not to forsake her.她恳求丈夫不要抛弃她。
• You must forsake your bad habits.你必须革除你的坏习惯。

556 relic   

n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物

参考例句：

• This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。
• He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。

557 rectify   

v.订正，矫正，改正

参考例句：

• The matter will rectify itself in a few days.那件事过几天就会变好。
• You can rectify this fault if you insert a slash.插人一条斜线便可以纠正此错误。

558 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

559 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

560 pickle   

n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡

参考例句：

• Mother used to pickle onions.妈妈过去常腌制洋葱。
• Meat can be preserved in pickle.肉可以保存在卤水里。

561 quacks   

abbr.quacksalvers 庸医，骗子(16世纪习惯用水银或汞治疗梅毒的人)n.江湖医生( quack的名词复数 )；江湖郎中；（鸭子的）呱呱声v.（鸭子）发出嘎嘎声( quack的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• I went everywhere for treatment, tried all sorts of quacks. 我四处求医，看过了各种各样的江湖郎中。 来自辞典例句
• Hard-working medical men may come to be almost as mischievous as quacks. 辛勤工作的医生可能变成江湖郎中那样的骗子。 来自辞典例句

562 sagging   

下垂[沉，陷]，松垂，垂度

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is continuously sagging. 敌军的士气不断低落。
• We are sagging south. 我们的船正离开航线向南漂流。

563 idyllic   

adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的

参考例句：

• These scenes had an idyllic air.这种情景多少有点田园气氛。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

564 precursors   

n.先驱( precursor的名词复数 )；先行者；先兆；初期形式

参考例句：

• Phenyl (or polyphenyl) substituted epoxides serve as excellent precursors to phenyl (or diphenyl) carbenes. 某些苯代（或多苯）环氧乙烷是制取带苯环（或二苯）碳烯的极好原料。 来自辞典例句
• Note the presence of megakaryocytes, erythroid islands, and granulocytic precursors. 可见巨核细胞，红细胞岛和粒细胞前体细胞。 来自互联网

565 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

566 benign   

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。

567 awesome   

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.

568 ribs   

n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

569 protruding   

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

570 haze   

n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊

参考例句：

• I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
• He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

571 niche   

n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)

参考例句：

• Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
• The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

572 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

573 concealing   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

574 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

575 bellies   

n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的

参考例句：

• They crawled along on their bellies. 他们匍匐前进。
• starving children with huge distended bellies 鼓着浮肿肚子的挨饿儿童

576 grunting   

咕哝的，呼噜的

参考例句：

• He pulled harder on the rope, grunting with the effort. 他边用力边哼声，使出更大的力气拉绳子。
• Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。

577 sneaked   

v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状

参考例句：

• I sneaked up the stairs. 我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。
• She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch. 她偷偷看了一眼手表。

578 rhythmic   

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。

579 maneuvered   

v.移动，用策略( maneuver的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵

参考例句：

• I maneuvered my way among the tables to the back corner of the place. 我在那些桌子间穿行，来到那地方后面的角落。 来自辞典例句
• The admiral maneuvered his ships in the battle plan. 舰队司令按作战计划进行舰队演习。 来自辞典例句

580 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

581 plausibly   

似真地

参考例句：

• The case was presented very plausibly. 案情的申述似很可信。
• He argued very plausibly for its acceptance. 他为使之认可辩解得头头是道。

582 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

583 fascination   

n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋

参考例句：

• He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
• His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

584 embroidery   

n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品

参考例句：

• This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。
• This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

585 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

586 delusions   

n.欺骗( delusion的名词复数 )；谬见；错觉；妄想

参考例句：

• the delusions of the mentally ill 精神病患者的妄想
• She wants to travel first-class: she must have delusions of grandeur. 她想坐头等舱旅行，她一定自以为很了不起。 来自辞典例句

587 delusion   

n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑

参考例句：

• He is under the delusion that he is Napoleon.他患了妄想症，认为自己是拿破仑。
• I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.我误认为他要娶我。

588 incubus   

n.负担；恶梦

参考例句：

• Joyce regarded his US citizenship as a moral and political incubus.乔伊斯把他的美国公民身份当做是一个道德和政治上的负担。Like the sumerian wind demon and its later babylonian counterpart,Lilith was regarded as a succubus,or female version of the incubus.像风妖苏美尔和后来的巴比伦妖怪，莉莉丝被视为一个女妖，或女版梦魇。

589 recalcitrant   

adj.倔强的

参考例句：

• The University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstraters.这所大学把几个反抗性最强的示威者开除了。
• Donkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant animals.驴被认为是最倔强的牲畜。

590 pretense   

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。

591 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

592 resentment   

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。

593 waddled   

v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A family of ducks waddled along the river bank. 一群鸭子沿河岸摇摇摆摆地走。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The stout old man waddled across the road. 那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

594 addled   

adj.（头脑）糊涂的，愚蠢的；（指蛋类）变坏v.使糊涂( addle的过去式和过去分词 )；使混乱；使腐臭；使变质

参考例句：

• Being in love must have addled your brain. 坠入爱河必已使你神魂颠倒。
• He has addled his head with reading and writing all day long. 他整天读书写字，头都昏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

595 WHIMS   

虚妄，禅病

参考例句：

• The mate observed regretfully that he could not account for that young fellow's whims. 那位伙伴很遗憾地说他不能说出那年轻人产生怪念头的原因。
• The rest she had for food and her own whims. 剩下的钱她用来吃饭和买一些自己喜欢的东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

596 gallant   

adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的

参考例句：

• Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
• These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

597 bastard   

n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子

参考例句：

• He was never concerned about being born a bastard.他从不介意自己是私生子。
• There was supposed to be no way to get at the bastard.据说没有办法买通那个混蛋。

598 graceful   

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。

599 aloof   

adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的

参考例句：

• Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
• On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。

600 abjection   

n. 卑鄙, 落魄

参考例句：

• We protest this vile abjection of youth to age. 我们反对年轻人如此卑劣地苛待老年人。
• I simply cannot put up with your abjection to his patronizing tone. 我就是受不了你对他那种高高在上的腔调还那么低三下四。

601 obsession   

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。

602 shuffled   

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》

603 passionately   

ad.热烈地，激烈地

参考例句：

• She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿，也能爱得一往情深。
• He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。

604 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

605 versed   

adj. 精通，熟练

参考例句：

• He is well versed in history.他精通历史。
• He versed himself in European literature. 他精通欧洲文学。

606 propping   

支撑

参考例句：

• You can usually find Jack propping up the bar at his local. 你常常可以看见杰克频繁出没于他居住的那家酒店。
• The government was accused of propping up declining industries. 政府被指责支持日益衰败的产业。

607 wryly   

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

608 temerity   

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。

609 stipulate   

vt.规定，（作为条件）讲定，保证

参考例句：

• International rules stipulate the number of foreign entrants.国际规则规定了外国参赛者的人数。
• Some manufacturers stipulate the price at which their goods are to be sold.有些制造商规定出售他们生产的商品的价格。

610 copious   

adj.丰富的，大量的

参考例句：

• She supports her theory with copious evidences.她以大量的例证来充实自己的理论。
• Every star is a copious source of neutrinos.每颗恒星都是丰富的中微子源。

611 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

612 maliciously   

adv.有敌意地

参考例句：

• He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His enemies maliciously conspired to ruin him. 他的敌人恶毒地密谋搞垮他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

613 sanctimonious   

adj.假装神圣的，假装虔诚的，假装诚实的

参考例句：

• It's that sanctimonious air that people can't stand.人们所不能容忍的就是那副假正经的样子。
• You do not have to be so sanctimonious to prove that you are devout.您不必如此伪善。

614 killing   

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。

615 misty   

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。

616 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

617 grudgingly   

参考例句：

• He grudgingly acknowledged having made a mistake. 他勉强承认他做错了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Their parents unwillingly [grudgingly] consented to the marriage. 他们的父母无可奈何地应允了这门亲事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

618 supple   

adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺

参考例句：

• She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好，因为她的天性柔和。
• He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。

619 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

620 crook   

v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处)

参考例句：

• He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.我骂他骗子，他要我向他认错。
• She was cradling a small parcel in the crook of her elbow.她用手臂挎着一个小包裹。

621 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》

622 scuttle   

v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗

参考例句：

• There was a general scuttle for shelter when the rain began to fall heavily.下大雨了，人们都飞跑着寻找躲雨的地方。
• The scuttle was open,and the good daylight shone in.明朗的亮光从敞开的小窗中照了进来。

623 winced   

赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子，疼得他龇牙咧嘴。
• He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。

624 sob   

n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣

参考例句：

• The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
• The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。

625 moths   

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》

626 rapport   

n.和睦，意见一致

参考例句：

• She has an excellent rapport with her staff.她跟她职员的关系非常融洽。
• We developed a high degree of trust and a considerable personal rapport.我们发展了高度的互相信任和不错的私人融洽关系。

627 bad-tempered   

adj.脾气坏的

参考例句：

• He grew more and more bad-tempered as the afternoon wore on.随着下午一点点地过去，他的脾气也越来越坏。
• I know he's often bad-tempered but really,you know,he's got a heart of gold.我知道他经常发脾气，但是，要知道，其实他心肠很好。

628 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

629 riveting   

adj.动听的，令人着迷的，完全吸引某人注意力的；n.铆接（法）

参考例句：

• I find snooker riveting though I don't play myself.虽然我自己不打斯诺克，但是我觉得它挺令人着迷。
• To my amazement,I found it riveting.但令我惊讶的是，我发现它的吸引人处。

630 cerebral   

adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的

参考例句：

• Your left cerebral hemisphere controls the right-hand side of your body.你的左半脑控制身体的右半身。
• He is a precise,methodical,cerebral man who carefully chooses his words.他是一个一丝不苟、有条理和理智的人，措辞谨慎。

631 fiddling   

微小的

参考例句：

• He was fiddling with his keys while he talked to me. 和我谈话时他不停地摆弄钥匙。
• All you're going to see is a lot of fiddling around. 你今天要看到的只是大量的胡摆乱弄。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦

632 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

633 writhing   

（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She was writhing around on the floor in agony. 她痛得在地板上直打滚。
• He was writhing on the ground in agony. 他痛苦地在地上打滚。

634 vault   

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。

635 usurped   

篡夺，霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权

参考例句：

• That magazine usurped copyrighted material. 那杂志盗用了版权为他人所有的素材。
• The expression'social engineering'has been usurped by the Utopianist without a shadow of light. “社会工程”这个词已被乌托邦主义者毫无理由地盗用了。

636 blotting   

吸墨水纸

参考例句：

• Water will permeate blotting paper. 水能渗透吸水纸。
• One dab with blotting-paper and the ink was dry. 用吸墨纸轻轻按了一下，墨水就乾了。

637 cleaver   

n.切肉刀

参考例句：

• In fact,a cleaver is a class of ax.实际上，切肉刀也是斧子的一种。
• The cleaver is ground to a very sharp edge.刀磨得飞快。

638 clergy   

n.[总称]牧师，神职人员

参考例句：

• I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
• All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

639 celibacy   

n.独身(主义)

参考例句：

• People in some religious orders take a vow of celibacy. 有些宗教修会的人发誓不结婚。
• The concept of celibacy carries connotations of asceticism and religious fervor. 修道者的独身观念含有禁欲与宗教热情之意。

640 fretting   

n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的

参考例句：

• Fretting about it won't help. 苦恼于事无补。
• The old lady is always fretting over something unimportant. 那位老妇人总是为一些小事焦虑不安。

641 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

642 loomed   

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》

643 scudding   

n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clouds were scudding across the sky. 云飞越天空。 来自辞典例句
• China Advertising Photo Market-Like a Rising Wind and Scudding Clouds. 中国广告图片市场：风起云涌。 来自互联网

644 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

645 cyclones   

n.气旋( cyclone的名词复数 )；旋风；飓风；暴风

参考例句：

• The pricipal objective in designing cyclones is to create a vortex. 设计旋风除尘器的主要目的在于造成涡旋运动。 来自辞典例句
• Middle-latitude cyclones originate at the popar front. 中纬度地区的气旋发源于极锋。 来自辞典例句

646 stilts   

n.（支撑建筑物高出地面或水面的）桩子，支柱( stilt的名词复数 )；高跷

参考例句：

• a circus performer on stilts 马戏团里踩高跷的演员
• The bamboo huts here are all built on stilts. 这里的竹楼都是架空的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

647 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

648 steward   

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。

649 suffused   

v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her face was suffused with colour. 她满脸通红。
• Her eyes were suffused with warm, excited tears. 她激动地热泪盈眶。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

650 translucent   

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。

651 fathoms   

英寻( fathom的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The harbour is four fathoms deep. 港深为四英寻。
• One bait was down forty fathoms. 有个鱼饵下沉到四十英寻的深处。

652 grotto   

n.洞穴

参考例句：

• We reached a beautiful grotto,whose entrance was almost hiden by the vine.我们到达了一个美丽的洞穴，洞的进口几乎被藤蔓遮掩著。
• Water trickles through an underground grotto.水沿着地下岩洞流淌。

653 vistas   

长条形景色( vista的名词复数 )； 回顾； 展望； （未来可能发生的）一系列情景

参考例句：

• This new job could open up whole new vistas for her. 这项新工作可能给她开辟全新的前景。
• The picture is small but It'shows broad vistas. 画幅虽然不大，所表现的天地却十分广阔。

654 hued   

有某种色调的

参考例句：

• Our hands were variedly hued by handling all the chemicals. 因为处理多种化学药剂，我们的手上染上了各种颜色。
• In highlights it hued to a dull silver-grey. 在高光部分，它被染成暗淡的银灰色。

655 lagoon   

n.泻湖，咸水湖

参考例句：

• The lagoon was pullulated with tropical fish.那个咸水湖聚满了热带鱼。
• This area isolates a restricted lagoon environment.将这一地区隔离起来使形成一个封闭的泻湖环境。

656 literally   

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。

657 crimson   

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。

658 foam   

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。

659 leeward   

adj.背风的；下风的

参考例句：

• The trees all listed to leeward.树木统统向下风方向倾。
• We steered a course to leeward.我们向下风航驶。

660 tinged   

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

661 seduced   

诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷

参考例句：

• The promise of huge profits seduced him into parting with his money. 高额利润的许诺诱使他把钱出了手。
• His doctrines have seduced many into error. 他的学说把许多人诱入歧途。

662 soothed   

v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦

参考例句：

• The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。
• The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

663 lark   

n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏

参考例句：

• He thinks it cruel to confine a lark in a cage.他认为把云雀关在笼子里太残忍了。
• She lived in the village with her grandparents as cheerful as a lark.她同祖父母一起住在乡间非常快活。

664 amenities   

n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快

参考例句：

• The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
• Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

665 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。

666 unpacked   

v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等）

参考例句：

• I unpacked my bags as soon as I arrived. 我一到达就打开行李，整理衣物。
• Our guide unpacked a picnic of ham sandwiches and offered us tea. 我们的导游打开装着火腿三明治的野餐盒，并给我们倒了些茶水。 来自辞典例句

667 domain   

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。

668 solitude   

n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方

参考例句：

• People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
• They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。

669 distress   

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。

670 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

671 bolstered   

v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He bolstered his plea with new evidence. 他举出新的证据来支持他的抗辩。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The data must be bolstered by inferences and indirect estimates of varying degrees of reliability. 这些资料必须借助于推理及可靠程度不同的间接估计。 来自辞典例句

672 garishly   

adv.鲜艳夺目地，俗不可耐地；华丽地

参考例句：

• The temple was garishly decorated with bright plastic flowers. 鲜艳的塑料花把教堂装扮得很华丽。 来自互联网

673 anemones   

n.银莲花( anemone的名词复数 )；海葵

参考例句：

• With its powerful tentacles, it tries to prise the anemones off. 它想用强壮的触角截获海葵。 来自互联网
• Density, scale, thickness are still influencing the anemones shape. 密度、大小、厚度是受最原始的那股海葵的影响。 来自互联网

674 tentacles   

n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛

参考例句：

• Tentacles of fear closed around her body. 恐惧的阴影笼罩着她。
• Many molluscs have tentacles. 很多软体动物有触角。 来自《简明英汉词典》

675 fluted   

a.有凹槽的

参考例句：

• The Taylor house is that white one with the tall fluted column on Polyock Street. 泰勒家的住宅在波洛克街上，就是那幢有高大的雕花柱子的白色屋子。
• Single chimera light pink two-tone fluted star. Plain, pointed. Large. 单瓣深浅不一的亮粉红色星形缟花，花瓣端有凹痕。平坦尖型叶。大型。

676 clams   

n.蛤；蚌，蛤( clam的名词复数 )v.（在沙滩上）挖蛤( clam的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The restaurant's specialities are fried clams. 这个餐厅的特色菜是炸蚌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We dug clams in the flats et low tide. 退潮时我们在浅滩挖蛤蜊。 来自辞典例句

677 beckoned   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
• The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

678 tantalizing   

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

679 mermaid   

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。

680 alluring   

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。

681 taunting   

嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落

参考例句：

• She wagged a finger under his nose in a taunting gesture. 她当着他的面嘲弄地摇晃着手指。
• His taunting inclination subdued for a moment by the old man's grief and wildness. 老人的悲伤和狂乱使他那嘲弄的意图暂时收敛起来。

682 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

683 gaudier   

adj.花哨的，俗气的( gaudy的比较级 )

参考例句：

• But no, there was something gaudier even than this. He would be a pirate! 这不还不够劲，还有比这更神气的事情，他要去当海盗！ 来自互联网

684 fanged   

adj.有尖牙的，有牙根的，有毒牙的

参考例句：

• The piercing wind fanged his ears. 刺骨的寒风吹得他耳朵疼痛。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The fanged dagger, with spikes protruding from the handle. 手柄有突出尖状物的有尖牙状的匕首。 来自互联网

685 lurking   

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》

686 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

687 twig   

n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解

参考例句：

• He heard the sharp crack of a twig.他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。
• The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away.细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。

688 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

689 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

690 tangled   

adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Your hair's so tangled that I can't comb it. 你的头发太乱了，我梳不动。
• A movement caught his eye in the tangled undergrowth. 乱灌木丛里的晃动引起了他的注意。

691 clumps   

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》

692 omission   

n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长

参考例句：

• The omission of the girls was unfair.把女孩排除在外是不公平的。
• The omission of this chapter from the third edition was a gross oversight.第三版漏印这一章是个大疏忽。

693 wails   

痛哭，哭声( wail的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The child burst into loud wails. 那个孩子突然大哭起来。
• Through this glaciated silence the white wails of the apartment fixed arbitrary planes. 在这冰封似的沉寂中，公寓的白色墙壁构成了一个个任意的平面。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻

694 crabs   

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》

695 deliberately   

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。

696 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

697 sentimental   

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。

698 salvaging   

（从火灾、海难等中）抢救（某物）( salvage的现在分词 )； 回收利用（某物）

参考例句：

• A shipping company has made a claim for the cost of salvaging a sunken ship. 某轮船公司要求赔赏打捞沉船的费用。（make a claim 要求）
• It is not uncommon to hear that a shipping company has made a claim for the cost of salvaging a sunken ship. 航运公司为打捞沉船的费用而提出要求，这并非奇闻。

699 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

700 strapped   

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》

701 vaulted   

adj.拱状的

参考例句：

• She vaulted over the gate and ran up the path. 她用手一撑跃过栅栏门沿着小路跑去。
• The formal living room has a fireplace and vaulted ceilings. 正式的客厅有一个壁炉和拱形天花板。

702 retrieved   

v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息）

参考例句：

• Yesterday I retrieved the bag I left in the train. 昨天我取回了遗留在火车上的包。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He reached over and retrieved his jacket from the back seat. 他伸手从后座上取回了自己的夹克。 来自辞典例句

703 freckles   

n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She had a wonderful clear skin with an attractive sprinkling of freckles. 她光滑的皮肤上有几处可爱的小雀斑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• When she lies in the sun, her face gets covered in freckles. 她躺在阳光下时，脸上布满了斑点。 来自《简明英汉词典》

704 salaam   

n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼

参考例句：

• And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好，灿然微笑着和我打招呼，说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
• Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。

705 rhythmically   

adv.有节奏地

参考例句：

• A pigeon strutted along the roof, cooing rhythmically. 一只鸽子沿着屋顶大摇大摆地走，有节奏地咕咕叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Exposures of rhythmically banded protore are common in the workings. 在工作面中常见有韵律条带“原矿石”。 来自辞典例句

706 orphanages   

孤儿院( orphanage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It is Rotarians running orphanages for children who have no homes. 扶轮社员们为没有家的孩子办孤儿院。
• Through the years, she built churches, hospitals and orphanages. 许多年来，她盖了一间间的教堂、医院、育幼院。

707 flex   

n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展

参考例句：

• We wound off a couple of yards of wire for a new lamp flex.我们解开几码电线作为新的电灯花线。
• He gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies.他收缩他的肱二头肌以吸引那些女士们的目光。

708 corks   

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）

709 fabulously   

难以置信地，惊人地

参考例句：

• The couple are said to be fabulously wealthy. 据说这对夫妇家财万贯。
• I should say this shirt matches your trousers fabulously. 我得说这衬衫同你的裤子非常相配。

710 snugly   

adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地

参考例句：

• Jamie was snugly wrapped in a white woolen scarf. 杰米围着一条白色羊毛围巾舒适而暖和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The farmyard was snugly sheltered with buildings on three sides. 这个农家院三面都有楼房，遮得很严实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

711 rumbles   

隆隆声，辘辘声( rumble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If I hear any rumbles I'll let you know. 我要是听到什么风声就告诉你。
• Three blocks away train rumbles by. 三个街区以外，火车隆隆驶过。

712 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

713 ideologies   

n.思想（体系）( ideology的名词复数 )；思想意识；意识形态；观念形态

参考例句：

• There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies. 这两种思想意识之间并没有根本的分歧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Radical ideologies require to contrast to their own goodness the wickedness of some other system. 凡是过激的意识形态，都需要有另外一个丑恶的制度作对比，才能衬托出自己的善良。 来自辞典例句

714 inevitable   

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。

715 eyelid   

n.眼睑，眼皮

参考例句：

• She lifted one eyelid to see what he was doing.她抬起一只眼皮看看他在做什么。
• My eyelid has been tumid since yesterday.从昨天起，我的眼皮就肿了。

716 contemplated   

adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。
• The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。

717 expediency   

n.适宜；方便；合算；利己

参考例句：

• The government is torn between principle and expediency. 政府在原则与权宜之间难于抉择。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was difficult to strike the right balance between justice and expediency. 在公正与私利之间很难两全。 来自辞典例句

718 steadily   

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。

719 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

720 iota   

n.些微，一点儿

参考例句：

• There is not an iota of truth in his story.他的故事没有一点是真的。
• He's never shown an iota of interest in any kind of work.他从来没有对任何工作表现出一点儿兴趣。

721 anonymous   

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。

722 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

723 remains   

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。

724 sputtering   

n.反应溅射法；飞溅；阴极真空喷镀；喷射v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的现在分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出

参考例句：

• A wick was sputtering feebly in a dish of oil. 瓦油灯上结了一个大灯花，使微弱的灯光变得更加阴暗。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• Jack ran up to the referee, sputtering protest. 贾克跑到裁判跟前，唾沫飞溅地提出抗议。 来自辞典例句

725 stunned   

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。

726 stilted   

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。

727 jug   

n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂

参考例句：

• He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐，保持着平衡往前走。
• She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。

728 verandas   

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。

729 steadfastly   

adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝

参考例句：

• So he sat, with a steadfastly vacant gaze, pausing in his work. 他就像这样坐着，停止了工作，直勾勾地瞪着眼。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• Defarge and his wife looked steadfastly at one another. 德伐日和他的妻子彼此凝视了一会儿。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

730 frantically   

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。

731 query   

n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• They raised a query on his sincerity.他们对他是否真诚提出质疑。

732 unearth   

v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出

参考例句：

• Most of the unearth relics remain intact.大多数出土文物仍保持完整无损。
• More human remains have been unearthed in the north.北部又挖掘出了更多的人体遗骸。

733 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

734 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

735 distressingly   

adv. 令人苦恼地；悲惨地

参考例句：

• He died distressingly by the sword. 他惨死于剑下。
• At the moment, the world's pandemic-alert system is distressingly secretive. 出于对全人类根本利益的考虑，印尼政府宣布将禽流感病毒的基因数据向所有人开放。

736 goaded   

v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人

参考例句：

• Goaded beyond endurance, she turned on him and hit out. 她被气得忍无可忍，于是转身向他猛击。
• 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》

737 cemetery   

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。

738 perpetuated   

vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• This system perpetuated itself for several centuries. 这一制度维持了几个世纪。
• I never before saw smile caught like that, and perpetuated. 我从来没有看见过谁的笑容陷入这样的窘况，而且持续不变。 来自辞典例句

739 nurtured   

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。

740 facets   

n.（宝石或首饰的）小平面( facet的名词复数 )；（事物的）面；方面

参考例句：

• The question had many facets. 这个问题是多方面的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A fully cut brilliant diamond has 68 facets. 经过充分切刻的光彩夺目的钻石有68个小平面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

741 succumbed   

不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死

参考例句：

• The town succumbed after a short siege. 该城被围困不久即告失守。
• After an artillery bombardment lasting several days the town finally succumbed. 在持续炮轰数日后，该城终于屈服了。

742 folly   

n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话

参考例句：

• Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
• Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

743 juvenile   

n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的

参考例句：

• For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。
• Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。

744 immature   

adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的

参考例句：

• Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
• The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。

745 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。

746 dormant   

adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的

参考例句：

• Many animals are in a dormant state during winter.在冬天许多动物都处于睡眠状态。
• This dormant volcano suddenly fired up.这座休眠火山突然爆发了。

747 detonation   

n.爆炸；巨响

参考例句：

• A fearful detonation burst forth on the barricade.街垒传来一阵骇人的爆炸声。
• Within a few hundreds of microseconds,detonation is complete.在几百微秒之内，爆炸便完成了。

748 chaos   

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。

749 subservient   

adj.卑屈的，阿谀的

参考例句：

• He was subservient and servile.他低声下气、卑躬屈膝。
• It was horrible to have to be affable and subservient.不得不强作欢颜卖弄风骚，真是太可怕了。

750 infancy   

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。

751 profanation   

n.亵渎

参考例句：

• He felt it as a profanation to break upon that enchanted strain. 他觉得打断这迷人的音乐是极不礼貌。 来自辞典例句

752 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

753 symbiosis   

n.共生（关系），共栖

参考例句：

• They live in a symbiosis with governments that they are financing.他们与他们服务的政府互利共存。
• The symbiosis between social values and political structure has produced extraordinary achievement.社会价值观念和政治结构的共生现象带来了非凡的成就。

754 crevices   

n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It has bedded into the deepest crevices of the store. 它已钻进了店里最隐避的隙缝。 来自辞典例句
• The wind whistled through the crevices in the rock. 风呼啸着吹过岩石的缝隙。 来自辞典例句

755 awaken   

vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起

参考例句：

• Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。
• Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

756 yearning   

a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的

参考例句：

• a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
• He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

757 abjure   

v.发誓放弃

参考例句：

• The conqueror tried to make the natives abjure their religion.征服者试著让当地人宣誓放弃他们的宗教。
• Some of the Roman Emperors tried to make Christians abjure their religion.有些罗马皇帝试著使基督教徒宣誓放弃他们的宗教。

758 rosebud   

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。

759 sleekly   

光滑地，光泽地

参考例句：

• A finely-tuned body-color spoiler is sleekly integrated in the deck lid. 阿精调车身颜色扰流是光滑集成在行李箱盖。
• The wet road was shining sleekly. 湿漉漉的道路闪着亮光。

760 exasperating   

adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Our team's failure is very exasperating. 我们队失败了，真是气死人。
• It is really exasperating that he has not turned up when the train is about to leave. 火车快开了， 他还不来，实在急人。

761 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

762 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

763 ecstasy   

n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷

参考例句：

• He listened to the music with ecstasy.他听音乐听得入了神。
• Speechless with ecstasy,the little boys gazed at the toys.小孩注视着那些玩具，高兴得说不出话来。

764 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。

765 respite   

n.休息，中止，暂缓

参考例句：

• She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。
• Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。

766 blotted   

涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干

参考例句：

• She blotted water off the table with a towel. 她用毛巾擦干桌上的水。
• The blizzard blotted out the sky and the land. 暴风雪铺天盖地而来。

767 supremely   

adv.无上地，崇高地

参考例句：

• They managed it all supremely well. 这件事他们干得极其出色。
• I consider a supremely beautiful gesture. 我觉得这是非常优雅的姿态。

768 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

769 cleaving   

v.劈开，剁开，割开( cleave的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The freighter carrying pig iron is cleaving through the water. 装着生铁的货船正在破浪前进。 来自辞典例句
• IL-10-cDNA fragment was obtained through cleaving pUC-T-IL-10cDNA by reconstriction enzymes. 结果：pcDNA3.1-IL-10酶切鉴定的电泳结果显示，pcDNA3.1-IL-10质粒有一个560bp左右的插入片断，大小和IL-10cDNA大致符合。 来自互联网

770 alluringly   

诱人地，妩媚地

参考例句：

• She turned and smiled alluringly at Douglas. 她转过身对道格拉斯报以迷人的一笑。 来自柯林斯例句

771 relinquishing   

交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• The international relinquishing of sovereignty would have to spring from the people. 在国际间放弃主权一举要由人民提出要求。
• We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. 我们很明白，没有人会为了废除权力而夺取权力。 来自英汉文学

772 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

773 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？

774 presumptuous   

adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的

参考例句：

• It would be presumptuous for anybody to offer such a view.任何人提出这种观点都是太放肆了。
• It was presumptuous of him to take charge.他自拿主张，太放肆了。

775 obedience   

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。

776 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

777 phantom   

n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的

参考例句：

• I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
• He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

778 crumbling   

adj.摇摇欲坠的

参考例句：

• an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
• The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

779 scuttled   

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》

780 worthiness   

价值，值得

参考例句：

• It'satisfies the spraying robot's function requirement and has practical worthiness. " 运行试验表明，系统工作稳定可靠，满足了喷雾机器人的功能要求，具有实用价值。
• The judge will evaluate the worthiness of these claims. 法官会评估这些索赔的价值。

781 eradicated   

画着根的

参考例句：

• Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
• The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。

782 caresses   

爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A breeze caresses the cheeks. 微风拂面。
• Hetty was not sufficiently familiar with caresses or outward demonstrations of fondness. 海蒂不习惯于拥抱之类过于外露地表现自己的感情。

783 tautness   

拉紧，紧固度

参考例句：

• For a string of specified length, tautness and density only certain notes can be generated. 一根确定长度、松紧和密度的弦只能发出某某音。 来自辞典例句

784 elasticity   

n.弹性，伸缩力

参考例句：

• The skin eventually loses its elasticity.皮肤最终会失去弹性。
• Every sort of spring has a definite elasticity.每一种弹簧都有一定的弹性。

785 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

786 implicit   

a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的

参考例句：

• A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
• Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。

787 vicissitudes   

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》

788 hazy   

adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的

参考例句：

• We couldn't see far because it was so hazy.雾气蒙蒙妨碍了我们的视线。
• I have a hazy memory of those early years.对那些早先的岁月我有着朦胧的记忆。

789 illicit   

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%。

790 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

791 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

792 profane   

adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污

参考例句：

• He doesn't dare to profane the name of God.他不敢亵渎上帝之名。
• His profane language annoyed us.他亵渎的言语激怒了我们。

793 profanely   

adv.渎神地，凡俗地

参考例句：

• He kept wondering profanely why everything bad happened to him. 他骂骂咧咧，一直在嘀咕为什么所有的坏事总是落在他头上。 来自互联网

794 jolted   

（使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened. 门一开就把她从幻想中惊醒。

795 foresight   

n.先见之明，深谋远虑

参考例句：

• The failure is the result of our lack of foresight.这次失败是由于我们缺乏远虑而造成的。
• It required a statesman's foresight and sagacity to make the decision.作出这个决定需要政治家的远见卓识。

796 adept   

adj.老练的，精通的

参考例句：

• When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相，我不是内行。
• He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。

797 fussier   

adj.瞎忙的( fussy的比较级 )；紧张不安的；过分琐碎的；装饰太多的

参考例句：

798 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

799 goodwill   

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。

800 scant   

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。

801 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

802 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

803 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

804 enticing   

adj.迷人的；诱人的

参考例句：

• The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。
• Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短，但浑圆可爱；两臂丰腴，也很动人。

805 stimuli   

n.刺激（物）

参考例句：

• It is necessary to curtail or alter normally coexisting stimuli.必需消除或改变正常时并存的刺激。
• My sweat glands also respond to emotional stimuli.我的汗腺对情绪刺激也能产生反应。

806 luxuriously   

adv.奢侈地，豪华地

参考例句：

• She put her nose luxuriously buried in heliotrope and tea roses. 她把自己的鼻子惬意地埋在天芥菜和庚申蔷薇花簇中。 来自辞典例句
• To be well dressed doesn't mean to be luxuriously dressed. 穿得好不一定衣着豪华。 来自辞典例句

807 begrudge   

vt.吝啬，羡慕

参考例句：

• I begrudge spending so much money on train fares.我舍不得把这么多钱花在火车票上。
• We should not begrudge our neighbour's richness.我们不应该嫉妒邻人的富有。

808 calf   

n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮

参考例句：

• The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
• The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

809 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

810 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

811 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

812 appalled   

v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

813 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

814 perfidies   

n.背信弃义，背叛，出卖( perfidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

815 ingratitude   

n.忘恩负义

参考例句：

• Tim's parents were rather hurt by his ingratitude.蒂姆的父母对他的忘恩负义很痛心。
• His friends were shocked by his ingratitude to his parents.他对父母不孝，令他的朋友们大为吃惊。