When my convivial2 host discovered that he had told me so much, and that I was prone3 to doubtfulness, his foolish pride assumed the task the old vintage had commenced, and so he unearthed5 written evidence in the form of musty manuscript, and dry official records of the British Colonial Office to support many of the salient features of his remarkable6 narrative7.
I do not say the story is true, for I did not witness the happenings which it portrays8, but the fact that in the telling of it to you I have taken fictitious9 names for the principal characters quite sufficiently10 evidences the sincerity11 of my own belief that it MAY be true.
The yellow, mildewed12 pages of the diary of a man long dead, and the records of the Colonial Office dovetail perfectly13 with the narrative of my convivial host, and so I give you the story as I painstakingly14 pieced it out from these several various agencies.
If you do not find it credible16 you will at least be as one with me in acknowledging that it is unique, remarkable, and interesting.
From the records of the Colonial Office and from the dead man’s diary we learn that a certain young English nobleman, whom we shall call John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, was commissioned to make a peculiarly delicate investigation17 of conditions in a British West Coast African Colony from whose simple native inhabitants another European power was known to be recruiting soldiers for its native army, which it used solely18 for the forcible collection of rubber and ivory from the savage19 tribes along the Congo and the Aruwimi. The natives of the British Colony complained that many of their young men were enticed20 away through the medium of fair and glowing promises, but that few if any ever returned to their families.
The Englishmen in Africa went even further, saying that these poor blacks were held in virtual slavery, since after their terms of enlistment21 expired their ignorance was imposed upon by their white officers, and they were told that they had yet several years to serve.
And so the Colonial Office appointed John Clayton to a new post in British West Africa, but his confidential22 instructions centered on a thorough investigation of the unfair treatment of black British subjects by the officers of a friendly European power. Why he was sent, is, however, of little moment to this story, for he never made an investigation, nor, in fact, did he ever reach his destination.
Clayton was the type of Englishman that one likes best to associate with the noblest monuments of historic achievement upon a thousand victorious23 battlefields — a strong, virile24 man — mentally, morally, and physically25.
In stature26 he was above the average height; his eyes were gray, his features regular and strong; his carriage that of perfect, robust27 health influenced by his years of army training.
Political ambition had caused him to seek transference from the army to the Colonial Office and so we find him, still young, entrusted28 with a delicate and important commission in the service of the Queen.
When he received this appointment he was both elated and appalled29. The preferment seemed to him in the nature of a well-merited reward for painstaking15 and intelligent service, and as a stepping stone to posts of greater importance and responsibility; but, on the other hand, he had been married to the Hon. Alice Rutherford for scarce a three months, and it was the thought of taking this fair young girl into the dangers and isolation30 of tropical Africa that appalled him.
For her sake he would have refused the appointment, but she would not have it so. Instead she insisted that he accept, and, indeed, take her with him.
There were mothers and brothers and sisters, and aunts and cousins to express various opinions on the subject, but as to what they severally advised history is silent.
We know only that on a bright May morning in 1888, John, Lord Greystoke, and Lady Alice sailed from Dover on their way to Africa.
A month later they arrived at Freetown where they chartered a small sailing vessel31, the Fuwalda, which was to bear them to their final destination.
And here John, Lord Greystoke, and Lady Alice, his wife, vanished from the eyes and from the knowledge of men.
Two months after they weighed anchor and cleared from the port of Freetown a half dozen British war vessels32 were scouring33 the south Atlantic for trace of them or their little vessel, and it was almost immediately that the wreckage34 was found upon the shores of St. Helena which convinced the world that the Fuwalda had gone down with all on board, and hence the search was stopped ere it had scarce begun; though hope lingered in longing35 hearts for many years.
The Fuwalda, a barkentine of about one hundred tons, was a vessel of the type often seen in coastwise trade in the far southern Atlantic, their crews composed of the offscourings of the sea — unhanged murderers and cutthroats of every race and every nation.
The Fuwalda was no exception to the rule. Her officers were swarthy bullies36, hating and hated by their crew. The captain, while a competent seaman37, was a brute38 in his treatment of his men. He knew, or at least he used, but two arguments in his dealings with them — a belaying pin and a revolver — nor is it likely that the motley aggregation39 he signed would have understood aught else.
So it was that from the second day out from Freetown John Clayton and his young wife witnessed scenes upon the deck of the Fuwalda such as they had believed were never enacted40 outside the covers of printed stories of the sea.
It was on the morning of the second day that the first link was forged in what was destined41 to form a chain of circumstances ending in a life for one then unborn such as has never been paralleled in the history of man.
Two sailors were washing down the decks of the Fuwalda, the first mate was on duty, and the captain had stopped to speak with John Clayton and Lady Alice.
The men were working backwards42 toward the little party who were facing away from the sailors. Closer and closer they came, until one of them was directly behind the captain. In another moment he would have passed by and this strange narrative would never have been recorded.
But just that instant the officer turned to leave Lord and Lady Greystoke, and, as he did so, tripped against the sailor and sprawled43 headlong upon the deck, overturning the water-pail so that he was drenched44 in its dirty contents.
For an instant the scene was ludicrous; but only for an instant. With a volley of awful oaths, his face suffused45 with the scarlet46 of mortification47 and rage, the captain regained48 his feet, and with a terrific blow felled the sailor to the deck.
The man was small and rather old, so that the brutality49 of the act was thus accentuated51. The other seaman, however, was neither old nor small — a huge bear of a man, with fierce black mustachios, and a great bull neck set between massive shoulders.
As he saw his mate go down he crouched52, and, with a low snarl53, sprang upon the captain crushing him to his knees with a single mighty54 blow.
From scarlet the officer’s face went white, for this was mutiny; and mutiny he had met and subdued55 before in his brutal50 career. Without waiting to rise he whipped a revolver from his pocket, firing point blank at the great mountain of muscle towering before him; but, quick as he was, John Clayton was almost as quick, so that the bullet which was intended for the sailor’s heart lodged56 in the sailor’s leg instead, for Lord Greystoke had struck down the captain’s arm as he had seen the weapon flash in the sun.
Words passed between Clayton and the captain, the former making it plain that he was disgusted with the brutality displayed toward the crew, nor would he countenance57 anything further of the kind while he and Lady Greystoke remained passengers.
The captain was on the point of making an angry reply, but, thinking better of it, turned on his heel and black and scowling58, strode aft.
He did not care to antagonize an English official, for the Queen’s mighty arm wielded59 a punitive60 instrument which he could appreciate, and which he feared — England’s far-reaching navy.
The two sailors picked themselves up, the older man assisting his wounded comrade to rise. The big fellow, who was known among his mates as Black Michael, tried his leg gingerly, and, finding that it bore his weight, turned to Clayton with a word of gruff thanks.
Though the fellow’s tone was surly, his words were evidently well meant. Ere he had scarce finished his little speech he had turned and was limping off toward the forecastle with the very apparent intention of forestalling61 any further conversation.
They did not see him again for several days, nor did the captain accord them more than the surliest of grunts62 when he was forced to speak to them.
They took their meals in his cabin, as they had before the unfortunate occurrence; but the captain was careful to see that his duties never permitted him to eat at the same time.
The other officers were coarse, illiterate63 fellows, but little above the villainous crew they bullied64, and were only too glad to avoid social intercourse65 with the polished English noble and his lady, so that the Claytons were left very much to themselves.
This in itself accorded perfectly with their desires, but it also rather isolated66 them from the life of the little ship so that they were unable to keep in touch with the daily happenings which were to culminate67 so soon in bloody68 tragedy.
There was in the whole atmosphere of the craft that undefinable something which presages69 disaster. Outwardly, to the knowledge of the Claytons, all went on as before upon the little vessel; but that there was an undertow leading them toward some unknown danger both felt, though they did not speak of it to each other.
On the second day after the wounding of Black Michael, Clayton came on deck just in time to see the limp body of one of the crew being carried below by four of his fellows while the first mate, a heavy belaying pin in his hand, stood glowering70 at the little party of sullen71 sailors.
Clayton asked no questions — he did not need to — and the following day, as the great lines of a British battleship grew out of the distant horizon, he half determined72 to demand that he and Lady Alice be put aboard her, for his fears were steadily73 increasing that nothing but harm could result from remaining on the lowering, sullen Fuwalda.
Toward noon they were within speaking distance of the British vessel, but when Clayton had nearly decided74 to ask the captain to put them aboard her, the obvious ridiculousness of such a request became suddenly apparent. What reason could he give the officer commanding her majesty’s ship for desiring to go back in the direction from which he had just come!
What if he told them that two insubordinate seamen75 had been roughly handled by their officers? They would but laugh in their sleeves and attribute his reason for wishing to leave the ship to but one thing — cowardice76.
John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, did not ask to be transferred to the British man-of-war. Late in the afternoon he saw her upper works fade below the far horizon, but not before he learned that which confirmed his greatest fears, and caused him to curse the false pride which had restrained him from seeking safety for his young wife a few short hours before, when safety was within reach — a safety which was now gone forever.
It was mid-afternoon that brought the little old sailor, who had been felled by the captain a few days before, to where Clayton and his wife stood by the ship’s side watching the ever diminishing outlines of the great battleship. The old fellow was polishing brasses77, and as he came edging along until close to Clayton he said, in an undertone:
“‘Ell’s to pay, sir, on this ’ere craft, an’ mark my word for it, sir. ‘Ell’s to pay.”
“What do you mean, my good fellow?” asked Clayton.
“Wy, hasn’t ye seen wats goin’ on? Hasn’t ye ‘eard that devil’s spawn78 of a capting an’ is mates knockin’ the bloomin’ lights outen ‘arf the crew?
“Two busted79 ‘eads yeste’day, an’ three to-day. Black Michael’s as good as new agin an’ ‘e’s not the bully80 to stand fer it, not ‘e; an’ mark my word for it, sir.”
“You mean, my man, that the crew contemplates82 mutiny?” asked Clayton.
“Mutiny!” exclaimed the old fellow. “Mutiny! They means murder, sir, an’ mark my word for it, sir.”
“When?”
“Hit’s comin’, sir; hit’s comin’ but I’m not a-sayin’ wen, an’ I’ve said too damned much now, but ye was a good sort t’other day an’ I thought it no more’n right to warn ye. But keep a still tongue in yer ‘ead an’ when ye ‘ear shootin’ git below an’ stay there.
“That’s all, only keep a still tongue in yer ‘ead, or they’ll put a pill between yer ribs83, an’ mark my word for it, sir,” and the old fellow went on with his polishing, which carried him away from where the Claytons were standing84.
“Deuced cheerful outlook, Alice,” said Clayton.
“You should warn the captain at once, John. Possibly the trouble may yet be averted,” she said.
“I suppose I should, but yet from purely85 selfish motives86 I am almost prompted to ‘keep a still tongue in my ‘ead.’ Whatever they do now they will spare us in recognition of my stand for this fellow Black Michael, but should they find that I had betrayed them there would be no mercy shown us, Alice.”
“You have but one duty, John, and that lies in the interest of vested authority. If you do not warn the captain you are as much a party to whatever follows as though you had helped to plot and carry it out with your own head and hands.”
“You do not understand, dear,” replied Clayton. “It is of you I am thinking — there lies my first duty. The captain has brought this condition upon himself, so why then should I risk subjecting my wife to unthinkable horrors in a probably futile87 attempt to save him from his own brutal folly88? You have no conception, dear, of what would follow were this pack of cutthroats to gain control of the Fuwalda.”
“Duty is duty, John, and no amount of sophistries89 may change it. I would be a poor wife for an English lord were I to be responsible for his shirking a plain duty. I realize the danger which must follow, but I can face it with you.”
“Have it as you will then, Alice,” he answered, smiling. “Maybe we are borrowing trouble. While I do not like the looks of things on board this ship, they may not be so bad after all, for it is possible that the ‘Ancient Mariner’ was but voicing the desires of his wicked old heart rather than speaking of real facts.
“Mutiny on the high sea may have been common a hundred years ago, but in this good year 1888 it is the least likely of happenings.
“But there goes the captain to his cabin now. If I am going to warn him I might as well get the beastly job over for I have little stomach to talk with the brute at all.”
So saying he strolled carelessly in the direction of the companionway through which the captain had passed, and a moment later was knocking at his door.
“Come in,” growled90 the deep tones of that surly officer.
And when Clayton had entered, and closed the door behind him:
“Well?”
“I have come to report the gist91 of a conversation I heard to-day, because I feel that, while there may be nothing to it, it is as well that you be forearmed. In short, the men contemplate81 mutiny and murder.”
“It’s a lie!” roared the captain. “And if you have been interfering92 again with the discipline of this ship, or meddling93 in affairs that don’t concern you you can take the consequences, and be damned. I don’t care whether you are an English lord or not. I’m captain of this here ship, and from now on you keep your meddling nose out of my business.”
The captain had worked himself up to such a frenzy94 of rage that he was fairly purple of face, and he shrieked95 the last words at the top of his voice, emphasizing his remarks by a loud thumping96 of the table with one huge fist, and shaking the other in Clayton’s face.
Greystoke never turned a hair, but stood eying the excited man with level gaze.
“Captain Billings,” he drawled finally, “if you will pardon my candor97, I might remark that you are something of an ass4.”
Whereupon he turned and left the captain with the same indifferent ease that was habitual98 with him, and which was more surely calculated to raise the ire of a man of Billings’ class than a torrent99 of invective100.
So, whereas the captain might easily have been brought to regret his hasty speech had Clayton attempted to conciliate him, his temper was now irrevocably set in the mold in which Clayton had left it, and the last chance of their working together for their common good was gone.
“Well, Alice,” said Clayton, as he rejoined his wife, “I might have saved my breath. The fellow proved most ungrateful. Fairly jumped at me like a mad dog.
“He and his blasted old ship may hang, for aught I care; and until we are safely off the thing I shall spend my energies in looking after our own welfare. And I rather fancy the first step to that end should be to go to our cabin and look over my revolvers. I am sorry now that we packed the larger guns and the ammunition101 with the stuff below.”
They found their quarters in a bad state of disorder102. Clothing from their open boxes and bags strewed103 the little apartment, and even their beds had been torn to pieces.
“Evidently someone was more anxious about our belongings104 than we,” said Clayton. “Let’s have a look around, Alice, and see what’s missing.”
A thorough search revealed the fact that nothing had been taken but Clayton’s two revolvers and the small supply of ammunition he had saved out for them.
“Those are the very things I most wish they had left us,” said Clayton, “and the fact that they wished for them and them alone is most sinister105.”
“What are we to do, John?” asked his wife. “Perhaps you were right in that our best chance lies in maintaining a neutral position.
“If the officers are able to prevent a mutiny, we have nothing to fear, while if the mutineers are victorious our one slim hope lies in not having attempted to thwart106 or antagonize them.”
“Right you are, Alice. We’ll keep in the middle of the road.”
As they started to straighten up their cabin, Clayton and his wife simultaneously107 noticed the corner of a piece of paper protruding108 from beneath the door of their quarters. As Clayton stooped to reach for it he was amazed to see it move further into the room, and then he realized that it was being pushed inward by someone from without.
Quickly and silently he stepped toward the door, but, as he reached for the knob to throw it open, his wife’s hand fell upon his wrist.
“No, John,” she whispered. “They do not wish to be seen, and so we cannot afford to see them. Do not forget that we are keeping to the middle of the road.”
Clayton smiled and dropped his hand to his side. Thus they stood watching the little bit of white paper until it finally remained at rest upon the floor just inside the door.
Then Clayton stooped and picked it up. It was a bit of grimy, white paper roughly folded into a ragged109 square. Opening it they found a crude message printed almost illegibly110, and with many evidences of an unaccustomed task.
Translated, it was a warning to the Claytons to refrain from reporting the loss of the revolvers, or from repeating what the old sailor had told them — to refrain on pain of death.
“I rather imagine we’ll be good,” said Clayton with a rueful smile. “About all we can do is to sit tight and wait for whatever may come.”
点击收听单词发音
1 skeptical | |
adj.怀疑的,多疑的 | |
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2 convivial | |
adj.狂欢的,欢乐的 | |
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3 prone | |
adj.(to)易于…的,很可能…的;俯卧的 | |
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4 ass | |
n.驴;傻瓜,蠢笨的人 | |
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5 unearthed | |
出土的(考古) | |
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6 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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7 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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8 portrays | |
v.画像( portray的第三人称单数 );描述;描绘;描画 | |
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9 fictitious | |
adj.虚构的,假设的;空头的 | |
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10 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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11 sincerity | |
n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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12 mildewed | |
adj.发了霉的,陈腐的,长了霉花的v.(使)发霉,(使)长霉( mildew的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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14 painstakingly | |
adv. 费力地 苦心地 | |
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15 painstaking | |
adj.苦干的;艰苦的,费力的,刻苦的 | |
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16 credible | |
adj.可信任的,可靠的 | |
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17 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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18 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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19 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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20 enticed | |
诱惑,怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21 enlistment | |
n.应征入伍,获得,取得 | |
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22 confidential | |
adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
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23 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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24 virile | |
adj.男性的;有男性生殖力的;有男子气概的;强有力的 | |
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25 physically | |
adj.物质上,体格上,身体上,按自然规律 | |
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26 stature | |
n.(高度)水平,(高度)境界,身高,身材 | |
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27 robust | |
adj.强壮的,强健的,粗野的,需要体力的,浓的 | |
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28 entrusted | |
v.委托,托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29 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 | |
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30 isolation | |
n.隔离,孤立,分解,分离 | |
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31 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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32 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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33 scouring | |
擦[洗]净,冲刷,洗涤 | |
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34 wreckage | |
n.(失事飞机等的)残骸,破坏,毁坏 | |
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35 longing | |
n.(for)渴望 | |
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36 bullies | |
n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负 | |
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37 seaman | |
n.海员,水手,水兵 | |
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38 brute | |
n.野兽,兽性 | |
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39 aggregation | |
n.聚合,组合;凝聚 | |
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40 enacted | |
制定(法律),通过(法案)( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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42 backwards | |
adv.往回地,向原处,倒,相反,前后倒置地 | |
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43 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) | |
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44 drenched | |
adj.湿透的;充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 );在某人(某物)上大量使用(某液体) | |
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45 suffused | |
v.(指颜色、水气等)弥漫于,布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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47 mortification | |
n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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48 regained | |
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地 | |
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49 brutality | |
n.野蛮的行为,残忍,野蛮 | |
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50 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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51 accentuated | |
v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 );使突出;使恶化;加重音符号于 | |
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52 crouched | |
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53 snarl | |
v.吼叫,怒骂,纠缠,混乱;n.混乱,缠结,咆哮 | |
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54 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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55 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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56 lodged | |
v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 );暂住;埋入;(权利、权威等)归属 | |
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57 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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58 scowling | |
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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59 wielded | |
手持着使用(武器、工具等)( wield的过去式和过去分词 ); 具有; 运用(权力); 施加(影响) | |
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60 punitive | |
adj.惩罚的,刑罚的 | |
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61 forestalling | |
v.先发制人,预先阻止( forestall的现在分词 ) | |
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62 grunts | |
(猪等)作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 ); (指人)发出类似的哼声; 咕哝着说; 石鲈 | |
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63 illiterate | |
adj.文盲的;无知的;n.文盲 | |
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64 bullied | |
adj.被欺负了v.恐吓,威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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66 isolated | |
adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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67 culminate | |
v.到绝顶,达于极点,达到高潮 | |
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68 bloody | |
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
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69 presages | |
v.预示,预兆( presage的第三人称单数 ) | |
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70 glowering | |
v.怒视( glower的现在分词 ) | |
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71 sullen | |
adj.愠怒的,闷闷不乐的,(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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72 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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73 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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74 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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75 seamen | |
n.海员 | |
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76 cowardice | |
n.胆小,怯懦 | |
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77 brasses | |
n.黄铜( brass的名词复数 );铜管乐器;钱;黄铜饰品(尤指马挽具上的黄铜圆片) | |
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78 spawn | |
n.卵,产物,后代,结果;vt.产卵,种菌丝于,产生,造成;vi.产卵,大量生产 | |
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79 busted | |
adj. 破产了的,失败了的,被降级的,被逮捕的,被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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80 bully | |
n.恃强欺弱者,小流氓;vt.威胁,欺侮 | |
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81 contemplate | |
vt.盘算,计议;周密考虑;注视,凝视 | |
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82 contemplates | |
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的第三人称单数 ); 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 | |
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83 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 | |
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84 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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85 purely | |
adv.纯粹地,完全地 | |
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86 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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87 futile | |
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的 | |
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88 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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89 sophistries | |
n.诡辩术( sophistry的名词复数 );(一次)诡辩 | |
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90 growled | |
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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91 gist | |
n.要旨;梗概 | |
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92 interfering | |
adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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93 meddling | |
v.干涉,干预(他人事务)( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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94 frenzy | |
n.疯狂,狂热,极度的激动 | |
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95 shrieked | |
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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96 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 | |
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97 candor | |
n.坦白,率真 | |
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98 habitual | |
adj.习惯性的;通常的,惯常的 | |
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99 torrent | |
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
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100 invective | |
n.痛骂,恶意抨击 | |
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101 ammunition | |
n.军火,弹药 | |
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102 disorder | |
n.紊乱,混乱;骚动,骚乱;疾病,失调 | |
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103 strewed | |
v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 );散落于;点缀;撒满 | |
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104 belongings | |
n.私人物品,私人财物 | |
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105 sinister | |
adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 | |
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106 thwart | |
v.阻挠,妨碍,反对;adj.横(断的) | |
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107 simultaneously | |
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地 | |
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108 protruding | |
v.(使某物)伸出,(使某物)突出( protrude的现在分词 );凸 | |
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109 ragged | |
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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110 illegibly | |
adv.难读地,暧昧地 | |
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