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Chapter 12: To the Surface
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51Trevize turned his head at once to look at Bliss1. Herface was expressionless, but taut2, and her eyes were fixed3 on Banderwith an intensity4 that made her seem oblivious5 to all else.
Pelorat's eyes were wide, disbelieving.
Trevize, not knowing what Bliss would or could do,struggled to fight down an overwhelming sense of loss (not so muchat the thought of dying, as of dying without knowing where Earth was,without knowing why he had chosen Gaia as humanity's future). He had toplay for time.
He said, striving to keep his voice steady, and his words clear,"You have shown yourself a courteous6 and gentle Solarian, Bander. Youhave not grown angry at our intrusion into your world. You have beenkind enough to show us over your estate and mansion7, and you haveanswered our questions. It would suit your character better to allow usto leave now. No one need ever know we were on this world and we wouldhave no cause to return. We arrived in all innocence8, seeking merelyinformation.""What you say is so," said Bander lightly, "and, so far, I havegiven you life. Your lives were forfeit10 the instant you entered ouratmosphere. What I might have done and should have done onmaking close contact with you, would be to have killed you at once. Ishould then have ordered the appropriate robot to dissect11 your bodiesfor what information on Outworlders that might yield me.
"I have not done that. I have pampered12 my own curiosity and given into my own easygoing nature, but it is enough. I can do it no longer. Ihave, in fact, already compromised the safety of Solaria, for if,through some weakness, I were to let myself be persuaded to let you go,others of your kind would surely follow, however much you might promisethat they would not.
"There is, however, at least this. Your death will be painless. I willmerely heat your brains mildly and drive them into inactivation13. You willexperience no pain. Life will merely cease. Eventually, when dissectionand study are over, I will convert you to ashes in an intense flash ofheat and all will be over."Trevize said, "If we must die, then I cannot argue against a quickpainless death, but why must we die at all, having given no offense14?""Your arrival was an offense.""Not on any rational ground, since we could not know it was anoffense.""Society defines what constitutes an offense. To you, it may seemirrational and arbitrary, but to us it is not, and this is our world onwhich we have the full right to say that in this and that, you have donewrong and deserve to die."Bander smiled as though it were merely making pleasant conversationand went on, "Nor have you any right to complain on the ground of yourown superior virtue15. You have a blaster which uses a beam of microwavesto induce intense killing16 heat. It does what I intend to do, but doesit, I am sure, much more crudely and painfully. You would have nohesitation in using it on me right now, had I not drained its energy,and if I were to be so foolish as to allow you the freedom of movementthat would enable you to remove the weapon from its holster."Trevize said despairingly, afraid even to glance again at Bliss, lestBander's attention be diverted to her, "I ask you, as an act of mercy,not to do this."Bandar said, turning suddenly grim, "I must first be merciful tomyself and to my world, and to do that, you must die."He raised his hand and instantly darkness descended19 upon Trevize.
52For a moment, Trevize felt the darkness choking himand thought wildly, Is this death?
And as though his thoughts had given rise to an echo, he heard awhispered, "Is this death?" It was Pelorat's voice.
Trevize tried to whisper, and found he could. "Why ask?" he said,with a sense of vast relief. "The mere9 fact that you can ask shows itis not death.""Mere are old legends that there is life after death.""Nonsense," muttered Trevize. "Bliss? Are you here, Bliss?"There was no answer to that.
Again Pelorat echoed, "Bliss? Bliss? What happened, Golan?"Trevize said, "Bender must be dead. He would, in that case, be unableto supply the power for his estate. The lights would go out.""But how could? You mean Bliss did it?""I suppose so. I hope she did not come to harm in the process." Hewas on his hands and knees crawling about in the total darkness of theunderground (if one did not count the occasional subvisible flashing ofa radioactive atom breaking down in the walls).
Then his hand came on something warm and soft. He felt along itand recognized a leg, which he seized. It was clearly too small to beBander's. "Bliss?"The leg kicked out, forcing Trevize to let go.
He said, "Bliss? Say something!""I am alive," came Bliss's voice, curiously20 distorted.
Trevize said, "But are you well?""No." And, with that, light returned to theirsurroundings weakly. The walls gleamed faintly, brightening anddimming erratically21.
Bander lay crumpled22 in a shadowy heap. At its side, holding its head,was Bliss.
She looked up at Trevize and Pelorat. "The Solarian is dead," she said,and her cheeks glistened23 with tears in the weak light.
Trevize was dumbfounded. "Why are you crying?""Should I not cry at having killed a living thing of thought andintelligence? That was not my intention."Trevize leaned down to help her to her feet, but she pushed himaway.
Pelorat knelt in his turn, saying softly, "Please, Bliss, even youcan't bring it back to life. Tell us what happened."She allowed herself to be pulled upward and said dully, "Gaia cando what Bander could do. Gaia can make use of the unevenly25 distributedenergy of the Universe and translate it into chosen work by mentalpower alone.""I knew that," said Trevize, attempting to be soothing26 without quiteknowing how to go about it. "I remember well our meeting in space whenyou or Gaia, rather held our spaceship captive. I thoughtof that when Bander held me captive after it had taken my weapons. Itheld you captive, too, but I was confident you could have broken freeif you had wished.""No. I would have failed if I had tried. When your ship was in my/our/Gaia's grip," she said sadly, "I and Gaia were truly one. Now there is ahyperspatial separation that limits my/our/Gaia's efficiency. Besides,Gaia does what it does by the sheer power of massed brains. Even so,all those brains together lack the transducer-lobes27 this one Solarianhas. We cannot make use of energy as delicately, as efficiently28, astirelessly as he could. You see that I cannot make the lights gleammore brightly, and I don't know how long I can make them gleam at allbefore tiring. Bander could supply the power for an entire vast estate,even when it was sleeping.""But you stopped it," said Trevize.
"Because it didn't suspect my powers," said Bliss, "and because Idid nothing that would give it evidence of them. It was thereforewithout suspicion of me and gave me none of its attention. Itconcentrated entirely29 on you, Trevize, because it was you who borethe weapons again, how well it has served that you armedyourself and I had to wait my chance to stop Bander with onequick and unexpected blow. When it was on the point of killing us,when its whole mind was concentrated on that, and on you, I was ableto strike.""And it worked beautifully.""How can you say something so cruel, Trevize? It was only my intentionto stop it. I merely wished to block its use of its transducer. In themoment of surprise when it tried to blast us and found it could not,but found, instead, that the very illumination about us was fadinginto darkness, I would tighten30 my grip and send it into a prolongednormal sleep and release the transducer. The power would then remainon, and we could get out of this mansion, into our ship, and leave theplanet. I hoped to so arrange things that, when Bander finally woke,it would have forgotten all that had happened from the instant of itssighting us. Gaia has no desire to kill in order to accomplish what canbe brought about without killing.""What went wrong, Bliss?" said Pelorat softly.
"I had never encountered any such thing as those transducer-lobes andI lacked any time to work with them and learn about them. I merely struckout forcefully with my blocking maneuver31 and, apparently32, it didn't workcorrectly. It was not the entry of energy into the lobes that was blocked,but the exit of that energy. Energy is always pouring into those lobes ata reckless rate but, ordinarily, the brain safeguards itself by pouringout that energy just as quickly. Once I blocked the exit, however, energypiled up within the lobes at once and, in a tiny fraction of a second,the temperature had risen to the point where the brain protein inactivatedexplosively and it was dead. The lights went out and I removed my blockimmediately, but, of course, it was too late.""I don't see that you could have done anything other than that whichyou did, dear," said Pelorat.
"Of what comfort is that, considering that I have killed.""Bander was on the point of killing us," said Trevize.
"That was cause for stopping it, not for killing it."Trevize hesitated. He did not wish to show the impatience38 he felt forhe was unwilling39 to offend or further upset Bliss, who was, after all,their only defense40 against a supremely41 hostile world.
He said, "Bliss, it is time to look beyond Bander's death. Because itis dead, all power on the estate is blanked out. This will be noticed,sooner or later, probably sooner, by other Solarians. They will be forcedto investigate. I don't think you will be able to hold off the perhapscombined attack of several. And, as you have admitted yourself, you won'tbe able to supply for very long the limited power you are managing tosupply now. It is important, therefore, that we get back to the surface,and to our ship, without delay.""But, Golan," said Pelorat, "how do we do that? We came for manykilometers along a winding42 path. I imagine it's quite a maze43 down hereand, for myself, I haven't the faintest idea of where to go to reachthe surface. I've always had a poor sense of direction."Trevize, looking about, realized that Pelorat was correct. He said,"I imagine there are many openings to the surface, and we needn't findthe one we entered.""But we don't know where any of the openings are. How do we findthem?"Trevize turned again to Bliss. "Can you detect anything. mentally,that will help us find our way out?"Bliss said, "The robots on this estate are all inactive. I can detecta thin whisper of subintelligent life straight up, but all that tellsus is that the surface is straight up, which we know.""Well, then," said Trevize, "we'll just have to look for someopening.""Hit-and-miss," said Pelorat, appalled44. "We'll never succeed.""We might, Janov," said Trevize. "If we search, there will be a chance,however small. The alternative is simply to stay here, and if we do thatthen we will never succeed. Come, a small chance is better than none.""Wait," said Bliss. "I do sense something.""What?" said Trevize.
"A mind.""Intelligence?""Yes, but limited, I think. What reaches me most clearly, though,is something else.""What?" said Trevize, again fighting impatience.
"Fright! Intolerable fright!" said Bliss, in a whisper.
53Trevize looked about ruefully. He knew where they hadentered but he had no illusion on the score of being able to retrace45 thepath by which they had come. He had, after all, paid little attentionto the turnings and windings46. Who would have thought they'd be in theposition of having to retrace the route alone and without help, and withonly a flickering47, dim light to be guided by?
He said, "Do you think you can activate36 the car, Bliss?"Bliss said, "I'm sure I could, Trevize, but that doesn't mean I canrun it."Pelorat said, "I think that Bander ran it mentally. I didn't see ittouch anything when it was moving."Bliss said gently, "Yes, it did it mentally, Pel, buthow , mentally? You might as well say that it did it byusing the controls. Certainly, but if I don't know the details of usingthe controls, that doesn't help, does it?""You might try," said Trevize.
"If I try, I'll have to put my whole mind to it, and if I do that,then I doubt that I'll be able to keep the lights on. The car will dous no good in the dark even if I learn how to control it.""Then we must wander about on foot, I suppose?""I'm afraid so."Trevize peered at the thick and gloomy darkness that lay beyond the dimlight in their immediate37 neighborhood. He saw nothing, heard nothing.
He said, "Bliss, do you still sense this frightened mind?""Yes, I do.""Can you tell where it is? Can you guide us to it?""The mental sense is a straight line. It is not refracted sensiblyby ordinary matter, so I can tell it is coming from that direction."She pointed48 to a spot on the dusky wall, and said, "But we can't walkthrough the wall to it. The best we can do is follow the corridors andtry to find our way in whatever direction will keep the sensation growingstronger. In short, we will have to play the game of hot-and-cold.""Then let's start right now."Pelorat hung back. "Wait, Golan; are we sure we want to find thisthing, whatever it is? If it is frightened, it may be that we will havereason to be frightened, too."Trevize shook his head impatiently. "We have no choice, Janov. It'sa mind, frightened or not, and it may be willing to or may be madeto direct us to the surface.""And do we just leave Bander lying here?" said Pelorat uneasily.
Trevize took his elbow. "Come, Janov. We have no choice in that,either. Eventually some Solarian will reactivate the place, and a robotwill find Bander and take care of it I hope not before we aresafely away."He allowed Bliss to lead the way. The light was always strongestin her immediate neighborhood and she paused at each doorway49, at eachfork in the corridor, trying to sense the direction from which thefright came. Sometimes she would walk through a door, or move around acurve, then come back and try an alternate path, while Trevize watchedhelplessly.
Each time Bliss came to a decision and moved firmly in a particulardirection, the light came on ahead of her. Trevize noticed that it seemeda bit brighter now either because his eyes were adapting to thedimness, or because Bliss was learning how to handle the transductionmore efficiently. At one point, when she passed one of the metal rodsthat were inserted into the ground, she put her hand on it and the lightsbrightened noticeably. She nodded her head as though she were pleasedwith herself.
Nothing looked in the least familiar; it seemed certain they werewandering through portions of the rambling50 underground mansion they hadnot passed through on the way in.
Trevize kept looking for corridors that led upward sharply, and hevaried that by studying the ceilings for any sign of a trapdoor. Nothingof the sort appeared, and the frightened mind remained their only chanceof getting out.
They walked through silence, except for the sound of their own steps;through darkness, except for the light in their immediate vicinity;through death, except for their own lives. Occasionally, they made outthe shadowy bulk of a robot, sitting or standing51 in the dusk, with nomotion. Once they saw a robot lying on its side, with legs and arms inqueer frozen positions. It had been caught off-balance, Trevize thought,at the moment when power had been turned off, and it had fallen. Bander,either alive or dead, could not affect the force of gravity. Perhapsall over the vast Bander estate, robots were standing and lying inactiveand it would be that that would quickly be noted52 at the borders.
Or perhaps not, he thought suddenly. Solarians would know when oneof their number would be dying of old age and physical decay. The worldwould be alerted and ready. Bander, however, had died suddenly, withoutpossible foreknowledge, in the prime of its existence. Who would know? Whowould expect? Who would be watching for inactivation?
But no (and Trevize thrust back optimism and consolation53 as dangerouslures into overconfidence). The Solarians would note the cessation ofall activity on the Bander estate and take action at once. They allhad too great an interest in the succession to estates to leave deathto itself.
Pelorat murmured unhappily, "Ventilation has stopped. A place likethis, underground, must be ventilated, and Bander supplied the power. Nowit has stopped.""It doesn't matter, Janov," said Trevize. "We've got enough air downin this empty underground place to last us for years.""It's close just the same. It's psychologically bad.""Please, Janov, don't get claustrophobic. Bliss, are we anycloser?""Much, Trevize," she replied. "The sensation is stronger and I amclearer as to its location."She was stepping forward more surely, hesitating less at points ofchoice of direction.
"There! There!" she said. "I can sense it intensely."Trevize said dryly, "Even I can hear it now."All three stopped and, automatically, held their breaths. They couldhear a soft moaning, interspersed54 with gasping55 sobs56.
They walked into a large room and, as the lights went on, they sawthat, unlike all those they had hitherto seen, it was rich and colorfulin furnishings.
In the center of the room was a robot, stooping slightly, its armsstretched out in what seemed an almost affectionate gesture and, ofcourse, it was absolutely motionless.
Behind the robot was a flutter of garments. A round frightened eyeedged to one side of it, and there was still the sound of a brokenheartedsobbing.
Trevize darted58 around the robot and, from the other side, a smallfigure shot out, shrieking59. It stumbled, fell to the ground, andlay there, covering its eyes, kicking its legs in all directions, asthough to ward24 off some threat from whatever angle it might approach,and shrieking, shrieking Bliss said, quite unnecessarily, "It's a child!"54Trevize drew back, puzzled. What was a child doinghere? Bander had been so proud of its absolute solitude60, so insistentupon it.
Pelorat, less apt to fall back on iron reasoning in the face of anobscure event, seized upon the solution at once, and said, "I supposethis is the successor.""Bander's child," said Bliss, agreeing, "but too young, I think,to be a successor. The Solarians will have to find one elsewhere."She was gazing at the child, not in a fixed glare, but in a soft,mesmerizing way, and slowly the noise the child was making lessened61. Itopened its eyes and looked at Bliss in return. Its outcry was reducedto an occasional soft whimper.
Bliss made sounds of her own, now, soothing ones, broken words thatmade little sense in themselves but were meant only to reinforce thecalming effect of her thoughts. It was as though she were mentallyfingering the child's unfamiliar62 mind and seeking to even out itsdisheveled emotions.
Slowly, never taking its eyes off Bliss, the child got to its feet,stood there swaying a moment, then made a dash for the silent, frozenrobot. It threw its arms about the sturdy robotic leg as though avidfor the security of its touch.
Trevize said, "I suppose that the robot is its nursemaid orcaretaker. I suppose a Solarian can't care for another Solarian, noteven a parent for a child."Pelorat said, "And I suppose the child is hermaphroditic.""It would have to be," said Trevize.
Bliss, still entirely preoccupied63 with the child, was approachingit slowly, hands held half upward, palms toward herself, as thoughemphasizing that there was no intention of seizing the small creature. Thechild was now silent, watching the approach, and holding on the moretightly to the robot.
Bliss said, "There, child warm, child soft, warm,comfortable, safe, child safe safe."She stopped and, without looking round, said in a low voice, "Pel,speak to it in its language. Tell it we're robots come to take care ofit because the power failed.""Robots!" said Pelorat, shocked.
"We must be presented as robots. It's not afraid of robots. And it'snever seen a human being, maybe can't even conceive of them."Pelorat said, "I don't know if I can think of the right expression. Idon't know the archaic64 word for `robot.'""Say `robot,' then, Pel. If that doesn't work, say `iron thing.' Saywhatever you can."Slowly, word by word, Pelorat spoke65 archaically66. The child looked athim, frowning intensely, as though trying to understand.
Trevize said, "You might as well ask it how to get out, while you'reat it."Bliss said, "No. Not yet. Confidence first, then information."The child, looking now at Pelorat, slowly released its hold on therobot and spoke in a high-pitched musical voice.
Pelorat said anxiously, "It's speaking too quickly for me."Bliss said, "Ask it to repeat more slowly. I'm doing my best to calmit and remove its fears."Pelorat, listening again to the child, said, "I think it's askingwhat made Jemby stop. Jemby must be the robot.""Check and make sure, Pel."Pelorat spoke, then listened, and said, "Yes, Jemby is the robot. Thechild calls itself Fallom.""Good!" Bliss smiled at the child, a luminous67, happy smile, pointedto it, and said, "Fallom. Good Fallom. Brave Fallom." She placed a handon her chest and said, "Bliss."The child smiled. It looked very attractive when it smiled. "Bliss,"it said, hissing68 the "s" a bit imperfectly.
Trevize said, "Bliss, if you can activate the robot, Jemby, it mightbe able to tell us what we want to know. Pelorat can speak to it aseasily as to the child.""No," said Bliss. "That would be wrong. The robot's first duty is toprotect the child. If it is activated35 and instantly becomes aware of us,aware of strange human beings, it may as instantly attack us. No strangehuman beings belong here. If I am then forced to inactivate33 it, it cangive us no information, and the child, faced with a second inactivationof the only parent it knows Well, I just won't do it.""But we were told," said Pelorat mildly, "that robots can't harmhuman beings.""So we were," said Bliss, "but we were not told what kind of robotsthese Solarians have designed. And even if this robot were designed todo no harm, it would have to make a choice between its child, or thenearest thing to a child it can have, and three objects whom it might noteven recognize as human beings, merely as illegal intruders. Naturally,it would choose the child and attack us."She turned to the child again. "Fallom," she said, "Bliss." Shepointed, "Pel Trev.""Pel. Trev," said the child obediently.
She came closer to the child, her hands reaching toward it slowly. Itwatched her, then took a step backward.
"Calm, Fallom," said Bliss. "Good, Fallom. Touch, Fallom. Nice,Fallom."It took a step toward her, and Bliss sighed. "Good, Fallom."She touched Fallom's bare arm, for it wore, as its parent had,only a long robe, open in front, and with a loincloth beneath. Thetouch was gentle. She removed her arm, waited, and made contact again,stroking softly.
The child's eyes half-closed under the strong, calming effect ofBliss's mind.
Bliss's hands moved up slowly, softly, scarcely touching69, to thechild's shoulders, its neck, its ears, then under its long brown hairto a point just above and behind its ears.
Her hands dropped away then, and she said, "The transducer-lobesare still small. The cranial bone hasn't developed yet. There's just atough layer of skin there, which will eventually expand outward and befenced in with bone after the lobes have fully17 grown. Which meansit can't, at the present time, control the estate or even activate itsown personal robot. Ask it how old it is, Pel."Pelorat said, after an exchange, "It's fourteen years old, if Iunderstand it rightly."Trevize said, "It looks more like eleven."Bliss said, "The length of the years used on this world may notcorrespond closely to Standard Galactic Years. Besides, Spacers aresupposed to have extended lifetimes and, if the Solarians are likethe other Spacers in this, they may also have extended developmentalperiods. We can't go by years, after all."Trevize said, with an impatient click of his tongue, "Enoughanthropology. We must get to the surface and since we are dealing70 witha child, we may be wasting our time uselessly. It may not know the routeto the surface. It may not ever have been on the surface."Bliss said, "Pel!"Pelorat knew what she meant and there followed the longest conversationhe had yet had with Fallom.
Finally, he said, "The child knows what the sun is. It says it's seenit. I think it's seen trees. It didn't act as though it weresure what the word meant or at least what the word I used meant ""Yes, Janov," said Trevize, "but do get to the point.""I told Fallom that if it could get us out to the surface, thatmight make it possible for us to activate the robot. Actually, I saidwe would activate the robot. Do you suppose we might?"Trevize said, "We'll worry about that later. Did it say it wouldguide us?""Yes. I thought the child would be more anxious to do it, you see,if I made that promise. I suppose we're running the risk of disappointingit ""Come," said Trevize, "let's get started. All this will be academicif we are caught underground."Pelorat said something to the child, who began to walk, then stoppedand looked back at Bliss.
Bliss held out her hand and the two then walked hand in hand.
"I'm the new robot," she said, smiling slightly.
"It seems reasonably happy over that," said Trevize.
Fallom skipped along and, briefly71, Trevize wondered if it were happysimply because Bliss had labored72 to make it so, or if, added to that,there was the excitement of visiting the surface and of having threenew robots, or whether it was excitement at the thought of having itsJemby foster-parent back. Not that it mattered as long as thechild led them.
There seemed no hesitation18 in the child's progress. It turned withoutpause whenever there was a choice of paths. Did it really know where itwas going, or was it all simply a matter of a child's indifference73? Wasit simply playing a game with no clear end in sight?
But Trevize was aware, from the slight burden on his progress, thathe was moving uphill, and the child, bouncing self-importantly forward,was pointing ahead and chattering74.
Trevize looked at Pelorat, who cleared his throat and said, "I thinkwhat it's saying is `doorway.'""I hope your thought is correct," said Trevize.
The child broke away from Bliss, and was running now. It pointed to aportion of the flooring that seemed darker than the sections immediatelyneighboring it. The child stepped on it, jumping up and down a few times,and then turned with a clear expression of dismay, and spoke with shrillvolubility.
Bliss said, with a grimace75, "I'll have to supply the power. Thisis wearing me out."Her face reddened a bit and the lights dimmed, but a door opened justahead of Fallom, who laughed in soprano delight.
The child ran out the door and the two men followed. Bliss camelast, and looked back as the lights just inside darkened and the doorclosed. She then paused to catch her breath, looking rather worn out.
"Well," said Pelorat, "we're out. Where's the ship?"All of them stood bathed in the still luminous twilight76.
Trevize muttered, "It seems to me that it was in that direction.""It seems so to me, too," said Bliss. "Let's walk," and she held outher hand to Fallom.
There was no sound except those produced by the wind and by themotions and calls of living animals. At one point they passed a robotstanding motionless near the base of a tree, holding some object ofuncertain purpose.
Pelorat took a step toward it out of apparent curiosity, but Trevizesaid, "Not our business, Janov. Move on."They passed another robot, at a greater distance, who had tumbled.
Trevize said, "There are robots littered over many kilometers inall directions, I suppose." And then, triumphantly77, "Ah, there's theship."They hastened their steps now, then stopped suddenly. Fallom raisedits voice in an excited squeak78.
On the ground near the ship was what appeared to be an air-vessel ofprimitive design, with a rotor that looked energy-wasteful, and fragilebesides. Standing next to the air-vessel, and between the little partyof Outworlders and their ship, stood four human figures.
"Too late," said Trevize. "We wasted too much time. Now what?"Pelorat said wonderingly, "Four Solarians? It can't be. Surely theywouldn't come into physical contact like that. Do you suppose thoseare holoimages?""They are thoroughly79 material," said Bliss. "I'm sure of that. They'renot Solarians either. There's no mistaking the minds. They're robots."55"Well, then," said Trevize wearily, "onward80!" He resumedhis walk toward the ship at a calm pace and the others followed.
Pelorat said, rather breathlessly, "What do you intend to do?""If they're robots, they've got to obey orders."The robots were awaiting them, and Trevize watched them narrowly asthey came closer.
Yes, they must be robots. Their faces, which looked as though they weremade of skin underlain81 with flesh, were curiously expressionless. Theywere dressed in uniforms that exposed no square centimeter of skinoutside the face. Even the hands were covered by thin, opaque82 gloves.
Trevize gestured casually83, in a fashion that was unquestionably abrusque request that they step aside.
The robots did not move.
In a low voice, Trevize said to Pelorat, "put it into words, Janov. Befirm."Pelorat cleared his throat and, putting an unaccustomed baritone intohis voice, spoke slowly, gesturing them aside much as Trevize had done. Atthat, one of the robots, who was perhaps a shade taller than the rest,said something in a cold and incisive84 voice.
Pelorat turned to Trevize. "I think he said we were Outworlders.""Tell him we are human beings and must be obeyed."The robot spoke then, in peculiar85 but understandable Galactic. "Iunderstand you, Outworlder. I speak Galactic. We are Guardian86 Robots.""Then you have heard me say that we are human beings and that youmust therefore obey us.""We are programmed to obey Rulers only, Outworlder. You are notRulers and not Solarian. Ruler Bander has not responded to the normalmoment of Contact and we have come to investigate at close quarters. Itis our duty to do so. We find a spaceship not of Solarian manufacture,several Outworlders present, and all Bander robots inactivated34. Whereis Ruler Bander?"Trevize shook his head and said slowly and distinctly, "We knownothing of what you say. Our ship's computer is not working well. Wefound ourselves near this strange planet against our intentions. Welanded to find our location. We found all robots inactivated. We knownothing of what might have happened.""That is not a credible87 account. If all robots on the estate areinactivated and all power is off, Ruler Bander must be dead. It is notlogical to suppose that by coincidence it died just as you landed. Theremust be some sort of causal connection."Trevize said, with no set purpose but to confuse the issue and toindicate his own foreigner's lack of understanding and, therefore, hisinnocence, "But the power is not off. You and the others are active."The robot said, "We are Guardian Robots. We do not belong to anyRuler. We belong to all the world. We are not Ruler-controlled but arenuclear-powered. I ask again, where is Ruler Bander?"Trevize looked about him. Pelorat appeared anxious; Bliss wastight-lipped but calm. Fallom was trembling, but Bliss's hand touchedthe child's shoulder and it stiffened88 somewhat and lost facialexpression. (Was Bliss sedating89 it?)The robot said, "Once again, and for the last time, where is RulerBander?""I do not know," said Trevize grimly.
The robot nodded and two of his companions left quickly. The robotsaid, "My fellow Guardians90 will search the mansion. Meanwhile, you willbe held for questioning. Hand me those objects you wear at your side."Trevize took a step backward. "They are harmless.""Do not move again. I do not question their nature, whether harmfulor harmless. I ask for them.""No."The robot took a quick step forward, and his arm flashed out tooquickly for Trevize to realize what was happening. The robot's hand wason his shoulder; the grip tightened91 and pushed downward. Trevize wentto his knees.
The robot said, "Those objects." It held out its other hand.
"No," gasped92 Trevize.
Bliss lunged forward, pulled the blaster out of its holster beforeTrevize, clamped in the robot's grip, could do anything to preventher, and held it out toward the robot. "Here, Guardian," she said,"and if you'll give me a moment here's the other. Now releasemy companion."The robot, holding both weapons, stepped back, and Trevize roseslowly to his feet, rubbing his left shoulder vigorously, face wincingwith pain.
(Fallom whimpered softly, and Pelorat picked it up in distraction,and held it tightly.)Bliss said to Trevize, in a furious whisper, "Why are you fightinghim? He can kill you with two fingers."Trevize groaned93 and said, between gritted94 teeth, "Why don'tyou handle him.
"I'm trying to. It takes time. His mind is tight, intensely programmed,and leaves no handle. I must study it. You play for time.""Don't study his mind. Just destroy it," said Trevize, almostsoundlessly.
Bliss looked quickly toward the robot. It was studying the weaponsintently, while the one other robot that still remained with it watchedthe Outworlders. Neither seemed interested in the whispering that wasgoing on between Trevize and Bliss.
Bliss said, "No. No destruction. We killed one dog and hurt another onthe first world. You know what happened on this world." (Another quickglance at the Guardian Robots.) "Gaia does not needlessly butcher lifeor intelligence. I need time to work it out peacefully."She stepped back and stared at the robot fixedly95.
The robot said, "These are weapons.""No," said Trevize.
"Yes," said Bliss, "but they are no longer useful. They are drainedof energy.""Is that indeed so? Why should you carry weapons that are drainedof energy? Perhaps they are not drained." The robot held one of theweapons in its fist and placed its thumb accurately96. "Is this the wayit is activated?""Yes," said Bliss; "if you tighten the pressure, it would be activated,if it contained energy but it does not.""Is that certain?" The robot pointed the weapon at Trevize. "Do youstill say that if I activate it now, it will not work?""It will not work," said Bliss.
Trevize was frozen in place and unable to articulate. He had testedthe blaster after Bander had drained it and it was totally dead, butthe robot was holding the neuronic whip. Trevize had not tested that.
If the whip contained even a small residue97 of energy, there wouldbe enough for a stimulation98 of the pain nerves, and what Trevize wouldfeel would make the grip of the robot's hand seem to have been a patof affection.
When he had been at the Naval99 Academy, Trevize had been forced totake a mild neuronic whipblow, as all cadets had had to. That was justto know what it was like. Trevize felt no need to know anything more.
The robot activated the weapon and, for a moment, Trevize stiffenedpainfully and then slowly relaxed. The whip, too, was thoroughlydrained.
The robot stared at Trevize and then tossed both weapons to oneside. "How do these come to be drained of energy?" it demanded. "If theyare of no use, why do you carry them?"Trevize said, "I am accustomed to the weight and carry them evenwhen drained."The robot said, "That does not make sense. You are all undercustody. You will be held for further questioning, and, if the Rulersso decide, you will then be inactivated. How does one open thisship? We must search it.""It will do you no good," said Trevize. "You won't understand it.""If not I, the Rulers will understand.""They will not understand, either.""Then you will explain so that they will understand.""I will not.""Then you will be inactivated.""My inactivation will give you no explanation, and I think I will beinactivated even if I explain."Bliss muttered, "Keep it up. I'm beginning to unravel100 the workingsof its brain."The robot ignored Bliss. (Did she see to that? thought Trevize,and hoped savagely101 that she had.)Keeping its attention firmly on Trevize, the robot said, "If you makedifficulties, then we will partially102 inactivate you. We will damage youand you will then tell us what we want to know."Suddenly, Pelorat called out in a half-strangled cry. "Wait, youcannot do this. Guardian, you cannot do this.""I am under detailed103 instructions," said the robot quietly. "I cando this. Of course, I shall do as little damage as is consistent withobtaining information.""But you cannot. Not at all. I am an Outworlder, and so are thesetwo companions of mine. But this child," and Pelorat looked at Fallom,whom he was still carrying, "is a Solarian. It will tell you what to doand you must obey it."Fallom looked at Pelorat with eyes that were open, but seemedempty.
Bliss shook her head, sharply, but Pelorat looked at her without anysign of understanding.
The robot's eyes rested briefly on Fallom. It said, "The child is ofno importance. It does not have transducer-lobes.""It does not yet have fully developed transducer-lobes," said Pelorat,panting, "but it will have them in time. It is a Solarian child.""It is a child, but without fully developed transducer-lobes it isnot a Solarian. I am not compelled to follow its orders or to keep itfrom harm.""But it is the offspring of Ruler Bander.""Is it? How do you come to know that?"Pelorat stuttered, as he sometimes did when overearnest. "Wh whatother child would be on this estate?""How do you know there aren't a dozen?""Have you seen any others?""It is I who will ask the questions."At this moment, the robot's attention shifted as the second robottouched its arm. The two robots who had been sent to the mansion werereturning at a rapid run that, nevertheless, had a certain irregularityto it.
There was silence till they arrived and then one of them spoke inthe Solarian language at which all four of the robots seemed tolose their elasticity104. For a moment, they appeared to wither105, almostto deflate.
Pelorat said, "They've found Bander," before Trevize could wavehim silent.
The robot turned slowly and said, in a voice that slurred106 thesyllables, "Ruler Bander is dead. By the remark you have just made,you show us you were aware of the fact. How did that come to be?""How can I know?" said Trevize defiantly107.
"You knew it was dead. You knew it was there to be found. How couldyou know that, unless you had been there unless it was you thathad ended the life?" The robot's enunciation108 was already improving. Ithad endured and was absorbing the shock.
Then Trevize said, "How could we have killed Bander? With itstransducer-lobes it could have destroyed us in a moment.""How do you know what, or what not, transducer-lobes could do?""You mentioned the transducer-lobes just now.""I did no more than mention them. I did not describe their propertiesor abilities.""The knowledge came to us in a dream.""That is not a credible answer."Trevize said, "To suppose that we have caused the death of Bander isnot credible, either."Pelorat added, "And in any case, if Ruler Bander is dead, then RulerFallom now controls this estate. Here the Ruler is, and it is it whomyou must obey.""I have already explained," said the robot, "that an offspring withundeveloped transducer-lobes is not a Solarian. It cannot be a Successor,therefore, Another Successor, of the appropriate age, will be flown inas soon as we report this sad news.""What of Ruler Fallom?""There is no Ruler Fallom. There is only a child and we have an excessof children. It will be destroyed."Bliss said forcefully, "You dare not. It is a child!""It is not I," said the robot, "who will necessarily do the act and itis certainly not I who will make the decision. That is for the consensusof the Rulers. In times of child-excess, however, I know well what thedecision will in.""No. I say no.""It will be painless. But another ship is coming. It isimportant that we go into what was the Bander mansion and set up aholovision Council that will supply a Successor and decide on what todo with you. Give me the child."Bliss snatched the semicomatose figure of Fallom from Pelorat. Holdingit tightly and trying to balance its weight on her shoulder, she said,"Do not touch this child."Once again, the robot's arm shot out swiftly and it stepped forward,reaching for Fallom. Bliss moved quickly to one side, beginning her motionwell before the robot had begun its own. The robot continued to moveforward, however, as though Bliss were still standing before it. Curvingstiffly downward, with the forward tips of its feet as the pivot109, it wentdown on its face. The other three stood motionless, eyes unfocused.
Bliss was sobbing57, partly with rage. "I almost had the proper method ofcontrol, and it wouldn't give me the time. I had no choice but to strikeand now all four are inactivated. Let's get on the ship beforethe other ship lands. I am too ill to face additional robots, now."

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 bliss JtXz4     
n.狂喜,福佑,天赐的福
参考例句:
  • It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
  • He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴,因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。
2 taut iUazb     
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。
3 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
4 intensity 45Ixd     
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度
参考例句:
  • I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
  • The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。
5 oblivious Y0Byc     
adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的
参考例句:
  • Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后,妈妈变得特别健忘。
  • He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。
6 courteous tooz2     
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的
参考例句:
  • Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一,但她总是很谦恭有礼。
  • He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善,而且彬彬有礼。
7 mansion 8BYxn     
n.大厦,大楼;宅第
参考例句:
  • The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
  • The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。
8 innocence ZbizC     
n.无罪;天真;无害
参考例句:
  • There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
  • The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。
9 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
10 forfeit YzCyA     
vt.丧失;n.罚金,罚款,没收物
参考例句:
  • If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎,就会失掉大家对你的好感。
  • Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。
11 dissect 3tNxQ     
v.分割;解剖
参考例句:
  • In biology class we had to dissect a frog.上生物课时我们得解剖青蛙。
  • Not everyone can dissect and digest the public information they receive.不是每个人都可以解析和消化他们得到的公共信息的。
12 pampered 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
13 inactivation 18ae5d115854e3d37d23b02949a1e431     
n.灭活,失活,钝化(作用);减化
参考例句:
  • This inactivation may be accomplished in a variety of ways. 这种失去活性作用能以多种方式来实现。 来自辞典例句
  • Long sonication periods can lead to some inactivation. 长时间的声波作用可导致某种程度的失活。 来自辞典例句
14 offense HIvxd     
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪
参考例句:
  • I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
  • His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。
15 virtue BpqyH     
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力
参考例句:
  • He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
  • You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
16 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
17 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
18 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
19 descended guQzoy     
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
参考例句:
  • A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
  • The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
20 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
21 erratically 4fe0a2084ae371616a604c4e0b6beb73     
adv.不规律地,不定地
参考例句:
  • Police stopped him for driving erratically. 警察因其驾驶不循规则而把他拦下了。 来自辞典例句
  • Magnetitite-bearing plugs are found erratically from the base of the Critical Zone. 含磁铁岩的岩栓不规则地分布于关键带的基底以上。 来自辞典例句
22 crumpled crumpled     
adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句:
  • She crumpled the letter up into a ball and threw it on the fire. 她把那封信揉成一团扔进了火里。
  • She flattened out the crumpled letter on the desk. 她在写字台上把皱巴巴的信展平。
23 glistened 17ff939f38e2a303f5df0353cf21b300     
v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
24 ward LhbwY     
n.守卫,监护,病房,行政区,由监护人或法院保护的人(尤指儿童);vt.守护,躲开
参考例句:
  • The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
  • During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时,我要点根火把,抵挡蚊虫。
25 unevenly 9fZz51     
adv.不均匀的
参考例句:
  • Fuel resources are very unevenly distributed. 燃料资源分布很不均匀。
  • The cloth is dyed unevenly. 布染花了。
26 soothing soothing     
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的
参考例句:
  • Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
  • His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
27 lobes fe8c3178c8180f03dd0fc8ae16f13e3c     
n.耳垂( lobe的名词复数 );(器官的)叶;肺叶;脑叶
参考例句:
  • The rotor has recesses in its three faces between the lobes. 转子在其凸角之间的三个面上有凹槽。 来自辞典例句
  • The chalazal parts of the endosperm containing free nuclei forms several lobes. 包含游离核的合点端胚乳部分形成几个裂片。 来自辞典例句
28 efficiently ZuTzXQ     
adv.高效率地,有能力地
参考例句:
  • The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
  • Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。
29 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
30 tighten 9oYwI     
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。
31 maneuver Q7szu     
n.策略[pl.]演习;v.(巧妙)控制;用策略
参考例句:
  • All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后,所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
  • I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。
32 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
33 inactivate Sqhzbh     
v.使…不活跃
参考例句:
  • We put bacteria in an environment at low temperature to inactivate them.我们将细菌置於低温的环境中使之失去活性。
  • Food processing destroys some nutrients,but can also inactivate toxins and increase the availability of other nutrients.食物加工破坏一些营养物质,但也可以灭活毒素,并增加其他营养物质的可用性。
34 inactivated 9301af139e2f8eb6dae70f855b1f1216     
v.使不活泼,阻止活动( inactivate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Molluscicides are quickly inactivated by sunlight and adsorption to mud organic matter. 灭螺剂因阳光作用、泥土及有机物质的吸收会很快失效。 来自辞典例句
  • Viruses were inactivated by BPL and the toxicity measured again. BPL对病毒进行灭活,测定残存毒力。 来自互联网
35 activated c3905c37f4127686d512a7665206852e     
adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。
36 activate UJ2y0     
vt.使活动起来,使开始起作用
参考例句:
  • We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
  • These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。
37 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
38 impatience OaOxC     
n.不耐烦,急躁
参考例句:
  • He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢,他显得不耐烦。
  • He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。
39 unwilling CjpwB     
adj.不情愿的
参考例句:
  • The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
  • His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。
40 defense AxbxB     
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩
参考例句:
  • The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
  • The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
41 supremely MhpzUo     
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。
42 winding Ue7z09     
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈
参考例句:
  • A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
  • The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
43 maze F76ze     
n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑
参考例句:
  • He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。
  • She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时,她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。
44 appalled ec524998aec3c30241ea748ac1e5dbba     
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》
45 retrace VjUzyj     
v.折回;追溯,探源
参考例句:
  • He retraced his steps to the spot where he'd left the case.他折回到他丢下箱子的地方。
  • You must retrace your steps.你必须折回原来走过的路。
46 windings 8a90d8f41ef7c5f4ee6b83bec124a8c9     
(道路、河流等)蜿蜒的,弯曲的( winding的名词复数 ); 缠绕( wind的现在分词 ); 卷绕; 转动(把手)
参考例句:
  • The time harmonics can be considered as voltages of higher frequencies applied to the windings. 时间谐波可以看作是施加在绕组上的较高频率的电压。
  • All the vales in their manifold windings shaded by the most delightful forests. 所有的幽谷,都笼罩在繁茂的垂枝下。
47 flickering wjLxa     
adj.闪烁的,摇曳的,一闪一闪的
参考例句:
  • The crisp autumn wind is flickering away. 清爽的秋风正在吹拂。
  • The lights keep flickering. 灯光忽明忽暗。
48 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
49 doorway 2s0xK     
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径
参考例句:
  • They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
  • Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。
50 rambling MTfxg     
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。
51 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
52 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
53 consolation WpbzC     
n.安慰,慰问
参考例句:
  • The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
  • This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。
54 interspersed c7b23dadfc0bbd920c645320dfc91f93     
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》
55 gasping gasping     
adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
参考例句:
  • He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
  • "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗?”“我巴不得能喝点!”
56 sobs d4349f86cad43cb1a5579b1ef269d0cb     
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
  • She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。
57 sobbing df75b14f92e64fc9e1d7eaf6dcfc083a     
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句:
  • I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
  • Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。
58 darted d83f9716cd75da6af48046d29f4dd248     
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》
59 shrieking abc59c5a22d7db02751db32b27b25dbb     
v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They were all shrieking with laughter. 他们都发出了尖锐的笑声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
60 solitude xF9yw     
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。
61 lessened 6351a909991322c8a53dc9baa69dda6f     
减少的,减弱的
参考例句:
  • Listening to the speech through an interpreter lessened its impact somewhat. 演讲辞通过翻译的嘴说出来,多少削弱了演讲的力量。
  • The flight to suburbia lessened the number of middle-class families living within the city. 随着迁往郊外的风行,住在城内的中产家庭减少了。
62 unfamiliar uk6w4     
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。
63 preoccupied TPBxZ     
adj.全神贯注的,入神的;被抢先占有的;心事重重的v.占据(某人)思想,使对…全神贯注,使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)
参考例句:
  • He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事,没注意到有什么不对。
  • The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
64 archaic 4Nyyd     
adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的,已不通用的
参考例句:
  • The company does some things in archaic ways,such as not using computers for bookkeeping.这个公司有些做法陈旧,如记账不使用电脑。
  • Shaanxi is one of the Chinese archaic civilized origins which has a long history.陕西省是中国古代文明发祥之一,有悠久的历史。
65 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
66 archaically 23438e24187240fa2f93d424fcfc9693     
古老的
参考例句:
67 luminous 98ez5     
adj.发光的,发亮的;光明的;明白易懂的;有启发的
参考例句:
  • There are luminous knobs on all the doors in my house.我家所有门上都安有夜光把手。
  • Most clocks and watches in this shop are in luminous paint.这家商店出售的大多数钟表都涂了发光漆。
68 hissing 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
69 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
70 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法,待人态度
参考例句:
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
71 briefly 9Styo     
adv.简单地,简短地
参考例句:
  • I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
  • He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
72 labored zpGz8M     
adj.吃力的,谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转
参考例句:
  • I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近,能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
  • They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句
73 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
74 chattering chattering     
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
  • I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。
75 grimace XQVza     
v.做鬼脸,面部歪扭
参考例句:
  • The boy stole a look at his father with grimace.那男孩扮着鬼脸偷看了他父亲一眼。
  • Thomas made a grimace after he had tasted the wine.托马斯尝了那葡萄酒后做了个鬼脸。
76 twilight gKizf     
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期
参考例句:
  • Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
  • Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。
77 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
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。
78 squeak 4Gtzo     
n.吱吱声,逃脱;v.(发出)吱吱叫,侥幸通过;(俚)告密
参考例句:
  • I don't want to hear another squeak out of you!我不想再听到你出声!
  • We won the game,but it was a narrow squeak.我们打赢了这场球赛,不过是侥幸取胜。
79 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
80 onward 2ImxI     
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先
参考例句:
  • The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
  • He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。
81 underlain 2d039d4cf275f926acd9a780622d0e93     
v.位于或存在于(某物)之下( underlie的过去分词 );构成…的基础(或起因),引起
参考例句:
82 opaque jvhy1     
adj.不透光的;不反光的,不传导的;晦涩的
参考例句:
  • The windows are of opaque glass.这些窗户装着不透明玻璃。
  • Their intentions remained opaque.他们的意图仍然令人费解。
83 casually UwBzvw     
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。
84 incisive vkQyj     
adj.敏锐的,机敏的,锋利的,切入的
参考例句:
  • His incisive remarks made us see the problems in our plans.他的话切中要害,使我们看到了计划中的一些问题。
  • He combined curious qualities of naivety with incisive wit and worldly sophistication.他集天真质朴的好奇、锐利的机智和老练的世故于一体。
85 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的
参考例句:
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
86 guardian 8ekxv     
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者
参考例句:
  • The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
  • The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。
87 credible JOAzG     
adj.可信任的,可靠的
参考例句:
  • The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
  • Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法?
88 stiffened de9de455736b69d3f33bb134bba74f63     
加强的
参考例句:
  • He leaned towards her and she stiffened at this invasion of her personal space. 他向她俯过身去,这种侵犯她个人空间的举动让她绷紧了身子。
  • She stiffened with fear. 她吓呆了。
89 sedating 6cc83bbc69cf9a20cc6ca80dbde79277     
v.使昏昏入睡,使镇静( sedate的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • But on the down slope, as the alcohol is metabolized, its effects are more sedating. 但对于下降倾斜率来说,虽然酒精能促使新陈代谢,它的作用却更和缓。 来自互联网
90 guardians 648b3519bd4469e1a48dff4dc4827315     
监护人( guardian的名词复数 ); 保护者,维护者
参考例句:
  • Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
  • The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。
91 tightened bd3d8363419d9ff838bae0ba51722ee9     
收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)变紧; (使)绷紧; 加紧
参考例句:
  • The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
  • His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机,然后又松开了。
92 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
93 groaned 1a076da0ddbd778a674301b2b29dff71     
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦
参考例句:
  • He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
  • The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
94 gritted 74cb239c0aa78b244d5279ebe4f72c2d     
v.以沙砾覆盖(某物),撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 );咬紧牙关
参考例句:
  • He gritted his teeth and plunged into the cold weather. 他咬咬牙,冲向寒冷的天气。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The young policeman gritted his teeth and walked slowly towards the armed criminal. 年轻警官强忍住怒火,朝武装歹徒慢慢走过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
95 fixedly 71be829f2724164d2521d0b5bee4e2cc     
adv.固定地;不屈地,坚定不移地
参考例句:
  • He stared fixedly at the woman in white. 他一直凝视着那穿白衣裳的女人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The great majority were silent and still, looking fixedly at the ground. 绝大部分的人都不闹不动,呆呆地望着地面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
96 accurately oJHyf     
adv.准确地,精确地
参考例句:
  • It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
  • Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。
97 residue 6B0z1     
n.残余,剩余,残渣
参考例句:
  • Mary scraped the residue of food from the plates before putting them under water.玛丽在把盘子放入水之前先刮去上面的食物残渣。
  • Pesticide persistence beyond the critical period for control leads to residue problems.农药一旦超过控制的临界期,就会导致残留问题。
98 stimulation BuIwL     
n.刺激,激励,鼓舞
参考例句:
  • The playgroup provides plenty of stimulation for the children.幼儿游戏组给孩子很多启发。
  • You don't get any intellectual stimulation in this job.你不能从这份工作中获得任何智力启发。
99 naval h1lyU     
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的
参考例句:
  • He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
  • The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。
100 unravel Ajzwo     
v.弄清楚(秘密);拆开,解开,松开
参考例句:
  • He was good with his hands and could unravel a knot or untangle yarn that others wouldn't even attempt.他的手很灵巧,其他人甚至都不敢尝试的一些难解的绳结或缠在一起的纱线,他都能解开。
  • This is the attitude that led him to unravel a mystery that long puzzled Chinese historians.正是这种态度使他解决了长期以来使中国历史学家们大惑不解的谜。
101 savagely 902f52b3c682f478ddd5202b40afefb9     
adv. 野蛮地,残酷地
参考例句:
  • The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
  • He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。
102 partially yL7xm     
adv.部分地,从某些方面讲
参考例句:
  • The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
  • The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静,宵禁部分解除。
103 detailed xuNzms     
adj.详细的,详尽的,极注意细节的,完全的
参考例句:
  • He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
  • A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。
104 elasticity 8jlzp     
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。
105 wither dMVz1     
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。
106 slurred 01a941e4c7d84b2a714a07ccb7ad1430     
含糊地说出( slur的过去式和过去分词 ); 含糊地发…的声; 侮辱; 连唱
参考例句:
  • She had drunk too much and her speech was slurred. 她喝得太多了,话都说不利索了。
  • You could tell from his slurred speech that he was drunk. 从他那含糊不清的话语中你就知道他喝醉了。
107 defiantly defiantly     
adv.挑战地,大胆对抗地
参考例句:
  • Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
108 enunciation wtRzjz     
n.清晰的发音;表明,宣言;口齿
参考例句:
  • He is always willing to enunciate his opinions on the subject of politics. 他总是愿意对政治问题发表意见。> enunciation / I9nQnsI5eIFn; I9nQnsI`eFEn/ n [C, U]。 来自辞典例句
  • Be good at communicating,sense of responsibility,the work is careful,the enunciation is clear. 善于沟通,责任心强,工作细致,口齿清晰。 来自互联网
109 pivot E2rz6     
v.在枢轴上转动;装枢轴,枢轴;adj.枢轴的
参考例句:
  • She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴,表现出万物的女性面貌。
  • If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧,手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。


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