EXCERPT1 FROM ARTEMIS FOWL2’S DIARY. DISK 2.
ENCRYPTED
MY father had finally regained3 consciousness. I was, of course, relieved, but his last words to me that day were chasing themselves around in my mind.
‘Gold isn’t all-important, Arty’ he had said. ‘Neither is power. We have everything we need right here. The three of us.’
Was it possible that the magic had transformed my father? I had to know. I needed to speak to him alone. So, at 3 a.m. the following morning, I had Butler bring me back to Helsinki’s University Hospital in the rented Mercedes.
Father was still awake, reading War and Peace by lamplight. ‘Not many laughs’ he commented. More jokes. I tried to smile, but my face just wasn’t in the mood.
Father closed the book. ‘I’ve been expecting you, Arty. We need to talk. There are a few things we have to straighten out.’ I stood stiffly at the foot of the bed. ‘Yes, Father. I agree.’ Father’s smile was tinged4 with sadness. ‘So formal. I remember being the same with my own father. I sometimes think that he didn’t know me at all, and I worry that the same thing will happen to us. So I want us to talk, son, not about bank accounts. Not stocks and shares. Not corporate5 takeovers. I don’t want to talk business, I want to talk about you.’
I had been afraid of this. ‘Me? You are the priority here, Father.’
‘Perhaps, but I cannot be happy until your mother’s mind is put at rest.’
‘At rest?’ I asked, as though I didn’t know where this was going.
‘Don’t play the innocent, Artemis. I’ve called a few of my law-enforcement contacts around Europe. Apparently6 you have been active in my absence. Very active.’
I shrugged7, unsure whether I was being scolded or praised.
‘Not so long ago I would have been very impressed by your antics. Such audacity8 and still a minor9. But now, speaking as a father, things have to change, Arty. You must reclaim10 your childhood. It is my wish, and your mother’s, that you return to school after the holidays and leave the family’s business to me.’
‘But, Father!’
‘Trust me, Arty. I’ve been in business a lot longer than you. I have promised your mother that the Fowls11 are on the straight and narrow from now on. All of the Fowls. I have another chance, and I will not waste it on greed. We are a family now. A proper one. From now on the Fowl name will be associated with honour and honesty. Agreed?’
‘Agreed,’ I said, clasping his hand.
But what of my meeting with Chicago’s Jon Spiro? I decided12 to proceed as planned. One last adventure — then the Fowls could be a proper family. After all, Butler would accompany me. What could go wrong?
Butler opened his eyes. He was home. Artemis was asleep in the armchair beside the bed. The boy looked a hundred years old. It wasn’t surprising after all he’d been through. That life was over now though. All of it.
‘Anybody home?’ said the manservant.
Artemis was instantly alert.
‘Butler, you’ve come back to us.’
Butler struggled on to his elbows. It was quite an effort.
‘It’s a surprise to me. I never expected to see you, or anyone, ever again.’
Artemis poured a glass of water from the bedside jug14.
‘Here, old friend. Just rest.’
Butler drank slowly. He was tired, but it was more than that. He had felt battle fatigue15 before, but this went deeper.
‘Artemis, what has happened? I shouldn’t be alive at all. And if I accept that I am alive, then I should be experiencing massive amounts of pain right about now.’
Artemis crossed to the window, looking out over the estate.
‘Blunt shot you. It was a fatal wound, and Holly16 wasn’t around to help, so I froze you until she arrived.’
Butler shook his head. ‘Cryogenics? Only Artemis Fowl. You used the fish freezers, I suppose?’
Artemis nodded.
‘I trust I am not part freshwater trout17 now, eh?’
When Artemis turned to face his friend, he was not smiling.
‘There were complications.’
‘Complications?’
Artemis took a breath. ‘It was a difficult healing — no way to predict the outcome. Foaly warned that it might be too much for your system, but I insisted we press on.’
Butler sat up. ‘Artemis. It’s all right. I’m alive. Anything is better than the alternative.’
Artemis was not reassured18. He took a pearl-handled mirror from the locker19.
‘Prepare yourself, and take a look.’
Butler took a deep breath and looked. He stretched his jaw20 and pinched the bags beneath his eyes.
‘Just how long was I out?’ he asked.
TRANSATLANTIC BOEING 747
Mulch had decided that the best way to undermine the mission was to antagonize Loafers until he went crazy. Driving people crazy was a talent of his, and one that he did not get to exercise often enough.
The two diminutive21 individuals were seated side by side in a 747, watching the clouds shoot past below. First class: one of the perks22 of working for the Antonellis.
Mulch sipped23 delicately from a champagne24 flute25.
‘That’s Loafers.’
‘Oh yes, Loafers. What’s the story behind all the tattoos27?’
Loafers rolled up his sleeve, revealing a turquoise29 snake with drops of blood for eyes. Another of his own designs.
‘I get one done after every job.’
‘Oh,’ said Mulch. ‘So if you paint a kitchen, then you get a tattoo28?’
‘Not that kind of job, stupid.’
‘What kind of job then?’
Loafers ground his teeth. ‘Do I have to spell it out for you?’
Mulch pinched some peanuts from a passing tray.
‘No point. I never got no schoolin’. Plain English will be fine.’
‘You can’t be this stupid! Spatz Antonelli doesn’t hire morons30.’
Mulch gave a smarmy31 wink32. ‘You sure about that?’
Loafers patted his shirt, hoping to find a weapon of some kind.
‘You wait until this is over, smart alec. Me and you will settle our differences.’
‘You keep telling yourself that, Boots.’
‘Loafers!’
‘Whatever.’
Mulch hid behind the airline magazine. This was too easy. The mobster was half-crazed already. A few more hours in Mulch’s company should be enough to have Loafers McGuire foaming33 at the mouth.
DUBLIN AIRPORT, IRELAND
Mulch and Loafers passed through Irish customs without incident. After all, they were simply citizens returning home for the holidays. It wasn’t as if they were a Mob team up to no good. How could they be? Whoever heard of little people being involved in organized crime? Nobody. But maybe that was because they were very good at it.
Passport control provided Mulch with another opportunity to infuriate his partner.
The officer was doing his best not to notice Mulch’s height, or lack of it.
‘So, Mister Digence, home to visit the family?’
Mulch nodded. ‘That’s right. My mother’s folks are from Killarney.’
‘Oh, really?’
‘O’Reilly, actually. But what’s a vowel34 between friends?’
‘Very good. You should be on the stage.’ ‘It’s funny you should mention that -The passport officer groaned35. Ten more minutes and his shift would have been over.
‘I was being sarcastic36 actually . . .’ he muttered. - because my friend Mister McGuire and I are also doing a stint37 in the Christmas pantomime. It’s Snow White. I’m Doc, and he’s Dopey.’
The passport officer forced a smile. ‘Very good. Next.’ Mulch spoke38 for the entire queue to hear. ‘Of course, Mister McGuire there was born to play Dopey, if you catch my drift.’
Loafers lost it right there in the terminal. ‘You little freak!’ he screamed. ‘I’ll kill you! You’ll be my next tattoo. You’ll be my next tattoo!’
Mulch tutted as Loafers disappeared beneath half a dozen security guards.
‘Actors,’ he said. ‘Highly strung.’
*
They released Loafers three hours later after a full search and several phone calls to the parish priest in his home town. Mulch was waiting in the pre-ordered rental39 car, a specially40 modified model with elevated accelerator and brake pedals.
‘Your temper is seriously jeopardizing41 this operation,’ commented the dwarf42, straight-faced. ‘I’ll have to phone Miss Frazetti if you can’t control yourself.’
‘Drive,’ said the metal man hoarsely43. ‘Let’s get this over with.’
‘OK then. But you’re on your very last chance. One more episode like that and I’m going to have to crush your head between my teeth.’
Loafers noticed his partner’s teeth for the first time. They were tombstone-shaped blocks of enamel44, and there seemed to be an awful lot of them for just one mouth. Was it possible that Digence could actually do what he threatened? No, Loafers decided. He was just a bit spooked after the customs interrogation. Still, there was something about the dwarf’s smile. A glint that spoke of hidden and frightening talents. Talents that the metal man would prefer to stay hidden.
Mulch took care of the driving while Loafers made a couple of calls on his mobile phone. It was a simple matter for him to contact a few old associates and arrange for a weapon, a silencer and two headsets to be left in a duffel bag behind the motorway45 exit sign for Fowl Manor. Loafers’ associates even took credit cards, so there was no need for the usual macho trade-off that generally accompanied black-market transactions.
Loafers checked the weapon’s action and sights in the car. He felt in control again.
‘So, Mo,’ said Loafers, chuckling46 as if that simple rhyme was the funniest joke he had ever made. And sadly, it was. ‘Have you put together a plan yet?’
Mulch didn’t take his eyes from the road. ‘Nope. I thought you were the head honcho here. Plans are your department. I just break and enter.’
‘That’s right. I am the head honcho, and believe me Master Fowl is going to realize that too when I’m finished talking to him.’
‘Master Fowl?’ said Mulch innocently. ‘We’re here for some kid?’
‘Not just some kid,’ revealed Loafers, against orders. ‘Artemis Fowl. Heir to the Fowl criminal empire. He has something in his head that Miss Frazetti wants. So we’re supposed to impress upon the little brat47 how important it is that he come with us and spill the beans.’
Mulch’s grip tightened48 on the wheel. He should have made his move before now. But the trick was not to incapacitate Loafers, it was persuading Carla Frazetti not to send another team.
Artemis would know what to do. He had to get to the boy before Loafers did. A mobile phone and a visit to the bathroom were all he needed. A pity he had never bothered purchasing a phone, but there had never been anybody to call before. Besides, you could never be too careful with Foaly. That centaur49 could triangulate a chirping50 cricket.
‘We better stop for supplies,’ said Loafers. ‘It could take days to check this place out.’
‘No need. I know the layout. I burgled it before, in my youth. Piece of cake.’
‘And you didn’t mention this before because Mulch made a rude gesture at a lorry driver hogging51 both lanes.
‘You know the way it is. I work on commission. The commission is calculated on a hardship basis. The second I say I turned this place over before, ten grand is cut off my fee.’
Loafers didn’t argue. It was true. You always exaggerated the difficulty of the job. Anything to squeeze a few more bucks52 out of your employer.
‘So, you can get us in there?’
‘I can get me in there. Then I come back out for you.’
Loafers was suspicious. ‘Why don’t I just come with you? It would be a lot easier than hanging around in broad daylight.’
‘Firstly, I’m not going in until after dark. And secondly53, sure you can come with me, if you don’t mind crawling through the septic tank and up nine metres of effluent pipe.’
Loafers had to open a window at the thought of it.
‘OK. You come get me. But we stay in contact over the headsets. Anything goes wrong and you let me know.’
‘Yes, sir, boss,’ said Mulch, screwing the earpiece into a hairy ear and clipping the mike to his jacket. ‘Wouldn’t want you to miss your appointment intimidating54 a kid.’
The sarcasm55 made a slight whistling noise as it flew over Loafer’s head.
‘That’s right,’ said the Kilkenny man. ‘I am the boss. And you don’t want to make me late for my appointment.’
Mulch had to concentrate to stop his beard hair curling. Dwarf hair is very mood-sensitive, especially to hostility56, and it was flowing out of this man’s every pore. Mulch’s bristles57 had never been wrong yet. This little partnership58 was not going to end well.
Mulch parked in the shadow of the Fowl Estate’s boundary wall.
‘You certain this is the place?’ asked Loafers.
Mulch pointed59 a stubby finger at the ornate iron gate.
‘You see there where it says Fowl Manor?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’d say this was probably the place.’
Even Loafers couldn’t miss a direct jibe60 like that.
‘You better get me in there, Digence, or . . .’
Mulch showed him the teeth. ‘Or what?’
‘Or Miss Frazetti will be extremely annoyed,’ completed Loafers lamely61, well aware that he was losing the hard-man-banter battle. Loafers resolved to teach Mo Digence a lesson as soon as possible.
‘We wouldn’t want to annoy Miss Frazetti,’ said Mulch. He climbed down from the elevated seat and reclaimed62 his gear bag from the trunk. There were certain unorthodox burglary tools in the bag, supplied by his fairy contact in New York. Hopefully none of them would be needed. Not the way he intended gaining entrance to the manor.
Mulch rapped on the passenger window. Loafers buzzed it open.
‘What?’
‘Remember, you stay here until I come and get you.’
‘That sounds like an order, Digence. Are you giving me orders now?’
‘Me?’ said Mulch, revealing the full expanse of his teeth. ‘Giving orders? I wouldn’t dream of it.’
Loafers buzzed the window back up.
‘You better not be,’ he said as soon as there was a layer of toughened glass between him and those teeth.
Inside Fowl Manor, Butler had just finished clipping and shaving. He was beginning to look like his old self again. His older self.
‘Kevlar, you say?’ he repeated, examining the darkened tissue on his chest.
Artemis nodded. ‘Apparently some fibres were trapped in the wound. The magic replicated64 them. According to Foaly, the new tissue will restrict your breathing, but it isn’t dense65 enough to be bulletproof, except for a small-calibre bullet.’
Butler buttoned his shirt. ‘Everything is different, Artemis. I can’t guard you any more.’
‘I won’t need guarding. Holly was right. My grand schemes generally lead to people getting hurt. As soon as we have dealt with Spiro I intend to concentrate on my education.’
‘As soon as we have dealt with Spiro? You make it sound like a foregone conclusion. Jon Spiro is a dangerous man, Artemis. I thought you would have learned that.’
‘I have, old friend. Believe me, I won’t underestimate him again. I have already begun to formulate66 a plan. We should be able to retrieve67 the C Cube and neutralize68 Mister Spiro, providing Holly agrees to help.’ ‘Where is Holly? I need to thank her. Again.’ Artemis glanced out of the window. ‘She has gone to complete the Ritual. You can guess where.’
Butler nodded. They had first encountered Holly at a sacred fairy site in the south-east while she was conducting the power-restoring Ritual. Although ‘encountered’ was not the term Holly used. ‘Abducted’ was closer to the truth.
‘She should be back within the hour. I suggest you rest until then.’
Butler shook his head. ‘I can rest later. Right now, I have to check the grounds. It’s unlikely that Spiro could put a team together so quickly. But you never know.’
The bodyguard69 crossed to a wall panel that linked his room to the security-system control booth. Artemis could see that each step was an effort. With Butler’s new chest tissue, just climbing the stairs would seem like a marathon.
Butler split-screened his monitor so he could view all the CCTVs simultaneously70. One of the screens interested him more than the others, so he punched it up on the monitor.
‘Well, well,’ he chuckled71. ‘Look who’s dropped in to say hello.’
Artemis crossed to the security panel. There was a very small individual making rude gestures at the kitchen-door camera.
‘Mulch Diggums,’ said Artemis. ‘Just the dwarf I wanted to see.’
Butler transferred Mulch’s image to the main screen.
‘Perhaps. But why does he want to see you?’
Melodramatic as always, the dwarf insisted on a sandwich before explaining the situation. Unfortunately for Mulch, it was Artemis who volunteered to prepare it for him. He emerged from the pantry with what resembled nothing more than an explosion on a plate.
‘It’s more difficult than it looks,’ explained the boy.
Mulch cranked open his massive jaws72, pouring the whole pile down in one swallow. After several minutes’ chewing, he reached an entire hand into his mouth and dislodged a chunk73 of roast turkey.
‘Next time more mustard,’ he said, brushing some crumbs74 from his shirt and, in the process, inadvertently switching on the mike clipped there.
‘You’re welcome,’ said Artemis.
‘You should be thanking me, Mud Boy,’ said Mulch. ‘I came all the way from Chicago to save your life. Surely that’s worth one lousy sandwich? And when I say sandwich I mean it in the loosest sense of the word.’
‘Chicago? Jon Spiro sent you?’
The dwarf shook his head. ‘Possibly, but not directly. I work for the Antonelli family. Of course, they have no idea that I am an actual fairy dwarf; they think I’m simply the best cat burglar in the business.’
‘Chicago’s district attorney has linked the Antonellis to Spiro in the past. Or rather, he’s tried to.’
‘Whatever. Anyway, the plan is that I break in here, and then my partner encourages you to accompany us to Chicago.’
Butler was leaning against the table. ‘Where is your partner now, Mulch?’
‘Outside the gate. He’s the small angry one. Glad to see you’re alive by the way, big man. There was a rumour75 going around the underworld that you were dead.’
‘I was,’ said Butler, heading for the security booth. ‘But I’m better now.’
Loafers took a small spiral pad from his breast pocket. In it he had recorded any quips that he felt had really worked in dangerous situations. Snappy dialogue, that was the trademark76 of a good gangster77 — according to the movies at any rate. He flicked78 through the pages, smiling fondly.
‘It’s time to close your account. Permanently79.’ - Larry Ferrigamo. Bent80 banker. 9th August.
‘I’m afraid your hard drive has just been wiped.’ — David Spinski. Computer hacker81. 23rd September.
‘I’m doing this ‘cause I knead the dough82.’ — Morty the Baker83. 17th July.
It was good material. Maybe he would write his memoirs84 some day.
Loafers was still chuckling when he heard Mo talking in his earpiece. At first he thought the monkey was speaking to him, but then he realized that his so-called partner was spilling the beans to their pigeon.
‘You should be thanking me, Mud Boy,’ said Digence. ‘I came all the way from Chicago to save your life.’
To save his life! Mo was working for the other side and the little idiot had forgotten about his mike.
Loafers climbed out of the car, being careful to lock it. He would lose the deposit if the rental was stolen, and Miss Frazetti would take it out of his commission. There was a small pedestrian entrance in the wall beside the main gate. Mo Digence had left it open. Loafers slipped through and hurried down the avenue, careful to stay in the shadow of the trees.
In his ear, Mo kept rabbiting on. He laid out their entire plan to the Fowl kid without so much as the threat of torture. It was completely voluntary. Digence had somehow been working for the Irish kid all along. And what’s more, Mo was not Mo, he was Mulch. What kind of a name was that? Mulch, who was apparently a fairy dwarf. This was getting weirder85 and weirder. Maybe the fairy dwarfs86 were some kind of gang. Although it wasn’t much of a gang name. The fairy dwarfs were hardly going to strike terror into the hearts of the competition.
Loafers trotted87 up the avenue, past a line of elegant silver birches and an honest-to-God croquet pitch. Two peacocks strutted88 around the edge of a water feature. Loafers snorted. Water feature! In the days before TV gardeners it would have been called a pond.
Loafers was wondering where the delivery entrance was when he saw the sign: ‘Deliveries at rear’. Thank you very much. He checked his silencer and load one more time, and tiptoed across the gravel89 driveway.
Artemis sniffed90 the air. ‘What’s that smell?’
Mulch poked91 his head round the refrigerator door.
‘Me, I’m afraid,’ he mumbled92, an unfeasible amount of food revolving93 inside his mouth. ‘Sunblock. Disgusting, I know, but I’d smell a whole lot worse without it. Think bacon strips on a flat rock in Death Valley.’
‘A charming image.’
‘Dwarfs are subterranean94 creatures,’ explained Mulch. ‘Even during the Frond95 Dynasty we lived underground . . .’
Frond was the first elfin king. During his reign96, fairies and humans had shared the earth’s surface.
‘. . . Being photosensitive makes it difficult to exist among humans. To be honest, I’m a bit fed up of this life.’
‘Your wish is my command,’ said a voice. It was Loafers. He was standing97 at the kitchen door, brandishing98 a very large gun.
In fairness to Mulch, he recovered well.
‘I thought I told you to wait outside.’
‘It’s true, you did. But I decided to come in anyway. And guess what? No septic tank, no effluent pipe. The back door is wide open.’
Mulch tended to grind his teeth when he thought. It sounded like nails being scraped down a chalkboard.
‘Ah . . . yes. A stroke of luck there. I took advantage of it, but unfortunately I was interrupted by the boy. I had just gained his confidence when you burst in.’
‘Don’t bother,’ said Loafers. ‘Your mike is on. I heard the whole thing, Mo. Or should I say Mulch, the fairy dwarf?’
Mulch swallowed the half-chewed mass of food. Once again his big mouth had got him into trouble — maybe it could get him out of trouble too. It was just possible that he could unhinge his jaw and swallow the little hit man. He’d eaten bigger. A quick burst of dwarf gas should be enough to propel him across the room. He’d just have to hope that the gun didn’t go off before he could pass it.
Loafers caught the look in Mulch’s eye. ‘That’s right, little man,’ he said, cocking his pistol. ‘You go for it. See how far you get.’
Artemis was thinking too. He knew that he was safe for the moment. The newcomer would not harm him against orders. But Mulch’s time was running out and there was no one to save him. Butler was too weak to intervene even if he had been here. Holly was away completing the Ritual. And Artemis himself was not the best in physical situations. He would have to negotiate.
‘I know what you’re here for,’ he began. ‘The Cube’s secrets. I’ll tell you, but not if you harm my friend.’ Loafers waved the gun barrel. ‘You’ll do whatever I ask, when I ask. Possibly you’ll cry like a girl too. Sometimes that happens.’
‘Very well. I’ll tell you what you want to know. Just don’t shoot anyone.’
Loafers swallowed a grin. ‘Sure. That’s fine. You just come with me, nice and quiet, and I won’t hurt a soul. You have my word.’
Butler entered the kitchen. His face was slick with perspiration99 and his breath came in short gasps100.
‘I checked the monitor,’ he said. ‘The car is empty, the other man must be . . .’
‘Here,’ completed Loafers. ‘Old news to everyone except you, Grandad. Now, no sudden moves and you might not have a heart attack.’
Artemis saw Butler’s eyes flitting around the room. He was searching for an angle. Some way to save them. Maybe yesterday’s Butler could have done it, but today’s Butler was fifteen years older and not yet fully63 recovered from magical surgery. The situation was desperate.
‘You could tie the others up,’ ventured Artemis. Then we could leave together.’
Loafers smacked101 his own head. ‘What a great idea! Then maybe I could agree to some other delaying tactic102, on account of me being a complete amateur.’
Loafers felt a shadow fall across his back. He spun103 round to see a girl standing in the doorway104. Another witness. Carla Frazetti would be getting the bill for all these sundries. This whole job had been misrepresented from the start.
‘OK, miss,’ said Loafers. ‘Go join the others. And don’t do anything stupid.’
The girl at the door flicked her hair over one shoulder, blinking her glittering green eyelids105.
‘I don’t do stupid things,’ she said. Then her hand flicked out, brushing against Loafer’s weapon. She grabbed the pistol’s slide and deftly106 twisted it from the stock. The gun was now completely useless, except for hammering nails.
Loafers jerked backwards107. ‘Hey, hey. Watch it. I don’t want to wound you by accident. This gun could go off.’ That’s what he thought.
Loafers continued brandishing his piece of harmless metal.
‘Back off, little girl. I won’t say it again.’
Juliet dangled108 the slide under his nose. ‘Or what? You’ll shoot me with this?’
Loafers stared cross-eyed at the piece of metal.
‘Hey, that looks just like Then Juliet hit him in the chest so hard he crashed through the breakfast bar.
Mulch stared over at the unconscious mobster, then at the girl in the doorway.
‘Hey, Butler. Just a shot in the dark here, but I’d say that’s your sister.’
‘You’re right,’ said the manservant, hugging Juliet tightly. ‘How on earth did you guess?’
收听单词发音 |
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fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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tinged
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corporate
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| adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的 | |
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apparently
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shrugged
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audacity
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minor
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reclaim
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| v.要求归还，收回；开垦 | |
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fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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decided
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manor
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jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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fatigue
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holly
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trout
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reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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locker
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jaw
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diminutive
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perks
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sipped
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champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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25
flute
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| n.长笛；v.吹笛 | |
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26
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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27
tattoos
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| n.文身( tattoo的名词复数 )；归营鼓；军队夜间表演操；连续有节奏的敲击声v.刺青，文身( tattoo的第三人称单数 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击 | |
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28
tattoo
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| n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于 | |
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29
turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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30
morons
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| 傻子( moron的名词复数 )； 痴愚者（指心理年龄在8至12岁的成年人） | |
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31
smarmy
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| adj.爱说奉承话的 | |
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32
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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33
foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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34
vowel
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| n.元音；元音字母 | |
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35
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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36
sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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37
stint
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| v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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38
spoke
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| 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 | |
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39
rental
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| n.租赁，出租，出租业 | |
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40
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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41
jeopardizing
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| 危及，损害( jeopardize的现在分词 ) | |
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42
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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43
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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44
enamel
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| n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质 | |
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45
motorway
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| n.高速公路，快车道 | |
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46
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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47
brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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48
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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49
centaur
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| n.人首马身的怪物 | |
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50
chirping
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 ) | |
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51
hogging
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| n.弯[翘]曲，挠度，扭曲；拱曲 | |
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52
bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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53
secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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54
intimidating
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| vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词) | |
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55
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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56
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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57
bristles
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| 短而硬的毛发，刷子毛( bristle的名词复数 ) | |
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58
partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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59
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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60
jibe
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| v.嘲笑，与...一致，使转向；n.嘲笑，嘲弄 | |
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61
lamely
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| 一瘸一拐地，不完全地 | |
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62
reclaimed
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| adj.再生的；翻造的；收复的；回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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64
replicated
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| 复制( replicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生 | |
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65
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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66
formulate
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| v.用公式表示；规划；设计；系统地阐述 | |
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67
retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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68
neutralize
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| v.使失效、抵消，使中和 | |
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69
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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70
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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71
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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73
chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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74
crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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75
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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76
trademark
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| n.商标；特征；vt.注册的…商标 | |
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77
gangster
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| n.匪徒，歹徒，暴徒 | |
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78
flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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79
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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80
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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81
hacker
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| n.能盗用或偷改电脑中信息的人，电脑黑客 | |
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82
dough
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| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
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83
baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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84
memoirs
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| n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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85
weirder
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| 怪诞的( weird的比较级 )； 神秘而可怕的； 超然的； 古怪的 | |
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86
dwarfs
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| n.侏儒，矮子（dwarf的复数形式）vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的第三人称单数形式） | |
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87
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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88
strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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89
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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90
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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91
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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92
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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93
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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94
subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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95
frond
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| n.棕榈类植物的叶子 | |
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96
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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97
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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98
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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99
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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100
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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101
smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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102
tactic
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| n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的 | |
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103
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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104
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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105
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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106
deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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107
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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108
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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