Peregrine resolves to return to England — Is diverted with the odd Characters of two of his Countrymen, with whom he contracts an acquaintance in the Apartments of the Palais Royal.
In the mean time our hero received a letter from his aunt, importing that the commodore was in a very declining way, and longed much to see him at the garrison1; and at the same time he heard from his sister, who gave him to understand that the young gentleman, who had for some time made his addresses to her, was become very pressing in his solicitations; so that she wanted to know in what manner she should answer his repeated entreaties3. Those two considerations determined4 the young gentleman to retain to his native country; a resolution that was far from being disagreeable to Jolter, who knew that the incumbent5 on a living which was in the gift of Trunnion was extremely old, and that it would be his interest to be upon the spot at the said incumbent’s decease.
Peregrine, who had resided about fifteen months in France, thought he was now sufficiently6 qualified7 for eclipsing most of his contemporaries in England, and therefore prepared for his departure with infinite alacrity8; being moreover inflamed9 with the most ardent10 desire of revisiting his friends, and renewing his connections, particularly with Emilia, whose heart he by this time, thought he was able to reduce on his own terms.
As he proposed to make the tour of Flanders and Holland in his return to England, he resolved to stay at Paris a week or two after his affairs were settled, in hope of finding some companion disposed for the same journey; and, in order to refresh his memory, made a second circuit round all the places in that capital, where any curious production of art is to be seen. In the course of this second examination he chanced to enter the Palais Royal, just as two gentlemen alighted from a fiacre at the gate; and all three being admitted at the same time, he soon perceived that the strangers were of his own country. One of them was a young man, in whose air and countenance11 appeared all the uncouth12 gravity and supercilious13 self-conceit of a physician piping-hot from his studies; while the other, to whom his companion spoke14 by the appellation15 of Mr. Pallet, displayed at first sight a strange composition of levity16 and assurance. Indeed, their characters, dress, and address, were strongly contrasted: the doctor wore a suit of black, and a huge tie-wig, neither suitable to his own age, nor the fashion of the country where he then lived; whereas the other, though seemingly turned of fifty, strutted17 in a gay summer dress of the Parisian cut, with a bag to his own grey hair, and a red feather in his hat, which he carried under his arm. As these figures seemed to promise something entertaining, Pickle18 entered into conversation with them immediately, and soon discovered that the old gentleman was a painter from London, who had stolen a fortnight from his occupation, in order to visit the remarkable19 paintings of France and Flanders; and that the doctor had taken the opportunity of accompanying him in his tour. Being extremely talkative, he not only communicated these particulars to our hero in a very few minutes after their meeting, but also took occasion to whisper in his ear that his fellow-traveller was a man of vast learning and, beyond all doubt, the greatest poet of the age. As for himself, he was under no necessity of making his own eulogium; for he soon gave such specimens20 of his taste and talents as left Pickle no room to doubt of his capacity.
While they stood considering the pictures in one of the first apartments, which are by no means the most masterly compositions, the Swiss, who set up for a connoisseur21, looking at a certain piece, pronounced the word with a note of admiration22; upon which Mr. Pallet, who was not at all a critic in the French language, replied, with great vivacity23, “Manufac, you mean, and a very indifferent piece of manufacture it is: pray, gentlemen, take notice; there is no keeping in those heads upon the background, and no relief in the principal figure: then you’ll observe the shadings are harsh to the last degree; and, come a little closer this way — don’t you perceive that the foreshortening of that arm is monstrous24?— egad, sir! The is an absolute fracture in the limb. Doctor, you understand anatomy25: don’t you think that muscle evidently misplaced? Hark ye, Mr. what-d’ye-call-um (turning to the attendant), what is the name of the dauber who painted that miserable26 performance?” The Swiss, imagining that he was all this time expressing his satisfaction, sanctioned his supposed commendation by exclaiming sans prix. “Right,” cried Pallet: “I could not recollect27 his name, though his manner is quite familiar to me. We have a few pieces in England, done by that same Sangpree; but there they are in no estimation; we have more taste among us than to relish28 the productions of such a miserable gout. A’n’t he an ignorant coxcomb29, doctor?” The physician, ashamed of his companion’s blunder, thought it was necessary, for the honour of his wan2 character, to take notice of it before the stranger, and therefore answered his question by repeating this line from Horace:—
Mutato nomine, de te fabula narratur.
The painter, who was rather more ignorant of Latin than of French, taking it for granted that this quotation30 of his friend conveyed an assent31 to his opinion, “Very true,” said he, “Potato domine date, this piece is not worth a single potato.” Peregrine was astonished at this surprising perversion32 of the words and meaning of a Latin line, which, at first, he could not help thinking was a premeditated joke; but, upon second thoughts, he saw no reason to doubt that it was the extemporaneous33 effect of sheer pertness and ignorance, at which he broke out into an immoderate fit of laughter. Pallet, believing that the gentleman’s mirth was occasioned by his arch animadversion upon the work of Sangpree, underwent the same emotion in a much louder strain, and endeavoured to heighten the jest by more observations of the same nature; while the doctor, confounded at his impudence34 and want of knowledge, reprimanded him in these words of Homer:—
Siga, me tis allos Achaion touton akouse muthon.
This rebuke35, the reader will easily perceive, was not calculated for the meridian36 of his friend’s intellects, but uttered with a view of raising his own character in the opinion of Mr. Pickle, who retorted this parade of learning in three verses from the same author, being part of the speech of Polydamas to Hector, importing that it is impossible for one man to excel in everything.
The self-sufficient physician, who did not expect such a repartee37 from a youth of Peregrine’s appearance, looked upon his reply as a fair challenge, and instantly rehearsed forty or fifty lines of the Iliad in a breath. Observing that the stranger made no effort to match this effusion, he interpreted his silence into submission38; then, in order to ascertain39 his victory, insulted him with divers40 fragments of authors, whom his supposed competitor did not even know by name; while Mr. Pallet stared with admiration at the profound scholarship of his companion. Our young gentleman, far from repining at this superiority laughed within himself at the ridiculous ambition of the pedantic41 doctor. He rated him in his own mind as a mere42 index-hunter, who held the eel43 of science by the tail, and foresaw an infinite fund of diversion in his solemnity and pride, if properly extracted by means of his fellow-traveller’s vanity and assurance. Prompted by these considerations, he resolved to cultivate their acquaintance, and, if possible, amuse himself at their expense in his journey through Flanders, understanding that they were determined upon the same route. In this view he treated them with extraordinary attention, and seemed to pay particular deference44 to the remarks of the painter, who, with great intrepidity45, pronounced judgment46 upon every picture in the palace, or, in other words, exposed his own nakedness in every sentence that proceeded from his mouth.
When they came to consider the Murder of the Innocents by Le Brun, the Swiss observed, that it was un beau morceau, and Mr. Pallet replied,—“Yes, yes, one may see with half an eye, that it can be the production of no other; for Bomorso’s style both in colouring and drapery, is altogether peculiar47: then his design is tame, and his expression antic and unnatural48. Doctor, you have seen my judgment of Solomon; I think I may, without presumption49 — but, I don’t choose to make comparisons; I leave that odious50 task to other people, and let my works speak for themselves. France, to be sure, is rich in the arts; but what is the reason? The king encourages men of genius with honour and rewards; whereas, in England, we are obliged to stand on our own feet, and combat the envy and malice51 of our brethren. Egad! I have a good mind to come and settle here in Paris. I should like to have an apartment in the Louvre, with a snug52 pension of so many thousand livres.”
In this manner did Pallet proceed with an eternal rotation53 of tongue, floundering from one mistake to another, until it was the turn of Poussin’s Seven Sacraments to be examined. Here again, the Swiss, out of the abundance of his zeal54, expressed his admiration, by saying these pieces were impayable; when the painter, turning to him, with an air of exultation55, “Pardon me, friend, there you happen to be mistaken: these are none of Impayable’s; but done by Nicholas Pouseen. I have seen prints of them in England, so that none of your tricks upon travellers, Mr. Swiss or Swash, or what’s your name.” He was much elated by this imaginary triumph of his understanding, which animated56 him to persevere57 in his curious observations upon all the other pieces of that celebrated58 collection; but perceiving that the doctor manifested no signs of pleasure and satisfaction, but rather beheld59 them with a silent air of disdain60, he could not digest his indifference61, and asked, with a waggish62 sneer63, if ever he had seen such a number of masterpieces before? The physician, eyeing him with a look of compassion64, mingled65 with contempt, observed that there was nothing there which deserved the attention of any person acquainted with the ideas of the ancients; and that the author of the finest piece now in being was unworthy to clean the brushes of one of those great masters who are celebrated by the Greek and Roman writers.
“O lad! O lad!” exclaimed the painter, with a loud laugh, “you have fairly brought yourself into a dilemma66 at last, dear doctor; for it is well known that your ancient Greek and Roman artists knew nothing at all of the matter, in comparison with our modern masters; for this good reason, because they had but three or four colours, and knew not how to paint with oil: besides, which of all your old fusty Grecians would you put upon a footing with the divine Raphael, the most excellent Michael Angelo, Bona Roti, the graceful67 Guido, the bewitching Titian, and above all others, the sublime68 Rubens, the —.” He would have proceeded with a long catalogue of names which he had got by heart for the purpose, without retaining the least idea of their several qualifications, had not he been interrupted by his friend, whose indignation being kindled69 by the irreverence70 with which he mentioned the Greeks, he called him blasphemer, Goth, Boeotian, and, in his turn, asked with great vehemence71, which of those puny72 moderns could match with Panaenus of Athens, and his brother Phidias; Polycletus of Sicyon; Polygnotus, the Thracian; Parrhasius of Ephesus, surnamed Abrodiaitos, or the Beau; and Apelles, the prince of painters? He challenged him to show any portrait of these days that could vie with the Helen of Zeuxis, the Heraclean; or any composition equal to the Sacrifice of Iphigenia, by Timanthes, the Sicyonian; not to mention the Twelve Gods of Asclepiodorus, the Athenian, for which Mnason, tyrant73 of Elatea, gave him about three hundred pounds apiece; or Homer’s Hell, by Nicias, who refused sixty talents, amounting to upwards74 of eleven thousand pounds, and generously made a present of it to his own country. He desired him to produce a collection equal to that in the temple of Delphos, mentioned in the “Ion” of Euripides; where Hercules and his companion Iolaus, are represented in the act of killing75 the Lernaean hydra76 with golden sickles77, kruseais harpais, where Bellerophon appears on his winged steed, vanquishing78 the fire-breathing chimera79, tan puripneousan; and the war of the giants is described. Here Jupiter stands wielding80 the red-hot thunderbolts, keraunon amphipuron; there Pallas, dreadful to the view, Gorgopon, brandishes81 her spear against the huge Euceladus; and Bacchus, with slender ivy82 rods, defeats and slays83 the ges teknon, or the mighty84 son of earth.
The painter was astonished and confounded at this rhapsody of names and instances, which was uttered with surprising eagerness and rapidity, suspecting at first that the whole was the creation of his own brain; but when Pickle, with a view of flattering the doctor’s self-conceit, espoused85 his side of the question, and confirmed the truth of everything he advanced, Mr. Pallet changed his opinion, and in emphatic86 silence adored the immensity of his friend’s understanding. In short, Peregrine easily perceived that they were false enthusiasts87, without the smallest pretensions88 to taste and sensibility; and pretended to be in raptures89 with they knew not what; the one thinking it was incumbent upon him to express transports on seeing the works of those who had been most eminent90 in their profession, whether they did or did not really raise his admiration; and the other as a scholar deeming it his duty to magnify the ancients above all competition, with an affected91 fervour, which the knowledge of their excellencies never inspired. Indeed, our young gentleman so successfully accommodated himself to the disposition92 of each, that long before their review was finished, he was become a particular favourite with both.
From the Palais Royal he accompanied them to the cloisters93 of the Carthusian’s, where they considered the History of St. Bruno, by Le Sueur, whose name being utterly94 unknown to the painter, he gave judgment against the whole composition, as pitiful and paltry95; though, in the opinion of all good judges, it is a most masterly performance.
Having satisfied their curiosity in this place, Peregrine asked them to favour him with their company at dinner; but whether out of caution against the insinuations of one whose character they did not know, or by reason of a prior engagement, they declined his invitation on pretence96 of having an appointment at a certain ordinary, though they expressed a desire of being further acquainted with him; and Mr. Pallet took the freedom of asking his name, which he not only declared, but promised, as they were strangers in Paris, to wait upon them next day in the forenoon, in order to conduct them to the Hotel de Toulouse, and the houses of several other noblemen, remarkable for painting or curious furniture. They thankfully embraced his proposal, and that same day made inquiry97 among the English gentlemen about the character of our hero, which they found so much to their satisfaction, that, upon their second meeting, they courted his good graces without reserve; and as they had heard of his intended departure, begged earnestly to have the honour of accompanying him through the Low Countries. He assured them that nothing could be more agreeable to him than the prospect98 of having such fellow-travellers; and they immediately appointed a day for setting out on that tour.
1 garrison | |
n.卫戍部队;驻地,卫戍区;vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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2 wan | |
(wide area network)广域网 | |
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3 entreaties | |
n.恳求,乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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4 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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5 incumbent | |
adj.成为责任的,有义务的;现任的,在职的 | |
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6 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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7 qualified | |
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的 | |
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8 alacrity | |
n.敏捷,轻快,乐意 | |
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9 inflamed | |
adj.发炎的,红肿的v.(使)变红,发怒,过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 ardent | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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11 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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12 uncouth | |
adj.无教养的,粗鲁的 | |
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13 supercilious | |
adj.目中无人的,高傲的;adv.高傲地;n.高傲 | |
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14 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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15 appellation | |
n.名称,称呼 | |
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16 levity | |
n.轻率,轻浮,不稳定,多变 | |
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17 strutted | |
趾高气扬地走,高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18 pickle | |
n.腌汁,泡菜;v.腌,泡 | |
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19 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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20 specimens | |
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人 | |
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21 connoisseur | |
n.鉴赏家,行家,内行 | |
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22 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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23 vivacity | |
n.快活,活泼,精神充沛 | |
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24 monstrous | |
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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25 anatomy | |
n.解剖学,解剖;功能,结构,组织 | |
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26 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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27 recollect | |
v.回忆,想起,记起,忆起,记得 | |
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28 relish | |
n.滋味,享受,爱好,调味品;vt.加调味料,享受,品味;vi.有滋味 | |
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29 coxcomb | |
n.花花公子 | |
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30 quotation | |
n.引文,引语,语录;报价,牌价,行情 | |
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31 assent | |
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可 | |
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32 perversion | |
n.曲解;堕落;反常 | |
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33 extemporaneous | |
adj.即席的,一时的 | |
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34 impudence | |
n.厚颜无耻;冒失;无礼 | |
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35 rebuke | |
v.指责,非难,斥责 [反]praise | |
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36 meridian | |
adj.子午线的;全盛期的 | |
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37 repartee | |
n.机敏的应答 | |
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38 submission | |
n.服从,投降;温顺,谦虚;提出 | |
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39 ascertain | |
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
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40 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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41 pedantic | |
adj.卖弄学问的;迂腐的 | |
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42 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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43 eel | |
n.鳗鲡 | |
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44 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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45 intrepidity | |
n.大胆,刚勇;大胆的行为 | |
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46 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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47 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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48 unnatural | |
adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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49 presumption | |
n.推测,可能性,冒昧,放肆,[法律]推定 | |
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50 odious | |
adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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51 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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52 snug | |
adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房 | |
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53 rotation | |
n.旋转;循环,轮流 | |
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54 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
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55 exultation | |
n.狂喜,得意 | |
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56 animated | |
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
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57 persevere | |
v.坚持,坚忍,不屈不挠 | |
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58 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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59 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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60 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
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61 indifference | |
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎 | |
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62 waggish | |
adj.诙谐的,滑稽的 | |
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63 sneer | |
v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
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64 compassion | |
n.同情,怜悯 | |
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65 mingled | |
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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66 dilemma | |
n.困境,进退两难的局面 | |
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67 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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68 sublime | |
adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
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69 kindled | |
(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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70 irreverence | |
n.不尊敬 | |
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71 vehemence | |
n.热切;激烈;愤怒 | |
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72 puny | |
adj.微不足道的,弱小的 | |
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73 tyrant | |
n.暴君,专制的君主,残暴的人 | |
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74 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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75 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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76 hydra | |
n.水螅;难于根除的祸患 | |
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77 sickles | |
n.镰刀( sickle的名词复数 ) | |
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78 vanquishing | |
v.征服( vanquish的现在分词 );战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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79 chimera | |
n.神话怪物;梦幻 | |
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80 wielding | |
手持着使用(武器、工具等)( wield的现在分词 ); 具有; 运用(权力); 施加(影响) | |
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81 brandishes | |
v.挥舞( brandish的第三人称单数 );炫耀 | |
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82 ivy | |
n.常青藤,常春藤 | |
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83 slays | |
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的第三人称单数 ) | |
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84 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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85 espoused | |
v.(决定)支持,拥护(目标、主张等)( espouse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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86 emphatic | |
adj.强调的,着重的;无可置疑的,明显的 | |
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87 enthusiasts | |
n.热心人,热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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88 pretensions | |
自称( pretension的名词复数 ); 自命不凡; 要求; 权力 | |
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89 raptures | |
极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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90 eminent | |
adj.显赫的,杰出的,有名的,优良的 | |
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91 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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92 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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93 cloisters | |
n.(学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的)走廊( cloister的名词复数 );回廊;修道院的生活;隐居v.隐退,使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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94 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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95 paltry | |
adj.无价值的,微不足道的 | |
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96 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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97 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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98 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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