The cars swept up the mountain road and stopped in front of the greatgate set in the rock. There were four cars. In the first car was a FrenchMinister and the American Ambassador, in the second car was the BritishConsul, a Member of Parliament and the Chief of Police. In the third carwere two members of a former Royal Commission and two distinguishedjournalists. The complement3 of these three cars was made up with the ne-cessary satellites. The fourth car contained certain people not known tothe general public, but sufficiently4 distinguished2 in their own sphere. Theyincluded Captain Leblanc and Mr. Jessop. The chauffeurs5, immaculatelygarbed, were now opening car doors and bowing as they assisted the dis-tinguished visitors to alight.
“One hopes,” murmured the Minister, apprehensively7, that there will beno possibility of a contact of any kind.”
One of the satellites immediately made soothing8 noises.
“Du tout9, M. le Ministre. Every suitable precaution is taken. One inspectsonly from a distance.”
The Minister, who was elderly and apprehensive6, looked relieved. TheAmbassador said something about the better understanding and treat-ment of these diseases nowadays.
The great gates were flung open. On the threshold stood a small partybowing to welcome them. The Director, dark, thick-set, the Deputy Direc-tor, big and fair, two distinguished doctors and a distinguished researchchemist. The greetings were French, florid and prolonged.
“And ce cher Aristides,” demanded the Minister. “I sincerely hope ill-health has not prevented him from fulfilling his promise to meet us here.”
“Mr. Aristides flew from Spain yesterday,” said the Deputy Director. “Heawaits you within. Permit me, Your Excellency—M. le Ministre, to lead theway.”
The party followed him. M. le Ministre, who was slightly apprehensive,glanced through the heavy railings to his right. The lepers were drawn10 upto attention in a serried11 row as far as possible from the grating. The Minis-ter looked relieved. His feelings about leprosy were still medieval.
In the well- furnished modern lounge Mr. Aristides was awaiting hisguests. There were bows, compliments, introductions. Apéritifs wereserved by the dark- faced servants dressed in their white robes andturbans.
“It’s a wonderful place you have here, sir,” said one of the youngerjournalists to Aristides.
The latter made one of his oriental gestures.
“I am proud of this place,” he said. “It is, as you might say, my swansong. My final gift to humanity. No expense has been spared.”
“I’ll say that’s so,” said one of the doctors on the staff, heartily12. “Thisplace is a professional man’s dream. We do pretty well in the States, butwhat I’ve seen since I came here .?.?. and we’re getting results! Yes, sir, wecertainly are getting results.”
His enthusiasm was of a contagious13 kind.
“We must make all acknowledgements to private enterprise,” said theAmbassador, bowing politely to Mr. Aristides.
Mr. Aristides spoke14 with humility15.
“God has been very good to me,” he said.
Sitting hunched16 up in his chair he looked like a small yellow toad17. TheMember of Parliament murmured to the member of the Royal Commis-sion, who was very old and deaf, that he presented a very interestingparadox.
“That old rascal18 has probably ruined millions of people,” he murmured,“and having made so much money he doesn’t know what to do with it, hepays it back with the other hand.” The elderly judge to whom he spokemurmured:
“One wonders to what extent results justify19 increased expenditure20. Mostof the great discoveries that have benefited the human race have been dis-covered with quite simple equipment.”
“And now,” said Aristides, when the civilities were accomplished21 andthe apéritifs drunk, “you will honour me by partaking of a simple repastwhich awaits you. Dr. Van Heidem will act as your host. I myself am on adiet and eat very little these days. After the repast you will start on yourtour of our building.”
Under the leadership of the genial22 Dr. Van Heidem the guests moved en-thusiastically into the dining room. They had had a two hours’ flight fol-lowed by an hour’s drive by car and they were all sharp set. The food wasdelicious and was commented on with special approval by the Minister.
“We enjoy our modest comforts,” said Van Heidem. “Fresh fruit and ve-getables are flown to us twice a week, arrangements are made for meatand chicken and we have, of course, substantial deep freezing units. Thebody must claim its due from the resources of science.”
The meal was accompanied by choice vintages. After it Turkish coffeewas served. The party was then asked to start on its tour of inspection23.
The tour took two hours and was most comprehensive. The Minister, forone, was glad when it finished. He was quite dazed by the gleaming labor-atories, the endless white, shining corridors, and still more dazed by themass of scientific detail handed out to him.
Though the Minister’s interest was perfunctory, some of the others weremore searching in their inquiries24. Some curiosity was displayed as to theliving conditions of the personnel and various other details. Dr. VanHeidem showed himself only too willing to show the guests all there wasto see. Leblanc and Jessop, the former in attendance on the Minister andthe latter accompanying the British Consul1, fell a little behind the others asthey all returned to the lounge. Jessop took out an old-fashioned, loudlyticking watch and noted25 the time.
“There is no trace here, nothing,” murmured Leblanc in an agitatedmanner.
“Not a sign.”
“Mon cher, if we have, as your saying is, barked up the wrong tree, whata catastrophe26! After the weeks it has taken to arrange all this! As for me—it will finish my career.”
“We’re not licked yet,” said Jessop. “Our friends are here, I’m sure of it.”
“There is no trace of them.”
“Of course there is no trace. They could not afford to have a trace ofthem. For these official visits everything is prepared and arranged.”
“Then how are we to get our evidence? I tell you, without evidence noone will move in the matter. They are sceptical, all of them. The Minister,the American Ambassador, the British Consul—they say all of them, that aman like Aristides is above suspicion.”
“Keep calm, Leblanc, keep calm. I tell you we’re not licked yet.”
Leblanc shrugged27 his shoulders. “You have the optimism, my friend,” hesaid. He turned for a moment to speak to one of the immaculately arrayed,moon-faced young men who formed part of the entourage, then turnedback to Jessop and asked suspiciously: “Why are you smiling?”
“At the resources of science — the latest modification28 of the GeigerCounter, to be exact.”
“I am not a scientist.”
“No more am I, but this very sensitive detector29 of radioactivity tells meour friends are here. This building has been purposely built in a confusingmanner. All the corridors and the rooms so resemble each other that it isdifficult to know where one is or what the plan of the building can be.
There is a part of this place that we have not seen. It has not been shownto us.”
“But you deduce that it is there because of some radioactive indication?”
“Exactly.”
“In fact, it is the pearls of Madame all over again?”
“Yes. We’re still playing Hansel and Gretel, as you might say. But thesigns left here cannot be so apparent or so crude as the beads30 of a pearlnecklace, or a hand of phosphoric paint. They cannot be seen, but they canbe sensed .?.?. by our radioactive detector—”
“But, mon Dieu, Jessop, is that enough?”
“It would be,” said Jessop. “What one is afraid of .?.?.” He broke off.
Leblanc finished the sentence for him.
“What you mean is that these people will not want to believe. They havebeen unwilling31 from the start. Oh yes, that is so. Even your British Consulis a man of caution. Your government at home is indebted to Aristides inmany ways. As for our Government,” he shrugged his shoulders. “M. leMinistre, I know, will be exceedingly hard to convince.”
“We won’t put our faith in governments,” said Jessop. “Governmentsand diplomats32 have their hands tied. But we’ve got to have them here, be-cause they’re the only ones with authority. But as far as believing is con-cerned, I’m pinning my faith elsewhere.”
“And on what in particular do you pin your faith, my friend?”
Jessop’s solemn face suddenly relaxed into a grin.
“There’s the press,” he said. “Journalists have a nose for news. Theydon’t want it hushed up. They’re ready always to believe anything that re-motely can be believed. The other person I have faith in,” he went on, “isthat very deaf old man.”
“Aha, I know the one you mean. The one who looks as though hecrumbles to his grave.”
“Yes, he’s deaf and infirm and semiblind. But he’s interested in truth.
He’s a former Lord Chief Justice, and though he may be deaf and blind andshaky on his legs, his mind’s as keen as ever—he’s got that keen sense thatlegal luminaries33 acquire—of knowing when there’s something fishy34 aboutand someone’s trying to prevent it being brought into the open. He’s aman who’ll listen, and will want to listen, to evidence.”
They had arrived back now in the lounge. Both tea and apéritifs wereprovided. The Minister congratulated Mr. Aristides in well-rounded peri-ods. The American Ambassador added his quota35. It was then that the Min-ister, looking round him, said in a slightly nervous tone of voice:
“And now, gentlemen, I think the time has come for us to leave our kindhost. We have seen all there is to see .?.?.” his tone dwelt on those lastwords with some significance; “all here is magnificent. An establishmentof the first-class! We are most grateful for the hospitality of our kind host,and we congratulate him on the achievement here. So we say ourfarewells now and depart. I am right, am I not?”
The words were, in a sense, conventional enough. The manner, too, wasconventional. The glance that swept round the assembly of guests mighthave been no more than courtesy. Yet in actuality the words were a plea.
In effect, the Minister was saying, “You’ve seen, gentlemen, there is noth-ing here, nothing of what you suspected and feared. That is a great reliefand we can now leave with a clear conscience.”
But in the silence a voice spoke. It was the quiet, deferential36, well-bredEnglish voice of Mr. Jessop. He spoke to the Minister in a Britannic thoughidiomatic French.
“With your permission, sir,” he said, “and if I may do so, I would like toask a favour of our kind host.”
“Certainly, certainly. Of course, Mr.—ah—Mr. Jessop—yes, yes?” Jessopaddressed himself solemnly to Dr. Van Heidem. He did not look ostensiblyto Mr. Aristides.
“We’ve met so many of your people,” he said. “Quite bewildering. Butthere’s an old friend of mine here that I’d rather like to have a word with.
I wonder if it could be arranged before I go?”
“A friend of yours?” Dr. Van Heidem said politely, surprised.
“Well, two friends really,” said Jessop. “There’s a woman, Mrs. Better-ton. Olive Betterton. I believe her husband’s working here. Tom Betterton.
Used to be at Harwell and before that in America. I’d very much like tohave a word with them both before I go.”
Dr. Van Heidem’s reactions were perfect. His eyes opened in wide andpolite surprise. He frowned in a puzzled way.
“Betterton—Mrs. Betterton—no, I’m afraid we have no one of that namehere.”
“There’s an American, too,” said Jessop. “Andrew Peters. Researchchemistry, I believe, is his line. I’m right, sir, aren’t I?” He turned deferen-tially to the American Ambassador.
The Ambassador was a shrewd, middle-aged37 man with keen blue eyes.
He was a man of character as well as diplomatic ability. His eyes metJessop’s. He took a full minute to decide, and then he spoke.
“Why, yes,” he said. “That’s so. Andrew Peters. I’d like to see him.” VanHeidem’s polite bewilderment grew. Jessop unobtrusively shot a quickglance at Aristides. The little yellow face betrayed no knowledge of any-thing amiss, no surprise, no disquietude. He looked merely uninterested.
“Andrew Peters? No, I’m afraid, Your Excellency, you’ve got your factswrong. We’ve no one of that name here. I’m afraid I don’t even know thename.”
“You know the name of Thomas Betterton, don’t you?” said Jessop.
Just for a second Van Heidem hesitated. His head turned very slightly to-wards the old man in the chair, but he caught himself back in time.
“Thomas Betterton,” he said. “Why, yes, I think—”
One of the gentlemen of the press spoke up quickly on that cue.
“Thomas Betterton,” he said. “Why, I should say he was pretty well bignews. Big news six months ago when he disappeared. Why, he’s madeheadlines in the papers all over Europe. The police have been looking forhim here, there and everywhere. Do you mean to say he’s been here inthis place all the time?”
“No.” Van Heidem spoke sharply. “Someone, I fear, has been misinform-ing you. A hoax38, perhaps. You have seen today all our workers at the Unit.
You have seen everything.”
“Not quite everything, I think,” said Jessop, quietly. “There’s a youngman called Ericsson, too,” he added. “And Dr. Louis Barron, and possiblyMrs. Calvin Baker39.”
“Ah.” Dr. Van Heidem seemed to receive enlightenment. “But thosepeople were killed in Morocco—in a plane crash. I remember it perfectlynow. At least I remember Ericsson was in the crash and Dr. Louis Barron.
Ah, France sustained a great loss that day. A man such as Louis Barron ishard to replace.” He shook his head. “I do not know anything about a Mrs.
Calvin Baker, but I do seem to remember that there was an English orAmerican woman on that plane. It might well perhaps have been this Mrs.
Betterton, of whom you speak. Yes, it was all very sad.” He looked acrossinquiringly at Jessop. “I do not know, Monsieur, why you should supposethat these people were coming here. It may possibly be that Dr. Barronmentioned at one time that he hoped to visit our settlement here while hewas in North Africa. That may possibly have given rise to a misconcep-tion.”
“So you tell me,” said Jessop, “that I am mistaken? That these people arenone of them here?”
“But how can they be, my dear sir, since they were all killed in thisplane accident? The bodies were recovered, I believe.”
“The bodies recovered were too badly charred40 for identification.” Jessopspoke the last words with deliberation and significance.
There was a little stir behind him. A thin, precise, very attenuated41 voicesaid:
“Do I understand you to say that there was no precise identification?”
Lord Alverstoke was leaning forward, his hand to his ear. Under bushy,overhanging eyebrows42 his small keen eyes looked into Jessop’s.
“There could be no formal identification, my lord,” said Jessop, “and Ihave reason to believe these people survived that accident.”
“Believe?” said Lord Alverstoke, with displeasure in his thin, high voice.
“I should have said I had evidence of survival.”
“Evidence? Of what nature, Mr.—er—er—Jessop.”
“Mrs. Betterton was wearing a choker of false pearls on the day she leftFez for Marrakesh,” said Jessop. “One of these pearls was found at a dis-tance of half a mile from the burnt-out plane.”
“How can you state positively43 that the pearl found actually came fromMrs. Betterton’s necklace?”
“Because all the pearls of that necklace had had a mark put upon theminvisible to the naked eye, but recognizable under a strong lens.”
“Who put that mark on them?”
“I did, Lord Alverstoke, in the presence of my colleague, here, MonsieurLeblanc.”
“You put those marks—you had a reason in marking those pearls in thatspecial fashion?”
“Yes, my lord. I had reason to believe that Mrs. Betterton would lead meto her husband, Thomas Betterton, against whom a warrant is out.” Jessopcontinued. “Two more of these pearls came to light. Each on stages of aroute between where the plane was burnt out and the settlement wherewe now are. Inquiries in the places where these pearls were found resul-ted in a description of six people, roughly approximating to those peoplewho were supposed to have been burnt in the plane. One of these passen-gers had also been supplied with a glove impregnated with luminous,phosphorus paint. That mark was found on a car which had transportedthese passengers part of the way here.”
Lord Alverstoke remarked in his dry, judicial44 voice:
“Very remarkable45.”
In the big chair Mr. Aristides stirred. His eyelids46 blinked once or twicerapidly. Then he asked a question.
“Where were the last traces of this party of people found?”
“At a disused airfield47, sir.” He gave precise location.
“That is many hundreds of miles from here,” said Mr. Aristides. “Gran-ted that your very interesting speculations48 are correct, that for somereason the accident was faked, these passengers, I gather, then took offfrom this disused airport for some unknown destination. Since that air-port is many hundreds of miles from here, I really cannot see on what youbase your belief that these people are here. Why should they be?”
“There are certain very good reasons, sir. A signal was picked up by oneof our searching aeroplanes. The signal was brought to Monsieur Leblanchere. Commencing with a special code recognition signal, it gave the in-formation that the people in question were at a leper settlement.”
“I find this remarkable,” said Mr. Aristides. “Very remarkable. But itseems to me that there is no doubt that an attempt has been made to mis-lead you. These people are not here.” He spoke with a quiet, definite de-cision. “You are at perfect liberty to search the settlement if you like.”
“I doubt if we should find anything, sir,” said Jessop. “Not, that is, by asuperficial search, although,” he added deliberately49, “I am aware of thearea at which the search should begin.”
“Indeed! And where is that?”
“In the fourth corridor from the second laboratory turning to the left atthe end of the passage there.”
There was an abrupt50 movement from Dr. Van Heidem. Two glassescrashed from the table to the floor. Jessop looked at him, smiling.
“You see, Doctor,” he said, “we are well-informed.”
Van Heidem said sharply, “It’s preposterous51. Absolutely preposterous!
You are suggesting that we are detaining people here against their will. Ideny that categorically.”
The Minister said uncomfortably:
“We seem to have arrived at an impasse52.”
Mr. Aristides said gently:
“It has been an interesting theory. But it is only a theory.” He glanced athis watch. “You will excuse me, gentlemen, if I suggest that you shouldleave now. You have a long drive back to the airport, and there will bealarm felt if your plane is overdue53.”
Both Leblanc and Jessop realized that it had come now to the show-down. Aristides was exerting all the force of his considerable personality.
He was daring these men to oppose his will. If they persisted, it meant thatthey were willing to come out into the open against him. The Minister, asper his instructions, was anxious to capitulate. The Chief of Police wasanxious only to be agreeable to the Minister. The American Ambassadorwas not satisfied, but he, too, would hesitate for diplomatic reasons to in-sist. The British Consul would have to fall in with the other two.
The journalists—Aristides considered the journalists—the journalistscould be attended to! Their price might come high but he was of the opin-ion that they could be bought. And if they could not be bought—well, therewere other ways.
As for Jessop and Leblanc, they knew. That was clear, but they could notact without authority. His eyes went on and met the eyes of a man as oldas himself, cold, legal eyes. This man, he knew, could not be bought. Butafter all .?.?. his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of that cold, clear,far away little voice.
“I am of the opinion,” said the voice, “that we should not unduly54 hurryour departure. For there is a case here that it seems to me would bear fur-ther inquiry55. Grave allegations have been made and should not, I con-sider, be allowed to drop. In fairness every opportunity should be given torebut them.”
“The onus56 of proof,” said Mr. Aristides, “is on you.” He made a gracefulgesture towards the company. “A preposterous accusation57 has been made,unsupported by any evidence.”
“Not unsupported.”
Dr. Van Heidem swung round in surprise. One of the Moroccan servantshad stepped forward. He was a fine figure of a man in white embroideredrobes with a white turban surrounding his head, his face gleamed blackand oily.
What caused the entire company to gaze at him in speechless astonish-ment was the fact that from his full rather Negroid lips a voice of purelytransatlantic origin was proceeding59.
“Not unsupported,” that voice said, “you can take my evidence here andnow. These gentlemen have denied that Andrew Peters, Torquil Ericsson,Mr. and Mrs. Betterton and Dr. Louis Barron are here. That’s false. They’reall here—and I speak for them.” He took a step forward towards the Amer-ican Ambassador. “You may find me a bit difficult to recognize at the mo-ment, sir,” he said, “but I am Andrew Peters.”
A very faint, sibilant hiss60 issued from Aristides’ lips, then he settled backin his chair, his face impassive once more.
“There’s a whole crowd of people hidden away here,” said Peters.
“There’s Schwartz of Munich, there’s Helga Needheim, there are Jeffreysand Davidson, the English scientists, there’s Paul Wade61 from the U.S.A.,there are the Italians, Ricochetti and Bianco, there’s Murchison. They’re allright here in this building. There’s a system of closing bulkheads that’squite impossible to detect by the naked eye. There’s a whole network ofsecret laboratories cut right down into the rock.”
“God bless my soul,” ejaculated the American Ambassador. He lookedsearchingly at the dignified62 African figure, and then he began to laugh. “Iwouldn’t say I’d recognize you even now,” he said.
“That’s the injection of paraffin in the lips, sir, to say nothing of blackpigment.”
“If you’re Peters, what’s the number you go under in the F.B.I.?”
“813471, sir.”
“Right,” said the Ambassador, “and the initials of your other name?”
“B.A.P.G., sir.” The Ambassador nodded.
“This man is Peters,” he said. He looked towards the Minister.
The Minister hesitated, then cleared his throat.
“You claim,” he demanded of Peters, “that people are being detainedhere against their will?”
“Some are here willingly, Excellence63, and some are not.”
“In that case,” said the Minister, “statements must be taken—er—yes,yes, statements must certainly be taken.”
He looked at the Prefect of Police. The latter stepped forward.
“Just a moment, please.” Mr. Aristides raised a hand. “It would seem,”
he said, in a gentle, precise voice, “that my confidence here has beengreatly abused.” His cold glance went from Van Heidem to the Directorand there was implacable command in it. “As to what you have permittedyourselves to do, gentlemen, in your enthusiasm for science, I am not asyet quite clear. My endowment of this place was purely58 in the interests ofresearch. I have taken no part in the practical application of its policy. Iwould advise you, Monsieur Le Directeur, if this accusation is borne out byfacts, to produce immediately those people who are suspected of being de-tained here unlawfully.”
“But, Monsieur, it is impossible. I—it will be—”
“Any experiment of that kind,” said Mr. Aristides, “is at an end.” Hiscalm, financier’s gaze swept over his guests. “I need hardly assure you,Messieurs,” he said, “that if anything illegal is going on here, it has beenno concern of mine.”
It was an order, and understood as such because of his wealth, becauseof his power and because of his influence. Mr. Aristides, that world fam-ous figure, would not be implicated65 in this affair. Yet, even though he him-self escaped unscathed, it was nevertheless defeat. Defeat for his purpose,defeat for that brains pool from which he had hoped to profit so greatly.
Mr. Aristides was unperturbed by failure. It had happened to him occa-sionally, in the course of his career. He had always accepted it philosoph-ically and gone on to the next coup66.
He made an oriental gesture of his hand.
“I wash my hands of this affair,” he said.
The Prefect of Police bustled67 forward. He had had his cue now, he knewwhat his instructions were and he was prepared to go ahead with the fullforce of his official position.
“I want no obstructions,” he said. “It is my duty to investigate fully64.”
His face very pale, Van Heidem stepped forward.
“If you will come this way,” he said, “I will show you our reserve accom-modation.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
consul
|
|
| n.领事；执政官 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
complement
|
|
| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
chauffeurs
|
|
| n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
apprehensive
|
|
| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
apprehensively
|
|
| adv.担心地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
soothing
|
|
| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
tout
|
|
| v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
serried
|
|
| adj.拥挤的；密集的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
contagious
|
|
| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
humility
|
|
| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
hunched
|
|
| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
toad
|
|
| n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
rascal
|
|
| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
justify
|
|
| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
expenditure
|
|
| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
genial
|
|
| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
inquiries
|
|
| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
catastrophe
|
|
| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
shrugged
|
|
| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
modification
|
|
| n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
detector
|
|
| n.发觉者，探测器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
beads
|
|
| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
unwilling
|
|
| adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
diplomats
|
|
| n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
luminaries
|
|
| n.杰出人物，名人（luminary的复数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
fishy
|
|
| adj. 值得怀疑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
quota
|
|
| n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
deferential
|
|
| adj. 敬意的，恭敬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
middle-aged
|
|
| adj.中年的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
hoax
|
|
| v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
baker
|
|
| n.面包师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
charred
|
|
| v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
attenuated
|
|
| v.（使）变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）变薄；（使）变小；减弱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
judicial
|
|
| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
eyelids
|
|
| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
airfield
|
|
| n.飞机场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
speculations
|
|
| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
abrupt
|
|
| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
preposterous
|
|
| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
impasse
|
|
| n.僵局；死路 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
overdue
|
|
| adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
unduly
|
|
| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
inquiry
|
|
| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
onus
|
|
| n.负担；责任 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
accusation
|
|
| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
purely
|
|
| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
proceeding
|
|
| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
hiss
|
|
| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
wade
|
|
| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
dignified
|
|
| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
excellence
|
|
| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
implicated
|
|
| adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
coup
|
|
| n.政变；突然而成功的行动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
bustled
|
|
| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |