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22.PART FOUR--Mud
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Mud
Summer comes, bringing rumors1 of a tiger.
The air is close and sweat-sticky. Cicadas, crickets, sighs, a dark ratcheting. A time for lingering after lamps are lit, for windows swung wide—a languorous2 heat in ordinary times, a loosening.
But this year the tiger presses its claw against the vein3 of the town, and all Sweetwater shivers. A few chickens went missing three days back, and a side of beef. A guard dog was found with its throat slashed4. Yesterday a woman fainted while hanging laundry and woke gibbering about a creature behind her sheets. A print left in the mud. Fear is this summer’s excitement, as hoops5 were last summer’s, and syrup6 over crushed ice the summer before’s.
Anna, of course, wants a taste.
“Don’t you think,” Anna says, tipping her head back as Lucy untangles her curls, “that a baby tiger would make a lovely pet? I could train it to come when called. Maybe I should ask for one.”
Lucy raps Anna’s forehead with the comb. “I think you should quit squirming. Turn around.”
“Or maybe a wolf pup. Or a little jackal. Those I know Papa can find.”
Lucy remembers jackals, and what those teeth can do to a girl. But she only smiles at Anna, her face kept clear and sweet.
Anna talks of the tiger as Lucy buttons the thirty pearl buttons down the back of Anna’s linen7 dress. Anna talks as she does the same for Lucy: same buttons, same dress, same boots excepting that Lucy’s have three extra inches of heel to make her match Anna’s height. Lucy’s hair takes longest—her curls must be set and heated. Anna goes quiet at last, tongue poking8 out in concentration.
But as they leave for the station, Anna strokes the orange throat of a flower in her garden. “I’ve
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1
rumors
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n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷 | |
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2
languorous
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adj.怠惰的,没精打采的 | |
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vein
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n.血管,静脉;叶脉,纹理;情绪;vt.使成脉络 | |
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4
slashed
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v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 );鞭打;割破;削减 | |
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5
hoops
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n.箍( hoop的名词复数 );(篮球)篮圈;(旧时儿童玩的)大环子;(两端埋在地里的)小铁弓 | |
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6
syrup
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n.糖浆,糖水 | |
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linen
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n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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poking
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n. 刺,戳,袋 vt. 拨开,刺,戳 vi. 戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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baker
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n.面包师 | |
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fabric
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n.织物,织品,布;构造,结构,组织 | |
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eerily
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adv.引起神秘感或害怕地 | |
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mansions
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n.宅第,公馆,大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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sprawling
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adj.蔓生的,不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 );蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着) | |
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sparse
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adj.稀疏的,稀稀落落的,薄的 | |
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rumble
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n.隆隆声;吵嚷;v.隆隆响;低沉地说 | |
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jolts
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(使)摇动, (使)震惊( jolt的名词复数 ) | |
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gust
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n.阵风,突然一阵(雨、烟等),(感情的)迸发 | |
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rumored
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adj.传说的,谣传的v.传闻( rumor的过去式和过去分词 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷 | |
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incite
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v.引起,激动,煽动 | |
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tamp
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v.捣实,砸实 | |
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tamps
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v.捣固( tamp的第三人称单数 );填充;(用炮泥)封炮眼口;夯实 | |
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wheedles
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v.骗取(某物),哄骗(某人干某事)( wheedle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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coaxes
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v.哄,用好话劝说( coax的第三人称单数 );巧言骗取;哄劝,劝诱 | |
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chattering
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n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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growl
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v.(狗等)嗥叫,(炮等)轰鸣;n.嗥叫,轰鸣 | |
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tugs
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n.猛拉( tug的名词复数 );猛拖;拖船v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的第三人称单数 ) | |
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outfitted
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v.装备,配置设备,供给服装( outfit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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benediction
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n.祝福;恩赐 | |
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lesser
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adj.次要的,较小的;adv.较小地,较少地 | |
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racing
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n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 | |
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sluggish
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adj.懒惰的,迟钝的,无精打采的 | |
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rankle
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v.(怨恨,失望等)难以释怀 | |
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orphan
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n.孤儿;adj.无父母的 | |
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soothing
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adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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scent
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n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉 | |
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pointed
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adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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protracted
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adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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avert
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v.防止,避免;转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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dreaded
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adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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puffing
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v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 );喷着汽(或烟)移动;吹嘘;吹捧 | |
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shack
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adj.简陋的小屋,窝棚 | |
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propping
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支撑 | |
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longing
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n.(for)渴望 | |
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lone
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adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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thronged
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v.成群,挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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doused
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v.浇水在…上( douse的过去式和过去分词 );熄灯[火] | |
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slants
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(使)倾斜,歪斜( slant的第三人称单数 ); 有倾向性地编写或报道 | |
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creases
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(使…)起折痕,弄皱( crease的第三人称单数 ); (皮肤)皱起,使起皱纹 | |
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askew
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adv.斜地;adj.歪斜的 | |
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commotion
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n.骚动,动乱 | |
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filthy
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adj.卑劣的;恶劣的,肮脏的 | |
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下一章:
23.Water
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