II
“I’ve been, I suppose, a very wicked man,” said Simeon Lee.
He was leaning back in his chair. His chin was raised and with one finger he was stroking his
jaw1 reflectively. In front of him a big fire glowed and danced. Beside it sat Pilar, a little screen of
papier-mâché held in her hand. With it she shielded her face from the blaze. Occasionally she
fanned herself with it, using her wrist in a
supple2 gesture. Simeon looked at her with satisfaction.
He went on talking, perhaps more to himself than to the girl, and
stimulated3 by the fact of her
presence.
“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been a wicked man. What do you say to that, Pilar?”
“All men are wicked. The
nuns5 say so. That is why one has to pray for them.”
“Ah, but I’ve been more wicked than most.” Simeon laughed. “I don’t regret it, you know.
No, I don’t regret anything. I’ve enjoyed myself . . . every minute! They say you
repent6 when you
get old. That’s bunkum. I don’t repent. And as I tell you, I’ve done most things . . . all the good
old sins! I’ve cheated and stolen and lied . . . lord, yes! And women—always women! Someone
told me the other day of an Arab chief who had a
bodyguard7 of forty of his sons—all roughly the
same age! Aha! Forty! I don’t know about forty, but I bet I could produce a very fair bodyguard if
I went about looking for the
brats9! Hey, Pilar, what do you think of that? Shocked?”
Pilar stared.
“No, why should I be shocked? Men always desire women. My father, too. That is why wives
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收听单词发音
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1
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 |
参考例句： |
- He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
- A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。
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2
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 |
参考例句： |
- She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好，因为她的天性柔和。
- He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。
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3
stimulated
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| a.刺激的 |
参考例句： |
- The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
- The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。
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4
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） |
参考例句： |
- Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
- She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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5
nuns
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| n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- Ah Q had always had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns. 小尼姑之流是阿Q本来视如草芥的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- Nuns are under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 修女须立誓保持清贫、贞洁、顺从。 来自辞典例句
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6
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 |
参考例句： |
- He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
- Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。
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7
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 |
参考例句： |
- She has to have an armed bodyguard wherever she goes.她不管到哪儿都得有带武器的保镖跟从。
- The big guy standing at his side may be his bodyguard.站在他身旁的那个大个子可能是他的保镖。
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8
brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 |
参考例句： |
- He's a spoilt brat.他是一个被宠坏了的调皮孩子。
- The brat sicked his dog on the passer-by.那个顽童纵狗去咬过路人。
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9
brats
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| n.调皮捣蛋的孩子( brat的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- I've been waiting to get my hands on you brats. 我等着干你们这些小毛头已经很久了。 来自电影对白
- The charming family had turned into a parcel of brats. 那个可爱的家庭一下子变成了一窝臭小子。 来自互联网
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10
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 |
参考例句： |
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
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11
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 |
参考例句： |
- A police car raced past with its siren wailing. 一辆警车鸣着警报器飞驰而过。
- The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
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12
guts
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| v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠 |
参考例句： |
- I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净，我只需烧一下即可。
- Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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13
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 |
参考例句： |
- Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
- The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。
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14
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 |
参考例句： |
- The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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15
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 |
参考例句： |
- Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
- That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。
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16
pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 |
参考例句： |
- He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.他有点自大，自视甚高。
- He is a good man underneath his pompous appearance. 他的外表虽傲慢，其实是个好人。
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17
windbag
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| n.风囊，饶舌之人，好说话的人 |
参考例句： |
- Everyone knows he's a real windbag.大家都知道他是个很罗嗦的人。
- Did you ever see such a windbag?你有见过这样饶舌的人?
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18
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 |
参考例句： |
- Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
- Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
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19
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 |
参考例句： |
- He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
- I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。
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20
appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 |
参考例句： |
- She was deeply appreciative of your help.她对你的帮助深表感激。
- We are very appreciative of their support in this respect.我们十分感谢他们在这方面的支持。
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21
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 |
参考例句： |
- He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。
- He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。
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22
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
- The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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23
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 |
参考例句： |
- He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
- We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
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24
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。
- Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。
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25
deferential
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| adj. 敬意的，恭敬的 |
参考例句： |
- They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment.他们喜欢五星级的宾馆和毕恭毕敬的接待。
- I am deferential and respectful in the presence of artists.我一向恭敬、尊重艺术家。
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