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THERE was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth1 daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels2 of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together. The prison on the crag was not so dominant3 as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation. Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable4 people. Everything was bowed down, dejected, oppressed, and broken. Habitations, fences, domesticated5 animals, men, women, children, and the soil that bore them--all worn out.
Monseigneur (often a most worthy6 individual gentleman) was a national blessing7, gave a chivalrous8 tone to things, was a polite example of luxurious9 and shining life, and a great deal more to equal purpose; nevertheless, Monseigneur as a class had, somehow or other, brought things to this. Strange that Creation, designed expressly for Monseigneur, should be so soon wrung10 dry and squeezed out! There must be something short-sighted in the eternal arrangements, surely Thus it was, however; and the last drop of blood having been extracted from the flints, and the last screw of the rack having been turned so often that its purchase
1
forth
adv.向前;向外,往外
2
morsels
n.一口( morsel的名词复数 );(尤指食物)小块,碎屑
3
dominant
adj.支配的,统治的;占优势的;显性的;n.主因,要素,主要的人(或物);显性基因
4
miserable
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
5
domesticated
adj.喜欢家庭生活的;(指动物)被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 )
6
worthy
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
7
blessing
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿
8
chivalrous
adj.武士精神的;对女人彬彬有礼的
9
luxurious
adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的
10
wrung
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水)
11
crumbled
(把…)弄碎, (使)碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 衰落; 坍塌; 损坏
12
preservation
n.保护,维护,保存,保留,保持
13
edifying
adj.有教训意味的,教训性的,有益的v.开导,启发( edify的现在分词 )
14
wilderness
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠
15
disappearance
n.消失,消散,失踪
16
chiseled
adj.凿刻的,轮廓分明的v.凿,雕,镌( chisel的过去式 )
17
solitary
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士
18
prospect
n.前景,前途;景色,视野
19
barbarian
n.野蛮人;adj.野蛮(人)的;未开化的
20
marshy
adj.沼泽的
21
benighted
adj.蒙昧的
22
intelligible
adj.可理解的,明白易懂的,清楚的
23
growled
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说
24
puff
n.一口(气);一阵(风);v.喷气,喘气
25
wayfarer
n.旅人
26
plied
v.使用(工具)( ply的过去式和过去分词 );经常供应(食物、饮料);固定往来;经营生意
27
streaks
n.(与周围有所不同的)条纹( streak的名词复数 );(通常指不好的)特征(倾向);(不断经历成功或失败的)一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 );使布满条纹
28
streak
n.条理,斑纹,倾向,少许,痕迹;v.加条纹,变成条纹,奔驰,快速移动
29
medley
n.混合
30
attenuated
v.(使)变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)变薄;(使)变小;减弱
31
sullen
adj.愠怒的,闷闷不乐的,(天气等)阴沉的
32
awe
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧
33
chafed
v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的过去式 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒
34
resolutely
adj.坚决地,果断地
35
fortified
adj. 加强的
36
stockades
n.(防御用的)栅栏,围桩( stockade的名词复数 )
37
trenches
深沟,地沟( trench的名词复数 ); 战壕
38
intervals
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息
39
sleeper
n.睡眠者,卧车,卧铺
40
contagion
n.(通过接触的疾病)传染;蔓延
41
functionary
n.官员;公职人员
42
chateau
n.城堡,别墅
43
lamenting
adj.悲伤的,悲哀的v.(为…)哀悼,痛哭,悲伤( lament的现在分词 )
44
luminous
adj.发光的,发亮的;光明的;明白易懂的;有启发的
45
flickering
adj.闪烁的,摇曳的,一闪一闪的
46
transparent
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的
47
awakened
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到
48
murmur
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言
49
bridle
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒
50
drawn
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
51
foam
v./n.泡沫,起泡沫
52
clattered
发出咔哒声(clatter的过去式与过去分词形式)
53
galloped
(使马)飞奔,奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 ); 快速做[说]某事
54
stony
adj.石头的,多石头的,冷酷的,无情的
55
shrugs
n.耸肩(以表示冷淡,怀疑等)( shrug的名词复数 )
56
rattled
慌乱的,恼火的
57
illuminating
a.富于启发性的,有助阐明的
58
lighting
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
59
darted
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔
60
pane
n.窗格玻璃,长方块
61
scarcity
n.缺乏,不足,萧条
62
peremptory
adj.紧急的,专横的,断然的
63
reluctance
n.厌恶,讨厌,勉强,不情愿
64
hesitation
n.犹豫,踌躇
65
conflagration
n.建筑物或森林大火
66
edifice
n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿,教室)
67
torment
n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠
68
scorched
烧焦,烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(植物)枯萎,把…晒枯; 高速行驶; 枯焦
69
trickled
v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 );淌;使)慢慢走;缓慢移动
70
rugged
adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的
71
trudged
vt.& vi.跋涉,吃力地走(trudge的过去式与过去分词形式)
72
beacon
n.烽火,(警告用的)闪火灯,灯塔
73
illuminated
adj.被照明的;受启迪的
74
lawful
adj.法律许可的,守法的,合法的
75
retaliative
adj.报复性的
76
slung
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往
77
inclination
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好
78
suspense
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑
79
brink
n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘,边沿
80
plunge
v.跳入,(使)投入,(使)陷入;猛冲
81
guttering
n.用于建排水系统的材料;沟状切除术;开沟
82
dispersed
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的
83
functionaries
n.公职人员,官员( functionary的名词复数 )
84
steadily
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
85
gallows
n.绞刑架,绞台
86
quench
vt.熄灭,扑灭;压制