PART 1 CHAPTER
17
January 1863. From Mary.
Tom, do you remember Mr. Shumate’s girl Sukie? A year before the war, we spied
her along the road clutching a handwritten pass that permitted her to leave her
master’s property. She balanced a knobby bundle on her head under a sky that
about my age and had a quiet nature. I recently saw her in the awfulest circumstances
Pa encouraged me on New Year’s Day to accompany him on one of his usually
preserve what meat we trapped. The government now distributes small quantities to
the few shops, but salt is fetched up quick as a blink when set out for sale. Any
several summers ago—you must remember it—when we rode into Staunton for that
As Pa would be a while, I thought to stroll around by the train station. But as I
crowd of finely dressed strangers milled around at the foot of the wide stone steps and
stretched out down along Augusta Street. Law, I never heard such deep Southern
drawls as they hailed one another. The street was a sea of black stovepipe hats that
coats, vests, and matched trousers. Some streamed from the American Hotel and must
times.
porch steps to read the small bulletins pinned at all angles to it. There was much
jostling and elbowing to get a good view, and I had only a minute to see the headlines:
“Negroes to Be Disposed of Today,” and then the lists. “Patience, fine seamstress
with small boy child; Moses, rented out for hotel waiter; Joseph, excellent carpenter;
“What are you doing here, Miss? A refined young lady doesn’t belong at a slave
notices.
next to me gestured, “Look there, Josiah. Here comes the coffle, straight from the jail
behind the courthouse. It’s about time we get to see the merchandise. I hope there’s a
Slowly behind them marched the women, arrayed in their finest calicoes with red
bandanas wrapped on their heads, clasping children by the hand or against their
punched the white men who rushed to detain him. Out came the whip, and down
uttered not a sound during it all, but if looks could kill, that man with the whip would
have died on the spot. I expect his owner thought the Black man’s value as a
marketable commodity was reduced then and there, and he was borne off with loud
blaspheming to be sold another day to an unsuspecting set of customers.
one drew her by the arm into light from a square, barred window across the empty
brick space. Another pried her mouth open and jammed his finger inside to inspect her
one named Josiah pulled at her blue-checked skirt. He commented on the width of her
circumstance. Only later did I understand.
Outside, the auctioneer warmed to his task. Clad in stained, brown-striped pants, a
grimy white shirt, and a moth- eaten green topcoat, he was the very picture of
unwholesomeness as he paced around a strong, young black man. The slave was
for a strong Negro of good color? I am told he’s industrious45, so let me hear $200 in
Federal greenbacks. Now do I hear $250 for this prime worker?” He did not write
finally reached $1,600. Even if I had some money, I would never have enough to buy
Sukie and free her. I know for a fact that this sum is three times Pa’s yearly income at
the mill during the best of times. It would take years for a hardworking man to earn
enough money to buy one slave, and that without spending a cent on his family,
foodstuffs47, and shelter.
But the worst was yet to come. Sukie and other women were displayed on the block
those men. I sheltered my eyes with my hand and turned away while those poor
women were on the block. Even more grievous, a number of buyers declared the
out of my chest.
By this time, I thought to flee then and there. But having come this far, I struggled
to pull myself together and to endure until the bitter end. Coffles were formed up
under direction of the new owners, with slaves again shackled and paraded this time
up Augusta Street to the train station. Others gathered for who knows how long a
march to locations far from a rail line. The sun was dropping, and I knew Pa would be
most anxious if I didn’t hasten to Beverly Street where we had agreed to meet, so I did
desires, in heart-wrenching contrast to the coffles marching away.
manage the wagon, its bobbing lantern casting brief patches of yellow onto the
emerging landscape. Do you ever wonder about all the articles in The Spectator that
quote this slave and that about how good their lot is, and how few could hope for a
better life and kinder masters? Do you think the newspaper is in the sway of
businessmen who make their living from the slave trade? And the politicians who
depend upon them? I have only met slaves in town who serve as waiters, shopkeepers,
and blacksmiths’ helpers. I had no idea of the falsehoods and deceptions60 those
newspapers promulgate61, and I’m sore ashamed to say I had never given the slaves’
situation much thought.
year tradition.” He hesitated and then said, “And as a girl, it’s not something you
needed to know.”
“You do me no favors by hiding such things from me. I’m old enough to know lots
of things,” I told him, drawing myself up tall on the wagon seat.
“You reckon so, now?” he said. “Well, Staunton is a major stop on the rail line,
easy to get to and leave. Which is why plantation65 owners and their managers come
here from all over down South — though not as many as come to the Richmond
their value in Augusta is more than eight million dollars, and the slave trade is as
profitable an enterprise as any merchandise slaves might produce. That’s what’s
driving this war, you know. People in power don’t want their incomes threatened.”
I asked him, “But what about Lincoln’s emancipation68 address in Gettysburg that
everyone is talking about? Didn’t that have any effect?”
“No. None at all here in Virginia. The state hasn’t been defeated. Won’t have any
effect until that happens. As I understand it, that proclamation is legal only where the
Feds are in control,” he answered, and then fell silent.
The day presented me with an abundance to contemplate69. I have been guilty of a
couldn’t bear to think of Sukie’s future somewhere far away in the deep South. Where
is her family now? What about those little children? How could they endure such a
terrible separation from their mothers and home? What kind of scars would they bear
for the rest of their lives? And then another question occurred to me. Where in the
ride home. Please don’t let on to Beards about my day in Staunton. He might think
badly of me for going to the auction.
I remember how my hands shook after reading this letter the day the postmaster handed it
over. I had barely noticed Sukie when Pa gave her a ride that rainy day before the war, and
neither Mary nor I had witnessed an auction at that time. Only a vague knowledge of slave
shame and grieving for those people.
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1
buck
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n.雄鹿,雄兔;v.马离地跳跃 | |
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wagon
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n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 | |
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3
confide
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v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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4
wrath
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n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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aged
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adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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futile
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adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的 | |
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jaunt
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v.短程旅游;n.游览 | |
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revival
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n.复兴,复苏,(精力、活力等的)重振 | |
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9
hubbub
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n.嘈杂;骚乱 | |
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10
bowlers
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n.(板球)投球手( bowler的名词复数 );圆顶高帽 | |
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11
perilous
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adj.危险的,冒险的 | |
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12
crimson
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n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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13
rippled
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使泛起涟漪(ripple的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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14
laborer
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n.劳动者,劳工 | |
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15
auction
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n.拍卖;拍卖会;vt.拍卖 | |
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16
growled
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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 | |
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untoward
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adj.不利的,不幸的,困难重重的 | |
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18
inquisitiveness
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好奇,求知欲 | |
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19
vexed
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adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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20
heeded
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v.听某人的劝告,听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 );变平,使(某物)变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
miserable
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adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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alley
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n.小巷,胡同;小径,小路 | |
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23
abreast
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adv.并排地;跟上(时代)的步伐,与…并进地 | |
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24
shackled
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给(某人)带上手铐或脚镣( shackle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
cuffs
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n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打,拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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26
bloodied
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v.血污的( bloody的过去式和过去分词 );流血的;屠杀的;残忍的 | |
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27
hemp
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n.大麻;纤维 | |
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28
implored
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恳求或乞求(某人)( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
twitching
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n.颤搐 | |
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30
frantic
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adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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fetters
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n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 );束缚v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
lashed
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adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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oozed
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v.(浓液等)慢慢地冒出,渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 );使(液体)缓缓流出;(浓液)渗出,慢慢流出 | |
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tempted
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v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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35
repulsed
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v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 );驳斥;拒绝 | |
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craved
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渴望,热望( crave的过去式 ); 恳求,请求 | |
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37
warehouse
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n.仓库;vt.存入仓库 | |
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pried
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v.打听,刺探(他人的私事)( pry的过去式和过去分词 );撬开 | |
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ogling
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v.(向…)抛媚眼,送秋波( ogle的现在分词 ) | |
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poked
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v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交 | |
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hips
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abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯,耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 );[建筑学]屋脊;臀围(尺寸);臀部…的 | |
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42
uncouth
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adj.无教养的,粗鲁的 | |
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heinous
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adj.可憎的,十恶不赦的 | |
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44
appraise
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v.估价,评价,鉴定 | |
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45
industrious
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adj.勤劳的,刻苦的,奋发的 | |
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raucous
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adj.(声音)沙哑的,粗糙的 | |
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47
foodstuffs
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食物,食品( foodstuff的名词复数 ) | |
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48
scrunched
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v.发出喀嚓声( scrunch的过去式和过去分词 );蜷缩;压;挤压 | |
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49
horrified
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a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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50
outright
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adv.坦率地;彻底地;立即;adj.无疑的;彻底的 | |
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auctioned
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v.拍卖( auction的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
bidders
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n.出价者,投标人( bidder的名词复数 ) | |
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53
wailing
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v.哭叫,哀号( wail的现在分词 );沱 | |
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54
cleaved
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v.劈开,剁开,割开( cleave的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
dispersed
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adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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scattered
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adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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57
somber
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adj.昏暗的,阴天的,阴森的,忧郁的 | |
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ails
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v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 );感到不舒服;处境困难;境况不佳 | |
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mumbled
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含糊地说某事,叽咕,咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
deceptions
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欺骗( deception的名词复数 ); 骗术,诡计 | |
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61
promulgate
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v.宣布;传播;颁布(法令、新法律等) | |
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dreary
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adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的 | |
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auctions
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n.拍卖,拍卖方式( auction的名词复数 ) | |
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plumb
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adv.精确地,完全地;v.了解意义,测水深 | |
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plantation
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n.种植园,大农场 | |
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mighty
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adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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lucrative
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adj.赚钱的,可获利的 | |
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68
emancipation
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n.(从束缚、支配下)解放 | |
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69
contemplate
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vt.盘算,计议;周密考虑;注视,凝视 | |
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plight
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n.困境,境况,誓约,艰难;vt.宣誓,保证,约定 | |
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71
conjured
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用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 ); 祈求,恳求; 变戏法; (变魔术般地) 使…出现 | |
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Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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compassion
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n.同情,怜悯 | |
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bumpy
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adj.颠簸不平的,崎岖的 | |
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75
hovered
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鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫 | |
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awareness
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n.意识,觉悟,懂事,明智 | |
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