The kitchen steps were as steep, dark, and difficult as ever. Up those steps Sophia Scales, nine years older than when she had failed to persuade Constance to leave the Square, was carrying a large basket, weighted with all the heaviness of Fossette. Sophia, despite her age, climbed the steps violently, and burst with equal violence into the parlour, where she deposited the basket on the floor near the empty fireplace. She was triumphant1 and breathless. She looked at Constance, who had been standing2 near the door in the attitude of a shocked listener.
"There!" said Sophia. "Did you hear how she talked?"
"Yes," said Constance. "What shall you do?"
"Well," said Sophia. "I had a very good mind to order her out of the house at once. But then I thought I would take no notice. Her time will be up in three weeks. It's best to be indifferent. If once they see they can upset you However, I wasn't going to leave Fossette down there to her tender mercies a moment longer. She's simply not looked after her at all."
Sophia went on her knees to the basket, and, pulling aside the dog's hair, round about the head, examined the skin. Fossette was a sick dog and behaved like one. Fossette, too, was nine years older, and her senility was offensive. She was to no sense a pleasant object.
"See here," said Sophia.
Constance also knelt to the basket.
"And here," said Sophia. "And here."
The dog sighed, the insincere and pity-seeking sigh of a spoilt animal. Fossette foolishly hoped by such appeals to be spared the annoying treatment prescribed for her by the veterinary surgeon.
While the sisters were coddling her, and protecting her from her own paws, and trying to persuade her that all was for the best, another aged3 dog wandered vaguely4 into the room: Spot. Spot had very few teeth, and his legs were stiff. He had only one vice5, jealousy6. Fearing that Fossette might be receiving the entire attention of his mistresses, he had come to inquire into the situation. When he found the justification7 of his gloomiest apprehensions8, he nosed obstinately9 up to Constance, and would not be put off. In vain Constance told him at length that he was interfering10 with the treatment. In vain Sophia ordered him sharply to go away. He would not listen to reason, being furious with jealousy. He got his foot into the basket.
"Will you!" exclaimed Sophia angrily, and gave him a clout11 on his old head. He barked snappishly, and retired12 to the kitchen again, disillusioned13, tired of the world, and nursing his terrific grievance14. "I do declare," said Sophia, "that dog gets worse and worse."
Constance said nothing.
When everything was done that could be done for the aged virgin15 in the basket, the sisters rose from their knees, stiffly; and they began to whisper to each other about the prospects16 of obtaining a fresh servant. They also debated whether they could tolerate the criminal eccentricities17 of the present occupant of the cave for yet another three weeks. Evidently they were in the midst of a crisis. To judge from Constance's face every imaginable woe18 had been piled on them by destiny without the slightest regard for their powers of resistance. Her eyes had the permanent look of worry, and there was in them also something of the self-defensive. Sophia had a bellicose19 air, as though the creature in the cave had squarely challenged her, and she was decided20 to take up the challenge. Sophia's tone seemed to imply an accusation21 of Constance. The general tension was acute.
Then suddenly their whispers expired, and the door opened and the servant came in to lay the supper. Her nose was high, her gaze cruel, radiant, and conquering. She was a pretty and an impudent22 girl of about twenty-three. She knew she was torturing her old and infirm mistresses. She did not care. She did it purposely. Her motto was: War on employers, get all you can out of them, for they will get all they can out of you. On principle--the sole principle she possessed--she would not stay in a place more than six months. She liked change. And employers did not like change. She was shameless with men. She ignored all orders as to what she was to eat and what she was not to eat. She lived up to the full resources of her employers. She could be to the last degree slatternly. Or she could be as neat as a pin, with an apron23 that symbolized24 purity and propriety25, as to-night. She could be idle during a whole day, accumulating dirty dishes from morn till eve. On the other hand she could, when she chose, work with astonishing celerity and even thoroughness. In short, she was born to infuriate a mistress like Sophia and to wear out a mistress like Constance. Her strongest advantage in the struggle was that she enjoyed altercation26; she revelled27 in a brawl28; she found peace tedious. She was perfectly29 calculated to convince the sisters that times had worsened, and that the world would never again be the beautiful, agreeable place it once had been.
Her gestures as she laid the table were very graceful30, in the pert style. She dropped forks into their appointed positions with disdain31; she made slightly too much noise; when she turned she manoeuvred her swelling32 hips33 as though for the benefit of a soldier in a handsome uniform.
Nothing but the servant had been changed in that house. The harmonium on which Mr. Povey used occasionally to play was still behind the door; and on the harmonium was the tea-caddy of which Mrs. Baines used to carry the key on her bunch. In the corner to the right of the fireplace still hung the cupboard where Mrs. Baines stored her pharmacopoeia. The rest of the furniture was arranged as it had been arranged when the death of Mrs. Baines endowed Mr. and Mrs. Povey with all the treasures of the house at Axe34. And it was as good as ever; better than ever. Dr. Stirling often expressed the desire for a corner cupboard like Mrs. Baines's corner cupboard. One item had been added: the 'Peel' compote which Matthew Peel-Swynnerton had noticed in the dining- room of the Pension Frensham. This majestic35 piece, which had been reserved by Sophia in the sale of the pension, stood alone on a canterbury in the drawingroom. She had stored it, with a few other trifles, in Paris, and when she sent for it and the packing-case arrived, both she and Constance became aware that they were united for the rest of their lives. Of worldly goods, except money, securities, and clothes, that compote was practically all that Sophia owned. Happily it was a first-class item, doing no shame to the antique magnificence of the drawing-room.
In yielding to Constance's terrible inertia36, Sophia had meant nevertheless to work her own will on the interior of the house. She had meant to bully37 Constance into modernizing38 the dwelling39. She did bully Constance, but the house defied her. Nothing could be done to that house. If only it had had a hall or lobby a complete transformation40 would have been possible. But there was no access to the upper floor except through the parlour. The parlour could not therefore be turned into a kitchen and the basement suppressed, and the ladies of the house could not live entirely41 on the upper floor. The disposition42 of the rooms had to remain exactly as it had always been. There was the same draught43 under the door, the same darkness on the kitchen stairs, the same difficulties with tradesmen in the distant backyard, the same twist in the bedroom stairs, the same eternal ascending44 and descending45 of pails. An efficient cooking-stove, instead of the large and capacious range, alone represented the twentieth century in the fixtures46 of the house.
Buried at the root of the relations between the sisters was Sophia's grudge47 against Constance for refusing to leave the Square. Sophia was loyal. She would not consciously give with one hand while taking away with the other, and in accepting Constance's decision she honestly meant to close her eyes to its stupidity. But she could not entirely succeed. She could not avoid thinking that the angelic Constance had been strangely and monstrously48 selfish in refusing to quit the Square. She marvelled49 that a woman of Constance's sweet and calm disposition should be capable of so vast and ruthless an egotism. Constance must have known that Sophia would not leave her, and that the habitation of the Square was a continual irk to Sophia. Constance had never been able to advance a single argument for remaining in the Square. And yet she would not budge51. It was so inconsistent with the rest of Constance's behaviour. See Sophia sitting primly52 there by the table, a woman approaching sixty, with immense experience written on the fine hardness of her worn and distinguished53 face! Though her hair is not yet all grey, nor her figure bowed, you would imagine that she would, in her passage through the world, have learnt better than to expect a character to be consistent. But no! She was ever disappointed and hurt by Constance's inconsistency! And see Constance, stout54 and bowed, looking more than her age with hair nearly white and slightly trembling hands! See that face whose mark is meekness55 and the spirit of conciliation56, the desire for peace--you would not think that that placid57 soul could, while submitting to it, inly rage against the imposed weight of Sophia's individuality. "Because I wouldn't turn out of my house to please her," Constance would say to herself, "she fancies she is entitled to do just as she likes." Not often did she secretly rebel thus, but it occurred sometimes. They never quarrelled. They would have regarded separation as a disaster. Considering the difference of their lives, they agreed marvellously in their judgment58 of things. But that buried question of domicile prevented a complete unity59 between, them. And its suble effect was to influence both of them to make the worst, instead of the best, of the trifling60 mishaps61 that disturbed their tranquillity62. When annoyed, Sophia would meditate63 upon the mere64 fact that they lived in the Square for no reason whatever, until it grew incredibly shocking to her. After all it was scarcely conceivable that they should be living in the very middle of a dirty, ugly, industrial town simply because Constance mulishly declined to move. Another thing that curiously65 exasperated66 both of them upon occasion was that, owing to a recurrence67 of her old complaint of dizziness after meals, Sophia had been strictly68 forbidden to drink tea, which she loved. Sophia chafed69 under the deprivation70, and Constance's pleasure was impaired71 because she had to drink it alone.
While the brazen72 and pretty servant, mysteriously smiling to herself, dropped food and utensils73 on to the table, Constance and Sophia attempted to converse74 with negligent75 ease upon indifferent topics, as though nothing had occurred that day to mar50 the beauty of ideal relations between employers and employed. The pretence76 was ludicrous. The young wench saw through it instantly, and her mysterious smile developed almost into a laugh.
"Please shut the door after you, Maud," said Sophia, as the girl picked up her empty tray.
"Yes, ma'am," replied Maud, politely.
She went out and left the door open.
It was a defiance77, offered from sheer, youthful, wanton mischief78.
The sisters looked at each other, their faces gravely troubled, aghast, as though they had glimpsed the end of civilized79 society, as though they felt that they had lived too long into an age of decadence80 and open shame. Constance's face showed despair--she might have been about to be pitched into the gutter81 without a friend and without a shilling--but Sophia's had the reckless courage that disaster breeds.
Sophia jumped up, and stepped to the door. "Maud," she called out.
No answer.
"Maud, do you hear me?"
Still no answer.
Sophia glanced at Constance. "Either she shuts this door, or she leaves this house at once, even if I have to fetch a policeman!"
And Sophia disappeared down the kitchen steps. Constance trembled with painful excitement. The horror of existence closed in upon her. She could imagine nothing more appalling83 than the pass to which they had been brought by the modern change in the lower classes.
In the kitchen, Sophia, conscious that the moment held the future of at least the next three weeks, collected her forces.
"Maud," she said, "did you not hear me call you?"
Maud looked up from a book--doubtless a wicked book.
"No, ma'am."
"You liar84!" thought Sophia. And she said: "I asked you to shut the parlour door, and I shall be obliged if you will do so."
Now Maud would have given a week's wages for the moral force to disobey Sophia. There was nothing to compel her to obey. She could have trampled85 on the fragile and weak Sophia. But something in Sophia's gaze compelled her to obey. She flounced; she bridled86; she mumbled87; she unnecessarily disturbed the venerable Spot; but she obeyed. Sophia had risked all, and she had won something.
"And you should light the gas in the kitchen," said Sophia magnificently, as Maud followed her up the steps. "Your young eyes may be very good now, but you are not going the way to preserve them. My sister and I have often told you that we do not grudge you gas."
With stateliness she rejoined Constance, and sat down to the cold supper. And as Maud clicked the door to, the sisters breathed relief. They envisaged88 new tribulations89, but for a brief instant there was surcease.
Yet they could not eat. Neither of them, when it came to the point, could swallow. The day had been too exciting, too distressing90. They were at the end of their resources. And they did not hide from each other that they were at the end of their resources. The illness of Fossette, without anything else, had been more than enough to ruin their tranquillity. But the illness of Fossette was as nothing to the ingenious naughtiness of the servant. Maud had a sense of temporary defeat, and was planning fresh operations; but really it was Maud who had conquered. Poor old things, they were in such a 'state' that they could not eat!
"I'm not going to let her think she can spoil my appetite!" said Sophia, dauntless. Truly that woman's spirit was unquenchable.
She cut a couple of slices off the cold fowl91; she cut a tomato into slices; she disturbed the butter; she crumbled92 bread on the cloth, and rubbed bits of fowl over the plates, and dirtied knives and forks. Then she put the slices of fowl and bread and tomato into a piece of tissue paper, and silently went upstairs with the parcel and came down again a moment afterwards empty-handed.
After an interval93 she rang the bell, and lighted the gas.
"We've finished, Maud. You can clear away."
Constance thirsted for a cup of tea. She felt that a cup of tea was the one thing that would certainly keep her alive. She longed for it passionately94. But she would not demand it from Maud. Nor would she mention it to Sophia, lest Sophia, flushed by the victory of the door, should incur95 new risks. She simply did without. On empty stomachs they tried pathetically to help each other in games of Patience. And when the blithe96 Maud passed through the parlour on the way to bed, she saw two dignified97 and apparently98 calm ladies, apparently absorbed in a delightful99 game of cards, apparently without a worry in the world. They said "Good night, Maud," cheerfully, politely, and coldly. It was a heroic scene. Immediately afterwards Sophia carried Fossette up to her own bedroom.
1 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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2 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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3 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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4 vaguely | |
adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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5 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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6 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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7 justification | |
n.正当的理由;辩解的理由 | |
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8 apprehensions | |
疑惧 | |
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9 obstinately | |
ad.固执地,顽固地 | |
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10 interfering | |
adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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11 clout | |
n.用手猛击;权力,影响力 | |
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12 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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13 disillusioned | |
a.不再抱幻想的,大失所望的,幻想破灭的 | |
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14 grievance | |
n.怨愤,气恼,委屈 | |
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15 virgin | |
n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的 | |
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16 prospects | |
n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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17 eccentricities | |
n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 );反常;怪癖 | |
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18 woe | |
n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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19 bellicose | |
adj.好战的;好争吵的 | |
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20 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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21 accusation | |
n.控告,指责,谴责 | |
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22 impudent | |
adj.鲁莽的,卑鄙的,厚颜无耻的 | |
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23 apron | |
n.围裙;工作裙 | |
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24 symbolized | |
v.象征,作为…的象征( symbolize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25 propriety | |
n.正当行为;正当;适当 | |
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26 altercation | |
n.争吵,争论 | |
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27 revelled | |
v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉 | |
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28 brawl | |
n.大声争吵,喧嚷;v.吵架,对骂 | |
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29 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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30 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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31 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
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32 swelling | |
n.肿胀 | |
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33 hips | |
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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34 axe | |
n.斧子;v.用斧头砍,削减 | |
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35 majestic | |
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
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36 inertia | |
adj.惰性,惯性,懒惰,迟钝 | |
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37 bully | |
n.恃强欺弱者,小流氓;vt.威胁,欺侮 | |
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38 modernizing | |
使现代化,使适应现代需要( modernize的现在分词 ); 现代化,使用现代方法 | |
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39 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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40 transformation | |
n.变化;改造;转变 | |
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41 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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42 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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43 draught | |
n.拉,牵引,拖;一网(饮,吸,阵);顿服药量,通风;v.起草,设计 | |
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44 ascending | |
adj.上升的,向上的 | |
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45 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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46 fixtures | |
(房屋等的)固定装置( fixture的名词复数 ); 如(浴盆、抽水马桶); 固定在某位置的人或物; (定期定点举行的)体育活动 | |
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47 grudge | |
n.不满,怨恨,妒嫉;vt.勉强给,不情愿做 | |
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48 monstrously | |
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49 marvelled | |
v.惊奇,对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50 mar | |
vt.破坏,毁坏,弄糟 | |
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51 budge | |
v.移动一点儿;改变立场 | |
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52 primly | |
adv.循规蹈矩地,整洁地 | |
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53 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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55 meekness | |
n.温顺,柔和 | |
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56 conciliation | |
n.调解,调停 | |
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57 placid | |
adj.安静的,平和的 | |
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58 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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59 unity | |
n.团结,联合,统一;和睦,协调 | |
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60 trifling | |
adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
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61 mishaps | |
n.轻微的事故,小的意外( mishap的名词复数 ) | |
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62 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
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63 meditate | |
v.想,考虑,(尤指宗教上的)沉思,冥想 | |
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64 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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65 curiously | |
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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66 exasperated | |
adj.恼怒的 | |
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67 recurrence | |
n.复发,反复,重现 | |
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68 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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69 chafed | |
v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的过去式 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒 | |
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70 deprivation | |
n.匮乏;丧失;夺去,贫困 | |
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71 impaired | |
adj.受损的;出毛病的;有(身体或智力)缺陷的v.损害,削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72 brazen | |
adj.厚脸皮的,无耻的,坚硬的 | |
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73 utensils | |
器具,用具,器皿( utensil的名词复数 ); 器物 | |
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74 converse | |
vi.谈话,谈天,闲聊;adv.相反的,相反 | |
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75 negligent | |
adj.疏忽的;玩忽的;粗心大意的 | |
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76 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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77 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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78 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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79 civilized | |
a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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80 decadence | |
n.衰落,颓废 | |
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81 gutter | |
n.沟,街沟,水槽,檐槽,贫民窟 | |
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82 suspense | |
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑 | |
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83 appalling | |
adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的 | |
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84 liar | |
n.说谎的人 | |
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85 trampled | |
踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 ); 践踏; 无视; 侵犯 | |
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86 bridled | |
给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 ); 控制; 昂首表示轻蔑(或怨忿等); 动怒,生气 | |
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87 mumbled | |
含糊地说某事,叽咕,咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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88 envisaged | |
想像,设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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89 tribulations | |
n.苦难( tribulation的名词复数 );艰难;苦难的缘由;痛苦 | |
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90 distressing | |
a.使人痛苦的 | |
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91 fowl | |
n.家禽,鸡,禽肉 | |
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92 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 | |
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93 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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94 passionately | |
ad.热烈地,激烈地 | |
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95 incur | |
vt.招致,蒙受,遭遇 | |
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96 blithe | |
adj.快乐的,无忧无虑的 | |
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97 dignified | |
a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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98 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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99 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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