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CHAPTER VII A NINE DAYS' WONDER
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Ill news spreads like circles on water when a stone is thrown in. Barker, the old sexton, a white-haired, crabbed1 sinner, was the first to discover the loss. He had gone to the chapel2 at seven in the morning to make ready the church for early celebration, and on going to the altar he had noticed that the cup was missing. Nothing else had been touched. At once the old man had trotted3 off to see the vicar, and in a quavering voice related what had taken place, finishing with a hope that he would not be blamed for the loss.
"You locked the chapel up last night?" asked Mr Tempest, sorely distressed4, for indeed this was sacrilege and not a common robbery.
"'Deed and I did!" replied Barker, sturdily. "And I took the key home with me. My wife saw me place it on its nail just inside the door."
"Was the church door locked?"
"Fast locked, sir. And all the windows fastened. I went round the chapel to see if I could find any sign."
"When did you leave the church last night, Barker?"
"At nine o'clock, after I made everything right for the night. It was after evening service, if you mind, Mr Tempest. Then I went home and put the key in its place. My Joan and I went then to a neighbour for a bit of supper. We got home again about eleven."
"And the key was still on its nail?"
"Well, sir," said Barker, scratching his white locks, "I didn't look. But it was there this morning; so it could not have been taken away. Besides, my Joan locked the door of our cottage. No one could have got in."
"The cup was on the altar when you left the church last night?"
"On the altar where it ought to be. But this morning it's nowhere to be seen. I hope you don't think it's my fault, sir."
"No," replied Mr Tempest. "I cannot see that you are to blame. But this is a very serious matter, Barker. I did not know that there was anyone in Colester who would have committed such a crime."
"It's terrible," sighed the sexton. "And what that poor lass Pearl will say I don't know."
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1
crabbed
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adj.脾气坏的;易怒的;(指字迹)难辨认的;(字迹等)难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
chapel
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n.小教堂,殡仪馆 | |
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3
trotted
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小跑,急走( trot的过去分词 ); 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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4
distressed
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痛苦的 | |
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5
accusation
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n.控告,指责,谴责 | |
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6
withered
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adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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7
gilded
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a.镀金的,富有的 | |
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8
entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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9
groaned
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v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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10
exempt
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adj.免除的;v.使免除;n.免税者,被免除义务者 | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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12
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 | |
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13
inspector
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n.检查员,监察员,视察员 | |
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14
shrug
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v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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15
shrugged
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vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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16
metropolitan
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adj.大城市的,大都会的 | |
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provincial
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adj.省的,地方的;n.外省人,乡下人 | |
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vehemently
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adv. 热烈地 | |
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sneered
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讥笑,冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
gems
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growth; economy; management; and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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21
enlist
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vt.谋取(支持等),赢得;征募;vi.入伍 | |
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22
conjecture
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n./v.推测,猜测 | |
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consultation
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n.咨询;商量;商议;会议 | |
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reverently
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adv.虔诚地 | |
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unwilling
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adj.不情愿的 | |
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sitting-room
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n.(BrE)客厅,起居室 | |
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slur
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v.含糊地说;诋毁;连唱;n.诋毁;含糊的发音 | |
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scotch
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n.伤口,刻痕;苏格兰威士忌酒;v.粉碎,消灭,阻止;adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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hoots
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咄,啐 | |
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inquiries
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n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 );疑问;探究;打听 | |
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exasperated
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adj.恼怒的 | |
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innocence
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n.无罪;天真;无害 | |
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creditors
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n.债权人,债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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enlisting
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v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的现在分词 );获得(帮助或支持) | |
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35
babbling
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n.胡说,婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 );作潺潺声(如流水);含糊不清地说话;泄漏秘密 | |
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36
shun
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vt.避开,回避,避免 | |
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37
untoward
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adj.不利的,不幸的,困难重重的 | |
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biased
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a.有偏见的 | |
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resolute
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adj.坚决的,果敢的 | |
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obstinately
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ad.固执地,顽固地 | |
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rebut
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v.辩驳,驳回 | |
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heartily
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adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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CHAPTER VI TROUBLE
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