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CHAPTER VIII A SANTA CLAUS HELD UP
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It was about five months after the multi-millionaire, Mr. Stanley G. Fulton, had started for South America, that Edward D. Norton, Esq., received the following letter:—
DEAR NED:—I'm glad there's only one more month to wait. I feel like Santa Claus with a box of toys, held up by a snowdrift, and I just can't wait to see the children dance—when they get them.
And let me say right here and now how glad I am that I did this thing. Oh, yes, I'll admit I still feel like the small boy at the keyhole, at times, perhaps; but I'll forget that—when the children begin to dance.
And, really, never have I seen a bunch of people whom I thought a little money would do more good to than the Blaisdells here in Hillerton. My only regret is that I didn't know about Miss Maggie Duff, so that she could have had some, too. (Oh, yes, I've found out all about "Poor Maggie" now, and she's a dear—the typical self-sacrificing, self-effacing bearer of everybody's burdens, including a huge share of her own!) However, she isn't a Blaisdell, of course, so I couldn't have worked her into my scheme very well, I suppose, even if I had known about her. They are all fond of her—though they impose on her time and her sympathies abominably1. But I reckon she'll get some of the benefits of the others' thousands. Mrs. Jane, in particular, is always wishing she could do something for "Poor Maggie," so I dare say she'll be looked out for all right.
As to who will prove to be the wisest handler of the hundred thousand, and thus my eventual2 heir, I haven't the least idea. As I said before, they all need money, and need it badly—need it to be comfortable and happy, I mean. They aren't really poor, any of them, except, perhaps, Miss Flora3. She is a little hard up, poor soul. Bless her heart! I wonder what she'll get first, Niagara, the phonograph, or something to eat without looking at the price. Did I ever write you about those "three wishes" of hers?
I can't see that any of the family are really extravagant4 unless, perhaps, it's Mrs. James—"Hattie." She IS ambitious, and is inclined to live on a scale a little beyond her means, I judge. But that will be all right, of course, when she has the money to gratify her tastes. Jim—poor fellow, I shall be glad to see him take it easy, for once. He reminds me of the old horse I saw the other day running one of those infernal
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1
abominably
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| adv. 可恶地,可恨地,恶劣地 | |
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eventual
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| adj.最后的,结局的,最终的 | |
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flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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treadmill
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| n.踏车;单调的工作 | |
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thrifty
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| adj.节俭的;兴旺的;健壮的 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地 | |
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curtailed
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| v.截断,缩短( curtail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bonbons
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| n.小糖果( bonbon的名词复数 ) | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对,不赞成 | |
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torment
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| n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠 | |
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doled
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| 救济物( dole的过去式和过去分词 ); 失业救济金 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地;非常地 | |
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chuckles
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的名词复数 ) | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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mortifying
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| adj.抑制的,苦修的v.使受辱( mortify的现在分词 );伤害(人的感情);克制;抑制(肉体、情感等) | |
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trump
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| n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭 | |
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serenely
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| adv.安详地,宁静地,平静地 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 );伤害(人的感情);克制;抑制(肉体、情感等) | |
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whit
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| n.一点,丝毫 | |
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paltry
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| adj.无价值的,微不足道的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本,标本 | |
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repentant
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| adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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agog
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| adj.兴奋的,有强烈兴趣的; adv.渴望地 | |
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genealogist
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| 系谱学者 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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cemetery
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| n.坟墓,墓地,坟场 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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gushing
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| adj.迸出的;涌出的;喷出的;过分热情的v.喷,涌( gush的现在分词 );滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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