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THE ORPHAN
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Mademoiselle Source had adopted this boy under very sad circumstances. She was at the time thirty-six years old. Being disfigured through having as a child slipped off her nurse's lap into the fireplace and burned her face shockingly, she had determined1 not to marry, for she did not want any man to marry her for her money.
A neighbor of hers, left a widow just before her child was born, died in giving birth, without leaving a sou. Mademoiselle Source took the new-born child, put him out to nurse, reared him, sent him to a boarding-school, then brought him home in his fourteenth year, in order to have in her empty house somebody who would love her, who would look after her, and make her old age pleasant.
She had a little country place four leagues from Rennes, and she now dispensed2 with a servant; her expenses having increased to more than double since this orphan3's arrival, her income of three thousand francs was no longer sufficient to support three persons.
She attended to the housekeeping and cooking herself, and sent out the boy on errands, letting him also occupy himself in cultivating the garden. He was gentle, timid, silent, and affectionate. And she experienced a deep happiness, a fresh happiness when he kissed her without surprise or horror at her disfigurement. He called her “Aunt,” and treated her as a mother.
In the evening they both sat down at the fireside, and she made nice little dainties for him. She heated some wine and toasted a slice of bread, and it made a charming little meal before going to bed. She often took him on her knees and covered him with kisses, murmuring tender words in his ear. She called him: “My little flower, my cherub4, my adored angel, my divine jewel.” He softly accepted her caresses5, hiding his head on the old maid's shoulder. Although he was now nearly fifteen, he had remained small and weak, and had a rather sickly appearance.
Sometimes Mademoiselle Source took him to the city, to see two married female relatives of hers, distant cousins, who were living in the suburbs, and who were the only members of her family in existence. The two women had always found fault with her, for having adopted this boy, on account of the inheritance; but for all that, they gave her a cordial welcome, having still hopes of getting a share for themselves, a third, no doubt, if what she
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1
determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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2
dispensed
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v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 );施与;配(药) | |
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3
orphan
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n.孤儿;adj.无父母的 | |
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4
cherub
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n.小天使,胖娃娃 | |
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5
caresses
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爱抚,抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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6
possessed
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adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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7
passionately
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ad.热烈地,激烈地 | |
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8
formerly
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adv.从前,以前 | |
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9
entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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10
fatigue
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n.疲劳,劳累 | |
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11
devoured
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吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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12
decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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13
dint
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n.由于,靠;凹坑 | |
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entreaties
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n.恳求,乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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15
inflexible
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adj.不可改变的,不受影响的,不屈服的 | |
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16
plunged
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v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
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17
attentive
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adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的 | |
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18
shuddered
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v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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19
presentiment
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n.预感,预觉 | |
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20
procure
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vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条 | |
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21
fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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incessantly
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ad.不停地 | |
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23
riveted
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铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 ); 把…固定住; 吸引; 引起某人的注意 | |
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24
averting
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防止,避免( avert的现在分词 ); 转移 | |
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25
utterly
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adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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persistent
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adj.坚持不懈的,执意的;持续的 | |
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27
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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abortive
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adj.不成功的,发育不全的 | |
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disquieting
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adj.令人不安的,令人不平静的v.使不安,使忧虑,使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
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30
labor
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n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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31
frightful
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adj.可怕的;讨厌的 | |
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32
assailed
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v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对 | |
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33
barricaded
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设路障于,以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 ); 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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34
forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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gasping
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adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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reassure
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v.使放心,使消除疑虑 | |
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longing
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n.(for)渴望 | |
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brutal
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adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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dissuading
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劝(某人)勿做某事,劝阻( dissuade的现在分词 ) | |
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trifling
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adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
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disturbance
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n.动乱,骚动;打扰,干扰;(身心)失调 | |
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agitated
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adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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dwelling
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n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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privately
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adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地 | |
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devoted
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adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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linen
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n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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gendarmes
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n.宪兵,警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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magistrate
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n.地方行政官,地方法官,治安官 | |
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inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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50
acquitted
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宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(自己)作出某种表现 | |
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51
drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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52
notary
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n.公证人,公证员 | |
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53
boycotted
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抵制,拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
loquacity
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n.多话,饶舌 | |
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lieutenant
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n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员 | |
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56
contagious
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adj.传染性的,有感染力的 | |
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repugnance
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n.嫌恶 | |
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THE BEGGAR
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