Godfrey Morgan：A Californian Mystery
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CHAPTER I.

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 IN WHICH THE READER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY OF BUYING AN ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
"An island to sell, for cash, to the highest bidder1!" said Dean Felporg, the auctioneer, standing3 behind his rostrum in the room where the conditions of the singular sale were being noisily discussed.
 
"Island for sale! island for sale!" repeated in shrill4 tones again and again Gingrass, the crier, who was threading his way in and out of the excited crowd closely packed inside the largest saloon in the auction2 mart at No. 10, Sacramento Street.
 
The crowd consisted not only of a goodly number of Americans from the States of Utah, Oregon, and California, but also of a few Frenchmen, who form quite a sixth of the population.
 
[Pg 2]
 
Mexicans were there enveloped5 in their sarapes; Chinamen in their large-sleeved tunics6, pointed7 shoes, and conical hats; one or two Kanucks from the coast; and even a sprinkling of Black Feet, Grosventres, or Flatheads, from the banks of the Trinity river.
 
The scene is in San Francisco, the capital of California, but not at the period when the placer-mining fever was raging—from 1849 to 1852. San Francisco was no longer what it had been then, a caravanserai, a terminus, an inn, where for a night there slept the busy men who were hastening to the gold-fields west of the Sierra Nevada. At the end of some twenty years the old unknown Yerba-Buena had given place to a town unique of its kind, peopled by 100,000 inhabitants, built under the shelter of a couple of hills, away from the shore, but stretching off to the farthest heights in the background—a city in short which has dethroned Lima, Santiago, Valparaiso, and every other rival, and which the Americans have made the queen of the Pacific, the "glory of the western coast!"
 
It was the 15th of May, and the weather was still cold. In California, subject as it is to the direct action of the polar currents, the first weeks of this month are somewhat similar to the last weeks of March in Central Europe. But the cold was hardly noticeable in the thick of the auction crowd. The bell with its

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1 bidder oyrzTm     
n.(拍卖时的)出价人，报价人，投标人
参考例句：
  • TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder.电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。
  • The bidder withdrew his bid after submission of his bid.投标者在投标之后撤销了投标书。
2 auction 3uVzy     
n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖
参考例句：
  • They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
  • They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。
3 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
4 shrill EEize     
adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫
参考例句：
  • Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
  • The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。
5 enveloped 8006411f03656275ea778a3c3978ff7a     
v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • She was enveloped in a huge white towel. 她裹在一条白色大毛巾里。
  • Smoke from the burning house enveloped the whole street. 燃烧着的房子冒出的浓烟笼罩了整条街。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 tunics 3f1492879fadde4166c14b22a487d2c4     
n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍
参考例句：
  • After work colourful clothes replace the blue tunics. 下班后，蓝制服都换成了色彩鲜艳的衣服。 来自辞典例句
  • The ancient Greeks fastened their tunics with Buttons and loops. 古希腊人在肩部用钮扣与环圈将束腰外衣扣紧。 来自互联网
7 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
8 incessant WcizU     
adj.不停的，连续的
参考例句：
  • We have had incessant snowfall since yesterday afternoon.从昨天下午开始就持续不断地下雪。
  • She is tired of his incessant demands for affection.她厌倦了他对感情的不断索取。
9 throng sGTy4     
n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集
参考例句：
  • A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。
  • The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。
10 perspiration c3UzD     
n.汗水；出汗
参考例句：
  • It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
  • The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。
11 glisten 8e2zq     
vi.（光洁或湿润表面等）闪闪发光，闪闪发亮
参考例句：
  • Dewdrops glisten in the morning sun.露珠在晨光下闪闪发光。
  • His sunken eyes glistened with delight.他凹陷的眼睛闪现出喜悦的光芒。
12 solidified ec92c58adafe8f3291136b615a7bae5b     
（使）成为固体，（使）变硬，（使）变得坚固( solidify的过去式和过去分词 )； 使团结一致； 充实，巩固； 具体化
参考例句：
  • Her attitudes solidified through privilege and habit. 由于特权和习惯使然，她的看法变得越来越难以改变。
  • When threatened, he fires spheres of solidified air from his launcher! 当危险来临，他就会发射它的弹药！
13 isle fatze     
n.小岛，岛
参考例句：
  • He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
  • The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。
14 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
15 tempt MpIwg     
vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣
参考例句：
  • Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
  • The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了，可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。
16 metaphors 83e73a88f6ce7dc55e75641ff9fe3c41     
隐喻( metaphor的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • I can only represent it to you by metaphors. 我只能用隐喻来向你描述它。
  • Thus, She's an angel and He's a lion in battle are metaphors. 因此她是天使，他是雄狮都是比喻说法。
17 harangue BeyxH     
n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话
参考例句：
  • We had to listen to a long harangue about our own shortcomings.我们必须去听一有关我们缺点的长篇大论。
  • The minister of propaganda delivered his usual harangue.宣传部长一如既往发表了他的长篇大论。
18 pebble c3Rzo     
n.卵石，小圆石
参考例句：
  • The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
  • The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
19 speculations da17a00acfa088f5ac0adab7a30990eb     
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断
参考例句：
  • Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》
20 virgin phPwj     
n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的
参考例句：
  • Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
  • There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。
21 nibble DRZzG     
n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵
参考例句：
  • Inflation began to nibble away at their savings.通货膨胀开始蚕食他们的存款。
  • The birds cling to the wall and nibble at the brickwork.鸟儿们紧贴在墙上，啄着砖缝。
22 chaff HUGy5     
v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳
参考例句：
  • I didn't mind their chaff.我不在乎他们的玩笑。
  • Old birds are not caught with chaff.谷糠难诱老雀。
23 noxious zHOxB     
adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的
参考例句：
  • Heavy industry pollutes our rivers with noxious chemicals.重工业产生的有毒化学品会污染我们的河流。
  • Many household products give off noxious fumes.很多家用产品散发有害气体。
24 reptiles 45053265723f59bd84cf4af2b15def8e     
n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
25 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
26 porcelain USvz9     
n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的
参考例句：
  • These porcelain plates have rather original designs on them.这些瓷盘的花纹很别致。
  • The porcelain vase is enveloped in cotton.瓷花瓶用棉花裹着。
27 Mandarin TorzdX     
n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的
参考例句：
  • Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue.大约有十亿以上的人口以华语为母语。
  • Mandarin will be the new official language of the European Union.普通话会变成欧盟新的官方语言。
28 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法，待人态度
参考例句：
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
29 accurately oJHyf     
adv.准确地，精确地
参考例句：
  • It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
  • Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。
30 ascertained e6de5c3a87917771a9555db9cf4de019     
v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
31 orientation IJ4xo     
n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍
参考例句：
  • Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
  • The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。
32 poke 5SFz9     
n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢
参考例句：
  • We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
  • Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。
33 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地，无疑地
参考例句：
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
34 authorized jyLzgx     
a.委任的，许可的
参考例句：
  • An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。
35 latitude i23xV     
n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区
参考例句：
  • The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
  • The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。
36 longitude o0ZxR     
n.经线，经度
参考例句：
  • The city is at longitude 21°east.这个城市位于东经21度。
  • He noted the latitude and longitude,then made a mark on the admiralty chart.他记下纬度和经度，然后在航海图上做了个标记。
37 isolated bqmzTd     
adj.与世隔绝的
参考例句：
  • His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
  • Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。
38 maritime 62yyA     
adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的
参考例句：
  • Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
  • The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。
39 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地，相对地
参考例句：
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
40 situated JiYzBH     
adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的
参考例句：
  • The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
  • She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。
41 diverging d7d416587b95cf7081b2b1fd0a9002ea     
分开( diverge的现在分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳
参考例句：
  • Plants had gradually evolved along diverging and converging pathways. 植物是沿着趋异和趋同两种途径逐渐演化的。
  • With member-country bond yields now diverging, 'it's a fragmented set of markets. 但随着成员国债券收益率之差扩大，市场已经分割开来。
42 eddy 6kxzZ     
n.漩涡，涡流
参考例句：
  • The motor car disappeared in eddy of dust.汽车在一片扬尘的涡流中不见了。
  • In Taylor's picture,the eddy is the basic element of turbulence.在泰勒的描述里，旋涡是湍流的基本要素。
43 appreciable KNWz7     
adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的
参考例句：
  • There is no appreciable distinction between the twins.在这对孪生子之间看不出有什么明显的差别。
  • We bought an appreciable piece of property.我们买下的资产有增值的潜力。
44 solitude xF9yw     
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句：
  • People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
  • They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。
45 whim 2gywE     
n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想
参考例句：
  • I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
  • He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。
46 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
47 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
48 outwards NJuxN     
adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形
参考例句：
  • Does this door open inwards or outwards?这门朝里开还是朝外开？
  • In lapping up a fur,they always put the inner side outwards.卷毛皮时，他们总是让内层朝外。
49 undertaking Mfkz7S     
n.保证，许诺，事业
参考例句：
  • He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
  • He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。
50 eminently c442c1e3a4b0ad4160feece6feb0aabf     
adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地
参考例句：
  • She seems eminently suitable for the job. 她看来非常适合这个工作。
  • It was an eminently respectable boarding school. 这是所非常好的寄宿学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
51 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。
52 bagatelle iPzy5     
n.琐事；小曲儿
参考例句：
  • To him money is a bagatelle.金钱对他来说不算一回事。
  • One day, they argued for a bagatelle of their children.一天，夫妻为了孩子的一件小事吵起来。
53 glaciers e815ddf266946d55974cdc5579cbd89b     
冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
  • It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）
54 proprietor zR2x5     
n.所有人；业主；经营者
参考例句：
  • The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
  • The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。
55 monarchy e6Azi     
n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国
参考例句：
  • The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
  • The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。
56 aged 6zWzdI     
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
  • He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
  • He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。
57 specimen Xvtwm     
n.样本，标本
参考例句：
  • You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
  • This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。
58 alluding ac37fbbc50fb32efa49891d205aa5a0a     
提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • He didn't mention your name but I was sure he was alluding to you. 他没提你的名字，但是我确信他是暗指你的。
  • But in fact I was alluding to my physical deficiencies. 可我实在是为自己的容貌寒心。
59 alluvial ALxyp     
adj.冲积的；淤积的
参考例句：
  • Alluvial soils usually grow the best crops.淤积土壤通常能长出最好的庄稼。
  • A usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river.三角洲河口常见的三角形沉淀淤积地带。

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