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The three detectives had many matters of detail into which to inquire; so I returned alone to our modest quarters at the village inn. But before doing so I took a stroll in the curious old-world garden which flanked the house. Rows of very ancient yew1 trees cut into strange designs girded it round. Inside was a beautiful stretch of lawn with an old sundial in the middle, the whole effect so soothing2 and restful that it was welcome to my somewhat jangled nerves.
In that deeply peaceful atmosphere one could forget, or remember only as some fantastic nightmare, that darkened study with the sprawling3, bloodstained figure on the floor. And yet, as I strolled round it and tried to steep my soul in its gentle balm, a strange incident occurred, which brought me back to the tragedy and left a sinister4 impression in my mind.
I have said that a decoration of yew trees circled the garden. At the end farthest from the house they thickened into a continuous hedge. On the other side of this hedge, concealed6 from the eyes of anyone approaching from the direction of the house, there was a stone seat. As I approached the spot I was aware of voices, some remark in the deep tones of a man, answered by a little ripple7 of feminine laughter.
An instant later I had come round the end of the hedge and my eyes lit upon Mrs. Douglas and the man Barker before they were aware of my presence. Her appearance gave me a shock. In the dining-room she had been demure8 and discreet9. Now all pretense10 of grief had passed away from her. Her eyes shone with the joy of living, and her face still quivered with amusement at some remark of her companion. He sat forward, his hands clasped and his forearms on his knees, with an answering smile upon his bold, handsome face. In an instant--but it was just one instant too late--they resumed their solemn masks as my figure came into view. A hurried word or two passed between them, and then Barker rose and came towards me.

1
yew
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n.紫杉属树木 | |
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2
soothing
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adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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3
sprawling
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adj.蔓生的,不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 );蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着) | |
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4
sinister
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adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 | |
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conceal
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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concealed
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a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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7
ripple
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n.涟波,涟漪,波纹,粗钢梳;vt.使...起涟漪,使起波纹; vi.呈波浪状,起伏前进 | |
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8
demure
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adj.严肃的;端庄的 | |
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discreet
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adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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10
pretense
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n.矫饰,做作,借口 | |
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dour
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adj.冷酷的,严厉的;(岩石)嶙峋的;顽强不屈 | |
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callous
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adj.无情的,冷淡的,硬结的,起老茧的 | |
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13
shrugged
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vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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confidentially
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ad.秘密地,悄悄地 | |
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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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justified
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a.正当的,有理的 | |
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implore
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vt.乞求,恳求,哀求 | |
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helping
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n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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sincerity
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n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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levity
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n.轻率,轻浮,不稳定,多变 | |
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judgment
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n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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loyalty
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n.忠诚,忠心 | |
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concealing
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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manor
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n.庄园,领地 | |
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consultation
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n.咨询;商量;商议;会议 | |
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ravenous
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adj.极饿的,贪婪的 | |
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mighty
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adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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conspiracy
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n.阴谋,密谋,共谋 | |
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debonair
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adj.殷勤的,快乐的 | |
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exterminated
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v.消灭,根绝( exterminate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fathomed
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理解…的真意( fathom的过去式和过去分词 ); 彻底了解; 弄清真相 | |
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penetrated
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adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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penetrate
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v.透(渗)入;刺入,刺穿;洞察,了解 | |
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inspector
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n.检查员,监察员,视察员 | |
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practitioner
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n.实践者,从事者;(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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imminent
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adj.即将发生的,临近的,逼近的 | |
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spinal
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adj.针的,尖刺的,尖刺状突起的;adj.脊骨的,脊髓的 | |
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mischief
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n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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entanglement
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n.纠缠,牵累 | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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chafed
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v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的过去式 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒 | |
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attenuated
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v.(使)变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)变薄;(使)变小;减弱 | |
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asceticism
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n.禁欲主义 | |
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random
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adj.随机的;任意的;n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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thumping
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adj.重大的,巨大的;重击的;尺码大的;极好的adv.极端地;非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词);狠打;怦怦地跳;全力支持 | |
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obtrusive
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adj.显眼的;冒失的 | |
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corroborate
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v.支持,证实,确定 | |
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corroborated
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v.证实,支持(某种说法、信仰、理论等)( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
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lengthy
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adj.漫长的,冗长的 | |
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apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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deliberately
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adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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housekeeper
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n.管理家务的主妇,女管家 | |
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vaguely
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adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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muffled
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adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己) | |
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undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 | |
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corpse
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n.尸体,死尸 | |
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investigators
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n.调查者,审查者( investigator的名词复数 ) | |
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guilt
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n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责 | |
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appalling
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adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的 | |
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conspiring
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密谋( conspire的现在分词 ); 搞阴谋; (事件等)巧合; 共同导致 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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extraordinarily
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adv.格外地;极端地 | |
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astute
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adj.机敏的,精明的 | |
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conspire
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v.密谋,(事件等)巧合,共同导致 | |
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sketching
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n.草图 | |
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sweeping
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adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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generalization
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n.普遍性,一般性,概括 | |
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fugitive
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adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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shameful
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adj.可耻的,不道德的 | |
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avenger
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n. 复仇者 | |
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vendetta
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n.世仇,宿怨 | |
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hideous
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adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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connive
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v.纵容;密谋 | |
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slipper
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n.拖鞋 | |
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exhausted
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adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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exultant
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adj.欢腾的,狂欢的,大喜的 | |
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investigation
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n.调查,调查研究 | |
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belongings
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n.私人物品,私人财物 | |
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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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hue
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n.色度;色调;样子 | |
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disappearance
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n.消失,消散,失踪 | |
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laurels
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n.桂冠,荣誉 | |
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lurked
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vi.潜伏,埋伏(lurk的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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twilight
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n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
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athletic
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adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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unnatural
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adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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solitary
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adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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awakened
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v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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softening
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变软,软化 | |
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astonishment
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n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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