THE CELL.

The cell in which Maslova was imprisoned¹ was a large room 21 feet long and 10 feet broad; it had two windows and a large stove. Two-thirds of the space were taken up by shelves used as beds. The planks² they were made of had warped³ and shrunk. Opposite the door hung a dark-coloured icon⁴ with a wax candle sticking to it and a bunch of everlastings⁵ hanging down from it. By the door to the right there was a dark spot on the floor on which stood a stinking⁶ tub. The inspection⁷ had taken place and the women were locked up for the night.

The occupants of this room were 15 persons, including three children. It was still quite light. Only two of the women were lying down: a consumptive woman imprisoned for theft, and an idiot who spent most of her time in sleep and who was arrested because she had no passport. The consumptive woman was not asleep, but lay with wide open eyes, her cloak folded under her head, trying to keep back the phlegm that irritated her throat, and not to cough.

Some of the other women, most of whom had nothing on but coarse brown holland chemises, stood looking out of the window at the convicts down in the yard, and some sat sewing. Among the latter was the old woman, Korableva, who had seen Maslova off in the morning. She was a tall, strong, gloomy-looking woman; her fair hair, which had begun to turn grey on the temples, hung down in a short plait. She was sentenced to hard labour in Siberia because she had killed her husband with an axe⁸ for making up to their daughter. She was at the head of the women in the cell, and found means of carrying on a trade in spirits with them. Beside her sat another woman sewing a coarse canvas sack. This was the wife of a railway watchman, [There are small watchmen's cottages at distances of about one mile from each other along the Russian railways, and the watchmen or their wives have to meet every train.] imprisoned for three months because she did not come out with the flags to meet a train that was passing, and an accident had occurred. She was a short, snub-nosed woman, with small, black eyes; kind and talkative. The third of the women who were sewing was Theodosia, a quiet young girl, white and

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1 imprisoned
下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。 They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

2 planks
（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点
参考例句：
The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。 We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

3 warped
adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾，
参考例句：
a warped sense of humour 畸形的幽默感 The board has warped. 木板翘了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 icon
n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像
参考例句：
They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。 Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

5 everlastings
永久，无穷（everlasting的复数形式）
参考例句：

6 stinking
adj.臭的，烂醉的，讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透
参考例句：
I was pushed into a filthy, stinking room. 我被推进一间又脏又臭的屋子里。 Those lousy, stinking ships. It was them that destroyed us. 是的！就是那些该死的蠢猪似的臭飞船！是它们毁了我们。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻

7 inspection
n.检查，审查，检阅
参考例句：
On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。 The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

8 axe
n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减
参考例句：
Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。 The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

9 rosy
adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的
参考例句：
She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。 She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

10 bail
v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人
参考例句：
One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。 She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

11 acquitted
宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现
参考例句：
The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。 Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

12 bridle
n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒
参考例句：
He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。 I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。

13 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

14 bosom
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。 A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

15 backwards
adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地
参考例句：
He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。 All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

16 gaily
adv.欢乐地，高兴地
参考例句：
The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。 She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

17 imprisonment
n.关押，监禁，坐牢
参考例句：
His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。 He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

18 standing
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。

19 freckled
adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句

20 raucous
adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的
参考例句：
I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。 They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。

21 hoarsely
adv.嘶哑地
参考例句：
"Excuse me," he said hoarsely. “对不起。”他用嘶哑的嗓子说。 Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. 杰瑞嘶声嘶气地表示愿为普洛丝小姐效劳。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

22 blotchy
adj.有斑点的，有污渍的；斑污
参考例句：
her blotchy and swollen face 她的布满斑点的浮肿的脸 Blotchy skin is a symptom of many skin diseases. 皮肤上出现污斑是许多皮肤病的症状。 来自互联网

23 screeching
v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫
参考例句：
Monkeys were screeching in the trees. 猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。 the unedifying sight of the two party leaders screeching at each other 两党党魁狺狺对吠的讨厌情景

24 concealment
n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒
参考例句：
the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒 Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。

25 illicit
adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的
参考例句：
He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。 Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

26 disapprovingly
adv.不以为然地，不赞成地，非难地
参考例句：
When I suggested a drink, she coughed disapprovingly. 我提议喝一杯时，她咳了一下表示反对。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He shook his head disapprovingly. 他摇了摇头，表示不赞成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 fixed
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。

28 attentively
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 undone
a.未做完的，未完成的
参考例句：
He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。

30 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。