THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF HUMAN LIFE.

The heat in the large third-class carriage, which had been standing¹ in the burning sun all day, was so great that Nekhludoff did not go in, but stopped on the little platform behind the carriage which formed a passage to the next one. But there was not a breath of fresh air here either, and Nekhludoff breathed freely only when the train had passed the buildings and the draught² blew across the platform.

"Yes, killed," he repeated to himself, the words he had used to his sister. And in his imagination in the midst of all other impressions there arose with wonderful clearness the beautiful face of the second dead convict, with the smile of the lips, the severe expression of the brows, and the small, firm ear below the shaved bluish skull³.

And what seemed terrible was that he had been murdered, and no one knew who had murdered him. Yet he had been murdered. He was led out like all the rest of the prisoners by Maslennikoff's orders. Maslennikoff had probably given the order in the usual manner, had signed with his stupid flourish the paper with the printed heading, and most certainly would not consider himself guilty. Still less would the careful doctor who examined the convicts consider himself guilty. He had performed his duty accurately⁵, and had separated the weak. How could he have foreseen this terrible heat, or the fact that they would start so late in the day and in such crowds? The prison inspector⁶? But the inspector had only carried into execution the order that on a given day a certain number of exiles and convicts--men and women--had to be sent off. The convoy⁷ officer could not be guilty either, for his business was to receive a certain number of persons in a certain place, and to deliver up the same number. He conducted them in the usual manner, and could not foresee that two such strong men as those Nekhludoff saw would not be able to stand it and would die. No one is guilty, and yet the men have been murdered by these people who are not guilty of their murder.

"All this comes," Nekhludoff thought, "from the fact that all these people, governors,

点击收听单词发音  

1 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。

2 draught
n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计
参考例句：
He emptied his glass at one draught.他将杯中物一饮而尽。 It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught.可惜这房间没北窗，没有过堂风。

3 skull
n.头骨；颅骨
参考例句：
The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。 He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

4 guilt
n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责
参考例句：
She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。 Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

5 accurately
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。

6 inspector
n.检查员，监察员，视察员
参考例句：
The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。 The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

7 convoy
vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队
参考例句：
The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。 Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

8 inspectors
n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官
参考例句：
They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 gasping
adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
参考例句：
He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。 "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

10 engrossed
adj.全神贯注的
参考例句：
The student is engrossed in his book.这名学生正在专心致志地看书。 No one had ever been quite so engrossed in an evening paper.没人会对一份晚报如此全神贯注。

11 ragged
adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的
参考例句：
A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。 Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

12 peals
n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
She burst into peals of laughter. 她忽然哈哈大笑起来。 She went into fits/peals of laughter. 她发出阵阵笑声。 来自辞典例句

13 mingled
混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]
参考例句：
The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。 The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

14 rattling
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词
参考例句：
This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。 At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

15 inhaling
v.吸入( inhale的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke. 他因吸入烟尘而接受治疗。 来自辞典例句 The long-term effects of inhaling contaminated air is unknown. 长期吸入被污染空气的影响还无从知晓。 来自互联网

16 glided
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔
参考例句：
The President's motorcade glided by. 总统的车队一溜烟开了过去。 They glided along the wall until they were out of sight. 他们沿着墙壁溜得无影无踪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 glisten
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。

18 tint
n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色
参考例句：
You can't get up that naturalness and artless rosy tint in after days.你今后不再会有这种自然和朴实无华的红润脸色。 She gave me instructions on how to apply the tint.她告诉我如何使用染发剂。

19 indifference
n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎
参考例句：
I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。 He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

20 travail
n.阵痛；努力
参考例句：
Mothers know the travail of giving birth to a child.母亲们了解分娩时的痛苦。 He gained the medal through his painful travail.他通过艰辛的努力获得了奖牌。

21 compassion
n.同情，怜悯
参考例句：
He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。 Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

22 impermeable
adj.不能透过的，不渗透的
参考例句：
The canoe is made from an impermeable wood.独木舟由防水木头制成。 The external layer of the skin is relatively impermeable to water.皮肤的外层不透水。

23 lawful
adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的
参考例句：
It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。 We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

24 immutable
adj.不可改变的，永恒的
参考例句：
Nothing in the world is immutable.世界没有一成不变的东西。 They free our minds from considering our world as fixed and immutable.它们改变着人们将世界看作是永恒不变的观点。

25 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

26 inured
adj.坚强的，习惯的
参考例句：
The prisoners quickly became inured to the harsh conditions.囚犯们很快就适应了苛刻的条件。 He has inured himself to accept misfortune.他锻练了自己，使自己能承受不幸。

27 humane
adj.人道的，富有同情心的
参考例句：
Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？ Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

28 fully
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。 They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

29 attained
（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）
参考例句：
She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。 Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。