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chapter 15
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'I did not start in search of Jim at once, only because I had really an appointment which I could not neglect. Then, as ill-luck would have it, in my agent's office I was fastened upon by a fellow fresh from Madagascar with a little scheme for a wonderful piece of business. It had something to do with cattle and cartridges1 and a Prince Ravonalo something; but the pivot2 of the whole affair was the stupidity of some admiral -- Admiral Pierre, I think. Everything turned on that, and the chap couldn't find words strong enough to express his confidence. He had globular eyes starting out of his head with a fishy3 glitter, bumps on his forehead, and wore his long hair brushed back without a parting. He had a favourite phrase which he kept on repeating triumphantly4, "The minimum of risk with the maximum of profit is my motto. What?" He made my head ache, spoiled my tiffin, but got his own out of me all right; and as soon as I had shaken him off, I made straight for the water-side. I caught sight of Jim leaning over the parapet of the quay5. Three native boatmen quarrelling over five annas were making an awful row at his elbow. He didn't hear me come up, but spun6 round as if the slight contact of my finger had released a catch. "I was looking," he stammered7. I don't remember what I said, not much anyhow, but he made no difficulty in following me to the hotel.
'He followed me as manageable as a little child, with an obedient air, with no sort of manifestation8, rather as though he had been waiting for me there to come along and carry him off. I need not have been so surprised as I was at his tractability9. On all the round earth, which to some seems so big and that others affect to consider as rather smaller than a mustard-seed, he had no place where he could -- what shall I say? -- where he could withdraw. That's it! Withdraw -- be alone with his loneliness. He walked by my side very calm, glancing here and there, and once turned his head to look after a Sidiboy fireman in a cutaway coat and yellowish trousers, whose black face had silky gleams like a lump of anthracite coal. I doubt, however, whether he saw anything, or even remained all the time aware of my companionship, because if I had not edged him to the left here, or pulled him to the right there, I believe he would have gone straight before him in any direction till stopped by a wall or some other obstacle. I
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1
cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 ); (打印机的)墨盒; 录音带盒; (唱机的)唱头 | |
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pivot
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| v.在枢轴上转动;装枢轴,枢轴;adj.枢轴的 | |
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3
fishy
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| adj. 值得怀疑的 | |
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4
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地 | |
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quay
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| n.码头,靠岸处 | |
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spun
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| v.纺,杜撰,急转身 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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manifestation
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| n.表现形式;表明;现象 | |
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tractability
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| 温顺,易处理,易加工的东西 | |
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steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 );操纵;控制;引导 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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pounce
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| n.猛扑;v.猛扑,突然袭击,欣然同意 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎,精明,节俭 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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liquidated
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| v.清算( liquidate的过去式和过去分词 );清除(某人);清偿;变卖 | |
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arrears
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| n.到期未付之债,拖欠的款项;待做的工作 | |
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shudders
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| n.颤动,打颤,战栗( shudder的名词复数 )v.战栗( shudder的第三人称单数 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的,偷偷摸摸的 | |
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industrious
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| adj.勤劳的,刻苦的,奋发的 | |
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scribbling
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| n.乱涂[写]胡[乱]写的文章[作品]v.潦草的书写( scribble的现在分词 );乱画;草草地写;匆匆记下 | |
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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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uproar
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| n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
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gale
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| n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
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mingled
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| 混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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irritation
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| n.激怒,恼怒,生气 | |
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standing
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| n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水) | |
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panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的,难接近的 | |
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intelligibly
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| adv.可理解地,明了地,清晰地 | |
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tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响;n.叮当声 | |
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brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘,边沿 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒,小污点,小斑点 | |
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compassion
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| n.同情,怜悯 | |
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gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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reminders
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| n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 );提醒…的东西;(告知该做某事的)通知单;提示信 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地,果断地 | |
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spoke
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| n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的 | |
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persistently
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| ad.坚持地;固执地 | |
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dodge
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| v.闪开,躲开,避开;n.妙计,诡计 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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foes
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| 敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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chapter 14
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chapter 16
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