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MADAME, seeing me pacific and unresentful, no doubt judged that I was deceived by her excuse; for her fright dissolved away, and she was soon so importunate1 to have me give an exhibition and kill somebody, that the thing grew to be embarrassing. However, to my relief she was presently interrupted by the call to prayers. I will say this much for the nobility: that, tyrannical, murderous, rapacious2, and morally rotten as they were, they were deeply and enthusiastically religious. Nothing could divert them from the regular and faithful performance of the pieties3 enjoined4 by the Church. More than once I had seen a noble who had gotten his enemy at a disadvantage, stop to pray before cutting his throat; more than once I had seen a noble, after ambushing5 and despatching his enemy, retire to the nearest wayside shrine6 and humbly7 give thanks, without even waiting to rob the body. There was to be nothing finer or sweeter in the life of even Benvenuto Cellini, that rough-hewn saint, ten centuries later. All the nobles of Britain, with their families, attended divine service morning and night daily, in their private chapels8, and even the worst of them had family worship five or six times a day besides. The credit of this belonged entirely9 to the Church. Although I was no friend to that Catholic Church, I was obliged to admit this. And often, in spite of me, I found myself saying, "What would this country be without the Church?"
After prayers we had dinner in a great banqueting hall which was lighted by hundreds of grease-jets, and everything was as fine and lavish10
1
importunate
adj.强求的;纠缠不休的
2
rapacious
adj.贪婪的,强夺的
3
pieties
虔诚,虔敬( piety的名词复数 )
4
enjoined
v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 )
5
ambushing
v.埋伏( ambush的现在分词 );埋伏着
6
shrine
n.圣地,神龛,庙;v.将...置于神龛内,把...奉为神圣
7
humbly
adv. 恭顺地,谦卑地
8
chapels
n.小教堂, (医院、监狱等的)附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 );(在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的)礼拜仪式
9
entirely
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
10
lavish
adj.无节制的;浪费的;vt.慷慨地给予,挥霍
11
den
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室
12
minor
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
13
standing
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
14
cymbals
pl.铙钹
15
harps
abbr.harpsichord 拨弦古钢琴n.竖琴( harp的名词复数 )
16
proceedings
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报
17
wail
vt./vi.大声哀号,恸哭;呼啸,尖啸
18
ostensible
adj.(指理由)表面的,假装的
19
battalion
n.营;部队;大队(的人)
20
darted
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔
21
mighty
adj.强有力的;巨大的
22
unison
n.步调一致,行动一致
23
muffled
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)
24
subterranean
adj.地下的,地表下的
25
machinery
n.(总称)机械,机器;机构
26
havoc
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱
27
imposing
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的
28
semblance
n.外貌,外表
29
pastries
n.面粉制的糕点
30
mead
n.蜂蜜酒
31
joyous
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的
32
anecdotes
n.掌故,趣闻,轶事( anecdote的名词复数 )
33
fortress
n.堡垒,防御工事
34
ecclesiastics
n.神职者,教会,牧师( ecclesiastic的名词复数 )
35
hardy
adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的
36
hilariously
37
intoxicated
喝醉的,极其兴奋的
38
lamented
adj.被哀悼的,令人遗憾的v.(为…)哀悼,痛哭,悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )
39
reverent
adj.恭敬的,虔诚的
40
blessing
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿
41
bent
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
42
pointed
adj.尖的,直截了当的
43
wrath
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒
44
slain
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词)
45
desolate
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂
46
majestic
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的
47
fabric
n.织物,织品,布;构造,结构,组织
48
consternation
n.大为吃惊,惊骇
49
subsided
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上
50
collapse
vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷
51
countermanding
v.取消(命令),撤回( countermand的现在分词 )
52
tugging
n.牵引感v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的现在分词 )
53
puff
n.一口(气);一阵(风);v.喷气,喘气
54
vacancies
n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 );空虚;空白;空缺
55
superstitious
adj.迷信的
56
humbled
adj. 卑下的,谦逊的,粗陋的
vt. 使 ... 卑下,贬低
57
extremities
n.端点( extremity的名词复数 );尽头;手和足;极窘迫的境地
58
relaxation
n.松弛,放松;休息;消遣;娱乐
59
concession
n.让步,妥协;特许(权)
60
tinkled
(使)发出丁当声,(使)发铃铃声( tinkle的过去式和过去分词 ); 叮当响着发出,铃铃响着报出
61
hush
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静
62
shriek
v./n.尖叫,叫喊
63
tilted
v. 倾斜的
64
graceful
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的
65
blithe
adj.快乐的,无忧无虑的
66
asunder
adj.分离的,化为碎片
67
serene
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的
68
flaring
a.火焰摇曳的,过份艳丽的
69
imprisoned
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
70
anonymous
adj.无名的;匿名的;无特色的
71
testimony
n.证词;见证,证明
72
killing
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
73
wretch
n.可怜的人,不幸的人;卑鄙的人
74
zeal
n.热心,热情,热忱
75
forfeited
(因违反协议、犯规、受罚等)丧失,失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 )
76
peril
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物
77
nay
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者
78
naught
n.无,零 [=nought]
79
petrified
adj.惊呆的;目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆,使惊呆;变僵硬;使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词)
80
defective
adj.有毛病的,有问题的,有瑕疵的
81
sockets
n.套接字,使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 );孔( socket的名词复数 );(电器上的)插口;托座;凹穴
82
crouched
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
83
drawn
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
84
anguish
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼
85
wrung
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)
86
spoke
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
87
privately
adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地
88
conjure
v.恳求,祈求;变魔术,变戏法
89
applied
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用
90
timorously
adv.胆怯地,羞怯地
91
repulse
n.击退,拒绝;vt.逐退,击退,拒绝
92
furtively
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地
93
caressed
爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 )
94
wilt
v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎;(指人)疲倦,衰弱
95
sobbing
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
96
grovelling
adj.卑下的,奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节,奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 );趴
97
imploring
恳求的,哀求的
98
solace
n.安慰;v.使快乐;vt.安慰(物),缓和
99
orphans
孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )
100
confession
n.自白,供认,承认
101
humbles
v.使谦恭( humble的第三人称单数 );轻松打败(尤指强大的对手);低声下气