FROM PRINCE SHTCHERBATOV'S HOUSE the prisoners were taken straight downhill across the Virgin¹'s Meadow to the left of the monastery² of the Virgin, and led to a kitchen garden, in which there stood a post. A big pit had been dug out near the post, and the freshly turned-up earth was heaped up by it. A great crowd of people formed a semicircle about the pit and the post. The crowd consisted of a small number of Russians and a great number of Napoleon's soldiers not on duty: there were Germans, Italians, and Frenchmen in various uniforms. To the right and left of the post stood rows of French soldiers, in blue uniforms, with red epaulettes, in Hessians and shako. The prisoners were stood in a certain order, in accordance with a written list (Pierre was sixth) and led up to the post. Several drums suddenly began beating on both sides of them, and Pierre felt as though a part of his soul was being torn away from him by that sound. He lost all power of thought and reflection. He could only see and hear. And there was only one desire left in him, the desire that the terrible thing that was to be done should be done more quickly. Pierre looked round at his companions and scrutinised them.

The two men at the end were shaven convicts; one tall and thin, the other a swarthy, hirsute³, muscular fellow with a flattened⁴ nose. The third was a house-serf, a man of five-and-forty, with grey hair and a plump, well-fed figure. The fourth was a peasant, a very handsome fellow with a full, flaxen beard and black eyes. The fifth was a factory hand, a thin, sallow lad of eighteen, in a dressing-gown.

Pierre heard the Frenchmen deliberating how they were to be shot, singly, or two at a time. “Two at a time,” a senior officer answered coldly. There was a stir in the ranks of the soldiers, and it was evident that every one was in haste and not making haste, not as people do when they are getting through some job every one can understand, but as men hasten to get something done that is inevitable⁵, but is disagreeable and incomprehensible.

A French official wearing a scarf came up to the right side of the file of prisoners, and read aloud the sentence in Russian and in French.

Then two couples of French soldiers came up to the prisoners by the instruction of an officer, and took the two convicts who stood at the head. The convicts went up to the post, stopped there, and while the sacks were being brought, they looked dumbly about them, as a wild beast at bay looks at the approaching hunter. One of them kept on crossing himself, the other scratched his back and worked his lips into the

点击收听单词发音  

1 virgin
n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的
参考例句：
Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？ There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

2 monastery
n.修道院，僧院，寺院
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。 She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。

3 hirsute
adj.多毛的
参考例句：
He was wearing shorts which showed his long,muscular,hirsute legs.他穿着短裤，露出自己强壮多毛的长腿。 You're looking very hirsute,Richard are you growing a beard?理查德，瞧你一脸的胡子--是不是在留胡子了？

4 flattened
[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的
参考例句：
She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。 I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

5 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

6 semblance
n.外貌，外表
参考例句：
Her semblance of anger frightened the children.她生气的样子使孩子们感到害怕。 Those clouds have the semblance of a large head.那些云的形状像一个巨大的人头。

7 muskets
n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The watch below, all hands to load muskets. 另一组人都来帮着给枪装火药。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛 Deep ditch, single drawbridge, massive stone walls, eight at towers, cannon, muskets, fire and smoke. 深深的壕堑，单吊桥，厚重的石壁，八座巨大的塔楼。大炮、毛瑟枪、火焰与烟雾。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

8 rattle
v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓
参考例句：
The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。 She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

9 smote
v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 )
参考例句：
Figuratively, he could not kiss the hand that smote him. 打个比方说，他是不能认敌为友。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 \"Whom Pearl smote down and uprooted, most unmercifully.\" 珠儿会毫不留情地将这些\"儿童\"踩倒，再连根拔起。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

10 balking
n.慢行，阻行v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的现在分词 )；（指马）不肯跑
参考例句：
He picked up a stone and let fly at the balking dog. 他捡起一块石头朝那狂吠的狗扔去。 来自互联网 Democrats won't pass the plan without votes from rank-and-file Republicans andof-and-file Republicans were reportedly balking. 没有普通共和党议员的支持，民主党人无法通过这项方案——到周四晚间，据悉那些普通共和党人在阻挡（该计划）。 来自互联网

11 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。

12 darted
v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 shuddered
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动
参考例句：
He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 propped
支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sat propped up in the bed by pillows. 他靠着枕头坐在床上。 This fence should be propped up. 这栅栏该用东西支一支。

15 recollect
v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得
参考例句：
He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。 She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。

16 oozing
v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出
参考例句：
Blood was oozing out of the wound on his leg. 血正从他腿上的伤口渗出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The wound had not healed properly and was oozing pus. 伤口未真正痊瘉，还在流脓。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 unnaturally
adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地
参考例句：
Her voice sounded unnaturally loud. 她的嗓音很响亮，但是有点反常。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Her eyes were unnaturally bright. 她的眼睛亮得不自然。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

19 jaw
n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训
参考例句：
He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。 A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

20 twitched
vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。 The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着，像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 untied
松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决
参考例句：
Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来，我们老百姓也能移山倒海。 He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。

22 rhythmically
adv.有节奏地
参考例句：
A pigeon strutted along the roof, cooing rhythmically. 一只鸽子沿着屋顶大摇大摆地走，有节奏地咕咕叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Exposures of rhythmically banded protore are common in the workings. 在工作面中常见有韵律条带“原矿石”。 来自辞典例句

23 exasperation
n.愤慨
参考例句：
He snorted with exasperation.他愤怒地哼了一声。 She rolled her eyes in sheer exasperation.她气急败坏地转动着眼珠。

24 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。

25 disperse
vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散
参考例句：
The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。 The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。