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CHAPTER XVI THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
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The prescribed penalties for assisting in the escape of fugitive1 slaves were severe. By the terms of the Fugitive Slave Act, as it was called, any one convicted of that offense2, besides a liability for one thousand dollars damages recoverable in a civil action, was subject to a five-hundred-dollars fine and imprisonment3 in a penitentiary4 for one year. As the writer has not "done time" for participation5 in certain transactions dating back to his earlier days, in which the legal rights of slave-owners were indifferently respected, he thinks it advisable to be somewhat reserved in his recital6 of personal experiences when taking the public into his confidence. The Fugitive Slave Law—and for that fact we should give "most hearty7 thanks"—is about as dead as any statute8 can be, but as in the case of a snake that has been killed, it may be the wiser course not to trifle with its fangs9. Therefore, instead of telling my own story in the first person singular, I offer as a substitute the confession10 of one John Smith, whose existence no one will presume to dispute. Here is his statement:
"There was an old barn on my father's farm. It was almost a ruin. One end of the roof had fallen in, pretty much all the windows were gone, and there was a general air of dilapidation11 about the place. A dwelling-house, to which it was an
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1
fugitive
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adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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2
offense
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n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪 | |
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3
imprisonment
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n.关押,监禁,坐牢 | |
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4
penitentiary
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n.感化院;监狱 | |
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5
participation
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n.参与,参加,分享 | |
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recital
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n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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7
hearty
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adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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8
statute
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n.成文法,法令,法规;章程,规则,条例 | |
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9
fangs
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n.(尤指狗和狼的)长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 );(蛇的)毒牙;罐座 | |
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10
confession
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n.自白,供认,承认 | |
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11
dilapidation
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n.倒塌;毁坏 | |
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12
appendage
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n.附加物 | |
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13
foes
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敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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14
mow
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v.割(草、麦等),扫射,皱眉;n.草堆,谷物堆 | |
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machinery
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n.(总称)机械,机器;机构 | |
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concealment
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n.隐藏, 掩盖,隐瞒 | |
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conceal
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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stimulated
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a.刺激的 | |
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19
densely
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ad.密集地;浓厚地 | |
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penetrable
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adj.可穿透的 | |
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21
premises
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n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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22
investigation
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n.调查,调查研究 | |
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23
ascertain
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vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
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24
fugitives
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n.亡命者,逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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humanitarian
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n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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prospect
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n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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perfectly
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adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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wagon
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n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 | |
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wagons
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n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 );铁路货车;小手推车 | |
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luminary
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n.名人,天体 | |
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overcast
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adj.阴天的,阴暗的,愁闷的;v.遮盖,(使)变暗,包边缝;n.覆盖,阴天 | |
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inclemency
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n.险恶,严酷 | |
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inquisitive
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adj.求知欲强的,好奇的,好寻根究底的 | |
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scattered
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adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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neutralized
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v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 );抵消;中和;使(一个国家)中立化 | |
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immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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comely
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adj.漂亮的,合宜的 | |
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confidential
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adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
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bankruptcy
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n.破产;无偿付能力 | |
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proceeding
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n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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detentions
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拘留( detention的名词复数 ); 扣押; 监禁; 放学后留校 | |
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slumber
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n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
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sleepers
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n.卧铺(通常以复数形式出现);卧车( sleeper的名词复数 );轨枕;睡觉(呈某种状态)的人;小耳环 | |
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constable
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n.(英国)警察,警官 | |
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ridge
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n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭 | |
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awakening
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n.觉醒,醒悟 adj.觉醒中的;唤醒的 | |
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