COMPLINE
In which Salvatore tells of a prodigious¹ spell.

The supper for the legation was superb. The abbot must have known well both human weaknesses and the customs of the papal court (which, I must say, did not displease² Brother Michael’s Minorites, either). The freshly slaughtered⁴ pigs were to have produced blood pudding according to the Monte Cassino recipe, the cook had told us. But Venantius’s wretched end had obliged them to throw away all the pigs’ blood, though they would eventually slaughter³ some more pigs. I believe that in those days everyone abhorred⁶ the idea of killing⁷ the Lord’s creatures. Nevertheless, we had a ragout of pigeon, marinaded in the wine of those lands, and roast rabbit, Saint Clare’s pasties, rice with the almonds of those hills—the blanc-mange of fast days, that is—and borage tarts⁸, stuffed olives, fried cheese, mutton with a sauce of raw peppers, white broad beans, and exquisite⁹ sweets, Saint Bernard’s cake, Saint Nicholas’s pies, Saint Lucy’s dumplings, and wines, and herb liqueurs that put everyone in a good humor, even Bernard Gui, usually so austere¹⁰: an elixir¹¹ of lemon verbena, walnut¹² wine, wine against the gout, and gen?tian wine. It seemed an assembly of gluttons¹³

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1 prodigious
adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的
参考例句：
This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.这种业务收益丰厚。 He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.他惊人的记忆力让所有见过他的人都印象深刻。

2 displease
vt.使不高兴，惹怒；n.不悦，不满，生气
参考例句：
Not wishing to displease her,he avoided answering the question.为了不惹她生气，他对这个问题避而不答。 She couldn't afford to displease her boss.她得罪不起她的上司。

3 slaughter
n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀
参考例句：
I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。 Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

4 slaughtered
v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 wretch
n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人
参考例句：
You are really an ungrateful wretch to complain instead of thanking him.你不但不谢他，还埋怨他，真不知好歹。 The dead husband is not the dishonoured wretch they fancied him.死去的丈夫不是他们所想象的不光彩的坏蛋。

6 abhorred
v.憎恶( abhor的过去式和过去分词 )；（厌恶地）回避；拒绝；淘汰
参考例句：
He abhorred the thoughts of stripping me and making me miserable. 他憎恶把我掠夺干净，使我受苦的那个念头。 来自辞典例句 Each of these oracles hated a particular phrase. Liu the Sage abhorred "Not right for sowing". 二诸葛忌讳“不宜栽种”，三仙姑忌讳“米烂了”。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

7 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 tarts
n.果馅饼( tart的名词复数 )；轻佻的女人；妓女；小妞
参考例句：
I decided to make some tarts for tea. 我决定做些吃茶点时吃的果馅饼。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They ate raspberry tarts and ice cream. 大家吃着木莓馅饼和冰淇淋。 来自辞典例句

9 exquisite
adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的
参考例句：
I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。 I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

10 austere
adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的
参考例句：
His way of life is rather austere.他的生活方式相当简朴。 The room was furnished in austere style.这间屋子的陈设都很简单朴素。

11 elixir
n.长生不老药，万能药
参考例句：
There is no elixir of life in the world.世界上没有长生不老药。 Keep your mind awake and active;that's the only youth elixir.保持头脑清醒和灵活便是保持年轻的唯一灵丹妙药。

12 walnut
n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色
参考例句：
Walnut is a local specialty here.核桃是此地的土特产。 The stool comes in several sizes in walnut or mahogany.凳子有几种尺寸，材质分胡桃木和红木两种。

13 gluttons
贪食者( glutton的名词复数 )； 贪图者； 酷爱…的人； 狼獾
参考例句：
NIV for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. [和合]因为好酒贪食的，必致贫穷；好17睡觉的，必穿破烂衣服。

14 sip
v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量
参考例句：
She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。 Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

15 morsel
n.一口，一点点
参考例句：
He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。 The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。

16 ailments
疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 )
参考例句：
His ailments include a mild heart attack and arthritis. 他患有轻度心脏病和关节炎。 He hospitalizes patients for minor ailments. 他把只有小病的患者也送进医院。

17 offense
n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪
参考例句：
I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。 His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

18 crated
把…装入箱中( crate的过去式 )
参考例句：
If I know Rhoda she's already crated and boxed them out of sight. 如果没猜错罗达的脾气，我相信她已经把它们装了箱放到一边了。 Tanks must be completely drained of fuel before the vehicles are crated. 车辆在装箱前必须把油箱里的燃油完全排干。

19 monks
n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。 He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 evade
vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避
参考例句：
He tried to evade the embarrassing question.他企图回避这令人难堪的问题。 You are in charge of the job.How could you evade the issue?你是负责人，你怎么能对这个问题不置可否？

21 stink
vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭
参考例句：
The stink of the rotten fish turned my stomach.腐烂的鱼臭味使我恶心。 The room has awful stink.那个房间散发着难闻的臭气。

22 erect
n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的
参考例句：
She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。 Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

23 ardently
adv.热心地，热烈地
参考例句：
The preacher is disserveing the very religion in which he ardently believe. 那传教士在损害他所热烈信奉的宗教。 来自辞典例句 However ardently they love, however intimate their union, they are never one. 无论他们的相爱多么热烈，无论他们的关系多么亲密，他们决不可能合而为一。 来自辞典例句

24 succumb
v.屈服，屈从；死
参考例句：
They will never succumb to the enemies.他们决不向敌人屈服。 Will business leaders succumb to these ideas?商业领袖们会被这些观点折服吗？

25 procuring
v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条
参考例句：
He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句 She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句

26 alas
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)
参考例句：
Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！ Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

27 tormented
饱受折磨的
参考例句：
The knowledge of his guilt tormented him. 知道了自己的罪责使他非常痛苦。 He had lain awake all night, tormented by jealousy. 他彻夜未眠，深受嫉妒的折磨。

28 lust
n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望
参考例句：
He was filled with lust for power.他内心充满了对权力的渴望。 Sensing the explorer's lust for gold, the chief wisely presented gold ornaments as gifts.酋长觉察出探险者们垂涎黄金的欲念，就聪明地把金饰品作为礼物赠送给他们。

29 superstitious
adj.迷信的
参考例句：
They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。 These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。

30 archers
n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The next evening old Mr. Sillerton Jackson came to dine with the Archers. 第二天晚上，西勒顿？杰克逊老先生来和阿切尔家人一起吃饭。 来自辞典例句 Week of Archer: Double growth for Archers and Marksmen. 射手周：弓箭手与弩手（人类）产量加倍。 来自互联网

31 novice
adj.新手的，生手的
参考例句：
As a novice writer,this is something I'm interested in.作为初涉写作的人，我对此很感兴趣。 She realized that she was a novice.她知道自己初出茅庐。

32 rabble
n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人
参考例句：
They formed an army out of rabble.他们用乌合之众组成一支军队。 Poverty in itself does not make men into a rabble.贫困自身并不能使人成为贱民。

33 nave
n.教堂的中部；本堂
参考例句：
People gathered in the nave of the house.人们聚拢在房子的中间。 The family on the other side of the nave had a certain look about them,too.在中殿另一边的那一家人，也有着自己特有的相貌。

34 bowels
n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处
参考例句：
Salts is a medicine that causes movements of the bowels. 泻盐是一种促使肠子运动的药物。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The cabins are in the bowels of the ship. 舱房设在船腹内。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 labyrinth
n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路
参考例句：
He wandered through the labyrinth of the alleyways.他在迷宫似的小巷中闲逛。 The human mind is a labyrinth.人的心灵是一座迷宫。