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CHAPTER XXVII ENTRANCE TO THE CAVERN
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ONE night, when I had got down a considerable depth into the rock, I took the pick to loosen out some stone which I had drilled. As I struck, the sound of the rock was hollower than I had before noticed. My heart leaped into my mouth, and I had to pause. Then I struck again harder, and the sound was more hollow still. Whether or no it was the place I was looking for, there was some cave in the rock below me. I would have gone on working straightway had there been anyone with me; but being alone I had to be careful. I was now standing1 on, evidently, only a layer of rock, over an opening of whose depth I was in ignorance. Should this piece of stone break away, as was quite possible from my working on it, I might be precipitated2 into a living tomb. The very secrecy3 in which I had kept my work, might tend to insure my death. Therefore I made all preparation for such a casualty. Henceforth I worked with round my waist a short rope the other end of which was fastened to a heavy staple4 in the wall. Even if the rock should give way underneath5 me, a foot or two would limit my fall. This precaution taken, I worked more furiously than ever. With a large hammer I struck the rock at the bottom of the shaft6, again and again, with all my might. Then I heard a dull sound of something rattling7 below me; the top of the cave was falling in. I redoubled my[223] efforts; and all at once a whole mass of rock sunk beneath my hammer and disappeared into a black chasm8 which sent up a whiff of cold air. I had seized my rope to scramble9 out, fearing asphyxiation10; but when I smelled salt water I did not fear. Then I knew that I had got an opening into a sea cave of some sort. I stuck to my work till I had hammered an irregular hole some three feet square. Then I came up to rest and think. I lowered a rope with a stone at the end, and found that the depth was some thirty feet. The stone had gone into water before it touched bottom. I could hear the “plop” as it struck the surface. As I thought it better not to
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1
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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precipitated
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| v.(突如其来地)使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 );促成;猛然摔下;使沉淀 | |
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3
secrecy
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| n.秘密,保密,隐蔽 | |
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staple
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| n.主要产物,常用品,主要要素,原料,订书钉,钩环;adj.主要的,重要的;vt.分类 | |
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5
underneath
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| adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄,杆状物 | |
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7
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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chasm
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| n.深坑,断层,裂口,大分岐,利害冲突 | |
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scramble
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| v.爬行,攀爬,杂乱蔓延,碎片,片段,废料 | |
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10
asphyxiation
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| n. 窒息 | |
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11
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来,下来,下降 | |
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12
decided
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| adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒;法兰绒衣服 | |
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awesome
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| adj.令人惊叹的,难得吓人的,很好的 | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置;机构,结构 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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poise
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| vt./vi. 平衡,保持平衡;n.泰然自若,自信 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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slab
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| n.平板,厚的切片;v.切成厚板,以平板盖上 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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allay
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| v.消除,减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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octopus
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| n.章鱼 | |
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octopuses
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| 章鱼( octopus的名词复数 ) | |
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chamber
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| n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝;缺口 | |
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tally
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| n.计数器,记分,一致,测量;vt.计算,记录,使一致;vi.计算,记分,一致 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 );回忆;回顾;追溯 | |
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taut
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| adj.拉紧的,绷紧的,紧张的 | |
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pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石; 沙砾; 卵石,小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴,大山洞 | |
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ooze
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| n.软泥,渗出物;vi.渗出,泄漏;vt.慢慢渗出,流露 | |
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clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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debris
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| n.瓦砾堆,废墟,碎片 | |
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deflecting
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| (使)偏斜, (使)偏离, (使)转向( deflect的现在分词 ) | |
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demurred
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| v.表示异议,反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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crookedly
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| adv. 弯曲地,不诚实地 | |
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bellied
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| adj.有腹的,大肚子的 | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅 | |
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recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 );(工作或业务活动的)中止或暂停期间;学校的课间休息;某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 );将(墙)做成凹形,在(墙)上做壁龛;休息,休会,休庭 | |
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aperture
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| n.孔,隙,窄的缺口 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶,拱顶 | |
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zigzag
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| n.曲折,之字形;adj.曲折的,锯齿形的;adv.曲折地,成锯齿形地;vt.使曲折;vi.曲折前行 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的,苦恼的v.使懊恼,使懊丧,使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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ominously
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| adv.恶兆地,不吉利地;预示地 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的 | |
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granite
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| adj.花岗岩,花岗石 | |
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pristine
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| adj.原来的,古时的,原始的,纯净的,无垢的 | |
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upheaval
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| n.胀起,(地壳)的隆起;剧变,动乱 | |
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