Tales of a Cruel Country
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THE STORM

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 To
Mary Harrison
{185}
XAVIER PETROVSKI was English in spite of his name, appearance, and his temperament1.
“As for his appearance,” said Judith Lesueur to her sister, Marian, “well, it’s too ravishing for words. Eyes that melt, my dear—melt with their own fire.”
Marian laughed.
“I never like your little gods, your little tin gods; your little gods of flesh and blood. And I particularly hate the melting variety. Just like the butter you get in the Café Roma in August.”
His temperament was melancholy2, for he was cursed with a hot, uneasy ambition that goaded3 him on to work till his body grew tired, his brain stale, and his spirit dejected. He believed himself to be a musical composer.
“I have genius: I know I have genius,” he said, over and over again in spring nights when he lay in his lodging4 overlooking the sea.
And then he would sleep and dream, his brain ravished by sumptuous5 harmonies, his very flesh soothed6 by sound.
For a living he played the violin in the Orient Café, for he was a member of the Ostrovsky Quartet. From three o’clock in the afternoon till midnight he played, whilst the loose men and women of Salonika danced and drank and ate. In the mornings he composed music and counted up the money he had saved. For Xavier was nothing if not practical. He was not going to miss the reward of his genius by foolish conduct or faulty management of his affairs. Already he had saved ￡800. Not a penny was spent that could by any contriving7 be added to his hoard8. In a little while he would take his money to Lond{186}on, and then! Oh, then he would show them! The finest orchestra in the world should play his music and the critics should praise it; it should be printed and sold; his name should be on the lips of every man. Fame: money: the companionship of the great: the smiles of women: the

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1 temperament 7INzf     
n.气质，性格，性情
参考例句：
  • The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
  • Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。
2 melancholy t7rz8     
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
  • All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
  • He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。
3 goaded 57b32819f8f3c0114069ed3397e6596e     
v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人
参考例句：
  • Goaded beyond endurance, she turned on him and hit out. 她被气得忍无可忍，于是转身向他猛击。
  • The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 lodging wRgz9     
n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍
参考例句：
  • The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
  • Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?
5 sumptuous Rqqyl     
adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的
参考例句：
  • The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。
  • We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。
6 soothed 509169542d21da19b0b0bd232848b963     
v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦
参考例句：
  • The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。
  • The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
7 contriving 104341ff394294c813643a9fe96a99cb     
（不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的现在分词 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到
参考例句：
  • Why may not several Deities combine in contriving and framing a world? 为什么不可能是数个神联合起来，设计和构造世界呢？ 来自哲学部分
  • The notorious drug-pusher has been contriving an escape from the prison. 臭名昭著的大毒枭一直都在图谋越狱。
8 hoard Adiz0     
n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积
参考例句：
  • They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
  • How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？
9 intoxication qq7zL8     
n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning
参考例句：
  • He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。
  • Predator: Intoxication-Damage over time effect will now stack with other allies. Predator:Intoxication,持续性伤害的效果将会与队友相加。
10 inanities e5c31442027d890b989ec93824e96628     
n.空洞( inanity的名词复数 )；浅薄；愚蠢；空洞的言行
参考例句：
11 horrid arozZj     
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
  • I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
  • The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。
12 depressed xu8zp9     
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
  • When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
  • His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
13 lodgings f12f6c99e9a4f01e5e08b1197f095e6e     
n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍
参考例句：
  • When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
  • I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。
14 overtures 0ed0d32776ccf6fae49696706f6020ad     
n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲
参考例句：
  • Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句
15 exquisite zhez1     
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。
16 disdained d5a61f4ef58e982cb206e243a1d9c102     
鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做
参考例句：
  • I disdained to answer his rude remarks. 我不屑回答他的粗话。
  • Jackie disdained the servants that her millions could buy. 杰姬鄙视那些她用钱就可以收买的奴仆。
17 rejection FVpxp     
n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃
参考例句：
  • He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
  • The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。
18 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
19 originality JJJxm     
n.创造力，独创性；新颖
参考例句：
  • The name of the game in pop music is originality.流行音乐的本质是独创性。
  • He displayed an originality amounting almost to genius.他显示出近乎天才的创造性。
20 eloquence 6mVyM     
n.雄辩；口才，修辞
参考例句：
  • I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。
  • The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。
21 oblivious Y0Byc     
adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的
参考例句：
  • Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后，妈妈变得特别健忘。
  • He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。
22 landlady t2ZxE     
n.女房东，女地主
参考例句：
  • I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
  • The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。
23 copper HZXyU     
n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的
参考例句：
  • The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
  • Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。
24 frugal af0zf     
adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的
参考例句：
  • He was a VIP,but he had a frugal life.他是位要人，但生活俭朴。
  • The old woman is frugal to the extreme.那老妇人节约到了极点。
25 thither cgRz1o     
adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的
参考例句：
  • He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
  • He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。
26 minatory sDsxa     
adj.威胁的；恫吓的
参考例句：
  • How eliminate this kind of harmful information " is content minatory "? 如何消除这种有害信息的“内容威胁”？
  • This shows, a kind of when rectum cancer will become minatory people health increasingly main cancer is swollen. 由此可见，直肠癌将日益成为威胁人民健康的一种主要癌肿。
27 teemed 277635acf862b16abe43085a464629d1     
v.充满( teem的过去式和过去分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注
参考例句：
  • The pond teemed with tadpoles. 池子里有很多蝌蚪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Ideas of new plays and short stories teemed in his head. 他的脑海里装满了有关新的剧本和短篇小说的构思。 来自辞典例句
28 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
29 discords d957da1b1688ede4cb4f1e8f2b1dc0ab     
不和（discord的复数形式）
参考例句：
  • There are many discords in this family. 在这个家庭里有许多争吵。
  • The speaker's opinion discords with the principles of this society. 演讲者的意见与本会的原则不符。
30 slumber 8E7zT     
n.睡眠，沉睡状态
参考例句：
  • All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
  • Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。
31 strings nh0zBe     
n.弦
参考例句：
  • He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
  • She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
32 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
33 brewing eaabd83324a59add9a6769131bdf81b5     
n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式
参考例句：
  • It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
  • She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。
34 flickers b24574e519d9d4ee773189529fadd6d6     
电影制片业； （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The fire flickers low. 炉火颤动欲灭。
  • A strange idea flickers in my mind. 一种奇怪的思想又在我脑中燃烧了。
35 turbulence 8m9wZ     
n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流
参考例句：
  • The turbulence caused the plane to turn over.空气的激流导致飞机翻转。
  • The world advances amidst turbulence.世界在动荡中前进。
36 virtuous upCyI     
adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的
参考例句：
  • She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性，人人都尊敬她。
  • My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。
37 treacherous eg7y5     
adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的
参考例句：
  • The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
  • The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。
38 mingle 3Dvx8     
vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往
参考例句：
  • If we mingle with the crowd,we should not be noticed.如果我们混在人群中，就不会被注意到。
  • Oil will not mingle with water.油和水不相融。
39 clogged 0927b23da82f60cf3d3f2864c1fbc146     
（使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞
参考例句：
  • The narrow streets were clogged with traffic. 狭窄的街道上交通堵塞。
  • The intake of gasoline was stopped by a clogged fuel line. 汽油的注入由于管道阻塞而停止了。
40 congestion pYmy3     
n.阻塞，消化不良
参考例句：
  • The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
  • Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。
41 vaguely BfuzOy     
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
  • He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
  • He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。
42 advertising 1zjzi3     
n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的
参考例句：
  • Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
  • The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。
43 courteous tooz2     
adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的
参考例句：
  • Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一，但她总是很谦恭有礼。
  • He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善，而且彬彬有礼。
44 deferential jmwzy     
adj. 敬意的，恭敬的
参考例句：
  • They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment.他们喜欢五星级的宾馆和毕恭毕敬的接待。
  • I am deferential and respectful in the presence of artists.我一向恭敬、尊重艺术家。
45 Oxford Wmmz0a     
n.牛津（英国城市）
参考例句：
  • At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
  • This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。
46 galling galling     
adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的
参考例句：
  • It was galling to have to apologize to a man she hated. 令人恼火的是得向她憎恶的男人道歉。
  • The insolence in the fellow's eye was galling. 这家伙的傲慢目光令人恼怒。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
47 extraordinarily Vlwxw     
adv.格外地；极端地
参考例句：
  • She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
  • The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。
48 lucid B8Zz8     
adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的
参考例句：
  • His explanation was lucid and to the point.他的解释扼要易懂。
  • He wasn't very lucid,he didn't quite know where he was.他神志不是很清醒，不太知道自己在哪里。
49 rehearsal AVaxu     
n.排练，排演；练习
参考例句：
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
  • You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。
50 interpretation P5jxQ     
n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理
参考例句：
  • His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
  • Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。
51 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
52 writhing 8e4d2653b7af038722d3f7503ad7849c     
（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • She was writhing around on the floor in agony. 她痛得在地板上直打滚。
  • He was writhing on the ground in agony. 他痛苦地在地上打滚。
53 apathy BMlyA     
n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡
参考例句：
  • He was sunk in apathy after his failure.他失败后心恢意冷。
  • She heard the story with apathy.她听了这个故事无动于衷。
54 interval 85kxY     
n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息
参考例句：
  • The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
  • There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。
55 bestowed 12e1d67c73811aa19bdfe3ae4a8c2c28     
赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
  • He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。
56 congregated d4fe572aea8da4a2cdce0106da9d4b69     
（使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The crowds congregated in the town square to hear the mayor speak. 人群聚集到市镇广场上来听市长讲话。
  • People quickly congregated round the speaker. 人们迅速围拢在演说者的周围。
57 refreshment RUIxP     
n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点
参考例句：
  • He needs to stop fairly often for refreshment.他须时不时地停下来喘口气。
  • A hot bath is a great refreshment after a day's work.在一天工作之后洗个热水澡真是舒畅。
58 conspicuous spszE     
adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的
参考例句：
  • It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。
  • Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。
59 derive hmLzH     
v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自
参考例句：
  • We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
  • We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。
60 consolation WpbzC     
n.安慰，慰问
参考例句：
  • The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
  • This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。
61 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
62 passionate rLDxd     
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
  • He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
  • He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。
63 flickered 93ec527d68268e88777d6ca26683cc82     
（通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The lights flickered and went out. 灯光闪了闪就熄了。
  • These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 这些灯象发狂的交通灯一样不停地闪动着。
64 culmination 9ycxq     
n.顶点；最高潮
参考例句：
  • The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
  • It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。
65 expressive shwz4     
adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的
参考例句：
  • Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
  • He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。
66 disperse ulxzL     
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。
67 constrained YvbzqU     
adj.束缚的,节制的
参考例句：
  • The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
  • I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。
68 despondent 4Pwzw     
adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的
参考例句：
  • He was up for a time and then，without warning,despondent again.他一度兴高采烈，但忽然又情绪低落下来。
  • I feel despondent when my work is rejected.作品被拒后我感到很沮丧。
69 sketch UEyyG     
n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述
参考例句：
  • My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
  • I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。
70 exclamation onBxZ     
n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词
参考例句：
  • He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
  • The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。
71 agitation TN0zi     
n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动
参考例句：
  • Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
  • These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

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