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57.

Though exhausted¹, though a bit lonely, I felt radiant. I was in the shape of my life, I was thinkingand seeing more clearly than ever before. The feeling was not unlike that described by people whoenter monastic orders. Everything felt lit up.

As with monks², each cadet had his own cell. It had to be pristine³ at all times. Our small bedshad to be made—tight. Our black boots had to be bulled—shiny as wet paint. Our cell doors hadto be propped⁴ open—always. Even though you could close the door at night, color sergeants⁵ could—and often did—walk in at any time.

Some cadets complained bitterly. No privacy!

That made me laugh. Privacy? What’s that?

At the end of each day I’d sit in my cell, bulling my boots, spitting on them, rubbing them,making them mirrors in which I could see my shorn head. No matter what institution I landed in, itseemed, a tragically⁶ bad haircut was the first order of business. Then I’d text Chels. (I was allowedto keep my mobile, for security reasons.) I might tell her how things were going, tell her I missedher. Then I’d loan my phone to any other cadets who might want to text their girlfriends orboyfriends.

Then it was lights-out.

No problem. I was no longer remotely afraid of the dark.

 

1 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

2 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》

3 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。

4 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。

5 sergeants   

警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士

参考例句：

• Platoon sergeants fell their men in on the barrack square. 排长们在营房广场上整顿队伍。
• The recruits were soon licked into shape by the drill sergeants. 新兵不久便被教育班长训练得象样了。

6 tragically   

adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地

参考例句：

• Their daughter was tragically killed in a road accident. 他们的女儿不幸死于车祸。
• Her father died tragically in a car crash. 她父亲在一场车祸中惨死。