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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
有声名著之双城记
CHAPTER IVCongratulatory
FROM the dimly-lighted passages of the court, the last sediment1 of the humanstew that had been boiling there all day, was straining off, when DoctorManette, Lucie Manette, his daughter, Mr. Lorry, the solicitor2 for thedefence, and its counsel, Mr. Stryver, stood gathered round Mr. CharlesDarnay--just released--congratulating him on his escape from death.
It would have been difficult by a far brighter light, to recognise inDoctor Manette, intellectual of face and upright of bearing, the shoemakerof the garret in Paris. Yet, no one could have looked at him twice, withoutliking again: even though the opportunity of observation had not extended tothe mournful cadence3 of his low grave voice, and to the abstraction thatoverclouded him fitfully, without any apparent reason. While one externalcause, and that a reference to his long lingering agony, would always--as onthe trial--evoke this condition from the depths of his soul, it was also inits nature to arise of itself, and to draw a gloom over him, asincomprehensible to those unacquainted with his story as if they had seenthe shadow of the actual Bastille thrown upon him by a summer sun, when thesubstance was three hundred miles away.
Only his daughter had the power of charming this black brooding from hismind. She was the golden thread that united him to a Past beyond his misery5,and to a Present beyond his misery: and the sound of her voice, the light ofher face, the touch of her hand, had a strong beneficial influence with himalmost always. Not absolutely always, for she could recall some occasions onwhich her power had failed; but they were few and slight, and she believedthem over.
Mr. Darnay had kissed her hand fervently6 and gratefully, and had turned toMr. Stryver, whom he warmly thanked. Mr. Stryver, a man of little more thanthirty, but looking twenty years older than he was, stout7, loud, red, bluff,and free from any drawback of delicacy8, had a pushing way of shoulderinghimself (morally and physically) into companies and conversations, thatargued well for his shouldering his way up in life.
He still had his wig9 and gown on, and he said, squaring himself at his lateclient to that degree that he squeezed the innocent Mr. Lorry clean out ofthe group: `I am glad to have brought you off with honour, Mr. Darnay. Itwas an infamous10 prosecution11, grossly infamous; but not the less likely tosucceed on that account.
`You have laid me under an obligation to you for life-in two senses,' saidhis late client, taking his hand.
`I have done my best for you, Mr. Darnay; and my best is as good as anotherman's, I believe.'
It clearly being incumbent12 on some one to say, `Much better,' Mr. Lorrysaid it; perhaps not quite disinterestedly13, but with the interested objectof squeezing himself back again.
`You think so?' said Mr. Stryver. `Well! you have been present all day,,and you ought to know. You are a man of business, too.
`And as such,' quoth Mr. Larry, whom the counsel learned in the law had nowshouldered back into the group, just as he had previously14 shouldered him outof it--`as such I will appeal to Doctor Manette, to break up this conferenceand order us all to our homes. Miss Lucie looks ill, Mr. Darnay has had aterrible day, we are worn out.'
`Speak for yourself, Mr. Lorry,' said Stryver; `I have a night's work to doyet. Speak for yourself.'
`I speak for myself,' answered Mr. Lorry, `and for Mr. Darnay, and for MissLucie, and--Miss Lucie, do you not think I may speak for us all?' He askedher the question pointedly15, and with a glance at her father.
His face had become frozen, as it were, in a very curious look at Darnay:
an intent look, deepening into a frown of dislike and distrust, not evenunmixed with fear. With this strange expression on him his thoughts hadwandered away.
`My father,' said Lucie, softly laying her hand on his.
He slowly shook the shadow off, and turned to her.
`Shall we go home, my father?'
1 sediment | |
n.沉淀,沉渣,沉积(物) | |
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2 solicitor | |
n.初级律师,事务律师 | |
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3 cadence | |
n.(说话声调的)抑扬顿挫 | |
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4 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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5 misery | |
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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6 fervently | |
adv.热烈地,热情地,强烈地 | |
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7 stout | |
adj.强壮的,粗大的,结实的,勇猛的,矮胖的 | |
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8 delicacy | |
n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴 | |
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9 wig | |
n.假发 | |
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10 infamous | |
adj.声名狼藉的,臭名昭著的,邪恶的 | |
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11 prosecution | |
n.起诉,告发,检举,执行,经营 | |
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12 incumbent | |
adj.成为责任的,有义务的;现任的,在职的 | |
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13 disinterestedly | |
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14 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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15 pointedly | |
adv.尖地,明显地 | |
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16 acquitted | |
宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(自己)作出某种表现 | |
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17 dispersed | |
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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18 rattle | |
v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓 | |
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19 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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20 gallows | |
n.绞刑架,绞台 | |
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21 pillory | |
n.嘲弄;v.使受公众嘲笑;将…示众 | |
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22 nettled | |
v.拿荨麻打,拿荨麻刺(nettle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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23 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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24 generosity | |
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为 | |
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25 hustled | |
催促(hustle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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26 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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27 tavern | |
n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店 | |
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28 goblet | |
n.高脚酒杯 | |
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29 laconic | |
adj.简洁的;精练的 | |
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30 compassion | |
n.同情,怜悯 | |
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31 mightily | |
ad.强烈地;非常地 | |
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32 allusion | |
n.暗示,间接提示 | |
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33 reminder | |
n.提醒物,纪念品;暗示,提示 | |
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34 pint | |
n.品脱 | |
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35 drudge | |
n.劳碌的人;v.做苦工,操劳 | |
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36 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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37 consolation | |
n.安慰,慰问 | |
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