The stony shores ran away right and left in straight lines, enclosing a somber and rectangular pool. Brick walls rose high above the water – soulless walls, staring through hundreds of windows as troubled and dull as the eyes of over-fed brutes. At their base monstrous iron cranes crouched, with chains hanging from their long necks, balancing cruel-looking hooks over the decks of lifeless ships. A noise of wheels rolling over stones, the thump of heavy things falling, the racket of feverish winches, the grinding of strained chains, floated on the air. Between high building the dust of all the continents soared in short flights; and a penetrating smell of perfumes and dirt, of spices and hides, of things costly and of many things filthy, pervaded the space, make for it an atmosphere precious and disgusting. The Narcissus came gently into her berth; the shadows of soulless walls fell upon her, the dust of all the continents leaped upon her sides, took possession of her in the name of the sordid earth. She had ceased to live.
(from The Nigger of the Narcissus by Joseph Conrad)
somber 昏暗的，阴沉的
rectangular 矩形的，长方形的
soulless 没有灵魂的，死气沉沉的
crane 起重机
crouch 蹲伏
thump 重击，砰然作响
racket 喧嚷，吵闹
winch 绞车，起货机
grinding 磨擦
soar 高飞，飘扬
penetrating 有穿透力的
spice 香料
hide 兽皮，皮革
filthy 污秽的，不洁的
pervade 充斥，弥漫
berth 泊位
clamber 攀爬
sordid 肮脏的，恶劣的
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