Plague - Feb 28

“This particular tobacconist – a woman, by the way,” Grand explained, “is a holy ________(讨厌鬼).”

I told Cottard so, but he replied that I was prejudiced and she had plenty of good ________(特点/特性/特征), only one had to find them out.

But now the only Oran newspaper he bought was ________(保守党的机关报), and one could hardly help suspecting that he made a point of reading it in public places.

He paused; with a ________(机关枪) rattle from its ________(排气系统) the “deratization” van was clattering by.

Since his attempt at suicide Cottard had had no more visitors. In the streets, in shops, he was always trying to ________(建立友谊). To the grocer he was all affability; no one could take more pains than he to show his interest in the tobacconist’s gossip.

But ________(他的情绪时好时坏). One day when the grocer had shown less affability, he came home ________(怒不可遏).

“I don’t quite know how to put it, but I must say I’ve an impression that he is trying to make himself agreeable to ________(所有人), to be ________(受到所有人的欢迎).

________(兴致勃勃的交谈) was in progress and the woman behind the counter started ________(夸夸其谈) about a murder case that had created some stir in Algiers. A young commercial employee had killed an Arabian on a beach.

Subsequently Grand reported to the doctor other changes in Cottard’s character. Cottard had always professed very liberal ideas, as his ________(钟爱的/喜爱的) dictum on economic questions, “Big fish eat little fish,” implied.

Not long after this he made some curious remarks to Grand in the course of conversation. He had ________(缠着Grand，让他做某事) telling him about the somewhat mysterious “private work” to which Grand gave his evenings.

Grand noticed that the staff ________(重视/理解) Cottard and he soon discovered why, when he saw the lavish tips his companion gave. The traveling salesman seemed greatly to appreciate the amiability shown him in return for his largesse.

“He’s a man with something pretty serious ________(心事重重的 - weighing heavily and guiltily on one's mind),” Grand said gravely.

Somewhat ________(同数量级的) was a request he made to Grand shortly before he left his sick-bed; Grand mentioned he was going to the post office and Cottard asked him to be kind enough to ________(发出汇票) for a hundred francs to a sister living at a distance, mentioning that he sent her this sum every month.