Kirkwall was a town of ineffable delight. By comparison with the isolation of the Island it was all bustle and excitement.
The narrow paved streets on which pedestrians, horse drawn vehicles and cars all made their way together were lined with brightly lit shop windows. In the harbor great ships lay at anchor bearing the names of faraway places like Aberdeen and even Leith; and, most exciting of all, up at the far end of the main street, sheltered by the buildings, there grew a tree! A tree was something so exotic in our experience that whenever we visited Kirkwall we could hardly wait to rush up the street to see if it was still there. It would not have surprised us if a panther had lurked among its branches waiting to pounce down on an unwary passer-by or if brightly plumaged parrots had hopped from twig to twig.
(From Against the Wind by Douglas Sutherland) Piccadilly before Dawn
ineffable 无法表达的，不可言喻的
bustle 忙碌，熙熙攘攘
at anchor 抛锚泊定船只
exotic 奇异的，异乎寻常的
panther 豹
lurk 潜伏，埋伏
pounce 猛扑，突然袭击
unwary 不注意的，不警惕的
plumage 长有…羽毛
hop 齐足跳
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