Commentary

1. He went down like a row of ninepins,(fig.) here: He was defeat­ed at once and surrendered without resisting.

2. She never had a little lamb but it was sure to die:There was never anything dear to her that she wouldn't lose. "A little lamb" is

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somebody that one loves dearly; an allusion to the well-known nurs­ery rhyme:

Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was white as snow, And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go.

3. she would assessоценивать her woundedраненые feelings at an immoderatelyчрезмерно high figureцену:she would make him pay much for jilting бросил her.