收缴

They are collecting customs.

他们正关税。

Insolvent tenants openly defied the collector of the waterrate from their ten-roomed strongholds, and existed for weeks without any visible means of procuring that necessary fluid.

无偿付能力的房客，公然反抗他们的八居室要塞的水费的办事员，尽管看不出他们有什么办法得这种活所必需的液体，可他们已经继续存好几个礼拜了。