I watched the signs of her returning health and strength with the sincerest pleasure. There was nothing in the world that I would not have done to promote her happiness and welfare. She had only to ask for anything, and I would have gone to the end of the earth to obtain it. For I was hopelessly and desperately2 in love with her. She was in my thoughts night and day, as I went about my work on the Station, or rode to the distant parts of the run; often, I confess, to my danger, for so engrossed4 did I become in my reveries that I narrowly escaped severe falls more than once owing to not watching where my horse was treading.
Everything connected with the Station prospered5 exceedingly. After the good rains that had fallen all looked so bright and hopeful, that we were led to fancy these halcyon6 days would last, and that we should never again be subjected to the unwelcome visits of O’Connor and his rascally7 friends. At this time we determined8 to send a large draft of store cattle down to the market, and I made arrangements with a former acquaintance, Dick Marsland, a drover, one of the best overlanders in Australia, to come up and take charge of them, and to deliver safely at the sale yards.
Pending9 his arrival, our time was fully10 occupied in riding to the different parts of the run, cutting out and bringing in the pick of the beasts, and the scene in the drafting yards was one of continual interest and excitement. The cattle proved quite up to our expectations; a finer lot no man could have wished to own. We were proud men as we sat on our horses, and noted11 the splendid bullocks that passed before us, for more than two-thirds had been bred upon the run, and it was pretty evident that we should obtain very substantial prices when they had been sold. Montalta had always earned a splendid reputation for the quality of its stock, and there was no doubt that the beasts now being sent would enhance this reputation still more.
When the lot had been brought in, we took one last look at them, and then turned our horses’ heads to the Station, dog-tired, man and beast, as we had for days risen at sunrise and been in the saddle nearly all the time till sundown, and the task is far from an easy one.
We ordered a good supply of grog to be taken to the hands, for they one and all had worked like niggers and deserved their extra allowance. As for ourselves, we changed into comfortable togs, dined, and afterwards dropped asleep in our chairs on the verandah.
Next morning we began to head the cattle down to splendid grazing land by the creek12, where they were to await the arrival of Marsland, who was expected at the camp in the evening.
I stood by the rails and counted the mob as they passed out, and found that they numbered over six hundred. There were some splendid young bullocks and heifers amongst them, too, in the prime of condition, and I felt delighted that I was able to hand over such a fine lot to Marsland’s charge, who was as good a judge of cattle as I was myself, and perhaps better.
Dick turned up punctually as was his wont13, and I sent a note down to the camp, inviting14 him to come up and have a smoke and chat over old times, in response to which he made his appearance during the evening, whereupon I placed him in a big chair in the verandah, gave him a cigar, and filled a noggin of grog for him, and then we began to talk of many things dear to us both.
Good old Dick! I can see him now, with his long grey beard, of which he was inordinately15 proud, passing it through his fingers continually, even when riding along, as if it were spun16 silk. He possessed17 a large hooked nose, and a pair of brown, twinkling eyes, over which bristled18 bushy grey eyebrows19. His hair was white and thin, over a broad and high forehead. It was a very shrewd and honest face, and few men tried to take him in; if, however, they did, it was ten to one they came off second best. He was a thin, wiry man, standing20 about six foot two, and as strong as a lion, despite his fifty-eight years. I have never run across anyone equal to him on a horse. Ride! Why, he could ride anything on earth that ever went on four legs, Good, bad, or indifferent, mad or sane21, they were all the same to him. And what a hand he was with cattle! It was a lesson to any man to watch him cutting out a half-mad bull in thick, scrubby country, or heading and turning beasts in rough, rocky districts. He generally had a gentle way with him, but when occasion required it, he could be a very devil. Altogether he was what he looked, a born Bushman, and anything he didn’t know about the game wasn’t worth learning.
He suggested that I should go with them for the first two days, as cattle generally travel badly at first out of their own country; so I arranged to take with me one of our own hands and Snowball, who was as good as an average two. So over our smokes and grogs we discussed the prospects22 of an early start on the morrow, and then passed to other topics.
After having talked of many old mutual24 friends, I asked him if in his travels about the country he had ever run across a man called Black.
“Black, Black?” he said. “Let me see, the only Black I can remember was a card that got into devilish hot water, in fact, was lagged once or twice for dirty work; you can’t, of course, mean him. I think he was called ‘The Captain,’ but that was years after I first met him.”
“Yes, that’s the man,” I answered, “the very one. What do you know of him? I’m particularly anxious to hear.”
“Well,” he said, “it’s rather a curious story, that of my first meeting with the gentleman, for I reckon it as one of the episodes of my life. I’ll tell you all about it, if you like.”
I was quite agreeable, so I replenished25 his glass, and bade him set to work. The old chap took a puff26 at his pipe, and settled himself comfortably in his chair prepared to spin me a yarn27. All Bushmen love to yarn, it’s one of their greatest pleasures, and Dick Marsland was no exception. Many and many a time at the camp fire have I listened to the deep voice of the weather-beaten old drover, relating, in most dramatic tones, some thrilling story that he swore had happened to himself; while the burning logs threw up great lurid28 flames, weirdly30 illuminating31 the stems of the gum trees near at hand, intensifying32 the darkness beyond, and bringing into high relief the figures of the eager listeners who stood or reclined in the cheerful blaze. They were gruesome stories, too, some of them, yarns33 that made the hair stiffen34 on the scalp and cause a feeling of chill on the spine35. Of course they mostly emanated36 from his fertile brain, but that did not matter to us; they were blood-curdling enough to make one jump at the sound of a breaking twig37, kick the fire into a blaze, and throw on more wood to keep the darkness out.
So the old man shifted the tobacco in his pipe, made it draw to his satisfaction, took a pull at his grog, cleared his throat, and gave me the following story:
“It’s nigh upon sixteen years ago now since I first set eyes on Black. I was asked by old Johnny Luscombe, who owned the place, to go to a station on the borders of the ‘Never, Never Land;’ about the worst part of Australia, I reckon. If I remember right it was called Baroomba. What for, Heaven only knows; I should have called it Hell, if I’d been asked to name it, on account of the dry heat of the hole. I remember the old man told me he had placed a manager in, and wanted me to go and see exactly how the land lay on his behalf, for he was in no way satisfied with the existing methods of the management. I was to report to him how I found things in general, and to give my opinion of the manager and of his ways. I didn’t much like the job, but I wanted it badly at the time, and needs must when the devil drives, so I accepted Mr. Luscombe’s offer; he had always been a good friend to me one way and another, and I felt that this job might lead to others, perhaps good ones, so I arranged to start forthwith. He told me that the manager’s name was Black, and black he proved, as you will see when I have finished my yarn.
“After receiving a letter of introduction, I set off. I can recollect38 as if it were only yesterday my feelings when I began to travel over some of the most wretched country that it has ever been my lot to see. Arid39 plains of burnt up grass, poor even in the wet seasons, which, by the way, they don’t get much of, but during the hot times scorched40 to a cinder41, the earth really hot to walk on. Flat as your hand for miles and miles, then sand and spinnifex, spinnifex and sand, in deadly monotony, until you feel that you would give anything for a blade of green grass to look at. Hardly a tree to be seen, and what there is, stunted42 and almost dead by the heat, and deuced little animal life, but rock-wallaby and crows.
“By the time that I arrived within view of the iron shanties43 forming the Station I had fairly got the hump. Old Luscombe must have been a dashed fool to have bought the place at all; but, there, it wasn’t my business to discuss the wisdom of my employer’s investments, but I couldn’t help wondering what induced him to touch such a dog’s hole as this.
“I took a spell of rest in the shade of a rock, near by a stagnant44 water-hole, where I could get a view of the wretched place, for I didn’t want to arrive there until sundown. When that time came I mounted and rode to the principal building, which was little more than a fair-sized wool-shed, and proved to be the manager’s house. As I came near it, all the dogs upon the place began to bark, and there were plenty of them too, poor half-starved mongrels at best.
“As I sat on my horse and looked around in the fast declining light at the miserable45 hovels, expecting to see someone about, I got the hump worse than ever, and this desolation absolutely finished me off. Where on earth had I got to, I wondered; not a soul about, nothing alive but dogs. I felt that for two pins I could turn tail and make off again without waiting to interview my Black friend. Then I remembered that I was hard up and wanted the job, so I dismounted, tied up my horse, and went and rapped at the door with my whip handle. By and by a black boy came, and I inquired whether everyone was dead or asleep; if not, would he very kindly46 fetch the boss. So off he started to call Black, leaving me to cool my heels, metaphorically47, on the doorstep in the stifling48 heat.
“I waited a goodish time until I heard someone coming through the house.
“It turned out to be Black, who was a good-looking chap enough, but with a nasty, cruel look in his eye, that I could not help remarking at once. He was evidently used to something better than this life, as I could easily see from his hands, which were clean and smooth, not those of a working-man, and there was little doubt that he was a gentleman born.
“He wanted to know my business, and I produced my letter of introduction from Luscombe, asking him to put me up for a day or two, as I was passing through the district. As he opened and read the letter I watched him very narrowly, and I could easily see that he was not best pleased with my call, but, of course, he expressed his pleasure at seeing me, the while he inwardly wished me at the devil. However, we shook hands, while he said he hoped that I would stay as long as I liked, and he would endeavour to make me comfortable, so far as the limited capabilities49 of the place would admit.
“When I informed him that my stay would probably be very brief, as I was making my way South, he brightened up pretty considerably50, and suggested that I should turn my horse into what he was pleased to call the horse paddock. I agreed, and he showed me the place. We gave the beast some bush hay and a drink, then returned to the house, where he offered me a refresher, which I was glad enough to accept, for the heat had fairly parched51 me up, just as it did the grass.
“The living room into which he brought me was a bare, wretched place, just like the rest of the dog-kennel of a house, and the furniture, if you could call it so, consisted of four wooden chairs, a deal table, a broken looking-glass on the wall, and one or two coloured prints torn out of illustrated52 papers and nailed on to the walls; altogether it was a room calculated to make one a fit candidate for a mad house.
“The view, too, from the verandah was equally dreary53, and one saw nothing but the arid, treeless waste of burnt-up plain, with the ranges showing purple on the horizon.
“Having brought my things with me, I asked him to let me have a clean-up, and he took me into a room where I was to sleep, which was furnished even more plainly than the other--a truckle bed with two blankets not over clean, a piece of broken looking-glass on the wall, a wooden box doing duty as a washstand, a tin basin, and a bucket of water completed the arrangements. However, I could rough it with anyone, so I didn’t worry on that account. I had a wash aud felt more comfortable. When I arrived in the sitting-room54, I found that he had prepared a meal of corned beef and bread, with tea, so we sat down and discussed it, and as I was pretty peckish I did justice to it. After the meal we went on the verandah and smoked our pipes, and he told me all about the Station, how the cattle died off, the general desolation and decay of the place, and how he had come to it full of hope, but soon lost even that, and now didn’t care a d--what happened to him, whether he lived or died, it was all the same to him, for the desolate55 hole had given him the terrors. He told me that the former manager went mad, murdered his wife, and hanged himself in one of the rooms, and that his ghost wandered about the place and shrieked56 at night, setting all the dogs howling and moaning.
“As you know, I am not the sort of man that’s easily frightened, and I took all this yarn as the outcome of a disordered brain, for I felt that the horrid58 monotony of the place had got upon his nerves.
“I told him that I was pretty tired and should like to turn in, and I therefore wished him good-night and went to my room.
“It took me a very short time to get between the blankets, and soon I was asleep, for I was dead beat after my ride.
“How long I had been in the land of dreams I cannot say, but suddenly I was awakened59 by finding myself sitting bolt upright in my bed, with that curiously60 uncanny sensation of tickling61 at the roots of the hair that is caused by physical terror. As I did so, a long piercing shriek57 rang out, and echoed away through the hot night air, followed immediately afterwards by howls and moans from all the dogs on the place; then died into silence with a wail62 of the most heartrending description. Despite the fact that I was streaming with perspiration63 from sheer funk, I got off the bed and felt my way to the window; of course, having no light to guide me, I found it difficult, but I was determined to try and account for these awe-inspiring screams.
“Just as I reached the window and was about to step out, there came another low wail, ending in a piercing shriek that turned my blood to water, and then more howls and moans from the dogs.
“This was too awful, I could bear it no longer; so, notwithstanding my bare feet, I sprang out into the verandah, bent64 on ascertaining65 the cause, but I reckoned without my host, for all I did was to tread upon a rotten board, and fall, catching67 my head on a projecting piece of wood and drop senseless to the ground, where I lay until dawn, when I came to, with a splitting headache and an immense lump on my unfortunate cranium as big and round as a cricket ball for a souvenir.
“I went back to bed again, and after a while fell into a troubled sleep. The sun was well up before I was roused by my host, who informed me that breakfast was ready, and having dressed I was soon sitting down to it.
“After he had inquired how I slept, I informed him that my rest had been disturbed by the terrible shrieks68. He laughed, and replied, ‘So you have heard them, too? By Jove! when I first came here they nearly upset my reason, but I’ve become used to them now.’
“‘What’s the cause of it?’ I inquired anxiously. ‘They sound as if a woman was being murdered.’
“‘I thought I told you the place is haunted; the former manager is said to have strangled his wife and buried her beneath the floor of the place, and fancying afterwards that she was haunting him, he hanged himself in the room you sleep in, and it is said that she appears there to watch his body swinging from a hook in the ceiling. I’ve never seen either of them, and I don’t suppose an idle tale will affect you in any way; we hear the shrieks plain enough, but that is all.’
“I sat and wondered at the gruesome story. There was absolutely no doubt whatever about the shrieks; but as to the appearances, they had yet to be realised.”
“During the day he took me over the run to show me all the desolation, and I could plainly see it was impossible that anything could make the place pay; the dearth69 of water and herbage was enough to break a man’s heart. What cattle and sheep existed on the place were of the poorest and most wretched description. Old Luscombe had far better shut the place and let it rot, I felt, and I intended to tell him so. When we returned to the Station from our ride, we had one or two drinks together, and I noticed that he helped himself from the bottle rather freely. Getting tired of this amusement, I asked to be allowed to look at the buildings, and he, I thought a little ungraciously, consented.”
On looking about, I inquired what an isolated70 shed was for, and was informed that he kept it locked, as it contained oil and tar23, and he was afraid of fire. This answer struck me as rather a lame29 one, seeing that there was deuced little care taken in other respects for the safety of the place; however, it did not appeal to me particularly at the time.
“As we were returning to the house, a dilapidated buggy appeared, drawn71 by a pair of the poorest old screws I ever set my eyes on, and driven by an innocent--looking slim lad of about twenty.
“As we came up to him I noticed that he was greatly surprised to see me walking with Black, and I was morally certain that Black was anxious to get him away, so that I should not get a chance of speaking to him.
“‘Will you excuse me a few minutes, Mr. Marsland, I want to give my foreman a few instructions.’
“‘Most certainly,’ I answered. ‘Pray don’t let me interfere72 with your arrangements.’
“With that I strolled on to the verandah, leaving him speaking in low tones to the lad in the buggy.
“The youth glanced towards me once or twice, I thought, meaningly. However, Black got into the buggy, and they drove off together.
“About ten minutes afterwards, as I was sitting quietly smoking, I suddenly heard a shouting, and saw the youth running towards the house chasing a dog that was bolting for dear life. Stooping down, he picked up a stone and threw it, but it missed the cur and came towards me and rolled to within ten yards of the verandah. I noticed that it was a peculiarly white stone and, looking towards the youth, I saw him make a sign as if he were picking up another missile. I caught on at once, and nodded my head, whereupon he returned to the place that he had come from.
“After a while I walked down the verandah steps, and strolled about for a bit, kicking the stone nearer to the house, in case Black might be watching me. Pretending to be examining the woodwork, I picked up the article, and found it was a piece of paper wrapped around a stone. Then, making my way to the bedroom, I smoothed it out and read the following message: ‘If you are the friend you seem to be, go to the locked shed to-night; but please be careful of Mr. Black. I run the greatest risk in sending you this message. Destroy this. He’s a devil.’
“I struck a match and set alight to the paper, and then returned to the verandah and finished my pipe, trying to think out a scheme to obtain possession of the key of the shed, for I was fully determined to get at the bottom of this mystery.
“I had noticed before that Mr. Black possessed a great liking73 for whisky, and it struck me that I might induce the gentleman to take more than his usual allowance, and then, getting him off his guard, secure the key, and the rest would be comparatively plain sailing.
“When he returned to the house he was as affable as possible, and set before me the best spread that he could manage to get together. It was very evident that he was acting74 with a motive75, and it behoved me therefore to be on my guard. When the meal was over, we took our chairs and went out on the verandah to smoke and chat, and it was not long before he suggested that it was a long time between drinks. Thereupon he produced the bottle, and pressed me to take some.
“So this was his little game. It almost made me laugh when I thought that we were both on the same lay, and it was evident that we were going to have a big fight. The whisky was tolerably good, or I should never have succeeded in doing what I did. I drank even with him for some time, until I could see that the spirit was beginning to tell upon him, for he was somewhat handicapped, in that he had certainly indulged rather freely before the meal.
“When I saw that it was possible to do so without his noticing the fact, I poured the whisky he gave me upon the ground and filled the tumbler with water, while I also managed to give him an addition of spirit to his glass. I afterwards proposed that we should go back into the sitting-room, which he agreed upon. So inside we went, and lighted two candles and stuck them in the necks of bottles. I removed my coat as it was hot, and suggested he should do the same, for I knew he carried his keys in the pocket of his coat. He fell in with this suggestion also, and threw the garment on to the floor.
“Then we continued our beastly occupation, and by the time he had partaken of half a dozen more drinks, deftly76 strengthened by myself, he had sunk into a drunken sleep over the table. Now, here was my opportunity. I rose, picked up his coat, and felt in the pocket, and there sure enough was a key, which appeared as if it would fit a padlock.
“I closed the window, filled a very strong drink for him, in case he desired one when he woke up, put one of the candles in my pocket, and left the room, locking the door after me and leaving him to sleep off the bout3.
“It took me but a very short while to reach the isolated shed, and in a twinkling I had the key in the padlock, and was about to open the door, when it suddenly struck me that I had no sort of idea what the shed contained. As I did so I could plainly hear something moving inside. I tell you it wasn’t the pleasantest thing in the darkness trying to get into that shed, with probably a madman ready to spring on to you. However, it was my duty to ascertain66 what it contained, and I was going right through with it. When I had got the door open, I struck a match, lit the candle, and stepped in, closing the door after me.
“To my astonishment77 I saw before me, lying on a heap of straw, a woman, pale and emaciated78 to a fearful degree, a thing of skin and bone only, for it was evident that she was being literally79 starved to death. It made my blood boil when I saw her and noted her poor, thin, sunken cheeks, and great black eyes gazing at me with the most unnatural80 brilliancy; her jet black hair, which was uncombed, fell around her face, which, in the candle light, gave her the most extraordinary appearance. Just like a skull81 with burning, glowing eyes.
“Altogether her appearance was such as would have caused alarm in the heart of the bravest man, and certainly touched the hardest of hearts.
“When she saw me enter, she tried to rise, but she was far too weak to do so. I therefore crossed over and knelt by the side of the poor creature, who shrank away from me in abject82 fear as if I were about to strike her.
“‘Don’t be afraid of me,’ I said; ‘I am your friend, and desire to help you.’
“‘Who are you?’ she almost whispered. ‘I don’t know you. Oh, if only I could trust you, but you may be deceiving me.’
“‘I swear to you that I am not. My name is Marsland. I am a friend of Mr. Luscombe’s. I don’t exactly know what is going on here, but I had my suspicions, and have now confirmed them. I can easily see that Black is a greater scoundrel than I at first thought him. Now I’m going to help you to escape from him.’
“‘No, no, there can be no escape, save by death, and that, please God, is near at hand now. The brutal83 cruelty of that man is beyond everything; my life has been one long hell of terror ever since I was fool enough to listen to his temptations. Oh, my God, my God, let me die, let me die!’
“Here the poor soul burst into a torrent84 of tears. I tried to comfort her by asking her if there was anything I could do for her. In a few minutes she ceased her tears, and implored85 me to help her in one thing, so that she might die in peace.
“‘Black has threatened to kill me because I refused to make a will in his favour. I was fool enough to run away with him from England, leaving a good husband, and shortly after I arrived in Australia a child was born, a girl, the daughter of my husband.’
“‘Black hated it, and refused to allow me to have it with me, and I was forced to leave her with some people in Adelaide, while he compelled me to come up with him to this horrible place, but not before I had managed, secretly through a firm of lawyers, to make my will in favour of my child, for I have money of my own.
“‘When we were in Adelaide he had insured my life heavily, in his favour, and soon after we came up here I found out that he had discovered I had made a will, and ever since that I have received nothing but the most frightful86 cruelty from him, for he declares that he will kill me by inches if I don’t give him the will. But I shall never do that, for I have hidden it, and if you want to do me the service that you say you do, I will bless you for ever if you will go and take it to Adelaide, to the lawyers who drew it, so that my child may get the benefit. Will you do this for me?’
“‘Yes, I will,’ I answered. ‘You may rest assured of it. To-morrow morning I will start, and I shall go straight there, and afterwards return with friends to take you away and bring you and your child together, so you must keep your heart up and all will be well. In a week I shall be back again, and your troubles will be over. Now tell me the solicitors’ names and where the will is hidden.’
“‘You will find their names on the will, and also a letter to be sent to my husband in England, giving him the address of the people who took the child. The will I placed in a tin box, and put into a hollow gum tree close to the water-hole. The tree was struck by lightning, and I threw sand and stones over it so that none should find it. God bless you always for your goodness. I shall pray that you may reach Adelaide in safety.’
“I softly pressed her hand and told her to be of good cheer, and that I was now going to fetch her some food.
“I then returned to the house, and found Black still sleeping. I brought away some food and whisky, which I placed in hiding so that she might easily get it, and, after bidding her good-bye, returned to the house and put the key into Black’s pocket again, and then tried to rouse him. After a long time I succeeded, eventually getting him to bed.
“Next morning I was out before sunrise and walked to the tree, where I found the tin box with certain papers wrapped therein. These I put into my pocket at once and threw the box away.
“I then returned to the Station and found Black getting up. He was a wreck87, and I pretended to be.
“However, I ate a good breakfast, and told him I proposed getting away, and thanked him for his hospitality. Having obtained my horse, I wished him good-bye, and set out with a lighter88 heart than I came.
“Well, to cut a long story short, I went straight to Luscombe and told him everything, and afterwards we both journeyed to Adelaide, saw the lawyers, and deposited the will with them. Having finished this business, we visited the police, and with them went to the Station; but, unfortunately, Black saw us coming and got away, although he was chased for many miles into the scrub.
“We brought the poor lady back with us to Luscombe’s Station, but unfortunately she died directly she got there. However, we took good care that Mr. Black didn’t get the benefit of the insurance money.
“Now, that’s the story concerning Black and my first meeting with him. But, I say, what has he to do with you?”
“Well, that’s a long yarn, and I’ll keep it for to-morrow night, Why! I say, it’s eleven o’clock. Here, have another drink, and I’ll see you to the camp. You know we rise at dawn.”
With that I poured him out a nightcap, and we went together to the camp, when I wished him good-night and returned to bed.
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lavished
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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prospered
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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halcyon
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| n.平静的，愉快的 | |
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rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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inordinately
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| adv.无度地，非常地 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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weirdly
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| 古怪地 | |
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illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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intensifying
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉 | |
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yarns
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| n.纱( yarn的名词复数 )；纱线；奇闻漫谈；旅行轶事 | |
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stiffen
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| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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emanated
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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cinder
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| n.余烬，矿渣 | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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shanties
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| n.简陋的小木屋( shanty的名词复数 )；铁皮棚屋；船工号子；船歌 | |
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stagnant
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| adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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metaphorically
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| adv. 用比喻地 | |
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stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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capabilities
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| n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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tickling
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| 反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法 | |
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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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68
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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dearth
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| n.缺乏，粮食不足，饥谨 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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73
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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81
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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82
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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83
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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84
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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87
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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88
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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