Seeing a way out of the difficulty, he pointed1 obliquely2 over the injured man’s shoulder, and said, “Will, there is a plump and sweet partridge in that tree;—no, lower[356] down;—further on;—hadn’t you better shoot it for him?”
After a moment’s deliberation the man who loved a good silver ring agreed to be satisfied with the partridge.
Yet an evil smile curved his lips—a smile that foreboded mischief3 to something—perhaps to the partridge.
Will had no sooner fired than a howl of awful agony burst from the man’s lips, and having spread his huge hands over the region where the ignorant suppose their vitals are situated4, he bowed his body downwards5, and there passed over his face a look of suffering that, in sublime6 tragedy, almost equalled the frightful7 spasms8 so graphically9 portrayed10 in our patent medicine almanacs.
Almost—nothing can quite come up to the patent medicine almanacs in that respect.
With a voice that was appalling11 in its unrestrained vehemence12, he fell to delivering hideous13 ecphoneses,—too hideous, in fact, to be repeated here,—and then gasped14 faintly, “You’ve done it now!”
Poor Will! He was nearly crazed with grief.
“Oh!” he groaned15, “have I killed him? Have I taken a fellow-creature’s life? Has my hastiness at last had a fatal result?”
“Oh,” Marmaduke murmured, “how could Will’s ball glance so as to enter that man’s body?”
For several seconds the two unlucky hunters stood perfectly16 still, held to the spot by devouring17 horror and anguish18.
During this time, the forester seemed to be undergoing exquisite19 pain; but presently, with an effort worthy20 of a hero, he struggled to an erect21 posture22, and said, with a faltering23 tongue: “Young men—perhaps—I’m, I’m gone.—I—can’t blame—you, sir;—a man—can’t tell—how his ball—may glance.—Go,—both of you,—go—and get a—doctor.—Bring a—doctor—you,” to Will; “and you—” to Marmaduke, “go east—from—from here—half a-mile—to my—father’s.—I—I—can stay—alone.”
“Poor, poor fellow,” said Will, with tears in his eyes. “Can you stay here alone and suffer till we come back?”
“Yes,” groaned the wounded man. “I can—stay-till—the other—fellow—finds my—father.—It won’t—be long.”
[357]
“Let me at least see your wound before I go,” Will entreated24. “Perhaps I could ease you, or even save your life.”
“Go! oh go!” urged the wounded man. “I’ll—hold out—if you are—quick.”
Then the two hunters strode sorrowfully away in their different directions—Will with a vague notion that the nearest surgeon lived several miles to the south—Marmaduke thinking that the “peasants” of his country are a hardy25 and noble race.
They were barely out of sight on their errands of mercy when a change most magical came over the sufferer’s face. Two minutes before, and his features wore the tortured look of an invalid26 “before taking our prescription27;” now they wore the happy smirk28 of a convalescent, relieved from all pain, “after taking our prescription.”
Then, villain-like, he muttered: “I hardly expected to make so much out of the two fools—a whole deer! That’s striking it pretty rich! I don’t shoot a deer in a month; but this is just as good, for I can make off with this one at my leisure. Well, I reckoned that little ‘wound’ would work.”
A horrible chuckle29 escaped from his lips, he sprang to his feet as sound in health as a person could expect to be, walked up to Will’s deer, and coolly began to drag it away into the depths of the forest. All that part of the forest was known to him, and he soon dragged his prey30 into a place of concealment31 where its rightful owners would hardly find it.
“There,” he muttered, “I guess I have dragged the old feller far enough. He’s safe enough here till I can take him home. Now, they haven’t been gone long, and if they keep on, they may get lost; and it’s mean to have ’em get lost on a fool’s errand. Perhaps this’ll bring ’em back on a keen run. How they will hunt for me and the deer!”
As the thief spoke32 he retraced33 his steps a little way, discharged a pistol concealed34 on his person, and then slunk back to his hiding-place. Yes, he was so humane[358] that he did not wish the two deluded35 hunters to bring succor36 to a man who did not need it.
The report of his pistol had the desired effect. Both Will and Marmaduke heard it; and fearing that the poor wretch37 was attacked by some foe38, human or otherwise, they hastened back to the scene of bruises39 and wounds, meanness and trickery.
Of course they found nothing, and, although they were heroes, they were unable to track the knave40 to his hiding-place. Will was furious. He had felt so grieved at having wounded a fellow-creature; so proud, a moment before, of having been the first to kill a deer; and now he naturally and correctly concluded that the “wound” was a mere41 ruse42 on the rogue’s part, in order the more surely to get possession of the deer.
“Will, I took the fellow to be a very fair example of our peasants; an honest, ingenuous43 and hardy forester. How bitterly I am deceived.”
Will replied: “Well, I took the fellow for a hypocrite and a downright knave from the first. It isn’t so much the deer,—though that is really a great loss for me,—but the depravity that the man has shown, that grieves me. And I was just going to give him a new dollar gold piece to squander44 his affection on! But, Marmaduke,” with a flash of his old jovialness, “don’t talk about peasants and peasantry, for free America knows no such word. Marmaduke, I’m afraid your trip to Europe in the summer filled your mind with some ridiculous notions. Shake them off, and be yourself again.”
“Well, Will, you are in the right. Now, suppose that we look for the partridge, for I believe your ball killed it.”
“No, Marmaduke. I missed it, for I saw it fly away untouched, just as that man doubled himself up and began to howl.”
“Then you took it for granted that he received the ball?”
“Yes. Well, it is useless to remain here, so let us hurry on to the trysting-place, due west, if we want to meet the others. But if I don’t unearth45 that wretch[359] to-morrow, it will be because—because his ill-gotten deer poisons him!”
Having taken this dreadful resolution, the two set off for the rendezvous46, where they arrived just in time to meet with the other hunters.
“Ho!” cried Steve, when he observed Will’s gloomy looks. “Ho, old fellow! your face indicates a moody47 mood.”
“Well,” snarled48 Will, “have you shot some school-boy’s grammar, and read it through?”
Then he narrated49 his encounter with the man in the forest.
It was received with plaintive50 cries of astonishment51, anger, and horror.
“Well, Will,” said Steve after the first paroxysms of rage had subsided52, “I gather two morals—morals full of instruction, too—from your narrative53.”
As no one inquired what these “morals” might be, the speaker was obliged to resume his discourse54 rather awkwardly. But no one could cow Steve into silence.
“Yes, boys; two morals——”
A pause—in vain.
“Two morals, I say. In the first place, when you are in a forest like this, always protect the fourth member of the left paw with a sculptured silver ring. In the second place, never fire at a partridge when a jewelled rustic55 occupies a log some thirty feet southeast of your left ear, as Marmaduke hints this one did. It is as dangerous as a nest of hornets on the North Pole.”
“Don’t be so atrocious,” said Charles. “In my mind’s eye, I can look back eight years or so, and see a battered-knuckled urchin56 called Steve Goodfellow, wriggling57 on a bench in a certain Sunday School, and turning idly round and round a beautiful silver ring, that adorned58 first one and then another of his fingers.”
Steve sat down so suddenly that he burst the paper collar around his neck. However, he took no notice of this, but changed the subject and diverted the boys’ attention by saying: “I say, Will and Marmaduke, George, as well as you, has had disappointments to-day. I shouldn’t relate this little anecdote59, if George hadn’t given[360] me permission; because it would be too mean for even me, and that is saying a good deal. O dear! I’m sorry, boys; but I can’t help it!”
“Well, Steve, there is one thing in your favor,” Charles said soothingly60. “You always confine what you are pleased to call your meanness to us boys; and we can survive it all—in fact, we expect it from you, old fellow.”
“Thank you, Charley; you can see below the surface, and see just how heavily and guiltily my great heart beats when I attempt to insult over you boys. But now for my anecdote. George and I meet in a ‘bowery glade61.’ Though we glare wickedly round in search of prey, I see nothing but Nature’s loveliness. George espies62 a phenomenon high up in a monster of the forest, ‘an old primeval giant,’ whose branching top fanned the blue sky. In other words, he espies something queer, perched high in a grand old fir. It is large; it is strange; it moves. ‘It is a creature of the air,’ thinks George. ‘It is! It is a bird new to science! Oh, what pleasing discovery do I make? Am I about to cover myself with glory? I am! I feel it in my inmost heart, my heart of heart. Steve,’ he continues, ‘I know my destiny—the pursuit of science. My fate is now marked out; I shall write ornithologies! Now I must shoot this percher63 down; I cannot climb to catch it, though more’s the pity.’ O boys, it was, alas64! a bird’s nest! A great big bird’s nest! And when he fired, it was no more. This is my mournful tale: this is my anecdote.”
“Steve, don’t relate any more such anecdotes,” said Charles, “or you will burst your ‘great heart’ as you have burst your paper collar.”
“Steve, did George tell you how you might relate that incident?” Will asked suspiciously. “But, Steve,” he added gravely, “be good enough to tell me what you have shot to-day to make you so merry.”
“With the greatest pleasure,” Steve replied grimly. “I shot the barrel of my gun all to pieces.”
“What?” Will asked, at a loss to take Steve’s meaning.
“In other words,” Mr. Lawrence said, “Stephen overcharged his gun, and it burst—burst with a vengeance65.”
[361]
“It seems to me that a good many things have burst, or failed to burst, to-day,” George muttered.
Then they proceeded to their camp,—as Marmaduke loved to call the miserable66 shanty67 that barely afforded them shelter,—affecting to carry their guns and their almost empty game-bags as though they were veteran hunters.
Each one was thinking about the deer which was rightfully Will’s, and each one felt that the affair was not over yet.
It is with some real reluctance68 that the scene with the forester is introduced, because romancers take altogether too much delight in parading villainy; but at one time this scene seemed, in a measure, to be necessary to the construction of this story. Afterwards the writer had not the moral courage to leave it out.
Most readers can remember that in almost all novels that they have read, (excepting, of course, the “intensely interesting” ones,) there was at least one chapter which, taken by itself, seemed tiresome69 and useless; but which, woven in skilfully70, and taken in connection with the whole, was necessary to the perfection of the novel.
After writing these two paragraphs, in order to disarm71 all hostile criticism, we shall imagine a conscientious72 reader’s referring to this chapter, after he has carefully perused73 the entire story, and saying, with a horrible fear that his usual insight into things has forsaken74 him: “Well, I can’t see the particular need and worth of this chapter,” while we furnish this consoling information—“Neither can we!”
Now, carpers, if you can apprehend75 the meaning of all this, draw out your engines and bring them into play.
Another point: Let not the conscientious reader rack his brains in a vain endeavor to discover what particular “follies,” or “foibles,” are attacked in this chapter, for the writer himself does not know; though he is morally certain that he has not written these two chapters just to injure the trade in silver rings.
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1
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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obliquely
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| adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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graphically
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| adv.通过图表；生动地，轮廓分明地 | |
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portrayed
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| v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画 | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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14
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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prescription
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| n.处方，开药；指示，规定 | |
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smirk
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| n.得意地笑；v.傻笑；假笑着说 | |
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chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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deluded
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| v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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succor
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| n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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squander
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| v.浪费，挥霍 | |
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unearth
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| v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出 | |
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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48
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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49
narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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51
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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52
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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56
urchin
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| n.顽童；海胆 | |
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57
wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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61
glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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62
espies
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| v.看到( espy的第三人称单数 ) | |
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63
percher
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| 高坐者，栖于树上的鸟 | |
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64
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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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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shanty
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| n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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71
disarm
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| v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和 | |
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72
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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73
perused
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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74
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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