At half past two Miss Drexal called her flock together for a brief rest. “We won’t have time to go any farther, girls. Suppose we take it easy for fifteen minutes, then start back. We’ve done very well, I think, all things considered.” She glanced smilingly about at the bevy7 of girls. Each was carrying some trophy8 wrested9 from the woods. Anne and Emmy were laden10 with huge bunches of long-fronded ferns. Betty had found a deserted11 wasp’s nest—a queer, grayish looking affair. She had spied it hanging to a low limb of a tree, and secured it by poking12 it down with a long stick. Frances and Sarah had kept an open eye for fungi13, of the smooth, creamy sort, on which they proposed to draw pictures. Marian rejoiced in the possession of a mammoth14 bunch of young wintergreens. Jane had devoted15 herself to accumulating long trails of green squaw berry-vines, dotted thickly with eatable scarlet16 berries. Ruth, however, had captured the prize. Quite a way back, while wandering a little distance off the trail, she had noticed a curious rock formation that jutted17 straight out and overhung a little hollow about ten feet below. About to go closer to examine it from above, she had prudently18 stopped to survey the prospect19 before attempting it. Deciding that it would be rather risky20, she was about to turn away when she spied among a heap of loose stones close to her feet a flint arrow-head. Elated by her find, she snatched it up in a hurry, and ran back to show it to her friends, who were much impressed by it.
Blanche alone was empty-handed. She had set herself strictly21 to trying to carry out her unkind design, and had been given no opportunity to do so. Miss Drexal’s injunction against straying had blocked her plan to drop behind the others. Every few moments during the march, the registrar22 had turned to cast an anxious eye over her charges to see that none were missing.
In consequence, Blanche had been obliged to keep up with the others, which did not suit her at all. She had not given up all hope, however, of carrying out her plan. On the return trip, she would wait until they came near to the outcropping rocks where Ruth had picked up the arrowhead. She would lag behind under pretense23 of tying her shoe. By watching her chance, she might be able to approach them from below, crawl back under them and conceal24 herself. Perhaps Miss Drexal would be too busy following the blazings on the trees to notice her absence. Certainly, the girls wouldn’t trouble themselves about her. They cared nothing for her, and she cared still less for them. If they did miss her, then they would have the pleasure of hunting her until she chose to reappear.
All in all, it was a very senseless proceeding25, but Blanche was too strongly bent26 on discomfiting27 others to realize the utter folly28 of it. Stalking grimly along at the tail of the procession, she took a morbid29 enjoyment30 in merely contemplating31 the trick she was about to play.
Fortune apparently32 decided1 to favor her. When at last the party reached a spot a few rods to one side of the shelving rocks, Miss Drexal again halted them for a breathing spell.
“Oh, look!” exclaimed Jane. “Right over there is the place where Ruth found the arrow-head. I’m going to see if I can find one, too.”
“So am I,” declared Frances. “May we, Miss Drexal? We’ll come right back.”
“Don’t be gone long, then,” stipulated33 the Guardian34. Her consent was hardly given when the two raced off to the left, where the top of the ledge35 was just visible, rising above the surrounding green.
Frowningly, Blanche watched them go. As usual, Jane Pellew had provokingly interfered36 with her plans. At that very moment, the sudden upward flapping of a convention of crows startled by Frances and Jane, set all eyes gazing after them in an opposite direction. Like a flash, Blanche saw her chance and seized it. Making a swift, noiseless dash toward a rioting clump37 of bushes, she crouched38 behind it. The group still had their backs turned toward her. Bending low, she ran on down a kind of natural path that wound around an elevation39 of which the shelving rocks formed a part.
She had not made her escape unobserved. The first to take her gaze from the flapping, wildly-cawing crows, Ruth had turned just in time to catch a glimpse of an auburn head as it disappeared from view. The very fact that Blanche had slipped away without saying a word pointed40 to but one thing. Out of sheer perversity41, she had chosen to disregard Miss Drexal’s order, and started off alone to sulk in solitary42 grandeur43. In her present mood, she was likely to go on and on, and end by actually getting lost. Alarmed by the possibility, Ruth’s conscience stabbed her sharply. Unjust to herself, she felt that she was to blame for what had happened at the spring. Now, all she could do was to steal away, and coax44 Blanche to come back before her absence had been noticed. Ruth worked her way quietly to the edge of the group gathered about the registrar. The latter was deep in regaling her absorbed audience with the tale of a pet crow which she had owned as a child.
“My father caught him and had his tongue slit45, so that he was able to talk quite a little. He could say many words and a few short sentences. I named him Sambo and—”
At this point Ruth took noiseless leave, so stealthily and swiftly that a darting46 backward glance showed her that she had made a successful get-away. She would have preferred to say boldly that she was going. That, however, would have called undue47 attention to Blanche’s peculiar48 behavior—something which Ruth wished to avoid. If they returned very shortly together, nothing would be said further than, “Where did you go?” or a casual equivalent.
Now screened from sight by the surrounding green, Ruth sped along the same path Blanche had taken. She presently rounded the base of the hill and came abreast49 of the rocky ledge. Pausing for an instant, her glance roved anxiously about in an effort to pick up the runaway50. She was still nowhere to be seen. Suddenly Ruth’s lips formed an “Oh!” Back under the ledge, she had spied a gap in the rocks that much resembled a cave. For the moment, curiosity blotted51 out the remembrance of her quest. Approaching the aperture52, she examined it wonderingly. It was easily large enough for her to step into, provided she ducked her head on entering. Fearlessly, Ruth poked53 her head inside it. How dark it was! Did it end abruptly54 in a wall of solid rock? Perhaps it went on in an underground passage. Possibly long ago, when the Indians warred against the whites and each other, it had served as a refuge. She had often read of such queer underground hiding places. A great longing55 to see more of it overpowered her. With a soft little laugh, she stooped and stepped into it.
“It’s certainly dark enough here,” she commented aloud. “I wonder—” Her cogitations broke off in a sharp little scream as she stumbled against something that drew away from her feet with a vigorous flop56. In the same instant, a cross voice cut the gloom of the cave: “Look out. You nearly stepped on my hand!”
“Why, Blanche Shirly!” came the amazed cry. “I was just looking for you. I didn’t expect to find you in here, though. I happened to notice this hole in the rocks, and wondered if it was a cave. I suppose you noticed it, too, and thought the same.”
“I don’t see why you should be looking for me,” was the acid response, “especially after what you said this morning. Go away and let me alone! Why I’m here is none of your business.” From a crouching57 position, Blanche now sprang angrily erect58.
“But you can’t stay here,” remonstrated59 Ruth. “Miss Drexal will wonder already what has become of us. She doesn’t know I came after you. I am truly sorry about this morning. I wish you’d forgive and forget it. Can’t we begin over again? You can’t really believe that I told Jane anything that I had promised you to keep secret.”
“I wouldn’t trust you as far as I could see you,” flashed Blanche, bent on being obstinate60. “Go on back to your dear friends, who think you are so wonderful. Too bad they don’t know what a hateful, deceitful girl you are! I’ll leave here when I get ready, and not before.”
“How can you—” Ruth’s expostulation was suddenly drowned by an ominous61 rumble62 from above. Came a dull, reverberating63 roar, a pelting64 hail of dirt and stones, a terrific, explosive crash; then utter blackness and silence.
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收听单词发音
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1
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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wayfarers
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| n.旅人，（尤指）徒步旅行者( wayfarer的名词复数 ) | |
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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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entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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bevy
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| n.一群 | |
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trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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wrested
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| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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13
fungi
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| n.真菌，霉菌 | |
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mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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jutted
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| v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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18
prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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risky
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| adj.有风险的，冒险的 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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registrar
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| n.记录员，登记员；(大学的)注册主任 | |
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pretense
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| n.矫饰，做作，借口 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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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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discomfiting
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| v.使为难( discomfit的现在分词 )；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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28
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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32
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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37
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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38
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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40
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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41
perversity
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| n.任性；刚愎自用 | |
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42
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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43
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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44
coax
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| v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取 | |
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45
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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46
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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47
undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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48
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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49
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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50
runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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51
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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52
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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53
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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54
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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55
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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56
flop
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| n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下 | |
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57
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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58
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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59
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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60
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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62
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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63
reverberating
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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64
pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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