203
THE ‘ATTILA’ ROSE MAJESTICALLY.
204But the massacre30 was as short as it was swift. When the a?ronef had reached the height of one 205hundred and fifty feet she suddenly ceased firing, and began once more to circle with albatross-like grace in the path she had previously31 favoured. What was the motive32 for this strange suspension of hostilities33? Possibly her munitions34 were failing, and the thought of departure with his grim project unaccomplished had forced Hartmann to husband his resources and await some novel opportunities for mischief36 at night. His state of mind, however, must have been even at that moment unenviable. That he had yet received the fatal letter might, or might not, be the case. But quite apart from this thunderbolt, he had a gloomy prospect37 to brood over. The failure of his artillery38 and petroleum39 to effect the ruin he had contemplated40 was in itself—from his standpoint—a catastrophe41, while the extirpation42 of the anarchist43 rising below rendered his very security dubious44. Of the success or defeat of the Continental45 anarchists46 we had as yet heard nothing, owing to the disorganization of the usual channels of information, but, seeing that the attack in London had failed, it was highly probable that it had withered47 away utterly48 in places where there was no Attila to back it. In this event the situation of Hartmann would be precarious49. Defiant50 of human effort as seemed the a?ronef, it was, nevertheless, to a large extent dependent on the maintenance of its 206communications with society—communications which had hitherto been kept up with the various Continental anarchist groups. Coals, provisions, gas, munitions of all sorts had to be allowed for. But in the débacle of modern anarchism and complete exposure of its secrets, things might come to such a pass that the Attila would be altogether without a basis, deprived of which her death from inanition was a mere51 question of time. Here was a fine opportunity for the Governments, an opportunity which could not well have escaped the acute vision of Hartmann. Ah, well, we should see.
At this stage my speculations52 were cut short by a rush of fugitives53 down the street, and, unable to breast the torrent54, we took the wisest course and flowed with it. Some way further on, however, the panic began to ease down, then slowly died away, until many stopped outright55 to gaze on the destroyer which sailed so contemptuously above them. Some even found their way back to the Park, anxious to do what they could for the hundreds of wounded and dying wretches56 who littered the sward for an area of at least three hundred square yards, and whose cries would have shocked the denizens57 of Malebolge.
We were about to do the same when the road was summarily cleared by police, and all further access to 207the scene prohibited. We were protesting against this usage when a voice was heard—apparently from one of the rooms of one of the few uninjured houses opposite.
“Hi! here, is that you, Northerton? Come in, man come in.” I looked up and saw leaning from a window an elderly gentleman whom I recognized as a frequent visitor at Carshalton Terrace. We accepted forthwith this very seasonable invitation, and mounting the steps, were ushered58 into a cosy59 drawing-room where we found the whole family assembled.
The old gentleman, whose name was Wingate, could talk of nothing, of course, but the one absorbing subject, the Attila and her depredations60. An attentive61 circle surrounded us as we recounted the story of the last shameful62 massacre.
“The ship, or whatever you call it, seems quiet again,” observed our host.
“A calm before a storm I am afraid; I dread63 to think what this night may have in store for us.”
“And I too. My idea of the respite64 is simply this—they are waiting till darkness comes on, and will take merciless advantage of the facilities it offers for the creation of panics and confusion.”
“I hear,” continued Mr. Wingate, “that the fires are being got under control, but that Westminster, 208Southwark, Brompton, Kensington, the City, and adjoining districts are no better than smoking ruins! Heaven shield us from this monster!”
“By the way,” I put in, “have you a good glass here? There goes the destroyer almost within hail.”
“Yes; there’s a capital one up-stairs which used to do duty at sea when I was a yachtsman. Come up-stairs and try it.”
I followed him out of the room, leaving my future father-in-law with the ladies.
Mr. Wingate took me into the bedroom immediately above, and drawing a leather case from the shelf produced a capital instrument. He had a long look first, but complained of the difficulty of following the movements of the a?ronef. He then handed it to me to report, if possible, better results. Lifting the window I lay back on the floor against the side of the bed, and, steadying the barrel on the edge of the dressing-table, managed to obtain an excellent view.
“Do you see anything?”
“Yes, she’s turning our way. Ah! that’s better. How delicate this glass is!”
I then described to him the prominent parts of the Attila more or less in detail.
“Is the deck crowded?”
“No; there are several men round the battery near 209the citadel65, but the rest of the deck is deserted66. Here, try again. The view now is splendid.”
The glass once more changed hands.
“What a sight!” ejaculated my companion, having succeeded in “spotting” the a?ronef. “Why, I can see the whole thing just as if it was only across the road. Just as you described it, too. By the way, there is a solitary67 individual pacing the fore-deck frantically68. He seems terribly excited about something. More mischief doubtless.”
“Describe him!” I cried eagerly.
“Easier said than done,”—he had said a moment before that the whole thing was as clear as if it was only across the road,—“but he seems very tall, rather dark, with a thick black beard, and he holds some letter in his hand, which he kisses and then brandishes69 fiercely.”
“Hartmann, by all that’s holy!” Vindictively70 I bethought me of the letter, and the miserable71 reports of failure which Norris and his men must have delivered.
“I should say he is the captain or some other boss in authority, for, see, a gunner comes up and salutes72 him. Ha, he must be angry! He dismisses the man fiercely, and seems once more to devour73 the letter.”
210“Go on, go on!”
“He steps to the railing and shakes his fist at the City below. Now he seems to be deliberating, for he remains74 perfectly75 still, looking every now and then at the letter or document. How beside himself with anger he seems! He dashes his fist on the railing, now he strides across the deck and stalks through the surprised gunners to the citadel. I feel sure something terrible is brewing76.”
Ha, captain of the Attila! Smart under the lash77 of Nemesis78! Matricide and murderer, writhe79! You felt not for the thousands sacrificed for a theory; feel now for the report of your plans wrecked80 beyond hope of repair. Feel, too, for a loved mother, the sole creature you ever cared for, but whom your reckless and futile81 savagery82 has immolated83! Hater of your race, terrible indeed has been your penalty!
“Hallo! he comes up again with a revolver in each hand. He closes the gate of the outer wall of the citadel, and seems to harangue84 the crew. Is he mad or what? He fires one of the revolvers, and a man drops. A mutiny! a mutiny! I see the men rushing up like fanatics85. They climb the wall, he shooting the while. Ha! he rushes into the citadel, and closes the inner door sharply. They try to 211follow him, but cannot!” After a long pause—“Stay, they have broken the door open, and rush——”
A FLASH THAT BEGGARED THE LEVIN BOLT.
213A flash that beggared the levin bolt, a crash shattering the window-panes and deadening the ear, a shock hurling86 us both on our backs, broke the utterance87. Then thundered down a shower of massive fragments, fragments of the vast ship whose decks I had once trodden. Hartmann, dismayed with the failure of his plans and rendered desperate by the letter, had blown up the Attila! The news of his failure and the message of a dying woman had done what human hatred88 was too impotent even to hope for.
But little more remains to be said. You are conversant89 with the story of the next few days. You know also how order was once more completely reestablished, how the wreckage90 of that fell twenty-four hours was slowly replaced by modern buildings, how gradually the Empire recovered from the shock, and how dominant91 henceforth became the great problems of labour. My own connection with these latter was not destined92 to endure. After my marriage with Lena, my interests took a different turn. Travel and literary studies left no room for the surlier duties of the demagogue. Writing from this quiet German 214retreat I can only hope that my brief narrative93 will prove of some interest to you. It has not been my aim to write history. I have sought to throw light only on one of its more romantic corners, and if I have succeeded in doing so, the whole purpose of my efforts will have been accomplished35.
THE END.
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1 rabble | |
n.乌合之众,暴民;下等人 | |
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2 tilted | |
v. 倾斜的 | |
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3 majestically | |
雄伟地; 庄重地; 威严地; 崇高地 | |
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4 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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5 gnats | |
n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 ) | |
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6 enveloped | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7 mingling | |
adj.混合的 | |
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8 armour | |
(=armor)n.盔甲;装甲部队 | |
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9 discretion | |
n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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10 outlets | |
n.出口( outlet的名词复数 );经销店;插座;廉价经销店 | |
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11 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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12 bloody | |
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
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13 trampled | |
踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 ); 践踏; 无视; 侵犯 | |
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14 frantic | |
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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15 survivors | |
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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16 batches | |
一批( batch的名词复数 ); 一炉; (食物、药物等的)一批生产的量; 成批作业 | |
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17 appalling | |
adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的 | |
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18 pall | |
v.覆盖,使平淡无味;n.柩衣,棺罩;棺材;帷幕 | |
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19 deftest | |
adj.熟练的,灵巧的( deft的最高级 ) | |
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20 vividly | |
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地 | |
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21 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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22 suffocation | |
n.窒息 | |
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23 hull | |
n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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24 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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25 fraught | |
adj.充满…的,伴有(危险等)的;忧虑的 | |
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26 fascination | |
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋 | |
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27 enthralled | |
迷住,吸引住( enthrall的过去式和过去分词 ); 使感到非常愉快 | |
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28 glutted | |
v.吃得过多( glut的过去式和过去分词 );(对胃口、欲望等)纵情满足;使厌腻;塞满 | |
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29 morbid | |
adj.病的;致病的;病态的;可怕的 | |
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30 massacre | |
n.残杀,大屠杀;v.残杀,集体屠杀 | |
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31 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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32 motive | |
n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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33 hostilities | |
n.战争;敌意(hostility的复数);敌对状态;战事 | |
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34 munitions | |
n.军火,弹药;v.供应…军需品 | |
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35 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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36 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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37 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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38 artillery | |
n.(军)火炮,大炮;炮兵(部队) | |
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39 petroleum | |
n.原油,石油 | |
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40 contemplated | |
adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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41 catastrophe | |
n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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42 extirpation | |
n.消灭,根除,毁灭;摘除 | |
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43 anarchist | |
n.无政府主义者 | |
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44 dubious | |
adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的 | |
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45 continental | |
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的 | |
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46 anarchists | |
无政府主义者( anarchist的名词复数 ) | |
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47 withered | |
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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48 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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49 precarious | |
adj.不安定的,靠不住的;根据不足的 | |
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50 defiant | |
adj.无礼的,挑战的 | |
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51 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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52 speculations | |
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 );思考;投机活动;推断 | |
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53 fugitives | |
n.亡命者,逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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54 torrent | |
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
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55 outright | |
adv.坦率地;彻底地;立即;adj.无疑的;彻底的 | |
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56 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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57 denizens | |
n.居民,住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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58 ushered | |
v.引,领,陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59 cosy | |
adj.温暖而舒适的,安逸的 | |
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60 depredations | |
n.劫掠,毁坏( depredation的名词复数 ) | |
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61 attentive | |
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的 | |
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62 shameful | |
adj.可耻的,不道德的 | |
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63 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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64 respite | |
n.休息,中止,暂缓 | |
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65 citadel | |
n.城堡;堡垒;避难所 | |
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66 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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67 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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68 frantically | |
ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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69 brandishes | |
v.挥舞( brandish的第三人称单数 );炫耀 | |
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70 vindictively | |
adv.恶毒地;报复地 | |
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71 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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72 salutes | |
n.致敬,欢迎,敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎,致敬( salute的第三人称单数 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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73 devour | |
v.吞没;贪婪地注视或谛听,贪读;使着迷 | |
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74 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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75 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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76 brewing | |
n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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77 lash | |
v.系牢;鞭打;猛烈抨击;n.鞭打;眼睫毛 | |
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78 nemesis | |
n.给以报应者,复仇者,难以对付的敌手 | |
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79 writhe | |
vt.挣扎,痛苦地扭曲;vi.扭曲,翻腾,受苦;n.翻腾,苦恼 | |
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80 wrecked | |
adj.失事的,遇难的 | |
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81 futile | |
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的 | |
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82 savagery | |
n.野性 | |
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83 immolated | |
v.宰杀…作祭品( immolate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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84 harangue | |
n.慷慨冗长的训话,言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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85 fanatics | |
狂热者,入迷者( fanatic的名词复数 ) | |
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86 hurling | |
n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的现在分词 );大声叫骂 | |
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87 utterance | |
n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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88 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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89 conversant | |
adj.亲近的,有交情的,熟悉的 | |
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90 wreckage | |
n.(失事飞机等的)残骸,破坏,毁坏 | |
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91 dominant | |
adj.支配的,统治的;占优势的;显性的;n.主因,要素,主要的人(或物);显性基因 | |
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92 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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93 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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