"Is that you Mikah—or are you just part of a nightmare?"
"There is no escape from justice, Jason. It is I, and I have some grave questions to put to you."
Jason groaned again. "You're real all right. Even in a nightmare I wouldn't dare dream up any lines like that. But before the questions, how about telling me a thing or two about the local setup, you should know something since you have been a slave of the D'zertanoj longer than I have." Jason realized that the pain in his wrists came from heavy iron shackles6. A chain passed through them and was stapled7 to a thick wooden bar on which his head had been resting. "Why the chains—and what is the local hospitality like?"
Mikah resisted the invitation to impart any vital information and returned irresistibly9 to his own topic.
"When I saw you last you were a slave of Ch'aka, and tonight you were brought in with the other slaves of Ch'aka and chained to the bar while you were unconscious. There was an empty place next to mine and I told them I would tend you if they placed you there, and they did. Now there is something I must know. Before they stripped you I saw that you were wearing the armor and helmet of Ch'aka. Where is the man—what happened to him?"
"Me Ch'aka," Jason rasped, and burst out coughing from the dryness in his throat. He took a long drink of water from the bowl. "You sound very vindictive10, Mikah you old fraud. Where is all the turn-the-other-cheek stuff now? Don't tell me you could possibly hate the man just because he hit you on the head, fractured your skull11 and sold you down the river as a slave reject? In case you have been brooding over this injustice12 you can now be cheered because the evil Ch'aka is no more. He is buried in the trackless wastes and after all the applicants13 were sifted14 out I got the job."
"You killed him?"
"In a word—yes. And don't think that it was easy since he had all the advantages and I possessed15 only my native ingenuity16, which luckily proved to be enough. It was touch and go for a while because when I tried to assassinate17 him in his sleep—"
"You what?" Mikah Samon hissed18.
"Got to him at night. You don't think anyone in his right mind would tackle a monster like that face-to-face do you? Though it ended up that way, since he had some neat gadgets19 for keeping track of people in the dark. Briefly20, we fought, I won, I became Ch'aka, though my reign21 was neither long nor noble. I followed you as far as the desert where I was neatly22 trapped by a shrewd old bird name of Edipon who demoted me back to the ranks and took away all my slaves as well. Now that's my story. So tell me yours, where we are, what goes on here?"
"Assassin! Slave holder23!" Mikah reared back, as far as he could under the restraint of the chain, and pointed24 the finger of judgment25 at Jason. "Two more charges must be added to your role of infamy26. I sicken myself, Jason, that I could ever have felt sympathy for you and tried to help you. I will still help you, but only to stay alive so that you may be taken back to Cassylia for trial and execution."
"I like that example of fair and impartial27 justice—trial and execution." Jason coughed again and drained the bowl of water. "Didn't you ever hear of presumed innocence28 until proven guilty? It only happens to be the mainstay of all jurisprudence. And how could you possibly justify29 trying me on Cassylia for actions that occurred on this planet—that aren't crimes here? That's like taking a cannibal away from his tribe and executing him for anthropophagy."
"What would be wrong with that? The eating of human flesh is a crime so loathsome30 I shudder31 to think of it. Of course a man who does that must be executed."
"If he slips in the back door and eats one of your relatives, you certainly have grounds for action. But not if he joins the rest of his jolly tribe for a good roast of enemy. Don't you see the obvious point here—that human conduct can only be judged in relation to its environment? Conduct is relative. The cannibal in his society is just as moral as the churchgoer in yours."
"Blasphemer! A crime is a crime! There are moral laws that stand above all human society."
"Oh no there are not, that's just the point where your medieval morality breaks down. All laws and ideas are historical and relative, not absolute. They are relevant to their particular time and place and taken out of context they lose their importance. Within the context of this grubby society I acted in a most straightforward32 and honest manner. I attempted to assassinate my master—which is the only way an ambitious boy can get ahead in this hard world, and which was undoubtedly33 the way Ch'aka himself got the job in the first place. Assassination34 didn't work but combat did, and the results were the same. Once in power I took good care of my slaves, though of course they didn't appreciate it since they didn't want good care, they only wanted my job, that being the law of the land. The only thing I really did wrong was to not live up to my obligations as a slave holder and keep them marching up and down the beaches forever. Instead I came looking for you and was trapped and broken back to slavery where I belong for pulling such a stupid trick."
The door crashed open and harsh sunlight streamed into the windowless building. "On your feet slaves!" a D'zertano shouted in through the opening.
A chorus of shufflings and groans35 broke out as the men stirred to life. Jason could see now that he was one of twenty slaves shackled36 to the long bar, apparently37 the entire trunk of a good-sized tree. The man chained at the far end seemed to be a leader of sorts because he cursed and goaded38 the others to life. When they were all standing39 he snapped his commands in a hectoring tone of voice.
"Come on, come on, first come best food. And don't forget your bowls, put them away so they can't drop out, remember nothing to eat or drink all day unless you have a bowl. And let's work together today, everyone pull his weight, that's the only way to do it. That goes for all you men, specially40 you new men. Give them a day's work here and they give you a day's food...."
"Oh shut up!" someone shouted.
"... And you can't complain about that," the strawboss whined41 on, unperturbed. "Now altogether ... one ... bend down and get your hands around the bar, get a good grip and ... two ... lift it clear of the ground, that's the way. And ... three ... stand up and out the door we go."
They shuffled42 out into the sunlight and the cold wind of dawn bit through his Pyrran coverall and the remnants of Ch'aka's leather trappings that Jason had been allowed to keep. His captors had torn off the claw-studded feet but not bothered the wrappings underneath43, so they hadn't found his boots. This was the only bright spot on an otherwise unlimited44 vista45 of blackest gloom. Jason tried to be thankful for small blessings46, but only shivered some more. As soon as possible this situation had to be changed since he had already served his term as slave on this backwoods planet and was cut out for better things.
On order the slaves lined up against the walls of the yard. Presenting their bowls like scruffy47 penitents48 they accepted dippers of lukewarm soup from another slave who pushed along a wheeled tub of the stuff: he was chained to the tub. Jason's appetite vanished when he tasted the sludge. It was krenoj soup, and the desert tubers tasted even worse—he hadn't thought it was possible—when served up in a broth49. But survival was more important than fastidiousness, so he gulped50 the evil stuff down.
Breakfast over they marched out the gate into another compound and fascinated interest displaced all of Jason's concerns. In the center of the yard was a large capstan into which the first group of slaves were already fitting the end of their bar. Jason's group, and the two others, shuffled into position and seated their bars, making a four spoked51 wheel out of the capstan. An overseer shouted and the slaves groaned and threw their weight against the bars until they shuddered53 and began to turn, then trudging54 slowly they kept the wheel moving. Once this slogging labor55 was under way Jason turned his attention to the crude mechanism56 that they were powering.
A vertical57 shaft58 from the capstan turned a creaking wooden wheel that set a series of leather belts into motion. Some of them vanished through openings into a large stone building, while the strongest strap59 of all turned the rocker arm of what could only be a counterbalanced pump. This all seemed like a highly inefficient60 way to go about pumping water since there certainly must be natural springs and lakes somewhere around. The pungent61 smell that filled the yard was hauntingly familiar, and Jason had just reached the conclusion that water couldn't be the object of their labors62 when a throaty gurgling came from the standpipe of the pump and a thick black stream bubbled out.
"Petroleum63—of course!" Jason enthused out loud, then bent64 his attentions to pushing when the overseer gave him an ugly look and cracked his whip menacingly.
This was the secret of the D'zertanoj, and the source of their power. Mountains were visible nearby, and hills, towering above the surrounding walls. The captured slaves had been drugged so they would not even know in which direction they had been brought to this hidden site, or how long the trip was. Here in this guarded valley they labored65 to pump the crude oil that their masters used to power their big desert wagons66. Or did they use crude oil for this? The petroleum was gurgling out in a solid stream now, and running down an open trough that vanished through the wall into the same building as the turning belts. And what barbaric devilishness went on in there? A thick chimney crowned the building and produced clouds of black smoke, while from the various openings in the wall came a tremendous stench that threatened to lift the top off his head.
At the same moment that he realized what was going on in the building a guarded door was opened and Edipon came out, blowing his sizable nose in a scrap68 of rag. The creaking wheel turned and when its rotation69 brought Jason around again he called out to him.
"Hey, Edipon, come over here. I want to talk to you. I'm the former Ch'aka, in case you don't recognize me out of uniform."
Edipon gave him one look, then turned away dabbing70 at his nose. It was obvious that slaves held no interest for him, no matter what their position had been before their fall. The slave-driver ran over with a roar, raising his whip, while the slow rotation of the wheel carried Jason away. He shouted back over his shoulder.
"Listen to me—I know a lot and can help you." Only a turned back for an answer and the whip was already whistling down. It was time for the hard sell. "You had better hear me—because I know that what comes out first is best. Yeow!" This last was involuntary as the whip landed.
Jason's words were without meaning to the slaves as well as the overseer who was raising his whip for another blow, but their impact on Edipon was as dramatic as if he had stepped on a hot coal. He shuddered to a halt and wheeled about, and even at this distance Jason could see that a sickly gray tone had replaced his normal browned color of his skin.
"Stop the wheel!" he shouted.
This unexpected command drew the startled attention of everyone. The gape-mouthed overseer lowered his whip while the slaves stumbled and halted and the wheel groaned to a stop. In the sudden silence Edipon's steps echoed loudly as he ran to Jason, halting a hand's breadth away, his lips drawn72 back from his teeth with tension as if he were prepared to bite.
"What was that you said?" He hurled73 the words at Jason while his fingers half-plucked a knife from his belt.
Jason smiled, looking and acting74 calmer than he felt. His barb67 had gone home, but unless he proceeded carefully so would Edipon's knife—into his stomach. This was obviously a very sensitive topic.
"You heard what I said—and I don't think you want me to repeat it in front of all these strangers. I know what happens here because I come from a place far away where we do this kind of thing all the time. I can help you. I can show you how to get more of the best, and how to make your caroj work better. Just try me. Only unchain me from this bar first and let's get to some place private where we can have a nice chat."
Edipon's thoughts were obvious. He chewed his lip and looked hotly at Jason, fingering the edge of his knife. Jason only returned a smile of pure innocence and tapped his fingers happily on the bar, just marking time while he waited to be released. Yet in spite of the cold there was a rivulet75 of sweat trickling76 down his spine77. He was gambling78 everything on Edipon's intelligence, that the man's curiosity would overcome the immediate79 desire to silence the slave who knew so much about things so secret, hoping that he would remember that slaves could always be killed, and that it wouldn't hurt to ask a few questions first. Curiosity won and the knife dropped back into the sheath while Jason let his breath out in a relieved sigh. It had been entirely80 too close, even for a professional gambler; his own life on the board was a little higher stakes than he enjoyed playing for.
"Release him from the bar and bring him to me," Edipon ordered, then strode agitatedly81 away. The other slaves watched wide-eyed as the blacksmith was rushed out, and with much confusion and shouted orders Jason's chain was cut from the bar where it joined the heavy staple8.
"What are you doing?" Mikah asked, and one of the guards backhanded him to the ground. Jason just smiled and touched his finger to his lips as his chain was released and they led him away. He was free from bondage82 and he would stay that way if he could convince Edipon that he would be better off in some capacity other than dumb labor.
The room they led him to contained the first touches of decoration or self-indulgence that he had seen on this planet. The furniture was carefully constructed, with an occasional bit of carving83 to brighten it, and there was a woven cover on the bed. Edipon stood by a table, tapping his fingers nervously84 on the dark polished surface. "Lock him up," he ordered the guards, and Jason was secured to a sturdy ringbolt that projected from the wall. As soon as the guards were gone he stood before Jason and drew his knife. "Tell me what you know or I will kill you at once."
"My past is an open book to you, Edipon. I come from a land where we know all the secrets of nature—"
"What is the name of this land? Are you a spy from Appsala?"
"I couldn't very well be one since I have never heard of the place." Jason pulled at his lower lip, wondering just how intelligent Edipon was, and just how frank he could be with him. This was no time to get tangled85 up in lies about planetary geography: it might be best to try him on a small dose of the truth. "If I told you I came from another planet, another world in the sky up among the stars, would you believe me?"
"Perhaps. There are many old legends that our forefathers86 came from a world beyond the sky, but I have always dismissed this as religious drivel, fit only for women."
"In this case the girls happen to be right. Your planet was settled by men whose ships crossed the emptiness of space as your caroj pass over the desert. Your people have forgotten about that and lost the science and knowledge you once had, but in other worlds the knowledge is still held."
"Madness!"
"Not at all, it is science, though many times confused as being the same thing. I'll prove my point. You know that I could never have been inside your mysterious building out there, and I imagine you can be sure no one has told me its secrets. Yet I'll bet you that I can describe fairly accurately87 what is in there—not from seeing the machinery88, but from knowing what must be done to oil in order to get the products you need. Do you want to hear?"
"Proceed," Edipon said, sitting on a corner of the table and balancing the knife loosely in his palm.
"I don't know what you call it, the device, but in the trade it is a pot still used for fractional distillation89. Your crude oil runs into a tank of some kind, and you pipe it from there to a retort, some big vessel90 that you can seal airtight. Once it is closed you light a fire under the thing and try to get all the oil to an even temperature. A gas rises from the oil and you take it off through a pipe and run it through a condenser91, probably more pipe with water running over it. Then you put a bucket under the open end of the pipe and out of it drips the juice that you burn in your caroj to make them move."
Edipon's eyes opened wider and wider while Jason talked until they stuck out of his head like boiled eggs. "Demon92!" he screeched93 and tottered94 towards Jason with the knife extended. "You couldn't have seen, not through stone walls, yet only my family have seen, no others—I'll swear to that!"
"Keep cool, Edipon, I told you that we have been doing this stuff for years in my country." He balanced on one foot, ready for a kick at the knife in case the old man's nerves did not settle down. "I'm not out to steal your secrets, in fact they are pretty small potatoes where I come from since every farmer has a still for cooking up his own mash95 and saving on taxes. I'll bet I can even put in some improvements for you, sight unseen. How do you monitor the temperature on your cooking brew96? Do you have thermometers?"
"What are thermometers?" Edipon asked, forgetting the knife for the moment, drawn on by the joys of a technical discussion.
"That's what I thought. I can see where your bootleg joyjuice is going to take a big jump in quality, if you have anyone here who can do some simple glassblowing. Though it might be easier to rig up a coiled bi-metallic strip. You're trying to boil off your various fractions, and unless you keep an even and controlled temperature you are going to have a mixed brew. The thing you want for your engines are the most volatile97 fractions, the liquids that boil off first like gasoline and benzene. After that you raise the temperature and collect kerosene98 for your lamps and so forth99 right on down the line until you have a nice mass of tar71 left to pave your roads with. How does that sound to you?"
Edipon had forced himself into calmness, though a jumping muscle in his cheek betrayed his inner tension. "What you have described is the truth, though you were wrong on some small things. But I am not interested in your thermometer nor in improving our water-of-power, it has been good enough for my family for generations and it is good enough for me...."
"I bet you think that line is original?"
"... There is something that you might be able to do that would bring you rich rewards. We can be generous when needs be. You have seen our caroj and ridden on one, and seen me go into the shrine100 to intercede101 with the sacred powers to make us move. Can you tell me what power moves the caroj?"
"I hope this is the final exam, Edipon, because you are stretching my powers of extrapolation. Stripping away all the shrines102 and sacred powers I would say that you go into the engine room to do a piece of work with very little praying involved. There could be a number of ways of moving those barns, but let's think of the simplest. This is top of the head now, so no penalties if I miss any of the fine points.
"Internal combustion103 is out, I doubt if you have the technology to handle it, plus the fact there was a lot to do about the water tank and it took you almost an hour to get under way. That sounds like you were getting up a head of steam—the safety valve! I forgot about that. So it is steam. You go in, lock the door of course, then open a couple of valves until the fuel drips into the firebox, then you light it. Maybe you have a pressure gauge104, or maybe you just wait until the safety valve pops to tell you if you have a head of steam. Which can be dangerous since a sticking valve could blow the whole works right over the mountain.
"Once you have the steam you crack a valve to let it into the cylinders105 and get the thing moving. After that you just enjoy the trip, of course making sure the water is feeding to your boiler106 all right, that your pressure stays up, your fire is hot enough, all your bearings are lubricated and the rest...."
Jason looked on astounded107 as Edipon did a little jig108 around the room, holding his robe up above his bony knees. Bouncing with excitement he jabbed his knife into the table top and rushed over to Jason and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him until his chain rattled109.
"Do you know what you have done?" he asked. "Do you know what you have said?"
"I know well enough. Does this mean that I have passed the exam? Was I right?"
"I don't know if you are right or not. I have never seen the inside of one of the Appsalan devil-boxes." He danced around the room again. "You know more about their ... what do you call it, engine ... than I do. I have only spent my life tending them and cursing the people of Appsala who keep the secret from us. But you will reveal it to us! We will build our own engines and if they want water-of-power they will have to pay dearly for it."
"Would you mind being a little bit clearer," Jason pleaded. "I have never heard anything so confused in my entire life."
"I will show you, man from a far world, and you will reveal the Appsalan secrets to us. I see the dawn of a new day for Putl'ko arriving." He opened the door and shouted for the guards, and for his son, Narsisi, who arrived as they were unlocking Jason who recognized him as the same droop-eyed and sleepy looking D'zertano who had been helping110 Edipon to drive their ungainly vehicle.
"Seize this chain my son and keep your club ready to kill this slave if he makes any attempt to escape. Otherwise do not harm him, for he is very valuable. Come."
He tugged111 on the chain, but Jason only dug his heels in and did not move. They looked at him, astonished.
"Just a few things before we go. The man who is to bring the new day to Putl'ko is not a slave, let us get that straight before this operation goes any further. We'll work out something with chains or guards so I can't escape, but the slavery thing is out."
"But—you are not one of us, therefore you must be a slave."
"I've just added a third category to your social order. Employee. Though reluctant, I am still an employee, skilled labor, and I intend to be treated that way. Figure it out for yourself. Kill a slave and what do you lose? Very little if there is another slave in the pens that can push in the same place. But kill me and what do you get? Brains on your club—and they do you no good at all there."
"Say, Dad, does he mean I can't kill him?" Narsisi looked puzzled as well as sleepy.
"No, he doesn't mean that. He means if we kill him there is no one else that can do the work he is to do for us. I can understand him and I do not like it. There are only slaves and slavers, anything else is against the natural order. But he has us trapped between satano and the sand-storm so we must allow him some freedoms. Bring the slave now ... I mean the employee ... and we will see if he can do the things he has promised. If he does not, I will have the pleasure of killing112 him because I do not like his revolutionary ideas."
They marched single file to a locked and guarded building with immense doors, which were pulled open to reveal the massive forms of seven caroj.
"Look at them," Edipon hissed and tugged at his nose. "The finest and most beautiful of constructions, striking fear into our enemies' hearts, carrying us fleetly across the sands, bearing on their backs immense loads and only three of the things are able to move."
"Engine trouble?" Jason asked lightly.
Edipon grumbled113, cursed and fumed114 under his breath and led the way to an inner courtyard where stood four immense black boxes painted with death-heads, splintered bones, fountains of blood and cabalistic symbols all of a sinister115 appearance.
"Those swine in Appsala take our water-of-power and give nothing in return. Oh yes, they let us use their engines, but after running for a few months the cursed things stop and will not go again, then we must bring them back to the city to exchange for a new one, and pay again and again."
"A nice racket," Jason said, looking at the sealed covering on the engines. "Why don't you just crack into them and fix them yourself, they can't be very complex."
"That is death!" Edipon gasped116, and both D'zertanoj recoiled117 from the boxes at the thought. "We have tried that, in my father's father's day, since we are not superstitious118 like the slaves and know that these are man-made not god-made. However the tricky119 serpents of Appsala hide their secrets with immense cunning. If any attempt is made to break the covering horrible death leaks out and fills the air. Men who breathe the air die, and even those who are solely120 touched by it develop immense blisters121 and die in pain. The man of Appsala laughed when this happened to our people and after that raised the price even higher."
Jason circled one of the boxes, examining it with interest, trailing Narsisi behind him at the end of the chain. The thing was higher than his head and almost twice as long. A heavy shaft emerged through openings on opposite sides, probably the power takeoff for the wheels. Through an opening in the side he could see inset handles and two small colored disks, and above this were three funnel-shaped openings shaped and painted like mouths. By standing on tiptoe Jason looked on top but there was only a flanged122, sooty opening that must be for attachment123 of a smokestack. There was only one more opening, a smallish one in the rear, and no other controls on the garish124 container.
"I'm beginning to get the picture, but you will have to tell me how you work the controls."
"Death before that," Narsisi shouted. "Only my family—"
"Will you shut up!" Jason shouted right back. "Remember? You're not allowed to browbeat125 the help anymore. There are no secrets here. Not only that, but I probably know more about this thing than you do just by looking at it. Oil, water and fuel go in these three openings, you poke52 a light in somewhere, probably in that smoky hole under the controls, open one of those valves for fuel supply, another one is to make the engine go slower and faster, and the third is for your water feed. The disks are indicators126 of some kind." Narsisi paled and stepped back. "So keep the trap shut while I talk to your dad."
"It is as you say," Edipon pointed. "The mouths must always be filled and woebetide if they shall go empty for the powers will halt or worse. Fire goes in here as you guessed, and when the green finger comes forward this lever may be turned for motion. The next is for great speed or going slow. The very last is under the sign of the red finger, which when it points indicates need, and the handle must be turned and held until the finger retires. White breath comes from the opening in back. That is all there is."
"About what I expected," Jason muttered and examined the container wall, rapping it with his knuckles128 until it boomed. "They give you the minimum of controls to run the thing, so you won't learn anything about the basic principles involved. Without the theory you would never know what the handles control, or that the green indicator127 comes out when you have operating pressure or the red one when the water level is low in the boiler. Very neat. And the whole thing sealed up in a can and booby-trapped in case you have any ideas of going into business for yourself.
"The cover sounds like it is double walled, and from your description I would say that it has one of the vesicant war gases, like mustard gas, sealed inside there in liquid form. Anyone who tries to cut their way in will quickly forget their ambitions after a dose of that. Yet there must be a way to get inside the case and service the engine, they aren't just going to throw them away after a few months' use. And considering the level of technology displayed by this monstrosity I should be able to find the tricks and get around any other built-in traps. I think I'll take the job."
"Very well, begin."
"Wait a minute, boss, you still have a few things to learn about hired labor. There are always certain working conditions and agreements involved, all of which I'll be happy to list for you."
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trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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seeped
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| v.（液体）渗( seep的过去式和过去分词 )；渗透；渗出；漏出 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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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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shackles
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| 手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊 | |
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stapled
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| v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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staple
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| n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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applicants
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| 申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 ) | |
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sifted
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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gadgets
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| n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ） | |
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briefly
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21
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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22
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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23
holder
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| n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物 | |
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24
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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25
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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26
infamy
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| n.声名狼藉，出丑，恶行 | |
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27
impartial
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| adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的 | |
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28
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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29
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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30
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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31
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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32
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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33
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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34
assassination
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| n.暗杀；暗杀事件 | |
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35
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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36
shackled
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| 给（某人）带上手铐或脚镣( shackle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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38
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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39
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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40
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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41
whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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42
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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43
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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44
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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45
vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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46
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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47
scruffy
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| adj.肮脏的，不洁的 | |
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48
penitents
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| n.后悔者( penitent的名词复数 )；忏悔者 | |
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49
broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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50
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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51
spoked
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| 辐条 | |
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52
poke
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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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53
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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54
trudging
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的现在分词形式） | |
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55
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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56
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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57
vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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58
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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59
strap
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| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
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60
inefficient
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| adj.效率低的，无效的 | |
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61
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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62
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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63
petroleum
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| n.原油，石油 | |
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64
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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65
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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66
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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67
barb
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| n.（鱼钩等的）倒钩，倒刺 | |
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68
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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69
rotation
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| n.旋转；循环，轮流 | |
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70
dabbing
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| 石面凿毛，灰泥抛毛 | |
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71
tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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72
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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73
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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74
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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75
rivulet
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| n.小溪，小河 | |
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76
trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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77
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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78
gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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79
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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80
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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81
agitatedly
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| 动摇，兴奋； 勃然 | |
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82
bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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83
carving
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| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
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84
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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85
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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86
forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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87
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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88
machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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89
distillation
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| n.蒸馏，蒸馏法 | |
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90
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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91
condenser
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| n.冷凝器；电容器 | |
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92
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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93
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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94
tottered
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| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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95
mash
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| n.麦芽浆，糊状物，土豆泥；v.把…捣成糊状，挑逗，调情 | |
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96
brew
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| v.酿造，调制 | |
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97
volatile
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| adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质 | |
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98
kerosene
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| n.(kerosine)煤油，火油 | |
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99
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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100
shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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101
intercede
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| vi.仲裁，说情 | |
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102
shrines
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| 圣地，圣坛，神圣场所( shrine的名词复数 ) | |
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103
combustion
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| n.燃烧；氧化；骚动 | |
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104
gauge
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| v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器 | |
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105
cylinders
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| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
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106
boiler
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| n.锅炉；煮器(壶，锅等) | |
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107
astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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108
jig
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| n.快步舞（曲）；v.上下晃动；用夹具辅助加工；蹦蹦跳跳 | |
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109
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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110
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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111
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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112
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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113
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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114
fumed
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| 愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟 | |
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115
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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116
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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117
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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118
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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119
tricky
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| adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的 | |
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120
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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121
blisters
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| n.水疱( blister的名词复数 )；水肿；气泡 | |
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122
flanged
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| 带凸缘的，用法兰连接的，折边的 | |
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123
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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124
garish
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| adj.华丽而俗气的，华而不实的 | |
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125
browbeat
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| v.欺侮；吓唬 | |
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126
indicators
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| （仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号 | |
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127
indicator
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| n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器 | |
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128
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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