The next instant the mischievous9 and uncannily human looking head of a large-sized monkey appeared above the top of the box. He blinked for a moment in the strong sunlight, reassured10 himself that the driver was not watching him, leaped lightly to the roadway and made for the network of auxiliary11 cables which run from the main supporting cables of the great bridge. Following him came a procession of other monkeys of varying sizes and kinds—short-tails and long-tails, some with weird12 whiskers and others as devoid13 of facial adornment14 as a new-born babe—all of them chattering15 and gibbering, each one intensely alive and apparently16 determined17 on having the time of his or her young life as the case might be. There were fifteen of them in all and as they sprang out of the wagon, one by one, and started to join the venturesome leader of the expedition they attracted the attention of scores of pedestrians18, chauffeurs19 and drivers.
“Hey, there, young fellow,” shrieked20 a man on the promenade. “You gosh-darned zoo is escaping.”
The driver stopped the wagon suddenly, turned around and proceeded to give a perfect imitation of a man in that particular frame of mind popularly known as a “blue funk.” He jumped to the roadway and tried to clutch the last of the escaping simians by the hind6 legs. That agile21 creature eluded22 his grasp and joined two of his brethren who were chattering gaily23 at the base of the labyrinthian24 maze25 of cables and supports. By this time the first dozen of the monkeys had clambered aloft and were surveying the constantly increasing crowd of joyous26 onlookers27 from points of vantage anywhere from twenty to a hundred feet in the air.
A policeman shouldered his way through the front ranks of the crowd and looked up at the galaxy28 of nimble apes. He was sputtering29 and fuming30 with rage.
“Come down out of that,” he yelled helplessly, shaking his club in an absurdly futile31 attempt to wield32 authority.
The crowd roared with delight. One of the monkeys still on the ground darted33 toward him, leaped on his shoulder and sprang from it to the nearest cable far above his head before he was conscious of exactly what had happened. He struck vainly at it with his stick. The crowd rocked with laughter. Two other policemen joined him, forcing their way with difficulty through the dense34 mass of pedestrians on the promenade.
“Maybe if we whistled at him, Dinny,” observed one of these sagely35, “they might come down.”
The three guardians36 of the law proceeded to pucker37 up their lips and to emit a series of plaintive38 whistles which so startled the one-time denizens39 of the jungle that all of them, as if swayed by some common impulse, swung lightly to places ten or twelve feet higher.
“Sing ’em a little song,” shouted at ribald youth and the crowd once more chortled with glee.
At this juncture40 a police lieutenant41 arrived on the scene, attracted from a distance by the great congestion42 of traffic. More than two thousand persons were now gathered on the promenade and vehicular progress in both directions was clogged43. A long line of trolley44 cars was strung out to the east and the west, and several hundred motor cars and trucks were stalled while their drivers crowded forward to enjoy the fun. The lieutenant sized up the seriousness of the situation instantly. He dispatched one of the patrolmen to telephone for the reserves and to send in a still alarm for the fire department, and then turned to Jimmy’s willing tool, the driver. That individual, still registering dazed bewilderment, shrugged45 his shoulders when asked to assist in bringing down the escaped monkeys, who were now festooned in irregular formation along the interlocking cables for a distance of several hundred feet. Most of them were swinging by their tails and otherwise comporting46 themselves with a supreme47 disregard for law and order.
“I can’t do a thing, boss,” persisted the driver. “I don’t know the first name of a single one of the bunch. Maybe if some one telephoned for the gink that owns ’em he might be able to bring ’em down.”
And so it further came to pass that Signor Antonio Amado was reached on the telephone at Jollyland; that he swore lustily in three languages in simulation of great consternation48 and that he promised to come to the scene of hostilities49 as rapidly as his touring car could bring him. When he arrived forty minutes later; the crowd had grown to ten thousand and the greatest tie-up of traffic in the history of the bridge was in progress. The firemen from two hook and ladder companies were making ineffectual efforts to bring down the innocent disturbers of the great city’s peace and dignity and a certain press agent, watching the proceedings50 from a discreet51 distance, was enjoying the biggest emotional experience of a somewhat checkered52 and not altogether drab career. He was getting the same sort of thrill that comes to the playwright53 as he stands in the rear of a theatre during a tense scene in a play of his writing and watches a great audience swayed by something he has originated.
Jimmy noticed with keen interest that a group of newspaper men had already gathered on the scene, and that among them was no less a celebrity54 than Frank Malia, of the Item, the star feature writer of the Eastern Seaboard and a specialist in stories with a humorous angle. Jimmy knew that there were standing55 orders in the Item office to “let Malia’s stuff run,” and he felt reasonably sure of at least a column and half in that particular paper.
It may be recorded that the arrival of Signor Amado, resplendent in the snappy green and white huzzar uniform he wore while directing the performances in his concession56, brought the festivities to a rapid conclusion. In response to sharply spoken words of command from the fierce-looking little trainer the truant57 apes descended58 rather reluctantly from their perches59 and permitted themselves to be herded60 together once more into the wooden cage, the top of which was now securely fastened down under the personal direction of the police inspector61 who had arrived to take charge of affairs a few minutes before.
The great throng62 cheered the Signor vociferously63 when he had finished and stepped into his car. He bowed again and again, kissed his hand, waved his busby and gave other indications of profound satisfaction with himself and with what he felt to be the justly merited plaudits accorded him. Jimmy permitted himself to be swallowed up in the eddies64 of the dispersing65 crowd, as the signor’s car whirled him back to Jollyland.
The subsequent proceedings were all that the most sanguine66 and optimistic press agent could desire. The story landed with a big splash in all the evening papers, and four of the morning papers covered it with feature yarns67 running all the way from three quarters of a column to nearly two columns in length. The longest story of all was written by Malia. It was a delightful68 bit of foolery written in a spirit of satirical burlesque69 and full of whimsical little touches that made it the talk of the week in journalistic circles.
There was only one thing that marred70 the perfect symmetry of the general effect. While the fact that the monkeys’ temporary habitat was Jollyland was properly chronicled in headlines and in the body of all the stories, there was no mention made by name of Signor Antonio Amado except in one paper and then his alliterative cognomen71 was atrociously misspelled and appeared as Andy Amato. He was referred to, of course, and described as well, but impersonally72. Mention was made in one story of “a funny little fellow who looked as if he had escaped from the chorus of a Balkan operatta,” and Malia had called him “a bandit king with the manners of a marquis and the sang-froid of Subway guard.”
After glimpsing the evening papers and observing this omission73 Jimmy had turned over the conduct of affairs in his office for the night to his assistant, hoping that the morning papers would use the signor’s name. When he read the others at breakfast his elation74 at the general success of his personally conducted enterprise was tempered somewhat by the prospect75 of an eruption76 from the Vesuvian temperament77 of the animal trainer. He wasn’t particularly disturbed at this because he had sized the signor up as a false alarm from the start, but it meant a disconcerting half hour or so and he was a little bit peeved78 that the fates should have allotted79 him anything that was not rosy80 and serene81 on what should have been a day of general rejoicing and glad acclaim82.
McClintock met him at the entrance to Jollyland. The manager wore an anxious look.
“Tony’s off the reservation,” he confided83. “He did a series of flip-flops in my office a half hour ago and I understand that he’s turning handsprings all around his arena84 at the present writing. He inquired about your health. I told him you had gone over to Philadelphia on a little business for me. Better stick to the office all day. He never keeps these things up for more than twenty-four hours. Grand little story, that, even if it did annoy the King of Beasts.”
点击收听单词发音
1 promenade | |
n./v.散步 | |
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2 wary | |
adj.谨慎的,机警的,小心的 | |
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3 wagon | |
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 | |
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4 underneath | |
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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5 covertly | |
adv.偷偷摸摸地 | |
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6 hind | |
adj.后面的,后部的 | |
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7 fumbled | |
(笨拙地)摸索或处理(某事物)( fumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 乱摸,笨拙地弄; 使落下 | |
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8 reins | |
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带 | |
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9 mischievous | |
adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的 | |
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10 reassured | |
adj.使消除疑虑的;使放心的v.再保证,恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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11 auxiliary | |
adj.辅助的,备用的 | |
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12 weird | |
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的 | |
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13 devoid | |
adj.全无的,缺乏的 | |
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14 adornment | |
n.装饰;装饰品 | |
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15 chattering | |
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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16 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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17 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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18 pedestrians | |
n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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19 chauffeurs | |
n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
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20 shrieked | |
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21 agile | |
adj.敏捷的,灵活的 | |
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22 eluded | |
v.(尤指机敏地)避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 );逃避;躲避;使达不到 | |
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23 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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24 labyrinthian | |
错综复杂的 | |
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25 maze | |
n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑 | |
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26 joyous | |
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
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27 onlookers | |
n.旁观者,观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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28 galaxy | |
n.星系;银河系;一群(杰出或著名的人物) | |
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29 sputtering | |
n.反应溅射法;飞溅;阴极真空喷镀;喷射v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的现在分词 );发劈啪声;喷出;飞溅出 | |
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30 fuming | |
愤怒( fume的现在分词 ); 大怒; 发怒; 冒烟 | |
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31 futile | |
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的 | |
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32 wield | |
vt.行使,运用,支配;挥,使用(武器等) | |
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33 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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34 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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35 sagely | |
adv. 贤能地,贤明地 | |
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36 guardians | |
监护人( guardian的名词复数 ); 保护者,维护者 | |
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37 pucker | |
v.撅起,使起皱;n.(衣服上的)皱纹,褶子 | |
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38 plaintive | |
adj.可怜的,伤心的 | |
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39 denizens | |
n.居民,住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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40 juncture | |
n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头 | |
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41 lieutenant | |
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员 | |
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42 congestion | |
n.阻塞,消化不良 | |
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43 clogged | |
(使)阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 ); 淤滞 | |
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44 trolley | |
n.手推车,台车;无轨电车;有轨电车 | |
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45 shrugged | |
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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46 comporting | |
v.表现( comport的现在分词 ) | |
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47 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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48 consternation | |
n.大为吃惊,惊骇 | |
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49 hostilities | |
n.战争;敌意(hostility的复数);敌对状态;战事 | |
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50 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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51 discreet | |
adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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52 checkered | |
adj.有方格图案的 | |
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53 playwright | |
n.剧作家,编写剧本的人 | |
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54 celebrity | |
n.名人,名流;著名,名声,名望 | |
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55 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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56 concession | |
n.让步,妥协;特许(权) | |
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57 truant | |
n.懒惰鬼,旷课者;adj.偷懒的,旷课的,游荡的;v.偷懒,旷课 | |
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58 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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59 perches | |
栖息处( perch的名词复数 ); 栖枝; 高处; 鲈鱼 | |
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60 herded | |
群集,纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 ); 放牧; (使)向…移动 | |
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61 inspector | |
n.检查员,监察员,视察员 | |
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62 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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63 vociferously | |
adv.喊叫地,吵闹地 | |
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64 eddies | |
(水、烟等的)漩涡,涡流( eddy的名词复数 ) | |
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65 dispersing | |
adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式 | |
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66 sanguine | |
adj.充满希望的,乐观的,血红色的 | |
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67 yarns | |
n.纱( yarn的名词复数 );纱线;奇闻漫谈;旅行轶事 | |
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68 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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69 burlesque | |
v.嘲弄,戏仿;n.嘲弄,取笑,滑稽模仿 | |
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70 marred | |
adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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71 cognomen | |
n.姓;绰号 | |
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72 impersonally | |
ad.非人称地 | |
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73 omission | |
n.省略,删节;遗漏或省略的事物,冗长 | |
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74 elation | |
n.兴高采烈,洋洋得意 | |
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75 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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76 eruption | |
n.火山爆发;(战争等)爆发;(疾病等)发作 | |
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77 temperament | |
n.气质,性格,性情 | |
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78 peeved | |
adj.恼怒的,不高兴的v.(使)气恼,(使)焦躁,(使)愤怒( peeve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79 allotted | |
分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80 rosy | |
adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的 | |
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81 serene | |
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的 | |
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82 acclaim | |
v.向…欢呼,公认;n.欢呼,喝彩,称赞 | |
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83 confided | |
v.吐露(秘密,心事等)( confide的过去式和过去分词 );(向某人)吐露(隐私、秘密等) | |
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84 arena | |
n.竞技场,运动场所;竞争场所,舞台 | |
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