But one reason, perhaps, was that I had anticipated a narrative quite different; something agreeing with my previous surmises5.
Not a little puzzling, also, was his account of having seen islands the day preceding; though, upon reflection, that might have been the case, and yet, from his immediately altering the Parki's course, the Chamois, unknowingly might have sailed by their vicinity. Still, those islands could form no part of the chain we were seeking. They must have been some region hitherto undiscovered.
But seems it likely, thought I, that one, who, according to his own account, has conducted himself so heroically in rescuing the brigantine, should be the victim of such childish terror at the mere6 glimpse of a couple of sailors in an open boat, so well supplied, too, with arms, as he was, to resist their capturing his craft, if such proved their intention? On the contrary, would it not have been more natural, in his dreary7 situation, to have hailed our approach with the utmost delight? But then again, we were taken for phantoms8, not flesh and blood. Upon the whole, I regarded the narrator of these things somewhat distrustfully. But he met my gaze like a man. While Annatoo, standing10 by, looked so expressively11 the Amazonian character imputed12 to her, that my doubts began to waver. And recalling all the little incidents of their story, so hard to be conjured13 up on the spur of a presumed necessity to lie; nay14, so hard to be conjured up at all; my suspicions at last gave way. And I could no longer harbor any misgivings15.
For, to be downright, what object could Samoa have, in fabricating such a narrative of horrors—those of the massacre16, I mean—unless to conceal17 some tragedy, still more atrocious, in which he himself had been criminally concerned? A supposition, which, for obvious reasons, seemed out of the question. True, instances were known to me of half- civilized18 beings, like Samoa, forming part of the crews of ships in these seas, rising suddenly upon their white ship-mates, and murdering them, for the sake of wrecking19 the ship on the shore of some island near by, and plundering20 her hull21, when stranded22.
But had this been purposed with regard to the Parki, where the rest of the mutineers? There was no end to my conjectures23; the more I — indulged in them, the more they multiplied. So, unwilling24 to torment25 myself, when nothing could be learned, but what Samoa related, and stuck to like a hero; I gave over conjecturing26 at all; striving hard to repose27 full faith in the Islander.
Jarl, however, was skeptical28 to the last; and never could be brought completely to credit the tale. He stoutly30 maintained that the hobgoblins must have had something or other to do with the Parki.
My own curiosity satisfied with respect to the brigantine, Samoa himself turned inquisitor. He desired to know who we were; and whence we came in our marvelous boat. But on these heads I thought best to withhold31 from him the truth; among other things, fancying that if disclosed, it would lessen32 his deference33 for us, as men superior to himself. I therefore spoke34 vaguely35 of our adventures, and assumed the decided36 air of a master; which I perceived was not lost upon the rude Islander. As for Jarl, and what he might reveal, I embraced the first opportunity to impress upon him the importance of never divulging37 our flight from the Arcturion; nor in any way to commit himself on that head: injunctions which he faithfully promised to observe.
If not wholly displeased38 with the fine form of Samoa, despite his savage39 lineaments, and mutilated member, I was much less conciliated by the person of Annatoo; who, being sinewy40 of limb, and neither young, comely41, nor amiable42, was exceedingly distasteful in my eyes. Besides, she was a tigress. Yet how avoid admiring those Penthesilian qualities which so signally had aided Samoa, in wresting43 the Parki from its treacherous44 captors. Nevertheless, it was indispensable that she should at once be brought under prudent45 subjection; and made to know, once for all, that though conjugally46 a rebel, she must be nautically47 submissive. For to keep the sea with a Calmuc on board, seemed next to impossible. In most military marines, they are prohibited by law; no officer may take his Pandora and her bandbox off soundings.
By the way, this self-same appellative, Pandora, has been bestowed49 upon vessels51. There was a British ship by that name, dispatched in quest of the mutineers of the Bounty52. But any old tar48 might have prophesied53 her fate. Bound home she was wrecked54 on a reef off New South Wales. Pandora, indeed! A pretty name for a ship: fairly smiting55 Fate in the face. But in this matter of christening ships of war, Christian56 nations are but too apt to be dare-devils. Witness the following: British names all—The Conqueror57, the Defiance58, the Revenge, the Spitfire, the Dreadnaught, the Thunderer, and the Tremendous; not omitting the Etna, which, in the Roads of Corfu, was struck by lightning, coming nigh being consumed by fire from above. But almost potent59 as Moses' rod, Franklin's proved her salvation60.
With the above catalogue, compare we the Frenchman's; quite characteristic of the aspirations61 of Monsieur:—The Destiny, the Glorious, the Magnanimous, the Magnificent, the Conqueror, the Triumphant62, the Indomitable, the Intrepid63, the Mont-Blanc. Lastly, the Dons; who have ransacked64 the theology of the religion of peace for fine names for their fighting ships; stopping not at designating one of their three-deckers, The Most Holy Trinity. But though, at Trafalgar, the Santissima Trinidada thundered like Sinai, her thunders were silenced by the victorious65 cannonade of the Victory.
And without being blown into splinters by artillery67, how many of these Redoubtables and Invincibles have succumbed68 to the waves, and like braggarts gone down before hurricanes, with their bravadoes broad on their bows.
Much better the American names (barring Scorpions69, Hornets, and Wasps;) Ohio, Virginia, Carolina, Vermont. And if ever these Yankees fight great sea engagements—which Heaven forefend!—how glorious, poetically70 speaking, to range up the whole federated fleet, and pour forth71 a broadside from Florida to Maine. Ay, ay, very glorious indeed! yet in that proud crowing of cannon66, how shall the shade of peace-loving Penn be astounded72, to see the mightiest73 murderer of them all, the great Pennsylvania, a very namesake of his. Truly, the Pennsylvania's guns should be the wooden ones, called by men-of- war's-men, Quakers.
Now, in its proper place, I omitted to mention, that shortly after descending75 from the rigging, and while Samoa was rehearsing his adventures, dame76 Annatoo had stolen below into the forecastle, intent upon her chattels77. And finding them all in mighty78 disarray79, she returned to the deck prodigiously80, excited, and glancing angrily toward Jarl and me, showered a whole torrent81 of objurgations into both ears of Samoa.
This contempt of my presence surprised me at first; but perhaps women are less apt to be impressed by a pretentious82 demeanor83, than men.
Now, to use a fighting phrase, there is nothing like boarding an enemy in the smoke. And therefore, upon this first token of Annatoo's termagant qualities, I gave her to understand—craving her pardon— that neither the vessel50 nor aught therein was hers; but that every thing belonged to the owners in Lahina. I added, that at all hazards, a stop must be put to her pilferings. Rude language for feminine ears; but how to be avoided? Here was an infatuated woman, who, according to Samoa's account, had been repeatedly detected in the act of essaying to draw out the screw-bolts which held together the planks84. Tell me; was she not worse than the Load-Stone Rock, sailing by which a stout29 ship fell to pieces?
During this scene, Samoa said little. Perhaps he was secretly pleased that his matrimonial authority was reinforced by myself and my Viking, whose views of the proper position of wives at sea, so fully9 corresponded with his own; however difficult to practice, those purely85 theoretical ideas of his had hitherto proved.
Once more turning to Annatoo, now looking any thing but amiable, I — observed, that all her clamors would be useless; and that if it came to the worst, the Parki had a hull that would hold her.
In the end she went off in a fit of the sulks; sitting down on the windlass and glaring; her arms akimbo, and swaying from side to side; while ever and anon she gave utterance86 to a dismal87 chant. It sounded like an invocation to the Cholos to rise and dispatch us.
点击收听单词发音
1 abounding | |
adj.丰富的,大量的v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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2 savor | |
vt.品尝,欣赏;n.味道,风味;情趣,趣味 | |
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3 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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4 recitals | |
n.独唱会( recital的名词复数 );独奏会;小型音乐会、舞蹈表演会等;一系列事件等的详述 | |
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5 surmises | |
v.臆测,推断( surmise的第三人称单数 );揣测;猜想 | |
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6 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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7 dreary | |
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的 | |
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8 phantoms | |
n.鬼怪,幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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9 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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10 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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11 expressively | |
ad.表示(某事物)地;表达地 | |
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12 imputed | |
v.把(错误等)归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13 conjured | |
用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 ); 祈求,恳求; 变戏法; (变魔术般地) 使…出现 | |
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14 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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15 misgivings | |
n.疑虑,担忧,害怕;疑虑,担心,恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 );疑惧 | |
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16 massacre | |
n.残杀,大屠杀;v.残杀,集体屠杀 | |
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17 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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18 civilized | |
a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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19 wrecking | |
破坏 | |
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20 plundering | |
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
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21 hull | |
n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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22 stranded | |
a.搁浅的,进退两难的 | |
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23 conjectures | |
推测,猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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24 unwilling | |
adj.不情愿的 | |
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25 torment | |
n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠 | |
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26 conjecturing | |
v. & n. 推测,臆测 | |
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27 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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28 skeptical | |
adj.怀疑的,多疑的 | |
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30 stoutly | |
adv.牢固地,粗壮的 | |
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31 withhold | |
v.拒绝,不给;使停止,阻挡 | |
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32 lessen | |
vt.减少,减轻;缩小 | |
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33 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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34 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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35 vaguely | |
adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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36 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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37 divulging | |
v.吐露,泄露( divulge的现在分词 ) | |
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38 displeased | |
a.不快的 | |
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39 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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40 sinewy | |
adj.多腱的,强壮有力的 | |
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41 comely | |
adj.漂亮的,合宜的 | |
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42 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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43 wresting | |
动词wrest的现在进行式 | |
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44 treacherous | |
adj.不可靠的,有暗藏的危险的;adj.背叛的,背信弃义的 | |
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45 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
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46 conjugally | |
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47 nautically | |
在航海方面 | |
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48 tar | |
n.柏油,焦油;vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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49 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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51 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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52 bounty | |
n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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53 prophesied | |
v.预告,预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54 wrecked | |
adj.失事的,遇难的 | |
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55 smiting | |
v.猛打,重击,打击( smite的现在分词 ) | |
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56 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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57 conqueror | |
n.征服者,胜利者 | |
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58 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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59 potent | |
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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60 salvation | |
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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61 aspirations | |
强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 ); 志向; 发送气音; 发 h 音 | |
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62 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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63 intrepid | |
adj.无畏的,刚毅的 | |
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64 ransacked | |
v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 );抢劫,掠夺 | |
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65 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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66 cannon | |
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
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67 artillery | |
n.(军)火炮,大炮;炮兵(部队) | |
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68 succumbed | |
不再抵抗(诱惑、疾病、攻击等)( succumb的过去式和过去分词 ); 屈从; 被压垮; 死 | |
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69 scorpions | |
n.蝎子( scorpion的名词复数 ) | |
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70 poetically | |
adv.有诗意地,用韵文 | |
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71 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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72 astounded | |
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词);愕然;愕;惊讶 | |
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73 mightiest | |
adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 );巨大的;强有力的;浩瀚的 | |
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74 tack | |
n.大头钉;假缝,粗缝 | |
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75 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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76 dame | |
n.女士 | |
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77 chattels | |
n.动产,奴隶( chattel的名词复数 ) | |
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78 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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79 disarray | |
n.混乱,紊乱,凌乱 | |
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80 prodigiously | |
adv.异常地,惊人地,巨大地 | |
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81 torrent | |
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
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82 pretentious | |
adj.自命不凡的,自负的,炫耀的 | |
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83 demeanor | |
n.行为;风度 | |
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84 planks | |
(厚)木板( plank的名词复数 ); 政纲条目,政策要点 | |
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85 purely | |
adv.纯粹地,完全地 | |
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86 utterance | |
n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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87 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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