The men who brought these tidings were highly excited; and no sooner did they make known what they knew, than all Mondoldo was in a tumult4 of marveling.
Their story was this.
Going at day break to the Motoo to fish, they perceived a strange proa beached on its seaward shore; and presently were hailed by voices; and saw among the palm trees, three specter-like men, who were not of Mardi.
The first amazement5 of the fishermen over, in reply to their eager questions, the strangers related, that they were the survivors6 of a company of men, natives of some unknown island to the northeast; whence they had embarked7 for another country, distant three days' sail to the southward of theirs. But falling in with a terrible adventure, in which their sire had been slain8, they altered their course to pursue the fugitive9 who murdered him; one and all vowing10, never more to see home, until their father's fate was avenged11. The murderer's proa outsailing theirs, soon ran out of sight; yet after him they blindly steered12 by day and by night: steering13 by the blood- red star in Bootes. Soon, a violent gale14 overtook them; driving them to and fro; leaving them they knew not where. But still struggling against strange currents, at times counteracting15 their sailing, they drifted on their way; nigh to famishing for water; and no shore in sight. In long calms, in vain they held up their dry gourds16 to heaven, and cried "send us a breeze, sweet gods!" The calm still brooded; and ere it was gone, all but three gasped17; and dead from thirst, were plunged18 into the sea. The breeze which followed the calm, soon brought them in sight of a low, uninhabited isle; where tarrying many days, they laid in good store of cocoanuts and water, and again embarked.
The next land they saw was Mardi; and they landed on the Motoo, still intent on revenge.
Who could these avengers be, but the sons of him I had slain. I had thought them far hence, and myself forgotten; and now, like adders20, they started up in my path, as I hunted for Yillah.
But I dissembled my thoughts.
Without waiting to hear more, Borabolla, all curiosity to behold21 the strangers, instantly dispatched to the Motoo one of his fleetest canoes, with orders to return with the voyagers.
Ere long they came in sight; and perceiving that strange pros22 in tow of the king's, Samoa cried out: "Lo! Taji, the canoe that was going to Tedaidee!"
Too true; the same double-keeled craft, now sorely broken, the fatal dais in wild disarray23: the canoe, the canoe of Aleema! And with it came the spearmen three, who, when the Chamois was fleeing from their bow, had poised24 their javelins25. But so wan26 their aspect now, their faces looked like skulls27.
Then came over me the wild dream of Yillah; and, for a space, like a madman, I raved29. It seemed as if the mysterious damsel must still be there; the rescue yet to be achieved. In my delirium31 I rushed upon the skeletons, as they landed—"Hide not the maiden32!" But interposing, Media led me aside; when my transports abated33.
Now, instantly, the strangers knew who I was; and, brandishing34 their javelins, they rushed upon me, as I had on them, with a yell. But deeming us all mad, the crowd held us apart; when, writhing35 in the arms that restrained them, the pale specters foamed36 out their curses again and again: "Oh murderer! white curses upon thee! Bleached37 be thy soul with our hate! Living, our brethren cursed thee; and dying, dry-lipped, they cursed thee again. They died not through famishing for water, but for revenge upon thee! Thy blood, their thirst would have slaked38!"
I lay fainting against the hard-throbbing heart of Samoa, while they showered their yells through the air. Once more, in my thoughts, the green corpse39 of the priest drifted by.
Among the people of Mondoldo, a violent commotion40 now raged. They were amazed at Taji's recognition by the strangers, and at the deadly ferocity they betrayed.
Rallying upon this, and perceiving that by divulging41 all they knew, these sons of Aleema might stir up the Islanders against me, I — resolved to anticipate their story; and, turning to Borabolla, said— "In these strangers, oh, king! you behold the survivors of a band we encountered on our voyage. From them I rescued a maiden, called Yillah, whom they were carrying captive. Little more of their history do I know."
"Their maledictions?" exclaimed Borabolla.
So, moved by all this, he commanded them to be guarded, and conducted within his palisade; and having supplied them with cheer, entered into earnest discourse43. Yet all the while, the pale strangers on me fixed44 their eyes; deep, dry, crater-like hollows, lurid45 with flames, reflected from the fear-frozen glacier46, my soul.
But though their hatred47 appalled48, spite of that spell, again the sweet dream of Yillah stole over me, with all the mysterious things by her narrated49, but left unexplained. And now, before me were those who might reveal the lost maiden's whole history, previous to the fatal affray.
But, "Where now is your Yillah?" they cried. "Is the murderer wedded52 and merry? Bring forth53 the maiden!"
Yet, though they tore out my heart's core, I told them not of my loss.
Then, anxious, to learn the history of Yillah, all present commanded them to divulge54 it; and breathlessly I heard what follows.
"Of Yillah, we know only this:—that many moons ago, a mighty55 canoe, full of beings, white, like this murderer Taji, touched at our island of Amma. Received with wonder, they were worshiped as gods; were feasted all over the land. Their chief was a tower to behold; and with him, was a being, whose cheeks were of the color of the red coral; her eye, tender as the blue of the sky. Every day our people brought her offerings of fruit and flowers; which last she would not retain for herself; but hung them round the neck of her child, Yillah; then only an infant in her mother's arms; a bud, nestling close to a flower, full-blown. All went well between our people and the gods, till at last they slew56 three of our countrymen, charged with stealing from their great canoe. Our warriors57 retired58 to the hills, brooding over revenge. Three days went by; when by night, descending59 to the plain, in silence they embarked; gained the great vessel60, and slaughtered61 every soul but Yillah. The bud was torn from the flower; and, by our father Aleema, was carried to the Valley of Ardair; there set apart as a sacred offering for Apo, our deity62. Many moons passed; and there arose a tumult, hostile to our sire's longer holding custody63 of Yillah; when, foreseeing that the holy glen would ere long be burst open, he embarked the maiden in yonder canoe, to accelerate her sacrifice at the great shrine64 of Apo, in Tedaidee.—The rest thou knowest, murderer!"
"Yillah! Yillah!" now hunted again that sound through my soul. "Oh, Yillah! too late, too late have I learned what thou art!"
Apprised65 of the disappearance66 of their former captive, the meager67 strangers exulted68; declaring that Apo had taken her to himself. For me, ere long, my blood they would quaff69 from my skull28.
But though I shrunk from their horrible threats, I dissembled anew; and turning, again swore that they raved.
Perceiving the violence of their rage, and persuaded from what I — said, that much suffering at sea must have maddened them; Borabolla thought fit to confine them for the present; so that they could not molest71 me.
点击收听单词发音
1 chagrin | |
n.懊恼;气愤;委屈 | |
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2 isle | |
n.小岛,岛 | |
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3 dominions | |
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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4 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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5 amazement | |
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
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6 survivors | |
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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7 embarked | |
乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 ); 装载; 从事 | |
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8 slain | |
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词) | |
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9 fugitive | |
adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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10 vowing | |
起誓,发誓(vow的现在分词形式) | |
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11 avenged | |
v.为…复仇,报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 );为…报复 | |
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12 steered | |
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 );操纵;控制;引导 | |
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13 steering | |
n.操舵装置 | |
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14 gale | |
n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
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15 counteracting | |
对抗,抵消( counteract的现在分词 ) | |
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16 gourds | |
n.葫芦( gourd的名词复数 ) | |
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17 gasped | |
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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18 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
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19 recital | |
n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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20 adders | |
n.加法器,(欧洲产)蝰蛇(小毒蛇),(北美产无毒的)猪鼻蛇( adder的名词复数 ) | |
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21 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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22 pros | |
abbr.prosecuting 起诉;prosecutor 起诉人;professionals 自由职业者;proscenium (舞台)前部n.赞成的意见( pro的名词复数 );赞成的理由;抵偿物;交换物 | |
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23 disarray | |
n.混乱,紊乱,凌乱 | |
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24 poised | |
a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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25 javelins | |
n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
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26 wan | |
(wide area network)广域网 | |
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27 skulls | |
颅骨( skull的名词复数 ); 脑袋; 脑子; 脑瓜 | |
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28 skull | |
n.头骨;颅骨 | |
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29 raved | |
v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 );愤怒地说;咆哮;痴心地说 | |
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30 rave | |
vi.胡言乱语;热衷谈论;n.热情赞扬 | |
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31 delirium | |
n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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32 maiden | |
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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33 abated | |
减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 ); 减去; 降价; 撤消(诉讼) | |
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34 brandishing | |
v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 );炫耀 | |
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35 writhing | |
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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36 foamed | |
泡沫的 | |
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37 bleached | |
漂白的,晒白的,颜色变浅的 | |
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38 slaked | |
v.满足( slake的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39 corpse | |
n.尸体,死尸 | |
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40 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
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41 divulging | |
v.吐露,泄露( divulge的现在分词 ) | |
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42 delirious | |
adj.不省人事的,神智昏迷的 | |
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43 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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44 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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45 lurid | |
adj.可怕的;血红的;苍白的 | |
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46 glacier | |
n.冰川,冰河 | |
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47 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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48 appalled | |
v.使惊骇,使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的;丧胆的 | |
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49 narrated | |
v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50 impelled | |
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51 besought | |
v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的过去式和过去分词 );(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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52 wedded | |
adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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54 divulge | |
v.泄漏(秘密等);宣布,公布 | |
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55 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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56 slew | |
v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
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57 warriors | |
武士,勇士,战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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58 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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59 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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60 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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61 slaughtered | |
v.屠杀,杀戮,屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62 deity | |
n.神,神性;被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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63 custody | |
n.监护,照看,羁押,拘留 | |
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64 shrine | |
n.圣地,神龛,庙;v.将...置于神龛内,把...奉为神圣 | |
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65 apprised | |
v.告知,通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 );评价 | |
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66 disappearance | |
n.消失,消散,失踪 | |
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67 meager | |
adj.缺乏的,不足的,瘦的 | |
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68 exulted | |
狂喜,欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69 quaff | |
v.一饮而尽;痛饮 | |
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70 raven | |
n.渡鸟,乌鸦;adj.乌亮的 | |
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71 molest | |
vt.骚扰,干扰,调戏 | |
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