Paul had requested Catrina and Maggie to drive as quietly as possible through the forest. The warning was unnecessary, for the stillness of snow is infectious, while the beauty of the scene seemed to command silence. As usual, Catrina drove without bells. The one attendant on his perch2 behind was a fur-clad statue of servitude and silence. Maggie, leaning back, hidden to the eyes in her sables3, had nothing to say to her companion. The way lay through forests of pine—trackless, motionless, virgin4. The sun, filtering through the snow-laden branches, cast a subdued5 golden light upon the ruddy upright trunks of the trees. At times a willow-grouse, white as the snow, light and graceful6 on the wing, rose from the branch where he had been laughing to his mate with a low, cooing laugh, and fluttered away over the trees.
“A kooropatka,” said Catrina, who knew the life of the forest almost as well as Paul, whose very existence was wrapped up in these things.
Far over the summits of the pines a snipe seemed to be wheeling a sentinel round. He followed them as they sped along, calling out all the while his deep warning note, like that of a lamb crouching7 beneath a hedge where the wind is not tempered.
Once or twice they heard the dismal8 howl of a wolf—the most melancholy9, the weirdest10, the most hopeless of nature’s calls. The whole forest seemed to be on the alert—astir and in suspense11. The wolf, disturbed in his lair12, no doubt heard and understood the cry of the watchful13 snipe and the sudden silence of the willow-grouse, who loves to sit and laugh when all is safe. A clumsy capercailzie, swinging along over the trees with a great flap and rush of wings, seemed to be intent on his own solitary14, majestic15 business—a very king among the fowls16 of the air.
Amid the topmost branches of the pines the wind whispered and stirred like a child in sleep; but beneath all was still. Every branch stood motionless beneath its burden of snow. The air was thin, exhilarating, brilliant—like dry champagne17. It seemed to send the blood coursing through the veins18 with a very joy of life.
Catrina noted19 all these things while cleverly handling her ponies20. They spoke21 to her with a thousand voices. She had roamed in these same forests with Paul, who loved them and understood them as she did.
Maggie, in the midst as it were of a revelation, leaned back and wondered at it all. She, too, was thinking of Paul, the owner of these boundless22 forests. She understood him better now. This drive had revealed to her a part of his nature which had rather puzzled her—a large, simple, quiet strength which had developed and grown to maturity23 beneath these trees. We are all part of what we have seen. We all carry with us through life somewhat of the scenes through which we passed in childhood.
Maggie knew now where Paul had learnt the quiet concentration of mind, the absorption in his own affairs, the complete lack of interest in the business of his neighbor which made him different from other men. He had learnt these things at first hand from God’s creatures. These forest-dwellers of fur and feather went about their affairs in the same absorbed way, with the same complete faith, the same desire to leave and be left alone. The simplicity24 of Nature was his. His only craft was forest craft.
“Now you know,” said Catrina, when they reached the hut, “why I hate Petersburg.”
Maggie nodded. The effect of the forest was still upon her. She did not want to talk.
The woman who received them, the wife of a keeper, had prepared in a rough way for their reception. She had a large fire and bowls of warm milk. The doors and windows had been thrown wide open by Paul’s orders. He wanted to spare Maggie too intimate an acquaintance with a Russian interior. The hut was really a shooting-box built by Paul some years earlier, and inhabited by a head-keeper, one learned in the ways of bear and wolf and lynx. The large dwelling-room had been carefully scrubbed. There was a smell of pine-wood and soap. The table, ready spread with a simple luncheon25, took up nearly the whole of the room.
While the two girls were warming themselves, a keeper came to the door of the hut and asked to see Catrina. He stood in the little door-way, completely filling it, and explained that he could not come in, as the buckles26 and straps27 of his snow-shoes were clogged28 and frozen. He wore the long Norwegian snow-shoes, and was held to be the quickest runner in the country.
Catrina had a long conversation with the man, who stood hatless, ruddy, and shy.
“It is,” she then explained to Maggie, “Paul’s own man, who always loads for him and carries his spare gun. He has sent him to tell us that the game has been ringed, and that the beaters will close in on a place called the Schapka Clearing, where there is a woodman’s refuge. If we care to put on our snow-shoes, this man will guide us to the clearing and take care of us till the battue is over.”
Of course Maggie welcomed the proposal with delight, and after a hasty luncheon the three glided29 off through the forest as noiselessly as they had come. After a tiring walk of an hour and more they came to the clearing, and were duly concealed30 in the hut.
No one, the keeper told the ladies, except Paul, knew of their presence in the little wooden house. The arrangements of the beat had been slightly altered at the last moment after the hunters had separated. The keeper lighted a small fire and shyly attended to the ladies, removing their snow-shoes with clumsy fingers. He closed the door, and arranged a branch of larch31 across the window so that they could stand near it without being seen.
They had not been there long before De Chauxville appeared. He moved quickly across the clearing, skimming over the snow with long, sweeping32 strides. Two keepers followed him, and after having shown him the rough hiding-place prepared for him, silently withdrew to their places. Soon Karl Steinmetz came from another direction, and took up his position rather nearer to the hut, in a thicket33 of pine and dwarf34 oak. He was only twenty yards away from the refuge where the girls were concealed.
It was not long before Paul came. He was quite alone, and suddenly appeared at the far end of the clearing, in very truth a mighty35 hunter, standing36 nearly seven feet on his snow-shoes. One rifle he carried in his hand, another slung37 across his back. It was like a silent scene on a stage. The snow-white clearing, with long-drawn38 tracks across it where the snow-shoes had passed, the still trees, the brilliant sun, and the blue depths of the forest behind; while Paul, like the hero of some grim Arctic saga39, a huge fur-clad Northern giant, stood alone in the desolation.
From his attitude it was apparent that he was listening. It was probable that the cries of the birds and the distant howl of a wolf told his practised ears how near the beaters were. He presently moved across to where De Chauxville was hidden, spoke some words of advice or warning to him, and pointed40 with his gloved hand in the direction whence the game might be expected to come.
It subsequently transpired41 that Paul was asking De Chauxville the whereabouts of Steinmetz, who had gained his place of concealment42 unobserved by either. De Chauxville could give him no information, and Paul went away to his post dissatisfied. Karl Steinmetz must have seen them; he must have divined the subject of their conversation; but he remained hidden and gave no sign.
Paul’s post was behind a fallen tree, and the watchers in the hut could see him, while he was completely hidden from any animal that might enter the open clearing from the far end. He turned and looked hard at the hut; but the larch branch across the window effectually prevented him from discovering whether any one was behind it or not.
Thus they all waited in suspense. A blackcock skimmed across the open space and disappeared unmolested. A wolf—gray, gaunt, sneaking43, and lurching in his gait—trotted44 into the clearing and stood listening with evil lips drawn back. The two girls watched him breathlessly. When he trotted on unmolested, they drew a deep breath as if they had been under water. Paul, with his two rifles laid before him, watched the wolf depart with a smile. The girls could see the smile, and from it learnt somewhat of the man. The keeper beside them gave a little laugh and looked to the hammers of his rifle.
And still there was no sound. It was still, unreal, and like a scene on the stage. The birds, skimming over the tops of the trees from time to time, threw in as it were a note of fear and suspense. There was breathlessness in the air. A couple of hares, like white shadows in their spotless winter coats, shot from covert45 to covert across the open ground.
Then suddenly the keeper gave a little grunt46 and held up his hand, listening with parted lips and eager eyes. There was a distinct sound of breaking branches and crackling underwood.
They could see Paul cautiously rise from his knees to a crouching attitude. They followed the direction of his gaze, and before them the monarch47 of these forests stood in clumsy might. A bear had shambled to the edge of the clearing and was standing upright, growling48 and grumbling49 to himself, his great paws waving from side to side, his shaggy head thrust forward with a recurring50 jerk singularly suggestive of a dandy with an uncomfortable collar. These bears of Northern Russia have not the reputation of being very fierce unless they are aroused from their winter quarters, when their wrath51 knows no bounds and their courage recognizes no danger. An angry bear is afraid of no living man or beast. Moreover, these kings of the Northern forests are huge beasts, capable of smothering52 a strong man by falling on him and lying there—a death which has come to more than one daring hunter. The beast’s favorite method of dealing53 with his foe54 is to claw him to death, or else hug him till his ribs55 are snapped and crushed into his vitals.
The bear stood poking56 his head and looking about with little, fiery57, bloodshot eyes for something to destroy. His rage was manifest, and in his strength he was a grand sight. The majesty58 of power and a dauntless courage were his.
It was De Chauxville’s shot, and while keeping his eye on the bear, Paul glanced impatiently over his shoulder from time to time, wondering why the Frenchman did not fire. The bear was a huge one, and would probably carry three bullets and still be a dangerous adversary59.
The keeper muttered impatiently.
They were watching Paul breathlessly. The bear was approaching him. It would not be safe to defer60 firing another second.
There was another bear behind Paul, shambling toward him, unseen by him. All his attention was riveted63 on the huge brute64 forty yards in front of him. It was Claude de Chauxville’s task to protect Paul from any flank or rear attack; and Claude de Chauxville was peering over his covert, watching with blanched65 face the second bear; and lifting no hand, making no sign. The bear was within a few yards of Paul, who was crouching behind the fallen pine and now raising his rifle to his shoulder.
In a flash of comprehension the two girls saw all, through the panes66 of the closed window. It was still singularly like a scene on the stage. The second bear raised his powerful fore-paws as he approached. One blow would tear open Paul’s brain.
A terrific report sent the girls staggering back, for a moment paralyzing thought. The keeper had fired through the window, both barrels almost simultaneously67. It was a question how much lead would bring the bear down before he covered the intervening dozen yards. In the confined space of the hut, the report of the heavy double charge was like that of a cannon68; moreover, Steinmetz, twenty yards away, had fired at the same moment.
The room was filled with smoke. The two girls were blinded for an instant. Then they saw the keeper tear open the door and disappear. The cold air through the shattered casement69 was a sudden relief to their lungs, choked with sulphur and the fumes70 of spent powder.
In a flash they were out of the open door; and there again, with the suddenness of a panorama71, they saw another picture—Paul kneeling in the middle of the clearing, taking careful aim at the retreating form of the first bear. They saw the puff72 of blue smoke rise from his rifle, they heard the sharp report; and the bear rolled over on its face.
Steinmetz and the keeper were walking toward Paul. Claude de Chauxville, standing outside his screen of brushwood, was staring with wide, fear-stricken eyes at the hut which he had thought empty. He did not know that there were three people behind him, watching him. What had they seen? What had they understood?
Catrina and Maggie ran toward Paul. They were on snow-shoes, and made short work of the intervening distance.
Paul had risen to his feet. His face was grave. There was a singular gleam in his eyes, which was not a gleam of mere73 excitement such as the chase brings into some men’s eyes.
Steinmetz looked at him and said nothing. For a moment Paul stood still. He looked round him, noting with experienced glance the lay of the whole incident—the dead form of the bear ten yards behind his late hiding-place, one hundred and eighty yards from the hut, one hundred and sixty yards from the spot whence Karl Steinmetz had sent his unerring bullet through the bear’s brain. Paul saw it all. He measured the distances. He looked at De Chauxville, standing white-faced at his post, not fifty yards from the carcass of the second bear.
Paul seemed to see no one but De Chauxville. He went straight toward him, and the whole party followed in breathless suspense. Steinmetz was nearest to him, watching with his keen, quiet eyes.
Paul went up to De Chauxville and took the rifle from his hands. He opened the breech and looked into the barrels. They were clean; the rifle had not been fired off.
He gave a little laugh of contempt, and, throwing the rifle at De Chauxville’s feet, turned abruptly74 away.
It was Catrina who spoke.
“If you had killed him,” she said, “I would have killed you!”
Steinmetz picked up the rifle, closed the breech, and handed it to De Chauxville with a queer smile.
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收听单词发音
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1
deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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2
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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3
sables
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| n.紫貂( sable的名词复数 )；紫貂皮；阴暗的；暗夜 | |
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4
virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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5
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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6
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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7
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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8
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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9
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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10
weirdest
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| 怪诞的( weird的最高级 )； 神秘而可怕的； 超然的； 古怪的 | |
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11
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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12
lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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13
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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14
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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15
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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16
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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17
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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18
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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21
spoke
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| 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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22
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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23
maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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24
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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26
buckles
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| 搭扣，扣环( buckle的名词复数 ) | |
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27
straps
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| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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28
clogged
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| （使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞 | |
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29
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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30
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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larch
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| n.落叶松 | |
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32
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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33
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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35
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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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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37
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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38
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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saga
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| n.(尤指中世纪北欧海盗的)故事，英雄传奇 | |
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40
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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41
transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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42
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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43
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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44
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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45
covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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46
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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47
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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48
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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49
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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50
recurring
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| adj.往复的，再次发生的 | |
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51
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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52
smothering
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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53
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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54
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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55
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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56
poking
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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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57
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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58
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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59
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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60
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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61
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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62
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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63
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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64
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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65
blanched
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| v.使变白( blanch的过去式 )；使（植物）不见阳光而变白；酸洗（金属）使有光泽；用沸水烫（杏仁等）以便去皮 | |
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66
panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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67
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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68
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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69
casement
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| n.竖铰链窗；窗扉 | |
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70
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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71
panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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72
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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73
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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74
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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