It is believed that several centuries have passed away since the Laird of Ballindalloch proposed to build himself a castle or peel-tower for his more secure abode21 in times when the prevalence of private feuds22 required strength of position and solidity of structure; and having, doubtless, first and foremost sat down, like a sensible man, to count the probable cost of his contemplated24 edifice25, he next, with yespecial prudence26, set about considering where he should find the best site to yerect it on; and after a careful examination of his domains28, he at last fixed29 on the vurra spot now occupied by those old foundations I spake of. This place possessed30 many advantages in his eyes, for, whilst it was itself overlooked by nothing, it not only commanded a pleasant prospect31 over all the haughs and low grounds of his own property, but it also enjoyed a view of the whole of the lands of Tullochcarron, lying on the opposite side of the Aven; and between that river and the Spey, above their point of junction32, and this the good man considered a thing of very great importance at a time when that property was in the hands of another laird, with whom, if there was not then a quarrel, yet nobody could say how soon a quarrel might arise.
This very weighty matter of consideration being thus settled in his own mind, he began his operations with vigour33. Numerous bodies of masons and labourers were applied34 to the work. In a few days the foundations were dug and laid, and several courses of the masonry35 appeared above ground, and the undertaking36 seemed to be going on in the most prosperous manner, and perfectly37 to the laird’s satisfaction.
But what was the astonishment38 of the workmen one morning, when, on returning by sunrise to their labour, [217]they discovered that the whole of the newly built walls had disappeared, aye, down to the vurra level of the ground! The poor fellows, as you may guess, were terrified beyond measure. Fain would they have altogether desisted from a work over which, it was perfectly plain, that if some powerful enemy had not the control, some strange and mysterious fatality39 must certainly hang. But in those days lairds were not men to whom masons, or simple delvers of the ground, could dare to say nay40. He of whom I am now telling you was determined41 to have his own way, and to proceed in spite of what had occurred, and in defiance42 of what might occur; and having sent round and summoned a great many more workmen in addition to those already employed, he set them to the work with redoubled vigilance, and ere the sun of another day went down, he had raised the walls very nearly to the height which they had reached the previous evening before their most unaccountable disappearance43.
But no sooner had the light of a new morning dawned, than it was discovered that the whole work had again disappeared down to the level of the ground. The people were frightened out of their senses. They hardly dared to go near the spot. But the terrors which the very name of the laird carried with it, swallowed up all their other terrors, as the serpent into which the rod of Moses was converted swallowed up all those that sprang from the rods of the magicians of Egypt; and as the laird only became so much the more obstinate44 from all these mysterious thwartings which he met with, the poor people were obliged to tremble in secret, and immediately to obey his will. The whole country was scoured45, and the number of workmen was again very much increased, so that what by cuffing46 and what by coaxing47 (means which I find it vurra beneficial to employ by turns to stimulate48 my own scholars to their tasks), nearly double the usual quantum of work was done before night. But, alas49! the next morning’s dawn proved that the building of this peel-tower of Ballindalloch continued to be like unto the endless weaving of the web of Penelope, for each succeeding morning saw the work of the previous day annihilated50 by means which no human being could possibly divine.
“What can be the meaning of all this?” said the laird to Ian Grant, his faithful henchman, vexed51 out of all [218]patience as he was at last by this most provoking and perplexing affair. “Who can be the author of all this mischief52?”
“Troth I cannot say, sir,” replied Ian. “The loons at the work think that it is some spite taken up against us by the good people.”1
“Good people!” cried the laird in a rage. “What mean you by good people? More likely fiends, I wot.”
“For the love of the Virgin53 use better terms, Ballindalloch,” replied Ian. “Who knows what ears may be listening to us unseen.”
“If I did not know thee to be as brave a fellow as ever handled a broadsword, I would say shame on thee, Ian, for a coward!” cried the laird. “Hark, ye! I would not wilfully54 anger the good people more than thou wouldst do. But I cannot help thinking that some bad people, some of my unfriends, some secret enemies of mine, of mortal mould, must have, somehow or other, contrived55 by devilish arts to do me all these ill turns.”
“It will be easy to find that out, sir,” said Ian, “we have only to plant a good guard all night on the works.”
“That was exactly what I was thinking of, Ian,” said the laird, “and I was a fool not to have thought of it before. Set the masons to their task again, then, without delay, and see that they be not idle, and take care to have a night-watch ready to mount over the work the moment the sun goes to bed. I’ll warrant me we shall find out the scoundrels, or if we do not, we shall at least have the satisfaction of putting a stop to their devilish amusement.”
None of Ballindalloch’s people, however brave, were very much enamoured of any such duty, however honourable56 it might have been considered. But his orders were too imperative57 to be disobeyed, and so some dozen or twain of stout58 handlers of the old broad-bladed Scottish spear were planted as sentinels to patrol around the walls during the night. These gallant59 fellows took care to carry with them some cordials to keep their spirits up, and by a liberal use of them, the first two or three dreary60 hours of darkness passed off with tolerable tranquillity61 and comfort, and as time wore on, and their courage waxed stronger and stronger, they began to be of the laird’s opinion, that [219]however wonderful previous yevents had appeared to be, there had in reality been nothing supernatural in them; and, moreover, whatever might be the nature of the enemy, they were by no means disposed to venture to molest62 the brave defenders63 of the new walls.
Full of these convictions, their contempt of all earthly foes64 increased, as their dread65 of unearthly enemies subsided66; and as there was an ancient and wide-spreading oak-tree growing within about forty or fifty paces of the walls, they thought that they might as well retire beneath the shelter of its shade, as some protection from the descending67 damps. This they were the more readily induced to do, seeing that from thence they could quite easily observe the approach of any suspicious people who might appear. Nay, they even judged that the cowardly enemy who might otherwise have been scared by observing so stout an armed band about the walls, might now be encouraged to show themselves by their temporary concealment68.
“Come away now, Duncan man,” said one of these heroes to a comrade, after they had drawn69 themselves together into a jovial70 knot, close to the huge trunk of the oak. “Come away, man, with your flask71. I’m wondering much whether the juice that is in its body be of the same mettlesome72 browst, as that which came with so heart-stirring a smack73 out of the vitals of Tom’s leathern bottle.”
“Rest its departed spirit, Charley! it was real comfortable and courage-giving stuff,” said another.
“By Saint Peter, but that’s no worse!” said Charley, tasting it and smacking74 his lips, “Hah! it went to my very heart’s core. Such liquor as this would make a man face the devil.”
“Fie! let us not talk of such a person,” said Tom. “I hope it is enow, if its potency75 amounteth even so high, as to make us do our duty against men like ourselves.”
“Men like ourselves!” cried Charley. “I trow such like as ourselves are not to be furnished from the banks of either Aven or Spey, aye, or from those of any other river or stream that I wot of. Give me another tug76 of thy most virtuous77 flask there, Duncan. Hah! I say again that the power of clergy78 and holy water is nothing to this. It would stir a man up to lay the very devil himself. What sayest thou and thy red nose, old Archy Dhu?” [220]
“I say that I think thou art speaking somewhat unadvisedly,” replied Archy, stretching out his hand at the same time, and taking the flask from Charley as he was about to apply it to his lips for the third time in succession.
“Stay thy hand, man. Methinks it is my turn to drink.”
“Silence!” said one who had command over them. “Can ye not moderate your voices, and speak more under breath? Your gabbling will spoil all.”
“Master Donald Bane hath good reason with him, gentlemen,” said Archibald Dhu, in a subdued79 tone. “For my part, I shall be silent;” and well might he say so, seeing that at that moment he turned aside to hold long and sweet converse80 with the flask.
“I tell ye, we must be quiet as mice,” said Master Donald. “Even our half-whispers might be heard by any one stealing towards the walls, amidst the unbroken stillness of this night.”
The night was indeed still as the grave. Not a leaf was stirring. Even the drowsy81 hum of the beetle82 was hushed, and no sound reached their ears but the tinkling83 music of the tiny rill that ran through the little runnel near them, in its way towards the ravine in the bank, and the soft murmur84 of the stream of the Aven, coming muffled85 through the foliage from below; when, on a sudden, a mighty86 rush of wind was heard to arise from the distant top of Ben Rinnes, which terribly grew in strength as it came rapidly sweeping87 directly towards them. So awfully88 terrific was the howl of this whirlwind, that the very hairs of the heads of even the boldest of these hardy89 spearmen stood stiff and erect27, as if they would have lifted up their iron skull-caps. Every fibre of their bodies quivered, so that the very links of their shirts of mail jingled90 together, and Aves and Paternosters came not only from the mouths of such brave boasters as Charley, but they were uttered right glibly91 by many a bold bearded lip to which, I warrant me, they had been long strangers. On came the furious blast. The sturdy oak under which they had taken shelter, beat every man of them to the ground by the mere bending of its bole and the writhing92 of its boughs93 and branches. Wild shrieks95 were heard in the air amid the yelling of the tempest, and a quick discharge of repeated plunges96 in the Aven below announced [221]to them that some heavy materials had been thrown into it. Again, the whirlwind swept instantaneously onwards; and as it was dying away among the mountains to the north of the Spey, an unearthly laugh, loud as thunder, was heard over their heads.
No sooner had this appalling97 peal98 of laughter ceased, than all was again calm and still as death. The great oak under which the discomfited99 men of the watch lay, heaped one on another, immediately recovered its natural position. But fear had fallen so heavily on these bruised100 and prostrate101 men-at-arms, that they dared not even to lift their bodies to the upright position; but creeping together around the root of the tree, they lay quivering and shaking with dread, their teeth chattering102 together in their heads like handfuls of chucky stones, till the sun arose to put some little courage into them with his cheering rays. Then it was that they discovered, to their horror and dismay, that the whole work done by the masons during the preceding day at the new building had been as completely razed103 and obliterated104 as it had ever been upon any of the previous nights. You may believe, gentlemen, that it required some courage to inform their stern master of the result of their night’s watch; and with one consent they resolved that Ian Grant, the laird’s henchman, should be first informed; and he was earnestly besought105 to be their vehicle of communication.
“Psha!” cried the laird impatiently, when the news reached him. “I cannot believe a word of this, Ian. The careless caitiffs have trumped106 up this story as an apology for their own negligence107 in keeping a loose watch. I’ll have every mother’s babe of them hanged. A howling tempest and an elrich laugh, saidst thou? Ha! ha! ha! Well indeed might these wicked unfriends of mine, who have so outwitted these lazy rascals108, laugh till their sides ached, at the continued success of their own mischief. I’ll warrant it has been some of Tullochcarron’s people; and if my fellows had been worth the salt that they devour109 at my expense, assuredly we might have had the culprits swinging on the gallows-tree by this time. So our men may e’en swing there in their stead.”
“If Tullochcarron’s people have done these pranks110, they must be bolder and cleverer men than I take them for,” said Ian calmly. “But before we set these poor [222]fellows of ours a-dancing upon nothing, with the gallows-tree for their partner, methinks we may as well take a peep into the stream of the Aven, where the wonderful clearness of the water will show a pebble111 at the depth of twenty feet. Certain it is that there came a strange and furious blast over these valleys last night; and there may be no harm in just looking into the Aven, to see if any of the stones of the work be lying at the bottom.”
“There can be no harm in that,” said the laird, “so let us go there directly.”
They went accordingly; and to the great surprise of both master and man, they saw distinctly that the bed of the river was covered over with the new hammer-dressed stones; and yet, on examining the high banks above, and the trees and bushes that grew on them, not a trace appeared to indicate that human exertions112 had been employed to transport them downwards113 thither114 from the site of the new building. The laird and his attendant were filled with wonder. Yet still he was not satisfied that his conjectures115 had been altogether wrong.
“If it has been Tullochcarron’s people,” said he doubtingly, “they must have enlisted116 the devil himself as their ally. But let them have whom they may to aid them, I am resolved I shall unravel117 this mystery, cost what it will. I’ll watch this night in person.”
“I doubt it will be but a tempting118 of powers against which mortal man can do but little,” said Ian. “But come what come may, I’ll watch with thee, Ballindalloch.”
“Then haste thee, Ian, and set the workmen to their labour again with all their might,” said the laird, “and let the masons raise the building as high as they possibly can from the ground before night; and thou and I shall see whether we shall not keep the stones from flying off through the air like a flight of swallows.”
The anxious laird remained all day at the work himself; and as you know, gentlemen, that the master’s eye maketh the horse fat, so hath it also a strange power of giving double progress to all matters of labour that it looketh upon. The result was, that when the masons left off in the evening, the building was found to have risen higher than it had ever done before. When night came, the same watch was again set about the walls; for the laird wished for an opportunity of personally convicting the [223]men of culpable119 carelessness and neglect of duty. To make all sure, he and his henchman took post on the embryo120 peel-tower itself.
The air was still, and the sky clear and beautiful, as upon the previous night, and, armed with their lances, Ballindalloch and his man Ian walked their rounds with alert steps, throwing their eyes sharply around them in all directions, anxiously bent121 on detecting anything that might appear like the semblance122 of treachery. The earlier hours, however, passed without disturbance123; and the confidence of the laird and Ian increased, just as that of the men of the guard diminished when the hour began to approach at which the entertainments of the previous night had commenced. As this hour drew near, their stolen applications to their cordial flasks124 became more frequent; but sup after sup went down, and so far from their courage being thereby125 stirred up, they seemed to be just so much the more fear-stricken every drop they swallowed. They moved about like a parcel of timid hares, with their ears pricked126 up ready to drink in the first note of intimation of the expected danger. A bull feeding in the broad pastures stretching between them and the base of Ben Rinnes bellowed127 at a distance.
“Holy Mother, there it comes!” cried Charley. In an instant that hero and all the other heroes fled like roe-deer, utterly128 regardless of the volley of threats and imprecations which the enraged129 laird discharged after them like a hailstorm as they retreated, their ears being rendered deaf to them by the terror which bewildered their brains, and in the twinkling of an eye not a man of them was to be seen.
“Cowards!” exclaimed the laird, after they were all gone. “To run away at the roaring of a bull! The braying130 of an ass10 would have done as much. Of such stuff, I warrant me, was that whirlwind of last night composed, of which they made out so terrible a story.”
“What could make the fellows so feared?” said Ian. “I have seen them stand firm in many a hard fought and bloody131 field. Strange that they should run at the routing of a bull.”
“And so the villains132 have left you and me alone, to meet whatever number of arms of flesh may be pleased to come against us! Well, be it so, Ian; I flinch133 not. I am [224]resolved to find out this mystery, come what may of it. Ian, you have stood by me singly ere now, and I trust you will stand by me again; for I am determined that nothing mortal shall move me hence till morning dawns.”
“Whatever you do, Ballindalloch,” replied his faithful henchman, “it shall never be said that Ian Grant abandoned his master. I will”——
“Jesu Maria! what sound is that?” exclaimed the laird, suddenly interrupting him, and starting into an attitude of awe134 and dread.
And no marvel135 that he did so; for the wail136 of the rising whirlwind now came rushing upon them from the distant summit of Ben Rinnes. In an instant its roar was as if a tempestuous137 ocean had been rolling its gigantic billows over the mountain top; and on it swept so rapidly as to give them no further time for colloquy138. A lurid139 glare of light shot across the sky from south to north. Shrieks,—fearful shrieks,—shrieks such as the mountain itself might have uttered, had it been an animated140 being, mingled141 with the blast. It was already upon them, and in one moment both master and man were whirled off through the air and over the bank, where they were tossed, one over the other, confounded and bruised, into the thickest part of a large and wide-spreading holly142 bush; and whilst they stuck there, jammed in among the boughs, and altogether unable to extricate143 themselves, they heard the huge granite144 stones, which had been that day employed in the work, whizzing through the air over their heads, as if they had been projected from one of those engines which that warlike people, the ancient Romans, called a balista or catapult; and ever and anon they heard them plunged145 into the river below, with a repetition of deep hollow sounds, resembling the discharge of great guns. The tempest swept off towards the north, as it had done on the previous night; and a laugh, that was like the laugh of a voice of thunder, seemed to them to re-echo from the distant hills, and made the very blood freeze in their veins146. But what still more appalled147 them, this tremendous laugh was followed by a yet more tremendous voice, as if the mountain had spoken. It filled the whole of the double valley of the Aven and the Spey, and it repeated three times successively this whimsical command, “Build in the Cow-haugh!—Build in the Cow-haugh!—[225]Build in the Cow-haugh!” and again all nature returned to its former state of stillness and of silence.
“Saint Mary help me!” cried Ian from his position, high up in the holly bush, where he hung doubled up over the fork of two boughs, with his head and his heels hanging down together like an old worsted stocking. “Saint Mary help me! where am I? and where is the laird?”
“Holy St. Peter!” cried the laird, from some few feet below him, “I rejoice to hear thy voice, Ian. Verily, I thought that the hurricane which these hellish—no—I mean these good people raised, had swept all mortals but myself from the face of this earth.”
“I praise the Virgin that thou art still to the fore23, Ballindalloch,” said Ian. “In what sort of plight149 art thou, I pray thee?”
“In very sorry plight, truly,” said the laird, “sorely bruised and tightly and painfully jammed into the cleft150 of the tree, with my nose and my toes more closely associated together than they have ever been before, since my first entrance into this weary world. Canst thou not aid me, Ian?”
“Would that I could aid thee, Ballindalloch,” said Ian mournfully; “but thou must e’en take the will for the deed. I am hanging here over a bough94, like a piece of sheep’s tripe19, without an atom of fushon2 in me, and confined, moreover, by as many cross-branches as would cage in a blackbird. I fear there is no hope for us till daylight.”
And in good sooth there they stuck maundering in a maze7 of speculation151 for the rest of the night.
When the morning sun had again restored sufficient courage to the men of the watch, curiosity led them to return to ascertain152 how things stood about the site of the building which they had so precipitately153 abandoned. They were horrorstruck to observe, that in addition to the utter obliteration154 of the whole of the previous day’s work, the laird himself, and his henchman Ian Grant, had disappeared. At first they most naturally supposed that they had both been swept away at once with the walls of the new building on which they stood, and that they could never hope to see them again, more than they [226]could expect to see the stones of the walls that had been so miraculously155 whirled away. But piteous groans156 were heard arising from the bank below them; and on searching further, Ballindalloch and his man Ian were discovered and released from their painful bastile. The poor men-at-arms who had formed the watch were mightily157 pleased to observe that the laird’s temper was most surprisingly cooled by his night’s repose158 in the holly bush. I need not tell you that he spoke148 no more of hanging them. You will naturally yemagine, too, that he no longer persevered159 in pressing the erection of the ill-starred keep-tower on the proud spot he had chosen for it, but that he implicitly160 followed the dread and mysterious order he had received to “Build in the Cow-haugh!”
He did, in fact, soon afterwards commence building the present Castle of Ballindalloch in that beautiful haugh which stretched between the Aven and the Spey, below their junction, which then went by the name of the Cow-haugh; and the building was allowed to proceed to its conclusion without the smallest interruption.
Such is the legend I promised you, gentlemen, and however absurd it may be, I look upon it as curious; for it no doubt covers some real piece of more rational history regarding the cause of the abandonment of those old foundations, which has now degenerated161 into this wild but poetical162 fable163.
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1
rivulet
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| n.小溪，小河 | |
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pellucid
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| adj.透明的，简单的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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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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checkered
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| adj.有方格图案的 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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mazes
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| 迷宫( maze的名词复数 )； 纷繁复杂的规则； 复杂难懂的细节； 迷宫图 | |
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gambols
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| v.蹦跳，跳跃，嬉戏( gambol的第三人称单数 ) | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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corroborative
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| adj.确证（性）的，确凿的 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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tripe
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| n.废话，肚子, 内脏 | |
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legendary
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| adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学） | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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feuds
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| n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 ) | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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domains
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| n.范围( domain的名词复数 )；领域；版图；地产 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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possessed
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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vigour
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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masonry
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| n.砖土建筑；砖石 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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fatality
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| n.不幸，灾祸，天命 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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43
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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44
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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45
scoured
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| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
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46
cuffing
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| v.掌打，拳打( cuff的现在分词 )；袖口状白血球聚集 | |
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47
coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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48
stimulate
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| vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋 | |
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49
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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50
annihilated
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| v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃 | |
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51
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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52
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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53
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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54
wilfully
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| adv.任性固执地；蓄意地 | |
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55
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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56
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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57
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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59
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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60
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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61
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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62
molest
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| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
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63
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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64
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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65
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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66
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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67
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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68
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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69
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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70
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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71
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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72
mettlesome
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| adj.（通常指马等）精力充沛的，勇猛的 | |
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73
smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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74
smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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75
potency
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| n. 效力，潜能 | |
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76
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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77
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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78
clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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79
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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80
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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81
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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82
beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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83
tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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84
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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85
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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86
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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87
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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88
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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89
hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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90
jingled
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| 喝醉的 | |
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91
glibly
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| adv.流利地，流畅地；满口 | |
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92
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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93
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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94
bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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95
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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96
plunges
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| n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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97
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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98
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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99
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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100
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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101
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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102
chattering
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| 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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103
razed
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| v.彻底摧毁，将…夷为平地( raze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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105
besought
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| 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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106
trumped
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| v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造 | |
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107
negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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108
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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109
devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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110
pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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111
pebble
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| n.卵石，小圆石 | |
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112
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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113
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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114
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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115
conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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116
enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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117
unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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118
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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119
culpable
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| adj.有罪的，该受谴责的 | |
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120
embryo
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| n.胚胎，萌芽的事物 | |
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121
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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122
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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123
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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124
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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125
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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126
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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127
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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128
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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129
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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130
braying
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| v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的现在分词 )；发嘟嘟声；粗声粗气地讲话（或大笑）；猛击 | |
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131
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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132
villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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133
flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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134
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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135
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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136
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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137
tempestuous
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| adj.狂暴的 | |
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138
colloquy
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| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
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139
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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140
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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141
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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142
holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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143
extricate
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| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
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144
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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145
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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146
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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147
appalled
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| 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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148
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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149
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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150
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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151
speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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152
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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153
precipitately
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| adv.猛进地 | |
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154
obliteration
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| n.涂去，删除；管腔闭合 | |
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155
miraculously
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| ad.奇迹般地 | |
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156
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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157
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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158
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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159
persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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160
implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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161
degenerated
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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162
poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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fable
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| n.寓言；童话；神话 | |
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