Huddled8 in the cabins of the Susan Constant, the God-speed, and the Discovery were one hundred and eight cavaliers of fortune. Not yet out of sight of the spires9 of home, discontent was already lifting its hydra-head in search of food.
“What fools we were ever to have listened to that conniving10 Smith,” murmured Kendall, addressing Martin standing11 near. “He is already hatching plots for making himself King of Virginia. Watch him seated yonder studying the map of Amadas and Barlow. See how he is knitting his brows and gazing far in the distance as he38 sees in imagination his kingdom in his power. I tell you, he is dangerous. Yesterday I saw him talking with that sanctimonious12 parson Hunt. Doubtless his reverence13 does not stand very well with the Higher Powers, or there would be an abatement14 of this cursed storm.”
George Maria Wingfield, strolling from one port-hole to another, dreaming of the vast wealth which he intended to store up in this new land, overheard the speech of Kendall and stored it up for future use. He determined15, as soon as they were well out to sea, that he would stir up the men against Smith and see what would come of it. His malignant16 nature could not bear to hear of the success of another.
Up on the deck Bartholomew Gosnold paced back and forth17, unheeding the hail driving against his weather-beaten countenance19. As he swept the vast rolling billows with his glass, he muttered to himself, “Why couldn’t they heed18 my advice, and pursue the track which I have discovered, instead of following the old route of Columbus?”
In the cabin of the Susan Constant sat John Laydon, a young carpenter, with his head buried in his hands. In mind he was back again in a rustic20 cottage in Devonshire.39 Roses clambered over it in summer and the hawthorn21 blossoms whitened the hedges enclosing it—a casket holding the jewel of his heart’s desire, pretty Anne Burras.
The dainty maiden22 has kept his honest heart in a state of constant turmoil23 with her coquettish wiles24. He was never sure of her, and even now knew not whether she had returned his love.
Suddenly he clinched25 his brawny26 hands, and a deep scowl27 ploughed his forehead as he thought of that caitiff Wingfield, whose pretentious28 home lay only a short distance from Anne’s. Many a time John had caught sight of him riding down the lane and stopping at the gate of the cottage to whisper flattering words into the shell-like ears of Anne, and his honeyed words had dazzled her and perhaps touched her heart.
When the day’s work was done, John had gone to see her, and as they sat upon the porch with the moonlight filtering through the meshes29 of the vines he had remonstrated30 with her.
“Anne, you know that he is a gentleman, and will mate with one his equal in station. He is only trifling31 with you to pass the time. Better listen to an honest man’s40 love, who has your dearest interest at heart.”
Perhaps if John returned with wealth from that distant land, she might listen to his suit—mind you, perhaps.
“You cannot be a fine lady, Anne. It was an unfortunate day when you took service with Mistress Forrest, for although she has been a kind mistress, your head has been turned by the compliments of the gentlemen who resort to her house. You dream of fine clothes, a coach to ride in, and a maid to wait upon you; but I tell you, only grief will come of it.”
But no pleadings of her suitor had had any effect on the pretty maiden, and, sore at heart, he had left her to seek his fortune in the New World. What was his surprise to see Wingfield among the passengers when he went on board the ship.
“Ha, it is you, Laydon. Pity you could not bring the pretty Anne along,” said Wingfield with a sneer33.
With a fierce scowl, Laydon flung a hot reply.
“Leave her alone. Honest men do not trifle with simple maidens34, and if you ever41 do her a wrong, I will throttle35 you even if I hang for it!”
Wingfield retorted with a contemptuous laugh.
Finally the storm lulled36, and the voyagers, pursuing the old track over which Eleanor Dare had sailed, came to the West Indies. There they landed in the bright and fickle37 month of April, to rest their sea-worn bodies and soothe38 their distraught tempers.
Down in the hold of the God-speed lay a young prisoner manacled in irons. Curly brown hair waved over his forehead, long mustachios adorned39 his upper lip and eyes full of intelligence, together with firmly closed lips, in the corners of which lurked40 a smile, marked him as a man of strong character.
He had been miraculously41 preserved by Providence42 to be the connecting link between the lost “City of Raleigh” and the future settlement at Jamestown.
A coat of mail covered his body, fitting down snugly43 over his Turk-like trousers which were met by huge French boots, with wide overturning tops, settling in deep wrinkles around his ankles. No premonition of the part he was to play in the coming drama of Virginia came to him as he42 lay and listened to the men going backward and forward to the tropical island.
Presently John Laydon came, bringing the prisoner a luscious44 orange and soft yellow banana gathered on shore. Sitting down beside Captain Smith, he peeled the tempting45 fruit and offered it to him.
“Thank you, Laydon; it was very kind of you to remember me. Now that we are alone, I would like to ask you a question. What is the trouble between you and Wingfield?”
His sympathetic tones unlocked the lips of the young carpenter. He poured out the recital46 of his wrongs at the hand of Wingfield.
“Cheer up, Laydon; things may turn out better than you dream; but keep a watchful47 eye upon Wingfield. If I read him truly, he is not above doing you a mischief48 out of pure malice49. It is owing to his efforts that I am a prisoner. He and Kendall have filled the men’s minds with suspicion and unkindness toward me.”
About the end of April the colonists50 started northward51 along the coast of Florida, where the Spaniard was disputing the territory with the Indian, and steered52 for the entry to Roanoke Island. But they had not reckoned on the fidelity43 with which April pays her debts to May, particularly on the sea. A fierce storm, accompanied by its satellites of wind and rain, came rushing out of the Gulf53 of Mexico, and sent the ships speeding past the “City of Raleigh” like helpless birds scudding54 before the blast, into the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
There two capes55 stretched out long protecting arms to break the fury of the sea, and give the frightened voyagers time to collect their scattered56 senses.
“Let us call the capes Charles and Henry, after our sovereign’s sons,” said Percy. “May they prove as protecting to their subjects when they come to the throne. Yonder is a point of land, too, smiling friendly welcome. Let us spend the night there.”
This proposition met with ready assent57, and very soon their camp-fires were burning brightly, the evening meal prepared and speedily devoured58 by the hungry colonists, who had eaten little since the storm arose.
“What a comfort it is to tread on dry land once more,” said Gosnold, between mouthfuls of food.
“Aye, so it is,” replied Martin. “What says this worthy59 company to calling this44 spot Point Comfort? Let’s put it to vote. All in favor say ‘aye,’ those opposed ‘no.’ The ‘ayes’ have it.”
“Master Newport, read the sealed instructions for the government of the colony which were entrusted60 to you. Let’s hear the conditions under which we are now to live,” said George Percy.
Newport opened the sealed packet and proceeded to read the laws of the London Company for the new settlement. He was constantly interrupted by exclamations61 of astonishment62.
“Captain Smith appointed a member of the council? Good! now he will have to be released from imprisonment,” said Percy.
“He ought not to be allowed to have a hand in the affairs of the colony; he is too scheming,” interjected Kendall.
“No house and land for each man, and all to work for the common good!” exclaimed Laydon in a disappointed tone. The hope of winning Anne seemed farther away than ever.
The newly appointed council conferred among themselves, rejected Smith as a member, and appointed Wingfield president.
点击收听单词发音
1 carnival | |
n.嘉年华会,狂欢,狂欢节,巡回表演 | |
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2 vaulted | |
adj.拱状的 | |
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3 caverns | |
大山洞,大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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4 hurled | |
v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂 | |
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5 bellowing | |
v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的现在分词 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫 | |
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6 writhing | |
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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7 countless | |
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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8 huddled | |
挤在一起(huddle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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9 spires | |
n.(教堂的) 塔尖,尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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10 conniving | |
v.密谋 ( connive的现在分词 );搞阴谋;默许;纵容 | |
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11 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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12 sanctimonious | |
adj.假装神圣的,假装虔诚的,假装诚实的 | |
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13 reverence | |
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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14 abatement | |
n.减(免)税,打折扣,冲销 | |
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15 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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16 malignant | |
adj.恶性的,致命的;恶意的,恶毒的 | |
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17 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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18 heed | |
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心 | |
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19 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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20 rustic | |
adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬 | |
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21 hawthorn | |
山楂 | |
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22 maiden | |
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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23 turmoil | |
n.骚乱,混乱,动乱 | |
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24 wiles | |
n.(旨在欺骗或吸引人的)诡计,花招;欺骗,欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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25 clinched | |
v.(尤指两人)互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 );解决(争端、交易),达成(协议) | |
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26 brawny | |
adj.强壮的 | |
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27 scowl | |
vi.(at)生气地皱眉,沉下脸,怒视;n.怒容 | |
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28 pretentious | |
adj.自命不凡的,自负的,炫耀的 | |
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29 meshes | |
网孔( mesh的名词复数 ); 网状物; 陷阱; 困境 | |
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30 remonstrated | |
v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 );告诫 | |
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31 trifling | |
adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
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32 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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33 sneer | |
v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
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34 maidens | |
处女( maiden的名词复数 ); 少女; 未婚女子; (板球运动)未得分的一轮投球 | |
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35 throttle | |
n.节流阀,节气阀,喉咙;v.扼喉咙,使窒息,压 | |
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36 lulled | |
vt.使镇静,使安静(lull的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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37 fickle | |
adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的,不坚定的 | |
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38 soothe | |
v.安慰;使平静;使减轻;缓和;奉承 | |
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39 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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40 lurked | |
vi.潜伏,埋伏(lurk的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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41 miraculously | |
ad.奇迹般地 | |
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42 providence | |
n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝 | |
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43 snugly | |
adv.紧贴地;贴身地;暖和舒适地;安适地 | |
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44 luscious | |
adj.美味的;芬芳的;肉感的,引与性欲的 | |
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45 tempting | |
a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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46 recital | |
n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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47 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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48 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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49 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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50 colonists | |
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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51 northward | |
adv.向北;n.北方的地区 | |
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52 steered | |
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 );操纵;控制;引导 | |
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53 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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54 scudding | |
n.刮面v.(尤指船、舰或云彩)笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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55 capes | |
碎谷; 斗篷( cape的名词复数 ); 披肩; 海角; 岬 | |
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56 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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57 assent | |
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可 | |
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58 devoured | |
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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59 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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60 entrusted | |
v.委托,托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61 exclamations | |
n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 );感叹;感叹语;感叹词 | |
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62 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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