As the barge10 swung around into the James that morning, the voyagers descried11 the flag of Saint George, bidding defiance12 to the Indian as it fluttered in the summer’s breeze from the mast of a ship just ahead.
“Look, there is Newport come again,” said Captain Smith. “Rouse up, Adam; the danger is long past.”
Uttering a hollow groan13, Adam raised himself from the bottom of the boat where he had lain since the mad race down the Pamunkey.
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“Lord, but I am thankful to see civilization again! If I am forgiven for this exploit, I will never be caught among those devils again; and if I only had a cup of sack, I swear I would feel like a human being once more.”
“How about those vows14 you made never to swear again, when you fell into that hole?” inquired Smith.
“There were reservations, man; mental reservations. I took care to put them in,” said the now courageous15 Adam.
With swift strokes they came alongside the English ship and hailed her, and as she slowed down, Captain Newport came to the side and called out to Smith:
“I have something on board that will delight your eyes. A fair gentlewoman, Mistress Forrest, and her maid, Anne Burras.”
With courtesies and smiles, the lady and her maid came forward to acknowledge the greeting of the voyagers.
“Beside such a pleasant sight, madam, the whole of His Majesty’s dominions16 in this land pale into insignificance,” said Captain Smith, sweeping17 his soft hat almost to the bottom of the boat as he stood to greet her.
Where were all the settlers who should have been upon the beach to greet them? Hardly a dozen could be seen strolling around idly or lolling under the trees.
“Where are all the men?” was Smith’s first greeting.
“They are at work in the woods, building a palace fit for the habitation of the President of this magnificent settlement,” ironically answered Percy.
Meantime, Wingfield had caught sight of Mrs. Forrest and her maid. “Shade of Henry VIII., I do believe it is the wilful20 Anne!” Hastening forward, his plumed21 hat swept the ground as he bent22 to Mrs. Forrest. Not quite so low was its sweep to Anne, but there was enough gallantry in his action, and admiration23 in his eye, to set the foolish little maid’s heart to fluttering. Not only in our day do maidens24 dream of being elevated to rank above the station in which they are born.
“Anne,” said Mrs. Forrest sharply, noting the confusion of her maid, and having no mind to encourage this unequal flirtation25, “look to the bales in which my gowns are packed, and have a care for the packet containing my ruffs.”
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The most commodious27 cabin was set apart for Mrs. Forrest and her husband, and during the ensuing days that thrifty28 lady speedily had her lares and penates safely housed.
It was a touching29 sight to see the home-longing in the eyes of the men as they passed her open door. No matter in what direction they were bound, their path always lay directly past her door and windows, where they could see the dainty Anne standing30 before the spinning-wheel, or bending over the fire tasting the contents of some savory31 mass bubbling and singing upon the crane.
Captain Smith had lost no time in seeking out the men engaged in building Ratcliffe’s house in the woods, under the direction of Laydon. Adam Clotworthy had already arrived there.
Toiling32 under the weight of huge logs and straining to lift them into position had worked the men up into mutiny. Mutterings of strange torments33 in the way of revenge were whispered from one to another. Adam, who had no liking34 for Ratcliffe, egged them on.
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“You fellows might just as well be slaves in Africa, toiling and moiling for some wooly-headed chief. Why not choose a President for yourselves? I have the very man in my eye.” Then he launched into a description of Smith’s exploits on the Pamunkey, embellishing35 the tale with such wonders as would have put Don Quixote to the blush. “I can tell you a few little tricks, I learned up there, of dealing36 with a traitor37, that are uncommon38 good.”
This recital39 acted as a lighted fuse to the gunpowder40 of their feelings, and the explosion took place just as Smith arrived. Throwing down axes, hammers, chisels41 and spades, they gave themselves up to fierce anger against Ratcliffe.
When he judged the moment to be ready, Adam threw up his hat and yelled, “Smith! Smith for President!” The cry, was taken up on every side as they moved in a body back to the settlement, carrying Smith in their midst.
So dark were their scowling42 looks, and so fierce their gestures, that Ratcliffe made haste to scuttle43 aboard Newport’s ship and place himself behind the protection of the guns. A vote was then taken, and by an overwhelming majority Captain Smith was elected President of the colony.
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As soon as the excitement quieted down a bit, Captain Smith drew John Laydon aside.
“Did you know a Mistress Forrest has arrived with Newport, bringing a maid called Anne Burras with her?” he said.
“Anne here?” John replied in bewilderment.
“Yes, I suspect it is that bewitching damsel. Have an eye upon Wingfield. Watch over her whenever possible.”
With his heart palpitating between love and fear of his reception, the young carpenter hastened to the cabin of Mrs. Forrest, where he found Anne looking through the window at the excited men and wondering what the trouble was.
“Good-day to you, Master John Laydon,” responded Anne, eyeing with disfavor his coarse woolen45 jerkin and rough, toil-worn hands.
“Is that all you have to say to me, Anne, after our long separation?” he pleaded, a hurt look creeping into his eyes. “My girl, I have dreamed of you day and night out here under the stars and glare of the sun. At first I longed to have you with me; but114 when cold and starvation killed off our men, and many died at the hands of the savage46, I thanked God you were safe in England.”
“You do me too much honor, Master Laydon,” replied the damsel, imitating in manner and gesture the carriage of her mistress.
“‘Master Laydon, Master Laydon,’” echoed the indignant John. “Your tone smacks47 too much of the fine lady, child.” Then changing his tone to one of persuasion48, he drew nearer and attempted to take her hand. “It used to be ‘John’ and ‘Anne,’ when we strolled through the lanes at home.” Snatching away her hand, and drawing her little body up, Anne scornfully replied:
“A child does many things which it leaves off when it comes to know better. I must bid you good-by, as my time is of too much importance to idle it away.”
Turning away with a haughty49 inclination50 of her head, she went into another room and made straight for a window where she could see the disconsolate51 John moving away.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. It was truly delightful52 to have a handsome gentleman like Wingfield paying her compliments, 115 and at the same time the despairing John was not to be despised. He served as a somber53 background to her glowing dreams.
As the summer ripened54, many stealthy meetings with Wingfield, filled with compliments and airy nothings, alluring55 as a mirage56 and as tangible57 as a will-o-the-wisp, kept the ambitious maiden’s heart in a turmoil58 of excitement. That accomplished59 flatterer was too skilful60 a navigator to run his ship upon the rocks of definite words, although keeping in full sight of the green fields of her untutored heart. His pleasurable enjoyment61 in balking62 John changed into pure malice63 as the weeks drifted by. Everywhere he turned, the stern watchful64 eyes of the carpenter were upon him, and he often found him dogging his footsteps. This unceasing shadowing irritated the cowardly Wingfield. “If he keeps up this espionage65 on my movements, I will rid the colony of him,” he would mutter to himself.
点击收听单词发音
1 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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2 soothing | |
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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3 exhausted | |
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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4 ripples | |
逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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5 glades | |
n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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6 monarchs | |
君主,帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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7 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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8 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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9 fawn | |
n.未满周岁的小鹿;v.巴结,奉承 | |
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10 barge | |
n.平底载货船,驳船 | |
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11 descried | |
adj.被注意到的,被发现的,被看到的 | |
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12 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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13 groan | |
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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14 vows | |
誓言( vow的名词复数 ); 郑重宣布,许愿 | |
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15 courageous | |
adj.勇敢的,有胆量的 | |
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16 dominions | |
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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17 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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18 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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19 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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20 wilful | |
adj.任性的,故意的 | |
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21 plumed | |
饰有羽毛的 | |
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22 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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23 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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24 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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25 flirtation | |
n.调情,调戏,挑逗 | |
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26 chestnut | |
n.栗树,栗子 | |
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27 commodious | |
adj.宽敞的;使用方便的 | |
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28 thrifty | |
adj.节俭的;兴旺的;健壮的 | |
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29 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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30 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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31 savory | |
adj.风味极佳的,可口的,味香的 | |
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32 toiling | |
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉 | |
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33 torments | |
(肉体或精神上的)折磨,痛苦( torment的名词复数 ); 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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34 liking | |
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢 | |
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35 embellishing | |
v.美化( embellish的现在分词 );装饰;修饰;润色 | |
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36 dealing | |
n.经商方法,待人态度 | |
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37 traitor | |
n.叛徒,卖国贼 | |
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38 uncommon | |
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的 | |
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39 recital | |
n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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40 gunpowder | |
n.火药 | |
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41 chisels | |
n.凿子,錾子( chisel的名词复数 );口凿 | |
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42 scowling | |
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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43 scuttle | |
v.急赶,疾走,逃避;n.天窗;舷窗 | |
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44 rugged | |
adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的 | |
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45 woolen | |
adj.羊毛(制)的;毛纺的 | |
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46 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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47 smacks | |
掌掴(声)( smack的名词复数 ); 海洛因; (打的)一拳; 打巴掌 | |
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48 persuasion | |
n.劝说;说服;持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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49 haughty | |
adj.傲慢的,高傲的 | |
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50 inclination | |
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好 | |
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51 disconsolate | |
adj.忧郁的,不快的 | |
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52 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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53 somber | |
adj.昏暗的,阴天的,阴森的,忧郁的 | |
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54 ripened | |
v.成熟,使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55 alluring | |
adj.吸引人的,迷人的 | |
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56 mirage | |
n.海市蜃楼,幻景 | |
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57 tangible | |
adj.有形的,可触摸的,确凿的,实际的 | |
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58 turmoil | |
n.骚乱,混乱,动乱 | |
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59 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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60 skilful | |
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的 | |
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61 enjoyment | |
n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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62 balking | |
n.慢行,阻行v.畏缩不前,犹豫( balk的现在分词 );(指马)不肯跑 | |
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63 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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64 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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65 espionage | |
n.间谍行为,谍报活动 | |
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