On the turf in the centre of the stage are some two hundred members of the well-known British family, Atkins. The matter in hand being merely that of life and death those in the rear ranks are whiling away the time by playing crown and anchor. Their less fortunate comrades in the prominence5 of the front ranks are "havin' a bit o' shut eye"—in other words are fast asleep sitting up, propped6 the one against the other.
Before them stands a Bachelor of Science disguised as a Second Lieutenant7. From the green and black brassard about his arm and the attar de chlorine and parfum de phosgene which cling about him in a murky8 aureole one would guess him to be connected with the Gas Service. And one would be quite correct; he is.
* * * * * * * *
Lecturer: "Ahem! Pay attention to me, please; I am going to give you a little chat on Gas. When you go up the line one of two things must inevitably9 happen to you; you will either be gassed or you will not. If you are not gassed strict attention to this lecture will enable you to talk as if you had been. On the other hand, if you are gassed it will enable you to distinguish to which variety you succumbed10, which will be most instructive.
"There are more sorts of gas than one. There is the Home or Domestic Gas, which does odd jobs about the house at a bob a time, and which out here is fed to observation balloons to get them off the earth. There is Laughing Gas, so called from the fun the dentist gets out of his victims while they are under its influence; and lastly there is Hun Gas, which is not so amusing.
"Three varieties of gas are principally employed by the Hun. The first of these is Chlorine. Chlorine smells like a strong sanitary11 orderly or weak chloride of lime. The second on our list is Mustard Gas, so called because it smells like garlic. Everything that smells of garlic is not Mustard Gas, however, as a certain British Division which went into the line alongside some of our brave Southern allies regretfully discovered after they had been sweltering in their masks for thirty-six long, long hours.
"The third and last is Phosgene. Phosgene has a greenish whitish yellowish odour all its own, reminiscent of decayed vegetation, mouldy hay, old clothes, wet hides, burnt feathers, warm mice, polecats, dead mules12, boiled cabbage, stewed13 prunes14, sour grapes, or anything else you dislike.
"As all these gases have a depressing effect on the consumer if indulged in too freely the War Office has devised an effective counter-irritant, the scientific wonder of the age, the soldier's friend and multum in parvo—in short, the Respirator-Box. Here you will observe I have a respirator-box as issued to the troops.
"There are other kinds with lace trimmings and seasonable mottoes worked in coloured beads15 for the use of the Staff; but they do not concern us. Let us now examine the ordinary respirator-box. What do we discover? A neat canvas satchel16, knapsack or what-not, which will be found invaluable17 for the storage of personal knick-knacks, such as soap, knives and forks, socks, iron rations18, mouth-organs, field-marshal's batons19, etc. Within the satchel (what-not or knapsack) we discover a rubber sponge-bag pierced with motor goggles20, a clothes-peg, a foot of garden hose, a baby's teether (chewers among you will find this a comforting substitute for gum), a yard or two of strong twine21 (first-aid to the braces), a tube of Anti-Dimmer (use it as tooth-paste, your smile will beam more brightly), and a record card, on which you are invited to inscribe22 your name, age, vote and clubs; your golf, polo and ludo handicaps; complaints as to the cooking or service and any sunny sentiments or epigrams that may occur to you from time to time.
"Should you be in the line and detect the presence of hostile gas in large numbers your first action should be to don your respirator-box and your second to give the alarm. The donning of the respirator is done in five motions by the best people:—
"1. Remove the cigarette, chewing-gum or false teeth from the mouth and place it (or them) behind the ear (or ears).
"2. Tear the sponge-bag out of the knapsack (what-not or satchel) and slap it boldly on the face as you would a mustard-plaster.
"3. Pin it to your nose by means of the clothes-peg.
"5. Swallow the teether and carry on with deep breathing exercises, as done by Swedes, sea-lions and such-like.
"The respirator once in position, pass the good news on to your comrades by performing fortissimo on one of the numerous alarums with which every nice front line is liberally provided. But please remember that gas alarms are for gas only, and do not let your natural exuberance24 or love of music carry you away, as it is liable to create a false impression; witness the case of some of our high-spirited Colonials, who, celebrating a national festival (the opening of the whippet racing-season in New South Wales) with a full orchestra of Klaxon and Strombos horns, rattles25, gongs, shell-cases, tin-cans, sackbuts, psalteries and other instruments of musick, sent every living soul in an entire army area stampeding into their smell-hats, there to remain for forty-eight hours without food, drink or benefit of clergy26.
"Having given you full instructions as to the correct method of entering your respirators I will now tell you how to extricate27 yourselves. You must first be careful to ascertain28 that there is no gas left about. Tests are usually made (1) with a white mouse, (2) with a canary.
"If the white mouse turns green there is gas present; if it don't there ain't. If the canary wags his tail and whistles 'Gee29! ain't it dandy down in Dixie!' all is well, but if it wheezes30 'The End of a Perfect Day' and moults violently, beware, beware! If through the negligence31 of the Quartermastering Department you have not been equipped with either mice or canaries do not start sniffing33 for gas yourselves, but remember that your lives are of value to your King and country and send for an officer. To have first sniff32 of all gas is one of an officer's privileges; he hasn't many, but this is one of them and very jealously guarded as such. If an officer should catch you snuffing up all the gas in the neighbourhood he will be justifiably34 annoyed and peevish35.
"Now; having given you all the theory of anti-gas precautions, we will indulge in a little practice. When I shout the word 'Gas!' my assistants will distribute a few smoke bombs among you, and every man will don his respirator in five motions and wend his way towards the gas-chamber, entering it by the south door and leaving it by the north. Is that quite clear? Then get ready. Gas!"
* * * * * * * *
Four or five N.C.O. Instructors36 suddenly pop up out of the gravel pit and bombard the congregation with hissing37 smoke grenades. The front ranks wake up, spring to their feet in terror and leg it for safety at a stretched gallop38, shedding their respirators for lightness' sake as they flee. The rear ranks, who, in spite of themselves, have heard something of the lecture, burrow39 laboriously40 into their masks. Some wear them as hats, some as ear-muffs, some as chest-protectors.
The smoke rolls over them in heavy yellow billows.
Shadow shapes, hooded41 like Spanish inquisitors, may be seen here and there crouched42 as in prayer, struggling together or groping blindly for the way out. One unfortunate has his head down a rabbit-hole, several blunder over the edge of the gravel pit and are seen no more.
The starchy N.C.O. Instructors close on the helpless mob and with muffled44 yelps45 and wild waving of arms herd46 them towards the south door of the gas-chamber, push them inside and shoot the bolts.
The R.A.M.C. Orderlies are busy hauling the bodies out of the north door, loading them on stretchers and trotting47 them across to the cemetery, at the gates of which stands the Base Burial Officer beaming welcome.
The lecturer, seeing the game well in progress, lights a pipe and strolls home to tea.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
gravel
|
|
| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
cylinders
|
|
| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
squad
|
|
| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
cemetery
|
|
| n.坟墓，墓地，坟场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
prominence
|
|
| n.突出；显著；杰出；重要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
propped
|
|
| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
lieutenant
|
|
| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
murky
|
|
| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
inevitably
|
|
| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
succumbed
|
|
| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
sanitary
|
|
| adj.卫生方面的，卫生的，清洁的，卫生的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
mules
|
|
| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
stewed
|
|
| adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
prunes
|
|
| n.西梅脯，西梅干( prune的名词复数 )v.修剪（树木等）( prune的第三人称单数 )；精简某事物，除去某事物多余的部分 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
beads
|
|
| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
satchel
|
|
| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
invaluable
|
|
| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
rations
|
|
| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
batons
|
|
| n.（警察武器）警棍( baton的名词复数 )；（乐队指挥用的）指挥棒；接力棒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
goggles
|
|
| n.护目镜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
twine
|
|
| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
inscribe
|
|
| v.刻；雕；题写；牢记 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
elastics
|
|
| n.松紧带，橡皮圈( elastic的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
exuberance
|
|
| n.丰富；繁荣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
rattles
|
|
| （使）发出格格的响声， （使）作嘎嘎声( rattle的第三人称单数 )； 喋喋不休地说话； 迅速而嘎嘎作响地移动，堕下或走动； 使紧张，使恐惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
clergy
|
|
| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
extricate
|
|
| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
ascertain
|
|
| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
gee
|
|
| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
wheezes
|
|
| n.喘息声( wheeze的名词复数 )v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
negligence
|
|
| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
sniff
|
|
| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
sniffing
|
|
| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
justifiably
|
|
| adv.无可非议地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
peevish
|
|
| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
instructors
|
|
| 指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
hissing
|
|
| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
gallop
|
|
| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
burrow
|
|
| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
laboriously
|
|
| adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
hooded
|
|
| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
crouched
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
asthma
|
|
| n.气喘病，哮喘病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
muffled
|
|
| 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） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
yelps
|
|
| n.（因痛苦、气愤、兴奋等的）短而尖的叫声( yelp的名词复数 )v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
herd
|
|
| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
trotting
|
|
| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |