"Afternoon, Algy," said I. "Been spending a strenuous1 morn carrying the old man's respirator—with his lunch inside?"
For answer Algy tipped me backwards2 off the log, and sitting down in my place, contemplated3 our hounds for some seconds.
"And are these the notorious Hare-'em Scare-'ems?" he inquired.
I nodded. "Yessir; absolutely the one and only pack of harriers operating in the war zone. Guaranteed gun-broke, shell-shocked, shrapnel-pitted and bullet-bitten."
Algy sniffed5. "What's that big brute6 over in the corner, he of the crumpled7 face and barbed smile? Looks like a bloodhound."
"Is a bloodhound," said Albert Edward. "If you don't believe me step inside and behave like raw rump steak for a moment."
Algy pointed8 his cane9. "And that creature industriously10 delousing itself? That's a wolf, of course?"
"Its wolfery is only skin-deep," said I. "A grey gander all but annihilated11 it yesterday. In my opinion it's a sheep in wolf's clothing."
Algy wagged his cane, indicating the remaining two couples.
"And these? What breed would you call them?"
Albert Edward grunted12. "You could call them any breed you like and be partly right. We've named them 'The Maconochies,' which, being interpreted, meaneth a little of everything."
"And how many hares have you killed?" Algy inquired.
"We haven't exactly killed any as yet," said I, "but we've put the breeze up 'em; their moral is very low."
"Well, my bold Nimrods," said Algy, "I'm sorry to say the game is up."
"What do you mean by 'game'?" objected Albert Edward. "I've told you before that this is a serious attempt to avert13 a plague of rodents14. Why, in Australia I've seen——"
Algy held up his hand.
"I know, I know. But some people who have not enjoyed your harrowing Colonial experience are a trifle sceptical. Listen. Last evening, as I was driving home with the old man through Vaux-le-Tour, whom should I see but you two sportsmen out on the hillside riding down a hare, followed at some distance by three mounted bargees——"
"The Padre, the Field Cashier and O.C. Bugs," Albert Edward explained. "We're making men of 'em. Go on."
—"followed at a still greater distance," continued Algy, "by a raging band of mongrels. By the way, don't you get your hunt the wrong way round, the cart before the horse, so to speak? I always thought it customary for the hounds to go first."
"In some cases the hare wouldn't know it was being hunted if they did," said I. "This is one of them. Forge ahead."
"Well, so far so good; the old gent was drowsing in his corner and there was no harm done."
"So you gave him a dig in the ribs15, I suppose, and bleated16, 'Oh, look at naughty boys chasing ickle bunny wabbit!'" sneered17 Albert Edward.
Algy wagged his head. "Not me. You woke him up yourself, my son, by tootling on your little tin trumpet18. He heard it through his dreams, shot up with a 'Good Lord, what's that?' popped his head out of the window and saw the brave cavalcade19 reeling out along the sky-line like a comic movie. He drank in the busy scene, then turned to me and said——"
Albert Edward interrupted. "I know exactly what he said. He said, 'Algy, me boy, that's the spirit. Vive le sport! How it reminds us of our young days in the Peninsular! Oft-times has our cousin of Wellington remarked to us how Waterloo was won on the playing——'"
Algy cut off the flow and continued with his piece. "He said to me, 'God bless my soul, if those young devils aren't galloping20 a hare!' I said, 'Sir, they maintain that they are doing good work by averting21 a threatened plague of rodents, a state of affairs which has proved very detrimental22 to the Anti-podes.'
"'Threatened plague of grandmothers!' replied the old warrior23. 'They're enjoying themselves, that's what they're doing—having a splendid time. Mind you, I've no objection to you young chaps amusing yourselves in secret, but this is too damn flagrant altogether. Just imagine the hullabaloo in the House if word of these goings-on got home. "B.E.F. enjoying themselves! Don't they know there's a war on? Cherchez le général and off with his head!" Trot24 round and see your dog-fancying friends and tell 'em that if they're fond of good works I recommend crochet25.' Thus the General. I must be off now, got to take the old bird up to have a peep at the War. Good-byee."
Algy tripped daintily off home again, twirling his cane and whistling cheerfully. Sourly we watched him depart.
"I believe that youth positively26 revels27 in spreading gloom," Albert Edward growled28. "Oh, well, I suppose we'll have to get rid of the dogs now. Orders is orders."
"But do you think they'll go?" I asked. "We've been feeding 'em occasionally of late."
"We'll herd29 'em down to where they can get wind of the infantry30 cookers," said Albert Edward; "once they sniff4 the rare old stew31 they'll forget all about us."
Accordingly an hour later we released our pack from the hen-house for the last time. They immediately gave chase to an errant tabby kitten, which threw off a noise like many siphons and shot up a tree, baffling them completely. We speedily herded32 them out of the chateau33 grounds, Albert Edward ambling34 in front, wringing35 mournful music out of his horn, and I bringing up the rear, snapping my whip-cracker under the sterns of the laggards36. We had no sooner left the park for the open grass country beyond when up jumped a buck37 hare, right from under our feet, and away went the pack rejoicing, bass38 and falsetto.
Albert Edward tugged39 his excited mare40 to a standstill. "Look at those blighters!" he shouted. "Hunting noses down in pukka style for the first time, just because they know we can't follow them. Oh, this is too much!"
"I don't see why we shouldn't follow them at a distance," said I. "We can pretend there's no connection—there is no connection really, we didn't lay 'em on. They're hunting on their own. We're just out for a ride."
Albert Edward winked41 an eye at me and gave his mare her head. The pack by this time was well across the plain, the wolf leading, noisily supported by the Maconochies and the bloodhound. Thrice the hare turned clear and squatted42, but, thanks to the blood dog's infallible nose, he was ousted43 each time and pushed on, failing visibly. He made a sharp curve towards the windmill, and Albert Edward and I topped the miller's fence in time to see the Maconochies roll him over among the weeds. We also saw something on the highway behind the mill which we had not previously44 noticed, namely a grey Limousine45. On a fallen tree by the wayside sat the General, his face as highly coloured as his hat. Towards us down the garden-path tripped Algy, twirling his cane and whistling cheerily. Albert Edward groaned46.
"Something in the demeanour of yon youth tells me he beareth our death-warrants. Here, you hold the horses while I feed the guillotine. This is by far, far the best thing that I have ever done."
He slung47 his reins48 and tottered49 to his doom50. I watched him approach within five yards of the old man when a strange thing happened. The General suddenly uttered a loud cry and, leaping to his feet, commenced to dance up and down the road, tearing and belabouring himself and swearing so outrageously51 that I had difficulty in holding the horses. His chauffeur52 and Algy rushed to his side, and they and Albert Edward grouped in a sympathetic circle while he danced and raved53 and beat himself in their midst. Presently the air seemed to be full of flying tunics54, shirts, camisoles, etc., and a second later I beheld55 the extraordinary spectacle of a Lieutenant-General dancing practically nude56 (expecting for his cap and boots) in the middle of a French highway, while two subalterns and a private smacked57 him all over, and most heartily58. For nearly a minute it continued, and then he seemed to get himself under control and was led away by Algy to his car, the chauffeur following, retrieving59 apparel off trees and bushes. Albert Edward, one quivering smirk60, wobbled up and took his reins. "By Jove! saved again. He can't very well bite the hand that spanked61 him, can he?"
"He sat on a waspodrome," said Albert Edward, "and they got on his tail."
点击收听单词发音
1 strenuous | |
adj.奋发的,使劲的;紧张的;热烈的,狂热的 | |
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2 backwards | |
adv.往回地,向原处,倒,相反,前后倒置地 | |
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3 contemplated | |
adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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4 sniff | |
vi.嗅…味道;抽鼻涕;对嗤之以鼻,蔑视 | |
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5 sniffed | |
v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 );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 | |
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6 brute | |
n.野兽,兽性 | |
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7 crumpled | |
adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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8 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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9 cane | |
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
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10 industriously | |
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11 annihilated | |
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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12 grunted | |
(猪等)作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 ); (指人)发出类似的哼声; 咕哝着说 | |
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13 avert | |
v.防止,避免;转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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14 rodents | |
n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 ) | |
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15 ribs | |
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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16 bleated | |
v.(羊,小牛)叫( bleat的过去式和过去分词 );哭诉;发出羊叫似的声音;轻声诉说 | |
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17 sneered | |
讥笑,冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18 trumpet | |
n.喇叭,喇叭声;v.吹喇叭,吹嘘 | |
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19 cavalcade | |
n.车队等的行列 | |
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20 galloping | |
adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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21 averting | |
防止,避免( avert的现在分词 ); 转移 | |
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22 detrimental | |
adj.损害的,造成伤害的 | |
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23 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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24 trot | |
n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 | |
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25 crochet | |
n.钩针织物;v.用钩针编制 | |
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26 positively | |
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实 | |
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27 revels | |
n.作乐( revel的名词复数 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉 | |
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28 growled | |
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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29 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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30 infantry | |
n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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31 stew | |
n.炖汤,焖,烦恼;v.炖汤,焖,忧虑 | |
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32 herded | |
群集,纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 ); 放牧; (使)向…移动 | |
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33 chateau | |
n.城堡,别墅 | |
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34 ambling | |
v.(马)缓行( amble的现在分词 );从容地走,漫步 | |
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35 wringing | |
淋湿的,湿透的 | |
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36 laggards | |
n.落后者( laggard的名词复数 ) | |
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37 buck | |
n.雄鹿,雄兔;v.马离地跳跃 | |
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38 bass | |
n.男低音(歌手);低音乐器;低音大提琴 | |
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39 tugged | |
v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40 mare | |
n.母马,母驴 | |
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41 winked | |
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
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42 squatted | |
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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43 ousted | |
驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 ); 革职; 罢黜; 剥夺 | |
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44 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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45 limousine | |
n.豪华轿车 | |
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46 groaned | |
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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47 slung | |
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往 | |
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48 reins | |
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带 | |
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49 tottered | |
v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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50 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
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51 outrageously | |
凶残地; 肆无忌惮地; 令人不能容忍地; 不寻常地 | |
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52 chauffeur | |
n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机;v.为…开车 | |
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53 raved | |
v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 );愤怒地说;咆哮;痴心地说 | |
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54 tunics | |
n.(动植物的)膜皮( tunic的名词复数 );束腰宽松外衣;一套制服的短上衣;(天主教主教等穿的)短祭袍 | |
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55 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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56 nude | |
adj.裸体的;n.裸体者,裸体艺术品 | |
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57 smacked | |
拍,打,掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58 heartily | |
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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59 retrieving | |
n.检索(过程),取还v.取回( retrieve的现在分词 );恢复;寻回;检索(储存的信息) | |
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60 smirk | |
n.得意地笑;v.傻笑;假笑着说 | |
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61 spanked | |
v.用手掌打( spank的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62 mania | |
n.疯狂;躁狂症,狂热,癖好 | |
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