He was a Kaid Mia already. Sheer luck had given him his first step.
When he first joined the Makhzen cavalry4 he found himself stablemates with an elderly Prussian named Fleischmann, who had served with Frederick the Great’s dragoons at Rossbach, Liegnitz and Torgau, a surly, drunken old sabreur with no personal ambition beyond the assimilation of loot, but possessed5 of experience and a tongue to disclose it. In his sober moments he held forth6 to Ortho on the proper employment of horse. He did not share the common admiration7 for the crack askar lances, but poured derision upon them. They were all bluster8 and bravado9, he said, stage soldiers with no real discipline to control them in a tight corner. He admitted they were successful against rebel hordes10, but did they ever meet a resolute11 force he prophesied12 red-hot disaster and prayed he might not be there.
His prayer was granted. Disaster came and he was not there, having had his head severed13 from his shoulders a month previously14 while looting when drunk and meeting with an irritated householder who was sober.
Ortho was in the forefront of the disaster. The black Janizaries, the Bou Khari, were having one of their periodic mutinies and had been drummed into the open by the artillery15. The cavalry were ordered to charge. Instead of stampeding when they saw the horse sweeping16 on them, the negroes lay down, opened a well-directed fire and emptied saddles right and left.
A hundred yards from the enemy the lancers flinched17 and turned tail, and the Bou Khari brought down twice as many more. Ortho did not turn. In the first place he did not know the others had gone about until it was too late to follow them, and secondly18 his horse, a powerful entire, was crazy with excitement and had charge of him. He slammed clean through the Bou Khari like a thunderbolt with nothing worse than the fright of his life and a slight flesh wound.
He had a confused impression of fire flashing all about him, bullets whirring and droning round his head, black giants springing up among the rocks, yells—and he was through. He galloped19 on for a bit, made a wide detour20 round the flank and got back to what was left of his own ranks.
Returning, he had time to meditate21, and the truth of the late (and unlamented) Fleischmann’s words came back to him. That flesh wound had been picked up at the beginning of the charge. The nearer he had got the wilder the fire had become. The negroes he had encountered flung themselves flat; he could have skewered22 them like pigs. If the whole line had gone on all the blacks would have flung themselves flat and been skewered like pigs. A regiment23 of horse charges home with the impact of a deep-sea breaker, hundreds of tons.
The late Fleischmann had been right in every particular. The scene of the affair was littered with dead horses and white heaps, like piles of crumpled24 linen—their riders. The Bou Khari had advanced and were busy among these, stripping the dead, stabbing the wounded, cheering derisively25 from time to time.
Ortho had no sooner rejoined his depleted26 ranks than a miralai approached and summoned him to the presence of Sidi Mahomet himself.
The puissant27 grandson of the mighty28 Muley Ismail was on a hillock where he could command the whole field, sitting on a carpet under a white umbrella, surrounded by his generals, who were fingering their beards and looking exceedingly downcast, which was not unnatural29, seeing that at least half of them expected to be beheaded.
The Sultan’s face was an unpleasant sight. He bit at the stem of his hookah and his fingers twitched30, but he was not ungracious to the renegade lancer who did obeisance31 before him.
“Stand up,” he growled32. “Thou of all my askars hast no need to grovel33. How comes it that you alone went through?”
“Sidi,” said Ortho, “the Sultan’s enemies are mine—and it was not difficult. I know the way.”
Mahomet’s delicate eyebrows34 arched. “Thou knowest the way—ha! Then thou art wiser than these . . . these”—he waved his beautiful hand towards the generals—“these sorry camel cows who deem themselves warriors35. Tell these ass-mares thy secret. Speak up and fear not.”
Ortho spoke37 out. He said nothing about his horse having bolted with him, that so far from being heroic he was numb38 with fright. He spoke with the voice of Fleischmann, deceased, expounded39 the Prussian’s theory of discipline and tactics as applied40 to shock cavalry, and, having heard them ad nauseam, missed never a point. All the time the Sultan sucked at his great hookah and never took his ardent41, glowering42 eyes from his face, and all the time in the background the artillery thumped43 and the muskets47 crackled.
He left the royal presence a Kaid Mia, commanding a squadron, a bag of one hundred ducats in his hand, and a month later the cavalry swept over the astonished Bou Khari as a flood sweeps a mud bank, steeled by the knowledge that a regiment of Imperial infantry49 and three guns were in their rear with orders to mow50 them down did they waver. They thundered through to victory, and the Kaid Sa?d el Ingliz (which was another name for Ortho Penhale) rode, perforce, in the van—wishing to God he had not spoken—and took a pike thrust in the leg and a musket45 ball in his ribs51 and was laid out of harm’s way for months.
But that was past history, and now he was watching his horses come in. They were not looking any too well, he thought, tucked-up, hide-bound, scraggy—been campaigning overlong, traveling hard, feeding anyhow, standing52 out in all weathers. He was thoroughly53 glad this tax-collecting tour was at a close and he could get them back into garrison54. His men drove them up to their heel-pegs, made them fast for the night, tossed bundles of grass before them and sought the camp fires that twinkled cheerily in the twilight55. A couple of stallions squealed57, there was the thud of a shoe meeting cannon58-bone and another squeal56, followed by the curses of the horse-guard. A man by the fires twanged an oud and sang an improvised59 ditty on a palm-tree in his garden at Tafilet:
“A queen among palms,
Very tall, very stately,
With glittering kisses.
And in the calm night time,
Among her green tresses,
The little stars tremble.”
Ortho drew the folds of his jellab closer about him—it was getting mighty cold—stopped to speak to a farrier on the subject of the shoe shortage and sought the miserable61 tent which he shared with his lieutenant62, Osman Baki, a Turkish adventurer from Rumeli Hissar.
Osman was just in from headquarters and had news. The engineers reported their mines laid and the Sari was going to blow the town walls at moonrise—in an hour’s time. The infantry were already mustering63, but there were no orders for the horse. The Sari was in a vile64 temper, had commanded that all male rebels were to be killed on sight, women optional—looting was open. Osman picked a mutton bone, chattering65 and shaking; the mountain cold had brought out his fever. He would not go storming that night, he said, not for the plunder66 of Vienna; slung67 the mutton bone out of doors, curled up on the ground, using his saddle for pillow, and pulled every available covering over himself.
Ortho ate his subordinate’s share of the meager68 repast, stripped himself to his richly laced kaftan, stuck a knife in his sash, picked up a sword and a torch and went out.
The general was short of cavalry, unwilling69 to risk his precious bodyguard70, and had therefore not ordered them into the attack. Ortho was going nevertheless; he was not in love with fighting, but he wanted money—he always wanted money.
He walked along the camp fires, picked ten of the stoutest71 and most rascally72 of his rascals73, climbed out of the gully and came in view of the beleaguered74 kasba. It was quite a small place, a square fortress75 of mud-plastered stone standing in a gorge76 of the Major Atlas77 and filled with obdurate78 mountaineers who combined brigandage79 with a refusal to pay tribute. A five-day siege had in no wise weakened their resolve. Ortho could hear drums beating inside, while from the towers came defiant80 yells and splutters of musketry.
“If we can’t get in soon the snow will drive us away—and they know it,” he said to the man beside him, and the man shivered and thought of warm Tafilet.
“Yes, lord,” said he, “and there’s naught81 of value in that roua. Had there been, the Sari would have not thrown the looting open. A sheep, a goat or so—paugh! It is not worth our trouble.”
“They must be taught a lesson, I suppose,” said Ortho.
A German sapper slouched by whistling “Im Grünewald mein Lieb, und ich,” stopped and spoke to Ortho. They had worked right up to the walls by means of trenches83 covered with fascines, he said, and were going to blow them in two places simultaneously84 and rush the breaches85. The blacks were going in first. These mountaineers fought like devils, but he did not think there were more than two hundred of them, and the infantry were vicious, half-starved, half-frozen, impatient to be home. Snow was coming, he thought; he could smell it—whew!
A pale haze87 blanched88 the east; a snow peak gleamed with ghostly light; surrounding stars blinked as though blinded by a brighter glory, blinked and faded out. Moon-rise. The German called “Besslama!” and hurried to his post. The ghost-light strengthened. Ortho could see ragged89 infantrymen creeping forward from rock to rock; some of them dragged improvised ladders. He heard sly chuckles90, the chink of metal on stone and the snarl91 of an officer commanding silence.
“Dogs of the Sultan,” screamed a man on the gate-tower. “Little dogs of a big dog, may Gehenna receive you, may your mothers be shamed and your fathers eat filth94—a-he-yah!” His chance bullet hit the ground in front of Ortho, ricocheted and found the man from Tafilet. He rolled over, sighed one word, “nkhel”—palm groves—and lay still.
His companions immediately rifled the body—war is war. A shining edge, a rim95 of silver coin, showed over a saddle of the peaks. “G mare36!” said the soldiers. “The moon—ah, now!”
In the village the drums went on—thump, thump; thump, thump. The moon climbed up, up, dragged herself clear of the peaks, drenching97 the snow fields with eerie98 light, drawing sparkles here, shadows there; a dead goddess rising out of frozen seas.
The watchers held their breath, slowly released it, breathed again.
“Wah! the mines have failed,” a man muttered. “The powder was damp. I knew it.”
“It is the ladders now, or nothing,” growled another. “Why did the Sari not bring cannon?”
“The Tobjyah say the camels could not carry them in these hills,” said a third.
“The Tobjyah tell great lies,” snapped the first. “I know for certain that . . . hey!”
The north corner of the kasba was suddenly enveloped99 in a fountain of flame, the ground under Ortho gave a kick, and there came such an appalling100 clap of thunder he thought his ear-drums had been driven in. His men scrambled101 to their feet cheering.
“Hold fast! Steady!” he roared. “There is another yet . . . ah!” The second mine went up as the débris of the first came down—mud, splinters, stones and shreds103 of human flesh.
A lump of plaster smashed across his shoulders and an infantryman within a yard of him got his back broken by a falling beam. When Ortho lifted his head again it was to hear the exultant104 whoops105 of the negro detachments as they charged for the breaches. In the village the drums had stopped; it was as dumb as a grave. He held his men back. He was not out for glory.
“Let the blacks and infantry meet the resistance,” he said. “That man with a broken back had a ladder—eh? Bring it along.”
He led his party round to the eastern side, put his ladder up and got over without dispute. The tribesmen had recovered from their shock to a certain extent and were concentrating at the breaches, leaving the walls almost unguarded. A mountaineer came charging along the parapet, shot one of Ortho’s men through the stomach as he himself was shot through the head, and both fell writhing106 into a courtyard below.
The invaders107 passed from the wall to a flat roof, and there were confronted by two more stalwarts whom they cut down with difficulty. There was a fearful pandemonium108 of firing, shrieks109, curses and war-whoops going on at the breaches, but the streets were more or less deserted110. A young and ardent askar kaid trotted111 by, beating his tag-rag on with his sword-flat. He yelped112 that he had come over the wall and was going to take the defenders113 in the rear; he called to Ortho for support. Ortho promised to follow and turned the other way—plunder, plunder!
The alleys114 were like dry torrent115 beds underfoot, not five feet deep and dark as tunnels. Ortho lit his torch and looked for doors in the mud walls. In every case they were barred, but he battered116 them in with axes brought for that purpose—to find nothing worth the trouble.
Miserable hovels all, with perhaps a donkey and some sheep in the court and a few leathery women and children squatting117 in the darkness wailing118 their death-song. Ornaments120 they wore none—buried of course; there was the plunder of at least two rich Tamgrout caravans121 hidden somewhere in that village. His men tortured a few of the elder women to make them disclose the treasure, but though they screamed and moaned there was nothing to be got out of them. One withered122 hag did indeed offer to show them where her grandson hid his valuables, led them into a small room, suddenly jerked a koummyah from the folds of her haik and laid about her, foaming123 at the mouth.
The room was cramped124, the men crowded and taken unawares; the old fury whirled and shrieked125 and chopped like a thing demented. She wounded three of them before they laid her out. One man had his arm nearly taken off at the elbow. Ortho bound it up as best he could and ordered him back to camp, but he never got there. He took the wrong turning, fell helpless among some other women and was disemboweled.
“Y’ Allah, the Sultan wastes time and lives,” said an askar. “The sons of such dams will never pay taxes.”
Ortho agreed. He had lost two men dead and three wounded, and had got nothing for it but a few sheep, goats and donkeys. The racket at the breaches had died down, the soldiery were pouring in at every point. It would be as well to secure what little he had. He drove his bleating126 captures into a court, mounted his men on guard and went to the door to watch.
An infantryman staggered down the lane bent127 under a brass128-bound coffer. Ortho kicked out his foot; man and box went headlong. The man sprang up and flew snarling129 at Ortho, who beat him in the eyes with his torch and followed that up with menaces of his sword. The man fled and Ortho examined the box which the fall had burst open. It contained a brass tiara, some odds130 and ends of tarnished131 Fez silk, a bride’s belt and slippers132; that was all. Value a few blanquils—faugh!
He left the stuff where it lay in the filth of the kennel133, strolled aimlessly up the street, came opposite a splintered door and looked in.
The house was more substantial than those he had visited, of two stories, with a travesty134 of a fountain bubbling in the court. The infantry had been there before him. Three women and an old man were lying dead beside the fountain and in a patch of moonlight an imperturbable135 baby sat playing with a kitten.
An open stairway led aloft. Ortho went up, impelled136 by a sort of idle curiosity. There was a room at the top of the stair. He peered in. Ransacked137. The sole furniture the room possessed—a bed—had been stripped of its coverings and overturned. He walked round the walls, prodding138 with his sword at suspicious spots in the plaster in the hopes of finding treasure. Nothing.
At the far end of the gallery was another room. Mechanically he strolled towards it, thinking of other things, of his debts in Mequinez, of how to feed his starved horses on the morrow—these people must at least have some grain stored, in sealed pits probably. He entered the second room. It was the same as the first, but it had not been ransacked; it was not worth the trouble. A palmetto basket and an old jellab hung on one wall, a bed was pushed against the far wall—and there was a dead man. Ortho examined him by the flare139 of his torch. A low type of chiaus foot soldier, fifty, diseased, and dressed in an incredible assortment140 of tatters. Both his hands were over his heart, clenching141 fistfuls of bloody142 rags, and on his face was an expression of extreme surprise. It was as though death were the last person he had expected to meet. Ortho thought it comical.
“What else did you expect to find, jackal—at this gay trade?” he sneered143, swept his torch round the room—and prickled.
In the shadow between the bed end and the wall he had seen something, somebody, move.
He stepped cautiously towards the bed end, sword point forwards, on guard. “Who’s there?”
No answer. He lowered his torch. It was a woman, crouched145 double, swathed in a soiled haik, nothing but her eyes showing. Ortho grunted146. Another horse-faced mountain drudge147, work-scarred, weather-coarsened!
“Stand up!” he ordered. She did not move. “Do you hear?” he snapped and made a prick144 at her with his sword.
She sprang up and at the same moment flung her haik back. Ortho started, amazed. The girl before him was no more than eighteen, dark-skinned, slender, exquisitely148 formed. Her thick raven149 hair was bound with an orange scarf; across her forehead was a band of gold coins and from her ears hung coral earrings150. She wore two necklaces, one of fretted151 gold with fish-shaped pieces dangling152 from it, and a string of black beads153 such as are made of pounded musk46 and amber154. Her wrists and ankles were loaded with heavy silver bangles. Intricate henna designs were traced halfway155 up her slim hands and feet, and from wrist to shoulder patterns had been scored with a razor and left to heal. Her face was finely chiseled156, the nose narrow and curved, the mouth arrogant157, the brows straight and stormy, and under them her great black eyes smoldered158 with dangerous fires.
Ortho sucked in his breath. This burning, lance-straight, scornful beauty came out of no hill village. An Arab this, daughter of whirlwind horsemen, darling of some desert sheik, spoil of the Tamgrout caravans.
Well, she was his spoil now. The night’s work would pay after all. All else aside, there was at least a hundred ducats of jewelry159 on her. He would strip it now before the others came and demanded a share.
“Come here,” he said, dropping his sword.
The girl slouched slowly towards him, pouting160, chin tilted161, hands clasped behind her, insolently162 obedient; stopped within two feet of him and stabbed for his heart with all her might.
Had she struck less quickly and with more stealth she might have got home. Penhale’s major asset was that, with him, thought and action were one. He saw an instantaneous flicker163 of steel and instantaneously swerved164. The knife pierced the sleeve of his kaftan below the left shoulder. He grabbed the girl by the wrist and wrenched165 it back till she dropped the knife, and as he did this, with her free hand she very nearly had his own knife out of his sash and into him—very nearly. But that the handle caught in a fold he would have been done. He secured both her wrists and held her at arm’s length. She ground her little sharp teeth at him, quivered with rage, blazed murder with her eyes.
“Soldier,” said Ortho to the dead man behind him, “now I know why you look astonished. Neither you nor I expected to meet death in so pretty a guise166.”
He spoke to the girl. “Be quiet, beauty, or I will shackle167 you with your own bangles. Will you be sensible?”
For answer the girl began to struggle, tugged168 at his grasp, wrenched this way and that with the frantic169 abandon of a wild animal in a gin. She was as supple170 as an eel48 and, for all her slimness, marvelously strong. Despite his superior weight and power, Ortho had all he could do to hold her. But her struggles were too wild to last and at length exhaustion171 calmed her. Ortho tied her hands with the orange scarf and began to take her jewelry off and cram102 it in his pouch172. While he was thus engaged she worked the scarf loose with her teeth and made a dive for his eyes with her long finger nails.
He tied her hands behind her this time and stooped to pry173 the anklets off. She caught him on the point of the jaw174 with her knee, knocking him momentarily dizzy. He tied her feet with a strip of her haik. She leaned forward and bit his cheek, bit with all her strength, bit with teeth like needles, nor would she let go till he had well-nigh choked her. He cursed her savagely175, being in considerable pain. She shook with laughter. He gagged her after that, worked the last ornament119 off, picked up his sword and prepared to go. His torch had spluttered out, but moonlight poured through the open door and he could see the girl sitting on the floor, gagged and bound, murdering him with her splendid eyes.
“Msa l kheir, lalla!” said he, making a mock salaam176. She snorted, defiant to the end. Ortho strode out and along the gallery. His cheek stung like fire, blood was trickling177 from the scratches, his jaw was stiff from the jolt178 it had received. What a she-devil!—but, by God, what spirit! He liked women of spirit, they kept one guessing. She reminded him somewhat of Schems-ed-dah back in Sallee, the same rapier-tempering and blazing passion, desert women both. When tame they were wonderful, without peer—when tame. He hesitated, stopped and fingered his throbbing179 cheek.
“What that she-devil would like to do would be to cut me to pieces with a knife—slowly,” he muttered. He turned about, feeling his jaw. “Cut me to pieces and throw ’em to the dogs.” He walked back. “She would do it gladly, though they did the same to her afterwards. Tame that sort! Never in life.” He stepped back into the room and picked the girl up in his arms. “Wild-cat, I’m going to attempt the impossible,” said he.
Even then she struggled.
The town was afire, darting180 tongued sheets of flame and jets of sparks at the placid181 moon. Soldiers were everywhere, shouting, smashing, pouring through the alleys over the bodies of the defenders. As Ortho descended182 the stairs a party of Sudanese broke into the courtyard; one of them took a wild shot at him.
“Makhzeni!” he shouted and they stood back.
A giant negro petty officer with huge loops of silver wire in his ears held a torch aloft. Blood from a scalp wound smeared183 his face with a crimson184 glaze185. At his belt dangled186 four fowls187 and a severed head.
“Hey—the Kaid Ingliz,” he said and tapped the head. “The rebel Basha; I slew188 him myself at the breach86. The Sari should reward me handsomely. El Hamdoulillah!” He smiled like a child expectant of sweetmeats. “What have you there, Kaid?”
“A village wench merely.”
“Fair?”
“So so.”
The negro spat189. “Bah! they are as ugly as their own goats, but”—he grinned, knowing Ortho’s weakness—“she may fetch the price of a black horse—eh, Kaid?”
“She may,” said Ortho.
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1
chestnuts
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| n.栗子( chestnut的名词复数 )；栗色；栗树；栗色马 | |
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2
glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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6
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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8
bluster
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| v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声 | |
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bravado
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| n.虚张声势，故作勇敢，逞能 | |
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hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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prophesied
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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meditate
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| v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想 | |
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skewered
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| v.（用串肉扦或类似物）串起，刺穿( skewer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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crumpled
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| 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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derisively
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| adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地 | |
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depleted
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| adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词 | |
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puissant
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| adj.强有力的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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growled
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| 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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grovel
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| vi.卑躬屈膝，奴颜婢膝 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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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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38
numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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39
expounded
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| 论述，详细讲解( expound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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41
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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42
glowering
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| v.怒视( glower的现在分词 ) | |
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43
thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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45
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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46
musk
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| n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫 | |
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47
muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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48
eel
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| n.鳗鲡 | |
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49
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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50
mow
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| v.割（草、麦等），扫射，皱眉；n.草堆，谷物堆 | |
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51
ribs
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| 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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52
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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53
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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54
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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55
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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56
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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57
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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59
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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60
gilds
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| 把…镀金( gild的第三人称单数 )； 给…上金色； 作多余的修饰（反而破坏原已完美的东西）； 画蛇添足 | |
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61
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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62
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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63
mustering
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的现在分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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64
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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65
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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66
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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67
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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68
meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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69
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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70
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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71
stoutest
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| 粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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72
rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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73
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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74
beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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75
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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76
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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77
atlas
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| n.地图册，图表集 | |
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78
obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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79
brigandage
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| n.抢劫；盗窃；土匪；强盗 | |
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80
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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81
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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82
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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83
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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84
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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85
breaches
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| 破坏( breach的名词复数 )； 破裂； 缺口； 违背 | |
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86
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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87
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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88
blanched
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| v.使变白( blanch的过去式 )；使（植物）不见阳光而变白；酸洗（金属）使有光泽；用沸水烫（杏仁等）以便去皮 | |
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89
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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90
chuckles
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的名词复数 ) | |
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91
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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92
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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93
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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94
filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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95
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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96
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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97
drenching
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| n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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98
eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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99
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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100
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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101
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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102
cram
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| v.填塞，塞满，临时抱佛脚，为考试而学习 | |
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103
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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104
exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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105
whoops
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| int.呼喊声 | |
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106
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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107
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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108
pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣，大混乱 | |
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109
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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110
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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111
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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112
yelped
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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113
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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114
alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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115
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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116
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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117
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；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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118
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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119
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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120
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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121
caravans
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| （可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队） | |
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122
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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123
foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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124
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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125
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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126
bleating
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| v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的现在分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说 | |
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127
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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128
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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129
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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130
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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131
tarnished
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| （通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏 | |
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132
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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133
kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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134
travesty
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| n.歪曲，嘲弄，滑稽化 | |
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135
imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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136
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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137
ransacked
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| v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺 | |
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138
prodding
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| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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139
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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140
assortment
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| n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集 | |
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141
clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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142
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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143
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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144
prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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145
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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146
grunted
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| （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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147
drudge
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| n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳 | |
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148
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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149
raven
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| n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的 | |
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150
earrings
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| n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子 | |
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151
fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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152
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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153
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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154
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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155
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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156
chiseled
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| adj.凿刻的，轮廓分明的v.凿，雕，镌( chisel的过去式 ) | |
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157
arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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158
smoldered
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| v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的过去式 ) | |
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159
jewelry
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| n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝 | |
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160
pouting
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的现在分词 ) | |
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161
tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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162
insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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163
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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164
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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165
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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166
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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167
shackle
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| n.桎梏，束缚物；v.加桎梏，加枷锁，束缚 | |
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168
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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169
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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170
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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171
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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172
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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173
pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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174
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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175
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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176
salaam
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| n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼 | |
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177
trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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178
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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179
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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180
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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181
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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182
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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183
smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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184
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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185
glaze
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| v.因疲倦、疲劳等指眼睛变得呆滞，毫无表情 | |
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186
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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187
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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188
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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189
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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