A violent storm from the north-west was raging along the northern coast of Java. The wind howled and roared as though a legion of fiends were holding Sabbath in the black mass of clouds which were driving along.
The waves of the Java sea were running mountain high, and came curling into the beach in monstrous1 billows topped with mighty2 crests3 of dazzling foam4. These crests were brightly phosphorescent, and each breaker, as it came rolling in, for an instant shed a pale fantastic shower of sparks upon the black seething5 waters, leaving, the next instant, the blackness darker than before. The sea-coast on which our story opens formed here, as in so many other places in Java, an extensive marsh6, the slimy clay of which the influence of the tropical sun had clothed with a most curious kind of vegetation.
Had it been day, the eye, as far as it could reach, would have rested upon thousands upon thousands of tree-tops, closely packed together, and rising about thirty feet from the soil. The stems of these trees did not reach the ground, but rested on knotty7 roots, which, like arches, grew out of the earth. These roots were divided, branching out in all directions, so that the trees might be likened to many-footed creatures, the supports or legs of each of which crossed and recrossed with those of its neighbour. Thus looking along the ground might be seen a kind of tangled8 network under a thick canopy9 of green, and that network again was entwined with gigantic creepers, hanging in [4]festoons from the singular archways and climbing upwards10 into the tops of the trees.
By daylight, between those myriads11 of twisted roots forming, as it were, a gigantic labyrinth12, there might have been seen a swarming13 mass of living things, unsightly and loathsome14, which would have filled the beholder15 with wonder and disgust.
There, among thousands of other living beings, lay the sluggish16 alligator17 glaring at its prey18 with fixed19 and stony20 eye. There countless21 tortoises and “Mimis” were crawling and darting22 about in quest of food. There swarmed23 monstrous crabs24 and shrimps25 of all kinds, varying in size from that of the largest lobster26 to the almost microscopical27 sea-spider. All these in millions were wriggling28 in the filthy29 ooze30 which was formed of the detritus31 of this singular mangrove32 forest. In the mud which clung about the roots, these hideous33 creatures lived and teemed34, not perhaps in a state of perfect concord35, yet maintaining an armed kind of peace which did not prevent them from becoming allies whenever some unhappy victim, whose luckless star had cast upon that shore, had to be overpowered.
Close by the narrow strip of land, where, not only in storms but in all weathers, land and water seemed to strive for the mastery, there stood a small hut hidden away completely among a clump36 of “Saoe” trees. These trees grew there, the only ones of their kind amidst the gloomy forest of mangrove.
Surrounded by the dense37 foliage38 as by an impenetrable wall, the hut was completely invisible from the land. On the other side it commanded a wide view of the sea; but even there it was screened from observation by its position among the leaves.
We called it a hut,—it was, indeed, little more than a large sentry39 box, and it, most appropriately, bore the name of “djaga monjet” or monkey-perch40. It was put together in a very primitive41 fashion, and was covered with “Kadjang” mats and “attaps,” both of these rough building materials obtained from the Nipah palm.
The “djaga monjet” was built in the morass42 on piles which raised it some considerable distance from the ground. Thus the waves which now and then threatened to swallow up the fore-shore altogether, could freely wash about under it, and break and divide against the firmly driven stakes. The trunk of a tree, with some rough steps clumsily cut into it, served as a ladder and gave access to the hut which, at the time this tale begins, was wrapped in the deepest darkness, but which yet was not tenantless43. [5]
Two voices might have been heard issuing from the doorway44. The speakers fancied they were talking in a confidential45 whisper; but the blustering46 of the storm had gradually led them on to raise their voices, so that now they were yelling at each other rather than conversing47.
That, however, was of very little consequence. At such an hour, and in such fearful weather, no human being would have dreamed of prowling about there. The most zealous48 coastguard’s man would have declined that duty.
The men in the hut were talking in Malay, but they might, without difficulty, have been recognised for Chinamen. Their guttural pronunciation, the difficulty with which they sounded the letter “r,” which with them indeed was spoken as “l,” and a certain lisping, weakly, altogether most unpleasant accent, put the matter beyond doubt.
Yes, they were two Chinamen who, sitting in that little watch-house, were eagerly, in the pitch dark night, scanning the angry sea before them.
“No,” said one of them, after a considerable interval50 of silence—“No, there is nothing whatever to be seen. In such weather, it would be simply tempting51 fate. You may be quite sure that the Kiem Ping Hin is snugly52 lying at anchor at Poeloe Karabab. She would never think of starting in such a storm.”
“You may be right,” replied the other, “but the master’s orders were most positive. We are posted here on purpose to help the men of the Kiem Ping Hin to get their cargo53 safe ashore54.”
“That is true enough, Than Khan, and we shall get our pay, I daresay; but, for all that, you cannot deny that she cannot possibly come in to-night. Just hark how the wind howls, hear how the breakers roar—our perch is shaking like a reed. How would you like to be out on such a night as this?”
“I,” cried Than Khan, “not for all the money in the world. But still we know the old Arab Awal Boep Said—he is a tough old sea-dog, and no weather will—”
“Look out!” cried the other; “there, just there! You see that big curling wave yonder! Look, you can just see it by the light of the foam. Yes, by Kong! A ‘djoekoeng!’?”
“You are right, Liem King,” replied Than Khan, “it is a ‘djoekoeng’?” (a boat made of a hollowed tree-stem). “There were two persons in her, both Javanese—I fancied a man and a woman.” [6]
“Yes,” said Liem King; “the man was rowing hard, the woman seemed frightened, she had her hands up to her face.”
“The ‘djoekoeng,’?” shouted Than Khan, “was heading for the shore; but she can never get through the breakers.”
“I am not so sure of that,” replied Liem King. “She was making straight for Moeara Tjatjing, if she can only keep that course, she may pull through.”
“Why,” said Than Khan, “in such a sea as this, no boat can live, she must be swamped. A rare feast for the boajas, eh?”
“That ‘djoekoeng,’?” said Liem King, “will get through safe enough. I made her out to be a surf boat, and you know it takes a good deal to upset them.”
“No doubt,” said Than Khan, “for all that, I am glad enough I am not in her.”
“Look out,” shouted the other. “Look, there she is again, yes, she is making for the Moeara. If she can get behind the ‘bow-nets’ she is safe enough.”
“If she can get under the lee of the bow-nets, perhaps, but, but—”
“Another boat,” exclaimed Liem King. “There are white men in her.”
The words were no sooner uttered than two, three, four sharp reports were heard. They were rifle-shots fired from the boat, upon the occupants of the “djoekoeng.” With what result who could tell? For a single instant only, the faint gleam of some gigantic breaker had revealed the two boats to the pair of spies. The next moment all was deep darkness again, and, gaze as intently as they would, not even their sharp eyes could discover anything further.
Thus a quarter of an hour passed away, when suddenly Than Khan exclaimed, “A steamer!”
Sure enough, far out at sea, shone the well-known green and red lights, and, high above them, the white light at the mast-head.
“The guard-ship!” cried Liem King.
“No doubt of it,” said the other, “it must be the Matamata. Well, all I can say is that if the Kiem Ping Hin has left her anchorage she is not showing any lights; she has got away safe enough by this time.”
“Come, I think we may be off home to the Kampong; no smugglers will come ashore to-night, you may be sure.”
For a while longer did the two Celestials56 keep watching the steamer’s movements. First she showed her three lights [7]plainly enough, she was therefore making straight for the land. After a time, however, all of a sudden, her green light disappeared, leaving for a while the red light only visible. Presently that also went out and only the white top-mast light remained visible, and, as it seemed stationary57, our Chinamen concluded that the steamer had anchored or was perhaps moving with her head to the wind.
Said Than Khan at length, “It is no use staying here; while that cursed Matamata is about they will not be able to get anything ashore. Come, let us be going.”
“All right,” replied Liem King; “but I vote we first go and have a look at the Tjatjing, we may just possibly get to know something about the ‘djoekoeng.’?”
So our two worthies58 clambered down the rough log which, as we have shown, stood as a ladder against the hut; the wind howling, meanwhile, as furiously as ever.
In a few steps they came upon a kind of pathway for which they had to grope with their feet in the deep darkness. They found it; and as every now and then a wave would come washing over it, the two Chinamen had to splash on in the brine. That, however, did not greatly interfere59 with their progress. They knew the road well, and even had the weather been rougher, they would have got along without much hesitation60. They had, in fact, not very far to go. In a few minutes they reached the small river Tjatjing which close by emptied itself into the Java Sea.
At the spot where the Chinamen came upon the stream it made a kind of bend or elbow as if, just before losing itself in the ocean, it had thought better of it and was trying to retrace61 its course. At that bend the mangrove roots retired62 a little from the shore, leaving a pretty wide open space from which the prospect63 over the river would have been quite clear; but the darkness was so intense that even Than Khan’s ferret eyes could make out nothing.
“If the ‘djoekoeng’ has reached the Moeara at all,” roared Than Khan in the ear of his companion, “she must have come ashore here. They cannot possibly have got her further up the Tjatjing, there is not water enough and the marsh-weed completely chokes it up.”
“Hush,” said Liem King; “I hear something.”
He was right. In spite of the awful noise of the tempest a low moaning sound could just be heard.
Both pricked64 their ears, took their bearings; and softly, with [8]stealthy tread they sneaked65 forward in the direction of the sound. Presently, they almost stumbled over a boat which lay on the beach with its stern half under water.
“The ‘djoekoeng,’?” muttered Than Khan.
Directed by the moaning sound they groped along the boat which was but a hollowed tree. Its bamboo sail-wings were lying close by smashed all to pieces by the wind and water; and a few steps further on they discovered two human beings lying prostrate66 in the rank grass.
“Who is there?” called Liem King as he cautiously drew nearer.
“It is I,” replied a very feeble voice in answer to the challenge.
“I? who is I?” asked the Chinaman.
“I, Ardjan,” was the answer.
“What?” cried Liem King, “Ardjan of the Kiem Ping Hin.”
A faint cry at these words issued from the lips of one of the castaways.
“Silence,” whispered the other Chinaman.
Both then bent67 forward over the figure which had given the name of Ardjan; but in that thick darkness it was impossible to distinguish anything.
One of them pulled a dark lantern out of his pocket, struck a match and, with some trouble, managed to procure68 a light. As soon as he had recognised the features he cried out:
“By ——! it is Ardjan! What in the world are you doing here?”
“I have fallen overboard,” was the reply.
“I found her in the water as I was swimming about,” was the reply.
“And that woman?” continued Liem King; “how about her? Did you pick her up also floating about? Who is she?”
“She is Moenah, my sister,” faintly said Ardjan.
“Ah! your sister,” exclaimed Than Khan with a low, dirty laugh. “I daresay she also managed to tumble overboard?”
With these words he threw the light of the lantern full on the face of the so-called sister. The uncertain gleam revealed the well-shaped form of a beautiful Javanese maiden70 of sixteen who, in her confusion, strove to conceal71 her face under a veil, which, like all the rest of her clothing, was dripping wet.
“Hallo!” cried Than Khan as he roughly tore the veil [9]from the girl’s face, “what have we here? Dalima! the little ‘baboe’ of His Excellency the Resident.”
At these words the maiden cowered72 down in the most abject73 terror. The two Chinamen exchanged a few hasty words in whispers in which the name Lim Ho could be distinguished74. That name seemed to have an extraordinary effect upon the poor girl. When she heard it her face became the very picture of terror.
This Lim Ho was one of the sons of the great opium75 farmer at Santjoemeh and the man was madly in love with the poor little Javanese girl. He had offered her large sums of money, he had tempted76 her with costly77 gifts, but all in vain. He had addressed himself to her father, a poor peasant in the “dessa” of Kaligaweh close by the principal township, again without success. Then the wretch78 had sworn that, at any price, the girl should be his, even if to possess her he might have to commit a crime. He was a kind of scoundrel who would stick at nothing.
At the mention of that hateful name the girl recoiled79 and shrunk together in terror. She knew the man, and now she also knew the two rascals80 into whose power she had thus been thrown.
The two Chinamen kept on whispering to each other; they spoke49 in Chinese of which language neither Ardjan nor Dalima knew a single word.
Before, however, the former had time to collect his thoughts or his energies, the scoundrels were upon him. They tied up his hands and feet with a thin rope which Liem King drew out of the capacious pocket of his baggy81 trousers. Before he had time to defend himself Ardjan found himself helpless, tied up in the shape of a hoop82. But even had there been time to resist, the poor fellow could have done nothing. He was quite unarmed, he had not had time even to snatch up his dagger-knife, and the frightful83 exertion84 of rowing the “djoekoeng” through the breakers had so completely fagged him out, that, when the men came upon him, he was lying panting for breath on the beach and quite incapable85 of further exertion. The low moaning sound which had guided the Chinamen to him was the sound of his gasping86 and panting for breath as he lay on the shore.
Having firmly secured Ardjan, the Chinamen took hold of Dalima and pinioned87 her also, ordering her to keep perfectly88 quiet and threatening to kill her should she disobey. [10]
It was a good thing for Dalima that her captors could not see the expression on her face as they uttered their threatening warning. There passed over the girl’s features an expression of contempt which would have given them food for reflection; and might have induced them to make quite sure of their fair prisoner. But of this they saw nothing, and, thinking the girl safe enough, they turned to her companion. His arms were tied behind him and fastened to his feet which had also been tightly bound. Liem King now took up a stout89 bamboo stick which had formed part of the rigging of the surf boat, and having passed it under Ardjan’s arms they each took hold of one end of the bamboo, and put it on their shoulders, and then, with their living burden thus helplessly dangling90 between them they ran at a slow trot91 up the path, along which, a few minutes before, they had groped their way. At every jolt92 the poor Javanese uttered a cry of anguish93. It was torture indeed that they made Ardjan endure. The whole weight of his body, bent in the most constrained94 attitude, was bearing upon his arms, and the whippy motion of the pliable95 stick made every movement almost unendurable as the Chinamen jogged slowly along. The bones of the arms upon which, as a sack, the entire body was hanging seemed at every moment about to snap, and the limbs felt as if every jog must wrench96 them from their sockets97.
But neither Liem King nor Than Khan paid the slightest heed98 to Ardjan’s shrieks99, they kept quietly trotting100 along. In vain did the wretched man entreat101 them to kill him and so put him out of the misery102 he was enduring. In vain, seeing his prayers unheeded, did he hurl103 the most offensive epithets104 at the heads of his tormentors, hoping thus to provoke them to rage and goad105 them on to take summary vengeance106. To all Ardjan’s entreaties107 and insults, the Chinamen replied only with derisive108 laughter, and the “Aso tjina” (Chinese dog) repeated again and again, Than Khan, who had one hand free, repaid with a tremendous blow with his fist, the effect of which was only to increase the agony of the sufferer.
In a few minutes, however, which to Ardjan seemed an age of torture, the “djaga monjet” was reached. The ropes which tied Ardjan’s feet were then untied109, leaving his arms only closely pinioned. The Chinamen then ordered him to climb up the rough steps and enforced their command by pricking111 him with the points of their daggers112. The Javanese knew well that the faintest show of resistance might cost him his life, and [11]now that the torture of dangling on the bamboo was no longer felt, he began to take a more cheerful view of life. So he passively did as he was told, and in a few moments he was at the top and inside the hut. There the two brutes113 once again tied him up securely, and, in order to make even an effort of flight impossible, they fastened his hands tightly on his chest and forced the bamboo cane114 through the bend of the elbows which were sticking out behind his back. Thus trussed up, as it were, the least movement on the part of Ardjan occasioned the most unbearable115 pain to his bruised116 and swollen117 limbs. Then, they laid him down on his back on the floor of the hut, and to make assurance doubly sure, they lashed118 him to one of the principal posts of the small building.
Having made all safe, the Chinamen went off to fetch Dalima. What they intended to do with the girl was a matter of dispute between them. Liem King proposed that they should settle by a cast of the dice119 which of them should possess her; but Than Khan, who was of a more practical and covetous120 turn of mind, explained to his companion that a good round sum of money might be got out of the son of the rich opium farmer if they delivered her into his hands. They were still debating the question when they reached the Tjatjing, where they had left their victim lying on the grass. There they soon found out that they need not have argued the matter at all; for though they searched the whole place with the utmost minuteness, they could find no trace of Dalima. Yes, they did find a trace; for behind a clump of undergrowth close to the spot where they had left the girl, they discovered the coil of rope with which they had bound her. She had, evidently, somehow or other found means to get her wrists to her mouth, and had succeeded in gnawing121 through the cords. Once her hands were free it was mere122 child’s play to untie110 her feet and legs.
“Devil take her!” exclaimed Liem King, “that tit-bit is lost to us.”
“Indeed she is,” sighed Than Khan; “we have allowed a nice little sum to slip through our fingers. Lim Ho would have paid well for her.”
“Now, I think,” said Liem King, “the best thing will be not to breathe a word about her to the Company.”
“Oh, of course, not a single word,” assented123 Than Khan; “now that she has got away that would be most dangerous.”
“But what,” asked the other, “had we better do now with [12]Ardjan? I think we had better let him go, too. He is sure to let out all about Dalima.”
“No fear,” rejoined Than Khan, “he won’t dare to do that. Should he utter a single word about the girl Lim Ho would have him clubbed to death.”
“H’m,” said the other, “why so? You know as well as I do that he ought to be on board the Kiem Ping Hin. Now, how on earth did he manage to get here in that ‘djoekoeng?’ Take my word for it, there is some mystery about that. Very likely it may be important to the Company to get to the bottom of that. Ah,” added he, with a deep sigh of disappointment, “I only wish we had tied up that wretched girl a little more securely.”
“Oh, no, don’t say so!” cried Liem King, “you would have bruised those darling little wrists and dainty ankles.”
“Bah!” cried Than Khan. “What nonsense, I wish we had her here; now she is off. Where can she have got to?”
“Yes,” replied Liem King, “that is the question, where to look for her. But come along, let us hurry back or else we may find the other bird flown too. There is something, you know, that tells me we have made a good catch in him.”
So the two rascals got back to the hut, and found Ardjan lying there quietly enough, just as they left him. He had not been able to stir hand or foot. As soon as he saw that the Chinamen came back alone his eye brightened.
“Where is Dalima?” he exclaimed, most anxiously.
The Chinamen made no answer.
“Has she got away?” he asked again.
Than Khan shook his head. It was enough, there was something so doleful in that gesture that Ardjan did not, for a moment, doubt. Dalima had escaped. Now he could breathe more freely. If only he had been equally fortunate. He had tried all he could to get rid of these accursed ropes; but, alas125! his arms hurt him so frightfully he thought they were broken, and he had to give up the attempt in despair. Where might the dear girl be now? He felt but little anxiety on that score. She had managed, perhaps, to run to Kaligaweh, where her parents lived—the distance was not great—she must, by this time, be close to the dessa. Perhaps, she had taken the way to Santjoemeh, where lived the family of the Resident, as she was in his service as nurse. In that case, she would have a long journey before her, and she could not reach it before [13]daybreak. If only then she could at once tell her whole story—then, yes, who knows, then he might even yet be rescued.
But all such reflections were roughly interrupted by Liem King, who asked him, “Where did you come from on so wild a night as this?”
“I?” said Ardjan, “why, I have come from Santjoemeh, to be sure. I intended to take Dalima to her father at Kaligaweh. The nor’-wester drove us out to sea, I rowed with might and main to get to the Moeara Tjatjing.”
“What do you mean?” grinned Than Khan. “What business had you at the Moeara? Oh, now I see, you wanted, no doubt, to pay us a visit here! That is it—is it not?”
Ardjan trembled inwardly; but he replied calmly enough:
“I could not get as far as Sepoetran, and found myself drifting out to sea, so I was compelled to make for the nearest land.”
“But they have been after you,” exclaimed Than Khan. “You have been fired at.”
“So I have,” said Ardjan. “It must have been a boat of that wretched Matamata, they must have taken me for a smuggler55.”
“Have you any stuff with you?” asked Than Khan. There was no reply to that question. Had these Chinamen known in what position he really was, they never would have asked him such a question as that.
“But,” continued Liem King, “you are mate of the Kiem Ping Hin. How is it you are not on board of her?”
For a moment the Javanese did not know what to answer, then he said:
“Captain Awal Boep Said has given me leave to spend two days on shore.”
“You go and tell your grandmother that tale, it won’t do for us. What! just at this time, when there is so much work on hand?” cried Than Khan.
“Well,” said Ardjan, “it is true, nevertheless.”
“Very good,” replied Than Khan, “the Company will soon get to know all about that.”
After these words there was silence.
The Chinamen wrapped themselves up in a kind of rug or mat, and sat down cross-legged on the floor, with their heads bent forwards on their breast, and thus they seemed to be falling into a doze126. Ardjan, still fastened up in the most painful way to the bamboo stick, had to lie on his back. It [14]was pitch dark in the hut; the door and the shutters127 were closed to exclude, as much as possible, the cold morning air. But, when every now and then the Javanese turned his head to the right or left, he could, through the chinks of the lath floor, see that day was breaking. A greyish light began to appear under the hut, and thus Ardjan could see the filthy mud in which a number of crawling things, such as sea-eels, marsh-snakes, iguanas128, and water-lizards were swarming. They were in quest of the miscellaneous offal which they were wont129 to find under the “djaga monjet.”
For a while all was quiet, when suddenly the report of a gun shook the hut. The sound startled both the Chinamen to their feet. It was evidently a signal. Than Khan rushed to the door, and threw it open. It was then broad daylight, the sun was just about to rise, and was bathing the eastern horizon in a flood of the richest purple.
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1
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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knotty
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| adj.有结的，多节的，多瘤的，棘手的 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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beholder
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| n.观看者，旁观者 | |
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sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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alligator
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| n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼) | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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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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swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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crabs
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| n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 ) | |
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shrimps
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| n.虾，小虾( shrimp的名词复数 )；矮小的人 | |
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lobster
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| n.龙虾，龙虾肉 | |
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microscopical
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| adj.显微镜的，精微的 | |
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28
wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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29
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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30
ooze
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| n.软泥，渗出物；vi.渗出，泄漏；vt.慢慢渗出，流露 | |
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31
detritus
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| n.碎石 | |
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32
mangrove
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| n.(植物)红树，红树林 | |
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33
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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34
teemed
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| v.充满( teem的过去式和过去分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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35
concord
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| n.和谐；协调 | |
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36
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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37
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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38
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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39
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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40
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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41
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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42
morass
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| n.沼泽，困境 | |
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43
tenantless
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| adj.无人租赁的，无人居住的 | |
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44
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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45
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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46
blustering
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| adj.狂风大作的，狂暴的v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的现在分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹 | |
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47
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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48
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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49
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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50
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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51
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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52
snugly
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| adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地 | |
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53
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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54
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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55
smuggler
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| n.走私者 | |
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56
celestials
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| n.天的，天空的( celestial的名词复数 ) | |
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57
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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58
worthies
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| 应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
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59
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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60
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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61
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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62
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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63
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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64
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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65
sneaked
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| v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状 | |
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66
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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67
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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68
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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69
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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71
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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72
cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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73
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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74
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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75
opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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76
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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77
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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78
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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79
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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80
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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81
baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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82
hoop
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| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
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83
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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84
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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85
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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86
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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87
pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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88
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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90
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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91
trot
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| 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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92
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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93
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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94
constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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95
pliable
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| adj.易受影响的；易弯的；柔顺的，易驾驭的 | |
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96
wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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97
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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98
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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99
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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100
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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101
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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102
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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103
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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104
epithets
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| n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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105
goad
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| n.刺棒，刺痛物；激励；vt.激励，刺激 | |
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106
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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107
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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108
derisive
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| adj.嘲弄的 | |
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109
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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110
untie
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| vt.解开，松开；解放 | |
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111
pricking
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| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
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112
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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113
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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114
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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115
unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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116
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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117
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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118
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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119
dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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120
covetous
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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121
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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122
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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123
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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124
pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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125
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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126
doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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127
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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128
iguanas
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| n. 美洲蜥蜴 名词iguana的复数形式 | |
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129
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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