Such were the most unwelcome sounds which, a few hours later, were heard in the hut in which all our friends lay heavily sleeping.
Gentle sleep had, at length, taken compassion1 on poor van Nerekool also. For a long time after his conversation with Verstork, he had not been able to close an eye; and had been tumbling and tossing about and making the crazy couch creak and groan2 to such an extent that Leendert Grashuis and August van Beneden, who were close beside him, had uttered many an angry exclamation3:
“For heaven’s sake keep quiet! don’t keep rolling about like that—it is enough to make a fellow sea-sick—” and then again:
“The majesty4 of the law seems uncommonly5 restless to-night; perhaps the mosquitoes trouble it, or an unquiet conscience, or a fit of the blues6.”
But at length, thank God, Charles had fallen into a deep sleep; he was not destined7, however, very long to enjoy that blissful rest.
“Toeaan! Toeaaan!” Thus once again the voice began to cry. It was the voice of Verstork’s servant who had got the watchman of the guard-house to wake him, and was now very cautiously trying to rouse his master out of his sleep.
But the Javanese servant felt that he was engaged in a very ticklish8 duty; and he set about it with all the circumspection9 which he was aware such unpleasant duties required.
He knew, by sad experience, that European gentlemen are apt to lose their temper when suddenly, at a very early hour, they are aroused out of a delightful10 sleep; therefore, on all such occasions the wily Javanese serving-man preferred to keep at a respectful distance from his Kandjeng toean, who, he knew, might at such a time be easily moved to raise his hand and deal him a sound box on the ears for his trouble. Not that Verstork was at all given to such rough usage of his servants; on the contrary, he was known and beloved among the natives for his kindly11 consideration, and for the coolness [205]of his temper. But this was a wholly exceptional occasion, and one could never tell what the sudden irritation12 of being roughly shaken out of a pleasant slumber13 might produce. It was very easy to get a good slap in the face, and therefore the astute14 Javanese prudently15 kept himself at a safe distance.
“Toeaan! Toeaaan!” he ventured to say again in a very intense drawling whisper. But Verstork did not hear him.
“Toeaan! Kandjeng toeaan!”
Still not a word!
Then the servant very cautiously crept up to the couch. When he was close to his master he again cried out, in a still more subdued17 and still more drawling voice, “Toeaaan! toeaaaan!”
Still Verstork stirred not a limb, only van Nerekool seemed to have caught the sound, and was beginning to move about restlessly.
Then the man, very gently—so gently that it could not disturb the sleeper—began to fold back that part of the rug which covered his master’s feet. The faint glimmer18 of the lamp which hung dangling19 from one of the rafters, just allowed him to see what he was about. When he had laid bare one of Verstork’s feet, he began very, very gently to tickle20 his master’s great-toe, while in the same cautious manner he again whispered “Toeaaan! toeaaaan!” and seemed, by the very humility21 of his voice, to beg pardon for the liberty he was taking in rousing his high and mighty22 master.
“Who is there?” As he said these words he put his hand to his foot, evidently fearing that a snake had touched him. Indeed, the chilly24 and leathery skin of a native may very easily convey such an impression, especially on a man who is but half awake.
“Who is there?” he cried again. But by this time the Javanese servant had, with a bound, jumped away out of the possible reach of his master’s hand, and from the furthest corner of the hut he said: “It is I, Kandjeng toean!”
“What do you want?” roared the Controller, now thoroughly25 aroused, and not in the sweetest temper.
“It is now four o’clock, and the dessa people are all waiting.”
“Is that all?” growled26 Verstork, who thought that his rest [206]had been very unnecessarily disturbed. Who knows what absurdity27 he might in his drowsiness28 have added, had not the “toeaan, toeaan” of his servant, and the subsequent noise awakened29 van Beneden also, who was sleeping quite close to him.
He jumped up at once, and the moment he was awake began, as the Resident might perhaps have said, to turn up all hands.
“Come boys!” he shouted cheerily “Come boys, get up all of you!” as he threw himself from his bed with such energy as made the slight bamboo structure sway and creak as if it had been rocked by an earthquake.
“What’s the matter, what’s up?” cried several voices starting out of sleep.
“What’s up?” cried van Beneden. “There’s nothing up! You get up, all of you, as fast as you can. It is four o’clock, and the dessa folk are all ready for the chase.”
That word acted like magic. In a twinkling all were on their legs. They dressed, washed, combed, brushed themselves as well as one can perform all these processes in the interior of a dessa, which offers no great facilities for an elaborate toilet to Europeans who have passed the night in a small country hut.
For washing, indeed, there was no convenience at all—the only basin in the place was a mere30 potsherd. But, all were anxious to be off, and like soldiers who, in the field, have not always Sèvres or even Delt at command, they did the best they could, and soon completed their hasty toilet. Diogenes, the Greek philosopher of Sinope, had frequently, no doubt, dressed himself in much the same fashion. In a few moments all were ready, even van Nerekool who was bent32 upon seeking some relief for mental pain in physical exertion33.
When they stepped out of the cabin they saw the entire male population seated cross-legged on the village green, trying to protect themselves from the cold morning air by drawing their sarongs as far as possible over their shoulders. Every man had brought his lance, and had stuck it upright before him into the ground. Every one of them held a huge rattle34, an instrument very like that with which our old watchmen used to murder sleep while they pretended to keep guard over the sleepers35.
The moon was, by this time, casting her beams under the branches of the Wariengien tree, and, as the pale light shone [207]upon that strange group of human beings seated there in a crouching36 posture37, it illustrated38 most vividly39 the theory of Darwin, so very much did that assembly look like a great conclave40 of apes.
“Are all your men here, Loerah?” asked Verstork.
“Yes, Kandjeng toean.”
“Very good. Then send one part of them round by the maize41 fields of the dessa, let the second division spread itself to the westward42 over the neck of the Dojerang Pringapoes, and let the rest go right into the ravine.”
“Yes, Kandjeng toean—But—!”
“Well, but what?” asked Verstork, noticing the Loerah’s hesitation43.
“May not the animals,” said the chief, “thus make their escape through the eastern side of the ravine?”
“How so, Loerah?” said Verstork. “You have heard, I suppose, that the people from Banjoe Pahit will occupy the whole of the eastern side, and part even of the western side of the ravine? Very good, now we understand each other I hope. We shall get on horseback at once, and will post ourselves in the upper part of the pass, and, if our instructions have been properly carried out, the whole of the game must come that way. Now, just listen carefully to what I have to tell you, Loerah.”
“Yes, Kandjeng toean.”
“As soon as we have got to the upper part of the ravine we shall fire a shot.”
“Shall we hear it, sir, right down at the bottom?”
“You are right, Loerah, quite right, it is a good distance—perhaps too far—Well then, I will tell you what you must do. As soon as day begins to break—but, mind you, before the sun has fairly risen—you will set your beaters to work. But, whatever you do, take care that the beasts have the road to the ravine left open to them.”
“Yes, Kandjeng toean,” was the invariable answer of the Loerah, always spoken in the most respectful tone.
Then in the deepest silence the beaters betook themselves to their posts while the European horsemen took the road to Banjoe Pahit.
As yet it was quite dark, so that the horses had to proceed at a very slow walk. This very moderate pace was absolutely necessary, because the road which they had to follow was a narrow path leading through the flooded rice fields, and the [208]slightest deviation45 might have led to a highly unpleasant mud-bath. Presently, however, a faint streak46 of light was beginning to show itself on the eastern horizon. At first it was all but imperceptible, it seemed like a faint reflection of the waning47 moonlight; but gradually it became broader and deeper, then is began to spread a fiery48 glow over the eastern sky, and made the stars, which were still brightly twinkling in the zenith, to pale and fade away. The narrow path kept winding49 upwards50; for Banjoe Pahit, towards which the riders were making their way, lay on much higher ground than Kaligaweh which was situated51 on the low foreshore. As the dawning light grew clearer and brighter, the horsemen were able to mend their pace, and soon the horses were going along at a good sharp trot52, impelled53, in a measure, by the instinct which told them that they were heading in the direction of their stables.
The upper end of the ravine was reached in good time, and the horsemen dismounted and gave their beasts in charge of a couple of Javanese servants who had come to meet them along with the body of beaters from Banjoe Pahit to which Mokesuep also had joined himself. These men at once took the horses home to the dessa.
It was not yet full daylight. The western sky was still a deep dark blue; but in the East the dawn was clothing itself in all the brilliant hues54 which herald55 the near approach of the perfect day. On all sides trees and bushes grew in the wildest disorder56, and in their branches birds innumerable were piping and warbling, each, in his own way, sending up his hymn57 of praise to the great Creator. Leaves, twigs58, boughs59, flowers, and grass-blades, all were thickly covered with the tiniest possible specks60 of dew; and, as the light gradually brightened in the East, seemed bathed as it were in molten silver.
In spite of their impatience61 to begin their work upon the game, our young friends could not help pausing for a few moments in order to admire the magnificent spectacle before them, and to enjoy the delightful freshness of that glorious time which immediately precedes a sunrise; when suddenly, very far in the distance, was heard the confused noise of a most frightful62 tumult63.
“There they go!” cried Verstork, “those are our beaters, what a row the fellows are making to be sure.”
The natives were indeed hard at it, springing their rattles64, banging on bamboos, yelling and screaming in a manner which drowned every other sound in nature, especially in that solemn morning hour when the orb65 of day is just about to rise. [209]
At first the noise was heard as a mere confused hum very far away in the distance; but, as it gradually drew nearer and nearer, it became so exciting that even poor van Nerekool, forgetting his woes66 for a while, ran up and down clutching his rifle with trembling hand, and some of his companions, more excited even than he was, had their weapons at full cock, ready to open fire at a moment’s notice.
“Now then, my friends,” said Verstork, trying to calm down all this unnecessary flurry; “pray keep quiet. We have plenty of time before us. Please all keep cool, or we shall have some accident with those firearms.”
“Are we in a good position here?” asked Grashuis.
“I intend to take you a little further into the ravine,” said Verstork.
So they all advanced some fifty or hundred yards along a steep pathway which ran winding down through shaggy bushes and rocky boulders68. Just by the side of that rugged69 path, the brook70 Banjoe Pahit began its downward course along its bed of rocks. It was a wonderfully beautiful little stream; its waters of the purest crystal went dancing from crag to crag, forming, in one place, a pleasant little basin or pool, at another tumbling down in foaming71 cataracts72 and splashing waterfalls, then, suddenly and mysteriously, disappearing altogether for a while amidst the wild shrubs73 and rugged boulders, and then a little further on, springing up again to renew its brawling74 and wanton play. The scene in the Djoerang Pringapoes was as wild and savage75 as possible, but marvellously picturesque76 withal. When the party had clambered down about a third part of the slope, the massive walls of rock which, up to that point, completely hemmed77 in the entrance to the ravine and which formed a kind of slit78, suddenly ran back like the sides of a funnel79, while they continued grandly and majestically80 to tower up into the sky.
The bottom of the ravine, however, as well as its walls, bore abundant evidence of great natural convulsions. Huge boulders were flung about in it at random81 in all directions, the stems of the trees which grew there were twisted and curled up into lumps and knots and were still bearing tufts of withered82 grass and nests of dry branches; the smoothly83 polished rocks also amply testified that when the north-east wind opened the sluice84 gates of heaven and the water-floods [210]came down in torrents85 from the heights—the Banjoe Pahit could howl and roar along, and form dreadful currents and whirlpools; and that, at such times, it was well to keep out of the now quiet defile86.
As the hunters were looking about them at the savage scene around, the din44 made by the beaters was gradually coming nearer and nearer. It was still a considerable way off and not a solitary87 head of game had shown itself.
“I wonder how that is?” said August van Beneden. “I fancied that we might have set to work shooting at once. May not our wild boars, if there are any at all in this ravine, have got away by some other road?”
“No, no,” replied Verstork, “the Djoerang Pringapoes is hemmed in on almost all sides with perpendicular89 rocks, such as not even a wild pig can climb. There are two or three spots where the walls are not quite so steep, and which such animals might perhaps scale; but, if the Loeras of Banjoe Pahit and of Kaligaweh have carried out my instructions, these weak points have all been occupied by their men, so that none of the animals can have got away by them. The beaters, you see, with their abominable90 rattles are driving the pigs into the ravine, and I know they will all make for it, especially as it is their usual haunt.”
“Aye, aye,” said van Rheijn, “I see; but once in this ravine, depend upon it they will lie very close, there is plenty of room here for a game at hide and seek, and if they choose to get to cover, we may stand here waiting for them till doomsday.”
“That might be so,” remarked Verstork with a smile, “if the beaters would let them. But those fellows with their rattles will follow the pigs into the ravine and drive them in our direction. You will see how they will manage that presently. Just listen—what a row they are kicking up yonder—one would think they were a pack of fiends!”
Verstork indeed might well say so; for your Javanese, under ordinary circumstances cool and phlegmatic91 enough, can, on such occasions as a boar-hunt, display activity and energy in abundance. Then he seems almost beside himself; then he screams, he yells, he bellows92, he whistles, he hisses93, he crows, he shrieks94. Then he frantically95 plies96 his rattle and, with any weapon he may happen to have in his hand, he bangs upon anything and everything he comes across, on trunks of trees, on stones—which, by the way, not unfrequently give out [211]most melodious97 sounds—on the sheath of his kris—undoubtedly he would bring down a whack98 on the skull99 of his neighbour also were he suffered to do so. And all this for the mere purpose of making a noise, the most horrible din imaginable in order to drive the game, which by nature is wild enough, into the direction which he wishes it to take.
“Now,” said Verstork, “just a few paces further on and then we come to the entrance of the Djoerang Ketjel where a small stream, which we call the Karang Aleh, flows into the Banjoe Pahit. After the junction100 the two streams flow together through the narrowest gorge101 of the Pringapoes. Look there, you can see the split in the rocks just ahead. You see we are bounded on all sides by sheer cliffs and the game must pass through this defile to reach the upper part of the ravine and get away.”
“By Jove,” cried van Rheijn, “this does not strike me as a very pleasant spot, the place looks like a picture of universal ruin and desolation.”
Indeed it was a terrible scene. The ragged102 sides of the ravines, consisting entirely103 of grey lava-rock, towered up perpendicularly104 into the sky. Here and there, on the bare walls, a mass of stone seemed, in its descent, to have stuck fast; and, in course of time, a little soil had gathered on its surface. In this shallow layer of earth, vegetation had immediately sprung up and formed there, as it were, a little green island in the midst of the grey ocean of desolation. Huge fragments of jagged stone lay scattered105 about in the wildest confusion, and amidst these, many weird106 and unsightly plants grew and flourished, such as the Sembong, the Kemanden Kerbo and the Oering aring with its venomous prickles. There also were seen the gnarled and twisted stems of the Djatie doerie and of the Siwallan. These stunted107 trees raised their poor meagre crowns out of the sea of stone, and, by arresting the progress of the débris which the water-flood whirled along, served to block up the pass still more effectually.
“Now then, my friends,” said Verstork, “let us divide—we are standing here much too close together. Van Nerekool, the Wedono, and myself will take our stand here just opposite this narrow pass. You, Leendert, go with August to the top of that piece of rock which you see yonder to the right. You Theodoor and Frits take up your position on that broken ground on the slope. From those points you will have the [212]gorge completely under your fire, and—if you really are as good shots as you are supposed to be—why then not a solitary pig ought to escape us. But make haste, get into your places—the beaters seem to be getting quite close.”
It was indeed high time; for every instant the infernal din was coming nearer and growing more distinct. It was, in fact, becoming positively108 deafening109. It sounded as if a veritable Pandemonium110 had broken loose. Grenits made a very wry111 face when he found that Mokesuep was to be his companion; but he had no chance of remonstrance112 at thus being saddled with a most uncongenial companion, for he had to get to his post without delay.
The positions which the guns were to occupy had been admirably chosen and showed a perfect knowledge both of the game and of the ground. The marksmen were all posted in full view of one another, so that there could be no risk of accident, at the same time their fire commanded the narrow opening of the ravine which lay open before them. Moreover they were all directed to take their stand upon spots slightly elevated above the level of the soil and were thus, to a great extent, out of the reach of the fearful tusks113 of the infuriated animals. Thus then they stood, most eagerly watching; but, though the entrance to the Djoerang lay perfectly114 open before them with here and there a few stunted shrubs much too low and small to conceal115 even the smallest pig, not a vestige116 of any animal could be seen. This suspense117 seemed intolerably long to the impatient and impulsive118 Europeans who were far from being endowed with the calm phlegmatic temperament119 of the natives. The Wedono stood there quiet and motionless as a statue.
“I can see nothing whatever,” shouted August van Beneden to his friend, making use of his hands as a speaking-trumpet. “I fancy our good dessa-folk have taken it easy and have allowed the game to slip away quietly to the right or left.”
“It is my opinion that the ravine is empty,” remarked van Nerekool, to whom this long inaction was more irksome than even to the others.
Verstork interpreted van Beneden’s words to the Wedono who, rifle in hand, was standing by his side, and asked him if he thought it possible.
“It may be,—but—perhaps it is not so,” was the chiefs cautious reply.
Still they waited, and waited—the din of the beaters was approaching [213]with every moment and their yells became more distinct. A few minutes more would decide the question whether there was any game in the ravine or not, for a very short time would bring the beaters to the mouth of the opening.
Verstork was getting quite nervous with impatience, jokes were beginning to pass pretty freely among his friends, and although they were perfectly good-humoured jests and showed not the slightest ill-will towards him, yet they were not pleasant to listen to. Mokesuep was the only one who, in a singularly offensive tone, cried out:
“I say, Controller, I hope all that pork we are going to kill won’t disagree with us!”—
“Hold your tongue, wretched Muizenkop,” said Theodoor Grenits. “You always find some nasty thing to say!”
“That’s all very fine,” replied Mokesuep, “I can tell you I am getting beastly tired of standing here. A lot of fellows invited for a day’s shooting, when there is nothing to shoot at!”
“The pigs were here all right enough,” said Grenits, “you may depend upon that; I don’t suppose you can blame Verstork if the beaters have allowed them to escape!”
Mokesuep was on the point of making some ill-natured rejoinder when Bang! Bang! Bang! went three rifle shots and interrupted his sneering120 remarks.
They were the rifles of Verstork, of van Nerekool and of the Wedono. These three were posted at the very mouth of the ravine, and had suddenly caught sight of a greyish indistinct mass of living things rushing towards the opening. Quick as thought, the three had thrown their rifles up to their shoulders and had opened fire upon the advancing herd31 of swine. The other hunters had, as yet, seen nothing. The rattling121 and yelling of the beaters seemed to redouble in intensity122 the moment they heard the first shots fired, and almost drowned the discordant123 grunts124 and groans125 of the pigs as they pressed into the narrow defile. From that moment however, all doubts as to the issue of the day’s sport were at an end.
The three first rifle shots had bowled over the three foremost animals, one of which was a boar of gigantic size, and for a moment stopped the rush of the entire herd. The wounded animals lay on the ground, struggling and fighting, uttering fearful squeaks126 and striking out right and left with their formidable tusks at those who came behind, thus almost wholly blocking up the narrow opening. That lasted however only for a moment or two, for the noise of the beaters drove the creatures [214]to such a pitch of fury that, in spite of all opposition127, they rushed over the bodies of their fallen leaders. But the three men who had first opened fire, had, in those few moments, had time to reload, and an instant after, all the others posted to the right and left caught sight of the game and at once opened fire upon the dense128 struggling mass of pigs, hardly a single shot being lost. Thereupon a scene of the direst confusion ensued. The wounded animals tumbled over one another uttering groans and squeaks which baffle description. The hindmost ones, still urged on by the terrific noise of the beaters, fought and pushed their way to the front. The sows grimly defended their young and seemed to vent16 their fury upon the carcases of the dead and wounded, and, in that terrific melée, the bullets of the seven hunters kept plunging129 with the deadliest effect. The rifled breech-loaders poured shot after shot into the densely130 packed mass, and every moment the narrow gap became more and more impassible.
That went on for the space of about three minutes, during which the breech-loaders plied88 their unerring fire.
Presently van Nerekool said to Verstork: “Are we not running the risk of hitting some of the men in the rear?”
“Oh, no,” replied Verstork, “if they have followed my instructions there is no danger whatever. A few yards lower down there is a sharp elbow in the ravine, so that if one of our bullets should happen to miss or to pass through the body of one of these beasts it must bury itself in the walls of rock. You hear—according to agreement, the fellows have already stopped their noise—they are not at all anxious to come to close quarters and to expose themselves to a stray bullet.”
Meanwhile the fire had been kept up with hardly any cessation and with almost the same fatal effect. The grunting131 herd still was striving to push onward132 and to get clear of the deadly pass, and again and again the bullets knocked down the foremost, who in their death-struggle, dealt ripping blows all around.
But at length, after having for a while wallowed about hopelessly, a small remnant which still remained unwounded, suddenly headed round, led on by a huge black-coloured boar, and now no longer awed133 by the beaters, made a headlong charge back into the ravine from which they found it impossible to escape. [215]
点击收听单词发音
1 compassion | |
n.同情,怜悯 | |
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2 groan | |
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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3 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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4 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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5 uncommonly | |
adv. 稀罕(极,非常) | |
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6 blues | |
n.抑郁,沮丧;布鲁斯音乐 | |
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7 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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8 ticklish | |
adj.怕痒的;问题棘手的;adv.怕痒地;n.怕痒,小心处理 | |
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9 circumspection | |
n.细心,慎重 | |
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10 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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11 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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12 irritation | |
n.激怒,恼怒,生气 | |
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13 slumber | |
n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
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14 astute | |
adj.机敏的,精明的 | |
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15 prudently | |
adv. 谨慎地,慎重地 | |
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16 vent | |
n.通风口,排放口;开衩;vt.表达,发泄 | |
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17 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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18 glimmer | |
v.发出闪烁的微光;n.微光,微弱的闪光 | |
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19 dangling | |
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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20 tickle | |
v.搔痒,胳肢;使高兴;发痒;n.搔痒,发痒 | |
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21 humility | |
n.谦逊,谦恭 | |
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22 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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23 tickling | |
反馈,回授,自旋挠痒法 | |
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24 chilly | |
adj.凉快的,寒冷的 | |
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25 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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26 growled | |
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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27 absurdity | |
n.荒谬,愚蠢;谬论 | |
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28 drowsiness | |
n.睡意;嗜睡 | |
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29 awakened | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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30 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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31 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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32 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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33 exertion | |
n.尽力,努力 | |
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34 rattle | |
v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓 | |
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35 sleepers | |
n.卧铺(通常以复数形式出现);卧车( sleeper的名词复数 );轨枕;睡觉(呈某种状态)的人;小耳环 | |
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36 crouching | |
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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37 posture | |
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势 | |
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38 illustrated | |
adj. 有插图的,列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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39 vividly | |
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地 | |
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40 conclave | |
n.秘密会议,红衣主教团 | |
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41 maize | |
n.玉米 | |
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42 westward | |
n.西方,西部;adj.西方的,向西的;adv.向西 | |
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43 hesitation | |
n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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44 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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45 deviation | |
n.背离,偏离;偏差,偏向;离题 | |
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46 streak | |
n.条理,斑纹,倾向,少许,痕迹;v.加条纹,变成条纹,奔驰,快速移动 | |
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47 waning | |
adj.(月亮)渐亏的,逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 );(月)亏;变小;变暗淡 | |
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48 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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49 winding | |
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 | |
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50 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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51 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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52 trot | |
n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 | |
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53 impelled | |
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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54 hues | |
色彩( hue的名词复数 ); 色调; 信仰; 观点 | |
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55 herald | |
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎 | |
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56 disorder | |
n.紊乱,混乱;骚动,骚乱;疾病,失调 | |
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57 hymn | |
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
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58 twigs | |
细枝,嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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59 boughs | |
大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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60 specks | |
n.眼镜;斑点,微粒,污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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61 impatience | |
n.不耐烦,急躁 | |
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62 frightful | |
adj.可怕的;讨厌的 | |
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63 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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64 rattles | |
(使)发出格格的响声, (使)作嘎嘎声( rattle的第三人称单数 ); 喋喋不休地说话; 迅速而嘎嘎作响地移动,堕下或走动; 使紧张,使恐惧 | |
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65 orb | |
n.太阳;星球;v.弄圆;成球形 | |
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66 woes | |
困境( woe的名词复数 ); 悲伤; 我好苦哇; 某人就要倒霉 | |
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67 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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68 boulders | |
n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 );巨砾;(受水或天气侵蚀而成的)巨石;漂砾 | |
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69 rugged | |
adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的 | |
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70 brook | |
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让 | |
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71 foaming | |
adj.布满泡沫的;发泡 | |
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72 cataracts | |
n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 );白内障 | |
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73 shrubs | |
灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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74 brawling | |
n.争吵,喧嚷 | |
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75 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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76 picturesque | |
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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77 hemmed | |
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 ); 包围 | |
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78 slit | |
n.狭长的切口;裂缝;vt.切开,撕裂 | |
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79 funnel | |
n.漏斗;烟囱;v.汇集 | |
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80 majestically | |
雄伟地; 庄重地; 威严地; 崇高地 | |
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81 random | |
adj.随机的;任意的;n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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82 withered | |
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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83 smoothly | |
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地 | |
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84 sluice | |
n.水闸 | |
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85 torrents | |
n.倾注;奔流( torrent的名词复数 );急流;爆发;连续不断 | |
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86 defile | |
v.弄污,弄脏;n.(山间)小道 | |
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87 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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88 plied | |
v.使用(工具)( ply的过去式和过去分词 );经常供应(食物、饮料);固定往来;经营生意 | |
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89 perpendicular | |
adj.垂直的,直立的;n.垂直线,垂直的位置 | |
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90 abominable | |
adj.可厌的,令人憎恶的 | |
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91 phlegmatic | |
adj.冷静的,冷淡的,冷漠的,无活力的 | |
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92 bellows | |
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫 | |
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93 hisses | |
嘶嘶声( hiss的名词复数 ) | |
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94 shrieks | |
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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95 frantically | |
ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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96 plies | |
v.使用(工具)( ply的第三人称单数 );经常供应(食物、饮料);固定往来;经营生意 | |
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97 melodious | |
adj.旋律美妙的,调子优美的,音乐性的 | |
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98 whack | |
v.敲击,重打,瓜分;n.重击,重打,尝试,一份 | |
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99 skull | |
n.头骨;颅骨 | |
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100 junction | |
n.连接,接合;交叉点,接合处,枢纽站 | |
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101 gorge | |
n.咽喉,胃,暴食,山峡;v.塞饱,狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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102 ragged | |
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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103 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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104 perpendicularly | |
adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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105 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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106 weird | |
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的 | |
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107 stunted | |
adj.矮小的;发育迟缓的 | |
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108 positively | |
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实 | |
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109 deafening | |
adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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110 pandemonium | |
n.喧嚣,大混乱 | |
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111 wry | |
adj.讽刺的;扭曲的 | |
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112 remonstrance | |
n抗议,抱怨 | |
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113 tusks | |
n.(象等动物的)长牙( tusk的名词复数 );獠牙;尖形物;尖头 | |
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114 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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115 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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116 vestige | |
n.痕迹,遗迹,残余 | |
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117 suspense | |
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑 | |
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118 impulsive | |
adj.冲动的,刺激的;有推动力的 | |
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119 temperament | |
n.气质,性格,性情 | |
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120 sneering | |
嘲笑的,轻蔑的 | |
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121 rattling | |
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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122 intensity | |
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度 | |
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123 discordant | |
adj.不调和的 | |
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124 grunts | |
(猪等)作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 ); (指人)发出类似的哼声; 咕哝着说; 石鲈 | |
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125 groans | |
n.呻吟,叹息( groan的名词复数 );呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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126 squeaks | |
n.短促的尖叫声,吱吱声( squeak的名词复数 )v.短促地尖叫( squeak的第三人称单数 );吱吱叫;告密;充当告密者 | |
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127 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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128 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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129 plunging | |
adj.跳进的,突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
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130 densely | |
ad.密集地;浓厚地 | |
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131 grunting | |
咕哝的,呼噜的 | |
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132 onward | |
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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133 awed | |
adj.充满敬畏的,表示敬畏的v.使敬畏,使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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