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CHAPTER XII QUEER ACTIONS
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It was Amy’s voice, frantic1, terrified, that roused Jessie to a more immediate2 sense of her great peril3. Her foot had caught in a crotch of a branch as she fell, and by this she hung, head downward, hands clasped desperately4 about the branch that had stopped her descent. In that position she could neither let herself down nor draw herself up. And she was still a dangerous distance from the ground.

Amy had climbed up to her, had taken in the situation in one startled glance. Nell, who had been following Jessie, clung to a branch, staring down, weak and sick with fright.

“Hang on, Jess, honey,” begged Amy. “We will get you out all right. Hold on for just another minute.”

Jessie held on desperately while Amy tugged5 at her foot, and Nell, mastering her fright, descended6 slowly. Miss Alling was calling out advice and commands. A horrible dizziness was engulfing7 Jessie. She felt as though all the blood in her body was pounding in her ears. The sight of the ground so far below set her senses reeling, made her fingers feel like putty.

“Are you holding hard?” she heard Amy’s voice asking as though from a long distance. “I have your foot loose, Jess and Nell is waiting below to catch you and let you down easy. Can you hold on?”

Jessie must have said yes, though she never afterward8 remembered having done so, for the next moment she felt her foot released, felt herself swing downward, felt Nell catch her in one strong young arm and hold her tight against the tree the while Nell’s voice urged frantically9:

“There, put your foot on that branch—to the right—to the right!”

She felt it at last—something solid under her foot! She clung there, fighting the dizziness that swept over her again, thankful for Nell’s supporting arm.

The vertigo10 lasted for only a moment, and with the help of the girls she managed somehow to make the rest of that descent and reach the ground. There Miss Alling caught her in her arms and half led, half carried her into the lodge11.

Phrosy, all whites-of-eyes and sympathy, made her a cup of tea and fussed over her until Jessie declared she would begin to think herself an invalid12 before long, instead of a perfectly13 healthy outdoor girl who had met with a simple accident.

“If that was simple, I hope I never meet anything complex!” was Amy’s comment.

In spite of the dreadful fright and shaking up they had had, the girls insisted upon finishing the work of installing the radio before the boys returned.

“For, after all our boasting, they must never know how near I came to grief,” was Jessie’s decision, and in this both Amy and Nell heartily15 agreed with her. It was easy to win Miss Alling and Phrosy over to their side, and it was solemnly vowed16 that absolute silence should be kept concerning the accident.

They worked feverishly17 after that, hoping to make up for lost time. The dangling18 aerial wires were attached to the roof of the lodge. Amy and Nell took charge of this, laying down the law that Jessie was to do no more climbing that day. Jessie herself adjusted the lead-in wire.

At last all was in readiness and the girls sat down to “listen in” with a pride and pleasure that more than paid them for their exertion19.

Aunt Emma’s interest was also flattering, although she had a few sharp things to say about the inconvenience of using head phones.

They were thoroughly20 enjoying themselves when the boys came back, declaring that they had had a most delightful21 hike through the woods. They were really surprised to find the set erected22 and in working order in such a short time, and very heartily said so. In fact, everything was going splendidly when Darry made the announcement that he and the other boys intended to take a short run to Gibbonsville.

“But, when?” asked Amy, staring at him.

“Why, right away. It won’t take long,” returned Darry, at which his sister quite pointedly23 turned her back on him.

“You may all go when you like and stay as long as you please,” she informed him icily.

A few minutes later the girls stood watching Darry’s car as it disappeared in a cloud of dust down the road.

“I reckon I know why Darry has gone to Gibbonsville,” said Jessie, slowly. “He has gone to see that girl!”

“You mean that girl who passed the bad five-dollar bill on me?” demanded Amy.

“Yes.”

“But why should he go to see her?”

“I don’t know. It is certainly a mystery,” answered Jessie, and turned away. Somehow, she felt that she did not care just then to say more. She went in and set to work to adjust the radio set so that they might listen in with greater ease and clearness. She had found that she could always “lose herself” when working over the radio.

“I think it is mean of the boys to desert us,” said Amy, some time later, as she got into her snug-fitting black bathing suit and pulled a rubber cap over her heavy hair. “There! how do I look?” she added, turning slowly around so that Jessie and Nell might admire the effect.

“Stunning. You always do,” answered Nell, as she laced up her bathing shoes. “But I am wondering how long that suit will last in the water.”

The girls had felt the lure24 of the cool waters of the lake as they had not felt it since their arrival. They wanted, as Amy said, “to swim and swim and keep on swimming.”

So now they ran down to the dock, debating whether to take out one of the canoes or to swim around near the dock.

“Might as well swim close to home,” said Nell, as she stood close to the edge of the dock, hands over her head in a diving posture25, and regarded her reflection in the water. “Then we’ll be on hand to keep a lookout26 for the boys.”

She leaned a bit too far out over the water and lost her balance. Jessie and Amy saw her fall forward suddenly and heard her give a little cry that was more of astonishment27 than fear. Then the water closed over her.

The two girls ran forward, laughing, for the water at this point was only four or five feet, and it was impossible for a swimmer like Nell to drown in that depth.

What they had not seen was this—that, as she went down, Nell struck her head upon the edge of the dock. They saw only that she had not come up.

“She must be swimming under water,” said Jessie, not yet seriously alarmed. “Run around to the other side of the dock, Amy.”

Amy obeyed, and still no sign of Nell. As she came running back she saw that Jessie was already poised28 for a dive. There was a splash. Jessie disappeared, then rose to the surface, shaking the water from her eyes.

“She—must be—under the dock!” she gasped29, and disappeared again.

“Under the dock!” thought Amy, a swift fear at her heart. She had heard of people swimming around and around under a dock, unable to find their way out, drowning because they could not come up for air. But this was such a little dock! Almost with the thought she also struck the water.

She came up for air and saw Jessie dragging something inert30. She caught one glimpse of a white face and turned sick with dread14.

Together they got Nell on the dock.

“She is dead!” sobbed31 Amy, as they worked over her feverishly. “No live person ever looked like that!”

“See that bruise32 on her forehead?” whispered Jessie. “Amy, I think, I believe, she was unconscious when she struck the water.”

The bruise was up close to her hair, swollen33 and turning black. It stood out startlingly in the pallor of her face.

Panic-stricken, Jessie was about to rush to the lodge for help and some stimulant34 from the medicine chest when Amy called to her.

“She moved! Oh, Jess, come here quick! There is color in her face.”

Jessie returned and sank quickly to her knees, taking Nell’s cold, inert hand in both her warm ones.

“Nell, Nell, open your eyes!” she begged. “Tell us you are all right!”

As if that urgent call could not be denied, Nell opened weary eyes and looked vaguely35 about her.

“What is the matter?” she asked faintly, sitting up and putting a hand to her head. “I fell—I can’t remember——”

“Don’t try, dear. It is all right now,” said Jessie, soothingly36, while the happy tears ran down her face.

“Just rest and don’t worry,” said Amy, surreptitiously wiping the tears from her own eyes. “You did give us a terrible scare, Nell.”

A sharp rumble37 of thunder broke the stillness of the forest, and the girls realized with a shock of surprise that the sun had gone under a cloud and the sky was overcast38.

Nell struggled slowly to get to her feet, the girls helping39 her. She was shivering, either with weakness or the sudden chill that had crept into the air. The wind had risen and was sighing ominously40 through the trees.

They supported Nell back toward the lodge, but before they reached the shelter of it the sudden storm increased in fury. The wind rose to a tempest, the lightning flashed vividly41, streaking42 in jagged rents across the sky. There came a crash of thunder that made them shiver with the impact of the noise upon their ears.

“Our radio!” cried Jessie, suddenly remembering. “We have no lightning arrester. Oh, girls, let’s hurry!”

They needed no urging. Even Nell, alive to the danger from the lightning, momentarily forgot her narrow escape from death.

They dashed into the lodge, pursued by the menacing roar of the elements. They slammed the door shut behind them and turned to confront Aunt Emma and the shuddering43 Phrosy.

“Fo’ de lan’s sakes, Ah is glad to see you young ladies back agin. Ah sho did t’ink dose storm debbils done carry yo’ off fo’ fair!” After delivering herself of this comment, poor Phrosy was sent off into the kitchen by the relentless44 Miss Alling, there to suffer in silence.

Jessie and Amy rushed to the radio set, while Nell sank into a chair, covering her eyes with her hand.

“What are you going to do?” asked Amy, as Jessie produced a pair of scissors.

“Cut the in-wire!” she said, and, a moment later, had suited the action to the word. The danger from lightning was past, for that time, at least.

“What is that?” cried Nell, starting nervously45 from her chair.

There came a terrific flash of lightning, a reverberating46 thunder clap, a crackling as though the forest were on fire, a thud and a slithering sound as of a heavy body striking the roof.

“De end of de world am come, it am fo’ sure!” shrieked47 Phrosy, dashing in upon them, her eyes rolling wildly. “Ah’m gwine away f’om here! Ain’t nobody gwine stop me! Ah’s gwine!”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 frantic Jfyzr     
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的
参考例句:
  • I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
  • He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。
2 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
3 peril l3Dz6     
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物
参考例句:
  • The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
  • The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。
4 desperately cu7znp     
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地
参考例句:
  • He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
  • He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。
5 tugged 8a37eb349f3c6615c56706726966d38e     
v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。
  • A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 descended guQzoy     
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
参考例句:
  • A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
  • The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
7 engulfing a66aecc2b58afaf86c4bed69d7e0dc83     
adj.吞噬的v.吞没,包住( engulf的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了,使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句
8 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
9 frantically ui9xL     
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句:
  • He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
  • She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
10 vertigo yLuzi     
n.眩晕
参考例句:
  • He had a dreadful attack of vertigo.他忽然头晕得厉害。
  • If you have vertigo it seems as if the whole room is spinning round you.如果你头晕,就会觉得整个房间都旋转起来
11 lodge q8nzj     
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆
参考例句:
  • Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗?
  • I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。
12 invalid V4Oxh     
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的
参考例句:
  • He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
  • A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
13 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
14 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
参考例句:
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
15 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
16 vowed 6996270667378281d2f9ee561353c089     
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
  • I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。
17 feverishly 5ac95dc6539beaf41c678cd0fa6f89c7     
adv. 兴奋地
参考例句:
  • Feverishly he collected his data. 他拼命收集资料。
  • The company is having to cast around feverishly for ways to cut its costs. 公司迫切须要想出各种降低成本的办法。
18 dangling 4930128e58930768b1c1c75026ebc649     
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 ); 摆动不定; 用某事物诱惑…; 吊胃口
参考例句:
  • The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果,那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
  • The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上,摇晃着他们的双腿。
19 exertion F7Fyi     
n.尽力,努力
参考例句:
  • We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture.我们搬动家具大费气力,累得大汗淋漓。
  • She was hot and breathless from the exertion of cycling uphill.由于用力骑车爬坡,她浑身发热。
20 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
21 delightful 6xzxT     
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
参考例句:
  • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
  • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
22 ERECTED ERECTED     
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立
参考例句:
  • A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
  • A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。
23 pointedly JlTzBc     
adv.尖地,明显地
参考例句:
  • She yawned and looked pointedly at her watch. 她打了个哈欠,又刻意地看了看手表。
  • The demand for an apology was pointedly refused. 让对方道歉的要求遭到了断然拒绝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 lure l8Gz2     
n.吸引人的东西,诱惑物;vt.引诱,吸引
参考例句:
  • Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
  • He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。
25 posture q1gzk     
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势
参考例句:
  • The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
  • He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣,摆出一副打架的架势。
26 lookout w0sxT     
n.注意,前途,瞭望台
参考例句:
  • You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
  • It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来,公司的前景可就不妙了。
27 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
28 poised SlhzBU     
a.摆好姿势不动的
参考例句:
  • The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋,准备俯冲。
  • Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张,手悬在电话机上。
29 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
30 inert JbXzh     
adj.无活动能力的,惰性的;迟钝的
参考例句:
  • Inert gas studies are providing valuable information about other planets,too.对惰性气体的研究,也提供了有关其它行星的有价值的资料。
  • Elemental nitrogen is a very unreactive and inert material.元素氮是一个十分不活跃的惰性物质。
31 sobbed 4a153e2bbe39eef90bf6a4beb2dba759     
哭泣,啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 ); 哭诉,呜咽地说
参考例句:
  • She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
  • She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。
32 bruise kcCyw     
n.青肿,挫伤;伤痕;vt.打青;挫伤
参考例句:
  • The bruise was caused by a kick.这伤痕是脚踢的。
  • Jack fell down yesterday and got a big bruise on his face.杰克昨天摔了一跤,脸上摔出老大一块淤斑。
33 swollen DrcwL     
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀
参考例句:
  • Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着,她的双腿已经肿了。
  • A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她,她的手臂肿起来了。
34 stimulant fFKy4     
n.刺激物,兴奋剂
参考例句:
  • It is used in medicine for its stimulant quality.由于它有兴奋剂的特性而被应用于医学。
  • Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。
35 vaguely BfuzOy     
adv.含糊地,暖昧地
参考例句:
  • He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
  • He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面,对一切都视而不见。
36 soothingly soothingly     
adv.抚慰地,安慰地;镇痛地
参考例句:
  • The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘,她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
37 rumble PCXzd     
n.隆隆声;吵嚷;v.隆隆响;低沉地说
参考例句:
  • I hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.我听到远处雷声隆隆。
  • We could tell from the rumble of the thunder that rain was coming.我们根据雷的轰隆声可断定,天要下雨了。
38 overcast cJ2xV     
adj.阴天的,阴暗的,愁闷的;v.遮盖,(使)变暗,包边缝;n.覆盖,阴天
参考例句:
  • The overcast and rainy weather found out his arthritis.阴雨天使他的关节炎发作了。
  • The sky is overcast with dark clouds.乌云满天。
39 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
40 ominously Gm6znd     
adv.恶兆地,不吉利地;预示地
参考例句:
  • The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块,在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘(部分)
41 vividly tebzrE     
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地
参考例句:
  • The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。
  • The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。
42 streaking 318ae71f4156ab9482b7b884f6934612     
n.裸奔(指在公共场所裸体飞跑)v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 );使布满条纹
参考例句:
  • Their only thought was of the fiery harbingers of death streaking through the sky above them. 那个不断地在空中飞翔的死的恐怖把一切别的感觉都赶走了。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
  • Streaking is one of the oldest tricks in the book. 裸奔是有书面记载的最古老的玩笑之一。 来自互联网
43 shuddering 7cc81262357e0332a505af2c19a03b06     
v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动
参考例句:
  • 'I am afraid of it,'she answered, shuddering. “我害怕,”她发着抖,说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
  • She drew a deep shuddering breath. 她不由得打了个寒噤,深深吸了口气。 来自飘(部分)
44 relentless VBjzv     
adj.残酷的,不留情的,无怜悯心的
参考例句:
  • The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
  • Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。
45 nervously tn6zFp     
adv.神情激动地,不安地
参考例句:
  • He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇,努力忍着不哭出来。
  • He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
46 reverberating c53f7cf793cffdbe4e27481367488203     
回响,回荡( reverberate的现在分词 ); 使反响,使回荡,使反射
参考例句:
  • The words are still ringing [reverberating] in one's ears. 言犹在耳。
  • I heard a voice reverberating: "Crawl out! I give you liberty!" 我听到一个声音在回荡:“爬出来吧,我给你自由!”
47 shrieked dc12d0d25b0f5d980f524cd70c1de8fe     
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
  • Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫,陆子潇尖声叫:“告诉什么? 来自汉英文学 - 围城


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