The two adventurers marooned1 on the island ate their first meal of rabbit, grilled2 over the coals, with keen relish3, though they had neither salt to season it nor bread to accompany it.
"It might be worse," remarked Shad, when the meal was finished. "Rabbit is good, and," he continued, lolling back lazily and contentedly4 before the fire, "there's always some bright spot to light the darkest cloud--we've no dishes to wash. A rinse5 of the tea pail, a rinse of our cups, and, presto6! the thing's done. I detest7 dish-washing."
"Aye," admitted Bob, "dish-washin' is a putterin' job."
"Yes, that's it; a puttering job," resumed Shad. "But now let's come to the important question of the day. Continued banqueting upon rabbit, I've been told, becomes monotonous8, and under any conditions imprisonment9 is sure to become monotonous sooner or later. I have a hunch10 it will be sooner in our case. I'm beginning to chafe11 under bonds already. What are we going to do about it?"
"I'm not knowin' so soon," confessed Bob, "but I'm thinkin' before this day week Dick an' Ed an' Bill will be huntin' around for us, an' they's like t' find us, an' when they does they'll be findin' a way t' help us. They might build up th' place down there with stones, so's t' make a footin' t' land on, an' then 'twill be easy goin' ashore12."
"But suppose they don't come around this way and don't find us?"
"Then I'm thinkin' we'll be bidin' here till ice forms."
"Till ice forms! And when will that be?"
"An' she comes on frosty, ice'll begin formin' th' middle of October on th' banks. But th' current's wonderful strong, an' I'll not be expectin' ice t' cross on till New Year, whatever."
"January first! October! November! December! Three months on this god-forsaken bit of rock! Great Jehoshaphat, man! That'll be an eternity13! We can't endure it!"
"I'm not thinkin' we'll have to. I'm thinkin' they'll find us in a fortni't, whatever," reassured14 Bob, rising and picking up the axe15. "We'll be needin' a shelter, an' I'm thinkin' I'll build un now."
"And we have no blankets with us!" exclaimed Shad. "Oh, we're going to have a swell16 time!"
"We'll be fair snug17 with a shelter, now. I'll be cuttin' th' sticks, an' you breaks boughs18."
"All right, Bob, I'll get the boughs," agreed Shad, languidly rising, and as he went to his task singing:
"'Old Noah, he did build an ark,
He made it out of hick'ry bark.
"'If you belong to Gideon's band,
Why here's my heart, and here's my hand,
Looking for a home.
"'He drove the animiles in two by two,
The elephant and the kangaroo.
"'And then he nailed the hatches down,
And told outsiders they might drown.
"'And when he found he had no sail,
He just ran up his own coat tail.
"'If you belong to Gideon's band,
Why here's my heart, and here's my hand,
Looking for a home.'"
A full stomach sometimes wholly changes one's outlook upon the world. Shad was beginning now to view his adventure from a whimsical standpoint, a result induced partially19 by his dinner, largely by Bob's philosophical20 attitude.
It was not anticipated the shelter would be required for long, and a comfortable lean-to under the lee of the hill, with back and ends enclosed, and closely thatched with boughs and moss21, was considered sufficient. A thick, springy bed of spruce boughs was then arranged, and the temporary home was completed.
Then Bob proceeded to set deadfalls, utilising flat stones and raising them on a figure 4, which he baited with tender birch boughs. Several rabbits were started in the course of the afternoon, giving assurance that the deadfalls would yield sufficient food for their needs, though no results could be expected from them until the following morning.
"Now for supper, Shad, we'll have t' be usin' some shells," he announced. "Supposin' you tries un. I were goin' t' make a bow an' arrows t' save th' shells, but they's nothin' t' feather th' arrows with, an' no string that'd be strong enough for th' bow."
"All right," agreed Shad. "I'll get them;" and within half an hour he returned with a bag of two fat young rabbits.
Their fire was built before the lean-to, and a very small blaze was found sufficient to heat it to a cosy22 warmth. Here they sat and ate their grilled rabbit and drank their tea, quite as comfortably as they would have done in their tent or tilt23, though during the night one or the other found it necessary to rise several times to renew the fire.
Bivouacking in this manner was more or less of an ordinary circumstance in Ungava Bob's life. He looked upon it as the sort of thing to be expected, and as a matter of course. He felt indeed that they were very fortunately situated24, and for the present he had small doubt that their imprisonment would prove but a temporary inconvenience.
The deadfalls yielded them the first night three rabbits; another was shot. They had quite enough to eat the next day, and Shad took a brighter view of the matter.
"By Jove!" he laughed, after breakfast, "I wonder what the fellows at home would say if they should see me now, playing the part of Robinson Crusoe?" and then he began to sing:
"'Fare thee well, for I must leave thee.
Do not let the parting grieve thee,
And remember that the best of friends must part, must part.
Adieu, adieu, kind friends, adieu, adieu, adieu,
I can no longer stay with you, stay with you,
I'll hang my harp25 on a weeping-willow tree,
And may the world go well with thee.'"
But when another morning came, with no sugar remaining for the tea, and no other food than the now monotonous unsalted rabbit, Shad rebelled.
"See here, Bob!" he exclaimed irritably26, "I can't eat any more rabbit! It nauseates27 me to even think of it! We've got to do something."
"We can't help un, now, Shad," answered Bob soothingly28. "Rabbit ain't so bad."
"Not once or twice, or even three times in succession--but eternally and forever, I can't go it."
"It does get a bit wearisome, but 'tis a wonderful lot better'n no rabbit, when rabbit's all there is."
"Wearisome! Wearisome! Confound it, Bob, it's disgusting! Now we've got to do something to get ourselves out of here, and that quick."
"I'm not knowin', now, what t' do till th' others comes, an' I'm knowin' they will."
"Come, Bob, let's make a try for that wall down there. Even if the canoe does get away from us, we can make the wall--I know we can."
"No," and Bob shook his head ominously29, "I'm ready t' take any fair chanct, Shad, but they wouldn't be even a fair chanet t' make un."
"Oh, bosh!" exclaimed Shad angrily. "I thought you had some nerve."
"'Tisn't a matter o' nerve, Shad; 'tis a matter o' what can be done an' what can't."
"Oh, yes, it can! Anyone with two legs and two hands and two eyes and just a grain of grit30 can do it."
Bob, quiet and unruffled, grilled his rabbit, refusing to take offence or to be moved at Shad's remarks, evidently intended to goad31 him into what his experience told him would certainly prove a hopeless and foolhardy venture.
It is a psychological phenomenon that men, denied action and confined to limited and solitary32 surroundings, become highly irascible. They find cause for offence in every word and every action of their companions, and it is not unusual for men situated as Ungava Bob and Shad Trowbridge were to lapse33 into such a state of antagonism34 toward one another that they cease to converse35.
This was the condition into which Shad Trowbridge quickly lapsed36. He soon came to ascribe to timidity and cowardice37 Bob's opposition38 to his wish to attempt a crossing to the mainland. He was one who chafed39 under restraint, and one who, when he had once decided40 upon a course of action, could not brook41 opposition from another; and though at heart he knew that Bob was fearless and brave, and that his arguments were sound, yet he would not now admit this, even to himself.
Normally Shad was a good fellow, and he would endure hardships cheerfully if the hardships were accompanied by physical activity; but the condition of monotonous existence, accompanied by idleness and inactivity, which they were now experiencing, was too great for him to withstand, and he was prepared to take the most desperate chance to escape from it. When at length the tea and his tobacco were gone, and nothing but the daily ration42 of unseasoned rabbit remained, the thought of thus continuing indefinitely became unendurable to him.
Ungava Bob, on the contrary, had been accustomed to wilderness43 solitude44 all his life. This, and a naturally even disposition45, coupled with a philosophical temperament46, rendered him capable of overlooking Shad's slurs47, and when finally Shad ceased to speak to him, or when spoken to by Bob ceased to acknowledge that he heard, Bob permitted the slight to pass unnoticed.
At length, one day, when Shad had nursed his supposed grievance48 to a point where he could no longer endure it, he blurted49 out brutally50:
"See here, I've stood this devilish cowardice of yours as long as I'm going to. Do you see where the sun is! It's noon. Now I'll give you until that sun drops half-way to the horizon to decide whether or not you're going across with me. If you say 'No,' I'm going without you, that's all, and you can stay here and eat rabbit, and rot, if you choose."
"Now, Shad," Bob placated51, "I knows how you feels, an' it's your judgment52 ag'in mine. But I'm havin' experience with places like that, an' I knows we can't make th' crossin' an' land. Now don't try un, Shad."
"Don't 'Shad' me--My God, Bob! Look there!" he suddenly broke off.
Shooting past them, half standing53 in their birch canoe, paddling with the desperation of men facing doom54, one with his sound paddle, the other with his broken one, were the Indians that Manikawan had sent adrift.
They were very near the island--so near that every outline of their drawn55, terrorstricken faces was visible--but too far away to reach the gravelly point upon which Bob and Shad had found refuge. Indeed, they seemed not to see it, or to see anything but the horrible spectral56 phantom57 of the evil spirit that they believed had them in its control.
On--on--on-they sped, ever faster--faster toward the pounding rapids--impotently, though still desperately58, wielding59 their paddles. Bob and Shad stood spellbound and horror-stricken. The Indians were nearing the first white foam60! In a moment their canoe would strike it! It was in the foam! It rose for an instant upon a white crest61, the Indians' paddles still working--then was swallowed up in the swirling62 tumult63 of waves and whirlpools, never to reappear.
Ungava Bob and Shad Trowbridge stood for a moment in awe-stricken horror. Then they sat down upon the rock on which Shad had sunk when overcome with shock on the day of their escape upon the island.
"Bob," said Shad, at last, "that was the most terrible thing I ever beheld64!"
"'Twere awful!" assented65 Bob.
"It shows us, Bob, what you and I escaped. Bob, I've been very disagreeable lately. Take my hand and forgive me, won't you?"
"'Twere th' rabbit meat, Shad," said Bob, taking Shad's hand. "Rabbit meat be wonderful tryin' t' eat steady. I were knowin', now, you'd be all right again, Shad."
"I think I've been demented, Bob--I'm sure I have--anyway, believe it, and don't hold it against me."
"I'll not be holdin' un ag'in you, Shad. 'Twere natural, and--" Bob ceased speaking and sat staring at the high bank of the mainland. "Manikawan!" he exclaimed, springing up and crossing the island point at a bound.
There she stood, joy, wonder, incredulity, written upon her face. She had believed White Brother of the Snow dead, but here she saw him in flesh and alive, and he had spoken her name.
"White Brother of the Snow! Oh, White Brother of the Snow! The evil spirits did not devour66 you, but like hungry wolves they have devoured67 your enemies."
Very quickly Bob explained their predicament, and she listened silently. Then she went to the sloping rock, descended68 its dangerous angle to the water's edge, and returned.
"White Brother of the Snow and his friend would find no lodgment there," said she. "It is a place of deceit. But White Brother of the Snow knows how to be patient. Let him and his friend wait. The evil spirits cannot reach up for them where they are. When the sun returns again to the high point in the heavens Manikawan will stand here. Wait."
The next instant she was gone.
"What did she say?" asked Shad.
"She were sayin'," explained Bob, "that if we has patience an' waits she'll be back by noon to-morrow, or thereabouts. An' she says if we waits here we'll be safe, but we couldn't be makin' a footin' on th' rock. She's thinkin' o' some way o' gettin' us off, but I'm not knowin' what 'tis, now."
收听单词发音 |
1
marooned
|
|
| adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
grilled
|
|
| adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
relish
|
|
| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
contentedly
|
|
| adv.心满意足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
rinse
|
|
| v.用清水漂洗，用清水冲洗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
presto
|
|
| adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
detest
|
|
| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
monotonous
|
|
| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
imprisonment
|
|
| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
hunch
|
|
| n.预感，直觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
chafe
|
|
| v.擦伤；冲洗；惹怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
eternity
|
|
| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
reassured
|
|
| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
axe
|
|
| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
snug
|
|
| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
boughs
|
|
| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
partially
|
|
| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
philosophical
|
|
| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
cosy
|
|
| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
tilt
|
|
| v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
situated
|
|
| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
harp
|
|
| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
irritably
|
|
| ad.易生气地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
nauseates
|
|
| v.使恶心，作呕( nauseate的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
soothingly
|
|
| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
ominously
|
|
| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
grit
|
|
| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
goad
|
|
| n.刺棒，刺痛物；激励；vt.激励，刺激 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
lapse
|
|
| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
antagonism
|
|
| n.对抗，敌对，对立 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
converse
|
|
| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
lapsed
|
|
| adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
cowardice
|
|
| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
opposition
|
|
| n.反对，敌对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
chafed
|
|
| v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
brook
|
|
| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
ration
|
|
| n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
wilderness
|
|
| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
solitude
|
|
| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
disposition
|
|
| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
temperament
|
|
| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
slurs
|
|
| 含糊的发音( slur的名词复数 )； 玷污； 连奏线； 连唱线 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
grievance
|
|
| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
blurted
|
|
| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
brutally
|
|
| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
placated
|
|
| v.安抚，抚慰，使平静( placate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
doom
|
|
| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
spectral
|
|
| adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
phantom
|
|
| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
wielding
|
|
| 手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的现在分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
foam
|
|
| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
crest
|
|
| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
swirling
|
|
| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
tumult
|
|
| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
beheld
|
|
| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
assented
|
|
| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
devour
|
|
| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
devoured
|
|
| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |