“I SPENT some time, puzzling how to strengthen the study door. Finally, I went down to the kitchen, and with some trouble, brought up several heavy pieces of timber. These, I wedged up, slantwise, against it, from the floor, nailing them top and bottom. For half-an-hour, I worked hard, and, at last, got it shored to my mind.
“Then, feeling easier, I resumed my coat, which I had laid aside, and proceeded to attend to one or two matters before returning to the tower. It was whilst thus employed, that I heard a fumbling1 at the door, and the latch2 was tried. Keeping silence, I waited. Soon, I heard several of the creatures outside. They were grunting4 to one another, softly. Then, for a minute, there was quietness. Suddenly, there sounded a quick, low grunt3, and the door creaked under a tremendous pressure. It would have burst inwards; but for the supports I had placed. The strain ceased, as quickly as it had begun, and there was more talk.
“Presently, one of the Things squealed5, softly, and I heard the sound of others approaching. There was a short confabulation; then again, silence; and I realised that they had called several more to assist. Feeling that now was the supreme6 moment, I stood ready, with my rifle presented. If the door gave, I would, at least, slay7 as many as possible.
“Again came the low signal; and, once more, the door cracked, under a huge force. For, a minute perhaps, the pressure was kept up; and I waited, nervously8; expecting each moment to see the door come down with a crash. But no; the struts9 held, and the attempt proved abortive11. Then followed more of their horrible, grunting talk, and, whilst it lasted, I thought I distinguished12 the noise of fresh arrivals.
“After a long discussion, during which the door was several times shaken, they became quiet once more, and I knew that they were going to make a third attempt to break it down. I was almost in despair. The props13 had been severely14 tried in the two previous attacks, and I was sorely afraid that this would prove too much for them.
“At that moment, like an inspiration, a thought flashed into my troubled brain. Instantly, for it was no time to hesitate, I ran from the room, and up stair after stair. This time, it was not to one of the towers, that I went; but out on to the flat, leaded roof itself. Once there, I raced across to the parapet, that walls it round, and looked down. As I did so, I heard the short, grunted15 signal, and, even up there, caught the crying of the door under the assault.
“There was not a moment to lose, and, leaning over, I aimed, quickly, and fired. The report rang sharply, and, almost blending with it, came the loud splud of the bullet striking its mark. From below, rose a shrill16 wail17; and the door ceased its groaning18. Then, as I took my weight from off the parapet, a huge piece of the stone coping slid from under me, and fell with a crash among the disorganised throng19 beneath. Several horrible shrieks20 quavered through the night air, and then I heard a sound of scampering21 feet. Cautiously, I looked over. In the moonlight, I could see the great coping stone, lying right across the threshold of the door. I thought I saw something under it — several things, white; but I could not be sure.
“And so a few minutes passed.
“As I stared, I saw something come round, out of the shadow of the house. It was one of the Things. It went up to the stone, silently, and bent22 down. I was unable to see what it did. In a minute it stood up. It had something in its talons23, which it put to its mouth and tore at . . . .
“For the moment, I did not realise. Then, slowly, I comprehended. The Thing was stooping again. It was horrible. I started to load my rifle. When I looked again, the monster was tugging24 at the stone — moving it to one side. I leant the rifle on the coping, and pulled the trigger. The brute25 collapsed26, on its face, and kicked, slightly.
“Simultaneously, almost, with the report, I heard another sound — that of breaking glass. Waiting, only to recharge my weapon, I ran from the roof, and down the first two flights of stairs.
“Here, I paused to listen. As I did so, there came another tinkle27 of falling glass. It appeared to come from the floor below. Excitedly, I sprang down the steps, and, guided by the rattle28 of the window-sash, reached the door of one of the empty bedrooms, at the back of the house. I thrust it open. The room was but dimly illuminated29 by the moonlight; most of the light being blotted30 out by moving figures at the window. Even as I stood, one crawled through, into the room. Levelling my weapon, I fired point-blank at it — filling the room with a deafening31 bang. When the smoke cleared, I saw that the room was empty, and the window free. The room was much lighter32. The night air blew in, coldly, through the shattered panes33. Down below, in the night, I could hear a soft moaning, and a confused murmur34 of swine-voices.
“Stepping to one side of the window, I reloaded, and then stood there, waiting. Presently, I heard a scuffling noise. From where I stood in the shadow, I could see, without being seen.
“Nearer came the sounds, and then I saw something come up above the sill, and clutch at the broken window-frame. It caught a piece of the woodwork; and, now, I could make out that it was a hand and arm. A moment later, the face of one of the Swine-creatures rose into view. Then, before I could use my rifle, or do anything, there came a sharp crack — cr-ac-k; and the window-frame gave way under the weight of the Thing. Next instant, a squashing thud, and a loud outcry, told me that it had fallen to the ground. With a savage35 hope that it had been killed, I went to the window. The moon had gone behind a cloud, so that I could see nothing; though a steady hum of jabbering36, just beneath where I stood, indicated that there were several more of the brutes37 close at hand.
“As I stood there, looking down, I marvelled38 how it had been possible for the creatures to climb so far; for the wall is comparatively smooth, while the distance to the ground must be, at least, eighty feet.
“All at once, as I bent, peering, I saw something, indistinctly, that cut the grey shadow of the house-side, with a black line. It passed the window, to the left, at a distance of about two feet. Then, I remembered that it was a gutter-pipe, that had been put there some years ago, to carry off the rain water. I had forgotten about it. I could see, now, how the creatures had managed to reach the window. Even as the solution came to me, I heard a faint slithering, scratching noise, and knew that another of the brutes was coming. I waited some odd moments; then leant out of the window and felt the pipe. To my delight, I found that it was quite loose, and I managed, using the rifle-barrel as a crowbar, to lever it out from the wall. I worked quickly. Then, taking hold with both bands, I wrenched39 the whole concern away, and hurled40 it down — with the Thing still clinging to it — into the garden.
“For a few minutes longer, I waited there, listening; but, after the first general outcry, I heard nothing. I knew, now, that there was no more reason to fear an attack from this quarter. I had removed the only means of reaching the window, and, as none of the other windows had any adjacent water-pipes, to tempt10 the climbing powers of the monsters, I began to feel more confident of escaping their clutches.
“Leaving the room, I made my way down to the study. I was anxious to see how the door had withstood the test of that last assault. Entering, I lit two of the candles, and then turned to the door. One of the large props had been displaced, and, on that side, the door had been forced inward some six inches.
“It was Providential that I had managed to drive the brutes away just when I did! And that coping-stone! I wondered, vaguely41, how I had managed to dislodge it. I had not noticed it loose, as I took my shot; and then, as I stood up, it had slipped away from beneath me. . . . I felt that I owed the dismissal of the attacking force, more to its timely fall than to my rifle. Then the thought came, that I had better seize this chance to shore up the door, again. It was evident that the creatures had not returned since the fall of the coping-stone; but who was to say how long they would keep away?
“There and then, I set-to, at repairing the door — working hard and anxiously. First, I went down to the basement, and, rummaging42 round, found several pieces of heavy oak planking. With these, I returned to the study, and, having removed the props, placed the planks43 up against the door. Then, I nailed the heads of the struts to these, and, driving them well home at the bottoms, nailed them again there.
“Thus, I made the door stronger than ever; for now it was solid with the backing of boards, and would, I felt convinced, stand a heavier pressure than hitherto, without giving way.
“After that, I lit the lamp which I had brought from the kitchen, and went down to have a look at the lower windows.
“Now that I had seen an instance of the strength the creatures possessed44, I felt considerable anxiety about the windows on the ground floor — in spite of the fact that they were so strongly barred.
“I went first to the buttery, having a vivid remembrance of my late adventure there. The place was chilly45, and the wind, soughing in through the broken glass, produced an eerie46 note. Apart from the general air of dismalness47, the place was as I had left it the night before. Going up to the window, I examined the bars, closely; noting, as I did so, their comfortable thickness. Still, as I looked more intently, it seemed to me, that the middle bar was bent slightly from the straight; yet it was but trifling48, and it might have been so for years. I had never, before, noticed them particularly.
“I put my hand through the broken window, and shook the bar. It was as firm as a rock. Perhaps the creatures had tried to ‘start’ it, and, finding it beyond their power, ceased from the effort. After that, I went round to each of the windows, in turn; examining them with careful attention; but nowhere else could I trace anything to show that there had been any tampering49. Having finished my survey, I went back to the study, and poured myself out a little brandy. Then to the tower to watch.
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1
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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grunting
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| 咕哝的，呼噜的 | |
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squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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struts
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| （框架的）支杆( strut的名词复数 )； 支柱； 趾高气扬的步态； （尤指跳舞或表演时）卖弄 | |
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tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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abortive
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| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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props
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| 小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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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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scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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32
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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jabbering
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴 | |
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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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marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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40
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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42
rummaging
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| 翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查 | |
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43
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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44
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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46
eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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47
dismalness
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| 阴沉的 | |
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48
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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49
tampering
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| v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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