Among the articles which Falkland left behind him were two guns, of which Herbert and Melville made frequent use. Herbert had a natural taste for hunting, though, at home, having no gun of his own, he had not been able to gratify his taste as much as he desired. Often after breakfast the two sallied forth3, and wandered about in the neighboring woods, gun in hand. Generally Melville returned first, leaving Herbert, not yet fatigued, to continue the sport. In this way our hero acquired a skill and precision of aim which enabled him to make a very respectable figure even among old and practiced hunters.
One morning, after Melville had returned home, Herbert was led, by the ardor4 of the chase, to wander farther than usual. He was aware of this, but did not fear being lost, having a compass and knowing his bearings. All at once, as he was making his way along a wooded path, he was startled by hearing voices. He hurried forward, and the scene upon which he intruded5 was dramatic enough.
With arms folded, a white man, a hunter, apparently6, stood erect7, and facing him, at a distance of seventy-five or eighty feet, was an Indian, with gun raised, and leveled at the former.
“Why don't you shoot, you red rascal8!” said the white man. “You've got the drop on me, I allow, and I am in your power.”
The Indian laughed in his guttural way; but though he held the gun poised9, he did not shoot. He was playing with his victim as a cat plays with a mouse before she kills it.
“Is white man afraid?” said the Indian, not tauntingly10, but with real curiosity, for among Indians it is considered a great triumph if a warrior11 can inspire fear in his foe12, and make him show the white feather.
“Afraid!” retorted the hunter. “Who should I be afraid of?”
“Of Indian.”
“Don't flatter yourself, you pesky savage13,” returned the white man, coolly, ejecting a flood of tobacco juice from his mouth, for though he was a brave man, he had some drawbacks. “You needn't think I am afraid of you.”
“Indian shoot!” suggested his enemy, watching the effect of this announcement.
“Well, shoot, then, and be done with it.”
“White man no want to live?”
“Of course I want to live. Never saw a healthy white man that didn't. If I was goin' to die at all, I wouldn't like to die by the hands of a red rascal like you.”
“Indian great warrior,” said the dusky denizen14 of the woods, straightening up, and speaking complacently15.
“Indian may be great warrior, but he is a horse thief, all the same,” said the hunter, coolly.
“White man soon die, and Indian wear his scalp,” remarked the Indian, in a manner likely to disturb the composure of even the bravest listener.
The hunter's face changed. It was impossible to reflect upon such a fate without a pang16. Death was nothing to that final brutality17.
“Ha! White man afraid now!” said the Indian, triumphantly—quick to observe the change of expression in his victim.
“No, I am not afraid,” said the hunter, quickly recovering himself; “but it's enough to disgust any decent man to think that his scalp will soon be dangling18 from the belt of a filthy19 heathen like you. However, I suppose I won't know it after I'm dead. You have skulked20 and dogged my steps, you red hound, ever since I punished you for trying to steal my horse. I made one great mistake. Instead of beating you, I should have shot you, and rid the earth of you once for all.”
“Indian no forget white man's blows. White man die, and Indian be revenged.”
“Yes, I s'pose that's what it's coming to,” said the hunter, in a tone of resignation. “I was a 'tarnal fool to come out this mornin' without my gun. If I had it you would sing a different song.”
Again the Indian laughed, a low, guttural, unpleasant laugh, which Herbert listened to with a secret shudder21. It was so full of malignity22, and cunning triumph, and so suggestive of the fate which he reserved for his white foe, that it aggravated23 the latter, and made him impatient to have the blow fall, since it seemed to be inevitable24.
“Why don't you shoot, you red savage?” he cried. “What are you waiting for?”
The Indian wished to gloat over the mental distress25 of his foe. He liked to prolong his own feeling of power—to enjoy the consciousness that, at any moment, he could put an end to the life of the man whom he hated for the blows which he felt had degraded him, and which he was resolved never to forget or forgive. It was the same feeling that has often led those of his race to torture their hapless victims, that they may, as long as possible, enjoy the spectacle of their agonies. For this reason he was in no hurry to speed on its way the fatal bullet.
Again the Indian laughed, and, taking aim, made a feint of firing, but withheld26 his shot. Pale and resolute27 his intended victim continued to face him. He thought that the fatal moment had come, and braced28 himself to meet his fate; but he was destined29 to be disappointed.
“How long is this goin' to last, you red hound?” he demanded. “If I've got to die, I am ready.”
“You wouldn't find it prudent31 to wait if I were beside you,” said the hunter. “It's easy enough to threaten an unarmed man. If some friend would happen along to foil you in your cowardly purpose—-”
“White man send for friend!” suggested the Indian, tauntingly.
Herbert had listened to this colloquy32 with varying emotions, and his anger and indignation were stirred by the cold-blooded cruelty of the savage. He stood motionless, seen by neither party, but he held his weapon leveled at the Indian, ready to shoot at an instant's warning. Brought up, as he had been, with a horror for scenes of violence, and a feeling that human life was sacred, he had a great repugnance33 to use his weapon, even where it seemed his urgent duty to do so. He felt that on him, young as he was, rested a weighty responsibility. He could save the life of a man of his own color, but only by killing34 or disabling a red man. Indian though he was, his life, too, was sacred; but when he threatened the life of another he forfeited35 his claim to consideration.
Herbert hesitated till he saw it was no longer safe to do so—till he saw that it was the unalterable determination of the Indian to kill the hunter, and then, his face pale and fixed36, he pulled the trigger.
His bullet passed through the shoulder of the savage. The latter uttered a shrill37 cry of surprise and dismay, and his weapon fell at his feet, while he pressed his left hand to his wounded shoulder.
The hunter, amazed at the interruption, which had been of such essential service to him, lost not a moment in availing himself of it. He bounded forward, and before the savage well knew what he purposed, he had picked up his fallen weapon, and, leveling it at his wounded foe, fired.
His bullet was not meant to disable, but to kill. It penetrated38 the heart of the savage, and, staggering back, he fell, his face distorted with rage and disappointment.
“The tables are turned, my red friend!” said the hunter, coolly. “It's your life, not mine, this time!”
At that moment Herbert, pale and shocked, but relieved as well, pressed forward, and the hunter saw him for the first time.
“Was it you, boy, who fired the shot?” asked the hunter, in surprise.
“Yes,” answered Herbert.
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1
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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tauntingly
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| 嘲笑地，辱骂地； 嘲骂地 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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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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denizen
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| n.居民，外籍居民 | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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18
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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skulked
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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malignity
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| n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性 | |
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aggravated
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| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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colloquy
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| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
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repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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39
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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