Discomfited—chagrined by his discomfiture—burning with shame at the pitiful spectacle he has afforded to his followers—Uraga returns within his tent like an enraged2 tiger. Not as one robbed of its prey—he is still sure of this as ever; for he has other strings3 to his bow, and the weak one just snapped scarce signifies.
But for having employed it to no purpose he now turns upon Roblez, who counselled the course that has ended so disastrously4.
The adjutant is a safe target on which to expend5 the arrows of his spleen, and to soothe6 his perturbed7 spirit he gives vent8 to it.
In time, however, he gets somewhat reconciled; the sooner by gulping9 down two or three glasses of Catalan brandy. Along with the liquor, smoking, as if angry at his cigar, and consuming it through sheer spite, Roblez endeavours to soothe him by consolative speech.
“What matters it, after all!” puts in the confederate. “It may be that everything has been for the best. I was wrong, no doubt, in advising as I did. Still, as you see, it’s gained us some advantage.”
“Advantage! To me the very reverse. Only to think of being chased about my own camp by a man who is my prisoner! And before the eyes of everybody! A pretty story for our troopers to tell when they get back to Albuquerque! I, Colonel commanding, will be the jest of the cuartel!”
“Nothing of the kind, colonel! There is nothing to jest about. Your prisoner chanced to possess himself of your sword—a thing no one could have anticipated. He did it adroitly10, but then you were at the time unsuspecting. Disarmed11, what else could you do but retreat from a man, armed, desperate, determined12 on taking your life. I’d like to see anyone who’d have acted otherwise. Under the circumstances only an insane man would keep his ground. The episode has been awkward, I admit. But it’s all nonsense—excuse me for saying so—your being sensitive about that part of it. And for the rest, I say again, it’s given us an advantage; in short, the very one you wanted, if I understand your intentions aright.”
“In what way?”
“Well, you desired a pretext13, didn’t you?”
“To do what?”
“Court-martial your prisoners, condemn14, and execute them. The attempt on your life will cover all this, so that the keenest scandal-monger may not open his lips. It will be perfectly15 en regie for you to hang or shoot Don Valerian Miranda—and, if you like, the doctor, too—after ten minutes’ deliberation over a drum’s head. I’m ready to organise16 the court according to your directions.”
To this proposal Uraga replies with a significant smile, saying:
“Your idea is not a bad one; but I chance to have a better. Much as I hate Miranda and wish him out of the way, I don’t desire to imbrue my hands in his blood; don’t intend to, as I’ve already hinted to you.”
Roblez turns upon his superior officer a look of incredulous surprise, interrogating,—
“You mean to take him back, and let him be tried in the regular way?”
“I mean nothing of the kind.”
“I thought it strange, after your telling me he would never leave this place alive.”
“I tell you so still.”
“Colonel! you take pleasure in mystifying me. If you’re not going to try your prisoners by court-martial, in what way are your words to be made good? Surely you don’t intend to have them shot without form of trial?”
“I’ve said I won’t imbrue my hands in their blood.”
“True, you’ve said that more than once, but without making things any clearer to me. You spoke17 of some plan. Perhaps I may now hear it?”
“You shall. But first fill me out another capita of the Catalan. That affair has made me thirsty as a sponge.”
The adjutant, acting18 as Ganymede, pours out the liquor and hands the cup to his colonel, which the latter quaffs19 off. Then, lighting20 a fresh cigar, he proceeds with the promised explanation.
“I spoke of events, incidents, and coincidences—didn’t I, ayadante?”
“You did, Colonel.”
“Well, suppose I clump21 them altogether, and give you the story in a simple narrative—a monologue22? I know, friend Roblez, you’re not a man greatly given to speech; so it will save you the necessity of opening your lips till I’ve got through.”
Roblez, usually taciturn, nods assent23.
“Before coming out here,” continues the Colonel, “I’d taken some steps. When you’ve heard what they are I fancy you’ll give me credit for strategy, or cunning, if you prefer so calling it. I told you I should take no prisoners back, and that Don Valerian and the doctor are to die. They will go to their graves without causing scandal to any of us. To avoid it I’ve engaged an executioner, who will do the job without any direct orders from me.”
“Who?” asks the adjutant, forgetting his promise to be silent.
“Don’t interrupt!”
The subordinate resumes silence.
“I think,” continues Uraga, in a tone of serio-comicality, “you have heard of a copper-coloured gentleman called ‘Horned Lizard24.’ If I mistake not, you have the honour of his acquaintance. And, unless I’m astray in my reckoning, you’ll have the pleasure of seeing him here this evening, or at an early hour to-morrow morning. He will make his appearance in somewhat eccentric fashion. No doubt, he’ll come into our camp at a charging gallop25, with some fifty or a hundred of his painted warriors26 behind him. And I shouldn’t wonder if they should spit some of our gay lancers on the points of their spears. That will depend on whether these valientes be foolish enough to make resistance. I don’t think they will. More likely we shall see them gallop off at the first whoop27 of the Indian assailants. You and I, Roblez, will have to do the same; but, as gallant28 gentlemen, we must take the women along with us. To abandon them to the mercy of the savages29, without making an effort to save them, were absolute poltroonery30, and would never bear reporting in the settlements. Therefore, we must do our best to take the ladies along. Of course, we can’t be blamed for not being able to save our male prisoners. Their fate, I fear, will be for each to get half a dozen Comanche spears thrust through his body, or it may be a dozen. It’s sad to think of it, but such misfortunes cannot always be avoided. They are but the ordinary incidents of frontier life. Now, señor ayadante, do you comprehend my scheme?”
“Since I am at length permitted to speak, I may say I do—at least, I have an obscure comprehension of it. Fairly interpreted, I take it to mean this. You have arranged with the Horned Lizard to make a counterfeit31 attack upon our camp—to shoot down or spear our poor devils of soldiers, if need be?”
“Not the slightest need of his doing that, nor any likelihood of his being able to do it. They’ll run like good fellows at the first yell of the Indians. Have no apprehensions32 about them.”
“In any case, the Horned Lizard is to settle the question with our captives, and take the responsibility off our hands. If I understand aright, that is the programme.”
“It is.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
atrocity
|
|
| n.残暴，暴行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
enraged
|
|
| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
strings
|
|
| n.弦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
disastrously
|
|
| ad.灾难性地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
expend
|
|
| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
soothe
|
|
| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
perturbed
|
|
| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
vent
|
|
| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
gulping
|
|
| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的现在分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
adroitly
|
|
| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
disarmed
|
|
| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
pretext
|
|
| n.借口，托词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
condemn
|
|
| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
organise
|
|
| vt.组织，安排，筹办 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
quaffs
|
|
| v.痛饮( quaff的第三人称单数 )；畅饮；大口大口将…喝干；一饮而尽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
20
lighting
|
|
| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
clump
|
|
| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
monologue
|
|
| n.长篇大论，（戏剧等中的）独白 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
assent
|
|
| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
lizard
|
|
| n.蜥蜴，壁虎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
gallop
|
|
| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
whoop
|
|
| n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
gallant
|
|
| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
savages
|
|
| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
poltroonery
|
|
| n.怯懦，胆小 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
31
counterfeit
|
|
| vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
apprehensions
|
|
| 疑惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |