As their bean-sacks had been already filled, it was determined3 that they should first take them to the hut, and then return to the storks4 with the design of capturing them. Ossaroo was of the opinion, that they would have no difficulty in effecting this; declaring the birds to be so tame, that he might walk straight up to them, and throw a noose6 over their necks. This, in all probability, he might have done, had he been provided with a piece of cord proper for the making of such a noose. But there was no cord at hand—not even a bit of string—nothing but the rush baskets filled with the lotus beans. To obtain a snare7, it would be necessary to make a journey to the hut.
In the minds of our adventurers there was no very clear conception of the object of capturing the storks: unless it might have been that the thought, to which Caspar had given speech, was still entertained by himself and his brother. That indeed would have justified8 them in their attempt to take the birds.
Another idea may have suggested itself—more especially to Ossaroo. If nothing else should come of it, there would be some pleasure in holding the birds in captivity—as pets and companions. Ossaroo had been involuntarily contemplating9 the prospect10 of a long lonely life in the solitude11 of that mountain valley. With such a prospect even the solemn stork5 might be regarded as a cheerful companion.
Stimulated12 by these thoughts—and some others of a more indefinite kind—our adventurers came to the determination to ensnare the adjutants!
All three commenced wading13 out of the lake—in a direction so as not to disturb the sleepers14. Karl and Caspar—now that they had become inspired with a design—lifted their feet out of the water, and set them down again, as though they ere treading upon egg. Ossaroo sneered15 at their over-caution—telling them, that there was not the slightest fear of frightening the storks; and indeed there was truth in what he affirmed.
In most countries bordering upon the banks of the Ganges, these birds, protected alike by superstitious16 fears and edicts of law, have become so used to the proximity17 of man, that they will scarce stir out of their way to avoid him. It was possible that the brace18 in question might have belonged to some of the wilder flocks—inhabiting the swamps of the Sunderbunds—and therefore less accustomed to human society. In that case there might be some difficulty in approaching them; and it was for this reason that Ossaroo had consented to adopt the precautions for their capture which Karl had insisted should be taken.
The truth is, that Karl had conceived a deeper design than either of his companions. It had occurred to him—while engaged with his brother in that laughing duetto—and somewhat to the surprise of Caspar, it had caused a sudden cessation of his mirth, or at least the noisy ebullition of it.
The philosopher had become silent and serious; as if the thought had suddenly arisen, that hilarity under the circumstances was indecorous and out of place. From that moment Karl had preserved a mysterious silence—even refusing to explain it when interrogated19 by Caspar. He was only silent on this one theme. Otherwise his speech flowed freely enough—in counsel to his companions—charging both to adopt every precaution for ensuring the capture of the storks—and with an eagerness, which puzzled them to comprehend.
A few minutes’ walk brought them back to the hut. It was rather a run than a walk—Karl going in the lead, and arriving before either of the others. The bean-sacks were flung upon the floor—as if they had been empty and of no value—and then the strings20 and lines that had been spun21 by Ossaroo were pulled out of their hidden places, and submitted to inspection22.
It did not take long to make a running noose, which was accomplished23 by the nimble fingers of the shikaree. Easily also was it attached to the end of a long stem of the ringall bamboo; and thus provided, our adventurers once more sallied forth24 from the hut; and made their way towards the sleeping storks.
As they drew near, they were gratified at perceiving the birds still in the enjoyment25 of their meridian26 slumber27. No doubt they had made a long journey, and needed rest. Their wings hung drooping28 by their sides, proclaiming weariness. Perhaps they were dreaming—dreaming of a roost on some tall fig-tree, or the tower of an antique temple sacred to the worship of Buddha29, Vishna, or Deva—dreaming of the great Ganges, and its odorous waifs—those savoury morsels30 of putrefying flesh, in which they delighted to dig their huge mattocks of mandibles.
Ossaroo being entrusted31 with the noose, did not pause to think, about what they might be dreaming; or whether they were dreaming at all. Enough for him to perceive that they were sleeping; and, gliding32 forward in a bent33 attitude, silent as a tiger threading his native jungle, the shikaree succeeded in making approach—until he had got almost within snaring34 distance of the unconscious adjutants.
There is many a slip between the cup and the lip. The old saw was illustrated35 in the case of the shikaree while endeavouring to ensnare the storks; though it was not the snare, but the birds that now illustrated the adage36.
After the attempt had been made, the snare could be still seen in its place, stiffly projecting from the point of the long bamboo rod; while the adjutants were soaring in the air, mounting still higher upward, their slender necks outstretched, their beaks37 cracking like castanets, and their throats emitting an angry sound like the roaring of a brace of lions.
The failure was not to be attributed to Ossaroo; but to the imprudence of one of his companions—an individual of the party close treading upon his heels. That individual was Fritz!
Just as Ossaroo was about casting his loop over the shoulders of a sleeping adjutant, Fritz—who had followed the party from the hut—now for the first time perceiving the birds, rushed forward and seized the tail of one of them between his teeth. Then, as if determined on securing the beautiful marabout feathers, he pulled a large mouthful of them clean out by the roots.
This was not exactly the motive38 that impelled39 Fritz to make such an unexpected attack—unexpected, because the well-trained animal would have known better than to fright the game which his masters were in the act of stalking; and such imprudence had never before been displayed by him. It was the particular kind of game that had provoked Fritz to act contrary to his usual habit of caution; for of all the creatures which he had encountered, since his arrival in the counted there, was none that had inspired him with a more profound feeling of hostility40 than these same adjutants. During Fritz’s sojourn41 in the Botanic Gardens of Calcutta—where his masters, it will be remembered, were for some time entertained as guests—Fritz had often come in contact with a brace of these gigantic birds, that were also guests of that justly celebrated42 establishment: they habitually43 made their stay within the enclosure, where they were permitted to stalk about unmolested, and pick up such stray scraps44 as were cast out by the domestics of the curator’s mansion45.
These birds had grown so tame, as to take food freely out of the hand of anyone who offered it to them; and with like freedom, to take it where it was not offered, but found within reach of their long prehensile46 beaks. Often had they pilfered47 provisions to which they were anything but welcome; and, among other acts of their rapacity48, there was one of which Fritz had been an interested spectator, and for which he was not likely ever to forgive them. That was, their robbing him of a dainty piece of meat, which one of the cooks had presented to Fritz himself; and upon which he had been going to make his dinner. One of the birds had the audacity49 to seize the meat in its mandibles, jerk it out of the dog’s very teeth, and swallow it, before the latter had time to offer either interruption or remonstrance50.
The consequence was, that, from that time, Fritz had conceived a most rancorous antipathy51 towards all birds of the genus Ciconia—and the species Argala in particular; and this it was that impelled him, on first perceiving the adjutant—for being by the hut on their arrival he had not seen them before,—to rush open-mouthed towards them, and seize the tail of one of them between his teeth.
It is not necessary to add that the bird, thus indecorously assailed52, took to instant flight, followed by its more fortunate though not less frightened mate—leaving Fritz in a temper to treat Marabout feathers as they had never been treated before—even when by the hands of some scorned and jealous vixen they may have been torn from the turban of some hated rival!
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1
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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3
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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storks
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| n.鹳( stork的名词复数 ) | |
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stork
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| n.鹳 | |
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noose
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| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
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7
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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wading
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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14
sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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15
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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interrogated
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| v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
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strings
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| n.弦 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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meridian
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| adj.子午线的；全盛期的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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Buddha
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| n.佛；佛像；佛陀 | |
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30
morsels
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| n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑 | |
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31
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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33
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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34
snaring
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| v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的现在分词 ) | |
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35
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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36
adage
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| n.格言，古训 | |
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beaks
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| n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者 | |
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38
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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39
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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41
sojourn
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| v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留 | |
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42
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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43
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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44
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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45
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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46
prehensile
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| adj.（足等）适于抓握的 | |
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47
pilfered
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| v.偷窃（小东西），小偷( pilfer的过去式和过去分词 )；偷窃（一般指小偷小摸） | |
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48
rapacity
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| n.贪婪，贪心，劫掠的欲望 | |
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49
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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50
remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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51
antipathy
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| n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物 | |
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52
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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