It was not for this that Karl had called out. The exclamation that escaped him was of a different import—so peculiarly intoned as at once to draw Caspar’s attention from the culprit, and fix it on his brother.
Karl was standing6 with eyes upraised and gazing fixedly7 upon the retreating stork8—that one with whose tail Fritz had taken such an unwarrantable liberty.
It was not the ragged9 Marabout feathers, hanging half plucked from the posterior of the stork, upon which Karl was gazing; but its long legs, that, as the bird rose in its hurried flight, hung, slantingly downward, extending far beyond the tip of its tail. Not exactly these either was it that had called forth10 that strange cry; but something attached to them—or one of them at least—which, as it came under the shining rays of the sun, gleamed in the eyes of Karl with a metallic11 lustre12.
It had a yellowish sheen—like gold or burnished13 brass—but the scintillation of the sun’s rays, as they glanced from its surface, hindered the spectators from making out its shape, or being able to say exactly what it was.
It was only Caspar and Ossaroo who were thus perplexed14. Karl knew that glittering meteor, that for a moment had flashed before his eyes like a beam of hope—now slowly but surely departing from him, and plunging15 him back into the old misery16.
“Oh! brother!” he exclaimed, as the stork flew upward, “what a misfortune has happened!”
“Misfortune! what mean you, Karl?”
“Ah! you know not how near we were to a chance of being delivered. Alas17! alas! it is going to escape us!”
“The birds have escaped us, you mean?” inquired Caspar. “What of that? I don’t believe they could have carried up the rope anyhow; and what good would it be to catch them? They’re not eatable; and we don’t want their feathers valuable as they may be.”
“No, no!” hurriedly rejoined Karl; “it is not that—not that.”
“What then, brother?” inquired Caspar, somewhat astonished at the incoherent speeches of the plant-hunter. “What are you thinking of?”
“Look yonder!” said Karl, now for the first time pointing up to the soaring storks18. “You see something that shines?”
“Ha! on the leg of one of the birds? Yes; I do see something—like a piece of yellow metal—what can it be?”
“I know what it is!” rejoined Karl, in a regretful tone; “right well do I know. Ah! if we could only have caught that bird, there would have been a hope for us. It’s no use grieving after it now. It’s gone—alas! it’s gone; and you, Fritz, have this day done a thing that will cause us all regret—perhaps for the rest of our lives.”
“I don’t comprehend you, brother!” said Caspar; “but if it’s the escape of the storks that’s to be so much regretted, perhaps it will never take place. They don’t appear to be in such a hurry to leave us—notwithstanding the inhospitable reception Fritz has given them. See! they are circling about, as if they intended to come down again. And see also Ossaroo—he’s holding out a lure19 for them. I warrant the old shikaree will succeed in coaxing21 them back. He knows their habits perfectly22.”
“Merciful Father!” exclaimed Karl, as he looked first at the flying storks and then at Ossaroo; “be it permitted that he succeed! You, Caspar, lay hold upon Fritz, and give Ossaroo every chance! For your life don’t let the dog get away from you; for your life—for the lives of all of us!”
Caspar, though still under surprise at the excited bearing of his brother, did not allow that to hinder him from obeying his command, and rushing upon Fritz, he caught hold of the dog. Then placing the hound between his legs, he held him with both hands and knees as tightly as if Fritz had been screwed in a vice23.
The eyes of all—the dog included—were now turned upon Ossaroo. Caspar contemplated24 his movements with an undefined interest; while Karl watched them with feelings of the keenest anxiety.
The cunning shikaree had not come to the spot unprepared. Having anticipated some difficulty in getting hold of the storks, he had providentially provided a lure, which, in the event of their proving shy, might attract them within reach of his ringall. This lure was a large fish—which he had taken out of the larder25 before leaving the hut, and which he was now holding out—as conspicuously26 as possible, to attract their attention. He had gone some distance apart from the others, and especially from Fritz, whom he had scolded away from his side; and, having stationed himself on a slight eminence27 near the edge of the lake, he was using all his wiles28 to coax20 back the birds that had been so unwittingly compelled to take wing.
It was evident to Ossaroo—as well as to the others—that the flight of the storks had been against their will; and that they had reluctantly ascended29 into the air. They were no doubt wearied, and wanted rest.
Whether this desire would have brought them to the earth again, Ossaroo did not stay to determine. As soon as by their actions he became convinced that they saw the fish held out in his hand, he flung the tempting30 morsel31 to some distance from him, and then stood awaiting the result.
It proved a success—and almost instantaneously.
There was nothing in the appearance or attitude of Ossaroo to excite the suspicion of the adjutants. His dark skin and Hindoo costume were both well-known to them; and though now observed in an odd, out-of-the-way corner of the world, that was no reason for regarding him as an enemy.
Fritz was alone the object of their fear, but Fritz was a good way off, and there appeared no longer any reason for dreading32 him.
Reasoning thus—and perhaps with empty stomachs to guide them to a conclusion—the sight of the fish—lying unguarded upon the grass—put an end to their fears; and, without further hesitation33, both dropped down beside it.
Both at the same instant clutched at the coveted34 prize—each endeavouring to be the first in securing it.
As one of the birds had got hold of the fish by the head and the other by its tail, a struggle now arose as to which should be the first to swallow its body. Each soon passed a portion of it down its capacious throat, until its mandibles met in the middle, and cracked against each other.
As neither would yield to the other, so neither would consent to disgorge, and let go; and for some seconds this curious contention35 was kept up.
How long it might have continued was not left to the determination of the parties themselves; but to Ossaroo, who, while they were thus occupied, rushed upon the spot; and, flinging wide his arms, enfolded both the birds in an embrace, from which they vainly struggled to get free.
With the assistance of Karl and Caspar—who had in the meantime tied Fritz to a tree—the huge creatures were soon overpowered, and pinioned36 beyond the possibility of escaping.
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收听单词发音
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1
betokened
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| v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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castigated
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| v.严厉责骂、批评或惩罚（某人）( castigate的过去式 ) | |
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chastisement
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| n.惩罚 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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6
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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stork
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| n.鹳 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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16
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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storks
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| n.鹳( stork的名词复数 ) | |
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19
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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coax
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| v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取 | |
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coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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29
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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31
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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34
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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35
contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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36
pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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