Helen, the dear daughter and sister, carried out of their sight, apparently3 beyond reach of pursuit. And in the arms of a hideous4 creature which was neither wholly man nor wholly beast, but combined the worst attributes of each.
Perhaps she was already dead within the loathsome5 embrace—her tender body soon to be torn to pieces, or tossed from the top of some tall tree; to be crushed and mangled6 on the earth, or thrown with a plunge7 into the cold dark waters of that dismal8 lagoon9, never more to be seen or heard of.
These were horrid10 thoughts and hideous images which rushed rapidly through their minds as they stood in the sombre shadow, picturing to themselves her too probable fate. It was no longer a question about her life.
They knew, or believed, her to be dead. They only thought of what was to become of her body; what chance there might be of recovering and giving it the sacred rights of sepulture. Even this slight consolation11 occupied the mind of the distracted father.
The Malay, well acquainted with the habits of the great man-ape, could give no answer. He only knew that the child’s body would not be eaten up by it; since the red gorilla12 is never known to feed upon flesh—fruit and vegetables being its only diet.
The whole thing was perplexing him, as an occurrence altogether unusual. He had known of people being killed and torn to pieces by the animal in its anger; but never of one being carried up into the trees.
Usually these animals will not volunteer an attack upon man, and are only violent when assailed13. Then, indeed, are they terrible in their strength as in their ferocity.
The one now encountered must have been infuriated by its fight with the crocodile; and coming straight from the encounter, had in some way connected the children with its conquered enemy. Murtagh’s shout might have freshly incensed14 it; or, what to Saloo seemed more probable than all, the seizure15 of the child might be a wild freak suddenly striking the brain of the enraged16 satyr.
He had heard of such eccentricities17 on the part of the ourang-outang, and there is a belief among the Dyak hunters that the mias sometimes goes mad, just as men do.
This reasoning did not take place on the edge of the lagoon, nor any discussion of such questions. They were thoughts that had been expressed during the pursuit, at no time hurried. The captain and his companions had easily kept pace with the pursued, while passing through the dry forest; and time enough was allowed them to think and talk of many things.
Now that they could no longer follow, scarce a word was exchanged between them. Their emotions were too sad for utterance18, otherwise than by exclamations19 which spoke20 only of despair.
It was well they were silent, for it gave Saloo the opportunity of listening. Ever since the ape had passed from their sight, his ear had been keenly anxious to catch every sound, as he still entertained a hope of being able to trace its passage through the trees.
Thoroughly21 conversant22 with the animal’s habits, he knew that it must have an abiding-place—a nest. This might be near at hand. The proximity23 of the lagoon almost convinced him that it was so.
The mias makes a temporary roost for his repose24 anywhere it may be wandering—constructing it in a few moments, by breaking off the branches and laying them crosswise on a forked limb; but Saloo was aware that, for its permanent residence, it builds a much more elaborate nest, and this, too, always over water or marshy25 ground, where its human enemy cannot conveniently follow it.
Moreover, it chooses for the site of its dwelling26 a low tree or bush with umbrageous27 boughs28, and never retires among the taller trees of the forest.
This it does to avoid exposure to the chill winds, and the inconvenience of being shaken to and fro during storms or typhoons.
With all this knowledge in his memory, the Malay had conceived a hope that the monster’s nest might not be far off, and they would still be able to follow and find it—not to rescue the living child, but recover her dead body.
Keenly and attentively29 he listened to every sound that came back through the water-forest—cautioning the others to be silent. A caution scarce needed, for they too stood listening, still as death, with hushed voices, and hearts only heard in their dull sad beatings.
But for a short time were they thus occupied; altogether not more than five minutes. They still detected the crackling of branches which indicated the passage of the ape through the tree-tops.
All at once these sounds suddenly ceased, or rather were they drowned out by sounds louder and of a very different intonation30. It was a chorus of cries, in which barking, grunting31, growling32, coughing, cachinnation and the squalling of children seemed all to have a share. There were evidently more than one individual contributing to this strange fracas33 of the forest; and the noises continued to come apparently from the same place.
“Allah be thank!” exclaimed Saloo, in a subdued34 tone. “He home at lass. Him family makee welcome. Maybe chile be live yet. Maybe mias no killee after all. Trust we in Allah, what you Inglees people callee God. Who know he yet help us!”
These last words came like a renewal35 of life to the despairing father. He started on hearing them; fresh hope had sprung up in his breast, at the thought that his beloved child might yet be alive, and that a chance of rescuing her might still be possible.
“In thy mercy, O God, grant it may be so!” were the words that fell from his lips: Murtagh, with equal fervour, saying “Amen!”
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1
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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3
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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4
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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6
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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lagoon
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| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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gorilla
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| n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手 | |
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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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14
incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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seizure
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| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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17
eccentricities
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| n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖 | |
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18
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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20
spoke
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| 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 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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conversant
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| adj.亲近的，有交情的，熟悉的 | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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umbrageous
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| adj.多荫的 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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29
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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30
intonation
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| n.语调，声调；发声 | |
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31
grunting
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| 咕哝的，呼噜的 | |
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growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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33
fracas
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| n.打架；吵闹 | |
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34
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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35
renewal
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| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
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