In the midst of the confused heap of their property, Edwin Brook1 sat down on a large chest beside his wife and daughter, and gazed for some time in silence on his new estate and home.
To say truth, it was in many respects a pleasant prospect2. A bright blue sky overhead, a verdant3 earth around. Grassy4 hills and undulations of rich pasture-land swept away from their feet like a green sea, until stopped in the far distance by the great blue sea itself. These were dotted everywhere with copses of the yellow-flowered mimosa-bush, through openings in which the glitter of a stream could be seen, while to the left and behind lay the dark masses of a dense7 jungle filled with arboreous and succulent plants, acacias and evergreens8, wild-looking aloes, tall euphorbias, quaint9 cactuses, and a great variety of flowering shrubs—filled also, as was very soon discovered, with antelopes11, snakes, jackals, hyenas12, leopards13, and other wild creatures. The only familiar objects which broke the wild beauty of the scene were the distant white specks15 which they knew to be the tents just put up by those settlers who chanced to be their “next neighbours.”
“May God protect and bless us in our new home!” said Edwin Brook, breaking the silence, and reverently16 taking off his cap.
A heartfelt “Amen” was murmured by Mrs Brook and Gertie, but a strange, though not unpleasant, feeling of loneliness had crept over their spirits, inducing them to relapse into silence, for they could not avoid realising strongly that at last they were fairly left alone to fight the great battle of life. Edwin Brook in particular, on seeing the long team of the Dutch driver disappear over a distant ridge18, was for the first time deeply impressed with, as it were, the forsaken19 condition of himself and his family. It was plain that he must take root there and grow—or die. There was no neighbouring town or village from which help could be obtained in any case of emergency; no cart or other means of conveyance20 to remove their goods from the spot on which they had been left; no doctor in case of sickness; no minister in cases either of joy or sorrow—except indeed (and it was a blessed exception) Him who came to our world “not to be ministered unto, but to minister.”
Strong in the comfort that this assurance gave, Edwin Brook shook off the lethargy that had been stealing over him, and set about the duties of the present hour. The tent had to be pitched, the trunks and boxes conveyed into it, a fire kindled21, the kettle boiled, the goods and chattels23 piled and secured from the weather, firewood cut to prepare for the night-bivouac, etcetera.
Much of this work was already in progress, for George Dally24,—with that ready resource and quiet capacity of adaptation to circumstances which he had displayed on the voyage out and on the journey to the location,—had already kindled a fire, sent Scholtz to cut firewood, and was busy erecting25 the tent when Brook joined him.
“That’s right, George,” he said, seizing a tent-peg and mallet26; “we have plenty to do here, and no time to waste.”
“Very true, sir,” replied George, touching27 his cap, for George was an innately29 respectful man—respectful to all, though with a strong tendency to humorous impudence30; “very true, sir; that’s just what I thought when I see you a-meditatin’, so I went to work at once without wastin’ any time.”
“Is zat enough?” asked Scholtz, staggering up at the moment with a heavy load of firewood, which he threw on the ground.
The question was put to George, for whom the big German had a special regard, and whose orders he consequently obeyed with unquestioning alacrity31, although George had no special right to command.
“Enough!” exclaimed George, with a look of surprise, “why, zat is not enough to scare a weasel with, much less a elephant or a—a platzicumroggijoo.”
“Bring ten times as much,” he added; “we shall have to keep a blazin’ bonfire agoin’ all night.”
Scholtz re-shouldered his axe34, and went off to the jungle with a broad grin on his broader countenance35.
He was a man who did not spare himself, yet of a temperament36 that kicked at useless labour, and of a size that forbade the idea of compulsion, but George Dally could have led him with a packthread to do anything.
Before he had reached the jungle, and while the smile was yet on his visage, his blood was curdled37 and his face elongated38 by a most appalling39 yell! It was not exactly a war-whoop, nor was it a cry of pain, though it partook of both, and filled the entire family with horror as they rushed to the tent on the mound40 from which the cry had issued.
The yell had been given by Junkie, who had been bitten or stung by something, and who, under the combined influence of surprise, agony, and wrath42, had out-Junkied himself in the fervour and ferocity of his indignant protest.
The poor child was not only horrified43, but inconsolable. He wriggled44 like an eel17, and delivered a prolonged howl with intermittent45 bursts for full half an hour, while his distracted nurse and mother almost tore the garments off his back in their haste to discover the bite or the brute46 that had done it.
“Perhaps a tarantula,” suggested Gertie, who only clasped her hands and looked horrified.
“Quick!” exclaimed Mrs Brook, breaking the unmanageable tape.
It did seem as if there were some likelihood of such a catastrophe48, for Junkie’s passion and struggles had rendered him blue in the face; but it wes found that the bite or sting, whichever it was, had done little apparent damage, and as the child cried himself out and sobbed49 himself to sleep in half an hour without either blackening or bursting, the various members of the family were relieved, and resumed their suspended labours.
The shades of evening had fallen, and, among other orbs50 of night, the stars of that much too highly complimented constellation51, the “Southern Cross,” had for some time illumined the sky before these labours were completed, and the wearied Brook family and household retired52 to rest, with weapons ready at hand and fires blazing. Wild beasts—to whose cries they were by that time accustomed—soon began their nightly serenade and carried it on till morning, but they were not wild enough to disturb the newcomers with anything more formidable than sound.
Next morning early, George Dally was the first to bestir himself. On taking a general view of surrounding nature he observed a thin column of smoke rising above the tree-tops in the direction of the stream or river to which reference has already been made.
“Perhaps it’s Kafirs,” thought George.
Following up that thought he returned to what we may style his lair—the place where he had spent the night—under a mimosa-bush, and there girded himself with a belt containing a long knife. He further armed himself with a fowling-piece. Thus accoutred he sallied forth53 with the nonchalant air of a sportsman taking his pleasure. Going down to the stream, and following its course upwards54, he quickly came in sight of the camp-fire whose smoke had attracted his attention. A tall man in dishabille was bending over it, coaxing55 the flame to kindle22 some rather green wood over which a large iron pot hung from a tripod. The fire was in front of a large, but not deep, cavern56, in the recesses57 of which three slumbering58 figures were visible.
Drawing cautiously nearer, George discovered that the man at the fire was John Skyd, and of course jumped to the conclusion that the three slumbering figures were his brothers and friend. These enterprising knights59 of the quill60, having found what they deemed a suitable spot, had selected a cave for their residence, as being at once ready and economical.
Now, George Dally, being gifted with a reckless as well as humorous disposition61, suddenly conceived the idea of perpetrating a practical joke. Perhaps Junkie’s performances on the previous evening suggested it. Flinging his cap on the ground, he ran his fingers through his thick hair until it stood up in wild confusion, and then, deliberately62 uttering a hideous63 and quite original war-whoop, he rushed furiously towards the cave.
The brothers Skyd and company proved themselves equal to the occasion, for they received him at the cavern mouth with the muzzles64 of four double-barrelled guns, and a stern order to halt!
Next moment the muzzles were thrown up as they exclaimed in surprise—
“Why, Dally, is it you?”
“Hear what?”
“The war-whoop!”
“Of course we did—at least we heard a most unearthly yell. What was it?”
“We’d best go out and see,” cried George, cocking his gun; “if it was Kafirs the sooner we follow them up the better.”
“Not so, friend George,” said Frank Dobson, in a slightly sarcastic66 tone. “If it was Kafirs they are far beyond our reach by this time, and if they mean us harm we are safer in our fortress67 here. My opinion is that we should have our breakfast without delay, and then we shall be in a fit state to face our foes—whether they be men or beasts.”
Acting68 on this suggestion, with a laugh, the brothers leaned their guns against the wall of the cavern and set about the preparation of breakfast in good earnest.
Meanwhile George gravely assented69 to the wisdom of their decision, and sat down to his morning pipe, while he questioned the brothers as to their intentions.
They pointed70 out to him the spot where they thought of commencing agricultural operations and the site of their future dwelling—close, they said, to the cave, because that would be conveniently near the river, which would be handy for both washing, drinking, and boiling purposes.
“That’s true—wery true,” said George, “but it seems to me you run a risk of bein’ washed away, house and all, if you fix the site so low down, for I’ve heard say there are floods in these parts now and again.”
“Oh, no fear of that!” said Robert Skyd, who was the quietest of the three brothers; “don’t you see the foundation of our future house is at least ten feet above the highest point to which the river seems to have risen in times past?”
“Ah, just so,” responded George, with the air of a man not convinced.
“Besides,” added John Skyd, lifting the iron pot off the fire and setting it down, “I suppose that floods are not frequent, so we don’t need to trouble ourselves about ’em.—Come, Dally, you’ll join us?”
“No, thank ’ee. Much obleeged all the same, but I’ve got to prepare breakfast for our own party.—Goin’ to begin plantin’ soon?”
“As soon as ever we can get the soil broken up,” replied Dobson.
“Studied farmin’?” inquired George.
“Not much, but we flatter ourselves that what we do know will be of some service to us,” said John.
Dally made no reply, but he greatly doubted in his own mind the capacity of the brothers for the line of life they had chosen.
His judgment71 in this respect was proved correct a week later, when he and Edwin Brook had occasion to visit the brothers, whom they found hard at work ploughing and sowing.
“Come, this looks business-like!” exclaimed Brook heartily72, as he shook hands with the brothers; “you’ve evidently not been idle. I have just come to ask a favour of you, gentlemen.”
“We shall grant it with pleasure, if within our powers,” said Robert Skyd, who leaned on a spade with which he had been filling in a trench73 of about two feet deep.
“It is, that you will do me and Mrs Brook the pleasure of coming over to our location this afternoon to dinner. It is our Gertie’s birthday. She is thirteen to-day. In a rash moment we promised her a treat or surprise of some sort, but really the only surprise I can think of in such an out-of-the-way place is to have a dinner-party in her honour. Will you come?”
The brothers at once agreed to do so, remarking, however, that they must complete the sowing of their carrot-seed before dinner if possible.
“Carrot-seed,” answered Robert Skyd.
“If your carrot-seed is sown there,” said George Dally, pointing with a broad grin to the trench, “it’s very likely to come up in England about the time it does here,—by sendin’ its roots right through the world!”
“How? what do you mean?”
“The truth is, my dear sir,” said Brook good-humouredly, “that you’ve made a slight mistake in this matter. Carrot-seed is usually sown in trenches75 less than an inch deep. You’d better leave off work just now and come over to my place at once. I’ll give you some useful hints as we walk along.”
The knights of the quill laughed at their mistake, and at once threw down their implements76 of husbandry. But on going over their farm, Brook found it necessary to correct a few more mistakes, for he discovered that the active brothers had already planted a large quantity of Indian corn, or “mealies,” entire, without knocking it off the cobs, and, in another spot of ground, a lot of young onions were planted with the roots upwards!
“You see, Miss Gertie,” said John Skyd, when commenting modestly on these mistakes at dinnertime, “my brothers and I have all our lives had more to do with the planting of ‘houses’ and the growth of commercial enterprise than with agricultural products, but we are sanguine77 that, with experience and perseverance78, we shall overcome all our difficulties. Have you found many difficulties to overcome!”
Gertie was not sure; she thought she had found a few, but none worth mentioning. Being somewhat put out by the question, she picked up a pebble—for the dinner was a species of picnic, served on the turf in front of Mr Brook’s tent—and examined it with almost geological care.
“My daughter does not like to admit the existence of difficulties,” said Mrs Brook, coming to the rescue, “and to say truth is seldom overcome by anything.”
“Oh, ma, how can you?” said Gertie, blushing deeply.
“That’s not true,” cried Mr Brook; “excuse me, my dear, for so flat a contradiction, but I have seen Gertie frequently overcome by things,—by Junkie’s obstinacy79 for instance, which I verily believe to be an insurmountable difficulty, and I’ve seen her thoroughly80 overcome, night after night, by sleep.—Isn’t that true, lass?”
“I suppose it is, father, since you say so, but of course I cannot tell.”
“Sleep!” continued Brook, with a laugh, “why, would you believe it, Mr Skyd, I went into what we call the nursery-tent one morning last week, to try to stop the howling of my little boy, and I found him lying with his open mouth close to Gertie’s cheek, pouring the flood of his wrath straight into her ear, and she sound asleep all the time! My nurse, Mrs Scholtz, told me she had been as sound as that all night, despite several heavy squalls, and notwithstanding a chorus of hyenas and jackals outside that might almost have awakened81 the dead.—By the way, that reminds me: just as I was talking with nurse that morning we heard a most unearthly shriek82 at some distance off. It was not the least like the cry of any wild animal I have yet heard, and for the first time since our arrival the idea of Kafirs flashed into my mind. Did any of you gentlemen happen to hear it?”
The brothers looked at each other, and at their friend Dobson, and then unitedly turned their eyes on George Dally, who—performing the combined duties of cook and waiter, at a fire on the ground, not fifteen feet to leeward83 of the dinner-party—could hear every word of the conversation.
“Why, yes,” said John Skyd, “we did hear it, and so did your man Dally. We had thought—”
“The truth is, sir,” said George, advancing with a miniature pitchfork or “tormentor” in his hand; “pardon my interrupting you, sir,—I did hear the screech84, but as I couldn’t say exactly for certain, you know, that it was a Kafir, not havin’ seen one, I thought it best not to alarm you, sir, an’ so said nothing about it.”
“You looked as if you had seen one,” observed Frank Dobson, drawing down the corners of his mouth with his peculiar smile.
“Did I, sir!” said George, with a simple look; “very likely I did, for I’m timersome by nature an’ easily frightened.”
“You did not act with your wonted wisdom, George, in concealing86 this,” said Edwin Brook gravely.
“In future, be sure to let me know every symptom of danger you may discover, no matter how trifling,” said Brook.
“Yes, sir.”
“It was a very tremendous yell, wasn’t it, Dally?” asked John Skyd slily, as the waiter-cook was turning to resume his duties at the fire.
“Wery, sir.”
“And alarmed us all dreadfully, didn’t it?”
“Oh! dreadfully, sir—’specially me; though I must in dooty say that you four gentleman was as bold as brass88. It quite relieved me when I saw your tall figurs standin’ at the mouth o’ your cavern, an’ the muzzles o’ your four double-guns—that’s eight shots—with your glaring eyes an’ pale cheeks behind them!”
“Ha!” exclaimed John Skyd, with a grim smile—“but after all it might only have been the shriek of a baboon89.”
“I think not, sir,” replied George, with a smile of intelligence.
“Perhaps then it was the cry of a zebra or quagga,” returned John Skyd, “or a South African ass5 of some sort.”
“Wery likely, sir,” retorted George. “I shouldn’t wonder if it was—which is wery consolin’ to my feelin’s, for I’d sooner be terrified out o’ my wits by asses6 of any kind than fall in with these long-legged savages90 that dwell in caves.”
It was either owing to a sort of righteous retribution, or a touch of that fortune which favours the brave, that George Dally was in reality the first, of this particular party of settlers, to encounter the black and naked inhabitant of South Africa in his native jungle. It was on this wise.
George was fond of sport, when not detained at home by the claims of duty. But these claims were so constant that he found it impossible to indulge his taste, save, as he was wont85 to say, “in the early morn and late at eve.”
One morning about daybreak, shouldering his gun and buckling93 on his hunting-knife, he marched into the jungle in quest of an antelope10. Experience had taught him that the best plan was to seat himself at a certain opening or pass which lay on the route to a pool of water, and there bide94 his time.
Seating himself on a moss-covered stone, he put his gun in position on his knee, with the forefinger95 on the trigger, and remained for some time so motionless that a North American Indian might have envied his powers of self-restraint. Suddenly a twig96 was heard to snap in the thicket97 before him. Next moment the striped black and yellow skin of a leopard14, or Cape98 tiger, appeared in the opening where he had expected to behold99 a deer. Dally’s gun flew to his shoulder. At the same instant the leopard skin was thrown back, and the right arm of a tall athletic100 Kafir was bared. The hand grasped a light assagai, or darting101 spear. Both men were taken by surprise, and for one instant they glared at each other. The instance between them was so short that death to each seemed imminent102, for the white man’s weapon was a deadly one, and the cast of the lithe103 savage91 would doubtless have been swift and sure.
In that instant of uncertainty104 the white man’s innate28 spirit of forbearance acted almost involuntarily. Dally had hitherto been a man of peace. The thought of shedding human blood was intensely repulsive105 to him. He lowered the butt106 of his gun, and held up his right hand in token of amity107.
The savage possessed apparently108 some of the good qualities of the white man, for he also at once let the butt of his assegai drop to the ground, although he knew, what Dally was not aware of, that considering the nature of their weapons, he placed himself at a tremendous disadvantage in doing so—the act of throwing forward and discharging the deadly fire-arm being much quicker than that of poising109 and hurling110 an assagai.
Without a moment’s hesitation111 George Dally advanced and held out his right hand with a bland112 smile.
Although unfamiliar113 with Kafir customs, he had heard enough from the Dutch farmers who drove the ox-teams to know that only chiefs were entitled to wear the leopard skin as a robe. The tall form and dignified114 bearing of the savage also convinced him that he had encountered no ordinary savage. He also knew that the exhibition of a trustful spirit goes a long way to create good-will. That his judgment was correct appeared from the fact of the Kafir holding out his hand and allowing George to grasp and shake it.
But what to do next was a question that puzzled the white man sorely, although he maintained on his good-natured countenance an expression of easy nonchalance115.
Of course he made a vain attempt at conversation in English, to which the Kafir chief replied, with dignified condescension116, by a brief sentence in his own tongue.
As George Dally looked in his black face, thoughts flashed through his brain with the speed of light. Should he kill him outright117? That would be simple murder, in the circumstances, and George objected to murder, on principle. Should he suddenly seize and throw him down? He felt quite strong enough to do so, but after such a display of friendship it would be mean. Should he quietly bid him good morning and walk away? This, he felt, would be ridiculous. At that moment tobacco occurred to his mind. He quietly rested his gun against a tree, and drew forth a small roll of tobacco, from which he cut at least a foot and handed it to the chief. The dignity of the savage at once gave way before the beloved weed. He smiled—that is, he grinned in a ghastly way, for his face, besides being black, was streaked118 with lines of red ochre—and graciously accepted the gift. Then George made an elaborate speech in dumb-show with hands, fingers, arms, and eyes, to the effect that he desired the Kafir to accompany him to his location, but the chief gravely shook his head, pointed in another direction and to the sun, as though to say that time was on the wing; then, throwing his leopard-skin robe over his right shoulder with the air of a Spanish grandee119, he turned aside and strode into the jungle.
George, glad to be thus easily rid of him, also turned and hurried home.
This time he was not slow to let his employer know that he had met with a native.
“It behoves us to keep a sharp look-out, George,” said Brook. “I heard yesterday from young Merton that some of the settlers not far from his place have had a visit from the black fellows, who came in the night, and while they slept carried off some of the sheep they had recently purchased from an up-country county Dutchman. We will watch for a few nights while rumours120 of this kind are afloat. When all seems quiet we can take it easy. Let Scholtz take the first watch. You will succeed him, and I will mount guard from the small hours onward121.”
For some days this precaution was continued, but as nothing more was heard of black marauders the Brook family gradually ceased to feel anxious, and the nightly watch was given up.
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1
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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asses
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| n. 驴，愚蠢的人，臀部 adv. (常用作后置)用于贬损或骂人 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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evergreens
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| n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 ) | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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antelopes
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| 羚羊( antelope的名词复数 )； 羚羊皮革 | |
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hyenas
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| n.鬣狗( hyena的名词复数 ) | |
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leopards
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| n.豹( leopard的名词复数 )；本性难移 | |
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leopard
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| n.豹 | |
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specks
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| n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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eel
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| n.鳗鲡 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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chattels
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| n.动产，奴隶( chattel的名词复数 ) | |
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dally
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| v.荒废(时日)，调情 | |
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erecting
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| v.使直立，竖起( erect的现在分词 )；建立 | |
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mallet
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| n.槌棒 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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innate
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| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
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innately
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| adv.天赋地；内在地，固有地 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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zoology
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| n.动物学，生态 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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curdled
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| v.（使）凝结( curdle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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43
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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44
wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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45
intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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46
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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47
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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48
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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49
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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50
orbs
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| abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球，天体，圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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51
constellation
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| n.星座n.灿烂的一群 | |
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52
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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53
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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54
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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55
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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56
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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57
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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58
slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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59
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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60
quill
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| n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶 | |
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61
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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muzzles
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| 枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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82
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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83
leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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84
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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85
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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88
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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baboon
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| n.狒狒 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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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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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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93
buckling
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| 扣住 | |
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bide
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| v.忍耐；等候；住 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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98
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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99
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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100
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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101
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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103
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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104
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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105
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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106
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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107
amity
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| n.友好关系 | |
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108
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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109
poising
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| 使平衡( poise的现在分词 )； 保持（某种姿势）； 抓紧； 使稳定 | |
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110
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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111
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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112
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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113
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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114
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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115
nonchalance
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| n.冷淡，漠不关心 | |
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116
condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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117
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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118
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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119
grandee
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| n.贵族；大公 | |
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120
rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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