4.Craggy-Tops

　　4
　　Craggy-Tops
　　The train sped on through the countryside, passing many stations, andstopping at very few. On towards the coast it went, through high mountainsthat towered up, over silver rivers, through big, straggling towns.
　　And then it came to wilder country. The sea-wind came in at the window.
　　‘I can smell the sea already,’ said Jack¹, who had only once before been tothe sea, and scarcely remembered it.
　　The train stopped at last at a lonely little station. ‘Here we are,’ saidPhilip. ‘Tumble out. Hi, Joe! Here I am. Have you got the old car handy?’
　　Jack and Lucy-Ann saw a strange man coming towards them. His skinwas lined, his teeth were very white, and his eyes darted² from side to side ashe looked at them. Running behind him was a girl a little older than Lucy?Ann, but tall for her age. She had the same brown, wavy³ hair that Philiphad, and the same tuft in front.
　　‘Another Tufty,’ thought Jack, ‘but a fiercer one. It must be Dinah.’
　　It was Dinah. She had come with Joe to meet Philip, in the ramshackleold car. She stopped short in the greatest surprise when she saw Lucy-Annand Jack. Jack grinned, but Lucy-Ann, suddenly feeling shy of thisstrapping, confident-looking girl, hid behind her brother. Dinah stared ineven greater amazement⁴ at Kiki, who was telling Joe to wipe his feet atonce.
　　‘You mind your manners,’ said Joe roughly, talking to the bird as if it wasa human being. Kiki put up her crest⁵ and growled⁶ angrily, like a dog. Joelooked startled.
　　‘That a bird?’ he enquired⁷ of Philip.
　　‘Yes,’ said Philip. ‘Joe, that trunk should go in the car too. It belongs tomy two friends.’
　　‘They coming to Craggy-Tops?’ said Joe in the greatest surprise. ‘MissPolly, she didn’t say nothing about any friends, no, she didn’t.’
　　‘Philip, who are they?’ asked Dinah, coming up and joining the littlegroup.
　　‘Two friends from Mr Roy’s,’ said Philip. ‘I’ll tell you all about itafterwards.’ He winked⁸ at Dinah to make her understand that he wouldexplain when Joe was not there. ‘This is Freckles⁹ – I told you about him,you know – and Lucy-Ann too.’
　　The three children solemnly shook hands. Then they all got into thejerky, jumpy old car, with the two trunks at the back, and Joe drove off in amanner that seemed most dangerous to Lucy-Ann. She clutched the side ofthe car, half frightened.
　　They drove through wild hills, rocky and bare. Soon they saw the sea inthe distance. High cliffs bounded it except for breaks here and there. Itcertainly was a wild and desolate¹⁰ coast. They passed ruined mansions¹¹ andcottages on their way.
　　‘They were burnt in the battle I told you about,’ said Philip. And no onehas rebuilt them. Craggy-Tops more or less escaped.’
　　‘That’s the cliff behind which Craggy-Tops is built,’ said Dinah,pointing. The others saw a high, rocky cliff, and just jutting¹² up they couldsee a small round tower, which they imagined was part of Craggy-Tops.
　　‘Craggy-Tops is built out of reach of the waves,’ said Philip, ‘but onstormy nights the spray dashes against the windows almost as strongly asthe waves pound the shore.’
　　Lucy-Ann and Jack thought it all sounded very thrilling. It would be funto stay in a house that had spray dashed against its windows. They did hopethere would be a terrific storm whilst they were there.
　　‘Is Miss Polly expecting you all?’ asked Joe suddenly. He was plainlypuzzled by the two extra children. ‘She didn’t say nothing to me aboutthem.’
　　‘Didn’t she? How strange!’ said Philip. Kiki screeched¹³ with laughter, andJoe wrinkled up his nose in dislike of the noise. He was not going to fall inlove with Kiki, that was certain. Jack didn’t like the way the man looked athis pet bird.
　　Dinah suddenly gave a shriek¹⁴ and pushed Philip away from her. ‘Oh!
　　You’ve got a mouse down your neck! I saw its nose peeping out. Take itaway, Philip; you know I can’t bear mice.’
　　‘Oh, shut up and don’t be an idiot,’ said Philip crossly. Dinah at onceflew into one of her tempers. She clutched Philip’s collar and shook him,trying to dislodge the mouse and frighten it away. Philip gave Dinah a push,and she banged her head against the side of the car. She at once slapped himhard. Jack and Lucy-Ann stared in surprise.
　　‘Beast!’ said Dinah. ‘I wish you hadn’t come back. Take your two horridfriends and go off again to Mr Roy.’
　　‘They’re not horrid,’ said Philip, in a mild tone. ‘They’re fun.’ He put hismouth to Dinah’s ear, after seeing that Joe was paying no attention, andwhispered: ‘They’ve escaped from Mr Roy. I asked them to. Their unclewill pay Aunt Polly for them to stay with us, and she can pay that bill youtold me about. See?’
　　Dinah forgot her temper as quickly as it had come. She stared withinterest at the brother and sister, rubbing her bruised¹⁵ head as she did so.
　　What would Aunt Polly say? Where would they sleep? This was going to beexciting.
　　Joe drove headlong over the bumpy¹⁶, stony¹⁷ road. Jack wondered that anycar could stand such driving. They drove up the cliff, then down a hiddenway that sloped round to Craggy-Tops.
　　And there, suddenly, was the roaring sea and Craggy-Tops standingsullenly above it, built half-way down the cliff. The car stopped, and thechildren got out. Jack gazed at the strange house. It was a strange place.
　　Once it had two towers, but one had fallen in. The other still stood. Thehouse was built of great grey stones, and was massive and ugly, butsomehow rather grand. It faced the sea with a proud and angry look, as ifdefying the strong gale¹⁸ and the restless ocean. Jack looked down at thewater. On it, and circling above it, were hundreds of wild sea-birds of allkinds. It was a perfect paradise of birds. The boy’s heart sang for joy. Birdsby the hundred, birds by the thousand. He would be able to study them tohis heart’s content, find their nests, photograph them at his leisure. What atime he would have!
　　A woman came to the door, and looked down at the four children insurprise. She was thin, and her hair was sandy-coloured and wispy¹⁹. Shelooked tired and faded.
　　‘Hallo, Aunt Polly!’ cried Philip, running up the stone steps, ‘I’m back!’
　　‘So I see,’ said his aunt, giving him a peck of a kiss on his cheek. ‘Butwho are these?’
　　‘Aunt Polly, they’re friends of mine,’ said Philip earnestly. ‘Theycouldn’t go home because their uncle broke his leg. So I brought them here.
　　Their uncle will pay you for having them.’
　　‘Philip! How can you do a thing like this? Springing people on mewithout telling me!’ said Aunt Polly sharply. ‘Where will they sleep? Youknow we’ve no room.’
　　‘They can sleep in the tower-room,’ said Philip. The tower-room! Howlovely! Jack and Lucy-Ann were thrilled.
　　‘There are no beds there,’ said Aunt Polly, in a disagreeable tone.
　　‘They’ll have to go back. They can stay the night and then go back.’
　　Lucy-Ann looked ready to cry. There was a harshness in Aunt Polly’stone that she could not bear. She felt unwelcome and miserable²⁰. Jack put hisarm round her and gave her a squeeze.
　　He was determined²¹ that he would not go back. The sight of those gliding,circling, soaring birds had filled his heart with joy. Oh, to lie on the cliff andwatch them! He would not go back!
　　‘They all went in, Joe carrying the trunks. Aunt Polly looked with muchdisfavour on Kiki.
　　A parrot too!’ she said. ‘Nasty, squawking, screeching²² bird! I never likedparrots. It’s bad enough to have all the creatures you collect, Philip, withouta parrot coming too.’
　　‘Poor Polly, poor old Polly,’ said Kiki unexpectedly. Aunt Polly looked atthe bird, startled.
　　‘How does it know my name?’ she asked in astonishment²³.
　　Kiki didn’t. It was a name she herself was often called, and she often said‘Poor old Polly!’ or ‘Poor old Kiki!’ She saw that she had made animpression on this sharp-voiced woman, and she repeated the words softly,as if she was about to burst into tears.
　　‘Poor Polly! Dear Polly! Poor, dear old Polly!’
　　‘Well I never!’ said Aunt Polly, and looked at the parrot more kindly²⁴.
　　Aunt Polly felt ill, tired and harassed²⁵, but no one ever said they were sorry,or seemed to notice it. Now here was a bird pitying her and speaking to hermore kindly than anyone had for years! Aunt Polly felt strange about it, butquite pleased.
　　‘You can take a mattress²⁶ up to the tower-room, and sleep there tonightwith the boy – what’s his name?’ said Aunt Polly to Philip. ‘The girl cansleep with Dinah. It’s a small bed, but I can’t help that. If you bring peoplehere without telling me, I can’t prepare for them.’
　　The children sat down to a good meal. Aunt Polly was a good cook. Itwas a mixture of tea and supper, and the children tucked into it well. Allthey had had that day, since their breakfast, were the sandwiches that MrRoy had packed for Philip – and one packet of sandwiches did not go farbetween three hungry children.
　　Dinah gave a sneeze, and the parrot spoke²⁷ to her sternly. ‘Where’s yourhandkerchief?’
　　Aunt Polly looked at the bird in surprised admiration²⁸. ‘Well, I’m alwayssaying that to Dinah,’ she said. ‘That bird seems to be a most sensiblecreature.’
　　Kiki was pleased at Aunt Polly’s admiration. ‘Poor Polly, poor dearPolly,’ she said, her head coyly on one side, her bright eye glinting at AuntPolly.
　　Aunt Polly likes your parrot better than she likes you,’ whispered Philipto Jack, with a grin.
　　After the meal, Aunt Polly took Philip to his uncle’s study. He knockedand went in. His Uncle Jocelyn was bent²⁹ over a sheaf of yellow papers,examining them with a magnifying-glass. He grunted³⁰ at Philip.
　　‘So you’re back again. Behave yourself and keep out of my way. I shallbe very busy these holidays.’
　　‘Jocelyn, Philip has brought two children back with him – and a parrot,’
　　said Aunt Polly.
　　‘A parrot?’ said Uncle Jocelyn. ‘Why a parrot?’
　　‘Jocelyn, that parrot belongs to one of the children that Philip broughthome,’ said Aunt Polly. ‘Philip wants these children to stay here.’
　　‘Can’t have them. Don’t mind the parrot,’ said Uncle Jocelyn, ‘Keep theparrot if you want it. Send it away if you don’t. I’m busy’
　　He bent over his papers again. Aunt Polly gave a sigh and shut the door.
　　‘He’s so interested in the past that he forgets all about the present,’ she said,half to herself. ‘Well – I suppose I must ring up Mr Roy myself. He’ll bewondering about those children.’
　　She went to the telephone. Philip followed close behind her, longing³¹ toknow what Mr Roy would say. Dinah peeped out from the sitting-room³² andPhilip nodded towards the telephone. If only Mr Roy was cross and said hewould not have Jack and Lucy-Ann back! If only Aunt Polly would thinkthe cheque was big enough to make it worthwhile letting them stay!

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 wavy   

adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的

参考例句：

• She drew a wavy line under the word.她在这个词的下面画了一条波纹线。
• His wavy hair was too long and flopped just beneath his brow.他的波浪式头发太长了，正好垂在他的眉毛下。

4 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

5 crest   

n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖

参考例句：

• The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
• He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

6 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 enquired   

打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问

参考例句：

• He enquired for the book in a bookstore. 他在书店查询那本书。
• Fauchery jestingly enquired whether the Minister was coming too. 浮式瑞嘲笑着问部长是否也会来。

8 winked   

v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。
• He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 freckles   

n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She had a wonderful clear skin with an attractive sprinkling of freckles. 她光滑的皮肤上有几处可爱的小雀斑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• When she lies in the sun, her face gets covered in freckles. 她躺在阳光下时，脸上布满了斑点。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

11 mansions   

n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑，空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗，钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊，那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌！ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

12 jutting   

v.（使）突出( jut的现在分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出

参考例句：

• The climbers rested on a sheltered ledge jutting out from the cliff. 登山者在悬崖的岩棚上休息。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldier saw a gun jutting out of some bushes. 那士兵看见丛林中有一枝枪伸出来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 screeched   

v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫

参考例句：

• She screeched her disapproval. 她尖叫着不同意。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The car screeched to a stop. 汽车嚓的一声停住了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 shriek   

v./n.尖叫，叫喊

参考例句：

• Suddenly he began to shriek loudly.突然他开始大声尖叫起来。
• People sometimes shriek because of terror,anger,or pain.人们有时会因为恐惧，气愤或疼痛而尖叫。

15 bruised   

[医]青肿的，瘀紫的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

16 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

17 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

18 gale   

n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）

参考例句：

• We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
• According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

19 wispy   

adj.模糊的；纤细的

参考例句：

• Grey wispy hair straggled down to her shoulders.稀疏的灰白头发披散在她肩头。
• The half moon is hidden behind some wispy clouds.半轮月亮躲在淡淡的云彩之后。

20 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

21 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

22 screeching   

v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫

参考例句：

• Monkeys were screeching in the trees. 猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。
• the unedifying sight of the two party leaders screeching at each other 两党党魁狺狺对吠的讨厌情景

23 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

24 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

25 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

26 mattress   

n.床垫，床褥

参考例句：

• The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
• The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。

27 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：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

28 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

29 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

30 grunted   

（猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说

参考例句：

• She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. 她只咕哝了一声，继续看书，不屑抬起头来看一眼。
• She grunted some incomprehensible reply. 她咕噜着回答了些令人费解的话。

31 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

32 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。