As I gazed upon them I wondered to what secret place within their brooding immensities the little metal mysteries had fled. And to what myriads6, it might be, of their kind? And these hidden hordes7 — of what shapes were they? Of what powers? Small like these, or — or —
Quick on the screen of my mind flashed two pictures, side by side — the little four-rayed print in the great dust of the crumbling8 ruin and its colossal9 twin on the breast of the poppied valley.
I turned aside, crept through the shattered portal and looked over the haunted hollow.
Unbelieving, I rubbed my eyes; then leaped to the very brim of the bowl.
A lark11 had risen from the roof of one of the shattered heaps and had flown caroling up into the shadowy sky.
A flock of the little willow12 warblers flung themselves across the valley, scolding and gossiping; a hare sat upright in the middle of the ancient roadway.
The valley itself lay serenely13 under the ambering light, smiling, peaceful — emptied of horror!
I dropped over the side, walked cautiously down the road up which but an hour or so before we had struggled so desperately15; paced farther and farther with an increasing confidence and a growing wonder.
Gone was that soul of loneliness; vanished the whirlpool of despair that had striven to drag us down to death.
The bowl was nothing but a quiet, smiling lovely little hollow in the hills. I looked back. Even the ruins had lost their sinister16 shape; were time-worn, crumbling piles — nothing more.
I saw Ruth and Drake run out upon the ledge17 and beckon18 me; made my way back to them, running.
“It’s all right,” I shouted. “The place is all right.”
I stumbled up the side; joined them.
“It’s empty,” I cried. “Get Martin and Chiu–Ming quick! While the way’s open —”
A rifle-shot rang out above us; another and another. From the portal scampered19 Chiu–Ming, his robe tucked up about his knees.
“They come!” he gasped20. “They come!”
There was a flashing of spears high up the winding21 mountain path. Down it was pouring an avalanche22 of men. I caught the glint of helmets and corselets. Those in the van were mounted, galloping23 two abreast24 upon sure-footed mountain ponies25. Their short swords, lifted high, flickered26.
After the horsemen swarmed27 foot soldiers, a forest of shining points and dully gleaming pikes above them. Clearly to us came their battlecries.
Again Ventnor’s rifle cracked. One of the foremost riders went down; another stumbled over him, fell. The rush was checked for an instant, milling upon the road.
“Dick,” I cried, “rush Ruth over to the tunnel mouth. We’ll follow. We can hold them there. I’ll get Martin. Chiu–Ming, after the pony28, quick.”
I pushed the two over the rim10 of the hollow. Side by side the Chinaman and I ran back through the gateway29. I pointed30 to the animal and rushed back into the fortress31.
“Quick, Mart!” I shouted up the shattered stairway. “We can get through the hollow. Ruth and Drake are on their way to the break we came through. Hurry!”
“All right. Just a minute,” he called.
I heard him empty his magazine with almost machine-gun quickness. There was a short pause, and down the broken steps he leaped, gray eyes blazing.
“The pony?” He ran beside me toward the portal. “All my ammunition32 is on him.”
“Chiu–Ming’s taking care of that,” I gasped.
We darted33 out of the gateway. A good five hundred yards away were Ruth and Drake, running straight to the green tunnel’s mouth. Between them and us was Chiu–Ming urging on the pony.
As we sped after him I looked back. The horsemen had recovered, were now a scant34 half-mile from where the road swept past the fortress. I saw that with their swords the horsemen bore great bows. A little cloud of arrows sparkled from them; fell far short.
“Don’t look back,” grunted35 Ventnor. “Stretch yourself, Walter. There’s a surprise coming. Hope to God I judged the time right.”
We turned off the ruined way; raced over the sward.
“If it looks as though — we can’t make it,” he panted, “YOU beat it after the rest. I’ll try to hold ’em until you get into the tunnel. Never do for ’em to get Ruth.”
“Right.” My own breathing was growing labored36, “WE’LL hold them. Drake can take care of Ruth.”
“Good boy,” he said. “I wouldn’t have asked you. It probably means death.”
“Very well,” I gasped, irritated. “But why borrow trouble?”
He reached out, touched me.
“You’re right, Walter,” he grinned. “It does — seem — like carrying coals — to Newcastle.”
There was a thunderous booming behind us; a shattering crash. A cloud of smoke and dust hung over the northern end of the ruined fortress.
It lifted swiftly, and I saw that the whole side of the structure had fallen, littering the road with its fragments. Scattered37 prone38 among these were men and horses; others staggered, screaming. On the farther side of this stony39 dike40 our pursuers were held like rushing waters behind a sudden fallen tree.
“Timed to a second!” cried Ventnor. “Hold ’em for a while. Fuses and dynamite41. Blew out the whole side, right on ’em, by the Lord!”
On we fled. Chiu–Ming was now well in advance; Ruth and Dick less than half a mile from the opening of the green tunnel. I saw Drake stop, raise his rifle, empty it before him, and, holding Ruth by the hand, race back toward us.
Even as he turned, the vine-screened entrance through which we had come, through which we had thought lay safety, streamed other armored men. We were outflanked.
“To the fissure42!” shouted Ventnor. Drake heard, for he changed his course to the crevice43 at whose mouth Ruth had said the — Little Things — had lain.
After him streaked44 Chiu–Ming, urging on the pony. Shouting out of the tunnel, down over the lip of the bowl, leaped the soldiers. We dropped upon our knees, sent shot after shot into them. They fell back, hesitated. We sprang up, sped on.
All too short was the check, but once more we held them — and again.
Now Ruth and Dick were a scant fifty yards from the crevice. I saw him stop, push her from him toward it. She shook her head.
Now Chiu–Ming was with them. Ruth sprang to the pony, lifted from its back a rifle. Then into the mass of their pursuers Drake and she poured a fusillade. They huddled45, wavered, broke for cover.
“A chance!” gasped Ventnor.
Behind us was a wolflike yelping46. The first pack had re-formed; had crossed the barricade47 the dynamite had made; was rushing upon us.
I ran as I had never known I could. Over us whined48 the bullets from the covering guns. Close were we now to the mouth of the fissure. If we could but reach it. Close, close were our pursuers, too — the arrows closer.
“No use!” said Ventnor. “We can’t make it. Meet ’em from the front. drop — and shoot.”
We threw ourselves down, facing them. There came a triumphant49 shouting. And in that strange sharpening of the senses that always goes hand in hand with deadly peril50, that is indeed nature’s summoning of every reserve to meet that peril, my eyes took them in with photographic nicety — the linked mail, lacquered blue and scarlet51, of the horsemen; brown, padded armor of the footmen; their bows and javelins52 and short bronze swords, their pikes and shields; and under their round helmets their cruel, bearded faces — white as our own where the black beards did not cover them; their fierce and mocking eyes.
The springs of ancient Persia’s long dead power, these. Men of Xerxes’s ruthless, world-conquering hordes; the lustful53, ravening54 wolves of Darius whom Alexander scattered — in this world of ours twenty centuries beyond their time!
Swiftly, accurately55, even as I scanned them, we had been drilling into them. They advanced deliberately56, heedless of their fallen. Their arrows had ceased to fly. I wondered why, for now we were well within their range. Had they orders to take us alive — at whatever cost to themselves?
“I’ve got only about ten cartridges58 left, Martin,” I told him.
“We’ve saved Ruth anyway,” he said. “Drake ought to be able to hold that hole in the wall. He’s got lots of ammunition on the pony. But they’ve got us.”
Another wild shouting; down swept the pack.
We leaped to our feet, sent our last bullets into them; stood ready, rifles clubbed to meet the rush. I heard Ruth scream —
What was the matter with the armored men? Why had they halted? What was it at which they were glaring over our heads? And why had the rifle fire of Ruth and Drake ceased so abruptly59?
Simultaneously60 we turned.
Within the black background of the fissure stood a shape, an apparition61, a woman — beautiful, awesome62, incredible!
She was tall, standing64 there swathed from chin to feet in clinging veils of pale amber14, she seemed taller even than tall Drake. Yet it was not her height that sent through me the thrill of awe63, of half incredulous terror which, relaxing my grip, let my smoking rifle drop to earth; nor was it that about her proud head a cloud of shining tresses swirled65 and pennoned like a misty66 banner of woven copper67 flames — no, nor that through her veils her body gleamed faint radiance.
It was her eyes — her great, wide eyes whose clear depths were like pools of living star fires. They shone from her white face — not phosphorescent, not merely lucent and light reflecting, but as though they themselves were SOURCES of the cold white flames of far stars — and as calm as those stars themselves.
And in that face, although as yet I could distinguish nothing but the eyes, I sensed something unearthly.
“God!” whispered Ventnor. “What IS she?”
The woman stepped from the crevice. Not fifty feet from her were Ruth and Drake and Chiu–Ming, their rigid68 attitudes revealing the same shock of awe that had momentarily paralyzed me.
She looked at them, beckoned69 them. I saw the two walk toward her, Chiu–Ming hang back. The great eyes fell upon Ventnor and myself. She raised a hand, motioned us to approach.
I turned. There stood the host that had poured down (he mountain road, horsemen, spearsmen, pikemen — a full thousand of them. At my right were the scattered company that had come from the tunnel entrance, threescore or more.
There seemed a spell upon them. They stood in silence, like automatons70, only their fiercely staring eyes showing that they were alive.
“Quick,” breathed Ventnor.
We ran toward her who had checked death even while its jaws71 were closing upon us.
Before we had gone half-way, as though our flight had broken whatever bonds had bound them, a clamor arose from the host; a wild shouting, a clanging of swords on shields. I shot a glance behind. They were in motion, advancing slowly, hesitatingly as yet — but I knew that soon that hesitation72 would pass; that they would sweep down upon us, engulf73 us.
“To the crevice,” I shouted to Drake. He paid no heed57 to me, nor did Ruth — their gaze fastened upon the swathed woman.
Ventnor’s hand shot out, gripped my shoulder, halted me. She had thrown up her head. The cloudy METALLIC74 hair billowed as though wind had blown it.
From the lifted throat came a low, a vibrant75 cry; harmonious76, weirdly77 disquieting79, golden and sweet — and laden80 with the eery, minor81 wailings of the blue valley’s night, the dragoned chamber84.
Before the cry had ceased there poured with incredible swiftness out of the crevice score upon score of the metal things. The fissures85 vomited86 them!
Globes and cubes and pyramids — not small like those of the ruins, but shapes all of four feet high, dully lustrous87, and deep within that luster3 the myriads of tiny points of light like unwinking, staring eyes.
They swirled, eddied88 and formed a barricade between us and the armored men.
Down upon them poured a shower of arrows from the soldiers. I heard the shouts of their captains; they rushed. They had courage — those men — yes!
Again came the woman’s cry — golden, peremptory89.
Sphere and block and pyramid ran together, seemed to seethe90. I had again that sense of a quicksilver melting. Up from them thrust a thick rectangular column. Eight feet in width and twenty feet high, it shaped itself. Out from its left side, from right side, sprang arms — fearful arms that grew and grew as globe and cube and angle raced up the column’s side and clicked into place each upon, each after, the other. With magical quickness the arms lengthened91.
Before us stood a monstrous92 shape; a geometric prodigy93. A shining angled pillar that, though rigid, immobile, seemed to crouch94, be instinct with living force striving to be unleashed95.
Two great globes surmounted96 it — like the heads of some two-faced Janus of an alien world.
At the left and right the knobbed arms, now fully97 fifty feet in length, writhed98, twisted, straightened; flexing99 themselves in grotesque100 imitation of a boxer101. And at the end of each of the six arms the spheres were clustered thick, studded with the pyramids — again in gigantic, awful, parody102 of the spiked103 gloves of those ancient gladiators who fought for imperial Nero.
For an instant it stood here, preening104, testing itself like an athlete — a chimera105, amorphous106 yet weirdly symmetric — under the darkening sky, in the green of the hollow, the armored hosts frozen before it —
And then — it struck!
Out flashed two of the arms, with a glancing motion, with appalling107 force. They sliced into the close-packed forward ranks of the armored men; cut out of them two great gaps.
Sickened, I saw fragments of man and horse fly. Another arm javelined from its place like a flying snake, clicked at the end of another, became a hundred-foot chain which swirled like a flail108 through the huddling109 mass. Down upon a knot of the soldiers with a straight-forward blow drove a third arm, driving through them like a giant punch.
All that host which had driven us from the ruins threw down sword, spear, and pike; fled shrieking110. The horsemen spurred their mounts, riding heedless over the footmen who fled with them.
The Smiting111 Thing seemed to watch them go with — AMUSEMENT!
Before they could cover a hundred yards it had disintegrated112. I heard the little wailing82 sounds — then behind the fleeing men, close behind them, rose the angled pillar; into place sprang the flexing arms, and again it took its toll113 of them.
They scattered, running singly, by twos, in little groups, for the sides of the valley. They were like rats scampering114 in panic over the bottom of a great green bowl. And like a monstrous cat the shape played with them — yes, PLAYED.
It melted once more — took new form. Where had been pillar and flailing115 arms was now a tripod thirty feet high, its legs alternate globe and cube and upon its apex116 a wide and spinning ring of sparkling spheres. Out from the middle of this ring stretched a tentacle117 — writhing118, undulating like a serpent of steel, four score yards at least in length.
At its end cube, globe and pyramid had mingled119 to form a huge trident. With the three long prongs of this trident the thing struck, swiftly, with fearful precision — JOYOUSLY— tining those who fled, forking them, tossing them from its points high in air.
It was, I think, that last touch of sheer horror, the playfulness of the Smiting Thing, that sent my dry tongue to the roof of my terror-parched mouth, and held open with monstrous fascination120 eyes that struggled to close.
Ever the armored men fled from it, and ever was it swifter than they, teetering at their heels on its tripod legs.
From half its length the darting121 snake streamed red rain.
I heard a sigh from Ruth; wrested122 my gaze from the hollow; turned. She lay fainting in Drake’s arms.
Beside the two the swathed woman stood, looking out upon that slaughter123, calm and still, shrouded124 with an unearthly tranquillity125 — viewing it, it came to me, with eyes impersonal126, cold, indifferent as the untroubled stars which look down upon hurricane and earthquake in this world of ours.
There was a rushing of many feet at our left; a wail83 from Chiu–Ming. Were they maddened by fear, driven by despair, determined127 to slay128 before they themselves were slain129? I do not know. But those who still lived of the men from the tunnel mouth were charging us.
They clustered close, their shields held before them. They had no bows, these men. They moved swiftly down upon us in silence — swords and pikes gleaming.
The Smiting Thing rocked toward us, the metal tentacle straining out like a rigid, racing130 serpent, flying to cut between its weird78 mistress and those who menaced her.
I heard Chiu–Ming scream; saw him throw up his hands, cover his eyes — run straight upon the pikes!
“Chiu–Ming!” I shouted. “Chiu–Ming! This way!”
I ran toward him. Before I had gone five paces Ventnor flashed by me, revolver spitting. I saw a spear thrown. It struck the Chinaman squarely in the breast. He tottered131 — fell upon his knees.
Even as he dropped, the giant flail swept down upon the soldiers. It swept through them like a scythe132 through ripe grain. It threw them, broken and torn, far toward the valley’s sloping sides. It left only fragments that bore no semblance133 to men.
Ventnor was at Chiu–Ming’s head; I dropped beside him. There was a crimson134 froth upon his lips.
“I thought that Shin–Je was about to slay us,” he whispered. “Fear blinded me.”
His head dropped; his body quivered, lay still.
We arose, looked about us dazedly135. At the side of the crevice stood the woman, her gaze resting upon Drake, his arms about Ruth, her head hidden on his breast.
The valley was empty — save for the huddled heaps that dotted it.
High up on the mountain path a score of figures crept, all that were left of those who but a little before had streamed down to take us captive or to slay. High up in the darkening heavens the lammergeiers, the winged scavengers of the Himalayas, were gathering136.
The woman lifted her hand, beckoned us once more. Slowly we walked toward her, stood before her. The great clear eyes searched us — but no more intently than our own wondering eyes did her.
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收听单词发音
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1
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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2
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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3
luster
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| n.光辉；光泽，光亮；荣誉 | |
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4
mantles
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| vt.&vi.覆盖（mantle的第三人称单数形式） | |
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5
glaciers
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| 冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 ) | |
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6
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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7
hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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8
crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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10
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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11
lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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12
willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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13
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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14
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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15
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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16
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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17
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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18
beckon
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| v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意，召唤 | |
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19
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
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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21
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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22
avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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23
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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24
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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28
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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29
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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30
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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32
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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33
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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34
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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35
grunted
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| （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 | |
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36
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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37
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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38
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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39
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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40
dike
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| n.堤，沟；v.开沟排水 | |
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41
dynamite
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| n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破) | |
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42
fissure
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| n.裂缝；裂伤 | |
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43
crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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44
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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45
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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46
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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47
barricade
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| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
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48
whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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49
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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50
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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51
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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52
javelins
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| n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
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53
lustful
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| a.贪婪的；渴望的 | |
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54
ravening
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| a.贪婪而饥饿的 | |
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55
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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56
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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57
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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58
cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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59
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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60
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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61
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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62
awesome
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| adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的 | |
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63
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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64
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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65
swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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67
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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68
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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69
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
automatons
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| n.自动机，机器人( automaton的名词复数 ) | |
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71
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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72
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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73
engulf
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| vt.吞没，吞食 | |
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74
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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75
vibrant
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| adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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76
harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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77
weirdly
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| 古怪地 | |
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78
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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79
disquieting
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| adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
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80
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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81
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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82
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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83
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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84
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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85
fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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86
vomited
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87
lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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88
eddied
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| 起漩涡，旋转( eddy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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89
peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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90
seethe
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| vi.拥挤，云集；发怒，激动，骚动 | |
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91
lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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92
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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93
prodigy
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| n.惊人的事物，奇迹，神童，天才，预兆 | |
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crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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unleashed
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| v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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96
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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97
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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98
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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99
flexing
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| n.挠曲，可挠性v.屈曲( flex的现在分词 )；弯曲；（为准备大干而）显示实力；摩拳擦掌 | |
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100
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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101
boxer
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| n.制箱者，拳击手 | |
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102
parody
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| n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文 | |
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103
spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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104
preening
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| v.（鸟）用嘴整理（羽毛）( preen的现在分词 ) | |
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105
chimera
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| n.神话怪物；梦幻 | |
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106
amorphous
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| adj.无定形的 | |
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107
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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108
flail
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| v.用连枷打；击打；n.连枷（脱粒用的工具） | |
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109
huddling
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| n. 杂乱一团, 混乱, 拥挤 v. 推挤, 乱堆, 草率了事 | |
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110
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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111
smiting
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的现在分词 ) | |
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112
disintegrated
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| v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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113
toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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114
scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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115
flailing
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| v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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116
apex
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| n.顶点，最高点 | |
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117
tentacle
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| n.触角，触须，触手 | |
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118
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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119
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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120
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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121
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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122
wrested
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| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
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123
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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124
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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125
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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126
impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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127
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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128
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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129
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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130
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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131
tottered
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| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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132
scythe
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| n. 长柄的大镰刀，战车镰； v. 以大镰刀割 | |
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133
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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134
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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135
dazedly
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| 头昏眼花地，眼花缭乱地，茫然地 | |
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136
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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