But always the drumming persisted, rhythmic4, thunderous. Through it all Ruth slept, undisturbed, cheek pillowed in one rounded arm, the two great pyramids erect5 behind her, watchful6; a globe at her feet, a globe at her head, the third sphere poised7 between her and us, and, like the pyramids — watchful.
What was happening out there — over the edge of the canyon8, beyond the portal of the cliffs, behind the veils, in the Pit of the Metal Monster? What was the message of the roaring drums? What the rede of their clamorous9 runes?
Ventnor stepped by the sentinel globe, bent10 over the tranced girl. Sphere nor pointed11 pair stirred; only they watched him — like a palpable thing one felt their watchfulness12. He listened to her heart, caught up a wrist, took note of her pulse of life. He drew a deep breath, stood upright, nodded reassuringly13.
Abruptly14 Drake turned, walked out through the open portal, his strain and a very deep anxiety written plainly in deep lines that ran from nostrils15 to firm young mouth.
“Just went out to look for the pony,” he muttered when he returned. “It’s safe. I was afraid it had been stepped on. It’s getting dusk. There’s a big light down the canyon — over in the valley.”
Ventnor drew back past the globe; rejoined us.
The blue bower16 trembled under a gust17 of sound. Ruth stirred; her brows knitted; her hands clenched18. The sphere that stood before her spun19 on its axis20, swept up to the globe at her head, glided21 from it to the globe at her feet — as though whispering. Ruth moaned — her body bent upright, swayed rigidly22. Her eyes opened; they stared through us as though upon some dreadful vision; and strangely was it as though she were seeing with another’s eyes, were reflecting another’s sufferings.
The globes at her feet and at her head swirled24 out, clustering against the third sphere — three weird25 shapes in silent consultation26. On Ventnor’s face I saw pity — and a vast relief. With shocked amaze I realized that Ruth’s agony — for in agony she clearly was — was calling forth27 in him elation28. He spoke29 — and I knew why.
“Norhala!” he whispered. “She is seeing with Norhala’s eyes — feeling what Norhala feels. It’s not going well with — That — out there. If we dared leave Ruth — could only, see —”
Ruth leaped to her feet; cried out — a golden bugling30 that might have been Norhala’s own wrathful trumpet32 notes. Instantly the two pyramids flamed open, became two gleaming stars that bathed her in violet radiance. Beneath their upper tips I saw the blasting ovals glitter — menacingly.
The girl glared at us — more brilliant grew the glittering ovals as though their lightnings trembled on their lips.
“Ruth!” called Ventnor softly.
A shadow softened33 the intolerable, hard brilliancy of the brown eyes. In them something struggled to arise, fighting its way to the surface like some drowning human thing.
It sank back — upon her face dropped a cloud of heartbreak, appalling34 woe35; the despair of a soul that, having withdrawn36 all faith in its own kind to rest all faith, as it thought, on angels — sees that faith betrayed.
There stared upon us a stripped spirit, naked and hopeless and terrible.
Despairing, raging, she screamed once more. The central globe swam to her; it raised her upon its back; glided to the doorway38. Upon it she stood poised like some youthful, anguished39 Victory — a Victory who faced and knew she faced destroying defeat; poised upon that enigmatic orb2 on bare slender feet, one sweet breast bare, hands upraised, virginally archaic40, nothing about her of the Ruth we knew.
“Ruth!” cried Drake; despair as great as that upon her face was in his voice. He sprang before the globe that held her; barred its way.
For an instant the Thing paused — and in that instant the human soul of the girl rushed back.
“No!” she cried. “No!”
A weird call issued from the white lips — stumbling, uncertain, as though she who sent it forth herself wondered whence it sprang. Abruptly the angry stars closed. The three globes spun — doubting, puzzled! Again she called — now a tremulous, halting cadence41. She was lifted; dropped gently to her feet.
For an instant the globes and pyramids whirled and danced before her — then sped away through the portal.
Ruth swayed, sobbing42. Then as though drawn37, she ran to the doorway, fled through it. As one we sprang after her. Rods ahead her white body flashed, speeding toward the Pit. Like fleet-footed Atalanta she fled — and far, far behind us was the blue bower, the misty45 barrier of the veils close, when Drake with a last desperate burst reached her side, gripped her. Down the two fell, rolling upon the smooth roadway. Silently she fought, biting, tearing at Drake, struggling to escape.
“Quick!” gasped46 Ventnor, stretching out to me an arm. “Cut off the sleeve. Quick!”
Unquestioningly, I drew my knife, ripped the garment at the shoulder. He snatched the sleeve, knelt at Ruth’s head; rapidly he crumpled47 an end, thrust it roughly into her mouth; tied it fast, gagging her.
“Hold her!” he ordered Drake; and with a sob43 of relief sprang up. The girl’s eyes blazed at him, filled with hate.
“Cut that other sleeve,” he said; and when I had done so, he knelt again, pinned Ruth down with a knee at her throat, turned her over and knotted her hands behind her. She ceased struggling; gently now he drew up the curly head; swung her upon her back.
“Hold her feet.” He nodded to Drake, who caught the slender bare ankles in his hands.
She lay there, helpless, being unable to use her hands or feet.
“Too little Ruth, and too much Norhala,” said Ventnor, looking up at me. “If she’d only thought to cry out! She could have brought a regiment48 of those Things down to blast us. And would — if she HAD thought. You don’t think THAT is Ruth, do you?”
He pointed to the pallid49 face glaring at him, the eyes from which cold fires flamed.
“No, you don’t!” He caught Drake by the shoulder, sent him spinning a dozen feet away. “Damn it, Drake — don’t you understand!”
For suddenly Ruth’s eyes softened; she had turned them on Dick pitifully, appealingly — and he had loosed her ankles, had leaned forward as though to draw away the band that covered her lips.
“Your gun,” whispered Ventnor to me; before I had moved he had snatched the automatic from my holster; had covered Drake with it.
“Drake,” he said, “stand where you are. If you take another step toward this girl I’ll shoot you — by God, I will!”
Drake halted, shocked amazement51 in his face; I myself felt resentful, wondering at his outburst.
“But it’s hurting her,” he muttered, Ruth’s eyes, soft and pleading, still dwelt upon him.
“Hurting her!” exclaimed Ventnor. “Man — she’s my sister! I know what I’m doing. Can’t you see? Can’t you see how little of Ruth is in that body there — how little of the girl you love? How or why I don’t know — but that it is so I DO know. Drake — have you forgotten how Norhala beguiled52 Cherkis? I want my sister back. I’m helping53 her to get back. Now let be. I know what I’m doing. Look at her!”
We looked. In the face that glared up at Ventnor was nothing of Ruth — even as he had said. There was the same cold, awesome54 wrath31 that had rested upon Norhala’s as she watched Cherkis weep over the eating up of his city. Swiftly came a change — like the sudden smoothing out of the rushing waves of a hill-locked, wind-lashed lake.
The face was again Ruth’s face — and Ruth’s alone; the eyes were Ruth’s eyes — supplicating56, adjuring57.
“Ruth!” Ventnor cried. “While you can hear — am I not right?”
She nodded vigorously, sternly; she was lost, hidden once more.
“You see.” He turned to us grimly.
A shattering shaft58 of light flashed upon the veils; almost pierced them. An avalanche59 of sound passed high above us. Yet now I noted60 that where we stood the clamor was lessened61, muffled62. Of course, it came to me, it was the veils.
I wondered why — for whatever the quality of the radiant mists, their purpose certainly had to do with concentration of the magnetic flux63. The deadening of the noise must be accidental, could have nothing to do with their actual use; for sound is an air vibration64 solely65. No — it must be a secondary effect. The Metal Monster was as heedless of clamor as it was of heat or cold —
“We’ve got to see,” Ventnor broke the chain of thought. “We’ve got to get through and see what’s happening. Win or lose — we’ve got to KNOW.”
“Cut off your sleeve, as I did,” he motioned to Drake. “Tie her ankles. We’ll carry her.”
Quickly it was done. Ruth’s light body swinging between brother and lover, we moved forward into the mists; we crept cautiously through their dead silences.
Passed out and fell back into them from a searing chaos66 of light, chaotic67 tumult68.
From the slackened grip of Ventnor and Drake the body of Ruth dropped while we three stood blinded, deafened69, fighting for recovery. Ruth twisted, rolled toward the brink70; Ventnor threw himself upon her, held her fast.
Dragging her, crawling on our knees, we crept forward; we stopped when the thinning of the mists permitted us to see through them yet still interposed a curtaining which, though tenuous71, dimmed the intolerable brilliancy that filled the Pit, muffled its din44 to a degree we could bear.
I peered through them — and nerve and muscle were locked in the grip of a paralyzing awe55. I felt then as one would feel set close to warring regiments72 of stars, made witness to the death-throes of a universe, or swept through space and held above the whirling coils of Andromeda’s nebula73 to watch its birth agonies of nascent74 suns.
These are no figures of speech, no hyperboles — speck75 as our whole planet would be in Andromeda’s vast loom76, pinprick as was the Pit to the cyclone77 craters78 of our own sun, within the cliff-cupped walls of the valley was a tangible79, struggling living force akin80 to that which dwells within the nebula and the star; a cosmic spirit transcending81 all dimensions and thrusting its confines out into the infinite; a sentient82 emanation of the infinite itself.
Nor was its voice less unearthly. It used the shell of the earth valley for its trumpetings, its clangors — but as one hears in the murmurings of the fluted83 conch the great voice of ocean, its whispering and its roarings, so here in the clamorous shell of the Pit echoed the tremendous voices of that illimitable sea which laps the shores of the countless84 suns.
I looked upon a mighty85 whirlpool miles and miles wide. It whirled with surges whose racing86 crests87 were smiting88 incandescences; it was threaded with a spindrift of lightnings; it was trodden by dervish mists of molten flame thrust through with forests of lances of living light. It cast a cadent spray high to the heavens.
Over it the heavens glittered as though they were a shield held by fearful gods. Through the maelstrom91 staggered a mountainous bulk; a gleaming leviathan of pale blue metal caught in the swirling92 tide of some incredible volcano; a huge ark of metal breasting a deluge93 of flame.
And the drumming we heard as of hollow beaten metal worlds, the shouting tempests of cannonading stars, was the breaking of these incandescent94 crests, the falling of the lightning spindrift, the rhythmic impact of the lanced rays upon the glimmering95 mountain that reeled and trembled as they struck it.
The reeling mountain, the struggling leviathan, was — the City!
It was the mass of the Metal Monster itself, guarded by, stormed by, its own legions that though separate from it were still as much of it as were the cells that formed the skin of its walls, its carapace96.
It was the Metal Monster tearing, rending97, fighting for, battling against — itself.
Mile high as when I had first beheld98 it was the inexplicable99 body that held the great heart of the cones100 into which had been drawn the magnetic cataracts101 from our sun; that held too the smaller hearts of the lesser102 cones, the workshops, the birth chamber and manifold other mysteries unguessed and unseen. By a full fourth had its base been shrunken.
Ranged in double line along the side turned toward us were hundreds of dread23 forms — Shapes that in their intensity103 bore down upon, oppressed with a nightmare weight, the consciousness.
Rectangular, upon their outlines no spike104 of pyramid, no curve of globe showing, uncompromisingly ponderous105, they upthrust. Upon the tops of the first rank were enormous masses, sledge106 shaped — like those metal fists that had battered107 down the walls of Cherkis’s city but to them as the human hand is to the paw of the dinosaur108.
Conceive this — conceive these Shapes as animate109 and flexible; beating down with the prodigious110 mallets, smashing from side to side as though the tremendous pillars that held them were thousand jointed111 upright pistons112; that as closely as I can present it in images of things we know is the picture of the Hammering Things.
Behind them stood a second row, high as they and as angular. From them extended scores of girdered arms. These were thickly studded with the flaming cruciform shapes, the opened cubes gleaming with their angry flares113 of reds and smoky yellows. From the tentacles114 of many swung immense shields like those which ringed the hall of the great cones.
And as the sledges115 beat, ever over their bent heads poured from the crosses a flood of crimson116 lightnings. Out of the concave depths of the shields whipped lashes117 of blinding flame. With ropes of fire they knouted the Things the sledges struck, the sullen118 crimson levins blasted.
Now I could see the Shapes that attacked. Grotesque119; spined120 and tusked121, spiked122 and antlered, wenned and breasted; as chimerically123 angled, cusped and cornute as though they were the superangled, supercornute gods of the cusped and angled gods of the Javanese, they strove against the sledge-headed and smiting, the multiarmed and blasting square towers.
High as them, as huge as they, incomparably fantastic, in dozens of shifting forms they battled.
More than a mile from the stumbling City stood ranged like sharpshooters a host of solid, bristling124-legged towers. Upon their tops spun gigantic wheels. Out of the centers of these wheels shot the radiant lances, hosts of spears of intensest violet light. The radiance they volleyed was not continuous; it was broken, so that the javelin125 rays shot out in rhythmic flights, each flying fast upon the shafts126 of the others.
It was their impact that sent forth the thunderous drumming. They struck and splintered against the walls, dropping from them in great gouts of molten flame. It was as though before they broke they pierced the wall, the Monster’s side, bled fire.
With the crashing of broadsides of massed batteries the sledges smashed down upon the bristling attackers. Under the awful impact globes and pyramids were shattered into hundreds of fragments, rocket bursts of blue and azure127 and violet flame, flames rainbowed and irised.
The hammer ends split, flew apart, were scattered128, were falling showers of sulphurous yellow and scarlet129 meteors. But ever other cubes swarmed130 out and repaired the broken smiting tips. And always where a tusked and cornute shape had been battered down, disintegrated131, another arose as huge and as formidable pouring forth upon the squared tower its lightnings, tearing at it with colossal132 spiked and hooked claws, beating it with incredible spiked and globular fists that were like the clenched hands of some metal Atlas133.
As the striving Shapes swayed and wrestled134, gave way or thrust forward, staggered or fell, the bulk of the Monster stumbled and swayed, advanced and retreated — an unearthly motion wedded135 to an amorphous136 immensity that flooded the watching consciousness with a deathly nausea137.
Unceasingly the hail of radiant lances poured from the spinning wheels, falling upon Towered Shapes and City’s wall alike. There arose a prodigious wailing138, an unearthly thin screaming. About the bases of the defenders139 flashed blinding bursts of incandescence89 — like those which had heralded140 the flight of the Flying Thing dropping before Norhala’s house.
Unlike them they held no dazzling sapphire141 brilliancies; they were ochreous, suffused142 with raging vermilion. Nevertheless they were factors of that same inexplicable action — for from thousands of gushing143 lights leaped thousands of gigantic square pillars; unimaginable projectiles144 hurled145 from the flaming mouths of earth-hidden, titanic146 mortars147.
They soared high, swerved148 and swooped149 upon the lance-throwers. Beneath their onslaught those chimerae tottered150, I saw living projectiles and living target fuse where they met — melt and weld in jets of lightnings.
But not all. There were those that tore great gaps in the horned giants — wounds that instantly were healed with globes and pyramids seething151 out from the Cyclopean trunk. Ever the incredible projectiles flashed and flew as though from some inexhaustible store; ever uprose that prodigious barrage152 against the smiting rays.
Now to check them soared from the ranks of the besiegers clouds of countless horned dragons, immense cylinders153 of clustered cubes studded with the clinging tetrahedrons. They struck the cubed projectiles head on; aimed themselves to meet them.
Bristling dragon and hurtling pillar stuck and fused or burst with intolerable blazing. They fell — cube and sphere and pyramid — some half opened, some fully50, in a rain of disks, of stars, huge flaming crosses; a storm of unimaginable pyrotechnics.
Now I became conscious that within the City — within the body of the Metal Monster — there raged a strife154 colossal as this without. From it came a vast volcanic155 roaring. Up from its top shot tortured flames, cascades156 and fountains of frenzied157 Things that looped and struggled, writhed158 over its edge, hurled themselves back; battling chimerae which against the glittering heavens traced luminous159 symbols of agony.
Shrilled160 a stronger wailing. Up from behind the ray hurling161 Towers shot hosts of globes. Thousands of palely azure, metal moons they soared; warrior162 moons charging in meteor rush and streaming with fluttering battle pennons of violet flame. High they flew; they curved over the mile high back of the Monster; they dropped upon it.
Arose to meet them immense columns of the cubes; battered against the spheres; swept them over and down into the depths. Hundreds fell, broken — but thousands held their place. I saw them twine163 about the pillars — writhing164 columns of interlaced cubes and globes straining like monstrous165 serpents while all along their coils the open disks and crosses smote166 with the scimitars of their lightnings.
In the wall of the City appeared a shining crack; from top to bottom it ran; it widened into a rift90 from which a flood of radiance gushed167. Out of this rift poured a thousand-foot-high torrent168 of horned globes.
Only for an instant they flowed. The rift closed upon them, catching169 those still emerging in a colossal vise. It CRUNCHED170 them. Plain through the turmoil171 came a dreadful — bursting roar.
Down from the closing jaws172 of the vise dripped a stream of fragments that flashed and flickered173 — and died. And now in the wall was no trace of the breach174.
A hurricane of radiant lances swept it. Under them a mile wide section of the living scarp split away; dropped like an avalanche. Its fall revealed great spaces, huge vaults175 and chambers176 filled with warring lightnings — out from them came roaring, bellowing177 thunders. Swiftly from each side of the gap a metal curtaining of the cubes joined. Again the wall was whole.
I turned my stunned178 gaze from the City — swept over the valley. Everywhere, in towers, in writhing coils, in whipping flails179, in waves that smote and crashed, in countless forms and combinations the Metal Hordes180 battled. Here were pillars against which metal billows rushed and were broken; there were metal comets that crashed high above the mad turmoil.
From streaming silent veil to veil — north and south, east and west the Monster slew181 itself beneath its racing, flaming banners, the tempests of its lightnings.
The tortured hulk of the City lurched; it swept toward us. Before it blotted182 out from our eyes the Pit I saw that the crystal spans upon the river of jade183 were gone; that the wondrous184 jeweled ribbons of its banks were broken.
Closer came the reeling City.
I fumbled185 for my lenses, focussed them upon it. Now I saw that where the radiant lances struck they — killed the blocks blackened under them, became lustreless186; the sparkling of the tiny eyes — went out; the metal carapaces187 crumbled188.
Closer to the City — came the Monster; shuddering189 I lowered the glasses that it might not seem so near.
Down dropped the bristling Shapes that wrestled with the squared Towers. They rose again in a single monstrous wave that rushed to overwhelm them. Before they could strike the City swept closer; had hidden them from me.
Again I raised the glasses. They brought the metal scarp not fifty feet away — within it the hosts of tiny eyes glittered, no longer mocking nor malicious190, but insane.
Nearer drew the Monster — nearer.
A thousand feet away it checked its movement, seemed to draw itself together. Then like the roar of a falling world that whole side facing us slid down to the valley’s floor.
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1
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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8
canyon
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| n.峡谷，溪谷 | |
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clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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15
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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16
bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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17
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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18
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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axis
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| n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线 | |
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21
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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30
bugling
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| 吹号（bugle的现在分词形式） | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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33
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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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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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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36
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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anguished
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| adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式) | |
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40
archaic
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| adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的，已不通用的 | |
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41
cadence
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| n.（说话声调的）抑扬顿挫 | |
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42
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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43
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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44
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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45
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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46
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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47
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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48
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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49
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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50
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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51
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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52
beguiled
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| v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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53
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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54
awesome
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| adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的 | |
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55
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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56
supplicating
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| v.祈求，哀求，恳求( supplicate的现在分词 ) | |
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57
adjuring
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| v.（以起誓或诅咒等形式）命令要求( adjure的现在分词 )；祈求；恳求 | |
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58
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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59
avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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60
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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61
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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62
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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63
flux
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| n.流动；不断的改变 | |
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64
vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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65
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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66
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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67
chaotic
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| adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的 | |
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68
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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69
deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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70
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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71
tenuous
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| adj.细薄的，稀薄的，空洞的 | |
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72
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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73
nebula
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| n.星云，喷雾剂 | |
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74
nascent
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| adj.初生的，发生中的 | |
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75
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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76
loom
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| n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近 | |
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77
cyclone
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| n.旋风，龙卷风 | |
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78
craters
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| n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等 | |
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79
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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80
akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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81
transcending
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| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的现在分词 )； 优于或胜过… | |
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82
sentient
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| adj.有知觉的，知悉的；adv.有感觉能力地 | |
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83
fluted
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| a.有凹槽的 | |
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84
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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85
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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86
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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87
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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88
smiting
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的现在分词 ) | |
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89
incandescence
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| n.白热，炽热；白炽 | |
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90
rift
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| n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入 | |
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91
maelstrom
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| n.大乱动；大漩涡 | |
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92
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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93
deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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94
incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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95
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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96
carapace
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| n.（蟹或龟的）甲壳 | |
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97
rending
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| v.撕碎( rend的现在分词 )；分裂；（因愤怒、痛苦等而）揪扯（衣服或头发等）；（声音等）刺破 | |
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98
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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99
inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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100
cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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101
cataracts
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| n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 )；白内障 | |
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102
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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103
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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104
spike
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| n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效 | |
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105
ponderous
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|
| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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106
sledge
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| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
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107
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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108
dinosaur
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| n.恐龙 | |
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109
animate
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| v.赋于生命，鼓励；adj.有生命的，有生气的 | |
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110
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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111
jointed
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| 有接缝的 | |
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112
pistons
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| 活塞( piston的名词复数 ) | |
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113
flares
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| n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开 | |
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114
tentacles
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| n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛 | |
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115
sledges
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| n.雪橇，雪车( sledge的名词复数 )v.乘雪橇( sledge的第三人称单数 )；用雪橇运载 | |
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116
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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117
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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118
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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119
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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120
spined
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| adj.有背骨的，有刺的，有脊柱的 | |
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121
tusked
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| adj.有獠牙的，有长牙的 | |
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122
spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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123
chimerically
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| adj.不真实的，奇异的 | |
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124
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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125
javelin
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| n.标枪，投枪 | |
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126
shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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127
azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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128
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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129
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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130
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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131
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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132
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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133
atlas
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| n.地图册，图表集 | |
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134
wrestled
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| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
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135
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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136
amorphous
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| adj.无定形的 | |
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137
nausea
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| n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶) | |
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138
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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139
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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140
heralded
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| v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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141
sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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142
suffused
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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143
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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144
projectiles
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| n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 )；（炮弹、子弹等）射弹，（火箭等）自动推进的武器 | |
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145
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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146
titanic
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| adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的 | |
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147
mortars
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| n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵 | |
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148
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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149
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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150
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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151
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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152
barrage
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| n.火力网，弹幕 | |
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153
cylinders
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| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
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154
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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155
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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156
cascades
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| 倾泻( cascade的名词复数 )； 小瀑布（尤指一连串瀑布中的一支）； 瀑布状物； 倾泻（或涌出）的东西 | |
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157
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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158
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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159
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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160
shrilled
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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161
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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162
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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163
twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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164
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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165
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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166
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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167
gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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168
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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169
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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170
crunched
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的过去式和过去分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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171
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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172
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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173
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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174
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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175
vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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176
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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177
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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178
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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179
flails
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| v.鞭打( flail的第三人称单数 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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180
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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181
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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182
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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183
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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184
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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185
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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186
lustreless
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| adj.无光泽的，无光彩的，平淡乏味的 | |
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187
carapaces
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| n.（龟、蟹等的）硬壳( carapace的名词复数 ) | |
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188
crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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189
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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190
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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