Dr. Johnson"And then before the Mark silflay," said Chervil, "I always have a look at theweather. The previous Mark send a runner, of course, to say when they're goingdown, and he reports on the weather, but I always go and have a look for myselfas well. In moonlight we put the sentries2 fairly close in and keep on the moveourselves to make sure no one goes too far. But in rain or darkness we send theMark up in small groups, one after the other, and each group has a sentry3 incharge. In absolutely desperate weather we ask the General's permission topostpone the silflay.""But do they often try to run away?" asked Bigwig. During the afternoon hehad been up and down the runs and crowded burrows5 with Chervil and Avens,the other Mark officer, and had thought to himself that never in his life had heseen such a cheerless, dispirited lot of rabbits. "They don't strike me as a verydifficult bunch.""Most of them are no trouble, it's true," said Avens, "but you never know whentrouble's coming. For instance, you'd have said there wasn't a more docile6 lot inEfrafa than the Right Flank. And then one day they get four hlessil wished onthem by the Council, and the next evening Bugloss isn't very quick in the uptakefor some reason, and suddenly these hlessil play a trick on him and bunk7. Andthat's the end of him -- to say nothing of poor old Charlock, killed on the ironroad. When something like that happens, it happens like lightning and it isn'talways planned: sometimes it's more like a frenzy8. A rabbit tears away on impulseand if you don't knock him over quick, the next thing you know three more will beoff after him. The only safe way is to watch all the time when they're aboveground and do your own relaxing when you can. After all, that's what we're herefor -- that and the patrols.""Now, about burying hraka," said Chervil, "you can't be too strict. If theGeneral finds any hraka in the fields he'll stuff your tail down your throat. Theyalways try to dodge9 burying, though. They want to be natural, the anti-social littlebeasts. They just don't realize that everyone's good depends on everyone'scooperation. What I do is to set three or four of them to dig a new trough in theditch every day, as a punishment. You can nearly always find someone to punishif you try hard enough. Today's squad10 fills up yesterday's trough and digs another.
There are special runs leading into the bottom of the ditch and the Mark have gotto use those and no others when they go out to pass hraka. We keep a hrakasentry in the ditch to make sure they come back.""How do you check them in after silflay?" asked Bigwig.
"Well, we know them all by sight," replied Chervil, "and we watch them godown. There are only two entrance holes for the Mark and one of us sits at eachhole. Every rabbit knows which hole he has to use and I should certainly miss anyof mine who didn't go down. The sentries come in last of all -- I only call them inwhen I'm quite sure that all the Mark are down. And once they're down, ofcourse, they can't very well get out, with a sentry at each hole. Digging I shouldhear. You're not allowed to dig in Efrafa without permission from the Council.
The only really dangerous time is when there's an alarm -- say, a man or a fox.
Then we all bolt for the nearest hole, of course. So far, it doesn't seem to haveoccurred to anyone that he could bolt the other way and have quite a long startbefore he was missed. Still, no rabbit will bolt toward elil, and that's the realsafeguard.""Well, I admire your thoroughness," said Bigwig, thinking to himself that hissecret task seemed to be even more hopeless than he had expected. "I'll get thehang of it all as soon as I can. When do we have the chance of a patrol?""I expect the General will take you on patrol himself, to begin with," saidAvens. "He did me. You may not be so keen when you've had a day or two withhim -- you'll be worn out. Still, I must admit, Thlayli, you're a fine size, and ifyou've been living rough for some time you'll probably manage it all right."At this moment a rabbit with a white scar across his throat came down the run.
"The Neck Mark's just going down, Captain Chervil, sir," he said. "It's abeautiful evening: I should make the most of it.""I was wondering when you were going to show up," replied Chervil. "TellCaptain Sainfoin I'm bringing my Mark up at once."Turning to one of his own sentries who was close by, Chervil told him to goround the burrows and send everyone up for silflay.
"Now," he said, "Avens, you go to the further hole as usual, and Thlayli can joinme on the nearer one. We'll send four sentries out to the line, to start with, andwhen the Mark have all gone out we'll add four more and keep two in reserve. I'llsee you in the usual place, by the big flint in the bank."Bigwig followed Chervil along the run, down which came the scents12 of warmgrass, clover and hop11 trefoil. He had found most of the runs closer and stuffierthan he was used to, no doubt because there were so few holes into the open air.
The prospect13 of an evening silflay, even in Efrafa, was pleasant. He thought of thebeech leaves rustling14 above the far-off Honeycomb, and sighed. "I wonder howold Holly15's getting on," he thought, "and whether I'll ever see him again: or Hazeleither, for the matter of that. Well, I'll give these blighters something to thinkabout before I've finished. I do feel lonely, though. How hard it is to carry a secretby yourself!"They reached the mouth of the hole and Chervil went outside to look round.
When he returned, he took up station at the top of the run. As Bigwig found aplace alongside, he noticed for the first time, in the opposite wall of the run, akind of recess16 like an open cave. In this, three rabbits were squatting17. Those oneither side had the tough, stolid18 look of members of the Owslafa. But it was at theone in the middle that he stared. This rabbit had very dark fur -- almost black.
But this was not the most remarkable19 thing about him. He was dreadfullymutilated. His ears were nothing but shapeless shreds20, ragged21 at the edges,seamed with ill-knit scars and beaded here and there with lumps of proud, bareflesh. One eyelid22 was misshapen and closed askew23. Despite the cool, exciting airof the July evening, he seemed apathetic24 and torpid25. He kept his gaze fixed26 on theground and blinked continually. After a time he lowered his head and rubbed hisnose on his forepaws in a listless manner. Then he scratched his neck and settleddown in his former drooping27 position.
Bigwig, his warm, impulsive28 nature stirred by curiosity and pity, went acrossthe run.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"My name is Blackavar, sir," replied the rabbit. He did not look up and spokewithout expression, as though he had answered this question many times before.
"Are you going to silflay?" said Bigwig. No doubt, he thought, this was somehero of the warren, wounded in a great fight and now infirm, whose past servicesmerited an honorable escort when he went out.
"No, sir," answered the rabbit.
"Why ever not?" said Bigwig. "It's a lovely evening.""I don't silflay at this time, sir.""Then why are you here?" asked Bigwig, with his usual directness.
"The Mark that has the evening silflay, sir," began the rabbit. "The Mark thathas -- they come -- I--" He hesitated and fell silent.
One of the Owslafa spoke29. "Get on with it," he said.
"I come here for the Mark to see me," said the rabbit in his low, drained voice.
"Every Mark should see how I have been punished as I deserve for my treacheryin trying to leave the warren. The Council were merciful -- the Council weremerciful -- the Council -- I can't remember it, sir, I really can't," he burst out,turning to the sentry who had spoken. "I can't seem to remember anything."The sentry said nothing. Bigwig, after staring in shocked silence for a fewmoments, rejoined Chervil.
"He's supposed to tell everybody who asks," said Chervil, "but he's getting sortof stupid after half a month of it. He tried to run away. Campion caught him andbrought him back and the Council ripped up his ears and said he had to be shownat every morning and evening silflay, as an example to the others. But if you askme, he won't last much longer. He'll meet a blacker rabbit than himself one ofthese nights."Bigwig shuddered30, partly at Chervil's tone of callous31 indifference32 and partly athis own memories. The Mark were filing up now and he watched as they wentpast, each darkening the entrance for a moment before hopping33 out under thehawthorn. It was clear that Chervil prided himself on knowing his rabbits byname. He spoke to most of them and was at pains to show that he had someknowledge of their personal lives. It seemed to Bigwig that the answers he gotwere not particularly warm or friendly, but he did not know whether to put thatdown to dislike of Chervil or merely to the lack of spirit that seemed to becommon to the rank and file in Efrafa. He was closely on the watch -- asBlackberry had advised him to be -- for any signs of disaffection or rebellion, buthe could see little grounds for hope in the expressionless faces that went by. Atthe end came a little group of three or four does, talking among themselves.
"Well, are you getting on all right with your new friends, Nelthilta?" saidChervil to the first, as she passed him.
The doe, a pretty, long-nosed rabbit not more than three months old, stoppedand looked at him.
"You'll get on yourself one day, Captain, I dare say," she replied. "Like CaptainMallow -- he got on, you know. Why don't you send some does on Wide Patrol?"She paused for Chervil to reply, but he made no answer and did not speak tothe does who followed Nelthilta out into the field.
"What did she mean by that?" asked Bigwig.
"Well, there's been trouble, you know," said Chervil. "A bunch of does in theNear Fore1 started a row at a Council meeting. The General said they must bebroken up and we had a couple sent to us. I've been keeping an eye on them.
They're no trouble themselves, but Nelthilta's taken up with them and it seems tohave made her cheeky and resentful: sort of thing you saw just now. I don't reallymind that -- it shows they feel the Owsla's on top. If the young does became quietand polite I should be much more worried: I should wonder what they were up to.
All the same, Thlayli, I'd like you to do what you can to get to know thoseparticular does and bring them a bit more into line.""Right," said Bigwig. "By the way, what are the rules about mating?""Mating?" said Chervil. "Well, if you want a doe, you have one -- any doe in theMark, that is. We're not officers for nothing, are we? The does are under ordersand none of the bucks34 can stop you. That just leaves you and me and Avens; andwe shall hardly quarrel. There are plenty of does, after all.""I see," said Bigwig. "Well, I'll silflay now. Unless you've got any other ideas,I'll go and talk to some of the Mark and then go round the sentries and get the lieof the land. What about Blackavar?""Leave him," said Chervil. "He's none of our business. The Owslafa will keephim here until the Mark come back and after that they'll take him away."Bigwig made his way into the field, conscious of the wary36 glances of the rabbitshe passed. He felt perplexed37 and apprehensive38. How was he to begin hisdangerous task? Begin he must, in one way or another, for Kehaar had made itclear that he was not ready to wait. There was nothing for it but to take a chanceand trust somebody. But whom? A warren like this must be full of spies. Probablyonly General Woundwort knew who the spies were. Was there a spy watching himnow?
"I shall just have to trust my feelings," he thought. "I'll go round the place a bitand see if I can make any friends. But I know one thing -- if I do succeed ingetting any does out of here, I'll take that poor wretched Blackavar with me aswell. Frith on a bridge! It makes me angry just to think of him being forced to sitthere like that. General Woundwort indeed! A gun's too good for him."Nibbling39 and pondering, he moved slowly over the open meadow in theevening sun. After a while he found that he was approaching a small hollow,much like the one on Watership Down where he and Silver had found Kehaar. Inthis hollow there were four does, with their backs to him. He recognized them asthe little group who had gone out last. They had evidently finished the hungry,intent stage of feeding and were browsing40 and talking at leisure, and he could seethat one of them had the attention of the other three. Even more than mostrabbits, Bigwig loved a story and now he felt attracted by the prospect of hearingsomething new in this strange warren. He moved quietly up to the edge of thehollow just as the doe began to speak.
At once he realized that this was no story. Yet he had heard the like before,somewhere. The rapt air, the rhythmic41 utterance42, the intent listeners -- what wasit they recalled? Then he remembered the smell of carrots, and Silverweeddominating the crowd in the great burrow4. But these verses went to his heart asSilverweed's had not.
Long agoThe yellowhammer sang, high on the thorn.
He sang near a litter that the doe brought out to play,He sang in the wind and the kittens played below.
Their time slipped by all under the elder bloom.
But the bird flew away and now my heart is darkAnd time will never play in the fields again.
Long agoThe orange beetles43 clung to the rye-grass stems.
The windy grass was waving. A buck35 and doeRan through the meadow. They scratched a hole in the bank,They did what they pleased all under the hazel leaves.
But the beetles died in the frost and my heart is dark;And I shall never choose a mate again.
The frost is falling, the frost falls into my body.
My nostrils44, my ears are torpid under the frost.
The swift will come in the spring, crying "News! News!
Does, dig new holes and flow with milk for your litters."I shall not hear. The embryos45 returnInto my dulled body. Across my sleepThere runs a wire fence to imprison46 the wind.
I shall never feel the wind blowing again.
The doe was silent and her three companions said nothing: but their stillnessshowed plainly enough that she had spoken for all of them. A flock of starlingspassed overhead, chattering47 and whistling, and a liquid dropping fell into thegrass among the little group, but none moved or startled. Each seemed taken upwith the same melancholy48 thoughts -- thoughts which, however sad, were at leastfar from Efrafa.
Bigwig's spirit was as tough as his body and quite without sentimentality, but,like most creatures who have experienced hardship and danger, he couldrecognize and respect suffering when he saw it. He was accustomed to sizing upother rabbits and deciding what they were good for. It struck him that these doeswere not far from the end of their powers. A wild animal that feels that it nolonger has any reason to live reaches in the end a point when its remainingenergies may actually be directed toward dying. It was this state of mind thatBigwig had mistakenly attributed to Fiver in the warren of the snares49. Since thenhis judgment50 had matured. He felt that despair was not far from these does; andfrom all that he had heard of Efrafa, both from Holly and from Chervil, he couldunderstand why. He knew that the effects of overcrowding and tension in awarren show themselves first in the does. They become infertile51 and aggressive.
But if aggression52 cannot mend their troubles, then often they begin to drifttoward the only other way out. He wondered what point on this dismal53 path theseparticular does had reached.
He hopped54 down into the hollow. The does, disturbed from their thoughts,looked at him resentfully and drew back.
"I know you're Nelthilta," said Bigwig to the pretty young doe who had retortedto Chervil in the run. "But what's your name?" he went on, turning to the doebeside her.
After a pause, she answered reluctantly, "Thethuthinnang, sir."*"And yours?" said Bigwig, to the doe who had spoken the verses.
She turned to him a look of such wretchedness, so full of accusation55 andsuffering, that it was all he could do not to beg her then and there to believe thathe was her secret friend and that he hated Efrafa and the authority which herepresented. Nelthilta's rejoinder to Chervil in the run had been full of hatred56, butthis doe's gaze spoke of wrongs beyond her power to express. As Bigwig staredback at her, he suddenly recalled Holly's description of the great yellow hrududuthat had torn open the earth above the destroyed warren. "That might have met alook like this," he thought. Then the doe answered, "My name is Hyzenthlay, sir.""Hyzenthlay?" said Bigwig, startled out of his self-possession. "Then it was youwho--" He stopped. It might be dangerous to ask whether she rememberedspeaking to Holly. But whether she did or not, here, evidently, was the rabbit whohad told Holly and his companions about the troubles of Efrafa and thediscontent of the does. If he remembered Holly's story rightly, she had alreadymade some sort of attempt to leave the warren. "But," he thought, as he met oncemore her desolate57 eyes, "what is she good for now?""May we have permission to go, sir?" asked Nelthilta. "The company of officersabsolutely overpowers us, you see: we find a little of it goes an awfully58 long way.""Oh -- yes -- certainly -- by all means," replied Bigwig in confusion. Heremained where he was as the does hopped away, Nelthilta raising her voice toremark, "What a great oaf!" and half looking round in the evident hope that hewould take her up.
"Oh, well, there's one of them with some spirit left, anyway," he thought, as hemade his way out to the sentries.
He spent some time talking to the sentries and learning how they wereorganized. It was a depressingly efficient system. Each sentry could reach hisneighbor in a matter of moments; and the appropriate stamping signal -- for theyhad more than one -- would bring out the officers and the reserves. If necessary,the Owslafa could be alerted in almost no time at all and so could CaptainCampion, or whatever officer might be patrolling the outskirts59 of the warren.
Since only one Mark fed at a time, there could hardly be any confusion aboutwhere to go if an alarm were given. One of the sentries, Marjoram, told him aboutthe attempted escape by Blackavar.
"He pretended to feed his way out as far as he could," said Marjoram, "andthen he made a dash. He actually managed to knock down two sentries who triedto stop him; and I doubt whether anyone on his own has ever done as much asthat. He ran like mad, but Campion had got the alarm, you see, and he simplymoved round and intercepted60 him further down the fields. Of course, if he hadn'tsmashed up the sentries, the Council might have let him off more lightly.""Do you like the warren life?" asked Bigwig.
"It's not too bad now I'm in the Owsla," answered Marjoram, "and if I can getto be an officer it'll be better still. I've done two Wide Patrols now -- they're thething for getting yourself noticed. I can track and fight as well as most, but ofcourse they want more than that from an officer. I think our officers are a strongbunch, don't you?""Yes, I do," said Bigwig with feeling. It struck him that Marjoram evidently didnot know that he himself was a newcomer to Efrafa. At any rate, he showedneither jealousy61 nor resentment62. Bigwig was beginning to realize that in this placenobody was told more than was good for him, or got to know much except whatwas before his nose. Marjoram probably supposed that he, Bigwig, had beenpromoted out of another Mark.
As darkness fell, just before the end of the silflay, Captain Campion came upthe field with a patrol of three and Chervil ran out to meet him on the sentry line.
Bigwig joined them and listened to the talk. He gathered that Campion had beenout as far as the iron road but had found nothing unusual.
"Don't you ever go beyond the iron road?" he asked.
"Not very often," answered Campion. "It's wet, you know -- bad rabbit country.
I have been there, but on these ordinary circuit patrols I'm really looking nearerhome. My job is partly to notice anything new that the Council ought to knowabout, and partly to make sure we pick up anyone who bolts. Like that miserableBlackavar -- and he gave me a bite I shan't forget, before I got him down. On afine evening like this, I generally go down as far as the bank of the iron road andthen work along this side of it. Or sometimes I go out in the other direction, as faras the barn. It all depends what's wanted. By the way, I saw the General earlierthis evening and I rather think he means to take you on patrol in two or threedays' time, as soon as you've settled down and your Mark have come off the dawnand evening silflay.""Why wait for that?" said Bigwig with all the enthusiasm he could assume.
"Why not sooner?""Well, a Mark generally keeps a full Owsla when it's on dawn and eveningsilflay. The rabbits are more lively at those times, you see, and need moresupervision. But a Mark that's on ni-Frith and fu-Inlé silflay can generally spareOwsla for a Wide Patrol. Now I'll leave you here. I've got to take my lot to theCrixa and report to the General."As soon as the Mark had gone underground and Blackavar had been takenaway by his escort, Bigwig excused himself to Chervil and Avens and went to hisown burrow. Although the rank and file were cramped63 underground, the sentrieshad two large, roomy burrows to themselves, while each officer had a privateburrow. By himself at last, Bigwig settled down to think over his problem.
The difficulties were bewildering. He was fairly certain that with Kehaar's helphe himself could escape from Efrafa whenever he wished. But how in the worldwas he to bring a bunch of does out -- supposing that any were ready to try it? Ifhe took it upon himself to call the sentries in during a silflay, Chervil would see ina matter of moments what he had done. The only possibility, then, was to makethe break-out during the day: to wait until Chervil was asleep and then order asentry to leave his post at the mouth of one of the holes. Bigwig considered. Hecould see no flaw in this idea. Then the thought came to him, "And what aboutBlackavar?" Blackavar presumably spent the day under guard in some specialburrow. Probably hardly anyone knew where -- no one knew anything in Efrafa --and certainly no one would tell. So he would have to leave Blackavar: no realisticplan could include him.
"I'll be jiggered if I leave him," muttered Bigwig to himself. "I know Blackberrywould say I was a fool. Still, he's not here and I'm doing this myself. But suppose Iwreck the whole thing because of Blackavar? Oh, Frith in a barn! What abusiness!"He thought until he realized that he was thinking in circles. After a time, he fellasleep. When he woke, he could tell that it was moonlight outside, fine and still. Itoccurred to him that perhaps he might start his venture from the other end -- bypersuading some of the does to join him and working out a plan afterward,perhaps with their help. He went down the run until he came upon a young rabbitsleeping as best he could outside an overcrowded burrow. He woke him.
"Do you know Hyzenthlay?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, sir," replied the rabbit, with a rather pathetic attempt to sound briskand ready.
"Go and find her and tell her to come to my burrow," said Bigwig. "No one elseis to come with her. Do you understand?""Yes, sir."When the youngster had scurried64 off, Bigwig returned to his burrow,wondering whether there would be any suspicion. It seemed unlikely. From whatChervil had said, it was common enough for Efrafan officers to send for does. Ifhe were questioned he had only to play up. He lay down and waited.
In the dark, a rabbit came slowly up the run and stopped at the entrance to theburrow. There was a pause.
"Hyzenthlay?" said Bigwig.
"I am Hyzenthlay.""I want to talk to you," said Bigwig.
"I am in the Mark, sir, and under your orders. But you have made a mistake.""No, I haven't," replied Bigwig. "You needn't be afraid. Come in here, closebeside me."Hyzenthlay obeyed. He could feel her fast pulse. Her body was tense: her eyeswere closed and her claws dug into the floor.
"Hyzenthlay," whispered Bigwig in her ear, "listen carefully. You rememberthat many days ago now, four rabbits came to Efrafa in the evening. One had verypale gray fur and one had a healed rat bite in his foreleg. You talked with theirleader -- his name was Holly. I know what he told you."She turned her head in fear. "How do you know?""Never mind. Only listen to me."Then Bigwig spoke of Hazel and Fiver; of the destruction of the Sandlefordwarren and the journey to Watership Down. Hyzenthlay neither moved norinterrupted.
"The rabbits who talked to you that evening," said Bigwig, "who told you aboutthe warren that was destroyed and of how they had come to ask for does fromEfrafa -- do you know what became of them?"Hyzenthlay's reply was no more than the faintest murmur65 in his ear.
"I know what I heard. They escaped the next evening. Captain Charlock waskilled pursuing them.""And was any other patrol sent after them, Hyzenthlay? The next day, I mean?""We heard that there was no officer to spare, with Bugloss under arrest andCharlock dead.""Those rabbits returned to us safely. One of them is not far away now, with ourChief Rabbit and several more. They are cunning and resourceful. They arewaiting for me to bring does out of Efrafa -- as many as I can get to come. I shallbe able to send them a message tomorrow morning.""How?""By a bird -- if all goes well." Bigwig told her about Kehaar. When he hadfinished, Hyzenthlay made no reply and he could not tell whether she wasconsidering all that he had said or whether fear and disbelief had so troubled herthat she did not know what to say. Did she think he was a spy trying to trap her?
Did she perhaps wish only that he would let her go away? At last he said,"Do you believe me?""Yes, I believe you.""Might I not be a spy sent by the Council?""You are not. I can tell.""How?""You spoke of your friend -- the one who knew that that warren was a badplace. He is not the only such rabbit. Sometimes I can tell these things, too: butnot often now, for my heart is in the frost.""Then will you join me -- and persuade your friends as well? We need you:
Efrafa doesn't need you."Again she was silent. Bigwig could hear a worm moving in the earth nearbyand faintly down the tunnel came the sound of some small creature patteringthrough the grass outside. He waited quietly, knowing that it was vital that heshould not upset her.
At last she spoke again, so low in his ear that the words seemed barely morethan broken cadences66 of breathing.
"We can escape from Efrafa. The danger is very great, but in that we cansucceed. It is beyond that I cannot see. Confusion and fear at nightfall -- and thenmen, men, it is all things of men! A dog -- a rope that snaps like a dry branch. Arabbit -- no, it is not possible! -- a rabbit that rides in a hrududu! Oh, I havebecome foolish -- tales for kittens on a summer evening. No, I cannot see as I didonce: it is like the shapes of trees beyond a field of rain.""Well, you'd better come and meet this friend of mine," said Bigwig. "He talksjust like that, and I've come to trust him, so I trust you, too. If you feel we're goingto succeed, that's fine. But what I'm asking is whether you'll bring your friends tojoin us."After another silence, Hyzenthlay said, "My courage -- my spirit: it's so muchless than it was. I'm afraid to let you rely on me.""I can tell that. What is it that's worn you down? Weren't you the leader of thedoes who went to the Council?""There was myself and Thethuthinnang. I don't know what's happened to theother does who were with us. We were all in the Right Fore Mark then, you know.
I've still got the Right Fore mark, but I've been marked again since. Blackavar --you saw him?""Yes, of course.""He was in that Mark. He was our friend and encouraged us. Only a night ortwo after the does went up to speak to the Council, he tried to run away, but hewas caught. You've seen what they did to him. That was the same evening thatyour friends came: and the next night they escaped. After that, the Council sentfor us does once more. The General said that no one else would have the chanceto run away. We were to be split up among the Marks, no more than two to eachMark. I don't know why they left Thethuthinnang and me together. Perhaps theydidn't stop to think. Efrafa's like that, you know. The order was 'Two to eachMark,' so as long as the order was carried out it didn't particularly matter whichtwo. Now I'm frightened and I feel the Council are always watching.""Yes, but I'm here now," said Bigwig.
"The Council are very cunning.""They'll need to be. We've got some rabbits who are far more cunning, believeme. El-ahrairah's Owsla, no less. But tell me -- was Nelthilta with you when youwent to the Council?""Oh, no, she was born here, in the Near Hind67. She's got spirit, you know, butshe's young and silly. It excites her to let everyone see that she's a friend ofrabbits who are thought of as rebels. She doesn't realize what she's doing or whatthe Council are really like. It's all a kind of game to her -- to cheek the officers andso on. One day she'll go too far and get us into trouble again. She couldn't betrusted with a secret, on any account.""How many does in this Mark would be ready to join an escape?""Hrair. There's a great deal of discontent, you know. But, Thlayli, they mustn'tbe told until a very short time before we run -- not just Nelthilta, but all of them.
No one can keep a secret in a warren and there are spies everywhere. You and Imust make a plan ourselves and tell no one but Thethuthinnang. She and I willget enough does to come with us when the time comes."Bigwig realized that he had stumbled, quite unexpectedly, upon what heneeded most of all: a strong, sensible friend who would think on her own accountand help to bear his burden.
"I'll leave it to you to pick the does," he said. "I can make the chance to run ifyou'll have them ready to take it.""When?""Sunset will be best, and the sooner the better. Hazel and the others will meetus and fight any patrol that follows. But the main thing is that the bird will fightfor us. Even Woundwort won't be expecting that."Hyzenthlay was silent again and Bigwig realized with admiration68 that she wasgoing over what he had said and searching for flaws.
"But how many can the bird fight?" she said at last. "Can he drive them allaway? This is going to be a big break-out and, make no mistake, Thlayli, theGeneral himself will be after us with the best rabbits he has. We can't go onrunning away forever. They won't lose track of us and sooner or later they'llovertake us.""I told you our rabbits were more cunning than the Council. I don't think you'dreally understand this part, however carefully I explained. Have you ever seen ariver?""What is a river?""Well, there you are. I can't explain. But I promise you we shan't have to runfar. We shall actually disappear before the Owsla's eyes -- if they're there to see. Imust say I'm looking forward to that."She said nothing and he added, "You must trust me, Hyzenthlay. Upon my life,we're going to vanish. I'm not deceiving you.""If you were wrong, those who died quickly would be the lucky ones.""No one's going to die. My friends have prepared a trick that El-ahrairahhimself would be proud of.""If it is to be at sunset," she said, "it must be tomorrow or the next night. Intwo days the Mark loses the evening silflay. You know that?""Yes, I'd heard. Tomorrow, then. Why wait longer? But there is one otherthing. We're going to take Blackavar.""Blackavar? How? He is guarded by Council police.""I know. It adds very much to the risk, but I've decided69 that I can't leave himbehind. What I mean to do is this. Tomorrow evening, when the Mark silflay, youand Thethuthinnang must keep the does near you -- as many as you've gottogether -- ready to run. I shall meet the bird a little way out in the meadow andtell him to attack the sentries as soon as he sees me go back into the hole. Then Ishall come back and deal with Blackavar's guards myself. They won't be expectinganything of the sort. I'll have him out in a moment and join you. There'll becomplete confusion and in that confusion we'll run. The bird will attack anyonewho tries to follow us. Remember, we go straight down to the great arch in theiron road. My friends will be waiting there. You've only to follow me -- I'll lead theway.""Captain Campion may be on patrol.""Oh, I do hope he is," said Bigwig. "I really do.""Blackavar may not run at once. He will be as startled as the guards.""Is it possible to warn him?""No. His guards never leave him and they take him out to silflay alone.""For how long will he have to live like that?""When he has been to every Mark in turn, the Council will kill him. We all feelsure of that.""Then that settles it. I won't go without him.""Thlayli, you are very brave. Are you cunning, too? All our lives will depend onyou tomorrow.""Well, can you see anything wrong with the plan?""No, but I am only a doe who has never been out of Efrafa. Suppose somethingunexpected happens?""Risk is risk. Don't you want to get out and come and live on the high downswith us? Think of it!""Oh, Thlayli! Shall we mate with whom we choose and dig our own burrowsand bear our litters alive?""You shall: and tell stories in the Honeycomb and silflay whenever you feel likeit. It's a fine life, I promise you.""I'll come! I'll run any risk.""What a stroke of luck that you should be in this Mark," said Bigwig. "Beforethis talk with you tonight, I was at my wits' end, wondering whatever I was goingto do.""I'll go back to the lower burrows now, Thlayli. Some of the other rabbits arebound to wonder why you sent for me. It's not mating time with me, you see. If Igo now, we can say you made a mistake and were disappointed. Don't forget tosay that.""I won't. Yes, go now, and have them ready at silflay tomorrow evening, Ishan't fail you."When she had gone, Bigwig felt desperately70 tired and lonely. He tried to holdin his mind that his friends were not far off and that he would see them again inless than a day. But he knew that all Efrafa lay between himself and Hazel. Histhoughts broke up into the dismal fancies of anxiety. He fell into a half-dream, inwhich Captain Campion turned into a seagull and flew screaming over the river,until he woke in panic: and dozed71 again, to see Captain Chervil driving Blackavarbefore him toward a shining wire in the grass. And over all, as big as a horse in afield, aware of all that passed from one end of the world to the other, brooded thegigantic figure of General Woundwort. At last, worn out with his apprehensions,he passed into a deep sleep where even his fear could not follow, and lay withoutsound or movement in the solitary72 burrow.
*Thethuthinnang: "Movement of Leaves." The first and last syllables73 arestressed, as in the phrase "Once in a way."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
fore
|
|
| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
sentries
|
|
| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
sentry
|
|
| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
burrow
|
|
| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
burrows
|
|
| n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
docile
|
|
| adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
bunk
|
|
| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
frenzy
|
|
| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
dodge
|
|
| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
squad
|
|
| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
hop
|
|
| n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
scents
|
|
| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
rustling
|
|
| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
holly
|
|
| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
recess
|
|
| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
squatting
|
|
| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
stolid
|
|
| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
shreds
|
|
| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
ragged
|
|
| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
eyelid
|
|
| n.眼睑，眼皮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
askew
|
|
| adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
apathetic
|
|
| adj.冷漠的，无动于衷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
torpid
|
|
| adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
drooping
|
|
| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
impulsive
|
|
| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
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： |
|
|
|
|
30
shuddered
|
|
| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
callous
|
|
| adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
indifference
|
|
| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
hopping
|
|
| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
bucks
|
|
| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
buck
|
|
| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
wary
|
|
| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
perplexed
|
|
| adj.不知所措的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
apprehensive
|
|
| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
nibbling
|
|
| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的现在分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
browsing
|
|
| v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
rhythmic
|
|
| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
utterance
|
|
| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
beetles
|
|
| n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
nostrils
|
|
| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
embryos
|
|
| n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
imprison
|
|
| vt.监禁，关押，限制，束缚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
chattering
|
|
| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
snares
|
|
| n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
infertile
|
|
| adj.不孕的；不肥沃的，贫瘠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
aggression
|
|
| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
dismal
|
|
| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
hopped
|
|
| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
accusation
|
|
| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
hatred
|
|
| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
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： |
|
|
|
|
58
awfully
|
|
| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
outskirts
|
|
| n.郊外，郊区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
intercepted
|
|
| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
jealousy
|
|
| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
resentment
|
|
| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
cramped
|
|
| a.狭窄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
scurried
|
|
| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
cadences
|
|
| n.（声音的）抑扬顿挫( cadence的名词复数 )；节奏；韵律；调子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
hind
|
|
| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
dozed
|
|
| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
syllables
|
|
| n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |