36. Approaching Thunder

We was just goin' ter scarperWhen along comes Bill 'Arper,So we never done nuffin' at allMusic Hall SongBigwig wavered gradually up from sleep, like a bubble of marsh¹ gas from thebed of a still stream. There was another rabbit beside him in the burrow² -- a buck³.
He started up at once and said, "Who is it?""Avens," replied the other. "Time for silflay, Thlayli. Larks⁴ have gone up.
You're a sound sleeper⁵.""I dare say," said Bigwig. "Well, I'm ready." He was about to lead the way downthe run, but Avens' next words brought him to a halt.
"Who's Fiver?" said Avens.
Bigwig grew tense. "What did you say?""I said, who's Fiver?""How should I know?""Well, you were talking in your sleep. You kept saying, 'Ask Fiver, ask Fiver.' Iwondered who he was.""Oh, I see. A rabbit I knew once. He used to foretell⁶ the weather and so on.""Well, he could do it now, then. Can you smell the thunder?"Bigwig sniffed⁷. Mixed with the scents⁸ of grass and cattle came the warm, thicksmell of a heavy cloud mass, still far off. He perceived it uneasily. Almost allanimals are disturbed by the approach of thunder, which oppresses them with itsmounting tension and breaks the natural rhythm by which they live. Bigwig'sinclination was to go back to his burrow, but he had little doubt that no meretrifle like a thundery morning would be allowed to interfere⁹ with the timetable ofan Efrafan Mark.
He was right. Chervil was already at the entrance, squatting¹⁰ opposite Blackavarand his escort. He looked round as his officers came up the run.
"Come on, Thlayli," he said. "Sentries¹¹ are out already. Does the thunder worryyou?""It does rather," replied Bigwig.
"It won't break today," said Chervil. "It's a long way off yet. I'd give it untiltomorrow evening. Anyway, don't let the Mark see it affects you. Nothing's to bealtered unless the General says so.""Couldn't wake him up," said Avens, with a touch of malice¹². "There was a doein your burrow last night, Thlayli, wasn't there?""Oh, was there?" said Chervil. "Which one?""Hyzenthlay," replied Bigwig.
"Oh, the marli tharn,"* said Chervil. "Funny, I didn't think she was ready.""She wasn't," said Bigwig. "I made a mistake. But if you remember, you askedme to do what I could to get to know the awkward squad¹³ and bring them a bitmore under control, so I kept her talking for a time, just the same.""Get anywhere?""Hard to say, really," said Bigwig, "but I'll keep at it."He spent the time while the Mark went out in deciding upon the best andquickest way to enter the hole and attack Blackavar's escort. He would have to putone of them out of action in no time at all and then go straight for the other, whowould be that much less unprepared. If he had to fight him, it would be better toavoid doing it between Blackavar and the mouth of the hole, for Blackavar wouldbe as bewildered as the rest and might bolt back down the run. If he was going tobolt anywhere he must bolt outward. Of course, with any luck, the second guardmight make off underground without fighting at all, but one could not count onthat. Efrafan Owslafa were not given to running away.
As he went out into the field, he wondered whether he would be spotted¹⁴ byKehaar. The arrangement had been that Kehaar would find him whenever hemight come above ground on the second day.
He need not have worried. Kehaar had been over Efrafa since before dawn. Assoon as he saw the Mark come up, he alighted a little way out in the field, halfwaybetween the undergrowth and the sentry¹⁵ line, and began pecking about in thegrass. Bigwig nibbled¹⁶ his way slowly toward him and then settled down to feedwithout a glance in his direction. After a while, he sensed that Kehaar was behindhim, a little to one side.
"Meester Pigvig, I t'ink ees not goot ve talk much. Meester 'Azel, 'e say vat¹⁸ youdo? Vat you vant?""I want two things, Kehaar -- both at sunset tonight. First, our rabbits must bedown by the big arch. I shall come through that arch with the does. If we'repursued, you and Hazel and the rest must be ready to fight. The boat thing, is itstill there?""Ya, ya, men no take heem. I tell Meester 'Azel vat you say.""Good. Now listen, Kehaar, this is the second thing, and it's terribly important.
You see those rabbits out beyond us, in the field? They're the sentries. At sunset,you meet me here. Then I shall run back to those trees and go down a hole. Assoon as you see me go in, attack the sentries -- terrify them, drive them away. Ifthey won't run, hurt them. They must be driven off. You'll see me come out againalmost at once and then the does -- the mothers -- will start running with me andwe'll go straight down to the arch. But we may very well be attacked on the way. Ifthat happens, can you pile in again?""Ya, ya. I fly at dem -- dey no stop you.""Splendid. That's it, then. Hazel and the others -- are they all right?""Fine -- fine. Dey say you damn good fella. Meester Pluebell, 'e say to pring onemudder for everyone else and two for 'im."Bigwig was trying to think of some appropriate reply to this when he sawChervil running across the grass toward him. At once, without speaking again toKehaar, he took a few hops¹⁹ in Chervil's direction and began biting busily at apatch of clover. As Chervil came up, Kehaar flew low above their heads anddisappeared over the trees.
Chervil looked after the flying gull²⁰ and then turned to Bigwig.
"Aren't you afraid of those birds?" he asked.
"Not particularly," answered Bigwig.
"They sometimes attack mice, you know, and rabbit kittens, too," said Chervil.
"You were taking a risk, feeding there. Why were you so careless?"For answer, Bigwig sat up and gave Chervil a playful cuff²¹, hard enough to rollhim over.
"That's why," he said.
Chervil got up with a sulky air. "All right, so you're heavier than I am," he said.
"But you've got to learn, Thlayli, that there's more than weight to being anEfrafan officer. And it doesn't alter the fact that those birds can be dangerous.
Anyway, it's not the season for them and that's odd, for a start. It'll have to bereported.""Whatever for?""Because it's unusual. Everything unusual has to be reported. If we don'treport it and someone else does, nice fools we shall look when we have to say wesaw it. We couldn't say we didn't -- several of the Mark have seen it. In fact, I shallgo and report it now. Silflay's nearly over, so if I'm not back in time, you andAvens had better see the Mark underground yourselves."As soon as Chervil had left him, Bigwig went to look for Hyzenthlay. He foundher in the hollow with Thethuthinnang. Most of the Mark did not appear to beunduly affected²² by the thunder, which was still distant, as Chervil had said. Thetwo does, however, were subdued²³ and nervous. Bigwig told them what he hadarranged with Kehaar.
"But will this bird really attack the sentries?" asked Thethuthinnang. "I'venever heard of anything like that.""It will, I promise you. Get the does together as soon as silflay begins thisevening. When I come out with Blackavar, the sentries will be running for cover.""And which way do we run?" asked Thethuthinnang.
Bigwig took them well out into the field, so that they could see the distant archin the embankment about four hundred yards away.
"We're bound to meet Campion," said Thethuthinnang. "You know that?""I believe he had some trouble stopping Blackavar," replied Bigwig. "So I'msure he won't be good enough for me and the bird. Look, there's Avens bringingin the sentries -- we'll have to go. Now, don't worry. Chew your pellets and getsome sleep. If you can't sleep, sharpen up your claws: you may need them."The Mark went underground and Blackavar was taken away by the escort.
Bigwig returned to his burrow and tried to put the coming evening out of hismind. After some time he gave up the idea of spending the day alone. He made around of the lower burrows²⁴, joined a game of bob-stones, heard two stories andtold one himself, passed hraka in the ditch and then, on an impulse, went toChervil and obtained his consent to visit another Mark. He wandered across theCrixa, found himself in the middle of the ni-Frith silflay with the Left Flank Markand went underground with them. Their officers shared a single large burrow andhere he met some experienced veterans and listened with interest to their storiesof Wide Patrols and other exploits. In the mid-afternoon he came back to theNear Hind¹⁷ relaxed and confident, and slept until one of the sentries woke him forsilflay.
He went up the run. Blackavar was already slumped²⁵ in his alcove²⁶. Squattingbeside Chervil, Bigwig watched the Mark go out. Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnangpassed him without a glance. They looked tense but steady. Chervil followed thelast rabbit.
Bigwig waited until he was sure that Chervil had had time to get well awayfrom the hole. Then, with a last, quick look to where Blackavar was sitting, hewent out himself. The bright sunset dazzled him and he sat up on his hind legs,blinking and combing the fur along one side of his face as his eyes got accustomedto the light. A few moments later he saw Kehaar come flying across the field.
"This is it, then," he said to himself. "Here we go."At that moment a rabbit spoke²⁷ from behind him.
"Thlayli, I want a few words with you. Just come back under the bushes, willyou?"Bigwig dropped on his front paws and looked round.
It was General Woundwort.
*Marli -- a doe. Tharn -- stupefied, distraught. In this particular context, thenearest translation might be "the maiden²⁸ all forlorn."

1 marsh   

n.沼泽，湿地

参考例句：

• There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。
• I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。

2 burrow   

vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞

参考例句：

• Earthworms burrow deep into the subsoil.蚯蚓深深地钻进底土。
• The dog had chased a rabbit into its burrow.狗把兔子追进了洞穴。

3 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

4 larks   

n.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的名词复数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的第三人称单数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了

参考例句：

• Maybe if she heard the larks sing she'd write. 玛丽听到云雀的歌声也许会写信的。 来自名作英译部分
• But sure there are no larks in big cities. 可大城市里哪有云雀呢。” 来自名作英译部分

5 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

6 foretell   

v.预言，预告，预示

参考例句：

• Willow trees breaking out into buds foretell the coming of spring.柳枝绽青报春来。
• The outcome of the war is hard to foretell.战争胜负难以预卜。

7 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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：

• The air was fragrant with scents from the sea and the hills. 空气中荡漾着山和海的芬芳气息。
• The winds came down with scents of the grass and wild flowers. 微风送来阵阵青草和野花的香气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

10 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：

• They ended up squatting in the empty houses on Oxford Road. 他们落得在牛津路偷住空房的境地。
• They've been squatting in an apartment for the past two years. 他们过去两年来一直擅自占用一套公寓。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 sentries   

哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We posted sentries at the gates of the camp. 我们在军营的大门口布置哨兵。
• We were guarded by sentries against surprise attack. 我们由哨兵守卫，以免遭受突袭。

12 malice   

n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋

参考例句：

• I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks.我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。
• There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.他的许多肖像画中都透着一股强烈的怨恨。

13 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

14 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

15 sentry   

n.哨兵，警卫

参考例句：

• They often stood sentry on snowy nights.他们常常在雪夜放哨。
• The sentry challenged anyone approaching the tent.哨兵查问任一接近帐篷的人。

16 nibbled   

v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬

参考例句：

• She nibbled daintily at her cake. 她优雅地一点一点地吃着自己的蛋糕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several companies have nibbled at our offer. 若干公司表示对我们的出价有兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

18 vat   

n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶

参考例句：

• The office is asking for the vat papers.办事处要有关增值税的文件。
• His father emptied sacks of stale rye bread into the vat.他父亲把一袋袋发霉的黑面包倒进大桶里。

19 hops   

跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• The sparrow crossed the lawn in a series of hops. 那麻雀一蹦一跳地穿过草坪。
• It is brewed from malt and hops. 它用麦精和蛇麻草酿成。

20 gull   

n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈

参考例句：

• The ivory gull often follows polar bears to feed on the remains of seal kills.象牙海鸥经常跟在北极熊的后面吃剩下的海豹尸体。
• You are not supposed to gull your friends.你不应该欺骗你的朋友。

21 cuff   

n.袖口；手铐；护腕；vt.用手铐铐；上袖口

参考例句：

• She hoped they wouldn't cuff her hands behind her back.她希望他们不要把她反铐起来。
• Would you please draw together the snag in my cuff?请你把我袖口上的裂口缝上好吗？

22 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

23 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

24 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：

• The intertidal beach unit contains some organism burrows. 潮间海滩单元含有一些生物潜穴。 来自辞典例句
• A mole burrows its way through the ground. 鼹鼠会在地下钻洞前进。 来自辞典例句

25 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

26 alcove   

n.凹室

参考例句：

• The bookcase fits neatly into the alcove.书架正好放得进壁凹。
• In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves.火炉两边的凹室里是书架。

27 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

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

28 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。