The defenders5 of the hacienda, whose number had considerably6 increased, took advantage of this hesitation7 to send a shower of bullets among them. Some resolution must be formed, however, either to advance under the bullets, or give up the expedition.
The proprietor8 of the hacienda was rich, as the guerilleros were aware; for a long time past they had desired to seize this wealth, which they coveted9, and which, whether rightly or wrongly, they supposed to be hidden in the hacienda; it cost them a struggle to give up this expedition so long prepared, and from which they promised themselves such magnificent results.
Still the bullets constantly scattered among them, and they did not dare to pass the breach10. Their chiefs, even more interested than they in the success of their projects, put an end to any hesitation, by resolutely12 arming themselves with pickaxes and crowbars, not only to enlarge the breach, but also to completely throw down the wall, for they understood that it was only by a sudden eruption13 that they could succeed in overthrowing14 the opposition15 which the defenders of the hacienda offered them.
The latter continued to fire bravely, but most of their shots were thrown away, as the guerilleros were working under shelter, and were very cautious not to show themselves in front of the breach.
"They have changed their tactics," the count said to Dominique, "they are now engaged in throwing down the wall, and will soon return to the attack; and," he added, taking a sorrowful glance around, "we shall be conquered; for the men who accompany us are not capable of resisting a vigorous attack."
"You are right, friend, the situation is serious," the young man answered.
"What is to be done?" the majordomo asked.
"Stay, I have an idea," Dominique suddenly said, striking his forehead; "you have gunpowder16 here?"
"Yes, thank heaven, there is no want of that; but what is the use of it?"
"Have a barrel brought here as speedily as possible, I answer for the rest."
"That is easy."
"In that case go."
The majordomo ran off.
"What do you intend to do?" the count asked.
"You shall see," the young man replied, with flashing eyes; "by Heaven, a glorious idea has occurred to me. These brigands17 will probably seize the hacienda, and we are too weak to resist them, and it is only a question of time for them; but, by Jupiter, it shall cost them dearly."
"I do not understand you."
"Ah," the young man continued, in a state of feverish18 excitement; "ah, they wish to open a wide passage; well, I undertake to make it for them; wait a while."
At this moment the majordomo returned, bringing not one, but three barrels on a truck; each of these barrels contained about 120 pounds of gunpowder.
"Three barrels!" Dominique exclaimed, joyously19; "All the better: in this way each of us will have his own."
"But what do you intend doing?"
"I mean to blow them up, by heaven!" he exclaimed. "Come to work! Imitate me!"
He took a barrel and unheaded it; the count and Leo Carral did the same.
"Now," he said, addressing the peons, who were startled by these sinister20 preparations; "back, you fellows, but still continue to fire, and keep them on the alarm."
The three men remained alone with the count's two servants, who refused to abandon their master. In a few words Dominique explained his plan to his companions. They raised the barrels, and gliding21 silently behind the trees, approached the grotto22. The besiegers, occupied in destroying the wall inside, and not daring to venture in front of the breach, could not see what was going on outside. It was therefore an easy task for the five men to reach the very foot of the wall the guerilleros were demolishing23, without being discovered. Dominique placed the three powder barrels so as to touch the wall, and on these barrels, he, aided by his companions, piled all the stones he could find. Then he took his mechero, drew out the tinder match, from which he cut off about six inches, lit it, and planted it on one of the barrels.
"Back! Back!" he said, in a low voice; "The wall no longer holds! See how it is bulging24. It will fall in a moment."
And, setting the example, he ran off at full speed. Nearly all the defenders of the hacienda, about forty in number, with don Andrés at their head, were assembled at the entrance of the huerta.
"Why are you running so hard?" the hacendero asked the young men; "Are the brigands after you?"
"No, no," Dominique replied; "not yet; but you will soon have news of them."
"Where is do?a Dolores?" the count asked.
"In my apartments with her women, and perfectly25 safe."
"Fire, you fellows!" Dominique shouted to the peons.
The latter recommenced a tremendous fire.
"Raimbaut," the count said, in a low voice; "we must foresee everything. Go with Lanca Ibarru, and saddle five horses: mind one of them is a side-saddle. You understand me, do you not?"
"Yes, my lord."
"You will lead these horses to the door which is at the end of the huerta. You will wait for me there with Lanca, both well armed. Go."
Raimbaut went off at once, as quiet and calm as if nothing extraordinary were occurring at the moment.
"Ah!" said don Andrés with a sigh of regret; "If Melchior was here he would be very useful to us."
"He will be here soon, se?or, you may be sure," the count remarked, ironically.
"Where can he be, though?"
"Ah! Who can tell?"
"Ah! Ah!" Dominique exclaimed; "Something is going on down there."
The stones, vigorously assailed26 by the repeated blows of the guerilleros, were beginning to fall outwards27. The breach was rapidly entered, but at last a whole piece of wall fell in one mass into the garden. The guerilleros uttered a loud shout, threw down their picks, and seizing their weapons, prepared to rush forth28. But suddenly a terrible explosion was heard; the earth quivered as if agitated29 by a volcanic30 convulsion; a cloud of smoke rose to the sky, and masses of ruins, raised by the explosion, were hurled31 in all directions. A horrible cry of agony rang through the air, and that was all: a deadly silence brooded over the scene.
"Forward! Forward!" Dominique shouted.
The injury caused by the mine was terrible. The entrance of the passage, completely destroyed, and filled up with masses of earth and heaped-up stones, had not permitted one of the assailants to pass. Here and there the disfigured remains32 of what had been a moment before men, emerged from the middle of the fragments. The catastrophe33 must have been awful, but the passage kept the secret close.
"Oh! Heaven be praised! We are saved!" don Andrés exclaimed.
"Yes, yes," the majordomo said; "if no other assailants arrive from another quarter."
Suddenly, as if in justification34 of the remark, loud cries were heard blended with shots, and a vivid flame, which rose from the outhouses of the hacienda, lit up the country with a sinister gleam.
"To arms! To arms!" the peons shouted, as they ran up in alarm. "The guerilleros! The guerilleros!"
And they speedily saw, by the red glow of the fire which was devouring35 the buildings, the black outlines of some hundred men, who hurried up, brandishing36 their weapons, and uttering yells of fury. A few paces in advance of the bandits advanced a man, holding a sabre in one hand, and a torch in the other.
"Don Melchior!" the old gentleman exclaimed, despairingly.
"By heaven! I will stop him!" Dominique said, taking aim at him.
Don Andrés darted37 at the gun, which he threw up.
"It is my son!" he said.
The shot passed harmlessly through the air.
"Hum! I fancy you will repent38 having saved his life, se?or," Dominique coldly replied.
Don Andrés, dragged away by the count and Dominique, entered his apartments, all the issues to which his peons hastily barricaded40, and then kept up a sustained fire from the windows on the besiegers.
Don Melchior had an understanding with the partisans42 of Juárez. Reduced, as the majordomo had very correctly told the count, to a state of desperation by the speedy marriage of his sister, and the inevitable43 loss of the fortune of which he had so long entertained the hope of being sole heir, the young man forgot all moderation, and, under certain conditions accepted by Cuéllar, though with, the intention of not fulfilling them, he had proposed to the latter to surrender the hacienda to him; and all the measures had been taken in consequence. It was then arranged that a portion of the cuadrilla, under the orders of resolute11 officers, should attempt a surprise by the secret passage, which the young man had previously44 made known. Then, while this troop was operating, the other of the cuadrilla, under Cuéllar's own orders, and guided by don Melchior, would silently scale the walls of the hacienda on the side of the corrals, which the inhabitants would doubtless neglect to defend. We have related the success of this double attack.
Cuéllar, though he was still ignorant of it, had lost one half of his cuadrilla, who were buried under the ruins of the grotto. With the men left him he was at this moment waging an obstinate45 fight with the peons of the hacienda, who, knowing they had to deal with the band of Cuéllar, the most ferocious46 and sanguinary of all Juárez' guerilleros, and that this band never granted quarter, fought with the energy of desperation, which renders strength tenfold as great. The combat lasted some time. The peons, ambushed47 in the apartments, had lined the windows with everything that came to hand, and fired under cover at the assailants scattered about the courtyards, on whom they entailed48 considerable losses. Cuéllar was furious, not alone at this unforeseen resistance, but also at the incomprehensible delay of the soldiers of his cuadrilla who had entered by the grotto, and who should have joined him long ere this. He had certainly heard the noise of the explosion, but as he was at the time at a considerable distance from the hacienda, in a direction diametrically opposed to that where the explosion took place, the noise had reached his ears indistinctly, and he had paid no further attention to it; but the inexplicable49 delay of his comrades at this moment, when their help would have been so valuable, was beginning to cause him lively anxiety, and he was on the point of sending one of his men off to hurry the laggards50, when suddenly shouts of victory were raised from the interior of the buildings he was attacking, and several guerilleros appeared at the windows, brandishing their weapons joyously. It was owing to don Melchior that this decisive success was obtained. While the main body of the assailants attacked the buildings in front, he, accompanied by several resolute men, stepped through a low window, which in the first moment of confusion they had forgotten to barricade39 like the rest. He had entered the interior, and suddenly appeared before the besieged51, whom his presence terrified, and on whom his comrades rushed with sabres and pistols.
At this moment it was no longer a fight but a horrible butchery. The peons, in spite of their entreaties52, were seized by the conquerors53, stabbed, and hurled through the windows into the courtyard. The guerilleros soon poured through all the buildings, pursuing the wretched peons from room to room, and pitilessly massacring them. They thus reached a large drawing room, whose large folding doors were wide open; but on arriving there they not merely stopped, but recoiled54 with an instinctive55 movement of terror before the terrible spectacle that was presented to them. This room was splendidly lit up by a number of candles, placed in all the chandeliers and on the various articles of furniture. In one corner of the room a barricade had been erected57 by piling up the furniture: behind this barricade, do?a Dolores had sought shelter with all the wives and children of the hacienda peons, two paces in front of the barricade, four men were standing41 erect56 with a gun in one hand and a pistol in the other. These four men were don Andrés, the count, Dominique and Leo Carral: two barrels of gunpowder with the heads knocked out were placed near them.
"Halt," the count said in a jeering58 voice, "halt, I request, caballeros; one step further, and we blow up the house. Do not pass the threshold, if you please."
The guerilleros were careful not to disobey this courteous59 hint, for at the first glance they recognized with whom they had to deal. Don Melchior stamped his foot savagely60 on seeing himself thus rendered powerless.
"What do you want?" he asked in a strangled voice.
"Nothing of you; we are men of honour, and will not parley61 with a scoundrel of your stamp."
"You shall be shot like dogs, accursed Frenchmen."
"I defy you to put your threat in execution," said the count, as he coolly cocked the revolver he held in his hand and pointed62 it at the barrel of gunpowder by his side.
The guerilleros recoiled, uttering shrieks63 of terror.
"Do not fire, do not fire," they exclaimed; "here is the colonel."
In fact, Cuéllar arrived. Cuéllar is a frightful bandit, this statement will surprise nobody, but we must do him the justice of stating that he possesses unparalleled bravery. He forced his way through his soldiers, and soon found himself standing alone in front of them. He bowed gracefully64 to the four men, and examined them craftily65, and while idly rolling a cigarette.
"Well," he said gaily66, "the affair you have imagined is most ingenious, and I sincerely compliment you upon it, caballeros. Those demons67 of Frenchmen have incredible ideas, on my honour," he added, speaking to himself; "they never allow themselves to be taken unawares; there is enough there to send us all to paradise."
"And in case of need we would no more hesitate to do it than we hesitated to blow up your men, whom you sent as scouts68 through the grotto."
"What," Cuéllar asked, turning pale, "what is it you are saying about my soldiers?"
"I am saying," the count replied coldly, "that you can have their corpses69 sought for in the passage, all will be found there, for all have fallen there."
A shudder70 of terror ran along the ranks of the guerilleros at these words.
There was a silence. Cuéllar was reflecting. He raised his head, every trace of emotion had disappeared from his face, and he looked around him as searching for something.
"Are you looking for a light?" Dominique asked him, as he advanced toward him candle in hand: "Pray light your cigarette, se?or."
And he politely held out the candle.
Cuéllar lit his cigarette, and returned the candlestick.
"Thanks, se?or," he said.
Dominique rejoined his companions.
"So then," said Cuéllar, "you request a capitulation."
"You are mistaken, se?or," the count replied coolly; "on the contrary, we offer you one."
"You offer us?" the guerillero said with amazement71.
"Yes, since we are masters of your life."
"Pardon me," Cuéllar said, "that is specious72, for on blowing us up, you will go with us."
"Hang it! That is precisely73 what we intend."
Cuéllar reflected once more.
"Come," he said a moment after, "let us not wage a war of words, but come to the fact like men: what do you want?"
"I will tell you," the count answered.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
frightful
|
|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
plunder
|
|
| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
disorder
|
|
| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
defenders
|
|
| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
proprietor
|
|
| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
coveted
|
|
| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
breach
|
|
| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
resolute
|
|
| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
resolutely
|
|
| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
eruption
|
|
| n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
overthrowing
|
|
| v.打倒，推翻( overthrow的现在分词 )；使终止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
opposition
|
|
| n.反对，敌对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
gunpowder
|
|
| n.火药 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
brigands
|
|
| n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
feverish
|
|
| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
joyously
|
|
| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
sinister
|
|
| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
gliding
|
|
| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
grotto
|
|
| n.洞穴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
demolishing
|
|
| v.摧毁( demolish的现在分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
bulging
|
|
| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
assailed
|
|
| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
outwards
|
|
| adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
agitated
|
|
| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
volcanic
|
|
| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
hurled
|
|
| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
catastrophe
|
|
| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
justification
|
|
| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
devouring
|
|
| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
brandishing
|
|
| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
repent
|
|
| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
barricade
|
|
| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
barricaded
|
|
| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
partisans
|
|
| 游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
inevitable
|
|
| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
previously
|
|
| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
obstinate
|
|
| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
ferocious
|
|
| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
ambushed
|
|
| v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
entailed
|
|
| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
inexplicable
|
|
| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
laggards
|
|
| n.落后者( laggard的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
besieged
|
|
| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
entreaties
|
|
| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
conquerors
|
|
| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
recoiled
|
|
| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
instinctive
|
|
| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
erect
|
|
| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
ERECTED
|
|
| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
jeering
|
|
| adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
courteous
|
|
| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
savagely
|
|
| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
parley
|
|
| n.谈判 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
shrieks
|
|
| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
gracefully
|
|
| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
craftily
|
|
| 狡猾地，狡诈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
gaily
|
|
| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
demons
|
|
| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
scouts
|
|
| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
corpses
|
|
| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
shudder
|
|
| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
specious
|
|
| adj.似是而非的；adv.似是而非地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
precisely
|
|
| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |