It was like turning into a hothouse from a keen winter walk, our arrivalat the beautiful but nerveless city after my life amongst the woodmen.
As for the people, they were delighted to have their princess back, butwith the delight of children, fawning1 about her, singing, clapping hands,yet asking no questions as to where she had been, showing no appreciationof our adventures--a serious offence in my eyes--and, perhaps mostimportant of all, no understanding of what I may call the political bearingsof Heru's restoration, and how far their arch enemies beyond the sea mightbe inclined to attempt her recovery.
They were just delighted to have the princess back, and that was theend of it. Theirs was the joy of a vast nursery let loose. Flowerprocessions were organised, garlands woven by the mile, a general orderissued that the nation might stay up for an hour after bedtime, and in thevortex of that gentle rejoicing Heru was taken from me, and I saw her nomore, till there happened the wildest scene of all you have shared with meso patiently.
Overlooked, unthanked, I turned sulky, and when this mood, one I cannever maintain for long, wore off, I threw myself into the dissipation aboutme with angry zeal2. I am frankly3 ashamed of the confession4, but I was "asailor ashore," and can only claim the indulgences proper to the situation.
I laughed, danced, drank, through the night; I drank deep of a dozen rosyways to forgetfulness, till my mind was a great confusion, full of flittingpictures of love- liness, till life itself was an illusive5 pantomime, and mywill but thistle-down on the folly6 of the moment. I drank with thosegentle roisterers all through their starlit night, and if we stopped whenmorning came it was more from weariness than virtue7. Then the yellow-robed slaves gave us the wine of recovery--alas8! my faithful An was notamongst them-- and all through the day we lay about in sodden9 happiness.
Towards nightfall I was myself again, not unfortunately with theheadache well earned, but sufficiently10 remorseful11 to be in a vein12 to makegood resolutions for the future.
In this mood I mingled13 with a happy crowd, all purpose- less and cheerful as usual, but before long began to feel the influence of one ofthose drifts, a universal turning in one direction, as seaweed turns whenthe tide changes, so char- acteristic of Martian society. It was dusk, alovely soft velvet14 dusk, but not dark yet, and I said to a yellow-robed fairyat my side:
"Whither away, comrade? It is not eight bells yet. Surely we arenot going to be put to bed so early as this?""No," said that smiling individual, "it is the princess. We are going tolisten to Princess Heru in the palace square. She reads the globe on theterrace again tonight, to see if omens15 are propitious16 for her marriage.
She MUST marry, and you know the ceremony has been unavoidablypostponed so far.""Unavoidably postponed17?" Yes, Heaven wotted I was aware of thefact. And was Heru going to marry black Hath in such a hurry? Andafter all I had done for her? It was scarcely decent, and I tried to rousemyself to rage over it, but somehow the seductive Martian contentmentwith any fate was getting into my veins18. I was not yet altogether sunk intheir slothful acceptance of the inevitable19, but there was not the slightestdoubt the hot red blood in me was turn- ing to vapid20 stuff such as did dutyfor the article in their veins. I mustered21 up a half-hearted frown at thisunwelcome intelligence, turning with it on my face towards the slave girl;but she had slipped away into the throng22, so the frown evaporated, andshrugging my shoulders I said to myself, "What does it matter? Thereare twenty others will do as well for me. If not one, why then obviouslyan- other, 'tis the only rational way to think, and at all events there is themagic globe. That may tell us something." And slipping my arm roundthe waist of the first disengaged girl--we were not then, mind you, inAtlantic City--I kissed her dimpling cheek unreproached, and gailyfollowed in the drift of humanity, trending with a low hum of pleasuretowards the great white terraces under the palace porch.
How well I knew them! It was just such an evening Heru hadconsulted Fate in the same place once before; how much had happenedsince then! But there was little time or in- clination to think of thosethings now. The whole phantom23 city's population had drifted to one common centre. The crumbling24 seaward ramparts were all deserted25; nosoldier watch was kept to note if angry woodmen came from over seas; asoft wind blew in from off the brine, but told no tales; the streets wereempty, and, when as we waited far away in the southern sky the earthplanet presently got up, by its light Heru, herself again, came trippingdown the steps to read her fate.
They had placed another magic globe under a shroud26 on a tripod forher. It stood within the charmed circle upon the terrace, and I was closeby, although the princess did not see me.
Again that weird27, fantastic dance commenced, the princess workingherself up from the drowsiest28 undulations to a hur- ricane of emotion.
Then she stopped close by the orb29, and seized the corner of the webcovering it. We saw the globe begin to beam with veiled magnificence ather touch.
Not an eye wavered, not a thought wandered from her in all that silentmultitude. It was a moment of the keenest suspense30, and just when it wasat its height there came a strange sound of hurrying feet behind theoutermost crowd, a murmur31 such as a great pack of wolves might makerushing through snow, while a soft long wail32 went up from the darkness.
Whether Heru understood it or not I cannot say, but she hesitated amoment, then swept the cloth from the orb of her fate.
And as its ghostly, self-emitting light beamed up in the darkness withweird brilliancy, there by it, in gold and furs and war panoply33, huge, fierce,and lowering, stood--AR-HAP HIMSELF!
Ay, and behind him, towering over the crouching34 Mar- tians, blockingevery outlet35 and street, were scores and hundreds of his men. Never wassurprise so utter, ambush36 more complete. Even I was transfixed withastonishment, staring with open-mouthed horror at the splendid figure ofthe barbarian37 king as he stood aglitter in the ruddy light, scowling38 defianceat the throng around him. So silently had he come on his errand ofvengeance it was difficult to be- lieve he was a reality, and not some cleverpiece of stageplay, some vision conjured42 up by Martian necromancy43.
But he was good reality. In a minute comedy turned to tragedy. Arhap gave a sign with his hand, whereon all his men set up a terrible warcry, the like of which Seth had not heard for very long, and as far as I couldmake out in the half light began hacking44 and hewing45 my luckless friendswith all their might. Meanwhile the king made at Heru, feeling sure ofher this time, and doubtless intending to make her taste his vengeance41 tothe dregs; and seeing her handled like that, and hearing her plaintive46 cries,wrath took the place of stupid surprise in me. I was on my feet in asecond, across the intervening space, and with all my force gave the king ablow upon the jaw47 which sent even him staggering backwards48. Before Icould close again, so swift was the sequence of events in those flyingminutes, a wild mob of people, victims and executioners in one disorderedthrong, was between us. How the king fared I know not, nor stopped toask, but half dragging, half carrying Heru through the shrieking49 mob, gother up the palace steps and in at the great doors, which a couple of yellow-clad slaves, more frightened of the barbarians50 than thoughtful of the crowdwithout, promptly51 clapped to, and shot the bolts. Thus we were safe for amoment, and putting the princess on a couch, I ran up a short flight ofstairs and looked out of a front window to see if there were a chance ofsuccouring those in the palace square. But it was all hopeless chaos52 withthe town already beginning to burn and not a show of fight anywherewhich I could join.
I glared out on that infernal tumult53 for a moment or two in an agony ofimpotent rage, then turned towards the harbour and saw in the shine of theburning town below the ancient battlements and towers of Seth begin togleam out, like a splendid frost work of living metal clear-cut against thesmooth, black night behind, and never a show of resistance there either.
Ay, and by this time Ar-hap's men were battering54 in our gates with a bigbeam, and somehow, I do not know how it happened, the palace itselfaway on the right, where the dry-as-dust library lay, was also beginning toburn.
It was hopeless outside, and nothing to be done but to save Heru, sodown I went, and, with the slaves, carried her away from the hall througha vestibule or two, and into an anteroom, where some yellow-girtindividuals were al- ready engaged in the suggestive work of tying up palace plate in bundles, amongst other things, alas! the great gold love-bowl from which--oh! so long ago--I had drawn55 Heru's marriage billet. Theseindividuals told me in tremulous accents they had got a boat on a secretwaterway behind the palace whence flight to the main river and so, faraway inland, to another smaller but more peaceful city of their race wouldbe quite practical; and joyfully56 hearing this news, I handed over to themthe princess while I went to look for Hath.
And the search was not long. Dashing into the banquet-hall, stilllittered with the remains57 of a feast, and looking down its deserted vistas,there at the farther end, on his throne, clad in the sombre garments heaffected, chin on hand, sedate58 in royal melancholy59, listening unmoved tothe sack of his town outside, sat the prince himself. Strange, gloomyman, the great dead intelligence of his race shining in his face as weirdand out of place as a lonely sea beacon60 fading to nothing before the glowof sunrise, never had he appeared so mysterious as at that moment. Evenin the heat of excitement I stared at him in amazement61, wishing in a hastythought the confusion of the past few weeks had given me opportun- ity topenetrate the recesses62 of his mind, and therefrom retell you things betterworth listening to than all the incident of my adventures. But now therewas no time to think, scarce time to act.
"Hath!" I cried, rushing over to him, "wake up, your majesty63. TheThither men are outside, killing64 and burning!""I know it.""And the palace is on fire. You can smell the reek65 even here.""Yes.""Then what are you going to do?""Nothing.""My word, that is a fine proposition for a prince! If you care nothingfor town or palace perhaps you will bestir yourself for Princess Heru."A faint glimmer66 of interest rose upon the alabaster67 calm of his face atthat name, but it faded instantly, and he said quietly,"The slaves will save her. She will live. I looked into the book ofher fate yesterday. She will escape, and forget, and sit at anothermarriage feast, and be a mother, and give the people yet one more princeto keep the faint glimmer of our ancestry68 alive. I am content.""But, d--- it, man, I am not! I take a deal more in- terest in the younglady than you seem to, and have scoured69 half this precious planet of yourson her account, and will be hanged if I sit idly twiddling my thumbs whileher pretty skin is in danger." But Hath was lost in contempla- tion of hisshoe-strings70.
"Come, sir," I said, shaking his majesty by the shoulder, "don't bedown on your luck. There has been some rivalry71 between us, but nevermind about that just now. The prin- cess wants you. I am going to saveboth her and you, you must come with her.""No.""But you SHALL come.""No!"By this time the palace was blazing like a bonfire and the uproaroutside was terrible. What was I to do? As I hesitated the arras at thefurther end of the hall was swept aside, a disordered mob of slaves bearingbundles and drag- ging Heru with them rushing down to the door near us.
As Heru was carried swiftly by she stretched her milk-white arms towardsthe prince and turned her face, lovely as a convolvulus flower even in itspallor, upon him.
It was a heart-moving appeal from a woman with the heart of a child,and Hath rose to his feet while for a mo- ment there shone a look ofresponsible manhood in his eyes. But it faded quickly; he bowed slowly asthough he had received an address of condolence on the condition of hisempire, and the next moment the frightened slaves, stumbling under theirburdens, had swept poor Heru through the doorway73.
I glanced savagely74 round at the curling smoke overhead, the redtendrils of fire climbing up a distant wall, and there on a table by us was ahalf-finished flask75 of the lovely tinted76 wine of forgetfulness. If Hathwould not come sober perhaps he might come drunk.
"Here," I cried, "drink to tomorrow, your majesty, a sov- ereign toast inall ages, and better luck next time with these hairy gentlemen battering atyour majesty's doors," and splashing out a goblet77 full of the stuff I handedit to him.
He took it and looked rather lovingly into the limpid78 pool, then deliberately79 poured it on the step in front of him, and throwing the cupaway said pleasantly,"Not tonight, good comrade; tonight I drink a deeper draught80 ofoblivion than that,--and here come my cup- bearers."Even while he spoke81 the palace gates had given way; there was ahorrible medley82 of shrieks83 and cries, a quick sound of running feet; thenagain the arras lifted and in poured a horde84 of Ar-hap's men-at-arms. Themoment they caught sight of us about a dozen of them, armed with bows,drew the thick hide strings to their ears and down the hall came a raveningflight of shafts85. One went through my cap, two stuck quivering in thethrone, and one, winged with owl39 feather, caught black Hath full in thebosom.
He had stood out boldly at the first coming of that onset86, arms crossedon breast, chin up, and looking more of a gentleman than I had ever seenhim look before; and now, stricken, he smiled gravely, then withoutflinching, and still eyeing his enemies with gentle calm, his knees unlocked, his frame trembled, then down he went headlong, his red bloodrunning forth87 in rivulets88 amongst the wine of oblivion he had just pouredout.
There was no time for sentiment. I shrugged89 my shoulders, andturning on my heels, with the woodmen close after me, sprang through thenear doorway. Where was Heru? I flew down the corridor by which itseemed she had re- treated, and then, hesitating a moment where it dividedin two, took the left one. This to my chagrin90 presently began to trendupwards, whereas I knew Heru was making for the river down below.
But it was impossible to go back, and whenever I stopped in thosedeserted passages I could hear the wolflike patter of men's feet upon mytrail. On again into the stony91 laby- rinths of the old palace, ever upwards,in spite of my desire to go down, until at last, the pursuers off the track fora moment, I came to a north window in the palace wall, and, hot andbreathless, stayed to look out.
All was peace here; the sky a lovely lavender, a promise of comingmorning in it, and a gold-spangled curtain of stars out yonder on thehorizon. Not a soul moved. Below appeared a sheer drop of a hundred feet into a moat wind- ing through thickets92 of heavy-scented convolvulusflowers to the waterways beyond. And as I looked a skiff with half adozen rowers came swiftly out of the darkness of the wall and passed likea shadow amongst the thickets. In the prow93 was all Hath's wedding plate,and in the stern, a faint vision of unconscious loveliness, lay Heru!
Before I could lift a finger or call out, even if I had had a mind to do so,the shadow had gone round a bend, and a shout within the palace told me Iwas sighted again.
On once more, hotly pursued, until the last corridor ended in two doorsleading into a half-lit gallery with open win-dows at the further end.
There was a wilderness94 of lumber95 down the sides of the great garret, andnow I come to think of it more calmly I imagine it was Hath's LostProperty Office, the vast receptacle where his slaves deposited everythinglazy Martians forgot or left about in their daily life. At that moment itonly represented a last refuge, and into it I dashed, swung the doors to andfastened them just as the foremost of Ar-hap's men hurled96 themselvesupon the barrier from outside.
There I was like a rat in a trap, and like a rat I made up my mind tofight savagely to the end, without for a mo- ment deceiving myself as towhat that end must be. Even up there the horrible roar of destruction wasplainly audible as the barbarians sacked and burned the ancient town, andI was glad from the bottom of my heart my poor little princess was safelyout of it. Nor did I bear her or hers the least resentment98 for making offwhile there was yet time and leaving me to my fate--anything else wouldhave been contrary to Martian nature. Doubtless she would get away, asHath had said, and elsewhere drop a few pearly tears and then over hersugar-candy and lotus-eating forget with happy completeness--mostblessed gift! And meanwhile the foresaid barbarians were battering onmy doors, while over their heads choking smoke was pouring in in everincreas- ing volumes.
In burst the first panel, then another, and I could see through the gaps amedley of tossing weapons and wild faces without. Short shrift for me ifthey came through, so in the obstinacy99 of desperation I set to work to pileold furniture and dry goods against the barricade100. And as they yelled and hammered outside I screamed back defiance40 from within, sweating,tugging, and hauling with the strength of ten men, piling up the oldMartian lumber against the opening till, so fierce was the attack outside,little was left of the original doorway and nothing between me and thebeseigers but a rampart of broken woodwork half seen in a smother101 ofsmoke and flames.
Still they came on, thrusting spears and javelins102 through every creviceand my strength began to go. I threw two tables into a gap, and brained abesieger with a sweet- meat-seller's block and smothered103 another, andoverturned a great chest against my barricade; but what was the purpose ofit all? They were fifty to one and my rampart quaked before them. Thesmoke was stifling104, and the pains of dis- solution in my heart. They burstin and clambered up the rampart like black ants. I looked round for stillone more thing to hurl97 into the breach105. My eyes lit on a roll of carpet: Iseized it by one corner meaning to drag it to the door- way, and it cameundone at a touch.
That strange, that incredible pattern! Where in all the vicissitudes107 ofa chequered career had I seen such a one before? I stared at it inamazement under the very spears of the woodmen in the red glare ofHath's burning palace. Then all on a sudden it burst upon me that ITWAS THE ACCURSED RUG, the very one which in response to acareless wish had swept me out of my own dear world, and forced me totake as wild a journey into space as ever fell to a man's lot since theuniverse was made!
And in another second it occurred to me that if it had brought mehither it might take me hence. It was but a chance, yet worth trying whenall other chances were against me. As Ar-hap's men came shouting overthe barricade I threw myself down upon that incredible carpet and criedfrom the bottom of my heart,"I wish--I wish I were in New York!"Yes!
A moment of thrilling suspense and then the corners lifted as though astrong breeze were playing upon them. An- other moment and they hadcurled over like an incoming surge. One swift glance I got at the smoke and flames, the glittering spears and angry faces, and then fold upon fold,a stifling, all-enveloping embrace, a lift, a sense of super- human speed-and then forgetfulness.
When I came to, as reporters say, I was aware the rug had ejected meon solid ground and disappeared, forever. Where was I! It was cool,damp, and muddy. There were some iron railings close at hand and astreet lamp overhead. These things showed clearly to me, sitting on adoorstep under that light, head in hand, amazed and giddy--so amazed thatwhen slowly the recognition came of the in- credible106 fact my wish wasgratified and I was home again, the stupendous incident scarcely appealedto my tingling108 sen-ses more than one of the many others I had latelyundergone.
Very slowly I rose to my feet, and as like a discreditable reveller109 ascould be, climbed the steps. The front door was open, and entering theoh, so familiar hall a sound of voices in my sitting-room110 on the rightcaught my ear.
"Oh no, Mrs. Brown," said one, which I recognised at once as myPolly's, "he is dead for certain, and my heart is breaking. He would never,never have left me so long without writing if he had been alive," and thencame a great sound of sobbing111.
"Bless your kind heart, miss," said the voice of my land- lady in reply,"but you don't know as much about young gentlemen as I do. It is notlikely, if he has gone off on the razzle-dazzle, as I am sure he has, he isgoing to write every post and tell you about it. Now you go off to yourma at the hotel like a dear, and forget all about him till he comes back-that's MY advice.""I cannot, I cannot, Mrs. Brown. I cannot rest by day or sleep bynight for thinking of him; for wondering why he went away so suddenly,and for hungering for news of him. Oh, I am miserable112. Gully! Gully!
Come to me," and then there were sounds of troubled footsteps pacing toand fro and of a woman's grief.
That was more than I could stand. I flung the door open, and, dirty,dishevelled, with unsteady steps, advanced into the room.
"Ahem!" coughed Mrs. Brown, "just as I expected!"But I had no eyes for her. "Polly! Polly!" I cried, and that dear girl,after a startled scream and a glance to make sure it was indeed therecovered prodigal113, rushed over and threw all her weight of dear, warm,comfortable woman- hood72 into my arms, and the moment after burst into apas- sion of happy tears down my collar.
"Humph!" quoth the landlady114, "that is not what BROWN gets when heforgets his self. No, not by any means."But she was a good old soul at heart, and, seeing how matters stood,with a parting glance of scorn in my direction and a toss of her head, wentout of the room, and closed the door behind her.
Need I tell in detail what followed? Polly behaved like an angel, andwhen in answer to her gentle reproaches I told her the outlines of mymarvellous story she almost be- lieved me! Over there on the writing-desk lay a whole row of the unopened letters she had showered upon meduring my absence, and amongst them an official one. We went andopened it together, and it was an intimation of my promotion115, a muchbetter "step" than I had ever dared to hope for.
Holding that missive in my hand a thought suddenly oc- curred to me.
"Polly dear, this letter makes me able to maintain you as you ought tobe maintained, and there is still a fortnight of vacation for me. Polly, willyou marry me tomorrow?""No, certainly not, sir.""Then will you marry me on Monday?""Do you truly, truly want me to?""Truly, truly.""Then, yes," and the dear girl again came blushing into my arms.
While we were thus the door opened, and in came her parents whowere staying at a neighbouring hotel while in- quiries were made as to mymysterious absence. Not un- naturally my appearance went a long wayto confirm suspi- cions such as Mrs. Brown had confessed to, and, afterthey had given me cold salutations, Polly's mother, fixing gold glasses onthe bridge of her nose and eyeing me haughtily116 therefrom, observed,"And now that you ARE safely at home again, Lieuten- ant GulliverJones, I think I will take my daughter away with me. Tomorrow her father will ascertain117 the true state of her feelings after this unpleasantexperience, and sub- sequently he will no doubt communicate with you onthe subject." This very icily.
But I was too happy to be lightly put down.
"My dear madam," I replied, "I am happy to be able to save her fatherthat trouble. I have already communicated with this young lady as to thestate of her feelings, and as an outcome I am delighted to be able to tellyou we are to be married on Monday.""Oh yes, Mother, it is true, and if you do not want to make me themost miserable of girls again you will not be unkind to us."In brief, that sweet champion spoke so prettily118 and smoothed things socleverly that I was "forgiven," and later on in the evening allowed toescort Polly back to her hotel.
"And oh!" she said, in her charmingly enthusiastic way when we weresaying goodnight, "you shall write a book about that extraordinary storyyou told me just now. Only you must promise me one thing.""What is it?""To leave out all about Heru--I don't like that part at all." This with theprettiest little pout119.
"But, Polly dear, see how important she was to the nar- rative.
cannot quite do that.""Then you will say as little as you can about her?""No more than the story compels me to.""And you are quite sure you like me much the best, and will not goafter her again?""Quite sure."The compact was sealed in the most approved fashion; and here,indulgent reader, is the artless narrative120 that re- sulted--an incident soincredible in this prosaic121 latter-day world that I dare not ask you to believe,and must humbly122 content myself with hoping that if I fail to convince yet Imay at least claim the consolation123 of having amused you.
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fawning
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| adj.乞怜的，奉承的v.（尤指狗等）跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的现在分词 )；巴结；讨好 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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illusive
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| adj.迷惑人的，错觉的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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remorseful
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| adj.悔恨的 | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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omens
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| n.前兆，预兆( omen的名词复数 ) | |
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propitious
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| adj.吉利的；顺利的 | |
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postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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vapid
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| adj.无味的；无生气的 | |
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mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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phantom
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crumbling
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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shroud
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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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28
drowsiest
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| adj.欲睡的，半睡的，使人昏昏欲睡的( drowsy的最高级 ) | |
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29
orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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30
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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31
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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32
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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33
panoply
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| n.全副甲胄，礼服 | |
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34
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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35
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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36
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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37
barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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38
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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39
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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40
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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41
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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42
conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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43
necromancy
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| n.巫术；通灵术 | |
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44
hacking
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| n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动 | |
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45
hewing
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| v.（用斧、刀等）砍、劈( hew的现在分词 )；砍成；劈出；开辟 | |
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46
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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47
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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48
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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49
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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50
barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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51
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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52
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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53
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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54
battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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55
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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56
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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57
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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58
sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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59
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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60
beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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61
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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62
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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63
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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64
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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65
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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66
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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67
alabaster
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| adj.雪白的；n.雪花石膏；条纹大理石 | |
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68
ancestry
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| n.祖先，家世 | |
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69
scoured
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| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
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70
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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71
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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72
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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73
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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74
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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75
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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76
tinted
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| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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77
goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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78
limpid
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| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
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79
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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80
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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81
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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82
medley
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| n.混合 | |
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83
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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84
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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85
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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86
onset
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| n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始 | |
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87
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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88
rivulets
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| n.小河，小溪( rivulet的名词复数 ) | |
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89
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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90
chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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91
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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92
thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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93
prow
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| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
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94
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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95
lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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96
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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97
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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98
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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99
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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100
barricade
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| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
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101
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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102
javelins
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| n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
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103
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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104
stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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105
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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106
credible
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| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
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107
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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108
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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109
reveller
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| n.摆设酒宴者，饮酒狂欢者 | |
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110
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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111
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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112
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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113
prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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114
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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115
promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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116
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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117
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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118
prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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119
pout
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| v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴 | |
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120
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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121
prosaic
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| adj.单调的，无趣的 | |
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122
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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123
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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