For his sake, knowledge of the place where he was known and of those who looked upon his person, shall go down from generation to generation into the future and shall be continued forever, under the illumination of his name.
How he preserved the great judge and how he fought that mightiest4 of all battles, for the honour of his kind and for the preservation5 of his liege-son, must be told in order.
The fortune of the season, the features of the town, and the chief names must be established.
See that nothing shall be added. See that no part be left unspoken.
It is the law.
The great rains had passed on their way north; and they had been good to the Central Provinces country. The water-courses were even yet but a line below flood; the tanks were full, the wells abrim. The earth was clothed with new garmenture. Jungle creatures were all in their annual high-carnival. Life-forces were driving to full speed.
The town of Hurda, on the great triple Highway-of-all-India, clung to the side of her little river leaning against the massive buttressed7 walls of her old grey stone terraces, where—on their wide step-landings—at all seasons, she burned her human dead by the tide's margin8.
The great Highway spanned the river on a broad low stone bridge and turned—just south of the burning ghats—with a majestic9 sweep northward10, between its four lines of sacred, flowering, perfumed and shade trees. Remember, those trees were planted by the forgotten peoples of dead kings, for each within his own realm; they were all nourished under the unfailing rivalry11 that the highway of each king should be more excellent in beneficence and in beauty than the highway of his neighbour kings.
But from High Himalaya to the beaches of Madras, from sea to sea, the triple Highway-of-all-India was nowhere more august than here, where Neela Deo lived. The exalted12 splendours of those so ancient and imperial trees rendered distinction to the town, in passing through it, like a procession of the radiant gods.
Beyond the hill and well outside the town—which would be called a city if it were walled, which would be walled if a wall would not separate it from the great Highway—was the station Oval, where railway people lived in European bungalows13 of many colours, round about the gymkhana—a building made to contain music and strange games; but from the arches of all its verandahs the railway people saw.
On the other side from the Oval and toward Hurda, was the little old bungalow14 where Margaret Annesley—of the tender heart—out of her lonely garden, looked that day and saw.
Across the great Highway from the temple of Manu, the bungalow of Dickson Sahib sheltered under the mighty15 sweep of full bearing mango trees. His small son stood between two teachers in the deep verandah and beat his hands together while he saw.
At the top of the hill, the bare bungalow of the old missionary16 Sahib made protest against the perfume-drunken orient and the colour-mad European world of India with its carbolic-acid whitewash17 and chaste18 lines. Down the driveway his children ran away from their teachers and saw.
But in sight of the town—as should be—and beside the courts—as should be—stood the austere19 home of the Chief Commissioner20, most high civil judge of Hurda and all surrounding villages. One of his deputies leaned from an upper balcony and saw.
Back of his park, more than three quarters of a mile away, were the stockades21 of the Chief Commissioner's elephants. A round parade ground spread its almost level disk straight away front of the stockade22 buildings. Perfectly23 rimmed24 by a variety of low jungle growths, nesting thick at the feet of a circle of tall tamarisk trees, its effect was satisfying to the eye beyond anything seen about the homes of men. Nay25, the avenues which led up to the palaces of ancient kings were not so good!
Now all is established concerning the time and the place and those who saw; and it will not be questioned by any save the very ignorant—who are not considered in the telling of tales.
So in the day of Neela Deo, most exalted King of all elephants, came a runner at the end of his last strength. Stripped naked, but for his meagre loincloth, the oils of his body ran thick down all his limbs and his splitting veins26 shed blood from his nostrils27 and from his mouth. In the market-place he fell and with his last breaths coughed out a broken message.
Many gathered to discover his meaning. Spread a swift excitement. The shops were emptied, the doorways28 and alleys29 opened, and streams of people poured out into a common tide.
Perfume dealers30 brought copper31 flasks32 of priceless oils. Flower merchants gathered up their entire stock of freshly prepared garlands of marigold and tuberose and jasmine and champak blooms—banked masses of garlands were hung on scores of scores of reaching arms, lifted to carry them. Sixty full pieces of white turban-cloth were caught from the shelves of cloth sellers.
Companies and companies of nautch-girls, with their men-servants and instruments to accompany them—even the most costly33 of these, who were also singing women—poured out of the districts where the towns-women lived and blended in their groups as individual units, in the increasing surge that flowed out along the great Highway, like a river which had broken its dam.
The multitude followed the great highway past the station oval and turned aside into the open jungle—deepening, thickening, swelling34, teeming35 forward. Twenty thousand voices, lifted in all pitches of the human compass, were caught by tom-toms and the impelling36 cadence37 of the singing nautch-girls—like drift-wood in a swift current—and driven into rhythmic38 pulsation39.
So the people of Hurda went out to meet Neela Deo, King of all elephants.
When the front of the throng40 went by his place, Hand-of-a-God enquired41 of running men from his own gateway42. By his side the Gul Moti stood with Son of Power. When they understood, she pushed her chosen of all men through the vine-made arch and he sprang away and ran with the people.
They shared their garlands with him, that he should not come into Neela Deo's presence with empty hands; and they exulted43 because he ran with them, for the fame of Son-of-Power was already established.
At the margins44 of the true jungle, a high-tenor voice came out to meet them. The feeling in it chained Skag's ear; it was like a strong man contending bravely with his tongue, but calling on the gods for help, with his heart. Listening intently, the American began to get the words:
"What are we before thee—oh thou most Exalted! Children of men, our generations pass before thee as the seasons. But thou, oh mighty King—thou Destroyer of the devastator45, thou Protector of our wise judge, blessed among men is he for whom thou hast spilled thy blood! We will send his name down from generation to generation under the light of thy name! Thou most Glorious!"
The next words were more difficult to catch:
"Nay, nay! but my beloved, it is a little hurt! Do I not know, who serve thee? I whose father served thee before me—whose father served thee before him? I whose son shall serve thee after me? As my small son lives, he shall serve thee—being come a man—in his day, even as I serve thee in this my day!"
"Ah, thou heart of my heart, thou life of my life! Hear me, the milk of a thousand goats shall cool thee. The petals47 of a thousand blooms shall comfort thee. Tuberose and jasmine and champak shall comfort thee, thou Lover of rare things! Nay, it is not enough, but the offerings of the heart's core of love shall satisfy thee—the blood of a million-million blooms shall anoint thee, to thy refreshment48!"
The words were lost for a moment, before they rang again:
"Are not the coverings of our heads upon thy wounds? Thou, most excellent in majesty49! Have we not laid the symbols of our honour upon thy wounds? Thou, with the wisdom of all ages in thy head and the tenderness of all women in thy heart! We have seen thee suffer, that he who is worthy50 might live! Thou Discerner of men! We have seen thee destroy the killer51, without hurt to him who is kind! Thou Equitable King!"
And slowly out of the shadows of forest trees, came the Chief Commissioner's elephant caravan52, trailing in very dejected formation, behind Neela Deo, who showed naked as to his back—for his housings had been stripped off him; and as to his neck, for Kudrat Sharif was not on it but on the ground—walking backward step by step, enticing him with the adoration53 and sympathy of his voice.
Sanford Hantee saw Neela Deo stop to receive the first garlands on his trunk. From there on, the great elephant paused deliberately54 after every step to take the offerings of homage55 from hundreds of reaching hands.
When the American had laid his garlands over Neela Deo's trunk and was about to make his turn in the press, he saw the Chief Commissioner himself, walking behind the wounded elephant with uncovered head. After a keen glance, the great judge motioned Skag to close in by his side. His strong face was shadowed by deep concern; and for some time he did not speak. This was the man of whom Skag had heard that his name was one to conjure56 with. His fame was for unfailing equity57, which—together with strange powers of discernment and bewildering kindness—had won for him the profound devotion of the people. Skag's thoughts were on these matters when he heard, on a low explosive breath:
"Most extraordinary thing I've ever seen!"
The Englishman's eye scarcely left the huge figure swaying before him and the distress58 in his face was obvious.
"I see you're greatly concerned," Skag said gently.
"Well, you understand, I've jolly good right to be—he saved my life! And he's got a hole in his neck you can put your head into—only it's filled up and covered up with twenty dirty turbans! And by the way, you may not know, but it's unwritten law—past touching—the man in this country never uncovers his head excepting in the presence of his own women. It's more than a man's life is worth to knock another's turban off, even by accident. But look, yonder are the turbans of my caravan—deputies, law-clerks and servants together—on Neela Deo's neck! Their heads are bare before this multitude and without shame. What's one to make of it? There's no knowing these people!"
Skag's eye quite unconsciously dropped to the white helmet, carried ceremonially in the hand; and glancing away quickly, he caught a mounting flush on the stern countenance59.
"We were coming in on the best trail through a steady bit of really old tree-jungle—Neela Deo leading, as always. We've been out nine weeks from home, among the villages. It's not supposed to be spoken, but a stretch like that is rather a grind. The elephants wanted their own stockades; they were tired of pickets60. You understand, they're all thoroughly61 trained. They answer their individual mahouts like a man's own fingers. Neela Deo is the only elephant I've heard of who has been known to run; I mean, to really run—and then only when he's coming in from too many weeks out.
"Few European men have ever seen an elephant run. Nothing alive can pass him on the ground but the great snake. I stayed on top of Neela Deo once when he ran home. It was not good sitting. I've never cared for the experience again.
"As the jungle began to open toward Hurda, he was nervous. Of course I should have been more alive to his behaviour—should have made out what was disturbing him. If we lose him, I shall feel very much responsible. But his mahout was easing him with low chants—made of a thousand love-words. They're not bad to think by. I was clear away off in an adjustment of old Hindu and British law—you know we have to use both together; and sometimes they're hard to fit.
"I know no more about how it happened than you do. I was knocked well up out of my abstraction by a most unmerciful jolt62. Kudrat Sharif had been raked off Neela Deo's neck and was scrambling63 to his feet on the ground. In one glimpse I saw his dothi was torn and a long dripping cut on one thigh64. He shouted, but I couldn't make it out, because all the elephants were trumpeting66 to the universe.
"There are always four hunting pieces in the howdah and I reached for the heaviest automatically, leaning over to see whatever it was. There was nothing intelligible67 in the hell of noise and nothing in sight. I tell you, I could not see a hair of any creature under me—but Neela Deo. And don't fancy Neela Deo was quiet this while. My howdah was pitching me to the four quarters of heaven—with no one to tell which next. Six of the hunters had rifles trained on us, but I knew they dared not fire for the fear of hitting me or him. And I'm confident they would be as ready to do the one as the other.
"Then he began swaying from side to side with me. It was a frightful68 jog at first, but he went more and more evenly, further and further every swing, till I kept myself from spilling out by the sheer grip of my hands. The rifles were knocking about loose.
"At last I was up-ended cornerwise and I thought, on my word, I thought my elephant had turned upside down. A shriek69 fairly split my head open and Neela Deo was dancing straight up and down on one spot. It was a thorough churning, but it was a change.
"I should say his dance had lasted sixty seconds or more, before he himself spoke; then he put up his trunk and uttered a long strong blast. I've never heard anything like it; in eighteen years among elephants, I've never heard anything like it.
"After that he slowed down and they closed in on him, with weeping and laughter and pandemonium70 of demonstrations71, mostly without meaning to me, till I climbed down and saw the remains73 of what must have been a prime Bengali tiger—under his feet.
"It had charged his neck and gotten a hold and eaten in for the big blood-drink. It had gripped and clung with its four feet—there are ghastly enough wounds—but the hole it chewed in his neck is hideous74.
"He poured blood in a shocking stream till they checked it with some kind of jungle leaves and their turbans. And you see—he's groggy75. He's quite liable to stagger to his knees any moment. If he gets in to his own stockades, there may be a chance for him; but he doesn't look it just now. Still, I fancy they're keeping him up rather. Eh? Oh yes, quite so."
The Chief Commissioner wiped his forehead patiently, before he went on:
"You're an extraordinary young man, Sir. I've heard about you; the people call you Son-of-Power. You haven't interrupted me once—not one in twenty could have done it. I'm glad to know you."
This was spoken very rapidly and Skag smiled:
"I'm interested."
The Chief Commissioner's eyes bored into Skag with almost impersonal76 penetration77, till the young American knew why this big Englishman's name was one to conjure with. Then he went on:
"Yes, we'll have much in common. You see, I'm working it out in my own mind. . . . The curious part of it all is, they say an elephant has never been known to behave in this manner before. The mahouts seem to understand; I don't. This I do know: When a tiger charges an elephant's neck, the elephant's way is—if the tiger has gotten in past the thrust of his head—to plunge78 dead weight against a big tree, an upstanding rock, or lacking these—the ground. In that case he always rolls. You see where I would have been very much mixed with the tiger.
"In this case, Neela Deo measured his balance on a swing and when he found how far he dare go, he took his chance and struck the cat off with his own front leg. It's past belief if you know an elephant's anatomy80."
The Chief Commissioner broke off. Neela Deo had lurched and was wavering, as if about to go down. The sense of tears was in Kudrat Sharif's voice; but it loomed81 into courage, as it chanted the superior excellence82 of Neela Deo's attributes.
Englishman smiled tenderly:
"He's a white-wizard, is Kudrat Sharif—that mahout! He does beautiful magic, with his passion and with his pain. It's practically worship, you understand; but the point is, it works!
"The mahouts say Neela Deo did the thing for me; stood up and took it, till he could kill the beast without killing84 me. Oh, you'll never convince them otherwise. They'll make much of it. They're already pledged to establish it in tradition—which means more than one would think. These mahouts come of lines that know the elephant from before our ancestors were named. They know him as entirely85 as men can. All his customs are common knowledge to them—in all ordinary and in all extraordinary circumstances. They say that once in many generations an elephant appears who is superior to his fellows—he's the one who sometimes surprises them."
The Chief Commissioner stopped, looking into Skag's eyes for a minute, before he finished:
"I'm a Briton, you understand; stubborn to a degree—positively require demonstration72. I'm not qualified86 to open the elephant-cult to you—it's as sealed as anything—but I've had bits; and I recommend you—if you'll permit me—to give courtesy to whatever the mahouts may choose to tell you. You'll find it more than interesting."
"I'm very grateful to you," Skag answered. "I've had a promise of something and I mean to know more about the mahouts and about elephants."
It was well on in the night when the elephants turned down out of the great highway into their own stockades. Neela Deo staggered and swayed ever so slowly forward, with his head low and his trunk resting heavy and inert87 on Kudrat Sharif's shoulder; but he got in.
After that no man saw him for sixteen weeks—save the mahouts of his own stockades. But every morning the flower merchants sent huge mounds88 of flower garlands to comfort him.
Then a proclamation was shouted in the marketplace—in the name of the Chief Commissioner—calling all to come and sit in seats which had been prepared around the parade ground before his elephant stockades—to witness the celebration of Neela Deo's recovery. Great was the rejoicing.
Many Europeans of distinction answered the Chief Commissioner's invitation—from as far as Bombay. But all the Europeans together looked very few; for from the surrounding villages and towns and cities, a vast multitude had been flooding in for days. Sixty-two thousand people found places in good sight of the arena89, in prepared seats. That number had been reckoned for; but half as many more thronged90 the roofs of the stockade buildings and hung—multicoloured density—from their parapets. And above all, a few tall tamarisk trees drooped91 long branches under hundreds of small boys.
Famous nautch-girls had come from distant cities and trained with those of Hurda for an important part in the celebration. They were all staged on twelve Persian-carpeted platforms, ranged on the ground within the outer edge of the arena and close against the foot of the circular tier of seats. Artists of the world had wrought92 to clothe these women. Artists in fabric-weaving, in living singing dyes; in cloths of gold, in pure wrought-gold and in the setting of gems93.
People were looking to find the concealed94 lights which revealed this scene of amazing splendour, when thirty-nine of the Chief Commissioner's elephants came out through the stockade gates, single file. Many drums of different kinds, together with a thousand voices, beat a slow double pulse. The elephants, setting their feet precisely95 to the steady rhythm of it, marched around the entire arena three times. Those elephants were perfect enough—and they knew it! They were freshly bathed and groomed96. Their ears showed rose-tinted linings97, when they flapped. Their ivories were smooth and pure. Their howdahs—new-lacquered—gleamed rose and orange and blue, with crimson98 and green silk curtains. Their caparisons of rich velvets, hung heavy with new gold fringes.
Every elephant turned toward the centre of the arena, coming to pause at his own appointed station, evenly spaced around the circle. Then every mahout straightened, freezing to a fixed100 position that did not differ by a line from the position of his neighbour on either side. Now the people saw that this celebration for Neela Deo, King of all elephants, was to show as much pomp as is prepared for kings of men—and they were deeply content.
The strings101 of one sitar began to breathe delicate tones. Other sitars came in illusively, till they snared102 the current of human blood in a golden mesh103 and measured its flow to the time of mounting emotion. Then Neela Deo himself—Neela Deo, the Blue God!—appeared at the stockade gates alone, with Kudrat Sharif on his neck. His caparison was of crimson velvet99, all over-wrought with gold thread. The gold fringes were a yard deep. The howdah was lacquered in raw gold—its curtains were imperial blue. Kudrat Sharif was clothed in pure thin white—like the son of a prince—but he was very frail104; and ninety-odd thousand people sent his name, with the name of Neela Deo, up into the Indian night—for the Indian gods to hear.
Neela Deo was barely in on the sanded disk, when the elephants lifted their heads as one and saluted106 him with an earth-rocking blast; again and yet again. Then he thrust his head forward, reached his trumpet65-tip—quivering before him—and made speed till he came close to the Chief Commissioner's place, where he rendered one soft salute105 and wheeled into position by the stand. This was a movement no one had anticipated. Nothing like it was in the plan; the Chief Commissioner had not intended to ride! But Neela Deo demanded him and there was nothing for it but to go; so with a very white face, he stepped into the howdah.
Waves upon waves of enthusiasm swept the multitude. They shouted to heaven—for all time it was established. No man could ever deny it—Neela Deo himself had made his meaning perfectly plain, that he had done the marvel107 thing sixteen weeks before, to save the life of his friend—their friend! They stood up and flung their flower-garlands on both of them—as Neela Deo, with a stately tread, carried the Chief Commissioner around the circle. The nautch-girls sprang from their platforms into the middle of the arena and danced their most wonderful dances—tossing the fallen garlands, like forest fairies at play.
Then a thousand voices lifted upon the great chorus of laudation, which had been prepared in high-processional time; the drums and the sitars furnishing a dim background for the volume of sound. The elephants turned out of their stations as Neela Deo passed them and came into their accustomed formation behind him. The tread of four times forty such ponderous108 feet, in perfect time with the music, shook the earth.
The chorus told the story of the incredible manner of their Chief Commissioner's deliverance; it exalted his record and his character; it pledged the preservation of his fame. Then a master-mahout from High Himalaya went alone to the centre of the disk and in incomparable tones—such as master-mahouts use—having no accompaniment at all, told the story of Neela Deo's birthright. The people were utterly109 hushed; but the elephants kept their even pace—as if listening. Then the great chorus came back, rendering110 the acknowledgment of a human race.
At last the multitude rose up and loosed its strangling exultation111 in mighty shouts. The elephants raised their big heads, threw high their trumpets112 and rent the leagues of outer night—as if calling to their brothers in the Vindha Hills.
The next part of the celebration was to happen suddenly. The mahouts had planned it in sheer boyishness; and to their mountain hearts it meant something like the clown-play in a western circus. Its success depended on whether Neela Deo had enough foolishness in him—to play the game. So now they wheeled the elephants into their stations again, just in time before one section of the enclosure folded down flat on the ground. This left that part open to the outside world; for the shrubs114 that used to grow thick at the feet of the tamarisk trees had been rooted up and green tenting-cloth stretched in their place. One shrub113 still grew in the midst of that opening.
Neela Deo stopped short one moment—frozen so still that he looked like a granite115 image—then, feeling toward the shrub with his trumpet tip an instant only, flung up his head with a joyous116 squeal117 and was upon it before a man could think. The shrub melted to pulp118 under his tramping feet. Then they saw the black and yellow stripes of the tiger he had killed in this same way—tramping, tramping. He was doing it over again, for them.
The mahouts laughed, calling their strange mountain calls; and the people went quite mad. Even the English taxidermist who had taken the trouble to sew and roughly stuff that mangled119 tiger-skin for the mahouts—even he shouted with them. Every time Neela Deo put that little quirk120 into his trunk and slanted121 his head in that absurd angle—Neela Deo, whose smooth dignity had never shown a wrinkle before—they broke out afresh.
This clown-play certainly brought the people back to earth; but it did something queer to the elephants. Having learned to know human voices, they had already felt the mounting excitement; they had already been tamping122 the ground with hard driving strokes, as if making speed on the open highway—for some time. But in this abandonment to amusement, this joyous unrestraint, they must have found some reminder123. They did not have Neela Deo's sense of humour. But they must have remembered the unwalled distances of their own Hills—the hedge of shrubs had been taken away; the tall slender tamarisk trees still standing79, made no obstruction124. Beyond the waning125 torches they must have looked and seen the quenchless126 glory of the same old Indian stars.
It was Nut Kut, the great black elephant not long down from his own wilds among the Vindha Hills, who left his station first and moved on out into the night. Gunpat Rao followed him. . . . One by one they filed away. Indeed, there was not one shrub left to bar their path. But in this falling of calamity127 upon their so successful foolish plan, the mahouts were stricken—desperate. There was something grotesque128 about their hands, as they disappeared. With wild gestures and twisted-back faces many of them went out of sight. The elephants were surely their masters, in that hour.
They all passed quite close to where the Chief Commissioner sat in Neela Deo's howdah. Neela Deo had regained129 his dignity; he was gravely driving fragments of black and yellow stripes into the sand—patiently finishing his job. But Kudrat Sharif's voice had no effect upon the others; and the Chief Commissioner was entirely helpless. No one could prevent their going. Then it appeared that one had not gone—one other, beside Neela Deo.
Mitha Baba, the greatest female of the caravan, under her pale rose caparison and gold lacquered howdah with its curtains of frost-green, was beating the ground with angry feet and thrusting her head aside impatiently. Something was holding her. When he saw, the Chief Commissioner made haste to reach her—leaving Kudrat Sharif, who was confident of keeping Neela Deo.
Mitha Baba's station in the circle was close to where the Gul Moti sat; her new housings had been specially130 designed to recognise her devotion to the Gul Moti, whose low 'cello131 tones were now soothing132 the great creature and restraining her. But when the Chief Commissioner approached, Mitha Baba started, flinging herself forward—and the Gul Moti was suddenly at the edge of the stand. Just as the elephant lunged out to take her stride, the colourful voice that she had never refused to obey said:
"Come near, Mitha Baba, come near!"
Mitha Baba was not sure about it; she struck the voice aside with her head. But the voice was saying:
"Mitha Baba, you may take me with you!"
Then Son-of-Power was on his feet, but it was too late—Mitha Baba decided133 quickly and she acted soon—he could not reach the edge in time to go himself, but on an impulse he threw his great-coat into the Gul Moti's hands and she laughed as she caught it from the howdah.
In swerving134 suddenly to pass close by the stand, the elephant had unbalanced her boy-mahout from her neck; but his father—the very old mahout—was coming as fast as he could across the space before them, calling to her—like the lover of wild creatures that he was.
"Put him up, Mitha Baba, put him up!"
And Mitha Baba scarcely broke her stride, which was lengthening137 every step, as she obediently circled the old man with her trunk and carelessly flung him on her neck.
"We'll fetch them all home!" the Gul Moti's voice floated back, as they melted away into the night.
The Chief Commissioner gave Son-of-Power his hand—being without words, for the moment.
"Is she safe?" Skag asked.
"Absolutely safe!" the Chief Commissioner assured him. "The caparisons may be doused138 in the Nerbudda, but the howdahs will not be in the least wet."
"What did she mean—that she'd fetch them all back?"
"She meant that Mitha Baba has been used in the High Hills—for years before she was sent down—to decoy wild elephants into the trap-stockades. She's entirely competent, is Mitha Baba; she's the leader of my caravan—next to Neela Deo. Of course Neela Deo is our only hope of overtaking them; he's fast enough, but this is rather soon after his injury, and he'll have to rest a bit. In the meantime, come away up to the house; we'll talk there."
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defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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equitable
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| adj.公平的；公正的 | |
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mightiest
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| adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 )；巨大的；强有力的；浩瀚的 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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buttressed
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| v.用扶壁支撑，加固( buttress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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bungalows
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| n.平房( bungalow的名词复数 )；单层小屋，多于一层的小屋 | |
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bungalow
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| n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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17
whitewash
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| v.粉刷，掩饰；n.石灰水，粉刷，掩饰 | |
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18
chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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19
austere
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| adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的 | |
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20
commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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21
stockades
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| n.（防御用的）栅栏，围桩( stockade的名词复数 ) | |
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22
stockade
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| n.栅栏，围栏；v.用栅栏防护 | |
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23
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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24
rimmed
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| adj.有边缘的，有框的v.沿…边缘滚动；给…镶边 | |
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25
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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26
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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27
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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28
doorways
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| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
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29
alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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30
dealers
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| n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者 | |
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31
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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32
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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33
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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34
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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35
teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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36
impelling
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| adj.迫使性的，强有力的v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的现在分词 ) | |
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37
cadence
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| n.（说话声调的）抑扬顿挫 | |
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38
rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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39
pulsation
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| n.脉搏，悸动，脉动；搏动性 | |
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40
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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41
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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42
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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43
exulted
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| 狂喜，欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
margins
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| 边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数 | |
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45
devastator
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| n.蹂躏者，破坏者 | |
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46
enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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47
petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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48
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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49
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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50
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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51
killer
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| n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者 | |
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52
caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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53
adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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54
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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55
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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56
conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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57
equity
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| n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票 | |
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58
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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59
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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60
pickets
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| 罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
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61
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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62
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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63
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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64
thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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65
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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66
trumpeting
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| 大声说出或宣告（trumpet的现在分词形式） | |
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67
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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68
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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69
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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70
pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣，大混乱 | |
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71
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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72
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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73
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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74
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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75
groggy
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| adj.体弱的；不稳的 | |
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76
impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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77
penetration
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| n.穿透，穿人，渗透 | |
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78
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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79
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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80
anatomy
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| n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织 | |
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81
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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82
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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83
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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84
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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85
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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86
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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87
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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88
mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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89
arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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90
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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91
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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92
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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93
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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94
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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95
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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96
groomed
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| v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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97
linings
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| n.衬里( lining的名词复数 )；里子；衬料；组织 | |
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98
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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99
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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100
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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101
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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102
snared
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| v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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103
mesh
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| n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络 | |
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104
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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105
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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106
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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107
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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108
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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109
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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110
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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111
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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112
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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113
shrub
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| n.灌木，灌木丛 | |
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114
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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115
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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116
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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117
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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118
pulp
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| n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆 | |
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119
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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120
quirk
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| n.奇事，巧合；古怪的举动 | |
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121
slanted
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| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
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122
tamping
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| n.填塞物，捣紧v.捣固( tamp的现在分词 )；填充；（用炮泥）封炮眼口；夯实 | |
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123
reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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124
obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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125
waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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126
quenchless
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| 不可熄灭的 | |
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127
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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128
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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129
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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130
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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131
cello
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| n.大提琴 | |
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132
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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133
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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134
swerving
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的现在分词 ) | |
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135
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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136
joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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137
lengthening
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长 | |
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138
doused
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| v.浇水在…上( douse的过去式和过去分词 )；熄灯[火] | |
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