But how different everything was in this delightful6 house of Daddy Dan!
In an incredibly short time three torches flared7 about them and filled the air with scents8 of freshness and the outdoors-scents that went tingling9 up the nose and filled one with immense possibilities of eating. At the very same time, a few motions caused a heap of wood to catch fire and blaze among the stones while a steady stream of blue-white smoke wavered up toward the top of the cave and disappeared in the shadows. After this her father showed her a little stream of water which must come from a spring far back in the cave, and the current slipped noiselessly along one wall, and dipped of sight again before it reached the entrance to the place. Here she discovered a little bowl, made out of small stones nicely fitted together, and allowing the water to pour over one edge and out at another with a delicious purling—such crystal clear water that one actually wanted to wash in it even if it was cold, and even if one had the many sore places on fingers and nose and behind the ears.
Behold10! no sooner did one turn from the washing of hands and face than the table was miraculously11 spread upon the surface of a flat rock, with other stones nearby to serve as chairs; and on the table steamed “pone12,” warmed over; coffee with milk in it—coffee, which was so strictly13 banned at home!—potatoes sliced to transparent14 thinness and fried to crisp brown at the edges, and a great slab15 of meat that fairly shouted to the appetite.
So far so good, but the realization16 was a thousand fold better than anticipation17. No cutting of one's own meat at this enchanted18 board! The shining knife of Daddy Dan divided it into delectable19 bits with the speed of light, and it needed only the slightest amount of experimenting and cautious glances to discover that one could use a fork daggerwise, and when in doubt even seize upon a morsel20 with one's fingers and wipe the fingers afterwards on a bit of the dry grass. One could grasp the cup by both sides, scorning the silly handle, and if occasionally one sipped21 the coffee with a little noise—which added astonishingly to the taste—there was no sharp warning, no frowning eye to overlook. Besides, at Munner's table, there was never time to pay attention to Joan, for there was talk about vague, abstract things—the price of skins, the melting of the snows, the condition of the passes, the long and troubling argument about the wicker chairs, with some remarkably22 foolish asides, now and then, concerning happiness and love—when all the time any one with half an eye could see that the thing to do was to eat and eat and eat until that hollow place ceased to be. Talking came afterwards.
In the house of Daddy Dan all these things were ordered as they should be. Not a word was said; not a glance of criticism rested upon her; when her tin plate was cleared she heard no reproofs23 for eating too greedily, but she was furnished anew from the store of good things on the rock.
In place of conversation, there were other matters to occupy the mind during the meal. For presently she observed the beautiful head of Satan just behind his master—Satan, who could pass over noisy gravel24 with the softness of a cat, and now loomed25 out of the deeper night down the cavern26. Inch by inch, with infinite caution and keenly pricked27 ears, the head lowered beside Dan, and the quivering, delicate muzzle28 stole towards a fragment of the “pone.” Joan watched breathlessly and then she saw that in spite of the caution of that movement her father knew all about it—just a glint of amusement in the corner of his eyes, just a slight twitch29 at the corners of his mouth to tell Joan that he was as delighted as a boy playing a trick. Barely in time to save the morsel of pone, he spoke30 and the head was dashed up. Yet Satan was not entirely31 discouraged. If he could not steal the bread he would beg for it. It made Joan pause in her destruction of the edibles32, not to watch openly, for an instinct told her that the thing to do was to note these by-plays from the corner of one's eye, as Daddy Dan did, and swallow the ripples33 of mirth that came tickling34 in the throat. She knew perfectly35 well that Satan would have it in the end, for of all living things not even Munner had such power over Dan as the black stallion. He maneuvered36 adroitly37. First he circled the table and stood opposite the master, begging with his eyes, but Dan looked fixedly39 down at the rock until an impatient whinny called up his eyes. Then he pretended the most absolute surprise.
“Why, Satan, you old scoundrel, what are you doin' over there? Get back where you belong?”
He gestured with a thumb over his shoulder and Satan glided40 around the rock and stood once more behind Dan.
“Manners?” continued Dan. “You ain't got 'em. You'll be tryin' to sit down at the table with me, pretty soon.” He concluded: “But I'll teach you one of these days, and you'll smart for a week.”
Even at the mock menace Joan trembled a little, but to her astonishment41 Satan paid not the slightest heed42. Dan sat with his hat on his head—which was a new and delightful event at the table—and now the stallion took the hat by the crown, dexterously43, and raised it just an inch and put it back in place. Black Bart, having crept out of the shadows sat down near Joan with his long red tongue lolling out. This procedure called a growl44 from him, but the master continued eating without the slightest interest, apparently45, in Satan's insolence46.
A velvety47 muzzle appeared, with the chin resting on the shoulder of Dan and the great, luminous48 eyes above. He whinnied so softly that it was not more than a human whisper, and meant almost as much.
“Oh,” said Dan, in all seeming just roused to attention, “hungry, old boy?”
He raised the morsel of “pone” between thumb and forefinger, holding it tightly. Then it was a joy to watch Satan. He tried to tug49 it all away at once, but only a fragment broke off. He stamped in impatience50, and then went to work to nibble51 the bread away on all sides of Dan's fingers, very fine work for such broad, keen chisels52 as Satan's teeth, but he went about it with the skill of long practice, turning his head this way and that and always watching the face of the master with sidewise eyes, one ear forward and one ear back. Finally the tight fingers opened out, and Satan gathered the last crumbs53 from the smooth palm.
Two or three times during this performance Black Bart had half risen from his haunches and a growl swelled54 almost inaudibly in his throat, but now he stalked around the table and pushed his narrow head between Dan's shoulder and the stallion. A snarl55 of incredible ferocity made Satan turn, but without the slightest dread56, apparently. For an instant the two stood nose to nose, Black Bart a picture of snarling57 danger and Satan with curiously58 pricking59 ears and bright eyes. The growling60 rose towards a crescendo61, a terrible sound; then a lean hand shot out with that speed which Joan could never comprehend—and which always made her think, rather breathlessly, of the strike of a snake. The fingers settled around the muzzle of Bart.
“Of all the no-good houn'-dogs,” declared Dan, “you're the worst, and the most jealousest. Lie down!”
“If you got any manners,” remarked Dan, “you'll be sayin' that you're sorry.”
“Sorry!” repeated the master.
Out of the deep throat of Black Bart, infinitely64, ludicrously small, came a whine65 which was more doglike than anything Joan had ever heard, before, from the wolf.
“Now,” continued the implacable master, “you go over in that corner, and lie down.”
Black Bart arose with a finally ugly look for Satan and sneaked66 with hanging head and tail to the outer edge of the circle of light.
“Farther! Clear over there in the dark,” came the order, and Bart had to uncoil himself again in the very act of lying down and retreat with another ominous68 growl clear into the darkness. Satan held his head high and watched triumphantly69.
But Joan felt that this was a little hard on Bart; she wanted to run over and comfort him, but she knew from of old that it was dangerous to interfere70 where Daddy Dan was disciplining either horse or wolf; besides, she was not quite free from her new awe71 for Bart.
“All right,” said the master presently, and without raising his voice.
It brought a dark thunder bolt rushing into the circle of the light and stopping at Dan's side with such suddenness that his paws slid in the gravel. There he stood, actually wagging his bushy tail—an unprecedented72 outburst of joy for Bart!—and staring hungrily into the face of Dan. She saw a wonderful softening73 in the eyes of her father as he looked at the great, dangerous beast.
“You ain't a bad sort,” he said, “but you need puttin' in place continual.”
After that, when the dishes were being cleared away and cleaned with a speed fully75 as marvelous as the preparation of the supper, Joan remembered with a guilty start the message which she should have given to Daddy Dan, and she brought out the paper, much rumpled76.
He stood by the fire to read the letter.
“Dan come back to us. The house is empty and there's no sign of you except your clothes and the skins you left drying in the vacant room. Joan sits all day, mourning for you, and my heart is breaking. Oh, Dan, I don't grieve so much for what has been done, but I tremble for what you may do in the future.”
With the letter still in his hand Dan walked thoughtfully to Satan and took the fine head between his fingers.
“S'pose some gent was to drop you, Satan,” he murmured. “S'pose he was to plug you while you was doin' your best to take me where I want to go. S'pose he shot you not for anything you'd done but because of something agin me. And s'pose after killin' you he was to sneak67 up on me with a lot of other gents and try to murder me before I had a chance to fight back. Satan, wouldn't I be right to trail 'em all—and kill 'em one by one? Wouldn't it?”
Joan heard very little of the words—only a soft murmur77 of anxiety, and she saw that Daddy Dan was very thoughtful indeed. The stallion reached for the brim of Dan's hat—it was withdrawn78 from his reach—his head bowed, like a nod of assent79.
“Why, even Satan can see I'm right,” murmured Dan, and moving back to the fire, he tore the letter into many pieces which fluttered down in a white stream and made the blaze leap up.
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收听单词发音
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1
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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2
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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3
absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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4
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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skidding
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| n.曳出，集材v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的现在分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区 | |
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6
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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7
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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8
scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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9
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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10
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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miraculously
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| ad.奇迹般地 | |
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pone
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| n.玉米饼 | |
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13
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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14
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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15
slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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16
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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17
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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18
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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19
delectable
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| adj.使人愉快的；美味的 | |
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20
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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21
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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23
reproofs
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| n.责备，责难，指责( reproof的名词复数 ) | |
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24
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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25
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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26
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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27
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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28
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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29
twitch
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| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
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30
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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31
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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32
edibles
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| 可以吃的，可食用的( edible的名词复数 )； 食物 | |
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33
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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34
tickling
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| 反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法 | |
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35
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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36
maneuvered
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| v.移动，用策略( maneuver的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵 | |
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37
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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38
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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39
fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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40
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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41
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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42
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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43
dexterously
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| adv.巧妙地，敏捷地 | |
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44
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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45
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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46
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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47
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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48
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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49
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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50
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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51
nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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52
chisels
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| n.凿子，錾子( chisel的名词复数 )；口凿 | |
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53
crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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54
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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55
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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56
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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57
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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58
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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59
pricking
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| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
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60
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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61
crescendo
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| n.(音乐)渐强，高潮 | |
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62
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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63
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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64
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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65
whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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66
sneaked
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| v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状 | |
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67
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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68
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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69
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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70
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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71
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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72
unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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73
softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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74
whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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75
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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76
rumpled
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| v.弄皱，使凌乱( rumple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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78
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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79
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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