Even Terry’s ardor2 was held in check by his firm conviction that there were men to be met, and we saw to it that each of us had a good stock of cartridges3.
“They may be scarce, and they may be hidden away somewhere—some kind of a matriarchate, as Jeff tells us; for that matter, they may live up in the mountains yonder and keep the women in this part of the country—sort of a national harem! But there are men somewhere—didn’t you see the babies?”
We had all seen babies, children big and little, everywhere that we had come near enough to distinguish the people. And though by dress we could not be sure of all the grown persons, still there had not been one man that we were certain of.
“I always liked that Arab saying, ‘First tie your camel and then trust in the Lord,’” Jeff murmured; so we all had our weapons in hand, and stole cautiously through the forest. Terry studied it as we progressed.
“Talk of civilization,” he cried softly in restrained enthusiasm. “I never saw a forest so petted, even in Germany. Look, there’s not a dead bough4—the vines are trained—actually! And see here”—he stopped and looked about him, calling Jeff’s attention to the kinds of trees.
“Food-bearing, practically all of them,” they announced returning. “The rest, splendid hardwood. Call this a forest? It’s a truck farm!”
“Good thing to have a botanist6 on hand,” I agreed. “Sure there are no medicinal ones? Or any for pure ornament7?”
As a matter of fact they were quite right. These towering trees were under as careful cultivation8 as so many cabbages. In other conditions we should have found those woods full of fair foresters and fruit gatherers; but an airship is a conspicuous9 object, and by no means quiet—and women are cautious.
All we found moving in those woods, as we started through them, were birds, some gorgeous, some musical, all so tame that it seemed almost to contradict our theory of cultivation—at least until we came upon occasional little glades11, where carved stone seats and tables stood in the shade beside clear fountains, with shallow bird baths always added.
“They don’t kill birds, and apparently12 they do kill cats,” Terry declared. “MUST be men here. Hark!”
We had heard something: something not in the least like a birdsong, and very much like a suppressed whisper of laughter—a little happy sound, instantly smothered13. We stood like so many pointers, and then used our glasses, swiftly, carefully.
“It couldn’t have been far off,” said Terry excitedly. “How about this big tree?”
There was a very large and beautiful tree in the glade10 we had just entered, with thick wide-spreading branches that sloped out in lapping fans like a beech14 or pine. It was trimmed underneath15 some twenty feet up, and stood there like a huge umbrella, with circling seats beneath.
“Look,” he pursued. “There are short stumps16 of branches left to climb on. There’s someone up that tree, I believe.”
We stole near, cautiously.
“Look out for a poisoned arrow in your eye,” I suggested, but Terry pressed forward, sprang up on the seat-back, and grasped the trunk. “In my heart, more likely,” he answered. “Gee! Look, boys!”
We rushed close in and looked up. There among the boughs17 overhead was something—more than one something—that clung motionless, close to the great trunk at first, and then, as one and all we started up the tree, separated into three swift-moving figures and fled upward. As we climbed we could catch glimpses of them scattering18 above us. By the time we had reached about as far as three men together dared push, they had left the main trunk and moved outward, each one balanced on a long branch that dipped and swayed beneath the weight.
We paused uncertain. If we pursued further, the boughs would break under the double burden. We might shake them off, perhaps, but none of us was so inclined. In the soft dappled light of these high regions, breathless with our rapid climb, we rested awhile, eagerly studying our objects of pursuit; while they in turn, with no more terror than a set of frolicsome19 children in a game of tag, sat as lightly as so many big bright birds on their precarious20 perches21 and frankly22, curiously23, stared at us.
“Peaches!” added Terry, scarcely louder. “Peacherinos—apricot-nectarines! Whew!”
They were girls, of course, no boys could ever have shown that sparkling beauty, and yet none of us was certain at first.
We saw short hair, hatless, loose, and shining; a suit of some light firm stuff, the closest of tunics25 and kneebreeches, met by trim gaiters. As bright and smooth as parrots and as unaware26 of danger, they swung there before us, wholly at ease, staring as we stared, till first one, and then all of them burst into peals27 of delighted laughter.
Then there was a torrent28 of soft talk tossed back and forth29; no savage30 sing-song, but clear musical fluent speech.
We met their laughter cordially, and doffed31 our hats to them, at which they laughed again, delightedly.
Then Terry, wholly in his element, made a polite speech, with explanatory gestures, and proceeded to introduce us, with pointing finger. “Mr. Jeff Margrave,” he said clearly; Jeff bowed as gracefully32 as a man could in the fork of a great limb. “Mr. Vandyck Jennings”—I also tried to make an effective salute33 and nearly lost my balance.
Then Terry laid his hand upon his chest—a fine chest he had, too, and introduced himself; he was braced34 carefully for the occasion and achieved an excellent obeisance35.
Again they laughed delightedly, and the one nearest me followed his tactics.
“Celis,” she said distinctly, pointing to the one in blue; “Alima”—the one in rose; then, with a vivid imitation of Terry’s impressive manner, she laid a firm delicate hand on her gold-green jerkin—“Ellador.” This was pleasant, but we got no nearer.
“We can’t sit here and learn the language,” Terry protested. He beckoned36 to them to come nearer, most winningly—but they gaily37 shook their heads. He suggested, by signs, that we all go down together; but again they shook their heads, still merrily. Then Ellador clearly indicated that we should go down, pointing to each and all of us, with unmistakable firmness; and further seeming to imply by the sweep of a lithe38 arm that we not only go downward, but go away altogether—at which we shook our heads in turn.
“Have to use bait,” grinned Terry. “I don’t know about you fellows, but I came prepared.” He produced from an inner pocket a little box of purple velvet39, that opened with a snap—and out of it he drew a long sparkling thing, a necklace of big varicolored stones that would have been worth a million if real ones. He held it up, swung it, glittering in the sun, offered it first to one, then to another, holding it out as far as he could reach toward the girl nearest him. He stood braced in the fork, held firmly by one hand—the other, swinging his bright temptation, reached far out along the bough, but not quite to his full stretch.
She was visibly moved, I noted40, hesitated, spoke to her companions. They chattered41 softly together, one evidently warning her, the other encouraging. Then, softly and slowly, she drew nearer. This was Alima, a tall long-limbed lass, well-knit and evidently both strong and agile42. Her eyes were splendid, wide, fearless, as free from suspicion as a child’s who has never been rebuked43. Her interest was more that of an intent boy playing a fascinating game than of a girl lured44 by an ornament.
The others moved a bit farther out, holding firmly, watching. Terry’s smile was irreproachable45, but I did not like the look in his eyes—it was like a creature about to spring. I could already see it happen—the dropped necklace, the sudden clutching hand, the girl’s sharp cry as he seized her and drew her in. But it didn’t happen. She made a timid reach with her right hand for the gay swinging thing—he held it a little nearer—then, swift as light, she seized it from him with her left, and dropped on the instant to the bough below.
He made his snatch, quite vainly, almost losing his position as his hand clutched only air; and then, with inconceivable rapidity, the three bright creatures were gone. They dropped from the ends of the big boughs to those below, fairly pouring themselves off the tree, while we climbed downward as swiftly as we could. We heard their vanishing gay laughter, we saw them fleeting46 away in the wide open reaches of the forest, and gave chase, but we might as well have chased wild antelopes47; so we stopped at length somewhat breathless.
“No use,” gasped48 Terry. “They got away with it. My word! The men of this country must be good sprinters!”
“Inhabitants evidently arboreal,” I grimly suggested. “Civilized49 and still arboreal—peculiar people.”
“You shouldn’t have tried that way,” Jeff protested. “They were perfectly50 friendly; now we’ve scared them.”
But it was no use grumbling51, and Terry refused to admit any mistake. “Nonsense,” he said. “They expected it. Women like to be run after. Come on, let’s get to that town; maybe we’ll find them there. Let’s see, it was in this direction and not far from the woods, as I remember.”
When we reached the edge of the open country we reconnoitered with our field glasses. There it was, about four miles off, the same town, we concluded, unless, as Jeff ventured, they all had pink houses. The broad green fields and closely cultivated gardens sloped away at our feet, a long easy slant52, with good roads winding53 pleasantly here and there, and narrower paths besides.
“Look at that!” cried Jeff suddenly. “There they go!”
Sure enough, close to the town, across a wide meadow, three bright-hued figures were running swiftly.
“How could they have got that far in this time? It can’t be the same ones,” I urged. But through the glasses we could identify our pretty tree-climbers quite plainly, at least by costume.
Terry watched them, we all did for that matter, till they disappeared among the houses. Then he put down his glass and turned to us, drawing a long breath. “Mother of Mike, boys—what Gorgeous Girls! To climb like that! to run like that! and afraid of nothing. This country suits me all right. Let’s get ahead.”
“Nothing venture, nothing have,” I suggested, but Terry preferred “Faint heart ne’er won fair lady.”
We set forth in the open, walking briskly. “If there are any men, we’d better keep an eye out,” I suggested, but Jeff seemed lost in heavenly dreams, and Terry in highly practical plans.
“What a perfect road! What a heavenly country! See the flowers, will you?”
The road was some sort of hard manufactured stuff, sloped slightly to shed rain, with every curve and grade and gutter55 as perfect as if it were Europe’s best. “No men, eh?” sneered56 Terry. On either side a double row of trees shaded the footpaths57; between the trees bushes or vines, all fruit-bearing, now and then seats and little wayside fountains; everywhere flowers.
“We’d better import some of these ladies and set ‘em to parking the United States,” I suggested. “Mighty nice place they’ve got here.” We rested a few moments by one of the fountains, tested the fruit that looked ripe, and went on, impressed, for all our gay bravado58 by the sense of quiet potency59 which lay about us.
Here was evidently a people highly skilled, efficient, caring for their country as a florist60 cares for his costliest61 orchids62. Under the soft brilliant blue of that clear sky, in the pleasant shade of those endless rows of trees, we walked unharmed, the placid63 silence broken only by the birds.
Presently there lay before us at the foot of a long hill the town or village we were aiming for. We stopped and studied it.
Jeff drew a long breath. “I wouldn’t have believed a collection of houses could look so lovely,” he said.
“They’ve got architects and landscape gardeners in plenty, that’s sure,” agreed Terry.
I was astonished myself. You see, I come from California, and there’s no country lovelier, but when it comes to towns—! I have often groaned64 at home to see the offensive mess man made in the face of nature, even though I’m no art sharp, like Jeff. But this place! It was built mostly of a sort of dull rose-colored stone, with here and there some clear white houses; and it lay abroad among the green groves65 and gardens like a broken rosary of pink coral.
“Those big white ones are public buildings evidently,” Terry declared. “This is no savage country, my friend. But no men? Boys, it behooves66 us to go forward most politely.”
The place had an odd look, more impressive as we approached. “It’s like an exposition.” “It’s too pretty to be true.” “Plenty of palaces, but where are the homes?” “Oh there are little ones enough—but—.” It certainly was different from any towns we had ever seen.
“There’s no dirt,” said Jeff suddenly. “There’s no smoke,” he added after a little.
“There’s no noise,” I offered; but Terry snubbed me—“That’s because they are laying low for us; we’d better be careful how we go in there.”
Nothing could induce him to stay out, however, so we walked on.
Everything was beauty, order, perfect cleanness, and the pleasantest sense of home over it all. As we neared the center of the town the houses stood thicker, ran together as it were, grew into rambling67 palaces grouped among parks and open squares, something as college buildings stand in their quiet greens.
And then, turning a corner, we came into a broad paved space and saw before us a band of women standing68 close together in even order, evidently waiting for us.
We stopped a moment and looked back. The street behind was closed by another band, marching steadily69, shoulder to shoulder. We went on—there seemed no other way to go—and presently found ourselves quite surrounded by this close-massed multitude, women, all of them, but—
They were not young. They were not old. They were not, in the girl sense, beautiful. They were not in the least ferocious70. And yet, as I looked from face to face, calm, grave, wise, wholly unafraid, evidently assured and determined71, I had the funniest feeling—a very early feeling—a feeling that I traced back and back in memory until I caught up with it at last. It was that sense of being hopelessly in the wrong that I had so often felt in early youth when my short legs’ utmost effort failed to overcome the fact that I was late to school.
Jeff felt it too; I could see he did. We felt like small boys, very small boys, caught doing mischief72 in some gracious lady’s house. But Terry showed no such consciousness. I saw his quick eyes darting73 here and there, estimating numbers, measuring distances, judging chances of escape. He examined the close ranks about us, reaching back far on every side, and murmured softly to me, “Every one of ‘em over forty as I’m a sinner.”
Yet they were not old women. Each was in the full bloom of rosy74 health, erect75, serene76, standing sure-footed and light as any pugilist. They had no weapons, and we had, but we had no wish to shoot.
“I’d as soon shoot my aunts,” muttered Terry again. “What do they want with us anyhow? They seem to mean business.” But in spite of that businesslike aspect, he determined to try his favorite tactics. Terry had come armed with a theory.
He stepped forward, with his brilliant ingratiating smile, and made low obeisance to the women before him. Then he produced another tribute, a broad soft scarf of filmy texture77, rich in color and pattern, a lovely thing, even to my eye, and offered it with a deep bow to the tall unsmiling woman who seemed to head the ranks before him. She took it with a gracious nod of acknowledgment, and passed it on to those behind her.
He tried again, this time bringing out a circlet of rhinestones78, a glittering crown that should have pleased any woman on earth. He made a brief address, including Jeff and me as partners in his enterprise, and with another bow presented this. Again his gift was accepted and, as before, passed out of sight.
“If they were only younger,” he muttered between his teeth. “What on earth is a fellow to say to a regiment79 of old Colonels like this?”
In all our discussions and speculations80 we had always unconsciously assumed that the women, whatever else they might be, would be young. Most men do think that way, I fancy.
“Woman” in the abstract is young, and, we assume, charming. As they get older they pass off the stage, somehow, into private ownership mostly, or out of it altogether. But these good ladies were very much on the stage, and yet any one of them might have been a grandmother.
We looked for nervousness—there was none.
For terror, perhaps—there was none.
For uneasiness, for curiosity, for excitement—and all we saw was what might have been a vigilance committee of women doctors, as cool as cucumbers, and evidently meaning to take us to task for being there.
Six of them stepped forward now, one on either side of each of us, and indicated that we were to go with them. We thought it best to accede81, at first anyway, and marched along, one of these close at each elbow, and the others in close masses before, behind, on both sides.
A large building opened before us, a very heavy thick-walled impressive place, big, and old-looking; of gray stone, not like the rest of the town.
“This won’t do!” said Terry to us, quickly. “We mustn’t let them get us in this, boys. All together, now—”
We stopped in our tracks. We began to explain, to make signs pointing away toward the big forest—indicating that we would go back to it—at once.
It makes me laugh, knowing all I do now, to think of us three boys—nothing else; three audacious impertinent boys—butting into an unknown country without any sort of a guard or defense82. We seemed to think that if there were men we could fight them, and if there were only women—why, they would be no obstacles at all.
Jeff, with his gentle romantic old-fashioned notions of women as clinging vines. Terry, with his clear decided83 practical theories that there were two kinds of women—those he wanted and those he didn’t; Desirable and Undesirable84 was his demarcation. The latter as a large class, but negligible—he had never thought about them at all.
And now here they were, in great numbers, evidently indifferent to what he might think, evidently determined on some purpose of their own regarding him, and apparently well able to enforce their purpose.
We all thought hard just then. It had not seemed wise to object to going with them, even if we could have; our one chance was friendliness—a civilized attitude on both sides.
But once inside that building, there was no knowing what these determined ladies might do to us. Even a peaceful detention85 was not to our minds, and when we named it imprisonment86 it looked even worse.
So we made a stand, trying to make clear that we preferred the open country. One of them came forward with a sketch87 of our flier, asking by signs if we were the aerial visitors they had seen.
This we admitted.
They pointed88 to it again, and to the outlying country, in different directions—but we pretended we did not know where it was, and in truth we were not quite sure and gave a rather wild indication of its whereabouts.
Again they motioned us to advance, standing so packed about the door that there remained but the one straight path open. All around us and behind they were massed solidly—there was simply nothing to do but go forward—or fight.
We held a consultation89.
“I never fought with women in my life,” said Terry, greatly perturbed90, “but I’m not going in there. I’m not going to be—herded in—as if we were in a cattle chute.”
“We can’t fight them, of course,” Jeff urged. “They’re all women, in spite of their nondescript clothes; nice women, too; good strong sensible faces. I guess we’ll have to go in.”
“We may never get out, if we do,” I told them. “Strong and sensible, yes; but I’m not so sure about the good. Look at those faces!”
They had stood at ease, waiting while we conferred together, but never relaxing their close attention.
Their attitude was not the rigid91 discipline of soldiers; there was no sense of compulsion about them. Terry’s term of a “vigilance committee” was highly descriptive. They had just the aspect of sturdy burghers, gathered hastily to meet some common need or peril92, all moved by precisely93 the same feelings, to the same end.
Never, anywhere before, had I seen women of precisely this quality. Fishwives and market women might show similar strength, but it was coarse and heavy. These were merely athletic—light and powerful. College professors, teachers, writers—many women showed similar intelligence but often wore a strained nervous look, while these were as calm as cows, for all their evident intellect.
We observed pretty closely just then, for all of us felt that it was a crucial moment.
The leader gave some word of command and beckoned us on, and the surrounding mass moved a step nearer.
“We’ve got to decide quick,” said Terry.
“I vote to go in,” Jeff urged. But we were two to one against him and he loyally stood by us. We made one more effort to be let go, urgent, but not imploring94. In vain.
“Now for a rush, boys!” Terry said. “And if we can’t break ‘em, I’ll shoot in the air.”
Then we found ourselves much in the position of the suffragette trying to get to the Parliament buildings through a triple cordon95 of London police.
The solidity of those women was something amazing. Terry soon found that it was useless, tore himself loose for a moment, pulled his revolver, and fired upward. As they caught at it, he fired again—we heard a cry—.
Instantly each of us was seized by five women, each holding arm or leg or head; we were lifted like children, straddling helpless children, and borne onward96, wriggling97 indeed, but most ineffectually.
We were borne inside, struggling manfully, but held secure most womanfully, in spite of our best endeavors.
So carried and so held, we came into a high inner hall, gray and bare, and were brought before a majestic98 gray-haired woman who seemed to hold a judicial99 position.
There was some talk, not much, among them, and then suddenly there fell upon each of us at once a firm hand holding a wetted cloth before mouth and nose—an order of swimming sweetness—anesthesia.
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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botanist
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| n.植物学家 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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glades
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| n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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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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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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frolicsome
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precarious
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perches
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| 栖息处( perch的名词复数 )； 栖枝； 高处； 鲈鱼 | |
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frankly
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curiously
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spoke
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tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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unaware
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peals
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torrent
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forth
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savage
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doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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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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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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obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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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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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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irreproachable
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| adj.不可指责的，无过失的 | |
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fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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antelopes
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| 羚羊( antelope的名词复数 )； 羚羊皮革 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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enthusiast
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| n.热心人，热衷者 | |
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gutter
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| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
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sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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footpaths
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| 人行小径，人行道( footpath的名词复数 ) | |
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bravado
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| n.虚张声势，故作勇敢，逞能 | |
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potency
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| n. 效力，潜能 | |
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florist
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| n.花商；种花者 | |
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costliest
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| adj.昂贵的( costly的最高级 )；代价高的；引起困难的；造成损失的 | |
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orchids
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| n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 ) | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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behooves
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| n.利益，好处( behoof的名词复数 )v.适宜( behoove的第三人称单数 ) | |
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rambling
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| adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的 | |
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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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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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rhinestones
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| n.莱茵石，人造钻石( rhinestone的名词复数 ) | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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accede
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| v.应允，同意 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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84
undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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perturbed
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| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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95
cordon
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| n.警戒线，哨兵线 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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98
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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judicial
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| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
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