It happens that I am myself endowed with an unusual tenacity21 of vision. I could, for instance, easily outstare any man I ever met. Yet, as I continued to stare at this man, I was conscious that it was only by an effort of will that I was able to resist a baleful something which seemed to be passing from his eyes to mine. It might have been imagination, but, in that sense, I am not an imaginative man; and, if it was, it was imagination of an unpleasantly vivid kind. I could understand how, in the case of a nervous, or a sensitive temperament22, the fellow might exercise, by means of the peculiar quality of his glance alone, an influence of a most disastrous23 sort, which given an appropriate subject in the manifestation24 of its power might approach almost to the supernatural. If ever man was endowed with the traditional evil eye, in which Italians, among modern nations, are such profound believers, it was he.
When we had stared at each other for, I daresay, quite five minutes, I began to think I had had about enough of it. So, by way of breaking the ice, I put to him a question.
‘May I ask how you found your way into my back yard?’
He did not reply in words, but, raising his hands he lowered them, palms downward, with a gesture which was peculiarly oriental.
‘Indeed?—Is that so?—Your meaning may be lucidity25 itself to you, but, for my benefit, perhaps you would not mind translating it into words. Once more I ask, how did you find your way into my back yard?’
Again nothing but the gesture.
‘Possibly you are not sufficiently26 acquainted with English manners and customs to be aware that you have placed yourself within reach of the pains and penalties of the law. Were I to call in the police you would find yourself in an awkward situation,—and, unless you are presently more explanatory, called in they will be.’
By way of answer he indulged in a distortion of the countenance which might have been meant for a smile,—and which seemed to suggest that he regarded the police with a contempt which was too great for words.
‘Why do you laugh—do you think that being threatened with the police is a joke? You are not likely to find it so.—Have you suddenly been bereft27 of the use of your tongue?’
He proved that he had not by using it.
‘I have still the use of my tongue.’
‘That, at least, is something. Perhaps, since the subject of how you got into my back yard seems to be a delicate one, you will tell me why you got there.’
‘You know why I have come.’
‘You do know.’
‘Do I?—Then, in that case, I presume that you are here for the reason which appears upon the surface,—to commit a felony.’
‘You call me thief?’
‘What else are you?’
‘I am no thief.—You know why I have come.’
He raised his head a little. A look came into his eyes which I felt that I ought to understand, yet to the meaning of which I seemed, for the instant, to have mislaid the key. I shrugged29 my shoulders.
‘I have come because you wanted me.’
‘All night you have wanted me,—do I not know? When she talked to you of him, and the blood boiled in your veins; when he spoke31, and all the people listened, and you hated him, because he had honour in her eyes.’
I was startled. Either he meant what it appeared incredible that he could mean, or—there was confusion somewhere.
‘Take my advice, my friend, and don’t try to come the bunco-steerer over me,—I’m a bit in that line myself, you know.’
This time the score was mine,—he was puzzled.
‘I know not what you talk of.’
‘In that case, we’re equal,—I know not what you talk of either.’
‘What is it you do not know? This morning did I not say,—if you want me, then I come?’
‘I fancy I have some faint recollection of your being so good as to say something of the kind, but—where’s the application?’
‘Do you not feel for him the same as I?’
‘Who’s the him?’
‘Paul Lessingham.’
It was spoken quietly, but with a degree of—to put it gently—spitefulness which showed that at least the will to do the Apostle harm would not be lacking.
‘And, pray, what is the common feeling which we have for him?’
‘Hate.’
Plainly, with this gentleman, hate meant hate,—in the solid oriental sense. I should hardly have been surprised if the mere33 utterance34 of the words had seared his lips.
‘I am by no means prepared to admit that I have this feeling which you attribute to me, but, even granting that I have, what then?’
‘That, also, I should be slow to admit; but—to go a step farther—what has all this to do with your presence on my premises35 at this hour of the night?’
‘You love her.’ This time I did not ask him to supply the name,—being unwilling36 that it should be soiled by the traffic of his lips. ‘She loves him,—that is not well. If you choose, she shall love you,—that will be well.’
‘Indeed.—And pray how is this consummation which is so devoutly37 to be desired to be brought about?’
‘Put your hand into mine. Say that you wish it. It shall be done.’
Moving a step forward, he stretched out his hand towards me. I hesitated. There was that in the fellow’s manner which, for the moment, had for me an unwholesome fascination38. Memories flashed through my mind of stupid stories which have been told of compacts made with the devil. I almost felt as if I was standing in the actual presence of one of the powers of evil. I thought of my love for Marjorie,—which had revealed itself after all these years; of the delight of holding her in my arms, of feeling the pressure of her lips to mine. As my gaze met his, the lower side of what the conquest of this fair lady would mean, burned in my brain; fierce imaginings blazed before my eyes. To win her,—only to win her!
What nonsense he was talking! What empty brag39 it was! Suppose, just for the sake of the joke, I did put my hand in his, and did wish, right out, what it was plain he knew. If I wished, what harm would it do! It would be the purest jest. Out of his own mouth he would be confounded, for it was certain that nothing would come of it. Why should I not do it then?
I would act on his suggestion,—I would carry the thing right through. Already I was advancing towards him, when—I stopped. I don’t know why. On the instant, my thoughts went off at a tangent.
What sort of a blackguard did I call myself that I should take a woman’s name in vain for the sake of playing fool’s tricks with such scum of the earth as the hideous40 vagabond in front of me,—and that the name of the woman whom I loved? Rage took hold of me.
‘You hound!’ I cried.
In my sudden passage from one mood to another, I was filled with the desire to shake the life half out of him. But so soon as I moved a step in his direction, intending war instead of peace, he altered the position of his hand, holding it out towards me as if forbidding my approach. Directly he did so, quite involuntarily, I pulled up dead,—as if my progress had been stayed by bars of iron and walls of steel.
For the moment, I was astonished to the verge41 of stupefaction. The sensation was peculiar. I was as incapable42 of advancing another inch in his direction as if I had lost the use of my limbs,—I was even incapable of attempting to attempt to advance. At first I could only stare and gape43. Presently I began to have an inkling of what had happened.
The scoundrel had almost succeeded in hypnotising me.
That was a nice thing to happen to a man of my sort at my time of life. A shiver went down my back,—what might have occurred if I had not pulled up in time! What pranks44 might a creature of that character not have been disposed to play. It was the old story of the peril45 of playing with edged tools; I had made the dangerous mistake of underrating the enemy’s strength. Evidently, in his own line, the fellow was altogether something out of the usual way.
I believe that even as it was he thought he had me. As I turned away, and leaned against the table at my back, I fancy that he shivered,—as if this proof of my being still my own master was unexpected. I was silent,—it took some seconds to enable me to recover from the shock of the discovery of the peril in which I had been standing. Then I resolved that I would endeavour to do something which should make me equal to this gentleman of many talents.
‘Take my advice, my friend, and don’t attempt to play that hankey pankey off on to me again.’
‘I don’t know what you talk of.’
‘Don’t lie to me,—or I’ll burn you into ashes.’
Behind me was an electrical machine, giving an eighteen inch spark. It was set in motion by a lever fitted into the table, which I could easily reach from where I sat. As I spoke the visitor was treated to a little exhibition of electricity. The change in his bearing was amusing. He shook with terror. He salaamed46 down to the ground.
‘My lord!—my lord!—have mercy, oh my lord!’
‘Then you be careful, that’s all. You may suppose yourself to be something of a magician, but it happens, unfortunately for you, that I can do a bit in that line myself,—perhaps I’m a trifle better at the game than you are. Especially as you have ventured into my stronghold, which contains magic enough to make a show of a hundred thousand such as you.’
Taking down a bottle from a shelf, I sprinkled a drop or two of its contents on the floor. Immediately flames arose, accompanied by a blinding vapour. It was a sufficiently simple illustration of one of the qualities of phosphorous-bromide, but its effect upon my visitor was as startling as it was unexpected. If I could believe the evidence of my own eyesight, in the very act of giving utterance to a scream of terror he disappeared, how, or why, or whither, there was nothing to show,—in his place, where he had been standing, there seemed to be a dim object of some sort in a state of frenzied47 agitation48 on the floor. The phosphorescent vapour was confusing; the lights appeared to be suddenly burning low; before I had sense enough to go and see if there was anything there, and, if so, what, the flames had vanished, the man himself had reappeared, and, prostrated49 on his knees, was salaaming50 in a condition of abject51 terror.
‘I’ll use you as my slave!’ Whether he or I was the more agitated54 it would have been difficult to say,—but, at least, it would not have done to betray my feelings as he did his. ‘Stand up!’
He stood up. I eyed him as he did with an interest which, so far as I was concerned, was of a distinctly new and original sort. Whether or not I had been the victim of an ocular delusion55 I could not be sure. It was incredible to suppose that he could have disappeared as he had seemed to disappear,—it was also incredible that I could have imagined his disappearance56. If the thing had been a trick, I had not the faintest notion how it had been worked; and, if it was not a trick, then what was it? Was it something new in scientific marvels57? Could he give me as much instruction in the qualities of unknown forces as I could him?
In the meanwhile he stood in an attitude of complete submission58, with downcast eyes, and hands crossed upon his breast. I started to cross-examine him.
‘I am going to ask you some questions. So long as you answer them promptly, truthfully, you will be safe. Otherwise you had best beware.’
‘Ask, oh my lord.’
‘What is the nature of your objection to Mr Lessingham?’
‘Revenge.’
‘What has he done to you that you should wish to be revenged on him?’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘Who has he killed?’
‘That, my lord, is for me,—and for him.’
‘I see.—Am I to understand that you do not choose to answer me, and that I am again to use my—magic?’
I saw that he quivered.
‘My lord, he has spilled the blood of her who has lain upon his breast.’
I hesitated. What he meant appeared clear enough. Perhaps it would be as well not to press for further details. The words pointed61 to what it might be courteous62 to call an Eastern Romance,—though it was hard to conceive of the Apostle figuring as the hero of such a theme. It was the old tale retold, that to the life of every man there is a background,—that it is precisely in the unlikeliest cases that the background’s darkest. What would that penny-plain-and-twopence-coloured bogey63, the Nonconformist Conscience, make of such a story if it were blazoned64 through the land. Would Paul not come down with a run?
‘“Spilling blood” is a figure of speech; pretty, perhaps, but vague. If you mean that Mr Lessingham has been killing65 someone, your surest and most effectual revenge would be gained by an appeal to the law.’
‘What has the Englishman’s law to do with me?’
‘If you can prove that he has been guilty of murder it would have a great deal to do with you. I assure you that at any rate, in that sense, the Englishman’s law is no respecter of persons. Show him to be guilty, and it would hang Paul Lessingham as indifferently, and as cheerfully, as it would hang Bill Brown.’
‘Is that so?’
‘It is so, as, if you choose, you will be easily able to prove to your own entire satisfaction.’
He had raised his head, and was looking at something which he seemed to see in front of him with a maleficent glare in his sensitive eyes which it was not nice to see.
‘He would be shamed?’
‘Indeed he would be shamed.’
‘Before all men?’
‘Before all men,—and, I take it, before all women too.’
‘And he would hang?’
His hideous face was lighted up by a sort of diabolical67 exultation68 which made it, if that were possible, more hideous still. I had apparently69 given him a wrinkle which pleased him most consummately70.
‘Perhaps I will do that in the end,—in the end!’ He opened his eyes to their widest limits, then shut them tight,—as if to gloat on the picture which his fancy painted. Then reopened them. ‘In the meantime I will have vengeance in my own fashion. He knows already that the avenger71 is upon him,—he has good reason to know it. And through the days and the nights the knowledge shall be with him still, and it shall be to him as the bitterness of death,—aye, of many deaths. For he will know that escape there is none, and that for him there shall be no more sun in the sky, and that the terror shall be with him by night and by day, at his rising up and at his lying down, wherever his eyes shall turn it shall be there,—yet, behold72, the sap and the juice of my vengeance is in this, in that though he shall be very sure that the days that are, are as the days of his death, yet shall he know that THE DEATH, THE GREAT DEATH, is coming—coming—and shall be on him—when I will!’
The fellow spoke like an inspired maniac73. If he meant half what he said,—and if he did not then his looks and his tones belied74 him!—then a promising75 future bade fair to be in store for Mr Lessingham,—and, also, circumstances being as they were, for Marjorie. It was this latter reflection which gave me pause. Either this imprecatory fanatic76 would have to be disposed of, by Lessingham himself, or by someone acting77 on his behalf, and, so far as their power of doing mischief78 went, his big words proved empty windbags79, or Marjorie would have to be warned that there was at least one passage in her suitor’s life, into which, ere it was too late, it was advisable that inquiry80 should be made. To allow Marjorie to irrevocably link her fate with the Apostle’s, without being first of all made aware that he was, to all intents and purposes, a haunted man—that was not to be thought of.
‘You employ large phrases.’
My words cooled the other’s heated blood. Once more his eyes were cast down, his hands crossed upon his breast.
‘By the way, what was the secret history, this morning, of that little incident of the cockroach82?’
He glanced up quickly.
‘Cockroach?—I know not what you say.’
‘Beetle!’
‘After you went we found, upon a sheet of paper, a capitally executed drawing of a beetle, which, I fancy, you must have left behind you,—Scarabaeus sacer, wasn’t it?’
‘I know not what you talk of.’
‘Its discovery seemed to have quite a singular effect on Mr Lessingham. Now, why was that?’
‘I know nothing.’
‘Oh yes you do,—and, before you go, I mean to know something too.’
The man was trembling, looking this way and that, showing signs of marked discomfiture85. That there was something about that ancient scarab, which figures so largely in the still unravelled86 tangles87 of the Egyptian mythologies88, and the effect which the mere sight of its cartouch—for the drawing had resembled something of the kind—had had on such a seasoned vessel89 as Paul Lessingham, which might be well worth my finding out, I felt convinced,—the man’s demeanour, on my recurring90 to the matter, told its own plain tale. I made up my mind, if possible, to probe the business to the bottom, then and there.
‘Listen to me, my friend. I am a plain man, and I use plain speech,—it’s a kind of hobby I have. You will give me the information I require, and that at once, or I will pit my magic against yours,—in which case I think it extremely probable that you will come off worst from the encounter.’
I reached out for the lever, and the exhibition of electricity recommenced. Immediately his tremors91 were redoubled.
‘My lord, I know not of what you talk.’
‘None of your lies for me.—Tell me why, at the sight of the thing on that sheet of paper, Paul Lessingham went green and yellow.’
‘Ask him, my lord.’
‘Probably, later on, that is what I shall do. In the meantime, I am asking you. Answer,—or look out for squalls.’
The electrical exhibition was going on. He was glaring at it as if he wished that it would stop. As if ashamed of his cowardice92, plainly, on a sudden, he made a desperate effort to get the better of his fears,—and succeeded better than I had expected or desired. He drew himself up with what, in him, amounted to an air of dignity.
‘I am a child of Isis!’
It struck me that he made this remark, not so much to impress me, as with a view of elevating his own low spirits.
‘Are you?—Then, in that case, I regret that I am unable to congratulate the lady on her offspring.’
When I said that, a ring came into his voice which I had not heard before.
‘Silence!—You know not of what you speak!—I warn you, as I warned Paul Lessingham, be careful not to go too far. Be not like him,—heed my warning.’
‘What is it I am being warned against,—the beetle?’
‘Yes,—the beetle!’
Were I upon oath, and this statement being made, in the presence of witnesses, say, in a solicitor’s office, I standing in fear of pains and penalties, I think that, at this point, I should leave the paper blank. No man likes to own himself a fool, or that he ever was a fool,—and ever since I have been wondering whether, on that occasion, that ‘child of Isis’ did, or did not, play the fool with me. His performance was realistic enough at the time, heaven knows. But, as it gets farther and farther away, I ask myself, more and more confidently, as time effluxes, whether, after all, it was not clever juggling93,—superhumanly clever juggling, if you will; that, and nothing more. If it was something more, then, with a vengeance! there is more in heaven and earth than is dreamed of in our philosophy. The mere possibility opens vistas94 which the sane95 mind fears to contemplate96.
Since, then, I am not on oath, and, should I fall short of verbal accuracy, I do not need to fear the engines of the law, what seemed to happen was this.
He was standing within about ten feet of where I leaned against the edge of the table. The light was full on, so that it was difficult to suppose that I could make a mistake as to what took place in front of me. As he replied to my mocking allusion97 to the beetle by echoing my own words, he vanished,—or, rather, I saw him taking a different shape before my eyes. His loose draperies all fell off him, and, as they were in the very act of falling, there issued, or there seemed to issue out of them, a monstrous98 creature of the beetle tribe,—the man himself was gone. On the point of size I wish to make myself clear. My impression, when I saw it first, was that it was as large as the man had been, and that it was, in some way, standing up on end, the legs towards me. But, the moment it came in view, it began to dwindle99, and that so rapidly that, in a couple of seconds at most, a little heap of drapery was lying on the floor, on which was a truly astonishing example of the coleoptera. It appeared to be a beetle. It was, perhaps, six or seven inches high, and about a foot in length. Its scales were of a vivid golden green. I could distinctly see where the wings were sheathed100 along the back, and, as they seemed to be slightly agitated, I looked, every moment, to see them opened, and the thing take wing.
I was so astonished,—as who would not have been?—that for an appreciable101 space of time I was practically in a state of stupefaction. I could do nothing but stare. I was acquainted with the legendary102 transmigrations of Isis, and with the story of the beetle which issues from the woman’s womb through all eternity103, and with the other pretty tales, but this, of which I was an actual spectator, was something new, even in legends. If the man, with whom I had just been speaking, was gone, where had he gone to? If this glittering creature was there, in his stead, whence had it come?
I do protest this much, that, after the first shock of surprise had passed, I retained my presence of mind. I felt as an investigator104 might feel, who has stumbled, haphazard105, on some astounding106, some epoch-making, discovery. I was conscious that I should have to make the best use of my mental faculties107 if I was to take full advantage of so astonishing an accident. I kept my glance riveted108 on the creature, with the idea of photographing it on my brain. I believe that if it were possible to take a retinal print—which it someday will be—you would have a perfect picture of what it was I saw. Beyond doubt it was a lamellicorn, one of the copridae. With the one exception of its monstrous size, there were the characteristics in plain view;—the convex body, the large head, the projecting clypeus. More, its smooth head and throat seemed to suggest that it was a female. Equally beyond a doubt, apart from its size, there were unusual features present too. The eyes were not only unwontedly conspicuous109, they gleamed as if they were lighted by internal flames,—in some indescribable fashion they reminded me of my vanished visitor. The colouring was superb, and the creature appeared to have the chameleon-like faculty110 of lightening and darkening the shades at will. Its not least curious feature was its restlessness. It was in a state of continual agitation; and, as if it resented my inspection111, the more I looked at it the more its agitation grew. As I have said, I expected every moment to see it take wing and circle through the air.
All the while I was casting about in my mind as to what means I could use to effect its capture. I did think of killing it, and, on the whole, I rather wish that I had at any rate attempted slaughter,—there were dozens of things, lying ready to my hand, any one of which would have severely112 tried its constitution;—but, on the spur of the moment, the only method of taking it alive which occurred to me, was to pop over it a big tin canister which had contained soda-lime. This canister was on the floor to my left. I moved towards it, as nonchalantly as I could, keeping an eye on that shining wonder all the time. Directly I moved, its agitation perceptibly increased,—it was, so to speak, all one whirr of tremblement; it scintillated113, as if its coloured scales had been so many prisms; it began to unsheath its wings, as if it had finally decided114 that it would make use of them. Picking up the tin, disembarrassing it of its lid, I sprang towards my intended victim. Its wings opened wide; obviously it was about to rise; but it was too late. Before it had cleared the ground, the tin was over it.
It remained over it, however, for an instant only. I had stumbled, in my haste, and, in my effort to save myself from falling face foremost on to the floor, I was compelled to remove my hands from the tin. Before I was able to replace them, the tin was sent flying, and, while I was still partially115 recumbent, within eighteen inches of me, that beetle swelled116 and swelled, until it had assumed its former portentous dimensions, when, as it seemed, it was enveloped117 by a human shape, and in less time than no time, there stood in front of me, naked from top to toe, my truly versatile118 oriental friend. One startling fact nudity revealed,—that I had been egregiously119 mistaken on the question of sex. My visitor was not a man, but a woman, and, judging from the brief glimpse which I had of her body, by no means old or ill-shaped either.
If that transformation120 was not a bewildering one, then two and two make five. The most level-headed scientist would temporarily have lost his mental equipoise on witnessing such a quick change as that within a span or two of his own nose I was not only witless, I was breathless too,—I could only gape. And, while I gaped121, the woman, stooping down, picking up her draperies, began to huddle122 them on her anyhow,—and, also, to skeddadle towards the door which led into the yard. When I observed this last manoeuvre123, to some extent I did rise to the requirements of the situation. Leaping up, I rushed to stay her flight.
‘Stop!’ I shouted.
But she was too quick for me. Ere I could reach her, she had opened the door, and was through it,—and, what was more, she had slammed it in my face. In my excitement, I did some fumbling124 with the handle. When, in my turn, I was in the yard, she was out of sight. I did fancy I saw a dim form disappearing over the wall at the further side, and I made for it as fast as I knew how. I clambered on to the wall, looking this way and that, but there was nothing and no one to be seen. I listened for the sound of retreating footsteps, but all was still. Apparently I had the entire neighbourhood to my own sweet self. My visitor had vanished. Time devoted125 to pursuit I felt would be time ill-spent.
As I returned across the yard, Woodville, who still was taking his rest under the open canopy126 of heaven, sat up. Seemingly my approach had roused him out of slumber127. At sight of me he rubbed his eyes, and yawned, and blinked.
‘I say,’ he remarked, not at all unreasonably128, ‘where am I?’
‘You’re on holy—or on haunted ground,—hang me if I quite know which!—but that’s where you are, my boy.’
‘By Jove!—I am feeling queer!—I have got a headache, don’t you know.’
‘I shouldn’t be in the least surprised at anything you have, or haven’t,—I’m beyond surprise. It’s a drop of whisky you are wanting,—and what I’m wanting too,—only, for goodness sake, drop me none of your drops! Mine is a case for a bottle at the least.’
I put my arm through his, and went with him into the laboratory. And, when we were in, I shut, and locked, and barred the door.
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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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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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erred
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| 犯错误，做错事( err的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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pristine
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| adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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faceted
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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kin
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promptly
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tenacity
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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23
disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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24
manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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25
lucidity
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| n.明朗，清晰，透明 | |
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26
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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27
bereft
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| adj.被剥夺的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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29
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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30
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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31
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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32
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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33
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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34
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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35
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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36
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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37
devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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38
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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39
brag
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| v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的 | |
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40
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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41
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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42
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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43
gape
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| v.张口，打呵欠，目瞪口呆地凝视 | |
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44
pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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45
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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46
salaamed
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| 行额手礼( salaam的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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48
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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49
prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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50
salaaming
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| 行额手礼( salaam的现在分词 ) | |
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51
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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52
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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53
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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54
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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55
delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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56
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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57
marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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58
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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59
feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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60
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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61
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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62
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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63
bogey
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| n.令人谈之变色之物；妖怪，幽灵 | |
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64
blazoned
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| v.广布( blazon的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布；夸示；装饰 | |
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65
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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66
wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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67
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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68
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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69
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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70
consummately
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| adv.完成地，至上地 | |
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71
avenger
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| n. 复仇者 | |
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72
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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73
maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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74
belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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75
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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76
fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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77
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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78
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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79
windbags
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| n.风囊，饶舌之人( windbag的名词复数 ) | |
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80
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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81
crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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82
cockroach
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| n.蟑螂 | |
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83
beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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84
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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85
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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86
unravelled
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| 解开，拆散，散开( unravel的过去式和过去分词 )； 阐明； 澄清； 弄清楚 | |
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87
tangles
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| （使）缠结， （使）乱作一团( tangle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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88
mythologies
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| 神话学( mythology的名词复数 )； 神话（总称）； 虚构的事实； 错误的观点 | |
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89
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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90
recurring
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| adj.往复的，再次发生的 | |
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91
tremors
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| 震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动 | |
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92
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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93
juggling
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| n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词 | |
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94
vistas
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| 长条形景色( vista的名词复数 )； 回顾； 展望； （未来可能发生的）一系列情景 | |
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95
sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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96
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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97
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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98
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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99
dwindle
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| v.逐渐变小（或减少） | |
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100
sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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101
appreciable
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| adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的 | |
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102
legendary
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| adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学） | |
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103
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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104
investigator
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| n.研究者，调查者，审查者 | |
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105
haphazard
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| adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的 | |
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106
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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107
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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108
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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109
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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110
faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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111
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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112
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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113
scintillated
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| v.（言谈举止中）焕发才智( scintillate的过去式和过去分词 )；谈笑洒脱；闪耀；闪烁 | |
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114
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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115
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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116
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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117
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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118
versatile
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| adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的 | |
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119
egregiously
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| adv.过份地，卓越地 | |
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120
transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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121
gaped
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| v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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122
huddle
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| vi.挤作一团；蜷缩；vt.聚集；n.挤在一起的人 | |
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123
manoeuvre
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| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
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124
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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125
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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126
canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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127
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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128
unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 | |
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