CHAPTER XXIV. THE ENGLISHMAN WITH A “HAW!”

 “Haw, ye don’t mean to say the blawsted thing will fire a shot forty miles?”

 

“Thirty-nine miles, two hundred and fifty yards, fifty-six feet and eleven inches is the exact record, sir.”

 

“But, don’t ye know, that’s almost as far as it is from Lun’nun to Oxford¹, bah Jove!”

 

“Just thirteen feet, three inches further, sir.”

 

“Haw!”

 

“The charge is the most peculiar² part of it, sir.”

 

“Ya-as?”

 

“Very peculiar. In fact, you would hardly believe it.”

 

Clif, who was the speaker, leaned confidentially³ toward his companion, and added, in an impressive whisper:

 

“We use green Holland cheese, sir.”

 

“What! Bah Jove, you cawn’t use cheese to fire a gun, don’t you know?”

 

“Fact, sir. I’m not supposed to give the secret away, but I know you won’t repeat it. The American Government is very progressive, sir. And the American naval⁴ officer is great on inventions. It was a cadet that invented the ‘cheesite,’ as the new explosive is called. He made the discovery in a very queer way.”

 

Clif paused a second for breath, then he continued in the same impressive tone:

 

“He was a shipmate of mine at the academy, sir. His name was Mudd. Funny name, eh? Well, Mudd was very fond of Dutch cheese. Ate it all the time. One day he brought a pound or two into our room—I bunked⁵ with him, you know—and hid it in the stove. There happened to be a little fire in it, and bless me if the cheese and heat didn’t generate gas and blow the room into the middle of the Severn River. I was nearly drowned trying to swim ashore⁶.”

 

“Haw! Most extraordinary. Must make a note of it.”

 

“Great, isn’t it? Well, Mudd—when he left the hospital, had three ribs⁷ broken and lost a piece of his solar plexus—he experimented on the ‘cheesite,’ found the gas, and is now worth a million. Great, isn’t it?”

 

Clif’s companion was an Englishman of about twenty-three. He had a full, round red face with a pair of pronounced “mutton-chop” whiskers. A single glass, or monocle, was screwed tightly in one eye; and he was dressed in tweeds of the loudest patterns.

 

There was a vacant, open-mouthed expression on his face that seemed peculiarly appropriate to his general appearance.

 

The young naval cadet finished his remarkable⁸ description of the discovery of “cheesite” without the slightest indication of mirth.

 

“Haw! Most extraordinary invention!” exclaimed the Englishman. “But you Americans, don’t ye know, are extraordinary creatures, anyway. Haw! I had a cousin who went across the pond a few years ago. Landed in Ohio or some other town, I believe, and started the most peculiar business. Haw! it was really remarkable.”

 

He stopped to give his glass another twist, and continued, with a yawn:

 

“Haw! the cousin was a queer fellow. He ran away to—aw!—Africa or Iceland when he was a youngster, and had a wild time of it. Then he settled down in Lun’nun, and——”

 

“What was the queer business he was in?”

 

“Yas. He settled in the town of Ohio and started a shop, don’t you know. Haw! haw! It was deuced comical. I split me sides every time I think of it, don’t ye know.”

 

“But the business?”

 

“The business? Haw! I forgot what it was, ye know. But it was a blasted peculiar thing. Haw!”

 

Clif laughed.

 

“I am deuced obliged to you for your trouble, don’t ye know,” resumed his companion, extracting an elaborate case from his coat. “Here’s me pasteboard. I—aw—would be delighted to see you again.”

 

“Thanks. I haven’t a card with me, but my name is Faraday, Clifford Faraday, and I am a naval cadet of the new fourth class on board this practice ship, the Monongahela. We left Annapolis, Maryland, where our naval academy is situated⁹, several weeks ago, and have been here in Lisbon three days.”

 

Clif read the card. The words, finely engraved¹⁰, were:

 

“J. Chesire-Cheshire Cate,

 “London, England.”

 

It was shortly before noon. The presence of the old American frigate¹¹, which, despite her age, was trim and neat aloft and alow, had attracted a number of visitors from the city.

 

The officers of the ship and the naval cadets forming the crew, always gallant¹² and hospitable¹³, had welcomed them heartily¹⁴, and were showing the vessel¹⁵.

 

To Clif’s lot had fallen this exaggerated specimen¹⁶ of the genus Briton, and the cadet’s delight was great.

 

He proceeded to spin yarns¹⁷ that even the proverbial marine¹⁸ would not listen to, but J. Chesire-Cheshire Cate simply looked vacant and said “Haw!”

 

The day was bright and pleasant, and the crowd of visitors was constantly increasing. The élite of the city had evidently selected this day on which to inspect the “Yankee” practice ship, as the visitors were altogether of the better class.

 

The broad spar deck was thronged¹⁹ with handsome girls and well-dressed gentlemen. The gay European costumes, interspersed²⁰ here and there with the attractive uniforms of the officers and the natty²¹ dress of the cadets, formed an inspiring scene.

 

A band, made up of naval cadets, discoursed²² sweet music from a tastefully decorated stand on the quarter-deck. From the spanker-gaff floated the Stars and Stripes resplendent in new bunting.

 

While Clif was reading the inscription²³ on the card given him, Nanny hurriedly approached him, and said, in a stage whisper:

 

“She’s coming, Clif. She’s in a boat alongside.”

 

“Who? Not——”

 

“Yes. It’s the girl. It’s Miss Juanita. She’s got another girl with her.”

 

“Thanks,” replied Clif, hurriedly. Turning to J. Chesire-Cheshire Cate, he added:

 

“Please excuse me, sir. I wish to meet a friend.”

 

“Certainly, by all means, deah boy,” drawled the Englishman, waving his monocle. “I am deuced obliged to you for your—aw!—kindness, don’t ye know. Pray consider my rooms ashore your—aw—home. Glad to see you again, don’t ye know.”

 

As Clif hurried toward the gangway something very like a scowl²⁴ came into J. C.-C. Cate’s previously²⁵ vacant face, and he muttered beneath his breath:

 

“Miss Windom coming aboard here? And she knows this young cub²⁶ of an American. What complications will this lead to?”

该作者的其它作品
《The Jungle 屠场》

1 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

2 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

3 confidentially   

ad.秘密地，悄悄地

参考例句：

• She was leaning confidentially across the table. 她神神秘秘地从桌子上靠过来。
• Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou talked confidentially in low tones. 高松年汪处厚两人低声密谈。

4 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

5 bunked   

v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的过去式和过去分词 )；空话，废话

参考例句：

• He bunked with a friend for the night. 他和一个朋友同睡一张床过夜。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We bunked in an old barn. 我们将就着睡在旧谷仓里。 来自辞典例句

6 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

7 ribs   

n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

8 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

9 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

10 engraved   

v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中）

参考例句：

• The silver cup was engraved with his name. 银杯上刻有他的名字。
• It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 frigate   

n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰

参考例句：

• An enemy frigate bore down on the sloop.一艘敌驱逐舰向这只护航舰逼过来。
• I declare we could fight frigate.我敢说我们简直可以和一艘战舰交战。

12 gallant   

adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的

参考例句：

• Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
• These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

13 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

14 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

15 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

16 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

17 yarns   

n.纱( yarn的名词复数 )；纱线；奇闻漫谈；旅行轶事

参考例句：

• ...vegetable-dyed yarns. 用植物染料染过色的纱线 来自辞典例句
• Fibers may be loosely or tightly twisted into yarns. 纤维可以是膨松地或紧密地捻成纱线。 来自辞典例句

18 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

19 thronged   

v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mourners thronged to the funeral. 吊唁者蜂拥着前来参加葬礼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The department store was thronged with people. 百货商店挤满了人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

20 interspersed   

adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The grass was interspersed with beds of flowers. 草地上点缀着许多花坛。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

21 natty   

adj.整洁的，漂亮的

参考例句：

• Cliff was a natty dresser.克利夫是讲究衣着整洁美观的人。
• Please keep this office natty and use the binaries provided.请保持办公室整洁，使用所提供的垃圾箱。

22 discoursed   

演说（discourse的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He discoursed on an interesting topic. 他就一个有趣的题目发表了演讲。
• The scholar discoursed at great length on the poetic style of John Keats. 那位学者详细讲述了约翰·济慈的诗歌风格。

23 inscription   

n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文

参考例句：

• The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。
• He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。

24 scowl   

vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容

参考例句：

• I wonder why he is wearing an angry scowl.我不知道他为何面带怒容。
• The boss manifested his disgust with a scowl.老板面带怒色，清楚表示出他的厌恶之感。

25 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

26 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。