So, if you please, you are to conceive us four, the strangest ill-assorted company on the footstool, pushing on from day to day deeper and ever deeper into the pathless forest solitudes7, yet always with the plain-marked trail to guide us.
At times the march measured a full day's length amid the columned aisles8 of the forest temple through lush green glades9 dank and steaming in the August heat, or over hillsides slippery with the fallen leaves of the pine-trees. Anon it traced the crooked10 windings11 of some brawling12 mountain stream through thicket13 tangles14 where, you would think, no woman-ridden horse could penetrate15.
One day the sun would shine resplendent and all the columned distances would fill with soft suffusings of the gray and green and gold, with here and there a dusky flame where the sweet-gum heralded16 the autumn, whilst overhead the leafy arches were fine-lined traceries and arabesques17 against the blue. But in the night, mayhap, a dismal18 rain would come, chill with the breath of the nearing mountains; and then the trees turned into dripping sprinkling-pots to drench19 us where we lay, sodden20 already with the heaviness of exhaustion21.
Since the hasting pursuit was a thing to tap the very fountain-head of fortitude22 and endurance, we fared on silent for the better part; and in a little time the hush23 of the solitudes laid fast hold of us, scanting24 us of speech and bidding us go softly. And after this the march became a soundless shadow-flitting, and we a straggling file of voiceless mechanisms25 wound up and set to measure off the miles till famine or exhaustion should thrust a finger in among the wheels and bid them stop forever.
This was the loom26 on which we wove the backward-reaching web of strenuous27 onpressing. But through that web the scarlet28 thread of famine shuttled in and out, and hunger came and marched with us till all the days and nights were filled with cravings, and we recked little of fair skies or dripping clouds, or aught besides save this ever-present specter of starvation.
You will not think it strange that I should have but dim and misty29 memories of this fainting time. Of all privations famine soonest blunts the senses, making a man oblivious30 of all save that which drives him onward31. The happenings that I remember clearest are those which turned upon some temporary bridging of the hunger gulf32. One was Yeates's killing33 of a milch doe which, with her fawn34, ran across our path when we had fasted two whole days. By this, a capital crime in any hunter's code, you may guess how cruelly we were nipped in the hunger vise. Also, I remember this: as if to mock us all the glades and openings on the hillsides were thicketed with berry bushes, long past bearing. And, being too late for these, we were as much too early for the nuts of the hickory and chestnut35 and black walnut36 that pelted37 us in passing.
The doe's meat, coming at a time of sharpest need, set us two days farther on the march; and when that was spent or spoiled we did as we could, being never comfortably filled, I think, and oftener haggard and enfeebled for the want of food. Since we dared not stop to go aside for game, the Catawba would set over-night snares38 for rabbits; and for another shift we cut knobbed sticks for throwing and ran keen-eyed along the trace, alert to murder anything alive and fit to eat. In this haphazard39 hunting nothing ever fell to Jennifer's skilless clubbing, or to mine; but the old borderer and the Indian were better marksmen, and now and then some bird or squirrel or rabbit sitting on its form came to the pot, though never enough of all or any to more than sharpen the famine edge of hunger.
For all the sharp privations of the forced march there was no hint on any lip of turning back. With Margery's desperate need to key us to the unflinching pitch, Richard and I would go on while there was strength to set one foot before the other. But for the old borderer and the Indian there was no such bellows40 to blow the fire of perseverance41. None the less, these two did more than second us; they set the strenuous pace and held us to it; the Catawba Spartan-proud and uncomplaining; the old hunter no whit42 less tireless and enduring. At this far-distant day I can close my eyes and see the gaunt, leather-clad figure of Ephraim Yeates, striding on always in the lead and ever pressing forward, tough, wiry and iron to endure, and yet withal so elastic43 that the shrewdest discouragement served only to make him rebound44 and strike the harder. Good stuff and true there was in that old man; and had Richard or I been less determined45, his fine and noble heroism46 in a cause which was not his own would have shamed us into following where he led.
We had been ten days in this starving wilderness, driving onward at the pace that kills and making the most of every hour of daylight, before Yeates and the Indian began to give us hope that we were finally closing in upon our quarry47.
The dragging length of the chase grew upon two conditions. From the beginning the kidnappers48 were able to increase their lead by stretching out the days and borrowing from the nights; also, they were doubtless well provisioned, and they had horses for the captives and their impedimenta. But as for us, we could follow only while the daylight let us see the trail; and though we ran well at first, the lack of proper food soon took toll49 of speed.
So now, though the hoof50 prints grew hourly fresher, and we were at last so close upon the heels of the kidnappers that their night camp-fires were scarcely cold when we came upon them, we ran no longer—could hardly keep a dogged foot-pace for the hunger pains that griped and bent51 us double.
The tenth day, as I well remember, was furnace-hot, as were all the fair-weather days of that never-to-be-forgotten summer, with a still air in the forest that hung thick and lifeless like the atmosphere of an oven; this though we were well among the mountains and rising higher with every added mile of westering.
The sun had passed the meridian52, and we were toiling53, sweaty-weak, up a rock-strewn mountain side, when a thing occurred to rouse us roughly from the famine stupor54 and set us watchfully55 alert. In the steepest part of the ascent56 where the wood, scanted57 of rooting ground by the thickly sown strewing58 of boulders59, was open and free of undergrowth, Ephraim Yeates halted suddenly, signed to us with upflung hand, and dropped behind a tree as one shot; and in the same breath the Catawba, running at Yeates's heels, lurched aside and vanished as if the earth had gaped60 and swallowed him.
A moment later the twang of a bow-string buzzed upon the breathless noontide stillness, and Jennifer clutched and dragged me down in good time to let the arrow whistle harmless over us. Then, like a distorted echo of the buzzing bow-string, the sharp crack of the old borderer's rifle rang out smartly, setting the cliff-crowned mountain side all a-clamor with mocking repetitions.
"Missed him, slick and clean, by the eternal coon-skin!" growled61 the marksman, sitting up behind his tree to reload. "That there's what comes o' being so dad-blame' hongry that ye can't squinch fair atween the gun-sights. I reckon ez how ye'd better hunker down and lie clost, you two. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none if that redskin had a wheen more o' them sharp-p'inted sticks in his—The Lord be praised for all His marcies! the chief's got him!"
But Uncanoola had not. He came in presently, his black eyes snapping with disappointment, saying in answer to Yeates's question that the yell had been his own; that his tomahawk had sped no truer than the old borderer's bullet.
"Chelakee snake heap slick: heap quick dodge," was all we could get out of him; and when that was said he squatted62 calmly on a flat stone and fell to work grinding the nick out of the edge of the mis-sped hatchet63.
This incident told us plainly enough that the kidnappers were now but a little way ahead, and that their rear-guard scouts64 were holding us well in hand. So from that on we went as men whose lives are held in pawn65 by a hidden foe66, looking at every turn for an ambushment. Nevertheless, we were not waylaid67 again; and when at length the long hot afternoon drew to its close with the mountain of peril68 well behind us, we had neither seen nor heard aught else of the Cherokees.
That night we camped, fireless and foodless, on the banks of a swift-flowing stream in a valley between two great mountains. We reached this stream a little before dark, and since the trail led straight into the water, we would have put this obstacle behind us if we could. But though the little river was not above five or six poles in width it was exceeding swift and deep; so impassable, in truth, that we were moved to wonder how the captive party had made shift to cross.
We guessed at it a while, Richard and I, and then gave it up until we might have the help of better daylight. But the old borderer's curiosity was not so readily postponed69. Cutting a slim pole from a sapling thicket, he waded70 in cautiously, anchoring himself by the drooping71 branches of the willows72 whilst he prodded73 and sounded and proved beyond a doubt that the current was over man-head deep, and far too rapid for swimming.
Satisfied of this, he came out, dripping, and with a monitory word to us to keep a sharp lookout74, disappeared up-stream in the growing dusk, his long rifle at the trail, and his body bent to bring his keen old eyes the nearer to the ground.
点击收听单词发音
1 varied | |
adj.多样的,多变化的 | |
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2 haps | |
n.粗厚毛披巾;偶然,机会,运气( hap的名词复数 ) | |
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3 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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4 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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5 momentous | |
adj.重要的,重大的 | |
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6 climax | |
n.顶点;高潮;v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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7 solitudes | |
n.独居( solitude的名词复数 );孤独;荒僻的地方;人迹罕至的地方 | |
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8 aisles | |
n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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9 glades | |
n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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10 crooked | |
adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的 | |
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11 windings | |
(道路、河流等)蜿蜒的,弯曲的( winding的名词复数 ); 缠绕( wind的现在分词 ); 卷绕; 转动(把手) | |
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12 brawling | |
n.争吵,喧嚷 | |
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13 thicket | |
n.灌木丛,树林 | |
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14 tangles | |
(使)缠结, (使)乱作一团( tangle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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15 penetrate | |
v.透(渗)入;刺入,刺穿;洞察,了解 | |
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16 heralded | |
v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 );宣布(好或重要) | |
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17 arabesques | |
n.阿拉伯式花饰( arabesque的名词复数 );错综图饰;阿拉伯图案;阿拉贝斯克芭蕾舞姿(独脚站立,手前伸,另一脚一手向后伸) | |
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18 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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19 drench | |
v.使淋透,使湿透 | |
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20 sodden | |
adj.浑身湿透的;v.使浸透;使呆头呆脑 | |
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21 exhaustion | |
n.耗尽枯竭,疲惫,筋疲力尽,竭尽,详尽无遗的论述 | |
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22 fortitude | |
n.坚忍不拔;刚毅 | |
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23 hush | |
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
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24 scanting | |
不足的,缺乏的( scant的现在分词 ) | |
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25 mechanisms | |
n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 );机械装置;[生物学] 机制;机械作用 | |
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26 loom | |
n.织布机,织机;v.隐现,(危险、忧虑等)迫近 | |
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27 strenuous | |
adj.奋发的,使劲的;紧张的;热烈的,狂热的 | |
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28 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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29 misty | |
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的 | |
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30 oblivious | |
adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的 | |
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31 onward | |
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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32 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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33 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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34 fawn | |
n.未满周岁的小鹿;v.巴结,奉承 | |
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35 chestnut | |
n.栗树,栗子 | |
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36 walnut | |
n.胡桃,胡桃木,胡桃色,茶色 | |
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37 pelted | |
(连续地)投掷( pelt的过去式和过去分词 ); 连续抨击; 攻击; 剥去…的皮 | |
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38 snares | |
n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 );圈套;诱人遭受失败(丢脸、损失等)的东西;诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉,诱陷,陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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39 haphazard | |
adj.无计划的,随意的,杂乱无章的 | |
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40 bellows | |
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫 | |
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41 perseverance | |
n.坚持不懈,不屈不挠 | |
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42 whit | |
n.一点,丝毫 | |
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43 elastic | |
n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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44 rebound | |
v.弹回;n.弹回,跳回 | |
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45 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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46 heroism | |
n.大无畏精神,英勇 | |
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47 quarry | |
n.采石场;v.采石;费力地找 | |
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48 kidnappers | |
n.拐子,绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 ) | |
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49 toll | |
n.过路(桥)费;损失,伤亡人数;v.敲(钟) | |
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50 hoof | |
n.(马,牛等的)蹄 | |
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51 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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52 meridian | |
adj.子午线的;全盛期的 | |
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53 toiling | |
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉 | |
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54 stupor | |
v.昏迷;不省人事 | |
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55 watchfully | |
警惕地,留心地 | |
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56 ascent | |
n.(声望或地位)提高;上升,升高;登高 | |
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57 scanted | |
不足的,缺乏的( scant的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58 strewing | |
v.撒在…上( strew的现在分词 );散落于;点缀;撒满 | |
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59 boulders | |
n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 );巨砾;(受水或天气侵蚀而成的)巨石;漂砾 | |
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60 gaped | |
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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61 growled | |
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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62 squatted | |
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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63 hatchet | |
n.短柄小斧;v.扼杀 | |
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64 scouts | |
侦察员[机,舰]( scout的名词复数 ); 童子军; 搜索; 童子军成员 | |
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65 pawn | |
n.典当,抵押,小人物,走卒;v.典当,抵押 | |
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66 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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67 waylaid | |
v.拦截,拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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69 postponed | |
vt.& vi.延期,缓办,(使)延迟vt.把…放在次要地位;[语]把…放在后面(或句尾)vi.(疟疾等)延缓发作(或复发) | |
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70 waded | |
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71 drooping | |
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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72 willows | |
n.柳树( willow的名词复数 );柳木 | |
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73 prodded | |
v.刺,戳( prod的过去式和过去分词 );刺激;促使;(用手指或尖物)戳 | |
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74 lookout | |
n.注意,前途,瞭望台 | |
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