Dick Sands, Nan, and the negroes had all borne the march very fairly. Their stock of provisions, though of course considerably7 diminished, was still far from small. As for Harris, he had shown himself pre-eminently adapted for forest-life, and capable of bearing any amount of fatigue8. Yet, strange to say, as he approached the end of the journey, his manner underwent a remarkable9 change; instead of conversing10 in his ordinary frank and easy way, he became silent and preoccupied11, as if engrossed12 in his own thoughts. Perhaps he had an instinctive13 consciousness that "his young friend," as he was in the habit of addressing Dick, was entertaining hard suspicions about him.
The march was resumed. The trees once again ceased to be crowded in impenetrable masses, but stood in clusters at considerable distances apart. Now, Dick tried to argue with himself, they must be coming to the true pampas, or the man must be designedly misleading them; and yet what motive14 could he have?
Although during the earlier part of the day there occurred nothing that could be said absolutely to justify15 Dick's increasing uneasiness, two circumstances transpired16 which did not escape his observation, and which, he felt, might be significant. The first of these was a sudden change in Dingo's behaviour. The dog, throughout the march, had uniformly run along with his nose upon the ground, smelling the grass and shrubs18, and occasionally uttering a sad low whine19; but to-day he seemed all agitation20; he scampered21 about with bristling22 coat, with his head erect23, and ever and again burst into one of those furious fits of barking, with which he had formerly24 been accustomed to greet Negoro's appearance upon the deck of the "Pilgrim."
The idea that flitted across Dick's mind was shared by Tom.
"Look, Mr. Dick, look at Dingo; he is at his old ways again," said he; "it is just as if Negoro...."
"It is just as if Negoro had followed us; do you think it is likely?"
"It might perhaps be to his advantage to follow us, if he doesn't know the country; but if he does know the country, why then...."
Dick did not finish his sentence, but whistled to Dingo. The dog reluctantly obeyed the call.
As soon as the dog was at his side, Dick patted him, repeating,-
"Good dog! good Dingo! where's Negoro?"
The sound of Negoro's name had its usual effect; it seemed to irritate the animal exceedingly, and he barked furiously, and apparently26 wanted to dash into the thicket27.
Harris had been an interested spectator of the scene, and now approached with a peculiar28 expression on his countenance29, and inquired what they were saying to Dingo.
"Oh, nothing much," replied Tom; "we were only asking him for news of a lost acquaintance."
"Ah, I suppose you mean that Portuguese30 cook of yours."
"Yes," answered Tom; "we fancied from Dingo's behaviour, that Negoro must be somewhere close at hand."
"No need of that, Mr. Harris; Negoro, I have no doubt, is quite capable of taking care of himself."
"Well, just as you please, my young friend," said Harris, with an air of indifference33.
The other thing that had arrested Dick's attention was the behaviour of the horse. If they had been as near the hacienda as Harris described, would not the animal have pricked35 up its ears, sniffed36 the air, and with dilated37 nostril38, exhibited some sign of satisfaction, as being upon familiar ground?
But nothing of the kind was to be observed; the horse plodded39 along as unconcernedly as if a stable were as far away as ever.
Even Mrs. Weldon was not so engrossed with her child, but what she was fain to express her wonder at the deserted40 aspect of the country. No trace of a farm-labourer was anywhere to be seen! She cast her eye at Harris, who was in his usual place in front, and observing how he was looking first to the left, and then to the right, with the air of a man who was uncertain of his path, she asked herself whether it was possible their guide might have lost his way. She dared not entertain the idea, and averted41 her eyes, that she might not be harassed42 by his movements.
After crossing an open plain about a mile in width, the travellers once again entered the forest, which resumed something of the same denseness43 that had characterized it farther to the west. In the course of the afternoon, they came to a spot which was marked very distinctly by the vestiges44 of some enormous animals, which must have passed quite recently. As Dick looked carefully about him, he observed that the branches were all torn off or broken to a considerable height, and that the foot-tracks in the trampled45 grass were much too large to be those either of jaguars46 or panthers. Even if it were possible that the prints on the ground had been made by ais or other taidigrades, this would fail to account in the least for the trees being broken to such a height. Elephants alone were capable of working such destruction in the underwood, but elephants were unknown in America. Dick was puzzled, but controlled himself so that he would not apply to Harris for any enlightenment; his intuition made him aware that a man who had once tried to make him believe that giraffes were ostriches47, would not hesitate a second time to impose upon his credulity.
More than ever was Dick becoming convinced that Harris was a traitor48, and he was secretly prompted to tax him with his treachery. Still he was obliged to own that he could not assign any motive for the man acting49 in such a manner with the survivors50 of the "Pilgrim," and consequently hesitated before he actually condemned51 him for conduct so base and heartless. What could be done? he repeatedly asked himself. On board ship the boy captain might perchance have been able to devise some plan for the safety of those so strangely committed to his charge, but here on an unknown shore, he could only suffer from the burden of this responsibility the more, because he was so utterly52 powerless to act.
He made up his mind on one point. He determined53 not to alarm the poor anxious mother a moment before he was actually compelled. It was his carrying out this determination that explained why on subsequently arriving at a considerable stream, where he saw some huge heads, swollen54 muzzles55, long tusks56 and unwieldy bodies rising from amidst the rank wet grass, he uttered no word and gave no gesture of surprise; but only too well he knew, at a glance, that he must be looking at a herd57 of hippopotamuses58.
[Illustration: "Look here! here are hands, men's hands."]
It was a weary march that day; a general feeling of depression spread involuntarily from one to another; hardly conscious to herself of her weariness, Mrs. Weldon was exhibiting manifest symptoms of lassitude; and it was only Dick's moral energy and sense of duty that kept him from succumbing59 to the prevailing60 dejection.
About four o'clock, Tom noticed something lying in the grass, and stooping down he picked up a kind of knife; it was of peculiar shape, being very wide and flat in the blade, while its handle, which was of ivory, was ornamented61 with a good deal of clumsy carving62. He carried it at once to Dick, who, when he had scrutinized63 it, held it up to Harris, with the remark,-
"There must be natives not far off."
"Quite right, my young friend; the hacienda must be a very few miles away,-but yet, but yet...."
He hesitated.
"You don't mean that you are not sure of your way," said Dick sharply."
"Not exactly that," replied Harris; "yet in taking this short cut across the forest, I am inclined to think I am a mile or so out of the way. Perhaps I had better walk on a little way, and look about me."
"No; you do not leave us here," cried Dick firmly.
"Not against your will; but remember, I do not undertake to guide you in the dark."
"We must spare you the necessity for that. I can answer for it that Mrs. Weldon will raise no objection to spending another night in the open air. We can start off to-morrow morning as early as we like, and if the distance be only what you represent, a few hours will easily accomplish it."
"As you please," answered Harris with cold civility.
Just then, Dingo again burst out into a vehement64 fit of barking, and it required no small amount of coaxing65 on Dick's part to make him cease from his noise.
It was decided66 that the halt should be made at once. Mrs. Weldon, as it had been anticipated, urged nothing against it, being preoccupied by her immediate67 attentions to Jack68, who was lying in her arms, suffering from a decided attack of fever. The shelter of a large thicket had just been selected by Dick as a suitable resting-place for the night, when Tom, who was assisting in the necessary preparations, suddenly gave a cry of horror.
"What is it, Tom?" asked Dick very calmly.
"Look! look at these trees! they are spattered with blood! and look here! here are hands, men's hands, cut off and lying on the ground!"
"What?" cried Dick, and in an instant was at his side.
His presence of mind did not fail him; he whispered,-
"Hush! Tom! hush! not a word!"
But it was with a shudder69 that ran through his veins70 that he witnessed for himself the mutilated fragments of several human bodies, and saw, lying beside them, some broken forks, and some bits of iron chain.
The sight of the gory71 remains72 made Dingo bark ferociously73, and Dick, who was most anxious that Mrs. Weldon's attention should not be called to the discovery, had the greatest difficulty in driving him back; but fortunately the lady's mind was so engrossed with her patient, that she did not observe the commotion74. Harris stood aloof75; there was no one to notice the change that passed over his countenance, but the expression was almost diabolical76 in its malignity77.
Poor old Tom himself seemed perfectly78 spell-bound. With his hands clenched79, his eyes dilated, and his breast heaving with emotion, he kept repeating without anything like coherence80, the words,-
"Forks! chains! forks! ... long ago ... remember ... too well ... chains!"
Tom, however, was full with some remembrance of the past; he continued to repeat,-
"Long ago ... forks ... chains!" until Dick led him out of hearing.
A fresh halting-place was chosen a short distance further on, and supper was prepared. But the meal was left almost untasted; not so much that hunger had been overcome by
[Illustration: The man was gone, and his horse with him.]
fatigue, but because the indefinable feeling of uneasiness, that had taken possession of them all, had entirely destroyed all appetite.
Gradually the night became very dark. The sky was covered with heavy storm-clouds, and on the western horizon flashes of summer lightning now and then glimmered82 through the trees. The air was perfectly still; not a leaf stirred, and the atmosphere seemed so charged with electricity as to be incapable83 of transmitting sound of any kind.
Dick, himself, with Austin and Bat in attendance, remained on guard, all of them eagerly straining both eye and ear to catch any light or sound that might disturb the silence and obscurity. Old Tom, with his head sunk upon his breast, sat motionless, as in a trance; he was gloomily revolving84 the awakened85 memories of the past. Mrs. Weldon was engaged with her sick child. Scarcely one of the party was really asleep, except indeed it might be Cousin Benedict, whose reasoning faculties86 were not of an order to carry him forwards into any future contingencies87.
Midnight was still an hour in advance, when the dull air seemed filled with a deep and prolonged roar, mingled88 with a peculiar kind of vibration89.
Tom started to his feet. A fresh recollection of his early days had struck him.
"A lion! a lion!" he shouted.
In vain Dick tried to repress him; but he repeated,-
"A lion! a lion!"
Dick Sands seized his cutlass, and, unable any longer to control his wrath90, he rushed to the spot where he had left Harris lying.
The man was gone, and his horse with him!
All the suspicions that had been so long pent up within Dick's mind now shaped themselves into actual reality. A flood of light had broken in upon him. Now he was convinced, only too certainly, that it was not the coast of America at all upon which the schooner91 had been cast ashore92! it was not Easter Island that had been sighted far away in the west! the compass had completely deceived him; he was satisfied now that the strong currents had carried them quite round Cape17 Horn, and that they had really entered the Atlantic. No wonder that quinquinas, caoutchouc, and other South American products, had failed to be seen. This was neither the Bolivian pampas nor the plateau of Atacama. They were giraffes, not ostriches, that had vanished down the glade93; they were elephants that had trodden down the underwood; they were hippopotamuses that were lurking94 by the river; it was indeed the dreaded95 tzetsy that Cousin Benedict had so triumphantly96 discovered; and, last of all, it was a lion's roar that had disturbed the silence of the forest. That chain, that knife, those forks, were unquestionably the instruments of slave-dealers; and what could those mutilated hands be, except the relics97 of their ill-fated victims?
Harris and Negoro must be in a conspiracy98!
"Yes, it is too true; we are in Africa! in equatorial Africa! in the land of slavery! in the very haunt of slave-drivers!"
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收听单词发音
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1
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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2
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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3
protracted
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| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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4
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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5
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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6
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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7
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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8
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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9
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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10
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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11
preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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12
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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13
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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14
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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15
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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16
transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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17
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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18
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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19
whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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20
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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21
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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23
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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24
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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25
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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26
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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27
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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28
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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29
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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30
Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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31
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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32
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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33
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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34
pacify
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| vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰 | |
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35
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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36
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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37
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
nostril
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| n.鼻孔 | |
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39
plodded
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| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
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40
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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41
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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42
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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43
denseness
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| 稠密，密集，浓厚； 稠度 | |
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44
vestiges
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| 残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不 | |
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45
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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46
jaguars
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| n.（中、南美洲的）美洲虎( jaguar的名词复数 ) | |
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47
ostriches
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| n.鸵鸟( ostrich的名词复数 )；逃避现实的人，不愿正视现实者 | |
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48
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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49
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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50
survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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51
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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52
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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53
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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54
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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55
muzzles
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| 枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
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56
tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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57
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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58
hippopotamuses
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| n.河马（产于非洲）( hippopotamus的名词复数 ) | |
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59
succumbing
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的现在分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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60
prevailing
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| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
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61
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
carving
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| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
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63
scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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65
coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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66
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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67
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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68
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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69
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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70
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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71
gory
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| adj.流血的；残酷的 | |
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72
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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73
ferociously
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| 野蛮地，残忍地 | |
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74
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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malignity
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| n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性 | |
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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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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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coherence
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| n.紧凑；连贯；一致性 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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glimmered
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| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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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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contingencies
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| n.偶然发生的事故，意外事故( contingency的名词复数 )；以备万一 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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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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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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