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首页 » 经典英文小说 » The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings » CHAPTER VII. MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE ELEPHANTS
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CHAPTER VII. MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE ELEPHANTS
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 “Is it possible? I didn’t know that,” marveled the boy. “And does she perform?”
 
“Everybody works in this outfit1, young man,” laughed the assistant, “as you will learn if you hang around long enough. Going to the show?”
 
“Yes, sir.”
 
“Got seats?”
 
“Mr. Sparling provided me with tickets, thank you. But I’ve got to get home first and put on some other clothes. This suit is about done for, isn’t it?”
 
“I should say it was. You did that stopping the horse, didn’t you?”
 
Phil nodded.
 
“Boss will buy you a new suit for that.”
 
“Oh, no; I couldn’t allow him to do that,” objected Phil.
 
“Well, you are a queer youngster. So long. I’ll see you when you come in this afternoon. Wait, let me see your tickets.”
 
The lad handed them over wonderingly, at which his questioner nodded approvingly.
 
“They’re good seats. Hope you will enjoy the show.”
 
“Thank you; I am sure I shall,” answered Phil, touching2 his hat and starting on a run for home.
 
Arriving there, Mrs. Cahill met him and threw up her hands in horror when she observed the condition of his clothes.
 
“I am afraid they are gone for good,” grinned Phil rather ruefully.
 
“No. You leave them with me. I’ll fix them up for you. I heard how you saved that show woman’s life. That was fine, my boy. I’m proud of you, that I am. You did more than all those circus men could do, and the whole town is talking about it.”
 
“If you are going to the show you had better be getting ready,” urged Phil, wishing to change the subject.
 
“All right, I will. I’ll fix your clothes when I get back. Will you be home to supper?”
 
“I don’t know for sure. If I can I’ll be back in time, but please don’t wait for me. Here is your ticket.”
 
The lad hurried to the room the good woman had set aside for him and quickly made the change of clothing. He was obliged to change everything he had on, for even his shirt had been torn in his battle with the broncho. After bathing and putting on the fresh clothes, Phil hurried from the house, that he might miss nothing of the show.
 
The sideshow band was blaring brazenly3 when he reached the lot. The space in front of the main entrance was packed with people, many of whom pointed4 to him, nodding their heads and directing the attention of their companions to the lad.
 
Phil wished he might be able to skulk5 in by the back door and thus avoid their attention, but as this was impossible, he pulled his hat down over his eyes and worked his way slowly toward the front of the crowd.
 
Getting near the entrance, he saw Mr. Sparling’s assistant. The latter, chancing to catch sight of Phil, motioned him to crawl under the ropes and come in. The boy did so gratefully.
 
“The doors are not open yet, but you may go in. You will have time to look over the animals before the crowd arrives, then you can reach your seat before the others get in. Please let me see those checks once more.”
 
The assistant made a mental note of the section and number of the seats for future reference and handed back the coupons6.
 
Phil stole into the menagerie tent, relieved to be away from the gaze and comments of the crowd that was massed in front.
 
“Gracious, I’m afraid I wouldn’t make a very good circus man. I hate to have everybody looking at me as if I were some natural or unnatural7 curiosity. Wonder if I will know any of the show people when they are made up, as they call it, and performing in the ring? I shouldn’t wonder if they didn’t know me in my best clothes, though,” grinned the boy.
 
Phil had had the forethought to bring a few lumps of sugar in his pocket. Entering the menagerie tent, he quickly made his way to the place where the elephants were chained, giving each one of the big beasts a lump. He felt no fear of them and permitted them to run their sensitive trunks over him and into his pockets, where they soon found the rest of the sugar.
 
After disposing of the sweets, both beasts emitted a loud trumpeting8. At such close quarters the noise they made seemed to shake the ground.
 
“Why do they do that?” questioned Phil of the keeper.
 
“That’s their way of thanking you for the sugar. You’ve made friends of both of them for life. They’ll never forget you, even if they don’t see you for several seasons.”
 
“Do they like peanuts?”
 
“Do they? Just try them.”
 
Phil ran to a snack stand at the opposite side of the tent and bought five cents’ worth of peanuts, then hurried back to the elephants with the package.
 
“What are their names?”
 
“The big one is Emperor and the smaller one is called Jupiter,” answered the keeper, who had already recognized his young visitor.
 
“Are they ever ugly?”
 
“Never have been. But you can’t tell. An elephant is liable to go bad most any time, then you—”
 
“But how can you tell, or can’t you?”
 
“Most always, unless they are naturally bad.”
 
“How do you know?”
 
“See that little slit9 on the cheek up there?”
 
“Yes,” said Phil, peering at the great jowls wonderingly.
 
“Well, several days before they get in a tantrum you will see a few tear drops—that’s what I call them—oozing from that little slit. I don’t know whether it’s water on the brain or what it is. But when you see the tear drops you want to get from under and chain Mr. Elephant down as quickly as possible.
 
“That is strange.”
 
“Very. But it’s a sure sign. Never knew it to fail, and I’ve known some elephants in my time. But Emperor and Jupiter never have shed a tear drop since I’ve known them. They are not the crying kind, you know.”
 
The lad nodded understandingly.
 
“How about the lions and the tigers—can you tell when they are going to have bad spells?”
 
“Well,” reflected the showman, “it’s safe to say that they’ve always got a grouch10 on. The cats are always—”
 
“Cats?”
 
“Yes. All that sort of animals belong to the cat family and they’ve got only one ambition in life.”
 
“What’s that?”
 
“To kill somebody or something.”
 
“But their keepers—don’t they become fond of their keepers or trainers?”
 
The elephant tender laughed without changing the expression of his face. His laugh was all inside of him, as Phil characterized it.
 
“Not they! They may be afraid of their keeper, but they would as soon chew him up as anybody else—I guess they would rather, for they’ve always got a bone to pick with him.”
 
“Do any of the men go in the cages and make the animals perform here?”
 
“Oh, yes. Wallace, the big lion over there, performs every afternoon and night. So does the tiger in the cage next to him.”
 
Phil had dumped the bag of peanuts into his hat, which he held out before him while talking. Two squirming trunks had been busy conveying the peanuts to the pink mouths of their owners, so that by the time Phil happened to remember what he had brought them, there was not a nut left in the hat.
 
He glanced up in surprise.
 
“Emperor, you are a greedy old elephant,” laughed Phil, patting the trunk.
 
Emperor trumpeted11 loudly, and the call was immediately taken up even more loudly by his companion.
 
“No, you can’t have any more,” chided Phil. “You will have indigestion from what you’ve already eaten, I’m afraid. Behave, and I’ll bring you some more tonight if I come to the show,” he laughed.
 
Two caressing12 trunks touched his hands, then traveled gently over his cheeks. They tickled13, but Phil did not flinch14.
 
“You could do most anything with them now, you see,” nodded the keeper. “They’d follow you home if I would let them.”
 
“Especially if my pockets were full of sweets.”
 
“There’s the animal trainer getting ready to go into the lion cage, if you want to see him,” the attendant informed him.
 
“Yes, I should like to. And thank you very much for your kindness.”
 
“You’re welcome. Come around again.”
 
The boy hurried over to the lion cage. The people were now crowding into the menagerie tent in throngs15. There seemed to Phil to be thousands already there. But all eyes now being centered on Wallace’s cage, they had no time to observe Phil, for which he was duly thankful.
 
The animal trainer, clad in red tights, his breast covered with spangles, was already at the door of the cage, whip in hand. When a sufficient crowd had gathered about him, he opened the door, and, entering the cage threw wide the iron grating that shut Wallace off from the door end of the wagon16. The big lion bounded out with a roar that caused the people to crowd back instinctively17.
 
Then the trainer began putting the savage18 beast through its paces, causing it to leap over his whip, jump through paper hoops19, together with innumerable other tricks that caused the spectators to open their mouths in wonder. All the time Wallace kept up a continual snarling20, interspersed21 now and then with a roar that might have been heard a quarter of a mile away.
 
This was a part of the exhibition, as Phil shrewdly discovered. The boy was a natural showman, though unaware22 of the fact. He noted23 all the little fine points of the trainer’s work with as much appreciation24 as if he had himself been an animal trainer.
 
“I half believe I should like to try that myself,” was his mental conclusion. “But I should want to make the experiment on a very little lion at first. If I got out with a whole skin I might want to tackle something bigger. I wonder if he is going into the tiger cage?”
 
As if in answer to his question, an announcer shouted out the information that the trainer would give an exhibition in the cage of the tiger just before the evening performance.
 
“I’ll have to see that,” muttered Phil. “Guess I had better get in and find my seat now.”
 
At the same time the crowd, understanding that the lion performance was over, began crowding into the circus tent.
 
The band inside swung off into a sprightly25 tune26 and Phil could scarcely repress the inclination27 to keep time to it with his feet. Altogether, things were moving pretty well with Phil Forrest. They had done so ever since he left home the day before. In that one day he had had more fun than had come to him in many years.
 
But his happy day would soon be ended. He sighed as he thought of it. Then his face broke out into a sunny smile as he caught a glimpse of the ropes and apparatus28, seen dimly through the afternoon haze29, in the long circus tent.
 
As he gained the entrance between the two large tents he saw the silk curtains at the far end of the circus arena30 fall apart, while a troop of gayly caparisoned horses and armored riders suddenly appeared through the opening.
 
The grand entry was beginning.
 
“Gracious, here the show has begun and I am not anywhere near my seat,” he exclaimed. “But, if I am going to be late I won’t be alone. There are a whole lot more of us that were too much interested in the animal trainer to think to come in and get our seats. I guess I had better run. I—”
 
Phil started to run, but he got no further than the start.
 
All at once his waist was encircled in a powerful grip and he felt his feet leaving the ground. Phil was being raised straight up into the air by some strange force, the secret of which he did not understand.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 outfit YJTxC     
n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装
参考例句:
  • Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
  • His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
2 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
3 brazenly 050b0303ab1c4b948fddde2c176e6101     
adv.厚颜无耻地;厚脸皮地肆无忌惮地
参考例句:
  • How dare he distort the facts so brazenly! 他怎么敢如此肆无忌惮地歪曲事实! 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • "I don't know," he answered, looking her brazenly over. “我也不知道,"他厚颜无耻地打量着她。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
4 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
5 skulk AEuzD     
v.藏匿;潜行
参考例句:
  • It's a hard thing to skulk and starve in the heather.躲在树林里的挨饿不是一件好受的事。
  • Harry skulked off.哈里偷偷地溜走了。
6 coupons 28882724d375042a7b19db1e976cb622     
n.礼券( coupon的名词复数 );优惠券;订货单;参赛表
参考例句:
  • The company gives away free coupons for drinks or other items. 公司为饮料或其它项目发放免费赠券。 来自辞典例句
  • Do you have any coupons? 你们有优惠卡吗? 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语
7 unnatural 5f2zAc     
adj.不自然的;反常的
参考例句:
  • Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗?
  • She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。
8 trumpeting 68cf4dbd1f99442d072d18975013a14d     
大声说出或宣告(trumpet的现在分词形式)
参考例句:
  • She is always trumpeting her son. 她总是吹嘘她儿子。
  • The wind is trumpeting, a bugle calling to charge! 风在掌号。冲锋号! 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译
9 slit tE0yW     
n.狭长的切口;裂缝;vt.切开,撕裂
参考例句:
  • The coat has been slit in two places.这件外衣有两处裂开了。
  • He began to slit open each envelope.他开始裁开每个信封。
10 grouch fQ0z8     
n.牢骚,不满;v.抱怨
参考例句:
  • He's always having a grouch about something.他总是发脾气抱怨这个抱怨那个。
  • One of the biggest grouches is the new system of payment.人们抱怨最多的一点就是这种新的支付方式。
11 trumpeted f8fa4d19d667140077bbc04606958a63     
大声说出或宣告(trumpet的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Soldiers trumpeted and bugled. 士兵们吹喇叭鸣号角。
  • The radio trumpeted the presidential campaign across the country. 电台在全国范围大力宣传总统竞选运动。
12 caressing 00dd0b56b758fda4fac8b5d136d391f3     
爱抚的,表现爱情的,亲切的
参考例句:
  • The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。
  • He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里,不断抚摸着鞑靼,它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。
13 tickled 2db1470d48948f1aa50b3cf234843b26     
(使)发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)愉快,逗乐
参考例句:
  • We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友,我们高兴极了。
  • I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚,使她发笑。
14 flinch BgIz1     
v.畏缩,退缩
参考例句:
  • She won't flinch from speaking her mind.她不会讳言自己的想法。
  • We will never flinch from difficulties.我们面对困难决不退缩。
15 throngs 5e6c4de77c525e61a9aea0c24215278d     
n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群,挤满( throng的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • She muscled through the throngs of people, frantically searching for David. 她使劲挤过人群,拼命寻找戴维。 来自辞典例句
  • Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. 我们这两位朋友在桥上从人群中穿过,慢慢地往前走。 来自辞典例句
16 wagon XhUwP     
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车
参考例句:
  • We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
  • The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
17 instinctively 2qezD2     
adv.本能地
参考例句:
  • As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近,她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
19 hoops 528662bd801600a928e199785550b059     
n.箍( hoop的名词复数 );(篮球)篮圈;(旧时儿童玩的)大环子;(两端埋在地里的)小铁弓
参考例句:
  • a barrel bound with iron hoops 用铁箍箍紧的桶
  • Hoops in Paris were wider this season and skirts were shorter. 在巴黎,这个季节的裙圈比较宽大,裙裾却短一些。 来自飘(部分)
20 snarling 1ea03906cb8fd0b67677727f3cfd3ca5     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的现在分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • "I didn't marry you," he said, in a snarling tone. “我没有娶你,"他咆哮着说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • So he got into the shoes snarling. 于是,汤姆一边大喊大叫,一边穿上了那双鞋。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
21 interspersed c7b23dadfc0bbd920c645320dfc91f93     
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》
22 unaware Pl6w0     
a.不知道的,未意识到的
参考例句:
  • They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
  • I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。
23 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
24 appreciation Pv9zs     
n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨
参考例句:
  • I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
  • I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。
25 sprightly 4GQzv     
adj.愉快的,活泼的
参考例句:
  • She is as sprightly as a woman half her age.她跟比她年轻一半的妇女一样活泼。
  • He's surprisingly sprightly for an old man.他这把年纪了,还这么精神,真了不起。
26 tune NmnwW     
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整
参考例句:
  • He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子,并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
  • The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。
27 inclination Gkwyj     
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好
参考例句:
  • She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
  • I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。
28 apparatus ivTzx     
n.装置,器械;器具,设备
参考例句:
  • The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
  • They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。
29 haze O5wyb     
n.霾,烟雾;懵懂,迷糊;vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句:
  • I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中,我看不见她。
  • He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。
30 arena Yv4zd     
n.竞技场,运动场所;竞争场所,舞台
参考例句:
  • She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
  • He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。


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