The place where he stood, preening31 the red glory of his plumage, was in the very heart of the wilderness32. The only human habitation within a dozen miles in either direction was a section-man's shanty33, guarding a siding and a rusty34 water tank. The woods—mostly spruce in that region, with patches of birch and poplar—had been gone over by the lumbermen some five years before, and still showed the ravages35 of the insatiable axe36. Their narrow "tote-roads," now deeply mossed and partly overgrown by small scrub, traversed the lonely spaces in every direction. One of these roads led straight back into the wilderness from the railway—almost from the stump whereon the red cock had his perch2.
The cock had no particular liking37 for the neighbourhood of the accident, and when his fierce, inquiring eye fell upon this road, he decided38 to investigate, hoping it might lead him to some flock of his own kind, over whom he would, as a matter of course, promptly39 establish his domination. That there would be other cocks there, already in charge, only added to his zest40 for the adventure. He was raising his wings to hop19 down from his perch, when a wide-winged shadow passed over him, and he checked himself, glancing upwards41 sharply.
A foraging42 hawk43 had just flown overhead. The hawk had never before seen a bird like the bright figure standing44 on the stump, and he paused in his flight, hanging for a moment on motionless wing to scrutinize45 the strange apparition46. But he was hungry, and he considered himself more than a match for anything in feathers except the eagle, the goshawk, and the great horned owl47. His hesitation48 was but for a second, and, with a sudden mighty49 thrust of his wide wings, he swooped50 down upon this novel victim.
The big hawk was accustomed to seeing every quarry51 he stooped at cower52 paralysed with terror or scurry53 for shelter in wild panic. But, to his surprise, this infatuated bird on the stump stood awaiting him, with wings half lifted, neck feathers raised in defiant54 ruff, and one eye cocked upwards warily55. He was so surprised, in fact, that at a distance of some dozen or fifteen feet he wavered and paused in his downward rush. But it was surprise only, fear having small place in his wild, marauding heart. In the next second he swooped again and struck downwards56 at his quarry with savage57, steel-hard talons59.
He struck but empty air. At exactly the right fraction of the instant the cock had leapt upwards on his powerful wings, lightly as a thistle-seed, but swift as if shot from a catapult. He passed straight over his terrible assailant's back. In passing he struck downwards with his spurs, which were nearly three inches long, straight, and tapered60 almost to a needle-point. One of these deadly weapons found its mark, as luck would have it, fair in the joint61 of the hawk's shoulder, putting the wing clean out of action.
The marauder turned completely over and fell in a wild flutter to the ground, the cock, at the same time, alighting gracefully62 six or eight feet away and wheeling like a flash to meet a second attack. The hawk, recovering with splendid nerve from the amazing shock of his overthrow64, braced65 himself upright on his tail by the aid of the one sound wing—the other wing trailing helplessly—and faced his strange adversary66 with open beak67 and one clutching talon58 uplifted.
The cock, fighting after the manner of his kind, rushed in to within a couple of feet of his foe and there paused, balanced for the next stroke or parry, legs slightly apart, wings lightly raised, neck feathers ruffed straight out, beak lowered and presented like a rapier point. Seeing that his opponent made no demonstration68, but simply waited, watching him with eyes as hard and bright and dauntless as his own, he tried to provoke him to a second attack. With scornful insolence69 he dropped his guard and pecked at a twig70 or a grass blade, jerking the unconsidered morsel71 aside and presenting his point again with lightning swiftness.
The insult, however, was lost upon the hawk, who had no knowledge of the cock's duelling code. He simply waited, motionless as the stump beside him.
The cock, perceiving that taunt72 and insolence were wasted, now began to circle warily toward the left, as if to take his opponent in the flank. The hawk at once shifted front to face him. But this was the side of his disabled wing. The sprawling73 member would not move, would not get out of the way. In the effort to manage it, he partly lost his precarious74 balance. The cock saw his advantage instantly. He dashed in like a feathered and flaming thunderbolt, leaping upwards and striking downwards with his destroying heels. The hawk was hurled75 over backwards76, with one spur through his throat, the other through his lungs. As he fell he dragged his conqueror77 down with him, and one convulsive but blindly-clutching talon ripped away a strip of flesh and feathers from the victor's thigh78. There was a moment's flapping, a few delicate red feathers floated off upon the morning air, then the hawk lay quite still, and the red cock, stepping haughtily79 off the body of his foe, crowed long and shrill, three times, as if challenging any other champions of the wilderness to come and dare a like fate.
For a few minutes he stood waiting and listening for an answer to his challenge. As no answer came, he turned, without deigning80 to glance at his slain81 foe, and stalked off, stepping daintily, up the old wood-road and into the depths of the forest. To the raw, red gash82 in his thigh he paid no heed83 whatever.
Having no inkling of the fact that the wilderness, silent and deserted84 though it seemed, was full of hostile eyes and unknown perils86, he took no care at all for the secrecy87 of his going. Indeed, had he striven for concealment88, his brilliant colouring, so out of key with the forest gloom, would have made it almost impossible. Nevertheless, his keenness of sight and hearing, his practised and unsleeping vigilance as protector of his flock, stood him in good stead, and made up for his lack of wilderness lore89. It was with an intense interest and curiosity, rather than with any apprehension90, that his bold eyes questioned everything on either side of his path through the dark spruce woods. Sometimes he would stop to peck the bright vermilion bunches of the pigeon-berry, which here and there starred the hillocks beside the road. But no matter how interesting he found the novel and delicious fare, his vigilance never relaxed. It was, indeed, almost automatic. The idea lurking91 in his subconscious92 processes was probably that he might at any moment be seen by some doughty93 rival of his own kind, and challenged to the great game of mortal combat. But whatever the object of his watchfulness94, it served him as well against the unknown as it could have done against expected foes95.
Presently he came to a spot where an old, half-rotted stump had been torn apart by a bear hunting for wood-ants. The raw earth about the up-torn roots tempted96 the wanderer to scratch for grubs. Finding a fat white morsel, much too dainty to be devoured97 alone, he stood over it and began to call kt-kt-kt, kt-kt-kt, kt-kt-kt, in his most alluring98 tones, hoping that some coy young hen would come stealing out of the underbrush in response to his gallant99 invitation. There was no such response; but as he peered about hopefully, he caught sight of a sinister100, reddish-yellow shape creeping towards him behind the shelter of a withe-wood bush. He gulped101 down the fat grub, and stood warily eyeing the approach of this new foe.
It looked to him like a sharp-nosed, bushy-tailed yellow dog—a very savage and active one. He was not afraid, but he knew himself no match for a thoroughly102 ferocious103 dog of that size. This one, it was clear, had evil designs upon him. He half crouched104, with wings loosed and every muscle tense for the spring.
The next instant the fox pounced105 at him, darting106 through the green edges of the withe-wood bush with most disconcerting suddenness. The cock sprang into the air, but only just in time, for the fox, leaping up nimbly at him with snapping jaws107, captured a mouthful of glossy108 fail feathers. The cock alighted on a branch overhead, some seven or eight feet from the ground, whipped around, stretched his neck downwards, and eyed his assailant with a glassy stare. "Kr-rr-rr-eee?" he murmured softly, as if in sarcastic109 interrogation. The fox, exasperated110 at his failure, and hating, above all beasts, to be made a fool of, glanced around to see if there were any spectators. Then, with an air of elaborate indifference112, he pawed a feather from the corner of his mouth and trotted113 away as if he had just remembered something.
He had not gone above thirty yards or so, when the cock flew down again to the exact spot where he had been scratching. He pretended to pick up another grub, all the time keeping an eye on the retiring foe. He crowed with studied insolence; but the fox, although that long and shrill defiance114 must have seemed a startling novelty, gave no sign of having heard it. The cock crowed again, with the same lack of result. He kept on crowing until the fox was out of sight. Then he returned coolly to his scratching. When he had satisfied his appetite for fat white grubs, he flew up again to his safe perch and fell to preening his feathers. Five minutes later the fox reappeared, creeping up with infinite stealth from quite another direction. The cock, however, detected his approach at once, and proclaimed the fact with another mocking crow. Disgusted and abashed115, the fox turned in his tracks and crept away to stalk some less sophisticated quarry.
The wanderer, for all his fearlessness, was wise. He suspected that the vicious yellow dog with the bushy tail might return yet again to the charge. For a time, therefore, he sat on his perch, digesting his meal and studying with keen, inquisitive116 eyes his strange surroundings. After ten minutes or so of stillness and emptiness, the forest began to come alive. He saw a pair of black-and-white woodpeckers running up and down the trunk of a half-dead tree, and listened with tense interest to their loud rat-tat-tattings. He watched the shy wood-mice come out from their snug117 holes under the tree-roots, and play about with timorous118 gaiety and light rustlings among the dead leaves. He scrutinized119 with appraising120 care a big brown rabbit which came bounding in a leisurely121 fashion down the tote-road and sat up on its hindquarters near the stump, staring about with its mild, bulging122 eyes, and waving its long ears this way and that, to question every minutest wilderness sound; and he decided that the rabbit, for all its bulk and apparent vigour123 of limb, would not be a dangerous opponent. In fact, he thought of hopping124 down from his perch and putting the big innocent to flight, just to compensate125 himself for having had to flee from the fox.
But while he was meditating126 this venture, the rabbit went suddenly leaping off at a tremendous pace, evidently in great alarm. A few seconds later a slim little light-brownish creature, with short legs, long, sinuous127 body, short, triangular128 head, and cruel eyes that glowed like fire, came into view, following hard upon the rabbit's trail. It was nothing like half the rabbit's size, but the interested watcher on the branch overhead understood at once the rabbit's terror. He had never seen a weasel before, but he knew that the sinuous little beast with the eyes of death would be as dangerous almost as the fox. He noted129 that here was another enemy to look out for—to be avoided, if possible, to be fought with the utmost wariness130 if fighting should be forced upon him.
Not long after the weasel had vanished, the cock grew tired of waiting, and restless to renew the quest for the flock on which his dreams were set. He started by flying from tree to tree, still keeping along the course of the tote-road. But after he had covered perhaps a half-mile in this laborious131 fashion, he gave it up and hopped down again into the road. Here he went now with new caution, but with the same old arrogance132 of eye and bearing. He went quickly, however, for the gloom of the spruce wood had grown oppressive to him, and he wanted open fields and the unrestricted sun.
He had not gone far when he caught sight of a curious-looking animal advancing slowly down the path to meet him. It was nearly as big as the rabbit, but low on the legs; and instead of leaping along, it crawled with a certain heavy deliberation. Its colour was a dingy133, greyish black-and-white, and its short black head was crowned with what looked like a heavy iron-grey pompadour brushed well back. The cock stood still, eyeing its approach suspiciously. It did not look capable of any very swift demonstration, but he was on his guard.
When it had come within three or four yards of him, he said "Kr-rr-rr-eee!" sharply, just to see what it would do, at the same time lowering his snaky head and ruffing out his neck feathers in challenge. The stranger seemed then to notice him for the first time, and instantly, to the cock's vast surprise, it enlarged itself to fully63 twice its previous size. Its fur, which was now seen to be quills134 rather than fur, stood up straight on end all over its head and body, and the quills were two or three inches in length. At this amazing spectacle the cock involuntarily backed away several paces. The stranger came straight on, however, without hastening his deliberate steps one jot135. The cock waited, maintaining his attitude of challenge, till not more than three or four feet separated him from the incomprehensible apparition. Then he sprang lightly over it and turned in a flash, expecting the stranger to turn also and again confront him. The stranger, however, did nothing of the kind, but simply continued stolidly136 on his way, not even troubling to look round. Such stolidity137 was more than the cock could understand, having never encountered a porcupine138 before. He stared after it for some moments. Then he crowed scornfully, turned about, and resumed his lonely quest.
A little farther on, to his great delight, he came out into a small clearing with a log cabin in the centre of it. A house! It was associated in his mind with an admiring, devoted139 flock of hens, and rivals to be ignominiously140 routed, and harmless necessary humans whose business it was to supply unlimited141 food. He rushed forward eagerly, careless as to whether he should encounter love or war.
Alas142, the cabin was deserted! Even to his inexperienced eye it was long deserted. The door hung on one hinge, half open; the one small window had no glass in it. Untrodden weeds grew among the rotting chips up to and across the threshold. The roof—a rough affair of poles and bark—sagged in the middle, just ready to fall in at the smallest provocation143. A red squirrel, his tail carried jauntily144 over his back, sat on the topmost peak of it and shrilled145 high derision at the wanderer as he approached.
The cock was acquainted with squirrels, and thought less than nothing of them. Ignoring the loud chatter146, he tip-toed around the cabin, dejected but still inquisitive. Returning at length to the doorway147, he peered in, craning his neck and uttering a low kr-rr. Finally, with head held high, he stalked in. The place was empty, save for a long bench with a broken leg and a joint of rust-eaten stove-pipe. Along two of the walls ran a double tier of bunks148, in which the lumbermen had formerly150 slept. The cock stalked all around the place, prying151 in every corner and murmuring softly to himself. At last he flew up to the highest bunk149, perched upon the edge of it, flapped his wings, and crowed repeatedly, as if announcing to the wilderness at large that he had taken possession. This ceremony accomplished152, he flew down again, stalked out into the sunlight, and fell to scratching among the chips with an air of assured possession. And all the while the red squirrel kept on hurling153 shrill, unheeded abuse at him, resenting him as an intruder in the wilds.
Whenever the cock found a particularly choice grub or worm or beetle154, he would hold it aloft in his beak, then lay it down and call loudly kt-kt-kt-kt-kt-kt, as if hoping thus to lure111 some flock of hens to the fair domain155 which he had seized. He had now dropped his quest, and was trusting that his subjects would come to him. That afternoon his valiant156 calls caught the ear of a weasel—possibly the very one which he had seen in the morning trailing the panic-stricken rabbit. The weasel came rushing upon him at once, too ferocious in its blood-lust for any such emotions as surprise or curiosity, and expecting an easy conquest. The cock saw it coming, and knew well the danger. But he was now on his own ground, responsible for the protection of an imaginary flock. He faced the peril85 unwavering. Fortunately for him, the weasel had no idea whatever of a fighting-cock's method of warfare157. When the cock evaded158 the deadly rush by leaping straight at it and over it, instead of dodging159 aside or turning tail, the weasel was nonplussed160 for just a fraction of a second, and stood snarling162. In that instant of hesitation the cock's keen spur struck it fairly behind the ear, and drove clean into the brain. The murderous little beast stiffened163 out, rolled gently over upon its side, and lay there with the soundless snarl161 fixed164 upon its half-opened jaws. Surprised at such an easy victory, the cock spurred the carcase again, just to make sure of it. Then he kicked it to one side, crowed, of course, and stared around wistfully for some appreciation165 of his triumph. He could not know with what changed eyes the squirrel—who feared weasels more than anything else on earth—was now regarding him.
The killing166 of so redoubtable167 an adversary as the weasel must have become known, in some mysterious fashion, for thenceforward no more of the small marauders of the forest ventured to challenge the new lordship of the clearing. For a week the cock ruled his solitude168 unquestioned, very lonely, but sleeplessly169 alert, and ever hoping that followers170 of his own kind would come to him from somewhere. In time, doubtless, his loneliness would have driven him forth171 again upon his quest; but Fate had other things in store for him.
Late one afternoon a grizzled woodsman in grey homespun, and carrying a bundle swung from the axe over his shoulder, came striding up to the cabin. The cock, pleased to see a human being once more, stalked forth from the cabin door to meet him. The woodsman was surprised at the sight of what he called a "reel barn-yard rooster" away off here in the wilds, but he was too tired and hungry to consider the question carefully. His first thought was that there would be a pleasant addition to his supper of bacon and biscuits. He dropped his axe and bundle, and made a swift grab at the unsuspecting bird. The latter dodged172 cleverly, ruffed his neck feathers with an angry kr-rr-rr, hopped up, and spurred the offending hand severely173.
The woodsman straightened himself up, taken by surprise, and sheepishly shook the blood from his hand.
"Well, I'll be durned!" he muttered, eyeing the intrepid174 cock with admiration175. "You're some rooster, you are! I guess you're all right. Guess I deserved that, for thinkin' of wringin' the neck o' sech a handsome an' gritty bird as you, an' me with plenty o' good bacon in me pack. Guess we'll call it square, eh?"
He felt in his pocket for some scraps176 of biscuits, and tossed them to the cock, who picked them up greedily and then strutted177 around him, plainly begging for more. The biscuit was a delightful178 change after an unvarying diet of grubs and grass. Thereafter he followed his visitor about like his shadow, not with servility, of course, but with a certain condescending179 arrogance which the woodsman found hugely amusing.
Just outside the cabin door the woodsman lit a fire to cook his evening rasher and brew180 his tin of tea. The cock supped with him, striding with dignity to pick up the scraps which were thrown to him, and then resuming his place at the other side of the fire. By the time the man was done, dusk had fallen; and the cock, chuckling181 contentedly182 in his throat, tip-toed into the cabin, flew up to the top bunk, and settled himself on his perch for the night. He had always been taught to expect benefits from men, and he felt that this big stranger who had fed him so generously would find him a flock to preside over on the morrow.
After a long smoke beside his dying fire, till the moon came up above the ghostly solitude, the woodsman turned in to sleep in one of the lower bunks, opposite to where the cock was roosting. He had heaped an armful of bracken and spruce branches into the bunk before spreading his blanket. And he slept very soundly.
Even the most experienced of woodsmen may make a slip at times. This one, this time, had forgotten to make quite sure that his fire was out. There was no wind when he went to bed, but soon afterwards a wind arose, blowing steadily183 toward the cabin. It blew the darkened embers to a glow, and little, harmless-looking flames began eating their way over the top layer of tinder-dry chips to the equally dry wall of the cabin.
The cock was awakened184 by a bright light in his eyes. A fiery185 glow, beyond the reddest of sunrises, was flooding the cabin. Long tongues of flame were licking about the doorway. He crowed valiantly186, to greet this splendid, blazing dawn. He crowed again and yet again, because he was anxious and disturbed. As a sunrise, this one did not act at all according to precedent187.
The piercing notes aroused the man, who was sleeping heavily. In one instant he was out of his bunk and grabbing up his blanket and his pack. In the next he had plunged188 out through the flaming doorway, and thrown down his armful at a safe distance, cursing acidly at such a disturbance to the most comfortable rest he had enjoyed for a week.
From within the doomed189 cabin came once more the crow of the cock, shrilling190 dauntlessly above the crackle and venomous hiss191 of the flames.
"Gee192 whizz!" muttered the woodsman, or, rather, that may be taken as the polite equivalent of his untrammelled backwoods expletive. "That there red rooster's game. Ye can't leave a pardner like that to roast!"
With one arm shielding his face, he dashed in again, grabbed the cock by the legs, and darted193 forth once more into the sweet, chill air, none the worse except for frizzled eyelashes and an unceremonious trimming of hair and beard. The cock, highly insulted, was flapping and pecking savagely194, but the man soon reduced him to impotence, if not submission195, holding him under one elbow while he tied his armed heels together, and then swaddling him securely in his coat.
"There," said he, "I guess we'll travel together from this out, pardner. Ye've sure saved my life; an' to think I had the notion, for a minnit, o' makin' a meal offen ye! I'll give ye a good home, anyways, an' I guess ye'll lick the socks offen every other rooster in the whole blame Settlement!"
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1
arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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2
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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superciliousness
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| n.高傲，傲慢 | |
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5
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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defective
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| adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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8
momentum
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| n.动力，冲力，势头；动量 | |
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9
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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10
runaways
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| （轻而易举的）胜利( runaway的名词复数 ) | |
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11
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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12
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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13
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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14
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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15
crate
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| vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱 | |
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16
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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ironic
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| adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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19
hop
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| n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过 | |
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20
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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crates
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| n. 板条箱, 篓子, 旧汽车 vt. 装进纸条箱 | |
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implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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24
disarrayed
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| vt.使混乱（disarray的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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wreckage
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| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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preening
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| v.（鸟）用嘴整理（羽毛）( preen的现在分词 ) | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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shanty
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| n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子 | |
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rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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42
foraging
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| v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的现在分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西） | |
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43
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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44
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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45
scrutinize
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| n.详细检查，细读 | |
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46
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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47
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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48
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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49
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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50
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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52
cower
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| v.畏缩，退缩，抖缩 | |
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53
scurry
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| vi.急匆匆地走；使急赶；催促；n.快步急跑，疾走；仓皇奔跑声；骤雨，骤雪；短距离赛马 | |
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54
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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55
warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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56
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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57
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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58
talon
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| n.爪；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物 | |
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59
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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60
tapered
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| adj. 锥形的，尖削的，楔形的，渐缩的，斜的 动词taper的过去式和过去分词 | |
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61
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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62
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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63
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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64
overthrow
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| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
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65
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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66
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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67
beak
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| n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻 | |
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68
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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69
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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70
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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71
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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72
taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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73
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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74
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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75
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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76
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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77
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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78
thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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79
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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80
deigning
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的现在分词 ) | |
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81
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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82
gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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83
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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84
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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85
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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86
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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87
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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88
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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89
lore
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| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
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90
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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91
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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92
subconscious
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| n./adj.潜意识(的)，下意识(的) | |
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93
doughty
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| adj.勇猛的，坚强的 | |
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94
watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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95
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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96
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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97
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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98
alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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99
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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100
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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101
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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102
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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103
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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104
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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105
pounced
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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106
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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107
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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108
glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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109
sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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110
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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111
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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112
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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113
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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114
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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115
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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116
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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117
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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118
timorous
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| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
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119
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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120
appraising
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| v.估价( appraise的现在分词 )；估计；估量；评价 | |
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121
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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122
bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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123
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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124
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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125
compensate
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| vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消 | |
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126
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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127
sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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128
triangular
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| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
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129
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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130
wariness
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| n. 注意,小心 | |
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131
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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132
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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133
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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134
quills
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| n.（刺猬或豪猪的）刺( quill的名词复数 )；羽毛管；翮；纡管 | |
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135
jot
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| n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下 | |
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136
stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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137
stolidity
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| n.迟钝，感觉麻木 | |
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138
porcupine
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| n.豪猪， 箭猪 | |
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139
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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140
ignominiously
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| adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地 | |
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141
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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142
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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143
provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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144
jauntily
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| adv.心满意足地；洋洋得意地；高兴地；活泼地 | |
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145
shrilled
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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146
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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147
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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148
bunks
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| n.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的名词复数 )；空话，废话v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 )；空话，废话 | |
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149
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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150
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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151
prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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152
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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153
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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154
beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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155
domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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156
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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157
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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158
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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159
dodging
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| n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避 | |
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160
nonplussed
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|
| adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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161
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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162
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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163
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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164
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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165
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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166
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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167
redoubtable
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| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
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168
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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169
sleeplessly
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| adv.失眠地 | |
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170
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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171
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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172
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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173
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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174
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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175
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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176
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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177
strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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178
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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179
condescending
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| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
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180
brew
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| v.酿造，调制 | |
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181
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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182
contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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183
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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184
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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185
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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186
valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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187
precedent
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| n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的 | |
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188
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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189
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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190
shrilling
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的现在分词 )； 凄厉 | |
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191
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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192
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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193
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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194
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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195
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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