Adventures, according to the proverb, are to the adventurous2. Quite as often they are to the non-adventurous, to the retiring, to the constitutionally timid. John James Abbleway had been endowed by Nature with the sort of disposition3 that instinctively4 avoids Carlist intrigues5, slum crusades, the tracking of wounded wild beasts, and the moving of hostile amendments6 at political meetings. If a mad dog or a Mad Mullah had come his way he would have surrendered the way without hesitation7. At school he had unwillingly8 acquired a thorough knowledge of the German tongue out of deference9 to the plainly-expressed wishes of a foreign-languages master, who, though he taught modern subjects, employed old-fashioned methods in driving his lessons home. It was this enforced familiarity with an important commercial language which thrust Abbleway in later years into strange lands where adventures were less easy to guard against than in the ordered atmosphere of an English country town. The firm that he worked for saw fit to send him one day on a prosaic10 business errand to the far city of Vienna, and, having sent him there, continued to keep him there, still engaged in humdrum11 affairs of commerce, but with the possibilities of romance and adventure, or even misadventure, jostling at his elbow. After two and a half years of exile, however, John James Abbleway had embarked12 on only one hazardous13 undertaking14, and that was of a nature which would assuredly have overtaken him sooner or later if he had been leading a sheltered, stay-at-home existence at Dorking or Huntingdon. He fell placidly15 in love with a placidly lovable English girl, the sister of one of his commercial colleagues, who was improving her mind by a short trip to foreign parts, and in due course he was formally accepted as the young man she was engaged to. The further step by which she was to become Mrs. John Abbleway was to take place a twelvemonth hence in a town in the English midlands, by which time the firm that employed John James would have no further need for his presence in the Austrian capital.
It was early in April, two months after the installation of Abbleway as the young man Miss Penning was engaged to, when he received a letter from her, written from Venice. She was still peregrinating under the wing of her brother, and as the latter’s business arrangements would take him across to Fiume for a day or two, she had conceived the idea that it would be rather jolly if John could obtain leave of absence and run down to the Adriatic coast to meet them. She had looked up the route on the map, and the journey did not appear likely to be expensive. Between the lines of her communication there lay a hint that if he really cared for her —
Abbleway obtained leave of absence and added a journey to Fiume to his life’s adventures. He left Vienna on a cold, cheerless day. The flower shops were full of spring blooms, and the weekly organs of illustrated16 humour were full of spring topics, but the skies were heavy with clouds that looked like cotton-wool that has been kept over long in a shop window.
“Snow comes,” said the train official to the station officials; and they agreed that snow was about to come. And it came, rapidly, plenteously. The train had not been more than an hour on its journey when the cotton-wool clouds commenced to dissolve in a blinding downpour of snowflakes. The forest trees on either side of the line were speedily coated with a heavy white mantle18, the telegraph wires became thick glistening19 ropes, the line itself was buried more and more completely under a carpeting of snow, through which the not very powerful engine ploughed its way with increasing difficulty. The Vienna–Fiume line is scarcely the best equipped of the Austrian State railways, and Abbleway began to have serious fears for a breakdown20. The train had slowed down to a painful and precarious21 crawl and presently came to a halt at a spot where the drifting snow had accumulated in a formidable barrier. The engine made a special effort and broke through the obstruction22, but in the course of another twenty minutes it was again held up. The process of breaking through was renewed, and the train doggedly23 resumed its way, encountering and surmounting24 fresh hindrances25 at frequent intervals26. After a standstill of unusually long duration in a particularly deep drift the compartment27 in which Abbleway was sitting gave a huge jerk and a lurch28, and then seemed to remain stationary29; it undoubtedly30 was not moving, and yet he could hear the puffing31 of the engine and the slow rumbling32 and jolting33 of wheels. The puffing and rumbling grew fainter, as though it were dying away through the agency of intervening distance. Abbleway suddenly gave vent1 to an exclamation34 of scandalised alarm, opened the window, and peered out into the snowstorm. The flakes17 perched on his eyelashes and blurred35 his vision, but he saw enough to help him to realise what had happened. The engine had made a mighty36 plunge37 through the drift and had gone merrily forward, lightened of the load of its rear carriage, whose coupling had snapped under the strain. Abbleway was alone, or almost alone, with a derelict railway waggon38, in the heart of some Styrian or Croatian forest. In the third-class compartment next to his own he remembered to have seen a peasant woman, who had entered the train at a small wayside station. “With the exception of that woman,” he exclaimed dramatically to himself, “the nearest living beings are probably a pack of wolves.”
Before making his way to the third-class compartment to acquaint his fellow-traveller with the extent of the disaster Abbleway hurriedly pondered the question of the woman’s nationality. He had acquired a smattering of Slavonic tongues during his residence in Vienna, and felt competent to grapple with several racial possibilities.
“If she is Croat or Serb or Bosniak I shall be able to make her understand,” he promised himself. “If she is Magyar, heaven help me! We shall have to converse39 entirely40 by signs.”
He entered the carriage and made his momentous41 announcement in the best approach to Croat speech that he could achieve.
“The train has broken away and left us!”
The woman shook her head with a movement that might be intended to convey resignation to the will of heaven, but probably meant noncomprehension. Abbleway repeated his information with variations of Slavonic tongues and generous displays of pantomime.
“Ah,” said the woman at last in German dialect, “the train has gone? We are left. Ah, so.”
She seemed about as much interested as though Abbleway had told her the result of the municipal elections in Amsterdam.
“They will find out at some station, and when the line is clear of snow they will send an engine. It happens that way sometimes.”
“We may be here all night!” exclaimed Abbleway.
The woman nodded as though she thought it possible.
“Are there wolves in these parts?” asked Abbleway hurriedly.
“Many,” said the woman; “just outside this forest my aunt was devoured42 three years ago, as she was coming home from market. The horse and a young pig that was in the cart were eaten too. The horse was a very old one, but it was a beautiful young pig, oh, so fat. I cried when I heard that it was taken. They spare nothing.”
“They may attack us here,” said Abbleway tremulously; “they could easily break in, these carriages are like matchwood. We may both be devoured.”
“You, perhaps,” said the woman calmly; “not me.”
“Why not you?” demanded Abbleway.
“It is the day of Saint Maria Kleopha, my name-day. She would not allow me to be eaten by wolves on her day. Such a thing could not be thought of. You, yes, but not me.”
Abbleway changed the subject.
“It is only afternoon now; if we are to be left here till morning we shall be starving.”
“I have here some good eatables,” said the woman tranquilly43; “on my festival day it is natural that I should have provision with me. I have five good blood-sausages; in the town shops they cost twenty-five heller each. Things are dear in the town shops.”
“I will give you fifty heller apiece for a couple of them,” said Abbleway with some enthusiasm.
“In a railway accident things become very dear,” said the woman; “these blood-sausages are four kronen apiece.”
“Four kronen!” exclaimed Abbleway; “four kronen for a blood-sausage!”
“You cannot get them any cheaper on this train,” said the woman, with relentless44 logic45, “because there aren’t any others to get. In Agram you can buy them cheaper, and in Paradise no doubt they will be given to us for nothing, but here they cost four kronen each. I have a small piece of Emmenthaler cheese and a honey-cake and a piece of bread that I can let you have. That will be another three kronen, eleven kronen in all. There is a piece of ham, but that I cannot let you have on my name-day.”
Abbleway wondered to himself what price she would have put on the ham, and hurried to pay her the eleven kronen before her emergency tariff46 expanded into a famine tariff. As he was taking possession of his modest store of eatables he suddenly heard a noise which set his heart thumping47 in a miserable48 fever of fear. ‘There was a scraping and shuffling49 as of some animal or animals trying to climb up to the footboard. In another moment, through the snow-encrusted glass of the carriage window, he saw a gaunt prick-eared head, with gaping50 jaw51 and lolling tongue and gleaming teeth; a second later another head shot up.
“There are hundreds of them,” whispered Abbleway; “they have scented52 us. They will tear the carriage to pieces. We shall be devoured.”
“Not me, on my name-day. The holy Maria Kleopha would not permit it,” said the woman with provoking calm.
The heads dropped down from the window and an uncanny silence fell on the beleaguered53 carriage. Abbleway neither moved nor spoke54. Perhaps the brutes55 had not clearly seen or winded the human occupants of the carriage, and had prowled away on some other errand of rapine.
The long torture-laden minutes passed slowly away.
“It grows cold,” said the woman suddenly, crossing over to the far end of the carriage, where the heads had appeared. “The heating apparatus56 does not work any longer. See, over there beyond the trees, there is a chimney with smoke coming from it. It is not far, and the snow has nearly stopped, I shall find a path through the forest to that house with the chimney.”
“But the wolves!” exclaimed Abbleway; “they may —”
“Not on my name-day,” said the woman obstinately57, and before he could stop her she had opened the door and climbed down into the snow. A moment later he hid his face in his hands; two gaunt lean figures rushed upon her from the forest. No doubt she had courted her fate, but Abbleway had no wish to see a human being torn to pieces and devoured before his eyes.
When he looked at last a new sensation of scandalised astonishment58 took possession of him. He had been straitly brought up in a small English town, and he was not prepared to be the witness of a miracle. The wolves were not doing anything worse to the woman than drench59 her with snow as they gambolled60 round her.
A short, joyous61 bark revealed the clue to the situation.
“Are those — dogs?” he called weakly.
“My cousin Karl’s dogs, yes,” she answered; “that is his inn, over beyond the trees. I knew it was there, but I did not want to take you there; he is always grasping with strangers. However, it grows too cold to remain in the train. Ah, ah, see what comes!”
A whistle sounded, and a relief engine made its appearance, snorting its way sulkily through the snow. Abbleway did not have the opportunity for finding out whether Karl was really avaricious62.
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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amendments
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| （法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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prosaic
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| adj.单调的，无趣的 | |
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humdrum
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| adj.单调的，乏味的 | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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breakdown
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| n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌 | |
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precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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surmounting
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| 战胜( surmount的现在分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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hindrances
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| 阻碍者( hindrance的名词复数 )； 障碍物； 受到妨碍的状态 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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jolting
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| adj.令人震惊的 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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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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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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tariff
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| n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表 | |
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thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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drench
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| v.使淋透，使湿透 | |
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gambolled
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| v.蹦跳，跳跃，嬉戏( gambol的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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avaricious
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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