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Chapter 5
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THE apparition1 of a file of soldiers ringing down the butt-ends of their loaded muskets2 on our door-step, caused the dinner-party to rise from table in confusion, and caused Mrs Joe re-entering the kitchen empty-handed, to stop short and stare, in her wondering lament5 of `Gracious goodness gracious me, what's gone - with the - pie!'
The sergeant6 and I were in the kitchen when Mrs Joe stood staring; at which crisis I partially7 recovered the use of my senses. It was the sergeant who had spoken to me, and he was now looking round at the company, with his handcuffs invitingly9 extended towards them in his right hand, and his left on my shoulder.

`Excuse me, ladies and gentleman,' said the sergeant, `but as I have mentioned at the door to this smart young shaver' (which he hadn't), `I am on a chase in the name of the king, and I want the blacksmith.'

`And pray what might you want with him?' retorted my sister, quick to resent his being wanted at all.

`Missis,' returned the gallant10 sergeant, `speaking for myself, I should reply, the honour and pleasure of his fine wife's acquaintance; speaking for the king, I answer, a little job done.'

This was received as rather neat in the sergeant; insomuch that Mr Pumblechook cried audibly, `Good again!'

`You see, blacksmith,' said the sergeant, who had by this time picked out Joe with his eye, `we have had an accident with these, and I find the lock of one of 'em goes wrong, and the coupling don't act pretty. As they are wanted for immediate11 service, will you throw your eye over them?'

Joe threw his eye over them, and pronounced that the job would necessitate12 the lighting13 of his forge fire, and would take nearer two hours than one, `Will it? Then will you set about it at once, blacksmith?' said the off-hand sergeant, `as it's on his Majesty14's service. And if my men can beat a hand anywhere, they'll make themselves useful.' With that, he called to his men, who came trooping into the kitchen one after another, and piled their arms in a corner. And then they stood about, as soldiers do; now, with their hands loosely clasped before them; now, resting a knee or a shoulder; now, easing a belt or a pouch15; now, opening the door to spit stiffly over their high stocks, out into the yard.

All these things I saw without then knowing that I saw them, for I was in an agony of apprehension16. But, beginning to perceive that the handcuffs were not for me, and that the military had so far got the better of the pie as to put it in the background, I collected a little more of my scattered17 wits.

`Would you give me the Time?' said the sergeant, addressing himself to Mr Pumblechook, as to a man whose appreciative18 powers justified19 the inference that he was equal to the time.

`It's just gone half-past two.'

`That's not so bad,' said the sergeant, reflecting; `even if I was forced to halt here nigh two hours, that'll do. How far might you call yourselves from the marshes20, hereabouts? Not above a mile, I reckon?'

`Just a mile,' said Mrs Joe.

`That'll do. We begin to close in upon 'em about dusk. A little before dusk, my orders are. That'll do.'

`Convicts, sergeant?' asked Mr Wopsle, in a matter-of-course way.

`Ay!' returned the sergeant, `two. They're pretty well known to be out on the marshes still, and they won't try to get clear of 'em before dusk. Anybody here seen anything of any such game?'

Everybody, myself excepted, said no, with confidence. Nobody thought of me.

`Well!' said the sergeant, `they'll find themselves trapped in a circle, I expect, sooner than they count on. Now, blacksmith! If you're ready, his Majesty the King is.'

Joe had got his coat and waistcoat and cravat21 off, and his leather apron22 on, and passed into the forge. One of the soldiers opened its wooden windows, another lightened the fire, another turned to at the bellows23, the rest stood round the blaze, which was soon roaring. Then Joe began to hammer and clink, hammer and clink, and we all looked on.

The interest of the impending25 pursuit not only absorbed the general attention, but even made my sister liberal. She drew a pitcher26 of beer from the cask, for the soldiers, and invited the sergeant to take a glass of brandy. But Mr Pumblechook said, sharply, `Give him wine, Mum. I'll engage there's no Tar4 in that:' so, the sergeant thanked him and said that as he preferred his drink without tar, he would take wine, if it was equally convenient. When it was given him, he drank his Majesty's health and Compliments of the Season, and took it all at a mouthful and smacked27 his lips.

`Good stuff, eh, sergeant?' said Mr Pumblechook.

`I'll tell you something,' returned the sergeant; `I suspect that stuff's of your providing.'

Mr. Pumblechook, with a fat sort of laugh, said, `Ay, ay? Why?'

`Because,' returned the sergeant, clapping him on the shoulder, `you're a man that knows what's what.'

`D'ye think so?' said Mr Pumblechook, with his former laugh. `Have another glass!'

`With you. Hob and nob,' returned the sergeant. `The top of mine to the foot of yours - the foot of yours to the top of mine - Ring once, ring twice - the best tune28 on the Musical Glasses! Your health. May you live a thousand years, and never be a worse judge of the right sort than you are at the present moment of your life!'

The sergeant tossed off his glass again and seemed quite ready for another glass. I noticed that Mr Pumblechook in his hospitality appeared to forget that he had made a present of the wine, but took the bottle from Mrs Joe and had all the credit of handing it about in a gush29 of joviality30. Even I got some. And he was so very free of the wine that he even called for the other bottle, and handed that about with the same liberality, when the first was gone.

As I watched them while they all stood clustering about the forge, enjoying themselves so much, I thought what terrible good sauce for a dinner my fugitive31 friend on the marshes was. They had not enjoyed themselves a quarter so much, before the entertainment was brightened with the excitement he furnished. And now, when they were all in lively anticipation32 of `the two villains33' being taken, and when the bellows seemed to roar for the fugitives35, the fire to flare36 for them, the smoke to hurry away in pursuit of them, Joe to hammer and clink for them, and all the murky37 shadows on the wall to shake at them in menace as the blaze rose and sank and the red-hot sparks dropped and died, the pale after-noon outside, almost seemed in my pitying young fancy to have turned pale on their account, poor wretches38.

At last, Joe's job was done, and the ringing and roaring stopped. As Joe got on his coat, he mustered39 courage to propose that some of us should go down with the soldiers and see what came of the hunt. Mr Pumblechook and Mr Hubble declined, on the plea of a pipe and ladies' society; but Mr Wopsle said he would go, if Joe would. Joe said he was agreeable, and would take me, if Mrs Joe approved. We never should have got leave to go, I am sure, but for Mrs Joe's curiosity to know all about it and how it ended. As it was, she merely stipulated40, `If you bring the boy back with his head blown to bits by a musket3, don't look to me to put it together again.'

The sergeant took a polite leave of the ladies, and parted from Mr Pumblechook as from a comrade; though I doubt if he were quite as fully41 sensible of that gentleman's merits under arid42 conditions, as when something moist was going. His men resumed their muskets and fell in. Mr Wopsle, Joe, and I, received strict charge to keep in the rear, and to speak no word after we reached the marshes. When we were all out in the raw air and were steadily43 moving towards our business, I treasonably whispered to Joe, `I hope, Joe, we shan't find them.' and Joe whispered to me, `I'd give a shilling if they had cut and run, Pip.'

We were joined by no stragglers from the village, for the weather was cold and threatening, the way dreary44, the footing had, darkness coming on, and the people had good fires in-doors and were keeping the day. A few faces hurried to glowing windows and looked after us, but none came out. We passed the finger-post, and held straight on to the churchyard. There, we were stopped a few minutes by a signal from the sergeant's hand, while two or three of his men dispersed45 themselves among the graves, and also examined the porch. They came in again without finding anything, and then we struck out on the open marshes, through the gate at the side of the churchyard. A bitter sleet46 came rattling47 against us here on the east wind, and Joe took me on his back.

Now that we are out upon the dismal48 wilderness49 where they little thought I had been within eight or nine hours and had seen both men hiding, I considered for the first time, with great dread50, if we should come upon them, would my particular convict suppose that it was I who had brought the soldiers there? He had asked me if I was a deceiving imp24, and he had said I should be a fierce young hound if I joined the hunt against him. Would he believe that I was both imp and hound in treacherous51 earnest, and had betrayed him?

It was of no use asking myself this question now. There I was, on Joe's back, and there was Joe beneath me, charging at the ditches like a hunter, and stimulating52 Mr Wopsle not to tumble on his Roman nose, and to keep up with us. The soldiers were in front of us, extending into a pretty wide line with an interval53 between man and man. We were taking the course I had begun with, and from which I had diverged54 in the mist. Either the mist was not out again yet, or the wind had dispelled55 it. Under the low red glare of sunset, the beacon56, and the gibbet, and the mound57 of the Battery, and the opposite shore of the river, were plain, though all of a watery58 lead colour.

With my heart thumping59 like a blacksmith at Joe's broad shoulder, I looked all about for any sign of the convicts. I could see none, I could hear none. Mr Wopsle had greatly alarmed me more than once, by his blowing and hard breathing; but I knew the sounds by this time, and could dissociate them from the object of pursuit. I got a dreadful start, when I thought I heard the file still going; but it was only a sheep bell. The sheep stopped in their eating and looked timidly at us; and the cattle, their heads turned from the wind and sleet, stared angrily as if they held us responsible for both annoyances60; but, except these things, and the shudder61 of the dying day in every blade of grass, there was no break in the bleak62 stillness of the marshes.

The soldiers were moving on in the direction of the old Battery, and we were moving on a little way behind them, when, all of a sudden, we all stopped. For, there had reached us on the wings of the wind and rain, a long shout. It was repeated. It was at a distance towards the east, but it was long and loud. Nay63, there seemed to be two or more shouts raised together - if one might judge from a confusion in the sound.

To this effect the sergeant and the nearest men were speaking under their breath, when Joe and I came up. After another moment's listening, Joe (who was a good judge) agreed, and Mr Wopsle (who was a bad judge) agreed. The sergeant, a decisive man, ordered that the sound should not be answered, but that the course should be changed, and that his men should make towards it `at the double.' So we slanted64 to the right (where the East was), and Joe pounded away so wonderfully, that I had to hold on tight to keep my seat.

It was a run indeed now, and what Joe called, in the only two words he spoke8 all the time, `a Winder.' Down banks and up banks, and over gates, and splashing into dykes65, and breaking among coarse rushes: no man cared where he went. As we came nearer to the shouting, it became more and more apparent that it was made by more than one voice. Sometimes, it seemed to stop altogether, and then the soldiers stopped. When it broke out again, the soldiers made for it at a greater rate than ever, and we after them. After a while, we had so run it down, that we could hear one voice calling `Murder!' and another voice, `Convicts! Runaways69! Guard!This way for the runaway68 convicts!' Then both voices would seem to be stifled70 in a struggle, and then would break out again. And when it had come to this, the soldiers ran like deer, and Joe too.

The sergeant ran in first, when we had run the noise quite down, and two of his men ran in close upon him. Their pieces were cocked and levelled when we all ran in.

`Here are both men!' panted the sergeant, struggling at the bottom of a ditch. `Surrender, you two! and confound you for two wild beasts! Come asunder71!'

Water was splashing, and mud was flying, and oaths were being sworn, and blows were being struck, when some more men went down into the ditch to help the sergeant, and dragged out, separately, my convict and the other one. Both were bleeding and panting and execrating73 and struggling; but of course I knew them both directly.

`Mind!' said my convict, wiping blood from his face with his ragged72 sleeves, and shaking torn hair from his fingers: `I took him!I give him up to you! Mind that!'

`It's not much to be particular about,' aid the sergeant; `it'll do you small good, my man, being in the same plight74 yourself. Handcuffs there!'

`I don't expect it to do me any good. I don't want it to do me more good than it does now,' said my convict, with a greedy laugh. `I took him. He knows it. That's enough for me.'

The other convict was livid to look at, and, in addition to the old bruised75 left side of his face, seemed to be bruised and torn all over. He could not so much as get his breath to speak, until they were both separately handcuffed, but leaned upon a soldier to keep himself from falling.

`Take notice, guard - he tried to murder me,' were his first words.

`Tried to murder him?' said my convict, disdainfully. `Try, and not do it? I took him, and giv' him up; that's what I done. I not only prevented him getting off the marshes, but I dragged him here - dragged him this far on his way back. He's a gentleman, if you please, this villain34. Now, the Hulks has got its gentleman again, through me. Murder him? Worth my while, too, to murder him, when I could do worse and drag him back!'

The other one still gasped76, `He tried - he tried - to - murder me. Bear - bear witness.'

`Lookee here!' said my convict to the sergeant. `Single-handed I got clear of the prison-ship; I made a dash and I done it. I could ha' got clear of these death-cold flats likewise - look at my leg: you won't find much iron on it - if I hadn't made discovery that he was here. Let him go free? Let him profit by the means as I found out? Let him make a tool of me afresh and again? Once more? No, no, no. If I had died at the bottom there;' and he made an emphatic77 swing at the ditch with his manacled hands; `I'd have held to him with that grip, that you should have been safe to find him in my hold.'

The other fugitive, who was evidently in extreme horror of his companion, repeated, `He tried to murder me. I should have been a dead man if you had not come up.'

`He lies!' said my convict, with fierce energy. `He's a liar78 born, and he'll die a liar. Look at his face; ain't it written there? Let him turn those eyes of his on me. I defy him to do it.'

The other, with an effort at a scornful smile - which could not, however, collect the nervous working of his mouth into any set expression - looked at the soldiers, and looked about at the marshes and at the sky, but certainly did not look at the speaker.

`Do you see him?' pursued my convict. `Do you see what a villain he is? Do you see those grovelling79 and wandering eyes? That's how he looked when we were tried together. He never looked at me.'

The other, always working and working his dry lips and turning his eyes restlessly about him far and near, did at last turn them for a moment on the speaker, with the words, `You are not much to look at,' and with a half-taunting glance at the bound hands. At that point, my convict became so frantically80 exasperated81, that he would have rushed upon him but for the interposition of the soldiers. `Didn't I tell you,' said the other convict then, `that he would murder me, if he could?' And any one could see that he shook with fear, and that there broke out upon his lips, curious white flakes82, like thin snow.

`Enough of this parley,' said the sergeant. `Light those torches.'

As one of the soldiers, who carried a basket in lieu of a gun, went down on his knee to open it, my convict looked round him for the first time, and saw me. I had alighted from Joe's back on the brink83 of the ditch when we came up, and had not moved since. I looked at him eagerly when he looked at me, and slightly moved my hands and shook my head. I had been waiting for him to see me, that I might try to assure him of my innocence84. It was not at all expressed to me that he even comprehended my intention, for he gave me a look that I did not understand, and it all passed in a moment. But if he had looked at me for an hour or for a day, I could not have remembered his face ever afterwards, as having been more attentive85.

The soldier with the basket soon got a light, and lighted three or four torches, and took one himself and distributed the others. It had been almost dark before, but now it seemed quite dark, and soon afterwards very dark. Before we departed from that spot, four soldiers standing86 in a ring, fired twice into the air. Presently we saw other torches kindled87 at some distance behind us, and others on the marshes on the opposite bank of the river. `All right,' said the sergeant. `March.'

We had not gone far when three cannon88 were fired ahead of us with a sound that seemed to burst something inside my ear. `You are expected on board,' said the sergeant to my convict; `they know you are coming. Don't straggle, my man. Close up here.'

The two were kept apart, and each walked surrounded by a separate guard. I had hold of Joe's hand now, and Joe carried one of the torches. Mr Wopsle had been for going back, but Joe was resolved to see it out, so we went on with the party. There was a reasonably good path now, mostly on the edge of the river, with a divergence89 here and there where a dyke66 came, with a miniature windmill on it and a muddy sluice-gate. When I looked round, I could see the other lights coming in after us. The torches we carried, dropped great blotches90 of the upon the track, and I could see those, too, lying smoking and flaring91. I could see nothing else but black darkness. Our lights warmed the air about us with their pitchy blaze, and the two prisoners seemed rather to like that, as they limped along in the midst of the muskets. We could not go fast, because of their lameness92; and they were so spent, that two or three times we had to halt while they rested.

After an hour or so of this travelling, we came to a rough wooden hut and a landing-place. There was a guard in the hut, and they challenged, and the sergeant answered. Then, we went into the hut where there was a smell of tobacco and whitewash93, and a bright fire, and a lamp, and a stand of muskets, and a drum, and a low wooden bedstead, like an overgrown mangle94 without the machinery95, capable of holding about a dozen soldiers all at once. Three or four soldiers who lay upon it in their great-coats, were not much interested in us, but just lifted their heads and took a sleepy stare, and then lay down again. The sergeant made some kind of report, and some entry in a book, and then the convict whom I call the other convict was drafted off with his guard, to go on board first.

My convict never looked at me, except that once. While we stood in the hut, he stood before the fire looking thoughtfully at it, or putting up his feet by turns upon the hob, and looking thoughtfully at them as if he pitied them for their recent adventures. Suddenly, he turned to the sergeant, and remarked:

`I wish to say something respecting this escape. It may prevent some persons laying under suspicion alonger me.'

`You can say what you like,' returned the sergeant, standing coolly looking at him with his arms folded, `but you have no call to say it here. You'll have opportunity enough to say about it, and hear about it, before it's done with, you know.'

`I know, but this is another pint96, a separate matter. A man can't starve; at least I can't. I took some wittles, up at the willage over yonder - where the church stands a'most out on the marshes.'

`You mean stole,' said the sergeant.

`And I'll tell you where from. From the blacksmith's.'

`Halloa!' said the sergeant, staring at Joe.

`Halloa, Pip!' said Joe, staring at me.

`It was some broken wittles - that's what it was - and a dram of liquor, and a pie.'

`Have you happened to miss such an articles as a pie, blacksmith?' asked the sergeant, confidentially97.

`My wife did, at the very moment when you came in. Don't you know, Pip?'

`So,' said my convict, turning his eyes on Joe in a moody98 manner, and without the least glance at me; `so you're the blacksmith, are you? Than I'm sorry to say, I've eat your pie.'

`God knows you're welcome to it - so far as it was ever mine,' returned Joe, with a saving remembrance of Mrs Joe. `We don't know what you have done, but we wouldn't have you starved to death for it, poor miserable99 fellow-creatur. - Would us, Pip?'

The something that I had noticed before, clicked in the man's throat again, and he turned his back. The boat had returned, and his guard were ready, so we followed him to the landing-place made of rough stakes and stones, and saw him put into the boat, which was rowed by a crew of convicts like himself. No one seemed surprised to see him, or interested in seeing him, or glad to see him, or sorry to see him, or spoke a word, except that somebody in the boat growled100 as if to dogs, `Give way, you!' which was the signal for the dip of the oars67. By the light of torches, we was the black Hulk lying out a little way from the mud of the shore, like a wicked Noah's ark. Cribbed and barred and moored101 by massive rusty102 chains, the prison-ship seemed in my young eyes to be ironed like the prisoners. We saw the boat go alongside, and we saw him taken up the side and disappear. Then, the ends of the torches were flung hissing103 into the water, and went out, as if it were all over with him.

 

这队士兵一出现在我家门口,便把装了子弹的滑膛枪放下来,哗哗啦啦地发出一阵乱响。围桌而坐的客人们不得不丢弃宴席,慌乱一团地站起来。我姐姐正两手空空地从食品间回来,本来嘴里骂骂咧咧地说着:“老天啊,这块肉馅饼——到——哪去了呢?”一看到这局面,便立刻停止了还想讲的话,大吃一惊,目瞪口呆。

乔夫人正像个木鸡一样站在那里的时候,那巡官和我已经进入了厨房。在这个关键时刻,我紧张的神志反而有些安定下来。这个巡官就是刚才对我说话的人,现在正巡视着在座的每一个人,把右手拿着的手铐冲他们扬了一扬,似乎想请他们戴上。与此同时,他的左手搭在我的肩膀上。

“女士们,先生们,十分抱歉,”这位巡官对大家说道,“我是以皇家的名义来追捕逃犯的,刚才我已把这来意对这位聪明伶俐的小伙子说过了(他根本没有说过)。现在,我要找的是铁匠。”

“请问,你找他干什么?”我姐姐一听要找铁匠,心中立刻来火,便顶撞地问道。

“夫人,”这位骑士般的英勇巡官说道,“以我个人的名义,我应该说,今日拜见了他的贵夫人乃三生有幸,但是从皇家的立场说,我来找铁匠干件小事。”

这位巡官说得干净利落,有礼有节,连彭波契克先生都大声叫起好来:“说得真棒!”

这时,巡官用他的利眼已经认出了乔,对他说道:“铁匠师傅,你看,我们这个东西出了点故障,有一个锁失灵了,这两个零件也不好使唤了。由于我们急等着用,是不是请你帮我们检查一下?”

乔用他的目光扫了一下,便说干这种活儿一定要把风炉生起来,而且一个小时不够,非得两个小时才行。“真的吗?铁匠师傅,那么你马上就动手好吗?”这位脑筋灵活的巡官立刻说道,“这是为皇上陛下效劳,你要是人手不够,我的人都可供使唤。”说毕,他便召唤他的士兵。他们一个接一个地进入厨房,把兵器堆在一个角落里。然后,他们都遵照士兵的纪律站在那里:一会儿双手在身前松弛地交握着,一会儿放松一只膝盖或一侧肩膀,一会儿又松松裤带,松松子弹袋,一会儿又打开门,从他们又高又宽的军服领子上艰难地转过头,吐一口痰到院子中去。

所有发生的事情我都看到了,但对这些发生的事几乎视而不见,因为我处在极度的惊恐之中。但是我渐渐悟出,这副手铐并不是来铐我的,而且这列士兵的开进已使馅饼的事被丢在了一边,我的理智这才又恢复了不少。

“你能告诉我现在的时间吗?”巡官对着彭波契克先生问道。他一眼就看出彭波契克有判断能力,并且得出结论,彭波契克先生就等于时间,问他绝对没错。

“刚好两点半。”

“那还行,”巡官想了一下说道,“即使被阻在这里两小时左右也没有关系,时间足够。从你们这儿到沼泽地要走多远的路程?我想不超过一英里,是吗?”

“正好一英里。”乔夫人说道。

“行,到黄昏的时候我们开始挺进,上面的命令也是要我在天黑之前开始追捕,肯定来得及。”

“是追逃犯,巡官?”沃甫赛先生装出一副不言而喻的神态说道。

“嗯!”巡官答道,“两个逃犯。据我们掌握的情况,他们现在还躲在沼泽地里,在黄昏之前他们是不会向外逃的。你们有谁见到过他们吗?”

每一个人,当然我不算在内,都说没有。当然他们也不会知道我晓得。

“不管怎样,”巡官说道,“这两个逃犯绝对想不到这么快他们就陷在我们的包围圈中了。铁匠师傅,皇家的队伍已准备就绪,现在就看你的行动如何了。”

乔已把他的上衣和背心脱掉,解下领带,系上了皮围裙,走进他的铁匠铺。一个士兵跑来帮他打开木窗,另一个士兵帮他生了火,还有一个拉起了风箱,其余的士兵都站在风炉的四周,观看着正旺起来的火焰。接着,乔开始又锤又打起来,发出叮叮当当的声音。我们都站在一旁看着。

马上就要进行的追捕不仅吸引了大家的注意力,而且使我姐姐也慷慨起来了。她先从啤酒桶里舀出一壶啤酒给士兵们喝,然后又邀请巡官饮一杯白兰地。但彭波契克先生机警地说道:“给他喝葡萄酒吧,夫人,我看葡萄酒里没有掺柏油水。”巡官听后十分感谢他的提醒,说他喜欢喝不掺柏油水的酒,所以还是葡萄酒好,只要喝葡萄酒不造成麻烦就行。他接过了葡萄酒,先祝国王陛下健康,再祝他们节日愉快,然后一口饮尽,咂着嘴唇回味无穷。

“这是顶呱呱的货色,巡官,你说呢?”彭波契克先生说道。

“恕我冒昧,”巡官答道,“我猜想,这一定是你提供的货色吧。”

彭波契克先生开心地笑着说:“噢,噢,你怎么知道?”

巡官拍了一下他的肩头,答道:“因为你是一个识货的人。”

“你真这样想吗?”彭波契克先生依然笑容可掬地说道,“再来一杯怎么样?”

“你也来,我也来,你一杯,我一杯,”巡官说道,“杯底碰杯头,杯头碰杯底,碰一次,再一次,两杯相碰的音乐最动听!来,祝你健康,祝你长命千岁,现在能识货,将来更加能识货。”

巡官高高地把酒杯举起,一饮而尽。看上去他劲头十足,还想再来一杯。我看得很清楚,彭波契克先生慷慨大方得忘乎所以,竟忘掉这是送给别人的礼物,干脆从乔夫人手中接过酒瓶行起了地主之谊,凭一时高兴依次给大家敬酒,连我也尝了几口。一瓶喝完,他又大方地把第二瓶酒也要过来,像第一瓶一样,阔气大方地为大家一一斟酒。

我看着他们群集在熔炉的旁边,谈笑风生,兴高采烈。这不由不使我想起那位逃亡的朋友,他简直成了这顿午饭可怕的鲜味佐料,虽然他本人这时还藏身于沼泽地中。他们本来兴致也不高,一加上了他这调味品,顿时神情焕发,精神为之一振。现在,他们都生气勃勃地打赌,说“这两个歹徒”一定会被逮捕。风箱为了追捕逃犯而怒吼着,火光为了捉拿他们在闪耀着,烟雾在催促着去追赶他们,乔也在为了抓住他们而敲着打着。映照在墙上的阴郁可怕的影子,随着火光的起伏,威胁性地摇曳着,炽热的闪亮火星跌落下来,消失得无影无踪。我是个富于怜悯和幻想的孩子,幼稚地认为那天下午室外的一片暗淡,也是为了那可怜的人而变得如此苍白无光。

最后,乔的任务完成了,敲打的声音和风箱的声音也随之停止。乔穿起了他的大衣,并且鼓起勇气建议我们几个人尾随着士兵们一起去,看看追捕犯人的结果究竟如何。彭波契克先生和胡卜先生推辞说不能去,因为他们要抽烟,而且要参加妇女活动,而沃甫赛先生说,只要乔跟着去,他一定也去。乔说他自然乐意,并且愿意带着我去,当然这需要乔夫人的赞成。我敢保证,当时要不是我姐姐出自好奇,想知道一切详细的经过和最后的结果,她一定不会让我们去的。就是这样,她还提出了条件,“如果你把这孩子带回来时,他的脑袋被滑膛枪子弹打开了花,别指望我会把它再补好。”

巡官倒是很有礼貌地辞别了女士们,也像一个情投意合的同志一样和彭波契克先生道了别。我真怀疑,要是这位巡官大人在这里干巴巴的,滴酒不沾,他是否还会如此讨好地说彭波契克先生的好话。士兵们重新拿起了枪,列好了队。沃甫赛先生,乔,还有我,都按照巡官的严格命令,跟在队伍的后头,而且到达沼泽地后绝对不能说话。我们走了出去,在严冬的寒气当中,坚定地向目的地前进。这时,我心中又冒出一个坏念头,低低地对乔说:“乔,我真希望找不到这些逃犯才好呢。”乔也低低地对我说:“他们要是都逃走了,皮普,我愿意拿出一个先令来。”

村子里没有人跑出来加入我们的行列,因为天气十分寒冷而且阴沉可怕,一路上显得很凄凉,脚下的路又不好走,黑幕也即将降临,家家户户都在屋内生着火炉,正享受着节日的温暖。有几张面孔匆匆忙忙地贴在相当明亮的窗子上跟着我们望,但一个也没有走出来。我们经过了指路的牌子,便一直向乡村的教堂墓地走去。在那里,巡官对我们做了一个手势,命令我们停几分钟。他派出两三个士兵分头到坟墓间去搜寻,也顺带查看一下教堂的门廊。他们什么也没有发现,就回来了。然后,我们从教堂墓地边上的门出去,向一片广阔的沼泽地进军。一阵严寒刺骨的雨夹雪沙沙地借着东风之便向我们迎面打来,乔把我背在了身上。

现在,我们已来到阴郁凄凉的荒野之地。他们绝不会想到,仅仅在八九个小时之前我就来过这里,而且亲眼看到过两个隐藏在这里的人。这时,我才第一次惊慌地考虑到,如果我们遇见这两个人,那个和我打过交道的逃犯会不会以为是我把士兵带来的?他早就问过我是不是一个骗人上当的小魔鬼,他还说过,要是我参加那些人来搜捕他,我就是一头凶狠的小猎犬。他真的会认为我既是一个小魔鬼又是一个小猎犬,真心诚意地做着伤天害理的事,把他给出卖了吗?

现在我提出这些问题来又有何用?反正,我现在在乔的背上,乔正背着我,像一匹真正的猎犬,飞越过道道沟渠,不时地还有意刺激着沃甫赛先生,叫他不要把罗马人的鹰钩鼻跌坏,要紧紧地跟上我们,不能掉队。士兵们走在我们前面,相互拉开了距离,排成一条宽宽的一字阵形。我们现在所选的路线正是我早晨走过的,不过那时的大雾把我领向了岔路。现在一片晴朗,要么是雾还没有出来,要么是风把雾吹散了,在夕阳低低的残照之下,那灯塔、绞刑架、古炮台的土丘,还有河岸的对面都清晰可见,抹着一层淡淡的铅灰色。

我伏在乔宽大的肩头上,胸中的心在怦怦地跳着,真像铁匠打铁时的铁锤声。我向四周张望,想发现一丝逃犯的痕迹,然而,我什么迹象也没有看到,什么动静也没有听到。沃甫赛先生的喘气声和粗重的呼吸声惊动了我好几次;后来我知道是他的声音,便分辨出这和所追捕的逃犯声音不同。突然,我又感到一阵可怕的惊慌,仿佛听到了用锉子锉镣铐的声音,再稍加注意才发现是绵羊身上的铃声。正在吃草的绵羊停下来胆怯地望着我们;牛群转过头避开了迎面的寒风和雨雪,冲我们瞪着愤怒的眼睛,仿佛寒风和雨雪都是我们带来的。除掉上述的这些声音外,就只有夕阳残照下每一根小草的战栗声,打破这一片沼泽的荒凉寂静了。

士兵们向着古炮台的方向走去,而我们跟在他们的后面,隔了一点儿距离。突然,我们都停了下来。风雨之中,一声呼喊传到我们耳中。喊声拖得很长,而且一声接一声。声音是从东边很远的某个地方传来的,但它既长又响。只要人们仔细地辨别出这喊声中的杂乱,就不难发现它是由两三个人的声音组成的。

乔和我赶上队伍的时候,巡官正在和几名最近的士兵低声讨论。再静听了一会儿之后,很有判断能力的乔赞成这一说法,连缺乏判断能力的沃甫赛先生也赞成这一说法。这巡官是一个有决断能力的人,立刻命令大家都不要对呼叫答腔,而且必须改变路线,他手下的人都要加倍快捷地向发出喊声的地方靠拢。我们向右侧跑去,也就是东边。乔飞跑而下,我不得不抓紧他的肩头,以免从他背上摔下来。

这次才算是货真价实的跑,乔一路上念叨着两个字来形容这次奔跑,“逃命”。我们跑上堤岸,又跑下堤岸,越过闸门,哗啦哗啦地涉水通过沟渠,在带毛的灯芯草丛中飞奔着。大家只顾向前跑,没人在意脚下的路。我们越来越靠近发出喊声的地方,也越来越清楚地辨别出确实不是一个人的声音,而是几个嗓子合在一起。有时喊声好像停了下来,于是士兵们的脚步也随着停了下来,一会儿喊声又响起来,于是士兵们便加快脚步搜寻下去。我们也紧跟不舍。又跑了一会儿,我们已到达喊声附近,连喊声的意思都听清了。我们听见一个声音喊道:“杀人啦!”紧接着另一个声音喊道:“罪犯在这里!有逃犯!来这里抓逃犯!”然而他们似乎扭打了起来,叫声便消失了,一会儿之后就又响了起来。士兵们既然来到了这里,再不能等待,于是像鹿一样飞奔而去。乔也跟随而去。

巡官跑在第一个,带头奔下水沟,两个士兵紧随着他,到达了喊声响起的地方。等我们也跑到那里时,他们已经举着枪,扣着扳机,瞄准了罪犯。

“两个都在这里!”巡官气喘喘地说道,在沟底尽力地迈着步。“你们两个家伙快投降吧!你们两个狂乱的野兽,还不快松开手!”

只见那儿水花四溅,污泥飞扬,恶斗者乱骂一通,拳来脚往战在一处。又有几个士兵跳进水沟帮助巡官抓人。他们终于把两个逃犯分别扭了出来,其中一个就是和我打过交道的。两个逃犯身上都流着血,喘着气,怒骂着,扭打着。自然,我立刻便认出了他们。

“向您报告!”我认识的那个犯人说着,用他那破烂的袖子擦着脸上的鲜血,又从手指上抖掉扯下的头发。“是我抓住了他!我把他交给您!请注意这一事实。”

“用不着多说,”巡官说道,“这对你不会有什么好处,我的囚犯,你和他一样都犯了罪。铐上手铐!”

“我并不想因此得到好处,也不指望现在的境况会得到什么改善。”我认识的犯人大笑着说,“是我抓住了他,他该知道这一点。仅此一点我已心满意足了。”

另一个犯人看上去面如土色,除掉左边面孔上有一块旧伤疤外,整个面孔都已经布满新伤,被抓得血肉模糊。他气喘得一句话也说不出,一直等到给他们两个分别戴上手铐,他还倚在一个士兵的身上以支撑自己不致跌倒。

他的第一句话是:“向您报告,卫兵,他企图谋杀我。”

“我企图谋杀他?”我认识的犯人蔑视地说道,“我既有企图,又为什么不杀他?我抓住了他,现在交给您;我所干的就是这件事。我不仅没让他从沼泽地逃走,而且把他拖到这里来,拖了长长一段路才拖到这里。像这样一个混蛋还装什么正人君子?现在监狱船又经过我的手把这个正人君子请回了。我会谋杀他吗?我把他揪回来,不是比谋杀他更有价值嘛!”

另一个犯人还是不断地喘着气,“他企——企图——谋杀我。你们可——可以作证。”

“听我说!”我认识的那个犯人对巡官说着,“我只身一人干净利落地逃出监狱船,而且一举成功。要是没有发现他在这里,我说不定已经逃出这块冻得人要死的鬼沼泽地——不妨看看我的腿,脚镣不是没有了吗?难道我会让他逃跑?难道我会让他用我想出的方法达到他的目的?难道我会让他把我当作工具,一次一次地利用我?不,绝不。即使我死在这水沟下面,”他举起戴手铐的双手用力地对着这沟渠猛然一甩,说道,“我也要紧紧不放地抓住他,让你们平平安安地把他从我的掌握中逮走。”

另一个逃犯显然对他的同伴害怕至极,只能反复地说以下的话:“他企图谋杀我。要是你们不及时赶到,我早就成为死人了。”

“他在撒谎!”我认识的那个犯人用凶狠的语调说道,“他是个天生的撒谎精,死也不会改变他撒谎的本性。看他的脸,一切的谎言都刻在上面。叫他用眼睛望着我,你看他敢不敢。”

另一个犯人费尽了气力想做出轻视的微笑,然而,他的嘴虽然神经质地动了几下,最终还是没有表现出微笑的表情。他望了一下土兵,又望了一下沼泽地和天空,就是不敢正视一下对方。

“你们看到他了吗?”我认识的那个犯人寸步不让地说道,“你们看到这个恶棍没有?你们看到他那摇尾乞怜、飘忽不定的眼光了吗?我们过去一起受审时他就是这副样子。他从来不敢对我正眼看一下。”

另一个罪犯总是微动着两片干燥的嘴唇,内心不安地把眼睛一会儿膘向远方,一会儿转向近处,最后才看了对方一眼,说道:“你有什么值得我看的?”又用半带嘲笑的目光看了一眼对方被戴上手铐的双手。听到这话,我认识的那个犯人疯狂地咒骂起来。本来他想向另一个犯人扑过去,但被士兵们拦住了。另一个犯人说道: “我不是早就告诉过你们,只要一遇上机会,他一定会谋杀我的。”无论谁这时都能看出他讲话时全身怕得直发抖,嘴唇溅上了白色的唾沫,真有点儿像小雪花。

“够了够了,用不着再争执了,”巡官说道,“把火把点起来。”

有一个士兵身上没有扛枪,却带了一个篮子。他蹲下来,掀开篮子盖。我认识的罪犯这才第一次向四周打量了一下,并立刻看到了我。我们一来到这里,我就从乔的背上下来,站在沟边上,一直没有移动过。当他看我时,我也热切地望着他,而且轻轻地向他挥挥手,又摇摇头。我一直盼望着他看我,那样我就可以设法向他保证这事和我无关。但他根本就没有对我表示他是否理解了我的意思。他投向我的一眼是我无法理解的,而且一闪而过。即使他曾看过我一小时,看过我一整天,也不会给我留下比这难以捉摸、专心会神的一瞥更深刻的印象。

提篮子的士兵很快便打着了火,点亮了三四支火炬,自己拿一支,其余的分给别的士兵举着。天早就黑了下来,而现在更加黑了,很快便完全黑了。四个士兵站成一个圆圈,向空中放了两枪。我们正准备离开沼泽地,这时在我们后面不远处也有几个火把亮了起来,在河对岸的沼泽地上又亮了几个火把。巡官这才发出命令:“一切结束,向前开步走!”

我们没有走多远,前面就响起三声炮,轰隆巨声几乎把我耳膜震穿。巡官对我认识的那个犯人说:“现在正等着你上船呢,他们都知道你回来了。不要再想挣扎,我的犯人,跟上。”

这两个罪犯被隔了开来,每人都由一队卫兵围着前进。我抓着乔的一只手,他的另一只手拿着一个火把。沃甫赛先生早就想回家了,而乔却非要看到结局不可,所以我们随着队伍走着。现在路很好走,我们大都沿着河前进,但是如果遇到有小型风车的堤坝或污泥满布的闸门,我们只有绕道而行。我四周张望了一下,看到背后也有火把跟着来了。我们手中的火把在路上落下一大摊一大摊的余烬。我还能看到它们在那里冒着烟,闪着火星。除此以外便是一片黑暗,什么也看不见。我们松脂火把的火光使四周的空气温暖起来。两个囚犯似乎也很喜欢暖和一下,一拐一拐地在滑膛枪的包围中走着。我们不可能走快,因为他们两个人步履蹒跚,而且十分疲乏。路上我们不得不停了两三次,好让他们休息。

这次我们走了一个多小时,才来到一个简陋的小木棚子跟前。这里是一个摆渡口。木棚中驻扎的一个卫队向我们盘问口令,巡官进行了答复。接着,我们走进了木棚,扑面而来一股浓烈的烟味和石灰水味。棚内生着明亮的炉火,还有一盏灯、一个放滑膛枪的架子。一面鼓,一张低低的木板通铺,活像一台没有机器零件的轧布机,并排可以睡十来个士兵。有三四个士兵正睡在床上,衣服也没有脱。他们对我们并不感兴趣,只是抬起头用惺忪的睡眼瞅了一下,便又自顾倒头睡去。巡官做了汇报,又在本子上做了些记录,然后便让卫兵押着我不认识的那一个犯人先上监狱船去。

我认识的那个囚犯除了那次看过我一眼外,再没有看过我。我们站在棚子中时,他在火炉前若有所思地看着火,有时又轮流地把脚搁在火炉旁的铁架子上,看着它们出神,仿佛对它们寄予了深深的同情,因为它们最近作了冒险的奔波。突然,他转身对巡官说道:

“我希望说明一下和这次逃跑有关的事,免得有人因我而受到连累和怀疑。”

“你要说什么你就说,”巡官答道,交叉着双臂站在那里,冷冷地望着他,“不过并没人要你在这里说。你要知道,在案件结清之前你有充分的机会说,也有充分的机会听别人说。”

“我当然知道,不过这是一件另外的事,和案件毫无关系。人是不能挨饿的,至少我是不能挨饿的。我拿了一些吃的东西,是从那边的村子里拿的,就是沼泽地过去,有一个教堂的村子。”

“你是说你偷了什么人家的东西吃。”巡官说道。

“我还要告诉你是从哪一家偷的,是从一个铁匠家中偷来的。”

“啊!”巡官惊了一下,对乔瞪着眼。

“啊,皮普!”乔也惊了一下,对我瞪着眼。

“我拿的都是一些剩下来的东西,残剩食物,另外拿了一些酒,还有一块馅饼。”

“铁匠师傅,你家有没有不见过一些东西,像馅饼一类的?”巡官对乔说道,语音表现出友好亲密的态度。

“就在你们来我家的时候,我老婆的确发现少了一块猪肉馅饼。皮普,你知道这事吗?”

“那么,”我认识的那个犯人说道,把带点忧郁的眼光转向乔,一眼也没有对我望,“那么您就是铁匠师傅了?偷吃了您的猪肉馅饼,我感到十分抱歉。”

“上天作证,你可以随意吃——只要是我的,不必客气。”乔回答说,及时地想到了他的夫人,“我们不知道你干了什么,但是我们不能看着你饿死,你这可怜不幸的同胞。皮普,是不是这样?”

我早就发现在这个人的喉管里好像有什么东西,咯嗒咯嗒地发响,现在又响了一声,他便转过身去了。一艘小渡船去而复返,卫队已经准备就绪。我们一直跟着他上了用大石头和粗木桩建造的渡口,目送他上了渡船,由几个和他一样的犯人划着而去。他们看到他上船没有表示出一丝惊讶,没有人对他感兴趣地瞥一眼,没有人感到高兴,没有人感到抱歉,也没有人开口,只听到一句怒吼从船上发出,仿佛是在对狗吆喝:“你们快划!”这是一声开桨启程的信号。在火把的光照下,我们看到漆黑一团的监狱船正停在离满布泥泞的岸边不远之处,好像是一艘邪恶的挪亚方舟。这艘监狱船被粗大生锈的铁链锁着。拦着,停泊在那里。在我幼小的心灵中,这船就好像是戴着镣铐的犯人。我们看到渡船向监狱船靠拢,看到他被押上大船,然后便消失了。接着,那些烧剩下的火把头儿全部被投进水里,发出咝咝的声响,熄灭了,仿佛一切都随他而去了。


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 apparition rM3yR     
n.幽灵,神奇的现象
参考例句:
  • He saw the apparition of his dead wife.他看见了他亡妻的幽灵。
  • But the terror of this new apparition brought me to a stand.这新出现的幽灵吓得我站在那里一动也不敢动。
2 muskets c800a2b34c12fbe7b5ea8ef241e9a447     
n.火枪,(尤指)滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The watch below, all hands to load muskets. 另一组人都来帮着给枪装火药。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
  • Deep ditch, single drawbridge, massive stone walls, eight at towers, cannon, muskets, fire and smoke. 深深的壕堑,单吊桥,厚重的石壁,八座巨大的塔楼。大炮、毛瑟枪、火焰与烟雾。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
3 musket 46jzO     
n.滑膛枪
参考例句:
  • I hunted with a musket two years ago.两年前我用滑膛枪打猎。
  • So some seconds passed,till suddenly Joyce whipped up his musket and fired.又过了几秒钟,突然,乔伊斯端起枪来开了火。
4 tar 1qOwD     
n.柏油,焦油;vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于
参考例句:
  • The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
  • We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。
5 lament u91zi     
n.悲叹,悔恨,恸哭;v.哀悼,悔恨,悲叹
参考例句:
  • Her face showed lament.她的脸上露出悲伤的样子。
  • We lament the dead.我们哀悼死者。
6 sergeant REQzz     
n.警官,中士
参考例句:
  • His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
  • How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹?
7 partially yL7xm     
adv.部分地,从某些方面讲
参考例句:
  • The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
  • The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静,宵禁部分解除。
8 spoke XryyC     
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
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
9 invitingly 83e809d5e50549c03786860d565c9824     
adv. 动人地
参考例句:
  • Her lips pouted invitingly. 她挑逗地撮起双唇。
  • The smooth road sloped invitingly before her. 平展的山路诱人地倾斜在她面前。
10 gallant 66Myb     
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句:
  • Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
  • These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。
11 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
12 necessitate 5Gkxn     
v.使成为必要,需要
参考例句:
  • Your proposal would necessitate changing our plans.你的提议可能使我们的计划必须变更。
  • The conversion will necessitate the complete rebuilding of the interior.转变就必需完善内部重建。
13 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
14 majesty MAExL     
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权
参考例句:
  • The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
  • Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下,您必须赶快做出决定!
15 pouch Oi1y1     
n.小袋,小包,囊状袋;vt.装...入袋中,用袋运输;vi.用袋送信件
参考例句:
  • He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
  • The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。
16 apprehension bNayw     
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑
参考例句:
  • There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑,于是她越来越担心。
  • She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。
17 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的
参考例句:
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来,塞进文件夹里。
18 appreciative 9vDzr     
adj.有鉴赏力的,有眼力的;感激的
参考例句:
  • She was deeply appreciative of your help.她对你的帮助深表感激。
  • We are very appreciative of their support in this respect.我们十分感谢他们在这方面的支持。
19 justified 7pSzrk     
a.正当的,有理的
参考例句:
  • She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
  • The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。
20 marshes 9fb6b97bc2685c7033fce33dc84acded     
n.沼泽,湿地( marsh的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
  • We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 cravat 7zTxF     
n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结
参考例句:
  • You're never fully dressed without a cravat.不打领结,就不算正装。
  • Mr. Kenge adjusting his cravat,then looked at us.肯吉先生整了整领带,然后又望着我们。
22 apron Lvzzo     
n.围裙;工作裙
参考例句:
  • We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
  • She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。
23 bellows Ly5zLV     
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫
参考例句:
  • His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句
  • You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想,你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句
24 imp Qy3yY     
n.顽童
参考例句:
  • What a little imp you are!你这个淘气包!
  • There's a little imp always running with him.他总有一个小鬼跟着。
25 impending 3qHzdb     
a.imminent, about to come or happen
参考例句:
  • Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时,严重的战乱爆发了。
  • The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。
26 pitcher S2Gz7     
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐;(棒球)投手
参考例句:
  • He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
  • Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。
27 smacked bb7869468e11f63a1506d730c1d2219e     
拍,打,掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He smacked his lips but did not utter a word. 他吧嗒两下嘴,一声也不言语。
  • She smacked a child's bottom. 她打孩子的屁股。
28 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。
29 gush TeOzO     
v.喷,涌;滔滔不绝(说话);n.喷,涌流;迸发
参考例句:
  • There was a gush of blood from the wound.血从伤口流出。
  • There was a gush of blood as the arrow was pulled out from the arm.当从手臂上拔出箭来时,一股鲜血涌了出来。
30 joviality 00d80ae95f8022e5efb8faabf3370402     
n.快活
参考例句:
  • However, there is an air of joviality in the sugar camps. 然而炼糖营房里却充满着热气腾腾的欢乐气氛。 来自辞典例句
  • Immediately he noticed the joviality of Stane's manner. 他随即注意到史丹兴高采烈的神情。 来自辞典例句
31 fugitive bhHxh     
adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者
参考例句:
  • The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
  • The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。
32 anticipation iMTyh     
n.预期,预料,期望
参考例句:
  • We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着,期待她的到来。
  • The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安,像是感到了地震即将发生。
33 villains ffdac080b5dbc5c53d28520b93dbf399     
n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 );罪犯;(小说、戏剧等中的)反面人物;淘气鬼
参考例句:
  • The impression of villains was inescapable. 留下恶棍的印象是不可避免的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Some villains robbed the widow of the savings. 有几个歹徒将寡妇的积蓄劫走了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
34 villain ZL1zA     
n.反派演员,反面人物;恶棍;问题的起因
参考例句:
  • He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
  • The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。
35 fugitives f38dd4e30282d999f95dda2af8228c55     
n.亡命者,逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Three fugitives from the prison are still at large. 三名逃犯仍然未被抓获。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Members of the provisional government were prisoners or fugitives. 临时政府的成员或被捕或逃亡。 来自演讲部分
36 flare LgQz9     
v.闪耀,闪烁;n.潮红;突发
参考例句:
  • The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
  • You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。
37 murky J1GyJ     
adj.黑暗的,朦胧的;adv.阴暗地,混浊地;n.阴暗;昏暗
参考例句:
  • She threw it into the river's murky depths.她把它扔进了混浊的河水深处。
  • She had a decidedly murky past.她的历史背景令人捉摸不透。
38 wretches 279ac1104342e09faf6a011b43f12d57     
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋
参考例句:
  • The little wretches were all bedraggledfrom some roguery. 小淘气们由于恶作剧而弄得脏乎乎的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The best courage for us poor wretches is to fly from danger. 对我们这些可怜虫说来,最好的出路还是躲避危险。 来自辞典例句
39 mustered 3659918c9e43f26cfb450ce83b0cbb0b     
v.集合,召集,集结(尤指部队)( muster的过去式和过去分词 );(自他人处)搜集某事物;聚集;激发
参考例句:
  • We mustered what support we could for the plan. 我们极尽所能为这项计划寻求支持。
  • The troops mustered on the square. 部队已在广场上集合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
40 stipulated 5203a115be4ee8baf068f04729d1e207     
vt.& vi.规定;约定adj.[法]合同规定的
参考例句:
  • A delivery date is stipulated in the contract. 合同中规定了交货日期。
  • Yes, I think that's what we stipulated. 对呀,我想那是我们所订定的。 来自辞典例句
41 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
42 arid JejyB     
adj.干旱的;(土地)贫瘠的
参考例句:
  • These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
  • There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。
43 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
44 dreary sk1z6     
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的
参考例句:
  • They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
  • She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。
45 dispersed b24c637ca8e58669bce3496236c839fa     
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的
参考例句:
  • The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。
  • After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后,孩子们四散回家了。
46 sleet wxlw6     
n.雨雪;v.下雨雪,下冰雹
参考例句:
  • There was a great deal of sleet last night.昨夜雨夹雪下得真大。
  • When winter comes,we get sleet and frost.冬天来到时我们这儿会有雨夹雪和霜冻。
47 rattling 7b0e25ab43c3cc912945aafbb80e7dfd     
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词
参考例句:
  • This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
  • At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时,一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来,把窗玻璃震得当当地响。
48 dismal wtwxa     
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的
参考例句:
  • That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
  • My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。
49 wilderness SgrwS     
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠
参考例句:
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。
50 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
参考例句:
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
51 treacherous eg7y5     
adj.不可靠的,有暗藏的危险的;adj.背叛的,背信弃义的
参考例句:
  • The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
  • The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。
52 stimulating ShBz7A     
adj.有启发性的,能激发人思考的
参考例句:
  • shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
  • This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。
53 interval 85kxY     
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息
参考例句:
  • The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
  • There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。
54 diverged db5a93fff259ad3ff2017a64912fa156     
分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 ); 偏离; 分歧; 分道扬镳
参考例句:
  • Who knows when we'll meet again? 不知几时咱们能再见面!
  • At what time do you get up? 你几时起床?
55 dispelled 7e96c70e1d822dbda8e7a89ae71a8e9a     
v.驱散,赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • His speech dispelled any fears about his health. 他的发言消除了人们对他身体健康的担心。
  • The sun soon dispelled the thick fog. 太阳很快驱散了浓雾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
56 beacon KQays     
n.烽火,(警告用的)闪火灯,灯塔
参考例句:
  • The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
  • The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。
57 mound unCzhy     
n.土墩,堤,小山;v.筑堤,用土堆防卫
参考例句:
  • The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。
  • The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。
58 watery bU5zW     
adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的
参考例句:
  • In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
  • Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏,她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。
59 thumping hgUzBs     
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
参考例句:
  • Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
60 annoyances 825318190e0ef2fdbbf087738a8eb7f6     
n.恼怒( annoyance的名词复数 );烦恼;打扰;使人烦恼的事
参考例句:
  • At dinner that evening two annoyances kept General Zaroff from perfect enjoyment one. 当天晚上吃饭时,有两件不称心的事令沙洛夫吃得不很香。 来自辞典例句
  • Actually, I have a lot of these little annoyances-don't we all? 事实上我有很多类似的小烦恼,我们不都有这种小烦恼吗? 来自互联网
61 shudder JEqy8     
v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动
参考例句:
  • The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材,他浑身一阵战栗。
  • We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。
62 bleak gtWz5     
adj.(天气)阴冷的;凄凉的;暗淡的
参考例句:
  • They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
  • The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。
63 nay unjzAQ     
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者
参考例句:
  • He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的,不,应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
  • Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章,不,应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。
64 slanted 628a904d3b8214f5fc02822d64c58492     
有偏见的; 倾斜的
参考例句:
  • The sun slanted through the window. 太阳斜照进窗户。
  • She had slanted brown eyes. 她有一双棕色的丹凤眼。
65 dykes 47cc5ebe9e62cd1c065e797efec57dde     
abbr.diagonal wire cutters 斜线切割机n.堤( dyke的名词复数 );坝;堰;沟
参考例句:
  • They built dykes and dam to hold back the rising flood waters. 他们修筑了堤坝来阻挡上涨的洪水。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The dykes were built as a protection against the sea. 建筑堤坝是为了防止海水泛滥。 来自《简明英汉词典》
66 dyke 1krzI     
n.堤,水坝,排水沟
参考例句:
  • If one sheep leap over the dyke,all the rest will follow.一只羊跳过沟,其余的羊也跟着跳。
  • One ant-hole may cause the collapse of a thousand-li dyke.千里长堤,溃于蚁穴。
67 oars c589a112a1b341db7277ea65b5ec7bf7     
n.桨,橹( oar的名词复数 );划手v.划(行)( oar的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
  • The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
68 runaway jD4y5     
n.逃走的人,逃亡,亡命者;adj.逃亡的,逃走的
参考例句:
  • The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
  • He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。
69 runaways cb2e13541d486b9539de7fb01264251f     
(轻而易举的)胜利( runaway的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They failed to find any trace of the runaways. 他们未能找到逃跑者的任何踪迹。
  • Unmanageable complexity can result in massive foul-ups or spectacular budget "runaways. " 这种失控的复杂性会造成大量的故障或惊人的预算“失控”。
70 stifled 20d6c5b702a525920b7425fe94ea26a5     
(使)窒息, (使)窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 ); 镇压,遏制; 堵
参考例句:
  • The gas stifled them. 煤气使他们窒息。
  • The rebellion was stifled. 叛乱被镇压了。
71 asunder GVkzU     
adj.分离的,化为碎片
参考例句:
  • The curtains had been drawn asunder.窗帘被拉向两边。
  • Your conscience,conviction,integrity,and loyalties were torn asunder.你的良心、信念、正直和忠诚都被扯得粉碎了。
72 ragged KC0y8     
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
参考例句:
  • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
  • Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
73 execrating 23fa32a5c15ce8c674456136ff2cd448     
v.憎恶( execrate的现在分词 );厌恶;诅咒;咒骂
参考例句:
74 plight 820zI     
n.困境,境况,誓约,艰难;vt.宣誓,保证,约定
参考例句:
  • The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
  • She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。
75 bruised 5xKz2P     
[医]青肿的,瘀紫的
参考例句:
  • his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
  • She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤,摔得鼻青脸肿。
76 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
77 emphatic 0P1zA     
adj.强调的,着重的;无可置疑的,明显的
参考例句:
  • Their reply was too emphatic for anyone to doubt them.他们的回答很坚决,不容有任何人怀疑。
  • He was emphatic about the importance of being punctual.他强调严守时间的重要性。
78 liar V1ixD     
n.说谎的人
参考例句:
  • I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了,一个又偷又骗的家伙!
  • She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。
79 grovelling d58a0700d14ddb76b687f782b0c57015     
adj.卑下的,奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节,奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 );趴
参考例句:
  • Can a policeman possibly enjoy grovelling in the dirty side of human behaivour? 一个警察成天和人类行为的丑恶面打交道,能感到津津有味吗? 来自互联网
80 frantically ui9xL     
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句:
  • He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
  • She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
81 exasperated ltAz6H     
adj.恼怒的
参考例句:
  • We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
  • Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。
82 flakes d80cf306deb4a89b84c9efdce8809c78     
小薄片( flake的名词复数 ); (尤指)碎片; 雪花; 古怪的人
参考例句:
  • It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。
  • It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。
83 brink OWazM     
n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘,边沿
参考例句:
  • The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
  • The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。
84 innocence ZbizC     
n.无罪;天真;无害
参考例句:
  • There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
  • The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。
85 attentive pOKyB     
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的
参考例句:
  • She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
  • The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。
86 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
87 kindled d35b7382b991feaaaa3e8ddbbcca9c46     
(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光
参考例句:
  • We watched as the fire slowly kindled. 我们看着火慢慢地燃烧起来。
  • The teacher's praise kindled a spark of hope inside her. 老师的赞扬激起了她内心的希望。
88 cannon 3T8yc     
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮
参考例句:
  • The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
  • The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。
89 divergence kkazz     
n.分歧,岔开
参考例句:
  • There is no sure cure for this transatlantic divergence.没有什么灵丹妙药可以消除大西洋两岸的分歧。
  • In short,it was an age full of conflicts and divergence of values.总之,这一时期是矛盾与价值观分歧的时期。
90 blotches 8774b940cca40b77d41e782c6a462e49     
n.(皮肤上的)红斑,疹块( blotch的名词复数 );大滴 [大片](墨水或颜色的)污渍
参考例句:
  • His skin was covered with unsightly blotches. 他的皮肤上长满了难看的疹块。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • His face was covered in red blotches, seemingly a nasty case of acne. 他满脸红斑,像是起了很严重的粉刺。 来自辞典例句
91 flaring Bswzxn     
a.火焰摇曳的,过份艳丽的
参考例句:
  • A vulgar flaring paper adorned the walls. 墙壁上装饰着廉价的花纸。
  • Goebbels was flaring up at me. 戈塔尔当时已对我面呈愠色。
92 lameness a89205359251bdc80ff56673115a9d3c     
n. 跛, 瘸, 残废
参考例句:
  • Having been laughed at for his lameness,the boy became shy and inhibited. 那男孩因跛脚被人讥笑,变得羞怯而压抑。
  • By reason of his lameness the boy could not play games. 这男孩因脚跛不能做游戏。
93 whitewash 3gYwJ     
v.粉刷,掩饰;n.石灰水,粉刷,掩饰
参考例句:
  • They tried hard to whitewash themselves.他们力图粉饰自己。
  • What he said was a load of whitewash.他所说的是一大堆粉饰之词。
94 mangle Mw2yj     
vt.乱砍,撕裂,破坏,毁损,损坏,轧布
参考例句:
  • New shoes don't cut,blister,or mangle his feet.新鞋子不会硌脚、起泡或让脚受伤。
  • Mangle doesn't increase the damage of Maul and Shred anymore.裂伤不再增加重殴和撕碎的伤害。
95 machinery CAdxb     
n.(总称)机械,机器;机构
参考例句:
  • Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗?
  • Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。
96 pint 1NNxL     
n.品脱
参考例句:
  • I'll have a pint of beer and a packet of crisps, please.我要一品脱啤酒和一袋炸马铃薯片。
  • In the old days you could get a pint of beer for a shilling.从前,花一先令就可以买到一品脱啤酒。
97 confidentially 0vDzuc     
ad.秘密地,悄悄地
参考例句:
  • She was leaning confidentially across the table. 她神神秘秘地从桌子上靠过来。
  • Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou talked confidentially in low tones. 高松年汪处厚两人低声密谈。
98 moody XEXxG     
adj.心情不稳的,易怒的,喜怒无常的
参考例句:
  • He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
  • I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。
99 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
参考例句:
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
100 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
101 moored 7d8a41f50d4b6386c7ace4489bce8b89     
adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句:
  • The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London. 该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。
  • We shipped (the) oars and moored alongside the bank. 我们收起桨,把船泊在岸边。
102 rusty hYlxq     
adj.生锈的;锈色的;荒废了的
参考例句:
  • The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
  • I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用,我的法语又荒疏了。
103 hissing hissing     
n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
  • His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕


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