So far they had met with nothing alarming. Everywhere, in and out, giant fireflies danced in a mystic saraband, very beautiful to behold6, but also quite confusing to the eye. They had not yet used their torches, fearing to attract more of the terrible flying monsters, of which they had already seen quite enough to satisfy any morbid7 curiosity they might have felt.
“Here,” whispered the prince, although he could almost have shouted without fear of being overheard above the general uproar8, “we must awaken9 Miss Weston.”
Jones saw his dark form bending over at the foot of the slender tree, and knew that he had laid his burden down.
“Shall I light up?” inquired Jones in an equally low tone, and speaking close to his companion’s ear.
“On no account. Not yet, that is. Will you hold up her head, please? That is right. Now — this liquor would well-nigh rouse life in the dusty veins10 of an Egyptian mummy.”
“If it’s the same you gave me, you’re right. Look out — there’s something behind you — look out, I say!”
Over Sergius’ shoulder he had caught a glimpse of two green eyes glaring, balls of fire set in the black velvet12 of night. Sergius, with the swiftness of a prestidigitateur, replaced the stopper in the small flask13 he had been holding to Miss Weston’s lips, reached with unerring grasp for one of the rifles laid across Jones’ lap, rose from knees to feet in the same motion and laughed softly and lowered the weapon. Stooping, he picked up a small stone and flung it straight at the glaring eyes. There was a startled snarl14, a fiendish yell, and the eyes vanished, accompanied by a scuffling and crashing in the underbrush.
“A hyena15,” commented Sergius, resuming his interrupted task with unruffled composure. “No use wasting a shot on that sort of vermin.”
“Good Heavens, man, have you the eyes of a cat? How could you tell what it was?”
“Oh, I can see better than most in the dark, I will admit. I should never have suggested this venture if it were not so. Now — ah, she is awakening16.”
There was a cough, a little, strangled gasp17, and Miss Weston sat up very suddenly. Unlike more ordinary people, she did not exclaim “Where am I?” although the query18 would certainly have been excusable, but seemed to spring instantly to full consciousness and knowledge of the situation.
Without a moment’s hesitation19 she reached up in the darkness and delivered a slap in Sergius’ general direction which would have been splendidly effective had he not sprung back with the same speed he had shown in dealing20 with the hyena. A second later she was on her feet, panting and sobbing21, but not, Jones feared, with panic.
“Oh, you did it — you did it! You cowards! You left them there and carried me away when I was helpless. Oh — if I live till morning you shall be punished for this. You shall, I say!”
Gently, but with irresistible22 strength, Sergius took her small hands in one of his, and placed the other over her mouth.
“Be silent,” he said softly and sternly. “You must not endanger your own life because of your anger against me. Paul and the rest are, a thousand times more secure at this moment than we, unless you control yourself and use your splendid vigor23 and determination to a better purpose than recrimination. If I release my hold, will you come with us quietly and softly?”
A miracle occurred, for Miss Weston yielded — on that one point, at least. She must have nodded her head, although Jones could not see the motion in the darkness, for Sergius released her and stepped back.
“Do not imagine that you have greater concern for my brother than I, Miss Weston. We placed them all in safety, barricaded24 the entrance, and built a fire which will burn until morning. And now, you will please keep between Mr. Jones and myself. If we run, you must run also; and if we should crouch25 suddenly down, you must do likewise. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” came the answer in a tone of suppressed rebellion.
“Very well. Will you give me one of those torches, Roland? You have your rifle ready and cocked?”
“Yes — but I’m a darned bad shot.”
The nihilist sighed. “One cannot expect everything,” he said. “If I tell you to shoot, aim between the eyes — you are likely to see them; at any rate. And now, forward!”
Two long, white beams sprang into being, and by the shifting rays Mr. Jones saw the narrow, trodden trail from which they had emerged in the afternoon. More than ever he marveled at Sergius’ almost supernatural abilities. How had he managed to strike that one single place where they had a bare chance of entering the jungle successfully?
The Russian led the way, followed by Miss Weston, and Jones brought up the rear. And now they had entered the very center of pandemonium27 itself. Roars, shrieks28, grunts29, bellows30 rent the air upon every side.
“Don’t be frightened!” Sergius called back over his shoulder. “These torches will keep most of the brutes32 off — but, good God, not this one!”
Jones caught, a glimpse of a mighty33 bulk rearing itself high over the head of their leader; there were three sharp, rapid reports; then the thing, whatever it was, with a terrific snarl of rage, had lurched forward and downward upon the unfortunate nihilist. Miss Weston, with remarkable34 presence of mind, had turned, run back to Jones’s side, and then turned again to face this midnight terror, without a scream or act which could have impeded35 her sole remaining guardian36.
He, staring with horror down his little, wavering beam of light, saw only a monstrous37 black head with snarling38, savage39 jaws40 and two red eyes that glared like coals of fire.
“Shoot him — shoot him!” It was Miss Weston’s voice, and she was shaking his arm viciously. “Shoot him — or give me that rifle!”
“Between the eyes!” gasped41 Jones.
“You’re likely to see them!”
He had no idea of what he was saying, or that he had spoken. Then, as he stood there, shaking in every limb, he suddenly reached the extremity42 of terror, and passed beyond it into that unnatural43 coolness and calm which is so efficient and, sometimes, so hard to reach. The trembling palsy passed, and every nerve and muscle tautened to abnormal firmness. From numbed44 quiescence45 his brain leaped to lightning action.
He knew what he, “a darned bad shot,” must do if he would save the friend who lay invisible somewhere under that dreadful head.
With a sure swiftness of which none of his acquaintances would have deemed Jones capable, he handed the electric torch to the girl, darted46 forward to within ten feet of the monster, raised his rifle and fired, aiming at the center of the forehead, and pumping one cartridge47 after another into place as fast as he could work the lever.
Undoubtedly48 the fact that the brute31 had paused at all in its attack was due to the dazzling effect of the electric torch, and if it had not been for an unusual piece of luck Jones would probably never have lived to marvel26 at his own feat49. For at the first report the light-blinded brute snarled50 again, started to lift itself, failed, drooped51, and sank slowly down upon the path. Jones, however, emptied his magazine before he realized that he had actually killed the creature with that first fortunate bullet.
Then he called back to the girl: “Come quick, Miss Weston; we’ve got to pull it off from Sergius!”
She ran up, still bearing the light, and the two looked down in consternation52 at the mighty bulk which lay like a monstrous black tombstone over the body of Sergius Petrofsky. It was a great, hairless mountain of flesh, The dropped head looked like the face of some gargoyle53 carven in unpolished ebony. Its fore2 legs were invisible, doubled under the body. Move it? They might as well have tried to move an elephant.
Nevertheless, catching54 hold of the upstanding, rounded ears, they tugged55 and heaved with all their might, but could only succeed in shifting the head a little to one side.
“Sergius! Sergius!” cried Miss Weston, dropping suddenly in a little heap of pathos56 beside that mountain of brute flesh.
She was answered by a moan. To their amazement57, it did not come from beneath the monster, but from some little distance to one side of the path. Yet it was certainly a human moan, for it was followed by a voice: “Over here. I’m — I’m coming.”
Miss Weston sprang to her feet and accompanied Jones in a wild rush toward the voice. There, sprawled58 out among the flowering, tangled59 vines, they found the nihilist himself; and as the circle of light struck his face, he sat and stared back at them with an amazement equal to their own.
“What — what hit me?” he gasped.
Jones laughed aloud in his relief. “It did. How in the name of all the saints did you get here?”
Sergius passed a bewildered hand over his head. “I— I begin to remember. Something seemed to come right up out of the ground. I— I fired at it — and then — and then — ”
“It must have struck you with its paw and knocked you clear away from the path,” interrupted Miss Weston in a calm, indifferent voice. Jones glanced at her in astonishment60. Was this the girl who had been sobbing out the name of Sergius a few minutes before? “If you are hurt, you had better get up and go on with us — although I would suggest that you let Mr. Jones take the lead, as he seems much the better shot.”
Jones helped his friend to rise, and as he did so Sergius laughed without a trace of annoyance61. “If you actually killed that brute, my friend, Miss Weston is right. Did you kill it?”
“I must have, because it’s certainly dead, although I can hardly believe it myself. What on earth is the thing, Sergius?”
They had recovered the narrow path and stood beside the black hulk which blocked it entirely62, overlapping63 on both sides into the underbrush.
Sergius examined the huge head with interest. “I never saw anything exactly like it before. Where did you hit it?”
“Between the eyes. You remember you told me to fire between the eyes, so I did. I fired about ten cartridges64 into it, but I think it died at the first shot.”
The nihilist looked up at him with a curious expression. “It did? That’s rather odd. The beast has a frontal bone as thick as a rhinoceros’, if I am any judge. No; here are three bullets embedded65 in the bone, but not a sign of a hole. Ah, that was it, eh? My friend, by very well-deserved good luck your first bullet did not strike the forehead at all, but penetrated66 this left eye and went straight into the brain.”
“Great Scot!” exclaimed the American. “And I was about ten feet away! It’s a good thing the brute has a head as big as a barn-door, or I’d have missed it entirely.”
Sergius smiled. “Nevertheless, you deserve great congratulations. If your first bullet had not gone a few inches astray, we should perhaps none of us be alive at this moment. But what a strange brute it is! I should say it was a monstrous bear, from the shape of the head, if it were not so hairless. I wonder, now, if this is the creature that pulled up the death cabbages there by the plane?”
“Prince Sergius,” again interrupted Miss Weston, with a slightly impatient note in her voice, “would it not be better to come back in daylight to continue your zoological researches? If this creature has a mate, and it should come this way, Mr. Jones might not be able to kill the second one.”
“And you are quite sure, after what has happened, that as a protector I am an entire failure, eh? Well, perhaps you are justified67, but still I had better continue to lead the way. What do you think, Roland Jones?”
“Don’t be absurd. I’m a rank, bungling68 amateur, and you both know it. Shall we climb over this thing, or go around it?”
“The underbrush is thick here — and there might be snakes, though we have seen none. I think we had better use your victim as a causeway.”
The two men helped Miss Weston up to the gigantic shoulders, and they walked the length of the huge creature, more and more amazed at its bulk. From nose to hind11 quarters it must have measured a full fifteen feet, and in his heart Jones wished that he might have transported the head to his rooms in New York. How he could have gloated over the surprise of a friend of his who was a big game-hunter and very proud of certain rhino-heads and lion-skins, trophies69 of African expeditions.
He reloaded his rifle carefully and resumed his position as rear-guard with a new confidence in its powers which took no heed70 to the fact that only by a lucky accident had his shot struck a vulnerable spot.
Many times as they marched silently ahead, the underbrush by the wayside swayed and bent71, crackling, to the passage of animals of which they caught not even a glimpse. Once a lynxlike beast as big as a large panther dropped silently into the middle of the path ahead of them, glared for a second into the bull’s-eye of Sergius, and with another spring was gone before he could fire at it.
This incident, however, encouraged the three, for it seemed as if most of the jungle inhabitants shunned72 the blinding electric lights as they would have shunned a campfires.
And at length there came to their nostrils73 a whiff of noxious74 odor which told the two men that they had successfully passed the first barriers to their escape. Vile75 smell though it was, it came welcome enough just then, for it was the odor of the fungi76 that grew about the roots of the death cabbages.
Jones realized with pleasure that they had passed the great spider’s trap without even being aware of it. He had subconsciously77 dreaded78 more than anything also going past that dark incline, at the foot of which waited the thing of long, black, shining legs and protuberant79 eyes.
But as the full force of the stench enveloped80 them, Miss Weston stopped dead, so that Jones almost collided with her in the narrow path.
“Stop — I can’t go on into this — this horrible vapor81!” she called after Sergius. He heard, for he turned back immediately and returned to where they stood.
“What is the matter?” he asked a trifle impatiently.
“This dreadful smell. I can’t — ”
“Miss Weston, a smell won’t kill anybody. At least, this one will not. Mr. Jones and myself were in the midst of it for nearly an hour, and we were not harmed.”
“But — ”
“Do you wish to be left here, then?”
The question was brutal82, but it served its purpose. A moment the girl was silent; then she threw back her shoulders and smiled contemptuously. “I presume you would not hesitate to do that, either. No, I will not oblige you by relieving you of my hampering83 company. I can certainly face anything that you can.”
Sergius looked at her with plain admiration84 on his face.
“Believe me, Miss Weston, this charnel odor is no worse than that of the battle-fields to which you were going. I have been there, also. Will you take my arm now? For we must walk through a very disagreeable place.”
“No, thank you!” she — well, she snapped, although it isn’t a nice thing to say of a heroine. “I am sure Mr. Jones will offer all the help I may need.”
“Very well.” The prince shrugged85, and without more ado they passed from the forest of slender palms into the safe way, broken, perhaps, by the very creature which they had encountered and ungratefully slain86 that night.
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1
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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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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15
hyena
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| n.土狼，鬣狗 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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barricaded
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣，大混乱 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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grunts
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说； 石鲈 | |
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30
bellows
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| 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 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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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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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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38
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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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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40
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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41
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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42
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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43
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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44
numbed
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| v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
quiescence
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| n.静止 | |
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46
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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47
cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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48
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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49
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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50
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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51
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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53
gargoyle
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| n.笕嘴 | |
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54
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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55
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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57
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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58
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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59
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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60
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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61
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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62
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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63
overlapping
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| adj./n.交迭（的） | |
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64
cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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65
embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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66
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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bungling
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| adj.笨拙的，粗劣的v.搞糟，完不成( bungle的现在分词 )；笨手笨脚地做；失败；完不成 | |
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69
trophies
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| n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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72
shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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noxious
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| adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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fungi
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| n.真菌，霉菌 | |
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subconsciously
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| ad.下意识地，潜意识地 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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protuberant
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| adj.突出的，隆起的 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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hampering
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 ) | |
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84
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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85
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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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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