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Chapter 71
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Dors said, "That wasnt a very long interview, Hari."
"I know. The surroundings were terribly unpleasant and I felt I had learned enough. Amazing how these folktales tend to magnify."
"What do you mean, magnify?"
"Well, the Mycogenians fill their Aurora1 with human beings who lived for centuries and the Dahlites fill their Earth with a humanity that lived for millions of years. And both talk of a robot that lives forever. Still, it makes one think."
"As far as millions of years go, theres room for-- Where are we going?"
"Mother Rittah said we go in this direction till we reach a rest area, then follow the sign for CENTRAL WALKWAY, bearing left, and keep on following the sign. Did we pass a rest area on the way in?"
"We may be leaving by a route different from the one we came in. I dont remember a rest area, but I wasnt watching the route. I was keeping my eye on the people we passed and--"
Her voice died away. Up ahead the alley2 swelled3 outward on both sides. Seldon remembered. They had passed that way. There had been a couple of ratty couch pads resting on the walkway floor on either side. There was, however, no need for Dors to watch passersby4 going out as she had coming in. There were no passersby. But up ahead in the rest area they spotted5 a group of men, rather large-sized for Dahlites, mustaches bristling6, bare upper arms muscular and glistening7 under the yellowish indoor light of the walkway. Clearly, they were waiting for the Outworlders and, almost automatically, Seldon and Dors came to a halt. For a moment or two, the tableau8 held. Then Seldon looked behind him hastily. Two or three additional men had stepped into view.
Seldon said between his teeth, "Were trapped. I should not have let you come, Dors."
"On the contrary. This is why Im here, but was it worth your seeing Mother Rittah?"
"If we get out of this, it was."
Seldon then said in a loud and firm voice, "May we pass?"
One of the men ahead stepped forward. He was fully9 Seldons height of 1.73 meters, but broader in the shoulders and much more muscular. A bit flabby at the waist, though, Seldon noted10.
"Im Marron," he said with self-satisfied significance, as though the name ought to have meaning, "and Im here to tell you we dont like Outworlders in our district. You want to come in, all right--but if you want to leave, youll have to pay."
"Very well. How much?"
"All youve got. You rich Outworlders have credit tiles, right? Just hand them over."
"No."
"No point saying no. Well just take them."
"You cant11 take them without killing12 me or hurting me and they wont13 work without my voiceprint. My normal voiceprint."
"Thats not so, Master--see, Im being polite--we can take them away from you without hurting you very much."
"How many of you big strong men will it take? Nine? No." Seldon counted rapidly. "Ten."
"Just one. Me."
"With no help?"
"Just me."
"If the rest of you will clear away and give us room, I would like to see you try it, Marron."
"You dont have a knife, Master. You want one?"
"No, use yours to make the fight even. Ill fight without one."
Marron looked about at the others and said, "Hey, this puny14 guy is a sport. He dont even sound scared. Thats sort of nice. It would be a shame to hurt him. I tell you what, Master. Ill take the girl. If you want me to stop, hand over your credit tile and her tile and use your right voices to activate15 them. If you say no, then after Im through with the girl ... and thatll take some time"--he laughed--"Ill just have to hurt you."
"No," said Seldon. "Let the woman go. Ive challenged you to a fight--one to one, you with a knife, me without. If you want bigger odds16, Ill fight two of you, but let the woman go."
"Stop, Hari!" cried out Dors. "If he wants me, let him come and get me. You stay right where you are, Hari, and dont move."
"You hear that?" said Marron, grinning broadly. " You stay right where you are, Hari, and dont move. I think the little lady wants me. You two, keep him still."
Each of Seldons arms were caught in an iron grip and he felt the sharp point of a knife in his back.
"Dont move," said a harsh whisper in his ear, "and you can watch. The lady will probably like it. Marrons pretty good at this."
Dors called out again. "Dont move, Hari!" She turned to face Marron watchfully17, her half-closed hands poised18 near her belt.
He closed in on her purposefully and she waited till he had come within arms length, when suddenly her own arms flashed and Marron found himself facing two large knives.
For a moment, he leaned backward and then he laughed. "The little lady has two knives--knives like the big boys have. And Ive only got one. But thats fair enough." His knife was swiftly out. "I hate to have to cut you, little lady, because it will be more fun for both of us if I dont. Maybe I can just knock them out of your hands, huh?"
Dors said, "I dont want to kill you. Ill do all I can to avoid doing so. Just the same, I call on all to witness, that if I do kill you, it is to protect my friend, as I am honor-bound to do."
Marron pretended to be terrified. "Oh, please dont kill me, little lady." Then he burst into laughter and was joined by the other Dahlites present. Marron lunged with his knife, quite wide of the mark. He tried it again, then a third time, but Dors never budged19. She made no attempt to fend20 off any motion that was not truly aimed at her.
Marrons expression darkened. He was trying to make her respond with panic, but he was only making himself seem ineffectual. The next lunge was directly at her and Dorss left-hand blade moved flashingly and caught his with a force that pushed his arm aside. Her right-hand blade flashed inward and made a diagonal slit21 in his T-shirt. A thin bloody22 line smeared23 the dark-haired skin beneath. Marron looked down at himself in shock as the onlookers24 gasped25 in surprise.
Seldon felt the grip on him weaken slightly as the two who held him were distracted by a duel26 not going quite as they had expected. He tensed himself.
Now Marron lunged again and this time his left hand shot outward to enclose Dorss right wrist. Again Dorss left-hand blade caught his knife and held it motionless, while her right hand twisted agilely27 and drew downward, even as Marrons left hand closed upon it. It closed on nothing but the blade and when he opened his hand there was a bloody line down the palm.
Dors sprang back and Marron, aware of the blood on his chest and hand, roared out chokingly, "Someone toss me another knife!" There was hesitation28 and then one of the onlookers tossed his own knife underhanded. Marron reached for it, but Dors was quicker. Her right-hand blade struck the thrown knife and sent it flying backward, whirling as it went.
Seldon felt the grips on his arms weaken further. He lifted them suddenly, pushing up and forward, and was free. His two captors turned toward him with a sudden shout, but he quickly kneed one in the groin and elbowed the other in the solar plexus and both went down.
He knelt to draw the knives of each and rose as double-armed as Dors. Unlike Dors, Seldon did not know how to handle the blades, but he knew the Dahlites would scarcely be aware of that.
Dors said, "Just keep them off, Hari. Dont attack yet.--Marron, my next stroke will not be a scratch."
Marron, totally enraged29, roared incoherently and charged blindly, attempting by sheer kinetic30 energy to overwhelm his opponent. Dors, dipping and sidestepping, ducked under his right arm, kicked her foot against his right ankle, and down he crashed, his knife flying.
She then knelt, placed one blade against the back of his neck and the other against his throat, and said, "Yield!"
With another yell, Marron struck out against her with one arm, pushed her to one side, then scrambled31 to his feet.
He had not yet stood up completely when she was upon him, one knife slashing32 downward and hacking34 away a section of his mustache. This time he yowled like a large animal in agony, clapping his hand to his face. When he drew it away, it was dripping blood.
Dors shouted, "It wont grow again, Marron. Some of the lip went with it. Attack once more and youre dead meat."
She waited, but Marron had had enough. He stumbled away, moaning, leaving a trail of blood.
Dors turned toward the others. The two that Seldon had knocked down were still lying there, unarmed and not anxious to get up. She bent35 down, cut their belts with one of her knives and then slit their trousers. "This way, youll have to hold your pants up when you walk," she said. She stared at the seven men still on their feet, who were watching her with awestruck fascination36. "And which of you threw the knife?"
There was silence.
She said, "It doesnt matter to me. Come one at a time or all together, but each time I slash33, someone dies."
And with one accord, the seven turned and scurried37 away. Dors lifted her eyebrows38 and said to Seldon, "This time, at least, Hummin cant complain that I failed to protect you."
Seldon said, "I still cant believe what I saw. I didnt know you could do anything like that--or talk like that either."
Dors merely smiled. "You have your talents too. We make a good pair. Here, retract39 your knife blades and put them into your pouch40. I think the news will spread with enormous speed and we can get out of Billibotton without fear of being stopped."
She was quite right.
Undercover
DAVAN-- ... In the unsettled times marking the final centuries of the First Galactic Empire, the typical sources of unrest arose from the fact that political and military leaders jockeyed for "supreme41" power (a supremacy42 that grew more worthless with each decade). Only rarely was there anything that could be called a popular movement prior to the advent43 of psychohistory. In this connection, one intriguing44 example involves Davan, of whom little is actually known, but who may have met with Hari Seldon at one time when ...
ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 aurora aV9zX     
n.极光
参考例句:
  • The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
  • Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。
2 alley Cx2zK     
n.小巷,胡同;小径,小路
参考例句:
  • We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。
  • The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。
3 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
4 passersby HmKzQJ     
n. 过路人(行人,经过者)
参考例句:
  • He had terrorized Oxford Street,where passersby had seen only his footprints. 他曾使牛津街笼罩了一片恐怖气氛,因为那儿的行人只能看到他的脚印,看不到他的人。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
  • A person is marceling on a street, watching passersby passing. 街边烫发者打量着匆匆行人。
5 spotted 7FEyj     
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的
参考例句:
  • The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
  • Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。
6 bristling tSqyl     
a.竖立的
参考例句:
  • "Don't you question Miz Wilkes' word,'said Archie, his beard bristling. "威尔克斯太太的话,你就不必怀疑了。 "阿尔奇说。他的胡子也翘了起来。
  • You were bristling just now. 你刚才在发毛。
7 glistening glistening     
adj.闪耀的,反光的v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。
  • Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》
8 tableau nq0wi     
n.画面,活人画(舞台上活人扮的静态画面)
参考例句:
  • The movie was a tableau of a soldier's life.这部电影的画面生动地描绘了军人的生活。
  • History is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes.历史不过是由罪恶和灾难构成的静止舞台造型罢了。
9 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。
10 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
11 cant KWAzZ     
n.斜穿,黑话,猛扔
参考例句:
  • The ship took on a dangerous cant to port.船只出现向左舷危险倾斜。
  • He knows thieves'cant.他懂盗贼的黑话。
12 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
13 wont peXzFP     
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯
参考例句:
  • He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
  • It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。
14 puny Bt5y6     
adj.微不足道的,弱小的
参考例句:
  • The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。
  • Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙,身体还不壮,还不能干活。
15 activate UJ2y0     
vt.使活动起来,使开始起作用
参考例句:
  • We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
  • These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。
16 odds n5czT     
n.让步,机率,可能性,比率;胜败优劣之别
参考例句:
  • The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
  • Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗?
17 watchfully dded71fa82d287f8b2b1779aba6d474d     
警惕地,留心地
参考例句:
  • Defending his wicket watchfully, the last man is playing out time. 最后一名球员小心地守着他的三柱门,直到比赛结束。
18 poised SlhzBU     
a.摆好姿势不动的
参考例句:
  • The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋,准备俯冲。
  • Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张,手悬在电话机上。
19 budged acd2fdcd1af9cf1b3478f896dc0484cf     
v.(使)稍微移动( budge的过去式和过去分词 );(使)改变主意,(使)让步
参考例句:
  • Old Bosc had never budged an inch--he was totally indifferent. 老包斯克一直连动也没有动,他全然无所谓。 来自辞典例句
  • Nobody budged you an inch. 别人一丁点儿都算计不了你。 来自辞典例句
20 fend N78yA     
v.照料(自己),(自己)谋生,挡开,避开
参考例句:
  • I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
  • He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。
21 slit tE0yW     
n.狭长的切口;裂缝;vt.切开,撕裂
参考例句:
  • The coat has been slit in two places.这件外衣有两处裂开了。
  • He began to slit open each envelope.他开始裁开每个信封。
22 bloody kWHza     
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染
参考例句:
  • He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
  • He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。
23 smeared c767e97773b70cc726f08526efd20e83     
弄脏; 玷污; 涂抹; 擦上
参考例句:
  • The children had smeared mud on the walls. 那几个孩子往墙上抹了泥巴。
  • A few words were smeared. 有写字被涂模糊了。
24 onlookers 9475a32ff7f3c5da0694cff2738f9381     
n.旁观者,观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
  • The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外,以示尊敬。
25 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》
26 duel 2rmxa     
n./v.决斗;(双方的)斗争
参考例句:
  • The two teams are locked in a duel for first place.两个队为争夺第一名打得难解难分。
  • Duroy was forced to challenge his disparager to duel.杜洛瓦不得不向诋毁他的人提出决斗。
27 agilely 40131c37152f89ab75f2425c387025ca     
adv.敏捷地
参考例句:
  • She would have steered agilely up the ladders and left the snakes alone. 她会灵活地顺着梯子爬上去,远远地躲开这些卑鄙龌龊的人。 来自辞典例句
  • Consequently, with flexible decision making enterprise can avoid loss agilely. 这样就使得决策更具灵活性,能更好的避免损失。 来自互联网
28 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
29 enraged 7f01c0138fa015d429c01106e574231c     
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤
参考例句:
  • I was enraged to find they had disobeyed my orders. 发现他们违抗了我的命令,我极为恼火。
  • The judge was enraged and stroke the table for several times. 大法官被气得连连拍案。
30 kinetic p2Fxs     
adj.运动的;动力学的
参考例句:
  • There exist many sources of energy both potential and kinetic.存在着许多势能和动能的能源。
  • The kinetic theory of gases is the best known example.气体动力学理论就是最有名的例子。
31 scrambled 2e4a1c533c25a82f8e80e696225a73f2     
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞
参考例句:
  • Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
32 slashing dfc956bca8fba6bcb04372bf8fc09010     
adj.尖锐的;苛刻的;鲜明的;乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 );鞭打;割破;削减
参考例句:
  • Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
  • He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手,不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句
33 slash Hrsyq     
vi.大幅度削减;vt.猛砍,尖锐抨击,大幅减少;n.猛砍,斜线,长切口,衣衩
参考例句:
  • The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
  • Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。
34 hacking KrIzgm     
n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动
参考例句:
  • The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
  • We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。
35 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
36 fascination FlHxO     
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋
参考例句:
  • He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
  • His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。
37 scurried 5ca775f6c27dc6bd8e1b3af90f3dea00     
v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She said goodbye and scurried back to work. 她说声再见,然后扭头跑回去干活了。
  • It began to rain and we scurried for shelter. 下起雨来,我们急忙找地方躲避。 来自《简明英汉词典》
38 eyebrows a0e6fb1330e9cfecfd1c7a4d00030ed5     
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
  • His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
39 retract NWFxJ     
vt.缩回,撤回收回,取消
参考例句:
  • The criminals should stop on the precipice, retract from the wrong path and not go any further.犯罪分子应当迷途知返,悬崖勒马,不要在错误的道路上继续走下去。
  • I don't want to speak rashly now and later have to retract my statements.我不想现在说些轻率的话,然后又要收回自己说过的话。
40 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。
41 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
42 supremacy 3Hzzd     
n.至上;至高权力
参考例句:
  • No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员,无人能胜过她。
  • Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说,她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。
43 advent iKKyo     
n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临
参考例句:
  • Swallows come by groups at the advent of spring. 春天来临时燕子成群飞来。
  • The advent of the Euro will redefine Europe.欧元的出现将重新定义欧洲。
44 intriguing vqyzM1     
adj.有趣的;迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词);激起…的好奇心
参考例句:
  • These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
  • It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》


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