"Come," cried Tars Tarkas, "we must make for the cliffs. There lies our only hope of even temporary escape; there we may find a cave or a narrow ledge8 which two may defend for ever against this motley, unarmed horde9."
Together we raced across the scarlet10 sward, I timing11 my speed that I might not outdistance my slower companion. We had, perhaps, three hundred yards to cover between our boulder and the cliffs, and then to search out a suitable shelter for our stand against the terrifying things that were pursuing us.
They were rapidly overhauling12 us when Tars Tarkas cried to me to hasten ahead and discover, if possible, the sanctuary13 we sought. The suggestion was a good one, for thus many valuable minutes might be saved to us, and, throwing every ounce of my earthly muscles into the effort, I cleared the remaining distance between myself and the cliffs in great leaps and bounds that put me at their base in a moment.
The cliffs rose perpendicular14 directly from the almost level sward of the valley. There was no accumulation of fallen debris15, forming a more or less rough ascent16 to them, as is the case with nearly all other cliffs I have ever seen. The scattered17 boulders18 that had fallen from above and lay upon or partly buried in the turf, were the only indication that any disintegration19 of the massive, towering pile of rocks ever had taken place.
My first cursory20 inspection21 of the face of the cliffs filled my heart with forebodings, since nowhere could I discern, except where the weird herald22 stood still shrieking23 his shrill24 summons, the faintest indication of even a bare foothold upon the lofty escarpment.
To my right the bottom of the cliff was lost in the dense25 foliage26 of the forest, which terminated at its very foot, rearing its gorgeous foliage fully27 a thousand feet against its stern and forbidding neighbour.
To the left the cliff ran, apparently28 unbroken, across the head of the broad valley, to be lost in the outlines of what appeared to be a range of mighty29 mountains that skirted and confined the valley in every direction.
Perhaps a thousand feet from me the river broke, as it seemed, directly from the base of the cliffs, and as there seemed not the remotest chance for escape in that direction I turned my attention again toward the forest.
The cliffs towered above me a good five thousand feet. The sun was not quite upon them and they loomed30 a dull yellow in their own shade. Here and there they were broken with streaks31 and patches of dusky red, green, and occasional areas of white quartz32.
Altogether they were very beautiful, but I fear that I did not regard them with a particularly appreciative33 eye on this, my first inspection of them.
Just then I was absorbed in them only as a medium of escape, and so, as my gaze ran quickly, time and again, over their vast expanse in search of some cranny or crevice34, I came suddenly to loathe35 them as the prisoner must loathe the cruel and impregnable walls of his dungeon36.
Tars Tarkas was approaching me rapidly, and still more rapidly came the awful horde at his heels.
It seemed the forest now or nothing, and I was just on the point of motioning Tars Tarkas to follow me in that direction when the sun passed the cliff's zenith, and as the bright rays touched the dull surface it burst out into a million scintillant37 lights of burnished38 gold, of flaming red, of soft greens, and gleaming whites—a more gorgeous and inspiring spectacle human eye has never rested upon.
The face of the entire cliff was, as later inspection conclusively39 proved, so shot with veins40 and patches of solid gold as to quite present the appearance of a solid wall of that precious metal except where it was broken by outcroppings of ruby41, emerald, and diamond boulders—a faint and alluring42 indication of the vast and unguessable riches which lay deeply buried behind the magnificent surface.
But what caught my most interested attention at the moment that the sun's rays set the cliff's face a-shimmer, was the several black spots which now appeared quite plainly in evidence high across the gorgeous wall close to the forest's top, and extending apparently below and behind the branches.
Almost immediately I recognised them for what they were, the dark openings of caves entering the solid walls—possible avenues of escape or temporary shelter, could we but reach them.
There was but a single way, and that led through the mighty, towering trees upon our right. That I could scale them I knew full well, but Tars Tarkas, with his mighty bulk and enormous weight, would find it a task possibly quite beyond his prowess or his skill, for Martians are at best but poor climbers. Upon the entire surface of that ancient planet I never before had seen a hill or mountain that exceeded four thousand feet in height above the dead sea bottoms, and as the ascent was usually gradual, nearly to their summits they presented but few opportunities for the practice of climbing. Nor would the Martians have embraced even such opportunities as might present themselves, for they could always find a circuitous45 route about the base of any eminence46, and these roads they preferred and followed in preference to the shorter but more arduous47 ways.
However, there was nothing else to consider than an attempt to scale the trees contiguous to the cliff in an effort to reach the caves above.
The Thark grasped the possibilities and the difficulties of the plan at once, but there was no alternative, and so we set out rapidly for the trees nearest the cliff.
Our relentless48 pursuers were now close to us, so close that it seemed that it would be an utter impossibility for the Jeddak of Thark to reach the forest in advance of them, nor was there any considerable will in the efforts that Tars Tarkas made, for the green men of Barsoom do not relish49 flight, nor ever before had I seen one fleeing from death in whatsoever50 form it might have confronted him. But that Tars Tarkas was the bravest of the brave he had proven thousands of times; yes, tens of thousands in countless51 mortal combats with men and beasts. And so I knew that there was another reason than fear of death behind his flight, as he knew that a greater power than pride or honour spurred me to escape these fierce destroyers. In my case it was love—love of the divine Dejah Thoris; and the cause of the Thark's great and sudden love of life I could not fathom52, for it is oftener that they seek death than life—these strange, cruel, loveless, unhappy people.
At length, however, we reached the shadows of the forest, while right behind us sprang the swiftest of our pursuers—a giant plant man with claws outreaching to fasten his bloodsucking mouths upon us.
He was, I should say, a hundred yards in advance of his closest companion, and so I called to Tars Tarkas to ascend53 a great tree that brushed the cliff's face while I dispatched the fellow, thus giving the less agile54 Thark an opportunity to reach the higher branches before the entire horde should be upon us and every vestige55 of escape cut off.
But I had reckoned without a just appreciation56 either of the cunning of my immediate44 antagonist57 or the swiftness with which his fellows were covering the distance which had separated them from me.
As I raised my long-sword to deal the creature its death thrust it halted in its charge and, as my sword cut harmlessly through the empty air, the great tail of the thing swept with the power of a grizzly's arm across the sward and carried me bodily from my feet to the ground. In an instant the brute58 was upon me, but ere it could fasten its hideous59 mouths into my breast and throat I grasped a writhing60 tentacle61 in either hand.
The plant man was well muscled, heavy, and powerful but my earthly sinews and greater agility62, in conjunction with the deathly strangle hold I had upon him, would have given me, I think, an eventual63 victory had we had time to discuss the merits of our relative prowess uninterrupted. But as we strained and struggled about the tree into which Tars Tarkas was clambering with infinite difficulty, I suddenly caught a glimpse over the shoulder of my antagonist of the great swarm64 of pursuers that now were fairly upon me.
Now, at last, I saw the nature of the other monsters who had come with the plant men in response to the weird calling of the man upon the cliff's face. They were that most dreaded65 of Martian creatures—great white apes of Barsoom.
My former experiences upon Mars had familiarized me thoroughly66 with them and their methods, and I may say that of all the fearsome and terrible, weird and grotesque inhabitants of that strange world, it is the white apes that come nearest to familiarizing me with the sensation of fear.
I think that the cause of this feeling which these apes engender67 within me is due to their remarkable68 resemblance in form to our Earth men, which gives them a human appearance that is most uncanny when coupled with their enormous size.
They stand fifteen feet in height and walk erect69 upon their hind43 feet. Like the green Martians, they have an intermediary set of arms midway between their upper and lower limbs. Their eyes are very close set, but do not protrude70 as do those of the green men of Mars; their ears are high set, but more laterally71 located than are the green men's, while their snouts and teeth are much like those of our African gorilla72. Upon their heads grows an enormous shock of bristly hair.
It was into the eyes of such as these and the terrible plant men that I gazed above the shoulder of my foe73, and then, in a mighty wave of snarling74, snapping, screaming, purring rage, they swept over me—and of all the sounds that assailed75 my ears as I went down beneath them, to me the most hideous was the horrid76 purring of the plant men.
Instantly a score of cruel fangs77 and keen talons78 were sunk into my flesh; cold, sucking lips fastened themselves upon my arteries79. I struggled to free myself, and even though weighed down by these immense bodies, I succeeded in struggling to my feet, where, still grasping my long-sword, and shortening my grip upon it until I could use it as a dagger80, I wrought81 such havoc82 among them that at one time I stood for an instant free.
What it has taken minutes to write occurred in but a few seconds, but during that time Tars Tarkas had seen my plight83 and had dropped from the lower branches, which he had reached with such infinite labour, and as I flung the last of my immediate antagonists84 from me the great Thark leaped to my side, and again we fought, back to back, as we had done a hundred times before.
Time and again the ferocious85 apes sprang in to close with us, and time and again we beat them back with our swords. The great tails of the plant men lashed86 with tremendous power about us as they charged from various directions or sprang with the agility of greyhounds above our heads; but every attack met a gleaming blade in sword hands that had been reputed for twenty years the best that Mars ever had known; for Tars Tarkas and John Carter were names that the fighting men of the world of warriors87 loved best to speak.
But even the two best swords in a world of fighters can avail not for ever against overwhelming numbers of fierce and savage88 brutes89 that know not what defeat means until cold steel teaches their hearts no longer to beat, and so, step by step, we were forced back. At length we stood against the giant tree that we had chosen for our ascent, and then, as charge after charge hurled90 its weight upon us, we gave back again and again, until we had been forced half-way around the huge base of the colossal91 trunk.
Tars Tarkas was in the lead, and suddenly I heard a little cry of exultation92 from him.
"Here is shelter for one at least, John Carter," he said, and, glancing down, I saw an opening in the base of the tree about three feet in diameter.
"In with you, Tars Tarkas," I cried, but he would not go; saying that his bulk was too great for the little aperture93, while I might slip in easily.
"We shall both die if we remain without, John Carter; here is a slight chance for one of us. Take it and you may live to avenge94 me, it is useless for me to attempt to worm my way into so small an opening with this horde of demons95 besetting96 us on all sides."
"Then we shall die together, Tars Tarkas," I replied, "for I shall not go first. Let me defend the opening while you get in, then my smaller stature97 will permit me to slip in with you before they can prevent."
We still were fighting furiously as we talked in broken sentences, punctured98 with vicious cuts and thrusts at our swarming99 enemy.
At length he yielded, for it seemed the only way in which either of us might be saved from the ever-increasing numbers of our assailants, who were still swarming upon us from all directions across the broad valley.
"It was ever your way, John Carter, to think last of your own life," he said; "but still more your way to command the lives and actions of others, even to the greatest of Jeddaks who rule upon Barsoom."
There was a grim smile upon his cruel, hard face, as he, the greatest Jeddak of them all, turned to obey the dictates100 of a creature of another world—of a man whose stature was less than half his own.
"If you fail, John Carter," he said, "know that the cruel and heartless Thark, to whom you taught the meaning of friendship, will come out to die beside you."
"As you will, my friend," I replied; "but quickly now, head first, while I cover your retreat."
He hesitated a little at that word, for never before in his whole life of continual strife101 had he turned his back upon aught than a dead or defeated enemy.
"Haste, Tars Tarkas," I urged, "or we shall both go down to profitless defeat; I cannot hold them for ever alone."
As he dropped to the ground to force his way into the tree, the whole howling pack of hideous devils hurled themselves upon me. To right and left flew my shimmering102 blade, now green with the sticky juice of a plant man, now red with the crimson103 blood of a great white ape; but always flying from one opponent to another, hesitating but the barest fraction of a second to drink the lifeblood in the centre of some savage heart.
And thus I fought as I never had fought before, against such frightful104 odds105 that I cannot realize even now that human muscles could have withstood that awful onslaught, that terrific weight of hurtling tons of ferocious, battling flesh.
With the fear that we would escape them, the creatures redoubled their efforts to pull me down, and though the ground about me was piled high with their dead and dying comrades, they succeeded at last in overwhelming me, and I went down beneath them for the second time that day, and once again felt those awful sucking lips against my flesh.
But scarce had I fallen ere I felt powerful hands grip my ankles, and in another second I was being drawn106 within the shelter of the tree's interior. For a moment it was a tug107 of war between Tars Tarkas and a great plant man, who clung tenaciously108 to my breast, but presently I got the point of my long-sword beneath him and with a mighty thrust pierced his vitals.
Torn and bleeding from many cruel wounds, I lay panting upon the ground within the hollow of the tree, while Tars Tarkas defended the opening from the furious mob without.
For an hour they howled about the tree, but after a few attempts to reach us they confined their efforts to terrorizing shrieks109 and screams, to horrid growling110 on the part of the great white apes, and the fearsome and indescribable purring by the plant men.
At length, all but a score, who had apparently been left to prevent our escape, had left us, and our adventure seemed destined111 to result in a siege, the only outcome of which could be our death by starvation; for even should we be able to slip out after dark, whither in this unknown and hostile valley could we hope to turn our steps toward possible escape?
As the attacks of our enemies ceased and our eyes became accustomed to the semi-darkness of the interior of our strange retreat, I took the opportunity to explore our shelter.
The tree was hollow to an extent of about fifty feet in diameter, and from its flat, hard floor I judged that it had often been used to domicile others before our occupancy. As I raised my eyes toward its roof to note the height I saw far above me a faint glow of light.
There was an opening above. If we could but reach it we might still hope to make the shelter of the cliff caves. My eyes had now become quite used to the subdued112 light of the interior, and as I pursued my investigation113 I presently came upon a rough ladder at the far side of the cave.
Quickly I mounted it, only to find that it connected at the top with the lower of a series of horizontal wooden bars that spanned the now narrow and shaft114-like interior of the tree's stem. These bars were set one above another about three feet apart, and formed a perfect ladder as far above me as I could see.
Dropping to the floor once more, I detailed115 my discovery to Tars Tarkas, who suggested that I explore aloft as far as I could go in safety while he guarded the entrance against a possible attack.
As I hastened above to explore the strange shaft I found that the ladder of horizontal bars mounted always as far above me as my eyes could reach, and as I ascended116, the light from above grew brighter and brighter.
For fully five hundred feet I continued to climb, until at length I reached the opening in the stem which admitted the light. It was of about the same diameter as the entrance at the foot of the tree, and opened directly upon a large flat limb, the well worn surface of which testified to its long continued use as an avenue for some creature to and from this remarkable shaft.
I did not venture out upon the limb for fear that I might be discovered and our retreat in this direction cut off; but instead hurried to retrace117 my steps to Tars Tarkas.
I soon reached him and presently we were both ascending118 the long ladder toward the opening above.
Tars Tarkas went in advance and as I reached the first of the horizontal bars I drew the ladder up after me and, handing it to him, he carried it a hundred feet further aloft, where he wedged it safely between one of the bars and the side of the shaft. In like manner I dislodged the lower bars as I passed them, so that we soon had the interior of the tree denuded119 of all possible means of ascent for a distance of a hundred feet from the base; thus precluding120 possible pursuit and attack from the rear.
As we were to learn later, this precaution saved us from dire5 predicament, and was eventually the means of our salvation121.
When we reached the opening at the top Tars Tarkas drew to one side that I might pass out and investigate, as, owing to my lesser122 weight and greater agility, I was better fitted for the perilous123 threading of this dizzy, hanging pathway.
The limb upon which I found myself ascended at a slight angle toward the cliff, and as I followed it I found that it terminated a few feet above a narrow ledge which protruded124 from the cliff's face at the entrance to a narrow cave.
As I approached the slightly more slender extremity125 of the branch it bent126 beneath my weight until, as I balanced perilously127 upon its outer tip, it swayed gently on a level with the ledge at a distance of a couple of feet.
Five hundred feet below me lay the vivid scarlet carpet of the valley; nearly five thousand feet above towered the mighty, gleaming face of the gorgeous cliffs.
The cave that I faced was not one of those that I had seen from the ground, and which lay much higher, possibly a thousand feet. But so far as I might know it was as good for our purpose as another, and so I returned to the tree for Tars Tarkas.
Together we wormed our way along the waving pathway, but when we reached the end of the branch we found that our combined weight so depressed128 the limb that the cave's mouth was now too far above us to be reached.
We finally agreed that Tars Tarkas should return along the branch, leaving his longest leather harness strap129 with me, and that when the limb had risen to a height that would permit me to enter the cave I was to do so, and on Tars Tarkas' return I could then lower the strap and haul him up to the safety of the ledge.
This we did without mishap130 and soon found ourselves together upon the verge131 of a dizzy little balcony, with a magnificent view of the valley spreading out below us.
As far as the eye could reach gorgeous forest and crimson sward skirted a silent sea, and about all towered the brilliant monster guardian132 cliffs. Once we thought we discerned a gilded133 minaret134 gleaming in the sun amidst the waving tops of far-distant trees, but we soon abandoned the idea in the belief that it was but an hallucination born of our great desire to discover the haunts of civilized135 men in this beautiful, yet forbidding, spot.
Below us upon the river's bank the great white apes were devouring136 the last remnants of Tars Tarkas' former companions, while great herds137 of plant men grazed in ever-widening circles about the sward which they kept as close clipped as the smoothest of lawns.
Knowing that attack from the tree was now improbable, we determined138 to explore the cave, which we had every reason to believe was but a continuation of the path we had already traversed, leading the gods alone knew where, but quite evidently away from this valley of grim ferocity.
As we advanced we found a well-proportioned tunnel cut from the solid cliff. Its walls rose some twenty feet above the floor, which was about five feet in width. The roof was arched. We had no means of making a light, and so groped our way slowly into the ever-increasing darkness, Tars Tarkas keeping in touch with one wall while I felt along the other, while, to prevent our wandering into diverging139 branches and becoming separated or lost in some intricate and labyrinthine140 maze141, we clasped hands.
How far we traversed the tunnel in this manner I do not know, but presently we came to an obstruction142 which blocked our further progress. It seemed more like a partition than a sudden ending of the cave, for it was constructed not of the material of the cliff, but of something which felt like very hard wood.
Silently I groped over its surface with my hands, and presently was rewarded by the feel of the button which as commonly denotes a door on Mars as does a door knob on Earth.
Gently pressing it, I had the satisfaction of feeling the door slowly give before me, and in another instant we were looking into a dimly lighted apartment, which, so far as we could see, was unoccupied.
Without more ado I swung the door wide open and, followed by the huge Thark, stepped into the chamber143. As we stood for a moment in silence gazing about the room a slight noise behind caused me to turn quickly, when, to my astonishment144, I saw the door close with a sharp click as though by an unseen hand.
Instantly I sprang toward it to wrench145 it open again, for something in the uncanny movement of the thing and the tense and almost palpable silence of the chamber seemed to portend146 a lurking147 evil lying hidden in this rock-bound chamber within the bowels148 of the Golden Cliffs.
My fingers clawed futilely149 at the unyielding portal, while my eyes sought in vain for a duplicate of the button which had given us ingress.
And then, from unseen lips, a cruel and mocking peal150 of laughter rang through the desolate151 place.
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收听单词发音
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1
tars
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| 焦油，沥青，柏油( tar的名词复数 ) | |
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2
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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4
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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6
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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7
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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timing
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| n.时间安排，时间选择 | |
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overhauling
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| n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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13
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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15
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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disintegration
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| n.分散，解体 | |
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cursory
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| adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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23
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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31
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 | |
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crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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loathe
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| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
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dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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scintillant
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| adj.产生火花的，闪烁（耀）的 | |
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burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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conclusively
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| adv.令人信服地，确凿地 | |
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40
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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41
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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42
alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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43
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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44
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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45
circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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46
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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47
arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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48
relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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49
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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50
whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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51
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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52
fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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53
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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54
agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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55
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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56
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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57
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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58
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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59
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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60
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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61
tentacle
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| n.触角，触须，触手 | |
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62
agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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63
eventual
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| adj.最后的，结局的，最终的 | |
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64
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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65
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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66
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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67
engender
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| v.产生，引起 | |
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68
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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69
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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70
protrude
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| v.使突出，伸出，突出 | |
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71
laterally
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| ad.横向地；侧面地；旁边地 | |
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72
gorilla
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| n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手 | |
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73
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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74
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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75
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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76
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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77
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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78
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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79
arteries
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| n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道 | |
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80
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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81
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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82
havoc
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| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
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83
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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84
antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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85
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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86
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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87
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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88
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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89
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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90
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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91
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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92
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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93
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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94
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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95
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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96
besetting
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| adj.不断攻击的v.困扰( beset的现在分词 )；不断围攻；镶；嵌 | |
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97
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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98
punctured
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| v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的过去式和过去分词 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气 | |
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99
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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100
dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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101
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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102
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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103
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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104
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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105
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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106
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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107
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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108
tenaciously
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| 坚持地 | |
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109
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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110
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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111
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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112
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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113
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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114
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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115
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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116
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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117
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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118
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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119
denuded
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| adj.[医]变光的，裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 )；剥光覆盖物 | |
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120
precluding
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| v.阻止( preclude的现在分词 )；排除；妨碍；使…行不通 | |
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121
salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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122
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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123
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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124
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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125
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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126
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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127
perilously
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| adv.充满危险地，危机四伏地 | |
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128
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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129
strap
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| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
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130
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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131
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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132
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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133
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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134
minaret
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| n.（回教寺院的）尖塔 | |
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135
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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136
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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137
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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138
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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139
diverging
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| 分开( diverge的现在分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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140
labyrinthine
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| adj.如迷宫的；复杂的 | |
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141
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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142
obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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143
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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144
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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145
wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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146
portend
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| v.预兆，预示；给…以警告 | |
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147
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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148
bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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149
futilely
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| futile（无用的）的变形； 干 | |
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150
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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151
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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