"What is the matter?" he asked. "You ban sick?"
"Where is my baby?" she cried, ignoring his questions.
"It is not mine," she said. "You knew that it was not mine. You are a devil like the Russian."
Anderssen's blue eyes stretched in surprise.
"Not yours!" he exclaimed. "You tole me the kid aboard the Kincaid ban your kid."
"Not this one," replied Jane dully. "The other. Where is the other? There must have been two. I did not know about this one."
"There vasn't no other kid. Ay tank this ban yours. Ay am very sorry."
Anderssen fidgeted about, standing first on one foot and then upon the other. It was perfectly7 evident to Jane that he was honest in his protestations of ignorance of the true identity of the child.
Presently the baby commenced to crow, and bounce up and down in the Swede's arms, at the same time leaning forward with little hands out-reaching toward the young woman.
She could not withstand the appeal, and with a low cry she sprang to her feet and gathered the baby to her breast.
For a few minutes she wept silently, her face buried in the baby's soiled little dress. The first shock of disappointment that the tiny thing had not been her beloved Jack8 was giving way to a great hope that after all some miracle had occurred to snatch her baby from Rokoff's hands at the last instant before the Kincaid sailed from England.
Then, too, there was the mute appeal of this wee waif alone and unloved in the midst of the horrors of the savage9 jungle. It was this thought more than any other that had sent her mother's heart out to the innocent babe, while still she suffered from disappointment that she had been deceived in its identity.
"Have you no idea whose child this is?" she asked Anderssen.
The man shook his head.
"Not now," he said. "If he ain't ban your kid, Ay don' know whose kid he do ban. Rokoff said it was yours. Ay tank he tank so, too.
"What do we do with it now? Ay can't go back to the Kincaid. Rokoff would have me shot; but you can go back. Ay take you to the sea, and then some of these black men they take you to the ship—eh?"
"No! no!" cried Jane. "Not for the world. I would rather die than fall into the hands of that man again. No, let us go on and take this poor little creature with us. If God is willing we shall be saved in one way or another."
So they again took up their flight through the wilderness10, taking with them a half-dozen of the Mosulas to carry provisions and the tents that Anderssen had smuggled11 aboard the small boat in preparation for the attempted escape.
The days and nights of torture that the young woman suffered were so merged12 into one long, unbroken nightmare of hideousness13 that she soon lost all track of time. Whether they had been wandering for days or years she could not tell. The one bright spot in that eternity15 of fear and suffering was the little child whose tiny hands had long since fastened their softly groping fingers firmly about her heart.
In a way the little thing took the place and filled the aching void that the theft of her own baby had left. It could never be the same, of course, but yet, day by day, she found her mother-love, enveloping16 the waif more closely until she sometimes sat with closed eyes lost in the sweet imagining that the little bundle of humanity at her breast was truly her own.
For some time their progress inland was extremely slow. Word came to them from time to time through natives passing from the coast on hunting excursions that Rokoff had not yet guessed the direction of their flight. This, and the desire to make the journey as light as possible for the gently bred woman, kept Anderssen to a slow advance of short and easy marches with many rests.
The Swede insisted upon carrying the child while they travelled, and in countless17 other ways did what he could to help Jane Clayton conserve18 her strength. He had been terribly chagrined19 on discovering the mistake he had made in the identity of the baby, but once the young woman became convinced that his motives20 were truly chivalrous22 she would not permit him longer to upbraid23 himself for the error that he could not by any means have avoided.
At the close of each day's march Anderssen saw to the erection of a comfortable shelter for Jane and the child. Her tent was always pitched in the most favourable24 location. The thorn boma round it was the strongest and most impregnable that the Mosula could construct.
Her food was the best that their limited stores and the rifle of the Swede could provide, but the thing that touched her heart the closest was the gentle consideration and courtesy which the man always accorded her.
That such nobility of character could lie beneath so repulsive25 an exterior26 never ceased to be a source of wonder and amazement27 to her, until at last the innate28 chivalry29 of the man, and his unfailing kindliness30 and sympathy transformed his appearance in so far as Jane was concerned until she saw only the sweetness of his character mirrored in his countenance.
They had commenced to make a little better progress when word reached them that Rokoff was but a few marches behind them, and that he had at last discovered the direction of their flight. It was then that Anderssen took to the river, purchasing a canoe from a chief whose village lay a short distance from the Ugambi upon the bank of a tributary31.
Thereafter the little party of fugitives32 fled up the broad Ugambi, and so rapid had their flight become that they no longer received word of their pursuers. At the end of canoe navigation upon the river, they abandoned their canoe and took to the jungle. Here progress became at once arduous33, slow, and dangerous.
The second day after leaving the Ugambi the baby fell ill with fever. Anderssen knew what the outcome must be, but he had not the heart to tell Jane Clayton the truth, for he had seen that the young woman had come to love the child almost as passionately34 as though it had been her own flesh and blood.
As the baby's condition precluded35 farther advance, Anderssen withdrew a little from the main trail he had been following and built a camp in a natural clearing on the bank of a little river.
Here Jane devoted36 her every moment to caring for the tiny sufferer, and as though her sorrow and anxiety were not all that she could bear, a further blow came with the sudden announcement of one of the Mosula porters who had been foraging37 in the jungle adjacent that Rokoff and his party were camped quite close to them, and were evidently upon their trail to this little nook which all had thought so excellent a hiding-place.
This information could mean but one thing, and that they must break camp and fly onward38 regardless of the baby's condition. Jane Clayton knew the traits of the Russian well enough to be positive that he would separate her from the child the moment that he recaptured them, and she knew that separation would mean the immediate39 death of the baby.
As they stumbled forward through the tangled40 vegetation along an old and almost overgrown game trail the Mosula porters deserted41 them one by one.
The men had been staunch enough in their devotion and loyalty42 as long as they were in no danger of being overtaken by the Russian and his party. They had heard, however, so much of the atrocious disposition43 of Rokoff that they had grown to hold him in mortal terror, and now that they knew he was close upon them their timid hearts would fortify44 them no longer, and as quickly as possible they deserted the three whites.
Yet on and on went Anderssen and the girl. The Swede went ahead, to hew45 a way through the brush where the path was entirely46 overgrown, so that on this march it was necessary that the young woman carry the child.
All day they marched. Late in the afternoon they realized that they had failed. Close behind them they heard the noise of a large safari47 advancing along the trail which they had cleared for their pursuers.
When it became quite evident that they must be overtaken in a short time Anderssen hid Jane behind a large tree, covering her and the child with brush.
"There is a village about a mile farther on," he said to her. "The Mosula told me its location before they deserted us. Ay try to lead the Russian off your trail, then you go on to the village. Ay tank the chief ban friendly to white men—the Mosula tal me he ban. Anyhow, that was all we can do.
"After while you get chief to tak you down by the Mosula village at the sea again, an' after a while a ship is sure to put into the mouth of the Ugambi. Then you be all right. Gude-by an' gude luck to you, lady!"
"But where are you going, Sven?" asked Jane. "Why can't you hide here and go back to the sea with me?"
"Ay gotta tal the Russian you ban dead, so that he don't luke for you no more," and Anderssen grinned.
"Why can't you join me then after you have told him that?" insisted the girl.
Anderssen shook his head.
"Ay don't tank Ay join anybody any more after Ay tal the Russian you ban dead," he said.
"You don't mean that you think he will kill you?" asked Jane, and yet in her heart she knew that that was exactly what the great scoundrel would do in revenge for his having been thwarted48 by the Swede. Anderssen did not reply, other than to warn her to silence and point toward the path along which they had just come.
"I don't care," whispered Jane Clayton. "I shall not let you die to save me if I can prevent it in any way. Give me your revolver. I can use that, and together we may be able to hold them off until we can find some means of escape."
"It won't work, lady," replied Anderssen. "They would only get us both, and then Ay couldn't do you no good at all. Think of the kid, lady, and what it would be for you both to fall into Rokoff's hands again. For his sake you must do what Ay say. Here, take my rifle and ammunition49; you may need them."
He shoved the gun and bandoleer into the shelter beside Jane. Then he was gone.
She watched him as he returned along the path to meet the oncoming safari of the Russian. Soon a turn in the trail hid him from view.
Her first impulse was to follow. With the rifle she might be of assistance to him, and, further, she could not bear the terrible thought of being left alone at the mercy of the fearful jungle without a single friend to aid her.
She started to crawl from her shelter with the intention of running after Anderssen as fast as she could. As she drew the baby close to her she glanced down into its little face.
How red it was! How unnatural50 the little thing looked. She raised the cheek to hers. It was fiery51 hot with fever!
With a little gasp52 of terror Jane Clayton rose to her feet in the jungle path. The rifle and bandoleer lay forgotten in the shelter beside her. Anderssen was forgotten, and Rokoff, and her great peril53.
All that rioted through her fear-mad brain was the fearful fact that this little, helpless child was stricken with the terrible jungle-fever, and that she was helpless to do aught to allay54 its sufferings—sufferings that were sure to come during ensuing intervals55 of partial consciousness.
Her one thought was to find some one who could help her—some woman who had had children of her own—and with the thought came recollection of the friendly village of which Anderssen had spoken. If she could but reach it—in time!
There was no time to be lost. Like a startled antelope57 she turned and fled up the trail in the direction Anderssen had indicated.
From far behind came the sudden shouting of men, the sound of shots, and then silence. She knew that Anderssen had met the Russian.
A half-hour later she stumbled, exhausted58, into a little thatched village. Instantly she was surrounded by men, women, and children. Eager, curious, excited natives plied6 her with a hundred questions, no one of which she could understand or answer.
All that she could do was to point tearfully at the baby, now wailing60 piteously in her arms, and repeat over and over, "Fever—fever—fever."
The blacks did not understand her words, but they saw the cause of her trouble, and soon a young woman had pulled her into a hut and with several others was doing her poor best to quiet the child and allay its agony.
The witch doctor came and built a little fire before the infant, upon which he boiled some strange concoction61 in a small earthen pot, making weird62 passes above it and mumbling63 strange, monotonous64 chants. Presently he dipped a zebra's tail into the brew65, and with further mutterings and incantations sprinkled a few drops of the liquid over the baby's face.
After he had gone the women sat about and moaned and wailed66 until Jane thought that she should go mad; but, knowing that they were doing it all out of the kindness of their hearts, she endured the frightful67 waking nightmare of those awful hours in dumb and patient suffering.
It must have been well toward midnight that she became conscious of a sudden commotion68 in the village. She heard the voices of the natives raised in controversy69, but she could not understand the words.
Presently she heard footsteps approaching the hut in which she squatted70 before a bright fire with the baby on her lap. The little thing lay very still now, its lids, half-raised, showed the pupils horribly upturned.
Jane Clayton looked into the little face with fear-haunted eyes. It was not her baby—not her flesh and blood—but how close, how dear the tiny, helpless thing had become to her. Her heart, bereft71 of its own, had gone out to this poor, little, nameless waif, and lavished72 upon it all the love that had been denied her during the long, bitter weeks of her captivity73 aboard the Kincaid.
She saw that the end was near, and though she was terrified at contemplation of her loss, still she hoped that it would come quickly now and end the sufferings of the little victim.
The footsteps she had heard without the hut now halted before the door. There was a whispered colloquy74, and a moment later M'ganwazam, chief of the tribe, entered. She had seen but little of him, as the women had taken her in hand almost as soon as she had entered the village.
M'ganwazam, she now saw, was an evil-appearing savage with every mark of brutal75 degeneracy writ76 large upon his bestial77 countenance. To Jane Clayton he looked more gorilla78 than human. He tried to converse79 with her, but without success, and finally he called to some one without.
In answer to his summons another Negro entered—a man of very different appearance from M'ganwazam—so different, in fact, that Jane Clayton immediately decided80 that he was of another tribe. This man acted as interpreter, and almost from the first question that M'ganwazam put to her, Jane felt an intuitive conviction that the savage was attempting to draw information from her for some ulterior motive21.
She thought it strange that the fellow should so suddenly have become interested in her plans, and especially in her intended destination when her journey had been interrupted at his village.
Seeing no reason for withholding81 the information, she told him the truth; but when he asked if she expected to meet her husband at the end of the trip, she shook her head negatively.
Then he told her the purpose of his visit, talking through the interpreter.
"I have just learned," he said, "from some men who live by the side of the great water, that your husband followed you up the Ugambi for several marches, when he was at last set upon by natives and killed. Therefore I have told you this that you might not waste your time in a long journey if you expected to meet your husband at the end of it; but instead could turn and retrace82 your steps to the coast."
Jane thanked M'ganwazam for his kindness, though her heart was numb83 with suffering at this new blow. She who had suffered so much was at last beyond reach of the keenest of misery's pangs84, for her senses were numbed85 and calloused86.
With bowed head she sat staring with unseeing eyes upon the face of the baby in her lap. M'ganwazam had left the hut. Sometime later she heard a noise at the entrance—another had entered. One of the women sitting opposite her threw a faggot upon the dying embers of the fire between them.
With a sudden flare87 it burst into renewed flame, lighting88 up the hut's interior as though by magic.
The flame disclosed to Jane Clayton's horrified89 gaze that the baby was quite dead. How long it had been so she could not guess.
A choking lump rose to her throat, her head drooped90 in silent misery upon the little bundle that she had caught suddenly to her breast.
For a moment the silence of the hut was unbroken. Then the native woman broke into a hideous14 wail59.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
regained
|
|
| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
misery
|
|
| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
chubby
|
|
| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
plied
|
|
| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
wilderness
|
|
| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
smuggled
|
|
| 水货 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
merged
|
|
| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
hideousness
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hideous
|
|
| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
eternity
|
|
| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
enveloping
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
countless
|
|
| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
conserve
|
|
| vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
chagrined
|
|
| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
motives
|
|
| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
chivalrous
|
|
| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
upbraid
|
|
| v.斥责，责骂，责备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
favourable
|
|
| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
repulsive
|
|
| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
exterior
|
|
| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
innate
|
|
| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
chivalry
|
|
| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
kindliness
|
|
| n.厚道，亲切，友好的行为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
tributary
|
|
| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
fugitives
|
|
| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
arduous
|
|
| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
passionately
|
|
| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
precluded
|
|
| v.阻止( preclude的过去式和过去分词 )；排除；妨碍；使…行不通 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
foraging
|
|
| v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的现在分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
onward
|
|
| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
immediate
|
|
| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
tangled
|
|
| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
loyalty
|
|
| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
disposition
|
|
| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
fortify
|
|
| v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
hew
|
|
| v.砍；伐；削 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
safari
|
|
| n.远征旅行(探险、考察)；探险队，狩猎队 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
thwarted
|
|
| 阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
ammunition
|
|
| n.军火，弹药 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
unnatural
|
|
| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
fiery
|
|
| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
gasp
|
|
| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
peril
|
|
| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
allay
|
|
| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
intervals
|
|
| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
spoke
|
|
| 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： |
|
|
|
|
57
antelope
|
|
| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
wail
|
|
| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
wailing
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
concoction
|
|
| n.调配(物)；谎言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
weird
|
|
| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
mumbling
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
monotonous
|
|
| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
brew
|
|
| v.酿造，调制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
wailed
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
frightful
|
|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
commotion
|
|
| n.骚动，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
controversy
|
|
| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
squatted
|
|
| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
bereft
|
|
| adj.被剥夺的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
lavished
|
|
| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
captivity
|
|
| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
colloquy
|
|
| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
brutal
|
|
| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
writ
|
|
| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
bestial
|
|
| adj.残忍的；野蛮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
gorilla
|
|
| n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
converse
|
|
| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
withholding
|
|
| 扣缴税款 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
retrace
|
|
| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
numb
|
|
| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
pangs
|
|
| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
numbed
|
|
| v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
calloused
|
|
| adj.粗糙的，粗硬的，起老茧的v.（使）硬结，（使）起茧( callous的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）冷酷无情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
flare
|
|
| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
lighting
|
|
| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
horrified
|
|
| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
drooped
|
|
| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
sardonic
|
|
| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |