Rita found the flavor of the preparation to be not entirely6 unpleasant. Having overcome an initial aversion, caused by its marked medicinal tang, she grew reconciled to it and finished her first smoke without experiencing any other effect than a sensation of placid7 contentment. Deftly8, Mrs. Sin renewed the pipe. Silence had fallen upon the party.
The second “pill” was no more than half consumed when a growing feeling of nausea9 seized upon the novice10, becoming so marked that she dropped the ivory pipe weakly and uttered a faint moan.
Instantly, silently, Mrs. Sin was beside her.
“Lean forward—so,” she whispered, softly, as if fearful of intruding11 her voice upon these sacred rites12. “In a moment you will be better. Then, if you feel faint, lie back. It is the sleep. Do not fight against it.”
The influence of the stronger will prevailed. Self-control and judgment13 are qualities among the first to succumb14 to opium. Rita ceased to think longingly15 of the clean, fresh air, of escape from these sickly fumes16 which seemed now to fill the room with a moving vacuum. She bent17 forward, her chin resting upon her breast, and gradually the deathly sickness passed. Mentally, she underwent a change, too. From an active state of resistance the ego18 traversed a descending19 curve ending in absolute passivity. The floor had seemingly begun to revolve20 and was moving insidiously21, so that the pattern of the carpet formed a series of concentric rings. She found this imaginary phenomenon to be soothing22 rather than otherwise, and resigned herself almost eagerly to the delusion23.
Mrs. Sin allowed her to fall back upon the cushions—so gently and so slowly that the operation appeared to occupy several minutes and to resemble that of sinking into innumerable layers of swansdown. The sinuous24 figure bending over her grew taller with the passage of each minute, until the dark eyes of Mrs. Sin were looking down at Rita from a dizzy elevation25. As often occurs in the case of a neurotic26 subject, delusion as to time and space had followed the depression of the sensory27 cells.
But surely, she mused28, this could not be Mrs. Sin who towered so loftily above her. Of course, how absurd to imagine that a woman could remain motionless for so many hours. And Rita thought, now, that she had been lying for several hours beneath the shadow of that tall, graceful29, and protective shape.
Why—it was a slender palm-tree, which stretched its fanlike foliage30 over her! Far, far above her head the long, dusty green fronds31 projected from the mast-like trunk. The sun, a ball of fiery32 brass33, burned directly in the zenith, so that the shadow of the foliage lay like a carpet about her feet. That which she had mistaken for the ever-receding eyes of Mrs. Sin, wondering with a delightful34 vagueness why they seemed constantly to change color, proved to be a pair of brilliantly plumaged parrakeets perched upon a lofty branch of the palm.
This was an equatorial noon, and even if she had not found herself to be under the influence of a delicious abstraction Rita would not have moved; for, excepting the friendly palm, not another vestige35 of vegetation was visible right away to the horizon; nothing but an ocean of sand whereon no living thing moved. She and the parrakeets were alone in the heart of the Great Sahara.
But stay! Many, many miles away, a speck36 on the dusty carpet of the desert, something moved! Hours must elapse before that tiny figure, provided it were approaching, could reach the solitary37 palm. Delightedly, Rita contemplated38 the infinity39 of time. Even if the figure moved ever so slowly, she should be waiting there beneath the palm to witness its arrival. Already, she had been there for a period which she was far too indolent to strive to compute—a week, perhaps. She turned her attention to the parrakeets. One of them was moving, and she noted40 with delight that it had perceived her far below and was endeavoring to draw the attention of its less observant companion to her presence. For many hours she lay watching it and wondering why, since the one bird was so singularly intelligent, its companion was equally dull. When she lowered her eyes and looked out again across the sands, the figure had approached so close as to be recognizable.
It was that of Mrs. Sin. Rita appreciated the fitness of her presence, and experienced no surprise, only a mild curiosity. This curiosity was not concerned with Mrs. Sin herself, but with the nature of the burden which she bore upon her head.
She was dressed in a manner which Rita dreamily thought would have been inadequate41 in England, or even in Cuba, but which was appropriate in the Great Sahara. How exquisitely42 she carried herself, mused the dreamer; no doubt this fine carriage was due in part to her wearing golden shoes with heels like stilts43, and in part to her having been trained to bear heavy burdens upon her head. Rita remembered that Sir Lucien had once described to her the elegant deportment of the Arab women, ascribing it to their custom of carrying water-jars in that way.
The appearance of the speck on the horizon had marked the height of her trance. Her recognition of Mrs. Sin had signalized the decline of the chandu influence. Now, the intrusion of a definite, uncontorted memory was evidence of returning cerebral44 activity.
Rita had no recollection of the sunset; indeed, she had failed to perceive any change in the form and position of the shadow cast by the foliage. It had spread, an ebony patch, equally about the bole of the tree, so that the sun must have been immediately overhead. But, of course, she had lain watching the parrakeets for several hours, and now night had fallen. The desert mounds45 were touched with silver, the sky was a nest of diamonds, and the moon cast a shadow of the palm like a bar of ebony right across the prospect46 to the rim47 of the sky dome48.
Mrs. Sin stood before her, one half of her lithe49 body concealed50 by this strange black shadow and the other half gleaming in the moonlight so that she resembled a beautiful ivory statue which some iconoclast52 had cut in two.
Placing her burden upon the ground, Mrs. Sin knelt down before Rita and reverently53 kissed her hand, whispering: “I am your slave, my poppy queen.”
She spoke54 in a strange language, no doubt some African tongue, but one which Rita understood perfectly55. Then she laid one hand upon the object which she had carried on her head, and which now proved to be a large lacquered casket covered with Chinese figures and bound by three hoops56 of gold. It had a very curious shape.
“Do you command that the chest be opened?” she asked.
“Yes,” answered Rita languidly.
Mrs. Sin threw up the lid, and from the interior of the casket which, because of the glare of the moon light, seemed every moment to assume a new form, drew out a bronze lamp.
“The sacred lamp,” she whispered, and placed it on the sand. “Do you command that it be lighted?”
Rita inclined her head.
The lamp became lighted; in what manner she did not observe, nor was she curious to learn. Next from the large casket Mrs. Sin took another smaller casket and a very long, tapering57 silver bodkin. The first casket had perceptibly increased in size. It was certainly much larger than Rita had supposed; for now out from its shadowy interior Mrs. Sin began to take pipes—long pipes and short pipes, pipes of gold and pipes of silver, pipes of ivory and pipes of jade58. Some were carved to represent the heads of demons59, some had the bodies of serpents wreathed about them; others were encrusted with precious gems60, and filled the night with the venomous sheen of emeralds, the blood-rays of rubies61 and golden glow of topaz, while the spear-points of diamonds flashed a challenge to the stars.
“Do you command that the pipes be lighted?” asked the harsh voice.
Rita desired to answer, “No,” but heard herself saying, “Yes.”
Thereupon, from a thousand bowls, linking that lonely palm to the remote horizon, a thousand elfin fires arose—blue-tongued and spirituous. Grey pencilings of smoke stole straightly upward to the sky, so that look where she would Rita could discern nothing but these countless62 thin, faintly wavering, vertical63 lines of vapor64.
The dimensions of the lacquered casket had increased so vastly as to conceal51 the kneeling figure of Mrs. Sin, and staring at it wonderingly, Rita suddenly perceived that it was not an ordinary casket. She knew at last why its shape had struck her as being unusual.
The smell of the burning opium was stifling66 her. Those remorseless threads of smoke were closing in, twining themselves about her throat. It was becoming cold, too, and the moonlight was growing dim. The position of the moon had changed, of course, as the night had stolen on towards morning, and now it hung dimly before her. The smoke obscured it.
But was this smoke obscuring the moon? Rita moved her hands for the first time since she had found herself under the palm tree, weakly fending67 off those vaporous tentacles68 which were seeking to entwine themselves about her throat. Of course, it was not smoke obscuring the moon, she decided69; it was a lamp, upheld by an ivory figure—a lamp with a Chinese shade.
A subdued70 roaring sound became audible; and this was occasioned by the gas fire, burning behind the Japanese screen on which gaily71 plumaged birds sported in the branches of golden palms. Rita raised her hands to her eyes. Mist obscured her sight. Swiftly, now, reality was asserting itself and banishing72 the phantasmagoria conjured73 up by chandu.
In her dim, cushioned corner Mollie Gretna lay back against the wall, her face pale and her weak mouth foolishly agape. Cyrus Kilfane was indistinguishable from the pile of rugs amid which he sprawled74 by the table, and of Sir Lucien Pyne nothing was to be seen but the outstretched legs and feet which projected grotesquely75 from a recess76. Seated, oriental fashion, upon an improvised77 divan78 near the grand piano and propped79 up by a number of garish80 cushions, Rita beheld81 Mrs. Sin. The long bamboo pipe had fallen from her listless fingers. Her face wore an expression of mystic rapture82 like that characterizing the features of some Chinese Buddhas83.
Fear, unaccountable but uncontrollable, suddenly seized upon Rita. She felt weak and dizzy, but she struggled partly upright.
“Lucy!” she whispered.
Her voice was not under control, and once more she strove to call to Pyne.
The fire continued its muted roaring, but no other sound answered to the appeal. A horror of the companionship in which she found herself thereupon took possession of the girl. She must escape from these sleepers85, whose spirits had been expelled by the potent necromancer86, opium, from these empty tenements87 whose occupants had fled. The idea of the cool night air in the open streets was delicious.
She staggered to her feet, swaying drunkenly, but determined88 to reach the door. She shuddered89, because of a feeling of internal chill which assailed90 her, but step by step crept across the room, opened the door, and tottered91 out into the hallway. There was no sound in the flat. Presumably Kilfane's man had retired92, or perhaps he, too, was a devotee.
Rita's fur coat hung upon the rack, and although her fingers appeared to have lost all their strength and her arm to have become weak as that of an infant, she succeeded in detaching the coat from the hook. Not pausing to put it on, she opened the door and stumbled out on to the darkened landing. Whereas her first impulse had been to awaken93 someone, preferably Sir Lucien, now her sole desire was to escape undetected.
She began to feel less dizzy, and having paused for a moment on the landing, she succeeded in getting her coat on. Then she closed the door as quietly as possible, and clutching the handrail began to grope her way downstairs. There was only one flight, she remembered, and a short passage leading to the street door. She reached the passage without mishap94, and saw a faint light ahead.
The fastenings gave her some trouble, but finally her efforts were successful, and she found herself standing95 in deserted96 Duke Street. There was no moon, but the sky was cloudless. She had no idea of the time, but because of the stillness of the surrounding streets she knew that it must be very late. She set out for her flat, walking slowly and wondering what explanation she should offer if a constable97 observed her.
Oxford98 Street showed deserted as far as the eye could reach, and her light footsteps seemed to awaken a hundred echoes. Having proceeded for some distance without meeting anyone, she observed—and experienced a childish alarm—the head-lights of an approaching car. Instantly the idea of hiding presented itself to her, but so rapidly did the big automobile99 speed along the empty thoroughfare that Rita was just passing a street lamp as the car raced by, and she must therefore have been clearly visible to the occupants.
Never for a moment glancing aside, Rita pressed on as quickly as she could. Then her vague alarm became actual terror. She heard the brakes being applied100 to the car, and heard the gritty sound of the tires upon the roadway as the vehicle's headlong progress was suddenly checked. She had been seen—perhaps recognized, and whoever was in the car proposed to return to speak to her.
If her strength had allowed she would have run, but now it threatened to desert her altogether and she tottered weakly. A pattering of footsteps came from behind. Someone was running back to overtake her. Recognizing escape to be impossible, Rita turned just as the runner came up with her.
“Rita!” he cried, rather breathlessly. “Miss Dresden!”
She stood very still, looking at the speaker.
It was Monte Irvin.
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收听单词发音
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1
opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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3
distillation
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| n.蒸馏，蒸馏法 | |
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smoker
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| n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室 | |
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distilling
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| n.蒸馏（作用）v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )( distilled的过去分词 )；从…提取精华 | |
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6
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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7
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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nausea
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| n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶) | |
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10
novice
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| adj.新手的，生手的 | |
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11
intruding
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| v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于 | |
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12
rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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13
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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14
succumb
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| v.屈服，屈从；死 | |
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15
longingly
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| adv. 渴望地 热望地 | |
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16
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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17
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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ego
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| n.自我，自己，自尊 | |
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19
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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20
revolve
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| vi.(使)旋转；循环出现 | |
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insidiously
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| 潜在地，隐伏地，阴险地 | |
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22
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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23
delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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24
sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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25
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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26
neurotic
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| adj.神经病的，神经过敏的；n.神经过敏者，神经病患者 | |
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sensory
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| adj.知觉的，感觉的，知觉器官的 | |
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28
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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29
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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31
fronds
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| n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 ) | |
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32
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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33
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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34
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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35
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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infinity
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| n.无限，无穷，大量 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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42
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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43
stilts
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| n.（支撑建筑物高出地面或水面的）桩子，支柱( stilt的名词复数 )；高跷 | |
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44
cerebral
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| adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的 | |
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45
mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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46
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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47
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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48
dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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49
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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50
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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51
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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52
iconoclast
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| n.反对崇拜偶像者 | |
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53
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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54
spoke
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| 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 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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56
hoops
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| n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓 | |
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57
tapering
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| adj.尖端细的 | |
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jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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59
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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60
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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61
rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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62
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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63
vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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67
fending
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| v.独立生活，照料自己( fend的现在分词 )；挡开，避开 | |
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68
tentacles
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| n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛 | |
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69
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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70
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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71
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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72
banishing
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的现在分词 ) | |
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73
conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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74
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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75
grotesquely
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| adv. 奇异地,荒诞地 | |
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76
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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77
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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78
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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garish
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| adj.华丽而俗气的，华而不实的 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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Buddhas
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| n.佛，佛陀，佛像( Buddha的名词复数 ) | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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necromancer
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| n. 巫师 | |
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tenements
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| n.房屋，住户，租房子( tenement的名词复数 ) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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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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tottered
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| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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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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mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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