the Massimo Bellini Theater, Catania, Eastern Sicily
ARTEMIS Fowl1 and his bodyguard2, Butler, relaxed in a private box at the stage-left side of Sicily's world-famous Massimo Bellini Theatre. Perhaps it is not altogether accurate to say Butler relaxed. Rather he appeared to relax, as a tiger appears to relax in the moment before it strikes. Butler was even less happy here than he had been in Barcelona. At least for the Spain trip he'd had a few days to prepare, but for this jaunt3 he barely had time to catch up on his martial4 arts routines.
As soon as the Fowl Bentley had pulled up at Fowl Manor5, Artemis had disappeared into his study, firing up his computers. Butler took the opportunity to work out, freshen up and prepare dinner: onion marmalade tartlets, rack of lamb with garlic gratin and a red berries crepe to finish.
Artemis broke the news over coffee.
'We need to go to Sicily,' he said, toying with the biscotti on his saucer. 'I made a breakthrough on the time spell figures.'
'How soon?' asked the bodyguard, mentally listing his contacts on the Mediterranean6 island.
Artemis looked at his Rado watch and Butler moaned.
'Don't check your watch, Artemis. Check the calendar.'
'Sorry, old friend. But you know time is limited. I can't risk missing a materialization.'
'But on the jet you said that there wasn't another mate-rialization due for six weeks.'
'I was wrong, or rather, Foaly was wrong. He missed a few new factors in the temporal equation.'
Artemis had filled Butler in on the eighth family details as the jet soared over the English Channel.
'Allow me to demonstrate,' said Artemis. He put a silver salt cellar on his plate, 'Let us say that this salt cellar is Hybras. My plate is where it is: our dimension. And your plate is where it wants to go: Limbo9. With me so far?'
Butler nodded reluctantly. He knew that the more he understood, the more Artemis would tell him, and there wasn't much space in a bodyguard's head for quantum physics.
'So, the demon8 warlocks wanted to move the island from plate A to plate B, but not through space, through time.'
'How do you know all this?'
'It's all in the fairy Book,' replied the Irish teenager. 'Quite a detailed10 description, if a bit flowery.'
The Book was the fairy Bible, containing their history and commandments. Artemis had managed to obtain a copy from a drunken sprite in Ho Chi Minh City years earlier. It was proving to be an invaluable11 source of information.
'I doubt the Book has too many charts and graphs,' noted12 Butler.
Artemis smiled. 'No, I got the specifics from Foaly, not that he knows he's sharing information.'
Butler rubbed his temples. 'Artemis. I warned you not to mess with Foaly. The decoy thing is bad enough.'
Artemis was fully13 aware that Foaly was tracking him and any decoys he sent out. In fact he only sent out the decoys to make Foaly dip into his funds. It was his idea of a joke.
'I didn't initiate14 the surveillance,' objected Artemis. 'Foaly did. I found over a dozen devices on my computers alone. All I did was reverse the spike15 to get into some of his shared files. Nothing classified. Well, maybe a few. Foaly's been busy since he left the LEP.'
'So, what did Foaly's files tell you?' said Butler resignedly.
'They told me about magic. Basically, magic is energy and the ability to manipulate energy. To move Hybras from A to B, the demon warlocks harnessed the power of their volcano to create a time rent, or tunnel.' Artemis rolled his napkin into a tube, popped the salt cellar into it and deposited the cellar on Butler's plate.
'Simple as that?' said Butler doubtfully.
'Not really,' said Artemis. 'In fact the warlocks did an exceptional job, considering the instruments available to them at the time. They had to calculate the power of the volcano, the size of the island, the energy of each individ-ual demon on the island, not to mention the reverse pull of lunar attraction. It's amazing the spell worked as well as it did.'
'Yes. According to the Book, the warlocks induced the volcano, but the force was too strong. They couldn't control it and the magic circle was broken. Hybras and the demons7 were transported, but the warlocks were blasted into space.'
Butler whistled. 'That's quite a glitch.'
'It's more than a glitch. The demon warlocks were all killed, so now the rest of the pride are stuck in Limbo, held by a magical spell that was never meant to be perma-nent, without a warlock to bring them back.'
'Couldn't Foaly go and get them?'
'No. It would be an impossible mission to recreate the same circumstances. Imagine trying to steer17 a feather in a sandstorm, then land the feather on a particular grain of sand, except you don't know where the grain is. And even if you did know where the grain was, demon magic can only be controlled by a demon. They are by far the most powerful of warlocks.'
'Tricky,' admitted Butler. 'So, tell me why these demons are popping up here, now?'
Artemis corrected him with a wagging finger. 'Not just here, and not just now. The demons have always felt an attraction to their home world, a combination of lunar and terrestrial radiations. But a demon could only be pulled back if he was at his end of the time-tunnel mouth, the crater18, and not wearing a dimensional anchor.'
Butler fingered his wristband. 'Silver.'
'That's right. Now because of massively increased radi-ation levels worldwide, the pull on demons is much stronger and reaches critical level with greater frequency.'
Butler was struggling to keep up. Sometimes it was not easy being a genius's bodyguard.
'Artemis, I thought we weren't going into specifics.'
Artemis continued regardless. He was hardly going to stop now, in mid-lecture.
'Bear with me, old friend. Nearly there. So now, energy spikes19 occur more often than Foaly thinks.'
Butler raised a finger. 'Ah yes, but the demons are OK as long as they stay away from the crater.'
Artemis raised a triumphant20 finger. 'Yes!' he crowed. "That's what you would think. That's what Foaly thinks. But when our last demon was off course, I ran the equation from back to front. My conclusion is that the time spell is decaying. The tunnel is unravelling21.'
Artemis allowed the napkin tube to widen in his hand. 'Now the catchment area is bigger, as is the deposit area. Pretty soon, demons won't be safe anywhere on Hybras.'
Butler asked the obvious question. 'What happens when the tunnel decays altogether?'
'Just before that happens, demons all over Hybras will be plucked off the island, silver or no silver. When the tunnel collapses22, some will be deposited on earth, more on the moon and the rest scattered23 through space and time. One thing is for sure, not many of them will survive, and those that do will be locked up in laboratories and zoos.
Butler frowned. 'We need to tell Holly24 about this.' 'Yes,' agreed Artemis. 'But not just yet. I need one more day to confirm my figures. I'm not going to Foaly with nothing but theory.'
'Don't tell me,' said Butler. 'Sicily, right?'
So now they were in the Massimo Bellini Theatre, and Butler had barely half an idea why they were there. If a demon materialized on that stage, then Artemis was right and the fairy People were in major trouble. And if the fairies were in trouble, then it was up to Artemis to help them. Butler was actually quite proud that his young charge was doing something for somebody else for a change. Even so, they had only a week to complete their task and return to Fowl Manor, because in seven days Artemis's parents returned from Rhode Island where Artemis Fowl Senior had finally taken possession of an artificial bio-hybrid leg, to replace the one he had lost when the Russian Mafiya blew up his ship.
Butler peered out of the box at the hundreds of golden arches and the thirteen hundred-odd people enjoying the evening's performance of Bellini's Norma.
'First a Gaudi building, now this theatre,' commented the bodyguard, his words audible only to Artemis, thanks to their box's isolation25 and the booming volume of the opera. 'Don't these demons ever materialize somewhere quiet?'
Artemis replied in a whisper. 'Just let the sublime26 music flow over you, enjoy the show. Don't you know how difficult it is to get a box for a Vincenzo Bellini opera? Especially Norma. Norma combines the requirements of both a coloratura and a dramatic soprano. And the soprano is excellent, comparable to Callas herself.'
Butler grunted27. Perhaps it was difficult for ordinary people to get a box in the theatre, but Artemis had simply called his billionaire environmentalist friend Giovanni Zito. The Sicilian had gladly surrendered his own box, in exchange for two cases of the finest Bordeaux. Hardly surprising since Artemis had recently invested over ten million euros in Zito's water purification research.
A Sicilian drinking Bordeaux? Artemis had chuckled29 down the phone. You should be ashamed of yourself.
'Keep your watch pointed30 at the stage,' directed Artemis, interrupting Butler's thoughts. 'The chances are miniscule that a demon will be caught without silver, even away from the crater, but if one does show up, I want it on film to prove to Foaly that my theory is correct. If we don't have incontrovertible proof, the fairy Council will never take action.'
Butler checked that his watch crystal that doubled as a camera lens was angled towards the stage. 'The camera is fine, but if you don't mind I won't be letting the sublime music flow over me, I have enough to do keeping you safe.'
The Bellini Theatre was a bodyguard's nightmare. Multiple entrances and exits, over a thousand patrons that refused to be frisked, hundreds of golden arches that could conceal31 a gunman and countless32 nooks, crannies and corri-dors that probably didn't appear on the theatre plan. Nevertheless, Butler was reasonably confident that he had done all he could to protect Artemis.
Of course there were certain things that bodyguards33 could not guard against, as Butler was about to find out. Invisible things.
Artemis's phone vibrated gently. Usually Artemis deplored34 the kind of person who kept their phone on during a performance, but this phone was special and he never turned it off. It was the fairy communicator given to him by Holly Short, plus a few modifications35 and add-ons made by Artemis himself.
The phone was the size and shape of a two-euro coin, with a pulsing red crystal at its centre. This was a fairy omni-sensor36, which could interface37 with any communica-tions system, including the human body. The phone was disguised as a rather ostentatious ring on Artemis's middle finger. Artemis twisted the ring so that the phone sat on his palm, then closed his middle fingers, extending his thumb and little finger. The sensor would decode38 vibra-tions in his little finger and send them as voice patterns. It would also use the bones in his hand to transmit the caller's voice to the tip of his thumb.
Artemis looked for all the world like a young boy talk-ing on an imaginary phone.
'Holly?' he said.
Butler watched as Artemis listened for a few moments, then hung up, twisting the phone back into ring position.
He looked steadily39 at Butler. 'Don't draw your weapon,' he said.
Which of course had Butler reaching for the butt40 of his Sig Sauer.
'It's fine,' said Artemis reassuringly41. 'Someone is here. A friend.'
Butler's hand dropped to his side. He knew who it was.
Holly Short materialized in the velvet-covered seat beside Artemis. Her knees were drawn42 to her chin and her pointed ears were covered by a black helmet. As she fizzled into the visible spectrum43, a full-face visor collapsed44 into sections and stored itself in her helmet. Her arrival among the humans was covered by the theatre's darkness.
'Afternoon, Mud Boys,' she said, smiling. Her hazel eyes sparkled impishly, or more accurately46 elfishly.
'Thanks for calling ahead,' said Butler sarcastically47. 'Wouldn't want to spook anyone. No shimmer48?'
Usually when fairies used their magic to shield, the only thing visible was a slight shimmer, like a heat haze45. Holly's entrance had been completely undetectable.
Holly patted her own shoulder. 'New suit. Made entirely49 from smart wafers. It vibrates with me.'
Artemis studied one of the wafers, noting the microfilaments in the material. 'Foaly's work? Section Eight issue’.
Holly could not hide her surprise. She punched Artemis playfully on the shoulder. 'How do you know about Section Eight? Aren't we allowed any secrets?'
'Foaly shouldn't spy on me,' said Artemis. 'Where there's a way in, there's a way back. I suppose I should congratulate you on the new job. And Foaly too.' He nodded at the tiny lens over Holly's right eye. 'Is he watch-ing us now?'
'No. He's trying to figure out how you know what he doesn't. We're taping, though.'
'I presume you're talking about demons.'
'I might be.'
Butler stepped between them, interrupting the verbal sparring that was bound to follow.
'Before you two get into negotiations51, how about a real hello?'
Holly smiled fondly at the huge bodyguard. She acti-vated the electronic wings built into her suit and hovered52 to his eye level. Holly kissed his cheek, then wrapped her arms all the way round his head. They barely made it.
Butler rapped her helmet. 'Nice equipment. Not run-of-the-mill Lower Elements Police.'
'No,' agreed Holly, removing the helmet. 'This Section Eight stuff is years ahead of standard LEP. You get what you pay for, I suppose.'
Butler plucked the helmet from her hands. 'Anything an old soldier would be interested in?'
Holly pressed a button on her wrist computer. 'Check out the night vision. It's as clear as… well… day. And the clever thing is that the filter reacts to light as it passes through, so no more being blinded by camera flashes.'
Butler nodded appreciatively. Night vision's major draw-back had historically been that it left the soldier vulnerable to sudden flashes of light. Even a candle flame could blind the wearer momentarily.
Artemis cleared his throat. 'Excuse me, Captain. Are you two going to weep salty tears of admiration53 over a helmet all night, or do we have matters to discuss?' 94
Holly winked54 at Butler. 'Your master calls. I better see what he wants.'
Holly deactivated55 her wings, settling into the chair. She folded her arms, looking Artemis straight in the eyes.
'OK, Mud Boy. I'm all yours.'
'Demons. We need to talk about demons.'
Holly's eyes lost their playful twinkle. 'And why are you so interested in demons, Artemis?'
Artemis opened two shirt buttons and pulled out a gold coin on a thong57. The coin had a circular hole in the centre. Put there by a blast from Holly's laser.
'You gave this to me after you saved my father's life. I owe you. I owe the People. So now, I'm doing something for them.'
Holly wasn't entirely convinced. 'Usually before you do anything for the People, you negotiate a fee.'
Artemis accepted the accusation58 with a slight nod. 'It's true. It was true, but I have changed.'
Holly folded her arms. 'And?'
'And it's nice to find something Foaly missed, even if I did stumble on to it by accident.'
'And?'
Artemis sighed. 'Very well. There is another factor.'
'I thought so. What do you want? Gold? Technology?'
'No. Nothing like that.'
Artemis sat forward in his seat. 'Have you any idea how difficult it is to have had all those thrilling adventures with the LEP and suddenly not be a part of that world any more?'
'Yes,' replied Holly. 'Actually I do.'
'I went from saving the world to geometry in a week. I'm bored, Holly. My intellect is not being challenged, so when I came across the demon gospel in the Book, I real-ized that here was a way to be involved without affecting things. I could simply observe, and perhaps refine, Foaly's calculations.'
'Which are not actually in the Book,' Holly pointed out. 'Simply observe, my foot.'
Artemis waved Holly's point away. 'Some harmless hack-ing. The centaur59 started it. So, I began travelling to mat-erialization sites, but nothing happened until Barcelona. A demon showed up all right, except he showed up in the wrong place, and late. I simply stumbled across him. I would be floating in prehistoric60 space right now if Butler hadn't anchored me to this dimension with silver.'
Holly stifled61 a laugh. 'So it was luck. The great Artemis Fowl trumps62 the mighty63 Foaly thanks to dumb luck.'
Artemis was miffed. 'Informed luck, I think, is a better description. Anyway, that is unimportant. I have recalcu-lated with the new figures, and my conclusions, if borne out, could be calamitous64 for the People.'
'Go on, tell me. In short words, though. You wouldn't believe the amount of science I had to listen to today.'
'This is serious, Holly,' snapped Artemis. His outburst was followed by a chorus of shushes from the audience.
'This is serious,' he repeated in hushed tones.
'Why?' asked Holly. 'Surely it's just a matter of sharing your new figures and letting Foaly take care of the rest with light-distortion projectors65?'
'Not quite,' said Artemis, settling back in his chair. 'If a demon appears on that stage in the next four minutes, then soon there won't be enough projectors to go round. If I'm right and the time spell is unravelling, then Hybras and everyone on it will soon be dragged back into this dimen-sion. Most of the demons won't make it alive, but those who do could pop up anywhere and at any time.'
Holly switched her gaze to the stage. A raven-haired woman was holding ridiculously high notes for a ridicu-lously long time. Holly wondered if the woman would even notice a demon popping out of the air for a second or two. There wasn't supposed to be a materialization today. If there was, then that would mean Artemis was right, as usual, and a lot more demons were on the way. If that happened, then Artemis Fowl and Holly Short would be up to their necks in the whole saving-the-fairy-race thing, yet again.
Holly glanced sideways at Artemis, who was studying the stage through a pair of opera glasses. She would never tell him, but if a human had to be involved with saving the fairy People, then Artemis was probably the best man, or boy, for the job.
the island of hybras, Limbo
No.l struggled up towards the first rocky ridge66 on the side of the volcano. Several demons passed him on the trail, but not one tried to talk him out of it. In fact, he'd bumped into Hadley Shrivelington Basset, who had offered to scratch a map on a piece of bark for him. No.l suspected that if he did take the big dimensional jump, no one would miss him any more than they would miss their favourite crossbow target. Except perhaps the demoness with red markings who smiled at him. The one from the compound. Maybe she would miss him a little. No.l stopped in his tracks when he realized that the only demon who would care if he was gone was one he had never spoken to.
He moaned aloud. How depressing was that!
No.l trudged68 onwards past the final warning which, with typical demon subtlety69, was in the form of a blood-reddened wolf skull70 mounted on a stick.
'What's that even supposed to mean?' muttered No.l as he passed the sign. 'A wolf's head on a stick. Big wolf barbe-cue tonight. Bring your own wolf.'
Barbecue. Another word from Lady Heatherington Smythe.
No.l sat on the ridge, wiggling his rump to dig a little trench71 for his tail. Might as well be comfortable before jumping the hundred or so metres into the mouth of a steaming volcano. Of course, even if he didn't get whisked away to the old country, the still wouldn't be vaporized by the lava72. No, he would probably be dashed against the rocks on the way down. What a cheery thought.
From his seat on the ridge, No.l could see the jagged mouth of the crater and the rhythmic73 wisps of smoke that drifted skywards like the breath of a sleeping giant. It was the nature of the time spell that things progressed as though Hybras were still attached to the rest of the world, albeit74 at a different pace. So the volcano still bubbled and occa-sionally burped up a skinny column of flame, even though there was no Earth beneath it.
If No.l was honest with himself, his resolve was waver-ing. It was easy to imagine hopping75 into an interdimensional crater when you were rolling your cocooned76 classmates into a becrusted dung pit. It had seemed then, as the flakes77 of ash had fluttered down on him, that things could not get any worse. And there had been something in Abbot's voice that made the idea seem irresistible78. But now, sitting on the ridge, with a gentle wind cooling his chest plates, things didn't seem quite as bleak79. At least he was alive, and there was no guarantee that the crater led anywhere except into the belly80 of the volcano. None of the other demons had made it back alive. They came back all right. Some encased in blocks of ice, some burned to a crisp, but none hale and hearty81 like the pride leader. Although for some reason, when No.l thought about Abbot, the many moments of cruelty he had suffered at the pride leader's whim82 seemed hazy83, hard to focus on. All he could remember was that beauti-ful insistent84 voice telling him to cross over.
Moon madness. That was the heart of the matter. Demonkind was attracted to the moon. It sang to them, agitating85 particles in their blood. They dreamed of it at night and ground their teeth at its absence. At any hour of the so-called day here on Hybras, demons could be seen stopping in their tracks to gaze at the space where the moon used to be. It was part of them, a live organic part, and on an atomic level, they belonged together.
There were threads of the time spell still in the crater. Wisps of magic that curled about the mountain top, snag-ging any demon stupid enough to be caught without silver. And coded inside the magic was the song of the moon, calling the demons back, enticing86 them with visions of white light and weightlessness. Once those pale tendrils had a grip on a demon's mind, he would do anything to be closer to the source. The magic and moon madness would pour energy into the atoms of his being, vibrating his very electrons to a new orbit, changing his molecular87 structure, pulling him through time and space.
But there was only Abbot's word that this journey would end on Earth. It could end on the moon, and as much as demons loved the moon, they knew that nothing survived on its barren surface. The elders said that sprites could not fly close without freezing to death, spiralling to Earth with frozen wings and blue faces.
For some reason, No.l wanted to take the journey today. He wanted the moon to call him into the crater, then deposit him somewhere where another warlock existed. Someone who would teach him to control his strange powers. But, he admitted miserably88, he didn't have the courage. He could not just hurl89 himself into a rocky crater. The volcano's base was littered with the charred90 corpses91 of those who had imagined the moon calling to them. How could he know if the moon's power was truly beckoning92, or if it was simply wishful thinking?
No.l rested his face in his hands. Nothing for it but to return to the school. The imps93 in the pit would need turn-ing or their hides could suffer dung lividity marks.
He sighed. This was not the first time he had made this desperate journey. But now No.l really thought he would do it. Abbot was in his head, urging him on. He could almost bear the idea of the rocks rushing towards him. Almost.
No.l toyed with the silver bangle on his wrist. It would have been so easy to slip off this trinket and just disappear.
Slip it off then, little one, said a voice in his head. Slip it off and come to me.
No.l was not surprised by the voice. Actually it was more a feeling than a voice. No.l had supplied the words himself. He often conversed94 with voices in his head. There was no one else to talk to. There was Flambard the shoemaker, and
Lady Bonnie the spinster and his favourite, Bookie the lisp-ing gossip.
This voice was new. More forceful.
A moment without silver, and a new world could be yours.
No.1's bottom lip jutted95 as he considered. He could remove the bangle, he supposed, just for a moment. What harm could it do? He was nowhere near the crater, and the magic rarely strayed beyond the volcano.
No harm. No harm at all. One little tug96.
The ridiculous notion had No.l now. Taking off the bangle could be like a practice run for the day when he finally worked up the courage to feel the moon madness. His fingers traced the runes on the bangle. They were precisely97 the same as the markings on his chest. A double charm. Repelling98 the moon magic. Removing one meant that the force of his own markings was reversed, pulling him straight towards the moon.
Take it off. Reverse the power.
No.l watched his fingers grip the bangle's rim99. He was in a daze100, a buzzing fugue. The new voice had coated his mind with fog and was in control.
We will be together, you and I. You will bask101 in my light.
Bask in my light? thought the last conscious sliver102 of No.l. This new voice is quite the drama queen. Bookie is not going to like you.
Take it off, little one.
No.l watched his hand tug the bangle over his knuck-les. He was powerless to stop himself — not that he wanted to.
Moon madness, he realized with a jolt103. All the way over here. How can that be?
Something in him knew. The warlock part of him, perhaps.
The time spell is breaking down. No one is safe.
No.l saw the bangle, his dimensional anchor, slip from his fingers and spin to the ground. It seemed to happen in slow motion, the silver flowed and rippled104 like sunlight through water.
No.l felt the tingle105 that comes when every atom in your body is overloaded106 with energy and boosted into a gaseous107 form. It really should be terribly painful, but the body doesn't really know how to respond to this kind of cell damage and so throws up a pathetic tingling108.
There was no time to scream; all No.l could do was disappear into a million flashing pinpoints109 of light, which quickly wound themselves into a tight band following a path to another dimension. In seconds there was nothing left to show that No.l had ever been there but a spinning silver bangle.
It would be a long time, relatively110 speaking, before anyone missed him. And no one would care enough to come looking.
the Massimo BELLini theatre, SiciLY
To look at Artemis Fowl, you would have thought that he was here simply for the opera. One hand trained a pair of opera glasses on the stage, the other hand conducted expertly, following the score note for note.
'Maria Callas is the acknowledged seminal111 Norma,' he said to Holly, who nodded politely, then rolled her eyes at Butler. 'But I have a confession112: I actually prefer Montserrat Caballe. She took the role on in the seventies. Of course, I have only heard recordings113, but to me, Caballe's perform-ance is more robust114.'
'Really,' said Holly. 'I'm trying to care, Artemis, really. But I thought it was all supposed to be over when the fat lady sings. Well, she's singing, but it doesn't appear to be over.'
Artemis smiled, exposing his incisors. 'That's Wagner you're thinking of.'
Butler did not participate in the opera-related chit-chat. To him it was just another layer of distraction115 to be zoned116 out. Instead he decided117 to test the night-vision filter on Holly's new helmet. If it could indeed overcome the white-out problem, as Holly claimed, then he would have to ask Artemis to procure118 one for him.
Needless to say, Holly's helmet would not fit Butler's head. In fact it would barely slot over his fist, so the body-guard folded the filter's left wing out until he could squint119 through it by holding the helmet to his cheek.
The effect was impressive. The filter successfully equal-ized the light throughout the building. It boosted or dimmed so that every person in the building was seen in the same light. Those on the stage appeared caked in make-up, and those in the boxes had no shadows to hide in.
Butler panned across the boxes, satisfying himself that there was no threat present. He saw plenty of nose-picking and handholding, sometimes by the same people. But nothing obviously dangerous. But in a second-tier box, adjacent to the stage, there was a girl with a head of blonde curls, all dressed up for a night of theatre.
Butler immediately recalled seeing the same girl at the materialization site in Barcelona. And now she was here too? Coincidence? There was no such thing. In the body-guard's experience, if you saw a stranger more than once, either they were following you, or you were both after the same thing.
He scanned the rest of the box. There were two men behind the girl. One in his fifties, paunchy, expensive tuxedo120, was filming the stage with his mobile-phone camera. This was the first man from Barcelona. The second man was there too, possibly Chinese, wiry, spiked121 hair. He had apparently122 not yet recovered from his leg injury and was adjusting one of his crutches123. He flipped125 it round, removed a rubber grip from the foot, then nestled it against his shoulder like a rifle.
Butler automatically moved between Artemis and the man's line of fire. Not that the crutch124 was aimed at his charge, it was pointed stage right. A metre from the soprano. Just where Artemis was expecting his demon to show up.
'Holly,' he said in a low, calm voice. 'I think you should shield.'
Artemis lowered his opera glasses. 'Problems?'
'Maybe,' replied Butler. 'Though not for us. I think somebody else knows about the new materialization figures, and I think they're planning to do more than just observe.'
Artemis tapped his chin with two fingers, thinking fast. 'Where?'
'Tier two. Beside the stage. I see one possible weapon trained on the stage. Not a standard gun. Maybe a modified dart126 rifle.'
Artemis leaned forward, gripping the brass127 rail. 'They plan to take the demon alive, if one turns up. In that case, they will need a distraction.'
Holly was on her feet. 'What can we do?'
'It's too late to stop them,' said Artemis, a frown slash-ing his brow. 'If we interfere128, we may upset the distrac-tion, in which case the demon will be exposed. If these people are clever enough to be here, you may be sure their plan is a good one.'
Holly claimed her helmet, slotting it over her ears. Air pads automatically inflated129 to cradle her head. 'I can't just let them kidnap a fairy.'
'You have no choice,' snapped Artemis, risking the audi-ence's displeasure. 'Best and most likely case scenario130, noth-ing happens. No materialization.'
Holly scowled131. 'You know as well as I do that fortune never sends the best-case scenario our way. You have too much bad karma.'
Artemis had to chuckle28. 'You're right, of course. Worst-case scenario, a demon appears, they anchor it with the dart rifle, we interfere and in the confusion the demon is swept up by the local polizia and we all end up in custody132.'
'Not good. So we just sit back and watch.'
'Butler and I sit back and watch. You get over there and record as much data as possible. And when these people go, you go after them.'
Holly activated56 her wings. They slid from her backpack, crackling blue as the flight computer sent a charge through them.
'How much time do I have?' asked Holly, as she faded from sight.
Artemis checked the stopwatch on his watch.
'If you hurry,' he said, 'none.'
Holly launched herself out over the audience, controlling her trajectory133 using the joystick built into the thumb of her glove. She soared above the gathered humans, invisible.
With the aid of her helmet's filters, she could clearly see the occupants of the stage-side box.
Artemis was wrong. There was time to stop this. All she had to do was throw the shooter's aim off a little. The demon would never get anchored, and Section 8 could track these Mud Men at their leisure. It was simply a matter of touching134 the marksman's elbow with her buzz baton135 to make him lose control of all his motor functions for a few seconds. Plenty of time for a demon to appear, then disap-pear.
Then Holly smelled burning ozone136 and felt heat on her arm. Artemis was not wrong. There was no time. Someone was coming.
No.l appeared on the stage, more or less intact. The trip had cost him the last knuckle137 on his right index finger, and about two gigabytes worth of memories. But they were mostly bad memories and he had never been very good with his hands.
Dematerialization isn't a particularly painful process, but materialization happens to be a thoroughly138 enjoyable one. The brain is so happy to register all the body's essential bits and bobs coming together again that it releases a surge of happy endorphins.
No.l looked at the nub where his previously139 whole index finger used to be.
'Look,' he said, tittering. 'No finger.'
Then he noticed the humans. Scores of them, arranged in rings, rising up to the heavens. No.l knew instantly what this must be.
'A theatre. I'm in a theatre. With only seven and a half fingers. / have only seven and a half fingers, not the theatre.' This observation brought on another fit of giggles140, and that would have been about it for No.l. He would have been whisked off to the next stop on his interdimensional jaunt, had not a human near the stage aimed a tube at him.
'Tube,' said No.l, proud of his human vocabulary, point-ing with the finger that wasn't altogether there.
After that, things happened very quickly. A flurry of events blurred141 like mixed stripes of vivid paint. The tube flashed, something exploded over his head. A bee stung No.l on the leg, a female screamed piercingly. A herd142 of animals, elephants perhaps, passed directly below him.Then most disconcertingly, the ground disappeared from beneath his feet and everything went black. The blackness was rough against his fingers and face.
The last thing No.l heard before his own personal blackness claimed him, was a voice. It was not a demon's voice — the tones were lighter143. Halfway144 between bird and boar.
'Welcome, demon,' said the voice, then sniggered.
They know, thought No.l, and he would have panicked, had the chloral hydrate seeping145 into his system through a leg wound allowed such exertions146. They know all about us.
Then the knockout serum147 caressed148 his brain, tipping him off a cliff into a deep dark hole.
Artemis watched events unfold from his box. A smile of admiration twitched149 at the corners of his mouth as the plan unrolled smoothly150 like the most expensive Tunisian carpet. Whoever was behind this was good. More than good. Perhaps they were related.
'Keep your camera pointed at the stage,' Artemis said to Butler. 'Holly will get the box.'
Butler was squirming to cover Holly's back, but his place was at Artemis's side. And after all, Captain Short could look after herself. He made sure his watch crystal was trained on the stage. Artemis would never let him forget it if he missed even a nanosecond of the action.
On stage, the opera was almost over. Norma was lead-ing Pollione to the pyre, where they were both to be burned. All eyes were upon her. Except those involved in a drama of the fairy kind.
The music was lush and layered, providing an unwitting soundtrack to the real-life drama unfolding in the theatre.
It began with an electric crackle downstage, stage right. Barely noticeable, unless you were expecting it. And even I, if some patrons did notice the glow, they were not alarmed. It could easily be a reflected blotch151 of light, or one of the special effects these modern theatre directors were so fond of.
So, thought Artemis, feeling the excitement buzz in his fingertips. Something is coming. Another game begins.
The 'something' began to materialize inside the crack-ling blue envelope. It took on a vague, humanoid shape. Smaller than the last one, but definitely a demon, and definitely not a reflected blotch of light. Initially152 the shape was insubstantial, wraithlike153, but after a second it became less transparent154 and more of this world.
Now, thought Artemis. Anchor it, and tranquilize it too.
A slender silver tube poked155 from the shadows on the opposite side of the theatre. There was a small pop, and a dart sped from the tube's mouth. Artemis did not need to follow the dart's path. He knew that it was headed straight into the creature's leg. The leg would be best. A good target, but unlikely to be fatal. A silver tip with some kind of knockout cocktail156.
The creature was trying to communicate now and making wild gestures. Artemis heard a few gasps157 from the audience as patrons noticed the shape inside the light.
Very well. You have anchored it. Now you need a distraction. Something flashy and loud, but not particularly dangerous. If some-body gets hurt, there will be an investigation158.
Artemis switched his gaze to the demon. Solid now in the shadows. Around him the opera steamrolled towards Act Four's crescendo159. The soprano lamented160 hysterically161 and almost every eye in the theatre was riveted162 on her. Almost every eye. But there are always a few bored audience members at an opera, especially by the time Act Four comes along. Those particular eyes would be wander-ing around the hall, searching for something, anything, interesting to watch. Those eyes would land on the little demon downstage, stage right, unless they were distracted.
Right on cue, a large stage lamp broke free of its clamp in the rigging and swung on its cable into the back canvas. The impact was both flashy and loud. The bulb exploded, showering the stage and orchestra pit with glass fragments. The bulb's filament50 glowed with a magnesium163 glare, temporarily blinding everyone staring at it. Which was almost the entire audience.
Glass rained down on the orchestra, and the musicians panicked, fleeing en masse towards the green room, drag-ging their instruments behind them. A cacophony164 of squeal-ing strings165 and overturned percussion166 instruments shattered any echoes of Bellini's masterpiece.
Nice, thought Artemis appreciatively. The clamp and the filament were rigged. The stampeding orchestra is a lucky bonus.
Artemis appreciated all of this out of the corner of his eye. His main focus was the diminutive167 demon, lost in the shadows behind a canvas flat.
Now if it was me, thought the Irish teenager, I would have Butler drop a black sack over that little creature and whisk him out of the stage door into a four-wheel drive. We could be on the ferry to Ravenna before the theatre crew got the bulb changed.
What actually happened was slightly different. A stage trapdoor opened beneath the demon and it disappeared on a hydraulic168 platform.
Artemis shook his head in admiration. Fabulous169. His mysterious adversaries170 must have hijacked171 the theatre computer system. And when the demon appeared, they simply sent a command to open the appropriate trapdoor panel. Doubtless there was someone waiting below to transfer the sleeping demon to an idling vehicle outside.
Artemis leaned over the railing, gazing into the audi-ence below. As the house lights were brought up, the theatre patrons rubbed their dazzled eyes and spoke67 in the sheep-ish tones that follow shock. There was no talk of demons. No pointing and screaming. He had just witnessed the perfect execution of a perfect plan.
Artemis gazed across to the box on the far side of the stage. The three occupants stood calmly. They were simply leaving. The show was over and it was time to go. Artemis recognized the pretty girl from Barcelona and her two guardians172. The thin man seemed to have recovered from his leg injury, as his crutches were now tucked underneath173 one arm.
The girl wore a self-satisfied smile, the kind that usually decorated Artemis's own face after a successful mission.
It's the girl, Artemis realized with some surprise. She is the brains here.
This girl's smile, a reflection of his own, rankled174 Artemis. He was not accustomed to being two steps behind. No doubt she believed that victory was hers. She may have won this battle, but the campaign was far from over.
It's time, he thought, that this girl knew she had an oppo-nent.
He brought his hands together in a slow handclap.
'Brava,' he called. 'Brava, ragazza!'
His voice carried easily above the heads of the audience. The girl's smile froze on her lips and her eyes searched for the source of this compliment. In seconds she located the Irish teenager, and their eyes locked.
If Artemis had been expecting the girl to quail175 and trem-ble at the sight of him and his bodyguard, then he was disappointed. True, a shadow of surprise flitted across her brow, but then she accepted the applause with a nod and royal wave. The girl said two words before she left. The distance was too great for Artemis actually to hear them, but even if he hadn't long since trained himself to lip-read, it would have been easy to guess what they were.
Artemis Fowl, she said. Nothing more. There was a game beginning here. No doubt about it. How intriguing176.
Then a funny thing happened. Artemis's clapping hands were joined by a scattering177 of others from various spots in the theatre. The applause grew from hesitant beginnings to a crescendo. Soon the patrons were on their feet and the bewildered singers were forced to take several curtain calls.
On his way through the lobby minutes later, Artemis was highly amused to overhear several audience members gushing179 over the unorthodox direction of the opera's final scene. The exploding lamp, mused178 one buff", was doubtless a metaphor180 for Norma's own falling star. But no, argued a second. The lamp was obviously a modernistic interpreta-tion of the burning stake which Norma was about to face. Or perhaps, thought Artemis as he pushed through the crowd to find a light Sicilian mist falling on his forehead, the exploding lamp was simply an exploding lamp.
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fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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jaunt
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| v.短程旅游；n.游览 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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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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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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limbo
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| n.地狱的边缘；监狱 | |
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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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invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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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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initiate
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| vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入 | |
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spike
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| n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效 | |
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glitch
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| n.干扰；误操作，小故障 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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spikes
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| n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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unravelling
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| 解开，拆散，散开( unravel的现在分词 )； 阐明； 澄清； 弄清楚 | |
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collapses
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| 折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 )； 倒塌； 崩溃； （尤指工作劳累后）坐下 | |
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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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holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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bodyguards
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| n.保镖，卫士，警卫员( bodyguard的名词复数 ) | |
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deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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modifications
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| n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变 | |
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sensor
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| n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官） | |
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interface
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| n.接合部位，分界面；v.(使)互相联系 | |
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decode
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| vt.译（码），解（码） | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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spectrum
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| n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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shimmer
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| v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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filament
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| n.细丝；长丝；灯丝 | |
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negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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53
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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54
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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deactivated
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| v.解除动员( deactivate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；复员；使不活动 | |
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activated
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| adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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thong
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| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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centaur
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| n.人首马身的怪物 | |
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prehistoric
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| adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的 | |
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stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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trumps
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| abbr.trumpets 喇叭；小号；喇叭形状的东西；喇叭筒v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去式 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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calamitous
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| adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重 | |
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projectors
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| 电影放映机，幻灯机( projector的名词复数 ) | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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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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trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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subtlety
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| n.微妙，敏锐，精巧；微妙之处，细微的区别 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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lava
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| n.熔岩，火山岩 | |
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rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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cocooned
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| v.茧，蚕茧( cocoon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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agitating
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| 搅动( agitate的现在分词 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论 | |
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enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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molecular
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| adj.分子的；克分子的 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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charred
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| v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦 | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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93
imps
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| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
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94
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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95
jutted
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| v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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96
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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97
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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98
repelling
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| v.击退( repel的现在分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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99
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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100
daze
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| v.(使)茫然，(使)发昏 | |
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101
bask
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| vt.取暖，晒太阳，沐浴于 | |
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102
sliver
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| n.裂片，细片，梳毛；v.纵切，切成长片，剖开 | |
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103
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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104
rippled
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| 使泛起涟漪（ripple的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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105
tingle
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| vi.感到刺痛，感到激动；n.刺痛，激动 | |
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106
overloaded
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| a.超载的，超负荷的 | |
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107
gaseous
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| adj.气体的，气态的 | |
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108
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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109
pinpoints
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| 准确地找出或描述( pinpoint的第三人称单数 )； 为…准确定位 | |
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110
relatively
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| adv.比较...地，相对地 | |
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111
seminal
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| adj.影响深远的；种子的 | |
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112
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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113
recordings
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| n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片 | |
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114
robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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115
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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116
zoned
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| adj.划成区域的，束带的v.（飞机、汽车等）急速移动( zoom的现在分词 )；（价格、费用等）急升，猛涨 | |
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117
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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118
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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119
squint
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| v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的 | |
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120
tuxedo
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| n.礼服，无尾礼服 | |
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121
spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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122
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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123
crutches
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| n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑 | |
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124
crutch
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| n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱 | |
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125
flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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126
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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127
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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128
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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129
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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130
scenario
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| n.剧本，脚本；概要 | |
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131
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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132
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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133
trajectory
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| n.弹道，轨道 | |
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134
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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135
baton
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| n.乐队用指挥杖 | |
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136
ozone
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| n.臭氧，新鲜空气 | |
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137
knuckle
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| n.指节；vi.开始努力工作；屈服，认输 | |
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138
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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139
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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140
giggles
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| n.咯咯的笑( giggle的名词复数 )；傻笑；玩笑；the giggles 止不住的格格笑v.咯咯地笑( giggle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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141
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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142
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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143
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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144
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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145
seeping
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| v.（液体）渗( seep的现在分词 )；渗透；渗出；漏出 | |
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146
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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147
serum
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| n.浆液，血清，乳浆 | |
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148
caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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149
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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150
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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151
blotch
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| n.大斑点；红斑点；v.使沾上污渍，弄脏 | |
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152
initially
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| adv.最初，开始 | |
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153
wraithlike
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154
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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155
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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156
cocktail
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| n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物 | |
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157
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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158
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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159
crescendo
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| n.(音乐)渐强，高潮 | |
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160
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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161
hysterically
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| ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
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162
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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163
magnesium
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| n.镁 | |
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164
cacophony
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| n.刺耳的声音 | |
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165
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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166
percussion
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| n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响 | |
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167
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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168
hydraulic
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| adj.水力的；水压的，液压的；水力学的 | |
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169
fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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170
adversaries
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| n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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171
hijacked
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| 劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图） | |
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172
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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173
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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174
rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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175
quail
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| n.鹌鹑；vi.畏惧，颤抖 | |
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176
intriguing
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| adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心 | |
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177
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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178
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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179
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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180
metaphor
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| n.隐喻，暗喻 | |
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