At sunset on the second day, we stopped to rest awhile upon the summit of some heights over which the road ran, and there on a beautiful and fertile plain before us lay Loo itself. For a native town it is an enormous place, quite five miles round, I should say, with outlying kraals projecting from it, that serve on grand occasions as cantonments for the regiments5, and a curious horseshoe-shaped hill, with which we were destined6 to become better acquainted, about two miles to the north. It is beautifully situated8, and through the centre of the kraal, dividing it into two portions, runs a river, which appeared to be bridged in several places, the same indeed that we had seen from the slopes of Sheba’s Breasts. Sixty or seventy miles away three great snow-capped mountains, placed at the points of a triangle, started out of the level plain. The conformation of these mountains is unlike that of Sheba’s Breasts, being sheer and precipitous, instead of smooth and rounded.
Infadoos saw us looking at them, and volunteered a remark.
“The road ends there,” he said, pointing to the mountains known among the Kukuanas as the “Three Witches.”
“Why does it end?” I asked.
“Who knows?” he answered with a shrug9; “the mountains are full of caves, and there is a great pit between them. It is there that the wise men of old time used to go to get whatever it was they came for to this country, and it is there now that our kings are buried in the Place of Death.”
“What was it they came for?” I asked eagerly.
“Nay, I know not. My lords who have dropped from the Stars should know,” he answered with a quick look. Evidently he knew more than he chose to say.
“Yes,” I went on, “you are right, in the Stars we learn many things. I have heard, for instance, that the wise men of old came to these mountains to find bright stones, pretty playthings, and yellow iron.”
“My lord is wise,” he answered coldly; “I am but a child and cannot talk with my lord on such matters. My lord must speak with Gagool the old, at the king’s place, who is wise even as my lord,” and he went away.
So soon as he was gone I turned to the others, and pointed10 out the mountains. “There are Solomon’s diamond mines,” I said.
Umbopa was standing11 with them, apparently12 plunged13 in one of the fits of abstraction which were common to him, and caught my words.
“Yes, Macumazahn,” he put in, in Zulu, “the diamonds are surely there, and you shall have them, since you white men are so fond of toys and money.”
“How dost thou know that, Umbopa?” I asked sharply, for I did not like his mysterious ways.
He laughed. “I dreamed it in the night, white men;” then he too turned on his heel and went.
“Now what,” said Sir Henry, “is our black friend driving at? He knows more than he chooses to say, that is clear. By the way, Quatermain, has he heard anything of — of my brother?”
“Nothing; he has asked everyone he has become friendly with, but they all declare that no white man has ever been seen in the country before.”
“Do you suppose that he got here at all?” suggested Good; “we have only reached the place by a miracle; is it likely he could have reached it without the map?”
“I don’t know,” said Sir Henry gloomily, “but somehow I think that I shall find him.”
Slowly the sun sank, then suddenly darkness rushed down on the land like a tangible14 thing. There was no breathing-space between the day and night, no soft transformation15 scene, for in these latitudes16 twilight17 does not exist. The change from day to night is as quick and as absolute as the change from life to death. The sun sank and the world was wreathed in shadows. But not for long, for see in the west there is a glow, then come rays of silver light, and at last the full and glorious moon lights up the plain and shoots its gleaming arrows far and wide, filling the earth with a faint refulgence18.
We stood and watched the lovely sight, whilst the stars grew pale before this chastened majesty19, and felt our hearts lifted up in the presence of a beauty that I cannot describe. Mine has been a rough life, but there are a few things I am thankful to have lived for, and one of them is to have seen that moon shine over Kukuanaland.
Presently our meditations20 were broken in upon by our polite friend Infadoos.
“If my lords are rested we will journey on to Loo, where a hut is made ready for my lords to-night. The moon is now bright, so that we shall not fall by the way.”
We assented21, and in an hour’s time were at the outskirts22 of the town, of which the extent, mapped out as it was by thousands of camp fires, appeared absolutely endless. Indeed, Good, who is always fond of a bad joke, christened it “Unlimited Loo.” Soon we came to a moat with a drawbridge, where we were met by the rattling23 of arms and the hoarse24 challenge of a sentry25. Infadoos gave some password that I could not catch, which was met with a salute26, and we passed on through the central street of the great grass city. After nearly half an hour’s tramp, past endless lines of huts, Infadoos halted at last by the gate of a little group of huts which surrounded a small courtyard of powdered limestone27, and informed us that these were to be our “poor” quarters.
We entered, and found that a hut had been assigned to each of us. These huts were superior to any that we had yet seen, and in each was a most comfortable bed made of tanned skins, spread upon mattresses28 of aromatic29 grass. Food too was ready for us, and so soon as we had washed ourselves with water, which stood ready in earthenware30 jars, some young women of handsome appearance brought us roasted meats, and mealie cobs daintily served on wooden platters, and presented them to us with deep obeisances31.
We ate and drank, and then, the beds having been all moved into one hut by our request, a precaution at which the amiable32 young ladies smiled, we flung ourselves down to sleep, thoroughly33 wearied with our long journey.
When we woke it was to find the sun high in the heavens, and the female attendants, who did not seem to be troubled by any false shame, already standing inside the hut, having been ordered to attend and help us to “make ready.”
“Make ready, indeed,” growled34 Good; “when one has only a flannel35 shirt and a pair of boots, that does not take long. I wish you would ask them for my trousers, Quatermain.”
I asked accordingly, but was informed that these sacred relics36 had already been taken to the king, who would see us in the forenoon.
Somewhat to their astonishment37 and disappointment, having requested the young ladies to step outside, we proceeded to make the best toilet of which the circumstances admitted. Good even went the length of again shaving the right side of his face; the left, on which now appeared a very fair crop of whiskers, we impressed upon him he must on no account touch. As for ourselves, we were contented38 with a good wash and combing our hair. Sir Henry’s yellow locks were now almost upon his shoulders, and he looked more like an ancient Dane than ever, while my grizzled scrub was fully7 an inch long, instead of half an inch, which in a general way I considered my maximum length.
By the time that we had eaten our breakfast, and smoked a pipe, a message was brought to us by no less a personage than Infadoos himself that Twala the king was ready to see us, if we would be pleased to come.
We remarked in reply that we should prefer to wait till the sun was a little higher, we were yet weary with our journey, &c., &c. It is always well, when dealing39 with uncivilised people, not to be in too great a hurry. They are apt to mistake politeness for awe40 or servility. So, although we were quite as anxious to see Twala as Twala could be to see us, we sat down and waited for an hour, employing the interval41 in preparing such presents as our slender stock of goods permitted — namely, the Winchester rifle which had been used by poor Ventv?gel, and some beads42. The rifle and ammunition43 we determined44 to present to his royal highness, and the beads were for his wives and courtiers. We had already given a few to Infadoos and Scragga, and found that they were delighted with them, never having seen such things before. At length we declared that we were ready, and guided by Infadoos, started off to the audience, Umbopa carrying the rifle and beads.
After walking a few hundred yards we came to an enclosure, something like that surrounding the huts which had been allotted45 to us, only fifty times as big, for it could not have covered less than six or seven acres of ground. All round the outside fence stood a row of huts, which were the habitations of the king’s wives. Exactly opposite the gateway46, on the further side of the open space, was a very large hut, built by itself, in which his majesty resided. All the rest was open ground; that is to say, it would have been open had it not been filled by company after company of warriors, who were mustered47 there to the number of seven or eight thousand. These men stood still as statues as we advanced through them, and it would be impossible to give an adequate idea of the grandeur48 of the spectacle which they presented, with their waving plumes49, their glancing spears, and iron-backed ox-hide shields.
The space in front of the large hut was empty, but before it were placed several stools. On three of these, at a sign from Infadoos, we seated ourselves, Umbopa standing behind us. As for Infadoos, he took up a position by the door of the hut. So we waited for ten minutes or more in the midst of a dead silence, but conscious that we were the object of the concentrated gaze of some eight thousand pairs of eyes. It was a somewhat trying ordeal51, but we carried it off as best we could. At length the door of the hut opened, and a gigantic figure, with a splendid tiger-skin karross flung over its shoulders, stepped out, followed by the boy Scragga, and what appeared to us to be a withered-up monkey, wrapped in a fur cloak. The figure seated itself upon a stool, Scragga took his stand behind it, and the withered-up monkey crept on all fours into the shade of the hut and squatted52 down.
Still there was silence.
Then the gigantic figure slipped off the karross and stood up before us, a truly alarming spectacle. It was that of an enormous man with the most entirely53 repulsive54 countenance55 we had ever beheld56. This man’s lips were as thick as a Negro’s, the nose was flat, he had but one gleaming black eye, for the other was represented by a hollow in the face, and his whole expression was cruel and sensual to a degree. From the large head rose a magnificent plume50 of white ostrich57 feathers, his body was clad in a shirt of shining chain armour58, whilst round the waist and right knee were the usual garnishes59 of white ox-tail. In his right hand was a huge spear, about the neck a thick torque of gold, and bound on the forehead shone dully a single and enormous uncut diamond.
Still there was silence; but not for long. Presently the man, whom we rightly guessed to be the king, raised the great javelin60 in his hand. Instantly eight thousand spears were lifted in answer, and from eight thousand throats rang out the royal salute of “Koom.” Three times this was repeated, and each time the earth shook with the noise, that can only be compared to the deepest notes of thunder.
“Be humble61, O people,” piped out a thin voice which seemed to come from the monkey in the shade, “it is the king.”
“It is the king,” boomed out the eight thousand throats in answer. “Be humble, O people, it is the king.”
Then there was silence again — dead silence. Presently, however, it was broken. A soldier on our left dropped his shield, which fell with a clatter62 on to the limestone flooring.
Twala turned his one cold eye in the direction of the noise.
“Come hither, thou,” he said, in a cold voice.
A fine young man stepped out of the ranks, and stood before him.
“It was thy shield that fell, thou awkward dog. Wilt63 thou make me a reproach in the eyes of these strangers from the Stars? What hast thou to say for thyself?”
We saw the poor fellow turn pale under his dusky skin.
“It was by chance, O Calf64 of the Black Cow,” he murmured.
“Then it is a chance for which thou must pay. Thou hast made me foolish; prepare for death.”
“I am the king’s ox,” was the low answer.
“Scragga,” roared the king, “let me see how thou canst use thy spear. Kill me this blundering fool.”
Scragga stepped forward with an ill-favoured grin, and lifted his spear. The poor victim covered his eyes with his hand and stood still. As for us, we were petrified66 with horror.
“Once, twice,” he waved the spear, and then struck, ah! right home — the spear stood out a foot behind the soldier’s back. He flung up his hands and dropped dead. From the multitude about us rose something like a murmur65, it rolled round and round, and died away. The tragedy was finished; there lay the corpse67, and we had not yet realised that it had been enacted68. Sir Henry sprang up and swore a great oath, then, overpowered by the sense of silence, sat down again.
“The thrust was a good one,” said the king; “take him away.”
Four men stepped out of the ranks, and lifting the body of the murdered man, carried it thence.
“Cover up the blood-stains, cover them up,” piped out the thin voice that proceeded from the monkey-like figure; “the king’s word is spoken, the king’s doom69 is done!”
Thereupon a girl came forward from behind the hut, bearing a jar filled with powdered lime, which she scattered70 over the red mark, blotting71 it from sight.
Sir Henry meanwhile was boiling with rage at what had happened; indeed, it was with difficulty that we could keep him still.
“Sit down, for heaven’s sake,” I whispered; “our lives depend on it.”
He yielded and remained quiet.
Twala sat silent until the traces of the tragedy had been removed, then he addressed us.
“White people,” he said, “who come hither, whence I know not, and why I know not, greeting.”
“Greeting, Twala, King of the Kukuanas,” I answered.
“White people, whence come ye, and what seek ye?”
“We come from the Stars, ask us not how. We come to see this land.”
“Ye journey from far to see a little thing. And that man with you,” pointing to Umbopa, “does he also come from the Stars?”
“Even so; there are people of thy colour in the heavens above; but ask not of matters too high for thee, Twala the king.”
“Ye speak with a loud voice, people of the Stars,” Twala answered in a tone which I scarcely liked. “Remember that the Stars are far off, and ye are here. How if I make you as him whom they bore away?”
I laughed out loud, though there was little laughter in my heart.
“O king,” I said, “be careful, walk warily72 over hot stones, lest thou shouldst burn thy feet; hold the spear by the handle, lest thou should cut thy hands. Touch but one hair of our heads, and destruction shall come upon thee. What, have not these”— pointing to Infadoos and Scragga, who, young villain73 that he was, was employed in cleaning the blood of the soldier off his spear —“told thee what manner of men we are? Hast thou seen the like of us?” and I pointed to Good, feeling quite sure that he had never seen anybody before who looked in the least like him as he then appeared.
“It is true, I have not,” said the king, surveying Good with interest.
“Have they not told thee how we strike with death from afar?” I went on.
“They have told me, but I believe them not. Let me see you kill. Kill me a man among those who stand yonder”— and he pointed to the opposite side of the kraal —“and I will believe.”
“Nay,” I answered; “we shed no blood of men except in just punishment; but if thou wilt see, bid thy servants drive in an ox through the kraal gates, and before he has run twenty paces I will strike him dead.”
“Nay,” laughed the king, “kill me a man and I will believe.”
“Good, O king, so be it,” I answered coolly; “do thou walk across the open space, and before thy feet reach the gate thou shalt be dead; or if thou wilt not, send thy son Scragga” (whom at that moment it would have given me much pleasure to shoot).
On hearing this suggestion Scragga uttered a sort of howl, and bolted into the hut.
Twala frowned majestically74; the suggestion did not please him.
“Let a young ox be driven in,” he said.
Two men at once departed, running swiftly.
“Now, Sir Henry,” said I, “do you shoot. I want to show this ruffian that I am not the only magician of the party.”
Sir Henry accordingly took his “express,” and made ready.
“I hope I shall make a good shot,” he groaned75.
“You must,” I answered. “If you miss with the first barrel, let him have the second. Sight for 150 yards, and wait till the beast turns broadside on.”
Then came a pause, until presently we caught sight of an ox running straight for the kraal gate. It came on through the gate, then, catching76 sight of the vast concourse of people, stopped stupidly, turned round, and bellowed77.
“Now’s your time,” I whispered.
Up went the rifle.
Bang! thud! and the ox was kicking on his back, shot in the ribs78. The semi-hollow bullet had done its work well, and a sigh of astonishment went up from the assembled thousands.
I turned round coolly —
“Have I lied, O king?”
“Nay, white man, it is the truth,” was the somewhat awed79 answer.
“Listen, Twala,” I went on. “Thou hast seen. Now know we come in peace, not in war. See,” and I held up the Winchester repeater; “here is a hollow staff that shall enable thee to kill even as we kill, only I lay this charm upon it, thou shalt kill no man with it. If thou liftest it against a man, it shall kill thee. Stay, I will show thee. Bid a soldier step forty paces and place the shaft80 of a spear in the ground so that the flat blade looks towards us.”
In a few seconds it was done.
“Now, see, I will break yonder spear.”
Taking a careful sight I fired. The bullet struck the flat of the spear, and shattered the blade into fragments.
Again the sigh of astonishment went up.
“Now, Twala, we give this magic tube to thee, and by-and-by I will show thee how to use it; but beware how thou turnest the magic of the Stars against a man of earth,” and I handed him the rifle.
The king took it very gingerly, and laid it down at his feet. As he did so I observed the wizened81 monkey-like figure creeping from the shadow of the hut. It crept on all fours, but when it reached the place where the king sat it rose upon its feet, and throwing the furry82 covering from its face, revealed a most extraordinary and weird83 countenance. Apparently it was that of a woman of great age so shrunken that in size it seemed no larger than the face of a year-old child, although made up of a number of deep and yellow wrinkles. Set in these wrinkles was a sunken slit84, that represented the mouth, beneath which the chin curved outwards85 to a point. There was no nose to speak of; indeed, the visage might have been taken for that of a sun-dried corpse had it not been for a pair of large black eyes, still full of fire and intelligence, which gleamed and played under the snow-white eyebrows86, and the projecting parchment-coloured skull87, like jewels in a charnel-house. As for the head itself, it was perfectly88 bare, and yellow in hue89, while its wrinkled scalp moved and contracted like the hood90 of a cobra.
The figure to which this fearful countenance belonged, a countenance so fearful indeed that it caused a shiver of fear to pass through us as we gazed on it, stood still for a moment. Then suddenly it projected a skinny claw armed with nails nearly an inch long, and laying it on the shoulder of Twala the king, began to speak in a thin and piercing voice —
“Listen, O king! Listen, O warriors! Listen, O mountains and plains and rivers, home of the Kukuana race! Listen, O skies and sun, O rain and storm and mist! Listen, O men and women, O youths and maidens91, and O ye babes unborn! Listen, all things that live and must die! Listen, all dead things that shall live again — again to die! Listen, the spirit of life is in me and I prophesy92. I prophesy! I prophesy!”
The words died away in a faint wail93, and dread94 seemed to seize upon the hearts of all who heard them, including our own. This old woman was very terrible.
“Blood! blood! blood! rivers of blood; blood everywhere. I see it, I smell it, I taste it — it is salt! it runs red upon the ground, it rains down from the skies.
“Footsteps! footsteps! footsteps! the tread of the white man coming from afar. It shakes the earth; the earth trembles before her master.
“Blood is good, the red blood is bright; there is no smell like the smell of new-shed blood. The lions shall lap it and roar, the vultures shall wash their wings in it and shriek95 with joy.
“I am old! I am old! I have seen much blood; ha, ha! but I shall see more ere I die, and be merry. How old am I, think ye? Your fathers knew me, and their fathers knew me, and their fathers’ fathers’ fathers. I have seen the white man and know his desires. I am old, but the mountains are older than I. Who made the great road, tell me? Who wrote the pictures on the rocks, tell me? Who reared up the three Silent Ones yonder, that gaze across the pit, tell me?” and she pointed towards the three precipitous mountains which we had noticed on the previous night.
“Ye know not, but I know. It was a white people who were before ye are, who shall be when ye are not, who shall eat you up and destroy you. Yea! yea! yea!
“And what came they for, the White Ones, the Terrible Ones, the skilled in magic and all learning, the strong, the unswerving? What is that bright stone upon thy forehead, O king? Whose hands made the iron garments upon thy breast, O king? Ye know not, but I know. I the Old One, I the Wise One, I the Isanusi, the witch doctress!”
Then she turned her bald vulture-head towards us.
“What seek ye, white men of the Stars — ah, yes, of the Stars? Do ye seek a lost one? Ye shall not find him here. He is not here. Never for ages upon ages has a white foot pressed this land; never except once, and I remember that he left it but to die. Ye come for bright stones; I know it — I know it; ye shall find them when the blood is dry; but shall ye return whence ye came, or shall ye stop with me? Ha! ha! ha!
“And thou, thou with the dark skin and the proud bearing,” and she pointed her skinny finger at Umbopa, “who art thou, and what seekest thou? Not stones that shine, not yellow metal that gleams, these thou leavest to ‘white men from the Stars.’ Methinks I know thee; methinks I can smell the smell of the blood in thy heart. Strip off the girdle —”
Here the features of this extraordinary creature became convulsed, and she fell to the ground foaming96 in an epileptic fit, and was carried into the hut.
The king rose up trembling, and waved his hand. Instantly the regiments began to file off, and in ten minutes, save for ourselves, the king, and a few attendants, the great space was left empty.
“White people,” he said, “it passes in my mind to kill you. Gagool has spoken strange words. What say ye?”
I laughed. “Be careful, O king, we are not easy to slay97. Thou hast seen the fate of the ox; wouldst thou be as the ox is?”
The king frowned. “It is not well to threaten a king.”
“We threaten not, we speak what is true. Try to kill us, O king, and learn.”
The great savage98 put his hand to his forehead and thought.
“Go in peace,” he said at length. “To-night is the great dance. Ye shall see it. Fear not that I shall set a snare99 for you. To-morrow I will think.”
“It is well, O king,” I answered unconcernedly, and then, accompanied by Infadoos, we rose and went back to our kraal.
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1
cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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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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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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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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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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latitudes
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| 纬度 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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refulgence
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| n.辉煌，光亮 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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mattresses
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| 褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 ) | |
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aromatic
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| adj.芳香的，有香味的 | |
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earthenware
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obeisances
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| n.敬礼，行礼( obeisance的名词复数 )；敬意 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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thoroughly
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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42
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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48
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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53
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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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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57
ostrich
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| n.鸵鸟 | |
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58
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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garnishes
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| n.（为色香味而添加的）装饰菜( garnish的名词复数 )；装饰，装饰品v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的第三人称单数 ) | |
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javelin
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| n.标枪，投枪 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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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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blotting
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| 吸墨水纸 | |
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warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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81
wizened
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| adj.凋谢的；枯槁的 | |
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82
furry
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| adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的 | |
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83
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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84
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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85
outwards
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| adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形 | |
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86
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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87
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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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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89
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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prophesy
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| v.预言；预示 | |
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93
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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95
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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96
foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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97
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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98
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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