AT the head of the cavalcade1 rode Turka, on a hog-backed roan. On his head he wore a shaggy cap, while, with a magnificent horn slung2 across his shoulders and a knife at his belt, he looked so cruel and inexorable that one would have thought he was going to engage in bloody3 strife4 with his fellow men rather than to hunt a small animal. Around the hind5 legs of his horse the hounds gambolled6 like a cluster of checkered7, restless balls. If one of them wished to stop, it was only with the greatest difficulty that it could do so, since not only had its leash8-fellow also to be induced to halt, but at once one of the huntsmen would wheel round, crack his whip, and shout to the delinquent9,
"Back to the pack, there!"
Arrived at a gate, Papa told us and the huntsmen to continue our way along the road, and then rode off across a cornfield. The harvest was at its height. On the further side of a large, shining, yellow stretch of cornland lay a high purple belt of forest which always figured in my eyes as a distant, mysterious region behind which either the world ended or an uninhabited waste began. This expanse of corn-land was dotted with swathes and reapers10, while along the lanes where the sickle11 had passed could be seen the backs of women as they stooped among the tall, thick grain or lifted armfuls of corn and rested them against the shocks. In one corner a woman was bending over a cradle, and the whole stubble was studded with sheaves and cornflowers. In another direction shirt-sleeved men were standing12 on waggons13, shaking the soil from the stalks of sheaves, and stacking them for carrying. As soon as the foreman (dressed in a blouse and high boots, and carrying a tally-stick) caught sight of Papa, he hastened to take off his lamb's-wool cap and, wiping his red head, told the women to get up. Papa's chestnut14 horse went trotting15 along with a prancing16 gait as it tossed its head and swished its tail to and fro to drive away the gadflies and countless17 other insects which tormented18 its flanks, while his two greyhounds--their tails curved like sickles--went springing gracefully19 over the stubble. Milka was always first, but every now and then she would halt with a shake of her head to await the whipper-in. The chatter20 of the peasants; the rumbling21 of horses and waggons; the joyous22 cries of quails23; the hum of insects as they hung suspended in the motionless air; the smell of the soil and grain and steam from our horses; the thousand different lights and shadows which the burning sun cast upon the yellowish- white cornland; the purple forest in the distance; the white gossamer24 threads which were floating in the air or resting on the soil-all these things I observed and heard and felt to the core.
Arrived at the Kalinovo wood, we found the carriage awaiting us there, with, beside it, a one-horse waggonette driven by the butler--a waggonette in which were a tea-urn, some apparatus25 for making ices, and many other attractive boxes and bundles, all packed in straw! There was no mistaking these signs, for they meant that we were going to have tea, fruit, and ices in the open air. This afforded us intense delight, since to drink tea in a wood and on the grass and where none else had ever drunk tea before seemed to us a treat beyond expressing.
When Turka arrived at the little clearing where the carriage was halted he took Papa's detailed26 instructions as to how we were to divide ourselves and where each of us was to go (though, as a matter of fact, he never acted according to such instructions, but always followed his own devices). Then he unleashed27 the hounds, fastened the leashes28 to his saddle, whistled to the pack, and disappeared among the young birch trees the liberated29 hounds jumping about him in high delight, wagging their tails, and sniffing30 and gambolling31 with one another as they dispersed32 themselves in different directions.
"Has anyone a pocket-handkerchief to spare?" asked Papa. I took mine from my pocket and offered it to him.
"Very well, Fasten it to this greyhound here."
"Gizana?" I asked, with the air of a connoisseur33.
"Yes. Then run him along the road with you. When you come to a little clearing in the wood stop and look about you, and don't come back to me without a hare."
Accordingly I tied my handkerchief round Gizana's soft neck, and set off running at full speed towards the appointed spot, Papa laughing as he shouted after me, "Hurry up, hurry up or you'll be late! "
Every now and then Gizana kept stopping, pricking34 up his ears, and listening to the hallooing of the beaters. Whenever he did this I was not strong enough to move him, and could do no more than shout, "Come on, come on!" Presently he set off so fast that I could not restrain him, and I encountered more than one fall before we reached our destination. Selecting there a level, shady spot near the roots of a great oak-tree, I lay down on the turf, made Gizana crouch35 beside me, and waited. As usual, my imagination far outstripped36 reality. I fancied that I was pursuing at least my third hare when, as a matter of fact, the first hound was only just giving tongue. Presently, however, Turka's voice began to sound through the wood in louder and more excited tones, the baying of a hound came nearer and nearer, and then another, and then a third, and then a fourth, deep throat joined in the rising and falling cadences37 of a chorus, until the whole had united their voices in one continuous, tumultuous burst of melody. As the Russian proverb expresses it, "The forest had found a tongue, and the hounds were burning as with fire."
My excitement was so great that I nearly swooned where I stood. My lips parted themselves as though smiling, the perspiration38 poured from me in streams, and, in spite of the tickling39 sensation caused by the drops as they trickled40 over my chin, I never thought of wiping them away. I felt that a crisis was approaching. Yet the tension was too unnatural41 to last. Soon the hounds came tearing along the edge of the wood, and then--behold, they were racing42 away from me again, and of hares there was not a sign to be seen! I looked in every direction and Gizana did the same--pulling at his leash at first and whining43. Then he lay down again by my side, rested his muzzle44 on my knees, and resigned himself to disappointment. Among the naked roots of the oak-tree under which I was sitting. I could see countless ants swarming45 over the parched46 grey earth and winding47 among the acorns48, withered49 oak-leaves, dry twigs50, russet moss52, and slender, scanty53 blades of grass. In serried54 files they kept pressing forward on the level track they had made for themselves--some carrying burdens, some not. I took a piece of twig51 and barred their way. Instantly it was curious to see how they made light of the obstacle. Some got past it by creeping underneath55, and some by climbing over it. A few, however, there were (especially those weighted with loads) who were nonplussed56 what to do. They either halted and searched for a way round, or returned whence they had come, or climbed the adjacent herbage, with the evident intention of reaching my hand and going up the sleeve of my jacket. From this interesting spectacle my attention was distracted by the yellow wings of a butterfly which was fluttering alluringly57 before me. Yet I had scarcely noticed it before it flew away to a little distance and, circling over some half-faded blossoms of white clover, settled on one of them. Whether it was the sun's warmth that delighted it, or whether it was busy sucking nectar from the flower, at all events it seemed thoroughly58 comfortable. It scarcely moved its wings at all, and pressed itself down into the clover until I could hardly see its body. I sat with my chin on my hands and watched it with intense interest.
Suddenly Gizana sprang up and gave me such a violent jerk that I nearly rolled over. I looked round. At the edge of the wood a hare had just come into view, with one ear bent59 down and the other one sharply pricked60, The blood rushed to my head, and I forgot everything else as I shouted, slipped the dog, and rushed towards the spot. Yet all was in vain. The hare stopped, made a rush, and was lost to view.
How confused I felt when at that moment Turka stepped from the undergrowth (he had been following the hounds as they ran along the edges of the wood)! He had seen my mistake (which had consisted in my not biding61 my time), and now threw me a contemptuous look as he said, "Ah, master!" And you should have heard the tone in which he said it! It would have been a relief to me if he had then and there suspended me to his saddle instead of the hare. For a while I could only stand miserably62 where I was, without attempting to recall the dog, and ejaculate as I slapped my knees, "Good heavens! What a fool I was!" I could hear the hounds retreating into the distance, and baying along the further side of the wood as they pursued the hare, while Turka rallied them with blasts on his gorgeous horn: yet I did not stir.
绰号叫土耳其人的那个猎人，头上戴着毛茸茸的帽子，肩上背着大号角，腰带里插着刀子，骑在一匹钩鼻子的、青灰色的马背上，走在大家前面。看了这个人的阴沉凶狠的外貌，会以为他是去决一死战，而不是去打猎。各种各样的猎狗汇成一支骚动的队伍，跟在他那匹马的后腿周围奔驰着。看到不幸掉队的狗会遭到怎样的命运，心里真觉得可怜。它必须费九牛二虎之力拖住自己的伴侣，而当它达到这个目的时，后面一个骑马的管猎狗的人一定会用短柄长鞭抽打它，大一声“归队！”我们出大门时，爸爸吩咐猎人和我们走大路，他自己却向裸麦田里走去。
正是秋收大忙季节。一望无际的、金光闪闪的田野只有一面同呈蓝色的高高的森林接壤，当时在我看来，那片森林是个极其遥远的神秘所在，它后面不是天涯海角，就是荒无人烟的国度。整个田野上净是麦垛和农民。在割了麦子的麦地的茂密高大的裸麦中间，可以看见一个割麦女人弯着的脊背，她抓住麦秆时麦穗的摆动，一个妇人俯在荫凉里的摇篮上，还有散布在长满矢车菊的割完麦子的麦地上的一束束裸麦。在另外一边，农民们只穿着衬衣，站在大车上装麦捆，弄得龟裂的田地上尘土飞扬。村长穿着靴子，肩上披着厚呢上衣，手里拿着记数的筹码，他远远地看见爸爸摘下毡帽，用毛巾擦擦他那长着红头发的脑袋和胡子，并且对妇女们吆喝。爸爸骑的那匹小小的赤骝马，迈着轻快嬉戏的步子走着，有时把头俯在胸前，牵扯着缰绳，用蓬松的尾巴驱拂着贪婪地粘在它身上的牛虹和苍蝇。两条狼狗紧张地把尾巴弯成镰刀形，高高地抬起脚，跟在马蹄后面，从高高的麦茬上优美地跳过去。米尔卡跑在前面，昂着头，等待着野味。农民们的谈话一，马蹄践踏声，车轮的辚辚声，鹌鹑快活的啼鸣声，始终在空中成群飞绕的昆虫的嗡嗡声，艾草、麦秸和马汗的气味，炽烈的阳光在淡黄色麦茬上，在远处深蓝色的森林上，在淡紫色的云彩上照射出万紫千红、或明或暗的色调，以及那飘在空中、或者伸展在麦茬上的白蜘蛛网，这一切我都看见、听见和感觉到。
我们骑马到达卡里诺伏树林的时候，发现马车已经到达，而且出乎意料之外，还有一辆单马车，车上坐着厨师。干草下面露出一个茶炊、一只冰激凌桶，还有一些吸引人的包裹和盒子。绝对错不了：这是要在野外吃茶点，还有冰激凌和水果。一看见单马车，我们就喜欢得大叫起来，因为在树林里的草地上，总之，在大家都认为没有人吃过茶点的地方来吃茶点，是一件莫大的乐事。
土耳其人骑着马走近猎场，停下来，留心听爸爸的详细指示。象怎样看齐、往哪儿冲等等，不过，他从来也不考虑这些指示，而是照自己的意思去做。他解开那群狗的皮带，不慌不忙地绑在他的马鞍上，又上了马，吹着口哨消失在小白桦树后面。解开皮带的那群狗，先摇摇尾巴表示喜悦，又抖抖身子振作了一番，然后就闻一闻，摇摇尾巴，迈着小步向四面八方跑去。
“你有手帕吗？”爸爸问。
我从口袋里掏出一块给他看。
“好吧，就用这块手帕绑住那条灰狗……”
“热兰吗？”我带着内行的神情问道。
“是的，顺着大路跑。到了林中那块空地，就停下来。注意，打不到免不要回来见我。”
我把手帕系到热兰毛茸茸的脖颈上，赶快朝指定的地点冲去。爸爸笑了，在我背后喊道：
“快点，快点，不然就迟了！”
热兰不住地停下，竖起耳朵，倾听猎人们的吆喝声。我没有力气把它拖走。于是喊起来：“去抓来！去抓来！”热兰因此拚命往前冲，我好容易才把它勒住。在到达指定的地点以前，我摔了好几个跟头，我在一棵大橡树根下选了一个荫凉、平坦的地方，躺在青草上，让热兰卧在我身边，开始等待。在这种情形下总是如此，我的想像力远远脱离了现实。当树林里传来第一只猎狗的吠声时，我已经在想像我纵大去追第三只兔子了。土耳其人的声音在树林里显得更加响亮，更有生气。一只猎狗尖叫了一声，接着便愈来愈经常地听到他的声音。另一个低一些的声音加进去，接着第三个、第四个……这些声音有时沉寂下去，有时争先恐后地响了起来。声音逐渐加强，连续不断，最后汇合成一片响亮的、喧闹的嘈杂声。猎场上充满了声音，那群猎狗齐声狂吠着。
听见这个，我发愣了，动也不动了。我的眼睛紧盯着林边，茫然若失地微笑着；我的脸上汗如雨下，虽然汗珠顺着下巴流下来的时候怪痒痒的，但是我并没有去擦。我觉得再也没有比这个关头更紧要的了。如果这种紧张情况长久延续下去，那就太要命了。那群猎狗时而在林边狂吠，时而渐渐地离开我；并没有兔子。我开始四下张望。热兰也这样：最初它拚命挣扎，失声吠叫，随后在我身边卧下，把头枕到我的膝盖上，安静下来。
我坐在橡树下面，在这棵橡树光秃秃的树根周围，灰蒙蒙的干土地上，在凋落的橡树叶、橡实、披着藓衣的干树枝、黄绿色的藓苦和有些地方冒出嫩芽的青草上，爬满了蚂蚁。这些蚂蚁一只跟着一只，在自己开辟的平坦小路上奔忙，有的拖着重载，有的空着身子。我拾起一根干树枝，挡住它们的去路。真好看，有的不怕危险，从树枝下面爬过去；也有的由上面爬过去；可是有些，特别是那些拖着东西的，十分慌乱，不知怎么办才好：它们停下来，找寻出路，要不就退回去，或者顺着干树枝爬到我的手上，看来，它们打算爬进我的短上衣的袖筒里去。一只非常迷人的黄蝴蝶在我面前翩翩飞舞，把我的心思从这种有趣的观察上吸引开。我刚一注意它，它就飞得离我有两三步远，在一朵差不多凋谢了的野生白苜蓿花上绕了几圈，就落在上面。我不知道它是被太阳晒暖了呢，还是因为吸吮了苜蓿花计，只见它显出非常满意的样子，有时鼓动一下小翅膀，紧偎着那朵花，最后一动也不动了。我把头枕在两只手上，津津有味地观察着它。
热兰突然嗥叫起来，猛地往前一冲，使我险些儿摔了个跟头。我回头一看，林边有一只兔子在跳跃，它的一只耳朵耷拉着，另一只耳朵竖起来。热血涌上我的头，在这一瞬间我什么都忘掉了。我拚命地叫起来，松了狗，一纵身跑去。但是，我刚这么做，就后悔了，因为兔子蹲下把身子一纵，我就再也看不见它了。“
但是，当土耳其人紧跟着那群一齐向林边奔来的猎狗从树丛后出现的时候，我是多么羞愧啊！他看见了我的过失（就是我没有控制住自己），轻蔑地瞪了我一眼，只说了一声：“唉，少爷！”但是，你应该听听他说这话的腔调！要是他把我象只兔子一样吊在马鞍上，我还比这样轻松些呢。
我十分绝望地在那儿站了好久，没有叫狗，只是一个劲儿拍打着大腿念叨：
“天啊，我干了什么蠢事啊！”
我听见那群猎狗跑远了，林边发出一阵咔嗒声，捉住了一只兔子，土耳其人用他的大号角召唤猎狗，我却依旧动也不动……
收听单词发音 |
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cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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gambolled
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| v.蹦跳，跳跃，嬉戏( gambol的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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checkered
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| adj.有方格图案的 | |
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leash
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| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
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delinquent
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| adj.犯法的，有过失的；n.违法者 | |
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reapers
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| n.收割者，收获者( reaper的名词复数 )；收割机 | |
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sickle
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| n.镰刀 | |
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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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waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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prancing
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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quails
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| 鹌鹑( quail的名词复数 )； 鹌鹑肉 | |
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gossamer
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| n.薄纱，游丝 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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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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unleashed
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| v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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leashes
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| n.拴猎狗的皮带( leash的名词复数 ) | |
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liberated
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| a.无拘束的，放纵的 | |
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sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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gambolling
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| v.蹦跳，跳跃，嬉戏( gambol的现在分词 ) | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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connoisseur
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| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
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pricking
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| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
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35
crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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outstripped
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| v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cadences
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| n.（声音的）抑扬顿挫( cadence的名词复数 )；节奏；韵律；调子 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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tickling
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| 反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法 | |
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trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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45
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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48
acorns
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| n.橡子，栎实( acorn的名词复数 ) | |
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49
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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52
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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serried
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| adj.拥挤的；密集的 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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nonplussed
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| adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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alluringly
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| 诱人地，妩媚地 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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biding
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| v.等待，停留( bide的现在分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待；面临 | |
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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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