7 A surprising announcement

　　7
　　A surprising announcement
　　Philip and Jack¹ were more interested in the car, after Bill’s remarks. They took it in turns to keepan eye on it, but it simply stayed where it was for twenty minutes, and then went away, taking thesame route as it came.
　　‘It’s gone, Bill,’ said Philip. ‘I expect it was only some visitor. I say, look at Gussy! His mouthis wide open. Let’s put something into it.’
　　‘Let sleeping donkeys lie!’ said Jack. ‘And don’t put ideas into Kiki’s head! She’ll hunt aroundfor something now to pop into Gussy’s mouth.’
　　Philip looked round at everyone. Only Bill and Jack were awake besides himself. He put hishand into his pocket and brought out something – something small and brown and pretty. It sat upon his hand.
　　‘I say! You’ve got a dormouse! What a pet! said Jack. ‘Don’t let Dinah see it – she’ll have a fit.’
　　‘I got it on the way here,’ said Philip. ‘I saw it sitting on a branch and it let me pick it up.’
　　‘It would!’ said Jack, enviously². ‘You’ve got some magic about you, Philip. I’ve never seen ananimal yet that didn’t come under your spell. Isn’t he a pretty little fellow?’
　　‘I’ve called him Snoozy,’ said Philip, stroking the tiny creature, whose large black eyes shonelike mirrors in his head. ‘Dormice are very dozy³, snoozy things. I must remember to buy somenuts from the grocer’s next time we go to the village. Snoozy will like those. We won’t tell Dinah.
　　He’ll live comfortably in my pocket. I’ve had dormice before – they’re very tame.’
　　‘How nice to keep putting your hand in your pocket and feeling a furry⁴ dormouse there!’ saidJack. ‘Hallo – do I hear voices?’
　　The boys looked in the direction of the voices. They saw two men, obviously farm labourers,taking a path near the foot of the hill, talking together.
　　‘I think I’ll just scoot down and ask them if they know anything about badgers⁵ here,’ saidPhilip. ‘Coming, Jack?’
　　The two boys ran down the hill. The men heard them coming and looked round. ‘Goodafternoon,’ panted Philip. ‘Do you mind if I ask you a question or two? It’s about badgers.’
　　‘Badgers – what may they be?’ said the younger man.
　　‘Eee, man – you know badgers,’ said the older man. ‘Brocks, they be.’
　　‘Oh, the brocks,’ said the younger fellow. ‘No, I don’t know nothing about them. Never seedone in my life.’
　　‘That’s a-cause you sleeps in your bed every night!’ said the other man, with a laugh. ‘Brock,he comes out at night. I sees him many a time.’
　　‘You’re an old poacher, you are, Jeb,’ said the younger man. ‘Out at nights when honest folkare asleep. That’s how you see the brocks!’
　　‘Maybe, maybe,’ said the older man, with a twinkle in his bright eyes. He turned to the boys.
　　‘What are you wanting to know about the brocks?’ he said.
　　‘Well – I’d like to watch them,’ said Philip at once. ‘I’m keen on wild creatures – all kinds. I’venot had much chance of seeing badgers, though. Where can I see them around here? We’re atQuarry Cottage.’
　　‘Ah, so that’s where you be,’ said the old man. ‘Then you’ll find old Brock not far away fromyou, little master. You may see him in the woods on the east side of the cottage – that’s the mostlikely place – or you may see him down in the old quarry⁶. I saw a badger’s sett there – his den,you know – last year. I knew he had his hole down there by the big pile of earth he’d taken out ofit.’
　　‘Yes – that’s right. He always does that,’ said Philip, wishing he could get to know this oldfellow. He felt sure that he would be able to tell him many tales. ‘Well, thanks very much. We’llwatch in both places.’
　　‘There’s owls⁷ in the quarry too,’ said the old man. ‘Little owls, and barn owls and tawnies.
　　They go there for the rats and mice. I’ve heard them – the barn owls – screeching⁸ their heads off.
　　Frighten the life out of you, they do!’
　　‘I know,’ said Jack, making up his mind at once that he would go and watch in the quarry. Heliked owls very much. Perhaps he could get a young one and tame it. But he’d have to be carefulnot to let it see Snoozy the dormouse. That would be the end of Snoozy!
　　The boys walked off together, exploring the cone-shaped hill. A shout from above attracted theirattention.
　　‘Jack! Philip! We’re going back in a minute. Are you coming with us, or do you want to followsometime later?’
　　‘We’ll come now,’ shouted Jack, and he and Philip began to climb up towards the others. Theyfound Gussy awake but scowling⁹. He spat¹⁰ something out of his mouth as they came up.
　　‘Manners, manners!’ said Jack, reprovingly.
　　‘He says somebody popped bits of grass into his mouth,’ said Dinah, with a giggle¹¹. ‘So hekeeps on spitting them out. Did you put them in, Jack?’
　　‘No,’ said Jack. ‘And Philip didn’t either.’
　　‘There you are!’ said Dinah, triumphantly¹², turning to the angry Gussy. ‘Nobody put anything inyour mouth when you were asleep. You’re just making it all up. I bet you chewed a bit of grassyourself.’
　　‘I did not,’ said Gussy. ‘It was a wicket thing to do. It nearly chocked me. I was chocked.’
　　‘Choked, you mean,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Well, it’s a mystery. Nobody did it – and yet you werenearly “chocked” with grass. Don’t spit any more. You can’t have any left in your mouth now.’
　　Jack and Philip threw a quick look at one another. They knew quite well who had played thistrick on poor Gussy. Gussy saw the look and rounded on them. ‘You know who did it! I saw youlook!’
　　‘All right. We know who did it,’ said Jack. ‘A jolly good trick too. We thought of doing itourselves, you looked so silly with your mouth wide open, snoring.’
　　‘I do not snore,’ said Gussy. ‘And tell me who did it.’
　　‘Come on,’ said Bill. ‘I expect it was old Kiki. She’s done it before – to me! Can’t you see ajoke, Gus?’
　　Gus suddenly exploded into his own language. He stood there, shaking his long hair back, hisface scarlet¹³, and a string of incomprehensible words coming from his mouth. Nobody understooda thing.
　　Kiki was intensely interested with this string of words she didn’t understand. She sat herself onJack’s shoulder, near to the angry Gus, and listened intently. When he stopped for breath, shecontinued on her own.
　　‘Gibberollydockeryblowykettlefussy-gussy,’ she began, and poured out strings¹⁴ of nonsense intowhich she wove many of the words she knew, mixed up with ones she didn’t! Everyone roared. Itsounded exactly as if Kiki was talking to Gus in his own language.
　　Gus was silenced. He stared at Kiki, amazed. ‘Does she spik English now?’ he demanded.
　　‘What does she spik?’
　　‘She’s spikking a lot of nonsense, bad bird!’ said Jack. ‘Be quiet, Kiki. Don’t show off!’
　　Bill and Mrs Cunningham had already set off down the hill. The girls followed, giggling¹⁵. Guswas annoying but he really did provide them with a lot of amusement.
　　Gus followed them at last, shaking back his long hair defiantly¹⁶. He spat now and again as if hestill had grass in his mouth, and Kiki copied him with joy, going off into cackles of laughter everynow and again.
　　It was about half-past five when they got back to Quarry Cottage. ‘If any of you want tea afterthat enormous lunch, will you please get yourself a glass of milk, and some biscuits?’ said MrsCunningham. ‘Or a bit of fruit cake if you feel real pangs¹⁷ of hunger?’
　　All the five children apparently¹⁸ felt real pangs, for they raided the larder¹⁹ and reduced thefruitcake to a mere²⁰ fragment of itself. They also drank all the milk, much to Mrs Cunningham’sdismay.
　　‘Now we’ve none for your cocoa tonight or for breakfast tomorrow!’ she said.
　　‘I’ll get some at the farm when I slip up this evening,’ said Bill. ‘It will be a good excuse to goup and ask a few questions.’
　　‘Any mystery on?’ enquired²¹ Dinah. ‘I’m never sure about you, Bill! Even in the middle of aholiday I always wonder if you’ve got a hush-hush job on as well.’
　　‘Mystery or not, Bill always keeps his eyes open!’ said Philip. ‘It’s part of your job, isn’t it,Bill?’
　　‘Let’s play a game,’ said Dinah. ‘Where are the cards? Let’s play Racing²² Demon²³. Do you playit, Gus?’
　　‘I play it,’ said Gus. ‘I played it at school last term. I am good with this game. Very good. I goas fast as this.’
　　He pretended to be putting cards down, and was so vigorous that his hair fell over his eyes. Hepushed it back. He was always doing that, and it got on Dinah’s nerves.
　　‘Your long hair!’ she said. ‘It’s always in the way.’
　　‘Now don’t start anything,’ said Jack. ‘A spark is enough to set him off. Talk about beingtouchy! Don’t glare like that, Gus, you make me shake at the knees!’
　　‘Poof!’ said Gus, rudely.
　　‘Poof!’ said Kiki at once. ‘Poof, poof, poof!’
　　‘That’ll do,’ said Jack. ‘One poofer is quite enough in the family. Got the cards, Di? Oh, good!’
　　They were soon sitting in a ring on the floor, playing Racing Demon. Kiki couldn’t understandthe game at all and wandered off into a corner because Jack wouldn’t let her pick up any of thecards.
　　‘Poof!’ they heard her say to herself quietly. ‘Poof!’
　　Surprisingly enough Gussy was good at Racing Demon. He was very deft²⁴ with his cards, andvery sharp to see which pile he could put them on. He got very excited, and panted loudly. Hishair fell over his eyes, and he pushed it back. Jack calmly put a card on a pile that Gus was justabout to put one on, and Gus exclaimed in annoyance²⁵.
　　‘I was going to put mine there – but my hair fell over me!’
　　‘Why do you have hair like that then?’ said Dinah. ‘It’s really very long. Why don’t you get itcut?’
　　‘Yes, that’s a good idea,’ said Philip, putting a card down. ‘We’ll go into the village tomorrowand see if there’s a barber. He’ll cut it shorter for you, Gus. You’ll get a crick in your neck, tossingyour hair about like that!’
　　‘Yes. Good idea! We’ll have it cut tomorrow,’ said Jack, grinning at Gus.
　　Gus surprised them. He flung down his cards, stood up, and went scarlet in the face. ‘Short hairis for boys like you,’ he said, scornfully. ‘It is not for me. Never must I have my hair short. In mycountry always it is the custom for such boys as me to wear their hair long!’
　　‘Such boys as you!’ echoed Jack. ‘What do you mean? You’ve got a very high opinion ofyourself, my lad. You may come from a rich family, but you act like royalty²⁶, and it won’t do.
　　You’re not a Prince, so don’t try and act like one. It only makes you ridiculous.’
　　Gus drew himself up to his last inch. He threw back his hair once more. ‘I am a Prince!’ he said,dramatically. ‘I am the Prince Aloysius Gramondie Racemolie Torquinel of Tauri-Hessia!’

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 enviously   

adv.满怀嫉妒地

参考例句：

• Yet again, they were looking for their way home blindly, enviously. 然而，它们又一次盲目地、忌妒地寻找着归途。 来自辞典例句
• Tanya thought enviously, he must go a long way south. 坦妮亚歆羡不置，心里在想，他准是去那遥远的南方的。 来自辞典例句

3 dozy   

adj.困倦的；愚笨的

参考例句：

• Maybe I eat too much and that's what makes me dozy.也许我吃得太多了，所以昏昏欲睡。
• I'm feeling a bit dozy this afternoon.今天下午我觉得有点困。

4 furry   

adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的

参考例句：

• This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
• Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗，当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。

5 badgers   

n.獾( badger的名词复数 )；獾皮；（大写）獾州人（美国威斯康星州人的别称）；毛鼻袋熊

参考例句：

• Badgers had undermined the foundations of the church. 獾在这座教堂的地基处打了洞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• And rams ' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood. 5染红的公羊皮，海狗皮，皂荚木。 来自互联网

6 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。

7 owls   

n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• 'Clumsy fellows,'said I; 'they must still be drunk as owls.' “这些笨蛋，”我说，“他们大概还醉得像死猪一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• The great majority of barn owls are reared in captivity. 大多数仓鸮都是笼养的。 来自辞典例句

8 screeching   

v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫

参考例句：

• Monkeys were screeching in the trees. 猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。
• the unedifying sight of the two party leaders screeching at each other 两党党魁狺狺对吠的讨厌情景

9 scowling   

怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There she was, grey-suited, sweet-faced, demure, but scowling. 她就在那里，穿着灰色的衣服，漂亮的脸上显得严肃而忧郁。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Scowling, Chueh-hui bit his lips. 他马上把眉毛竖起来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

10 spat   

n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声

参考例句：

• Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。
• There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。

11 giggle   

n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说

参考例句：

• Both girls began to giggle.两个女孩都咯咯地笑了起来。
• All that giggle and whisper is too much for me.我受不了那些咯咯的笑声和交头接耳的样子。

12 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

13 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

14 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

15 giggling   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑，叫我真受不了，那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

16 defiantly   

adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地

参考例句：

• Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 pangs   

突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛

参考例句：

• She felt sudden pangs of regret. 她突然感到痛悔不已。
• With touching pathos he described the pangs of hunger. 他以极具感伤力的笔触描述了饥饿的痛苦。

18 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

19 larder   

n.食物贮藏室，食品橱

参考例句：

• Please put the food into the larder.请将您地食物放进食物柜内。
• They promised never to raid the larder again.他们答应不再随便开食橱拿东西吃了。

20 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

21 enquired   

打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问

参考例句：

• He enquired for the book in a bookstore. 他在书店查询那本书。
• Fauchery jestingly enquired whether the Minister was coming too. 浮式瑞嘲笑着问部长是否也会来。

22 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

23 demon   

n.魔鬼，恶魔

参考例句：

• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。
• He has been possessed by the demon of disease for years.他多年来病魔缠身。

24 deft   

adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手）

参考例句：

• The pianist has deft fingers.钢琴家有灵巧的双手。
• This bird,sharp of eye and deft of beak,can accurately peck the flying insects in the air.这只鸟眼疾嘴快，能准确地把空中的飞虫啄住。

25 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

26 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。