8 Bill explains

　　8
　　Bill explains
　　There was a dead silence after this dramatic announcement. Nobody said a word, not even Kiki.
　　They all stared in astonishment¹ at Gus, not knowing whether to believe a word of what he hadsaid.
　　Then his lips began to shake, and he tried to press them together firmly. Lucy-Ann was sure hewanted to cry again!
　　‘I have broke my word!’ suddenly wailed² Gus. ‘I am a Prince and I have broke my word!’
　　A voice came from behind them. It was Bill’s.
　　‘Yes, you have broken your word, Aloysius Gramondie Racemolie Torquinel. And your uncletold me you would never do that. How am I to keep you safe if you break your word?’
　　Bill came forward, his face stern. Everyone stared at him in alarm. Whatever was up?
　　‘Bill – he’s not really a Prince, is he?’ said Jack³.
　　‘Believe it or not, he is,’ said Bill. ‘His uncle is the King of Tauri-Hessia.’
　　‘Well! That explains his peculiar⁴ behaviour,’ said Dinah. ‘His ordering people about – and hishigh and mighty⁵ airs – and all his money and boasting.’
　　‘And his long hair too,’ said Bill. ‘The Princes in his country never have their hair cut short asours do. They wear it a certain length, as you see. It’s bad luck on him, really, because he getsteased. Still, the boys at his school knew who he was and knew he couldn’t help it, and he didn’thave too bad a time.’
　　There was a pause while the four took a look at Prince Aloysius. He shook back his hair andDinah groaned⁶.
　　‘I wish you wouldn’t do that, Gussy. I can’t call you Ally – Ally-something or other. You’llhave to go on being Gussy.’
　　‘Oh, he must,’ said Bill, at once. ‘I gave him the name of Gustavus Barmilevo for a specialreason. Things – rather serious things – are happening in his country at the moment, and it’sessential that he should go under another name here.’
　　‘What serious things are happening?’ said Jack. ‘Revolts or something?’
　　‘Well, I’ll tell you,’ said Bill. ‘His uncle is King, and as he has no children, Gussy is the heir tothe throne. Now there are certain people in Tauri-Hessia who don’t like his uncle or the firm wayin which he governs the country. Incidentally he governs it very well, and our own Governmentthinks him a very sound ruler.’
　　‘I can guess what’s coming,’ said Jack. ‘Those who don’t like the strong uncle think it would bea good thing to get a weak youngster, who’ll have to do what they tell him, and put him on thethrone. Then they can do as they like!’
　　‘Exactly,’ said Bill. ‘And so they are on the look-out for Gussy here. If they can get hold of himand put him on the throne, he will have to do exactly what he’s told. His uncle will be imprisonedor killed.’
　　‘And Gussy knows all this, does he?’ asked Philip.
　　‘He knows all right!’ said Bill. ‘Everything was explained to him. He’s fond of his uncle; hedoesn’t want to be used as a kind of pawn⁷ by his uncle’s enemies – and so he was put in mykeeping, and told to be merely a foreign schoolboy called Gustavus. And here he is.’
　　‘I have broke my word to you,’ said Gussy, sounding very doleful. ‘Mr Bill, I ask you to pardonme.’
　　‘Well, don’t do it again, that’s all,’ said Bill. ‘Nobody here is likely to give you away,fortunately – we are all your friends – or would like to be if only you’d behave yourself a bitbetter.’
　　‘I behave better at once immediately,’ said Gussy, emphatically.
　　‘Hm. Well, we’ll see,’ said Bill, drily. ‘It would help considerably⁸ if you could try to behavelike the others so that if any stranger comes hanging round he’ll think you are an ordinaryschoolboy staying with friends. At present I think you’re behaving rather stupidly, not like aPrince at all. In fact, if I were a Tauri-Hessian citizen, I’d be sorry to think I’d have you as Kingwhen you grew up.’
　　‘Bill – is it the Tauri-Hessian Government or ours that has asked you to have charge of Gussy?’
　　said Dinah.
　　‘Both,’ said Bill. ‘It’s important to both Governments that there should be a sound, strong rulerin Tauri-Hessia. I can’t tell you why at present. I think it’s possible that all this will blow over in afew weeks, and then Gussy can go back to school in safety. In the meantime, we’ve got to makethe best of all this.’
　　‘Yes. I see everything now,’ said Dinah. ‘You should have told us at first. Bill. We’d haveunderstood better.’
　　‘I had orders not to say a word except to your mother,’ said Bill. ‘She had to be in on this, ofcourse. I took this cottage because it was well hidden and nobody would guess that Gussy wouldbe here. And I thought if you all came too, he would be even better hidden – hidden in the midst ofyou, one of many, so to speak.’
　　‘You’re clever, Bill,’ said Lucy-Ann, slipping her hand in his. ‘We’ll look after Gussy. Wewon’t let him out of our sight. Gussy, we’re your friends.’
　　‘I thank you,’ said Gussy, with a funny little bow. ‘It is an honour.’
　　‘That’s the way to talk,’ said Bill, and gave him a clap on the back. ‘Now then, everyone –you’ve got to forget all about Aloysius Gramondie and Tauri-Hessia. Got that?’
　　‘Yes, Bill,’ said everyone. They looked rather solemn. It was peculiar to have serious andunusual problems suddenly presented to them candidly⁹ in the middle of a game of Racing¹⁰ Demon¹¹.
　　The ordinary and the extraordinary didn’t really mix. They turned with relief to their game again,as Bill went out of the room to find his wife and tell her what had happened.
　　‘Look what Kiki’s been doing while we’ve been talking!’ said Jack, in exasperation¹². ‘Mixing upall the cards. Put down the ones you’re holding, Kiki!’
　　‘She’s been playing a quiet little game by herself,’ said Lucy-Ann, with a laugh. ‘And she’sholding two cards in her foot eactly as if she was waiting for her turn to go. Put them down, Kiki.’
　　‘One, two, three, six, eight, four, one,’ said Kiki, getting her numbers muddled¹³ up as usual.
　　‘Three, four, buckle¹⁴ my shoe.’
　　‘One, two, buckle my shoe,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Your memory’s going, Kiki!’
　　Kiki gave a hiccup¹⁵, as she often did when she thought she had made a mistake.
　　‘Enough, Kiki,’ said Jack. ‘Anyone want another game?’
　　Nobody really felt like one after all the revelations Bill had made. They didn’t like to discussthem in front of Gussy, though they were longing¹⁶ to talk about them.
　　Mrs Cunningham put her head in at the door. ‘Bill’s going up to the farm for milk. Anyonewant to go with him? Not Gussy, he says.’
　　‘I’ll go,’ said Lucy-Ann, scrambling¹⁷ up. ‘I’d like a walk. You boys stay with Aunt Allie, andlook after her.’
　　‘Right,’ said Jack, thinking it was just as well to do so, with prospective¹⁸ kidnappers¹⁹ andrevolutionaries about, even although they might be as far away as Tauri-Hessia.
　　‘I’ll stay behind too,’ said Dinah. ‘I’ve got a blister²⁰ on my foot.’
　　So Lucy-Ann went off happily with Bill. She liked getting him alone. He was always jolly andfull of fun when they were all together, but Lucy-Ann thought he was even nicer alone. Sheslipped her hand through his arm, and they walked off in the dusk together.
　　‘In case you want to say anything about Gussy, I’ll just warn you not to,’ said Bill, in a lowvoice. ‘I don’t want the slightest suspicions to get about that he’s not all he seems. It would be avery serious thing for him if he were forced to be King at his age.’
　　‘I won’t say anything,’ said Lucy-Ann in a whisper. ‘Let’s talk about Jack.’
　　‘You’re always ready to talk about Jack, aren’t you?’ said Bill, amused. ‘Well, I must say thatJack has got something I’d dearly like to have myself.’
　　‘What’s that? Kiki?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
　　‘No – a very nice little sister,’ said Bill. ‘It’s good to see a brother and sister so fond of oneanother.’
　　‘Well, our mother and father died when we were very young,’ said Lucy-Ann, ‘so we only hadeach other. But now we’ve got you and Aunt Allie, and we’ve got Philip and Dinah as well. We’relucky!’
　　‘I’m lucky too,’ said Bill. ‘A nice ready-made family for me! Hark at the owls²¹ hooting²⁴ round.
　　What a collection of hoots²⁵!’
　　‘That was the little owl²²,’ said Lucy-Ann, who had been well trained in bird calls by Jack. ‘That“tvit-tvit-tvit” noise. And that lovely long quavering hoot²³ is the tawny²⁶ owl.’
　　‘And what in the world is that?’ said Bill, suddenly startled by a loud screech²⁷ near his head.
　　Lucy-Ann laughed.
　　‘The screech owl – the old barn owl!’ she said. ‘He does that to frighten the mice and the rats.’
　　‘Well, he scared me too,’ said Bill. ‘Ah – is that the farmhouse²⁸ looming²⁹ up? It is. You come inwith me, Lucy-Ann, and don’t be surprised at my conversation with Mrs Ellis!’
　　They knocked at the door and went into the big, cosy³⁰ kitchen. Although it was a warm nightthere was a fire in the chimney corner, and old Aunt Naomi sat there, knitting, huddled³¹ up in ashawl.
　　Mrs Ellis hurried to meet them. ‘Well, it’s good to see you! And how are you getting on?
　　Settled in nicely? That’s right. Now, what can I do for you? Sit you down, do!’
　　They sat down. Lucy-Ann found a rocking chair and began to rock to and fro. A big tabby cameand jumped into her lap, settled down and went to sleep. Lucy-Ann felt quite honoured.
　　Mrs Ellis brought her a piece of cake, and she nibbled³² at it and listened lazily to Bill. He gaveMrs Ellis all the news first. Then he went on to talk about Quarry³³ Cottage.
　　‘It’s a lovely, peaceful spot,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t think strangers ever come along here, do they,Mrs Ellis? Except people like ourselves who want to stay for a bit.’
　　‘Now, it’s funny you should say that,’ said Mrs Ellis, ‘because two strangers came to ourfarmhouse this very afternoon – in a lovely black car. Rather like yours, Mr Cunningham.’
　　‘I suppose they lost their way,’ said Bill. Although he spoke³⁴ in his ordinary voice Lucy-Annknew that he had pricked³⁵ up his ears at once.
　　‘No, they hadn’t lost their way,’ said Mrs Ellis. ‘They’d been hunting round for a nicefarmhouse to stay in for a few days – the man’s wife has been ill, and simply longed to be in aquiet farmhouse, with good food. Somebody told him of our farm, and they came to enquire³⁶.’
　　‘I see,’ said Bill. ‘And – er – did you say you would take them, Mrs Ellis?’
　　‘I did,’ said Mrs Ellis, ‘though my husband scolded me for it. He says my kind heart runs awaywith me! They’re coming tomorrow. They said their name was Jones – but it’s my belief they’reforeigners!’
　　‘Foreigners,’ said Bill, slowly. ‘Yes – I had an idea you were going to say that!’

1 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

2 wailed   

v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

5 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

6 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

8 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

9 candidly   

adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地

参考例句：

• He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
• Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

10 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。

11 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。

12 exasperation   

n.愤慨

参考例句：

• He snorted with exasperation.他愤怒地哼了一声。
• She rolled her eyes in sheer exasperation.她气急败坏地转动着眼珠。

13 muddled   

adj.混乱的；糊涂的；头脑昏昏然的v.弄乱，弄糟( muddle的过去式)；使糊涂；对付，混日子

参考例句：

• He gets muddled when the teacher starts shouting. 老师一喊叫他就心烦意乱。
• I got muddled up and took the wrong turning. 我稀里糊涂地拐错了弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 buckle   

n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲

参考例句：

• The two ends buckle at the back.带子两端在背后扣起来。
• She found it hard to buckle down.她很难专心做一件事情。

15 hiccup   

n.打嗝

参考例句：

• When you have to hiccup,drink a glass of cold water.当你不得不打嗝时，喝一杯冷水就好了。
• How long did he hiccup?他打嗝打了多久？

16 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

17 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

19 kidnappers   

n.拐子，绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了，没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 blister   

n.水疱；(油漆等的)气泡；v.(使)起泡

参考例句：

• I got a huge blister on my foot and I couldn't run any farther.我脚上长了一个大水泡，没办法继续跑。
• I have a blister on my heel because my shoe is too tight.鞋子太紧了，我脚后跟起了个泡。

21 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

22 owl   

n.猫头鹰，枭

参考例句：

• Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。
• I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

23 hoot   

n.鸟叫声，汽车的喇叭声； v.使汽车鸣喇叭

参考例句：

• The sudden hoot of a whistle broke into my thoughts.突然响起的汽笛声打断了我的思路。
• In a string of shrill hoot of the horn sound,he quickly ran to her.在一串尖声鸣叫的喇叭声中，他快速地跑向她。

24 hooting   

（使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩

参考例句：

• He had the audience hooting with laughter . 他令观众哄堂大笑。
• The owl was hooting. 猫头鹰在叫。

25 hoots   

咄，啐

参考例句：

• His suggestion was greeted with hoots of laughter. 他的建议引起了阵阵嗤笑。
• The hoots came from the distance. 远处传来呜呜声。

26 tawny   

adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色

参考例句：

• Her black hair springs in fine strands across her tawny,ruddy cheek.她的一头乌发分披在健康红润的脸颊旁。
• None of them noticed a large,tawny owl flutter past the window.他们谁也没注意到一只大的、褐色的猫头鹰飞过了窗户。

27 screech   

n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音

参考例句：

• He heard a screech of brakes and then fell down. 他听到汽车刹车发出的尖锐的声音,然后就摔倒了。
• The screech of jet planes violated the peace of the afternoon. 喷射机的尖啸声侵犯了下午的平静。

28 farmhouse   

n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房）

参考例句：

• We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。
• We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。

29 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

30 cosy   

adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的

参考例句：

• We spent a cosy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
• It was so warm and cosy in bed that Simon didn't want to get out.床上温暖而又舒适，西蒙简直不想下床了。

31 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

32 nibbled   

v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬

参考例句：

• She nibbled daintily at her cake. 她优雅地一点一点地吃着自己的蛋糕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several companies have nibbled at our offer. 若干公司表示对我们的出价有兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 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。

34 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

35 pricked   

刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

36 enquire   

v.打听，询问；调查，查问

参考例句：

• She wrote to enquire the cause of the delay.她只得写信去询问拖延的理由。
• We will enquire into the matter.我们将调查这事。