Chapter 7 A LETTER - A WALK - AND A SHOCK

Chapter 7 A LETTER - A WALK - AND A SHOCK
　　GEORGE opened her mother's letter when they had finished their meal. Everyone voted that it was atruly wizard lunch - two hard-boiled eggs each, fresh lettuce¹, tomatoes, mustard and cress, andpotatoes baked in the fire in their jackets - followed by what Julian had asked for - slices of tinnedpineapple, very sweet and juicy.
　　'Very nice,' said Julian, lying back in the sun. 'Anne, you're a jolly good housekeeper². Now, 28George, let's hear what Aunt Fanny has got to say in her letter.'
　　George unfolded the note-paper and smoothed it out. 'It's to all of us,' she said.
　　'DEAR GEORGE, ANNE, JULIAN AND DICK,
　　'I hope George arrived safely and that you all met her. I am really writing to remind Georgethat it is her grandmother's birthday on Saturday, and she must write to her. I forgot toremind George before she went, so thought I must quickly send a letter.'
　　'George, your father is very much upset to read about those two missing scientists. He knowsDerek Terry-Kane very well, and worked with him for some time. He says he is absolutely surethat he isn't a traitor³ to his country; he thinks he has been spirited away somewhere, andJeffrey Pottersham too - probably in a plane miles away by now, in a country that will forcethem to give up their secrets. It's just as well you went off today, because this afternoon yourfather is striding about all over the place, talking nineteen to the dozen, and banging everydoor he comes to, bless him.'
　　'If you write, please don't mention scientists, as I am hoping he will calm down soon. Hereally is very upset, and keeps on saying 'What is the world coming to?' when he knows quitewell that it's coming to exactly what the scientists plan it to come to.'
　　'Have a good time, all of you, and DON'T forget to write to your grandmother, George!'
　　Your loving,
　　MOTHER (AUNT FANNY).'
　　'I can just see Father striding about like a - like a...'
　　'Fire-eater,' said Julian with a grin, as George stopped for a word. 'He'll drive Aunt Fanny intochasing him around with a saucepan one day! Funny business about these scientists though, isn't it?
　　After all, Terry-Kane had planned to leave the country - got his aeroplane ticket and everything - soalthough your father believes in him, George, it honestly looks a bit fishy⁴, doesn't it?'
　　'Anything in the paper about it?' asked Dick, and shook it open. 'Yes-here we are:
　　'MISSING SCIENTISTS
　　'It is now certain that Jeffrey Pottersham was in the pay of a country unfriendly to us, and was 29planning to join Terry-Kane on his journey abroad. Nothing has been heard of the two men, althoughreports that they have been seen in many places abroad have been received.'
　　'That rather settles it,' said Julian. 'Two Really Bad Eggs. Look - here are their photographs.'
　　The four leaned over the paper, looking at the pictures of the two men. 'Well, I should have thoughtanyone would recognize Terry-Kane if they saw him,' said Anne. 'Those big, thick, arched eyebrows⁵,and that enormous forehead. If I saw anyone with eyebrows like that I'd think they weren't real!'
　　'He'll shave them off,' said Dick. 'Then he'll look completely different. Probably stick them on hisupper lip upside down and use them for moustaches!'
　　'Don't be so silly,' said George, with a giggle⁶. 'The other fellow is very ordinary-looking, except forhis dome⁷ of a head. Pity none of us four have got great foreheads - I suppose we must be ratherstupid people!'
　　'We're not so bad,' said Julian. 'We've had to use our brains many times in all our adventures -and we haven't come off so badly!'
　　'Let's clear up and then go for a walk again,' said Anne. 'If we don't I shall fall asleep. This sun is sogloriously hot, it's really cooking me.'
　　'Yes - we'd better go for a walk,' said Julian, getting up. 'Shall we go and see the castle, do you think?
　　Or shall we leave that for another day?'
　　'Leave it,' said Anne. 'I honestly don't feel like clambering up that steep hill just now. I think themorning would be a better time!'
　　They cleared up and then locked the two caravans⁹ and set out. Julian looked back. Some of the fair-folk were sitting together, eating a meal. They watched the children in silence. It wasn't very pleasantsomehow.
　　'They don't exactly love us, do they?' said Dick. 'Now you listen, Timmy - don't you go accepting anytitbits from people here, see?'
　　'Oh, Dick!' said George, in alarm, 'you surely don't think they would harm Timmy?'
　　'No, I don't really,' said Dick. 'But we might as well be careful. As the rubber man pointed¹¹ out to usthis morning, us-folk and his-folk think differently about some things. It just can't be helped.
　　But I do wish they'd let us be friendly. I don't like this kind of thing.'
　　'Well, anyway I shall keep Timmy to heel all the time,' said George, making up her mind firmly.
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　　'Timmy, to heel! Please understand that as long as we are in the caravan¹⁰ field you must walk to heel?
　　Do you understand?'
　　'Woof- woof,' said Timmy, and immediately kept so close to George's ankles that his nose keptbumping into them.
　　They decided¹² to catch the bus to Tinkers' Green, and then walk from there to the sea. They wouldhave time to get there and back before dark. The bus was waiting at the corner, and they ran to catchit. It was about two miles to Tinkers' Green, which was a dear little village, with a proper green and aduck-pond with white ducks swimming on it.
　　'Shall we have an ice-cream?' suggested Dick as they came to a grocer's shop with an ice-cream signoutside it.
　　'No,' said Julian firmly. 'We've just had an enormous lunch, and we'll save up ice-creams for teatime.
　　We shall never get down to the sea if we sit and eat ice-creams half the afternoon!'
　　It was a lovely walk, down violet-studded lanes, and then over a heathery common with clumps¹³ ofprimroses in the hollows - and even a few very very early bluebells¹⁴, much to Anne's delight.
　　'There's the sea! Oh, what a dear little bay!' said Anne, in delight. 'And isn't it blue - as blue ascornflowers. We could almost bathe.'
　　'You wouldn't like it if you did,' said Julian. 'The sea would be as cold as ice! Come on - let's getdown to the little jetty and have a look at the fishing-boats.'
　　They went down to the sun-warmed stone jetty and began talking to the fishermen there. Some weresitting in the sun mending their nets, and were very willing to talk.
　　'How nice to have a bit of friendliness¹⁵ shown us instead of the stares and rudeness of the fair-folk!'
　　said Dick to Julian, who nodded and agreed.
　　A fisherman took them on his boat, and explained a lot of things they already knew and some theydidn't. It was nice to sit and listen to his broad speech, and to watch his bright blue eyes as he talked.
　　He was as brown as an oak-apple.
　　'Could we ever hire a boat here if we wanted to?' asked Julian. 'Is there one we could manage byourselves? We are quite good at sailing.'
　　'Old Joseph there has a boat he could hire out if you wanted one,' said the man they were talking to.
　　'He hired it out the other day, and I expect he'd hire it out to you too if so be you can really manageit.'
　　'Thanks. We'll ask him, if we ever decide to go out,' said Julian. He looked at his watch. 'We'd 31better go and get some tea somewhere. We want to be home before dark. We're camping over atFaynights Castle.'
　　'Oh ay?' said the fisherman. 'You've got the fair-folk there now, haven't you? They were here twoweeks since. My, that fire-eater is a fair treat, he is! And that rope-man - well! I tell you this - I tiedhim up in my fishing-line - you can see it here, strong as two ropes it is! I tied him up with all theknots I know - and in under a minute he stood up and the line fell off him, knots and all!'
　　'Ay, that is so,' said the old fellow called Joseph. 'A wonder he is, that man. So is the rubber fellow.
　　He called for a drain-pipe, narrow as this, see? And he wriggled¹⁶ through it, quick as an eel⁸. Fairscared me, it did, to see him wriggling¹⁷ out of the other end.'
　　'We'll go and see them perform when they begin their show,' said Julian. 'At the moment they're notvery friendly towards us. They don't like us being in their field.'
　　'They keeps themselves to themselves,' said Joseph. 'They had a heap of trouble at the place theywere in before they came to us - someone set the police on them, and now they won't make friendswith anyone.'
　　'Well, we must go,' said Julian, and they said goodbye to the friendly fishermen and went. Theystopped and had tea at a little tea-shop, and then made their way home. 'Anyone want to take thebus?' said Julian. 'We can easily get home before dark if we walk - but if the girls are tired we'll busfrom Tinkers' Green.'
　　'Of course we're not tired!' said George indignantly. 'Have you ever known me say I'm tired, Julian?'
　　'All right, all right - it was just a bit of politeness on my part,' said Julian. 'Come on - let's get going.'
　　The way was longer than they had thought. It was getting dark when they got to the stile that led intothe caravan field. They climbed over it and made their way slowly to their corner.
　　And then they suddenly stopped and stared. They looked all round and stared again.
　　Their two caravans were gone! They could see the places where they had stood, and where their firehad been. But no caravans stood there now!
　　'Well!' said Julian, astounded¹⁸. 'This beats everything! Are we dreaming? I can't see a sign of ourcaravans anywhere!'
　　'Yes - but - how could they go?' said Anne, almost stammering¹⁹ in her surprise. 'I mean - we had nohorses to pull them away anywhere! They couldn't go just by themselves.'
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　　There was a silence. The four were completely bewildered. How could two large, solid caravansdisappear into thin air?
　　'Look - there are wheel-marks in the grass,' said Dick suddenly. 'See - our caravans went this way -come on, follow. Down the hillside, look!'
　　In the greatest astonishment²⁰ the four children and Timmy followed the wheel-marks. Julian glancedback once, feeling that they were being watched. But not one of the fair-folk was to be seen. Perhapsthey are watching silently behind their caravan curtains. Julian thought, uncomfortably.
　　The wheel-marks went right down the field and reached the gate. It was shut now, but it must havebeen opened for the two caravans, because there were marks in the grass by the gate, marks thatpassed through it and then were lost in the lane.
　　'What are we to do?' said Anne, scared. 'They're gone! We've nowhere to sleep. Oh, Julian - what arewe going to do?'

1 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

2 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

3 traitor   

n.叛徒，卖国贼

参考例句：

• The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
• He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

4 fishy   

adj. 值得怀疑的

参考例句：

• It all sounds very fishy to me.所有这些在我听起来都很可疑。
• There was definitely something fishy going on.肯定当时有可疑的事情在进行中。

5 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

6 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。

7 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

8 eel   

n.鳗鲡

参考例句：

• He used an eel spear to catch an eel.他用一只捕鳗叉捕鳗鱼。
• In Suzhou,there was a restaurant that specialized in eel noodles.苏州有一家饭馆，他们那里的招牌菜是鳗鱼面。

9 caravans   

（可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队）

参考例句：

• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles that are pulled by horses. 旧式的吉卜赛大篷车是由马拉的涂了颜色的木质车辆。
• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles. 旧时的吉普赛大篷车是涂了颜色的木质车辆。

10 caravan   

n.大蓬车；活动房屋

参考例句：

• The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。
• Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

13 clumps   

n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声

参考例句：

• These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了，剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 bluebells   

n.圆叶风铃草( bluebell的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He pressed her down upon the grass, among the fallen bluebells. 他把她压倒在草地上，压倒在掉落满地的风信子花上。 来自英汉文学
• The bluebells had cascaded on to the ground. 风信子掉到了地上。 来自辞典例句

15 friendliness   

n.友谊，亲切，亲密

参考例句：

• Behind the mask of friendliness,I know he really dislikes me.在友善的面具后面，我知道他其实并不喜欢我。
• His manner was a blend of friendliness and respect.他的态度友善且毕恭毕敬。

16 wriggled   

v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）

参考例句：

• He wriggled uncomfortably on the chair. 他坐在椅子上不舒服地扭动着身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A snake wriggled across the road. 一条蛇蜿蜒爬过道路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 wriggling   

v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕

参考例句：

• The baby was wriggling around on my lap. 婴儿在我大腿上扭来扭去。
• Something that looks like a gray snake is wriggling out. 有一种看来象是灰蛇的东西蠕动着出来了。 来自辞典例句

18 astounded   

v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶

参考例句：

• His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。
• How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话？我感到大为震惊。

19 stammering   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He betrayed nervousness by stammering. 他说话结结巴巴说明他胆子小。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Why,\" he said, actually stammering, \"how do you do?\" “哎呀，\"他说，真的有些结结巴巴，\"你好啊？” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

20 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。