The troubles of the future, however, soon faded before the troubles of thepresent. And of these, the most immediate2 and pressing was that of hun-ger. Tommy had a healthy and vigorous appetite. The steak and chips par-taken of for lunch seemed now to belong to another decade. He regretfullyrecognized the fact that he would not make a success of a hunger strike.
He prowled aimlessly about his prison. Once or twice he discarded dig-nity, and pounded on the door. But nobody answered the summons.
“Hang it all!” said Tommy indignantly. “They can’t mean to starve me todeath.” A newborn fear passed through his mind that this might, perhaps,be one of those “pretty ways” of making a prisoner speak, which had beenattributed to Boris. But on reflection he dismissed the idea.
“It’s that sour-faced brute3 Conrad,” he decided4. “That’s a fellow I shallenjoy getting even with one of these days. This is just a bit of spite on hispart. I’m certain of it.”
Further meditations5 induced in him the feeling that it would be ex-tremely pleasant to bring something down with a whack6 on Conrad’s egg-shaped head. Tommy stroked his own head tenderly, and gave himself upto the pleasures of imagination. Finally a bright idea flashed across hisbrain. Why not convert imagination into reality! Conrad was undoubtedlythe tenant7 of the house. The others, with the possible exception of thebearded German, merely used it as a rendezvous9. Therefore, why not waitin ambush10 for Conrad behind the door, and when he entered bring downa chair, or one of the decrepit11 pictures, smartly on to his head. One would,of course, be careful not to hit too hard. And then—and then, simply walkout! If he met anyone on the way down, well—Tommy brightened at thethought of an encounter with his fists. Such an affair was infinitely12 morein his line than the verbal encounter of this afternoon. Intoxicated13 by hisplan, Tommy gently unhooked the picture of the Devil and Faust, andsettled himself in position. His hopes were high. The plan seemed to himsimple but excellent.
Time went on, but Conrad did not appear. Night and day were the samein this prison room, but Tommy’s wristwatch, which enjoyed a certain de-gree of accuracy, informed him that it was nine o’clock in the evening.
Tommy reflected gloomily that if supper did not arrive soon it would be aquestion of waiting for breakfast. At ten o’clock hope deserted14 him, and heflung himself on the bed to seek consolation15 in sleep. In five minutes hiswoes were forgotten.
The sound of the key turning in the lock awoke him from his slumbers16.
Not belonging to the type of hero who is famous for awaking in full pos-session of his faculties18, Tommy merely blinked at the ceiling andwondered vaguely19 where he was. Then he remembered, and looked at hiswatch. It was eight o’clock.
“It’s either early morning tea or breakfast,” deduced the young man,“and pray God it’s the latter!”
The door swung open. Too late, Tommy remembered his scheme of ob-literating the unprepossessing Conrad. A moment later he was glad that hehad, for it was not Conrad who entered, but a girl. She carried a traywhich she set down on the table.
In the feeble light of the gas burner Tommy blinked at her. He decidedat once that she was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. Herhair was a full rich brown, with sudden glints of gold in it as though therewere imprisoned20 sunbeams struggling in its depths. There was a wild-rosequality about her face. Her eyes, set wide apart, were hazel, a golden hazelthat again recalled a memory of sunbeams.
A delirious21 thought shot through Tommy’s mind.
“Are you Jane Finn?” he asked breathlessly.
The girl shook her head wonderingly.
“My name is Annette, monsieur.”
She spoke22 in a soft, broken English.
“Oh!” said Tommy, rather taken aback. “Fran?aise?” he hazarded.
“Oui, monsieur. Monsieur parle fran?ais?”
“Not for any length of time,” said Tommy. “What’s that? Breakfast?”
The girl nodded. Tommy dropped off the bed and came and inspectedthe contents of the tray. It consisted of a loaf, some margarine, and a jug23 ofcoffee.
“The living is not equal to the Ritz,” he observed with a sigh. “But forwhat we are at last about to receive the Lord has made me truly thankful.
Amen.”
He drew up a chair, and the girl turned away to the door.
“Wait a sec,” cried Tommy. “There are lots of things I want to ask you,Annette. What are you doing in this house? Don’t tell me you’re Conrad’sniece, or daughter, or anything, because I can’t believe it.”
“I do the service, monsieur. I am not related to anybody.”
“I see,” said Tommy. “You know what I asked you just now. Have youever heard that name?”
“I have heard people speak of Jane Finn, I think.”
“You don’t know where she is?”
Annette shook her head.
“She’s not in this house, for instance?”
“Oh no, monsieur. I must go now—they will be waiting for me.”
She hurried out. They key turned in the lock.
“I wonder who ‘they’ are,” mused24 Tommy, as he continued to make in-roads on the loaf. “With a bit of luck, that girl might help me to get out ofhere. She doesn’t look like one of the gang.”
At one o’clock Annette reappeared with another tray, but this time Con-rad accompanied her.
“Good morning,” said Tommy amiably25. “You have not used Pear’s soap, Isee.”
Conrad growled26 threateningly.
“No light repartee27, have you, old bean? There, there, we can’t alwayshave brains as well as beauty. What have we for lunch? Stew28? How did Iknow? Elementary, my dear Watson—the smell of onions is unmistak-able.”
“Talk away,” grunted29 the man. “It’s little enough time you’ll have to talkin, maybe.”
The remark was unpleasant in its suggestion, but Tommy ignored it. Hesat down at the table.
“Retire, varlet,” he said, with a wave of his hand. “Prate not to thy bet-ters.”
That evening Tommy sat on the bed, and cogitated30 deeply. Would Con-rad again accompany the girl? If he did not, should he risk trying to makean ally of her? He decided that he must leave no stone unturned. His posi-tion was desperate.
At eight o’clock the familiar sound of the key turning made him springto his feet. The girl was alone.
“Shut the door,” he commanded. “I want to speak to you.”
She obeyed.
“Look here, Annette, I want you to help me get out of this.”
She shook her head.
“Impossible. There are three of them on the floor below.”
“Oh!” Tommy was secretly grateful for the information. “But you wouldhelp me if you could?”
“No, monsieur.”
“Why not?”
The girl hesitated.
“I think—they are my own people. You have spied upon them. They arequite right to keep you here.”
“They’re a bad lot, Annette. If you’ll help me, I’ll take you away from thelot of them. And you’d probably get a good whack of money.”
But the girl merely shook her head.
“I dare not, monsieur. I am afraid of them.”
She turned away.
“Wouldn’t you do anything to help another girl?” cried Tommy. “She’sabout your age too. Won’t you save her from their clutches?”
“You mean Jane Finn?”
“Yes.”
“It is her you came here to look for? Yes?”
“That’s it.”
The girl looked at him, then passed her hand across her forehead.
“Jane Finn. Always I hear that name. It is familiar.”
Tommy came forward eagerly.
“You must know something about her?”
But the girl turned away abruptly31.
“I know nothing—only the name.” She walked towards the door. Sud-denly she uttered a cry. Tommy stared. She had caught sight of the picturehe had laid against the wall the night before. For a moment he caught alook of terror in her eyes. As inexplicably32 it changed to relief. Then ab-ruptly, she went out of the room. Tommy could make nothing of it. Did shefancy that he had meant to attack her with it? Surely not. He rehung thepicture on the wall thoughtfully.
Three more days went by in dreary33 inaction. Tommy felt the straintelling on his nerves. He saw no one but Conrad and Annette, and the girlhad become dumb. She spoke only in monosyllables. A kind of dark suspi-cion smouldered in her eyes. Tommy felt that if this solitary34 confinementwent on much longer he would go mad. He gathered from Conrad thatthey were waiting for orders from “Mr. Brown.” Perhaps, thought Tommy,he was abroad or away, and they were obliged to wait for his return.
But the evening of the third day brought a rude awakening35.
It was barely seven o’clock when he heard the tramp of footsteps out-side in the passage. In another minute the door was flung open. Conradentered. With him was the evil-looking Number Fourteen. Tommy’s heartsank at the sight of them.
“Evenin,” gov’nor,” said the man with a leer. “Got those ropes, mate?”
The silent Conrad produced a length of fine cord. The next minute Num-ber Fourteen’s hands, horribly dexterous36, were winding37 the cord roundhis limbs, while Conrad held him down.
“What the devil—?” began Tommy.
But the slow, speechless grin of the silent Conrad froze the words on hislips.
Number Fourteen proceeded deftly38 with his task. In another minuteTommy was a mere8 helpless bundle. Then at last Conrad spoke:
“Thought you’d bluffed40 us, did you? With what you knew, and what youdidn’t know. Bargained with us! And all the time it was bluff39! Bluff! Youknow less than a kitten. But your number’s up all right, you b— swine.”
Tommy lay silent. There was nothing to say. He had failed. Somehow orother the omnipotent41 Mr. Brown had seen through his pretensions42. Sud-denly a thought occurred to him.
“A very good speech, Conrad,” he said approvingly. “But wherefore thebonds and fetters43? Why not let this kind gentleman here cut my throatwithout delay?”
“Garn,” said Number Fourteen unexpectedly. “Think we’re as green asto do you in here, and have the police nosing round? Not ’alf! We’veordered the carriage for your lordship tomorrow mornin,’ but in themeantime we’re not taking any chances, see!”
“Nothing,” said Tommy, “could be plainer than your words—unless itwas your face.”
“Stow it,” said Number Fourteen.
“With pleasure,” replied Tommy. “You’re making a sad mistake—butyours will be the loss.”
“You don’t kid us that way again,” said Number Fourteen. “Talking asthough you were still at the blooming Ritz, aren’t you?”
Tommy made no reply. He was engaged in wondering how Mr. Brownhad discovered his identity. He decided that Tuppence, in the throes ofanxiety, had gone to the police, and that his disappearance44 having beenmade public the gang had not been slow to put two and two together.
The two men departed and the door slammed. Tommy was left to hismeditations. They were not pleasant ones. Already his limbs felt crampedand stiff. He was utterly46 helpless, and he could see no hope anywhere.
About an hour had passed when he heard the key softly turned, and thedoor opened. It was Annette. Tommy’s heart beat a little faster. He hadforgotten the girl. Was it possible that she had come to his help?
Suddenly he heard Conrad’s voice:
“Come out of it, Annette. He doesn’t want any supper tonight.”
“Oui, oui, je sais bien. But I must take the other tray. We need the thingson it.”
“Well, hurry up,” growled Conrad.
Without looking at Tommy the girl went over to the table, and picked upthe tray. She raised a hand and turned out the light.
“Curse you,”—Conrad had come to the door—“why did you do that?”
“I always turn it out. You should have told me. Shall I relight it, Mon-sieur Conrad?”
“No, come on out of it.”
“Le beau petit monsieur,” cried Annette, pausing by the bed in the dark-ness. “You have tied him up well, hein? He is liked a trussed chicken!” Thefrank amusement in her tone jarred on the boy but at that moment to hisamazement, he felt her hand running lightly over his bonds, and some-thing small and cold was pressed into the palm of his hand.
“Come on, Annette.”
“Mais me voilà.”
The door shut. Tommy heard Conrad say:
“Lock it and give me the key.”
The footsteps died away. Tommy lay petrified48 with amazement47. The ob-ject Annette had thrust into his hand was a small penknife, the bladeopen. From the way she had studiously avoided looking at him, and heraction with the light, he came to the conclusion that the room was over-looked. There must be a peephole somewhere in the walls. Rememberinghow guarded she had always been in her manner, he saw that he hadprobably been under observation all the time. Had he said anything togive himself away? Hardly. He had revealed a wish to escape and a desireto find Jane Finn, but nothing that could have given a clue to his own iden-tity. True, his question to Annette had proved that he was personally unac-quainted with Jane Finn, but he had never pretended otherwise. The ques-tion now was, did Annette really know more? Were her denials intendedprimarily for the listeners? On that point he could come to no conclusion.
But there was a more vital question that drove out all others. Could he,bound as he was, manage to cut his bonds? He essayed cautiously to rubthe open blade up and down on the cord that bound his two wrists to-gether. It was an awkward business and drew a smothered49 “Ow” of painfrom him as the knife cut into his wrist. But slowly and doggedly50 he wenton sawing to and fro. He cut the flesh badly, but at last he felt the cordslacken. With his hands free, the rest was easy. Five minutes later he stoodupright with some difficulty owing to the cramp45 in his limbs. His first carewas to bind51 up his bleeding wrist. Then he sat on the edge of the bed tothink. Conrad had taken the key of the door, so he could expect little moreassistance from Annette. The only outlet52 from the room was the door, con-sequently he would perforce have to wait until the two men returned tofetch him. But when they did .?.?. Tommy smiled! Moving with infinite cau-tion in the dark room, he found and unhooked the famous picture. He feltan economical pleasure that his first plan would not be wasted. There wasnow nothing to do but to wait. He waited.
The night passed slowly. Tommy lived through an eternity53 of hours, butat last he heard footsteps. He stood upright, drew a deep breath, andclutched the picture firmly.
The door opened. A faint light streamed in from outside. Conrad wentstraight towards the gas to light it. Tommy deeply regretted that it was hewho had entered first. It would have been pleasant to get even with Con-rad. Number Fourteen followed. As he stepped across the threshold,Tommy brought the picture down with terrific force on his head. NumberFourteen went down amidst a stupendous crash of broken glass. In aminute Tommy had slipped out and pulled to the door. The key was in thelock. He turned it and withdrew it just as Conrad hurled54 himself againstthe door from the inside with a volley of curses.
For a moment Tommy hesitated. There was the sound of someone stir-ring on the floor below. Then the German’s voice came up the stairs.
“Gott im Himmel! Conrad, what is it?”
Tommy felt a small hand thrust into his. Beside him stood Annette. Shepointed up a rickety ladder that apparently55 led to some attics57.
“Quick—up here!” She dragged him after her up the ladder. In anothermoment they were standing58 in a dusty garret littered with lumber17.
Tommy looked round.
“This won’t do. It’s a regular trap. There’s no way out.”
“Hush! Wait.” The girl put her finger to her lips. She crept to the top ofthe ladder and listened.
The banging and beating on the door was terrific. The German and an-other were trying to force the door in. Annette explained in a whisper:
“They will think you are still inside. They cannot hear what Conrad says.
The door is too thick.”
“I thought you could hear what went on in the room?”
“There is a peephole into the next room. It was clever of you to guess.
But they will not think of that—they are only anxious to get in.”
“Yes—but look here—”
“Leave it to me.” She bent59 down. To his amazement, Tommy saw thatshe was fastening the end of a long piece of string to the handle of a bigcracked jug. She arranged it carefully, then turned to Tommy.
“Have you the key of the door?”
“Yes.”
“Give it to me.”
He handed it to her.
“I am going down. Do you think you can go halfway60, and then swingyourself down behind the ladder, so that they will not see you?”
Tommy nodded.
“There’s a big cupboard in the shadow of the landing. Stand behind it.
Take the end of this string in your hand. When I’ve let the others out—pull!”
Before he had time to ask her anything more, she had flitted lightlydown the ladder and was in the midst of the group with a loud cry:
“Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu! Qu’est-ce qu’il y a?”
The German turned on her with an oath.
“Get out of this. Go to your room!”
Very cautiously Tommy swung himself down the back of the ladder. Solong as they did not turn round, all was well. He crouched61 behind the cup-board. They were still between him and the stairs.
“Ah!” Annette appeared to stumble over something. She stooped. “MonDieu, voilà la clef!”
The German snatched it from her. He unlocked the door. Conradstumbled out, swearing.
“Where is he? Have you got him?”
“We have seen no one,” said the German sharply. His face paled. “Whodo you mean?”
Conrad gave vent1 to another oath.
“He’s got away.”
“Impossible. He would have passed us.”
At that moment, with an ecstatic smile Tommy pulled the string. A crashof crockery came from the attic56 above. In a trice the men were pushingeach other up the rickety ladder and had disappeared into the darknessabove.
Quick as a flash Tommy leapt from his hiding place and dashed downthe stairs, pulling the girl with him. There was no one in the hall. Hefumbled over the bolts and chain. At last they yielded, the door swungopen. He turned. Annette had disappeared.
Tommy stood spellbound. Had she run upstairs again? What madnesspossessed her! He fumed62 with impatience63, but he stood his ground. Hewould not go without her.
And suddenly there was an outcry overhead, an exclamation64 from theGerman, and then Annette’s voice, clear and high:
“Ma foi, he has escaped! And quickly! Who would have thought it?”
Tommy still stood rooted to the ground. Was that a command to him togo? He fancied it was.
And then, louder still, the words floated down to him:
“This is a terrible house. I want to go back to Marguerite. To Marguerite.
To Marguerite!”
Tommy had run back to the stairs. She wanted him to go and leave her?
But why? At all costs he must try to get her away with him. Then his heartsank. Conrad was leaping down the stairs uttering a savage65 cry at the sightof him. After him came the others.
Tommy stopped Conrad’s rush with a straight blow with his fist. Itcaught the other on the point of the jaw66 and he fell like a log. The secondman tripped over his body and fell. From higher up the staircase therewas a flash, and a bullet grazed Tommy’s ear. He realized that it would begood for his health to get out of this house as soon as possible. As regardsAnnette he could do nothing. He had got even with Conrad, which was onesatisfaction. The blow had been a good one.
He leapt for the door, slamming it behind him. The square was deserted.
In front of the house was a baker’s van. Evidently he was to have beentaken out of London in that, and his body found many miles from thehouse in Soho. The driver jumped to the pavement and tried to barTommy’s way. Again Tommy’s fist shot out, and the driver sprawled67 onthe pavement.
Tommy took to his heels and ran—none too soon. The front door openedand a hail of bullets followed him. Fortunately none of them hit him. Heturned the corner of the square.
“There’s one thing,” he thought to himself, “they can’t go on shooting.
They’ll have the police after them if they do. I wonder they dared tothere.”
He heard the footsteps of his pursuers behind him, and redoubled hisown pace. Once he got out of these by-ways he would be safe. There wouldbe a policeman about somewhere—not that he really wanted to invoke68 theaid of the police if he could possibly do without it. It meant explanation,and general awkwardness. In another moment he had reason to bless hisluck. He stumbled over a prostrate69 figure, which started up with a yell ofalarm and dashed off down the street. Tommy drew back into a doorway70.
In a minute he had the pleasure of seeing his two pursuers, of whom theGerman was one, industriously71 tracking down the red herring!
Tommy sat down quietly on the doorstep and allowed a few moments toelapse while he recovered his breath. Then he strolled gently in the oppos-ite direction. He glanced at his watch. It was a little after half past five. Itwas rapidly growing light. At the next corner he passed a policeman. Thepoliceman cast a suspicious eye on him. Tommy felt slightly offended.
Then, passing his hand over his face, he laughed. He had not shaved orwashed for three days! What a guy he must look.
He betook himself without more ado to a Turkish Bath establishmentwhich he knew to be open all night. He emerged into the busy daylightfeeling himself once more, and able to make plans.
First of all, he must have a square meal. He had eaten nothing sincemidday yesterday. He turned into an A.B.C. shop and ordered eggs and ba-con and coffee. Whilst he ate, he read a morning paper propped72 up infront of him. Suddenly he stiffened73. There was a long article on Kramenin,who was described as the “man behind Bolshevism” in Russia, and whohad just arrived in London—some thought as an unofficial envoy74. His ca-reer was sketched75 lightly, and it was firmly asserted that he, and not thefigurehead leaders, had been the author of the Russian Revolution.
In the centre of the page was his portrait.
“So that’s who Number One is,” said Tommy with his mouth full of eggsand bacon. “Not a doubt about it. I must push on.”
He paid for his breakfast, and betook himself to Whitehall. There hesent up his name, and the message that it was urgent. A few minutes laterhe was in the presence of the man who did not here go by the name of“Mr. Carter.” There was a frown on his face.
“Look here, you’ve no business to come asking for me in this way. Ithought that was distinctly understood?”
“It was, sir. But I judged it important to lose no time.”
And as briefly76 and succinctly77 as possible he detailed78 the experiences ofthe last few days.
Half way through, Mr. Carter interrupted him to give a few cryptic79 or-ders through the telephone. All traces of displeasure had now left his face.
He nodded energetically when Tommy had finished.
“Quite right. Every moment’s of value. Fear we shall be too late anyway.
They wouldn’t wait. Would clear out at once. Still, they may have leftsomething behind them that will be a clue. You say you’ve recognizedNumber One to be Kramenin? That’s important. We want somethingagainst him badly to prevent the Cabinet falling on his neck too freely.
What about the others? You say two faces were familiar to you? One’s aLabour man, you think? Just look through these photos, and see if you canspot him.”
A minute later, Tommy held one up. Mr. Carter exhibited some surprise.
“Ah, Westway! Shouldn’t have thought it. Poses as being moderate. Asfor the other fellow, I think I can give a good guess.” He handed anotherphotograph to Tommy, and smiled at the other’s exclamation. “I’m right,then. Who is he? Irishman. Prominent unionist M.P. All a blind, of course.
We’ve suspected it—but couldn’t get any proof. Yes, you’ve done very well,young man. The 29th, you say, is the date. That gives us very little time—very little time indeed.”
“But—” Tommy hesitated.
Mr. Carter read his thoughts.
“We can deal with the General Strike menace, I think. It’s a toss-up—butwe’ve got a sporting chance! But if that draft treaty turns up—we’re done.
England will be plunged80 in anarchy81. Ah, what’s that? The car? Come on,Beresford, we’ll go and have a look at this house of yours.”
Two constables82 were on duty in front of the house in Soho. An inspectorreported to Mr. Carter in a low voice. The latter turned to Tommy.
“The birds have flown—as we thought. We might as well go over it.”
Going over the deserted house seemed to Tommy to partake of the char-acter of a dream. Everything was just as it had been. The prison room withthe crooked83 pictures, the broken jug in the attic, the meeting room with itslong table. But nowhere was there a trace of papers. Everything of thatkind had either been destroyed or taken away. And there was no sign ofAnnette.
“What you tell me about the girl puzzled me,” said Mr. Carter. “You be-lieve that she deliberately84 went back?”
“It would seem so, sir. She ran upstairs while I was getting the dooropen.”
“H’m, she must belong to the gang, then; but, being a woman, didn’t feellike standing by to see a personable young man killed. But evidently she’sin with them, or she wouldn’t have gone back.”
“I can’t believe she’s really one of them, sir. She—seemed so different—”
“Good- looking, I suppose?” said Mr. Carter with a smile that madeTommy flush to the roots of his hair.
He admitted Annette’s beauty rather shamefacedly.
“By the way,” observed Mr. Carter, “have you shown yourself to MissTuppence yet? She’s been bombarding me with letters about you.”
“Tuppence? I was afraid she might get a bit rattled85. Did she go to the po-lice?”
Mr. Carter shook his head.
“Then I wonder how they twigged86 me.”
Mr. Carter looked inquiringly at him, and Tommy explained. The othernodded thoughtfully.
“True, that’s rather a curious point. Unless the mention of the Ritz wasan accidental remark?”
“It might have been, sir. But they must have found out about me sud-denly in some way.”
“Well,” said Mr. Carter, looking round him, “there’s nothing more to bedone here. What about some lunch with me?”
“Thanks awfully87, sir. But I think I’d better get back and rout88 out Tup-pence.”
“Of course. Give her my kind regards and tell her not to believe you’rekilled too readily next time.”
Tommy grinned.
“I take a lot of killing89, sir.”
“So I perceive,” said Mr. Carter dryly. “Well, good-bye. Remember you’rea marked man now, and take reasonable care of yourself.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Hailing a taxi briskly Tommy stepped in, and was swiftly borne to theRitz, dwelling90 the while on the pleasurable anticipation91 of startling Tup-pence.
“Wonder what she’s been up to. Dogging ‘Rita’ most likely. By the way, Isuppose that’s who Annette meant by Marguerite. I didn’t get it at thetime.” The thought saddened him a little, for it seemed to prove that Mrs.
Vandemeyer and the girl were on intimate terms.
The taxi drew up at the Ritz. Tommy burst into its sacred portalseagerly, but his enthusiasm received a check. He was informed that MissCowley had gone out a quarter of an hour ago.
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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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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whack
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| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
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tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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slumbers
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| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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18
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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22
spoke
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| 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 | |
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23
jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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amiably
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| adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地 | |
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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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repartee
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| n.机敏的应答 | |
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stew
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| n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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cogitated
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| v.认真思考，深思熟虑( cogitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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inexplicably
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| adv.无法说明地，难以理解地，令人难以理解的是 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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bluffed
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| 以假象欺骗，吹牛( bluff的过去式和过去分词 )； 以虚张声势找出或达成 | |
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omnipotent
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| adj.全能的，万能的 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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43
fetters
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| n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 )；束缚v.给…上脚镣，束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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cramp
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| n.痉挛；[pl.](腹)绞痛；vt.限制，束缚 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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48
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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smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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51
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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attics
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| n. 阁楼 | |
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58
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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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fumed
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| 愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟 | |
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63
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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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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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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invoke
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| v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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71
industriously
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72
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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74
envoy
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| n.使节，使者，代表，公使 | |
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75
sketched
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| v.草拟（sketch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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76
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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succinctly
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| adv.简洁地；简洁地，简便地 | |
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78
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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cryptic
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| adj.秘密的，神秘的，含义模糊的 | |
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80
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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81
anarchy
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| n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序 | |
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82
constables
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| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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83
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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84
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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85
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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86
twigged
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| 有细枝的，有嫩枝的 | |
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87
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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88
rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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89
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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90
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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91
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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