EXHAUSTED¹, AND AFRAID that Estella would sound the alarm, I staggered from the fallen knight's room. I was now a murderer.

I took my staff and sword and was able to climb down the ramparts from an undetected spot near Norcross's chamber². The moat was dry, and I crossed it on foot.

From there, I ran. Ran in the shadows through the darkened streets of the surrounding village. Ran until I found the woods.

My arm hung like a roast sliced open. The wound was bleeding profusely³. I came upon a stream and cleaned it as best I could and tied it with a strip of cloth from my tunic⁴. I was an outcast again, a criminal now, not just a deserter from a far-off war but a murderer-a killer⁵ of a noble. No doubt Baldwin would come after me. I needed to put as much distance as I could between me and Treille. But where would I go?

I hid in the woods, keeping off the main roads. I was hungry and cold, but the knowledge that I had avenged⁶ Sophie and Phillipe warmed me inside. I felt vindicated⁷, restored. I hoped God forgave me.

Just after first light, I heard a loud rumble⁸. I hid in the brush as a posse of armed riders, dressed in Baldwin's colors, galloped⁹ by. I didn't know where they were heading. Veille du P?re? Sweeping¹⁰ the roads and villages?

I headed east, tracking the main road, through the deepest part of the forest. I avoided any travelers I saw. I didn't know where I was going. My arm ached and throbbed

点击收听单词发音  

1 exhausted
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。 Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

2 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 profusely
ad.abundantly
参考例句：
We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture. 我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。 He had been working hard and was perspiring profusely. 他一直在努力干活，身上大汗淋漓的。

4 tunic
n.束腰外衣
参考例句：
The light loose mantle was thrown over his tunic.一件轻质宽大的斗蓬披在上衣外面。 Your tunic and hose match ill with that jewel,young man.你的外套和裤子跟你那首饰可不相称呢，年轻人。

5 killer
n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者
参考例句：
Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。 The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

6 avenged
v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复
参考例句：
She avenged her mother's death upon the Nazi soldiers. 她惩处了纳粹士兵以报杀母之仇。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The Indians avenged the burning of their village on〔upon〕 the settlers. 印第安人因为村庄被焚毁向拓居者们进行报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 vindicated
v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护
参考例句：
I have every confidence that this decision will be fully vindicated. 我完全相信这一决定的正确性将得到充分证明。 Subsequent events vindicated the policy. 后来的事实证明那政策是对的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 rumble
n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说
参考例句：
I hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.我听到远处雷声隆隆。 We could tell from the rumble of the thunder that rain was coming.我们根据雷的轰隆声可断定，天要下雨了。

9 galloped
（使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事
参考例句：
Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。 The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。

10 sweeping
adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的
参考例句：
The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。 Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

11 throbbed
抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动
参考例句：
His head throbbed painfully. 他的头一抽一跳地痛。 The pulse throbbed steadily. 脉搏跳得平稳。

12 trek
vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行
参考例句：
We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。 It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。