AS THE CHARGING HORSEMAN raised his ax, I darted¹ to the side opposite his weapon. I swung my staff as hard as I could at his mount's legs. The animal neighed in pain, buckled², then threw its rider. The Tafur hit the earth with a mighty³ crash and rolled over several times until he came to a stop ten feet from where I stood.

His giant war ax had fallen to the side. I ran to grab the weapon. In the time it took to arm myself, the Tafur had managed to right himself and draw his sword.

Deus adjuvat, he taunted⁴ me in Latin-God aid me, as I send this little rat tail back to his maker⁵.

By all means, God, look on, I replied in kind.

He charged at me with a ferocious⁶ roar.

I could see him go high with his blade and met his blow, our weapons colliding with a loud clang. We stood there eye to eye, each trying to drive his blade into the other's neck, muscles straining to the limit. All of a sudden the Tafur jerked his knee into my groin. The air rushed out of me. I gasped⁷ and bent⁸ in two. In the same instant, he swept his sword toward my knees, and I summoned every sliver¹⁰ of strength to counter with the ax.

Again we faced each other, eyes blazing. He tried to headbutt me with the crown of his helmet, but I threw myself back. I stumbled, and the Tafur leaped at me, swinging his blade back and forth¹¹ with a maniacal¹² fury.

The Tafur saw that I was slowed. He laughed. Come here, fairy. You look like you might want to feel a set of real balls.

点击收听单词发音  

1 darted
v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 buckled
a. 有带扣的
参考例句：
She buckled her belt. 她扣上了腰带。 The accident buckled the wheel of my bicycle. 我自行车的轮子在事故中弄弯了。

3 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。

4 taunted
嘲讽( taunt的过去式和过去分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落
参考例句：
The other kids continually taunted him about his size. 其他孩子不断地耻笑他的个头儿。 Some of the girls taunted her about her weight. 有些女孩子笑她胖。

5 maker
n.制造者，制造商
参考例句：
He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。 A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

6 ferocious
adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的
参考例句：
The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。 The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。

7 gasped
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要
参考例句：
She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。 People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

9 ward
n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开
参考例句：
The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。 During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

10 sliver
n.裂片，细片，梳毛；v.纵切，切成长片，剖开
参考例句：
There was only one sliver of light in the darkness.黑暗中只有一点零星的光亮。 Then,one night,Monica saw a thin sliver of the moon reappear.之后的一天晚上，莫尼卡看到了一个月牙。

11 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

12 maniacal
adj.发疯的
参考例句：
He was almost maniacal in his pursuit of sporting records.他近乎发疯般地追求着打破体育纪录。 She is hunched forward over the wheel with a maniacal expression.她弓身伏在方向盘前，表情像疯了一样。

13 crouch
v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏
参考例句：
I crouched on the ground.我蹲在地上。 He crouched down beside him.他在他的旁边蹲下来。

14 crouched
v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。 The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身，准备猛扑。

15 warily
adv.留心地
参考例句：
He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。 They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。

16 flip
vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的
参考例句：
I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。 Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

17 flipped
轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥
参考例句：
The plane flipped and crashed. 飞机猛地翻转，撞毁了。 The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。

18 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。

19 pivoted
adj.转动的，回转的，装在枢轴上的v.（似）在枢轴上转动( pivot的过去式和过去分词 )；把…放在枢轴上；以…为核心，围绕（主旨）展开
参考例句：
His old legs and shoulders pivoted with the swinging of the pulling. 他一把把地拉着，两条老迈的腿儿和肩膀跟着转动。 来自英汉文学 - 老人与海 When air is moving, the metal is pivoted on the hinge. 当空气流动时，金属板在铰链上转动。 来自辞典例句

20 conserve
vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭
参考例句：
He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。 Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

21 bastard
n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子
参考例句：
He was never concerned about being born a bastard.他从不介意自己是私生子。 There was supposed to be no way to get at the bastard.据说没有办法买通那个混蛋。