《曾达的囚徒》第12期:茶桌历险(2)

'Go across¹ the drawbridge and you come to a heavy door …Listen！What's that？They're coming！They're too soon！Put out your lamp！'she cried，her eyes filled² with fear³．

“过了吊桥你能看见一座厚重的大门……听！什么声儿？他们来啦！他们太快了！把灯灭了！”她说，眼睛里满是惊恐。

'Quickly！You must go．There's a ladder⁴ at the end of the garden，against the wall！'

“快点儿！你得走。花园尽头有一个梯子靠在墙上！”

But it was⁵ too late．The three men were already⁷ outside．There was a small hole in the door，and I put my eye to it．My hand was on my revolver．

但是已经太晚了。那三个人已经来到屋外，门上有一个小洞，我从洞里向外看。我的手放在左轮手枪上。

It was no good！There were three of them．I could⁸ kill⁹ one perhaps，but then…

这不管用！他们有三个人，我也许能打中其中的一个，但是……

A voice¹⁰ came¹¹ from outside．'Mr Rassendyll…'It was the Englishman¹²．'We only want to talk to you．Open the door．'

外面响起一个声音：“拉森狄尔先生……”是那个英国人。“我们只是想跟你谈谈，开门。”

'We can talk through the door，'I replied¹³．I looked through the hole again and saw¹⁴ that they were on the top step¹⁵．When I opened the door，they would¹⁶ run at me．

“我们可以隔着门谈。”我回答。我又从小洞往外看，见他们已经上到了最高一层的台阶。假如我开门，他们就会朝我扑过来。

'We'll let you go if you leave the country and we'll give you fifty thousand English pounds，'continued Detchard，the Englishman．

“假如你离开这个国家，我们会让你走，而且会给你五万英镑。”戴查德，那个英国人说。

'Give me a minute to think，'I answered．

“让我想一想。”我回答。

Wildly，I looked around the summer-house and saw a metal¹⁷ garden table and some chairs．I picked¹⁸ up the table and held it in front of me，by the legs．Then I went to the back of the room and waited．

慌乱中我朝房子四周扫了一眼，看见了一个金属的花园用的桌子和一些椅子。我抓着桌腿把它挡在身体前，然后退到房子的尽头等着。

'All right，I agree，'I called．'Open the door！'

“好吧，我同意了。”我高声说：“开门吧！”

I heard them arguing¹⁹ with each other，and then Detchard said²⁰ to the Belgian，'Why，Bersonin，are you afraid of one man？'

我听见他们互相吵嚷，然后戴查德对那个比利时人说：“伯索宁，难道你还怕一个人吗？”

A second later²¹ the door opened．

片刻之后，门就开了。

De Gautet，the Frenchman，was with the other two，and the three men were standing²² there with their revolvers ready．With a shout，I ran²³ at them as⁶ hard as I could．

德·高蒂特，那个法国人和另外两个人在一起。他们三个端着上了镗的左轮手枪站在那儿。我大叫一声，用尽全力向他们冲去。

They tried to shoot²⁴ me，but the bullets²⁵ hit the table．The next second the table knocked²⁶ them to the ground²⁷ and we all fell²⁸ on top of each other．

他们向我开枪，但是子弹打在了桌子上。紧接着桌子打倒了他们。我们都倒下了，你压着我，我压着你。

Quickly，I picked myself²⁹ up and ran for my life³⁰ through the trees．I could hear them coming after me．Was Antoinette right？

很快我爬了起来，穿过树林飞快逃走。我听见他们追了上来。安冬纳特没说错吧？

Was there really a ladder by the wall？I reached³¹ the end of the garden．The ladder was there！In a minute I was up it and over the wall．

墙上真有一个梯子吗？我跑到了花园的尽头，梯子真的在那里！一刹那间我就登上了梯子越过了围墙。

Sapt was waiting with the horses and seconds later we were on our way home．And，as we rode，we laughed because I had³² fought³³ Duke³⁴ Michael's dangerous men-with a tea-table！

萨普特牵着马在等我。几秒钟后我们就已经在回去的路上了。我们一边骑着马，一边大笑。因为我已经和迈克尔公爵的杀手斗了一场，而且只用了一张茶桌！

1 across   

adv.横过，使...被理解(或接受)；prep.穿过，横过

参考例句：

• He walked across the road carefully.他小心地过马路。
• You can go across the bridge.你可以越过这座桥。

2 filled   

adj.满的；填满的；充气的；加载的v.（使）充满， （使）装满，填满( fill的过去式和过去分词 )；满足；配药；（按订单）供应

参考例句：

• He was filled with anger at the way he had been treated. 他因遭受如此待遇而怒火满腔。
• two wine glasses, filled to the brim 两只斟满的酒杯

3 fear   

n.敬畏，害怕，担心，不安的原因；vt.害怕，敬畏

参考例句：

• He couldn't move for fear.他害怕得动弹不得。
• He left an hour early for fear of missing his train.他提前一小时离开以免误了火车。

4 ladder   

n.梯子，阶梯，梯状物

参考例句：

• He got down from the ladder.他从梯子上下来了。
• The book is the ladder of human progress.书是人类进步的阶梯。

5 was   

v.(is,am的过去式)是，在

参考例句：

• He said he was right.他说他是正确的。
• He was cold and hungry.他又冷又饿。

6 as   

conj.按照；如同

参考例句：

• He got work in a hotel as a waiter.他在一家旅馆找到了当服务生的工作。
• In the hotel,the old men were drinking away as usual.在旅馆里，这些老人和往常一样喝个不停。

7 already   

adv.已经

参考例句：

• We have eaten already.我们已经吃过了。
• I've been there already,so I don't want to go again.我早已去过那里了，所以我不想再去了。

8 could   

v.能，可能(can的过去式)；aux.v.(can的过去式)能；可以

参考例句：

• Could I open the window?我可以打开窗子吗？
• I could wait ten minutes.我可以等十分钟。

9 kill   

vt.杀死，弄死；扼杀，毁掉；使终止；消磨；vi.杀死；被弄死杀，杀伤；猎获物

参考例句：

• Many ants kill the horse.蚁多可杀马。
• She wants to kill me.她想杀了我。

10 voice   

n.说话声；声音

参考例句：

• Her voice was music to my ears.她的声音听起来就像音乐。
• That song doesn't suit her voice.那首歌不适合她的嗓子。

11 came   

v.动词come的过去式

参考例句：

• I was surprised why he came here so early.他为什么那么早到这里，我很惊奇。
• The doctor came in time to save his life.医生及时来抢救他的生命。

12 Englishman   

n.(pl.Englishmen)英国人；英国男人

参考例句：

• I was astonished that he was not an Englishman.我很惊讶,他竟不是英国人。
• She stared thoughtfully at the Englishman across the table.她若有所思地盯着桌子对面的那个英国人。

13 replied   

v.[法律]（原告对被告）答辩( reply的过去式和过去分词 )；反响；作答；（以行动）做出反应

参考例句：

• She replied in a measured tone to his threat. 她以很有分寸的语气回答了他的威胁。
• I gathered from the way she replied that she wasn't very enthusiastic. 从她回答的语气判断，我觉得她不很热心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 saw   

vbl.看见(see的过去式)；n.锯；v.用锯子锯

参考例句：

• Would you like to saw a tree for me?你能为我锯棵树吗？
• The moment I saw you,I knew you were angry with me.我一看到你，就知道你在生我的气。

15 step   

n.脚步；台阶；梯级

参考例句：

• She walked on a few steps.她继续走了几步。
• He was sitting on the bottom step.他坐在最下面的一级台阶上。

16 would   

aux.will的过去式；愿，要；常常；大概；将要，会

参考例句：

• Why would you say that?为什么你会这么说？
• Would you please help me?你能帮帮我吗？

17 metal   

n.金属，质料；adj.金属制的；v.以金属覆盖

参考例句：

• He hands a metal disk to me.他把一个金属圆盘给我。
• Coins are made of metal.硬币是金属做的。

18 picked   

adj.精选的，摘下的v.采( pick的过去式和过去分词 )；摘；啄；叼

参考例句：

• I picked up a few good bargains in the sale. 我在减价期间买了几样挺不错的便宜货。
• She picked herself up, brushed herself down, and started walking again. 她爬起来，掸掸身上的灰尘，又往前走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 arguing   

v.争吵，辩论( argue的现在分词 )；坚决主张；提出理由证明；说服

参考例句：

• My brothers are always arguing. 我的兄弟们总是争论不休。
• an economist arguing against the current financial orthodoxy 一位批驳现行正统金融观念的经济学家

20 said   

v.动词say的过去式、过去分词

参考例句：

• He said to me that he could not come.他对我说他不能来。
• He said to his mother that he would do it by himself.他对他的母亲说他将自己独立做那件事。

21 later   

adv.过后，后来；adj.以后的，更后的，较晚的

参考例句：

• He didn't turn up until half an hour later.半小时后他才出现。
• This part of the hospital was built on later.医院的这个部分是后来增建的。

22 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

23 ran   

vbl.run的过去式

参考例句：

• He ran,and then slowed down to a walk.他跑着，然后放慢速度步行。
• As soon as Marie opened the door,the dog ran in.当玛丽一打开门，狗就跑了进来。

24 shoot   

v.发射，射击；疾驰，飞快地移开；发芽

参考例句：

• Try and shoot the bird.开枪打那只鸟试试。
• Keep your distance,or I'll shoot!别靠近，否则就开枪了！

25 bullets   

n.弹药；军火

参考例句：

• The bodies of the hostages were found riddled with bullets. 在人质的尸体上发现了很多弹孔。
• The bullets and cannon-balls were flying in all directions. 子弹和炮弹到处乱飞。

26 knocked   

v.敲，击，打( knock的过去式和过去分词 )；（心）怦怦跳；把…撞击成（某种状态）；批评

参考例句：

• His glasses had been knocked askew by the blow. 他的眼镜一下子被打歪了。
• He knocked three times and waited. 他敲了三下门就等着。

27 ground   

n.土地，战场，场地；adj.土地的，地面上的；v.放在地上，使...搁浅，打基础

参考例句：

• The baby is playing on the ground.婴儿正在地上玩。
• He picked a pen from the ground.他从地上捡起一支钢笔。

28 fell   

vbl.fall的过去式，vt.击倒，打倒（疾病等），致于...死地，砍伐；n.一季所伐的木材，兽皮，羊毛；adj.凶猛的，可怕的

参考例句：

• I fell to the ground.我摔倒在地上。
• The young couple fell in love at first sight.这对年轻人一见钟情。

29 myself   

pron.我自己

参考例句：

• Should I do it myself?我应该自己做吗？
• I woke up to find myself in the hospital.我醒来发现自己在医院里。

30 life   

n.生活；生命

参考例句：

• The doctor came in time to save his life.医生及时来抢救他的生命。
• At last he knew the meaning of life.终于，他知道了生命的意义。

31 reached   

v.到达( reach的过去式和过去分词 )；联络；伸出手臂，延伸

参考例句：

• An amicable settlement was reached. 已达成和解。
• After much hard bargaining we reached an agreement. 经过一番艰难的讨价还价，我们达成了协议。

32 had   

vbl.have的过去式和过去分词；conj.有

参考例句：

• I just had a good idea!我有个好主意！
• The boy had a small branch of a tree in his hand.这个男孩手上拿一条小树枝。

33 fought   

v.战斗( fight的过去式和过去分词 )；斗争；打架；吵架

参考例句：

• the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fought in the war 投身战争的人的勇气和自我牺牲精神
• She fought like a tiger to be able to keep her children. 她勇猛搏斗，以便能保住她的孩子。

34 duke   

n.公爵

参考例句：

• His grandfather was a royal duke.他的祖父是王室公爵。
• The duke was the king's most trusted adviser.公爵是国王最信赖的顾问。