血字的研究 66逃命(5)

John Ferrier felt that instant death would be better than the suspense¹ which shook his nerves and chilled his heart.

约翰·费瑞厄这时觉得痛痛快快的死也比这种使人胆战心寒、昼夜不宁的折磨要好些。

Springing forward, he drew the bolt and threw the door open.

于是，他便跳上前去，拔下门闩，把门打开了。

Outside all was calm and quiet. The night was fine, and the stars were twinkling brightly overhead.

门外一平静寂。夜色朗朗，点点繁星在头上闪烁发光。

The little front garden lay before the farmer's eyes bounded by the fence and gate, but neither there nor on the road was any human being to be seen.

老人眼前出现的只是一个庭前花园，花园周围有一道篱垣，还有一个门。但是，无论在花园中，或是在大路上，都不见一个人影。

With a sigh of relief, Ferrier looked to right and to left, until, happening to glance straight down at his own feet,

费瑞厄左右瞧了一下，轻松地吁了一口气，放下了心。但是，他无意中向脚下一瞧，

he saw to his astonishment² a man lying flat upon his face upon the ground, with arms and legs all asprawl.

不觉大吃一惊；只见一个人趴在地上，手脚直挺挺地伸展着。

So unnerved was he at the sight that he leaned up against the wall with his hand to his throat to stifle³ his inclination⁴ to call out.

他看到这副情景，恐惧已极。他靠在墙上，用手按着自己的喉咙，才没有喊出声来。

His first thought was that the prostrate⁵ figure was that of some wounded or dying man,

最初，他以为这个趴在地上的人可能是个受伤的，或者是将死的人。

but as he watched it he saw it writhe⁶ along the ground and into the hall with the rapidity and noiselessness of a serpent.

但是，他仔细一瞧，只见他在地上手足移动，蛇一样迅速无声地爬行着，一直爬进了客厅。

Once within the house the man sprang to his feet, closed the door, and revealed to the astonished farmer the fierce face and resolute⁷ expression of Jefferson Hope.

这个人一爬进屋内，便立刻站了起来，把门关上。原来出现在这个目瞪口呆的老农面前的却是杰弗逊·侯波那张凶狠的脸和他的那副坚决的表情。

"Good God!" gasped⁸ John Ferrier. "How you scared me! Whatever made you come in like that?"

"天哪！"约翰·费瑞厄气咻咻地说，"你可把我吓坏了。你为什么这样进来？"

"Give me food," the other said, hoarsely⁹. "I have had no time for bite or sup for eight-and-forty hours."

"快给我吃的，"侯波声嘶力竭地说，"两天两夜我来不及吃一口东西。"

He flung himself upon the cold meat and bread which were still lying upon the table from his host's supper, and devoured¹⁰ it voraciously¹¹.

主人的晚餐仍旧放在桌上未动，于是他跑了过去，抓起冷肉、面包就狼吞虎咽起来。

"Does Lucy bear up well?" he asked, when he had satisfied his hunger.

等他吃了一饱以后，他才问道："露茜可好吗？"

"Yes. She does not know the danger," her father answered.

"很好。她并不知道这些危险。"这位父亲回答说。

"That is well. The house is watched on every side. That is why I crawled my way up to it.

"那很好。这个屋子已经四面被人监视起来了。这就是我为什么要一路爬了进来的原因。

They may be darned sharp, but they're not quite sharp enough to catch a Washoe hunter."

他们可算是够厉害的了，可是他们要想捉住一个瓦休湖的猎人，可还差一点。"

John Ferrier felt a different man now that he realized that he had a devoted¹² ally.

约翰·费瑞厄现在完全变成另一个人了，他知道他可有了一个忠实可靠的助手。

He seized the young man's leathery hand and wrung¹³ it cordially.

他一把抓住这年轻人粗糙的手，衷心感谢地紧紧握着说：

"You're a man to be proud of," he said. "There are not many who would come to share our danger and our troubles."

"你真是个值得骄傲的人。除你以外，再也没有什么人肯来分担我们的危险和困难了。"

"You've hit it there, pard," the young hunter answered.

这个年轻猎人回答说："您说的对，老先生。

"I have a respect for you, but if you were alone in this business I'd think twice before I put my head into such a hornet's nest.

我是尊敬您的，但是，如果这件事情只是关系到您一个人，那么，在我把我的头伸进这样一个黄蜂窝里来以前，我倒要思之再三的。

It's Lucy that brings me here, and before harm comes on her I guess there will be one less o' the Hope family in Utah."

我是为露茜来的，我想，在他们得手以前，我就能和露茜远走高飞了，犹他州也就没有姓侯波的这家人了。"

"What are we to do?"

"咱们现在该怎么办呢？"

"Tomorrow is your last day, and unless you act to-night you are lost.

"明天就是你们最后的一天了，除非今晚就行动起来，否则你们就要来不及了。

I have a mule¹⁴ and two horses waiting in the Eagle Ravine. How much money have you?"

我弄了一头骡子和两骑马，现在都放在鹰谷那里等着。您有多少钱？"

"Two thousand dollars in gold, and five in notes."

"两千块金洋和五千元纸币。"

"That will do. I have as much more to add to it. We must push for Carson City through the mountains.

"足够了。此外，我还有这么多钱，可以凑在一起。咱们必须穿过大山到卡森城去。

You had best wake Lucy. It is as well that the servants do not sleep in the house."

您最好去叫醒露茜。仆人没有睡在这个屋子里，这倒很方便。"

1 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

2 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。

3 stifle   

vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止

参考例句：

• She tried hard to stifle her laughter.她强忍住笑。
• It was an uninteresting conversation and I had to stifle a yawn.那是一次枯燥无味的交谈，我不得不强忍住自己的呵欠。

4 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

5 prostrate   

v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的

参考例句：

• She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。
• The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。

6 writhe   

vt.挣扎，痛苦地扭曲；vi.扭曲，翻腾，受苦；n.翻腾，苦恼

参考例句：

• They surely writhe under this pressure.他们肯定对这种压力感到苦恼。
• Her words made him writhe with shame.她的话使他惭愧地感到浑身不自在。

7 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

8 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》

9 hoarsely   

adv.嘶哑地

参考例句：

• "Excuse me," he said hoarsely. “对不起。”他用嘶哑的嗓子说。
• Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. 杰瑞嘶声嘶气地表示愿为普洛丝小姐效劳。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

10 devoured   

吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光

参考例句：

• She devoured everything she could lay her hands on: books, magazines and newspapers. 无论是书、杂志，还是报纸，只要能弄得到，她都看得津津有味。
• The lions devoured a zebra in a short time. 狮子一会儿就吃掉了一匹斑马。

11 voraciously   

adv.贪婪地

参考例句：

• The bears feed voraciously in summer and store energy as fat. 熊在夏季吃很多东西，以脂肪形式储存能量。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

13 wrung   

绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）

参考例句：

• He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
• He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

14 mule   

n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人

参考例句：

• A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
• He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。