血字的研究 69逃命(8)

With unerring instinct Jefferson Hope picked his way among the great boulders¹ and along the bed of a dried-up watercourse,

侯波凭着他毫无差错的本领，在一堆乱石之中拾路前进，

until he came to the retired² corner screened with rocks, where the faithful animals had been picketed³.

他沿着一条干涸了的小溪来到一个山石屏障着的平静所在。三匹忠心的骡、马都拴在那里。

The girl was placed upon the mule⁴, and old Ferrier upon one of the horses, with his money-bag,

露茜骑上一匹骡子。老费瑞厄带着他的钱袋，骑上了一骑马。

while Jefferson Hope led the other along the precipitous and dangerous path.

杰弗逊·侯波骑着另外一匹，沿着险峻的山道,引导着他们前进。

It was a bewildering route for anyone who was not accustomed to face Nature in her wildest moods.

对于任何不熟悉大自然赤裸裸的面目的人来说，这种崎岖山路定会使他们惊骇却步的。

On the one side a great crag towered up a thousand feet or more, black, stern, and menacing, with long basaltic columns upon its rugged⁵ surface like the ribs⁶ of some petrified⁷ monster.

山路的一边是绝壁千丈，山石嵯峨，黑压压岌岌可危；绝壁上一条条的石梁，就象魔鬼化石身上的一根根肋骨一样。

On the other hand a wild chaos⁸ of boulders and debris⁹ made all advance impossible.

另一边则是乱石纵横，无路可走。

Between the two ran the irregular tracks, so narrow in places that they had to travel in Indian file, and so rough that only practised riders could have traversed it at all.

在这中间，只有这条曲曲弯弯的小道。有些地方十分狭窄，只容单人通过。山路崎岖难行，只有长于骑马的人才能通过。

Yet, in spite of all dangers and difficulties, the hearts of the fugitives¹⁰ were light within them,

尽管有这许多困难，但是，这几个逃亡者的心情却是愉快的，

for every step increased the distance between them and the terrible despotism from which they were flying.

因为他们前进一步，也就和他们刚刚逃出来的那个暴政横行之所在远离了一步。

They soon had a proof, however, that they were still within the jurisdiction¹¹ of the Saints.

但是，他们不久便发现了，他们仍然还没有逃出摩门教徒的势力范围。

They had reached the very wildest and most desolate¹² portion of the pass when the girl gave a startled cry, and pointed¹³ upwards¹⁴.

当他们来到山路中最为荒凉的地段时，露茜突然惊叫了起来，用手向上指着。

On a rock which overlooked the track, showing out dark and plain against the sky, there stood a solitary¹⁵ sentinel.

原来有一块俯临山路的岩石，在天光衬托之下显得非常黯黑而单调，岩石上孤零零地站着一个防哨。

He saw them as soon as they perceived him, and his military challenge of "Who goes there?" rang through the silent ravine.

他们发觉他的时候，他也看见了他们。于是，静静的山谷里响起了一声部队上的吆喝声："谁在那里走动？"

"Travellers for Nevada," said Jefferson Hope, with his hand upon the rifle which hung by his saddle.

"是往内华达去的旅客。"杰弗逊·侯波应声答道，一面握住鞍旁的来复枪。

They could see the lonely watcher fingering his gun, and peering down at them as if dissatisfied at their reply.

他们可以看见，这个孤单的防哨手指扣着扳机，向下瞧着他们，似乎对他们的回答感到不满意。

"By whose permission?" he asked.

哨兵又叫道，"是谁准许的？"

"The Holy Four," answered Ferrier.

费瑞厄回答说："四圣准许的。"

His Mormon experiences had taught him that that was the highest authority to which he could refer.

根据他在摩门教中的经验，就他所知，教中最高的权威就是四圣。

"Nine to seven," cried the sentinel.

哨兵叫道："九到七。"

"Seven to five," returned Jefferson Hope promptly¹⁶, remembering the countersign¹⁷ which he had heard in the garden.

"七到五。"杰弗逊·侯波马上回答说，他想起了他在花园中听到的这句口令。

"Pass, and the Lord go with you," said the voice from above.

上面的人说："过去吧，上帝保佑你们。"

Beyond his post the path broadened out, and the horses were able to break into a trot¹⁸.

过了这一关后，前面的道路就宽阔起来了，马匹可以放开脚步，小跑前进了。

Looking back, they could see the solitary watcher leaning upon his gun, and knew that they had passed the outlying post of the chosen people, and that freedom lay before them.

回过头来，他们还能看见那个防哨，倚着他的枪支，孤零零地站在那里。这时，他们知道，他们已经闯过了摩门教区的边防要隘，自由就在前面了。

1 boulders   

n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾

参考例句：

• Seals basked on boulders in a flat calm. 海面风平浪静，海豹在巨石上晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The river takes a headlong plunge into a maelstrom of rocks and boulders. 河水急流而下，入一个漂砾的漩涡中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 picketed   

用尖桩围住（picket的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• They picketed the restaurant. 他们在饭馆外设置纠察。
• Humboldt riotously picketed Von Trenk but the play was a hit. 尽管洪堡肆意破坏《冯·特伦克》的上演，然而这个剧还是轰动一时。

4 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。

5 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

6 ribs   

n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

7 petrified   

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)

参考例句：

• I'm petrified of snakes. 我特别怕蛇。
• The poor child was petrified with fear. 这可怜的孩子被吓呆了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

9 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

10 fugitives   

n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Three fugitives from the prison are still at large. 三名逃犯仍然未被抓获。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Members of the provisional government were prisoners or fugitives. 临时政府的成员或被捕或逃亡。 来自演讲部分

11 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。

12 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

13 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

14 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

15 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

16 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

17 countersign   

v.副署，会签

参考例句：

• Traveller's check need countersign.旅行支票要复签。
• Enclosed is our contract No.345 in duplicate,of which please return us one copy,duly countersign.随函附上我方第345号合同一式两分，请会签并回寄一份。

18 trot   

n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧

参考例句：

• They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
• The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。