The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying "...two hundred and eighty..." when正在这时, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for 朝..走去the bowl of milk. Screams ring out响起 as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.

"You were right, Major!" the host exclaims. "A man has just shown us an example of perfect self-control."

"Just a minute," the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the room?"

A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: "Because it was crawling across my foot."

impulse adj. impulsive
n. sudden wish to do sth. 冲动
commotion =confusion=disorder
n. noisy confusion or excitement 混乱;骚动
tone
n. quality of voice or music 语气;音调
commanding v.command命令 commander指挥者
a. authoritative 威严的 authority n. 权威
forfeit
vt. suffer the loss of (sth.) as a punishment (作为惩罚而)失去
rupee
n. monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 卢比
image
n. statue 雕像
emerge
vi. come or appear (from somewhere)
emergence
n.
slam
vt. shut loudly and with force 砰地关上
host
n. man who receives guests 男主人
faint
a. weak, indistinct 微弱的;不明显的
crawl
vi move slowly by pulling the body along the ground 爬行