Rainsfords Trial

After arriving back in the U.S. Rainford was accused of murdering General Zarroff, and Ivan. In trial Rainsford is asked to give a complete story from the boat to the when he was found at the ship dock in a small wooden raft. Rainsford said he was on a trip to Rio to hunt leopards with his friend Whitney. After Whitney had retired Rainsford had fallen off of the yacht trying to catch his pipe since three gun shots from a supposedly haunted island named Ship Trap Island.After surfacing Rainsford had tried to swim after the speeding yacht, but in middle of the dark and the ruff waters there was no luck. After giving up on this idea Rainsford swam to the island and found the men he supposedly murdered. After staying the night in the magnificent house, and finding that Zarroff and Ivan had been capturing men from destroyed ships and hunting them like animals, along with framing their heads in his library. Rainsford desides that he must escape Zarroff and Ivan. Attempting to find an exit from his room Rainsford finds no such luck, and waits until the next day. When Rainsford clearly states that he wants to leave Zarroff denies him of his right, by asking him to play the game.Rainsford has no choice but to accept, and is sent out into the jungle with three hours to find shelter from the master hunter.

Rainsfords take shelter in a tall tree, but within hours of hiding is found by Zarroff. Zarroff spares Rainfords life and leaves for a couple of hours only to return and be caught in Rainsford's trap the malayan mancatcher. With failure to not completely catch but to simply injure, Zarroff states that he would be back with help within the day. Zarroff then returns with a dog wich is then caught by the Burmese Tiger pit. Zarroff says that he would be going to rest and that he'd be back again.

Rainsford desides to climb a nearby tree to get a better look of the land, and sees that Zarroff and Ivan with the whole pack of dogs were coming. Rainsford shimmies down the tree and sets up the indian knife trap. When Ivan, Zarroff, and the dogs come out of the shrubs to the knife, Ivan picks up the knife and is stabbed in the by recoil of the small weapon. Rainsford seeing that Zarroff was not the one to be killed, takes off in a sprint towards a whole in the jungle. Coming to a cliff Rainsford sees Zarroff's lair across the bay and leaps into the briny sea.

Zarroff feeling cheated walks back to his house, makes himself a meal, ponders how he would ever replace Ivan, and the sets off for bed. When in his room Zarroff desides to go out on his balcony, but when he returns Rainsford comes out from behind the curtains and challenges Zarroff to duel. After Rainsford victors he sleeps in Zarroff's now empty bed.

The next day he decides to get off the island, so first he starts a fire with all of the wall hangins of General Zarroff not realizing his stupidity. This was supposed to attract attention, but Rainsford's did not work, and finding that he had wasted a whole day retires in Zarroff's bed for a second day. On the third day Rainsford desides to build a raft, which was succesful enough for him to float back to North America.

 After Rainsford had completed his story the judge asked if he had any evidence. Rainsford looked up and asked if the judge had really needed eveidence for what he had been through. The judge laughed and said "Of course we do! Then we know you're telling the truth!" Rainsford was furious and went into a deep rage he hurled the table he was sitting at across the small room at the judge. The judge screamed and called for the officers to take the man away for he was insane. The next week Rainsford was dubbed mentaly insane and was put in a high security cell for the rest of his life. He had apparently lost his nerve.

Vocabulary 1

Blandly, adj.
Lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting.
The man blandly ordered a large hamburger.
Gaunt, adj.
Lean and haggard, esp. because of suffering, hunger, or age.
The prisoner was gaunt from lack of food.
Indolently, adj.
Wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.
Scruples, N.
A feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action.
Gossamer, N.
A fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, which is seen esp. in autumn.
Palpable, adj.
Able to be touched or felt.
The ghost was not palpable, unlike the the scared mortal.
Nocturnal, adj.
Done, occurring, or active at night
The rats that live in south africa are nocturnal, the rats in Brazil are the complete opposite.
Futile, adj.
Incapable of producing any useful result; pointless.
The man's attempts were futile against the robot.
Furtive, adj
Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble.
The child furtively avoided his  parents accusations.
Reciprocate, adj.
Respond to by making a corresponding one.
Naive, adj.
Showing lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment.