Close on his heels came two men to see Mr. Carstairs....
Miss Hansbury was in a pitiable condition. For the better part of two hours, Frieda Carstairs had been with her. Every one else, not excepting her uncle, was denied admission to the room. From time to time, the sound of voices came through the closed door,—one shrill2 and rising to the pitch of frenzy3, the other firm, gentle, soothing—one that seemed to croon. A sharp-eared listener outside would have caught an occasional sentence wailed4 in the despairing treble, but he would have made little of it, for it dwindled5 away into a smothered6, inarticulate jumble7 of words. He might have distinguished8 the oft-repeated cry: “You know it isn’t true! You know it! You know it!”
Carstairs grasped the doctor’s arm the instant he entered the apartment.
“For God’s sake, Doctor, give her something to quiet her immediately. I—I cannot endure it. We should have waited. I had no idea it would be like this. Mrs. Carstairs hasn’t left her for an instant. I can hear her moaning and—”
“Is it this—ah—news about young Steele?” inquired the doctor blandly9. He rubbed his hands.
“Yes—yes! We thought it best to tell her before she got it from the servants, or the papers, or—”
“Dreadful affair,—most shocking. I knew him very slightly, but he seemed a most delightful10 chap. By Jove, it is really distressing11, the way the Germans have undermined our very—”
“She is in a most deplorable condition, Doctor. Don’t delay an instant, please,—and do not leave her until you are convinced there is no danger of—” He broke off abruptly13.
“Ahem! Yes, yes,—ah,—I’ll remain as long as—ah,—I feel the least bit uneasy about her.”
“All right, Doctor,—if there is the remotest danger of—”
“Oh, I fancy there isn’t any real danger of that, Mr. Carstairs. Compose yourself. We ‘ll have her sleeping like a baby in no time at all. Had you an inkling that Steele was that sort of a—”
“And will you please send Mrs. Carstairs out of the room at once?”
“Yes, yes,—immediately. Leave it to me, leave it to me,” and off he went, with a sprightliness14 that would have, surprised his dignity if he had had the slightest notion at that moment that he still possessed15 such a thing.
But Mrs. Carstairs refused to be sent out of the room. She remained steadfast16 at the girl’s side, holding and stroking her hand.
“I cannot,—I will not leave her, Doctor Browne,” she said, compressing her lips.
The butler apologetically stuck his head into Mr. Carstairs’ study a few minutes after the doctor’s arrival.
“Sorry, sir, but there’s two gentlemen asking to see you.”
“I told you I was not at home to any one, Hollowell. Is it necessary for me to repeat your instructions?”
“No, sir,—thank you, sir. But these gentlemen say they must see you, sir. They are outside, sir,—in the hall. I asked—”
“Who are they? What is their business?”
“I asked both those questions, sir,” said the butler, in evident distress12.
“Yes, yes,—well, and what did they say?”
“They simply said ‘Never mind,’” said Hollowell, with a great deal of feeling.
Carstairs stopped suddenly in his tracks.
“I thought you said they were gentlemen.”
His brow darkened. He had sensed the truth. Secret service men.
“My mistake, sir,—my mistake,” mumbled17 Hollowell. “Ahem! I can only add, Mr. Carstairs, that they seem to think you are at home, and—ah—”
“Conduct them to this room,” said Carstairs. A few minutes later: “Come in, gentlemen, and be seated. I suppose you are here to ascertain18 if I can throw any light on the Derrol Steele affair. It is no secret, of course, that he was my niece’s fiance, and that he was a constant visitor here. I am afraid, however, that I can be of no assistance to you. Captain Steele—”
“Pardon me, Mr. Carstairs,” said one of his visitors, a sharp-eyed, clean-cut man of forty, “but, as a matter of fact, our business here is really with Mrs. Carstairs. Will you be good enough to ask her to step into this room?”
His companion had closed the door, and both remained standing19.
“I assure you she knows as little as I do about this distressing affair. My niece is very ill. She cannot leave her. You must allow me,—for the present, at least,—to speak for Mrs. Carstairs.”
“Deeply as I regret it, Mr. Carstairs, I must insist that your wife—”
“You heard what I said, didn’t you?” demanded Carstairs coldly. Two vivid red blotches20 shot into his cheeks.
The two men looked at each other. Then the spokesman gave a significant jerk of his head. His companion opened the door and stepped quickly into the hall. As the door closed, the one who remained drew nearer to Carstairs.
“In the first place, Mr. Carstairs, you cannot speak for your wife. I am not here to make inquiries22, sir, but to escort her to the offices of the United States Attorney, who will—”
Carstairs started up from his chair. “What infernal nonsense is this?”
“I am afraid it isn’t nonsense,” said the other quietly. “My instructions,—my orders, I may say,—are to confront Mrs. Carstairs with certain charges, in your presence, by the way,—and to remain in this apartment until further orders. There is no alternative.”
“Charges?” gasped23 Davenport Carstairs, incredulously. “What do you mean? What charges have been brought against us?”
“There is nothing against you, sir. I am instructed to exercise the greatest consideration for you. A great deal, I may add, is left to my discretion24, after all. Your wife, I am compelled to inform you, is charged with a very serious offence. In plain words, we have indisputable proof that she is and has been for several years in direct communication with the German Government through—”
“It is a damned, outrageous25 lie!” shouted Carstairs, furiously. “How dare you come here—”
“Just a moment, please,” interrupted the other sharply. “My instructions are to treat you with the utmost respect and consideration. I must ask you to accord me the same treatment. Will you send for your wife, or must I resort to the authority that—”
“For God’s sake, man,—wait! Let me get this thing through my head. I—I—-will try to control myself. There has been some terrible mistake. Let us discuss the matter calmly. I can explain everything. We must spare her the mortification26, the humiliation27 of being—Why, my dear sir, it would—kill her. She would not survive the—”
The agent held up his hand. “There is no mistake. It may be possible to spare her the disgrace, the ignominy of public exposure. That, sir, rests with her—and with you. We recognize your position, Mr. Carstairs. There is a disposition28 on the part of the authorities to protect you. With that object in view, I am instructed to grant Mrs. Carstairs the privilege of remaining in her own room until tomorrow morning. We are to take no definite action tonight, unless, of course, you and she decide that it is best for her to accompany me to the—er—to headquarters. It is up to you and Mrs. Carstairs, sir.”
Davenport Carstairs was a strong, virile29 character. He possessed the arrogance30 born of power and a confidence in himself that had never been shaken. His home was his stronghold, his wife its treasure. In his serene31 strength he could not conceive of discredit32 falling upon either. Instead of faltering33, now that the first shock had been weathered, he drew himself up and faced the situation with a courage that excited the wonder and admiration35 of the man who came with evil tidings.
“Be seated,” said he, indicating a chair. The man sat down. “You may be partially36 if not entirely37 ignorant of the nature of these charges. Am I right in assuming that you are not at liberty to discuss them with me?”
“On the contrary, Mr. Carstairs, I have been advised to do nothing until I have talked the matter over with you. I am in possession of all the facts.”
“Is the department content to allow me to pass judgment38 on my wife?” inquired Car-stairs, with a touch of irony39. He maintained a calm exterior,—at what cost no one but he will ever know. The secret service man made no response. “In any case, I shall have to ask you to explain everything to me before permitting you to approach my wife.”
The agent, who shall be called Jones, nodded his head, and then leaned forward in his chair.
“A man named Hodges was in your employ as a butler up to a fortnight ago. He had worked for you exactly seven weeks and one day. Do you know where he came from and who he really was, Mr. Carstairs?”
“No. Mrs. Carstairs engages the servants here. Are you going to tell me that he was a German spy?”
“Far from it, sir. ‘He was a British secret service agent. His name was Bridgeford. He was killed by an automobile40, but not accidentally as you have been led to believe. We have been looking for the driver of that car for two weeks. Last night we got him. He has confessed. Since six o’clock this evening three other men have been arrested,—all subordinate figures in the game. Before morning we expect to land at least one or two of the principal members of the shrewdest gang of spies operating in the name and interest of the Kaiser.”
“Including my wife,” said Carstairs, lifting his eyebrows41.
Jones allowed the remark to pass without comment.
“Bridgeford,—or Hodges, as you knew him,—was sent to this city from London. For a long time he worked independently. A few days before his death, we received instructions from Washington to get in touch with him. That was the first we knew of him, I’ll confess. The British Foreign Office advised our department that he had finally got hold of something big and tangible42. But evidently the German Foreign Office also was wise to him. He reported to us on the afternoon of the day he was killed. He said that the time was not yet ripe to take positive steps, but that he would soon have the goods on four or five prominent people. He gave us the names of these people. Two of them he was sure about, the others were in doubt. Believe me, they were prominent. We were to hold off till he said the word. That night he was killed. But they didn’t do it soon enough. We had all his data, incomplete as it was, and we’ve followed it up. That’s why I am here this evening.”
He paused; and Carstairs said, harshly: “Well, go on,—why do you hesitate?”
“We know now, beyond all possible doubt, that information of the most vital character has reached the German Admiralty and the Foreign Office through Mrs. Carstairs,” said Jones deliberately43.
“I may be pardoned if I repeat that it is a damned lie,” said Carstairs, gripping the arms of his chair.
“You have said just what you were expected to say, Mr. Carstairs. Before I have finished, however, you will realize that it is not a damned lie. I am authorized44 to exhibit certain memoranda45 from the Department. You will then agree with us that the information came from this house,—from this apartment, in fact.”
“In the light of what happened last night, I may go so far as to concede that such may have been the case. Permit me to remind you of the suicide of Captain—”
He broke off abruptly, struck by the expression in the other’s face. Jones shook his head slowly. There was genuine distress in his voice when he spoke21.
“Captain Steele was murdered, Mr. Carstairs,” he said. “He did not kill himself.” Carstairs sprang to his feet. For an instant a flash of joy transfigured his face.
0169
“By ‘gad, I knew it,—I knew it! I would have staked my soul on that boy’s honour. Murdered? My God! And for what hellish purpose is his name blackened by the foul46 reports given to the press by your—”
“A very grave injustice47 has been done an honourable48 gentleman,” interrupted Jones, with real feeling. “Captain Steele was murdered by assassins in the employ of persons connected with the German Government. When I have finished my story,—I shall make it brief,—you will understand that, far from being a traitor49 to his country, Derrol Steele was a patriot50 who would not have hesitated to denounce—” He withheld51 the words that rose to his lips in vindication52 of the maligned53 officer. “A careful search of his rooms today resulted in the discovery of a document in his own handwriting, written after he left your apartment last night, and put under lock and key some time prior to the arrival of the assassins. I have a copy of it with me. You will observe that he does not make definite accusations54 against any one, and that he employs initials only in designating the persons involved. He goes no farther than to express his own misgivings55, his suspicions and certain observations that prove how keenly alive he was to the—real situation. Sit down, Mr. Carstairs, and look over these papers. Begin here, sir,—with the data obtained by the man you knew as Hodges. I beg to assure you, in advance, that my superiors entertain no thought that you were at any time cognizant of what has been going on in your own home, and there is the profoundest desire on their part to spare you—”
“Enough, sir! Let me see the papers.”
“Just a moment, please. There is one gap in the sequence of events leading up to the death of Captain Steele. We are confident that the leaders of this great conspiracy56 were warned late last night that Captain Steele suspected a certain person, but we have been unable to discover by what means, or through whom, this warning was delivered. The men under arrest, with the exception of the chauffeur57, absolutely refuse to make a statement of any kind, and he, we are confident, does not know who the go-between was. All he knows,—or thinks, at least,—is that he and his pals58 were double-crossed last night by—well, by Mrs. Carstairs.”
Davenport Carstairs read the papers placed in his hands by the Secret Service man. One by one, they fell from his stiff, trembling fingers, fluttering to the floor, each in its succeeding turn. At the end, he looked not into Jones’s eyes, but past them, and from his own the light was gone.
“Will you ask your wife to come in now, Mr. Carstairs?” said Jones, a trifle unsteadily.
Carstairs stared at him for a moment, unseeingly. Then he passed his hand over his eyes as if to clear them of something revolting. The moment was tense, spasmodic, prophetic of approaching collapse59. The strength and courage and confidence of the man had sustained a shock that made ruin of them all. He wondered dumbly whether he would ever have the power and the desire to lift his head again and look into the eye of this man who sat there with him. The whole fabric60 of existence was torn to shreds61 by the merciless revelations contained in the papers he had read with the steel in his heart. They were complete, irrefutable indictments62. There was no such thing as going behind them. Steele’s blighting63 conjectures64 suddenly became truths of the most appalling65 nature; the astonishing record of Hodges the butler laid bare a multitude of secrets; the brief, almost laconic66 summing-up of facts in the possession of the Department took the heart out of his body and scorched67 it with conviction,—for he knew that the Secret Eye had looked into the very soul of the woman he loved and cherished and trusted....
“If you do not object, I will speak with her—alone,” said he, lifelessly. He struggled to his feet, and, by the mightiest68 effort of the will, lifted his head and fixed69 his haggard eyes upon the face of the man who had cast the bomb at his feet:—a far more potent70 agent of destruction than any that Germany herself had ever hurled71! It was to destroy heaven and earth for him.
Jones, cleared his throat. “That is for you to decide, Mr. Carstairs,” he said, and there was something significant in his voice and manner. “Will you take these documents—”
“No. I do not wish her to see them. Be good enough to step into the drawing-room,—and wait. This way—through this door. And please call your companion. It is not necessary for him to stand guard over her. You have my word that she shall not escape.”
“We are to respect your wishes in every particular, Mr. Carstairs. The authorities appreciate your position. It is their desire to spare you, if possible, the disgrace, the pain—” He stopped.
“I think I understand,” said Davenport Car-stairs slowly. A moment later he was alone.
Presently he unlocked and opened a small drawer in his desk. He took out something that glittered, examined it carefully, and then stuck it into his coat pocket. His jaws72 were set; in his eyes lay the hard, cold light of steel.
He did not falter34.
She had not been fair with him, but he would be fair with her. He would stand by her to the end.... She should have her chance. He would see to it that the newspapers,—and the world,—dealt kindly73 with her. He had loved her.
If possible, he would see to it that he was the only one in all the world to hate her.
He went to her room.
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1
overture
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| n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉 | |
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2
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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3
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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4
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dwindled
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| v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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7
jumble
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| vt.使混乱，混杂；n.混乱；杂乱的一堆 | |
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8
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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9
blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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10
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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11
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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13
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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14
sprightliness
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| n.愉快，快活 | |
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15
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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16
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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17
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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19
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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20
blotches
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| n.（皮肤上的）红斑，疹块( blotch的名词复数 )；大滴 [大片]（墨水或颜色的）污渍 | |
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21
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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22
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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23
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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24
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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26
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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27
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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28
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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29
virile
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| adj.男性的；有男性生殖力的；有男子气概的；强有力的 | |
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arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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31
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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32
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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33
faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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falter
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| vi.(嗓音)颤抖，结巴地说；犹豫；蹒跚 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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39
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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40
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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41
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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42
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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43
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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44
authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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45
memoranda
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| n. 备忘录, 便条 名词memorandum的复数形式 | |
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46
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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47
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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48
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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49
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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50
patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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51
withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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52
vindication
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| n.洗冤，证实 | |
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53
maligned
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| vt.污蔑，诽谤（malign的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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54
accusations
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| n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名 | |
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55
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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56
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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57
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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58
pals
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| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
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59
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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60
fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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61
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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62
indictments
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| n.（制度、社会等的）衰败迹象( indictment的名词复数 )；刑事起诉书；公诉书；控告 | |
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blighting
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| 使凋萎( blight的现在分词 )； 使颓丧； 损害； 妨害 | |
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conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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65
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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66
laconic
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| adj.简洁的；精练的 | |
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67
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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68
mightiest
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| adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 )；巨大的；强有力的；浩瀚的 | |
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69
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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71
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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73
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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