Hallowell fired his pipe and held out the flaming match toward Mathison, who managed to catch the last flicker6.
[Pg 39]
They waited until Paolo, the Spanish servant, went below with the dishes. Of late they had become a little suspicious of the Spaniard. He loitered in the dining-room when there was no legitimate7 excuse.
"Well, you lucky son-of-a-gun," said Hallowell, "in a few weeks you'll be rampaging up the Main, with proper sea-boots on your feet and a drab terrier under them. Lord! how I wish I were thirty instead of forty-five! But I've walked my last bridge. This is my chart-room. Of course, if I wanted to pull a wire or two, I could get to Washington. But I've certain ideas about the navy, and I don't want them actually touched. In Washington a chap sees the seams of the service, wires, timeserving, and all that. But out here it's the fighting-machine. We can't all go potting subs, but some of us can make the potting easier."
Mathison put his hands on the other's shoulders. "Bob, you're the most lovable man God ever gave to another for a comrade. And I'm going to miss you like the devil. And more, I'm going to worry over you, you're such an infernally absent-minded dub8."
[Pg 40]
"That's a gift, that. We absent-minded dubs9 are always too busy to waste time wailing10. Lord! but this coming and going of yours has been pleasant to me! I know, sometimes I have been moody12 and grumpy; but I believe you always understood."
"Yes. A woman somewhere who wasn't worth it."
Hallowell nodded.
"And she's gone, vanished," went on Mathison.
"How do you figure that out?" asked Hallowell, curiously13.
"For some days now you have been going about with a tune14 on your lips—airs from old light operas we went to in the happy days. I've never asked questions; I'm not going to now."
"A nightmare, and I've just waked up," said Hallowell, staring at the coal in his pipe. "It wasn't natural for me to gloom. I'm cheerful by nature, the same as you. I'd tell you the whole story if I thought it worth while. Women are all right. It was my misfortune to become interested in the wrong one. I wonder if Cunningham would come up and share the place with me?"
"That's odd! This very day I tapped[Pg 41] him on the subject and he's crazy to get out here."
"That's fine! Two years, and they've been the happiest I've ever known."
"God bless you, Bob! Remember, I made no pull for this."
"You poor lubber! The whole lot of us have been watching you eat your heart out. You had to go. And they had to send you. Saturday. It's a great adventure; an adventure the moment you step on board the Nippon Maru until you march up Fifth Avenue in the Peace Parade! Funny thing. You'll get through. Feel it; one of those old wives' hunches15. Made all your plans?"
"Yes."
"How are you going to carry them?"
Mathison laughed. "Not even to you, Bob. But these little blue-prints of yours are going to Washington. Fire and water and poison gas won't stop me. This is going to be rather an unusual stunt16. The moment I land in San Francisco I shall be under the friendly shadow of the greatest organization of its kind in the world—the Secret Service. When I step from the ship I shall wear a little green ribbon; from train to train I shall wear it. I sha'n't know[Pg 42] anything about it, but those boys will have their eyes upon me. Simple; can't fail. At any time, if I'm in trouble, all I've got to do is to set up a yodel and the trouble is eliminated. On the other hand, I'm going to stay snug17 in my cabin. I'm not going to stick my head out until I step from one train to another. On board the Maru, however, I've got to depend upon myself. The thing has got about, Bob. I don't mean my end of it. It's got about that you've done a big thing. I've a strong idea that I'm being watched."
"No doubt of it. You're the only intimate friend I have. Those damned Germans! They're as thick as flies in this town. And how the devil is a man to know? Swedes, Danes, Norwegians, Finns—Teutonic, all of them. But so long as their papers are correct we can't lay a hand on them."
"When will you have the extra stuff ready?"
"To-night. I'll have it all out on old No. 9 print. And you'll carry that along with you."
"Honestly, Bob, I'm worried about that print being here in the house. I don't trust[Pg 43] Paolo. He's Spanish; and while the European Spaniard has forgotten, the Philippine Spaniard still covertly18 hates us."
"Nonsense! No. 9 is utterly19 worthless without the key-print. But if anything should happen to me before you go, don't forget that little red book in the wall safe. Morgan of the Intelligence gave me those names. They'll be worth looking at. Suspects, too clever to handle."
"To hell with the Ki!" came raucously20 from the darkened dining-room.
The two men laughed.
"You'll be taking Malachi along with you?" asked Hallowell.
"Would you like him?"
"Like him? Why, God bless you, I'd be having you to talk to, with that bird around. He's a wonder. The way he picks up things is uncanny."
"He's yours."
"Honestly? Well, by George! That's mighty21 fine of you."
"He's served his turn. He amused me when I hadn't any one to talk to. He's yours as much as mine, anyhow. He talks for you as much as he does for me. Besides, the poor little beggar hates the sea. If I[Pg 44] took him aboard the destroyer he'd break his neck trying to keep on his perch22."
"That bucks23 me up a lot, Mat. I'm very fond of that parrakeet. Going out?"
"Tailor. I'm buying a cits. Best for me to travel incog. if I can. Last fitting. I'll be back."
"Fire and water and poison gas; you'll pull through."
"You bet I will! Think of the yarn-spinning when I'm off duty! I can tell the wondering gunners that I saw the beginning of the idea, that I know the old son-of-a-gun who invented it. Nine o'clock."
"I'll be here," replied Hallowell, "waiting for you. Though I may turn in any time later than nine. So long."
Mathison went down the path. Half-way to the gate he turned and stared at the lighted windows. He could see the shadow of Hallowell's huge shoulders on the curtain. The dear old stick-in-the-mud! What would he do without some one to watch over him? He strode on, closing the gate behind him with a musical clang.
His tailoring required more time than he had made allowance for; the Chinaman hadn't made the coat-sleeves quite short[Pg 45] enough. Thus, when he stepped off the trolley-car which bisected the street less than a quarter of a mile from the villa24—a five minutes' walk, tonicky on glorious nights like this—it was nine-twenty by his wrist-watch.
He swung along with a jaunty25 stride, whistling the latest tune that had "come out," "Oh, boy, where do we go from here?" He felt like a butterfly that had just cut through its cocoon26 and found the world a pretty good place to live in. In two months' time he would have his drab little terrier under his sea-boots. But for the thought of leaving Bob behind, he would have been the happiest man on earth.
These cogitations came to an abrupt27 end. He stopped. A picture had flashed into range. A carriage, driven like mad, had swooped28 under an arc-light; and the vehicle was coming in his direction. A golden fog of dust rose up under the lamp. As there was another arc-light opposite to where he stood, Mathison decided29 to wait.
The carriage came thundering on. The driver was standing30 up. As it rattled31 past—on the two port wheels—Mathison had a glimpse of the passenger. A woman! And[Pg 46] she was holding on for dear life. He gathered one vague impression—that she was young.
"What the dickens is her hurry?" He drew his hand across his chin. "No boat or train at this hour. Drunken Tagalog, probably. Too late for me to do anything."
He continued on. He began whistling another tune. "Where's the girl for me?"
"She may pass me by and never know
She was the girl for me!"
When he reached the villa gate he looked up inquiringly. The incandescent32 lamp projecting from the keystone was out. Usually this burned until dawn. Mathison gave it a passing thought—wires burned out, probably—unlocked the gate and marched down the bamboo-lined path to the villa door. Here again he paused. No lights.
"I see. Beggar's gone to bed, and that rogue33 Paolo has sneaked34 off to a cock-fight. Bob ought to give him the boot."
He climbed the stairs silently and went to his room. He did not cross the center of the house to accomplish this; he merely followed the veranda35 corridor. He tossed his cap on the bureau, yawned luxuriously36, for he was tired, and sat down on the edge of[Pg 47] the bed to take off his shoes; but he immediately ceased all movement. The parrakeet was talking—vulgar Hindustani and equally vulgar English.
"Mat, you lubber, where's my tobacco? Chup!" Which is Hindustani for "Stop your noise!"
Mathison stared, his expression one of puzzlement. Malachi never made a racket at night unless he was profoundly disturbed. What ailed37 the bird? And where the devil was Bob? He decided to investigate.
"Mat!... Bahadur Sahib! ... Chota Malachi! ... Bounder, take that ace4 out of your sleeve!... To hell with the Ki!... Mathison, Hallowell, and Company, and be damned to you!... Malachi!" in a singular kind of wail11.
A word about this parrakeet. He was well known in Manila, at least among the younger officers in the navy and the army stationed there. Certain parrots and parrakeets talk fluently. The brain, about the size of your finger-tip, is memory in the concrete. Men of science are still pulling their beards over the talking parrot, but their phrases haven't fooled anybody; they are just as much in the dark as you and I. The birds are [Pg 48]childlike in some respects. You teach the feathered emeralds this or that; and then, some day, in trying to show them off, they confound you (and regale38 your company) by rattling39 the family skeleton. Like children, they store away a good many things not intended for their ears.
Malachi—I believe they named him after Mulvaney's elephant—had been taught many phrases which pass in wardrooms but are taboo40 in parlors41. Only, Malachi did not know it. Why men teach birds to swear I don't know, unless it be that a ribald oath uttered by innocence42 in the absolute is a man's idea of humor. Malachi's masters had taught him to memorize the names of a few cronies who occasionally dropped in for poker43 or bridge: and there was always a hilarious44 uproar45 when the bird gravely and unexpectedly demanded that So-and-so drop the ace he was hiding in his sleeve.
But he had the habit of all talking parrots, big or little, of shutting up shop for hours at a stretch and not even a plantain or a plump mangosteen would tempt46 him to break his silence. A truculent47 little green bird, no bigger than a robin48, but with the spirit of a disgruntled Bayard.
[Pg 49]
There were no doors up-stairs except to the cement shower. All the other doorways49 were hung with bead-and-bamboo curtains. Mathison parted the one which fell between the corridor and the dining-room. It tinkled50 mysteriously as it dropped behind him. Where was Bob? He listened. He could hear the parrakeet moving about in his cage. When agitated51, Malachi had a way of pulling himself up to the swing and solemnly clambering down to the perch, repeating the maneuver52 over and over.
Mathison's glance trailed to the curtain between the dining-room and the living-room. A broad band of moonshine entered through one of the windows, broke against objects, splashed the lower fringe of the curtain, and ended in a magic pool on the grass matting.
It seemed to him as if every nerve and muscle in his body winced53 and pressed back. It was almost like a physical blow. It took a full minute for the vertigo54 to pass, and when it passed it left his tongue and lips dry, his throat hot.
In the center of that magic pool of moonshine was a hand, sinisterly55 inert56.
点击
收听单词发音
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1
bucking
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| v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的现在分词 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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2
slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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3
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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5
wrestle
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| vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付 | |
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6
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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7
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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8
dub
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| vt.（以某种称号）授予，给...起绰号，复制 | |
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9
dubs
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| v.给…起绰号( dub的第三人称单数 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
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10
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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11
wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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12
moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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13
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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14
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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15
hunches
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| 预感，直觉( hunch的名词复数 ) | |
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16
stunt
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| n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长 | |
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17
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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18
covertly
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| adv.偷偷摸摸地 | |
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19
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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20
raucously
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| adv.粗声地；沙哑地 | |
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21
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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22
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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23
bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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24
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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25
jaunty
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| adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意 | |
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26
cocoon
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| n.茧 | |
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27
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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28
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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30
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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31
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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32
incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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33
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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34
sneaked
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| v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状 | |
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35
veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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36
luxuriously
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| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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37
ailed
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| v.生病( ail的过去式和过去分词 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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38
regale
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| v.取悦，款待 | |
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39
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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40
taboo
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| n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止 | |
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41
parlors
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| 客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店 | |
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42
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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43
poker
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| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
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44
hilarious
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| adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed | |
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45
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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46
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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47
truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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48
robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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49
doorways
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| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
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50
tinkled
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| （使）发出丁当声，（使）发铃铃声( tinkle的过去式和过去分词 )； 叮当响着发出，铃铃响着报出 | |
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51
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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52
maneuver
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| n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略 | |
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53
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
vertigo
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| n.眩晕 | |
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55
sinisterly
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| 不吉祥地，邪恶地 | |
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56
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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