"Provided that we have the money to carry it out," the man behind the lantern grunted4. "Don't forget that. Clever as you are, you can't make money by merely holding up your little finger. You promised us a thousand pounds when we had finished our part of the bargain, and that was completed a month ago. Of course, you have got the cash in your pocket?"
A frown of annoyance6 crossed Anstruther's face. There was a clenching7 of his hands not unlike that depicted8 by the poster of the mysterious Nostalgo; he made a half step forward; then he seemed to get himself in hand again, and smiled carelessly. "As a matter of fact, I have not the money in my pocket. Things are not going quite as well lately as I could have wished, but it is only a matter of a day or two anyway; nay9, it is only a matter of hours. Is the woman here?"
The man behind the lantern sulkily declared that he knew nothing about the woman, and cared less. He asked pointedly10 whether they were to expect Mr. Carrington that evening, and, if so, whether his visit was likely to be attended with substantial results.
"I tell you I don't know," Anstruther said angrily. "I told him to be here at eleven o'clock, but I suppose he has funked it. But the woman is a very different matter. Jacob, go into the back room and bring her in here."
"Not I," the man addressed as Jacob replied. "I don't forget the last time we met. She may be milk and honey to you, but she is prussic acid as far as I am concerned."
Anstruther stepped to the doorway11 and whistled softly. It might have been a call given to a well-broken dog, so careless and contemptuous was it. Indeed, Anstruther did not wait to see the result of his summons, but returned to the room with the easy assurance of a man who knows that his lightest call will be obeyed.
Almost immediately the two watchers standing13 on the landing were conscious of a shadowy form passing close to them. They had no time to shrink back, they had not even time for surprise, when a light hand was laid on the arm of each and an eager voice began to whisper in their ears.
"Rash to the verge14 of madness," the melancholy15 voice said sadly. "I warned you not to come--I implored16 you not to take a hand in this business. I could have settled it all for you if you had left it all to me; but youth ever will be served. Won't you go away even now and leave it all to me?"
There was something so pitifully imploring18 in the speech that the listeners thrilled in sympathy. From the first word they had no difficulty in guessing the identity of the speaker. It was none other than Serena who was addressing them in those despairing accents.
"I am afraid you are too late, Serena," Jack19 said. "Besides, we have some one else to consider in the business. It is possible that your efforts may be successful as far as we are concerned; but we have discovered to-night that Anstruther is plotting against the happiness of many people who are as innocent as ourselves. I tell you, we must see this thing through now. But why stay here, why linger, when your tardiness20 is likely to increase our trouble?"
At this point Anstruther advanced towards the door and whistled again, this time more sharply. With a sigh of deep regret Serena walked forward and entered the room. In the bright light of the apartment her face looked paler and more dejected than usual. Though Jack had seen for himself the volcano of passion and emotion of which Serena was capable when not under the influence of her employer, he could not fail to notice how tame and frightened she appeared to be now. It was as if Anstruther possessed21 something like a power over her. Her dark eyes seemed mechanically to follow his every movement; he had only to raise his hand and her look followed it.
"So you have come at last," Anstruther said. "How long have you been in the house?"
"I came as soon as you told me, master," Serena murmured, like one who talks in her sleep. All will power seemed to have gone out of her for the moment. "What would you have of me to-night?"
Anstruther replied harshly that Serena must know perfectly22 well what was required of her. Nevertheless he proceeded to detail his instructions, which were still unfinished when another footstep was heard upon the stairs and a newcomer entered. The two watchers outside were not in the least surprised at the pale, somewhat conceited23 features of the violinist Padini; indeed, they were past all surprises now. Padini had bowed with an air of exaggerated politeness to Serena.
"Ha, ha, my coy fascinator," he cried, "so I am not to be deprived of the pleasure of your company. I am not likely to soon forget the enchanting24 evening we spent together chez Carrington. I am sorry to be late, Anstruther, but the fact is, your English audiences are not so cold as I had first imagined. Positively25 they would not let me off with less than four encores. Ma foi,you must have had the full value of your money in your chamber26 music to-night. A rare treat for Miss Helmsley; doubtless she has noticed the marvelous improvement made by her guardian27 in his playing of late."
The violinist chuckled28 as if in the enjoyment29 of an exquisite30 joke. Serena flashed him a glance of bitter hatred31 and contempt.
"I should like to know the meaning of this," Rigby whispered. "I suppose it refers in some way to the mysterious music which you told me about last night. Do you think it possible that Serena could enlighten us on this point as she appears to know all about it? If not, why does she look at Padini in that scornful way?"
Any further signs of enjoyment on the part of Padini were cut short by an impatient oath from Anstruther.
"That is mere5 child's play," he exclaimed. "Very clever and all that kind of thing, but an intelligent schoolboy might have done as well."
Jack intimated in a whisper to Rigby that he himself stood in the position of the said intelligent schoolboy. He had a pretty shrewd idea how the thing had been managed, and to what purpose; but there would be time enough to explain all that presently. What they had to do now was to stay as long as possible, and gather all they could from a careful study of the proceedings32 taking place in the room. It was Anstruther who first broke the silence.
"Are we going to stand fooling here all night?" he exclaimed angrily. "Padini, get that exaggerated fur coat of yours off, and make yourself up to look like an English gentleman as far as possible. You will find everything necessary in the room at the back of the house. The same remark applies to you, Serena. My word! To think that a woman so pale, so haggard, as you are now can make up to look like eighteen and possess the beauty of Diana! What a pity it was you ever left the stage!"
The woman's face flushed angrily. There was a nervous tension about her to-night that Anstruther had never noticed before. Was she going to be defiant33? he asked. Did she understand what she was doing when she proposed to measure her strength against his? But the flame still raged on Serena's hot cheeks, and her lips were still hard and mutinous34.
"Take care you do not drive me too far," she whispered hoarsely35. "A cat is a harmless creature enough, but I read once of a cat that turned upon a man and killed him. You dare to taunt36 me with my past. When I think of what that past might have been but for you, I declare that I could find it in my heart to kill you. I am so weak and timid, you are so strong and brave; and yet even you must sleep at times, and a man asleep is as harmless as a babe. A spot of gray powder, a drop of liquid no larger than a pin's point placed between your teeth, and the career of Spencer Anstruther is finished."
The words were uttered with such dramatic force and intensity37 that even Anstruther refrained from smiling. It seemed to the listeners outside that here was a great genius lost to the stage.
"I should not care to encounter that woman's hostility," Rigby murmured. "Look at the intense expression of her face. But, really, I hope she is not going to defy him to-night. If she does we are likely to have trouble for our pains."
But Serena's outbreak of passionate38 anger was over as swiftly as an April shower. She looked up in the face of her master as a dog might do that had been convicted of theft. Anstruther smiled with the air of a man who merely tolerates a passing anger of a fellow creature. It was as if he had caged this woman so that he could watch her passions and emotions as a naturalist39 studies the habits and ways of loathsome40 insects.
"I suppose you must give vent41 to your feelings sometimes," he said. "And now that you have had a little fling we had better get on with our business. You will go with Padini to-night to----"
"No, no!" Serena cried. "I implore17 you to spare me that humiliation42 again. What have I done that I should have to endure all this--what can be possibly gained by it?"
For the first time Anstruther displayed real signs of anger. "Now, listen to me," he said. "Once for all, I tell you not to speak to me like this again. Do you think I have studied you all these years for nothing? Do you suppose I do not know how disloyal you are in your heart towards me? There is one class of woman who has to be ruled by fear alone, and you are one of them. You will do to-night what I ask you, not merely to-night, but by months and years, in and out, it will be for me to order and you to obey. And, whilst we are on the subject you are to say nothing further than you have already said to Mr. Masefield. You understand what I mean?"
It was quite evident that Serena understood the full significance of Anstruther's speech. Pale as her face had been before, it turned now to a still more deathly pallor. She essayed to speak, but her lips refused the office.
"I don't quite follow you," she managed to stammer43 out at length. "If you accuse me of disloyalty----"
Anstruther intimated that that was exactly what he did mean. It was rather an uncomfortable moment for Jack, listening there. He was beginning to fully1 realize the marvelous cunning of the man with whom he had to deal. He wondered how it was possible for Anstruther to discover the gist44 of his conversation with Serena that afternoon. He was saying something of this in a whisper to Rigby when Padini returned to the room. The violinist was dressed now exactly as he had been attired45 two nights before when Jack had seen him at Carrington's chambers46. His jaunty47 air for the moment had vanished; he looked suspicious and uneasy. Anstruther's keen eye noticed this as it noticed everything.
"Now, what's the matter?" he asked. "Have you seen a ghost or something equally terrible?"
"No, I haven't," Padini replied sulkily. "But lam pretty sure there is somebody in the house. I am ready to swear that I saw the shadow of a man moving on the landing outside."
With a contemptuous smile Anstruther walked towards the door. There was perhaps no immediate12 danger for the listeners, seeing that Anstruther evidently attached no importance to Padini's statement; but it was just as well to be on the safe side. Rigby slipped quietly into a doorway leading to a bedroom and dragged Jack in after him. Then he closed the door very gently and waited for further developments. He had not long to wait, for almost immediately there was a click of the latch48, and Anstruther's receding49 footsteps melted into silence.
"Well, that sets your mind at ease," Anstruther was heard to say. "If there are any birds here, I have them safely caged."
With a feeling of apprehension50, Rigby laid his hand on the door-knob. His worst fears were absolutely realized. He and Jack had been locked in the room.
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1
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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avenging
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| adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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9
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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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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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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tardiness
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| n.缓慢；迟延；拖拉 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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conceited
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| adj.自负的，骄傲自满的 | |
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enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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mutinous
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| adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变 | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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38
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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naturalist
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| n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者) | |
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loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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41
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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42
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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stammer
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| n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说 | |
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gist
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| n.要旨；梗概 | |
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45
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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47
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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48
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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49
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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50
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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