"Surely he is not afraid of you," Jack2 whispered. "And yet I feel quite certain that your appearance frightened him terribly."
"He has good need to be afraid of me," Benin growled3. "I could hang that man--I could prove him guilty of murder. For, look: that man and myself have met in Paris. You have little notion of the extent of his crime. But he is not dead--men of that type do not die so easily. See, he is opening his eyes again."
Anstruther had struggled into an upright position, and was feebly gasping4 for water. He gave one half-frightened glance in the direction of the Frenchman, who shrugged5 his shoulders, as if to say the whole affair was no business of his.
"I shall not betray him," he whispered to Rigby. "It is a painful case, which will be no better for being dragged into the light of day. Besides, that man will be punished enough; a long term of imprisonment6 will be worse to him than hanging. He understands, now, that I am not going to betray him."
Anstruther was himself again at last. He stood rigid7 and erect8; there was the faint suggestion of a smile upon his face.
"Merely a passing weakness," he murmured. "I have to apologize to the court for the trouble I am giving. May I be allowed to make a statement?"
"It would have been far better if the statement had come through your counsel," the judge said. "I warned you from the first that you were imperiling your position by refusing to accept legal aid. If the jury find you guilty----"
"The jury may find me guilty or not," Anstruther said. "I am sufficiently10 strong a man to know when I am beaten. Therefore I do not propose to waste the time of the court by carrying my defense11 any further. I have assisted the police on many occasions; indeed, I have been a great help in bringing a number of notorious criminals to justice. But I pay the prosecution12 this compliment--never once in the whole course of my career have I worked out anything neater than the scheme which has placed me in my present position. I desire to plead guilty to the whole thing. I did conspire13 with Mr. Carrington over that bank business, and with my own hands I removed the Cellini plate to the custody14 of Carrington's private safe. I am not in the least penitent15. I am not in the least sorry for myself. In the circumstances, I would act precisely16 the same again. You may do what you like with me, and pass any sentence you think fit. I don't think there is any need for me to say more."
The speaker bowed gravely to the judge and resumed his seat, which he had asked for as a favor. Failing any reply on the part of the Crown Attorney, the judge began to sum up the case. He made no comment, but curtly17 and drily sentenced the prisoner to fourteen years' penal18 servitude. The latter rose to his feet, and intimated that he was ready. With a firm step and the faint shadow of a cynical19 smile on his lips, he walked down the steps and thus disappeared forever from the society of his fellow men. The whole thing was over now, and the dramatic trial was finished. It was, perhaps, a fitting ending to a sensational20 case, which had been full of surprises from beginning to end. In spite of it all, Jack looked grave and somewhat anxious. Now that the affair was over, he could find it in his heart to have a little pity for Anstruther.
"Why so grave and silent?" Rigby asked.
"I think you understand," Jack said quietly. "It always seems to me a sad thing to see a man of such brilliant talents in so degraded a situation. Anstruther might have done anything. With an intellect like his he might have climbed to the highest places. And yet he prefers deliberately21 to remain a criminal."
"The criminal instinct must have been always there," Benin said. "There are some men who cannot go straight, and your brilliant Anstruther is one of them."
The audience was pouring out of the court now, talking eagerly and excitedly of the events of the morning. Only a few people remained now, and, glancing indifferently over them, Jack noted22 the pale, anxious features of Carrington. The man lingered behind, as if afraid to face the open air. He shrank back shaking and despairing as Bates walked over in his direction.
"Very sorry, Mr. Carrington," said the latter, "but my duty is quite clear before me. We had our own reasons for not placing you in the dock along with your friend, because we might have had to call you as a witness. As I promised you, I will do all I can to let you down as easily as possible, but I hold a warrant for your arrest on the grounds of theft and conspiracy23, and I am bound to execute it. You will be good enough to come this way, please."
The wretched man whined24 and whimpered. But there was nothing for it now but to follow the detective, and, so far as Carrington was concerned, the story is finished. By this time Jack and his companions were in the street. They lingered there chatting together, uncertain as to what to do next, when Benin proceeded to solve the problem. He suggested the advisability of his having an interview with Lord Barmouth without delay.
"You tell me his lordship has already heard of me," he said. "After my own experiences, I can imagine what his feelings have been the last few years. I want to see him at once, and convince him that within a month he will be free to stand before his fellow men, as Ferris will be within the next few days."
Barmouth had lost no time in leaving the court directly he discovered that there would be no occasion for him to enter the witness-box.
When Jack and the others reached Belgrave Square, Barmouth had already removed the strips of plaster from his face, and was walking up and down his study with the restless air of one whose mind is ill at ease. All the same, he seemed to divine the cause of Benin's presence, for he held out his hand and smiled gratefully.
"I know you come to me in the guise25 of a friend, Doctor Benin," he said. "Is it too much to hope that you can cure me as you cured my friend Ferris?"
"There is no doubt about it whatever," the Frenchman said. "It is all a matter of an operation on the muscles of the face. You will be yourself again; even that horrible yellow tinge26 will disappear from your skin. I should like, if possible, to operate upon Seymour and yourself at the same time. I dare say you have some quiet country place that we could go to?"
There was more than one such retreat, as Barmouth proceeded to explain. They talked over the matter eagerly and earnestly for some time, until a message arrived that Mr. Anstruther earnestly desired an interview with Lord Barmouth. The latter started and shook his head. He had no disposition27 whatever to see Anstruther again. But as he thought the matter over, kindlier thoughts prevailed. After all, the man was past all power of mischief28, and despite the way in which he had carried himself off, must have felt his position most keenly. On the whole, Barmouth decided29 to go.
He found Anstruther pacing up and down his roomy cell. The man looked haggard and drawn30. Well as he had himself in hand, Anstruther's twitching31 lips betrayed his emotion.
"I dare say you wonder why I sent for you," he said. "You need not be afraid of me; they have rendered me quite harmless. They have even taken away my watch and chain and money. Why they left me this little pearl-headed scarf pin I don't know--probably they overlooked it. It is these little careless things which prevent the Force from being quite as efficient as it might be."
Anstruther smiled in a peculiar32 way as he spoke33. But Barmouth did not appear to notice. Anstruther walked up and down the cell, talking freely as he went.
"It was exceedingly good of you to come," he said, "especially as I have done you so grievous a wrong. You will be perhaps pleased to hear that all the sufferings I underwent in Mexico were wasted. I never so much as laid my hand upon an ounce of the gold for which I risked my life; indeed, at the end I just contrived34 to save my mere9 existence. When I sent for you to-day it was most sincerely to ask you to pardon me for all the harm that I have done to you and others. I was going to tell you in any case the means by which you could be restored to your normal appearance. If the case went against me to-day I had determined35 to write to you and give you the address of Doctor Benin. But when I saw him in court to-day I knew perfectly36 well that you and he had already met, and, therefore, there was no reason for me to say anything. You and I have always been antagonistic37; I do not bear you any ill will for that."
"And I can assure you that there is no ill will on my side," Barmouth replied. "Mind you, I cannot forget all the sufferings that I have undergone at your hands. It is strange what men will do when the greed for gold is upon them, and how little good does it tend to when the gold comes. Only a few hours ago I was longing38 to meet you face to face under such conditions as would render your death a secret. I would have killed you like a dog, I always meant to kill you. When I was paying blackmail39 to you under a name other than my own I was ever plotting the opportunity which would have betrayed you into my hands. I should have deemed it no crime to have rid the world of a scoundrel like yourself. And yet, as God is my witness, when I see you here like this, an outcast and a felon40, when I think of the terrible way in which your great talents have been wasted, I have nothing but pity for your lamentable41 condition."
Anstruther took a step forward, the veins42 on his forehead knotted, his hands were clenched43 in a paroxysm of passion.
"Don't talk like that," he said hoarsely44. "Don't begin to pity me, or I shall fly out and strangle you. If there was no chance of you ever being anything but what you are--I mean so far as your personal appearance is concerned--I would willingly change places with you at this moment. And I was a Nostalgo myself, and know what the punishment means. But I did not bring you here to talk entirely45 about myself. I have felt for a long time that Jack Masefield has viewed me with suspicion. Perhaps he thinks I am unaware46 of his engagement to Claire. Why, I knew every movement of his. He will be surprised to hear that I knew he was in the cupboard near Padini's room the time I was spying about there. What was I after? Well, Padini had certain papers of mine, and it was not policy to accuse him of the theft then. Just as if open-minded people like those could deceive me. I can quite forgive Masefield for his caution, but you can tell him that Claire's fortune has suffered nothing at my hands. Not that I wish to take any credit for that; it is merely that the other trustee, being a shrewd lawyer, was too clever for me. However, Claire has her two thousand a year intact, and she is free to marry Masefield when she likes.
"There is another matter of which I wish to speak to you--that is, as regards Serena. I understand that she is Lady Barmouth's sister. Well, I am glad of that, because the poor woman and her boy will have a happy home in future. I behaved abominably47 to Serena: I lied to her, I tricked and tormented48 her, so that I might get her in my power, and make use of her wonderful talents as an actress. She believed that I held her life in the hollow of my hand, and therefore she was the veriest slave to my will. But nothing wrong, Barmouth; Serena is as good and pure as your own wife. I understand that Padini has been arrested owing to his having taken a hand in that musical jugglery49 of mine.
"For Serena's sake he must be got rid of. All you have to do is to drop a line to the Director of Public Prosecutions50 in Paris, and say that Monsieur Lemarque is masquerading in London as Padini, the violinist. After that I don't think Serena will be troubled with her precious husband any more. And now I will not detain you any longer. If you will accept this pin as a souvenir I shall be glad. You see it is a small pearl on a gold wire. There is one peculiarity51 about it. The pearl is hollow, and it often occurred to me how useful it would be to conceal52 a drop or two of some virulent53 poison inside in case one fell into the hands of the authorities."
Filled with a sudden suspicion, Barmouth darted54 forward. The faint mocking smile of Anstruther's face told him as plainly as words could tell exactly what was going to happen. He reached forward and clutched Anstruther. It was too late.
"For Heaven's sake, Anstruther," Barmouth cried. "Think; pause before you do anything so rash, so blasphemous55."
"It is very good of you," Anstruther said quite coolly. "I know you mean well, but this is the way I prefer myself."
He placed the pearl within his lips, and crushed it with his teeth.
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收听单词发音
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1
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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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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3
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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conspire
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| v.密谋，（事件等）巧合，共同导致 | |
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custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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15
penitent
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| adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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penal
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| adj.刑罚的；刑法上的 | |
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19
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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24
whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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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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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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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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antagonistic
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| adj.敌对的 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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felon
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| n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的 | |
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lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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42
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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43
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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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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46
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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abominably
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| adv. 可恶地，可恨地，恶劣地 | |
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48
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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jugglery
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| n.杂耍，把戏 | |
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50
prosecutions
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| 起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事 | |
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51
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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52
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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53
virulent
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| adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的 | |
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54
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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55
blasphemous
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| adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的 | |
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