"It may go hard with all of you," replied Donaldson significantly. "But you 've another chance yet; the boy is back here somewhere. Find him within twenty-four hours and I'll help you with Saul."
"He clome black?" exclaimed Chung.
"Sometime early this morning."
If the boy was in the neighborhood, Chung asserted eagerly, he would find him within an hour or hang the cursed-of-his-ancestors, Tung, by his pigtail from his own window.
"Which is better than being locked up in jail. Are you children," Donaldson exploded, "that you can be duped like that?"
Chung appeared worried. But his slant7 eyes contracted until scarcely more than the eye-lashes were revealed. However inactive he may have been up to now, Donaldson knew that an end had come to his sluggishness8. When Chung left the room there was determination in every wrinkle of his loose embroidered9 blouse.
So there were some nooks in Chinatown, mused10 Donaldson, that even Saul did not know. The longer he sat there, the more indignant he became at the treachery of this moon-faced traitor11 who was indirectly12 responsible for the nightmare through which the girl had passed. Yet, as he realized, no more responsible than he himself. He had been a thousand times more unfaithful to the girl than Tung had been to Saul.
Chung returned with a brew13 of his finest tea. He was loquacious14. He tried one subject after another, interjecting protestations of his friendship for Saul. Donaldson heard nothing but the even voice and the sibilant dialect. He seemed chained to that one torturing picture. Even the prospect15 of finding the boy and so ending the suspense16 which had battered17 Miss Arsdale's nerves for so long brought little relief. He never could be needed again as he had been needed then. He might even have been able to detain Arsdale and so have avoided this present crisis. He felt all the pangs18 of an honest sentry19 who, asleep at his post, awakes to the fact that the enemy has slipped by him in the night.
It was well within the hour when Chung's lieutenant glided20 in with a message that brought a suave21 smile to the face of his master.
"Allee light," he announced, beaming upon Donaldson. "Gellelum dlownslairs."
"You've found him!"
"In callage," nodded Chung, with the genial22 air of a clergyman after completing a marriage ceremony.
Donaldson reached the carriage before Chung had descended23 the first half-dozen steps. He opened the door and saw a limp, unkempt form sprawled24 upon the seat. He recognized it instantly as Arsdale. But the man was in no condition to be carried home. He must take him somewhere and watch over him until he was in a more presentable shape. But one place suggested itself,—his own apartments.
Donaldson paused. He must take this bedraggled, disheveled remnant of a man to the rooms which stood for rich cleanliness. He must soil the nice spotlessness of the retreat for which he had paid so dearly. In view of the little he had so far enjoyed of his costly25 privileges, this last imposition seemed like a grim joke.
"To the Waldorf," he ordered the driver with a smile.
He himself climbed up on the box where he could find fresh air. At the hotel he bribed26 a bellboy to help him with the man to his room by way of the servant's entrance. Then he telephoned for the hotel physician, Dr. Seton.
Before the doctor arrived Donaldson managed to strip the clothes from the senseless man and to roll him into bed. Then he sat down in a chair and stared at him.
"It's an opium27 jag," he explained, as soon as Dr. Seton came in, "but that is n't the worst feature of it. I 'm tied here to him until he comes to. I can't tell you how valuable my time is to me. I want you to take the most heroic measures to get him out of it as soon as possible."
"Very well, we 'll clear his system of the poison. But we can't be too violent. We must save his nerves."
"Damn his nerves," Donaldson exclaimed. "He doesn't deserve nerves."
The doctor glanced sharply from his patient to Donaldson himself. He noted28 the latter's pupils, his tense lips, his tightened29 fingers. He had jumped at the word poison, like a murderer at the word police.
"See here," he demanded, "you have n't any of this stuff in you, have you?"
"No," answered Donaldson, calmly.
"Anything else the matter with you?"
"Nothing but nervousness, I guess. I 've been under something of a strain recently."
Donaldson turned away. He was afraid of the keen eyes of this man. Barstow had not experimented very long with the stuff; perhaps, after all, it did produce symptoms. But he reassured30 himself the next minute, remembering that the drug was unknown. Barstow had not revealed his discovery to any one. If he showed a dozen symptoms they would be unrecognizable.
The doctor dropped his questioning and turned to his patient. He subjected the man to the stomach-pump and hot baths. Donaldson assisted and watched every detail of the vigorous treatment with increasing interest. At the end of two hours Arsdale was allowed to sleep.
Seton put on his coat and wrote out instructions for the further care of the man. But before leaving he again turned his shrewd eyes upon Donaldson himself.
"My boy," he said kindly31, "you ought to pay some attention to your own health. I hate to see a man of your age go to pieces."
He squinted32 curiously33 at Donaldson's eyes. The latter withdrew a little.
"What makes you think there is anything wrong with me?" he asked.
"Your eyes for one thing," he answered.
"Nonsense. If I need anything, its only a good sweating, such as you gave Arsdale."
"There are some poisons not so easily sweated out."
Donaldson hesitated. While watching this man at work upon the boy, he had felt a temptation which was now burning hot within him. It was possible that it was not too late even now to clean his own system of the drug he had swallowed. This man, he knew, would bring to his aid all the wisdom of medical science. Barstow may have been mistaken, although he knew the careful chemist well enough to realize this was well nigh an impossibility. The next second he held out his hand. It was steady. He smiled as he saw Seton pause a moment to note if it trembled.
"Thanks for all you 've done, doctor," he said. "Do you think I can take him home tomorrow?"
"If you follow my instructions. The boy really has a sound physique. He ought to pull out quickly."
As the door closed upon the doctor, Donaldson drew a breath of relief. Thank God he had resisted his impulse. He would keep true to his compact. He must remain true to himself. That was all that was now left. There must be no shirking—no flinching34. If he had played the fool, he must not play the coward. The subtle tempter had suggested the girl, but he realized that he had better not come to her at all than to come as one who had played unfairly with himself. To be unfaithful to the spirit of his undertaking35 would be as weak a thing as not to fulfill36 the letter of his oath. His shadowy duty to the girl would not justify37 himself in evading38 a crisis demanding his life for the life of another, nor would it vindicate39 the greater evasion40. It was a matter of honor to remain true to that which at the start had justified41 the whole hazard to him. It was this which restrained him even from learning whether or not Barstow was in town.
The man on the bed was breathing heavily, his lips moving at every breath in a way to form a grimace42. He made in this condition the whole room as tawdry as a tavern43 tap. And at the feet of this thing he was tossing his meager44 store of golden minutes.
Yet it was through this inert45 medium alone that Miss Arsdale could pay the debt to the father who had been so good to her; and it was only through this same unsightly shell that he, Donaldson, could in his turn repay his debt for the dreams she had quickened in him.
He stepped to the telephone to tell her what he could of that which he had found and done. The mere46 sound of her voice as it came over the wire brightened the room like a flood of light. The joy in it as she listened to what he had accomplished47 was payment enough for all he had sacrificed. He told her that the doctor had advised keeping the boy in for at least another day.
"Oh, but you are good!" she exclaimed. "And you will not leave him—you will guard him against running off again?"
"I shall stay here at his side until it is absolutely safe to go."
"If I could only come down!"
"But you must n't. You must stay where you are and do as you 're told."
"It will be only for to-day and to-night, won't it?"
"Probably that is all."
"That is n't very long."
"Not as time goes."
"But it will seem long."
"Will it—to you?"
He regretted the question the moment it had been uttered. But it came to his lips unbidden.
"Of course," she answered.
"It will seem very long to me," he returned slowly. "Almost a lifetime."
"Perhaps you will telephone now and then."
"Very often, if I may."
"The nurse says she 'll not allow me to answer the telephone after nine at night."
"Nine to-night is a long way off yet."
"It's only half a day."
"But that's twelve hours!"
"Do you think that long?"
"Yes. That seems a very long while to me."
"It is soon gone."
"Too soon."
"Then comes the night and then the morning and then you 'll bring him home."
"Then I 'll bring him home."
What a new meaning that word home had when it fell from her lips. What a new meaning everything had.
She turned aside to address some one in the room and then her voice came in complaint.
"The nurse is here with my medicine."
"Then close your eyes and swallow it quickly. I 'll telephone you later and inquire how it tasted."
"Thank you. Good bye."
"Good bye."
He hung up the receiver and settled down to the grim task of counting the passing minutes which were draining his life as though each minute were a drop of blood let from an artery48. And all the company he had for it was this poor devil on the bed who grimaced49 as he breathed.
He folded his arms. If this, too, was a part of the cost he must pay it like a man.
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1
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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hop
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| n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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7
slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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sluggishness
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| 不振，萧条，呆滞；惰性；滞性；惯性 | |
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embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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13
brew
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| v.酿造，调制 | |
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loquacious
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| adj.多嘴的，饶舌的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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16
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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18
pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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20
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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21
suave
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| adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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24
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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26
bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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27
opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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28
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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29
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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30
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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31
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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32
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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flinching
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
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35
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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fulfill
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| vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意 | |
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justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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38
evading
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| 逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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39
vindicate
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| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
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evasion
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| n.逃避，偷漏(税) | |
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41
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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42
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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43
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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44
meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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45
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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46
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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48
artery
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| n.干线，要道；动脉 | |
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49
grimaced
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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