Burgo stood staring at the door without stirring for quite two minutes after the captain of the Naiad had disappeared down the staircase, his brain in such a maze1 of stupefaction and bewilderment that more than once he caught himself saying aloud, "Yes, it is really a fact that I'm awake."
Hitherto he had only been half dressed, and he now proceeded in an automatic way to finish his toilet, after which he went on to cram2 and strap3 his portmanteau so that everything might be in readiness when the promised moment of his deliverance should have arrived.
"As my old nurse used to be so fond of remarking, it never rains but it pours," he said to himself with a philosophic5 shrug6. "If I could only have foreseen what was going to happen, I might have spared myself all my drudgery8 with the file. And yet it has done me no harm. It has helped to divert my thoughts and to while away the time. Besides, had I not been seen from the yacht while at work at the window I should have been left to effect my escape alone as best I could. In any case, I shall regain9 my freedom twenty-four hours before I expected to do, which, circumstanced as I am, may prove an invaluable10 boon11. As for this remarkable12 stranger--why he should be so eager to do me a service; why he and his fellows, if they are nothing more than peaceful yachtsmen, should be going about at midnight armed to the teeth, and why, by some means at present unknown to me, they should have forced their way into the tower for no apparent purpose except that their leader might be able to satisfy an apparently13 idle curiosity--are conundrums14 all which I should be no nearer solving at the end of a year than I am now. Let us hope that my friend with the cutlass will solve them satisfactorily before we part. He said he would be back in an hour. Will he keep his promise? Yes; I have faith in him."
When all was done that there was to do, Burgo sat down and lighted a cigarette. Now that he had nothing to distract his attention he became conscious of certain vague diffused15 sounds which had not obtruded16 them selves on him before. What he heard was like a low confused murmur17 of several voices, broken now and then by the clear imperative18 ring of one voice, as though some one were giving orders to the others. Then the murmur ceased, and he heard what seemed to him like the faint plash of muffled19 oars20. Impelled21 by a vague curiosity he crossed to the window, but an unbroken pall22 of darkness was all that met his gaze. If the steam yacht were still at her moorings opposite the tower, she was apparently showing no light either fore7 or aft, which was a piece of highly culpable23 negligence24 on the part of those in command. Burgo went back to his chair more puzzled than before.
He now gave himself up to a consideration of what steps it behoved him to take first when he should have regained25 his liberty, and he had arrived at no clear decision on the point when he became once more aware of footsteps on the stairs. Then the captain of the Naiad appeared, followed by a man carrying a mat-basket containing tools of various kinds. "I have not failed to keep my promise, Mr. Brabazon," said the captain with a nod and a smile. Then to the man, "I want you to force the lock of this door, and be as handy about it as you can."
He stood aside while the man went to work, and nothing more was said. In something less than five minutes the lock was forced, and the door flung open, whereupon the man took up his bag and went.
Then the captain strode forward into the room and grasped Burgo by the hand. "Let me be the first, Mr. Brabazon, to congratulate you on the recovery of your liberty," he said.
"It is you whom I have to thank for it. Will you not let me know to whom I am so greatly indebted?"
"To be sure I will. I was just on the point of introducing myself. My name is Felix Marchment, and, as I think I have already remarked, I am, among other things, both owner and captain of the Naiad. But even now that I have told you this I suppose you are still at a loss to comprehend why I should have expressed myself as being so especially glad to have met you, and still more gratified, as I undoubtedly26 am, that it has been in my power to render you some slight service."
"A very signal service, Mr. Marchment. But, as you observe, I am still awaiting enlightenment."
"Then you shall not wait a minute longer. But what I have to say must be said quickly, for to-night I have serious business on hand. Even now the Naiad is getting up steam, and with the first streak27 of daylight we shall trip anchor and away."
He drew a chair up and seated himself astride it, while Burgo perched himself on a corner of the table.
"You must know, then," resumed Marchment, "that your father and mine were midshipmen together on board the Arcturus, and that it was young Mr. Brabazon's good fortune to save my dad's life, or my dad's good fortune to have his life saved by him; put it which way you like. Anyhow, it was a very heroic action. My dad, who couldn't swim a stroke, had fallen overboard while carrying out some orders aloft, and your dad at once plunged28 after him, although the water was known to be swarming29 with sharks, and succeeded in keeping him afloat till a boat's crew picked them both up. A few months afterwards, when the ship was paid off, the two middies parted, never to meet again. But my father, sir, was a man who never forgot an obligation--in that respect, I am sorry to say, hardly resembling the majority of his fellows--and I have often heard him express his regret that in the chances and changes of life he should have so wholly lost sight of his preserver."
"My father, Mr. Marchment, died while still quite a young man."
Marchment bowed gravely. "In that case one can understand how it was they never met again. But even when on his deathbed my father did not forget what he owed to Lieutenant30 Brabazon (as he had become when he last heard of him), and he laid it on me as a sacred charge that, should I ever find myself face to face with him, or any of his kin4, and should it be in my power to do him, or them, a service of any kind, no matter at what cost to myself, I should not fail to do it. His words have lived in my memory, and to-day, by rare good luck, I have been enabled to repay to the son some small portion of the debt originally owing to the father."
He paused for a moment while he looked at his watch.
"And now, Mr. Brabazon, I have said my say. The door is open, and you are a free man. But before we part, tell me frankly31 whether there is anything more I can do for you. If there is, you may command me to the full extent of my ability. The circumstances under which I find you here are exceptional, to say the least"--this with a frank smile--"consequently, without the slightest hankering to pry32 into matters which do not concern me, I may perhaps be allowed to say Me voici à votre service, cher monsieur!"
Few people could have helped being touched by an offer so frankly and spontaneously tendered, and Burgo was not one of those few.
"Mr. Marchment, for what you have already done for me I thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said in a tone which carried conviction with it. "But whether you can help me further is another matter, and one which it will rest with yourself to determine when you have been told to what circumstances I owe my enforced detention33 in this place. I don't forget that your time is precious, and three or four minutes will suffice for what I have to say."
"My best attention is yours, Mr. Brabazon."
"Again, thanks. In the first place, then, you must know that Sir Everard Clinton, the owner of this tower and of the house known as Garion Keep, which stands some threescore yards away from it, and between which and it there is an underground communication, is my uncle. He came from London to the Keep several weeks ago--he and his wife, the latter being an Italian by birth and a woman half his own age. Unknown to either, I followed them, somewhat later, and took up my quarters in the village. I had very cogent34 reasons for believing that my uncle was being slowly done to death, and my object was to rescue him from the hands of those in whose power he was. Only by stratagem35 could this be effected, because the evidence in my possession was not of a kind which admitted of my invoking36 the aid of the law. But before I could do anything my presence in the village was discovered, and one night I was murderously set upon, struck down, and brought here in a state of unconsciousness. Here I have been ever since, and no doubt the intention was to keep me under lock and key till the last act of the tragedy should have been consummated37. But a certain person came to my help, who supplied me with a couple of files and a length of rope to enable me to effect my escape by way of the window; while, by means of a stratagem, Lady Clinton was temporarily got rid of. My hope was that to-morrow night would see me at liberty, when I should at once make my way to my uncle, explain to him for what purpose I was there, and induce him to leave the Keep with me before his wife's return. That once accomplished39, I felt sure we should be able to set Lady Clinton at defiance40, and--and in short, my dear old uncle would have been rescued from the jaws41 of death."
"And you had planned to carry this out in the course of to-morrow night?"
"I had."
"Well, and now that you find yourself at liberty twenty-four hours before you expected----?"
"I shall do--or attempt to do--to-night what I should otherwise have been obliged to defer42 till to-morrow night."
"Can I assist you in any way to carry out your scheme?--although, as I have already remarked, the time at my command is limited."
"If you can let me have a couple of your fellows to help me while I get my uncle out of the house, I shall be grateful. There is a truculent43 fellow there, Lady Clinton's brother, who will be pretty sure to give some trouble, and he has a couple of ferocious44 brutes45 of dogs. Then there is Vallance, my uncle's valet, who----"
"My dear Brabazon, not another word. I will go with you myself and take four of my men, all well armed. Allons. We have no time to lose." He stepped to the door, and was in the act of putting a whistle to his lips when an exclamation46 on Burgo's part arrested him.
"Good heavens!" cried the latter as he smote47 his forehead with his open palm; "what can I have been thinking of? My uncle is an all but helpless invalid48. Even when I shall have succeeded in getting him out of the house, what then? He is unable to walk more than a dozen yards, and at this hour of the morning, and in this lonely corner of the world there will be no possibility of obtaining a conveyance49 of any kind. Had it been to-morrow night I should have had my arrangements made beforehand."
His intention had been to let himself down from the window of the tower as soon as his supper had been brought him, to make his way to Crag End, enlist50 the services of Tyson, and through him obtain the loan of a vehicle of some kind; hurry back to the Keep, and, a little later, drive away in triumph with his uncle, with, perchance (oh, blissful possibility!), Dacia Roylance to make up a happy trio. But to-night, without any vehicle to which to transfer the sick man, with Dacia unadvised of what had happened within the last couple of hours, and with the Keep shut up back and front, and all its inmates51 abed, it was a wholly different matter. Burgo was utterly52 nonplussed53.
"Then I seem to have done you an ill turn rather than a good one," said Mr. Marchment, but still quite pleasantly. "Is there no way in which I can remedy it? You can't very well stay here till to-morrow night, because my rascals54 have broken open the door, and been guilty of some further trifling55 damage downstairs, which cannot fail to be discovered in the course of the next few hours."
"No, most certainly I will stay here no longer than I can help," answered Burgo. "Instead of waiting till to-morrow night before attempting to see my uncle--when some one would have been prepared to admit me to the house unknown to the rest of the inmates--I will make a bold dash about breakfast-time to-morrow or rather, to-day, for we are now in the small hours--and try whether I can't effect my purpose by a coup38 de main."
Somehow, he was unable to divest56 himself of an uncomfortable notion that Lady Clinton might return unexpectedly at any moment, and he was determined57, now the opportunity had come to him, to lose no time before making his grand attempt.
Marchment took a turn across the floor and back.
Then taking Burgo by the lapel of his coat, and looking him straight between the eyes, he said: "I suppose that neither you nor your uncle would object to a short voyage in my yacht if you and I together could succeed in getting Sir Everard clear away?"
The question almost took Burgo's breath. He stared, but for the moment words refused to come.
"I can read in your face that I have found a way out of the difficulty," laughed Marchment. "And now every minute is precious."
This time he blew his whistle, but by no means shrilly58. It was responded to so promptly59 that Burgo could only conclude the man had been in waiting at the foot of the stairs.
"Take this portmanteau and have it put into the boat," said Marchment. Then turning to Burgo: "One last word, my dear Brabazon," he went on, with a sudden added gravity of tone and manner. "You will probably have gathered from what I have let fall already that my errand here is of a somewhat peculiar60 kind; indeed, I may add that it is of a very serious kind, and not without a spice of danger. But when I have told you that, I have told you as much as it is good for you to know, and as much as I am at liberty to reveal. Anything out of the ordinary which may come under your notice while you and I are together, I must ask you to see, as the children say, with your eyes shut, and to forget as quickly as possible. In acting61 as I have decided62 to do, I feel assured that I am running no risk whatever, because I am trusting myself into the hands of a man of honour, and not myself alone, but interests which are dearer to me than life. And now that we understand each other, no more need be said."
Burgo held out his hand, which the other gripped.
"My dear Marchment, you have my word of honour that whatever I may chance to see or hear while with you will be as sacred as if it were confided63 to the dead."
"I feel sure of it. Let us go."
As Burgo glanced for the last time round the room which had been his prison for so many days and nights, a sigh sprang involuntarily to his lips. He felt that for long to come he should revisit it in his dreams. For him it would ever be haunted with memories--some of them unspeakably precious, others very much the reverse.
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1
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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cram
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| v.填塞，塞满，临时抱佛脚，为考试而学习 | |
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strap
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| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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philosophic
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| adj.哲学的，贤明的 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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7
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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drudgery
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| n.苦工，重活，单调乏味的工作 | |
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9
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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10
invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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conundrums
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| n.谜，猜不透的难题，难答的问题( conundrum的名词复数 ) | |
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15
diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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obtruded
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| v.强行向前，强行，强迫( obtrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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19
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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20
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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23
culpable
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| adj.有罪的，该受谴责的 | |
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negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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25
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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28
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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29
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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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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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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33
detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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cogent
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| adj.强有力的，有说服力的 | |
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35
stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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36
invoking
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| v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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consummated
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| v.使结束( consummate的过去式和过去分词 )；使完美；完婚；（婚礼后的）圆房 | |
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38
coup
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| n.政变；突然而成功的行动 | |
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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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40
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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41
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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42
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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43
truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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44
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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45
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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46
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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47
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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48
invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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49
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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50
enlist
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| vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍 | |
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51
inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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52
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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53
nonplussed
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| adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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55
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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56
divest
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| v.脱去，剥除 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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58
shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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60
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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61
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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62
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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63
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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