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首页 » 英文短篇小说 » The Traitor » BOOK III—PRISONER AND TRAITOR CHAPTER I—THE ARREST
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BOOK III—PRISONER AND TRAITOR CHAPTER I—THE ARREST
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THE news of the arrival of the regiment1 of cavalry2, and the swift silent way in which they had struck their first blow, brought to John Graham at once a sharp realisation of the danger of his men.

Releasing Stella, he turned to the white figures gathered in an excited group and in short sharp accents said:

“I thank you boys for your kindness in coming to the little masquerade we had prepared to celebrate the announcement of my engagement to the woman who is the queen of my heart. Sorry the Yanks have interrupted us. Get home as fast as your horses can carry you. Burn your costumes the minute you reach a safe place. Hide them under your saddles as usual until you can burn them. Leave one at a time and go home by unused roads if possible. And listen—every man of you who can, should leave the state in twenty-four hours and stay until the trouble blows over.”

“What are you goin’ to do?” asked a tall masked figure.

“Don’t worry, Dan. I’ll look out for myself. You boys do the same and do it quick.”

“We’ll stan’ by you if ye give the word,” persisted Dan.

John left Stella’s side, stepped to the men and growled4:

“I’ve given the word. Run, and run like hell!”

“We don’t like the orders, Chief, but orders is orders—git boys!”

The men quickly disappeared, and John took Stella’s hand:

“Come, dearest, we must go.”

“Yes,” she answered, timidly clinging to his arm and holding him back.

“We must hurry,” he urged.

“I won’t hurry,” she said with tender wilfulness5.

“When a woman won’t, she won’t,” John laughed.

She gently stroked his hand and slowly slipped her arm in his as she allowed him to lead her out into the moonlight beside the white silent pillars.

“Wait here until I bring the horses,” John said, gently disengaging his arm.

Stella clung to him firmly.

“No, don’t go yet. Why hurry? Let them wait. I wish to be alone with you for a while here on this beautiful spot. It’s all so new and wonderful. This knowing that I love and am loved! I’ve just begun to live the past hour. I’m afraid to go back to the world.”

“I must face some stern realities to-night. But you love me. That’s the only thing of any importance. What do jails matter? They can only imprison6 the body—my soul will follow you, hover7 about you, laugh and cry with you day and night, waking or dreaming.”

“They won’t put you in jail to-night, dear?” she asked, piteously.

“Yes.”

“Then you shall not give yourself up to them! You’ll let me have my own way now that you know that I love you, won’t you, John dear? There! I’ve called your name for the first time—haven’t I?—I love your name!—You’re not going to give up to them—are you?”

“I see no other way, dearest.”

“You told your men to fly. Our horses are fresh. We can put miles between us and these troops before day. I’ll go with you, just as I am in this riding habit—no matter—I’ll get a dress somewhere when you’re out of danger.”

He slipped his arm about her, bent8 his tall form, and stopped her with a kiss.

“How sweet to hear you talk this beautiful nonsense!”

“I mean it,” she hurried on earnestly. “We must leave to-night, I don’t know what they may do to you. Something terrible—maybe—I can’t think of it! Something may happen to separate us. I want to feel your hand clasping mine like this forever!”

He answered by crushing the little hand in his.

“You won’t go back and let them arrest you, will you, John?” she pleaded, a sob9 catching10 her voice.

He was silent and a smile played about his mouth.

“Answer me, John dear! You must do as I say because life is too sweet and beautiful to lose it! You will leave if I go with you—won’t you? My whim11 you said should be your law. This is my whim, my heart’s desire. Get the horses now, and we’ll make them fly as far from Independence to-night as their heels can carry us! You’ll do this because I ask it—won’t you, darling?”

The little head began to droop12, the voice broke, and she lay sobbing13 in his arms.

He held her close for a moment.

“You know this is impossible, dear!”—he said tenderly.

“Yes, I know!” she sobbed14.

“My business is to save others now.”

“At least, you’ll go by the house and stay with me a little while?”

“They’ll think I’m hiding.”

“Who cares what they think? I can’t go home alone, can I?”

“Of course, I’ll stop a moment. And now we must hurry.”

He brought the horses and they galloped15 back to town in silence. Along a dark rough place of the road, they slowed down to a walk, and his hand sought hers.

“What a strange ending to the most wonderful day of my life!” she suddenly cried with passionate16 tenderness.

“Why strange?” he asked. “I never had a doubt that you would love me. It was written in the Book of Life.”

“But I didn’t know it until to-night.”

“Tell me, dear,” he pleaded; “what sudden flash revealed the truth?”

“Don’t ask me!” she said with a shiver. “I’ll tell you some day.”

“Why not now? This has been a wonderful day for me. I shall never live its like again. I heard for the first time the one woman I love, the only woman I ever loved, the one woman I shall love forever, speak the sweetest words that ever fell from human lips.”

“I love you—I love you!” she softly repeated.

“But tell me how you came to know it to-day?” he urged.

“It’s a secret—one I fear that will give me many an hour of anguish18. I’ll tell you, dear—but not now.

“I’ll share it with you when you’ll let me.”

“Not this one, John. I need to bear it alone to keep me humble19, and sweeten with suffering and fear the bitter, selfish impulses that fight within me. Oh, I want to be good and tender and beautiful and true now!”

“How full of strange moods you’ve been tonight!” he exclaimed.

“Have I dear?”

She caught his hand and pressed it tenderly.

The lights of the town flashed in view from the hill.

They galloped boldly down the main street and into the lawn. As they passed the cabin at the gate, Isaac’s face appeared a moment at the door.

“I didn’t know old Isaac had returned?” John remarked.

“Nor did I,” she replied; “he must have come with those troops.”

A tremor20 caught her voice as she recalled that Ackerman was in communication with Isaac, and the cords she had been winding21 about the man by her side began slowly to tighten22 around her own throat.

He tried to leave her at the door, but she drew him inside.

“You can’t go yet.”

“I must hurry, my love,” he protested. “Those men will think I’m a coward. I should have been at home when they called.”

“Sh!”——

She placed her hand over his lips, ignoring his plea.

“I’ve a little experiment to make. My whim is law. Go stand there in the alcove23 with your hat in your hand fumbling24 it.”

Laughing with girlish excitement she pressed him into the exact spot he stood the night she first met him, drew back, and gazed tenderly into his face, her big brown eyes dancing with the hysterical25 strain of the deep half-conscious fear for his safety which had begun to strangle her.

“Have you forgotten the first scene in the drama of our life?” she asked, slowly approaching him with extended hand.

He clasped it with a smile.

“I shall not forget it if I live to be a hundred years old,” he said reverently26.

“And yet, you are trying to hurry away from me to-night again. Don’t you like the picture as well now?”

“A thousand times better, dearest,” he cried. “The love that shines in your eyes will make radiant the darkest hour of life. I’ve nothing now to fear. Perfect love has cast out fear. My way’s a shining one whether it leads to a palace or a prison.”

“Come into the dining room,” she whispered, leading him through the door and seating herself at the head of the table. “You remember the night we sat together here?”

“Do I!”

“Would you believe me if I told you that I tried to make you love me that night?”

“You said you tried to hate me.”

“But we can’t always do what we try—can we?” she asked wistfully.

“You did that night I’m sure.”

“And yet, I’m failing to-night!” she sobbed, unable to keep back the tears, “just when I’ve told you that I love you, and the joy and wonder of it all has begun to light the world. Before I’ve thought only of myself. To-night I’m thinking only of you, my sweetheart! Just as I’ve learned to speak your name I feel you slipping away from me—oh, John darling, what will they do to you? Tell me—tell me!”

“They can only put me in jail to-night.”

“But they shall not—they shall not!” she moaned, clinging close to him. “You shall not let them! You shall not leave this house except to fly with me.”

Stella’s words choked into sudden silence at the shrill27 angry notes of Aunt Julie Ann’s voice ringing in the hall:

“Git out er dis house, I tells ye, ‘fo I bus’ yo head open wid dis door weight.”

“Mind your own business,” snapped the angry reply.

“I’se mindin’ my own business. Git out dat door, an’ knock ‘fo yer come in! An’ I lets yer in when I gits ready—when my mistis say yer kin3 come!”

“Faith, an’ I’ll slap ye head off ye shoulders, if ye don’t kape still,” growled the trooper.

“What do you want in here, yer low-life sluefooted Yankee?”

“If it’s just the same ter ye, I wants Mr. John Graham, me dusky maiden28!”

John suddenly released himself from Stella’s clinging form and stepped through the door into the hall.

“I’m John Graham. What is It?”

“You’re my prisoner, sir, ye’ll have to come with me!”

“I’m ready.”

The sergeant29 took a step toward John, drawing a pair of handcuffs from his pocket.

Stella sprang between them, her eyes blazing with rage:

“How dare you enter my house without my permission?”

The sergeant stopped in sheer amazement30 at the fury of her outburst. Recovering himself with a smile he replied:

“Axin yer pardon m’am, it may be rude, but hit ain’t writ17 in our book of etiquette31 ter knock at the front door when we’re huntin’ fer a man charged with murder.”

“But he’s not guilty!” Stella stormed.

“I believe ye, Miss—ye’d have an easy time with me. But I ain’t the Coort!”

“Stella, dear,” John pleaded.

“Leave this house!” Stella cried with fury.

“Sure m’am, but yer friend comes wid me,” said the sergeant, taking another step toward John.

“I tell you he’s not guilty! It’s all a mistake. I’ll explain to your commander in the morning.”

John smiled in spite of himself.

“Stella dear, this is nonsense. The sergeant is acting32 under orders. I must go at once.”

“Ye see, m’am!” said the sergeant with a polite bow.

“All right then, sergeant,” said Stella, suddenly changing her tone, “I’ll excuse you for your rudeness; I’ll go with you.”

“You mustn’t, my love,” John protested.

“Yes, I’m going with you, but I’ve had nothing to eat. We must have supper—it’s waiting. Aunt Julie Ann, show the sergeant downstairs and give him supper. Mr. Graham will be ready in half an hour, sergeant.”

The trooper looked doubtfully at John and at Stella, smiling.

“All right m’am. It’s agin my principles as a soldier to leave a good supper to spoil—an’, axin yer pardon agin, I’ll station one o’ me men at each door an’ window to make sure we wont33 lose any of our party durin’ the festivities. It’ll be more sociable34 like to feel that we’re all here.”

The sergeant placed his men and followed Aunt Julie Ann to the kitchen.

Stella drew John to the old davenport:

“Quick, John darling, through the old secret way—the way of love——”

“Dearest!” he said reproachfully.

She extended her hand to press the spring in the panel.

“Quick, the soldier at the door can’t see you. I’ll stand in front. Wait for me in the vault35. I’ll let them search the house and when they go, I’ll join you and we can leave before daylight.”

“I must face it. There’s no other way.”

“Yes, yes, this way—the old sweet way of love! I can’t let them take you—you’re mine now—I love you—I love you!—John, dear, he has big ugly handcuffs. He was going to put them on you—didn’t you see him?”—her voice faltered36.

“Yes, I saw him.”

“I can’t stand it, John, I can’t—oh, dear, you don’t understand, and I can’t explain—You love me?”

“Better than life and deeper than death.”

“And yet you refuse my heart’s desire?”

“Only in this. I’m done with lawlessness. I’m not a coward. I’ve led a successful revolution. It had to be, and now with silent lips I’ll face my accusers.”

A hot tear fell on his hand.

“Come, dearest, you must help me,” he pleaded.

“Yes, yes, I will,” she faltered, brushing the tears away. “Come then, we will have this one little supper together, shall we not?”

“Yes. I want to look across that old table into your face again.”

He chatted gaily37 through the supper and she sat silent, choking back the sobs38, unable to eat.

The sergeant bowed at the door:

“Axin yer pardon m’am, but I must hurry now.” John rose and the trooper again drew his handcuffs, Stella watching him with wide-set eyes. “I’m sorry, sir, I’ll have to put ’em on.”

“It’s all right, sergeant,” he answered.

Stella sprang between them and placed a trembling little hand on the trooper’s.

“Please, sergeant!”

“Orders, m’am, I’m sorry.”

“Please—for—my—sake—don’t. He’ll go with you. I tried to get him to fly with me, and he wouldn’t. You won’t put them on him—will you? For my sake?”

Her voice sank to the softest music of tears. The sergeant hesitated a moment and said gruffly: “All right, for your sake, m’am, I won’t.”

John stooped and kissed her. The door closed behind him and with a low piteous moan Stella sank to the floor, crying:

“God have mercy on me!”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 regiment JATzZ     
n.团,多数,管理;v.组织,编成团,统制
参考例句:
  • As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活,所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
  • They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。
2 cavalry Yr3zb     
n.骑兵;轻装甲部队
参考例句:
  • We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
  • The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。
3 kin 22Zxv     
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的
参考例句:
  • He comes of good kin.他出身好。
  • She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。
4 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
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
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 wilfulness 922df0f2716e8273f9323afc2b0c72af     
任性;倔强
参考例句:
  • I refuse to stand by and see the company allowed to run aground because of one woman's wilfulness. 我不会袖手旁观,眼看公司因为一个女人的一意孤行而触礁。 来自柯林斯例句
6 imprison j9rxk     
vt.监禁,关押,限制,束缚
参考例句:
  • The effect of this one is going to imprison you for life.而这件事的影响力则会让你被终身监禁。
  • Dutch colonial authorities imprisoned him for his part in the independence movement.荷兰殖民当局因他参加独立运动而把他关押了起来。
7 hover FQSzM     
vi.翱翔,盘旋;徘徊;彷徨,犹豫
参考例句:
  • You don't hover round the table.你不要围着桌子走来走去。
  • A plane is hover on our house.有一架飞机在我们的房子上盘旋。
8 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
9 sob HwMwx     
n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣
参考例句:
  • The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
  • The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答,也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。
10 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
11 whim 2gywE     
n.一时的兴致,突然的念头;奇想,幻想
参考例句:
  • I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
  • He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。
12 droop p8Zyd     
v.低垂,下垂;凋萎,萎靡
参考例句:
  • The heavy snow made the branches droop.大雪使树枝垂下来。
  • Don't let your spirits droop.不要萎靡不振。
13 sobbing df75b14f92e64fc9e1d7eaf6dcfc083a     
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句:
  • I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
  • Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。
14 sobbed 4a153e2bbe39eef90bf6a4beb2dba759     
哭泣,啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 ); 哭诉,呜咽地说
参考例句:
  • She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
  • She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。
15 galloped 4411170e828312c33945e27bb9dce358     
(使马)飞奔,奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 ); 快速做[说]某事
参考例句:
  • Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。
  • The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。
16 passionate rLDxd     
adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的
参考例句:
  • He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
  • He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。
17 writ iojyr     
n.命令状,书面命令
参考例句:
  • This is a copy of a writ I received this morning.这是今早我收到的书面命令副本。
  • You shouldn't treat the newspapers as if they were Holy Writ. 你不应该把报上说的话奉若神明。
18 anguish awZz0     
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼
参考例句:
  • She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时,她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
  • The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。
19 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
20 tremor Tghy5     
n.震动,颤动,战栗,兴奋,地震
参考例句:
  • There was a slight tremor in his voice.他的声音有点颤抖。
  • A slight earth tremor was felt in California.加利福尼亚发生了轻微的地震。
21 winding Ue7z09     
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈
参考例句:
  • A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
  • The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
22 tighten 9oYwI     
v.(使)变紧;(使)绷紧
参考例句:
  • Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
  • Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策,以避免通货膨胀。
23 alcove EKMyU     
n.凹室
参考例句:
  • The bookcase fits neatly into the alcove.书架正好放得进壁凹。
  • In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves.火炉两边的凹室里是书架。
24 fumbling fumbling     
n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理
参考例句:
  • If he actually managed to the ball instead of fumbling it with an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动,经常这样结束。
  • If he actually managed to secure the ball instead of fumbling it awkwardly an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-50提议有时。他从off-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动,经常这样结束。
25 hysterical 7qUzmE     
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的
参考例句:
  • He is hysterical at the sight of the photo.他一看到那张照片就异常激动。
  • His hysterical laughter made everybody stunned.他那歇斯底里的笑声使所有的人不知所措。
26 reverently FjPzwr     
adv.虔诚地
参考例句:
  • He gazed reverently at the handiwork. 他满怀敬意地凝视着这件手工艺品。
  • Pork gazed at it reverently and slowly delight spread over his face. 波克怀着愉快的心情看着这只表,脸上慢慢显出十分崇敬的神色。
27 shrill EEize     
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫
参考例句:
  • Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
  • The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。
28 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的
参考例句:
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
29 sergeant REQzz     
n.警官,中士
参考例句:
  • His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
  • How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹?
30 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
31 etiquette Xiyz0     
n.礼仪,礼节;规矩
参考例句:
  • The rules of etiquette are not so strict nowadays.如今的礼仪规则已不那么严格了。
  • According to etiquette,you should stand up to meet a guest.按照礼节你应该站起来接待客人。
32 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
33 wont peXzFP     
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯
参考例句:
  • He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
  • It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。
34 sociable hw3wu     
adj.好交际的,友好的,合群的
参考例句:
  • Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
  • Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。
35 vault 3K3zW     
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室
参考例句:
  • The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
  • The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。
36 faltered d034d50ce5a8004ff403ab402f79ec8d     
(嗓音)颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 ); 支吾其词; 蹒跚; 摇晃
参考例句:
  • He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
  • "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着:“这孩子脑袋真长。”
37 gaily lfPzC     
adv.欢乐地,高兴地
参考例句:
  • The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
  • She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。
38 sobs d4349f86cad43cb1a5579b1ef269d0cb     
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
  • She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。


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