The great drawing-room was only used after dinner. Until that time the ladies spent the day either in their own boudoirs or in the morning-room looking over the cliff. Here, while the cold weather lasted, Etta had tea served, and thither3 the gentlemen usually repaired at the hour set apart for the homely4 meal. They had come regularly the last few evenings. Paul and Steinmetz had suddenly given up their long drives to distant parts of the estate.
Here the whole party was assembled on the Sunday afternoon following Paul’s visit to the village kabak, and to them came an unexpected guest. The door was thrown open, and Claude de Chauxville, pale, but self-possessed and quiet, came into the room. The perfect ease of his manner bespoke6 a practised familiarity with the position difficult. His last parting with Paul and Steinmetz had been, to say the least of it, strained. Maggie, he knew, disliked and distrusted him. Etta hated and feared him.
He was in riding costume—a short fur jacket, fur gloves, a cap in his hand, and a silver-mounted crop. A fine figure of a man—smart, well turned out, well-groomed—a gentleman.
“Prince,” he said frankly7, “I have come to throw myself upon your generosity8. Will you lend me a horse? I was riding in the forest when my horse fell over a root and lamed10 himself. I found I was only three miles from Osterno, so I came. My misfortune must be my excuse for this—intrusion.”
Paul performed graciously enough that which charity and politeness demanded of him. There are plenty of people who trade unscrupulously upon these demands, but it is probable that they mostly have their reward. Love and friendship are stronger than charity and politeness, and those who trade upon the latter are rarely accorded the former.
So Paul ignored the probability that De Chauxville had lamed his horse on purpose, and offered him refreshment11 while his saddle was being transferred to the back of a fresh mount. Farther than that he did not go. He did not consider himself called upon to offer a night’s hospitality to the man who had attempted to murder him a week before.
With engaging frankness De Chauxville accepted every thing. It is an art soon acquired and soon abused. There is something honest in an ungracious acceptance of favors. Steinmetz suggested that perhaps M. de Chauxville had lunched sparsely12, and the Frenchman admitted that such was the case, but that he loved afternoon tea above all meals.
“It is so innocent and simple—I know. I have the same feeling myself,” concurred13 Steinmetz courteously14.
“Do you ride about the country much alone?” asked Paul, while the servants were setting before this uninvited guest a few more substantial delicacies15.
“Ah, no, prince! This is my first attempt, and if it had not procured16 me this pleasure I should say that it will be my last.”
“It is easy to lose yourself,” said Paul; “besides”—and the two friends watched the Frenchman’s face closely—“besides, the country is disturbed at present.”
“Ah, indeed! Is that so?” he answered. “But they would not hurt me—a stranger in the land.”
“And an orphan18, too, I have no doubt,” added Steinmetz, with a laugh. “But would the moujik pause to enquire19, my very dear De Chauxville?”
“At all events, I should not pause to answer,” replied the Frenchman, in the same, light tone. “I should evacuate20. Ah, mademoiselle,” he went on, addressing Maggie, “they have been attempting to frighten you, I suspect, with their stories of disturbed peasantry. It is to keep up the lurid21 local color. They must have their romance, these Russians.”
And so the ball was kept rolling. There was never any lack of conversation when Steinmetz and De Chauxville were together, nor was the talk without sub-flavor of acidity22. At length the centre of attention himself diverted that attention. He inaugurated an argument over the best cross-country route from Osterno to Thors, which sent Steinmetz out of the room for a map. During the absence of the watchful23 German he admired the view from the window, and this strategetic movement enabled him to say to Etta aside:
“I must see you before I leave the house; it is absolutely necessary.”
Not long after the return of Steinmetz and the final decision respecting the road to Thors, Etta left the room, and a few minutes later the servant announced that the baron’s horse was at the door.
“Kindly,” he added, “make my adieux to the princess; I will not trouble her.”
Quite by accident he met Etta at the head of the state staircase, and expressed such admiration26 for the castle that she opened the door of the large drawing-room and took him to see that apartment.
“What I arranged for Thursday is for the day after to-morrow—Tuesday,” said De Chauxville, as soon as they were alone. “We cannot keep them back any longer. You understand—the side door to be opened at seven o’clock. Ah! who is this?”
They both turned. Steinmetz was standing27 behind them, but he could not have heard De Chauxville’s words. He closed the door carefully, and came forward with his grim smile.
“@ nous trois!” he said, and the subsequent conversation was in the language in which these three understood each other best.
“@ nous trois!” repeated Steinmetz. “De Chauxville, you love an epigram. The man who overestimates30 the foolishness of others is himself the biggest fool concerned. A lame9 horse—the prince’s generosity—making your adieux. Mon Dieu! you should know me better than that after all these years. No, you need not look at the door. No one will interrupt us. I have seen to that.”
His attitude and manner indicated a complete mastery of the situation, but whether this assumption was justified31 by fact or was a mere32 trick it was impossible to say. There was in the man something strong and good and calm—a manner never acquired by one who has anything to conceal33. His dignity was perfect. One forgot his stoutness34, his heavy breathing, his ungainly size. He was essentially35 manly36, and a presence to be feared. The strength of his will made itself felt.
He turned to the princess with the grave courtesy that always marked his attitude toward her.
“Madame,” he said, “I fully28 recognize your cleverness in raising yourself to the position you now occupy. But I would remind you that that position carries with it certain obligations. It is hardly dignified37 for a princess to engage herself in a vulgar love intrigue38 in her own house.”
“It is not a vulgar love intrigue!” cried Etta, with blazing eyes. “I will not allow you to say that! Where is your boasted friendship? Is this a sample of it?”
Karl Steinmetz bowed gravely, with outspread hands.
“Madame, that friendship is at your service, now as always.”
De Chauxville gave a scornful little laugh. He was biting the end of his mustache as he watched Etta’s face. For a moment the woman stood—not the first woman to stand thus—between two fears. Then she turned to Steinmetz. The victory was his—the greatest he had ever torn from the grasp of Claude de Chauxville.
“You know,” she said, “that this man has me in his power.”
“You alone. But not both of us together,” answered Steinmetz.
De Chauxville looked uneasy. He gave a careless little laugh.
“My good Steinmetz, you allow your imagination to run away with you. You interfere39 in what does not concern you.”
“My very dear De Chauxville, I think not. At all events, I am going to continue to interfere.”
Etta looked from one to the other. She had at the first impulse gone over to Steinmetz. She was now meditating40 drawing back. If De Chauxville kept cool all might yet be well—the dread secret of the probability of Sydney Bamborough being alive might still be withheld41 from Steinmetz. For the moment it would appear that she was about to occupy the ignominious42 position of the bone of contention43. If these two men were going to use her as a mere excuse to settle a lifelong quarrel of many issues, it was probable that there would not be much left of her character by the time that they had finished.
“M. de Chauxville was on the point of going,” she said. “Let him go.”
“M. de Chauxville is not going until I have finished with him, madame. This may be the last time we meet. I hope it is.”
De Chauxville looked uneasy. His was a ready wit, and fear was the only feeling that paralyzed it. Etta looked at him. Was his wit going to desert him now when he most needed it? He had ridden boldly into the lion’s den5. Such a proceeding45 requires a certain courage, but a higher form of intrepidity46 is required to face the lion standing before the exit.
De Chauxville looked at Steinmetz with shifty eyes. He was very like the mask of the lynx in the smoking-room, even to the self-conscious, deprecatory smile on the countenance47 of the forest sneak48.
“Keep your temper,” he said; “do not let us quarrel in the presence of a lady.”
Steinmetz turned to Etta.
“Princess,” he said, “will you now, in my presence, forbid this man to come to this or any other house of yours? Will you forbid him to address himself either by speech or letter to you again?”
“You know I cannot do that,” replied Etta.
“Why not?”
Etta made no answer.
“Because,” replied De Chauxville for her, “the princess is too wise to make an enemy of me. In that respect she is wiser than you. She knows that I could send you and your prince to Siberia.”
Steinmetz laughed.
“Nonsense!” he said. “Princess,” he went on, “if you think that the fact of De Chauxville numbering among his friends a few obscure police spies gives him the right to persecute50 you, you are mistaken. Our friend is very clever, but he can do no harm with the little that he knows of the Charity League.”
Etta remained silent. The silence made Steinmetz frown.
“Princess,” he said gravely, “you were indignant just now because I made so bold as to put the most natural construction upon the circumstances in which I found you. It was a prearranged meeting between De Chauxville and yourself. If the meeting was not the outcome of an intrigue such as I mentioned, nor the result of this man’s hold over you on account of the Charity League, what was it? I beg of you to answer.”
Etta made no reply. Instead, she raised her eyes and looked at De Chauxville.
“Without going into affairs which do not concern you,” said the Frenchman, answering for her, “I think you will recognize that the secret of the Charity League was quite sufficient excuse for me to request a few minutes alone with the princess.”
Of this Steinmetz took no notice. He was standing in front of Etta, between De Chauxville and the door. His broad, deeply lined face was flushed with the excitement of the moment. His great mournful eyes, yellow and drawn51 with much reading and the hardships of a rigorous climate, were fixed52 anxiously on her face.
Etta was not looking at him. Her eyes were turned toward the window, but they did not see with comprehension. She was stony53 and stubborn.
“Princess,” said Steinmetz, “answer me before it is too late. Has De Chauxville any other hold over you?”
Etta nodded, and the little action brought a sudden gleam to the Frenchman’s eyes.
“If,” said Steinmetz, looking from one to the other, “if you two have been deceiving Paul I will have no mercy, I warn you of that.”
Etta turned on him.
“Can you not believe me?” she cried. “I have practised no deception54 in common with M. de Chauxville.”
“The Charity League is quite enough for you, my friend,” put in the Frenchman hurriedly.
“You know no more of the Charity League than you did before—than the whole world knew before—except this lady’s share in the disposal of the papers,” said Steinmetz.
“And this lady’s share in the disposal of the papers will not be welcome news to the prince,” answered De Chauxville.
“Welcome or unwelcome, he shall be told of it to-night.”
Etta looked round sharply, her lips apart and trembling.
“By whom?” asked De Chauxville.
“By me,” replied Steinmetz.
There was a momentary55 pause. De Chauxville and Etta exchanged a glance. Etta felt that she was lost. This Frenchman was not one to spare either man or woman from any motive56 of charity or chivalry57.
“Even if that is so,” he said, “the princess is not relieved from the embarrassment58 of her situation.”
“No?”
“No, my astute59 friend. There is a little matter connected with Sydney Bamborough which has come to my knowledge.”
Etta moved, but she said nothing. The sound of her breathing was startlingly loud.
“Ah! Sydney Bamborough,” said Steinmetz slowly. “What about him?”
“He is not dead; that is all.”
Karl Steinmetz passed his broad hand down over his face, covering his mouth for a second.
“But he died. He was found on the steppe, and buried at Tver.”
“So the story runs,” said De Chauxville, with easy sarcasm60. “But who found him on the steppe? Who buried him at Tver?”
“I did, my friend.”
The next second Steinmetz staggered back a step or two as Etta fell heavily into his arms. But he never took his eyes off De Chauxville.
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收听单词发音
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1
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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3
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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4
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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5
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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6
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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7
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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8
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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9
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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10
lamed
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| 希伯莱语第十二个字母 | |
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11
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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12
sparsely
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| adv.稀疏地；稀少地；不足地；贫乏地 | |
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13
concurred
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| 同意（concur的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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14
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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15
delicacies
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| n.棘手( delicacy的名词复数 )；精致；精美的食物；周到 | |
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16
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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17
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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18
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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19
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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20
evacuate
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| v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便 | |
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21
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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22
acidity
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| n.酸度，酸性 | |
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23
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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24
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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25
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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26
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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27
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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28
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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29
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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30
overestimates
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| 对（数量）估计过高，对…作过高的评价( overestimate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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31
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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32
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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33
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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34
stoutness
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| 坚固，刚毅 | |
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35
essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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36
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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37
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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38
intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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39
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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40
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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41
withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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42
ignominious
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| adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的 | |
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43
contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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44
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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45
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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46
intrepidity
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| n.大胆，刚勇；大胆的行为 | |
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47
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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48
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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49
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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50
persecute
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| vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰 | |
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51
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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52
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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53
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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54
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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55
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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56
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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57
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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58
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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59
astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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60
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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