Chapter XXVI. Sir Gavin Masters

 Now for a space I lay hid under the wall, having no mind to enter the garden and meet my uncle, but seeking time to review the perils¹ threatening me, and the steps by which I should avoid them.  I believed that Blunt, ere he made his offer to my uncle, had already planned with the old rogues³ my removal from the house, and that of this the girl Evelyn Milne would have warned me.  I thought first of going immediately to my grandfather and of laying the plot before him; having with me always the thought of the broken figure, of the will striving ever to prevail over decay, I could perceive little hope from such a course.  Had Miss Milne faced me now; had she appealed to me to take her out of the house, and escape with her to my friends, I should have hesitated not at all; my concern for myself urged me to instant flight; yet I was no such coward as to take to my heels, and leave her friendless in a house of which she had expressed such terror.  I could devise no better plan than further to search the wood for her, and if I failed p. 208to find her, proceed to seek out Sir Gavin Masters, tell my tale to him, and urge his intervention⁵ and protection for us, and his immediate⁴ communication with Mr. Bradbury.  I marvelled⁶ that one so acute as Mr. Bradbury, knowing the character of the house and its folks, and the peril² I must encounter, should have thought fit to leave me at Rogues’ Haven⁷.

 

I remained hid under the wall, till Blunt and Martin should be well away; crawling back then to the wood I sought the girl as best I might, fearing to call her name, lest I bring my enemies upon me.  Failing, I forced my way out of the old plantation⁸; struggled through a ditch; climbed through a sunken fence, and muddy and torn with brambles, sought the road by which Mr. Bradbury had brought me to Craike House.

 

It was now toward noon of a clear day; the wood was green about me; the sunlight and the sense of freedom after the terrors of the close old house restored my spirits speedily.  I had a certain compunction at my flight—leaving the girl, and, indeed, my grandfather, old and broken, among the covetous⁹ rogues.  I told myself that I should save them better by reaching Sir Gavin Masters, yet I could not rid my mind of the thought that by running off in fear of Blunt I played the coward.  So much at last this p. 209thought concerned me, that even on the very bank above the road I stood irresolute¹⁰.  Not yet was I resolved when the sound of hoof-beats made me cower¹¹ into the grass, for fear lest any of my enemies should ride that way.  Peering through the covert¹², I saw a stout¹³ red-coated gentleman mounted on a cob; with joy I recognised Sir Gavin Masters.  He paused below me, sheltering his eyes with his hand against the sun, he was staring up toward Craike House, whose chimney stacks alone showed above the wood.  As I rose out of the grass, he uttered an exclamation¹⁴; his hand sought the pistol in his holster.

 

“Sir Gavin,” cried I, “don’t you know me—John Craike?”

 

“Aha, Master Craike—aha!”  He laughed and touched his hat with his whip.  “What are you doing here, lad?  Walking abroad?”

 

“Seeking you, Sir Gavin.  Asking your help and advice.  Purposing as soon as I may to seek Mr. Bradbury in London.”

 

“Oho, not liking¹⁵ the house and the folk in it,” drawing in by the bank, and beckoning¹⁶ me to him.

 

Standing¹⁷ beside him, I saw that his face, which I had thought dull as worthy¹⁸ Mr. Chelton’s, was marked by a certain strength and intelligence; his eyes watched me shrewdly.  He muttered, p. 210“So you’ve had trouble, lad!  You want advice from me and Bradbury.  Well then!”

 

“Mr. Bradbury being now in London—” I began.

 

“Mr. Bradbury,” he laughed, “is no further away than at my house.  That’s for your ear alone.  He’s within your reach whenever you may have need of him.”

 

“I’ve need of him at once,” I said, overjoyed.

 

“Must you have speech with him?” he asked, “or is it a word that I may carry to him?”  I looked at him doubtfully; he went on swiftly, “Mr. Bradbury made no mention to you of his association with me, I being newly-appointed justice of the peace for these parts, and bent¹⁹ on enforcing His Majesty’s laws, and putting an end to a variety of evil-doings.  I’m well-informed of Bradbury’s wishes.  It’s his wish that you remain at Craike House.  You’re running away.  Why?”

 

“Having overheard a pretty plot to put me aboard Blunt’s ship and get me out of England.  Fearing—ay, fearing though you think me a coward, sir, to stay in the house with never a friend.”

 

“Young Oliver!  You’ve been riding abroad with him; you were swimming in the sea with him this morn.  You seemed friends.”

 

p. 211“You saw us, sir?”

 

“Some of my folk.  Oliver’s your friend?”

 

“Yes, my friend, but—”

 

“I tell you this, John Craike,” he said, impatiently, “if you’ll believe me and trust me and my folk, knowing that Bradbury’s within reach, you’ll go back to the house.  I promise you none of the rogues in the house’ll do you hurt, while old Mr. Edward lives, and I promise you Blunt’ll never take you out of it or ship you aboard.  For Blunt’ll never sail.”  He spoke²⁰ now in low and earnest tone, his eyes keeping a sharp watch, as if apprehensive²¹ lest any overhear or see us together.  “Hark ’ee,” he said, “go back!  It’s well that you stay to profit by your grandfather’s fancy for you.  Take my assurance for it, lad; my plans and Bradbury’s are surely set; they’re one and the same.  Take my word for it.”

 

“Ay, but the old man’s near to dying,” I said, doubtfully.

 

He muttered, “So!  Bradbury gave me no word of it.”

 

Rapidly I recounted the nature of my interviews with my grandfather, his orders to his servants, his collapse²² on that first morning, my belief that his reason tottered,—all the whispering menace of the rogues about us.  I told him of my p. 212uncle’s conversation with Blunt and Martin, and of the warning from Miss Milne.

 

He heard me attentively²³, his brows frowning.  He said at last, “Ay, ay,—and for all Bradbury’s plans it’s high time to make an end—high time!  But first I must have a word with Bradbury.  Will you go back this day assured that speedily you’ll hear from us?”

 

I answered, “If you’ll have it so, Sir Gavin, surely I’ll go.”

 

He dipped his hand into his holster; drew out a pistol; and handed it to me swiftly.  He took a little bag from his pocket, and muttered, “The barker’s loaded.  Here’s powder and ball.  In case you need it, lad.  You go back!”

 

I answered, “Yes, I’ll go back, and I’ll remain till I hear from Mr. Bradbury and understand his wishes.”

 

He said, “I promise you you’ll hear from us at once, lad!”—and as I plunged²⁴ up the bank, he turned his cob and rode off rapidly.

1 perils   

极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境）

参考例句：

• The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
• With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难？

2 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

3 rogues   

n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽

参考例句：

• 'I'll show these rogues that I'm an honest woman,'said my mother. “我要让那些恶棍知道，我是个诚实的女人。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• The rogues looked at each other, but swallowed the home-thrust in silence. 那些恶棍面面相觑，但只好默默咽下这正中要害的话。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

6 marvelled   

v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I marvelled that he suddenly left college. 我对他突然离开大学感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I marvelled at your boldness. 我对你的大胆感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

8 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

9 covetous   

adj.贪婪的，贪心的

参考例句：

• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。
• He raised his head,with a look of unrestrained greed in his covetous eyes.他抬起头来，贪婪的眼光露出馋涎欲滴的神情。

10 irresolute   

adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的

参考例句：

• Irresolute persons make poor victors.优柔寡断的人不会成为胜利者。
• His opponents were too irresolute to call his bluff.他的对手太优柔寡断,不敢接受挑战。

11 cower   

v.畏缩，退缩，抖缩

参考例句：

• I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.我决不会在任何一位大师面前发抖，也不会为任何恐吓所屈服。
• Will the Chinese cower before difficulties when they are not afraid even of death?中国人死都不怕，还怕困难吗？

12 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

14 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

15 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

16 beckoning   

adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• An even more beautiful future is beckoning us on. 一个更加美好的未来在召唤我们继续前进。 来自辞典例句
• He saw a youth of great radiance beckoning to him. 他看见一个丰神飘逸的少年向他招手。 来自辞典例句

17 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

18 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

19 bent   

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。

20 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

21 apprehensive   

adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的

参考例句：

• She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
• He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

22 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

23 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。