And I heard the clashing of the knocker and p. 226the beating on the door above the wind, as if death or the devil came in the storm, and clamoured for admission. I heard my uncle crying out, “Keep the door fast! No one comes in this night!” I stood confused, hoping that the knocking told the arrival of Mr. Bradbury at the house, and dreading7 lest Blunt and his rogues were come to take me openly and violently; still the knocking sounded over the beating wind. The old men, crowding out after my grandfather, muttered and laughed in wicked glee, that surely at last the end was come. And only the girl and Oliver and I were left in the room with the candles casting their ghostly lights upon us; and the weird8 shadows, dancing all about us; always the gale9 cried out about the house; the heavy, steady knocking sounded on the door.
“Who should come?” the girl cried to me. “Who should knock so? Your friends—have you friends like to come? Or friends of Charles Craike and the folk within the house?”
Dazed yet, but calling to mind Sir Gavin’s promise, I said, “I think my friends—I hope—I’ll go and open the door!”
“No, no!” cried she. “Stay here in the light! You’re safer in the light. I’ll go!” and instantly sped from the room.
p. 227With my back to the fire, and my fingers set upon the pistol, I stood and looked at Oliver; he sat at table still, seeming drunken and insensible of the old man’s sudden sickness, the tumult10 of the storm, the knocking at the door. But his dull, tragical11, young eyes meeting mine, I was amazed to hear him give expression to my first fantastic thought, “Death and the Devil knock! They’re come for him! Hark!”
The door from the hall swung open. I saw the faces—the old brown faces and the evil eyes of the rogues; I knew how they hated me; what shift I should have at their hands, if but the word came down that their stricken master was dead. I heard them gibe12 and mutter; I heard the woman Barwise’s voice cracked and shrill13, “Ay, he’ll not lord it over us. No longer! Ay, by the Lord he’ll not!”—but her sudden scream, “Who’s that? Who let you in?”
Mr. Bradbury cried out from the hall, “By your leave, Mistress Barwise,—by your leave!”
At this I rushed to the door, and met him thrusting his way among the crowding rogues. He came in calm and trim, flinging back his cloak, and drawing off his gloves. He gave me his hand, and exclaiming, “Ah, my dear sir!” demanded, “What’s to do here? What’s all p. 228this chattering14 and clattering15? Why am I kept waiting at the door on a night like this? What’s to do?”
“So!” he said, swiftly, and an instant I saw perturbation in his look. He had not come alone. I saw three tall fellows, great-coated armed with bludgeons, standing17 in the doorway18, and at their back the malignant19, baffled faces of the rogues. The two runners and a third fellow—a huge figure, vaguely20 familiar to me, though he was muffled21 about his jaws22, and kept his hat tilted23 over his nose, so that I could not see his face. Oliver lay back in his chair, seeming sodden24 with drink.
“Thrale!” cried Mr. Bradbury, “Mistress Barwise—some of you!”
The woman, pushing her way forward, stood before him, her arms akimbo, demanding, insolently25, “Well, sir—well?”
“Announce to Mr. Charles Craike my arrival. Tell him that I require to see him at once. At once! D’ye hear me?”
“Hoity-toity!” cried the woman, bridling26. “Who are you to be orderin’ me?”—but quailed27 and recoiled28 before Mr. Bradbury’s sudden darkling anger.
p. 229“D’ye hear me?” Mr. Bradbury repeated. “D’ye understand me, baggage? At once!”
“What is this?”—and my uncle, seeming to have been summoned on the admission of Mr. Bradbury and his men, stood in the doorway.
“Ah, my dear sir!” Mr. Bradbury exclaimed, stepping forward, his hand outstretched.
“Mr. Bradbury,” said my uncle coolly, “your coming’s most inopportune!”
“I realise it,” Mr. Bradbury agreed readily. “Most inopportune!”
“My profound sympathy, sir, with you in your natural grief. My profound sympathy! Pray conduct me to him!”
“Mr. Bradbury, you assume an extraordinary air of authority,” my uncle protested. “My father cannot see you.”
“Authority!” said Mr. Bradbury, coldly. “My dear sir, I take my authority from my clients. I take it from Mr. Edward Craike. I am here to act at once in his interests, and in the interests of my client here, Mr. John Craike.”
The gentleman faced him, and barred his way. He said, “I regret, Mr. Bradbury, that you cannot see my father.”
p. 230“And I say to you, Mr. Craike, that I insist on seeing him.”
“I ask you, sir, to spare me the necessity. I am here this night by Mr. Craike’s desire, expressed to me on my lash6 visit. His business with me, he instructed me, would be of supreme31 importance.”
“I tell you he’s near death.”
“Who then?” said Mr. Bradbury, with a wave of his hand, “should give orders in this house except his grandson and heir?”
I heard the mutter of voices and the shrill, crackling laughter from the door; I saw my uncle’s eyes blaze at me like gems32; the woman Barwise glare at me and clench33 her hands in her skirts. I took my cue instantly from Mr. Bradbury. “And I,” I said, “insist that Mr. Bradbury accompany me at once to my grandfather. Come, sir!”
My uncle looked upon me; the mask was lifted; and all his hate of me was revealed upon his face. I took a candle from the shelf, and signed to Mr. Bradbury to follow me. I thought that Charles Craike would bar my way, or strike me down, or cry out to the rogues not to let me pass; to my amaze my uncle stepped aside with a contemptuous bow.
p. 231“Bid your men follow us!” I said to Mr. Bradbury; so we went out among the rogues in the hall, and up the stairway and by the gallery to my grandfather’s room.
“Wait here,” said Mr. Bradbury to his men; and opening the door, drew back the curtain and stepped with me into the room. My grandfather, wrapped in his gown, lay in his chair. He seemed the very figure of death; the candlelight and the dancing fire showed his face livid; his eyes staring at us were anguished34; no one was with him except Thrale, who held a glass. My grandfather’s hands gripped the arms of his chair; the sweat dripped from his face. All the while the lamenting35 winds were beating on the windows, the curtains of the bed were waving; the flickering36 lights and shadows dancing a ghostly dance about the room. His voice came gasping. “Bradbury! Ah, not too late,—though death’s crying out for me this night.”
“I am here,” said Mr. Bradbury simply, “somewhat ahead of the appointed time, Mr. Craike. I have with me the document drawn37 in accordance with your instructions. I ask but your approval and signature, sir. Go, Thrale! Your grandson, sir, must not remain.”
“Nay, bid him wait outside the door. Go, lad, go!”
p. 232I went out after Thrale, and Mr. Bradbury locked the door upon me. I waited in the corridor with the three fellows standing grim about me. I wondered that presently Mr. Bradbury should summon the two runners into the room, leaving me with his third attendant. I heard the tempest battering38 upon the old house, and shuddered39 for the deathly chill of the corridor and for the shadows seeming to cower40 beyond the radius41 of the candlelight. The tall fellow by me was growling42 presently at my ear, “D’ye not know me, master? Roger Galt, as got ye out of the Stone House. Didn’t think to see me here, did ye? ‘Set a thief to catch a thief,’ says Mr. Bradbury. Hist!”
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收听单词发音
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1
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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2
withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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3
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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4
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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5
squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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6
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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7
dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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8
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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9
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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10
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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11
tragical
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| adj. 悲剧的, 悲剧性的 | |
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12
gibe
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| n.讥笑；嘲弄 | |
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13
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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14
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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15
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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16
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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17
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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18
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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19
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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20
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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21
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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22
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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23
tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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24
sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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25
insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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26
bridling
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| 给…套龙头( bridle的现在分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气 | |
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27
quailed
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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29
seizure
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| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
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30
gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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31
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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32
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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33
clench
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| vt.捏紧（拳头等），咬紧（牙齿等），紧紧握住 | |
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34
anguished
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| adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式) | |
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35
lamenting
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| adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 ) | |
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36
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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37
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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38
battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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39
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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40
cower
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| v.畏缩，退缩，抖缩 | |
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41
radius
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| n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限 | |
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42
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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