But, whatever the explanation of the affair might be, it had happened so swiftly and so mysteriously as to cause a very uneasy feeling, a serious apprehension3 for my friends’ lives, which I could not disguise from myself. Now I was indeed beginning to realize the malignant4 tenacity5 of Chancellor6 Rallenstein. All the same, this fresh evidence rather braced7 my determination to outwit him. I gave up my long rides in the country round, and confined myself to walking about the grounds and the village, keeping a sharper look-out than ever.
A very uncomfortable feeling is that of being secretly watched. And that we were under a stealthy observation we all instinctively8 felt.
[Pg 78]
It is annoying, putting aside the danger, and it plays the devil by the nerves. To wake up in the morning with the feeling that your actions that day will have mysterious eyes upon them, governed and directed with an inscrutable and determined9 will, ah! it makes one pray for an open enemy. The tension was telling upon us; on me probably least of all, since I had the nerves of a steeplechase rider, and fresh air and exercise kept me fit. But I felt things could not go on indefinitely as they were. As the days and weeks wore on, Rallenstein would scarcely be likely to rest content with merely keeping his marked-down quarry11 under observation. Our staying on at Sch?nval was simply waiting for the assassin’s stroke that was being prepared. One side or other must force the situation. I therefore determined that we should risk it; but, as it turned out, the forcing came from the other side.
I was walking near the village one afternoon, turning over certain plans in my mind, when I made a singular discovery. I ought to mention that the neighbourhood was rich in geological treasures. There had been, years before, a landslip, by which many hidden things of past ages had been brought to light. I had several times climbed about this region, more to explore its picturesque12 ruggedness13 than for any geological curiosity I possessed14. On this day something prompted me to go through the landslip again. So I turned up the path behind the inn, which led along a wooded ascent15 to where the fissured16 rocks and tree-grown boulders17 lay in romantic confusion. At one point in the irregular acclivity there was placed at some twenty yards from the path an ancient stone sarcophagus, which had been unearthed18 at some time, and, its value being probably deemed less than the cost of removal, had been left there to form one of the attractions of the place, and, indirectly19, of the inn [Pg 79]below. I had passed this before, but had never taken the trouble to turn off the path in order to examine it more closely. The present and future had been too absorbing to let one care about the past. But now I did so. I stepped aside and strolled slowly towards the object of my curiosity. As I approached, to my astonishment20 a head appeared above the edge of the stone coffer, and a girl’s laughing face turned a sort of petulant21 inquiry22 towards me. Saturated23 as I was with mistrust, I hardly knew whether to be suspicious of this apparition24 or not. A village girl, perhaps, I thought, although she certainly did not look it. I resolved to find out.
“I beg your pardon,” I said in German. “I am sorry to have disturbed you, but I was about to examine this old object, not thinking any one was inside it.”
Her smile deepened into a laugh. “How should you?” she replied. “It is the last place you would expect to find at least a living person in.”
I was German scholar enough to know that it was not her native tongue. She spoke25 it prettily26, indeed, but ungrammatically, and with a foreign accent.
“I won’t disturb you,” I said. “Another day——”
She had risen, stepped on to the ledge27 of the great coffin28, and now jumped down on the ground beside me.
“There! I won’t disturb your scientific studies,” she said. “You are English, are you not?” she added, in our language.
“I am. Like you.”
“Am I?”
“I think so.”
“A good guess.”
“Hardly a guess. You could scarcely be anything else.”
“By my bad German, or something worse?”
“By your good English.”
[Pg 80]
“And my bad style?”
“Not at all.”
I looked at her as she sat on the edge of the sarcophagus, kicking her feet to and fro and keeping her eyes quizzically on me. She seemed about nineteen; her manner rather older than that. It was sharp, and had a suggestion of a woman of the world. On the other hand, she was dressed quite girlishly; her skirt was short, she had on a simple straw hat with little trimming, and wore no ornaments29 save a plain gold bar fastening her collar.
“I hope you are not going to let me frighten you away,” she said roguishly. “I can easily find a more comfortable seat, and science must be before everything, as I know to my cost.”
“I cannot plead guilty to the charge of being scientific.”
“That’s a comfort. Why, then, do you want to examine this stupid old coffin? Curiosity, eh? All tourists are so curious. They will go miles to see a thing abroad they would not cross the road to look at at home.”
“I cannot say that my curiosity has not been rewarded. Although not quite satisfied.”
“How?”
“I should like, if not asking too much, to know what made you choose that gruesome relic30 for a resting-place?”
She looked at me queerly and laughed. “Your curiosity shall be satisfied. In the first place, it is more comfortable than it looks.”
I wondered a little at that, but did not say so.
“In the second place it is novel, in the third it is cool, and in the fourth it is a wholesome31 reminder32, what I suppose you would call a memento33 mori.”
Her voice had changed so with the unexpected conclusion that I looked up at her sharply. The roguery [Pg 81]was now only flickering34 about her face, which was almost sad.
“Memento mori! Why, what have you to do with that?”
“No more, perhaps, than the rest of the world. I might not have thought of it but for this.” She tapped the sarcophagus. “But life is uncertain enough for us all, and—perhaps it was a fancy as I lay there to imagine myself in the place of him or her who occupied it hundreds, or, as my father will tell me, thousands of years ago; and then to think of a day that is coming.”
I had never before heard a girl talk like that, and no doubt my face showed it.
“Well,” she continued, changing her tone, “that’s enough of the doleful for one day. Now tell me; are you staying here? At the inn? No?”
“No. With friends. Are you?”
“We, my father and I, are staying at Eisenhalm, about four miles off. We came over here to hammer at the landslip.”
“Oh!” I confess I was fairly puzzled by this girl, and could not make up my mind whether to be suspicious of her or not. I thought I would wait and see what the father was like.
“Rather. I have been brought up on fossils and pliocene fragments. You can hardly wonder at my taking naturally to this stone coffin as a summer-house,” she said wistfully. “Science is very interesting and absorbing to a man who takes to it, but it is a horrible bore for his family. I am very, very dull, and my feelings towards this landslip are not fit to be expressed. Of course you have heard of my father, Professor Seemarsh?”
I recognized the name as one I had often seen in the papers.
[Pg 82]
“Yes; I know your father well by repute. He lectures at the Royal Institution, does he not?”
“Yes; you have heard him?”
“I am ashamed to say no.”
“Don’t be ashamed. You may be a very creditable member of society and yet take no interest in old bones and old stones. Father is an authority on the flint age. A boy once broke his study window with a stone, and he was delighted. It was a paleolithic remainder. Nothing modern interests him in the very least. A knife and fork of to-day are to him an impertinence. Don’t you pity me?”
“Is the daughter of so celebrated36 a man to be pitied?”
“Ah, I suppose that’s what every one thinks. And I do so want to move on from this stupid place, and there’s no chance of it, because father has lighted on an interesting cleavage and suspects flint remains37. Five o’clock! He shall not grub any longer.”
She gave me an off-hand nod, and moved away towards the landslip.
“May I come with you?” I asked. “I should like to see Professor Seemarsh at work.”
She made no objection, so we strolled on together, chatting on indifferent subjects. I fancy our talk was intermittent38; anyhow, I know I was preoccupied39 with turning over in my mind the possibilities of this strange meeting. It was, in a way, natural enough; and yet something seemed to put me on my guard. That was due to the occurrences of the past fortnight and the danger we were hourly expecting to show itself. Had it not been for these circumstances, I told myself, the meeting with this extraordinary girl would have been simply one of the queer episodes with which travel abounds40.
We had not far to go. Fifty yards or so from the entrance to the landslip I heard the tapping of a [Pg 83]hammer, guided by which I looked up and saw a man on his knees busily at work, and my companion sang out, “Five o’clock, my flinty-hearted parent.”
Professor Seemarsh turned round, gave an answering wave of the hand, proceeding41 to collect his specimens42 into a canvas satchel43 which he slung44 on his shoulder, and then clambered down from the ledge on the fissured rock.
I had told Miss Seemarsh my name, and she introduced us. Naturally, I took keen notice of the Professor. He was a learned-looking, untidy man of about fifty-five, with shaggy grey eyebrows45 and whitish hair, while his scrubby moustache and wisps of shaggy beard showed a lofty disregard for grooming46. There was nothing remarkable47 in his face, except that behind his tinted48 spectacles the eyes seemed keen and restless. His dress was quite professional in its negligent49 absence of taste. A light tweed Norfolk jacket, a crumpled50 buff waistcoat, dark grey trousers, and a weather-beaten soft felt hat were all in accordance with the best traditions of science.
He bowed and shook hands jerkily, after the manner of men whose pursuits absorb them from society. He had a quick, short manner of speech as one who wishes to say what is necessary as soon as possible and then get to his work.
“You are staying here? At the inn? Wretched place, isn’t it?”
I told him.
“Ah, I know. House on the site of the old castle. Must have been an interesting place. Ruins still exist, I believe?”
“Yes; very fragmentary.”
He laughed. “I am used to fragments. They tell me all I want to know; though a mere10 sight-seer wants something more. You are scientific?”
“I am afraid not.”
[Pg 84]
He drew in his breath sharply in pitying disappointment. “Uth! Well, you don’t know what you miss. Most fascinating this sort of thing.” He waved his hand comprehensively towards the rocks.
To save a smile, I hoped politely he had had a good day’s work.
“Very fair. But I am only on the outer crust as yet. The great fascination52 of my work is that one never knows when one may not come upon a unique find. These,” he took up a handful of fragments from his bag, “these are interesting, but they tell us nothing we did not know before. That,” he tapped a piece with his finger nail, “is tertiary. That’s curious, the indentation was certainly made ten thousand years ago. Yes. I hope to come upon something better in a day or two.” He threw them back, and buckled53 the satchel. I had never heard any one talk so fast and jerkily. It seemed as though all the words of each short sentence rushed out of his mouth at once.
“Well,” he said, “we must say good-day. We have a long walk before us. My daughter has probably told you she is not geological. But being all day in the fresh air has set her up wonderfully. Perhaps, if you are staying on here, we may meet again, and I may be privileged to try and bring you under the spell of science. By the way, are the ruins of the old castle shown to strangers?”
It was rather an awkward question for me to answer without appearing churlish. I could hardly treat this man as a stranger.
“My host, Herr von Lindheim, is very ill just now,” I said, “but I am sure he would be glad for you to see them. Perhaps in a few days when he is better. But there is really scarcely anything of interest to see.”
[Pg 85]
The Professor smiled. “Anyhow, my work will be here for some time to come. If I am disappointed in this, perhaps I may remind you of your kind words. The comparatively modern antique is so fast disappearing that one likes to see it while one can. Goodbye. Come, Gertrude.”
He shook hands and went off. The girl, who had not spoken a word for some time, came up and gave me her hand in a shy manner, which was rather contradicted by a laugh in her eyes.
“Don’t let father make you a geologist,” she said archly. “There are quite enough of them in the world.”
Then, without waiting for a word from me, she turned and ran after the Professor, linked her arm in his, and so they went off down the winding54 path.
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1
conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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tenacity
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| n.坚韧 | |
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chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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ruggedness
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| 险峻，粗野； 耐久性； 坚固性 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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fissured
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| adj.裂缝的v.裂开( fissure的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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unearthed
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| 出土的（考古） | |
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indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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petulant
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| adj.性急的，暴躁的 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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spoke
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| 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 | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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relic
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| n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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memento
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| n.纪念品，令人回忆的东西 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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geologist
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| n.地质学家 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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abounds
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| v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的第三人称单数 ) | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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satchel
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| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
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slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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grooming
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| n. 修饰, 美容，（动物）梳理毛发 | |
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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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tinted
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| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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negligent
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| adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的 | |
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50
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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51
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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53
buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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