Some monster torture-engine's whole
Strength on it? No more says the soul.
Count Gismond.
Flying is no sport for the sluggard1. The calmest hours of the twenty-four are often those before the dawn, and the earnest aviator2 must be ready to turn out of his warm bed at six, five, four, even three o'clock in the morning, whether in the pleasant summer, or in the correspondingly unpleasant winter. He may then have to spend long hours at the 'drome waiting for the fog to lift, or the rain to clear, or the wind to drop; and in the end, as like as not, he may have to go home, wet, chilly3, and sleepy, without having flown a yard. Decidedly not the sport for a sluggard.
Six A.M. in mid-October, and bitterly cold. There was a gray sky, ripple4 on ripple of quilted cloud with never a gleam, and a small icy wind that blew persistently5 from the north. The coarse bice-green of the marshes6 was all discolored; the sedge, biscuit-pale, was clotted7 with mud from the September floods; the brimming dikes were ruled by the wind into long ripples8, hard and black against the dawn. The dawn itself, how wan9 and threatening! Denis, surveying the signs of the sky as he unlocked the hangar, exerted himself to remark to Simpson that it looked like rain. Simpson, expert mechanic and latter-day Grimaud, assented10 with his civil grunt11. His uncivil grunt he did not use on Denis, who had once been his officer.
Like every worker who spins his stuff out of his own brain, Denis at times "went stale." For the past ten days the flying boat had been laid aside, and he had been tinkering[Pg 154] at the monoplane by way of relaxation12. Never losing sight of the function for which she had been built, that of a small fast scout13 in the war which he expected, he was always adding small improvements. Thus, after his experience in the Birmingham race, he had fitted her with self-starting gear, which enabled the pilot to get away at will, independent of outside help. Now he was working at a brake. Landing is still one of the chief dangers in cross-country flying, especially in England, where fields are small, and there is often a web of overhead wires. At that time (1913) there were not a dozen aerodromes in the kingdom, and not one a?roplane in ten had a brake of any sort.
Theoretically, Denis's new design was all it should be; practically, of course, it might upset the machine and kill the pilot. Not that Denis ever believed he would be killed. "The airman hath said in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down, there shall no harm happen unto me." He believed other people might be killed, however, and for this reason had severely14 snubbed Simpson when he offered to take on the trials. Simpson, faithful dog, bore no resentment15. He had been watching the events of the past few weeks, and had come to the conclusion that 'e (in Simpson's mind Denis was always 'e) wasn't to say accountable just now. "You'd 'a' thought 'e might 'a' took warning by Muster16 Wandesforde," he reflected. "'E's a nice gent spoiled by the women, if ever there was one. But no. Jane! JANE! 'Ave you got that stooed steak on yet? You ain't? Then it'll be as tough as your shoe again. 'E ain't complained? 'E lef' the lot at the side of 'is plate last time, and if that ain't complainin' I dono what is. Now you get it on at once and let's hear no more chat. Seems to me you ain't good for anything, 'cep that bein' so deaf you can't gossip. Women," added Simpson, knocking out his pipe against his boot, "they're the devil!"
After some preliminary "taxi-ing" on the ground, Denis rose, circling over the marshes. The country was asleep; pillars of smoke rose from cottage chimneys, but not a soul was abroad except the milkman, with his rattling17 silver cans,[Pg 155] and a solitary18 cyclist, spinning down the road towards Dent-de-lion. The cyclist waved a greeting; the blasé milkman did not so much as glance up. Denis sailed over them, over the roof of his house, turned into the wind, "flattened19 out" (i.e. brought level the nose of his machine, which had been gliding20 down a slant) and grounded on the turf without a jar. The brake acted perfectly21. Simpson ran up, almost enthusiastic. He and Denis stood together talking shop (which was the sum of Simpson's talk) with zeal22 (Simpson supplying the zeal).
"Hi!"
Denis turned, screwing up his short-sighted eyes. At sight of the approaching figure his jaw23 dropped; he spoke24 one curt25 imperious sentence over his shoulder to Simpson, seized the new-comer's arm, dragged him back to the house, thrust him into the parlor26 and locked the door upon him, all without a word. Gardiner was left gasping27. Here was a reception! But in a minute Denis was back, pushing open the door with a tray of breakfast crockery and the inevitable29 sausages. He deposited his burden on the table, which was already laid, and turned to lock the door again.
"What on earth possessed30 you to come here? I've shut up Simpson, and he'll hold his tongue, but I'd not answer for Miss Simpson, if she saw you. You must be mad!"
"Mad?—to come here? I'm not running from the police, my good Denis; did you think I was?"
"I understood your brother to say—"
"Oh, you've heard from Tom, have you?" Gardiner's tone was a shade less confident. "Yes, I admit I did do a bunk31 from Woodlands; they took me by surprise, and I wasn't ready for 'em; I had two-three things to finish off—among others, I wanted a word with you. Which is why I'm here. But as soon as I've swallowed the sausage which I trust you're going to offer me I'm off to Margate to surrender to the minions32 of the law."
"I thought you couldn't stand prison," said Denis. "I thought it was the one risk you weren't prepared to face. However, it's no business of mine. If you can face it, I[Pg 156] certainly think you're wise to. Mustard? Oh, I forgot, you don't take it, do you?"
He poured out a cup of Miss Simpson's rich, muddy coffee for Gardiner and another for himself, but he did not drink; he went to the window and stood looking down the road. Gardiner, who was famished33, drew up his chair; but his eyes kept straying to that silent figure. There was something in the wind that he did not like. Denis was utterly34 unlike himself, unlike any self his friend had ever had a glimpse of. He was so unapproachable that Gardiner knew not how to broach35 the errand that had brought him there. Presently, however, he turned to attend to Geraldine, who was winding36 round his boots and opening her little pink mouth in soundless mews of ecstasy37. As he rose from putting down the saucer, he caught Gardiner's eye, and smiled faintly.
"Sorry, Harry38. 'Fraid I've rather let you down over this business. Anybiddy else would have made a better hand at it. But I'm not much good at dissembling, and tell a lie I cann't—any babe could see through it. Else I'd have done my best."
"My dear chap, I don't want you to tell lies for me!" said Gardiner hastily. He was more than surprised; he was appalled39. "In point of fact, I'm not sorry it has come out. I've had no peace of my life these last two months, with Mrs. Trent going about like an unexploded bomb. I knew she'd never rest till she harried40 me into the dock." He perceived, as he spoke, a certain change in the atmosphere. Denis had been sufficiently41 far away before; now he seemed to recede42 to the North Pole. There was a snapshot of Dorothea in her flying kit43 on the mantelpiece. Was this the explanation? Surely not! Surely she was the last woman in the world to attract a man like Denis! Gardiner, be it remembered, had never met that eager child who had learned to fly. "It's about her I want to speak to you," he broke the ice determinedly44. "Here's the point. Do you, or do you not, remember what Trent said in that last speech of his, just before I let fly at him?"
[Pg 157]
"I'm hardly likely to forget it."
"No, no, not the sense, the words; the actual phrasing he used. Do you remember that?"
He took a moment to think. "Perhaps not. No, not to swear to."
"Good! Then it's all plain sailing. Tell everything that happened up till then; be as discursive45 as you please about my share in the business; but say, and swear, and stick to it that you can't remember that last speech, and at any price don't let it be dragged out of you."
"Very well."
"At any price, you understand?"
"At any price?"
"Yes; absolutely without reserve, at any price."
"I understand."
"That's off my mind, then," said Gardiner with a breath of relief. "I had to see you, to make sure we should both be in the same tale. Now I'll be off to Margate while the iron's hot."
"Wait a moment," said Denis, detaining him. "Before you go into this quixotic business I think you ought to see what it means. Of course I know you've been making light of it to spare my feelings, but I don't believe you yourself realize what it is you're up against. It's serious. I'm afraid they're going to make it a perjury46 charge. I had the police up here for hours yesterday—they wanted to run me in too—"
"You? Oh, my God, Denis! They're not going to do that?"
"No, I don't think so. What's the matter with you?"
"I never dreamed of that," said Gardiner, holding his head in his hands. "I swear I never dreamed there was the remotest possibility of that! To drag you, of all men, into this filthy47 mess—" He dropped his hands and looked up, speaking fast and free: "Of course you're right. I have been humbugging. I know I'm in for a stiff sentence. I'd never thought of perjury as a possible charge. But I give you my word, Denis, if I'd ever had the faintest idea there[Pg 158] was the faintest risk of involving you, I'd have—I'd have blown my brains out first. Oh, Lettice was right; it is a fatal thing to be a coward."
"Lettice?"
"I went to her on my way. Yes, I did mean to bolt in the first instance; I've got my rig-out strapped48 on my bike at this instant. It was she stopped me. She does know how to sting up your conscience! But they can't really drag you in, Denis, can they? You never did actually say one syllable49 beyond the truth. Did you make them see that?"
"I think so," said Denis. "I don't think they'll take it any further. And if they did, they couldn't convict. It's all right. I don't know what you're putting yourself about for."
"Perjury, Denis? It's not a pretty charge."
"No," said Denis. "Still, I don't know that it much matters."
How quietly he spoke! At Grasmere he had shrunk from the slightest innocent contact with the story; but here was the stain black on his own honor, and it moved him no more than did his friend's remorse50. Gardiner had once said it would go hard with Denis if his idols51 tumbled off their pedestals. This indifference52 was worse than his worst fears. Would he ever find his way back? Or was there some hidden mischief53, some deadly internal injury at which Gardiner could only guess? What had Dorothea done—what had she killed when she struck her blow? There grew on the young man, watching, a sense of disaster....
"C'est difficile de voir voler Orville;
C'est bien plus dur de voir voler Wilbur—"
"Anything up?" said Gardiner.
Denis wheeled and swiftly pushed him back from the window.
"The police."
[Pg 159]
"What, have they come to pump you again?"
"No, it's you they're after."
"Nonsense, man! How can they know I'm here?"
"Evans has told them."
"Who's Evans?"
"The man who brings the milk. He was at the door when you arrived. He's coming up the road with them now."
"But how the deuce should Evans—"
"Your description's out, and a reward. Five hundred pounds. He must have gone straight off to the police station."
"Five hundred pounds!" Gardiner was as white as his shirt. "Who offered it?"
Denis would not answer or look at him. There was no need; Gardiner knew well enough who had offered it, and the shock made him sick. Did she indeed hate him so much as all that?
"Well, they'll save me the trouble of going to Margate," he said as lightly as he could, and moved towards the door. Denis stopped him.
"Wait. Think. If you're taken now, like this, you'll not be allowed bail56. You'll be in prison till the February Assizes."
"—Break me in by degrees!" said Gardiner in a sort of gasp28, still pressing towards the door. Denis still held him back.
"Will you cut it?"
"How can I?"
"Quite simple. The monoplane's out at the back—I told Simpson to have her ready. He'll swear anything I like to tell him, and Miss Simpson never saw you at all. You've only to say the word, and I'll set you down in France within the hour."
"You, Denis? You advise me to run?"
Gardiner's ideas of right and wrong were all tumbling about his ears. That Denis should advise such a thing! It[Pg 160] went more than half-way towards making it seem right. It showed, too, that he dreaded59 the ordeal60 of the witness-box, and lent a specious61 color of unselfishness to the plan. And in those last moments of liberty Gardiner, like the prisoner of the Inquisition, seemed to feel the flaming walls sliding together, contracting, closing in upon his life to drive him into the pit.... "If you're afraid of a thing"—That voice again! There was the touchstone.
"No," said Gardiner. "No, I'm damned if I will!"
He walked out and threw open the door to the police.
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1
sluggard
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| n.懒人；adj.懒惰的 | |
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aviator
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| n.飞行家，飞行员 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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5
persistently
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| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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clotted
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| adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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12
relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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17
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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20
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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21
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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24
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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curt
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| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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27
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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30
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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31
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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minions
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| n.奴颜婢膝的仆从( minion的名词复数 )；走狗；宠儿；受人崇拜者 | |
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famished
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| adj.饥饿的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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broach
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| v.开瓶，提出(题目) | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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40
harried
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| v.使苦恼( harry的过去式和过去分词 )；不断烦扰；一再袭击；侵扰 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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recede
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| vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进 | |
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43
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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determinedly
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| adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地 | |
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discursive
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| adj.离题的，无层次的 | |
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46
perjury
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| n.伪证；伪证罪 | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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48
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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49
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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50
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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51
idols
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| 偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像 | |
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52
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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54
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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55
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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56
bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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57
stunt
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| n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长 | |
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58
overdone
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| v.做得过分( overdo的过去分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度 | |
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59
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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60
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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specious
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| adj.似是而非的；adv.似是而非地 | |
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