OR an Italian Prince, Fabriano was exceedingly good company for an American doctor. He rode and shot like a cowboy, kept a stud of seventeen polo ponies1, and had traveled this little world from end to end. Above all things, he was a connoisseur2 of wines, and his cellars were stocked with cask upon cask and tier upon tier of cobwebbed bottles of rare old vintages. Indeed, it was indirectly3 through this passion of Prince Fabriano that Doctor Hardy4 made his acquaintance. Hardy was consulting physician at the Protestant Hospital in the Villa5 Betania, outside the Porta Romana, and the Prince, on a flying visit to the Tuscan capital to secure a vinous treasure, and incidentally witness the annual festival of Santa Croce, brought with him a touch of Roman fever which caused his commitment to the care of the American doctor. His illness was short, but long enough to ripen6 the acquaintance[82] with the doctor into a warm friendship, resulting in an invitation to the physician to visit the princely estate of Fabriano. In this Umbrian fastness, where his ancestors had exercised sovereign power, Fabriano was regarded as the lord of the soil, by all but a few adherents7 of a deposed8 house under the leadership of Luigi di Folengo.
One evening, as Hardy went to the Prince’s rooms for their usual smoke and game of cards, he found the Prince sitting by the table, holding a bottle of amber9-colored liquid.
“Why not pull the cork10, Fabriano, and let us have something more than a sight of this richly-colored fluid?” said the doctor in a bantering11 tone.
“I would not drink one sip13 of the wine that comes in that flask14—not even for the polo pony15 Gustavo that we saw in the Royal stables last week, and you know how much I coveted16 that little beast.”
A second look showed Hardy that the bottle was of peculiar17 shape and peculiarly stoppered; and he asked the question which he saw the Prince was ready to answer.
“You remember the trip to Florence to which I owe the pleasure of your acquaintance? Well, I had another reason beside my interest in the Santa Croce festival. You have heard of[83] the Monastery18 of La Certosa, out on the Galluzzo road, beyond your hospital? The government had abolished it, and there was a store of valuable wine to be put up at auction19, including a few bottles of Pantinelli. Fate has seemed to be against my getting any of that wine, until to-day. I have tried for years to get one small bottle, but never yet have tasted it. Pantinelli was a rich old banker in Genoa, who owned a vineyard on the sunny slopes of the Riviera di Ponente. He never sold his wine, but presented it to his friends; and as he was a cousin of Luigi di Folengo, of whose hatred20 for me I have already told you, he, naturally, never included me in his list of beneficiaries.
“There was nothing peculiar in the appearance of Pantinelli’s wine, but it was invariably put up in bottles just like this. He was an eccentric old fellow, and always corked21 his bottles by means of this peculiar device, which he claimed to have invented. He gave as a reason for his oddity the belief that if he used the customary seal his friends would keep his beverage22 for years unopened, without discovering its flavor, and that he meant them to test its superiority at once on receipt. He seems to have relied on his friends themselves to prevent the fraudulent substitution of another wine, which would, in his queer bottles, have brought an enormous price. However, any one lucky enough to receive a bottle of the famous beverage usually[84] followed the old man’s request to the letter, and drank it the same day.
“This afternoon, while you slept, a messenger brought this bottle with a message from Luigi di Folengo, expressing the wish that we might live in amity23 hereafter, and begging the acceptance of a gift which he believed that I, more than any one else in all Italy would appreciate, a flask of genuine Pantinelli.
“Now I do not absolutely know that the wine he sent is poisoned, but I think I know Folengo pretty well, and I am going to try an experiment this evening which I should like to have you witness. I answered him immediately to the effect that his overtures24 were gladly welcomed, and that on my part I should be pleased to give him an important appointment in my service, and hand him the papers to-night. I ended by telling him that to-morrow, seeking out a quiet spot, I should enjoy my Pantinelli to the last drop.”
The Prince put the bottle away in a sideboard and produced from a desk a folded paper as Count Luigi di Folengo was announced. He was a swarthy person, with a saber cut across one cheek, and a droop25 to the eyelid26 which, to Dr. Hardy, was singularly unprepossessing. The physician highly approved his friend’s course in leaving the Pantinelli untasted.
The conversation was general for a few moments after the guests had been introduced, and[85] then the Prince, taking out the queer-shaped flask, silently placed it upon the table as he handed Folengo his appointment. Dr. Hardy watched the man as he stared at the bottle, half-guessing what was to come. Folengo mumbled27 words of thanks for the paper, but his eyes never left the wine.
“I see you looking longingly28 at your present of the afternoon,” said the Prince pleasantly, “and instead of selfishly drinking it all by myself to-morrow, I will be generous. Of course this wine has not the novelty of charm to you that it has to others unrelated to its famous grower, but no one could get enough of such a drink; and, in honor of our new-formed friendship, you must drink my health in one small glass of the famed wine of Pantinelli.”
He poured out a brimming glass and set it down in front of Luigi di Folengo, who sat shaking like a leaf, his drooping29 eyelid fluttering with strong excitement.
“I am to play to-night, with my friend the doctor here, a game for very high stakes, so I must keep my head clear; but to-morrow you may think of me as steeped in Pantinelli’s generous vine juice.”
As the Prince spoke30 the last sentence he took from the table-drawer a handsome gold-mounted revolver, which he held up to the light so that glittering rays darted31 from its polished barrel as he said to the trembling Luigi, “I also wish[86] to present you this pistol, with which I have never missed a shot, and which has sent more than one of my enemies down the long road.”
While Fabriano spoke the man’s eyes anxiously searched the room for a means of escape, and finally came back to the calm face of the Prince. He glanced from the heavy amber liquor before him to the shining weapon with which Fabriano lovingly toyed, and then with a quiet heroism32 which Hardy could not help but admire, he raised the glass to his lips and drained it.
“And, raising the glass to his lips, he drained it.” (See page 86.)
He sat there for a minute or two, gazing stupidly at the empty glass. Then, of a sudden, he began to tremble violently; his teeth chattered33, and great beads34 of perspiration35 stood upon his forehead. On his lips there came a yellowish foam36, and he started to his feet, clawing at his breast as if it were on fire, while a hoarse37, cackling noise came from his throat. Dr. Hardy knew that the man must be suffering terribly, and, guilty as he believed him to be, could only pity.
Rocking to and fro, Folengo threw himself upon the floor, where he lay writhing38 and twisting in his death agony. His face turned black, and his eyes started from his head, like those of a strangled man. After that he lay quite still.
Dr. Hardy stooped and felt for the man’s heart. There was not the trace of a beat. He turned to the Prince, who had sat through the [87]whole scene with a smiling face, and said, “You are amply avenged39, Prince Fabriano. That man died the most terrible death I have witnessed in twenty years of practice.”
Fabriano, still smiling strangely, poured out two more glasses of the wine which the dead man had just drunk. “So be it with all assassins!” he said. “Drink to the downfall of my enemy!”
“No, thank you,” answered Hardy drily, thinking the ghastly joke was being carried too far; “life has still a few attractions.”
“Oh, as you will,” replied the Prince carelessly. “Then I must drink alone,” and he emptied the glass.
“But you are missing something choice,” he continued, wiping his lips. “That wine has been in my cellars for fifty years. The stuff our late friend sent is safely locked away for analysis, together with a poisoned dagger40 and an infernal machine, both of which, I believe, I owe to him or his followers41. If you were coroner in this case, what would your verdict be—death from a guilty conscience, supplemented by a vivid imagination? Come, I believe it’s my first deal this evening.”
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1
ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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2
connoisseur
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| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
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indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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ripen
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| vt.使成熟；vi.成熟 | |
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adherents
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| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
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8
deposed
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| v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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10
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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bantering
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| adj.嘲弄的v.开玩笑，说笑，逗乐( banter的现在分词 )；（善意地）取笑，逗弄 | |
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12
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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13
sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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14
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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15
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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16
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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17
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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18
monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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19
auction
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| n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖 | |
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20
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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21
corked
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| adj.带木塞气味的，塞着瓶塞的v.用瓶塞塞住( cork的过去式 ) | |
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22
beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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23
amity
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| n.友好关系 | |
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24
overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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eyelid
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| n.眼睑，眼皮 | |
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27
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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longingly
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| adv. 渴望地 热望地 | |
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29
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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30
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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31
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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32
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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33
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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34
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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35
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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36
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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37
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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38
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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39
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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40
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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41
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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