She was quite right in declaring that Orissa alone could approve or condemn7 Tyler’s statement. If he spoke1 truly he was entitled to a degree of mercy at their hands; if, knowing that a girl was operating the Kane Aircraft, he had still persisted in his frantic8 attempt to wreck9 it and send her to her death, then no punishment could be too great for such a cowardly deed.
This was instantly appreciated by all present. Even Tyler, seeing that his fate hinged on Orissa’s evidence, ventured to raise his head and cast at 216her an imploring10 glance. Chesty Todd dropped his flippant air and earnestly watched the girl’s face; the others with equal interest awaited her decisive statement.
As for Orissa, the gravity of the situation awed11 her. Recalling the dreadful moments when she battled in the air for her life she saw before her the scowling12, vicious face of her enemy and remembered how his eyes had glared wickedly into her own time and again as he attacked her aëroplane, determined13 to destroy it at all hazards. There was no question in her mind as to the truth of Tyler’s claim; she knew he had recognized her and still persisted in his purpose. She knew the accident to his machine was caused by his own carelessness and its faulty construction, and not by any desire of his to arrest its speed. Tyler had deliberately14 lied in order to condone15 his cowardly act, and she experienced a feeling of indignation that he should resort to such an infamous16 falsehood, knowing as he must that her evidence would render it impotent.
Orissa contemplated her erstwhile assailant with reflective deliberation. She noted17 his miserable18 appearance, his abject19 manner, the moods of alternate despair and hope that crossed his withered20 features. An enemy so contemptible21 and mean was scarcely worthy22 of her vengeance23. 217It seemed dreadful that such a despicable creature had been made in man’s image. Could he possess a soul, she wondered? Could such an one own a conscience, or have any perception, however dim, of the brutal24 inhumanity of his offense25? Being in man’s image he must have such things. Perhaps in his nature was still some element of good, dormant26 and unrecognized as yet, which might develop in time and redeem27 him. To send him to prison, she reflected, would not be likely to correct the perversity28 of such a nature, while generous treatment and the forbearance of those he had wronged might tend to awaken29 in him remorse30 and a desire to retrieve31 his past. Without knowing it the girl was arguing on the side of the world’s most expert criminologists, who hold that to destroy an offender32 cannot benefit society so much as to redeem him.
Whether Tyler’s ultimate redemption was probable or not, Orissa did not care to assume the responsibility of crushing him in order to avenge33 the shameful34 attempt, made in a moment of frenzy35, to destroy her life. While those assembled hung breathless upon her words she said with assumed composure:
“The man knows better than I whether he speaks the truth. Could one be so utterly36 vile37 as to try to murder a girl who had never injured 218him? I think not. It is more reasonable to suppose that in his excitement he forgot himself—his manhood and his sense of justice—and only at the last moment realized what he was doing. I believe,” she added, simply, “I shall give him the credit of the doubt and accept his statement.”
Tyler stared at her as if he could scarcely believe his senses, while an expression of joy slowly spread over his haggard face. Radley-Todd gave Orissa a quiet smile of comprehension and approval. Cumberford said, musingly38: “Ah; this interests me; indeed it does.” But Stephen exclaimed, in an impatient tone:
“That does not clear Tyler of his attempt to murder Mr. Cumberford and destroy the aircraft. He admits that such was his design and that Burthon paid him to do it. He is not less a criminal because Orissa happened to be in the aëroplane. Therefore it is Mr. Cumberford’s duty to prosecute39 this scoundrel and put him in prison.”
Tyler cast a frightened look at the speaker and began to tremble again. Said Chesty Todd, leaning back in his chair with his hands thrust into his pockets:
“That’s the idea. The prisoner belongs to Mr. Cumberford.”
Cumberford sat in his characteristic attitude, stooping forward and thoughtfully stroking his grizzled mustache.
219“Did I hurt you very much when I kicked you, Tyler?” he meekly40 asked.
“No, sir!” protested the man, eagerly.
“Would you have thought of such a revenge had not Burthon suggested it, and paid you to carry it out?”
“No, sir!”
“M—m. Would you like to murder me now?”
“No, sir!”
“What will you do if I set you at liberty?”
“Clear out, sir,” said Tyler earnestly.
“Ah; that interests me,” declared Mr. Cumberford.
“It doesn’t interest me, though,” Stephen said angrily. “The brute41 tried to wreck my aircraft.”
“But he failed,” suggested Mr. Cumberford. “The aircraft is still in apple-pie order.”
“My son,” said the boy’s mother, in her gentle voice, “can you afford to be less generous than Mr. Cumberford and—your sister?”
Stephen flushed. Then he glanced toward Sybil and found the girl eyeing him curiously42, expectantly.
“Oh, well,” he said, with reluctance43, “let him go. Such a fiend, at large, is a menace to society. That is why I wished to make an example of him. If aëroplanes are to be attacked in mid-air, after this, the dangers of aviation will be redoubled.”
220“I wouldn’t worry about that,” carelessly remarked Todd. “This fellow is too abject a coward to continue a career of crime along those lines. He’s had his lesson, and he’ll remember it. I don’t say he’ll turn honest, for I imagine it isn’t in him; but he’ll be mighty44 careful hereafter how he conducts himself.”
“I—I’ll never step foot in an aëroplane again!” growled45 Tyler, hoarsely46 but with great earnestness.
“Suppose you meet Burthon again?” suggested Steve, distrustfully.
“If I do,” said the man, scowling and clinching47 his fists, “I—I’ll strangle him!”
“A nice, reformed character, I must say,” observed Steve, with fine contempt.
“But he interests me—he interests me greatly,” asserted Cumberford. “Let him go, Steve.”
Radley-Todd looked round the circle of faces with an amused smile, which grew tender as his eye rested upon the placid48 features of Mrs. Kane. The boy loved to study human nature; it had possessed49 a fascination50 for him ever since he could remember, and here was a fertile field for observation. Reading accurately51 the desire of those assembled to be rid of the abhorrent52 creature he had brought before them, the young man slowly rose and opened the door.
221“Tyler,” said he, “you’ve saved your skin. Not by your whining53 falsehoods and misrepresentations, but because these people are too noble to be revenged upon one so ignoble54 and degraded. But I’m not built that way myself. I’m longing55 to kick you till you can’t stand, and there’s a mighty power to my hamstrings, I assure you. I refrain just now, because ladies are present, but if I ever set eyes on your carcass again you’ll think Cumberford’s kick was a mere56 love-pat. Get out!”
Tyler cringed, turned without a word and shuffled57 through the doorway58.
Orissa came forward and took the young fellow’s hand in her own, impulsively59.
“Thank you, Mr. Todd!” she said.
He held the hand a moment and looked admiringly into her upturned face.
“It is I who should give thanks, and I do,” he answered reverently60. “I thank God to-day, as I have had occasion to do before, for his noblest creation—the American girl.”
“Good!” cried Cumberford, with approval. “That interests me.”
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收听单词发音
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1
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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2
vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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3
belittled
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| 使显得微小，轻视，贬低( belittle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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5
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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6
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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7
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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8
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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9
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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10
imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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11
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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13
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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14
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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15
condone
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| v.宽恕；原谅 | |
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16
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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17
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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18
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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19
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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20
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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21
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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22
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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23
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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24
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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25
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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26
dormant
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| adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的 | |
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27
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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28
perversity
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| n.任性；刚愎自用 | |
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29
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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30
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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31
retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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32
offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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33
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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34
shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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35
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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36
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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37
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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38
musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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39
prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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40
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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41
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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42
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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43
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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44
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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45
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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46
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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47
clinching
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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48
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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49
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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50
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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51
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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52
abhorrent
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| adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的 | |
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53
whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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54
ignoble
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| adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的 | |
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55
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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56
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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57
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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58
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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59
impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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60
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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