The door opened. There she stood. Whatever expectancy1 of success she may have had fled at once. Our eyes met and her countenance2 changed. My face must have told the whole story, for she exclaimed:
“You have failed!”
I was obliged to acknowledge it in a whisper, but hastened to assure her that the ring had not yet been placed upon the bronze hand, and was not likely to be till the lock had been cleaned, out. This interested her, and called out a hurried but complete recital3 of my adventure. She hung upon it breathlessly, and when I reached the point where Madame and her prophetic voice entered the tale, she showed so much excitement that any doubts I may have cherished as to the importance of the communication Madame had made us vanished in a cold horror I with difficulty hid from my companion. But the end agitated4 her more than the beginning, and when she heard that I had taken upon myself a direct connection with this mysterious matter, she grew so pale that I felt forced to inquire if the folly5 I had committed was likely to result badly, at which she shuddered6 and replied:
“You have brought death upon yourself. I see nothing but destruction before us both. This woman—this horrible woman—has seen your face, and, if she is what you describe, she will never forget it. The man, who is her guardian7 or agent, no doubt, must have tracked you, and finding you here with me, from whose hand he himself may have torn the ring last night, will record it as treason against a cause which punishes all treason with death.
“Pshaw!” I ejaculated, with a jocular effort at indifference8, which I acknowledge I did not feel. “You seem to forget the law. We live in the city of Baltimore. Charlatans9 such as I have just left behind me do not make away with good citizens with impunity10. We have only to seek the protection of the police.”
She met my looks with a slowly increasing intentness, which stilled this protest on my lips.
“I am under no oath,” she ruminated11. “I can tell this man what I will. Mr. Abbott, there has been formed in this city an organization against which the police are powerless. I am an involuntary member of it, and I know its power. It has constrained12 me and it has constrained others, and no one who has opposed it once has lived to do so twice. Yet it has no recognized head (though there is a chief to whom we may address ourselves), and it has no oaths of secrecy13. All is left to the discretion14 of its members, and to their fears. The object of this society is the breaking of the power of the North, and the means by which it works is death. I joined it under a stress of feeling I called patriotism15, and I believed myself right till the sword was directed against my own breast. Then I quailed16; then I began to ask by what right we poor mortals constitute ourselves into instruments of destruction to our kind, and having once stopped to question, I saw the whole matter in such a different light that I knowingly put a stumbling-block in the path of so-called avenging17 justice, and thus courted the doom18 that at any moment may fall upon my head.” And she actually looked up, as if expecting to see it fall then and there. “This Madame,” she went on in breathless haste, “is doubtless one of the members. How so grotesque19 and yet redoubtable20 an individuality should have become identified with a cause demanding the coolest judgment21 as well as the most acute political acumen22, I cannot stop to conjecture23. But that she is a member of our organization, and an important one, too, her prophecies, which have so strangely become facts, are sufficient proof, even had you not seen my ring on her finger. Perhaps, incredible as it may appear, she is the chief. If so—But I do not make myself intelligible,” she continued, meeting my eyes. “I will be more explicit24. One peculiar25 feature of this organization is the complete ignorance which we all have concerning our fellow-members. We can reveal nothing, for we know nothing. I know that I am allied26 to a cause which has for its end the destruction of all who oppose the supremacy27 of the South, but I cannot give you the name of another person attached to this organization, though I feel the pressure of their combined power upon every act of my life. You may be a member without my knowing it—a secret and fearful thought, which forms one of the greatest safeguards to the institution, though it has failed in this instance, owing”—here her voice fell—“to my devotion to the man I love. What?”—(I had not spoken; my heart was dying within me, but I had given no evidence of a wish to interrupt her; she, however, feared a check, and rushed vehemently28 on.) “I shall have to tell you more. When, through pamphlets and unsigned letters—dangerous communications, which have long since become ashes—I was drawn29 into this society (and only those of the most radical30 and impressionable natures are approached) a ring and a key were sent me with this injunction: ‘When the man or woman whose name will be forwarded to you in an otherwise empty envelope, shall have, in your honest judgment, proved himself or herself sufficiently31 dangerous to the cause we love, to merit removal, you are to place this ring on the middle finger of the bronze hand locked up in the box openly displayed in the office of a Dr. Merriam on ——— Street. With the pressure of the whole five rings on the fingers of this piece of mechanism32, the guardian of our rights will be notified by a bell, that a victim awaits justice, and the end to be accomplished33 will be begun. As there are five fingers, and each one of these must feel the pressure of its own ring before connection can be made between this hand and the bell mentioned, no injustice34 can be done and no really innocent person destroyed. For, when five totally disconnected persons devoted35 to the cause agree that a certain individual is worthy36 of death, mistake is impossible. You are now one of the five. Use the key and the ring according to your conscience.’ This was well, if I had been allowed to follow my conscience; but when, six weeks ago, they sent me the name of a man of lofty character and unquestioned loyalty37, I recoiled38, scarcely believing my eyes. Yet, fearing that my own judgment was warped39, or that some hidden hypocrisy40 was latent in a man thus given over to our attention, I made it my business to learn this man’s inner life. I found it so beautiful——” She choked, turned away for a moment, controlled herself, and went on rapidly and with increased earnestness: “I learned to love this man, and as I learned to love him I grew more and more satisfied of the dangerous character of the organization I was pledged to. But I had one comfort. He could not be doomed41 without my ring, and that was safe on my finger. Safe! You know how safe it was. The monster whom you have just seen, and who may have been the person to subject this noble man to suspicion, must have discovered my love and the safeguard it offered to this man. The ring, as you know, was stolen, and as you have failed to recover it, and I to get any reply from the chief to whom I forwarded my protest, to-morrow will without doubt see it placed upon the finger of the bronze hand. The result you know. Fantastic as this may strike you, it is the dreadful truth.”
Love, had I ever felt this holy passion for her, had no longer a place in my breast; but awe43, terror and commiseration44 for her, for him, and also perhaps for myself, were still active passions within me, and at this decided45 statement of the case, I laughed in the excitement of the moment, and the relief I felt at knowing just what there was to dread42 in the adventure.
“Absurd!” I cried. “With Madame’s address in my mind and the Baltimore police at my command, this man is as safe from assault as you or I are. Give me five minutes’ talk with Chief——”
Her hand on my arm stopped me; the look in her eye made me dumb.
“What could you do without me?” she said; “and my evidence you cannot have. For what would give it weight can never pass my lips. The lives that have fallen with my connivance46 stand between me and confession47. I do not wish to subject myself to the law.”
This placed her in another light before me, and I started back.
“Placed that ring three times on the hand in Dr. Merriam’s office.”
“And each time?”
“A man somewhere in this nation has died suddenly. I do not know by what means or by whose hand, but he died.”
This beautiful creature guilty of—— I tried not to show my horror.
“It is, then, a question of choice between you and him?” said I. “Either you or he must perish. Both cannot be saved.”
She recoiled, turning very pale, and for several minutes stood surveying me with a fixed49 gaze as if overcome by an idea which threw so immense a responsibility upon her. As she stood thus, I seemed not only to look into her nature, but her life. I saw the fanaticism50 that that had once held every good impulse in check, the mistaken devotion, the unreasoning hatred51, and, underneath52 all, a spirit of truth and rectitude which brightened and brightened as I watched her, till it dominated every evil passion and made her next words come easily, and with a natural burst of conviction which showed the innate53 generosity54 of her soul.
“You have shown me my duty, sir. There can be no question as to where the choice should fall, I am not worth one hair of his noble head. Save him, sir; I will help you by every means in my power.”
Seizing the opportunity she thus gave me, I asked her the name of the man who was threatened.
In a low voice she told me.
I was astonished; dumfounded.
“He is under suspicion—that is enough.”
“Great heaven!” I exclaimed. “Have we reached such a pass as that?”
“I will,” I cried, and rushed from the room.
She fell back in a chair, almost fainting. I saw her lying quiet, inert57 and helpless as I rushed by her door on my way to the street, but I did not stop to aid her. I knew she would not suffer it.
The police are practical, and my tale was an odd one. I found it hard, therefore, to impress them with its importance, especially as in trying to save Miss Calhoun I was necessarily more or less incoherent. I did succeed, however, in awakening58 interest at last, and, a man being assigned me, I led the way to Madame’s door. But here a surprise awaited me. The doorplate, which had so attracted my attention, was gone, and in a few minutes we found that she had departed also, leaving no trace behind her.
This looked ominous59, and with little delay we hastened to the office of Dr. Merriam. Knocking at the usual door brought no response, but when we tried the further one, by which his patients usually passed out, we found ourselves confronted by the gentleman we sought.
His face was calm and smiling, and though he made haste to tell us that we had come out of hours, he politely asked us in and inquired what he could do for us.
Not understanding how he could have forgotten me so soon, I looked at him inquiringly, at which his face lighted up, and he apologetically said:
“I remember you now. You were here this morning consulting me about a friend who is afflicted60 with a peculiar complaint. Have you anything further to state or ask in regard to it. I have just five minutes to spare.”
“Hear this gentleman first,” said I, pointing to the officer who accompanied me.
The doctor calmly bowed, and waited with the greatest self-possession for him to state his case.
“There is a box in your ante-room which I feel it my duty to examine. I am Detective Hopkins, of the city police.”
The doctor, with a gentleness which seemed native rather than assumed, quietly replied:
“I am very sorry, but you are an hour too late.” And, throwing open the door of communication between the two rooms, he pointed62 to the table.
The box was gone!
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
expectancy
|
|
| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
recital
|
|
| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
agitated
|
|
| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
folly
|
|
| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
shuddered
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
indifference
|
|
| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
charlatans
|
|
| n.冒充内行者，骗子( charlatan的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
impunity
|
|
| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
ruminated
|
|
| v.沉思( ruminate的过去式和过去分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
constrained
|
|
| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
secrecy
|
|
| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
discretion
|
|
| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
patriotism
|
|
| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
quailed
|
|
| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
avenging
|
|
| adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
doom
|
|
| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
grotesque
|
|
| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
redoubtable
|
|
| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
acumen
|
|
| n.敏锐，聪明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
conjecture
|
|
| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
explicit
|
|
| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
allied
|
|
| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
supremacy
|
|
| n.至上；至高权力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
vehemently
|
|
| adv. 热烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
radical
|
|
| n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
mechanism
|
|
| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
injustice
|
|
| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
loyalty
|
|
| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
recoiled
|
|
| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
warped
|
|
| adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
hypocrisy
|
|
| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
doomed
|
|
| 命定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
awe
|
|
| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
commiseration
|
|
| n.怜悯，同情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
connivance
|
|
| n.纵容；默许 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
confession
|
|
| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
stammered
|
|
| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
fanaticism
|
|
| n.狂热，盲信 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
hatred
|
|
| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
underneath
|
|
| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
innate
|
|
| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
generosity
|
|
| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
hoarsely
|
|
| adv.嘶哑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
inert
|
|
| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
awakening
|
|
| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
ominous
|
|
| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
afflicted
|
|
| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |