Israel Kensky died at five o'clock in the morning. They had made a rough attempt to dress the wound in his shoulder, but, had they been the most skilful1 of surgeons with the best appliances which modern surgery had invented at their hands, they could not have saved his life. He died literally2 in the arms of Irene, and they buried him in a little forest on the edge of a sluggish3 stream, and Cherry Bim unconsciously delivered the funeral oration4.
"This poor old guy was a good fellow," he said. "I ain't got nothing on the Jews as a class, except their habit of prosperity, and that just gets the goat of people like me, who hate working for a living. He was straight and white, and that's all you can expect any man to be, or any woman either, with due respect to you, miss. If any of you gents would care to utter a few words of prayer, you'll get a patient hearing from me, because I am naturally a broad-minded man."
It was the girl who knelt by the grave, the tears streaming down her cheeks, but what she said none heard. Cherry Bim, holding his hat crown outward across his breast, produced the kind of face which he thought adequate to the occasion; and, after the party had left the spot, he stayed behind. He rejoined them after a few minutes, and he was putting away his pocket-knife as he ran.
"Sorry to keep you, ladies and gents," he said, "but I am a sentimental5 man in certain matters. I always have been and always shall be."
"What were you doing?" asked Malcolm, as the car bumped along.
Cherry Bim cleared his throat and seemed embarrassed.
"Well, to tell you the truth," he said. "I made a little cross and stuck it over his head."
"But----" began Malcolm, and the girl's hand closed his mouth.
"Thank you, Mr. Bim," she said. "It was very, very kind of you."
"Nothing wrong, I hope?" asked Cherry in alarm.
"Nothing wrong at all," said the girl gently.
That cross over the grave of the Jew was to give them a day's respite6. Israel Kensky had left behind him in the place where he fell a fur hat bearing his name. From the quantity of blood which the pursuers found, they knew that he must have been mortally wounded, and it was for a grave by the wayside that the pursuing party searched and found. It was the cross at his head which deceived them and led them to take the ford7 and try along the main road to the south of the river, on the banks of which Kensky slept his last dreamless sleep.
The danger for the fugitives8 was evident.
"The most we can hope," said Malinkoff, "is to escape detection for two days, after which we must abandon the car."
"Which way do you suggest?" asked Malcolm.
"Poland or the Ukraine," replied the general quickly. "The law of the Moscow Soviet10 does not run in Little Russia or in Poland. We may get to Odessa, but obviously we cannot go much farther like this. I have--or had," he corrected himself, "an estate about seventy versts from here, and I think I can still depend upon some of my people--if there are any left alive. The car we must get rid of, but that, I think, will be a simple matter."
They were now crossing a wide plain, which reminded Malcolm irresistibly11 of the steppes of the Ukraine, and apparently12 had recalled the same scene to Irene and Malinkoff. There was the same sweep of grass-land, the same riot of flowers; genista, cornflour and clover dabbled13 the green, and dwarf14 oaks and poverty-stricken birches stood in lonely patches.
"Here is a Russia which the plough has never touched," said Malinkoff. "Does it not seem to you amazing that the Americans and British who go forth15 to seek new colonies, should lure16 our simple people to foreign countries, where the mode of living, the atmosphere, is altogether different from this, when here at their doors is a new land undiscovered and unexploited?"
He broke off his homily to look out of the window of the car. He had done that at least a dozen times in the past half-hour.
"We're going fairly fast," said Malcolm. "You do not think anything will overtake us?"
"On the road--no," said Malinkoff, "but I am rather nervous crossing this plain, where there is practically no cover at all, and the car is raising clouds of dust."
"Nervous of what?"
"Aeroplanes," said Malinkoff. "Look, there is a pleasant little wood. I suggest that we get under cover until night falls. The next village is Truboisk, which is a large market centre and is certain to hold local officers of the Moscow Soviet."
Both his apprehensions18 and his judgment19 were justified20, for scarcely had the car crept into the cover of green boughs21, than a big aeroplane was sighted. It was following the road and at hardly a hundred feet above them. It passed with a roar. They watched it until it was a speck22 in the sky.
"They are taking a lot of trouble for a very little thing. Russia must be law-abiding if they turn their aeroplanes loose on a party of fugitive9 criminals!"
"Boolba has told his story," said Malinkoff significantly. "By this time you are not only enemies of the Revolution, but you are accredited23 agents of capitalistic Governments. You have been sent here by your President to stir up the bourgeois24 to cast down the Government, because of British investments. Mr. Bim will be described as a secret service agent who has been employed to assassinate25 either Trotsky or Lenin. If you could only tap the official wireless," said Malinkoff, "you would learn that a serious counter-revolutionary plot has been discovered, and that American financiers are deeply involved. Unless, of course," corrected Malinkoff, "America happens to be in favour in Petrograd, in which case it will be English financiers."
Malcolm laughed.
"Then we are an international incident?" he said.
"You are an 'international incident,'" agreed Malinkoff gravely.
Cherry Bim, sitting on the step, smoking a long cigar, a box of which Petroff had given him as a parting present--looked up, blowing out a blue cloud.
"A secret service agent?" he said. "That's a sort of fly cop, isn't it?"
"That's about it, Cherry," replied Malcolm.
"And do you think they'll call me a fly cop?" said the interested Cherry.
Malinkoff nodded, and the gun-man chewed on his cigar.
"Time brings its revenges, don't it?" he said. "Never, oh never, did I think that I should be took for a fellow from the Central Office! It only shows you that if a guy continues on the broad path that leadeth to destruction, and only goes enough, he'll find Mrs. Nemesis--I think that's the name of the dame26."
Malinkoff strolled to the edge of the wood and came back hurriedly.
"The aeroplane is returning," he said, "and is accompanied by another."
This time neither machine took the direct route. They were sweeping27 the country methodically from side to side, and Malinkoff particularly noticed that they circled about a smaller wood two miles away and seemed loth to leave it.
"What colour is the top of this car?" he asked, and Bim climbed up.
"White," he said. "Is there time to put on a little of this 'camelflage' I've heard so much about?"
The party set to work in haste to tear down small branches of trees and scraps28 of bushes, and heap them on to the top of the car. Cherry Bim, who had the instinct of deception29, superintending the actual masking of the roof, and as the sun was now setting detected a new danger.
"Let all the windows down," said Cherry. "Put a coat over the glass screen and sit on anything that shines."
They heard the roar of the aeroplane coming nearer and crouched30 against the trunk of a tree. Suddenly there was a deafening31 explosion which stunned32 the girl and threw her against Malcolm. She half-rose to run but he pulled her down.
"What was it?" she whispered.
"A small bomb," said Malcolm. "It is an old trick of airmen when they are searching woods for concealed33 bodies of infantry34. Somebody is bound to run out and give the others away."
Cherry Bim, fondling his long Colt, was looking glumly35 at the cloud of smoke which was billowing forth from the place where the bomb had dropped. Round and round circled the aeroplane, but presently, as if satisfied with its scrutiny36, it made off, and the drone of the engine grew fainter and fainter.
"War's hell," said Cherry, wiping his pallid37 face with a hand that shook.
"I can't quite understand it," said Malinkoff. "Even supposing that Boolba has told his story, there seems to be a special reason for this urgent search. They would, of course, have communicated----"
He fell silent.
"Has Boolba any special reasons, other than those we know?" he asked.
Malcolm remembered the "Book of All-Power" and nodded.
"Have you something of Kensky's?" asked Malinkoff quickly. "Not that infernal book?"
He looked so anxious that Malcolm laughed.
"Yes, I have that infernal book. As a matter of fact, it is the infernal book of the Grand Duchess now."
"Mine?" she said in surprise.
"Kensky's last words to me were that this book should become your property," said Malcolm, and she shivered.
"All my life seems to have been associated with the search for that dreadful book," she said. "I wonder if it is one of Kensky's own binding38. You know," she went on, "that Israel Kensky bound books for a hobby? He bound six for me, and they were most beautifully decorated."
"He was a rich man, was he not?" asked Malcolm.
She shook her head.
"He was penniless when he died," she said quietly. "Every store of his was confiscated39 and his money was seized by order of the new Government. I once asked him definitely why he did not turn to his 'Book of All-Power' for help. He told me the time had not yet come."
"May I see the book?"
Malcolm took the volume with its canvas cover from his pocket, and the girl looked at it seriously.
"Do you know, I have half a mind to throw it into the fire?" she said, pointing to the smouldering wood where the bomb had fallen. "There seems something sinister40, something ominous41 about its possession that fills me with terror."
She looked at it for a moment musingly42, then handed it back to Malcolm.
"Poor Israel!" she said softly, "and poor Russia!"
They waited until darkness fell before they moved on. Malinkoff had an idea that there was a crossroad before the town was reached, and progress was slow in consequence, because he was afraid of passing it. He was determined43 now not to go through the village, which lay directly ahead. The fact that the aeroplane had been able to procure44 a recruit, pointed45 to the existence of a camp of considerable dimensions in the neighbourhood and he was anxious to keep away from armed authority.
It was a tense hour they spent--tense for all except Cherry Bim, who had improvised46 a cushion on the baggage carrier at the back of the car, and had affixed47 himself so that he could doze17 without falling off. The side road did not appear, and Malinkoff grew more and more apprehensive48. There were no lights ahead, as there should be if he were approaching the village. Once he thought he saw dark figures crouching49 close to the ground as the car passed, but put this down to nerves. Five hundred yards beyond, he discovered that his eyes had not deceived him. A red light appeared in the centre of the road, and against the skyline--for they were ascending50 a little incline at the moment--a number of dark figures sprang into view.
The chauffeur51 brought the car to a halt with a jerk, only just in time, for his lamps jarred against the pole which had been placed across the road.
Malcolm had drawn52 his revolver, but the odds53 were too heavy, besides which, in bringing his car to a standstill, the driver had shut off his engine and the last hope of bunking54 through had disappeared.
A man carrying a red lamp came to the side of the car, and flashed the light of a torch over the occupants.
"One, two, three, four," he counted. "There should be five."
He peered at them separately.
"This is the aristocrat55 general, this is the American revolutionary, this is the woman. There is also a criminal. Did any man jump out?" he asked somebody in the darkness, and there was a chorus of "No!"
Footsteps were coming along the road; the guard which had been waiting to close them in from the rear, was now coming up. The man with the lamp, who appeared to be an officer, made a circuit of the car and discovered the carrier seat, but its occupant had vanished.
"There was a man here, you fools," he shouted. "Search the road; he cannot have gone far. Look!"
He put the light on the road.
"There are his boots. You will find him amongst the bushes. Search quickly."
Malcolm, at the girl's side, put his arm about her shoulder.
"You are not afraid?" he said gently, and she shook her head.
"I do not think I shall ever be afraid again," she replied. "I have faith in God, my dear. Cherry has escaped?" she asked.
"I think so," he replied in a guarded tone. "He must have seen the soldiers and jumped. They have just found his boots in the roadway."
The officer came back at that moment.
"You have weapons," he said. "Give them to me."
It would have been madness to disobey the order, and Malcolm handed over his revolver and Malinkoff followed suit. Not satisfied with this, the man turned them out in the road whilst he conducted a search.
"Get back," he said after this was over. "You must go before the Commissary for judgment. The woman is required in Moscow, but we shall deal summarily with the foreigner and Malinkoff, also the little thief, when we find him."
He addressed the chauffeur.
"I shall sit by your side, and if you do not carry out my instructions I shall shoot you through the head, little pigeon," he said. "Get down and start your machine."
收听单词发音 |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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Soviet
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| adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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dabbled
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| v.涉猎( dabble的过去式和过去分词 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资 | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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accredited
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| adj.可接受的；可信任的；公认的；质量合格的v.相信( accredit的过去式和过去分词 )；委托；委任；把…归结于 | |
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bourgeois
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| adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子 | |
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assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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glumly
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| adv.忧郁地，闷闷不乐地；阴郁地 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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confiscated
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| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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51
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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52
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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54
bunking
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| v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的现在分词 )；空话，废话 | |
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aristocrat
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| n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物 | |
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