“The farmhouse stood quite alone, on an unfrequented by-road, in a little angle of the hills. It was not exactly a picturesque4 building, with its four walls covered with rough plaster and pierced with dozens of small windows, and its enormous red-tiled roof, with those quaint5 narrow apertures6, like half-opened eyes, disclosing a single pane7 of glass, which do duty as dormers. It stood flush with the road, as German houses are fond of doing; but behind was a large enclosed farmyard, roughly paved with round stones and well walled in. The front door, though rather pretentiously8 painted and ornamented9, with some religious versicle or other written up on the lintel, was not used as a means of entrance or exit. It was, as I afterwards discovered, not only locked and bolted, but actually screwed up on the inside; and the only way of getting into the house was by a side door opening into the courtyard. As the courtyard itself was provided with a heavy gate, you will see that the farmhouse, close to the road though it was, was by no means so easy of ingress or egress10 as it appeared, supposing, of course, that it was the humour of the inmates11 to declare a state of siege. I mention these particulars merely by the way: they are common to three houses out of five in this region.
“The Birchmores’ luggage had, it appeared, already been carried over from the hotel; but a man, in rough peasant’s costume, who announced himself as the master of the house, now came out to take charge of my trunk. I was, or fancied myself (as you may have noticed), a quick judge of faces, and this peasant’s face failed to commend itself to me. It was at once heavy and gloomy, while a scar at one corner of his mouth caused that feature to twist itself into a perfunctory grimace13, grotesquely14 at variance15 with his normal expression. In person he was much above the common size, and to judge by the ease with which he slung16 my heavy trunk over his shoulder, he must have been as strong as Augustus the Stark17 himself, whose brazen18 statue domineers over the market-place in Dresden.
“‘Guten Morgen, Herr Rudolph!’ said Slurk, hailing this giant affably. The two seemed to be on some sort of terms of comradeship, having, perhaps, struck up an acquaintance during the previous negotiations19 for lodgings20. I must say they looked to me to be a not ill-matched pair.
“We alighted, and were welcomed in with surly courtesy by Herr Rudolph. Kate, confessing to a headache, went at once to her room, whence she did not again emerge; Slurk disappeared into the kitchen regions with the landlord; Mr. Birchmore presently went out for a stroll before dinner: and I, finding myself thrown temporarily on my own resources, decided21 to make a virtue22 of my loneliness by writing some letters which had been long owing. I accordingly groped my way up the darksome stone staircase, and so along an eccentric passage to my room.
“I did not know then, nor could I, even now, accurately23 describe the arrangement of rooms in that farmhouse. There were at least three separate passages, not running at right angles to one another, but seeming to wander about irregularly, now and then turning awkward corners, descending24 or ascending25 short flights of steps, or eddying26 into a little cul-de-sac, with, perhaps, only a closet door at the end of it. The consequence was, it was nearly impossible to say whose room adjoined whose. It might be a long distance from one to another, measured along the passage, and yet they might actually be separated only by the thickness of a wall. Where the farmer and his family slept I know not, but I have reason to believe that all our party, including Slurk, were accommodated upon the same floor.
“On opening the door of my room, I found someone already there. This person was a comely27 young woman, the farmer’s daughter evidently, busy in the benevolent28 occupation of putting things in order. She had moved my trunk beneath the window, she had put fresh water in the ewer29, she had straightened out the slips of drugget on the rough-board floor, she had placed some flowers in the window, and she was now engaged in tucking a clean sheet on the bed. I said she was comely; on second looks she was better than that. She was positively30 pretty, with the innocent blonde prettiness of some German peasant-girls. Her fair hair, smoothed compactly over her small head, and wound up in a funny little pug behind, possessed31 a faint golden lustre32; her eyes were of as pure and serene33 a blue as any I ever looked upon; her smooth cheeks, slightly browned by much sunshine which had rested on them, were tinged34 with healthful bloom; her mouth might have been smaller, but the full lips were well-shaped, and there were white even teeth behind them. Her figure, like that of most Saxon peasant-girls of her age, was robust35 and vigorous; she wore a simple bodice and skirt, and her feet and legs were bare. Altogether I thought her a very agreeable apparition36.
“‘Good-morning, honoured Herr Gainsborough,’ she said gravely, in German, as I entered.
“‘Good-morning, pretty maiden,’ returned I gallantly37. ‘You seem to know my name, though I don’t know yours: what is it?’
“‘I am called Christina — Christina Rudolph. It is some time that I have known Herr Gainsborough’s name,’ she added.
“‘Really! how comes that?’ I asked, by no means displeased38.
“‘The honoured Herr has been kind to a relation of mine — a very near relation,’ replied Christina, with the same gravity.
“‘Have I? I’m glad to hear it! Was she as pretty as thou?’ inquired I, venturing upon the familiar form of address.
“She blushed, and answered: ‘It was not a woman — it was my brother.’
“‘Oh, thy brother! And where did I meet thy brother?’
“‘In Paris, Herr Gainsborough.’
“‘In Paris! Rudolph! What, art thou the sister of Heinrich Rudolph, who lives in the Latin Quarter, and is considered the cleverest jeweller in the city?’
“‘Yes, honoured Herr,’ returned Christina, smiling for the first time, and showing her pretty teeth and a dimple on either cheek. ‘My brother Heinrich cut and arranged the diamonds in the parure of the honoured Herr’s mother.’
“‘So he did, Christina, and he did it better than anyone except him could have done it. And so thou art really his sister! How did he tell thee of me?’
“‘He wrote to me while you were still in Paris, and described the pretty stones, and told how Herr Gainsborough used to come and sit with him, and see him work, and talk a great deal with him.’
“‘Yes, he was well worth talking with! And I remember now that he said he was born in this neighbourhood, and that he had a sister and a father living here. It was stupid of me not to have thought of that when I heard your name. Well, Christina, I’m afraid I wasn’t of much use to him after all. I tried to get him customers, but I knew very few people in Paris; and the only person I did succeed in introducing to him — by the way! it was this gentleman who is with me now.’
“‘Herr Birchmore; yes, my brother spoke39 also of him,’ said Christina, her gravity returning. ‘But he did not speak of the young lady, or of the servant.’
“‘No, I believe they weren’t with him at the time. I only met them myself since I came to Schandau.’
“‘The young lady is Herr Birchmore’s — wife?’
“‘His wife? Dear heavens, no! His daughter, of course, Christina.’
“Christina said nothing, being occupied in neatly40 smoothing out the pillow, and laying the wadded counterpane over the sheet.
“‘Will Herr Gainsborough stay with us long?’ she asked, after a pause.
“‘As long as Herr Birchmore does, I suppose,’ said I carelessly.
“‘And Herr Birchmore’s daughter?’ subjoined Christina, with a twinkle of mischief41 so demure42 that I could hardly be sure whether she meant it or not.
“‘Thou art as clever as thy brother, Christina,’ I laughed, colouring a little too however, I daresay, ‘It is true I have not known them long, but — but people see a good deal of one another in travelling together.’
“‘I have heard it said that travelling makes people acquainted with ——’ she paused, and looked down thoughtfully at her bare feet. Presently she lifted her blue eyes straight to mine and asked:
“‘Herr Gainsborough has his diamonds with him?’
“‘Undoubtedly! They are never away from me.’
“‘In going about this place, the Herr should be cautious. Some of these hills and valleys are very lonely. There are spots, not far from here, where no one goes for sometimes many months.’
“‘Well, I’ll be very careful, Christinchen,’ I rejoined laughing, and in truth not a little amused at the care my friends took of me. ‘But thou must remember that no one in Germany, except Herr Birchmore, and his daughter, and thyself, knows that any such diamonds as these are in existence — much less that they are in my pocket!’
“Christina raised her finger to her lips, as if to caution me to speak lower. ‘There is at least one other who knows — the man Slurk!’ she said.
“‘Well, perhaps he may,’ I replied, somewhat struck by her observation; ‘and as I see thou hast taken a dislike to the fellow, I will confide43 to thee that I consider him an atrocious brute44. But brute though he is, there’s no harm in him of that kind. He is an old servant of Herr Birchmore, I believe, and would of course be dismissed at once if there were anything serious against him.’
“‘Naturally!’ was all Christina’s answer; she made no pretence45 of arguing the point with me. ‘Adieu, honoured sir!’ she said at the door. But with her hand upon the latch46 she paused, turned round, and added rather confusedly:
“‘Will Herr Gainsborough go on any expedition with his friends to-day?’
“‘Why, I hardly think so, Christina.’
“‘But to-morrow, perhaps?’ she persisted, lifting her blue eyes to mine again.
“‘Perhaps,’ I admitted, with a smile.
“‘Then — if he can trust me — would the Herr mind leaving the diamonds with me, until he comes back again?’
“‘Nay47, Christinchen, I cannot give them up, even to thee — and although I trust thee as much as thy brother, or myself. But thou mightst lose them — and if they are to be lost at all, I would rather the responsibility should be mine. Besides,’ I continued, showing my revolver, ‘I go always with this. But I thank thee all the same, Christinchen, and I would like to do something — to ——’
“I stepped towards her: the fact is, I suppose I meant to kiss her. But her expression changed in a manner not encouraging to such an advance; she looked both grave and hurt, and I paused.
“‘I was going to say — if thou wouldst like to see the diamonds, it would give me great pleasure to show them to thee.’
“‘Many thanks, honoured sir! I would rather not.’ And with a formal curtsy the fair-haired little maid opened the door and disappeared, leaving me feeling rather foolish.
“‘The pretty peasant has a pride of her own!’ I said to myself, as I opened my trunk and got out my writing materials. ‘She’s actually offended because I wouldn’t constitute her guardian48 of thirty thousand pounds’ worth of diamonds. Good gracious! why, that father of hers, if I know anything of faces, would cut all our throats for as many groschen. But what an unmistakable scamp my friend Slurk must be to have aroused the suspicions of such an innocent unsophisticated little creature as Christinchen! By Jove, though, anybody might be suspicious of a leer and a slouch like his! What if there should be anything in it? Just suppose such a thing for a moment, eh? It’s impossible, to be sure; but the impossible does sometimes happen. How on earth did Birchmore ever happen to have such a fellow about him? I tell you I’ve always had a notion that he may be at the bottom of all this mystery that Birchmore and Kate are so much exercised by. Now, what if he — but pshaw!
“‘There is one thing I’m resolved to do, however,’ I continued to myself, as I settled down with paper, pens, and ink at the table in the window. ‘I’ll buttonhole Birchmore this very afternoon, and get out of him everything he knows about his precious valet. It can do no harm to have the matter cleared up. The thing is absurd, of course; still, the situation out here is rather lonely; and with two such lovely neighbours as Papa Rudolph and Slurk —par nobile fratrum— it may be as well to be on the safe side. Yes, that shall be cleared up to-day!’
“Having arrived at this sapient49 determination, I set to work writing my letters, and scribbled50 away diligently51 for an hour or two. At length, as I was looking vacantly up from my paper, at a loss for something interesting to set down upon it, my eyes happened to rest upon the pane of my open window.
“Like nearly all German windows, it opened inwards on hinges, instead of running up and down in grooves52. The pane on my left, therefore, having the dark room as a background, acted as a mirror of the sunlit landscape outside on the right, showing me a portion thereof which was directly invisible to me from where I sat, and to any person standing53 in which I must myself be invisible.
“Now my window was on the southern side of the house, which fronted westward54 on the road. On the opposite side of the road was a narrow strip of land planted with vegetables, and above this rose the abrupt55 side of a hill, ascended56 by a winding57 path partly hidden by the trees. I could not see this hill and path without leaning out of the window and looking towards the right; but a considerable part of it was reflected in my window-pane mirror, and could thus be readily observed without rising from my chair. Happening, then, as I said, to cast my eyes upon this mirror, I saw two persons standing together on the path upon the hillside, and conversing58 in a very animated59 manner.
“I had no difficulty in recognising them: they were Mr. Birchmore and his valet. So far there was nothing surprising in the spectacle. That which did surprise and even astonish me, however, was the mutual60 bearing of the two men towards each other.
“I have already mentioned the peremptory61 tone in which Mr. Birchmore uniformly addressed the man Slurk, and the generally overbearing attitude he assumed towards him; but in the conversation now going forward all this was changed. To judge by appearances, I should have said that Slurk was the master, and Mr. Birchmore the valet. The former was gesticulating forcibly, and evidently laying down the law in a very decided and autocratic way. His square ungainly figure seemed to dilate62, and take on a masterful and almost hectoring air; while Mr. Birchmore stood with his hands in his coat-pockets, undemonstrative and submissive, apparently63 accepting with meekness64 all that the other advanced, and only occasionally interpolating a remark or a suggestion, to which Slurk would pay but slight or impatient attention. Both were evidently talking in a low tone; for though they were not more than fifty or sixty yards from where I sat, I could not catch a single word, nor even so much as an inarticulate murmur65, unless by deliberately66 straining my ears. But I did not need nor care to hear anything: what I saw was quite enough to startle and mystify me.
“After a few minutes the two interlocutors moved slowly on up the path, and were soon beyond the field of my mirror. But the unexpected scene which I had witnessed did not so soon pass out of my mind.
“I got up from my table and began walking about the room, with the restlessness of one who cannot make his new facts tally67 with his preconceived ideas. Who and what was Slurk, and how had he obtained ascendancy68 over a man like Birchmore? Certainly it could not be a natural ascendancy. Birchmore must have put himself in the other’s power. In other words, Slurk must be blackmailing69 him. And this was the trouble, was it? — this was the mystery? It was an ugly and awkward business, certainly; but the main question remained after all unanswered. What was it that Birchmore had done to give Slurk a hold upon him? and had that act, whatever it was, compromised his daughter along with him? For now that I gathered up in my memory all the hints and signs which had come under my notice in relation to this affair, I could not help thinking that Kate’s attitude had in it something suggestive of more than mere12 filial sympathy with her father’s misfortune. In that misfortune or disgrace she had a personal and separate in addition to a sympathetic share. And yet, in what conceivable way could a low villain70 like Slurk fasten his gripe upon a pure and spotless young girl? and what a hideous71 thought — that such a girl should be in any way at his mercy! The more I turned the matter over in my mind, the more ugly did it appear. No wonder that father and daughter had warned me away. Some men in my position, having seen thus far, might have shrunk back and given up the enterprise. But I was not in that category. I was more than ever determined72 to see the adventure to its end; nay, to gain my own end in it too. The conditions of the contest were at all events narrowing themselves down to recognisable form. It was to be a trial of strength mainly between myself and Slurk — between an educated plucky73 Englishman, and a base German ruffian — between one, moreover, who had right, moral and legal, on his side, and love as his goal — and one armed only with underhand cunning and terrorism, and aiming at nothing higher than the extortion of money. This was the way I read the situation, and I flattered myself that I was equal to the emergency.
“Upon consideration, however, I decided to alter my intention of asking Mr. Birchmore about his valet. It was tolerably clear that he was not in a position to give me any information; and besides, I had already learnt everything except the particulars. Those particulars, if I did not succeed in discovering them unaided, must be extracted from Kate. She would not withhold74 them from me, if I questioned her resolutely75 and directly, enforcing my inquiries76 with disclosure of the knowledge I had already obtained. This then should be my next step. I sealed up my letters, locked them in my desk, and, it being now nearly seven o’clock, I went down to supper.
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1
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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discursiveness
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| n.漫谈离题，推论 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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apertures
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| n.孔( aperture的名词复数 )；隙缝；（照相机的）光圈；孔径 | |
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pane
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| n.窗格玻璃，长方块 | |
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pretentiously
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ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
egress
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| n.出去；出口 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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12
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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grotesquely
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| adv. 奇异地,荒诞地 | |
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15
variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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eddying
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| 涡流，涡流的形成 | |
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comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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ewer
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| n.大口水罐 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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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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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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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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demure
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| adj.严肃的；端庄的 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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sapient
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| adj.有见识的，有智慧的 | |
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50
scribbled
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| v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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grooves
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| n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏 | |
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53
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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55
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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56
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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58
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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59
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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61
peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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62
dilate
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| vt.使膨胀，使扩大 | |
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63
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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64
meekness
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| n.温顺，柔和 | |
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65
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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66
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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67
tally
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| n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致 | |
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68
ascendancy
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| n.统治权，支配力量 | |
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69
blackmailing
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| 胁迫，尤指以透露他人不体面行为相威胁以勒索钱财( blackmail的现在分词 ) | |
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70
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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71
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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72
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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73
plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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74
withhold
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| v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡 | |
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75
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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76
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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