Maggie almost sprang from her chair.
“Shall we take a little stroll, Miss Cameron?” Hunt asked. “I think it will be some time before Miss Sherwood will want us for tea.”
“Yes—thank you,” Maggie stammered3.
Hunt led her down a walk of white gravel4 to where a circle of Hiawatha roses were trained into a graceful5 mosque6, now daintily glorious with its solid covering of yellow-hearted red blooms. Within this retreat was a rustic7 bench, and on this Hunt seated her and took a place beside her. He looked her over with the cool, direct, studious eyes which reminded her of his gaze when he had been painting her.
“Well, Maggie,” he finally commented, “you certainly look the part you picked out for yourself, and you seem to be putting it over. Always had an idea you could handle something big if you went after it. How d'you like the life, being a swell8 lady crook9?”
She had hardly heard his banter10. She needed to ask him no questions about his presence here; his ease of bearing had conveyed to her unconsciously from the first instant that her previous half-contemptuous estimate of him had been altogether wrong and that he was now in his natural element. Her first question went straight to the cause of her amazement11.
“Didn't you recognize me when you first saw me with Miss Sherwood?”
“Yes.”
“Weren't you surprised?”
“Nope,” he answered with deliberate monosyllabioness.
“Why not?”
“I'd been wised up that I'd be likely to meet you—and here.”
“Here! By whom?”
“By advice of counsel I must decline to answer.”
“Why didn't you tell Miss Sherwood who I am and show me up?”
“Because I'd been requested not to tell.”
“Requested by whom?”
“Maggie,” he drawled, “you seem to be making a go of this lady crook business—but I think you might have been even more of a shining light as a criminal cross-examiner. However, I refuse to be cross-examined further. By the way,” he drawled on, “how goes it with those dear souls, Barney and Old Jimmie?”
She ignored his question.
“Please! Who asked you not to tell?”
There was a sudden glint of good-humored malice12 in his eyes. “Mind if I smoke?”
“No.”
He drew out a silver cigarette case and opened it. “Empty!” he exclaimed. “Excuse me while I get something from the house to smoke. I'll be right back.”
Without waiting for her permission he stepped out of the arbor13 and she heard his footsteps crunching14 up the gravel path. Maggie waited his return in pulsing suspense15. Her situation had been developing beyond anything she had ever dreamed of; she was aquiver as to what might happen next. So absorbed was she in her chaos16 of feeling and thoughts that she did not even hear the humble17 symphony of the hundreds of bees drawing their treasure from the golden hearts of the roses; and did not see, across the path a score of yards away, the tall figure of Joe Ellison among the rosebushes, pruning-shears in hand, with which he had been cutting out dead blossoms, gazing at her with that hungry, admiring, speculative18 look with which he had regarded the young women upon the beach.
Presently she heard Hunt's footsteps coming down the path. Then she detected a second pair. Dick accompanying him, she thought. And then Hunt appeared before her, and was saying in his big voice: “Miss Cameron, permit me to present my friend, Mr. Brandon.” And then he added in a lowered voice, grinning with the impish delight of an overgrown boy who is playing a trick: “Thought I'd better go through the motions of introducing you people, so it would look as if you'd just met for the first time.” And with that he was gone.
Maggie had risen galvanically. For the moment she could only stare. Then she got out his name.
“Larry!” she whispered. “You here?”
“Yes.”
Astounded19 as she was, she had caught instantly the total lack of amazement on Larry's part.
“You're—you're not surprised to see me?”
“No,” he said evenly. “I knew you were here. And before that I knew you were coming.”
That was almost too much for Maggie. Hunt had known and Larry had known; both were people belonging to her old life, both the last people she expected to meet in such circumstances. She could only stare at him—entirely taken aback by this meeting.
And indeed it was a strangely different meeting from the last time she had seen him, at the Grantham; strangely different from those earlier meetings down at the Duchess's when both had been grubs as yet unmetamorphosized. Now standing20 in the arbor they looked a pair of weekend guests, in keeping with the place. For, as Maggie had noted21, Larry in his well-cut flannels22 was as greatly transformed as Hunt.
It was Larry who ended the silence. “Shall we sit down?”
She mechanically sank to the bench, still staring at him.
“What are you doing here?” she managed to breathe.
“I belong here.”
“Belong here?”
“I work here,” he explained. “I'm called 'Mr. Brandon,' but Miss Sherwood knows exactly who I am and what I've been.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Since that night when Barney and Old Jimmie took you away to begin your new career—the same night that I ran away from those gunmen who thought I was a squealer23, and from Casey and Gavegan.”
“And all the while that Barney and my father and the police have thought you hiding some place in the West, you've been with the Sherwoods?”
“Yes. And I've got to remain in hiding until something happens that will clear me. If the police or Barney and his friends learn where I am—you can guess what will happen.”
She nodded.
“Hunt got me here,” he went on to explain. “I'm assisting in trying to get the Sherwood business affairs in better shape. I might as well tell you, Maggie,” he added quietly, “that Dick Sherwood is my very good friend.”
“Dick Sherwood!” she breathed.
“And I might as well tell you,” he went on, “that since that night at the Grantham when I heard his voice, I've known that Dick is the sucker you and Barney and Old Jimmie are trying to trim.”
She half rose, and her voice sounded sharply: “Then you've got me caught in a trap! You've told them about me?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Not so loud, or we may attract attention,” he warned her. “I haven't told because you had your chance to give me away to Barney that night at the Grantham. And you didn't give me away.”
She sank slowly back to the bench. “Is that your only reason?”
“No,” he answered truthfully. “Exposing you would merely mean that you'd feel harder toward me—and harder toward every one else. I don't want that.”
She pondered this a moment. “Then—you're not going to tell?”
He shook his head. “I don't expect to. I want you to be free to decide what you're going to do—though I hope you'll decide not to go through with this thing you're doing.”
She made no response. Larry had spoken with control until now, but his next words burst from him.
“Don't you see what a situation it's put me in, Maggie—trying to play square with my friends, the Sherwoods, and trying to play square with you?”
Again she did not answer.
“Maggie, you're too good for what you're doing—it's all a terrible mistake!” he cried passionately25. Then he remembered himself, and spoke24 with more composure. “Oh, I know there's not much use in talking to you now—while you feel as you do about yourself—and while you feel as you do about me. But you know I love you, and want to marry you—when—” He halted.
“When?” she prompted, almost involuntarily.
“When you see things differently—and when I can go around the world a free man, not a fugitive26 from Barney and his gunmen and the police.”
Again Maggie was silent for a moment. It was as if she were trying to press out of her mind what he had said about loving her. Truly this was, indeed, different from their previous meetings. Before, there had almost invariably been a defiant27 attitude, a dispute, a quarrel. Now she had no desire to quarrel.
Finally she said with an effort to be that self-controlled person which she had established as her model:
“You seem to have your chance here to put over what you boasted to me about. You remember making good in a straight way.”
“Yes. And I shall make good—if only they will let me alone.” He paused an instant. “But I have no illusions about the present,” he went on quietly. “I'm in quiet water for a time; I've got a period of safety; and I'm using this chance to put in some hard work. But presently the police and Barney and the others will learn where I am. Then I'll have all that fight over again—only the next time it'll be harder.”
She was startled into a show of interest. “You think that's really going to happen?”
“It's bound to. There's no escaping it. If for no other reason, I myself won't be able to stand being penned up indefinitely. Something will happen, I don't know what, which will pull me out into the open world—and then for me the deluge28!”
He made this prediction grimly. He was not a fatalist, but it had been borne in upon him recently that this thing was inescapable. As for him, when that time came, he was going to put up the best fight that was in him.
He caught the strained look which had come into Maggie's face, and it prompted him suddenly to lean toward her and say:
“Maggie, do you still think I'm a stool and a squealer?”
“I—”
She broke off. She had a surging impulse to go on and say something to Larry. A great deal. She was not conscious of what that great deal was. She was conscious only of the impulse. There was too great a turmoil29 within her, begotten30 by the strain of her visit on Miss Sherwood and these unexpected meetings, for any motive31, impulse, or decision to emerge to even a brief supremacy32. And so, during this period when her brain would not operate, she let herself be swept on by the momentum33 of the forces which had previously34 determined35 her direction—her pride, her self-confidence, her ambition, the alliance of fortune between her and Barney and Old Jimmie.
They were sitting in this silence when footsteps again sounded on the gravel, and a shadow blotted36 the arbor floor.
“Excuse me, Larry,” said a man's voice.
“Sure. What is it, Joe?”
Before her Maggie saw the tall, thin man in overalls37, his removed broad-brimmed hat revealing his white hair, whom she had noticed a little earlier working among the flowers. He held a bunch of the choicest pickings from the abundant rose gardens, their stems bound in maple38 leaves as temporary protection against their thorns. He was gazing at Maggie, respectful, hungry admiration39 in his somber40 eyes.
“I thought perhaps the young lady might care for these.” He held out the roses to her. And then quickly, to forestall41 refusal: “I cut out more than we can use for the house. And I'd like to have you have them.”
“Thank you,” and Maggie took the flowers.
For an instant their eyes held. In every outward circumstance the event was a commonplace—this meeting of father and daughter, not knowing each other. It was hardly more than a commonplace to Maggie: just a tall, white-haired gardener respectfully offering her roses. And it was hardly more to Joe Ellison: just a tribute evoked42 by his hungry interest in every well-seeming girl of the approximate age of his daughter.
At the moment's end Joe Ellison had bowed and started back for his flower beds. “Who is that man?” asked Maggie, gazing after him. “I never saw such eyes.”
“We used to be pals43 in Sing Sing,” Larry replied. He went on to give briefly44 some of the details of Joe Ellison's story, never dreaming how he and Maggie were entangled45 in that story, nor how they were to be involved in its untanglement. Perhaps they were fortunate in this ignorance. Within the boundaries of what they did know life already held enough of problems and complications.
Larry had just finished his condensed history when Dick Sherwood appeared and ordered them to the veranda46 for tea. There were just the five of them, Miss Sherwood, Maggie, Hunt, Dick, and Larry. Miss Sherwood was as gracious as before, and she seemingly took Maggie's strained manner and occasional confusions as further proof of her genuineness. Dick beamed at the impression she was making upon his sister.
As for Maggie, she was living through the climax47 of that afternoon's strain. And she dared not show it. She forced herself to do her best acting48, sipping49 her tea with a steady hand. And what made her situation harder was that two of the party, Larry and Hunt, were treating her with the charmed deference50 they might accord a charming stranger, when a word from either of them might destroy the fragile edifice51 of her deception52.
At last it was over, and all was ready for her to start back to town with Dick. When Miss Sherwood kissed her and warmly begged her to come again soon, the very last of her control seemed to be slipping from her—but she held on. Larry and Hunt she managed to say goodbye to in the manner of her new acquaintanceship.
“Isn't she simply splendid!” exclaimed Miss Sherwood when Dick had stepped into the car and the two had started away.
Larry pretended not to have heard. He felt precariously53 guilty toward this woman who had befriended him. The next instant he had forgotten Miss Sherwood and his pulsing thoughts were all on Maggie in that speeding car. She had been profoundly shaken by that afternoon's experience, this much he knew. But what was going to be the real effect upon her of his carefully thought-out design? Was it going to be such as to save her and Dick?—and eventually win her for himself?
In the presence of Miss Sherwood Larry tried to behave as if nothing had happened more than the pleasant interruption of an informal tea: but beneath that calm all his senses were waiting breathless, so to speak, for news of what had happened within Maggie, and what might be happening to her.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
wink
|
|
| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
stammered
|
|
| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
gravel
|
|
| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
graceful
|
|
| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
mosque
|
|
| n.清真寺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
crook
|
|
| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
banter
|
|
| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
malice
|
|
| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
arbor
|
|
| n.凉亭；树木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
crunching
|
|
| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
suspense
|
|
| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
chaos
|
|
| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
speculative
|
|
| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
astounded
|
|
| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
flannels
|
|
| 法兰绒男裤； 法兰绒( flannel的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
squealer
|
|
| 发出尖叫声的人；雏鸽；小松鸡；小鹌鹑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
passionately
|
|
| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
fugitive
|
|
| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
defiant
|
|
| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
deluge
|
|
| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
turmoil
|
|
| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
begotten
|
|
| v.为…之生父( beget的过去分词 )；产生，引起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
supremacy
|
|
| n.至上；至高权力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
momentum
|
|
| n.动力，冲力，势头；动量 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
previously
|
|
| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
blotted
|
|
| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
overalls
|
|
| n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
maple
|
|
| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
somber
|
|
| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
forestall
|
|
| vt.抢在…之前采取行动；预先阻止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
evoked
|
|
| [医]诱发的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
pals
|
|
| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
entangled
|
|
| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
veranda
|
|
| n.走廊；阳台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
climax
|
|
| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
sipping
|
|
| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
deference
|
|
| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
edifice
|
|
| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
deception
|
|
| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
precariously
|
|
| adv.不安全地；危险地；碰机会地；不稳定地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |