“It is a mean, contemptible2 trick that Cunningham has played upon us,” he said. “For the sake of saving his paltry3 money he has doomed4 us both to death.”
“I am sure it isn’t his fault.”
“Oh, you may excuse him if you will. I won’t do it. I understand him better than you do.”
“I don’t feel like disputing you,” said Bernard gravely, “but I know him well, and I am sure he would not leave me in the lurch6.”
They tossed about on their beds and neither one slept. They woke and rose unrefreshed.
Breakfast was brought them, but neither could eat a mouthful.
“I can’t eat anything. It would choke me,” said Sanderson.
“Walter Cunningham may come yet,” said Bernard, but his hope was very faint.
“Then he had better hurry, that’s all I have got to say. I wish I could communicate with the American minister. Our government should send over a fleet of war vessels7 and blow Naples sky high.”
“You must remember that these men are outlaws—that it is their work, and not the work of the government.”
“Then the government should suppress them. I wish,” Amos Sanderson continued, with a groan8, “that I had never set foot in this forsaken9 country. I should have stood a better chance in a savage10 land.”
“The signor is not hungry?” said the bandit who had brought in the breakfast. He spoke11 in Italian, but Bernard understood.
“No,” he answered, “we are not hungry.”
The bandit did not understand, and merely looked at him gravely.
“It’s too bad,” went on the American, “to leave the world, when a man has made a fortune and is able to enjoy it. Why, I ought to live twenty-five years yet. I am only forty-seven.”
“And I am not yet seventeen,” said Bernard.
“Yes, it’s hard luck for us both. And to think Cunningham has doomed us to all this! I’d like to wring13 his neck. If I had gone it would have been different.”
Bernard felt too despondent14 to defend his friend. In his secret heart he felt that Cunningham ought to have managed somehow to come back and save them from the doom5 which now awaited them.
“It is half past eleven,” said the American, drawing out his watch, which, perhaps because it was only of silver, the bandits had not confiscated15.
“Then we have half an hour to live. If only Mr. Cunningham would appear in that time!” sighed Bernard.
Slowly the minutes passed, but there was no arrival.
Punctually at twelve o’clock the door opened and the bandits entered, accompanied by the interpreter. There was a stern gravity upon the faces of the three Italians, which caused the hearts of the captives to sink within them.
“Well,” said the interpreter, “your friend has not come.”
“No, confound him!” exclaimed Sanderson fiercely. “I’d like to strangle him.”
“Give him another day,” pleaded Bernard. “He must have met with some delay.”
“Naples is only fifteen miles away, and it is now the seventh day. Doubtless he is enjoying himself. He has no thought of returning.”
“I have no doubt you are right,” said Amos Sanderson bitterly.
“The signor agrees with me, then.”
“You should have let me go.”
“Would it have been any better?” asked the interpreter gravely.
“Yes. I give you my word it would.”
Then a sudden thought came to Mr. Sanderson.
“Look here,” he said, “you want money, don’t you?”
“That is what we want.”
“Then I’ll tell you what I’ll do. Send me to Naples, and I’ll bring you five thousand scudi. I’ll hurry back as soon as I can.”
“Does the signor take us for fools? We have lost one of our prisoners. Shall we let another go?”
“But you will have the boy left.”
“Well?”
“If I don’t come back you will have him in your power.”
Bernard looked at Amos Sanderson.
He was not especially pleased with his proposal, nor did he feel in the least certain that he would come back. Still, his life would be prolonged, and that would lead to something. Possibly it would give Walter Cunningham time to return.
“I am willing to be left,” he said, “if you choose to let this gentleman go.”
“You’re a trump17, Bernard!” said Mr. Sanderson cordially. “I’ll come back, I assure you. You see the boy is willing.”
“But we are not,” said the interpreter decidedly. “Of the three the boy is the last one that we wish to retain.”
“But you want the money, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me go.”
“How will the signor get the money?”
“From my bankers.”
“But you gave your letter of credit to the other signor.”
“So I did,” said Amos Sanderson, with sudden recollection.
“And without your letter of credit you could get no money.”
Amos Sanderson was silent. He had no answer to make. He had still harder thoughts in his heart of Walter Cunningham, whom he accused of the basest treachery.
“Have you any more to say?” asked the interpreter.
“And you?” turning to Bernard.
“I ask you to wait another day.”
“We cannot do it. It is clear that Signor Cunningham will not return.”
At a signal one of the bandits went to the door and opened it.
“Follow me,” said the interpreter.
Bernard and Sanderson had been so long confined that they were glad to pass through the portal into the bright sunshine without.
“Now what are you going to do with us?” asked the American.
“You can choose in what way you will die. Shall it be by the knife or the pistol?”
“Look!” he said in delight, “there he comes! There is Walter Cunningham.”
A dozen rods away could be seen the figure of their missing companion. He seemed to be extremely fatigued21, and his clothing was covered with dust.
“I knew he would come,” said Bernard triumphantly22.
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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2
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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3
paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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4
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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5
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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6
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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7
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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8
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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9
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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10
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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11
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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12
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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13
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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14
despondent
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| adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的 | |
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15
confiscated
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| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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17
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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18
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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19
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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20
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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21
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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22
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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