CHAPTER XXIII. THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM.

 In the house on Houston street, Bill wasted little regret on the absence of his wife and child. Neither did he trouble himself to speculate as to where she had gone.

 

"I'm better without her," he said to his confederate, Mike. "She's always a-whinin' and complainin', Nance¹ is. It makes me sick to see her. If I speak a rough word to her, and it stands to reason a chap can't always be soft-spoken, she begins to cry. I like to see a woman have some spirit, I do."

 

"They may have too much," said Mike, shrugging his shoulders. "My missus ain't much like yours. She don't cry, she don't. If I speak rough to her, she ups with something and flings it at my head. That's her style."

 

"And what do you do?" asked Bill, in some curiosity.

 

"Oh, I just leave her to get over it; that's the best way."

 

"Is it?" said Bill, grimly. "Why, you're not half[Pg 176] a man, you ain't. Do you want to know what I'd do if a woman raised her hand against me?"

 

"Well, what would you do?"

 

"I'd beat her till she couldn't see!" said Bill, fiercely; and he looked as if he was quite capable of it.

 

"I don't know," said Mike. "You haven't got a wife like mine."

 

"I just wish I had. I'd tame her."

 

"She ain't easy to tame."

 

"Just you take me round there some time, Mike. If she has a tantrum, turn her over to me."

 

Mike did not answer. He was not as great a ruffian as Bill, and the proposal did not strike him favorably.

 

His wife was certainly a virago², and though strong above the average, he was her superior in physical strength, but something hindered him from using it to subdue³ her. So he was often overmatched by the shrill-voiced vixen, who knew very well that he would not proceed to extremities⁴. Had she been Bill's wife, she would have had to yield, or there would have been bloodshed.

 

"I say, Bill," said Mike, suddenly, "how much did your wife hear of our plans last night?"

 

"Nothing."

 

"She might."

 

[Pg 177]

 

"If she had she would not dare to say a word," said Bill, carelessly.

 

"You don't know. Women like to use their tongues."

 

"She knows I'd kill her if she betrayed me," said Bill. "There ain't no use considerin' that."

 

"Well, I'm glad you think so. It would be awkward if the police got wind of it."

 

"They won't."

 

"What do you think of that chap that's puttin' us up to it?"

 

"I don't like him, but I like his money."

 

"Five hundred dollars a-piece ain't much for the risk we run."

 

"We'll have more."

 

"How?"

 

"If we don't find more in the safe, we'll bleed him when all's over. He'll be in our power."

 

"Well, Bill, you know best. You've got a better head nor me."

 

"And a stouter⁵ heart, man. You're always afeared of something."

 

It was true that Bill was the leading spirit. He was reckless and desperate, while Mike was apt to count the cost, and dwell upon the danger incurred⁶.

 

They had been associated more than once in unlawful undertakings⁷; and though both had served a[Pg 178] short term of imprisonment⁸, they had in general escaped scot-free.

 

It was Bill who hung round the store, and who received from Talbot at the close of the afternoon the "combination," which was to make the opening of the safe comparatively easy.

 

"It's a good thing to have a friend inside," he said to his confederate. "Our money is as good as made."

 

"There'll be the janitor⁹ to dispose of," suggested Mike.

 

"Leave him to me. I'll knock him on the head."

 

"Don't kill him if you can help it, Bill. Murder has an ugly look, and they'll look out twice as sharp for a murderer as for a burglar. Besides, swingin' ain't pleasant."

 

"Never you mind. I'll only stun¹⁰ him a little. He can wake up when we're gone, but we'll tie him so he can't give the alarm."

 

"How cool you take things, Bill!"

 

"Do I? Well, it's my business. You just leave everything to me. Obey orders, and I'll bring you out all right."

 

So the day passed, and darkness came on. It was the calm before the storm.

1 nance   

n.娘娘腔的男人，男同性恋者

参考例句：

• I think he's an awful nance.我觉得他这个人太娘娘腔了。
• He doesn't like to be called a nance.他不喜欢被叫做娘娘腔。

2 virago   

n.悍妇

参考例句：

• The virago vomited out curses on that tramp.那悍妇怒骂那流浪汉。
• His wife is a virago.他的妻子是母老虎。

3 subdue   

vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制

参考例句：

• She tried to subdue her anger.她尽力压制自己的怒火。
• He forced himself to subdue and overcome his fears.他强迫自己克制并战胜恐惧心理。

4 extremities   

n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地

参考例句：

• She was most noticeable, I thought, in respect of her extremities. 我觉得她那副穷极可怜的样子实在太惹人注目。 来自辞典例句
• Winters may be quite cool at the northwestern extremities. 西北边区的冬天也可能会相当凉。 来自辞典例句

5 stouter   

粗壮的( stout的比较级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的

参考例句：

• Freddie was much stouter, more benevolent-looking, cheerful, and far more dandified. 弗烈特显得更魁伟，更善良、更快活，尤其更像花花公子。 来自教父部分
• Why hadn't she thought of putting on stouter shoes last night? 她昨天晚上怎么没想起换上一双硬些的鞋呢？

6 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

7 undertakings   

企业( undertaking的名词复数 )； 保证； 殡仪业； 任务

参考例句：

• The principle of diligence and frugality applies to all undertakings. 勤俭节约的原则适用于一切事业。
• Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operations. 此举要求军事上战役中所需要的准确布置和预见。

8 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

9 janitor   

n.看门人，管门人

参考例句：

• The janitor wiped on the windows with his rags.看门人用褴褛的衣服擦着窗户。
• The janitor swept the floors and locked up the building every night.那个看门人每天晚上负责打扫大楼的地板和锁门。

10 stun   

vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹

参考例句：

• When they told me she had gone missing I was totally stunned.他们告诉我她不见了时，我当时完全惊呆了。
• Sam stood his ground and got a blow that stunned him.萨姆站在原地，被一下打昏了。