CHAPTER XXXVII. ALBERT MARLOWE MEETS HIS VICTIM.

 Like most wrong-doers, Albert Marlowe had never ceased to entertain an apprehension¹ that his connections with the bond theft would some time be made public. Yet, as the years rolled by, and he became rich and prosperous, his fears abated² somewhat, and he felt no qualms³ of conscience, though he knew that an innocent man was suffering exile for his sake. When he thought of John Barton it was with dislike. For nothing is truer than the saying that we dislike those whom we have injured. He did not know whether Barton was alive or dead, but hoped that he was dead, as this would make him absolutely safe.

 

When he learned from Percy that Mrs. Barton had a male boarder, his fears instantly suggested that it might be John Barton. The description given by Percy tallied⁴ with his267 recollections of the victim of his wicked plot. His fears and suspicions were instantly aroused. Why was John Barton here? He was under the ban of the law, liable to be re-arrested, yet he ran that risk. What object had he in view? That he sought the care of his wife because he was ill did not seem a sufficient motive⁵. Evidently it behooved⁶ him to find out, first, whether Mrs. Barton's boarder was really her husband; and, secondly⁷, if such should be the case, to warn him to leave Lakeville. It gave the squire⁸ an uncomfortable feeling to have his victim so near at hand.

 

First, to find out who the boarder was. Albert Marlowe got into the habit of walking two or three times a day past the cottage of Mrs. Barton, in the hope of seeing the mysterious stranger. He did this for several days, but did not succeed in his object. The reason was that Mr. Barton was confined by weakness first to the bed, and then to the lounge in the little sitting-room⁹.

 

But on the fifth day Squire Marlowe was in luck. The mysterious boarder was walking to and fro in the front yard attached to the268 cottage. When he saw Albert Marlowe he turned away, and was about to re-enter the house. The squire did not need this corroboration¹⁰ of his suspicion, for he had already recognized Barton, though the two had not met for ten years.

 

He set his face firmly; his expression became hard and dogged.

 

"That man must leave Lakeville!" he said to himself.

 

Without hesitation¹¹ he opened the gate and entered the yard.

 

Meanwhile John Barton, seeing that he was recognized, came to a halt, and, turning around, faced the man who had been his bitter enemy. He showed no signs of fear, for what had happened was only what he had anticipated.

 

Squire Marlowe came up and stood at his side.

 

"You are John Barton," he said. "Do not attempt to deny it!"

 

"I do not propose to deny it to you—Albert Marlowe," answered Barton, calmly.

 

"You are here under an assumed name.269 I was told that Mrs. Barton's boarder was named Robinson."

 

"I am passing under that name. You know why."

 

"Yes, I do know why. You are under the ban of the law. You are afraid of being arrested and brought to trial a second time."

 

"I know there is danger of it, and of course I shrink from it."

 

"Then why do you come here? Are you mad?"

 

"After ten years I wished to see my wife once more. I am a sick man. I came to her to be nursed back to health."

 

"Take care, or when you leave here it will be for a less desirable boarding-place!" said the squire, in a menacing tone.

 

"You mean the prison?"

 

"Yes; that is what I mean."

 

"No one in Lakeville knows who I am. Why should I fear?"

 

"I know."

 

"Surely you would not betray me—you, the man who worked for years at my side?"

 

"I cannot compromise with crime. It is270 my duty as a good, law-abiding citizen, to denounce you to the authorities."

 

"You—a good, law-abiding citizen!" repeated John Barton, with scornful emphasis.

 

Squire Marlowe started back in astonishment¹². The worm had turned.

 

"Do you mean to question it?" he demanded, sharply.

 

"Yes, I do."

 

"On what grounds?"

 

"Albert Marlowe," said John Barton, sternly, "one of us two is a thief, but I am not the one."

 

"Do you mean to insult me?" exclaimed the squire, white with anger, not unmingled with uneasy fear.

 

"Come in! I have something to say to you. It is better said in-doors, where no passer-by can hear it."

 

Mechanically Squire Marlowe followed John Barton into the little sitting-room. Mrs. Barton looked up from her rocking-chair in surprise and apprehension, and half rose.

 

"Stay where you are, Mary," said her husband. "I wish you to hear what I am about to say to Albert Marlowe."

 

1 apprehension   

n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑

参考例句：

• There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。
• She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

2 abated   

减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼）

参考例句：

• The worker's concern about cuts in the welfare funding has not abated. 工人们对削减福利基金的关心并没有减少。
• The heat has abated. 温度降低了。

3 qualms   

n.不安；内疚

参考例句：

• He felt no qualms about borrowing money from friends.他没有对于从朋友那里借钱感到不安。
• He has no qualms about lying.他撒谎毫不内疚。

4 tallied   

v.计算，清点( tally的过去式和过去分词 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• The girl tallied them with her eyes for a moment. 新娘用目光把这些化妆品清点了一下。 来自教父部分
• His account of the accident tallied with hers. 他对事故的陈述和她的相吻合。 来自辞典例句

5 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

6 behooved   

v.适宜( behoove的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• For whose behooved is this done. 做这件事为了谁？ 来自辞典例句
• He spoke courteously, as it behooved. 他应该谦恭地说话。 来自互联网

7 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

8 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

9 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

10 corroboration   

n.进一步的证实，进一步的证据

参考例句：

• Without corroboration from forensic tests,it will be difficult to prove that the suspect is guilty. 没有法医化验的确证就很难证明嫌疑犯有罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Definitely more independent corroboration is necessary. 有必要更明确地进一步证实。 来自辞典例句

11 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

12 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。