And now, a trifle fagged, he was sitting in Risk’s study, hoping to hear that he had done well. Risk did not keep him long in suspense3. p. 166After a few questions respecting the last journey he said, rather abruptly—
“Well, Hayward, you’ve been serving me so far pretty much with your eyes shut: I wonder if you care to continue with your eyes open. I warn you that some of the work may be dull and most of it will be hard. I have got plenty of young men who work well in their own particular grooves4, but I want one who is prepared to take on any job I put before him, just as I, with so many different interests, have had to do in the past for myself. I don’t expect you to learn everything at once, but I should expect you to be interested in everything that interests me. And I offer you ￡500 for the first year.”
Colin almost leapt from his seat. “￡500, Mr. Risk! Why, I’ll never be worth that!”
“You’ll think differently six months hence. Meantime, do you accept?”
“Oh, rather!—and thank you a—”
“Then let’s talk of something else. For instance, I have word that your friend the postman has a chance of recovering, and I have to tell you about our friend Symington.”
“I’ve been wondering,” said Colin, “whether he accepted your invitation to call at the office.”
“He did—the morning after you left for p. 167Amsterdam. Incidentally, I got rather a good snap-shot of him. He seemed a trifle nervous until he received the new certificates, and then he coolly informed the secretary that he had purchased the old ones six years ago—an unmitigated lie, as we know. It remains5 to be seen, of course, whether he is acting6 for himself or for Corrie, and if the former, how many of the 5,000 shares have come into his possession.”
“You can’t prevent him selling the shares?”
“I could do that by circularizing all the exchanges and brokers7, but sooner or later that would mean publicity8. Besides, I want to give Mr. Symington rope just as I’ve given it to Mr. Corrie.”
“I’m ready to pay for my amusement,” the other pleasantly returned, “and you don’t want me to tell you again that I will replace every share it may cost Miss Carstairs.”
“I didn’t mean that,” said Colin. “Only—well, you have been so good to me that I’d hate to see you lose—”
“Money! Yes, but think of the game, Hayward! And we’re going to win that. Why, it’s going to be the most tremendously interesting p. 168business I ever tackled. You don’t mind danger, do you?”
Colin laughed. “I’m afraid I’ve had no experience, but I’m at your service, Mr. Risk. I suppose,” he went on, “Symington has already converted some of the 500 shares into cash.”
“We may assume that much. To put it mildly, he has been on the spree since the day he got the new certificates.”
“You have had him watched?”
Risk nodded. “And I have gone into his past to some extent. He is not a desirable person, I fear. But we shall leave him for the present. My sister and Miss Carstairs, also your friend West, are dining with me to-night, and I hope you are free to join us.”
Colin flushed with pleasure.
“I should like you,” continued Risk, “to make your quarters here for the present. Sharp has a room ready for you. And now I’m going to ask you an impertinent question. Have you any debts?”
“No—well, I owe my father ￡100,” the young man replied ruefully.
“Then pay it; and if you think you have any grudge11 against him, forget it. For this year I will pay your salary quarterly, in advance. p. 169Don’t thank me. I simply want you to be able to serve me with as free a mind, and as light a heart, as possible. Frankly, you’re an experiment.” With a kindly12 laugh Risk proceeded to write a cheque.
It was no shame to Colin then if his eyes were moist. Surely his father would think kindlier of him now.
An hour later he and Kitty were face to face. Ages long it seemed since their parting in the little wood, less than three weeks ago! How much had happened since then! Perhaps Kitty was more at her ease than he. She had slipped into the new, pleasant life as though she belonged to it. She was still a little shy, but not awkwardly so. She had never been “countrified,” yet Colin had always thought of her as a country maid—and had loved her none the less for that. In sunlight and moonlight he had deemed her the prettiest creature alive. But now, under the shaded electric lamps of a London drawing-room in a white muslin frock that gave glimpses of her neck and arms, he beheld13 her, and his faithful heart ached at her fresh loveliness.
“Isn’t this wonderful?” she whispered, smiling, as they shook hands.
Poor Colin! He managed to smile in return, p. 170but not a word could he find, for in that moment he realized that he loved her more than ever, and that if his love had been wellnigh hopeless before, it was utterly14 hopeless now. For with all his resolutions to put her out of his life on coming to London, he had indulged a dream of fighting for success in order that he might one day rescue her from dreariness15 or hardship, and somehow win her for his own. Alas, now he comprehended only too fully10 what the Zeniths meant to himself. Kitty would be a very rich young woman. He could serve her in nothing at all. What an irony16 that the man who had given him his first step upwards—and a great step, too—should be the man to set his dearest desire beyond his reach! Well, there was nothing for it but to cleave17 to duty and have done with dreams.
Nevertheless it was a cheerful little dinner-party, and during it the love-lorn young man and Hilda Risk laid the foundations of a lasting18 friendship. Towards the close of the repast Kitty was telling the host of her father’s unfinished novel which Mr. West had just completed.
“He did it in six days, Mr. Risk,” she said warmly, “and I could not have told that it was not my father’s own work. It was wonderful.”
p. 171“Not at all,” said West, in his matter-of-fact voice. “There was next to nothing for me to do, for the last act was foreshadowed. It’s a great play, Risk. Craven of the Planet, whom I got to read it right away, admitted as much this very day, though he wouldn’t accept it.”
“Why?” asked Risk.
“Too much unlike recent successes, I suppose,” said West drily. “And I believe it would draw all London.”
“Miss Carstairs,” said Risk kindly, “wouldn’t you like to see your father’s play performed?”
The girl’s shining eyes answered for her.
“I think I can persuade Craven,” remarked Risk, turning to West. “Can you arrange a meeting between us for the day after to-morrow?”
“By jove!” said West softly. “The thing’s done! Miss Carstairs, take my word for it, that play will bring you a little fortune. Risk, God bless you!”
Kitty looked from one to the other. “Is it—is it really and truly going to be?” she asked, tremulously.
“Leave it to Mr. Risk,” cried West in high delight.
“I think you may, Miss Carstairs,” Risk said p. 172with that amused look of his. “But don’t count on the fortune just yet. Still, I’ll make the best terms I can for you—”
“And Mr. West,” she put in quickly. “Please don’t think me ungrateful and horrid19, Mr. Risk, but I don’t wish you to—to trouble about the play at all unless Mr. West promises—on paper, too—to take half the profits—if any.”
“Never!” shouted West, indignant.
“Goodness me,” said Hilda, interrupting her talk with Colin, “what on earth is the matter, Anthony?”
“Nothing, my dear,” replied her brother. “Merely Anthony’s little way of receiving a decent business proposition.” He turned to Kitty. “Never mind, Miss Carstairs; we three shall have a talk together later, and—”
Sharp came into the room with a note on a salver.
“Messenger boy brought it, sir; said it was immediate,” he murmured to his master, as he presented the salver to Kitty. “No answer, madam,” he said aloud, and retired20.
Kitty had taken the note mechanically, but now as she sat staring at it, the colour ebbed21 from her face. The plain envelope was directed to her—in rather shaky writing—care of Miss p. 173Risk, 366 Long Acre; apparently22 Hilda’s servant had sent the messenger on to Aberdare Mansions23.
Anthony West alone made any effort to sustain the conversation, but then he was the only person present to whom the incident appeared ordinary, and he, too, soon fell silent at the sight of the girl’s pallor.
At last the host said gently: “Hadn’t you better open it, Miss Carstairs? It may be nothing so very serious after all.”
Kitty seemed to nerve herself; she even smiled faintly—as she tore away the flap. She took out a piece of ruled paper folded once—a page torn from a note-book—opened it, and forced herself to read the two lines scrawled24 upon it in pencil.
Then the paper fell from her fingers, and with a little cry of pain she put up her hands and hid her face.
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1
purporting
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| v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的现在分词 ) | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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3
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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4
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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5
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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6
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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7
brokers
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| n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排… | |
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8
publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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9
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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10
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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11
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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12
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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13
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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14
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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15
dreariness
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| 沉寂，可怕，凄凉 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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17
cleave
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| v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋 | |
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18
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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19
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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20
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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21
ebbed
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| （指潮水）退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
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22
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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23
mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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24
scrawled
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| 乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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