Colonel Miranda, having told the tale of his perilous2 escape, for a time remains3 silent and reflective. So does his listener. Both are thinking on the same subject—the villainy of Gil Uraga.
Hamersley first breaks silence, asking the question,—
“Did you get my letter?”
“What letter?”
“I wrote you only one. Now I think of it, you could not have received it. No. By the time it would reach Albuquerque, you must have been gone from there.”
“I got no letter from you, Don Francisco. You say you sent one. What was the nature of its contents?”
“Nothing of any importance. Merely to say that I was coming back to New Mexico, and hoped to find you in good health.”
“Did it particularise the time you expected to reach Albuquerque?”
“Yes; as far as I could fix that, if I remember rightly, it did.”
“And the route you were to take?”
“That too. When I wrote the letter I intended to make trial of a new trail lately discovered—up the Canadian, and touching4 the northern end of the Staked Plain. I did make trial of it, alas5! with lamentable6 result. But why do you ask these questions, Colonel Miranda?”
The colonel does not make immediate7 answer. He appears more meditative8 than ever, as though some question has come before his mind calling for deliberate examination.
While he is thus occupied the ex-Ranger enters the room and sits down beside them. Walt is welcome. Indeed, Don Valerian had already designed calling him into their counsel. For an idea has occurred to the Mexican Colonel requiring the joint9 consideration of all three. Turning to the other two, he says,—
“I’ve been thinking a good deal about the attack on your caravan10. The more I reflect on it the more I am led to believe that some of the Indians who plundered11 you were painted.”
“They were all painted,” is the reply of the young prairie merchant.
“True, Don Francisco; but that isn’t what I mean.”
“I reckon I knows what ye mean,” interposes the ex-Ranger, rising excitedly from his chair on hearing the Mexican’s remark. “It’s been my own suspeeshun all along. You know what I tolt ye, Frank?”
Hamersley looks interrogatively at his old comrade.
“Did I not say,” continues Wilder, “that I seed two men ’mong the Injuns wi’ ha’r upon thar faces? They wa’n’t Injuns; they war whites. A’n’t that what ye mean, Kurnel Meoranda?”
“Precisamente!” is the colonel’s reply.
The other two wait for him to continue on with the explanation Wilder has already surmised12. Even the young prairie merchant—less experienced in Mexican ways and wickedness, in infamy13 so incredible—begins to have a glimmering14 of the truth.
Seemingly weighing his words, Miranda proceeds,—
“No doubt it was a band of Comanche Indians that destroyed your caravan and killed your comrades. But I have as little doubt of there being white men among them—one at least, and that one he who planned and instigated15 the deed.”
“Who, Colonel Miranda?” is the quick interrogatory of the Kentuckian, while with flashing eyes and lips apart he breathlessly awaits the answer. For all, he does not much need it; the name to be pronounced is on the tip of his own tongue.
It is again “Gil Uraga!”
“Yes,” replies the Mexican, with added emphasis. “He is, undoubtedly16, the robber who despoiled17 you. Though done in the guise18 of an Indian onslaught, with real Indians as his assistants, he has been their instructor—their leader. I see it all now clear as sunlight. He got your letter, which you say was addressed to me as colonel commanding at Albuquerque. As a matter of course, he opened it. It told him when and where to meet you; your strength, and the value of your cargo19. The last has not been needed as an incentive20 for him to assail21 you, Don Francisco. The mark you made upon his cheek was sufficient. Didn’t I tell you at the time he would move heaven and earth to have revenge on you—on both of us? He has succeeded; behold22 his success. I a refugee, robbed of everything; you plundered the same; both ruined men!”
“Not yet!” cries the Kentuckian, starting to his feet. “Not ruined yet, Colonel Miranda. If the thing be as you say, I shall seek a second interview with this scoundrel—this fiend; seek till I obtain it. And then—”
“Hyur’s one,” interrupts the ex-Ranger, unfolding his gigantic form with unusual rapidity, “who’ll take part in that sarch. Yis, Frank, this chile’s willin’ to go wi’ ye to the heart o’ Mexiko, plum centre; to the halls o’ the Montyzoomas; reddy to start this minnit.”
“If,” resumes Hamersley, his coolness contrasting with the excited air of his comrade, now roused to a terrible indignation, “if, Colonel Miranda, it turns out as you conjecture23, that Gil Uraga has taken part in the destruction of my waggon-train, or even been instrumental in causing it, I shall leave no stone unturned to obtain justice.”
“Justice!” exclaims the ex-Ranger, with a deprecatory toss of the head. “In case o’ this kind we want somethin’ beside. To think o’ thirteen innercent men attacked without word o’ warnin’, shot down, stabbed, slaughtered24, and sculped! Think o’ that; an’ don’t talk tamely o’ justice; let’s shout loudly for revenge!”
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1
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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2
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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3
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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5
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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6
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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7
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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meditative
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| adj.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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11
plundered
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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13
infamy
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| n.声名狼藉，出丑，恶行 | |
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glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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15
instigated
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| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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17
despoiled
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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20
incentive
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| n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机 | |
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21
assail
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| v.猛烈攻击，抨击，痛斥 | |
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22
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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23
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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24
slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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