"How dare you interfere5 in this matter, my lord?" shouted Johnson, passionately6. "I command this party, and I intend—"
"I know you do," replied the officer, "and that I am only a volunteer who has chosen to accompany you, worse luck! but I am a gentleman and a lieutenant in his Britannic majesty's navy, and by heaven! when I see old men mishandled, and wounded helpless men about to be assassinated7, and young women insulted, I don't care who commands the party, I interfere. And I don't propose to bandy words with any runagate American partisan8 who uses his commission to further private vengeance9. And I swear to you, on my honor, if you do not instantly modify your treatment of this gentleman, and call off this ragamuffin crew, you shall be court-martialled, if I have any influence with Dunmore or Parker or Lord Howe, or whoever is in authority, and I will have the rest of you hung as high as Haman. This is outrage10 and robbery and murder; it is not fighting or making prisoners," continued the young officer. "You are not fit to be an officer; and you, you curs, you disgrace the uniform you wear."
Johnson glanced at his men, who stood irresolute11 before him fiercely muttering. A rascally12 mob of the lowest class of people in the colony, to whom war simply meant opportunity for plunder13 and rapine, they would undoubtedly14 back up their leader, in their present mood, in any attempt at resistance he might make the young officer. But he hesitated a moment. Desborough was a lord, high in the confidence of Governor Dunmore, and a man of great influence; his own position was too precarious15, the game was not worth the candle, and the risk of opposition16 was too great.
"Well," he said in sulky acquiescence17, "the men meant no special harm, but have it your own way. Fall back, men! As to what you say to me personally, you shall answer to me for that at a more fitting time," he continued doggedly18.
"When and where you please," answered Desborough, hotly, "though I 'd soil a sword by passing it through you. What was Dunmore thinking of when he put you in charge of this party and sent you to do this work, I wonder? Give your orders to your men to unhand this gentleman instantly. You will give your parole, sir? I regret that we are compelled to secure your person, but those were the orders; and you, madam," turning to Katharine, "I believe no order requires you to be taken prisoner, and therefore you shall go free."
But Katharine had knelt down by her prostrate19 lover as soon as the space in front of her had been cleared, and was entirely20 oblivious21 to all that was taking place about her.
"Allow me to introduce myself, colonel," he resumed. "I am Lord Desborough. I have often heard my father, the Earl of Desmond, in Ireland, speak of you. I regret that we meet under such unpleasant circumstances, but the governor's orders must be carried out, though I wish he had sent a more worthy22 representative to do so. I will see, however, that everything is done for your comfort in the future."
"Sir," said the colonel, bowing, "you have rendered me a service I can never repay. I know your father well. He is one of the finest gentlemen of his time, and his son has this day shown that he is worthy of the honored name he bears. I will go with you cheerfully, and you have my parole of honor. Katharine, you are free; you will be safe in the house, I think, until I can arrange for your departure."
She looked up from the floor, and then rose. "Oh, father, he is dead, he is dead," she moaned. "Yes, I will go with you; take me away."
"Nay23, my child, I cannot."
"Enough of this!" broke in the sneering24 voice of Johnson. "She has been taken in open resistance to the king's forces, and, warrant or no warrant, orders or no orders, or court-martial either," this with a malevolent25 glance at Desborough, "she goes with us as a prisoner."
"I will pledge my word, Colonel Wilton, that no violence is offered her," exclaimed Desborough, promptly26, and then, turning to Katharine,—
"Trust me, madam."
"I do, sir," she said faintly, giving him her hand. "You are very kind."
"It is nothing, mistress," he replied, bowing low over it, as he raised it respectfully to his lips. "I will hold you safe with my life."
"Very pretty," sneered27 Johnson; "but are you coming?"
"What shall we do with these two, captain?" asked the sergeant28, kicking the prostrate form of Seymour, and pointing to the body of the man who had been slain29.
"Oh, let them lie there! We can't be bothered with dead and dying men. One of them is gone; the other soon will be. The slaves will bury them, and those other three at the foot of the hill—d' ye hear, ye black niggers? There 's hardly room enough on the sloop30 for the living," he continued with cynical31 indifference32.
"All right, captain! As you say, poor Joe's no good now; and as for the other, that crack of Welsh's was a rare good one; he will probably die before morning anyhow," replied the sergeant, there being little love lost among the members of this philosophic33 crew; besides, the more dead, the more plunder for the living. And many of the band were even now following the example of their leader, and roaming over the house, securing at will whatever excited their fancy, the wine-cellar especially not being forgotten.
"Oh, my God! John," whispered Katharine, falling on her knees again by his side, "must I leave you now, oh, my love!" she moaned, taking his head in her arms, and with her handkerchief wiping the blood from off his forehead, "and you have died for me—for me."
The colonel saw the action, and knew now what was the subject of the interview after supper which Seymour had so much desired. He knelt down beside his daughter, a great pity for her in his soul, and laid his hand on the prostrate man's heart.
"He is not dead, Katharine," he whispered. "I do not even think he will die; he will be all right in an hour. If we don't go soon, Katharine, Philip and Bentley will return and be taken also," he continued rapidly. "Come, Katharine," he said more loudly, rising. "Dearest child, we must go,—you must bear this, my daughter; it is for our country we suffer." But the talismanic34 word apparently35 had lost its charm for her.
"What's all this?" said Johnson, roughly; "she must go." She only moaned and pressed her lover's hands against her heart.
"And go now! Do you hear? Come, mistress," laying his hand roughly upon her shoulder.
"Have a care, sir," said Desborough, warningly. "Keep to yourself, my dear sir; no harm is done. But we must go; and if she won't go willingly, she will have to be carried, that's all. Do you hear me? Come on!"
"Come, Katharine," said the colonel, entreatingly36.
"Oh, father, father, I cannot leave him! I love him!"
"I know you do, dear; and worthy he is of your love too. Please God you shall see him once again! But now we must go. Will you not come with me?"
"I cannot, I cannot!" she repeated.
"But you must, Kate," said the colonel, lifting her up, in deadly anxiety to get away before his son returned. "You are a prisoner."
"I can't, father; indeed I can't!" she cried again.
She struggled a moment, then half fainted in his arms.
"Who else is here?" said Johnson.
"Only the slaves," replied the colonel.
"Well, we don't want them. Move on, then! Your daughter can take her maid with her if she wishes," he said with surly courtesy. "Is this the wench? Well, get your mistress a cloak, and be quick about it!"
Assisted by Chloe, the maid, and Lord Desborough, the colonel half carried, half led, his daughter out of the room.
"Seymour, Seymour!" she cried despairingly at the door; but he lay still where he had fallen, seeing and hearing nothing.
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收听单词发音
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1
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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gainsaid
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| v.否认，反驳( gainsay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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assassinated
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| v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏 | |
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partisan
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| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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13
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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14
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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sneering
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| 嘲笑的，轻蔑的 | |
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malevolent
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| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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sloop
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| n.单桅帆船 | |
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cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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philosophic
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| adj.哲学的，贤明的 | |
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talismanic
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| adj.护身符的，避邪的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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entreatingly
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| 哀求地，乞求地 | |
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