Rumour7 for the nonce had a stronger spice of truth than usual. Poor little Clare lay ill, and the calamity8 that had befallen Farmer Blaize, as regards his rick, was not much exaggerated. Sir Austin caused an account of it to be given him at breakfast, and appeared so scrupulously9 anxious to hear the exact extent of injury sustained by the farmer that heavy Benson went down to inspect the scene. Mr. Benson returned, and, acting10 under Adrian’s malicious11 advice, framed a formal report of the catastrophe12, in which the farmer’s breeches figured, and certain cooling applications to a part of the farmer’s person. Sir Austin perused13 it without a smile. He took occasion to have it read out before the two boys, who listened very demurely14, as to an ordinary newspaper incident; only when the report particularized the garments damaged, and the unwonted distressing15 position Farmer Blaize was reduced to in his bed, an indecorous fit of sneezing laid hold of Master Ripton Thompson, and Richard bit his lip and burst into loud laughter, Ripton joining him, lost to consequences.
“I trust you feel for this poor man,” said Sir Austin to his son, somewhat sternly. He saw no sign of feeling.
It was a difficult task for Sir Austin to keep his old countenance16 toward the hope of Raynham, knowing him the accomplice-incendiary, and believing the deed to have been unprovoked and wanton. But he must do so, he knew, to let the boy have a fair trial against himself. Be it said, moreover, that the baronet’s possession of his son’s secret flattered him. It allowed him to act, and in a measure to feel, like Providence17; enabled him to observe and provide for the movements of creatures in the dark. He therefore treated the boy as he commonly did, and Richard saw no change in his father to make him think he was suspected.
The youngster’s game was not so easy against Adrian. Adrian did not shoot or fish. Voluntarily he did nothing to work off the destructive nervous fluid, or whatever it may be, which is in man’s nature; so that two culprit boys once in his power were not likely to taste the gentle hand of mercy, and Richard and Ripton paid for many a trout18 and partridge spared. At every minute of the day Ripton was thrown into sweats of suspicion that discovery was imminent19, by some stray remark or message from Adrian. He was as a fish with the hook in his gills, mysteriously caught without having nibbled20; and dive into what depths he would he was sensible of a summoning force that compelled him perpetually towards the gasping21 surface, which he seemed inevitably22 approaching when the dinner-bell sounded. There the talk was all of Farmer Blaize. If it dropped, Adrian revived it, and his caressing23 way with Ripton was just such as a keen sportsman feels toward the creature that has owned his skill, and is making its appearance for the world to acknowledge the same. Sir Austin saw the manoeuvres, and admired Adrian’s shrewdness. But he had to check the young natural lawyer, for the effect of so much masked examination upon Richard was growing baneful24. This fish also felt the hook in his gills, but this fish was more of a pike, and lay in different waters, where there were old stumps25 and black roots to wind about, and defy alike strong pulling and delicate handling. In other words, Richard showed symptoms of a disposition26 to take refuge in lies.
“You know the grounds, my dear boy,” Adrian observed to him. “Tell me; do you think it easy to get to the rick unperceived? I hear they suspect one of the farmer’s turned-off hands.”
“I tell you I don’t know the grounds,” Richard sullenly27 replied.
“Not?” Adrian counterfeited28 courteous29 astonishment30. “I thought Mr. Thompson said you were over there yesterday?”
Ripton, glad to speak a truth, hurriedly assured Adrian that it was not he had said so.
“Not? You had good sport, gentlemen, hadn’t you?”
“Oh, yes!” mumbled31 the wretched victims, reddening as they remembered, in Adrian’s slightly drawled rusticity32 of tone, Farmer Blaize’s first address to them.
“I suppose you were among the Fire-worshippers last night, too?” persisted Adrian. “In some countries, I hear, they manage their best sport at night-time, and beat up for game with torches. It must be a fine sight. After all, the country would be dull if we hadn’t a rip here and there to treat us to a little conflagration33.”
“A rip!” laughed Richard, to his friend’s disgust and alarm at his daring. “You don’t mean this Rip, do you?”
“Mr. Thompson fire a rick? I should as soon suspect you, my dear boy. — You are aware, young gentlemen, that it is rather a serious thing — eh? In this country, you know, the landlord has always been the pet of the Laws. By the way,” Adrian continued, as if diverging34 to another topic, “you met two gentlemen of the road in your explorations yesterday, Magians. Now, if I were a magistrate35 of the county, like Sir Miles Papworth, my suspicions would light upon those gentlemen. A tinker and a ploughman, I think you said, Mr. Thompson. Not? Well, say two ploughmen.”
“More likely two tinkers,” said Richard.
“Oh! if you wish to exclude the ploughman — was he out of employ?”
Ripton, with Adrian’s eyes inveterately36 fixed37 on him, stammered38 an affirmative.
“The tinker, or the ploughman?”
“The ploughm —” Ingenuous39 Ripton looking about, as if to aid himself whenever he was able to speak the truth, beheld40 Richard’s face blackening at him, and swallowed back half the word.
“The ploughman!” Adrian took him up cheerily. “Then we have here a ploughman out of employ. Given a ploughman out of employ, and a rick burnt. The burning of a rick is an act of vengeance41, and a ploughman out of employ is a vengeful animal. The rick and the ploughman are advancing to a juxtaposition42. Motive43 being established, we have only to prove their proximity44 at a certain hour, and our ploughman voyages beyond seas.”
“Is it transportation for rick-burning?” inquired Ripton aghast.
Adrian spoke45 solemnly: “They shave your head. You are manacled. Your diet is sour bread and cheese-parings. You work in strings46 of twenties and thirties. ARSON is branded on your backs in an enormous A. Theological works are the sole literary recreation of the well-conducted and deserving. Consider the fate of this poor fellow, and what an act of vengeance brings him to! Do you know his name?”
“How should I know his name?” said Richard, with an assumption of innocence47 painful to see.
Sir Austin remarked that no doubt it would soon be known, and Adrian perceived that he was to quiet his line, marvelling48 a little at the baronet’s blindness to what was so clear. He would not tell, for that would ruin his future influence with Richard; still he wanted some present credit for his discernment and devotion. The boys got away from dinner, and, after deep consultation49, agreed upon a course of conduct, which was to commiserate50 Farmer Blaize loudly, and make themselves look as much like the public as it was possible for two young malefactors to look, one of whom already felt Adrian’s enormous A devouring51 his back with the fierceness of the Promethean eagle, and isolating52 him for ever from mankind. Adrian relished53 their novel tactics sharply, and led them to lengths of lamentation54 for Farmer Blaize. Do what they might, the hook was in their gills. The farmer’s whip had reduced them to bodily contortions55: these were decorous compared with the spiritual writhings they had to perform under Adrian’s manipulation. Ripton was fast becoming a coward, and Richard a liar56, when next morning Austin Wentworth came over from Poer Hall bringing news that one Mr. Thomas Bakewell, yeoman, had been arrested on suspicion of the crime of Arson and lodged57 in jail, awaiting the magisterial58 pleasure of Sir Miles Papworth. Austin’s eye rested on Richard as he spoke these terrible tidings. The hope of Raynham returned his look, perfectly59 calm, and had, moreover, the presence of mind not to look at Ripton.
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1
arson
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| n.纵火，放火 | |
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authentic
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| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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appease
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| v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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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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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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perused
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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nibbled
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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baneful
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| adj.有害的 | |
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stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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counterfeited
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| v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的过去分词 ) | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
rusticity
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| n.乡村的特点、风格或气息 | |
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conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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34
diverging
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| 分开( diverge的现在分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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inveterately
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| adv.根深蒂固地，积习地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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40
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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41
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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42
juxtaposition
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| n.毗邻，并置，并列 | |
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43
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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45
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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46
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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48
marvelling
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的现在分词 ) | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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50
commiserate
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| v.怜悯，同情 | |
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51
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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52
isolating
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| adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析 | |
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53
relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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56
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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57
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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58
magisterial
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| adj.威风的，有权威的；adv.威严地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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