It was still early in the day. Larcom received him gravely in the hall. Captain Lake was at home, as usual, up to one o’clock in the library — the most diligent2 administrator3 that Brandon had perhaps ever known.
‘Well, Larkin — letters, letters perpetually, you see. Quite well, I hope? Won’t you sit down — no bad news? You look rather melancholy4. Your other client is not ill — nothing sad about Mark Wylder, I hope?’
‘No — nothing sad, Captain Lake — nothing — but a good deal that is strange.’
‘Oh, is there?’ said Lake, in his soft tones, leaning forward in his easy chair, and looking on the shining points of his boots.
‘I have found out a thing, Captain Lake, which will no doubt interest you as much as it does me. It will lead, I think, to a much more exact guess about Mr. Mark Wylder.’
There was a sturdy emphasis in the attorney’s speech which was far from usual, and indicated something.
‘Oh! you have? May one hear it?’ said Lake, in the same silken tone, and looking down, as before, on his boots.
‘I’ve discovered something about his letters,’ said the attorney, and paused.
‘Satisfactory, I hope?’ said Lake as before.
‘Foul5 play, Sir.’
‘Foul play — is there? What is he doing now?’ said Lake in the same languid way, his elbows on the arms of his chair, stooping forward, and looking serenely6 on the floor, like a man who is tired of his work, and enjoys his respite7.
‘Why, Captain Lake, the matter is this — it amounts, in fact, to fraud. It is plain that the letters are written in batches8 — several at a time — and committed to some one to carry from town to town, and post, having previously9 filled in dates to make them correspond with the exact period of posting them.’
The attorney’s searching gaze was fixed10 on the captain, as he said this, with all the significance consistent with civility; but he could not observe the slightest indication of change. I dare say the captain felt his gaze upon him, and he undoubtedly11 heard his emphasis, but he plainly did not take either to himself.
‘Indeed! that is very odd,’ said Captain Lake.
‘Very odd;’ echoed the attorney.
It struck Mr. Larkin that his gallant12 friend was a little overacting, and showing perhaps less interest in the discovery than was strictly14 natural.
‘But how can you show it?’ said Lake with a slight yawn. ‘Wylder is such a fellow. I don’t the least pretend to understand him. It may be a freak of his.’
‘I don’t think, Captain Lake, that is exactly a possible solution here. I don’t think, Sir, he would write two letters, one referring back to the other, at the same time, and post and date the latter more than a week before the other.’
‘Oh!’ said Lake, quietly, for the first time exhibiting a slight change of countenance15, and looking peevish16 and excited; yes, that certainly does look very oddly.’
‘And I think, Captain Lake, it behoves us to leave no stone unturned to sift17 this matter to the bottom.’
‘With what particular purpose, I don’t quite see,’ said Lake. ‘Don’t you think possibly Mark Wylder might think us very impertinent?’
‘I think, Captain Lake, on the contrary, we might be doing that gentleman the only service he is capable of receiving, and I know we should be doing something toward tracing and exposing the machinations of a conspiracy18.’
‘A conspiracy! I did not quite see your meaning. Then, you really think there is a conspiracy — formed by him or against him, which?’
‘Against him, Captain Lake. Did the same idea never strike you?’
‘Not, I think, that I can recollect19.’
‘In none of your conversations upon the subject with — with members of your family?’ continued the attorney with a grave significance.
‘I say, Sir, I don’t recollect,’ said Lake, glaring for an instant in his face very savagely21. ‘And it seems to me, that sitting here, you fancy yourself examining some vagrant22 or poacher at Gylingden sessions. And pray, Sir, have you no evidence in the letters you speak of but the insertion of dates, and the posting them in inverse23 order, to lead you to that strong conclusion?’
‘None, as supplied by the letters themselves,’ answered Larkin, a little doggedly24, ‘and I venture to think that is rather strong.’
‘Quite so, to a mind like yours,’ said Lake, with a faint gleam of his unpleasant smile thrown upon the floor, ‘but other men don’t see it; and I hope, at all events, there’s a likelihood that Mark Wylder will soon return and look after his own business — I’m quite tired of it, and of’ (he was going to say you)—‘of everything connected with it.’
‘This delay is attended with more serious mischief25. The vicar, his brother, had a promise of money from him, and is disappointed — in very great embarrassments26; and, in fact, were it not for some temporary assistance, which I may mention — although I don’t speak of such things — I afforded him myself, he must have been ruined.’
‘It is very sad,’ said Lake; ‘but he ought not to have married without an income.’
‘Very true, Captain Lake — there’s no defending that — it was wrong, but the retribution is terrible,’ and the righteous man shook his tall head.
‘Don’t you think he might take steps to relieve himself considerably27?’
‘I don’t see it, Captain Lake,’ said the attorney, sadly and drily.
‘Well, you know best; but are not there resources?’
‘I don’t see, Captain Lake, what you point at.’
‘I’ll give him something for his reversion, if he chooses, and make him comfortable for his life.’
The attorney, somehow, didn’t seem to take kindly28 to this proposition. We know he had imagined for himself some little flirtation29 on this behalf, and cherished a secret tendre for the same reversion. Perhaps he had other plans, too. At all events it flashed the same suspicion of Lake upon his mind again; and he said —
‘I don’t know, Sir, that the Reverend Mr. Wylder would entertain anything in the nature of a sale of his reversion. I rather think the contrary. I don’t think his friends would advise it.’
‘And why not? It was never more than a contingency30; and now they say Mark Wylder is married, and has children; they tell me he was seen at Ancona?’ said Lake tranquilly31.
‘They tell you! who are they?‘ said the attorney, and his dove’s eyes were gone again, and the rat’s eyes unequivocally looking out of the small pink lids.
‘They — they,’ repeated Captain Lake. ‘Why, of course, Sir, I use the word in its usual sense — that is, there was a rumour32 when I was last in town, and I really forget who told me. Some one, two, or three, perhaps.’
‘Do you think it’s true, Sir?’ persisted Mr. Larkin.
‘No, Sir, I don’t,’ said Captain Lake, fixing his eyes for a moment with a frank stare on the attorney’s face; ‘but it is quite possible it may be true.’
‘If it is, you know, Sir,’ said Jos. Larkin, ‘the reversion would be a bad purchase at a halfpenny. I don’t believe it either, Sir,’ resumed the attorney, after a little interval33; ‘and I could not advise the party you named, Sir, to sell his remainder for a song.’
‘You’ll advise as you please, Sir, and no doubt not without sufficient reason,’ retorted Captain Lake.
There was a suspicion of a sneer34 — not in his countenance, not in his tone, not necessarily in his words — but somehow a suspicion, which stung the attorney like a certainty, and a pinkish flush tinged35 his forehead.
Perhaps Mr. Larkin had not yet formed any distinct plans, and was really in considerable dubitation. But as we know, perceiving that the situation of affairs, like all uncertain conjunctures, offered manifestly an opportunity for speculation36, he was, perhaps, desirous, like our old friend, Sindbad, of that gleam of light which might show him the gold and precious stones with which the floor of the catacomb was strewn.
‘You see, Captain Lake, to speak quite frankly37 — there’s nothing like being perfectly38 frank and open — although you have not treated me with confidence, which, of course, was not called for in this particular instance — I may as well say, in passing, that I have no doubt on my mind you know a great deal more than you care to tell about the fate of Mr. Mark Wylder. I look upon it, Sir, that that party has been made away with.’
‘Old villain39!’ exclaimed Lake, starting up, with a sudden access of energy, and his face looked whiter still than usual — perhaps it was only the light.
‘It won’t do, Sir,’ said Larkin, with a sinister40 quietude. ‘I say there’s been foul play. I think, Sir, you’ve got him into some foreign mad-house, or place of confinement41, and I won’t stop till it’s sifted42 to the bottom. It is my duty, Sir.’
Captain Lake’s slender hand sprang on the attorney’s collar, coat and waistcoat together, and his knuckles43, hard and sharp, were screwed against Mr. Larkin’s jaw-bone, as he shook him, and his face was like a drift of snow, with two yellow fires glaring in it.
It was ferine and spectral44, and so tremendously violent, that the long attorney, expecting nothing of the sort, was thrown out of his balance against the chimneypiece.
‘You d — d old miscreant45! I’ll pitch you out of the window.’
‘I— I say, let go. You’re mad, Sir,’ said the attorney, disengaging himself with a sudden and violent effort, and standing46, with the back of a tall chair grasped in both hands, and the seat interposed between himself and Captain Lake. He was twisting his neck uncomfortably in his shirt collar, and for some seconds was more agitated47, in a different way, than his patron was.
The fact was, that Mr. Larkin had a little mistaken his man. He had never happened before to see him in one of his violent moods, and fancied that his apathetic48 manner indicated a person more easily bullied49. There was something, too, in the tone and look of Captain Lake which went a good way to confound and perplex his suspicions, and he half fancied that the masterstroke he had hazarded was a rank and irreparable blunder. Something of this, I am sure, appeared in his countenance, and Captain Lake looked awfully50 savage20, and each gentleman stared the other full in the face, with more frankness than became two such diplomatists.
‘Allow me to speak a word, Captain Lake.’
‘You d — d old miscreant!’ repeated the candescent captain.
‘Allow me to say, you misapprehend.’
‘You infernal old cur!’
‘I mean no imputation51 upon you, Sir. I thought you might have committed a mistake — any man may; perhaps you have. I have acted, Captain Lake, with fidelity52 in all respects to you, and to every client for whom I’ve been concerned. Mr. Wylder is my client, and I was bound to say I was not satisfied about his present position, which seems to me unaccountable, except on the supposition that he is under restraint of some sort. I never said you were to blame; but you may be in error respecting Mr. Wylder. You may have taken steps, Captain Lake, under a mistake. I never went further than that. On reflection, you’ll say so. I didn’t upon my honour.’
‘Then you did not mean to insult me, Sir,’ said Lake.
‘Upon my honour, and conscience, and soul, Captain Lake,’ said the attorney, stringing together, in his vindication53, all the articles he was assumed most to respect, ‘I am perfectly frank, I do assure you. I never supposed for an instant more than I say. I could not imagine — I am amazed you have so taken it.’
‘But you think I exercise some control or coercion54 over my cousin, Mr. Mark Wylder. He’s not a man, I can tell you, wherever he is, to be bullied, no more than I am. I don’t correspond with him. I have nothing to do with him or his affairs; I wash my hands of him.’
Captain Lake turned and walked quickly to the door, but came back as suddenly.
‘Shake hands, Sir. We’ll forget it. I accept what you say; but don’t talk that way to me again. I can’t imagine what the devil put such stuff in your head. I don’t care twopence. No one’s to blame but Wylder himself. I say I don’t care a farthing. Upon my honour, I quite see — I now acquit55 you. You could not mean what you seemed to say; and I can’t understand how a sensible man like you, knowing Mark Wylder, and knowing me, Sir, could use such — such ambiguous language. I have no more influence with him, and can no more affect his doings, or what you call his fate — and, to say the truth, care about them no more than the child unborn. He’s his own master, of course. What the devil can you have been dreaming of. I don’t even get a letter from him. He’s nothing to me.’
‘You have misunderstood me; but that’s over, Sir. I may have spoken with warmth, fearing that you might be acting13 under some cruel misapprehension — that’s all; and you don’t think worse of me, I’m very sure, Captain Lake, for a little indiscreet zeal56 on behalf of a gentleman who has treated me with such unlimited57 confidence as Mr. Wylder. I’d do the same for you, Sir; it’s my character.’
The two gentlemen, you perceive, though still agitated, were becoming reasonable, and more or less complimentary58 and conciliatory; and the masks which an electric gust59 had displaced for a moment, revealing gross and somewhat repulsive60 features, were being readjusted, while each looked over his shoulder.
I am sorry to say that when that good man, Mr. Larkin, left his presence, Captain Lake indulged in a perfectly blasphemous61 monologue62. His fury was excited to a pitch that was very nearly ungovernable; and after it had exhibited itself in the way I have said, Captain Lake opened a little despatch-box, and took therefrom a foreign letter, but three days received. He read it through: his ill-omened smile expanded to a grin that was undisguisedly diabolical63. With a scissors he clipt his own name where it occurred from the thin sheet, and then, in red ink and Roman capitals, he scrawled64 a line or two across the interior of the letter, enclosed it in an envelope, directed it, and then rang the bell.
He ordered the tax-cart and two horses to drive tandem65. The captain was rather a good whip, and he drove at a great pace to Dollington, took the train on to Charteris, there posted his letter, and so returned; his temper continuing savage all that evening, and in a modified degree in the same state for several days after.
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1
fracas
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| n.打架；吵闹 | |
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diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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administrator
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| n.经营管理者，行政官员 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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batches
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| 一批( batch的名词复数 )； 一炉； （食物、药物等的）一批生产的量； 成批作业 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（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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11
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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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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14
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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15
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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16
peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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17
sift
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| v.筛撒，纷落，详察 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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19
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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20
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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21
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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vagrant
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| n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的 | |
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inverse
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| adj.相反的，倒转的，反转的；n.相反之物；v.倒转 | |
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24
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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26
embarrassments
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| n.尴尬( embarrassment的名词复数 )；难堪；局促不安；令人难堪或耻辱的事 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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28
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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flirtation
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| n.调情，调戏，挑逗 | |
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contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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34
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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35
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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38
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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39
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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41
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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42
sifted
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| v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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43
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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44
spectral
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| adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的 | |
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45
miscreant
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| n.恶棍 | |
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46
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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47
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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48
apathetic
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| adj.冷漠的，无动于衷的 | |
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49
bullied
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| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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51
imputation
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| n.归罪，责难 | |
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52
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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53
vindication
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| n.洗冤，证实 | |
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54
coercion
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| n.强制，高压统治 | |
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55
acquit
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| vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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56
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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57
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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58
complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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59
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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60
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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61
blasphemous
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| adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的 | |
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62
monologue
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| n.长篇大论，（戏剧等中的）独白 | |
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63
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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64
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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tandem
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| n.同时发生；配合；adv.一个跟着一个地；纵排地；adj.（两匹马）前后纵列的 | |
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