The walk through Deering Woods was a dreary7 one, but it would have been much more dreary had it not been for Sophy, who was always entertaining and original, and never more so than on the present occasion. I let her partly into my confidence, and she was delighted to know that she had been the direct means of throwing light on a cruel injustice8. We trudged9 along side by side, the most amicable10 and agreeable of companions.
"It'll wake aunty tip when she 'ears everything," said Sophy. "She'll think me good for something now."
"You are the best and brightest little girl in my acquaintance, Sophy," I said.
"I didn't take you in, did I?" she asked.
"No, indeed," I replied. "It was a lucky day for me when I first met you."
"Not so lucky for you as for me," she said. "I've got a silver watch."
"It will turn into a gold one by the time you're a woman."
"Will it?" she exclaimed. "Shan't I be proud!"
About half way through the woods I saw the cliffs of which the landlord's daughter had warned me. In the dark they would have been dangerous indeed to one unfamiliar11 with them. At some time or other there had been a great landslip, which had opened up a chasm12 of great depth; in parts slight fences had been put up, but there were spaces entirely13 unprotected, and I was thankful we had been warned of the danger. It was half-past seven by my watch when we reached Glasserton, and I had no difficulty in finding the registrar's house. He was at home when I called, and did not receive me too cordially. He had been upset by the trial, and it was with the greatest difficulty I succeeded in obtaining a glance of the original entry of the marriage. It was only by bribery14 and threats that I effected my purpose, and I had to use extreme persuasion15 to induce him to grant me an interview with Jane Seebold. I elicited16 very little from her in consequence of the state of confusion she was in, but I was satisfied in my own mind that it was M. Felix who had tampered17 with the book. From her imperfect description of the man I judged that he must in some way have disguised himself for the purpose of the visit, and I was assisted to this conclusion partly by the height of her visitor, who she said was not a tall man. Dr. Peterssen was not less than six feet, and having to decide between him and M. Felix I decided18 unhesitatingly in favor of the latter. The registrar had been in Glasserton but three or four years, whereas Jane Seebold had been in it all her life, and I learned from her that two of the three witnesses to the marriage, the doctor and the old wagoner, had long been dead. At nine o'clock my inquiries19 were ended, and Sophy and I started back for the inn.
"Tired, Sophy?" I asked.
"Not a bit," she answered, cheerfully, "I could walk all night."
Still we did not get along so fast as in the early part of the evening; it would have been cruel to take unfair advantage of Sophy's indomitable spirit; the girl would have walked till she dropped, and I had some consideration for her. Therefore it was that we did not reach the middle of Deering Woods till past ten, by which time the moon had risen. When I was not talking to Sophy my mind was occupied by the task upon which I had been engaged. Since my first introduction to the Mystery of M. Felix a great deal had been accomplished20. The mystery has been practically solved, although the public were not yet in possession of the facts. Emilia's agony was over, as I believed, for my wildest dreams would not have compassed what was to occur during the next few weeks; she had been fortunate in gaining a champion so noble and generous as M. Bordier, and her daughter's happiness was assured. I could understand now her anxiety as to M. Bordier's silence since his discovery of the copy of the marriage certificate, and I divined his reason for it. With a horror of publicity21, and out of regard for her, he did not wish her to become acquainted with his and his son's arrest until he himself informed her of it, and he entertained a hope that the report of the case would not get into the London papers. I also now understood her anxious references to M. Julian's state of health; they bore upon his failing sight, to restore which he and his father had come to London. The young man had been imprudent, but I trusted to Mr. Wordsworth's assurances that he could make a cure of him if Julian would abide22 by his instructions. I had no doubt, now that Emilia's good name was established, that Julian would submit to the guidance of this eminent23 oculist24, whose heart was as kind as his skill was great.
So far, all was well, but I was not satisfied; I could not consider my task accomplished till I had brought Dr. Peterssen and M. Felix to the bar of justice and restored to Emilia's arms the husband she believed she had lost in Switzerland.
Sophy broke in upon my musings.
"Is there a man in the moon?" she asked.
"They say so," I answered, lightly.
"I see 'is face," said Sophy, "as plain as plain can be."
We were near the fallen cliffs as these words passed between us, and before I had time to utter another my attention was arrested by the sound of a shot.
"What's that?" cried Sophy.
"A gun or pistol fired," I replied, "and not far off."
"I don't mean the firing," said Sophy, "I mean the scream. Didn't yer 'ear it?"
"No, Sophy, no scream reached my ears."
"It reached mine. I can 'ear anything, if it's in the next street."
"Was it after or before the shot?" I asked.
"About the same time, I think. They come both together."
"Let us go and see what it is, if you're not afraid."
"Me afraid," she said contemptuously, and she ran before me in the direction from which the sounds had proceeded. We had not gone fifty yards before we both stopped simultaneously25, with an exclamation26 of horror on our lips. On the ground before us lay the body of a man, pressing his hand to his heart, from which the blood was flowing. He struggled into a sitting posture27, and was endeavoring to rise to his feet, when he fell back with a groan28, and moved no more.
I rushed to his side and bent29 over him.
"There has been murder done," I said. "He is dead."
"Yes," said Sophy in a low tone, as she stooped over the body. "He's dead this time, and no mistake.
"Dead this time!" I repeated in wonder.
"Don't yer see who it is?" she asked. "It's Mr. Felix!"
M. Felix! This, then, was the end of the ill-spent life. The evil record was thus suddenly snapped, and the man who was supposed to have died in Gerard Street, Soho, on the night of the 16th of January, lay dead before me in the lonely Deering Woods, his last breath but just drawn30.
"Are you sure, Sophy?"
"Ain't you sure?"
"I cannot be. I never saw him in life."
"I can't be mistook. It's Mr. Felix--but oh, ain't it orfle! who could 'ave done it?"
"Who, Sophy? Who but his companion in crime, Dr. Peterssen?"
At this moment, from an unseen hand behind, Sophy was struck to the ground. Her scream of pain was frozen on her lips, and she lay prone31 before me.
"You infernal villain," I cried, and turned.
The moon was shining brightly, and by its light I saw the form of Dr. Peterssen. In his upraised hands he held a heavy stake. I strove to avoid the blow, and received it on my arm. Before I could recover myself the stake was raised again, and again it descended32 upon me, this time upon my head. The earth swam round. Again I was struck with savage33 violence, and as I fell the last thing I saw was the moon with a face in it which smiled upon me in the likeness34 of Dr. Peterssen.
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1
registrar
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| n.记录员，登记员；(大学的)注册主任 | |
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2
bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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3
erased
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| v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除 | |
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contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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6
knavish
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| adj.无赖（似）的，不正的；刁诈 | |
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7
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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8
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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10
amicable
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| adj.和平的，友好的；友善的 | |
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unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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12
chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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13
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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14
bribery
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| n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿 | |
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15
persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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16
elicited
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| 引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
tampered
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| v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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18
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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20
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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24
oculist
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| n.眼科医生 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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28
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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29
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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30
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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31
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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32
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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33
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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34
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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