Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains3 of my luncheon4. With a wolflike avidity he pounced5 upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap6 that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
When he had finished he still continued to fumble7 about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention. They had brought no knife into the room, and I had scarcely noticed the fork before; yet now, as the Mexican held it firmly in his clinched8 fist, and passed it to and fro with a 203serpent-like motion, I realized with a thrill of anxiety that it might prove a terrible weapon in the hands of a desperate man.
Evidently my fellow-prisoner had the same thought, for after a time he concealed9 the fork in his bosom10, and then turned to examine the room more carefully. His first act was to approach the window, and when he started and shrank away I knew our ever-vigilant guard had warned him not to consider that avenue of escape.
Next he swung around and faced the place where I sat, slightly in the shadow. The day was drawing to its close, and he had not noticed me before. A swift motion toward his breast was followed by a smile, and he advanced close to me and said, in his stumbling English:
“Aha! My American frien’ to which I gave the ring! It is safe, se?or? It is safe?”
I nodded, thinking to humor him. Indeed, I could not determine at that moment whether the man was still insane or not.
He drew a chair to my side and sat down.
204“Listen, then, my frien’. Together we will find riches—riches very great! Why? Because we Mexicans—Careno and myself—we build the door of the big vault11 under this house. So? They bring us here blindfold12. We work many days on the big plate with strange device cut in the steel. Careno was expert. Only one place, cut with great cunning, shot the bolts in their sockets13. For myself, I am clockmaker and gem-cutter. They tell me to cut emerald so it fit the plate, and mount it in ring. Yes, it was I, Se?or Americano, who do that fine work—I, Manuel Pesta!
“Then they carry us away, blindfold again, to the border of Uruguay. We do not know this house—we cannot find it again ever. So they think. But to make sure they hire men to assassinate14 us—to stab us to the heart in those Uruguay Mountain. Fine pay for our work—eh, se?or? But, peste! Careno and I—we stab our assassins—we escape—we swear vengeance15! For two year we wander in Brazil—seeking, ever seeking for the house with the vault.
205“How clever they are! But we, are we not also clever? On a railway train one day we see a lady with the ring! We cannot mistake—I made it, and I know my work. It is key to the big vault! Careno cannot wait. He sit beside lady and put his knife in her heart. The train rattle16 along and the lady make no noise. But the ring sticks, so Careno cuts off finger and puts in pocket. Are we not clever, se?or? Now we have ring, but yet know not of the house with the vault. We keep quiet and ride on to Rio. There the dead lady is carried out and all is excitement. She is Se?ora Izabel de Mar17, daughter of Dom Miguel de Pintra. She come from her father’s house at Cuyaba. This we hear and remember. Then a man they call Valcour he rush up and cry, ‘Her finger is gone! The ring—where is the ring?’ Aha! we know now we are right.
“So we go away and find out about Miguel de Pintra—the head of great rebellion with millions of gold and notes to pay the soldiers when they fight. Good! We know now of the vault. We know we 206have key. We know we are now rich! Careno and I we go to Cuyaba—we find this house—we hide in the bushes till night. Then Careno get mad for the money—he want it all, not half—and he try to murder me. Ah, well! my pistol is quicker than his knife, that is all. He is wearing ring, and it stick like it stick on lady’s hand. Bah! I cut off Careno’s hand and carve away the ring. It is simple, is it not?
“But now the soldiers gallop18 up. The house is fill with people. So I must wait. I hide in secret place, but soon they drag me out and make me prisoner. What! must I lose all now—millions—millions of gold—and no Careno to share it? No! I am still clever. I keep ring in mouth until I meet you, and I give it to you to keep. When they search me, there is no ring.”
He sprang up, chuckling19 and rubbing his hands together in great delight. He danced a step or two and then drew the steel fork from his breast and struck it fiercely into the table-top, standing20 silently 207to watch it while the prongs quivered and came to rest.
“Am I not clever?” he again asked, drawing out the fork from the wood and returning it to his breast. “But I am generous, too. You shall divide with me. But not half! I won all from Careno, but you shall have some—enough to be rich, Se?or Americano. And now, give me the ring!”
By this time his eyes were glittering with insanity21, and at his abrupt22 demand I shifted uneasily in my seat, not knowing how to reply.
“Give me the ring!” he repeated, a tone of menace creeping into his high-pitched voice.
I arose and walked toward the window, getting the table between us. Then I turned and faced him.
“They have taken the ring from me,” I said.
He stood as if turned to stone, his fierce eyes fixed upon my own.
“They have opened the vault with it,” I continued, “and found it bare and empty.”
208He gave a shrill23 scream at this, and began trembling in every limb.
“You lie!” he shouted, wildly. “You try to cheat me—to get all! And the vault has millions—millions in gold and notes. Give me the ring!”
I made no reply. To reiterate24 my assertion would do no good, and the man was incompetent25 to consider the matter calmly. Indeed, he once more drew that ugly fork from his breast and, grasping it as one would a dagger26, began creeping toward me with a stealthy, cat-like tread.
I approached the edge of the round center-table, alert to keep its breadth between me and my companion. The Mexican paused opposite me, and whispered between his clinched teeth:
“Give it me! Give me the ring!”
“The guard will be here presently,” said I, fervently27 hoping I spoke28 the truth, “and he will tell you of the ring. I am quite sure Senhor Valcour has it.”
“Ah, I am betrayed! You wish to take all—you and this Valcour! But see, my Americano—I will kill you. I will kill 209you now, and then you have nothing for your treachery!”
Slowly he edged his way around the table, menacing me with his strange weapon, and with my eyes fixed upon his I moved in the opposite direction, retaining the table as my shield.
First in one direction and then in the other he moved, swiftly at times, then with deliberate caution, striving ever to take me unawares and reach me with his improvised29 dagger.
This situation could not stand the tension for long; I realized that sooner or later the game must have an abrupt ending.
So, as I dodged30 my persistent31 enemy, I set my wits working to devise a means of escape. The window seemed my only hope, and I had lost all fear of the sentry32 in the more terrible danger that confronted me.
Suddenly I exerted my strength and thrust the table against the Mexican so forcibly that he staggered backward. Then I caught up a chair and after a swing around my head hurled33 it toward him like a catapult. It crushed him to the floor, and e’er 210he could rise again I had thrown up the sash of the window and leaped out.
Fortune often favors the desperate. I alighted full upon the form of the unsuspecting sentry, bearing him to the ground by my weight, where we both rolled in the grass.
Quickly I regained34 my feet and darted35 away into the flower-garden, seeking to reach the hedges before my guard could recover himself.
Over my shoulder I saw him kneeling and deliberately36 pointing at me his carbine. Before he could fire the flying form of the Mexican descended37 upon him from the window. There was a flash and a report, but the ball went wide its mark, and instantly the two men were struggling in a death-grapple upon the lawn.
Away I ran through the maze38 of hedge and shrubbery, threading the well-known paths unerringly. I heard excited shouts as the guardsmen, aroused by their comrade’s shot, poured from the mansion39 and plunged40 into the gardens to follow me. But it was dusk by this time, and I had little fear of being overtaken.
211The estate was bounded upon this side by an impenetrable thick-set hedge, but it was broken in one place by a gardeners’ tool-house, which had a door at each side, and thus admitted one into a lane that wound through a grove41 and joined the main highway a mile beyond.
Reaching this tool-house I dashed within, closed and barred the door behind me, and then emerged upon the lane.
To my surprise I saw a covered carriage standing in the gloom, and made out that the door stood open and a man upon the box was holding the reins42 and leaning toward me eagerly as if striving to solve my identity.
Without hesitation43 I sprang into the carriage and closed the door, crying to the man:
“Quick! for your life—drive on!”
Without a word he lashed44 his horses and we started with a jerk that threw me into the back seat.
I heard an exclamation45 in a woman’s startled voice and felt a muffled46 form shrinking into the corner of the carriage. Then two shots rang out; I heard a scream 212and the sound of a fall as the driver pitched upon the ground, and now like the wind the maddened horses rushed on without guidance, swaying the carriage from side to side with a dangerous motion.
These Brazilian carriages have a trap in the top to permit the occupants to speak to the driver. I found this trap, threw it upward, and drew myself up until I was able to scramble47 into the vacant seat. The reins had fallen between the horses, evidently, but we were now dashing through the grove, and the shadows were so deep that I could distinguish nothing distinctly.
Cautiously I let myself down until my feet touched the pole, and then, resting my hands upon the loins of the madly galloping48 animals, I succeeded in grasping the reins and returned safely to the box seat.
Then I braced49 myself to conquer the runaways50, and when we emerged from the grove and came upon the highway there was sufficient light for me to keep the horses in the straight road until they had tired themselves sufficiently51 to be brought under control.
213During this time I had turned to speak a reassuring52 word, now and then, to the unknown woman in the carriage.
Doubtless she had been both amazed and indignant at my abrupt seizure53 of her equipage; but there was not yet time to explain to her my necessity.
We were headed straight for the station at Cuyaba, and I decided54 at once to send a telegram warning Mazanovitch of danger. For Paola had turned traitor55, the vault had been opened, and the Emperor was even now on his way to Rio to arrest all who had previously56 escaped the net of the Minister of Police.
So we presently dashed up to the station, which was nearly deserted57 at this hour, and after calling a porter to hold the horses I went into the station to write my telegram.
Mazanovitch had asked me to use but one word, and although I had much of interest to communicate, a moment’s thought assured me that a warning of danger was sufficient.
So, after a brief hesitation, I wrote the 214word “Lesba,” and handed the message to the operator.
“That is my name, senhor,” said a soft voice behind me, and I turned to confront Lesba Paola.
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1
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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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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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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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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5
pounced
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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6
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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7
fumble
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| vi.笨拙地用手摸、弄、接等，摸索 | |
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8
clinched
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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9
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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10
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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11
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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12
blindfold
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| vt.蒙住…的眼睛；adj.盲目的；adv.盲目地；n.蒙眼的绷带[布等]； 障眼物，蒙蔽人的事物 | |
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13
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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14
assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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15
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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16
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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17
mar
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| vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟 | |
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18
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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19
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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20
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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21
insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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22
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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23
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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24
reiterate
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| v.重申，反复地说 | |
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25
incompetent
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| adj.无能力的，不能胜任的 | |
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26
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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27
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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28
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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29
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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30
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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31
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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32
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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33
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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34
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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35
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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36
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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37
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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38
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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39
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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40
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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41
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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42
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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43
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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44
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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45
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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46
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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47
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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48
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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49
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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50
runaways
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| （轻而易举的）胜利( runaway的名词复数 ) | |
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51
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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52
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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53
seizure
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| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
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54
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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55
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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56
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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57
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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