CHAPTER XXVIII. ON WATCH.

There was nothing especially noticeable about the chamber¹ into which Scott and the earl were ushered². It was a corner apartment, and had two windows on different sides of the room.

There was a double bed, a washstand, a small table, and two chairs, besides a plain pine bureau. There was no carpet on the floor, but beside the bed was a cheap rug.

"Will this do you?" asked the woman, as she set the candle on the table.

"Yes," answered the earl, after a comprehensive glance around the room.

"We don't keep a hotel. If we did——"

"My good lady, make no apologies. We are obliged to you for taking us in."

"I hope you'll sleep well," said the woman, with her hand on the latch³.

"We generally do," replied the earl.

"Ah!" she said, and there seemed something significant in her tone.

[Pg 236]

She opened the door and went downstairs, leaving the two travelers alone.

"This isn't very luxurious⁴, Mr. Grant," remarked Scott.

"No."

"I suppose you are used to a luxurious house?"

"When I am at home—yes; but I have knocked about the world so much that I can stand a little discomfort⁵. How is the bed?"

He felt of the mattress⁶, and found that it was of straw. Had there been a feather bed over it there would have been greater comfort.

"Only a straw bed," he said. "This is, certainly, Spartan⁷ simplicity⁸. I don't think Red Ralph would be a success as an innkeeper."

"I think I can sleep, Mr. Grant," rejoined Scott. "I feel quite tired."

"Is there a lock on the door?"

Scott went forward to examine.

"Yes," he reported, "there is a lock, but no key."

"Is there a bolt?"

"No."

"I wonder," said the earl, very thoughtfully, "whether the key has been lost or intentionally⁹ removed?"

[Pg 237]

"We might ask for a key."

"No. That would make it evident that we were distrustful. Besides, it may be that the people below are not aware that there is no means of locking them out. On the whole, we will not call attention to our defenseless condition."

While they were talking, a step was heard on the stairs—a heavy step, too heavy for the woman. Then came a knock at the door.

Scott opened it.

There stood Red Ralph, holding in his hand a pitcher¹⁰ and glass.

"I have brought you a nightcap," he said. "I had my wife mix some whisky and water. It is good for the stomach. I drink some every night before I go to bed."

"Thank you," returned the earl, politely. "You are very considerate."

He took the pitcher and set it down on the table. Red Ralph lingered a moment, and his eyes wandered about the apartment.

There was nothing to see, however, as the travelers had brought no luggage with them, not expecting to be detained overnight.

"I hope that you will be comfortable," he said, cordially.

[Pg 238]

"Thank you."

"Do you sleep sound?"

"Generally. Do you?"

"Oh, I never wake from the time I strike the bed. At what hour shall I wake you?"

"At seven."

"Good! I will tell the wife to have breakfast at half-past seven."

"By the way, may I trouble you to look after my horse? I meant to go out to the barn before I retired¹¹."

"I will look after him. I am used to horses. I am a horse trader."

"Thank you. Good-night."

"Good-night."

"Our friend is unusually attentive," said the earl, with a glance at the pitcher.

"Yes; perhaps we have misjudged him."

"Perhaps, but I am not sure. Scott, will you hold the candle?"

He took the pitcher and peered into it attentively¹², rather to Scott's surprise. Then he poured out a small quantity, and tasted it.

"I hope you will excuse me from drinking, Mr. Grant," said Scott. "I promised my father I would never drink whisky."

[Pg 239]

"Even if you did indulge, I should not advise you to drink any of this."

"Why not? Is it of poor quality?"

"I am quite confident that it is drugged. It has a peculiar¹³ taste, and I detect minute particles of some foreign substance which has been mixed with it."

"Poison?" asked Scott, looking startled.

"Not so bad as that. It is only a sleeping potion. Our friend had an object in asking if we slept soundly. He means that we shall."

"Are you quite sure the whisky has been tampered¹⁴ with, Mr. Grant?"

"I am reasonably sure of it."

"Then of course we won't drink it."

"Certainly not, but we will appear to have done so. Open the window."

The earl poured out a glass of the whisky and emptied it out of the window. He filled the glass a second time, and again emptied it.

"That is better than to have swallowed it," he said. "I will leave a small portion in the pitcher to disarm¹⁵ suspicion."

"What do you think Red Ralph intends to do?" asked Scott, in a low tone.

"I think he intends to make us a visit during[Pg 240] the night. As there is no way of locking the door, that will be very easily managed. Had we drunk the whisky, we should have slept so profoundly that Ralph could have ransacked¹⁶ the room without interference.

"Have you a pistol, Mr. Grant?"

"Yes, but I might as well be without one. I have no means of loading it."

"What, then, do you propose to do?"

"That is not easy to decide."

"Can we secure the door in any way?"

"I can think of no way."

"We might put the bureau against it."

"Yes; I will consider whether that is best. It interposes only a temporary obstacle. Then Ralph and his companion may be armed, while we are not. The two would be more than a match for us."

"I suppose they would be satisfied if you would give up your money."

"Probably, but though the loss of the money would not seriously embarrass me—it is only five hundred dollars—I decidedly object to being robbed of it. By the way, have you a newspaper with you?"

"Yes, Mr. Grant. Here it is."

[Pg 241]

The earl took the paper, and carefully tore it into strips about the size of a bank bill. Then he removed the bank bills from his wallet, put them in an inside pocket in his vest, and replaced them with strips of newspaper.

"It is a good plan to oppose roguery with artifice," he said. "Possibly this will help to circumvent¹⁷ the enemy."

Scarcely had he done this when Ralph's step was heard on the staircase, and a moment afterward¹⁸ there was a knock at the door.

"Open it, Scott."

There stood Ralph, smiling craftily¹⁹.

"Have you drunk the whisky, gentlemen?" he asked. "Would you like to have me fill the pitcher again?"

"We shall not need any more, thank you," said the earl. "Perhaps you will kindly²⁰ take the pitcher?"

Ralph looked into the pitcher, and his face indicated satisfaction. From the little that remained he felt assured that both his guests had drunk liberally.

"I hope you liked it," he said.

"You were very kind to think of us," rejoined the earl, avoiding a reply to his question.

[Pg 242]

"Won't you let me fill the pitcher?"

"No, we shall not need any more. I think you said it would make us sleep sound?"

"It has that effect upon me."

"I think you are right. I can hardly keep my eyes open," and the earl yawned ostentatiously.

"I feel the same way," added Scott.

Red Ralph smiled.

"Yes," he said, "I am sure you will have a good night's sleep. I will remember to call you at seven. I won't stay any longer, for you must wish to retire."

"Good-night, then."

"Now," said the earl, when the coast was clear, "we must decide what to do."

"Shall we go to bed?"

"We will lie on the bed, but it will be better not to undress. We must be prepared for any contingency²¹."

"Shall I move the bureau against the door?"

"No. We will try to keep awake for an hour. My opinion is that our friend will make us a visit within that time."

1 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

2 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 latch   

n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁

参考例句：

• She laid her hand on the latch of the door.她把手放在门闩上。
• The repairman installed an iron latch on the door.修理工在门上安了铁门闩。

4 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

5 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

6 mattress   

n.床垫，床褥

参考例句：

• The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
• The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。

7 spartan   

adj.简朴的，刻苦的；n.斯巴达；斯巴达式的人

参考例句：

• Their spartan lifestyle prohibits a fridge or a phone.他们不使用冰箱和电话，过着简朴的生活。
• The rooms were spartan and undecorated.房间没有装饰，极为简陋。

8 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

9 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

10 pitcher   

n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手

参考例句：

• He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
• Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

11 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

12 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

14 tampered   

v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄

参考例句：

• The records of the meeting had been tampered with. 会议记录已被人擅自改动。 来自辞典例句
• The old man's will has been tampered with. 老人的遗嘱已被窜改。 来自辞典例句

15 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

16 ransacked   

v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺

参考例句：

• The house had been ransacked by burglars. 这房子遭到了盗贼的洗劫。
• The house had been ransacked of all that was worth anything. 屋子里所有值钱的东西都被抢去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 circumvent   

vt.环绕，包围；对…用计取胜，智胜

参考例句：

• Military planners tried to circumvent the treaty.军事策略家们企图绕开这一条约。
• Any action I took to circumvent his scheme was justified.我为斗赢他的如意算盘而采取的任何行动都是正当的。

18 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

19 craftily   

狡猾地，狡诈地

参考例句：

• He craftily arranged to be there when the decision was announced. 在决议宣布之时，他狡猾地赶到了那里。
• Strengthen basic training of calculation, get the kids to grasp the radical calculating ability craftily. 加强计算基本训练，通过分、小、百互化口算的练习，使学生熟练地掌握基本的计算技能。

20 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

21 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。