People were still passing and repassing, and one of these groups—a party of young ladies and gentlemen—paused upon the opposite side of the street to observe, with no small curiosity and amusement, his dripping and bedraggled aspect. But only one thought and one intention possessed3 our hero—to relieve himself as quickly as possible of that trust which he had taken up so thoughtlessly, and with such monstrous results to himself and to his victims. He ran to the gate of the garden and began beating and kicking upon it with a vehemence4 that he could neither master nor control. He was aware that the entire neighborhood was becoming aroused, for he beheld5 lights moving and loud voices of inquiry6; yet he gave not the least thought to the disturbance7 he was creating, but continued without intermission his uproarious pounding upon the gate.
At length, in answer to the sound of his vehement8 blows, the little wicket was opened and a pair of eyes appeared thereat. The next instant the gate was cast ajar very hastily, and the pock-pitted negress appeared. She caught him by the sleeve of his coat and drew him quickly into the garden. "Buckra, Buckra!" she cried. "What you doing? You wake de whole town!" Then, observing his dripping garments: "You been in de water. You catch de fever and shake till you die."
"Thy mistress!" cried Jonathan, almost sobbing9 in the excess of his emotion; "take me to her upon the instant, or I cannot answer for my not going entirely10 mad!"
When our hero was again introduced to the lady, he found her clad in a loose and an elegant negligee, infinitely11 becoming to her graceful12 figure, and still covered with the veil of silver gauze that had before enveloped13 her.
"Friend," he cried, vehemently14, approaching her and holding out toward her the little ivory ball, "take again this which thou gavest me! It has brought death to three men, and I know not what terrible fate may befall me if I keep it longer in my possession.
"What is it you say?" cried she, in a piercing voice. "Did you say it hath caused the death of three men? Quick! Tell me what has happened, for I feel somehow a presage15 that you bring me news of safety and release from all my dangers."
"I know not what thou meanest!" cried Jonathan, still panting with agitation16. "But this I do know: that when I went away from thee I departed an innocent man, and now I come back to thee burdened with the weight of three lives, which, though innocent I have been instrumental in taking."
"Explain!" exclaimed the lady, tapping the floor with her foot. "Explain! explain! explain!"
"That I will," cried Jonathan, "and as soon as I am able! When I left thee and went out into the street I was accosted17 by a little gentleman clad in black."
"Exactly," said Jonathan; "and he claimed acquaintance with friend Jeremiah Doolittle."
"He never knew him!" cried the lady, vehemently; "and I must tell you that he was a villain19 named Hunt, who at one time was the intimate consort20 of the pirate Keitt. He it was who plunged21 a deadly knife into his captain's bosom23, and so murdered him in this very house. He himself or his agents, must have been watching my gate when you went forth24."
"I know not how that may be," said Jonathan, "but he took me to his apartment, and there, obtaining a knowledge of the trust thou didst burden me with, he demanded it of me, and upon my refusing to deliver it to him he presently fell to attacking me with a dagger25. In my efforts to protect my life I inadvertently caused him to plunge22 the knife into his own bosom and to kill himself."
"And what then?" cried the lady, who appeared well-nigh distracted with her emotions.
"Then," said Jonathan, "there came a strange man—a foreigner—who upon his part assaulted me with a pistol, with every intention of murdering me and thus obtaining possession of that same little trifle."
"And did he," exclaimed the lady, "have long, black mustachios, and did he have silver ear-rings in his ears?"
"Yes," said Jonathan, "he did."
"That," cried the lady, "could have been none other than Captain Keitt's Portuguese26 sailing-master, who must have been spying upon Hunt! Tell me what happened next!"
"He would have taken my life," said Jonathan, "but in the struggle that followed he shot himself accidentally with his own pistol, and died at my very feet. I do not know what would have happened to me if a sea-captain had not come and proffered27 his assistance."
"A sea-captain!" she exclaimed; "and had he a flat face and a broken nose?"
"Indeed he had," replied Jonathan.
"That," said the lady, "must have been Captain Keitt's pirate partner—Captain Willitts, of The Bloody28 Hand. He was doubtless spying upon the Portuguese."
"He induced me," said Jonathan, "to carry the two bodies down to the wharf29. Having inveigled30 me there—where, I suppose, he thought no one could interfere—he assaulted me, and endeavored to take the ivory ball away from me. In my efforts to escape we both fell into the water, and he, striking his head upon the edge of the wharf, was first stunned31 and then drowned."
"Thank God!" cried the lady, with a transport of fervor32, and clasping her jewelled hands together. "At last I am free of those who have heretofore persecuted33 me and threatened my very life itself! You have asked to behold34 my face; I will now show it to you! Heretofore I have been obliged to keep it concealed35 lest, recognizing me, my enemies should have slain36 me." As she spoke37 she drew aside her veil, and disclosed to the vision of our hero a countenance38 of the most extraordinary and striking beauty. Her luminous39 eyes were like those of a Jawa, and set beneath exquisitely41 arched and pencilled brows. Her forehead was like lustrous42 ivory and her lips like rose-leaves. Her hair, which was as soft as the finest silk, was fastened up in masses of ravishing abundance. "I am," said she, "the daughter of that unfortunate Captain Keitt, who, though weak and a pirate, was not so wicked, I would have you know, as he has been painted. He would, doubtless, have been an honest man had he not been led astray by the villain Hunt, who so nearly compassed your own destruction. He returned to this island before his death, and made me the sole heir of all that great fortune which he had gathered—perhaps not by the most honest means—in the waters of the Indian Ocean. But the greatest treasure of all that fortune bequeathed to me was a single jewel which you yourself have just now defended with a courage and a fidelity43 that I cannot sufficiently44 extol45. It is that priceless gem46 known as the Ruby47 of Kishmoor. I will show it to you." Hereupon she took the little ivory ball in her hand, and, with a turn of her beautiful wrists, unscrewed a lid so nicely and cunningly adjusted that no eye could have detected where it was joined to the parent globe. Within was a fleece of raw silk containing an object which she presently displayed before the astonished gaze of our hero. It was a red stone of about the bigness of a plover's egg, and which glowed and flamed with such an exquisite40 and ruddy brilliancy as to dazzle even Jonathan's inexperienced eyes. Indeed, he did not need to be informed of the priceless value of the treasure, which he beheld in the rosy48 palm extended toward him. How long he gazed at this extraordinary jewel he knew not, but he was aroused from his contemplation by the sound of the lady's voice addressing him. "The three villains," said she, "who have this day met their deserts in a violent and bloody death, had by an accident obtained knowledge that this jewel was in my possession. Since then my life has hung upon a thread, and every step that I have taken has been watched by these enemies, the most cruel and relentless49 that it was ever the lot of any unfortunate to possess. From the mortal dangers of their machinations you have saved me, exhibiting a courage and a determination that cannot be sufficiently applauded. In this you have earned my deepest admiration50 and regard. I would rather," she cried, "intrust my life and my happiness to you than into the keeping of any man whom I have ever known! I cannot hope to reward you in such a way as to recompense you for the perils51 into which my necessities have thrust you; but yet"—and here she hesitated, as though seeking for words in which to express herself—"but yet if you are willing to accept of this jewel, and all of the fortune that belongs to me, together with the person of poor Evaline Keitt herself, not only the stone and the wealth, but the woman also, are yours to dispose of as you see fit!"
Our hero was so struck aback at this unexpected turn that he knew not upon the instant what reply to make. "Friend," said he, at last, "I thank thee extremely for thy offer, and, though I would not be ungracious, it is yet borne in upon me to testify to thee that as to the stone itself and the fortune—of which thou speakest, and of which I very well know the history—I have no inclination52 to receive either the one or the other, both the fruits of theft, rapine, and murder. The jewel I have myself beheld three times stained, as it were, with the blood of my fellow-man, so that it now has so little value in my sight that I would not give a peppercorn to possess it. Indeed, there is no inducement in the world that could persuade me to accept it, or even to take it again into my hand. As to the rest of thy generous offer, I have only to say that I am, four months hence, to be married to a very comely53 young woman of Kensington, in Pennsylvania, by name Martha Dobbs, and therefore I am not at all at liberty to consider my inclinations54 in any other direction."
Having so delivered himself, Jonathan bowed with such ease as his stiff and awkward joints55 might command, and thereupon withdrew from the presence of the charmer, who, with cheeks suffused56 with blushes and with eyes averted57, made no endeavor to detain him.
So ended the only adventure of moment that ever happened to him in all his life. For thereafter he contented58 himself with such excitement as his mercantile profession and his extremely peaceful existence might afford.
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1
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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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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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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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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7
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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15
presage
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| n.预感，不祥感；v.预示 | |
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16
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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17
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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18
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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19
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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consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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21
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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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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23
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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30
inveigled
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| v.诱骗，引诱( inveigle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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32
fervor
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| n.热诚；热心；炽热 | |
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33
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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34
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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35
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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36
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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37
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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38
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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39
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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40
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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41
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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42
lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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43
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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44
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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45
extol
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| v.赞美，颂扬 | |
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46
gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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47
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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48
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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49
relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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50
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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51
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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52
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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53
comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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54
inclinations
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| 倾向( inclination的名词复数 )； 倾斜； 爱好； 斜坡 | |
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55
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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56
suffused
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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