"This sheet," explained Irene, "is, in fact, but a part of a letter. The first sheets are missing, so we don't know who it was addressed to; but it is signed, at the end, by the initials 'E. de V.'"
"The ambassador!" cried Hathaway, caught off his guard by surprise.
"The same," said O'Gorman triumphantly1; "and it is all in his well-known handwriting. Read the letter, my girl."
"The first sentence," said Irene, "is a continuation of something on a previous page, but I will read it just as it appears here."
And then, in a clear, distinct voice that was audible to all present, she read as follows:
"which forces me to abandon at once my post and your delightful2 country in order to avoid further complications. My greatest regret is in leaving Mrs. Burrows3 in so unfortunate a predicament. The lady was absolutely loyal to us and the calamity4 that has overtaken her is through no fault of her own.
"That you may understand this thoroughly5 I will remind you that John Burrows was in our employ. It was through our secret influence that he obtained his first government position, where he inspired confidence and became trusted implicitly6. He did not acquire full control, however, until five years later, and during that time he met and married Beatrice Hathaway, the charming daughter of James J. Hathaway, a wealthy broker7. That gave Burrows added importance and he was promoted to the high government position he occupied at the time of his death.
"Burrows made for us secret copies of the fortifications on both the east and west coasts, including the number and caliber8 of guns, amounts of munitions9 stored and other details. Also he obtained copies of the secret telegraph and naval10 codes and the complete armaments of all war vessels11, both in service and in process of construction. A part of this information and some of the plans he delivered to me before he died, as you know, and he had the balance practically ready for delivery when he was taken with pneumonia12 and unfortunately expired very suddenly.
"It was characteristic of the man's faithfulness that on his death bed he made his wife promise to deliver the balance of the plans and an important book of codes to us as early as she could find an opportunity to do so. Mrs. Burrows had previously13 been in her husband's confidence and knew he was employed by us while holding his position with the government, so she readily promised to carry out his wishes, perhaps never dreaming of the difficulties that would confront her or the personal danger she assumed. But she was faithful to her promise and afterward14 tried to fulfill15 it.
"Her father, the James J. Hathaway above mentioned, in whose mansion16 Mrs. Burrows lived with her only child, is a staunch patriot17. Had he known of our plot he would have promptly18 denounced it, even sacrificing his son-in-law. I have no quarrel with him for that, you may well believe, as I value patriotism19 above all other personal qualities. But after the death of John Burrows it became very difficult for his wife to find a way to deliver to me the packet of plans without being detected. Through some oversight20 at the government office, which aroused suspicion immediately after his death, Burrows was discovered to have made duplicates of many documents intrusted to him and with a suspicion of the truth government agents were sent to interview Mrs. Burrows and find out if the duplicates were still among her husband's papers. Being a clever woman, she succeeded in secreting21 the precious package and so foiled the detectives. Even her own father, who was very indignant that a member of his household should be accused of treason, had no suspicion that his daughter was in any way involved. But the house was watched, after that, and Mrs. Burrows was constantly under surveillance—a fact of which she was fully22 aware. I also became aware of the difficulties that surrounded her and although impatient to receive the package I dared not press its delivery. Fortunately no suspicion attached to me and a year or so after her husband's death I met Mrs. Burrows at the house of a mutual23 friend, on the occasion of a crowded reception, and secured an interview with her where we could not be overheard. We both believed that by this time the police espionage24 had been greatly relaxed so I suggested that she boldly send the parcel to me, under an assumed name, at Carver's Drug Store, where I had a confederate. An ordinary messenger would not do for this errand, but Mr. Hathaway drove past the drug store every morning on his way to his office, and Mrs. Burrows thought it would be quite safe to send the parcel by his hand, the man being wholly above suspicion.
"On the morning we had agreed upon for the attempt, the woman brought the innocent looking package to her father, as he was leaving the house, and asked him to deliver it at the drug store on his way down. Thinking it was returned goods he consented, but at the moment he delivered the parcel a couple of detectives appeared and arrested him, opening the package before him to prove its important contents. I witnessed this disaster to our plot with my own eyes, but managed to escape without being arrested as a partner in the conspiracy25, and thus I succeeded in protecting the good name of my beloved country, which must never be known in this connection.
"Hathaway was absolutely stupefied at the charge against him. Becoming violently indignant, he knocked down the officers and escaped with the contents of the package. He then returned home and demanded an explanation from his daughter, who confessed all.
"It was then that Hathaway showed the stuff he was made of, to use an Americanism. He insisted on shielding his daughter, to whom he was devotedly26 attached, and in taking all the responsibility on his own shoulders. The penalty of this crime is imprisonment27 for life and he would not allow Mrs. Burrows to endure it. Being again arrested he did not deny his guilt28 but cheerfully suffered imprisonment. Before the day set for his trial, however, he managed to escape and since then he has so cleverly hidden himself that the authorities remain ignorant of his whereabouts. His wife and his grandchild also disappeared and it was found that his vast business interests had been legally transferred to some of his most intimate friends—doubtless for his future benefit.
"The government secret service was helpless. No one save I knew that Hathaway was shielding his daughter, whose promise to her dead husband had led her to betray her country to the representative of a foreign power such as our own. Yet Hathaway, even in sacrificing his name and reputation, revolted at suffering life-long imprisonment, nor dared he stand trial through danger of being forced to confess the truth. So he remains29 in hiding and I have hopes that he will be able—through his many influential30 friends—to save himself from capture for many months to come.
"This is the truth of the matter, dear friend, and as this explanation must never get beyond your own knowledge I charge you to destroy this letter as soon as it is read. When you are abroad next year we will meet and consider this and other matters in which we are mutually interested. I would not have ventured to put this on paper were it not for my desire to leave someone in this country posted on the Hathaway case. You will understand from the foregoing that the situation has become too delicate for me to remain here. If you can, give aid to Hathaway, whom I greatly admire, for we are in a way responsible for his troubles. As for Mrs. Burrows, I consider her a woman of character and honor. That she might keep a pledge made to her dead husband she sinned against the law without realizing the enormity of her offense31. If anyone is to blame it is poor John Burrows, who was not justified32 in demanding so dangerous a pledge from his wife; but he was dying at the time and his judgment33 was impaired34. Let us be just to all and so remain just to ourselves.
"Write me at the old address and believe me to be yours most faithfully
E. de V.
The 16th of September, 1905."
During Irene's reading the others maintained an intense silence. Even when she had ended, the silence continued for a time, while all considered with various feelings the remarkable35 statement they had just heard.
"If you will assert, Mr. Hathaway, that the ambassador's statement is correct, to the best of your knowledge and belief, I have the authority of our department to promise that the charge against you will promptly be dropped and withdrawn37 and that you will be adjudged innocent of any offense against the law. It is true that you assisted a guilty person to escape punishment, and are therefore liable for what is called 'misprision of treason,' but we shall not press that, for, as I said before, we prefer, since no real harm has resulted, to allow the case to be filed without further publicity38. Do you admit the truth of the statements contained in this letter?"
"I believe them to be true," said Mr. Hathaway, in a low voice. Mary Louise was nestling close in his arms and now she raised her head tenderly to kiss his cheek. She was not sobbing39; she did not even appear to be humbled40 or heart-broken. Perhaps she did not realize at the moment how gravely her father and mother had sinned against the laws of their country. That realization41 might come to her later, but just now she was happy in the vindication42 of Gran'pa Jim—a triumph that overshadowed all else.
"I'll take this letter for our files," said Officer O'Gorman, folding it carefully before placing it in his pocketbook. "And now, sir, I hope you will permit me to congratulate you and to wish you many years of happiness with your granddaughter, who first won my admiration43 by her steadfast44 faith in your innocence45. She's a good girl, is Mary Louise, and almost as clever as my Josie here. Come, Nan; come, Agatha; let's go back to Bigbee's. Our business here is finished."
The End
The End
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
triumphantly
|
|
| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
burrows
|
|
| n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
calamity
|
|
| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
implicitly
|
|
| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
broker
|
|
| n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
caliber
|
|
| n.能力；水准 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
munitions
|
|
| n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
naval
|
|
| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
vessels
|
|
| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
pneumonia
|
|
| n.肺炎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
previously
|
|
| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
afterward
|
|
| adv.后来；以后 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
fulfill
|
|
| vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
mansion
|
|
| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
patriot
|
|
| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
patriotism
|
|
| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
oversight
|
|
| n.勘漏，失察，疏忽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
secreting
|
|
| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的现在分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
mutual
|
|
| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
espionage
|
|
| n.间谍行为，谍报活动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
conspiracy
|
|
| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
devotedly
|
|
| 专心地； 恩爱地； 忠实地； 一心一意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
imprisonment
|
|
| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
guilt
|
|
| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
influential
|
|
| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
offense
|
|
| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
justified
|
|
| a.正当的，有理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
impaired
|
|
| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
withdrawn
|
|
| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
publicity
|
|
| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
sobbing
|
|
| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
humbled
|
|
| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
realization
|
|
| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
vindication
|
|
| n.洗冤，证实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
steadfast
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |