“It’s false! false as hell!” thundered Douglas. He stepped forward and seized Winthrop in a grip of iron and shook him as a dog would shake a rat; then, before the others could intervene, threw the struggling man on the floor. “Bah! you’re not worth killing1.”
Whimpering with rage and weakness, Winthrop caught hold of the table and dragged himself upright, and stood swaying on his feet.
“It’s true, it’s true!” he reiterated2. “Look at her,”—pointing a shaking finger to where Eleanor stood aghast, watching the scene. Her hand was on the doorknob and she seemed poised3 for instant flight. A curious smile twisted her pale lips as the men turned and faced her.
“It may be, Miss Thornton,”—the Secretary of State spoke5 with grave deliberation,—“but it is a serious charge which he is making, and I think it had better be investigated now.” Eleanor winced6 visibly, then, controlling herself, advanced further into the room.
“I am at your service,” she said with sudden hauteur7, “but as I have an important engagement later I trust you will be brief.”
“Sit by me here, Eleanor.” Colonel Thornton, who had listened to Winthrop’s charges in stupefied silence, pulled forward an armchair. “Mr. Secretary, will you occupy the desk chair, and you,” turning to Winthrop, who cowered8 back as he caught the smoldering9 wrath10 in the older man’s eyes, “sit over there,” pointing to a chair some distance away.
Brett, seeing that Winthrop was too exhausted11 to move without assistance, piloted him to the chair indicated by Thornton, and, getting another chair, placed himself by Winthrop’s side. Douglas, at a sign from the Secretary, sat down at the further end of the table and handed the statesman some paper and ink.
“Now, Mr. Winthrop,” began the Secretary, “if you are more composed, kindly12 answer my questions. Why have you waited all this time before mentioning that you think Miss Thornton guilty of Senator Carew’s murder?”
“Because I’ve been drugged, so that I couldn’t give evidence. I tried twice to get a message to Brett, but Annette said she couldn’t reach him.” Winthrop spoke with labored14 effort.
“Annette!” chorused Colonel Thornton, Brett, and Douglas, while the Secretary and Eleanor looked their surprise.
“Yes, Annette,” peevishly15, “she used to come in occasionally to give me water when those devilish nurses were neglecting me. She told me that Brett was seldom at the house, and that she never had an opportunity to speak to him alone.”
“The monumental liar——” Brett checked himself. “Never mind that now, Mr. Winthrop, go on with your story.”
“She told me how Miss Thornton used to steal in and drug me, and asked me why she did it.”
“Great Heavens!” Eleanor’s exclamation16 was followed by a half-strangled laugh which ended in a sob17. “What a viper18!”
“You were not there last night,” sputtered19 Winthrop vindictively20, “and therefore I didn’t get my usual dose, so I can tell what I know to-day.” A triumphant21 leer distorted his features.
“Suppose you continue your story without making comments,” directed the Secretary sternly.
Winthrop nodded sullenly22, then began: “You recollect23 that I spent Monday night at the Alibi24 Club, Brett?”
“Yes.”
“Well, when I left there I motored up Nineteenth Street, instead of taking the more direct way home. I thought I would turn into Massachusetts Avenue at Dupont circle, where there was less danger of running into electric cars, for the rain was falling in such torrents25 that I could hardly see through my wind-shield.
“When opposite the Owen residence I ran into a lot of waiting carriages and motors, and had to slow down. In fact, I went so slowly that by the time I was nearly opposite Miss Thornton’s residence I stalled my engine and had to get out in all the wet and crank up,” he paused dramatically. “You can imagine my surprise when I saw Miss Thornton come down under the awning26 which led to her front door and stand at the curb27, looking up and down the street.”
“How do you know it was Miss Thornton?” broke in Douglas harshly.
“There was a street lamp by the side of the awning and the light fell full on her; besides, I recognized the scarlet28 cloak she was wearing. I have seen it many times.”
“What did my niece do, besides standing29 still and looking up and down the street?” demanded Colonel Thornton scornfully.
“She ran out into the middle of the street and down where a carriage was drawn30 up at the curb, opened the door, stood there talking, apparently31, for a few minutes, then shut the door and bolted back to the awning, and I presume entered her house, as I saw no more of her.”
Winthrop flushed at his tone. “I had curiosity enough to step back and see that it was Senator Carew’s landau, the last of a long queue of vehicles, at which she had stopped; then I went on about my business.”
“Do you mean to say that you did not investigate further?” asked the Secretary, leaning forward the better to scan Winthrop’s face.
“No. I knew enough never to interfere33 with Senator Carew’s love affairs!” His sneer34 was intolerable.
“By God!” Colonel Thornton sprang to his feet and advanced on Winthrop, but Brett stepped between the two men.
“Have a little patience, Colonel,” he said, pushing the irate35 man toward his seat; “then you can settle with Mr. Winthrop.”
“Do you think I’m going to sit here and listen to aspersions on my niece’s character?” he shouted. “Let me get my hands on that scoundrel!”
“Wait, Uncle Dana,”—Eleanor leaned forward and placed her hand on his arm,—“let him finish; then I will speak,” and her lips closed ominously36.
“That is excellent advice,” agreed the Secretary; “resume your seat, Colonel Thornton.” His tone of command was not to be denied, and Thornton dropped back in his chair. “Now, Mr. Winthrop, explain your last remark.”
“Senator Carew told me on Monday afternoon that he expected to marry Miss Thornton, and that he intended to spend the evening with her.”
Douglas leaned forward and gazed earnestly at Eleanor, but she refused to meet his look, and with a troubled expression he turned his attention to Winthrop, who was again speaking.
“I told Senator Carew that I had heard a member of one of the embassies here declare that Miss Thornton was an international spy.”
“And what did he say to that statement?”
“He said that he would look into the matter.”
“When did this conversation take place?”
“On Monday afternoon.”
“And is that all you have to go upon for such an accusation37?” inquired Brett scornfully.
Douglas was gazing moodily38 ahead of him. A memory of Paris, of Eleanor’s extraordinary behavior there, of the whispers which followed her about, harassed39 him. Had his faith been misplaced? No, a thousand times no. He would pin all hope of future happiness on her innocence40 and purity of soul. He rose suddenly and stepped behind her chair, and laid his hand encouragingly on her shoulder. She looked up, startled, then, seeing him, her lips parted in a smile, and her hand stole up to meet his. His firm clasp gave her courage to face the situation, for it told her of his unshaken confidence and love.
Winthrop glowered41 at them when he saw the tableau42, and his eyes gleamed wickedly. “It is very obvious,” he said, “that Senator Carew found my statement was true, and charged her with being a spy; then left her house. Exposure meant Miss Thornton’s ruin; even her influential43 relatives,”—he glanced meaningly at Thornton,—“could not intervene to save her, so she took the law into her own hands, picked up the letter file, stole out of the house, opened the carriage door, engaged the Senator in conversation—and stabbed him.”
A strained silence followed, which the Secretary was the first to break. He turned directly to Eleanor.
“You called to see Secretary Wyndham at the Navy Department on Wednesday morning, did you not, Miss Thornton?”
Douglas’ hand tightened44 involuntarily, but Eleanor showed no sign of agitation45 as she answered, “Yes, Mr. Secretary, I did.”
“Have you anything further to say, Mr. Winthrop?”
“Not now, Mr. Secretary.”
“Then let me suggest,” exclaimed Thornton, “that Mr. Winthrop, in trying to implicate46 my niece in a dastardly crime, has but established his own guilt13.”
“We all know from the testimony48 of reputable servants that Senator Carew and you had quarreled,” continued Thornton. “We know your habits are none of the best; we know that you have suddenly become possessed49 of large sums of money——”
Winthrop moistened his dry lips. “I deny it,” he exclaimed.
Thornton paid no attention to the interruption. “You alone knew where Senator Carew was spending the evening, and you went there and laid in wait for him, and now, you despicable cur, you are trying to lay the blame on an innocent girl.”
Winthrop rose, goaded50 by the scornful looks of the others. “I may have had the motive51 and the opportunity to kill Senator Carew,” he admitted sullenly, “but I did not have—the weapon. The criminal sits there,”—he pointed52 at Eleanor;—“I am absolutely positive of her guilt, for the letter file used to kill the Senator belonged to a silver desk set given her by Miss Cynthia Carew.”
Thornton frowned and turned a troubled countenance53 toward Eleanor, who nodded reassuringly54 as she rose to her feet, stepped back to Douglas’ side, and, leaning on the back of the chair she had just vacated, addressed the Secretary.
“I am a young girl, Mr. Secretary,” she began, “and, living alone as I do, I have been forced on numerous occasions to use my own judgment55. It would have been better, perhaps, had I spoken of certain events before this, but I was so alarmed by the position in which I found myself placed that I foolishly held my tongue. I had hoped that certain facts would not become public. Those facts Mr. Winthrop has maliciously56 distorted. I have been guilty of a blunder, not a crime.”
“I would be most happy to believe you, Miss Thornton,” said the Secretary gravely; “but to probe this matter to the bottom I must ask certain questions.”
“Which I will gladly answer.”
“Did Senator Carew call on you on Monday night?”
“He did, reaching my house about nine-thirty, just before the rain commenced.”
“Did anyone else know that he was there?”
“Only my Japanese butler, Fugi, who admitted him. My cousin, Mrs. Truxton, who is spending the winter with me, had gone to bed immediately after dinner.”
“Was Annette in the house?” asked Brett quickly.
“No, it was her evening out. She returned shortly after the Senator left.”
“At what hour did he go?” questioned the Secretary.
“About half-past twelve o’clock.”
“Wasn’t that rather an unusual hour for him to stay?”
Eleanor colored warmly. “It was most unusual,” she admitted. “But the pouring rain was responsible for that. He telephoned for a herdic cab or a taxi, but they were all engaged, and he waited, hoping that one would eventually be sent to my house.”
“Mr. Winthrop spoke of an awning at your door, Miss Thornton,” again broke in Brett. “I have passed your house a number of times and have never seen one.”
“I had a large tea on Monday afternoon, and had the awning put up for that occasion, as the weather was threatening and my house stands some distance from the curb. The awning was removed early the next morning.”
“It is not so very far from your house to the Senator’s residence,” mused57 the Secretary. “I should have thought, considering the lateness of the hour, that he would have walked home.”
“But he was not going home, Mr. Secretary. He told me that he was going to drive to your house, as he had to see you immediately on your return that night.”
“Indeed!” The Secretary was bending forward in his eagerness. “Did the Senator state what he wished to see me about?”
“Only in a general way. He said that he had that afternoon discovered proof of a gigantic plot against the United States; that the secrets of the Government were being betrayed; and that he must give you the names of the arch traitor58 and his confederate. He called up your house by telephone earlier in the afternoon, and found that you were expected home on the eleven o’clock train.”
“I had intended to take it, but was detained at the last moment by pressing business and did not reach Washington until the following night,” explained the Secretary. “If he couldn’t get a cab, why did he not call up his own house and send for his carriage earlier in the evening?”
“He tried to, Mr. Secretary, but his telephone was out of order, and no one answered the stable call.”
“How, then, did he get his own carriage?”
“My drawing-room windows look out on Nineteenth Street, and the Senator, in one of his numerous trips to discover if the rain was letting up, saw his carriage standing in front of my door. He recognized the horses and Hamilton by the light from the lamp-post under which they stood, waiting for the long queue of carriages ahead to move up the street. The Senator instantly decided59 to enter his carriage, wait for Cynthia, and then drive to your house, Mr. Secretary.”
“So that’s how he got into the carriage without getting wet,” cried Brett; “the awning protected him. I suppose he just popped into his carriage and said nothing to Hamilton, as he intended to wait for his niece, and Hamilton was too befuddled60 with drink and the storm to notice the opening and closing of the door. Did you watch the Senator leave the house?”
Eleanor shook her head. “No,” she said.
Eleanor’s color rose, but she faced the keen eyes watching her unflinchingly. “No, Mr. Secretary; the Senator did me the honor to ask me to marry him on Monday night, but I refused.”
“Then you deny running out after his carriage, which Mr. Winthrop declares you did?”
“No, sir, I do not deny it. Mr. Winthrop is quite right.” She paused, and the men looked at her expectantly. “I have a quest in life—not the one attributed to me by this gentleman,”—waving her hand scornfully toward Winthrop, who was listening to her statement with an incredulous smile distorting his features,—“but an honorable legacy62 which my dear mother left me to execute.
“On bidding me a hasty good night, Senator Carew, whether in jest or earnest, told me that, if I would marry him, he would assist me to bring my mission to a successful conclusion.”
“Would you mind stating what this quest is?” asked the Secretary.
Eleanor hesitated. “It is a family matter, and I would rather not go into it just now. But—if necessary—I promise to explain later.”
The Secretary did not press the point. “Continue your story, Miss Thornton.”
“About five minutes or more after the Senator left I came to the conclusion that my duty”—she glanced appealingly at Douglas—“compelled me to marry him. On an impulse, I picked up my cloak, which was hanging on the hall rack, opened the front door, and ran down to the curb.
“The Carew landau is easily recognized, and after peering up and down the street I saw that it had moved up several doors. Without stopping to think or consider the consequences, I ran down the street to the carriage and opened the door——” She stopped, breathless.
“Go on, go on,” urged Douglas.
“I opened the door,” she repeated, “and, as God is my witness, I found Senator Carew sitting there—dead.”
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收听单词发音
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1
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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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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winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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smoldering
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| v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 ) | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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peevishly
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| adv．暴躁地 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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viper
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| n.毒蛇；危险的人 | |
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sputtered
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| v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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vindictively
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| adv.恶毒地；报复地 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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alibi
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| n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明；借口 | |
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torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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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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30
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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irate
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| adj.发怒的，生气 | |
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ominously
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| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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moodily
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| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
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harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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glowered
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| v.怒视( glower的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tableau
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| n.画面，活人画（舞台上活人扮的静态画面） | |
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influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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44
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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45
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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implicate
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| vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌 | |
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47
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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49
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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50
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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51
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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52
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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53
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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54
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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55
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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56
maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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57
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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58
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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59
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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60
befuddled
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| adj.迷糊的，糊涂的v.使烂醉( befuddle的过去式和过去分词 )；使迷惑不解 | |
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61
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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62
legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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