For tho' you keep your eye upon the board,
And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways,
Just when the winning seems within your grasp,
And straight the would-be victor looses all."
In his dingy2 office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest. He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind. The cause of this disturbance3 was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity4 and cursed the lady heartily5. Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath6; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude7. The wrath of Mrs. Belswin and the subsequent flattening8 out of Mr. Dombrain arose out of the following circumstance.
The lawyer, seeing that Kaituna had been left penniless, except for certain shares, which he truly assured her were not worth the paper they were written on, had, in a spirit of philanthropy, offered to buy those shares off her at his own price--which was a very small one--so that Miss Pethram would have something to live on. He wrote a letter--a generous and noble letter, from his point of view--in which he offered to take these undesirable9 shares in the Pole Star Mining Company off her hands at a great sacrifice to himself, and Mrs. Belswin had answered the letter on behalf of Kaituna in person. As she was a lady who never minced10 matters, however unpleasant, and moreover never exercised any self-control, Mr. Dombrain had rather a bad time of it for a quarter of an hour. He had seen that phrase in a French novel, but had never thoroughly11 understood its significance until Mrs. Belswin illustrated12 it to him in her own graphic13 manner. She said--oh, he hardly remembered what she said, except that she used the word "swindler" pretty often, and made several pointed14 allusions15 to the disgrace of an ex-convict exercising an honourable16 profession in London.
Mr. Dombrain could have said something rather disagreeable to her, which would certainly have shut her up, but this modern Xantippe gave him no opportunity of saying a word. She came, she saw, she raged, stormed, crushed, conquered, and finally departed in a whirlwind of passion, telling him that Clendon was going to look after the shares in Melbourne, and that if he dared to try any tricks on her she would--she would---- Mr. Dombrain shivered when he thought of what she said she would do.
Now, however, that she was out of the room, and he had collected his thoughts, scattered17 by her terrific onslaught, he began to think, and after several minutes of thinking and frowning, he grinned. Not a pleasant grin by any manner of means--a nasty Mephistophelean grin that boded18 ill to his adversary19. She had been unpleasant to him; well, he could now be unpleasant to her, and in a way she wouldn't like. He constructed a little scheme in his head which he thought would answer his purpose, and was about to make a few notes relative to the same, when a card was brought in to him.
"Silas P. Oates."
Mr. Dombrain shivered, and had the clerk not been present he would have sworn. As it was, however, he merely told the clerk to show the gentleman in, and then trembled at the thought of this second phantom20 of the past which had succeeded to Mrs. Belswin. She knew about his little mistake in New Zealand, so also did Mr. Oates; and Mr. Dombrain groaned21 in dismay as he thought of the double chance of exposure now threatening him. Did the American come as a friend, as an enemy, or in ignorance? Dombrain hoped the first, dreaded22 the second, but felt pretty confident that the third was the American's state of mind, as he certainly would never connect Dombrain the solicitor23 with Damberton the convict. However, it would be decided24 in another minute, so Mr. Dombrain smoothed his hair, imposed a nervous grin on his mouth, and waited the advent25 of this second bogie with inward fear but outward calm.
The millionaire entered, quite unaware26 of the second shock which awaited him; for his purpose in seeking out Mr. Dombrain was wholly unconnected with the idea that he would find an old friend. The fact is, Mr. Oates had read the Thornstream case, had noticed that Mrs. Belswin was mixed up with it, and had sought out Mr. Dombrain--whose name was also in the papers--with the idea of finding out the precise position held by Mrs. Belswin in the house of her former husband. Sir Rupert's solicitor could tell him this if it was drawn27 from him artfully. Mr. Dombrain was Sir Rupert's solicitor, so to Mr. Dombrain came the wary28 Silas, wholly ignorant of what awaited him.
Silas did not notice Dombrain particularly at first, but sat down in the chair beside the table and cast about for some good idea wherewith to begin an extremely awkward conversation. Dombrain saw that he was not recognised, so kept his face in the shadow as much as possible, and spoke29 in a low, gruff voice, as if his throat was stuffed with cotton wool.
"I have called, sir," observed Mr. Oates, after a preliminary cough, "to speak to you about the late Sir Rupert Pethram."
"Yes?"
"You, sir, I understand, were his lawyer. Is that so?"
"That is so," replied Dombrain, unconsciously dropping into the Americanisms of the speaker.
"A friend of mine, sir," pursued Mr. Oates, after another pause, "was connected, I believe, with the deceased. I allude31, sir, to Mrs. Belswin."
"Mrs. Belswin!"
The name so startled Dombrain, that he forgot his intention of keeping his identity concealed32 from his visitor, and speaking in his natural voice started forward so that his face was clearly seen by Silas. Now Mr. Oates, in addition, to his many other gifts for getting the better of his fellow creatures, possessed33 a remarkably34 retentive35 memory in the matter of faces, and in spite of the alteration36 Mr. Dombrain had made in his appearance, recognised him at once. This time his nerves did not belie30 the reputation he gave them, and after a slight start he leaned back in his chair with a slight, dry smile.
"I opinionate," remarked Silas, reflectively, "that I've been on your tracks before."
"No!"
"It was," continued Silas, without taking any notice of the denial, "it was in New Zealand, sir. Dunedin was the city. A healthy gaol37, sir, according to the guide books."
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Dombrain, doggedly38, resuming his seat. "I never saw you before, and I'm a stranger to you."
"Dombrain is a stranger, I confess," said Silas, fixing his clear eyes on the sullen39 face of the man before him, "but I can size up the party called Damberton without much trouble. I reckon I can tell you a story about him, Mr. Dombrain, if you want particulars."
"No, no!" said Dombrain hoarsely40, wiping his forehead; "it's no use beating about the bush. I am Damberton, but now I'm quite respectable. You surely are not going to----"
"I'm goin' to do nothin', sir. You ain't upsettin' my apple-cart. No, sir. That's a fact, anyhow."
"Then what do you want me to do for you?" asked Dombrain, with a sigh of relief.
"Well, now," replied Silas, thoughtfully, "that's just what I've got to find out. Mrs. Belswin--hey! Do you know who Mrs. Belswin is?"
"Yes, the she-devil! Pethram's wife. She was here half an hour ago."
"Is that so? I say, you ain't playin' in the same yard, I guess. Not much, when you call her names."
"I hate her!" said Dombrain, fiercely; "she is the curse of my life."
"I reckon she's been raisin41' Cain here," observed Silas, shrewdly. "Well, that ain't any of my business, but she's been tryin' the same game on with me. Now I'm a quiet man, sir, and I don't want no catamount spittin' round my front door, so I want you to put the set on that lady."
"What can I do?"
"I've been readin' your noospapers, sir. They can't scream like the American eagle. Not much! But I read all about that shootin' case, and I see you were waltzin' round! hey! Mrs. Pethram wasn't far off neither, I guess."
"No; she was companion to Miss Pethram."
"Well, you do surprise me, sir. I s'pose her daughter didn't rise to the fact that Mrs. Belswin was her mamma."
"No; she knew nothing. Mrs. Belswin obtained the situation while Sir Rupert Pethram was absent. When he returned she had an interview with him, and----"
"I don't think at all," he said, rising and putting on his hat. "I don't want to think. Compoundin' a felony isn't in my line nohow."
"But surely, sir----"
Oates, who had turned away, faced round suddenly, with a sharp look in his foxy face which made Dombrain feel somewhat ill at ease.
"See here, Mister," he said slowly. "Mrs. Belswin's been round at my hotel tryin' to get dollars. I gave her five hundred, and now this bank's shut. She gets no more, I guess, this fall, because you'll tell her she's not to come gavortin' round my claim no more."
"But I can't stop her."
"No?" said Silas, interrogatively, "I guess you can. See here, Mr. Damberton, I know what you are--none better, and that's straight. You know what Mrs. Belswin is, and if she plays low on you, sir, just ask her where she got the little gun to fix up things with her husband."
"But she didn't kill him."
Silas laughed disbelievingly.
"I don't know nothin' of that game, sir. It's a cut beyond me, and that's a fact. All I say is, that if Mrs. Belswin comes on the war-path to my ranch44, I'll tell some things about Mr. Damberton that Mr. Dombrain won't smile at. You take me, sir, I fancy."
"Yes!" said Dombrain, slowly, while the great drops of sweat gathered on his forehead, "I understand."
"Bully45 for you," replied Mr. Oates, in a friendly tone, going to the door. "Good-mornin', sir. I'm pleased to see you again. It's like the old days, and that's a fact."
Mr. Oates sauntered out with his hands in his pockets and Dombrain flung himself in his chair, and, burying his face in his hands, sobbed46 like a child.
"My God," he sobbed passionately47, "am I to lose all after these years?"
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收听单词发音
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1
pawn
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| n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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3
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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4
suavity
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| n.温和；殷勤 | |
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5
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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6
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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7
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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8
flattening
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| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
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9
undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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10
minced
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| v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉） | |
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11
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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12
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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13
graphic
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| adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的 | |
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14
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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15
allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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16
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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17
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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18
boded
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| v.预示，预告，预言( bode的过去式和过去分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
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19
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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20
phantom
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| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
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21
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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22
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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23
solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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24
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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25
advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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26
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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27
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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28
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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29
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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30
belie
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| v.掩饰，证明为假 | |
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31
allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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32
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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33
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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34
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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35
retentive
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| v.保留的，有记忆的；adv.有记性地，记性强地；n.保持力 | |
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36
alteration
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| n.变更，改变；蚀变 | |
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37
gaol
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| n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢 | |
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38
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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39
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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40
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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41
raisin
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| n.葡萄干 | |
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42
musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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43
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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44
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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45
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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46
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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47
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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