However, these precautions proved unnecessary, for Johnson was wise enough not to put in an appearance, much less take an active part in the ceremony. Whether deterred8 by the advice of Brand, or by the threats of the townspeople, he remained absent, and Tera was buried by a minister from Poldew, who nearly created a riot on his own account by his sensational9 references to the death. Farmer Carwell and his daughter, Herbert Mayne and Miss Arnott, were all of them present, and it was with feelings of shame and indignation that they saw the ceremony presided over by a strange divine. When the crowd had dispersed10, Carwell looked at the newly-made grave for some moments in ominous11 silence. Then he turned to Korah Brand, who stood by his side. His pride as an elder of Bethgamul was hurt.
"If our pastor12 cannot clear his character," said he, sternly, "he must be removed from the conduct of the congregation. Our Bethgamul cannot be shadowed thus by shame."
"But surely you don't believe that the pastor is guilty, father?" urged Rachel, before Brand could speak.
"I do not say that he is guilty; neither do I uphold his innocence," rejoined Carwell; "but he is suspected, and he knows it. It is for him to deny such an accusation14. His absence to-day only gives colour to the charge. Therefore, I say, until he refutes his accusers he must be out off from the congregation of the just."
"So say I, Brother Carwell," cried Brand. "'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.' Still, we must give him every chance. Let us then call a meeting of our brethren, and demand that he disprove the charge or confess. If he be guiltless, the Lord will protect his own."
"I don't believe Mr. Johnson killed Bethiah," said Rachel. "Nor does Herbert."
"Oh, I am quite neutral," interposed Mayne, hastily. "I am neither for nor against our pastor; though I grant you it was strange that I should have met him where I did on the very night of the girl's disappearance15."
"No more strange than that you should have been there yourself, surely?"
"Well, really; I suppose you don't mean to infer that I had anything to do with the girl's disappearance? I hardly knew her. Any converse16 I had with her was in your presence."
"Rachel is not accusing you, Mr. Mayne," said Brand, coldly. "But she is zealous17 in support of her pastor, which does her nothing but credit: I trust her zeal18 may not prove to be misplaced. We must hope for the best."
"I neither believe nor disbelieve," replied Korah, after a pause. "I know certain facts which are suspicious, and with these I will tax him when he is before us on his trial."
"I will see the elders at once," said Farmer Carwell. "No time shall be lost in giving Mr. Johnson an opportunity of clearing himself. Let us hope that God in His mercy will avert19 disgrace from our Fold."
"Amen to that!" cried Brand. "Surely the Lord will judge in all righteousness. He knoweth the sheep from the goats."
"Mr. Johnson is not a goat," said Rachel, in all seriousness.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Slade, relieved for the time being from official duty, had gone home to his mid-day meal. Now that Brand had told him how Johnson confessed to the fact of his debts being paid, he was quite confident as to his guilt. The girl had been murdered near Carwell's field, and her body hidden in it. Near that field Johnson had on the night of the girl's death, been met, much agitated20. The pearls had been stolen from the dead, and the minister's debts had been paid since that time. Finally, there was the cord used to strangle the wretched girl, which had clearly been taken from the pastor's study. All this pointed22 conclusively23 to Johnson's guilt, and Slade had almost made up his mind to arrest him. In the hope, however, of discovering some final and absolutely irrefutable piece of evidence, he decided24 to wait until he should have made a careful examination of the spot where the body was found. He could then, but only then, move with certainty as to the result.
He felt confident of success, and it was with a rosy25 vision of himself as a full-blown inspector26 at Poldew that Slade entered his home. Seated by the kitchen fire, he found his wife in tears. At sight of her husband, these gave way to rage. Furious with passion, she jumped up to meet him. Apparently27 something serious had occurred.
"They are back again, you wretch21!" shrieked28 the little woman; "I have seen them myself. How dare you look me in the face?"
"This has come to me, that I know all about it; oh yes, and your Zara!"
"Ho, ho! so it's them confounded gipsies again, is it?"
"Yes, it is. They are back--she is back!"
The constable30 sat down heavily. He looked anything but comfortable. "What?" he said, nervously31; "you don't tell me that Pharaoh Lee's tribe's come back?"
"As if you didn't know, you villain32! I went on to the common myself after the funeral. I heard as they were there; and sure enough I saw them; yes, she's come after you."
"Nonsense! Don't I tell you I care nothing for the Zara girl? Ain't I your lawful33 husband? Ain't I tryin' to get you to Poldew? What's Zara Lovell to me?"
"That's just what I'd like to know. Perhaps Mr. Mayne can tell me something about that. Any way, I'll ask him."
"I didn't see her."
"You didn't see her!" repeated Slade, with a sense of relief; "ah, perhaps she ain't there."
"Whether she's there or whether she ain't, you come 'ome straight from your business every night, or I'll know the reason why, Jeremiah."
"Oh, I'll come straight home. Like all women, you're making a row about nothing. How am I going to find out all about this murder if you worry me this way?"
"Anything fresh?" asked Mrs. Slade, her curiosity getting the better of her temper.
"Nothing since the cord, Jemima; but I'm going to examine the place where the body was hidden. Maybe there's something there that's been overlooked."
"Near Pharaoh Lee's camp, ain't it, Jeremiah?"
"Oh, confound it, Jemima, you've got that girl on the brain!"
"I only hope you haven't," said Mrs. Slade, screwing up her mouth; "you deceive me, Jeremiah, and I'll tell Chard all that you've found out."
"Spoil my case, will you, you----"
"I don't care."
"You'll never get to Poldew."
"Then I'll stay here," snapped Jemima, with all the recklessness of a woman prepared to sacrifice anything and everything to gain her end. "If I see you speaking to that slut, Zara, I'll go straight to Chard. So now you know."
Slade did know, as he also knew that even though it were to ruin them both, she would carry out her threat. He spent the best part of his dinner-hour trying to explain his position, and to pacify35 the perturbed36 Jemima. He succeeded only in rendering37 her more unreasonable38 and jealous than ever. Mrs. Slade was nothing if not feminine, and her argumentative tactics were strikingly so. So soon as one position she took up was assailed39 and destroyed, she retreated to another, until beaten on that, she returned to her initial standpoint. Fearful lest she should drive him through sheer exasperation40 to use physical violence, Slade left the house. When he banged the door, Jemima sat down victorious41, and proceeded to twist up her hair, which had broken loose in her excitement.
"Zara, indeed!" she went on viciously to herself. "I'll tear the eyes out of her if I catch her as much as looking at my 'usband."
And in this strain the good lady continued until she was tired.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah, chafing42 with anger at his wife, and at women in general, went on his beat, which for the day happened to be on the beach road. He noticed a new vessel43 anchored in the harbour--a graceful44 schooner45 of some 600 tons. She was a rakish-looking craft, smart and workmanlike in appearance; and Slade, giving way to his curiosity for the moment, strolled down to the jetty on the chance of hearing something about her. But before he got that far, a boat with two or three men in her put off from the schooner. She reached the pier46 about the same time as the policeman. To his surprise, he saw that one of the men in the boat was Finland. The young mate sprang lightly up the steps, followed more soberly by a small, sallow-faced man.
"Hullo, messmate!" said Jack47, greeting Slade, whom he knew; "here I am again, and yonder is my new ship--the Dayspring, ain't she a clipper?"
"Pretty enough," said Slade, who was grudging48 of his praise; "but a bit too slight in the build for my taste."
"Stuff! What does a lubber like you know of a craft? Why, she's going round the Horn anyhow, on her way to the South Seas. I just dropped in here to say good-bye to my uncle. I'm first mate this trip, and here's my skipper, Captain Shackel."
Slade eyed the small yellow-looking man thoughtfully. He had some skill in reading a face, and he concluded that the skipper was about the last man he would care to trust. In truth, Jacob Shackel was not prepossessing. He had a mean, rat-like little face, as brown and wrinkled as a walnut-shell, and hardly larger. His body was shrivelled up in a suit of blue serge, apparently several sizes too large for him. His voice was screechy50 and effeminate. He extended a claw in greeting to Slade.
"Yes, I'm Captain Jacob, I am," said he, winking51 his one eye, for he was possessed52 of only a single optic, and that red as any ferret's. "Well known on the high seas I am. Finland's friends is mine."
"Includin' 'is sweet'art, I suppose," said Jeremiah.
"What the devil d'ye mean?" asked Jack, with a frown.
"Only that if that's so, your skipper will be as sorry to hear the news as you will."
"News? What? About Tera? Has she not been found?"
"Oh yes, she's been found right enough--found dead."
Jack started. "Dead? Tera dead?"
"Dead as a door nail. In your uncle's field we found her--strangled. Her funeral was this morning."
"Hold up, mate," said Shackel, not unkindly, as Jack staggered; "you'll fall in."
"That's just what we're after findin' out."
"Was it Johnson?"
Slade looked suspiciously at the sailor from under his red eyebrows54. "I can't answer no questions," said he.
"By gum, it was Johnson!" shouted Jack; "I see it in your face. The hound, I'll see him! I'll----" Without waiting to finish his sentence he ran up the pier like a greyhound.
"Guess I'd better go too, or there'll be more murder," said Jacob. "Jack Finland ain't the chap to stick at no trifles when he's on the bust55 to kill;" and with an activity wonderful for a man of his years, he followed sharp on the track of his first mate.
Slade looked after the pair thoughtfully. "He can't 'ave killed the girl," said he to himself. "But he seems to think Johnson did. Perhaps I'd better follow in case there's trouble. Hold on, though, I can't go off my beat. Well, I'll just have to trust to that captain; he won't lose his mate through lettin' him commit murder."
Events fully49 justified56 Mr. Slade's reasoning. Captain Jacob caught up with Finland, just as the latter was forced to slacken his pace to climb the hill. With much difficulty he persuaded him to abandon his intention.
"But I will have it out with him," said Finland, fiercely.
"You'll only get yourself into a mess," said Jacob, soothingly57; "better let the old man see the job through. I know Johnson well--none better. He came home in my ship with the girl from Koiau, so if any one can straighten him out, Jacob Shackel's the man. 'Sides, we want money, you fool!"
"You'll not get it from Johnson. He's as poor as a rat."
"You lie low and dry up, sonny. I guess I can engineer this job without you sticking your oar58 in. Go and see your uncle and get all you can out of him. Your father's in charge this trip."
"Get along, then," grumbled59 Jack, ungraciously; "but that Johnson's a hound. I'll hammer him black and blue if I catch him, the psalm-singing hypocrite!"
"Go slow, sonny. I don't want to lose my mate. You've shipped for Koiau, you know. Get yourself into trouble here, and I'll up anchor without you, I guess your papa's as smart as most men."
Finland shrugged60 his shoulders and turned away with a sullen61 resignation, while his skipper continued his way up the hill to Johnson's house. Shackel knew it almost as well as did its occupant. He had run down repeatedly to see Tera at Grimleigh. As he climbed the hill he smiled to himself in a sour sort of way. He was evidently well pleased with his thoughts.
"Who'd a guessed it?" he chuckled62; "and a parson of all things! I guess he'll have to light out for kingdom come if he don't trade my way. Lord! Here's an A1 chance of victualing the barky."
All day long Johnson had remained in his study, in the deepest despondency. He was astonished and in no wise pleased when Captain Jacob entered. He knew Shackel to have the worst of reputations, and he disliked the man. However, he managed to swallow his repugnance63, and greeted the little sailor with as much good-will as he could muster64. Shackel evidently did not intend to waste words. He came straight to the point.
"So that Kanaka girl's gone," he said, smiling largely.
"Tera? Yes, poor soul, she is dead and buried," sighed Johnson, sadly.
"Murdered, wasn't she?"
"What did you do it for, then?" inquired the captain, dryly.
Johnson jumped up so suddenly as to overturn the chair on which he had been seated. "Oh! heavens, do you accuse me, too?" he cried in distress66.
"'Course I do. Why!" Jacob fastened his evil eye on his victim, "I know you killed the Kanaka for them pearls."
"Don't swear," said the captain, coolly; "'tain't no good with me. If ye didn't kill the girl, how did ye get the pearls?"
"Man, I tell you I have not got the pearls."
"Well," said Shackel, "you are a square liar, there's no mistake about that. I saw you myself taking 'em to a London Jew dealer's! Now, then, Ananias!"
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1
cemetery
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| n.坟墓，墓地，坟场 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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morbidness
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| （精神的）病态 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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rumoured
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| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
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deterred
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| v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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conclusively
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| adv.令人信服地，确凿地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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30
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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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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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pacify
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| vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰 | |
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perturbed
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| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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chafing
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| n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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43
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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47
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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48
grudging
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| adj.勉强的，吝啬的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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screechy
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| adj.声音尖锐的，喜欢尖声喊叫的 | |
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51
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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54
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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55
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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56
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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58
oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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59
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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60
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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62
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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foully
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| ad.卑鄙地 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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68
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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