“I don’t think ye need be uneasy in your mind. After all ’tis only a matter of a fine; and as the chauffeur6 is ready to pay it, whatever it may be; and is actually in your custody7 having as you say more than sufficient money upon him to pay the maximum penalty hereto inflicted8 for furious driving in this shire, I think you will not get much blame for allowing the lady to go away in the car to a ‘foreign country,’ as you call it. I suppose sir” turning to Athlyne “you can get good bail9 if required?”
“I think so” said Athlyne smiling. “I suppose a Deputy Lieutenant10 of Ross Shire is good enough;” whereupon he introduced himself to the Sheriff. They chatted together a few minutes and then, as he went to his horse which a policeman was holding at the door, he said to the sergeant:
“I must not, as Sheriff, be bail myself. But if any bail is required I undertake to get it; so I think you needn’t detain his lordship any longer. You’d better serve the summons on him for the next Session and then everything will be in order.”
Athlyne walked down the village with him, he leading his horse. When he knew that Athlyne was going to walk to Castle Douglas so as to be ready to catch his train to the south he said:
“To-morrow is a busy day there and you may find it hard to get rooms at the Douglas, especially as the fog will detain many travellers. Now I had my rooms reserved at the Walter Scott, kept by an old servant of mine, where I always stay. An hour gone I wired countermanding11 them as I am going to stay the night with Mulgrave of Ennisfour where I am dining; so perhaps you had better wire over and secure them. I shall be there myself in the morning as I have work in Castle Douglas, but that need not interfere12 with you. If you go early you may be off before I get there.”
“I do not want to go South very early; so I hope you will breakfast with me if I am still there.” The genial old Sheriff shook his head:
“No, no. You must breakfast with me. I am in my own bailiwick and you must let me be your host.”
“All right!” said Athlyne heartily13. The old man who had been looking at him kindly all the time now said:
“Tell me now—and you won’t think me rude or inquisitive14; but you’re a young man and I’m an old one, and moreover sheriff—can I do anything for you? The Sergeant told me you were in a state of desperate anxiety to get away—or at any rate to let the lady get off; and I couldn’t help noticing myself that you are still anxious. The policeman said she was young, and much upset about it all. Can I serve you in any way? If I can, it will I assure you be a pleasure to me.” He was so frank and kind and hearty that Athlyne’s heart warmed to him. Moreover he was upset himself, poor fellow; and though he was a man and a strong one, was more than glad to unburden his heart to some one who would be a sympathetic listener:
“The fact is, sir, that the young lady who was with me came for a drive from Ambleside and we came on here on the spur of the moment. Her father had gone to London and returns this evening; and as no one knew that I—that she had gone out motoring he will be anxious about her. Naturally neither she nor I wish to make him angry. You will understand when I tell you that she and I are engaged to be married. He does not know this—though” here he remembered the letter he had posted at Ambleside “he will doubtless know soon. Unhappily he had some mistaken idea about me. A small matter which no one here would give a second thought to: but he is a Kentuckian and they take some things very much to heart. This was nothing wrong—not in any way; but all the same his taking further offence at me, as he would do if he heard from someone else that she had been motoring with me without his sanction, might militate against her happiness—and mine. So you can imagine Mr. Sheriff, how grateful I am to you for your kindness.” The sheriff paused before replying. He had been thinking—putting two and two together: “They are engaged—but her father doesn’t know it. Then the engagement was made only to-day. No wonder they were upset and anxious. No wonder he drove fast. … Ah, Youth! Youth!” …
“I understand, my lord. Well, you did quite right to get the lady away; though it was a hazardous16 thing for her to start off alone in the mist.”
“It hadn’t come on then, sir. Had it been so I should never have let her go alone—no matter what the consequences might be! But I hope she’s out of it and close to home by this time.”
“Aye that’s so. Still she was wise to go. It avoids all possibility of scandal. Poor bairn! I’m hoping she got off South before the fog came on too thick. It’s drifting up from the Firth so that when once she would have crossed the Border most like it would have been clear enow. Anyhow under the circumstances you are right to stay here. Then there can be no talk whatever. And her father will have had time to cool down by the time ye meet.
“We’re parting here, my Lord. Good-bye and let me wish ye both every form of human happiness. Perhaps by morn you will have had some news; and I’m hoping ye’ll be able to tell me of her safe arrival.”
At the cross roads the men parted. The Sheriff rode on his way to Ennisfour, and Athlyne went back to Dalry. He ordered his dinner, and then went out to send a telegram at the little post office. His telegram ran:
To Walter Scott Hotel Castle Douglas
Keep rooms given up by Sheriff for to-night.
Athlyne.
He had written the telegram through without a pause. The signature was added unhesitatingly, though not merely instinctively18. He had done with falsity; henceforth he would use his own name, and that only. He felt freer than he had done for many a day.
He ate his dinner quietly; he was astonished at himself that he could take matters so calmly. It was really that he now realised that he had done all he could. There was nothing left but to wait. In the earlier part of that waiting he was disturbed and anxious. Difficulties and dangers and all possible matters of concern obtruded19 themselves upon his thought in endless succession. But as time wore on the natural optimism of his character began to govern his thinking. Reason still worked freely enough, but she took her orders from the optimistic side and brought up arrays of comforting facts and deductions20.
It was with renewed heart and with a hopeful spirit that he set out on his road to Castle Douglas. He had deliberately21 chosen to walk instead of taking a carriage or riding. He did not want to arrive early in the evening, and he calculated that the sixteen miles would take him somewhere about four hours to walk. The exercise would, whilst it killed the time which he had to get through, give him if not ease of mind at least some form of mental distraction22. Such, he felt, must be his present anodyne—his guarantee of sanity23. As he had no luggage of any kind he felt perfectly24 free; the only addition to his equipment was a handful of cigars to last him during the long walk.
He had left Dalry some miles behind him when he began to notice the thickening of the mist. After a while when this became only too apparent he began to hesitate as to whether it would not be wiser to return. By this time he realised that it was no mere17 passing cloud of vapour which was driving up from the south, but a sea fog led inward through the narrowing Firth; he could smell the iodine25 of the sea in his nostrils26. But he decided27 to go on his way. He remembered fairly well the road which he had traversed earlier in the day. Though a rough road and somewhat serpentine28 as it followed the windings29 of the Ken15 and the Dee, it was so far easy to follow that there were no bifurcations and few cross-roads. And so with resolute30 heart—for there was something to overcome here—and difficulty meant to him distraction from pain—he pushed on into the growing obscurity of the fog.
On the high ground above Shirmers he felt the wind driving more keenly in his face; but he did not pause. He trudged31 on hopefully; every step he took was bringing him closer to England—and to Joy. Now it was that he felt the value of the stout32 walking cudgel that he had purchased from a passing drover. For in the fog he was like a blind man; sight needed the friendly aid of touch.
But it was dreadfully slow work, and at the end of a few hours he was wearied out with the overwhelming sense of impotence and the ceaseless struggling with the tiniest details of hampered33 movement. Being on foot and of slow progress he had one advantage over travelling on horseback or in a vehicle: he was able to take advantage of every chance opportunity of enlightenment. From passing pedestrians34 and at wayside cottages he gathered directions for his guidance. It was midnight—the town clock was striking—when he entered Castle Douglas and began to inquire his way to the Walter Scott hotel.
After repeated knocking the door was opened by the Boots—a heavy, thick-headed, sleepy, tousled man, surly and grudging35 of speech. Athlyne pushed past him into the hall way and said:
“I wired here in the afternoon to have kept for me the Sheriff’s rooms. Did my telegram arrive.”
“Aye. It kem a’recht. But that was all that kem. Ye was expectit, an’ the missis kep the rooms for ye till late; but when ye didna come she gied ye up an’ let anither pairty that was lost i’ the fog hae the bedroom. All that’s left is the parlour, an that we can hae an ye will. Forbye that ye’ll hae to sleep on the sofy. A’m thinkin’ it’s weel it’s o’er long than ordinair’, for ye’re no a ween yersel. Bide36 wheer y’ are, an’ A’ll fetch ye a rug or two an’ a cushion. Ye maun put up wi’ them the nicht for ye’ll git nane ither here.” He left him standing37 in the dark; and shuffled38 away down a dim stairway, to the basement.
In a few minutes he re-appeared with a bundle of rugs and pillows under his arm; in his hand was a bottle of whiskey, with the drawn39 cork40 partly re-inserted. With the deftness41 of an accomplished42 servitor he carried in his other hand, together with the candle, a pitcher43 of water and a tumbler. As he went up the staircase he said in a whisper:
“Man, walk saft as ye gang; an’ dinna cough nor sneeze or mak’ a soond in the room or ye’ll maybe waken th’ ither body. Joost gang like a man at a carryin’. An’ mind ye dinna snore! Lie ye like a bairn! What time shall A ca’ ye?”
“I want to catch the morning train for the south.”
“That’ll be a’recht. A’ll ca’ ye braw an’ airly!”
“Good night!” said Athlyne as he softly closed the door.
He spread one rug on the sofa, which supplemented by a chair, was of sufficient length; put the other ready to cover himself, and fixed44 the cushions. Having stripped to his flannels45 he blew out the candle, and, without making a sound, turned in. He was wearied in mind and nerve and body, and the ease of lying down acted like a powerful narcotic46. Within a minute he was sound asleep.
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1
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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2
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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3
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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4
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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7
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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8
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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11
countermanding
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| v.取消（命令），撤回( countermand的现在分词 ) | |
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12
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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13
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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14
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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15
ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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16
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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17
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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obtruded
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| v.强行向前，强行，强迫( obtrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
deductions
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| 扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演 | |
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21
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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22
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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23
sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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25
iodine
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| n.碘，碘酒 | |
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26
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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27
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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28
serpentine
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| adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的 | |
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29
windings
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| （道路、河流等）蜿蜒的，弯曲的( winding的名词复数 )； 缠绕( wind的现在分词 )； 卷绕； 转动（把手） | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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31
trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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33
hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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grudging
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| adj.勉强的，吝啬的 | |
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36
bide
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| v.忍耐；等候；住 | |
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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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38
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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39
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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40
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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41
deftness
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42
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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43
pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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44
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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45
flannels
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| 法兰绒男裤； 法兰绒( flannel的名词复数 ) | |
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46
narcotic
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| n.麻醉药，镇静剂；adj.麻醉的，催眠的 | |
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