A cold perspiration6 bedewed his very back, when he recollected7 that the chief constable8 would be present at Cole's examination, and supply the link, even if there should be one missing. He had serious thoughts of leaving the country at once.
Finding himself unobserved, he walked out of the room, and paced up and down the hall.
But how? and when? and where?
After to-night there might be no opportunity of saying a word to him.
Coventry stopped him, and asked where the prisoner was.
“No chance of his escaping—I hope?”
“Not he, sir.
“I should like to take a look at him.”
Knight demurred12. “Well, sir, you see the orders are—but, of course, master won't mind you. I'll speak to him.”
“No, it is not worth while. I am only anxious the villain13 should be secure.” This of course was a feeler.
“Oh, there's no fear of that. Why, he is in the strong room. It's right above yours. If you'll come with me, sir, I'll show you the door.” Coventry accompanied him, and Thomas Knight showed him a strong door with two enormous bolts outside, both shot.
Then, after a pause, he said, “But is the window equally secure?”
“Two iron bars almost as thick as these bolts: and, if it stood open, what could he do but break his neck, and cheat the gallows15? He is all right, sir; never you fear. We sarched him from head to foot, and found no eend o' tools in his pockets. He is a deep 'un. But we are Yorkshire too, as the saying is. He goes to Hillsbro' town-hall to-morrow; and glad to be shut on him.”
Coventry complimented him, and agreed with him that escape was impossible.
He then got a light, and went to his own bedroom, and sat down, cold at heart, before the fire.
He sat in that state, till two o'clock in the morning, distracting his brain with schemes, that were invented only to be dismissed as idle.
At last an idea came to him. He took his fishing-rod, and put the thinner joints16 together, and laid them on the bed. He then opened his window very cautiously. But as that made some noise, he remained quite quiet for full ten minutes. Then he got upon the window-seat, and passed the fishing rod out. After one or two attempts he struck the window above, with the fine end.
Instantly he heard a movement above, and a window cautiously opened.
He gave a low “Hem!”
“Who's that?” whispered the prisoner, from above.
“A man who wants you to escape.”
“Nay; but I have no tools.”
“What do you require?”
“I think I could do summut with a screw-driver.”
“I'll send you one up.”
The next minute a couple of small screw-drivers were passed up—part of the furniture of his gun.
Cole worked hard, but silently, for about an hour, and then he whispered down that he should be able to get a bar out. But how high was it from the ground?
“About forty feet.”
“Let yourself down on my window-sill. I can find you rope enough for that.”
“What, d'ye take me for a bird, that can light of a gate?”
“But the sill is solid stone, and full a foot wide.”
“Say ye so, lad? Then luck is o' my side. Send up rope.”
The rope was sent up, and presently was fast to something above and dangled18 down a little past the window-sill.
“Put out a light on sill,” whispered the voice above.
“I will.”
Then there was a long silence, during which Coventry's blood ran cold.
As nothing further occurred, he whispered, “What is the matter?”
“My stomach fails me. Send me up a drop of brandy, will ye? Eh, man, but this is queer work.”
“I can't get it up to you; you must drink it here. Come, think! It will be five years' penal19 servitude if you don't.”
“Is the rope long enough?”
“Plenty for that.”
Then there was another awful silence.
By-and-by a man's legs came dangling20 down, and Cole landed on the sill, still holding tight by the rope. He swung down on the sill, and slid into the room, perspiring21 and white with fear.
Coventry gave him some brandy directly,—Cole's trembling hand sent it flying down his throat, and the two men stared at each ether.
“Why, it is a gentleman!”
“Yes.”
“And do you really mean to see me clear?”
“Drink a little more brandy, and recover yourself, and then I'll tell you.”
When the man was fortified22 and ready for fresh exertions23, Coventry told him he must try and slip out of the house at the front door: he would lend him a feather and some oil to apply to the bolts if necessary.
When the plan of operation was settled, Coventry asked him how long it would take him to get to Hillsborough.
“I can run it in two hours.”
“Then if I give the alarm in an hour and a half, it won't hurt.”
“Give me that start and you may send bloodhounds on my heels, they'll never catch me.”
“Now take off your shoes.”
While he was taking them off, Cole eyed his unexpected friend very keenly, and took stock of all his features.
When he was ready, Coventry opened his door very carefully, and placed a light so as to be of some use to the fugitive24. Cole descended25 the stairs like a cat, and soon found the heavy bolts and drew them; then slipped out into the night, and away, with fleet foot and wondering heart, to Hillsborough.
Coventry put out his light and slipped into bed.
About four o'clock in the morning the whole house was alarmed with loud cries, followed by two pistol-shots: and all those who ran out of their bedrooms at all promptly26, found Coventry in his nightgown and trowsers, with a smoking pistol in his hand, which he said he had discharged at a robber. The account he gave was, that he had been suddenly awakened27 by hearing his door shut, and found his window open; had slipped on his trowsers, got to his pistols, and run out just in time to see a man opening the great front door: had fired twice at him, and thought he must have hit him the second time.
On examining the window the rope was found dangling.
Instantly there was a rush to the strong-room.
The bird was flown.
“Ah!” said Coventry. “I felt there ought to be some one with him, but I didn't like to interfere28.”
But Cole, with his start of a hundred minutes, was safe in a back slum before they got half way.
What puzzled the servants most was how Cole could have unscrewed the bar, and where he could have obtained the cord. And while they were twisting this matter every way in hot discussion, Coventry quaked, for he feared his little gunscrews would be discovered. But no, they were not in the room.
It was a great mystery; but Raby said they ought to have searched the man's body as well as his pockets.
He locked the cord up, however, and remarked it was a new one, and had probably been bought in Hillsborough. He would try and learn where.
At breakfast-time a bullet was found in the door. Coventry apologized.
“Your mistake was missing the man, not hitting the door,” said Raby. “One comfort, I tickled30 the fellow with small shot. It shall be slugs next time. All we can do now is to lay the matter before the police. I must go into Hillsborough, I suppose.”
He went into Hillsborough accordingly, and told the chief constable the whole story, and deposited the piece of cord with him. He found that zealous31 officer already acquainted with the outline of the business, and on his mettle32 to discover the authors and agents of the outrage33, if possible. And it occurred to his sagacity that there was at this moment a workman in Hillsborough, who must know many secrets of the Trades, and had now nothing to gain by concealing34 them.
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1
inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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3
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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assassinated
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| v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏 | |
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6
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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7
recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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9
bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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10
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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11
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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12
demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
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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14
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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15
gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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16
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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17
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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18
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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19
penal
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| adj.刑罚的；刑法上的 | |
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20
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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21
perspiring
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
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22
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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24
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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25
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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27
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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28
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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29
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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30
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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31
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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32
mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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33
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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34
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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