CHAPTER X. THE PROPHECY AGAIN.

 When the inquest was over, and Dr. Lester had departed for Marborough gaol¹ under the escort of Inspector² Drek, the young journalist remained standing³ thoughtfully in the square before the inn. Nobody was surprised at the verdict, and everyone--as Paul could hear asserted on all sides--believed that Dr. Lester had murdered his own daughter while in a state of frenzy⁴ induced by intoxication⁵. But Mexton had his doubts about the matter, principally on account of the words spoken by Iris⁶ when she wished him to cease from searching for the assassin. He wished to question her as to what she meant; and implore⁷ her, if she knew the truth, to reveal it and save her unfortunate stepfather. While he was considering the advisability of following Iris to Poverty Villa⁸, he felt a touch on his arm. It was Eliza, and her face was grave.

 

"I want to speak t' you, sir, if y' don't mind," she said quietly, with an entire absence of her former self-importance; "but not here; I want t' speak you--alone."

 

"Why? Is anything wrong?"

 

"I think so, Mr. Mexton--and with Miss Iris."

 

"Miss Iris?" repeated Paul, glancing round. "Where is she?"

 

"She's gone home. You follow her, sir, and ask her a question."

 

"What kind of question?" demanded Paul, startled by this hint.

 

Eliza drew Mexton to one side, until they were both out of earshot of the scattered⁹ groups, and bent¹⁰ forward to whisper in his ear, "Ask her why she went out after they brought home the corpse¹¹ of Miss Milly?" she said; and before Paul could make any comment on this remark, she laid her finger on her mouth, and walked away.

 

At first Paul intended to follow her, and demand an explanation; but on consideration he deemed it best to take her advice, and ask the question directly of Iris herself. More would be learnt by thus going to the fountain-head. Eliza evidently suspected something; and, afraid to question Iris directly, had hinted her suspicions to Paul that he might do so. With his usual promptitude Mexton sent over his notes on the trial by special messenger to the editor of the "Tory Times" at Marborough; and set forth¹² at a brisk walk to Poverty Villa. He believed firmly at the moment that the saving of Dr. Lester from suffering unjustly lay in the hands of his step-daughter.

 

As he passed along the street towards the desolate¹³ house in which the poor girl was waiting, he was surprised to meet with Herne, and still more surprised when Herne stopped to speak; for the man was not over-friendly towards him.

 

"What do you think of the verdict?" asked the squire¹⁴ abruptly¹⁵.

 

"It seems just enough, going by the evidence," replied Mexton cautiously.

 

"No doubt. This is one of those cases in which circumstantial evidence accumulates to hang an innocent man."

 

"You believe Dr. Lester to be innocent?"

 

"I do--as surely as I believe Lovel to be guilty."

 

"My dear sir!" protested the journalist. "Lovel proved his innocence¹⁷ by an alibi¹⁸."

 

"No doubt; on the evidence of that old witch Mother Jimboy. Bah! a made-up plot!"

 

"I don't think so, Herne. Why should Mother Jimboy assist Lovel?"

 

"Why?" repeated the squire--"because blood is thicker than water; and, I told you the other day, Lovel has got gipsy blood in his veins¹⁹."

 

"Who told you so?"

 

"The lady at whose name you blushed when I mentioned it in the Winding²⁰ Lane."

 

"Catinka?" said Paul, blushing again.

 

"Yes; Catinka, the violinist. Lovel knows her, and told her that his mother was Romany, perhaps the daughter of Gran Jimboy--who knows? That is why the old woman lied."

 

"Because Lovel is her grandson?"

 

"No, no; I am not sure of that; but because Lovel is a half-gipsy. But in spite of the alibi I believe he is guilty. I'll prove his guilt¹⁶ and hang him!"

 

"Why do you hate him so, Herne?"

 

"Because he led that poor girl to her death. I wished to save the soul of Milly; but it is lost, and Lovel is the cause. Besides, I believe it is my duty to succor²¹ the afflicted²², and of the afflicted Dr. Lester is one. An innocent man shall not die on the scaffold if I can help it. God forbid! I'll save Lester, and hang Lovel. The end of this tragedy has not yet come, Mexton."

 

"But if you----"

 

Herne waved his hand and interrupted Mexton.

 

"I can't waste any more time discussing the matter," he said, retreating. "I'll see you again when I have proofs to hang Lovel." After which speech he walked rapidly away, without the courtesy of an adieu.

 

"Mad!" said Paul to himself, and resumed his interrupted journey towards Poverty Villa. In his own heart the young man believed that Herne was insane; his fanaticism²³ in religion was a proof of an ill-balanced mind; and now this furious hatred²⁵ of Lovel--just enough, in the face of Lovel's attentions to Milly in wilful²⁶ disregard of the engagement with Herne--threatened to rob him of all his self-control. Failing to fasten the crime on Lovel, and it seemed impossible to do so, Herne was quite capable of shooting the man in a fit of rage. Knowing that Chaskin had most influence over Darcy, the journalist determined²⁷ to put him on his guard relative to the squire's hatred of Lovel. But this warning word need not be spoken immediately; and in the meantime Paul was anxious to see Iris.

 

The door of Poverty Villa was wide open; and the untidy house in its neglected garden looked more desolate than ever. Lester was on his way to Marborough gaol; Milly was lying in her coffin²⁸ at The Herne Arms; and Eliza had not yet returned. Therefore Paul knew that Iris was alone in the house with a heavy burden of grief to bear. Slipping lightly into the passage, he glanced through the open door of the dining-room, but she was not there. The drawing-room was also empty; so as a last resource he softly opened the door of the consulting-room, and beheld²⁹ the poor girl seated at the desk with her head bowed on her folded arms. Sobs³⁰ were shaking her frame, and she looked as though the sorrows of the past week were crushing her to the earth.

 

"Iris," he said softly, "my poor girl."

 

With an exclamation³¹ she lifted her head, and on seeing Paul rose to her feet hastily, brushing away the tears from her face. Then, with a little gasp³², she moved forward with outstretched hands, to greet the only friend who remained to her in the desolation of her life.

 

"Paul," she said with relief, "oh, my dear, I am glad to see you!"

 

He led her to a seat, and, taking a chair beside her, pressed her hand warmly. "My dear Iris," said he, "at such a time you need the services of your best friend. Let me be that friend."

 

"Thank you, Paul," she said faintly. "Oh, this horrible tragedy! Shall I ever get it out of my head?"

 

"Time will bring comfort, Iris. In the meantime, let me ask what you intend to do now? You cannot remain here."

 

"No; you are right there. Milly is dead; her father is in gaol on the charge of having killed her, and I am alone in the world."

 

"Have you any money?"

 

"Not one penny. The last money I got from my step-father went to pay last week's bills."

 

"Then you cannot remain here, as I said before."

 

"Where am I to go?" asked Iris helplessly.

 

"To Marborough--to my mother. She told me to ask you."

 

"How good and kind of her, Paul! I should like--but, oh!" she burst out, "how can I go to Marborough to be pointed³³ out as the relative of a murderer?"

 

"Wait one moment before you call Dr. Lester by that name, Iris. Are you sure that he is the murderer of Milly?"

 

"I don't know. I can't say. The verdict at the inquest----"

 

"Never mind the verdict at the inquest," interposed Paul quickly. "I want to know what you think."

 

"Why do you want to know what I think?"

 

"Because I believe you can save an innocent man from being hanged."

 

"I? No, no! I can do nothing!"

 

"Iris," said Mexton, taking her hand, "you asked me never to look for the assassin of Milly. Did you do so to save Dr. Lester?"

 

"No. At that time I did not think that he would be accused."

 

"Then you suspect someone?"

 

"I--I have my suspicions," she said, in hesitating tones.

 

"What are they? To whom do they point?"

 

"I can't tell you. I am not certain. I may be deceived. Paul!" cried Iris in desperation, "don't ask me. My answer may condemn³⁴ an innocent person!"

 

"Your silence acts in the same way, Iris. Dr. Lester is in danger of death, and you know he is innocent."

 

"He is--he is! I don't believe that he killed Milly. But how should I know the name of the real assassin?"

 

"Because you saw him on that night."

 

"I? I was not out on that night--at least, after the body was brought home."

 

"Iris, why will you lie to me? Eliza saw you leave the house after midnight."

 

"Eliza! Ah, that wretched girl has brought ruin on us all!"

 

"Not so--if I can save you. Tell me--did you go out?"

 

"Wait--wait! I'll answer in a moment. Give me time."

 

She rose to her feet, and, with clasped hands, walked twice or thrice up and down the room. Evidently she was considering what to say, and after some thought she faced round on Paul.

 

"I shall tell you," she said slowly, "but you will use the knowledge to hunt down the assassin of Milly?"

 

"Assuredly! I wish to save Dr. Lester from suffering an unjust death."

 

"So do I, so do I! But, oh!"--she struck her hand together--"was ever a woman placed in such a position? If I could only speak!"

 

"You must," said Paul determinedly³⁵, "or else have your step-father's death at your door. Come, Iris, do you know the name of the assassin?"

 

"No, but I suspect----"

 

"Suspect whom?"

 

"Lucas Lovel."

 

Mexton rose from his seat in astonishment³⁶. "Do you believe him guilty, as Herne does?"

 

"Does Mr. Herne believe in his guilt?" asked Iris quickly.

 

"So thoroughly³⁷ that he intends to bring Lovel to the scaffold."

 

"He will never succeed in doing so," cried the girl involuntarily.

 

"Why not?"

 

"He will not be able to obtain any evidence."

 

"I'm not so sure of that," said Mexton drily. "Herne is a fanatic²⁴; he is clever; he is extremely pertinacious³⁸; and he hates Lovel like poison."

 

"For all that, I do not believe he will be able to accumulate sufficient evidence to get Mr. Lovel arrested. Besides, he has a clever foe³⁹, who will defend Mr. Lovel."

 

"A foe?" said Paul, puzzled--"and the name of the foe?"

 

"Mother Jimboy."

 

"What! that old fool! How can she defend Lovel?"

 

"She did so to-day by that alibi. She will do so again, you may be sure."

 

"What reason have you to believe that Mrs. Jimboy is implicated⁴⁰ in the case!"

 

Iris thought for a moment. "On the day before Milly was killed," she said, slowly, "she and Mr. Lovel met with Gran Jimboy, who prophesied⁴¹ by palmistry that Milly would die a violent death."

 

"You don't say so! Go on."

 

"Well, Milly did perish by violence the next night. I truly believe that she met Lovel in the Winding Lane, and that he killed her."

 

"Why should he kill her? He loved her."

 

"He did--so much that he killed her rather than that Mr. Herne should marry her. I tell you, Paul, that Mr. Lucas is a man of violent passions, and I believe he was egged on by Mother Jimboy to the murder."

 

"Why should Mother Jimboy desire Milly's death?"

 

"I don't know; no more than I can guess why she provided that lying alibi. I am sure that Lovel shot Milly, and then went across the common to Mother Jimboy's tent so as to appear innocent."

 

"But why do you believe all this?"

 

"Because of the prophecy which was fulfilled; because of the unexplained association of Mother Jimboy and Lovel, and because I saw Lovel when I went out after midnight."

 

"You saw Lovel?" said Paul, incredulously.

 

"Yes; I fancied that Dr. Lester might have killed Milly; and to save him I went to look for him. I could not find him on the fatal spot, but there was a man there who ran away when he heard my approach. I saw his face in the moonlight. He was Mr. Lovel."

1 gaol   

n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢

参考例句：

• He was released from the gaol.他被释放出狱。
• The man spent several years in gaol for robbery.这男人因犯抢劫罪而坐了几年牢。

2 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

5 intoxication   

n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning

参考例句：

• He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。
• Predator: Intoxication-Damage over time effect will now stack with other allies. Predator:Intoxication,持续性伤害的效果将会与队友相加。

6 iris   

n.虹膜，彩虹

参考例句：

• The opening of the iris is called the pupil.虹膜的开口处叫做瞳孔。
• This incredible human eye,complete with retina and iris,can be found in the Maldives.又是在马尔代夫，有这样一只难以置信的眼睛，连视网膜和虹膜都刻画齐全了。

7 implore   

vt.乞求，恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• I implore you to write. At least tell me you're alive.请给我音讯，让我知道你还活着。
• Please implore someone else's help in a crisis.危险时请向别人求助。

8 villa   

n.别墅，城郊小屋

参考例句：

• We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。
• We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

9 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

10 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

11 corpse   

n.尸体，死尸

参考例句：

• What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。
• The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。

12 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

13 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

14 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

15 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

16 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

17 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

18 alibi   

n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明；借口

参考例句：

• Do you have any proof to substantiate your alibi? 你有证据表明你当时不在犯罪现场吗？
• The police are suspicious of his alibi because he already has a record.警方对他不在场的辩解表示怀疑，因为他已有前科。

19 veins   

n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理

参考例句：

• The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

21 succor   

n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助

参考例句：

• In two short hours we may look for succor from Webb.在短短的两小时内，韦布将军的救兵就可望到达。
• He was so much in need of succor,so totally alone.他当时孑然一身，形影相吊，特别需要援助。

22 afflicted   

使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
• A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

23 fanaticism   

n.狂热，盲信

参考例句：

• Your fanaticism followed the girl is wrong. 你对那个女孩的狂热是错误的。
• All of Goebbels's speeches sounded the note of stereotyped fanaticism. 戈培尔的演讲，千篇一律，无非狂热二字。

24 fanatic   

n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的

参考例句：

• Alexander is a football fanatic.亚历山大是个足球迷。
• I am not a religious fanatic but I am a Christian.我不是宗教狂热分子，但我是基督徒。

25 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

26 wilful   

adj.任性的，故意的

参考例句：

• A wilful fault has no excuse and deserves no pardon.不能宽恕故意犯下的错误。
• He later accused reporters of wilful distortion and bias.他后来指责记者有意歪曲事实并带有偏见。

27 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

28 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

29 beheld   

v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

30 sobs   

啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
• She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。

31 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

32 gasp   

n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说

参考例句：

• She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
• The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

33 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

34 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

35 determinedly   

adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地

参考例句：

• "Don't shove me,'said one of the strikers, determinedly. "I'm not doing anything." “别推我，"其中的一个罢工工人坚决地说，"我可没干什么。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Dorothy's chin set determinedly as she looked calmly at him. 多萝西平静地看着他，下巴绷得紧紧的，看来是打定主意了。 来自名作英译部分

36 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

37 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

38 pertinacious   

adj.顽固的

参考例句：

• I can affirm that he is tenacious and pertinacious as are few.我可以肯定，像他那样不屈不挠、百折不回的人是十分罕见的。
• Questions buzzed in his head like pertinacious bees.一连串问题在他脑子里盘旋着，就象纠缠不休的蜜蜂。

39 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

40 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

41 prophesied   

v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She prophesied that she would win a gold medal. 她预言自己将赢得金牌。
• She prophesied the tragic outcome. 她预言有悲惨的结果。 来自《简明英汉词典》