November had come, with early frosts that flattened1 the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened2 belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns3 of nature to lure4 them from their decent homes.
“Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck,
There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
The bellying7 winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy8 against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen9 with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively10 with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room11 door. I rose softly at once, and, descending12, came plump upon Dr. Crackenthorpe, just as he was crossing the threshold to enter.
He was very sprucely dressed, for him, with a spray of ragged13 geranium in his button-hole; and this, no less than the mere14 fact of his presence in the house, filled me with a momentary15 surprise so great that I had not a word to say. Only I bowed him exceedingly politely into the parlor16 and civilly asked his business.
An expression of relief crossed his face, I thought, as though he had been in two minds as to whether I should take him by the collar and summarily eject him there and then.
“I haven’t seen your father about lately,” he jerked out, with some parody17 of a smile that, I concluded, was designated to propitiate18. “I called to inquire if the old gentleman was unwell.”
“Indeed? I am concerned. Nothing serious, I trust? My services, I need not say, are at the command of so valued an old friend.”
“He needs no services but mine. It is the debility of old age, I fear—nothing more.”
“Yet he is a comparatively young man. But it’s true that to mortgage one’s youth too heavily is to risk the premature20 foreclosing of old age.”
“I dare say. Was there any other object in your visit?”
“One other—frankly.”
He held out a damp hand to me. It shook rather.
“I’m tired of this duel21 of cross-purposes. Will you agree to cry an armistice—peace, if you like?”
I took him in from head to foot—a little to his discomfiture22, no doubt.
“Is this pure philanthropy, Dr. Crackenthorpe?” I said.
“Most pure and disinterested,” said he. “I claim, without offense23, the grievance24 as mine, and I am the first to come forward and cry. Let there be an end to it.”
“Not so fast. You start on a fundamental error. A grievance, as I take it, can only separate friends. There can be no question of such a misunderstanding between us, for we have always been enemies.”
“That’s your fancy,” cried he; “that’s your mistaken fancy! I’m not one to wear my heart on my sleeve. If I’ve always repressed show of my innate25 regard for you, you’re not to think it didn’t exist.”
“Why waste so many words? That’s a good form of regard, to act the bulldog to us, as you always did. It was a chastening sense of duty, I suppose, that induced you to leave me for years under an ugly stigma26 when you knew all the time that I was innocent. Is your valued friendship for the old man best expressed by blackmailing27 and robbing him on the strength of a fragment of circumstantial evidence?”
“I have made myself particeps criminis. Does that go for nothing? A little consideration was due to me there. A moiety28 of the treasure he was squandering29, I took advantage of my influence to secure in trust for his children. You shall have it all back again some day, and should show me profound gratitude30 in place of sinister31 disbelief.”
“As to that question of the suspicions you labored33 under—remember that any conclusion drawn34 from circumstances was hypothetical. I may have had a professional opinion as to the cause of death, and a secret one as to the means employed. That was conjecture35; but if you are fair, you will confess that, by running away to London, you did much to incriminate yourself in men’s minds.”
“I never looked upon it in that light.”
“I dare say not. Innocence36, from its nature, may very often stultify37 itself. I think you innocent now. Then I was not so certain. It was not, perhaps, till your father sought to silence me, that my suspicions were diverted into a darker channel.”
“You put a good case,” I said, amazed at the man’s plausibility38. “You might convince one who knew less of you.”
“You can prove nothing to my discredit39. This is all the growth of early prejudice. Think that at any moment I might have denounced him and left the proof of innocence on his shoulders.”
“And killed the goose with the golden eggs? I am not altogether childish, Dr. Crackenthorpe, or quite ignorant of the first principles of law. In England the burden of proof lies on the prosecution40. How would you have proceeded?”
“I should at least have eased my conscience of an intolerable load and escaped the discomforting reflection that I might be considered an accessory after the fact.”
“As indeed you are in the sight of heaven by your own showing, though I swear my father is as innocent of the crime as I am.”
“Anyhow, my position shows my disinterestedness,” he said.
“And you are growing frightened over it, it seems. Well, take whatever course pleases you. From our point of view, here, I feel quite easy as to results.”
“You misapprehend me. This visit is actuated by no motive42 but that of friendliness43. I wish to bury the hatchet44 and resume the pleasant relations that existed of old.”
“They were too one-sided. Besides, all the conditions changed upon my return.”
“And no one regretted it more than I. I have from the first been your true friend, as I have attempted to show. You have a valuable inheritance in my keeping. Indeed”—he gave a sort of high embarrassed titter—“it would be to your real advantage to hand the residue45 over to me before he has any further opportunity of dissipating it.”
I broke into a cackle of fierce laughter.
“So,” I cried, “the secret is out! I must compliment you on a most insatiable appetite. But, believe me, you have more chance of acquiring the roc’s egg than the handful!”
He looked at me long and gloomily. I could feel rather than hear him echo: “The handful.” But he made a great effort to resume his conciliatory tone when he spoke46 again.
“You jump to hot-headed conclusions. It was a simple idea of the moment, and as you choose to misinterpret it, let it be forgotten. The main point is, are we to be friends again?”
“And I repeat that we can’t resume what never existed. This posturing47 is stupid farce48 that had best end. Shall we make the question conditional49? That cameo, that you have come into possession of—we won’t hazard a supposition by what means—restore it, at least, to its rightful owner as an earnest of your single-mindedness. I, who am to inherit it in the end, give you full permission.”
“See then! What am I to believe?”
“Dr. Crackenthorpe,” I said, “you had best have spared yourself this errand. Why, what a poor scamp you must be to think to take me in with such a fusty trick. Make the most of what you’ve got. You’ll not have another stiver from us. Look elsewhere for a victim. Your evil mission in life is the hounding of the wretched. Mine, you know. Some clews are already in my hand, and, if there is one man in the world I should rejoice to drag down—you are he!”
He walked to the door, and, turning, stamped his foot furiously down on the boards.
“You bitter dolt53!” he roared, with a withering54 sneer55. “Understand that the chance I gave you is withdrawn56 forever. There are means—there are means; and I——”
I stood looking after him, all blazing with anger. No least fear of the evil creature was in me, but only a blank fierce astonishment58 that he should thus have dared to brave me on my own ground. What cupidity was that, indeed, that could not only think to gloss59 over long years of merciless torment60 by a few false suave61 words, but could actually hope to find the profit of his condescension62 in a post-prandial gorging63 of the fragments his inordinate64 gluttony of avarice65 had passed over!
However, putting all thought of him from me, I returned to my father.
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1
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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taverns
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| n.小旅馆，客栈，酒馆( tavern的名词复数 ) | |
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lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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bellying
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| 鼓出部；鼓鼓囊囊 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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9
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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11
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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parody
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| n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文 | |
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propitiate
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| v.慰解，劝解 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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innate
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| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
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stigma
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| n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头 | |
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blackmailing
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| 胁迫，尤指以透露他人不体面行为相威胁以勒索钱财( blackmail的现在分词 ) | |
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moiety
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| n.一半；部分 | |
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squandering
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的现在分词 ) | |
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30
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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cupidity
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| n.贪心，贪财 | |
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labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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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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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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stultify
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| v.愚弄；使呆滞 | |
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38
plausibility
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| n. 似有道理, 能言善辩 | |
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39
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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41
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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42
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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43
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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45
residue
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| n.残余，剩余，残渣 | |
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46
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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47
posturing
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| 做出某种姿势( posture的现在分词 ) | |
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48
farce
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| n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹 | |
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49
conditional
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| adj.条件的，带有条件的 | |
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50
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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51
shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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52
itched
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| v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
dolt
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| n.傻瓜 | |
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54
withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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55
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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56
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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57
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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58
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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59
gloss
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| n.光泽，光滑；虚饰；注释；vt.加光泽于；掩饰 | |
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60
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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61
suave
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| adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的 | |
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62
condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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63
gorging
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的现在分词 )；作呕 | |
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64
inordinate
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| adj.无节制的；过度的 | |
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avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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