Mr. Tuke rode homewards in a very grave and preoccupied1 frame of mind. Perhaps he was conscious of a peril2 more nearly threatening his peace than any scheme of truculent3 knavery4. Of the latter he could take every advantage that circumstance permitted him, without risk of self-accusation. The other was a more delicate question to face—a question of such moment that, pondering it, he must temporarily relegate5 to the background of his thoughts the issues involved in his adventure of the night.
Plainly, it amounted to this—was it to be control or abuse of the indefinite quantity known as a man’s honour?
He was not a coxcomb6, or conceited7; but he was an experienced worldling, and, as such, he could not pretend to misdeem, in any pretty maid, those premonitory symptoms of a disease of the heart that may be called aptly an “affection.”
Now—except when the stubborn devil in him was baited into cruelty—he was a good-natured and humane8 enough fellow, with a natural scorn of inflicting9 upon any other the pain he would himself shrink from enduring. Moreover he had sworn himself to a life of cleanliness and redemption of the past. Thirdly, and most important, did he or did he not seriously contemplate10 the possibility of a connection with a lady of gentle degree, to whom—if he offered his heart at all—he must make his presentation with washed hands and an unstained conscience?
What problems may not be involved in a demand for straight yes or no where the heart is called upon to answer! But then, what an inextricable problem is the heart itself. Its sympathies are so manifold that, would it be consistent, it must seal its every artery11 of distribution, and so, in serene12 isolation13, beat self-contained and self-sufficient.
And here, where the brain, with its power of selection, picks out the indubitable course, comes in the heart to reinstate a tender little image that reason has ousted15 from its niche16.
Desperate over his inability to navigate19 an uncharted sea, he put his thoughts about on a course that promised plainer sailing.
The drugging of last night—what of that?
This of that—that too-eager knavery had reacted upon itself in the sense of, by some impolitic stroke, confirming the suspicions of the very antagonist20 it had sought secretly to circumvent21.
Plainly, the rogues22 had drugged him to secure his non-interference during another determined23 attempt upon his house—with what success remained to be seen.
And now at least he was definitely acquainted with his enemies, if not with their object; though this, he could not but conclude, was to acquire possession of Luvaine’s legendary25 stone, which, for some unaccountable reason, they supposed was hidden away on his premises26.
Here his way was clear; his justification27 for pronounced action obvious and inspiriting. He could feel a legitimate28 joy in striking at villainy that had recklessly ventured to throw off its disguise.
Thinking these thoughts, he came in sight of his gates, and was surprised to see them flung wide, and the rutted tracks of wheels going up the moss29.
He rode in, his horse padding it softly on the thick carpet—rode in and drew rein14 abruptly30 with a muttered oath.
There, a little way off amongst the trees, was his henchman in earnest talk with the same gaunt hag he had seen him exchange speech with once before.
Now, he had little opportunity to note them; for, almost as he paused, the two separated, the man going off hurriedly towards the house, and the woman advancing in his own direction with a secret manner of haste.
As she plunged31 into the drive, she saw him and drew up with a startled jerk—then came slowly on, her eyes full of fear and defiance32.
He set his horse across her path and awaited her.
“What do you here, woman?” he demanded sternly, as she stopped over against him.
She drew her thin shawl about her shoulders.
“He—the man,” she muttered, with a sort of fierceness breaking through instinctive33 deprecation, “does me many a little kindness. I came to see him.”
She clinched35 her hands and her teeth. He saw “You lie” on her lips, though the words were not uttered. But he hardly resented the implication. He knew in his heart he slandered36 his servant—that he could never bring himself to do the man justice.
For a moment he scanned the seamed face set daringly opposite him. There were traces of a wild, lost beauty furrows37 of sorrow and want and despair in it to an unprejudiced mind. But that in this instance his was not.
“Harkee, mistress!” he said. “I was watching you two once before when you thought yourselves unobserved. Something then passed from him to you—here, in this drive. Do you deny it?”
“No,” she said.
“Then take warning, and carry your dealing to an open market. I want no secret pilferers about.”
He pulled his rein, nodded at her with set lips, and rode on his way.
Issuing from the drive a scene of animation38, unwonted to that dead prospect39, met his gaze. A couple of vans were pulled up before the porch, the horses that had drawn40 them standing41 apart and nosing in their bags. Men, a half-dozen of them, were busy going to and fro, lugging42 huge objects swathed in packing sheets into the house, and returning, hotly slouching and empty-handed. Further, under a tree, stood Darda holding a saddle-horse by the bridle43; and on the lawn, walking hither and thither44 in earnest converse45, strolled Whimple and the little baronet of “Chatters.”
Now, this latter sight, for all his reasoned conclusions, Mr. Tuke took in with something a scowling46 displeasure. No doubt the two were long acquainted, relatively47 as to their different conditions, and had so met and exchanged speech for years before he happened upon the district. None the less, their intimacy48 at the present juncture49 annoyed and a little distressed51 him. He could not be morally confirmed in his mistrust of the servant without questioning the bona fides of any one to whom the latter appeared to give his confidence.
It was a foolish—indeed, it seemed an outrageous52 suspicion in face of the comically ingenuous53 personality of the poor little Sir David. But why the devil couldn’t the man let Whimple alone?
His new friend caught sight of him as he stood drawn up at the outlet54 of the drive; saluted55, and came towards him with an air of the utmost importance and solemnity.
“Tuke,” he said, putting up his hand on the other’s saddle-bow and looking earnestly in his face—“where the deuce have you been?”
“Yes, yes,” he went on, conscious of a certain atmosphere. “It’s all right—it’s no business of mine, of course. Only, you’ve been wanted, my friend.”
“Oh!—by whom?”
“By Whimple, there. The man’s half-wild with fright.”
The other answered with a little contemptuous laugh.
“Oh!” said Sir David, flushing slightly. “We can’t all command courage, you know. You and me may be different; but——”
“Well, well, Blythewood, what’s it all about?”
“I’ll tell you. I rode over early to ask if you’d put up for the Wilton hunt, and found your furniture here unpackin’ and Dennis lookin’ on, like a wamble-cropped sentryman. ‘Hullo, my friend!’ says I, ‘hath Boneless been a-stalkin’ in your bed-chamber56 that you show the colour of a new sack?’ And, by Gad57, Tuke, you ain’t in rosy58 condition yourself!”
“Never mind me.”
“Well, he was scared; and what d’ye suppose he told me?—that he’d feared an attempt on the house last night on the part of three bodeful ruffians that visited your grounds after dark.”
“Yes—well?”
“You take it coolly, upon my soul. Well—this. He was lookin’ out of one of the upper windows and saw them slinkin’ amongst the trees—three as bloody59 rogues as ever——”
“Yes, yes, I know. What did they do? What did he do?”
“Umph! Why he did nothin’; but he kept watch and so did they, waitin’ no doubt for the lights to be extinguished; and presently there came a noise of wheels and up rolled your vans here from Winton. At that they retreated—cursing, for he could hear them—but not far, it seems; for all the time the first cargo60 was unloadin’, he could catch the white of their faces now and again amongst the shrubs61. So, on some pretext62 or another, he stabled the horses and put up the porters against your comin’, thinkin’—as was right—that our gentlemen would shy at so brave a company. And then from room to room he walked all night; and he saw the rogues come out on the gravel63 and dance wi’ rage in the moonlight.”
“Oh, come, Tuke! You ask too much of the man—upon my word you do. He ain’t exactly a free agent here, I gather. But don’t this follow queerly on what you told us the other night? And Dennis acquaints me there are signs of their having tried to force an entrance already.”
“That is possible, of course. Would it be an abuse of them to specify67 the nature of this presumed attempt?”
The little baronet took his hand from the saddle, and looked at the other with a puzzled and rather angry expression.
“’Tis round by the north wing, I understand,” said he coldly—“a grating that gives light to some secret hole below the basement,”—and with a brief “Good-day to you!” he turned and walked away.
Mr. Tuke made no attempt to follow and conciliate him. He was in fact worried out of all present geniality68 by the constant strain upon his faculties69 engendered70 of wearying suspicion. While he moved so blind and helpless, a friendship that was curious merely confounded him.
Therefore, instead of succumbing72 to a natural instinct of good-fellowship, he merely pricked73 his horse on, and rode round by the further wing of the house.
Hitherto he had taken no concern to examine the nature of the opening that admitted light and air to the “Priest’s Hole.” Now, he had little difficulty in identifying the actual spot, for, in addition to its being below a barred aperture74 in the house-side, which he felt convinced was that that belonged to the gloomy chamber within, its neighbourhood presented unmistakable signs of some recent trespass75.
A massive grating of wrought-iron, sunk deep in the masonry76 of the wall, which it pierced at a basement depth of five or six feet, looked upon a sunless little area—a mere71 narrow box of cemented stones; and this, without doubt, was the object he sought. The excavation77 had been so matted in and overgrown with a generation of bramble and dog-wood and wayfaring78 tree, that no one might have guessed the pit sunk within the mass, had not a torn opening in the latter, bristling79 with white splints of branches, led him to investigation80, as it led the horseman in the present instance.
He dismounted, and forcing his body through the aperture, came upon the dank twilight81 well, and looked down.
Then, as his eyes adapted their vision to the gloom, he saw that ineffectual hands had been busy at the grating—filing at it—chipping at the stones in which it was embedded—vainly, in that cabined space, endeavouring to force it from its iron grip.
“H’m!” muttered he, as he rent his way to the daylight once more. “Luck and Mr. Turk are my guardian82 angels hitherto. I must face this business in sober earnest.”
Walking round to the front again, he saw that Sir David had ridden away, and that Whimple was standing at the porch watching the operations of the men. Waiting until they were alone together for a moment—“Why did you never tell me of that attempt on the ‘Priest’s Hole’?” said he quietly.
Nothing of course in reply, but that same cursed look of distress50 and muttering of near inaudible evasions83.
“Here,” he said in the same tone, “take my horse!”
He walked through the house till he came to a certain dreary84 stone chamber and to a ring set in the boards. Here he wrenched85 up the flap, and leapt into the dusky hole beneath.
There was no sign there of the least success having attended the efforts of the baffled rogues. The grating was immovable in its socket86, stones and stanchions wedded87 endurably.
A narrow ledge88 for a seat projected from one side of the pit. Using this as a stepping-stone, he scrambled89 out and hurried off to superintend the placing of his furniture, leaving the flap open.
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收听单词发音
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1
preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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2
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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knavery
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| n.恶行，欺诈的行为 | |
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relegate
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| v.使降级，流放，移交，委任 | |
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coxcomb
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| n.花花公子 | |
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7
conceited
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| adj.自负的，骄傲自满的 | |
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8
humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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9
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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10
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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artery
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| n.干线，要道；动脉 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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13
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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14
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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15
ousted
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| 驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺 | |
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16
niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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17
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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18
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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19
navigate
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| v.航行，飞行；导航，领航 | |
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20
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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21
circumvent
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| vt.环绕，包围；对…用计取胜，智胜 | |
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22
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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23
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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24
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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25
legendary
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| adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学） | |
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26
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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27
justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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28
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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30
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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31
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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32
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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33
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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34
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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35
clinched
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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36
slandered
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| 造谣中伤( slander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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38
animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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39
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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40
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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41
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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42
lugging
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| 超载运转能力 | |
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43
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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44
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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45
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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46
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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47
relatively
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| adv.比较...地，相对地 | |
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48
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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49
juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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50
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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51
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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52
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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53
ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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54
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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55
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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56
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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57
gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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58
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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59
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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60
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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61
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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62
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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63
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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64
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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65
withholds
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| v.扣留( withhold的第三人称单数 )；拒绝给予；抑制（某事物）；制止 | |
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66
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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67
specify
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| vt.指定，详细说明 | |
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68
geniality
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| n.和蔼，诚恳；愉快 | |
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69
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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70
engendered
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| v.产生（某形势或状况），造成，引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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72
succumbing
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的现在分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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73
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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74
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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75
trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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76
masonry
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| n.砖土建筑；砖石 | |
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77
excavation
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| n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地 | |
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78
wayfaring
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| adj.旅行的n.徒步旅行 | |
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79
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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80
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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81
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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82
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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83
evasions
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| 逃避( evasion的名词复数 )； 回避； 遁辞； 借口 | |
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84
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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85
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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86
socket
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| n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口 | |
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87
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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88
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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89
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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