The kitchen of the tumbled lodge4 served for guardhouse; and the two officers were quartered in the little parlour opposite Mr. Tuke’s room of bondage5. Between walked a sentry6, and another (on this occasion Mr. Joseph Corby) was stationed to the front of the house in the freezing moonlight. Burnt fallow-deer meat had been plentifully7 bolted after the exertions8 of the day, and kegs of rum—supplied, it must be confessed, by Mr. Breeds, who was not otherwise represented in this climax9 of affairs—topped very agreeably the simplicity10 of the repast.
Mr. Fern and his lieutenant11 exchanged speech for the first time after the second glass. Then said the former suddenly:
“Brander, who’s the cock of this run?”
“Oh, don’t you know, Jack12 Fern,” was the answer; “the bantam, by the token, that crows himself red in the face?”
There seemed some personality here.
“Then I’ll have you know, by God, that I’m not to be supplanted13 by any white-shackled rooster that can out-screech me. You assume too much authority, sir, on the strength of an acquaintance with primers.”
“’Twas the Lake of Wine,” said he; “and there it was under your nose while you kicked up the dunghill. Primers have their uses.”
“Maybe; maybe not.”
“Why, man—give me Cutwater’s letter.”
“What for?”
“Give me Cutwater’s letter, I say.”
The other hesitated, then from a pocket-book that he drew from his coat, selected a yellowed fragment of paper and flung it sulkily across the table to his companion.
“Now, Mr. Fern,” said Brander, taking up the letter deliberately16 and referring to it—“vouchsafe me your kind attention, if you please. This was dated, I think, some months before the lamented17 gentleman’s death, and was addressed to you?”
“In it occur the following words, once expressive20 of mere21 violence to you—of enigma22 to me. Let me re-read them. ‘I’ve got the stone, bloody23 Jack Fern, and the stone I mean to keep. You’ll find it, despite the devil and Mister C., will you? Find it, you——’ (Tut, tut, Mr. Cutwater! what a shocking unpoliteness!) ‘Pray to the blessed St. Anthony, you’d better; for it’s hid well, I’ll tell you. It’s in my head but you’ll make a lame18 matter of the search.’”
He finished, threw the paper back to the other and pulled at his pipe.
“‘In my head,’” he repeated, softly knuckling24 the table. “Who, when you showed him the letter, half-read the riddle25 in those words, and egged you on to renew the search? Whose prognostications were verified in that which was overheard by our friend the innkeeper?”
“I grant you can see further into a haystack than the most of us.”
“You do, do you? Then what’s your complaint?”
“That you undermine me in the favour of my fellows, by God!—that you assume the leadership and work first and foremost to your own advancement26.”
“Have I misrepresented you in giving that gentleman-scamp his last warning?”
“No.”
“In concealing27 from him the truth of the girl’s throwing herself into our hands?”
“No.”
“You would have blundered in all this. You have the hoofs28 and horns of a bullock, and they are your one appeal and resource. Take the fighting to yourself and leave the diplomacy29 to your betters.”
“You don’t rest content with your share. I grant you one devil, and you spawn30 out a dozen. As there’s hell smouldering for us all, I believe there was truth in the fellow’s story of your double-dealing with him.”
Brander rose to his feet.
“Mr. Bloody Jack Fern,” he said, “I’ll wish you good-bye and a happy release from your difficulties. I waive31 all claim to a share in the profits of this undertaking32 as conducted by you.”
“Sit down, man, sit down—by God, sit down! I believe you’ve the right honour, and I apologize. ’Twas a test, and the devil fly away with it! I don’t understand your methods. To me we’re as little advanced as two days back, and I begin to scent33 failure.”
“Of course. You’ve a crimson34 standard of measurement in such affairs. A murder or two would set you clucking like a hen.”
“And where should we be the better then, for staining our hands? I play for our necks, Jack Fern. From the first I’ve founded our claim on the unlawful detention36 of the stone. But you want the leadership—you want the leadership and that means the credit for all. And you shall have it, by thunder, and set that fat head of yours, with the brains drawn37 out o’t, against a miry problem you shall sink in for all your frog’s croaking38.”
Mr. Fern came slowly to his feet.
“Not empty enough,” he said, in an indrawn voice—“not empty enough, Ebenezer Brander, to misread the little game you’re contriving40. Oh, I see through it, my friend! You’ll carry your brains to the enemy’s camp, will you, and——”
He choked with his rage. In a moment he had snapped out his knife and sprung round the table. The other was prepared for him in the same instant. They set at one another bent-headed, like a couple of game-cocks seeking to strike. Here promised an end of the pretty conspiracy41; but the devil cares for his own. On the tick of combat the door was thrown open and one of the gang stood gaping42 in the entrance.
“Curse the fool!” cried Brander. “What does he want?”
The man, half-drunk, stood confused, as if he had interrupted some sacred ceremony.
“You——!” shouted the schoolmaster; cracked in his upper register and went into a skirl of laughter. The tension of the cord was eased, and both men fell back.
“Get to your bowl, you horn-bug!” screeched46 Fern. “What, the fiend! Shan’t she prepare herself for the sacrifice?”
“Oh!” said the man, “I thought subbody might ’ear—thas all.”
“Hear, you rat? Who’s to hear in the middle of Sahara?”
He waved his hand peremptorily47. The fellow stumbled out and drew the door to behind him with a clap. Fern slipped his knife into its sheath. He looked at the other scoundrel stealthily, and grinned.
“Cry off, Brander,” he said. “We’re hunting counter. Fill and call a toast, man. My heart warms to the ladies. ’Twere a pity to waste this heat of passion on a friend’s undoing48, when an enemy, and a pretty one, offers.”
“A bottle to that,” he said grimly. “Nothing under a quart reconciles me to a petticoat.”
They sat for an hour—for two hours, swilling50 fire and wickedness. The night closed upon itself, and the moon was half-across the sky. The frost without crackled in the very heart of the fearful sentry, so that presently he could stand it no more, and tapped on the casement51.
“It’s in my roots,” he said, when Brander came to him. “I must be let in or die.”
“I can’t have you in his room, Joe. He’s far too cunning a gentleman to trust you with him.”
“Then give me a drink. A bucket of schnapps wouldn’t drowse me here.”
They handed him out a stiff jorum in a bottle, and closing the window again, resumed their orgy. Another hour passed. Suddenly one beast looked significantly at the other, and both rose. Together they staggered to the door, opened it, and lurched out into the passage. The sentry here came to himself with a start, and stared at them like an owl39. They bade him have ears for his only business, and went swaying on to where, by the kitchen, a little stairway led to the floor above. The house was dimly lighted with candles that guttered52 here and there on brackets. One of these Fern seized in his evil hand, and they ascended53 softly to a narrow landing. The congested snore of many crapulous ruffians came to them from below; a third sentry nodded at hand on the top step.
“Let him be,” whispered Brander. “He shall be breeched for neglect to-morrow.”
In a little attic, with barred windows, the girl had been confined. Gently they turned the key in the lock, pushed open the door, and entered.
The room was empty as a rifled grave.
Stupidly staring, they saw by the hearth54 a heap of rubbish, an overturned flag; and with bursting oaths they rushed for the place, and, swinging the light down, were aware of a jagged rent, torn through the rotted fabric55, that looked into the room below.
“His room!” cried Fern, putting his hand to his forehead and staggering back.
The next moment they were out on the landing again. The sitting sentry grunted56 and cocked a bleared eye at them. With a foul57 curse, and no condescension58 of question to him, Brander drove his heavy foot at the man with all his force. The fellow started up with a shriek59 like a neigh, doubled upon himself, and, toppling, went down the whole flight with a noise of snapping, and collapsed60 in a writhing61 and coughing heap at the bottom.
Immediately there was a humming uproar62 of waking men, in the midst of which the two bounded into the passage and scrambled63 for the door of the second prison-chamber.
They burst it open. The window was flung wide—the room was empty—a fragment of rope trailed from the fire-place.
“Dolts! dogs! bullock-heads!” cried Brander, pelting64, screaming with fury, into the passage again. “Where are they? What have you been doing, hearing, overlooking in your damned folly65? Let me pass, you worse than curs and maniacs66!”
He was wrenching67 and tugging68 frantically69 at the handle of the entrance-door. In an instant he was out, had staggered, had sprawled70 with his hands to save himself, and had gone with a sliding run into the snow. He was up directly, and shrieking71 to those within for a light. Some one brought it flurried, and he seized and held it over some shapeless thing huddled72 against the porch.
“Drunk?” he muttered. “No, by God!” and he stooped and gave a little pull to the inert73 mass. A squelch74 of darkness ran out into the snow, that received and held it like a blotting-paper.
Mr. Corby had been stabbed to the heart.
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收听单词发音
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1
retailing
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| n.零售业v.零售(retail的现在分词) | |
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2
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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3
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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4
lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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5
bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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6
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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7
plentifully
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| adv. 许多地，丰饶地 | |
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8
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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9
climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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10
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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11
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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12
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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13
supplanted
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| 把…排挤掉，取代( supplant的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
urbanely
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| adv.都市化地，彬彬有礼地，温文尔雅地 | |
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15
fable
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| n.寓言；童话；神话 | |
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16
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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17
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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19
pedantry
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| n.迂腐，卖弄学问 | |
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20
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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21
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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22
enigma
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| n.谜，谜一样的人或事 | |
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23
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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24
knuckling
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| n.突球v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的现在分词 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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25
riddle
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| n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜 | |
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26
advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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27
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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28
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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29
diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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30
spawn
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| n.卵，产物，后代，结果；vt.产卵，种菌丝于，产生，造成；vi.产卵，大量生产 | |
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31
waive
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| vt.放弃，不坚持(规定、要求、权力等) | |
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32
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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33
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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34
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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35
thaw
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| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
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36
detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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37
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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38
croaking
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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39
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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40
contriving
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| （不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的现在分词 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到 | |
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41
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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42
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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43
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
psalms
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| n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 )；圣诗；圣歌；(中的) | |
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45
attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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46
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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47
peremptorily
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| adv.紧急地，不容分说地，专横地 | |
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48
undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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49
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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50
swilling
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| v.冲洗( swill的现在分词 )；猛喝；大口喝；（使）液体流动 | |
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51
casement
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| n.竖铰链窗；窗扉 | |
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52
guttered
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| vt.形成沟或槽于…（gutter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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53
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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55
fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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56
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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57
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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58
condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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59
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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60
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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61
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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62
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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63
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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64
pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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65
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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66
maniacs
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| n.疯子（maniac的复数形式） | |
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67
wrenching
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| n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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68
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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69
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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70
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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71
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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72
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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73
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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74
squelch
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| v.压制，镇压；发吧唧声 | |
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