Confusion
In his interest in what was going on on the other side of the wall, Sweetwater had forgotten himself. Daylight had declined, but in the darkness of the closet this change had passed unheeded. Night itself might come, but that should not force him to leave his post so long as his neighbour remained behind his locked door, brooding over the words of love and devotion which had come to him, as it were from the other world.
But was he brooding? That sound of iron clattering1 upon iron! That smothered2 exclamation3 and the laugh which ended it! Anger and determination rang in that laugh. It had a hideous4 sound which prepared Sweetwater for the smell which now reached his nostrils5. The letters were burning; this time the lid had been lifted from the stove with unrelenting purpose. Poor Edith Challoner’s touching6 words had met, a different fate from any which she, in her ignorance of this man’s nature,— a nature to which she had ascribed untold7 perfections — could possibly have conceived.
As Sweetwater thought of this, he stirred nervously8 in the darkness, and broke into silent invective9 against the man who could so insult the memory of one who had perished under the blight10 of his own coldness and misunderstanding. Then he suddenly started back surprised and apprehensive11. Brotherson had unlocked his door, and was coming rapidly his way. Sweetwater heard his step in the hall and had hardly time to bound from his closet, when he saw his own door burst in and found himself face to face with his redoubtable12 neighbour, in a state of such rage as few men could meet without quailing13, even were they of his own stature14, physical vigour15 and prowess; and Sweetwater was a small man.
However, disappointment such as he had just experienced brings with it a desperation which often outdoes courage, and the detective, smiling with an air of gay surprise, shouted out:
“Well, what’s the matter now? Has the machine busted16, or tumbled into the fire or sailed away to lands unknown out of your open window?”
“You were coming out of that closet,” was the fierce rejoinder. “What have you got there? Something which concerns me, or why should your face go pale at my presence and your forehead drip with sweat? Don’t think that you’ve deceived me for a moment as to your business here. I recognised you immediately. You’ve played the stranger well, but you’ve a nose and an eye nobody could forget. I have known all along that I had a police spy for a neighbour; but it didn’t faze me. I’ve nothing to conceal17, and wouldn’t mind a regiment18 of you fellows if you’d only play a straight game. But when it comes to foisting19 upon me a parcel of letters to which I have no right, and then setting a fellow like you to count my groans20 or whatever else they expected to hear, I have a right to defend myself, and defend myself I will, by God! But first, let me be sure that my accusations21 will stand. Come into this closet with me. It abuts22 on the wall of my room and has its own secret, I know. What is it? I have you at an advantage now, and you shall tell.”
He did have Sweetwater at an advantage, and the detective knew it and disdained23 a struggle which would have only called up a crowd, friendly to the other but inimical to himself. Allowing Brotherson to drag him into the closet, he stood quiescent24, while the determined25 man who held him with one hand, felt about with the other over the shelves and along the partitions till he came to the hole which had offered such a happy means of communication between the two rooms. Then, with a laugh almost as bitter in tone as that which rang from Brotherson’s lips, he acknowledged that business had its necessities and that apologies from him were in order; adding, as they both stepped out into the rapidly darkening room:
“We’ve played a bout26, we two; and you’ve come out ahead. Allow me to congratulate you, Mr. Brotherson. You’ve cleared yourself so far as I am concerned. I leave this ranch27 to-night.”
The frown had come back to the forehead of the indignant man who confronted him.
“So you listened,” he cried; “listened when you weren’t sneaking28 under my eye! A fine occupation for a man who can dove-tail a corner like an adept29. I wish I had let you join the brotherhood30 you were good enough to mention. They would know how to appreciate your double gifts and how to reward your excellence31 in the one, if not in the other. What did the police expect to learn about me that they should consider it necessary to call into exercise such extraordinary talents?
“I’m not good at conundrums32. I was given a task to perform, and I performed it,” was Sweetwater’s sturdy reply. Then slowly, with his eye fixed33 directly upon his antagonist34, “I guess they thought you a man. And so did I until I heard you burn those letters. Fortunately we have copies.”
“Letters!” Fury thickened the speaker’s voice, and lent a savage35 gleam to his eye. “Forgeries! Make believes! Miss Challoner never wrote the drivel you dare to designate as letters. It was concocted36 at Police Headquarters. They made me tell my story and then they found some one who could wield37 the poetic38 pen. I’m obliged to them for the confidence they show in my credulity. I credit Miss Challoner with such words as have been given me to read here to-day? I knew the lady, and I know myself. Nothing that passed between us, not an event in which we were both concerned, has been forgotten by me, and no feature of our intercourse39 fits the language you have ascribed to her. On the contrary, there is a lamentable40 contradiction between facts as they were and the fancies you have made her indulge in. And this, as you must acknowledge, not only proves their falsity, but exonerates41 Miss Challoner from all possible charge of sentimentality.”
“Yet she certainly wrote those letters. We had them from Mr. Challoner. The woman who brought them was really her maid. We have not deceived you in this.”
“I do not believe you.”
It was not offensively said; but the conviction it expressed was absolute. Sweetwater recognised the tone, as one of truth, and inwardly laid down his arms. He could never like the man; there was too much iron in his fibre; but he had to acknowledge that as a foe42 he was invulnerable and therefore admirable to one who had the good sense to appreciate him.
“I do not want to believe you.” Thus did Brotherson supplement his former sentence. “For if I were to attribute those letters to her, I should have to acknowledge that they were written to another man than myself. And this would be anything but agreeable to me. Now I am going to my room and to my work. You may spend the rest of the evening or the whole night, if you will, listening at that hole. As heretofore, the labour will be all yours, and the indifference43 mine.”
With a satirical play of feature which could hardly be called a smile, he nodded and left the room.
收听单词发音 |
1
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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2
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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3
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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4
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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7
untold
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| adj.数不清的，无数的 | |
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8
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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9
invective
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| n.痛骂，恶意抨击 | |
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10
blight
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| n.枯萎病；造成破坏的因素；vt.破坏，摧残 | |
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apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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redoubtable
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| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
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quailing
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的现在分词 ) | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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16
busted
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| adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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17
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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18
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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19
foisting
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| 强迫接受，把…强加于( foist的现在分词 ) | |
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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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21
accusations
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| n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名 | |
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22
abuts
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| v.（与…）邻接( abut的第三人称单数 )；（与…）毗连；接触；倚靠 | |
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23
disdained
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| 鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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quiescent
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| adj.静止的，不活动的，寂静的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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28
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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30
brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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31
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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32
conundrums
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| n.谜，猜不透的难题，难答的问题( conundrum的名词复数 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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36
concocted
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| v.将（尤指通常不相配合的）成分混合成某物( concoct的过去式和过去分词 )；调制；编造；捏造 | |
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37
wield
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| vt.行使，运用，支配；挥，使用(武器等) | |
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38
poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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39
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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40
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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41
exonerates
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| n.免罪，免除( exonerate的名词复数 )v.使免罪，免除( exonerate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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42
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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43
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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