Soames, buttoned up in a raincoat kindly3 lent by Mr. Gianapolis, and of a somewhat refined fit, with a little lagoon4 of rainwater forming within the reef of his hat-brim, trudged5 briskly along. The necessary ingredients for the manufacture of mud are always present (if invisible during dry weather) in the streets of East-end London, and already Soames' neat black boots were liberally bedaubed with it. But what cared Soames? He inhaled6 the soot-laden air rapturously; he was glad to feel the rain beating upon his face, and took a childish pleasure in ducking his head suddenly and seeing the little stream of water spouting7 from his hat-brim. How healthy they looked, these East-end workers, these Italian dock-hands, these Jewish tailors, these nondescript, greasy8 beings who sometimes saw the sun. Many of them, he knew well, labored9 in cellars; but he had learnt that there are cellars and cellars. Ah! it was glorious, this gray, murky10 London!
Yet, now that temporarily he was free of it, he realized that there was that within him which responded to the call of the catacombs; there was a fascination11 in the fume-laden air of those underground passages; there was a charm, a mysterious charm, in the cave of the golden dragon, in that unforgettable place which he assumed to mark the center of the labyrinth12; in the wicked, black eyes of the Eurasian. He realized that between the abstraction of silver spoons and deliberate, organized money-making at the expense of society, a great chasm13 yawned; that there may be romance even in felony.
Soames at last felt himself to be a traveler on the highroad to fortune; he had become almost reconciled to the loss of his bank balance, to the loss of his place in the upper world. His was the constitution of a born criminal, and, had he been capable of subtle self-analysis, he must have known now that fear, and fear only, hitherto had held him back, had confined him to the ranks of the amateurs. Well, the plunge14 was taken.
Deep in such reflections, he trudged along through the rain, scarce noting where his steps were leading him, for all roads were alike to-night. His natural inclinations15 presently dictated16 a halt at a brilliantly lighted public house; and, taking off his hat to shake some of the moisture from it, he replaced it on his head and entered the saloon lounge.
The place proved to be fairly crowded, principally with local tradesmen whose forefathers17 had toiled18 for Pharaoh; and conveying his glass of whisky to a marble-topped table in a corner comparatively secluded19, Soames sat down for a consideration of past, present, and future; an unusual mental exercise. Curiously20 enough, he had lost something of his old furtiveness21; he no longer examined, suspiciously, every stranger who approached his neighborhood; for as the worshipers of old came by the gate of Fear into the invisible presence of Moloch, so he—of equally untutored mind—had entered the presence of Mr. King! And no devotee of the Ammonite god had had greater faith in his potent23 protection than Soames had in that of his unseen master. What should a servant of Mr. King fear from the officers of the law? How puny24 a thing was the law in comparison with the director of that secret, powerful, invulnerable organization whereof to-day he (Soames) formed an unit!
Then, oddly, the old dormant25 cowardice26 of the man received a sudden spurring, and leaped into quickness. An evening paper lay upon the marble top of the table, and carelessly taking it up, Soames, hitherto lost in imaginings, was now reminded that for more than a week he had lain in ignorance of the world's doings. Good Heavens! how forgetful he had been! It was the nepenthe of the catacombs. He must make up for lost time and get in touch again with passing events: especially he must post himself up on the subject of... the murder....
The paper dropped from his hands, and, feeling himself blanch27 beneath his artificial tan, Soames, in his old furtive22 manner, glanced around the saloon to learn if he were watched. Apparently28 no one was taking the slightest notice of him, and, with an unsteady hand, he raised his glass and drained its contents. There, at the bottom of the page before him, was the cause of this sudden panic; a short paragraph conceived as follows:—
REPORTED ARREST OF SOAMES
It is reported that a man answering to the description of Soames, the butler wanted in connection with the Palace Mansions29 outrage30, has been arrested in Birmingham. He was found sleeping in an outhouse belonging to Major Jennings, of Olton, and as he refused to give any account of himself, was handed over, by the gentleman's gardener, to the local police. His resemblance to the published photograph being observed, he was closely questioned, and although he denies being Luke Soames, he is being held for further inquiry31.
Soames laid down the paper, and, walking across to the bar, ordered a second glass of whisky. With this he returned to the table and began more calmly to re-read the paragraph. From it he passed to the other news. He noted32 that little publicity33 was given to the Palace Mansions affair, from which he judged that public interest in the matter was already growing cold. A short summary appeared on the front page, and this he eagerly devoured34. It read as follows:—
PALACE MANSIONS MYSTERY
The police are following up an important clue to the murderer of Mrs. Vernon, and it is significant in this connection that a man answering to the description of Soames was apprehended35 at Olton (Birmingham) late last night. (See Page 6). The police are very reticent36 in regard to the new information which they hold, but it is evident that at last they are confident of establishing a case. Mr. Henry Leroux, the famous novelist, in whose flat the mysterious outrage took place, is suffering from a nervous breakdown37, but is reported to be progressing favorably by Dr. Cumberly, who is attending him. Dr. Cumberly, it will be remembered, was with Mr. Leroux, and Mr. John Exel, M. P., at the time that the murder was discovered. The executors of the late Mr. Horace Vernon are faced with extraordinary difficulties in administering the will of the deceased, owing to the tragic38 coincidence of his wife's murder within twenty-four hours of his own demise39.
Public curiosity respecting the nursing home in Gillingham Street, with its electric baths and other modern appliances, has by no means diminished, and groups of curious spectators regularly gather outside the former establishment of Nurse Proctor, and apparently derive40 some form of entertainment from staring at the windows and questioning the constable41 on duty. The fact that Mrs. Vernon undoubtedly42 came from this establishment on the night of the crime, and that the proprietors43 of the nursing home fled immediately, leaving absolutely no clue behind them, complicates44 the mystery which Scotland Yard is engaged in unraveling.
It is generally believed that the woman, Proctor, and her associates had actually no connection with the crime, and that realizing that the inquiry might turn in their direction, they decamped. The obvious inference, of course, is that the nursing home was conducted on lines which would not bear official scrutiny46.
The flight of the butler, Soames, presents a totally different aspect, and in this direction the police are very active.
Soames searched the remainder of the paper scrupulously47, but failed to find any further reference to the case. The second Scottish stimulant48 had served somewhat to restore his failing courage; he congratulated himself upon taking the only move which could have saved him from arrest; he perceived that he owed his immunity49 entirely50 to the protective wings of Mr. King. He trembled to think that his fate might indeed have been that of the man arrested at Olton; for, without money and without friends, he would have become, ere this, just such an outcast and natural object of suspicion.
He noted, as a curious circumstance, that throughout the report there was no reference to the absence of Mrs. Leroux; therefore—a primitive51 reasoner—he assumed that she was back again at Palace Mansions. He was mentally incapable52 of fitting Mrs. Leroux into the secret machine engineered by Mr. King through the visible agency of Ho-Pin. On the whole, he was disposed to believe that her several absences—ostensibly on visits to Paris—had nothing to do with the catacombs of Ho-Pin, but were to be traced to the amours of the radiant Gianapolis. Taking into consideration his reception by the Chinaman in the cave of the golden dragon, he determined53, to his own satisfaction, that this had been dictated by prudence54, and by Mr. Gianapolis. In short he believed that the untimely murder of Mrs. Vernon had threatened to direct attention to the commercial enterprise of the Greek, and that he, Soames, had become incorporated in the latter in this accidental fashion. He believed himself to have been employed in a private intrigue55 during the time that he was at Palace Mansions, and counted it a freak of fate that Mr. Gianapolis' affairs of the pocket had intruded56 upon his affairs of the heart.
He treated himself to a third scotch57 whisky, and sallied out into the rain. A brilliantly lighted music hall upon the opposite side of the road attracted his attention. The novelty of freedom having worn off, he felt no disposition58 to spend the remainder of the evening in the street, for the rain was now falling heavily, but determined to sample the remainder of the program offered by the “first house,” and presently was reclining in a plush-covered, tip-up seat in the back row of the stalls.
The program was not of sufficient interest wholly to distract his mind, and during the performance of a very tragic comedian59, Soames found his thoughts wandering far from the stage. His seat was at the extreme end of the back row, and, quite unintentionally, he began to listen to the conversation of two men, who, standing60 just inside the entrance door and immediately behind him to the right, were talking in subdued61 voices.
“There are thousands of Kings in London,” said one...
Soames slowly lowered his hands to the chair-arms on either side of him and clutched them tightly. Every nerve in his body seemed to be strung up to the ultimate pitch of tensity. He was listening, now, as a man arraigned62 might listen for the pronouncement of a judgment63.
“That's the trouble,” replied a second voice; “but you know Max's ideas on the subject? He has his own way of going to work; but my idea, Sowerby, is that if we can find the one Mr. Soames—and I am open to bet he hasn't left London—we shall find the right Mr. King.”
The comedian finished, and the orchestra noisily chorded him off. Soames, his forehead wet with perspiration64, began to turn his head, inch by inch. The lights in the auditorium65 were partially66 lowered, and he prayed, devoutly67, that they would remain so; for now, glancing out of the corner of his right eye, he saw the speakers.
The taller of the two, a man wearing a glistening68 brown overall and rain-drenched tweed cap, was the detective who had been in Leroux's study and who had ordered him to his room on the night of the murder!
Then commenced for Soames such an ordeal69 as all his previous life had not offered him; an ordeal beside which even the interview with Mr. King sank into insignificance70. His one hope was in the cunning of Said's disguise; but he knew that Scotland Yard men judged likenesses, not by complexions71, which are alterable, not by the color of the hair, which can be dyed, but by certain features which are measurable, and which may be memorized because nature has fashioned them immutable72.
What should he do?—What should he do? In the silence:
“No good stopping any longer,” came the whispered voice of the shorter detective; “I have had a good look around the house, and there is nobody here.”...
“We'll get along down to the Dock Gate,” was the almost inaudible reply; “I am meeting Stringer there at nine o'clock.”
Walking softly, the Scotland Yard men passed out of the theater.
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收听单词发音
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1
drizzle
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| v.下毛毛雨；n.毛毛雨，蒙蒙细雨 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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3
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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4
lagoon
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| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
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5
trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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6
inhaled
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| v.吸入( inhale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spouting
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| n.水落管系统v.（指液体）喷出( spout的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
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8
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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9
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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10
murky
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| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
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11
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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12
labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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13
chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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14
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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15
inclinations
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| 倾向( inclination的名词复数 )； 倾斜； 爱好； 斜坡 | |
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16
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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17
forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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18
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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19
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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20
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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21
furtiveness
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| 偷偷摸摸，鬼鬼祟祟 | |
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22
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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23
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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24
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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25
dormant
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| adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的 | |
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26
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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27
blanch
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| v.漂白；使变白；使(植物)不见日光而变白 | |
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28
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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30
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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31
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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32
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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33
publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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34
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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35
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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36
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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37
breakdown
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| n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌 | |
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38
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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39
demise
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| n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让 | |
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40
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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41
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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42
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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43
proprietors
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| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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44
complicates
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| 使复杂化( complicate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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45
unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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46
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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47
scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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48
stimulant
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| n.刺激物，兴奋剂 | |
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49
immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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50
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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51
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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52
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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53
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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54
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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55
intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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56
intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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57
scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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58
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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59
comedian
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| n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员 | |
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60
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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61
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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62
arraigned
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| v.告发( arraign的过去式和过去分词 )；控告；传讯；指责 | |
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63
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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64
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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65
auditorium
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| n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂 | |
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66
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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67
devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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68
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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69
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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70
insignificance
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| n.不重要；无价值；无意义 | |
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71
complexions
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| 肤色( complexion的名词复数 )； 面色； 局面； 性质 | |
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72
immutable
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| adj.不可改变的，永恒的 | |
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73
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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