Charles was not looking forward with any relish1 to the prospect2 of hisnight’s vigil. He privately3 considered that it was likely to be a wild goosechase. Emily, he considered, was possessed4 of a too vivid imagination.
He was convinced that she had read into the few words she had over-heard a meaning that had its origin in her own brain. Probably sheerweariness had induced Mrs. Willett to yearn5 for night to come.
Charles looked out of his window and shivered. It was a piercingly coldnight, raw and foggy—the last night one would wish to spend in the openhanging about and waiting for something, very nebulous in nature, tohappen.
Still he dared not yield to his intense desire to remain comfortably in-doors. He recalled the liquid melodiousness6 of Emily’s voice as she said,“It’s wonderful to have someone you can really rely on.”
She relied on him, Charles, and she should not rely in vain. What? Failthat beautiful, helpless girl? Never.
Besides, he reflected as he donned all the spare underclothes he pos-sessed before encasing himself in two pullovers and his overcoat, thingswere likely to be deucedly unpleasant if Emily on her return found outthat he had not carried out his promise.
She would probably say the most unpleasant things. No, he couldn’t riskit. But as for anything happening—
And anyway, when and how was it going to happen? He couldn’t beeverywhere at once. Probably whatever was going to happen would hap-pen inside Sittaford House and he would never know a thing about it.
“Just like a girl,” he grumbled7 to himself, “waltzing off to Exeter andleaving me to do the dirty work.”
And then he remembered once more the liquid tones of Emily’s voice asshe expressed her reliance on him, and he felt ashamed of his outburst.
He completed his toilet, rather after the model of Tweedledee, and effec-ted a surreptitious exit from the cottage.
The night was even colder and more unpleasant than he had thought.
Did Emily realize all he was about to suffer on her behalf? He hoped so.
His hand went tenderly to a pocket and caressed8 a hidden flask9 con-cealed in a near pocket.
“The boy’s best friend,” he murmured. “It would be a night like this ofcourse.”
With suitable precautions he introduced himself into the grounds of Sit-taford House. The Willetts kept no dog, so there was no fear of alarm fromthat quarter. A light in the gardener’s cottage showed that it was inhab-ited. Sittaford House itself was in darkness save for one lighted window onthe first floor.
“Those two women are alone in the house,” thought Charles. “I shouldn’tcare for that myself. A bit creepy!”
He supposed Emily had really overheard that sentence, “Will tonightnever come?” What did it really mean?
“I wonder,” he thought to himself, “if they mean to do a flit? Well,whatever happens, little Charles is going to be here to see it.”
He circled the house at a discreet10 distance. Owing to the foggy nature ofthe night he had no fears of being observed. Everything as far as he couldsee appeared to be as usual. A cautious visiting of the outbuildings showedthem to be locked.
“I hope something does happen,” said Charles as the hours passed. Hetook a prudent11 sip12 from his flask. “I’ve never known anything like thiscold. ‘What did you do in the Great War, Daddy?’ can’t have been anyworse than this.”
He glanced at his watch and was surprised to find that it was still onlytwenty minutes to twelve. He had been convinced that it must be nearlydawn.
An unexpected sound made him prick13 up his ears excitedly. It was thesound of a bolt being very gently drawn14 back in its socket15, and it camefrom the direction of the house. Charles made a noiseless sprint16 from bushto bush. Yes, he had been quite right, the small side door was slowly open-ing. A dark figure stood on the threshold. It was peering anxiously out intothe night.
“Mrs. or Miss Willett,” said Charles to himself. “The fair Violet, I think.”
After waiting a minute or two, the figure stepped out on the path andclosed the door noiselessly behind her and started to walk away from thehouse in the opposite direction to the front drive. The path in question ledup behind Sittaford House, passing through a small plantation17 of trees andso out on to the open moor18.
The path wound quite near the bushes where Charles was concealed19, sonear that Charles was able to recognize the woman as she passed. He hadbeen quite right, it was Violet Willett. She was wearing a long dark coatand had a beret on her head.
She went on up, and as quietly as possible Charles followed her. He hadno fears of being seen, but he was alive to the danger of being overheard.
He was particularly anxious not to alarm the girl. Owing to his care in thisrespect she outdistanced him. For a moment or two he was afraid lest heshould lose her, but as he in his turn wound his way anxiously throughthe plantation of trees he saw her standing20 a little way ahead of him. Herethe low wall which surrounded the estate was broken by a gate. VioletWillett was standing by this gate, leaning over it peering out into thenight.
Charles crept up as near as he dared and waited. The time passed. Thegirl had a small pocket torch with her and once she switched it on for amoment or two, directing it, Charles thought, to see the time by the wrist-watch she was wearing, then she leant over the gate again in the same at-titude of expectant interest. Suddenly, Charles heard a low whistle twicerepeated.
He saw the girl start to sudden attention. She leant farther over the gateand from her lips came the same signal—a low whistle twice repeated.
Then with startling suddenness a man’s figure loomed21 out of the night.
A low exclamation22 came from the girl. She moved back a pace or two, thegate swung inward and the man joined her. She spoke23 to him in a low hur-ried voice. Unable to catch what they said, Charles moved forward some-what imprudently. A twig24 snapped beneath his feet. The man swunground instantly.
“What’s that?” he said.
He caught sight of Charles’s retreating figure.
“Hie, you stop! What are you doing here?”
With a bound he sprang after Charles. Charles turned and tackled himadroitly. The next moment they were rolling over and over togetherlocked in a tight embrace.
The tussle25 was a short one. Charles’s assailant was by far the heavierand stronger of the two. He rose to his feet jerking his captive with him.
“Switch on that light, Violet,” he said, “let’s have a look at this fellow.”
The girl who had been standing terrified a few paces away came for-ward and switched on the torch obediently.
“It must be the man who is staying in the village,” she said. “A journal-ist.”
“A journalist, eh?” exclaimed the other. “I don’t like the breed. What areyou doing, you skunk26, nosing round private grounds at this time of night?”
The torch wavered in Violet’s hand. For the first time Charles was givena full view of his antagonist27. For a few minutes he had entertained thewild idea that the visitor might have been the escaped convict. One look atthe other dispelled28 any such fancy. This was a young man not more thantwenty-four or -five years of age. Tall, good-looking and determined29, withnone of the hunted criminal about him.
“Now then,” he said sharply, “what’s your name?”
“My name is Charles Enderby,” said Charles. “You haven’t told meyours,” he continued.
“Confound your cheek!”
A sudden flash of inspiration came to Charles. An inspired guess hadsaved him more than once. It was a long shot, but he believed that he wasright.
“I think, however,” he said quietly, “that I can guess it.”
“Eh?”
The other was clearly taken aback.
“I think,” said Charles, “that I have the pleasure of addressing Mr. BrianPearson from Australia. Is that so?”
There was a silence—rather a long silence. Charles had a feeling that thetables were turned.
“How the devil you knew that I can’t think,” said the other at last, “butyou’re right. My name is Brian Pearson.”
“In that case,” said Charles, “supposing we adjourn30 to the house and talkthings over!”
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1
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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2
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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3
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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4
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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yearn
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| v.想念；怀念；渴望 | |
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6
melodiousness
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| n.melodious（音调悦耳的）的变形 | |
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7
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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8
caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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10
discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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11
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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12
sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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13
prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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14
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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15
socket
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| n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口 | |
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16
sprint
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| n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过 | |
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17
plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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19
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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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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21
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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22
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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23
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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24
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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25
tussle
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| n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩 | |
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26
skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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27
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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28
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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30
adjourn
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| v.（使）休会，（使）休庭 | |
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