“You don’t mind, I suppose,” said Bundle after a minute or two, “if I driverather fast? I started later than I meant to do.”
It had seemed to Anthony that they were proceeding1 at a terrific speedalready, but he soon saw that that was nothing compared to what Bundlecould get out of the Panhard if she tried.
“Some people,” said Bundle, as she slowed down momentarily to passthrough a village, “are terrified of my driving. Poor old Father, for in-stance. Nothing would induce him to come up with me in this old bus.”
Privately2, Anthony thought Lord Caterham was entirely3 justified4. Driv-ing with Bundle was not a sport to be indulged in by nervous, middle-agedgentlemen.
“But you don’t seem nervous a bit,” continued Bundle approvingly, asshe swept round a corner on two wheels.
“I’m in pretty good training, you see,” explained Anthony gravely.
“Also,” he added, as an afterthought, “I’m rather in a hurry myself.”
“Shall I speed her up a bit more?” asked Bundle kindly5.
“Good Lord, no,” said Anthony hastily. “We’re averaging about fifty as itis.”
“I’m burning with curiosity to know the reason for this sudden depar-ture,” said Bundle, after executing a fanfare6 upon the klaxon which musttemporarily have deafened7 the neighbourhood. “But I suppose I mustn’task? You’re not escaping from justice, are you?”
“I’m not quite sure,” said Anthony. “I shall know soon.”
“That Scotland Yard man isn’t as much of a rabbit as I thought,” saidBundle thoughtfully.
“Battle’s a good man,” agreed Anthony.
“You ought to have been in diplomacy,” remarked Bundle. “You don’tpart with much information, do you?”
“I was under the impression that I babbled8.”
“Oh! Boy! You’re not eloping with Mademoiselle Brun, by any chance?”
“Not guilty!” said Anthony with fervour.
There was a pause of some minutes during which Bundle caught up andpassed three other cars. Then she asked suddenly:
“How long have you known Virginia?”
“That’s a difficult question to answer,” said Anthony, with perfect truth.
“I haven’t actually met her very often, and yet I seem to have known her along time.”
Bundle nodded.
“Virginia’s got brains,” she remarked abruptly9. “She’s always talkingnonsense, but she’s got brains all right. She was frightfully good out inHerzoslovakia, I believe. If Tim Revel10 had lived he’d have had a fine career—and mostly owing to Virginia. She worked for him tooth and nail. Shedid everything in the world she could for him—and I know why, too.”
“Because she cared for him?” Anthony sat looking very straight ahead ofhim.
“No, because she didn’t. Don’t you see? She didn’t love him—she neverloved him, and so she did everything on earth she could to make up. That’sVirginia all over. But don’t you make any mistake about it. Virginia wasnever in love with Tim Revel.”
“You seem very positive,” said Anthony, turning to look at her.
Bundle’s little hands were clenched11 on the steering12 wheel, and her chinwas stuck out in a determined13 manner.
“I know a thing or two. I was only a kid at the time of her marriage, but Iheard one or two things, and knowing Virginia I can put them togethereasily enough. Tim Revel was bowled over by Virginia—he was Irish, youknow, and most attractive, with a genius for expressing himself well. Vir-ginia was quite young—eighteen. She couldn’t go anywhere without see-ing Tim in a state of picturesque14 misery15, vowing16 he’d shoot himself or taketo drink if she didn’t marry him. Girls believe these things—or used to—we’ve advanced a lot in the last eight years. Virginia was carried away bythe feeling she thought she’d inspired. She married him—and she was anangel to him always. She wouldn’t have been half as much of an angel ifshe’d loved him. There’s a lot of the devil in Virginia. But I can tell you onething—she enjoys her freedom. And anyone will have a hard time per-suading her to give it up.”
“I wonder why you tell me all this?” said Anthony slowly.
“It’s interesting to know about people, isn’t it? Some people, that is.”
“I’ve wanted to know,” he acknowledged.
“And you’d never have heard from Virginia. But you can trust me for aninside tip from the stables. Virginia’s a darling. Even women like her be-cause she isn’t a bit of a cat. And anyway,” Bundle ended, somewhat ob-scurely, “one must be a sport, mustn’t one?”
“Oh, certainly,” Anthony agreed. But he was still puzzled. He had noidea what had prompted Bundle to give him so much information un-asked. That he was glad of it, he did not deny.
“Here are the trams,” said Bundle, with a sigh. “Now, I suppose, I shallhave to drive carefully.”
“It might be as well,” agreed Anthony.
His ideas and Bundle’s on the subject of careful driving hardly coin-cided. Leaving indignant suburbs behind them they finally emerged intoOxford Street.
“Not bad going, eh?” said Bundle, glancing at her wristwatch.
Anthony assented17 fervently18.
“Where do you want to be dropped?”
“Anywhere. Which way are you going?”
“Knightsbridge way.”
“All right, drop me at Hyde Park Corner.”
“Good-bye,” said Bundle, as she drew up at the place indicated. “Whatabout the return journey?”
“I’ll find my own way back, thanks very much.”
“I have scared him,” remarked Bundle.
“I shouldn’t recommend driving with you as a tonic19 for nervous oldladies, but personally I’ve enjoyed it. The last time I was in equal dangerwas when I was charged by a herd20 of wild elephants.”
“I think you’re extremely rude,” remarked Bundle. “We’re not even hadone bump today.”
“I’m sorry if you’ve been holding yourself in on my account,” retortedAnthony.
“I don’t think men are really very brave,” said Bundle.
“That’s a nasty one,” said Anthony. “I retire, humiliated21.” Bundle noddedand drove on. Anthony hailed a passing taxi. “Victoria Station,” he said tothe driver as he got in.
When he got to Victoria he paid off the taxi and inquired for the nexttrain to Dover. Unfortunately he had just missed one.
Resigning himself to a wait of something over an hour, Anthony pacedup and down, his brows knit. Once or twice he shook his head impatiently.
The journey to Dover was uneventful. Arrived there, Anthony passedquickly out of the station and then, as though suddenly remembering, heturned back again. There was a slight smile on his lips as he asked to bedirected to Hurstmere, Langly Road.
The road in question was a long one, leading right out of the town. Ac-cording to the porter’s instructions, Hurstmere was the last house. An-thony trudged22 along steadily23. The little pucker24 had reappeared betweenhis eyes. Nevertheless there was a new elation25 in his manner, as alwayswhen danger was near at hand.
Hurstmere was, as the porter had said, the last house in Langly Road. Itstood well back, enclosed in its own grounds, which were ragged26 andovergrown. The place, Anthony judged, must have been empty for manyyears. A large iron gate swung rustily27 on its hinges, and the name on thegatepost was half obliterated28.
“A lonely spot,” muttered Anthony to himself, “and a good one tochoose.”
He hesitated a minute or two, glanced quickly up and down the road—which was quite deserted—and then slipped quietly past the creaking gateinto the overgrown drive. He walked up it a little way, and then stoodlistening. He was still some distance from the house. Not a sound could beheard anywhere. Some fast-yellowing leaves detached themselves fromone of the trees overhead and fell with a soft rustling29 sound that was al-most sinister30 in the stillness. Anthony started; then smiled.
“Nerves,” he murmured to himself. “Never knew I had such things be-fore.”
He went on up the drive. Presently, as the drive curved, he slipped intothe shrubbery and so continued his way unseen from the house. Suddenlyhe stood still, peering out through the leaves. Some distance away a dogwas barking, but it was a sound nearer at hand that had attracted An-thony’s attention.
His keen hearing had not been mistaken. A man came rapidly round thecorner of the house, a short square, thickset man, foreign in appearance.
He did not pause but walked steadily on, circling the house and disappear-ing again.
Anthony nodded to himself.
“Sentry31,” he murmured. “They do the thing quite well.”
As soon as he had passed, Anthony went on, diverging32 to the left, and sofollowing in the footsteps of the sentry.
His own footsteps were quite noiseless.
The wall of the house was on his right, and presently he came to wherea broad blur33 of light fell on the gravelled walk. The sound of several mentalking together was clearly audible.
“My God! what double-dyed idiots,” murmured Anthony to himself. “Itwould serve them right to be given a fright.”
He stole up to the window, stooping a little so that he should not beseen. Presently he lifted his head very carefully to the level of the sill andlooked in.
Half a dozen men were sprawling34 round a table. Four of them were bigthickset men, with high cheekbones, and eyes set in Magyar slanting35 fash-ion. The other two were rat-like little men with quick gestures. The lan-guage that was being spoken was French, but the four big men spoke36 itwith uncertainty37 and a hoarse38 guttural intonation39.
“The boss?” growled40 one of these. “When will he be here?”
One of the smaller men shrugged41 his shoulders.
“Any time now.”
“About time, too,” growled the first man. “I have never seen him, thisboss of yours, but, oh, what great and glorious work might we not have ac-complished in these days of idle waiting!”
“Fool,” said the other little man bitingly. “Getting nabbed by the police isall the great and glorious work you and your precious lot would have beenlikely to accomplish. A lot of blundering gorillas42!”
“Aha!” roared another big thickset fellow. “You insult the Comrades? Iwill soon set the sign of the Red Hand round your throat.”
He half rose, glaring ferociously43 at the Frenchman, but one of his com-panions pulled him back again.
“No quarrelling,” he grunted44. “We’re to work together. From all I heard,this King Victor doesn’t stand for being disobeyed.”
In the darkness, Anthony heard the footsteps of the sentry coming hisround again, and he drew back behind a bush.
“Who’s that?” said one of the men inside.
“Carlo—going his rounds.”
“Oh! What about the prisoner?”
“He’s all right—coming round pretty fast now. He’s recovered well fromthe crack on the head we gave him.”
Anthony moved gently away.
“God! What a lot,” he muttered. “They discuss their affairs with an openwindow, and that fool Carlo goes his round with the tread of an elephant—and the eyes of a bat. And to crown all, the Herzoslovakians and theFrench are on the point of coming to blows. King Victor’s headquartersseem to be in a parlous45 condition. It would amuse me, it would amuse mevery much, to teach them a lesson.”
He stood irresolute46 for a minute, smiling to himself.
From somewhere above his head came a stifled47 groan48.
Anthony looked up. The groan came again.
Anthony glanced quickly from left to right. Carlo was not due roundagain just yet. He grasped the heavy Virginia creeper and climbed nimblytill he reached the sill of a window. The window was shut, but with a toolfrom his pocket he soon succeeded in forcing up the catch.
He paused a minute to listen, then sprang lightly inside the room. Therewas a bed in the far corner and on that bed a man was lying, his figurebarely discernible in the gloom.
Anthony went over to the bed, and flashed his pocket torch on the man’sface. It was a foreign face, pale and emaciated49, and the head was swathedin heavy bandages.
The man was bound hand and foot. He stared up at Anthony like onedazed.
Anthony bent50 over him, and as he did so he heard a sound behind himand swung round, his hand travelling to his coat pocket.
But a sharp command arrested him.
“Hands up, sonny. You didn’t expect to see me here, but I happened tocatch the same train as you at Victoria.”
It was Mr. Hiram Fish who was standing51 in the doorway52. He was smilingand in his hand was a big blue automatic.
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收听单词发音
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1
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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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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6
fanfare
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| n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布 | |
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deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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8
babbled
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| v.喋喋不休( babble的过去式和过去分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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tonic
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| n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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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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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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pucker
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| v.撅起，使起皱；n.（衣服上的）皱纹，褶子 | |
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elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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rustily
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| 锈蚀地，声音沙哑地 | |
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obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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diverging
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| 分开( diverge的现在分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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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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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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intonation
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| n.语调，声调；发声 | |
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40
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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41
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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42
gorillas
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| n.大猩猩( gorilla的名词复数 )；暴徒，打手 | |
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43
ferociously
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| 野蛮地，残忍地 | |
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44
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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45
parlous
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| adj.危险的，不确定的，难对付的 | |
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irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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47
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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48
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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49
emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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50
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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51
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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52
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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