We were not able to return to Johannesburg that night. The shells werecoming over pretty fast, and I gathered that we were now more or less cutoff, owing to the rebels having obtained possession of a new part of thesuburbs.
Our place of refuge was a farm some twenty miles or so from Johannes-burg—right out on the veld. I was dropping with fatigue1. All the excite-ment and anxiety of the last two days had left me little better than a limprag.
I kept repeating to myself, without being able to believe it, that ourtroubles were really over. Harry2 and I were together and we should neverbe separated again. Yet all through I was conscious of some barrierbetween us—a constraint3 on his part, the reason of which I could notfathom.
Sir Eustace had been driven off in an opposite direction accompanied bya strong guard. He waved his hand airily to us on departing.
I came out on to the stoep early on the following morning and lookedacross the veld in the direction of Johannesburg. I could see the greatdumps glistening4 in the pale morning sunshine, and I could hear the lowrumbling mutter of the guns. The Revolution was not over yet.
The farmer’s wife came out and called me in to breakfast. She was akind, motherly soul, and I was already very fond of her. Harry had goneout at dawn and had not yet returned, so she informed me. Again I felt astir of uneasiness pass over me. What was this shadow of which I was soconscious between us?
After breakfast I sat out on the stoep, a book in my hand which I did notread. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I never saw Colonel Race rideup and dismount from his horse. It was not until he said “Good morning,Anne,” that I became aware of his presence.
“Oh,” I said, with a flush, “it’s you.”
“Yes. May I sit down?”
He drew a chair up beside me. It was the first time we had been alonetogether since that day at the Matopos. As always, I felt that curious mix-ture of fascination5 and fear that he never failed to inspire in me.
“What is the news?” I asked.
“Smuts will be in Johannesburg tomorrow. I give this outbreak threedays more before it collapses6 utterly7. In the meantime the fighting goeson.”
“I wish,” I said, “that one could be sure that the right people were theones to get killed. I mean the ones who wanted to fight—not just all thepoor people who happen to live in the parts where the fighting is goingon.”
He nodded.
“I know what you mean, Anne. That’s the unfairness of war. But I’veother news for you.”
“Yes?”
“A confession8 of incompetency9 on my part. Pedler has managed to es-cape.”
“What?”
“Yes. No one knows how he managed it. He was securely locked up forthe night—in an upper-story room of one of the farms roundabouts whichthe Military have taken over, but this morning the room was empty andthe bird had flown.”
Secretly, I was rather pleased. Never, to this day, have I been able to ridmyself of a sneaking10 fondness for Sir Eustace. I daresay it’s reprehensible,but there it is. I admired him. He was a thoroughgoing villain11, I daresay—but he was a pleasant one. I’ve never met anyone half so amusing since.
I concealed12 my feelings, of course. Naturally Colonel Race would feelquite differently about it. He wanted Sir Eustace brought to justice. Therewas nothing very surprising in his escape when one came to think of it. Allround Jo’burg he must have innumerable spies and agents. And, whateverColonel Race might think, I was exceedingly doubtful that they would evercatch him. He probably had a well-planned line of retreat. Indeed, he hadsaid as much to us.
I expressed myself suitably, though in a rather lukewarm manner, andthe conversation languished13. Then Colonel Race asked suddenly for Harry.
I told him that he had gone off at dawn and that I hadn’t seen him thismorning.
“You understand, don’t you, Anne, that apart from formalities, he iscompletely cleared? There are technicalities, of course, but Sir Eustace’sguilt is well-assured. There is nothing now to keep you apart.”
He said this without looking at me, in a slow, jerky voice.
“I understand,” I said gratefully.
“And there is no reason why he should not at once resume his realname.”
“No, of course not.”
“You know his real name?”
The question surprised me.
“Of course I do. Harry Lucas.”
He did not answer, and something in the quality of his silence struck meas peculiar14.
“Anne, do you remember that, as we drove home from the Matopos thatday, I told you that I knew what I had to do?”
“Of course I remember.”
“I think that I may fairly say I have done it. The man you love is clearedof suspicion.”
“Was that what you meant?”
“Of course.”
I hung my head, ashamed of the baseless suspicion I had entertained.
He spoke15 again in a thoughtful voice:
“When I was a mere16 youngster, I was in love with a girl who jilted me.
After that I thought only of my work. My career meant everything to me.
Then I met you, Anne—and all that seemed worth nothing. But youth callsto youth .?.?. I’ve still got my work.”
I was silent. I suppose one can’t really love two men at once—but youcan feel like it. The magnetism17 of this man was very great. I looked up athim suddenly.
“I think that you’ll go very far,” I said dreamily. “I think that you’ve got agreat career ahead of you. You’ll be one of the world’s big men.”
I felt as though I was uttering a prophecy.
“I shall be alone, though.”
“All the people who do really big things are.”
“You think so?”
“I’m sure of it.”
He took my hand, and said in a low voice:
“I’d rather have had—the other.”
Then Harry came striding round the corner of the house. Colonel Racerose.
“Good morning—Lucas,” he said.
For some reason Harry flushed up to the roots of his hair.
“Yes,” I said gaily18, “you must be known by your real name now.”
But Harry was still staring at Colonel Race.
“So you know, sir,” he said at last.
“I never forget a face. I saw you once as a boy.”
“What’s all this about?” I asked, puzzled, looking from one to the other.
It seemed a conflict of wills between them. Race won. Harry turnedslightly away.
“I suppose you’re right, sir. Tell her my real name.”
“Anne, this isn’t Harry Lucas. Harry Lucas was killed in the War. This isJohn Harold Eardsley.”
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收听单词发音
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1
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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2
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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3
constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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4
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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5
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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6
collapses
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| 折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 )； 倒塌； 崩溃； （尤指工作劳累后）坐下 | |
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7
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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8
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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incompetency
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| n.无能力，不适当 | |
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10
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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11
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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12
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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13
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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14
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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15
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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16
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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17
magnetism
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| n.磁性，吸引力，磁学 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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